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Chinese vice premier stresses speeding up sci-tech progress in seed industry

Xinhua) 09:31, April 18, 2024

HAIKOU, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong has stressed the importance of accelerating efforts to achieve breakthroughs on core agricultural technologies in key areas and boosting self-reliance and strength within the seed industry.

Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a research trip in south China's island province of Hainan from Monday to Wednesday.

During his trip, Liu inspected a national seed breeding base and a laboratory, among other sites, to learn about the conservation and utilization of germplasm resources, as well as the promotion and application of new varieties.

He chaired a symposium and listened to the opinions and suggestions from government departments, localities and experts on the scientific and technological innovation within the seed industry.

Liu underscored the need to enhance the protection of germplasm resources, boost the strategic scientific and technological strength of the seed industry, strengthen the principal position of seed enterprises in technological innovation, and increase international exchanges in this area.

Liu also called for efforts to enhance the development of natural rubber production and the ability to secure the supply of natural rubber, as well as to advance the reform of agricultural reclamation.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has named 10 Emory faculty members as 2023 Fellows, the largest class of Emory faculty to ever receive the prestigious lifetime honor. These scientific leaders were selected for embodying scientific excellence while fostering trust in science, according to Sudip Parikh, PhD, AAAS chief executive officer.

Representing the fields of biology, engineering, neuroscience, psychology, chemistry, statistics and physics, the following Emory faculty have been elected as 2023 AAAS Fellows:

Joanna B. Goldberg, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine and holds a secondary appointment in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. She has been cited for "distinguished contributions to pathogenic microbiology, particularly for strategies used by bacteria to cause infections in patients with cystic fibrosis" and has published over 175 original research articles in the field. In addition, Goldberg is strongly committed to training the next generation of scientists and strives to promote them to succeed in their chosen career paths.

Read more about Goldberg on the School of Medicine website.

Peng Jin, PhD, is the Robert W. Woodruff Professor and chair of human genetics in the School of Medicine, a member of the Cell and Molecular Biology Research Program at Winship Cancer Institute and director of Emorys Stephen T. Warren National Fragile X Research Center. His research focuses on defining the mechanisms of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, ranging from fragile X syndrome, the most common inherited form of intellectual disability, to Alzheimers disease. Jin is cited for distinguished contributions to the field of neurogenetics and neuroepigenetics.

Read more about Jin on the Winship Cancer Institute website.

Tianquan "Tim" Lian is the William Henry Emerson Professor of Chemistry in the Emory College of Arts and Sciences. In search of efficient and low-cost solar energy conversion technologies, Lian heads a research group focused on advancing understanding of interfacial charge and energy transfer in photovoltaic and photocatalytic materials. Lian, who serves as the editor-in-chief of The Journal of Chemical Physics, is a recipient of several prestigious awards and fellowships. Lian is also a member of the both the American Chemical Society and American Physical Society.

Read more about Lian on the Lian Research Group website.

Amita Manatunga, PhD, is the Donna Jean Brogan Professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics at the Rollins School of Public Health. She has dedicated her career to making impactful contributions to the field of biostatistics, primarily to advance statistical methodology developments for addressing pressing public health challenges, but also to promote biomedical scientific investigations. Her methodological research interests include statistical methods for analysis of multivariate survival outcomes, studies of agreement and reproducibility, analysis of functional data, and model developments for prediction.

Read more about Manatunga on the School of Public Health website.

Susan Margulies, PhD, is a professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in Injury Biomechanics. She also leads the U.S. National Science Foundations Directorate for Engineering. Her research spans the micro-to-macro scales in two distinct subfields: traumatic brain injury and ventilator-induced lung injury. Using an integrated biomechanics approach consisting of relevant animal models, cell and tissue experiments, and complementary computational models and human studies, her lab generates new knowledge about the structural and functional responses of the brain and lung to their mechanical environment.

Read more about Margulies on the School of Medicine website.

Andrew H. Miller, MD, is the William P. Timmie Professor and vice chair for research in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and a professor in the Department of Hematology and Oncology at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. Miller is a foremost expert on the relationship between the brain and immune system, particularly how inflammation affects depression. Miller led the first clinical trial to explore the use of immunotherapy in treating depression. He has published over 300 scholarly articles and won numerous research and teaching awards.

Read more about Miller on the School of Medicine website.

Jacobus de Roode is a Samuel C. Dobbs Professor of Biology in the Emory College of Arts and Sciences. In his lab at Emory, de Roode and his team investigate the evolution and ecology of parasites and their hosts, as well as animal migration. Most of this work involves monarch butterflies and honeybees. De Roode directs the Infectious Diseases Across Scales Training Program (IDASTP) and co-directs Emorys Molecules and Pathogens to Populations and Pandemics (MP3) Initiative. De Roode also serves on the Board of Directors of the Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail.

Read more about de Roode on the Department of Biology website.

Barbara Olasov Rothbaum, PhD, is director of the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program. She is a professor and associate vice chair of clinical research at Emory School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and director of the Trauma and Anxiety Recovery Program and holds the Paul A. Janssen Chair in Neuropsychopharmcology. An expert in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Rothbaum pioneered virtual reality exposure therapy for combat veterans and has contributed extensively to PTSD treatment research. She has authored more than 400 scientific papers and published 11 books on the treatment of PTSD.

Read more about Rothbaum on the School of Medicine website.

Eric Weeks is the Samuel C. Dobbs Professor of Physics in the Emory College of Arts and Sciences, director of the Center for Faculty Development and Excellence and associate vice provost for faculty affairs. He researches experimental soft condensed matter: the study of materials such as foam, sand, gels and paste. His work connects the microscopic structure of these materials to their macroscopic properties. Weeks has published over 110 peer-reviewed articles and is a fellow of the American Physical Society.

Read more about Weeks on the Emory physics website.

Kathryn Yount, PhD, is the Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Global Health and professor of global health and sociology at the Rollins School of Public Health and the Emory College of Arts and Sciences. Her research centers on the social determinants of womens health, including mixed-methods evaluations of social norms and empowerment-based programs to reduce gender-based violence and health disparities in underserved populations. Her work has culminated in more than 300 publications in the social sciences and global health.

Read more about Yount on the School of Public Health website.

The new Fellows will receive a certificate and a gold and blue rosette pin (representing science and engineering, respectively) to commemorate their election and will be celebrated at a forum on Sept. 21, 2024, in Washington, DC.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the worlds largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science, as well as Science Translational Medicine; Science Signaling; a digital, open-access journal, Science Advances; Science Immunology; and Science Robotics. AAAS was founded in 1848 and includes more than 250 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals. The nonprofit AAAS is open to all and fulfills its mission to advance science and serve society through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education, public engagement, and more. For additional information about AAAS, see www.aaas.org.
Brad Slutsky, an accomplished attorney with extensive experience representing top global corporations, will serve as Emorys next senior vice president and general counsel, President Gregory L. Fenves announced. Slutsky will join the university May 6.

Brad has tremendous experience in the private sector, yet he also has a strong understanding of the issues shaping higher education and health care nationwide, says Fenves. His experience is varied and deep, and he brings a breadth of perspective and strategic expertise that will serve the Emory enterprise well.

Emory Universitys Office of the General Counsel (OGC) provides legal representation to both Emory University and Emory Healthcare.

Slutsky has served most recently as executive vice president and general counsel for Red Ventures, a private equity-backed international digital marketing, health, financial services, technology news and travel company. In this role, he managed a team of 60 attorneys, paralegals and privacy, compliance and procurement professionals supporting operations in the U.S., Europe, Asia and South America.

Prior to his work with Red Ventures, he served as senior vice president and general counsel for FleetCor Technologies (now known as Corpay), where he managed a legal team supporting operations in more than 50 countries. He holds a JD from the University of Virginia Law School and a bachelors degree in business economics from Brown University.

Slutsky also has deep Atlanta roots, with an 18-year career  including more than 10 as partner  at the law firm King & Spalding, where his focus was intellectual property and technology. His many honors include being selected as one of the top 100 Legal Influencers in the U.S. by The Business Journals and winning the 2023 Outstanding Legal Department (Large Company) and 2018 Outstanding General Counsel (Large Legal Department) awards from the Association of Corporate Counsel.

I am thrilled to be joining the outstanding administration, faculty and staff at Emory University in their mission to create, preserve, teach and apply knowledge in the service of humanity, and to be of service to Emory Healthcare in its treatment of nearly 1 million patients each year, Slutsky says. Emory has assembled an incredibly talented and accomplished team in pursuit of this work. I am honored to have the opportunity to work with the team to help further education, research and health care for current and future generations.

Amy Adelman to return as deputy general counsel

Amy Adelman, who has served as Emorys interim senior vice president and general counsel since September 2022, will return to the role of deputy general counsel. Adelman led the Office of the General Counsel through a period marked by extensive change and uncertainty in higher education and health care on a national scale. She developed and maintained a dynamic and talented team of attorneys for Emory and is deeply involved in managing a range of multifaceted legal issues, including those related to open expression and campus climate. She led and positioned the OGC to thrive in the years ahead.

I am grateful to Amy Adelman for her tremendous commitment and leadership as interim senior vice president and general counsel for nearly two years, Fenves says. Her guidance and knowledge, honed over two decades at Emory, were relied upon time and again, especially as the university navigated many complex issues. I am pleased that Amy will continue to provide Emory with essential legal guidance as deputy general counsel.
On Thursday, April 4, student founders from The Hatchery, Emorys Center for Innovation, participated in its highly anticipated Student Founders Showcase. Sponsored by the Office of the Provost, this annual event celebrates the groundbreaking work of Emory student founders developing their ventures in The Hatchery Incubator, representing a diverse array of colleges and schools within the university.

The showcase serves as a platform for these innovative minds to present their ventures, spanning a wide spectrum of disciplines and industries. From pioneering health care solutions to sustainable technologies, student founders were able to hone their pitch skills and receive valuable feedback from members of the Atlanta business and nonprofit communities, local government, innovators, entrepreneurs and Emory staff and faculty who are focused on supporting innovation.

Adding to the excitement of the evening was the announcement of the Ellen Bailey Achievement Award, named in honor of Ellen Bailey 63C 87B, an esteemed emeritus member of Emory Universitys Board of Trustees. Through Baileys generous donation, The Hatchery granted three student founders $2,500 each.

Baileys journey as a serial entrepreneur is nothing short of inspirational.

Breaking barriers and defying norms, she embarked on her entrepreneurial endeavors in the 1960s, a time when such pursuits were uncommon for women. Over the years, Bailey has masterfully crafted more than a dozen successful businesses across many industries, leaving an indelible legacy of resilience and innovation. Her profound understanding of the challenges faced by budding entrepreneurs underscores her commitment to supporting them at every stage of their journeys.

I have found that a little bit of money at the right place and at the right time helps get things off the ground, says Bailey. As an entrepreneur, I know that the first investment is always the hardest to get.

Winners of the Ellen Bailey Achievement Award

OwangaSolar, a business delivering on-demand, environmentally friendly electricity to businesses in the Democratic Republic of Congo through cost-effective, battery-as-a-service rentals. Founders: Emory School of Law JD 2024 graduates Benedict Owanga and Chinelo Adi.

a business delivering on-demand, environmentally friendly electricity to businesses in the Democratic Republic of Congo through cost-effective, battery-as-a-service rentals. Founders: Emory School of Law JD 2024 graduates Benedict Owanga and Chinelo Adi. Blesser Breakers, a nonprofit that empowers young girls to escape the trap of adult-child predatory sexual relationships. Founder: Wabei Saboi, 2024 Laney Graduate School masters in development practice graduate.

a nonprofit that empowers young girls to escape the trap of adult-child predatory sexual relationships. Founder: Wabei Saboi, 2024 Laney Graduate School masters in development practice graduate. Access: EnTree, a social simulation video game that aims to spread awareness through engagement about disabilities and accessibility. Founders: Sreyas Yennampelli, 2023 Emory College graduate in philosophy, politics and law and neuroscience and behavior biology, and Logan Cundiff of the Florida Disability Access and Awareness Foundation.

In addition to celebrating the founders and the Atlanta innovation and startup ecosystem, the Student Founders Showcase at The Hatchery underscores Emory Universitys commitment to nurturing a vibrant culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Visit The Hatchery website to learn more about The Hatchery and its programs or to read more student success stories.

Skip carousel Student founders from The Hatchery Incubator practiced their pitch skills, received feedback and mingled with members of the Emory and Atlanta community at The Hatcherys Student Founder Showcase. Student founders from The Hatchery Incubator practiced their pitch skills, received feedback and mingled with members of the Emory and Atlanta community at The Hatcherys Student Founder Showcase. Student founders from The Hatchery Incubator practiced their pitch skills, received feedback and mingled with members of the Emory and Atlanta community at The Hatcherys Student Founder Showcase. Student founders from The Hatchery Incubator practiced their pitch skills, received feedback and mingled with members of the Emory and Atlanta community at The Hatcherys Student Founder Showcase. Student founders from The Hatchery Incubator practiced their pitch skills, received feedback and mingled with members of the Emory and Atlanta community at The Hatcherys Student Founder Showcase. Student founders from The Hatchery Incubator practiced their pitch skills, received feedback and mingled with members of the Emory and Atlanta community at The Hatcherys Student Founder Showcase. Previous Next

Photos by Christopher Oquendo.
ATLANTA  Emory Decatur Hospital and the state of Georgias Path2College 529 Plan collaborated to award the first Tax Day Baby born at the hospital on April 15 with a college savings contribution. Baby Eleanor Grace was recognized as the first baby born on April 15,and she was awarded a $1,529 contribution to her Path2College 529 Plan.

I was so surprised, but I am super excited and know this will be a huge blessing to our family, says Eleanors mother, MaryGrace Fox.

The Tax Day Baby program was established to raise awareness about the importance of saving for college and financial planning, along with the advantages of saving in the Path2College 529 Plan.

After a baby is born, parents immediately start thinking about the future and how they can help make their childs dreams come true, says Jen Schuck, CEO of Emory Decatur Hospital. We are thrilled that the first baby born on tax day at Emory Decatur Hospital now has a savings contribution from Georgias Path2College 529 that will support their higher education aspirations.

We are excited to help Eleanor jump-start her college savings with this contribution to her Path2College 529 Plan, says Georgia Student Finance Commission President Lynne Riley. These savings may be used for qualified higher education expenses such as tuition, room and board, books, supplies and more.

April 15 also marks the official kick-off of the 2024 Path2College Newborn Sweepstakes where one baby born in Georgia this year will be awarded a $5,529 college savings contribution. The Path2College 529 Plan will also award $1,529 to the hospital where the Newborn Sweepstakes winner is born.

Parents, grandparents and guardians of Georgia babies born in 2024 may go to www.Path2College529.com until April 15, 2025, for official rules, prize details and to enter for a chance to win the 2024 Newborn Sweepstakes (no purchase necessary/void where prohibited). The Newborn Sweepstakes is sponsored by the Path2College 529 Plan.
17:47





As many as 102 parliamentary constituencies across 21 states and Union territories will go to polls in the first phase which is also the largest of the seven phases of the elections.





Separately, voting will also be held for 92 assembly seats in the state elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim on Friday.





Of the 102 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP had won 39 in 2019, with the ruling alliance NDA bagging 12, five and three of them in Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and West Bengal, respectively.





The BJP's existing allies hold seven of them. Voting will begin at 7 am and end at 6 pm, though the closure of poll timings differs in some seats. The Election Commission has deployed over 18 lakh polling personnel across 1.87 lakh polling stations where over 16.63 crore voters will exercise their franchise. Voters include 8.4 crore men, 8.23 crore women and 11,371 third gender. There are as many as 35.67 lakh first time voters, besides 3.51 crore young voters in the age group of 20-29 years. A total of 41 helicopters, 84 special trains and nearly one lakh vehicles have been deployed to ferry polling and security personnel, the poll panel pointed out. Webcasting will be done in more than 50 per cent of the polling stations along with deployment of micro observers in all polling stations.





Additionally, 361 observers -- 127 general, 67 police and 167 expenditure observers -- have already reached their constituencies days before the polls. They will serve as the eyes and ears of the Commission. Special observers have also been deployed in certain states.





Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has been leading the preparations for the Lok Sabha elections for the past two years. He had led a conference of state chief electoral officers at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration.





Amongst the prominent leaders trying their electoral luck in phase one are Union ministers Nitin Gadkari from Nagpur, Kiren Rijiju from Arunachal Pradesh (West), Arjun Ram Meghwal from Bikaner, Sarbanada Sonowal from Dibrugarh in Assam, Sanjeev Baliyan from Muzaffarnagar in western UP, Jitendra Singh from Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir and Bhupendra Yadav from Alwar in Rajasthan. Tamilisai Soundararajan, who recently resigned as governor of Telangana and Lt Governor of Puducherry to return to active politics, is contesting from Chennai South Lok Sabha constituency. Nakul Nath, son of Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, is seeking reelection from Chhindwara. Of the two Lok Sabha constituencies in Tripura, the seat of West Tripura that votes in the first phase will see a high-voltage clash between former chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb and state Congress president Ashish Kumar Saha.





Aiming to enhance voter turnout, ahead of the polling, the poll panel had also organised a conference on low voter turnout with focus on parliamentary constituencies with a history of low poll participation in previous elections. Polling for the 543 seats for electing the 18th Lok Sabha will be held in seven phases. The votes will be counted on June 4. PTI

Polling for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections is set to take place on Friday in which more than 1,600 candidates, including eight Union ministers, two former chief ministers and an ex-governor will test their electoral fate.
Former badminton number one Momota retires

Kento Momota in action at the 2024 Badminton Asia Team Championships. File photo: AFP

Two-time world champion Kento Momota said Thursday he is retiring from international badminton aged 29, ending a top-level career that never recovered from a car crash four years ago.



Momota, who had already missed out on a place at the Paris Olympics, will play for Japan for the last time at the Thomas Cup in China later this month.



The former world number one will only feature in domestic competitions in Japan after that and not on badminton's World Tour.



"I have made this decision because it feels like I have reached my physical and mental limit in trying to get back to being the best in the world," Momota, now ranked 52, said in a statement.



Momota was once badminton's undisputed king, winning 11 titles in 2019 and losing just six of the 73 matches he played that year.



But his life was turned upside down in January 2020 when the vehicle taking him to Kuala Lumpur airport crashed hours after he won the Malaysia Masters.



The driver was killed and Momota needed surgery to repair a fractured eye socket.



He suffered double vision and struggled to regain his previous form when he returned to competition after a year out of action.



He lost in the opening round at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and fell at the first hurdle in four of the first five tournaments he entered the following year.



He was also hampered by injuries and saw his world ranking plummet as former rival Viktor Axelsen established himself as badminton's top player.



Momota, who was embroiled in a gambling scandal earlier in his career, ended a two-year title drought when he won the Korea Masters in November last year.



Momota had targeted this summer's Paris Olympics but his national ranking was not good enough to earn him a spot in Japan's team.



He was banned from selection for the 2016 Rio Olympics for gambling at an illegal casino. (AFP)
2024 Rickert-Ziebold winners, from left, seniors Carson Slaughter, Nicole Zralka and Lauren Clark are sharing SIU Carbondales most prestigious art prize. (Photo by Amihere Benson)

Three SIU seniors share 2024 Rickert-Ziebold art award

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill.  Three graduating seniors in Southern Illinois University Carbondales School of Art and Design are sharing the universitys most prestigious art prize  the Rickert-Ziebold Trust Award.

Lauren Clark, a communication design major from Murphysboro; Carson Slaughter, a metalsmithing major from Chicago, and Nicole Zralka, an art education major from Frankfort, Illinois, are sharing in this years honor. In all, six seniors competed this year.

Im very glad that there were a few of us instead of just one, Slaughter said. It would be impossible for me to choose if I were a judge. Im very grateful that I was chosen and very happy that I can share it with others.

The exhibition runs through Saturday, April 20, in the SIU Surplus Gallery, 432 S. Washington St., Carbondale. A reception will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 19, in the Surplus Gallery, with the awards presentation at 6:30 p.m. The gallery is in the Studio Arts Building, formerly known as the Glove Factory. The exhibition is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Friday and from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, April 20.

Another successful competition

Sun Kyoung Kim, chair of the Rickert-Ziebold committee and associate professor of metalsmithing and jewelry, said the students hard work doesnt go unnoticed and that she hopes they continue their search for innovation and creativity.

The impactful or provoking visual, colors and intensity of the craftsmanship stood out to me, Kim said. I am so lucky that I get to work with these talented young artists and designers. I get to watch them put in everything they have. They spend hours and hours to create their artworks as well as to plan things out. Many of them told me that they finally caught up on some sleep when the installation was completed. I really appreciate all their efforts.

Media Advisory

Reporters, photographers and news crews are welcome to cover the 2024 Rickert-Ziebold Trust Award reception and award presentation on April 19 at the SIU Surplus Gallery. The reception is set for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., with the award presentation at 6:30 p.m. For more information, contact Sun Kim at sunkim@siu.edu or the Surplus Gallery at 618-453-7548 or sgallery@siu.edu.

Clarks Gender Diverse World installation is an interactive experience that includes a book and 3D application to create an educational resource on gender diversity around the world. She said she found little content on the subject outside of academic materials that tend to focus on the United States or European countries or the politics that gender-diverse people face.

I wanted create something to fill the gap, she said.

Using her illustrative, motion graphics and print design experience, Clark created a 40-page illustrated book  complete with a QR code  and accompanying video for users to learn more about worldwide gender diversity. Clark said she wants to build on the material she already has through more research and first-person perspectives. Her hope is the book and 3D experience opens minds so that we can all see beyond our own small corners of the world.

Slaughters approximate 12-piece installation includes various wearable headdresses and necklaces. He has been interested in metalsmithing for a long time, noting he asked for tools for his 15th birthday to melt cans and make knives.

Ive definitely transitioned more to wearables as opposed to knives or other blacksmithing items, Slaughter said. He said he came to SIU Carbondale because this is the place to do metals.

I knew I wanted to make stuff, and I wasnt interested in computer design or product design, he said. Im more of a craft, hands-on person. Metal is favorite medium.

Zralkas installation of nine oil paintings center on exploring the multifaceted expectations of femininity throughout girlhood.

I just wanted to reflect on growing up as a girl and accepting femininity as a strength even though I had to learn that sometimes its not viewed that way and it can be taken as a weakness, said Zralka, who is the youngest among three sisters.

The largest oil painting in the exhibit is one of Zralka with her mother inspired by a photograph when she was a youngster. In her artist description, Zralka notes the symbolic use of pink ribbons in a delicate interplay of pink silk and oil paint to create a sense of nostalgia and introspection that prompts viewers to reconnect with their own reminiscences of girlhood that when woven together create an emotional tapestry that is unique to the feminine experience.

Zralka is presently a student teacher in the Cobden School District but said she plans to return to northern Illinois upon graduation in May.

Other finalists

Other finalists were:

Clayton Curry, blacksmithing, Monticello , Illinois.

, Illinois. Tam Gilker, metalsmithing, Webster Groves , Missouri.

, Missouri. Jessica Tosti, communication design, Clearwater, Florida.

Promoting visual arts excellence

The award was established 50 years ago by the Rickert family in honor of the late Joseph Rickert, an attorney and former state senator from Waterloo, to encourage young artists. Because of the Rickert familys vision, love of art, and confidence in the future, the School of Art and Design is able to annually present cash awards to Rickert-Ziebold scholars.
VMPL New Delhi [India], April 18: Ruskle, the pioneering brand in flavored rusks for tea time snacking, today announced that it has raised INR 25 Lakhs in seed funding from DLabs at the Indian School of Business, through the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS). This investment marks a significant milestone for Ruskle, propelling its expansion pan-India (especially ithe Northern markets) and solidifying its position as a frontrunner in the snacking industry. Founded in 2022 by Anil Paremal, Vivas Nandhakumar, and Sai Surya, Ruskle has quickly gained recognition for its innovative approach to reinventing traditional Indian tea time snacks. With a mission to introduce exciting new flavors to the rusk and snacking category across India, Ruskle has already established a strong presence in over 300 stores in Bangalore, alongside its online presence on major marketplaces and its own website, www.ruskle.in. The infusion of funds will fuel Ruskle's nationwide expansion strategy, focusing particularly on penetrating the tea drinking markets of the North. Leveraging direct-to-consumer channels, quick commerce platforms, and marketplaces, Ruskle aims to cater to the evolving snacking preferences of consumers while introducing a diverse range of flavors that resonate with the Indian palate. Ruskle is available in 3 lip-smacking flavours for consumers to relish - Chilly Cheese, Green Chutney and Cinnamon Sugar. Rusk biscuits, originally European, made their way to India through colonial trade routes. Over time, they became an integral part of Indian tea culture, evolving to suit local tastes with variations incorporating indigenous spices and flavors. Today, rusks are cherished in Indian households, enjoyed as a crispy snack or dunked in tea for a burst of flavor. Their history reflects the fusion of culinary influences and the enduring love for tea-time indulgences. Anil Paremal, Co-Founder & CEO of Ruskle, remarked, "As a food person with experience in running successful food chains, I am excited about the opportunity to bring Ruskle's innovative flavors to more consumers across the country. This investment will enable us to leverage our expertise and expand our reach, especially in Northern India where tea consumption is high." Vivas Nandhakumar, Co-Founder & CMO, brings a wealth of advertising and communication experience to Ruskle, enhancing the brand's visibility and engagement with consumers. He stated, "With the funding secured, we are poised to elevate Ruskle's presence in the market and captivate tea time enthusiasts with our unique flavors and messaging. Our goal is to quadruple revenue and establish Ruskle as a household name." Sai Surya, Co-founder & COO, emphasized the significance of innovation in a highly unorganized category, saying, "As a product guy passionate about creating new offerings, I see immense potential in Ruskle to disrupt the snacking industry. With 60-70% of the category being unorganized, there's a huge opportunity for Ruskle to establish itself as a leader through innovation and quality." Saumya Kumar, CEO of DLabs at the Indian School of Business, expressed enthusiasm about supporting Ruskle's journey, stating, "We believe Ruskle has immense potential to revolutionize the snacking industry with its innovative approach. We are excited to witness their continued growth and success in the market." About Ruskle: Ruskle is a leading brand of flavored rusks, offering exciting flavors to enhance your tea time experience. With flavors like Cinnamon Sugar, Chilly Cheese, and Green Chutney, Ruskle brings innovation to the traditional tea time snacks loved by generations of Indians. Available in over 300 stores across Bangalore and Mysore, as well as online on marketplaces and www.ruskle.in, Ruskle is the perfect addition to your tea time rituals. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
Oscar-winning filmmaker, Quentin Tarantino, has announced his departure from the much-anticipated film, 'The Movie Critic.' With nine iconic films under his belt, the anticipation surrounding his elusive tenth and final project has been palpable. However, the recent reports by Variety, have left fans both intrigued and bewildered as Tarantino announced his departure from the much-discussed film, 'The Movie Critic.' Initially envisioned as a nostalgic tribute to Tarantino's formative years in 1970s California, 'The Movie Critic' aimed to delve into the gritty underbelly of Hollywood through the perspective of a jaded critic. The possibility of Brad Pitt reprising his role as Cliff Booth from 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' added an extra layer of intrigue to the project. However, as the development progressed, Tarantino's creative direction evolved, leading to uncertainty about the film's narrative trajectory. The inability to secure a California Tax Credit further complicates the fate of the project, as per Variety. Unlike his previous ventures, 'The Movie Critic' faced challenges in securing studio support, reminiscent of Tarantino's abandoned R-rated 'Star Trek' concept. Speculation about Sony's involvement ultimately fizzled out, leaving the project in limbo. The Hollywood Reporter ignited speculation over a year ago when it first unveiled details about Tarantino's potential final project. The film, touted to be the filmmaker's crowning achievement as his tenth directorial venture, has captivated audiences and critics alike. With Tarantino's steadfast commitment to retiring from directing after this milestone, the anticipation surrounding this enigmatic project has only intensified. He has long expressed his desire to conclude his directorial career on a high note, ensuring that his filmography remains a testament to his unparalleled talent and creativity. In a candid interview with a magazine obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Tarantino articulated his philosophy, stating, "Directors don't get better as they get older... I don't want that bad, out-of-touch comedy in my filmography... When directors get out-of-date, it's not pretty." In a remarkable turn of events, Tarantino recently ventured into the realm of literature with the publication of a novelization of his critically acclaimed film, 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.' The novel not only offers fresh insights into the intricacies of the film's narrative but also delves deeper into the psyche of its characters, including the enigmatic Cliff Booth played by Brad Pitt. (ANI)
According to documents obtained by Page Six, the Duke of Sussex listed the US as his "new country/state usually resident," a notable change from his previous ties to the UK.

The paperwork, filed by Companies House for Harry's eco-travel venture, Travalyst, indicates that this residency shift occurred on June 29, 2023, following Harry and Meghan Markle's departure from their UK home, Frogmore Cottage, the day prior.

This legal move comes amidst ongoing discussions about the couple's status within the royal family and their future plans.

While the impact of renouncing his British residency on Harry's royal titles remains uncertain, there's speculation that he may address this issue during an upcoming visit to London, as per Page Six.

Despite this change, Harry has expressed conflicting sentiments about his connection to the UK, acknowledging it as his "home" but citing safety concerns that prompted their move to the US.

In December 2023, Harry emphasized the importance of his children's heritage and safety while on UK soil, despite their current residence in the US.

However, the prince has also shown interest in obtaining American citizenship, although he views it as a secondary priority at present.

Yet, Harry's past admissions of drug use, detailed in his memoir 'Spare,' raise questions about the ease of his immigration process.

While some legal experts suggest minimal impact unless he faces further legal issues, concerns linger regarding potential repercussions, including the need to renounce his royal titles to fulfil US citizenship requirements, as per a report by Page Six. (ANI)
She recently took to Instagram to offer fans a sneak peek into the night shoot of 'Gulabi'.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C546uxdCmc-/?hl=en

The video, brimming with the infectious energy of children, captures a delightful moment from the set, showing the warmth and vibrancy the film promises to deliver. In the video, Huma is seen with a bunch of kids.

"Thank you Ahmedabad for all the love and warmth ... shooting #Gulabi here has been so special.. Grateful for all the pyaar #love #grateful #blessed #Ahmedabad #shooting #nightshift This film is so special and very close to my heart @gujarattourism," she captioned the post.

In a statement, she further opened up about her experience shooting for the film in Ahemdabad.

"Ahmedabad has been an absolute delight for our shoot. The whole city has welcomed us with such open arms. I am loving filming here despite the heat in the city right now, the warmth of the people is making the shooting experience really memorable," she said.

As per the statement, the film promises to be a groundbreaking tale that celebrates the resilience and strength of women everywhere. "Set against the backdrop of a stirring true story", it unveils the courage of an auto rickshaw driver who became the beacon of change, inspiring women to reclaim their destinies.

The film is directed by Vipul Mehta and produced by Jyoti Deshpande and Vishal Rana. (ANI)
Shiv Sena leader Milind Deora emphasised on the progress of the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the past decade. Speaking in Mumbai, Deora said the opposition was frustrated due to the positive initiatives undertaken by the Modi government. "Look, in the past 10 years, the country has progressed significantly. And Stalin ji, what he says about this, the whole country knows. What are his views on Sanatan Dharma, what he says about it, the whole country knows. So it's natural that all the opposition parties are frustrated. It's natural that from day one they have had the same agenda, opposing the positive work that Modi ji is doing for the country, opposing the work aimed at empowering the youth. So it's natural that they will bring negative politics once again during this election," Deora said. He dismissed the opposition's negative politics and affirmed his belief in the electorate's discernment and backing for the ruling alliance. "But I believe firmly that the people of India are aware, progressive people. The support that India has, especially the support of the youth, is very thoughtful and understanding. So this time, once again, under the leadership of Narendra Modi ji, the BJP and all alliances like Shiv Sena, the people of India will vote," Milind Deora said. On the occasion of Ram Navami, Milind Deora offered prayers at Shri Ram Mandir in Mumbai's Girgaon area, highlighting the cultural and religious celebrations across the nation. Concurrently, festivities marked the auspicious occasion at Shree Kalaram Mandir in Nashik, where devotees gathered in large numbers to pay homage and seek blessings. Ram Navmi is celebrated all over India every year on the last day of Chaitra Navaratri to mark the birth of Lord Rama. On this auspicious day, young girls, representing the nine forms of the goddess Durga, are offered gifts and Prasad. The Lok Sabha polls in India are scheduled to take place from April 19, 2024, to June 1, 2024, to choose the 543 representatives for the 18th Lok Sabha. These elections will be conducted over seven phases, with the outcome being declared on June 4. (ANI)
The Nilgiris Lok Sabha constituency of Tamil Nadu has set the stage for a triangular battle between Dravidian majors - Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Bharatiya Janata Party. DMK's A Raja is seeking re-election against the BJP's L Murugan and AIADMK's Logesh Tamil Selvan in Nilgiris. Nilgiris, comprising six assembly segments--Udhagamandalam, Cuddalore, Coonoor, Mettupalayam, Avanashi, and Bhavanisagar--has 14,18,914 voters. The Nilgiris Parliamentary Constituency is a meeting point for three states, namely Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. Apart from that, there are important seats spread across 4 districts, namely Ooty, Coonoor and Cuddalore assembly constituencies in Nilgiri district, Mettupalayam assembly constituency in Coimbatore district, Avanashi assembly constituency in Tirupur district and Bhavanisagar assembly constituency in Erode district. Agriculture, tourism and weaving are the main industries in this Nilgiri parliamentary constituency, which is 50 per cent hilly and 50 per cent plain. In these three constituencies of Ooty, Coonoor and Cuddalore, tea cultivation and mountain vegetable cultivation are the major industries. Apart from this, industries such as chocolate manufacturing and Ooty varki manufacturing are the main industries. Nilgiris has supported the Congress seven times, the DMK three times and the AIADMK and BJP twice. DMK's A Raja won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and is currently the Member of Parliament for Nilgiris. Raja defeated AIADMK's Thiyagarajan, securing 5,47,832 votes by a margin of over 2 lakh votes. However, A Raja lost the election in 2014 to AIADMK's C Gopalakrishnan. Looking at major issues in the different assembly segments of Nilgiris, the Padukhar people living in large numbers in the Nilgiris should be included in the tribal list, the IT park should be opened to provide employment opportunities to the youth in the closed Hindustan photo factory, the ban on the issuance of certificates should be relaxed in the Nilgiris and the poor people should be given degrees, etc. After solving the Section 17 land problem in Kudalur constituency, the people living in these areas should be given leases, the houses built on Section 17 land should be provided with electricity, and the tribal villages of Kurumbar, Baniyar, and Kattunayakar living in Kudalur and Bandalur areas should be provided with basic facilities, including road facilities, to avoid the long-standing human-wildlife conflict. Also, problems such as non-permanence, non-payment of benefits, and non-construction of houses for the large number of workers working in the government tea corporation plantations at Dandee in Kudalur and Coonoor. Another main demand is to expand the Coonoor bus station, to construct a flyover to cross the mountain railway in Coonoor, and to provide parking facilities. There are not many factories in Mettupalayam. Due to this, the educated youth in this constituency have fewer job opportunities. Therefore, the people here have an expectation to setting up industrial companies. Proper space facilities for vegetable mandis and road facilities, as well as a vegetable market with more space, should be established, Mettupalayam city has a long-standing demand to fix the traffic by constructing a bypass road as there is heavy vehicular traffic in the morning and evening hours. Apart from this, the already announced Karuvepila factory is yet to be established. The improvement of Mettupalayam Government Hospital, Nellithura Vilamarathur drinking water project should be implemented. Lately, there has been an increase in the movement of wild elephants and leopards in the Mettupalayam area. It is the demand of the people of this block that action should be taken to prevent wild animals from entering residential areas and croplands. In the last few years, due to persistent drought, the groundwater table has gone below 1800 feet, and the agricultural industry is failing. As a result, agricultural lands are being converted into plots and sold. After this, the agricultural labourers started going to work in Banyan companies in Tirupur and also switched to the power loom industry. Currently, Banyan companies are also starting to increase in the Avanasi area.The Avanasi Athikadavu project, which has been a 60-year demand of the people of the region, is now more than 90 per cent complete, and the farmers and the public are waiting for it to be completed in a few days. Also, there is a demand to connect more than 1,400 ponds that are missing in the scheme. There has been a 35-year-old demand to avail ST certificates to more than 30,000 Malayalis living in the Kadampur hill region. They have demanded to fulfil this as they are not getting many benefits like education, employment, bank loan waiver etc. Voting for all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu will be held in the first phase of the general elections on April 19. In the 2019 general elections, the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, comprising the Congress, VCK, MDMK, CPI, CPI(M), IUML, MMK, KMDK, TVK, and AIFB, registered a landslide victory, winning 38 of the 39 seats in the state The election for 543 Lok Sabha seats in the country will be held in seven phases starting April 19. The counting of the votes will take place on June 4. (ANI)
Days before the Lok Sabha polls, Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhawma said that they are neither in alliance with the INDIA bloc nor the ruling NDA and his party wants to take its decision in its own hands. "We are not supporting anybody. We are neither in INDIA nor NDA...We want to take the final decision in our own hands. Nobody in Delhi should take the final decision for us," Lalduhawma, the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) chief, said speaking to ANI on Wednesday. On the importance of the Lok Sabha polls in Mizoram, Lalduhawma said, "This is about the election of MP, the representative of the people of Mizoram. We have formed the government here. We need an MP who is going to support us and who will be able to cooperate with us." Speaking about their rival contestants in the state, the Chief Minister said, "Since they (BJP) have their own candidates we cannot say that there is no fight..." Lalduhawma said that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is a foregone issue and is not relevant now. "CAA is a foregone thing. It is not a new thing now. This was an issue of the past. It is not relevant now," he said. In a snub at the INDIA bloc, Lalduhoma pointed out that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee deciding to contest solo in her state is as good as leaving the opposition alliance. "Nitish Kumar had left INDIA and Mamata Banerjee has not left INDIA officially but practically she left. You have seen the candidates in West Bengal, Assam and Meghalaya. There is no alliance. It is as good as leaving the alliance already. It weakens INDIA," the Chief Minister said. Speaking about his party's performance after forming the government in the state, the ZPM chief said, "We had announced the 100-day program and within these 100 days, we achieved all the points. There are some extra achievements as well. People know about us, people know about our achievements and performances." Mizoram is slated to vote on Friday in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls. (ANI)
Launching a scathing attack at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said that the polling day of the state is "war for the second freedom struggle of country", while also affirming confidence that the INDIA bloc will win all 40 seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. He accused the BJP of "creating divisions" in the country with their "hate politics" and said if the BJP returns to power, it will "destroy" the whole country. Addressing a public meeting, Stalin accused the BJP of misusing the central agencies and said, "We will win 40 out of 40 seats...Jharkhand CM and Delhi CM are in jail, the reason you know? It is because of the fear of the elections. He knows that if election takes place in an equal race, he will be defeated. That's why he has done such things." "Day after tomorrow is a war for second freedom struggle of the country," he added. The Tamil Nadu CM further alleged that the BJP works only for corporations and does not care for the people. "They (BJP) do not think about the people, they only think of the corporates...All parties are getting election funds, that's not an issue, but BJP is getting via CBI, ED, and IT raids," he stated. Further attacking the BJP, he said that if BJP returns to power, the country will be "destroyed" with 'divisive policies' and urged people to vote wisely. "Whenever he (PM Modi) opens his mouth, he speaks on religion, caste, and divides people and does hate politics. Yesterday he went to West Bengal and said hateful things. If Modi comes to power, he will divide people and destroy India. There will be no democracy. Ambedkar's law will be thrown away and RSS law will be implemented," Stalin said. "I appeal young voters to think and vote. If you vote for BJP, then India will be destroyed and BJP will make it Gujarat model, which has flopped and our Dravidian model is shining.," he further added. He also attacked AIADMK chief Edappadi Palaniswami, calling him the "B team of BJP". "Edappadi Palaniswami is B team of BJP. On one hand, he says he is not in alliance with BJP but he can't oppose BJP...he has betrayed Sasikala, OPS (O Panneerselvam) and TTV Dinakaran," he said. The INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu is led by the DMK and includes the Congress, Left parties, IUML, VCK, actor-politician Kamal Haasan's MNM, Vaiko's MDMK, and the Gounder community-based KMDK. The principal opposition party in the state, AIADMK, which recently severed its ties with the BJP, has put together an alliance of minor parties, including the DMDK, Puthiya Tamilagam (PT) and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI). All 39 seats in Tamil Nadu and the only seat from Puducherry will be polled in the first phase of the general elections on April 19, and the counting of votes, along with those from other phases, has been scheduled for June 4. During the 2019 general elections, the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance registered a landslide victory, winning 38 of the 39 seats. The Congress, which was also a part of the alliance, bagged 8 seats out of the nine contested. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on the other hand, won only one seat while BJP failed to open its account. (ANI)
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis alleged on Wednesday that the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government tried to frame him in false cases but did not find anything. While speaking to reporters at Pune airport, he said, "I told this earlier also that during that period (MVA Government), how they were conspiring against me, they tried hard but did not find anything. They tried to frame me in false cases." "There are a lot of things...I will talk about it later, sometime in detail," he added. He termed the 2024 Lok Sabha elections a fight between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and said, "I am confident that we will win in Baramati, Satara, and Sangli Lok Sabha constituencies." "This fight is for the country...This fight is between PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi; therefore, people will stay with PM Modi. They will support the PM so that he can become Prime Minister for the third time. The country has faith in PM Modi. The PM has already clarified that the Constitution is more important than the Gita, Bible, or Quran. It is because of the Constitution that today we have a tea seller as PM of the nation," Fadnavis said. Reacting to Rahul Gandhi's statement that the BJP will win 150 seats in the general elections, he said, "...I can only laugh at this statement, nothing more to comment on it." The MVA and the ruling Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, NCP led by Ajit Pawar, and Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, are in a tough contest for the 48 parliamentary seats in Maharashtra. Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second-largest after Uttar Pradesh. The BJP and the undivided Shiv Sena fought the 2019 Lok Sabha polls together and won 23 and 18 seats, respectively. The 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra will go to the polls in five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, and May 20. Counting of votes is scheduled to take place on June 4. (ANI)
Officials said that the fire broke out at a furniture market in Kalindi Kunj.

No injuries or casualties were reported in the fire, they said, adding that the exact reason behind the same was not clear.

Firefighting operations were underway.

More details are awaited (ANI)
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who is contesting from the Kota Lok Sabha constituency, accused the Congress party of doing appeasement and divisive politics. Speaking to ANI, Om Birla said, "DMK leaders said that they want to eradicate Sanatana Dharma and Congress is allied with them. Congress never condemned their statement on Sanatana Dharma. If they had considered it wrong, they wouldn't have allied with the DMK. If you support such people, that means you have the same ideology. Congress is doing appeasement and divisive politics." Om Birla further accused Congress of trying to win elections by dividing people on religion. "People know that Congress has no leadership, policies or intention to work. The INDIA Alliance has not declared Rahul Gandhi as their PM candidate, and Congress has also not declared their PM candidate. Congress is trying to contest elections by dividing people based on religion. They are also trying to contest the election by spreading fake news," he told ANI. Speaking on the Opposition's claim that under BJP's rule, the Constitution will be changed, Om Birla said PM Modi has clarified that the Constitution will not be amended even if the BJP wins more than 400 seats. He also accused Congress of spreading false information regarding the same. "As people started chanting PM Modi's '400 paar' slogan, they (Congress) started saying if BJP crossed 400 seats then we will change the constitution. Congress is trying to scare society by spreading fake news and wrong information," the Lok Sabha speaker added. Expressing confidence in the BJP's victory in the Lok Sabha elections, he said, "The people of the country and state trusted PM Modi. In 10 years, PM Modi developed the infrastructure, transformed the lives of poor people and increased the power of the country internationally. This is PM Modi's leadership and people have full faith in PM Modi's leadership. BJP will cross 400 seats this time in the country, and a government will be formed. PM Modi has said that '400 paar' doesn't mean a change in reservation or Constitution," the BJP leader said. The 25 parliamentary constituencies of Rajasthan will go to the polls in two phases. In Phase 1 of polling in the state on April 19, which is also the opening phase of the seven-phased elections, voting will be conducted for 12 seats. The remaining 13 seats in the state will be contested in the second phase on April 26. Kota will be voting in the second phase. Under Phase 1, on April 19, polling will be held in Ganganagar, Bikaner, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Jaipur Rural, Jaipur, Alwar, Bharatpur, Karauli-Dholpur, Dausa, and Nagaur. Phase 2 of polling on April 26 will take place in Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, Ajmer, Pali, Jodhpur, Barmer, Jalore, Udaipur, Banswara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Kota, and Jhalawar-Baran. The BJP won all 25 parliamentary seats in Rajasthan in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. However, in 2019, the BJP bagged 24 seats while the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) managed to secure the other remaining seat. (ANI)
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday questioned the secular credentials of the Congress, adding that the party is "degenerating into BJP's B team". The Chief Minster said that Congress is not displaying the flags of its ally Indian Union Muslim League for the campaign of Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad and termed this as an example of weakening of the secular tradition of the Congress. "This situation depicts the significant decline of the Congress party and the UDF, where they struggle to hold their party flag or that of their ally, the Muslim League, upright while seeking votes," Vijayan said during a press conference here. "The Congress lacks any genuine ideological or practical motivation to oppose the BJP, beyond the rhetoric crafted by news-centric PR agencies. Congress rivalry with the BJP is primarily confined to electoral politics and power struggles, rather than rooted in substantive ideological differences. Consequently, the Congress has evolved into a party primarily focused on gaining traction within the realm of power politics," he said. While exuding confidence in strong performance of the Left Democratic Front in the upcoming general election in Kerala, he also questioned the credibility of pre-poll surveys. "Just as we often discuss paid news, some surveys have taken on a similar tone. Certain media outlets have been particularly active, propagating half-truths, exaggerations, and misleading information to their readers," he said. "People are questioning whether this survey is biased. Can you provide the audience with the scientific analysis that led to this conclusion? The methodology behind the survey, including the sample size and how the results were predicted, remains undisclosed in the pre-poll survey findings. These figures, backed by certain agencies, serve only to mislead the public. The pre-poll survey results from the previous assembly elections stand as a prime example of this manipulation," he added. Although the Left parties and the Congress are part of a larger INDIA bloc, they are opposed to each other in Kerala where the Congress is currently in opposition as part of the UDF alliance. All the 20 constituencies in Kerala go to the poll on April 26 in the second phase of the Lok Sabha election. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls while the Congress party had won 15 seats, its allies, the Indian Union Muslim League, won two seats, the Revolutionary Socialist Party won one, and the Kerala Congress (M) won one seat. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) won one seat in Alappuzha. (ANI)
Congress's Dhenkanal Lok Sabha candidate Sashmita Behera on Thursday expressed confidence in the party's victory in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and Assembly polls in Odisha. There is an atmosphere of change in the country and people are fed up with the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government in Odisha, she added. Behera said that the results in 2024 will be surprising, and the INDIA Alliance will secure a majority. "There is an atmosphere of change in the entire country, same in Odisha, people are fed up seeing this government. The country is moving towards autocracy...We will reach out to people with Congress' 5 guarantees of Nyay (Yuva Nyay, Bhagidari Nyay, Naari Nyay, Kisan Nyay and Shramik Nyay)...2024 result will be unexpected, and the wind will change, INDIA Alliance will secure the majority. In the centre, Congress will be voted to power, so as in Odisha, people will uproot this Biju Janata Dal (BJD)," she said. Notably, in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) got the maximum number of seats, followed by the BJP and the Congress. The BJD won 12 seats, the BJP finished a close second at 8 seats and the Congress bagged just a lone seat. The Lok Sabha elections in Odisha, which comprise 21 constituencies, are set to take place in four phases. The voting dates have been scheduled for May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. The Lok Sabha polls in the country are scheduled to take place from April 19, 2024, to June 1, 2024, to choose the 543 representatives for the 18th Lok Sabha. These elections will be conducted over seven phases, with the outcome being declared on June 4. (ANI)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday claimed that the BJP orchestrated the recent clash in Murshidabad on Wednesday. Banerjee claims that the DIG of Murshidabad was removed from his post a day before Ram Navami to execute their plan of rioting in the area. Reportedly, clashes broke out during a Ram Navami procession in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, resulting in numerous injuries on Wednesday. "I am challenging and saying that BJP orchestrated the incident that happened the other day... If I ask the BJP commission why they removed their DIG one day before Ram Navami,? Was it to plan this?" she said at a public rally in Raiganj. Meanwhile, she also launched an attack on the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, saying, "Yogi is coming here to give a speech. In Uttar Pradesh, he doesn't let anyone speak, nor will he go to the mountains to give a speech. Take care of your state," she said. She also criticised BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty for joining BJP. "During the elections, I had made Mithun Chakraborty a Rajya Sabha MP, but I didn't know that another big traitor from Bengal had bowed his head in the RSS office just to save his son," she said. A day before Ram Navami the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party will "incite riots" in the state on April 17 ahead of the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections. "As soon as the elections come, there is a very critical situation in the country, ...they will do something to divert your minds. I say another thing, they can also riot, they are ready to riot, please do not go to riot even if they abuse you. I will also tell my minority brothers and sisters, that if you see them sloganeering on the 17th, that is their day of the riot, I think it should be a day of respect for humans, even if they abuse, keep your head cool and pray in the name of Allah.. We have to protect the peace, they (BJP) want to riot and send NIA so that voting cannot take place," she said. West Bengal will be conducting polling for its 42 parliamentary constituencies in all seven phases - April 19, April 26, May 4, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4. In most of the constituencies in the state, the main fight is between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the principal opposition in the state, the BJP. Though the TMC is part of the INDIA bloc, it does not have a seat-sharing arrangement with the other parties in the alliance, like Congress and the Left parties in the state. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC won 34 seats in the state, while the BJP had to settle for just 2 seats. The CPI (M) won 2 seats, while the Congress bagged 4. However, the BJP came up with a much-improved showing in the 2019 polls, winning 18 seats against the TMC's 22. The Congress's tally dropped to just 2 seats, while the Left scored a blank. (ANI)
BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla slammed the Congress for allegedly claiming the Naxalites who were killed in an encounter by security forces in Chhattisgarh as "martyrs" and raised questions over the action against the extremists. Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, Poonawalla played a video clip of Congress leader Supriya Shrinate describing the Naxals as martyrs and expressing sympathy for them. Referring to this, he said, "When we have seen a very important operation that has taken place in Chhattisgarh, where 29 Naxalites were eliminated by the security personnel and this was indeed a big achievement for the security personnel, instead of coming out and welcoming the security forces, their action, today, the Congress party, has done what is expected of them but is unthinkable. They come out and claim that the Naxalites are essentially martyrs and they raise question marks on the bravery of the security personnel," the BJP leader said. "Supriya Shrinate described the Naxals as martyrs and expressed sympathy for them. She said that a thorough probe should be conducted into this (operation)," Poonawalla added. Meanwhile, casting aspersions on the Chhattisgarh encounter, the Congress claimed on Wednesday that during the previous BJP regime, several innocent villagers had been labelled Naxals and killed. Former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, who is also the Congress candidate for the Lok Sabha elections, raised doubts over the operation claiming that there had been several 'fake encounters' under the erstwhile BJP regime, adding that innocent villagers were tagged as Naxals and arrested. He claimed that the police have been threatening villagers as well, adding that during his tenure as CM, too, several Naxals had been killed or had surrendered. Echoing the refrain, the Congress's state chief Deepak Baij said the government should clarify beyond any reasonable doubt that those killed were all Naxals and not villagers too. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Bastar Inspector General of Police (IG) P Sundarraj said 71 Naxals have been gunned down to date since January, adding that the fight against the Left-wing ultras was at a 'decisive stage'. Addressing a press conference here, Sundarraj said Tuesday's encounter in the Binagunda-Koragutta jungles of the Kanker district was one of the most successful operations recorded in the offensive against the Naxals in Chhattisgarh. "An encounter broke out between security forces and Naxalites at 2 pm, lasting about 4 hours on Tuesday. A joint team of DRG and BSF personnel cordoned off the area and engaged the Naxalites. As many as 29 bodies of Naxals were recovered, of which 15 were women. A huge cache of arms and ammunition were also recovered from the spot," he said. He informed further that prime facie, one of the dead Naxals was identified as feared commander Shankar while a woman cadre was identified as Lalita. "As many as 71 Naxals have been gunned down to date since January, this year. The operation marks one of the biggest successes recorded in our continuing crackdown on Naxalites. The fighting against Naxalites has now reached a decisive stage. Our endeavour, going forward, will be to keep going after the Naxals with full force. The erstwhile Naxal strongholds are taking on a new identity and so are the people inhabiting these areas," IG Sundarraja said. (ANI)
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta while extending the interim bail of Boinpally stated in the order, "The matter is taken on board. Interim bail was granted by an earlier order dated. Will continue till the next date of hearing which is May 8."

Boinpally is a former director of Robin Distilleries LLP and an alleged middleman among the many people being investigated in the Delhi Liquor Policy case.

He was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in October 2022 and later Enforcement Directorate (ED) took him into custody.

The ED has chargesheeted Boinpally along with various accused including Vijay Nair, Sharath Reddy, Binoy Babu, Amit Arora and various companies.

ED has also arrested various politicians including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh and BRS leader K Kavitha.

In the case, the ED and the CBI had alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the Excise Policy, undue favours were extended to licence holders, the licence fee was waived or reduced and the L-1 licence was extended without the competent authority's approval.

The beneficiaries diverted "illegal" gains to the accused officials and made false entries in their books of account to evade detection. (ANI)
National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that Ghulam Nabi Azad not contesting the Lok Sabha Elections was not "shocking" to him adding that he was already aware of it. The Democratic Progressive Azad Party announced that former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and DPAP chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad will not contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Anantnag-Rajouri seat. "It is not shocking; we already knew that he would not contest elections. I think he has fielded a candidate from his party but let us see if people will support his party," Omar Abdullah told reporters on Thursday. National Conference Candidate Mian Altaf Ahmad filed his nomination from Anantnag-Rajouri. "Today, the NC candidate for the Anantnag-Rajouri seat, Mian Altaf Ahmad, has filed his nomination. He will represent all parties of the INDIA bloc. We hope that Mian Altaf will win this election. On behalf of Farooq Abdullah, I would like to thank Mian Altaf for coming here all the way from Delhi," he said. Advocate Saleem Parray will be a candidate from the Azad's Democratic Progressive Azad Party for the Anantnag Rajouri seat. DPAP leader, Advocate Mohammad Saleem Paray, confirmed the development and said the people of Jammu and Kashmir want to see Azad as the Chief Minister. "Ghulam Nabi Azad had a meeting with the leaders of south Kashmir. Deliberations were held on a lot of things. Finally, my name was proposed and I am thankful to Ghulam Nabi Azad that he trusted me. I will try my level best to meet all the expectations. Replacement is not a proper word. He is being a good leader. There is no replacement. I wanted Ghulam Nabi Azad to contest from here but as a political worker, I am connected to people. People of the state want Ghulam Nabi Azad to take charge of Jammu and Kashmir, they want to see him as the Chief Minister," he added. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti will fight from Anantnag-Rajouri and the National Conference has fielded Mian Altaf for the Lok Sabha polls. Earlier in 2022, Azad had left the Congress, ending his five-decade-long association with the party, and floated the DPAP. In the 2014 elections, Jitendra Singh from the BJP gathered 46.8 per cent of votes on the Udhampur seat, while Ghulam Nabi Azad, who fought on the Congress ticket, gathered 40.9 per cent. Voting in Udhampur will be held on April 19, in Jammu on April 26, in Anantnag-Rajouri on May 7, in Srinagar on May 13, and in Baramulla on May 20. Earlier, there were six seats for J-K, including Ladakh. But, following the abrogation of Article 370 by the Parliament, Ladakh does not have a Lok Sabha constituency. In the 2019 elections, the BJP won three seats, while the National Conference won the other three seats. This is the first election after the Supreme Court ruling last year, which upheld the Parliament's decision to abrogate Article 370 and bifurcate the state into two union territories. The apex court also asked the Election Commission of India to hold the next assembly elections in J&K before September 30, 2024. (ANI)
Former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday expressed confidence over BJP winning all the 29 parliamentary seats in the state in the Lok Sabha elections 2024. "People want to make PM Narendra Modi, the PM for the third time and Bhopal is also not lagging. The BJP will win all 29 seats including the Chhindwara seat in the state," Chouhan told ANI during the nomination rally of BJP nominee from Bhopal, Alok Sharma. After the nomination of the BJP nominee, Chouhan said that the atmosphere is euphoric in favour of PM Modi and the BJP. There is not only loyalty and trust towards PM Modi but now there is also reverence and devotion of the public. Therefore, it is certain that the BJP will win with record votes in every seat in the state. Meanwhile, Chouhan also slammed the Congress party over raising doubts on Naxal encounters in Chhattisgarh saying due to such a decision the grand old party has gone into the abyss. "Vinash kaley viparit buddhi (as one's doom approaches, his intellect works against his interest). Because of such wrong decisions, Congress has gone into the abyss. They (Congress) opposed the abrogation of Article 370, they opposed the removal of Triple Talaq and also opposed Ram Mandir. If action is taken against Naxalites and terrorists they (opposition) glorify them. This is why Congress is going into the abyss. Now they will not be saved," Chouhan said. Notably, former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, who is also the Congress candidate for the Lok Sabha elections, raised doubts over the operation claiming that there had been several 'fake encounters' under the erstwhile BJP regime, adding that innocent villagers were tagged as Naxals and arrested. He claimed that the police have been threatening villagers as well, adding that during his tenure as CM, too, several Naxals had been killed or had surrendered. Echoing the refrain, the Congress's state chief Deepak Baij said the government should clarify beyond any reasonable doubt that those killed were all Naxals and not villagers too. Lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh will be conducted in four phases. The first phase of polling will be held on April 19, followed by April 26, May 7 and May 13. The votes will be counted on June 4. Madhya Pradesh has a total of 29 Lok Sabha constituencies, making it the sixth-largest state in terms of parliamentary representation. Out of these, 10 seats are reserved for SC and ST candidates, while the remaining 19 are unreserved. Nakul Nath, son of former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath is fighting again from the Chhindwara seat against BJP candidate Vivek Bunty Sahu, who had lost to Kamal Nath in the last two assembly polls. The BJP already showed in the recently conducted assembly polls that it has an upper advantage in the Hindi heartland states. In the 2019 elections, Congress leader Nakul Nath got a total of 47.1 per cent of vote share whereas the defeated BJP candidate touched 44.1 per cent. (ANI)
Almost five years to the historic abrogation of Article 370, stripping the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir of its special constitutional privileges, the Union Territory will take its first steps towards the restoration of statehood while the people will get their first experience of the festival of democracy as polling gets underway for the five Lok Sabha seats on Friday. Polling in the UT will get underway in less than 48 hours after suspected terrorists shot dead a migrant worker from Bihar in the Anantnag district, in a reminder of the tag that the erstwhile state is desperate to shed. However, the polling this time is unlike anything that the erstwhile state had seen in its history, with the UT administration and BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) pushing the narrative of a 'Naya Kashmir', highlighting all the work towards the development of public infrastructure over the last few years as well as the surging footfall of tourists. The elections to the five seats in Jammu and Kashmir, barring the Union Territory of Ladakh, which will poll separately on May 20; will be held across five phases, with Udhampur going first on Friday. Former chief minister Farooq Abdullah expressed his displeasure over the scheduling of the polls in the erstwhile state, saying it was disheartening that the EC decided not to conduct the parliamentary and assembly polls simultaneously. "This government is pushing for 'One Nation, One Election' and holding state elections and parliamentary elections in four states simultaneously. Why then is Jammu and Kashmir being denied simultaneous general and assembly elections? When every party here is asking for it, why are simultaneous elections not being held here?" the NC patriarch said. With the historic passing of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 by the Parliament, Article 370, through which a special constitutional status was accorded to the erstwhile state; ceased to exist. The state of Jammu and Kashmir was split and reorganised into two UTs--Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh--in October 2019. The BJP has given a fresh ticket to sitting Udhampur MP and Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who has been representing the constituency in the Lok Sabha since 2014 when he defeated then-Congress leader and former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. The Congress has fielded Choudhary Lal Singh from Udhampur. Six years after being forced to resign his membership of the party after allegedly leading a rally in favour of the accused in the rape of a minor girl in Kathua, Lal Singh was ushered back into the grand old party. The Mehbooba Mufti-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is not contesting the Lok Sabha polls in the UT as a partner in the INDIA bloc, has extended their support to the Congress candidate. As part of the seat-sharing agreement reached between the INDIA bloc partners, the Congress will contest Jammu, Udhampur and Ladakh parliamentary constituencies, while the National Conference (NC) will contest the Anantnag-Rajouri, Srinagar and Baramulla Lok Sabha seats. Addressing a mega rally at Udhampur recently in favour of Jitendra Singh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a huge statement, saying the day isn't far when full statehood will be restored to Jammu and Kashmir and assembly elections will be held. Underscoring the 'change' that has come to the erstwhile state, PM Modi said for the first time, terrorism and cross-border infiltration wouldn't be poll issues going into an election in Jammu and Kashmir. However, prominent Opposition forces in the UT, including the Congress, have alleged suppression of rights by the Centre while demanding the restoration of Article 370 and the special privileges for the erstwhile state that it guaranteed. Speaking to reporters earlier this week, PDP chief and former CM Mehbooba Mufti accused the BJP-led NDA at the Centre of turning the state into an 'open jail'. "They (the central government) have converted Jammu and Kashmir into an open jail. "You must have heard how militants shot at a tourist guide in Shopian recently. It was an unfortunate incident. Thousands of youth from Jammu and Kashmir are being jailed across the country," she said. National Conference leader and former CM Omar Abdullah alleged earlier that the BJP's manifesto was aimed at the 'destruction' of the erstwhile state, adding that he still hadn't lost hope of the restoration of Article 370. "BJP manifestoes have always brought destruction to Jammu and Kashmir," the former CM said, adding, "We still haven't lost hope of restoration of Article 370. There are many like-minded parties such as the DMK and TMC, which are with us on Article 370." Earlier, elections to the District Development Councils (DDCs) in Jammu-Kashmir were held in 2020, with the BJP emerging as the single-largest party with 74 seats. The People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), led by Farooq Abdullah's National Conference, won 110 seats. Also, crucially, the elections to the Lok Sabha on Friday will be the first since the passage of two key legislations--the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023--in Parliament. While the former legislation proposes changes in the constituencies of the UT, the latter provides for reservation in jobs and professional institutions to members of SC, ST, and other socially and educationally backward classes. The first Bill was drafted after redrawing the boundaries of Anantnag and Jammu Lok Sabha seats. The Pir Panjal region, which comprises Poonch and Rajouri, was previously a part of the Jammu seat but has now been added to the Anantnag seat in Kashmir. Similarly, another region in Srinagar constituency has now been made a part of the Baramulla constituency. In the 2019 elections, the BJP won three seats while the National Conference won the remaining three. (ANI)
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah predicted that Raksha Ramaiah would win the Chikkaballapur Lok Sabha seat in an unprecedented manner. He asserted, "Raksha Ramaiah will have an unprecedented win in the Chikkaballapur Lok Sabha seat." "Sudhakar, the NDA candidate who was rejected by you, again has used influence to enter the Lok Sabha. If he is defeated this time too, your vote will be more respected' the CM said while addressing a grand roadshow held in Chikkaballapur city on Thursday,. "People here have defeated Sudhakar because he is corrupt. Investigation is going on regarding the corruption charges against him. The investigation will prove his corruption. After that, Sudhakar will go where he deserves to go," he said. He further stated that people should also punish NDA candidate Sudhakar in the Janata court. Only if punishment is given, then the fraud committed in the name of the people of the constituency and the corruption committed by a minister be punished. Slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party, he said, "This time BJP won't come to power at the Centre and INDIA bloc will win. Defeat Sudhakar here." Hailing the Congress government in Karnataka, he said, "Our government is providing Rs 2000 per month to women in the state. If our government comes to power at the centre, One lakh Rupees per year will be deposited into the women's account of each eligible family." He promised that Rs 2,000 per month given by the state government will be added to the account and one lakh 24 thousand rupees will be credited per year for each family. In addition to this, the CM promised that the loans of farmers of the entire country would be waived. Educated unemployed youth will get an unemployment allowance. The minimum support price for farmers' crops will be guaranteed. Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, "India's economy has deteriorated due to the bad policies of PM Modi. It will be brought back to the right track, and a pro-people system will be re-established." "Raksha Ramaiah will win 100 per cent this time," he concluded, adding to which the CM asked for the people's blessings for him and to the Congress party. (ANI)
Artists perform Peking Opera "Farewell My Concubine" to mark the 100th anniversary of Chinese theater legend Mei Lanfang's visit to Japan in Tokyo, capital of Japan, Oct. 2, 2019. (Xinhua/Ma Caoran)

A total of 18 Peking Opera films are scheduled to be screened from April 16 to May 5 at the China National Film Museum, according to the organizers of the 14th Beijing International Film Festival.



The lineup features classic Peking Opera tales such as "Dragon and Phoenix Bringing Prosperity," "Farewell My Concubine" and "Qin Xianglian." These productions showcase diverse roles and performance styles, exemplifying the inheritance and evolution of contemporary Peking Opera art.

Organized by the museum and the China Film Co., Ltd., the screening aims to showcase the achievements of the Peking Opera film project over the past decade and draw more young audiences to feel the essence of Chinese culture.

Wang Xiangrong, the museum's deputy curator, pledged to harness the advantages of the museum in empowering literary classics with modern technologies and help promote Chinese culture.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with the villagers of Giu in Spiti Valley on Thursday after the village got a mobile network for the first time. The small village in the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh lacked mobile connection, due to which people had to travel long distances to make phone calls. PM Modi asked how the people in the village were able to manage without a mobile network for all these years. The villagers elaborated on their experience and said they had to travel 8 km to make a phone call. They also thanked Prime Minister Modi for connecting their village with mobile network. During the conversation, PM Modi said that when he came to power, there were around 18,000 villages which didn't have electricity connections. He said that the government is working to ensure that mobile network reaches every part of the country. "You all will find it surprising that there were 18,000 villages that didn't even have electricity connection and we connected the villages with electricity. Now our government is working to expand mobile networks across every corner of the country. I am working to make sure that no corner remains without a mobile network," PM Modi said. "Today will provide a giant leap to the Digital India initiative that mobile network has reached a small village, Giu in Lahaul and Spiti. When I got to know about the situation here, I was surprised and I thought of bringing connection here," he added. The PM Modi-led BJP government launched the Digital India campaign in 2015. The initiative aims to make government services available online and increase online connectivity across the country. (ANI)
Hitting back at former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad over his dynasty dig at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, senior party leader Pawan Khera on Thursday said the grand old party, the former was once a part of, 'nurtured an enemy'. A former Congress leader, Union Minister and a long-time MP, Azad took a veiled dig at Rahul and National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, Omar Abdullah, earlier, labelling them as "spoon-fed kids" rather than serious politicians. Azad shot off a resignation letter to then-Congress president Sonia Gandhi in August 2022, making a volley of accusations against the high command. While not naming them, he claimed the two leaders did nothing of note on their own and owe their currencies as politicians to the legacy of the parties they represent. "They have not made any personal sacrifice in life and are merely living off the political legacies left behind by towering figures such as (former PM) Indira Gandhi and (the first Jammu and Kashmir CM) Sheikh Abdullah. Neither of them did anything on their own," Azad said on Wednesday while addressing public meetings in the Sangaldan and Ukhral areas of the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency. Pawan Khera, in a post on X, hit back at Azad saying, "Waise dhudh to hamari party ne saanpon ko bhi pilaya (By the way, our party, too, nurtured enemies)." Once considered close to the Gandhi family, Azad quit the Congress and resigned from all party posts in August 2022. In a five-page letter addressed to Sonia Gandhi, Azad said the situation in the Congress has reached a point of 'no return'. (ANI)
US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that he would urge US Trade Representative Katherine Tai to consider tripling the tariff rates for steel and aluminium imports from China if the investigation into the Chinese government's trade practices confirms 'anti-competitive practices.' During his address at the United Steelworkers Headquarters in Pittsburgh, Biden said, "Look, right now, my US Trade Representative is investigating trade practices by the Chinese government regarding steel and aluminium. If that investigation confirms these anti-competitive trade practices, then I'm calling on her to consider tripling the tariff rates for both steel imports and aluminium imports from China." He accused the Chinese government of funnelling state funds into Chinese steel companies and pushing them to increase steel production subsidised by the government. He described how Chinese steel companies were dumping surplus steel into global markets at low prices because they needed not to worry about profit. "American steelworkers can outwork, outcompete as long as they have fair competition. But for too long, the Chinese government has poured state money into Chinese steel companies, pushing them to make so much steel, as much as possible subsidized by the Chinese government," Biden said. "Because Chinese steel companies produce a lot more steel than China needs, it ends up dumping the extra steel into the global markets at unfairly low prices. And the prices are unfairly low because Chinese steel companies don't need to worry about making a profit, because the Chinese government is subsidising them so heavily. They're not competing. They're cheating. And we've seen the damage here in America," he added. Reflecting on the impact of Chinese steel imports on American workers, Biden recalled the loss of over 14,000 jobs in steel towns across Pennsylvania and Ohio between 2000 and 2010. He vowed to prevent a recurrence of such losses. Biden noted that Chinese steel and aluminium were being imported into the US through Mexico, which avoids the tariff. He announced that he has sent a delegation to Mexico to hold a meeting with AMLO, the Mexican president, to address this issue. He stated that Mexico and the US are going to work together to address the issue. "My administration is also taking a real hard look at the Chinese government's industrial practices when it comes to global shipbuilding, which is critical to our economy. We depend on a fleet of commercial shipping vessels that carry American products around the world," he said. "Shipbuilding is critical to our national security, including the strength of the United States Navy. That's why my administration takes it very seriously that US steelworkers, along with four other unions, have asked us to investigate whether the Chinese government is using anticompetitive practices to artificially lower prices in the shipbuilding industry," he added. He stressed that the US government will take action if the Chinese government is using unfair tactics to undermine free and fair trade competition in the shipping industry. "And if the Chinese government is doing that and the unfair tactics to undermine free and fair trade competition in the shipping industry, I will take action. That investigation is going on. Taken together, these are strategic and targeted actions that are going to protect American workers and ensure fair competition," he said. Biden said that US Steel should remain totally American-owned and American-operated. He noted, "US Steel has been an iconic American company for more than a century. And it should remain a totally American company--American owned, American operated, by American union steelworkers--the best in the world. And that's going to happen. I promise you." (ANI)
US President Joe Biden has offered support to US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson's proposal for three separate bills providing US aid to Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific, The Hill reported. Biden also urged the passage of the bill this week. In a statement, Biden said, "The House must pass the package this week and the Senate should quickly follow. I will sign this into law immediately to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends, and we won't let Iran or Russia succeed," The Hill reported. Biden said that he strongly supports this package to offer critical support to Israel as well as Ukraine, provide desperately needed humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza and bolster security in the Indo-Pacific. In the statement, he stated, "I strongly support this package to get critical support to Israel and Ukraine, provide desperately needed humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, and bolster security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Israel is facing unprecedented attacks from Iran, and Ukraine is facing continued bombardment from Russia that has intensified dramatically in the last month." The US President's support for the bills gave a green signal to Democratic lawmakers to join Republicans in voting in favour of the foreign aid bills. On Wednesday, Mike Johnson unveiled the text for three bills that would combine military assistance to Ukraine, Israel and allies in the Indo-Pacific with humanitarian aid for Gaza and other global hot spots. The three bills are part of his plan for moving foreign aid through the House, a process that has been delayed for months amid other pressing priorities and stalled this week as his initial proposal faced criticism from the right flank. However, Mike Johnson vowed to move forward with his proposal, rejecting the outrage from his right flank. In a text message to GOP lawmakers on Wednesday morning, Johnson said that he also plans to unveil text for a fourth bill that includes other national security priorities, according to The Hill report. That proposal will include a ban on TikTok, a provision to help pay for aid by using seized Russian assets, sanctions and other steps to combat Russia, China and Iran. Johnson noted that these four measures will move under one procedural rule that will allow for an amendment process. However, in Johnson's initial plan, the outline of which he unveiled on Monday, the US House Speaker said he would move a border security measure separate from the foreign aid bills, a move meant to appease conservatives who were up in arms that the priority was at first excluded. That legislation will include "core components" from H.R. 2, the border security bill House Republicans approved in 2023. Johnson said he is eyeing a Saturday evening vote on the foreign aid legislation, The Hill reported. In a text message sent to lawmakers before the legislation was made public, Mike Johnson wrote, "By posting text of these bills as soon as they are completed, we will ensure time for a robust amendment process. We expect the vote on final passage of these bills to be on Saturday evening. Thank you all for your feedback and support. I value every member of this conference and look forward to continuing our work together." In his remarks in a press gaggle on Tuesday, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said that the Biden administration will look at the Speaker's proposal before deciding whether to support the bills or not. On being asked whether the Biden administration will support four bills which are being suggested by US House Speaker Mike Johnson, Kirby said, "We're going to wait and pass judgement after we've had a chance to take a look closer at the Speaker's proposal. The important thing is that our allies, like Ukraine and Israel, who are under the gun, literally, under the gun, get the security assistance they need as quickly as possible. So, we want them to move this week." (ANI)
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) handed over 6.23 million ballot papers to concerned returning officers (ROs) for by-elections in 21 constituencies, ARY News reported, citing sources. As per the details, approximately 2.55 million people in Pakistan will vote for the five National Assembly constituencies. Furthermore, around 3.61 million people will exercise their right to vote for 16 provincial assemblies seats in Pakistan. Over 6.23 million ballot papers have been printed, with green-coloured papers for the National Assembly and white-coloured papers for the provincial assemblies, ARY News reported, citing sources. The ballot papers were given to the ROs of the respective constituencies to ensure smooth voting process. As many as 47 candidates will contest for five National Assembly seats. Moreover, 16 Provincial Assembly constituencies are up for grabs. The by-elections are due to take place in Pakistan on April 21, ARY News reported. These elections encompass five National Assembly seats, 12 Punjab Assembly seats, two seats in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, and two seats in the Balochistan Assembly. Notably, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari has been elected unopposed for NA 207. A total of 237 candidates were vying for 21 vacant seats in national and provincial assemblies during the by-elections scheduled to take place on April 21, according to ARY News report. As many as 23 candidates are in the running for the vacant seats in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, while 154 candidates were up for grabs in Punjab. Zubair Ahmed Junejo secured his seat unopposed on PS-80 in Sindh. A total of 12 candidates are vying for the empty seats in the Balochistan Assembly. An ECP official said that necessary election materials had been provided to provincial election commissioners. In addition, district Returning Officers and Returning Officers are doing their duties as per the the established election schedule. He said close coordination has been maintained by the commission with the ministries of Interior and Defence as well as provincial law enforcement agencies, according to ARY News report. On March 13, the ECP announced the schedule for by-elections across 23 National and Provincial Assembly seats. (ANI)
The senior Civil Judge, Hidayat Ali, issued a bailable arrest order for the former Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister due to his repeated absences.

In order to obtain an equivalency certificate from the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Islamabad, Khalid Khurshid--who was also the president of the Gilgit-Baltistan branch of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)--was accused of obtaining a lawyer's licence from the Gilgit-Baltistan Bar Council by submitting an affidavit and a "fictitious" law degree from the University of London, according to ARY News report.

A three-member bench of the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court rendered a decision in July 2023 regarding a petition brought up by Shahzad Agha, a member of the GB Assembly, disqualifying Khalid Khursheed Khan in a fake degree case, the report said.

The petitioner had claimed that Khursheed ought to be disqualified in accordance with Articles 62 and 63 since his law degree was a forgery.

Although Khurshid claimed to have graduated from London with a legal degree, this could not be confirmed, according to ARY News.

Khalid Khursheed had been in office since December 2020 and is considered a close aide of PTI chairman Imran Khan. (ANI)
Lauding the partnership with India, the United States Secretary of Defence, Lloyd Austin, has said that the deal between the two nations to produce jet weapons in collaboration is revolutionary. Underscoring that India and the US are also co-producing an armoured vehicle, Austin said that such joint ventures will provide great capabilities. The landmark jet engine deal was revealed in June of last year, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic official state visit to the US. To produce fighter jet engines for the Indian Air Force, General Electric and Hindustan Aeronautics signed a memorandum of understanding. Austin's remarks came as he testified before the Senate panel on the 2025 budget on Wednesday (local time). "We have a great relationship with India. We recently have enabled India to produce jet weapons in India. That is kind of revolutionary. That will provide great capabilities to them. We are also co-producing an armoured vehicle. All of these things when you add them up, are probably more than what we have seen in half of that region in a very long time," Austin told lawmakers. He stated that all of this "promotes interoperability." "They all promote helping increase our ability to respond to a number of different things. Again, these are meaningful things that most of us are not aware of. We have made tremendous progress, and we will continue to do so," he added. Earlier in 2023, US General Electric (US GE) announced that it had inked an agreement with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the government's aerospace and defence manufacturing firm, to jointly manufacture engines in India to power fighter jets for the Indian Air Force. Moreover, the Biden Administration notified the US Congress in February this year, of its intent to sell nearly 4 billion dollars worth of arms, comprising mainly of the MQ 9 B Drones armed with Hellfire missiles. The Defence Security Cooperation Agency, which is an agency within the US Department of Defence, said in a press release that the sale helps strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship. It added that New Delhi continues to be an "important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia region."ment includes the potential joint production of GE Aerospace's F414 engines in India. (ANI)
In a major diplomatic win for New Delhi, Ann Tessa Joseph from Thrissur, Kerala, one of the 17 Indian crew members of the Israel-linked cargo ship 'MSC Aries' that was seized by Iran on April 13, returned safely to her homeland, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed through an official statement on Thursday. The Indian deck cadet landed at the Cochin International Airport on Thursday afternoon and was received by the Regional Passport Officer of Cochin. "With the concerted efforts of Indian Mission in Tehran and the Iranian Government, Indian deck cadet Ms. Ann Tessa Joseph from Thrissur, Kerala, who was among the Indian crew members of container vessel MSC Aries, has landed safely at the Cochin International Airport today afternoon. At the airport, Ms. Joseph was received by the Regional Passport Officer, Cochin," MEA statement read. In the wake of the seizure of the container vessel, External Affairs Minister s Jaishankar spoke to his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, bringing up the release of the 17 Indian crew members. The two leaders, earlier, discussed the prevailing situation in West Asia, stressing the importance of avoiding escalation. "Spoke to Iranian FM @Amirabdolahian this evening. Took up the release of 17 Indian crew members of MSC Aries. Discussed the current situation in the region. Stressed the importance of avoiding escalation, exercising restraint and returning to diplomacy. Agreed to remain in touch," Jaishankar posted from his official X handle. The Indian Mission in Tehran was in touch with the remaining 16 Indian crew members of the container vessel, which is currently under Iranian control, the MEA informed. The crew members are in good health and in touch with their family members back home, the MEA release added. "Indian Mission in Tehran remains seized of the matter and is in touch with the remaining 16 Indian crew members of the container vessel. The crew members are in good health and in contact with their family members in India," the MEA added. "The Indian Mission is also in touch with the Iranian authorities in ensuring the well being of the remaining crew members of MSC Aries. Earlier, External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar had spoken to his Iranian counterpart Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian on the matter," it stated further. Following her safe landing at Cochin airport, MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared details of her release saying that she flew back to her homeland with the support of Iranian authorities. "Indian deck cadet Ms. Ann Tessa Joseph from Thrissur, Kerala, a member of the crew on vessel MSC Aries returned home today. @India_in_Iran, with the support of Iranian authorities, facilitated her return. Mission is in touch with Iranian side to ensure the well being of the remaining 16 crew members," Jaiswal posted from his X handle. The Israel-linked cargo ship was seized by Iran on April 13, with 17 Indian nationals onboard Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy seized the container ship near the Strait of Hormuz, The Times of Israel reported, citing an Iranian news agency. The MSC Aries was last seen on April 12, sailing towards the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Dubai, according to The Times of Israel. (ANI)
Representatives from Jewish and the Uyghur communities in New York jointly discussed how the refugees of these diasporas can live their lives in the US. Jews supported Uyghur emigration to and resettlement in the United States through their synagogues. The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity, an independent non-profit organisation from the US, organised a joint conference on Wednesday titled 'Disrupting Uyghur Genocide' in New York, the Elie Wiesel Foundation said in a statement. In the conference, the delegates of the World Uyghur Congress, educators, religious leaders from the Jewish community and heads of non-profit organisations from all around the world participated. During the conference, the representatives of both communities jointly discussed how the refugees of these diasporas can live their lives in the US after fleeing from an ongoing genocide. The speakers also discussed, what both of these communities can learn from each other and how their cultures and languages can be protected from total extermination. Uyghur refugees are facing an unprecedented campaign of harassment and intimidation in the form of China's transnational repression, rendering Uyghur refugees as potentially the most at-risk refugee population in the world in a non-militarized context. Mediated by Rabbi Bob Kaplan, the Executive Director of the Center for Shared Society, the first session of the conference witnessed a healthy discussion over how refugees from East Turkistan after fleeing to the US can embrace their Uyghur identity in foreign lands, how the culture, traditions, and language of the Uyghur community can be protected when China is hellbent on destroying Uyghur community from existence. Several governments around the world, including the U.S. and Canadian governments, have recognized the perils facing Uyghur refugees escaping the genocide in East Turkistan, and are offering the prospect of resettling a significant number of Uyghur The speakers in their statement also emphasised how current-day China is strategically suppressing the Uyghur community of East Turkistan through its strategic genocide in the area. During her statement, Irada Kashkeri, an educator and a representative from a social organisation that helps Uyghur individuals in the US, stated that she frequently meets young Uyghur kids and young adults who feel reluctant and embarrassed to proudly represent themselves as Uyghurs. While underscoring the reason for this, she insisted that there is still a minor reluctance on both sides, as the people in US don't know about the culture of the Uyghur community, and back in China, the Uyghur community is suppressed. She further mentioned, "In China right now, in East Turkistan they are tearing our Uyghur culture away. They are making us afraid to say that we are Uyghur. And that is not something that we can continue here in US". Kashkari, in her statement about helping Uyghur youngsters settle in the US also mentioned that "We want to create a future generation for whom the questions related to Uyghur identity are not uncomfortable, and our schools must be beyond just students and classes, it must be a center for generational knowledge. Where families can come together for more than just education. Our young ones understand why their parents cry because they cannot contact their relatives back home, they understand why everyone else visits their grandparents and they cannot. This impacts how they view there Uyghur identity". Rishat Abbas President of the Global Uyghur Academy and senior advisor to the World Uyghur Congress, emphasised, "Under the Chinese regime, our people don't know about democracy. Since 2017, the world has witnessed that the Chinese Communist Party has been conducting active and ongoing genocide and has been targeting Uyghur and east Turkish people, in our homeland, East Turkistan, and this is the biggest challenge for preserving our language." (ANI)
The Indian Air Force is sending its American origin C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft with the missiles to Philippines to deliver the weapon system to the Philippines Marine Corps, defence sources said.

The transportation of systems has also taken place through the sea route where cargo vessels were hired, the sources said.

The export of ground systems for the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system along wotvwith the missiles started last month itself, they said.

The Philippines is taking delivery of the missile systems at a time when tensions between them and China have been going up due to the frequent clashes in the South China Sea.

The three batteries of the BrahMos missile system would be deployed by the Philippines in their coastal areas to guard against any threat in the region.

The deal has been cleared with multiple approvals from partner nations in the programme.

The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, a joint venture between DRDRO and Russia's Russian Federation's NPO Mashinostroyeniya, is said to be one of the most successful missile programs in the world. Acknowledged as the foremost and swiftest precision-guided weapon on a global scale, BRAHMOS has played a pivotal role in enhancing India's deterrence capabilities.

The Indian Army has integrated multiple BrahMos regiments into its arsenal since 2007. (ANI)
The National Ballet of China (NBC) is set to captivate audiences in the northern Dutch province of Friesland this June, as it prepares to stage a three-day show at a packed-out venue.

According to the cultural section of the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands, preparations are underway to ensure this ballet spectacle becomes a highlight of Sino-Dutch cultural exchange. The event, slated for June 6-8, promises to be a fusion of dance, lighting, sound, as well as a culinary journey blending Chinese and Dutch flavors.

The event will be hosted in the iconic Abe Lenstra Stadium in Heerenveen.

The NBC is set to dispatch a team of over 60 dancers, including several principal performers, to perform in the northern Dutch city. To ensure the event goes smoothly, a team of three technical experts have been dispatched to the Netherlands for technical coordination with local authorities.

"It'll be a once-in-a-lifetime event," Jan van Erve, one of the Dutch organizers of the ballet event, told Xinhua.

The selected production for this event is "Inspiration and Glory," a Chinese ballet which draws inspiration from classic Chinese myths, said Van Erve, expressing belief that these classic tales hold profound life lessons and will offer Dutch audiences a fresh cultural experience through ballet.

To further enhance the performance's impact, organizers have devised several creative activities to make the art form more relatable to the Dutch audiences.
Justin and Ruby Reynolds, a father and daughter duo, were walking along the beach in the United Kingdom when a rock stood out from the others.

Ruby, then 11 years old, saw that it wasnt a rock at all and was actually a piece of a giant fossilized bone.

With bone in hand, the two searched the Somerset beach for other pieces, realizing they had stumbled upon something significant, according to an April 17 news release from the University of Manchester, published by EurekAlert.

The Reynolds took the bone fragments to Dean Lomax, a paleontologist at the University of Manchester.

Lomax immediately noted the similarities between the bones Ruby and Justin had found and pieces of prehistoric jawbone discovered in 2016 further along the coast by a fossil collector named Paul de la Salle, according to the university.

I was amazed by the find. In 2018, my team (including Paul de la Salle) studied and described Pauls giant jawbone and we had hoped that one day another would come to light, Lomax said in the release. This new specimen is more complete, better preserved, and shows that we now have two of these giant bones  called a surangular  that have a unique shape and structure. I became very excited, to say the least.

Lomax enlisted the help of de la Salle and the Reynolds, along with some family members, to go back to the beach and look for more pieces.

Over time, the team found additional pieces of the same jaw which fit together perfectly, like a multimillion-year-old jigsaw, the university said.

Ruby Reynolds, then 11 years old, was the first to spot a section of bone on the beach. She is pictured, from left, with Dean Lomax, her father Justin, and fossil hunter Paul de la Salle. Dean Lomax

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Volcanic ocean creature  with 'long' legs  discovered in Japan. It's a new species

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Over the course of two years, the group kept going back to the beach to search, and soon they had multiple pieces to form a complete section of a jaw.

When Ruby and I found the first two pieces we were very excited as we realized that this was something important and unusual, Justin Reynolds said in the release. When I found the back part of the jaw, I was thrilled because that is one of the defining parts of Pauls earlier discovery.

Lomax and his paleontology team analyzed the bones to determine their age and what species they might belong to and published their findings in the journal PLOS One on April 17.

The bones were about 202 million years old, Lomax determined, existing in the end of the Triassic Period known as the Rhaetian.

There was only one creature that could have had a jaw this size, roughly as big as a blue whale  a giant ichthyosaur.

The new find (top) was compared to previous bones discovered by fossil hunter Paul de la Salle, the researchers said. Dean Lomax

Not only did the jaw belong to one of the largest prehistoric aquatic animals to ever live, it was an entirely new species.

The slightly different shape of the jaw and the relatively smaller size, compared to known ichthyosaur species, helped to identify to researchers they were looking at something that hadnt been discovered before.

The research team and the Reynolds named the new species Ichthyotitan severnensis, the giant fish lizard of the Severn, referring to Severn Estuary in Somerset where the bones were discovered, according to the study.

I. severensis lived about 13 million years after their slightly bigger relatives, the largest-known ichthyosaur being the Shastasauridae, according to the release and study.

Multiple bone studies of ichthyosaurs were running in parallel, leading to an academic collaboration. Gabriel Ugueto

At the same time that Lomax and his team were confirming the species of ichthyosaur in the U.K., a graduate student in Germany was examining bone fragments from around the world to confirm the internal bone structure of all ichthyosaurs.

He presented his work at a conference where Lomax realized they were working on similar projects, and the two started a collaboration.

The two studies started in parallel: In 2021, I was not aware of Dr. Lomaxs project  (which started some years before), and he was not aware of my histological studies, Marcello Perillo, a former student at the University of Bonn, told McClatchy News in an email. Of course I was quite enthusiastic as I could see and sample the new specimen, which was kept secret while being studied before being revealed to the world.

Perillo published his work on ichthyosaurs April 9, which included data from the Reynolds find.

Giant ichthyosaurs were an aquatic reptile that could reach the size of a modern-day blue whale. Sergey Krasovskiy

Paleontologists continue to learn more about the ancient giants, but there is still more to discover.

This research has been ongoing for almost eight years. It is quite remarkable to think that gigantic, blue whale-sized ichthyosaurs were swimming in the oceans around what was the UK during the Triassic Period, Lomax said in the release. These jawbones provide tantalizing evidence that perhaps one day a complete skull or skeleton of one of these giants might be found. You never know.

Somerset is in the southwest region of England, across the Bristol Channel from Cardiff.

Gigantic bones stumped experts for centuries. Now, prehistoric mystery is solved

Bones of prehistoric titan discovered in Argentina  but it may be smallest ever

Elementary school students playing in mountains stumble upon fossil of iconic mammal

Carvings discovered on rock walls in Brazil  then something prehistoric is revealed
The family of Kaylee Goncalves, one of the four murdered University of Idaho students, have responded to suspect Bryan Kohbergers alibi statement, saying that they now feel even more confident in the prosecution of the Defendant.

Mr Kohberger was on an early morning drive at the time of the killings in November 2022, according to a legal filing from his defence offered late on Wednesday.

Mr. Kohberger was out driving in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022; as he often did to hike and run and/or see the moon and stars, the document reads.

He drove throughout the area south of Pullman, Washington, west of Moscow, Idaho including Wawawai Park, the filing continues.

The defence plans to call a cell tower data expert to help corroborate claims of the 29-year-olds location at the time of the killings, per the filing.

The defence also suggested in its action that additional information about Mr Kohbergers whereabouts, as well as critical exculpatory evidence, could be forthcoming.

The Goncalves family was not convinced by the explanation.

The Defenses claim is that the Defendant was driving late at night hiking/running and stargazing. We are not sure why it has taken over a year for this to come out as those dont seem to be complicated activities. We believe that If this alibi had any weight it would have been submitted months ago. It is also in direct conflict with the Probable Cause affidavit that states that the Defendants phone was turned off between 2.47am and 4:.8am, the family wrote in a Facebook post.

Steve Goncalves and Kaylee Goncalves (NewsNation screenshot/Kaylee Goncalves IG)

So if the Defendant was driving around and there is cell phone information that he was in a different place it would be either before or after the times of the murders. Hence not really an alibi. We continue to look forward to justice in this case and can now put this part of the proceeding behind us.

Mr Kohberger is accused of killing four University of Idaho students living in an off-campus house: Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.

He is accused of breaking into an off-campus student home on King Road in the town of Moscow in the early hours of 13 November 2022 and stabbing the four students to death with a large, military-style knife.

Madison Mogen, 21, top left, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, bottom left, Ethan Chapin, 20, second right, and Xana Kernodle, 20, were all killed in a student house in Moscow, Idaho (Instagram)

Two other female roommates lived with the three women at the property and were home at the time of the massacre but survived.

One of the survivors  Dylan Mortensen  came face to face with the masked killer, dressed in head-to-toe black and with bushy eyebrows, as he left the home in the aftermath of the murders, according to the criminal affidavit.

In May of 2023, Mr Kohberger declined to enter a plea in the case, prompting a judge to mark his stance as pleading not guilty.

A previous filing in August also claimed Mr Kohberger was out for a drive around the time of the murders.

That document, however, contained less detail, noting that the student was not claiming to be at a specific location at a specific time.

It read in part: Mr. Kohberger has long had a habit of going for drives alone. Often he would go for drives at night.

He did so late on November 12 and into November 13, 2022. Mr. Kohberger is not claiming to be at a specific location at a specific time; at this time there is not a specific witness to say precisely where Mr. Kohberger was at each moment of the hours between late night November 12, 2022 and early morning November 13, 2022.

Bryan Kohberger, right, is escorted into a courtroom for a hearing in Latah County District Court, 13 September 2023, in Moscow, Idaho (AP)

He was out, driving during the late night and early morning hours of November 12-13, 2022.

Prosecutors argued this claim was too vague.

Wednesdays filing came in just before a deadline to submit additional information related to his alibi defence.

The updated alibi defence claims are the latest development in the high-profile trial.

Earlier this month, Mr Kohbergers defence requested discovery requests be placed under seal to because the documents contain facts or statements that might threaten or endanger the life or safety of individuals.

Idaho intends to seek the death penalty against Mr Kohberger.

His defence sought earlier this year to move the trial out of Latah County, arguing that extensive, inflammatory pretrial publicity would make it unfair.

In March, the Idaho Supreme Court denied a request from Mr Kohberger for his grand jury indictment to be thrown out.

The house where the four students were killed being demolished (AP)

A trial date has not been set.

Prosecutors have tied him to the murders, in part, through surveillance footage showing his white Hyundai Elantra travelling to and from the crime scene.

An affidavit, released in January last year, outlined some of the evidence against the accused killer  including his DNA on a knife sheath left behind at the scene of the murders, the surveillance footage and cellphone activity.

The sheath  for a military or Ka-Bar style knife  was found partly under Mogens body after she and Goncalves were found stabbed multiple times on Mogens bed on the third floor of the home.

DNA on the button clasp of the sheath was then found to match that of the 28-year-old accused killer.

Mr Kohbergers attorneys have sought to cast doubts on the strength of this DNA evidence, in particular the use of genetic genealogy.

According to the affidavit in the case, the FBI used genetic genealogy databases to try to identify the DNA source.

Trash was then collected from the suspects parents home in the Poconos Mountains and a familial match  from Mr Kohbergers father  was made to the sheath, according to the criminal affidavit.

Following Mr Kohbergers arrest on 30 December, DNA samples were then taken directly from the suspect and came back as a statistical match, say prosecutors.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.  The U.S. Navy owns many large submarines, ships and aircraft carriers that need to be protected when operating at sea and close to the shore. A special group of sailors is charged with protecting these Navy investments.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Shayne Dungca, a native of Flat Rock, is one of these sailors serving at Maritime Security Squadron 2, which is responsible for protecting the Navys maritime platforms and port infrastructure.

The Maritime Expeditionary Security Force (MESF) operates ashore, at sea and in the waters of harbors, rivers, bays and across the littorals. The primary focus of MESF is to conduct maritime security operations. They do this by providing port and harbor security as well as security for high-value units, like aircraft carriers and submarines, on coastal waterways and ashore.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Shayne Dungca, a native of Flat Rock, North Carolina, is one of these sailors serving at Maritime Security Squadron 2, which is responsible for protecting the Navys maritime platforms and port infrastructure.

Dungca graduated from North Henderson High School in 2019.

The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Flat Rock.

My hometown taught me to work as a team, said Dungca. Working in Flat Rock, I learned how to give and receive help.

Dungca joined the Navy four years ago. Today, Dungca serves as a gunners mate.

I joined the Navy because my dad was a fire controlman in the Navy, said Dungca. His experiences had a big impact on me growing up. I also wanted to experience different cultures and see the world.

With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.

Dungca serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nations prosperity and security.

We will earn and reinforce the trust and confidence of the American people every day, said Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations. Together we will deliver the Navy the nation needs.

Dungca has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.

My proudest accomplishment is just being in the Navy in general, said Dungca. I get to make my parents proud every day.

Dungca can take pride in serving America through military service.

Serving in the Navy means I get to defend my home country, said Dungca. I also get to fulfill a family tradition of service.

Dungca is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.

I would like to thank my dad because he has been a great mentor my whole life, added Dungca. I would also like to thank Petty Officer 1st Class Rhoden. He is my Navy mentor and he has taught me so much about being a gunners mate.

Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jerome Fjeld writes for Navy Office of Community Outreach

This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: North grad serves with U.S. Navys Maritime Expeditionary Security Force
Idaho Murders Suspect Bryan Kohberger's Startling Alibi: He Was Driving to 'See the Moon and Stars'

Idaho Murders Suspect Bryan Kohberger's Startling Alibi: He Was Driving to 'See the Moon and Stars'

Bryan Kohberger is accused of stabbing to death Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, on Nov. 13, 2022

AP Photo/Ted S. Warren Bryan Kohberger in 2022

Bryan Kohberger  the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022  claims that he's innocent and has an alibi for the night the brutal stabbings occurred.

According to a new court filing reviewed by NBC News and CNN, Kohberger, 29, claims he was driving outside of Moscow, Idaho, on the night of the murders.

His defense attorney claims in the filing that he was driving late at night "as he often did to hike and run and/or see the moon and stars," CNN reports.

During trial  which a date has not yet been set for  Kohberger's defense attorneys also say they plan to call an expert witness to the stand to attempt to corroborate the alibi by using Kohberger's cell phone data from the night of the murders, NBC News reports.

Related: University of Idaho Murders, 1 Year Later: Key Things that Have Happened Since

Kohberger  a former Ph.D criminology student  is charged with murdering Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, at an off-campus residence in Moscow, Idaho, around 4 a.m. on November 13. Goncalves, Mogen and Kernodle were roommates and Chapin was dating Kernodle. Two additional roommates were home during the attack but were unharmed and ruled out as suspects.

AP Photo/Ted S. Warren Bryan Kohberger in 2022

Kohberger was a student at Washington State University and lived in Pullman, Wash., roughly eight miles away from the scene of the crime, at the time of the slayings. He has pleaded not guilty.



Kohberger was arrested in connection with the killings nearly seven weeks later while he was in Pennsylvania visiting family for the holidays. Investigators allege they tied him to the killings by using DNA evidence found on a knife sheath left at the scene in the bed where Mogen and Goncalves were found deceased, according to a probable cause affidavit previously reviewed by PEOPLE.

Courtesy of Chapin Family; Maddie Mogen/Instagram; Kaylee Goncalves/Instagram; Xana Kernodle/Instagram From left: Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves and Xana Kernodle

Related: Chilling Details Revealed as Probable Cause Affidavit is Released in University of Idaho Murder Case

While investigating Kohberger's previous cellphone pings, authorities also learned that the cell phone associated with him pinged in the area of the 1122 King Road home where the killings took place on at least twelve occasions prior to November 13, 2022, the affidavit alleges.



Angela Palermo/Idaho Statesman via ZUMA Press 1122 King Road house in Moscow, Idaho before it was demolished

A motive for the killings has not yet been released. Limited information is being shared about the case due to a sweeping gag order that hinders officials involved with the case or attorney's for the families of the victims from talking to the public or media.

If convicted, Kohberger faces the death penalty.

Related: 'She Had No Idea': Sister of Idaho Victim Reacts to Claim that Suspect's Phone Pinged Near House 12 Times

In December 2023, the three-story house where the quadruple homicide took place was demolished.

"This is a healing step and removes the physical structure where the crime that shook our community was committed," a previous statement from the University of Idaho reads.

"Sometimes it is hard to see beyond this tragedy," University of Idaho President Scott later added in the statement. "But the selfless acts, the deep engagement and loving support of our entire Vandal Family reminds me that there is so much good in the world. We will never forget Xana, Ethan, Madison and Kaylee, and I will do everything in my power to protect their dignity and respect their memory."

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.
Two summers ago, a Miami-Dade police officer issued a warning to Gamaly Hollis about the continuing calls to deal with her mentally ill son, who was prone to violent outbursts and brandishing knives and a BB gun around wary neighbors.

If you have a problem with the way the police deal with your son, like you had the problem last time, dont call us, Officer Jaime Pino told Hollis in a discussion recorded on another officers body camera. Were not social workers. Were police officers.

Then, he added: Im telling you. If your son takes a BB gun or a real gun out on me, Im gonna kill your son. So if you have a problem with that, dont call us.

Less than a year later, that same officer killed Hollis 21-year-old son Richard, shooting him six times during a confrontation in the familys Kendale Lakes apartment.

In the shootings aftermath, a grief-stricken Gamaly Hollis took to the streets and social media, branding the officer as an asesino  killer or murderer in Spanish. She even confronted Pino at a crime scene. You murderer, she said. You murdered my child! As a result, Hollis was arrested on charges of aggravated stalking, resisting arrest and trespassing.

Hollis attorneys on Thursday asked Miami-Dade Judge Cristina Rivera Correa to dismiss those charges, arguing they violate her First Amendment right to speak freely about a police officer she believes killed her son unnecessarily. After a contentious afternoon hearing, Correa set a Wednesday deadline for additional legal briefs.

Hollis already has served almost a year in jail after being convicted of violating a judges order to stay away from Pino, who would later be cleared of any wrongdoing in Hollis sons death. She is scheduled to be released from jail on that conviction, a decision that the judge could make as early as Friday.

The mothers of other adult children killed by law enforcement have been vocal in their criticism of the actions of police. But, according to Hollis lawyers, she stands alone in having been charged with stalking  the charge was reduced to a misdemeanor, and the trespass charge was dismissed. The stalking offense that carries the possibility of Hollis spending almost almost a year in prison. The resisting arrest charge carries the same penalty.

This Court must not allow the State Attorneys Office to weaponize Floridas stalking statute in this case, one of Hollis attorneys, Assistant Public Defender Chandra Sim, wrote in a motion to dismiss the charges. Allowing prosecution of cases such as the one at hand makes a mockery of the goals enshrined in our Constitution, the Judicial System, and our laws.

The motion adds: The government is choosing to prosecute Ms. Hollis in bad faith because she continues exercising her First Amendment right to expose its ongoing misconduct to the public.

A history of police calls

When a neighbor at the Peppermill Apartments called 911 the evening of June 15, 2022, officers at the Miami-Dade Police Departments Hammocks Division were well-acquainted with the address. They had been there several times.

Records from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement show that Richard Breed Hollis had been arrested twice previously  including charges of resisting arrest without violence, battery, battery on an elder and battery on a law enforcement officer. The latter three charges stemmed from an incident, on April 5, 2021, in which he reportedly pushed his 88-year-old neighbor to the ground.

Police had been called to the apartment twice  on Oct. 24, 2021 and Dec. 14, 2021  following reports that Richard Hollis had overdosed on pills. During that incident, prosecutors wrote of the Dec. 14, 2021 encounter, a struggle could be heard in the backgroundDispatch advised that Richard Hollis had a mental condition and that he had taken 15 pills.

On Aug. 10, 2021, Pino was among a handful of officers dispatched to the Hollis apartment following a neighbors call. Interviewed outside the home, Gamaly Hollis told officers her son might have a BB gun. Body camera footage from that encounter shows a group of clearly frustrated officers. At one point, Pino suggests that Hollis stop calling police for help when her son acts out, saying officers werent social workers.

He also gave her the blunt warning that if her son was armed when confronting police, ...Im gonna kill your son. So if you have a problem with that, dont call us.

Almost a year later, a confrontation between Pino and Richard Hollis unfolded just as the officer had predicted.

On June 15, 2022, Gamaly Hollis later told the FDLE, her son had been doing drugsand had not slept. Mother and son had argued because Gamaly Hollis had hidden all the knives in the house, and Richard Hollis was looking for his weapons, prosecutors wrote.

When Gamaly Hollis returned from work that evening, her son was eating dinner, with two large kitchen knives on the table, prosecutors wrote. The two argued, he became aggressive, broke his cell phone, then pushed and struck her.

Richard Hollis told her that today was the day police were going to kill him, prosecutors wrote.

When Officer Carle Blum arrived at the Hollis apartment at 8:23 that night, a colleague warned her over the radio not to enter alone. Pino, who had been to the home before, told Blum that Richard Hollis was a violent 43  police code for a person with mental illness. Wait for other units, Pino told her, according to a memo from the Miami-Dade State Attorneys Office.

His mother can be heard pleading with him in the background, according to the memo prosecutors wrote explaining their decision not to press charges against Pino. Blum, the first officer on the scene, can be heard repeatedly asking Hollis to open the door to the apartment. Richard Hollis is heard on Blums body camera repeatedly telling her to get the [expletive] out of here.

You either open the door, or Im going to break the door in, she yells.

Richard Hollis replies: Just so the cameras can listen to this, I know that society is poisoning people with a lot of chemicals in the food, corn, wheat, soy. He added: Im going to cut myself.

A clear threat

Pino arrives at the complex at 8:31. He is told that Hollis likely is wielding a knife. Within seconds, Pino begins kicking the apartment door in, according to body camera footage. Drop the knife, he is heard yelling. In camera footage, a knife can be seen in the bottom of the video sticking out from behind the door, inches from Officer Pino, prosecutors wrote.

Ill fight back, Hollis yells. I dont mind [expletive] dying. Prosecutors wrote that Hollis was taking an aggressive stance, with knives in both hands.

Within a minute of his arrival, Pino fired his taser at Hollis, once, then again, according to records. Only seconds later, prosecutors wrote, Pino shot Hollis, who crumpled to the ground, dropping one of the knives. The second knife was found under his body.

A June 16, 2022 autopsy said Hollis had been shot six times: twice on his upper right arm, on the right side of his abdomen, on his right thigh, his left thigh and the back of his hand. His cause of death was listed as gunshot wounds. Though police reports and the State Attorneys Offices memo stated that Hollis had been tased, the Medical Examiners report contained no mention of any injury consistent with contact by or penetration of taser prongs, prosecutors wrote.

Hollis autopsy found evidence of marijuana and antihistamines in his bloodstream.

Prosecutors declined to press charges against Pino, who had been the subject of an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, in a close-out memo dated April 12, 2023. Such investigations are standard after shootings involving law enforcement officers.

Miami-Dade Police Office Jaime Pino during an appearance on a YouTube show that focuses on law enforcement tactics and guns. He was cleared of any wrong doing in a shooting last year of a mentally ill man in Kendale Lakes but that mans mother launched a campaign accusing him of unnecessarily killer her son.

Hollis, prosecutors wrote, could have been arrested that night for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, used against a law enforcement officer. Pino drew his gun only after he concluded his taser would have no effect, and after he was effectively cornered in the kitchen by Hollis.

Richard Hollis statements and actions that night presented a clear threat to Officer Pino and Gamaly Hollis, prosecutors wrote.

A grieving mother seeks answers

What happened after the shooting is subject to dispute. Police claim Gamaly Hollis visited the Hammocks substation repeatedly seeking to confront Pino. Hollis insists she visited the division to request copies of their investigation into her sons death and to speak with him.

In testimony at a hearing on Pinos request for a stalking injunction against Gamaly Hollis, Sgt. Stephanie Llamas testified that Hollis visited the division several times shortly after the shooting. Normally, Llamas testified, after being told Pino wasnt present, she would sit down in the lobby. She would kind of look around, and then leave.

On one occasion, though, Llamas spoke with her in the parking lot. Hollis told me that he murdered her son and she wanted to see him, Llamas testified. She was upset. She was crying a little bit.

You cannot just keep coming here, Llamas said she told the mother. Like its unhealthy. Its not healthy for you and its not healthy for Officer Pino.

Under the Miami-Dade Police Departments standard operating procedures, Pino should have been sidelined while prosecutors and the FDLE investigated the shooting, Hollis attorneys argued in a court pleading. The purpose of the rule is to protect the communitys interest when employees may have exceeded the scope of their authority in their actions or in their use of force and to shield employees who have not exceeded the scope of their authority from possible confrontations with the community.

Officer becomes a trainer

Not only was Pino not restricted to desk duty while the shooting was under investigation  records show the department appointed him as a training officer.

Pino continued to patrol the neighborhood where Hollis lived, and Hollis encountered him on Aug. 22, 2022. Pino was working backup at a crime scene. It was Pinos first day as a field training officer, and a junior officer was with him. Hollis stopped her car near him, and rolled down her window.

She started to yell in Spanish that Im a killer, that Im an assassin, that I killed her son, Pino testified at a hearing seeking a stay-away order against Hollis. Hollis was ordered to leave, which she did. But she returned later, after Pino had left.

Hollis testified at the hearing, without a lawyer, that she was driving to the cemetery to place flowers on her sons grave when she saw Pino among a group of officers.

I see the murderer of my son she testified. Hollis said she decided to confront him and tell him [how she felt] as a mother.

You killed my son, Hollis said to Pino repeatedly in Spanish, according to the body camera of Officer Michael J. Curran, who was present at the scene.

Maybe if you did a better job, there wouldnt be a problem, Pino is captured saying in response.

On Dec. 15, 2022, Professional Compliance Bureau Lt. Matthew McGarey filed a discourtesy complaint against Pino over that exchange, citing Currans body camera footage as evidence of Pinos misconduct.

The Miami-Dade police department agreed, according to a Jan. 10, 2023 professional compliance memo, which stated that Officer Jamie Pino was observed being discourteous to Ms. Gamaly Hollis.

Pino was informally counseled, the memo said.

After her arrest on stalking charges, Hollis shifted her mission from her neighborhood to social media. She shared photos she obtained from Pinos accounts of him and his family. On Nov. 7, 2022, Pino was given a one-year injunction, ordering Hollis to stay away from him and cease posting his pictures on social media.

When asked by then-County Court Judge Luise Krieger-Martin why she posted photos of Pino, Hollis replied: So the people know who was the murderer of my son. When the judge asked why she included his family, she answered, he was laughing [at] my face how he killed my son. He was making fun of me, how he killed my son.

He was my only child, Hollis said at the hearing. After the shooting, she testified, she had to clean all the blood [Pino] made in front of me.

But on April 8, 2023, Hollis posted a picture of Pinos home  with his marked Miami-Dade Police car  on her Facebook account, records show. The caption read, simply: Bye bye.

But it was Hollis who went away. She was convicted of violating the injunction on Aug. 1, 2023. Shes been in jail since.

This story was produced with financial support from the Esserman Family Foundation in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.
As news of a canceled Tennessee House floor session spread around the state Capitol, a number of activist organizations cheered and clapped as they marched a Jericho march around the building in opposition to a number of bills before the legislature.

Nearly 200 people marched from First Baptist Church, Capitol Hill to circle the Capitol in imitation of the biblical story of Jericho, when Israelites marched around the city until it crumbled to the ground.

We did that, said Rachel Goodwin, director of Power-building at The Equity Alliance, referencing the House session cancellation to rally the crowd. We shut that down!

Marchers gather at First Baptist Church, Capitol Hill and make their way toward the Capitol as part of The People vs The State of Tennessee Rally on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.

The demonstration was organized by The Equity Alliance and attended by over 15 groups like the Save Tennessee State University Coalition Committee, Awake, Moms Demand Action, Rise and Shine TN and others.

Signs decrying gun violence, abortion restrictions, lack of voter support, Christian nationalism, the recent legislation vacating the Tennessee State University board and more could be seen as speakers spoke against a slate of issues.

Vote for people over party politics, said Dr. Katrina Green, an emergency medicine doctor in Nashville, who spoke on the importance of accessible health care. Because right now in Tennessee, politics is literally killing us.

Racorol Woodard leads a group of demonstrators in a chant as they walk around the Capitol during The People vs The State of Tennessee Rally Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. The Equity Alliance, along with more than a dozen other grassroots groups from Nashville and around the state, held a rally in response to what organizers call an ineffective legislative session happening in Tennessee.

As demonstrators placed blue tape on their arms and over their mouths  signifying support for TSU  one protestor, Bailey Jones, vice president of the Wilson County Young Democrats, held a sign that said, Tennessee denied me a life-saving abortion, but my rapist is still free.

I had an abortion in early March  it was a wanted pregnancy, she said, visibly emotional. But I found out my daughter had passed away. And I was forced to wait five weeks to get a dilatation and curettage. I could have gone septic. I could have died and left my kids without a mom. And the laws are so complicated that I almost couldnt get a D&C for my child who had already passed away. And I was sexually assaulted in 2019  the person who assaulted me is still free. He never saw the inside of a jail cell. That says a lot about how they care about women.

A number of elected officials, including Reps. Gloria Johnson, D- Knoxville, Justin Pearson, D-Memphis and Torrey Harris, D-Memphis, attended the event.

Were literally passing legislation up here every single day that makes Tennessee less safe," said Johnson, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. "And its time for them to start listening to the people about what they want, and not listening to the special interests that are guiding everything the MAGA Republicans do.

Demonstrators yell as they march to the Capitol to participate in The People vs The State of Tennessee Rally Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. The Equity Alliance, along with more than a dozen other grassroots groups from Nashville and around the state, held a rally in response to what organizers call an ineffective legislative session happening in Tennessee.

The USA Today Network - Tennessee's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners.

Have a story to tell? Reach Angele Latham by email at alatham@gannett.com, by phone at 931-623-9485, or follow her on Twitter at @angele_latham

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: A 'Jericho' march: Demonstrators circle TN Capitol in protest
China's Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration Li Qun (2nd R) and Matthew Bogdanos (2nd L), chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, sign documents at a handover ceremony of returned Chinese cultural objects at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Rui)



The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday.

At a handover ceremony at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office handed over the cultural objects to a delegation from China's National Cultural Heritage Administration.

China and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding that aims to prevent the illegal importation of Chinese cultural artifacts into the United States in January 2009. Its validity has been extended for the third time, starting from January 14 this year.

Returned Chinese cultural objects are seen at a handover ceremony at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
RICHMOND, Ind.  Indiana's May 7 primary is right around the corner and candidates are making their final trips around the state to convince voters to choose them.

That includes gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, who attended a luncheon at the Olde Richmond Inn Monday, April 15 to speak with community leaders and residents to hear the most important issues on the community's mind.

Her trip coincided with Tax Day. A big part of Crouch's campaign is a promise to eliminate the state income tax.

"Taxes are on the minds of everybody, and one of the feedback that I got was people are really struggling today because of the high cost of living, inflation and buynomics," she said. "It costs $11,400 more today than it did three years ago just to meet basic household needs. People want some kind of relief."

Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, a candidate for governor, stands outside the Main Street Resource Center in Richmond on Monday, April 15. Crouch was in the area for a luncheon at Olde Richmond Inn to speak with community leaders and residents about this year's election.

Crouch has dubbed her idea "axe the tax," but also acknowledged her competitors' concerns that eliminating the income tax would cost the state too much.

"I'm going to make sure you get to keep your money and for the average Hoosier, that's $2,000 of your money I will let you keep every year," she said. "What do you do when you have money? You put it back into the economy, which grows other revenues."

There are nine states that currently do not have an income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. Crouch said she thinks people move to those states for lower income taxes. Four of those were among the states with the highest number of people moving to them in 2023, as reported by moving company U-Haul.

Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch speaks to community leaders at a luncheon at the Olde Richmond Inn on Monday, April 15.

Two other ideas Crouch is running on are attracting students to attend college in Indiana and stay after graduation, as well as expanding the conversation surrounding mental health.

"During COVID, we saw a 20% increase in anxiety and depression among our population, but we saw a 60% increase among young people," she said. "Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people (in the state) and they are the future of Indiana.

"As governor, if we ever find ourselves in this position like we did before, there will be no mask mandates or lockdowns because of what it's done to all of us, particularly to our young people, and I will work to ensure that health care is accessible and affordable so that Hoosiers can get the help that they need."

Mental health is a personal topic for Crouch, whose mother, brother, sister and daughter have all struggled with mental illness and addiction.

"We inherit genes," she said. "I often ask myself, how did my brother who was two years older than me get the gene that made him an alcoholic and killed him? How did my sister 18 months younger than me get the gene and ended up dying by suicide, and I didn't? We don't pick our genes, but we need to give help to people who struggle."

While she grew up in Evansville and lives in Indianapolis, Crouch said she understands the importance of the whole state, including East Central Indiana.

Crouch has made several trips to Richmond the past few years for different reasons, including after the My Way Trading Warehouse fire, Officer Seara Burton's funeral, the Mary F. Thomas Bridge dedication and visits with the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce.

"I'm not just coming here on election time," Crouch said. "I've been here for the past 10 years, investing in this community, investing in this county, investing in this area. As governor, I will take Richmond, Hagerstown, Centerville and all of Wayne County to the next level and they will realize their full potential."

Evan Weaver is a news and sports reporter at The Palladium-Item. Contact him on X (@evan_weaver7) or email at eweaver@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Suzanne Crouch speaks with voters, community leaders at Richmond lunch
In Susana Barcielas final year as policy director for the Miami-based Americans for Immigrant Justice, she wrote a column to honor the work immigrants have done to help shape South Florida.

Living in the immigrant capital of the world, Ive seen Miami grow into a vibrant economic and cultural hub. Watching the Miami Heat play in the NBA Finals, I marveled at the spectacular views of downtown Miami. I also knew that immigrants played an enormous role in this growth and prosperity, Barciela wrote in the Miami Herald in July 2013.

Barciela died on March 23 at age 66 after a nine-year struggle with Alzheimers disease, her husband Daniel Zuckerman said.

In addition to her work with the local nonprofit law firm that helps undocumented immigrants find a path toward citizenship, she was a senior research policy analyst at Miami Dade College. Earlier, she was a Miami Herald business writer and member of the editorial board.

Zuckerman, like others, wanted to point out a trait he felt remarkable about his accomplished writer, humanitarian and immigrant wife who had arrived in Miami from Cuba at age 4 with her sister Beatriz. She was a fighter and a real idealist, he acknowledged, but she didnt amplify her own achievements. She did her work and fought so that others like her could achieve in the States, too.

Barciela was guided by her mother Amada Eiriz Barciela whose values she emulated. As my mom says, the truth is the truth, she wrote in the Herald in 1998. Her aunt was the celebrated Cuban artist Antonia Eiriz, whom she affectionately called Nica.

Zuckerman pointed to an example from another field. He shared an anecdote that has gone around over the years about the late country music guitarist Chet Atkins, father of the Nashville Sound.

Ive got a lot to be modest about, Atkins, the unassuming yet abundantly gifted musician, once reportedly told a fan.

Susana was like that, Zuckerman said. She wasted no effort on self-promotion or advancement. These werent her concerns. She always put everything she had into fighting the good fight and making the world a better place.

Barcielas honors

Susana Barciela was a Miami Herald business reporter and columnist and later a member of the editorial board. Her 21-year career with the Herald ran from 1987 to 2008.

Barciela, born in Havana, on Sept. 5, 1957, was a Miami Senior High alum  like Sen. Bob Graham before her who died Tuesday; as well as Florida Sen. Ileana Garcia and Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Jose Dotres. Barciela finished third in her class, her husband said.

KNOW MORE: Many famous people went to Miami-area schools. Did you know all these?

My mother brought me to Miami when I was 4 years old. I didnt know it then, but I was a Cuban refugee, Barciela wrote in a 2013 Herald column that stressed granting citizenship to deserving immigrants as a means to reform a broken immigration system. Within months of my arrival, I was speaking English with a young girl who lived nearby. By the time I discovered McDonalds around the corner, my assimilation was well under way.

Barciela graduated from Harvard University with honors and a business degree.

One of Barcielas future bosses  her last boss  retired Miami Dade College President Eduardo Padron, said he welcomed working with Barciela on immigration policies at the South Florida educational institution. She was very bright, extremely well. educated and very knowledgeable, he said.

Among her career honors: Barciela had won the Inter-American Press Associations Opinion Award in 1998, the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Centers Building Bridges Award in 1999, and the Womens Commission for Refugee Women and Childrens Voices of Courage Award in 2003.

At the Miami Herald, five years after she had joined in 1987 to write for the business desk and before she had joined the editorial board in a 21-year career with the news outlet, Barciela was part of a team of reporters who won the Pulitzer Prize for their coverage of Hurricane Andrew. That Category 5 pre-dawn monster had leveled much of South Miami-Dade on Aug. 24, 1992.

The Miami Heralds publisher at the time, David Lawrence Jr., said of Barciela: Susana was a great gift to Herald readers, and then just as great a gift to Americans for Immigrant Justice. Smart and wise with a soul for justice. A great example and a great loss.

Work on behalf of immigrants

In this file photo from 2009, Susana Barciela (left), then policy director of the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center (later named Americans for Immigrant Justice) and Marianne Mollmann, director of the Human Rights division, speak during a press conference about negligence in medical care for immigrants detained in county jails.

At Americans for Immigrant Justice, which she joined in 2008 until 2013, her efforts to advocate for immigrants on topics such as healthcare, her 2011 report, After the Earthquake-Haitian Children Seeking Safety in the U.S., and Unleash the Dream-End the Colossal Waste of Young Immigrant Talent in 2010, led to societal change.

Susana was a passionate advocate and powerful voice for some of our countrys most vulnerable immigrants. Her work on the 2010 Justice report Unleash the Dream was a catalyst for DACA passing in 2012. Having Susana on our staff was a privilege, and her impact on our community through her immigration work  both at AI Justice and on the editorial board of the Miami Herald  was substantial. She was exceptional and will be greatly missed, Cheryl Little, co-founder and executive director emerita of AI Justice, said in a statement posted on Facebook.

Zuckerman was particularly moved by the human touch of her work on behalf of four young Dreamers who, between January and May 2010, walked from Miami to Washington to support their cause.

Susana provided support and we flew up to D.C. and helped set up a press event for them at the National Press Club. In the years that followed we attended the weddings of three of them, Zuckerman said.

At Miami Dade College

Miami Dade College President Eduardo J. Padron attends the ceremony to rename InterAmerican Campus the Eduardo J. Padron Campus in Little Havana on May 17, 2019.

Padron, with whom she worked at Miami-Dade College for a year in 2014 as a policy analyst, said it was a privilege to tap her expertise on immigration.

She had a passion for the issue of immigration and was able to help us a lot in developing our procedures and policies and really making sure that we treated those students who were immigrants with respect and dignity, Padron said. She was a great contributor  very low key. Quiet. But someone who produced results all the time and who really cared and had a passion for people and helping people and was a real asset to Miami Dade College.

A family bond

Daniel Zuckerman, Susana Barciela with Emilio Estefan at a fundraiser for a local Harvard Business School Alumni Club that sponsored local non-profit executives to attend a course at HBS. Estefan was honored. This is a post on Barcielas Facebook from Oct. 31, 2012.

Miami is a testament to what immigrants can accomplish, Barciela wrote in her 2013 editorial.

Since the 1960s, waves of immigrants have come here from Cuba, Haiti, the Americas and across the world. They took low-wage jobs, learned English, built businesses, taught their kids the value of education and work and turned Miami into a modern metropolis.

Behind the scenes, they become the guiding lights for others, too.

Zuckerman, who served as Barcielas caretaker as her health declined after signs of Alzheimers became apparent in 2015, says of their enduring union: She was his wife in the last century. Thats because they wed after a couple years together on Dec. 5, 1999.

I chased her and I chased her and she caught me, he said, chuckling.

Survivors, service

In addition to her husband, Barciela is survived by her sister Beatriz Barciela Dale.

A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. May 11, at Robbins Preserve, a park at 4005 S Hiatus Rd. in Davie.

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Three arrested in connection with woman found beaten, tied at Jasper County's Corner Lake

SLED has arrested three suspects in connection with the kidnapping case in Jasper County.

Just over a week after being called in by the Jasper County Sheriffs Office on April 8 to assist with the case of a woman found beaten and tied at the Corner Lake Boat Landing, state police are announcing a trio of arrests.

On April 3, a white female victim was found tied, injured and unresponsive at the Corner Lake public landing. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division says it has since determined the woman was kidnapped in Barnwell County and has made three arrests.

Kidnapping warrants have been obtained by the Barnwell County Sheriffs Office for Adrienne Burgen Ginn, 31, Kaila Terria Bostick, 34, and Jamaal Terrell Riley, 30.

The warrants were requested on April 3, the day the woman was found, says SLED, but it took several days to bring the suspects into custody.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol apprehended Ginn on April 6 in Hampton County for driving under suspensiona second offense.SLED said Bostick and Riley were arrested by the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force in Indiana on Thursday, April 11, and will be extradited to South Carolina.

The woman, who was transported to a regional hospital and later identified, is now recovering, adds SLED.

SLEDs investigation is active and ongoing. Anyone with information regarding the incident should contact SLED at tips@sled.sc.gov or (843) 5541111.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Three suspects in custody in case of kidnapped woman in Jasper County
A federal grand jury in Roanoke has indicted two Central Virginia men with multiple federal crimes in connection with a 2023 drug robbery and homicide where one defendant sought to dispose of the victims body in Bedford County by setting it aflame.

In an indictment returned April 11, the grand jury alleges that Joseph Joe Richard Walker, 30, of Roanoke, and Garrett Isaac Williams, 21, of Lynchburg, conspired to traffic marijuana, committed robbery and conspired to commit robbery, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Virginia stated in a news release Thursday. The indictment also alleges Walker discharged a firearm to further the drug trafficking and robbery, possessed firearms as a prohibited person and committed arson.

There is no higher priority for my office than keeping our communities safe by prosecuting violent crime, United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said in the release. The federal charges brought in this case show the determination of the United States Attorneys Office  and our local, state, and federal partners  to hold those who commit these acts accountable.

Roanoke man charged with murder after remains found in burning car in Bedford County A Roanoke city man is facing a second-degree murder charge in the death of a Pennsylvania ma

Our dedication to protecting the public from violent offenders in collaboration with our partners is unwavering. We will continue to work together to make our communities safer, FBI Richmond Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador said in the release. This indictment highlights the steadfast commitment of federal, state, and local partners to hold violent criminals accountable.

Col. Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Polices superintendent, said the two arrests are the result of the exceptional and relentless investigative work of law enforcement from a myriad of agencies.

Within 48 hours, our special agents had identified Walker and Williams as the murder suspects and had state charges placed thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Star City Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the US Marshals Service, FBI, Roanoke City Police, Roanoke County Police, the Bedford County and Roanoke City Commonwealths Attorneys, and Bedford County Sheriffs Office, Settle said in the release.

Roanoke man indicted on aggravated murder, robbery, arson in Bedford County A Bedford County grand jury indicted a Roanoke man Tuesday on aggravated murder and six othe

According to court records and public documents, beginning around January 2023, Walker and Williams conspired to sell large amounts of marijuana that they bought from the victim in York, Pennsylvania, the release said.

Walker is charged in Bedford County with aggravated murder, two counts of using a firearm in commission of a murder and one count each of robbery, arson of personal property, possessing a firearm as a felony and transporting a dead body. Authorities have identified the victim as Ethan Ryan Bert, 20.

By early April 2023, the defendants had accrued a $40,000 drug debt to Bert and rather than pay it, they arranged a final marijuana delivery from Bert and planned to rob him when he arrived, the release said.

On April 17, 2023, Bert traveled to Walkers house in southeast Roanoke, where Walker shot him twice in the head and stole the marijuana, the release said. Walker later loaded Berts body into the trunk of the car and drove to a rural road in the Goodview area of Bedford County where Walker set fire to the vehicle, according to federal prosecutors.

Walker has a pre-trial hearing May 7 in Bedford Circuit Court on his seven pending charges in Bedford County.

On April 20, 2023, Walker was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service without incident in Brevard County, Florida, and at the time of the arrest, law enforcement officials seized a firearm and about a pound of marijuana, a search warrant filed in Roanoke City Circuit Court states.

A detailed handwritten statement from Walker was obtained during an April 24 Virginia State Police interview with the defendant in Brevard County in which he admitted to shooting and killing Bert, according to court documents. Details he provided in the interview were consistent with what was found at his Roanoke residence and the arson crime scene in Bedford County, the search warrant return states. Walker also provided a description of the gunshot wounds that were positively identified on Berts body by the medical examiners office, court documents show.

Walker also told Virginia State Police agents that Jonathan Dewayne Bell was present at Walkers residence when Walker killed Bert with a .45 ACP semiautomatic handgun and Bell helped with burning the body and car in Bedford County, the search warrant documents state.

Bell is charged with accessory after the fact, is released on bond and is scheduled to enter a plea during a hearing in Bedford Circuit Court on June 11, court records show.

The Virginia State Police and FBI, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Brevard County Sheriffs Office; the Roanoke City Commonwealths Attorneys Office; the Roanoke City Police Department; the Roanoke County Police Department; the Lynchburg Police Department; and the Bedford County Commonwealths Attorneys Office are investigating the case.

The Star City Drug and Violent Crime Task Force also aided in the investigation and is comprised of officers from the Roanoke City, Roanoke County, Salem, and Vinton police departments and Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations Salem Field Office.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Bedford Commonwealths Attorney Wes Nance said in an email Thursday his office welcomes Thursdays announcement from the U.S. Attorneys Office.

At the outset of this crime, there was a genuine question as to where the death in this case occurred, Nance said in an email to The News & Advance. After an exhaustive and thorough investigation by the Virginia State Police and other law enforcement agencies, it became clear that the death did not occur in Bedford County.

We greatly appreciate the spirit of cooperation between state and federal authorities that led to the charges that were announced today. After we have confirmation that these federal charges have been served, this office will discontinue its prosecution of Joseph Walker. Our profound thanks is extended to a multitude of law enforcement agencies, the Roanoke City Commonwealth Attorneys Office, and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Virginia.
Apr 18 (News On Japan) - The prestigious American magazine 'Time' announced on April 17 its annual list of the '100 Most Influential People in the World,' featuring Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli from Japan.

This year, Miyazaki's film "How Do You Live?" received the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, considered the highest honor in the American film industry. Time magazine described Miyazaki's work as provoking "that rare emotionthe shiver of recognition of a type of beauty that is impossible in the real world and thus exists only in his films. Yet he is also a brutal realist regarding greed, war, and human rage."

Website: THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE OF 2024

Source: NEWS
KYOTO, Apr 19 (News On Japan) - In Maizuru City, Kyoto Prefecture, the shipping season for rock oysters, which are at their peak during the summer, has commenced.

Harvested from Maizuru Bay, these rock oysters are cultivated over three years, suspended from rafts in mineral-rich seawater. Known locally as "Tango no Umi-Ikusare Iwagaki," these oysters, which weigh over 300 grams each when shelled, are marketed under a regional brand. They are characterized by their sizeabout 1.5 times larger than natural rock oystersand their rich flavor.

This year, due to an abundance of plankton, which serves as their food, the oysters have grown even larger than usual. The shipping process will continue until mid-August, with the oysters being distributed locally and throughout the country.

Source: YOMIURI
Students learn inscription rubbing in the Confucius Institute at Carthage University in Tunis, Tunisia, on April 17, 2024. Tunisia on Wednesday celebrated this year's United Nations Chinese Language Day, which falls on April 20, by holding a cultural event here in the capital city. (Photo by Adel Ezzine/Xinhua)



Tunisia on Wednesday celebrated this year's United Nations Chinese Language Day, which falls on April 20, by holding a cultural event in the capital city.

The celebration was held in the Confucius Institute at Carthage University, where participants queued up to experience Chinese calligraphy, inscription rubbing and tie-dye, or take a quiz challenge on Chinese culture.

The event gathered Chinese culture enthusiasts, interested locals, and students studying the Chinese language at Carthage University, providing a chance for Tunisians to gain a deeper understanding of the Asian country.

Duan Shuk, a Tunisian college student majoring in Chinese, told Xinhua at the event that she started learning this language in her first year of high school and hopes to study in China one day.

Ru Xin, the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute, said that as the two countries saw more frequent exchanges, good Chinese proficiency would boost a college student's career prospects.
The impressive academic standing of the Glenwood Community School District is officially in an elite class.

The district was recognized as a Model Professional Learning Community at Work during a ceremony earlier this week.

The recognition was bestowed by Solution Tree, a provider of educational strategies and tools for improving staff and student performance.

Glenwood becomes just the 32nd district nationwide to receive this honor, said Chad Lang, the districts assistant superintendent of school improvement and human resources.

The district is thrilled to receive this recognition, he said.

It is extremely difficult to attain and is a great testament of our educators, collaborative teams, and administration the last 11 years, Lang told The Nonpareil. Being identified as only the seventh district in Iowa and one of only 30 in the United States to ever have achieved this district-level recognition puts Glenwood Community School District in elite company."

Only 30 of the more than 600 model recognitions given by Solution Tree have been for an entire district, which places Glenwood "in rarified air, Lang said.

A professional learning community is a framework for teacher collaboration around best teaching practices for the students. It calls upon teachers to focus on learning, build a collaborative culture and create a results orientation.

Since 2013, Glenwood teachers have set aside two hours on Wednesdays during which they look for common assessment data to find what is working and what specific areas students need additional support, Lang said.

Teachers share strategies to each other on student data to see what works and what needs improvement," Lang said. "Its using this data to drive teacher action.

The districts successful implementation of this process has been a major contributing factor in the improved achievement of its students, Lang said.

Schools are recognized based on strict criteria, including demonstration of a commitment to PLC concepts, implementation of these concepts for at least three years and clear evidence of improved student learning over that period.

During this qualifying three years time, the district has seen academic growth in every school building, Lang said.

Its very difficult to have consistent growth in every school building, Lang said.
Weather Alert

...FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM CDT MONDAY... * WHAT...Temperatures as low as 31 will result in frost formation. * WHERE...Portions of southwest and west central Iowa and east central, northeast, and southeast Nebraska. * WHEN...From 1 AM to 9 AM CDT Monday. * IMPACTS...Frost could harm sensitive outdoor vegetation. Sensitive outdoor plants may be killed if left uncovered. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. &&
The Liberian senate has approved the setting up of a special court that investigates crimes by warlords during the countrys civil war.

The Liberian civil war erupted in 1989 when Charles Taylor, leading the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), invaded Liberia from neighboring Cote dIvoire through Nimba County, triggering one of the most deadly and devastating wars on the continent.

At least 200,000 are believed to have died -out of a population of about 2 million people- in the decade-long conflict.

The new court will examine crimes against humanity and corruption linked to the wars. It will also bring warlords before judges to render justice to the victims.

This decision follows years of advocacy from civil society groups such as the Liberia Massacre Survivors Association. The courts establishment is seen as a crucial step towards ending the widespread impunity that has plagued Liberia.

While some warlords faced trials abroad, no perpetrators have been held accountable within the country. The court offers a chance to finally address these outstanding grievances.

Liberias truth and reconciliation commission recommended a court be established in 2009, but there was little political appetite to move forward until President Joseph Boakai promised to explore the possibilities during his inauguration in January this year.
A boat was thrown by the current in Brazils coasts with nine dead migrants from Mauritania and Mali on board, an incident that highlights the hazardous journey facing migrants bound to the Canary Islands.

The Brazilian police could identify the identities of the decomposed bodies thanks to documents they had carried.

The boat crossed the Atlantic and ended up off the Brazilian state of Para, where it was found by fishermen who alerted the police.

More boats are sailing from West Africa aiming for the Canary Islands, where West African arrivals increased sixfold so far this year to 14,000.

Last year, more than 1,400 migrants lost their lives trying to arrive by sea, according to data from UNHCR.

In 2023, Spain said 53,000 reached its coasts by boats, the bulk of whom entered the Canary Islands, compared to only 400 crossings by land.
China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes the United States' launch of a Section 301 investigation into China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Wednesday.

The U.S. petition is full of false accusations, according to a statement from a ministry spokesperson.

The petition misinterprets normal trade and investment activities as damaging to U.S. national security and corporate interests, and blames China for U.S. industrial issues, lacking factual basis and running counter to common sense economics, the statement said.

These accusations from the United States are entirely untenable, the spokesperson said, as China's industrial development is the result of technological innovation and the active participation of enterprises in market competition.

While accusing China of adopting so-called non-market practices, the United States has provided hundreds of billions of dollars in discriminatory subsidies to its own domestic industries, the statement noted, highlighting that several U.S. studies have shown that the U.S. shipbuilding industry lost its competitive edge years ago due to overprotection.

It said that the United States is making another mistake in launching its latest Section 301 investigation, as the World Trade Organization (WTO) has already determined that the previous U.S. administration violated WTO rules by launching similar investigations and imposing additional tariffs on Chinese goods -- actions that were also opposed by many WTO members.

China urges the United States to respect the facts and multilateral rules, immediately cease its erroneous practices, and return to the rules-based multilateral trading system, the ministry said.

China will follow the progress of the investigation closely, and take all necessary measures to resolutely defend its rights and interests, it said.
Lackluster growth, rising indebtedness and heightened uncertainty due to the conflict in the Middle East are impacting economies across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, says a new report by the World Bank.

According to the World Banks MENA Economic Update, the regional economies are expected to return to low growth akin to the decade prior to the pandemic, with MENAs GDP forecast to rise to 2.7% in 2024 from 1.9% in 2023. In 2024, oil importing and oil exporting countries are likely to continue to experience an economic growth at less disparate rates than 2022 and 2023, when higher oil prices boosted growth in oil exporters. For Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the 2024 growth uptick reflects expectations of robust non-oil sector activity and fading out of oil production cuts towards the end of the year. GDP growth in almost all oil importing countries is expected to decelerate.

The report entitled Conflict and Debt in the Middle East and North Africa also shows that the economic impact of the conflict in the Middle East, most notably the Israels war on Gaza, on the rest of the region has remained relatively contained, but uncertainty has increased. The report notes that the rising indebtedness in the MENA region is heavily concentrated in oil-importing economies, which now have a debt-to-GDP ratio 50% higher than the global average of emerging market and developing economies. Finally, the report presents evidence that oil-importing countries in MENA have been unable to grow out of debt or inflate their debt away, making fiscal discipline essential to curb indebtedness.
American companies Kansas Modification Center (KMC), Stratos Industries, and Integrated Aerospace Alliance (IAA) have chosen Casablanca to install their plant specialized in the conversion of Boeing passenger planes into cargo aircraft.

The announcement was made lately by the three partners in a joint press release. They chose the North African Kingdom for its political stability, incentives granted to investors, skilled workforce, and good performance of local aeronautic sector.

For their passenger to freighter (P2F) conversion project, the three U.S. partners will build on the capabilities of the rapidly expanding aviation industry in Morocco with the 777-300ER P2F engineering and certification capabilities of KMC and the aerospace engineering, certification, and program management skills of IAA.

The project will also include the development of a 777-300ER P2F production facility at Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca.

With the construction of three wide-body aircraft hangars in Morocco by Stratos, KMC will be in a position to increase its 777-300ER P2F production output up to eight additional aircraft per year.

The Moroccan project will allow the American companies to meet the growing global demand for 777-300ER freighters and of its clients in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

The 777-300ER P2F project in Morocco will be further enhanced with the construction and operations of a wide-body aircraft paint hangar by another Stratos strategic partner.

Moroccos aeronautical ecosystem currently accounts for about 142 companies with a turnover of around $2 billion in exports. The sector employs 17,000 persons, 40% of whom are women.

The Moroccan government has been investing heavily in the aerospace sector to attract foreign investment and develop a skilled workforce and consequently to create a sustainable aerospace industry.

The country has invested in the development of advanced industrial platforms, specialized training centers, and advanced infrastructure to attract both domestic and foreign investors.

With the growing number of companies operating in Morocco, the demand for aircraft maintenance services has increased, leading to an emerging competitive industry.
The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis has reaffirmed its unwavering recognition of Moroccos full sovereignty over its entire Southern provinces, describing the Moroccan autonomy plan as the only serious, credible, and realistic solution to the Sahara regional conflict.

The supportive stand was voiced by foreign minister of this Caribbean country Denzil Llewellyn Douglas following his meeting held Wednesday in Rabat with Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita.

In a joint statement, the two ministers said the autonomy plan offered by Morocco for the Sahara under its sovereignty is in line with International Law, the United Nations Charter, and the resolutions of the UN General Assembly and Security Council.

They also expressed willingness to deepen further cooperation between the two countries through the exchange of experiences and expertise in various areas of mutual interest.

Mr. Douglas thanked Morocco for its fertilizer contributions which helped farmers of member countries of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean, and praised the Moroccan cooperation in health, tourism, and capacity building.

For his part, Bourita hailed the good governance, prosperity and stability enjoyed by the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, citing in this regard the transparent and fair elections held in 2022 in this Caribbean country.
Spanish investors have shown great interest in the untapped business opportunities offered in Moroccos Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region, a gateway to African market, as Madrid and Rabat are strengthening their economic cooperation and strategic partnership.

Morocco is a regional economic power with a modern and diversified economy and its strategic geographical location enables it to access a huge market, said vice-Pdt. of Madrid Chamber of Commerce, Augusto de Castaneda during an economic forum held Tuesday in Madrid by the Chamber in partnership with Moroccan embassy in Spain.

Morocco has become a logistics and financial hub for the sub-Saharan market, added Mr. Augusto de Castaneda, recalling that trade between Morocco and Spain hit a record 12 billion in 2023.

For his part, President of the Council of Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region, Yanja El Khattat, called on Spanish businessmen and companies to avail the investment opportunities offered by the region, which has become a commercial and logistics hub for Africa.

The Saharan region, which has important infrastructures, offers huge investment opportunities in the sectors of fisheries, tourism, trade, agriculture, and renewable energies, he said.

The Dakhla Atlantic Port project, which is called to emulate in the Atlantic the relevance of Tangier Med in the Mediterranean, will give a strong impetus to foreign investment, added Yanja El Khattat, affirming that the international initiative launched by King Mohammed VI to enable Sahel countries have access to the Atlantic Ocean will open-up new opportunities and strengthen further trading with African countries.

Together, we can work for a more prosperous future, he said, voicing his determination to deepen economic ties with Spanish regions in order to build a better future with shared prosperity.

About a hundred Spanish investors and representatives of major companies such as Iberdrola, Renfe, Alstom, Vectalia and Repsol, took part in this forum held in the presence of a dozen ambassadors from African and Arab countries.
Burkina Faso has declared three French diplomats as persona non grata, accusing them of being involved in subversive activities, and ordered them to leave the country within 48 hours, the Foreign Ministry in Ouagadougou said in a note dated Tuesday (16 April).

According to the note that was sent to the French embassy in Burkina Faso, the three French diplomats were accused of having carried out subversive activities. Since coming to power in a September 2022 coup, the Burkinabe military junta has distanced the West African nation from France, which ruled the country until 1960. The junta, led by Captain Ibrahim Traore, has notably nullified a military cooperation agreement between the two countries that had been in place since 1961. France has ended anti-jihadist military missions in the junta-ruled Burkina Faso and Mali and more recently began to withdraw forces from Niger in the wake of a military takeover in July last year.

Similarly, in September last year the ruling junta decided to expel the military attache from the French embassy, equally accusing him of subversive activities, while in December 2023, four French officials were arrested, charged, and imprisoned in Ouagadougou. The French ambassador was recalled after the coup and is yet to return to the Burkinabe capital.

The West African countrys authorities said the three French diplomats were intelligence agents but the French source said they were IT support staff. Burkina Faso has increasingly turned to Russia, Mali, and Niger for security assistance.
Liberia reaffirmed, on Thursday in Rabat, its support for Moroccos territorial integrity and sovereignty over all its territory, including the Moroccan Sahara.

This position was expressed in a joint communique issued following talks between Liberian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sara Beysolow Nyanti, who is on a visit to Morocco, and her Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita.

According to the joint communique, Nyanti reiterated her countrys support for the autonomy initiative put forward by the Kingdom in 2007, as the only credible and realistic solution for resolving the dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.

In this regard, she welcomed the efforts of the United Nations as the exclusive framework for achieving a realistic, practical, and lasting solution to the dispute over the Sahara.

Welcoming this decision, Bourita thanked Liberia for its constant and firm support to Moroccos territorial integrity, and its clear position in favor of the Moroccan Sahara, throughout its actions on the ground by the opening of the Liberian Consulate in Dakhla in March 2020 and its participation on January 15, 2021, in the Ministerial Conference in Support of the Initiative of Autonomy under the Sovereignty of Morocco, held at the invitation of Morocco and the United States of America.

Nyanti also emphasized the role of the Kingdoms southern provinces as a major African hub, calling for the experience of these provinces to be used as a basis for drawing up and implementing a development policy for the whole of Africa.

The Liberian official commended King Mohammed VI for his pioneering role in the political, economic, security and religious fields in Africa, and hailed the royal initiative to facilitate the access of the Sahel States to the Atlantic Ocean, with a view to making the Atlantic African space a geostrategic framework for intra-African cooperation and consultation. She praised in this regard the opportunity offered by the royal initiative to facilitate the access of the Sahel States to the Atlantic Ocean and connect them to the transport and communication networks of their regional environment, the joint communique stated.

The two officials also reiterated their determination to participate in the efforts to settle disputes in Africa and commended the constant efforts made by both countries and their leaders, King Mohammed VI and president Joseph Boakai, in favor of peace and sustainable development in Africa, the Communique stressed.

Addressing regional and international issues of common interest, Bourita and Nyanti noted with satisfaction their convergence of views on the various issues raised.

At the bilateral level, the two sides reaffirmed their resolve to work further to strengthen their cooperation and expand it to promising sectors, such as agriculture, health, fertilizers, fisheries, investment, water, and tourism, in addition to capacity building, and vocational training.

According to the joint Communique, the two sides share a common vision as to the promotion of trade and investment and aspire to establish a strong economic partnership by inviting the private sector of the two countries to play a leading role in boosting and strengthening their economic exchanges and contributing to sustainable development.

They likewise voiced their shared desire to make Moroccan-Liberian partnership an exceptional model of inter-African cooperation, based on the values of solidarity, exchange, and sharing.

The two sides, added the Communique, agreed to mutually support, as appropriate, the Moroccan and the Liberian bids at the level of regional and international cooperation mechanisms.

In addition, Morocco and Liberia welcomed the progress of the Morocco-Nigeria gas pipeline megaproject which, once completed, will help improve living conditions and strengthen regional economic integration by unlocking their industrial potential and curbing their energy deficit.

The two parties also agreed to hold the third meeting of the joint cooperation commission before the end of the second semester of 2024, the Joint Communique stated.
The 33rd session of the Food and Agriculture Organizations Regional Conference for Africa (ARC33) kicked off on Thursday in Rabat, under the chairmanship of Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch.

The three-day conference, held under the theme: Resilient agri-food systems and inclusive rural transformation, offers a major opportunity for African countries to discuss practical and concrete solutions for food security and improved agricultural production, and to define priorities with the FAO for the next two years, with the aim of achieving transformative and sustainable change in agri-food systems across the continent.

The conference will also enable members and other stakeholders to share best practices, explore partnerships, discuss opportunities, as well as provide regional guidance on transforming agri-food systems in Africa.

This major conference features ministerial roundtables, the launch of new FAO publications and special events on several topics, such as stimulating public and private sector investment through the financing of resilient agrifood systems, blue transformation in Africa and the potential of aquatic foods, in addition to the drivers and triggers for the transformation of agrifood systems in Africa.

In an opening address, FAO Director General Dongyu Qu said Morocco is a leading regional model for the transformation of agrifood systems, noting that by focusing on modernization and diversification, the Kingdom had been able to achieve significant progress, including investment in modern irrigation systems, greenhouse cultivation and aquaculture, increased production of fruit and vegetables for domestic and export markets, and modernization of its olive oil production to become one of the worlds leading producers.

At the African level, the FAO Chief referred to the extraordinary potential offered by Africas youth, noting that achieving this requires setting up strategic partnerships, injecting greater investments, and harnessing the power of digital technologies to boost the efficiency and productivity of Africas agricultural sectors.

It is through the transformation of African agri-food systems that we can unlock food security and nutrition, economic equality, and environmental and resilience benefits, he said.

For his part, Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, highlighted Moroccos dams experience, pointing out that the Kingdom has drawn up a policy in this regard whose development has been pursued under the leadership of King Mohammed VI.

With regard to the water issue, the latest investment announced over a 5-6 year period, amounting to 14 billion dollars, is earmarked for drinking water and agriculture and includes water desalination, and conventional and non-conventional water linked to the dam policy, said Akhannouch.

In the same vein, he underlined Moroccos very important commitment to this resource, which is necessary for agriculture, and for which all means should be mobilized to ensure its financing.

The Head of Government also referred to the strategies developed by Morocco in the agricultural sector, including the Green Morocco Plan, which involved restructuring the agricultural field, organizing and grouping players, increasing production and productivity, and putting investment at the center of the equation for the development of the agricultural sector.
Biden regales United Steelworkers with a grisly family tale on April 17, 2024. Photo: Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images

Heres a question we never thought wed ask: Was the presidents uncle really eaten by cannibals?

Thats what Joe Biden asserted  twice  while describing the circumstances of his uncles death during World War II while campaigning in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, April 17.

Biden initially relayed the story shortly after visiting Scranton Veterans Memorial Park, where his uncle Ambrose J. Finnegan Jr.s name is listed on a memorial wall.

He flew single-engine planes, reconnaissance flights over New Guinea. He had volunteered because someone couldnt make it. He got shot down in an area where there were a lot of cannibals in New Guinea at the time, Biden told reporters.

They never recovered his body. But the government went back when I went down there, and they checked and found some parts of the plane and the like.

WATCH: In the strangest cable news moment of the day, Joe Biden tells reporters his Uncle Bosey was shot down over New Guinea and eaten by cannibals pic.twitter.com/SN2pNmlqXo  TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) April 17, 2024

Lest anyone doubt that Biden was saying his Uncle Bosie was consumed by fellow humans, he repeated the story later in the afternoon while addressing United Steelworkers union members in Pittsburgh.

He got shot down in New Guinea and they never found the body because there used to be a lot of cannibals  for real  in that part of New Guinea, Biden said.

In both instances, Biden brought up his family members military service to draw a contrast to Donald Trump. After talking about his uncle and his late son, Beau, who was deployed to Iraq as part of the Delaware Army National Guard, Biden referenced reports that Trump privately rejected the idea of paying tribute to Americans who died in World War I during a 2018 trip to Paris, reportedly calling service members who lost their lives suckers and losers.

Biden said on April 17: Suckers and losers. That man doesnt deserve to have been the commander-in-chief for my son, my uncle.

But no one is paying attention to that point because Biden casually alluded to a family member falling victim to cannibalism. And unsurprisingly, the facts dont really back up the presidents wild tale.

There was documented cannibalism in that region in the mid-20th century. But that practice doesnt figure into what the Pentagons Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has to say about Uncle Bosies death:

On May 14, 1944, an A-20 havoc (serial number 42-86768), with a crew of three and one passenger, departed Momote Airfield, Los Negros Island, for a courier flight to Nadzab Airfield, New Guinea. For unknown reasons, this plane was forced to ditch in the ocean off the north coast of New Guinea. Both engines failed at low altitude, and the aircrafts nose hit the water hard. Three men failed to emerge from the sinking wreck and were lost in the crash. One crew member survived and was rescued by a passing barge. An aerial search the next day found no trace of the missing aircraft or the lost crew members. Second Lieutenant Ambrose J. Finnegan entered the U.S. Army Air Forces from Pennsylvania and served in Headquarters, Fifth Air Force.

He was the passenger on this Havoc when it was lost. He has not been associated with any remains recovered from the area after the war and is still unaccounted-for. Today, Second Lieutenant Finnegan is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

Time notes cannibalism was only practiced by rare remote tribes in Papua New Guinea, and stereotypes about it applied to the Pacific nation have been a sore spot for years.

On Sunday, Papua New Guineas Prime Minister James Marape accused Biden of disparaging his country by suggesting his uncle was eaten.

President Bidens remarks may have been a slip of the tongue; however, my country does not deserve to be labeled as such, Marape said in a statement.

The prime minister noted Papua New Guinea is still dealing with refuse from World War II, like bombs and plane wreckage. I urge President Biden to get the White House to look into cleaning up these remains of WWII so the truth about missing servicemen like Ambrose Finnegan can be put to rest, he said.

So why did Biden suggest his uncle was eaten? Trump supporters are passing the video around saying its more proof that Biden is too mentally incompetent to be president. A more generous explanation is that this is what Biden grew up believing; he was a toddler when his uncle died, and the Biden family may have handed down a colorful theory on what became of Bosie.

And while Biden has a long history of telling tales that seem heavily exaggerated if not totally made up, it would be unwise to totally rule out the involvement of cannibals. After all, Corn Pop turned out to be real. Doubt Uncle Joes tales at your own peril.

This story was updated to include the response from Marape.
Riot police enter the South Lawn of the Columbia University campus where protesters supporting Palestine have been camped out since Wednesday morning. Photo: Jake Borden

Columbia University struck hard against pro-Palestinian protesters on Thursday, suspending student demonstrators and authorizing the NYPD to break up an encampment at the heart of campus. Police made more than 100 arrests as part of a promised crackdown by the universitys president, Nemat Shafik. Below is what we know about what happened.

This post has been updated.

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Frivolously impeached and quickly acquitted. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Theres nothing surprising about the disdain with which congressional Republicans hold the Biden administrations border policies or their determination to talk about them as often and as loudly as possible. But even given the broadest possible definition of high crimes and misdemeanors, the obedience shown by Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the policies Joe Biden has laid out is far from being an impeachable offense. In February, though, the House, on a near-party-line vote, and after one aborted attempt, managed to pass two articles of impeachment pretty clearly aimed at Biden but naming Mayorkas.

This action constitutionally compelled a Senate trial of Mayorkas once the articles were formally presented by House impeachment managers, which happened on Tuesday. But as trial proceedings got underway on Wednesday, it was understood from the get-go that Republicans would fall far short of the two-thirds majority required for a Senate conviction.

The title of the first article of impeachment lays out the accusations against Mayorkas: Willful and Systemic Refusal to Comply With the Law. What that actually means is that Mayorkas followed the Bidens administrations interpretation of immigration laws as upheld by the federal courts.

The second article, entitled Breach of Public Trust, basically charges Mayorkas with impudently and defiantly refusing to admit the truth of the first article of impeachment.

Virtually every constitutional expert on record has dismissed this exercise as an expression of policy differences wrapped in an abuse of Congresss impeachment powers, and thus as unserious. Even the very Trump-friendly Jonathan Turley dissed the Houses action on Fox News, per The Hill:

The fact is, impeachment is not for being a bad Cabinet member or even a bad person. It is a very narrow standard 

I just dont believe that they have a cognizable basis here for impeachment, Turley said, noting lawmakers and constitutional experts have long warned about the weaponization of impeachment against government officials for political purposes.

Recognizing that House Republicans were seeking an impeachment trial in order to air their well-rehearsed case against Bidens border policies, top Senate Democrats made it clear they would give appropriately minimal attention to the constitutionally required trial. Still, the full regalia of a legitimate impeachment effort was on display Wednesday, including the march of the managers from House to Senate to present the articles; the formal swearing-in of senators as jurors; and the grandiloquent cry of the sergeant at arms initiating the historic event:

Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye! All persons are commanded to keep silence, on pain of imprisonment, while the House of Representatives is exhibiting to the Senate of the United States the article of impeachment against Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer offered Republicans an agreement for a brief debate prior to Democrats preordained motion to dismiss the articles of impeachment. But the GOP conference insisted on something it could call an actual trial. Knowing they would lose the key vote to dismiss the articles, Senate Republicans managed to drag out the days sterile proceedings with a series of motions to adjourn the trial for this and that period of time in order to keep it from simply dying. My favorite was one from Roger Marshall:

The Senate also voted against another motion to adjourn until November 6. GOP Sen. Roger Marshall argued it would have allowed the American people to have a vote on this issue.

After the motions all went down on party-line votes (with occasional present votes from the often-rebellious Republican Lisa Murkowski of Alaska), the articles were duly dismissed with the expected 51 votes; Murkowski again voted present on the first article but joined her party on the second. She thus offered a tiny bit of intrigue in what was otherwise a fairly tedious bit of business.

So in the end, Alejandro Mayorkas became the second Cabinet official to be impeached by the House and acquitted by the Senate. The first, Ulysses Grant administration war secretary William Belknap, caught up in a trading-post scandal, avoided conviction in 1876 by resigning his office just as he was impeached. Mayorkas, by contrast, put in a regular days work as the Senate dealt with his impeachment, and he probably wont lose much sleep over it either.
Visitors taste wine at the national pavilion of Ireland during the fourth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) in Haikou, capital city of south China's Hainan Province, April 14, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]



At the ongoing fourth China International Consumer Products Expo in south China's Hainan Province, Turkish businessman Ramazan Tuzen welcomed a large crowd of visitors at his booth.

This is his third consecutive participation at this Hainan expo, and he has brought various Turkish products to the event. These products include cosmetics, ceramic handicrafts and home textiles, some of which are being displayed at the expo for the first time.

"The ceramic handicrafts are made by hand, and these are cultural items from Turkiye. They are very popular here," Tuzen said, adding that almost all of his products were well received by the visitors.

Having run a business for 15 years, Tuzen saw big potential in the Chinese consumer market, and he expected to find more opportunities in China to expand his business.

"We want to have some local partners and distributors, and that's the reason we are here at the expo," he said, adding that Turkiye is a romantic country and their goods, with characteristic cultural elements, are quite popular at the expo.

Besides looking for business cooperation opportunities, Tuzen also wants to promote the culture of his country. This expo serves as a good opportunity for Turkish people to promote their own culture, according to Tuzen.

Ireland, meanwhile, is the guest country of honor at this year's expo, with a total of 29 Irish companies and official institutions participating in the event. At the Irish pavilion, certified green food has won the hearts of visitors -- with many people lining up to try these products.

Conor O'Sullivan, China Manager of Irish Food Board, said that with Chinese consumers paying increasing attention to environmental sustainability in terms of their daily food consumption, Ireland is a perfect match because it has established a verified sustainability program for its food industry.

"This makes Irish products really fit into this new demand for sustainable green products in the Chinese market," O'Sullivan said.

Valery Zagorsky, manager of the KvinFood Canned Meat Manufacturer from Belarus, is a new presence at the expo. The company produces canned meat and currently exports canned beef to China.

"The biggest feature of our products is that they are all natural. Chinese consumers are paying more and more attention to healthy food and this is a huge opportunity for us," he said.

"The expo is a wonderful event, which provides us with an excellent platform to communicate with Chinese merchants," Zagorsky added, noting that there is no doubt that China is one of the company's most important markets.

The expo, which lasts from April 13 to 18, is China's only national-level exhibition featuring consumer products and is also the largest consumer expo in the entire Asia-Pacific region.

Themed "Share Open Opportunities, Co-create a Better Life," this year's edition of the expo has the biggest scale to date, attracting over 4,000 brands from 71 countries and regions, with an indoor exhibition area of 128,000 square meters.
A medic wraps a bandage around the head of an injured protester during the violent clashes at the 1968 Democratic National Convention on August 29, 1968. Photo: Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

When the Democratic National Committee chose Chicago as the site of the partys 2024 national convention a year ago, no one knew incumbent presidential nominee Joe Biden would become the target of major antiwar demonstrations. The fateful events of October 7 were nearly six months away, and Biden had yet to formally announce his candidacy for reelection. So there was no reason to anticipate comparisons to the riotous 1968 Democratic Convention, when images of police clashing with antiVietnam War protesters in the Windy City were broadcast into millions of homes. Indeed, a year ago, a more likely analog to 2024 might have been the last Democratic convention in Chicago in 1996; that event was an upbeat vehicle for Bill Clintons successful reelection campaign, which today is mainly remembered for a Macarena dance break.

Instead, thanks to intense controversy over Israels lethal operations in Gaza and widespread global protests aimed partly at Israels allies and sponsors in Washington, plans are well underway for demonstrations in Chicago during the August 19 to 22 confab. Organizers say they expect as many as 30,000 protesters to gather outside Chicagos United Center during the convention. As in the past, a key issue is how close the protests get to the actual convention. Obviously, demonstrators want delegates to hear their voices and the media to amplify their message. And police, Chicago officials, and Democratic Party leaders want protests to occur as far away from the convention as possible. How well these divergent interests are met will determine whether there is anything like the kind of clashes that dominated Chicago 68.

There are, however, some big differences in the context surrounding the two conventions. Heres why the odds of a 2024 convention showdown rivaling 1968 are actually fairly low.

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Horrific as the ongoing events in Gaza undoubtedly are, and with all due consideration of the U.S. role in backing and supplying Israel now and in the past, the Vietnam War was a more viscerally immediate crisis for both the protesters who descended on Chicago that summer and the Americans watching the spectacle on TV. There were over a half-million American troops deployed in Vietnam in 1968, and nearly 300,000 young men were drafted into the Army and Marines that year. Many of the protesters at the convention were protesting their own or family members future personal involvement in the war, or an escape overseas beyond the Selective Service Systems reach (an estimated 125,000 Americans fled to Canada during the Vietnam War, and how to deal with them upon repatriation became a major political issue for years).

Even from a purely humanitarian and altruistic point of view, Vietnamese military and civilian casualties ran into the millions during the period of U.S. involvement. It wasnt common to call what was happening genocide, but theres no question the images emanating from the war (which spilled over catastrophically into Laos and especially Cambodia) were deeply disturbing to the consciences of vast numbers of Americans.

Perhaps a better analogy for the Gaza protests than those of the Vietnam era might be the extensive protests during the late 1970s and 1980s over apartheid in South Africa (a regime that enjoyed explicit and implicit backing from multiple U.S. administrations) and in favor of a freeze in development and deployment of nuclear weapons. These were significant protest movements, but still paled next to the organized opposition to the Vietnam War.

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One reason the 1968 Chicago protests created such an indelible image is that the conflict outside on the streets was reflected in conflict inside the convention venue. For one thing, 1968 nominee Hubert Humphrey had not quelled formal opposition to his selection when the convention opened. He never entered or won a single primary. One opponent who did, Eugene McCarthy, was still battling for the nomination in Chicago. Another, Robert F. Kennedy, had been assassinated two months earlier (1972 presidential nominee George McGovern was the caretaker for Kennedy delegates at the 1968 convention). There was a highly emotional platform fight over Vietnam policy during the convention itself; when a peace plank was defeated, New York delegates led protesters singing We Shall Overcome. Once violence broke out on the streets, it did not pass notice among the delegates, some of whom had been attacked by police trying to enter the hall. At one point, police actually accosted and removed a TV reporter from the convention for some alleged breach in decorum.

By contrast, no matter what is going on outside the United Center, the 2024 Democratic convention is going to be totally wired for Joe Biden, with nearly all the delegates attending pledged to him and chosen by his campaign. Even aside from the lack of formal opposition to Biden, conventions since 1968 have become progressively less spontaneous and more controlled by the nominee and the party that nominee directs (indeed, the chaos in Chicago in 1968 encouraged that trend, along with near-universal use of primaries to award delegates, making conventions vastly less deliberative). While there may be some internal conflict on the platform language related to Gaza, it will very definitely be resolved long before the convention and far away from cameras.

Another significant difference between then and now is that convention delegates and Democratic elected officials generally will enter the convention acutely concerned about giving aid and comfort to the Republican nominee, the much-hated, much-feared Donald Trump. Yes, many Democrats hated and feared Richard Nixon in 1968, but Democrats were just separated by four years from a massive presidential landslide and mostly did not reckon how much Nixon would be able to straddle the Vietnam issue and benefit from Democratic divisions. Thats unlikely to be the case in August of 2024.

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Chicago mayor Richard J. Daley was a major figure in the 1968 explosion in his city. He championed and defended his police departments confrontational tactics during the convention. At one point, when Senator Abraham Ribicoff referred from the podium to gestapo tactics in the streets of Chicago, Daley leaped up and shouted at him with cameras trained on his furious face as he clearly repeated an obscene and antisemitic response to the Jewish politician from Connecticut. Beyond his conduct on that occasion, Boss Daley was the epitome of the old-school Irish American machine politician and from a different planet culturally than the protesters at the convention.

Current Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson, who was born the year of Daleys death, is a Black progressive and labor activist who is still fresh from his narrow 2023 mayoral runoff victory over the candidate backed by both the Democratic Establishment and police unions. While he is surely wary of the damage anti-Israel and anti-Biden protests can do to the citys image if they turn violent, Johnson is not without ties to protesters. He broke a tie in the Chicago City Council to ensure passage of a Gaza cease-fire resolution earlier this year. His negotiating skills will be tested by the maneuvering already underway with protest groups and the Democratic Party, but hes not going to be the sort of implacable foe the 1968 protesters encountered.

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The 1968 Democratic convention was from a bygone era of gavel-to-gavel coverage by the three broadcast-television networks that then dominated the media landscape and the living rooms of the country. When they were being bludgeoned by the Chicago police, protesters began chanting, The whole world is watching, which wasnt much of an exaggeration. Todays media coverage of major-party political conventions is extremely limited and (like coverage of other events) fragmented. If violence breaks out this time in Chicago, it will get a lot of attention, albeit much of it bent to the optics of the various media outlets covering it. But the sense in 1968 that the whole nation was watching in horror as an unprecedented event rolled out in real time will likely never be recovered.
Ben Toma, Speaker of the Arizona House, on Wednesday, when the legislature declined to repeal an abortion ban from the 19th century. Photo: Matt York/AP

When the Supreme Court overturned the federal right to abortion almost two years ago, the conservative justices used the phrase democratic process almost a dozen times between them to describe what would come next, suggesting that the court was merely handing decision-making powers back to the voters. After a string of victories for legalized abortion in elections across the country, Republicans are turning to a democratic process, all right  but its the one that took place in the 19th century.

In early April, Arizonas conservative Supreme Court ruled that a total ban on abortion from 1864, fittingly shepherded by a legislator who married a series of pubescent children, could be enforced. The court had been asked to decide whether a 15-week ban legislators had passed in the spring of 2022, before Dobbs, actually replaced the zombie law  which would at least allow women to get abortions in the first 15 weeks of pregnancy. The majority ruled that it didnt.

The high-level Republican panic that followed is a testament to how illegal abortion has upended politics. Donald Trump, who once took credit for Roes death and recently claimed to support the right of each state to set its abortion laws, soon posted on Truth Social that the Supreme Court in Arizona went too far on their Abortion Ruling, enacting and approving an inappropriate Law from 1864, and calling for lawmakers to use HEART, COMMON SENSE, and ACT IMMEDIATELY, to remedy what has happened. Meanwhile, Arizona U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake, who was for the 19th-century law before she was against it, frantically worked the phones to get state lawmakers to repeal it. (Theyve twice refused, most recently on Wednesday.) Lake also posted a video on X in which she claimed that a total ban was out of line with the way Arizonans feel about abortion, and that she herself viewed abortion as a personal and private issue  sounding rather like a pro-choice candidate.

To longtime (and principled) abortion opponent David French, all this was a betrayal, along with Republican attempts to neutralize an Alabama courts decision that effectively banned the use of IVF treatment. Pro-life beliefs, he lamented in a New York Times column, were being abandoned the instant the commitment to unborn children might endanger the larger MAGA political project. Worse, Trump was taking the most pro-choice position of any Republican presidential nominee in two generations, and all the largest pro-life groups continue to bend the knee.

Give French credit for being clear-eyed: He understands that many Americans oppose his views, and hes happy to be a political martyr to the cause, conceding that we simply dont know who we are  or what we truly believe  until our values carry a cost. But its less that Trump and Lake have changed their views and more about a calculated muddle to get them as far as the next election, after which they have many other, stealthier options to further restrict abortion.

In a recent rambling video, Trump claimed he doesnt support a federal abortion ban, although he notably didnt say he would veto one. But the same conservative activists who are defending the 1864 Arizona law, led by the movement law firm Alliance Defending Freedom, just argued to the Supreme Court that that a different 19th-century law, the 1873 Comstock Act barring distributing obscenity by mail, should also ban sending abortion pills and abortion-related supplies. At least a handful of judges and justices seem to agree.

Even without their help, high-level officials in a prospective second Trump administration are ready to get it done through agencies without the fanfare of Congress debating a national abortion ban. Trump lawyer Jonathan Mitchell, architect of Texass six-week ban, put it clearly, We dont need a federal ban when we have Comstock on the books. He then expressed his hope that both pro-life groups and Trump himself shut up about it, at least until after theyve tricked voters into thinking they wont ban abortion nationwide.

Which brings us back to Arizona and its own zombie law. No one could claim surprise about the 1864 ban coming to life, said Chris Love, the spokesperson for Arizona for Abortion Access, the coalition working to put a pro-abortion rights constitutional amendment on the November ballot. For one thing, that 15-week ban passed before Dobbs explicitly didnt repeal the 19th-century law. For another, she said, legislators who support abortion rights offer a bill every single year trying to repeal that 1864 ban. Republicans just refuse to pass it.

Conversely, Republican legislators have had many opportunities to pass a fresh, total ban on abortion, or pass a six-week ban that Kari Lake also used to support; they still havent. Some, like the ones who were cheering the vote to block debate on a repeal on Wednesday, are true believers in safe seats. Others made a cynical calculation: Why go further out on a political limb when you can let the 19th century and obedient courts do your dirty work? This is convenient, said Love. They get to throw their hands up and say they cant do anything about it.

Its the actual, real-life effects of abortion bans around the country that have focused voter opposition, the chief worry of people who have to run tougher races, from Trump to Lake. The only remaining option to reconcile all this is to obfuscate. On Monday, NBC News published a PowerPoint presentation created by the general counsel to Arizona House GOP that is a powerful testament to how committed abortion opponents are to the democratic process. Among the phases it proposes is to send voters two other options that conflict with the pro-abortion rights initiative  the more misleading the better. For example, one of these options could scale back 15-week law to 14-week law. In reality, a 14-week law disguised as a 15-week law because it would only allow abortion until the beginning of the 15th week. The pitch is literally Changes narrative  Republicans have a plan! The counsel added that this strategy also puts Democrats in a defensive position to argue against partial birth abortions, discriminatory abortions, and other basic protections.

This is an old playbook, dreaming up hypotheticals and wedge cases to make abortion sound as dastardly as possible. It almost certainly doesnt work anymore, because it was created for a time when Republicans were insulated from the consequences of their own unpopular abortion policies by the slender federal protections for abortion. In the world we live in now, total abortion bans are being enforced to dismal consequences.

Even without being able to enforce the law, Republicans have managed to leverage the chaos against abortion patients themselves. Since Dobbs, the number of abortions has actually gone up in states where the procedure is still legal, which for now includes Arizona, but there, abortions have actually declined, which doctors have attributed to confusion about what law is in effect. Says Love, The chaos has always been the point.
Best in Class The Strategists carefully chosen and rigorously vetted flagship shopping guides. Learn about our methodology here, and find all our Best in Class guides here. Photo: Marcus McDonald

The term Egyptian cotton gets thrown around a lot as shorthand for very fancy sheets, but not all Egyptian cotton is created equal. Some sheets made from Egyptian cotton will be certified as such, and others will simply state that they are  and youll just have to take their word for it. To further complicate matters, Egyptian cotton is actually a species of cotton that can grow in Egypt  but also in places including the United States. Generally speaking, premium Egyptian cotton will be spun from long-staple and extra-long-staple varieties that are known for their quality, smoothness, and durability. For me, personally testing them  handling them, sleeping on them  was the only way I was going to know if they were as nice and soft as theyre purported to be. And because Ive slept on all kinds of sheets over the years as the Strategists resident bedding expert, I tapped into my experience (and my overflowing linen closet) to make side-by-side comparisons of, say, percale and sateen styles of varying thread counts. (Read my in-depth explainer between the difference of percale and sateen here.) So to make sure you dont get swept away in nice-sounding descriptions and instead are getting real Egyptian-cotton sheets that have that signature smooth and supersoft feel, I tested a few sets myself and called on a couple of interior designers and home experts to bring you the best Egyptian-cotton sheets for just about every sleep preference and budget. (All prices are for a queen size unless otherwise stated.)

What were looking for Cotton Egyptian cotton traditionally refers to long-staple or extra-long-staple cotton, whose longer fibers make a stronger and smoother yarn and fabric than regular cotton. As Havenlys lead designer, Heather Goerzen, explains, because the yarn is crafted from longer cotton fibers, the result is a durable, supersoft, finely woven material thats smoother, more breathable, and lightweight. But just because something is called Egyptian cotton doesnt guarantee that it meets those criteria, because the term also applies to any cotton grown in Egypt  even if its not the rarer, more desirable long- or extra-long-staple kind  and is often used as a marketing ploy to allude to an Egyptian-cotton feel. (For a deeper dive into what Egyptian cotton is, read my explainer here.) One way to tell is by touch. High-quality, genuine Egyptian-cotton sheets feel extremely luxurious on the skin, says interior designer Elizabeth Strianese, and, in my opinion, aid in better sleep. Weave Cotton sheets generally come in two types of weave, sateen and percale. Sateen has a smooth, lustrous appearance and drapey, buttery feel and is usually woven into a denser, heavier fabric. Percale is lighter weight and more breathable, with a crisper, cooler feel and matte finish. Weave type is a personal preference, but if you sleep hot or live in a warmer climate, you may find percale more appealing. No matter the weave, Goerzen says that because of the quality of Egyptian cotton, sheets made from the fiber are great for just about every type of sleeper, but also ideal for hot sleepers who are looking for more breathable bedding  as well as those who are hoping to create a luxurious sleep sanctuary. Set A lot of high-end brands sell everything in single sheets  fitted and top sheets, shams, duvet covers  whereas others come in sets. Some people may prefer buying individual sheets to mix and match fabrics, but Ive noted whats what to save you any confusion. Price Strianese has seen clients spend anywhere from $900 to $1,500 for just a flat sheet because they want the most luxurious option around. Because extra-long-staple cotton is rare  it requires a special mix of ecological growing conditions along the Nile River, according to Strianese  and significant understanding of how to use it properly, most sets are expensive. However, there are some less-expensive options out there, and Malik Logan, principal decorator of the Tailored Interiors, thinks you could find an excellent set of Egyptian-cotton sheets for a mere $75. To help you get a quick sense of the cost of each item, Ive included a dollar-sign ranking for each product below: $ for sheet sets under $100, $$ for sheet sets under $250, and $$$ for anything higher.

Best Egyptian-cotton sheets overall

Matouk Luca Satin Stitch Fitted Sheet - Queen $225 Photo: RobertoFaucegliaPhotographer/RobertoFauceglia Cotton: 500-thread-count Egyptian cotton | Weave: Percale | Set: Sold by piece | Price: $$$ Theyre expensive, but Matouks Luca Satin Stitch sheets are among the nicest Ive ever come across. Made of 500-thread-count Egyptian cotton in a tight and crisp percale weave, the fabric feels incredibly smooth, lightweight, airy, and cool to the touch. For comparison, the Matouk Sierra, which is what I deemed the best customizable percale sheet in my general roundup, has a lower thread count of 350 and has a thicker, more casual feel. The Luca sheets are like the Platonic ideal of luxury-hotel-style sheets, and its not surprising that the interior designers I spoke to also love them. Strianese actually recommends a few different sets from Matouk. Her high-end clients tend to go for the Gatsby, a (very expensive) 1000-thread-count Egyptian-cotton sheet, but she personally has owned Luca Satin Stitch sheets and likes them for their more universal look. Nancy Davilman, owner of ND Interiors, also loves them for how fresh and crisp they feel while still feeling very ultraluxurious. While the fabric comes from Italy, the sheets are made in the U.S. Matouk sells its sheets by the piece, and shown here is the queen fitted sheet. $225 at Matouk Buy $225 at Bloomingdale's Buy

Best (less expensive) Egyptian-cotton sheets overall

Parachute Percale Sheet Set - Queen $269 Cotton: Long-staple Egyptian cotton, Oeko-Tex certified | Weave: Percale | Set: Fitted sheet, two pillowcases, with option to add top sheet | Price: $$ If youre looking to buy a bundle of percale sheets for the price of a single fitted sheet from Matouk, Parachute makes a much more affordable set thats woven from premium, certified long-staple Egyptian cotton. In fact, I deemed this set the best Egyptian-cotton percale sheets in our general bedding roundup. Strategist senior editor Simone Kitchens told me that theyre ultrasmooth with a washed quality that manages to feel crisp and clean even up until laundry day. Parachutes percale sheets are also what Goerzen personally sleeps in. I have these sheets in my home and swear by the comfort and construction. Theyre soft to the touch, really lightweight, and have held up well over the years, she says. (Kitchens, who runs a little hot at night, agrees that they have a cooling quality to them as well.) Goerzen also loves the sheets soft colors and general aesthetic, which she calls chic but understated. (There are eight hues to choose from, including Haze and Bone.) Parachute sells sheets by the set, which includes a fitted sheet and two pillowcases, with the option to add a top sheet, as seen and priced here. $269 at Nordstrom Buy $269 at Parachute Buy

Best sateen Egyptian-cotton sheets

Pure Parima Yalda Sheet Set - Queen $250 $250 Cotton: 100 percent certified extra long-staple Giza Egyptian, Oeko-Tex certified | Weave: Sateen | Set: Flat and fitted sheets, two pillowcases | Price: $$ All the sheets on this list so far have been percale, which, as I noted above, has a crisper hand and is more lightweight. But if you prefer the silkiness of sateen, consider this set I tried from Pure Parima; its made from extra-long-staple Giza Egyptian cotton that has been certified by the Cotton Egypt Association. With a double-stitch hemstitch detail, theyre smooth, drapey, and substantial and feel much heftier than the other Egyptian-cotton bedding I tested for this story. They definitely have that luxe sateen sheen to them, and getting into bed always felt more like slipping into it more than anything. I always slept comfortably in them. $250 at Pure Parima Buy

Best (less expensive) sateen Egyptian-cotton sheets

Silk & Snow Egyptian-Cotton Bedsheets - Queen $140 now 19% off $113 Cotton: Long-staple Egyptian cotton | Weave: Sateen | Set: Flat and fitted sheets, two pillowcases | Price: $ Heres another sateen Egyptian-cotton set that I tested but for about a hundred dollars less. I also included them in our roundup of the best cooling sheets as they are a little more lightweight than Egyptian-cotton sateen sheets tend to be and therefore a bit more breathable. Theyre also very soft, smooth, and silky but have a higher, more noticeable sheen than Pure Parimas. If youre looking for Egyptian-cotton sateen sheets with a more laid-back, everyday feel, I would recommend these. Like Pure Parimas, Silk & Snows Egyptian cotton is also certified by the Cotton Egypt Association. $113 at Silk & Snow Buy

Best (budget) sateen Egyptian-cotton sheets

Chateau Home Collection 800-Thread-Count 100% Egyptian Cotton Sheets & Pillowcases Set $80 Cotton: 800 thread count Egyptian cotton | Weave: Sateen, 800 thread count | Set: Flat and fitted sheets, two pillowcases | Price: $ Even more affordable is this set that Hudson Wilder founder Conway Liao swears by. Ive been purchasing these since my university days, says Liao. I like how structured but soft and smooth the sheets are. They last a very long time (I wash them weekly). They stay cool during the summer and are warm enough for winter. Theyre available in a wide range of colors that suit whatever duvet cover I use throughout the seasons, with his favorites being taupe and silver. $80 at Amazon Buy

Our experts

 Nancy Davilman, ND Interiors

 Amy Finsilver, general manager of XV Beacon

 Heather Goerzen, director of content and design at Havenly

 Ron Gorodesky, CEO of Refined Hospitality

 Conway Liao, founder of Hudson Wilder

 Malik Logan, principal decorator of the Tailored Interiors

 Tom Ryan, head of product testing at Sleep Foundation

 Elizabeth Strianese, founder of Elizabeth Strianese Interiors

Updated June 20, 2024: Updated prices and checked stock for all products.

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The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

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I read this as Sweeney Todd and I know I'm on Broadway Twitter too much because I was like 'yeah it's a horny staging but it's not that bad'



Is this another Amazing Amy sitch, do you think? It's a good statement tbh and I've only ever seen Sydney in Voyeurs but her remembering Immaculate and going back for it made me think she's good a good business head on her shoulders.

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How dumb to attack her on her looks. Of course she cant act, but shes obviously gorgeous.

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She was very unprofessional. People like Carol and Amy Pascal should not be producers.

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Ok but Amy delivered us quote for decades.



Why are you punishing me? Is a classic.

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Sent from my Sony Xperia Z2

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I like how they were basically "Sis, what the fuck? You live like this?"

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Sydney Sweeney is decent enough as an actress but this need people have to break her down to her body is seriously gross. I enjoyed her in Immaculate and would watch her in something else. Its so disgusting and vile how some people talk about her and other actors/actresses in regards to their looks.

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I enjoyed that movie too. She seems to be picking the right projects.

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I really liked it! Ill definitely watch it again once it hits streaming!

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"usually" which means she is sometimes

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Not sure what sort of response Carol was expecting, Im sure shes a hit at brunch but this was unprofessional.



Super happy that Sydney formally responded to this balderdash.

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She gets her money's worth out of her PR.

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a good response, cause yeah it's kind of ridiculous and awful to talk about someone like that in a public venue to people who are ostensibly going to be in the industry one day

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Yeah you never know whose paths you cross in life and in careers. People remember if you nice or terrible to them when the moment arrives.

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Edited at 2024-04-18 12:43 am (UTC) i LOVE when hollywood folk talk out the side of their necks like this. it's giving jennifer lopez in movieline. iconic

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I get the feeling of needing to defend yourself, but i despise the 'how dare this woman attack me, a woman'. it wouldnt be phrased that way if a man said it. it screams of 'a special place of hell for women who dont support other women' men are never held to that standard for each other

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This comment would be MUCH worse if a man said it, and hopefully the language of the response would be much more severe.



I understand your point about higher standards, but I don't agree it is the case here. More like  this is surprising that a woman would make a comment like that.



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i wasnt talking specifically about the exact comment, its just simply when a woman is negative about another women, its like this big slap in the face of feminism when men can critique other men and it barely makes a blip. its never a 'how can you not support me, we both have penises'

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Hmm I disagree cause in this case everyone knows how hard it is for woman in the industry. We're criticized for a looks, body size, questioned how we have our careers or how we got so far etc..etc so to have another woman who mostly has had her fair share struggle participate in that negative and unhelpful mentality is a bit of letdown.



Also lbr there's a lotta of fuckgirls, cool girls, pick-mes that gatekeep other woman from going into similar or higher positions cause they like being the single woman in a sea of men. Some women are easily threatened by another possibly replacing them. Men created misogyny and sexism and some women help with the upkeep if they can benefit.

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Yeah I was like how Taylor swift of them. Both mediocre in their field, but everywhere.



Idk... I think if she had just said she can't act we all would've been like fair / we know the only reason(s) she's getting roles.

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Coming out with a team statement against an established producer, no matter what the stupid thing they said is bold. Whatever you want to say about Sydney, she has one of the smartest teams in hollywood right now.

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It's good that Sweeney's rep responded strongly, but I also don't care

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Good for her. Carol is an idiot cause this is exactly what was going to happen.



She also told the outlet that crapping on an actor like that in public usually isnt her style.



I.E I messed up because I got caught en vivo and can't deflect any other way.

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Everyone's acting seems absolutely horrible in the clips I've seen from Euphoria (like laughably bad) so I can't comment on her acting, but coming for her looks reeks of pure insecurity and misogyny lol. I'd love if people would go after this woman for her shitty Trumper party instead of doing twitter threads on how "mid" she is or on how "average" (HA!) her boobs are (and yes, most of this I've seen has been posted by women).

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I have a feeling this is very much how most producers talk about actors.

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OSHA Finds Lack of Safety Measures Led to Massachusetts Dock Collapse

Mohawk Northeast Inc. faces $214,327 in proposed fines following the incident in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Connecticut-based contractor Mohawk Northeast Inc.which specializes in heavy and marine construction and tugboat transportationnow faces OSHA fines totaling $214,327 after a dock collapse in New Bedford, Massachusetts, that injured workers.

According to a recent release, the October 2023 incident resulted in a 200-foot section of the pier collapsing into the Acushnet River, plunging five workers into the water and injuring two. OSHA inspectors concluded that the collapse could have been prevented if Mohawk Northeast had adhered to required safety standards.

Specifically, the agency found that the company failed to assess the pier's ability to support the combined weight of its workers, materials and equipment. OSHA issued a willful citation, imposing penalties of $161,323. Additional fines of $53,004 were proposed for four serious violations, including failure to provide fall protection and life jackets, secure a crane to a barge effectively and protect against potential crane strikes.

Mohawk Northeast Inc. had a responsibility to determine if the pier was structurally sound and ensure other required safeguards before placing its employees and equipment on the pier, but it chose not to do so, OSHA Area Director James Mulligan in Braintree, Massachusetts, said in a statement. Proper planning and preparation could have prevented the piers collapse. While fortunate that no fatalities occurred, the company still exposed employees needlessly to potentially fatal and disabling injuries.

Mohawk Northeast, a firm, has 15 business days from the receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHAs area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Coal was more popular than ever in 2023, despite big promises from many world powers to curb production and use in favour of cleaner alternatives. Mainly owing to China and India, the generation of electricity from coal production increased last year, as several new plants came online across Asia. While countries such as the U.S. and the U.K. are ditching coal for natural gas and renewable alternatives, several countries across Asia continue to rely heavily on coal for their electricity production, with many projects expected to run for several years.

An annual report from Global Energy Monitor found that the global power generation capacity from coal increased in 2023. Last year, China contributed around two-thirds of the worlds new coal facilities, while Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Japan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and South Korea also opened new plants. These facilities could run for the next two to three decades, based on the typical lifespan of coal plants. While new plants are generally less polluting than older ones, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has been clear to state that the world must curb coal production in favour of cleaner energy sources, including natural gas.

Flora Champenois, one of the authors of the report, stated Right now, coals future is a two-part story: What do we do about currently operating coal plants, and then, how do we make sure the last coal plant that will ever exist is one thats already built. She added, If it werent for the China boom, thats pretty much where wed already be.

Although China has developed a huge renewable energy capacity in recent years, making it a world leader in green energy, it continues to rely heavily on coal. Both China and India plan to continue building new coal plants for several years. Last year, Chinas new plant construction reached an eight-year high, and if the government goes ahead with existing plant proposals it could increase its operating fleet by around one-third. China accounts for approximately 60 percent of the global coal usage, followed by India  which derives 80 percent of its electricity from coal  and the U.S.

Climate organisations and other world powers were hopeful that China would move away from coal when the government pledged to stop constructing coal power plants overseas and to strictly control coal-fired power generation projects in China in 2021. At the time, Chinas President Xi Jinping stated that the change in energy policy demonstrated the countrys willingness to support international efforts to decarbonise and supported Chinas aim for net-zero carbon emissions by 2060. However, in the two years before Xis pledge, the government approved 127 plants, with a collective capability of producing 54 GW of power. In the two years after, the number increased to 182 plants, with 131 GW of coal power.

Meanwhile, several countries in Europe and North America are rapidly decreasing their dependency on coal power in favour of alternatives such as natural gas and renewable energy. In Germany, a report from January showed that the countrys emissions had fallen to a 70-year low thanks to its reduced reliance on coal. For the first time, electricity generation from renewable sources in Germany stood at over 50 percent of the total in 2023, while coal's contribution fell to 26 percent from 34 percent. This resulted in a decrease of 46 million tonnes in CO2 emissions.

In the U.S., between six and eight coal-fired power plant units are expected to retire this year, according to the Energy Information Administration. This is less than the number of units that closed in 2023  22 units  but it suggests a continuation of the downward trend in coal production and usage. This has been supported by more competitive natural gas prices and an increase in the countrys renewable energy capacity. There have been delays in the retirement of several coal plants in the U.S. owing to grid weaknesses, with many renewable energy projects still waiting to be connected to the grid and new infrastructure to be built. However, once these challenges are overcome, several more coal facilities will likely close.

In 2023, the electricity generated by gas and coal power plants in the U.K. decreased by 20 percent, with fossil fuel consumption falling to its lowest since 1957. The U.K. has just one remaining coal plant, which generated electricity for one percent of the countrys power demand, equivalent to around 4 TWh. Coal has fallen by 97 percent and gas by 43 percent in the last 15 years, according to Carbon Brief. Coal power is expected to decrease even more this year with the U.K.s last coal plant - the Ratcliffe on Soar coal plant - scheduled to close in September, after 55 years in operation.

While coal production and consumption are falling rapidly in the U.S. and parts of Europe, this is being outweighed by the rising demand in Asia. China and India intend to increase their coal consumption to meet the demands of population growth and industrialisation, constructing new coal plants to meet this rising demand, despite the increasing global pressure to decarbonise. According to the IEA and other climate experts, all countries must decrease their reliance on coal and shift to cleaner alternatives in order for the world to meet international decarbonisation targets and curb the effects of climate change.

By Felicity Bradssock for Oilprice.com

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Back in early 2018 when rumours were rife that then-U.S. President Donald Trump was going to unilaterally withdraw his country from the nuclear deal with Iran, China moved to position itself to occupy the vacuum that would be left in Iran and Iraq, at the very heart of the Middle East. Beijing knew that Iran continued to wield enormous influence over neighbouring Iraq, and that both together were the biggest oil and gas prize in the entire region, in addition to being at the vanguard of the Shia strand of Islam. In Irans case, China picked up the pace of negotiations for its all-encompassing Iran-China 25-Year Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement concluded later, as first revealed anywhere in the world in my 3 September 2019 article on the subject and analysed in full in my new book on the new global oil market order.

In Iraqs case, it did the same for the foundation stone Oil for Reconstruction and Investment agreement signed by Baghdad and Beijing in September 2019, which allowed Chinese firms to invest in infrastructure projects in Iraq in exchange for oil. This later became broadened and deepened in the equally all-encompassing Iraq-China Framework Agreement of 2021. The announcement last week by the General Company for Ports in Iraq (GCPI) that a consortium of Chinese companies has nearly completed the 300,000-barrels-per-day (bpd) oil refinery at Iraqs key Faw Port is in line with Chinas eventual vision for Iraq as one part of a giant Mesopotamian client state including Iran as well.

Although no details were given by the GCPI as to which Chinese companies are involved in the Al-Faw refinery, in the port city of Basra, a source close to Iraqs Oil Ministry exclusively told OilPrice.com last week that PowerChina and Norinco International are still the guiding forces behind the development. This makes sense, as these two firms signed the original contract in January 2018 to build the refinery at Al-Faw, which together with its 300,000-bpd capacity would also have a petrochemical plant attached to the development. It also perfectly aligns with Beijings broad modus operandi in its expansion strategy across the Middle East to combine commercial ventures with a military presence, as alongside its petroleum and mineral resources exploration and development activities, Norinco is one of Chinas foremost defence contractors. One of Norincos key oil subsidiaries is Zhenhua Oil, which was the company that on 2 January 2021 made a multi-billion-dollar deal with Iraqs Federal Government in Baghdad to prepay for four million barrels every month for five years to be delivered to China by Iraqs State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO). As analysed in depth in my new book on the new global oil market order, it was exactly the same strategy to take over Iraqs oil industry in the south as Russia had successfully used to take over the industry in the semi-autonomous northern region of Iraqi Kurdistan in 2017. So obviously extraordinarily dangerous to U.S. interests in the Middle East and elsewhere was this deal that Washington eventually succeeded in forcing the Iraqis to suspend it. Related: World Oil Demand Jumped To 5-Year Seasonal High in February

This said, other elements of Chinas expansion strategy continue unabated, fusing both commercial advances and military ones across southern Iraq. If this strategy sounds familiar, it is precisely the one used by Great Britain in its expansion in the Far East through the East India Company  of which, Chinese President Xi Jinping is a tremendous admirer. After a suitable period had elapsed after the suspension of the omni-toxic Zhenhua Oil prepayment deal, Baghdad approved three potentially far-reaching new infrastructure deals that heavily involved China in the heartland of Iraq. One was for nearly IQD1 trillion (US$700 million) of infrastructure projects in the city of Al-Zubair in the southern Iraq oil hub of Basra. Judging from comments made by the citys Governor at the time, Abbas Al-Saadi, Chinas heavy involvement in Phase 2 of the projects was part of the 2019 Oil for Reconstruction and Investment agreement. Another deal was for Chinese companies to build a civilian airport to replace the military base in the capital of the southern oil rich Dhi Qar governorate. The Dhi Qar region includes two of Iraqs potentially biggest oil fields  Gharraf and Nassiriya  and China said that it intended to complete the airport by the end of 2024. This airport project, it announced, would include the construction of multiple cargo buildings and roads linking the airport to the citys town centre and separately to other key oil areas in southern Iraq. In the later discussions involved in the 2021 Iraq-China Framework Agreement, a senior source who works closely with Iraqs Oil Ministry exclusively told OilPrice.com, it was decided that the airport could be expanded later to be a dual-use civilian and military airport. The military component would be usable by China without first having to consult with whatever Iraqi government was in power at the time, as also analysed in full in my new book on the new global oil market order. The final of the three deals involved Chinese companies building out Al-Sadr City, located near Baghdad, at a cost of between US$7-8 billion, also within the framework of the 2019 oil-for-reconstruction and investment agreement.

In this mould, China is finishing the Al-Faw refinery perfectly in time to allow it to complete its strategically vital oil project in the critical Iraqi energy hub of Nasiriyah, at the heart of the some of the countrys biggest oil and gas fields and close to Faw Ports main export terminal in Basra. According to the Iraq Ministry of Planning, the China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Company (CPPEC)-led project will act as a storage hub and supply conduit for 3.0-3.5 million barrels of crude oil that will then either go for export out of Basra Port or will be transported to the Al-Faw refinery and through pipelines to other refineries and power plants in central and northern Iraq. It will also act as a logistical command centre for all of Chinas extensive oil and gas projects in Iraq and for the build-out of multiple non-oil projects connected to the Iraq-China Framework Agreement. CPECC is also the very same firm that was awarded a US$308 million engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning contract for the huge Gharraf oilfield. A separate engineering and construction project for Gharraf was also awarded by Baghdad to Chinas Zhongman Petroleum and Natural Gas Group. Back in 2015, Zhongman was also awarded a US$526.6 million drilling deal for Iraqs supergiant West Qurna 2 oilfield. Further emboldened by the effective withdrawal of the U.S. from Iraq at the end of its combat mission in December 2021, the beginning of this year saw PetroChina take over the lead developer role at the neighbouring supergiant West Qurna 1 oilfield from the U.S.s ExxonMobil. This was followed just a week later by the awarding of a major build-own-operate-transfer contract to a subsidiary of PetroChina to develop the Nahr bin Umar onshore gas field.

Once the Al-Faw refinery has been completed, China will be looking at options for the long-stalled US$11-billion Nebras Petrochemical Project (NPP), following the exit of British supermajor Shell from it in February, according to the Iraq source last week. Although Russias Lukoil put together a development proposal for the project before Shell agreed the original memorandum of understanding back in 2012, Beijing now thinks it might be a good fit for its other activities in southern Iraq, particularly as it expands its gas presence as well in the country. China is unlikely to have any issue with Iraqs commission payments  as Western companies have had - although in Nebrass case these may end up totalling US$4 billion or more. In addition, it remains one of the worlds biggest buyers of ethylene, intended to be one of the major products from Nebras, and developing a world-class petrochemicals sector in Iraq would also give it first rights over other key petrochemicals it needs.

By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com

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As the world anxiously awaited the outcome of Iran's large-scale attack against Israel, some Arab countries had already taken steps to blunt its impact.

When the dust from the April 13 attack settled, the vast majority of the hundreds of drones and missiles launched by Iran had been shot down -- by Israel, its Western allies, and Jordan, despite its strong opposition to Israel's ongoing war in Gaza.

At least two other Arab states -- Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), which have been highly critical of the Gaza war and have joined Iran and other Muslim states in pushing for a cease-fire -- also reportedly played a role in intercepting the Iranian assault by sharing intelligence information.

The actions by the Sunni Arab countries, all of which have tenuous relationships with both Israel and majority-Shi'a Iran, led to speculation that they may have chosen sides. But experts say that their involvement in thwarting Iran's attack does not mark a major shift in their positions -- either for or against Israel or Iran.

Not Taking Sides

"Some went so far as saying that this is an indication that the threat perception among Arab states vis-a-vis Iran is rising, and the equation has changed and the Arab countries may side with Israel against Iran," said Hamidreza Azizi, a fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. "I don't see the picture like that."

Azizi explained that the Arab countries' contribution, whether shooting down Iranian drones or missiles or providing intelligence, "was more about preventing a war than siding with one side against another."

On X, formerly Twitter, geopolitical and security analyst Michael Horowitz said that while several countries participated, directly or indirectly, in the effort to limit the impact of Iran's attack, Jordan clearly "acted out of self-interest."

Noting that Iranian projectiles had flown over Jordanian airspace during the attack, Horowitz, the director of security consultancy Le Beck International, asked: "What sovereign country would let a third party fly hundreds of missiles and drones over major urban centers without budging?"

Others acted following significant pressure by Israel's key ally, the United States, he said, or out of "fear of a regional escalation." This fear, Horowitz said, alluding to recent steps by Saudi Arabia and others to improve ties with Tehran in recent years, "was the same fear of escalation that has led them to renew communication and broker normalization deals with Iran."

Gaza And Security Above All

Through the smoke of the Israel-Iran showdown, observers who spoke to RFE/RL said, Arab countries sent a message that their desire to maintain regional stability and to see a cease-fire in the Gaza war trumps all.

"I don't see any kind of change in the Arab states' approach toward Israel's war in Gaza," said Azizi. "They are still opposed to it and it seems to be still the main priority of the Arab world and the Muslim world, more broadly speaking."

In fact, Iran's attack -- which Tehran launched in retaliation for a suspected Israeli strike on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Syria on April 1 -- may have been seen by Arab states as an unwelcome distraction from the Gaza situation, according to Azizi.

"What might have irritated the Arab countries is not Iran's strike or retaliation, per se, but the timing of it amid all the efforts for bringing a cease-fire to stop the war," Azizi said. "And also in the sense that, you know, the [Iranian] attack has already shifted international focus from basically pressuring Israel into reconsidering its approach in Gaza to the Iran-Israel confrontation."

The other major considerations in the eyes of the Arab countries, Azizi said, were maintaining regional stability and avoiding a war with Iran.

"They simply don't want further instability in the region. They want to focus on their developmental projects. There are a lot of ambitious initiatives that all states separately or together have been pursuing. So, further instability would be a big challenge to that," Azizi said. "And the last thing they would want to have is a war with Iran itself."

Out Of The Shadows

Iran and Israel have long been engaged in a shadow war that followed a general code -- Iran used its proxies and partners in the so-called "axis of resistance" against Israel to strike against its archenemy, and Israel did not hesitate to hit Iran's militant partners.

This was underscored by the events of October 7, when the Iran-backed and U.S.- and EU-designated terror group Hamas launched a deadly assault on Israel that prompted Israel to invade the Gaza Strip to root out Hamas. The war has left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead and has been accompanied by attacks on Israel by Iranian-backed proxies, as well as strikes by Israel against Iranian-backed militants and even members of the Iranian military in the region.

But all the while, Iran and Israel were careful not to strike each other directly.

That changed with the April 1 aerial strike that targeted the grounds of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, which killed Iran's top regional commander and six other members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

Blaming Israel for the deadly strike that hit a consular annex building, Iran vowed direct retaliation. And while it telegraphed its response 12 days later with advance warnings to regional states, Tehran's launching of hundreds of missiles and drones was a dangerous signal that Iran's "strategic patience" with Israel had run out and it was willing to take Israel on directly.

Speaking about the options Iran had prior to deciding to launch its barrage against Israel on April 13, experts who spoke to RFE/RL noted that it was Israel that took the first step to engage with its Iranian adversary directly.

"I think the one that [Iran] chose was one that signals that they took this seriously. They were trying to remind Israel that Israel might face military consequences if it continued [such] actions," Stephen Walt, a professor of international relations at Harvard University, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda. "But they didn't want to raise the ante to do something even more extensive or more damaging.

"I think the Iranians felt they had to respond, but wanted to do so in a way that didn't provoke a wider war," he added.

Now that Iran and Israel's long-standing conflict has emerged from the shadows, the question is whether it could spiral into a direct war or return to a proxy war.

Both Israel and Iran have suggested that their standoff is not over. Israel has vowed to respond to Iran's attack, without saying how or when. Iran has said that it considers its tit-for-tat with Israel concluded with its unprecedented attack on Israeli territory, while warning that even the "tiniest" retaliation on Iran's territory would bring a "massive and harsh" response.

"We are still in, in a sense, the realm of a shadow war, assuming that Israel does not now respond by hitting Iran back," Walt said. "Assuming it does not now escalate further, then I think we will see a return to the shadow war of the last few months."

Safety In Deniability

Azizi said that is something Iran was comfortable with, even in the event its interests or proxies were hit by Israel, because there was always "some room for deniability" that Iran itself was attacked.

On the other hand, Iran benefited from plausible deniability that it did not direct attacks on Israel carried out by its partners like Hamas, or Huthi rebels in Yemen, or Lebanese Hizballah.

By attacking Israel, Azizi said, "Iran actually abandoned plausible deniability, taking not only responsibility but credit." This, he added, "was an attempt to push Israel toward the old rules of engagement -- to say, let's go back to the gray zone."

None of the actors on the sidelines -- including the United States, which has worked to improve or establish relations between Israel and Arab states, and Russia, which commended Iran's attack on Israel as justified -- wants to see an all-out war.

Those closest to the conflict, the Arab states, have made it clear that they want stability and an end to the Gaza war. Some major players and regional rivals of Iran -- notably Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. -- have in recent years restored their relations with Tehran in an effort to minimize the threat.

While Arab countries have criticized and, in some cases, helped thwart Iran's attack on Israel, they did not condemn Tehran for its actions. Iran, while sending a vague warning that Jordan could be "the next target," has avoided criticism following months of diplomacy with Arab states over the Gaza war and humanitarian crisis.

"I think both sides (Iran and Arab states) are quite clear that they want to continue going toward this path," Azizi said, even suggesting a possible mediation role for an Arab country in resolving the Iran-Israel crisis.

By RFE/RL

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After several hours of silence following Irans unprecedented missile-and-drone attack on Israel, Russia issued its first formal reaction: The Foreign Ministry voiced what it said was Moscows extreme concern over the latest dangerous escalation in the region.

There may be some truth to that statement, as analysts say that a full-scale war in the Middle East would not be in the interests of President Vladimir Putins government. For now, though, it seems more likely that the Kremlin is enthusiastic about a development that could play into Putins hands in several ways, most of them directly connected to Russias war on Ukraine.



The Middle East entering uncharted territory (short of full-blown war) is the best that can happen to Putin now, Hanna Notte, a senior associate with the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, wrote on X, formerly Twitter.



Heres why.



For one thing, it draws attention away from the war in Ukraine at a crucial time when Kyiv is facing major challenges on the front line, which could get worse in the coming weeks and months, and Russia is pounding the countrys energy infrastructure with renewed intensity and bombarding cities including Kharkiv and Odesa.

The outbreak in October of Israels war against Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union, had already complicated global perceptions of the war in Ukraine and confounded Western efforts to support its defense against the Russian invasion. The new flare-up in the Middle East -- the first time Iran has openly and directly attacked arch-enemy Israel, or vice versa -- may exacerbate that problem for Kyiv.



'A Chance To Challenge'



For the Kremlin, the potential benefits to be reaped from Irans attack on Israel are both broad and quite specific. In over two years since he launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he has increasingly portrayed the war there as part of a wider confrontation in which, he asserts, Russia is defending itself and the rest of the world from the West and, in particular, the United States.



Against that zero-sum backdrop, Irans attack on Israel may play into the Kremlins propaganda, handing Russia new material it can use to press its public narratives about the war in Ukraine and its showdown with the West.



There is a certain perception among the axis states -- Russia, Iran, North Korea, and China -- that the West has weakened. And [that] American attitudes and policies can no longer guarantee the security of its allies, Ihor Semyvolos, director of the Center for Middle East Studies in Kyiv, told Current Time, the Russian-language network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA.

As a result, the Iranian attack provides Russia and like-minded states with a chance to challenge this unipolar world that Putin, [Chinese President] Xi Jinping, and [Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah] Ali Khamenei have talked a lot about, he said.



Instability in the Middle East diverts Western attention and resources away from Ukraine and NATO's Eastern flank, it generates insecurity among U.S. regional allies, and it further fuels a broader, global perception that the West cannot pacify the region, thus amplifying perceptions of the Gaza war, Notte told RFE/RL in a written exchange on April 15.



In sum, such instability fuels a global perception that the war in Ukraine is another war among many, one problem amid a proliferation of problems -- a perception which the Kremlin can only value, she said.



In practice, the array of problems and the attack itself could dilute the case for aid to Ukraine, undermining arguments by champions of such support that the fate of the West and the world hangs in the balance.



Clouds In Congress?



Specifically, the Iranian attack on Israel adds a new element to the uncertainty over the prospects for long-delayed U.S. aid for Ukraine -- even as the prospect of passage of legislation on the matter is finally looming larger.



Nearly six months after U.S. President Joe Biden first proposed a package including more than $60 billion in mostly military aid for Ukraine as well as aid for Israel and other purposes, the current speaker of the House of Representatives, Republican Mike Johnson, had indicated at the end of March that he would seek to secure support for Ukraine in the coming days or weeks.

However, it was unclear exactly what he would propose, how much it would differ from a bill that was passed with bipartisan support in the Senate in February, and whether the effort to renew U.S. supplies of desperately needed weapons to Ukraine could overcome opposition from staunch opponents of aid for Kyiv in his own party.



On April 15, Johnson provided more clarity, saying he plans to press for separate bills on three of the elements in the Senate legislation -- aid for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan and other allies -- and to placate recalcitrant Republicans by introducing a fourth measure including policies that many lawmakers in his party favor. The fate of the package is uncertain.



Seeking Disbalance



Regardless of the outcome of wrangling over aid in the United States, Putin may see the Iranian attack on Israel as a chance to increase Moscows influence in the Middle East, where rebuilding the clout that dried up drastically after the Soviet collapse seems to have been deeply important to Putin since he came to power a quarter century ago.



Russias war on Ukraine has tightened its ties with Iran, which has supported the onslaught by providing attack drones and the technology to produce them, but Putin has for years been courting regional foes of Iran, including Israel and Persian Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, as part of his efforts to increase Moscows sway in the Middle East and bite into U.S. clout.

The Kremlin may hope that despite the way its sharper turn toward Tehran and its response to the Israel-Hamas war have harmed its relations with Israel, Moscows multitentacled Middle East ties could give it a substantial regional role to play in the coming months or years.



Since Russia is an increasingly close partner to Iran, the Kremlin mightcalculate that with Iran stepping up the escalation ladder, Russia's own value to [and] leverage over the Gulf states will increase -- since the Gulf states might look to Moscow (and Beijing) as the only players with some leverage in Tehran, and hence as interlocutors who could help rein in the Iranians, Notte told RFE/RL.



Its a classic approach for Putins Russia: help create problems, to one degree or another, and then offer help to resolve them -- in a way that benefits the Kremlin. As they have amid the Hamas attack on Israel and the resulting war in Gaza, however, analysts of Russia and the region say that Moscow does not want an all-out war between Israel and Iran.



That scenario would bring significant risks for Russia, Notte said. It would complicate Russias military presence in Syria, and a heavy hit to Iran could sap some of Moscows strength against Ukraine.



Furthermore, a full-blown war would almost certainly end Russia's balancing act in the region (however tenuous it has become already). It would force Russia to choose sides.

While Moscow has come ever closer to Iran and its proxies since it launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, she said, it doesnt want to go all in with Iran, for sure.

By RFE/RL

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Chinese Premier Li Qiang holds a symposium with overseas buyers attending the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 17, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese Premier Li Qiang held a symposium with overseas buyers attending the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) in Guangzhou on Wednesday.

Overseas buyer representatives spoke about their experience in strengthening cooperation with China through the Canton Fair, noting that the fair has long played an important role in promoting trade exchanges and friendly relations between China and other countries.

The representatives said they are full of confidence in the prospects of China's economic development. They are ready to use the Canton Fair as a platform to continue expanding business in China, and to make positive contributions to the promotion of free trade and the maintenance of global supply chain stability.

They also put forward opinions and suggestions on developing the circular and green economies, on optimizing the business environment in China, and on strengthening people-to-people exchanges between China and foreign countries.

Li said he appreciates their long-term, active participation in the Canton Fair, as well as their vigorous economic and trade cooperation with China. He noted that many overseas enterprises have made connections with China through the Canton Fair, and have grown stronger along with China's development.

The history of the Canton Fair is a history of companies from all over the world sharing China's opportunities and achieving mutual benefits, and a microcosm of China's continuous opening-up and active integration into the international market, Li said.

China will steadfastly open wider to the outside world at a high level, and promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, he said. It will continue to inject stability into global trade and the world economy with the certainty of its own development, and provide broader space for the development of enterprises from all countries.

Li said that overseas enterprises have long been making positive contributions to promoting economic and trade cooperation between China and the world, to connecting Chinese manufacturing and overseas markets, and to promoting efficient matches between global supply and demand.

It is expected that overseas enterprises will continue to explore the Chinese market, expand business in China, share more in the opportunities brought by China's huge market demand, opening-up and development, and act as ambassadors of friendship to enhance mutual understanding and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and other countries, Li said.

He noted that China will promote the alignment of high-standard international economic and trade rules, continue expanding market access, and ensure foreign-funded enterprises receive equal treatment to their domestic peers. China will also strengthen service guarantees for foreign investment and intellectual property protection, earnestly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of foreign companies in China, and provide more support and convenience for international businesspeople and foreigners living and working in China.
China scooped up record volumes of crude oil imports from Russia in March, adding 790,000 barrels per day to its stockpiles, up from 570,000 bpd in January and February, Reuters Clyde Russell reported on Thursday, citing official Chinese import data.

Beijings efforts to boost its strategic stockpiles is simultaneously skewing the countrys oil demand picture, with record imports of Russian oil contributing to a false picture of the countrys overall demand, Russell notes.

First-quarter numbers for the year show a 670,000 bpd increase in inventory.

According to Russell, the data masks weaker Chinese crude imports for Q1 2024, which came in at 11.02 million bpd, compared to 11.06 million bpd for the same quarter of last year.

The picture that emerges from the first quarter is that China's demand for imported crude oil was virtually flat, and that refiners are still boosting stockpiles even as prices start to increase, Russell wrote.

On Tuesday, oil prices rose following the release of new economic data for China showing strong GDP data, which is typically bullish for oil prices. Despite that GDP data, other economic indicators such as retail sales, industrial output and real estate investment showed weak domestic oil demand compared to forecasts. The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that Chinese oil demand will grow by 500,000 bpd this year, declining to 300,000 bpd next year. By comparison with other OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries, China, which last year accounted for 80% of OECD demand growth, is expected to see that share shrink to 43% this year and to 27% next year. The agency sees a gradual easing of demand, based on Chinese economic growth flagging and "the rapid domestic uptake of oil-substituting technologies such as electric vehicles (EVs) and high-speed rail."

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Crude oil exports from Iran hit the highest level in six years during the first quarter of the year, data from Vortexa cited by the Financial Times has shown.

The daily average over the period stood at 1.56 million barrels, almost all of which was sent to China, earning Tehran some $35 billion.

The Iranians have mastered the art of sanctions circumvention, Fernando Ferreira, head of geopolitical risk service at Rapidan Energy Group, told the FT. If the Biden administration is really going to have an impact, it has to shift the focus to China.

The news comes as the EU and the United States prepare new sanctions against Iran in a bid to convince Israel to not retaliate against Tehran after the latters drone and missile attack on Israeli military targets last weekend.

Irans oil industry would be the no-brainer target for new sanctions as suggested by U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

"Clearly, Iran is continuing to export some oil. There may be more that we could do. I don't want to preview our actual sanctions activities, but certainly, that remains in focus as a possible area that we could address," Yellen said earlier this week as quoted by Reuters.

Analysts, however, have told the FT that the Biden administration is reluctant to tighten the sanction noose too much as this would inevitably lead to an increase in oil prices that a president running for re-election cannot really afford in an election year.

Thats especially relevant in light of the fact that the federal government would hardly be able to repeat the SPR release from 2022 to tame prices at the pump as the reserve sits at the lowest level in 40 years after that 2022 release.

Also, any heavy-handed action against Irans oil exports would affect relations with China, which is virtually the only outlet for Iranian crude. That crude, according to the FT, covers a tenth of Chinas total oil imports.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Kazakhstan, a non-OPEC oil producer part of the OPEC+ agreement, will consider building an oil pipeline in the Caspian Sea, Russian news agency Interfax reported on Thursday, quoting Kazakhstans Energy Ministry.

The country is also considering the construction of another oil pipeline from Atyrau to Kuryk in the medium term, the Kazakh Energy Ministry said in response to questions.

The possibility of constructing an oil pipeline across the Caspian Sea floor will also be studied, the ministry added, as carried by Interfax.

Kazakhstan could also boost oil trans-Caspian oil shipments to match the capacity of the Aktau port, the energy ministry added.

Kazakhstan has boosted its crude oil exports in the past year and expects to keep boosting exports in 2024, too.

Most of Kazakhstans crude oil exports are currently being handled by the network of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC). The CPC pipeline runs from the Caspian coast in northwest Kazakhstan to the Novorossiysk port on Russias Black Sea coast and carries 80% of Kazakh crude exports.

So far this year, Kazakhstan has exceeded its oil production quota under the OPEC+ deal. The country has repeatedly said that it is committed to achieving compliance and compensating for previous overproduction.

Kazakhstan exceeded by 131,000 barrels per day (bpd) its OPEC+ quota in March, due to the weather and heating season requirements, the countrys Energy Ministry said this weekend, pledging that the non-OPEC producer will look to compensate in the coming months for its overproduction.

Kazakhstan will continue to make every effort to comply with its obligations and compensate for the 1st quarter overproduction, the Kazakh Energy Ministry said in a statement.

Early this month, the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC), the OPEC+ panel that monitors oil market developments and the groups production cuts, didnt recommend any changes to output policy but noted that compliance with the cuts needs to improve.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Crude oil prices remained under pressure today despite the news that the U.S. will reimpose oil sanctions on Venezuela after a six-month pause.

Countering this development, the EIA on Wednesday reported another weekly build in crude oil inventories that weighed on benchmarks as it brought the total oil in stock to the highest since June 2023, according to Bloomberg.

As a result, Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate shed a couple of dollars per barrel each, with Brent ending up at around $87 per barrel at the time of writing and WTI slipping below $83 per barrel earlier today.

The market appears to have discounted the possibility of an Israeli retaliation to Saturdays Iranian attack, energy analyst Vandana Hari told Bloomberg. This is an interesting market response given that Israels prime minister signaled the country will retaliate for Irans attack last weekend.

"I want to make it clear - we will make our own decisions, and the State of Israel will do everything necessary to defend itself," Benjamin Netanyahu said following an urgent visit by the British and German foreign ministers aimed at convincing Israel to avoid a further escalation.

Iran is the third-largest oil producer in OPEC, according to Reuters, and an escalation would almost inevitably involve a disruption of its oil industry as it would make a natural target for an Israeli retaliation.

Meanwhile, an update from JP Morgan about global oil demand may have also helped keep prices lower. The bank said on Tuesday that demand since the start of April has been running at 200,000 bpd below its forecast, at an average daily of 101 million barrels.

Since the start of the year, JP Morgan said, demand for oil had gone up by 1.7 million bpd. This was also below the banks forecast, which saw demand growth at 2 million bpd.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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While Petrobras is touting a potential start to drilling in an environmentally sensitive area offshore the mouth of the Amazon River, indigenous communities are increasingly opposing the exploration plans of Brazils state-owned oil giant, which has yet to receive an all-clear license to drill, Reuters reports, citing interviews with locals and memos and documents it has reviewed.

After spending a decade selling off many assets outside Brazil, Petrobras is now shifting its strategy to portfolio diversification, keeping the focus on the most profitable assets, the company said earlier this year. Reserves replacement, new frontiers, and increased gas supply are all pillars of the new exploration and production strategy.

Petrobras is now re-evaluating its portfolio in search of synergies and diversification and is looking at new frontiers in exploration, especially in the Equatorial Margin offshore Brazil, CEO Jean Paul Prates said in an investor presentation in January.

In October, Prates said that Petrobras expects to begin offshore exploration drilling close to the mouth of the Amazon River this year in the so-called Equatorial Margin offshore Brazil.

The Equatorial Margin offshore Brazil, which includes Foz do Amazonas, Para-Maranhao, and Barreirinhas basins, is estimated to hold large oil and gas reserves and is expected to share geology similar to that of Guyanas offshore, where Exxon is finding billions of barrels of oil and has developed and is developing half a dozen projects.

Petrobras currently doesnt have permission from regulators to drill for oil and gas in the environmentally sensitive area.

Last year, Brazils environmental protection agency, Ibama, refused to grant approval for the controversial offshore oil project in the Foz do Amazonas area in the Equatorial Margin where the Amazon River meets the Atlantic.

Petrobras has appealed the decision of the environmental protection agency.

As Ibama reviews the appeal to decide whether to issue a license for Petrobras to drill, indigenous communities and indigenous affairs agency Funai say that drilling would violate their rights and ask the environmental agency to consider all potential impacts of a drilling license.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Via Metal Miner

Copper prices continued their breakout during March, rising 4.25%. Prices then formed a second higher high on March 15, followed by a new higher low on March 27. The rally continued throughout April as prices climbed an additional 7.59%. As of April 15, they stand at their highest level since June 2022.

Source: MetalMiner Insights, Chart & Correlation Analysis Tool

New Russian Sanctions Hit Copper, Aluminum, Nickel

The UK and U.S. announced a new round of sanctions late Friday afternoon, restricting the trade of Russian copper, aluminum, and nickel on global metal exchanges. The new rules will prohibit the LME and CME from accepting deliveries of Russian metal produced on or after April 13. The U.S. also banned the import of all three metals from Russia, following the previously leveled 200% tariff on Russian aluminum.

The news hit markets slightly before the CMEs closing on April 12, causing prices to spike in the final hours. Prices rose over 1.4% alongside a surge in trading volumes between 4:30 PM and 5:00 PM, as markets began to factor in how the new rules would impact them.

Both CME and LME copper prices remain within roughly two-month rallies. These saw prices find a bottom in early February before repeatedly breaking above previous highs over the ensuing months. The latest round of sanctions came with upside risk as markets priced in the overall impact. However, prices showed only a slight day-over-day fluctuation by Monday, which saw CME prices rise a mere 0.22% while LME prices slid 0.30%.

The aluminum market saw the most significant increase from Fridays close, as prices rose 2.08% day over day. Meanwhile, the LMEs aluminum contract came with the greatest risks due to the proportion of Russian metal sitting in LME warehouses. In March, Russian-origin metal accounted for 62%, 91%, and 36% of LME copper, aluminum, and nickel stocks, respectively.

Will Exchange Pricing Diverge?

As markets deplete the reserves of Russian-origin metal within inventories, it could leave an upside risk to prices, specifically for the LME. The many sanctions announced prior to the most recent ban left a steep discount on Russian metal prices, especially aluminum. This could lead to pricing distortion between the exchanges, although the delta between the two price points currently remains within range of its historical average.

That said, the following weeks could threaten the longstanding 99.82% correlation between CME and LME copper prices. Indeed, a wider-than-average delta emerged between LME and CME aluminum prices on Monday. However, this would need to be far more sustained to suggest a meaningful divergence in price trends.

Aside from pricing, the ban could see a shift in open interest between the exchanges. Risks for the LME contract could also lead to an exodus toward the CME, which is already widely used in the U.S. as a contracting benchmark for copper prices.

As with sanctions past, the new ban will not necessarily cut off the supply of Russian metals from global markets. The rising number of buyers who stopped purchasing Russian metal since the war in Ukraine really only served to push the material to other destinations. China became the buyer of last resort, with a steep pickup in imports from Russia compared to historical trade flows.

These new bans will likely trigger further rerouting. SHFE inventories could see a boost as they continue to admit Russian metal no longer accepted by Western exchanges. As a result, the rising volume of discounted Russian metal could impact SHFE prices.

Differing Contangos Between LME, CME Copper Prices

As with all shocks, the market will require time to price in and adjust to the latest shift. This could translate into increased price volatility across exchanges as markets learn the full ramifications of how the sanctions will impact global price discovery and trade flows. The potential divergence of exchange prices remains the largest risk to markets and buyers, although it has yet to become meaningfully apparent.

But while future prices continued to correlate with a negligible delta, primary cash prices began to see a greater divergence between the LME and CME. Though both exchanges show contango, with future prices trending above spot, the spread appeared significantly wider on the LME.

Prior to the recently issued sanctions, the copper price rally came with growing risks to its longevity. Supply fears triggered by smelter cuts in China prompted an increase in bullish bets, particularly among investment funds whose large positions hold outsized impact over price direction. This offered strong momentum, which helped prices break out after they found a bottom in mid-February.

However, the market speculation regarding supply fears lacked underpinning from observable tightness within the market on the LME. Therefore, primary cash prices continued to sag beneath their three-month counterparts, expanding the delta between the two to a staggering $116/mt by April 15. This far outpaces the $11/mt average seen since 2012.

By comparison, the same spread on the CME totaled only $40/mt. The differing contangos were not caused or triggered by the latest sanctions, but they do suggest the existence of differences between the two exchanges. This could prove increasingly important should the sanctions cause the CME to gain greater influence over the market.

By Nichole Bastin

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LINCOLN  Gov. Jim Pillen came up empty-handed Thursday on his quest to reduce property taxes by 40%  or even by about half as much  but immediately told lawmakers he would be calling them back to continue working on the issue.

I will call as many sessions as it takes to finish the long-overdue work of solving the property tax crisis, he said. We will finish this work, and we will finish it this year.

Pillen delivered his message just hours after a scaled-back version of his property tax reduction plan failed without an actual vote. After nearly two hours of debate, the introducer of Legislative Bill 388 opted to skip a vote on the measure after it became apparent it didnt have support from the 33 senators needed to end an opposing filibuster.

Because Thursday was the last day of the session, skipping a vote means the bill effectively died. The bills introducer, State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of the Omaha area, the Revenue Committee chairwoman, said she asked for the vote to be skipped because there were too many variables.

LB 388 would have added taxes on a variety of goods and services and used the revenue to help pay for new school property tax credits, replacing another credit program.

Normally, Linehan said, she would have pushed for votes on bills she introduced, even if the outcome was uncertain. In this case, the bills supporters included some senators who are up for re-election this year, and she said didnt want to put their prospects at risk without being sure the measure would pass.

Do you make them take a leap when it might not matter? Linehan asked.

But Pillen, in his end-of-session speech, chastised lawmakers for failing to pass his property tax plan, calling it unacceptable. He did not say when he might call them back into special session.

Because of this Legislatures inaction this morning, Nebraskans will not see a penny of property tax relief out of this session, he said, adding that every Nebraskan agrees we must broaden our sales tax base and close the loopholes.

Tax bills impact would have been limited

Despite the governors assertion, Nebraskans will continue to get most of the property tax relief that LB 388 would have provided, although it will be in a different form.

Earlier, his staff had estimated the bill he supported would have reduced property tax payments about 22%. But that figure counted the effects of other property tax measures passed last year. For most property owners, LB 388 would have meant writing a smaller check when property taxes were due but no additional relief over the course of the year.

The net impact would have been limited because the new credits would have meant the end of a property tax relief program that offers income tax credits to offset school property taxes paid. Property owners who have taken advantage of that program would have seen no net savings, although they would have gotten the savings upfront and avoided the hassle of claiming income tax credits months later.

Property owners who havent taken advantage of the income tax credits would have come out ahead, since their property tax bills would have gone down.

Pillen spokeswoman Laura Strimple had described the changes in LB 388 as part of the foundation for property tax reform and a great first step.

Several groups mounted a last-minute advertising barrage against the plan. The ads urged lawmakers to kill LB 388 because of its proposed tax increases. Supporters of the bill alleged the ads were manipulative and lied to the public.

This week, lie after lie after lie has been told about 388, said Sen. Brad von Gillern of the Omaha area.

But senators opposed to LB 388 said Thursday that the legislation would have been one of the biggest tax increases in Nebraska history. Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln also said lawmakers didnt have a clear idea of what they were voting on since the bill went through several major changes before the current version was proposed late in the session.

Conrad equated supporting the bill to jumping off a cliff.

She said later that she thought it was an odd political choice for Pillen to spend most of his remarks talking about what he felt were the Legislatures failures. Rather than reprimanding senators, she said, he and others should focus on figuring out a solution and building a consensus.

State senators dont appreciate being lectured by other branches of government, Conrad said.

Sales taxes wont go up  for now

LB 388 would have imposed sales taxes on pop and candy, veterinary care and other services for pets, lottery tickets, storage services and dry cleaning. It would have put a 20% tax on vaping products, a 25% tax on CBD and hemp products, a 7.5% tax on digital advertising services offered by businesses with gross revenues of more than $1 billion and an additional 36 cents on a pack of cigarettes.

Pillen started out the year by calling for a 40% reduction in property tax payments. To pay for the cuts, he floated the idea of a 2-cent increase in the sales tax rate, plus adding taxes to several goods and services.

The Revenue Committee advanced LB 388 with a 1-cent sales tax hike and a shorter list of goods and services to be taxed. That proposal would have achieved about a 30% property tax reduction.

But the proposed sales tax increase had become the target of heavy lobbying from business groups, anti-tax advocacy groups and think tanks of varying political stripes. The strong opposition threatened to sink the bill, leading to the scaled-back version that was before lawmakers on Thursday. The current version did not include a sales tax rate hike.

While multiple supporters acknowledged they felt LB 388 wasnt perfect, they urged lawmakers to pass the measure as a step in the right direction for property tax relief.

Lets at least do something to address the property tax problem, said Sen. Mike Moser of Columbus.

Conrad argued that senators shouldnt fear the special session that Pillen says he will call, but embrace the opportunity to figure out a potentially better tax plan.

Theres no problem with starting from scratch, Conrad said.

Linehan said the success of a special session on property taxes will depend on the monthly revenue reports that come out between now and then. For now, she said she is hopeful.

The Revenue Committee will be working all summer now, Linehan said.

Other tax bills passed on final day

Lawmakers passed some other tax packages Thursday. Among the highlights of those measures:

Homestead exemptions. Homeowners who qualify for homestead exemptions could keep those exemptions if their income did not change but their home valuation increased, under LB 126. The bill, introduced by Sen. Jen Day of Omaha, passed with unanimous consent. It also would allow homeowners to keep their exemption while living in nursing homes or other facilities if they are expected to return home.

Federal retirement. Nebraska would not tax benefits paid to federal retirees covered by the Civil Service Retirement System but would reinstate state income taxes for other federal retirees under LB 1317, passed 49-0. The bill would reverse a law passed last year that exempted both groups. Linehan said the intent of the previous law was to provide fairness for federal employees who had started before 1984 and were not able to participate in Social Security, which is newly tax-exempt in the state.

New residents. People moving to Nebraska for jobs paying at least $70,000 a year but not more than $250,000 could get a one-time income tax exemption under LB 1023, passed 49-0. The bill, introduced by von Gillern, would also give income tax credits for employers who pay moving costs for such employees.

Crisis pregnancy centers. Tax credits would be offered for donations to crisis pregnancy centers under LB 937, passed 45-0. The bill would allow up to $500,000 in credits for donations the first year and up to $1 million in following years.

Caregiver credits. LB 937, introduced by Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln, also would give tax credits to people caring for elderly or disabled family members and to people hiring or providing services to people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Other credits would be offered for making movies or videos in Nebraska and installing reverse osmosis systems in homes.

Not passed. One tax measure did not pass, however, after opponents mounted a last-minute filibuster and it became apparent that LB 1363 lacked support. Introduced by Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha, the bill would have raised the documentary stamp tax on real estate sales by 44%. It would have used part of the revenue to make possible a reduction in inheritance taxes.
China's navy to open barracks to public to mark founding anniversary

Xinhua) 09:56, April 18, 2024

BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy will hold open day events in multiple coastal cities including Qingdao around April 23 to mark the 75th anniversary of its founding.

From April 20 to 24, the public in Qingdao will be able to tour the missile destroyers Guiyang, Shijiazhuang and Kaifeng, missile frigate Handan, supply ship Kekexilihu, and submarine rescue vessel Hongzehu at the pier 3 and the Qingdao International Sailing Center pier. Visitors will also have the chance to interact with members of the Navy.

Most of the vessels have been involved in major missions such as escort mission in the Gulf of Aden, overseas port visits and joint exercises.

In addition to Qingdao, the navy said it would organize simultaneous open day activities at its barracks in other cities, including Dalian, Yantai, Ningbo, Wuhan, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Haikou and Sanya.

Online reservation channels have opened for the public to book visits to the naval ships during the scheduled open day events.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
Six new plant species have been discovered in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, according to the Guangxi Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmaceutical Science.

The six new species, namely Vernicia calcicola, Paraphlomis caloneura, Mitreola quanruii, Walsura guangxiensis, Lysimachia cavicola and Aletris guangxiensis, were found during the fourth national survey of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) resources and Guangxi's first grass and shrub germplasm resources survey.

The relevant research was published in the scientific journals Phytotaxa, Systematic Botany and PhytoKeys, in 2023 and 2024.

Hu Renchuan, a member of the research team and an associate researcher from the Guangxi Key Laboratory of TCM Quality Standards, said that the main varieties of Vernicia, or tung oil tree, have been mainly grown in areas of China with acidic soil, but the new species Vernicia calcicola was discovered in limestone areas along the China-Vietnam boundary in Guangxi. He said the discovery can contribute to industries that use the tung oil tree and the cultivation of new tung varieties, as well as providing a new method to control desertification in limestone areas.

Huang Yunfeng, another team member and vice head of Guangxi Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmaceutical Science, said that Aletris guangxiensis was discovered at a relatively low altitude of 320 meters above sea level, while the genus it belongs to generally grows in higher altitude areas. Thus the discovery has certain significance to research on the phytogeography and population diversity of the genus.

The discovery of the new species further enriches China's biodiversity resources, contributing to further research on the relevant plant's ecological functions, economic value and medicinal functions, according to the research team.
Nebraska Republican U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts and Deb Fischer both condemned the party-line vote Wednesday that dismissed impeachment charges against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

The Senates Democratic majority moved to rule both impeachment articles against Mayorkas unconstitutional because they did not rise to the level of "high crimes and misdemeanors." After a 51-49 vote, the trial was quickly adjourned.

For 227 years, the Senate held a trial when the House presented impeachment articles, Ricketts said in a statement. By refusing to do so now with Secretary Mayorkas, Senate Democrats have shamefully put politics over exercising the impeachment trial authority granted to the Senate in our Constitution.

Im disappointed in my Democrat colleagues for abandoning their constitutional duty, silencing the voices of millions by refusing to hold a trial and denying senators the right to fully consider the charges against Secretary Mayorkas, Fischer said in a statement.

Neither senator said expressly they would have voted to remove the cabinet secretary if there had been a full trial.

But like most Republican lawmakers, Ricketts and Fischer have sharply criticized the number of illegal crossings and humanitarian crisis at the U.S. southern border with Mexico, blaming the administration of President Joe Biden. Ricketts has accused Biden and Mayorkas of abusing the humanitarian parole system and willfully refusing to enforce immigration laws.

Its long past time for this administration to be held accountable, especially Secretary Mayorkas, Fischer said.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of April 2024
Senator Adeleke has been declared the duly elected governor of Osun State by the Tribunal.

Frank Mba, force spokesman, confirmed Adelekes arrest to TheCable, saying he would be charged to court on Tuesday.

In a statement on Monday, the campaign organisation said Adeleke had honoured an invitation at the force headquarters in Abuja before he was detained.

We alert the public, diplomatic and democracy community worldwide that the Nigerian Police has arrested and detained Senator Ademola Adeleke on old trumped up charges of certificate and testimonial forgery, the statement read.

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The Lagos State Ministry of Health has confirmed four new cases of coronavirus in Lagos.

The Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, disclosed the news while addressing journalists at the state secretariat today.

According to him, 19 tests were performed on suspected cases and contacts of the five cases announced on Wednesday, out of which four turned positive.

READ: Coronavirus: Wake Up And Prepare For The Worse  WHO Tells Africa After Recording 17 Deaths In 24 Hours

The first patient to test positive is a Nigerian lady who returned from France via a Turkish airline (TK 1830) on March 14.

The second case is a Nigerian male in his 50s who had never travelled anywhere. He tested positive and has been admitted.

ALSO READ: China Reports No New Domestic Cases Of Coronavirus For The First Time Since Outbreak Began

The third case is a Nigerian man who arrived Nigeria on March 13, from Frankfurt, Germany via Luftansa flight LH 568.

He also disclosed that they are currently tracking over 1,300 people who were exposed to this new cases.

This is a breaking news.more details later
Operatives of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamus Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in Ogun State, have arrested a 37-year-old herbalist, Libaq Alabade, for allegedly using human parts to do money rituals.

Some of the human parts recovered from the suspect include a

severed human leg, which the IRT detectives preserved in kerosene in a plastic container, to prevent decay.

Following a tip off by an undisclosed source, that a certain herbalist in Ajuwon community in Ifo, Ogun State, was allegedly using human parts for herbal medicine, including money rituals, the leader of the IRT team in Abuja, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari, ordered the Ogun State IRT coordinator, DSP Babalola Adekunle, to fish him out.

Adekunle subsequently led a team of detectives to arrest the herbalist in the house he built for his late wife in Ajunwon, Ifo, on February 15.

During the mission, the team recovered human parts, including the severed leg of a female and male said to have been used for money rituals.

Further findings revealed that Alabade owns many houses in the community, some of which are littered with shallow graves, from where he allegedly exhumes corpses to extract preferred human parts for ritual purposes.

Reacting to his arrest, the suspect, however, maintained that he was innocent. He said: This is a total set up by my known enemy, a fellow herbalist, named Segun. He had once told me that he would deal with me for exposing him to the police.

I was doing security work as an OPC member. I used to help police to identify some of these dangerous elements in our society. Even in our association meetings, I used to emphasise these problems.

Segun told me that he would show me for helping the police to arrest him. Yes, I used to inform the police of their atrocities because I cherish a decent society and I have value for human lives. He just set me up.

I was arrested for killing people for rituals. I have not killed anybody. We have two graves in my compound. I have seven wives. Three died. I have five children.

My work is simple; I have medicine for manpower, that can make a man strong for 30 minutes of s*x. One goes for N2,000  N2,500.
BLOOMINGTON  Authorities have identified a man found deceased in a ditch Tuesday morning in Dry Grove Township, northwest of Bloomington-Normal.

In a Thursday news release, McLean County Coroner Kathleen Yoder identified the man as Ronald W. Thrasher Jr., 48, of Bloomington.

Preliminary autopsy results indicate Thrasher died of multiple gunshot wounds, Yoder said. Toxicology testing is still pending.

The death investigation has now been opened as a homicide investigation, according to the news release.

Deputies with the McLean County Sheriff's Office were dispatched at approximately 6:40 a.m. Tuesday to the area of 900 East Road and 1650 North Road for reports of a person laying in a ditch.

Upon arrival, deputies found an unresponsive male dead in the ditch and deployed all available resources to the scene.

In addition to the coroner, the Illinois State Police Crime Scene Unit was also requested, the Tuesday news release said.

This incident remains under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Lt. Jason Tuttle at 309-888-5928 or Det. Rivera at 309-888-4940.
The Coalition of Aggrieved Customers of Menzgold has submitted a petition to the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice to investigate the reported sale of frozen properties of Nana Appiah Mensah aka NAM1, the Chief Executive Officer of the defunct company.



The petition, filed yesterday, raises questions about the alleged sale of properties formerly owned by NAM1 which were confiscated by law enforcement agencies, including the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).



The coalition is calling for investigation into how NAM1 allegedly managed to sell off the listed properties despite a court order freezing the disposition of the properties.



The properties listed in the petition and alleged to have been sold off in spite of the court order include Zylofone Media/Zylofone Arts Complex, Brew Marketing Consult at Kasoa Ofaakor and Richester Hotel, located at East Legon in Accra.



The petition added that, As customers, we are appalled by this act of impunity on the part of NAM1 and Menzgold and alarmed by the alacrity with which these properties are being sold.



We therefore call on your esteemed office to respectfully investigate this matter and let justice prevail, they pleaded.



NAM1, Menzgold Ghana Limited and Brew Marketing Consult Ghana Limited are facing 39 counts of defrauding by false pretence, inducing members of the public to invest and money laundering.



An initial charge sheet filed before the court accused the three of inducing members of the public to invest a total of GH1,680,920,000.



That figure has significantly dropped to GH340,835,650, which the three are said to have induced customers into investing due mainly to the fact that some of the complainants are not willing to testify.



The prosecution has closed its case after calling eight (8) witnesses, and counsel for the accused has been given an opportunity to file a submission of case to answer.

Source: dailyguidenetwork.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Atik Mohammed has called on the Police to arrest all persons involved in the attack on Naval personnel at Tema New Town in the Greater Accra Region.



The incident happened on Friday, April 12, 2024, during a street procession organized by the youth as part of the annual Kplejoo festival.



Tensions escalated when the youth reached the Eastern Naval Command and this resulted in a violent confrontation where the civilians attacked the Naval base destroying their properties.



Following the incident, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has issued a stern warning to the youth to abstain from such actions or they will be met with appropriate response.



We wish, however, to caution the youth of Tema that any further attacks on our installations or personnel would be met with the appropriate response, the Military warned in a statement.



Addressing the issue on Peace FMs Kokrokoo show, Atik Mohammed further cautioned the youth to heed the warning by the Military stressing it is not for fun that we have declared some places as security zones and that attacking the Military calls for a response that the youth will live to regret.



I think we are taking the friendliness for grantedand its not helpful, he lamented.



He stated that should the youth take the Naval personnel or soldiers for granted and resort to attacks on them next time, Im not sure we will be here lamenting the audacious activity or actions of these youth. We will be discussing how many people lost their limbs, how many people are in the hospital and so on and these are things we can prevent.



The former PNC General Secretary wondered why the Police havent arrested most of the perpetrators, stating they need to launch a thorough investigation into the incident and ensure no youth who engaged in the clash is spared to serve as deterrent to others.



They should arrest them and bring them before our courts for justice, he asserted.













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
Several bridges and structures across the Odaw channel have been earmarked for reconstruction or removal to allow for the free flow of rainwater to prevent perennial flooding in the capital.



The identified bridges - the Railroad bridge at Odawna, Graphic Road bridge, Abossey Okai bridge, near the Central Mosque, Agbogbloshie bridge and the Dome Pillar Two bridge - are plagued with engineering defects that make them obstruct the free flow of rainwater into the Odaw drain.



They are to be reconstructed as part of the $200 million World Bank-funded GARID project which was rolled out to address the perennial flooding in Accra. In addition, two small bridges at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle have also been proposed for removal from the Odaw drain.



The Coordinator of the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) project, Dr Kwadwo Ohene Sarfoh, said the bridges were identified in a Flood Hazard and Risk Assessment conducted in 2019 to determine the causes of perennial flooding in Accra.



There are bridges that have been constructed such that they fall within the basin depth; so when the water levels are rising within the basin, the bridges rather become obstructions at some point, he explained.



In the aftermath of the flood disaster that claimed about 200 lives in Accra on June 3, 2015, the Greater Accra Climate Risk Mitigation Strategy was put together in 2019, seeking to improve drainage and make the city resilient to flooding.



Subsequently, the $200 million GARID project was rolled out to address the obstacles to perennial flooding by investing in the Odaw basin to hold back the volume of flow and increase the efficiency of the drainage infrastructure.



Report



The Flood Hazard and Risk Assessment that was conducted as part of the Accra Climate Risk Mitigation Strategy revealed that some bridges constructed over sections of the Odaw drain were overtopped by floods or blocked the flow of water which piled-up debris.



The report recommended that bridges within the channel which obstructed the flow of water should be raised, removed or widened to eliminate the backwater effect. Dr Sarfoh stressed that those bridges were not helpful to the free flow of water and contributed significantly to the perennial flooding in Accra.



Tributaries expansion



He said tributaries of the Odaw drain, including the Nima drain, were narrow and needed to be widened or reconstructed. For instance, he said the Nima drain, which ran from the Opeibea area at the Airport and meanders its way through Nima, Asylum Down, Kwame Nkrumah Circle, into the Odaw drain was too small to carry the volumes of runoff water that was conveyed into the Odaw channel when it rained.



At the terminal point, it enters the Odaw at 90 degrees - that is how it was constructed. Because of the way it was constructed, it always has a backwater effect, he said. Dr Sarfoh added that as part of the GARID project, the drains were being widened to enhance the flow of water into the main Odaw drain.



He said they were also changing the angle at which the Nima drain entered the main Odaw drain to ensure ease of flow and more capacity to take runoff water. The GARID coordinator added that a similar intervention was being considered for the Kaneshie tributary.



Siltation



Dr Sarfoh added that apart from the removal of materials that obstructed the flow of water, the GARID project had also rolled out a programme to routinely evacuate silted drains in the Odaw basin.



For some time now, there has not been a programmed approach to consistently dredge the river. We are doing that under the GARID through the performance-based contractual approach to dredging, he said.



He explained that under the performance-based dredging contracts, contractors would be paid based on the performance of the drain rather than the volume of waste extracted from the drains.



The GARID coordinator added that the project was seeking technical assistance from the Netherlands to support in implementing the new dredging regime. There is an ongoing conversation for strengthening the capacity of the Ghana Hydrological Authority (GHA) to be able to deliver on the new dredging regime.



Once we get it right, it can be extended to all drainage projects to ensure that the contractor is not just focused on extracting sand or sediments but also ensuring the proper functioning of the drain, he said.



He added that the new dredging arrangement provided an incentive for the contractor to recover sand that could be reused.

Source: graphiconline









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Featured Video
This aerial photo taken on Dec. 29, 2023 shows the No. 1 launch pad of Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site in Wenchang, south China's Hainan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

China will continue to promote the healthy and rapid development of its commercial space industry by creating a good environment and expanding the scale of the industry, with standardized supervision and management, a senior official of the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said Wednesday.

Last year's Central Economic Work Conference called for nurturing strategic emerging industries such as the commercial space industry, and this year's government work report proposed to actively build the commercial space industry as a new growth engine, both showing that China's commercial space industry has entered a new stage, said Lyu Bo, deputy director of the Department of System Engineering of CNSA, at a press conference in Beijing.

At present, nine types of commercial launch vehicles are available for launch services, and a number of enterprises are building constellations consisting of about 100 satellites, he said, adding that the country's first commercial launch site is under construction.

The press conference briefed on the upcoming Space Day of China, which falls on April 24. Its major events will be held in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province.

At the briefing, Guo Bin, a Hubei provincial government official, said that the total output value of the commercial space industry and related industries in the province reached 56 billion yuan (about 7.74 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023.

There are over 300 commercial aerospace and related industry enterprises in Hubei, forming a complete industrial chain covering rocket and satellite development, ground equipment support and satellite operation services, said Guo.

Space technology is widely used in natural resources, emergency management, ecological protection, transportation, agriculture, forestry, water conservancy, smart cities and other fields. The integration of communication, navigation and remote sensing satellite technology with 5G and artificial intelligence has broad prospects for development, Guo said.

The official also explained the development of the commercial space industry in the province, such as the commercial rocket industrial park, the flexible intelligent production line for small satellites, the integrated satellite data platform for public service, and the high precision BeiDou navigation application chip.

Yao Qing, an official with the Wuhan municipal government, told the press that the Wuhan National Aerospace Industry Base aims to achieve the coordinated development of the whole industrial chain by focusing on new launch vehicles, satellite platforms and payloads, ground and terminal products, satellite internet, space-based internet, and other fields.
The Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Sir Sam Jonah, has charged Ghanaian journalists and media practitioners to defend the country's democracy by not keeping quiet on critical issues affecting the country's governance system.



For him, media practitioners in Ghana should be the standard-bearers of objectivity, the architects of informed discourse, and the unyielding defenders of freedom and truth.



He said media practitioners should be "concerned about some disturbing developments in our national discourse," adding that "In this era, where the essence of our democracy and the fabric of our society are tested, let us recommit ourselves to the principles that Ephraim Amu so eloquently espoused."



Sir Sam Jonah was speaking at the launch of the 75th anniversary of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in Accra Today [Wednesday, April 17, 2024.



The 75th anniversary of GJA is being celebrated on the theme: "75 years of excellence in journalism: Past, present, and the future."



He also encouraged media practitioners to use their platforms to speak on issues such as the perceived weaponisation of state agencies against opponents, the creeping assault on freedom of the press, the perceived lack of trust in the dispensation of justice, and the pathetic lack of accountability in the protection of the public purse.



"This is the time for patriots to find their voices," he said, adding "This is the time to be fearless and courageous. We cannot and must not compromise on our defence of the national interest."



For Sir Sam Jonah, "the success of our attempt at a democratic order will depend crucially on how free the press is."

Source: graphic.com.gh









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The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Lt Gen Thomas Oppong Peprah, has assured the management of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) of its readiness to collaborate with them in dealing with security threats along the borders of the country.



The CDS, who made this known when he paid a working visit to the headquarters of the Ghana Immigration Service yesterday in Accra, said such collaboration would help ensure continuous peace in the country.



He said the advent of terrorism in the Sahel which is descending towards some states is an indication that as security forces, we would have to work together to deal with the threat along the borders and ensure the peace and security of the country.



It improves our interoperability through the joint operations and training conducted along the borders, he added.



He mentioned that such collaboration with GIS and other security agencies would not only compensate them for their numbers that would have affected their operations, but also enable them share resources to improve the security of the country.



The CDS stated that the visit has been replicated at the Ghana Police Service, Prisons Service and Fire Service, with the objective of collaboration as well as deepening their relationship given their role in the security architecture of the country.



He also commended the Comptroller General and GIS staff for their continued support and working relationship with the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and other security agencies.



For his part, the Comptroller-General of GIS, Kwame Asuah-Takyi, who applauded the CDS, said the visit signifies the importance of collaboration in national security.



He indicated that the visit also sends a signal about the strong partnership between the security agencies as well as the shared commitment to safeguarding the national borders and protecting the citizens.



According to him, their relationship dates back to the 1970s when the Border Guard unit of the GIS worked closely with the Ghana Armed Forces, collaboration which saw the military supporting and training immigration personnel.



Together, we can enhance border security, intelligence and joint operations. Considering the challenges of migration worldwide, the Ghana Immigration Service believes addressing security matters in relation to cross border activities is very paramount, he added.



Lawyer Asuah-Takyi also promised the CDS of GIS commitment to equally collaborate with GAF to protect citizens and ensure that the countrys borders were adequately secured, adding that its outfit will continue to seek for the assistance of GAF in their operations, especially in the Northern front.



The maiden visit by the CDS also afforded management of both security agencies an avenue to interact and share views on their operations for a sustainable relationship.

Source: dailyguidenetwork.com









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The case in which the Memeber of Parliament for South Dayi, Nelson-Rockson Dafeamekpor is seeking the High Court to compel the Speaker of Parliament and the President to act on the anti-LGBTQ+ bill within 7 days has taken an adjournment to April 29.



The decision comes after both parties requested for a short adjournment.



When the case was called on Thursday, lawyers from the Attorney-General's office were expected to respond to the motion that was moved on April 9 on the point of law, however, a Principal State Attorney, George Tetteh Sackey infomed the court that, they have filed their affidavit in opposition to the motion.



Lawyer for Nelson-Rockson Dafeamekpor, Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo also informed the the court that they had just been served with the affidavit in opposition which they would need time to peruse in order to respond to it.



He also informed the court that, they have presented a letter written to the Presidency by the Clerk of Parliament enquiring which time is appropriate to present the anti-gay bill to the court and A-G's lawyers.



Reacting to the said letter, lawyers from the Attorney-General's office informed the court that, they have been advised by their superiors to seek adjournment to allow them to go through the letter and also respond.



The presiding Judge, Justice Ellen Lordina Serwaa Mireku after listening to both submissions adjourned the case to April 29 for continuation.



Reacting to court proceedings, Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo representing the South Dayi MP said, the adjournment will not affect their request for an expeditious trial.

Source: Philipa Atanga/Court Reporter/Despite Media









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Former President John Dramani Mahama has slammed President Akufo-Addo and vice president Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, describing them as the biggest scam ever seen in Ghanas political space since independence.



Speaking to electorates at Nareligu in the North East region as part of his Building Ghana Tour, the former President and the incumbent Presidential candidate for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), mentioned that, the incumbent government has failed all Ghanaians on every side.



According to him, the Nana Addo-Bawuimia government failed to deliver on their mandate as a government thereby plunging Ghanaians into severe poverty and economic hardship.



Sharing his vision with them, Mr. Mahama mentioned that his government will be a listening one that will have the welfare of every Ghanaian at heart while rendering the needed and necessary services Ghanaian want.



Speaking about the upcoming December 7 general elections, Mr. Mahama bemoaned the electorates to make an informed decision.



According to him, a vote for the New Patriotic Party will be a vote for another four years of gruesome economic turmoil.



He, therefore, admonished the people of the North East region to vote massively for the NDC government in order to restore the fortunes of the country.



Speaking further in Nareligu on Tuesday, April 16, Mr. Mahama said, Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration is the biggest political scam in the history of the 4th republic. Ghanaians are called upon again on 7th December 2024 to exercise their mandate and make a choice. And after what we have gone through in 7 and a half years, it surprises me [that] anybody will still go to the ballot box and say hes going to vote for NPP again.



He further added, Maybe those who have made money under this government, yes, they will go and vote again. But I know that the majority of Ghanaians have seen a reversal in the quality of their lives, in these seven and a half years.



He added that, the Nana Addo government, ever since assuming office has only made himself and his close family rich thereby leaving Ghanaians to wallow in abject poverty. According to him, there were many interventions and solutions that the erstwhile government provided but the current government have mismanaged the economy and the numerous financial resources left.





Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









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Policy think tank Danquah Institute (DI) has emphasised that the governing New Patriotic Partys performance in governance has always resulted in a better debt management, compared to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).



In a second edition of the Institutes planned monthly media encounter held on Wednesday April 17, 2024, dubbed Profiling & Analysis of Ghanas Debt from 2009 to 2023, DI Head of Research, Dr. Frank Bannor, pointed out that, following the attainment of the HIPC completion and external debt relief, Ghana witnessed a remarkable decline in its public debt to GDP ratio, from 182% in 2000 to 32% by the end of 2008.



*Evidential data*



Using statistics and data from the Bank of Ghana and Ministry of Finance, he explained that the public debt, which was recorded at $8.07 billion in 2008, skyrocketed to $29.2 billion by 2016, indicating a more than threefold increase.



This surge, he said, propelled the debt-to-GDP ratio to 73.1% by the close of 2016. He stressed that this represents a growth rate, or an increase of about 261.83% in the total public debt stock under the NDC, from 2009-2016.



Dr. Bannor stressed that this rate of change indicates that on average, the NDC government added 32.75% debt to Ghanas debt stock every year between 2009 to 2016.



He added that this trajectory was even worse between 2012 to 2016. "The public debt, which stood at $15.3 billion in 2011, increased to $29.2 billion by the end of 2016, indicating a growth rate of 90.85% from 2012 to 2016," he pointed out.



He stated that this astronomical increase in the debt stock represents one of the worst management of the public debt in recent times. According to him, the public debt, which stood at $29.2 billion in 2016, had increased to $51.04 billion as at the end of 2023.



*Contrary perception*



He maintained that contrary to public perception, this marks a little over one and half increase in the overall public debt stock under the NPP.



This rate of change, he mentioned, represents an increase of about 74.79% in the total public debt stock, compared to a growth of 262% from 2009 to 2016.



He indicated that, unlike the trajectory between 2009 to 2016, the NPP, on average, has added about 10.68% to Ghanas debt stock every year between 2017 to date. He described it as a rate far lower than the 32.75% witnessed under the NDC.



"We employ the US dollar in our analysis due to its status as the world's primary reserve currency, and its widespread usage in international trade. Furthermore, the US dollar is recognized for its stability, maintaining its unit of account and purchasing power consistently over extended periods," he said.



Another important takeaway from this analysis, he mentioned, was that foreign currency debt carries an exchange rate risk. This implies that the debt stock in local currency terms could even rise with no new borrowings," he stated.



For example, he pointed out that the public debt of $29.2 billion in 2016 would have been the equivalent of about GHc380 billion today without any additional borrowing.



*Why the analysis*



Dr. Bannor said the chosen topic had become necessary because, within local commentary, contrasting viewpoints had emerged to explain the country's debt situation.



He noted that while one perspective attributes Ghana's mounting debt to factors such as corruption, incompetence and mismanagement, casting blame on COVID19, Russian-Ukraine War, and excess energy capacity payments, another faction had directed criticism towards current government and alleging that Government had resorted to borrowing to fulfil populist campaign promises.



These promises, he cited, include initiatives such as the implementation of Free Senior High School (SHS), the restoration of trainee allowances for teachers and nurses, the reduction or abolishment of 'nuisance' taxes, the provision of free or subsidized utilities (water and electricity) during the Covid-19 pandemic, and what some perceive as the ambitious Agenda 111 project aimed at constructing numerous hospitals across the country.



He said the difference in viewpoints underscores the complexity of Ghana's debt situation and the various factors contributing to it  prompting ongoing debate and scrutiny within the public sphere.



"As stated during the maiden edition of our press series, the Danquah Institute remains steadfast in our conviction that a thorough examination and discussion of facts, supported by rigorous research and data are essential in providing the citizens of Ghana with enhanced clarity, information, and context regarding pertinent national issues.



Through our commitment to evidence-based discourse, we strive to foster a more informed and enlightened public discourse that promotes transparency, accountability, and progress in Ghana's socio-political landscape, he added.

Source: Peacefmonline









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Former Director of Communications and a deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho has descended heavily on the flagbearer of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama, describing his actions as the height of ingratitude following the non-acknowledgements to the late President John Evans Atta Mills, in the green book launched by the NDC government.



According to the Chief Executive Officer of the Atta Mills Institute, the flag bearer of the opposition party NDC, has never credited any project in the memory of the late President Fiifi Atta Mills, adding that it was a clear indication of lack of love for the late president.



The Mahama-led NDC government launched their Green Book in 2015 to indicate projects undertaken by the government in order for the public to know how effective and relevant they had been but Koku was of the view that, it is ungrateful people who do not recognise the great works done by their predecessors.



Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' hosted by Kwame Nkrumah 'Tikese' on Thursday, April 18, Koku Anyidoho mentioned that, since former Preesident John Mahama came to power, he never named any project after his late boss.



"John Dramani came to power and stayed in power for his full term but never dedicated any project in the memory of the late John Fiifi Atta Mills. How can this be equated to love? It only means and shows that Mahama never loved John Evans Atta-Mills and that is the truth," he said.



When asked by the host, Kwame Nkrumah, if he had any qualms with former president Mahama, Koku Anyidoho mentioned that, he does not hate the former President but will not relate to him cordially due to the treatment he gave to the late President, John Atta Mills.



Ejisu By-election



Speaking on the Ejisu by-election, Koku Anyidoho added that, he does not see the reason with the party for deciding not to contest in the by-election.



According to him, the decision for the NDC not to contest in the by-election is floored.



"If you claim you will not contest the by-election because the alleged killer of the late MP has not been found, will you take part in the general elections if the said killer is not seen and arrested? How can you say such a thing when the autopsy report showed that, he died of a natural cause and not per the reportage of some people? he asked.



Mr. Anyidoho who revealed that he remains a card bearing member of the NDC opined that the leadership of the party ought to be consistent with their decisions.



Watch Video Below





Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









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Founder and leader for the Movement for Change, John Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen has stated that, Ghana needs a new kind of leadership that will propel the country into becoming one of the economic giants on the continent of Africa and the World at large.



The doyen of Ghanas politics revealed that, Ghanas problems are numerous, thus impeding the smooth transitioning into economic independence. The reason for this, according to Alan Kyerematen, is the leadership Ghana lacks. He added that, Ghana has so much natural resources but the country is not able to harness them properly thereby, creating the constant economic recession in the country.



"How you manage your natural resources can either be a blessing or a curse. The progress of a country depends on the leadership. We need a new type of leadership in our country. This type of leadership must exhibit some enviable characteristics which will elevate the country above the economic hardship."



Elaborating on the leadership, Mr. Kyerematen added that, Ghana has suffered the lack of visionary leaders since the overthrow of Ghanas first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.



"We need a visionary leader who has what it takes to transform the country. If you have the vision yet you lack the competence, then you become just a dreamer. So in addition to the visionary leadership, there is need to possess the requisite competence."



The former Trade and Industry minister in the Akufo-Addo government, added that, Ghana also needs a leader who will be solely accountable to the citizenry.



"When you translate your dreams into concrete projects and programmes, then you need to be accountable to your people.



"If you are a politician an your people vote for you, then the people are putting their trust in you to shape the economy of the nation on their behalf," he said.



During an exclusive interview with Kwame Nkrumah Tikese, host of Okay FMs Ade Akye Abia, the venerable politician Ghana, through his innovative leadership, will be placed on the highest pedestal of economic freedom.



As part of his tour, Alan Kyerematen noted that, it will only take a bold leader to go to the market men and women and interact with them, adding that, that is the only way the leader can get the actual message of the citizens.



Speaking on industrialisation, the Movement for Change convener, added his industrialisation agenda will avoid the unnecessary export of Ghanas mineral resources as well as the raw materials.



In addition to that, the making of Ghana into an industrial state will reduce drastically the overwhelming unemployment issues amongst the youth.



Speaking in relation to the upcoming general elections, Mr. Keyermanten noted that the duopoly of NDC/NPP have set the country at a standstill.



According to him, the narrative ought to change so that Ghanaians can smile again after years of enduring economic turmoil.



He added that, China transformed their economy within 32 years but questioned why Ghana, after 32 years of enjoying a democratically elected government, still wallow in poverty and move cup in hand, begging for foreign aids and interventions.



Watch Interview Below





Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









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Reputable security company in the country, Response 1 in collaboration with it's brand ambassador Afua Asantewaa O Aduonum have rolled out an initiative dubbed -Safe Community Outreach Project



To response 1, in the heart of Ghana's vibrant communities lie a shared commitment to safety, resilience, and unity.



It is an initiative dedicated to fostering a culture of safety and empowerment among all residents.



Themed 'Building a safer and a better community' the community Policing Unit of the Ghana Police Service is playing a key role in ensuring that the initiative succeeds.



Also paramount to the Response 1 its brand ambassador Afua Asantewaa is the installation of CCTV cameras and street lights projects to every community they visit.



In a presentation ceremony at Adamrabe near Oyibi, Response 1 brand ambassador Afua Asantewaa said "At the core of our program is the belief that safety is a collective responsibilityone that transcends boundaries and unites us in our shared goal of creating a secure and supportive environment for everyone. With this vision in mind."



"Response 1 and l have embarked on a journey to engage, educate, and empower individuals and families to take an active role in safeguarding their community."



She added that through a multifaceted approach, the Safe Community Outreach Program aims to address a wide range of safety concerns, from crime prevention and emergency preparedness to road safety and electronic security.



She noted "By harnessing the power of collaboration and community engagement, we strive to build strong partnerships with local organisations, law enforcement agencies, schools, businesses, and residents to tackle safety challenges head-on."



"Our program is more than just a series of workshops or eventsit's a movement that empowers individuals to make informed decisions, build resilience, and create positive change.



"From educational workshops and community events to youth engagement initiatives and resource distribution efforts, we are committed to equipping residents with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to stay safe and thrive.



"Together, we can build a safer, stronger, and more resilient communityone where safety is not just a priority, but a way of life. Join us in our mission to create a community where everyone feels safe, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.



Mankralo of Adamrabe Nana Agyei Nyarko, commended Response 1 highly for the initiative.



In like manner, Oyibi police commander Bernice Gyamfi lauded Response 1 for the outreach initiative, and pledged her outfit's support.



The initiative has received massive support from the Community Policing Unit of the Ghana Police Service

















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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

Quantum technology is based on the engineering of devices that make use of the quantum properties of matter. One of the most prominent avenues of this technology is quantum computing, which may be able to leverage quantum bits (qubits) to perform calculations more efficiently than classical computers. Technology with this "quantum advantage" will also operate in the background of our lives, providing ultra-secure communications and high-precision sensors and clocks.

The applications of quantum technology have led to a boom in investment worldwide, with this technology expected to have a huge societal impact. But to maintain this burgeoning industry, it is crucial that graduates with training in quantum technology enter the workforce. Plus, for the European Union to stay ahead in the quantum tech race, the workforce must assemble on a much shorter timescale than the three to five years (or more) of a Ph.D. program.

In a paper in EPJ Quantum Technology, author Simon Goorney, from Aarhus University, Denmark, and his co-authors describe the development of Open Master, a new form of transnational education, that could serve as a means of enhancing accessibility to specialist expertise in quantum technology.

The ultimate goal of the pilot scheme, which operated over the academic year of 2021 to 2022, was to use the experience to conceptualize a model for the future of quantum technology education.

Through research conducted during the setup and operation of a pan-European pilot project dubbed the QTEdu Open Master (QTOM), the team examined the viability of this educational model and its capacity to offer flexible learning opportunities to STEM Master's students through the setup and year-long operation of an online course exchange platform.

"QTOM was an experimental pilot project of the Quantum Flagship's education community. It was run by a group of volunteers from universities across Europe, with the goal being to explore and develop a model for the future of higher education in quantum technology," Goorney said. "QTOM was a great success, as the model, the open master, has formed the basis of a 17.6 million Euro project in which many new Master's programs are being developed."

Goorney explained that the open master model is characterized by an ecosystem of courses shared across borders, accessible for students of any STEM (or even non-STEM) degree program to study for credit.

"It is the 'for credit' part which was the greatest challenge for QTOM because the majority of students were taking courses from outside of their university, even their country," he continued. "They then had to go back to their local representative, who had to find a way to grant them credits for studying in this format. We call that process local accreditation, referring to the process of generating credit for external courses."

According to Goorney, the creativity of institutions and teaching staff in creating these local accreditation models came as a big surprise, demonstrating how large of a factor in the success of QTOM was the degree of support provided to the partners by their departments and administration.

The authors say that the central message of the QTOM pilot is that the very process of engaging with such an international experiment generates value independent purely of its degree of success. In their case, it may have helped in some way towards building the European quantum industry.

More information: Simon Goorney et al, The Quantum Technology Open Master: widening access to the quantum industry, EPJ Quantum Technology (2024). DOI: 10.1140/epjqt/s40507-024-00217-1

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Fire count in the Brazilian Amazon in 20192021. a) Weekly sum of expected fire (black line) with confidence intervals (shaded gray) and observed fire count (red bars) in 2019, 2020 and 2021 across the Brazilian Amazon. b) Cumulative expected fire count (dashed line) with confidence intervals (shaded) and observed fire count (solid line) for 2019 (blue), 2020 (red) and 2021 (yellow). Credit: Communications Earth & Environment (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s43247-024-01344-4

In response to the escalating fire crises in the Amazon, a timely study has revealed alarming shortcomings in the emergency fire bans implemented by the Brazilian Government. Initially seen as a promising solution in 2019, these bans have consistently fallen short in subsequent years, revealing a pressing need for strategies that address the underlying causes of each type of fire.

Dr. Manoela Machado, a postdoctoral researcher at the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford and also at the Woodwell Climate Research Center, and the lead author of the study, said, "Emergency fire bans are not a standalone solution for the fire crises; they can be effective when strategically implemented and rigorously enforced during critical periods to prevent ignitions, but to solve the crises, we need measures that address the motivations behind different types of fires and, most crucially, focus on stopping deforestation."

The Amazon plays an essential role in regulating global climate patterns, supporting biodiversity, and sustaining local and Indigenous communities. The persistent inability to effectively manage these fires not only jeopardizes the ecological integrity of the Amazon but also intensifies global climate change and negatively impacts human health and well-being.

Dr. Erika Berenguer, a co-author of the study, said, "When deforestation or pasture fires escape into surrounding forests, they can kill up to 50% of the trees, considerably contributing to both the climate and the biodiversity crises. It is imperative to halt these other fire types in order to avoid burning Amazonian forests."

The study, published in Communications Earth & Environment, underscores the urgent need for strong political commitment ahead of the next burning season, anticipated to peak in July and August and likely worsened by recent El Nino conditions. Dr. Machado said, "A drier and hotter climate favors the spread of fires, so it's crucial to prevent ignitions when the environment is most fire-prone."

The study highlights the inadequacy of reactive measures and the critical need for a shift toward proactive, comprehensive strategies, which include targeted interventions, effective landscape management, engaged community involvement, robust public awareness campaigns, and crucially, stopping deforestation.

Co-author Dr. Imma Oliveras Menor added, "Future directions should take into account the important role of social actors such as Indigenous and local communities, and establish effective multi-stakeholder communication and interoperability."

More information: Manoela S. Machado et al, Emergency policies are not enough to resolve Amazonia's fire crises, Communications Earth & Environment (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s43247-024-01344-4 Journal information: Communications Earth & Environment
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Substantive effects of group membership on projected lethality (95% CI). Credit: Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict (2024). DOI: 10.1080/17467586.2024.2315411

Extremist groups like the Ku Klux Klan and the Proud Boys have long been an ugly undercurrent of American culture. But despite these groups' hateful rhetoric, their ranks have largely refrained from committing violent acts over the past three decades, according to research conducted by Andrew Vitek, associate teaching professor of political science and director of the Department of Political Science's counterterrorism option at Penn State.

Using the University of Maryland's Profiles of Individual Radicalization in the United States (PIRUS) dataset, Vitek analyzed a pool of 1,064 individuals found guilty of ideologically motivated crimes between 1990 and 2017.

He found that those who were involved in formal organizations were significantly less likely to commit a terrorist act because the groups have a vested interest in keeping their membership out of legal trouble. He published the study findings in the journal Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict.

The study draws a distinction between acts of extreme violence, or what Vitek calls indiscriminate violence, and other forms of violence that may not bring the same amount of attention from law enforcement.

"We tend to fixate on events like Jan. 6, 2021, but that's not indicative of what domestic terrorism in this country looks like," Vitek said. "It looks like the Buffalo grocery store shooting. It looks like the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh. It looks like lone actors with automatic weapons attacking soft targets in mass shooting events.

"The article adds to what researchers on violent extremism have been saying for a long timethese movements aren't encapsulated within specific groups," Vitek added. "If you're trying to understand the vectors and pathways of violent radicalization, it's not enough to look at hate groups or formal organizations that are advocating hate. These movements are highly decentralized and not dependent on a particular organization."

Through PIRUS, a cataloging of individuals in the U.S. convicted of ideologically motivated crimes, Vitek broke down the types of crimes committedeverything from planned terror attacks to drunken brawls to violent rhetoricand examined the organizational affiliations of the perpetrators.

From there, he looked at the organizations in the context of law enforcement responses and research highlighting the strategic shift within the white power movement, including the concept of leaderless resistance, where the legal and paramilitary wings of an extremist group are kept separate. The concept came from law enforcement's extensive targeting of extremist organizations during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

"During this period, many of these groups were infiltrated, a number of their key leaders were either arrested or killed, and there were numerous shootouts and standoffs with the FBI," Vitek said.

"The general consensus that these groups formed was that to avoid being targeted by law enforcement, the visible elements of the organization needed to be completely compartmentalized from any kind of violent activitybecause violent activity brings the feds. If one of the members starts messing around, that's when the feds start looking at you and the organization becomes exposed in ways that could threaten its entire existence."

Of course, Vitek noted, the groups continued to engage in violent rhetoric. And thanks to the internet, there became less of a need for those with extremist views to join formal organizations.

"You don't need to attend a Klan meeting to be exposed to white power propagandayou just need to be on the right websites," he said.

The findings show that those who committed hate crimes during the study period were more likely to be lone actors, or those working within unofficial small groups of extremists, as was the case with Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh.

Vitek also cited Dylan Roof, the mass shooter who killed nine African Americans at Charleston, South Carolina's Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in 2015. In his manifesto, Roof said literature published by an extremist group played a role in his radicalization.

"That group gave very clear public statements'Hey, this guy is not a member of our organization. All we did was tell him the truth about Black on white crime,'" Vitek said. "Putting that propaganda out there is chum in the water for these lone actors."

Many extremist groups avoid publicity, while others are what Vitek calls "semi-public facing," like the Oath Keepers militia, which, like the Proud Boys, had several of its members charged and convicted of seditious conspiracy for their role in the Jan. 6 mob attack on the U.S. Capitol Building.

If anything, Vitek said, events like Jan. 6 and the 2017 Charlottesville "Unite the Right" white nationalist rally have re-emphasized the need for caution among public-facing extremist groups.

"Combating violent extremism is going to come down to research that's being done on tools of counter-radicalization as well as a lot more digital and media literacy," Vitek said.

More information: Andrew Vitek, Keeping up appearances: US domestic extremist organizations and the effects of membership on domestic terrorism perpetrators, Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict (2024). DOI: 10.1080/17467586.2024.2315411
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Land subsidence is overlooked as a hazard in cities, according to scientists from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Virginia Tech. Writing in the journal Science, Prof Robert Nicholls of the Tyndall Center for Climate Change Research at UEA and Prof Manoochehr Shirzaei of Virginia Tech and United Nations University for Water, Environment and Health, Ontario, highlight the importance of a new research paper analyzing satellite data that accurately and consistently maps land movement across China.

While they say in their comment article that consistently measuring subsidence is a great achievement, they argue it is only the start of finding solutions. Predicting future subsidence requires models that consider all drivers, including human activities and climate change, and how they might change with time.

The research paper, published in the same issue, considers 82 cities with a collective population of nearly 700 million people. The results show that 45% of the urban areas that were analyzed are sinking, with 16% falling at a rate of 10mm a year or more.

Nationally, roughly 270 million urban residents are estimated to be affected, with nearly 70 million experiencing rapid subsidence of 10mm a year or more. Hotspots include Beijing and Tianjin.

Coastal cities such as Tianjin are especially affected as sinking land reinforces climate change and sea-level rise. The sinking of sea defenses is one reason why Hurricane Katrina's flooding brought such devastation and death-toll to New Orleans in 2005.

ShanghaiChina's biggest cityhas subsided up to 3m over the past century and continues to subside today. When subsidence is combined with sea-level rise, the urban area in China below sea level could triple in size by 2120, affecting 55 to 128 million residents. This could be catastrophic without a strong societal response.

"Subsidence jeopardizes the structural integrity of buildings and critical infrastructure and exacerbates the impacts of climate change in terms of flooding, particularly in coastal cities where it reinforces sea-level rise," said Prof Nicholls, who was not involved in the study, but whose research focuses on sea-level rise, coastal erosion and flooding, and how communities can adapt to these changes.

The subsidence is mainly caused by human action in the cities. Groundwater withdrawal, which lowers the water table is considered the most important driver of subsidence, combined with geology and weight of buildings.

In Osaka and Tokyo, groundwater withdrawal was stopped in the 1970s and city subsidence has ceased or greatly reduced, showing this is an effective mitigation strategy. Traffic vibration and tunneling are potentially also a local contributing factorBeijing has sinking of 45mm a year near subways and highways. Natural upward or downward land movement also occurs but is generally much smaller than human-induced changes.

While human-induced subsidence was known in China before this study, Profs Nicholls and Shirzaei say these new results reinforce the need for a national response. This problem happens in susceptible cities outside China and is a widespread problem across the world.

They call for the research community to move from measurement to understanding implications and supporting responses. The new satellite measurements are delivering new detailed subsidence data but the methods to use this information to work with city planners to address these problems need much more development. Affected coastal cities in China and more widely need particular attention.

"Many cities and areas worldwide are developing strategies for managing the risks of climate change and sea-level rise," said Prof Nicholls. "We need to learn from this experience to also address the threat of subsidence which is more common than currently recognized."

More information: Robert J. Nicholls, Assessing and responding to human-induced subsidence, Science (2024). DOI: 10.1126/science.ado9986. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ado9986 Zurui Ao et al, A national-scale assessment of land subsidence in China's major cities, Science (2024). DOI: 10.1126/science.adl4366 , www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl4366? Journal information: Science
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A drought that pushed millions of people into hunger across southern Africa has been driven mostly by the El Nino weather patternnot climate change, scientists said on Thursday.

Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi have declared a national disaster over the severe dry spell that started in January and has devastated the agricultural sector, decimating crops and pastures.

Appealing for almost $900 million in aid this week, Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema linked the lack of rains to climate change.

But scientists at the World Weather Attribution (WWA) research group found global warming had little to do with it.

"Over the past year, attribution studies have shown that many extreme weather events have been driven by a combination of both climate change and El Nino," said Joyce Kimutai, of Imperial College London.

"The southern Africa drought appears to be a rarer example of an event fueled primarily by El Nino."

In a study focusing on Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique, researchers analyzed historical weather data for the period from December to Februarythe peak of the rainy season.

They found rainfall has actually increased in the region as the planet warms.

But effective precipitation has remained the same, likely because higher temperatures lead to more water evaporation, they said.

On the other hand, El Nino, a recurring natural weather phenomenon, brought fewer showers, increasing the likelihood of severe droughts, the data showed.

"Together, the results indicate that El Nino, rather than human-caused climate change, was the main driver of the southern Africa drought this year," the group said.

El Nino corresponds to the large-scale warming of surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean.

It occurs on average every two to seven years, leading to hotter weather globally.

Episodes typically last nine to 12 months.

The current El Nino emerged in mid-2023 and is expected to affect temperatures until May.

Earlier this month, aid agency Oxfam said more than 20 million people faced hunger and malnutrition across southern Africa because of the drought.

Water shortages, particularly in Zambia and Zimbabwe, have also fueled outbreaks of cholera and other waterborne diseases, according to WWA.

 2024 AFP
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This Hubble Space Telescope image of the barred spiral galaxy UGC 12158 looks like someone took a white marking pen to it. In reality, it is a combination of time exposures of a foreground asteroid moving through Hubble's field of view, photobombing the observation of the galaxy. Several exposures of the galaxy were taken, which is evidenced in the dashed pattern. The asteroid appears as a curved trail due to parallax because Hubble is not stationary but orbiting Earth, and this gives the illusion that the faint asteroid is swimming along a curved trajectory. The uncharted asteroid is inside the asteroid belt in our solar system and hence is 10 trillion times closer to Hubble than the background galaxy. Rather than a nuisance, this type of data is useful to astronomers for doing a census of the asteroid population in our solar system. Credit: NASA, ESA, Pablo Garcia Martin (UAM); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI); Acknowledgment: Alex Filippenko (UC Berkeley)

Like boulders, rocks, and pebbles scattered across a landscape, asteroids come in a wide range of sizes. Cataloging asteroids in space is tricky because they are faint and they don't stop to be photographed as they zip along their orbits around the sun.

Astronomers recently used a trove of archived images taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to visually snag a largely unseen population of smaller asteroids in their tracks. The treasure hunt required perusing 37,000 Hubble images spanning 19 years. The payoff was finding 1,701 asteroid trails, with 1,031 of the asteroids previously uncatalogued. About 400 of these uncatalogued asteroids are below 1 kilometer in size.

Volunteers from around the world, known as "citizen scientists," contributed to the identification of this asteroid bounty. Professional scientists combined the volunteers' efforts with a machine-learning algorithm to identify the asteroids. It represents a new approach to finding asteroids in astronomical archives spanning decades, which may be effectively applied to other datasets, say the researchers.

"We are getting deeper into seeing the smaller population of main belt asteroids. We were surprised to see such a large number of candidate objects," said lead author Pablo Garcia Martin of the Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain. "There was some hint that this population exists, but now we are confirming it with a random asteroid population sample obtained using the whole Hubble archive. This is important for providing insights into the evolutionary models of our solar system."

The large, random sample offers new insights into the formation and evolution of the asteroid belt. Finding a lot of small asteroids favors the idea that they are fragments of larger asteroids that have collided and broken apart, like smashed pottery. This is a grinding-down process spanning billions of years.

An alternative theory for the existence of smaller fragments is that they formed that way billions of years ago. But there is no conceivable mechanism that would keep them from snowballing up to larger sizes as they agglomerated dust from the planet-forming circumstellar disk around our sun. "Collisions would have a certain signature that we can use to test the current main belt population," said co-author Bruno Merin of the European Space Astronomy Centre, in Madrid, Spain .

This graph is based on Hubble Space Telescope archival data that was used to identify a largely unseen population of very small asteroids in their tracks. The asteroids were not the intended targets, but instead photobombed background stars and galaxies in Hubble images. The comprehensive treasure hunt required perusing 37,000 Hubble images spanning 19 years. This was accomplished by using "citizen science" volunteers and artificial intelligence algorithms. The payoff was finding 1,701 asteroid trails of previously undetected asteroids. Credit: Pablo Garcia Martin (UAM), Elizabeth Wheatley (STScI)

Amateur astronomers teach AI to find asteroids

Because of Hubble's fast orbit around the Earth, it can capture wandering asteroids through their telltale trails in the Hubble exposures. As viewed from an Earth-based telescope, an asteroid leaves a streak across the picture. Asteroids "photobomb" Hubble exposures by appearing as unmistakable, curved trails in Hubble photographs.

As Hubble moves around the Earth, it changes its point of view while observing an asteroid, which also moves along its own orbit. By knowing the position of Hubble during the observation and measuring the curvature of the streaks, scientists can determine the distances to the asteroids and estimate the shapes of their orbits.

The asteroids snagged mostly dwell in the main belt, which lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Their brightness is measured by Hubble's sensitive cameras. And comparing their brightness to their distance allows for a size estimate. The faintest asteroids in the survey are roughly one forty-millionth the brightness of the faintest star that the human eye can see.

"Asteroid positions change with time, and therefore, you cannot find them just by entering coordinates because, at different times, they might not be there," said Merin. "As astronomers we don't have time to go looking through all the asteroid images. So we got the idea to collaborate with over 10,000 citizen-science volunteers to peruse the huge Hubble archives."

In 2019 an international group of astronomers launched the Hubble Asteroid Hunter, a citizen-science project to identify asteroids in archival Hubble data. The initiative was developed by researchers and engineers at the European Science and Technology Centre (ESTEC) and the European Space Astronomy Centre's science data center (ESDC), in collaboration with the Zooniverse platform, the world's largest and most popular citizen-science platform, and Google.

A total of 11,482 citizen-science volunteers, who provided nearly 2 million identifications, were then given a training set for an automated algorithm to identify asteroids based on artificial intelligence. This pioneering approach may be effectively applied to other datasets.

The project will next explore the streaks of previously unknown asteroids to characterize their orbits and study their properties, such as rotation periods. Because most of these asteroid streaks were captured by Hubble many years ago, it is not possible to follow them up now to determine their orbits.

The findings are published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Provided by NASA
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Sunset in Los Angeles, California, in July 2023.

The deadly heat wave that hit Africa's Sahel region in early April would not have occurred without human-induced climate change, according to a study by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group published Thursday.

The West African nations of Mali and Burkina Faso experienced an exceptional heat wave from April 1 until April 5, with soaring temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) triggering many deaths.

Observations and climate models used by researchers at the WWA showed that "heat waves with the magnitude observed in March and April 2024 in the region would have been impossible to occur without the global warming of 1.2C to date", which scientists attribute to human-induced climate change.

While periods of high temperatures are common in the Sahel at this time of year, the report said that the April heat wave would have been 1.4C cooler "if humans had not warmed the planet by burning fossil fuels".

It added that the five days of extreme heat was a once-in-a-200-year event, but that "these trends will continue with future warming".

The length and severity of the extreme heat led to an increase in the number of deaths and hospitalizations in the two countries, despite their populations being acclimatized to high temperatures, the WWA said.

Deaths in heat wave

A lack of data in the affected countries made it impossible to know the exact number of deaths, the WWA said, adding there were likely hundreds, if not thousands, of other heat-related casualties.

"From April 1 to 4, we saw an increase in the use of services," Djibo Mahamane Diango, head of anesthesia at Gabriel Toure hospital in the capital Bamako, told reporters on April 5.

He said the hospital had seen the arrival of 102 bodiesmore than half of them people aged over 60during the first four days of this month.

That compares with 130 for the whole of the month of April the previous year, he added.

The April heat wave in Maliwhere the temperature spiked at 48.5 degrees Celsiusand neighboring Burkina Faso coincided with the holy month of Ramadan when Muslims fast from dawn until dusk.

It also came during power outages which restricted the use of fans and air conditioning and affected health services.

The national blood transfusion center in Bamako had called on medical centers to suspend any non-essential transfusions because of daily power shutdowns lasting more than 12 hours a day.

Mali often suffers from electricity cuts partly due to the state of disrepair of its power stations.

Countries in the Sahel region have had to contend with drought since the 1970s, as well as periods of intense rainfall from the 1990s.

The dwindling availability of water and pasture, compounded by the development of agricultural land, has disrupted the lives of pastoral populations and encouraged the emergence of armed groups that have extended their hold over vast swathes of territory in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

More information: C Barnes et al, Extreme Sahel heatwave that hit highly vulnerable population at the end of Ramadan would not have occurred without climate change, Imperial College London (2024). DOI: 10.25561/110771

 2024 AFP
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

When we consider how leaders get to the top, we might think of somebody like Jordan Belfort, the millionaire stockbroker portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in the Wolf of Wall Street. And humility is probably not the word that comes to mind.

However, Belfort's rise was followed by a fall (he ended up in jail). For those who want to reach the top and stay there, it may be best to stay humble.

Humble leaders express their humility in three dimensions. They view themselves accurately and acknowledge their limitations. They show appreciation for their followers' contributions. They are also open to ideas and feedback. When leaders show all three attributes, they are considered to be humble.

So how can humility help those who want to reach the top? We studied how humble leaders can become more promotable and found that they accomplish that by growing others in what is known as a "humility route."

Human capital theory suggests that employees' value can be enhanced by investing in their knowledge, skills and abilities. It's not only important for employees, it also creates value for organizations.

Using human capital theory, our research shows that humble leaders focus on the learning and growth of their followers. By doing so, they also create human capital value for themselves in the process.

Humble leaders tend to engage in more informal mentoring, and through that they gain influence and power in terms of promotability. They provide career guidance to their proteges and help them to prosper.

But at the same time, their engagement in learning also boosts their own human capital. In such a developmental relationship, humble leaders gain respect, prestige and prominence, and they gather a group of followers with high human capital.

This enhances their status in the organization. It's a win-win for leaders, their followers and the organizations they work for.

Our study used survey data from a sample of 610 leaders who worked in 18 industries and across 21 job functions. The leaders' direct followers, peers, immediate bosses and superiors reported back on the leaders.

The measures in the survey included the leader's humility, informal mentoring, status and promotability. We found that humble leaders earn higher status and enhanced promotability through engaging in mentoring behaviors.

So if you want to be more promotable, it may pay to stay humble.

A more sustainable path to the top

But why are some leaders so arrogant if there is a "humility route" to success? A great deal of evidence shows that humble leaders outperform arrogant leaders. And yet, many leaders at every level have a hard time admitting mistakes, praising followers' strengths and being teachable.

The arrogant, narcissistic, bullying and dominating Wolf of Wall Street stereotype may be the most common and immediate route to the top. After all, this sort of behavior can lead to quick wins which are are easily noticed and glamorized, reinforcing the stereotype in popular culture and media.

But while this path can offer short-term gains, it often lacks stability. Even the famed Renaissance Italian political theorist Niccolo Machiavellia well-known figure of dominance strategyended up being tortured, imprisoned and then exiled.

In contrast, humility offers a more stable and less visible route to success. Humble leaders typically achieve their status through fostering growth in others, engaging in mentoring, and creating a network of highly capable, loyal and enthusiastic followers.

This network in turn provides the humble leader with high status, leading to them being viewed favorably by superiors. But such an approach may not grab attention or fit the dramatic narratives preferred by media, making it less visible to the public.

The key difference lies in the nature of success each approach brings. Dominance may lead to a rapid ascent but is often accompanied by volatility.

Humility, on the other hand, cultivates a foundation of strong relationships and a positive reputation, leading to a more stable and enduring success. This explains why the Wolf of Wall Street stereotype persists, despite the proven benefits of humility in achieving long-term leadership success.

How to foster humility

Expressing humility helps leaders earn career success as they increase human capital, which is vital to organizations. In recent years there has been a growing interest in humility in the workplace, particularly among leaders. It's time to re-evaluate perceptions about the value of humility in leadership.

You can show more humility as you lead. You can evaluate your own limitations and be sensitive to them. You can try to admit them by saying, "This is something I could do better."

You can also put your focus on the followers, acknowledge what they have done well and give them positive feedback. You can also be more open to feedback yourself and consider your followers' ideas more.

There are a few ways that organizations can cultivate humility. They can build the perception that expressing humility is valued. They can also organize training programs that develop humility in leaders and consider including humility as part of performance evaluations.

And lastly, they can encourage feedback on humble behaviors, promote informal mentoring and foster a culture of humility that centers on learning. That way, they can develop groups of employees who focus on the "humility route" to career success.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Mount Ruang volcano is seen during the eruption from Tagulandang island, Indonesia, Thursday, April 18, 2024. Indonesian authorities closed an airport and residents left homes near an erupting volcano Thursday due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami. Credit: AP Photo/ Hendra Ambalao

Indonesian authorities closed an airport and residents left homes near an erupting volcano Thursday due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami.

Mount Ruang on the northern side of Sulawesi Island had at least five large eruptions Wednesday, causing the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation to issue its highest-level alert, indicating an active eruption.

The crater emitted white-gray smoke continuously during the day Thursday, reaching more than 500 meters (1,600 feet) above the peak.

People have been ordered to stay at least 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from the 725-meter (2,378 foot) mountain. More than 11,000 people live in the affected area and were told to leave. At least 800 have done so.

An international airport in Manado city was temporarily closed Thursday as volcanic ash was spewed into the air.

"We have to close flight operations at Sam Ratulangi Airport due to the spread of volcanic ash, which could endanger flight safety," said Ambar Suryoko, head of the regional airport authority.

Eruptions Wednesday evening spewed volcanic ash approximately 70,000 feet into the atmosphere, according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre. The bureau said in a statement Thursday it was tracking and forecasting the ash dispersion.

In this photo released by Sitaro Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD Sitaro), hot molten lava glows at the crater of Mount Ruang as it erupts in Sanguine Islands, Indonesia, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Indonesian authorities issued a tsunami alert Wednesday after eruptions at Ruang mountain sent ash thousands of feet high. Officials ordered more than 11,000 people to leave the area. Credit: BPBD Sitaro via AP

Mount Ruang volcano is seen during the eruption from Tagulandang island, Indonesia, Thursday, April 18, 2024. Indonesian authorities closed an airport and residents left homes near an erupting volcano Thursday due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami. Credit: AP Photo/ Hendra Ambalao

Indonesia's volcanology center noted the risks from the volcanic eruption include the possibility that part of the volcano could collapse into the sea and cause a tsunami. In December 2018, Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano island erupted and collapsed, losing around 3/4 its volume and triggering a powerful tsunami that killed more than 400 people. An 1871 eruption at Mount Ruang also triggered a tsunami.

Tagulandang Island, east of the Ruang volcano, could be at risk if a collapse occurred. Its residents were among those being told to evacuate.

"People who live in the Tagulandang Island area and are within a 6-kilometer radius must be immediately evacuated to a safe place outside the 6-kilometer radius," Abdul Muhari, spokesperson of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, said Thursday. "And especially those who live near the coast should be aware of the potential for incandescent rocks to erupt, hot clouds and tsunami waves that could be triggered by the collapse of a volcanic body into the sea."

The agency said residents will be relocated to Manado, the nearest city, on Sulawesi islanda six-hour journey by boat.

Indonesia, an archipelago of 270 million people, has 120 active volcanoes. It is prone to volcanic activity because it sits along the "Ring of Fire," a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines around the Pacific Ocean.

 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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A schematic representation of the scenario we propose here for clean, high-yield production of prebiotic feedstock. Events move around clockwise from the top left: First, the Earth has a neutral atmosphere. This is reduced following a giant impact at 4.3 Ga by oxidation of the impactor's metal core to produce a massive H 2 atmosphere with significant methane and ammonia. This atmosphere quickly cools (in <1 kyr), with photochemistry producing a tholin-rich haze that deposits complex nitrogen-rich organics. These organics become progressively buried and graphitized by interaction with magma. The atmosphere clears as H 2 is lost to space and becomes neutral again. Finally, magmatic gases interact with the graphite and are scrubbed to produce high yields of clean HCN, HC 3 N, and isonitriles. Credit: Oliver Shorttle

Scientists in Cambridge University suggest molecules, vital to the development of life, could have formed from a process known as graphitization. Once verified in the laboratory, it could allow us to try and recreate plausible conditions for life's emergence.

How did the chemicals required for life get there? It has long been debated how the seemingly fortuitous conditions for life arose in nature, with many hypotheses reaching dead ends. However, researchers at the University of Cambridge have now modeled how these conditions could occur, producing the necessary ingredients for life in substantial quantities.

Life is governed by molecules called proteins, phospholipids and nucleotides. Past research suggests that useful molecules containing nitrogen like nitrilescyanoacetylene(HC 3 N) and hydrogen cyanide(HCN)and isonitrilesisocyanide(HNC) and methyl isocyanide(CH 3 NC)could be used to make these building blocks of life. As of yet though, there has been no clear way to make all of these in the same environment in substantial amounts.

In a recent study published in Life, the group have now found that through a process known as graphitization, significant quantities of these useful molecules can be theoretically made. If the model can be verified experimentally, this suggests that the process was a likely step for early Earth on its journey toward life.

Why is this process more likely to have occurred than others?

Much of the problem with previous models, is that a range of other products are created along with the nitriles. This makes a messy system that hinders the formation of life.

"A big part of life is simplicity," said Dr. Paul Rimmer, Assistant Professor of Experimental Astrophysics at the Cavendish Laboratory, and co-author of the study. "It's order. It's coming up with a way to get rid of some of the complexity by controlling what chemistry can happen."

We don't expect life to be produced in a messy environment. So, what is fascinating is how graphitization itself cleans the environment, since the process exclusively creates these nitriles and isonitriles, with mostly inert side-products.

"At first, we thought this would spoil everything, but actually, it makes everything so much better. It cleans the chemistry," said Rimmer.

This means graphitization could provide the simplicity scientists are looking for, and the clean environment required for life.

How does the process work?

The Hadean eon was the earliest period in Earth's history, when the Earth was very different to our modern Earth. Impacts with debris, sometimes the size of planets, were not unheard of. The study theorizes that when the early Earth was hit with an object roughly the size of the moon, around 4.3 billion years ago, the iron that it contained reacted with water on Earth.

"Something the size of the moon hit early Earth, and it would have deposited a large amount of iron and other metals," said co-author Dr. Oliver Shorttle, Professor of natural philosophy at the Institute of Astronomy and Department of Earth Sciences in Cambridge.

The products of the iron-water reaction condense into a tar on the surface of the Earth. The tar then reacts with magma at over 1500C and the carbon in the tar becomes graphitea highly stable form of carbonand what we use in modern pencil leads.

"Once the iron reacts with the water, a mist forms that would have condensed and mixed with the Earth's crust. Upon heating, what's left is, lo and behold, the useful nitrogen containing compounds," said Shorttle.

What evidence exists to support this idea?

The evidence to support this theory partly comes from the presence of komatiitic rocks. Komatiite is a type of volcanic rock which are formed when very hot magma (>1500C) cools.

"Komatiite was originally found in South Africa. The rocks date back to around 3.5 billion years ago," said Shorttle. "Crucially, we know that these rocks only form at scorching temperatures, around 1700C. That means the magma would already have been hot enough to heat the tar and create our useful nitriles."

With the link confirmed, the authors suggest that nitrogen containing compounds would be made via this methodsince we see komatiite, we know the temperature of magma on early Earth sometimes must have been in excess of 1500C.

Now experiments must try to recreate these conditions in the lab, and study whether the water, which is inevitably in the system, eats up the nitrogen compounds, breaking them apart.

"Though we don't know for sure that these molecules started out life on Earth, we do know that life's building blocks must be made from molecules that survived in water," said Rimmer. "If future experiments show that the nitriles all fall apart, then we'll have to look for a different way."

More information: Paul B. Rimmer et al, A Surface Hydrothermal Source of Nitriles and Isonitriles, Life (2024). DOI: 10.3390/life14040498
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Percentage of RoF structures that become labeled non-RoF as a function of the symmetry tolerance parameter used for reduction to the primitive cell. The black and green lines correspond to structures in the MP and MC3D-source datasets, respectively. At typical symmetrization parameters, there is little to no change in the number of RoF structures (roughly 1% of RoF structures go to non-RoF). At larger symmetrization parameters (1 A), this increases to roughly 6% based upon the large deviations allowed in considering sites as symmetrically equivalent. Credit: npj Computational Materials (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41524-024-01248-z

Scientists are normally happy to find regularities and correlations in their databut only if they can explain them. Otherwise, they worry that those patterns might just be revealing some flaw in the data itself, so-called experimental artifacts.

That's what scientists in Nicola Marzari's group at the Swiss Federal Institute for Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) worried about when they noticed an unexpected pattern in two widely used databases of electronic structures, the Materials Project (MP) database and the Materials Cloud 3-dimensional crystal structures 'source' database (MC3Dsource).

The two collections include over 80,000 electronic structures of experimental as well as predicted materials, and in principle, all types of structures should be equally represented. However, scientists noticed that around 60 percent of structures in both databases have primitive unit cells (the smallest possible cell in a crystal structure) made out of a multiple of 4 atoms. The scientists named this recurrence the "Rule of Four" and started looking for an explanation.

"A first intuitive reason could come from the fact that when a conventional unit cell (a larger cell than the primitive one, representing the full symmetry of the crystal) is transformed into a primitive cell, the number of atoms is typically reduced by four times," says Elena Gazzarini, a former INSPIRE Potentials fellow in the Laboratory of Theory and Simulation of Materials (THEOS) at EPFL and now at CERN in Geneva.

"The first question we asked was whether the software used to 'primitivize' the unit cell had done it correctly, and the answer was yes."

From a chemical point of view, another possible suspect was the coordination number of silicon (the number of atoms that can bind to its atom), which is four. "We could expect to find that all the materials following this Rule of Four included silicon," says Gazzarini. "But again, they did not."

The formation energies of the compounds could not explain the Rule of Four either. "The materials that are most abundant in nature should be the most energetically favored, which means the most stable ones, those with negative formation energy," says Gazzarini. "But what we saw with classic computational methods was that there was no correlation between the Rule of Four and negative formation energies."

Because the materials space covered by the two databases is huge, going from small units to very large cells with dozens of different chemical species, there was still a chance that a more refined analysis looking for a correlation between formation energies and chemical properties may provide an explanation.

So, the team involved Rose Cernosky, a machine-learning expert at the University of Wisconsin, who developed an algorithm to group structures according to their atomic properties and look at formation energies within classes of materials sharing some chemical similarities. But again, this method did not provide a way to distinguish the Rule-of-Four compliant materials from the non-compliant ones.

Similarly, the abundance of multiple of fours does not even correlate with highly symmetric structures but rather with low symmetries and loosely packed arrangements.

In the end, the resulting article in npj Computational Materials is the rare example of a scientific paper describing a negative result: the researchers could only describe the phenomenon and rule out several possible causes, without finding one.

But negative results can be just as important as positive ones for scientific advancement, because they point to difficult problemswhich is why scientists often complain that journals should publish more such studies.

The failure to find a compelling explanation did not prevent the group from predicting, through a Random Forest algorithm, with an accuracy of 87% whether a given compound will follow the Rule of Four or not. "This is interesting because the algorithm uses only local rather than global symmetry descriptors, which suggests that there may be small chemical groups in the cells (still to be found) that may explain the Rule of Four," says Gazzarini.

More information: Elena Gazzarrini et al, The rule of four: anomalous distributions in the stoichiometries of inorganic compounds, npj Computational Materials (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41524-024-01248-z

Provided by National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) MARVEL
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Across all England's regions, a study appearing in the journal Policing & Society spotlights London's Metropolitan Police as the area where women trust the least.

Researchers surveyed more than 8,000 men and women between July 2022 and September 2023 and found that women generally trust police more than men. But among the nine English regions surveyed, compared with men, women's trust is at its lowest in London.

It comes after a 2023 investigation triggered by outrage at the rape, abduction and murder of Sarah Everard by a serving officer, uncovered hundreds of other incidents of violence against women by serving Metropolitan Police Officers.

"Baroness Louise Casey ran an investigation into the Met, and she issued a scathing report, saying drastic action was needed," said Brunel University London Honorary Professor, Steven Pickering. "But our research suggests that public trust in the Met is even lower than Baroness Casey found. This is especially pronounced among women and ethnic minorities."

Trust in the police is crucial for a stable society, but it's not the same for everyone. Some feel safer than others depending on factors like age, race, income, politics and past brushes with the law. Older people have higher levels of trust in the police, researchers found, while ethnic minority people have significantly lower levels of trust. And people from ethnic minorities living in the North East trust police markedly less than anywhere else in England.

Countrywide, average levels of trust in the police were highest in the East Midlands, South East and South West and lowest in London, the North East and North West. Conservative voters and people living in Tory constituencies also have significantly higher levels of trust than non-Conservatives.

Baroness Casey's report highlights poor recruitment, vetting and management in the Met, and researchers think they might have had a different result if they'd done the same study a decade earlier.

"Regrettably, events involving women and the Metropolitan Police, especially the murder of Sarah Everard, the overreaction by the police on vigils related to this and numerous other negative events," they note, are crucial in considering trust in the police.

While the Met says itself that its vision is "to be the most trusted police service in the world," in 2023, more than 1,000 Met officers were suspended or on restricted duties for allegations including violence against women and girls, sexual violence and domestic violence, according to figures from the BBC.

"Our findings suggest that the task ahead of the Met police is monumental," said Prof Pickering, a political scientist. "Some of the factors are national problems, such as the lower trust among people with an ethnic minority background, while other factors are an issue for the Met alone, such as the clear problem for the Met in re-establishing trust among women."

The study goes on to question whether Met leaders and the Mayor of London accept that the force has a problem with women.

"Overall, our results suggest that there is significant work ahead for police forces generally in England with regards to restoring trust in the police among ethnic minority citizens and in London especially also among women."

More information: London, you have a problem with women: Trust towards the police in England, Policing & Society (2024). DOI: 10.1080/10439463.2024.2334009
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The JunoCam instrument on NASAs Juno captured this view of Jupiters moon Io  with the first-ever image of its south polar region  during the spacecrafts 60th flyby of Jupiter on April 9. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS; Image processing: Gerald Eichstadt/Thomas Thomopoulos (CC BY)

Scientists on NASA's Juno mission to Jupiter have transformed data collected during two recent flybys of Io into animations that highlight two of the Jovian moon's most dramatic features: a mountain and an almost glass-smooth lake of cooling lava. Other recent science results from the solar-powered spacecraft include updates on Jupiter's polar cyclones and water abundance.

The new findings were announced Wednesday, April 16, by Juno's principal investigator Scott Bolton during a news conference at the European Geophysical Union General Assembly in Vienna.

Juno made extremely close flybys of Io in December 2023 and February 2024, getting within about 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) of the surface, obtaining the first close-up images of the moon's northern latitudes.

"Io is simply littered with volcanoes, and we caught a few of them in action," said Bolton. "We also got some great close-ups and other data on a 200-kilometer-long (127-mile-long) lava lake called Loki Patera. There is amazing detail showing these crazy islands embedded in the middle of a potentially magma lake rimmed with hot lava. The specular reflection our instruments recorded of the lake suggests parts of Io's surface are as smooth as glass, reminiscent of volcanically created obsidian glass on Earth."

Maps generated with data collected by Juno's Microwave Radiometer (MWR) instrument reveal Io not only has a surface that is relatively smooth compared to Jupiter's other Galilean moons, but also has poles that are colder than middle latitudes.

This animation is an artists concept of Loki Patera, a lava lake on Jupiters moon Io, made using data from the JunoCam imager aboard NASAs Juno spacecraft. With multiple islands in its interior, Loki is a depression filled with magma and rimmed with molten lava. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS

Pole position

During Juno's extended mission, the spacecraft flies closer to the north pole of Jupiter with each pass. This changing orientation allows the MWR instrument to improve its resolution of Jupiter's northern polar cyclones. The data allows multiwavelength comparisons of the poles, revealing that not all polar cyclones are created equal.

"Perhaps most striking example of this disparity can be found with the central cyclone at Jupiter's north pole," said Steve Levin, Juno's project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

"It is clearly visible in both infrared and visible light images, but its microwave signature is nowhere near as strong as other nearby storms. This tells us that its subsurface structure must be very different from these other cyclones. The MWR team continues to collect more and better microwave data with every orbit, so we anticipate developing a more detailed 3D map of these intriguing polar storms."

Created using data collected by the JunoCam imager aboard NASAs Juno during flybys in December 2023 and February 2024, this animation is an artists concept of a feature on the Jovian moon Io that the mission science team nicknamed Steeple Mountain. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS

Jovian water

One of the mission's primary science goals is to collect data that could help scientists better understand Jupiter's water abundance. To do this, the Juno science team isn't hunting for liquid water. Instead, they are looking to quantify the presence of oxygen and hydrogen molecules (the molecules that make up water) in Jupiter's atmosphere. An accurate estimate is critical to piecing together the puzzle of our solar system's formation.

Jupiter was likely the first planet to form, and it contains most of the gas and dust that wasn't incorporated into the sun. Water abundance also has important implications for the gas giant's meteorology (including how wind currents flow on Jupiter) and internal structure.

In 1995, NASA's Galileo probe provided an early dataset on Jupiter's water abundance during the spacecraft's 57-minute descent into the Jovian atmosphere. But the data created more questions than answers, indicating the gas giant's atmosphere was unexpectedly hot andcontrary to what computer models had indicatedbereft of water.

"The probe did amazing science, but its data was so far afield from our models of Jupiter's water abundance that we considered whether the location it sampled could be an outlier. But before Juno, we couldn't confirm," said Bolton. "Now, with recent results made with MWR data, we have nailed down that the water abundance near Jupiter's equator is roughly three to four times the solar abundance when compared to hydrogen. This definitively demonstrates that the Galileo probe's entry site was an anomalously dry, desert-like region."

The results support the belief that the during formation of our solar system, water-ice material may have been the source of the heavy element enrichment (chemical elements heavier than hydrogen and helium that were accreted by Jupiter) during the gas giant's formation and/or evolution. The formation of Jupiter remains puzzling, because Juno results on the core of the gas giant suggest a very low water abundancea mystery that scientists are still trying to sort out.

Data during the remainder of Juno's extended mission may help, both by enabling scientists to compare Jupiter's water abundance near the polar regions to the equatorial region and by shedding additional light on the structure of the planet's dilute core.

During Juno's most recent flyby of Io, on April 9, the spacecraft came within about 10,250 miles (16,500 kilometers) of the moon's surface. It will execute its 61st flyby of Jupiter on May 12.

Provided by NASA
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Biomineralized columnar architectures of Cambrian Series 2 phosphatic-shelled brachiopods. Credit: Zhang Zhiliang

Biomineralized columns, stacked in layers like a sandwich gave Cambrian brachiopod shells their strength and flexibility 520 million years ago.

To gain insights into the evolution and diversity of this intricate biomineralized columnar architecture, Dr. Zhang Zhiliang from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with collaborators from China and Sweden, examined exquisitely well-preserved fossils of some of the oldest families of linguliform brachiopods, providing new fossil evidence for understanding the biomineralization process and adaptive evolution of the ancestral brachiopod taxa of the Early Cambrian.

The study was published in eLife.

The Cambrian, a geological period about half a billion years ago, witnessed one of the most intense bursts of animal evolution in Earth's history. During this time, most of the groups of marine animals that we would recognize in the oceans today emerged and diversified around the globe. One of the key advances during this explosion of life was the development of biomineralized shells.

Biomineralization, which refers to the biomineralization that produces organic-inorganic composite skeletons and shells, is a process that alters the nature of the Earth's fossil record by associating living soft organic tissues with solid Earth minerals.

Scanning electron microscopy image of biomineralized columnar architectures and the underlying epithelial cells in early Cambrian brachiopod fossils. Credit: Zhang Zhiliang

Brachiopods, known as "lamp shells," are one of the most successful biomineralized animal groups, having survived for over 500 million years. Most animal groups only have the ability to secrete only one mineral, but brachiopods are unique animals in that they have the ability to secrete two different minerals, calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate.

Although many living brachiopod species have calcium carbonate shells, the calcium phosphatic linguliform brachiopods were one of the earliest shell-bearing animal groups to appear in the fossil record. Linguliform brachiopod shells generally consist of an organic matrix combined with calcium phosphate (apatite) minerals. Linguliform shells are intricately composed of microscopic cylindrical columns, but the development and role of these microscopic columns in brachiopod evolution is unclear.

In this study, the fossil samples, including Eoobolidae, Lingulellotretidae and Acrotretidae, were collected from the Cambrian Series 2 Shuijingtuo Formation of southern Shaanxi and western Hubei in southern Chinaa region that is widely considered to be one of the centers for the origin and early distribution of linguliform brachiopods.

The researchers showed that the microscopic columns were stacked on top of each other to form a secondary layer of the shell, in what the researchers called a "stacked sandwich model" (because of the resemblance to the cross-section of a sandwich). This stacked sandwich columnar architecture increases the shell's toughness, flexibility, and ability to resist fracture by filling the space in between the columns with organic materialsimilar to the columns of reinforced concrete often used in building construction.

"Thus, we hypothesize that this efficient and economical shell architecture has likely played an important role in the evolution of linguliform brachiopods," said Zhang, "it may account for the flourishing of phosphatic-shelled acrotretides in the latter half of the Cambrian, and the continued diversification of brachiopods during the Great Biodiversification Event 50 million years later."

More information: Zhiliang Zhang et al, Evolution and diversity of biomineralized columnar architecture in early Cambrian phosphatic-shelled brachiopods, eLife (2024). DOI: 10.7554/eLife.88855.4 Journal information: eLife
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Credit: Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

Most teenagers dread talking about sex with their parents. Their parents feel the same way. In some societies it's considered taboo to even broach the subject. And, even where sexuality education is taught at schools, research has shown that effective communication between young people and teachers is hindered because of age differences and, in some places, because of the societal taboos.

How might technology improve the situation?

Adolescents spend a lot of time on their electronic devices. A study in the US found that teens were using their phones, tablets or laptops for social media, gaming and texting for about 8 hours every day; tweens (ages eight to 12) rack up about 5.5 hours daily.

Much has been written about the downsides of screen time for teens. But, as a public health scholar who studies adolescent sexual and reproductive health, I believe that social media platforms could be a powerful resource for sexuality education and support. These platforms can also be a gateway for young people who need to access essential resources and support services.

This is already happening in some parts of the world. For instance, Planned Parenthood in the US has accounts on several social media platforms (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube) where it shares public health messaging, contact details and information about sexual and reproductive health and rights. It also invites people to get in touch and ask questions.

The potential value of social media to sexuality education in South Africa was underscored during a recent study I conducted in the country's KwaZulu-Natal province. Learners were asked how their schools' sexuality education program could be improved. Many suggested that social media had an important role to play.

Integrating social media into school-based sexuality education programs in South Africa has the potential to reinforce curriculum messages and, ultimately, lead to improved sexual and reproductive health outcomes among learnersparticularly those in rural areas where access to information and services is limited.

The study

I conducted my study in KwaZulu-Natal's King Cetshwayo area. The municipality's main city is Richards Bay and the area I worked in is largely rural and under-served.

The participants came from nine schools. They were all aged between 14 and 19, were fluent in either English or isiZulu, and were enrolled in grades 10 or 11. Participation was voluntary; ultimately I worked with 35 boys and 49 girls.

The study revealed that about 60% of the participants were sexually active, with many having had multiple partners in the past three years. While most sexually active participants (41) reported condom use, eight used them inconsistently. Four girls had been pregnant before.

During our discussions, it became clear that many learners found it difficult to talk about sex even during Life Orientation lessons (this subject includes modules on sexuality and reproductive health).

A 17-year-old male said, "Most of us are not comfortable talking about sex in (Life Orientation) classes because some students will tease you or joke about you. Some teachers also will judge you and treat you like you don't have morals if you talk about sex too much."

An 18-year-old male said, "My family avoid talking about sex with me. They just warned me not to do it. We don't talk about sex in our church either. It is uncomfortable to talk about what we learnt in LO with my parents."

Both participants said that social media spaces and informational websites, where they could remain anonymous, would be helpful.

Others suggested that social media could complement what they were taught in the Life Orientation curriculum. A 17-year-old female said, "It is difficult to remember everything in the class. Many of us have phones so maybe a WhatsApp group can be created so we can continue the discussion at home."

However, participants also pointed out the potential problems with using social media for sexuality education. These included poor internet connectivity, the high cost of both mobile devices and data, and the risk of social media platforms sharing inaccurate or deliberately misleading information.

Said one 17-year-old male: "We need to be careful, our teachers must be involved in forming the social media because they know us and the problems we face. We cannot believe everything we see on the social media if we don't know the person who posted it. It could be misinformation."

Implications

It is clear from my findings that using social media platforms for sexuality education has potential even in low-income settings in African countries.

To deal with the prohibitively high cost of data, major internet service providers and information and communications technology companies should be engaged to negotiate potential discounts for teen users. They could also be lobbied to zero-rate any social media platform that offers scientifically accurate sexuality and reproductive health information. Users can access zero-rated sites for free.

Teachers, parents, health care providers and community actors can come together on these platforms to share resources, exchange knowledge and coordinate efforts towards improving adolescent sexual health outcomes. From peer and professional development among sexuality education teachers to parent-teacher engagement and school-community partnershipsthe possibilities are endless.

Of course, as some of my participants pointed out, not all parents will necessarily be open to this approach: "My parents think the teachers are 'spoiling' us by teaching us about sexuality. They think teacher should not expose us to information like that at our age. If our teachers can form a WhatsApp group with our parents, maybe they will understand." (Male, 17)

This will need to be addressed. Policymakers, educators, health care professionals, community leaders and parents can be brought together for awareness and education sessions to help everyone understand why this approach is helpful.

Investment in research and innovation is also essential to ensure that South Africa stays ahead of the curve in using technology for health promotion. This includes developing evidence-based interventions, monitoring and evaluating their effectiveness, and adapting strategies to meet the evolving needs of young people in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Researchers have discovered new white shark behaviors by attaching smart tags and cameras to their fins, revealing never-before-seen details of the lives of the elusive creatures.

While the team's previous research uncovered white sharks hunting for seals in kelp forests, the latest research revealed that the white shark adapts its behavior to suit the specific habitat it is encountered in. The findings are published in the journal Ecosphere.

The paper was a part of Monterey Bay Aquarium's "Project White Shark" and led by former Murdoch University Ph.D. candidate Dr. Oliver Jewell with Harry Butler Institute and the School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences, in collaboration with Oregon State University, Stanford University and California State University Monterey Bay.

A total of 21 white sharks from small juveniles to large adults were fitted with motion-sensitive biologging tags along the California coast in contrasting environmentsoffshore islands, coastal headlands and an inshore embayment.

Tags remained attached for up to six days at a time and measured swimming depths and body movements, before they detached and floated to the surface.

The team set out to understand if white sharks behaved differently in different environments or if sharks followed the same behaviors irrespective of location.

The California coast provided a unique space to conduct the work, not only because researchers had been studying this specific population for decades, but the area is one of few that is home to both juvenile and adult white sharks.

"White sharks visit the same areas of central California year after year, with some seen in the same spot for 30 years or more," Dr. Jewell said. "We were looking to see what shapes their movements and routines while they are there."

During the day, sharks at all sites were generally more active, swimming up and down the water column and swimming tortuous paths, suggesting they were actively searching for prey.

However, sharks showed more active behavior at both dawn and dusk in places where they were thought to feed on fish rather than marine mammals.

"We found the greatest differences in movements were from sharks from different areas, while the size of the shark and time of day were also important," Dr. Jewell said.

"This means the sharks are adapting their movements and routines to suit their local environment, rather than behaving the same way everywhere they're found."

Senior author of the study Dr. Adrian Gleiss, research leader of the Physiology and Ecology and Conservation Laboratory, said monitoring predator behavior had wide ranging ramifications for ecology, because their presence could change ecosystem structure and composition.

He said this had historically been challenging to study due to the environments the animals occupied.

"Modern technology provides us with unprecedented views into the lives of some of the hardest to study species, in turn offering us novel insights into the functioning of our oceans," Dr. Gleiss said.

Dr. Jewell said the key takeaway from this research was that it was important to consider the location of a shark when considering how or why it may be behaving in a certain way.

"Hopefully, we can apply the research in a number of ways going forwardwe've already been tagging more sharks in more areas, and will follow this up with further studies."

More information: Oliver J. D. Jewell et al, Diverse habitats shape the movement ecology of a top marine predator, the white shark Carcharodon carcharias, Ecosphere (2024). DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4825 Journal information: Ecosphere
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URI doctoral student Colby Slezak places a leg band and GPS transmitter on a female American woodcock at the Francis Carter Preserve in Charlestown, Rhode Island. Credit: Colby Slezak

Migration and reproduction are two of the most demanding events in a bird's annual cycle, so much so that the vast majority of migratory birds separate the two tasks into different times of the year.

But a study by University of Rhode Island researchers has found direct evidence of a speciesthe American woodcock, a migratory shorebird from eastern and central North Americathat overlaps periods of migration and reproduction, a rare breeding strategy known as "itinerant breeding." Their work, backed by collaborators across the East Coast, was published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

"I think this is a very exciting moment for bird researchers," said Colby Slezak, a URI Ph.D. student in biological and environmental sciences who led the study. "It's interesting to see that these distinct periods in a bird's annual cycle are not so cut and dried. We often think of migration, breeding, fall migration and wintering as separate events. But woodcock are combining two of these into one period, which is interesting because both are so energetically expensive."

"Each year the period of migration is distinct from the period of breeding in the vast majority of migratory birds, presumably because doing so at the same time is simply too costly," said Scott McWilliams, URI professor in natural resources science and principal investigator on the study. "This paper provides the best documented case of a migratory bird that is an itinerant breeder. Such itinerant breeding is exceptionally rare, and documenting exceptions often proves the rules of nature."

The American woodcockalso called a timberdoodle, bogsucker, night partridge, and Labrador twister, among many moreis a migratory shorebird that occurs throughout eastern and central North America but its populations have been declining over the past half century. The species is known for its long, needlelike bill that can extract earthworms from deep in the ground and the males' elaborate mating dance and "peent" call to attract females, Slezak said.

While there are about a dozen bird species in the world believed to be itinerant breeders, the study is the first to show direct evidence of the rare strategy. "They've suspected other species of being itinerant breeders, but this is the first time we've had detailed GPS-tracking data and on-the-ground verification of nests to confirm that this was happening." said Slezak, of Broadalbin, New York.

To do that, the study benefitted from the work of scores of biologists from federal, state and non-governmental agencies along the American woodcock's flyway, from the southern U.S. into Canada, who tagged more than 350 females with GPS transmitters between 2019 and 2022. That initiative was part of the University of Maine's Eastern Woodcock Migration Research Cooperative.

Slezak, whose work on the study was part of his dissertation research, organized and analyzed the tracking data and alerted collaborators along the bird's range to verify possible nesting locations. URI graduate students Liam Corcoran, Megan Gray and Shannon Wesson also worked on other aspects of the woodcock project, all part of a collaborative research program with biologists from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Division of Fish & Wildlife.

"I was looking for really short movement patterns during the breeding season to find suspected nests," Slezak said. "Relying on all of these collaborators from across the East Coast, I would reach out to them to tell them there was a suspected nest. They would travel out to the sites, sometimes quite far. It was amazing that we got the buy-in that we did."

Based on GPS tracking of more than 200 females, the URI study found that more than 80% of the tagged females nested more than once during migrationsome up to six times. During northward migration, females traveled an average of 800 kilometers between first and second nests, and shorter distances between subsequent nests, the study said.

During 202122, URI researchers oversaw onsite verification of 26 nests from 22 females. Four females nested more than once, three of which migrated a substantial distance northward after their first nest attempt, the study said.

"There are many records of woodcock males singing along their migration routes, which has always been a mystery because it's energetically expensive," said Slezak. "With this new data on females, we're seeing that females are also nesting in the south early, moving north and nesting as they go. So, these males are probably getting breeding opportunities along the way."

While migration and reproduction take a lot of energy, American woodcock reduce the cost in other ways, Slezak said. They have shorter migration distances than other species and have the flexibility of using various young-forest habitats. Also, females are larger than males and their eggs are small relative to the size of the females.

"A lot of birds probably can't do it because they don't have these lower reproductive costs that woodcock have evolved to do," he said.

Another evolutionary driver of itinerant breeding in woodcock could be predation. While they use a variety of habitatswetlands, young forests with different tree typesthey often nest near edges of open fields, leaving them prone to numerous predators.

"We think most of these post-nesting migratory movements are in response to predation events," he said. "They're sitting on the nest and something comes and eats the eggs. The female takes off and keeps migrating north before trying to nest again. What we don't know is: if the female has a successful nest, does she stop nesting the rest of the year?"

Despite steady declines in woodcock populations and their preferred young forest habitat over the last half century, the study offers a glimmer of hope for woodcock, and other itinerant breeders facing the challenges of ongoing human development and climate change.

"Itinerant breeders may be more flexible in their response to environmental change because they are willing to breed in a wide variety of places," said Slezak. "So as long as some suitable habitat remains, the consequences may be less."

More information: Colby R. Slezak et al, Unconventional life history in a migratory shorebird: desegregating reproduction and migration, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2024). DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0021 Journal information: Proceedings of the Royal Society B
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China hopes relevant countries will be open for fair competition instead of using the "overcapacity" narrative as an excuse to justify protectionism, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday.

Lin said the notion that China's overcapacity in new energy sectors harms the global market is "a complete fallacy."

Those who spread that narrative to justify protectionism have nothing to gain from it, but will only destabilize and disrupt industrial and supply chains, hinder global green transition, and curb the growth of emerging sectors, he said at a regular press briefing.

China's leading edge in new energy is gained through strong performance and full-on market competition, not government subsidies, Lin said, adding that China's new energy sector is a steady source of high-quality capacity for the world and bound to be a key contributor to global green development.

China has repeatedly stressed that the capacity issue should be viewed in line with the principles of market economy, and assessed in the context of economic globalization, global division of labor and market dynamics, he added.

"China has been and will always be open to industrial cooperation. We hope relevant countries will keep an open mind, embrace fair competition, contribute to a world-class, market-oriented and law-based environment for trade and economic cooperation, and work with China for mutual benefit and inclusive economic globalization that benefits all," Lin said.
This week saw several Muscatine FFA students get the chance to compete in this years State competition, bringing home a variety of awards and new titles for the group, including a state champion.

For teams, Muscatines Biotechnology team  which consisted of Mady Wyatt, Rhynn Miller, Dylan Spencer and Addyson Weggen with assistance from Bree Thurman  earned a Silver rating during the competition.

The Ag Sales team, meanwhile, was given a Gold Rating and ranked Fourth High Team. The team consists of Saxby Stein, Kensley Paul, Jack Zorich and Corwin McDonald, and was assisted by Andy Franke. Additionally, on an individual level, Stein ranked fourth and Paul ranked 10th.

Id say we were pretty happy with the results this year, but we know we can come back and improve for next year where we can hopefully place better, Stein said.

Both Stein and Paul agreed the competition gave them the opportunity to learn new things, which was something they greatly appreciated.

The CSI Team  consisting of Kaylin Paul, Emerson Franke, Gabby Hunter, Coen Navarro, Voight Oberhoffer and Jayden Reidel  was able to earn a top five finish as well as a Gold Rating, granting them the opportunity to walk across the big stage.

Finally, the Poultry Judging Team  consisting of Cheyenne Mosier, Cole Buster, Elsie Lewis and Chale Lewis, assisted by Kaden Miller, Liam Noll and Eladiee Gaucin  was able to take home a Gold Rating and became Reserve State Champions. It was also ranked High Team for both Further Processed Products and Eggs. For individual rankings, Chale ranked third, Mosier ranked fifth, Elsie ranked ninth and Buster ranked 12th.

I like animals and I had friends who were on the team  and it was just a State competition that I felt like I could do," Chale said about competing in Poultry Judging.

Although his team missed out on becoming Champions by just a few points, Chale said he was pleased with both his team and individual rankings.

We can just come back and do it again next year, so hopefully we can get it done then," he said.

He added he enjoyed learning so much about poultry from being on the team, considering them to be real-life skills that he expects will stick with him.

During the Individual Competitions, Colton Ineichen earned a Silver Rating in Creed while Camden Furnas earned a Gold Rating in Job Interview. The latter also walked across the big stage for making it into the competitions top five.

Finally, in Individual Ag Sales, Dakota Dahlke was declared Iowas State Champion.

Its pretty awesome, he said. I put in a lot of hours before school and after school, so its really awesome to see my work mean something and actually pay off.

This is Dahlkes first time earning a State Champion title. Previously, he and his ag sales team had earned the Reserve State Champion rank. Alongside this win, Dahlke shared that knowing friends and family who worked in ag sales also inspired him to continue learning about and competing in it.

It was nice for me to be able to turn to my family and friends who were then able to help me and teach me and guide me, he said.

Alongside all the competitions, Emma Whitmore had the opportunity to perform with the State Band during its final session. Additionally, both Furnas and Avery Schroeder were able to take home their Iowa Degrees, the highest honor that an FFA member can earn.

It was a really cool experience, and it was neat getting it alongside another person from our chapter, Furnas said. You have to go through this whole process to get an Iowa Degree but I think it was important (to pursue) because it pays off in the end. Doing all the paperwork can be frustrating, but it allows you to look back on what youve done  and once you get that achievement, you realize that it was worth it and that youve come a long ways.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in Jerusalem, April 17, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday stressed Israel's "right to defend itself against Iran," when receiving British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in Jerusalem.

The two top diplomats' visits came amid mounting international pressure on Israel and Iran to de-escalate the tensions following Iran's retaliatory missile and drone attack against Israel over the weekend.

During the meetings, Netanyahu insisted that "Israel preserves its right to self-defense," according to a statement released by his office.

The German foreign minister, for her part, stressed that the region must avoid spiraling into heightened tensions. "Everyone must now act prudently and responsibly," she said.

An escalation "would serve no one," not Israel's security, nor the hostages still held by Hamas, the suffering population of the Gaza Strip, the many in Iran, and the third countries in the region, she said.

Speaking to reporters in Jerusalem, Cameron said he visits Israel in an attempt to call on it to do "as little as possible to escalate tensions" and in a way that is "smart as well as tough."

In remarks at a cabinet meeting following their talks, Netanyahu said, "The two foreign ministers had all kinds of suggestions and advice. I appreciate it. But I want to make it clear -- we will make our own decisions, and the state of Israel will do everything necessary to defend itself."
A sudden outage disrupted 911 services across South Dakota, Nebraska and parts of Nevada for a couple hours late Wednesday.

Service provider Lumen told CNN Thursday morning the outage was due to the installation of a light pole by a third party. Lumen Global Issues Director Mark Molzen said the outage lasted less than three hours, adding the company "worked hard to fix it as quickly as possible," according to CNN's report. Lumen is a networking company using what it calls "next-generation 911 solutions" to emergency agencies nationwide.

Pennington County Sheriff's Office Patrol Lt. Casey Kenrick, who has been with the department for nearly two decades, told the Journal outages are infrequent but not unheard of.

"We do have contingencies in place to deal with these. It's not something that is a surprise or we're not able to deal with or not prepared for," Kenrick said. "So we just put our contingencies in place and we were able to handle it, I think, for the 90-minute average pretty well."

Once notified of the outage, county agencies disseminated the message  and how to contact dispatch for emergencies in the interim  using Rapid City Pennington County Emergency Management's wireless emergency alert system. Letting locals know how to get help was the highest priority, Kenrick said. The need to notify residents of who to call outweighed any potential risk from "advertising" to criminals, he added.

Every other aspect of emergency response remained exactly the same, Kenrick said. The only thing that changed was the phone number to call.

"It's kind of jarring, because it's one of those numbers that you remember since you're a little kid," Kenrick said. "Everybody knows that number, so when that goes down, that's where the issues come up  just because people don't know the non-emergency number."

The non-emergency number  605-394-2151  connected callers to dispatch, and calls were then handled the same way as they would through dialing 911. Pennington County Emergency Services Office Coordinator Chad Landis said the county continued to provide emergency services without any interruption, while text-to-911 and business lines remained open throughout the outage.

"So there was no delay in getting help dispatched out to someone in need," he said.

Dispatchers did have to filter through more than a hundred "test calls" made to 911 after the emergency message was sent, Landis said, an unfortunate waste of resources.

"It presents a challenge for the staff here, because now we've got these extra calls that are now coming in on top of what would still be the normal call volume," he said. "Then from a staffing perspective, we're vetting out that, 'Hey, when this call comes in, is it an emergency? Oh, no. I was just calling to see if your number worked.' Those extra calls have now slowed down on answering a potentially urgent phone call."

Kenrick praised the dispatch center for their handling of the outage.

"They're a group of professionals that deal with challenges every day, and this is just another one that they were able to overcome and get through," he said. "Their professionalism behind-the-scenes is sometimes not seen, but the professionalism behind-the-scenes from our emergency services communication center is impressive."

Landis added residents should become familiar with the county's non-emergency number and save it in their phones.

Wednesday's outage isn't the first for Lumen Technologies.

In Oct. 2023, the Federal Communications Commission proposed a $867,000 fine against the company for similar disruptions in North and South Dakota in early 2022. On Feb. 17, 2022, an outage lasting nearly five hours affected call centers in South Dakota, according to the Minot Daily News, and two weeks later, a similar outage affected the Bismarck area for more than seven hours. An investigation by the FCC found in both cases, Lumen failed to notify the affected agencies in a timely manner.
While the weather for the next few days will be a bit on the unseasonably cool side, area fishing prospects remain of a more pleasant nature. Particularly if casting for trout is ones favorite activity as the bite remains strong in area lakes and streams.

Walleye aficionados will not be so fortunate as the bite remains slow in Orman and Angostura. Rainy weather and runoff along the Missouri River have also created unsettled conditions, a situation that will last for a few days.

Pactola and Sheridan lakes remain popular choices for area anglers with the trout bite remaining particularly strong. Smaller Black Hills high country lakes are producing plenty of trout activity as well. And area streams, particularly Rapid and Spearfish Creeks have profited from the recent rains setting up some excellent fly-fishing opportunities.

For those who like to enjoy a catfish meal on occasion, the Cheyenne and Belle Fourche Rivers are excellent locations for some bottom fishing with crawlers or a stink bait of choice.

There may not be a fishing bonanza in the area, but opportunities are plentiful. With that positive thought in mind, heres a look at possible areas of interest.

Angostura Reservoir: Weather, particularly winds have kept fishing activity to a minimum, And fishing reports even less so. The water temp is in the high 40s so walleye spawn will likely kick off soon. Crappie have been active near the tires at south marina. And catfish activity reported in the Horsehead Campground area.

Bear Butte: Reports indicate a winter-kill situation with fishing mostly relegated to a bullhead or two.

Belle Fourche Reservoir (Orman): Some walleye reportedly though weather has impacted fishing activity and hampered spring spawn. Better weather and less wind likely required to increase angler interest.

Black Hills Area Streams: Recent rains have greatly improved stream flows after the dry winter conditions. Excellent time to get out with the fly rod and explore area streams as bug hatches are providing some excellent dry fly opportunities. Rapid and Spearfish Creeks remain go-to spots though Castle, Spring and Box Elder Creeks are coming into play. Nymphing and streamers remain excellent options as well.

Canyon Lake: With the recent weather, the lake continues to offer an easy alternative for anglers requiring limited travel time.

Custer State Park lakes: Excellent trout bite reported on all of the lakes. And Bismarck and Sylvan were restocked with adult rainbow trout this past week.

Deerfield Lake: Not much fishing activity as yet. Reportedly, like most places, trout bite has been steady for those who have been willing to put on some miles.

Memorial Pond: Stocked this past week with adult rainbow trout and channel catfish.

New Underwood Dam: The lake has been recently stocked with adult channel cat.

Pactola Reservoir: A very active rainbow trout continues. Minnows and powerbait have been the popular choice though casting with indicator rigs and streamers have been producing plenty of action as well.

Sheridan Lake: As mentioned, rainbow trout have been aggressively feeding. And have not been particular in choice of presentation. Been a take your choice situation with minnows, powerbait, and spinners all working well.

Stockade Lake: Fishing activity has been light as have reports of success. Typically produces some bluegill, crappie, perch and occasional pike bites this time of year.

Lake Oahe: Weather has impacted fishing activity. Miniconjou and Spring Creek areas are the best spots for walleye other than farther north in the Pollock area where guided outings have been producing limits.

Lake Sharpe: Not much change. Weather had limited fishing activity to some extent particularly from the aspect of anglers coming from afar. Murky waters below the Bad River have hampered walleye activity farther south. Nonetheless, walleye are being caught particularly on days when water is being released and winds allow. Always best to check weather report and Corps of Engineers water discharge info if traveling.

Lake Francis Case: Walleye bite remains spotty, a condition due to rainy weather of the past few days. With that, it will likely take a few days, and some favorable weather before walleye bite improves. Fish are scattered and located at various depths.

UPCOMING EVENTS OF NOTE

Wild Walleye Outfitters Summer Series

Angostura: April 27-28; Orman, May 11-12; Shade Hill, June 29-30. Entries open on March 15; cost-$800 per team, $235 for individual tournaments. Additional questions, call 605-519-4286.

Lake Francis Case Walleye Tournament: April 20-21, Cedar Shore Marina. Contact Scott Lewis (605-730-0283) for more information.

Angostura Spring Walleye Classic: May 18-19. Information can be found at the South Dakota Walleyes Unlimited website or by calling (605) 381-5300.

Center of the Nation Walleye Tournament sponsored by High Plains Anglers: May 4-5, at Orman Reservoir. For more information contact Tim Emme (605-645-8949).

8th Annual Jared Roe Memorial Walleye Fishing Tournament: June 8 (7 a.m.-3:30 p.m.); Angostura, $50 per 3-man boat, 80 team limit; 7 p.m. Calcutta @ Pirates Pub & Convenience Store Hot Springs.

Dakota Angler & Outfitter, 1010 Jackson Blvd.; Rapid City; The Rooster, 1441 W. Main St.; Rapid City; Wheel in Bait Shop, 18696 Fishermans Road, Fruitdale, and Chamberlain areas Allenss Missouri River Guide Service & Hillside Motel (allenshillside.com or Facebook) have contributed to this report.
Education and workforce training for inmates in Montana's prison facilities has been significantly stifled by poor data management, a recent legislative audit has found.

With higher education programs, classes were not always at capacity despite significant interest.

"The cause of low acceptance rates was not clearly understood by the department due to limited information regarding why inmates are or are not accepted for these programs," the report stated.

Such gulfs in state data and inconsistent opportunities across facilities were key issues found by the Montana Legislative Audit Division, which will present its findings to lawmakers next week.

Along with department staff, teachers and case managers, auditors interviewed 2,380 current inmates at all four prison facilities about their perceptions of their opportunities to obtain education and career training at their facilities. Seventy-nine percent of inmates said staff had never approached them to discuss education or career goals.

Work opportunities along with education for the incarcerated was found to have about a 30% decrease in the likelihood of returning to prison, according to a 2018 analysis cited by the audit division.

Inmates surveyed for the audit, who accounted for a 48% response rate, provided the following responses:

83% said it was "difficult" to get into a higher education program

5% said it was "easy" to get into vocational education

HiSET and GED preparation program access was evenly split between easy (36%), difficult (31%) and neither easy nor difficult (33%)

58% answered "disagree" to the prompt: "Classes will prepare me for a career after release."

The Montana Department of Corrections generally concurred with the recommendations the Legislative Audit Division made following its probe, which was done at the direction of the 2021 Legislature and examined services in place between 2020 and 2022. Some of the solutions, DOC rehabilitation and programs chief Scott Eychner said, are already moving into place.

"What was available to inmates during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic is very different from what is available to them today," Eychner said in an email Wednesday. "We look forward to seeing how the changes we have made, and are making every day, will affect the future success of offenders when they return to Montana communities."

Those recommendations include modernizing the system's data system; considering new programs and evaluating existing programs on an ongoing basis; integrating education and career counseling into case management; and enforcing education and job training agreements with contracted facilities.

The audit division looked at the state's four prison facilities: Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge, Montana Women's Prison in Billings, as well as Dawson County Correctional Center and CoreCivic's Crossroads Correctional Center in Shelby, both prisons under contract with the state.

Part of the issue in expanding educational opportunities is funding. In 2022 a new computer programming class called The Last Mile went online at Montana State Prison, although that course's startup funding was covered by the Gianforte Family Foundation, the governor's family nonprofit.

For inmates attempting to obtain their High School Equivalency, a diploma alternative more commonly referred to as HiSET, each prison told a different story, programmatically speaking. The pandemic presented serious challenges for inmates and staff, while data gaps and location-specific issues complicated education programs.

"Montana Women's Prison's 2020 data is entirely missing due to these services being contracted out to the local school district, which subsequently refused to provide student records back to the department," the audit report stated. " For much of 2022, (Crossroads) could not test students due to an investigation into a cheating allegation and technical difficulties following a change in the HiSET software vendor."

While the women's prison began offering HiSET courses directly, staffing issues at the Dawson County facility precluded administration of those courses, bringing its number of graduates down to zero, alongside Crossroads Correctional Center.

Significant deficiencies in data management within education and training programs, including inconsistencies between facilities and sometimes inaccurate information, hinders the state's ability to improve these programs, auditors noted.

Vocational education and work programs have also suffered due to staffing issues, auditors noted. State facilities, where staffing has markedly improved in the last year, still provide more options compared to contracted facilities.

Per their state contracts, Crossroads must staff a minimum number of teachers, while Dawson County is required to provide minimum level of academic services.

"Neither contracted facility has fulfilled obligations to provide education and training to state inmates for much of the past three years," auditors wrote in the report, citing teacher vacancies and low participation rates.

Those contracted facilities could have been fined over $100,000 due to their minimum teacher shortfalls, but weren't, the audit continues. Staff at the Secure Contract Facilities Bureau "seemed unaware of some of these provisions" in speaking with auditors, adding their primary role is ensuring security, grievances, complaints and disciplinary systems are in compliance with contracts.

Department response

Department of Corrections Director Brian Gootkin wrote in his April 1 response to Legislative Auditor Angus Maciver that DOC is supportive of all efforts that seek to help measure and improve its education mission, and, as auditors did, noted the operational issues and reorganizational shake ups that took place during the audit period.

On data gaps, Gootkin noted an upcoming offender management system will include general and vocational education to track and manage the relevant data in a single system. The department in February also created a working group to better manage education data until that system comes online.

The department also hired an education services bureau chief in January who will install new protocols to monitor education programming in contract facilities, Gootkin added.

The Legislative Audit Committee meets 9 a.m. Monday to discuss this and other recently completed audits.
Richmond police on Thursday identified the victim of a fatal Wednesday morning shooting in Mosby Court as Robert Joseph, 25, of Richmond.

Police said officers initially responded to the 1300 block of Coalter Street at around 11:31 a.m. Wednesday for the report of a shooting. At the scene, officers found Joseph on the ground with an apparent gunshot wound.

Joseph was transported to a hospital, where he died of his injuries, police said.

The medical examiner will determine the cause and manner of death.

The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call Richmond police Detective M. Gouldman at (804) 646-3915 or Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000. The P3 Tips Crime Stoppers app for smartphones may also be used. All Crime Stoppers reporting methods are anonymous.

Top five weekend events: Monument Ave. 10k, Chelsea Handler, Ode to Bluegrass Ukrops Monument Ave. 10k Broadberry 10th Anniversary Block Party Samurai at VMFA Ode to Bluegrass at Hardywood
 Flash

Iran's nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami reaffirmed on Wednesday the country's commitment to nuclear activities that align with its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Addressing the IAEA's concerns over "ambiguities" in Iran's nuclear program, Eslami underscored Iran's adherence to the safeguards agreement and the Non-Proliferation Treaty, reported the Iranian Students' News Agency.

Eslami highlighted the presence of 120 IAEA-accredited inspectors monitoring Iran's nuclear program, with some stationed in Iran and others conducting regular or surprise visits to the nuclear sites.

At a UN briefing in New York, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi remarked that Iran's enriched uranium stockpile, while at extremely high levels, does not equate to the possession of a nuclear weapon.

However, he noted the significant accumulation of nuclear material at levels nearly equivalent to weapons-grade, sparking international scrutiny.

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed by Iran and world powers in July 2015, aimed to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions. However, the U.S. withdrew from the agreement in May 2018, reinstating sanctions and prompting Iran to scale back some of its nuclear commitments.

Efforts to revive the JCPOA commenced in April 2021 in Vienna, but despite multiple rounds of negotiations, no substantial progress has been reported since the last talks in August 2022.
Montreals Pointe-a-Calliere Museum showing pieces of Mexican history

Mexico City, Mexico  Mexico has brought part of its history to Montreal with archaeological and ethnographic pieces. The pieces were created by the cultures of the wetlands of the Gulf of Mexico and put on display April 18.

The exhibition, made up of almost 300 archaeological and ethnographic pieces, will open on April 18, 2024 at the Pointe-a-Calliere Museum in Montreal.

According to the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), the display will include works such as the Scarified Woman from Tamtoc and Ofrenda 4 from La Venta, which will delve into more than 3,000 years of stories and traditions.

Organized by the federal Ministry of Culture, through the INAH and in collaboration with the Pointe-a-Calliere Museum of Archeology and History of Canada, the Olmecs and the civilizations of the Gulf of Mexico exhibition will provide an approach to the legacy of countless beings, ingenious and deeply connected to nature, who have lived in the aforementioned Mexican geography.

The exhibition arrives on Canadian territory with 272 masterpieces, which can be viewed from April 18 to September 15, 2024.

Pieces such as a colossal head from San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan, an archaeological site located in Veracruz, the Offering 4 from La Venta in Tabasco, and the sculptures of the Scarified Woman and the Huasteco Adolescent, both from the current state of San Luis Potosi, are included.

These pre-Columbian objects will coexist with ethnographic pieces from the collections of the National Museum of Anthropology (MNA) made by Nahua, Pame, Totonac, Otomi, Tepehua and Huastec communities: cotton and wool textiles, ceramics and masks, from Veracruz, San Luis Potosi, Hidalgo and Puebla.

Photo: CNME-INAH

The archaeological pieces come from the collections of the MNA and the Directorate of Archaeological Studies, in Mexico City, the Anthropology Museum of Xalapa, the INAH Veracruz Center, the Tuxteco Regional Museum and the El Tajin Archaeological Zone, in Veracruz, La Venta Park-Museum, the Carlos Pellicer Regional Museum of Anthropology and the Pomona Site Museum, in Tabasco, as well as the Regional Museum of Puebla, and the Tamtoc Site Museum, in San Luis Potosi.

Under the curatorship of the deputy director of Archeology at the MNA, Laura del Olmo Frese, the exhibition will offer a look at three cultural regions, the Olmec area, the center of Veracruz and the Huasteca, throughout temporalities that start from 3,000 years. in the past, from the Preclassical era (1700 BC  200 AD), until contact with the Spanish, in the 16th century.

Through a careful selection of artifacts, visitors will be able to immerse themselves in the richness and complexity of different societies, and explore in detail their ways of life, beliefs, exchange networks and cultural achievements, says the archaeologist.

Photo: CNME-INAH

It will also be the first time that the Pointe-a-Calliere Museum of Archeology and History, opened in 1992, at the exact point where Quebec City was founded, around 1642, will dedicate an exhibition exclusively to pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican cultures.
Venezuela and Honduras withdraw Ecuadorian diplomatic personnel in act of solidarity with Mexico

Mexico City, Mexico  Venezuela and Honduras have withdrawn their diplomatic personnel in Ecuador in an act of solidarity with Mexico. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador thanked the governments of Venezuela and Honduras for the act after the assault on the Mexican embassy in Quito on April 5.

The news came during a Tuesday evening Celac (Comunidad de Estados Latinoamericanos y Caribenos) meeting between heads of state.

During the virtual meeting, President Xiomara Castro, representing CELAC, strongly condemned the violent invasion of the Ecuadorian security forces into the facilities of the Mexican embassy and the excessive use of force against the Mexican diplomatic staff and the former Vice President of Ecuador, Jorge David Glas Espinel.

We express our rejection of these types of acts, inadmissible from every point of view, which violate peaceful coexistence between States and, in turn, are a clear manifestation of barbarism that violates basic human rights, she said.

Xiomara Castro

We reiterate our commitment to consolidate our community of Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace in which differences between nations are resolved peacefully through dialogue so that these irrational and savage acts are never repeated in our Latin American and Caribbean region again, she added.

Nicolas Maduro, President of Venezuela, said that Mexico is not alone. It has the voice of our America accompanying it in a circumstance that you did not seek. () I have ordered to close our embassy in Ecuador, close the consulate in Quito, immediately close the consulate in Guayaquil, and for diplomatic personnel to return to Venezuela immediately.

We have a business manager, Professor Pedro Sassone. From here I give you the order to prepare everything, close it, return until international law is expressly restored in Ecuador, he said.

The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) have agreed to support President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and the position of the Government of Mexico in the face of the violation of national sovereignty and international and asylum law committed by Ecuador.

They agreed to accompany Mexico in the lawsuit filed in the International Court of Justice.

President Lopez Obrador reiterated that the legal response to the grievance consists of requesting the expulsion of Ecuador from the United Nations (UN) as long as it does not offer an apology and undertakes not to repeat what he described as a shameful and violatory.

Ecuador security forces are seen here storming the Mexican Embassy. Photo: AMLO April 5, 2024.

The consequence that Mexico promotes is intended to be a principle of resolution so that something similar does not happen in the future.

A gunman is captured on top of the Mexican embassy prior to its invasion. Photo: AMLO April 5, 2024.

Recognizing the response of CELAC member countries, he thanked the support received and assured that we are going to continue defending the independence and sovereignty of our country. Mexico is not a protectorate, it is not a colony of any foreign country. Mexico is a free and sovereign country.
Is the United States on the verge of coming apart, again, in an orgy of violence and vengeance against enemies real and perceived? Or is this merely a fantasy we indulge in because our cultural and political tensions have become seemingly unbearable?

The new film Civil War may want to be edgy, timely, even thoughtful, but it has nothing to offer beyond surface-level thrills, which makes its grisly portrayal of war feel more like a romanticization of the worst in humans than a warning against it.

Alex Garlands latest (and potentially last) directorial effort has garnered a lot of attention for its explicitly political premise: imagining a near-future America that has become embroiled in a civil war. During a time when America is divided enough that a number of people are predictingand in some cases seemingly calling fora new American civil war, you can understand the interest.

Despite such a politically charged premise, it became clear in interviews (like those with star Nick Offerman) that the movie wasnt itself going to be very political, at least not in a partisan way. If the movie wasnt going to try to say something about our modern-day politics, then what was it going to say? As it turns out, not much.

Civil War follows a group of war journalists, led by the legendary war photographer Lee Smith (Kirstin Dunst), as they travel across a war-torn United States to interview the fascistic three-term president (Nick Offerman) before the band of states united against him (often referred to as The Western Forces, including places like California and Texas) launch their planned attack on the White House.

The film makes an admittedly visually compelling contribution to the post-apocalyptic USA genre. The filmmakers put us in an America that looks like the war-torn foreign countries were used to seeing in movies and on the news, but juxtaposes them with familiar locations like malls and classic New York and D.C. landmarks. Unlike other post-apocalyptic films, like Zombieland and Mad Max, which are closer to fantasy, Civil War features a vision of the world thats realistic and contemporary. This creates an aesthetically arresting portrait that is deeply affecting the first few times you see it.

Unfortunately, once you scratch the surface, there isnt much to the movie. Its aesthetically arresting imagery built around the dissonance of seeing American shopping malls looking like the set of any other overseas war-torn conflict feels repetitive after around 20 minutes, and these visual motifs never develop into anything meaningful or explanatory. This wouldnt be too bad if the characters were compelling, the worldbuilding was thoughtful, or the social commentary or themes were deep. But the film doesnt spend any time beyond the bare minimum developing any of these things.

Granted, the cinematography of Civil War is legitimately breathtaking. Most films looking to ground their visuals in the kind of gritty realism Garland is going for opt for a documentary look, with a shaky-cam effect and colors at a more objective saturation level to attain that feeling of realism we associate with documentaries. The handheld camera approach, however, tends to create a barrier between us and both the characters and the action. But the camerawork in Civil War retains a documentary feel while keeping the images smooth, the colors expressive, and our interest engaged. These make scenes like the protestors opening clash with the presidents fascist police, the shootout between a small group of the Western Forces and the Presidents military a little later, a pile of bodies in a ditch, and the finale truly nail-biting and jarring. (Alex Garland spoke to Empire about the revolutionary new camera technology he used that made this approach possible.)

The actors also sell the movie even when the movie isnt selling itselfpowering the film with convincing vulnerability and energy. Jesse Plemons as an unnamed soldier and Offerman are effortlessly convincing in their small but pivotal scenes. Wagner Moura is a standout among the main characters as Lees number two, Joel, maintaining lovable trustworthiness whether hes being a reliable buddy, a jaded veteran, or an emotional wreck. Cailee Spaeny has an earnest passion that makes whatever cliche character moment shes given feel believable. Finally, Kirstin Dunst is given less to do as the stoic lead, but she still evokes a warmth that infuses humanity into her world-weary cynicism.

And yet  even the fine acting cant quite overcome the fact that these characters are surface-level archetypes who recite cliches between violent set pieces. Lee is the battle-hardened veteran. Jesse is the fresh-faced young blood who wants to be just like Lee. Sammy is the kindly wise veteran on his last legs. All these characters go through arcs pretty much exactly the way you expectexcept when theyre making wildly idiot choices that are required to set up the next plot point.

The worldbuilding likewise consists of the war-torn America imagery and passing lines about whats left of the New York Times and The Antifa Massacre, which are never developed further. There is no commentary to be had on politics or war or America related to how we got to this place.

Let me be clear. Not every movie has to have deep character development or social commentary. Some can be largely built around their aesthetics or action, such as the John Wick franchise. But although John Wick consists mostly of fight scenes in neon-light-soaked sets, it continues to develop those sequences in new and fascinating ways. Civil War makes most of its visual statements early on, and largely repeats them rather than develops them. This makes you feel the lack of deep character, worldbuilding, or commentary once the visual motifs start to repeat themselves.

There is yet another problem with Civil Wars approach. Its combination of realistic, dehumanizing brutality and thematic shallowness crosses the line into some morally problematic territory. While John Wick focuses on violence as stylized ballet, Civil War focuses on the hell of war. Each scene of violence focuses on how traumatizing and gross it is. At first, were horrified by it. But after a while, even the ugly reality of war starts to seem beautiful because thats the focus of the filmmaking artistry, and thats also how the characters whom were supposed to care about feel. We start out, along with the innocent Jessie, shocked by Joels callous excitement at the sight of soldiers killing each other; he even laughs along with them at the execution of the enemy. But by films end, Jessie and Joel both find this brutality thrilling (as Jessie explicitly admits to Lee). And so do we.

One might argue that this is, in fact, not a flaw but the whole point of the film. By making the audience as bloodthirsty as the characters onscreen, the filmmakers could be trying to shine a light on how easy it is to fall into the vengeance trap ourselves. The problem is, even if thats true, authorial intent only goes so far. A filmmaker can intend to communicate anything he wants. He still might fail. What matters is what ends up on the screen. There is little if any aesthetic or narrative critique of the audience for their growing murderous glee in the latter stages of the film. Typically, filmmakers prompt this kind of critical self-awareness in the audience by switching or contrasting perspectives. (Though this is certainly not the only way.) In The Hateful Eight, the conflicted, discomforting emotions we feel when John Ruth (Kurt Russell) punches Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) for saying the N-word is up on the screen, partly because we see it through the eyes of Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson). In Dune: Part Two, the shift in focus from Paul to Chanis disapproval of Paul is up on the screen. But in Civil War, any disapproval of audience excitement at a merciless rampage is not onscreen. There is never a change in perspective to one that might suggest a gaze critical of whats going on, even of an impartial godlike observer. To the degree that you can argue for the existence of subtle, momentary changes, they are swallowed up by the catharsis experienced. And the violence is cathartic, given that it is largely perpetrated against those whove threatened the journalists throughout the adventure, creating relief that they are now safe.

Because of that, Civil War too often unintentionally echoes the shallow, callous approach to American politics of those in America hoping for a new civil war rather than challenging it. Im sorry, but despite the protestations of some, we are not close to a civil war in the U.S. And thats a good thing. Part of this is simply geographic. As Founding Fathers like Jefferson noted, it was the geographic divide of northern free states and southern slave states, enshrined by things like the Missouri compromise, that made civil warinevitable. But today red states and blue states are mixed and matched geographically around each other. Moreover, many liberals are moving to red states like Texas and Florida from places like California to take advantage of a lower cost of living!

Even more important: most Americans simply dont want civil war. As I wrote in my think piece on Oppenheimer, despite the best attempts by Hollywood and both sides of the political aisle to convince Americans that we live in a dystopia, the reality is we live in one of the safest, freest, most prosperous societies in all of human history. Even those who have it the worst in America have little to gain and too much to lose by pushing for a real civil war. Its much like how America never became truly socialist or developed a viable socialist party: the downtrodden in America simply had it so much better than in other, truly socialist countries. This remains true today.

But if thats so, why do so many people fantasize about a coming civil war? In part, I believe its because people think the world is worse than it is, and so a civil war feels plausible. I also suspect its because people are so worn down by the real issues were facingor the problems were told were facing by social mediathat sometimes war feels like a preferable fantasy. The ongoing culture war in America never seems to end; the enemieson both sidesare never really defeated; and the big-picture economic, social, spiritual, even amorphous problems seem impossible to solve. As brutal and horrific as Civil War is, it feels simpler to imagine pointing your guns at the bad guys (whoever they may be) and finding some kind of resolution to all the tension.

And yet its important we remember that the problems were facing today are, believe it or not, signs of progress, not regress. Most of human history is filled with war after war in which strongmen pulled together support and imposed their will on others by promising to solve these very same problemsonly for the cycle of violence to begin again when they didnt. As I wrote in my review of Dune: Part Two, the America were literally living in, as flawed as it is, is far preferable. Fantasizing about civil war may not lead to another civil war, but it could lead to another January 6 or summer of 2020. Which is bad enough.

To the degree that Civil War encourages fantasies of violence that would undermine a society in which problems are addressed through conversation, faith, art, and voting, it makes the world a worse place.
" " On Aug. 6 and Aug. 9, 1945, for the first time in world history, two nuclear bombs were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima (left) and Nagasaki (right). The nuclear bombs killed between 129,000 and 226,000 people, mostly civilians. Public Domain

The first nuclear bomb meant to kill humans exploded over Hiroshima, Japan, Aug. 6, 1945. Three days later, a second bomb detonated over Nagasaki. The death toll for the two bomb blasts  an estimated 214,000 people  and destruction wrought by these weapons was unprecedented in the history of warfare [source: Icanw.org]

At the end of World War II, the U.S. was the world's only superpower that possessed nuclear capabilities. But that didn't last long. The Soviet Union, with the help of a network of spies who stole American nuclear secrets, successfully tested their own atomic bomb in 1949 as well [sources: Icanw.org, Holmes].

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As the U.S. and the Soviets slipped into a decadeslong period of animosity that became known as the Cold War, both nations developed an even more powerful nuclear weapon  the hydrogen bomb  and built arsenals of warheads. Both countries augmented their fleets of strategic bombers with land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching one another's cities from thousands of miles away. Submarines were equipped with nuclear missiles as well, making it even easier to launch a devastating attack [sources: Locker, Dillin].

Other nations  the United Kingdom, France, China and Israel  all had nuclear weapons by the late '60s [source: Icanw.org].

The nuclear bomb loomed over everyone and everything. Schools conducted nuclear air raid drills. Governments built fallout shelters. Homeowners dug bunkers in their backyards. Eventually, the nuclear powers became frozen in a standoff. Both had a strategy of mutual assured destruction  basically that even if one nation launched a successful sneak attack that killed millions and wreaked widespread devastation, the other nation still would have enough weapons left to counterattack and inflict an equally brutal retribution.

That grisly threat deterred them from utilizing nukes against one another, but even so, the fear of a cataclysmic nuclear war remained. During the 1970s and '80s, tensions continued. Under President Ronald Reagan, the U.S. pursued a strategy of developing anti-missile defense technology  dubbed "Star Wars" by skeptics  that was intended to protect the U.S. from attack, but also might have enabled the U.S. to strike first with impunity. By late in the decade, as the Soviet Union began to teeter economically, Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev were working in earnest toward nuclear arms limitation.

In 1991, Reagan's successor, George H.W. Bush, and Gorbachev signed an even more important treaty, START I, and agreed to major reductions in their arsenals. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Bush and Boris Yeltsin, president of the new Russian Federation, signed another treaty, START II, in 1992, which cut the number of warheads and missiles even more [source: U.S. State Department].

But the specter of the nuclear bomb never really went away. In the early 2000s, the U.S. invaded Iraq and toppled its dictator, Saddam Hussein, in part due to a fear that he was trying to develop a nuclear weapon. It turned out, though that he had abandoned those secret efforts [source: Zoroya]. By then Pakistan had tested its first nuclear weapon in 1998 [source: armscontrolcenter.org].

But another totalitarian country, North Korea, succeeded where Saddam had failed. In 2009, the North Koreans successfully tested a nuclear weapon as powerful as the atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima. The underground explosion was so significant that it created an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.5 [source: McCurry]. And by the 2020s, increasing tensions between Russia and western nations, coupled with the prospect of a new generation of hypersonic missiles capable of evading early-warning systems to deliver nuclear warheads, raised the prospect of a frightening new nuclear arms race [source: Bluth].

While the political landscape of nuclear warfare has changed considerably over the years, the science of the weapon itself  the atomic processes that unleash all of that fury  have been known since the time of Einstein. This article will review how nuclear bombs work, including how they're built and deployed. Up first is a quick review of atomic structure and radioactivity.
Tim Cook arrives at the Apple Developer Academy in Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia. Photographer: Dimas Ardian/Bloomberg (Bloomberg)

By Faris Mokhtar and Gao Yuan

(Bloomberg)  Apple Inc. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook will meet Singapores leader at the tail end of his most extensive Southeast Asia tour in years, searching for new growth markets and manufacturing locations to offset headwinds in China.

Cook will be in Singapore on Thursday and Friday to meet with Lawrence Wong, who is set to take over as Prime Minister next month, as well as his predecessor Lee Hsien Loong, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified as the executives itinerary isnt public.

Apples CEO is on the verge of concluding a highly public tour thats taken him from Hanoi to Jakarta, during which he repeatedly stressed the regions importance as both a market and emergent manufacturing base. His company is looking for growth markets beyond China, a traditional stronghold where demand for its flagship iPhone is sputtering. The company is also diversifying its production beyond the communist country to reduce risks at a time of elevated tensions between the worlds two biggest superpowers.

From meetings with country leaders in Vietnam and Indonesia to interactions with local customers, Cook has filled a lions share of his schedule with publicity activities to generate interest in the brand, the people said. Apple has already increased its retail presence and output in countries such as India, and is now seeking to better tap a relatively fast-growing Southeast Asian market with more than 650 million consumers.

The trip could pave the way for a more aggressive sales campaign in a densely populated region where Android phones from Samsung Electronics Co., Xiaomi Corp. and Oppo dominate the market, said one of the people.

As part of the push, the company is getting close to opening the first Apple Store in Malaysia, located in an extravagant shopping complex in Kuala Lumpur. Apple currently operates five brick-and-mortar stores in Southeast Asia, three in Singapore and two in Thailand, according to its website.

The Singapore plans are subject to change, and Apple hasnt made Cooks schedule in the region public. Representatives for Apple, Singapores Ministry of Finance and the Prime Ministers Office didnt respond to requests for comment.

Apple, which has operated in Singapore for over 40 years, said Wednesday it plans to invest $250 million to expand its campus in the city-state. The company employs more than 3,600 people there and said the expansion will provide space for new roles in artificial intelligence and other functions.

Singapore is truly a one-of-a-kind place, and we are proud of the connection weve built with this dynamic community of creators, learners, and dreamers, Cook said in a statement on Apples website. With our growing campus, Apple is writing a new chapter in our history here.

Story continues

In the first leg of the tour, Cook met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Tuesday after pledging new investment in the country. He said Apple plans to buy more components and accessories for its devices from Vietnams suppliers, a big boost for the country as it emerges as a global electronics hub.

In Indonesia, Cook told President Joko Widodo Apple is weighing the possibility of making some of its gadgets there. The two also discussed Indonesias controversial new trade rule to get more goods produced onshore, one of the people said.

Southeast Asia has become an increasingly important market for Apple because of weak demand in China. The Cupertino, California-based company has struggled to sustain sales in the country since the debut of its latest iPhone 15 series, resulting in a 10% decline in first-quarter shipments. Beijings bans on the use of iPhones in government agencies and state-owned companies cast further uncertainty on Apples prospects in China.

While India is expected to become a major long-term driver, the iPhone accounts for less than 10% of the smartphones sold there now in part because of its lofty price tag.

With assistance from Philip J. Heijmans.

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
 Flash

China's Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration Li Qun (2nd R) and Matthew Bogdanos (2nd L), chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, sign documents at a handover ceremony of returned Chinese cultural objects at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese officials received 38 pieces of cultural relics returned by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office on Wednesday.

The handover ceremony, held at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, was attended by Li Qun, deputy minister of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, along with Chinese Consul General in New York Huang Ping, and Matthew Bogdanos, chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.

In his remarks at the ceremony, Li, who is also director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, said that the renewed cooperation between China and the United States in cultural relic returns signifies mutual trust and progress in artifact repatriation efforts.

China will continue to actively fulfill the memorandum of understanding with the United States on preventing the illegal entry of Chinese cultural relics into the United States, and work with the United States to establish a sound mechanism for information sharing on stolen relics, contributing the wisdom and strength of both countries to safeguarding cultural heritage and promoting mutual understanding through cultural exchanges, Li said.

Huang noted that the event is a positive implementation of the San Francisco Vision reached by the leaders of both countries in November last year and will greatly enhance cultural exchanges and friendship between China and the United States.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of China-U.S. diplomatic relations, and it is hoped that people from all walks of life in China and the United States will continue to work together to promote stable, healthy, and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations, said Huang.

Bogdanos emphasized the significance of the return of these cultural relics in fostering cultural exchanges.

"For cultural heritage, what it does is it brings us all together...We have far more in common when we roll up our sleeves and get to work returning these antiquities where they belong because that's our only goal," said Bogdanos.

Most of the 38 pieces of cultural relics returned Wednesday are Tibetan Buddhist artifacts from China, dating from the Yuan to Ming and Qing dynasties, with a rich variety and exquisite craftsmanship. Among them, ivory carvings, wooden sculptures, and fragments of murals are particularly rare and hold significant historical, artistic, and scientific value.

These artifacts were seized by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office in March. After receiving the artifacts in New York, the National Cultural Heritage Administration will arrange for their timely return to China.

China and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding that aims to prevent the illegal importation of Chinese cultural artifacts into the United States in January 2009. Its validity has been extended for the third time, starting from Jan. 14 this year.

Wednesday's handover marks the first successful artifact repatriation cooperation between the two countries since the agreement's renewal.

So far 504 pieces or sets of Chinese cultural relics have been delivered in 15 batches from the United States to China.
A cyclist travels past Tokyo Gas Co. storage tanks at the company's Setagaya facility in Tokyo, Japan, on Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. Photographer: Toru Hanai/Bloomberg (Bloomberg)

By Stephen Stapczynski

(Bloomberg)  Asian liquefied natural gas prices jumped to the highest level since early January amid anxiety that Israels response to Irans attack over the weekend may spiral into a wider conflict.

The North Asian spot rate topped $11 per million British thermal units on Tuesday and has climbed around 40% since the end of February, according to traders. That followed a similar gain in Europe, which competes with Asia for LNG. Traders are exiting short positions as they evaluate the possibility of a broader escalation in the Middle East, helping to lift prices.

Adding to the bullish tailwinds, gas flows to US LNG export facilities fell by a quarter over the last week, in part due to maintenance, which may curb supply to Asia. Japanese importers are also looking to procure more gas.

Gas prices in Asia and Europe have rebounded after sliding to the lowest level since 2021 in February on high inventories and mild winter weather. However, the rally may run out of steam because the higher cost of LNG is expected to curb demand from price-sensitive emerging nations in Asia.

The worst case scenario of an escalation of hostilities in the Middle East would be Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz  a key conduit for roughly 20% of all LNG trade. While thats unlikely, a disruption in the strait could see prices rise above $100 per million BTU, an all-time high, according to Rystad Energy.

S&P Global; Rystad; Bloomberg

The market has not yet priced in the risk of a broader conflict in the Middle East and is assessing any possible impact on trade flows to demand centers in Europe and Asia, Lu Ming Pang, an analyst at Rystad, said in a note.

Other LNG market news:

Thailands state-run energy company PTT bought an LNG cargo on a DES basis for May 1-2 delivery at a price above $10/mmbtu

PetroVietnam Gas is seeking to purchase an LNG cargo on a DES basis for June 1-10 delivery to Vietnam

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
A Malaysia Airlines passenger jet at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. (Bloomberg)

By Danny Lee

(Bloomberg)  Malaysia Airlines will temporarily stop carrying cargo on its passenger flights from Kuala Lumpur to London after Irans attack on Israel over the weekend forced airlines to make lengthy detours.

The Malaysian flag carrier will reroute flights to avoid airspace over parts of the Middle East, requiring more fuel and spurring the need to lighten its load. The measure will be in place between April 17 and 30, it said in a statement to Bloomberg News.

The change is one of the more drastic measures taken by an airline as the industry grapples with the fallout, and cost, of Irans missile and drone attack that saw several Middle Eastern countries temporarily close their airspace. Qantas Airways Ltd., Singapore Airlines Ltd. and Air France are among major carriers forced to draw up alternative plans that have complicated travel itineraries and led to longer flight times.

Malaysias national carrier typically overflies Iran for its European flights. The new route will see a flight time of around 14 hours with planes heading over Central Asia toward Turkey and sidestepping Iran.

While regional airspace has subsequently reopened and airlines have outlined plans to resume services to places like Beirut and Tel Aviv, tensions between Israel and Iran continue to simmer. Malaysia Airs cautious approach comes a decade after one of its jets was downed over eastern Ukraine en route to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam. All 298 people on board were killed and the Dutch government holds Russia responsible for the incident.

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Organisation urges cat guardians to fully mesh their doors and windows, and to keep their cats strictly indoors

Photos from Facebook post of cat that fell from HDB block 646A Senja Close in Bukit Panjang (Photos: Facebook/Alisha Farisya Love)

SINGAPORE  Two incidents of cats falling to their deaths occured at a single HDB block in Bukit Panjang a month apart, and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is urging more safeguards by cat owners from such incidents.

A post on Facebook group Complaint Singapore on Thursday (18 April) highlighted the two incidents at Block 646A Senja Close with photos of the dead cats, both of which had similar pink collars.

"How to stop this people from their irresponsible act? Went up to every level and no one admitted to it," user Alisha Farisya Love wrote in the post.

SPCA alerted to second incident

In response to queries by Yahoo Southeast Asia, SPCA said it was alerted to the second incident by a resident on Wednesday at around 9.45pm. It was, however, not alerted of the first case.

"SPCA was alerted of the incident by a resident at Blk 646A Senja Close. She reported hearing a loud thud at around 9.30pm, and found the deceased cat below her block. The cat was wearing a collar, but it did not bear any information about the owner," SPCA's executive director Aarthi Sankar said.

"We understand from a Facebook post that this is the second case of a cat allegedly falling from height at the same block, with the first case happening a month ago and involving a cat who was also wearing a pink collar."

SPCA has escalated the latest case to the authorities for further investigation.

Safeguards to keep cats indoors

The organisation has also urged cat guardians to fully mesh the doors, gates and windows of their homes, and to keep their cats strictly indoors, in order to safeguard their cats from such deaths.

"Even if your cat does not normally wander out, sudden noises can spook him/her and prompt a dash to the nearest exit," said Sankar.

"Studies have shown that strictly-indoor cats live longer than outdoor cats due to lower risks of dangerous encounters, one of which is high rise syndrome. It is our duty, as pet guardians, to ensure our pets wellbeing."

Yahoo Southeast Asia has also reached out to the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) for further information.

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.
ORANGE CITY, Iowa -- A Sioux Center, Iowa, man who was charged with raping a woman has been sentenced to jail after pleading guilty to a lesser charge.

Onofre Bernardo Mendez, 47, pleaded guilty Monday as part of a plea agreement to assault with intent to commit sexual abuse -- no injury, an aggravated misdemeanor that was amended from a felony charge of third-degree sexual abuse. A charge of tampering with a witness was dismissed.

In Sioux County District Court Wednesday, District Judge Tod Deck sentenced Bernardo Mendez in accordance with the plea agreement to 25 days in jail with credit for time already served. After completing his service, he will be turned over to federal custody to be deported from the United States.Bernardo also was sentenced to a 10-year special sentence in which he will be under court supervision as if on parole. Violations of the special sentence could result in prison sentences. He will be required to register with the Iowa Sex Offender Registry for life.

Bernardo Mendez was arrested in February and accused of forcefully having sex with the woman against her will sometime between Dec. 28 and Jan. 15. He also was charged with offering cash to the victim to influence her to drop her police report.
OMAHA -- A Winnebago, Nebraska, man pleaded not guilty Thursday in federal court to a charge connected to a fatal stabbing that occurred in Winnebago.

Tylan Walker, 20, entered his plea in U.S. District Court in Omaha to assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

A trial date was not set, and Walker was released from custody on pretrial release.

Walker is accused of stabbing Darrius Frazier, 19, of Winnebago on March 30.

Frazier's family members posted on Facebook that the two were involved in an altercation in which Frazier's femoral artery was cut when he was stabbed, resulting in serious blood loss. He was taken to the hospital in Winnebago, where his heart was restarted after he had been without a pulse for 45 minutes.

Frazier was flown to MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center in Sioux City, where he died on April 3.
WAYNE, Neb.  As the first of the early voters entered the Wayne County Courthouse Monday morning, each dutifully presented a driver's license to the county clerk's staff to receive a ballot.

If Monday was any indication, Wayne County Clerk Debra Finn said, the first election conducted with Nebraska's new voter ID law could be a breeze.

"Overall, people seem to understand it," Finn said. "Everyone has been ready so far."

Early in-person voting for Nebraska's May 14 primary election began Monday, and county election offices began mailing early voting ballots to those who requested them on April 8. Whether voting in person or requesting an early ballot, voters for the first time had to comply with the state's new voter ID requirements, which Gov. Jim Pillen signed into law on June 1.

Nebraska voter ID law Wayne County Clerk Debra Finn, displays a brochure on Nebraska's new voter ID law at an early voting station at the courthouse on April 16.

The law requires voters to show a photo ID, such as a driver's license, before voting in person. Those requesting an early ballot, and those voting in counties that conduct elections only by mail, must provide their driver's license number -- or the number from another acceptable form of ID -- or a photocopy of the ID with their ballot request form and ballot return envelope.

Voters seem to be aware of the change and have been prepared. As of Friday, approximately 60 Dakota County voters who had requested early ballots all provided driver's license numbers without question.

"So far, everybody's complied. We haven't had any issues yet," Dakota County Clerk Cherie Conley said. "I don't really foresee too many issues."

County clerks attributed that partially to the amount of publicity surrounding the new law and efforts to educate voters about the changes.

Finn sent fliers provided by the state to every registered voter in her county. Dixon County Clerk Cathy Stilwell also conducted a pre-election publicity campaign.

"We've done a lot of advertising in our local papers, so I think people understand," Stilwell said.

The three clerks said they've received a few calls from voters who are unsure of the ID requirements, and there will likely be more as election day approaches. In Dixon County, where all elections are conducted via mail, ballots will be mailed to voters on April 24, and Stilwell said she expects to get some calls after that.

Nebraska voter ID law Wayne County Clerk Debra Finn stands at a display of voter information, including brochures on Nebraska's new voter ID law, at the Wayne Count

The main thing voters who plan to vote in person early or at the polls on May 14 need to remember is to bring their driver's license or other form of approved photo ID.

"It's really not that complicated. Just show up with your ID," Conley said. "Everybody seems to have a photo ID with them."

Voters who forget their ID can vote provisionally, then must return to the clerk's office within a week to show their ID so their ballot can be counted.

In counties that conduct mail-only elections such as Dixon County or Wayne County in precincts outside of the city of Wayne, voters must write their ID number on their ballot return envelope or enclose a photocopy of their ID. That number will be checked against the number on file with the voter's registration, as well as the voter's signature. If there is a discrepancy, voters have a week to correct it.

Finn said she's heard no complaints from voters about the changes.

"We've had a lot of positive feedback from voters. They believe it was time Nebraska did this," she said.
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An escalation of the conflict in the Middle East is not in the interests of Israel, Iran or the entire region, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday.

Peskov said that Russia calls for de-escalation, and urges all countries in the region to show reasonable restraint.

He noted that Moscow continues to maintain constructive contacts with both Iran and Israel.

The statement comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East. Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles late Saturday in response to Israel's killing of seven Iranians, including two veteran commanders, in a strike on the consular section of the Iranian Embassy in Syria on April 1.
UNITED NATIONS  The United States vetoed a widely backed U.N. resolution Thursday that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for Palestine.

The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 12 in favor, the United States opposed and two abstentions, from the United Kingdom and Switzerland. U.S. allies France, Japan and South Korea supported the resolution.

The strong support Palestinians received reflects not only the growing number of countries recognizing their statehood but almost certainly the global support for Palestinians facing a humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's war in Gaza.

The resolution would have recommended that the 193-member U.N. General Assembly, where there are no vetoes, approve Palestine becoming the 194th member of the United Nations. Some 140 countries already recognize Palestine, so its admission would have been approved.

U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood told the Security Council the veto "does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood but instead is an acknowledgment that it will only come from direct negotiations between the parties."

The U.S. has "been very clear consistently that premature actions in New York  even with the best intentions  will not achieve statehood for the Palestinian people," State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel said.

"The fact that this resolution did not pass will not break our will and it will not defeat our determination," Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour told the council after the vote, his voice breaking at times.

"We will not stop in our effort," he said. "The state of Palestine is inevitable. It is real. Perhaps they see it as far away, but we see it as near."

It was the second Palestinian attempt for full membership and came as the war in Gaza put the more than 75-year-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict at center stage.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas first delivered the Palestinian Authority's application for U.N. membership in 2011. It failed because the Palestinians didn't get the required minimum support of nine of the Security Council's 15 members.

They went to the General Assembly and succeeded by more than a two-thirds majority in having their status raised from a U.N. observer to a nonmember observer state in 2012. That opened the door for the Palestinian territories to join U.N. and other international organizations, including the International Criminal Court.

Algerian U.N. Ambassador Amar Bendjama, the Arab representative on the council who introduced the resolution, called Palestine's admission "a critical step toward rectifying a longstanding injustice" and said, "peace will come from Palestine's inclusion, not from its exclusion."

In explaining the U.S. veto, Wood said there are "unresolved questions" on whether Palestine meets the criteria to be considered a state. He pointed to the Hamas militant group still exerting power and influence in the Gaza Strip, a key part of the state envisioned by the Palestinians.

Wood stressed U.S. commitment to a two-state solution, where Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace, is the only path for security for both sides and for Israel to establish relations with all its Arab neighbors, including Saudi Arabia.

"The United States is committed to intensifying its engagement with the Palestinians and the rest of the region, not only to address the current crisis in Gaza, but to advance a political settlement that will create a path to Palestinian statehood and membership in the United Nations," he said.

Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, asserted that Israel believes Palestine "is a permanent strategic threat."

"Israel will do its best to block the sovereignty of a Palestinian state and to make sure that the Palestinian people are exiled away from their homeland or remain under its occupation forever," he said.

He demanded of the council and diplomats in the chamber: "What will the international community do? What will you do?"

Israeli-Palestinian negotiations have been stalled for years, and Israel's right-wing government is dominated by hard-liners who oppose Palestinian statehood.

Israeli U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan called the resolution "disconnected to the reality on the ground" and warned it "will cause only destruction for years to come and harm any chance for future dialogue."

Months after the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack killed 1,200 people in "the most brutal massacre of Jews since the Holocaust," he accused the Security Council of seeking "to reward the perpetrators of these atrocities with statehood."

Israel's military offensive in response has killed over 32,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, and destroyed much of the territory, which speaker after speaker denounced Thursday.

After the vote, Erdan thanked the U.S. and President Joe Biden "for standing up for truth and morality in the face of hypocrisy and politics."

He called the Palestinian Authority  which controls the West Bank and the U.S. wants to see take over Gaza  "a terror supporting entity."

The Israeli U.N. ambassador referred to the requirements for U.N. membership: accepting the obligations in the U.N. Charter and being a "peace-loving" state.

"How can you say seriously that the Palestinians are peace loving? How?" Erdan asked. "The Palestinians are paying terrorists, paying them to slaughter us. None of their leaders condemns terrorism, nor the Oct. 7 massacre. They call Hamas their brothers."

In 2024, 180 state legislators are facing term limits. Here's everything you need to know about which states will be most impacted In 2024, 180 state legislators are facing term limits. Here's everything you need to know about which states will be most impacted Democratic and Republican term-limited incumbents Term-limited state legislators by year
Chicago police recovered 76 casings after the Saturday night massacre in the 2000 block of West 52nd Street in Chicago. They did not recover the life of Ariana Molina, 9.

Nor did they prevent the sprayed bullets from an automatic weapon from wounding two young boys, ages 8 and 9.

Nor could they prevent the shooting of a 1-year-old baby, who may need surgery, nor the several adults wounded. And they couldnt stop the many other adults and young people present from witnessing the kind of event that can and does scar people for life.

In essence, a gunman, as yet unknown (naturally), opened fire on folks gathered for Arianas aunts confirmation, the Tribune reported. Police Superintendent Larry Snelling, noting that this was no random occurrence, said, Wheres the outrage? But a few days have passed now, and all weve had is the usual stock statements along with the hopes and prayers for a recovery that can never really happen, if the city is being honest with itself. One family had 11 members shot.

The number of casings is notable because it lands close to the number of shots fired by police when, during a traffic stop, they sent 96 shots in the direction of a Chicagoan who had shot at police first. In that case, the number of bullets has received far more attention, especially from those focused on police reform. Ninety-six shots has appeared in headlines at home and abroad. The 76 shots? Not so much.

Thats how it goes in todays upside-down Chicago. Police responding defensively, if thats the word, are getting more media and political scrutiny than gangbangers unloading their weapons on innocent little kids.

Why? Progressive forces are in power at City Hall, and anyone railing at police knows they will have a lot of immediate company when it comes to expressing the preferred narrative. Its the easiest kind of outrage for them to express. The necessary conversation after what happened on West 52nd Street is much more challenging for progressives, since it reflects the clear but often unspoken reality that Chicagos gang problem is spiraling out of control. Snelling knows that all too well, but his Where is the outrage? didnt get a lot of traction. He probably knew it would not.

Its not that those in power dont care about those kids. We know they do. Plenty of folks in City Hall, all the way up to the top, will have been deeply shocked and distressed by these deaths. No question. Its that they just dont know what to say to fit within the ideological guidelines from which it is demonstrably so hard for them to break out. As a result, they find themselves stuck for the right words and the city then moves on to the next news cycle. There is, of course, a paradox at work here: the more often these gang-related shootings take place, the less surprising they seem and the less attention flows their way.

But when you have power, as progressives do, there is a moral imperative to have that conversation, as difficult as it may be and even if it may lead to uncomfortable places. You cannot logically express outrage at casings from police bullets and ignore the horrors of a yet-worse gunfight coming just weeks later, splaying bullets at multiple Chicagoans, at a confirmation celebration, for goodness sake. ...

Were always reluctant to make this kind of argument, common on right-wing websites, because we happen to think that police should be held accountable. We think the Dexter Reed shooting, which posed many reasonable questions, merits a full and fair investigation.

Well go even further than that: When young people read about, or witness, the kind of shootout that happened in the Reed case, it only makes its criminal replication the more likely. And while we fully understand the police policy of continuing to shoot until the officers believe the threat has been neutralized, it still sets the example of scores of bullets flying everywhere.

Plenty of teenagers in Humboldt Park sitting in their family homes, wondering about what this city holds for them, will have heard those 96 shots from the police. And thats not to absolve the man who shot first from responsibility. Not at all. In this city, we all have to be able to hold that many things can be true at once.

But there is a difference between an adult responsible for his actions and little kids who had done nothing whatsoever, and we dont need any inquiry or consent decree to reach that conclusion.

Chicago must fight with all its power against these illegal automatic guns. This is what has changed of late.

Even the most hardened gangster would probably not target a little kid directly, but when you are splaying bullets, precision is an unlikely result. Well also note that police were summoned to this shooting thanks to the clearly necessary ShotSpotter technology; we dont know if that helped save the lives of these wounded kids, but we all can agree that the faster an ambulance arrives when a kid is shot, the better.

Whether it fits with progressive ideologys focus on the root causes of crime or not, Chicago must fight with all its power against gangland culture. Its killing far more Chicagoans than questionable policing ever will.

We cannot let political divisions or ideological polarization result in more death of Chicagos greatest assets.

Its kids.
On Monday, Andrew Guzman, the provost of the University of Southern California, sent a letter to the campus community announcing the cancellation of the speech by the student valedictorian. Concerned with the intensity of feelings around the Middle East and accompanying risks to security, he wrote, tradition must give way to safety.

There is no question that universities have a duty to maintain campus safety during graduation ceremonies. Campus administrators are responsible for the safety of tens of thousands of students and their friends and families at a very public venue during this period. They want everyone to share a memorable moment of recognition of accomplishment, and to be safe while doing so.

Yet the provosts letter sounded all too familiar to me. For six years, I served as the United Nations principal monitor of freedom of expression worldwide. In that role, I repeatedly saw governments shutting down public speech to prioritize vague assertions of national security or public order over the rights of its citizens.

This context helps us understand why USCs decision is so troubling. For as much as Guzman asserted that the decision has nothing to do with freedom of speech, he failed to demonstrate the necessity of this draconian measure. As such, the action is clearly an interference with free speechthe question is whether it was justified.

The student selected as valedictorian, Asna Tabassum, earned the honor, the result of a faculty recommendation that Guzman himself approved. With nearly perfect grades, a major in biomedical engineering, and a minor in genocide studies, Tabassum presents the kind of profile that any university would be thrilled to celebratehardworking, successful, committed to science and society, engaged in the life of her campus.

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And like so many young people today, she has thoughts about justice and the wider world of which she is a part. Specifically, she supports the pro-Palestine activism that has grown across the world, especially on college campuses. This is obvious because she linked to a pro-Palestine website on her Instagram page and liked posts from a campus organization favoring Palestinian rights.

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Many find those websites, and those views, objectionable. Thats fine: Everyone enjoys the right to disagree and object. According to reporting in the Los Angeles Times and elsewhere, those associations and views caused pro-Israel groups to launch a campaign against her, and some unnamed individuals to issue threats.

The USC leadership caved to these efforts. Asserting that Tabassum had no entitlement to speak, as the provosts letter emphasized, is beside the point. USC pulled her from the podium because, it appears, it concluded that the reactions to her views and associationsperhaps her valedictory speechcould somehow threaten public safety or disrupt commencement. Even Guzmans letter makes this plain: He made sure to note that the criteria for selection did not include candidates social media presence, implying that he would not have approved her as valedictorian if he had known her views.

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The question is not whether the university has a significant interest in a safe celebrationit obviously does. The question is whether it has shown that the steps it took were necessary and proportionate to ensure that kind of environment. And here is where USC administrators have failed. They did not demonstrate that it was necessary to cancel Tabassums speech. They did not show, or even allege, that Tabassum would use the moment to incite any kind of disruption. There is no evidence that the university considered what a security arrangement might look like to protect Tabassum and all participants at graduation. There is no evidence that it considered or offered alternatives to canceling her speech altogether.

In short, Tabassum has been penalized while those making the threats have secured a victory. USCs choice came with obvious costs, depriving Tabassum of a speaking role and her classmates of hearing one of their most academically successful members.

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USC gave opponents of Tabassums views the hecklers veto. The lesson seems to be: If you dont like a speaker, complain and threaten disruption to get your way. The risks to campus free speech are obvious. Once a school starts down this path, there is no end to political tests in which university administrators bless certain viewsthose that do not stir up intense feelingsand reject others. That is the path of campus authoritarianism, something American students have been fighting against since at least 1964.

Schools like USC will forever face pressure to pick students without a political backstory, without convictions or passions that spark dissent or make some uncomfortable. Universities face increasingly strident calls, inside and outside their campuses, for them to limit speech on grounds that have nothing to do with their academic missions. Now, more than ever, members of campus leadership must stand up for their students, their faculties, and their communities in the face of threatsand not only teach but practice the centrality of freedom of expression in democratic societies like ours.
The George SantosexpelledfromCongress narrative arc went from This is kind of entertaining to Oh, wow, hes really on Cameo to Please, no more in record time.

Which is probably why, so far, there doesnt seem to be much of an appetite for a Santos redux, in either eastern Long Islandwhere hes attempting to run for Congress again, this time as an independent in the district that includes the Hamptonsor literally anywhere else.

On Monday, Santos newfound campaign committee submitted its first quarterly filing with the Federal Election Commission. And the committee reported, somewhat comically, that it had zero donors, had raised zero dollars, and that there had been zero dollars spent.

Santos has since provided some curious explanations for the lack of fundraising. He told the Daily Beast he wont raise any money until hes confirmed on the general election ballot as an independent candidate, a task that will reportedly require him to obtain the signatures of 3,500 voters in New Yorks 1st District by the end of May. And he told the New York Daily News that hes trying to cut against unfair media narratives. If I raise money, youre going to say Im doing it to grift or to fund my lavish lifestyle or whatever you want to write, he said, referencing the credible allegations of his having previously used contributions to fund his lavish lifestyle. (In addition to a House Ethics investigation that found substantial evidence of criminal misconduct by Santos, he also faces 23 felony charges, including stealing donors identities and spending their money without their consent. Santos has denied wrongdoing, and a trial date is tentatively set for September.)

The $0 fundraising quarter for Santos 2024 campaign got some well-earned media attention this week, but a separate report about the zombified remnants of Santos 2022 campaign was also submitted to the FEC on Monday. That report revealed a bunch of still-outstanding debts to an eclectic collection of characters from the Santos Extended Universenone of whom are presumably thrilled to hear that, as a strategic matter, he has no intention of replenishing his fundraising coffers anytime soon.

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There are, for instance, roughly $6,000 in newly recorded debts to the consulting firm of the Santos campaigns treasurer, Jason D. Boles. Thats his current campaign treasurer, to be clear.

Being in debt to your own treasurer, the person tasked with tallying your finances, is a dynamic that could charitably be described as  not great. And yet, in a brief phone interview on Tuesday, Santos told me that Boles is sticking by him. (Boles, for his part, said no comment, hung up on me midquestion about Santos, and didnt answer my email query.)

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Hes still my treasurer, and I dont think I need to express or explain to you what my strategy is moving forward to make sure I pay all my consultants, Santos told me. The one thing I can tell you is that everyone thats ever worked for me has always gotten paid. Obviously, the circumstances here are a little extenuating, but yes, everybody will be paid eventually.

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On the one hand, its not unusual for political campaigns to continue filing FEC reports well after the actual campaigning has ceased; there are often debts and obligations left to paylegal fees, consulting, media production, that sort of thing, said Robert Maguire, research director at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Campaign committees can use cash on hand, or solicit more contributions, to pay off prior debts.

On the other hand, the 2022 Santos campaigns reported debts and obligations have grown larger since he won his race, a decidedly less normal situation. Of the $781,932.07 in debts and obligations currently owed, $630,000 are purported personal loans from Santos to his own campaign. When I first reached Santos and brought up debts and obligations, he assumed that that was what I was calling about. Those are just loans of mine that are outstanding, he responded.

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I told him I was actually calling about the money his campaign owes to other people, much of which was undisclosed until the latter half of 2023including to his former campaign manager ($4,000); a pair of field operators ($42,500); his treasurer ($6,015, a debt that was just incurred); his legal firm ($68,727.79); and his favorite restaurant, the Queens-based Italian joint Il Bacco ($10,000 for catering services dating back to Santos 2022 election night victory).

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Most of the above, sans the lingering catering service costs, would be somewhat routine if they were any other candidate, Maguire said. But when you have a campaign that has been mired in so much financial chaos, much of it remaining unresolved, it does raise some questions.

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One such question: Why would Boles, the treasurer (who works for a campaign consulting service called RTA Strategy Inc.), willingly partner up with George Santos, given his reputation? You would think a seasoned campaign finance compliance person wouldve known what they were getting into, Maguire said.

Its not as if Boles predecessors left rave reviews of the job. Santos former campaign treasurer Nancy Marks pleaded guilty in October to a felony count of conspiracy to defraud the United States; she admitted to making up campaign donations for Santos, and said a $500,000 personal loan Santos supposedly gave to his campaign was fake, an attempt to make his candidacy look stronger. After Marks left, the Santos campaign briefly listed on its FEC filings another treasurer, Tom Datwyler, who quickly swore up and down that he never agreed to work with the volatile congressman. As with many Santos-related matters, there was much more to the story. According to the Daily Beast, Datwyler reportedly used a high school buddy named Andrew Olson to sign off as treasurer in his steada naked attempt to take the heat off Datwyler himself. Boles picked up the baton and conducted a campaign audit beginning in May 2023.

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According to previous FEC filings, Boles firm was getting paid on time by the Santos campaign  until now. It cant be reassuring for Boles that, on top of everything else, the 2022 Santos campaign is still refunding individual contributorsaround $21,000 this most recent periodleaving almost zero margins to pay down debts. The 2022 campaign is now reporting just $6,290.60 cash on hand, which includes some leftover pocket change from another zombified campaign committee of Santos that dates back to his unsuccessful 2020 run.

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Perhaps Boles, whos also Marjorie Taylor Greenes treasurer, is motivated by a patriotic sense of duty to help MAGAs most obnoxious espousers, as some kind of exercise in owning the libs. Who knows how many more unpaid FEC filing cycles that sense of duty will last.

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As for other debtees: Santos former campaign manager Gabrielle Lipsky did not respond to my email asking about the $4,000 shes owed. The last time the Santos campaign paid down its debts to Lipsky was in September, when it cut a $3,500 check, leaving a $4,000 balance.

Then theres Il Bacco. In late 2022, the Santos campaign said it paid the restaurant $8,000 in outstanding debt. But Boles first noted that there was $10,000 in remaining debt owed to Il Baccoan amount labeled as election night cateringin an October 2023 filing with a parenthetical that reads: TREASURER BECAME AWARE OF PRIOR DEBT IN CURRENT PERIOD. (That parenthetical was employed seven times in total on the Santos campaigns October filing, back when the Santos campaign was still paying its treasurer on time.)

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I hoped Il Bacco ownership might talk to me about the Santos campaigns owing the business at least $10,000 for at least a year and a half. Santos was a frequent patron of the restaurant and, mysteriously, repeatedly paid exactly $199.99 for meals during the 202122 campaignjust under the threshold where a receipt would be required by the FEC. Alas, Il Baccos owner, Joe Oppedisano, pleaded the Fifth when I called him, deferring all questions to Tina Maria Oppedisano, his daughter and the restaurants operations manager. I eventually reached Tina Maria, who politely informed me she simply cannot answer questions about Santos.

I tried to bring up Il Bacco to Santos, but he swiftly grew tired of my inquiries. Im going to ask you: Do you have anything else aside from trying to distort and sensationalize a campaign FEC report? he rebutted. When I asked why he had just given a $400 donation to Rep. Lauren Boebert while not squaring up with his former campaign manager or treasurer or favorite restaurant, he replied: My personal funds have nothing to do with campaign funds. Period.

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Technicallyan extremely important qualifier when were talking about George Santos and his financeshes right. Campaign obligations and personal obligations are not one and the same. The problem for Santos is that although he might be able to forgive the personal loans he alleges to have contributed to his campaign, that doesnt solve for the individuals and businesses who are still owed money. To pay down debts, money must materialize.

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I dont understand how his response makes any sense, Maguire told me. If hes not raising any money and his campaign is deep in debt, how is he going to retire that debt through his campaign? Its not going to have donors anymore. It already has net-negative donors. If he thinks his new campaign is going to help, well, that one isnt raising any money either.

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Maguire was careful to include a caveat in his analysis, which is that Donald Trump is facing even more felony charges than Santos, has his own well-trodden cash-flow issues, and just had a record-smashing fundraising haul.

Point being: Money can materialize in American politics. But if Santos has any hope of relieving his prior campaign debts, hell have to fundraiseand fundraise effectively. Im skeptical of an actual Santos revival, given his bleak reputation among even fellow MAGA-world stars.

Still, we have no idea what insanity awaits us, Maguire said, speaking generally but also of Santos potential return to politics. I have been doing this long enough to see people who, in a normal world should not be able to raise lots of money, then raise a lot of money.
During a House vote Thursday, Speaker Mike Johnson found himself surrounded by members of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, demanding answers about rumored rules changes that would go a long way toward defanging the Freedom Caucus veto power over the body. As Johnson was being berated, Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden interjected to defend the speaker. He began hurling insults at the Freedom Caucus members, including calling Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz tubby. Of all the things to say about Gaetz  tubby?

Why is everyone so mad? Well, getting mad is just what Van Orden does, whether the target of his opprobrium is Gaetz, Joe Biden, or a group of teens enjoying themselves.

The most right-wing members of the House GOP, however, were furious at Johnson for threatening to finally do whats necessary to retake control of his chamber after 15 months of gobsmacking dysfunction.

After months of delays, Johnson has finally found the gumption to allow a package of bills providing security assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan to move through the House. Hes organized it in a clever way. There will be separate votes on each of those three measures, allowing some Republicans to vote for the Israel portion alone and some Democrats to vote for the Ukraine portion alone, with plenty of crossover voting for both. There will also be a separate, fourth vote on a piece of sidecar legislation, intended as a legislative sweetener to move certain House priorities through the Senate. It would include measures seizing Russian foreign assets and forcing the Chinese company ByteDance to sell TikTok, among other things. Whatever passes will be rolled into one bill for the Senate to take up.

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No sweetener, however, can satisfy the hard-right Republicans whove made abandonment of Ukraine a top priority. And Johnsons decision to push through Ukraine aida policy choice hes now passionately advocating for in a way we hadnt previously seenall but guarantees that Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, or some other fellow traveler, will force a vote on removing Johnson from his job, as she threatened to do several weeks ago.

And so Johnsons maneuver to pass the aid package, and to keep his job, would rely on votes from the opposition party to a very, very unusual extent. Under the process Johnson has laid out, Democratic votes could be needed in every step of the process. That would mean Democrats would vote to advance a rule governing floor debate in the Rules Committee, on that rule in a full House vote, during votes on the legislative package itself, and, perhaps, in a vote to sustain Johnsons speakership afterward. There is little if any precedent in modern times of a minority party bailing out the majority leadership on procedural votes like this. But Democrats may be willing to swallow it if thats what it takes to re-arm Ukraine.

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What really teed off the right, though, beyond Johnson relying on Democrats to assist Ukraine, was a story about something else Johnson was considering. Punchbowl News reported Thursday morning that House Republican leaders were discussing using the debate over the $95 billion foreign aid package to make it harder to oust Speaker Mike Johnson.

Under current House rules, any individual member can force a vote to oust the Speaker. This was the process by which ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy was removed, and it is the move that Greene has been threatening to deploy against Johnson. It is the central source of the far rights control over the speaker: Rely on Democratic votes to pass something we disapprove of, and you will lose your job.

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Its poison, and rank-and-file House Republicans are at their wits end with the crippling effect its had on the ongoing, internationally embarrassing session of Congress. The change under discussion, then, would have raised the threshold for what it takes to force a vote on ousting the speaker. Johnson, then, wouldnt have needed Democrats to bail him out repeatedly when his speakership would come up for a vote, putting everyone in an unsustainable position.

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This is what the Freedom Caucus memberseven the ones who previously hadnt supported an ouster of Johnsonconfronted Johnson about on the House floor on Thursday.

Matt Gaetz, who was among those confronting Johnson, told reporters that they sought clarification from Johnson that he wouldnt attempt to change this, and we did not get the answer that we wanted. Johnson, Gaetz said, was equivocating. (As for the interaction with Van Orden, Gaetz said the only thing I gleaned from it is that Mr. Van Orden is not a particularly intelligent individual.)

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Gaetz, who led McCarthys ouster, had been outspoken against ousting Johnson, even as he was staunchly against sending additional aid to Ukraine. But the rumors of a rule change to release the speaker, once and for all, from the Freedom Caucus grip got him to reconsider that.

Related From Slate Donald Trump and Mike Johnson Are Teaming Up on a Fantasy Bill for a Fantasy Problem Read More

My hope was that the motion to vacate would be an elixir that only required one dose for effectiveness, Gaetz told reporters Thursday. But sometimes, there are some therapies that require more than one dose. And I hope thats not the case with the motion to vacate, but well administer that elixir as many times as necessary to save the country.

By late Thursday afternoon, Johnson had decided against pursuing the rule change. Any rule change requires a majority of the full House, which we do not have, he said. We will continue to govern under the existing rules. His gumption, in other words, still only goes so far. But he is nevertheless risking his job and his standing among conservatives to support Ukraine, which is gumption enough for the moment.

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In spite of this, paranoia is still rippling through the Freedom Caucus. Their members were also worried on Thursday that Republican leaders could attempt a sudden removal of three hardliners from the Rules Committee, another source of the rights power. Just in case, the Freedom Caucus decided to take shifts with members monitoring the House floor should leaders attempt to pass any of these changes by unanimous consent. That group of members is known as the Freedom Caucus Floor Action Response Teamaka FART.

The debate happening in Congress now is a weighty one. Members are fighting about Americas role in the world: whether it has an obligation to prop up an independent country facing aggression from its neighbors, and whether it should help other allies defend themselves against a concerted effort from Russia, China, and Iran and its proxies to destabilize the Western-led order. Its a serious moment.

But also: FART.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240417/politico-admits-west-losing-proxy-war-against-russia-1117985562.html

West Losing Proxy War Against Russia, Politico Admits

West Losing Proxy War Against Russia, Politico Admits

Sputnik International

The tabloid news outlet delivers a tour de force in war propaganda while admitting the outlook for the Western client state is bleak.

2024-04-17T23:36+0000

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Morale among troops is grim, ground down by relentless bombardment, a lack of advanced weapons, and losses on the battlefield, laments a new piece in tabloid news outlet Politico that tugs on Washington lawmakers heartstrings in an attempt to finally dislodge a $60 billion support package from Congress.Author Jamie Dettmer, a veteran of US state-run propaganda outlet Voice of America, confirms the sour mood within the Ukrainian military as reports suggest the countrys military frontlines may be days away from disintegrating.The mood in the senior ranks of the military is even darker Several senior officers talked to POLITICO only on the understanding they would not be named so they could talk freely. They painted a grim forecast of frontlines potentially collapsing this summer when Russia, with greater weight of numbers launches its expected offensive, the article read.Dettmer engages in all the familiar tropes about a purportedly deranged US enemy bent on inflicting death and destruction apparently for his own amusement, the same picture painted of Hussein, Assad, Gaddafi, Maduro, Noriega, and countless others. The journalist composes scarcely a paragraph without a snarling reference to Putin as a stand-in for Russia as a whole.Vladimir Putin has arguably never been closer to his goal, he writes. Putin will claim victory at home, and, emboldened by exposing Western weaknesses, he may reinvigorate his wider imperial ambitions abroad Putin literally wants to scratch [Ukraine] from the map.But the consequential Russian presidents first several years as leader were defined by repeated overtures of friendship and goodwill to the West. Putin continued to engage in good faith even as NATO troops marched closer and closer to Russias border, a clear violation of the United States previous assurances.Even as European leaders cynically played for time with their apparent support for the Minsk agreements, Putin took the effort seriously. After war broke out he continued to attempt to negotiate a truce, with at least two efforts foiled by US intervention. When Western officials gloat about the Donbass conflict as a way to effectively wear down Russia, one can only consider their confident boasts for so long without concluding this was the plan all along.But Moscows efforts in Ukraine have been noted for their restraint. Russia deliberately eschewed US-style shock and awe tactics when the special military operation was launched. Within one month the Israeli military had already killed more civilians in Gaza than had fallen in nearly two years of fighting in the Donbass. Yet mainstream media has yet to vilify Western ally Netanyahu in the way it has Russias president.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240417/us-house-set-to-vote-on-ukraine-israel-taiwan-aid-bills-on-saturday---speaker-1117982278.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/us-ignored-enormous-displays-of-goodwill-from-russias-president-putin---lavrov--1116326975.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231228/cause-du-jour-to-yesterdays-news-western-medias-evolving-2023-coverage-on-ukraine-1115862086.html

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politico ukraine losing war, politico zelensky losing, politico ukraine proxy war, politico ukraine aid package, politico jamie dettmer, politico war propaganda, politico putin
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240418/anti-establishment-german-politician-touts-opposition-to-ukraine-war-skepticism-of-immigration-1117989102.html

Anti-Establishment German Politician Touts Opposition to Ukraine War, Skepticism of Immigration

Anti-Establishment German Politician Touts Opposition to Ukraine War, Skepticism of Immigration

Sputnik International

Sahra Wagenknecht is finding success in questioning German politics pieties and sacred cows.

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analysis

sahra wagenknecht

europe

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naked capitalism

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A new piece on the website Naked Capitalism takes a deep dive into the modern state of European politics. In an article titled Can a New German Party Steer the European Left in a More Effective Direction? author Conor Gallagher examines the salience of the immigration issue in EU politics and the growing working-class rejection of the proxy war in Ukraine.Aside from Ukrainians, the war against Russia has arguably hurt working-class Germans more than anyone else, writes Gallagher. "Despite that fact, German politician Sahra Wagenknecht is labeled... one with 'sympathies towards Russia for her opposition."Wagenknecht is leader of a new party that rejects continued German support for the war in Ukraine. The leftwing politician has also faced criticism from establishment corners for her skepticism towards immigration.Wagenknecht gets a lot of criticism for her stance on immigration, but the fact is thats what German voters are most concerned about, Gallagher notes, citing polling on the issue.I think a lot of people are totally sick and tired of identity politics, said Lazare. I want to see class issues be the focus.Obviously we have to protect the rights of racial minorities, he clarified. And we also have to recognize that there are a lot of people in the world who have been displaced by war, economics, and climate crises as well. But Lazare predicted Wagenknechts platform would find support in Germany as voters suffering economic hardship often share her skepticism towards mass immigration.Lazare predicted the attacks on Wagenknecht for her opposition to the war in Ukraine would backfire, redounding to the advantage of the right who have gained significant traction over the issue.Americans are tired of war, he claimed, noting that opposition to funding for the conflict has increasingly gone global. They've been fighting wars nonstop for a quarter of a century. Each new conflict seems to be more poorly thought out than the preceding one. And they all seem to go badly.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20200131/german-lawmaker-reveals-how-nato-fooled-gorbachev-about-blocs-eastward-expansion-plans-1078193547.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20221218/yougov-nearly-half-of-germans-believe-immigration-is-bad-for-the-country-1105567401.html

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sahra wagenknecht germany, sahra wagenknecht immigration, sahra wagenknecht ukraine war, olaf scholz neville chamberlain
 Flash

Two batches of humanitarian supplies provided by the Chinese government to Palestinians will arrive at the Al-Arish airport and Port Said in Egypt on Thursday and Friday, the Chinese embassy in Egypt said in a press release.

The shipments, including tents, blankets, clothing, medical supplies and flour, will be transported to the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing.

To ease the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, the Chinese government has continued to provide aid to Palestine and has sent several batches of food, medicine and other emergency humanitarian aid to the strip through Egypt, according to the embassy.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240418/biden-administration-lacks-moral-character-regarding-assanges-extradition--1117987935.html

Biden Administration 'Lacks Moral Character' Regarding Assange's Extradition

Biden Administration 'Lacks Moral Character' Regarding Assange's Extradition

Sputnik International

On Sunday, it was reported by an American news source that the Australian government asked the US to offer Julian Assange, an Australian citizen, a felony plea deal allowing him to return home.

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analysis

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freedom of press

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chelsea manning

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On Sunday, it was reported by an American news source that the Australian government asked the US to offer Julian Assange, an Australian citizen, a felony plea deal allowing him to return home. Days later, the US Embassy in London submitted assurances to potentially avoid an appeal in the case against the WikiLeaks founder.The US embassy added that a decision as to the applicability of the First Amendment is exclusively within the purview of the US courts, but the assurance did not specify whether the US government believes the First Amendment rights under the US Constitution apply to a non-US citizen, one journalist noted.On Wednesday, the host of AM Wake Up and Slow News Day, Steve Poikonen joined Sputniks The Critical Hour to delve deeper into the recent report. Sputniks Wilmer Leon asked Poikonen if the Biden administration plans to have Assange die in Londons Belmarsh prison, where he has been imprisoned for five years. His incarceration has been condemned by international human rights organizations as well as the UN human rights officials.The way that the appeal for the assurances were worded, it leaves a lot of room for the British High Court to step in and say, okay, you didn't assure anything; in fact, you contradict stuff you've already entered into the record. So, it'll be interesting to see what the court does with this as well.Regarding the US reassurances on the issue of the First Amendment, Poikonen suggested that while Assange may be able to say the words First Amendment, he is not entitled to any of those rights nor does the US consider him to be a journalist, which they have argued in the past and continue to argue.The First Amendment doesn't apply in the eyes of the courts. To say nothing of the fact that diplomatic assurances have nothing to do with the US criminal Justice Department, said Poikonen. You're talking about two entirely different spheres of the federal government, and one of them have the ability to make assurances, the other does not, and that's the diplomatic assurances that they're getting.Assange is a 52-year-old man who's been in very, very poor health for the last five years, specifically because of the treatment he's endured at the hands of being detained without being charged of anything," he added. When asked what Assange could do to address these growing issues, Poikonen suggested the European Court of Human Rights, but admitted that either way, Assange may be subjected to multi-level surveillance or a form of permanent monitoring that any dissident would be subjected to for the rest of their lives.Assange first founded WikiLeaks in Australia in 2006. Four years later, WikiLeaks released almost half a million documents relating to the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In August, Swedish prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for Assange based on a womans allegation of rape and another woman's allegation of molestation. The warrant was withdrawn shortly afterward due to insufficient evidence. Assange has also denied the allegations.Assange then traveled to Britain and afterward, Swedish police issued an international warrant for his arrest. In June of 2012, he entered the Ecuadorian Embassy in London seeking asylum. After Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno withdrew Assanges asylum status in 2019, he was sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for jumping bail in 2012.In May of 2019, the US government indicted Assange on 18 charges over WikiLeaks publication of classified documents. Prosecutors claimed that he conspired with US army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to hack into a Pentagon computer. Months later, Sweden would drop their rape investigation. And most recently, in March of 2022, Britain's top court refused Assange permission to appeal against his extradition. Assange now faces 17 Espionage Act charges and a charge of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240410/biden-says-considering-australias-request-to-end-julian-assange-prosecution-1117854053.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240418/china-hopes-us-will-abide-by-intl-law-after-non-binding-gaza-resolution-remark-in-unsc-1117993239.html

China Hopes US Will Abide by Int'l Law After 'Non-Binding' Gaza Resolution Remark in UNSC

China Hopes US Will Abide by Int'l Law After 'Non-Binding' Gaza Resolution Remark in UNSC

Sputnik International

China hopes that the United States will stop "putting itself above everyone else" and jointly work with other UN member states to fulfill its international obligations, after the US described a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as "non-binding," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday.

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On March 25, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2728 calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The motion was sponsored by the 10 non-permanent members of the UNSC. Fourteen countries voted in favor, while the US abstained. US envoy Linda Thomas-Greenfield opined that the resolution was "non-binding." Wang said that every UN member state knew that the decisions made by the Security Council in accordance with the UN Charter were binding for all countries. The minister also recommended that US officials "brush up on the basics of international law," as there are no "exceptions" when it comes to respecting international law. On October 7, 2023, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel and breached the border, attacking both civilian neighborhoods and military bases. Nearly 1,200 people in Israel were killed and some 240 others abducted during the attack. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Nearly 33,900 people have been killed so far by Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip, according to local authorities.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240416/us-defense-of-israel-shows-west-has-never-been-committed-to-international-law-1117951888.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240418/eu-expects-to-use-over-26bln-in-profits-from-russian-assets-for-aid-to-ukraine---commission-1117998259.html

EU Expects to Use Over $2.6Bln in Profits From Russian Assets for Aid to Ukraine - Commission

EU Expects to Use Over $2.6Bln in Profits From Russian Assets for Aid to Ukraine - Commission

Sputnik International

The European Union expects to use over 2.5 billion euros ($2.6 billion) of windfall profits from frozen Russian assets to provide military support to Ukraine this year, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday.

2024-04-18T16:47+0000

2024-04-18T16:47+0000

2024-04-18T16:47+0000

economy

ursula von der leyen

ukraine

russia

moscow

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"If we work at the pace we are working right now, the first payments of these windfall profits, that we estimate in the first year around about 2.5 to 2 billion euros a year, might be accessible and can be invested and support Ukraine in the military needs it has," von der Leyen told a press conference.Moscow has maintained that such an attempt goes against international law. The Russian Foreign Ministry has dismissed the freezing of Russian assets as theft.Last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin dubbed the Wests asset seizure as unseemly business, and stressed that stealing other peoples assets has never brought anyone good.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240313/theft-of-frozen-russian-assets-may-lead-to-financial-crisis-in-the-west-1117312032.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240125/west-could-face-300bln-boomerang-in-gamble-to-seize-russian-assets-sputnik-estimates-1116380567.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240418/google-fires-28-employees-for-protesting-cloud-computing-deal-with-israel---reports-1117991234.html

Google Fires 28 Employees for Protesting Cloud Computing Deal With Israel - Reports

Google Fires 28 Employees for Protesting Cloud Computing Deal With Israel - Reports

Sputnik International

US corporation Google has fired 28 employees who took part in protests against the tech giant's $1.2 billion project to supply the Israeli government with cloud computing services, US media reported on Thursday, citing a Google spokeswoman and employees.

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On Tuesday, nine Google workers were arrested on trespassing charges after staging sit-ins against Project Nimbus at the company's offices in New York and Sunnyvale, California, The New York Times reported. Google employees affiliated with the No Tech For Apartheid group that led the strikes criticized the firings as "a flagrant act of retaliation." Some of the workers fired by Google are alleged to have not participated in the sit-ins. Project Nimbus was announced in 2021 and was aimed at providing Israeli ministries with cloud software. Some Google employees have reportedly expressed concern that the company was aiding Israel's military. A Google spokeswoman was quoted as saying that Nimbus "is not directed at highly sensitive, classified, or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services."

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240418/no-one-more-cowardly-israel-war-cabinet-weighs-attack-on-iran-despite-us-cautioning-1117985417.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240418/iran-may-reconsider-its-nuclear-policy-in-light-of-threat-from-israel---irgc-1117994128.html

Iran May Rethink Nuclear Policy in Light of Threat From Israel - IRGC

Iran May Rethink Nuclear Policy in Light of Threat From Israel - IRGC

Sputnik International

Iran may reconsider its nuclear policy in the light of the threat from Israel, Iran's a senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Ahmad Haghtalab said on Thursday.

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2024-04-18T11:34+0000

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In response to potential threats from the Israel against Iran's nuclear facilities, Brigadier General Ahmad Haghtalab, commander of Iran's Nuclear Centers Protection and Security Corps of the IRGC warned that any aggression against Iran would result in a forceful response, comparing it to the historical True Promise operation.Iran may also reconsider its nuclear policy in the light of the threat from Israel.Speaking to the Tasnim news agency, the commander asserted that Iran is ready to repel any Israeli attacks on its nuclear facilities, as it has identified the location of "all Israeli nuclear facilities" and is ready to strike at them at any moment in the event of aggression from Tel AvivHaghtalab emphasized that Iran has faced threats for a long time, including sabotage and terrorism, from Israel.The IRGC general emphasized Iran's commitment to following international protocols that govern the protection of nuclear facilities, while also stressing the nation's readiness to defend against any acts of aggression. In light of recent attacks on Iranian interests, such as the assault on the Iranian embassy compound in Syria, Haghtalab attributed the safety of Iran's nuclear complexes to the country's defensive strategies and state-of-the-art facilities.On April 13, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a massive drone and missile attack on Israel in response to Tel Aviv's airstrike on the consular annex building adjacent to the Iranian Embassy in Damascus on April 1, which destroyed the building and killed seven members of the IRGC, including two generals. Following that strike, Tehran vowed to retaliate.According to Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri, the True Promise operation was aimed at striking Israels intelligence center located in the Jabal ash Shaykh mountain range along the border with Syria, which provided the information for the attack on the Iranian Embassy in the Syrian capital of Damascus, as well as the Nevatim air base, which houses F-35 fighter jets. Bagheri told the Fars news agency on April 14 that the facilities were largely destroyed and left inoperable.The New York Times reported, citing two Israeli officials, that Iran had launched 185 drones, 36 cruise missiles and 110 surface-to-surface missiles. Israel Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari said Israel had intercepted 99% of the aerial targets fired by Iran, including all attack drones.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240415/it-sets-precedent-israels-conflict-with-iran-shows-potential-to-spiral-1117949992.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240418/is-the-us-mako-missile-truly-hypersonic-or-just-in-name-only-1117999852.html

Is the US Mako Missile Hypersonic in Name Only?

Is the US Mako Missile Hypersonic in Name Only?

Sputnik International

Lockheed Martin and CoAspire showcased their new rocket as a hypersonic wonder-weapon. However, military observers doubt the missile will make a splash.

2024-04-18T18:54+0000

2024-04-18T18:54+0000

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russia

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hypersonic missiles

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us missiles

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A new allegedly hypersonic American missile, named after the fast-swimming mako shark, was put on display at the Sea Air Space 2024 conference. The rocket was initially developed for the US Air Force's Stand In Attack Weapon (SiAW) program by Lockheed Martin and CoAspire; a $705 million contract was ultimately awarded to Northrop Grumman last September.What's known about the weapon so far?Commenting on the rocket's specifications, US military observers have drawn attention to the fact that arming the F-35 with up to six Mako missiles will provide the stealth warplane with unique fighting capabilities.The F-35 project has long been mired in scandals over cost overruns, and arming it with allegedly hypersonic missiles is seen as a good selling point by some American military observers.However their Russian counterparts are skeptical, insisting there are many unknowns about the rocket, which is still undergoing testing.Speaking to TWZ, Lockheed Martins Rob Osterhoud shied away from discussing Mako's flight profile type as well as its maneuverability, generating suspicion the rocket isn't all it's cracked up to be."A hypersonic missile executes anti-missile maneuvers at hypersonic speeds" to avoid interception, Konstantin Sivkov, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Rocket and Artillery Sciences, explained to Sputnik. "It follows a quasi-ballistic trajectory, that is, it maneuvers along a trajectory." It is unclear if Mako is able to maintain "hypersonic" speeds throughout its final phase of flight.While Mako is said to gain Mach 5 during a certain portion of its flight it's unclear whether the rocket will retain "hypersonic" speeds during the final phase of its flight. If it doesnt, it will easily fall prey to modern air defense systems.US defense contractors are undertaking a number of hypersonic projects, but nothing matching Russia's Kinzhal, Zircon or Avangard missiles in terms of speed, power, and maneuverability has been presented so far, according to Sputnik's interlocutor."Yes, they put [Mako] on display, but this does not mean that it will be adopted for service, it does not mean that it will win the [Pentagon's] tender. It depends not only on the rocket's effectiveness, but also on its price tag, and the adaptability of certain types of military equipment, and on whether there are competitors in this area which are cheaper and no less effective," Litovkin concluded.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240414/scoop-iran-may-have-used-new-hypersonic-missiles-to-pierce-israeli-air-defenses-1117930117.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240418/israel-unlikely-to-carry-out-retaliatory-strike-on-iran-until-after-passover---reports-1117988541.html

Israel Unlikely to Carry Out Retaliatory Strike on Iran Until After Passover - Reports

Israel Unlikely to Carry Out Retaliatory Strike on Iran Until After Passover - Reports

Sputnik International

Israel is unlikely to launch a retaliatory strike on Iran until after the end of the Jewish holiday of Passover, also known as Pesach, which is celebrated from April 22:30, a senior US official has told the ABC News broadcaster.

2024-04-18T04:12+0000

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2024-04-18T04:12+0000

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The report said on Wednesday that the official did not rule out that the plans "could always change." He added that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other leadership are still on a "high state of alert," with some of them still being in safe houses and underground facilities, the report said. On Saturday night, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched over 300 drones and missiles at Israel in its first-ever direct attack on Israeli territory, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said. The attack came in response to Israel's airstrike on the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital in early April. IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said Israel had intercepted 99% of the aerial targets fired by Iran, including all drones. Tehran claimed that its retaliatory attack hit designated targets.On Tuesday, media reported that Israel had decided how to respond to Iran's recent retaliatory strike but has yet to decide on its timing. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned on Wednesday that Israel would face a powerful and fierce retaliation if it carried out even the slightest attack on Iran.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240414/russia-slams-unsc-for-ignoring-attack-on-iranian-consulate-calls-for-end-to-bloodshed-1117933653.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240418/lavrov-to-give-interview-to-sputnik-and-other-russian-radio-stations-1117990969.html

Lavrov to Give Interview to Sputnik and Other Russian Radio Stations

Lavrov to Give Interview to Sputnik and Other Russian Radio Stations

Sputnik International

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will give interview to Sputnik and other two radio stations Komsomolskaya Pravda and Govorit Moskva on Friday, April 19, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced.

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2024-04-18T09:35+0000

russia

sergey lavrov

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"It [the interview] will be devoted to foreign policy issues and the current international agenda. The conversation will be conducted by the editors-in-chief of these media outlets, Margarita Simonyan, Olesya Nosova and Roman Babayan," Zakharova said at a briefing.In March 2023, Russia adopted a new foreign policy concept which was described as a new approach to Moscows relations with the West. Commenting on the document, Sergey Lavrov stressed that the document calls out US as main instigator of anti-Russian crusade.Lavrov is one Russia most shrewd diplomats with over 50 years experience of work in foreign policy structures.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231228/lavrov-sits-down-with-sputnik-for-exclusive-interview--1115847890.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240418/no-one-more-cowardly-israel-war-cabinet-weighs-attack-on-iran-despite-us-cautioning-1117985417.html

'No One More Cowardly': Israel War Cabinet Weighs Attack on Iran Despite US Cautioning

'No One More Cowardly': Israel War Cabinet Weighs Attack on Iran Despite US Cautioning

Sputnik International

On Wednesday, the Israeli prime minister said that Israel would decide on its own how to respond to Irans retaliatory attack, despite advice from its Western allies.

2024-04-18T00:42+0000

2024-04-18T00:42+0000

2024-04-18T00:42+0000

analysis

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us

israel-gaza conflict

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On Tuesday Israels war cabinet met to discuss a potential response to Irans strike on Saturday, but did not come to a conclusion. But on Wednesday, the Israeli prime minister said that Israel would decide on its own how to respond to Irans retaliatory attack, despite advice from its Western allies. Meanwhile the US has been urging Israel to show restraint. Laith Marouf, a journalist and political commentator, joined Sputniks The Final Countdown on Wednesday to discuss the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, as well as the possibility of the US being dragged into the mess.Sputniks Angie Wong noted that US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the US will impose new sanctions on Irans missile and drone program and entities that support the countrys military program as punishment for its attack on Israel, according to an American news source.Sputniks Ted Rall then noted how US President Joe Biden urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take the win regarding the Wests interception of Irans attack. Israel, however, has signaled that they will continue to escalate the conflict.For Israel, its strategic call is permanency as a colony. And already we can see right now the permanency of Israel is in question," said Marouf. "We also can see right now that if Hezbollah enters into an air battle with the Zionists, following the strategy of Iran, they could destroy the Israeli Air Force." In six months, we've seen, again, ground forces of Israel defeated in Gaza, he continued. Israel right now has been demoted from being a regional power into really a full vassal, just like Bahrain, Qatar or the United Arab Emirates that cannot protect itself.Rall then pressed Marouf on his statement claiming that Israel has loss the ground war to Hamas, adding that the IDF has obliterated, flattened two-thirds or three-quarters of the Gaza Strip and that tens of thousands of Gazans have been officially killed.But when the Israeli military entered Gaza, they were faced with huge resistance and they lost so many of their armaments. In fact, some estimates say that the Israeli military ground forces lost 90% of their armored vehicles. Meaning, tanks, APCs and their armored Caterpillar tractors. Now Israel has lost most of that in this battle with the resistance in Gaza, and they had to withdraw, he added.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240417/pepe-escobar-irans-new-equation-reaches-way-beyond-west-asia-1117973782.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240417/israel-in-catch-22-damned-if-it-retaliates-against-iran-and-damned-if-it-doesnt--1117983997.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240418/number-of-f-16s-at-pilot-training-center-in-romania-up-to-11--1117989518.html

Number of F-16s at Pilot Training Center in Romania Up to 11

Number of F-16s at Pilot Training Center in Romania Up to 11

Sputnik International

The European F-16 pilot training center at the Romanian military air base in Borcea has 11 F-16 fighter jets at its disposal, the Romanian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

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On Wednesday, the Romanian Defense Ministry said three F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft of the Royal Netherlands Air Force arrived at the Romanian 86th military air base in Borcea for training, including of Ukrainian pilots. "Minister Angel Tilvar welcomed the arrival of three more F-16 aircraft in Romania, which will add to the eight already used ones at the European pilot training center. The center is a unique complex that provides training opportunities for domestic pilots, allied regional countries, as well as Ukraine," the ministry said.Earlier French aviation expert Cyrille de Lattre explained Sputnik that private military companies from the US and Canada can be contracted to pilot F-16s in UkraineExpert stressed that training Ukrainian pilots is problematic due to their poor command of English and other issues.Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu earlier said that Russia would start hunting down Ukrainian F-16s as soon as they begin arriving. He added that Russian air defenses will need only about 20 days of work to decimate the first batch of these jets supplied to Kiev.Vladimir Putin had a conversation with Russian military pilots in March and stressed that F-16 would change nothing for Kiev.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231114/f-16-training-base-in-romania-shows-nato-wants-to-drag-europe-into-ukrainian-crisis-1114954655.html

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Reading campaign launched among college students in China

Xinhua) 09:57, April 18, 2024

BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- A reading and sharing event has kicked off among college students in Beijing.

It came as part of activities held in China to celebrate the upcoming 29th World Book and Copyright Day, which is observed annually on April 23.

During the event, organizers will solicit feedback articles and short videos from universities and colleges to encourage students to document and share their reading experiences.

The organizers added that renowned writers would be invited to share with college students their gains from reading and their individual writing experiences.

The event is held with the aim of inspiring public enthusiasm for reading, helping foster a culture of loving reading, reading quality books, and improving reading proficiency.

The event is sponsored by China Publishing Group and will last through November, said organizers.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
 Flash

There is no exception nor any privilege for the United States in complying with international law, including United Nations Security Council resolutions, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in Jakarta on Thursday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at a joint press conference after meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

In response to a question over the UN's role in calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Wang said that in the Gaza conflict, which has persisted for half a year, a rare humanitarian tragedy of the 21st century has unfolded.

The UN Security Council, in response to the calls of the international community, has been continuously deliberating on draft resolutions regarding a ceasefire in Gaza, only to be repeatedly vetoed by the United States, Wang said.

He added that the UN Security Council has recently adopted Resolution 2728, demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. This time, the United States did not dare to continue standing against international moral principles and instead chose to abstain, yet claimed that this resolution was "non-binding."

This statement by the United States has astounded the world, once again exposing the hegemonic mentality of the United States, Wang noted.

He criticized the U.S. for employing international law as merely a tool that can be utilized at will or discarded when deemed unnecessary.

Wang pointed out that every member state of the United Nations is well aware that the resolutions adopted by the Security Council in accordance with the UN Charter are binding and that all countries are obliged to abide by them, which is a serious commitment made by all countries when they joined the United Nations.

The United States, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, should take the lead in abiding by UN Security Council resolutions, Wang said, adding that in response to the absurd claims made by the United States, the UN Secretariat has clearly emphasized that all Security Council resolutions are international laws and are legally binding.

It is hoped that the United States will drop its sense of superiority and truly heed the voices of the international community, Wang said, adding that it is time U.S. officials brush up on their basic knowledge of international law.

The United States has consistently claimed to comply with "the rules-based international order," but the most significant rules are the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including international legal norms such as UN Security Council resolutions, Wang said.

The Security Council, as the core of the world's collective security mechanism, should by no means be manipulated by individual countries for geopolitical purposes, nor should it serve as a stage to pursue hegemony or power politics, the Chinese foreign minister noted.

There is no exception in the United Nations in complying with international laws including Security Council resolutions, and the United States holds no privileges in this regard, Wang said.

Wang expressed hope that the United States would change its long-standing superiority complex, and work, as a member of the United Nations, along with other member states, to fulfill the due international responsibilities, support Resolution 2728, and achieve an overall cease-fire in the Gaza Strip at an early date, so as to save the Palestinian people from their sufferings.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240418/ukrainian-forces-target-tokmak-city-with-mlrs---russian-official-1117999223.html

Ukrainian Forces Target Tokmak City With MLRS - Russian Official

Ukrainian Forces Target Tokmak City With MLRS - Russian Official

Sputnik International

The Ukrainian armed forces are using multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) against the Tokmak city in the Zaporozhye Region on Thursday, Vladimir Rogov, a senior official at the regional administration, said.

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"Tokmak is under fire of the militants from the Ukrainian armed forces. The Nazis are shelling this town in Zaporozhye Region with MLRS," Rogov wrote on his Telegram channel, adding that deployed air defense systems are operating.On April 13, the city came under a Ukrainian attack that killed ten civilians, including two children, and injured 13 more.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240413/ten-people-killed-in-ukrainian-strike-on-tokmak-city-in-zaporizhia-region---governor-1117909256.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240418/unscrambling-the-polish-puzzle-warsaw-debates-european-sky-shield-membership-1117991578.html

Unscrambling the Polish Puzzle: Warsaw Debates European Sky Shield Membership

Unscrambling the Polish Puzzle: Warsaw Debates European Sky Shield Membership

Sputnik International

President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland remain at loggerheads over the Sky Shield project, with the former dubbing it a German business initiative.

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Poland intends to join the German-led European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) aimed at building a common air and missile defense system across the continent, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said after meeting with his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen earlier this week.He added that "it completely does not bother" him that "the Germans were the main initiators of this initiative.""The successful interception of most of the Iranian missiles by the Israeli Iron Dome shield has put focus again on how important AD is," Valtersson said, recalling that senior Polish officials remain at odds over the Sky Shield initiative. Israel claimed to have successfully intercepted 99% of the Iranian missiles and drones launched by the Islamic Republic last weekend in retaliation for the attack on the Iranian embassy compound in Syria that left 13 people dead.He recalled that while "liberal PM Donald Tusk" supports the idea of Poland joining the ESSI, the countrys "conservative President Andrzej Duda" is opposed to the idea, calling it a German business initiative.He cautioned that while Poland "has no plans to abandon its special relation with the US, the very strong conflict in other political areas, between PM Tusk and President Duda, might also lead to a fight about ESSI membership in Poland."Germany launched the initiative in August 2022, amidst Russia's ongoing special military operation in Ukraine. Since then, 19 countries, including several NATO members and historically neutral Austria, have joined the European Security and Sovereignty Initiative (ESSI). The project specifically involves the joint procurement of German-made IRIS-T SLM air defense systems by European countries.Herbert Kickl, the leader of the right-wing Freedom Party of Austria (FPO), criticized his country's participation in "Sky Shield" as a "devastating blow to our neutrality policy." He accused Chancellor Karl Nehammer of sacrificing Austria's neutrality "on the altar of NATO".

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230809/germanys-patriot-air-defense-systems-to-remain-in-poland-until-end-of-2023---reports-1112484713.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240418/us-was-mad-at-israel-for-not-warning-about-its-plan-to-attack-iranian-consulate-in-syria---report-1117989948.html

US Was Mad at Israel For Not Warning About Its Plan to Attack Iranian Consulate in Syria - Report

US Was Mad at Israel For Not Warning About Its Plan to Attack Iranian Consulate in Syria - Report

Sputnik International

US officials were angry that Israel launched an aggressive attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria on April 1 without first consulting Washington, the US media reported, citing US and Israeli officials.

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US officials publicly voiced support for Israel, but privately, were angered that Tel Aviv would take such action against Iran without consulting the United States. According to the report, Israel had miscalculated, believing Tehran would not give a strong response to the April 1 attack. Planning for the Israeli strike in Syria began two months earlier and the target was Mohammad Reza Zahedi, the commander for Syria and Lebanon of Irans elite Quds Force, a branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, the report said. On March 22, the Israeli war cabinet approved the operation, according to internal Israeli defense records. On April 1, Israel carried out an airstrike on the consular annex of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, destroying the building. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said seven of its members had been killed in the attack, including two commanders. On April 2, the Syrian Health Ministry said that the attack had also killed four Syrians and injured 13 more. Last week, Iran's IRGC launched over 300 drones and missiles at Israel in its first-ever direct attack on Israeli territory, according to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) data. IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said that Israel had intercepted 99% of the aerial targets fired by Iran, including all drones.Russian officials repeatedly stressed that the root cause of events in the Middle East is the unresolved Palestine-Israel conflict and urged Mideast politicians to tread lightly.Vladimir Putin discussed Mideast escalation with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a phone call and expressed hope that all involved parties will show restraint.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240417/iran-inclined-to-see-russia-as-key-player-in-resolving-mideast-conflict--1117984206.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240418/watch-russian-su-34-bomber-devastate-ukrainian-positions--1117990641.html

Watch Russian Su-34 Bomber Devastate Ukrainian Positions

Watch Russian Su-34 Bomber Devastate Ukrainian Positions

Sputnik International

Russian Su-34 jets struck Ukrainian fortified positions with guided bombs in the South of Donetsk Peoples Republic, effectively obliterating them.

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Russia's Su-34 jets have hit Ukrainian fortified positions in the south of the Donetsk People's Republic with guided bombs, effectively wiping them out, the video released by the Russian Defense Ministry shows. According to the calculations of the Western media, the Russian air force consistently bombs Ukrainian positions with over 100 air-dropped bombs on a daily basis. Russia usually uses FAB-500 bombs - an impressive projectile that leaves a crater over 3 meters deep and over 8 meters wide, vaporizing everything in the explosion zone.

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Cal Expo has reported that longtime Standardbred owner Barbara Arnstine passed away on Saturday, April 13, 2024 in Sacramento, California at the age of 89 following a brief illness.

Barbara and her husband Don purchased their first horse, Big Time, in 1972, a move that set off 50-plus years of excitement owning dozens of horses and winning hundreds of races.

A fixture on the California scene, Barbara continued her involvement following her husbands death in 2020.

It was just last Friday that the Arnstine legacy saw Little Miss Boss scoring a California Sire Stakes victory, a win that gave Barbara and her trainer Kathie Plested great pleasure.

Barbara, who had a doctorate degree in philosophy, was a professor at Sacramento State University for 30 years, teaching learning theory and women's studies.

At the familys request, Watch and Wager and the California racing community look forward to fully celebrating her life in December in conjunction with the rebranded Barbara and Don Arnstine Pace.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Barbara Arnstine.

(With files from Cal Expo)
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

Two journalism trade organizations representing thousands of publishers this week called on California Attorney General Rob Bonta, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Google, after the tech giant announced that it was pulling California news articles from its search platforms for some users.

Google's actions were in response to a bill being considered by the state Legislature that would require platforms such as Google and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to pay news publishers for content they link to.

The California News Publishers Association and the News/Media Alliancetwo leading news industry advocacy groups that lobby on issues related to press freedom and government transparencyargued in a letter sent Tuesday that it is possible that Google violated both state and federal antitrust and unfair competition laws.

"Importantly, Google released no further details on how many Californians will be affected, how the Californians who will be denied news access were chosen, what publications will be affected, how long the compelled news blackouts will persist, or whether access will be blocked entirely or just to content Google particularly disfavors," the letter said.

"Because of these unknowns, there are many ways Google's unilateral decision to turn off access to news websites for Californians could violate California laws."

Google Vice President for Global News Partnerships Jaffer Zaidi said in a blog post last week that Google's decision was in response to the California Journalism Preservation Act, also known as Assembly Bill 886. The move was an escalation in the company's opposition to the bill, which has not yet become law but has already sparked debate over who would benefit, and whether restricting access to news content might inhibit democracy.

Google issued a statement via email Wednesday pushing back against the industry groups.

"These baseless claims deflect the real issues with CJPAthis bill is unworkable and will hurt small, local publishers to benefit large, out-of-state hedge funds," said Brianna Duff, Google spokeswoman.

"We have proposed reasonable alternatives to CJPA that would increase our support for the California news ecosystem and support Californians' access to news. We've long said CJPA isn't the right approach, and we've taken a responsible and transparent step to prepare for its possible implementation."

AB 886 passed the California Assembly last year but stalled in the Senate. It currently sits in the Senate Judiciary Committee without a scheduled hearing.

Zaidi said that the bill would impose a "link tax" and that such a policy would be unworkable for the company.

McClatchywhich owns The Sacramento Bee, The Fresno Bee, The Modesto Bee, the San Luis Obispo Tribune and the Merced Sun-Starsupports AB 886.

Billie McConkey, McClatchy's chief administrative officer, said in a statement last week that Google's response "is typical of how the dominant tech platforms have responded. They would rather block citizens' access to essential information than simply pay fair market value for the content from which they profit."

The Bee has reached out to Bonta's office for comment.

When asked by a reporter Tuesday about Google's move to take down news links to California publishers, Gov. Gavin Newsom responded: "We're in conversations with the company you referenced. Let's leave it at that."

2024 The Sacramento Bee. 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:

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company -- whose clients include Apple and Nvidia -- controls more than half the world's output of silicon wafers.

Taiwanese semiconductor giant TSMC announced Thursday a nearly 9 percent increase in net profits in the first quarter of 2024, buoyed by global demand for its microchips used to power everything from mobile phones to AI technology.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Companywhose clients include Apple and Nvidiacontrols more than half the world's output of silicon chips, which have been called the "lifeblood" of the modern world.

The company said Thursday its net profit increased 8.9 percent on-year in January-March to NT$225.4 billion ($6.97 billion) compared to NT$206.9 billion in the same period last year.

First-quarter revenues also rose 13 percent year-on-year to $18.87 billion, it said.

CFO Wendell Huang also said during an earnings call Thursday that TSMC expects its second-quarter revenues to increase by 27.6 percent.

TSMC, which produces some of the most advanced microchips in the world, dominates the chip-making industry, as well as its customer US-based Nvidia.

The bulk of its fabrication plants making its most high-tech products are based in Taiwan, a self-ruled island that is claimed by neighboring Chinawhich has in recent years ramped up political and military pressures on Taipei.

With a supply chain so vulnerable to shocks, customersas well as governments concerned about critical supplieshave called for the firm to move more chip production lines off the island, which is also prone to natural disasters like earthquakes.

Earlier this month, a massive magnitude-7.4 quake hit Taiwan and "a certain number of wafers in process were impacted and had to be scrapped", Huang said.

"But we expect most of the lost production to be recovered in the second quarter and thus minimum impact to the second quarter revenue," he said.

'Significant progress'

The firm had also earlier this month announced plans to build a third semiconductor factory in Arizonaadding to the two fabrication units already in progress there.

The preliminary agreement with the US Commerce Departmenttied to a major investment law called the Chips and Science Actwould see TSMC receiving up to $6.6 billion in direct funding from the US government.

That would raise its total investment in the United States to $65 billion.

"In Arizona, we have received the strong commitment and support from our US customers and plan to build three fabs... We have made significant progress in our first fab, which has already entered engineering wafer production in April," said CC Wei, the company's CEO.

"We are well on track for volume production in first half of 2025."

He added that the second fab in Arizona has been upgraded "to utilize 2-nanometer technologies to support the strong AI-related demand in addition to the previously announced 3-nanometer" chips.

TSMC's projects in Arizona have faced some obstacles in the past year, which the company had attributed to a lack of human resources, as making microchips requires a highly specialized skillset.

But if successful, the TSMC fabs in Arizona would be the "first time" that super-advanced chips will be made on American soil, said US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo earlier this month.

The company had also in February launched a new $8.6 billion plant in the southern Japanese island of Kyushua coup for Japan as it vies with the United States and Europe to woo semiconductor firms with huge subsidies.

It is also planning another facility in Kumamoto for more advanced chips.

 2024 AFP
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Deepwater divers who monitor and maintain underwater transmission lines and cables for offshore wind turbines face hazards such as subfreezing temperatures, low visibility, jellyfish and sharks.

A new project at The University of Texas at Dallas' Wind Energy Center, known as UTD Wind, is designed to make the divers' jobs safer through the development of remote-monitoring technology for offshore wind farms.

The project, which began in March, expands UTD Wind research into a new area focusing on safety. Researchers will develop digital twins, or virtual models, to simulate wind turbines, and algorithms to extract information about failures from simulation data.

"We're focusing on something very important: safety. In every industry, you want zero accidents," said Dr. Mario Rotea, professor of mechanical engineering in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science and principal investigator. "We're working to develop technology to reduce human exposure to hazardous conditions in the ocean environment."

Working with Rotea are co-principal investigators Dr. Todd Griffith, professor of mechanical engineering, and Dr. Jie Zhang, associate professor of mechanical engineering. The UTD researchers are working with collaborators from NEC Laboratories America and Texas A&M University.

There are two types of offshore wind turbines: fixed platform and floating platform. Fixed platform turbines are built closer to the coast in more shallow water, while floating platform turbines can be miles from the coast, with cables and mooring lines connected to a seabed more than 100 feet below sea level.

The power transmission lines connect to a transmission center, which transfers power to the electrical grid. The water can be as deep as 200 feet. Fixed and floating wind turbine platforms pose risks to personnel and vessels that are not seen at wind power projects on land, Rotea said.

"If we can use technology to provide early warnings and prevent a diver from having to inspect an underwater cable, that would be excellent," said Rotea, who is also the director of UTD Wind.

The researchers' goal is to place sensors in accessible locations to detect damage and transmit early alarms about any problems. The technology will provide information about the conditions and improve safety for offshore wind energy personnel if they need to intervene, Rotea said.

In 2023, wind energy represented nearly 29% of energy generation in Texas, which has more wind turbines15,300than any state in the country, according to the state comptroller's office.
A new Android trojan called SoumniBot has been detected in the wild targeting users in South Korea by leveraging weaknesses in the manifest extraction and parsing procedure.

The malware is "notable for an unconventional approach to evading analysis and detection, namely obfuscation of the Android manifest," Kaspersky researcher Dmitry Kalinin said in a technical analysis.

Every Android app comes with a manifest XML file ("AndroidManifest.xml") that's located in the root directory and declares the various components of the app, as well as the permissions and the hardware and software features it requires.

Knowing that threat hunters typically commence their analysis by inspecting the app's manifest file to determine its behavior, the threat actors behind the malware have been found to leverage three different techniques to make the process a lot more challenging.

The first method involves the use of an invalid Compression method value when unpacking the APK's manifest file using the libziparchive library, which treats any value other than 0x0000 or 0x0008 as uncompressed.

"This allows app developers to put any value except 8 into the Compression method and write uncompressed data," Kalinin explained.

"Although any unpacker that correctly implements compression method validation would consider a manifest like that invalid, the Android APK parser recognizes it correctly and allows the application to be installed."

It's worth pointing out here that the method has been adopted by threat actors associated with several Android banking trojans since April 2023.

Secondly, SoumniBot misrepresents the archived manifest file size, providing a value that exceeds the actual figure, as a result of which the "uncompressed" file is directly copied, with the manifest parser ignoring the rest of the "overlay" data that takes up the rest of the available space.

"Stricter manifest parsers wouldn't be able to read a file like that, whereas the Android parser handles the invalid manifest without any errors," Kalinin said.

The final technique has to do with utilizing long XML namespace names in the manifest file, thus making it difficult for analysis tools to allocate enough memory to process them. That said, the manifest parser is designed to ignore namespaces, and, as a result, no errors are raised when handling the file.

SoumniBot, once launched, requests its configuration information from a hard-coded server address to obtain the servers used to send the collected data and receive commands using the MQTT messaging protocol, respectively.

It's designed to launch a malicious service that restarts every 16 minutes if it terminates for some reason, and uploads the information every 15 seconds. This includes device metadata, contact lists, SMS messages, photos, videos, and a list of installed apps.

The malware is also capable of adding and deleting contacts, sending SMS messages, toggling silent mode, and enabling Android's debug mode, not to mention hiding the app icon to make it harder to uninstall from the devic

One noteworthy feature of SoumniBot is its ability to search the external storage media for .key and .der files containing paths to "/NPKI/yessign," which refers to the digital signature certificate service offered by South Korea for governments (GPKI), banks, and online stock exchanges (NPKI).

"These files are digital certificates issued by Korean banks to their clients and used for signing in to online banking services or confirming banking transactions," Kalinin said. "This technique is quite uncommon for Android banking malware."

Earlier this year, cybersecurity company S2W revealed details of a malware campaign undertaken by the North Korea-linked Kimusuky group that made use of a Golang-based information stealer called Troll Stealer to siphon GPKI certificates from Windows systems.

"Malware creators seek to maximize the number of devices they infect without being noticed," Kalinin concluded. "This motivates them to look for new ways of complicating detection. The developers of SoumniBot unfortunately succeeded due to insufficiently strict validations in the Android manifest parser code."

When reached for comment, Google told The Hacker News that it found no apps containing SoumniBot on the Google Play Store for Android.

"Android users are automatically protected against known versions of this malware by Google Play Protect, which is on by default on Android devices with Google Play Services. Google Play Protect can warn users or block apps known to exhibit malicious behavior, even when those apps come from sources outside of Play," it added.
Select Ukrainian government networks have remained infected with a malware called OfflRouter since 2015.

Cisco Talos said its findings are based on an analysis of over 100 confidential documents that were infected with the VBA macro virus and uploaded to the VirusTotal malware scanning platform since 2018. More than 20 such documents have been uploaded since 2022.

"The documents contained VBA code to drop and run an executable with the name 'ctrlpanel.exe,'" security researcher Vanja Svajcer said. "The virus is still active in Ukraine and is causing potentially confidential documents to be uploaded to publicly accessible document repositories."

A striking aspect of OfflRouter is its inability to spread via email, necessitating that it be propagated via other means, such as sharing documents and removable media, including USB memory sticks containing the infected documents.

"It would require manual user intervention to send an infected document as an email attachment," a Talos researcher told The Hacker News. "That could be the reason why the virus stayed under the radar for such a long time as it is not very noisy."

"We can only speculate as to why there is no automated spreading by email. That said, if the malware was attached to a document sent via email, the virus would still attempt to infect files located on removable media."

These design choices, intentional or otherwise, are said to have confined the spread of OfflRouter within Ukraine's borders and to a few organizations, thus escaping detection for almost 10 years.

It's currently not known who is responsible for the malware and there are no indications that it was developed by someone from Ukraine.

Whoever it is, they have been described as inventive yet inexperienced owing to the unusual propagation mechanism and the presence of several mistakes in the source code.

OfflRouter has been previously highlighted by MalwareHunterTeam as early as May 2018 and again by the Computer Security Incident Response Team Slovakia (CSIRT.SK) in August 2021, detailing infected documents uploaded to the National Police of Ukraine's website.

The modus operandi has remained virtually unchanged, with the VBA macro-embedded Microsoft Word documents dropping a .NET executable named "ctrlpanel.exe," which then infects all files with the .DOC (not .DOCX) extension found on the system and other removable media with the same macro.

"The infection iterates through a list of the document candidates to infect and uses an innovative method to check the document infection marker to avoid multiple infection processes  the function checks the document creation metadata, adds the creation times, and checks the value of the sum," Svajcer said.

"If the sum is zero, the document is considered already infected."

That said, the attack becomes successful only when VBA macros are enabled. Microsoft, as of July 2022, has been blocking macros by default in Office documents downloaded from the internet, prompting threat actors to seek other initial access pathways.

While Microsoft's preventive measure limits the success of such macro-based attacks, Cisco Talos told the publication that many organizations in the affected region, including government entities, are not using up-to-date Office versions.

"The main issue we tried to raise is not that a virus is active and affects Microsoft Office, but that users can unknowingly upload confidential documents to public repositories," it said. "Users need to double check for the malware infection."

Another key function of the malware is to make Windows Registry modifications so as to ensure that the executable runs every time upon booting the system.

"The virus targets only documents with the filename extension .DOC, the default extension for the OLE2 documents, and it will not try to infect other filename extensions," Svajcer said. "The default Word document filename extension for the more recent Word versions is .DOCX, so few documents will be infected as a result."

That's not all. Ctrlpanel.exe is also equipped to search for potential plugins (with the extension .ORP) present on removable drives and execute them on the machine, which implies the malware is expecting the plugins to be delivered via USB drives or CD-ROMs.

One the contrary, if the plugins are already present on a host, OfflRouter takes care of encoding them, copying the files to the root folder of the attached removable media with the filename extension .ORP, and manipulating them to make them hidden so that they are not visible through the File Explorer when plugging them into another device.

That said, one major unknown is whether the initial vector is a document or the executable module ctrlpanel.exe.

"The advantage of the two-module virus is that it can be spread as a standalone executable or as an infected document," Svajcer said.

"It may even be advantageous to initially spread as an executable as the module can run standalone and set the registry keys to allow execution of the VBA code and changing of the default saved file formats to .DOC before infecting documents. That way, the infection may be a bit stealthier."
KEARNEY  The Kearney Area Childrens Museum is hosting the Freeman Foundation Asian Culture Exhibit Series Celebrations.

This exhibit is designed to bring children and families together to explore New Year celebrations in South Korea, China and Vietnam through the imagery of fireworks, lanterns, lotuses and kites. Children will have the opportunity to participate in activities such as drumming and storytelling, immersing themselves in the rich history, beauty, and fun of these Asian New Year festivals.

The exhibit opens to the public on Tuesday, April 23, offering an engaging and educational experience for visitors of all ages. To celebrate the opening of the exhibit, KACM will host a special event featuring South Korean students from the University of Nebraska at Kearney from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 27. The students will showcase K-Pop dances, South Korean snacks and games, providing a firsthand glimpse into South Korean culture.

We are thrilled to bring this diverse exhibit to the Kearney community, and to partner with UNK students to share their culture with families visiting KACM, said Cassie Larreau, the museums marketing and event coordinator. Celebrations offers a unique opportunity for children and families to learn about and experience the rich traditions of the Asian New Year. We invite everyone to join us for this immersive and educational experience.

The Kearney Area Childrens Museum, located in the Alia Arram Memorial Building at 5827 Fourth Ave., is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (extended hours to 6:30 p.m. Thursdays), and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. It is closed on Mondays and major holidays.

Admission is $9 for adults, $10 for children 1-13, $8 for seniors (all plus tax); free for babies 12 months and younger. Discounts are available for active military families (immediate family only); yearly memberships are also available.

For more information about the Freeman Foundation Asian Culture Exhibit Series: Celebrations, visit https://childrensmuseums.org/ffaces/

For more information about the museum, call 308-698-2228 or check online at kearneychildrensmuseum.org.
Vietnamese travelers seek cool destinations for upcoming national holiday: Booking.com

By Lan Do Thu, April 18, 2024 | 10:33 pm GMT+7

Da Lat is the most searched domestic destination by Vietnamese travelers for the Liberation Day-May Day holiday, followed by Danang and Nha Trang, as people seek respite from scorching temperatures, says Booking.com.

Public employees and workers in Vietnam will enjoy a five-day break to celebrate the National Reunification and May Day holidays from April 27 (Saturday) to May 1 (Wednesday) per a decision signed by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Booking.com, one of the worlds leading digital travel companies, says that as temperatures continue to rise, 75% of Vietnamese travelers are seeking cooler destinations.

This preference is reflected in a surge of interest in Da Lat, a town renowned for refreshing mountain air and cool weather all year round. Da Lat has topped the list as the most searched domestic destination by Vietnamese travelers for this holiday, according to Booking.com Travel Predictions 2024.

The next localities in the list are Danang, Nha Trang, Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi, Phan Thiet and Mui Ne.

Dambri waterfall in Da Lat town, Lam Dong province, Central Highlands. Photo courtesy of Asia Legend Travel.

Booking.com says 82% of Vietnamese travelers agree that being close to water makes them feel more relaxed. Therefore, coastal localities have dominated the list of top 10 most searched domestic destinations for the upcoming holidays.

For coastal holidays, Danang, with its stunning beaches and vibrant nightlife takes the lead followed by Nha Trang, Vung Tau, Hoi An, Phan Thiet and Mui Ne.

Varun Grover, country head Vietnam at Booking.com said long weekends provide the perfect opportunity for Vietnamese travelers to unwind and escape daily routines with a refreshing getaway.

Research has revealed that 81% of Vietnamese travelers feel more alive when they are on vacation.
Donald Trump recently announced the God Bless the USA Bible, which puts the Old and New testaments inside the same binding as the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and the Pledge of Allegiance.

Trump is a man defined by material wealth. He has credible charges of adultery and sexual assault, and five children from three wives. He is rarely seen in church and routinely avoids questions about the Bible hes selling. Trump polls well with church-attending Christians. Evangelicals form the core of his base. How does the former president elicit respect from the most conservative of Christians?

Instead of a clash of values, our research shows that Trumps support among the religious right demonstrates the principle of cognitive consistency. People are strongly motivated by consistency  we want to think well of our friends and are disturbed by the victories of our rivals. The misbehavior of musicians affects our love of their music. Athletes who flee from car accidents make it harder to root for their team.

The desire for consistency shapes the way we perceive the world. Vegetarians come to think that meat tastes bad because it comes from animals. Weightlifters come to enjoy muscle pain because means progress. Commuting cyclists believe that fluorescent yellow looks good on them.

It is this consistency motivation that leads people to see connections between emotional attitudes. We expect our favorite actors to share our politics. We think good-looking people are intelligent and that attractive packaging indicates a quality product. These connections are based on matched feelings rather than rational thought, but they feel sensible and correct.

As psychologists, we have been researching how emotional connections arise. We recruited committed Christians online and asked them how positively they felt about Trump and how positively they felt about their Christian faith. The people who felt most strongly about their faith and positively about Trump felt the two were connected  they said that Trump had promoted Christianity at home and abroad, that Trump was a man of faith and especially that Christianity had been made stronger by Trumps presidency. Because they loved both Trump and Christianity, they come to see them as belonging together.

If one is committed to both conservative politics and evangelical Christian faith, we must discover a way to reconcile the two. Conservative Christians have come to see the former president as a heavenly conduit, that Donald Trump is Gods earthly instrument. But more liberal Christians did not see Trump as Christian. Consistency led them to disconnect their beloved religion from politics.

Bush, Cheney, 9/11 and Saddam Hussein

Weve seen this kind of emotion-based connection in politics before. One way the George W. Bush-Dick Cheney administration promoted the invasion of Iraq in 2003 following the terrorist attacks of 9/11 was by connecting them to the Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein. The president and vice president routinely mentioned Saddam and the terror attacks in the same breath. They took pains to present Saddam as a terrible person, implementer of torture and possessor of weapons of mass destruction. (There was no need to convince Americans that 9/11 was a terrible thing.)

In an experiment at the University of Kansas, we had people think of how bad Saddam was and how bad 9/11 was in quick succession. The emotional connection of dreadful things substituted for the complete lack of actual connection between Iraq and the 9/11 terrorists, and increased support for the invasion of Iraq. The same strategy seemed to work for the Bush-Cheney administration. Strongly-matched feelings form relationships.

These connections are not limited to conservatives. People who love organic food often believe it is more nutritious, despite the negligible evidence that it is nutritionally superior. Powerful emotions manufacture links  theyre sensible, but they are not rational.

Emotions are powerful, and they sell products, candidates and ideas. Our research didnt invent new techniques, but it does highlight how irrational connections can emerge in ways that confound those who dont share the emotions. Politics makes strange bedfellows, and love can bring togetherness in the most peculiar of matches.
(TBTCO) - Trong 10-15 nam qua, Viet Nam a co muc tang truong kinh te chua tung co. en nam nay, GDP 9 thang tang 6,82%, minh chung nen kinh te Viet Nam a phuc hoi va quay tro lai quy ao tang truong nhu truoc ai dich Covid-19.
(TBTCO) - Trong bai viet Chong lang phi viet thang 10/2024, Tong Bi thu, Chu tich nuoc To Lam khang inh: e nam bat co hoi, ay lui thach thuc, gia tang manh me nguon luc cham lo cho nhan dan, lam giau cho at nuoc trong giai oan cach mang moi, xay dung tuong lai tot ep, cong tac phong, chong lang phi can uoc trien khai quyet liet, ong bo voi nhung giai phap huu hieu, tao su lan toa manh me, tro thanh tu nguyen, tu giac cua moi can bo, ang vien va nguoi dan, van hoa ung xu trong thoi ai moi; chu trong mot so giai phap trong tam.
A father yesterday called for police officers to be trained to handle people with mental health conditions, after his son was shot and killed by a municipal officer on Friday afternoon.

He needed help and they kill him, Cleophas Noel said of his son, Elijah Noel.

Cleophas said Elijah, 20, was schizophrenic.
Question:

I have noticed ads on social media about a green card lottery. Is this an official programme?

Answer:

The green card lottery, officially known as the Diversity Visa Program, is an annual immigration programme implemented under US law. Through the programme 50,000 immigrant visas are allocated randomly to people from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Individuals born in Trinidad and Tobago are eligible to enter.
A film that chronicles the heros journey of an undocumented New York City chef, on a harrowing trip through the Southern Arizona desert, aims to celebrate the contributions of undocumented immigrants to American society and to humanize migrants too often treated as political props, the filmmaker says.

The Long Walk of Carlos Guerrero is a fictionalized account rooted in true migrant stories from the Arizona borderlands, featuring appearances by real humanitarian-aid workers from Tucson and Green Valley, says New York-based Indian filmmaker Joseph Mathew-Varghese.

"I feel that migrants are heroes who have never been acknowledged, said Mathew-Varghese, who is in Tucson for two upcoming screenings of the 2023 film, which he produced and directed. Theyre looked upon as a charge, and its exactly the opposite. They contribute so much to society.

The Long Walk of Carlos Guerrero will be screened at the Arizona International Film Festival in Tucson on Friday, April 26 at the Mercado Annex.

Its also the feature presentation of a Saturday, April 20 fundraising event in Green Valley to benefit humanitarian-aid nonprofit Salvavision, in collaboration with the Green Valley-Sahuarita Samaritans.

If you go "The Long Walk of Carlos Guerrero" will be screened locally multiple times:  Saturday, April 20 at 4 p.m., at Desert Sky 6 Cinema (70 Duval Mine Road) in Green Valley, to benefit the nonprofit Salvavision. Tickets are $25.  Friday, April 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the Mercado Annex, 267 S. Avenida del Convento in Tucson, for the Arizona International Film Festival. Tickets are $10.  Wednesday, May 1 at 7 p.m., at the University of Arizona's Health Sciences Innovation Building, to benefit Humane Borders and Tucson Samaritans. Tickets are $10, or free with student ID.

In the film, the protagonist Carlos Guerrero has taken the risk to leave the U.S. to visit his ailing mother in Mexico, and the only option for his return is to make the trek through the borderlands. When his group ends up scattered, he takes under his wing a young Salvadoran migrant who has lost her mother, as they both fight for their lives in the desert.

Salvavisions co-founder Dora Rodriguez, a human-rights activist based in Tucson, said the films depiction of the Salvadoran girl reminds her of own near-death experience in the Southern Arizona desert in 1980, when she was 19 years old.

Rodriguez was part of a group of 26 who were fleeing the civil war in El Salvador and were abandoned by their guide in the July heat. Thirteen of them died, including three teenage girls, before Border Patrol agents found the survivors, including Rodriguez, in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.

In the decades since, Rodriguez has made it her lifes work to help migrants like herself.

Yet the deaths continue, despite increased awareness and the efforts of aid groups like Humane Borders, No More Deaths and the Samaritans, she said. Nearly 4,200 migrants are known to have died in the Southern Arizona borderlands since 1990, and thousands more are missing, according to Humane Borders.

Its hard for me to accept the fact that we are still in the same situation, and that people are still going through that journey, Rodriguez said. Theres people still dying, people still suffering just to find safety, and the lies and the betrayals of the smugglers continue.

Proceeds from the Green Valley screening/fundraiser will support Salvavisions efforts to create a healing summer camp experience for dozens of children who last year fled the Mexican border town of Sasabe, Sonora to escape extreme cartel violence, as well as children who migrated from other countries and are settling in Tucson.

About 20 kids, ages 6 to 14, will participate in the program, which will include art-therapy activities and field trips to the zoo, the Childrens Museum Tucson, Skate Country and a day at the movies, she said.

The program aims to help them to have a space to leave their traumas behind for a little bit, to be children again, Rodriguez said. To have fun, to make new friends, to talk about what their experience was  how much they miss home, how much they love this country, or how it is hard to adjust.

Undocumented labor essential

The films protagonist, Carlos Guerrero, represents an homage to the filmmakers late friend Carlos Garcia, who died of cancer in 2015.

Garcia was a celebrated chef in New York City, who had worked his way up from a dishwasher. He had previously been undocumented, and unable to visit his family in Mexico for more than 15 years. Mathew-Varghese was struck by how his friends immigration status trapped him, and so many others.

The story revealed part of the undocumented experience that I had never thought about, he said. So many undocumented people are, in a way, trapped here. They cant go back.

Mathew-Varghese says the reliance on undocumented labor in major U.S. industries  from restaurants, to farming and food processing, to health care  while U.S. politicians continue to dehumanize immigrants and fail to create legal pathways for them, is hypocritical.

If the undocumented people in this country leave, so many major industries that we rely on every day are just going to shut down, he said. Its just like the reality that everybody knows, but nobody acknowledges.

That reality became obvious during the pandemic, he said. More than 5 million undocumented immigrants were deemed essential workers under U.S. Department of Homeland Security guidelines, as they worked on the front lines of the pandemic response, in health care and other key industries, according to the Center for American Progress, a nonpartisan progressive think tank.

Mike Wilson, a human rights activist and member of the Tohono Oodham Nation, is one of a number of Tucson-based humanitarians with a role in the film.

Wilson said he began putting out water on Tohono Oodham land around 2002, when he was a Presbyterian lay pastor at the Presbyterian church in Sells. He noticed the Humane Borders migrant-death map contained so many red icons on reservation land, marking the location where bodies were found.

I thought it was my moral obligation and duty to put out water, Wilson said. They were dying within miles of our communities, and nobody was lifting a hand.

Wilson met Mathew-Varghese in 2004 when the filmmaker was scouting a documentary in Arizona, after learning about the rising number of migrant deaths here and the way U.S. border-enforcement policy channels migrants to the most dangerous parts of the desert.

On his first morning in the field with Wilson, on a water drop, they came upon a man from Hidalgo, Mexico, who had been lost for days and was almost out of water. The man said he came to the U.S. to earn money to pay for surgery his wife needed.

Wilson gave the man water and food, and told him to find Border Patrol agents to turn himself in.

Mathew-Varghese was dumbfounded.

It hit me in a very visceral way, he said. When I experienced that I was like, This is it. If I can find this on the first day Im out here, this must be a story.

The ensuing documentary, Crossing Arizona, was released in 2006 and many of the true stories the filmmaker gathered during filming are incorporated into his new film.

Rodriguez of Salvavision says she sometimes struggles to stay hopeful in the face of so much anti-immigrant sentiment, and the decades-long failure of Congress to tackle immigration reform in a realistic way.

But projects such as The Long Walk of Carlos Guerrero inspire her to continue her work  not for herself, but for the migrants coming behind her, she said.

It is very easy for me to sometimes say, Man, Im done, she said. And then, you get the beautiful victory of a good story to lift you up, and you say, I cannot stop. I gotta keep going.
China's Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration Li Qun (2nd R) and Matthew Bogdanos (2nd L), chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, sign documents at a handover ceremony of returned Chinese cultural objects at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

NEW YORK, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese officials received 38 pieces of cultural relics returned by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office on Wednesday.

The handover ceremony, held at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, was attended by Li Qun, deputy minister of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, along with Chinese Consul General in New York Huang Ping, and Matthew Bogdanos, chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.

In his remarks at the ceremony, Li, who is also director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, said that the renewed cooperation between China and the United States in cultural relic returns signifies mutual trust and progress in artifact repatriation efforts.

China will continue to actively fulfill the memorandum of understanding with the United States on preventing the illegal entry of Chinese cultural relics into the United States, and work with the United States to establish a sound mechanism for information sharing on stolen relics, contributing the wisdom and strength of both countries to safeguarding cultural heritage and promoting mutual understanding through cultural exchanges, Li said.

Huang noted that the event is a positive implementation of the San Francisco Vision reached by the leaders of both countries in November last year and will greatly enhance cultural exchanges and friendship between China and the United States.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of China-U.S. diplomatic relations, and it is hoped that people from all walks of life in China and the United States will continue to work together to promote stable, healthy, and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations, said Huang.

Bogdanos emphasized the significance of the return of these cultural relics in fostering cultural exchanges.

"For cultural heritage, what it does is it brings us all together...We have far more in common when we roll up our sleeves and get to work returning these antiquities where they belong because that's our only goal," said Bogdanos.

Most of the 38 pieces of cultural relics returned Wednesday are Tibetan Buddhist artifacts from China, dating from the Yuan to Ming and Qing dynasties, with a rich variety and exquisite craftsmanship. Among them, ivory carvings, wooden sculptures, and fragments of murals are particularly rare and hold significant historical, artistic, and scientific value.

These artifacts were seized by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office in March. After receiving the artifacts in New York, the National Cultural Heritage Administration will arrange for their timely return to China.

China and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding that aims to prevent the illegal importation of Chinese cultural artifacts into the United States in January 2009. Its validity has been extended for the third time, starting from Jan. 14 this year.

Wednesday's handover marks the first successful artifact repatriation cooperation between the two countries since the agreement's renewal.

So far 504 pieces or sets of Chinese cultural relics have been delivered in 15 batches from the United States to China. 

Returned Chinese cultural objects are seen at a handover ceremony at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Returned Chinese cultural objects are seen at a handover ceremony at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

China's Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration Li Qun (R) shakes hands with Matthew Bogdanos, chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, at a handover ceremony of returned Chinese cultural objects at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Staff members check the condition of returned Chinese cultural objects at a handover ceremony at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

China's Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration Li Qun (2nd R) and Matthew Bogdanos (2nd L), chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, sign documents at a handover ceremony of returned Chinese cultural objects at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

China's Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration Li Qun (R) and Matthew Bogdanos, chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, attend a handover ceremony of returned Chinese cultural objects at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Staff members check the condition of returned Chinese cultural objects at a handover ceremony at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

A returned Chinese cultural object is seen at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Returned Chinese cultural objects are seen at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Returned Chinese cultural objects are seen at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Returned Chinese cultural objects are seen at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

A returned Chinese cultural object is seen at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

A returned Chinese cultural object is seen at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

A returned Chinese cultural object is seen at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Returned Chinese cultural objects are seen at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Returned Chinese cultural objects are seen at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Returned Chinese cultural objects are seen at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Returned Chinese cultural objects are seen at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
Former Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor is stepping down as dean of the University of Tulsas Collins College of Business.

Taylor announced Wednesday that she will retire in May following TUs commencement.

The Collins College of Business has experienced growth and development among students, faculty, and staff under the direction of Taylor, who has served as the Genave King Rogers dean of the college since July 1, 2021, TU said in a news release.

Our commitment to academic excellence has resulted in increased enrollment, improved retention rates, and made notable advancements in research and scholarship. Additionally, our strategic partnerships with industry and community leaders have provided invaluable opportunities for experiential learning and professional development for our students, Taylor said.

I am grateful for the support and camaraderie of the entire Collins College community and optimistic about continued success in the years to come.

Since Taylor took the helm at the college, three interdisciplinary new centers  the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the Center for Energy Studies and the Center for Real Estate Studies  have been created.

The college also launched the Hurricane Venture Fund, raising millions to invest in student, faculty and alumni start-up businesses, revamped the energy management curriculum for a rapidly changing industry, and earned a prestigious AACSB reaccreditation, the release says.

An accomplished business executive and corporate attorney, Taylor has a record of transformational change in the public and private sectors, it notes.

She is a tireless advocate for education and entrepreneurship, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion, the release says.

In addition to Taylors service as Oklahomas secretary of commerce and mayor of Tulsa, she has served on several corporate boards, including the Sonic Corp., Bank of Oklahoma, National Car Rental and Dollar Car Rental.

Taylor is currently active on the boards of the Tulsa Public Facilities Authority; 36 Degrees North, a basecamp for entrepreneurs; StitchCrew, a business accelerator; the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation; and VEST, a network for expanding the pipeline of women in positions of influence.

Kathy has long been a proven leader in the corporate and philanthropic worlds, in our city and state, and  most recently  at TU, TU President Brad Carson said. Her business acumen and vast connections have benefited our students and alumni, while her insight and ingenuity have been a great resource to her fellow deans, our provost, and myself. Kathy elevates everything she touches, and we are grateful for her service at TU.

The university will conduct a national search for the next dean of the business college.

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Steve Metzer Tulsa World Capitol Bureau Staff Writer Follow Steve Metzer Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

OKLAHOMA CITY  A bill that could make it more difficult for Oklahomans to participate in lawmaking advanced through the Legislature on Wednesday.

Senate Bill 518 advanced to the governors desk after passing through the House on a 72-25 vote.

The measure, which previously passed in the Senate, would tighten requirements for using the initiative petition process to get state questions on voter ballots. Among other things, it would allow the secretary of state to collect a filing fee of up to $750 to offset the costs of publishing petition notices. It also would set a higher bar for verifying the legitimacy of signatures collected on petitions.

Democrats characterized the bill as an attempt to disenfranchise voters, who in recent years have initiated and passed state questions dealing with things such as Medicaid expansion that have been unpopular with conservative lawmakers.

Rep. Mark Lepak, R-Claremore, the House author SB 518, said it was simply intended to protect the integrity of the initiative petition process. He said asking supporters of a state question to pay a $750 filing fee shouldnt be too much to ask, considering the potential costs borne by taxpayers if questions make it to ballots and pass.

He and other Republican lawmakers said people should also be OK with tighter signature verification requirements.

If the bill is signed into law, for signatures on petitions to be counted, at least four out of five data points  things such as the legal first and last name of a signer, the persons birth date and address information  would have to be verified. Currently, the law requires at least three out of six data points to be verified.

For the signature to be verified, the data points have to match. Thats it, Lepak said. Thats all this bill is  integrity of the process.

Democrats werent convinced. Rep. Regina Goodwin, D-Tulsa, asserted that a $750 filing fee might discourage people from initiating a petition, even if they feel strongly about an important issue. Another Tulsa Democrat, Rep. John Waldron, and Rep. Mickey Dollens, D-Oklahoma City, suggested that the signature validation requirements seemed more intended to find fault with signatures than to protect the integrity of the petition process. Dollens also said he had little confidence in the ability of the states contractor responsible for validating signatures.

This bill is going to disenfranchise valid voters who should have their signatures counted, he said. Were taking a process thats already the most difficult in the country and were adding additional obstacles that will prevent ordinary Oklahomans from shaping public policy, from even having the opportunity to vote on public policy.

Tulsa Democrat Rep. Monroe Nichols said the current initiative petition process has delivered positive results for the state and shouldnt be tampered with.

Things like this can be detrimental to the future of the state, Nichols said. When people show up in numbers and say something has to change, thats important. Youre stripping (power) away from people who simply want the state to work a little better than the way it does, and youre doing it without any justification.

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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

Most products people buy are packaged, and medical marijuana should be, too, state Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City, argued Wednesday in support of legislation that seems to be controversial in cannabis circles.

We package everything. We dont go to Byrons and dip a ladle into a barrel of whiskey and then pour it into a container. It comes prepackaged, said Coleman, referring to a large liquor store down the street from the Capitol.

Coleman was responding to the protests of Sens. Shane Jett, R-Shawnee, and Dusty Deevers, R-Elgin, that requiring raw marijuana be delivered to dispensaries in packages of 0.5 to 3 ounces will put mom and pop operations out of business.

Jett said House Bill 3361, by Rep. T.J. Marti, R-Tulsa, is part of an immoral scheme to force businesses to buy packaging equipment, materials and services.

This is a money grab. Millions of dollars, he said.

Coleman said the estimated cost is 18 cents per pound, which is justified by greater product safety and, maybe more to the point, greater control of the product. Proponents of the measure say it will cut down on illegal sales by making the marijuana easier to track.

The legislation has split lawmakers into unusual alliances, with conservative government minimalists and some liberals on one side and members more concerned about illegal trafficking on the other.

HB 3361 passed the Senate 30-13 on Wednesday and now goes to the governor.

Also Wednesday:

The Senate passed and sent to the governor HB 3285, by Rep. Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, which would require large state agencies to install automatic call-back equipment. Hilbert said he filed the bill after learning that constituents were spending hours on hold.

The Senate kept alive HB 4147 by Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa, which proposes tax incentives for employer-subsidized child care. Senate sponsor Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, said the bill is likely headed for conference committee.

HB 3642, by Rep. Toni Hasenbeck, R-Fletcher, passed the Senate and now awaits the governors decision. HB 3842 adds artificially created images to the definition of child pornography.

Also sent to the governor was HB 3623, by Erick Harris, R-Edmond. It creates new penalties for state contractors who do not verify their employees citizenship status through the federal Status Verification System, more commonly known as E-Verify.

The House passed and sent to the governor Senate Bill 1470 , by Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, which stipulates that domestic abuse shall be taken into account in the case of a surviving victim who is convicted of a crime against their abuser. The provision allows sentence reduction for people already incarcerated in such cases.

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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

Call it a congressional hat trick.

Or a trifecta.

Whatever you call it, what 3rd District Congressman Frank Lucas is trying to do is rare.

Lucas is trying to become the first member in what he calls the modern era to have chaired three different standing committees: Agriculture, Science and now Financial Services.

I think it would be good for the financial services industry to have a fifth-generation farmer who comes from a bunch of debtors to be working on these policy issues, Lucas said in a telephone interview.

At first blush, it might seem odd that a cattleman and wheat farmer from far western Oklahoma would be so immersed in the finer points of T-bills and commodity swaps, much less cryptocurrency. But 30 years ago, when Lucas first arrived in Congress, he asked for an assignment to the committee overseeing the nations financial system.

What drives agriculture, energy, Main Street, manufacturing in the 3rd District of Oklahoma is borrowed money, said Lucas. We operate on borrowed money. So the cost and availability of credit matter.

House Republicans limit committee leadership, either as chairman or ranking member, to six years. Lucas termed out as the Republicans top Agriculture Committee person in January 2015 and will reach the six-year limit as the top Science, Space and Technology Republican after this session.

He announced last week that he is a candidate to succeed Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, who is not seeking reelection. Although Lucas is the committees senior Republican, he is not guaranteed the leadership position.

Three other candidates, all subcommittee chairs, have also announced their candidacy.

I have the time and the experience and the focus to lead one more committee, Lucas said.

Lucas also has a record of getting difficult things done, especially as chairman of the Agriculture Committee. In a narrowly divided Congress, that may count for something with the Republican House Conference Steering Committee and then the full conference, which will ultimately make the decision.

One might think Lucas, the self-described scion of a bunch of debtors, might not think all that warmly of the banks and financial institutions that held that debt. For the most part, though, that doesnt seem to be the case. Lucas says his goal is to let bankers be bankers.

By that, Lucas said he means encouraging access to capital. His view is that the financial regulations that followed the Great Recession and financial collapse of a decade and a half ago did more harm than good, especially to the small- and medium-sized banks that predominate in Oklahoma, and especially rural Oklahoma.

Perhaps related, recent trends have been toward consolidation of the banking sector and a broad shift to private-equity ownership.

I want to work to make sure that public ownership grows in strength, because only with public ownership can real people buy stock, Lucas said. Only with public ownership can we be part of the success.

Lucas is also concerned about the financial regulatory systems becoming a vehicle for implementing environmental policy and capital requirements that he said will tighten credit markets.

The bottom line is: How do we make credit more available and more affordable to both individuals and businesses that need it so we can grow the economy? he said.

Asked whether excesses of the past, and perhaps the present, dont suggest that some restraints are necessary, Lucas agreed. In particular, he indicated a desire to get a handle on the wild west of cryptocurrency and to assure the systems soundness and safety.

Just as important, he said, is that customers be treated fairly and equitably and that competition is sufficient to keep credit costs as low as possible.

Because of the broad swath covered by the Financial Services Committee, Lucas said, having someone with an Oklahoma perspective  not a New York money center perspective or a derivatives perspective in Atlanta or the big banks in Chicago or San Francisco or Los Angeles  I kind of think thats a good thing.

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Thailands Bangkok and Vietnams Da Lat have topped the lists of most searched international and domestic destinations, respectively, among Vietnamese travelers for the coming holidays, the Reunification Day (April 30) and International Workers Day (May 1), as unveiled by Booking.com.

The lists were made based on the results of searches carried out from March 17 to April 6, according to Travel Predictions 2024 of Booking.com, one of the worlds leading online travel platforms.

Accordingly, the Thai capital city was followed by Singapore, Seoul of South Korea, Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia, Tokyo of Japan, Taipei of Taiwan, Ubud of Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Phuket and Chiang Mai  both of Thailand.

With three Thai localities in the list, Thailand has claimed its position as the most popular foreign destination for Vietnamese tourists during the two coming holidays.

It is worth surprising that Hong Kong earned a position in the top 10 destinations chosen by Vietnamese tourists, since this territory has just reopened for tourism for more than a year after the COVID-19 pandemic was put at bay.

In addition to friendly visa policy, Hong Kong has improved its tourist services and maintained its attraction to Vietnamese customers through digital advertising campaigns as well as commercial cooperation, according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

Meanwhile, Da Lat, a city in Lam Dong Province, Vietnams Central Highland region, which is famous for its refreshing mountain air and poetic sceneries, led the list of most searched domestic destinations by Vietnamese travelers during the upcoming holidays.

As the scorching weather is raging in Vietnam, 75 percent of Vietnamese are seeking cooler destinations to escape the heat, and Da Lat has emerged as the best option for most travelers in Vietnam, according to Booking.com.

The travel platform also revealed that 82 percent of Vietnamese travelers said that they feel more relaxed when they are close to water, so they are therefore fond of taking water-based holidays.

This is reflected by the majority of coastal cities in the list of the top 10 most searched domestic destinations for the two holidays to come.

Ranking second after Da Lat is Da Nang, a tourist city in central Vietnam, which enchants travelers with spectacular beaches and vivid nightlife, followed by Nha Trang, the capital city of south-central Khanh Hoa Province, and Vung Tau City of southeastern Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province.

The following destinations in the 10 locations are Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An (Quang Nam Province), Hue (Thua-Thien Hue Province), Hanoi, Phan Thiet (Binh Thuan Province), and Mui Ne (Binh Thuan Province).

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The authorities in Quang Nam Province in central Vietnam have green-lit a project which carries a price tag of over VND2.7 trillion (US$106.5 million) to revitalize the Truong Giang River by dredging the riverbed and building embankments, a floodwater drainage system, and bridges.

Many residents have encroached on the Truong Giang River to make room for shrimp farms and houses.

Of the total investment, the province will borrow VND1.83 trillion ($72.2 million) as official development assistance loans and source VND880 billion ($34.7 million) from its budget.

The investor of the project is the provincial traffic construction investment project management board.

The Truong Giang River runs parallel to the sea. Photo: Le Trung / Tuoi Tre

Under the project, the province will dredge the 60-kilometer Truong Giang River passing through Duy Xuyen, Thang Binh and Nui Thanh Districts and Tam Ky City until 2027 and build embankments on sections at high risk of erosion along the river.

After being dredged, the river can allow vessels with a tonnage of 100 metric tons each to travel.

In Tam Ky City, a nearly-2.4-kilometer floodwater drainage system to the Truong Giang River will be constructed.

Quang Nam authorities will also build six new bridges spanning the Truong Giang River, including Binh Duong, Hung My, Binh Nam, Tinh Thuy, Tam Thanh, and Tam Tien.

A peaceful scene on the Truong Giang River. Photo: Le Trung / Tuoi Tre

The project is aimed at enhancing the connectivity with key coastal economic centers, residential areas, and tourist sites, creating a comprehensive traffic system and contributing to the provinces socio-economic development.

The project will also help improve the inland waterway traffic system, the floodwater drainage in the Truong Giang River valley, and prevent floods in Tam Ky City, thus serving the economic and tourism development.

It is expected to ease environmental pollution and facilitate vessels to seek shelter in case of storms.

Residents in Thang Binh District, Quang Nam Province have encroached on the river to make room for their shrimp ponds. Photo: Le Trung / Tuoi Tre

The Truong Giang Bridge crosses the Truong Giang River. Photo: Le Trung / Tuoi Tre

A section of the Truong Giang River in Binh Hai Commune, Thang Binh District, Quang Nam Province. Photo: Le Trung / Tuoi Tre

An aerial view of a Truong Giang River section. Photo: Le Trung / Tuoi Tre

Vo Chi Cong Street passes through the Truong Giang River. Photo: Le Trung / Tuoi Tre

Many shrimp ponds on a Truong Giang River section. Photo: Le Trung / Tuoi Tre

The area where the river runs into the sea. Photo: Le Trung / Tuoi Tre

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Many museums in Ho Chi Minh City are offering free admission to visitors who are registered permanent residents and students in the city to mark the Hung Kings Commemoration Day today.

These museums that are letting in visitors free include the War Remnants Museum at 28 Vo Van Tan Street in Vo Thi Sau Ward, District 3; the History Museum of Ho Chi Minh City at 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem Street in Ben Nghe Ward, District 1; and the Museum of Ho Chi Minh City at 65 Ly Tu Trong Street in Ben Nghe Ward, District 1.

Visitors entitled to free admissions need to present their ID cards or student ID cards so as to enter these places, where they can explore a huge collection of exhibits, photographs, and exhibitions.

Inside an exhibition room at the History Museum of Ho Chi Minh City at 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem in Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Supplied

The free entry is expected to encourage more residents and students to visit museums, which are considered among the perfect locations for learning new things.

In celebration of the Hung Kings Commemoration Day, the Ao Dai Museum, located at 206/19/30 Long Thuan Street in Long Phuoc Ward, Thu Duc City under the jurisdiction of Ho Chi Minh City, also opened an ao dai (traditional Vietnamese long gown) exhibition, in addition to hosting a wide selection of events and games.

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China's Heilongjiang to boost tourism cooperation with Nordic countries

Xinhua) 10:21, April 18, 2024

STOCKHOLM, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Cultural and tourism officials from Denmark and China's northeastern province of Heilongjiang have pledged to bolster collaboration in the tourism industry.

This commitment was made during an ice and snow tourism promotion event held in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, on Tuesday.

Organized by the Heilongjiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the event showcased the ice and snow tourism resources and products of relevant cities and enterprises in the province, and explored opportunities to enhance tourism cooperation with Nordic countries.

About 50 government officials, representatives, and delegates from various enterprises participated in the event. Over 10 enterprises expressed their eagerness to strengthen collaboration in the ice and snow tourism sector.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
KUALA LUMPUR, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Ant Group, a leading provider of financial services technology, will set up a new digital business center in Malaysia aimed at tapping local talent to drive its global businesses, the company has said.

As part of the move, 500 local jobs will be created in the first year, with the majority of roles created being tech-focused, aligning with the company's vision of using technology and innovation to accelerate global commerce and inclusion, the company said in a statement.

"The company will commit dedicated resources to develop and nurture these tech talents through comprehensive training, mentorship and exposure to its global businesses," it said.

Ant International President Douglas Feagin said tech and innovation are at the heart of Ant International and Malaysia, with its friendly policies towards promoting tech skills development offering significant opportunities for growth.

The group will also work closely with the Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), the lead agency of digital transformation in Malaysia as part of its efforts to expand and strengthen its presence in the country.

MDEC chief executive officer Mahadhir Aziz said such cooperation will create more jobs and investment opportunities and position Malaysia as a regional digital hub.

"The opening of the new digital business center plays an important role for the local tech talents to thrive," he said.

Ant International is an affiliate of Ant Group, which traces its roots back to Alipay since 2004 and is one of the world's leading open Internet platforms.

Present in Malaysia since 2014, Ant International has since collaborated with local partners in promoting a vibrant fintech community, benefitting Malaysians with more convenient digital payments, while also supporting digital inclusion and creating economic opportunities for local businesses. 
A court in Vietnam has sentenced an investment broker to 18 years in prison for swindling US$3.2 million from an Australian businessman after seducing him to purchase a titan mine in Binh Thuan Province, south-central Vietnam.

Truong Thi Kim Soan, 50, who was a mining investment broker and owner of many businesses in Vietnam, received the jail term from the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Court on Wednesday on charges of fraudulent appropriation of assets.

Soan, once a real estate tycoon in southern Vietnam, was arrested in August 2021, nearly a year after an Australian businessman, John Koon, accused her of defrauding him of a total of $3.2 million.

After some joint dealings related to mines and shares at companies since 2010, Soan in April 2013 lured Koon to buy a 360-hectare Sao Mai titan mine owned by Sao Mai Joint Stock Company (SACO) in Binh Thuan, according to the indictment.

Soan told Koon that the mine had been granted a permit for exploration, had large reserves and was expected to generate high profits.

She suggested with Koon that she would negotiate on his behalf with the mines owner to buy the mine to ease relevant administrative procedures since she was Vietnamese.

The woman also said she would buy shares from SACO and then transfer them to Koon.

After the foreign agreed to such arrangements, Soan asked him to transfer to her money that would be spent on obtaining a mining license, exploration drilling and other expenses.

In June 2013, Koon transferred $1.6 million to Soans bank account and Soan later set up a company named Thien Binh and used its legal status to buy 100 percent of shares of SACO.

Soan then hired a law firm to set up documents that showed Koon was the owner of 60 percent of the shares she had bought from SACO, and urged the foreigner to continue transferring money to her.

The man believed in Soan and kept wiring money to her, bringing the total amount he transferred to her to $3.2 million.

The woman later signed contracts to assign all the shares acquired from SACO to others without Koons knowing and without repaying money to him.

Koon told the court that he was completely dependent on Soan during the dealings related to acquiring Sao Mais shares since he could not speak Vietnamese.

He stressed that Soan forged signatures of relevant parties to sell all his shares to others without asking his opinion, Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper reported.

At court, Soan rejected the indictment and retracted her previous testimonies to investigators, insisting that she was innocent.

She claimed that the $3.2 million had been transferred by three foreign companies as support for her, not Koons money.

Asked by the court why she previously pleaded guilty of appropriating the amount from Koon, Soan replied that she did so with an attempt to be set out on bail but she later failed, according to Phap Luat Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh (Ho Chi Minh City Law) newspaper.

However, the court affirmed that it had enough evidence to prove Soans offense and added that she had been not sincere in her statements at court.

The trial panel commented that Soan intentionally committed the swindle to appropriate the plaintiff's property, and showed disregard for the law.

The defendants acts were particularly serious, causing bad public opinion and affecting honest businesses. Therefore, there needs to be an appropriate penalty for her as a deterrence, the presiding judge concluded.

The court also judged that Soan was liable to repay Koon $3.2 million, which would be deducted from VND20 billion ($788,000) that had been handed in by Soans family to the investigation agencys account as part of compensation.

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Thousands of people flocked to a square in Binh Thuy District under the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho to savor a wide array of cakes during the opening ceremony of the Southern Folk Cake Festival 2024 on Wednesday night.

The 11th edition of the fest will run until Sunday, featuring up to 250 booths of various traditional cakes, dishes and specialties.

The opening ceremony of the Southern Folk Cake Festival 2024 held in Can Tho City on April 17, 2024 attracts thousands of people. Photo: Trung Pham / Tuoi Tre

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Nguyen Thuc Hien, vice-chairman of the municipal administration, said that the annual festival has contributed to raising the culinary value of the southern region.

Besides, the fest helps popularize the citys tourist sites and tourism products among local and international travelers.

Various cakes made and delicately designed by local artisans and cooks are on display to serve fest-goers.

Their main ingredients are sticky rice and vegetables.

Within the framework of the festival, a folk cake-making contest will be held to delight visitors.

A woman poses for a photo with rice paper at a miniature of the Thuan Hung rice paper craft village at the Southern Folk Cake Festival 2024 launched in Can Tho City on April 17, 2024. Photo: Trung Pham / Tuoi Tre

The event will also amaze fest-goers with some new draws, including a huge sizzling crepe, an airy space, and a miniature of the Thuan Hung rice paper craft village in the city's Thot Not District.

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As 2024 moves forward, TIME published its list of the 100 Most Influential People of the Year, putting the spotlight on amazing LGBTQ+ people changing our world. These queer activists, actors, designers, and even chefs have seen their achievements and work being honoured by the magazine.

You may already know some of these members of the LGBTQ+ community. They are fighting for what they believe in, making history and changing social perspectives step by step.

Jonathan Anderson

First up is the Northern Irish fashion designer Jonathan Anderson. He founded JW Anderson in 2008, a UK fashion label whose success led him to work with some of the most influential brands. Anderson has been working with director Luca Guadagnino as a costume designer for the 2024 movie Challengers and his upcoming film Queer. He also notably designed Rihannas 2022 Super Bowl red outfit and is the current creative director of the luxury house LOEWE.

Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an Ein Beitrag geteilt von Jonathan Anderson (@jonathan.anderson)

Dominique Crenn

French chef Dominique Crenn was the first woman in the US to receive three Michelin Stars in 2019 for her restaurant Atelier Crenn, in San Francisco. The LGBTQ+ cook was honoured this year by TIME for her cooking philosophy. Considering herself a poetic culinarian, Crenn is a pioneer in climate-friendly farming and restoration. She regeneratively grows her food for her restaurants on her farm in the US, considerably reducing her carbon emissions. Crenns work was acclaimed worldwide as she brought attention to industrial farming, also by stopping serving meat in her restaurants.

Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an Ein Beitrag geteilt von Dominique Crenn (@dominiquecrenn)

Ophelia Dahl

British-American activist Ophelia Dahl has been a trailblazer in the fight for better healthcare, helping reduce injustice to access high-quality treatments. In 1987, she co-founded Partners in Health, a Boston-based non-profit healthcare organisation. Dahls inspiring work has helped millions of people around the world to get proper treatments and access to healthcare, as well as reducing maternal mortality and improving the treatment of tuberculosis. Daughter of notable author Roald Dahl, she is currently working on a memoir on her fathers life and work.

Were thrilled to announce that Ophelia Dahl, Co-founder of PIH, has been named one of the worlds 100 most influential people in 2024 as part of the annual #TIME100 Read the piece in @TIME written by bestselling author and PIH board member, @johngreen: https://t.co/SQxrkOdhbl pic.twitter.com/PZ7oiSW5UG  Partners In Health (@PIH) April 17, 2024

Colman Domingo

TIME has also honoured the amazing American LGBTQ+ actor Colman Domingo. In 2024, for his performance in Rustin, he became the second openly gay man to be nominated for an Oscar. In the biopic, Domingo plays the lead role of gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. The Euphoria actor has given numerous outstanding performances on stage and screen.

Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an Ein Beitrag geteilt von Colman Domingo (@kingofbingo)

Rosanna Flamer-Caldera

Sri Lankan LGBTQ+ activist Rosanna Flamer-Caldera was awarded numerous times for two decades of outstanding work. The former female Asian representative of ILGA (now the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) founded the Equal Group in 2004, now one of the leading organisations in the country advocating for queer rights in Sri Lanka. In 2022, the Equal Group brought the case of the ban on same-sex intimacy between women to the UN. This led to a victory last year, as the national Parliament has been scrapping a law decriminalising homosexuality. Equal Group is currently working on ensuring the legislation passes. Rosanna Flamer-Caldera helped bring LGBTQ+ rights to the core of Sri Lankan politics.

 Honoured to announce that Rosanna Flamer-Caldera has been recognized as one of @TIMEs 100 Most Influential People of 2024! Rosannas remarkable advocacy embodies the spirit of resilience and progress, inspiring change-makers worldwide. #TIME100 #LGBTIQrights #EQUALGROUND pic.twitter.com/LCEQ0FprOi  EQUAL GROUND (@_EQUALGROUND_) April 18, 2024

Frank Mugisha

Head of Sexual Minorites Uganda, the activist Frank Mugisha was honoured by TIME as he spent his entire life fighting for LGBTQ+ rights in the country. He founded many organisations, notably Icebreakers Uganda, accompanying young people in their coming out to their families. When the Parliament passed a destructive anti-gay bill last year in 2023, Mugisha along with other activists, directly brought it to court. Even when facing life-threatening risks, the activist never backed down on his fight. His courage and achievements were rewarded by the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award, and by a Nobel Peace Prize nomination.

Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an Ein Beitrag geteilt von Frank Carlton Mugisha (@frankmugisha)

Elliot Page

Canadian actor Elliot Page has made this years 100 Most Influential People. TIME honoured him as an LGBTQ+ activist and as a queer Hollywood icon. Most known for his role in Umbrella Academy, Page is an inspiring voice for the trans community. He just released his memoir Pageboy narrating his journey as a trans actor and activist. As Canada is witnessing a rise in anti-trans legislation, Page has taken a stance in support of the LGBTQ+ community and against the current attacks against trans individuals at the recent Juno Awards and in an open letter.

Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an Ein von @elliotpage geteilter Beitrag

Kelley Robinson

President of the Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ+ political lobby in the US, Kelley Robinson was honoured by TME as one of the most influential voices in the community. In 2022 she became the first queer black woman to lead the organisation. Through her leadership, she is uplifting marginalised voices, such as queer people of colour and trans folks. Robinsons political objectives focus on intersectionality, gun reform, racial justice, immigration, voting rights, climate, and abortion. As a young activist, she is a fresh and inspiring voice for the community.

Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an Ein Beitrag geteilt von Kelley Robinson (@kelleyjrobinson)

Katsuhiko Hayashi

Finally, an honourable mention goes to Japanese Professor Katsuhiko Hayashi. While not being a member of the LGBTQ+ community, he is changing the future of queer people. As a researcher at Osaka University, Hayashi is working on new techniques in reproductive biology to offer in the distant future the possibility for same-sex couples and those concerned with infertility to have biological children.

Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an Ein Beitrag geteilt von Nature (@nature_the_journal)

The post LGBTQ+ celebrities and activists honoured among TIMEs 2024 Most Influential People appeared first on GCN.
Myriam Spiteri Debono is sworn in as President of Malta in Valletta

Myriam Spiteri Debono is sworn in as President of Malta in Valletta

VALLETTA (Reuters) - Malta's President Myriam Spiteri Debono decried the "disease of greed" in her inauguration speech on Thursday and said the 2017 murder of anti-corruption blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia was still an open wound for the small island nation.

Spiteri Debono, 71, was addressing parliament after being sworn in as the 11th president of the country, which has been roiled by graft scandals in recent years.

Malta's president has a mostly ceremonial role, but Spiteri Debono, a former speaker of parliament, said she intended to be "visible and accessible" and offer "a presidency for the people".

"The relentless pursuit of riches, more often than not, translates itself into various forms of corruption," she said.

"It is worse than substance addiction, which, in the view of the majority of people, is the worst addiction one can suffer from. The drug addict, mainly, harms himself. Greed harms the whole of society."

She praised the role of the media in Malta's democracy and said lessons from Caruana Galizia's death still had to be learnt.

Caruana Galizia was a household name in Malta for her investigative reporting and her killing on Oct. 16, 2017 raised questions about rule of law in the European Union's smallest member state.

"The wounds around the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia are still open. We need to close this episode soon or else the fallout will persist," she said.

The alleged mastermind of the killing has been arrested but is still awaiting trial.

Referring to hostility towards migrants she said the Maltese people must embrace foreign nationals as part of the fabric of society.

"The first step to integrating these foreigners, many of whom are less fortunate than us and who have come in search of a better life, is to embrace them and understand them," she said.

(Reporting by Christopher Scicluna; editing by Christina Fincher)
New Swedish law lowers age to change legal gender from 18 to 16

New Swedish law lowers age to change legal gender from 18 to 16

The Swedish parliament has lowered the age at which people can change their gender from 18 to 16, making the process of legal gender reassignment easier.

Those under 18 will be required to submit an approval from a guardian, a doctor, and the National Board of Health and Welfare.

A total of 234 lawmakers cleared the bill on Wednesday while 94 of them were against it after a debate lasting nearly six hours. The debate saw absenteeism from 21 MPs.

The bill also eliminates the need for gender dysphoria diagnosis  medically defined as psychological distress experienced by those whose gender expression does not match their gender identity.

Sweden now joins its other Nordic allies like Norway, Finland and Denmark who enjoy similar laws around gender identity.

The countrys new proposal has sparked a fierce debate on the bill which allows self-identification and further simplifies procedures. It saw opposition from the Sweden Democrats, a populist party with far-right roots.

It is deplorable that a proposal that clearly lacks the support of the population is so lightly voted through, Jimmie Akesson, leader of the Sweden Democrats, told reporters.

Ulf Kristersson, the Swedish prime ministers centre-right coalition, has been divided on the issue seeing backing from the Moderates and the Liberals but resistance from Christian Democrats.

Johan Hultberg, an MP representing the ruling conservative Moderates party, called the clearance of the bill gratifying and a cautious but important reform for a vulnerable group. Im glad were done with it.

He told parliament the great majority of Swedes will never notice that the law has changed, but for a number of transgender people the new law makes a large and important difference.

Civil society groups have lauded the passage of the bill.

It is a step in the right direction and a recognition for everyone who has been waiting for decades for a new law, said Peter Sidlund Ponkala, chair of the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex Rights, known by its Swedish acronym RFSL.

Elias Fjellander, chairman of the organisations youth branch, said it would make life better for its members. Going forward, we are pushing to strengthen gender-affirming care, to introduce a third legal gender and to ban conversion attempts, Fjellander said in a statement.
'Goodbye': NASA Ingenuity Mars chopper's parting message to Earth

NASA's Ingenuity Mars chopper has sent its final message to Earth and will now serve as an immobile data-gathering unit on the red planet's surface, the American space agency said Tuesday.

Thursday April 18, 2024 11:38 AM , Naif Abdullah Faizee, ummid.com

[Engineers working on NASAs Ingenuity together monitored a transmission from the history-making helicopter in a JPL control room on April 16. They confirmed the operation of a software patch that will allow the helicopter to act as a stationary testbed and collect data that could benefit future Mars explorers. (Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech)]

Washington: NASA's Ingenuity Mars chopper has sent its final message to Earth and will now serve as an immobile data-gathering unit on the red planet's surface, the American space agency said Tuesday.

"A long goodbye," NASA said on social media site X originally launched as Twitter.

Engineers working on NASAs Ingenuity Mars Helicopter assembled for one last time in a control room at the agencys Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California on Tuesday, April 16, to monitor a transmission from the history-making helicopter.

With apologies to Dylan Thomas, Ingenuity will not be going gently into that good Martian night, NASA quoted Josh Anderson, Ingenuity team lead at JPL, as saying in a report. It is almost unbelievable that after over 1,000 Martian days on the surface, 72 flights, and one rough landing, she still has something to give. And thanks to the dedication of this amazing team, not only did Ingenuity overachieve beyond our wildest dreams, but also it may teach us new lessons in the years to come", he added.

NASA had announced the end of NASA's Ingenuity Mars mission on January 25, 2024. But, the rotorcraft has remained in communication with the agencys Perseverance Mars rover, which serves as a base station for Ingenuity.

Ingenuity Mars Helicopter - Timeline

The tissue box-sized Ingenuity landed on Mars on February 18, 2021, attached to the belly of NASAs Perseverance rover and first lifted off the Martian surface on April 19 , proving that powered, controlled flight on Mars was possible.

Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was originally designed as a technology demonstration to perform up to five experimental test flights over 30 days. It however performed 72 flights and flew more than 14 times farther than planned while logging more than two hours of total flight time.

It is almost unbelievable that after over 1,000 Martian days on the surface, 72 flights, and one rough landing, she still has something to give. And thanks to the dedication of this amazing team, not only did Ingenuity overachieve beyond our wildest dreams, but also it may teach us new lessons in the years to come", NASA said on April 16, 2024.

NASA announced the end of its Mars mission on January 25, 2024. The possible reason for the end of the mission was the damages that the helicopters rotor blades sustained during landing. While the helicopter remained upright and in communication with ground controllers, imagery of its January 18 flight sent to Earth indicated one or more of its rotor blades sustained damage during landing, and it was no longer capable of flight, accrding to NASA.





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SUVA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- About 8 percent, or around 80,000 Fijians, have left the island nation in the last 18 months, with many having significant technical training and experience, said Fiji's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Biman Prasad on Thursday.

Prasad said the skill loss is a major concern for employers and investors, adding that even the Finance Ministry has lost nearly a quarter of its professional staff as well, reported Fiji Broadcasting Corporation.

However, he said people cannot be blamed for seeking out better lives and looking for more secure health and better educational opportunities for their children.

Prasad said they continue to work on streamlining the processes in the regulatory agencies.

The work is challenging and time-consuming, and the government is burdened with regulatory processes that are decades old, he added.

According to Prasad, the Fijian government has its own skill shortages across the board, which is hampering the delivery of urgent public capital investment. 
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Image of grief-stricken Palestinian woman wins 2024 World Press Photo award

A heart wrenching image of a Palestinian woman holding the body of her dead niece in Khan Youniss Nasser Hospital captured by Reuters photographer Mohammed Salem has won the 2024 World Press Photo of the Year Award.

Thursday April 18, 2024 10:58 PM , ummid.com with inputs from Agencies

[The 2024 World Press Photo of the Year is of Inas Abu Maamar, 36, embracing the body of her five-year-old niece Saly, who was killed in an Israeli strike, at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis (File: Mohammed Salem/Reuters)]

Amsterdam (The Netherlands): A heart wrenching image of a Palestinian woman holding the body of her dead niece in Khan Youniss Nasser Hospital captured by Reuters photographer Mohammed Salem has won the 2024 World Press Photo of the Year Award.

Inas Abu Maamar sat on the floor of the hospital morgue, cradling the body of five-year-old Saly, who was killed with her mother and sister when a missile hit their home in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, on October 17, 2023.

Reuters photographer Mohammed Salem was at the Nasser Hospital and captured the very moment of Abu Maamar mourning her dead niece wrapped in white coffin.

Jury's reaction

World Press Photo jury while selecting the image for the award said it shows the horror and trauma the Palestinians are going through in Gaza.

It is a really profoundly affecting image, Jury Chairwoman, Fiona Shields, said. Once youve seen it, its kind of seared in your mind. It works as a kind of literal and metaphorical message really about the horror and futility of conflict, she added. Its an incredibly powerful argument for peace, Shields said.

Reuters photographer Salem after the award said the moment his camera captured shows the situation in Gaza.

It was a powerful and a sad moment and I felt the picture sums up the broader sense of what was happening in the Gaza Strip, World Press Photo quoted Salem as saying.

Palestine in World Focus

Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories are going through the worst phase in the history of Middle East ever since Oct 07, 2023 when Israel attacked the besieged enclave.

The Israeli occupation forces began their military campaign in Gaza after the Hamas and other Palestinian Resistance Groups, tired of the Zionist atrocities and settlers provocations, stormed the occupied Palestinian areas under the Israeli control in October, killing some 1,200 and taking hostage over 250.

The death toll in Gaza since Oct 07 is more than 33,000  over 70% of them women and children. The Israeli murderous military offensive in Gaza, besides a huge majority in the world, has prompted the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to probe allegations of genocide against Israel and the UN General Assembly and UN Security Council calling for immediate ceasefire.

The Israeli brutality has also brought Palestine the focus of the world as never before. People across the world are eager to learn more about Palestine and the Israeli occupation. In November 2023, two months into the Israeli attack on Gaza, The Palestine Laboratory adjudged the winner of Australias biggest Journalism Award .

'The Palestine Laboratory' was also among the six shortlisted titles for the 2023 Moore Prize for Human Rights Writing.





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Searching Muslim League Imprint on Congress Manifesto

Narendra Modi criticized Congress manifesto by saying that it has the divisive imprint of Muslim League of yore and the remaining part has been filled by the left ideology.

Thursday April 18, 2024 7:39 PM , Ram Puniyani

Last week (4th April 2024) Indian National Congress released its manifesto, called Nyay Patra (Promise for Justice), for 2024 General Elections. It prominently talked of Caste census, raising the cap of 50% on reservations, jobs for youth, internship, and economic support for the poor among others. Its focus has been on justice for women, Advises, dalit-OBCs, farmers, and student-youth. One of its spokespersons of Congress stated that the Manifesto addresses the steps needed to undo the injustices heaped on different sections of society during the last ten years of BJP rule.

Narendra Modi criticized this manifesto by saying that it has the divisive imprint of Muslim League of yore and the remaining part has been filled by the left ideology. One was immediately reminded of the fountainhead of Hindu nationalist ideology, RSSs, second Sarsanghchalak M.S. Golwalkar, who in his Bunch of thoughts articulates that Hindu nation has three internal threats, Muslims, Christians and Communists. The two of these threats have been invoked by the BJP at various levels and are being reiterated now. In a way, it is a sort of communal dog whistle, the main weapon of BJP.

Muslim League manifesto and program for 1937 Assembly elections revolved around Muslim identity demands and never talked of affirmative action for the weak. Its programs were parallel and opposite of what Hindu Nationalists have been pursuing. Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress President in response to BJPs allegations correctly brought out the collaboration of BJPs ancestors-leaders with Muslim League.

What is the truth?

As such these Religious Nationalists, Muslim League and Hindu Mahasabha-RSS share a lot in common. Their origin is the declining sections of society in the light of changes which took place in colonial India. As Industrialization, Modern education-judiciary-administration and communication came up the new social classes started emerging, the Working classes, modern educated classes and modern industrialists. The old rulers, landlords and Raja-Nawabs, started feeling threatened as their social- political-economic hegemony was declining.

From the rising classes emerged the organizations of workers led by Narayan Meghaji Lokhande and Com Singarvelu and many more. The political expression of different emerging groups gave rise to the Indian National Congress among others. Their basic values were a nascent form of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. From the declining classes of landlords-kings first came the United India Patriotic Association, which pledged its loyalty to the British. Their core ideology was hierarchy of caste and gender. In due course this organization split, Muslim League in 1906 and Hindu Mahasabha in 1915.

In 1923, Savarkar in his book Essentials of Hindutva articulated that there are two nations in this country, Hindu nation and Muslim Nation. Taking off from this RSS came up with the agenda of Hindu Rashtra In 1925. Some pro Muslim League followers studying in London came up with the word Pakistan.

The common thread of both these streams was that they looked at the rule of Hindu kings or Muslim kings as the glorious, golden period. They supported the British all through against the national movement for Independence. Their strategy was to ally with the British to counter the Hindu or Muslims as the case may be.

Savarkar, the main ideologue of Hindu Nationalism, in 19th session of Hindu Mahasabha in Ahmedabad said:

India cannot be assumed today to be a Unitarian and homogenous nation, but on the contrary there are two nations in the main: the Hindus and the Moslems, in India.

Based on two Nation theory Jinnah demanded separate Muslim Nation Pakistan in 1940 in Muslim Leagues Lahore convention.

RSS unofficial mouthpiece Organiser on 14th August wrote:

...that in Hindustan only the Hindus form the nation and the national structure must be built on that safe and sound foundationthe nation itself must be built up of Hindus, on Hindu traditions, culture, ideas and aspirations.

Muslim League and Hindu Mahasabha formed joint ministries in Bengal, Sindh and NWFP in 1939. It was in Sind that the Muslims League passed the Pakistan resolution in the Assembly as Hindu Mahasabha members kept silent. Later Subhash Chandra Bose in a broadcast from Germany appealed to both Muslim League and Hindu Mahasabha to join the anti British movement. These organizations and RSS kept aloof from the massive 1942 movement. Savarkar supported the British in their war efforts in a very active way.

 every branch of the Hindu Mahasabha in every town and village must actively engage itself in rousing the Hindu people to join the [British] army, navy, the aerial forces and the different war-craft manufactories [sic].

As Subhash Boses Azad Hind Fauz was fighting against the British Army Savarkar was helping the British army.

One can clearly see that both Hindu Mahasabha and Muslim League acted in the interests of the British. Subhash Chandra Bose was very much against the communal politics of both these organizations. His appeal of joining the struggle against the British was totally ignored by both these organizations.

Shyama Prasade Mukherjee, as part of joint ministry with Muslim League in Bengal wrote to the British viceroy to control the 1942 movement, promising him that in Bengal he will ensure that the movement is suppressed there. In a letter dated July 26, 1942. He wrote:

Let me now refer to the situation that may be created in the province as a result of any widespread movement launched by the Congress. Anybody, who during the war, plans to stir up mass feeling, resulting internal disturbances or insecurity, must be resisted by any Government that may function for the time being.

As Subhash Chandra Bose categorized both these ideologies of Muslim nationalism and Hindu Nationalism in the same group, similar was the analysis of Bhimrao Babasaheb Ambedkar. In His book Pakistan or Partition of India, 1940, he writes:

Strange as it may appear, Savarkar and Jinnah instead of being opposed to each other on the one nation versus two nations issue are in complete agreement about it. Both agree, not only agree but insist, that there are two nations in India  one the Muslim nation and the other the Hindu nation.

No wonder any commitment for the downtrodden has to be condemned by BJP-RSS as that goes against the agenda of Hindu Rashtra. We can see the fate of deprived sections in Pakistan, which came up as Muslim Nation. Modis criticism of this hope giving manifesto is in tune with what his ideological forefathers were saying.

[The writer, Ram Puniyani, is renowned activist, author and columnist.]





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BINH DUONG  Japanese and Vietnamese investors of The One World urban area project in the southern province of Binh Duong received in-principal approval at a ceremony in the locality on April 17.

The over US$1 billion project is one of the real estate sector having a clean land fund of nearly 50ha in Thuan An City, adjacent to HCM City.

Three Japanese companies namely Sumitomo Forestry Group, Kumagai Gumi Co., Ltd, and NTT Urban Development Corporation make up a total of 49 per cent of the shares in the project, while the rest come from their Vietnamese partner - the Kim Oanh Real Estate Group.

The project is divided into six sub-projects. Key facilities including a conference and exhibition centre, an AEON shopping centre, five-star hotels, and an international school will be constructed in advance.

Japanese Consul General in HCM City Ono Masuo said the development of large-scale urban areas contributes to building a sustainable city and supporting carbon neutrality efforts.

The common goal and also the top priority of these investors is to contribute to realising a prosperous society by providing safe and high-quality housing and jointly developing a large-scale mixed-use shopping centre in Binh Duong, he said.

The project will bring about a sustainable and environmentally friendly business model, creating a prosperous future through applying information technology, communication, or advanced environmental technologies, contributing to the localitys economic development.

Chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee Vo Van Minh expressed his belief that the project will help change the urban landscape of Thuan An City and the southern urban area of the province in general.  VNS
HA NOI  Standard Chartered and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on green financing in Viet Nam and to promote the deployment of advanced clean energy in Viet Nam.

The MoU will establish a five-year partnership to advance the country's goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

USAID Mission Director for Viet Nam Aler Grubbs, said: Through this new MoU, USAID will collaborate with Standard Chartered Bank (Vietnam) Limited to support the private sector to develop Viet Nam's advanced clean energy.

"This partnership is a model to expand collaboration with financial institutions and help accelerate the countrys goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

Nguyen Thuy Hanh, deputy general director, head of Corporate and Investment Banking, Standard Chartered Bank Vietnam, added: We believe that finance can enable and accelerate the just transition to net zero, towards a nature-positive economy. Our MoU with USAID is part of our commitment to supporting our clients and helping them access to sustainable financing and achieve net-zero goals.

"We will continue to work closely with our clients and our partners to provide access to finance to where it matters most and to contribute to the sustainable development of Viet Nam.

USAID will collaborate with Standard Chartered to mobilise private sector investment in advanced energy systems such as rooftop solar, utility modernisation, and power trading. USAID support will be in the form of training, capacity development, transactional support, and matchmaking activities.

Standard Chartered will introduce to USAID projects and clients that may be suitable for the latter's programmes of providing technical and/or other support. The bank seeks out opportunities to provide sustainability-focused products and services in support of Viet Nams clean energy transition including but not limited to financing arrangements, financial advisory services, bilateral loans, syndicated loans, and bond issuances for qualified projects.

Standard Chartered is a fervent supporter and aligned with the Vietnamese Governments ambitions to be Net Zero by 2050.

With 120-year history in Viet Nam, Standard Chartereds core competence is to leverage and utilise its significant network to deliver FDI to Viet Nam and to facilitate Vietnamese clients who want to expand into global markets to pursue growth ambition.

Under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the US is a committed partner to Viet Nam in advancing the countrys transition to a clean, secure, and market-based energy sector.  VNS
HA NOI  The Beautycare Expo 2024 kicked off on Thursday in Ha Noi, featuring over 250 booths from more than 15 countries and territories, hosted at the International Exhibition Centre (I.C.E) within the Vietnam-Soviet Friendship Cultural Palace.

The three-day gathering serves as a pivotal event in the beauty sector, showcasing cutting-edge solutions and technologies from countries and territories such as Germany, the Netherlands, Korea, Japan, Singapore, mainland China, Taiwan, Morocco and more. It presents an auspicious platform for businesses to extend their networks, forge new partnerships and seek international collaborative ventures.

A wide array of products is on display and introduced at the event, ranging from cosmetics, spa products, massage essentials and cosmetology items to skincare solutions, haircare products, nail accessories, oral hygiene products, OEM/ODM services, packaging options, private labels, beauty supplements, contact lenses and fashion glasses.

Beyond B2B engagements, the expo encompasses diverse activities, including a forum addressing the 2024 beauty industry market and a livestream session featuring renowned beauty influencers.

During the opening ceremony, Ha Thi Phuong Lam, chairwoman of Adpex JSC and Global Exhibition and Conference JSC  the event organiser, emphasised the escalating demand for quality beauty solutions amid socio-economic advancement. She expressed hopes that this expo would catalyse bilateral cooperation between nations and bolstering business ties in Viet Nam and across Southeast Asia.

Park Su Keun, president of the Busan Cosmetics Business Association, expressed his motivation for joining the Beautycare Expo 2024 in Ha Noi, citing the apparent convergence and interconnection of beauty trends between South Korea and Viet Nam.

"I hope this exhibition in Ha Noi will provide a new opportunity to strengthen cooperation for the mutual development of the two countries," he said, emphasising the wish of expanding business collaboration in Viet Nam and Southeast Asia.  VNS
HA NOI  Tens of thousands of visitors from across the country flocked to Kings Hung Temple in the special national historical heritage site in the northern province of Phu Tho yesterday to attend the incense offering ceremony commemorating Kings Hung, the legendary founders of Viet Nam.

The ceremony, which was held at Kinh Thien Palace on Nghia Linh Mountain in Viet Tri City, was attended by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

PM Chinh, other officials of the Party, State, ministries, sectors, central agencies and localities, along with pilgrims near and far attended the event, expressing deep gratitude to the 18 Kings Hung, the legendary founders of the nation, paving the way for the construction and development of today's beautiful, prosperous and civilised country.

Following that, the delegation offered incense at the Tomb of Kings Hung and laid wreaths at the the monument to President Ho Chi Minh and soldiers of the Viet Nam People's Army (VPA) at the Gieng Temple Intersection.

Following the historic ien Bien Phu Victory over the French troops in May 1954 and the signing of the Geneva Accords in July the same year, Division 308 of the VPA returned to take over the capital Ha Noi from the French. At Gieng Temple on September 19, 1954, President Ho met the victorious soldiers on their way to Ha Noi, telling them that "Kings Hung founded the nation and Vietnamese people must together protect it".

The incense offering ceremony was the most important ritual of the Kings Hung Temple Festival and the Culture and Tourism Week of the Ancestral Land 2024, held from April 9 to 18 at the historical heritage site in Phu Tho.

One of the festival-goers, Tran Thi Cam from the northern province of Yen Bai, arrived at the temple at 6am.

My family often gather to prepare a feast to pay tribute to the legendary ancestors at home, but this year we decided to go on a pilgrimage to Kings Hung Temple to present our offerings, she said.

This is also an occasion for families to reconnect with our ancestral roots and uphold the traditions of patriotism and moral values, as well as to show gratitude to the previous generations who contributed to building the nation, she added.

According to Le Truong Giang, director of the Kings Hung Temple Historical Site, the temple is recognised as the largest and oldest place of worship for the kings in Viet Nam.

Particularly, after the worship of Kings Hung was listed as the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2012, the number of pilgrims visiting the site to pay respects to the national ancestors has been increasing.

Every year, Phu Tho welcomes millions of tourists to the Kings Hung Temple Festival.

This year the number of visitors to the festival increased significantly compared to previous years, especially in the days leading up to the main event. This is a great success in the conservation and promotion of the cultural value of worshiping the Kings Hung, he noted.

Besides Phu Tho, many localities across the country with temples dedicated to the Kings Hung like HCM City, ak Lak, Can Tho or Hung Yen have also organised a wide range of folk activities to commemorate the national founders.  VNS
HA NOI  After promoting Vietnamese traditional music around the world, musician Ngo Hong Quang returned to Viet Nam and established the Thien Thanh Band to perform a unique concert called Ve Kinh Bac (Returning to Kinh Bac).

Thien Thanh Band is made up of nine members, most of whom recently graduated from prestigious music institutions in Viet Nam and have won numerous awards. They perform with traditional musical instruments such as monochord, erhu, bamboo flute, zither and traditional percussion.

Thien Thanh's young line-up have an innovative approach to music fusing contemporary and traditional styles.

"I want to use the contemporary music scene to elevate the significance of traditional Vietnamese music," said Quang.

In the concert, the band will perform seven songs of quan ho (love duet) in Bac Ninh Province, two music works of Xam music, one Van song and two new compositions by musician Quang.

Quang emphasises performance, rhythmic ensemble and improvisation of musical instruments to depict quintessential features of folk music of the Kinh Bac region (Red River Delta).

I compose and arrange all the twelve songs for the concert. In each song, we spend about 15-40 seconds for each band member to play solo and express their spontaneous creativity. This is the most special point of the concert," said Quang.

American cellist Bryan Charles Wilson and beatboxer and new media artist Trung Bao will perform with the whole ensemble. Together, they will create a Vietnamese music ambience that is rich in cultural identity, creative expression and global influence.

Bryan said: "I love what Quang does because he does not only play the folk music of Viet Nam traditionally, but updates it in the modern scene. With the cello, which has been around for hundreds of years, I feel the same way. I want to play it in my way, not precisely as other people have done it. That's why I feel like I fit into this project."

The concert will begin at 8pm on Saturday, April 27 at Hong Ha Theatre, 51 uong Thanh Street, Hoan Kiem District, Ha Noi. Tickets are available via this form or by calling the hotline on 0977 423 886 or 0348 368 124.  VNS
LONDON  Viet Nam and the UK signed a joint statement of cooperation in London on Wednesday to increase cooperation in tackling illegal migration.

Colonel Vu Van Hung, deputy director of the Immigration Department at Viet Nams Ministry of Public Security, and Michael Tomlinson, the UKs Minister for Countering Illegal Migration, signed a joint statement of cooperation to reaffirm the two countries strong partnership.

Under the joint statement, collaboration on deterrence communication campaigns to stop dangerous journeys in small boats will be strengthened. They will also increase intelligence-sharing to tackle visa abuse and continue to facilitate the process for the return of those with no right to remain in the UK.

A Joint Action Plan in tackling human trafficking to disrupt people trafficking will also be developed.

According to the joint statement, Viet Nam and the UK will continue to maintain direct and effective mechanisms and communication channels to share information, and promote legal routes.

The joint statement follows a dialogue on April 15 between Vietnamese Minister of Public Security, General To Lam, and the UKs Home Secretary James Cleverly who agreed on a set of strong measures to tackle visa abuse, increase intelligence sharing, deterrence messages, and continue a successful process of returning illegal migrants from the UK to their home country.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Hung said Viet Nam and the UK share a strong strategic partnership and are celebrating 51 years of diplomatic relations. Apart from collaborations in trade, education, research, technology innovation and climate change, tackling illegal migration and human trafficking is hugely important and mutually beneficial to both countries. The two sides are committed to working together on ensuring safe and legal routes and protecting victims of human trafficking.

Tomlinson said illegal migration is a global problem that requires global solutions. This agreement is an important step with a valued partner to ensure both sides are working in lockstep to end exploitation by people-smuggling gangs, and to save lives.

He believed only through continued close cooperation with international partners will the UK dismantle the criminal networks profiting from this evil trade, and stop the boats.

In March, the UKs Home Office launched a social media campaign in Viet Nam to highlight the risks of crossing the Channel in small boats.

In October 2019, a lorry was discovered in Essex, UK, with the dead bodies of 39 Vietnamese migrants in the container section.  VNS
WINDHOEK, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The Namibian government on Thursday announced the introduction of visas upon arrival at Walvis Bay Harbour, effective immediately.

The decision, as revealed by Etienne Maritz, executive director of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, signifies the country's effort to streamline entry procedures and boost accessibility for international travelers as well as enhance the tourism and trade sectors.

"By issuing visas at the point of arrival, the ministry aims to bolster convenience for travelers while sustaining security measures," he said, adding that this initiative will simplify travel logistics for both tourists and business visitors by reducing bureaucratic obstacles and waiting times.

Maritz said this move positions Namibia as a more welcoming and tourist-friendly destination, poised to attract a broader spectrum of visitors and investors.

"As a crucial entry point for maritime trade and tourism, Walvis Bay Harbour's role in driving economic prosperity cannot be overstated," he noted.

Meanwhile, in addition to Walvis Bay Harbour, travelers can also avail themselves of visa-on-arrival facilities at other key points of entry, including Hosea Kutako International Airport, Walvis Bay Airport and various border posts such as Trans Kalahari, Katima Mulilo, Ngoma, Impalila Island, Oshikango, Mohembo, Ariamsvlei, Noordoewer and Oranjemund.

The visa upon arrival, priced at 1,200 Namibian dollars (about 63 U.S. dollars), offers a validity of 90 days, providing ample opportunity for visitors to explore the diverse offerings of Namibia's landscapes, cultures and economic opportunities. 
BRUSSELS  The Vietnamese Embassy in Belgium- the Vietnamese Delegation to the European Union (EU) held a meeting with the Asia-Oceania Working Party (COASI) of the EU Council on Wednesday to update the latter on the countrys socio-economic situation and foreign policy and suggest cooperation areas to be promoted.

The event took place ahead of a visit to Viet Nam by a COASI delegation from April 24 to 26.

Ambassador Nguyen Van Thao affirmed that Viet Nam attaches importance to the role of and its relations with the EU amid the highly volatile regional and international situation.

The two sides share many common concerns in such fields as trade, investment, climate change, green transition, international law adherence, and cooperation within multilateral frameworks, he noted, considering these as potential areas for them to consider enhancing cooperation in the time ahead.

Viet Nam and the EU have secured a foundation of long-term and comprehensive relations. The Southeast Asian country also boasts sound relations and traditional friendship with EU member states. After the trying times caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and facing global and regional challenges, its now a good time for them to strengthen connections, he added.

Thao expressed his belief that the COASI delegations visit will help build up mutual understanding to further intensify the Viet Nam-EU links.

COASI Chairman Michal Safianick said the COASI delegation coming to Viet Nam will gather about 30 members, including representatives of 27 EU member states, the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the European Council.

The first trip of COASI to Southeast Asia aims to learn more about Viet Nam and the region and seek opportunities for boosting Viet Nam's cooperation with the EU as well as the blocs members.

The cooperation with Viet Nam is one of the EUs priorities in the Indo-Pacific region, he said, adding that Viet Nam and Indonesia are the destinations of the COASI delegations visit given their importance and roles in the region.

Safianick added that Viet Nam and the EU hold considerable cooperation potential driven by current agreements, especially their bilateral free trade agreement (EVFTA) and the one on the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

At the meeting, representatives of EU countries also voiced their hope that the visit would help deepen their understanding of Viet Nam, especially its viewpoints and policies on socio-economic development, security, defence, and external affairs, thereby contributing to mutual understanding and trust and opening up cooperation opportunities.

Their areas of interest include trade, investment, climate change, green transition, blue economy, maritime security, cyber-security, digital transformation, and democratic and human rights issues.

COASI delegations visits to countries/regions outside the EU are annual activities organised by the EEAS and COASI with a view to learning more about the regions and partners important to the EU to bolster the blocs relations with them and help develop the EUs foreign policy.  VNS
BEIRUT, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Two Hezbollah fighters and one civilian were killed, and three civilians were wounded on Thursday at dawn in a series of Israeli air strikes on villages in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese military and medical sources.

Lebanese military sources, who spoke anonymously, said that Israeli drones and warplanes carried out six air strikes on the southeast village of Khiam and three raids on the southeast village of Kafr Kila, resulting in human casualties and material damage.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah indicated that its fighters attacked Israeli sites in the occupied Shebaa Farms, al-Motella, and al-Malikiyah sites, and the Gesher Haziv.

The military sources added they monitored the launching of about 40 surface-to-surface missiles from Lebanon into northern Israel at dawn, and Israeli Iron Dome missiles responded to some of them.

Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border escalated on Oct. 8, 2023, following a barrage of rockets launched by the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah toward Israel in solidarity with Hamas' attack on Israel the day before. Israel then retaliated by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.

The confrontations between Hezbollah and Israel have killed 426 people on the Lebanese side, including 271 Hezbollah members and 76 civilians, according to Lebanese security sources. 
Vietnam has grand long-term plans not only to make car use greener but also public transport such as buses Photo: Le Toan

Carvivu, a local importer and distributor of electric vehicles (EVs), is planning to cooperate with domestic and foreign companies to develop charging stations, which are in high demand in Vietnam.

Sales director Dinh Quoc Dat told VIR, When we sell the Haima EV, we provide customers with two AC home chargers and a wall charger with free installation. In addition, we give customers 18 months of free charging at unlimited distances at designated Carvivu stations.

The company also provides packages for corporate customers and transport companies, and cooperates with them in the installation of charging infrastructure at their premises. We are aware in advance about the challenges of charging stations in the early stage of EVs, so we decided to build plans for ourselves to serve our current operations as well as future expansion, Dat added.

Charging infrastructure in Vietnam is still in the early stages of development, and current policies remain unclear. As a result, charging stations in the country are all funded by private companies or suppliers, with the majority owned by VinFast.

Carvivu is working with Chinese car manufacturers, including Haima, and is focused on a number of car models suitable for the Vietnamese market. In 2023, it launched the 7X and 7XE models, and is expected to introduce other lines in the near future.

Ho Hai An, general director of TMT Motors Electric, said that there are still difficulties due to unfavourable infrastructure.

According to experience learnt from the Chinese market, about 80 per cent of customers mainly charge at home. This will be the main trend of EVs, and charging at home is a useful and convenient feature our offerings, he explained.

Last year, TMT Motors opened up the small EV segment in Vietnam by launching the Wuling Mini EV, from a three-party joint venture of SAIC, GM, and Wuling.

This model is equipped with a charger with a capacity of 1.5kW to help the vehicle charge as easily as charging a phone anywhere with a 220V civil power source, An said. It is not required to charge at a dedicated charging station like some other EVs. This model is aimed at users who travel daily with a distance of 120-170km. They just need to charge overnight and then are able to use a whole day.

In the long term, he asked ministries and agencies to soon issue policies to promote EVs. It is necessary to invest more in the development of EV charging infrastructure to meet more users needs. This is part of the governments orientation to develop vehicles using clean energy in Vietnam, An said.

The local market has, in recent times, witnessed the landing of EV brands, especially Chinese ones. A series of domestic automobile manufacturers and assemblers, as well as foreign car manufacturers such as Wuling, Haima, Zhidou, and others already moved to launch the first EVs in Vietnam.

In early April, the Vietnamese market welcomed the entrance of Chinese brands Omoda and Jaecoo when owner Chery entered a joint venture with Geleximco to build a factory here.

Complete vehicle imports are expected to be launched in the market at the end of 2024. Vu Van Tien, chairman of Geleximco, said that this joint venture plans to produce hybrid cars initially for the market, instead of focusing entirely on EVs.

Hybrid cars will be very effective because Vietnams infrastructure cannot yet accommodate pure EVs, Tien said. In the coming years, when the infrastructure and technology become better with improved charging stations, we will research and produce pure EVs.

Another Chinese carmaker, Guangzhou Automobile Group, plans to launch the AION Y Plus in June, marking its first EV to be sold in the Vietnamese market.

Like developed countries, Vietnam needs to encourage private organisations to contribute capital to increase charging stations on highways.

Wilmar Matinez, an electric energy research expert from the United Nations Development Programme, said that the number of vehicles in Vietnam using green energy is still quite low compared to those using fossil fuels. This is also the reason why electric charging stations on roads, especially highways, are not as popular as in other countries.

Countries around the world, such as Germany and Norway, have also implemented financial and tax policies to encourage EV charging infrastructure, while introducing strict regulations in building charging infrastructure, standardising charging points, sources and charging speeds, as well as regulations on charging at public areas and at home, he said.

Nguyen The Vinh, a specialist at state-run Vietnam Electricity, said that currently, the public charging station system accounts for 10 per cent of the countrys total electricity output.

The number of charging stations is not the only problem. Increasing EV charging stations on highways also requires consideration of the number of EVs that need to be charged and the charging time at each station to avoid putting great pressure on the power system nationwide, he cautioned.

VinFast sets sights on 100,000 EVs in 2024 VinFast, the Vietnamese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, has set an ambitious target of selling 100,000 EVs in 2024, following the announcement of its Q4/2023 financial statements in mid-February. This announcement was made by VinFast's chairwoman of the Board of Directors Le Thi Thu Thuy.

Nissan, Honda explore partnership in electric vehicles Japanese arch-rivals Nissan and Honda said Friday they were exploring a strategic partnership in electric vehicles to face up to a "once-in-a-century" upheaval in the car industry.

Hyundai to invest more than $50 bn in South Korea in major EV push Hyundai on Wednesday revealed plans to invest more than $50 billion in South Korea by 2026, with a huge chunk dedicated to boosting the development and production of electric vehicles.
At a meeting between Chinese investors and Chairman of Vietnams National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue in Beijing last week, BYD vice president Liu Huanming mentioned their electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing plan in Vietnam and made proposals on preferential policies on the manufacturing and sale of EVs in the country.

The Chery brands and Vietnams Geleximco will establish a $800 million plant in Thai Binh province

The discussions offer hope to the much-awaited EV factory from Chinas biggest EV maker. As reported by Reuters last month, BYD has slowed down its plans to build an EV factory in Vietnam due to its strategy and the general slowdown of the EV market. After lengthy negotiations with BYD, Vietnams Geleximco had last year reserved 100 hectares of commercial land at Phu Ha Industrial Park in the northern province of Phu Tho for the factory. But after delays, the two sides were now seeking a suitable time to start the project.

Meanwhile, Chinese EV manufacturer Chery with Omoda and Jaecoo brands last week announced a joint venture with Geleximco to establish an $800 million plant in the northern province of Thai Binh. With this move, Chery will become the first Chinese EV maker to set up a facility in Vietnam.

Zhang Guibing, general manager of Chery International, said the tie-up shows that the two sides have seen the inevitable trend of rapid change in global energy to achieve complementary advantages.

Its a strong combination. In the first phase, the two sides will jointly contribute capital to build a vehicle factory in Vietnam with a production capacity of 200,000 vehicles a year to provide Vietnamese consumers with new energy products under the trendy and technologically advanced Omoda and Jaecoo brands, Guibing said.

Then we will build an industrial cluster of complete vehicle and spare parts factories. After achieving a certain scale, it will export to ASEAN countries and others, making it one of Cherys key bases globally, he added.

Diversifying chains

Besides electric cars, Chinas Yadea Group Holdings, one of the worlds biggest electric two-wheeled vehicle makers, broke ground on its $100 million factory in the northern province of Bac Giang in January with a designed capacity of two million electric motorcycles per year.

The second factory quadruples that of Yadeas first factory, which has been in operation since 2019 in the same locality. Slated to begin operation in 2025, the factory will export 30 per cent of its output to regional countries, including the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Laos.

Commenting on the trend of Chinese EV makers in Vietnam, Maybank economist Brian Lee told VIR that they are looking to diversify supply chains amid rising risks of geopolitical and trade tensions.

The United States and Europe are mulling higher import tariffs on China-made EVs, alleging unfair competition due to Chinese government subsidies. Further, Chinese EV makers have been stepping up efforts to capitalise on growing demand for EV in Southeast Asia, where EV adoption is at a much more nascent stage than in China, Lee said.

When it comes to attracting Chinese EV makers, Lee added, some of Vietnams strengths include its close geographical proximity to China, extensive free trade agreements, and competitive labour costs.

Vietnams domestic market shows considerable potential for EV adoption, with a fast-growing middle class, rising urbanisation and ride-sharing/ride-hailing becoming an increasingly popular transport option, he said.

Adoption promotion

The electric motorbike industry in Vietnam is also experiencing continued growth. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, sales of electric motorcycles have grown by about 30-35 per cent in recent years, making Vietnam the largest electric two-wheeler (E2W) market in the ASEAN region and the second largest worldwide, after China.

According to a social listening report conducted by social media platform Vero, the on-year per cent growth rate in terms of search volume for E2W in Vietnam is 71 per cent, as measured from the start of 2019 to March 2023. The data indicates that Vietnamese consumers are increasingly exploring and considering electric two-wheelers as a viable and eco-friendly means of commuting.

Besides the growth of E2W, Vietnam has implemented a compelling incentive for electric cars, providing a zero per cent registration fee for battery electric vehicles for three years starting from March 2022, said Tran Kim Hoang Yen, associate PR account director of Vero.

Over the following two years, the registration fee will be merely 50 per cent of that for internal-combustion-engine cars with the same seating capacity. The special consumption tax rate for battery electric cars has also been significantly reduced to just 1-3 per cent until the end of February 2027, Yen added.

This policy has promoted EV adoption in the market, which can be seen that there have been many auto brands launching new EV models in the past 1-2 years in Vietnam, according to Yen.

According to Veros recent white papers about EVs in Vietnam and consumer perception towards Chinese auto brands, the majority of Vietnamese consumers have researched or considered purchasing an EV with environmental protection and reduced operating costs as their main purchasing driver. When it comes to Chinese auto brands, which most of them are battery EVs or hybrid cars, Vietnamese consumers have generally positive perceptions based on their wide range of options, technological features, and affordability.

However, Maybanks Brian Lee pointed out regional peers like Thailand and Indonesia are better placed for the development of EV ecosystems than Vietnam in some aspects. The two countries are more established auto production hubs, especially Thailand, which has been host to Japanese carmakers like Toyota for decades. Indonesia has abundant nickel resources for making EV batteries.

Nonetheless, Vietnams aforementioned strengths leave it well positioned as an attractive EV investment destination. Chinese EV makers will likely leverage each ASEAN countrys unique strengths and may set up production facilities in more than one location, given the impetus to diversify production, Lee said.

Additionally, multiple factories across the region may be needed to serve left-hand drive and right-hand drive markets, Vietnam is a left-hand drive market, while Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand are right-hand drive, he added.

He also highlighted some short-term risks that may slow down Chinese EV investments in Vietnam. The first is that EVs could be in a state of excess production capacity, which may reduce the impetus for further capacity ramp ups in the short term. BYD has slowed down its plans to build an EV factory in Vietnam amid the slowdown of global EV sales.

Secondly, competition from Chinese EV brands could emerge as a concern for Vietnams policymakers, with VinFast doubling down on its efforts to gain a foothold in local and overseas markets, Lee explained.

Nissan, Honda explore partnership in electric vehicles Japanese arch-rivals Nissan and Honda said Friday they were exploring a strategic partnership in electric vehicles to face up to a "once-in-a-century" upheaval in the car industry.

Vingroup launches electric vehicle charging station company Vingroup's V-Green Charging Stations Company aims to invest over $415 million in the next two years in new outlets and upgrading the charging network.

Hyundai to invest more than $50 bn in South Korea in major EV push Hyundai on Wednesday revealed plans to invest more than $50 billion in South Korea by 2026, with a huge chunk dedicated to boosting the development and production of electric vehicles.

China's Xiaomi enters car market with new electric vehicle Chinese consumer tech giant Xiaomi launched its first electric vehicle in Beijing on Thursday, injecting itself into a fiercely competitive sector in the world's largest car market.
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This photo taken with a mobile phone on April 17, 2024 shows volunteers repairing damaged power supply facilities in Omdurman, Sudan. The armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has entered its second year. Since the conflict broke out on April 15, 2023, more than 14,700 fatalities have been recorded, while the number of people displaced inside and outside of Sudan has reached 8.2 million, showed a recent report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua)

KHARTOUM, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has entered its second year. Positive or getting murkier? Analysts are divided on its outlook in the near future.

Some argue that as the deadly clash rages on, the country may descend into a full-fledged civil war.

"The most likely scenario is that the conflict will turn into a comprehensive civil war," Khalid Dirar, a professor of political science at al-Rasid Center for Strategic Studies in Khartoum, told Xinhua.

"What is currently happening in El Fasher reinforces these concerns," he added, highlighting that more parties were getting involved in the conflict.

El Fasher, the capital city of North Darfur State in western Sudan, is experiencing intense clashes between the SAF and the RSF.

North Darfur is the only state still under the SAF's control, while the RSF controls the region's remaining West, South, Central and East Darfur states.

For Abdul-Rahim Al-Sunni, a Sudanese political analyst, the future outcomes of the Sudanese conflict hinge on the military advancements on the battlefield and the shifting power dynamics among the conflicting parties.

"If the SAF has managed to gain momentum, particularly in fighting in important areas such as the capital Khartoum and Gezira State in central Sudan, the RSF would be forced to make required concessions, top of them its withdrawal from the major public utilities and citizens' homes," Al-Sunni told Xinhua.

"However, if the RSF managed to strengthen its control by winning new areas, such as North Darfur State, the negotiation options would become slanted in the RSF's favor and lead the SAF to make concessions," added the analyst.

"These two assumptions support the line of ending the war via reaching an agreement between the warring parties," he said while cautioning that if external backing persists for both factions, the conflict may drag on and potentially result in dire consequences.

Political analyst Noureddine Hassan, on his part, anticipated that the war would ultimately conclude with a political agreement following challenging and extended negotiations.

"It is highly unlikely for either side to win the war under the current situation, and there must be a political solution," Hassan told Xinhua.

"As the conflict is prolonged, the two warring parties will get tired, and with international and regional pressure and the continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation, the two parties may return to the negotiating table, which is likely to lead to a political settlement," he said.

The RSF commander, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, recently expressed readiness for a comprehensive ceasefire and the beginning of serious political talks.

"The ongoing war in Sudan threatens to spread throughout the African region and endanger international peace and security," said Dagalo in a speech posted on social media platform X.

He called on the United Nations and the African Union to conduct an international investigation to clarify to the Sudanese people who started the war and who is prolonging and magnifying it.

Since the conflict between the SAF and the RSF broke out on April 15, 2023, more than 14,700 fatalities have been recorded, while the number of people displaced inside and outside of Sudan has reached 8.2 million, showed a recent report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 

This photo taken with a mobile phone on April 17, 2024 shows volunteers cleaning a damaged house in Omdurman, Sudan. The armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has entered its second year. Since the conflict broke out on April 15, 2023, more than 14,700 fatalities have been recorded, while the number of people displaced inside and outside of Sudan has reached 8.2 million, showed a recent report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua)

This photo taken with a mobile phone on April 17, 2024 shows a volunteer cleaning a damaged house in Omdurman, Sudan. The armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has entered its second year. Since the conflict broke out on April 15, 2023, more than 14,700 fatalities have been recorded, while the number of people displaced inside and outside of Sudan has reached 8.2 million, showed a recent report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua)

This photo taken with a mobile phone on April 17, 2024 shows volunteers cleaning a damaged house in Omdurman, Sudan. The armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has entered its second year. Since the conflict broke out on April 15, 2023, more than 14,700 fatalities have been recorded, while the number of people displaced inside and outside of Sudan has reached 8.2 million, showed a recent report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua)

This photo taken with a mobile phone on April 17, 2024 shows volunteers repairing damaged power supply facilities in Omdurman, Sudan. The armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has entered its second year. Since the conflict broke out on April 15, 2023, more than 14,700 fatalities have been recorded, while the number of people displaced inside and outside of Sudan has reached 8.2 million, showed a recent report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua)

This photo taken with a mobile phone on April 17, 2024 shows volunteers cleaning a damaged house in Omdurman, Sudan. The armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has entered its second year. Since the conflict broke out on April 15, 2023, more than 14,700 fatalities have been recorded, while the number of people displaced inside and outside of Sudan has reached 8.2 million, showed a recent report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua)

This photo taken with a mobile phone on April 17, 2024 shows volunteers repairing damaged power supply facilities in Omdurman, Sudan. The armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has entered its second year. Since the conflict broke out on April 15, 2023, more than 14,700 fatalities have been recorded, while the number of people displaced inside and outside of Sudan has reached 8.2 million, showed a recent report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua)
Incumbent Gayle Avant, 83, faces two challengers for Woodways Ward 3, Place 1 council member position, including retired banker Richard Hess, 86, and communications specialist Ken Sury, 60, who disagree on how to approach future Woodway development.

The Ward 3 seat is one of two up for election May 4. Woodway Ward 2 residents will also vote May 4 for incumbent Storey Cook or challenger Andrea Rossfeld to fill the Ward 2, Place 1 position. Hess and Rossfeld, and alternatively, Sury and Cook, have aligned their campaigns, collaborating on campaign materials and events.

Ahead of the start of early voting Monday, Ward 3 candidates made their case for the position and weighed in on recent Woodway controversies. Because Woodway council terms are three years rather than two, the Ward 3 race would head to a runoff if neither Avant, Hess nor Sury receive more than 50% of the vote.

Avant

Avant has held the Ward 3, Place 1 position since May 2021. He said he decided to run for reelection because he has had a positive experience during his first term as a council member.

I have served three years now on the Woodway council and its been a good experience for me, Avant said. I am a retired political science professor and so its very interesting to learn more about community governance. I found the first term interesting and thats why I filed to run for a second term.

Avant said Woodway residents should consider voting for him over his opponents because of his prior experience.

Neither of my opponents have previous experience on the Woodway board, and my academic background is some help, he said.

If reelected, Avant said he would primarily focus on converting the old Woodway Family Center building into a new and better facility for seniors in the community.

Woodway has just opened its new family center and Im part of an effort to redesignate the old family center as a senior center, he said. I am hopeful that Meals on Wheels will choose the new senior center as a luncheon site.

As for other issues he would hope to address if reelected, Avant said he has no comment at this time.

Avant was recently a key vote for whether Woodway should accept a state grant to build sidewalks near Woodway Elementary School.

Avant originally voted against a resolution for the city to enter an advance funding agreement with the Texas Department of transportation for the $1.05 million grant. The grant, which requires a 20%, or $263,000 matching contribution from the city, would allow Woodway to build sidewalks near the school on Estates Drive.

Avant joined with council members David Russell and David Keyston to vote against the resolution. He said he originally rejected the resolution because of good arguments for other ways to use the citys money, such as installing streetlights.

Avant later asked Mayor Amine Qourzal to bring the item back for reconsideration and voted in favor of the resolution. Qourzal was out of town during the first vote, and Cook abstained the first time after Russell raised the prospect she could have a conflict of interest. Avant said he changed course after receiving calls from constituents and Woodways former mayor, Jane Kittner, whose opinion he respects. With Qourzal back and Cook voting after confirming she did not have a conflict, the resolution passed.

It was certain with the added representation on the board last week that the result would be positive and so I joined other councilmen in favoring the positive result, Avant said.

As for plans to reconfigure Estates Drive with bike and pedestrian lanes, Avant said he has no current position on the matter.

Avant was a Baylor University professor of political science for 30 years and said he originally decided to run for the council position three years ago after talking with Kittner.

I was talking with our former mayor, and frankly, she persuaded me that I could serve well on the board, he said.

Avant has lived in Woodway with his wife since 1971, where they raised their twin daughters. Avant said he spends his free time as a board member of Wacos Area Agency on Aging. He and his wife are also active members of Lake Shore Baptist Church.

Hess

Hess, a retired banker, said he decided to run for the position after meeting council members Russell and Keyston, who both encouraged him to attend council meetings. Hess said after attending a few council meetings he got the impression that council members were not truly listening to residents.

I was getting an impression that the way the council was run, basically they had hired a city manager, and the city manager was running the city, period, Hess said. All they were doing was rubber stamping whatever he had to bring to them.

Hess has aligned his campaign with Russell, Keyston and Ward 2, Place 1 candidate Rossfeld. Hess and Rossfeld have distributed some collaborative campaign materials and share a campaign website.

Russell was at Hess house during his interview with the Tribune-Herald and endorsed Hess for the position.

We need strong financial minds like Andrea and Richard that understand what it takes versus the people who are saying we can just print money and we cant, Russell said.

Hess said Woodway should consider voting for him over his opponents because of his business background. He said a majority of current council members have a lack of financial understanding, unlike Russell, Keyston, Rossfeld and himself.

My idea of the council is that people, the citizens, own this city, he said. They are the stockholders. They hire the directors by vote. The council is the one whos supposed to be making the decisions, the final decisions, and keeping an eye on what the moneys being spent (on).

If elected, Hess said he would focus on transparency. He proposed creating an email list from Woodways water system database and emailing residents about important issues happening at city council meetings.

As for his opinion on current Woodway issues, Hess said he has no problem with sidewalks, but thought $263,000 was too expensive for the city to install sidewalks in front of Woodway Elementary School. He also does not support the proposed redesign of Estates Drive. He said reducing traffic lanes to add a lane for bikes and pedestrians could be dangerous. He alternatively proposed building high sidewalks along Estates Drive to accommodate bikers and pedestrians.

I think thats dangerous, he said. I think its better if we put a sidewalk thats wide enough that we can handle the bicycles and residential traffic, rather than have a bicycle lane.

However, Hess is not against all development in the area. He said he supports efforts to update and repurpose the old family center building into a senior center to better accommodate the senior residents in Woodway.

Hess moved to Woodway three years ago to live closer to his son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren.

Hess serves as a chair of a local Gideons International distribution and is vice president of the Kiwanis Club of Waco. He also runs a local prayer group and is active in his church. He said his faith became a much larger part of his life after his wife died in 2021.

If I hadnt had that kind of faith, I would have never touched this position or tried to do it, he said. But I feel this is where the Lord is leading me, that I can make a difference and through what I do there that folks can see Christ as well. And thats my testimony and thats why Im running.

Sury

Sury, a communications specialist for the nonprofit Farmer Veteran Coalition, said he decided to run for the position after becoming concerned about the spread of misinformation on city council and some council members neglecting the advice of experts like the city attorney.

I couldnt get involved before. It was because I worked at the Trib up until last year, 2023, so it was not on the table, but I will say what got me involved with wanting to do more in particular is some of the concerning stuff, more recently, thats happened with council, and frankly, I think a fair amount of misinformation, especially on social media, he said.

Sury has aligned his campaign with Council Member Cook, the incumbent candidate for Woodways Ward 2, Place 1 race. Both candidates plan on doing neighborhood meet-and-greet events together and will distribute some collaborative campaign materials.

Id like to think were both level-headed, reasonable people who will look at the information and come to an informed conclusion, he said. I think there are a fair number of areas that we align on, but I dont expect us to vote the same way on every issue.

Sury said Woodway residents should consider voting for him over his opponents because he would bring almost 40 years of journalistic skills to the position. If elected, he would look at the information presented to him as dispassionately as possible, get community input and make a decision that would benefit most residents, he said.

Thats a big part of what my life has been for 38 years total, as a journalist, is getting out the facts, looking at the facts and presenting the facts to the readers, Sury said. My hope as a city council member would be to do the same.

If elected, Sury said he would focus on addressing aging infrastructure, including Woodways streets and water system.

I love what Woodway already is and the great neighborhoods and the great residential areas, but there are areas along (Highway) 84 that are business oriented that I think we need to try to develop, he said. I call it focused growth or smart growth, something thats going to be a good fit for Woodway, but then also expand our tax base because I mean things (prices) arent going down.

As for his opinion on current Woodway issues, Sury said he was in support of the recently approved sidewalk grant and thinks it is a good use of city funds. He also supports further development of Estates Drive.

A big part of misinformation was about how Midway should pay for it (the sidewalks). Well, the fact is, that eight-foot-wide sidewalk is going to be on city easement, he said. I think anything that can improve the overall amenities that Woodway has, which I think have always been great, is a positive, and Id like to be a part of that.

As for his position on remodeling the old family center building into a new senior center, Sury said he wants to see all the facts before weighing in on the situation.

The city recently hired an engineering firm to assess the costs of repurposing the building.

Sury has lived in Woodway with his family for 25 years. He was a Tribune-Herald employee from 1998 to 2023, primarily working on the papers Waco Today magazine for the past 12 years. Sury has been involved with the Rotary Club of Waco since 2016 and is an active member of Calvary Baptist Church, where he has served as a deacon and Sunday school class leader.

Surys wife, Jean Sury, teaches sixth grade science at River Valley Middle School. Sury said his wifes involvement with the community inspired him to run for office.

Early voting

Early voting will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 22-26, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 27, 1 to 6 p.m. April 28 and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 29-30.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify Barefield's family history with Trendwood Apartments.

The former Trendwood Apartments in East Waco officially reopened Wednesday as Riverside Apartments, capping a more than yearlong, $11 million overhaul.

Built in 1963 at 1700 Dallas Circle, the apartments offering subsidies through the federal Section 8 program had fallen into disrepair in recent years. The city filed a code enforcement lawsuit against the previous owners in 2019 that led to $50,000 in fines before repairs brought the property back into compliance.

During a ribbon-cutting Wednesday, City Council Member Andrea Barefield said her mother, former Waco Mayor Mae Jackson, lived at Trendwood before she married Barefields father and moved to Carver Street.

She said many people have happy memories of Trendwood, "but the complex did become neglected for many years under the previous owners."

Denver-based Steele Properties LLC bought the complex in 2022, undertaking a project funded through the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program that totaled almost $28 million, including the initial $9.1 million purchase of the property. The renovated 152-unit Riverside Apartments complex is now under the management of Monroe Group, which is affiliated with Steele.

This is more than just a renovation, Barefield said. We are giving the people who live here dignity again. Now we are providing safe, comfortable, beautiful homes.

Ebony Davis, who lived at Trendwood as a teenager, has been the property manager for the past 14 months as the renovation unfolded. The complex has new roofs, plumbing, breaker boxes, circuit breakers, heating, air conditioning, flooring, cabinets, windows and paint. The overhaul also added security measures, including cameras, which have made residents feel safer, Davis said.

Riverside continues under a contract with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide Section 8 housing subsidies to tenants directly, rather than using a voucher-based process.

The renovation finished 60 days ahead of schedule, wrapping up in September rather than the projected November completion date. Crews tackled a few apartments at a time, with residents temporarily relocated to hotels or provided with a stipend for other housing when their apartment was under construction.

The work was also completed on budget, said Justin Unger, director of acquisitions for Steele Properties.

We spent $11 million on the refurbishment, Unger said. We had to do more work than we expected on the sanitary sewers and we spent from our reserve on that.

In a presentation to the city council in 2022, the company broke down the $27.8 million project cost with $9.1 million for the purchase; $6 million for fees, reserves and soft costs; $2 million for financing costs; and $10.5 million for the refurbishment.

During Wednesdays ceremony, Riverside resident Benita Gaines, who grew up in the complex and returned a few years ago, said the new security measures have made her feel safer.

We used to be worried about bullets flying around here, Gaines said. Not any more, not since the new landlords put in the talking security cameras. Whenever someone who doesnt belong here is doing something theyre not supposed to be doing, the camera will say, Vacate the premises, police have been called. And then a few minutes later, two or three law cars will pull up.

Gaines said there used to be a lot of fighting around the complex, but not any more.

When I first moved back here six years ago, it was not safe to sit outside, especially not at night, Gaines said. Since the new landlords took over, I now feel safe to sit outside on my porch until midnight or 1 oclock in the morning.

One of Gaines neighbors, Beaulah Johnson, said the complex had pests before Monroe Group took over.

Now the rats and roaches are all gone, Johnson said. And its quiet, so I can sleep better.

Another resident, Ray Davis, also said the fighting has been cleared out. He also praised the renovation of the apartments.

When I first moved here, there was stuff falling from the ceilings, Davis said. Now its livable.
CEDAR FALLS  Open auditions for the Cedar Falls Municipal Band will take place from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. May 8 at the band hall building, 211 Washington St.

Musicians are required to play two prepared solo excerpts or etudes and do some sight-reading. Players must demonstrate a professional level of proficiency.

The 44-piece concert band performs in Overman Park Tuesday evenings through June and July with Monday evening rehearsals. For more information, email cedarfallsmunicipalband@gmail.com.

An incorrect date ran in an earlier story.

Waterloo and Cedar Falls municipal bands through the years 061616tsr-waterloo-municipal-band-01 061618mp-John-Deere-100th-Anniversary-Celebration-23 061616tsr-waterloo-municipal-band-05 061616tsr-waterloo-municipal-band-04 Cedar Falls Municipal Band 062417mp-Sturgis-Falls-parade-11 050716mp-CF-Beach-House-Opening-2 090715tsr-cf-municipal-band-01 071918mp-Bill-Shepherd-retirement-2 071918mp-Bill-Shepherd-retirement-3 071918mp-Bill-Shepherd-retirement-1 060712tsr-waterloo-band-04 060712tsr-waterloo-band-03 062812mp-muncipal-band-1 062812mp-muncipal-band-2 060712tsr-waterloo-band-04 060712tsr-waterloo-band-03
The European Evangelical Alliance (EEA) has published a helpful resource pack for Christian voters for the forthcoming European Parliament elections, held from June 6 to 9.

Elections for the 720 parliamentary seats involve citizens from all 27 European Union (EU) member countries voting on which people should represent them as members of the European Parliament (MEPs).

These politicians make decisions on various aspects of daily life for 450 million citizens, such as jobs, migration and asylum seekers, and the environment, according to the EEA and an EU election website. The votes are cast every five years, with the last election held in May 2019.

The EEA, a body representing 23 million European evangelicals from 35 countries, designed the resources pack to inspire individual believers, local churches and national evangelical alliances on the continent to pray, think, ask questions, and encourage others to do the same.

In a press release, the EEA pointed out that the word politics is derived from the ancient Greek word polis (), meaning the affairs of a city. The EEA statement said that voters may feel they have little influence over the affairs of the city but lets hold on to what we can do.

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The resources pack looks at why the elections matter for Christian voters, covering subjects such as using Biblical lenses, hope in stormy political times, and praying for elections.

Arie de Pater, the EEAs Brussels Representative, reminds voters that the European Parliament stands as the only EU political body directly elected by citizens of EU member states.

For us as the EEA, it is important that Europes more than 20 million evangelicals are represented in the parliament, de Pater told Christian Daily International. Thats why the EEA calls on all evangelicals to cast their vote in the European elections.

If we opt out, then others will carry on doing the shaping almost certainly in ways we dont like.

De Pater said the election resource pack contained helpful materials for Christian voters. It includes an explanation of the importance of politics and the role of the European Parliament, but also questions to consider in preparation of the elections, and prayer points.

The EEA observes that there is not a single party or candidate that fully represents all your ideas, opinions, and priorities, added de Pater.

Therefore, any vote is always a very personal compromise. It is good to keep that in mind when discussing politics with other believers. Listen, respectfully ask, try to understand rather than to judge and condemn. But in the end, you might have to agree to disagree.

The resource pack has been carefully created to respect the freedom of choice for voters. It wont tell you what party or what candidate to vote for, De Pater emphasized. The alliance is a staunch defender of the separation between church and state. But we hope that the questions to consider will help evangelicals to make up their minds.

Questions explored in the election resources pack are divided into six clusters, according to de Pater. These comprise three on Biblical truths, and three on Biblical values. Truths discussed are who God is and who we are, the fall of Adam and Eve, and final restoration. Values explored are love, justice, and freedom.

We are all created in the image of God and all life is precious in His eyes, said de Pater. But we live in a fallen world with our shortcomings and fears. In the midst of all related turmoil, our ultimate hope is not in politics and any politician.

Our hope is in God, in His love and mercy, and His eternal wisdom. As His disciples, we are called to spread this hope, daily to those around us, but also when we vote.

In February, Roberta Metsola, the current President of the European Parliament, said in a public statement that more people voting would help to make democracy stronger in Europe.

She emphasized the importance of the parliaments legislative work and MEPs delivering on these files, so that citizens can see the difference that Europe makes, and the progress we can achieve, when we work together.

We need to show that this parliament works until the last moment, said Metsola. And I am confident that we will do that, and I am confident that people will return this House stronger.

The European Parliament is one of three main political bodies in the EU, alongside the European Council and European Commission. Previous topical debates by the MEPs include joint responses to the Covid-19 pandemic and Ukraine War, according to the EEA.

The parliament has no direct authority on healthcare, family issues and education but nonetheless has adopted positions on marriage, the definition of families and womens rights, all of which are issues that many evangelicals care about deeply. The EEA points out that these political positions can influence the European Commission and the governments of European countries.
The Sauk County Board on Tuesday approved $390,000 in funding for UW-Platteville Baraboo Sauk County in each of the next two years in an effort to keep the campus open amid the closings of several other branch campuses in the Universities of Wisconsin system.

UW-Platteville projects a $390,000 deficit for the Baraboo campus for the 2024-25 school year, which the county funding would cover. The funding comes a year after university chancellors were told system President Jay Rothman to devise a plan for keeping two-year campuses open amid declining enrollment.

This gives us a year, year and a half to work out a plan (for the campus), County Board Chair Tim McCumber said.

The $780,000 in county funding over the next two years was approved 28-1. District 6 Sup. Rebecca Klitzke cast the lone vote against the measure. Klitzke did not explain why she was voting against the measure and not respond to a request for comment. District 26 Sup. Brandon Lohr left the meeting prior to the vote but had expressed support for the funding.

Baraboo Sauk County campus director Steven Swallen said the funding approval is a truly fantastic result.

It is in our best interest in Sauk County to help our youth out who cant maybe afford to travel to (UW campuses in) Platteville or Madison or Eau Claire, District 25 Sup. Brian Peper said, adding that his daughter attended the Baraboo campus prior to transferring to UW-Platteville.

District 22 Sup. Sheila Carver, who was elected the second vice chair of the board on Tuesday, said she attended Baraboo Sauk County and expressed support for the measure, saying the youth is our future.

McCumber said the funding will largely be for maintenance expenses at the campus, adding that maintenance at the facilities has not been very good. The county is looking to take over basic maintenance at the campus with the extra funding, including cleaning, landscaping and minor repairs from the UW system.

McCumber, who was elected by board members to his third two-year term as board chair during Tuesdays meeting, said Sauk County is putting the bold foot forward with campus funding.

We want to signal to the Board of Regents that we are here to help, McCumber said.

Since the closing of the UW-Platteville at Richland Center campus last year, four other UW system branch campuses have announced plans to end in-person instruction. UW-Milwaukee at Washington County and UW-Oshkosh at Fond du Lac are closing after this school year. UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha is closing after 2024-25.

UW-Green Bay at Marinette is not closing its campus but will offer only online courses after this school year.

That leaves eight remaining branch campuses: UW-Platteville Baraboo Sauk County, UW-Whitewater at Rock County, UW-Green Bay campuses at Sheboygan and Manitowoc, UW-Oshkosh at Fox Cities, UW-Eau Claire at Barron County and UW-Stevens Point Marshfield and Wausau campuses.

The City of Baraboo has equally shared ownership of the Baraboo Sauk County campus facilities with the county since the campus opened in 1968. Maintenance costs may not reach $390,000 during 2025 and 2026, McCumber said, but the funding helps the campus become budget neutral.

UW-Platteville and our Baraboo Sauk County branch campus are tremendously appreciative of the support of our local partners, Swallen said.

He said the funding will help university officials expand programming to meet county needs.

The Friends of the Campus Foundation, a volunteer organization that promotes the school, is offering the new BaraBOOST scholarship. First-year students at the campus will be eligible for up to a $2,000 scholarship in the 2024-25 school year, Swallen said.

The first $1,000 is automatically applied to the first semesters tuition and, depending on academic performance, the student can receive the other $1,000.
The stubborn myth that science and faith are diametrically opposed gets knocked about in the current exhibition on the creation of science in the Catherijne Convent Museum I visited in Utrecht this week.

Early scientific instruments, first editions of breakthough publications and arresting art illustrate the essential midwife role of the Christian faith in the evolution of modern science over the past five hundred years.

A large wooden mirror telescope designed by Isaac Newton (above) is the first exhibit you encounter as you step inside the exhibition hall of the museum, housed in a centuries-old former cloister. Newton used this sort of telescope to explore outer space and to confirm his theories about gravity, mechanics and planetary motion.

Universally acknowledged as a founding father of the modern scientific revolution, Newton himself personified the partnership of faith and science. Somewhat embarrassing for secular scientists today is his largely unknown or ignored obsession with theology. For his prodigious output of scientific writings was surpassed by his writings on theology. Newtons faith spurred on his exploration of Gods book of works, alongside his book of words, discovering the wonders of the Creators mind in the mathematical precision and predictability of the universe. He saw his discoveries as answers to prayer.

On the wall opposite Newtons telescope hangs a seemingly unrelated painting, on loan from the Rijksmuseum, by Hendrik ter Brugghen, Rembrandts contemporary. It depicts doubting Thomas probing the wound in the side of the risen Christ. What is the relationship between seeing and believing, doubt and faith, science and religion? the painting asks.

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Outer and inner space

The visitor is invited to observe how through the centuries, faith and science have walked hand in hand to explore Gods creation in awe and wonder at the unfathomable riches of the outer space of the universe, the inner space of the human body, our natural surroundings and the treasure trove of the planet under our feet. Increased knowledge about our world and universe has increased our awareness of the awesomeness of Gods creation and of how much we still do not know.

The first edition of Copernicus groundbreaking publication De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium (1543) shows a diagramme challenging the ancient Greek idea that the cosmos was centred on our planet Earth. A century later, Galileo published his discoveries confirming Copernicus, for which he was kept under house arrest. On display was his last book (the Latin title translates as Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences) published in 1638 in Leiden in the Dutch Republic, due to opposition by the Catholic Church in Italy.

From heavenly bodies out there to the profusion of natural life, researchers were spurred on by Reformers like Luther to study both books, the Bible and nature, to get closer to God. The seventeenth century saw many important breakthroughs by Newton and his contemporaries. The Dutch microscope pioneer, Jan Swammerdam, saw the magnificence of God displayed even in the despised and lowly louse. In each of these creatures, wonder was stacked upon wonder to demonstrate the wisdom of God, marvelled Swammerdam. To a friend he wrote: I present to you the almighty finger of God in the anatomy of a louse.

Those words were inscribed 60 years later on a microscope made by Gerrit Cramer of Groningen, also on display, expressing the symbiosis between faith and science. The microscope introduced a growing audience of believers to the wonders of Gods creation  from insects to crystal snowflakes and microstructures in plants. Swammerdams Magnus Opus, including fifty three detailed illustrations, was published posthumously under the title, Bybel der Natuure (The Bible of Nature).

Questions

As scientific knowledge increased, questions surfaced about how literally to read biblical accounts of creation, or of Noahs ark, or of Joshuas command to the sun to stand still. The French philosopher Rene Descartes, who spent most of his adult life in the Dutch Republic, introduced a more mechanistic view of the world. A generation later Baruch Spinoza proposed a more pantheistic conception of creation. Neither were atheists, yet both challenged old certainties. While many clung to literal interpretations of biblical accounts, others embraced Augustines fourth century perspective that God tailored his explanations according to his audience. Interpreting Augustine in todays language, the Bible was not to be read as a scientific textbook within our contemporary thinking.

The notebook of a Belgian priest Georges Lemaitre caught my attention in the closing stage of the exhibition: personal notes from a spiritual retreat merged into pencil scribblings of mathematical formulae within the same covers. To my surprise, I learned that this cleric-mathematician was the author of the Big Bang Theory, explaining the origin of the universe.

Scientists who had scoffed at the idea of a Creator God had postulated that the universe had always existed. Today the Big Bang Theory is widely accepted. Something came out of nothing. Isnt that how the Bible begins?

Could the scientific revolution have ever happened without the catalytic impulse of the Christian faith? After all, science, like Christianity, involves searching for truth.





Weekly Word is an initiative of The Schuman Centre for European Studies. Jeff Fountainis a New Zealander holding a Dutch passport, is currently the director of the Schuman Centre for European Studies (www.schumancentre.eu), and lives in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Jeff graduated with a history degree from the University of Auckland (1972) and worked as a journalist on the New Zealand Herald (1972-3), and as travelling secretary for Tertiary Student Christian Fellowship (TSCF) (1973). He has lived in the Netherlands since 1975, and has travelled and spoken in almost every European country. For twenty years following the fall of communism, he was the European director for the international and interdenominational mission organisation, Youth With A Mission. He was chairman of the international, trans-denominational movement, Hope for Europe, for which he organised two pan-European congresses in Budapest in 2002 and 2011. In 2010, he established the Schuman Centre for European Studies (www.schumancentre.eu) to promote biblical perspectives on Europes past, present and future, to encourage effective engagement in issues facing Europe today.
The Nevada Supreme Court ruled in favor of Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom, concluding that petition language filed in September 2023 to enshrine the right to reproductive freedom into the state constitution meets Nevadas legal requirements for a ballot measure.

Specifically, the court ruled that the petition does not violate the states single-subject rule and the petition does not create an unfunded mandate on the state.

While legal proceedings have been underway, Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom have gathered more than 160,000 signatures in support of a second version of the initiative to codify abortion protections in the state constitution. The campaign intends to submit the second petition to the Nevada Secretary of State and is well ahead of schedule to qualify it for the 2024 ballot.

Lindsey Harmon, President of Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom, made the following statement:

Todays ruling is an unequivocal recognition of what weve always known to be true: The right to reproductive freedom includes all aspects of a persons reproductive health care. Protecting these rights is essential to ensuring that all Nevadans maintain full control over their own lives, especially as we continue to see attacks on abortion, IVF, birth control, and other reproductive health services. While we have decided to pursue a petition focused on protecting abortion rights specifically, we will continue to pursue every possible avenue to make sure that all vital reproductive health services are protected in our states laws.

Coalition for Parents and Children released this statement:

"We are disappointed with the Courts decision. The Court has transformed the single-subject rule into the single-category rule, which will open the floodgates to broad and deceptive initiative proposals like the one at issue in this case. My clients will now focus on educating the voters on why this proposal is bad law and policy for Nevadans."

Abortion rights up to 24 weeks are already codified into Nevada law through a 1990 referendum vote, where two-thirds of voters were in favor. That can be changed with another referendum vote.

The standards are higher for amending the constitution, which requires either approval from two legislative sessions and an election, or two consecutive elections with a simple majority of votes.

Abortion rights have become a mobilizing issue for Democrats since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 court decision establishing a nationwide right to abortion.

Lawmakers in Nevadas Democratic-controlled Legislature are also attempting to get reproductive rights including abortion access in front of voters on the 2026 ballot. The initiative, which would enshrine those rights in the state constitution, passed the state Senate and Assembly in May 2023 and now must be approved with a simple majority again in 2025 before being eligible for the 2026 ballot.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
On Wednesday Nevada Senators Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto joined a bipartisan group of legislators to oppose recent U.S. Postal Service plans.

Members of both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives decried recent consolidation and review announcements from the USPS, arguing to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy that they could severely diminish mail service reliability for postal networks across the country, including in northern Nevada.

A common theme of these announcements is the so-called modernization of Processing and Distribution Centers into Local Processing Centers, the Members wrote. Taken together, these proposals dismantle parts of the Postal Services robust network that helps distribute mail across the country and places outgoing sorting into more distant facilities. The result of this change is that mail will need to travel farther from its origin to its sorting, creating inefficiencies in the system, especially for local mail.

Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto have strongly opposed the proposed relocation of mail processing from Reno to Sacramento because of the impact it would have on mail service reliability and local jobs.

You can read the full letter below.
Construction of the Waldorf Astoria project in Crystal Bay, which is planned to be built over the old Biltmore Lodge and Casino, has been halted and is uncertain.

EKN Tahoe LLC, the project's leading developer, was notified of default for an unpaid balance of $82 million. However, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) has informed us that the developer and the agency are fully committed to completing the project. The permit remains active.

Residents are worried that the proposed project is unsuitable for Crystal Bay and that there are better alternatives. Currently, it is considered a blighted property, with unfiltered water draining into the lake and concerns about squatters and fire hazards. However, a groundskeeper is maintaining the building.

Nevadas Tahoe Biltmore, first opened in 1947, got its latest in a series of owners in October of 2021.

When purchased after a previous developer, it ran into financial problems. A new Southern California based developer pledged a marquee branded destination in Crystal Bay set to open in 2025.

Months later, it acquired beach front property in Tahoe Vista for future guests to enjoy.

In spring 2022, the new owner closed the old hotel and casino and promised community members at local meetings that it intended to complete all demolition, excavation, roads and utility work in 2023 with vertical construction beginning in fall of 2023.

In April 2023, EKN presented a massive Waldorf Astoria luxury project to the TRPA governing board, leaving many residents concerned that the 12-year-old environmental impact statement did not take into account more traffic and new wildfire evacuation concerns.

"This project did have an environmental impact statement (EIS) created back then [2012], and everything was updated with things like traffic, and things like that happening in the community. But, it is really important to know that TRPA is always monitoring environmental quality and all of the environmental thresholds. We produce a threshold report every four years," said Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Public Information Officer Jeff Cowen.

TRPA tells us that EKN can proceed with the updated scope of the project that was approved by the agency's governing body last year. This project entails a large-scale environmental redevelopment that will result in significant improvements in water quality, scenic beauty, and affordable housing. The property in question had been inactive for a long time and was not able to serve the community as effectively as it can now.

"These kinds of projects are all over the basin right now. They were built in the 1950s and need a lot of investment to come up to today's standards, so what we're typically seeing is property owners coming in with really big plans because that's what is going to help pay for those environmental improvements. Those complex projects, they do face hurdles, and obstacles, and challenges sometimes, so we are just going to stay behind them and hope for the best. " said TRPA Public Information Officer Jeff Cowen.

However, community members tell us that the now stalled project has missed several development milestones, and the old hotel remains boarded up and unattended.

"It's not realistic, and it's not in scale with what our community needs, which is just basically a re-do of the old Biltmore, with 140 rooms and some gaming and a pool. You know that was the appropriate size for this community," said planning consultant and former TRPA staff member Kristina Hill.

The proposed project's size has increased significantly from around 125,000 feet, the size of the Biltmore, to around 734,000 square feet.

"When I worked at TRPA in the 1980s, we set environmental thresholds, had the bi-state compact, and denied projects," said Hill.

During our continuing coverage of this story, concerns have been raised that the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is deviating from its fundamental mission of ensuring lake clarity and public safety.

"The new view seems to be concentration, increased height, increased density, and increased concentration of construction, and there is an assumption that that is going to improve evacuation risks," said Diane Becker, chair of the Incline Village Crystal Bay Advisory Board.

TRPA confirmed that it is encouraging larger town center projects with higher density, as they would significantly improve water quality, scenic views, transportation, and affordable housing.

"We need to meet people a little bit closer to halfway where if they're going to invest so much in water quality improvements, then we don't want to meet them with strict standards that say oh you have to remove half of the units, you have to reduce your coverage by 50 percent, you have to take a couple of stories off a building," said TRPA Public Information Officer Jeff Cowen.

Furthermore, Cowen tells us that current blighted properties around the basin, such as the old Biltmore, indicate the area's inability to score development because of too stringent regulations.

"This is really telling of the kind of environmental situation that's been happening in the basin for a long time. Property owners who were locked in by development standards in the past weren't really making any investments, so we were seeing older properties stay, becoming more blighted," said Cowen.

For perspective, the proposed Waldorf Astoria project is about seven times larger than the old Biltmore, which could produce some congestion challenges on State Route 28, a main wildfire evacuation route heading west for Incline Village and Crystal Bay.

Tahoe regional planning is a complex topic with many facets, and we will continue to cover it.
A winner has been crowned in this year's Makerton competition at the University of Nevada, Reno.

The winning team was the Mathemusicians from TMCC High School for their product C-Kube.

It is a secured storage locker for those experiencing homelessness to store their belongings when they have doctor appointments or interviews.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

The University of Nevada, Reno Innevation Center is hosting their fourth annual Makerthon.

The event is happening from April 12-14.

The Makerthon competition features seven teams from UNR and local high schools and colleges.

The teams compete to invent a new product, based on a real-world challenge, in 48 hours. They have to develop, test and produce their products.

After 48 hours, they will present their products to a panel of judges.

The winning team will receive a $2,000 prize.
Hundreds of items from legendary singer Tony Bennetts estate will be auctioned off this week through Juliens Auctions, an auction house that specializes in music, film and celebrity memorabilia. Advanced bidding is underway.

Bennett, who died on July 21, 2023, at the age of 96, was perhaps best known for the 1962 hit I Left My Heart in San Francisco, which ranks 23rd on the Recording Industry Association of Americas list of the most historically significant songs of the 20th century. His long career as a performer of traditional pop standards, big band music, show tunes and jazz also included art. Bennett was an avid painter, who tried to hone his craft daily. Bennetts paintings were exhibited in galleries around the globe, and several of his pieces are in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington and the National Arts Club in New York City. Bennett struggled with Alzheimers disease after being diagnosed in 2016.

Tony Bennetts life mirrored Americas cultural, social and political history. This is reflected in these unique and priceless items that act as markers of his life and more said a statement by Olivier Chastan, founder and CEO of Iconoclast, an artist and brand development company that acquired and manages Bennetts legacy. This incredible collection speaks to Tonys creative genius and his positive impact on others and the world.

Though the auction has a lot of high-priced items, including a Rolex 18K Gold and Diamond Day and Date wristwatch with a bid of $27,500, there are 14 items with an estimated value of $100 to $200 each, including these 10, as described by Juliens Auctions.
Everyone knows national parks for their grand landscapes and inspiring historic sites. But most people are surprised to learn that the National Park System  a collection of more than 400 sites across the nation  also manages one of the worlds largest museum systems. The system houses more than 100 million objects, artifacts and archives that help tell the story of Americas natural and cultural history. And these collections are largely found in the locations where these objects were made, used, found and collected, enhancing their authenticity.

Here are five noteworthy museums to get you started.

Members only

1. Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, New York

The Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration is housed inside the restored Main Building of the former immigration complex. Visitors must purchase ferry tickets to get to Ellis Island. Alamy

Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument in New York Harbor, Ellis Island is known as the Island of Hope, the place where 12 million immigrants were processed on their daring journeys to the American dream. The main building of the historic complex has been restored and visitors can see the Great Hall, baggage room and dormitories. Here youll find interactive displays, curated collections of photographs and heirlooms, and historic records where you can trace your ancestors experience here. Admission is free, but you have to purchase ferry tickets (starting at $25) to get to Ellis Island. You can purchase tickets in advance online, which is recommended, or at the Castle Clinton National Monument in Battery Park. A stop at Liberty Park is also part of the experience.

2. Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center, Pennsylvania

The 360-degree Cyclorama painting of Picketts Charge draws people to the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center in Pennsylvania.  Tim Sloan/Getty Images

This large building complex is an integral part of Gettysburg National Military Park, site of the bloodiest battle of the Civil War and inspiration for President Lincolns famous address. The 22,000-square-foot museum features artifacts from one of the largest collections of Civil War relics and the stories of many of those who served. The building also includes the visitor center, a theater and the 42-foot-high Cyclorama painting of Picketts Charge. Admission to the museum is $14.75; the film, Cyclorama and museum is $20.75 for adults, $19.75 for 65-plus; battlefield car tours for one to six people are $82 for two hours and $117 for three hours, while battlefield bus tours are $40 for adults.

3. Yavapai Geology Museum, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Geology buffs can enjoy panoramic views of the Grand Canyon National Park inside the Yavapai Geology Museum. National Park Service

Sited on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, the museums dramatic location was chosen by a team of geologists for its encompassing canyon views to help visitors understand the parks nearly 2 billion years of geologic history. Displays at the base of the buildings panoramic windows that look into the canyon teach visitors the names of the parks distinctive rock layers, and the large topographic relief map is especially popular. The museum is free; admission to the park ranges from $20 to $35 per car or free with a senior annual or lifetime pass.
The Global Christian Forums (GCF) fourth global gathering kicked off in Accra, Ghana, with an emphasis on major demographic shifts in global Christianity. With the theme That the world may know, the event held from April 16 to 20 brought together 240 participants from 60 different countries representing all major Christian traditions.

As one of the keynote speakers, Dr. Gina Zurlo, an American sociologist and scholar of history of mission and world Christianity, highlighted Africa as the region emerging as a focal point. Reviewing demographic shifts over the past 150 years, she pointed to the surprising statistic that today 44% of Protestant Christians reside in Africa.

According to the latest survey of global Christianity, the gradual but significant shift has become evident when looking at the past century. In 1900, a vast majority of 82% of Christians hailed from the Global North, in start contrast with the remaining 18% from the Global South, which is also referred to as the Majority World, including populous regions such as Asia, Africa and Latin America. Fast forward to the present, and the demographics have dramatically reversed, with only 33% of Christians in the Global North and 67% in the Global South.

Zurlo, who serves as co-director of the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, has focused her research on the demography of religion, World Christianity, sociology of religion, and womens studies. She highlighted that recent research revealed that historically and in the present, women have played a significant role in this demographic shift, comprising a majority of believers overall and actively participating in religious activities.

Current projections point to further shifts in the same direction and suggest that by 2050, an overwhelming majority of 77% of Christians will hail from the Global South. These numbers include all streams of Christianity, from Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Protestants, evangelicals, Pentecostals, and charismatics.

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Evangelicals emerged in the 18th century as a renewal movement within Protestantism shifting to the Global South over the 20th century. And even though the United States is the country with the most evangelicals in the world, four fifths of all evangelicals worldwide are people of colour, Zurlo observed.

The Pentecostal Charismatic Movement, originating in the early 20th century, has become a hallmark of Global South faith, encompassing diverse manifestations within classical Pentecostalism, the Catholic Charismatic Movement, and other charismatic movements.

Zurlo noted that the trends offer some insights to where the next centre of Christianity will be located. Wherever Christianity spread, and in the 20th century, the Pentecostal charismatic movement spread with it, it appears that the future of global Christianity seems to be Pentecostal.

As Christianity's geographical distribution continues to change, Africa and Asia witness an increase in Christian populations, while Europe and North America experience declines. Within these regions, the proliferation of Pentecostal and Charismatic movements adds to the religious diversity.

Zurlo emphasized the importance for Christian leaders to be aware of these statistics and developments, as they will help them to grasp the changing global landscape within Christianity.
'Never Seen Suffering on This Scale:' Global Organization Launches Multi-Specialty Hospital in East Africa Work underway on new 450-bed, state-of-the-art medical facility in Rwanda; hub for 'game-changing' telemedicine across Africa





GFA WORLD LAUNCHES MAJOR MEDICAL PROJECT IN EAST AFRICA: Scheduled to be up and running by the end of 2025, a new 450-bed hospital, medical school, and training complex in Kigali, Rwanda, will act as a hub to launch medical missions across Africa, Texas-based GFA World (www.gfa.org) says.



NEWS PROVIDED BY

GFA World

April 18, 2024



WILLS POINT, Texas, April 18, 2024 /Christian Newswire/ -- GFA World (www.gfa.org)  one of the largest faith-based mission agencies  is launching a new 450-bed hospital, medical school, and training complex in East Africa.



The state-of-the-art medical facility and training center  being constructed in Rwanda's capital, Kigali  will serve the poorest of the poor, and train new African doctors and nurses, the organization said.



GFA World aims to have the multi-specialty facility up and running by the end of next year. It will be one of the largest and best-equipped hospitals on the continent, according to the organization.



"The need for affordable and accessible healthcare and medicine in Africa is overwhelming," said GFA World founder K.P. Yohannan (Metropolitan Yohan), who launched the organization  previously known as Gospel for Asia  in 1979. "I've never before seen suffering on this scale."



The new 17-acre campus will launch medical missions across sub-Saharan Africa and into North Africa, "where millions have yet to hear about God's love for them," Yohannan said.



Telemedicine is 'Game-Changer'

A major thrust will be the expansion of telemedicine, enabling people in isolated villages without any healthcare facilities at all to get medical care remotely online.



"Telemedicine is a game-changer that will save thousands upon thousands of lives, enabling people to have health conditions diagnosed and get professional help quickly," said Yohannan. "With so much suffering in the world, now is the time to demonstrate God's love."



Medical teams will focus on preventing and treating diseases like malaria which claims more than 400,000 lives every year, equivalent to the entire population of Tampa, Florida.



While medical infrastructure in the region is perilously overloaded, Rwanda is considered one of the most stable nations in Africa.



African healthcare workers trained in Rwanda will lay the foundation for long-term community transformation, Yohannan said.



"The reason we're here is because of the love of Christ," he said. "There's no more powerful example than going to the poorest and neediest right where they are and being as Jesus to them."



For more details and to arrange an interview, contact: Gregg Wooding, 972-567-7660 / gwooding@inchristcommunications.com



GFA World (www.gfa.org) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national workers bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in more than 880 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 163,000 needy families, and teaching to provide hope and encouragement in 110 languages in 14 nations through broadcast ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.



SOURCE GFA World



CONTACT: Gregg Wooding, 972-567-7660, gwooding@inchristcommunications.com



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MTRPL stands as a joint venture between two industry powerhouses, Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL) and Flemingo Travel Retail Private Limited (FTRPL). MTRPL brings together the strengths of both parent organizations, Adani Enterprise  one of Indias largest conglomerates and Flemingo Group - Indias largest duty-free travel retail operator.

Now, in a strategic maneuver aimed at redefining the duty-free shopping experience, MTRPL has unveiled its rebranding as OSPREE. This transformation signals MTRPL's commitment to integrating its duty-free holdings across seven international airports in India under a unified brand identity.

In conversation with Adgully, Avishek Bambii Das, CEO, OSPREE Duty Free, speaks about his strategic initiatives, leadership philosophy, and the dynamic landscape of duty-free retail as OSPREE continues to inspire excellence and redefine industry standards.

What prompted Mumbai Travel Retail Private Limited (MTRPL) to undergo the rebranding process to become OSPREE? What is the vision to name it on specie of bird?

MTRPL operates duty-free stores in seven locations throughout India, including Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Jaipur, Lucknow, Mangalore, and Thiruvananthapuram, with six upcoming seaports.MTRPLwon its first concession outside India with a deal to run the duty-free business at Eurotunnels French terminal in Coquelles near Calais in France. Initially perceived as a regional brand confined to Mumbai, MTRPL recognized the need to unify its duty-free operations across the country to align with its global aspirations and expanding footprint. The rebranding effort consolidates all airport duty-free businesses under a cohesive brand identity.

The new brand, OSPREE, adopts a contemporary approach to redefine the duty-free shopping experience. Inspired by the majestic Osprey bird renowned for its grace, precision, and extensive migrations across continents, OSPREE symbolizes the company's ambitious journey. The mighty Osprey flies around 5000 miles to land in new territories, much like our companys ambitions.Stepping into the world of OSPREE transcends ordinary shopping experiences, inviting customers on a voyage of discovery.

How does OSPREE's rebranding strategy align with contemporary trends in marketing and consumer behavior?

The rebranding of OSPREE aims to deliver exceptional shopping experiences to travellers both domestically and internationally. Consumers form emotional connections with purpose-driven brands, and OSPREE provides a platform for consistent shopping experiences across all stores. OSPREE's goal is to offer an omnichannel shopping experience, enhancing the hybrid customer journey.

Positioned as the premier destination for global travelers, OSPREE will redefine duty-free shopping as a luxurious and convenient experience, featuring a diverse selection of premium products. This new identity marks a significant milestone for the brand in cultivating a more relatable and intimate connection with customers.

What are the potential benefits and challenges of integrating multiple duty-free holdings under one unified brand identity, as seen in OSPREE's approach?

Benefits: This initiative presents the opportunity to ensure a uniform shopping experience across all our domestic and international locations.

Challenges: As a sizable multimillion-dollar retail entity spanning over 1,00,000 square feet, executing rebranding efforts across all locations poses a significant challenge, particularly within airport environments. Numerous constraints, including material restrictions and limitations on visibility elements, vary based on airport location, emphasizing the paramount importance of maintaining brand consistency.

What role do innovative marketing tactics, such as live DJ performances and exclusive product launches, play in OSPREE's efforts to attract and retain customers?

We believe that the retail experience should be experiential and not transactional. International travel can often be a taxing and exhausting endeavor. Lengthy queues at security, immigration counters, and check-ins consume considerable time and energy. However, upon entering the OSPREE store, travellers are greeted with a warm welcome and the delightful ambience of a live DJ playing their favorite tunes, instantly lifting their spirits. These engaging activities contribute to enhancing the dwell time within the store. Increased time spent in the store translates to greater opportunities for shoppers to explore and make purchases.

How does OSPREE leverage its partnerships with renowned brands to enhance its marketing efforts and appeal to a diverse range of travelers?

We maintain robust partnerships with prominent global brands, enabling us to secure exclusive brand launches and premium SKUs at competitive prices, ultimately benefiting our shoppers. OSPREE proudly offers an extensive selection of over 300 single malts, surpassing other duty-free retailers.

Our collaborations with the film industry and production houses allow us to showcase top Bollywood stars on our shop floor. Additionally, our Shop and Win campaign, conducted in partnership with Visa, provides shoppers with the chance to win luxury cars and bikes.

In what ways will the brand use digital marketing channels to engage with its target audience and promote its premium product offerings?

As a fast-growing organization, we recognize the pivotal role digital marketing channels play in engaging our target audience and promoting our premium product offerings. Through strategic use of social media platforms, targeted email campaigns, and compelling content creation, we aim to captivate our audience with immersive brand experiences, showcase the exclusivity of our product range, and cultivate a sense of luxury and sophistication.

By leveraging data analytics and customer insights, we will tailor our digital marketing efforts to resonate with our discerning customers, ultimately driving brand awareness, customer engagement, and revenue growth.

Travel and lifestyle Influencers as well as Bollywood celebrities have played a pivotal role in reaching out to our target audience and connecting with them on an emotional level.

How does the brands emphasis on luxury and convenience resonate with the evolving preferences of today's global travellers, and how does the brand communicate this message effectively?

We've noticed a notable trend among consumers towards acquiring exclusive products to exclusive travel retail outlets. Moreover, with rising disposable income, the popularity of international leisure travel and luxury shopping has surged.

Our luxury liquor, PnC, and confectionery selections are especially sought after as premium gift choices by GenX, Millennials, and Gen Z. The Gen Z demographic, recognized for their interest in exploration and leisure travel, seeks out convenient and portable food options. Their affinity for quality and exclusivity harmonizes seamlessly with our product range.

What strategies does OSPREE employ to create a seamless and memorable shopping experience for customers across its various duty-free locations?

OSPREE takes pride in meeting the increasing demand for luxury and bridge-to-luxury assortments on our shelves. We've introduced a luxury boutique sunglasses store named Vue de Lux, featuring esteemed brands such as Dita, Dior, Offwhite, Vava and many others. Our Luggage store offers boutique selections, and the newly launched 'The Bharat Story' provides shoppers with abundant options for luxury Indian destination goods.

Our Sales team ensures that shoppers find the products they desire, while billing is conducted seamlessly.

We've recently unveiled the White Glove VIP assistance service, offering shoppers a personalized and memorable shopping experience.

What steps does OSPREE take to maintain brand consistency and ensure that its marketing efforts align with its overarching brand identity and values?

The communication distributed on the shop floor is meticulously tailored centrally to ensure consistency across all our locations. We uphold stringent brand guidelines for our new brand identity to maintain a unified and cohesive image.

Furthermore, our assortment at each location is carefully customized to meet the specific needs of our diverse range of shoppers. Our visual merchandising strategies are also devised centrally, resulting in consistent communication that aligns seamlessly with our brand values. This centralized approach ensures that every aspect of the shopper experience reflects our brand's identity and resonates with our target audience effectively.
BEI Confluence, one of the leading independent 360 agencies in India, has announced the elevation of Abhishek Gupta to Joint Managing Director (JMD) with effect from April 1, 2024. Gupta has been leading the BEI Confluence business operations as Deputy MD for the last four years.

Under Guptas leadership, the agency achieved a 15% revenue growth and over 100% growth in the bottom-line, with many new and reputed business acquisitions like Total Energies, Mrs. Bectors Cremica Biscuits & English Oven bread, Wai Wai Instant Noodles from CG Foods, Rajhans Nutriments the makers of Schmitten Chocolates, ECE Lifts & Elevators from the Birla Group & Kerovit Bath Fittings from the Kajaria Group and more. The existing brands too accounted for substantial revenue growth in 2023/24.

Gupta has been working with BEI Confluence since 2016, where he joined from Ogilvy & Mather. At O&M, Gupta worked for over four years as a Client Servicing Director, leading O&Ms flagship brands like Sprite and Kinley from the Coca-Cola Company as well as the Lighting Division brands of Philips.

Gupta comes with around 20 years of experience in Creative and Brand Management having started his career with some of the top agencies in India. His first stint was with Euro RSCG (now known as Havas Media), where he was working on brands like Max New York Life Insurance, Makemytrip, Indiatimes.com and few other brands. He then moved to Publicis India, leading the Nestle business on flagship brands like Maggi, A+ Milk and the entire Dairy segment along with brands like Mcvities from United Biscuits.

On this major restructuring of BEI Confluence, Tapas Gupta, Chairman & MD, commented, This is a generational shift in the agency. I am happy that the management of the agency is being passed on to a much younger professional who brings with him enormous modern-day skills and experience in steering & managing the agency and the large FMCG brands it handles. With Abhishek as JMD and partnered by Shahid Hussain as National Creative Director (NCD), the leadership team is now future-ready for further growth and consolidation.

On his elevation, Abhishek Gupta said, BEI Confluence, after a robust performance for last two years since COVID, is now poised to further accelerate its growth and has set an aggressive target of 20% growth in the current year. We have ambitious plans for the next two years and hope to be amongst the top three fullyindependent advertising systems in India by 2026. To achieve this vision, I am clear on the way forward that invest in the right people internally and help them bring out their best, ensure SOPs are respected, and provide solutions to brands which impact their business in a positive manner and help them grow YOY.

As BEI Confluence continues to evolve to a large independent agency network, its focus now is to acquire and invest in the right balance of brands and professionals who will steer the agency to its next level in the next two years.
Hotstar Specials Taaza Khabar season 2 have wrapped up their shoot and are getting geared up for the release exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar. Produced by Rohit Raj & Bhuvan Bam under the banner BB Ki Vines productions, Taaza Khabar is directed by Himank Gaur and written by the duo Hussain & Abbas Dalal, starring the social media sensation Bhuvan Bam along with Shriya Pilgaonkar, Mahesh Manjrekar, Deven Bhojani, Shilpa Shukla, Prathmesh Parab, Nitya Mathur, and others in pivotal roles.

Rohit Raj, CEO of BB Ki Vines Production and Producer of Taaza Khabar, remarked, "The journey of shooting the series has been incredible, albeit challenging, but every moment spent transitioning from one location to another in Mumbai was worthwhile. Bid adieus after wrapping up any project is always bittersweet, as our cast and crew have truly become a closely-knit family on set, with many faces remaining consistent from season 1 to season 2. Taaza Khabar holds a special place in our hearts. The overwhelming love and support we received for season 1 from both the audience and critics alike has been immensely encouraging, and we hope to receive more love and support for season 2. This time, we have raised the bar, and the positive response to the teaser of Taaza Khabar 2 from all quarters reaffirms that we are headed in the right direction. We are eagerly looking forward to presenting the final product to the audience and hope to meet their expectations!"

Popular content creator and actor Bhuvan Bam said, Shooting for Taaza Khabar Season 2 was like homecoming, it was a great time each day on set. The team is like family and we share a great camaraderie. Shriya, Prathmesh, Deven ji, all of us were super excited and enthusiastic about shooting this season. I remember when we launched Season 1, I never imagined it would become such a big fan favourite , especially my character Vasant. Now, with Season 2 on the horizon, we are delving deeper into Vasant's life, and I can't wait to see how audiences react. A big thank you to all my fans for making Season 1 such a success and embracing 'Vasya' as their own. I hope audiences enjoy the new season.

Adding to it, Shriya Pilgaonkar said, Shooting for Taaza Khabar Season 2 was an absolute joy! I can't believe we have reached the final day of shooting for the new season. It's been an amazing journey, and I have loved every moment on set. I will truly miss playing Madhu and being part of this incredible experience. I can't wait to see how audiences react to this new season, where they will witness a completely different side of Madhu. It's going to be exciting to share this fresh journey with everyone!

~ Stay tuned to Disney+ Hotstar to witness Bhuvan Bam take on new adventures in Hotstar Specials Taaza Khabar 2~
Chrome Asia Hospitality announces the appointment of Chef Beena Noronha as Corporate Chef - European Cuisine. Initiating her role at Gigi, Chef Beena specialises in modern cuisine by taking inspiration from traditional dishes. Chef Beena joins Chrome Asia Hospitality from St Regis, Mumbai. Prior to exploring the world of culinary, chef has worked in the fashion industry for over 10 years. It was her passion for cooking that inspired her to take the leap and follow her true calling of pursuing culinary and preparing art works in the kitchen.

Driven by passion for creativity, Chef Beena finds joy in impacting peoples lives through her culinary talent. A firm believer of  cooking is not merely a skill but an art form, chef is passionate and bold enough to move beyond the realms of traditional cooking and experiment modern techniques and gastronomy. Her travel adventures have exposed her to a diverse array of cuisines, including Asian, French, Italian, Mexican, American, Mediterranean, Arabic, and Indian. Throughout this journey, she learned the invaluable lesson of honouring ingredients and allowing them to narrate a compelling story.

Commenting on the appointment, Pawan Shahri, Founder, Chrome Asia Hospitality, said, As we scale to newer heights in our culinary journey, we are delighted to announce the addition of Chef Beena to the team who crafts not just our meals but creates an unforgettable experience for our guests. What sets our bars apart under the Chrome portfolio is their distinctiveness, and we are pleased that Chef Beena not only understands each brand so closely and has curated menus that authentically align with each location's unique vibe and personality. With Chef Beena, we aim to create unforgettable culinary experiences for our guests.

Talking about her appointment and sharing her vision for Chrome Asia Hospitality, Beena Noronha, Corporate Chef shared, I'm excited to get on this journey that transcends the usual. We are not just serving food, we are curating an overall sensorial experience for our guests by taking familiar ingredients and presenting them in ways that surprises palates, and creates memories. I am thankful for the team at Chrome Hospitality for believing in me and trusting my instincts to craft a menu that is anything but ordinary. They have given me the freedom to be experimental, to blend flavors in ways that challenge the norms and elevate the dining experience.

Being a frontrunner in Mumbais hospitality industry, the group boasts of having some of the most unique F&B outlets in their portfolio including GIGI, Eve, Demy, Donna Deli, Shy, Kaia Goa and more.
Leo Burnett Mumbai, part of the Publicis Groupe India, has announced new appointments to its senior leadership team. The agency is poised to leverage its momentum and success, and the new leadership team will power the leap forward to the next phase of growth.

The enhanced leadership structure is designed for a culture of greater empowerment, agility in decision making, and the capability to drive more of the new age solutions for clients that Leo Burnett has been making a name for itself for. The Leo Burnett Mumbai senior leadership team now comprises Abhimanyu Khedkar elevated as Managing Partner, Neetika Aggarwal appointed as Managing Partner, and Saurabh Dahiya as Head of Strategy.

Abhimanyu Khedkar (Abhi) started his journey with Leo Burnett 8.5 years ago and has now been promoted to Managing Partner. Abhi has worked on some of the biggest brands in the Burnett portfolio and his work has been recognised at many international and national platforms. His dedication and accomplishments over the years have been instrumental to Leo Burnetts success and he continues to be an important force in driving the future of the agency.

As Managing Partner, Neetika Aggarwal joins the Leo Burnett Mumbai team to bolster its partnerships, expertise, and capabilities. In a career spanning over two decades, Neetika has accrued enviable experience working with some of the biggest Indian and global brands including Nestle for its confectionary portfolio, PepsiCo foods, Airtel, TOI, Microsoft, Nokia, LG, IndusInd Bank. She also led some of the biggest digital interventions for Facebook including the successful Facebook Thumbstopper and Instagram Love Runs Deep properties. Her last stint before joining Leo Burnett was with VMLY&R. Prior to that she spent a few years with WPP@CP where she was the business and integration lead for Colgate Palmolive, bringing in expertise across ecommerce, CRM and FPD.

Saurabh Dahiya joined us a few months ago as Executive Director & Head of Strategy. In just a short span of time he has been indispensable to the agency in sharpening its strategic creativity capability to drive growth & transformation for clients. Saurabh brings over 18 years of experience, with a career spanning the Middle-East, South East Asia & India in brand, digital and customer experience strategy. Saurabhs knack for harnessing truth & talent to help brands matter in culture, changing contexts and commercial landscapes will add depth and perspective for Leo Burnetts client partners.

Together Abhimanyu and Neetika will lead Leo Burnett Mumbai on the business front while Saurabh Dahiya will lead and drive the strategic function.

Commenting on the leadership changes, Amitesh Rao, CEO Leo Burnett, South Asia shares, Leo Burnett Mumbai is one of the top creative agencies in the country today, having seen an incredible run of success in paving the way for new age solutions for its clients. It is also an agency with insatiable ambition and hunger, and the enhanced leadership team is at the vanguard of our future growth and glory. I am delighted to have Abhimanyu, Neetika and Saurabh  with their diverse strategic, corporate and client backgrounds - bring brilliant new perspective to our journey going forward.
As cookies are phased out and new measurement techniques come to the fore, 2024 will be a year defined by disruption, uncertainty and experimentation.

According to WARC data, only a small fraction of marketers (2%) are using the following measurement techniques in combination - marketing mix modelling (MMM), experiments, attribution - to assess the full impact of their marketing.

As measurement continues to evolve, WARC, the global authority on marketing effectiveness, has today released The Future of Measurement, a report examining the latest trends and emerging best practices of marketing measurement. The report focuses on four key areas: AI and the growth of synthetic data, the demise of third-party cookies, hurdles in holistic measurement and closing the sustainability gap.

Paul Stringer, Managing Editor Research and Insights, WARC, says: Amidst the swirl of excitement around Gen AI, another significant inflection point is fast approaching. In Q3 of this year, Google is finally due to phase out third-party cookies. While the threat of cookie deprecation has loomed for some time now, evidence suggests that advertisers are neither fully prepared or aware of the different solutions available.

With measurement continuing to evolve in several directions at once, marketers find themselves battling multiple headwinds: not only the demise of third-party cookies, but new regulations around sustainability reporting, and, of course, the growing influence and impact of AI. All of which we address in this report, Stringer adds.

Key challenges and trends outlined in The Future of Measurement report, and what marketers can do to keep pace with emerging best practices in measurement are:

Hurdles in holistic measurement:

Only 2% of marketers are using attribution, experiments and marketing mix modelling (MMM) in combination to measure marketing impact

Most marketers are failing to use the full range of techniques that enable them to measure the full impact of their marketing activities. Data from WARCs Marketers Toolkit survey shows only 2% of marketers are using attribution, experiments and marketing mix modelling (MMM) in combination for measurement, whilst a further 22% say they dont use any modelling at all.

Guidance highlights three techniques that are critical to holistic measurement. Each technique brings strengths that can offset the weaknesses of the other.

Attribution:

The process of assigning credit to the different touchpoints that are found on a users path to a conversion. Fast and easy to scale, it gives real-time insight into drivers of performance. But, it is limited to digital channels and is best for measuring short-term impact.

Experiments:

Uses randomised controlled experiments to compare the change in consumer behaviour between groups that are exposed or withheld from marketing activity while keeping all other factors constant. It is the gold standard to measure causality but can be difficult to scale.

Marketing mix modelling (MMM):

Utilises advanced statistics to give a holistic overview of all channels, sales, and external factors. Can provide a longer-term view of media impact, but can be expensive and requires at least two years of historical data.

AI and the growth of synthetic data: 60% of data used to develop AI and analytics applications will be synthetically generated

Unlike real data, which is based on observations from the real world, synthetic data is produced artificially to emulate it using purpose-built mathematical models or algorithms.

Synthetic data has a variety of applications in marketing, including pricing, customer journey planning, competitor analysis and new product development. It also negates customer privacy issues, as it has no personal information attached to it, and can conduct market research quicker and cheaper.

By this year, Gartner has estimated that 60% of the data used in AI and analytics projects will be synthetically generated, and according to Straits Research, the global market for synthetic data generation is projected to grow by 37% between 2023 and 2031.

However, AI-based insights bring new risks to marketing research. Generative AI tools can amplify bias, trigger privacy breaches and deliver inaccurate results. Marketers should develop clear ethics and best practices when working with these tools.

Tim Geenen, CEO and Co-founder, Rayn HQ, says, There are many benefits to [producing synthetic data], from achieving more accurate results, to building new data sets that reflect our diverse society and opening the door to advanced ways of understanding audiences.

The third-party cookie countdown: Only half (51%) of marketers are prepared for the deprecation of third-party cookies

The phasing out of cookies is due to take place in Q3 of 2024, severely limiting the ability of companies to track individuals online. Yet many marketers are still not prepared. According to a recent survey by IAB Europe, only half are prepared for the deprecation of third-party cookies.

A lack of education and awareness of post-cookie alternatives are a barrier to progress.

As advertisers look to combat signal loss, they will have to get comfortable testing a broad range of targeting and measurement solutions to discover what works best for their business.

Proposed solutions include: contextual advertising, identity solutions, first party data, attention measurement, Googles Privacy Sandbox, and predictive audiences using AI.

Closing the sustainability gap: only a quarter (24%) of advertisers are measuring digital advertising emissions

Over the last five years, sustainability has ranked as a top issue by respondents to WARCs annual Marketers Toolkit survey. However, recent research by Scope3 concludes that there has been no evidence of systemic behaviour change in the advertising industry to reduce carbon emissions, and according to IAB Europe, only a quarter (24%) of marketers said they are measuring emissions from digital advertising.

The compound effect of these trends is that many marketers are failing to act on sustainability - in objective setting, asset development, supply chain management, consumer messaging, and the measurement of emissions from digital ads.

New regulations and directives in both Europe and the United States coming in 2024 mean companies will need to provide more granular data on their carbon emissions - including those generated by advertising.

Lack of standards is a major barrier to accurate and comparable carbon measurement, although work is underway by the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) and Ad Net Zero to create a common currency and methodology.

Research by Magna, Lumen and Adelaide suggest that advertising in high quality media environments with higher engagement generate lower carbon emissions.

Vicky Foster, VP Global Commercial Partnerships, Adform, says, By working with the right partners, platforms, and practices, ones that have sustainability, transparency, and efficiency at their core and accept no compromise between these pillars, the industry as a whole can make the elimination of waste a reality rather than simply paying lip service.
An Alabama woman gave birth to twins at UAB Hospital, becoming the second woman with a double uterus to birth one baby from each uterus at the states largest hospital in recent months.

Shellie Pascoe gave birth to Kaylee and Kamden Pascoe, on March 6, during a scheduled Caesarian section at 39 weeks. She and her husband, John, then spent three days in the hospital before driving their babies home to Dothan in their minivan.

For the couple, it was a difficult path to become parents. Pascoe had two miscarriages in the past two years, which is how she first learned that she has a rare condition, called uterus didelphys or double uterus.

When we found out about my condition, we were informed about the higher risk of pregnancy complications and potential fertility issues, Pascoe said in a UAB press release.

She and her husband feared they would not be able to have children, so they were stunned to learn of her double pregnancy.

It sounded kind of like a joke, she said to AL.com. I didnt even know that that was a possibility, medically speaking.

Pascoes is a rare case. Experts estimate that one in a million women will have a double pregnancy in two uteruses, according to a press release from UAB. About three in 1,000 women have double uteruses.

I have cared for several women with a double uterus; however, the only time Id heard of someone with a baby in each uterus was on a television show, said Dr. Brian Brocato, associate professor in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine. We see high-risk and unique pregnancies daily, but I knew Shellies case was on a whole new level.

And yet the hospital recently saw another set of twins, Roxi and Rebel, born to a mother with a double uterus, Kelsey Hatcher, after 20 hours in labor.

Pascoes doctors had some concerns that making two incisions during the C-section could cause excessive blood loss.

Thankfully, the babies were positioned to where we could get both out with one larger incision, said Brocato.

Kaylee, who was in the right uterus, came out first, followed by Kamden only two minutes later.

Pascoe, a physical therapist for the Army, is on maternity leave and home with the twins, who are now about 6 weeks old. Her husband is back at work after three weeks of paternity leave from his job at an IT company.

Pascoe said the twins are different from one another. Kamden, the boy, is physically strong, very active and likes to move and go outside. Kaylee, the girl, is more relaxed, and quiet, and likes to cuddle.

Hatcher and Pascoe, the moms who recently gave birth to twins at UAB, are in touch through relatives who attend their churches, according to UAB.

Connecting with Kelsey, being able to follow her journey and seeing her babies come out healthy provided us hope, said Pascoe.

Hatcher had had three previous pregnancies, according to UAB. Her doctor, Shweta Patel, told AL.com in 2023 that she hypothesized that Hatcher released two eggs that were fertilized, each in a different uterus, during the same ovulation cycle. Typically twins are fertilized in one uterus.

I think it is safe to call the girls fraternal twins, Dr. Richard Davis, a second obstetrician working with Hatcher at UAB said. At the end of the day, it was two babies in one belly at the same time. They just had different apartments.

Pascoe says she has not ruled out the possibility of having more children, she said she sees a double uterus as a positive.

Im still kind of in disbelief that I was able to carry those two babies and that they are happy and healthy, she said to AL.com. I will look back on it and see it as an adventure that we got to go through.
This Thursday, April 18, the National Gallery is finally opening its new exhibition: "The Last Caravaggio," which is set to run until July 21, featuring the Italian master's last painting: "The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula" (1610).

Lent by the Intesa Sanpaolo Collection, the piece can finally be viewed after being obscured for about 20 years. Joining this rare painting is another late work by Caravaggio dubbed "Salome receives the Head of John the Baptist," dated around 1609 - 1610.

Following press showings, the exhibition already generated great acclaim, with Jonathan Jones from The Guardian saying: "I've seen blockbusters that bored me stiff. This exhibition, dedicated to just one masterpiece, held me transfixed, just like Ursula."

Caravaggio's 'The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula'

Despite bearing a long name characteristic of great Italian masters of old, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio still stands tall among his revolutionary contemporaries through his impeccable technique and manipulation of light and dark properties, enhancing the storytelling aspect that his oeuvre is riddled with.

One exemplifying work that was only recently reattributed to Caravaggio in 1980 is the crown jewel of The National Gallery's recently opened exhibition. As per the museum, the painting's true creator was confirmed after an archival letter that described its commission was found.

Consequently, this correspondence is also displayed in the show, marking its first appearance in front of the UK public. The letter was purportedly sent from Naples, where Caravaggio painted the piece, to his patron Marcantonio Doria's home in Genoa.

The letter mainly touched on the latter stages of the commissioned art's development.

In May 1610, the painting was finally dispatched en route to Genoa and only arrived by June 18 of the same year. Weeks later in July, Caravaggio himself set out for his patron's home in hopes of getting a pardon in Rome when he eventually returns.

However, by July 18, the artist succumbs to the lull of death in Porto Ercole, never touching down in Genoa.

This grim reality is echoed by the piece itself. In a sort of divine plan that enhances the depth and essence of the work's imagery, Caravaggio includes a self-portrait on the right side of the recently shot saint, terrified.

Indeed, just as the institution has put it, this piece gives viewers the "opportunity to explore the final period of Caravaggio's life" and how the Italian master saw the theatricality within a violent act.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday that Alabama is one of seven states where a carjacking task force will be launched to focus resources on what they described as a public safety threat.

The newly formed federal task forces will be led by the U.S. Attorneys Offices, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, working alongside state, local, Tribal, and territorial law.

In Alabama, the task force will be in the Northern District, which includes Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, and Huntsville.

Other states include Oregon, Texas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Washington.

DOJ officials said carjacking and other violent crime task forces have proven to be an effective part of successful violent crime reduction strategies by focusing on significant crime drivers and taking violent offenders off the streets.

The task forces will work to use federal sentencing enhancements for cases where adults use juveniles to commit carjackings, as well as work with state and local authorities to ensure the appropriate handling of juvenile suspects.

The task forces will also assist state and local officials who wish to seek Justice Department grant funding for juvenile intervention and diversion resources.

The initiative is based on best practices learned from similar carjacking task forces for the District of Columbian, the Northern District of Illinois, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the Middle District of Florida.

For example, carjackings in Philadelphia declined by 31% from 2022 to 2023, and armed carjackings are down 28% in the District of Columbia this year compared to the same period in 2023. In Chicago, carjackings decreased 29% from a high in 2021 through the end of 2023.

The Justice Department has no higher priority than keeping our communities safe, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a Thursdays news release.

We do so by targeting the most significant drivers of violent crime and by acting as a force multiplier for our state and local law enforcement partners. Were seeing results  with violent crime declining broadly nationwide.

When prosecutors, officers, agents, and analysts come together to crunch data, share intelligence, and apply best practices, Monaco said, we can make real progress in the fight against all forms of violent crime, including carjacking.
For Gadsden Public Library director Craig Scott, the battle over inappropriate content in childrens books began in 2023 with a single page. Gadsden is one of at least 10 public libraries tackling book challenges in the state.

Rainbow City resident Amy Dozier Minton  who is also the secretary for the Etowah County Republican Party  wanted to challenge a young adult book, The Mirror Season, in Gadsden. A page in the book described non-consensual oral sex.

Minton would later challenge 29 other childrens and young adult books that she said had sexual and LGBTQ content. Shed present an official resolution to Scott from the local party, telling him that the library board should reflect conservative values.

Scott shared his story with fellow librarians at last weeks Alabama Library Association Conference (ALLA).

The Alabama Library Association is the state chapter of the American Library Association, a professional organization that provides training and networking for library professionals and promotes literacy. ALLA has about 300 active individual members and began 120 years ago in Montgomery.

Three months ago, the Alabama Public Library Service severed ties with the American Library Association. Now, state legislators are threatening to withhold funding from libraries who join the group.

Scott and several other library directors spoke over the weekend about the dozens of books challenged at their libraries and the steps they took to resolve the issue.

Scott later told AL.com The Mirror Season may be moved to the adult section. Minton is one of the newest board members for the Alabama Public Library Service, which distributes state funding to more than 200 libraries statewide.

Librarians (L to R) Debbie Walker, Jessica Hayes and Laura Pitts chat during the Alabama Library Association's annual conference in Homewood, Alabama, April 13, 2024. Williesha Morris/AL.com(Williesha Morris / wmorris@al.com)

At the conference, librarians worried about the burden of potential policy changes on understaffed and underfunded libraries. They might be required to move books deemed inappropriate for children and teenagers and leave the American Library Association or risk state funding.

Ozark Dale County Public Library director Karen Speck shared what happened after two books with sexual and LGBTQ content, including The Mirror Season, were challenged. Some patrons openly complained to staff.

I had one patron tell one staff member you ought to be ashamed of yourself regarding this, she said.

Its one of those things where you always have it in the back of your mind that these things could happen, said academic librarian Laura Pitts.

But you dont ever really think that it could happen, Pitts said. When it happens to one of us, it happens to all of us.

The flood of book challenges has been difficult for staff to handle.

Speck said her library board decided to create a new category of books for older teenagers ages 14 to 18 to address the issue of keeping mature content away from younger teens. The process includes cataloging and moving more than 1,500 books, and she said it was a nightmare.

The process took more than 20 people, many of them volunteers, and the library closed for four days.

It took months to get all the books totally finished after we reopened, Speck said.

The national funding from the American Library Association helps libraries put on important programs, they said.

Matthew Layne, past president of ALLA, said two directors from small libraries have received substantial grants, which were used for a math and science skills take-home program for students.

The idea that the state government is attempting to legislate what professional organizations we as Alabama citizens may interact with is pure government overreach, Layne said. We strive to be the best libraries and librarians we can possibly be for our communities, and I do not understand why the politicians in Montgomery do not want that for their constituents as well.

Librarians are also concerned taxpayers will be upset at how much money is needed for the relocation process. Pitts said buying new shelving can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Dedicated staff time to read challenged books added up to about $18,000, according to Dothan Houston Public Library director Chris Warren.

The book acquisition and relocation process is just a small part of what librarians do. A library is a community hub, so librarians plan events for families and children, provide research assistance, employment resources and create reading programs, among other services.

Were not just buying books, Pitts said, referencing the work of LaShunda Williams, a librarian who assists patrons with applying for health insurance. We have all these other things that we are working on and doing and providing to our community. And I think one of the disconnects that is not understood by some of these very loud voices that are upset is that theres a lot to what we do.

Despite a chaotic year for Alabama librarians, morale was high at the conference. Librarians in attendance were concerned about statewide legislation making them criminally liable for providing inappropriate content to children and teenagers. But they werent complaining about their jobs.

Because we do good work, Layne said. After Saturdays final session, he passed on the mantle of president for 2024-25 to Scott.

The organization also handed out awards; winners include Andrew Foster, the former director of Autauga-Prattville Public Library, who was fired after months of tension between him and the library board. He and his staff received the Presidential Medal of Veritas et Scientia (Truth and Knowledge) Award.

The anti-censorship group Read Freely Alabama received the Merit Award. Librarian and Read Freely member Jessica Hayes received the Intellectual Freedom Award.

During Saturdays ceremony welcoming new officers, librarians shed tears and hugged each other.

Ive been really thankful for an opportunity to come together and just have a little morale boosting, to be able to connect with my colleagues, Pitts said. Were colleagues in all this, but were all really good friends too. Its just kind of a good reminder that were all here for each other. So thats been really important to just have that reminder that were not alone.

---

This story has been updated to accurately reflect the Etowah County Republican Party resolution.
The Alabama House of Representatives on Thursday passed five bills intended to help more people join the workforce.

The bills are part of the Working for Alabama package Gov. Kay Ivey and other state officials announced at the State Capitol last month. Although Alabamas unemployment rate has been at record low levels in recent months, the states workforce participation rate, which measures how many working age people have jobs or are looking for jobs, is one of the nations lowest.

The bills came from ideas developed by a panel led by Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth that reported its recommendations in January.

Lawmakers said the bills, which have bipartisan support and sponsors, are intended to provide incentives or remove barriers to people working.

The first bill up was HB346, by Rep. Cynthia Almond, R-Tuscaloosa, which would create the Alabama Workforce Housing Tax Credit. The tax credit would be an incentive for developers to build housing that would offer rents that would be affordable for people entering or returning to the workforce.

The Alabama Housing Finance Authority, which already exists, would operate the program. Almond said it would complement a federal program that has been in place since the Reagan administration. She said Alabama does not take advantage of the federal program now.

We leave money on the table every year, Almond said.

Almond said an example of a person who could benefit from the program would be a single mother living in Section 8 housing who would lose eligibility for Section 8 if she got a job. She said the rent on the housing built with with the new tax credit would be capped and would be an option for a parent in that situation to move.

The fiscal note attached to the bill said the tax credits would be capped at a total of $5 million per year or $2 million per project.

Almond said the Alabama Housing Finance Authority and the Alabama Department of Commerce would coordinate to identify places where there is a need for more affordable housing and where employers have a need for workers.

Almond said the goal is to get the program started, allow projects to be developed, and see how it works. She said the legislation expires in three years.

Democratic and Republican lawmakers came to the mic Wednesday morning to say they believe it addressed a real need.

Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, who chairs the education budget committee in the House, said the bill would provide a good way to test the waters on the demand and appetite for such a program.

The proof in the pudding for all these workforce bills is: Are we increasing labor participation? Garrett said.

The House passed HB346 by a vote of 103-0. It moves to the Senate.

The House next took up HB358 by House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville. It would offer tax credits for employers who provide child care facilities for their workers. A second part of the bill would provide tax credits for some child care providers.

The goal is to incentivize employers to fund childcare for their employees and to enable childcare providers to offer more readily available, affordable, high-quality childcare, according to the bill.

Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, handled the bill on the House floor Thursday.

Garrett said committees that have looked at the low workforce participation rate consistently found that the need for affordable child care is a key impediment for some people trying to enter the workforce.

The fiscal note attached to the bill estimated that the tax credits would reduce state revenues by $15 million to $20 million a year over the three years they would be in effect. The bill is written to expire after 2027.

The House passed the bill by a vote of 103-0. It moves to the Senate.

The House passed SB247, which is intended to consolidate and organize workforce development efforts under a single agency. It renames the Alabama Department of Labor the Department of Workforce and makes other changes. The bill passed by a vote of 102-0 and is going to Ivey, who could sign it into law.

The fourth bill in the package that passed Thursday morning was SB252, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Greg Reed, R-Jasper, and was handled in the House by Rep. Randall Shedd, R-Cullman.

SB252 creates a public corporation called the Alabama Growth Alliance. It would be run by a board that would include the governor, legislative leaders, and people appointed from the private sector.

The Alabama Growth Alliance would help the Department of Commerce develop an annual strategic economic development plan for the state. Every other year, the alliance would review the incentives that the state offers to recruit industry. It would submit annual reports to the Legislature beginning in 2026.

SB252 passed by a vote of 97-0. It goes back to the Senate because it was amended by the House.

The fifth bill in the package, SB253, would create a new type of high school diploma called the Workforce Pathways Diploma. It is intended for students who want to go directly to work after finishing high school.

Students seeking a Workforce Pathways Diploma would be required to earn two math credits and two science credits instead of four math credits and four science credits.

In lieu of the math and science credits, students enrolled in the Workforce Pathways diploma pathway may earn credits that apply toward graduation by completing career and technical education courses, which help prepare those students to go directly into employment in their chosen field following high school graduation, the bill says.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, and handled in the House by Rep. Kelvin Lawrence, D-Hayneville, returns to the Senate because the House amended it.
Sheriffs, state troopers, and prosecutors stood together at the Alabama State House on Wednesday to support a bill that would create a new state law intended to stop the use of devices that convert semiautomatic handguns into machine guns.

They said the devices, often called Glock switches, are a growing menace to the public and to law enforcement because they make handguns more deadly and increase the likelihood that innocent bystanders will be shot.

It aint meant for target shooting, Montgomery County Sheriff Derrick Cunningham said. Its meant for spraying and its meant for killing.

The small devices are illegal under federal law, but Cunningham and Montgomery County District Attorney Daryl Bailey said a state law would help in the removal from the streets of the devices and the people who use them.

The bill, HB36 by Rep. Phillip Ensler, D-Montgomery, passed the House Judiciary Committee in February. It would still have to pass the House and Senate to become law.

Ensler said its one thing to pay lip service to supporting police and use slogans like Back the Blue.

We can put those words into action by passing this legislation, Ensler said.

HB36 would make it a state crime to knowingly possess a firearm that has a part or combination of parts designed or intended to convert it into a machine gun. A first violation would result in 100 hours of community service. A second violation would be a Class C felony, punishable by one to 10 years in prison.

Experience has shown me that a lot of the shootings that were having in the city of Montgomery involve the Glock switches, said Bailey, who is immediate past president of the Alabama District Attorneys Association. We want to make sure that we use every tool in our toolbox to make sure that these violent criminals are removed from the streets as long as we can remove them. And this is just good, commonsense legislation that I think we can all agree on. I dont see how anybody can disagree that this is not good legislation.

Semiautomatic guns fire one round with each pull of the trigger. With the conversion devices, the guns fire multiples rounds with a single trigger action.

At a press conference in December on the rising threat of converted machine guns, Ashley Lightner of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) said Glock switches allow a semiautomatic handgun to fire 20 rounds in one second.

This is the message we need to send back to our communities, Montgomery County Sheriff Cunningham said. That if youre caught with a Glock switch or one of these devices on your weapon, you will go to jail.

Related: What would stop gun violence in Alabama? Families, advocates want action: Do something
After nearly four decades of searching for answers, law enforcement and a Dallas-Fort Worth-area womans family finally have some thanks to developments in DNA and ancestry databases.

A Smith County Jane Doe found in 1985 was recently identified as Sindy Gina Crow, the sheriffs office announced this week. She would have been about 26 or 27 years old at the time of her death.

On Oct. 1, 1985, a Texas Department of Transportation crew was mowing along Interstate 20, east of Highway 69 near Tyler, when they found human skeletal remains about 75 feet from the roadway.

The crew contacted the Lindale Police Department who contacted the Smith County Sheriffs Office.

The remains were sent to the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas for an autopsy and investigators determined the body was a white or Hispanic woman, approximately 25 years old. A watch, earring and womens T-shirt with an insignia for Top Rail County Music in Dallas were also found nearby.

The body was determined to have been at the location for at least a year due to the condition of the bones, according to a news release.

After following multiple leads that failed to identify the woman, the sheriffs office partnered with the DNA Doe Project in 2021. The DNA Doe Project is a nonprofit that assists agencies in identifying remains using DNA ancestry searches and investigative genetic genealogy, a technique combining genetic testing with traditional genealogical research to generate investigative leads.

In November, the organization notified Detective David Turner  one of the deputies who responded to the scene in 1985  that they had a lead on the woman being from Dallas-Fort Worth. They also believed she was married in January 1984 and birthed a child in July of that year.

Turner spoke with possible family members and traveled to Fort Worth to obtain DNA swabs from the womans potential mother. He also located the womans possible daughter living in Alabama and was able to obtain DNA from her with the help of Fort Payne police.

The DNA collected was submitted to the University of North Texas Health Science Centers anthropology department for comparison.

The university concluded earlier this month that the victims DNA was a positive match to her mother and daughter, the release said.

After notifying family members that Crow had been identified about 38 years after her remains were found, police shared the identification with the public.

Anytime we have anybody who has lost a life, we will not rest until we identify the body and if at all possible try to determine what caused the death, which will be the next part, Sheriff Larry Smith said at a Tuesday news conference.

Smith said trying to determine what caused Crows death is the next step in this case but noted it would be difficult because of the amount of time that passed.

Turner said Crows husband at the time is deceased and the daughter would have been to young at the time of Crows disappearance to have any knowledge to contribute to the investigation.

The sheriffs office will also be helping the family give Crow a proper burial.

2024 The Dallas Morning News. Visit dallasnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Family members of a north Alabama truck driver killed in a fiery crash in Walker County are asking for help for his burial and to support his surviving wife and three kids.

Stephen A. Zmolek Jr., a 40-year-old Boaz man, was killed Tuesday on I-22.

Authorities said Zmolek was driving a Freightliner Cascadia that left the road, overturned, and caught fire. He was transporting diesel fuel.

Zmolek was pronounced dead on the scene.

The wreck happened at 10:10 a.m. Tuesday near the Carbon Hill exit.

His cousin, Rachel Derry, has launched a GoFundMe for Zmoleks family.

A truck driver was killed Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in a single-vehicle crash on I-22 in Walker County.(Photo Courtesy of Matthew Fraser)

She said Zmolek had just bought the tanker truck in the weeks before his death after years of driving for other companies.

He was so excited to start his own business. Right after starting their business, Steve and his family had to travel to Illinois for our grandmothers funeral, leaving him to take off work with no income, Derry wrote. He kept saying how he needed to get back as soon as possible to get back to work.

Much of the familys savings had gone into starting their own business. Zmolek left behind a wife and three children, the youngest being 2 years old.

Steve was a wonderful, God-loving man, who always had a smile on his face, Derry wrote. He adored his family and was an amazing and loving father.

Donations to the GoFundMe can be made here.
Thousands of Black college students expected this weekend for an annual spring bash at Georgias largest public beach will be greeted by dozens of extra police officers and barricades closing off neighborhood streets. While the beach will remain open, officials are blocking access to nearby parking.

Tybee Island east of Savannah has grappled with the April beach party known as Orange Crush since students at Savannah State University, a historically Black school, started it more than 30 years ago. Residents regularly groused about loud music, trash littering the sand and revelers urinating in yards.

Those complaints boiled over into fear and outrage a year ago when record crowds estimated at more than 100,000 people overwhelmed the 3-mile (4.8 kilometer) island. That left a small police force scrambling to handle a flood of emergency calls reporting gunfire, drug overdoses, traffic jams and fist fights.

Mayor Brian West, elected last fall by Tybee Islands 3,100 residents, said roadblocks and added police arent just for limiting crowds. He hopes the crackdown will drive Orange Crush away for good.

This has to stop. We cant have this crowd anymore, West said. My goal is to end it.

Critics say local officials are overreacting and appear to be singling out Black visitors to a Southern beach that only white people could use until 1963. They note Tybee Island attracts vast crowds for the Fourth of July and other summer weekends when visitors are largely white, as are 92% of the islands residents.

Our weekends are packed with people all season, but when Orange Crush comes they shut down the parking, bring extra police and act like they have to take charge, said Julia Pearce, one of the islands few Black residents and leader of a group called the Tybee MLK Human Rights Organization. She added: They believe Black folks to be criminals.

During the week, workers placed metal barricades to block off parking meters and residential streets along the main road parallel to the beach. Two large parking lots near a popular pier are being closed. And Tybee Islands roughly two dozen police officers will be augmented by about 100 sheriffs deputies, Georgia state troopers and other officers.

Security plans were influenced by tactics used last month to reduce crowds and violence at spring break in Miami Beach, which was observed by Tybee Islands police chief.

Officials insist theyre acting to avoid a repeat of last years Orange Crush party, which they say became a public safety crisis with crowds at least double their typical size.

To me, it has nothing to do with race, said West, who believes city officials previously havent taken a stronger stand against Orange Crush because they feared being called racist. We cant let that be a reason to let our citizens be unsafe and so were not.

Tybee Island police reported 26 total arrests during Orange Crush last year. Charges included one armed robbery with a firearm, four counts of fighting in public and five DUIs. Two officers reported being pelted with bottles, and two women told police they were beaten and robbed of a purse.

On a gridlocked highway about a mile off the island, someone fired a gun a into a car and injured one person. A white man was charged in the shooting, which officials blamed on road rage.

Orange Crushs supporters and detractors alike say its not college students causing the worst problems.

Joshua Miller, a 22-year-old Savannah State University senior who plans to attend this weekend, said he wouldnt be surprised if the crackdown was at least partly motivated by race.

I dont know what they have in store, Miller said. Im not going down there with any ill intent. Im just going out there to have fun.

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson was one of the Black students from Savannah State who helped launch Orange Crush in 1988. The university dropped involvement in the 1990s, and Johnson said that over time the celebration got off the rails. But he also told reporters hes concerned about over-representation of police at the beach party.

At Nickies 1971 Bar & Grill near the beach, general manager Sean Ensign said many neighboring shops and eateries will close for Orange Crush though his will stay open, selling to-go food orders like last year. But with nearby parking spaces closed, Ensign said his profits might take a hit, possibly a few thousand dollars.

Its not the first time Tybee Island has targeted the Black beach party. In 2017, the city council banned alcohol and amplified music on the beach only during Orange Crush weekend. A discrimination complaint to the U.S. Justice Department resulted in city officials signing a non-binding agreement to impose uniform rules for large events.

West says Orange Crush is different because its promoted on social media by people who havent obtained permits. A new state law lets local governments recoup public safety expenses from organizers of unpermitted events.

In February, Britain Wigfall was denied an permit for space on the island for food trucks during Orange Crush. The mayor said Wigfall has continued to promote events on the island.

Wigfall, 30, said hes promoting a concert this weekend in Savannah, but nothing on Tybee Island involving Orange Crush.

I dont control it, Wigfall said. Nobody controls the date that people go down there.
In 2014, the United Auto Workers abandoned a publicized push to unionize at Alabamas Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa County.

The union did so at the request of the employees.

Pro-union workers, burned out by a campaign that was going nowhere, were waving a white flag.

But Thursday the National Labor Relations Board announced voting will take place May 13 and 17 on whether workers at Mercedes-Benz U.S. International will join the United Auto Workers union. Vote totals are expected May 17.

Thats after the most successful, and one of the fastest campaigns, the union has ever had, signing a supermajority of the plants more than 6,000 employees in less than five months.

Alabama has only been producing automobiles for less than thirty years, but the state is already the leading exporter of vehicles in the U.S. Yet at the same time, it is grappling with the first serious foray by organized labor into this major sector of its economy.

What happened?

For Jeremy Kimbrell, a Mercedes-Benz worker involved in the UAW push, its simple.

Everybody knows what a Mercedes is, he said. Why should a worker, just because he lives in Alabama, be paid less and be treated worse? Thats old timey thinking.

Retracing the steps, from that last, unsuccessful attempt at unionizing, shows how several factors - at home and elsewhere - are shaping this latest chapter.

Planting the seeds

Michael Innis-Jimenez is a professor of American Studies at the University of Alabama.

He said the seeds of whats happening now at Mercedes were planted during that union drive 10 years ago. Just months after the union abandoned the campaign, it opened a local in Tuscaloosa.

They kept the pieces in place, and they kept talking, Innis-Jimenez said. This kind of process takes a while. Its a difficult thing to do. You have to be agitated enough about conditions and wages and everyday work life.

But Mercedes was still a high-paying, sought-after job. Then the company made the announcement in 2017 that it would invest $1 billion into its Alabama operations, expanding the plant to manufacture electric SUVs. That included construction of a parts hub and an electric battery plant in nearby Bibb County, creating 600 new jobs.

Jorg Burzer, member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, responsible for Production and Supply Chain Management, speaks at the opening of Mercedes' new electric vehicle battery plant in Woodstock, Ala., Tuesday, March 15, 2022. (William Thornton / wthornton@al.com)

Workers began to notice changes on the floor - such as two tiers of pay and temp workers. Kimbrell, who has been at Mercedes since 1999, said the introduction of tier pay opened the eyes of the older workers.

They did it just to pay workers less, he said. Newer workers wondered, why am I being paid less to do the same work?

Mercedes executives, in the midst of the electric expansion, began to express concern about filling positions. State officials focused efforts at increasing workforce participation numbers.

The rapid expansion brought by EVs also came during the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, when workers suddenly found themselves adhering to a lot of changes on the factory floor dictated by management.

People began to say, this isnt the company I went to work for, Kimbrell said.

From the companys perspective, it was responding to where the market is expected to go, while also dealing with increased demand, supply chain disruptions and other factors.

That meant it - and its workers - had to maintain flexibility.

Narrow is the way

Labor activity is not new to Alabama.

As Innis-Jimenez noted, the state has a long history of labor union organizing for the Deep South, though membership has never been on par with states in other regions. However, COVID procedures were one of the reasons that sparked the still-unsettled campaign to unionize Amazons Bessemer fulfillment center, a highly publicized vote that attracted celebrities and the attention of the Biden Administration.

The results of a second election are still unresolved, two years later.

And as Amazon workers voted last time on union membership, the longest strike in Alabama history began at Warrior Met Coal, and ended with contract talks still stalled.

Nationally, 2023 saw the largest number of strikes in two decades, and more Americans joined unions last year than in any year since 2000.

Still, union membership remains low - 7.5 percent of wage and salary workers in Alabama in 2024, compared with 7.2 percent in 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Lane Windham is a labor historian with Georgetown University. She said an uptick in union activity has been taking place nationwide since the pandemic, as ideas about work changed.

The demands of the job, the idea of essential workers, and what people were willing to do for minimum wage or higher all erupted in fights, such as the push to organize Starbucks.

But union membership nationwide still accounts for a tenth of the total workforce. Agitation hasnt exactly translated into membership, and theres a reason.

U.S. labor law remains extremely weak, she said, especially compared to labor law in the developed world. At Starbucks, youve had something like 300 stores supporting a union, but you dont have a single union contract. And you dont get counted as a union member unless you have a contract.

The doorway workers can enter to become union members is narrow, and thats because labor law is weak, she said. Employers routinely violate it and dont face penalties.

This wasnt business as usual

But change didnt just happen in the auto industry. It also happened with the union.

UAW President Shawn Fain greets Local 1248 members as they picket outside MOPAR Parts Distribution and Packaging in Center Line on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. Jacob Hamilton | MLive.comJacob Hamilton | MLive.com

Last March, Shawn Fain became the first UAW president directly elected by the unions members, running on a platform of ending corruption and tiered pay systems. He also embraced a more combative style, which workers took note of.

They had always been about looking out for workers, Kimbrell said, But they were a little too friendly to management.

Fains style became apparent last year during the UAWs historic six-week Sit Down strike, where the union for the first time took on the Big Three U.S. automakers simultaneously.

The union publicly stated it was out to recoup losses from the 2007-09 economic crisis, as well as ending tier pay. Using a series of strikes at different plants, steadily escalating pressure, the UAW last October won wage increases, bonuses and cost-of-living adjustments.

That was an historic strike, Windham said. I think it took the automakers a while to understand this wasnt business as usual...Fain is very important in terms that...hes reacting to demands to push harder coming from among the membership.

It was also momentous for the UAW, which feared that automakers push for electric vehicles might encourage American companies to shift jobs South, where union drives had ended unsuccessfully. Organizing efforts inevitably gravitated South.

Workers in Southern plants, though, took notice of what happened with the Big Three. Tuscaloosa had its own version on a smaller scale. At the same time as the Sit Down Strike, the UAW led a successful monthlong walkout against Mercedes-Benz supplier ZF, seeking better healthcare and wages.

This is big time

Kimbrell said pro-union workers at Mercedes began encouraging co-workers to sign union cards the weekend after Thanksgiving.

But strategy this time had changed, he said. In previous union drives, the UAW had charted a course of aiming for a 65% threshold of the workforce. The union had also encouraged employees not to be signed up others on the factory floor.

Now, the union was letting workers on site run the campaign, he said.

As we started calling each other and talking, we realized we already knew what we wanted to do to organize the plant, Kimbrell said. Within two weeks, we had signed up, like, 700 people. Within two more weeks, wed signed 500 more. Wed never seen anything like that before. We were like, this is big time. This may not take long.

By early January, the UAW announced it had signed 30% of the workforce, with a goal of 70% before petitioning for a union election. This came at the same time as a push at Hyundai in Montgomery, and an effort at Volkswagen in Chattanooga that is in the midst of an election this week.

The UAW earlier this year committed $40 million over the next two years to organizing efforts in plants without unions, with a concentration in the South.

Business and government leaders in Alabama have responded, with Gov. Kay Ivey calling the union drive a sign that Alabamas model for economic success is under attack.

The Business Council of Alabama CEO Helena Duncan announced a website, Alabama Strong, online advertisements, and a campaign to provide Alabamians with a full and thorough picture of the economic dangers that unionization presents.

This week, Ivey joined governors of five other Southern states in a statement blasting the UAWs efforts.

Jeremy Kimbrell, a Mercedes-Benz employee since 1999, is one of those organizing the UAW effort at the Tuscaloosa County plant.Screenshot from UAW video

Kimbrell said the comments are disappointing, and that Alabamas politicians are misreading the climate. In the governors statement, for example, they accused the UAW of being more focused on helping President Biden get reelected than on the autoworker jobs being cut at plants they already represent.

Yet the workers demands are driven by more than partisan concerns, he said.

Shes talking about an outside party coming in, Kimbrell said. Were the workers. We dont know what shes talking about. Let us worry about our business inside our plant.

The best path forward

Since the union drive began, Mercedes has responded with promises to end two-tier pay and increases for topped-out workers, Kimbrell said.

The union drive let them know theyd really messed up, he said. They offered some pay perks, but we still kept growing.

In comments this month, the automaker said it looks forward to participating in the election process to ensure every Team Member has a chance to cast their own secret-ballot vote, as well as having access to the information necessary to make an informed choice.

Our primary focus at MBUSI is always to provide a safe and supportive work environment for our Team Members, so they can continue to build safe and superior vehicles for the world. We believe open and direct communication with our Team Members is the best path forward to ensure continued success.

Mercedes employees in Germany are covered by a union contract, have representatives on the companys board, and elect members to a works council.

Innis-Jimenez said workers understand they have more power than in years past because employers are still seeking workers to fill spots in many sectors. Younger workers, Windham said, who have grown up in an era of low union activity, are among those making the strongest demands.

What once seemed like a life-time job with good benefits now looks to some like a good deal for employers, who can quickly shrink a workforce if needed by using temporary employees, Innis-Jimenez said. Employees also are more aware of CEO pay and have their own ideas of what companies can afford.

Arguments that unions are automatically in lockstep with Democratic politicians may persuade some workers, he said, but the fact that so many signed union cards means many of those workers probably still consider themselves conservative red staters even though theyre seeking collective bargaining.

All of that makes for a less fulfilling work space and leads to agitation, he said. Its not about politics - its about the workplace.
This story is published as part of the series Highly Legal in partnership with The Examination, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates global health threats, and AL.com, PennLive and USA TODAY. Our team is continuing to report on new cannabis products and we want to hear from you. Share your experience or questions with us here.

After Alabama failed to launch medical marijuana for the third time, it was fair to ask: Will legal marijuana ever come to Alabama?

But heres the reality. Its already here  or something very much like it.

While nearly half of all states now allow recreational marijuana, half still dont. And whats taken hold in many of these states instead is a massive market of store-bought gummies and vapes, a wave of delta-8 and delta-9 and THC-A OKd through a federal farm bill and now lining gas stations and smoke shop shelves with seemingly legal highs. But what is in these products? Do they work? Can you trust them?

A review by AL.com, The Examination, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates global health threats, and The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel found that customers, parents, merchants, regulators, lawmakers and even public health experts are struggling to keep up with this new class of products  and that understanding, and oversight, has lagged far behind sales.

Its a big human guinea pig experiment with a lot of these substances, said Patrick Cournoyer, who leads the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations cannabis product committee. And that, of course, in and of itself, should be alarming.

And in Alabama, the little understood and brightly packaged products have been catching the unsuspecting off guard. Especially children and seniors.

Down in Alabama

Lawmakers in Alabama dont want kids to get their hands on medical marijuana. Its one of the reasons theyve moved so slowly to license pot farms and dispensaries.

In 2023, they even created a requirement that all medical marijuana gummies be peach-flavored on the theory thats less appealing to children.

Spot the difference between delta-8 and delta-9Bill Schulz for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

But while Alabama slow-played the rollout of highly regulated medical marijuana, products made from its less regulated chemical cousins, delta-8 and more recently delta-9, have cropped up across the state. In gas stations, vape shops, liquor stores and more, bags of gummy bears and sour candies all made with hemp-derivatives are spreading with few restrictions.

Nationwide, sales of these products climbed to nearly $3 billion in 2023.

Many people report positive experiences with the products, using them for recreation, to curb panic attacks, alleviate pain, and  one of the most common applications  as a sleep aid. But doctors at Alabamas largest hospital noticed a rise several years ago in patients with hallucinations who reported using delta-8.

Delta-8, delta-9 and THC-A products have flooded into U.S. states that dont allow the legal sale of marijuana. The recreational use of marijuana is not legal in Alabama, however, you can find stores across the state advertising the sale of weed's less regulated and legal chemical cousins.Tamika Moore/AL.com

Psychiatrists Dr. Badari Birur and Dr. Chelsea Miller of the University of Alabama at Birmingham said in one month they saw a dozen patients at UAB for complaints related to delta-8. Doctors advise people with schizophrenia and psychosis to steer clear of marijuana, but no such warning exists for delta-8.

Birur and Miller shared details from three delta-8 cases in a paper published in 2021 in Frontiers of Psychiatry. In one, Miller said: His mom had given him some gummies because he was having insomnia and she thought she was doing something good for him. The 23-year-old man with no history of violence and well-controlled mental illness went wild with delusions, breaking his mothers arm when he said he was trying to arrest her.

Last year, Alabama restricted the sale of delta-8 to people 21 and older and required shops to place products behind the counter. The restrictions do not limit online sales.

What is delta-8?

Things changed in 2018 when the federal Farm Bill legalized products made from hemp with low levels of delta-9 THC. Thats the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

Starting with low-THC hemp, which is legal under the Farm Bill, manufacturers use acids to extract delta-8 and similar high-THC compounds from the plant. The resulting high-THC solution is added to gummies and other products, and is supposed to be diluted enough by the gelatin or other ingredients that the final product contains less than 0.3% THC. But there is no verification that companies dosing claims are accurate.

Other variations on the THC molecule have emerged, including delta-10, HHC, THCa and more. Delta-8 isnt as strong as regular THC, but some products contain high concentrations of the substance that can produce feelings of anxiety, paranoia and even delusions.

Virginia Guy, executive director of the Drug Education Council in south Alabama, became concerned about delta-8 after several high-profile incidents in south Alabama involving kids. In February, a group of teens vaping in a movie theater had to be taken to the hospital for bad reactions.

A lot of people feel like delta-8 is not quite as strong as delta-9, said Guy. But then, thats like drinking whiskey versus beer. You just drink more liquid, but you still get drunk.

Suddenly delta-9 candies and vapes are also crowding shelves in Alabama. Delta-9 is the same psychoactive molecule found in marijuana. But these new products are derived from hemp plants and refined in ways that producers believe adheres to the Farm Bill.

No guarantee of safety

But none of these hemp-derived products are regulated by the FDA, and experts say they can be made anywhere from a sellers basement to a factory.

In testimony before the U.S House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Accountability last week, FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said that a new regulatory regime is needed.

Delta-8 and delta-10 products seen in April at CBD American Shaman Menomonee Falls in Menomonee Falls, Wis. Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal SentinelJovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

In states like New York, legal marijuana products must carry a certificate of analysis, a document that shows the product has been tested for heavy metals and pesticides. In some states, hemp-derived products face no such requirement. When certificates are voluntarily provided, they cant always be trusted.

The most important thing people should know is that there is no guarantee of safety, said Adie Rae Wilson Poe, a neuroscientist at Legacy Research Institute in Oregon, who is studying the role of cannabinoids in pain relief. Theres no guarantee that it doesnt have any other toxins like pesticides, or heavy metal, or residual solvents.

For now, the official response very much depends on where people live. And it can be confusing. In Colorado, which long ago legalized marijuana, it is illegal to make or sell delta-8 products. Ten other states have banned the sale of delta-8 and some other hemp products, according to MJBizDaily, a cannabis news site.

In almost two dozen states, there are no clear regulations or bans in place. In Wisconsin, where marijuana remains illegal, there isnt even a minimum age for purchase of delta-8.

Six states, including Arizona, have attempted to regulate hemp-derived products within their legal marijuana markets.

Jonathan Miller, general counsel of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, the most active industry trade group, said the FDA should do more to regulate his industry. He characterized the status quo as a continuing source of frustration.

Many hemp companies use good manufacturing practices that promote safe products, said Miller. Some bad apples dont.

In an interview with The Examination, Cournoyer of the FDA called the prevalence of psychoactive hemp products a major public health issue. The agency has sent warning letters to a handful of manufacturers, including some that made unproven medical claims.

The FDA is doing what it can with the authority that it has, he said. We really do think that a solution is needed, and legislation on this matter could be that thing.

Meanwhile, producers continue to develop and market new cannabinoids that havent been systematically screened or tested.

Weve kind of got a standstill, and we are hoping that at some point Congress will pass legislation that will require FDA to start looking at these products, said Miller. Until then, he said , the U.S. Hemp Authority has announced a certification program to ensure they are produced with good manufacturing practices and are not marketed or sold to children, Miller said.

Candy or cannabinoid?

Americas Poison Centers, which represents 55 poison control centers around the U.S., logged more than 8,000 delta 8-related calls from 2021 to 2023. Nearly a third involved children under 6 years old.

Although that number is far lower than the 89,295 reported for exposures to cleaning products, it has been rising every year since 2021.

Starting in 2022, the Alabama Poison Information Center also began closely tracking calls about delta-8. They recorded 200 calls in 2022 and 235 in 2023. About a third of the calls involved kids younger than 6 years old, said clinical director Jessica Pescatore.

Delta-8 exposure by ageThe Examination

Those young children often get their hands on gummies and become very ill, Pescatore said. The recommended dose for adults of delta-8 gummies might be one quarter to one half of an item. But kids who confuse them for regular candy often eat several, she said. While some kids become sleepy and confused, others may require intensive care or experience hallucinations that can last days.

Weve had a couple patients requiring supplemental oxygen, Pescatore said. The really, really extreme cases, weve had patients have to be intubated and placed on a breathing machine.

Some products come packaged in ways that are almost identical to candy or other sweet snacks and can pack a surprising dose.

In one complaint from 2020, a woman in Wisconsin bought CBD oil and said she was given a free package of what looked like Sour Patch Kids candy. That night, her two young children went in her purse and ate the candy. The mother and her husband took their children to the hospital. The police later learned the gummies had 500 mg of THC in them  five times the legal amount for edibles in most states with recreational marijuana.

Delta-8 products are also growing in popularity among teens. In a recent survey of 2,000 high school students, 11% said they had used delta-8 in the last 12 months.

According to the survey published by NIH, delta-8 use was more common in states without marijuana legalization or delta-8 regulations.

Mike Smith, CEO of the Alabama Sheriffs Youth Ranches, said hes become alarmed at the number of times some of the 75 foster children in his care have used delta-8 vapes. Recently there was an incident when a 14-year-old became uncharacteristically belligerent.

Most of our young people have never been intoxicated and its tough, Smith said. Some can take it and be fine. But for some, the meanness comes out of them.

But others welcome the sale of marijuana-like compounds.

We hear stories every day about the use of these products to help people sleep, help with common aches and pains, said Miller with the Hemp Roundtable. We hear about elderly folks using these products to help promote joint health. There are so many different applications for these products and thats why theyre so popular.

But with little regulation and no assurance of purity, customers often rely on shopkeepers and each other to estimate and guess the correct dosage.

I went into a shop in the Panhandle of Florida, said Guy with the Drug Education Council in south Alabama. I said, Im not sleeping well, how would you tell me to use this? He said, Take this gummy, but just eat a little of it and see what it does to you. Its all just experimental and its all just guesswork.

Ashley Okwuosa is a reporter for The Examination. Amy Yurkanin is a senior reporter for AL.com. John Diedrich is an investigative reporter for The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Highly Legal is a reporting collaboration about new cannabis products, produced in partnership with AL.com, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, PennLive and USA TODAY.
Below is the podcast player followed by the newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox each day here.

Healthier drinking water?

Alabamas struggles ridding drinking water of so-called forever chemicals has seen some spotty progress, and more systems are working on improvements, reports AL.coms Dennis Pillion.

Dennis previously reported on new EPA limits for PFAS. That stands for per- and polyfluroalkyl substances, chemicals that resist heat, oil, grease and stains and are used in products such as non-stick cookware and stain-resistant fabric. They were created in the lab to last, and thats the problem -- they are believed to take thousands of years to break down. Meantime, they get into the ground and are carried by groundwater into drinking-water sources. They build up in fish, wildlife and folks, and have been linked to a host of health issues.

The EPA changed its standard for two of the most common forever chemicals from 70 parts per trillion to 4 parts per trillion. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management welcomed the stricter standards, putting Montgomery and Washington on the same side, along with anyone in Alabama whos prone to get thirsty.

Many water systems in Alabama have tested at least once above 4 parts per trillion in tests since 2020. But works being done in filtering and in courtrooms.

For example, Guin Water Works has since settled a pollution lawsuit with chemical-maker 3M Corporation and built a carbon filter plant, and now manager Terri Dennis says its water is testing at zero.

Several water systems are in court with PFAS-producing companies, including 3M, to try to get them to pay for their filtration systems. Federal grant money is also been budgeted for the issue, which stretches far beyond Alabama.

Incidentally, PFAS filtration systems for homes are also available.

Tuskegee pilot training

Moton Field in Tuskegee will be the home to a future LIFT Academy pilot training school, reports AL.coms William Thornton.

Republic Airways made the announcement Wednesday morning with Gov. Kay Ivey present. The company said LIFT Academy will be investing $27 million into the program, and itll mean 35 full-time aviation jobs over three years and involve 57 certified flight instructors.

The site is notable in aviation history as the training ground of the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II fame.

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Gear up, sportsmen and sportswomen

We have sales tax holidays for severe-weather preparedness and back-to-school. Lawmakers would like to have one for sporting goods, too.

AL.coms Mike Cason reports that the Alabama House of Representatives has passed a bill that would create a sales-tax holiday for sports, hunting, fishing, boating and camping gear.

It passed the House unanimously but wont take effect unless another bill is passed that would raise the sales-tax rate for online purchases.

The tax-holiday bill is from Republican Joe Lovvorn of Auburn; the online tax hike is from Democrat Chris England of Tuscaloosa.

More legislative news

By the Numbers

212,000

Thats the accumulative attendance in March for the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center Authority (BJCC), its best March ever. The highlights included two sold-out concerts by Zach Bryan at Legacy Arena and the Monster Jam at Protective Stadium.

More Alabama news

On the Calendar

Today is National Exercise Day.

Its a good holiday to recognize. After all, we were created to hunt and gather. So unless we chased breakfast this morning, we probably ought to replace that with going for a job, or taking a hike, or doing the griddy to the fridge and back.

The podcast

Expert explainer Jonathan Sobolewski explains what Delta 8 is, why its legal in conservative Alabama, and what the biggest concerns are.

You can find Down in Alabama wherever you get your podcasts, including these places:

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Chinese vice president meets with Slovenian deputy prime minister

Xinhua) 10:24, April 18, 2024

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with Tanja Fajon, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Slovenia, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, April 17, 2024. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Tanja Fajon, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Slovenia, in Beijing on Wednesday.

China-Slovenia relations have seen sound and steady development since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, Han said, adding that China attaches great importance to the development of friendly, cooperative relations with Slovenia.

China is willing to work with Slovenia to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, enhance bilateral exchanges, consolidate mutual political trust, continuously expand the depth and breadth of practical bilateral cooperation, and strengthen international cooperation to achieve common development, Han said.

Slovenia is a good friend and partner of China in the EU, and it is believed that the country will play a positive, constructive role in promoting China-EU relations and cooperation, he said.

Noting that Slovenia attaches great importance to developing its relations with China, and that it has always regarded the one-China policy as the cornerstone of bilateral relations, Fajon said Slovenia is willing to deepen cooperation with China in such fields as politics, the economy, trade and culture.

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with Tanja Fajon, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Slovenia, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, April 17, 2024. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
The families of five men who died in Alabama prisons are suing the prison system and the world-renowned UAB medical center, arguing that the states biggest hospital is stealing organs from inmates after conducting autopsies.

The various lawsuits were filed in state court last week by three Alabama lawyers.

The families say their loved ones were serving time at either Limestone Correctional Facility or The Hamilton Aged and Infirmed Center when they died. The inmates each died within the past several years, and each had their autopsies conducted by UAB. Following their autopsies, the separate lawsuits allege, the inmates bodies were sent to funeral homes, where funeral directors discovered they were missing their organs. One inmate was sent directly for a private autopsy, where a pathologist made the same discovery.

The lawsuits each allege that the university took, and kept, inmates organs without consent of next-of-kin.

All people who die in custody have an autopsy, multiple prison officials testified in a federal court hearing earlier this year. Some of those autopsies are done at UAB, while the rest are conducted at the state level by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences.

None of the five families gave UAB permission to keep the organs, the lawsuits state.

A representative from UAB released a statement Thursday afternoon in response to the suits. The spokesperson said the institution is in compliance with laws governing autopsies; our protocols require documented consent under the law, which includes consent for disposition of organs removed within the clinical standard necessary to determine a cause of death.

UAB only conducts autopsies for incarcerated individuals after the ADOC certifies that the autopsy has been properly authorized by an appropriate legal representative of the deceased. A panel of medical ethicists reviewed and endorsed our protocols regarding autopsies conducted for incarcerated persons, the statement said.

The families of Arthur Olen Stapler, Jim William Kennedy, Anthony Perez Brackins, Kelvin Lamar Moore, and Charles Singleton are each suing the Alabama Department of Corrections, the University of Alabama system which operates the University of Alabama at Birmingham and its medical school, and other various people associated with those institutions.

All families say they tried contacting UABs Pathology Department after they realized the organs were missing, but were met with different answers as to why the organs were retained.

Two of the families got their loved ones organs back from UAB.

The family of Kelvin Moore, who died last summer, said they picked up a sealed red bag with a container inside that (UAB) claimed contained Kelvins organs. That happened after a supervisor in the pathology department told them, according to the lawsuit, it was the UAB policy not to return organs to families after an autopsy.

A private pathologist, who was hired by the family of Arthur Olen Stapler, got back some of Staplers organs from UABbut not all.

#crimestory #truecrimeanytime #court #alabama #prison  Paltry Dance - DJ BAI @al.comnews Another family claims their loved one was missing organs after dying in an Alabama prison. At the time of his death, 74-year-old Charles Singleton was incarcerated at the Hamilton Aged and Infirmed prison in Hamilton, Alabama. His family claims in court records that Singletons brain was missing, along with his other internal organs, after his body was returned from an autopsy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.  Produced by Amanda Khorramabadi #truecrimetok

According to the lawsuit from the Kennedy family, a representative from UAB told them: UAB Defendants Department of Pathology takes organs all the time. The family also said they were told by someone in the pathology department that UAB is a teaching institution. And every teaching institution that does autopsies keeps their organs.

The flurry of lawsuits comes after another former prisoners family sued in federal court to say their loved one, Brandon Clay Dotson, was returned missing his heart. No one has said where the heart is.

Dotson was found dead at Ventress Correctional Facility on November 16. The 43-year olds family members -- his mother, daughter and brother -- claim in a federal lawsuit that they spent days trying to obtain his body. Once they did receive his body on Nov. 21., the family hired a private pathologist to do a second autopsy on the body. That doctor, Dr. Boris Datnow, discovered during his exam that Dotsons body was missing his heart.

Lawyers for the prison system said that Dotsons heart was inside his body when it left the facility, and they do not have the heart. Following his death, the inmates body was taken to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for an autopsy.

At a hearing in federal court earlier this year, the director of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences said he hadnt reviewed Dotsons particular case file and couldnt answer any questions about Dotson specifically.

The family of Charles Singleton filed a statement in Dotsons case, and are part of the new batch of lawsuits filed in state court. Singleton, 74, was incarcerated at the Hamilton Aged and Infirmed prison and died at a Tennessee hospital in 2021. His daughter said in a sworn statement that following his death, Singletons body was taken to UAB for an autopsy. After the autopsy and when his body was sent to a Pell City funeral home, the funeral director found that Singleton was missing his brain and other organs.

Singletons daughter called UAB, and was told that such organ removal was standard practice and suggested it was legally permissible, said the new lawsuit.

The family of Anthony Perez Brackins said in their lawsuit that when they got in touch with UAB, the university told them it was standard practice to retain organs at the conclusion of an autopsy.

When the family told UAB they wanted to bury Brackins with all of his body parts, the UAB representative responded, according to the lawsuit, it was too late now.

A spokesperson from UAB sent a lengthy statement to AL.com earlier this year, saying the university doesnt comment on pending or threatened litigation, but added that UAB only conducts autopsies after obtaining consent or authorization from the appropriate state official.

For inmate autopsies, UAB said, the department is responsible for obtaining proper authorizations from the appropriate legal representative of the deceased.

The authorization forms not only provide permission for the autopsy, but also specifically include consent for the removal of organs or tissues for diagnostic or other testing including final disposition, said the spokesperson. Nevertheless, UAB can say that it does not harvest organs from bodies of inmates for research as has been reported in media reports.

Alabama law says a medical examiner shall notify the next of kin, through the appropriate law enforcement agency, when retaining a deceased persons entire organ or organs for additional testing that is required to determine identification or the cause or manner of death.

The law goes on to say that a medical examiner cannot retain a deceased persons entire organ or organs for research or any other purpose not in conjunction with a determination of identification or cause or manner of death without notification to, and approval by, the appropriate next of kin.

The prison system and UAB have an agreement for UAB to perform autopsies as an independent contractor. That agreement was filed as an exhibit in the new lawsuits. According to that document, the prison system pays $2,200 per autopsy and $100 per toxicology test.

According to the lawsuit, UAB Division of Autopsy publications from 2006 to 2015 show that 23% of their yearly income comes from Department of Corrections autopsies, and 29% comes from Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences.

The prison system has previously said the department does not authorize or perform autopsies, and the ADOC facilities have zero surgical capabilities.

While the new lawsuits dont say what happened to the organs, it mentions an incident several years ago at the medical school. In 2018, a group of UAB medical students were concerned about the body parts and tissues they were using as part of their training that had come from people who died in prison, according to the lawsuit, and took their concerns to an ethics oversight committee.

Several of those UAB students later appeared before the committee and were told that the removal of organs was part of the process for autopsies performed on prisoners. That panel also emphasized that the organs would benefit future doctors training and if they werent used, would just be thrown away.

Thus, it was a position of the ethics committee that the autopsy process and the teaching uses of specimens obtained through the autopsy on incarcerated individuals in the current fashion would be ethically permissible, said the lawsuits.
The Examination is reporting on the new breed of hemp-derived cannabis products as part of Highly Legal, a collaboration with AL.com, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, PennLive and USA TODAY. Read our joint investigation and share your experience or questions with us.

Is delta-8 real weed?

Delta-8 is extracted from hemp, a cannabis plant that contains low levels of delta-9 THC, the psychoactive compound associated with marijuana. In recent years, manufacturers have found ways to chemically extract it, and similar compounds, adding them to gummies, vapes and more.

Is delta-8 legal? And how?

Through the 2018 farm bill, Congress legalized hemp, a variety of cannabis plant with low levels of THC. Chemical processing yields a concentrated, and potent THC extract. Products made with that extract are also supposed to contain the same low levels of THC, but that isnt always the case. Though marketed as farm bill compliant, the products remain in a legal gray area. Regulators and state law enforcement officials have called on Congress to clarify the law.

Can delta-8 make you high?

It depends on the dosage, and sometimes the person. The compound acts much like traditional marijuana: Low-dosage products may deliver a mild buzz, or none at all. High-dosage products, or low-dosage products taken in greater quantities, can deliver a powerful high.

How safe is delta-8?

Put simply: we dont know. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not test hemp products, and the agency says it has limited tools for managing many of the risks associated with these products. Due to inconsistent production, and packaging often containing little or misleading information, it can be easy to unwittingly take too much. Regulators and health experts have also flashed warnings about the ways some delta-8 products are processed.

How old do I need to be to buy delta-8?

There is no federal minimum age for buying or using delta-8, though some states tightly regulate sales or ban them altogether. States like Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Wyoming, and Minnesota restrict the sale to people 21 and older. Some other states, including Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, have no age limit.

Delta-8, delta-9 and THC-A products have flooded into U.S. states that dont allow the legal sale of marijuana. The recreational use of marijuana is not legal in Alabama, however, you can find storefront signs, like this one pictured in Birmingham, Alabama, advertising the sale of those products which are legal.Tamika Moore/AL.com

What are the possible benefits and harms of delta-8?

An online survey of delta-8 consumers found that most reported feelings of relaxation, euphoria and pain relief. They also said delta-8 was less likely to cause paranoia than marijuana. But the experience can depend on the person, the dosage  or both. As sales have soared to almost $3 billion annually, so have reports of bad reactions, ranging from an unpleasant evening to hospital visits and even cannabinoid-induced psychosis. Poison control centers have also received thousands of calls concerning consumption by teens and children.

Will delta-8 test positive on a drug test?

Delta-8 is very similar chemically to the delta-9 in marijuana. Even though it has a weaker bond to brain receptors, the body still processes it in the same way as marijuana. That means byproducts of delta-8 often show up as marijuana on urine drug screens.

Can I take delta-8 while pregnant or breastfeeding?

The FDA says people should avoid CBD (cannabidiol), marijuana and other cannabis products while pregnant or breastfeeding. Heavy use is associated with low birthweight.

What should I do if my child consumes delta-8 THC?

Call 911 if a child has consumed a delta-8 product and is unable to respond, having difficulty breathing, or having a seizure, Americas Poison Centers says. If a child has consumed a delta-8 product and is not having the life-threatening symptoms described above, a caretaker should call Poison Help (1-800-222-1222). Often, children experiencing symptoms related to consumption of a delta-8 product will need monitoring or treatment at a healthcare facility.

Can I die from delta-8?

A handful of deaths have been potentially linked to delta-8. According to a study published last January, the FDA collected reports of 22 deaths between 2018 and 2021 where delta-8 was present. It was the only substance found in four of the people who died.

Spot the difference between delta-8 and delta-9Bill Schulz for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

You mentioned delta-9  Im seeing these products, too. How?

Its confusing. Delta-9, the psychoactive chemical in marijuana, is also present in low levels in hemp, and can also be extracted and synthesized. By applying the logic of the farm bill, retailers are now flooding physical stores and online sites with delta-9 thc products they say are farm bill compliant. But research has shown that some of these products can contain even more THC than would be allowed in legal marijuana states.

What are delta-10, HHC, THC-JD?

Since delta-8 became legal, a number of new compounds are available for sale. These include delta-10, delta-0, HHC, THC-JD and more. Some are more psychoactive than delta-8, health agencies have said.

Are regulators taking any action?

The FDA has issued warning letters to some producers, but has said its authority to oversee the hemp market is limited and a new regulatory regime is needed. The Drug Enforcement Administration is reviewing if the hemp products should be classified as a prohibited controlled substance. Several states have moved to limit the age or ban the sale of delta-8.
As the Global Methodist Church gets ready to mark two years since it launched on May 1, 2022, it has gradually taken shape as a new denomination after a split with the United Methodist Church.

Approaching the two-year mark, the new North Alabama Provisional Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church has 198 member congregations, all of them former United Methodist churches.

I think the first two years have been tremendous, said Liz Bowlin, director of childrens ministries at Sheffield Methodist Church, which joined the Global Methodist Church on Jan. 1, 2023.

This North Alabama Conference carries echoes of the organization it separated from  covering roughly the same territory in the north half of the state, and using a new Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline of the Global Methodist Church that covers much of the same theological tradition as the United Methodist Book of Discipline.

Here is a look at how they differ from the UMC:

No same-sex marriage or gay clergy

A difference, they hope, is no more arguing about same-sex marriage and ordination of openly gay clergy and bishops, a dispute that has occupied the United Methodist Church at national meetings for decades.

Marriage is a covenant between one man and one woman, and we will honor that, said the Rev. Alan Beasley, president pro-tem of the Global Methodist North Alabama Conference.

Breaking: United Methodist General Conference repeals ban on same-sex marriage, ordaining openly LGBTQ clergy

The new Global Methodist Book of Doctrines doesnt even mention same-sex marriage or ban it, as the United Methodist Book of Discipline still does.

For the churches that splintered off, they are banking that affirming traditional marriage as between a man and a woman and making ministers and bishops more accountable to the people in the pews will stop that from being an issue.

Their main complaint was that the Book of Discipline wasnt enforced, Beasley said.

The guardrails are the accountability thats written into the Book of Discipline that makes it untenable that bishops can become authoritarian and dictatorial, as they were, Beasley said.

Every bishop is accountable to every church. Theres no division of territory that protects certain bishops. If they dont uphold that, they can be removed from their appointment. No pastor is guaranteed an appointment and no church is guaranteed a pastor. That keeps the pastors accountable.

How many churches are out there?

The Global Methodists of North Alabama are planning a conference June 27-29 at ClearBranch in Trussville, a former United Methodist congregation that previously hosted regional conferences for United Methodists.

They are also planning to attend their own Global Methodist General Conference in Costa Rica in September, to emphasize missions and global outreach.

Members of the congregation sing during service at the Grace Methodist Church Sunday, May 14, 2023, in Homosassa Springs, Fla. Grace Methodist Church launched in January after their previous congregation voted to stay in the UMC. The new church immediately affiliated with the Global Methodist Church. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)AP

Among the larger former North Alabama United Methodist churches that joined the Global Church are Friendship Church in Athens, Cornerstone Church in Alexander City, Christ Church in Birmingham, Christ Harbor in Northport, Guntersville First, Fort Payne First, St. Mark in Tuscaloosa, Tuscumbia First, Jasper First, ClearBranch and Trussville First.

Roughly 80 of the former 330 United Methodist churches that left the UMC North Alabama Conference since 2022 remain independent, while some joined other denominations such as Free Methodist, Congregational Methodist, Independent Methodist and The Foundry.

The Global Methodist Church has attracted more than half the departures and now claims about 4,500 member churches.

Statewide in Alabama, more than half of United Methodist congregations disaffiliated  about 555 churches. Most of those departures have taken place since 2022.

Nationwide, over the past four years, 7,600 congregations left the United Methodist Church  5,600 in 2023. That was about a fourth of all United Methodist churches. They left under 2019 guidelines that made it possible for churches to negotiate to leave and take their property with them until the end of 2023.

Some churches have said they want to see stability in the GMC before they join us, said Beasley, pastor of First Methodist of Jasper, one of 198 churches which disaffiliated on Dec 10, 2022. Thats completely understandable. A lot of them are enjoying their independence. Every church is different. Some needed to take a breath.

Will more United Methodist Churches split?

The Global Methodists, while they move on, cant quite turn their eyes away from whats going in the United Methodist Church.

In the wake of the massive split, United Methodists are preparing for their General Conference, April 23-May 3, that begins next week in Charlotte.

What happens there could trigger continuing shakeups.

Many churches that stayed in the United Methodist Church took a wait-and-see approach because they noted the Book of Discipline still upheld a traditional stance on marriage as between a man and woman. Some of those may leave if that stance is updated.

Many have chosen to wait, Beasley said. Theres going to be another effort to give churches another pathway to disaffiliate.

After many conservative churches had departed, the United Methodist North Alabama Conference approved a resolution calling on the General Conference to drop its ban on same-sex marriage and ordaining openly gay clergy.

The United Methodist General Conference, which repeatedly debated such proposals but never had the votes to officially change its stance, may now have the votes to approve same-sex weddings in United Methodist churches and other changes progressives long lobbied for, now that thousands of conservative churches have formally left the denomination.

Nine former conservative North United Methodist delegates of the 12 elected to attend the General Conference dropped out after leaving the denomination, so the conference had to elect a slate of delegates to replace them.

Methodists, both United and Global, will be closely watching what happens in Charlotte, gauging the prospective fallout if there is a major change in the United Methodist Book of Discipline adopted, or a new path to disaffiliation, or a new regional governing rule that allows each region to determine its own rules on same-sex marriage.

We talked to other churches that said, Were going to wait and see what happens, said the Rev. Steve Strange, pastor of Trussville First Methodist, one of 132 churches to disaffiliate on May 11, 2023, and now aligned with the Global Methodist Church. You may see churches that held out, or people that held out, or maybe churches that couldnt afford the disaffiliation cost, you may see them jumping on board.

African United Methodist churches have repeatedly joined U.S. conservatives in the past to keep the bans on same-sex marriage and gay clergy ordinations, but liberal U.S. conferences have largely ignored those rules since the 2016 election of Bishop Karen Oliveto as the first openly lesbian bishop in the denomination.

Major changes in Charlotte could bode another round of exits.

There would be a huge impact, Beasley said. Theres just so many scenarios. It depends on what legislation passes.

What comes next for the Global Methodists?

Regardless of what United Methodists do in Charlotte, Global Methodists say they have a new path.

Well just keep doing what were doing, Beasley said.

Its gone great. Our churches are healthy. The vast majority are growing. We have stories of changed lives and deepening of faith. There are increased numbers, financial stability, mission work. The first year was building our foundation, getting our churches in. The future is what we need to do to be global in nature. The future is growing the structure and movement.

For now, theres the advantage of starting fresh. Were part of creating something that didnt exist, he said.

Global Methodists in South Alabama have formed a new Alabama/Emerald Coast Conference, joining with Florida panhandle churches that disaffiliated, and will meet May 5-7 at Crosspoint Church in Niceville, Fla. That conference now has 159 affiliate churches.

Departures from the Alabama-West Florida Conference were complicated by a tightening of rules on disaffiliation, and 45 churches filed a lawsuit against the conference saying it tried to run out the clock before the disaffiliation deadline to prevent them from leaving. There 193 churches that disaffiliated from the Alabama-West Florida Conference on May 7, 2023, and eight more on Nov. 12.

A Dothan megachurch that went independent sued the conference saying it owed no money to leave. The State Supreme Court denied the United Methodist Churchs request that lawsuit be dismissed.
Seven candidates are running to fill the Alabama House seat left vacant when longtime Rep. John Rogers pleaded guilty to federal crimes and resigned after more than four decades in the legislature.

Six Democrats and one Republican qualified to run for the House District 52 seat, representing parts of Birmingham and Jefferson County.

The special election is June 18.

The candidates include longtime political figures, a former office holder and previous office seekers.

One of them will become the districts first new representative since Rogers won the seat in 1982.

Carlos Crum is the only candidate who qualified to run for the Republican nomination by the deadline on April 16..

Dedra Campbell, Kelvin Datcher, Eric Major, LaTanya Millhouse, Eyrika L. Parker and Frank Woodson qualified to seek the Democratic nomination.

Rogers in March resigned from office after pleading guilty to reduced federal felony charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. Federal prosecutors said he misused public money intended for Jefferson County nonprofit agencies.

State Rep. Fred Plump also resigned and pleaded guilty for his role in the scheme.

Federal prosecutors have recommended that the judge reduce Rogers charges and sentence him to 14 months of house arrest, followed by supervised release. He will be sentenced July 26.
The Alabama Supreme Court has authorized another death row inmate to be executed.

The court handed down a death warrant for Keith Edmund Gavin, who was sentenced to death for the March 1998 murder of William Clayton Jr. in Cherokee County.

Hes been on Alabama Death Row since 2000.

Gavin is set to die by lethal injection, after he didnt opt-in to being executed by the states new method- nitrogen gas- in 2018 when inmates had the opportunity to change their execution method.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has not yet issued an execution date.

Ivey, however has set a time frame beginning May 30 for the next execution - also by lethal injection - of Jamie Ray Mills.

The executions occur at William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore.

In Gavins case court records show Clayton, a courier service driver, had parked his van to use an ATM machine in downtown Centre. He was finished with deliveries for the day and was stopping at Regions Bank to get money to take his wife to dinner.

Records stated that Gavin shot Clayton during an attempted robbery, pushed him into the passengers seat, and drove off in the van. With an investigator from the district attorneys office in close pursuit, Gavin stopped the van, got out, shot at the investigator, and fled.

Gavin was soon apprehended, and Clayton was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Two eyewitnesses positively identified Gavin as the shooter, including his cousin, who was an employee of the Illinois Department of Corrections. The cousin testified about trips he and Gavin had made to Centre and on that day saw Gavin fire shots at the driver of the van. Gavin also fired shots at an investigator as he fled, according to testimony.

The slaying came just a few months after Gavin had been released on parole from prison in Illinois after serving 17 years of a 34-year sentence for murder.

Following his conviction, Gavins appeals failed in state and federal court. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review his case in 2005 and again in 2017.

In 2016, Gavin filed a new appeal alleging jury misconduct and ineffective counsel during the penalty phase of the trial.

In 2020, U.S. District Judge Karen Bowdre upheld the state court decision denying Gavins jury misconduct claim. But, the judge ruled in favor of Gavin on the claim of ineffective counsel, finding that the performance of Gavins lawyers was deficient and prejudicial.

Bowdre found that the lawyers failed to pursue all the reasonably available mitigating evidence that could have influenced the decision on Gavins sentence. The mitigating evidence included Gavins upbringing in a gang-infested housing project in Chicago and the effects of his imprisonment in Illinois.

In Mr. Gavins case, counsel failed to conduct an adequate background investigation or pursue all reasonable available mitigating evidence, Bowdre wrote.

The state appealed that decision. A three-judge panel from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals later said Alabamas Court of Criminal Appeals had reasonably determined that Gavin failed to establish that any failure by his lawyers to provide mitigating evidence was prejudicial. That ruling reversed Bowdres order on ineffective counsel during the penalty phase of his trial.

We conclude that the CCAs determination that Gavin failed to establish prejudice was not so obviously wrong as to be beyond any possibility of fair-minded disagreement and the district court exceeded its authority in rejecting the state courts determination, Circuit Judge Elizabeth Branch wrote. Circuit Judges Adalberto Jordan and Robert Luck concurred.
Let hair-on-fire women run screaming it's our God-given right to abort our babies at any time including post-natal and place of our choosing. No one shall abridge that right in thought or in deed. To make sure, the Dems are once again undertaking a massive fearmongering campaign to prevent a Trump win in November. Abortion is being used as a prop.

The uniparty, as it did in 2020, is pushing with all its might to put abortion on the ballot in November vice all other issues, to wit: human rights trafficking, the price of bread and eggs bolstered by extravagant government spending, usurious mortgage rates, imminent war on multiple fronts, the great dumbing down of our children's education, rampant white racism, a U.S. credit card balance that alone will take down this country, and lets not forget the banana-republic-like lawfare against political opponents.

So damn the torpedoes: I want my abortion, it's my body, and my right to do with it as I please. In fact, if I want to commit suicide I have that right too, or inject copious amounts of junk food until I degrade into an unhealthy mess and further burden my already overburdened ObamaCare plan.

Zero U.S. House Democrats voted to pass the protection of women and girls in sports. Im sure abortion rights will be the only issue those same Dems will vote for come November. On the one hand they are for womens rights, but on the other hand they are not for womens rights.

National abortion law proponents are narcissistically selfish. Such a law doesnt consider the wishes of those pro-abortionists who want abortion rights but believe in the sanctity of life, that life for many begins somewhere in the gestation period and therefore feel an abortion after that period is taking a life. But the hardcore hair-on-fire loudmouths want rights up to and after taking a first breath.

States can best meet the needs of their constituents with a statewide abolition law when you consider the ideological divide in Blue vs. Red states. A Blue-state abortion law in, say Massachusetts, allowing abortion up to and past birth would satisfy the majority of its residents, whereas such a law in, say, Texas, would satisfy a minority of residents.

Republican-controlled states have tighter restrictions on abortion than Democratic-controlled states, because thats what those state residents want. For those residents unhappy with their state abortion law, nothing is keeping them from traveling to a state that allows abortion, much like U.S. citizens travel to other countries for cheaper, or more readily available healthcare.

Roe v. Wade protected a woman's right to an abortion, but only until viability: the point at which a little one is able to live outside the womb (though this was undermined by Doe v. Bolton). During the first trimester, viability is often determined by the presence of a heartbeat. Generally, a baby can survive outside the womb at around 22 weeks gestational age assuming normal growth, anatomy, and chromosomes, according to Neil Mandsager, M.D.

The Centers for Disease Control reports that 93.5% of all abortions in 2021 took place at 13 weeks gestation, 5.7% were performed at 1420 weeks gestation, and 0.9% were performed at 21 weeks gestation.

Importantly, what is the Biden and Trump position on abortion?

On Monday, Donald Trump said:

In video posted Monday morning, Trump explicitly affirmed his support for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and he emphasized his support for states determining their own laws for abortion so long as there are exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother. The states will determine by vote, or legislation, or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land  in this case, the law of the state," Trump said. Many states will be different. Many states will have a different number of weeksat the end of the day it is all about the will of the people."

It is key that most pro and anti-abortion positions hail the exception for rape, incest, or when a mothers life is at risk.

If one agrees with the Supreme Court that under the 10th Amendment of the Constitution abortion is a states rights issues, then you agree with Trumps position that abortion policy should be decided at the state level.

Per FindLaw: The Tenth Amendment was intended to confirm the understanding of the people at the time the Constitution was adopted, that powers not granted to the United States were reserved to the States or to the people. It added nothing to the instrument as originally ratified. The power to allow abortion was not granted to the United States government.

What is Bidens stance on abortion?

Shortly after the Supreme Court issued its 1973 Roe decision on Roe v. Wade in 1973, then-senator Joe Biden said in an interview he disagreed with the ruling. Over five decades Bidens stance has moved to support abortion rights.

Abortion is one of those issues, like the death penalty, that should be left in the hands of the states to decide. Abortion took center stage for the democrats in 2020 and halted a Red wave. Will the passion for reinstituting a national ban on abortion be less than in 2020,? Not if the Dems can again whip enough fear of Trumps abortion position to overshadow the issues that affect the viability of our democracy, a democracy that affects not one or a few but all.

Image: Jordanuh17
The story of Judas Iscariot is the archetypal story of betrayal, fascinating and terrifying at the same time. It's fascinating, because Judas Iscariot was the Apostle who betrayed Jesus to the Pharisees for 30 pieces of silver. He felt so guilty afterwards that he tried to give the silver back.

It's a terrifying story because Jesus was tortured and put to death and then Judas hanged himself. The field where Judas died became known as the field of blood at the time of the New Testament writings. It was a terrifying end to a horrific story.

Judas was picked by Jesus himself. He was one of the original twelve Apostles. He had walked with Jesus for three years, seen miracles, heard the finest teaching ever given, and because of this action, his name has become synonymous with the worst of betrayals, the most graphic of betrayals: Judas telling the guards he would kiss Jesus on the cheek to show them who to arrest.

Benedict Arnold is another turncoat. A general during the Revolutionary War, he was put in charge of the fort at West Point, a particularly strategic fort at the time. He became convinced to betray his charge, being offered a huge sum of money for surrendering West Point to the British. The plot was discovered accidentally, letters being found on the person of Arnolds friend Major John Andre of Britain. When the betrayal was discovered, Andre was hanged. Arnold fled prior to his own capture, escaping to Great Britain. We still use the name Benedict Arnold as a symbol of infamy. Being branded a Benedict Arnold is a deep cut.

Betrayal is at the heart of the story of the darker parts of history. Being at the heart of the story of Jesus, betrayal has been abhorred by the West for thousands of years.

Betrayal has been a significant part of the times we have been living in. For many years Americans have watched as our country has been let down by its leaders. Betrayed for money. Betrayed for fame. Betrayed for ideals of some Utopian revolution.

Let me be blunt. The worst of our betrayers are found in the Democrat party. They are betraying America right now and have been for years. Their contempt for America as founded is for a combination of all the above reasons, in spades.

A leftist might say that a difference of opinion does not mean you are a traitor. But thats not what this is. This is a group of leaders committed to upending all of our institutions. This is a group of leaders who have agreed to seek power above all, while reaping corrupt, unearned, ill-gotten gains. While foisting huge debt on the American public, they preen in the public eye, proud of their fame, proud of their deceit; in their small-souled thinking, they are doing it for the revolution. All while, they are not comprehending the destruction they are foisting on the world of others.

Delusionally, they believe this is for the greater good, for a Utopian vision only they, because theyre so smart, can see.

One by one, they are upending the blocs of the governing agreements we once had as a nation:

They have contempt for the Constitution any time it constrains them. They willfully change the meaning of clear pronouncements, proclaiming elasticity when its needed to forward their ideas.

They censor, and no longer champion free speech. They hide their evil deeds.

They want to disarm law-abiding Americans, while allowing violent criminals to go free to wreak havoc again. They want a defenseless population to rule.

They criminalize people for not agreeing with them. They go after anyone who effectively counters them and are doing so regularly using the Justice Department and the FBI (the new Stasi).

They have, and are, spying on their political opponents with the technology available through the Patriot Act. They do this on a massive scale, to anyone in power who is against their ideas. Even against ordinary citizens who align with the center-right.

They intimidate individuals and groups simply because they outwardly disagree with their policies.

They have instituted Soviet-style show trials to imprison their political opponents and have unleashed the horrid practice of lawfare on the country.

The policies enacted to forward the green new deal are psychotic. The poor have a harder time working out of poverty. The middle class can no longer thrive as easily, while the new class of leftist multi-millionaires and billionaires easily glean even more wealth. The green new deal is designed to neuter and ruin us economically, preventing human achievement they dont like. Its all about control.

They have weaponized the bureaucracies, the judicial system, the DOJ, and the FBI against its political enemies. These collude with the big tech companies to slander, defame, and destroy while shielding evil from criticism, turning good into evil, and evil into good.

These add up to one truth: Betrayal. Purposeful betrayal of the ideals of our founding. Purposeful betrayal of the American public. All in the name of social justice and compassion.

The betrayal by most Democrat leaders appears to come with commitment and full awareness. The Obama faction is thrilled with the ideal of transforming America (into a socialist hellhole). The Clinton faction enamored with the ideals of the then "new left" at Yale. They became rich and adored for their part in the betrayal. The Soros wing has decided to inundate America with lawlessness and the two-tiered system of justice we now have. The whole Democrat party seems to be happy to confuse us about truth. Foisting the evils of gender nonsense upon us, turning truth on its head in every way they can. Their planned confusion proclaims there is no truth but what they believe. And daily, they show their power to enforce their truth.

It's treachery unparalleled in our history.

Consider that statement. Let it sink in.

If Benedict Arnolds deeds were considered bad enough for hanging, how has the left waltzed into power having done much worse than Arnold, having caused much more ruin, having abused their power so badly? They have gotten away with their corrupt abuse of power without consequence since they have seized the heights of power. We are teetering on the precipice of great destruction, individually and corporately.

If youre aware of whats happening, while doing nothing to thwart this cabal, its time to stand up against this ruinous tyranny.

If youre just waking up to this great betrayal, bless you, but its time to find out how you personally can fight this evil.

If you are blissfully unaware of this great betrayal, wake up, because you will not be spared the consequences of apathy or ignorance.

To the Republicans who do nothing (and there are many), a pox on both your houses. Refusing to confront this betrayal is what got us here. Cooperating with the left to betray the nation is even worse.

Its a time for righteous anger. It's a time to drive out these moneychangers.
No one was particularly surprised when Vladmir Putin recently won reelection by a landslide. The near universal reaction could be characterized by a roll of the eyes and a sighed what do you expect, its Russia. Weve seen this before, after all -- it is his fifth term -- but there is something new in its significance for us. Whats changed is the newly fragile condition of our own democracy, making the Moscow election emphatically relevant to America. Many are the differences between Russian and American society, but one of those gaps has shrunk with alarming speed over the past decade. Putins power has been built on the bones of a free press. America once had a fiercely independent media that was not just the hallmark of our liberty but also the guardian that kept our society free. But our mainstream press has abandoned its sentinel post, leaving America vulnerable as we move toward the most important election in generations.

The Supreme Court recently cast a spotlight on the health of our free speech when it examined the Administrations efforts to stifle critics through manipulation of social media. Reports on the hearing, however, missed the fundamental issue. Apologists asserted that there had been no top-down coercion of speech -- nothing to see here, move on. But the ultimate issue wasnt that the Administration initiated censorship, it was that our leaders were enabled by the repression of speech that was already endemic in the popular media. The Supreme Court will decide if indirect manipulations violate constitutional protections. Whatever the outcome, we are learning a bitter lesson: the Constitution, in all its brilliance, does not protect us from repression that grows outside government, from within our culture. Free speech relies on the Constitution, yes, but it also relies on our social compact and its moral framework of truth, which is collapsing in vital parts of society.

Our mainstream media has been surrendering its freedom for years, not by any dictate from the top but by a seismic shift in its values and self-perceived role in society. The process started slowly, long ago, when publishers and editors discovered a gold mine in obsessing over celebrity heroes, then accelerated when they found that a celebrity villain offered the same rewards. They learned to favor sensation over substance, never worried that their chosen villains are not always evil, nor their heroes always virtuous. For them an off-color remark or over-the-top boast from one of their celebrities becomes more important than any substantive dialogue about policy. Why worry about terrorists infiltrating across the border when what the public really wants to hear is how the President blasted the Neanderthals who dont embrace his climate agenda? Thus began the dumbing down of their readers. They taught their increasingly shallow audience that political engagement had nothing to do with liberty or constitutional government, but was simply about loving to hate the villain of choice.

The celebrity fixation justified, even required, hyperbole, since their stars need to be larger than life, meaning the media accords them vastly more authority, and credibility, than they deserve. Eventually for the legacy media everything -- from the climate cycle to devolution of rights to states, passage of school choice laws and scores of invented microaggressions -- became existential threats. George Bernard Shaw once complained that the media cant distinguish between the end of the world and a bicycle accident. Shaw was engaged in hyperbole when he spoke those words but they are no longer exaggeration.

The arrival of woke culture proved a heavenly match for such journalists. It became instinctive for them to shoehorn their new woke ideology into every mention of culture and history, a process requiring gross oversimplification, which is why much of their reporting has devolved into the vernacular of bumper stickers. What started as a gradual inching away from universal truths has become endless variations on the same shallow sentiment that has overtaken most campuses: as long as I shout loud enough my ignorance is better than your knowledge.

Journalists were never intended to be the cheerleaders of a society, the conductors of applause, observed a wise journalist of another generation, Chet Huntley. Tragically, Huntley added, that is their assigned role in authoritarian societies, but not here yet. Huntley would have a very different view of American journalism if alive today -- certainly his warning is more relevant than ever. The natural curiosity that once drove reporters to assert truth to counter repression has shriveled up and died in many. We have witnessed the end of critical thinking for these reporters and their audience, and the end of intellectual integrity for many newspapers. No better proof of this exists than the recurring polling data demonstrating that over ninety percent of mainstream journalists embrace the ideology of the Left.

Our media is quick to throw out descriptors like authoritarian and totalitarian when characterizing their agreed enemy but they are blind to the totalitarian effect of their own words. Once they stopped fighting repression it was but a small step to begin participating in it -- stifling every criticism or challenging thought with a slogan, party soundbite, or label is just another form of censorship. They created a whole new vocabulary of repression, metamorphosing into the American commentariat. What we fail to sufficiently appreciate is how deeply this process of suffocating speech has devalued truth in the public forum. Without truth there is no freedom of the press. Without freedom of the press there is no freedom. Without freedom there is no democracy.

Government isnt going to fix the problem, at least not todays government, which embraces no principle but simply bends with the woke winds. The social compact that is the ultimate protector of truth belongs to us. Its up to us to preserve it. We may take comfort in hearing that over half our population shuns popular culture and its woke underpinnings. But we need reminding that far less than half of Germans were Nazis and likewise far fewer Russians were communists, and that did not stop the rise of Hitler and Stalin. Now is the time to speak out, to stop merely shrugging off the repression. Now is the time to reject the repressive vocabulary and to treat legacy media with the mockery it deserves. Now is the time to speak truth for freedom. The existence of the Silent Majority is no longer a comfort when that silence means the defeat of truth and mute acceptance of budding tyranny. To continue the silence is moral surrender.

Eliot Pattisons nineteen novels include the recently released Freedoms Ghost, latest in his series exploring the complex people and events leading to the founding of the United States.

Image: Pexels/Eva Bronzini
Payson, Utah, is a suburb with a little over 20,000 people in the Provo-Orem metro area. Its a religious region with many Mormons and people from other Judeo-Christian faiths. The mayors office is nonpartisan, but Im willing to bet that this is a conservative town. That fact, however, did not stop a student protest at the local middle school based upon allegations that the principal is letting kids who identify as furries run free.

(For those who havent been introduced to the furry fetish, a furry is a person who either contends that he is an animal or that he has an animal persona with which he identifies. Either way, he dresses and purports to act like his animal identity. This is not cute. Its a sexual fetish.)

A citizen journalist and conservative radio host named Adam Bartholomew interviewed some of the 70 children at Mt. Nebo Middle School in Payson who walked out to protest the claimed feral behavior of these furry kids. According to the protesting students, the furries come to school in full costumes, including maskssomething that deeply offends the other students, who arent allowed to wear masks even on Halloween. In addition, the furries wear butt plug tails, and, yes, Im as appalled as you are that middle school kids even know what a butt plug is.

Image by AI.

Additionally, the children whom Bartholomew interviewed claim that the furries, in pursuit of their animal identity, hit, scratch, and bite the students. They also spray them, not with urine or musk, as an actual animal would, but with Febreeze. Call me old-fashioned, but if my child were deliberately sprayed with a chemical, I would call the police on the actor.

But thats not whats happening, say the children. Instead, the principal has allegedly cordoned off the furries. Once at school, the normal students claim that they must leave the furries strictly alone lest they be perceived as harassing them. They also assert that the reason for this furry protection in the little suburb of Payson, Utah, is that the principals child identifies as a furry.

While the students were protesting, ABC got the other side of the story from a furry. Weirdly, even this furry is offended by whats said to be going on in the school:

What a time to be alive.



Yesterday, over 70 students walked out of Mt. Nebo School to protest the school for letting "furries" to bite, bark, & lick them.



ABC even interviewed a "member of the furry community" (they/them) to give a comment about the situation: pic.twitter.com/zIMjoy9U9b  End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) April 18, 2024

Its important to point out here that the school district says that the students are not telling the truth. Sure, some students show up wearing little headbands and other indicators of their animal selves, but theyre not calling themselves furries, and theyre not assaulting anyone.

On Wednesday there was a student walkout at Mt. Nebo Middle School in Utah, allegedly over school policy that supports "Furries."



This video, created by conservative radio host Adam Bartholomew, has gone viral, after being reposted by by many right-leaning X accounts.



Problem pic.twitter.com/1TP1ilBeNy  Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) April 18, 2024

UPDATE: If these pictures are genuine, they imply more than the district is admitting:

BREAKING: Photos have surfaced of furries in Nebo School District in Utah. The media and a spokesperson for the school are claiming its not happening.



Definitely dont share this thing that we have photos of thats totally not happening!



Source of photos: @realericmoutsos https://t.co/aYZXDljpdE pic.twitter.com/Zq6Vis9WVL  Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) April 19, 2024



For now, Ill assume the story is true. I dont make that assumption solely for blog copy. I do so because, in todays America, it could so easily be true.

Just look at Libs of TikTok to see the endless number of videos showing bizarre, hyper-emotional teachers proudly bringing their sexual fetishes to the classroom to indoctrinate and get props from students aged two and up. The mere fact that the protesting students even know what furries are and that the older among them know what butt plugs are tells you that theres a problem.

The bigger point is that those people who think that their children are safe in conservative regions are deluding themselves. The problem doesnt start in the classrooms. It starts in Americas colleges and universities, especially in the teacher programs.

These are incubators for every racist, anti-Christian, antisemitic, anti-America, sexually fetishistic idea present in America. Once the college students are suitably indoctrinated, they take their newly minted credentials out into the world, where they spread these bizarre, hate-filled ideas into every school in America, no matter whether the school is Red or Blue.

One more thing: Most teachers are still women, and those who are not women are often very effeminate gay men. With that in mind, as well as remembering the general madness of leftist women since 2020, a friend reminded me of what George Orwell wrote in his masterpiece, 1984:
Once upon a time, the baroque levels of crime in Latin America was someone one merely read about.

From the "secuestro express;" to "Colombian neckties;" to "pozoleros," to nail traps on the highway to disable a car before a hijacking; to bombs and car bombs; to dead journalists and politicians; to ATM card readers stealing from bank accounts; to gang extortions of small businesses known as "la vacuna;" to dead bodies hanging from freeway overpasses with narco-banners; crime in Latin America has always been nasty and extensive.

With little to no rule of law, defense is a way of life -- from bulletproof cars, to gated communities, to lives that revolve around dinner parties with every guest known; to purses thrown into car trunks to prevent snatch-and-grab robberies by motorcycle thieves at stoplights; to wearing cheap wristwatches to deter snatch thieves; to personal security guards; it doesn't stop.

Official corruption comes with the package, too, from "la mordida" to "plata o plomo" takers of the plata.

One could go there, to places like Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and above all, Venezuela, and learn even more details about crime and defense from crime, but the picture is the same: Most countries in Latin America have or have had horrendous crime; a rule of law deficit that has created a low-trust society, and generally kept the region's spectacular tourism potential to a minimum.

One doesn't want that stuff here, but with Joe Biden's open border, we are getting that stuff here, particularly in California.

In Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Times reported this:

She was cruising the high, arcing ramp from the westbound 10 Freeway to the southbound 405 with a large bag of expensive jewelry in the passenger seat. It was Oct. 18, and jeweler Stacy Nolan Soper was headed home in a rented Nissan Rogue after visiting downtown L.A.s jewelry district, where she had picked up wares from a handful of businesses. Traffic slowed as she came down the ramp, and the car in front of her suddenly stopped. A man hopped out. She wondered if he needed help. Then she saw two other men in ski masks jump out after him. In a sickening flash, Soper realized: They are coming after me. Two of them came to her cars passenger side and began slashing its tires and smashing the windows. The other man stood at her open window waving something that she didnt recognize with certainty but may have been a knife. It seemed like [he] was going to attack me, said Soper. As she looked at him in terror, the others grabbed the jewelry from the passenger seat  worth more than $100,000  and ran back to their vehicle.

In San Francisco, the Marina Times reported this going on:

Numerous Mission businesses have come to me about Latino Task Force and Calle 24  extorted, threatened, gang members perched in their doorways  but each time I got close to writing the story the businesses feared retribution and backed out. Hope that changes now. DMs open. https://t.co/SYZXugrdbP  The Marina Times   (@TheMarinaTimes) April 17, 2024

And as I noted earlier, San Diego has become the site for actual Mexican cartel shootouts and gangs dissolving opponents in vats of acid, known as 'stewmakers.'

Let's not forget the professional thieves from Latin America now flying up here as burglary "tourists," conducting cat-burglar robberies of homes for loot to fence. who operate statewide but seem most active in Southern California.

All of these crimes, up until now, have been exclusively seen in Latin America.

What does that say about the picture here that our society is starting to look like what we see south of the border?

It's the consequences of Biden's open border, which is not a vetted immigration as in the past, but now unvetted immigration, taking in all comers, no matter how undesirable, treating all as if they are applicants for driver's licenses.

Number one, this change negates any asylum claims by illegal migrants who say they're coming here to flee from crime, or from gangs extorting them, as many do. In coming illegally, crime has come with them so the gangs are already here and waiting to extort them, too. No advantage there for them with that claim to be fleeing extortion. It's on a par with what economists say, which is that there is no free lunch.

Number two, the quality of our lives goes down too, and it's not just the illegal migrant driving down working class wages that's the problem. It's the emergence of the defensive measures in the absence of a working legal system where laws mean what they say. What emerges from this is the low-trust, low-social capital society of Latin America that U.S. Americans dread. That becomes out new normal because unchecked crime creates suspicion and defensive measures from those walled compounds, to personal security guards, to bulletproof cars and more.

Number three, the situation is not getting better, it's getting worse in fact as Biden's migrant pipeline continues to feed into the states. As it builds up, and crime worsens and grows more outrageous, the next step is that officials grow corrupt or get gunned down as is happening in Mexico, and finally, a low-trust, low social capital society where no one trusts his neighbors is the result.

Victor Davis Hanson has noted in the past that illegal immigration will stop in the U.S. as soon as the U.S. becomes as impoverished and corrupt and crime-infested as the places these migrants leave behind, which sounds like a lousy way to stop illegal migration but that's Democrat policy in action. When the equilibrum is reached, the migration will stop.

That shouldn't be the price we have to pay to stop the waves of illegal migration now rolling through our country in a grand Democrat plan to effectively replace the electorate.

Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License
Famously 'woke' Bank of America has been on the hot seat among a group of state attorneys general, who've demanded information about whom it debanks and why, charging that they target conservatives and faith communities.

According to Fox News:

Over a dozen Republican attorneys general are warning a major U.S. bank against alleged practices of "de-banking" certain customers because of their religious or political views. In a letter obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, along with 14 of his Republican colleagues told Bank of America CEO Brian T. Moynihan that the company "appears to be conditioning access to its services on customers having the banks preferred religious or political views." "Your discriminatory behavior is a serious threat to free speech and religious freedom, is potentially illegal, and is causing political and regulatory backlash," the letter sent Monday states. "Your bank needs to be transparent with and assure us, its shareholders, and others that it will not continue to de-bank customers for their speech or religious exercise," the AGs wrote.

They laid out a pretty persuasive case for debanking of various individuals, some of them pretty innocuous-sounding, such as a Memphis religious-based Africa aid group called Indigenous Advance. They've also debanked gun sellers, gun makers, fossil fuel companies, and companies that run private prisons, all entities with many conservatives in them.

In what looks like a direct political hit, they've found themselves in the news for debanking leading Constitutional scholar John Eastman without explanation after he had been a faithful customer for 40 years, who is well-known for serving as President Trump's lawyer and advisor during the events of January 6. USAA, another bank, this one known for serving the military community, also debanked Eastman without explanation, which looked pretty political.

The AGs' letter didn't cite that -- it cited reports that the bank handed over personal information on its customers, such as where they shopped, without a subpoena and without notifying them, to the FBI and Treasury investigators in some of their Biden-led quests for domestic 'terrorists' and 'extremists' on the right.

The letter notes that it's not just Bank of America -- seven of the top 10 banks are doing the same, including the top three, creating de facto social credit scores, like China has, and penalizing disfavored political and religious groups. But Bank of America, the letter argued, was more blatant about it and had a longer and more extensive history of it than most.

The AGs also noted that such behavior was against the law, and exposed the bank to substantial lawsuits.

Bank of America is exposing itself to numerous legal risks by engaging in de-banking. It is opening itself up to potential legal liability under consumer protection and antidiscrimination laws, and creating substantial regulatory and political risk from states that are already taking action to stop debanking.

Kris Kobach, the Kansas state attorney general who wrote the letter on behalf of attorneys general from 15 states, gave Fox this statement about the matter:

"Bank of Americas practice of canceling the bank accounts of conservatives and even turning over information about customers purchases to federal law enforcement undermines free speech, religious freedom, and the right to privacy," Kobach told Fox News Digital. "Its discriminatory and likely illegal. As state attorneys general, we will vigorously defend the constitutional rights of all Americans when they are threatened by big business."

The most interesting thing here is when Fox Digital decided to ask the banks some questions.

Questioned by Fox News about its practices, Bank of America denied it engaged in the practice of targeting religious and conservative customers, sounding weirdly Christopher Wray-like in its mild-mannered insistence that it would never do such a thing. Instead of sending the CEO or someone in power to say this to them, it sent a lowly 'media relations representative' to Fox to answer their queries.

Media relations representative, Bill Halldin, denied the claims in a statement saying, "Religious beliefs are not a factor in any account-closing decision."

Now, I would like to see the entire canned statement he made on the grounds that maybe he explicitly denied political persecution, too, but I can't imagine that Fox wouldn't print it if he did.

The lowly flak denied religious persecution but actually said nothing about political targeting, which by default suggests that maybe they do politically target their customers with all the financial data they collect on them, and can buy from other sources, too.

That presents a pretty ugly picture actually, and as the AGs noted, an illegal one, too, given federal laws against discrimination, plus all the bank bailouts with taxpayer cash they have been given, along with federal support for all kinds of banking needs. They should be a public-spirited and nonpartisan company, yet it's strange that they are not.

Maybe it's not them who are doing this.

Banks are highly sensitive, highly regulated entities so this suggests is that Joe Biden's White House is putting the political squeeze on them in the style of: 'Do this, or we will have regulators all over your Monopoly-man keister.'

That they didn't say anything about not politically monitoring their customers may mean that the main living corpse of politics, Joe Biden, is behind this, because we all know that he does target political opponents, everything from cheating in elections to fostering Zuckerbucks, to giving marching orders to social media platforms, to meeting with state prosecutors and giving them the 'go fetch' instructions to Get Trump. The latest news is that Eric Ciaramella, the so-called whistleblower of the first Trump impeachment, was deep in bed with the Biden camp well before that 'whistleblower' shot was fired to protect Hunter Biden and his corrupt dealings in Ukraine and take down Trump.

That USAA is also accused of this behavior suggests political persecution directed by the White House even more, because they aren't a wokester bank and seek out conservative customers, largely marketing themselves by waving the American flag.

All of a sudden, they're targeting conservatives, too?

So in a way, it looks as if Bank of America may have let the cat out of the bag about banks' political targeting of customers, which does indeed open it to lawsuits and certainly doesn't help its own reputation or its business with half the customer base of the country. A smart executive would steer clear of such practices, but somehow BoA does not, and it doesn't even deny it to Fox Digital, which would seem like a no-brainer if they weren't.

This points to political marching orders from the White House, in illegal business meddling, crony capitalism, and corporate statism of the worst kind. The banks ought to resist it to protect themselves, but let's just say they're no Elon Musk challenging Brazil.

It may mean that they have no fear of lawsuits because Biden is 'protecting' them.

Which paints a really ugly picture of the rot in the banking system and the state AGs should spare no expense in trying to get to the bottom of what's really going on here. Who is targeted? How do they pick whom to target? Why do they not care about potential lawsuits?

The trail through wokester banks they find may well lead to Joe Biden's White House.

Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License
In a world defined by lies from the left, as long as systems seem to function, its very easy for ordinary people trying to live their lives to put their heads down and shut out the evil around them. But as COVID showed, we cant do this anymore.

Dr. Aseem Malhotras banned-from-YouTube speech to the Helsinki court makes for interesting reading. Hes a British consultant cardiologist with great credentials and a necessary convert from staunchly defending the COVID vaccine to being a scrupulous investigator. Hes now a vocal anti-vaxxer. What converted him was watching his healthy father, who took the vaccine after Malhotrawho was himself vaccinatedtold him it was safe, precipitously die of a heart attack some months after the shots. Malhotras father had no prior history of heart disease. Malhotra initially blamed British medical transport services, which took half an hour to reach his father. It was only by listening to growing evidence from practicing doctors that he began to suspect the vaccine.

I still try to understand how easily the wool was pulled over the eyes of esteemed medical professionals, who ought to have known better. Much of the medical profession still ignores the facts. My own doctor asks, Are you up to date on your vaccinations? every time I talk with him. This is symptomatic of the propaganda-machine-induced blindness of the populace at large. I can only hope that we have learned enough from this ongoing debacle to pay attention and question the next big thing that comes down the chain of command to ruin our lives medically.

Image by AI.

During the shutdown, I contemplated how, using propaganda similar to the COVID campaign, the German people were so easily gulled into embracing genocidal antisemitism. Id had some personal experience with such discrimination on a job. As I see the re-emergent, ugly hatred now coming from Palestinian sympathizers, who marched in lock-step to shut down the highways and bridges across America while spewing blind, unreasoning hatred, I see how easily we factionalize our people into the various irrational hatred groups.

When my kids were kids, their public school started its diversity campaign. Even then, nearly 30 years back, I could see it as dangerous. We have always been a country proud to be a melting pot, so why pick out this or that group to extoll over another? We worked so hard to eliminate discrimination, only to purposely reinstate it by shifting the targets around to suit a narrative that has evolved over time. Currently, we put black culture on a pedestal, embrace LGBTQ culture over hetero, hate white men especially, and denigrate the family and middle America relentlessly. Everything we know is turned on its head, truth becomes a lie, transparently dumb pursuits have become standard, intelligent thought is stifled, and individuality condemned.

The net result is that we can no longer be proud of our country. When I read that Mayorkas is in bed with a Soros-funded group advising illegal aliens to votefor Biden, of courseIm not surprised. When I see our congress and our Supreme Court impotent against obvious traitorous activity such as this, Im not surprised.

When I see our former President dragged through the mud while the Biden family gets a pass, Im not surprised.

When I see the local DA release violent criminals while proud patriots are imprisoned for years for protesting an obviously rigged election, Im no longer surprised.

The ugly gets uglier, and its time to stop being impotent and for the good guys to do something about it all. We are, I think, still the majority in this country.

I keep looking for the masterminds behind all the evil. Someone to blame, someone to fightbut they are like vapor. They are smart enough to foment anger, create rank misery, encourage divisive behavior and violence, destroy our great country, and then hide in the background. My imagination goes wild, searching for some understanding of how any group of humans could become so vile and ugly in thought and action. I would think such ugliness would consume their minds and rot their bodies, yet I know there are plenty of power-mad rats in the world.

What I cant get beyond is the thought that the rest of usyou know, the normal among uskeep our eyes closed and keep voting them into power, allowing them to subvert our elections and our country.

Remember Bush the Elders thousand points of light? I think we have to step up, each of us, especially the young and energetic among us, and pull back the veil in every way we can. Join election integrity groups and juries, run for local office, and hound elected officials to do the right thing.

If not us, then who? We cant just wait for Trump or see him as a savior. He wont be. Its the rest of us who have to save ourselves.
Ms. Riddhi Patel, a pro-Palestinian protestor, has come to epitomize the cowardice of demonstrators engaging in vile threats and intimidation tactics.

She proved to have quite a sewer mouth while screaming death threats at city council members in Bakersfield, California. A self-styled radical, Ms. Patel appeared to demand protection for a murderous gang of thugs, Hamas, by calling for a Ceasefire Now resolution.

It came as a shock to Ms. Patel when the council did make a decision, but not the one she had in mind. Her intimidation tactics -- including a reference to bringing back the guillotine to kill all you mother#ckers (presumably legislators) -- resulted in her arrest in council chambers. The young radical lost her bluster at the time of pre-trail booking and was filmed dissolving into uncontrollable sobbing. She is facing 18 felony counts, and bail is set at $1 million (later reduced).

The problem is that Patel thought she had a free pass to use the ugliest tactics, never thinking she would be held accountable. Perhaps she pushed the council members to their limit by suggesting: Well (protestors) see you at your house, and leaving nothing to the imagination added: Well murder you.

It was as if Patel was giving a sermon on the mount while in council chambers, believing she held the moral high ground. I dont have faith youll do this, Patel said referring to the Ceasefire proclamation. You guys are all horrible human beings, and Jesus probably wouldve killed you himself.

How quickly Patel underwent a transformation. First, shes a determined humanist demanding a ceasefire, and then she turns into a modern-day frothing Robespierre: After all, she did suggest killing all you mother#ckers, presumably legislators, with the restoration of the guillotine.

Such behavior demands a closer scrutiny of Patels short-lived but colorful resume. She was a passionate, but more restrained climate justice warrior with the non-profit Center on Race, Poverty and Environment (CRPE). Apparently, her rant didnt sit well with her colleagues who do not condone violence. She was dismissed from her position this week. They will have to carry on the climate justice fight -- which disproportionately impacts communities of color -- without their fiery colleague.

Patel remains in jail, but she doesnt need to worry about her brothers and sisters in arms carrying on the pro-Palestinian battle. They, too, remain blissfully ignorant of siding with fascist regimes who hate them and their Western morality.

This was particularly in evidence when the phony peaceniks, not a group to give the public a respite, came out in true solidarity with Irans attack last weekend. They conveniently overlooked the potential loss of civilian life, as Iran started raining down hundreds of cruise missiles and aerial drones on Israel. The pro-Palestinian protestors flooded social media sites with comments befitting of cheerleading warmongers yearning for the complete destruction of Israel.

Many of them sounding as bloodthirsty and deluded as Patel. One pro-Palestinian columnist, Asa Winstanley, who runs Electronic Intifada, described Irans attack as a humanitarian intervention, according to Spiked Magazine. She sent a thank you note to Iran, failing to recognize the regimes rampant cruelty toward dissidents and persecution of gays. Ms. Winstanley is much safer praising Irans attack on Israel from a distance rather than attempting an in-person suicidal bond with the warmongering Islamists.

All things considered, Patel and her group-think protestors are sterling examples of the end result of wokeness. Its as if they were primed at the pump of college indoctrination -- being taught to hate their own societies -- making them moral Muppets whose strings are being pulled by uniquely cruel and malevolent societies.

Image: Johann Jaritz
Uri Berliner wrote an essay for The Free Press, a Democrat-run outlet pushing back against the partys increasing Maoism, in which he excoriated the fact that taxpayer-funded NPR has stopped even pretending to report political news. Instead, he explained, it shapes the news to align with Democrat party values (confirming what conservatives have long known). NPR got huffy about the whole thing, very publicly refuted Berliners contentions, and suspended him for five days without pay. On Wednesday, Berliner announced that he had left NPR, and did so in a way that makes it possible for him to sue the institution.

If youre just catching up on the whole Berliner saga, Berliners original essay is here. In my analysis, I admit to being a bit jaded. I noted out that, while Berliner is correct that NPR is not an honest reporter about core national issues, he is still enmeshed in leftist shibboleths.

Thats rather amazing when you think about it. Most people, once aware that theyre dealing with dishonest brokers, view askance everything those brokers sellbut not Berliner. He still buys into the leftist narrative about race and Trump, and Im sure he does on such issues as transgenderism, the border, and other leftist issues and values. Hes only halfway down the road to Damascus. Still, his views may still change.

Image by Andrea Widburg.

Thats because, typically for leftists, once the expose hit the news, the powers that be at NPR didnt pause for a moment of self-reflection. Instead, they attacked.

NPRs chief news executive, Edith Chapin, promptly wrote a memo to staff insisting that NPRs policy of inclusionis critical to telling the nuanced stories of this country and our world. She also accused Berliner of being profoundly disrespectful. Meanwhile, the new CEO, Katherine Maher, wrote a public message about the wonders of NPR, insisting that its keeping the public trust. Its possible to read those messages as attacks on Berliners credibility.

While NPRs female leaders were trying to convince the world of their intellectual probity, NPR suspended Berliner for five days without pay. That happened even as people started examining Mahers values, which were an amusing revelation of every Democrat shibboleth, as well as being a concerning window into the kind of people in charge at NPR.

On Wednesday, Berliner finally had enough and let the world know that hed quit:

My resignation letter to NPR CEO @krmaher pic.twitter.com/0hafVbcZAK  Uri Berliner (@uberliner) April 17, 2024

Let me repeat his message:

I am resigning from NPR, a great American institution where I have worked for 25 years. I dont support calls to defund NPR. I respect the integrity of my colleagues and wish for NPR to thrive and do important journalism. But I cannot work in a newsroom where I am disparaged by a new CEO whose divisive views confirm the very problems at NPR I cite in my Free Press essay.

Berliner's claim that Maher disparaged him speaks volumes, as it sets up Berliners lawsuit against Maher and NPR for defamation. That would be fun. Of course, given that Berliner attacked NPR for abandoning journalistic ethics, Im confused that he still respect[s] the integrity of [his] colleagues. Some of them, maybe, but all of them?

However, theres another interesting legal question lurking here. One could say that the suspension and verbal abuse in response to Berliners revealing NPRs inner secrets drove Berliner to quit. That matters because NPR isnt just another corporation. Instead, it was established by an act of Congress and receives almost 40% of its funding from taxpayers. This means that it isnt an ordinary non-profit but, instead, can be viewed as a quasi-governmental entity.

Given that NPR is a government organization both in origin and funding, I would argue that unique status means that its subject to the Whistleblower Protection Act (5 U.S.C.  1201 et seq.). That holds that people who work for the governmentand NPR employees sort of docannot be subject to retaliation when they speak out about illegal conduct, mismanagement, the gross waste of funds, or the abuse of authority. It would be very interesting to see Berliner include a whistleblower claim in any action he files against NPR.

Ultimately, Berliners stand isnt going to change much at NPRthat is, it wont change much unless Trump wins and has a Republican-majority Congress at his side. Even if Maher is replaced as a PR move, the problem isnt Maher. Someoneindeed, many someoneshired her. Thus, the problem is the institution itself, and a Democrat-dominated federal government will never touch it while you keep paying for it.
In the eyes of liberals, there is only one thing worse than Christian nationalism. It is White Christian nationalism. The addition of the adjective White supercharges the expression with vitriol and power, turning its followers (especially if they are male) into something everyone should love to hate.

Judging from the liberal media uproar, the dangers of White Christian Nationalism (WCN) are immense. It is systemic, found everywhere inside the culture and governing structures of American society. Should something like this triumph, it will be the end of American democracy.

People would think that this White Christian Nationalism, being such a broad and imminent threat, must have many ways of expressing itself and exerting its enormous influence over the population. It must have an articulate doctrine and a means of diffusing itself into every sector of society. It must have books, publications, think-tanks and political organizations building its cause -- a power base proportional to this overwhelming influence.

However, no vast network of influence exists. Apart from racist fringe groups with no projection, there is nothing in real America that even remotely matches the description or even uses the WCN name. No local WCN chapters exist. Most people cannot name a White Christian nationalist or say they know one personally. They also cannot recall growing up under this influence or hearing of its existence.

Indeed, to use the language of the liberals waxing hysterical over WCN, this danger is a social construct that exists much more in their superheated imaginations than in the public square. The expression serves to malign anyone who questions the woke agenda or takes their religion seriously. It is not meant to describe reality.

The May 2024 issue of First Things has a very revealing feature article on the myth of this ghostly giant movement. Author Kenneth Westward makes the point that most scholars, including those on the Left, are hard-pressed to define a White Christian nationalist, much less locate one.

However, these scholars are unconcerned. Those studying the issue reduce WCN to a narrative more than a movement. It is a kind of angst felt by left-behind White workers who want to assert their identity. It is best kept unmeasured in the realm of feelings and anger, not principles. There is no need to find organized programs or lobby groups with political connections to give it physical existence.

Things get even more uncomfortably vague when liberals are asked how to determine if a person is a WCN partisan. Someone can end up with the label by agreeing with a few general statements about the role of government.

One survey, for example, asks people if they think the government should declare the U.S. a Christian nation, advocate Christian values, enforce strict separation of Church and state, allow prayer in public schools, display religious symbols in public spaces or consider the success of America as part of Gods plan.

Depending on how one answers the questions and the sympathy that some secular people might have for Christian values, the respondents can be Black, agnostic, or globalist and be surprised to find themselves on the WCN membership rolls.

The number of WCN members is likewise vague and unquantified. Based on these same questions above, some alarmists calculate that 51.9 percent of Americans are full or partial WCN supporters. Most of these poor victims (half the countrys population) probably do not know of their WCN affiliation, but that does not matter. It only adds to the savage mystery of it all.

More reasonable pollsters using a similar survey note that only 10 percent fully agree with all its questions, while another 19 percent agree with reservations. The wide-ranging numbers suggest that no one knows who these WCN people are and how many exist. For liberals, these details are better kept shrouded in mystery.

Politically, liberals use WCN as a social construct to help them explain the 2016 victory of Donald Trump and frame the upcoming elections. However, it is really a socialist construct since it creates a class struggle narrative of resentful white oppressors in the face of a class of woke oppressed.

Thus, the WCN moniker must be rejected for what it is: a social (and socialist) construct without foundation in reality that shifts the debate away from the serious existential questions and principles that need to be discussed for the nation's future. This debate must also include those Christian values that are so vilified by those promoting the use of WCN.

Image: Marius Aune
Brandon Lingle covers technology, cybersecurity and aerospace for the Express-News. You can reach him at Brandon.Lingle@express-news.net.

Before writing for the Business team, he was an Editorial Board member and opinion columnist. Brandon joined the paper in 2020 as a Report for America fellow. He came to journalism after more than 20 years in the Air Force.
Amazon has insisted that its Just Walk Out platform isnt powered by human workers. The company hasnt claimed that its contactless payment and cashier-less technology was entirely devoid of human technicians or manual review.

Amazon Just Walk Out didnt have backend remote workers?

Amazon has been gradually deploying stores that didnt have attendants and cashiers. The company had installed multiple cameras and sensors that could read customers shopping carts and charge them automatically. Artificial Intelligence or AI was supposed to be powering the Just Walk Out technology.

However, earlier this month, several reports suggested Amazons Just Walk Out technology wasnt truly AI-powered. They suggested Amazon had been employing around 1000 workers in India to do the heavy lifting.

This backend staff essentially watched people shop inside Amazons Just Walk Out stores, these reports claimed. These remote workers allegedly reviewed the purchases manually. Some of the reports added Amazons workers had to review about 70% or 700 of every 1,000 transactions in 2022.

Amazon says on its website that Just Walk Out uses computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep learning but doesnt mention contractors. The company told Gizmodo that the workers were annotating videos to help improve them and that they validated a small minority of shopping  Shashank (@randomdalit) April 17, 2024

This may suggest Amazon wasnt truly relying on AI. However, the e-commerce giant insists these reports are erroneous. The company isnt denying the presence and use of actual humans in the technology.

Amazon has claimed that human workers helped with annotating AI-generated and real shopping data. The manual labor helped improve the Just Walk Out system, not run it entirely.

Dilip Kumar, the vice president of AWS Applications has stated that human labor helped improve and train the AI that powered the Just Walk Out technology.

Amazon Dash Cart is the future?

Amazon Dash Cart is the companys smart shopping cart, which has cameras, sensors, and scanners. This bundle of technology allows shoppers to quickly ring up their purchases and save time.

Amazon insists the Just Walk Out tech is merely an advanced version of the Amazon Dash Cart. It uses the same advanced, computer vision technology as Just Walk Out, claimed Dilip.

Just Walk Out technology detects when a shoppers hand interacts with a product on the shelf. When that happens, Machine Learning (ML) algorithms make sure the correct item is added to the shoppers virtual cartall without any specific knowledge about the person.

While dropping its Just Walk Out cashierless tech from its own stores, Amazon says it is expanding the list of other retailers that use it https://t.co/UZ8r2N3Zoj  Bloomberg Asia (@BloombergAsia) April 17, 2024

The human element, which Amazon has admitted is part of the Just Walk Out technology, helps with labeling and annotation steps. These remote workers, dont watch live video of shoppers to generate receipts, Amazon has stated.

It seems, as with most of the AI and ML algorithms, Amazon too uses human reviewers. It is a fact that the majority of AI projects have a human element. In fact, in several cases, humans are mandatory to ensure the AI is doing its job correctly.

Exciting news for shoppers! Amazon's not giving up on its Just Walk Out technology, planning to sell it to over 120 third-party businesses by the end of the year!  Just Walk Out uses cameras, AI, and sensor trackers to let customers grab what they want and leave if they pic.twitter.com/eY3uUzpAia  Unusual Markets (@UnusualMarkets) April 17, 2024

Amazon claims customers prefer Amazon Dash Cart, and it will start embedding the technology in third-party retailers and all Amazon Fresh stores. The company had recently indicated it would ditch the technology, at least in the US. However, it had stated that data concerns were holding the technology back.
Samsung may have finalized the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6s component suppliers. According to the Korean media, the company will keep the same suppliers for the ultra-thin glass (UTG) substrate and its back-end processing orders for the new foldables. The devices are expected to arrive in July.

Samsung finalizes its UTG partners for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6

Galaxy foldables feature an extremely thin layer of glass in the display assembly. It adds some strength to the flexible display. Since the third-gen models in 2021, South Korean firms Econy and Dowoo Insys have been handling the back-end processing orders for the UTG panels for Samsung foldables. They remain Samsungs partners for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6.

Like last year, Dowoo Insys will work on the UTG panel for the Fold model, while Econy will handle the job for the Flip. Back-end processing for UTG involves thinning the UTG substrate supplied by the vendor and cutting plates according to the display size. Samsung will provide them with the dimensions and other info on the folding displays for the new foldables.

According to The Elec, the Galaxy Z Fold 6s UTG panel will feature Schotts substrate. The Galaxy Z Flip 6, on the other hand, will use Cornings UTG substrate. All of these firms are part of Samsungs supply chain. Corning and Econy are part of the smartphone divisions supply chain, while Schott and Dowoo Insys are part of the display divisions supply chain.

Samsungs smartphone division also has another Korean firm UTI as its back-end processing partner. However, UTIs etching technology reportedly isnt up to the mark, so Samsung didnt sign it up for the Galaxy Z Flip 6. UTI has several Chinese smartphone companies as its customers, though the report doesnt specify whether it handles back-end processing for any foldable device.

Samsung may have more foldable smartphones in the pipeline

Samsung may launch more than two foldable smartphones this year. Alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6, there are also strong rumors about the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Ultra. Additionally, the Korean firm may also be working on two low-cost foldables. They could be called Galaxy Z Fold FE and Galaxy Z Flip FE. The FE in Samsungs product branding stands for Fan Edition. These devices usually offer a mix of flagship features and affordability. Time will tell how much truth is in these rumors.
Google has fired 28 employees for participating in sit-in protests against the companys contract with the Israeli government. This came shortly after the police arrested nine workers staging the protests. The arrests were made on trespassing charges as some workers protested in Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurians office.

Google employees arrested for protesting against it

The protests in Google offices began on Tuesday morning. Employees in the companys New York and Sunnyvale, California offices staged a sit-in protesting its involvement in Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion cloud contract with the Israeli government. Signed in 2021, the project also involves Amazon and provides cloud computing services to government agencies in Israel.

The protestors wanted Google to pull out of Project Nimbus because of Israels war on Gaza. They wore shirts that read Googler against genocide. Google initially suspended the protestors, revoked their access to the building, and asked them to leave. After they refused, the company called the police. Five workers from Sunnyvale and four from New York were arrested after about eight hours of protest.

The police also first asked the protestors to exit the building, saying that it would be a non-issue if they obliged. But the Googlers didnt oblige, leading to the arrests. Videos of the arrests were live-streamed on social media. Listen, well let you walk out the door right now  its a non-issue if youre willing to go. If not, youre going to be arrested for trespassing, a New York City police officer can be heard saying in a video.

Cheyne Anderson, a Google Cloud software engineer arrested by the police, said Google shouldnt sign deals with governments. On a personal level, I am opposed to Google taking any military contracts  no matter which government theyre with or what exactly the contract is about, Anderson told CNBC.  Google is an international company and no matter which military its with, there are always going to be people on the receiving end represented in Googles employee base and also our user base.

Google says Project Nimbus is not related to the Israeli military

Opposition to Project Nimbus isnt new. There have been several internal protests against this deal since 2021. Workers from Google and Amazon formed a coalition to launch a campaign called No Tech for Apartheid against the project. However, Google says Project Nimbus is not related to the Israeli military. Instead, it offers commercial cloud services to Israeli government ministries. The deal does not involve sensitive or military workloads.

We have been very clear that the Nimbus contract is for workloads running on our commercial cloud by Israeli government ministries, who agree to comply with our Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy, said Anna Kowalczyk, the external communications manager for Google Cloud. This work is not directed at highly sensitive, classified, or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services.

The protestors, meanwhile alleged that Google ignored their demands. Google has ignored our demands, stifled internal discussion, openly lied, and committed flagrant acts of retaliation against workers merely for speaking up against the companys military contract with the genocidal and apartheid regime of Israel, said Mohammad Khatami, a Google software engineer. Project Nimbus is a major workplace health and safety concern for Googlers.

Google later fired those employees

While the police released the arrested Google employees after a few hours, the company continued its retaliation. It fired 28 employees who participated in the protests. However, according to Googlers with the No Tech for Apartheid campaign, some of the employees fired by the tech giant werent directly involved in the protests. They alleged the firm valued a genocidal government more than its workers.

This evening, Google indiscriminately fired 28 workers, including those among us who did not directly participate in yesterdays historic, bicoastal 10-hour sit-in protests. This flagrant act of retaliation is a clear indication that Google values its $1.2 billion contract with the genocidal Israeli government and military more than its own workersthe ones who create real value for executives and shareholders, they said in a statement to Android Headlines.

Googlers also alleged that the company avoided confronting them and addressing their concerns directly. They accused Google of illegal, retaliatory firings and trying to justify its actions with a lie. The group cited a report from TIME saying that Google has built custom tools for Israels military. The company has also allegedly doubled down on contracting with the Israeli Occupational Forces since the onset of the war on Gaza.
Update: Google has reached out with a comment in regards to the SoumniBot.

Based on our current detection, no apps containing this malware are found on Google Play. Android users are automatically protected agains t known versions of this malware by Google Play Protect, which is on by default on Android devices with Google Play Services. Google Play Protect can warn users or block apps known to exhibit malicious behavior, even when those apps come from sources outside of Play.

Another day, another trojan is on the loose, targeting Android users. This time, the SoumniBot was found, and some pretty clever tricks were used to avoid detection. Currently, its mainly targeting users in South Korea by leveraging weaknesses in the manifest extraction and parsing procedure.

As you might or might not know, every Android app comes with a manifest XML file, which is located in the root directory and declares the various components of the app, as well as the permissions and hardware and software features it requires. Because this is so widely known, threat hunters typically commence their analysis by inspecting the apps manifest file to determine its behavior.

Its important to note that this method has been adopted by threat actors associated with several Android banking trojans since April 2023. Additionally, SoumniBot also misrepresents the archived manifest file size, providing a value that exceeds the actual figure because the uncompressed file is directly copied, with the manifest parser ignoring the rest of the overlay data.

Kaspersky researcher Dmitry Kalinin stated that this malware is notable for its unconventional approach to evading analysis and detection. Kalinin has also said, Although any unpacker that correctly implements compression method validation would consider a manifest like that invalid, the Android APK parser recognizes it correctly and allows the application to be installed.

SoumniBot will be invisible once your device is infected

Like many other trojans that affect Android devices, SoumniBot will hide its icon after installation, making it more difficult to remove. But it does remain active int he background, uploading data from the victim.

Kaspersky goes into more detail about this Android Trojan, as well as providing some indicators of compromise, so you can protect yourself and your device(s). The reason for Kaspersky to detail the techniques used by this Trojan is so that researchers around the world are aware of the tactic and can put together resolutions to keep SoumniBot from causing more havoc.
The Sony Xperia 1 VI launch event will seemingly take place next month, as the date has just been tipped. A poster leaked on Weibo (shown below the article), suggesting that the phone will become official on May 17. Thats a Friday, in case you were wondering.

The Xperia 1 VI launch date seemingly revealed, as the phone is expected to arrive next month

Do note that the poster itself does not specifically mention the Xperia 1 VI. However, its that time of year, and when it comes to Xperia devices, there are not many phones Sony is willing to host events for.

That being said, weve exclusively shared the design of the Xperia 1 VI quite recently. The phone will look similar to last years model, but it will be a bit shorter and a bit wider. Sony is changing the display aspect ratio from 21:9 to around 19.5:9.

In other words, the overall size will be more similar to regular smartphones. Sonys phones have been very tall and narrow for quite some time now. The phone will measure roughly 161.9 x 74.5 x 8.4mm. It will include a 6.5-inch panel, and retain bezels above and below the display. Sony simply refuses to include a display camera hole.

It will include three cameras on the back, and retain a headphone jack

The Xperia 1 VI will have a flat display, with flat sides, and three cameras on the back. Those cameras will be vertically aligned in the top-left corner of the phones back. Sonys logo will also be present on the back.

Whats also interesting is that the phone will retain a headphone jack. It will be located at the top. The Xperia 1 VI will be made out of metal and glass, as expected.

Based on rumors, the Xperia 1 VI may give up the 4K display for a QHD+ panel. It will surely be an AMOLED panel with an adaptive refresh rate that will go up to 120Hz, though.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 will almost certainly fuel the Xperia 1 VI. Were also expecting to see at least 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM inside the phone.
Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra, and both watches have some exciting new features that are sure to capture the attention of anyone looking for a new smartwatch. Whether its going to be your first smartwatch or an upgrade, both the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra are prime picks. Packed with features including Samsungs Galaxy AI tech, these new smartwatches have a lot to offer the consumer looking for a new wrist-worn companion.

That being said, there are a lot of important details about each watch that youll want to be privy to. Heres the good news. Even though theres a lot to learn about Samsungs latest wearables, weve laid it all out for you right here. From pricing to specs to features and availability, everything you need to know about the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra can be found right here in this post. So lets dig in and learn about two of the hottest new smartwatches on the market.

What are the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra?

These are Samsungs newest smartwatches to hit the market and a nice upgrade from the previous models. They connect to your smartphone and offer plenty of companion features to help you do things hands-free. Each also offers something a little different. And depending on what you want out of a smartwatch, one of them should fit your needs.

For example, if you want something super smart but dont need the extra bells and whistles, go with the Galaxy Watch 7. If you want something thats more suitable for outdoor adventures and has a tougher build quality, go with the Galaxy Watch Ultra.

What will each watch cost?

Smartwatches vary in price from brand to brand and from model to model. The nice thing about Samsungs Galaxy Watches is that they always tend to stick around similar prices to previous models. Although, things are a tiny bit different this year.

The Galaxy Watch 7 will stick to a respectable and affordable $299. Now this is a starting price, too. So keep that in mind. The price will go up if you decide to go for the larger size watch, and if you decide to go with the cellular model as opposed to the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth-only option.

As for the Galaxy Watch Ultra, itll retail for one flat price of $649. It only comes in one size variant and only in a cellular option. So there are no price variances here. Another thing to keep in mind is that these are prices that will be directly from Samsung, as well as other retailers. However, there will be offers available from some retailers that may knock this price down a bit for you. So be sure to check if the retailer you plan to buy from has any of these offers available. For example, there may be trade-in offers you can take advantage of.

And some places, like carriers, might have options to split up the payments if the watch is added to a data line.

When are the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra available?

If youre looking to buy one of these, then this is the best part. Samsung is making these watches available very, very soon. In fact, you can pre-order both of them starting today, July 10. As for the official launch date, as in when you can buy one and have it shipped right away, this should be later this month. Samsung hasnt confirmed specific launch dates. Having said that, at least one carrier, Verizon, has mentioned a launch date for the Galaxy Ring.

Itll be available from Verizon on July 24. And since the Galaxy Ring, Galaxy Watch 7, and Galaxy Watch Ultra all have the same July 10 pre-order dates, there is a good chance that both new watches will launch on this date as well. Again though, this is not confirmed and merely speculation on our part.

Where you can buy the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra?

As to be expected, the usual suspects apply here. You can pre-order, and eventually buy the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra directly from Samsung. Specifically from Samsungs website. You can also purchase either watch or both watches from a variety of different retail partners. As is the case with every new Samsung Galaxy Watch the company launches each year.

Samsung is, of course, a global company, too. So which retail partners have these new watches will depend on where you live in the world and what retailers you have there. For the US, the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra will be available from the following retailers:

Galaxy Watch 7

Galaxy Watch Ultra

What are the specs?

Both the Galaxy Watch 7 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra have some specs that are similar to last years Galaxy Watch 6 series devices, but many of the specs have been updated or improved.

Galaxy Watch 7

Starting with the Galaxy Watch 7, the watch comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes, with a display size of 1.3 inches for the 40mm watch and 1.5 inches for the 44mm. Both sizes are using a Super AMOLED panel and have their displays protected by Sapphire Crystal Glass.

In terms of the processor, the Galaxy Watch 7 is running on Samsungs all-new W1000 chipset with 2GB of RAM and now 32GB of storage compared to the 16GB on the Galaxy Watch 6. For the battery, youre looking at a 300mAh battery in the 40mm model and a slightly larger 425mAh battery in the 44mm model. Both of these should provide ample battery life on a single charge. However, the 44mm model will likely last a bit longer.

Both of these sizes also support Fast Charging and they come running on Wear OS 5 with Samsung One UI 6 Watch software on top. In terms of connectivity, the Galaxy Watch 7 can connect through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, as well as LTE if you get the LTE variant. The watch also features NFC, GPS (L1 + L5), GLONASS, Beidou, and Galileo. Youll also find a wide range of sensors for tracking including Samsungs BioActive sensor, a temperature sensor, a barometer, an accelerometer, a gyro sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, and a light sensor.

The Galaxy Watch 7 also has a 5ATM + IP68/ MIL-STD-810H rating for water and dust resistance and military-grade drop protection. In terms of weight, both watches are pretty light. The 40mm model weighs 28.8 grams and the 44mm model weighs 33.8 grams.

Galaxy Watch Ultra

For the Galaxy Watch Ultra, many of the specs are the same, including the sensors, RAM and storage amounts, the Sapphire Crystal Glass, fast charging support, and software versions. The Galaxy Watch Ultra differs in plenty of areas too though. For example, it has a much larger capacity battery at 590mAh. Its also a larger watch overall at 47mm, although the display size is the same as the 44mm Galaxy Watch 7 at 1.5 inches.

Samsung has also bumped up the protection ratings on this model, going from 5ATM to 10ATM41, giving it the ability to be used during ocean swimming and making it operation temperature/altitude guaranteed. Additionally, it weighs 60.5 grams.

What colors do the watches come in and how many will there be?

Samsung has mostly kept things the same here and is offering each watch in multiple colors. In fact, each watch comes in three colors in total. For now at least. Samsung may offer more colors later on as it sometimes does. But for the time being, you can get the Galaxy Watch 7 in three colors, and the Galaxy Watch Ultra in three colors.

Which colors you have to choose from, however, depends on which watch you get. The Galaxy Watch 7 will come in Green and Cream for the 40mm size, and Green and Silver for the 44mm size. The Galaxy Watch Ultra meanwhile, will come in Titanium Silver, Titanium Gray, and Titanium White, and theres only one size at 47mm.

Are there any deals available?

There are most certainly deals available on both smartwatches and these will vary based on where you pre-order. With that said, many of these deals may only be available during the pre-order period. This is something that you will want to check when you go to pick one up, as the pre-order period ends on July 23 since the full launch of both watches is July 24.

During the pre-order period which started July 10, Samsung is offering the Galaxy Watch Ultra for $600 instead of its regular price of $650. If you have an older smartwatch to trade in though, you can save up to an additional $350. So its worth considering trading in your old watch as you can end up getting this new one for about half off.

For the Galaxy Watch 7, you can pick up the 40mm for $250 instead of $300, and the 44mm for $280 instead of $330. The trade-in offers are available for this watch as well, allowing you to save up to an additional $225 depending on the watch youre trading in.

What are the new features?

While most of the features are returning from last year, Samsung has baked some new and improved features into its latest offerings. The most notable of these is the Galaxy AI software. What this does on the new watches includes powering a new sleep algorithm that can tell you a handful of different things. For example, it can tell you how long it takes you to fall asleep and what you can do to stay asleep if youve been having trouble with it.

Both new watches also now include the Sleep Apnea monitoring that Samsung got approved by the FDA earlier this year. Sleep Apnea can lead to some serious issues and these new watches are now capable of helping you notice if you might be suffering from this disorder.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra has some new features that are unique to it. A new Quick Button on the side of the watch allows you to quickly start and pause activities on the fly. So say youve started a run and the watch is now tracking that activity. if you need to abruptly stop you can hit the Quick Button to pause this tracking. You can instantly initiate and control other workout activities as well depending on what youre doing. And the Quick Button can be used to activate the Emergency Siren for safety issues.

Do the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra have any accessories?

There will certainly be more in time, not to mention quite a few more coming from third-party brands. Right off the bat, youll be able to find some accessories directly from Samsung. This includes a number of different band options for each watch model. Eventually, there may also be accessories like cases from Spigen that go around the body of the Galaxy Watch 7, just as there was for the Galaxy Watch 6.

You may also be able to find screen protectors for both watches at some point as well. For now, it seems like youll only find additional band options, and currently only from Samsung. But there should be some popping up on Amazon and other retailers in due time.

Galaxy Watch Ultra

Galaxy Watch 7

Will my old watch bands work with the new Galaxy Watch 7 and/or Galaxy Watch Ultra?

Normally, the answer to this question would be yes. Samsungs past watches have worked with the bands from previous models for at least the past few years. Samsung has generally only updated the mechanism that locks the band into place while keeping the size of the fit the same. This year appears to potentially be different.

On the companys website, searching for accessories for either watch leads right to the watch band page. And if you add the filters for Galaxy Watch 7 and/or Galaxy Watch Ultra compatibility, only the new bands that were unveiled today alongside the new watches appear. At the moment its not entirely clear if some of the older bands will work with these new watches. So youll want to double-check when going to buy one.

That being said, some of the bands for the Galaxy Watch 7 also appear to have the same attachment mechanism as last years bands with the one-click button attachment. So there is a chance older bands will work. Again, though, make sure to double-check before buying something so you dont have to end up returning it if it isnt compatible.

Are these new watches waterproof?

Both watches are water-resistant and should have no trouble getting wet. There is an important distinction to make about this though. The Galaxy Watch 7 comes with a 5ATM + IP68 rating, while the Galaxy Watch Ultra has a 10ATM41 + IP68 rating. Making it significantly more equipped to withstand water. In reality, the Galaxy Watch 7 should be fine if getting wet from rain, splashed water, or even the water from a shower. But its not recommended to go swimming with the watch on.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra is a different story. This comes with the 10ATM41 + IP68 rating and is rated for ocean swimming. So you could wear this watch underwater and it should still be fine as its rated for depths equivalent to 100 meters. With all of that said, this doesnt mean that water couldnt cause either of these watches to fail. So exercise caution and good judgment here. When in doubt, its probably best to take the watch off.

For the Galaxy Watch Ultra specifically, this could depend on the type of water and where you are, what the temperatures might be, and how deep you might be going. So keep that in mind as well.

Whats the battery life going to be like?

This will depend heavily on how you use the watch, but based on Samsungs information (without having done any testing ourselves yet), both the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra should last noticeably longer than their predecessors.

Samsung says the Galaxy Watch Ultra can last for up to 100 hours while its in its Power Save mode. But keep in mind this mode generally disables many of the features. When its in the Exercise Mode, battery life is still respectable at up to 48 hours according to Samsung. Its always important to remember that these are also just lab tests done by Samsung. Real-world experiences may and probably will vary from person to person.

For the Galaxy Watch 7, Samsung doesnt explicitly state what the battery life is. However, it should be able to get up to 40 or so hours of battery life on a single charge. Which is pretty good for a smartwatch running on Wear OS these days. Again, lots of factors can change this, including screen brightness, whether or not youre using LTE connectivity, and what sorts of features and tracking youre using. Regardless of all that, both models should achieve better battery life between charges than the Galaxy Watch 6 series models. And thats a good thing.

How many years of updates will the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra have?

Both watches will get four years of software updates from Samsung. That being said, its not clear if that means four years of OS updates. More than likely, it pertains mostly to updates that will include some new features and improvements to security and stability. There is probably going to be at least one Wear OS software revision in there. But Google doesnt release new Wear OS versions as often as it releases new Android versions.

However, Samsung is committed to 7 years of OS and security updates for its phones. So there is still a chance it could be taking the same approach here with the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra. It really all depends on how often Google pushes out new versions of Wear OS. Both watches will start with Wear OS 5, making them the first smartwatches to have it. And thats a good start.

Should you buy the Galaxy Watch 7 and/or Galaxy Watch Ultra?

This will really all depend on what you want from a smartwatch. If you want something new and fresh, then these are both going to be good smartwatches to choose from and would be worthy upgrades. If youre already resolved to getting one of the new watches from Samsung but you just arent sure which one, then this too will depend on what youre looking for.

The Galaxy Watch 7 is the perfect fit for anyone who needs or wants something thats capable with plenty of function but doesnt need anything tailored for outdoor adventure. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is the watch you want to go with if you want something thats tougher, has a larger battery, and ultimately more features. That does mean it will come with a higher price tag. But its worth it if you want a watch that can keep up with you on excursions or treks through the mountains, while surfing, and the like.

If youre coming from a Galaxy Watch 6 or Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, then its not as big of a jump to move to something like the Galaxy Watch 7. The Galaxy Watch Ultra on the other hand is different enough to warrant the swap. In short, both watch models are going to be good options for consumers. And theyre most certainly worth considering for an upgrade.
[This article was updated on May 8th. Jump to the latest update]

Its always an extremely scary moment when you cant find your phone or other device. You never know if its simply lost or if its been stolen. Well, if youre an Android User, you can rest assured. Google unveiled its Find My Device network, and this is a useful tool to help you locate your device should you lose it. But, what is the Find My Device network?

Thats what this piece is going to explain. Were going to go over what this network is, how to use it, and other things you should know about it. Also, the Android Find My Device network is something that will be updated and improved over time. As such, this article will be updated accordingly. So, if you have any new questions about new features coming to this network, feel free to check back and see what new information has been added.

What is the Find My Device network?

The Find My Device network is a fully integrated web comprising millions of Bluetooth-enabled Android devices all communicating with one another seamlessly. Supportive devices will communicate with other devices nearby via Bluetooth. This is the premise that will power the entire network. So, using this network, youll be able to pinpoint your devices location should you need to know where it is.

How does it work?

The Find My Device network works by using the devices around your device to pinpoint its location. Say, for example, you leave your phone on the table at a coffee shop. Well, unbeknownst to you and other people, your phone is actually communicating with surrounding Android devices via Bluetooth. So, if the other people sitting at the table have Android devices, your phone is basically talking back and forth with those devices.

Since these devices are communicating with your phone, they have an idea of your phones location. Now, if you open the Find My Device app, and try to locate your phone, Google will use the location data provided by the surrounding devices in order to pinpoint your devices exact location.

Doesnt Find My Device network already exist?

Well, yes and no. Yes, the platform existed before. This is a platform that you can use to pinpoint the location of your Android devices. Youve been able to use the Android app or the website to locate your device.

However, this wasnt truly a network. Google could only get the location of your device if it was connected to the internet. If your device wasnt connected to the internet, then Google would have to use the last location recorded before it went offline.

The Find My Device network is different in that you will still be able to locate your device even if its not connected to the internet. If your phone is not connected to the internet, it will still be able to communicate with surrounding devices using Bluetooth. So, this is great news for people whose phones were not connected to the internet when they were lost. This eliminates the guessing game.

Also, since this uses Bluetooth technology, you will also be able to find the location of different types of devices. This includes smartwatches and headphones. At the time of writing this article, several companies are working on bringing their own tracker tags as well. These are AirTag-like devices that will also show up on the Find My Device network. Youll be able to put these tags inside purses or items that you want to be able to keep track of.

So, the Find My Device network is an all-encompassing web of interconnected devices.

What devices are not included in the network?

At the time of writing this article, the Find My Device network is available in a limited number of markets. Its currently available in the US and Canadian markets. Obviously, the company is going to spread this to more regions as time goes on. However, if you are not within the aforementioned regions, then you are playing the waiting game.

Also, were certain that Google is going to involve a wide range of Android devices. However, if youre rocking a very old smartphone, then you shouldnt be surprised if it doesnt work for you. So, if youre using a device that is currently unsupported, then you may have to upgrade to a newer device if you want to be able to use the network.

Another thing to take into account is wearable devices. As stated before, it is possible to use headphones and smartwatches with the Find My Device network. However, your results may vary. Its up to the manufacturer of the device to make it compatible with the Find My Device network. So, theres no guarantee that the model you own will be compatible.

How do I know if Im in the network?

Being on the Find My Device network doesnt involve a huge software update or anything like that. In order to use this, youll have to be on the latest version of the Find My Device app. Since this is still rolling out, theres a chance that you will not be in the network just yet. If you have the app, make sure you update it.

To update the app, you can go to the Play Store and find the Find My Device app. Also, you can hold your finger down on the app icon and tap on the app info button that appears in the resulting menu. From that point, scroll down to the bottom and tap on the app details button. This process May differ depending on the Android skin youre using.

While youre on the Play Store page, look for the Update button at the top of the screen. If you dont see it, then youll have to wait for the update to reach your phone. For reference, we have yet to receive the update for the app, and we are on version 3.1.000-4. This version came out on March 31st, 2024. So, if youre running that version or older, you will not be part of the network.

[Updated May 8th, 2024] As of early May 2024, Google has been sending emails to let people know that the Find My Device network is coming to their devices. So, youll know that your device is compatible if you see this email. Upon getting it, youll want to keep an eye on the app. Check for updates every now and then. As of now, we can confirm that it has launched to the latest Pixel devices and the Galaxy S24 devices.

[Updated May 12th, 2024] As of May 12th, 2024, the Find My Device network is still rolling out to more people. We dont know when the rollout will finally be finished.

Currently, the Find My Device network is available for phones in these markets:

The US (Still rolling out to all of the states) Canada The U.K Japan

Does it cost money?

No. Being on the network is completely free, and Google has not indicated that it will charge for the service going forward.

Can I use the network when my phone is turned off?

At this point in time, that is a complicated question. Currently, there are only two devices that can be located on the network while powered off. These two devices are the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. This is because of the special hardware that Google put inside of these phones.

[Update May 8th, 2024] Google has officially enabled this functionality in its Pixel 8 devices. Using this feature, users are able to locate their devices several hours after theyve been powered off. It even works if the phones battery dies. Google didnt give an exact amount of time your device can be located when powered off. There may be different factors that affect this metric. So, the best thing to do is try to locate your device as soon as its lost.

From the looks of it, it appears that these devices are using a very low-energy solution to send Bluetooth signals when the phone is not powered on. So, this functionality is limited to these two handsets.

However, Google is planning on working with other manufacturers and chipmakers to bring this sort of technology to more devices. At the time of writing this article, we dont know if there are any devices currently planned to get this capability. However, this article will be updated with new information when that happens.

Does this pose a security risk?

At the time of writing this article, there doesnt seem to be any blatant security risk using the Find My Device network. Nothing has come to the surface that people should be worried about. However, thats not to say that there wont be any bad actors who will use this as an exploit.

Will this use more battery power?

Ostensibly, this should use more battery power than before. However, we are certain that the battery drain is negligible, and you should not see a difference in your day-to-day life.

Is there a limit to the number of devices I can use on the Find My Device network?

As far as we know, there is no limit to how many devices you can use. All of your supported devices will appear on the list. So, you wont have to worry about Google kicking your devices out of the network.

How do I remove devices from the network?

At this time, removing devices from the network will involve you removing your Google account from set devices. So, if you want to remove your device from the network while maintaining your Google account, you will not be able to.

How can I protect my data from potential thieves?

If you found out that you left your phone at the coffee shop, but didnt find out until youve already gotten home, then the best option will be to secure your device. Securing your device will lock the device using the devices PIN, pattern, or password. So, this will make sure that no strangers will be able to pick up your device and log into it. If your phone does not have a PIN, you will be able to set one using the app.

Also, securing your device will sign you out of your Google account. This means that, if a potential Thief is able to get past the PIN, they will not be able to access any information on your Google account. This means that they will not be able to log into any of your services using your Google account or have access to your passwords or other information. Once you get your phone back, you will simply be able to log back in and pick up where you left off.

What happens if my device gets stolen?

If your device is stolen, and theres no chance of getting it back, then youll have to make the hard decision to factory reset it. Factory resetting your device normally requires you to physically have it in your hand. However, there is an option in the Find My Device network app that will allow you to factory reset it remotely.

In the app, look for the device that has been stolen and tap on it. You will see the map screen appear with the bottom panel under it. At the right corner of the bottom panel, you will see a little gear icon. This will take you to a new page. At the very bottom, youll see a button with red text that will give you the option to factory reset the device.

Once you factory reset your device, all of the data will be permanently erased. This includes your app data, call logs, text messages, apps, Etc. Once you do that, you will no longer be able to locate that device using the Find My Device network.

If your device is currently offline when you are trying to reset it, the reset will begin the moment it reconnects to the internet.
Homes in the Luckey Ranch subdivision are seen in this 2022 aerial photo. The market value of single-family homes across Bexar County rose 2.4% to $182.9 billion, according to the Bexar Appraisal District. Thats much less than double-digit increases seen in recent years. William Luther/Staff The market value of single-family homes across Bexar County rose 2.4% to $182.9 billion, according to the Bexar Appraisal District. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News

In another indication the San Antonio housing market is cooling, this years increase in the official value of homes is much smaller than its been in recent years  welcome news for homeowners receiving appraisal notices this month.

After double-digit jumps in 2022 and 2023, the market value of single-family homes across Bexar County increased just 2.4% to a total $182.9 billion in 2024, according to the Bexar Appraisal District. Most of the increase, 1.65%, was because of newly built houses being added to the tax rolls and expanding the supply.

We have finally seen some normalcy, if you will, in the market, Chief Appraiser Rogelio Sandoval said Thursday.

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The market value of the average homestead-certified house was up 1.1% to $342,760 from $339,001 a year ago  a relief to homeowners after values jumped 9.9% in 2023 and 22.9% in 2022.

The taxable value jumped 10.2% to $262,187 from $237,817 in 2023. By law, the appraised value of a primary residence cant be raised more than 10% a year, a limit known as the homestead cap. If the market value of a home rises more than 10%, its cap value will be lower than the appraisal value.

Its really beneficial for homeowners to be sure that they have exemptions on file, Sandoval said, referring to homestead exemptions.

Slowing sales

The market in recent months has begun slowing from the red-hot levels it hit through the pandemic when buyers rushed to take advantage of historically low mortgage rates, sales soared and builders ramped up construction.

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Some 23,911 Bexar County houses changed hands last year, down 10.8% from 2022, according to data cited by the appraisal district from the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M University. The total dollar volume of sales plunged 11.6% and the median sale price fell nearly 2% to $295,000.

Builders constructed 13,425 houses in 2020 and 15,981 houses in 2021 during the pandemic frenzy. They started work on another 13,850 in 2022 as mortgage rates climbed, luring buyers with rate buy-downs and other perks. But the pace of construction dropped to 11,074 houses in 2023, the lowest tally since 2018, as rates kept rising and buyers struggled to afford monthly mortgage payments.

Now, the reality of slowing increases in sale prices is reflected in the appraisal district's numbers.

The appraised value it assigns to a home is supposed to reflect what it would sell for if its put it on the market this year. Along with the tax rate, that value is the bedrock of a homeowner's tax bill.

To calculate it, the appraisal district analyzes recent home sales in the neighborhood along with the condition, age and size of the home. It also considers the land its on and any other structures or improvements.

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Filing an appeal

If you think your valuation is too high, you can file an appeal. Under the Texas property tax code, you can contest the market value of your property but not the appraised value. Thats because the appraised value takes exemptions into account, Sandoval said.

A protest form is included with the notice of appraised value you receive. The form is also available to download from the appraisal districts website or you can draft a statement indicating that you plan to protest.

Those documents should be mailed to the Bexar Appraisal Review Board at P.O. Box 830248, San Antonio TX, 78283; emailed to cs@bcad.org; or placed in a drop box at the appraisal districts office at 411 N. Frio St., San Antonio, 78207.

You can also file a protest online using the portal on the appraisal districts website.

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The deadline to protest is either May 15 or 30 days after you received your appraisal notice.

What happens next?

Protesting homeowners then have a couple of options.

You can take part in an informal meeting with an appraiser from the district to discuss your homes value. If you and the appraiser come to an agreement, your case will be closed.

If you dont want to participate in that meeting or cant reach an agreement, a formal hearing with representatives of the appraisal district and/or the Appraisal Review Board will be scheduled.

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For that hearing, you must produce documents to show why you think your appraisal is too high. That can include information about recent sales in your neighborhood, documentation of the condition of your house or reports from professionals describing repairs your house needs. The appraisal district also makes its case. The representatives or board members then make a recommendation.

Homestead exemption?

If you own your home, its your primary residence and you do not claim an exemption elsewhere, you may qualify for a homestead exemption. That exemption removes $100,000 from the market value of your house for your school district as well as other exemptions from other taxing units, according to the appraisal district.

You can also get exemptions if you are 65 years or older, disabled or the surviving spouse of a disabled person, if you are a disabled veteran or the surviving spouse of a disabled veteran, or if you are the surviving spouse of a first responder.
Dog Tales, an animal rescue and horse sanctuary out of Ontario, Canada was founded in 2014 by a couple who dedicate their lives to animals in need. Their gorgeous rescue spans 50 acres and looks nothing like a typical pet kennel, with beautiful indoor spaces and trails for the animals to explore.

Dog Tales recently featured a precious senior dog with a foot tumor they need to find a home for. Check out sweet Cuba below.

Dog Tales writes on the video, "Cuba was surrendered to us yesterday. After his owner passed away, he was left to a family member where he became aggressive with their cats. He is 12-years-old. Cuba has a tumor on his paw, severe dental disease, an ear infection and allergies. We are urgently looking for an adoptive home for him. Please tap our link in our bio to give Cuba a soft landing in a home."

Related: 22-Year-Old Dog Hoping For His Forever Home After Owner Suddenly Passed

It's so heartbreaking when a senior dog is surrendered due to their owner dying, and dogs do grieve when they are no longer with the humans they have formed strong bonds with. It does sound like Cuba needs some special care, at least at first, but what this dog needs more than anything is a human willing to give them all the love and affection he deserves. He's such a beautiful little dog.

People in the TikTok comments agree and one person said, "He looks like the sweetest boy who was just sad and confused in his new situation." Another added, "God bless this baby with a wonderful forever home."

Here's hoping this precious senior dog gets just that.

Why You Should Adopt a Senior Pup

Senior dogs deserve to live out their golden years before they cross the rainbow bridge in a home full of all the love and care they deserve. Many dogs don't do well in shelters, and a dog who has lived all their life with one owner only to be surrendered may have a more difficult time with kennel stress.

Adopting a senior dog means you will be freeing up kennel space for another deserving pet to find a home. Finally, senior dogs are so loving and grateful and have a lot of life left to live. If you are interested in adopting a senior dog, please check with your local animal shelter or humane society.

If you would like more information on precious Cuba, or to make plans to visit one of their open houses, you can visit the Dog Tales website here.

Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips.
Lord Alan Sugar has added another business to his ever-expanding portfolio after hiring fitness studio owner Rachel Woolford during series 18 of The Apprentice.

Leeds-based Woolford will receive 250,000 worth of investment in her boutique gym business and enter into a partnership with Lord Sugar.

She becomes the 19th candidate to win the BBC reality programme since it launched in 2005 after two competitors shared the crown in 2017.

 Series 1: Tim Campbell

Tim Campbell won a 100,000 job in Lord Sugars Amstrad business (BBC/Naked/Ray Burmiston/PA)

Businessman Tim Campbell was the winner of the first series, winning a 100,000 job working as the project director of the new health and beauty division of Lord Sugars business Amstrad.

In 2022, he stepped in for Claude Littner as Lord Sugars right-hand man in the boardroom as the businessman was recovering from a serious electric bike accident.

He also replaced Littner for the majority of the 17th series and continued on for the most recent 18th series.

 Series 2: Michelle Dewberry

Michelle Dewberry is now a presenter on GB News (Ian West/PA)

Michelle Dewberry won the second series of the show, narrowly beating no-nonsense bookies favourite Ruth Badger, who later bagged her own TV series.

Dewberry was applauded by Lord Sugar for holding down three jobs while she was still at school. Nowadays, she is a consultant and regularly appears as a pundit on TV, and is also a presenter on GB News.

In 2017, she announced she was standing for Parliament as an independent candidate in the Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle constituency.

 Series 3: Simon Ambrose

Simon Ambrose won series three (Ian West/PA)

Far-right commentator Katie Hopkins also famously appeared on the show in 2007 during series three, which was ultimately won by Simon Ambrose.

The Cambridge graduate is now a property developer.

 Series 4: Lee McQueen

Lee McQueen has gone on to set up a recruitment and training company (Yui Mok/PA)

Lee McQueen won the Apprentice series four in 2008 and went on to work for Lord Sugars healthcare company Amscreen.

After this, he set up a recruitment and training company called Raw Talent Academy based in Oxfordshire.

 Series 5: Yasmina Siadatan

Yasmina Siadatan is now chief revenue officer at a fintech company (BBC/Talkback Thames/PA)

Yasmina Siadatan joined Lord Sugars Amscreen Healthcare Company after she was crowned the winner of The Apprentice in 2009.

She was later headhunted by James Caan of Dragons Den fame to help run his private equity organisation, before becoming chief revenue officer at fintech company Dynamic Planner in Reading.

 Series 6: Stella English

Stella English began hosting Skys Crowdbox TV (Philip Toscano/PA)

Stella English won series six of the show in 2010 and lost a claim of constructive dismissal against Lord Sugar in 2013.

She went on to work as a management consultant at computer giant HP, before she began hosting Skys Crowdbox TV.

 Series 7: Tom Pellereau

Inventor Tom Pellereau created a nail clipper for children (Sean Dempsey/PA)

Tom Pellereau was the first person to win the show in its new format, which saw people getting a cash investment for a business and not a job.

His specialty in inventing saw him launch a few successful brands, among them the Stylfile nail file.

 Series 8: Ricky Martin

Apprentice Winner Ricky Martin set up his own science and technology recruitment company using investment from Lord Sugar (Ian West/PA)

Series eight of the show saw former pro wrestler Ricky Martin crowned the winner.

The biochemist now part-owns his own science and technology recruitment company, Hyper Recruitment Solutions (HRS), which he set up using the investment from Lord Sugar.

 Series 9: Dr Leah Totton

Past Apprentice winner Dr Leah Totton opened a second skin care clinic in Loughton, Essex (Lauren Hurley/PA)

Doctor and qualified cosmetic surgeon Dr Leah Totton opened Dr Leah Cosmetic Skin Clinics after she won The Apprentice series nine in 2013.

The Derry-born entrepreneur is also an advocate for improving standards in the beauty industry.

 Series 10: Mark Wright

Mark Wright won the series in 2014 (Ian West/PA)

Mark Wright clinched the first prize in 2014 with his SEO business idea.

In 2022, he sold his business, digital marketing agency Climb Online, he set up with Lord Sugar, for a reported 10 million.

 Series 11: Joseph Valente

Lord Sugar with Apprentice winner Joseph Valente (John Stillwell/PA)

Joseph Valente won the shows 11th series and used the prize money to invest in his plumbing company ImpraGas.

He is now the chief executive of Trade Mastermind, a training provider for trades and construction businesses.

 Series 12: Alana Spencer

Lord Sugar and Alana Spencer, winner of series 12 (Yui Mok/PA)

In 2016, Welsh-based cake company owner Alana Spencer secured the investment for her brand Ridiculously Rich.

She later launched her Ambassador & Cakepreneur schemes, helping those who were wishing to start a cake business.

 Series 13: James White and Sarah Lynn

James White and Sarah Lynn became joint winners of The Apprentice in 2017 (Yui Mok/PA)

In 2017, for the first time in the shows history, two people were crowned the winners.

James White, who ran an IT recruitment firm, and Sarah Lynn, who owned a confectionery company, were both given 250,000 by the business tycoon.

 Series 14: Sian Gabbidon

Sian Gabbidon launched her business while studying at university (Ian West/PA)

Sian Gabbidon won the show in 2018 when Lord Sugar became a co-owner of her pre-existing swimwear and fashion business.

The Leeds-born entrepreneur Gabbidon launched SNME through Instagram while studying at university.

 Series 15: Carina Lepore

Carina Lepore opened a second branch of her Dough Bakehouse business in London (Ian West/PA)

In 2019, the series was won by artisan bakery boss Carina Lepore, who opened a second branch of her Dough Bakehouse business in Beckenham, south London.

The year following, the series was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic and in 2022 it returned and was won by Harpreet Kaur.

 Series 16: Harpreet Kaur

Harpreet Kaur owns her business with her older sister (Suzan Moore/PA)

West Yorkshire-based Kaur owns a dessert parlour and sweet treat delivery service called Oh So Yum! with her older sister Gurvinder.

She has talked about work tips and tricks on the BBCs Asian Network.

 Series 17: Marnie Swindells

Marnie Swindells has appeared in a range of adverts (Ian West/PA)

The 18th winner of the series was gold medal-winning boxer Marnie Swindells who owns a boxing gym.

She has worked with numerous brands and featured in a wide range of adverts including campaigns for Adidas and Sports Direct.
Joe King Carrascos fondest memories of La Semana Alegre usually happened offstage  when he leaped into the crowd.

Back in the 80s, the king of Tex-Mex rock n roll and his band, the Crowns, ruled the Fiesta music festival like a court of amped-up jesters, bopping between feel-good rock fare like the Pharoahs' "Wooly Booly," their own hit Party Weekend and down-home South Texas tunes like the Sir Douglas Quintets Shes About a Mover and Hey Baby Que Paso.

Then Carrasco would throw himself into the beer-soaked masses and bodysurf his way back to the stage, one of several islands of mic stands and Marshall stacks in a concrete ocean at HemisFair Plaza.

Musician Joe "King" Carrasco diving into the crowd in the 1980s. The "king of Tex-Mex rock 'n' roll" was a mainstay at the former La Semana Alegre music festival during Fiesta. He'll be back in San Antonio for the return of La Semana, which runs April 25 and 26. Houston Chronicle file photo

It was rowdy and intense, and they were ready to have fun and rock and roll, said Carrasco, now 70. Its supposed to be fun. Thats why Im really glad they brought it back. Its a good thing for San Antonio.

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Sam Diaz and Melissa Ramirez share a turkey leg in this file photo at the opening of La Semana Alegre in 1990. Charles Barksdale/San Antonio Express-News In this file photo, Marc Arsenault (left) and Rebecca Dolan dance at La Semana Alegre in 1987. The Fiesta music festival, which played its last in 1995, is being revived this year for a two-day return April 25 and 26. Bob Owen/San Antonio Express-News In this file photo, Fiesta revelers line up to enter La Semana Alegre in 1992 under signs telling them "No Nothing." The storied Fiesta music festival had a reputation for rowdy crowds. Doug Sehres/San Antonio Express-News Noema O'Con dances with the Scratch Gorilla at La Semana Alegre in a file photo from 1987. The former Fiesta music festival returns after nearly 30 years for a special two-day celebration April 25 and 26. Scott Sines/San Antonio Express-News

After nearly 30 years of silence, La Semana Alegre is back to bring the nostalgic noise.

The new two-day spin on the celebration known as "happy week" runs April 25-26 at Hemisfair, the festivals original stomping grounds in its early-1970s-to-1990s heyday.

Want to go? What: La Semana Alegre When: 5-11 p.m. Thursday, April 25, and noon-11 p.m. Friday, April 26 Where: Hemisfair, 630 E. Nueva St. Cost: Single day general admission $15 in advance or $20 the day of the event. Free admission for ages 12 and younger when accompanied by a ticketed parent or guardian. VIP tickets $100 per day, ages 21 and older. MORE INFO: lasemanaalegre.com

For nearly a quarter-century, La Semana rocked Fiesta like a hurricane of blazing guitars and blaring accordions. Its decibel levels often rattled neighbors nerves and windows, while its more passionate revelers often swapped phone numbers and sometimes fists after one too many pitchers of beer or brew-filled plastic cups listing all the bands on the bill.

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This year's revival promises plenty of fresh and familiar sounds, minus the pitchers.

Carrasco and fellow La Semana legends Legs Diamond highlight the revival, which includes more than two dozen other bands across various genres. Such acts include Texas alt-rockers the Toadies and California indie-meets-cumbia troupe the Red Pears, plus psychedelic synth group Inner Wave and Chicano funk-fusion rockers Ozomatli.

A 1990 promo photo of hard rock band Legs Diamond, featuring (left to right) Michael Prince, keyboard and rhythm guitar; Mike Christie, bass; Roger Romeo, lead guitar; Dusty Watson, drums; Rick Sanford, vocals. The California band was a San Antonio favorite at La Semana Alegre, the Fiesta music festival that ran from the early 1970s to 1995. A new version of the band featuring Romeo will play the new La Semana Alegre, which returns this month as a two-day festival, April 25 and 26. Courtesy Roger Romeo

Ozomatli -- shown playing the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass music festival at Golden Gate Park in 2017 -- are among the headliners for the debut of La Semana Alegre at Hemsfair. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle

For added local flavor, the new La Semana will feature actor and San Antonio native Jesse Borrego y Tribu, along with Grupo Metal featuring Chris Perez, the widower of the late Tejano star Selena Quintanilla. For extra throwback fun, the festival will feature special reunion performances by San Antonio faves Girl in a Coma and Sun-Day.

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Girl in a Coma  from left, Phanie Diaz, Jenn Alva and Nina Diaz  are among the headliners for the revived La Semana Alegre at Hemisfair. Paul Warner/Getty Images

Its a puro La Semana lineup for the 21st century, sure to spark memories of the original Fiesta bacchanal that last rocked the city in 1995. Which is just the kind of blast from the past its organizers and two main acts hope to see get a new future.

La Semana kind of crossed all kinds of genres, said Faith Radle, events organizer for La Semana producer Galaxy Productions. Everybody remembers the heavy metal and the (famous San Antonio DJ) Joe Anthony Godfather of Rock days. But there was also this kind of component of Tejano and Selena performing there during the height of that genre. There was pop there. There was freestyle. There was a little bit of everything.

Radle experienced it firsthand in the late 80s, when she was a student at Incarnate Word High School. When asked for her favorite La Semana memories, she said it was the overall thrill of being a high schooler who could enjoy a concert experience in San Antonio with national bands as well as local performers.

In this file photo, fire eater "Sturatini the Magnificent" amuses crowds at La Semana Alegre in 1985 at HemisFair Plaza. John Davenport/San Antonio Express-News

Launched in 1973 by the San Antonio Jaycees, La Semana Alegre was like a San Anto Lollapalooza before there even was a Lollapalooza.

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The Fiesta event hosted all sorts of big names. Cheap Trick and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. KISS and Motorhead. Peter Frampton and REO Speedwagon. The Bangles and Mary J. Blige. Even Spinal Tap once took the stage. And in 1990, blues rock legend Stevie Ray Vaughan fired up the crowd in one of his last performances, just four months before his death.

Texas blues-rock icon Stevie Ray Vaughan at La Semana Alegre in 1990, just months before his death. Nicolas Russell/Getty Images

La Semana also showcased many conjunto and Tejano artists, including superstars such as Selena and Emilio Navaira, plus squeezebox stalwarts such as La Mafia, Little Joe y La Familia and Ramiro Herrera.

Of course, ask any La Semana alum what bands they remember best and youll likely hear the same two mainstays.

We, of course, wanted to have Legs Diamond and Joe King, Radle said. It would have been crazy not to have them.

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Carrasco played La Semana from 1984 through 1991, before noise complaints forced the festival from downtown to the grounds of the Freeman Coliseum in 1993.

I remember the first time I played it was intense, really intense," Carrasco said. "Thats when I was really happening on MTV, and thats when I started throwing myself in the crowds. (One time) when I came back, I lost my shirt."

Robert Urbanowiez can attest to that. He was the Burbank High School senior who yanked that blue tank top off Carrasco back in 84 when the musician landed on him during one his La Semana stage dives.

"I have his shirt in my senior year memory book," said Urbanowiez, now a retired educator. "That was certainly something to remember my senior year."

Robert Urbanowiez (right) with musician Joe "King" Carrasco in 2020. When Urbanowiez was a teenager in the 1980s, he saw Carrasco at a La Semana Alegre music festival and took his shirt when the musician jumped into the crowd. Pictured is a different shirt to mark the occasion. Courtesy Robert Urbanowiez

Urbanowiez caught Carrasco at a 2020 gig in San Antonio, and took a photo of himself with the musician and another T-shirt to mark the original occasion.

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As for Legs Diamond, the hard rockers from California had been a San Antonio favorite since the late 1970s, when they first toured here. Their La Semana debut came more than a decade later in 1990, a performance that would be one for the record books and the record bins.

On April 28, 1990, Legs Diamond played for a La Semana crowd of nearly 18,000 and recorded the show for its 1994 album, "Captured Live."

Legs Diamond guitarist Roger Romeo performs before a crowd of nearly 18,000 during the band's 1990 debut appearance at the La Semana Alegre music festival. The California-based band recorded the performance for their 1992 album, "Captured Live." They'll be back in San Antonio for the return of La Semana, which runs April 25 and 26 at Hemisfair. Courtesy Roger Romeo

The current lineup of Legs Diamond is Adam Kury, from left, Michael Prince, Keith England (seated), Jeff Poole and Roger Romeo Courtesy Legs Diamond

Thatll stay with me forever, said original Legs Diamond guitarist and songwriter Roger Romeo, who will return with the band for the new La Semana. Everybody looked like they were having a good time. Everybody pretty much had a buzz and they were just appreciative.

Sometimes that buzz got out of hand, resulting in reports of assaults and beer-throwing brawls.

At that same La Semana where Legs Diamond made its live album, two members of the band Faster Pussycat were arrested and charged with criminal mischief and disorderly conduct for reportedly leading the crowd in an obscene chant against police, according to an April 24, 1990, edition of the Express-News.

That same edition featured another report of multiple fistfights breaking out later that Monday night, which marked the second straight night that police had to step in to calm the rowdy crowds. The following year, a La Semana attendee was stabbed and a TV camerawoman was arrested for tussling with La Semana volunteers at the gate.

Rough spots aside, La Semana had more than its share of Fiesta fun and happily-ever-afters.

Consider the La Semana love story of Mary and Ruben Cantu, who met at a Mark Chesnutt concert on the festivals first day in 1991.

Mary Cantu, left, and her husband Ruben Cantu, right, pose for a portrait on their front porch. The San Antonio couple met at La Semana Alegre during Fiesta in 1991 and got married three months later. La Semana returns in late April as a two-day version of the original Fiesta music festival, which ran from 1973 to 1995. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News

That Sunday, Mary spotted Ruben standing behind her in a Spuds MacKenzie T-shirt with his Bono ponytail and Bugle Boys jeans, she said. The two introduced themselves and took off to get a beer, only to part ways when Ruben admitted he was seeing somebody.

As fate would have it, Mary and her girlfriend gave Rubens friend a ride home later that night. The friend had Rubens pager and dropped it as he got out of the car.

Mary snatched it in the hopes of reconnecting with Ruben for a second chance. He rang the beeper two days later and Mary called back the number.

I asked if he was still with someone. He says, Ill call you back and he broke up with her," Mary said.

The couple went on their first date the next day, going back to La Semana for the rest of the week. They married three months later.

This month, the empty nesters will celebrate their 33rd "Fiesta anniversary" at the new La Semana.

A Fiesta Centennial poster from 1991, the year Mary Cantu and her husband Ruben Cantu met at La Semana Alegre, hangs in their home. They plan to attend a new two-day version of La Semana, which runs April 25 and 26 at Hemisfair. It marks the return of the original Fiesta music festival after nearly 30 years. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News

Also heading to the revived festival will be 66-year-old Joel Limon, a La Semana regular in the late 80s and early 90s.

Naturally, Limon saw Carrasco and Legs Diamond back in the day. He also caught C&C Music Factory, though he still regrets missing KISS when the band played La Semana without their signature makeup. But his best La Semana memories were of him just messing around with his friends.

Having a good time. Roaming everywhere. Hooking up. Everything was good, Limon said.

So good he said some guys would break up with a girl just to go to La Semana. He recalled one friend who made his girlfriend angry to do just that.

"Wed be outside waiting for him at his house and he said, Ill make up with her tomorrow or in a couple of days,  Limon said. "I remember we left him there (at La Semana).

Crushing debt and continued complaints about noise dogged La Semana in its final years. Two months after its 1995 outing, the Coliseum Advisory Board opted not to renew its contract to host the event at Freeman. The Jaycees announced its cancellation in March the following year.

The Jaycees are not involved in the return of La Semana, which is a joint venture between Galaxy Productions and the nonprofit Hemisfair organization. It also is not an official Fiesta event, though it will benefit the nonprofits efforts to revitalize the HemisFair 68 grounds as an urban district.

Original La Semana fans and bands hope to relive some of that old magic. But they're just as excited to see a new generation, including their kids and grandkids, experience what could be the second act of a storied San Antonio tradition.

In this 1985 file photo, Louis Cruz and his daughter Veronica, 4, have fun at La Semana Alegre. The original Fiesta music festival returns after a nearly 30-year hiatus as a two-day celebration, with ages 12 and younger free with a ticketed parent or guardian. John Davenport/San Antonio Express-News

We like to play for anybody who would appreciate our music," Romeo said. "And I think kids would get a kick out of it."

Its good were still around," Carrasco said. "I mean, were a little older but were still rocking."
Holyrood ministers have been accused of making the worst environmental decision in the history of devolution as the Scottish Government abandoned a key climate change target.

Environmental campaigners hit out after Scottish Net Zero Secretary Mairi McAllan conceded the goal of reducing emissions by 75% by 2030 is now out of reach.

With the target enshrined in law, the Scottish Government  which includes the Greens thanks to a powersharing agreement with the SNP  will now bring forward new legislation to ensure climate change targets better reflect the reality of long-term climate policymaking, Ms McAllan told MSPs.

This will also see the Scottish Government move away from legally-binding annual targets  which it has missed for eight out of 12 years.

While progress in reducing emissions will continue to be reported annually, the Net Zero Secretary said Scotland will move to a target approach based on five yearly carbon budgets  saying this is the same approach taken by the UK and Welsh governments.

But she stressed Scotlands target to reach net zero by 2045  five years earlier than the UK  will remain.

First Minister Humza Yousaf had earlier told the Scottish Parliament his Government will not move back by a single month, a week or even a day from that 2045 target.

Ditching the interim 2030 target comes a month after independent experts at the Climate Change Committee (CCC) said the goal was beyond credible.

Mairi McAllan confirmed the interim target has been scrapped in a statement to Parliament (Andrew Milligan/PA)

But Professor Piers Forster, interim chairman of the CCC, said the removal of the 2030 target is deeply disappointing.

Friends of the Earth Scotlands head of campaigns Imogen Dow blasted the Scottish Government, saying: SNP and Green ministers choosing the scrap these climate commitments is the worst environmental decision in the history of the Scottish Parliament.

The 2030 target could and should have been met, but instead politicians are going to break their promises and betray both their constituents and the most vulnerable people already enduring the impacts of climate breakdown.

Jamie Livingstone, head of Oxfam Scotland, said: The Scottish Governments abandonment of its legal 2030 and annual emissions reduction targets is a reprehensible retreat caused by its recklessly inadequate level of action to date.

Weve published the latest assessment of Scotlands progress to reduce emissions. The Committee no longer believes that the Scottish Government will meet its statutory 2030 goal to reduce emissions by 75%. More: https://t.co/GoRYGBfDIq https://t.co/Q8cJfrQmYY  Climate Change Committee (@theCCCuk) March 20, 2024

The Government also came under fire from opposition politicians, with Scottish Conservative net zero spokesman Douglas Lumsden saying it has completely failed to lead Scotland in our journey towards net zero.

Labours Sarah Boyack told Holyrood: Thursday April 18, 2024 will go down as the day that Scotland officially went from being a world leader in climate targets to a world leader in scrapping targets.

Ms McAllan said the challenging context of cuts and UK backtracking on environmental action means Scottish ministers have accepted the interim 2030 target is out of reach.

She added: We must now act to chart a course to 2045 at a pace and scale which is feasible, fair and just.

She pledged a new package of climate action measures, with the Scottish Government working to treble the number of charging points available for electric vehicles in a bid to encourage more people to switch away from petrol and diesel.

This could lead to about 24,000 additional charge points being installed across the country by 2030, she said.

The Scottish Governments abandonment of its legal 2030 and annual emissions reduction targets is a reprehensible retreat caused by its recklessly inadequate level of action to date. Our reaction to @MairiMcAllan's statement  https://t.co/KbGcGIjnez pic.twitter.com/9bWcgKxVnn  Oxfam Scotland (@OxfamScotland) April 18, 2024

To encourage more people to ditch cars, she said the Government will also explore a new national integrated ticketing system for public transport in Scotland.

Promising pilot projects to reduce emissions from agriculture and accelerate peatland restoration, Ms McAllan said there is no doubt about the seriousness with which this Government treats the climate and nature crisis.

However, she said the severe budgetary restrictions imposed by the UK Government and the continuing constraints of devolution, mean ministers are trying to deliver societal and economic transformation with one hand tied behind our back.

She warned full delivery of the Scottish Governments plans depend on Westminster reversing the 9% cut to our capital budget.

Ms McAllan insisted: This Government and Parliament rightly has high ambitions, and it is beyond doubt that investing now in net zero is the right thing for our environment, our society and our economy.

But we are being held back.

I am asking MSPs across this chamber to work with us to call on the UK Government to reverse Scotlands capital cut.
British actor Dan Stevens said, I love that this film has a tribute to late star Angus Cloud, following his posthumous performance in horror film Abigail.

The film stars Matilda actress Alisha Weir as a 12-year-old ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure who is kidnapped by a group of would-be criminals who are hoping to collect a $50 million ransom to watch the girl overnight.

Cloud plays a kidnapper in the film, alongside Downton Abbey actor Stevens, Scream star Melissa Barrera, Big Little Lies actress Kathryn Newton, X-Men star Kevin Durand and William Catlett, from Charm City Kings.

Angus Cloud, Kathryn Newton, Alisha Weir, Kevin Durand, Dan Stevens, Melissa Barrera and William Catlett in a scene from the film Abigail (Bernard Walsh/AP)

Euphoria actor Cloud died in July 2023 from an accidental overdose at the age of 25.

His castmates appeared at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles for the film premiere.

Angus was incredible, he was so unique and Ive never met anyone like him, Stevens told the PA news agency on the red carpet.

He was like all of our little brothers on set, and we loved him very much, and we miss him very much.

I love that this film has a tribute to him at the end, and he would have loved this; he wouldve laughed his arse off.

Cast members of Abigail, pose together at the premiere of the film at the Regency Village Theatre, Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Chris Pizzello/AP)

Beauty And The Beast star Stevens described the cast as such a lovely, unlikely gang which he said was sort of the point of the film.

In the film, 14-year-old Weir turns into a bloodthirsty child vampire, a little bit different from her starring role in the big screen version of Matilda The Musical in 2022.

Abigail and Matilda are so different in so many different ways, the genres are so different, the castings are so different, but what I love so much about acting is you get the opportunity to do that, she told PA.

The Dublin-born actress also spoke about learning so much from her fellow castmates on set, including Cloud.

Every single cast member was so incredible, and Angus brought so much joy to the set, she told PA.

Every single day he would make everybody smile and Im so so honoured and so grateful, not just to have worked with him, but to have known such a beautiful person who is so amazing and beautiful inside and out.

He shared that with every single person on the cast.

Kevin Durand at the premiere of Abigail (Chris Pizzello/PA)

Canadian actor Durand, who appeared in Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes, said, Everybody spoke of how good they felt when they talked to him, referencing Cloud.

It was just so nice to meet someone who was just so real, Durand told PA.

He wasnt concerned with being famous; he wanted to be a good person. We all loved him very much and are all very proud of what he did in this film.

I hope hes really happy with it.

Catlett said that when people ask about Cloud, they think the cast is supposed to be sad, but he is not because Angus deposited something into each and every one of us.

Will Catlett at the premiere of Abigail (Chris Pizzello/AP)

He never cared about being famous because he came in (to the film) pretty famous, he only cared about being a good person, and thats what makes him live forever, Catlett added.

The film comes from Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, known together as Radio Silence.

Their previous projects include Devils Due, Southbound, Ready Or Not, and several films in the Scream franchise.

Stevens said he has a lot of mutual friends in the horror community who spoke so highly of the director duo, which was what drew him to the project.

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, left, and Tyler Gillett (Chris Pizzello/AP)

They are just the loveliest, funniest guys. They really encourage you to be silly, playful, and throw improv in there, he told PA.

So many alt lines just trying to make each other laugh constantly while also being drenched in 30,000 litres of fake movie blood  which is apparently what we got through on this film.

Abigail is released in UK cinemas on April 19.
EasyJet has revealed first-half losses are expected to narrow by more than 50 million after this years early Easter helped offset a hit from the Israel-Hamas conflict.

In an update on its half-year performance, the group said it is on track for headline pre-tax losses of 340 million to 360 million in the six months to March 31, against losses of 411 million a year earlier.

The airline said demand has bounced back since late November, with half-year figures also boosted by the start of the Easter holidays falling in March this year.

It comes in spite of a direct impact of around 40 million in the six months to the end of March due to the war between Israel and Hamas.

This relates to the suspension of flights to Israel and Jordan, alongside a softening of demand for trips to Egypt since the conflict began in October.

EasyJet said earlier this week that it is suspending flights to Tel Aviv for the next six months after Irans missile and drone attack against Israel at the weekend.

EasyJet boss Johan Lundgren said our growth and focus on productivity have reduced winter losses by more than 50 million (Matt Alexander/PA)

Between October and March, passengers numbers were up 8% year on year, while average fares paid increased by 9% to 65.

Seasonal demand for air travel means airlines often record losses in the winter and profits in the summer.

EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren said the company has positive momentum as demand continues to build well for the summer, particularly to destinations such as Majorca, Malaga, Portugal and Amsterdam.

He said a lot of factors were considered when suspending Tel Aviv flights.

Making the decision early in the summer season means the airline can reallocate aircraft to routes with a stronger demand, he added.

He went on: The importance that consumers place on travel coupled with easyJets trusted brand has driven good demand for our flights and holidays.

Our growth and focus on productivity have reduced winter losses by more than 50 million.

We have further enhanced our network with the launch of new bases in Alicante and Birmingham providing greater choice for consumers across Europe.

We are well set up operationally for this summer season where we expect easyJet to be one of the fastest growing major airlines in Europe and take more customers on easyJet holidays than ever before.
Local Conservative, Labour, Lib Dem and Green Party leaders have pledged to resist dragging climate policies into culture wars ahead of the May elections.

The move is part of a pledge, announced in the run up to the local and mayoral polls next month, which also commits local leaders to counter climate misinformation while addressing legitimate concerns about policies.

The pledge is being coordinated by UK100, a cross-party network of local leaders committed to climate action, and former minister and net zero tsar Chris Skidmores Mission Zero Coalition.

The cross-party pledge has been signed by local and regional politicians, including council leaders from Wiltshire, Warwickshire, Birmingham, Westminster, Lancaster, Southampton and Cardiff.

It comes as a report from UK100 and the Mission Zero Coalition suggests 2024 is set to see the UKs first net zero elections, with politicians elected this year having a pivotal role in delivering climate action.

The pledge sees leaders commit to rise above party politics when addressing the climate crisis and support an evidence-based conversation on the issue by resisting the urge to drag climate policies into culture wars or use misinformation as a tool for division.

Signatories are calling on national politicians to do the same.

Parties in Westminster have sought to draw dividing lines on climate action, with the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak rowing back on net zero policies and the Conservatives criticising Labours green spending plans.

Local environmental policies such as Londons ultra low emissions zone (Ulez) are also at the fore in the run up to the elections in May.

The pledge commits local politicians to acknowledge the dangers of misinformation, countering it with accurate, accessible information about climate policies, and communicating their benefits while addressing legitimate concerns.

They promise to champion the role of local authorities in the net zero transition  which requires changes to all areas of life including transport, home heating and power to cut emissions to zero overall by 2050  and engage residents, groups and businesses in designing local action plans.

Mr Skidmore, who resigned as an MP over the Governments decision to prioritise and politicise new oil and gas licences, said: Local authorities are the unsung heroes of the net zero transition.

Day in, day out they are delivering the practical changes we need to see, from upgrading homes to improving public transport.

But they cant do it alone. This pledge sends a powerful message that local leaders are united in their commitment to tackling the climate crisis.

Now we need to see that same spirit of collaboration from Westminster, with a clear policy and funding framework to empower local delivery.

Christopher Hammond, chief executive of UK100, said the journey to net zero would not be easy.

But thats not a reason for inaction, indulging in scare campaigns, or pitting communities against each other.

Honesty, openness, and engaging residents are essential foundations for the rapid, inclusive net zero transition we need to see, he said.

Izzi Seccombe, Conservative Warwickshire County Council leader, added: By signing this pledge, Im underlining my commitment to working across the political divide to engage openly and honestly with our residents about both the challenges and opportunities of the net zero transition.

Only by bringing our communities with us can we hope to accelerate progress towards a cleaner, greener, more prosperous future for all.
A man has been jailed for more than four years after targeting schools, shopping centres and businesses in a hoax terrorism campaign.

Gary Preston, 64, sent envelopes containing white powder and threatening letters that caused panic and evacuations at some of the venues over a six-week period in 2013.

He was sentenced to four years and three months in prison at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday, after previously pleading guilty to 21 charges of sending a hoax substance contrary to the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001.

The court heard that Preston sent 42 envelopes containing white powder, which was later confirmed to be talcum powder, from September 20 to November 4 2013.

Among the venues targeted were the Westfield shopping centres in both east and west London, schools and colleges in Braintree, Essex, and the Premier Inn at Stansted Airport.

The venue addresses were either printed out and stuck onto the envelopes or handwritten in black ink.

Some of the envelopes also contained threatening letters on white paper that included small texts of Arabic, such as Think fast, you have seconds Inshallah.

One of the envelopes caused an entire hotel with 303 rooms to be evacuated, the court heard.

Preston was arrested on September 16 2020 and pleaded guilty to the charges on August 11 last year.

The defendant was also sentenced to a further five years and three months in prison for a separate charge of serious indecent assault at knifepoint that occurred on January 26 1988 at a womens public toilets in Rainham, Essex.

Defence barrister Steven Dyble said at an earlier hearing that Preston had suffered a cognitive decline in recent years but added: There are no mental issues that we seek to lay before the court.

He is undoubtedly responsible for the decisions that he took.

Preston, who appeared in court via a video link from HMP Chelmsford, spoke only to confirm his identity before the sentence was handed down.

Judge Andrew Lees said the respective sentences were to be served consecutively, giving Preston a total sentence of nine years and six months in prison.

The judge added there was a significant risk of the defendant committing further specified offences which was an aggravating factor in the sentence.

Hannah Wilkinson of the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) said: By targeting places such as primary schools and airports, theres no doubt that Preston had set out to cause as much distress and worry as he could.

It is also clear that, by sending these packages to more than 20 organisations across the country, he had spent significant time planning and attempting to cover his tracks.

Its a positive outcome that Preston will now spend a significant spell behind bars.
The friends stayed on one of the local islands. (Natasha Whitley/SWNS) (Natasha Whitley / SWNS)

The Maldives is one of those once-in-a-lifetime destinations most of us dream of visiting, but the crystal blue waters and picture-postcard beaches come at a hefty price.

But one woman has revealed how she was able to enjoy a six-day holiday on the dreamy Indian Ocean islands for just 416 including food, activities and a room overlooking the sea.

Natasha Whitley, 28, a pharmacist and content creator, from Bournemouth, Dorset had already planned a trip to Sri Lanka, but with the Maldives being just a 90-minute flight away, she decided to incorporate a trip there too.

In the Maldives, which is known for its white-washed, sandy beaches and turquoise water, stays at the famous water hut resorts can cost up to 1,300 per night.

However, instead of booking a hotel in the resort islands, Whitley decided to stay on the local islands and was able to bag a room with a sea view for just 25 a night.

Whitley and Wildbur managed to pack in lots of activities on their trip. (Natasha Whitley/SWNS) (Natasha Whitley / SWNS)

The local islands, which only opened to tourists in 2009, are less popular as alcohol is banned and only certain beaches allow you to wear bikinis.

"It [the Maldives] had always been high on my bucket list but I never thought I would be able to afford it," Whitley explains.

"Since I saw a TikTok about doing the Maldives on a budget, I googled it and looked at what hotels were costing and was shocked at how cheap it was."

Whitley and her friend Kara Wildbur, 23, set off on their travels on April 1 and spent six days in the Maldives before heading to Sri Lanka, where they both are now.

They split their time between the islands of Thulusdhoo and Dhiffushi staying in two beautiful beach front rooms at the Beach House by Sii Hotels and the Batutu Surf View Hotel.

"Rooms on Thulusdhoo and Dhiffushi islands were around 30 a night for a room per person," Whitley reveals.

"Ferries and transport were also cheap so it was much more affordable than it looked."

The friends had a room overlooking the sea. (Natasha Whitley/SWNS) (Natasha Whitley / SWNS)

Taking advantage of the reasonable costs, the friends decided to book in plenty of activities, including swimming with sharks, which cost 88, and a trip to a deserted island for 28, which included jet ski rides.

They also paid a modest 12 each to take a trip to a floating bar, which is common on the local islands as they can't serve alcohol on land.

Speaking about the excursions they packed into their trip Whitley says: "We went swimming with sharks and visited a deserted island.

"We also took a jet ski ride and spotted dolphins, manta ray, stingray, turtles and flying fish!

"As there is no alcohol allowed for religious reasons, we caught a dinghy to a floating bar in the sea!"

Food was also very affordable with a meal costing an average of 7 a day per person with breakfast included with their rooms.

Natasha Whitley and Kara Wildbur have been sharing their Maldives experience on their TikTok channels. (Natasha Whitley/SWNS) (Natasha Whitley / SWNS)

The most expensive part of their trip were the flights - from London to Male and then Male to Colombo - came up to a total of 905.

During their trip the pair posted content to their TikTok pages: @okay.kara.travels and @travelsbytash and Whitley has also started running affordable group trips for solo travelers, and has trips planned to Iceland and Costa Rica.

Whitley enjoyed a six-day holiday in the paradise destination. (Natasha Whitley/SWNS) (Natasha Whitley / SWNS)

Maldives trip cost breakdown (per person)

Flight: 905

Transport = 32 (four ferries and one speedboat)

Food = 95 (avg 7 per meal)

swimming with sharks: 88

deserted island trip 28

floating bar 12

Miscellaneous = 28 (atm fees, souvenirs, airport storage)

Accommodation: 133

Total (without flights) = 416 per person over 6 days so around 70/day

Watch: 'I managed to holiday in the Maldives for under 500'

Additional reporting SWNS.

Travel: Read more
Pro-Palestinian graffiti on the Croydon branch of Barclays bank - UKNIP

A Barclays bank branch in south London has been vandalised, with pro-Palestinian graffiti describing the bank as baby killers.

Police were called at around 1.45am on Thursday to reports of criminal damage after a pro-Palestinian slogan was sprayed on the building on North End.

Pictures showed the front window smashed, with shattered glass strewn over the street. Police set up a cordon around the property, which was also sprayed with red paint.

Graffiti on the building says: Baby Killers stop arming Israel. Free Palestine. Stop funding genocide.

The window of the Barclays branch was smashed in the attack - UKNIP

In footage posted on X, formerly Twitter, security alarms can be heard sounding. Those responsible for the vandalism had fled by the time officers had arrived, the Metropolitan Police said.

No arrests have been made, and an investigation is ongoing.

The force said in a statement: On Thursday April 18, at approximately 01.45, police received a call to attend North End, Croydon, after a report of criminal damage after a pro-Palestine slogan had been sprayed onto the front of a building.

Officers attended but those responsible had left the scene. There has been no arrest and an investigation is ongoing. We will not tolerate people causing criminal damage to buildings under the guise of protest.

A Barclays spokesperson said: We apologise for any inconvenience caused by todays temporary closure of our Croydon branch. We are working hard to get the branch open as soon as we possibly can.

The safety of our customers, colleagues and local community is our priority and we would ask that those expressing their views stop short of criminal damage to our facilities, which puts peoples safety at risk.
Australia is considering offering residency to security guard Muhammad Taha for his actions at Westfield Bondi Junction on Saturday. Photograph: Reuters

A Pakistani security guard stabbed in the Bondi Junction attack will be offered permanent residency or citizenship, after Australia made a similar offer to a French citizen, Anthony Albanese said.

On Thursday the prime minister said all those who showed bravery during the Westfield Bondi Junction attack on Saturday were a light in amongst the darkness and deserved Australias gratitude.

The government certainly will consider extending a residency offer to Muhammad Taha, he said, later telling Nines A Current Affairs he was very confident it would happen on Friday.

He certainly is the sort of character that we want to see continuing to contribute here in Australia, Albanese said.

The minister has spoken with  Muhammad, and we wish him every swift recovery. We see no reason why this shouldnt be approved and Im very confident that it will be approved tomorrow.

Albanese confirmed Damien Guerot, dubbed Bollard Man for his efforts confronting alleged attacker Joel Cauchi with a bollard at the Bondi Junction shopping mall, will be given permanent residency in Australia.

On Thursday The Australian reported that Taha, who was seriously injured in the Bondi Junction attack, had asked why he had not been offered the same since he and colleague Faraz Tahir, who was killed, had also confronted Cauchi.

As a direct victim of the incident, I believe I deserve recognition and consideration for citizenship, Taha reportedly said.

Related: Bondi Junction stabbing: French man who confronted attacker with bollard to receive permanent residency

As well [as] the guards working alongside [who] came running towards the point of incident and risking their lives  [they] should be offered citizenship as well.

Albanese was asked on Thursday if the government would consider offering residency or citizenship to Taha on the same basis as Guerot, in recognition of his bravery in responding to the alleged stabbings.

Yes, we certainly will, Albanese told Adelaides FiveAA Radio.

Damien Guerot, the French citizen who was praised overnight by my friend president [Emmanuel] Macron who was out there very proud of him  what he [Guerot] was after, he was here on a temporary visa, he was after a permanent visa, not to change his citizenship, but a permanent visa will be granted to him today.

Related: False claims started spreading about the Bondi Junction stabbing attack as soon as it happened

And certainly, the circumstances where people are there working as security guards, the tragedy of Faraz Tahir who lost his life, this other person Muhammad Taha, he confronted this guy, the [alleged] perpetrator Joel Cauchi, on Saturday [will be considered].

It just shows extraordinary courage, these are people who were  not thinking of themselves  putting themselves in danger protecting Australians they didnt know, just people going about their shopping.

And thats the sort of courage that we want to say thank you to, frankly. Those extraordinary stories of bravery in amongst the carnage and tragedy that we saw on Saturday.

Its a bit of light in amongst the darkness that you saw these extraordinary acts.

Earlier, the deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, said that certainly the actions of Mr Taha were enormously brave, theres no doubt about that.

Im not aware of the particular applications that Mr Taha has  but Ive got no doubt that his circumstances will be worked through, he told Radio National.

The notion that the sort of bravery that Mr Taha exhibited is what we want to see in this country is, of course, right.

The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, was asked whether he supported the same rights being extended to Taha on Thursday after earlier publicly supporting Guerots offer of permanent residency and saying he embodied the Anzac sprit.

Well, thats obviously an issue for the prime minister, Dutton said of Taha.

I think, at the moment, the focus really is on those who have lost their lives, those who are recovering, and I think any other matter can be dealt with in due course.
Iranian soldiers on parade in Tehran this week - ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Lord Cameron has told Benjamin Netanyahu that the UK will not be proscribing Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terror group, The Telegraph understands.

The Foreign Secretary delivered the message in person to Mr Netanyahu, Israels prime minister, and Israel Katz, its foreign minister, according to a senior Whitehall source.

Both senior Israeli politicians are understood to have urged Lord Cameron to take the step when they met in Israel on Wednesday, arguing that Irans attack on Israel proved it was necessary.

However, the Foreign Secretary is said to have pushed back firmly, arguing that it would be best if London could still talk to Tehran. He was pretty blunt, said the source.

Lord Cameron is understood to have broadly argued the following: The Iranian foreign minister is no friend of the British Foreign Secretary or vice versa, but we need to be able to pick up the phone. If we proscribed them, it would not help the situation.

Lord Cameron and Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, met in Jerusalem on Wednesday - Maayan Toaf/Israel Gpo/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

The position comes amid renewed pressure from some prominent Tories for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a branch of the Iranian military, to be formally prescribed after Irans strikes on Israel last weekend.

Proscription would mean it would become a criminal offence to belong to the IRGC, attend its meetings, carry its logo in public or encourage support of its activities.

The Government has been considering the move for more than a year, with Home Office ministers in the past supportive but the Foreign Office arguing against the change.

Foreign Office figures have warned that taking the step would make it all but impossible for ministers and officials to talk to leading Iranian politicians, cutting off a useful channel of dialogue.

Figures in the US administration, which proscribed the Revolutionary Guard during Donald Trumps presidency, are also said to be arguing that it would be beneficial for the UK to maintain contact.

Despite not going for outright proscription, the UK has sanctioned the IRGC multiple times. On Thursday, the corps navy was included in a wave of new UK-US sanctions.

It came after Iran fired around 350 drones, missiles and rockets at Israel on Saturday night.

A scrambled Western effort to get Mr Netanyahu not to retaliate is under way amid fears of escalating back and forth attacks.

A change in strategy from the UK Government has emerged in recent days as it has become clear that a form of retaliation is coming, with the focus turning to trying to minimise the scale of such action.

Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary, said on Thursday that in reality Israel is likely to launch retaliatory action against Iran. He told BBC Radio Four that it would be surprising if Israel, in its own self-defence, were not inclined to retaliate.
Change would mean millions of young people could come to the UK to fill the gap left by Brexit in the hospitality sector. Photograph: Mark Waugh/Alamy

The European Commission has proposed opening negotiations with the UK to allow mobility enjoyed before Brexit to millions of 18- to 30-year-olds in a major concession.

It said it would now seek approval from individual EU leaders to start the talks, which could partly eliminate one of the most controversial elements of Brexit, a block on the right to live in one anothers countries, albeit for a limited period and with conditions.

Referring to the post-Brexit trading agreement on Northern Ireland, the commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said: Since we have the Windsor agreement in place, the relationship has been much more constructive.

There are certainly topics where we can have closer collaboration  and the topic of youth mobility is in both our interests because the more we have youth mobility being on both sides of the channel, the more we increase the probability we will be on good terms because the next generation knows each other very well.

Under the envisaged agreement, EU and UK citizens aged between 18 and 30 would be able to stay for up to four years in the destination country, the European Commission said in a detailed statement.

If agreed, a youth mobility scheme visa would be issued in those countries that participate, with possible conditions including a requirement for health insurance and proof of sufficient subsistence funds, a feature of other mobility schemes around the world.

The objective would be to facilitate youth exchanges, making it easier for young EU citizens to travel, work and live in the UK, with reciprocity for young UK nationals in a member state, the commission said.

The decision by the commission, which has in the past been vehemently opposed to making any concessions to the UK sought since Brexit, is seen as a breakthrough in UK-EU relations.

The proposal to open negotiation must first be agreed by EU leaders. Sources say the first opportunity could arise in May at a meeting of general affairs ministers.

If approved, it would mean millions of young people could come to the UK to fill the gap left by Brexit in the hospitality sector, and also in universities. It would mean seasonal work, from restaurant work to jobs in ski resorts, would be available again to British young people in EU countries.

It may also make it easier for UK and EU universities to recruit researchers, particularly those involved in the Horizon science research programme. Under the scheme it is also envisaged that the university student home-fee system would be restored in both directions, ending the crippling overseas fees which sometimes amounted to more than 40,000 a year.

The Swedish minister for European affairs, Jessika Roswall, told the Guardian: Sweden has pushed for this and we feel this is very important for the youth and students in the EU and the UK, they are the winners.

In its announcement, thecommission said it had acted after the UK had made approaches to individual EU countries, known to include France, to open a youth mobility scheme.

UK ministers have argued that it would not be a backtracking on one of the key elements of Brexit, the end of free movement for British citizens. They argued that France already had such an agreement with Canada, and Australia had a similar deal with the UK, and that it would be an important way to foster cultural exchange for future generations.

Mobility would not be purpose-bound, ie beneficiaries should be able to undertake different activities during that period, such as studying, training, working or travelling, neither would mobility be subject to a quota system, said the commission.

Kate Nicholls, the chief executive of UKHospitality, said: We have been calling for these schemes to be expanded and Im pleased to see the EU Commission coming to the table with a plan to open negotiations. I hope the EU Council agrees with the proposal and that talks between the UK and EU can begin as soon as possible.

The commissions statement raises a possibility that it could pave the way for university places in one anothers countries if member states and the UK saw fit. And agreement would also provide for equal treatment (ie, non-discrimination) between EU and UK citizens in respect of higher education tuition fees, the statement said.

The commission stressed that a youth mobility scheme would not be reinstating free movement as it would come with conditions including a limited stay in one anothers countries.

The envisaged agreement would provide for limited-in-time mobility, subject to the fulfilment of conditions to be checked before the mobility can take place. The conditions should also be met during the stay. It is not about conferring to young UK nationals the benefits of the fundamental freedom of movement enjoyed by EU citizens, it said.

It added that Brexit had particularly affected the opportunities for young people to experience life on the other side of the channel and to benefit from youth, cultural, educational, research and training exchanges.

It also said that a bloc-wide deal was preferable to a series of bilaterals as it would ensure equal treatment for every person in the scheme.

Lord Kinnoull, the chair of the House of Lords European affairs committee, which recommended such a mobility programme, welcomed the development, saying if agreement was reached it would be greatly to the mutual benefit of both parties and to the youth of Europe.
Christian Henricksen, second in command of the Bexar County District Attorney's office, is leaving for a top position with the Travis County DA's office in Austin. Kaylee Greenlee Beal

Christian Henricksen, a top aide to Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales for the last five years, is heading to Austin to work for the Travis County DAs office.

His old boss, Gonzales, and his new one, Travis County DA Jose Garza, are both reform-minded Democrats whose view are in sync with Henricksens.

Garza announced Thursday that Henricksen will join his office with the title of director and will oversee trial court matters, a pre-indictment unit and violence-prevention programs. Henricksens arrival is part of a package of leadership changes in the office as we begin to prepare for our second term, said Garza, who was first elected in 2020.

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Henricksen has played a key role in Gonzales administration since Gonzales took office in 2019. He served as the DAs chief of litigation and then as first assistant district attorney. Before that, he was Gonzales law partner in private practice and spent eight years as a prosecutor.

As first assistant DA, Henricksen was responsible for the offices day-to-day operations. He also put in place some of Gonzales signature policies, including a cite-and-release program that allows police to ticket rather than arrest people accused of low-level crimes, such as possession of small quantities of marijuana.

His last day in the Bexar County DAs office will be April 26.

Henricksen took heat earlier this year for his dealings with the Wren Collective, an Austin-based nonprofit that aims to overhaul the justice system, reduce the prison population and resolve many nonviolent criminal cases without formal prosecution.

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Email and text messages obtained under the Texas Public Information Act show the groups founder, Jessica Brand, had extensive communications with Gonzales and Henricksen about general policies and particular cases.

The disclosures prompted questions from the legal community about whether it was appropriate for the DA to receive behind-the-scenes policy and messaging advice from an advocacy organization. Gonzales and Henricksen made no apologies and said its common for public officials to receive advice from outside groups with policy expertise.

Henricksen told the San Antonio Express-News earlier this year that he was proud of what the DAs office had accomplished with the Wren Collectives assistance in de-emphasizing prosecution of low-level, nonviolent offenses.

They helped us a lot, he said. They helped us get the information that we needed to make good decisions.

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Garza is a former federal public defender, immigrant rights activist and executive director of the Workers Defense Project, which advocates for higher wages and safe working conditions for immigrants. He is seeking reelection to a second four-year term.

He views the justice system as broken and has touted his efforts as DA to hold police accountable for unwarranted use of force and to offer treatment to nonviolent drug offenders rather than try to imprison them. Critics have accused him of excessive leniency and blamed him for outbreaks of street crime in Austin.

As a public defender, Garza saw first-hand how our system weighs most heavily on people of color, working people and poor people, and immigrant families, according to a biography on the Travis County DAs website.

Garza worked in Washington, D.C., as deputy general counsel for the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, as special counsel to the National Labor Relations Board and as an adviser to Tom Perez, secretary of labor in the Obama administration.
Queensland police service Det Supt Benjamin Fadian. Photograph: Jono Searle/AAP

Queensland polices ethical standards command is conducting a review after high-ranking members of the service appeared to publicly share and comment on lewd social media posts over a number of years, including one about a sexual assault.

From 2017 to 2022, Det Supt Benjamin Fadian publicly tagged a number of officers in dozens of Facebook posts about subjects including pornography, masturbation and dildos.

One public post that Fadian commented on, on 7 November 2017, was a screenshot of a news article about a law student being jailed for an apparent sexual assault after hitting a sleeping girl with his penis.

Fadian tagged another Facebook user on the post before responding to someone who tagged him: neither of us got the op [overall position mark] to do law mate.

The comment was made when Fadian was working in the ethical standards command, an internal police integrity unit that investigates complaints against members of the service.

Fadian now holds the rank of detective superintendent and has briefed reporters about various cases, including alleged domestic violence incidents and murder cases.

The sexual assault post is not the only Facebook post Queensland police service (QPS) members have commented on publicly that are now being reviewed internally.

Fadian also made comments on public posts several years ago that appeared to make jibes at an associates sexuality.

Fadian also commented on one public post in 2017 showing a graphic image of elephants that read tag a mate who likes it up the ass. Tagging a person, he wrote: like looking at a portrait of you.

Fadian tagged the same person in a post about cock soup, calling it his favourite meal in 2018 and tagged him in another post during the same year about homo milk saying litres of it for you.

In a post from 2017 about a ladyboy bar in Manila, Fadian tagged the person and said: your favourite place.

He also tagged the person in a post from 2018 showing a woman on a bike seat that read tag a mate whod sniff this seat. At it again, Fadian wrote.

The Facebook profile was removed after Fadian was contacted for comment by Guardian Australia. The profile has since been restored but is locked. The Guardian did not receive a response to questions.

Meanwhile, Queensland police are also investigating a post by QPS member Brad Rix about International Womens Day from 2024.

The photo  which Rix has shared every International Womens Day since at least 2021  shows a wrinkled banner and reads: International womens day  couldve ironed it.

Several profiles that appear to belong to Queensland police officers have liked or engaged with the post.

Rix deleted the post after being contacted by Guardian Australia and did not respond to questions. After the Guardian asked why the post was removed, the Facebook profile was locked.

Both Rix and Fadian were tagged in another post in 2017 by Det Insp Michael Jones of the QPS child abuse and sexual crime group about a woman drinking from a dong bong which was shaped like a penis.

Jones wrote the new tube is certainly interesting to which Fadian responded it was a tad unseemly and Jones replied: I can think of some who would enjoy a sip from it.

Rix wrote it brought a whole new connotation to [the officers] preferred real mans piss.

Meanwhile, another detective currently at the ethical standards command commented under the post: terrible addition to the HMAS BC. The comment appears to be a reference to an annual boat trip the men go on.

Jones did not respond to a request for comment and the name of his Facebook profile was changed after being contacted by Guardian Australia. The other detective was also sent questions by the Guardian but did not respond.

A QPS spokesperson said the service was aware of these matters and the content of the material is currently subject of review by the Ethical Standards Command.

The QPS have an established social media policy and will consider discipline action in regard to any identified breach of that policy.

Related: Queensland police failure of leadership has allowed sexism, racism and fear to take hold, inquiry finds

Queensland polices social media policy states members must not engage in activities online, posting comments or uploading images that would bring the service into disrepute, undermine the service standing as a trusted member of law enforcement  [and] are inconsistent with service values.

The QPS website says the purpose of the ethical standards command is to protect the high standards of integrity and professionalism necessary to maintain the trust and support of our community.

A commission of inquiry into the QPS in 2022 uncovered damning evidence about alleged behaviour of QPS officers. There is no suggestion that any of the officers named in this article were the subject of allegations in that inquiry.

Future improvements will require a sustained and dedicated commitment from a strong and respected leadership, the report said.

This is likely to be a significant challenge for the QPS.

 Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html
The Home Office in Westminster

A Home Office case worker has been arrested on suspicion of trying to sell UK residency to an asylum seeker living in Northern Ireland.

The official, who has been suspended by the Home Office, allegedly contacted a vulnerable man and asked for 2,000 in return for approving his refugee application.

The BBC, which uncovered the alleged cash-for-residency scandal, said that sensitive Home Office records were used as part of the attempted scam.

Police have been called in to investigate by the Home Office, which said that it expected the highest standards from its staff.

Stephen Kinnock, the shadow immigration minister, said that the allegations were deeply concerning and the Government had lost control of the asylum system.

He offered me a positive decision

The intended victim, using the pseudonym Renas to protect his identity, said that he was contacted by a worker employed as an asylum decision maker in the north of England.

Renas said he received a call in early March in which it was claimed that 95 per cent of people like you have their applications refused.

The decision maker then allegedly suggested a direct payment would guarantee success.

He said I could be sure he would refuse my application, Renas said. But if I could help him, he could help me and he asked for some money. He asked for 2,000.

He basically offered me a positive decision.

Renas, a former journalist, said at first he thought it was a total scam, but it became clear to him the man on the phone did work for the Home Office.

He had all my information. He gave me very specific details from my application.

Targeted the most vulnerable people

Renas recorded a subsequent video call he received from the decision maker, which he passed to police.

The footage appears to show an individual using a laptop that has official Home Office software containing case files.

He targeted the most vulnerable people in society, Renas said.

There will be other asylum seekers who are going through the same process, or maybe there are some people who have already been scammed like this. I feel this is my responsibility to inform them.

I was persecuted in my home country by the authorities. I was already afraid of the Home Office and other institutions here.

Renas raised concerns with his solicitor, who alerted the authorities.

In a statement, Lancashire police said: We can confirm we have arrested a man on suspicion of misconduct in public office, suspicion of money laundering, bribery, and computer misuse offences.

Officers from Lancashire Constabulary alongside partners from the Home Office arrested the man, in his 30s, in the Ramsgreave area of Blackburn. An investigation remains in its early stages and enquiries are ongoing.

A Home Office spokesman said: We expect the highest standards from our staff to ensure asylum claims are properly considered, decisions are sound and that protection is granted to those who genuinely need it.

The member of staff was arrested and suspended. It would be inappropriate to comment further as the matter is subject to a live police investigation.
The former president in Manhattan Criminal Court - Brendan McDermid/AFP via Getty

Twelve New Yorkers have been selected to be jurors in Donald Trumps hush money criminal trial but proceedings could still be delayed after another chaotic day in court.

Seven jurors were added on Thursday afternoon only a few hours after two people were selected and quickly excused.

Alternative jurors are still being chosen, which could delay the start of the former presidents trial.

Jurors have undergone an intensive vetting process in the selection for Mr Trumps criminal trial  the first of any US president  in which he is charged with concealing hush money payments used to cover up an affair with an adult film star. He has pleaded not guilty and denied an affair.

Legal teams had been told to prepare for opening statements as early as Monday morning, but that timetable was thrown into doubt after one juror said she felt intimidated after being identified from reports and prosecutors suggested another may have lied about a prior arrest.

The scenes on Thursday threw into stark relief the difficulty of selecting a jury to try a former US president. Earlier on Monday, half of a new group of prospective jurors led into court asked to be excused over impartiality concerns.

Mr Trump, the presumptive Republican candidate in Novembers election, has claimed it will be impossible for him to receive a fair hearing in Manhattan, a solidly-Democratic area. He has called it the second-worst venue in the country on his Truth Social platform.

The full jury was eventually seated on Thursday afternoon when two jurors took the place of those who were excused, followed by five more. However, the court has yet to pick any alternates who will replace jurors if they cannot continue.

One woman selected this week was excused when she raised concerns that aspects of her identity made public would affect her ability to be impartial.

She told the court that her family, friends and colleagues had contacted her after working out that she was a juror through press accounts of the trial.

I dont believe at this point that I can be fair and unbiased, and let the outside influences not affect my decision-making in the courtroom, she said.

Justice Juan Merchan, the judge presiding over the proceedings, said the juror had felt intimidated by the disclosures, which included her occupation and the area where she lived.

He directed the press to avoid reporting on prospective jurors employment history going forward.

We just lost what probably would have been a very good juror, he said.

A second juror, who arrived to court late, was dismissed after prosecutors suggested he may not have disclosed prior brushes with the law on an extensive questionnaire intended to vet prospective jurors.

They noted that reporting from the 1990s referred to a man with the same name who had been arrested for tearing down political advertisements.

I actually believe the propaganda that was being ripped down was political posters that were on the Right  the political Right, Joshua Steinglass, prosecuting, said.

Mr Trump's attorney, Emil Bove, returns to the courtroom after a break - Mary Altaffer/AP

He added that they had also found that the jurors wife was previously involved in a corruption inquiry and cooperated with the District Attorneys office.

Lawyers from both sides, along with the judge, questioned the juror out of earshot of reporters. The man was seen talking animatedly, prompting laughter from the lawyers  although Justice Merchan looked stern.

Mr Trump, seated at the defence table, leaned in, apparently listening intently as the parties spoke in hushed voices.

Eventually, the man was told not to return to the trial and was led out of the courtroom. He told The New York Times afterwards that he should not have been dismissed.

Justice Merchan later said the juror had expressed annoyance about how much information about him had been out in the public.

On Thursday, prosecutor Christopher Conroy accused Mr Trump of violating a gag order imposed by the judge seven times since the trial began this week.

Mr Conroy said he had attacked the prosecutions star witness  his former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen  branding him a serial perjurer on Truth Social.

In another post, Mr Trump quoted a Conservative commentator who claimed there were undercover liberal activists lying to the judge to get onto the jury. This is the most disturbing post in light of what just happened this morning, Mr Conroy said.

Prosecutors have already sought a $3,000 fine for Mr Trump for three other posts on the Truth Social platform.

Defence lawyer Emil Bove said Mr Cohen had been attacking President Trump in public statements, and that Mr Trump was simply replying. The judge will consider the matter next week.
The news series of Clarkson's Farm is out in May

Jeremy Clarkson will turn to pig farming in the new series of Clarksons Farm after the council ordered the closure of his Diddly Squat restaurant.

The presenter has bought a drove of rare breed pigs as he looks for alternative ways to make money from his 1,000-acre farm.

In a trailer for the third series, which launches next month, Clarkson can be seen comforting his partner, Lisa Hogan, when a piglet dies.

The series begins with the news that the local council has served notice to close the pop-up restaurant, and the presenter looks for other revenue streams.

Clarkson then challenges his farm manager, Kaleb Cooper, to a competition: Cooper will attempt to make money from the farmed land, while Clarkson will use the 500 acres previously left to the wild.

The former Top Gear presenter tries his hand at cultivating mushrooms, and making jam from blackberries  picking the latter from bushes with the help of a vacuum cleaner.

He also takes delivery of some goats to clear areas of shrubland on the Cotswolds farm.

Kaleb Cooper with Jeremy Clarkson and a very cute piglet

The trailer includes footage of Cooper injuring his head while in a safety harness, prompting Clarkson to quip: Weve got to get rid of all health and safety equipment off the farm, its really injuring people.

Cooper is also seen meeting the Prime Minister last May during a Downing Street farm to fork summit.

Cooper tells Rishi Sunak: Youve got lovely hair.

The 25-year-old farmer has become a star thanks to his role in the series.

In an interview with The Times this week, he said: I dont really like the word celebrity. I suppose Im a farming ambassador.

Young people are going into farming because of me  and I love that because without new blood this industry will die.

He said of his meeting with the Prime Minister: I hate politics generally and people told me I was being used in a government PR stunt. So I focused on his haircare. Rishi Sunak has amazingly glossy hair.

The series launches on Prime Video on May 3.
Sadiq Khan will launch his sager, fairer, green London manifesto in south-east London on Thursday. Photograph: Carl Court/Getty Images

Baby banks could be rolled out in every London borough for families to access free essentials for their children, as part of Sadiq Khans bid to win a historic third term.

The London mayor will launch his safer, fairer, greener London manifesto in south-east London, pitching how his policies will support young Londoners from birth to securing a job and finding an affordable home to buy or rent.

Operating similarly to food banks, baby banks will provide families with items including nappies, toiletries, bedding and feeding equipment. Many users will be referred to the hubs, which are run by local charities including the Felix Project and Little Village, by a health visitor, doctor or childrens centre.

Related: Jobcentres told to stop referring benefit claimants to food banks

Khan will also pledge to make his free school meals offer permanent in London, drawing a clear dividing line with the Conservative candidate, Susan Hall, who has confirmed that she would scrap the programme from next year because Londoners could be paying for food for people who may be millionaires children.

He will say his politics is about giving the next generation a chance, with a promise to restore the contract he was raised to believe: that if you worked hard, you got a helping hand and you made your life what you will.

The measures have been championed by Labours deputy leader, Angela Rayner, who says the plans will build on his achievements of stepping in to help Londoners through the cost of living crisis.

With mayoral elections due in two weeks, Khan has already vowed to end rough sleeping for good by 2030, build 40,000 new council homes by the end of the decade, deliver affordable rent control homes, and offer young people studying in the city a new version of the EUs Erasmus scheme.

Khan will say: If my politics is about one thing above all, then its about giving the next generation a chance. I was raised to believe that if you worked hard, you got a helping hand and you made your life what you will.

But over the past 14 years, the Tories have shredded that contract. The promise I make through this manifesto is to restore it and make London the greatest city the world over in which to grow up.

He will stress there will be truly no limits on what can be achieved working with a Labour government, marking 2024 as a year of historic choice and of historic challenge.

Rayner said: Young Londoners can trust Sadiq to keep delivering on his plan to provide them with a strong foundation so they can thrive no matter where they come from  [Khan will] break the link between where you come from, determining where you end up.

Jamie Oliver described Khans move to guarantee free school meals permanently as phenomenal news.
Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell - Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Nicola Sturgeons husband has been charged in connection with embezzlement of funds from the Scottish National Party.

Peter Murrell, the partys former chief executive, was taken into custody at 9.13am on Thursday morning by detectives investigating the funding and finances of the party.

Police Scotland said he was charged more than nine hours later, at 6.35pm, after further questioning. He was released from police custody, and a report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in due course.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: A 59-year-old man has today, Thursday, April 18 2024, been charged in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the Scottish National Party.

The man, who was arrested at 9.13am today and had previously been arrested as a suspect on April 5 2023, was charged at 6.35pm after further questioning by Police Scotland detectives investigating the funding and finances of the party.

A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in due course. The man is no longer in police custody. As this investigation is ongoing, we are unable to comment further.

Detectives had 12 hours to question Mr Murrell before they had to charge him, release him or ask a senior officer for a 12-hour extension.

Ongoing investigation

A spokesman for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said: Senior professional prosecutors from COPFS and an Advocate Depute are working with police on this ongoing investigation.

It is standard practice that any case regarding politicians is dealt with by prosecutors without the involvement of the Lord Advocate or Solicitor General. All Scotlands prosecutors act independently of political interference.

As is routine, to protect the integrity of ongoing investigations we do not comment in detail on their conduct.

Craig Hoy, the Scottish Conservative chairman, said: This is an extremely serious development and its essential that all SNP staff and politicians, past and present, cooperate fully with Police Scotland.

Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labours deputy leader, said: This is another incredibly concerning development in this long-running investigation. It is essential that Police Scotland is able to proceed with this investigation without interference.

Keith Brown, the SNPs deputy leader, told reporters at Holyrood: Im not going to comment on an ongoing policy inquiry. It would be wrong to do it.

An SNP spokesman said: While this development will come as a shock, the police investigation remains ongoing and it would, therefore, be inappropriate to make any comment.

It was the second time Mr Murrell has been arrested in connection with the inquiry, following a police raid at the home he shares with Ms Sturgeon just over a year ago. He has barely been seen in public since.

He was the partys chief executive between 1999 and last March, when he resigned after accepting the blame for the public being misled about the number of SNP members. He married Ms Sturgeon in 2010.

Motorhome confiscated

Since July 2021, Police Scotlands Operation Branchform has been examining the SNPs handling of more than 600,000 in donations raised in 2017 for a second independence referendum.

Supporters made complaints when accounts lodged with Companies House in 2020 showed the SNP only had 97,000 in the bank despite the second referendum never having taken place.

The investigation took a dramatic turn on April 5 last year, when police raided Ms Sturgeon and Mr Murrells home near Glasgow.

Officers searched the home for two days, erecting a large evidence tent, and a luxury motorhome was confiscated from outside the Fife home of Mr Murrells elderly mother.

He was also arrested in the raid, which happened the week after Humza Yousaf became First Minister. The following month, Colin Beattie, the partys then treasurer, was arrested, and then Ms Sturgeon was arrested in June.

All three were released without charge pending further investigations, and Ms Sturgeon has strenuously denied any wrongdoing.

Last year, Sir Iain Livingtone, Police Scotlands former chief constable, disclosed that the inquiry had moved beyond complaints that the 600,000 had gone missing.

Asked why Operation Branchform was taking so long, he noted that investigations around fraud, potential embezzlement and the misuse of funds take a long time.

But Murray Foote, the SNPs former communications chief and current chief executive, has called the search of Ms Sturgeons home a grotesque circus and predicted that no charges would ever be brought.

Senior SNP figures recently called for police to return the confiscated motorhome, arguing that it could be sold to raise funds for the cash-strapped party or used as a battle bus during the forthcoming general election campaign.
Rishi Sunak has consistently said he wants the deportation flights to start this spring - UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor/PA

Ministers are preparing to force MPs and peers to sit through the night to get Rishi Sunaks Safety of Rwanda Bill through Parliament on Monday.

After being criticised for failing to run the votes round the clock, the Prime Minister has ordered party managers to ensure that there are no more delays after peers blocked the Rwanda Bill for a fourth time on Wednesday.

The hardline tactic emerged after Downing Street had appeared to drop Mr Sunaks target of getting the first Rwanda deportation flights off the ground in the spring because of the delays to the legislation.

Parliamentary ping-pong has spanned nearly three weeks, starting just before the two-week Easter recess. It threatens to equal the record of five rounds of to-ing and fro-ing between the two Houses, set by Labours Prevention of Terrorism Act in the early 2000s.

If the Lords continue to refuse to back down, it will see the Bill being sent between the two Houses for votes within minutes. On Thursday, Downing Street indicated there would be no concessions, while Labour is preparing to whip its peers to continue to back the amendments if there is no Government compromise.

Mr Sunaks official spokesman said: Our intention is to get the whole thing done on Monday. Ill leave it to others to set out the process. Conversations are ongoing, but our intention is to get this done.

The source of the standoff has been boiled down to two amendments demanding an exemption from deportation for Afghans who worked with the UK military and tighter checks on whether Rwanda remains safe for asylum seekers.

The spokesman refused four times to say whether the target would be met. Asked whether spring remained the target date for flights, the spokesman said: The timetable that we previously set out was factoring in plenty of time for parliamentary debate. But obviously the Bill has continued to be delayed.

Were working at pace to ensure these flights leave as soon as possible, but its now incumbent on the Lords to pass this Bill so that we can get flights off as soon as possible.

Mr Sunak has consistently said he wants the deportation flights to start this spring, but migrants earmarked for the first flights cannot be notified until the Bill gains Royal Assent. There is then a legal appeal process required by law for the migrants, scheduled to take four to eight weeks.

On Thursday, Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary, suggested that RAF planes could be used to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Asked on Sky News whether the Air Force would be used in the absence of a private airline, he said: It is a whole Government effort. We will do whatever we need to do to make sure that we can get these flights off, whether they are chartered flights or any other type of flight.

A man protests against the Rwanda scheme outside Parliament this week - Vuk Valcic/Shutterstock

One option would be to use Voyager planes, which are leased from AirTanker, an aviation company that provides 14 Airbus A330s to the RAF for specialist tasks including transporting Ukrainian soldiers to the UK for training.

Airlines have previously refused to sign contracts when approached by the Home Office because of concerns about the potential damage to their reputations by being involved in the Rwanda scheme. RwandAir, the national airline, is among companies to have rejected approaches to participate.

Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, has said the Governments Rwanda scheme would not work regardless of how asylum seekers travelled to the east African country.

Asked whether he thought RAF aircraft should be used to deport asylum seekers, he told broadcasters: I think the Government should be concentrating on how they are going to stop small boats from arriving in the first place rather than wasting time and money, taxpayers money, on a gimmick, however they travel to Rwanda.

There are tens of thousands of people waiting to have their claims processed and the Government is talking about removing a few hundred. More people came in one day last week than this entire scheme will remove under its current provisions.
The journey across the Darien Gap is long and difficult, as seen here on 9 May 2023. Photograph: Ivan Valencia/AP

Panamas presidential frontrunner has vowed to close the Darien Gap, the swampy jungle straddling the border with Colombia that has become an unavoidable ordeal for many US-bound migrants  but experts criticised the idea as unworkable and potentially dangerous.

Presided over by criminal groups and corrupt officials, the Darien Gap is one of the worlds most dangerous and fast-growing border crossings.

Related: Increasing number of villages torched across Sudan shows conflict is intensifying - report

Last year, more than half a million people  including 113,000 children  risked their lives to make the crossing, up from 24,000 in 2019.

The border of the United States, instead of being in Texas, moved to Panama, said Jose Raul Mulino, who served as security minister under former president Ricardo Martinelli.

Were going to close the Darien and were going to repatriate all these people, said Mulino, without saying how he would do it, though promising to respect migrants human rights.

I have no idea whats in their heads, said Juan Pappier, the Americas deputy director at Human Rights Watch. Closing the Darien Gap is virtually impossible.

The Darien Gap is roughly 60km wide and 160km long, a mix of mountains and rainforest with few roads and little state presence. For decades, drug-trafficking groups have been the de facto authority in the area.

Restricting the flow would push people to take even more dangerous paths, said Pappier. People will risk their lives, organised crime groups will get richer, and Panama will have even less control.

The majority of those crossing the Darien Gap are fleeing collapsing economies in countries including Venezuela, Cuba and Haiti. But a growing portion of migrants come from as far afield as Africa and Asia in a bid to reach the US.

The number of migrants crossing the Darien Gap is expected to keep rising as visa restrictions in Mexico and Central America mean ever fewer are able to fly over it.

If the first few months of this year are any indication, the number of people crossing the Darien Gap could be as high as 700,000 or even 800,000 this year ,said Pappier.

As the numbers have increased, and the human-trafficking business has grown, conditions have deteriorated.

The Colombian side of the gap is strictly controlled by the countrys largest drug cartel, the Gulf clan. But the Panamanian side is more lawless, and armed bandits target migrants for robbery and rape.

Doctors Without Borders  until they got kicked out by the Panamanian government  were documenting a sharp increase in sexual abuse, said Adam Isacson, from the Washington Office on Latin America, a human rights group. The banditry has gotten much worse.

But if the government tries to establish more of a state presence along a path that people could take, that could actually make their journey safer  as long as security forces arent in league with the bandits, he added.

Panamanian authorities reported finding 124 bodies in the Darien Gap between January 2021 and April 2023, but this is likely a fraction of the true number, given the challenges in reporting and recovering bodies.

No one knows the exact number of people who have died crossing the Darien Gap, said Pappier. But all the migrants we interviewed on the Panamanian side said they saw bodies, sometimes 10 or 15, when they crossed the jungle.

It is unclear why Mulino has vowed to close the Darien Gap, given the relative absence of anti-migrant sentiment in Panama, where migrants spend little time before heading north.

But in a US election year, migration is at the top of the political agenda in the region. Last year, Panama, Colombia and the US announced a plan to close the Darien Gap, with little apparent impact on the flow of migration.

It may be a message he thinks the United States wants to hear, said Isacson.

With less than three weeks until the 5 May election, Mulino is the frontrunner to be Panamas next president.

Polls suggest Mulino has a comfortable lead of 13% to 25% ahead of his two closest rivals, the lawyer Ricardo Lombana and former president Martin Torrijos.

Mulino only stepped in as a candidate in February, replacing billionaire businessman and former president Martinelli, whose candidacy was annulled after local courts ratified his prison sentence for money laundering.
Sir Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves and Ed Miliband are pictured today during a visit to Teesside - Ian Forsyth/Getty Images Europe

Sir Keir Starmer has called for the police to investigate Mark Menzies after he lost the Conservative whip while the Tories look into claims he misused campaign funds.

Sir Keir, the Labour leader, told reporters during a visit to Teesside: There are obviously a lot of unanswered questions in relation to these allegations.

Not least why it seems the Conservative Party took so long to act and whether theyve reported this to the police, who it seems to me should be involved in this.

Mr Menzies, the MP for Fylde, is alleged to have used thousands of pounds given by donors to fund medical expenses and to have made a late-night call to a 78-year-old aide asking for help because he had been locked up by bad people demanding money for his release.

Mr Menzies disputes the allegations reported by The Times.

A spokeswoman for Simon Hart, the Tory Chief Whip, said Mr Menzies had agreed to relinquish the Conservative whip, pending the outcome of an investigation. He has also been suspended from his unpaid role as a Government trade envoy.

A Conservative Party spokesman said: The Conservative Party is investigating allegations made regarding a Member of Parliament. This process is rightfully confidential.

You can follow the latest updates below.

04:00 PM BST

That is all for today...

Thank you for joining me for todays politics live blog.

I will be back tomorrow morning.

03:30 PM BST

Scottish government ditches 2030 emissions target

The Scottish Government is ditching a climate change target committing it to reducing emissions by 75 per cent by 2030, the countrys Net Zero Secretary confirmed this afternoon.

Mairi McAllan told MSPs in a statement at Holyrood: In this challenging context of cuts, UK backtracking, we accept the Climate Change Committees recent re-articulation that this parliaments interim 2030 target is out of reach. We must now act to chart a course to 2045 at a pace and scale that is feasible, fair and just.

With this in mind, I can today confirm that, working with parliament on a timetable, the Scottish Government will bring forward expedited legislation to address matters raised by the Climate Change Committee, and ensure our legislative framework better reflects the reality of long-term climate policymaking.

The narrowly drawn Bill will retain our legal commitment to 2045 alongside annual reporting on progress, while introducing a target approach based on five-yearly carbon budgets.

Scotlands target to reach net zero emissions by 2045 - five years earlier than the UK - will remain in place.

03:26 PM BST

Key local election battlegrounds to watch out for

The local elections in England and Wales on May 2 are now just two weeks away.

Millions of people will have the chance to cast at least one ballot.

The Telegraph has identified the key battlegrounds and the results to look out for.

You can find the comprehensive guide here.

03:20 PM BST

Hunt urged to launch inheritance tax raid on unspent pension pots

Jeremy Hunt has been urged to demand inheritance tax on pension pots by one of Britains most influential economic think tanks.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has said the Chancellor could raise 1bn to 2bn in the coming decades by ending the tax-free passing on of unspent pension funds.

Experts at the IFS also urged Mr Hunt to scrap exemptions for the passing on of agricultural land.

You can read the full story here.

02:53 PM BST

Poll: Labour lead Tories by 23 points

Labour has a 23 point lead over the Conservative Party, according to a new YouGov poll.

The survey, conducted between April 16-17, put Labour on 44 per cent and the Tories on 21 per cent.

Labour was down by one point and the Tories were up by two points when compared to the companys previous poll from April 10-11.

Reform UK was down one point to 14 per cent and the Liberal Democrats were unchanged on eight per cent.

Latest YouGov Westminster voting intention (16-17 Apr)



Con: 21% (+2 from 10-11 Apr)

Lab: 44% (-1)

Reform UK: 14% (-1)

Lib Dem: 8% (=)

Green: 8% (+1)

SNP: 3% (=)https://t.co/SDTR9qAKoT pic.twitter.com/DRoSKYRifQ  YouGov (@YouGov) April 18, 2024

02:32 PM BST

Shapps: RAF planes may be used to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda

Grant Shapps has suggested that RAF planes may be used to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda.

The Defence Secretary said ministers would do whatever we need to do to ensure that the flights take off, describing it as a whole Government effort.

He maintained that the aim was still to get the flights off to Rwanda this spring, but said that it would be Labours fault if they did not because of their outrageous blocking tactics in the House of Lords.

You can read the full story here.

02:12 PM BST

Rwanda plan wont work and is a waste of money, says Starmer

Sir Keir Starmer said Rishi Sunaks Rwanda plan wont work and is a waste of taxpayers money.

The Labour leader was asked about the prospect of RAF aircraft potentially being used to make the policy a reality.

He told broadcasters: I think the Government should be concentrating on how they are going to stop small boats from arriving in the first place rather than wasting time and money, taxpayers money, on a gimmick, however they travel to Rwanda.

There are tens of thousands of people waiting to have their claims processed and the Government is talking about removing a few hundred.

More people came in one day last week than this entire scheme will remove under its current provisions.

It is a gimmick, it wont work, its a waste of taxpayers money. Lets do what matters, smash the gangs that are running this trade in the first place.

01:42 PM BST

Pictured: Humza Yousaf addresses Scottish Parliament during FMQs

Humza Yousaf, the First Minister of Scotland, addresses the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood during FMQs today - Andrew Milligan /PA

01:24 PM BST

Starmer: Police should be involved in looking at Mark Menzies claims

Sir Keir Starmer said the police should be involved in the case of Mark Menzies, who lost the Tory whip amid allegations he misused campaign funds.

The Labour leader told reporters during a visit to Teesside: There are obviously a lot of unanswered questions in relation to these allegations.

Not least why it seems the Conservative Party took so long to act and whether theyve reported this to the police, who it seems to me should be involved in this.

Mr Menzies, the MP for Fylde, disputes the allegations.

01:05 PM BST

No concessions on Rwanda Bill, says Downing Street

Downing Street has reiterated that it will not be making any concessions on its Rwanda Bill amid a standoff with the House of Lords.

Peers yesterday supported introducing an exemption from removal for Channel migrants who worked with the UK military or Government overseas, such as Afghan interpreters.

Asked whether ministers could move on that, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said: The amendment is unnecessary. We already have safe and legal routes for people in this category. Its one of the most generous safe and legal routes that we have in fact.

We are proud that we have relocated over 16,000 people to safety through the scheme so far.

He said the amendment would create an unnecessary and dangerous incentive for these people to travel here illegally, which is precisely what this Bill is trying to avoid.

12:59 PM BST

How Downing Street appeared to drop its spring timetable for Rwanda flights

Spring has long been the Governments stated goal for when its Rwanda flights would take off. But that timetable appeared to dissolve today as No 10 repeatedly declined to recommit to it.

This is what No 10 said on the issue today:

Asked if it was still the Governments position that flights will be running by the end of spring, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said: Well obviously set out further detail on this [once the Rwanda Bill] has passed. Clearly we first announced the timetable in November, we have obviously seen, we saw last night, another delay in the parliamentary timetable. But we are working at pace to ensure that these flights leave as soon as possible and as I say our intention is to get this passed on Monday such that we can then set out the timetable for getting flights off as soon as possible. Asked if the spring deadline was going to be missed, the spokesman said: Im not going to get ahead of the Bill passing, which obviously weve seen again last night, has continued to be held up. Told that the Government had previously been firm on the spring pledge, the spokesman said: Its fair to say that the timetable was announced in November. Its worth remembering that this first came to the House of Lords in early March and its continued to be held up.

12:44 PM BST

No 10 appears to abandon pledge to start Rwanda flights by spring

Downing Street has appeared to drop its target of getting the first Rwanda migrant deportation flights off the ground this spring.

No 10 today repeatedly declined to recommit to the timetable as the Rwanda Bills passage through Parliament continues to be blocked by the House of Lords.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman told reporters: Our intention is to get this passed on Monday such that we can then set out the timetable for getting flights off as soon as possible.

He said the original spring timetable was initially set out in November but obviously the Bill has continued to be delayed.

12:26 PM BST

Mark Menzies suspended from trade envoy role

Mark Menzies has been suspended from his role as one of Rishi Sunaks envoys following allegations he misused campaign funds.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman said Mr Menzies had been suspended from the unpaid, voluntary role aimed at boosting trade with Colombia, Chile, Peru and Argentina.

Mr Menzies is under investigation by the Conservative Party and lost the Tory whip after the allegations were published by The Times.

The Fylde MP disputes the allegations.

12:22 PM BST

Tory MP raises significant concerns over Parliaments handling of honeytrap plot

A Conservative MP who was targeted in a Westminster honeytrap plot has raised significant concerns about how it was handled by Parliamentary security.

Dr Luke Evans told the Commons today: Last month I was targeted in a honeytrap plot, I immediately reported it to the police and the authorities, so can I put on record my sincere thanks to Leicestershire Police whove been exemplary in taking this on, and I also thank the whips for their support.

However, I do have significant concerns about how this was handled by the Parliamentary security.

So, will the Leader of the House ask the Speaker to conduct a full review of the system for reporting and investigating incidents reported by MPs so lessons can be learned so that no MP has to go through the same experiences Ive had.

During business questions, Penny Mordaunt, the Commons Leader, replied: I will of course make sure, that not just Mr Speaker, that the whole of the House of Commons Commission has heard his concerns.

I know that the head of security here takes these matters very seriously and Im sure that this will be followed up.

It comes after William Wragg resigned the Conservative whip earlier this month after he admitted giving phone numbers of politicians to a suspected scammer.

12:10 PM BST

Pictured: Khan and Rayner conduct campaign visit in London ahead of May 2 elections

Sadiq Khan and Angela Rayner are pictured arriving at the Design District in London this morning ahead of the London mayoral election on May 2 - Justin Tallis/AFP

11:54 AM BST

MPs will debate latest Rwanda Bill amendments on Monday next week

Penny Mordaunt, the Commons Leader, has confirmed MPs will debate and vote on the latest amendments made by the House of Lords to the Rwanda Bill on Monday next week.

Further time will be made available in the Commons on April 23 if the Lords continue to make changes.

11:36 AM BST

Pictured: Kemi Badenoch delivers speech at TheCityUK International Conference in London

Kemi Badenoch, the Business and Trade Secretary, is pictured today delivering a keynote speech during TheCityUK International Conference in central London - Stefan Rousseau/PA

11:27 AM BST

Labour chair writes to Tory counterpart over deeply troubling Menzies claims

Anneliese Dodds, the Labour Party chairman, has written to her Conservative counterpart Richard Holden raising questions over the Tories handling of deeply troubling allegations about Mark Menzies.

In her letter, Ms Dodds said the allegations raised extremely serious questions relating to potential criminality and asked whether the matter had been or would be reported to the police.

She also asked when the Conservative Party had become aware of the allegations, what action had been taken and whether it was common practice for Conservative Party MPs to use money donated for campaigning activities to instead pay their personal expenses.

She wrote: A long-serving Tory worker involved in this disturbing incident says they believe the Conservative Party wants to brush it under the carpet. I trust you will now take all steps to show this is not the case.

Mr Menzies, the Fylde MP, disputes the allegations reported by The Times but the Conservative Party is looking into the claims.

11:15 AM BST

Voter satisfaction with Sunak ties Majors all-time low mark in 1994

Voter satisfaction with Rishi Sunak has hit a new low as his latest score tied the all-time record low mark for a prime minister.

Some 16 per cent of people said they were satisfied with the job Mr Sunak was doing as Prime Minister while 75 per cent were dissatisfied, according to the latest Political Monitor survey published by Ipsos.

That gave Mr Sunak a net satisfaction rating of minus 59.

Ipsos said this was not only a new low for Mr Sunak but it is also level with the all-time record low for a prime minister with Ipsos set by John Major in August 1994.

The latest survey was conducted between April 3-15.

10:43 AM BST

Tories sink to lowest level of voter support since 1978

The Conservative Party has sunk to its lowest level of voter support since the late 1970s, according to a new Ipsos survey published this morning.

The Tories were on 19 per cent and Labour was on 44 per cent, a lead of 25 points, in the companys latest regular Political Monitor survey, conducted between April 3-15.

It is the second consecutive month in which Rishi Sunaks party has hit a new record low: the Tories were on 20 per cent in the companys poll published in March.

Ipsos said the 19 per cent mark for the Conservatives was the lowest ever recorded by Ipsos in our regular Political Monitor series, which has run since 1978.

10:27 AM BST

EU takes legal action over sand eel fishing ban in British waters

The European Union has launched legal action against the UK over a ban on catching sand eels in British waters in a fresh post-Brexit fishing dispute.

In January, Britain announced a ban on catching sand eels on Dogger Bank in the North Sea to protect the areas populations of puffins and kittiwakes, which eat the fish.

The move caused outrage among Danish and Swedish fishermen, whose governments lobbied Eurocrats to take action against Britain.

Danish officials have argued the measure is discrimination against its fishermen because they take 99 per cent of the sand eels caught, which are used to produce fish oil and pig feed, and it could cost their vessels up to 18 million a year.

You can read the full story here.

10:13 AM BST

Red Wall support for Reform UK hits record high

Support for Reform UK in key Red Wall seats has hit a record high, according to a new survey conducted by Redfield & Wilton Strategies.

The poll, carried out between April 13-14, put Reform on 18 per cent, just six points behind the Tories on 24 per cent.

Reform was up by two points when compared to the companys previous Red Wall poll from March 16 while the Tories were unchanged.

Labour maintained its position in first place but support for the party has fallen. Labour was on 44 per cent, down by four points, to give the party a 20 point lead over the Tories.

The continued rise of Reform in the Red Wall is likely to prompt alarm bells in Conservative Party HQ, amid Tory fears the former could cost the latter votes.

The seats played a huge role in propelling Boris Johnson to victory in 2019 and a Tory wipeout in the constituencies would likely torpedo Rishi Sunaks hopes of staying in No 10.

The Red Wall refers to mostly northern, traditionally Labour-voting seats that the Tories won at the 2019 general election. Redfield polled 40 seats in total. The Tories won all but one of them in 2019 and then won Hartlepool at a by-election.

09:47 AM BST

Miliband stopped believing in opinion polls after 2015 election

Ed Miliband said he stopped believing in opinion polls after the 2015 general election as he down played Labours consistent double digit poll lead over the Tories.

Opinion polls ahead of the 2015 contest suggested Mr Miliband, the then leader of the Labour Party, was on course to win power but David Cameron ultimately won the election and remained in No 10.

Mr Miliband, the shadow climate change and net zero secretary, told Times Radio: If I can put it this way, I stopped believing in opinion polls after 2015, for reasons you will understand.

09:24 AM BST

Starmer should not look at Rayner legal advice, insists Miliband

Ed Miliband insisted Sir Keir Starmer should not look at the advice Angela Rayner received on the sale of her council house.

Ms Rayner has refused to publish the advice she received on the sale and Sir Keir has not seen it but his team has.

Mr Miliband told Times Radio: Keir Starmer has many things to focus on. He completely, 100 per cent trusts Angela Rayner. He trusts his team

It was suggested to the Labour frontbencher that it would signal Sir Keir had more confidence in Ms Rayner if he looked at the advice himself and said he was happy with it.

But Mr Miliband said: I think quite the opposite. I think if he had to sort of say, well, I need to check this up, I think it could send the opposite signal.

Greater Manchester Police announced last week that it was investigating Ms Rayner. She has been accused of wrongly declaring her permanent address on the electoral register, which is an offence.

Ms Rayner has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, describing the claims against her as a stream of smears by the Tories.

09:22 AM BST

Pictured: Lord Cameron meets Italian foreign minister at G7 summit in Capri, Italy

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani (R), and UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron (L), during a bilateral meeting at the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Capri, Italy - Alessandro Di Meo /Shutterstock

09:11 AM BST

Shapps: Reality is Israel is likely to retaliate against Iran

Grant Shapps said in reality Israel is likely to launch retaliatory action against Iran after the direct attack by Tehran last weekend.

The Defence Secretary said it would be surprising if Israel in its own self-defence were not inclined to retaliate.

He suggested the conversation now was about what that action should be to avoid a dramatic escalation in the region.

He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: I think in reality of course they will want to make clear that you cant simply [attack] and not expect it to come with a cost and I think we all understand that.

But what we are saying to the Israelis is lets ensure that there is an end to this. Otherwise you end up in a cycle that could end up getting worse and worse

08:56 AM BST

People go off the tracks in every walk of life, says Shapps

People go off the tracks in every walk of life, not just in politics, Grant Shapps said this morning.

The Defence Secretary was asked if he believed there was a problem with the Conservative Partys candidate selection process given a number of Tory MPs have been stripped of the whip over a variety of claims of wrongdoing in recent years.

He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: In every walk of life there will be people who go off the tracks, as it were, and it is important that you do make sure that, A, actions are taken swiftly but also I think in some of these cases where perhaps mental health and other things are involved that people are helped to a better path.

08:33 AM BST

Lords must back down on Rwanda Bill or face major reform, warns Rees-Mogg

Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg warned the House of Lords that peers versus the people never ends well for the peers as he said the upper chamber must back down on the Rwanda Bill next week.

The Lords yesterday blocked the passage of the Bill for a fourth time as peers made fresh changes to it, with MPs due to debate the legislation again on Monday.

Sir Jacob told GB News: Parliament has the right to declare facts and has done since the Tudor period. It is an essential component of the concept of parliamentary sovereignty, which makes the King in Parliament the supreme authority and arbiter in the land on any issue on which it chooses to legislate.

In this instance, the Bill aims to settle a matter of opinion: Ministers think Rwanda is safe, but some judges disagree.

Who should decide? The elected or the unelected? You or the blob? Peers versus the people never ends well for the peers. So they should have backed down earlier today and they must back down next week.

08:27 AM BST

Rees-Mogg: Lords blocking Rwanda Bill raises serious constitutional questions

Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg said the House of Lords decision to block the Rwanda Bill for a fourth time raises serious constitutional questions about the role of the upper chamber.

The former business secretary said that reform is a Sword of Damocles holding over a chamber that, if it exceeds convention without any mandate, risks being reformed more fundamentally.

Sir Jacob told GB News that the Lords is entitled to ask the Commons to think again, but not to block.

08:20 AM BST

Shapps suggests RAF could be used to fly Channel migrants to Rwanda

Grant Shapps has suggested the RAF could be used to fly Channel migrants to Rwanda.

The Government has long refused to be drawn on the operational details of the flights in terms of who could provide them.

But Mr Shapps said this morning that we will do whatever we need to do to make sure that we can get these flights off after he was asked directly about potential RAF involvement.

He also said there would be a whole government effort to make the policy work.

Asked if he expected the RAF to take the migrants, the Defence Secretary told Sky News: I dont think it would ever have been a commercial airline. There may be charter flights. The exact details of it will have to wait until we finally get this past Labours objections and Parliament and get this Rwanda Bill on the statute book.

As I say, it is a whole government effort so we will do whatever we need to do to make sure that the will of Parliament, which actually has been pretty clear as far as the elected chamber has been concerned, just this week overturning Labours votes against this in the Lords, we will do whatever we need to do to make sure that we can get these flights off, whether they are chartered flights or any other type of flight.

08:18 AM BST

Tories not the party of sleaze, says Shapps after Menzies loses whip

Grant Shapps said sleaze accusations are not specific to one particular political party after an MP lost the Conservative whip while the Tories investigate claims he misused campaign funds.

Mark Menzies is alleged to have used thousands of pounds given by donors to fund medical expenses and to have made a late-night call to a 78-year-old aide asking for help because he had been locked up by bad people demanding money for his release.

The Fylde MP disputes the allegations reported by The Times but the Conservative Party is looking into the claims.

Mr Shapps, the Defence Secretary, was told during an interview on Sky News this morning that a number of Tory MPs had lost the whip in recent years after claims of wrongdoing.

He said that there are also MPs from other parties who have experienced similar problems or misdemeanours.

Mr Shapps said: It is not something which is just specific to one particular political party. We could list cases on the other sides. That is not the point of this discussion I realise.
Police across the UK are seeing a rise in anti-social behaviour - iStock Unreleased/K Neville

Police are taking up to 17 and a half hours to respond to anti-social behaviour calls, official figures show.

Average police response times to call-outs to tackle anti-social behaviour incidents have increased by 37 per cent since 2021, according to the police obtained through Freedom of Information laws by the Liberal Democrats.

The average time for a police officer to attend an anti-social behaviour incident was three hours and 40 minutes in 2023 compared with two hours 44 minutes in 2021.

This, however, masked big differences in the average response times between police forces. Suffolk had the longest wait times in England last year, with police taking an average of 17 and a half hours to attend anti-social behaviour reports, followed closely behind by Norfolk where wait times were 17 hours and 29 minutes.

Suffolk had the longest wait times in England last year, with police taking an average of 17 and a half hours to attend anti-social behaviour reports, followed closely behind by Norfolk where wait times were 17 hours and 29 minutes.

Cambridgeshire also had extremely long wait times, which stood at 11 and a half hours. This compared with eight minutes on average in Essex, eleven minutes in Humberside, 15 minutes in Avon and Somerset, 16 minutes in Warwickshire and 19 minutes in Merseyside.

The shocking figures follow the Crime Survey for England and Wales which found that in the year ending September 2023, more than one third of people had experienced or witnessed some type of anti-social behaviour, with the police recording one million incidents.

Relentless and overwhelming

Sir Ed Davey, Liberal Democrat leader, said: For its victims, anti-social behaviour can be relentless, overwhelming and deeply distressing. Being left to wait hours, wondering if a police officer will turn up and help, only adds to that stress.

Nobody should be afraid to walk down their own street. But this is the consequence of years of ineffective resourcing from the Conservatives and a diminished frontline police presence.

The British people deserve to feel confident that if they do fall victim to crime, the police will turn up swiftly. Thats why its time to finally restore proper community policing, with officers focused on their local neighbourhoods.

Victims commissioner Baroness Newlove is campaigning for victims to be eligible for statutory support if they make three consecutive reports of anti-social behaviour to local authorities. She has pressed for it to be included in the governments victims and prisoners bill currently before Parliament.

She said police look at anti-social behaviour cases as neighbourly nuisance and wait until they reach a certain threshold before they escalate them as a crime.

One example involved a victim who reported 280 cases over 10 months, including noise nuisance, anonymous harassment, and threats and intimidation. It culminated in a firebomb attack on the victims property - and only after this were they eligible for statutory support.
A woman, 47, was killed Wednesday at an East Side home. A man was also critically injured. Ken Branca A woman, 47, was killed Wednesday at an East Side home. A man was also critically injured. Ken Branca

A woman was killed and a man was critically injured in a shooting at an East Side home early Wednesday, according to San Antonio police.

The shooting happened around 1:30 a.m. in the 5600 block of Espada Cliff.

Police said a man, 41, and a woman, 47, were inside the garage of a home when they were approached by someone on foot.

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CRIME AND COURTS: Fredericksburg man gets 109-year sentence in child sex case

The person fired a weapon multiple times at the home, hitting both the man and the woman, police said.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, and the man was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said.

Police do not know what caused the shooting. They said the shooter fled the scene prior to their arrival.

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The Qatari prime minister's comments are believed to be in reference to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (pictured) - RONEN ZVULUN/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Qatar has threatened to pull out of peace talks between Israel and Hamas after claiming its role is being exploited and abused.

The Gulf state has been helping to mediate ceasefire discussions between the two warring sides along with Egypt and the United States.

Despite breakthroughs that have led to pauses in the fighting and the release of hostages held by Hamas, Israels allies have been piling pressure on Tel Aviv to alleviate the suffering of civilians - with the US becoming increasingly frustrated by the situation.

However, Hamas has rejected the last five ceasefire proposals offered by Israel and mediated by Egypt and Qatar.

Speaking on Wednesday, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Abdulrahman al-Thani said the negotiations had become hijacked by certain politicians keen to score points with their supporters.

He said: Unfortunately, I mean, we have seen that there has been an abuse of this mediation and an abuse of this mediation in favour of narrow political interests.

There is exploitation and abuse of the Qatari role, he added, blaming politicians who are trying to conduct election campaigns by slighting the State of Qatar.

Sheikh Mohammed did not identify any politicians by name.

Sensitive stage

Qatar has been seen as key to negotiations between Israel and Hamas, as it serves as the base for Hamass political office and is the home of its political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who lives in Doha.

However, the abuse of Qatars role has meant that it will now call for a comprehensive evaluation of its role, Sheikh Mohammed said.

We are going through a sensitive stage with some stalling, and we are trying as much as possible to address this stalling, he added.

Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, lives in Doha - Wana News Agency/via REUTERS

Though Sheikh Mohammed did not name names, it is widely believed he was taking a swipe at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was heard describing Qatars mediator role as problematic in a leaked audio recording in January.

According to a translation by The Times of Israel, Mr Netanyahu said: Qatar, from my point of view, is no different in essence than the United Nations  and the Red Cross, [Qatar] is even more problematic.

I have no illusions about them. They have leverage [over Hamas]  Because [Qatar] funds them.

Qatar had for years been sending the equivalent of millions of pounds in cash stuffed in suitcases to the Hamas government in Gaza every month before the attacks by its militants on Oct 7.

The payments were approved and facilitated by Mr Netanyahus government. He has dismissed claims he helped prop up Hamas as ridiculous.
The sign on Magna Road before and after the Netanya plaque was removed

Signs twinning an Israeli city with a British seaside town have been removed.

There were four signs on the outskirts of Bournemouth, Dorset recognising one of its twin cities  Netanya in Israel.

But the signs have now been taken down by an unknown person, sparking uproar in the coastal resort.

Anne Filer, the towns Jewish mayor, said she was very upset and disappointed.

Ms Filer said: It might be something completely harmless and there may be a very simple explanation.

I hope that the police investigation finds them soon and gets them back to where they should be.

When Dorset Police were contacted by the Telegraph, a spokesman said they had no record of the incident.

Bournemouth has been twinned with Netanya, which is a resort city known for its sandy beaches, since 1995.

Downtown Netanya, Israel - Sherry Talbot/Alamy

Signs marking the relationship have been removed from welcome to Bournemouth signs at Mountbatten Roundabout, Ringwood Road, Magna Road and New Road.

Michael Filer, chairman of the twinning committee, said: It could possibly be nothing, no problem whatsoever, that somebody is doing some kind of repair work or the other kind.

But there could be unpleasant intent... we would like to get them back. Bournemouth has been twinned with Netanya, who went through the Bournemouth council some 20 years ago, and there have been inter-town visits on a frequent basis.

I look forward to them being put back again and carrying on with normal procedures.

A spokesman for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council said it was not responsible for taking down the signs.

We have been made aware that some signage has been removed at Mountbatten Roundabout and several other locations, the spokesman said.

We are currently looking into this issue.

The beach at Boscombe, Bournemouth - Franz Marc Frei/The Image Bank RF

The removal of the signs has sparked uproar on social media, with one local describing it as a woke virtue signalling exercise.

Andrew Marshall said: It is unacceptable and its a strange coincidence they have disappeared at the time of this trouble. The disappearance of these signs could be classed as an anti-Semitic crime.

These signs have been removed deliberately as a woke virtue signalling exercise so as not to offend. Pathetic.

Bournemouth has one of the largest Jewish communities in the UK and was at one point a popular Jewish holiday resort with a number of kosher hotels.

However, there have also been a number of pro-Palestine protest marches held in the town since the war in Gaza started in October last year.

In February Bournemouth East MP Tobias Ellwood was targeted by pro-Palestine protesters who gathered outside his home with signs accusing him of being complicit in genocide.

Earlier this year activists from Led by Donkeys, a campaign group, laid out a three-mile line of childrens clothes along Bournemouth beach to represent the children killed on both sides of the conflict.
Stoutzker, left, was awarded, in 2013, the Prince of Wales Medal for Arts Philanthropy, reflecting the longstanding support of the prince (now King Charles) for the work of Live Music Now - Alastair Grant - WPA Pool/Getty Images

Sir Ian Stoutzker, who has died aged 95, was one of Britains leading musical philanthropists as a patron of orchestras, conservatoires and young musicians, and as co-founder, with the violinist Yehudi Menuhin, of the charity Live Music Now.

Stoutzker was himself a gifted and elegant musician, who might have played professionally but chose to be a City financier  and briefly flew high in the booming markets of the early 1970s. His first major venture in the musical sphere, also in that period, was to rescue the New Philharmonia Orchestra: this was the survivor of the original Philharmonia which, after being disbanded by its founder Walter Legge in 1964, was re-formed by its players with the backing of the conductor Otto Klemperer as a self-governing but fragile co-operative.

Asked to sponsor a concert  the British premiere of Shostakovichs Symphony No 15  Stoutzker instead offered to take full financial command, and went on to serve the orchestra as chairman (a post normally reserved for a playing member) from 1972 to 1976, then president until 1979. Besides keeping the ship afloat until relief arrived through commercial sponsorship, he steered the appointment of Riccardo Muti as principal conductor after Klemperers death in 1973, and secured the restoration of the name Philharmonia, minus New, in 1977.

Stoutzker went on to chair the advisory committee of the London Symphony Orchestra from 1992 to 2007 and to co-chair the European Union Youth Orchestra. But perhaps his most enduring contribution to British musical life was his role as founder chairman from 1977 to 2019, and subsequently president, of Live Music Now.

My friend Yehudi Menuhin, Stoutzker wrote, asked me for help in realising a dream close to his heart. Inspired by the virtuosos experience of playing to concentration camp survivors and PoWs at the end of the Second World War, the concept was to deploy young musicians at the start of their careers to reach audiences in community centres, special schools, hospitals, care homes and hospices who were rarely able to experience the joy and therapeutic benefit of live performance.

Stoutzker: the citation for his honorary fellowship of the Royal Academy of Music declared that 'with the possible exception of George Frederic Handel, no individual has done more to bring music to children and the disadvantaged in the history of this country' - Angela Pham/BFA/Shutterstock

By the end of Stoutzkers devoted tenure  Menuhin described him as indefatigable and ever-present  Live Music Now had staged more than 85,000 recitals, reaching 2.8 million people. The organisation, Stoutzker said, had deepened understanding of the role which music plays in our emotional, physical and social wellbeing [and] contributed to the UKs pre-eminence in the field.

Ian Isaac Stoutzker was born on January 21 1929, the fourth and youngest child of Aaron Stoutzker, cantor of the Central London Synagogue, and his wife Dora, nee Cohen, a piano teacher from Tredegar in south Wales, where the family made their home during the Second World War after their house in London was bombed.

Ian was educated at Tredegar County School and Berkhamsted School and began studying the violin in his teens with the noted pre-war soloist Albert Sammons, who continued to teach him at the Royal College of Music. A City diarist later recorded that Stoutzker turned down the offer of lead violinist in a northern orchestra to start work as a junior in a merchant bank, Samuel Montagu, while studying in the evenings at the LSE.

In the late 1950s he moved to join the old-established banking house of Keyser & Co  the family business of his sister Ninas husband, Roland Franklin. Having expanded by acquisition to become Keyser Ullmann, the firm became one of the boldest movers in the early-1970s property lending boom, with Stoutzker and Franklin as joint managing directors and the Conservative MP Edward du Cann as chairman.

Stoutzker was particularly associated with Keyser Ullmanns 1972 merger with Dalton Barton, a fringe bank and property investment group built up by the entrepreneur Black Jack Dellal. But when the market crashed at the end of 1973, large exposures to a gallery of high-profile players brought the expanded group to the edge of collapse, sustained only by 65 million of loans from the Bank of Englands lifeboat operation.

Management changes inevitably followed, the resignations of Stoutzker and Franklin in July 1975 following those of Dellal, du Cann and others. Stoutzker returned to the financial scene as chairman from 1985 to 2000 of Dawnay Day International, the successor to some of Keysers European operations  but was far better known in later life for his musical passions.

He had inherited from his mother, and absorbed from his own childhood, a deep love of Wales  for its natural landscape as well as its musical heritage. His benefactions in his adopted land extended from the Tredegar Town Band to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, where he endowed the Dora Stoutzker concert hall and an annual prize.

His wife Mercedes was as passionate about modern British art as he was about music: Girl in a Striped Nightdress, Or Celia, by Lucian Freud (1983-85), was donated by Mercedes and Ian Stoutzker to Tate Modern - Jane Mingay

He also gave a prize for solo performance at the Royal College of Music in London, where he served on the council for more than 30 years; and his generosity helped the Royal Academy of Music to acquire the Viotti ex Bruce Stradivari violin for its collection. His own instrument  he sometimes played with the cellist Jacqueline du Pre  was the 1741 Vieuxtemps by Guarneri del Gesu, once owned by the great Belgian violinist Eugene Ysaye.

He was appointed OBE in 1993, raised to CBE in 2012 and knighted in 2019  having also been awarded, in 2013, the Prince of Wales Medal for Arts Philanthropy, reflecting the longstanding support of the prince (now King Charles) for the work of Live Music Now.

The citation for Stoutzkers 2008 honorary fellowship of the Royal Academy of Music declared that with the possible exception of George Frederic Handel, no individual has done more to bring music to children and the disadvantaged in the history of this country.

In later years he and his wife lived in Salzburg, where they enjoyed the annual music festival and endowed an outstanding performance prize at the Salzburg Mozarteum University.

He married, in 1958, Mercedes Cohen, whose family came from Tangier and who was as passionate about modern British art as her husband was about music; works from their collection, by Lucian Freud, David Hockney and others, were donated to the Tate Gallery. His wife Mercedes survives him with their daughter Rica and son Robert.

Sir Ian Stoutzker, born January 21 1929, died April 6 2024
Quick to oxidise  reach for the ice bucket with cut citrus. Photograph: Tanja Ivanova/Getty Images

Attention home cooks: do you, like me, have half a lemon, perhaps encased in a beeswax wrap or clingfilm, sitting in your fridge? Half a cucumber, going dry at one end? Or maybe an open jar of capers, barely used, but well past the two-week recommended refrigeration period? So often, a recipe requires just half an onion, or a third of a block of tofu  especially when cooking for one.

According to the 2024 UN Food Waste Index report, about a fifth of the worlds food is wasted. Worldwide, households are responsible for the majority of it: about 60% of the 1bn tonnes of food thrown away annually. So how best to keep your leftover food fresh  and for how long does it remain safe to eat?

1. Avocado

Earlier this year, the food magazine Bon Appetit tackled the pressing question of how best to store half an avocado. Its advice was to remove the pit, leave the skin on and place it cut-side down on a plate. Using lemon or lime juice on the cut side, or wrapping the whole thing in clingfilm, can also help to minimise oxidation, which is what causes avocado flesh to turn grey and mushy.

2. Tofu

Firm tofu keeps better than the silken variety for leftovers, according to Amy Poon, the founder of the Chinese restaurant Poons London. Tofu should keep for two to three days if stored in a plastic container, submerged in clean, cold water (not the water it comes in), but you should change the water daily, she says. You can also freeze tofu.

3. Tinned goods

Tins are a big fridge no-no since, once opened, the tin from the can can transfer more quickly to the contents, according to the Food Standards Agency. Many tinned items  such as baked beans or coconut milk  are also available in half-size cans, which may be more suitable for using as part of a meal for one, although they are rarely the most economical option. James Cooper, the deputy director of food policy at the FSA, advises emptying leftover contents into a bowl or airtight container before storing it in the fridge. Use a clean cover that is suitable for food to protect the contents from drips and spills, and use within two days or freeze if you think this wont be possible, he says.

4. Lemon wedges

Often, leftover lemon wedges can simply be served alongside whichever dish they have been partially used to season  but what about for drinks? Cut fruit is a tricky one, says Will Meredith, a beverage consultant for restaurants including Fenix in Manchester and Tattu (nationwide). Citrus will oxidise very quickly due to all the sugar and acid  you can only expect to use slices or wedges on the day you cut them. To keep them looking and feeling fresh, place in a bowl filled with crushed or shaved ice  like you see in a fish market.

5. Pancake batter

Fancy pancakes two days on the trot? Youre in luck! Joe Fox, the executive head chef for Firmdale Hotels, assures me that batter will keep  although it may separate a little bit, so youll need to give it a good mix, he says. Id transfer it straight away into an airtight container or a jam jar in the fridge, otherwise the air can cause it to discolour, which can be off-putting.

6. Eggs

At least pancakes use whole eggs  what of recipes that require only the yolks or the whites? Rachel Morgan, co-founder of Twelve Triangles bakery in Edinburgh, keeps leftovers in a plastic container or a bowl covered in clingfilm. Whites Ive kept for about 10 days in the fridge; yolks tend to keep not so well and form a bit of skin, so if you have any to store I would freeze them instead, she suggests.

7. Things in brine

I could probably eat a whole jar of olives in one sitting, but capers and cornichons are more persistent fridge-lingerers. How best to make them last? Once opened, you want to avoid as much oxygen as possible getting into the jars, as that will create mould and foul odours, says Meredith. The simplest thing is get some baking paper, cut a disc large enough to cover the liquid in the jar and pat it down to create a block between the ingredients and the lid. This will prevent oxygen tainting those lovely olives, pickles or any other jarred goods. He recommends keeping brined foods refrigerated if possible, but its not essential (although the storage instructions may disagree).

8. Juice

This is a complicated one  is your juice fresh? From concentrate? Pasteurised? Some unopened shop-bought juices can be kept for many months, but most have a relatively short shelf life once the seal has been broken. The FSA is strict on this: it recommends reading the label and following the manufacturers instructions  which often means consuming within three to five days. Eat By Date  a group of contributors from the kitchen and classroom communities who set out to answer the question, How long does food really last?  go by brand, advising that refrigerated Welchs grape juice, for example, is safe to consume seven to 10 days after opening, while Ocean Spray cranberry juice lasts two to three weeks.

9. Non-dairy milk

They just keep going, dont they? says Fox. Anyone who has made the switch from dairy will have noticed that alternative milks often seem to last well beyond the recommended five or so days in the fridge. You could decant the milk into a glass bottle but it is kind of designed to be stored in the carton, he says. I feel like oat and almond milk last the longest  things like soya turn quicker. If you do store it in glass, you will be better able to see if the milk has split, but a good shake would probably bring it back together; you can taste if its gone bad.

10. Bread

If bread gets warm in a bread bin, itll be more likely to go mouldy, as any moisture in it will condense, says Morgan. Instead, she keeps hers in a cotton or paper bag. But what if mould has already appeared  just a tiny bit on the crust, perhaps? Can you just slice it off and salvage the rest? I wouldnt, she says. Most experts seem to agree, since, although only a few spots may be visible, porous food such as bread can be contaminated beneath the surface  which is enough to put anyone off their toast. However, you can also freeze bread for greater longevity.

11. Cucumber

Is there a way to avoid throwing out that dried-out end slice? Once cut, I keep cucumber in an airtight container, lined with a little kitchen paper or a clean tea towel [in the fridge], says Melissa Hemsley, the author of cookbooks including Feel Good and the forthcoming Real Healthy. If you do feel the need to chop off the end, you only need to slice the thinnest round off. Also, cook with cucumber! If your remaining half is a touch less than fresh, I like to stir-fry it with sesame oil, garlic and chilli.

12. Cheese

From roquefort to red leicester, Hemsley has useful advice about open packets of cheese: Beeswax wraps or silicone reusable bags are really handy, or seal the packaging with elastic bands, she suggests. Cheese buyer Dan Bliss wraps her cheese in wax or baking paper, stores it in a plastic container in the fridge  and suggests adding a sugar cube to the pot, to suck up any excess moisture. Unlike bread, if your cheese decides to sprout mould, that doesnt necessarily mean its game over  especially if its hard cheese.

13. Open packets of wraps/naans

Again, preventing moisture is key to longevity. Morgan wraps open packs of naan or tortilla wraps in clingfilm before storing somewhere dry, while Eat By Date suggests tortillas generally last for a week after their best by date on the counter and about a month if placed in the fridge.

14. Things in jars

For me, this comprises almost an entire fridge shelf: harissa, tomato puree, pesto, gochujang and curry pastes can all sit for weeks  perhaps longer  used once, then abandoned. I refuse to let them go to waste and yet, according to Leonard Tanyag, the executive chef at Los Mochis London City, I am doing it all wrong if I want them to remain fit for consumption: really, they shouldnt be left in their jars at all. Once opened, transfer to an airtight container to maintain their freshness and add some oil on top to prevent air exposure, which makes it last for weeks, he says. And, of course, you should always check or smell the opened paste before use for any signs of spoilage.

15. Half an onion

Onions are a little like avocados in terms of maintaining freshness: keep the skin on the half youre not using, then place cut-side down on a plate in the fridge. If you dont know when youre next going to use the leftover onion, chop it and freeze it, suggests Hemsley. Then youve got it ready to go in a future pasta sauce or soup or stir fry.

16. Fresh herbs

Whether its mint for your mojito or coriander for your tacos, fresh herbs can bring a recipe to life  but they also wilt fast. Wrap them in damp blue cloths or kitchen roll and keep in the fridge, suggests Meredith. Doing this will extend the shelf life by several days.

17. Jams and chutneys

Try to always use a clean spoon  double dipping will increase the bacteria risk, explains Fox, who tells me he has a chutney in his fridge from during the pandemic and its still going, still tasty. Lillie OBrien, the owner of small-batch jam and marmalade makers London Borough of Jam, recommends refrigerating jams and preserves after opening, although if you are going to eat them quickly and its not summer, then they will be fine left on a kitchen bench for a week or two. Products that are lower in preserving agents could go mouldy if left out longer, she says.

18. Salad

Heads of lettuce generally last much better than bagged leaves, says Hemsley. Like cucumber, she stores salad in the fridge in an airtight container lined with kitchen paper or a clean tea towel to absorb any excess moisture. If salad has gone a bit wilted and sad, you can revive the leaves by putting them in a big bowl of iced water for 10-15 minutes, then drain and dry in a salad spinner, she suggests. If you have a few rogue soggy leaves, remove them so they dont infiltrate the rest of the lettuce.

 Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
European Court of Human Rights

The passage of the Safety of Rwanda Bill through the Houses of Parliament has given rise to much heated debate about the extent of the UKs commitment to the rule of law and human rights.

Urging other peers to oppose the Bill, the UKs former top diplomat, Lord (Simon) McDonald of Salford, recently noted that the President of the European Court of Human Rights, Judge OLeary, has said the behaviour of three European countries was causing her concern: Russia, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

This absurd comparison says more about the confused state of European human rights law than it does about our country, which was protecting human rights and securing the rule of law long before the ECHR was ever imagined.



What is Judge OLearys concern? In two recent speeches, she has decried parliamentary debates about the need to defy interim measures issued by judges of the Strasbourg Court. This must be a reference to recent debates in the House of Lords, in which distinguished legal peers have rightly questioned, partly by reference to Policy Exchanges work, whether the UK has an obligation in international law to comply with interim measures that judges of the Strasbourg Court issue under Rule 39 of the Rules of Court.

This is a question of high importance because when the Safety of Rwanda Bill comes into force, there will be a flurry of applications to Strasbourg seeking to block removal to Rwanda. The Governments Rwanda plan is likely to collapse in practice if Ministers think that they have no honourable choice save to comply with Rule 39 interim measures.



In her most recent speech, Judge OLeary waxes lyrical about the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) saying, rather vaingloriously, that we are blessed in this part of the world with the most effective human rights protection mechanism which humankind has thus far devised.

I would say, on the contrary, that the British model of rights protection, which does not involve a supranational court standing in judgment on Parliament or the people, has an unrivalled record for enabling decent government and legislation that secures rights.



Judge OLeary went on to say that the ECHR is a mechanism which ensures that States can be held accountable for breaches of rights and freedoms which they have undertaken to respect and ensure.

This speech was given only a day after the Courts landmark climate change judgment, KlimaSeniorinnen v Switzerland, a judgment that contradicts Judge OLearys claims. In agreeing to the terms of the ECHR, the member states never undertook to limit their emissions, still less to authorise the Court to supervise their response to the complex problem of climate change.



The Strasbourg Courts climate change judgment invents new obligations and imposes them on member states, obligations that cannot be squared with the deliberate and repeated decision of the states not to create a right to a clean and healthy environment.

The British judge on the Court, Judge (Tim) Eicke, made this point in dissent, concluding that the majority has gone well beyond what I consider to be, as a matter of international law, the permissible limits of evolutive interpretation.

Judge Eickes dissent is unanswerable but even he understates the extent of the problem. The Strasbourg Courts approach in far too many cases, including in relation to migration, is to read the ECHR as a living instrument, which in practice means remaking the Convention, imposing newly invented obligations on member states and seizing new powers for itself.



Scepticism about the Courts jurisprudence is often caricatured as an attack on the rule of law or on the idea of human rights. The majority of the Strasbourg Court plays this card in the climate change judgment itself, asserting that democracy cannot be reduced to the will of the majority of the electorate and elected representatives, in disregard of the requirements of the rule of law.

Part of the point of the statement, it seems, is to immunise the Courts invention of new obligations from criticism. But while the rule of law is a condition of civilization, the ideal does not require states to tolerate lawless adjudication  on the contrary, the ideal condemns such judicial malpractice.



In a paper published for Policy Exchange this week, based on the 37th Atkin Lecture given in London earlier this year, I show that human rights law, and especially European human rights law, has a rule of law problem.



Human rights law is routinely vague and uncertain and is developed unpredictably in the course of adjudication in which judges are not limited, as they should be, by clear legal rules. It is a mistake to run together the ideal of the rule of law with respect for human rights  let alone with compliance with European human rights law. The better view is that human rights law, like any other body of law, should be subject to the discipline that the rule of law demands.

European states should not accept the Strasbourg Courts extravagant claim to be entitled to supervise environmental policy across Europe. The Government should not accept that the UK is required to comply with Rule 39 interim measures. And anyone reasoning about the Strasbourg Courts past record and future trajectory should not accept that the ideal of the rule of law or the moral importance of human rights requires the UK to remain a party to the Convention.

Professor Richard Ekins KC (Hon) is Head of Policy Exchanges Judicial Power Project and Professor of Law and Constitutional Government in the University of Oxford
People should trust their gut if they saw someone behaving strangely, one security expert said after the Sydney stabbings. Photograph: Reuters

Australians are in shock after two separate stabbing attacks in Sydney that occurred within days of each other.

A stabbing at a western Sydney church on Monday night has been deemed a terror attack. In a separate attack on Saturday at Westfield Bondi Junction, Joel Cauchi allegedly fatally stabbed six people before he was shot dead by police

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said on Tuesday it was understandable people were feeling uneasy.

Security experts have offered tips about what people can do if they find themselves in a situation where there is a real and impending threat to life.

However, managing director of Pride Security Group, Richard Theodorakis, cautions there is only so much people can do to prepare for the worst.

Its usually out of our control. And thats why so many people are worried, because its an unpredictable event. Anytime somethings unpredictable, its hard to practice for, and to try and understand what to do best.

Be aware of your surrounds and trust your instincts

All the security experts Guardian Australia spoke with said it was critical that people were aware of their surroundings while they were out and about.

Nepean Regional Security managing director, Gina Field, said people should trust their gut if they saw someone behaving strangely.

Theodorakis said it was also a good idea to be aware of the exits when entering a shopping centre you havent visited before and to take situations seriously.

Digital distractions like phones and headphones could be distracting influences meaning people may not be aware of what is happening around them.

Try to remain calm

If a situation begins unfolding, experts say one of the hardest and most important things to do is to try to stay calm.

Theodorakis said that was critical to fight brain fog and tunnel vision that occurs in emergency situations.

Also in panic, we forget to do the simple things  that could be calling police, finding somewhere to hide, he said.

La Trobe University psychology associate professor Neelofar Rehman said calm in a storm is impossible but there were ways to trigger the bodys calming response to make better decisions.

Related: Sydney is reeling from two high-profile stabbing attacks  why was only one deemed a terror incident?

The brain is designed for survival. No amount of convincing is going to talk you out of panic, she said.

She recommended people focus on breathing out.

Breathing in is harder at a time when we are panicking. We can hyperventilate or get more panicky. But if you try to breathe out gently, you can narrow down the focus to the here and now and initiate an action to go to safety, rather than just run in panic.

Create distance and alert authorities

Security expert Theodorakis said putting distance and barriers between yourself an offender was critically important.

The first thing we always say is stay calm and look for cover because putting a barrier between you and the attacker is the simplest way to reduce some of that threat, he said.

Then the first immediate step has to be to alert somebody.

If you can, containing that threat or the offender is the best way to buy time and reduce the chance of them getting to more people, he said, noting it could buy police more time in getting there.

Every situation is different. Sometimes you have no choice but to intervene and try and stop them.

Field advised against confronting the attacker if at all possible.

If youve got an aggressive person, you might be able to defuse the situation but if youve got someone thats wielding a knife, youre certainly going to go into fight or flight mode, she said.

Dont confront the attacker because youre not trained. Move away from the scene, contact the appropriate authorities and report it.

Field said it was also important to alert other people in the vicinity to the threat so they could also escape and tell others.

Kids in emergencies

Children were especially vulnerable in these situations and Theodorakis advised adults to pick them up when possible.

The smaller they are, the easier it is to grab them up and remove them from the situation.

He said it was key to get them out of sight.

Associate professor Rehman explained that everything was a bit harder when people also had kids with them but there were ways to try to keep them safe and as calm as possible.

She said that while children would respond to the environment, they would also take cues from parents and adults they know.

Hold the child close to you, she said.

As youre holding the child closer and as youre trying to breathe, a childs brain will inevitably start responding to you trying to calm your body. It doesnt require words, its the body to body communication between you and the child.

She said speaking quietly when possible could also help.

Know what is legal

The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has reminded residents that there was no such thing as taking the law into your own hands.

You will be met by the full force of the law if theres any attempt for tit-for-tat violence, he said.

You are diverting police equipment, investigation power, as well as resources, away from the investigation of this crime.

Security experts also warned against arming yourself.

While it is illegal to carry a knife in NSW, Theodorakis said it was also risky and advised strongly against it.

The risk is potentially losing that knife to the offender and maybe he didnt have one in the first place but now hes got yours, he said.

The aftermath

Associate professor Rehman said people needed to be gentle with themselves after witnessing an attack.

Its really, really important for people not to put themselves down that I couldnt keep calm, she said.

Thats not a sign of you losing your mind. That is perfectly normal response to an abnormal situation.

She said in the days and weeks after a dangerous event to go gently and do activities which are life-giving, which make you feel connected to other people, which give you a sense of being more safe.

And Field said people shouldnt be blamed for not reacting appropriately or according to training.

Learning to stay safe is a personal decision but it doesnt change the liability of the site or the area - and it doesnt shift the responsibility of people being injured.

Luca Ittimani contributed reporting.

 In Australia, support is available at Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14, and at MensLine on 1300 789 978. In the UK, the charity Mind is available on 0300 123 3393 and Childline on 0800 1111. In the US, call or text Mental Health America at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
Earlier this year, Taylor Swift fans in Australia were left without accommodation after Airbnb hosts cancelled their bookings and then relisted their properties at a higher price. Photograph: Dado Ruvic/Reuters

Were interested in hearing from people who have made a booking for accommodation on an online travel platform, only for their host to cancel it at the last minute.

Earlier this year, Taylor Swift fans in Australia were left without accommodation after Airbnb hosts cancelled their bookings. Airbnbs host cancellation policy does not seem to have deterred hosts from then relisting their properties at a higher price. Has something similar happened to you? Are you a Swiftie whose plans to watch her European tour have been affected? Or have you made plans for a holiday elsewhere or another trip that have been thrown into disarray by a hosts cancellation?

Callout
Donald Trump sits in the courtroom in New York City on Thursday. Photograph: Brendan McDermid/Reuters

A full jury of 12 people has been seated in the criminal case against Donald Trump, bringing the first criminal trial of a former president a significant step closer to beginning.

At least one of six alternate jurors had been selected before court concluded on Thursday.

The development came after two jurors were removed, underscoring the difficulty of choosing a jury in one of the most high-stakes cases in US history.

Trump arrived at the Manhattan criminal court on Thursday for the third day of his hush-money trial and a continuation of the tricky process of jury selection. Trump, the first former US president to face criminal trial, sat expressionless throughout the session on Thursday morning, and appeared attentive.

The identities of the jurors who will judge Trump will remain anonymous in the case out of security concerns.

A woman known only as Juror Two had appeared briefly before Merchan on Thursday to say that she no longer believed she could be unbiased in the case. Since being selected on Tuesday, she had received a flurry of text messages from friends and family that led her to believe she had been identified. The judge excused her.

Her dismissal came as reporters have been hanging on every detail they can glean about the 12 jurors who will determine Trumps criminal fate. Fox Newss Jesse Watters also did a segment on Tuesday that directly attacked the jurors, including Juror Two. Im not so sure about Juror No 2, Watters said on his show on Tuesday. Trump also reposted a quote from Watters on Truth Social suggesting liberal activists were trying to get on the jury.

The dismissal prompted Merchan to rebuke reporters covering the case for revealing too much about the physical descriptions of jurors. Earlier this week he admonished Trump against intimidating jurors.

I would recommend the press simply apply common sense and refrain from anything that has to do, for example, with physical descriptions. Its just not necessary, it serves no purpose. He went on to prohibit the press from reporting on the employers of jurors.

A second juror, known as Juror Four, was excused after prosecutors expressed concerns that he may not have been truthful on his jury questionnaire about his criminal history.

Prosecutors told Merchan that in researching the juror, they had discovered that someone with the same name was arrested decades ago for tearing down posters supportive of the political right. They also said it appeared his wife had been involved in an anti-corruption probe with the district attorney.

The juror appeared in court on Thursday for two lengthy conversations with Merchan and lawyers for both sides. Merchan sealed the conversation, saying it was personal, and then excused the juror.

Prosecutors also accused Trump of violating a gag order seven additional times. They have already filed a previous request to sanction him for breaking the order and a hearing on the issue is scheduled for next week.

Examples included posts with a link to a New York Post article calling Michael Cohen a serial perjurer. Trump also reposted a statement from Foxs Watters saying that liberal activists were trying to get on to the jury. Juan Merchan, the judge, had previously warned Trump about trying to intimidate jurors.

Its ridiculous and it has to stop, Christopher Conroy, a prosecutor, said.

Emil Bove, a lawyer for Trump, said Trumps statements were political. He also questioned whether reposting statements from someone else violated the gag order.

Just as he did earlier this week, Trump sat just feet away from potential jurors as they were critical of his politics and his presidency. Hes just very selfish and self-serving. I dont appreciate that in any public servant, said one potential juror. Trump largely didnt react to these assessments, though at times he crossed his arms as he sat at the defense table.

Sometimes the way he may carry himself in public leaves something to be desired. At the same time, I can relate to being a bit unfiltered, said another potential juror. But I really dont think this case is about my personal politics. This case is ultimately about the evidence and facts presented so thats going to determine how I view the defendant.

But while many of the potential jurors were critical of Trumps politics, they insisted that they could keep an open mind during the trial and potentially return a not-guilty verdict.

One potential juror who works in construction said he could connect with Trump as an entrepreneur. He was our president. Pretty amazing. He was a businessman in New York. He forged his way. He kind of made history  Im impressed with that, the man said.

Related: Surreal scenes as jurors in New York trial tell Trump what they really think

Trumps criminal hush-money trial: what to know

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records as part of the alleged effort to keep the scandalous stories  which he says are not true  from emerging during his eventually successful effort to win the White House in 2016.

Trump also faces other trials involving his actions on January 6, attempts to subvert the 2020 election in Georgia and charges related to his keeping of classified documents at his resort in Florida, Mar-a-Lago, after he had left office. However, those cases have been hit by multiple delays as Trumps legal team pursues a strategy of slowing down their march to a courtroom until after the November election.

Despite these legal travails, Trump dominated the Republican nomination race for 2024 and has knocked out any serious rival. He is also running a close race with Joe Biden, often leading in head-to-head polls and performing strongly in the crucial battleground states that he needs to win the US presidency for a second time.

 This article was amended on 18 April 2024 because the judge, Juan Merchan, prohibited the press from reporting on the employers of the jurors, not on their occupations as an earlier version said.
Oliver Dowden, Deputy Prime Minister, wants universities to be mindful of possible threats from foreign states - PA/Yui Mok

University vice-chancellors are to be summoned to meet the security services after ministers found British institutions are being targeted by hostile states.

Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister, said the Government is concerned that the UKs higher education sector is vulnerable to exploitation and risks becoming a chink in the nations armour.

The meeting with university bosses will seek to determine the extent of the problem, with ministers particularly worried about coercion of universities dependent on foreign funding and the security of frontier research in sensitive sectors.

In a speech at the Chatham House think tank on Thursday, Mr Dowden said Britains academic base is a jewel in our crown, with the vast majority of international collaboration to be welcomed and applauded.

But he added that the UKs open approach also has the potential to become a chink in our armor.

Asked how the Government intends to protect Britains higher education sector from hostile states, he said: In essence, we have concluded that universities are both vulnerable and that they are being targeted.

So, as a first step, I will be calling in vice-chancellors to receive a Cobra briefing with our security services to understand the extent of the problems.

I think it is likely we are going to need to consult on proposals to address, first of all, the security of researchers given access to frontier research in sensitive sectors.

He added: Secondly, this issue of universities being dependent on foreign funding, which could lead to the transfer of IP [intellectual property] or exploitation or coercion, that in turn sits alongside work we will do to look at our existing controls.

Concern over universities reliance on foreign funding

Mr Dowden said the Government also needs to look at greater transparency about universities sources of funding.

But he said there needed to be a high bar for intervening in academic freedom.

He said the roundtable with vice-chancellors would take place in the coming weeks.

Earlier, in his speech, he warned universities relying on foreign funds must not find themselves vulnerable in the fallout from heightened geopolitical tensions.

This isnt about erecting fences around entire areas of institutions or research, he said. However, its right that we look at who has access to research frontiers in the most sensitive disciplines.

Similarly, we must ensure that universities reliance on foreign funding does not become a dependency which they can be influenced, exploited or even coerced through, or indeed find themselves vulnerable in the fallout from heightened geopolitical tensions.

So thats why the Government has been conducting a review into academic security, and I will be convening a roundtable of university vice-chancellors in the coming weeks to discuss our findings, and our proposed response.
The Baphomet statue at the Satanic Temple in Salem, Massachusetts, in 2019. Photograph: Joseph Prezioso/AFP/Getty Images

An Oklahoma man was arrested on Thursday morning in last weeks bombing attempt of a Satanic Temple in Massachusetts.

Sean Patrick Palmer, 49, of Perkins, Oklahoma, was arrested on charges of using an explosive to cause damage to a building used in interstate or foreign commerce, the United States attorney office for the district of Massachusetts said in a statement.

The Satanic Temple does not actually worship the devil or believe in the existence of Satan or the supernatural, but rather uses Satan as a symbol of free will, humanism and anti-authoritarianism. It regularly angers rightwingers and Christians.

The explosive device was found last week near the porch of the Satanic Temple at its headquarters in Salem, Massachusetts. Palmer allegedly made the bomb from a piece of plastic, metal nails, and tape and it was filled with a powder-like substance, preliminarily identified as smokeless gunpowder.

The district attorneys office said: At approximately 4.14am on April 8, 2024, surveillance cameras outside TST captured a man walking towards TST wearing black pants, and black jacket, a black face covering, a tan-colored tactical vest and gloves.

He deployed the pipe bomb at the temple and ran away, but it only partially detonated, resulting in a minor fire which damaged the exterior of the building.

Investigators said they were able to connect Palmer to the incident with a single human hair found on the pipe bomb containing a DNA profile from a Caucasian male, who matched Palmers description.

The district attorneys office said Palmer will make an initial appearance in the western district of Oklahoma on Thursday. At a later date, he will appear in federal court in Boston.

If found guilty, Palmer could face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

The Satanic Temple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Roger Carlos was reportedly mistakenly detained  and severely beaten  by three San Antonio Police officers who were pursuing a suspect on the Northwest Side in May 2014. The FBI has opened a civil rights investigation into the case of a man The FBI has opened a civil rights investigation into the case. Courtesy/Courtesy photo Roger Carlos is getting physical therapy in Houston for paralysis resulting from complications of surgery to relieve pain he suffered during the mistaken beating by San Antpnio Police Department officers. Courtesy/Courtesy photo Roger Carlos is getting physical therapy in Houston for paralysis resulting from complications of surgery to relieve pain he suffered during the mistaken beating by San Antpnio Police Department officers. Courtesy/Courtesy photo Roger Carlos is getting physical therapy in Houston for paralysis resulting from complications of surgery to relieve pain he suffered during the mistaken beating by San Antonio Police Department officers. Courtesy Roger Carlos was reportedly mistakenly detained  and severely beaten  by three San Antonio Police officers who were pursuing a suspect on the Northwest Side in May 2014. The FBI has opened a civil rights investigation into the case of a man The FBI has opened a civil rights investigation into the case. Courtesy

A federal jury has found two San Antonio police officers liable for using excessive force against a man they mistook for a suspect they were pursuing  but it's unclear if he will be able to collect any damages.

Rogelio "Roger" Carlos III was wrestled to the ground and subdued in May 2014 at the construction site of his family's pediatric clinic by an undercover officer identified only as Detective John Doe and then-SWAT officers Carlos Chavez and Virgilio Gonzalez.

Carlos' lead lawyer, Philip G. Bernal, said in closing arguments Tuesday that the officers beat Carlos and that Chavez pressed his knee to his head with his full weight  before they realized he wasnt the person they were after.

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The officers' lawyers argued that they acted as any reasonable officer would under the circumstances, even if they targeted Carlos by mistake. Their actions, the lawyers said, were within the confines of the law.

MORE COVERAGE: Man injured in mistaken police encounter files suit in federal court

After nearly two days of deliberations, the nine jurors Wednesday afternoon found that Doe and Chavez used excessive force, in violation of Carlos' civil rights, and that their actions were not covered by qualified immunity, a legal principle that shields officers from civil litigation.

Carlos' lawsuit also accused Gonzalez of using excessive force, but the jury found that he did not go beyond legal limits in the encounter with Carlos.

After Wednesday's verdict in the civil case, Carlos thanked his attorneys "for never giving up on the truth."

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"It's been a long hard fight for all of us, especially my kids, my family and me," he said. "Of course, I wanted these officers held accountable. I have three young boys, and believe me, if it could happen to me, it could happen to anyone. This is a fight for justice and all of our civil liberties."

A lawyer for the officers referred questions after the verdict to city officials, but a spokeswoman said the city had no comment because it was dismissed as a defendant before the trial started. The San Antonio Police Department also was dismissed as a defendant.

"At this point, we don't know who is going to indemnify the officers," Carlos said. In other words, it isn't clear who would ultimately pay damages in the case. "It could be them on their own," he added.

U.S. District Judge Fred Biery split the trial into two parts: liability and damages. Because the jury found that two of the officers violated Carlos' civil rights, the matter now moves to proceedings to determine damages. Those hearings will be scheduled for a later date.

After the verdict, Biery suggested the two sides consider settlement talks.

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In his closing argument, Bernal told jurors that Carlos' version has been consistent from the day of the incident through his testimony nearly 10 years later but that the officers have given different versions to fit their narrative in order to try to by covered by legal protections that otherwise would not shield them.

"Roger was on his property," Bernal said. "He's minding his own business. He's going to go pick up his three boys. He's this close to getting in his car."

But then, a suspect the three officers were after fled from an officer assisting a drug task force unit. The suspect abandoned his car near the West Side pediatric clinic and ran into nearby brush.

Carlos "was approached by an unmarked vehicle driven in a crazy manner by a police officer in plain clothes," Bernal said. "Roger had no idea who that was. (The officer) jumps out of the vehicle, and then the beat-down begins."

MORE COVERAGE: Chief William McManus says suspending officers who mistakenly beat the wrong man was not political

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Carlos, 51, is wheelchair-bound after he was left paralyzed by a spinal surgery to alleviate pain he says stemmed from the 2014 incident. He settled claims in the lawsuit against the spinal treatment center before trial.

Testimony showed that he was able to walk away after the police encounter but had been bloodied, with injuries to his face. He complained to the media at the time that he suffered from pain after the incident.

Carlos was barred by prior rulings in the case from alleging to jurors that the officers caused other injuries to his back and neck that led to the spinal procedure.

The incident made headlines, and Police Chief William McManus later found that the officers violated a section of the department's use-of-force policy: There were too many officers subduing one person. He proposed a 15-day suspension for each officer but then reduced it to five days. The officers agreed to the punishment.

The officers and a former supervisor of Chavez and Gonzalez testified at trial that they believed McManus bowed to public or political pressure to punish the officers, going against the findings of his internal investigator, who testified that he found that the officers had not violated department policy.

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"They agreed that they violated the policy and procedure," Bernal told jurors. "You do with that what you will."

McManus testified last week and denied he was bowing to political or public pressure to punish the officers.

The encounter occurred before San Antonio police began wearing body cameras. Later in 2014, after the incident involving Carlos, the department began using de-escalation tactics, McManus testified.

San Antonio police officers had been pursuing a suspect, dressed in a white T-shirt and blue jeans. The undercover officer, dressed in civilian clothes, said he thought Carlos was the suspect and used force to take him down. He was soon joined by Chavez and Gonzalez.

The undercover officer later claimed that Carlos did not obey orders, though Carlos denies that and said the officers would not listen to him as he tried to explain his situation.

Doe, the undercover officer, testified that he grabbed Carlos by the shoulder and swept Carlos' legs to get him to the ground.

Chavez said he struck Carlos in the face three times with a closed fist because he didn't comply with their commands to give them his hands. The officers claimed Carlos' arms were under him and that he moved his head from side to side during the struggle and tensed up  signs that he was resisting.

Chavez testified that SAPD officers are trained to get a subject under control and handcuffed before listening to their explanations.

"Not listening to (police) commands is resistance," one of the officers' lawyers, Clarissa M. Rodriguez, said in her closing argument. "Mr. Carlos may believe he had a right to be on his property, but that doesn't mean he could ignore police commands."

Rodriguez urged the jury to look at the whole picture "without 20-20 hindsight."
The US has vetoed a Palestinian request to the United Nations security council for full UN membership, blocking the world bodys recognition of a Palestinian state.

The vote in the 15-member security council was 12 in favor, the US opposed and two abstentions, the UK and Switzerland.

US officials had been hoping Washington could avoid use of its veto if other states objected to a draft resolution before the council recommending the State of Palestine be admitted to membership of the United Nations.

Related: Israel still plans to launch Rafah assault, Netanyahu tells western diplomats

Before the vote, diplomats said the US mission had been trying to convince one or two other council members to abstain, to mitigate Washingtons isolation on the issue, but American officials said they were resigned to having to wield the US veto once more in support of Israel.

Washingtons position is that the emergence of a Palestinian state had to be the outcome of negotiations on all aspects of a Middle East peace settlement.

The United States continues to strongly support a two-state solution. This vote does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood, but instead is an acknowledgment that it will only come from direct negotiations between the parties, deputy US ambassador to the UN, Robert Wood, told the council.

The decision to veto the request drew rebukes from across the region. The Palestinian presidency condemned the US veto as unfair, unethical and unjustified, while the Egyptian foreign ministry said it regretted the inability of the security council to enable full Palestinian membership.

Hamas said it strongly condemned Americas position.

Explaining the UK abstention, the British envoy to the UN, Barbara Woodward, said: We believe that such recognition of Palestinian statehood should not come at the start of a new process, but it doesnt have to be at the very end of the process.

Woodward added: We must start with fixing the immediate crisis in Gaza.

Israels foreign minister said he commended the US for casting the veto, adding that terrorism will not be rewarded.

Palestinians currently have non-member observer status, granted by the UN general assembly in 2012. An application to become a full member with voting rights would have to be approved by the security council and two-thirds of the general assembly.

Recent escalations make it even more important to support good-faith efforts to find lasting peace between Israel and a fully independent, viable and sovereign Palestinian state, Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary general, told the council.

Failure to make progress towards a two-state solution will only increase volatility and risk for hundreds of millions of people across the region, who will continue to live under the constant threat of violence, he said.

Guterres also said that Israels commitment to improving aid access to the Gaza Strip has had limited or no impact.

Apparent progress in one area is often cancelled out by delays and restrictions elsewhere, the secretary general said.

For example, although the Israeli authorities have cleared more aid convoys, those clearances are often granted when it is too late in the day to make deliveries and return safely, he explained. So the impact is limited, and sometimes nil.
It's well known that the octopus is extremely intelligent, and that they often are friendly with people. The Weather Channel shared a video on Wednesday, April 17th of a diver who got a once in a lifetime experience when an octopus grabbed her hand and led her to something that it had found.

Australian diver Jules Casey was familiar with the octopus and had interacted with it before, but not like this. The octopus grabbed her hand and led her to something that it knew didn't belong on the ocean floor. Watch as the octopus shows her the 'mysterious structure' it had found!

What an incredible experience for Jules! She said she was shocked when the friendly octopus led the way to what appeared to be a headstone with a picture of a man and his dog on it. Weather Channel commenters were just as amazed as I was. @Ohiochik shared, "Octopus are extremely intelligent. The more I learn about them, the more I'm in awe with the species." @Michelle Lombardi pointed out, "The octopus knew it was a foreign object and wanted to show them. So amazing!" and @Nicauris Lora added, "She made an association with the diver and the picture on the head stone, I'm amazed by its intelligence!"

Related: Octopus' Fantastic Party Trick Keeps Him Out of Sight While He Moves Around

Cool Facts About Octopuses (Yes, That Plural Form is Correct)

Since I started writing about animals, I've learned so many random facts about them. One of my favorite animals is the octopus because they are so intelligent and amazing to watch. We all know that they have eight arms, but did you know that octopuses have nine brains and three hearts as well?

Octopuses are known to be shy and usually friendly towards humans, they usually just want to be left alone. Their strong suckers on their arms can be dangerous if they lock onto a human since the suckers are hard to remove. But that's not the only way they could cause an injury. With the exception of the blue-ringed octopus all octopus could bite with their large beaks and inject venom, but the venom is not fatal. The blue-ringed octopus could kill a human with one of its venomous bites.

Do you know the difference between an octopus and a squid? They look very similar but there are two main differences: squids have ten arms and a more triangular head.

And here's a cool fact from Smithsonian Magazine, "To survive in the deep ocean, octopuses blood is powered by a copper-containing protein called hemocyanin, instead of the more common, iron-based hemoglobin in human blood. Whereas our iron-rich blood is red when it meets oxygen, the copper in octopus blood makes it appear blue."

The Smithsonian also shared this one that I only recently found out, "To prioritize their motherly duties, females stop eating. By the time their eggs hatch, female octopuses are either dying or dead. Their optic glands rapidly produce self-destructive chemicals, causing a rapid change in cholesterol metabolism and ultimately killing them." Males also die after reproduction. It's a one and done kind of event for octopuses.

Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips.
A protester committed contempt of court by deliberately targeting jurors by holding up a sign outside a court ahead of a trial of climate activists, the High Court has heard.

Trudi Warner was arrested on March 27 last year for holding up a sign outside an entrance used by jurors at Inner London Crown Court before a trial involving members of the climate group, Insulate Britain.

The sign read: Jurors you have an absolute right to acquit a defendant according to your conscience.

Lawyers for the Solicitor General Robert Courts, a senior government legal officer, are now asking the High Court for the green light to proceed with legal action against Ms Warner for contempt of court due to her serious interference with the administration of justice.

Barristers for Ms Warner, a retired social worker from Walthamstow, east London, argue her actions do not constitute an offence and that it is not in the public interest to take legal action against her.

In his written submissions, Aidan Eardley KC, representing the Government, said Ms Warner deliberately targeted jurors and encouraged them to approach their task in a particular way.

Speaking in court on Thursday, he said the incident was a confrontation with jurors, calculated objectively, and intended subjectively, to tell them how to go about doing their job.

He added that the public needs to know that they could perform their role as jurors without being bombarded with instructions from bystanders about how they go about that task.

Protesters outside the court ahead of Thursdays hearing (Callum Parke/PA)

Ms Warner was seen on CCTV outside the court for around half an hour on the morning of March 27, the first day of the trial, but did not speak to any members of the public.

Later that day outside the same court, she joined a protest over how the judge in the trial, Judge Silas Reid, had overseen previous trials of other Insulate Britain protesters.

Judge Reid had previously instructed jurors to decide the case according to the law and evidence and set aside any views they might have about climate change.

Mr Eardley said that while Ms Warners sign was inaccurate as a matter of law, her actions still constituted an offence and there was a strong public interest in taking legal action against her.

He added on Thursday that Ms Warner said at the time: I felt it was really important to get the word out directly that there is a higher authority than judges.

The Attorney Generals Office announced its decision to take legal action against Ms Warner last September, which prompted hundreds of people to hold similar signs outside courts across the country in solidarity.

Several protesters held placards outside the Royal Courts of Justice again on Thursday.

Ms Warners barristers told the court that she acted as a human billboard to advertise a vital constitutional, if occasionally used, safeguard against unjust prosecutions.

Lawyer Clare Montgomery KC said: The solicitor general has placed before the court an entirely false picture of what was taking place.

At no stage did Ms Warner direct, instruct, cajole or try to persuade any juror to disobey a direction of the judge.

The sign she had said what it said and did no more.

It cannot in any circumstances give rise to any species of contempt, she added.

Mr Justice Saini said at the end of the hearing that he would give his judgment at 10.30am on Monday.

Speaking to supporters outside court, Ms Warner said: I cant say anything. I am only allowed to say thank you.

I dont have to come on Monday, but I will, because I think I should be the first to know.
A quarter of women would rather sleep in a bed with their pet over their partner. (Getty Images) (Getty)

From snoring to stealing the duvet, the sleep habits of our other half can be somewhat irritating, but it seems our nocturnal behaviour is having a serious impact on our relationships with new research revealing almost a quarter of women would rather share a bed with their pet than a partner.

A new study of 2,000 UK adults, found that 24% of British women would prefer to snuggle up with their pooch over their significant other.

The same can't be said of our male counterparts, however, with just 13% of men admitting they'd choose to snooze alongside their pet.

In further proof women don't necessarily enjoy sharing their beds, a significant 44% say they prefer sleeping on their own, that's compared to just a third (33%) of men.

It seems it is unbecoming bedtime behaviours that are doing most of the relationship damage for women with over three quarters (77%) saying their partner has annoying sleeping habits, whereas only 60% of men felt the same way.

It won't come as a surprise to learn snoring is the most grating sleeping habit, with 67% of respondents complaining about loud snorers. Meanwhile, stealing covers (50%) also featured highly on peoples list of pm pet peeves, as did tossing and turning in the night (47%).

Interestingly, whether its envy or pillow talk being cut short, 6% of Brits actually find it annoying when their partner falls asleep too quickly.

Snoring is the top middle of the night pet peeve. (Getty Images) (Getty)

That said, we certainly arent shy about letting our partners know of our sleeping woes. In our survey, half of Brits were happy to be honest with someone about how they were disrupting sleep, with only 14% of people keeping their gripes to themselves.

"Whether its a brand new relationship or a long and loving marriage, sharing a bed does not always lead to a harmonious sleep environment," explains Jade Crooks, commercial director at DUSK, who commissioned the research.

But there are some important reasons we should be trying to foster a cohesive environment for co-sleeping.

"Sleep is vital for us to repair and regenerate for the day ahead," explains Cheryl Lythgoe, sleep expert and matron at Benenden Health.

"Many consider the quantity of sleep they get vitally important; however, the quality of our sleeping hours is equally important. When we have a bed buddy who disrupts that sleep quality, it can lead to both night and daytime challenges."

Lythgoe says building lasting connections with our partners can often be fostered in the bedroom, as the intimacy of close contact, conversations, cuddles and kisses can improve the release of oxytocin, a hormone that supports lowering our stress levels and building trusting relationships.

"However, if your partner has a different body clock (circadian rhythm), a sleep disorder, or a differing comfort level of heat/mattresses, etc, it can certainly affect both people's quality and quantity of sleep," she adds.

Thankfully there are some ways to tackle any bedtime battles, so you don't have to swap your partner for your pet permanently.

Bad bed behaviour is having an impact on relationships with Brits choosing their pets over their partners to sleep alongside. (Getty Images) (Getty)

How to avoid a sleep divorce

Implement a regular sleep schedule

According to Crooks this is an effective way to minimise annoying habits, but only if both partners are on board.

"The idea is to synchronise your sleep-wake cycles, promoting better sleep quality for you both," she advises.

Find a cohesive sleep environment

Warm or cool, hard or soft, everyone has their own unique preferences when it comes to sleeping, but there are some ways to ensure both partners are happy with their sleep environment.

For starters it's worth making sure youve got the right mattress to accommodate both of your comfort preferences," advises Crooks.

"Finding the right type of mattress that properly supports each person, will help to minimise any sleep disturbances caused by tossing and turning all night."

You can also opt for larger duvets  or separate blankets entirely  if wrestling for the quilt cover has become a nightly battle.

"Otherwise known as the Scandi sleep method, sleeping with two duvets can also address any body temperature differences between you and your partner, ensuring no one gets too warm or too cold at night," Crooks adds.

There are some ways to avoid a sleep divorce. (Getty Images) (Getty)

Address your sleep differences

When your partner's a night owl and youre a morning lark, Lythgoe suggests using an eye mask and ear plugs.

"This ensures you can both get the benefits that bedroom-based connections gives relationships, whilst still managing to get your quality and quantity of sleep," she explains.

Seek help

If your partner is tossing, turning or snoring all night then it's crucial for them to consider a trip to their primary care clinician, advises Lythgoe.

"Undiagnosed sleep disorders can create both mental and physical health problems, and it's important to address them promptly," she explains.

Be honest and open

Because sleep is so essential to wellbeing, Crooks says it is worth being completely honest with your partner about how their bedtime habits are impacting you.

"If their snoring or nightly twitching is keeping you awake, let them know so you can address it together," she advises. "Similarly, if it turns out that you are the annoying offender, be open to how you can change your habits for both your sakes.

Lythgoe says it is primarily about being open and honest with your partner and having conversations about how to maintain your relationship connectivity without losing the marvellous health benefits provided by sleep.

Sleep: Read more

Watch: Gen Z most likely to not finish nighttime routine before bed
Scotlands Health Secretary has welcomed the decision of two health boards  one of which covers the only gender clinic in the country for young people  to pause the prescription of puberty blockers to new patients.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) and NHS Lothian said the decision came with the support of Scotlands chief medical officer, Professor Sir Gregor Smith, following a review by Dr Hilary Cass in England and the same decision being taken south of the border.

NHSGGC covers Scotlands only gender clinic for under-18s while NHS Lothian provides care to those aged 17 and over at its Chalmers gender identity clinic.

Scottish Health Secretary Neil Gray said it was right for the decision to be made by clinicians rather than politicians, adding the Government and boards are considering the recommendations of the Cass Review.

The decision was announced on Thursday (Jane Barlow/PA)

The Scottish Government welcomes the joint statement from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian confirming their change in clinical policy on prescribing puberty hormone suppressants and cross-sex hormone medication to young people, he said.

We have been clear it is for clinicians and health boards to make decisions about clinical pathways, and that these decisions should be made carefully and based on the best evidence available.

This is what both health boards have done and their position is supported by the chief medical officer.

More broadly, the Cass Reviews final report and findings are being closely considered by both the Scottish Government and health boards, in the context of how such healthcare can be best delivered in Scotland.

He went on to lament the toxic debate around gender issues  mentioned by Dr Cass in her review  saying those in receipt of care should be at the centre of our thoughts when we discuss this issue.

Dr Emilia Crighton, director of public health at NHSGGC, said: The findings informing the Cass Review are important and we have reviewed the impact on our clinical pathways.

The next step from here is to work with the Scottish Government and academic partners to generate evidence that enables us to deliver safe care for our patients.

We echo the views of Dr Hilary Cass that toxicity around public debate is impacting the lives of young people seeking the care of our service and does not serve the teams working hard to care and support them.

We understand the distress that gender incongruence can cause and while all referrals to endocrinology are paused, we will continue to give anyone who is referred into the young people gender service the psychological support that they require while we review the pathways in line with the findings.

The Cass Review criticised the lack of evidence around the use of puberty blockers and other medical intervention, with the health boards saying they will work with Government on research into the treatments.

Under the changes, those who have already been prescribed the drugs will continue to receive them, but new patients will not.

Today the Sandyford Young Peoples Gender Service has announced that they will no longer be referring under 18s for endocrine treatments. Read our full response: https://t.co/pqP2aqPAi9 pic.twitter.com/uMt1kXe1s4  Scottish Trans (@ScottishTrans) April 18, 2024

The boards said they had made the decision to defer putting new patients on hormone suppressants in mid-March following the same decision by NHS England.

Tracey Gillies, executive medical director at NHS Lothian, said: The Cass Review is a significant piece of work into how the NHS can better support children and young people who present with gender dysphoria.

Patient safety must always be our priority and it is right that we pause this treatment to allow more research to be carried out.

But two Scottish charities have said the decision is wrong.

The Equality Network and Scottish Trans said they are concerned about the impact the decision could have on transgender young people, who they said were rarely prescribed the drugs.

Were saddened that this change will result in some young people being unable to access the care they need at all, or having to wait even longer for it, Scottish Trans manager Vic Valentine said.

We want every child or young person to get the individualised care thats right for them at the time thats right for them. We dont think this decision will make that possible.

The charities called on health boards and the Scottish Government to urgently prioritise research required to make sure that no child or young person is denied the care they need.

Since the publication of the Cass Review, the Scottish Government has faced pressure to respond to its findings, with high-profile politicians including SNP MP Joanna Cherry calling for the use of puberty blockers to be halted.

Labours Dame Jackie Baillie said there had been a lack of clarity from the Government since the Cass Review was published (PA)

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Meghan Gallacher has repeatedly attempted to force a statement from the Government on the issue, and she said the health boards decision should have been taken weeks ago.

She said: The SNP Government have been dragged kicking and screaming towards taking the necessary action to safeguard vulnerable youngsters after days of shameful silence and dithering in response to the Cass Review  presumably to placate the gender zealots in the Scottish Greens.

Humza Yousaf repeatedly passed the buck, insisting it was up to clinicians to decide on the efficacy of puberty blockers and saying he wouldnt be rushed into responding to Cass  when it was clear decisive action was required.

Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said she was pleased at the decision and urged the Government to lay out what changes will be made to treatment in the wake of the Cass Review.

The guiding principle for all actions must be to ensure that young people with gender dysphoria get safe treatment, she added.

The messaging from the Scottish Government on the Cass report has been all over the place, leaving the public without clarity on this vital issue.

Alba Holyrood leader Ash Regan  who resigned from the Scottish Government over her gender-critical views and later defected from the SNP  welcomed the announcement and called for a timetable to be set out for a full response to the Cass Reviews recommendations.
The SNP has been urged to co-operate with the police investigation into the partys finances after its former chief executive Peter Murrell was charged in connection with embezzlement of funds.

The 59-year-old husband of former first minister Nicola Sturgeon was taken into custody for questioning on Thursday morning, more than a year after his first arrest.

Police confirmed on Thursday evening he has been charged as part of the probe.

He has resigned his SNP membership.

A police patrol passes the home of Nicola Sturgeon in Uddingston after her husband Peter Murrell was charged in connection with embezzlement of SNP funds (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Scottish Conservatives chairman Craig Hoy urged the SNP to fully-cooperate as the investigation continues.

He said: The announcement that Peter Murrell has been charged by Police Scotland is an extremely serious development in the investigation into the SNPs finances.

As the police probe continues, it is now more important than ever that all SNP staff and politicians, past and present, fully co-operate.

The investigation, which has been going on for three years, appears to be reaching a conclusion and the SNP must commit to being fully open and transparent in this critical phase.

An SNP spokesperson said: While this development will come as a shock, the police investigation remains ongoing and it would, therefore, be inappropriate to make any comment.

Murrells charge is part of a probe known as Operation Branchform into the spending of more than 600,000 in donations for independence campaigning.

A 59 year old man has today, Thursday, 18 April, 2024, been charged in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the Scottish National Party. https://t.co/C0x86LBAnE pic.twitter.com/NTo2OjZwHZ  Police Scotland (@PoliceScotland) April 18, 2024

Police Scotland said in a statement: A 59-year-old man has today Thursday April 18 been charged in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the Scottish National Party.

The man, who was arrested at 9.13am today and had previously been arrested as a suspect on April 5 2023, was charged at 6.35pm after further questioning by Police Scotland detectives investigating the funding and finances of the party.

A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in due course.

The man is no longer in police custody.

As this investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further.

The former Chief Executive of the SNP, Peter Murrell, has been charged in connection with embezzlement in relation to the SNPs finances. This is a serious development in this three-year police investigation. pic.twitter.com/YqYvDr9vW2  Craig Hoy MSP (@CraigWHoy1) April 18, 2024

The matter is active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and the public are therefore advised to exercise caution if discussing it on social media.

Murrell arrived at the home he shares with Ms Sturgeon on the outskirts of Glasgow shortly after 8pm on Thursday.

Ms Sturgeon, who resigned as first minister and SNP leader in February 2023, was arrested two months after her husband was first arrested, while former party treasurer Colin Beattie was also arrested last year.

Both Ms Sturgeon and Mr Beattie were released without charge pending further investigation.

Murrell stepped down as SNP chief executive  a role he had held for more than 20 years  during last years leadership campaign.

He has been married to Ms Sturgeon since 2010.
Taylor Swift has announced her first single from forthcoming album The Tortured Poets Department is Post Malone collaboration Fortnight.

The American pop star, 34, whose 11th studio album is to be released on April 19, revealed that the song would be unveiled at midnight EDT (5am BST) on Friday, followed with the addition of a music video, released at 8pm EDT (1am on Saturday BST).

On X, she posted a photo of her with the rapper and singer and said: The first single from The Tortured Poets Department is. Fortnight featuring @postmalone

The first single from The Tortured Poets Department is. Fortnight featuring @postmalone  Ive been such a huge fan of Post because of the writer he is, his musical experimentation and those melodies he creates that just stick in your head forever. I got to witness that pic.twitter.com/b6cqrHkbE1  Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) April 18, 2024

Ive been such a huge fan of Post because of the writer he is, his musical experimentation and those melodies he creates that just stick in your head forever.

I got to witness that magic come to life firsthand when we worked together on Fortnight.

Honestly cant wait for you guys to hear this song at Midnight TONIGHT and see the video at 8pm ET TOMORROW.

The tracklist for Swifts record has offered hints on whether songs will refer to her English ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn.

The US superstar parted ways with The Favourite actor Alwyn last year after six years together and speculation has been rife that she will offer an insight into their split in her new music.

She has since begun a high-profile romance with NFL star Travis Kelce, with whom she recently attended the Coachella music festival.

Post Malone has collaborated with Taylor Swift on her new album (Matt Crossick/PA)

A song called So Long, London appears at number five in the tracklist  the slot reserved by Swift for the most meaningful song on each of her albums.

Fans have also speculated whether the album title is a reference to Alwyn.

In December 2022, Alwyn and Normal People star Paul Mescal revealed they had a WhatsApp group chat with Fleabag actor Andrew Scott called The Tortured Man Club.

Fans have also speculated that tracks such as Down Bad, But Daddy I Love Him, I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can), and I Can Do It With A Broken Heart could also be inspired by Alwyn.

Swift is known for writing songs about her ex-boyfriends, with previous flames Joe Jonas, Harry Styles, Jake Gyllenhaal and John Mayer among those who have been linked to some of her biggest hits.

The 14-time Grammy winner will bring her Eras tour to the UK from June 7, when she kicks off with three shows in Edinburgh.
A public schoolboy was on a mission to protect himself from a zombie apocalypse when he attacked two sleeping students and a teacher with hammers at a boarding school, a court has heard.

The 16-year-old was wearing just his boxer shorts and claimed he was sleepwalking when he attacked the two boys and the housemaster at Blundells School in Tiverton, Devon.

Exeter Crown Court heard that the teenager, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had armed himself with three claw hammers and waited for the two boys to be asleep before allegedly attacking them.

James Dawes KC, prosecuting, said the two boys were asleep in cabin-style beds in one of the co-ed schools boarding houses when the defendant climbed up and attacked them shortly before 1am on June 9 last year.

The defendant was awake, and he decided to put into action a plan that he had been fermenting in his head for some time, Mr Dawes said.

And that plan was to kill the two boys, and he decided to do it whilst they slept in their own beds, and he decided to do it with a hammer.

It is not known which boy he attacked first.

A teenager has gone on trial at Exeter Crown Court accused of attempting to murder two boys and a housemaster at Blundells School in Devon (David Wilcock/PA)

The defendant was in possession of four claw hammers  a heavy hammer with a flat striking side and two-pronged claw at the back.

He had four of them and he selected more than one hammer and he quietly climbed up into the top of the first cabin bed.

The boys are asleep, and they had both had their heads on pillows, and then he smashed a hammer or hammers into their heads as they slept, multiple times.

He also hit arms and backs. He didnt just use the flat end of the hammer  he used the claw end as well to strike these boys.

These blows smashed their skulls.

The court heard that housemaster Henry Roffe-Silvester, who was asleep in his own quarters, was awoken by noises coming from the boarding house and went to investigate.

When he entered the bedroom where the attack had happened, he saw a silhouetted figure standing in the room who turned towards him and repeatedly struck him over the head with a hammer.

Another student heard Mr Roffe-Silvesters shouts and swearing as he fled the bedroom and dialled 999  believing there was an intruder.

Mr Roffe-Silvester retreated down the corridor, with the defendant attacking him again and again with the hammer around his face and head, Mr Dawes said.

He was shouting at the defendant to stop. In total there were six impacts to his head.

He said the defendant was expressionless, he was neutral and unsettling in his expression and appearance.

Mr Roffe-Silvester said he thought the defendant appeared to be on a mission and afterwards his face and body relaxed, and he was calm and slumped on his feet, squatting against the wall.

Another student was told to keep an eye on the defendant in the matrons office, Mr Dawes said.

The defendant told him he was feeling quite stressed about things before the incident with school tests and owed some money to a girl, he said.

The defendant told the student he had hammers and he had been watching horror movies lately and he had them to protect himself.

Mr Dawes said the defendant told the student he had fallen asleep after watching a movie and then carried out the attack.

The prosecutor suggested this was a lie because there was evidence that the boy was using his iPad until moments before the alleged assaults.

The student tried to calm the defendant down and asked him again what had happened, and the defendant said to the student he was watching horror movies and he had weapons to prepare for the zombie apocalypse and to protect himself, Mr Dawes said.

One student heard the defendant say: I am sorry, I was dreaming.

And another told police the teenager said: I am going to prison, I was sleepwalking.

The court heard that Mr Roffe-Silvester has not realised at first the two boys had been injured and they were discovered lying in their beds a few minutes later by another student.

Paramedics arriving at the school described the scene they found, with one saying the bedroom as the worst scene he had ever encountered in 20 years in emergency care.

A colleague said: I have served in Iraq and had never seen such a scene of carnage, with blood over the desks, over the walls and the beds.

Another said: It was like a scene from a horror film. The boys were making a deal of noise and it was clear to him they were fighting for their lives.

Mr Dawes told the jury both boys suffered skull fractures, as well as injuries to their ribs, spleen, a punctured lung and internal bleeding.

Blood went everywhere, he said.

You may think that whoever does that intends to kill the person they are attacking.

They were sleeping at the time and astonishingly they both survived these attacks.

Their survival has nothing to do with the defendant and his actions but everything to do with the speed at which the 999 call was made by a boy at school and the astonishing skill of the paramedics who arrived and the skilful work of the doctors and surgeons who saved their lives at the hospital.

Mr Dawes said both boys are living with the long-term consequences of the attack but have no memory of the incident.

Sadly, neither of them will ever be the same again as they were prior to the attack, he said.

The defendant, now aged 17, denies three charges of attempted murder.

The trial was adjourned until Monday.
Singer VV Brown has said she felt deeply unsafe after receiving a barrage of racist comments online and has been silenced and excluded as a new survey investigating bullying and harassment within the music industry is launched.

The Shark In The Water singer is among the diverse artists urging others in the industry to share their experiences in the anonymous YourSafetyYourSay survey, which has been launched by the charity Black Lives in Music (BLiM).

The data from the survey will be utilised to help inform legislation and the work of the new Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA).

It will also be used to support BLiMs forthcoming Anti-Racist Code of Conduct and reporting tool, which will aim to work towards eradicating discrimination, bullying and harassment throughout the music ecosystem.

Singer Brown, born in Northampton to Jamaican parents, said she feels the survey is needed, especially for black artists and artists of colour, to have a space to report incidents they have experienced.

I fully support Black Lives in Musics valiant work, and urge those comfortable to share their stories, she said.

As a black woman, I often felt silenced and excluded, labelled as aggressive or aloof. Bullying ranged from isolation to daily emails with derogatory language. Even in high-profile fashion settings, I felt marginalised, as if I didnt belong.

I faced a barrage of racist comments online enduring over a million comments, leaving me feeling deeply unsafe.

The most hurtful bullying I experienced came from left-wing liberals who professed to support equality but hindered black individuals opportunities.

She also claimed the expectation to internalise and tolerate the bullying she faced was pervasive, adding: There was a constant fear that expressing my pain would lead to being labelled as overly sensitive or even being blamed as the aggressor.

Nova Twins urged artists to complete the survey (Ian West/PA)

Alternative rock duo Nova Twins are also among the artists who believe the barriers faced by POC (people of colour) talent within the music industry need to be addressed.

The Mercury-nominated artists said they have faced their music and performance styles being labelled as too intense or aggressive, but feel the same energy from white male counterparts would be praised as rock and roll'.

Far too often, black musicians and industry professionals encounter bullying and harassment, stifling their voices and existence, they added.

Discriminatory labels limit our creativity and opportunities, hindering our ability to thrive. Hearing from other artists like us with very similar experiences, both independent and on majors, has been eye-opening.

These hurdles, and plenty more like them, couldve easily held us back from reaching our full potential. Its a story too many of us share.

Thats why the YourSafetyYourSay survey is a vital step towards amplifying marginalised voices, uncovering untold stories that need to be heard.

The data from the survey has also been requested by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to inform its work on the topic, BLiM has said.

BLiM was set up in 2021 with the aim of tackling racial inequality in the music industry and to create opportunities for black musicians and professionals.

Since it was established, the organisation has published a Being Black In The Music Industry report which suggested the mental health of black women and the disabled was significantly affected by systemic racism in the music industry.

The findings of the report have been utilised by the Government in its Misogyny In Music inquiry.

The new YourSafetyYourSay survey is being supported by a host of music industry bodies including The Ivors Academy, UK Music, the Independent Society of Musicians and the Musicians Union.

BLiM chief executive Charisse Beaumont said the organisation has been flooded with stories from people who have experienced bullying and harassment in the music industry since launching.

She added: They are shocking and its clear that high-profile cases in the media are the tip of an iceberg. It can happen to anyone and it is often rooted in misogyny, racism, homophobia, transphobia and more.

Bullying and harassment is normalised in the music industry, as shown by the Misogyny In Music Inquiry. To turn the inquiry findings into action, we need the information.

The data, especially from under-represented groups, just doesnt exist. The bullying and harassment survey will be a comprehensive survey to capture everyones voices, especially those rarely heard.

We need to understand what is really going on behind closed doors so we can tailor interventions.

Its time to double up our efforts against bullying, (sexual) harassment and discrimination.

Black Lives in Music is fighting to ensure equality is standard in the music industry. Together, we can create a safe music industry where everyone thrives.
There's just something about baby elephants that always makes me a bit weepy. Blame it on Dumbo, blame it on how lovingly elephant moms care for their offspring, blame it on how other female elephants care for a baby in the heard, but I will always find elephants such special creatures. If you are anything like me, you better grab those tissues because the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas has some pretty beautiful news.

Five of their six female elephants are pregnant.

The zoo shared the news on Facebook and posted, in part, "Leading the expecting mothers is Simunye, whose nurturing presence will be invaluable. Talia, Xolani, Arusi, and Zuberi will each be experiencing motherhood for the first time, adding to the anticipation and joy within the Zoo community. The first birth is expected in early spring 2025.

The dedicated elephant care team prioritizes the well-being of the herd throughout their entire lives, and thats especially true during pregnancy. They provide comprehensive care, including monitoring body condition, hormones, vitamin and mineral intake, and routine blood work to ensure optimal health at this crucial time."

Related: Baby Elephant at Disney's Animal Kingdom Enjoys Her First Day on the Savannah

The zoo's other elephant, named Stephanie, is past reproductive age.

This is such wonderful news. Even though the first babies won't arrive until 2025 it's still so exciting, especially for African elephant conservation.

I can't wait to see these babies when they are born! I'm not the only one, because one well-wisher posted on Facebook, "WOW! This is amazing and exciting news!! Congratulations! I can't wait for those babies."

Facts About Elephant Pregnancies

If you've ever been pregnant, you probably feel like it goes on forever, especially when you're in the months of your third trimester. Well, be happy you're not an elephant, because they have one of the longest gestation periods of any land mammal with a pregnancy lasting almost two whole years!

Female elephants usually give birth for the first time when they are between 12 and 16 years old. They continue to reproduce until they are around 50 years old, although fertility declines with age. Which is why Stephanie isn't able to be pregnant anymore.

One amazing thing about elephants, is it takes a village to raise a mama and during pregnancy and after giving birth, female elephants receive support and assistance from other members of their herd. Other females, known as "allomothers," may help care for the newborn calf and provide protection.

One very nice aspect of elephant pregnancies is that lady elephants take a few years off between births, to give them time to raise their calf and rest before they get pregnant again.

We can't wait to see these baby elephants take their first steps. Congratulations to the Sedgwick Zoo!

If you would like to visit the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas, you can find directions, special events, admission prices and zoo hours at their website here.

Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips.
An SAPD officer walks through a Motel 6 in San Antonios Medical Center on Thursday morning, April 18, 2024, where a barricaded man was arrested after shooting at officers. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News SAPD responded to a barricade subject at a Motel 6 on the 7700 block of Pasteur Court on Thursday morning, April 18, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio police said five shots were fired at officers at an Extended Stay in the Medical Center area Thursday morning.

Johnny Munoz, 42, was taken into custody around 9:30 a.m. His charges have not been released.

Sgt. Washington Moscoso said a security officer called police to the hotel in the 7700 block of Pasteur Court when he saw a man wearing a mask and carrying a gun around 5:30 a.m.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

One officer who responded went to the second floor of the hotel and confronted the man, Moscoso said, and the masked man shot at the officer. The officer retreated and joined more officers on the first floor. Moscoso said the man then shot four times at the officers on the first floor.

He then pointed a gun at two people in a hotel room on the second floor and demanded their room. They abandoned the room, and he barricaded himself inside. The man was taken into custody without incident about 9:30 a.m., Moscoso said.
Six people, including a jeweler and a commercial airline employee, are under arrest and police said they have issued warrants for three other suspects in connection to what they called the single-largest gold heist in Canadian history.

According to Peel Regional Police in Ontario, a joint investigation with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led to nearly two dozen charges being filed against the suspects in connection to the nearly $20 million Canadian dollar ($14.5 million) heist that took place a year ago.

During news conference Wednesday in Ontario, Peel Regional Police Detective-Sergeant Mike Mavity told reporters 400 kilograms of gold bars weighing more than 900 pounds, along with about CA$2.5 million ($1.8 million) in stolen bank notes were hijacked from the Toronto Pearson International Airport after arriving on a commercial flight from Europe.

In all, 6,600 gold bars ranging in size were stolen and each gold bar was "99.9% pure and contained individualized serial numbers," Mavity said.

According to Peel Regional Police in Ontario, a joint investigation with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led to nearly two dozen charges being filed against the suspects in connection to the nearly $20 million Canadian dollar heist that took place on April 17, 2023.

The items, officials reported, had been ordered from a refinery in Zurich.

Here's how police said the heist went down:

#PRP investigation #Project24Karat was our response to a large-scale theft that occurred @ Pearson Airport. We have accounted for $10M in stolen cargo, charged/issued warrants for 9 individuals & laid 19 charges. Our message is clear  we will hold those responsible, accountable. pic.twitter.com/HfgFAQQbXe  Peel Regional Police (@PeelPolice) April 17, 2024

Gold and currency transported in Air Canada flight to Toronto airport

On April 17, 2023, the gold and currency were transported in the hull of an Air Canada flight in "an approved airline container" destined for Toronto.

At 3:56 p.m. that day, the flight arrived at Toronto Pearson International Airport and, shortly after, the gold and cash were offloaded from the air craft and brought into an Air Canada facility.

At 6:32 p.m. a male suspect arrived at air can cargo driving a 5-ton truck, and approached the compound carrying what police called a fraudulent airway bill  a document used by carriers with details about shipments.

A short time later a forklift arrived and loaded the item into the suspect's truck.

The suspect then drove away.

The items are discovered missing

At 2:43 a.m. the next day, officials discovered the document bill was a duplicate of an airline bill for a legitimate shipment of seafood delivered and picked up the previous date, according to a press release from police.

The forged bill was printed within the Air Canada facility, Mavity said, and when officials realized the items were missing, they used security footage to track part of the subsequent route driven by the suspect before losing track of the truck in north Milton, an Ontario suburb.

According to Peel Regional Police in Ontario, a joint investigation with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led to nearly two dozen charges being filed against the suspects in connection to the nearly $20 million Canadian dollar heist that took place on April 17, 2023.

A stolen golden loo: Man pleads guilty to stealing 18-carat golden toilet from art installation

An inside job: Here are the suspects

Police confirmed the heist was an inside job and said a former Air Canada manager was wanted in the case.

So far police said they have arrested the following suspects in connection to the case:

Air Canada employee Parmpal Sidhu, 54, of Ontario

Jewelry store owner Ali Raza, 37, of Toronto

Amit Jalota, 40, of Ontario

Ammad Chaudhary, 43, of Ontario

Prasath Paramalingam, 35, of Ontario

All five were released on bail and are scheduled to appear in court at a later date, Mavity said.

The truck driver who allegedly picked up the gold, Durante King-Mclean, 25 of Ontario, is currently in custody in the U.S. on firearms and trafficking related charges.

Arrests Made in Over 20 Million Dollar Gold Heist



Read more: https://t.co/dh7z4p4fbg pic.twitter.com/z8tkR9N7Te  Peel Regional Police (@PeelPolice) April 17, 2024

Here are the suspects at large:

Air Canada manager Simran Preet Panesar, 31, of Ontario

Archit Grover, 36, of Ontario

Arsalan Chaudhary, 42, of Ontario

Peel Regional Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich said only CA$90,000 ($65,000) of the more than CA$20 million has been recovered.

According to U.S. ATF Special Agent Eric DeGree, King-Mclean was arrested in Pennsylvania after a traffic stop lead to police seizing 65 illegal firearms slated to be smuggled into Canada. King-Mclean tried to flee, DeGree said, after police discovered the firearms in a rental car he reportedly drove.

The ATF arrested a man during a traffic stop in Pennsylvania and seized 65 illegal firearms in connection to an April 17, 2023 $20 million Canadian dollar gold heist.

Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick confirmed to CBC Canada, two of the suspects identified by the police worked for Air Canada in the cargo division at the time of the heist.

"One left the company prior to the arrests announced today and the second has been suspended," he said according to the outlet reported. "As this is now before the courts, we are limited in our ability to comment further."

Catalytic converter heist: Massachusetts man latest to plead guilty in takedown of catalytic converter theft crew

So far only one kilo of gold recovered, police say

A year later, according to the release, only about CA $90,000 (one kilo of the gold) has been recovered, melted down into bangle bracelets. The rest of the gold, police said, was likely melted down and used to buy illegal firearms.

"I commend the incredible work done by our investigators, the ATF, other law enforcement partners, and our community for working together to identify and arrest those responsible for this brazen crime," Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah released in a statement this week.

Nearly two dozen charges have been filed against 9 suspects in connection to the nearly $20 million Canadian dollar heist that took place in Canada on April 17, 2023. So far nearly CA $90,000 of the gold has been recovered, melted down into bracelets.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Peel Regional Police.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Canada gold heist: Air Canada employee among 6 arrested, 3 on the run
The outage of 911 systems in several states Wednesday evening was caused by the installation of a light pole, according to Lumen, a company that supports some of those systems.

On April 17, some customers in Nevada, South Dakota and Nebraska experienced an outage due to a third-party company installing a light pole  unrelated to our services, Lumen Global Issues Director Mark Molzen told CNN on Thursday morning.

The outage lasted less than three hours, according to Molzen, who said Lumen  a networking company that provides enhanced 911 services to local communities in multiple states  worked hard to fix it as quickly as possible.

Molzen declined to elaborate on exactly how the light pole installation resulted in the 911 outage, or where the pole was located. The 911 director in Douglas County, Nebraska, which encompasses Omaha, said in a statement Lumen informed the county the outage was related to a fiber cut.

We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate our customers patience and understanding, Molzen said.

Service had been largely restored by Thursday morning, hours after agencies in the four states announced outages in multiple cities, with some urging residents in need of assistance to either text 911 or call using a landline. The outages had been largely addressed within hours, however, including in Sioux Falls and Rapid City, South Dakota, and Las Vegas.

The Federal Communications Commission confirmed on X that it was aware of reports of 911-related outages and we are currently investigating.

Authorities in Del Rio, Texas, also advised residents Wednesday evening of an outage that affected 911 calls, but a city spokesperson confirmed those issues were not related to the broader service outage in three other states.

Lumen does not provide 911 services in Texas, Molzen said.

The Del Rio Police Department on Wednesday attributed problems to a major cellular carrier, telling residents to contact emergency services using a landline or another carrier.

But Del Rio was not affected by the 911 service issues experienced in other cities, city spokesperson Peter Ojeda told CNN on Thursday. An outage by a single mobile provider affected their network broadly, so residents were advised to reach emergency services through alternative methods.

Our emergency services remained fully operational throughout the incident, and there was no 911 outage in Del Rio, Ojeda said.

Agencies point to texts, landlines as workarounds during outages

The outages surfaced Wednesday evening, as agencies such as the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department announced disruptions hindering their ability to communicate with residents, who were urged to text 911 instead of calling.

While the department initially said it had no timeline for restoring service, the interruption had been resolved within about two hours.

According to its post on X, authorities were able to see mobile numbers that had contacted 911, allowing them to reach back out to callers to provide assistance. During the outage, calls made from landlines during the outage were not working, nor were calls to its non-emergency line.

The South Dakota Department of Public Safety also announced service had been restored for the South Dakota 911 system after earlier saying in a statement it was aware of a 911 service interruption throughout the state.

Similarly, the department said during the outage that texting 911 was still operating in most locations, otherwise residents in need could contact emergency services using non-emergency lines.

Officials in Sioux Falls and Rapid City also reported the resumption of 911 services on their respective Facebook pages. The Rapid City Police Department urged residents to only utilize 911 services only if an emergency situation exists. The City of Sioux Falls said residents could again call or text 911 in case of emergencies.

Portions of Nebraska, including Chase County, reported outages as well. Officials in the state capital Lincoln, however, told CNN their 911 system was operational and not affected.

911 is down across the State of Nebraska again for all cellular carriers except T-Mobile, Chase County said in a Facebook post. Landlines can still get through to 911.

Dial 911 on a mobile device, and we will be able to see your number and will call you back right away. 911 calls from landlines are NOT working at the moment, the department initially wrote on Facebook. There is no estimate for service restoration.

Outages highlight potential vulnerabilities

While Lumens statement indicated the cause of the outage was not malicious, the service interruptions raise questions about the fragility of the nations 911 infrastructure, particularly in light of a Department of Homeland Security assessment last week that found emergency services are vulnerable to cyberattacks  and that the exploitation of personal data stolen during those ransomware attacks poses a persistent criminal threat to victims.

According to the assessment, such attacks have disrupted 911 networks and local police departments. It also highlighted that emergency service systems are often interconnected, which makes it more difficult to protect them from cyberattacks.

Once ransomware actors have hacked systems, the assessment also found they then routinely leak, sell, or further exploit a victims data for criminals to use for other crimes.

Bulletins such as the DHS assessment are distributed to local law enforcement and companies that run critical infrastructure.

This story has been updated with additional information.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
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Lets face it: Finding the right gift for dad is no easy feat. Men are notoriously tough to shop for, but most of the time, you can bet that a book will be a safe pick. The only issue? There are so many books out there, that it can be tough to pick one hell actually want to read.

If youre hoping to give your husband, son, brother, or any other dad youre shopping for a book that wont end up gathering dust on a bookshelf for years, we dont blame you. Thats why we rounded up 14 of the best books for dads, whether theyre dads of young kids, dads who want to improve their lives and the world around them, or dads who want to dive into a great work of fiction.

Viking Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know Many of us look to organizational psychologist Adam Grant for tips on how to stay mentally well and improve our lives. In his latest book, Grant examines how we can embrace those things we may have previously considered weaknesses, like being wrong and dealing with imposter syndrome. With a compelling body of evidence, Grant makes the case for how powerful it is to be able to rethink and unlearn our beliefs about ourselves and the world. $11 at Amazon

Harper Perennial Pops by Michael Chabon In this collection of essays, Michael Chabon delivers a handful of funny, heartfelt messages on what fatherhood really means. In the books first essay, Chabon opens up about a writer he met who warned him not to have kids, because for every child you have, you lose a book and called children notorious thieves of time. Over time, Chabon changes his tune about having kidsand ends up with four. A slim book that Dad will tear through in a day or two, theres a lot to love about these essays. $14 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $4 at Better World Books

Knopf The Making of Another Major Motion Picture by Tom Hanks We all know Tom Hanks can act. But did you know he can write, too? In The Making of Another Major Motion Picture, Hanks spins an enjoyable work of fiction based on his own experiences working in movies. Hanks debut novel is about the making of a multi-million dollar action movie as viewed through the lens of a collection of eccentric characters. This book isnt a short oneits 448 pages longbut its a fun read made extra exciting by the fact that its written by a movie star we all know and love. $11 at Amazon

Amazon The Daily Dad: 366 Meditations on Parenting, Love, and Raising Great Kids by Ryan Holiday The dad youre shopping for knows that the title Dad is one of the most importantif not the most importanthell ever have in his life. Thats why hell appreciate this encouraging book of meditations on parenting in a mindful, respectful way that he can consume in bite-sized daily paragraphs. As the Amazon description notes, it will be useful for even the most sleep-deprived dad. $16 at Amazon

Amazon Exceptionally Bad Dad Jokes by Spiffy McChappy If the dad youre shopping for loves a good (or bad) dad joke, hell be obsessed with this book of family-friendly dad jokes. With thousands of five-star ratings on Amazon, you can bet dads are loving this book. Just be prepared to roll your eyes if you end up being the victim of one of these jokes. $11 at Amazon

Grand Central Publishing Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success In a Distracted World by Cal Newport If youre scanning this list in between checking emails and scrolling through your social media feeds, youre not alone. We live in an increasingly distracted world, which can make deep, uninterrupted focus feel almost impossible. In Deep Work, Georgetown professor Cal Newport makes a convincing case for dedicating several uninterrupted hours to your work, whether its work you do at your job, in your home, or elsewhere. Dad will appreciate this unique approach to working and living distraction-free. $16 at Amazon

Amazon Wellness by Nathan Hill The New York Times bestseller Wellness is one of the novels everyones been talking about over the past year, and you can bet the dad youre shopping for will find this story thought-provoking and laugh-out-loud funny. Wellness follows the love story of Jack and Elizabeth, who meet in college, and later have to navigate the challenges of suburban life, the ever-evolving state of technology, and too much time on screens. $13 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $30 at Books-A-Million (BAM!)

Amazon Why Fathers Cry at Night: A Memoir in Love Poems, Letters, Recipes and Remembrances by Kwame Alexander In this touching memoir, Kwame Alexander tells stories about his parents as they learned to love, and the often confusing ways they expressed their love. He also explores his own relationships, from his rocky first marriage to his struggles as a young father. Ultimately, this book of recipes, love poems, and more. Above all, Why Fathers Cry is a love letter to Alexanders greatest loveshis daughters. $19 at Amazon

Amazon Yearbook by Seth Rogen While hes best known for his comedic acting, Seth Rogen is a man of many talents. He also designs ceramics and is known for being an all-around good guy, and this hilarious collection of essays will keep the dad youre shopping for entertained for hours. In it, Rogen shares stories about his grandparents, his early days as a standup comedian, bar mitzvahs, Jewish summer camps and more. Trust us  Dad wont be able to put this one down. $15 at Amazon

Amazon Dadskills: How to Be an Awesome Father and Impress All the Other Parents - From Baby Wrangling - To Taming Teenagers Whether the dad youre shopping for has expressed his desire to be the best dad ever or not, hell still appreciate this handy and funny book. Organized by age and stage (from newborns to teenagers to preparing to be an empty nester), every chapter provides helpful techniques for keeping kids safe, healthy, and happy. Once hes done with this book, Dad will get the Father of the Year Award. $18 at Amazon

Avery Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear In the New York Times bestselling book Atomic Habits, habit formation expert James Clear gives practical, actually doable advice for breaking bad habits and forming new and better ones. The way Clear puts it, bad habits repeat themselves over and over again often because were using the wrong systems for change. With Atomic Habits, the dad youre shopping for will learn an actually sustainable system for breaking bad habits and creating new and better ones. $14 at Amazon

bantam uk The Power of Moments by Chip Heath and Dan Heath Want to give Dad a book that will make him think? The Power of Moments takes a close look at those accidental brief moments in our lives that happen to elevate or change us, and how we can intentionally set out to create those moments for ourselves. This book is a collection of people who have actually created these big, meaningful moments, like a team that completely turned around an elementary school by embracing an hour-long intervention and a company that turned a mediocre hotel into one of the most popular destinations in Los Angeles. This book by Chip and Dan Heath is packed with practical advice that can help you transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. $15 at Amazon

Penguin Publishing Group The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride Another popular fiction book of the past year, James McrBrides The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store dives into the story of the residents of Chicken Hill in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. A place where marginalized Jews and African Americans live, the novel opens with the discovery of a skeleton at the bottom of a well. As the novel unfolds, we learn more about the characters who make up Chicken Hill, and ultimately how this body ended up in the bottom of the well. Heartfelt and thought-provoking, Dad wont be able to stop turning the pages of this novel. $12 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $28 at Macy's$28 at Books-A-Million (BAM!)
Dozens of Haitians expelled from the United States arrived back in Haiti on Thursday in the Department of Homeland Securitys first deportation flight since an ongoing gang insurgency forced the Biden administration to halt a flight with deportees and order the evacuation of Americans.

Haitis Office of National Migration said it was informed by U.S. authorities to expect the arrival of 74 Haitians aboard an Immigration and Customs Enforcement flight in Cap-Haitien shortly before noon on Thursday. In the end, 52 arrived aboard the plane, which left Alexandria, Louisiana and made a stop in Miami before landing in the northern Haiti city.

The resumption of deportation flights to Haiti is beyond belief. At least beliefs that embrace compassion and humanity, said Tom Cartwright, an independent volunteer analyst who tracks ICE deportation flights and was the first to spot the Haiti-bound U.S. government charter.

Randolph McGrorty, executive director of Catholic Legal Services in Miami, was surprised as well.

It is simply cruel to deport individuals to Haiti at this time, he said. I am very concerned that we are are not following the law and our international obligations by adequately assessing asylum concerns and basic humanitarian principles.

Among those deported was Gerson Joseph, a Florida resident for more than 20 years who is engaged to be married and has a daughter who is a U.S. citizen. Joseph, who turns 40 next week, called his lawyer, Philip Issa, on Wednesday informing him that an officer at the Krome Detention Center in southwest Miami-Dade, where he had been detained since November, informed him he would be deported in the morning.

He should not have been considered what they call an enforcement priority, said Issa, an attorney with Americans for Immigrant Justice in Miami.

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement flight from the United States with 40 men and 12 women arrived on Thursday, April 18, 2024 in the northern city of Cap-Haitien, Haiti amid ongoing violence in Port-au-Prince by armed groups.

Joseph, who is originally from Haitis gang-controlled Artibonite Valley, was first ordered deported in 2005 after he missed his immigration hearing. Last year, after getting arrested for petty theft and burglary, he found himself back in the crosshairs of the Department of Justice, which denied him the opportunity to reopen his immigration case and contest his deportation order, Issa said.

I want to say that Im shocked but Im not. Im upset more than anything, Issa said. Based on what I was reading about Haiti, I couldnt imagine they could pull this flight off. I didnt believe it until it actually happened. This administration has not given us any reason to think that it is dealing compassionately with immigrants and so I am upset. Im disappointed because they are sending him back to a war zone. Its catastrophic.

There were 40 men and 12 women aboard the flight. Betty Noel, who is from La Gonave, an island west-northwest of Port-au-Prince, said she fled Haiti seven months ago after she was victimized by gangs. After spending some time in Mexico, she illegally crossed the border into the United States.

I left because of insecurity, and today I am back with tears in my eyes, she said after getting off the flight. Its with a heavy heart I am back because my country doesnt have any security.

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement flight from the United States with 40 men and 12 women arrived on Thursday, April 18, 2024 in the northern city of Cap-Haitien, Haiti amid ongoing violence in Port-au-Prince by armed groups.

This is the first deportation flight since Homeland Security canceled an ICE Air charter on Feb. 29, the day armed gangs led a coordinated attack on the international and domestic airports in Port-au-Prince before orchestrating the escape of more than 4,000 prisoners during a massive raid on Haitis two largest prisons. Since then the violence has continued, with armed groups burning and vandalizing schools, businesses and hospitals while trying to take over the airport and the National Palace.

Amid the attacks, the United Nations, immigration-rights advocates and others have called for a moratorium on deportations to Haiti, citing the humanitarian crisis the country faces. More than 360,000 people have had to flee their homes because of gang violence, and 5.5 million Haitians are in need of humanitarian assistance.

Just where are these deportees supposed to go? said William ONeill, the U.N.s independent human-rights expert on Haiti. I would just ask the United States and all countries to halt immediately all deportations to a country that cannot guarantee anyones security, where 1.5 million people are facing famine and where embassies are evacuating most of their personnel.

More than 53,000 Haitians have fled Port-au-Prince in less than three weeks amid a surge in violence.

The administration has dismissed calls from 500 organizations for a complete halt to all deportations to Haiti due to the ongoing armed attacks. Dozens of members of Congress have joined advocates in asking the administration to expand temporary immigration protections for Haitians currently living in the United States.

Earlier this month, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the administration is not considering a renewal or expansion of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti, which has allowed Haitian nationals currently residing in the U.S. to live and work here legally due to unsafe conditions in their home country. He also warned against Haitians attempting to flee the violence and humanitarian crisis. They will be returned, he said, if intercepted.

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement flight from the United States with 40 men and 12 women arrived on Thursday, April 18, 2024 in the northern city of Cap-Haitien, Haiti amid ongoing violence in Port-au-Prince by armed groups.

A spokesperson for DHS said Thursday that U.S. policy is to return non-citizens who do not establish a legal basis to stay in the country.

The U.N. has said that of the Haitians forced out of the homes by the violence over the last three years, nearly 90,000 are in Port-au-Prince, living in squalid encampments. Cholera is on the rise, and access to clean water, medications and medical care is limited. Gangs have destroyed dozens of hospitals and pharmacies and their control of roads have disrupted the flow of aid and food.

The ongoing closure of the countrys main seaport means that hospitals are running out of supplies and store shelves are increasingly bare.

In response to the crisis, the State Department warned Americans to leave and helped hundreds to evacuate via helicopters to the neighboring Dominican Republic and a charter plane from Cap-Haitien. The State Department warned U.S. citizens living outside of the northern port city of the dangers of traveling by road.

I am in absolute disbelief at the level of hatred, inhumanity and violence that the U.S. government is perpetuating on Haiti through these deportation flights and sending people to their potential deaths, said Guerline Jozef, of the San Diego-based, Haitian Bridge Alliance, which last week joined others advocates in asking the Biden administration for a halt to deportations.

There is no safety in Haiti., she added. This administration must immediately halt deportation flights to Haiti.

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement flight from the United States with 40 men and 12 women arrived on Thursday, April 18, 2024 in the northern city of Cap-Haitien, Haiti amid ongoing violence in Port-au-Prince by armed groups.

The administrations last deportation flight to Haiti was on Jan. 18. The next one, planned for Feb. 29, was canceled. In between, however, the U.S. Coast Guard repatriated 65 Haitians to Haiti on March 12 after their vessel was interdicted near Great Inagua, Bahamas.

Jean Negot Bonheur Delva, the head of Haitis migration office, said while most of the Haitians attempting to leave by sea are from northern cities and do not face long, dangerous journeys back home, Haitians returning on deportation flights are from all over the country. For them, returning home means traveling through roads and neighborhoods controlled by armed gangs.

Given the ongoing crisis and the limited capacity to help those returning, Delva said, he has asked U.S. officials for a humanitarian reprieve on deportations.

Freelancer Gerard Maxineau contributed to this report from Cap-Haitien, Haiti.
A Black inmate at a Georgia jail accused a corrections officer of choking him with a leg restraint and making a racist comment while three other officers watched, according to a lawsuit.

Tremar Harris filed a federal civil lawsuit Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia against three corrections officers with the Appling County Sheriffs Office.

The suit says that the officers "had a duty to intervene" and stop the Jan. 29, 2022, assault but instead, they stood and watched as former corrections officer William Rentz "pulled the chain against the Plaintiffs throat and strangled" him for about four seconds.

William Rentz. (Courtesy Attorney Harry M. Daniels)

Rentz, who is not listed as a defendant in the lawsuit but is listed in an earlier one filed by Harris, was subsequently arrested and charged with aggravated assault, battery and violation of oath of office. The more recent suit says he was terminated by the sheriff's office.

The Appling County Sheriffs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

Harris was a pre-trial detainee at the Appling County Jail and was in solitary confinement, according to the suit. While at the jail, Harris was placed in a restraint chair and put in a padded cell.

The suit says that Harris was able to free his right arm from the restraint on the chair, and the three defendants entered the cell to secure him with handcuffs.

"Subsequently, while standing above and behind the Plaintiff who was seated and secured in the restraint chair, Officer Rentz used the chain of an unused leg restraint and placed it across the Plaintiffs throat," the suit says.

While Rentz choked Harris, the officer said "he was gonna put you (Plaintiff) back in the cotton field with the other boys inferring that the Plaintiff was a slave," the suit says. Rentz is white.

A photo included in the lawsuit shows the officer appearing to choke Harris with the leg restraint while the three defendants watch.

Tremar Harris is choked by a guard while restrained (U.S. District Court)

The suit says that Harris was not posing a threat and feared he might die during the alleged assault.

"Plaintiff was in a state of terror and extreme fear at the time and after Officer Rentz took the chain of the leg restraint and strangled him," it says.

The three officers could not be reached at phone numbers listed for them. It's not clear if they have obtained attorneys.

In January, Harris had filed a separate federal civil lawsuit against Rentz. The former officer said Harris was placed in solitary confinement because he was acting erratically, court documents stated. Rentz said in the documents that he believes his actions "were appropriate and necessary."

An attorney for Rentz said he had no comment beyond the lawsuit.

Harris is seeking damages against Rentz and the three officers. His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A moms sudsy mistake in the kitchen is bubbling up on social media  both literally and figuratively.

On April 3, TikTok user and musician Kameron Jane (@kameron_jane) posted a mishap that happened when her mom prepared a delectable-looking dinner containing an unfortunate and accidental secret ingredient.

Okay, I feel so bad, look at what my poor mother did. She just cooked this beautiful meal, the musician says in her TikTok, adding her mom "spent forever" on a main course of Tuscan chicken cooked with a new pure Greek olive oil she ordered online.

Jane's video of the kitchen showed Parmesan cheese and cherry tomatoes sitting on the counter, and a pan with creamy-looking sauce, herbs and chicken simmering on the stove. It looks appetizing, but thats where our eyes deceive us.

Only after she finished did we discover that its shower gel, Jane says.

Showing the label of the olive oil-colored substance used for dinner, viewers see it's actually a bottle of Korres brand Pure Greek Olive Shower Gel in an Olive Blossom scent.

Mixing up the soap for oil is an innocent mistake, since the biggest word on the package is Olive in all-caps. But the blunder still left mom fuming.

She just had to leave the room because shes so angry, Jane says before trying  and spitting out  the lathered-up poultry. This chicken tastes like straight-up soap.

At the end of the video, the TikToker asks her mom how she's feeling. I want to physically hurt someone and hit something really hard, her mom says.

The TikTok went viral with more than 14.1 million views, and this soapy situation apparently struck a nerve in the comments with more than 21,000 folks weighing in.

The way i would have to go on a long silent stroll, one TikTok user wrote.

That Tuscan chicken looked phenomenal too. The rage would consume me, wrote another, while someone else added, Im surprised it didnt start forming bubbles . Looks so good.

This would cause me to enter my unreasonable online reviews era, reads another comment.

The official account of third-party delivery service DoorDash decided to join in and poke a little fun at the situation. Mom likes to eat clean, the comment reads.

Several commenters noted that the package does look like a regular bottle of olive oil at first glance, with one writing, Who packages soap like that?! It straight up looks like olive oil.

With that in mind, we reached out to skincare company Korres.

We truly felt this mothers pain when she realized something had gone wrong in a dish she worked hard to prepare  weve all been there! a Korres representative tells TODAY.com. Once we were alerted of the issue, we introduced her family to our brand properly and made sure her shower (not her kitchen!) was fully stocked.

Korres also says it has alerted its packaging design team of the mishap and has checked in with all its retailer partners to ensure the product is correctly categorized.

As for Jane and her mom, all is well.

We never expected the video to blow up like it has, and the attention has been a little overwhelming, Jane tells TODAY.com over TikTok direct message, adding that shes happy people found the video funny and have stuck around to see what she posts next.

Im a musician here in Nashville so I never in a million years thought that my first viral video or magazine write up would be about how my mother accidentally cooked dinner with soap, she says, adding a laughing emoji.

Not only did Jane and her mom receive a suite of products to use in the bath from Korres, they also got a care package filled with edible oil, olives and vinegar from olive oil company Bristol Trading Company.

Now I can make the recipe with real oil and not shower gel, the home cook says with a smile.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Lawyers representing Bryan Kohberger, the suspect in the killing of four University of Idaho students, plan to call in an expert on cellphone tower data to bolster his claim of being far away from the scene of the crime when the victims were stabbed to death in November 2022, according to a court document filed by the defense.

Kohbergers attorneys beat a Wednesday deadline with an alibi defense filing that provided details of their clients purported whereabouts at the time of the homicides, as required by Idaho law. Kohberger, 29, is facing quadruple-murder charges.

Mr. Kohberger was out driving in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022; as he often did to hike and run and/or see the moon and stars, said the affidavit, signed by lead attorney Anne Taylor. He drove throughout the area south of Pullman, Washington, west of Moscow, Idaho, including Wawawai Park.

The park is nearly 30 miles from the off-campus house on King Road in Moscow where the students were killed overnight, and about 20 miles from Kohbergers apartment in Pullman.

A trial date has not been set.

Who is Bryan Kohberger?

Kohberger was a doctorate student in criminology at Washington State University in Pullman, about 10 miles west of Moscow, where the University of Idaho is located. After a manhunt of more than six weeks, he was arrested in late December 2022 while visiting his family in Pennsylvania, and extradited to Idaho.

A plea of not guilty was entered for Kohberger when he declined to offer one.

Kohbergers lawyers have portrayed him as an avid nighttime explorer who mixed in countryside drives with hikes and runs. They are seeking a change of venue, arguing he cant get a fair trial in Latah County, the northwestern Idaho home of Moscow, because of the intense publicity the case has received.

Besides the murder charges, Kohberger is facing a count of burglary.

Police say he once posted a Reddit survey asking participants for information to understand how emotions and psychological traits influence decision making when committing a crime.

MOSCOW, IDAHO - JANUARY 05: Bryan Kohberger, right, appears at a hearing in Latah County District Court on January 5, 2023, in Moscow, Idaho. Kohberger has been arrested for the murders of four University of Idaho students in November 2022. (Photo by Ted S. Warren - Pool/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775920504 ORIG FILE ID: 1246019530

What's the evidence against him?

Prosecutors say Kohbergers DNA is a statistical match to the DNA picked up from a leather knife sheath found at the scene of the stabbings.

In addition, they have linked surveillance video from that early morning to his car, a white Hyundai Elantra seen speeding away at 4:20 a.m. from the area around the house where the bodies were found. Police estimated the homicides took place between 4 and 4:25 a.m.

Authorities also say Kohbergers cellphone signal was picked up 14 times in the cellphone tower coverage area where the victims lived, two of those on the day there were killed. The signal was also detected near his home at about 2:47 a.m. the morning of the killings, but not anywhere again until 4:48 a.m. They said criminals often turn off their cellphones or put them on airplane mode in an effort to avoid alerting law enforcement that a cellular device associated with them was in a particular area where a crime is committed.

Who were the victims?

Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, were seniors who had been friends since the sixth grade. Juniors Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin, 20, had been dating for months. Police say the first three lived at the house where they were found dead, and that Chapin was spending the night when they were killed.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bryan Kohberger's lawyers will call expert on cellphone tower data
Google has fired more than two dozen employees who protested this week against the companys cloud computing contract with the Israeli government.

The workers were dismissed after an investigation found that they had staged protests inside Googles offices in New York and Sunnyvale, California. In Sunnyvale, they entered the office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian, according to a post on X by the group that organized the demonstration, No Tech For Apartheid.

Protesters held banners that read No More Genocide For Profit and We Stand with Palestinian, Arab and Muslim Googlers.

A Google spokesperson told CNN Thursday that the protests were part of a long-standing campaign by a group of organizations and people who largely dont work at the company.

A small number of employee protesters entered and disrupted a few of our locations. Physically impeding other employees work and preventing them from accessing our facilities is a clear violation of our policies, and completely unacceptable behavior. After refusing multiple requests to leave the premises, law enforcement was engaged to remove them to ensure office safety, the spokesperson added.

We have so far concluded individual investigations that resulted in the termination of employment for 28 employees, and will continue to investigate and take action as needed.

Google and Amazon have a $1.2 billion contract to provide cloud computing services to the Israeli government and military, known as Project Nimbus, according to No Tech For Apartheid, who have strongly condemned the dismissals.

This flagrant act of retaliation is a clear indication that Google values its $1.2 billion contract with the genocidal Israeli government and military more than its own workers, the group said in a statement published on Medium Thursday.

Israel has rejected claims it is committing genocide in Gaza, arguing that it is fighting its war against Hamas in self-defense. Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages.

Google Cloud and Israel

Google Clouds contract with the Israeli government dates back to 2021, when the company announced that it had been chosen to provide public cloud services to help address the countrys challenges within the public sector, including in healthcare, transportation, and education.

But the protests followed a report in Time magazine earlier this month, citing an internal company document, that Israels Ministry of Defense is a Google Cloud customer.

According to Time, the ministry has its own secure entry point to Google-provided computing infrastructure, which would allow it to store and process data, and access artificial intelligence services. Earlier this year, the ministry also sought consulting assistance from Google to expand its Google Cloud access, Time reported.

No Tech for Apartheid said the article showed that Google had built custom tools for the Ministry of Defense and had doubled down on contracting with Israels military since the war broke out.

The Google spokesperson said Google Cloud supports numerous governments around the world, including the Israeli government.

We have been very clear that the Nimbus contract is for workloads running on our commercial cloud by Israeli government ministries, who agree to comply with our Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy. This work is not directed at highly sensitive, classified, or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services, the spokesperson added.

Separately, Google confirmed that it is making an unspecified number of fresh layoffs as part of an internal reorganization. The job cuts will not be company-wide, and impacted employees will be able to apply for other open roles across Google.

Google laid off hundreds of employees earlier this year, adding to a wave of job cuts in the tech and media industries, including at Amazon, Vice and the Los Angeles Times.

This story has been updated with additional information.

Olesya Dmitracova contributed reporting.

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Warwick Davis, the actor who portrayed beloved Professor Flitwick in the "Harry Potter" film franchise, is mourning the death of his wife and colleague Samantha Davis, who acted alongside him in the series and more. Samantha Davis, her husband's "favorite human," died at the age of 53 on March 24, CBS News partner BBC reported.

In a statement released by Lucasfilm Ltd., Warwick Davis said his wife was his "most trusted confidante" and that her passing "left a huge hole in our lives as a family."

"I miss her hugs. She was a unique character, always seeing the sunny side of life. She had a wicked sense of humor and always laughed at my bad jokes," he said. "...She was passionate about helping people, without judgment. She had time for everyone and a genuine listening ear."

The couple met on the set of the movie "Willow" in 1988 and were married three years later. They've worked together on several projects over the years, including "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," in which she played a goblin.

"She instilled such confidence in me. With her by my side, I was sure I could achieve anything. It was like having a super-power," Warwick Davis said. "Without Sammy, there would have been no Tenable Quiz show, no 'Willow' series. No 'Idiot Abroad Series 3.'"

(L-R) Harrison Davis, Samantha Davis, Warwick Davis, and Annabelle Davis attend Lucasfilm and Imagine Entertainment's New Series

The couple also founded the charity Little People UK in 2012 to serve as a resource to those with dwarfism. In a statement, the charity announced her death on Thursday, saying, "Her passion for supporting members of the community was unmatched."

"We know this is going to be a huge loss to everyone and we want you to know we will be here to support," the charity posted on social media.

Lucasfilm Ltd., the production company responsible for "Willow" and "Star Wars," the latter of which Warwick Davis also acted in, said that Samantha was "a beloved member of the Lucasfilm community."

CBS News has not confirmed her cause of death. Warwick Davis said that his wife's mobility became impaired in recent years, although "she was determined that it would not impact her quality of life and limit what she did and was able to achieve."

"Although the pain of losing Sammy and being without her is unbearable, I feel so fortunate I was able to be close to her and experience her magic for 35 years," he said.

The couple's children, Annabelle and Harrison Davis, also released a statement, calling their mom "the kindest, most inspirational and loving Mumma we could of wished for."

"No matter the time or place she was there to answer our silly questions, tell us what to do, and to listen when we needed," they said. "...Her love and happiness has carried us through our whole lives, and will be what carries us forward now. Everything we do, we do for her."

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Editor's Note: This page is a summary of news on Iran and the Israel-Hamas war for Thursday, April 18. For the latest news view our story for Friday, April 19.

The Middle East is on the "precipice" of a broader war that can be averted with a two-state solution allowing Israel and Palestine to exist side-by-side with Jerusalem as a shared capital, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council on Thursday.

However, that solution won't come from immediate U.S. recognition of a Palestinian state after the U.S. vetoed in the Security Council a draft resolution to that effect Thursday.

Guterres' comments came as Tehran warned it has the ability to strike Israeli nuclear sites if Israel targets Iran's nuclear facilities.

Guterres said a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis is the basis of U.N. resolutions, international law and previous agreements. The current Israeli government, however, has shown little interest in relinquishing control of the occupied territories.

"One miscalculation, one miscommunication, one mistake, could lead to the unthinkable  a full-scale regional conflict that would be devastating for all involved and for the rest of the world," he said.

Guterres called on Israel as the "occupying power" to protect the Palestinian population in the West Bank against violence and intimidation and to allow safe passage for humanitarian aid into Gaza.

"Let me be clear  the risks are spiraling on many fronts," he said. "We have a shared responsibility to address those risks and pull the region back from the precipice."

Netanyahu on strike: Israel says it will make its 'own decisions' on retaliation

Developments:

The European Council said new sanctions would be imposed on Irans drone and missile programs as punishment for the weekends attack on Israel.

 The U.S. and Israel were to hold a virtual meeting Thursday about Israeli's planned military operation in Rafah, Reuters reported, citing a U.S. official it did not name. The U.S. and most of the world has been urging Israel to drop plans for an invasion of the southern Gaza city that has been overwhelmed by Palestinians fleeing fighting elsewhere in the enclave.

 Two-thirds of Gaza residences have been destroyed or damaged since the war began in October, UNICEF reported.

 A special State Department panel recommended months ago that Secretary of State Antony Blinken disqualify multiple Israeli military and police units from receiving U.S. aid after reviewing allegations of serious human rights abuses. ProPublica reported. Blinken has thus far not acted on the recommendations.

Trump trial coverage: Live updates: Juror #4 dismissed from Trump hush money trial

Palestinians sit on the back of a carriage next to a damaged building in the city of Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip on April 18, 2024.

US says Palestinian statehood from come from deal with Israel, not UN vote

The U.S. veto of a draft resolution to grant Palestinians membership in the U.N. does not mean the Biden administration opposes their statehood, but rather that this is not the way to attain it, a senior American official said after the Security Council vote Thursday.

The United States continues to strongly support a two-state solution,'' Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood told the council. "This vote does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood, but instead is an acknowledgment that it will only come from direct negotiations between the parties.

The administration has been pushing for a reformed Palestinian Authority to take over governing Gaza after the war and for Israel to agree to a path for future Palestinian statehood, which the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fiercely opposes.

Nonetheless, PA President Mahmoud Abbas was livid over the American vote, the only one cast in the Security Council against a measure to recommend to the U.N. General Assembly that the State of Palestine be admitted to membership. Britain and Switzerland abstained, and the other 12 nations voted in favor.

Abbas called the U.S. decision unfair, unethical, and unjustified, saying in a statement that it challenged the will of the international community, which strongly supports Palestines full membership.

Iran says it could strike Israeli nuclear sites

Iran could alter its peaceful nuclear doctrine and if Israel targets Iranian nuclear sites "we will surely and categorically reciprocate with advanced missiles against their own nuclear sites," a senior commander in Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Thursday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel is considering retaliating against Tehran for its weekend missile and drone attack.

Tehran has repeatedly claimed its nuclear program is for civilian purposes. Israel has accused Iran of attempting to obtain nuclear strike capability and has long pledged not to allow that to happen.

The threats of the Zionist regime (Israel) against Iran's nuclear facilities make it possible to review our nuclear doctrine and deviate from our previous considerations," Ahmad Haghtalab, the IRGC commander in charge of nuclear security, told Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Tehran's retaliatory attack came less than two weeks after an airstrike linked to Israel destroyed Iran's consulate in Damascus, killing several high-ranking Iranian military officers.

Over 100 arrested at Columbia University antiwar protest

New York City police arrested over 100 people Thursday after Columbia University students set up encampments to protest Israels war in Gaza.

Video showed NYPD forcibly moving students out of tents at the center of Columbias campus in Manhattan. University President Minouche Shafik told police the encampments began early Wednesday morning with more than 100 people occupying the South Lawn of the campus.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the NYPD made more than 108 arrests.

Demonstrators were warned multiple times that they were not allowed to occupy the space and needed to disperse, Shafik said. All those participating were told they were trespassing and have been suspended, she said.

On Wednesday, Shafik appeared before a congressional hearing in Washington, D.C., regarding antisemitism on campus. She defended free speech, but when asked whether calling for the genocide of Jewish people would violate Columbias rules, she said yes.

 Eduardo Cuevas

Qatar backing away from mediator role

Criticism in the U.S. Congress helped fuel Qatars decision to announce a re-evaluation of its role as mediator in hostage negotiations between Israel and Hamas, a senior Arab official tod The Times of Israel. The majority of Qatars frustration is directed at the Israeli government, which has led much of the criticism against Doha, the official said. But he added that recent remarks from Congress members also played a role in the decision.

Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland called for the US to re-evaluate its ties to Qatar if Doha fails to pressure Hamas in the negotiations, and a group of Republican lawmakers submitted legislation aimed at stripping Doha of its coveted status as a major non-NATO ally.

US announces Iran sanctions after 'unprecedented' attack on Israel

The Treasury Department announced sanctions Thursday for 16 people and multiple companies linked to production of drones used in Iran's "unprecedented" weekend attack on Israeli territory. The sanctions target the Iranian drone program and steel and auto industries accused of working on behalf of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The department statement notes that Irans metals sector generates several billion dollars in revenue annually, mostly from steel exports. The sanctions were coordinated with Britain and in consultation with "partners and allies," the statement said.

"Were using Treasurys economic tools to degrade and disrupt key aspects of Irans malign activity, including its UAV program and the revenue the regime generates to support its terrorism, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said. We will continue to deploy our sanctions authority to counter Iran with further actions in the days and weeks ahead."

Iran says US was told it would not be targeted

Tehran, before launching retaliatory strikes at Israeli targets last weekend, notified U.S. officials that American military bases and interests in the region would not be targeted unless Washington aided in Israeli attacks on Iranian interests, a top Iranian official said Thursday. White House national security spokesperson John Kirby has said the United States did exchange messages with Iran but has dismissed as "ridiculous" claims that U.S. officials were informed of Iran's timeframe or targets.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian told the Islamic Republican News Agency the messages were exchanged through the Swiss Embassy, which represents U.S. interests in Iran to prevent the escalation of tensions. Iran had exercised restraint "considering the regional conditions" but repeatedly asked the U.N. secretary-general and Security Council to fulfill their duties and confront Israel's actions. Tehran then decided to initiate the strikes on Israeli targets.

Israel said 99% of the approximately 350 "suicide drones, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and rockets" launched from Iran, Iraq, Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon were intercepted.

Contributing: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Israeli war updates: Iran threatens to target Israeli nuke facilities
Carriage drivers vie with traffic in downtown San Antonio on Dec. 19, 2023. Robin Jerstad

Horse carriage companies and their drivers turned out in force Wednesday as a City Council committee took up a controversial proposal to ban carriages from downtown streets.

A final decision on the tourist-driven trade could be months off  but its clear the industry is preparing for a fight.

More than a dozen operators and drivers filled the first few rows of the City Hall meeting room, even though they werent allowed to address the Governance Committee, which includes Mayor Ron Nirenberg and councils four senior-most members.

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ON EXPRESSNEWS.COM: Horse carriage operators worry Alamo Plaza changes will shut them out

That didnt stop Government Hill Alliance Neighborhood Association President Rose Hill, who aligned herself with the carriage industry during her failed 2023 council bid, from attempting to make her position known.

Mr. Mayor, wheres the proof of all the horse abuse in San Antonio? Hill called out from the crowd during a brief lull in the discussion. Wheres all the proof at? All the proof is out of state.

The committee voted 5-0 to send the proposal to councils Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for further debate.

Carriages and their passengers move through the streets in downtown San Antonio on Dec. 19, 2023. Robin Jerstad

The earliest that committee could tackle the issue would be June, said its chairman, District 9 Councilman John Courage. But the timeframe will likely depend on how quickly city staff can devise recommendations for council to consider.

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Jesse Garcia, who has driven horse drawn carriages in San Antonio for 17 years, checks on his horse, Jane, while waiting to pick up riders in front of the Hard Rock Cafe on W. Crockett Street in downtown San Antonio on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Michelle Montoya, left, and Abraham Vindel inquire about the cost for a ride on a horse drawn carriage driven by Johnny de la Tejera in front of the Hard Rock Cafe on W. Crockett Street in downtown San Antonio on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Ellyria Jackson, 11, from front left, Jeremy James, 8, and Chase James, 7, pet a horse named Reagan before going on a carriage ride in front of the Hard Rock Cafe on W. Crockett Street in downtown San Antonio on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer An excited party departs in a horse drawn carriage in front of the Hard Rock Cafe on W. Crockett Street in downtown San Antonio on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Hannah Plimpton, left, with H.R.H Carriages, drives a carriage led by a horse named Snowman down W. Crockett Street in downtown San Antonio on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer

District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and District 3 Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran proposed a ban on horse-drawn carriages downtown in late 2022, calling the business an inhumane, cruel means of travel in San Antonio. Many animal rights activists agree.

Many people romanticize the idea of horse-drawn carriages in San Antonio, but the reality is that they dont belong downtown in our city streets, McKee-Rodriguez told the Governance Committee on Wednesday. Our days are getting hotter, construction and traffic are getting worse, and the conditions that once made downtown a destination for horse-drawn carriages no longer exist.

District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez, who recently announced his 2025 mayoral bid, appeared to back the proposal.

Im sorry but I cant be a City Council person that in good faith says, You know what, lets just keeping doing it the way weve always done, and risk viral videos of horses dropping dead downtown, he said, referring to a July 2022 news story about a New York City carriage horse that collapsed in Central Park during a heat wave.

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A carriage makes its way through downtown San Antonio on Dec. 19, 2023. Robin Jerstad

Pelaez named several U.S. cities that have outlawed horse-drawn carriages, including Chicago, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and Palm Beach, Fla.

Closer to San Antonio, the Dallas City Council is also considering a carriage ban.

Nirenberg said the council could consider outlawing the practice downtown but permitting it in other parts of the city more suitable for horses, such as Brackenridge Park.

I recognize there are impacts to the small businesses that operate horse-drawn carriages, and I am not going to sit here and try to judge the relationship or the care that you have for your horses, Nirenberg said. But what I can tell you is that it does not make sense for downtown's increasingly congested streets to be held up and also to create public safety issues for people, animals and for vehicles when horse-drawn carriages are sitting there in all hours of the day.

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Carriage operator Stephanie Garcia said the mayor and council are just looking for excuses to push the industry out.

Joe Garcia hooks his horse Romeo to a carriage in December 2022. Charlie Blalock/ Contributor

All the congestion that is caused downtown is from the city with their construction, Garcia told the Express-News.

She owns Yellow Rose and H.R.H. Carriages, two of the five companies that hold permits to operate five carriages each within a 2-mile radius of City Hall. Garcia employs up to 50 people and said the five companies had more than 300,000 riders last year combined, not including children under age 10.

She and operator Kathy Stephens, who owns Bluebonnet Carriage Co. and Lollypop Carriage Co., said moving their carriages to another part of the city wouldnt be viable. They maintain that tourists come downtown for the horses, and that their carriage drivers promote the citys history.

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Both said no one on council has visited their stables or spoken to them to learn about their industry since McKee-Rodriguez and Viagran proposed the ban.

We understand that they want change and to be able to restructure us  then bring us to the table and have a conversation, Stephens said.
DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran could review its "nuclear doctrine" following Israeli threats, a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander said on Thursday, raising concerns about Tehran's nuclear programme which it has always said was strictly for peaceful purposes.

Israel has said it will retaliate against Iran's April 13 missile and drone attack, which Tehran says was carried out in response to a suspected Israeli strike on its embassy compound in Damascus earlier this month.

"The threats of the Zionist regime (Israel) against Iran's nuclear facilities make it possible to review our nuclear doctrine and deviate from our previous considerations," Ahmad Haghtalab, the Guards commander in charge of nuclear security, was quoted as saying by the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has the last say on Tehran's nuclear programme, which the West suspects has military purposes.

In 2021, Iran's then-intelligence minister said Western pressure could push Tehran to seek nuclear weapons, the development of which Khamenei banned in a fatwa, or religious decree, in the early 2000s.

"Building and stockpiling nuclear bombs is wrong and using it is haram (religiously forbidden) ... Although we have nuclear technology, Iran has firmly avoided it," Khamenei reiterated in 2019.

Iran's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

"If the Zionist regime wants to take action against our nuclear centres and facilities, we will surely and categorically reciprocate with advanced missiles against their own nuclear sites," Haghtalab said.

Indirect talks between Tehran and Washington to revive Iran's 2015 nuclear pact has stalled since 2022. The accord, aimed at keeping Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, required Tehran to accept restrictions on its nuclear program and more extensive United Nations' inspections, in exchange for an end to U.N., European Union and U.S. sanctions.

The deal, which had capped Iran's uranium enrichment at 3.67%, was abandoned in 2018 by then-U.S. President Donald Trump, who said it was too generous to Tehran.

Rafael Grossi, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, said in February that Iran continued to enrich uranium at rates up to 60% purity, which is far beyond the needs for commercial nuclear use.

(Reporting by Dubai Newsroom, editing by Edmund Blair, Alex Richardson and Timothy Heritage)
Jury selection in the first-ever criminal trial of a former US president has moved briskly, with the judge suggesting opening statements could begin Monday.

On Tuesday, after just a day and a half of jury selection, seven people from Manhattan were selected to judge the evidence in the New York case against former President Donald Trump.

Thursday, attorneys will pick up with a pool of nearly 100 jurors and begin questioning them until they seat a total of 12 jurors and as many as six alternates.

Four men and three women have been selected so far as jurors for the case. They include two attorneys, an oncology nurse, a software engineer, a schoolteacher who said she likes that Trump speaks his mind, and a grandfather who said he finds Trump fascinating and mysterious. The foreman is originally from Ireland and works in sales.

Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records to coverup payments made to bury an allegation of an affair with adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election. Trump has denied the affair and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Each sides strategy for picking jurors has become clear.

Prosecutors have pressed jurors about whether they would be able to follow the judges instructions and if they could set aside any preconceived notions they might have about some witnesses with baggage, including a tabloid publisher, an adult film star, and a former lawyer (Michael Cohen) who has pleaded guilty.

They also asked jurors if they would be able to distinguish between believability and likability when evaluating their testimony.

Trumps attorneys strove to understand the jurors opinions on the former president and whether they could truly set that aside. They also dug deep into social media history and uncovered posts, some several years old and others more recent, that led the judge to dismiss two potential jurors for cause.

In the roughly 10 hours that court was in session earlier this week, Trump occasionally closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. At other times he tapped his attorney Todd Blanche on the shoulder to whisper in his ear or passed a note to him. In one moment they appeared to smile. While the attorneys questioned jurors seated in the jury box Trump turned his chair to face them as they answered questions. He met at least one jurors eye as she walked in the courtroom, according to one potential juror who was dismissed.

In all, seven jurors were selected from a batch of 96, more than half of whom said they couldnt be fair or impartial.

Jury selection process

Thursday morning, a new panel of 96 jurors, already sworn in, will return to the courtroom. The judge will ask two broad questions: whether any juror feels they cant be fair or impartial, and whether they are unable to serve on the trial for another reason. The trial is expected to last at least six weeks.

The remaining jurors will then answer 42 questions on a questionnaire. Prosecutors and Trumps lawyers get 30 minutes each to ask the first 18 jurors more specific questions, after which they will conduct strikes.

Both sides were given 10 peremptory strikes that they could use to excuse jurors. Trump and prosecutors used six on Tuesday, leaving them each with four strikes remaining.

Wednesday morning, Trump complained about the process on social media claiming he believed he had an unlimited number of strikes.

However, the number of strikes each party has is determined by law, and Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the trial, informed the parties of the number of strikes during a pre-trial conference earlier this year, which Trump attended.

On Tuesday, Trump tested the limits of Merchan, who uncharacteristically raised his voice when he observed that the former president was muttering and gesturing toward the direction of one juror being questioned.

The judge stopped the proceeding and said he wanted to put that on the record, and then spoke to Trumps attorney, saying, I wont tolerate that. I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom. I want to make that crystal clear.

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Its been nearly two months since 3-year-old Elijah Vue was reported missing in Wisconsin while in the care of a man who was in a relationship with his mother.

Since then, investigators have been steadfast in their search and rescue efforts, providing almost daily updates on Facebook; reviewing more than 10,000 video files; canvassing by land, air and water; conducting dozens of interviews; and following hundreds of leads, the police chief in Two Rivers, a city on Lake Michigan, told CNN affiliate WLUK.

We literally went into every home, talked to everybody that lived in each home, Chief Ben Meinnert said a week ago. We checked every room, every cabinet, everything in those homes.

And yet, they havent found the toddler.

Meanwhile, the little boys mother and the man whod been watching him have pleaded not guilty to felony child neglect and other charges stemming from alleged incidents before the toddlers disappearance, court records show.

Heres what we know about Elijah and the ongoing investigation:

Who is Elijah Vue?

Elijah has dark, sandy blond hair and brown eyes and is of Hmong and White ethnicity, according to police and a February 20 Amber Alert. Hes about 3 feet tall and 45 pounds, with a birthmark on his left knee.

The toddler was last seen wearing gray pants, a long-sleeved dark shirt, and red and green dinosaur slip-on shoes, it says.

His favorite color is blue, his family told Two Rivers Police.

A month ago police confirmed Elijahs red and white plaid blanket had been discovered earlier in the investigation some 3.7 miles from around where he was reported missing.

We cannot express the depth of our sorrow nor the desperation that consumes us as each moment passes without news of Elijahs safety, his aunt Linda Vue said at an early March news conference, describing his unexplained absence as a torment no family or child should ever face.

Meanwhile, several Facebook groups  the largest amassing over 18,000 members  have surfaced, with people in and outside Twin Rivers discussing theories and details about the case  one-time strangers now with a common goal of finding the little boy.

What led up to the toddlers disappearance

Elijah was reported missing February 20 by his caretaker at the time, Jesse Vang, who was in a relationship with the childs mother, Katrina Baur, according to a criminal complaint filed in Manitowoc County.

About a week later, Baur, 31, and Vang, 39, were charged with felony child neglect unrelated to the boys disappearance, court documents show. Baur also is charged with misdemeanor offenses: two for resisting or obstructing an officer and one for child neglect, according to court records.

CNN has reached out to attorneys for Baur and Vang. Baur and Vang are being held at the Manitowoc County Jail, according to online jail records.

Katrina Baur and Jesse Vang - Manitowoc Jail/WBAY

Vang had been helping care for Elijah off and on for about a month, in part trying to correct what Vang called Elijahs bad behaviors, according to the complaint. Baur wanted Vang to teach her young son by example how to be a man and had spoken to Vang about the limits of what discipline she did not want used, she told a detective, according to the complaint.

Vang told a detective Elijahs discipline included standing for one to three hours while required to pray or say, Im sorry, mommy, the complaint said.

The toddler was mostly bottle-fed and was not potty-trained, Vang told a detective, the complaint states. The boy was not allowed to play with the one toy he had at Vangs home from February 12 to 20 because he was in time out, Vang said, according to the complaint.

While Baur was out of town February 17, Vang told her he was angry Elijah had overfilled his diaper and gave him a cold shower, Baur told authorities, the complaint reads.

The evening before the 3-year-old was last seen, Vang had three 12-ounce beers and a muscle relaxant as a sleep aid, he told police, according to the complaint.

Vang told police he noticed Elijah was missing when he woke up from a nap at his home, according to the complaint.

At no point did she (Baur) admit she was in the city of Two Rivers between February 12, 2024, and February 20, 2024, or had any face-to-face contact with her son, the detective who spoke with Baur recalled, according to the court document.

How the investigation has unfolded

On the afternoon of February 20, Twin Rivers Police made the first of many social media pleas for help finding Elijah, sharing photos of him and asking anyone with information to call the department.

Then on March 5, the agency asked the public to review any surveillance camera footage for what it called a vehicle of interest  a beige 1997 four-door Nissan Altima with a Wisconsin tag starting with A and ending with 0.

Police already had the sedan, which did not belong to Vang or Baur, they said, adding they were keen to see any footage of it captured February 19 between 2 and 9 p.m.

Police asked the public to share any footage of this 1997 Nissan Altima. - Two Rivers Police Department

That same week, a judge denied Baurs request for a reduction of her $15,000 bond, court documents show. Bond for Vang is set at $20,000, records show.

During Baurs bond hearing, her mother  Elijahs grandmother  wrote a letter to the court opposing a lower bond for her daughter, citing the womans pattern of erratic behavior, poor judgement and inability to take responsibility for her actions, WLUK reported.

Her story always depends on her audience, the letter read, the station reported. At this time, rather than aligning in locating her son, she feels the need to reiterate what a good guy Jesse is and is fully defending him and his actions. By aligning with him, she could potentially have access to his extended family and ability to flee the area.

Baur on March 22 pleaded not guilty to charges against her, court documents show; her next court appearance is April 26. Vang on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to the felony child neglect charge and is due back in court June 28, according to WLUK.

As Baur and Vang have attended court hearings, investigators have continued looking for Elijah. Two Rivers Police almost daily still provide online updates laying out where and with what agencies they searched that day, plus give updates on Baurs and Vangs court proceedings.

Sometimes, they also share details of vigils planned for the missing little boy.

CNNs Paradise Afshar contributed to this report.

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Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) confronted Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) in a Wednesday hearing about her false claims that Nazism was rampant in Ukraine  an argument frequently touted by Russian President Vladimir Putin to justify his countrys invasion of Ukraine.

In a House Oversight Committee hearing titled Defending America from the Chinese Communist Partys Political Warfare, Moskowitz issued a searing rebuke of the Georgia congresswomans efforts to paint Ukrainians as Nazis and pushed back against her comparisons of Ukraines government to Nazi Germany.

Stop bringing up Nazis and Hitler. The only people who know about Nazis and Hitler are the 10 million people and their families who lost their loved ones  generations of people who were wiped out, Moskowitz said.

It is enough of this disgusting behavior, using Nazis as propaganda, he continued. You want to talk about Nazis? Get yourself over to the Holocaust Museum. You go see what Nazis did.

Its despicable that we use that, and we allow it, and we sit here like somehow its regular, he said.

Moskowitz began by invoking his own familys history, saying, Now, I want to address something else that went on in this committee by another member, referring to Greenes comments earlier the same day.

And I say this as someone whose grandparents escaped the Holocaust. My grandmother was part of the Kindertransport out of Germany. Her parents were killed in Auschwitz. My grandfather, her husband, escaped Poland from the pogroms.

Moskowitz described Nazi Germanys efforts to wipe out the Jewish people, and criticized fellow lawmakers for tolerating false claims, saying, We pretend that behavior is acceptable and regular.

There are no concentration camps in Ukraine. Theyre not taking babies and shooting them in the ear because theyre Jewish. Theres no gas chambers. Theres no ovens. Theyre not railing people in, theyre not ripping gold out of peoples mouths. Theyre not taking stuff out of their homes. Theyre not trying to erase a people, the Ukrainians, Moskowitz said.

His remarks follow Greenes line of questioning in the hearing, which she used to push back on Democrats witness, historian Timothy Snyder, an expert on the Holocaust, fascism, the Soviet Union and Central and Eastern Europe.

In her remarks, Greene highlighted several news stories and displayed several photos that she said depicted neo-Nazis in Ukraine. She raised concerns that it is now widely considered misinformation to talk about the Nazis in Ukraine and their recruitment efforts that go all around the world.

Greene displayed a news story, entitled, Inside a White Supremacist Militia in Ukraine, and then held up a photo of what appeared to be two Ukrainian soldiers, smiling, and holding their right hands up as a form of salute.

This looks like something youd see out of Hitlers Germany from Ukraine. And this is something thats extremely important to talk about, Greene said.

When given a chance to respond to Greenes remarks, Snyder refuted the suggestion that Nazis were pervasive in Ukrainian government, and he urged lawmakers to redirect their concerns about fascism to focus on Russia.

If the chamber is interested in the degree of far-right participation in Ukrainian politics, you can be assured that no far-right party has ever crossed 3 percent  in a Ukrainian election, he said. So, of course, there are bad people in every country, but by any comparative standard, it is a very small phenomenon.

In Russia, on the other hand, the army includes openly Nazi formations  the government itself is fascist in character, and it is carrying out a war, which includes deportation of children by the tens of thousands, the open intention of destroying a state, as well as mass torture, Snyder said. So if were looking for fascism, and if there is anyone who is sincerely concerned about halting fascism or racism, you would wish to halt Russia.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Netflix, the dominant player in streaming, is expected to announce its first-quarter results on Thursday after enjoying months as a Wall Street darling.

But much of the companys past growth and success, analysts say, has come from its old, well-established business model. In recent months, Netflix has made moves to expand and even radically reinvent that business.

While streaming competitors like Disney+, Hulu, Max (owned by CNNs parent company Warner Bros. Discovery) and Peacock work to draw in subscribers with original programming, Netflix has made big bets lately in live sports, video games, and in deals to license other providers content  all while transitioning from an advertising-free subscription service to a full-blown ad-supported juggernaut.

Last year, Netflix made a particularly risky bet by pushing users who share passwords to create their own accounts  but that paid off. In January, the company announced it had a record number of subscribers. The stock is up 31% so far this year, outperforming its competitors.

However, the boost from Netflixs password crackdown is likely fading into the rearview mirror.

Netflixs lead in the streaming wars is well-established. But it is unlikely to repeat the huge subscriber additions it witnessed last quarter as password-sharing boosts recede, said senior analyst Ross Benes from eMarketer.

Instead, Thursdays earnings may shed light on whether Netflixs reinvention will be successful.

Netflixs reinvention

For Netflix, last months Oscars were a disappointment: Though the streaming service led its rivals in nominations, it took home just one award, for best live-action short film. Going forward, the company seems to be moving away from what it was known for: spending its money on developing the big-budget films and TV shows able to win those awards.

In recent months, after Suits exploded in popularity on the platform, Netflix has indicated that it plans to license more content from other studios. New generations are rediscovering iconic shows from the 90s and the early aughts, like Seinfeld and Sex and the City after they show up on Netflixs platform.

Theyre getting tons of viewership on both original content and licensed content, Alicia Reese, an equity analyst who covers Netflix for Wedbush Securities, said. Its productive and its cheaper for them.

Netflix has also expanded into live and sports programming this year, encroaching on traditional TVs domain. In February, Netflix aired its first-ever awards show, the Screen Actors Guild Awards, and announced a 10-year deal to air WWE Raw live, valued at more than $5 billion.

In January, Netflix announced it had acquired the exclusive rights to "WWE Raw" live, currently seen on Comcast's USA cable network. According to a company filing, the 10-year deal is valued at more than $5 billion. - WWE/Getty Images

In the fight for eyeballs, Netflix has gotten creative, partnering with Rockstar Games Grand Theft Auto, the wildly popular action-adventure video game franchise, to further push into the video game space.

Were stoked by the performance of GTA, Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters said in January. We were in the top mobile game downloads for several weeks, which shows it was not only big for us, but big numbers for mobile gaming in general.

Reese has faith in Netflixs new direction.

Netflix has that winning formula right now, she said. They have a lot of content of various types that keep people using the service at various price points.

TV with ads, again

Reese said she believes Netflix also has other avenues of growth including the companys newer advertising-supported subscription tier.

Since the start of this year, Netflix has released several shows that have generated excitement among fans, including the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender." - Robert Falconer/Netflix

The ad tier, which costs $6.99 per month in the United States, significantly less than Netflixs other subscription plans, has seen explosive growth since it was introduced in late 2022, according to the company. In January, Netflixs president of advertising, Amy Reinhard, shared that Netflixs ad-tier had more than 23 million users.

Reese said Netflixs future growth could hinge on its success in the advertising space.

Im hoping they give a little bit more detail on their advertising tier, Reese said of what shes watching for in Thursdays earnings report.

In January, Peters said the company aimed to snatch more ad dollars from traditional TV competitors.

We know ad dollars follow engagement. Weve got the most engaged audience so we believe were well positioned to capture some of that ad spend that shifts from linear to streaming, he said.

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Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA/Newscom

Another Tax Day has come and gone, and most Americans believe they pay too much. One recent poll revealed that 56 percent say they pay more than their fair share. Unfortunately, I fear this is just the beginning considering the insane level of debt Washington policymakers have accumulated over the years. With this in mind, here are some important facts about our tax system that you might not know.

The payroll tax is the heaviest burden for most taxpaying Americans, but the income tax is more visible and painful to a lot of people. While we are accustomed to itand while it affects some Americans' decisions about how much to work, invest, or savethe income tax didn't exist for most of our country's life.

In 1895, the Supreme Court ruled against a direct tax on the incomes of American citizens and corporations, something that had been included in the previous year's Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act. The court found that such a tax violated the constitutional requirement that tax apportionments among the states be based on population. It took a constitutional amendmentthe 16thto eventually change that and pave the way for the modern income tax.

The very first Internal Revenue Service Form 1040, introduced in 1913 after the ratification of the 16th Amendment, was remarkably straightforward compared to what we know today. It was only four pages long, including instructions, and the top tax rate was 7 percent on incomes above $500,000, which is over $15 million in today's dollars. Some people were horrified by a 7 percent tax and warned that it could put us on a slippery slope to higher ratesmaybe even above 10 percent (!)imposed on a vast majority of people. They were called crazy for fearing such a thing.

And yet, as predicted by a few realists, the income tax rate not only increased, but the threshold at which it's applied went down. During the 1950s and the Eisenhower administration, the top marginal tax rate on incomes reached 91 percent for individuals. This rate applied to incomes over $200,000 (about $2 million today) for single filers and $400,000 (about $4 million today) for married couples filing jointly. These high taxes were part of a broader policy to manage post-war fiscal adjustments and fund federal programs. These rates also failed to raise as much money as you would think due to many loopholes in the tax code.

While the top marginal rate is much lower today, the income tax code remains remarkably complicated. Will McBride, a scholar at the Tax Foundation, recently wrote that "as of 2021, the U.S. income tax code was 4.3 million words long and growing. That's much longer, and presumably much more complicated, than tax codes found in other countries." There are several reasons for this.

First, many welfare programs are administered through the tax code. In recent testimony before the Senate Budget Committee, the Cato Institute's Chris Edwards wrote, "The tax code is an increasing mess. The number of official tax expenditures has risen from 53 in 1970 to 205 today, making IRS administration and enforcement ever more difficult. We know from experience that complex tax expenditures, such as the low-income housing tax credit and earned income tax credit, generate substantial errors and abuse."

In addition, contrary to common belief, the U.S. income tax system is actually quite progressive. According to the Tax Foundation, "though the top 1 percent of taxpayers earn 19.7 percent of total adjusted gross income, they pay 37.3 percent of all income taxes. Just 3 percent of taxes are paid by the lowest half of income earners." Maintaining this progressivity through all kinds of tax provisions increases the complexity of the code.

This progressivity is generally ignored by those who argue that taxing the rich is the solution to reducing the burgeoning U.S. national debt. Soaking the rich, while perhaps appealing in its simplicity, misses the scale of the problem. Brian Riedl, a Manhattan Institute senior fellow, noted that if we were to confiscate 100 percent of the income of everyone making over $500,000 per year, it would fund the government for less than a year. This puts into perspective the enormity of the $34 trillion national debt versus the income of the rich.

Taxing the rich is a convenient distraction hiding the reality that if spending isn't cut, taxes will have to be raised on everyone, a lot. On this tax week, I suggest Congress starts cutting.

COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM.

The post This Tax Week, Remember That the Federal Income Tax Is Relatively New appeared first on Reason.com.
NORRISTOWN, Pa.  Neil Makhija is on a mission.

As the county commissioner in charge of elections here in Pennsylvanias Montgomery County, he is determined to get as many people out to vote in November as he can. Its a big part of the reason he campaigned for the job.

Im probably one of the first people to run for a county commissioner seat in Pennsylvania because of the role of administering elections, said Makhija, 37, a Democrat who took office in January and previously taught election law at the University of Pennsylvania.

John Fetterman supporters wait in line for a rally (Ed Jones / AFP via Getty Images file)

When this seat opened up, I thought this is a real place where we can make a difference, protect voting rights and really set the standard in Pennsylvania and for the country, he added.

But to get more people to vote, Makhija realized he would need to get creative.

Thats why on a Thursday in April, Makhija had gathered 16 Montgomery County voters at the county commissioners office to present them with leather-bound certificates honoring a lifetime of civic duty.

It was the first Montgomery County Voter Hall of Fame.

After official county business wrapped, Makhija and his two fellow commissioners stood in front of the rooms imposing wooden desk to greet the honorees, who were found by combing through the county and state electoral records for voters who had cast ballots in the last 50 consecutive general elections. Makhija polled the room about how long theyd been voting. The oldest honoree had been voting since 1956.

Anybody got 1956 beat? This is like an auction, Makhija joked.

As a photographer captured the moments, the honorees posed at the front of the room with the commissioners and their new certificates.

The mood was celebratory, but the mission behind the ceremony was serious.

Central to Makhijas efforts is understanding what makes people like honorees Alan and Rosemary Hinkle tick. The couple has voted in every election since 1972, when Alan was 21 and Rosemary was 18.

I think its so important that in the midst of everything thats happening in politics, where people are cynical or disillusioned, that we actually recognize the people who are so committed to the system, Makhija said.

He said he hopes that initiatives like the Hall of Fame will not only inspire other voters to turn out, but also inspire him to come up with new ways to make voting more accessible. According to NBC News polling going back to 2008, election enthusiasm is at an all-time low for a presidential contest.

Pennsylvania clinched the White House for Joe Biden in 2020  thanks in large part to places like Montgomery County, a largely white, highly educated, wealthy suburb of Philadelphia that trends blue. Biden was able to expand his margin of victory in Philadelphias surrounding counties  Montgomery, Bucks, Chester and Delaware  by more than 100,000 votes over what Democrat Hillary Clinton earned in 2016, offsetting gains former President Donald Trump made in the states smaller counties.

Were the most courted voters in the whole country, Makhija said. I think reminding people in our communities that we set the direction of the country will make a difference.

Makhija isnt just battling a lack of enthusiasm for the two candidates; hes also contending with a firehose of disinformation about the entire electoral system, just as so many other election workers are across the country.

Trump has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that mail-in voting is a vehicle for widespread voter fraud. The former president also continues to push the baseless theory that the 2020 election was stolen from him.

When you see them cheating, you get out there and start screaming, Trump said at a rally in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania, last weekend. The radical left Democrats rigged the presidential election in 2020, and were not going to allow them to rig the presidential election of 2024.

Makhija said claims like that cause fear and cynicism by design, and he worries that it will cause voters of both parties to skip the ballot box in November.

When you challenge the whole system, people will rethink their participation, he said.

Still, Makhija expects the Republican nominee to continue to sow doubt about the validity of mail-in ballots, despite attempts from local GOP officials to embrace mail-in and early voting to match whats been an advantage for Democrats in recent years.

To that end, hes trying to build trust in the early voting system that will span across party lines. Hes aiming to literally meet voters where they are by expanding election satellite offices for people who need to cure their ballots  the process of allowing voters to fix their mail ballots with technical issues, such as an incorrect date or a missing signature, that otherwise may not be counted on Election Day. Makhija also hopes to establish a mobile unit that would travel around the county to help people resolve any mistakes they made on their mail-in ballots.

Instead of throwing out their votes, well be trying to help voters cure ballots with technical errors for about 2,000 people in the last two weeks of the election, he said.

In battleground Pennsylvania, every one of those votes will count  something Montgomery Countys Hall of Fame inductees know all too well.

The Hinkles arent sure which way theyll vote yet  but they say they are absolutely decided on one thing: Theyll be casting ballots in 2024.

If you dont want other people making the decision for you, Rosemary Hinkle said, then you have to participate.
Kerry Kennedy is doubling down on her familys commitment to support President Biden in Novembers election instead of her brother, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has launched a long-shot independent bid for the White House.

I think, you know, this is the most important election of my lifetime, Kerry Kennedy told George Stephanopoulos on ABCs Good Morning America.

The Biden campaign is expecting 15 members of the Kennedy family to endorse the president Thursday at a campaign stop in Philadelphia. The Kennedy family has been at odds with RFK Jr. and his campaign, warning that his election would be dangerous for the country.

On GMA, Kerry Kennedy pointed to the need to get Biden elected, saying there is no competition when it comes to supporting the president. She praised Biden for carrying on the legacies of her father, Robert F. Kennedy, and her uncle, former President John F. Kennedy.

I think the point here today is electing Joe Biden. Its a two-man race. Theres only two people in this race who can get to 270 electoral votes: Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Joe Biden stands for the middle class; Joe Biden has built up our economy. Under Joe Bidens leadership, crime has gone down 10 percent over the last several years, she said.

He is an extraordinary leader. He cares deeply. He shares my familys values. We need every single person to go and vote for Joe Biden. If everyone who can vote goes out and votes, Joe Biden wins. And thats what were here to do today, she added.

Kerry Kennedy is expected to echo those comments in her endorsement of Biden later on Thursday.

I can only imagine how Donald Trumps outrageous lies and behavior would have horrified my father, Robert F. Kennedy, who proudly served as attorney general of the United States and honored his pledge to uphold the law and protect the country, Kerry Kennedy will say in her endorsement, according to excerpts provided by the Biden campaign.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Trader Joes has recalled packaged herbs linked to a multistate salmonella outbreak, the grocery chain announced this week.

The product, Infinite Herbs organic basil, was sold in 2.5-ounce clamshell containers from Feb. 1 to April 6 in 29 states as well as in Washington, D.C., Trader Joes said on Wednesday.

There have been 12 reports in seven states of people infected with salmonella, an organism that can cause serious or fatal illness, according to federal officials. One person was hospitalized.

Seven of eight cases with information available reported exposure to fresh organic basil purchased from Trader Joes before becoming ill, the Food and Drug Administration said on its website, adding that traceback data it had collected determined that Florida-based Infinite Herbs, LLC, had supplied the basil to Trader Joes.

Grego Berliavsky, the head of Infinite Herbs, said Wednesday that the company had voluntarily recalled the product.

I am heartbroken at the thought that any item we sold may have caused illness or discomfort, he said in a statement. We simply will not rest until we can once again be confident in the safety of this product.

Berliavsky added that customers should check their freezers for the basil.

Fresh basil naturally wilts and expires after five to seven days, so we are confident that the recalled basil is no longer available for sale, he wrote. However, if you have food in your freezer that includes Infinite Herbs organic basil purchased between February 1 and April 6, do not consume it.

The basil had been sourced from a single farm, which is no longer in production, according to Berliavsky.

We are working with the farmer to conduct an internal investigation of the food safety practices. Through this investigation, our goal is to determine the cause of this recall and apply measures to prevent it from happening again, he wrote.

Symptoms of salmonella include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The symptoms usually start 6 hours to 6 days after infection, and while most people recover within a week without antibiotics, some may need medical treatment. The CDC says that children younger than 5, adults 65 and older and individuals with weakened immune systems are more likely to get serious salmonella infections, but anyone who has severe diarrhea, bloody stools, a fever higher than 102 degrees or prolonged vomiting may need antibiotics or to be hospitalized.

Salmonella causes about 1.35 million infections, 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths in the United States every year, according to the CDC. But official counts are likely an underestimate because most people recover without seeking medical help or without a confirmed diagnosis, said Barbara Kowalcyk, an associate professor of exercise and nutrition sciences at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.

Infections come from a variety of sources, including consuming contaminated food and water or touching infected animals and their environments.

In rare cases, salmonella or its toxins can enter the bloodstream, causing serious illnesses, death or long-term conditions like arthritis, Kowalcyk said.

"One of the things in food safety that we try to do is make people aware that it's not just this bad tummy ache," she said. "There are other health implications."

Salmonella is not visible and cannot be smelled or tasted, Kowalcyk said. Trader Joes instructed customers to discard the packaged basil or to return it for a full refund.

The FDA said infections have been reported in Florida, Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Wisconsin; the product was also distributed in Alabama, Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Vermont.

The news comes a month after another large Trader Joes recall involving potential salmonella contamination. In March, the grocer recalled cashews sold in 16 states. No illnesses were reported in that instance. Earlier in March, Trader Joes recalled steamed chicken soup dumplings that federal officials said were potentially contaminated with hard plastic from a permanent marker pen.
The little-seen, $19,000 lectern at the center of a controversy in Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' office was made available for viewing on Tuesday night -- after a monthslong audit into how the lectern was procured and paid for found that Sanders' staff potentially violated several state laws.

The governor's office responded by characterizing the investigation as "a waste of taxpayer resources and time" and called the audit report "deeply flawed."

"The facts outlined in the report demonstrate what the governor's office said all along: we followed the law, and the state was fully reimbursed with private funds for the podium, at no cost to the taxpayers," Sanders' spokesperson Alexa Henning said in a statement.

A Republican state senator had requested the probe last year after the lectern's high price tag sparked scrutiny and captured the national spotlight, including a jab from late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.

The purchase only came to light when Matt Campbell, a Little Rock attorney and progressive blogger, called attention to Sanders' office using a state-issued credit card in June 2023 to make a $19,029.25 payment to Beckett Events, a boutique event planning company whose owners are close with the governor.

MORE: Sarah Huckabee Sanders defends herself from podium controversy after unusual $19K payment

Lawmakers questioned Sanders' staff about the audit's findings in a nearly three-hour hearing at the state Capitol on Tuesday, after the report was sent Monday to prosecuting attorneys.

"I was really hoping that you all would have brought the lectern with you today so we could see it," Republican state Rep. Julie Mayberry said at that hearing. "We all can agree that $19,000 was spent on an item and no one has really seen it."

Sanders' deputy chief of staff, Judd Deere, told lawmakers that she plans to use the lectern now that the audit is complete, previously having not wanted it to be a distraction.

Deere told lawmakers the lectern had been in the governor's office suite at the state Capitol but it was moved Tuesday to a larger conference room, where reporters were again allowed to see it.

Despite seven "areas of noncompliance" identified in the audit report where the governor's office potentially violated state laws regarding purchasing, state property and government records, Deere said no members of the governor's staff were disciplined for their actions -- "nor should they be," he added.

What's next then for the dispute also known as #LecternGate?

PHOTO: Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Governor of Arkansas, speaks during the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, May 2, 2023. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

Arkansas' Attorney General Tim Griffin, a Republican, has already indicated he won't pursue charges -- enraging critics -- when last week he said that state purchasing laws don't apply to the governor or other executive branch officials, only to state agencies.

That means the potential for any criminal charges to be filed would likely fall to Will Jones, the 6th Judicial District prosecuting attorney in Little Rock.

Jones said his office is assessing the audit and that their "review is no different than any other file review" sent to them.

Sanders, a former Trump White House official and daughter of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, has been seen as a rising star in the Republican Party.

She was defiant in dismissing the findings, posting a 20-second video edit of the lectern to social media this week that said "COME AND TAKE IT."

Here are key takeaways from the audit.

Potential violations include tampering with public records

Auditors identified seven "areas of potential noncompliance with state law" that the governor's office engaged in -- including a member of the governor's office staff shredding the bill of lading for the lectern, which contained details of the shipment and was attached to the delivery crate, potentially violating document retention laws.

They were told in interviews that the shredding was inadvertent.

Auditors also reported that, at the direction of the governor's deputy chief of staff, an executive assistant added handwritten notes that read "to be reimbursed" on two invoices after Campbell, the blogger, asked for documents surrounding the lectern's purchase in a Freedom of Information Act request. State Republicans ultimately repaid the cost of the lectern -- after Campbell called attention to it.

According to the audit, other potential violations of budgeting and accounting laws include the purchase being applied to operating expenses, though state law prevents equipment that must be capitalized from being expensed, as well as the lectern being paid for before it was delivered.

The governor's office further failed to notify a state agency of the lectern's delivery, as required, and did not create a business expense justification statement on the day it was purchased.

Sanders has previously maintained that the lectern's purchase "went through standard protocol in our office."

Lectern has no electronic components, despite special features touted

When Sanders came under fire last fall for the lectern's price tag, relative to other such furniture and equipment, she told reporters it was custom made for her height, was designed "to get the best sound quality" and that it incorporated components to allow multiple media outlets to plug in at the same time.

Auditors reported the lectern features no microphone or any electronic elements.

It does include a light, they said.

The report included a breakdown of the total cost as follows: $11,575 for the lectern itself, $2,500 for a consulting fee, $2,200 for a travel case, $1,225 for freight shipping for the lectern, $975 for freight shipping for the travel case and $554 for a credit card processing fee.

The $2,500 consulting fee had not been previously reported but attracted scrutiny on social media when coupled with a detail from the report that the governor's office was considering returning the lectern shortly after its delivery because its height did not meet order specifications.

The total $19,000 cost for the podium is notably higher than could be purchased via standard retail means. One retailer previously wrote online that their own lecterns sell for around $7,000. And two political sources outside of Sanders' office with experience producing podiums and the costs associated with them told ABC News that $19,029.25 is more than they would have charged or spent.

PHOTO: The lectern purchased by the Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders administration in June 2023 sits in a corner in the Governor's Conference Room at the state Capitol, Sept. 26, 2023, in Little Rock, Ark. (Thomas Metthe/Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via AP, FILE)

Sanders herself didn't participate in the audit, nor did the lectern's vendors

Neither Sanders, who previously said she welcomed the audit, nor the lectern vendors cooperated with the probe, according to the audit report.

Virginia Beckett and Hannah Stone of Beckett Events did not respond to repeated attempts from auditors to contact them via telephone, certified mail and email, the report said, nor did New York-based Miller's Presentation Furniture, which manufactured the lectern, according to the audit.

Beckett and Stone were previously hired by Sanders' office to help with advance planning on her gubernatorial inauguration and the 2023 GOP response to the State of the Union address. They were also at the Paris Air Show last June, which Sanders also attended, the same month the lectern was purchased.

Auditors recruited Sanders' office for help reaching out to the vendors during their investigation. Chief legal counsel for the governor's office told lawmakers Tuesday she sent two emails to Beckett Events.

Moving forward, an aide to the governor said Tuesday that she doesn't plan on using the vendors again.

Neither of the vendors immediately responded to ABC News' request for comment.

No evidence state party planned to reimburse state before FOIA request

Only after Campbell sought additional information about the five-figure purchase with taxpayer dollars was it reimbursed by the state's Republican Party, with auditors reporting "there was no indication the governor's office was seeking reimbursement for the cost of the podium and the road case" before the requests.

Sanders' spokesperson said last fall that use of a state credit card for the purchase was "an accounting error."

The governor's deputy chief of staff, however, told lawmakers Tuesday that it was decided later on it would be "preferable" for the lectern to be paid for with private funds via the state Republican Party.

"This body appropriated money that was available for us to use to purchase items. Later on we determined it was preferable that private funds the governor raised be used to reimburse the state," Deere said. "No taxpayer has been used to purchase this item. So we do not view it as a mistake."

Notably, the governor's office had also sought approval before the lectern purchase to increase the state credit card's spending limit, as opposed to having the Arkansas Republican Party make the purchase themselves.

Campbell, in a statement to ABC News, applauded the auditors' work which he said proved "what we already knew: that the lectern purchase was illegal and done in the shadiest way imaginable."

The audit also determined, because of broken protocols, that the lectern belongs to the state of Arkansas.

One Arkansas vendor contacted and quoted a far lower lectern price

Staffers in Sanders' office told auditors they "could not recall any other quotes being obtained" for the lectern.

However, auditors found that in March 2023, a staff member contacted an Arkansas-based audio and visual equipment dealer and received quotes for podiums up to $1,500, lighting systems up to $1,000 and sound systems up to $3,000.

While auditors said they were ultimately unable to determine the reasonableness of the cost of the podium due to the "custom specifications," "lack of vendor responses" and "lack of documentation," they hinted at its high price when compared to similar-style lecterns on the market.

"It should be noted that similar non-customized falcon style podiums can be purchased from online vendors starting at approximately $7,000, as opposed to the $11,575 amount allocated to the custom falcon podium," the report said.

Arkansas lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have expressed doubt about the lectern's value.

"I don't think the lectern's worth $19,000 or $11,500," Republican state Sen. John Payton said on Tuesday. "But I do think the lesson learned could be worth far more than that if we would just accept the fact that it was bad judgment and it was carelessness."

Sarah Sanders' office potentially violated state law in $19K lectern controversy, audit finds originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Chinese construction firm in Uganda provides training for local staff

Xinhua) 10:26, April 18, 2024

Zhao Wei, the China Communications Construction Corporation Uganda representative, addresses the opening ceremony of the "Seagull Talent Training Project" in the central district of Wakiso, Uganda, April 16, 2024. China Communications Construction Corporation (CCCC) on Tuesday started a two-week training program for local foremen and engineers in Uganda's central district of Wakiso.

According to the CCCC, the "Seagull Talent Training Project" is organized with the support of Wuhan City Polytechnic in central China's Hubei Province, which provides trainers who will pass on their knowledge and skills to the 32 trainees. (Photo by John Tugume/Xinhua)

WAKISO, Uganda, April 17 (Xinhua) -- China Communications Construction Corporation (CCCC) on Tuesday started a two-week training program for local foremen and engineers in Uganda's central district of Wakiso.

According to the CCCC, the "Seagull Talent Training Project" is organized with the support of Wuhan City Polytechnic in central China's Hubei Province, which provides trainers who will pass on their knowledge and skills to the 32 trainees.

Fan Xuecheng, minister counselor at the Chinese embassy, said vocational education helps people to use their skills and talents to develop their country, which has been critical in China's development.

China is ready to share its experience with African countries, Fan told an opening ceremony for the training program.

"Vocational training and cultural exchange constitute a major part of China-Uganda people-to-people exchanges," he said. "We have to join hands to ensure sustainable development and provide Ugandan young people with a positive perspective."

Esther Anyakun, Ugandan state minister for labor, employment and industrial relations, said the occupational training program is critical in the development of the country, unlocking the potential of individuals.

Winfred Naluyinda, assistant commissioner at the Ugandan Ministry of Works and Transport, said the training is timely as the country undertakes various construction projects.

Zhao Wei, the CCCC Uganda representative, said since entering the Ugandan market in 1996, the company has successfully delivered dozens of projects, involving thousands of local employees, ranging from human resources specialists, environmental assessment engineers, and safety engineers to site supervisors and machine operators.

These local talents are valuable assets to the company, Zhao said.

According to the student handbook, the training program will cover engineering drawing, construction machinery, and Chinese language courses, among others.

A trainee reads pamphlets about the "Seagull Talent Training Project" during the opening ceremony of the project at the central district of Wakiso, Uganda, April 16, 2024. China Communications Construction Corporation (CCCC) on Tuesday started a two-week training program for local foremen and engineers in Uganda's central district of Wakiso.

According to the CCCC, the "Seagull Talent Training Project" is organized with the support of Wuhan City Polytechnic in central China's Hubei Province, which provides trainers who will pass on their knowledge and skills to the 32 trainees. (Photo by John Tugume/Xinhua)

Esther Anyakun, Ugandan state minister for labor, employment and industrial relations, addresses the opening ceremony of the "Seagull Talent Training Project" in the central district of Wakiso, Uganda, April 16, 2024. China Communications Construction Corporation (CCCC) on Tuesday started a two-week training program for local foremen and engineers in Uganda's central district of Wakiso.

According to the CCCC, the "Seagull Talent Training Project" is organized with the support of Wuhan City Polytechnic in central China's Hubei Province, which provides trainers who will pass on their knowledge and skills to the 32 trainees. (Photo by John Tugume/Xinhua)

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
San Antonio police and Crime Stoppers are looking for three men involved in the robbery and assault of a 16-year-old. Crime Stoppers

San Antonio police and Crime Stoppers are looking for three men accused of robbing and assaulting a 16-year-old girl during a robbery in February.

On Feb. 23, three unidentified men and a juvenile passenger were driving in a gray Kia Soul near the 5300 block of Military Drive West. The vehicle had been reported stolen.

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The three men then attempted to rob the 16-year-old of all of her jewelry before striking her in the head with a handgun and kicking her out of the vehicle.

At the time of this report, police are still searching for the three men involved in this robbery.

Crime Stoppers is willing to pay up to $5,000 for information leading to arrests. Tips can be made by calling Crime Stoppers at 210-224-STOP, texting Tip 127 plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the P3 Tips app.

Tipsters can remain anonymous.
Speaker Mike Johnson and other House Republican leaders released a $95 billion foreign aid package Wednesday that provides funding for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan  as Congress continues to grapple with a response to actions taken by Russia, Iran and China that have defied the international community.

The package includes $26.4 billion for Israel aid, including $4 billion to replenish Israel's Iron Dome defense system, $60.8 billion for Ukraine aid, including $23 billion for replenishing weapons and $8.1 billion for Indo-Pacific aid.

Johnson, who is facing a small revolt within his own conference and will need to rely on Democratic votes to advance the package, told members to expect a final passage vote on the package Saturday evening. But the path to getting there will be an uphill battle and could potentially cost the speaker his gavel.

PHOTO: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson does an interview at the Capitol, April 17, 2024. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images)

MORE: 'I am not resigning': Johnson at risk as he forges ahead on Ukraine, Israel aid

Far-right Republicans are mocking Johnson's plan as the #AmericaLast Act  complaining, for example, that it includes $481 million to pay for housing, medical bills and legal fees for Ukrainian refugees coming to the United States.

"The Republican Speaker of the House is seeking a rule to pass almost $100 billion in foreign aid - while unquestionably, dangerous criminals, terrorists, & fentanyl pour across our border. The border "vote" in this package is a watered-down dangerous cover vote. I will oppose," Chip Roy, R-Texas, said in a statement on X.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Johnson said he wasn't concerned about Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's threat to remove him if he went ahead.

"This is not a game. It's not a joke," Johnson told reporters. "We have to do the right thing and I'm going to allow an opportunity for every single member of House to vote their conscience and their will on this. And I think that's the way this institution is supposed to work. And I'm willing to take personal risk for that because we have to do the right thing and history will judge us."

Asked whether he'd seek Democratic relief if Greene's "motion to vacate" is brought up for a vote, Johnson shrugged off the prospect of another battle for the speaker's gavel.

"I do not spend time walking around thinking about the motion to vacate. I have a job to do here. I'm going to do the job. Regardless of personal consequences, that's what we're supposed to do," Johnson said. "If Marjorie brings the motion, she brings the motion and we'll let the chips fall where they may. I have to do what I have to do and then the members will vote their conscience as well."

PHOTO: House Homeland Security Committee member Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and her fellow Republican impeachment managers walk back through the Capitol Rotunda, April 16, 2024. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Greene said in a statement on X, "Speaker Johnson, voted against $300 million for Ukraine before we gave you the gavel along with the majority of Republicans, no one understands why it is now your top priority to give Ukraine $60 billion more dollars. You are seriously out of step with Republicans by continuing to pass bills dependent on Democrats."

But not long after Johnson brushed aside the joint threat from Greene and GOP Rep. Thomas Massie to oust him, Greene said she would not file a privileged resolution on ousting Johnson -- that would require a vote -- before the new foreign aid packages are brought to the floor.

"I can go ahead and rule that out," Greene said, adding "I can. I'm not going to call it before that bill goes to the floor because I think that the bill is definitely going to tell a lot of people what I have been saying."

While several Republicans are coming out strongly against Johnson's plan, President Joe Biden and top Democrats are urging lawmakers to support the bills.

Biden urged the House to pass the package this week, adding that the Senate should "quickly follow."

"I will sign this into law immediately to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends, and we won't let Iran or Russia succeed," Biden wrote in a statement Wednesday.

PHOTO: President Joe Biden speaks to members of the United Steel Workers Union at the United Steel Workers Headquarters, April 17, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

Rep. Rosa DeLauro -- the top Democratic appropriator in the House  announced her support for the three bills, noting they "mirror" the Senate's bipartisan national security package that passed through the upper chamber on Feb. 13.

"After House Republicans dragged their feet for months, we finally have a path forward to provide support for our allies and desperately needed humanitarian aid," DeLauro, D-Conn., stated. "We cannot retreat from the world stage under the guise of putting 'America First.' We put America first by demonstrating the power of American leadership  that we have the strength, resolve, and heart to fight for the most vulnerable people, protect their freedom, and preserve their dignity. I urge swift passage of these bills."

Republicans are expected to unveil a fourth measure later Wednesday, including the REPO Act, sanctions, the Tik Tok bill, and other measures to "confront Russia, China and Iran."

And to appease hardliners, the House will also introduce a separate bill on the border that includes "the core components of H.R.2, under a separate rule that will allow for amendments."

If the package clears the House this weekend, the Senate will have a one-week recess to consider how to handle the legislation when the upper chamber returns on April 29.

ABC News' Arthur Jones II contributed to this report.

Johnson hawks $95 billion Israel, Ukraine aid package amid threats to speakership originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) announced Thursday that he wont seek to raise the bar for removing a Speaker from power as part of the current debate over Ukraine aid  a prospect that had sparked an outcry from conservatives earlier in the day.

Under current House rules, any single member of the House can compel a vote on a motion to vacate, but a number of moderate Republicans have pressed Johnson to use the yet-to-be-passed rule governing the foreign aid legislation to raise that threshold.

Johnson, whos under fire from conservatives over his leadership style and deal-cutting record with Democrats, had reportedly deliberated over that rule change. But after hours of public clamoring and furious threats from the hard-liners, the Speaker announced he would leave the rule as it stands.

Since the beginning of the 118th Congress, the House rule allowing a Motion to Vacate from a single member has harmed this office and our House majority. Recently, many members have encouraged me to endorse a new rule to raise this threshold. While I understand the importance of that idea, any rule change requires a majority of the full House, which we do not have, Johnson wrote in a post on social platform X.

We will continue to govern under the existing rules, he added.

Johnsons decision to leave the motion-to-vacate threshold as is could earn him some good graces from hard-line conservatives, who were up in arms Thursday morning amid reports that the Speaker was considering a change to the ouster mechanism.

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) told reporters Thursday that she would support Johnsons removal if he went ahead and modified the motion-to-vacate threshold.

Its a red line for me, for sure, she said.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who spearheaded the ouster effort against former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) last year, suggested he would join those calling for Johnsons removal if he made a change.

I think a motion to vacate is something that could put the conference in peril, and Ms. Boebert and I were working to avoid that, Gaetz said. Our goal is to avoid a motion to vacate. But we are not going to surrender that accountability tool, particularly in a time when we are seeing Americas interests subjugated to foreign interests abroad.

Gaetz appeared to welcome Johnsons decision, writing on X, The Motion to Vacate was built for speed, not comfort, Mr. Speaker.

In a statement to The Hill, the Florida Republican said, I hope his views on this subject arent as flexible as his views on single subject spending bills, warrantless spying, or Ukraine.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), a frequent Johnson critic who has already introduced a motion to vacate against the Speaker  a resolution that shes been dangling like a warning over the Ukraine debate  also protested the notion of raising the motion-to-vacate threshold. Marching from the chamber to the Capitol steps, she accused Johnson of conspiring with Democrats to protect his gavel at the expense of Republicans policy priorities.

Kevin McCarthy, while he was staring down the barrel of a loaded gun, he never made a move like this: behind closed doors and made deals with Democrats to change the motion to vacate. And were hearing thats exactly what Mike Johnson is doing, Greene said. Its unprecedented. This has never happened in history. And its completely wrong.

The drama over the motion to vacate this Congress began in January 2023, when conservatives pushed McCarthy to drop the threshold for the ouster mechanism to just one member as a condition for earning their support in his quest for the Speakers gavel. Under former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), a motion to vacate could only be brought if a majority of either party was in support.

McCarthy ultimately gave in to the calls, which helped him earn the gavel but also led to his demise: Gaetz forced a vote on his ouster in October, which was successful.

Since then, moderate Republicans have pushed to raise the threshold. A source familiar told The Hill that the Main Street Caucus had led the current effort to change the rule.

Johnson himself has floated changing the rules surrounding the motion to vacate. During an interview with CNN, he said the mechanism has been abused in recent times, adding maybe, at some point, we change that.

At the House GOP retreat in West Virginia last month, Johnson told reporters he expects there will probably be a change to the motion to vacate rules.

The motion to vacate is something that comes up a lot amongst members and discussion.  I expect there will probably be a change to that as well. But just so you know, Ive never advocated for that; Im not one whos making it into this issue, because I dont think it is one for now, Johnson had said.

I just think its something that a lot of members on both sides of the aisle talk about openly that they have a desire for [a] more normal process on the House floor again, he continued. So well be looking at that on the House rules package in our respective caucus and conference packages as well as going to the new Congress. And thats just something we should do in due course, be good stewards of the institution.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
It's the ending that everyone has hoped for. Weeks after social media stars Molly and Peggy were separated by Australian authorities, the two have finally been reunited. And their owners are now sharing the happy moment that Staffordshire Bull Terrier Peggy laid eyes on the magpie once again.

Shared by A Current Affair, a video shows the reunion as it first happened.

In the video, the animals' owner Reece Mortensen carried Molly into their Brisbane home in her carrier. And right away Peggy gave her the warmest greeting.

Related: Pit Bull and Rescued Magpie Become the Best of Friends

"Look, Molly's back!" a woman, possibly their owner Juliette Wells said from behind the camera.

Almost immediately Peggy started crying. We just know that she really thought she'd never see her BFF ever again. Peggy had a real case of "happy tail," as her owners slowly brought the bird through the front door.

"Hurry up, Dad. Molly's here!" she seemed to say.

It certainly was a happy day for the family and is well-deserved for the weeks that Mortensen and Wells were put through the ringer to get their magpie back. The couple first got popular online for documenting Molly and Peggy's unusual relationship. But things took a sour turn when a small, but vocal, group of people online complained about them keeping the bird and Molly was ultimately forced to be surrendered to the Southern wildlife Operations Department of Environment.

The couple was heartbroken. They took to their 800,000 fans to share the news and seemed flabbergasted at what had happened.

"We are asking why a wild Magpie cant decide for himself where he wants to live and who he wants to spend his time with?" they wrote on Instagram on March 26.

View the original article to see embedded media.

It's been a rocky road ever since. Horrified fans wrote in and lended their support to the couple, hoping that they could appeal to the Environment Department. There was even a petition to try and get the magpie back.

People really were passionate about the Molly and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier getting back together, and in the past couple of weeks there were hints that a reunion was possible.

On April 4, Premier Stephen Miles told A Current Affair that "The Environment Department stands ready to train Molly's parents to be wildlife carers to get that that certification so Molly can be reunited with his family."

But there was still a chance it wasn't going to happen. Thankfully it seems that officials decided to return Molly back to his owners. A decision that has meant so much to whole happy family.

"Words can't describe like the joy to see them remember each other," 9Now reports Wells said. "Peggy didn't know what to do with herself. She's like, 'Is this really Molly? Is this really happening?'"

"I think (Molly) barks more than the dogs to tell you the truth," she joked.

In exchange for Molly's return the couple did agree to undergo training and they agreed not to receive any future financial gain from Molly. They're meeting with government representatives soon to finalize the details of Molly's return. But still, they do have high hopes for the bird's future.

"We'd love for him to fly away and meet a girl and bring his babies back," Mortensen said.

"I'll definitely keep sharing the love and the happiness cause people need that, people want that and these guys just wanna be themselves and share it around too," Wells added.

Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  The United Arab Emirates attempted to dry out Wednesday from the heaviest rain the desert nation has ever recorded  a deluge that flooded out Dubai International Airport and disrupted flights through the world's busiest airfield for international travel.

The state-run WAM news agency called the rain Tuesday a historic weather event that surpassed anything documented since the start of data collection in 1949. That's before crude oil was discovered in this energy-rich nation then part of a British protectorate known as the Trucial States.

Rain also fell in Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, but was acute across the UAE.

The flooding sparked speculation that cloud seeding  flying small planes through clouds dispersing chemicals aimed at getting rain to fall  may have contributed to the deluge. But experts said the storm systems that produced the rain were forecast well in advance and that cloud seeding alone would not have caused such flooding.

Several reports quoted meteorologists at the National Center for Meteorology as saying they flew six or seven cloud-seeding flights before the rains. Flight-tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press showed one aircraft affiliated with the UAEs cloud-seeding efforts flew around the country Monday.

The National, an English-language, state-linked newspaper in Abu Dhabi, quoted an anonymous official at the center on Wednesday as saying no cloud seeding took place on Tuesday, without acknowledging any earlier flights.

The center did not respond to questions Wednesday from the AP.

The UAE, which heavily relies on energy-hungry desalination plants to provide water, conducts cloud seeding in part to increase its dwindling, limited groundwater.

Jeff Masters, a meteorologist for Yale Climate Connections, said the flooding in Dubai was caused by an unusually strong low pressure system that drove many rounds of heavy thunderstorms.

You dont need cloud seedings influence to account for the record deluge in Dubai, Masters said.

Another expert, Steven Siems of Australia's Monash University, agreed.

Given the size of the storm, any seeding effort would simply be pointless," he said. Nature is already doing the job perfectly well.

Scientists also say climate change in general is responsible for more intense and more frequent extreme storms, droughts, floods and wildfires around the world. Dubai hosted the United Nations' COP28 climate talks just last year. Rising temperatures and other effects of global warming long have been viewed as a threat to life in the already-baking region.

The rains began late Monday, soaking the sands and roadways of Dubai with some 20 millimeters (0.79 inches) of rain, according to meteorological data collected at Dubai International Airport. The storms intensified around 9 a.m. Tuesday and continued throughout the day, dumping more rain and hail onto the overwhelmed city.

By the end of Tuesday, more than 142 millimeters (5.59 inches) of rainfall had soaked Dubai over 24 hours. An average year sees 94.7 millimeters (3.73 inches) of rain at Dubai International Airport.

Standing water lapped on taxiways as aircraft landed. Arrivals were halted Tuesday night, and passengers struggled to reach terminals through water-covered roads.

One couple, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity to speak freely in a country with strict laws that criminalize critical speech, called the situation at the airport absolute carnage.

You cannot get a taxi. There's people sleeping in the Metro station. There's people sleeping in the airport, the man said Wednesday.

Dubai International Airport acknowledged Wednesday morning that the flooding had left limited transportation options and affected flights as aircraft crews couldn't reach the airfield.

Recovery will take some time, the airport said on the social platform X.

Long-haul carrier Emirates and FlyDubai, its low-cost sister airline, had major disruptions.

Paul Griffiths, the airport's CEO, acknowledged continued issues with flooding Wednesday morning, saying every place an aircraft could be safely parked was taken. Some aircraft had been diverted to Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, the city-state's second airfield.

It remains an incredibly challenging time. In living memory, I dont think anyone has ever seen conditions like it, Griffiths told the state-owned talk radio station Dubai Eye. We are in uncharted territory."

Egypts national carrier, EgyptAir, also temporarily suspended flights between Cairo and Dubai due to the bad weather.

Schools across the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms, largely shut ahead of the storm and government employees were largely working remotely if able. Many workers stayed home as well, though some ventured out, with the unfortunate stalling out their vehicles in deeper-than-expected water covering spots on some roads. That included parts of the Sheikh Zayed Road, a 12-lane highway through downtown Dubai.

Authorities sent tanker trucks out into the streets and highways to pump away the water. Water poured into some homes, forcing people to bail out their houses.

The country's hereditary rulers offered no overall damage or injury information for the nation, as some slept in their flooded vehicles Tuesday night. In Ras al-Khaimah, the country's northernmost emirate, police said one 70-year-old man died when his vehicle was swept away by floodwater.

Khatm al-Shakla, an area near Al Ain in Abu Dhabi, saw 254 millimeters (10 inches) of rain Tuesday, the most anywhere in the country, officials said.

Authorities canceled school and the government instituted remote work again for Wednesday. Dubai later closed schools for the rest of the week.

Rain is unusual in the UAE, an arid, Arabian Peninsula nation, but occurs periodically during the cooler winter months. Many roads and other areas lack drainage given the lack of regular rainfall, causing flooding.

Meanwhile in neighboring Oman, a sultanate that rests on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, at least 19 people were killed in heavy rains in recent days, according to a statement Wednesday from the country's National Committee for Emergency Management. That includes some 10 schoolchildren swept away in a vehicle with an adult, which saw condolences come into the country from rulers across the region.

___

Associated Press writer Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report.
Anyone who loves tequila has probably also heard of its close cousin, mezcal. But a common mistake is thinking the two are the same. They're not! Yes, there are some similarities between the two spirits, which often leads folk to think they're interchangeable. But there are key differences between them, which anyone worth their salt-rimmed margarita should know.

Both tequila and mezcal are made from the agave plant, but the type of agave differs.

Technically, tequila falls under the umbrella term "mezcal" because mezcal is simply the name for any liquor made from agave. So yes, tequila is mezcal, but to be classified as tequila, the liquor must be made specifically from blue agave. There are several other types of agave, like espadin, tobala, and tepeztate, which mezcal is produced from.

They're distilled differently.

Besides the material used to make each respective liquor, the nuanced details of each's production process make tequila and mezcal incredibly different drinking experiences.

First, both mezcal and tequila use the core of the agave (the pina), which is harvested from the plant when it's first pulled from the ground. For tequila, the pina is cooked in industrial ovens and is then shredded, fermented, and distilled in copper pots. Pina destined for mezcal, on the other hand, is cooked in an underground pit lined with aromatic items like volcanic rock, charcoal, and wood. The agave pinas are then fermented and distilled in clay pots.

These separate processes result in completely different flavor profiles.

Tequila is more agave-forward, resulting in a liquor that tastes semi-earthy, and even a little bit sweet upon first taste. Depending on the brand, the finished product may also have added flavor or have been aged in oak barrels, leading to a much smoother, less bitter taste. Opt for tequila in cocktails and dishes when you want an agave-forward, approachable flavor.



With mezcal, explaining flavor is a little less straightforward. Most casual mezcal drinkers are familiar with mezcal from Oaxaca, which has a woody, almost savory flavor thanks to the Espadin agave from which it's made. Aficionados might also detect floral, fruity, or earthy notes. However, even mezcal made with the same type of agave can taste different across Mexico's many regions as a result of the individual cooking and fermenting preferences of the mezcaleros themselves.

On the whole, though, mezcal has a more in-your-face flavor than tequila and should be used with that in mindin, for instance, this mezcal margarita.

Tequila and mezcal come from entirely different regions of Mexico.

The two drinks are different because of the regions they come from. Tequila is made in the Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacan, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas regions in Mexico. Mezcal can be made in Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Michoacan, Oaxaca, Puebla, San Luis Potosi, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas.

They are also labeled differently.

Tequila and mezcal each have their own systems of classification. Tequila comes in blanco, reposado, and anejo varieties, and cristalino; here's more information on the types of tequila.

Mezcal is also labeled with the type of agave used to produce it. It might also be labeled with joven, reposado, and anejo varieties. Generally speaking, the categories correspond with the length of the spirit's aging period, with joven being the shortest and anejo the longest.

And there you have itthe differences between tequila and mezcal. Need a little more help? Here's a guide to the best tequila brands and best mezcal you can buy. Go forth and sip with confidence!

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Former President Donald Trump ripped the jury selection process for his historic New York criminal trial Wednesday, the day after the first seven jurors were selected out of a pool of nearly 100 people.

Posting about the hush money trial on its scheduled off-day, Trump  who has repeatedly accused the judge in the case of being biased against him  suggested incorrectly that he should be entitled to unlimited strikes of potential jurors in his criminal case.

I thought STRIKES were supposed to be 'unlimited' when we were picking our jury? I was then told we only had 10, not nearly enough when we were purposely given the 2nd Worst Venue in the Country," he wrote on Truth Social before he decried the criminal cases against him as "election interference" and part of a "witch hunt."

Under New York law, each side does have an unlimited number of strikes for cause, but the judge presiding over the case, Juan Merchan, can decide whether or not that cause is worthy of a strike.

The two sides are also entitled to a limited number of "peremptory strikes"  potential jurors they can dismiss. Because Trump is charged with a Class E felony, which is a lower-level felony, he and prosecutors are entitled to 10 peremptory challenges each. (The number goes up to 20 for defendants facing the highest level of felony charge, Class A.)

While Merchan has dismissed scores of potential jurors who said they could not be impartial or had scheduling conflicts, he has dismissed only two for cause in the two days since jury selection began. One was a person who had written "lock him up" of Trump in a 2017 social media post. Merchan denied some other Trump cause dismissal requests, including one for a woman who had posted on Facebook about celebrating Joe Biden's 2020 election win.

Trump's attorney Todd Blanche then used one of his peremptory challenges to remove the woman.

By the end of the day Tuesday, both Trump and prosecutors from the Manhattan district attorney's office had used six of their 10 challenges, meaning they each have only four left for the remaining jurors.

Two potential jurors the DA's office used its strikes on were people who said they had read Trump's book "The Art of the Deal."

Trump is required to attend the trial, which is expected to last as long as eight weeks and take place every weekday except Wednesday and holidays. The rigorous trial schedule will limit his ability to join in-person campaign events as part of his presidential bid  something he has complained about repeatedly. NBC News reported last month that Trump plans to leverage his legal issues for political gain by falsely blaming Biden.

Jury selection is scheduled to resume Thursday morning with a pool of an additional 96 prospective jurors. Once a full 12-person jury has been selected, the two sides will then pick alternate jurors.

Merchan appeared hopeful Tuesday that jury selection will be done by the end of the day Friday. He told the seven jurors who have been selected to return Monday morning for opening statements while also cautioning the date could change.

Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment to a porn star during the closing days of the 2016 presidential election. He faces up to four years in prison if he is convicted.
Trump Media & Technology Group stock (DJT) jumped over 25% Thursday as the company tried to fend off short sellers amid a volatile trading week.

According to an updated FAQ page on the Trump Media website, which is also included in a new securities filing posted Wednesday, the company is advising investors on ways to prevent their shares from being loaned for a short-interest position.

Short interest in DJT stock  bets that the stock price will fall rather than rise  is about 13% of outstanding shares, according to the latest data from S3 Partners. That's up from roughly 11% at the time of its public market debut. The average short interest in public companies sits in the 3% to 4% range.

Trump Media went public on the Nasdaq after merging with special purpose acquisition company Digital World Acquisition Corp. in a deal approved by shareholders late last month. Shares are down about 55% since the end of March.

"To prevent shares from being loaned for a short interest position, contact your brokerage to place restrictions on the lending of your shares to short sellers," the company said in its filing.

Trump Media provided a sample letter for investors to send to their brokers and advised "opting out of any securities lending programs." The company also advised investors to hold their DJT shares in a cash account at a brokerage firm instead of a margin account and to transfer shares to a bank in order to hold them in a retirement account.

The short-selling prevention advice comes as shares tumbled earlier in the week. On Monday, the company filed to issue more than 21 million shares. One day later, it announced a new live TV streaming platform.

Trump maintains a roughly 60% stake in Truth Social. At current levels of roughly $30 a share, Trump Media boasts a market cap of roughly $4 billion, giving the former president a stake worth around $2.4 billion. Right after the company's public debut, Trump's stake was worth just over $4.5 billion.

Former US President Donald Trump arrives for his criminal trial as jury selection continues at Manhattan Criminal Court on April 18, 2024, in New York City. (Photo by Jabin Botsford-Pool/Getty Images) (Pool via Getty Images)

The former president founded Truth Social after he was kicked off major social media apps like Facebook (META) and Twitter, the platform now known as X, following the Jan. 6 Capitol riots in 2021. Trump has since been reinstated on those platforms.

According to an updated regulatory filing released earlier this month, Trump Media reported sales of just over $4 million as net losses reached nearly $60 million for the full year ending Dec. 31. The company warned it expects losses to continue amid greater profitability challenges.

The filing also confirmed stakeholders are still subject to a six-month lockup period before selling or transferring shares. The only exception to the lockup period would be if the company's board votes to make a special dispensation. Although possible, experts told Yahoo Finance last month the attempt would likely result in multiple lawsuits on behalf of public shareholders.

Trump faces a $454 million fraud penalty and a campaign fundraising shortfallahead of his 2024 election rematch against Biden.

Trump recently posted a $175 million bond in the fraud case, which puts the final payment on hold while he appeals the verdict.

He is also on criminal trial related to alleged payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

Alexandra Canal is a Senior Reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on X @allie_canal, LinkedIn, and email her at alexandra.canal@yahoofinance.com.

Click here for the latest stock market news and in-depth analysis, including events that move stocks

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Former President Trump met Wednesday night with Polish President Andrzej Duda, the latest in a series of conversations the presumptive Republican nominee has held with foreign leaders.

Trump hosted Duda at Trump Tower in New York City, where the former president is staying as he attends his criminal trial over an alleged hush money scheme.

Duda, who enjoyed a good relationship with Trump during his first term, has been a proponent of supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia. Trump has been skeptical of providing aid to Ukraine and has criticized the NATO alliance of which Poland is a member.

Hes doing a fantastic job. The people of Poland love him, they really do, Trump said of Duda.

Hes my friend, and we had four great years together, Trump added.

The Trump campaign, in a readout issued after the meeting, said the two men spoke for two and a half hours and discussed the war in Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The two men also discussed Dudas proposal for NATO countries to spend 3 percent of their GDP on defense, the campaign said.

Poland is a NATO member that shares a border with Ukraine, putting it in a potentially precarious position. The U.S. and allies have warned that if Russia overtakes Ukraine, it could look to move into Poland or another neighboring country, triggering a wider global war.

Duda, a right-wing populist, has urged the U.S. to provide more assistance to Ukraine in its war against Russia. Duda visited the White House in February, where he and President Biden marked the 25th anniversary of Poland joining NATO.

Duda also had a strong relationship with Trump and once proposed naming a Polish military base after Trump.

Trump has pushed his America First foreign policy, questioning why the U.S. is giving so much assistance to Ukraine and calling on European nations to provide the majority of aid to Kyiv.

The former president has also raised fears among NATO members about his commitment to the alliance in a potential second term.

Trump made headlines with comments at a February rally in which he suggested he would do nothing to protect a NATO ally if they had not spent enough on defense funding.

I said, You didnt pay. Youre delinquent. He said, Yes, lets say that happened. No, I would not protect you, Trump told the crowd. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want.

Trump has, in recent weeks, met with Hungarian President Viktor Orban and British Foreign Secretary David Cameron. He also reportedly held a call with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Updated at 10:57 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Former President Trumps New York hush money trial has quickly turned into a media spectacle, allowing Trump to garner attention as he effectively merges his campaign with his courtroom attendance.

Trump aides have noted the wall to wall coverage of the former presidents remarks to reporters outside the courtroom Monday and Tuesday, sharing photos of nearly every major broadcast network airing his comments live as he railed against the judge, the prosecutor and President Biden.

Trump separately capitalized on media interest with a campaign stop at a bodega in Harlem after attending court Tuesday, taking note himself of the throngs of reporters who had gathered.

They want to keep me off the campaign trail. But based on what Im doing, I think theres more press here than there is if I went out to some nice location, Trump said.

The outsize media attention continue the trend of Trump and his campaign turning the courtroom into a bully pulpit for the former president, who is the presumptive Republican nominee for Novembers election.

Trumps rallies, where he gives hourlong, at times meandering speeches filled with misleading statements, no longer get the attention they did during the 2016 or even 2020 campaigns. His social media presence is diminished from his last campaign, when he was using Twitter.

But the early days of Trumps trial over an alleged hush money scheme has led to massive media attention, and Trump and his team are seeking to take full advantage.

The former president has in the early days of the trial spoken on camera at the start and end of the proceedings, using the opportunity and air time to attack the judge in the case as conflicted and tie his criminal cases to his political opponent, President Biden.

When Trump stopped to speak outside the courtroom Monday, CNN, Fox News and MSNBC all aired the remarks.

A Trump campaign official noted all of the focus is on the former president each time he is court, allowing Trump to drive his message in front of the cameras. That strategy was on display dating back to last year, when his court appearances for his indictments became daylong TV events.

Hes taking full advantage of the fact that theres so much media attention on the trial, said Alex Conant, who worked as an aide on Sen. Marco Rubios (R-Fla.) 2016 presidential campaign. Its very unconventional, but it worked for him in the civil trials earlier this year, and he thinks it will work for him again with a criminal trial.

Conant said Trumps message of constantly attacking the judge and prosecutor in the case is part of a playbook meant to undermine the validity of the proceedings in the eyes of the public.

Trumps tough talk is also intended to bolster his image among some supporters as a martyr who is protecting them from persecution, Conant said.

He has thoroughly embraced the image of a tough guy. And I think he wants to use the trial to enhance his image, Conant said.

The former president is charged in the hush money case with 34 counts of falsifying business records related to reimbursements to his then-fixer, Michael Cohen, who paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 just before the 2016 election to stay quiet about an alleged affair with Trump, which he denies.

An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll published this week found roughly one-third of adults said Trump did something illegal in the hush money case, and only roughly 30 percent of Americans said they thought prosecutors in the case were treating Trump fairly.

Still, the poll reflected the potential risks for Trump should he face a conviction.

The survey found 50 percent of U.S. adults, including 47 percent of independents, said a conviction in the case would make him unfit to serve as president.

Despite Trumps New York City trial and his three other criminal cases, the former president has maintained a lead over President Biden in key battleground states likely to decide the election, though the gap has narrowed in recent weeks.

A Decision Desk HQ average of polls showed Trump leading in Arizona by 4 percentage points, in Georgia by 5 percentage points, in Michigan by 3 percentage points and in North Carolina by 3 points. The two candidates are neck and neck in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The Biden campaign has largely avoided directly attacking Trump over the hush money trial in its opening days. But other Democrats have seized on reports that Trump dozed off during the first day of proceedings and have been happy to play up the contrast between the former president sitting in court while Biden hits the road to discuss issues such as the economy and tax policy in Pennsylvania.

If hes found guilty, it will be a massive story, and weve never had a felon running for president before, Conant said. And you can be sure every time Biden refers to him, hell remind people hes a felon if hes convicted.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
House Speaker Mike Johnson is making another run at freeing TikTok from Chinese government influence.

A significant tweak this time around appears to have already made it more likely that the measure will reach President Bidens desk.

The updated bill will give China's ByteDance one year to divest TikTok or face a US ban. Thats an increase from the six months that were offered when the bill first passed last month.

Johnson formally released the bill Wednesday, and it could receive a House vote by this weekend.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) at the U.S. Capitol on April 17. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images) (Kent Nishimura via Getty Images)

But the adjustment is already paying dividends in the Senate, which has looked upon the bill warily. One of the most prominent Senate holdouts has been Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell. She had helped slow progress on the bill but is now on board.

"Im very happy that Speaker Johnson and House leaders incorporated my recommendation to extend the ByteDance divestment period from six months to a year," she said in a statement late Wednesday evening.

She said the extended divestment period will allow a new buyer enough time to get a deal done and, as a result, "I support this updated legislation."

Cantwell is now in league with influential Senate figures like Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) who were already on board and already pushing for a Senate vote.

Final passage, of course, remains far from a sure thing. The amended TikTok bill is one piece of a complicated suite of bills that Speaker Johnson is hoping to pass in sequence, which includes a host of hot-button issues from aid to Israel and Ukraine to the selling off assets seized from Russian oligarchs.

Its a complicated gambit for the embattled speaker and one that could lead to an attempt to oust Johnson using a motion to vacate the speakers chair. Two GOP lawmakers are already openly calling for his ouster.

"I am not resigning. And it is, in my view, an absurd notion that someone would bring a vacate motion," Johnson shot back earlier this week. "Were simply here trying to do our job."

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) arrives for a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) (Drew Angerer via Getty Images)

But the progress on the TikTok side of the equation suggests that at least that issue could be coming to a head sooner rather than later.

If enacted, the bill would set in motion a process that could lead to a ban on a key news source for young people and one with 170 million American users.

But it's also an app that collects vast amounts of information about Americans and is owned by a company, ByteDance, that its critics say is under the control of the Chinese government.

ByteDance executives regularly deny the charge. "It is unfortunate that the House of Representatives is using the cover of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again jam through a ban bill that would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans," TikTok responded Wednesday in a statement.

Politico also reported that even the Chinese government is getting involved, as diplomats quietly meet with Hill staffers to try and stall momentum on the TikTok bill.

Ben Werschkul is Washington correspondent for Yahoo Finance.

Click here for politics news related to business and money

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People shop at Blue Willow Bookshop on Friday, May 26, 2023 in Houston. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer

Key portions of a law signed last year by Gov. Greg Abbott requiring booksellers to rate books for sexual content when selling to schools will not go into effect after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday declined to reconsider an earlier decision.

Its a win for booksellers, especially independent ones, who sued the state last year, saying the law violated the First Amendment and would devastate their businesses.

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Valerie Koehler, who owns Houstons Blue Willow Bookshop and is a lead plaintiff in the suit, said she was happy about the ruling but that the law already has caused a chilling effect that has led to lost orders.

The damage to us is mitigated by the fact we dont have to review every book and rate every book that weve sold to the school library, Koehler said of the courts decision. But the damage has been done in terms of the libraries across the entire state have changed their policies in a way that makes it hard for new books to get in.

School libraries have become a target of the right in recent years, with lawmakers and activists petitioning to pull dozens of titles off the shelves, many of them related to LGBTQ identity and relationships.

The law would have required booksellers to rate all books for sexual content, block any future sales of explicit books to schools and review all past school sales to recall the newly banned material. Independent bookstores had warned that the requirement was unworkable and would be far too expensive to implement.

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In January, a panel of three judges on the conservative-leaning 5th Circuit sided with their argument and blocked the book rating requirement from taking effect. The panel found that it violated their freedom of speech and put bookstores and publishers at risk of irreparable financial harm. The judges let stand another section of the law establishing statewide library standards that ban sexually explicit books in public schools.

The full 17-member court, which was weighing whether to reconsider the previous decision, voted 9-8 to let it stand.

A group of five justices, led by former Texas Solicitor General James Ho, published a dissent.

States have a profound interest in protecting the innocence of children from various adult activities, they wrote, listing alcohol, gambling or smoking as examples. We also shield them from sexually explicit materials. Nothing in the First Amendment prevents states from taking steps to shield children from such content.

Rep. Jared Patterson, a Frisco Republican who authored the bill, disagreed with the courts decision.

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Its incredibly disappointing that a majority of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with book vendors who push pornography on unsuspecting children in our public schools, he wrote in a statement posted on social media. Any judge claiming the State of Texas cannot require government vendors to ensure they dont send sexually explicit content to children in our schools is just plain wrong.

Patterson said last year while pushing for the law that it was inspired by books such as Gender Queer: A Memoir, a graphic novel exploring a young persons coming of age and sexual awakening.

Democrats and other critics of the law have warned that the ban on sexual content is so broad that it will censor a wide range of literature, including the Texas classic Lonesome Dove.
Strangers banded together to help Jennifer Cooper and her husband create memories while there was still time

Brandi-Lee Photography (L-R) Jennifer and Devin Cooper

Jennifer Cooper says she saw a bright light and heard a voice telling her not to die during her first brain tumor surgery in 2015. She says the voice told her to stay alive for her children, but also because had not met her true love yet. "Follow the butterflies," the voice said, she recalls.

Months later, on her first date with Devin Cooper, he was wearing a butterfly bracelet. When the couple moved in together, their home in Madisonville, Tenn., had butterfly wallpaper, light switches and curtains. They even have matching butterfly tattoos.

I always knew I had a soulmate, Jennifer, 44, tells PEOPLE. I just knew.

With a second life-threatening surgery looming  which, if successful, will result in the loss of her vision  strangers banded together to give the couple their dream wedding and help them create memories while there was still time.

We have a very strong belief that God can do miracles, she adds. Weve got a lot of faith.



Related: Couple Whips Up Wedding in a Week After Groom's Mom Received Stage 4 Cancer Diagnosis (Exclusive)

Brandi-Lee Photography (L-R) Devin Cooper and Jennifer Cooper

Jennifer enlisted in the Army in 2000 after seeing the movie G.I. Jane and thinking, I can do that.

They called me G.I. Jen, she says. I was doing one-armed push-ups

Stationed in Kosovo, she served as a combat flight medic. But soon after, she got sick, experiencing rashes, headaches, and nausea. At the time, she was pregnant and thought that was the cause of her symptoms. But in 2013, doctors found the first brain tumor.



When it was surgically removed in 2015, she had a stroke during the operation that left her with only half her vision in both eyes.



Do you have a sweet story the world needs to know? Send the details to love@people.com for a chance to be featured in Real-Life Love, People.com's series dedicated to sharing extraordinary connections and heartfelt gestures.

Shortly after the surgery, the single mom was scrolling through Facebook when she came across one of Devin's posts. As fate would have it, he had previously dated one of her friends and showed up for Jennifer as a "person you might know."



After she commented on his post, they started chatting online and from there, one thing just led to another.



When we first saw each other, it was like that movie Twilight, where their eyes meet and they see all these flashes  it was just like that, Jennifer says.

Seeing her the first time it was like, Shes mine. I love her, thats who I was meant to be with,' " adds Devin, a 39-year-old security guard. Its like God took the woman out of my mind and gave me exactly what I wanted.

They started dating on Jan. 6, 2016  and just over a month later, he proposed on Valentine's Day.

Even though, in my sickness and my situation, knowing it wouldnt be forever with us, or it could not be forever  he still took the plunge, Jennifer says.



Related: Spouses Both Get MS  a 'One-in-a-Million' Chance: Cant Imagine Going Through This with Anyone Else (Exclusive)

The couple couldnt afford their dream wedding at the time, but a preacher who owned a car lot offered to marry them for free  if they wed at his business on Aug. 18, 2016. So they did. But still, it wasn't the ceremony they envisioned for themselves, and they didn't even have a reception afterwards.

But last fall, Devins mother reached out to veteran advocate Willie Franklin, to ask if he knew anyone who could help plan a wedding for her son and his bride. Coincidentally, a wedding event planner called Franklin asking if there was a deserving veteran who might want a free wedding at a new venue she was promoting.

This wedding had been her dream and a big deal for her, says Kristin Vittorini, 41-year-old event planner with Blushing Gypsy Events in Cosby, Tenn. It was special. You could tell they really loved each other.



Brandi-Lee Photography (L-R) Jennifer and Devin Cooper

The ceremony was held Monday, Aug. 1 at Canopy Ridge, a glamping retreat in Sevierville.

Vittorini rallied vendors to donate goods and services  and donated her own money  and designed a classy boho dream wedding valued at nearly $30,000.

It was perfect, Jennifer says. I didnt think anybody cared like that. It was such a beautiful thing.

No matter what happens, the day will also be a forever memory for her five children, two with her first husband, Angelo, 21, Americus, 18, and three kids she and Devin share together: Aubriella, 10, Zeriah, 5, and Zander 4.

I want to be an example for my children to get married and to persevere through hard times to do good things, says the bride, whose eldest daughter walked her down the aisle.



Related: Man Tells Fiancee She Can Back Out After He Loses Leg, Ear and More in Chemical Spill. She Refuses (Exclusive)

At the time of the wedding, Jennifers surgery was scheduled for September, but she decided to wait so she could spend more time with her husband and kids.

If I have the surgery, and its successful, I lose my sight, she says. On the other side of the coin, I dont make it through the surgery. Theres just no good outcome. Theyre both bad.



Brandi-Lee Photography Jennifer and Devin Cooper's wedding

Jennifer says she has good days and bad days, but right now, the challenging days outweigh the easy ones. Still, most of the time, she says she tries to get up "because its just not in me to give up."



Her next doctors appointment to examine the tumor on April 18. Were praying its just going to be gone, she says. Were hoping for the best.

Love everybody around you and love them as much as you can, adds the mom. Thats whats most important.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Speaker Mike Johnson has unveiled a long-awaited package of bills that will provide military aid to Ukraine and Israel, replenish U.S. weapons systems and give humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza.

The package totals $95.3 billion in spending, which matches the total that the Senate passed in mid-February. But there are also a few differences with the Senate bill designed to win over some House conservatives.

Here's a look at what is in the bills that Johnson hopes to pass by this weekend.

UKRAINE

The aid to support Ukraine totals about $61 billion. Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee said that more than a third of that amount would be dedicated to replenishing weapons and ammunition systems for the U.S. military.

The overall amount of money provided to Ukraine for the purchase of weapons from the U.S. is roughly the same in the House and Senate bills  $13.8 billion.

The main difference between the two packages is that the House bill provides more than $9 billion in economic assistance to Ukraine in the form of forgivable loans. The Senate bill included no such provision seeking repayment.

The president would be authorized to set the terms of the loan to Ukraine and also be given the power to cancel it. Congress could override the cancellation but would have to generate enough votes to override a veto, a high bar considering how the two chambers are so evenly divided.

Johnson, as he seeks GOP support for the package, noted that former President Donald Trump has endorsed a loan concept."

He also noted that the House package includes a requirement for the Biden administration to provide a plan and a strategy to Congress for what it seeks to achieve in Ukraine. The plan would be required within 45 days of the bill being signed into law. House Republicans frequently complain that they have yet to see a strategy from Biden for winning the war.

The bill said the report from the administration must be a multiyear plan that spells out specific and achievable objectives. It also asked for an estimate of the resources required to achieve the U.S. objectives and a description of the national security implications if the objectives are not met.

ISRAEL

Aid in the legislation to support Israel and provide humanitarian relief to citizens of Gaza comes to more than $26 billion. The amount of money dedicated to replenishing Israel's missile defense systems totals about $4 billion in the House and Senate bills. An additional $2.4 billion for current U.S. military operations in the regions is also the same in both bills.

Some conservatives have been critical of the aid for Gaza. At the end of the day, though, Johnson risked losing critical Democratic support for the package if Republicans had excluded it. The humanitarian assistance comes to more than $9 billion for Gaza, where millions of Palestinians face starvation, lack of clean water and disease outbreaks.

INDO-PACIFIC

The investments to counter China and ensure a strong deterrence in the region come to about $8 billion. The overall amount of money and the investments in the two bills is about the same with a quarter of funds used to replenish weapons and ammunition systems that had been provided to Taiwan.
YEREVAN, APRIL 18, ARMENPRESS. United States Senator Robert Menendez, discussing the ethnic cleansing by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, expressed regret that the leadership of the United States had not been stronger and more determined in responding to that tragedy.

"What we saw with Azerbaijan's ethnic cleansing of Artsakh is deplorable. And I regret that our government was not more forceful. I was pushing them to be far more forceful. And now it is time for us once and for all to insist that the Administration no longer use its waiver to provide arms to the Azerbaijani government," Menendez said.
YEREVAN, APRIL 18, ARMENPRESS. Iran is exporting more oil than at any time in the past six years, giving its economy a $US35 billion a year boost, even as Western countries discuss stepping up sanctions in response to its attack on Israel, Financial Review reports.

Tehran sold an average of 1.56 million barrels a day during the first three months of the year, almost all of it to China, and its highest level since the third quarter of 2018, according to data company Vortexa.

According to the report, Irans success in exporting its crude underscores the difficulties facing the US and the EU as they seek to build up pressure on Tehran following its missile and drone attack on Israel last weekend.

Washington and the EU are preparing new sanctions on the Islamic Republic, in part to dissuade Israel from escalating the conflictwith Tehran by retaliating. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said this week that Iran clearly continued to export its oil and there was more to do to curb the trade, the report adds.

Israeli forces shot down the barrage of about 300 missiles and droneslaunched by Iran at the weekend, but the attack has intensified fears that the region is sliding towards a broader conflict, as Israel weighs how to respond.

Iran launched the attack in retaliation for a suspected Israeli strike on its Damascus consulate that killed several senior Iranian commanders.
YEREVAN, APRIL 11, ARMENPRESS/BTA. The Transport Ministry announced Thursday that it is calling off a public procurement procedure and is switching to a procedure of direct negotiations for purchase of 35 trains on funding from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. It said that it is moving to this kind of procedure "due to the specificities and complexity of the project for modernization of the railway rolling stock".

The Ministry opened a public procurement procedure on January 26, 2024 and said Thursday that the tender commission has found the technical specifications in the offers of the two tenderers to diverge from the project terms of reference regarding the timeframe for delivery, the certification and "other details".

Offers were submitted by the Czech Skoda Transportation and Pesa of Poland.

By a decision of Transport Minister Georgi Gvozdeikov of Thursday, the competitive procedure was called off and the Transport Ministry switches to direct contracting without prior announcement, as per Article 18, Para 1 Item 8 of the Public Procurement Act.

The Transport Minister is quoted as saying that the Ministry will invite to negotiations "a broad circle of participants so as to maximize competition". In order to ensure transparency, it will invite European Commission representatives to monitor the contracting process.

(This information is being published according to an agreement between Armenpress and BTA.)
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 16: U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is sworn in before testifying to the House Homeland Security Committee about the Biden Administration's FY2025 budget request in the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill on April 16, 2024 in Washington, DC. Under the leadership of Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), the House of Representatives will transmit articles of impeachment against Mayorkas later in the day, marking the beginning of the first Senate trial of a White House cabinet secretary in nearly 150 years. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX *** Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 16: U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testifies before the House Homeland Security Committee about the Biden Administration's FY2025 budget request in the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill on April 16, 2024 in Washington, DC. Under the leadership of Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), the House of Representatives will transmit articles of impeachment against Mayorkas later in the day, marking the beginning of the first Senate trial of a White House cabinet secretary in nearly 150 years. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 16: House Homeland Security Committee member Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) questions U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas as he testifies before the committee about the Biden Administration's FY2025 budget request in the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill on April 16, 2024 in Washington, DC. Under the leadership of Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), the House of Representatives will transmit articles of impeachment against Mayorkas later in the day, marking the beginning of the first Senate trial of a White House cabinet secretary in nearly 150 years. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 16: U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testifies before the House Homeland Security Committee about the Biden Administration's FY2025 budget request in the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill on April 16, 2024 in Washington, DC. Under the leadership of Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), the House of Representatives will transmit articles of impeachment against Mayorkas later in the day, marking the beginning of the first Senate trial of a White House cabinet secretary in nearly 150 years. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 16: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) speaks during a press conference with other senators and House impeachment managers at the U.S. Capitol on April 16, 2024 in Washington, DC. The bicameral group of legislators called the press conference to urge Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer to hold an impeachment trial after the House delivered articles of impeach today against Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) Win McNamee/Getty Images House Republican impeachment managers walk to the Senate as they deliver the articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. In front row are House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green, R-Tenn., and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. In second row are House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., followed by Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., and others. J. Scott Applewhite/AP U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testifies before the House Homeland Security Committee about the Biden Administration's FY2025 budget request in the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. in Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/TNS) Chip Somodevilla/TNS

WASHINGTON  Democrats put a swift end to the historic impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Wednesday, dismissing both articles against him in a matter of hours over objections from Texas Republicans who called for a full trial.

The House impeachment managers  a group of Republicans including U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, whose district stretches from Austin to Katy  never got to lay out their case to senators that Mayorkas willfully and systematically refused to enforce immigration laws as border crossings set records under his watch.

Democrats dismissed the allegations as policy differences and said they fell short of the high crimes and misdemeanors necessary to remove a Cabinet member. The Senate voted along party lines to declare the two articles against Mayorkas unconstitutional after shooting down a series of efforts by Republicans to delay the votes.

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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the brief impeachment proceedings the least legitimate, least substantive and most politicized impeachment trial ever in the history of the United States.

To validate this gross abuse by the House would be a grave mistake and could set a dangerous precedent for the future, Schumer said. For the sake of the Senates integrity and to protect impeachment for those rare cases we truly need it, senators should dismiss todays charges.

Texas Republican U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn both pushed for a full trial.

Cornyn said Mayorkas was impeached for serious offenses and dismissing the case without a trial would be a dangerous precedent to set.

This would be the first time in our nations history that the Senate failed to do its duty to consider evidence, hear witnesses and allow senators to vote guilty or not guilty, Cornyn said in a recent speech on the Senate floor. Impeachment is one of the most solemn features in our democracy, and the majority leader must not brush these articles under the rug.

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Cruz on Tuesday accused Democrats of being afraid of the evidence the House managers were set to present.

Were going to see Chuck Schumer throw out 200 years of history and ignore the Constitution, he said at a news conference with other Senate Republicans. Why? Because he does not want these managers to present the evidence of the people dying because of their policies.

The House narrowly voted to impeach Mayorkas in February for willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law and for breach of public trust. It marked just the second impeachment of a Cabinet official ever, and the first since 1876 when Ulysses S. Grant was president.

House managers, also including U.S. Rep. August Pfluger of San Angelo, delivered the two articles of impeachment to the Senate on Tuesday.

The voice of the people is very clear, said McCaul, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Secure the border and impeach this man, this criminal.

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Mayorkas, meanwhile, has said he is focused on his job leading the Homeland Security agency, which rolled out a new campaign Wednesday aimed at combating online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
The British Army is close to receiving the new Challenger 3 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs), according to information published by the British Ministry of Defence on April 18, 2024. Considered one of Europe's most modern tanks, the Challenger 3 is now in the final stages before entering the production phase.

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With the Challenger 3, the British army will be equipped with the most modern Main Battle Tank in Europe. (Picture source British MoD)

British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps emphasized the critical nature of this advancement amidst growing global threats. "In a more dangerous world, the need for combat vehicles such as the Challenger 3 tank is imperative as the threats facing the UK evolve," Shapps stated during his visit to the Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) factory in Telford, where he met with the team responsible for this engineering marvel.

The Challenger 3 boasts advanced armour and state-of-the-art firepower, including a new turret with a smoothbore gun compatible with NATO ammunition, enhanced sensors, and an impressive range of technology making it the most survivable tank ever operated by the British Army. These features are expected to play a pivotal role in the UKs defense strategy and deterrence capabilities.

The first of the tanks has already demonstrated its capabilities in trials, with plans to test all prototypes under operational conditions to refine their performance. An additional 140 units are slated for construction and delivery, ensuring that the Challenger 3 remains a mainstay in the British Army's arsenal until at least 2040.

The Challenger 3 has been designed to offer more firepower, protection, and mobility than previous versions of the Challenger tanks. Its main armament is a German-designed 120mm L55A1 gun, featuring an extended barrel. This design enhancement allows the gun to achieve higher muzzle velocities, thus enhancing both its range and accuracy. These improvements make the L55A1 exceptionally effective on the battlefield, enabling tanks to engage targets at greater distances with increased precision.

Moreover, the L55A1 is designed to maintain compatibility with a wide range of ammunition types, including advanced armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS) rounds and high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) munitions. This versatility ensures that tanks equipped with this gun can tackle various types of threats, from heavily armored vehicles to fortified positions. The integration of the L55A1 into modern tank systems exemplifies the ongoing advancements in military technology, aiming to enhance the strategic capabilities of armed forces in diverse combat scenarios.

The new turret structure and armor of the Challenger 3 tank offer superior protection to the crew. The tank is equipped with a laser warning system and the Trophy active protection system able to detect and neutralize incoming threats by firing countermeasures to intercept and destroy them before they can hit the vehicle.

The Challenger 3 features an enhanced, more powerful engine along with an upgraded engine cooling system. It also incorporates a third-generation hydro-gas suspension system, which improves firing accuracy while the tank is in motion. Additionally, the tank can achieve a top road speed of 60 km/h.

Defense News April 2024
NEW DELHI: Stressing the need to maintain and protect voters' trust, the Supreme Court on Thursday cautioned the petitioners against doubting the electronic voting machines (EVMs). While reserving its verdict on a batch of pleas seeking complete cross-verification of votes cast using EVMs with voter verifiable paper audit trail slips (VVPAT) a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta said the integrity of the entire electoral process must be ensured as over suspicion of everything is a problem.

The top court underscored the importance of voter satisfaction and trust in the electoral system and told petitioners, who sought its direction to go back to using ballot papers, not to suspect the efficacy of the EVMs.

The remarks by the bench came when advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing petitioner NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), sought reversal of the poll panel's 2017 decision to replace the transparent glass on VVPAT machines with an opaque glass through which a voter can see the slip only when the light is on for seven seconds.

"I understand it is election eve. At least the bulb that glows for seven seconds should be allowed to glow continuously after the button is pressed in the EVM," Mr Bhushan said.

The bench told Mr Bhushan that voter satisfaction and trust are at the core of the electoral process. "Mr Bhushan, now you are going too far. This is too much. Whether it's transparent or translucent glass on a VVPAT machine or the glowing of a bulb, ultimately it is the voter's satisfaction and trust (that matters). The bulb only helps you see better, that's all."

The top court said, "Everything cannot be suspected. You (Mr Bhushan) cannot be critical of everything. If they (the Election Commission) have done something good, you have to appreciate it. You don't have to be critical of everything."

Replying to the bench, Mr Bhushan said he is not casting any aspersion on the poll panel, but the possibility for improvement exists.

Justice Khanna told him: "Agree. But if they have improved things within the four corners of the law, then it is fine. Bulb or no bulb, how does it matter? If an explanation is given, then you must appreciate it. Over suspicion of everything is a problem. A voter has to satisfy himself, that's all. They gave an explanation for the improvement, you heard them and everyone heard them."

Solicitor-general Tushar Mehta said that as an officer of the court, he is submitting that these efforts by petitioners to doubt the efficacy of EVMs on the eve of the elections have an impact on voter percentage.

Mr Mehta said: "By these efforts, the vote percentage gets affected. People may think that something is wrong. The democratic choice of voter is being made into a joke despite repeated rebukes to them (the petitioners) by this court. I have asked my side to be ready for planted news reports and articles. Every time there is an important hearing, planted news reports and articles come up."

The bench asked Mr Mehta to leave it at that and clarified that the ADR petition was filed last year and that it was the court's fault that the matter could not be heard. "Yes, some new petitions have come now, but the one in which Mr Bhushan is appearing was filed long back. We have learnt to deal with comments on social media and people have the freedom to post their opinions on social media," Justice Khanna told Mr Mehta.

During the nearly daylong hearing, the bench also interacted for nearly an hour with senior deputy election commissioner Nitesh Kumar Vyas to understand the functioning of EVMs.

The bench posed several questions to Mr Vyas and said, "There seems to be some gap between what is available in the public domain and what should be available in the public domain. That needs to be bridged."

During the hearing on Thursday, the poll panel informed the top court that allegations of EVMs showing one extra vote during a mock poll in Kasaragod (Kerala) were false.

"These news reports are false. We have verified the allegation from the district collector and it appears that they are false. We will submit a detailed report to the court," Mr Vyas told the bench while countering the charge of Mr Bhushan.

On petitioners plea that paper ballots should be used instead of EVMs, the bench said, "Paper ballots have huge drawbacks and we don't want to think about them. Instead, we were thinking of using barcodes for political parties in the future, but that will be a humongous task."

"The Indian system is working well and the voting percentage is increasing in every election, which shows people are having faith in the system. We all know what used to happen with ballot papers," the bench said, referring to rigging and booth capturing incidents during elections in the past.

The bench said this while responding to the petitioners' contention that several developed countries have gone back to using ballot papers in elections.

Senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing the poll panel, said EVMs are standalone machines and cannot be tampered with, but the possibility of human error cannot be ruled out.

Underscoring that the electoral process has to have sanctity, Justice Datta told Mr Singh, "You have to allay the apprehensions, both in the court and outside the court. Let nobody have the apprehension that something that is expected is not being done."

The poll panel told the bench that no mismatch has ever been detected between the votes counted in the EVMs and VVPAT slips.

The Election Commission submitted that it has matched the EVM votes with more than 4 crores VVPAT slips and no instance of mismatch has been found so far.

The poll panel made the submission in the written statement filed in response to the queries raised by the top court during the hearing on Tuesday in connection with the petitions seeking complete verification of the EVM data with VVPAT.

In a 14-page affidavit, the poll panel assured the top court that it is impossible to tamper with EVMs at any stage.

On a query from the bench if tampering of EVMs was possible after polling, the Election Commission said polling officers press the close button at the end of polling and the machines do not accept any votes. The presiding officer records the poll start and close timings in the machine.

After the close of polling, the control unit is switched off and the ballot unit is disconnected from the control unit. It is then kept separately in their carrying cases and sealed with paper slips on which the polling agents sign, the poll panel said in its affidavit.

On a query from the bench about whether it is possible for a voter to get a slip after voting, the Election Commission flagged concerns that this will compromise the secrecy of the vote and may be misused outside the booth. "How it can be used by others, we cannot say," the poll panel said.

Mr Bhushan and senior advocate Gopal Sankararanarayanan appeared for the petitioners. Other lawyers represented the intervenors.

On Tuesday, the top court had questioned arguments questioning the sanctity of voting through EVMs based on data from private agencies and cautioned the petitioners against seeking to bring down the system.

Taking a dim view of calls for reverting to ballot papers, the apex court said the electoral process in India is a "humongous task" and recalled how polling booths were captured in the era of ballot papers to manipulate election results.

The seven-phase Lok Sabha polls begin on April 19.
Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday courted a controversy with his sexist remarks against BJP candidate Navneet Rana from Amravati constituency in Maharashtra by calling her naachi (negative connotation for dancer).

She is a dancer, an actor on the screen who will call you... will make some affectionate gestures towards you, but do not fall for that trap. The Lok Sabha election is a contest not against a dancer or Babli (a con character in a Hindi film) but a fight between Maharashtra and Modi, Raut said.

The Sena UBT Rajya Sabha MP made the controversial comments while addressing a campaign rally in Amaravati in support of Congress candidate Balwant Wankhede, who is pitted against Rana in the Lok Sabha polls. The Uddhav Thackeray-led party is an ally of the Congress.

Raut asked the Sena UBT workers to ensure the defeat of Rana in Amravati. It is the primary and moral responsibility of every Shivsainik to defeat a woman, who tried to challenge the Matoshree (residence of Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai) and used foul language for Hindu religion. She had tried to enter Matoshree by force (during a Hanuman Chalisa agitation in 2022), he added.

Rana, an actor-turned-politician, was elected from Amravati as an independent in 2019 and she is now contesting from the same constituency on a BJP ticket.

Legislator Manisha Kayande from the Eknath Shinde-led Sena slammed Raut for his comments and urged the Election Commission to ban him from taking further part in the election campaign, on the lines of Congress leader Randeep Surjewala, who had used alleged insulting words against BJP MP Hema Malini.

Saying that Rauts comments have exposed his hatred towards women, she demanded that the EC should ban Raut from addressing rallies during the campaign and he should not be allowed to give any speeches or interviews to media during the entire campaign period.

Two days ago, the EC barred Surjewala from campaigning for 48 hours over his alleged derogatory remarks against Hema Malini.
Be it a democracy or a dictatorship, governments are almost always changed by throwing out the incumbent. The former is called a democratic transition and the latter is inevitably a revolution. Even if it is, as usually is the case, more of the same.

Indias electoral process that begins on April 19 will be concluded on June 4 when the results are announced. Most psephologists, commentators, astrologers and bazar gossips are sanguine that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be easily re-elected to a third successive term. I do not agree with that sanguinity.

I think Mr Modi has a hard hill to climb and the slope may be too steep and slippery for him. Look at the objective reality. In 2019, the BJP won 303 seats or almost 56 per cent of the Lok Sabha with 37.4 per cent of the popular vote. This skew is how it usually is in a first-past-the-post system. Even a minority mandate translates into an overwhelming outcome. But the problem with the BJP mandate is that it is concentrated in a minority of states. The saffron mandate is restricted almost entirely to the large Hindi-speaking states (202/235), as well as Maharashtra (41/48) and Karnataka (25/28). It got 268 out of its 303 in just this concentration. Winning these states is not the issue for the BJP. Repeating this performance is.

The BJP governments in these states have not exactly covered themselves with glory. The party got resoundingly thrashed in the recent state elections in Karnataka, where Mr Modi fully deployed his mind spread and headgears, turning it into a Modi versus Congress contest. In the years after 2014, the BJP has turned every election, including for municipal councils, into a Modi versus the rest contest. It has lost many of these. For Prime Minister Modi to repeat 2019, we have to assume that the electorate is able to selectively choose Mr Modi for Parliament and not for the Assemblies.

But a lot of murky waters have flowed down the Ganga, the Narmada and Godavari since 2019. The effects of demonetisation (2016), the Covid-19 lockdowns and general mismanagement have set India on a much lower growth trajectory than the one it was between 2004 and 2014. In that decade Indias GDP grew from $721 billion to $2.03 trillion, or an increase of 182 per cent; while in 2024 it grew to $3.75 trillion from $2.03 trillion, or by 86.6 per cent. But lower growth has not slowed down the accumulation of wealth with the upper class. Income inequality is among the highest in the world now. At the end of 2022, the wealth Gini coefficient of India stood at 82.3, a significant increase compared to 74.7 in 2000.

Joblessness and job dissatisfaction have grown to dominate our economic and social landscape. The ILOs India Employment Report 2024 paints a bleak outlook for the 7-8 million youth being added to the labour force each year, with youth accounting for almost 83 per cent of Indias unemployed workforce. Even more distressing is that among the unemployed, the proportion of educated young people, those who have had a secondary-level education or higher, has doubled to 65.7 per cent now from 35.2 per cent in 2000. Unemployed graduates (29.1%) outnumber illiterates (3.4%) by nine times. This underscores the shortage of jobs requiring skills and education.

The peasantry is disaffected and has taken to the highways again. While the Jat peasantry of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh fattened on assured MSP and near 100 per cent procurement wants more, the peasantry in the rest of the country chaffs at state regulations to control prices and hence restrict their incomes. The fragmentation of land holdings has only added to farmer discontent. Ironically, it is widespread even among those who get all and those who get little.

That this general mood will not affect Mr Modis standing in the saffron belt even somewhat, despite a half-constructed temple in Ayodhya, is to be excessively hopeful. People are natural repositories of discontent. Even after Lord Ram returned to Ayodhya it didnt take people too long to raise uncomfortable questions and Queen Sita had to seek refuge in Valmikis ashram.

Mr Modi has to deal with discontent and in all likelihood there will be attrition. In each of the saffron states, the BJP won in 2019 with well over 50 per cent of the popular vote. In Gujarat, it polled as much as 62 per cent, in UP it currently holds 64 seats with 49.56 per cent, and in MP and Rajasthan it had over 58 per cent each. Only in Assam did the BJP do well (9/12) with only 36 per cent of the vote. Even in West Bengal, where Mr Modi waged a vicious and personalised campaign against Mamata Banerjee to win 18 seats, it won 40 per cent. The picture is clear, there is too little room to climb higher, while a drop could be very precipitous in terms of seats.

Presuming Mr Modi will lose support in the BJPs existing strongholds, where can it hope to make up for the losses? Let's start from the South. It is very unlikely to gain any seats in Tamil Nadu and Kerala -- meaning zero will remain zero. It has 25 out of 28 in Karnataka, which is unlikely to be repeated. The Congress is expected to make strong gains here. The BJP has a recently cobbled up an alliance with the TDP, which could mean a couple of seats in Andhra Pradesh. It has four in Telangana and is unlikely to add to it. Thus, even a 10 per cent loss in seats in the saffron heartland and a further loss of, say 10-15 in Karnataka, will leave it well below the halfway mark. Along with its on and off ally, the JD(U), the BJP won 39/40 in Bihar. With the RJD resurgent and a settled alliance with the Congress, that record is unlikely to be maintained. The INDIA alliance is tipped to easily do double digits or even 50 per cent of the seats in Bihar. The AAP/Congress alliance might sweep Delhis seven seats. The saffron alliance won 41/48 in Maharashtra. With every party split in the state and with an uninspiring state leadership, Mr Modi alone may not be able to pull all the chestnuts out of the fire.

Spread it on a spreadsheet and see how the cookie crumbles. It doesnt look like the BJP is anywhere near 400. Even the halfway mark of 272 looks like a hard climb.
by Shafique Khokhar

Bishop Indrias Rehmat chose Fr Abid Tanvir, former diocese vicar general, as parish priest. Two catechists were also appointed to work with him. Admired and visited by Muslims, the church named after Saint Anthony was inaugurated last year. The bishop urged the faithful to make this beautiful church stronger in spirituality.

Okara (AsiaNews)  Inaugurated with a day of celebration last June, the new St Anthonys Catholic Church, Okara district, south-east of Lahore, now has a new parish priest and a working group dedicated to the pastoral care of the community.

Bishop Rehmat chose Fr Abid Tanvir, former vicar general of the Diocese of Faisalabad, to replace Fr Tahir Aziz who first took on the new place of worship, working to improve the lot of some 500 Catholic families in the village of Antoniabad.

Christians are not the only ones to be drawn to this church, as many local Muslims like to visit the building to admire its beauty.

In addition to the parish priest, the bishop appointed two catechists, Babu Palous Boota and Babu Gulfam Nawab, who together with Fr Tanvir are called to boost the pastoral mission and nurture the communitys faith and spirit.

Hundreds of people welcomed with joy the appointments, offering the new parish priest and the two catechists their full collaboration. Upon arrival, all three, accompanied by Bishop Rehmat, were greeted with garlands of flowers, gifts, and songs of joy.

Speaking to the faithful, the new parish priest, Fr Abid Tanvir, said he felt "immense happiness" for "the opportunity to serve a Catholic village. With four Catholic villages in the Diocese of Faisalabad[*], being parish priest in one of them is a great responsibility."

The priest underlined the devotion of the people of Anthoniabad, adding that enhancing the bond between the Church and the faithful was my priority", as is increasing their numbers and "strengthening them in faith and sacraments.

The clergyman also emphasised the vital role played by women in the progress of the church; for this reason, they must be more empowered and spiritual. To reach this goal, I assure you of my availability and devotion and need your cooperation for the progress of this church.

For his part, Bishop Indrias Rehmat of Faisalabad urged the faithful to support the mission of the new parish priest and his aides who are called to "make this beautiful church stronger in spirituality".

The church is a building," the bishop noted, but you must make it the house of God. I have known Fr Abid Tanvir for a long time and I have witnessed his fidelity and dedication" as vicar general of the diocese, the prelate explained.

Thus, I have entrusted him with the burden" of becoming "the new parish priest of this church, to help people become more faithful and rich in spirituality."

St Anthonys Catholic Church was inaugurated in June 2023, but the first brick was laid back in 2007 thanks to the involvement of the then Bishop Joseph Coutts of Faisalabad, and the parish priest, Fr James Archangelus.

It took 16 years to complete, with contributions from the local community and the Diocese of Faisalabad, as well as a donation of more than 30,000,000 rupees (US$ 108,000) from the Papal Foundation, a United States-based organisation that funds projects involving the Catholic Church around the world.

[*] Francisabad, Khushpur, Chak#6 Okara, and Chak#10 Okara.
Today's news: Qatar threatens a step back in its role as mediator with Hamas as Gaza talks stall; Biden wants to triple tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from China; A popular anti-war fairy tale called 'terrorism' by a Russian court. Armenia establishes a day to remember the Yazidi genocide.

SOUTH KOREA

Nearly 3 in 10 foreign workers in Korea worked 50 hours or more per week during the past year. This was revealed by the data of a survey released yesterday by Statistics Korea. As of May 2023, there were a total of 1.43 million foreigners aged 15 years or older in South Korea, and 64.5% were employed. Of the total foreigners who had resided in the country for more than three months, ethnic Chinese Koreans represent 33% (the largest share) and those from Vietnam 14.1%. The percentage of foreigners from non-Asian countries was 9.7%.

QATAR-GAZA-ISRAEL

Qatar "is reevaluating" its role as mediator between Israel and Hamas. Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said this during a press conference with his Turkish counterpart in Doha, while negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza remain at a standstill. Sheikh Mohammed accused "politicians with narrow interests" of harming Qatar with their "destructive statements". The Persian Gulf state often serves as an intermediary between the United States and its adversaries, including Russia and Iran, and regional Islamist movements.

CHINA-UNITED STATES

US President Joe Biden has called for tripling tariffs on some steel and aluminum products from China. This is a further protectionist move undertaken by Biden during his re-election campaign against Donald Trump. The White House said the proposal aims to protect U.S. jobs from "unfair" competition. China has already denied accusations of dumping steel and aluminum abroad.

INDIA

The Prime Minister of Manipur, N Biren Singh, has launched a strong appeal to the population, inviting them to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - Prime Minister Modi's party - in the next Lok Sabha elections to safeguard the territorial integrity of the State , which has been shaken by ethnic tensions between the Meitei and the Kuki for almost a year now. Singh highlighted the threats posed by attempts to alter Manipur's demographic balance, saying such efforts could potentially destabilize the region. On the contrary, the Kuki accuse Modi's government of having given the Meitei a free hand, exacerbating tensions.

GEORGIA

Protests are growing in Georgia against the approval of the law on the "transparency of foreign influences", with rallies in front of the parliament in Tbilisi with thousands of demonstrators, with clashes that led to the arrest of 14 people by the police, and a policeman was hospitalized. Growing conflicts are feared in the coming days.

RUSSIA

The director Zenja Berkovic and the playwright Svetlana Petrijcuk, in prison for a year now for shows considered pro-Ukrainian, have been included in the list of "terrorists and extremists" by the control agency Rosfinmonitoring, considering the show Finist Jasnyj Sokol, a remake of a popular anti-war fairy tale, as a "justification of terrorism".

ARMENIA-IRAQ

The Yerevan parliament unanimously approved the proposal to commemorate in Armenia on August 3 the genocide of the Yazidis in Shingal in north-western Iraq near the border with Syria, by ISIS terrorists in 2014, with the exile of the population and mass killings, kidnappings and violence against women and children. It is the first state in the world to have made this choice.
by Mathias Hariyadi

After President-elect Prabowo's visit to Beijing, Chinas foreign minister travelled to Jakarta to discuss Chinese involvement in the infrastructure of Indonesias new capital Nusantara, a project that follows the building of a high-speed train between Jakarta and Bandung.

Jakarta (AsiaNews)  Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Indonesian counterpart, Retno Marsudi, have issued a joint statement in favour of a ceasefire in Gaza and for the full recognition of the State of Palestine by the United Nations.

The statement comes a few hours before the UN Security Council votes on a motion presented by Algeria calling for the recognition of the State of Palestine, which will most likely be vetoed by the United States.

The joint statement was issued as part of Wang Yi's week-long visit to Indonesia to boost bilateral relations. In fact, the Beijing-Jakarta axis plays a crucial role in Chinas strategy in Southeast Asia.

Last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed Indonesian President-elect General Prabowo Subianto in Beijing, which was followed by a visit to Japan where he met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Putting aside international issues, the Chinese Foreign Minister's trip to Indonesia is centred primarily on Chinese investments in the region.

It comes after the Whoosh high-speed train came into service six months ago, connecting Jakarta to Bandung, West Java, as 30-minute trip. Built with China, it made Indonesia the only country in Southeast Asia to have such a rail link.

Now Indonesia is looking at this partnership to build Nusantara, its new capital in East Kalimantan, which will be officially inaugurated on 17 August.

During his meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi today, outgoing President Joko Widodo raised the issue.

Speaking to the press, Foreign Minister Retna, who accompanied the president, said that the President encourages cooperation in development at IKN, including for modes of transportation. IKN refers to Ibu Kota Nusantara, Capital City of Nusantara.

Extending the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail project was also discussed. It is necessary to accelerate the completion of the feasibility study for the extension of the route to Surabaya," Retno said.

The arrival of Chinese trains in Indonesia has also set in motion other high-speed rail projects.

A Brunei infrastructure company, Brunergy Utama, is developing an ambitious plan to launch one such projects, namely the Trans-Borneo Railways, a line running 1,620 kilometres across the island of Borneo from west to east, connecting Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia, including Indonesias new capital Nusantara.

RED LANTERNS IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO CHINA. TO RECEIVE A WEEKLY UPDATE EVERY THURSDAY, CLICK HERE.
Embattled Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has found new allies among the GOP moderates in Congress, as Georgia firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's bid to oust him gains more support from hard right Republicans.

Johnson is expected to release a foreign aid package, with money for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan this week, but the text of the bill is still under construction, Capitol insiders are reportedly saying. With Republicans facing a razor-thin majority, Johnson will also need substantial support from Democrats to get anything through the House.

At the same time, however, aid for Ukraine is a divisive issue with the GOP. Greene, who has threatened to oust Johnson, is notably opposed to any funding for embattled country's defense.

"Funding Ukraine is probably one of the most egregious things that he can do," the Georgia congresswoman told CNN, earlier this month. On Tuesday, Greene gained an ally for her ouster bid in the form of Rep. Thomas Massie (R-W.V.), who publicly called on Johnson to resign.

Members of the hardline conservative Freedom Caucus have called on Johnson to amend the foreign aid bill to include funding for border security and offset any money sent to Ukraine and Israel with budget cuts elsewhere.

Some lawmakers, including Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), have also pitched a bill that would fund Israel and not Ukraine. It is unlikely, however, that this version of the legislation would gain the necessary support of House Democrats.

Several moderate members of the GOP released a statement this week, reiterating their support of Johnson's original package.

"There is nothing our adversaries would love more than if Congress were to fail to pass critical national security aid. Speaker Johnson has produced a plan that will boost U.S. national security interests in Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific," Representatives Michael McCaul, Mike Rogers, Mike Turner, Tom Cole, Ken Calvert and Mario Diaz-Balart.

"We don't have time to spare when it comes to our national security. We need to pass this aid package this week."
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday stressed the "urgent" need for the US Congress to approve a military aid package for Ukraine, before meeting with Kiev's Foreign Minister on the Italian island of Capri.

"At this time it is urgent that all friends and supporters of Ukraine do as much as possible in their efforts to give Ukraine what it needs to continue to defend itself effectively against Russian aggression," Blinken told reporters before meeting his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmitro Kuleba.

Blinken held a bilateral with Kuleba ahead of a meeting of G7 foreign ministers -- comprising Italy, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States and Japan -- on Ukraine scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

A diplomatic source in Italy, which holds this year's rotating G7 presidency, said the aim is to speed up the delivery of defence systems for Ukraine, which has been facing a Russian invasion since February 2022.

The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives scheduled a vote on Saturday on a new $61 billion aid package for Ukraine that Joe Biden's administration is advocating and which has been blocked for several months.

Kuleba stressed the need for a deal on this envelope that he said would "without exaggeration, help save Ukrainians from being slaughtered by Russian missiles".

"This is a matter of life and death for thousands of people, in a broader sense, it is about Ukraine's survival in its fight against a much stronger enemy," the Ukrainian Foreign Minister said, referring to a Russian bombing that left 18 people dead in the city of Chernigov on Wednesday.
Organized gangs have been targeting high-end stores in California, getting away with up to $100,000 in merchandise at a time in the brazen heists.

Now the Los Angeles Police Department Commercial Crimes Division Organized Retail Crimes Task Force is investigating a series of "flash robberies" at retail stores involving 10-20 suspects.

Cops say they began targeting local retail stores last month within a few miles of each other.

The robbery crew is made up of 10 to 20 suspects who enter the stores in the evening hours wearing hooded sweatshirts and face coverings.

They quickly go in, remove clothing and other merchandise, and flee without paying.

They then race away on bicycles.

"The suspects have used force and displayed a lack of regard for the safety of witnesses and victims," the LAPD warns.

The suspects are described as Hispanics, 5'-6' tall, 120 to 250 pounds, and appear to be between the ages of 15-25.

Police say it is likely that the suspects attend the Los Angeles Unified School District near the targeted stores.

Last month, the LAPD said it was investigating a string of burglaries targeting Los Angeles area pharmacies that appear to be tied to one crew.
18 April 2024 21:00 (UTC+04:00)

Fatima Latifova Read more

Azerbaijan's suspension of cooperation with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe at the beginning of this year was welcome news for many anti-Azerbaijan forces.

Thus, there were a number of forces that claimed that the West would cut ties with Azerbaijan and that Europe would impose heavy sanctions against Baku.

However, there were state officials who saw that the Azerbaijani government did not violate any international law, showed a humane approach to all issues, and stated that unfair arguments were raised against official Baku in the Parliamentary Assembly.

In recent days, allegations regarding Azerbaijan's resumption of PACE activities have caused fear, especially in the Armenian media. It is not a secret that the tension of Azerbaijan's relations with the West was mostly in favour of Armenia and France.

But is Azerbaijan really returning to PACE?

Speaking to Azernews, Azerbaijani MP Elman Nasirov said in his comment that the reason for the deterioration of these relations was the unjust and biased accusations of PACE officials against Azerbaijan.

"The responsibility for spoiling relations between the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and Azerbaijan falls on the other side. PACE officials unjustly applied a harsh punishment mechanism against Azerbaijan," he said.

The deputy noted that Azerbaijan was considered guilty for liberating its lands from the Armenian occupation.

"Supposedly, Azerbaijan's fault is that it liberated its land from occupation, and the Armenians living in Garabagh left the territory for this reason only. This is a very ridiculous and absurd accusation. It should be noted that no Armenian was forcibly removed from Garabagh. They were even offered Azerbaijani citizenship," Nasirov said.

He stressed that Azerbaijan will not ask anyone to return to this organisation.

"The state of Azerbaijan will not ask anyone to be recalled to PACE under any circumstances. Western institutions made this mistake themselves and should correct it," said the deputy.

The deputy recalled Azerbaijan's past relations with the European Parliament. He noted that the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, harshly criticised European parliamentarians.

"Some time ago, such unfair steps were taken in the European Parliament in relation to Azerbaijan. At that time, our relations with the European Parliament were completely severed. A little later, European parliamentarians came to Azerbaijan. The President of Azerbaijan received them and criticised them very sharply for their unfair position. After that, steps were taken to restore our relations," he said.

Elman Nasirov noted the support of Turkiye and Georgia for Azerbaijan. The deputy said that PACE will make the final decision.

"Parliaments of Turkiye, Georgia, and other countries also appealed to PACE to reconsider its unfair decision regarding Azerbaijan. Now, as they say, the ball is in PACE's court," he said.

The Azerbaijani deputy drew attention to the influence of the European Union on PACE. Azerbaijan's cooperation with the European Union is at a high level.

"There may be certain effects on PACE in the European Union as well. Because today, relations between Azerbaijan and the European Union are at a very high level. Especially in the field of energy, our cooperation has great potential, and this potential is being used successfully," he said.

Elman Nasirov drew attention to the meeting of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov, with the representative of the EU for Central Asia, Terhi Hakala. He said that Azerbaijan acts as a friend on fundamental issues with the West.

"Yesterday, our Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with the representative of the European Union for Central Asia, and this meeting once again proved that there are serious improvements in Azerbaijan's relations with Europe, and we take a friendly position on fundamental issues," the deputy emphasised.

MP Nasirov said that in the future, PACE will pay close attention to its relations with Azerbaijan.

"When these facts are taken into account, it can be considered that certain influence mechanisms can be implemented on the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and relevant steps can be taken to review the relations with Azerbaijan and return the relations to their normal state," he concluded.

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18 April 2024 11:33 (UTC+04:00)

Fatima Latifova Read more

The European Energy Group of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Azerbaijan evaluated the first renewable energy auction and other projects to be held on the eve of COP29, Azernews reports, citing the post shared by Azerbaijan's Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov on his official "X" account.

The energy minister, on a visit to Abu Dhabi, met with Grzegorz Zielinski, director of the EBRD's European Energy Group.

"In a meeting with Grzegorz Zielinski, Director, Head of Energy Europe, for the EBRD in Abu Dhabi, we discussed the activities of the Energy Efficiency Fund, the implementation of pilot projects in the field of energy efficiency, the Azerbaijan (Nakhchivan)-Turkiye-Europe energy line, the Caspian-Black Sea-Europe green energy corridor, the connection of 1 GW solar-wind energy projects to the grid, and cooperation on energy system modernization. We evaluated the first renewable energy auction and other projects to be implemented on the eve of COP29," said P. Shahbazov.

In a meeting with Grzegorz Zielinski, Director, Head of Energy Europe, for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (@EBRD) in Abu Dhabi, we discussed the activities of the #EnergyEfficiencyFund, the implementation of pilot projects in the field of energy efficiency, pic.twitter.com/9YbszNOjPp  Parviz Shahbazov (@ParvizShahbazov) April 18, 2024

Recall that Azerbaijan successfully participated in the COP28 held in Abu Dhabi last year. Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, will host the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29) for the first time in the region from November 1122, 2024. The decision was made at the plenary session of COP28 on December 11.

Azerbaijan will take the opportunity to bring heads of state and governments, civil society organisations, businesses, and international institutions together in the South Caucasus to discuss climate change, measures to accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement, and focus on long-term climate strategies and goals.

It is worth noting that Azerbaijan confirmed its commitment to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases by 35 percent by 2030 and increase this target by 40 percent by 2050. Fulfilling the commitments under the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015 and actively working in this regard are priority issues for the government of Azerbaijan.

The Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has been held annually since 1995. The event aims to assess the progress made in combating climate change around the world.

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18 April 2024 12:11 (UTC+04:00)

Ulviyya Shahin Read more

The decisions that will be made at COP29 will continue to develop within the CICA, CICA Secretary General Kairat Sarybay said at a briefing, Azernews reports.

At the proposal of the president of Azerbaijan, we will look for synergy between COP29 and the upcoming important event for CICAthe Council of Foreign Ministers of the organisationso that they can create synergy, Sarybay noted.

Azerbaijan was elected chair country of the CICA for 20242026 by the decision of the CICA Council of Foreign Ministers dated March 19, 2024.

According to the decision, as part of its chairmanship in 2024, Azerbaijan should host the CICA Council of Foreign Ministers and, in 2026, the CICA Council of Heads of State and Government (summit).

For the first time, the initiative to convene CICA was put forward by Kazakhstan on October 5, 1992, during the 47th session of the UN General Assembly. The goal of the initiative is to create an effective and comprehensive security organisation in Asia.

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A porch pirate ruthlessly "ruined" a California bride's nuptials by stealing the $2000 wedding dress that was shipped to her home.

The suspect  captured on the victim's doorbell camera Thursday evening  stole the bridal gown and other packages from the woman's Redwood City, California, front porch, according to police.

"Thief steals wedding dress and ruins wedding plans! Can you ID?" Redwood City police captioned the footage on Facebook, asking the public for their help in nabbing the suspect.

The burglar, dressed in an all-black getup, accessorized with a gray scarf and white sneakers, appeared to have several packages in their hand before swiping the dress.

"That is just shameful!"' one commenter wrote, while another chimed, "I think I saw this guy in San Mateo on B street! Just now. Across from the San Mateo theater."

Anyone with information on the suspect or case is asked to contact the Redwood City Police Department at (650) 780-7100.
18 April 2024 13:24 (UTC+04:00)

Ulviyya Shahin Read more

Energy Minister of Azerbaijan Parviz Shahbazov visited the United States at the invitation of President of the UN General Assembly Dennis Francis, Azernews reports, citing the Ministry.

Shahbazov will participate in the topical discussions on eliminating the gap in energy availability and transitioning to carbon-free energy systems, which will be held in New York on April 19 within the framework of the UN General Assembly's Sustainability Week.

A number of issues, such as energy availability, transition to decarbonisation systems, energy connections, and the and the promotion of investments in renewable energy sources, are expected to be discussed at the event.

Bilateral meetings are planned as part of the trip.

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18 April 2024 16:23 (UTC+04:00)

Ulviyya Shahin Read more

Members of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action have been called for collaboration in holding the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change successfully, which delivers an ambitious and equitable climate finance goal, the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, President of COP29, Mukhtar Babayev, said, Azernews reports, citing the Ministry of Finance.

He made the remark at the 11th meeting of the Coalition of Finance Ministers on Climate Action within the spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group in Washington.

Azerbaijan, which joined the Coalition as an observer in April of this year, was represented at the meeting by the Minister of Finance, Samir Sharifov, and President-Designate of COP29, Mukhtar Babayev.

Speaking at the meeting, Babayev thanked the Coalition for its active participation in the implementation of climate goals.

The meeting focused on the effective organization of financing needs for the implementation of the Nationally Determined Contributions (commitments taken by the countries of the world to reduce greenhouse gases). In addition to the finance ministers of the coalition member countries, Kristalina Georgieva, the managing director of the IMF, and Ajay Banga, the president of the World Bank, also participated at the meeting.

The Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action, which currently has 92 countries as members, was established during the 2018 Annual Meeting of the IMF and World Bank held in Indonesia in order to mobilise financial resources to accelerate actions related to climate change. The Secretariat of the Coalition is located at the World Bank's headquarters in Washington, DC, and is jointly managed by the World Bank and the IMF. The coalition's activities are supported by 26 institutional partners, including the IMF, the World Bank Group, the Asian Development Bank, the European Investment Bank, the African Development Bank Group, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the United Nations Development Program.

The finance ministries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Indonesia, which are the co-chairs of the coalition, sent an invitation letter regarding Azerbaijan's joining the coalition. As the host of COP29, Azerbaijan intends to actively cooperate with the Coalition.

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18 April 2024 20:10 (UTC+04:00)

Fatima Latifova Read more

The Environmental Security and Green World Conference was organised by Azerbaijan's Prosecutor General's Office within the framework of a series of events in connection with the declaration of 2024 as the Green World Solidarity Year in the Republic of Azerbaijan, Azernews reports.

Mahir Mammadov and Mugalib Mahmudov, sector heads of the Department of Cooperation with International Organisations and Civil Society Institutions of the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan, participated in the event.

During his speech on "Environmental protection and human rights" at the event, M. Mahmudov gave information about the activities of the Ombudsman in the field of ensuring environmental rights and noted that appeals were addressed to international human rights organisations by the Ombudsman regarding the environmental crimes committed by Armenia against Azerbaijan. He also pointed out that within the framework of COP29 this year, legal education events will be held by the Ombudsman institution.

During the conference, the participants also planted trees in the park named after Heydar Aliyev, located in Sumgayit, within the framework of the Green World Solidarity Year.

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18 April 2024 12:44 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

Azerbaijan Composers' Union has celebrated the 100th anniversary of the birth of outstanding composer Suleyman Alasgarov, Azernews reports.

Chairman of the Azerbaijan Composers' Union, People's Artist Frangiz Alizade, said that the 100th anniversary of Suleyman Alasgarov was widely celebrated according to the presidential decree. He emphasised that the outstanding composer left a great legacy in Azerbaijani professional music.

Suleyman Alasgarov wrote two operas, twelve operettas, numerous symphonic works, cantatas, plays, romances and songs, as well as a number of textbooks for secondary schools.

In 1948, he graduated with honours from the Azerbaijan State Conservatory in the composition class of B.I. Zeidman and became the director of the Baku Music School. Member of the CPSU since 1948. From 1949 to 1951, he was artistic director of the orchestra of the Cinematography Committee of the Azerbaijan SSR.

In 19511952, Suleyman Alasgarov was appointed as the director of the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall. In 1974, he was awarded the title of People's Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR.

Next, a documentary "Dive into a dream" dedicated to Suleyman Alasgarov was shown as part of the event.

Doctor of Art Criticism Leyla Zohrabova, Deputy Head of the Shusha Executive Power, Vusala Fataliyeva, People's Artist Agaverdi Pashayev and others spoke about Suleyman Alasgarov's life and creativity. The event continued with a concert program.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
18 April 2024 16:41 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

Azerbaijan will be represented at the 60th Venice Biennale with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry and the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Italy, Azernews reports.

Since 2007, Azerbaijan has participated in the Venice Biennale, which is one of the world's most famous platforms in the field of modern art. This year, the 60th Venice Biennale will take place from April 20 to November 24, under the motto "Foreigners Everywhere".

Curator of the Biennale Adriano Pedrosa did not choose the topic by chance. Adriano Pedrosa, stating that the Biennale operates against the background of crises related to the migration of people to different countries, notes that this is accompanied by various differences and difficulties.

"Foreigners are everywhere" has two meanings. First, no matter where we go, we encounter foreigners everywhere - they (we) are everywhere. Secondly, if we go to any foreign place, we are always foreigners.

The Azerbaijani pavilion located in Campo della Tana, one of the amazing architectural monuments of the 16th century, was organised on the theme "From Caspian to Pink Planet: I Am Here" at the Venice exhibition and reflects the motto of the biennale.

The theme of foreignness will be explored through the rich palette of the works of honoured artists Irina Eldarova, Rashad Alakbarov, and artist Vusala Agaraziyeva in our pavilion, created under the curatorship of Luca Beatrice, a critic of modern art, professor of art studies who was the curator of the Italian pavilion at the 53rd Venice Biennale. Trips, travel, and emigration will always have an impact on personal identity and art.

Based on their personal experiences, the authors convey in their works the relevance of the topic of foreignness for Azerbaijan, reflect the deep bonds between a person and the place where he lives, and at the same time declare the importance of treating others with respect through art.

Visitors will be able to see the harmony of the mixture of different cultures and the necessity of the idea of universal mutual understanding by looking at the works from different angles.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
18 April 2024 17:42 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

Baku will host Fidan Hajiyeva's First International Opera Festival from April 27 to May 3.

The event is co-organised by the Vocal Music School of People's Artist Fidan Hajiyeva with the support of the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry and the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre.

For seven days, works by Azerbaijani classics and world composers will be held in Baku and Ganja.

The main goal of the project is to promote and develop classical music in Azerbaijan, identify and support new talents in the field of opera. Among the eminent guests of the festival are world-famous conductors and composers from abroad, famous Azerbaijani vocalists and musicians, and talented youth.

Azernews presents the festival's programme:

04/27/2024 / 19:00  Premiere of Georges Bizet's opera "Carmen" in a new production and modern genre

Venue: Opera Studio at the Baku Music Academy.

To purchase tickets, please visit: https://iticket.az/events/concerts/karmen/113891

04/28/2024 / 19:00  Concert "Young Opera Stars"

Venue: Muslim Magomayev Azerbaijan State Academic Philharmonic Hall

To purchase tickets, please visit: https://iticket.az/events/i-international-opera-festival-of-fidan-hajiyeva/young-opera-stars/110788

04/29/2024 / 19:00  Concert "Future Stars"

Venue: Rashid Behbudov State Song Theatre

To purchase tickets, please visit: https://iticket.az/events/i-international-opera-festival-of-fidan-hajiyeva/young-talents/110797

04/30/2024 / 19:00  Concert "Heirs of Art"

Venue: International Mugham Centre

To purchase tickets, please visit: https://iticket.az/events/i-international-opera-festival-of-fidan-hajiyeva/heirs-of-art/110790

01.05.2024 / 18:00  Concert of works by Azerbaijani and world composers

Venue: Ganja State Philharmonic Hall

05/02/2024 / 19:00  Classical music evening

Venue: Landmark Rotunda Hall

05/03/2024 / 19:00  Final concert of the festival "VIVA-OPERA"

Venue: Muslim Magomayev Azerbaijan State Academicc Philharmonic Hall

To purchase tickets, please visit: https://iticket.az/events/i-international-opera-festival-of-fidan-hajiyeva/closing-concert-of-the-festival/110789

Media partners are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, Milli.Az, and Turkic.World.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
18 April 2024 12:37 (UTC+04:00)

Anar Akhundov has been appointed the new deputy minister of the economy of Azerbaijan, Azernews reports.

President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree in this regard.

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18 April 2024 17:56 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

A new version of Azerbaijan's Eurovision 2024 song "Ozunl apar" has been presented t music lovers. The oktava version of the song was released n Eurovision Song Contest's official Youtube, Azernews reports.

The song "Ozunl Apar" s co-written by Fahree, Edgar Ravin, Hasan Haydar, Mila Miles, and Mado Salikh. Fahree (Fahri Ismayilov) and Ilkin Dovlatov are set t perform the song as entry number 12 n the second part f the first semi-final of Eurovision 2024.

Fahree, born n Baku n 1995, comes from a family with a strong artistic background, with his father being a jazz drummer and his grandfather a respected actor.

Despite initially pursuing a legal career and obtaining both bachelor's and master's degrees n law, Fahree rediscovered his passion for music during the global pandemic n 2020, ultimately deciding t follow his childhood dream.

Ilkin Dovlatov s a former finalist n The Voice of Azerbaijan.

Known for promoting Azerbaijan's musical heritage, Dovlatov frequently performs concerts both domestically and internationally.

He sings mugham music, known as treasury of the Azerbaijani and world music.

The first semi-final f the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 will take place n May 7, while the second semi-final s scheduled for May 9. The grand final will take place n May 11.

It will be the third edition of the contest t take place n Malmo, which hosted t n 1992 and 2013, and the seventh n Sweden, which last hosted t n Stockholm n 2016. Thirty-seven countries are expected t participate n Eurovision 2024.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
18 April 2024 08:00 (UTC+04:00)

Denmark on Tuesday decided to shut down its embassy in Baghdad, Iraq at the end of May, just short of three years after it last reopened in June 2021, Azernews reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

After the Danish command over NMI ended in May 2022, Denmark still had a significant military contribution to the mission until the beginning of 2024, a statement from the Danish Foreign Ministry said, referring to the NATO Mission Iraq. But a smaller number of Danish personnel will continue to contribute to the mission, it said.

With the majority of the Danish military contribution withdrawn, a key task for the Danish embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, has been completed. Therefore, the Danish government has decided to close the embassy as of 31 May 2024, the statement announced.

Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen also said that the diplomatic operations are being wrapped up since the Danish role managing NATO's mission in Iraq had "ceased, virtually ending a significant presence of Danish soldiers and civilians in Iraq.

The embassy was previously shut down in 2012 because "the phasing out of Danish bilateral engagement" was "nearing completion. It opened eight years later to allow Denmark to take over the NATO mission.

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18 April 2024 12:21 (UTC+04:00)

Ulviyya Shahin Read more

Construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway was addressed by the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Akylbek Japarov, during meetings with the leadership of the World Bank Group in Washington, Azernews reports.

According to the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, this transportation project, along with the construction of the Kambarata-1 hydropower plant (HPP), was the main topic of discussion at the meetings. The underlying theme of all the discussed issues during the event was the further strengthening of strategic relations between the WB and Kyrgyzstan.

Japarov addressed these topics during a meeting with Kristalina Georgieva, Vice President of the WB for Digital Development, where presentations on the digital support of the Kambarata-1 HPP and other energy projects were showcased.

Moreover, discussions between Japarov and Charles Cormier, the WB's Regional Director for Infrastructure, focused on the application of digital technologies in the energy sector as well as the details of cooperation within the implementation of the Kambarata-1 HPP project.

During the meeting with Juergen Voegele, Vice President of the WB for Sustainable Development, issues related to promoting sustainable and equitable economic growth in the country were addressed.

A delegation led by Chairman Japarov is currently in Washington to participate in the spring meetings of the boards of governors of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group.

Additionally, within the framework of the meetings, Kyrgyzstan and the WB have agreed to develop a financial cooperation model within the framework of the construction of Kambarata-1 HPP.

The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, a planned 454-kilometer rail line, is intended to connect China's and Uzbekistan's railways through Kyrgyzstan's territory and further link up with the European railway network through Turkmenistan, Iran, and Turkiye.

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According to Missouri authorities and local news reports, prosecutors charged an East St. Louis woman on Monday after police said her 8-year-old child was driving her car the wrong way on a downtown street while she lay unconscious in the back seat.

Latonya Mayes-Gale is reportedly the woman who passed out in the back. According to reports, she was driving, but she told the boy to take over so she could settle into the back seat.

On Monday, while officers were near the Gateway Arch and 4th and Walnut streets in downtown St. Louis, they observed a car traveling west in the eastbound lanes. The officers were taken aback when they pulled the car over and found the young driver.

According to the officers, a 3-year-old was not in a car seat. Mayes-Gale was arrested on two charges of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child.

She is currently out on bond after being booked into the City Justice Center. During the bond hearing, Mayes-Gale's attorney attempted to defend her by saying that she raises her two children, works as a home health aid, and takes care of an elderly grandparent who is confined to her house.

Prosecutors, however, claimed that drugs played a significant role in the incident. Mayes-Gale's attorney also said that other factors like stress and mental health also influenced her decision.

According to court documents, the judge granted the bond despite the prosecution's objections. Records state that Mayes-Gale is currently under house arrest and is not allowed to see her children.

Furthermore, The Riverfront Times reported that her children are currently residing with their father.

Her next court date is scheduled for April 23.
18 April 2024 18:37 (UTC+04:00)

By News Centre

Some 49 modernization and procurement projects are ongoing for the vehicles and systems in the Turkish Armed Forces inventory. The firepower and mobility of M60 and Leopard 2A4 tanks are being strengthened. Viper modernization is being applied to F-16 Block 40/50 aircrafts. While the service life of F-16C/D Block 40/50 aircraft has been extended to 2050, the renewal of all Preveza-class submarines continues.

Adding national weapons to its inventory one by one, Turkiye is also comprehensively modernizing the vehicles and systems in use in the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF). In this context, currently, 49 modernization and purchase projects are being carried out. The main modernization works carried out in line with the needs and demands of the Land, Navy and Air Forces are as follows:

M60 tank: The first of two separate modernization projects, the M60 tank, will replace the existing fire control system with the new Volkan-M, and will also provide additional armour protection and protected crew seats to M60T tanks. The contract was signed in January 2023. Secondly, it strengthens the firepower, survivability, and mobility of M60A3 tanks. Prototype development work continues.

Leopard 2 A4 tank: The platform variant is undergoing modernization work within the scope of a contract signed in 2022. Aselsan provides the tank's fire control systems. Leopard will be further strengthened with remote-controlled weapon stations, command, control, communication, and information systems, laser warning systems, driver vision systems, active protection systems and close-range surveillance systems.

T-155 Frtna self-propelled howitzer: The construction of the new generation T-155 continues. The original contract covers the delivery of 130 units. By the end of 2023, eight deliveries had been made. An engine for the weapon is also being developed. Inspection and acceptance activities of the prototype engine were completed 1 year ago.

ACV-15: Aselsan modernizes the ACV-15 by providing the 25 mm Nefer turret, among other systems. The 2nd Main Maintenance Factory Directorate of the Ministry of Defense carries out the repair and revision of the engines and transmissions of the vehicles.

Milden submarine project: The Navy design office is working on the country's first domestic submarine program. Construction will be carried out at Golcuk Shipyard Command. Construction of a test block will begin this year, and work on the construction of the first submarine is planned to begin in 2025.

Reis class submarine program: Hzrreis, the second submarine of the Reis project, which includes the production of 6 submarines, started on May 25, 2023. Work is carried out at Golcuk Shipyard.

Preveze class submarine: Golcuk Shipyard, whose integration and testing activities have been completed on the TCG Preveze submarine, which serves as a test environment for the early delivery of the systems, started the mid-life upgrades of TCG Sakarya in July 2022. This platform is the first submarine. Work continues to ensure that the submarine acquires modernization features. All Preveza-class submarines are planned to be modernized during maintenance and overhaul periods until 2027.

Barbaros class frigate: Turkiye is working on a mid-life modernization project focused on the sensors, weapons and battle management systems of Barbaros class frigates. Acceptance tests are currently ongoing on TCG Barbaros, the first ship to receive the upgrade.

F-16 fighter jet: There are two separate projects for the Turkish Air Force. The first of these is the procurement of the new F-16 Block 70 aircraft and the implementation of Viper modernization on existing F-16 Block 40/50 airframes in service. The second is to extend the structural service life of F-16C/D Block 40/50 aircraft currently in service until 2050 and structurally strengthen them. This project will take place in the facilities of the 1st Air Maintenance Factory Directorate.

Aknc and Anka-S UAVs: Work continues on the supply of various types of Aknc and Anka-S UAVs. For both projects, expanding the range via satellite is considered critical.

Hurjet: The primary goal of this project is to design and produce a single-engine, tandem-seat jet trainer aircraft with performance features that will play a critical role in training modern fighter jet pilots. Hurjet made its first flight last year.

Hurkus-B: This program for new generation basic jet training will aim to meet the Air Force Command's need for additional training aircraft. The project, carried out under the leadership of the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) and TAI, aims to increase the quality of war readiness training and the effectiveness of flight personnel training. The first aircraft is planned to be delivered in 2025.
18 April 2024 19:49 (UTC+04:00)

Ulviyya Shahin Read more

Turkmenistan and TRACECA discussed the current state and prospects for further cooperation, Azernews reports.

According to the Turkmen Foreign Ministry, these issues were discussed during a meeting between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, Rashid Meredov, and the Secretary General of the Permanent Secretariat (PS) of the Intergovernmental Commission (IGC), TRACECA Asset Assavbayev.

During the negotiations, the parties noted that Turkmenistan plays an active role in establishing and developing the transport and transit potential of the region.

The Turkmen side stressed that it is ready to continue the joint implementation of the relevant TRACECA documents, which are aimed at expanding the investment opportunities of transport and transit corridors.

At the meeting, it was stated that Turkmenistan joined the Basic Multilateral Agreement on International Transport for Development of the Europe-Caucasus-Asia Corridor on November 14, 2023.

It was noted that this agreement is designed to promote the development of economic relations, trade, and transport links in the regions of Europe, the Black and Caspian Seas, the Caucasus, and Asia.

At the end of the meeting, the negotiators confirmed their mutual interest in further holding joint events and thematic meetings with the involvement of specialists from the Turkmen transport industry.

Meanwhile, in recent years, Turkmenistan's transport sector has undergone significant development, thanks to active government policy and investments in modern infrastructure projects.

The expansion of the road network, the modernization of railways, and the development of port facilities contribute to more efficient logistics and increase the transit potential of the country.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
18 April 2024 20:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Alimat Aliyeva

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States has announced a space test of solar sail technology, Azernews reports, citing the official NASA website.

The website noted that it should take place on April 24. The Electron rocket of the private aerospace company Rocket Lab with the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System will go into orbit from the launch complex on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand.

According to the mission plan, the small CubeSat satellite, the size of a microwave oven, will deploy a sail at an altitude of about 965 kilometers above Earth, which is almost twice the orbit of the International Space Station.

NASA explained that such a height is necessary so that sunlight can concentrate on the canvas and set the device in motion. The force of solar pressure on the sail will be comparable to the pressure of an ordinary paper clip lying on the palm of your hand.

The test flight will last more than two months, and most of this time will be spent checking subsystems. Direct tests of the sail will take a week, during which the CubeSat satellite will perform a series of maneuvers.

NASA's advanced composite solar sailing system is designed to prove its ability to move in space, expanding access and providing low-cost missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
18 April 2024 21:35 (UTC+04:00)

By Alimat Aliyeva

Lufthansa tops the list of airlines that have canceled the most flights in Europe, Azernews reports, citing foreign media outlets.

The largest German airline canceled 5.99 percent of its flights in the first three months of the year (6,803 cancellations). In the same period of 2023, this figure was just under three percent. One of the reasons for the cancellation is the repeated strikes in the first quarter.

Flightright stated that the number of strikes has increased significantly, and also openly criticized the airline.

The second place in the ranking is occupied by the Dutch airline KLM with a share of 2.27 percent (1,294 cancellations) of flight cancellations.

Austrian Airlines took the third place with 2.25 percent. Another German airline, Eurowings (1.51 percent), is in fourth place.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
18 April 2024 23:10 (UTC+04:00)

By Alimat Aliyeva

The Thai government has approved visa-free entry for citizens of Kazakhstan, which will be valid on a permanent basis, Azernews reports, citing foreign media outlets with reference to the Cabinet of Ministers of Thailand.

It should be noted that in September last year, the Thai authorities exempted persons with Kazakh passports from the visa procedure as part of a pilot project. After that, the visa-free regime for citizens of Kazakhstan will be valid without time limits.

According to the Thai Tourism Council, 172,000 Kazakhstanis visited the country last year, and by the end of this year their number is expected to exceed 220,000.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
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A 27 year old migrant from Afghanistan allowed into the country on parole status by Biden-Harris policies in 2021 has been arrested in Oklahoma for plotting an ISIS terror attack in the US on election day. The migrant had already purchased guns and explosives for the attack.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/10/08/afghan-man-charged-plotting-isis-related-election-day-terrorist-attack/

A 12 year old Syrian migrant has been detained for assaulting a 15 year old Austrian high school student with a knife and an ax in Vienna,. The migrant had the hots for the Austrian boy's girlfriend. He approached the Austrian boy who was with a group, displayed a large knife and threatened to stab them all but was disarmed. The Syrian then returned with an ax and threw it at the 15 year old, only narrowly missing him.

https://rmx.news/article/austria-12-year-old-syrian-boy-threatens-teen-with-knife-and-axe-in-vienna/

An illegal alien from El Salvador who is charged in his home country with crimes against humanity and human trafficking has been apprehended in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. He was previously deported from the US for criminal activity and returned.

https://www.breitbart.com/border/2024/10/06/salvadoran-migrant-wanted-for-crimes-against-humanity-busted-by-ice/

Eight migrants from Latin America (exact countries unknown) have been arrested in eastern Tennessee for burglarizing homes where people had fled from the hurricane related flooding.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13910033/migrant-workers-busted-looting-Helene.html

A 39 year old illegal alien migrant from Algeria has been convicted of raping a 16 year old girl in her hospital bed and raping another young woman in the middle of a street in Toulouse, France. The same illegal alien has also been convicted of rape in Switzerland and has a rape charge pending in Switzerland. He received a 17 year sentence for the rapes in France.

https://rmx.news/article/france-algerian-sentenced-to-17-years-for-raping-a-minor-in-a-hospital-and-raping-another-woman-on-the-street/

A woman in Dallas, Texas, returned home to her upper middle class neighborhood only to find four armed migrant gangsters, apparently from Tren de Aragua, inside her home. They pistol whipped her and confined her while they ramsacked her home. Now she is afraid to go back there to live.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/texas/article-13907501/Terrifying-ordeal-Texas-woman-returned-quiet-suburban-home-four-members-violent-migrant-gang-waiting-inside.html

A 17 year old French boxing champion has been stabbed to death by a 24 year old Algerian migrant outside a night club in Normandy. The French boy was stabbed in the back and in the throat.

https://rmx.news/article/french-teen-boxing-champion-stabbed-to-death-by-algerian-migrant-outside-nightclub/

The New York Post has obtained a police report detailing major prostitution rings run by the Venezuelan crime gang Tren de Aragua in eight US states and expanding. They are forcing migrant women into prostitution.

https://nypost.com/2024/09/23/us-news/tren-de-aragua-linked-to-migrant-sex-trafficking-in-8-states-leaked-memo/

A 41 year old Syrian migrant has been arrested in Essen, Germany, after going on a rampage in which he set fire to several residential buildngs, tried to ram people with his van and threatened people with a machete. More than 30 people were injured, including two children with life-threatening injuries.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13904365/machete-attack-germany-essen-syrian-man-arrested.html

A 23-year old illegal alien from El Salvador has been arrested in Maryland for the murder of an 18 year old girl. The murder happened in a sanctuary county.

https://www.breitbart.com/crime/2024/09/25/sanctuary-county-maryland-illegal-alien-released-into-u-s-accused-murdering-18-year-old-girl/

A 22-year old illegal alien from Morrocco who had previously been convicted of rape and had a deportation order in place, has been arrested in Paris for the rape and murder of a 19 year old university student who he kidnapped on her way home to visit her parents. The girl's body, bearing cuts and other wounds was found partially buried in the Bois du Bologne on the outskirts of Paris. Her credit card was stolen and used by the killer hours late in another part of Paris.

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/previously-convicted-illegal-immigrant-under-deportation-orders-arrested-for-vicious-paris-killing/

An Illegal alien from Haiti has been arrested in Mansfield, Massachusetts for child rape of a ten year old boy.

https://bigleaguepolitics.com/haitian-immigrant-invader-gets-charged-for-raping-10-year-old-boy/

Five Muslim migrant youths between 16 and 25 have been arrested for kidnapping, torturing, and raping a 15 year old boy in France. The rapists dragged the boy out of his own apartment and into a patch of woods where the torture and rape occured.

https://rmx.news/article/france-15-year-old-boy-kidnapped-tortured-and-raped-by-5-youths-in-muslim-housing-district/

A 26 year old illegal alien from Guatemala was stopped in Arkansas for driving drunk at 114 miles an hour, and he then assaulted the female Arkansas state trooper who had stopped him, throwing her taser in the middle of the expressway. To defend herself against the illegal alien's assault, she had to use her service weapon to shoot him in the head.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/09/female-arkansas-state-trooper-shoots-allegedly-drunk-illegal/

A Muslim migrant knifeman, shouting "Allahu Akbar" and wielding two long knives, stabbed one man to death and seriously injured another before a bystander tackled him and kicked the knives away, close to the famed Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1950908/rotterdam-knifeman-kills-one-injures-another?int_source=nba

A 34 year old illegal alien from the Dominican Republic has been arrested in upstate New York for the murders of a husband, wife, and their two young children, all of whom were stabbed to death and their house set on fire. The illegal alien is also wanted for a murder in his home country in 2019.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13850785/illegal-migrant-julio-cesar-suspected-murdering-irondequoit-family-new-york.html

A 19 year old illegal alien from Honduras has been arrested in Kenner, Louisiana for raping a 14 year old girl and a separate incident of armed robbery of a different victim.. The illegal alien arrived at the Biden-Harris open border in October 2023 and was released into the interior despite records showing that thousands of detention beds were available at the time.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/09/13/louisiana-accused-illegal-alien-rapist-released-into-u-s-by-biden-harris-dhs-despite-available-detention-space/

An illegal alien from Mexico has been who purposely crashed his vehicle into another car, killing an American husband and wife and seriously injuring their young child in Rome, Georgia has been charged with two counts of vehicular homicide as well as other charges.

https://bigleaguepolitics.com/georgia-congresswoman-marjorie-taylor-greene-releases-statement-on-illegal-alien-who-killed-two-people-in-rome-georgia/

Maryland arrested a record number of illegal alien sex offenders last year.

https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2024/09/12/maryland-record-number-of-illegal-alien-sex-offenders-arrested-in-last-year/

An illegal alien from Morrocco has been charged with raping a social worker at a prison in Belgium just days before his planned release. The social worker had come to explain how his release would work.

https://rmx.news/article/moroccan-migrant-rapes-social-worker-in-belgian-prison-days-before-his-scheduled-release/

A 41 year old illegal alien from Cuba who entered the US in August 2023 using the Biden-Harris migrant moblie app has been arrested for murder of a 25 year old American woman in Cleveland, Tennessee. The vidtim was found dead inside a house. THere is yet no word on whether she was sexually assaulted.

https://www.breitbart.com/crime/2024/09/11/migrant-freed-into-u-s-via-biden-harris-admins-parole-pipeline-accused-of-murdering-25-year-old-dayana-garcia/

An illegal alien from Syria has been arrested for a terrorist plot for a mass stabbing of German soldiers in Hof, Bavaria during their lunch break. The Syrian had already purchased two large knifes.

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/german-authorities-arrest-syrian-planning-islamist-attack-on-soldiers/

A 23 year old illegal alien from Peru who was allowed across the Biden-Harris open border 8 months ago, has been arrested in Manassass, Virginia for kidnapping a teenage girl who was walking to school. The illegal alien told her he was a police officer and demanded she get in the back seat of his car. After driving about two miles, the girl realized something was wrong and escaped.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/09/09/virginia-police-illegal-alien-freed-into-u-s-kidnapped-teenage-girl/

Migrants from Iraq and Syria were arrested for the gang rape of an 18 year old German girl in North Rhein - Westphalia. The girl's drink was spiked with knock out drops and she was carried to a parking lot where the gang rape occurred.

https://rmx.news/article/germany-7-suspects-arrested-for-gang-raping-18-year-old-girl-iraqis-and-syrians-among-suspects/

An illegal alien from Guatamala has been arrested in Georgia for stealing the identity of an American citizen in 2011 and using it to obtain and then renew a US passport in that name and to illegally vote in multiple US elections and primaries. She even travelled several times back and forth to Guatamala on the fraudulent passport.

https://redstate.com/mike_miller/2024/09/08/illegal-alien-agrees-to-plead-guilty-to-stealing-us-citizens-id-voting-in-multiple-elections-n2179051

A 15 year old illegal alien from Syria has been arrested for attempted murder in a school shooting in Sweden. The illegal alien had been previously interviewed by Swedish media as an example of successful integration into Swedish society. The illegal alien arrived with his parents and siblings in 2015.

https://rmx.news/article/syrian-refugee-hailed-by-swedish-press-as-integration-success-arrested-for-attempted-murder-following-school-shooting/

An illegal alien from Latin America has been arrested for kidnapping and rape at knifepoint of a 13 year old girl near the New Orleans international airport.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/09/05/louisiana-illegal-alien-accused-of-kidnapping-raping-13-year-old-girl-at-knifepoint/

An analysis of the first names of the 155 people arrested for gang rape during 2023 in the German state of North Rhein - Westphalia shows that 78.1% of them are of migrant origin, which has been confirmed by the major German newspaper Die Welt. The most common name of gang rapists was "Mohammed".

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2024/09/05/mohammed-and-muhammed-analysis-of-gang-rape-suspects-names-in-germany-claims-majority-are-migrant-heritage/

A 24 year old illegal alien from Brazil has been arrested for five counts on child rape in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/09/04/iillegal-alien-charged-with-five-counts-of-child-rape-on-marthas-vineyard/

An 18 year old migrant from Haiti who had been flown to the US by the Biden-Harris "parole pipeline" at taxpayer expense has been arrested in Massachusetts for sexually molesting a 10 year old boy. The parole pipeline was created out of thin air by Biden-Harris and bypasses legal immigration procedures.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/09/04/haitian-migrant-flown-to-u-s-through-biden-harris-parole-pipeline-accused-of-molesting-10-year-old-boy/

Two illegal alien migrant men from Morrocco have been convicted of raping a young man at gun and knifepoint in a bathroom in Liege, Belgium, filming the attack and forcing the victim to yell "long libe Morrocco".

https://rmx.news/belgium/belgium-2-moroccan-migrants-jailed-for-raping-young-man-making-him-scream-long-live-morocco-while-they-filmed-his-rape/

34 armed Venezuelan gang members have taken over an apartment complex in Chicago, shortly after several similar occurences in Colorado.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/09/chicago-shocking-911-call-reveals-32-armed-venezuelan/

A 15 year old illegal alien from Syria has been charged with raping a 12 year old German girl at a swimming pool complex in Brunswick, Germany. The illegal alien began harassing the child in the pool, and when she went to the changing room, he followed her there and raped her.

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/germany-syrian-teen-accused-of-raping-girl-in-swimming-pool/

A 26 year old illegal alien from Honduras who was previously deported under President Trump but returned through the Biden-Harris open borders, has been arrested in Indiana for stabbing a 14 year old girl at a youth baseball game and trying to stab her mother. The illegal alien was suspected of being on a crime spree across the US.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/illegal-immigrant-arrested-stabbing-teen-girl-indiana-baseball-game-police

An 18 year old illegal alien from Mali has been arrested for stabbing to death a 33 year old woman in Bergamo, Italy. He told police he did not know why he did it but that he just saw her and stabbed her.

https://rmx.news/article/italy-i-dont-know-why-i-saw-her-and-killed-her-malian-migrant-confesses-to-murder-of-sharon-verzeni/

An illegal alien from Brazil has been arrested in Philadelphis for a list of crimes including murder.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13805421/Illegal-migrant-wanted-murder-cook-Brazil-arrested-Philadelphia.html

A 35 year old illegal alien from Iraq has been arrested for murder in the stabbing death of the 61 year old owner of a hotel that houses migrants in Sarstedt, Germany.

https://rmx.news/crime/germany-iraqi-migrant-murders-asylum-home-operator-in-sarstedt/

An illegal alien from Guatemala who was denied an entry visa in 2019 but then entered the US illegally later has been arrested for vehicular homicide in Lousiana after he killed a prominent journalist by striking his motorcycle while crossing a bridge over the Mississippi. The illegal alien was speeding and had no drivers license. Louisiana's governor and attorney general blamed the Biden-Harris open border for the tragic loss and said that they would assure that the illegal alien would not be released on bail and that he would be fully prosecuted. ICE has now detained the illegal.

https://www.abc3340.com/news/nation-world/ice-detains-illegal-immigrant-accused-of-killing-new-orleans-journalist-heartbreaking-immigration-and-customs-enforcement-jorge-alberto-martinez-sanchez-mark-deane-wgno-louisiana-liz-murrill-jeff-landry

A 27 year old illegal alien from Somalia, who already has a record of criminal convictions for acts of violence, has been arrested for attempted murder after he stabbed a 46 year old man in the neck in a supermarket in a small town in the German state of Thuringia. The illegal alien had been deliberately coughing on random customers and threatening them when the victim asked him to stop. Instead, the illegal alien pulled out a knife, stabbed the man in the neck and declared "I will kill you and your families."

https://rmx.news/article/i-will-kill-you-and-your-families-somali-migrant-stabs-german-man-in-the-neck-in-small-town-30-police-officers-make-arrest/

An illegal alien from Venezuela who overstayed her tourist visa but was then given temporary protected status by the Biden-Harris regime, has been arrested for hit and run in Florida while driving an Amazon delivery truck after she ran down a mother pushing a stroller with a 4 month old baby and fled the scene. The mother was down on the pavement bleeding from the head with very serioud injuries when the migrant fled.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/08/27/migrant-amazon-driver-allegedly-smashes-florida-mom-walking-baby-flees-scene/

"The immigration crisis is first and foremost a crime crisis" declared Manuel Ostermann, the chief of the national police union in Germany. "Nothing about it is positive. Germany is no longer a safe country. We have a massive problem with knife crime."

https://rmx.news/article/the-immigration-crisis-is-first-and-foremost-a-crime-crisis-police-union-boss-says-germany-is-no-longer-safe-labels-islam-the-biggest-threat/

Four illegal aliens from Venezuela who are affiliated with the violent Venezuelan crime gang Tren de Aragua have been indicted for armed robbery of over a million dollars from a family owned jewelry store in Denver, Colorado. The four charged are between the ages of 18 and 23. Four more of the eight robbers who pointed guns at store staff during the robbery are still at large.

https://www.breitbart.com/latin-america/2024/08/23/migrants-tied-venezuelan-gang-indicted-robbery-denver-family-owned-store/

Police are seeking an "Arab looking man" who ran from the scene after conducting a mass stabbing at a "Diversity Festival" in Solingen, Germany. The attacker was stabbing festival goers in the neck, killing three and sending six to the hospital, shouting "Allahu Akbar" while on the attack. UPDATE: The attacker was arrested after a migrant shelter was stormed. He is an illegal alien from Syria.

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2024/08/23/germany-multiple-people-killed-several-injured-in-diversity-festival-mass-stabbing/

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/germany-three-dead-in-knife-attack-at-festival-of-diversity/

Four illegal aliens from Columbia who were released into the US interior under Biden-Harris have been arrested in Florida for a burglary ring across four counties that stole $1.7 million, mostly targeting Asian-American businessmen.

https://bigleaguepolitics.com/florida-sheriff-exposes-illegal-aliens-operating-theft-ring/

Four illegal alien brothers from Syria, aged 16 to 22. have been arrested for attempted murder of a 62 year old teacher by stabbing him multiple times in Wedel, Germany, outside Hamburg.

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2024/08/23/germany-four-syrian-brothers-arrested-over-stabbing-of-67-year-old-music-teacher/

An illegal alien gang leader from Peru who came in through the Biden-Harris open borders and who is responsible for 23 murders in his home country has been arrested in upstate New York.

https://redstate.com/bobhoge/2024/08/15/peruvian-gang-leader-suspected-in-23-murders-and-in-the-us-illegally-arrested-in-upstate-new-york-n2178168

An illegal alien from Senegal who had previously been arrested for smuggling and ordered to leave the country but did not, was caught defecating in a public swimming lake in the view of those visiting the lake, and was deported from Poland, immediately put on a plane back to Senegal.

https://rmx.news/article/senegalese-illegal-migrant-detained-and-deported-from-poland-after-defecating-in-public-at-popular-swimming-area/

Two illegal aliens, one from Venezuela and one from Columbia were arrested in Beverly Hills, California for armed robbery, stealing a $1 million Patek PHillipe watch at gunpoint in broad daylight from a man sitting at the outdoor terrace restaurant of the Beverly Wiltshire Hotel.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/two-illegal-aliens-steal-1-million-patek-gunpoint-beverly-hills-hotel-patio-broad-daylight

A 19 year old illegal alien from Guatamala who entered the US as an accompanied minor was convicted of raping a Maryland woman and received a 20 year sentence but the judge suspended all but 190 days. The sancturary state of Maryland ignored an ICE detainer and released him but ICE has found and arrested him for deportation.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13746393/Illegal-immigrant-convicted-rape-rearrested-ICE-agents-judge-sentenced-just-190-days-jail.html

The NYPD says gangs of illegal alien migrants from city-run migrant shelters are behind the recent spate of "wolfpack" robbery attacks in New York's Central Park.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/08/15/nypd-migrants-behind-recent-central-park-wolfpack-robberies/

An 11 year old migrant boy from Venezuela has been arrested for a very violent mugging robbery on the New York subway system.

https://nypost.com/2024/08/14/us-news/11-year-old-migrant-boy-arrested-over-violent-nyc-phone-robbery-sources/

https://redstate.com/bobhoge/2024/08/15/watch-grinning-11-year-old-venezuelan-leads-pack-of-youth-muggers-in-manhattan-n2178162

A 34 year old illegal alien from Mexico who entered the Biden-Harris open border has been arrested for twice raping a ten year old boy in Pontotoc County, Mississippi.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/08/horror-illegal-alien-ferried-us-kamala-harris-rapes/

A 24 year old illegal alien migrant from Nicaragua has been charged with the rape at knifepoint of a 46 year old American woman near the Coney Island boardwalk in New York City. An illegal alien from Mexico was also charged as he beat and held down the victim's boyfriend during the rape. One of the attackers had been charged in a sexual assault in New York four months ago.

https://nypost.com/2024/08/12/us-news/nyc-migrants-allegedly-raped-woman-at-knifepoint-in-coney-island/

A 38 year old illegal alien from Venezuela was arrested in Kankakee County, Illinois for sexually assaulting a 6 year old girl. In announcing the arrest, the county sheriff declared that "this heinous crime could have been avoided, solely because the perpetrator should never have been in the country."

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/08/10/sanctuary-state-sheriff-illegal-alien-sexually-assaulted-6-year-old-should-not-be-in-country/

A 47 year old illegal alien from Venezuela was arrested in the sanctuary city of Chicago for mugging and robbing an 80 year old woman a block from her home in broad daylight. Two good samaritans chased down the illegal alien and held him until police arrived. A judge released the illegal without bail even though he had failed to appear on an earlier arrest for breaking and entering and larceny of the home of an elderly man.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/08/09/sanctuary-city-chicago-venezuelan-migrant-freed-from-jail-after-allegedly-mugging-80-year-old-woman/

Two Muslim migrants working for ISIS have been arrested for plotting a terrorist attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, seeking to "kill as many people as possible" with knives and explosives. One had already been given Austrian citizenship. One would attack inside the concert and one from the outside, with one of the conspirators already getting a job with a company providing services during the concert.

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/islamist-teenagers-planned-bloodbath-at-taylor-swift-concert/

A 25 year old illegal alien from Guatamala who was released into the US by Obama's DHS as an "unaccompanied minor" has been arrested in Rhode Island for first degree child sexual assault. He is now in ICE custody. The illegal alien had been released with a notice to appear before a federal immigration judge when encountered at the border but their is no indication he ever did.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/08/07/illegal-alien-released-into-u-s-by-obamas-dhs-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-child-in-rhode-island/

More unprovoking stabbing attacks by Syrian illegal aliens against Germans are being reported. In Stuttgart, a 17 year old Syrian illegal alien and two other migrants started insulting a German family of five, and when they ignored the insults, the migrants pulled out knives and threatened them. The 17 year old then started stabbing, leaving one of the victims in critical condition in the hospital. The 17 year old Syrian has had 34 prior arrests for various crimes in 31 months but charges have been dropped. In Wangen im Allgau, a 34 year old Syrian migrant in a random attack in a supermarket stabbed a 4 year old girl, seriously injuring her and requiring surgery.

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/more-knife-attacks-in-germany-committed-by-syrians/

An 18 year old illegal alien from Honduras who arrived at age 16 as an "unaccompanied minor" and was ordered deported when he failed to turn up for his immigration court hearing but never actually deported, has been arrested in the death of a 19 year old Virginia college student in a car crash in which the illegal alien was driving without a license and withour insurance.

https://www.breitbart.com/crime/2024/08/05/police-illegal-alien-killed-19-year-old-lauryn-nikole-leonard-in-virginia/

A 40 year old Chinese illegal alien has been arrested for two counts of rape of a wheelchair bound 71 year old American woman in Paris.

https://rmx.news/article/france-chinese-migrant-accused-of-raping-71-year-old-american-woman-who-rented-his-airbnb-apartment-for-olympics/

A 31 year old illegal alien "asylum seeker" from Afghanistan has been arrested at the airport in Berlin as he was trying to flee Europe after stabbing his new wife to death in Vienna. His wife had only been in Austria for two months after arriving for an arranged marriage when he committeed the murder.

https://rmx.news/article/afghan-murder-suspect-detained-at-berlin-airport-accused-of-stabbing-wife-to-death-in-vienna/

An 18 year old illegal alien who entered the US as an "unaccompanied minor" has been arrested in Texas for child abandonment after giving birth to a baby and depositing the baby in a dumpster. She said her boyfriend would be upset if she had to take care of the baby instead of working.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/08/texas-woman-who-abandoned-newborn-baby-dumpster-is/

A 28 year old Muslim illegal alien from Kurdistan has been convicted of Attempted Murder for suddenly and unprovoked pushing a British man onto the tracks at the Oxford Circus underground (subway) station in London, narrowly missing electrocution on the live rail and making it back onto the platform only seconds before an oncoming subway train arrived.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13693071/moment-Tube-passenger-pushed-train-tracks-CCTV-homeless-denies-kill.html

A 32 year old illegal alien who has previously been deported from the United States but returned has been arrested in Shelby Township, Michigan for three felony counts of sexual assault on a child under 13 years of age.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/07/31/michigan-previously-deported-illegal-alien-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-young-girl/

An illegal alien from Algeria is being sought by police for slitting the throat and almost decapitating a Spenish man in Valencia with a large knife.

https://rmx.news/article/manhunt-for-algerian-suspected-of-slitting-throat-of-spanish-man-in-valencia/

A 21 year old illegal alien from El Salvador has been arrested in Loudon County, Virginia for carjacking and killing a 54 year old grandmother in broad daylight.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/07/30/virginia-illegal-alien-accused-carjacking-killing-54-year-old-grandmother-melody-waldecker/

A 17 year old Muslim migrant has committed a mass stabbing attack on a dance party for little girls themed around Taylor Swift in Southport, England. Three little girls were killed and nine are in hospital in critical condition, and two adults also injured. The victims were between 6 and 11 years old. As a result, anti-Muslim riots have broken out in Southport.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13690233/police-clash-southport-huge-crowds-protest-near-mosque-bricks-fireworks-thrown.html

An illegal alien from Veneauela who had been released into the US interior by the Biden-Harris open border policy in November 2023 shot and seriously wounded a San Antonio policewoman answering a domestic violence call. Her two partners returned fire and the illegal alien was later found deceased.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/texas/article-13684415/Female-police-officer-shot-jorge-chacon-gutierrez-illegal-mexico-border-texas.html

Crime rates among Muslim North African illegal aliens are soaring in Germany as the far left Green Party refuses to go along with deportations to Morrocco and Tunisia. Rape and murder by North Africans in Germany has more than doubled in four years, with rape up 169% and murder up 110%.

https://rmx.news/article/north-african-crime-rate-explodes-in-germany-rape-up-169-and-murder-up-110-in-4-years/

An illegal alien from Mexico has been arrested for criminal homicide for killing a prominent Tennessee restaurant owner in a hit and run crash in a stolen car.

https://www.breitbart.com/crime/2024/07/25/illegal-alien-got-away-accused-killing-nashville-restaurateur-matt-carney/

A 25 year old Australian tourist was gang raped by five "African type men" in Paris. Police statistics show that 77% of rapes and sexual assaults in Paris are committed by illegal aliens.

https://rmx.news/article/france-australian-woman-on-vacation-in-paris-raped-by-5-african-type-individuals/

An illegal alien who had already been deported three times but came back, has been arrested in Stockton, California for arson and murder, after setting a trailer on fire, killing a mother and two children who were asleep inside.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/illegal-deported-3-times-returns-california-lights-deadly-house-fire-mom-children-inside-source

An 11 (eleven) year old illegal alien from Morrocco, who arrived last year as an unaccompanied minor has been arrested for over 70 (seventy) burglaries in northwestern Germany and was also identified as the leader of a youth criminal gang made up of illegal aliens. Under German law, he cannot be prosecuted as an adult for his crimes, and the left of center state government where he was arrested does not allow secure confinement of illegal alien youths, so attempts are being made to put him in secure confinement in a different German state.

https://rmx.news/article/germany-11-year-old-moroccan-participates-in-over-70-burglaries-leads-youth-gang/

An illegal alien from Columbia has been arrested for the murder of two homosexual men who lived together in Bristol, England and trying to throw their diemembered bodies packed in suitcases from a bridge. The murderer had briefly been a guest of the two men in their home prior to the murders.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13643381/clifton-suspension-bridge-colombian-man-suitcases-remains-trial.html

A 19 year old illegal alien from Honduras who apparently entered the US as an "unaccompanied minor" has been arrested in Charlotte, NC for one count of first degree murder and five counts of attempted murder after randomly shooting into cars and houses. A 16 year old accomplice was also arrested but his asylum status is unknown.

https://www.breitbart.com/border/2024/07/13/report-honduran-migrant-illegally-in-u-s-charged-in-south-carolina-shooting-spree/

An illegal alien from Morrocco has been charged with homicide for pushing a 55 year old passenger down a flight of steps at a railway station in Germany in a random, unprovoked attack. The illegal alien had just been released from police custody on other charges of pickpocketing and assault. The victim suffered severe head injuries and died on the scene.

https://rmx.news/article/germany-moroccan-migrant-pushes-55-year-old-passenger-to-his-death-at-famed-train-station-had-just-been-released-by-police-for-assault-and-pickpocketing/

An illegal alien from Mexico who overstayed a 6 month work visa has been arrested in Wisconsin for the murder of two children and attempted murder of their mother, all of whom suffered multiple stab wounds. He had been arrested twice for DWI after overstaying his visa but not deported.

https://www.breitbart.com/border/2024/07/13/mexican-national-illegally-in-u-s-charged-in-stabbing-deaths-of-two-children-in-wisconsin/

A 25 year old illegal alien from Honduras has been charged with manslaugher of a 6 year old Alabama girl who died in a car crash where the illegal alien was driving drunk, three times the legal linit.

https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2024/07/12/police-drunk-illegal-immigrant-kills-6-year-old-alabama-girl-in-car-crash/

Illegal aliens from the Middle East and Africa tryiing to cross the border from Belarus into Poland having been attacking Polish soldiers and local residents living near the border with spears, slingshots, thrown rocks and bottles, and other items. The spears are often dipped in feces to cause infection. Lately, if they are not actually attacking, the migrants make a throat slitting gesture to Polish soldiers. Several weeks ago an illegal alien reached through the bollards of the border wall and stabbed a Polish soldier in the chest killing him and the throat slitting gestures began after that incident.

https://rmx.news/article/report-migrants-make-throat-slitting-gestures-at-polish-soldiers-on-the-polish-belarusian-border/

Illegal alien Joshua Aviala-Bonifacio, 19, an illegal alien from Haiti, was one of three people arrested for the murder of a New Orleans tour guide who was shot to death in the French Quarter.

https://www.breitbart.com/local/2024/07/11/open-border-illegal-alien-among-those-arrested-for-new-orleans-murder/

Brutal wars between illegal alien drug gangs have spread from Belgium to Germany. The Morroccan drug gang involved in the Netherlands brutal gang wars is trying to move in on a Lebanese drug gang in Germany. Police in Germany just arrested four thugs from the Morroccan drug gang for kidnapping and torturing a couple connected to the Lebanese drug gang.

https://rmx.news/crime/4-arrested-for-kidnap-and-torture-of-suspected-rival-gang-members-as-drug-wars-escalate-in-germany/

Four illegal aliens from Venezuela have been arrested in Chicago for choking, robbing, and beating a man on a train. They gave a migrant shelter in Chicago as their address.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/four-venezuelan-migrants-attacked-and-robbed-man-chicago-train-february-newly-released

A 37 year old illegal alien from Nigeria who stabbed two police officers and bit a third after grabbing a 9 year old boy at the Karlsruhe railway station has been released without charges by a public prosecutor. The illegal alien had been confronted when he tried to ride a train without a ticket. Two of the police officers had to take sick leave to recuperate from their injuries inflicted by the illegal alien.

https://rmx.news/article/germany-nigerian-migrant-grabs-9-year-old-boy-and-stabs-2-police-officers-immediately-released-by-the-courts/

A 31 year old illegal alien from El Salvador living in South Carolina has been found to be wanted for murder in his home country and to be a member of the extremely violent criminal gang MS13. He was arrested for possession of marijuana on a traffic stop in Berkley County, South Carolina. In running his information, it was found that he was a wanted criminal.

https://www.breitbart.com/crime/2024/07/02/illegal-alien-ms-13-gang-member-wanted-for-murder-found-living-in-south-carolina/

A 20 year old illegal alien from Gruatamala has been charged with murder in the death of a 21 month old boy in Pennsylvania. The death was from blunt trauma to the chest as a result of being struck there by the illegal alien with his fist. ICE has filed a detainer on him.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/07/02/guatemalan-migrant-charged-murdering-boy-pennsylvania/

An illegal alien from Iran was shot dead by police after he attacked the officers with a knife at a train station near Nuremburg, Germany and stabbed a police trainee. The officers had pepper sprayed the illegal alien and fired a warning shot in the air when he first approached them with a knife, but when he still attacked them and stabbed the police trainee, they shot him dead.

https://rmx.news/article/germany-iranian-migrant-who-was-shot-and-killed-by-police-officer-stabbed-a-police-intern/

A 26 year old illegal alien from Haiti who has been indicted for the rape of a 15 year old disabled girl in the sanctuary state of Massachusetts has been released by a liberal judge on $500 bail.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/07/illegal-alien-charged-rape-disabled-child-boston-jail/

A 15 year old Muslim illegal alien boy has pled guilty to a terrorist plot to drive a rented truck last Christmas season into a Christmas market crowd in Leverkusen, Germany to kill as many Christmas shoppers as possible. A 16 year old Muslim illegal alien accomplice is still awaiting trial.

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2024/06/29/german-court-convicts-islamic-extremist-teen-for-christmas-attack-plot/

An illegal alien from Ecuador who was released into the US through Biden's open borders in 2023 has been arrested for the murder of a 21 year old girl on her birthday in the sanctuary state of Illinois. The girl was strangled to death and her body disposed of in a shallow grave. There is no word yet whether she was raped.

https://www.breitbart.com/crime/2024/06/27/prosecutors-accuse-illegal-alien-freed-into-u-s-bidens-dhs-murdering-girl-her-21st-birthday/

A 21 year old blond woman was relaxing in a small urban park when a gang of seven Syrian illegal aliens approached in Chemnitz, Germany, began insulting her, punched her in the face, reached under her skirt to sexually molest her, and started dragging her toward an alley. A couple heard her screams and ran to her rescue, whereupon the Syrians assaulted her some more and departed.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13587431/Sex-attack-horror-gang-seven-Syrians-woman-assault-Germany.html

An illegal alien wanted for murder in the Dominican Republic has been found living in the sanctuary state of Massachusetts.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/06/26/illegal-alien-gotaway-found-living-massachusetts/

A turf war between illegal alien drug gangs in Brussels, Belgium has led to a spate of murders, kidnappings, bombings, and street blockades. One gang is Morroccans and locally based and the other is Algerian and based in Marsailles, France. Fortunately, a major bust in Brussels has just gone down to start jailing these illegal alien drug gangs.

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/brussels-police-bring-down-major-marseilles-based-drug-mafia/

According to the city's police chief, the explosion of violent crime, including knife crime, in the German capital of Berlin comes from young male illegal aliens. "To put it bluntly, according to our figures, the violence in Berlin is young, male, and has a non-German background," declared Berlin Police President Barbara Slowik, "This also applies to knife violence."

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/berlin-police-chief-most-violence-committed-by-young-migrant-men/

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2024/06/23/berlin-police-chief-admits-young-foreign-males-behind-violent-crime-wave/

It is not just big cities like Berlin that are having these problems. In the small spa town of Bad Oeynhausen in North Rhein - Westphalia, a gang of ten Middle Eastern illegal alien migrants beat up two young German men who were walking home from a graduation party, putting both in the hospital with one in danger of death with severe head injuries. UPDATE: one of the young men has now died.

https://rmx.news/article/germany-young-man-dies-after-beating-by-migrant-gang-as-he-walked-home-from-sisters-graduation-party/

Two illegal aliens from Venezuela, aged 21 and 26 have been arrested for the rape and murder of a 12 year old Texas girl, who was strangled and her body dumped in a bayou. One of the illegal alien rapist / murderers had only crossed Biden's open border a month ago.

https://redstate.com/bobhoge/2024/06/20/bidens-broken-border-bring-more-tragedy-venezuelan-illegal-immigrants-murder-12-year-old-texas-girl-n2175753

A 23 year old illegal alien from El Salvador has been arrested for the rape and murder of a 37 year old American mother of five in Bel-Air, Maryland. The illegal alien had murdered a young woman in his home country in January 2023, crossed Biden's open border into the US in February, and the following month committed a home invasion in California where he sexually assaulted an American mother and her nine year old daughter. In announcing the arrest, Maryland law enforcement called out Biden and Congress for the open border saying Americans were unsafe because of it. This is the second young woman murdered by an illegal alien in this small rural county in just a few months.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13534771/Murdered-mom-fives-boyfriend-breaks-silence-ILLEGAL-migrant-finally-charged-raping-killing.html

A 12-year old Jewish girl has been beaten and gang raped by three youths in a heavily Muslim suburb of Paris. The girl was called a "dirty Jew" with other anti-semitic and anti-Israel slurs. They threatened to kill her and her family if she reported the attack.

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/violent-rape-of-jewish-teenager-shakes-french-politics/

Germans are outraged that a court gave more prison time to a 20-year old German woman for "insulting" a migrant rapist than they did to the nine actual illegal alien rapists who had gang raped a 14 year old girl for hours in a park. The woman had found the phone number of one of the illegal alien rapists online and sent a text message calling him a "dishonorable rapist pig" and a "disgusting miscarriage" and asking "aren't you ashamed when you look in the mirror." All of the actual gang rapists got probation for the rapes but the woman had to serve jail time for the "insult".

https://rmx.news/article/outrage-in-germany-after-woman-convicted-for-insulting-migrant-gang-rapists-and-hit-with-longer-jail-term-than-the-rapists/

Twenty illegal alien youths from Afghanistan and Syria have been arrested for severely beating a German 14 year old boy in Gera, eastern Germany and posting a video of the beating and torture on social media.

https://rmx.news/article/20-foreigners-beat-german-14-year-old-boy-in-viral-video-in-eastern-city-of-gera/

An off duty New York City police officer was carjacked by two illegal alien migrants from Venezuela. The illegal aliens pulled a pistol on the officer and stole his own service pistol as well as his personal car.

https://nypost.com/2024/06/15/us-news/migrants-rob-off-duty-nypd-officers-personal-car-at-gunpoint-sources/

An illegal alien from Iraqi who joined ISIS in 2016 and fought for them in Iraq, has been arrested near Stuttgart, Germany after he was inserted into Germany in late 2022 as an ISIS sleeper agent to prepare for attacks within Germany.

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2024/06/20/iraqi-migrant-arrested-in-germany-over-alleged-isis-attack-plan/

An illegal alien from Ecuador has been arrested in New York City for raping a 13 year old girl. The girl and a boy of the same age were walking in a park in broad daylight, when the illegal alien confronted them waving a machete, tied them both up, raped the girl, and stole both of their cell phones. The illegal alien videotaped the rape. The illegal alien entered the US in 2021 through Biden's open borders.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/ecuadorian-illegal-alien-arrested-brutal-rape-13-year-old-girl-ny

Germany is seeing a rash of knife crimes, with some of the stabbings resultng in fatalities, and most of it comes from the illegal aliens.

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/gruesome-knife-attacks-continue-to-shock-germany/

A 31-year old illegal alien from Nicaragua who entered through Biden's open borders murdered a California man by stabbing him to death just days after skipping his immigration hearing.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/06/illegal-immigrant-skipped-immigration-hearing-before-stabbing-man/

New York has been deluged with pickpockets since Joe Biden's open borders migrant wave has arrived, and pickpocketing has exploded. Police and prosecutors do not seem to do much about it. There are even reports of training courses in South America on how to be a pickpocket. Is pickpocketkng one of those "jobs Americans don't want to do"????

https://www.breitbart.com/crime/2024/06/13/bidens-migrant-wave-sends-hordes-pickpockets-new-york/

An illegal alien has been charged in the death of a grandmother and her daughter in Shelby Township, Michigan when he crashed his vehicle into the one they were in. A Michigan legislator has demanded that Michigan's Democrat Secretary of State explain how the illegal alien had a Michigan drivers license, since Michigan law does not allow licenses to be issued to illegal aliens.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/06/13/illegal-alien-accused-of-killing-grandmother-and-daughter-in-michigan-crash/

A 19-yeare old illegal alien from Afghanistan has been arrested for attempted murder of a 41-year old woman who was a war refugee from Ukraine. The woman was sitting on a park bench in Frankfurt, Germany when the Afghan walked up and for no apparent reason started stabbing her in the head and neck. She was able to get up and flee a short distance but fell to the ground, and the Afghan then stabbed her some more until passers by rushed to her defense and the illegal alien fled. He was apprehended by police. The victim was very seriously injured in this random attack.

https://rmx.news/afghanistan/germany-afghan-migrant-stabs-ukrainian-refugee-woman-in-frankfurt-park-leaving-her-seriously-wounded/

Six Muslim illegal aliens with ISIS ties have been arrested in New York, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia after one of them was caught on a wiretap talking about bombs. All six had come in through Biden's open borders. At least one was on the Terrorism Watch List.

https://nypost.com/2024/06/11/us-news/six-suspected-terrorists-with-isis-ties-arrested-in-sting-operation/

A 35 year old serial arsonist Sudanese illegal alien in the French city of Pau has been convicted of setting fire to 16 apartments, multiple vehicles, and a church and seriously injuring a French girl, endangering over 50 people, but the judge will not order his deportation because he is afraid the illegal alien might be in danger if he is returned to Sudan.

https://rmx.news/article/france-sudanese-refugee-wont-be-deported-despite-burning-down-16-apartments-multiple-cars-part-of-a-church-and-seriously-injuring-a-student/

An illegal alien from Takikistan who is a member of Muslim terrorist group ISIS was released into the US interior by Biden's DHS.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/06/11/report-joe-bidens-dhs-freed-isis-linked-migrant-into-u-s-from-southern-border/

A Syrian illegal alien was arrested for trying to firebomb the Israeli embassy in Bucharest, Romania. He was arrested by police after his Molotov cocktail hit the embassy's front door.

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2024/06/03/fire-bomb-at-israeli-embassy-in-bucharest-romania-syrian-arrested/

A 19-year old illegal alien from Venezuela was arrested for shooting two police officers in New York City. He had been in the US less than a year, arriving through Biden's open border. Just weeks before shooting the two police officers, a deportation proceeding against him had been closed by a federal immigration judge allowing him to stay in the US.

https://redstate.com/jeffc/2024/06/03/man-who-allegedly-shot-two-nypd-officers-identified-as-illegal-immigrant-n2174994

https://nypost.com/2024/06/03/us-news/bernardo-castro-matas-immigration-case-closed-before-cop-shooting/

An illegal alien "asylum seeker" from Zambia received probation for sexually assaulting a 13 year old French girl. The girl has tried to kill herself twice since the sexual assault.

https://rmx.news/article/france-zambian-asylum-seeker-will-not-serve-jail-time-for-sexually-assaulting-13-year-old-daughter-of-his-friend/

A Muslim migrant failed Afghan "asylum seeker" in Mannheim, Germany made a mass stabbing attack on a campaign event of a small rightwing party, injuring a leader of the party and seven others, including mortally wounding a policeman, who was stabbed in the neck. The police shot and killed the attacker.

https://rmx.news/article/breaking-shock-video-shows-anti-islam-activist-and-german-politician-michael-sturzenberger-stabbed-in-mannheim-police-officer-stabbed-in-the-neck/

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/germany-police-murder-suspect-is-failed-afghan-asylum-seeker/

Three Venezuelan illegal aliens connected to the Tren de Aragua criminal gang have been arrested in Louisiana for running a sex trafficking gang, bringing Venezuelan girls into the US and forcing them into prostitution.

https://www.breitbart.com/latin-america/2024/05/30/report-u-s-uncovers-sex-trafficking-ring-linked-venezuelas-tren-de-aragua/

In Berlin, Germany, a 25 year old illegal alien from Syria broke into an apartment and sexually assaulted a 78-year old woman. He was arrested for attempted rape but the public prosecutor had him released without bail. He immediately went out and raped a 23 year old woman, biting her severely in the process.

https://rmx.news/article/germany-syrian-migrant-sexually-assaulted-78-year-old-woman-then-raped-23-year-old-woman-the-next-day-after-his-immediate-release/

Diego Castro, an illegal alien, has been arrested at a truck stop in Alleghany County, Virginia for abducting an underage girl against her will in Louisiana and transporting her to Virginia, as well as for indecent liberties with a minor and assault and battery. The girl was able to get to a phone and call police at the truck stop.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/05/27/illegal-alien-abduction-louisiana-girl/

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/05/illegal-alien-arrested-virginia-truck-stop-abducting-taking/

As a group of 50 illegal aliens trying to cross Poland's border wall encountered a patrol of Polish soldiers, one of the illegal aliens thrust a knife between the bollards of the border wall into the chest of one of the soldiers, badly wounding him and the illegal aliens then tried to harrass other soliders and the medical personnel which arrived to treat the wounded soldier. UPDATE: The wounded soldier has since died.

https://rmx.news/article/video-illegal-migrant-brutally-stabs-polish-soldier-at-border-with-belarus-50-migrants-attack-medical-teams-and-soldiers-attempting-to-aid-their-colleague/

Two illegal aliens from Chechnya, a Muslim area of Russia, were found surveilling the home of a Special Forces colonel in Carthage, NC near Fort Bragg, with one of them on his property taking pictures of his home and his children. The colonel's own security cameras showed the same illegal alien had been there earlier doing the same thing. When the colonel confronted the Chechen, he became agressive and the colonel had to shoot him. The other Chechen was in a vehicle parked nearby.

https://redstate.com/jenvanlaar/2024/05/27/new-info-related-to-shooting-death-of-chechen-national-who-was-on-army-special-forces-soldiers-property-n2174705

Members of the violent Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua are being arrested thousands of miles from the southern border as the gang expands throughout the United States. Even when jailed, Biden DHS is releasing them back into the US. The radiical socialist regime in Venezuela released inmates from its prisons and directed them to the US border.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/3017952/venezuelan-gang-members-arrested-thousands-of-miles-from-border/

A leading criminology professor has warned that Sweden is on the brink of civil war due to violence by illegal alien migrants.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1901453/sweden-civil-war-migrant-crisis

A 25 year old illegal alien recently arrived from Venezuela who says he is bi-sexual has been arrested for sexual battery of a boy under 12 years of age in Gainesville, Florida. The illegal alien had been charged with raping two young girls in his home country and complained he had not had sex since arriving in the US.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/05/21/venezuelan-migrant-accused-molesting-young-boy-florida/

Antisemitism and attacks on the Jewish community in France have skyrocketed since large numbers of Muslim migrants started entering the country. In the city of Rouen yesterday, an armed Muslim migrant tried to set fire to the city's Synagogue but was shot dead by police before he was able to do so.

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/french-police-kill-armed-man-trying-to-set-fire-to-synagogue/

A Moroccan illegal alien "asylum seeker" has received a life sentence for his random stabbing attack that killed a 70 year old British pensioner as well as a prior attack on another migrant who had converted to Christianity which left him seriously injured. The migrant said he conducted both attacks due to being upset with Israel.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13429913/Moroccan-asylum-seeker-jailed-life-minimum-term-44-years-terror-attack-murdered-pensioner-70-random-attempted-kill-Christian-convert-housemate-revenge-Israel-Hamas.html

Two Jordanian nationals, at least one of whom had recently entered illegally through the southern border and was on the terrorist watch list tried to crash their way into the Quantico Marine base in a truck after claiming to be Amazon delivery drivers.

https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2024/05/17/two-jordanian-nationals-crashed-gates-at-quantico-and-wh-response-is-unreal-n2174307

An illegal alien "asylum seeker" from the Congo who had been held up by the liberal German media as an example of successful integration into German society has been convicted of raping and beating his own mother pulling a knife and threatening to kill her if she denied him sex.

https://rmx.news/article/congolese-migrant-dubbed-poster-boy-for-integration-jailed-in-germany-for-raping-his-own-mother/

In Graz, Austria, a 14 year old Muslim migrant schoolgirl was arrested for plotting an attack on Christians with axes and knives on the historic main square of the city. ISIS materials were also found in a police search of her home.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13435071/Schoolgirl-planned-terrorist-knife-axe-attack-Austria.html

An illegal alien from Mexico has been charged in Los Angeles with two counts of forcible rape after police said he was operating a "rape dungeon on wheels."

https://redstate.com/wardclark/2024/05/16/illegal-immigrant-from-mexico-arrested-for-operating-rape-dungeon-on-wheels-n2174284

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13434141/California-Mexico-migrant-serial-rapist-dungeon-van.html

A homeless Muslim illegal alien from North Africa has been arrested in Brussels, Belgium for stabbing to death a Belgian couple who had allowed him to stay in a spare room in their home.

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/brussels-couple-stabbed-to-death-by-illegal-migrant/

A 46 year old illegal alien from El Salvador was arrested in West Virginia for murdering a 33 year old woman in Berkeley County and in a separate incident severely injuring two homeless people with a baseball bat in Jefferson County. The illegal alien had been denied asylum in Canada, but Biden's border patrol released him on parolie into the US interior even though he had spend 20 years in prison in El Salvador for convictions of murder, robbery, and drug trafficking.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/05/14/illegal-alien-charged-with-murdering-woman-attacking-two-homeless-people-in-west-virginia/

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/05/28/bidens-catch-and-release-criminal-illegal-alien-freed-into-u-s-charged-with-murdering-west-virginia-woman/

Germany's rail union has complained that the country's rail system is turning into a "battleground" due to attacks by male migrants on female rail workers and passengers, with an average of 90 violent crimes and sexual assaults per day on German trains and stations..

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/rail-union-warns-german-train-system-turning-battleground-thanks-male-migrants

https://rmx.news/article/women-must-be-able-to-travel-safely-in-germany-german-trains-turning-into-no-go-zones-as-violence-and-sex-crimes-soar/

A 26 year old illegal alien from Mexico who was deported under President Trump but returned under BIden's open borders has been arrested in Montgomery County, Texas for killing a three month old baby.

https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2024/05/13/report-illegal-alien-charged-in-death-of-three-month-old-was-deported-under-donald-trump/

In France, at least two prison guards have been killed in a gang ambush that freed a Muslim drug gang kingpin from a prison transport van.

https://rmx.news/article/france-at-least-2-dead-after-armed-gang-ambushes-prison-van-transporting-drug-kingpin/

Gangs of illegal aliens are engaging in widespread oil theft in the Permian Basin in West Texas, the largest US oil field. Is oil theft one of those "jobs Americans don't want to do"?

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/energy/3000004/illegal-immigrants-stealing-oil-permian-basin-texas/

In the Belgian city of Kortrijk, a gang of ten "asylum seeker" migrant youths from Muslim North Africa and Somalia are being sought for the gang rape of a 14 year old Belgian schoolgirl, after posting videos of it on Snapchat. This is the second gang rape by migrants of a young girl in that city in weeks.

https://rmx.news/article/migrant-youths-filmed-gang-rape-of-belgian-teen-and-posted-videos-on-snapchat-second-gang-rape-in-same-city-now-revealed/

In the first three months of 2024, the sanctuary city of Chicago has arrested over 1,000 Venezuelan illegal aliens for various crimes.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/05/sanctuary-city-chicago-arrests-1k-illegals-venezuela-first/

Recent German crime statistics show that while illegal aliens make up 14% of the population in Germany, they commit nearly 60% of all violent crimes.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/foreign-migrants-account-nearly-6-10-violent-crime-suspects-germany

A 20 year old illegal alien from Guatemala who came in through Biden's open borders has been arrested in Florida for kidnapping and raping an 11 year old girl.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13392175/newly-arrived-illegal-immigrant-kidnaps-girl-rapes.html

An illegal alien from Mali who says he is a Muslim holy man, laughed at the judge when he was given a 15 year sentence for raping nine women in Paris.

https://rmx.news/article/france-african-migrant-serial-rapist-laughs-in-court-after-receiving-15-year-sentence-for-raping-9-women-in-paris/

An illegal alien from Mexico wanted for murder and attempted murder in his home country was among the illegal aliens who got into the US under Biden's weak border policies. He was arrested on other criminal charges in the US, and has now been turned over to Mexico to prosecute on their cases.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/04/30/illegal-alien-wanted-murder-among-nearly-2m-got-aways-bidens-border/

An illegal alien in sanctuary Montgomery County, Maryland with a substantial criminal record and multiple failures to appear in court, has been arrested for the hit and run death of an American father with a 5 year old son.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/04/29/sanctuary-county-maryland-illegal-alien-accused-killing-27-year-old-jacques-price/

A 15 year old French boy has been stabbed to death in the French region of St. Denis by a 15 year old Afghan migrant. Both the teenage migrant and his 37 year old mother, both from Kabul, have been charged with murder. The mother beat the victim while he was lying on the ground bleeding out.

https://rmx.news/article/francocide-french-teen-stabbed-to-death-by-afghan-migrant-the-latest-victim-of-senseless-migration-policy/

An illegal alien from Guatemala was arrested in Florida for murder in the very gruesome stabbing death of a young American mother and her 4 year old daughter.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/04/26/illegal-alien-accused-of-extremely-gruesome-murder-of-young-mother-4-year-old-daughter-in-fl/

A gang of illegal alien "asylum seeker" migrants has invaded the grounds of a school in Germany to assault students. Several people, including a teacher, have been injured.

https://rmx.news/crime/germany-several-injured-after-migrant-gang-trespassed-on-school-grounds-to-attacked-student-in-mass-brawl/

Fairfax County, Virginia has repeatedly released and refused to turn over to ICE an illegal alien from Honduras charged with raping a child.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/04/virginia-county-repeatedly-released-illegal-alien-charged-sex/

An illegal alien from Mexico is charged in St. Josephs County, Michigan with breaking into a home and sexually assaulting two girls under 13 years of age.

https://www.breitbart.com/crime/2024/04/23/illegal-alien-charged-sexually-assaulting-two-girls-breaking-michigan-home/

An Illegal alien from Guatemala has been arrested in Sumter County, Florida for fatally stabbing a man at a hotel.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/04/23/illegal-alien-charged-with-fatally-stabbing-man-at-central-florida-hotel/

Biden's DHS has released an illegal alien migrant from Brazil who is wanted for child rape in his home country, into the US interior.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/04/22/bidens-dhs-released-u-s-illegal-alien-wanted-child-rape-brazil/

In Dresden, Germany, an Afghan taxi driver who drove an intoxicated German student home from a party, helped her up the stairs to her apartment and then raped her there.

https://rmx.news/crime/i-had-the-urge-to-scream-but-nothing-came-afghan-cab-driver-convicted-for-raping-german-student-in-dresden-while-her-5-year-old-child-slept-in-the-next-room/

In New Rochelle, New York, the Home Depot has had to hire guards, wearing bullet proof vests and with German Shepherd dogs to patrol its parking lots because of "aggressive" migrant thieves.

https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2024/04/21/photo-home-depot-hires-guards-with-german-shepherd-deter-aggressive-migrants-thieves/

In Munich, Germany, a Jordanian asylum seeker illegal alien whose claim for asylum had laready been rejected, was on trial for a series of rapes and sexual assaults when he threatened to kill the prosecutor.

https://rmx.news/crime/germany-jordanian-migrant-on-trial-for-series-of-rapes-and-sexual-assaults-threatens-to-kill-prosecutor/

In 2023, foreigners (migrants) committed 77% of all rapes and sexual assaults in Paris, leading the city's police chief to issue a warning for the upcoming Olympics.

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/foreigners-responsible-for-77-of-solved-rape-cases-in-paris-in-2023/

Anicet Mayela, a Congolese citizen who illegally entered the UK, received notoriety in the media from a widely circulated photo of him holding a sign at a demonstration that read "Migrants are not criminals". But now Mayela has pled guilty to the rape of a 15 year old girl. Mayela has escaped deportation several times with the intervention of "human rights" lawyers, but where are the human rights of his 15 year old rape victim?

https://rmx.news/crime/uk-illegal-migrant-who-protested-with-sign-reading-migrants-are-not-criminals-pleads-guilty-to-rape-of-15-year-old-girl/

An 18 year old illegal alien who entered the US in 2021 during the Biden open borders era has been arrested in Nevada for a hit and run collision that killed a top aide to a Democrat US Senator.

https://freebeacon.com/latest-news/illegal-immigrant-arrested-in-crash-that-killed-adviser-to-senator/

In Germany, violent crime has reached historic highs, driven by illegal aliens in the country. The most recent figures from the police show that 41.8% of those committing violent crimes were foreign citizens (this figure does not include those with migrant backgrounds who have German citizenship) while 75% of victims were German citizens. For rape and sexual assault the figures are even worse.

https://rmx.news/crime/migrant-crime-explodes-higher-in-germany-in-2023-violent-crime-hits-record-levels/

Also in Germany, police are now hunting for 6 migrants who gang raped two 14 year old girls in Rostock.

https://rmx.news/crime/germany-police-hunt-6-migrants-who-gang-raped-two-14-year-old-girls-in-rostock/

In Orange County, New York, a Haitian illegal alien, released into the US on Biden's "parole pipeline" mobile app has been arrested for a double murder

https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2024/04/18/report-joe-bidens-migrant-mobile-app-freed-haitian-now-accused-of-double-murder-into-u-s/

It has also come out that the illegal alien who kidnapped and muredered Laken Riley was given a work permit by Biden's DHS even though they knew he had a criminal record. He should have been deported, not given a work permit.

https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2024/04/18/federal-docs-joe-bidens-dhs-gave-work-permit-to-laken-rileys-accused-killer-knowing-he-had-criminal-record/
There are many systemic issues that all healthcare professionals are forced to grapple with, including staffing shortages, rising practice costs and decreasing reimbursement.

Becker's connected with Agnes Hurtuk, MD, assistant professor and ambulatory medical director of ENT at Loyola Medicine in Chicago to elaborate on the biggest issues in the industry.

Note: This response has been edited lightly for length and clarity.

Question: What is the most insidious issue in healthcare?

Dr. Agnes Hurtuk: The growing national shortage of physicians and its impact on healthcare delivery and quality of care is one of the most insidious issues in healthcare. Over the last several years, I have had an increasing number of patients that I see in my otolaryngology practice ask me to refill their blood pressure medications or an inhaler for their asthma because their primary care physician has left the state, retired, is no longer accepting their insurance, or is booked for a long period of time and unable to see them in a reasonable amount of time. Patients are having increased difficulty establishing care with primary care physicians, and as we all know, the pathway to good health starts with a good relationship with a primary care physician.

In order to address this issue, it is first important to quantify and understand the current physician supply, areas in need, capacity of current practicing physicians, and how long they plan to practice. In addition to understanding the current physician pool, it is also important to understand who will replace or help these physicians when they leave practice, retire, or reach volume where they need help from another physician with the patient load. Currently, there are no reliable answers to these questions.

One estimate states that approximately 83 million people in the U.S. currently live in areas with limited access to primary care physicians. As the U.S. strives to provide a more equitable and affordable healthcare system, there needs to be a better understanding of the supply of physicians and demand to achieve adequate access and maintain the high-quality care for which the U.S. healthcare system is known worldwide.

It is important to understand the possible etiologies behind the current and anticipated physician shortages to address them. While this may not apply to all specialties, there are several factors that can be looked at to improve workflows for physicians, such as decreasing unnecessary administrative burdens, capacity enabling technologies such as telemedicine or virtual or digital charting support and investigating other factors to improve physician job satisfaction.

Once these etiologies are better defined and quantified, these issues can be effectively addressed, and this, in turn, will continue to attract the best and the brightest candidates to medicine to move U.S. healthcare forward with research and innovation to provide the highest quality care to our patients and communities.
On Wednesday, the head of the US space agency NASA, Bill Nelson, said that China is bolstering its space capabilities and using its civilian program to mask military objectives, warning that Washington must stay vigilant.

Chief Nelson made these remarks during his testimony on NASA's 2025 budget before the House Appropriations Committee.

Nelson told lawmakers on Capitol Hill that China has made extraordinary strides, especially in the last ten years, but they are very secretive.

Nelson claims NASA believes most of China's so-called civilian space program is military and thinks that the US and China are, in fact, in a race.

He added that they have not seen China demonstrate that. However, he hoped Beijing would "come to its senses and understand that civilian space is for peaceful uses."

Furthermore, he said the US should land on the moon again before China, as both countries are pursuing lunar missions, and voiced concern that Beijing may respond with, "Okay, this is our territory, you stay out," if they arrive first.

Note that this isn't the first time Nelson has declared that China and the US are "in a space race" and warned that China might eventually claim to "own" the moon's resource-rich area.

China's space program launched multiple lunar orbiting and sample-retrieval missions to establish an Earth-orbiting space station in 2022.

Since then, the US has been planning the Artemis III mission, which will return astronauts to the moon in 2026. China claims that it wants to send people to the moon by 2030.

Nelson believes the US should maintain its "global edge" in space exploration.

"But you got to be realistic," he said. "China has really thrown a lot of money at it, and they've got a lot of room in their budget to grow." However, he warned that the US better not let its guard down.
Diabetes and endocrinology specialists are the lowest-paid physician specialty in 2024, according to Medscape's 2024 "Physician Compensation Report" released April 12.

The report surveyed 7,000 physicians across 29 specialties from Oct. 2 to Jan. 16.

Here are the 10 lowest-paid physician specialties:
Here are three challenges gastroenterology is presented with today:

Declining reimbursements

From 2007 to 2022, the adjusted average reimbursement for GI procedures declined 33%, according to a study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

"There is the well-known issue of decreasing reimbursement over time for procedures that already have existing CPT codes, and that too in the face of the post-pandemic increased demand, higher costs of doing business and staffing issues," Vivek Kaul, MD, Segal-Watson professor of medicine in the gastroenterology and hepatology division at the University of Rochester (N.Y.) Medical Center, told Becker's. "In addition, a real challenge we are facing is the inability to get reimbursed for a host of relatively newer (but well established) endoscopic procedures that have emerged in the last decade or so. Oftentimes, these are minimally invasive, transformational interventions for our patients that help reduce morbidity, length of stay and overall healthcare costs but are poorly reimbursed or not reimbursed at all, in some cases."

Patients not getting screened for colorectal cancer

"I would say that the biggest threat is patients not getting screened and delaying their screening," Benjamin Levy III, MD, a gastroenterologist at University of Chicago Medicine, told Becker's. "Also, trying to get the screening performed on time. We recently changed our screening guidelines from age 50 to 45. I think one of the toughest things that we've been doing is trying to get the word out.

"We were seeing an increase in diagnosis of colon cancer at age 49, it was alarming. So the thought was to change the guidelines to begin screening at age 45. What we're seeing in clinical practice when we screen some of the patients at age 45 who are just doing their due diligence, frequently we'll see a polyp that's one or two centimeters in size. Literally in real-time we're preventing colorectal cancer. But there aren't enough patients within that age range between 45 and 50 that are coming in on time to get their screening colonoscopies."

Gastroenterologists shortages

The gastroenterologist shortage is projected to reach 1,630 by 2025.

"There is currently a GI physician shortage, so for the long term, practices need to develop retention plans for senior physicians and also expand and retain ancillary providers into the practice," Stephen Amann, MD, gastroenterologist at Digestive Health Specialists in Tupelo, Miss., told Becker's. "Recruitment of new GI doctors will also be critical for patient service and support and will be on the minds of all practices."
As physicians migrate to employed models, many are concerned that private practice physicians are losing their power.

Vladimir Sinkov, MD, a surgeon at Las Vegas-based Sinkov Spine, joined Becker's to discuss why he feels private practice physicians have more power than employed physicians.

Editor's note: This response was edited lightly for clarity and length.

Dr. Vladimir Sinkov: Private practice physicians have more power in healthcare than their employed counterparts. Private practice physicians at least have some control over what insurance contracts they sign, where they practice, which hospitals they chose to go to operate or admit patients and what schedule they have. Employed physicians frequently relinquish those decisions to their administrators.

All physicians, however, have been gradually giving up their power to control the healthcare system. The main reasons for that include a lack of understanding of the financial aspects of the current healthcare system and the resulting unreasonable fear of financial loss as well as desire to 'just practice medicine' instead of getting involved in policy decisions. The rest of the healthcare entities (federal and state governments, health insurance companies, hospital systems) exploit these 'weaknesses' and continue to assert more and more control over the physicians  the actual providers of healthcare.
Sacramento, Calif.-based UC Davis Health and Amazon are using generative artificial intelligence to counter health misinformation.

The health system collaborated with Amazon Web Services to develop Project Heal, which employs AI and machine learning to detect emerging public health misinformation and score its threat to human health. The platform can then generate responses tailored to different demographics and communities.

"Project Heal will allow public health officials to more efficiently manage workloads and shift from reactivity to proactivity," according to an April 17 Amazon blog post whose authors include Ashish Atreja, MD, chief information and digital health officer of UC Davis Health, and Keisuke Nakagawa, MD, executive director of the UC Davis Health Cloud Innovation Center. "The resulting community education on health misinformation trends will also improve patient outcomes and empower individuals to make more informed decisions about their health."

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and University of Pittsburgh have also contributed to the project.
Thomasville (Ala.) Regional Medical Center faces the possibility of foreclosure and auction sale after opening only four years ago.

The rural 29-bed hospital was listed on a foreclosure filing earlier this month for nearly $40 million owed on the property, according to The South Alabamian. The property could be sold to the highest bidder for cash, with a nonrefundable $1 million deposit, May 9.

Thomasville Mayor Sheldon Day told the news outlet that local officials are trying to keep the hospital open.

"We are investing nearly $1 million a year into the medical center, so we are committed to keeping it open and serving the people of Clarke County," Mr. Day told The South Alabamian. "We believe we have a solution worked out on the transfer of ownership and I have faith that things are going to be better under the new owners."

The mayor said Progressive Health Group is one interested buyer. The Oxford, Miss.-based hospital management group shares a CEO with Thomasville Regional. Quentin Whitwell is CEO of Progressive Health Group and in March 2023 was named CEO of Thomasville Regional. The company recently completed an acquisition of Helena-West Helena, Ark.-based Helena Regional Medical Center from Brentwood, Tenn.-based Quorum Health for $2.5 million.

Thomasville Regional has encountered financial instability since opening in March 2020. It received 80% less COVID-19 relief funding than similar hospitals, a gap Mr. Day attributed to the funding calculation based on hospital revenues in 2019. In 2022, an anonymous donor pledged $1 million to help the hospital.

Thomasville had no hospital for 10 years prior to 2020.

Becker's has reached out to Mr. Day's office and will update this story if more information is made available.
Mahnomen (Minn.) Health Center has submitted plans to the state department of health to transition it to the state's first rural emergency hospital.

Mahnomen Health comprises a 32-bed skilled nursing facility, a 10-bed critical access hospital and five emergency bays.

The inpatient census for the hospital is currently 0.5 patients per day, Dale Kruger, CEO of Mahnomen Health Center, said in a statement shared with Becker's.

"Transitioning to the Rural Emergency Hospital designation is an innovative win-win approach that will provide a positive $1.5 million impact on our community," Mr. Kruger said.

Should the facility transition to a rural emergency hospital, it would not have inpatient services or swing beds, according to an April 17 Minnesota Department of Health news release.

The hospital would still operate its five-bay emergency room, which includes two trauma bays; keep patients in observation beds for 24 hours if necessary; and continue providing outpatient services.

The transition would not impact the hospital's workforce, Mr. Kruger said.

The hospital is owned by Mahnomen County and the city government. It has a management agreement with Sioux Falls, S.D..-based Sanford Health.

A public hearing is set for April 30 to discuss the transition.
Physicians and researchers say more data is needed on pregnancy outcomes in patients taking GLP-1s as a growing number of women turn to the class of weight loss medications in hopes of reducing their risk of pregnancy complications or increasing their chance of conceiving, Bloomberg reported April 18.

"The 'oops' babies on Ozempic and Wegovy are happening all over the place," Melanie Cree-Green, MD, PhD, director of the polycystic ovary syndrome clinic at Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora, told the news outlet. "It's very exciting, but it's a bit scary because we're moving forward without all the data."

Increasingly, experts say women who have struggled with infertility are becoming pregnant after being on weight loss drugs. As a result, some physicians are turning to the drugs to treat polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, one of the leading causes of infertility in the U.S.

At the same time, little is known about how the medications may affect pregnancy outcomes, and drugmakers have not systematically studied their use with respect to PCOS.

Andrea Shields, MD, vice chair of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' committee on clinical guidelines, previously told The New York Times that the medical community is "all just kind of holding our breath" until more research in humans is available.

In the meantime, researchers are conducting smaller studies of their own on the use of GLP-1s for infertility and how they may affect pregnancy outcomes. The FDA has also asked Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly to create registries and collect data on those who become pregnant while taking the drugs, though results from either have yet to be shared.

In February, one study found that women with Type 2 diabetes who were taking glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists when they conceived or in early pregnancy did not have a greater risk of major congenital malformations compared to those taking insulin. While the results were promising, researchers said more confirmation is needed, including in women who do not have diabetes.

Additionally, some animal studies have indicated the medications may harm a fetus, which experts say may be a concern if people are still taking the drugs not realizing they are pregnant.

As the industry awaits more data, physicians typically recommend women stop taking the drugs at least two months before trying to conceive. Wegovy's label states people should stop taking the drug at least two months before trying to get pregnant, while Zepbound's label says people who become pregnant should stop taking the drug.
Kathryn Correia is retiring as president and CEO of Portland-based Legacy Health, the system said in an April 17 news release.

George Brown, MD, who served as Legacy CEO from 2008 to 2018, has been selected to lead the health system again. He will join Legacy to begin the transition before starting in full capacity as president and CEO by July 1.

To support the transition, Ms. Correia will continue to serve in an advisory capacity through June.

In the interim, Anna Loomis, Legacy CFO and current acting CEO, will continue to lead the system ahead of her planned departure to join another health system.

"This was not an easy decision for me, but over the past few months, I have had the opportunity to consider how I can best serve Legacy at this time, and I am confident this is the right decision for me and the organization," Ms. Correia said. "I remain committed to contributing to Legacy through this transition period to make it as seamless as possible."

In August, Legacy and Oregon Health & Science University, which is also based in Portland, signed a letter of intent to combine and create a 10-hospital system with more than 32,000 employees. The health systems are working on finalizing a merger agreement and hope to complete the transaction this year, pending regulatory approval.

John Hunter, MD, is also stepping down as CEO of OHSU Health but will continue to serve as a tenured faculty member with patient care responsibilities in the university medical school's surgery department. He will stay on until June 30, or until a new CEO is hired.
Carol Aaron has been appointed chair of the PeaceHealth board of directors.

Ms. Aaron has been a member of the board since January 2021, according to an April 16 news release from the health system.

She retired in 2019 after more than three decades of healthcare experience, most recently serving as chief administrative officer and executive vice president at PeaceHealth, according to the release. She also served in leadership positions at St. Joseph Health (now part of Renton, Wash.-based Providence) and Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health.

Ms. Aaron succeeds Karl Carrier, who was appointed chair in 2018, marking the first time in which the PeaceHealth board chair position was held by a lay leader. He has resigned from his appointment, according to the release from PeaceHealth.

PeaceHealth also announced the following new board appointments:

Ione Adams, MD, who has served as chair for the PeaceHealth St. Joseph Community Health Board in Bellingham, Wash., since 2020

Lorraine Arvin, who was vice president and treasurer for Portland, Ore.-based Reed College from 2014 until she retired in 2021

PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a nonprofit Catholic health system with approximately 16,000 caregivers, more than 3,000 clinicians, more than 160 clinics and nine medical centers.












Members of the Oregon Nurses Association at Springfield, Ore.-based PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services have voted to authorize an open-ended strike.

The union represents more than 90 nurses at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services, according to an ONA news release shared with Becker's. PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services is part of PeaceHealth, a Vancouver, Wash.-based nonprofit Catholic health system serving communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska.

Union members authorized a strike earlier this month. Nurses and PeaceHealth executives have been in negotiations for a new labor contract since February 2023. Nurses also held a limited-duration strike in February.

The union contends that since the strike ended, PeaceHealth executives continued demanding nurses accept nearly 5% lower pay than hospital nurses receive in Eugene/Springfield and hospital and home care nurses in Florence. It also contends there is a retention problem because of inadequate working conditions. "I voted yes to strike because I feel it is important for me to advocate for myself, my colleagues and my community. We deserve equal pay for equal work and our community needs a robust home care services team that can provide the care it needs," Cathy Smith, ONA member and nurse at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services, said in the union release.

PeaceHealth expressed disappointment about the strike authorization vote.

"Our goal throughout these negotiations has been to provide significant wage increases for our nurses, and we have provided ONA with proposals that support this goal," the health system said in a statement shared with Becker's.

"Our current proposal to ONA is above the market rate for home care nurses in Eugene/Springfield and includes a 6% raise in the first year of the contract, 3.5% in the second year, 3.5% in the third year and 3% in the fourth year  in addition to numerous other one-time increases."

PeaceHealth also emphasized its commitment to sustainable, high-quality care and said its most recent proposal "goes beyond the market rate while also positioning us for the future."
The Biden administration announced on Wednesday it will reimpose oil sanctions on Venezuela after Maduro's government allegedly barred rivals from challenging him in the polls.

This comes after the US loosened sanctions on the South American country when Maduro and the opposition agreed in Barbados last October to hold a free and fair election in 2024, albeit under the sharp eye of international spectators.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement that the US is concerned that Maduro and his representatives prevented the democratic opposition from registering the candidate of their choice, harassed and intimidated political opponents, and unjustly detained numerous political actors and members of civil society.

Miller has urged Maduro to release all political prisoners immediately and without conditions, as well as to allow all candidates and parties to take part in the electoral process.

Miller said that Venezuelan oil companies will have until May 31 to comply with the sanctions throughout the winding-down period.

However, the State Department said that Washington would "continue to assess sanctions policy" in light of the steps taken by Maduro's government before the election.

Venezuela possesses the world's largest proven oil reserves, but years of poor management and harsh sanctions have caused production to decline drastically.

Caracas vowed that its oil industry would continue regardless of US actions.

Petroleum Minister Pedro Tellechea told reporters ahead of Washington's announcement that they would not stop, with or without a license.

As he runs for reelection this year, Biden faces some risk in implementing the sanctions.

Furthermore, Biden has already faced threats from Venezuelan officials in the sensitive area of migration. Over the past decade, more than seven million Venezuelans have left, with many of them arriving in the US.
UnitedHealth Group on April 16 held its first earnings call since it reported the cyberattack of its Change Healthcare subsidiary. On the call, CEO Andrew Witty called Change an important acquisition for the company, adding "I think [it's] important for the country that we own Change Healthcare."

"This attack would likely still have happened and it would have left Change Healthcare, I think, extremely challenged to come back," Mr. Witty said on the call, according to an April 16 transcript from Motley Fool. "Because it was a part of UnitedHealth Group, we've been able to bring it back. We're going to bring it back much stronger than it was before."

UnitedHealth Group closed its acquisition of Change Healthcare, the largest claims clearinghouse in the U.S., in October 2022, after a legal battle with the Justice Department.

UnitedHealth announced its deal to acquire the company and merge it with Optum's OptumInsight unit in January 2021. The move was met by resistance from the American Hospital Association, who in March of that year called on the Justice Department to investigate the deal. The AHA said the transaction would result in a loss of market competition for claims clearinghouses, payment accuracy, revenue cycle management and clinical decision support services. The AHA was also worried the deal would consolidate much of the country's healthcare data from Change Healthcare, a neutral third party, to a single, powerful owner. The Justice Department responded by asking for more information on the deal.

The Justice Department ultimately sued to block the deal in February 2022. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement announcing the lawsuit that "if America's largest health insurer is permitted to acquire a major rival for critical healthcare claims technologies, it will undermine competition for health insurance and stifle innovation in the employer health insurance markets."

A federal bench trial over the Justice Department's challenge of the deal was held in August 2022. The Justice Department argued that the merger was anticompetitive because Change has access to data from insurer customers. UnitedHealth Group argued Optum is separate from its insurance arm, UnitedHealthcare, and the deal should go through because there are policies in place to protect sensitive data.

In closing arguments, attorneys representing the government argued that the deal would give UnitedHealth "unprecedented power" over claims payments. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols suggested that another company would eventually arise to compete in claims processing anyway, so the merger would not create a monopoly. The judge ultimately ruled in UnitedHealth's favor.

The federal government is continuing to scrutinize UnitedHealth Group. The Justice Department has reportedly opened an antitrust investigation and has been interviewing healthcare industry representatives in UnitedHealth competition sectors. Investigator questions during the interviews have included specific relationships between the company's UnitedHealthcare insurance unit along with its Optum health-services arm, which owns physician groups along with additional assets.

Neither the Justice Department or UnitedHealth Group has publicly commented on the investigation. During the Change Healthcare bench trial, Mr. Witty said OptumInsight and the other companies under the Optum umbrella are kept "strictly at arms' length," adding that the insurer and unit operate in a supplier-purchaser relationship rather than as two parts of an enterprise.

UnitedHealth is also drawing the ire of federal lawmakers, who held their first hearing on the fallout of the cyberattack April 16.

"The FTC has failed the American people by allowing vertical integration to happen, and it needs to be busted up," Rep. Buddy Carter said during the hearing.
Hospitals and health systems don't just compete with one another to attract patients; they also compete to attract surgeons to perform procedures at their facilities. Based on the competitiveness in this environment, it comes as no surprise that the operating room is a key area where healthcare leaders are focusing to achieve differentiation and to drive efficiencies and cost savings.

To learn more about how minute-by-minute coordination technology is improving OR performance and hospital revenue, Becker's Healthcare recently spoke with Brian Swallow, MBA, BSN, RN, Vice President of Surgical Services at Wesley Healthcare, an HCA medical center in Wichita, Kansas.

Greater visibility into OR operations provides benefits for surgeons, facilities, and patients.

Healthcare organizations with a competitive edge differentiate themselves, attract the most cases from surgeons and are perceived as the hospitals of choice in their community.

To gain a competitive edge, Wesley Healthcare has committed to streamlining its OR operations by using Healthcare Control Systems' ORControlTM platform. ORControl is a minute-by-minute Coordination system that synchronizes clinical staff, equipment, and patients in real-time to effectively manage OR throughput over the next 5 minutes.

"When we schedule our cases in the electronic health record, they are visible on the ORControl board," Mr. Swallow said. "This allows us to see in a Gantt chart the length of time for which they are scheduled. Whenever you look at the board, you get an overall picture of what the day will look like, but most importantly, what needs to be done right now."

A patient is visible on the ORControl board from the moment they enter the admissions area of the hospital. "When the patient arrives at the hospital, the admissions staff clicks their name in ORControl which alerts everyone associated with OR cases that the patient has arrived," Mr. Swallow said. "That alerts pre-op that we can start going down to escort the patient to the pre-operative area. From that point on, we can look at all the timelines for the patient in ORControl. We scan a code into the ORControl system which associates a tracking tag to the patient. This not only allows everyone to see the location of the patient, but this also triggers automated communication to staff, physicians, and families as the patient moves through the Perioperative Process.

As consent forms and other documents are signed, the chart in ORControl changes color, indicating that a patient is ready to move to surgery. "We are no longer running back and forth from the OR to pre-op to see if patients are ready," Mr. Swallow said. "The system also eliminates a majority of the phone calls that used to happen regularly. We know when patients are ready just by looking at the ORControl board alongside the customized automated alerting pushed to specific groups and departments throughout our medical center.

ORControl gives teams at Wesley Healthcare visibility into OR operations at seven points of contact:

When the patient comes to admissions When the patient arrives in the pre-op area When the patient enters an OR or procedural room At the time of the surgeon's first cut At the time of the surgeon's close When the patient leaves the OR, triggering automated alerts for a room turnover When the patient arrives in the PACU

The ORControl board is displayed in the surgeons' dining room, lounge, and also via a mobile application on their smartphone. The integration of mobile visibility and ORC kiosks in these areas, complemented by their alerting capabilities, has notably enhanced surgeons' prompt engagement in On-Time case starts. Surgeons greatly appreciate the ability to see what is happening with their case this very moment just by looking at their phone. In addition, a version of this information, without personally identifiable information, is visible in the cafeteria and waiting areas for patients' families, and on their cell phones.

"When family members can see where their loved ones are in the surgical process, it reduces anxiety and eliminates a lot of calls. The tracking tags associated with patients assure family board updates are accurate and timely since they dont rely on nurses to enter data. This combined with preapproved messaging sent to families throughout the process has helped us to be a choice hospital in the community," Mr. Swallow said.

OR performance metrics: What gets measured gets managed

With data from ORControl, Wesley Healthcare quantifies key metrics related to OR performance and identifies areas for improvement. Key performance indicators (KPIs) are tracked and reported throughout the organization. "First case on-time starts are a very important metric for surgeons," Mr. Swallow said. "If they can't start on time, even if it's a five- to ten-minute delay, surgeons see a domino effect through the day."

Utilizing ORControl Wesley Healthcare's first case on-time start rate at its hospital and trauma center improved to 86 percent, which is in the top 10% of all hospitals in the U.S. "The more efficient we are with key metrics, the more cases we earn from surgeons. Surgeons measure us on whether we can get them home on time at the end of the day," Mr. Swallow said.

The surgical services department also presents a scorecard to staff in monthly one-on-one meetings to let them know how they are doing. The scorecard includes data like on-time starts, turnover times for operating rooms, physician turnover time and "kudo points" when staff members get positive feedback. As part of a corporate initiative aimed at enhancing physician satisfaction, the ORControl team developed a text reminder feature that enables surgeons to promptly communicate emergent issues or provide commendation for outstanding staff performance immediately following a case.

Data and metrics help Mr. Swallow make the business case for staff adjustments and additional technology. "With data, you're more likely to get funding for a project than if you're just going on a hunch," he said. "When we purchased ORControl, one of the ways we justified the funding was by looking at the FTE balance. We were able to reduce FTEs simply by reducing the number of phone calls and distractions. In addition, if you can demonstrate that revenue will increase due to improved efficiencies, you are also more likely to gain and keep the resources you need to do your job."

More efficient OR operations have translated into more cases per day and more revenue for Wesley Healthcare providing a competitive advantage in the marketplace. "When you average 180 minutes per case, it's easy to add another case on a day during prime time when you have the resources," Mr. Swallow said. "Improving efficiencies is critical when you're operating in a competitive environment."

When selecting technologies to improve OR efficiency, ease of use is essential

One of the reasons that Wesley Healthcare uses the ORControl board is because of its intuitive nature and ease of use for surgeons and staff members. The organization's surgical department sees a constant flow of new medical students. An attending surgeon can walk up to the ORControl screen with five residents and explain the board in 30 seconds.

"It's so intuitive that they instantly know how to use it. Rapid adoption of software is unique in healthcare settings and creates efficiencies within the surgical team, as well," Mr. Swallow said.

While many technology solutions promise to deliver efficiency gains, they go unused because they are hard to understand.

"ORControl is very easy for everyone to use from transporters to doctors to staff," Mr. Swallow said. "And it's easy to draw the data out for analysis. Every quarter, we have three quarters of a million touches on the system as people look at ORControl to gain critical minute by minute information to make informed decisions and prepare for their next case.
Becker's reported on five spine surgery debuts so far in April.

1. Lynn McGrath, MD, a neurosurgeon at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian in New York City, performed the first endoscopic spine surgery in Tanzania.

2. Oliver Tannous, MD, of MedStar Washington (D.C) Hospital Center, became the first to use a 3D-printed replica of a patient's spine to assist in surgery.

3. Surgeons at Dunkirk, N.Y.-based Brooks Hospital performed the first spine surgery in the facility's 125-year history.

4. Sarasota (Fla.) Memorial Hospital became the first hospital in the region to add the Aprevo spine implant for replacing damaged or diseased vertebral discs in the lumbar area of the spine.

5. Gregory Poulter, MD, completed Indiana's first spine surgery with eXperiential Reality technology at Indianapolis-based OrthoIndy.
As with any job search, there are many factors to weigh when deciding to accept an offer. For spine surgeons, those considerations include contacts, ownership plans and communication.

Here are the red flags spine surgeons should know when looking at practices and health systems.

Ask Spine Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to spine surgeons around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting spine care. Becker's invites all spine surgeon and specialist responses.

Next question: What are the green flags spine surgeons should consider when joining a practice or health system?

Please send responses to Carly Behm at cbehm@beckershealthcare.com by 5 p.m. CST Wednesday, April 24.

Editor's note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity and length.

Question: What are the red flags spine surgeons should consider when joining a practice or health system?

Jeffrey Carlson, MD. Orthopaedic & Spine Center (Newport News, Va.): There seems to be many changes for ownership in practices and health systems. It is important to ask questions about ownership and how it could change in the next five years. New physicians will want to know that the organization they are joining will have the same administrative structure they are expecting for a long career. If the president or CEO of the practice opportunity is expecting to leave the job in three years, the physician will want to do more investigation.

Brian Fiani, DO. Mendelson Kornblum Orthopedic & Spine Specialists (West Bloomfield, Mich.): Some red flags spine surgeons should consider when joining a practice or health system include high turnover rates among staff, poor communication between team members, a lack of access to necessary resources and equipment, limited opportunities for professional growth and development, and a history of patient complaints or malpractice lawsuits. It's important for spine surgeons to thoroughly research and evaluate potential practices or health systems before making a decision to join.

Brian Gantwerker, MD. The Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: Over half of doctors, especially neurosurgeons, leave their first practice within the first one to two years. There are some red flags colleagues have talked about that are worth mentioning. There are two main ones to look out for: 1) promises made and promises kept; 2) not having everything in the paperwork.

The first is, when you first start, and you were supposed to be doing your work in one area, and your partner or supervisor tells you at the eleventh hour that you are working somewhere else  either another location or another town completely, be careful. That means that there is a general feeling that you and your expectations are not being considered carefully. Contract negotiations can take a long time, careful planning  including getting a place to live, putting your kids in school, doggy daycare  it is not easy to suddenly have a huge commute to contend with. If your boss or partners do that, especially with a nonplussed attitude, beware.

Secondly, if you agreed on it and it's not in the contract, don't expect it to materialize. Call expectations, RVUs, salary and partnership track all need to be spelled out clearly. As you interview, you may encounter opportunities that offer you a letter instead of an actual contract  caveat emptor. Get everything in print. Remember, a contract can be a saving grace or just a guideline for litigation. Hopefully,. it will be the former.

Alex Vaccaro, MD, PhD. President at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute (Philadelphia): Spine surgeons continue to be one of the most sought-after surgical specialties in healthcare. For spine surgeons evaluating their opportunities, the following are some key questions to pursue:

How is access to operating room time, including whether key specialists are available to support spine surgery, and if the tools to support high-quality spine surgery such as microscopes and navigation technology are available or will be purchased? In an ASC setting if there is a vascular or neurological intraoperative injury, what type of support, transfer mechanism is in place to ensure patient safety

What is the compensation framework, including what behavior is rewarded, and how is productivity measured? If productivity is measured in terms of cash collections, what is the performance of the revenue cycle and how are spine cases reimbursed in the commercial payer contracts relative to market norms? Is revenue shared equally among all providers or passed on work RVUs/collections.

Will the surgeon have the ability to participate in ASC joint ventures, shared savings program benefits for value-based care, and other forms of passive income generation?

How are non-financial terms navigated, including things like pathway to partnership/partnership criteria, restrictive covenants and noncompetes?

How quickly did the last new spine surgeon build his/her practice? What resources are available to support a surgeon building his/her practice? Has any spine surgeon ever left the group and why?

Christian Zimmerman, MD. St. Alphonsus Medical Group and SAHS Neuroscience Institute (Boise, Idaho): Albeit most individuals are reluctant or even unwilling to readily disclose such misfortunes, the unreliable poison of any practice or health system would be local or federal inquiries into concerns over noncompliance or fraud with healthcare regulations. Any governmental agency investigating a practice for such allegations usually signals unsavory circumstances, bodes unwell prospectively, and may signal desperation by the hiring entity. Forbidding behavioral issues such as infighting and tedious negativity should also be analyzed and pursued with caution. Economically, the red flags could be many, like excessive voids, adjustments or modifications to accounts receivable most likely represent issues and should trigger hesitance prior to scrutiny by a reputable accountant.
The airport is currently undergoing a 100m revamp which is due to be unveiled this summer

Belfast International Airport has said 1.3m passengers travelled through its terminals since the beginning of the year, signalling a return to pre-pandemic levels.

According to the airport operator, Vinci Airports, the most recent quarterly traffic results show that Belfast International reached 98% of pre-pandemic passenger numbers in the first three months of the year.

The airport which is currently undergoing a 100m revamp saw passengers numbers increase by 30% on last year.

Aircraft movements at the airport were also up 25% on the previous year, with the airport seeing almost 11,00 aircraft movements from January to March.

Vinci said that Belfast International Airports strong recovery is also evidenced by its increased GB and European connectivity.

Airlines have boosted the range of destinations now on offer with seven new routes due to start in 2024 as well as increased frequencies on a range of destinations.

easyJet is set to launch routes to Tunisia and Larnaca in Cyprus, while Ryanair and Jet2 have already launched new flights to Malta.

And Jet2 will also be launching new services to Bodrum in Turkey and TUI is introducing summer flights to Cyprus as well as new routes to both Salzburg and Turin as winter destinations.

Travel Solutions will continue their popular flights to Bulgaria and Italy and Balkan Holidays will continue to operate Bulgaria year round.

Dan Owens, chief executive at Belfast International Airport, said: These figures are extremely positive and clearly show Belfast International Airports continued strong recovery.

"We are expecting a busy year ahead with an extensive range of destinations that will boost the local economy as well as providing further choice for local travellers.

"Our 100m investment plan continues at pace as our new security building is on track to be operational this summer alongside further terminal enhancements.

In October it was announced that the airport would be undergoing a 100m revamp, the biggest investment in its 60-year history.

The project includes an overhaul of security, meaning liquids and large electrical items will no longer have to be removed from luggage.

The 25m security facility will feature Standard 3 x-ray screening equipment, eliminating the need for passengers to remove liquids and electronics from their hand luggage at security.

The investment plan, announced by operator VINCI, also includes an improved airside departure area with additional departure gates, extra seating, new shopping facilities and an extension of the retail and immigration areas.

Vinci acquired Belfast International in 2018 for an undisclosed sum. The French firm operates more than 70 airports in 13 countries.
A school pupil from Antrim has kept up her family tradition of producing stunning, award-winning artwork, after emerging victorious in a prestigious competition.

Charley Bell, who attends Methodist College Belfast, has been crowned the overall winner in this years Texaco Childrens Art Competition.

Its the second year in a row the 17-year-old student has won the coveted Ireland-wide award.

Her winning work, for which she receives a prize of 1,500, is entitled Anticipation  a painstakingly detailed portrait study in coloured pencils  and also picked up the top honour in the 16-18 age category.

In choosing Charleys piece as the overall prize winner, final adjudicator and chairman of the judging panel Gary Granville, professor emeritus of education at the National College of Art and Design, described Charleys artwork as an exceptionally well-executed portrait that tells of an aged serenity, of a full life with a wealth of experience and wisdom.

There is a subversive energy, irrepressible optimism and underlying joy in the image that belies the stereotypical portrayal of ageing, Prof Granville added.

This wonderful work of art well deserves the top award in this years Texaco Childrens Art Competition.

Charley with her prize-winning artwork (Photo: Mac Innes Photography/Justin Mac Innes)

No stranger to the competition, Charley was also honoured with Special Merit Awards in both 2020 and 2021.

The middle child of three, Charley first discovered her passion for art at a young age and went on to develop an ability to express herself more through her artworks as she progressed through grammar school.

From an artistic family, older sister Carrie has won numerous Special Merit Awards in the competition, whilst younger brother Rory has received a commendation. With one year left to complete in school, Charley believes art will play some role in her future.

The inspiration for her winning portrait came via the discovery of a photo of an old lady.

I like working with portraits, and when I saw this photo, the detailed expression on the womans face jumped out at me. I knew it would be a challenging and interesting artwork to take on, Charley explained.

Also among those honoured for their work was another Antrim student, Zara Craig (16), a pupil at Ballyclare High School.

Zara earned second place (1,000) in Category G (for young adults and children with special needs) for her work entitled LOmbre.

Also a multiple previous winner, Zara won first prize in the same category in 2022, second prize in 2021 and Special Merit Awards in 2020 and 2019.
Authorities in Indonesia have issued a tsunami warning after a volcano erupted several times in the province of North Sulawesi.

Similar to an eruption in 1871, authorities fear that a part of the volcano may collapse into the sea and create a tsunami.

In 2018, parts of Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano plummeted into the water during its eruption, killing 430 people and sending a tsunami along the beaches of Sumatra and Java.

The people of Tagulandang island, northeast of the volcano, were ordered to evacuate since the island was once more in danger.

Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency reported that residents will be transferred by boat, which will take about six hours, to Manado, the closest city on the island of Sulawesi.

Indonesia's Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation verified at least five massive eruptions from the volcano on the northern side of Sulawesi Island in the past 24 hours.

Indonesia's volcanology agency said Mount Ruang, a stratovolcano, erupted four more times on Wednesday after the first eruption on Tuesday at 9:45 pm.

Hendra Gunawan, the head of Indonesia's volcanology agency, said Mount Ruang's level was raised from level three to level fourthe maximum levelbased on visual and instrumental observations showing increased volcanic activity.

The volcano emitted a column of smoke more than a mile into the sky, prompting hundreds of people to flee their homes, and by Wednesday morning, at least 800 locals had reportedly left the area.

Indonesia's 270 million-person archipelago has 120 active volcanoes along the "Ring of Fire," a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines in the Pacific Ocean.

According to authorities, tourists should stay at least four miles from the 2,378-foot Ruang volcano.
Man allegedly stabbed and killed by partner was on bail for domestic incident at time of death
Sinn Fein is choosing to throw dirt at everyone else in row over McMonagle job references
A local doctor has criticised the absurd situation whereby students from other parts of the UK can access a second loan for a Graduate Entry Medicine course but those from NI cannot.
A decision has been made to pull Derry-Majorca flights for summer 2024 before the first plane has taken off.

In July last year the council, on behalf of City of Derry Airport, announced direct flights that were due to commence in summer 2024.

Travel Solutions, Northern Irelands leading tour operator, was to return to City of Derry Airport with flights to Palma, Majorca and to Faro on Portugals Algarve.

Now, in a statement to the Belfast Telegraph, Travel Solutions has said: The decision has been made to cancel the summer programme from City of Derry to Palma, Majorca for operational reasons.

Passengers booked on the service are being contacted to offer alternative flights/holidays or to arrange for a full refund of monies paid.

The City of Derry to Faro route will operate as planned, with the first departure on May 20.

When announcing the flights last July, Travel Solutions said its direct flights from City of Derry Airport have proven very popular with holiday makers in the north west and in Co Donegal, with many families travelling for a second time this summer.

Peter McMinn, Travel Solutions Managing Director, added that they were excited to welcome the Spanish airline, Air Nostrum, who would fly every week to Palma departing on a Thursday afternoon operating from 27 June to 29 August 2024.

While Steve Frazer, Managing Director at City of Derry Airport, at the time commented: We are delighted to see the summer sun programme to Majorca and Faro for 2024 now on sale for the third consecutive year.

The airports continued partnership with award-winning NI tour operator, Travel Solutions demonstrates the high demand for family holidays, couples breaks and group getaways from the north west region and the desire to travel from their local airport.

In February a new deal to secure flights between City of Derry Airport and London Heathrow for another year was confirmed.

Stormont's Department for the Economy and the UK Government's Department of Transport have agreed a public service obligation (PSO) contract worth more than 2m.

A PSO sees government support routes which are not commercially viable.

The airport currently costs ratepayers 3.45m a year to help pay operational costs. That is around 5% of the council's total annual budget.

In January it emerged the council is facing an estimated 729,000 shortfall in airport funding for the next financial year.

In 2021, the council submitted a business case to Stormont for 3m a year over a six-year period to help reduce the burden on ratepayers.

City of Derry Airport has been contacted for comment.
13/04/24 Presseye Drones Hill Road where a car was burnt out after shooting incident Mandatory Credit Presseye/Stephen Hamilton

A 39-year-old man arrested by detectives investigating a shooting incident in Banbridge on Friday, has been released on police bail pending further enquiries.

Brian McCourt (47) was shot in the abdomen in an attack in the Co Down town on April 12.

He was targeted shortly after 8pm in a car park on Rathfriland Road. He is believed to been lured there for a meeting.

He was sitting in a taxi when a masked gunman approached the vehicle and opened fire.

The driver of a silver Citroen vehicle then made off from the scene southbound on the A1 dual carriageway.

A link is being explored between a vehicle reported on fire some 20 minutes later in the Drone Hill Road area of Corbet.

A 46-year-old man arrested in connection with the shooting has also been released on bail, pending further inquiries.

Because of his condition, McCourt is not believed to have cooperated with the police so far.

He was recently released from prison after serving a sentence for threatening to kill a man and cut his face in a row over an ex-partner.

McCourt was under the protection of The Firm in prison.

He is a close associate of one of the leading members of the cross-community crime gang, a man on bail and awaiting trial for serious criminality.
The Mobuoy illegal dump could cost hundreds of millions of pound to rectify

A memo to the Environment Minister in 2020 advised that Derry people could be given bottled water if the toxic Mobuoy dump impacted on the citys drinking water, a Stormont committee has heard.

The Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs committee heard the illegal dump is estimated to contain between 1million and 1.6million tonnes of waste.

The cost of reversing environmental damage at the illegal dump site at Mobuoy in Derry could range from 17m to 700m, according to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERAs) Annual Report and Accounts.

The site, which was shut in 2013, presents serious environmental and economic implications.

Speaking at the meeting on Thursday, Daniel McAteer from PCI Consulting said economic impacts would include the clean-up costs and contingent liabilities of not getting it right and a detrimental impact on foreign direct investment due to NIs apparent disregard for the environment.

Furthermore, it is causing delays to the construction of a section of the A6 road.

Environmental risks include the potential impact on drinking water with the River Faughan situated close to the toxic dump from which supplies 60% of Derrys drinking water.

Mr McAteer said there was an astonishing memo to the Minister that plan B was, give people bottled water.

He didnt view that as a very persuasive plan B.

Reading from a Freedom of Information response, Mr McAteer added: When the Minister asked for an update he was told by one of the officials, the site presents a live and current risk to the safety of drinking water for 50,000 households in the north west, which if realised, may in the worst case scenario require the supply of bottle water to those homes.

Mr McAteer continued: "I think its disappointing that in the year 2024, that our response to a catastrophe like this is that well let them have bottle water. I think its a fairly primitive response.

It hasnt happened yet, but he said, we believe you dont wait until it happens to fix the problem, it continues to be a live risk.

On potential agricultural risks, he said: If I owned that land as a farmer and I wanted to go and try and insure it, I think my insurance premium might be around 1billion for the insurable risk, in fact its not an insurable risk because its an unquantifiable liability.

We would know historically in this country, there were some diseases that got into the cattle as a result of this type of activity which almost wiped out our agricultural economy.

PCI was asked to find a solution and came up with a world class team of experts and have tried to engage with various agencies since 2015.

Unfortunately that engagement hasnt really led to anything productive, in fact it hasnt really led to anything at all, he told the meeting.

We believe the approach taken from the very start has been misconceived, we also believe that we havent been given a fair opportunity to bring forward our proposals or our solution.

And of course this is a very serious problem that will not just have consequences for the people here in Northern Ireland but for the wider 370 million taxpayers throughout the UK.

Mr McAteer stated: This is a new way of doing things, and a problem of this magnitude, which has been described as, I quote the biggest single environmental disaster in the history of the UK, for emphasis he repeated, in the history of the UK.

We believe that an innovative approach is required here, something new has to happen.

Mr McAteer informed MLAs that PCI submitted a comprehensive solution in 2016 which has fallen on deaf ears.

He told the committee that a barrier should be installed immediately to protect the citys drinking water and agricultural and fishing interests.

It would stop the risk of spillages into the water, further spillages into the water, Mr McAteer said.

It would then take a further four or five years to clean-up the site and it would be monitored for around 10 years thereafter.

This credible solution has been on the table since 2016, Mr McAteer said.

Toxic material would then be moved to a new properly engineered landfill site situated about 13 miles away.

As a Derryman and someone trying to take the initiative, he described his experience as utterly disgraceful and believes if it was the private sector they would be out of business by now.

He cant put a price on his own remediation work because he said the department has refused to tell us how much waste is on the site.

Mr McAteer told the committee he spoke to the Director of Resource Efficiency Division Richard Crowe in a bid to find out why the cost range is so wide and told him Sir Humphrey Appleby would be proud because despite asking 150 questions you havent answered one.

DUP MLA Tom Buchanan attempted to press Mr McAteer on why he didnt have his own price, and he responded by saying they havent been given access to the site and have been stonewalled by the department who use ongoing litigation as a reason to withhold information.

DAERA and NI Water have been contacted for comment.
The Communities Minister has said he is still seeking clarity as to where the full funding for Casement Park will come from, while confirming that no construction tender for the project has been sent out yet.

With the clock ticking down to Euro 2028, for which Casement has been chosen as one of the host stadiums, time is running out for the redevelopment project to be completed in time.

Uefa wants the stadium built by mid-2027, at the latest, but Gordon Lyons today told Stormonts communities that a tender for the construction of the stadium has still not been issued.

The Executive has pledged 62.5m towards the redevelopment, with the Irish Government putting up 50m (42.8m) and the GAA contributing 15m.

A decade ago, the cost of the project was estimated to be 77.5m, but now that figure has spiralled to potentially more than 300m. It is unclear who will fill this funding gap.

Mr Lyons said he recognises the predicted economic windfall for NI that Euro 2028 will bring, but questions still need answered about funding Casement.

There has been some difficulty getting clarity as to the final funding allocations and where the money will be coming from, he said.

You will be aware there is an Executive commitment of 62.5m, and that remains for the redevelopment of Casement Park, with 15m from the GAA and a contribution of 50m from the Irish Government.

There is a funding shortfall  I am seeking clarity on that.

Asked about the status of the tendering process for the construction of the stadium, Mr Lyons said: The department is now the contracting authority for Casement, but were not able to go any further in terms of procurement until we have clarity on where the funding is coming from.

Committee member Sian Mulholland put it to Mr Lyons that it is a matter of weeks, not months, for progress on the project to be made in order for it to be on track to meet completion targets. Ms Mulholland asked the minister where the blockage is in this regard.

The blockage is getting clarity from the funding partners, including the UK Government, and how much they are prepared to contribute to what will be the overall cost, Mr Lyons said.

I have asked the UK Government for clarity on that. I believe that discussions are ongoing, but I havent received any response to that yet.

Speaking earlier this week, GAA president Jarlath Burns said the UK Government should stump up more money for Casement as a goodwill gesture to the organisation.

Mr Burns said Westminster has a moral obligation to support the GAA given what has happened in the past.

He said reparations for Bloody Sunday in 1920, when British forces raided Croke Park during a GAA match, killing 14 people, have never been made.

Money would never change that, the GAA president said.

But the British Government could send a signal to the GAA to say: We arent against you; we understand the role you play in communities and we are going to do this for you.

A UK Government spokesperson said: "The Northern Ireland Department for Communities is responsible for the procurement process for the redevelopment of Casement Park, including direct engagement with local partners on their funding contribution.

"The UK Government will continue to work closely with the Department for Communities regarding the cost of the Casement Park. We remain committed to ensuring EURO 2028 leaves a lasting legacy across the UK."
MLAs on Stormonts health committee were briefed on the scale of hospital waiting lists (Jeff Moore/PA)

The scale of hospital waiting lists in Northern Ireland is so severe that patients are coming to further harm as they wait years for treatment, surgeons have said.

Niall McGonigle, the Northern Ireland director of the Royal College of Surgeons, told MLAs on the health committee that health workers are raising an SOS over the service being provided to patients.

Northern Ireland has the worst hospital waiting lists in the UK, with more than a quarter of the population waiting for an inpatient or outpatient appointment.

Minister for Health Robin Swann has pledged to leave no stone unturned in tackling hospital waiting lists (Liam McBurney/PA)

Stormont Health Minister Robin Swann has previously pledged to leave no stone unturned in seeking to address spiralling waiting lists.

Mr McGonigle said: The royal college fraternity has raised a red flag in the last couple of weeks, perhaps even an SOS, about the stresses of working in our health service and the level of service that we can currently provide to our patients.

In surgery we are facing huge difficulties in terms of daily work and trying to address a backlog that has existed for over a decade.

Despite best efforts we are in dire straits and action must be taken for the people of Northern Ireland.

He added: Presently around a quarter of Northern Irelands population is on a waiting list, either to see a consultant for the first time, for a diagnostic test or for elective in-patient treatment.

That, in a population of 1.9 million people, equates to 26% of the population.

This figure, for the same metrics in England, is about 12%.

In order to clear those waiting lists it would take all day operating seven days a week for three years.

The scale of waiting times is so severe now that we know patients are coming to harm.

Conditions are progressing and they are becoming more complex.

This can lead to more difficult operations and unfortunately in some cases surgery is no longer possible.

We must also not forget the psychological and mental health implications of these prolonged waits, almost always without information on position on a waiting list and also the likely time to treatment on that waiting list.

Simply put, delays cost more both financially and in the wellbeing of our patients.

Ann Garraghy, from the royal college, told the committee that a survey of members revealed 53% of Northern Ireland surgeons had considered leaving the workforce within the last year.

She said 91% surgeons aged 55-64 in the region say they plan to retire within the next four years and 66% have reported burnout and stress because of workload.

SDLP MLA Colin McGrath said there was a deepening crisis in the health service in Northern Ireland (Liam McBurney/PA)

SDLP MLA Colin McGrath said there was a deepening crisis in the health service in Northern Ireland.

He said: Surgeons are clear that we need more elective care centres and access to theatres for staff.

They have also issued a workforce warning with large numbers of the surgical cohort in the later stages of their careers and will retire in the coming decade.

If we dont recruit and retain the surgeons necessary then we will be unable to manage the scale of these waiting lists.

We must see action from the Health Minister and department in relation to waiting lists and this cannot come soon enough.

People are already waiting too long. It is causing unfair pressures on our primary care sectors, and patients and their families are suffering because our health service is unable to carry out many of its basic functions.
Three men have been arrested in connection with the murder of an RUC officer 30 years ago.

Constable John Jackie Haggan was killed at Dunmore Greyhound Stadium in north Belfast on March 10 1994.

Mr Haggan was shot as he socialised with his wife and friends.

He was a 33-year-old married man who lived in Newtownabbey. He had two children and his wife was pregnant when Jackie was murdered.

Today, detectives from the PSNI Legacy Investigation Branch arrested three men, all aged in their 50s.

They were arrested under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act on suspicion of murder and membership of a proscribed organisation at addresses in Belfast and the Newtownabbey area.

The men have been taken to the Serious Crime Suite in Antrim Police Station and are being questioned by detectives.
China to host Western Pacific naval symposium in Qingdao

Xinhua) 10:33, April 18, 2024

BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The 19th Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) will be held from April 21 to 24 in China's port city of Qingdao, and will be hosted by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, according to an official statement released Wednesday.

Delegations of navies and maritime defense departments of 29 countries, including Australia, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom will attend the symposium.

The symposium will hold a seminar under the theme of "seas of shared future," inviting naval leaders to discuss topics such as the global security initiative and maritime peace and tranquility; maritime security cooperation and international-law-based maritime order; and extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits and global maritime governance.

The symposium will also see bilateral meetings between the naval leaders of China and some other countries.

The statement said hosting the 19th WPNS is part of the Chinese navy's efforts to build a maritime community with a shared future. The Chinese side expects to enhance exchanges, mutual trust, and cooperation between countries, thus making further joint efforts to respond to maritime security threats and challenges, and safeguard regional peace and stability, it added.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal visited Washington on Wednesday (Apr. 17) to urge US lawmakers to approve the security assistance package for his country as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine or face the risk of a Third World War.

"We need this money yesterday, not tomorrow, not today," he exclusively told the BBC. "If we will not protect... Ukraine will fall. So the global system of security will be destroyed... and all the world will need to find... a new system of security."

"Or, there will be many conflicts, many such kinds of wars, and in the end of the day, it could lead to the Third World War."

The warning was not the first time a hypothetical Third World War was mentioned if the Ukrainians were defeated.

Last year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a similar warning to the West, saying that a Russian victory could mean that Polanda NATO nationcould be next, triggering Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty and a Third World War.

However, Kremlin officials have ridiculed such claims as Western scaremongering. Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed suggestions that Russia might one day attack Eastern Europe as "complete nonsense."

In Wednesday's interview, Shmyhal was asked about a recent claim by Republican House foreign affairs chairman Michael McCaul that members of his own party were being "infected" by Russian propaganda.

"We should understand that disinformation and propaganda is influencing here in the United States on many people, in European Union on many people, such as in Ukraine," he replied.

Opposition from the Republican party has blocked potential assistance to Ukraine for months, with some lawmakers instead insisting on prioritizing US taxpayer money to support the security of the US-Mexico Border.

Conservatives have also dismissed any suggestion that they peddled the Kremlin agenda as smear attempts.

US President Joe Biden said in a statement on Wednesday that he would sign the package deal into law immediately once passed by Congress "to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends."

Ukraine is critically dependent on weapon supplies from the US and the West to keep fighting Russia, which has superior numbers and an abundance of artillery ammunition, the BBC reported.

Ukrainians were forced to abandon their positions in Avdiivka in February. Zelenskyy blamed the city's fall to an "artificial deficit of weapons" as he made urgent appeals for more military aid to avoid a "catastrophic" situation, while Biden cited "dwindling supplies as a result of congressional inaction."

Meanwhile, Gen. Sir Richard Barrons, former commander of the UK's Joint Forces Command, recently expressed fear that a Ukrainian defeat could happen this year unless it is given the weapons and ammunition it needs to secure its lines.

"We are seeing Russia batter away at the front line, employing a five-to-one advantage in artillery, ammunition, and a surplus of people," he said. "Ukraine may come to feel it can't win. And when it gets to that point, why will people want to fight and die?"
Three men have been arrested over the murder of a police constable in north Belfast 30 years ago.

Constable John Jackie Haggan was killed at Dunmore Greyhound Stadium on March 10, 1994.

On Thursday morning, detectives from the PSNIs Legacy Investigation Branch arrested three men aged in their 50s at addresses in Belfast and the Newtownabbey area.

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A police spokesperson said the trio were arrested under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act on suspicion of murder and membership of a proscribed organisation.

The men have been taken to the Serious Crime Suite in Antrim Police Station for questioning.

On Tuesday, a 50-year-old man was arrested in north Belfast in connection with the investigation. He has since been released from custody following questioning to allow for further inquiries.
By pushing border to the Irish Sea, NI Protocol achieved where IRA failed, says Jim Allister

TUV leader joins Jamie Bryson in attack on DUP at Co Down rally

A public meeting is held at Conlig Orange Hall by Jamie Bryson and Jim Allister on April 18th 2024 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Suzanne Breen Thu 18 Apr 2024 at 22:30

Jim Allister has said the biggest challenge facing unionism is to secure the reunification of the UK after the Northern Ireland Protocol achieved what the IRA campaign failed to deliver.
Exclusive | Indefensibly, the Covid Inquiry is hiding key Stormont evidence from public  and that is not just stupid, but dangerous
Its very much on the website: Mary Lou McDonald hits back at Taoiseachs claim Sinn Fein budget health policy vanished like Shergar

Simon Harris said this was because Government committed 500m more

Sinn Fein health plan 'vanished like Shergar' - Taoiseach Simon Harris says to Mary Lou McDonald amid healthcare row in Dail

Senan Molony Thu 18 Apr 2024 at 08:00







Sinn Feins plan for health spending in the Republic has "vanished like Shergar" from the partys website, the new Taoiseach said yesterday.
Lyra McKees sister says murdered journalist would have been sickened at denial of justice through Legacy Act

Nichola McKee-Corner speaks out on fifth anniversary of her killing by New IRA

Nichola McKee-Corner beside a mural of her sister Lyra McKee

Suzanne Breen Thu 18 Apr 2024 at 08:00







Lyra McKee would rage against the Legacy Act and believe it was criminal for the Government to deny justice to Troubles victims, her sister has said.
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll has slammed Michelle ONeill and Emma Little-Pengelly for meeting a US engineering company which supplies the Israeli military with machinery to use in Gaza.

During their visit to Washington last month, the First Minister and Deputy First Minister met with Caterpillar, which provides its huge D9R armoured bulldozers to Israel.
Renters are enduring high costs after being forced to leave their properties, research shows (Victoria Jones/PA)

Renters forced to vacate their homes in the last 12 months faced upfront costs of more than 1 billion, research shows.

The estimated 830,000 renters who had to move out of their property in the last 12 months spent on average 669 in unrecoverable costs as a consequence  amounting to collective bill of 550 million, according to analysis.

If other upfront costs such as rent paid in advance and tenancy deposits are factored in, the total rises to 1.2 billion, according to the findings of a survey by YouGov commissioned by Shelter.

The analysis by homelessness charity, which found 40% of those surveyed said their last move was not out of choice, showed tenants were forced to leave their homes for various reasons.

Some 245,000 renters had to move in the past year because their fixed-term tenancy came to an end, while 61,000 were priced out by a rent increase.

Nearly 190,000 were served with a legal eviction notice, Shelter said, while 135,000 were informally asked to leave by their landlord.

Shelter has accused the Government of running scared of backbench MPs who are pushing for amendments to the Renters Reform Bill which would delay a planned ban on no-fault Section 21 evictions.

The Government has indicted it will delay the ban pending an assessment of the legal system to see if it has the capacity to handle the changes.

The analysis found the unrecoverable costs incurred by renters forced to leave their homes were varied, with having to pay rent on two properties at once the most expensive at an average of 800.

Paying bills at two properties led to an average cost of 245, while loss of earnings due to viewings or moving house both cost an average of 200.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove is accused of caving under pressure from landlord MPs (Michal Wachucik/PA)

Other costs included removal van hire, cleaning and replacing furniture.

With a date yet to be set for the report stage of the Renters Reform Bill, Shelter urged the Government to resist the amendments which it said threatened to erode the Bills effectiveness.

Critics have accused Housing Secretary Michael Gove of caving under pressure from landlord MPs by watering down a long-promised plan to ban no-fault evictions.

Shelter chief executive Polly Neate called on the Government to protect renters rights.

She said: Tenants are coughing up millions in unwanted and unwarranted moves, while the Government runs scared of a minority of its own MPs. Instead of striking dodgy deals with backbenchers to strangle the Renters Reform Bill, ministers should defend renters best hope of a stable home.

With protections from eviction so weak and rents so high, we constantly hear from people forced out of their homes and communities at huge personal cost. Its impossible for renters to put down roots knowing a no-fault eviction could plunge them back into chaos at any moment.

With the Bills third reading imminent, its now or never for the Government to make good on its promise to deliver a watertight Bill. It must resist spurious attempts to sneak fixed-term tenancies back in, and to indefinitely delay the ban on no-fault evictions. Englands 11 million tenants will remember all too well who fought for them when they finally head to the ballot box.

YouGov surveyed 2,002 private renting adults in England in February and March, with figures weighted to be representative of private renters in England aged 18 and over, based on English Housing Survey data.

Population calculations were then done independently by Shelter using census data.

Natalie, a 47-year-old from Brighton, has moved 12 times in the past 21 years and has endured two no-fault evictions in the past 18 months.

Despite living in a cold and noisy property, Natalies landlord in March last year tried to raise her rent from 795 to 950 a month.

When she complained, the landlord issued her with a Section 21 notice.

Natalie said being forced out of her home twice in quick succession has cost her hundreds of pounds and profoundly impacted her physical and mental health.

She said: Though Ive been in my new home for seven months now, I still cant quite relax. I havent even unpacked properly.

Im worried that as soon as I do, Im going to have to move again. I feel traumatised by whats happened. Its like Im always in fight or flight.

There is nothing worse than being forced to move home. Without a stable foundation, how can you lead a fruitful life?

A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokesperson said: The Renters (Reform) Bill will deliver the manifesto commitment to abolish Section 21 evictions. It will be returning to the House of Commons shortly.
Net Zero Secretary Mairi McAllan said the Scottish Government is being held back by Westminster on its climate action (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Holyrood ministers have been accused of making the worst environmental decision in the history of devolution as the Scottish Government abandoned a key climate change target.

Environmental campaigners hit out after Scottish Net Zero Secretary Mairi McAllan conceded the goal of reducing emissions by 75% by 2030 is now out of reach.

With the target enshrined in law, the Scottish Government  which includes the Greens thanks to a powersharing agreement with the SNP  will now bring forward new legislation to ensure climate change targets better reflect the reality of long-term climate policymaking, Ms McAllan told MSPs.

This will also see the Scottish Government move away from legally-binding annual targets  which it has missed for eight out of 12 years.

While progress in reducing emissions will continue to be reported annually, the Net Zero Secretary said Scotland will move to a target approach based on five yearly carbon budgets  saying this is the same approach taken by the UK and Welsh governments.

But she stressed Scotlands target to reach net zero by 2045  five years earlier than the UK  will remain.

First Minister Humza Yousaf had earlier told the Scottish Parliament his Government will not move back by a single month, a week or even a day from that 2045 target.

Ditching the interim 2030 target comes a month after independent experts at the Climate Change Committee (CCC) said the goal was beyond credible.

Mairi McAllan confirmed the interim target has been scrapped in a statement to Parliament (Andrew Milligan/PA)

But Professor Piers Forster, interim chairman of the CCC, said the removal of the 2030 target is deeply disappointing.

Friends of the Earth Scotlands head of campaigns Imogen Dow blasted the Scottish Government, saying: SNP and Green ministers choosing the scrap these climate commitments is the worst environmental decision in the history of the Scottish Parliament.

The 2030 target could and should have been met, but instead politicians are going to break their promises and betray both their constituents and the most vulnerable people already enduring the impacts of climate breakdown.

Jamie Livingstone, head of Oxfam Scotland, said: The Scottish Governments abandonment of its legal 2030 and annual emissions reduction targets is a reprehensible retreat caused by its recklessly inadequate level of action to date.

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The Government also came under fire from opposition politicians, with Scottish Conservative net zero spokesman Douglas Lumsden saying it has completely failed to lead Scotland in our journey towards net zero.

Labours Sarah Boyack told Holyrood: Thursday April 18, 2024 will go down as the day that Scotland officially went from being a world leader in climate targets to a world leader in scrapping targets.

Ms McAllan said the challenging context of cuts and UK backtracking on environmental action means Scottish ministers have accepted the interim 2030 target is out of reach.

She added: We must now act to chart a course to 2045 at a pace and scale which is feasible, fair and just.

She pledged a new package of climate action measures, with the Scottish Government working to treble the number of charging points available for electric vehicles in a bid to encourage more people to switch away from petrol and diesel.

This could lead to about 24,000 additional charge points being installed across the country by 2030, she said.

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To encourage more people to ditch cars, she said the Government will also explore a new national integrated ticketing system for public transport in Scotland.

Promising pilot projects to reduce emissions from agriculture and accelerate peatland restoration, Ms McAllan said there is no doubt about the seriousness with which this Government treats the climate and nature crisis.

However, she said the severe budgetary restrictions imposed by the UK Government and the continuing constraints of devolution, mean ministers are trying to deliver societal and economic transformation with one hand tied behind our back.

She warned full delivery of the Scottish Governments plans depend on Westminster reversing the 9% cut to our capital budget.

Ms McAllan insisted: This Government and Parliament rightly has high ambitions, and it is beyond doubt that investing now in net zero is the right thing for our environment, our society and our economy.

But we are being held back.

I am asking MSPs across this chamber to work with us to call on the UK Government to reverse Scotlands capital cut.
Carlos Correa died after being hit by a tram in Edinburgh in 2018 (Police Scotland/PA)

A fatal accident inquiry is to be held into the death of a pedestrian who was hit by a tram more than five years ago.

Bus driver Carlos Hernan Correa Palacio, 53, died after he was struck by a tram in the Saughton area of Edinburgh on September 11, 2018 while making his way home from work.

Edinburgh Trams Limited was fined 240,000 last August after admitting a breach of health and safety legislation over the incident in a hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, the Crown Office said.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has now lodged a first notice to begin the court process for a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) into the death.

Procurator fiscal Andy Shanks, who leads on death investigations for COPFS, said: The tragic death of Carlos Correa occurred in circumstances giving rise to significant public concern and as such a discretionary fatal accident inquiry will be held.

The lodging of the first notice enables FAI proceedings to commence under the direction of the sheriff.

Mr Correas family will continue to be kept informed of significant developments as court proceedings progress.

Carlos Correa was hit by a tram in Edinburgh in September 2018 (PA)

Following the court hearing last August, the Crown Office said there were no issues with the tram drivers driving and the tram was in working order.

It said the criminal investigation found Edinburgh Trams Limited (ETL) had failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the layout of the crossing, and to ensure that it provided sufficient notice and warning to pedestrians of the crossing itself.

Prosecutors said the company failed to assess the loudness of audible warning devices on Edinburgh trams, or the emergency braking distances of trams approaching the crossing in order to identify and implement adequate control measures to address these hazards.

They also said a near-miss incident at the same crossing in November 2016 was reported but failed to result in any action in relation to the risk assessment.

Unlike criminal proceedings, FAIs are inquisitorial in nature, and are used to establish facts rather than to apportion blame.

The inquiry will explore the circumstances of Mr Correas death, with an anticipated focus on the process of risk assessment and safety management at ETL in addition to issues surrounding pedestrian safety at non-motorised user crossings and an assessment of the audibility of warning systems fitted to ETL trams.

The inquiry is also expected to consider the structure for oversight and information sharing within the tram sector, including among regulators, operators, and other interested parties.

The purpose of an FAI includes determining the cause of death, the circumstances in which the deaths occurred, and establishing what, if any, reasonable precautions could have been taken, and could be implemented in the future, to minimise the risk of future deaths in similar circumstances.
Local Conservative, Labour, Lib Dem and Green Party leaders have pledged to resist dragging climate policies into culture wars ahead of the May elections (Victoria Jones/PA)

Local Conservative, Labour, Lib Dem and Green Party leaders have pledged to resist dragging climate policies into culture wars ahead of the May elections.

The move is part of a pledge, announced in the run up to the local and mayoral polls next month, which also commits local leaders to counter climate misinformation while addressing legitimate concerns about policies.

The pledge is being coordinated by UK100, a cross-party network of local leaders committed to climate action, and former minister and net zero tsar Chris Skidmores Mission Zero Coalition.

The cross-party pledge has been signed by local and regional politicians, including council leaders from Wiltshire, Warwickshire, Birmingham, Westminster, Lancaster, Southampton and Cardiff.

It comes as a report from UK100 and the Mission Zero Coalition suggests 2024 is set to see the UKs first net zero elections, with politicians elected this year having a pivotal role in delivering climate action.

The pledge sees leaders commit to rise above party politics when addressing the climate crisis and support an evidence-based conversation on the issue by resisting the urge to drag climate policies into culture wars or use misinformation as a tool for division.

Signatories are calling on national politicians to do the same.

Parties in Westminster have sought to draw dividing lines on climate action, with the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak rowing back on net zero policies and the Conservatives criticising Labours green spending plans.

Local environmental policies such as Londons ultra low emissions zone (Ulez) are also at the fore in the run up to the elections in May.

The pledge commits local politicians to acknowledge the dangers of misinformation, countering it with accurate, accessible information about climate policies, and communicating their benefits while addressing legitimate concerns.

They promise to champion the role of local authorities in the net zero transition  which requires changes to all areas of life including transport, home heating and power to cut emissions to zero overall by 2050  and engage residents, groups and businesses in designing local action plans.

Mr Skidmore, who resigned as an MP over the Governments decision to prioritise and politicise new oil and gas licences, said: Local authorities are the unsung heroes of the net zero transition.

Day in, day out they are delivering the practical changes we need to see, from upgrading homes to improving public transport.

But they cant do it alone. This pledge sends a powerful message that local leaders are united in their commitment to tackling the climate crisis.

Now we need to see that same spirit of collaboration from Westminster, with a clear policy and funding framework to empower local delivery.

Christopher Hammond, chief executive of UK100, said the journey to net zero would not be easy.

But thats not a reason for inaction, indulging in scare campaigns, or pitting communities against each other.

Honesty, openness, and engaging residents are essential foundations for the rapid, inclusive net zero transition we need to see, he said.

Izzi Seccombe, Conservative Warwickshire County Council leader, added: By signing this pledge, Im underlining my commitment to working across the political divide to engage openly and honestly with our residents about both the challenges and opportunities of the net zero transition.

Only by bringing our communities with us can we hope to accelerate progress towards a cleaner, greener, more prosperous future for all.
Prince Harry has publicly renounced his British residency in paperwork and listed the United States as his primary residence for the first time since severing his ties to the royal family in 2020.

The Duke of Sussex changed his place of abode in updated documents submitted to Companies House, as needed for his nonprofit organization Travalyst, which promotes ecotourism.

According to documents obatined by the Daily Mail, he declared that his "new country/state" was now the "US." Harry listed the UK as his original residence when he founded the organization in 2019.

In 2020, Harry and his spouse, 42-year-old Meghan Markle, moved to Montecito, California, along with their children, Prince Archie, 4, and Princess Lilibet, 2, in a move known as "Megxit."

The late queen gave the Duke and Duchess of Sussex Frogmore Cottage as a wedding present, but they were eventually forced to leave it due to squabblings amongst the Royal Family.

When they eventually moved out of the UK in 2023, the couple were no longer officially residents. They now have to stay in hotels or with friends when they travel to the UK.

In a 2022 interview with 'Today,' Harry said, "Home for me, now, for the time being, is in the states. And it really feels that way, as well. We've been welcomed with open arms and have got such a great community up in Santa Barbara."

On Wednesday, Harry participated in the meeting virtually from his Montecito residence, Yahoo reported.
Ministers will be recommended to use live AI facial recognition to screen migrants arriving in the UK for threats, the Governments anti-terror law adviser has said.

Jonathan Hall KC, the UKs independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, has said he will recommend the Government introduces the technology at migrant processing facilities in Kent when he presents his annual report this year.

The move would allow border officers to screen those crossing in small boats against a database of terror suspects.

In an interview with LBC, Mr Hall also warned that Manston, the migrant processing centre where those on small boat are detained after arrival in the UK, had at one point become so overwhelmed that people had to be released before all the checks had been done.

The reviewer told the broadcaster he visited Western Jet Foil in Dover last year, the initial processing site for migrants, as well as the Manston camp.

At the time I was there, it was lots of sort of tents and more permanent structures, he said.

The tricky thing with that is that a lot of people can suddenly arrive on one day, and if lots arrive on one day, how are counterterrorism police going to have the opportunity to screen them? And this is the really difficult bit.

They cant be kept, quite rightly, in inhumane conditions, which means that if youre jamming everyone into a tent, they can stay only there for a day.

But with migrants being moved out, this meant there was not the opportunity to screen them, Mr Hall said.

He added: Its going to be published in a few weeks, but in my report, Im going to say that, use live facial recognition at Western Jet Foil, so when people get off the boat, they can be screened, and if theyve got a watch list of people coming in, they will know there and then that theyre dealing with someone who is on a watch list.

Mr Hall said this would allow migrants to be checked against a database of images of people who are suspicious, who are potential terrorists.

The situation off the Dover coast was really complex and evolving, he said, with border staff unable to anticipate the surges of people crossing the Channel.

At one stage, they were so overwhelmed that people had to be released before all the checks had been done, he said.

This meant they were released without the full amount of checks, Mr Hall told LBC, adding border officers had to strike a balance between screening and ensuring arrivals were not kept in potentially inhumane conditions.

More than 6,200 people have crossed the English Channel since the start of the year, higher than in the same period in both 2023 and 2022.

Rishi Sunak has made stopping the boats one of his key leadership pledges as Prime Minister.

The Government hopes to deter people from making the journey with its plan to deport some arrivals to Rwanda but the Bill underpinning this is currently stuck in parliamentary deadlock between the House of Commons and House of Lords.
A Conservative MP who was targeted in a Westminster honeytrap plot has raised significant concerns about how it was handled by parliamentary security.

Dr Luke Evans called for a full review of Parliaments system of investigating incidents reported by MPs.

This comes as senior Tory MP William Wragg resigned the Conservative whip earlier this month after he admitted giving politicians phone numbers to a suspected scammer.

Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt said Parliaments head of security takes these matters very seriously.

Conservative MP for Bosworth Dr Luke Evans (David Woolfall/PA)

Dr Evans, MP for Bosworth, told the Commons: Last month I was targeted in a honeytrap plot, I immediately reported it to the police and the authorities, so can I put on record my sincere thanks to Leicestershire Police whove been exemplary in taking this on, and I also thank the whips for their support.

However, I do have significant concerns about how this was handled by the parliamentary security.

So will the Leader of the House ask the Speaker to conduct a full review of the system for reporting and investigating incidents reported by MPs so lessons can be learned so that no MP has to go through the same experiences Ive had.

During business questions on Thursday, Ms Mordaunt replied: I will, of course, make sure that not just Mr Speaker, that the whole of the House of Commons Commission, has heard his concerns.

I know that the head of security here takes these matters very seriously and Im sure that this will be followed up.

Scotland Yard has said it is investigating reports of the parliamentary sexting scam, after it was suggested that at least 12 men in political circles received unsolicited messages, raising security concerns.

Mr Wragg has admitted he gave colleagues phone numbers to someone on a dating app amid fears that intimate images of himself would be leaked.

Independent MP William Wragg (UK Parliament/PA)

The Hazel Grove MP said he was sorry for his weakness in responding, an apology which was praised as courageous and fulsome by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.

Mr Wragg resigned from his roles leading the Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee and as vice-chairman of the 1922 Committee, and chose to surrender the Conservative whip in the wake of the scandal.

The unknown scammer is said to have used the aliases Charlie and Abi while sending flirtatious messages to coax MPs into sending explicit pictures.
Trudi Warner outside the Royal Courts of Justice on Thursday (Callum Parke/PA)

A protester committed contempt of court by deliberately targeting jurors by holding up a sign outside a court ahead of a trial of climate activists, the High Court has heard.

Trudi Warner was arrested on March 27 last year for holding up a sign outside an entrance used by jurors at Inner London Crown Court before a trial involving members of the climate group, Insulate Britain.

The sign read: Jurors you have an absolute right to acquit a defendant according to your conscience.

Lawyers for the Solicitor General Robert Courts, a senior government legal officer, are now asking the High Court for the green light to proceed with legal action against Ms Warner for contempt of court due to her serious interference with the administration of justice.

Barristers for Ms Warner, a retired social worker from Walthamstow, east London, argue her actions do not constitute an offence and that it is not in the public interest to take legal action against her.

In his written submissions, Aidan Eardley KC, representing the Government, said Ms Warner deliberately targeted jurors and encouraged them to approach their task in a particular way.

Speaking in court on Thursday, he said the incident was a confrontation with jurors, calculated objectively, and intended subjectively, to tell them how to go about doing their job.

He added that the public needs to know that they could perform their role as jurors without being bombarded with instructions from bystanders about how they go about that task.

Protesters outside the court ahead of Thursdays hearing (Callum Parke/PA)

Ms Warner was seen on CCTV outside the court for around half an hour on the morning of March 27, the first day of the trial, but did not speak to any members of the public.

Later that day outside the same court, she joined a protest over how the judge in the trial, Judge Silas Reid, had overseen previous trials of other Insulate Britain protesters.

Judge Reid had previously instructed jurors to decide the case according to the law and evidence and set aside any views they might have about climate change.

Mr Eardley said that while Ms Warners sign was inaccurate as a matter of law, her actions still constituted an offence and there was a strong public interest in taking legal action against her.

He added on Thursday that Ms Warner said at the time: I felt it was really important to get the word out directly that there is a higher authority than judges.

The Attorney Generals Office announced its decision to take legal action against Ms Warner last September, which prompted hundreds of people to hold similar signs outside courts across the country in solidarity.

Several protesters held placards outside the Royal Courts of Justice again on Thursday.

Ms Warners barristers told the court that she acted as a human billboard to advertise a vital constitutional, if occasionally used, safeguard against unjust prosecutions.

Lawyer Clare Montgomery KC said: The solicitor general has placed before the court an entirely false picture of what was taking place.

At no stage did Ms Warner direct, instruct, cajole or try to persuade any juror to disobey a direction of the judge.

The sign she had said what it said and did no more.

It cannot in any circumstances give rise to any species of contempt, she added.

Mr Justice Saini said at the end of the hearing that he would give his judgment at 10.30am on Monday.

Speaking to supporters outside court, Ms Warner said: I cant say anything. I am only allowed to say thank you.

I dont have to come on Monday, but I will, because I think I should be the first to know.
The Scottish Government is to set out its next steps on tackling climate change after a report warned it is now beyond credible that Scotlands target to reduce emissions by 75% by 2030 will be met.

It comes amid reports that the Scottish Government could be planning to ditch the 2030 goal, but remain committed to meeting its target of net zero emissions by 2045.

The move would be seen as a major climbdown for the administration at Holyrood  where Green politicians are now in government thanks to a powersharing agreement with the SNP.

But a report from the Climate Change Committee (CCC) published in March said that, for Scotland to achieve the goal of cutting harmful emissions by 75% by then, the rate of emission reduction in most sectors would need to increase by a factor of nine in the years up to the end of the decade.

As a result, it said: The acceleration required in emissions reduction to meet the 2030 target is now beyond what is credible.

Scotland Net-Zero Secretary Mairi McAllan said tackling climate change is a moral obligation (Michal Wachucik/PA)

The Scottish Government has missed its legally binding annual emissions reduction targets in eight out of the last 12 years.

Scotland Net-Zero Secretary Mairi McAllan will give an update to Holyrood on next steps following the CCC report on Thursday afternoon.

Speaking ahead of the statement, she said that taking action to tackle the twin crises of climate change and nature loss is the defining global issue of our era.

She added: Whilst we are faced with a UK Government which is rowing back on climate action, and hostile to measures already adopted by nations across the world like the Deposit Return Scheme, the progress we have made since Scotland declared a global climate emergency in 2019 and since Glasgow hosted Cop26 in 2021 is now at risk.

This cannot continue. The future of our planet and the security of future generations is far too important.

Tackling climate change is an environmental imperative and our moral obligation. However, done correctly, it can also present perhaps the single greatest social and economic opportunity of many generations in Scotland.

To achieve this, our work must be taken forward in a way that is ambitious and fair, which empowers communities and recognises the different needs of rural, island and urban areas.

This Government is absolutely committed to tackling the climate crisis with the urgency and pace which is required. However, to do so we need collective will and a common sense of priority.

I call on all parties in the Scottish Parliament to put politics aside, to reject culture wars, and to back our efforts. This is our collective mission in which we cannot fail.

Following the publication of the CCC report in March, Ms McAllan said the Scottish Government remains fully committed to meeting its target of net zero emissions by 2045.

Scottish Greens climate spokesman Mark Ruskell said: We are absolutely determined to accelerate the urgent and substantial action needed to tackle the climate crisis as laid out by the CCC recently, and fully expect the Scottish Government to respond to that challenge.

Climate campaigners however said that ditching the 2030 target would be an acute global embarrassment for the Scottish Government.

Jamie Livingstone, head of Oxfam Scotland, said: With the world becoming a dirtier and deadlier place every day, any decision by Scottish ministers to rewrite Scotlands climate rulebook would be an acute global embarrassment.

It would also be the direct and damaging consequence of the Scottish Governments own dilly-dallying on climate action.

Meanwhile, Scottish Conservatives said the move would be an abject humiliation for the SNP and Green government at Holyrood.

Net zero spokesman Douglas Lumsden said: For all the boasting about their supposed environmental credentials, the reality is a succession of missed targets  and being forced to throw in the towel on this flagship pledge represents the biggest failure of the lot.

The Tory MSP added: This climbdown is not a surprise, given the damning report from the Climate Change Committee, but it is symptomatic of a Nationalist coalition that routinely over-promises and under-delivers.
A Women Against State Pension Inequality protest was staged outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Scotlands First Minister has urged Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer to be on the right side of history in delivering compensation for women impacted by changes to the state pension age.

Humza Yousaf has written to who he said are the current and future incumbents of Downing Street after he met with the Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) movement outside the Scottish Parliament.

It follows the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) report which ruled some women born in the 1950s were not adequately informed of the impact of the changes.

For more than 60 years, men received their state pension at 65, while the threshold was 60 for women, despite concerns the move was unfair due to the longer life expectancy of women.

Moves to equalise the issue began with the 1995 Pension Act with the age for women increasing to 65 between 2010 and 2020.

But it was accelerated in 2010 to reduce the overall costs of pensions, with the new state pension age brought forward to 2018.

However the ombudsman report ruled accurate and timely information had not been given to millions of women in the UK, including 335,000 in Scotland.

Following a demonstration outside Holyrood on Thursday, the First Minister said: Westminsters continued refusal to provide compensation to women affected by this national scandal for years has been a shocking dereliction of duty.

It is abundantly clear that after years of inaction, Waspi women must get the justice, apology and compensation they deserve.

Humza Yousaf urged Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer to back compensation for the women affected (Jeff J Mitchell/PA)

I urge both the current and future occupants of 10 Downing Street to be on the right side of history, and am willing to work with both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer to ensure that the historic injustices faced by the Waspi women is now urgently put right.

In his letter to Prime Minister Mr Sunak, Mr Yousaf said the UK Government must become part of the solution, rather than the problem for campaigners.

He also urged Labour leader Sir Keir to stand by the partys previous manifesto pledge to recognise the injustice and design a compensation system.

The PHSO suggested a compensation level of between 1,000 and 2,950 for impacted women, but Anne Potter, co-ordinator of Waspi Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire, said the sum did not reflect the injustice the women had experienced.

She said: Whilst I am thankful that the long-awaited Ombudsman report has been published, and that it has shown, without doubt, that we experienced maladministration at the hands of the UK Government, I am extremely disappointed in the suggested level of compensation.

Politicians from every party must show support for the campaign and ensure the UK Government deals with this efficiently and effectively.

A DWP spokesman said: We are considering the Ombudsmans report and will respond in due course, having co-operated fully throughout this investigation.

The Government has always been committed to supporting all pensioners in a sustainable way that gives them a dignified retirement whilst also being fair to them and taxpayers.

The State Pension is the foundation of income in retirement and will remain so as we delivered a further 8.5% rise this month, increasing the state pension for 12 million pensioners. This has seen the full rate of the new State Pension rise by 900.
American soldiers participate in a firing exercise with Philippine troops at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija province, north of Manila, April 13, 2023.

China has slammed an annual Philippine-U.S. joint military exercise scheduled to begin next week, warning against maritime provocations.

More than 16,000 Filipino and U.S. troops are expected to take part in the joint exercise Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder), now in its 39th year but which for the first time will be conducted outside the Philippines territorial waters.

The territorial sea, measured 12 nautical miles from the shore, is where a coastal state has sovereignty and exclusive jurisdiction not only to the sea, but also to the airspace.

The U.S. Embassy in Manila calls this years exercise from April 22 to May 18 our most expansive Balikatan yet.

It said in a statement that the drills would include territorial defense and targeting simulated enemy forces in Luzon and Palawan, areas in the Philippines facing Taiwan and the South China Sea.

Two countries  Australia and France  are sending troops to participate in Balikatan 2024 while 14 countries will attend as observers.

On Wednesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a press briefing in Beijing that Manila needs to be fully aware that when countries outside the region are brought into the South China Sea to flex muscles and stoke confrontation, tensions could get worse and the region will only become less stable.

The exercise is an act of handing over the Philippines security to outside forces, Lin said, adding that it will only lead to greater insecurity and turn oneself into someone elses chess piece.

Philippine troops fire a howitzer system during joint military exercise Balikatan at Capas, Tarlac province, northern Philippines, on April 14, 2023. [Aaron Favila/AP]

The spokesman urged the countries involved in Balikatan 2024 to stop stoking confrontation in the South China Sea and said that China will continue to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

Not targeting any country

Filipino officials on Thursday responded to Chinas statement saying Balikatan exercises are not directed towards any specific country.

This long-standing initiative, spanning several years, is aimed at enhancing cooperation, fostering training opportunities, and strengthening regional stability, Col. Francel Margareth Padillat, spokesman for the Philippine armed forces, told BenarNews.

Balikatan 2024 is also aimed at testing the Philippines new defense strategy in order to protect the countrys interests in the South China Sea.

Past Balikatan exercises have been carried out inside military camps in northern Philippines and this years drills and locations indicate a shift in Manilas defense priorities.

Col. Michael Logico, the Philippine Balikatan spokesman, said Balikatan 2024 will be conducted in accordance with the new Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept, with focus on external security challenges, especially in the maritime domain.

Chinese Coast Guard vessels fire water cannons towards a Philippine resupply vessel on its way to a resupply mission at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, March 5, 2024. [Adrian Portugal/Reuters]

Vessels from the Philippines and China have been confronting each other near some of the disputed islands in the part of South China Sea under Manilas jurisdiction, called the West Philippine Sea by Filipinos.

The Philippine coast guard said its ships have been harassed and fired at with water cannons by the Chinese coast guard.

A U.N. arbitral tribunal in 2016 ruled in favor of the Philippines and rejected all Chinas claims in the South China Sea but Beijing refused to accept the verdict.

Jason Gutierrez contributed to this report from Manila.

Radio Free Asia is a news service affiliated with BenarNews.
Google has fired 28 employees over their participation in a 10-hour sit-in at the search giant's offices in New York and Sunnyvale, California, to protest the company's business ties with the Israeli government.

The firings come after nine employees were suspended and arrested in New York and California on Tuesday.

Google Vice President of Global Security Chris Rackow announced in a memo to the entire company that the pro-Palestinian employees, who had stormed and occupied the office of a top executive in California on Tuesday while wearing traditional Arab headscarves, were fired late on Wednesday following an internal investigation.

Rackow wrote in the memo obtained by The Post that the protesters took over office spaces, defaced their property, and physically impeded the work of other Googlers. He noted that their behavior was unacceptable, extremely disruptive, and made co-workers feel threatened.

Protesters in New York took over the 10th floor of the company's Chelsea neighborhood headquarters as part of a demonstration that included Google's offices in Seattle.

Rackow also wrote that behavior like this has no place in the workplace, and they will not tolerate it. He added that it violates multiple policies that all employees must adhere to, including their code of conduct and policy on harassment, discrimination, retaliation, standards of conduct, and workplace concerns.

The 'No Tech For Apartheid' organization, which has criticized Google's handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict, is connected to the dismissed employees.

Furthermore, the organization posted multiple videos and live streams of the protests on X, formerly Twitter, including when local police detained them and gave final warnings to the employees for trespassing.

They have called for Google to withdraw from a $1.2 billion contract known as "Project Nimbus," under which Google Cloud and Amazon Web capabilities supply cloud computing and AI capabilities to the Israeli military and government.

Critics at the company expressed fear that the technology would be used as a weapon against Gaza's Palestinian population.
India is set to become the largest democracy in the world to hold its general elections this year, which will commence on Friday (Apr. 19).

The six-week process would involve close to a billion voters picking the next government and deciding whether to hand Prime Minister Narendra Modi a third term in office.

CNBC reported that voters would decide who would fill the seats of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's parliament, for the next five years.

Whichever party or coalition wins, the majority would lead the government and pick the next prime minister. Analysts widely expect Modi's Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to score another landslide victory in the upcoming elections.

However, due to India's large geographical and demographic size, it is expected that the country's elections will matter on a global scale.

There would be 543 contested seats in the Lok Sabha, and the party or coalition that wins at least 272 votes would form the government.

Currently, the BJP-led coalition, known as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), is scheduled to face off against the opposition bloc known as the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), led by the Indian National Congress, with its leading figure being Rahul Gandhi, the scion of Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first prime minister.

The Congress, which ruled the country for most of its post-independence era, suffered a stinging defeat in the 2014 and 2019 elections. Since 2019, the party has held only 52 seats.

According to analysts, the BJP-led coalition is expected to get another term due to the political stability in the last decade.

"Policy consistency and political stability are connected to each other deeply. So the expectation will be that the government that comes in will be able to maintain that," National University of Singapore senior research fellow Amitendu Palit told CNBC.

"This will be a significant year for India, and I have a feeling that whoever be the government in India, the foreign policy direction and the economic policy direction are going to remain broadly unchanged."

Also at stake is India's economic dominance as the world's fifth-largest economy, with a GDP of $3.7 trillion. The country has set its sights on becoming the world's third-largest by 2027.

The International Monetary Fund further projected that India's economy will grow 6.8% in 2024 and 6.5% in 2025, compared to China's predicted growth of 4.6% in 2024 and 4.1% in 2025.

In addition, India's stock market overtook Hong Kong's in December to become the fourth largest globally and is now valued at over $4 trillion.

Analysts expected Modi to win a third consecutive five-year term, further driving India's growth trajectory.

"The growth story is not done," Carnegie India deputy director and fellow Suyash Rai told CNBC.

"But private and foreign investments have been very subdued, and exports have also declined. So I feel that some weakness is building up."
Bennington, VT (05201)

Today

Showers this morning, becoming a steady rain during the afternoon hours. High 47F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Low 44F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a half an inch.
POWNAL  A sampling of 10 wells along Quarry Hill and North Pownal roads for the presence of PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) indicates a need for further testing in the area, the state Department of Environmental Conservation has informed the town.

Richard Spiese and Malayika Vincent, of the DECs Sites Management Division, said in a March 25 communication that 10 wells were tested last fall and a report was prepared by Weston & Sampson Inc., an environmental engineering consultant hired by the state.

This initial work indicated the presence of PFAS in a number of water supply wells (detections ranged from non-detect to above the [Vermont advisory level] in the area of investigation and in the soil samples that were collected around a property, the officials said. A few potential sources are listed in the [consultants] report, but further investigation is necessary.

Six positive results

Three of the residential wells tested showed PFAS levels above the states 20 parts per trillion drinking water advisory level, three were below the level and four were non-detect.

PFAS compounds  often called forever chemicals because of their persistence in the environment, lasting an estimated period of up to several centuries  have been associated in studies to high cholesterol, high blood pressure, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, and kidney and testicular cancer.

The compounds were used in many consumer products and industrial operations for decades after the mid-20th century, before they were recognized as a worldwide environmental threat, especially in ground and surface water supplies.

Detected in new well

According to information posted on the DEC website, the newly detected contamination was first noted in July 2023 in a recently drilled well off Quarry Hill Road. The department then listed the surrounding area as a high priority site for further investigation.

The communication to Pownal officials in March stated that, Based on these results, the [Sites Management Division] would like to focus our next effort (funds available) to continue the site investigation to determine the extent of PFAS contamination in the soil, conduct sampling of water supply wells to the northwest of the site, and investigate potential ... pathways in the subsurface.

The letter also informed Pownal officials that, If there are enough interested residents, we are open to having a public meeting to discuss this in person.

Contacted Thursday, town Executive Assistant Tara Parks said, The town has not requested a public hearing on the Quarry Hill PFAS testing at this time.

Multiple sites in region

PFAS substances were first detected in a number of Pownal wells in 2016, following similar discoveries around former industrial operations in Bennington and the Hoosick Falls, N.Y., area  as well as near numerous industrial sites around the U.S.

The principal sources of PFAS contamination in Pownal are considered by the state to be a former Warren Wire/General Cable Corp. site off Route 346 and a now-cleared 2.9-acre former Warren Wire site at the intersection of North Pownal Road and Route 7.

The former companys operations here dated to the early 1950s at the Pownal Center parcel and later at the now long-closed factory on Route 346.

The building is now used for storage by a new owner not associated with the application of coatings for wire and other products that included PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and/or other of the several thousand manmade PFAS compounds.

The most significant water supply issue was detected in the Pownal Fire District No. 2 well near the former factory off Route 346, which had PFOA in levels above the state advisory level. A well-head filtering unit was installed to remove PFAS from the water system serving several hundred customers in town.

Vincent said in an email this week that the DEC does not currently believe it is likely this [new] site is directly related to the two [former factory sites], although we are still working on the exact source. The study area for this site was formerly owned by Cleveland Dodge, the former owner operator of Warren Wire. We are still in the process of determining the source of PFAS, but initial sampling seems to indicate the source to be the soil located near the impacted well.

She added, Based on the initial findings from the soil samples, a likely potential source could be from fill brought to the property that contained PFAS.

Vermont standard

Vermonts drinking water advisory level for the presence in total of five common PFAS substances is 20 parts per trillion, one of the nations lowest standards.

However, the state is now reviewing a recent federal Environmental Protection Agency advisory that recommended lower levels nationally to determine if changes in the states regulations related to PFAS should be revised.

In the preliminary investigation and testing last fall off Quarry Hill Road and North Pownal Road, the contaminates identified in six of the 10 residential wells were PFOA and PFOS (perfluorooctanoic acid).

Three residential wells tested had a PFAS level above the 20 ppt standard, three were below the advisory level, and four were listed as non-detect.

Center Street parcel

The town also has been discussing with the DEC possible cleanup and reuse options for Pownal at the former Warren Wire site on Route 7 in Pownal Center.

Parks said Thursday that Kimberly Caldwell, a hazardous site manager with the DEC, is expected to discuss that topic with the Select Board during its April 25 meeting.

In April 2003, Caldwell spoke with the board about a brownfields reuse program in which the town might acquire the vacant 2.9-acre parcel with cleanup and other help from the state.

The town could afterward sell the land on Route 7 for redevelopment, and the program could also provide protection from environmental liability related to the site.
BENNINGTON  A Bennington teenager, facing two sex assault counts after allegedly participating in an encounter at an underage drinking party in Bennington, attended a weight of evidence hearing Thursday. The charges stem from a May 2023 underage drinking party in which Timothy (Sparks) Veach is accused of sexually assaulting the drunk teenage victim with another male after the victim blacked out.

Veach, 18, is facing one count of sexual assault without consent and one count of aggravated sexual assault involving more than one person.

According to a police affidavit, on May 25, 2023 the victim was drinking Twisted Teas with a group of friends after work. The next thing she remembered was waking up at Veachs house, a residence she had never been to before, without any recollection of how she got there or what happened while she was there. When she awoke, the victim recalled seeing Veach and another individual, Arron OShea, both naked, and recalled not having any pants on.

Later that day, the victim went to the hospital to find that the tampon she had been wearing was lodged inside her. One of the friends who was at the party confirmed the victim had been drunk and passed out. Another witness told police that both Veach and OShea were high-fiving each other later that morning and bragging about tag-teaming the victim, according to the affidavit.

During Veachs arraignment this past February, Judge Kerry McDonald-Cady scheduled Thursdays weight of evidence hearing to include an interest of justice element due to Veachs age  17  at the time of the assault. She also released Veach into the custody of a family member with a 24/7 curfew, even though there is a presumed hold without bail in cases of sexual assault in Vermont.

According to a courthouse source, Veachs release from custody is presumed to be related to his age. Veachs defense filed a motion back in February to consider Veach as a youthful offender in Family Court. No decision has been made so far.

At the hearing, prosecutor Jared Bianchi played a videotaped interview with the victim and two audio tapes of Veach and the other male describing what happened. Defense attorney Dan Maguire did not present any evidence on behalf of Veach. Due to time restraints, McDonald-Cady scheduled a continuation of the hearing for oral arguments on conditions and the strength of the evidence in the next two weeks.

Veach is facing a possible life sentence with a minimum combined 13 years behind bars if found guilty. Similar charges are currently pending against OShea, 19, from Bennington, as the second person accused in the assault. He has not yet been arraigned.

Both men were required by court order to submit DNA samples to police to be compared to samples found on the victim. Those results are still pending. McDonald-Cady continued Veachs curfew and conditions, including no contact with anyone involved in the case, and random alcohol testing, due to a concern for public safety until the weight of evidence hearing concludes.

An older woman sitting in the front row behind Veach wiped a steady stream of tears during the hearing as the victim, flanked by court-appointed victims advocates, sat in the back row, looking on.

Veach has a criminal record in Vermont, including petty larceny, grand larceny, and a trespass offense. O'Shea is also charged in a June 2023 shooting in Bennington.

According to court affidavits in that case, OShea and two other individuals were walking in the desert, a densely wooded area behind Henrys Market off of Fillmore Street, when OShea allegedly pulled out a Taurus 9 mm handgun and started shooting at the victim, who was known to the shooter. O'Shea is facing a life sentence in that case.

Judge McDonald-Cady told the court that she would decide from the bench on the weight of evidence and whether Veach will remain in custody or be held without bail after the continuation concludes.
PITTSFIELD  The Berkshire District Attorneys Office has opened a criminal investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse of at least one former student by a longtime teacher at Miss Halls School.

DAs Office spokeswoman Julia Sabourin further said that the office could not comment further on the investigation of history teacher Matthew Rutledge, since the investigation is active.

Alumna Melissa Fares, class of 2010, reported her allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation through her lawyers at the end of March. Head of School Julia Heaton initially placed Rutledge on administrative leave. He resigned two days later and was told to leave his campus residence. Heaton on April 3 announced in an email to the school community that he was leaving for "personal reasons," but did not elaborate. On April 8 Fares posted her allegations on Facebook, and Heaton that day emailed a new announcement, saying the information the school had received from Fares was "heartbreaking and terrible."

The allegations and the fallout since have swept the all-girls boarding and day school into a crisis. New accusations spanning three decades also are emerging. Rutledge, 62, has worked at the school since the early 1990s.

School officials said they initially notified the DAs Office as well as the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families.

The schools board of trustees announced Monday that they have commissioned their own independent investigation into the allegations both of sexual abuse by teachers, and also into whether administrators knew about it and how they responded.

Miss Halls, on Holmes Road, educates students grades 9 through 12. The age of girls at the school generally ranges from 14 to 18.

It is one of the first girls boarding schools in New England, and was established in 1898 by a Latin teacher, Mira Hinsdale Hall.

Heaton could not immediately be reached for comment. She previously said that she would not grant further interviews. Rutledge also could not be reached.
A still image of video surveillance shows a man suspected of "obscene behavior" in the Great Barrington Family Dollar store. Tips from the public based on this and other photos posted on the town police Facebook page led to a warrant for the suspect's arrest.
This Story in History is selected from the archives by Jeannie Maschino, The Berkshire Eagle.
For whom does the bell toll? Great Barrington church to shut off bell at night for family losing sleep
An Alabama man who killed a young child in a horrific case that shocked even hardened law enforcement officials has been sentenced to death.

Jeremy Williams was convicted of kidnapping, rape and murder in connection with the death of 5-year-old Kamarie Holland on December 13, 2021.

He had paid the child's mother, Kristy Siple, $2,500 in exchange for sexual acts with the child. He then tortured and killed the girl.

Siple pleaded guilty to sex trafficking last month in connection with the case.

The case was very disturbing and difficult for the jury because of the audio and video evidence of the crimes found on Williams' phone.

"You shouldn't see a child like that," Russell County District Attorney Rick Chancey said to WTVM-TV. "No human should have to go through what she did."

At the sentencing, Kamarie's father addressed Williams.

"You don't deserve life yourself," Corey Holland Sr. said, according to the Ledge-Enquirer.

He also read a statement from Kamarie's grandmother that read: "What kind of demonic creature are you?"

The Russell County Sheriff's Office said the investigation and prosecution of this case were extremely difficult for all due to the graphic and disturbing evidence.

"Evil, I don't think is enough. Monster, I don't think is enough," Chancey said. "You never expect to see what you're going to see and what I saw is hard to put into words."
Lenox native James Brooke has traveled to about 100 countries reporting for The New York Times, Bloomberg and Voice of America. He reported from Russia for eight years and from Ukraine for six years.
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Justin Choveaux has been appointed as Curro Thatchfield's new executive head in Centurion, Pretoria, by Curro Holdings. With an extensive background in educational leadership and a passion for fostering excellence amongst learners, Justin brings a wealth of experience to his new role.
Intellinexus, a leading data advisory company, welcomes the appointment of Zimkhita Buwa as its new chief executive officer (CEO) this April. This strategic move comes as part of a visionary leadership evolution, with the companys founder, Jacques du Preez, transitioning into the role of chief operating officer (COO).
Kendra Walker, president of Pride Houston, is shown reflected in a mirror Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Houston. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Kendra Walker, president of Pride Houston, left, and Tiffany Scales, director of community engagement, say the group isn't out to battle the new LGBTQ+ organization. "We serve," they both said. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer People along the parade route cheered as floats go by during the Pride Parade downtown on Saturday, June 24, 2023 in Houston. In 2024, Houston will have two Pride parades. Karen Warren/Staff photographer People watch the Pride parade downtown on Saturday, June 24, 2023 in Houston. In 2024, Houston will have two Pride Parades on consecutive weekends, put on by two different groups. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Kendra Walker, president of Pride Houston, left, and Elia Chino, founder and executive director of Fundacion Latinoamericana De Accion Social, right, are shown Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Houston. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Kendra Walker, president of Pride Houston, is shownThursday, April 11, 2024, in Houston. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer

The past few years have included plenty of stormy days for Pride Houston 365, the LGBTQ+ organization that has been putting on the Houston Pride Parade for nearly a half-century: A pandemic disrupted major events, more than $100,000 went missing, bankruptcy became a possibility, and disgruntled volunteers formed a breakaway group that led to a trademark dispute.

The turmoil has been painful for many of Houston's longtime LGBTQ+ leaders, by most accounts. And in the end, it will help deliver double the Pride this summer, after four years in which Houston's Pride parade and festival have been canceled or scaled back.

That's right: this year, Houston will have two Prides. Houston's New Faces of Pride, which officially launched in October, will host a downtown parade and festival on Saturday, June 22. Pride Houston's parade and festival will be held one week later, June 29, in the same location.

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Bryan Cotton, president of Houston's New Faces of Pride, said last week that the new organization is focused on serving and supporting the LGBTQ+ community throughout the year, and delivering a well-managed parade and festival.

"If they'd been doing everything we're doing, we wouldn't need to be here," said Cotton, referring to Pride Houston.

Kendra Walker, who became president of Pride Houston last year and has been focused on getting the organization back on course, observed that the ruction is at odds with the spirit of unity that Pride ideally represents.

Its not like its the North Houston Pride and the South Houston Pride, she observed. No. Its Pride in the same location, the same format, along the same route. I go to other cities and everybodys talking about it: 'Oh my God, what are you doing down there?' 

"Initially I did not see it as competing or dueling," Walker said. "Then they ended up copying our name, and our events, and we ended up having to sue them."

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The discord comes as LGBTQ+ communities around the country are facing challenges from social conservatives. We want Congress to get behind us and advocate for our rights, Walker said. We cant even decide on one parade.

Planning for Pride is a year-round event, explained Walker and Tiffany Scales, Pride Houston's director of community engagement, in an interview last week. That planning takes place alongside Pride Houston's regular year-round programming and partnerships with other nonprofits focused on supporting LGBTQ+ Houstonians.

The budget for the parade and festival this year is about $875,000, Walker said, which means some tough decisions have to be made. Pride Houston had approached Lance Bass, formerly of the boy band 'N Sync, as a potential performer, only to learn he would charge $250,000 to serve as host. The group is also planning a number of related events, such as a Cinco de Mayo celebration at Axelrad where the parade's grand marshals will be announced.

But the toughest aspect of this year's planning, for Pride Houston, has been getting the parade and festival back on track after four years in which the celebrations were canceled due to COVID or scaled back as a result of the organizational tumult.

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Pride Houston 365, which traces its roots to the queer activism of Montrose in the 1970s, began having issues as it grew over the years. By 2015, when the parade moved from Montrose to downtown, Houston's event had become the biggest gay Pride celebration in Texas and one of the city's largest annual events, with corporate sponsors lining up to help.

Walker, a computer programmer and IT consultant, says she perceived some dysfunction after joining Pride Houston's board in 2018: I saw two board members get into it over whether the sign-in sheet should be landscape or portrait."

Soon thereafter, she and other board members noticed withdrawals from Pride Houstons accounts that didnt add up, so to speak, given that the COVID-19 pandemic caused the Pride parade and festival to be scuttled in 2020 and 2021. The irregularities led to the termination of Pride Houston Executive Director Lorin Roberts and a lawsuit against her alleging fraud and embezzlement.

In January, Roberts was ordered to pay about $1.2 million in damages  $300,000 in compensatory damages and $900,000 in punitive damages  to Pride Houston 365. She could not immediately be reached for comment. Walker said she doubts that Roberts has the ability to pay and that she would like to move on. "Accountability has been had," Walker added.

The legal fight, in conjunction with the interrupted events, left Pride Houston 365 teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Walker at one point loaned Pride Houston $30,000 of her own money to keep it afloat.

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Perhaps more consequential, though, was that the organizational debacle was the last straw for a number of people, like Cotton, who had been involved for years with Pride Houston 365.

There were just too many questions going on for far too long," he said. "And I'm not going to pay for anybody's past sins."

Cotton and Andrea Simonton, communications director for Houston's New Faces of Pride, sat on a sunny patio last week in Montrose discussing their plans and hopes for the group's inaugural parade and festival.

The new group officially launched in October as The New Faces of Pride Houston, which led to a trademark dispute and an agreement that its name be changed to Houston's New Faces of Pride. Since then, Cotton and Simonton said, they have been focused on planning their parade, festival and related events in June. The new organization is committed to philanthropy, they said, and this year's events also are serving as fundraisers for Tonys Place and Montrose Grace Place, both of which serve LGBTQ+ youth.

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While New Faces of Pride doesn't yet have a final budget for its parade and festival, it is expecting several hundred volunteers on site June 22 and sponsors have been "elated," Cotton said, to hear of Houston's new Pride group.

"In the past, they didn't have an option," he explained. "If you wanted to be involved in a Pride celebration in June in Houston, Texas, you had one option." (Pride parades and festivals around the country are generally held toward the end of June, to commemorate the Stonewall riots of June 28, 1969, in New York.)

He and Simonton said they expect there to be some overlap of sponsors, vendors, politicians and people who are simply looking to celebrate LGBTQ+ Texans and advocate for their rights.

"They may see it as a competition," said Cotton. "We don't."

He suggested that the launch of the new group may spur Pride Houston to put on an extraordinary event the following weekend.

"It's great that since we've come around, we've clearly inspired them to do more than they've ever done," Cotton said. "They've never worked so hard. They've never been as involved in the community."

Walker, who is originally from Mississippi, said that she was initially enthused to hear of a new Pride group in Houston, but was taken aback to learn it has a similar name and is planning similar events for Pride month.

"We don't compete. We don't duel. We just do our jobs," said Walker.

"We serve," added Scales.

"We serve," Walker agreed.

It remains to be seen how well having two Pride parades and festivals in Houston this year will serve the city's LGBTQ+ community. Logic suggests that, with two celebrations on consecutive weekends, Houston Pride will be bigger than ever in terms of total attendance. Some LGBTQ+ advocates and allies see that as something to celebrate, especially in the current political climate.

And many Houstonians are simply looking forward to the return of the city's historic Pride parade and festival after several years in which the emotionally resonant celebrations had to be scaled back.

"I'm so much looking forward to just seeing joy," said Simonton, who found a welcoming community in Houston after growing up in a small town in East Texas. "We didn't even have 'gay people,'" she said drily, recalling the scene in Longview.

On the other hand, the situation is slightly awkward, reminiscent of Houston's longstanding tradition of having two major parades for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.


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President Joe Biden tours a Microsoft data center under construction in Elk Grove Village, Ill., with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, and Anuraj Jhajj, in 2021. Susan Walsh/AP Meta, the Facebook parent company, is developing a new data center in Temple. Courtesy of Meta

WASHINGTON  The rapid expansion of data centers, fueled by the rise of artificial intelligence platforms and the increasing digitization of the economy, is driving a surge in electricity demand in Texas and across the country that could soon be pushing the limits of what power grids can handle.

Grid operators such as the Electric Reliability Council of Texas are rushing to adjust their demand forecasts amid projections by consulting firm McKinsey and the International Energy Agency that power load for data centers, which already consume 4% of the power on the U.S. grid, will double by the end of the decade.

In a recent podcast interview, ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas said the rapid speed at which data centers such as the $800 million facility Meta is building in Temple were coming online was unheard of in terms of grid planning time scales.

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Historically, youve always been able to have years to contemplate a massive manufacturing facility coming online, he said on the Energy Capital podcast. Now were seeing 500- and 700-megawatt data centers being built in a year.

ERCOT reported earlier this month that peak power loads on its system would rise 6% by 2030 to 94.3 gigawatts  with the caveat there was an additional 62 gigawatts of additional load asking to connect to the grid. It didnt detail where those load requests were coming from, and ERCOT declined to make officials available for this story.

But Doug Lewin, an energy consultant in Austin, said data centers, along with new manufacturing facilities such as the semiconductor plants being built around Austin, crypto currency mining operations and growth in oil production in West Texas, were responsible for much of the new load requests.

Some of (the 62 gigawatts) will come, some of it wont, he said. But even if its just one third of that, in five to six years time thats shocking.

Those same conversations are happening in power grids across the country, as Google, Amazon, Microsoft and other tech giants race to build out computing infrastructure to accommodate not only new artificial intelligence applications but a society that is increasingly dependent on cloud computing systems.

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Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm earlier this month called rising power demand from AI and data centers a problem and said in an interview with Axios that conversations with tech companies needed to accelerate, because this demand for power is only going up.

But data centers, upon which modern industries increasingly rely, also present a potentially large economic opportunity, with Gov. Greg Abbott actively courting tech companies to build in Texas.

Those companies are looking not just for electricity, but for zero-carbon electricity they need to meet corporate climate targets, said Bryn Baker, senior director of policy innovation at the Clean Energy Buyers Association, which represents large power buyers like tech companies.

Were fundamentally talking about not an energy transition but an energy expansion and its a major economic opportunity, she said. That growth is going to be here if we can provide the electricity. The grid is the constraint, and whether we can deliver those electrons will determine if these industries show up in Texas.

For now, power grids are able to keep up with rising demand, but its an open question how long that can sustain.

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Dominion Energy supplies power to Northern Virginia, which has the nations largest concentration of data centers and is known as the crossroads of the internet, and is predicting power demand across its entire territory will grow at a rate of 7.4% per year over the next decade.

Other hot spots for data centers include Kansas City, Mo., Salt Lake City, North Texas, Ohio and Pennsylvania, places where electricity and water, which is needed for cooling, are cheap, said Surya Hendry, an analyst with research firm Rystad Energy.

Rystad is studying the impact new data centers are having in individual markets such as North Texas, and in a note to clients earlier this month cautioned that while AI and cloud computing could eventually be used to better manage power loads, they were now placing an unprecedented burden on grid infrastructure.

Theres a lot of talk and fear about the reliability of the grid and whether its prepared for these data centers, said Reid Ramdathsingh, a senior analyst with Rystad.

Texas may well be better prepared than most to handle the onslaught of new electricity-hungry data centers.

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Generation companies such as Calpine and NRG are waiting years to move through interconnection queues, with a flood of new solar, wind and battery projects overwhelming grid operators in other parts of the country.

Those wait times are far shorter in Texas, and with 330 gigawatts of generation projects in ERCOTs interconnection queue at present, mostly solar and battery projects, Texas could theoretically keep up with the power hungry data centers, Lewin said.

The big wild card is theres going to be a lot of solar built in Texas. Theres already over 20 gigawatts, and its going to double in the next two years, he said.

At the same time, the state Legislature has committed $5 billion for low-interest loans to facilitate the construction of new natural gas plants. And the Public Utility Commission of Texas has undertaken a series of projects to improve transmission capacity between regions and get more generation built to help the state prepare for continued commercial and residential demand growth, a spokesperson said.

Whether they can keep up with the boom in electrical demand remains to be seen. Three years after Winter Storm Uri left millions of Texans without power for days, politicians from both parties are increasingly weary of the vulnerability of the nations power grid.

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Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and other Democrats introduced legislation earlier this year ordering the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop a framework to track the environmental impacts of artificial intelligence, including data centers' considerable power and water demands.

And Rep. Randy Webber, R-Friendswood, said he and other Republicans were increasingly concerned about the power demands from AI and from electric vehicles, which will require the construction of hundreds of thousands of charging stations around the country.
Another man has been charged with the murder of Tristan Sherry, who was killed after fatally shooting another man in a Dublin restaurant on Christmas Eve.

Sherry (26) was attacked after carrying out a gun attack on Jason Hennessy Sr (48) in Browne's Steakhouse in Blanchardstown.

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Wayne Deegan (26), of Linnetsfield Avenue, Phibblestown, Dublin 15, who was initially accused of attacking Mr Sherry, violent disorder, and producing a knife as a weapon, had been refused bail in January.

He appeared again at Cloverhill District Court on Thursday, and the court heard the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed that Mr Deegan be charged with Sherry's murder.

Judge John O'Leary heard the accused was charged at the courthouse "and in answer to that charge, he made no reply".

Detective Garda Sean Kelly said the DPP had directed trial on indictment, and the three original charges were withdrawn.

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Judge O'Leary remanded Mr Deegan in custody to appear in court again next Thursday.

Mr Deegan, who is yet to indicate a plea, did not address the court, and legal aid was granted after the court heard the accused has been in receipt of disability payments.

Alleged attack

At a previous bail hearing following Mr Deegan's original charges, the court heard the accused claimed he acted in self-defence.

The court was told it was alleged that Mr Deegan was with a group in the restaurant when two gunmen entered and opened fire on a male.

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One fled, but the other, Sherry, was "grabbed" and suffered injuries.

The court heard a firearm was picked up by another male, and there was a "sustained attack" on Sherry on the ground for five minutes.

Sherry was later pronounced dead at the scene.

Co-defendants David Amah (18), of Hazel Grove, Portrane Road, Donabate, Dublin, Michael Andrecut (22), with an address at Sheephill Avenue, Dublin 15, and a 17-year-old boy who cannot be named as he is a minor, were previously charged with Sherry's murder. They remain in custody.

Another minor and two other men are also before the courts on related charges, including assault, violent disorder and production of a weapon during the incident.

One of the co-defendants, Brandon Hennessy (20), of Sheephill Avenue, Dublin 15, is a son of Jason Hennessy Sr.
A Dublin man who sexually assaulted his younger cousin over a four-year period has been jailed for five and a half years.

The 28-year-old was convicted of 10 counts of sexual assault following a trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in March.

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He cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim.

The man maintains his innocence and does not accept the jury's verdict, the court was told.

The offences occurred between 2008 and 2011, when the victim was aged between six and 10 while the accused was then aged between 13 and 17.

On Thursday, Judge Sarah Berkeley said this was a sad and difficult case for all concerned, as it involved family members.

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She said the aggravating features of the case include the victim's age and the duration of the offending.

Setting a headline sentence of eight years, the judge noted the mitigation factors include that the man was a teenager at the time, his lack of previous convictions, and that he had not come to recent garda attention.

She imposed a sentence of five and a half years, backdated to when he entered custody.

Abuse

A local garda told Tessa White BL, prosecuting, that the first incident occurred in May 2008 during a family holiday in Connacht.

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The girl went to the teenager's room, and he put her hand on his penis, then forced her to masturbate him. He then removed her leggings and put his fingers in her vagina.

The sexual assaults primarily occurred in the home of the victim's grandmother, where the boy was living at the time.

The offending included inappropriate touching, masturbation and digital penetration.

In some incidents, the sexual assaults took place in the boy's bedroom while pornography was playing.

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The court heard the abuse occurred frequently and came to an end in 2011.

During another family holiday in the south-east, the girl saw her cousin masturbate in a play area while no one was present. There was no physical contact at this point.

When the girl was 17, a sibling entered her bedroom and found notes she had made, which said the man had molested her while on holiday in Connacht.

He showed these notes to their mother, who later confronted the accused. He denied the allegations.

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A complaint was made to gardai and the accused was co-operative, answering questions during interview.

He was deemed unsuitable for the juvenile diversion programme.

He has no previous convictions and has been in custody since his conviction.

'I'll never forgive you'

In an impact statement read to the court, the victim said she felt at fault and blamed herself, but now understands this not not hers to carry.

Addressing the man, the victim said: You are to blame.

She said she felt dirty and unclean as a child and these feelings didn't go away. The victim said her relationship with her mother was affected as she couldn't understand why she was angry.

She said all aspects of her life had been affected and blighted by what happened, and she was re-traumatised by the trial process.

I'll never forgive you, she said, adding that she hoped to begin a new life with the support of her family and friends.

The garda agreed with Giollaiosa O Lideadha SC, defending, that his client has not come to recent garda attention, and no allegations have been made about his behaviour towards other children when he was living at his grandmother's house.

A number of references were handed into the court on the man's behalf, including from his partner, who said he has taken on a fatherly role towards her young child.

One testimonial was provided by a friend who provided him with accommodation after he left his grandmother's home once the allegations came to light.

Mr O Lideadha submitted the aggravating features in this case are not at the more serious end of the scale.

He asked the court to take into account the contents of a psychological report, that his client was a teenager at the time of offending, that he had a difficult childhood and his ADHD diagnosis.

Lots of people have trauma in their lives and don't resort to paedophilia

Judge Berkeley said the court accepted that the man had a difficult childhood, but expressed concern that he was permitted to watch pornography in his bedroom unsupervised, which, in the court's view, contributed to his offending.

Lots of people have trauma in their lives and don't resort to paedophilia, she said.

On Thursday, Judge Berkeley noted the victim's strength and intelligence, adding that her distress was palpable during the trial, and particularly when faced with 11 male jurors. Judge Berkeley wished the girl the best for the future.

She said the girl's family are good and decent.

The judge said the court was not criticising the girl's grandmother, adding: People do not realise the risk sometimes.

She noted that while the man had a difficult childhood, he was well-cared for by his extended family.

Judge Berkeley expressed concern that there was no guidance in recent legislation to assist a sentencing judge when specifying how long a convicted person should be placed on the sex offenders register, which can be up to a maximum of five years if the offence was committed when they were a juvenile.

Judge Berkeley directed the man be placed on the sex offenders register for two and a half years, noting that he has not come to recent garda attention.

Granting an application to extend legal aid for an appeal to be lodged, the judge suggested that the Court of Appeal might consider this absence of guidance for sentencing judges.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help.
The Defence Forces' "historically low" numbers of 7,500 are a reflection of the slow pace of implementing recommended reforms, according to the general secretary of the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (Raco).

In his speech at Fine Gael's ard fheis earlier this month, Taoiseach Simon Harris highlighted defence, saying neutrality was no excuse for complacency.

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However, Ireland's vulnerability has been continually highlighted by security experts in recent times.

In late 2022, the Commission on the Defence Forces made a series of recommendations to address the capability, staffing and structural gaps in Irelands armed forces.

The Commission reported, and identified three separate Levels of Ambition (LOA). The Government decided to opt for LOA 2.

This includes a net increase in the permanent Defence Force establishment of some 2,000 personnel, bringing the total to approximately 11,500, to provide for a range of recommendations made including double crewing of naval ships, creation of a separate training establishment, increasing staff resources for a number of units and providing the resources required to undertake the necessary human resources and command and control structural reforms.

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Raco general secretary Conor King told BreakingNews.ie: "The Government chose LOA 2 in the knowledge that, according to the Commission, this would not deliver the capability required to develop full spectrum defence capabilities on a par with other sovereign European countries.

"Shortly after the publication of the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces in February 2022, war returned to Europe for the first time in three decades, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But our plan remained unchanged. Rather, the organisation has failed to reverse the trend of exits, and strength has fallen to a historically low 7,500 personnel. Instead of immediately securing LOA 2, and moving to LOA 3 (provision of a credible defence, on a par with comparator countries), we have deteriorated further."

Mr King pointed out that despite the commitment to increase defence spending, Ireland's spending is one of the lowest in Europe.

Ireland still spends, and appears set to continue to spend, the lowest amount on defence in the entire European Union. Advertisement

"It has been reported that the annual defence budget increased to 1.21 billion in 2022 and 1.23 billion in 2024, with an annual capital spend of 176 million in each year. Although this has been hailed as a record capital spend provided to defence, it is coming from a very low base, and Ireland still spends, and appears set to continue to spend, the lowest amount on defence in the entire European Union."

He added: "In terms of defence capability, the glaring gaps identified by the Commission have yet to be closed two years after the report, so one would have to believe that the state remains vulnerable. Our geographical location is no longer an excuse to neglect investment in defence and security."

On the implementation of the Commission's recommendations, Mr King said there had been positives, including an increase to Naval Service patrol duty allowance, the extension of private healthcare arrangements for enlisted personnel, and the delivery of a new fixed wing military transport aircraft (expected in mid-2025).

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Cadets during the commissioning ceremony of the 99th cadet class at the Defence Forces Training Centre in Curragh, Co Kildare, April 17th. Photo: PA Images

However, there have still been delays.

For example, the Naval Service allowance was "only delivered after the Naval Service was reduced almost to a point of failure, with just one ship currently operational due to a lack of crew".

He added: "Additional key recommendations that are close to delivery and that can make a real difference to retention of Defence Forces personnel are the removal of blanket exclusion from the Organisation of Working Time Act, and the enactment of primary legislation to give effect to associate membership of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, and to restore oversight to the Defence Forces, which was removed by the Department of Defence in 2018."

He said that the Working Time Directive should be "urgently negotiated between management and representative associations".

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"A failure to provide adequate rest and compensatory time off to military personnel has significantly impacted their home-life and the ability of many to sustain a career in the Defence Forces, and for far too long, members time has been treated as an infinite resource, without consideration of work-life balance.

Work-life balance

"The fact that our organisation has never even recorded working time, in contravention of EU law, and still does not, denies Defence Forces members access to benefits such as overtime which are available to other public sector employees, thereby depriving the organisation of a fundamental retention tool. It is essential that the Directive is implemented urgently, where it can be a game changer for morale, work-life balance and retention."

While positive changes are being seen, Mr King stressed the need to fully implement LOA 2, and move towards the third level of recommendations from the Commission.

Soldiers carrying a Javelin missile system during a Deployment Mission Readiness Exercise for the 123rd Infantry Battalion at Coolmooney Camp in Glen of Imaal, Co Wicklow.

"Personnel acknowledge that there is much important work being done to implement the recommendations of the Commission and are starting to see some green shoots of recovery. Nevertheless, recent geopolitical developments mean that we have no time whatsoever to waste in fully implementing the Commission recommendations and moving without delay towards LOA 3. The most important key performance indicator, and measure of whether employment policies and conditions of service are attractive and effective, is the strength of the organisation.

"Since the Commission reported in February 2022, Defence Forces strength has fallen by a further 1,000 personnel, to its current low of approximately 7,500 all ranks. This suggests that not all members have bought into the transformation effort, and this will require listening to employee voice to ensure buy-in, rather than sidelining it."
A plan for increased passenger document checks and fines for airlines who fail to do so, rising house prices, and the Stardust inquest are among the stories that feature on Thursday's front pages.

Airlines could face higher fines and be subjected to tougher legal obligations to check the documents of passengers flying into Ireland under proposed new immigration reforms, The Irish Times reports.

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A Garda hunt for two armed men in Cork, and the impending verdict in the Stardust inquest, feature on the front page of the Irish Examiner.

The Irish Independent leads with a story on rising house prices.

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The Echo leads with a study that has found a link between alcohol use and suicide.

The impending Stardust verdict also makes the front page of the Irish Sun.

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Today's front page of The Irish Sun pic.twitter.com/hTxlmRx77D  The Irish Sun (@IrishSunOnline) April 18, 2024

A charity is in a legal battle with Beaumont Hospital, the Irish Daily Mail reports.

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Thursday's front page... pic.twitter.com/miyvdX5HVE  The Irish Daily Mail (@irishdailymail) April 18, 2024

The Herald leads with a story on a legal battle over the ownership of exotic pets.

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In the North, the Belfast Telegraph leads with a story on a row over Stormont funding.

Mattresses are already piling up at a controversial bonfire site ahead of the July 11th bonfires, The Irish News reports.

Today's #frontpage:



Hundreds of mattresses brought to bonfire site



'Up to 18 PSNI spy incidents targeted media and lawyers' pic.twitter.com/QIucUh4ejh  The Irish News (@irish_news) April 18, 2024

The Rwanda Bill features among a range of stories on the front pages of Britains papers on Thursday.

The Daily Express says the House of Lords once again blocked the Rwanda Bill on Wednesday night.

Thursday's front page: LORDS DEFY WILL OF THE PEOPLE OVER RWANDA BILL...AGAIN! #TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/HXtHpYWWZq pic.twitter.com/BGs2Bvh4Pq  Daily Express (@Daily_Express) April 17, 2024

The Daily Telegraph runs with the investigation into Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner, who is facing new questions about her financial affairs.

The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph:



'Rayner faces new homes tax questions'#TomorrowsPapersToday



Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4OoUh6 pic.twitter.com/OUcDOWLerA  The Telegraph (@Telegraph) April 17, 2024

The Daily Mirror reports on the death of Michael Donovan who plotted a fake kidnapping of Shannon Matthews.

The Independent says predatory staff who target adults in care homes are free to move jobs, with almost 10,000 incidents of sexual abuse recorded in the last three years.

The Metro focuses on the flooding in Dubai which left thousands of British travellers stranded by the heaviest rainfall in 75 years.

The i relays words from UK foreign minister David Cameron who said Israel will defy plea for restraint and strike Iran.

The International Monetary Fund has urged Mr Sunak to take much tougher action to rein in public debt, which raises doubts over his proposed cuts to national insurance, according to the Financial Times.

Just published: front page of the Financial Times, UK edition, Thursday 18 April https://t.co/juljuW9bL8 pic.twitter.com/YozoFwYyuT  Financial Times (@FT) April 17, 2024

And The Sun says Britain's Prince Harry has officially registered as an American resident.

On tomorrow's front page: Wounded Harry backdated US residency to exact day he and Meghan were evicted from UK base to make point to King and Williamhttps://t.co/NzD0zI2mH0 pic.twitter.com/AlVpD5RtHA  The Sun (@TheSun) April 17, 2024

Israel made a "miscalculation" in failing to anticipate a response from Iran after they bombed the country's consulate in Damascus, The New York Times reports.
More than 15 members of the storied Kennedy political family will endorse US president Joe Biden at a Philadelphia campaign event on Thursday in a rebuke of Robert F Kennedy Jr's independent bid for office.

Mr Biden, a Democrat, faces Republican Donald Trump in a November re-match of the 2020 election. But members of both parties have bristled over the possibility that the candidacy of Mr Kennedy, a prominent anti-vaccine activist, or another third-party bid could spoil either of their chances.

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Mr Kennedy, son of the slain US senator and presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy, made his name as an environmental lawyer, before becoming known as an anti-vaccine advocate, and with an eclectic mix of political views. He is backed by 15 per cent of registered voters, versus 39 per cent for Mr Biden and 38 per cent for Mr Trump, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll.

Many in Robert F Kennedy Jr's elite family - prominent Democrats since the 19th century - have broken with him over his views.

"I can only imagine how Donald Trump's outrageous lies and behaviour would have horrified my father, Robert F Kennedy," Robert F Kennedy Jr's younger sister Kerry Kennedy will say at the Biden campaign event, according to prepared remarks. "Daddy stood for equal justice, human rights, and freedom from want and fear. Just as President Biden does today."

Kerry Kennedy and other members of the family are then expected to join local volunteers in door-knocking and phone-banking on Mr Biden's behalf, campaign aides said.

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The event comes as Mr Biden spends his third day this week in Pennsylvania, a critical swing state for his re-election bid. Mr Biden needs strong turnout from Philadelphia's Black community to win the state, and the Kennedys became icons for many African American families because of their advocacy for civil rights.

Members of the Kennedy family will endorse US president Joe Biden despite Robert F Kennedy Jr's independent bid for the White House.

Mr Biden, only the second Catholic president after John F Kennedy, has long spoken of how he was inspired by the family's political legacy.

In his 2007 book "Promises to Keep," Mr Biden describes himself as a young man moved to get into public service by the Kennedy brothers and the late civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr, "swept up in their eloquence, their conviction, the sheer size of their improbable dreams." A bust of president Kennedy sits in the Oval Office.

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When Mr Biden was later elected to Congress, fellow Senator Ted Kennedy would become one of his closest friends. Ted, John and Robert Sr were brothers.

The family ties have continued in the years since. Dozens of members of the Irish American family joined Mr Biden at the White House for St Patrick's Day last month.

Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the slain president, was appointed ambassador to Australia by Mr Biden. She had served as ambassador to Japan under Democratic president Barack Obama.

"I have a big family," Robert F Kennedy Jr told Reuters last month. "Many of them are working in my campaign. Not everybody agrees with me."
The mayor of Copenhagen has been in touch with her Paris counterpart to see what can be learned from the reconstruction of the Notre Dame cathedral in the French capital, after a fire devastated the Danish citys 400-year-old stock exchange building.

Firefighters were still at the scene two days after a blaze destroyed half of Copenhagens Old Stock Exchange, which dates from 1615, and collapsed its iconic dragon-tail spire.

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The Danish Chamber of Commerce, which was headquartered in the Old Stock Exchange and owns the building, has said they want the building to be reconstructed.

Firefighters walk out of the main entrance as the Old Stock Exchange burns in Copenhagen, Denmark (Ida Marie Odgaard/AP)

However, no decision has yet been made about who will finance a reconstruction, a project that would cost millions, if not billions of kroner and take years.

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Sophie Haestorp Andersen, the Danish capitals mayor, told The Associated Press that she had been in touch with Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo to discuss how the French handled the reconstruction of the Notre Dame cathedral after an April 2019 blaze ravaged the 800-year-old landmark.

Its restoration is slated for completion this year.

Ms Hidalgo gave some good inputs on how to move quickly, how Paris handled donations and the restoration which must be done fast, Ms Haestorp Andersen said.

We stand before a huge task when it comes to rebuilding Boersen together with the Danish Chamber of Commerce but we know this can be done quickly, she said, using the stock exchange buildings Danish name.

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She added that Ms Hidalgo has invited a Danish team to meet those behind the rebuilding of Notre Dames spire.

Firefighters work on the building after the fire broke out (Ida Marie Odgaard/AP)

Tuesdays blaze was believed to have started on the roof during renovations, but the cause remained unclear and police had yet to enter the burned part of the building to investigate.

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Work continued on Thursday to stabilise the building, with the Greater Copenhagen Fire Department saying they expect to be present at the scene of the fire for at least another day.

The walls are very unstable, firefighter spokesman Tom Ole Simonsen said. Containers filled with concrete have been erected around the Old Stock Exchange to support it.

The copper roof had collapsed inside the shell of external walls and on Friday, they will try to remove the burned parts from inside the building with a huge crane, Mr Simonsen said.

Although firefighters used millions of litres of water, it still smoulders and glows inside, Mr Simonsen said. He added that the highest alarm was sounded on Tuesday, six minutes after the fire department was alerted.

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Several streets around the charred building, including a main road running past it, will remain closed until Monday at least, Danish media reported.

When the fire engulfed the building on Tuesday, passers-by, Chamber of Commerce staff, police officers and firefighters raced inside the building to save its treasures.

Many of the buildings most valuable contents, which included irreplaceable paintings and other works of art, had been saved.

Among them was the huge 1895 painting From Copenhagen Stock Exchange by Danish artist P.S. Kroyer, the Chamber of Commerce said.

Danish Business CEO Brian Mikkelsen holds the top of the burnt dragon spire in front of Boersen (Ida Marie Odgaard/AP)

The exchange, known for its green copper roof and distinctive 56-metre spire in the shape of four intertwined dragon tails, sits on the waterfront next to the Danish parliament.

The building is considered a leading example of the Dutch Renaissance style in Denmark.

The Chamber of Commerce moved into the building after Copenhagens stock exchange left in 1974.
European Union leaders have vowed to ramp up sanctions against Iran as concern grows that Tehrans unprecedented attack on Israel could fuel a wider war in the Middle East.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy used the summit on Wednesday to remind the leaders that his country still badly needs support to combat Russias invasion.

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The EU has already slapped sanctions on the Islamic Republic, but French president Emmanuel Macron said new measures should target those who are helping to produce the missiles and drones that were used in the weekend attack.

Italys prime minister Giorgia Meloni during a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels (Omar Havana/AP)

In a statement released after the first day of their summit, which also focused on the war in Ukraine and ways to boost the blocs economic competitiveness, the leaders warned that the EU will take further restrictive measures against Iran, notably in relation to unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles.

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The statement also called on Iran and its proxies to cease all attacks  and urged all sides to exercise utmost restraint and to refrain from any action that may increase tensions in the region.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has tasked his staff with drawing up new measures but expanding sanctions, however, it is not a simple step  the EU has already targeted those responsible for making drones that Iran has sold to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine.

The idea is to expand that list to include missiles, although there is no evidence that Iran has sold missiles to Russia.

Mr Borrell said that proxy forces backed by Iran in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria could also be targeted with sanctions.

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Some seek sanctions on those providing Iran with the components to make drones, measures already approved in July 2023.

French president Emmanuel Macron, left, speaks with Spains prime minister Pedro Sanchez during a reception at the Royal Palace prior to an EU summit (Olivier Hoslet/AP)

Mr Borrell said his team would look at whether to expand the list of components, or develop ways to stop the sanctions from being circumvented.

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Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo, whose country currently holds the EUs rotating presidency, said his position is that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard should be put on the sanctions list and that this would be a very important signal.

But that would pose legal challenges. Mr Borrell said an EU member country would have to provide evidence that the Revolutionary Guard has been involved in acts of terrorism against it  something that none have so far claimed.

The US is also preparing new sanctions targeting Irans missile and drone programme and entities supporting the Revolutionary Guard and Irans Defence Ministry, according to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

The EU leaders also renewed their call for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and the release of hostages, as well as the provision of full, rapid, safe and unhindered access to humanitarian aid at scale for Palestinians in need.

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Russias two-year war in Ukraine was also on the agenda, with Mr Zelenskiy addressing the Brussels summit remotely and repeating an appeal for more air defences, including Patriot missile systems.

Slovenias prime minister Robert Golob, Cypriot president Nikos Christodoulides, Germanys chancellor Olaf Scholz and Romanias president Klaus Werner Ioannis (Omar Havana/AP)

They are needed in Ukraine right now, needed to stop (Russian President Vladimir) Putin from relying on terrorist methods, he said, according to a transcript provided by the EU.

Mr Zelenskiy also asked for more weapons for our soldiers and shells for artillery. Vehicles. Drones. Everything that helps to hold the front line.
Corpus Christi, along with much of the Texas Gulf Coast, has enjoyed an economic boom from the construction of new LNG export terminals. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer

WASHINGTON  The Biden administration is coming under renewed criticism from international allies and Republicans over the long-term consequences of its now three month-long pause on the permitting of new liquefied natural gas projects.

At a hearing of the House Oversight Committee on Thursday, Republicans grilled Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy Brad Crabtree about the impact the pause will have on U.S. allies in Europe and Asia, which have come to increasingly rely on U.S. LNG supplies to power their economies.

This pause has caused great alarm with European allies, said Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Sherman, chair of the committee. The Biden administration is undermining our national security. They have made it clear they want to end fossil fuel production and reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions at any cost.

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The administration announced the temporary suspension of LNG permitting in January as a necessary step to update a 5-year-old analysis on LNG exports, including greenhouse gas emissions, jobs along the Gulf Coast and the impact on domestic natural gas prices.

At the hearing, Crabtree said the pause, which the administration says should be complete by early 2025, would affect only a small portion of LNG projects under development, with 48 billion cubic feet of export capacity already approved  four times current exports.

It doesnt affect allies in terms of immediate-term energy security, he said. They are not alarmed. We have briefed our allies.

But some officials in Europe and Asia are worried. This week, 35 European politicians, including members of the European Parliament, sent a letter to President Joe Biden saying the pause in new projects undermines Americas allies, and the Western order more broadly.

The Western world cannot stay ahead of our adversaries simply by standing still and hoping that our cooperation today will suffice for the future, they wrote. We must plan ahead, expand our cooperation in energy and other fields, and prepare ourselves for the challenges of the future.

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Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., said hed had conversations with officials in Lithuania, Japan and South Korea who were now looking into alternate sources of LNG out of concern U.S. supplies wouldnt be there in the decades ahead.

Theyre making long-term decisions, and the signal you sent to our allies is a big question mark, he said.

In the meantime, Democrats are coalescing around the administrations hold on LNG as a responsible step in ensuring that what has been a booming business doesnt have unforeseen consequences in the years ahead.

Beyond the environmental impacts, the countrys growing industrial and manufacturing bases are reliant on abundant U.S. natural gas production, said Democrat Eleanor Holmes Norton, the District of Columbia's House delegate.

We rely extensively on our natural gas resources for our own economy, she said. And we have already made a substantially export commitment.

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But along the Gulf Coast, where LNG has developed into a major employer and growing source of revenue for government and business alike, the pause on permitting has put many politicians on edge.

Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., accused the administration at Thursdays hearing of pausing permitting to drum up support among Democratic voters ahead of Novembers presidential election.
An MP has lost the Conservative whip while the party investigates claims he misused campaign funds.

Mark Menzies is alleged to have used thousands of pounds given by donors to fund medical expenses and to have made a late-night call to a 78-year-old aide asking for help because he had been locked up by bad people demanding money for his release.

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The Fylde MP disputes the allegations reported by The Times but the Conservative Party is looking into the claims and taking them seriously.

A spokeswoman for British chief whip Simon Hart said Mr Menzies had agreed to relinquish the Conservative whip, pending the outcome of an investigation, meaning he will now sit as an Independent MP.

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According to the The Times, 14,000 (16,347) given by donors for use on Tory campaign activities was transferred to Mr Menzies personal bank accounts and used for private medical expenses.

The MP, who is one of Rishi Sunaks trade envoys, is also said to have called his 78-year-old former campaign manager at 3.15am one day in December, claiming he was locked in a flat and needed 5,000 as a matter of life and death.

The sum, which rose to 6,500, was eventually paid by his office manager from her personal bank account and subsequently reimbursed from funds raised from donors in an account named Fylde Westminster Group, it is alleged.

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According to a source close to Mr Menzies, the MP had met a man on an online dating website and gone to the mans flat, before subsequently going with another man to a second address where he continued drinking. It was falsely claimed he was sick at one point and several people at the address demanded 5,000, claiming it was for cleaning up and other expenses.

The source said Mr Menzies decided to pay them because he was scared of what would happen otherwise, but did not have the funds to transfer the money from his own savings.

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There are other occasions where Mr Menzies is said to have used money from the campaign fund to cover his personal expenses.

In 2020, he allegedly sought 3,000 to cover medical bills, but he did not repay the money and instead asked for and received a further 4,000, The Times reported.

The newspaper said a source close to the MP disputed this account and that the former campaign manager had been the one who suggested Mr Menzies use funds from the business account to pay his personal medical expenses, but she is understood to deny this.

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A further 7,000 was received by Mr Menzies from the account in November, it is alleged.

In a statement to The Times, Mr Menzies said: I strongly dispute the allegations put to me. I have fully complied with all the rules for declarations. As there is an investigation ongoing I will not be commenting further.

A Conservative Party spokesman said: The Conservative Party is investigating allegations made regarding a Member of Parliament. This process is rightfully confidential.

The party takes all allegations seriously and will always investigate any matters put to them.

Speaking to Times Radio on Thursday, UK defence secretary Grant Shapps suggested Mr Menzies is potentially somebody who is quite troubled.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said it was frankly appalling that the Conservative Party had been aware of the allegations for more than three months.

When our national security faces threats on many fronts, it is deeply concerning that some MPs are so open to traps, threats and manipulations, she said.

Mr Shapps said new information had come to light on Wednesday, prompting a conversation between the Chief Whip and Mr Menzies which resulted in the MP giving up the Tory whip.

A decade ago Mr Menzies quit as a ministerial aide following allegations about his behaviour made by a Brazilian male escort.
Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell has been charged in connection with embezzlement of SNP funds following a police investigation into the partys finances.

The 59-year-old husband of former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon was taken into custody for questioning at 9.13am, more than a year after his first arrest.

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Scottish police confirmed on Thursday evening he has been charged in connection with their investigation into SNP finances.

It is understood he has resigned his SNP membership.

A 59 year old man has today, Thursday, 18 April, 2024, been charged in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the Scottish National Party. https://t.co/C0x86LBAnE pic.twitter.com/NTo2OjZwHZ Advertisement  Police Scotland (@PoliceScotland) April 18, 2024

The force said in a statement: A 59-year-old man has today, Thursday, April 18th been charged in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the Scottish National Party.

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The man, who was arrested at 9.13am today and had previously been arrested as a suspect on April 5th, 2023, was charged at 6.35pm after further questioning by Police Scotland detectives investigating the funding and finances of the party.

A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in due course.

The man is no longer in police custody.

As this investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further.

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The matter is active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and the public are therefore advised to exercise caution if discussing it on social media.

Murrell arrived at the home he shares with Ms Sturgeon on the outskirts of Glasgow shortly after 8pm.

His charge is part of a probe known as Operation Branchform into the spending of more than 600,000 in donations for independence campaigning.

An SNP spokesperson said: While this development will come as a shock, the police investigation remains ongoing and it would, therefore, be inappropriate to make any comment.

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Ms Sturgeon, who resigned as Scottish first minister and SNP leader in February 2023, was arrested two months after her husband was first arrested, while former party treasurer Colin Beattie was also arrested the same year.

Both Ms Sturgeon and Mr Beattie were released without charge pending further investigation.

Mr Murrell stepped down as SNP chief executive  a role he had held for more than 20 years  during last years leadership campaign.

He has been married to Ms Sturgeon since 2010.

The former Chief Executive of the SNP, Peter Murrell, has been charged in connection with embezzlement in relation to the SNPs finances.

This is a serious development in this three-year police investigation. pic.twitter.com/YqYvDr9vW2  Craig Hoy MSP (@CraigWHoy1) April 18, 2024

Scottish Conservatives chair Craig Hoy said: The announcement that Peter Murrell has been charged by Police Scotland is an extremely serious development in the investigation into the SNPs finances.

As the police probe continues, it is now more important than ever that all SNP staff and politicians, past and present, fully co-operate.

The investigation, which has been going on for three years, appears to be reaching a conclusion and the SNP must commit to being fully open and transparent in this critical phase.

A spokesperson for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said: Senior professional prosecutors from COPFS and an Advocate Depute are working with police on this ongoing investigation.

It is standard practice that any case regarding politicians is dealt with by prosecutors without the involvement of the Lord Advocate or Solicitor General. All Scotlands prosecutors act independently of political interference.

As is routine, to protect the integrity of ongoing investigations, we do not comment in detail on their conduct.
Former US president Donald Trump has met with Polish president Andrzej Duda in New York in the latest in a series of meetings with foreign leaders as Europe braces for the possibility of a second Trump term.

The presumptive Republican nominee hosted Mr Duda at Trump Tower, where the two discussed the war in Ukraine and Mr Dudas push to boost Nato members defence spending, according to a readout from Mr Trumps campaign.

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Mr Duda, who has long expressed admiration for Mr Trump, is also a staunch supporter of Ukraine and has encouraged Washington to provide more aid to Kyiv amid Russians ongoing invasion.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump walks with Polands President Andrzej Duda at Trump Tower in New York (Stefan Jeremiah/AP)

The funding has been held up by Trump allies in Congress.

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As he arrived, Mr Trump praised the Polish president, saying, Hes done a fantastic job and hes my friend.

We had four great years together, Mr Trump added. Were behind Poland all the way.

Following the almost two and a half hour meeting, Mr Duda said only that it was a friendly meeting in very nice atmosphere.

His aide, Wojciech Kolarski, also in attendance, described it as an excellent meeting of two friends who reminisced on the time when for four years they cooperated while holding presidential offices, a time that was very fruitful for Polish-US relations.

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Mr Duda is the latest foreign leader to meet with Trump in the weeks since he locked up the Republican nomination.

Mr Duda, who has long expressed admiration for Mr Trump, is also a staunch supporter of Ukraine and has encouraged Washington to provide more aid to Kyiv (Stefan Jeremiah/AP)

US allies across the world were caught off guard by Mr Trumps surprise 2016 win, forcing them to scramble to build relationships with a president who often attacked long-standing treaties and alliances they valued.

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Setting up meetings with him during the 2024 campaign suggests they dont want to be behind again.

Even as he goes on trial for one of the four criminal indictments against him, Mr Trump and Democratic president Joe Biden are locked in a rematch that most observers expect will be exceedingly close in November.

The visit was met with mixed reaction in Poland, where fears of Russia run high and Mr Dudas friendly relationship with Mr Trump has been a source of controversy.

Polands centrist prime minister Donald Tusk, a political opponent of Mr Duda, was critical of the dinner but expressed hope that Mr Duda would use it as an opportunity to raise the issue of clearly siding with the Western world, democracy and Europe in this Ukrainian-Russian conflict.
A hospital trust has launched an investigation after a baby was given to the wrong mother in a maternity unit.

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust confirmed it is investigating an incident in September 2023 in which a baby was handed to the wrong mother.

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Maisie Beth, from Poole, gave birth to Isabelle who was placed in a nursery on her own because she needed phototherapy, had a tube fitted, and was being monitored every two hours, LadBible reported.

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Ms Beth visited her daughter in the nursery but after going to the toilet she was called into an office on her way back by a midwife who said they had her baby in there instead.

She took the baby she was given back to her room and only when she started to change the nappy did she realised she was holding someone elses baby boy.

After going to find her daughter, the midwife claimed 22-year-old Ms Beth looked identical to the boys mother which is why she had confused them, according to the LadBible report.

A statement on University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trusts website says: We are investigating an incident in our maternity unit in September 2023 in which a baby was handed to the wrong mother.

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We deeply regret any distress that was caused and are committed to providing full support to the affected families.

The safety of our parents and babies is the highest priority.

We have fully reviewed all our safety procedures and we want to reassure you this was an isolated incident.
A jury of 12 people has been seated in former President Donald Trumps hush money trial in New York.

Lawyers now need to select six alternates to round out the panel that will decide the first-ever criminal case against a former US president.

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The jury includes a sales professional, a software engineer, an English teacher and multiple lawyers.



The jury of 12 people has been selected in the trial of US president Donald Trump (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via AP, Pool)

The rapid progress propelled the case closer to opening statements and weeks of testimony in a case charging the Republican ex-president with falsifying business records to suppress stories about his sex life in the final days of the 2016 election.

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Earlier in the day, two jurors were dismissed by Judge Juan Merchan.

One was excused after expressing doubt about her ability to be fair and impartial. The other was dismissed after prosecutors raised questions about the accuracy of his answers during the selection process.



Former President Donald Trump, flanked by attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post/AP)

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Lawyers have been grilling hundreds of potential jurors for hours, asking questions on everything from their hobbies and their social media posts to their opinion of the presumptive Republican nominee in this years closely contested presidential race.

More than half the members of a second group of 96 prospective jurors brought into the courtroom were dismissed on Thursday, most after saying they doubted their ability to be fair and impartial.

The first juror to be excused, an oncology nurse selected on Wednesday, told the court she had become concerned about her ability to be impartial.

Judge Juan Merchan said that the woman, a nurse, conveyed that after sleeping on it overnight she had concerns about her ability to be fair and impartial in this case.

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And though jurors names are being kept confidential, the woman told the judge and the lawyers that she had doubts.

Yesterday alone I had friends, colleagues and family push things to my phone regarding questioning my identity as a juror, she said. I dont believe at this point that I can be fair and unbiased and let the outside influences not affect my decision making in the courtroom.



Former President Donald Trump addresses the media following the second day of jury selection at Manhattan criminal court (Michael Santiago/AP)

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A second seated juror was dismissed after prosecutors raised concerns that may not have been honest in answering a jury selection question by saying that he had never been accused or convicted of a crime.

The IT professional was summoned to court to answer questions after prosecutors said they found an article about a person with the same name who had been arrested in the 1990s for tearing down political posters pertaining to the political right in suburban Westchester County.

A prosecutor had also disclosed that a relative of the man may have been involved in a deferred prosecution agreement in the 1990s with the Manhattan district attorneys office, which is prosecuting Mr Trumps case.

Because the juror was questioned at the judges bench, off-microphone and out of earshot of reporters, it was not known whether the man confirmed or denied if either instance was connected to him.



Lawyers are seeking to find 12 more jurors to serve on the panel (Michael M Santiago/AP)

Twelve jurors and six alternates must be seated to hear the trial. Mr Merchan said on Tuesday that opening statements could begin as soon as Monday.

The setbacks in the selection process emerged during a frenetic morning in which prosecutors also asked for Mr Trump to be held in contempt over a series of social media posts this week, while the judge in the case barred reporters from identifying jurors employers after expressing privacy concerns.

The district attorneys office on Monday sought a 3,000 dollar (2,400) fine for Mr Trump for three Truth Social posts they said violated a gag order. Since then, though, prosecutors say hes made seven additional posts that they believe also violate the order.

Several of the posts involved an article that referred to Mr Trumps former lawyer Michael Cohen as a serial perjurer, and one from Wednesday that repeated a claim by a Fox News host that liberal activists were lying to get on the jury, said prosecutor Christopher Conroy.



Former President Donald Trump awaits the start of proceedings on the second day of jury selection at Manhattan criminal court (Michael Santiago/AP)

Mr Trumps lawyer Emil Bove said Mr Cohen has been attacking President Trump in public statements, and Mr Trump was just replying.

The judge had already scheduled a hearing for next week on the prosecutions request for contempt sanctions over Mr Trumps posts.

The trial centres on a payment that Mr Trumps lawyer and personal fixer, Mr Cohen, made shortly before the 2016 election to pornography actor Stormy Daniels, to prevent her claims of a sexual encounter with Mr Trump from becoming public in the races final days.

Prosecutors say Mr Trump obscured the true nature of the payments in internal records when his company reimbursed Mr Cohen, who pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2018 and is expected to be a star witness for the prosecution.



Six jurors have been selected in Donald Trumps criminal case (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post/AP)

Mr Trump has denied having a sexual encounter with Ms Daniels, and his lawyers argue that the payments to Mr Cohen were legitimate legal expenses.

Mr Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He could get up to four years in prison if convicted, though it is not clear that the judge would opt to put him behind bars.

Mr Trump would almost certainly appeal any conviction.

The hush money case is one of four criminal prosecutions involving Mr Trump as he vies to reclaim the White House, but it is possible that it will be the sole case to reach trial before Novembers presidential election.

Appeals and other legal wrangling have caused delays in cases charging Mr Trump with plotting to overturn the 2020 election results and with illegally hoarding classified documents.
The Sea Captains Wife

Jackie French, HQ, $32.99 French blends vibrant romantic fantasy with a darker gender struggle. Prolific author Jackie French returns with a period romantic adventure that starts on Big Henry  a remote oceanic island where men are at sea most of the time and, underneath the islands volcano, women rule the roost. When Mair McCrae finds a shipwreck survivor unconscious on the beach, it turns out to be a sea captain, Michael Dawson, obsessed with a ghost ship and the riches it carries. Romance follows and Mair agrees to sail with Dawson to Australia, little knowing that the freedoms and power women enjoy on Big Henry dont exist there. As she adapts to the constraints of life in Sydney, Michael pursues his nautical treasure quest by steamship, leaving Mair all at sea after a string of mysterious deaths close to home. The trail of corpses seems to lead to the Dawson family: does someone have a grudge against them, and if so, why? French blends vibrant romantic fantasy with a darker gender struggle, echoing Ibsens The Lady from the Sea in its depiction of a powerful woman marooned in a world of men. NON-FICTION PICK OF THE WEEK

Death as Told by a Sapiens to a Neanderthal

Juan Jose Millas & Juan Luis Arsuaga, Scribe, $32.99 The book delves into death, mortality and immortality.

The eponymous sapiens and Neanderthal are Spanish scientist Juan Luis Arsuaga and Spanish novelist Juan Jose Millas respectively. Together, theyre a sort of double act, delving into death, mortality and immortality: Millas, the fall guy, asking questions and Arsuaga explaining things in a way that even a Neanderthal could understand. Like his mini dissertation on mole-rats as an example of sentient beings achieving a kind of immortality. Most rats live three years, mole-rats live 10 times longer. When Millas says thats still only 30 years, Arsuaga explains that, in human terms, its like living for almost 1000 years. And so they go, ranging over such topics as Epicureanism, animism, the uncomforting godless, random universe and the improbability of an afterlife. It can get a bit formulaic, but amusingly looks death in the face. All You Need Is Love

Peter Brown & Steven Gaines, Hachette, $34.99 The band seemingly broke up because they grew up. Is there really anything new to say about the Beatles? That depends on how much detail you need. In the case of this look at the bands break-up, too much. And most of it inconsequential. Peter Brown (former Apple staffer) and author Steven Gaines have collected hundreds of hours of interviews left over from their previous book, all taped just before John Lennons murder. Paul, George and Ringo reflect on the end of things, along with Yoko, Pattie Boyd and Brian Epsteins mother, among a host of others. What does come through, however, is a general sense of how depressing and often seedy the demise of the Beatles empire was. Especially when reading the testimonies of the so-called inner-circle of hangers-on and opportunists. In the end, so to speak, the consensus is that the band broke up because they grew up and grew out of being Fab. Private Equity

Carrie Sun, Bloomsbury, $34.99

Credit: When Chinese American Carrie Sun landed a job in New York as assistant to the founder of one of the worlds largest hedge fund companies, she thought it would be the making of her. It was the opposite - the dream job in which she lost her self. In detached, precise writing she takes the reader into the often surreal world of high-end capitalism. Her boss, a billionaire, barely looks up when giving instructions, her colleagues (one of whom tells her shes just a Prada bag for display) are like bees in the hive of money making. The gloss fades and her sense of self collapses along with her devotion to the job. She realises that, all her life, shes lived either for work or other people, when all shes really wanted is to be a writer. This memoir, her first book, is a cautionary tale for the times, but also begs the question, is writing itself just another dream job? The Diggers of Kapyong

Tom Gilling, Allen & Unwin, $34.99 Gilling creates an atmospheric picture of the battles. History is strewn with forgotten wars and to a significant degree the Korean War is one, overshadowed by Vietnam. Tom Gillings study is an attempt to remedy that by looking at a crucial battle in which the Australian 3RAR battalion played a key role. In April 1951 Chinese and North Korean forces launched their spring offensive at Kapyong, just south of the 38th Parallel, the objective being to take Seoul. Hill 504, held by the Australians, became one pivotal focus of the battle, which in the end stopped the spring offensive. Gilling puts things in Cold War historical perspective and, using the testimonies of soldiers looking back on those two days of intense, sometimes hand-to-hand fighting, creates a detailed and atmospheric picture of the day and nighttime battles, the mayhem and resistance against the odds.
His new book is billed as a novel, though lets just call it autofiction: he flags the made-up bits. It, too, is about his transformations: about how that boy who didnt always have enough to eat grew up to be a world-famous writer. If this sounds like an inspirational story about overcoming hardship, it isnt. Instead, it is driven by negative emotions, shame and the need for absolution, just as the life it describes has been driven by shame and the need for revenge against poverty and homophobia: the revenge on shame. Self-justification is the very form. Change is addressed to those he left behind.

Edouard Louis came to prominence with his 2014 autofiction, The End of Eddy, an account of growing up gay and poor in the post-industrial north of France. There followed A History of Violence, about being raped and almost murdered by a man he picked up in the street, and two loving, ambivalent portraits of his parents, Who Killed My Father, which doubled as a denunciation of the neoliberal turn in French politics, and A Womans Battles and Transformations, about his mothers late-life flourishing after she left Louis father.

The first stage in the ascent is from the village to the nearest big town, Amiens. Here he attends senior high school, the first in his family to do so, and befriends Elena, a bourgeoisie who introduces him to the finer things. This section is addressed to his father: I understood that the lycee was the beginning of our separation, with no going back.

No longer Eddy, but Edouard, and at university, he meets the distinguished sociologist Didier Eribon, whose trajectory from the working class to the Paris intellectual gratin he is keen to emulate. Eribon encourages him to try for the Ecole Normale Superieure, alma mater of Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. Chasing the cultural capital Elena and her milieu take for granted, he turns himself into a reading machine.

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About this, Louis is unsentimental: I dont like stories about childhoods saved by books and reading. I find them naive. But you could say he is saved from this naivete by one of the first books he encounters: Pierre Bourdieus Distinction, a sociological masterwork whose argument is that high culture is irredeemably complicit with hierarchy and prestige.

The friendship with Eribon causes a break with Elena and other people from Amiens turn against him once he has the bad taste to get into the ENS. All of a sudden, he is egotistical, ambitious. Louis has trouble disagreeing, though he also has trouble agreeing. By now he is speaking to Elena, not his father. When Louis talks about his snobbish affectations or increasingly transactional relationships, the tone at times is plaintive, at times somewhere between squirminess and bluff: Maybe I said some things I didnt mean  It wasnt cynicism that made me say those things, but the need  almost the desperation  to be helped  Is it forbidden to like someone for the protection they can give you?
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Review Eating outTemplestowe This frankly odd menu is one of the most exciting eating experiences Ive had in ages Dani Valent gains an informal, intimate insight into Iranian home cooking in a low-key shopping strip. Dani Valent April 19, 2024 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share

This venue appears in the May hit list Melbourne 2024. See all stories .

1 / 10 A selection of Iranian dishes at Kitchen 55. Bonnie Savage 2 / 10 Go-to dish: Katte rice (served with Saturdays main meals). Bonnie Savage 3 / 10 Mirza ghasemi (a loose tangle of eggplant and lightly whisked egg) with lavash flatbread (top right). Bonnie Savage 4 / 10 Baghali ghatogh (vegetarian white-bean stew served with a whole, soft egg). Bonnie Savage 5 / 10 The restaurant is in a former fish and chip shop. Bonnie Savage 6 / 10 Vavishka (caramelised beef, tomato and onion in pomegranate sauce). Bonnie Savage 7 / 10 Anar bij (meatballs bathed in a herb-rich sauce that also features walnut and pomegranate). Bonnie Savage 8 / 10 Saffron ice-cream. Bonnie Savage 9 / 10 Kitchen 55 offers an informal, intimate insight into Iranian home cooking. Bonnie Savage 10 / 10 Zeytoon parvardeh (a chunky dip of whole green olives, walnuts, pomegranate molasses, garlic and herbs). Bonnie Savage Previous Slide Next Slide 14 / 20 How we score Middle Eastern$$$$ Plenty of great home cooks are urged to open restaurants. Ramesh Dianat wasnt one of them. In fact, a few weeks before she launched the Persian food business that has become the curious and charming Kitchen 55 restaurant, she announced to her family that she was giving up cooking altogether. Im done; Im sick of it, she told her son, Khash Kohan. It was 2021, the family was in lockdown, everyone was a bit stressed, and Dianat had her job in environmental policy to go on with anyway. But two weeks later, the kitchen was a-clatter. There were bags of rice everywhere. Containers piled up in the lounge room. Khash saw his mum taking photos of her dishes. Then she asked him to help her come up with a business name. Was she building a website while everyone else watched TV? Change was afoot. Kitchen 55 (the name references Dianats age at the time) launched as a home-based, meal-delivery business. When the family wanted their lounge room back, they decided to take over a local fish-and-chip shop which had closed its doors. Most of the way through the year-long de-griming and renovation, Kitchen 55 was going to be takeaway only. Then  maybe just one table? Or two or three? Slowly, almost accidentally, the family opened a small restaurant last July.

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Inside Iranian family restaurant Kitchen 55. Bonnie Savage I mean this in a nice way, but there are some deeply unprofessional aspects to the experience. The menu structure is, frankly, odd; Ive never seen anything like it. But when you dig into the reasoning, it makes complete sense and I dont think they could run the restaurant any other way. There are no staff, just family, and this food is labour-intensive, taking ages to bubble away. Theyre mum meals, not restaurant classics. So theyve devised a three-week, rotating menu with two different dishes available each weekday. Saturdays are a little more lavish, with four items from Gilan, in Irans north. Vavishka (caramelised beef, tomato and onion in pomegranate sauce, pictured with katte rice, left) features on the sofreye Gilani (northern spread) on Saturdays. Bonnie Savage Its probably easiest to think of it as going to someones home for dinner: they cook, you eat. Even better, you can rely on any days offering to be delicious and satisfying and, unless youre used to eating in Iranian homes, new to you, too.

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Its that unfamiliarity that prompts the second, sweetly amateurish element of Kitchen 55: we were continually warned that we might not like the food. Do you want to send it back? No, definitely not, were in rapture. There are a couple of extras Dianat will always make. Her mirza ghasemi ($21) is a loose tangle of soft, smoky eggplant and lightly whisked egg, a little tomatoey, gently oil-slicked and salty. Its a popular breakfast in northern Iran but, honestly, theres no wrong time to eat something so beguilingly tasty. Scoop it up with lavash, a dimpled flatbread. Zeytoon parvardeh (a chunky dip of whole green olives, walnuts, pomegranate molasses, garlic and herbs). Bonnie Savage Also always available  unless she runs out, which she might  is zeytoon parvardeh ($10.50), a chunky dip of whole green olives, walnuts and pomegranate molasses, laced with garlic and the profusion of herbs thats characteristic of Persian cooking. Like everything I tried here, it has big flavours but theyre deftly balanced, resolving in compelling and delightful synergy. Dianats parents are from Rasht, the capital of Gilan, renowned for its subtle, detailed, slow-cooked cuisine and fierce hospitality. If you go to Kitchen 55 on a Saturday for the sofreye Gilani (northern spread), you may be served anar bij ($27.50), beef meatballs bathed in a herb-rich sauce that also features walnut and pomegranate.

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Its probably easiest to think of Kitchen 55 as going to someones home for dinner: they cook, you eat. Also on the roster is baghali ghatogh ($27.50), a vegetarian white-bean stew, strewn with dill and served with a whole, soft egg for smooshing through. It looks unassuming, merely hearty and healthy, but its transfixing, finding unmatched depth in simple ingredients. Everything is served with katte rice, cooked on the stove until the bottom crisps to form the golden crust known as tahdig. Its flipped to serve and is a wonderful, toasty accompaniment. Even if you cant fit in dessert, take home some impossibly buttery shirini kishmishi (sultana cookies; $5.50) and rosewater-fragrant shole zard (saffron rice pudding; $8) so you can have a taste of Iran via Templestowe in the morning. Theres plenty to ponder. Templestowe is a lovely, leafy place to live, but I wouldnt have considered it a gourmet destination. Kitchen 55 forces a rethink. A humble restaurant in a low-key shopping strip, its also one of the most exciting hospitality experiences Ive had in ages.

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Ramesh Dianat, Im so happy you lifted your cooking ban. The low-down Vibe: An informal, intimate insight into Iranian home cooking Go-to dish: Katte rice (served with Saturdays main meals) Drinks: The restaurant is awaiting a liquor licence. Meantime, theres aromatic black tea and doogh, a fizzy yoghurt drink Cost: About $75 for two, excluding drinks This review was originally published in Good Weekend magazine
The Brazilian Food and Music Festival. Sabrina Sens

This weekend in Houston offers something for everyone, from Earth Day celebrations to the return of the Brazilian Food and Music Festival. Whiskey aficionados can enjoy the Houston Whiskey Riot Festival, while music enthusiasts can catch Grammy Award winner David Sanchez at Miller Outdoor Theatre's 23rd Annual Noche Caliente.

Classical Mystery Tour: A Tribute to the Beatles

The Classical Mystery Tour, a Beatles tribute band, performs with the Houston Symphony at Jones Hall on April 18-19. Courtesy photo

Experience Classical Mystery Tour: A Tribute to the Beatles with the Houston Symphony. Hear the band's greatest hits performed note-for-note by four musicians who embody the essence of the Fab Four. From "Penny Lane" with live trumpet to "Yesterday" with acoustic guitar and string quartet, and more.

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When: April 19: 7:30 p.m.

Where: Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana

Unsilent Spring: Music and Our Changing Planet

DaCamera presents Unsilent Spring: Music and Our Changing Planet. Courtesy photo

On April 19, acclaimed trumpeter and composer Etienne Charles will debut "Earth Tones, a new multimedia creation that employs sounds, stories, images and film and incorporates musical idioms from at-risk coastal communities at this DaCamera event. On April 20, DaCamera and The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University will present "Music For New Bodies created by director Peter Sellars and composer Matthew Aucoin. This musical premiere is an immersion in vast planetary processes and will be brought to life by five vocal soloists and an 18-instrument ensemble.

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When: April 19-20: 8 p.m.

Where: Cullen Theater, Wortham Theater Center, 501 Texas (April 19), Brockman Hall for Opera, Shepherd School of Music, Rice University, 6100 Main (April 20)

Miller Outdoor Theatre

David Sanchez, Grammy-winning jazz tenor saxophonist hailing from Puerto Rico. Courtesy of Miller Outdoor Theatre

This weekend at Miller Outdoor Theatre, catch "Chinese Folktales: Wit & Wisdom of the Ancestors," presented by Dance of Asian America and Express Childrens Theatre on Friday. Then, on Saturday, groove to the sounds of the 23rd Annual Noche Caliente, featuring Grammy Award winner David Sanchez.

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When: April 19-20: 8:15 p.m.

Where: 6000 Hermann Park Drive

The Grand Kids Festival

Children taking part in activities at the Grand Kids Festival in Galveston. Grand Kids Festival

Hosted by the Grand 1894 Opera House, this free family-friendly festival features fine arts activities for kids in the Cultural Arts District of Downtown Galveston, including hands-on projects, dance performances, shows, inflatables and a petting zoo.

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When: April 20: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Where: Downtown Galveston, 502 20th St, Galveston

Green Mountain Energy Earth Day

Earth Day Celebration and Water Works Festival at Discovery Green. Morris Malakoff

Discovery Green Conservancy, in partnership with Citizens Environmental Coalition, presents the Green Mountain Energy Earth Day event, featuring the Houston Public Works Water Works Festival. Expect live art, performances by Calmecac Indigenous Arts Dancers and Lees Golden Dragons, music by Houston's Jukebox Trainwreck, short films, and exhibitors. Artist Mark Scrapdaddy Bradford will showcase six art cars and 25 interactive solar and wind power sculptures.

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When: April 20: Noon-5 p.m.

Where: Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney

Houston Whiskey Riot Festival

Samples of more than 200 whiskeys will be poured at Houston Whiskey Riot at Post Houston. Kathy Tran

This Downtown festival for all things whiskey offers more than 200 whiskies, inventive whiskey cocktails, seminars and a chance to meet master distillers.

When: April 20: 4-7 p.m.

Where: POST Houston, 401 Franklin

Brazilian Food and Music Festival

The Brazilian Food and Music Festival. Sabrina Sens

The annual festival offers Brazilian cuisine, music, live samba music, arts and crafts, kids' area and vendors.

When: April 21: Noon-5 p.m.
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This venue appears in Melbournes cosy new wine bars collection. See all stories .

Scopris charming sibling, Bar Olo, has opened just down the road from the beloved Italian restaurant, a long-awaited spot for Scopri customers who want to come in for a drink before or after dinner. But everyone can roll up for wagyu arrosticini (skewers), vitello tonnato, and agnolotti del plin, the pinched pasta parcels Scopri is known for. Bar Olo is the more casual little sibling to a favourite Italian restaurant. Simon Schluter Chef Kirsten Sattler (ex-Pinotta, Alimentari) is leaning into Melbournes sandwich obsession with tramezzini: crustless, triangular white-bread sandwiches that are popular everywhere in Italy from quaint espresso bars to fancy establishments. Prawn with crispy tropea onions is the first iteration. Like Scopri, Bar Olo is a slice of Italys Piedmont region. But the bars name points to a specific devotion to one of the areas most revered wines: there are 120 barolos on the list.

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Prawn tramezzini sandwiches at Bar Olo. Simon Schluter In the spirit of Italys aperitivo tradition, from 4pm to 6pm, your drink  perhaps a slightly foamy, superbly bitter Campari shakerato  comes with a free surprise snack, whether a straight-from-the-wheel hunk of parmigiano reggiano, or zeppole: fluffy deep-fried dough balls. A vintage vibe can be hard to create, but the team has done it through cafe curtains, a curved art deco-style bar and food served on antique crockery. Open Wed-Sat, 4pm-late 165 Nicholson Street, Carlton, barolocarlton.com.au

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Albert Parks new midweek hangout might be Omen, a newbie from three ex-Rockpool staff who want to offer classic Euro flavours and Aussie wines in a light-drenched space theyve renovated themselves. Its a big change from their glitzy former workplace at Crown. Were ready for anything. Were going from a 200-seater to a little 40-seater, says manager Pierre-Marie Caillaud. A Big Green Egg ceramic grill is the backbone of the kitchen, roasting pigs cheeks glazed in honey, grilling prawns paired with a shellfish sauce, and smoking OConnor beef short-rib. Omen in Albert Park is pitched towards locals seeking an easy night out. Julian Fletcher Wine-friendly snacks include brioche doughnuts filled with chicken liver parfait. Later, theres pumpkin agnolotti with burnt butter sabayon (a lush egg yolk sauce).

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After dinner, chefs Dean Stagno and Declan Carroll are offering the best of both worlds: a dessert-meets-cheese course where stilton blue is paired with a wedge of apple tarte tatin and lavosh. Brioche doughnuts are filled with chicken liver parfait at Omen. Julian Fletcher Caillauds wine list is a mix of Gippsland, Geelong and Beechworth producers, with a smattering of French and Italian. Open Wed-Sat, 5.30pm-11pm; Sun, noon-5pm 149 Victoria Avenue, Albert Park, omenrestaurant.com

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Ora, already a morning destination for Kew locals, is hoping to win hearts after sunset with its new evening menu and swish renovation thats installed a separate dining room in the neighbouring tenancy. Walls have been knocked out, walnut panels installed and a suite of granite-topped tables now join olive-green upholstery and a handsome backlit bar. Art deco-inspired lights make the space feel night-time-ready. The cafe continues to trade as normal  just with an extra-plush look. Ora, already a key part of the Kew community, is about to open after dark, too. Flat Pack Studios Owner of 10 years Phil Nikolarakos says the wine bar offering will be a magnet for locals who may not want to walk the 20 minutes to High Street venues such as Mister Bianco and its bar, Bianchetto. Cocktail hour might include one of the half-dozen classics on the list paired with house-made duck rillettes, and whitebait with yuzu kosho mayo. A fresh spin on surf and turf involves scallops with an oxtail marmalade, a heavily reduced braise thats fragrant with juniper and star anise.

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At night, cocktails and small plates are the go. Flat Pack Studios Larger choices include pan-fried ricotta gnocchi and caponata, and grilled king prawn skewers with chimichurri. To finish? A mezcal Old Fashioned is the pick. Open from April 19, Fri & Sat, 5pm-11pm. From May, also open Wed & Thu, 5pm-11pm. 156 Pakington Street, Kew, orakew.com.au
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Eating outRestaurant news The most anticipated restaurant opening of 2024 is also Justin Hemmes most intriguing Live seafood tanks, a four-metre grill and a Japanese-leaning menu a touch of Tottis. Get ready for Merivales Good Luck Restaurant Lounge, opening next week in Bridge Street. Scott Bolles April 19, 2024 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share

Good Luck Restaurant Lounge will open on Wednesday, April 24, and is not only one of Sydneys most anticipated hospitality openings of the year, its also one of its most intriguing. The neon lights of Good Luck Restaurant Lounge. Steven Woodburn Shrouded in more pre-launch mystery than usual (even for a Merivale project), executive chef Mike Eggert says the menu will feature 80 dishes channelling both Tokyo and influences from Merivales Italian-leaning Tottis. The opening will come less than a week after Justin Hemmes, the owner of Merivale, opens JAM Record Bar this evening in the IVY precinct, which Good Food revealed this week. Photo: Steven Woodburn

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Good Lucks Bridge Street entrance is crowned by a small sign that reads: Feeling lucky, guests will then descend the stairs into the basement of the historic Burns Philp & Co building, a site Hemmes snapped up during the pandemic. Good Luck sprawls over two levels with live seafood tanks, a four-metre charcoal grill, splashes of green stone, utilitarian chairs, custom vintage glass light fittings and a seating capacity of more than 200. Eggert, who put Tottis on the culinary map, says he has always held on to the Asian influence he flexed working at Billy Kwong and his 2017 Good Luck Pinbone pop-up in Kensington. People probably arent aware theres soy in the bolognese at Tottis, Eggert divulges. Photo: Steven Woodburn The first thing guests will see as they enter Good Luck is a massive wood fire hearth alongside three supercharged woks. Smokey, wood fired flavours with lots of fresh herbs, citrus and chilli, Eggert says. He points to Japans Wafu Italian restaurants  where chefs reimagine Italian dishes through a Japanese lens  as part inspiration for Good Luck.

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Brown butter snow crab will be on the menu at Good Luck. Eggert and Sri Lankan-born head chef Prince Jeganathans opening menu is adventurous. Paccheri pasta is teamed with spicy scallop and sake in one dish, another matches brown butter and snow crab. Eggert is excited about using Japanese ingredients: subtle Japanese peppers pop up where you might expect Sichuan, smoked soy-poached chicken is doused in a shiso dressing, an egg noodle dish will combine Japanese whitebait and shishito peppers. Photo: Steven Woodburn The tiles on the columns [at Good Luck] are from Japan, designer Kelvin Ho says of his nod to Eggerts culinary mission statement. But in the same way the chef doesnt want to box himself in, Ho quips hes taken an all you can eat approach to the design. From the street a sign asks if youre feeling lucky? Steven Woodburn

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Theres a bit of Hong Kong family restaurants, Ho says of the inspiration for the interior, which includes a vintage Asian travel poster and banquette upholstery that varies from pink to floral. I like that collision of home spun next to opulence, the designer says of a space where chandeliers, seafood tanks and a luxe private dining room mingle with ubiquitous restaurant chairs. Ho credits Merivale Styling Director Bettina Hemmes for hand-picking some of the accoutrements and lamps that make Good Luck styling sizzle. Subtle Japanese flavours will infuse the food at Good Luck, here in a spicy paccheri pasta with scallop and sake. Part of the intrigue surrounding the project were early rumours about its culinary direction. At one stage the site was tipped to be a Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant, then Greek. Various chefs inside the Merivale empire were linked at different times with the project, with speculation chefs pitched their boss concepts. Its not really like that. I usually have in my mind whos going to fit [a project], Hemmes explains. The most important thing is to tap into a chefs passion, what they want to cook, and we mould around that.

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A world-first telehealth psychiatry service is at risk of closing despite needing only $400,000 a year to survive, amid a growing push for a payroll tax levy to help fund NSWs ballooning healthcare bill.

The NSW government, the University of Sydney and icare, the state-owned workplace insurer, spent $650,000 in March 2023 to offer telehealth psychiatry services for people with traumatic brain injuries across the state.

The money runs out in September and no funds have been allocated in the June state budget to keep it operational.

A fall down the stairs in 2015 left Fiona McKay with an ongoing brain injury, which meant she could no longer work.

Professor Leanne Togher, a speech pathologist and brain injury specialist who helped set up the pilot program, said many of the people in the scheme lived in rural areas and had never seen a specialist for the complex mental health issues they developed after their brain injuries.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has decided the heroes from Saturdays Bondi Junction attack, who put themselves in harms way as Joel Cauchi went on a deadly rampage at a shopping centre, have passed the character test with flying colours.

Albanese has suggested the government would grant a permanent visa or citizenship to the heroic security guard who confronted the attacker alongside his colleague, Faraz Tahir, who was one of six people killed.

The prime minister had earlier in the week marked the brave actions of a Frenchman nicknamed bollard man, who also stood up to the knife-wielding attacker, by offering him permanent residency.

Damien Guerot was lauded as a hero after CCTV captured him trying to fend off Cauchi on an escalator using a shopping centre bollard. Guerot said he, his friend, Silas Despreaux, also a French national, and other witnesses had helped lead police inspector Amy Scott towards Cauchi, whom she shot dead.
NSW Police have asked for tougher knife-crime penalties, including sanctions for parents who allow their children to possess them, despite data showing that the overall rate of violent crimes involving blades has steadily fallen over the last decade.

At the same time, the powerful NSW Health Services Union boss Gerard Hayes has added to calls for increased knife penalties amid a spate of high-profile attacks in Sydney, saying Premier Chris Minns should follow Queensland in allowing police to use metal detectors to search people without a warrant.

NSW Premier Chris Minns with Police Commissioner Karen Webb outside Bondi Junction Westfield on Thursday. The NSW Police want the government to introduce tougher penalties for knife crimes. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos

In a submission to an ongoing NSW Sentencing Council review, police urged the government to consider further toughening penalties for knife crimes by making it an indictable offence for any parent who allows their child to illegally possess a blade.

The police have also called for a separate category of offences for people caught carrying knives on public transport, calling it a high risk activity when considering the mass of people concentrated in these areas and potential vulnerability of people using public transport.
The bottom line Three hours and 10 minutes from Sydney (2129 km) and three hours and 25 minutes from Melbourne (2419 km) with a two-hour time difference (AEST) between Sydney and Melbourne.

A true garden city  stroll through a rose garden in Christchurchs Botanic Gardens. Credit: iStock

Why go This big small-city has undergone a revitalisation of unimaginable scale since the 2011 earthquake, though Christchurch (also called Otautahi in Maori) has long benefited from a spectacular natural playground on its doorstep. Those with a taste (and budget) for the finer things are well catered for, with secluded luxury lodges to rival the worlds best.

Duration of stay Four days.

See + do A true garden city, it is best explored on foot, and Maori-owned and run Amiki Tours (amikitours.com) offers a stellar and expert way to do it, uncovering Christcurchs myriad urban green spaces, local gems and telling ancestral stories during a 75-minute stroll.
Why go Its a whole other world yet incredibly close to ours, so close  closer than Cairns is from Sydney  but, seemingly so far from our minds. Noumea offers a genuine taste of France, sans the jet lag, right on our Antipodean doorstep and while, not quite the bargain of other South Pacific climes, its nonetheless a mystery why it isnt more popular with Australian travellers.

The bottom line Two hours and 50 minutes from Sydney (1970 km); the minimum flight time from Melbourne, via Sydney, is four hours (2685 km) with a one-hour time difference (AEST) between Sydney and Melbourne.

See + do Noumea is home to one of the great architectural statements, along, of course, with the Sydney Opera House, of the South Pacific. The capitals Tjibaou Cultural Centre (centretjibaou.nc), designed by the legendary Italian architect Renzo Piano, is named in honour of the Indigenous Kanak independence leader, Jean-Marie Tjibaou. Distinguished by 10 towering ribbed steel and timber structures inspired by traditional Kanak huts, the centre is set within a bayside forest setting a short drive from the diminutive city centre. Guests at the Le Meridien Resort (marriott.com) can visit the Cultural Centre for free as part of its brand-wide Unlock Art program. Switch from Indigenous heritage to colonial heritage, as you head back into town to the historic suburb of Faubourg Blanchot. While not much of colonial European Noumea remains, this is one area where you will find charming remnants of it with 60 French colonial timber houses all meticulously maintained, forming the basis of a self-guided tour (au.newcaledonia.travel). Beginning at the landmark Maison Celieres, a beautifully-restored mansion right in the heart of Faubourg Blanchot, the tour can be done by car, bike or on foot.

Noumeas Tjibaou Cultural Centre designed by architect Renzo Piano to celebrate the indigenous culture of New Caledonia. Credit: Elissalde Arnaud

Eat + Drink Michelin may not have found its way from France to New Caledonia quite yet, but Noumea represents a microcosm of French culinary delights in a far-flung tropical setting. For a dash of Gallic culinary flair and imagination, dont forget to book dinner at Marmite et Tire-Bouchon (marmiteettirebouchon.nc), a contemporary French bistro almost alone worth the flight across the Pacific. For a casual lunch, head to La Guinguette, run by a team hailing from Marseilles and tucked away in Noumeas so-called Latin Quarter, not far from the Port Moselle markets. Choose from a blackboard lunch menu of Mediterranean-influenced dishes including locally-caught seafood such as tuna. For a cool drink among Noumeas cool set, head to the relaxing MV Lounge (au.newcaledonia.travel), a buzzy beach club set in a leafy and sandy nook at the northern end of beautiful Baie des Citrons. For brunch, including excellent Australian-style espresso coffee and brekky favourites, Lemon Bay Cafe is a must. Named after its enviable Baie des Citrons beachside location, its run by a New Caledonia and Australian couple. In Noumea youll find some of the best patisseries and chocolatiers outside of France. Locals are devoted to Au Peche Mignon (aupechemignon.nc) on Rue Jules Garnier for cakes while for handmade sweet treats, the heavily-stocked Chocolats Morand (chocolatsmorand.nc) in the Latin Quarter of the Noumea city centre is the stuff of a displaced Parisian chocolate connoisseur fantasy.

Noumeas Moselle Bay with St Joseph Cathedral in the foreground. Credit: iStock

Stay In Noumea the cuisine, and all else, tends to outshine the accommodation. Nadi it is not. However, youll be perfectly comfortable at either of the major and well-located beachside digs, namely Le Meridien Resort (marriott.com) and Spa and Chateau Royal Beach Resort & Spa (hotelchateauroyal.nc).
The exodus of investors from the state is likely to result in a prolonged rental catastrophe that will push rents higher, which is a terrible situation for renters, Hill said, indicating that these circumstances could benefit investors ready to enter the market.
Houstons thriving Japanese restaurant scene relies heavily on local talent.

Just take a look at last year's openings: Chef Manabu Horichi opened Katami after building a devoted fan base in the 15 years since he launched his Upper Kirby spot Kata Robata. Uchi, the Austin-born restaurant that landed in Houston in 2012, debuted an omakase counter with Oheya. The sushi hand-roll trend kept growing with Norigamis opening and the Handies Douzo team announcing forthcoming projects at Autry Park.

Molihua opens on April 23, and chef Hideki Hiwatashi brings more than 30 years of experience  with a few Michelin stars along the way  cooking Japanese cuisine in Japan, Australia and England.

For Hiwatashis first U.S. restaurant, the London-based chef teamed up with chef Ho Chee Boon, whom Houstonians may remember when the culinary mastermind formerly behind Hakkasan Group opened the upscale dim sum teahouse Yauatcha in the Galleria.

The food every year moves and changes, Hiwatashi said. For me, I really like chasing the trends and whats new. I dont want to stay in the past.

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HOUSTON EATS: The Chronicles top 100 restaurants

Chefs Ho Chee Boon, left, and Hideki Hiwatashi at Molihua Jon Shapley/Staff photographer

At Molihua, which means jasmine in Mandarin, chefs Hiwatashi and Ho aim to showcase creative takes on Asian cuisine in a refined setting. The menu is mostly focused on Japanese fare, but a few dim sum options and desserts are also included.

Among the small plate offerings is a selection of raw fish prepared as crudo or tartare. The zuke maguro crudo shows up on a plate like a Mondrian painting with the fish arranged in cubes dotted with orange ponzu, blood orange and coriander oil.

Other shareable dishes include crispy truffle puffs, wagyu gyoza and mochi-covered chicken wings served with sticky rice that are served dim-sum style (those options may expand in the coming months, according to a spokesperson).

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Chef Hideki Hiwatashi prepares the zuke maguro crudo at Molihua

A section of the menu is dedicated to traditional preparations of sashimi, maki and nigiri. But similar to some of the creative sushi offered in Houston, customers will find creative rolls such as the aburi nigiri moriawase combining a host of ingredients like fatty tuna, salmon and scallops in one bite.

We wanted to bring traditional and modern Japanese cuisine to Houston thats different, Ho said. (Diners) can find something surprising.

He points to the mochi batter used in the wings, marinated fish preparations and a focus on elegant desserts that arent an afterthought.

MORE FROM BAO ONG: Houston restaurant March and bar Julep land on Food & Wine's top U.S. lists

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Molihua is located on the second floor of the Blossom Hotel

When dinner service begins at Molihua, which is located on the second floor of the Blossom Hotel at 7118 Bertner, customers will walk into a room where many of the details are carefully planned out.

The main dining area will be dimly lit like an underground party, which nods to the clubby Hakkasan vibe that Ho helped turn into an international hit in his 25 years with the hospitality group.

Handsome leather banquettes, salmon-pink chairs, dark wood and candles are all part of the clean, minimalist design. The dining room seats about 80 people, with 10 seats at the sushi bar and about 18 for the bar. A track of modern house music will be part of the upbeat atmosphere.

This is the third restaurant for Ho, who launched the Boon Group a few years ago and has two restaurants in San Franciscos Bay Area.

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Molihua, however, is more about setting the stage for Hiwatashis Japanese cooking, Ho said.

You cant just use your two hands to make your dreams come true, Ho said. You need help from a team.
Britain's Prince Harry attends the Lord Mayor's Big Curry Lunch, in aid of the three national service charities, at the Guildhall in London, Britain April 4, 2019. (Photo: Geoff Pugh/Pool via REUTERS)

Years after leaving the United Kingdom, Prince Harry identified the United States as his primary home, according to reports.

In 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex decided to take a break from royal obligations and go to California. According to documents obtained by the Daily Mail, Prince Harry changed his paperwork years later to emphasize that he no longer lived in Britain.

According to the Companies House registration, Prince Harry's new "Country/State Usually Resident" has been changed to reflect the United States. Previous records indicated it was the United Kingdom.

On June 2, 2023, fresh information was lodged with Companies House for Prince Harry's eco-travel Travalyst.

Following their royal wedding in 2018, Queen Elizabeth gave Prince Harry and Meghan Markle the Frogmore Cottage. It was renovated under the Sovereign Grant and served as their official residence in London. Prince Harry's contract at Frogmore Cottage expired in June 2023.

Several sites stated months before that King Charles had urged his son and daughter-in-law to leave the property. In one episode of "Palace Confidential," Rebecca English, royal editor for the Daily Mail, stated that as a result of His Majesty's decision, Prince Harry "won't actually have a place to stay in the United Kingdom."

Tom Bower, a British journalist and investigative reporter, blamed the Sussexes for the King's choice. According to him, the royal couple offended the British monarch during their controversial interview with Oprah Winfrey, the Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan," Prince Harry's novel "Space," and appearances on "60 Minutes" and "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert."

"Harry and Meghan provoked him [King Charles] with Harry's disgraceful book and the interviews he gave. I mean, what did he expect? Harry wanted the royal family to come on bended knee begging for forgiveness, and he's completely crossed the spectrum, he's in the mad wilderness of deranged victimhood, he told Page Six.

Furthermore, Prince Harry's shift of residence raised the question of whether he would continue to serve as Counsellor of State.

"We are really in uncharted waters here: the Prince Harry situation is not something the law easily allows for. The idea of the second son of the King choosing a life away from royal duties is not something the law has thought about, and I can imagine that Buckingham Palace would be concerned by that. The King had the chance to remove him with the counsellor-of-state legislation last year, but chose not to, Dr. Craig Prescott, a constitutional law expert, told Daily Mail.

The Counsellors of State were established to cover the monarch's short-term absences in situations where regency would be unnecessary. The members are the four adults who follow in succession and are at least 21 years old. Currently, they are Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew, and Princess Beatrice. Queen Camilla was inserted as the monarch's wife.

In November 2022, King Charles proposed adding his siblings, Princess Anne and Prince Edward, as Counsellors of State. According to Town & Country, the modification required an amendment to the Regency Act of 1937, which was officially added a month later.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for a last ditch effort against the virus.

(Photo: Emil Salman/Pool via REUTERS/file photo)

The United States and Israel are set to hold a high-level virtual meeting on Thursday to discuss a possible Israeli operation in Rafah, according to two U.S. officials. The meeting comes amid heightened tensions between Israel and Iran, following an unprecedented attack by the latter last weekend. The Biden administration remains concerned that an Israeli invasion of Rafah could lead to massive civilian casualties, the officials said.

The virtual meeting, which is the second such discussion in recent weeks, will be led by White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on the U.S. side and minister for strategic affairs Ron Dermer and national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi on the Israeli side. An in-person meeting scheduled to take place in Washington this week was postponed due to the Iranian attack.

Over the past few weeks, several lower-level working groups have met virtually to discuss the Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) operational plans for Rafah and humanitarian proposals. A U.S. official said the plans presented by the IDF in these working groups included a gradual, slow operation in specific neighborhoods of Rafah that would be evacuated in advance, rather than an all-out invasion of the entire city.

Despite the ongoing discussions, the U.S. officials flatly denied reports that the Biden administration had given a green light for an operation in Rafah if Israel declines to strike Iran in retaliation for last weekend's attack. The White House declined to comment on the matter.

Meanwhile, a report from the Qatari newspaper The New Arab claims that the U.S. has approved a potential Israeli Rafah operation in exchange for Israel not conducting counterstrikes on Iran. A senior official told the newspaper that "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu managed to obtain American approval for a military operation in Rafah, in exchange for [Israel] refraining from carrying out a wide military operation against Iran in response to its recent attack."

The report also noted that Egypt is demonstrating "full readiness and preparedness of [its] forces stationed in northern Sinai, along the 14-kilometer border strip with the Gaza Strip, as part of a plan to deal with the scenario of a ground invasion in Rafah." Egyptian law professor Dr. Ayman Salama stated that any modification in the military situation requires Egypt's approval, and Israel will not be able to establish buffer zones on the Egyptian-Israeli border or modify the security annex of the peace treaty between the two countries under the pretext of urgent security needs in cases of direct threats.

Egypt holds a critical position amid the ongoing war in Gaza, as it shares borders with the southern Gazan city of Rafah as well as a large border with Israel. Egyptian military officials have previously claimed that they are "ready for all scenarios" and that Israel needs to properly evacuate the city of Rafah's civilian population before any border crossings are closed.

A U.S. official said there has been a significant improvement in the humanitarian situation in Gaza since President Biden issued his stark warning to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu two weeks ago. "The Israelis haven't reached all the goals set by the president yet, but there is big improvement," the official said.
Interview: China's industrial competitiveness driven by market forces, says Zimbabwean official

10:44, April 18, 2024 By Tafara Mugwara ( Xinhua

HARARE, April 17 (Xinhua) -- China's industrial capacity and competitiveness in new energy vehicles are purely driven by market forces, a senior official from Zimbabwe's ruling party has said.

"There are better ways where humanity with a shared future can embrace the efficiencies which China is bringing in into the new energy sector across the board" so that there can be rapid movement by all societies to shift from debilitating fossil fuels to new energy vehicles, said Christopher Mutsvangwa, secretary for information and publicity for Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), in an interview with Xinhua on Monday.

He dismissed the so-called overcapacity rhetoric, saying China should be applauded rather than criticized for making new energy vehicles more affordable and widespread.

An "interesting thing about China's vehicle manufacturers is that the most successful ones are not the ones from state-owned companies -- they are mostly from privately owned companies which are not reliant on what would normally be subsidized or state funding," Mutsvangwa said.

Mutsvangwa, who previously served as Zimbabwe's ambassador to China, said China's competitiveness is a result of its timely strategic investments in critical sectors.

"So you can't argue that they are relying on state subsidies; they are just doing the job better than the others," he said.

He said that from Zimbabwe's perspective, Washington's accusations are self-serving rather than fair to the world.

"It's a no-brainer that the Western world had a head-start in fossil fuel combustion starting with coal before we moved on to petroleum. So, the intellectual property for most of this fossil fuel engine sector of the world resides in Western countries," he noted.

"Now comes the shift to new energy electric vehicles where electricity is now the driver of modern mobility," said Mutsvangwa, adding that China has invested a lot in this area and owns many intellectual properties of electric vehicles production.

He said China is now reaping benefits from its strategic investment in the new energy value chains, which have given the country an advantage in producing competitively priced goods.

What gives China an advantage is having a full value chain, a more efficient manufacturing system and intellectual property, he noted.

Similarly, China has been strong in solar energy production and lowered the price of solar panels, he said, noting this benefits the world as "countries which are less endowed in resources can also afford to become part of the market of solar panels."

The overcapacity rhetoric is meant to protect the United States' home market companies and therefore is detrimental to free trade, he said.

"Everybody can see that with global warming pressures, we are going to need electricity as the driver of new energy mobility," he said.

The Chinese read the signals very well, responded accordingly and invested in research and development and got the patents of this shift from fossil to new energy storage, he said.

In addition, Mutsvangwa said China's industrial capacity in new energy has also brought dividends to resource-rich economies.

Pointing to his country as an example, he said Chinese companies "have moved in in the last three years to dramatically raise investment in lithium sulfate production in Zimbabwe."

Mutsvangwa also highlighted the importance of cooperation between China and the United States, believing that cooperation between the two largest economies of the world is a positive development that can greatly benefit the global economy.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
The League City library is no longer checking for library cards at the door, city officials said. Google Earth

Visitors to Helen Hall Library in League City no longer must show a valid library card to enter the facility, a requirement that began weeks ago under a controversial policy that has generated negative feedback from residents.

The policy stems from a resolution passed by council in January that imposed a $50 per year fee for anyone from outside the city and county limits who want to use the librarys services.

The policy, which became effective March 4, required people entering the library to present a valid library card to library staff sitting at a table at the entrance.

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The city implemented the procedure as an overall educational effort to inform patrons of the change and the charging of an annual fee for non-residents, city spokesperson Sarah Osborne said in an email.

FORT BEND ISDS CONSIDERS BOOK BAN: Fort Bend ISD debates giving superintendent authority to ban books that 'stimulate sexual desire'

But many patrons disapproved, said League City council member Tom Crews.

What we were seeing was library staff sitting at a table checking IDs whenever somebody wanted to enter, and there was a tremendous amount of anger about it, Crews said.

People can now enter the library without a card, Osborne said, but are still required to show a valid library card to participate in library programs and to check out materials.

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Additional signage at the librarys front doors informs patrons on how to obtain a library card and about non-resident fees.

According to city librarian Meredith Layton, the library issued more than 1,000 new library cards during the first month of the library card check policy.

In the first few weeks, it was an education and outreach effort on behalf of staff to guide our users and patrons through the new polices, Layton said. While the resolution is still our guiding policy, we have modified our implementation.

League City council member Chad Tressler said he became aware that library staff had stopped checking for cards on a social media forum, and the change, he said, has not been part of any formal action by council.

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I was not party to any (council) discussion, nor have I missed any meetings, Tressler said.

'A lot of emails'

He also noted that many in the community oppose charging a fee.

There were a lot of emails, a lot of social media posts criticizing the policy, said Tressler, who voted against the ordinance in January.

According to Osborne, the city is also no longer pursuing plans to install electronic kiosks at the library door where patrons would have been required to scan their cards before entering.

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Crews, who also opposed the ordinance, said city officials were looking into purchasing equipment that was estimated to cost between $12,000 and $24,000.

At a March 26 meeting, council member Andy Mann, who supported the ordinance, called the scanning system heavy handed. At the same meeting, many residents also said during the public comment section that they opposed the requirement.

Katherine Swanson, who heads the Galveston County Library Alliance, was skeptical about the citys official reason for the change.

This is a welcome change, but it would be appreciated if the city were more forthcoming about the fact that this is due to backlash rather than it being an evolution of the initial resolution, said Swanson, whose citizens group formed in response to the citys controversial library book evaluation system in 2022.

The ordinance made League City the only Houston-area city to charge residents of neighboring towns to use its library.

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League City Mayor Nick Long told the Chronicle in March that the library policy changes were meant to offset overcrowding at the library and prioritize access for residents, who bear the financial burden of the upkeep of the library through taxes.

He has said that 35% of library patrons live outside the city.
Games Global Limited (Games Global), a leading developer, distributor and marketer of innovative online casino-style gaming content and integrated business-to-business solutions to iGaming operators globally based on the size of its studio network, announced today that it has publicly filed a registration statement on Form F-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) relating to a proposed initial public offering of its ordinary shares. The timing of the offering, number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering have not yet been determined. Games Global has applied to list its ordinary shares on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "GGL".

J.P. Morgan, Jefferies and Macquarie Capital are acting as joint book-running managers for the proposed offering. Barclays is acting as bookrunner for the proposed offering.

The proposed offering will be made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the preliminary prospectus relating to the proposed offering, when available, may be obtained from:

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone at (866) 803-9204, or by email at [email protected] ;

; Jefferies LLC, Attention: Equity Syndicate Prospectus Department, 520 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022, by phone at (877) 821-7388, or by email at [email protected] ; or

; or Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc., Attention: Equity Syndicate Department, 125 West 55th Street, New York, NY 10019, or by email at [email protected] .



A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the SEC but has not yet become effective. These securities may not be sold, nor may offers to buy be accepted, prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

In any member state of the European Economic Area (the "EEA") this announcement, and the offering, are only addressed to and directed at persons who are "qualified investors" ("Qualified Investors") within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (the Prospectus Regulation). In the United Kingdom, this announcement, and the offering, are only addressed to and directed at persons who are qualified investors within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation as it forms part of domestic law in the United Kingdom by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 who (i) have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order"), (ii) are high net worth entities who fall within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order, or (iii) are persons to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons being referred to as "relevant persons").

This announcement must not be acted on or relied on (i) in the United Kingdom, by persons who are not relevant persons, and (ii) in any member state of the EEA, by persons who are not Qualified Investors. Any investment or investment activity to which this announcement relates is available only to and will only be engaged with (i) in the United Kingdom, relevant persons, and (ii) in any member state of the EEA, Qualified Investors.

About Games Global

Games Global is a leading developer, distributor and marketer of innovative online, casino-style gaming (iGaming) content and integrated business-to-business solutions to iGaming operators in regulated markets globally. Games Global has one of the largest networks of exclusive iGaming content studios, and its 40 in-house and partnered studios have developed more than 1,300 proprietary games over the past 20 years. With a market leading offering including slot games, table games, video poker, video bingo, progressive jackpots, game show games, crash games and live casino games, Games Global is a key content provider to iGaming operators, supporting the rapid growth of iGaming in regulated markets.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240417382031/en/
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File: Traffic moves along FM 723 north of the Brazos River on Jan. 29, 2020, in Rosenberg. Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Nearly $500 million in road projects and other transportation improvements have been set aside for Fort Bend County in a new regional plan that covers the entire Houston region and includes the widening of Interstate 10.

The Houston-Galveston Area Council has outlined a $18.76 billion funding plan for transportation infrastructure in the Houston-Galveston area from 2025 to 2028, with 15 upgrades proposed for Fort Bend County.

H-GAC introduced the draft of the 2025-28 Transportation Improvement Program on April 3, and it will be open to public comment until April 24.

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H-GAC is a regional organization that collaborates with local governments in the 13-county Gulf Coast Planning Region of Texas. Its goal is to utilize tax dollars in an efficient manner.

The transportation plan is developed by H-GACs Transportation Policy Council, which comprises representatives from each county and the Texas Department of Transportation.

The $18.7 billion in investments is not just for roads, said Adam Beckom, H-GAC transportation manager. It includes transit, bicycle/pedestrian, air quality in addition to roads/highways.

Of the $18.76 billion, $15.23 billion (86%) is designated for roadways, $3.32 billion is for transit (12%) and $220 million (2%) for bicycle lanes and projects aimed at improving pedestrian mobility.

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The decisions made regarding where we dedicate our resources and what kinds of projects we choose to invest in will set the stage for how resilient we are, our ability to accommodate our regions continued rapid growth, and what quality of life our residents have in the future, said Beckom.

The four-year program of transportation projects includes projects requiring federal action, such as funding and permits, as well as other regionally significant projects.

FORT BEND INSIDER: Never miss a story with our bi-weekly newsletter

Federal funds come into the region and are allocated by the council based on availability, guiding project selection, Beckom said.

During this particular cycle, of the $18.76 billion, $6.8 billion is from federal funding, $8 billion is from state funding, and $3.9 billion is from local funding.

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The TIP states our commitment to the public as well as to the federal government, reflects our regional priorities, it also gives the public an opportunity to say yes, or no or not now on projects, said Beckom.

Approximately $488.88 million has been earmarked for Fort Bend County. The following are the projects proposed in the county.

Interstate 10

$114 million, 2026

The stretch of Interstate 10 W from the Waller County line to just west of Snake Creek will be reconstructed and widened from six lanes to ten lanes. This section runs east-west through Katy and Brookshire.

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Estimated total cost: $114,148,126

FM 1093/FM 359

$45 million, 2025

A new four-lane tollway will be constructed from west of Texas Heritage Parkway to west of FM 723, serving Richmond and Rosenberg.

Estimated total cost: $45,000,000

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FM 1093

$31.91 million, 2024

Four toll lanes to be constructed from FM 1463/FM 359 to the west of FM 723, passing through Fulshear and Richmond.

Estimated total cost: $31,910,962

Beechnut Street

$32.23 million, 2028

The stretch between Peek Road and west of Lakehead Lane will be widened, increasing its capacity from two to four lanes.

Estimated total cost: $32,234,800

$7.72 million, 2028

The stretch from Addicks Clodine Road to the Harris County line will be widened from four to six lanes.

Estimated total cost: $7,715,672

Harlem Road

$13.97 million, 2024

The stretch from Morton Road to north of West Airport Boulevard, in southwest Houston, will be widened from four to six lanes.

Estimated total cost: $13,972,764

US 90A

$78.36 million, 2025

Reconstruction and widening of the stretch from FM 359 to SH 99 in Fulshear from four to six lanes.

Estimated total cost: $78,361,064

Texas Spur 10-Patton Road

$5.16 million, 2026

On the portion from Texas 36 North to U.S. 69, new equipment and infrastructure will be installed in areas where no current system is in place. The stretch primarily passes through Rosenberg. This new equipment will not replace or upgrade any existing infrastructure.

Estimated total cost: $5,164,746

FM 723

$6.04 million, 2027

Widening of the stretch from Avenue D to U.S. 90A/Avenue H in Rosenberg, from two to four lanes.

Estimated total cost: $6,044,713

FM 1092/Murphy Road

$2.75 million, 2026

The stretch from Cartwright Road to Texas 6 will undergo reconstruction, going from a four- to six-lane divided roadway.

Estimated total cost: $2,746,364

Texas 36

$83.27 million, 2026

The stretch from U.S. 69 S to FM 2218, passing through Rosenberg, will be reconstructed and widened from two to four lanes, divided.

Estimated total cost: $83,266,395.

Trammel Fresno Road

$3.78 million, 2025

The stretch from Sienna Parkway to Texas 6 will be reconstructed and widened, from two to four lanes, undivided. This section passes through Missouri City.

Estimated total cost: $3,779,400.

Watts Plantation

$1.51 million, 2025

Extend the two-lane roadway from Knight Road to Texas 6. This section passes through Missouri City.

Estimated total cost: $1,511,760.

FM 521

$63.02 million, 2027

The stretch from the Brazoria County line to Texas 6, primarily passing through Pearland, will be widened from two to four lanes, divided.

Estimated total cost: $63,021,843

Missouri City/ Texas 6 Park and Ride

$51.72 million

A new park and ride facility for Missouri City.

Estimated total cost: $51,724,000
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Emergency personnel work at the scene after an 18-wheeler crashed into the Texas Department of Public Safety Office in Brenham, Texas, Friday, April 12, 2024. A suspect is in custody in connection to a commercial vehicle crash at the Texas Department of Public Safety office in the rural town west of Houston. Texas DPS officials say multiple injuries were reported in the crash. (AP Photo/Lekan Oyekanmi) Lekan Oyekanmi/Associated Press

A Washington County man who last week was arrested after driving a truck into a Department of Public Safety office has been charged with felony murder, according to the DPS.

Clenard Parker, 42, of Chappell Hill, was charged with felony murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on a public servant, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and criminal mischief, according to DPS.

MORE ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Charges dropped against teen accused in fatal shooting of Humble gas station employee

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Parker had already been charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon causing serious bodily injury, one count of evading arrest or detention causing serious bodily injury, and one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle, according to DPS.

Parker was arrested moments after a semitruck crashed into the front of a feeder-road DPS office in Brenham, which contained both licensing and highway patrol offices.

Parker was accused of stealing the truck, leading Washington County deputies on a chase and then intentionally driving into the building. According to authorities, Parker had been turned away from the licensing office the day before, when he had tried to renew his commercial driver's license.

The crash killed 78-year-old Bobby Huff, according to DPS. Five other people were injured and taken to the hospital, according to DPS.

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Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at 9:27PM

Image: Apple

While the M3 chips in Macs just launched a few months ago, Apple is wasting no time. They're supposedly gearing up for an annual Mac refresh cycle, mirroring their iPhone strategy. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, new M4-powered Macs are on the horizon, arriving later this year.

The M4 chip prioritizes on-device artificial intelligence, requiring significant processing power. Apple plans three variations: a base "Donan" chip, higher-performance "Brava" chips replacing M3 Pro and Max, and a potential "Hidra" for an M4 Ultra (though an M3 Ultra never materialized outside of the company). Notably, this marks the first time all Macs will transition to a new chip generation simultaneously. Previously, some models skipped chip iterations.

Here's a glimpse into Apple's upcoming M4 Macs (release dates are subject to change):
A rainbow Lego piece is shown on the shelves during a session of Lunch Church at Noon in the Canterbury Room for a Bible study meeting Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023 in Houston. Several LGBTQ-affirming religious leaders at University of Houston continue to serve students in a hope to fill the gap left by the closure of the campus LGBTQ Resource Center. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer Pastor Morgan Gates, campus pastor for HouMin - ECLA, left, The Rev. Charles Graves IV, campus minister, Houston Canterbury, Rabbi Kenny Weiss, executive director, Houston Hillel, and The Rev. Tamika Nelson, executive director, United Campus Ministry of Greater Houston, pose for a photo following a meeting of Lunch Church at Noon in the Canterbury Room for a Bible study Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023 in Houston. Several LGBTQ-affirming religious leaders at University of Houston continue to serve students in a hope to fill the gap left by the closure of the campus LGBTQ Resource Center. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer The Rev. Charles Graves IV, campus minister Houston Canterbury, left, prays with Mya Little during Lunch Church at Noon in the Canterbury Room Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023 in Houston. Several LGBTQ-affirming religious leaders at University of Houston continue to serve students in a hope to fill the gap left by the closure of the campus LGBTQ Resource Center. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer Mya Little, left, Vicki Arthur and Sara McNeil participate in a scripture discussion at Lunch Church at Noon in the Canterbury Room for a Bible study meeting Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023 in Houston. Several LGBTQ-affirming religious leaders at University of Houston continue to serve students in a hope to fill the gap left by the closure of the campus LGBTQ Resource Center. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer The Rev. Charles Graves IV, campus minister Houston Canterbury, far left, leads bible study during Lunch Church at Noon in the Canterbury Room Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023 in Houston. Several LGBTQ-affirming religious leaders at University of Houston continue to serve students in a hope to fill the gap left by the closure of the campus LGBTQ Resource Center. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer Ash Cobb, left, and AJ participate in a scripture discussion during a Bible study at Lunch Church at Noon in the Canterbury Room Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023 in Houston. Several LGBTQ-affirming religious leaders at University of Houston continue to serve students in a hope to fill the gap left by the closure of the campus LGBTQ Resource Center. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer Mya Little, left, and Sara McNeil talk during a meeting of Lunch Church at Noon in the Canterbury Room for a Bible study meeting Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023 in Houston. Several LGBTQ-affirming religious leaders at University of Houston continue to serve students in a hope to fill the gap left by the closure of the campus LGBTQ Resource Center. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer

Several queer students have come to Pastor Morgan Gates since the University of Houstons LGBTQ Resource Center closed last month, searching for some place on campus where they might feel safe and accepted.

While the A.D. Bruce Religion Center may not be an obvious or preferred choice for many students, Gates and three other LGBTQ-affirming faith leaders based in the building are making it known that LGBTQ people are welcome in their ministries offices, whether or not they are religious.

Ive had a couple of students reach out who were like, Listen, Im not into the religious stuff at all, or Ive had a really crappy experience with the religious stuff, but what the hell am I supposed to do? said Gates, a Lutheran minister who also identifies as queer.

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The pastor, a rabbi and two other reverends are in the early stages of figuring out how to fill the gaps left after a law banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs in higher education forced UH to close the resource center. At the very least, the informal coalition of progressive Christian and Jewish leaders can try to provide a space for LGBTQ students who no longer have one. At best, they could take on some of the more specific services the resource center offered.

Caring for and protecting and looking after queer students is part of each of our respective obligations as religious people and religious leaders, said Rev. Charles Graves IV, an openly gay Episcopalian pastor. This is our religious call, and we're willing to step up to the plate.

Gates and Graves have sometimes collaborated as the respective campus ministers of Houston Area Campus Ministry ELCA and Houston Canterbury. They say they naturally work well with the two other LGBTQ-affirming groups in the A.D. Bruce Religion Center, Rev. Tamika Nelsons United Campus Ministry of Greater Houston and Rabbi Kenny Weiss Houston Hillel. Their groups tend to have smaller numbers of core members, even if many come and go.

Trying to help more LGBTQ students shouldnt be much of a leap for the rabbi and pastors. The three Christian ministries market themselves as LGBTQ-affirming, so a majority of the students they serve are queer. Hillel has been less overt with marketing but has been an inherently accepting place for the queer community, Weiss said.

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The Rev. Charles Graves IV, campus minister Houston Canterbury, left, prays with Ash Cobb and AJ during scripture study at Lunch Church at Noon in the Canterbury Room Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023 in Houston. Several LGBTQ-affirming religious leaders at University of Houston continue to serve students in a hope to fill the gap left by the closure of the campus LGBTQ Resource Center. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer

Speaking to nonreligious students about LGBTQ issues also isn't new, as the ministers often interact with students who just need someone to talk to. And in Weiss case, most of the students he serves arent religious but are culturally Jewish.

Getting people to trust faith leaders when they have felt burned by religion is the greater challenge, Graves said.

"We have to be careful, because lots of churches ... will say, 'All are welcome,'" the pastor said in his office with the other affirming leaders. "But a lot of queer students have found that to mean you all may be welcome, but eventually you're going to get pulled aside by somebody and they're going to say that your lifestyle is unacceptable."

"Welcoming is different than belonging," Weiss said.

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Responding to the law

AJ, a UH student who asked not to be identified by her last name for privacy reasons, embraced Canterbury as a safe space early in college. Some people in the four allied groups are straight, but theyre all affirming  and AJ said she hopes other queer students can feel comfortable walking into the Religion Center now that they dont have the LGBTQ resource center to turn to.

Its just a really pretty building with really nice people, she said.

Kaitie Tolman has already leaned on Graves once after coming across a preacher on campus who spoke hatefully about the queer community  in this case, a protected form of speech. Tolman is president of the LGBTQ student organization GLOBAL and leads a pagan and witchcraft student group, but they appreciated that Graves met up to offer support.

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A lot of people think we are hating of religion, and its the same thing in reverse, they dont realize yall are LGBT friendly, Tolman said last week in the Canterbury office. It would be awesome to do stuff, however yall can help.

The four affirming religious leaders at UH are still deciphering the Texas law that is gutting diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, training and programs at public colleges and universities. The decision to close the resource center caught many queer groups by surprise, in part because universities have until Jan. 1 to enact Senate Bill 17. And the laws colloquial naming as the DEI bill meant its implications for the LGBTQ population were initially less clear than for UHs Center for Diversity and Inclusion, which also shut its doors.

The Rev. Charles Graves IV, campus minister Houston Canterbury, left, prays with Mya Little as she takes communion at Lunch Church at Noon in the Canterbury Room Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023 in Houston. Several LGBTQ-affirming religious leaders at University of Houston continue to serve students in a hope to fill the gap left by the closure of the campus LGBTQ Resource Center. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer

The university replaced both centers with the broader Center for Student Advocacy and Community, which provides an array of services and can still serve individual LGBTQ people and racial or ethnic minorities. Its not yet known whether any services from the two former resource centers will return, but they couldnt be exclusive to any group  the law dictates that programs offered by state-funded universities are race-neutral or independent of other identity markers such as sexual orientation.

Student organizations are exempt from SB 17 and are natural choices to pick up the slack, although leaders like Tolman say they are looking for help since they are limited in time and money. Early aid arrived from Rice Universitys LGBTQ student group, which is granting honorary membership to public university students affected by the law. UHs LGBTQ Alumni Association is also looking at how to pitch in.

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Graves said he would especially like the affirming ministries to take over the administrative capacity of Rainbow Chats, one of the resource centers signature programs that offered cross-sections of the LGBTQ population the ability to interact in a comfortable space. One support group for UH students who commute helped people who might be openly queer at school and closeted at home, for example.

But the three pastors and rabbi are first making sure they can legally offer some of the programs as private citizens using a university building. The faith leaders sign annual memorandums of understanding to utilize the religion center, meaning theyre unsure if they must adhere to other university policies. The multifaith space at UH is also an anomaly in higher education, complicating the issue even more.

The law is known to have strict repercussions for university employees who violate SB 17, Weiss said, so it doesnt allow room for experimentation. Once they get legal approval, then they'll discuss how to move forward.

It becomes ambiguous when we as campus ministers get involved and even more ambiguous when it's those of us who are campus ministers who have a ministry with a historical space in this building, Weiss said.

RICE STEPS IN: Rice University students open space to University of Houston LGBTQ population after anti-DEI law

For now, the four faith leaders are making themselves available to students. Nelson, of United Campus Ministry, said she hopes she is inviting enough for students so they might be able to come and deconstruct any issues they might have with religious spaces.

Language means a lot, she said. "You say, 'I care about you as an individual.'"

Alec Minney, a member of GLOBAL, said they already spoke to one of the ministers about using their space but still left feeling skeptical. Minney detected good intentions but said they would worry about religion being slipped into future conversations. Some of the surrounding ministries in the building are not affirming, and the affirming ministry offices might still have religious iconography, like a kaleidoscope portrait of Jesus hanging on the wall in Houston Canterbury.



I personally would feel a lot less comfortable than I was when the school was providing (the space), Minney said. Religion just kind of permeates the atmosphere without them realizing it.

Minney hasnt decided whether they would check out the ministries in the religion center.

Im not sure, they said. I probably wouldnt, but Id consider it.
HISD board member Adam Rivon address Wharton Dual Language Academy parents on April 16, 2024, at a meeting at the Midtown Bar and Grill in Houston, regarding the school's transition to an application-only model. Sam Gonzalez Kelly/Houston Chronicle

Montrose and Heights parents are searching for answers after the appointed Houston Independent School District board of managers voted to eliminate zoning at the popular Wharton and Helms dual-language schools, preserving their schoolwide Spanish immersion programs but seemingly removing reserved seats for neighborhood children.

About 50 Wharton parents and other Montrose community members met with board member Adam Rivon on Tuesday night to communicate their frustration with the decision and urge the district to find an alternate solution. Seated in the main dining room of the Midtown Bar and Grill, many parents spoke openly about how they moved to Montrose specifically so their children would be zoned to Wharton and now feel like their future is up in the air.

HISD TOP EARNERS: HISD employees making over $200K have tripled under Mike Miles

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With prekindergarten applications closing next week, families who assumed their children would be enrolling at Wharton or Helms for the first time find themselves unsure of where their kids will be going to school when a new academic year begins in August.

"I'm not angry, I'm fighting tears right now because I'm scared," said one mother, whose daughter is set to start pre-K next year, during the open forum portion of the meeting. "I thought this was such a wonderful opportunity, and I feel like the rug has been pulled out from underneath me, because literally as I was putting in the application I'm hearing about these changes, and now I don't know where my children are going to go."

The district sent an email to families Monday that current students at Helms and Wharton will automatically retain their seats next year. The message urged families who are zoned at either school, but not currently enrolled, to reach out to the HISD Office of School Choice, which is working with principals at each campus "to provide as many seats to zoned families as possible."

"Establishing the new path for Wharton and Helms is a complex undertaking, and families have a variety of perspectives and priorities. The District will consider a number of relevant factors and the full range of feedback we hear from the two school communities," the district said in a statement, noting that HISD will host community events to garner feedback regarding long-term plans at both campuses.

On Wednesday evening, the district sent another notice that it will aim to ensure that any long-term plan includes provisions that ensure families who are currently zoned to either school will keep their seats for at least three years and receive priority access to available seats in the future. HISD will host two community meetings at each school through May.

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The saga at Helms and Wharton began at the end of February when the district added English-only pre-K classes to both schools, which had previously offered schoolwide Spanish immersion, saying they did so to accommodate zoned families. However, parents at both schools revolted, arguing that the addition of an English-only track would dilute their schools' unique dual-language models and create a divide within the student body.

THE REPORT CARD: Subscribe to the Houston Chronicles weekly newsletter recapping HISD news

Superintendent Mike Miles, in response, proposed to the board that both schools adopt a "separate and unique school" designation  which requires all students to apply for seats  so the schools could maintain their schoolwide dual-language model without running afoul of zoning requirements.

Last week, the board voted to waive the one-year planning period required to transition a school to application-only status and directed HISD to put together a plan within 60 days on how to accommodate zoned families. Several parents from both schools spoke about the proposal at the public meeting, some arguing in favor of the designation, which they said would preserve the integrity of the program and make it available to students across the city equally.

While HISD offers dual-language programs at dozens of schools across the city, Helms and Wharton are the only ones that provide schoolwide Spanish immersion to native and non-native speakers. About 80% of Wharton students last year traveled from other parts of the city to attend, according to HISD's campus demographic reports, while about 85% of Helms students last year were not zoned to the school.

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Wharton families at Tuesday's meeting asked Rivon why the school couldn't simply revert to its previous enrollment model to include zoned and magnet students. Rivon, the only board member to attend, said the "separate and unique" designation was necessary so dual-language programming could be "codified" into the school and that "there were certain rules about how a neighborhood program has to be run."

"If we're not following all of those rules, then it essentially means we're operating outside board policy and the Texas Education Code," Rivon said.

The district has not specified which policies or laws require neighborhood schools to offer English-only education for zoned families.

MORE ON HISD: HISD board quietly authorizes possible multibillion-dollar 2024 bond election

Eric D'Olive, the parent of three children at Wharton, said he did not leave the meeting feeling like his questions were answered. While his kids are guaranteed seats at Wharton next year, he is uncertain about their long-term plans, and he said his family would move if they were denied seats at the school in the future.

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"What choice do I have, if there's no viable alternative set in stone?" D'Olive said.

Heights parents are also mobilizing to keep zoned seats at Helms, meeting last weekend to discuss possible paths forward.

Meghan Busking, the mother of a student who was set to enroll in kindergarten at Helms next fall, said that two possible solutions include "grandfathering" in children who were zoned to Helms  as HISD has proposed for the next three years  or implementing a "boundary option" similar to the one used at Mark White Elementary, a nonzoned French immersion campus in west Houston that offers priority seating to students zoned to four nearby elementary schools.

"We were planning on going to Helms, we can see it from our porch and we were going to walk to school," Busking said. "It's ridiculous there was no awareness made of this issue. Unless you were following closely, no one was aware."

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CEMEX UK supports Port of Tilbury dredging campaign

Peter Bell By 18 April 2024

CEMEX UK has used the dredging expertise of its UK Marine team to support the Port of Tilbury, with essential dredging to the working berths along the River Thames. The work carried out by the CEMEX team has helped to ensure that the berths are maintained to their designated depths to ensure that vessels from barges to 100,000t ships can access the quayside.

The Port of Tilbury is one of the UKs largest ports and is located just 22 nautical miles east of central London with 56 operational berths, 31 independent working terminals, 10.2km of quay and 5mft2 of warehouse space.

Port of Tilbury is the closest port to London and has a throughput of 16Mta with goods estimated to value around GBP8.7bn (US$10.84bn), making it the largest port on the Thames and therefore essential for the continued supply of materials via shipment in and out of London.

The Port of Tilbury initially teamed up with the CEMEX UK Marine team to explore whether the CEMEX team would be able to support with their requirements to dredge the Tilbury 2 berth to a depth of 15m, within the capabilities of its current fleet. Using the charter vessel MV Reimerswaal, a 130m-long hopper dredger, which can carry nearly 7,500t of materials, CEMEX was able to carry out the work.

Over the course of five days, the vessel successfully extracted over 20,000m3 of spoil from the berth, and disposed of it at an approved site, 40 miles outside of the Thames estuary.

Chris Grosscurth, commercial and logistics manager for CEMEX Marine, said: The project was a huge success and opens up many other opportunities for CEMEX Marine, complementing our normal Aggregate delivery work.

Adam Montgomery, harbourmaster and asset manager marine at the Port of Tilbury, said: Dredging maintenance is an essential part of our business, helping to ensure that we are accessible to the wide range of vessels calling at the riverside berths at the Port of Tilbury. Working with the CEMEX team was seamless, their knowledge and experience was invaluable to ensuring that this operation was carried out successfully again this year.

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Holcim Philippines invests US$35m in renewable energy

Suzanne Starbuck By 18 April 2024

Holcim Philippines has announced plans to spend PHP2bn (US$35m) over the next three years on co-processing and increasing its use of renewable energy. According to the company, the funds will be spread across its four plants in Bulacan, La Union, Davao and Lugait. Bulacan and La Union will receive the investment this year, with Davao and Lugait receiving the investment in the following year, reports The Philippine Star.

The investments are intended to support activities such as sorting, segregation and waste collection, the processing of waste material to make fuel, and boosting the plants capacity to accept more fuel from waste, said the company. Other projects include the installation of solar power plants, which are expected to be in place by the end of 2024, and the addition of electric vehicles for cement deliveries.

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Octavia Johnson is a general assignment reporter for the Houston Chronicle. She can be reached at octavia.johnson@houstonchronicle.com.

Before joining the Chronicle, Octavia worked as a digital content producer at WATE-TV in Knoxville, Tenn., where she became a leader in producing fast paced, audience-focused content.

Octavia graduated from UNC Pembroke with a bachelor's degree in journalism before earning her master's degree in media and communications at Norfolk State University.
People along the parade route cheer as floats go by during the Pride Parade downtown Saturday, June 24, 2023, in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer

Longtime local LGBT+ events organizer Pride Houston 365 filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against the New Faces of Pride Houston over the similarity of their names.

The dispute filed by Pride Houston cites the similarity of the names and logos of the two organizations. That similarity has confused vendors, volunteers and attendees as the two organizations plan their June 2024 pride celebrations, said Pride Houston Co-President Kendra Walker.

In the suit, Pride Houston asked for a temporary restraining order as well as temporary and permanent injunctions against the New Faces of Pride Houston to keep the group from marketing events until after the case is seen.

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The New Faces of Pride scheduled its 2024 downtown parade within one week of Pride Houstons June events. Pride Houston brings in thousands of attendees for its yearly celebrations and has been running for decades, according to the complaint. Legal issues tied to funding as well as other cost concerns and issues with heat led to only Pride Houston holding a parade in 2023.

Both parties met Friday to resolve the issue, Lori Hood, attorney and advisory board member for the new organization, said in an email. The New Faces of Pride expects to release an update later during the weekend, Hood said.

Pride Houston initially chose not to take legal action against the newer organization until it changed its name to The New Faces of Pride Houston, according to the lawsuit.

If our own volunteers did not recognize that that was a different organization  How do we expect the average consumer to tell the difference? Walker said.

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Lawsuits do nothing but divide our community, Hood said in the email. New Faces of Pride would have rather used its time and resources raising critical funds for the LGBTQ+ community rather than spending time in court.

FAMILY TIME: Houston families celebrate LGBTQ+ community at Levy Park for Families With Pride event

The New Faces of Pride said it would have preferred to discuss the issue between the two organizations but busy schedules postponed the meeting, leading to the lawsuit, the email said. However, Walker said the New Faces of Pride did not choose to sit down with Pride Houston before the lawsuit.

The members of the organizations have been engaged in legal disputes before. Some New Faces of Pride members initially worked for Pride Houston before creating the new group because of conflict within the group, according to Houston Public Media.

Walker says Pride Houston has taken time and effort to address some of the concerns from previous years.

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In response to an urgent need for intensive mental health services in Chattanooga, the Office of Community Health announces the creation of several mental health clinics aimed at providing vital care to underserved communities in Chattanooga.

The services are fully-funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health and will be provided at community centers in neighborhoods the Office of Community Health has established as having a disproportionate need.

Chattanooga City Council approved memorandums of understanding to provide mental health care to individuals who are underinsured, uninsured or cannot afford a copay. The services will be provided in collaboration with several of the citys key community partners who are already providing services in the community.

"Closing gaps in public health and leading on mental health are priorities of the One Chattanooga plan, and this marks a significant milestone in our work, said Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly. By partnering with local organizations to make mental health services available, we're not just treating symptoms, but healing communities. Everyone benefits when people in need are able to get care.

The memorandums establish official partnerships with the following local organizations:

AIM Center: Providing mental health services to the unhoused population and allocating Spanish-speaking providers to Eastlake's predominantly Hispanic community on a weekly basis.

First Baptist Cares and Align Wellness: Offering predominantly African American counselors at Carver, Glenwood, South Chattanooga, and the Chris L. Ramsey, Sr. Community Centers, providing culturally competent support for these demographics.

Lifespring: Introducing an African American nurse practitioner and a Spanish-speaking counselor to Opportunity High School students, housed at the Chris Ramsey Center, to address the unique mental health needs of youth.

Mission Medicos: Delivering culturally competent care to the burgeoning Hispanic population, many of whom are uninsured, and integrating mental health services seamlessly with physical health care.

The 2023 public health survey of Hamilton County identified mental health and substance use as top concerns among residents, revealing the need for more accessible mental health care options in Chattanooga. As of 2022, an estimated 9.8 percent of Chattanoogans were medically uninsured, equating to almost 18,000 individuals. Without insurance coverage, mental health treatment becomes unaffordable for most individuals, leading to unmet needs and potential worsening of mental health conditions, said officials.

Access to quality mental health care has time and time again proven to be a significant determinant of every other factor to determine ones quality of life, said Dr. Geeta Maharaj, interim director of the Office of Community Health. Closing the gaps between those who can access quality mental health care and those who cannot is how we make even more strides in lowering the big barriers holding people back in underserved communities.
The essential right of Volkswagen Chattanooga employees to freely engage in collective bargaining must be free of threats, intimidation, harassment and coercion in all its ugliest forms. We stand opposed to acts of malice and mass distraction and will support the review of any activities that do not follow guidelines and standards as given by the National Labor Relations Board.Those individuals who believe that the employees at Volkswagen should not have fair wages and benefits do not understand the economic impact of a bargaining agreement to the state, city or county.As the workers at Chattanoogas Volkswagen plant exercise their essential democratic right to unionize; it is our hope that the vote that is taking place is fair.The future welfare, viability and sustainability of the workers is paramount.The Chattanooga Hamilton County NAACP reaffirms its support of the right of workers to participate in fair labor practices.Reverend Ann J. Pierre
Lawyers are dueling over who gets to represent the estate of Tabitha Smith, who died Feb. 14 in the back of a Meigs County patrol car after a newly hired deputy drove the vehicle into the Tennessee River.

The submerged bodies of Ms. Smith and Deputy Robert J. Leonard were found the next day near a boat ramp. Ms. Smith was handcuffed.

In early March, Chattanooga attorneys filed a $10 million wrongful death lawsuit in Federal Court against the deputy and Meigs County. It was filed by attorneys Robin Flores, Neil Thomas and Michael Thomas.

It was brought in behalf of Nathan Alexander Smith, son of Tabitha Smith.

Then this week, the husband of Tabitha Smith, Kenneth Colbaugh, filed suit for $100 million. It was filed by a Michigan attorney, Alyson Oliver, who brought in Jeff Rufolo of the Summers firm in Chattanooga.

Attorney Flores has filed a motion seeking to disqualify attorney Oliver, saying one of her investigators contacted the Smith family by text three days before the funeral. Amber McKinney, sister of Ms. Smith, said it was from Michael Server, who said he was an investigator for the Oliver firm "who is suing Meigs County for Tabitha's wrongful death." She said she was requested to call the investigator "ASAP."

Attorney Flores said a week after the funeral Ms. McKinney received a text message that said the investigator came to her house and that Ms. Oliver "was a great lawyer."

Attorney Flores said starting on March 7 he received a series of emails from attorney Oliver saying she represented family members, but welcomed an opportunity to discuss working together.

Attorney Flores said he then contacted the state Board of Professional Responsibility.

He said attorney Oliver's actions in contacting the family violated a Supreme Court rule of improper solicitation within 30 days of death.

He stated, "Oliver's actions violate multiple ethical rules." He said she was guilty of practicing law without a license in Tennessee.

Attorney Flores likened it to the Witherspoon law firm that he said "used non-lawyers to solicit four different families from the Woodmore School bus crash."

Attorney Rufolo said in a court filing that Kenneth Colbaugh "seeks intervention as of right because he is the legal surviving spouse of Tabatha Colbaugh who has not waived his right to bring a wrongful death action."

He said, "Ms. Colbaugh assumed the Colbaugh name upon marriage and took all steps necessary to legally change her name to Colbaugh, obtaining government identification for same. Movant will continue to address his wife as Tabatha Colbaugh and Ms. Colbaugh moving forward."

Attorney Rufolo said the son did not have the legal right to represent the estate.

Attorney Oliver said in one email to attorney Flores on the issue of her not being licensed in Tennessee, "We are associated with great counsel there and I imagine by now you've checked out our website and learned that I have a fairly robust national practice focusing on plaintiff's rights and civil rights litigation. We would never proceed in an inappropriate manner.

"I understand you want to litigate this case alone; but ask that you understand we represent the majority of the heirs at law and need to protect their interests. I still hope we can work together to achieve that."

Attorney Flores said, "When Oliver learned that plaintiff hired counsel to file suit, her emails and comments toward plaintiff's counsel smacked of desperation to keep the case hers."

Attorney Flores said the sister of Ms. Smith, Amber McKinney, advised that in 2017, Colbaugh was asking where to find Ms. Smith so he could send her divorce papers.

She said in 2018 that Colbaugh said on Facebook, "I run (Tabitha) off and told her never to come back. I don't want her back. She don't take care of (daughter) or the house. I'm working on getting a divorce plus I'm seeing someone else."

He said in another message, "I told her we was done. I'm done with her (expletive)."

Ms. McKinney said Colbaugh later said, "Tabitha needs to stay the (expletive) from me and my daughter."

She said on more than one occasion she had seen Tabitha and Colbaugh "high on drugs."

Ms. McKinney said for the past several years that Tabitha Smith resided in a trailer on her (Amber's) husband (Brandon H. McKinney's) family property in Birchwood.
At the last board of directors meeting, Tennessee Wildlife Federation welcomed a new chairman and thanked former chairman, Mr. Bruce Fox of Knoxville, for his years of leadership and continued service to the organization. Mr. Fox has been a board member since 2014 and served as chairman for the past three years. Under his leadership, the Federation grew significantly and made great impacts on Tennessees landscapesour team restored nearly 2,500 acres of habitat, planted more than 184,000 trees across the state, provided more than 1.6 million servings of venison protein to Tennesseans in need, and introduced more than 14,000 youth and adults to the wonders of outdoor recreation. The impact of Mr. Foxs leadership and passion for improving Tennessees communities and natural resources is highly regarded among the Federations staff and board. As Mr. Fox returns as a board member, Mr. Allen Carter of Athens is stepping into the role of chairman. Mr. Carter has been a member of the Federations Board of Directors for eight years and was Vice Chairman for the past three years. He owns a highly regarded insurance company, Athens Insurance, and is well known in his community and beyond. Mr. Carter grew up on his familys 280-acre cattle farm in Athens, Tennessee, a place that has always been special to him. After going to college at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, Mr. Carter knew he wanted to return to Athens and the land that was an important part of his life. He has since bought several properties around the farm, now more than 1,600 contiguous acres, with full trust from his neighbors that he would keep the land as it stood and not build on it. For Mr. Carter, conserving habitat for wildlife is a priority. His familys cattle operation is still running on the farm, but most of the land is there to be maintained as wildlife habitat. He has also purchased a tract of land on the Tennessee River to expand his efforts of habitat conservation in the region.

He was first introduced to Tennessee Wildlife Federation through Allen Corey, a Federation Board member since 2009, at a dove hunting fundraiser for the Baylor School in Chattanooga. After just one conversation about the Federation and its mission, Mr. Carter knew it was an organization he wanted to get involved with.

Mr. Carter is passionate about connecting Tennesseans of all ages to outdoor opportunities, a sentiment shared by Tennessee Wildlife Federation. He is especially proud of the Federations Hunters for the Hungry program because it combines the hunting tradition with meeting a very real need for hunger relief in Tennessees communities. He also enjoys seeing how the TN Scholastic Clay Target Program gives the next generation opportunities for outdoor recreation they might not otherwise have access to.

As chairman of the board, Mr. Carter is looking forward to working with the Federations executives and other board members to continue growing the organization. He sees the need for an organization like Tennessee Wildlife Federation to exist, and wants to grow the organizations funding base so it can sustain itself for the next hundred years.

The best way to promote is to get more people involved who care about what were doing and what the mission is, said Mr. Carter. Theres going to be a lot of pressure over the next 50 years on how we fight for outdoorsmen and women in Tennessee. With what we do and the way we lobby and the relationships we have with our legislators and the governor, we can really protect these traditions weve had for years.

The Federations board of directors oversees the organization and ensures its goals and mission are met each year. Board members also serve as vital connection points to potential partners and donors within Tennessee communities.
The Concurrent Grand Jury was sworn in on Jan. 8 and met between Jan. 9 and April 16 every other Monday and Tuesday, with no hearings on Feb. 19 (Presidents Day). The CGJ also toured the Hamilton County Jail and Detention Center and the Hamilton County Juvenile Court on Jan. 29.

Hamilton County has two grand juries who share the same duties and responsibilities on alternate weeks  basically, to hear evidence from law enforcement officers and determine if the person arrested or being investigated for a crime should be formally charged with that crime. This report is only from the Concurrent Grand Jury- the Regular Grand Jury has its separate report.

The CGJ was a mixed group in terms of professional and life experience, specific expertise, beliefs and lifestyle, ideologies, and age (ranging from 21-73). There were 13 regular grand jurors, with six alternates, led by foreman Rosemarie Hill. We were an engaged group who listened and questioned the testifying officers, sought legal clarification from the district attorney when needed, and endeavored to consider as much information as needed to make crucial and independent decisions. With every case, we considered the facts presented to us, and the impact on the victims, the accused, and the public before rendering our decisions. Some evidence and facts were vigorously discussed, but all decisions to indict were unanimous.

We heard 241 cases which contained 601 separate charges, on which we returned 599 true bills and two no bills. We considered 61 direct presentments of case facts that contained 237 separate charges, all of which were true billed.

When a case is presented to the CGJ, the officers have usually spent many hours on arrests, follow-up fact and evidence investigations, paperwork, and reports to the District Attorneys office and the courts as necessary. The crimes and charges that are then brought to the CGJ are generally well prepared and not frivolous. If there are minor or duplicative charges against an accused, those are often culled out before the cases are brought to us. After the evidence is explained to the CGJ and we have questioned the presenting officers, we consider and discuss the cases, and vote on whether to indict or not.

Case Presentations and Issues; Information Provided by Law Enforcement

The facts of each case were presented by law enforcement officers. These officers were from both state and surrounding jurisdictions, including Hamilton County, Chattanooga, East Ridge, Collegedale, Red Bank, Soddy Daisy, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, as well as corrections officers from the prisons.

We heard details of many different crimes, including first-degree premeditated murder, second degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, rape, child rape, child abuse, aggravated assault, theft of all sorts, breaking and entering, domestic assault, fraud, false reports to police, identity theft, and many variations of unlawful drug manufacture and sales (some resulting in death or serious injuries, some with children involved or present), driving under the influence, and neighborhood and random shootings.

A fact of note and concern to the CGJ is that we heard cases with many of the same defendants who had multiple cases. The logical conclusion is that defendants are learning (or have learned) how to work the system by using a revolving door strategy. They commit crimes, are arrested, and are then released into the community, where many go on to commit more crimes. Some are released on bond and others plead or are found guilty but serve little or no time incarcerated.

We see no easy way out of this cycle  not everyone should be incarcerated and not everyone who should be is; there simply are not adequate resources of either money or personnel. Judges are often maligned for letting him/her out to commit more crimes. But judges must follow the law and guidelines in setting bonds or ordering jail time, and although they have some discretion based on the facts, they are also aware of the limited jail space and other resources needed to house the many defendants who cross the law enforcement threshold.

The CGJ also recognizes the many aspects of dealing with those who break the law  deterrence, retribution, restitution, and rehabilitation. What works and what doesnt? We recommend an ongoing deep dive into our law enforcement agencies (we assume such is already happening on many levels of our government) to ascertain how best to protect the public and the many victims of crime, while at the same time protecting the constitutional rights of those accused of these crimes.

The cases we heard mostly occurred within the last 6-18 months, although there were some older cases that usually resulted from various system backlogs, or the death or disappearance of the accused, victims or witnesses. There were not too many of these older ones, and we believe that the backlog created by COVID and changing administrations is being whittled down by the current DAs office and law enforcement.

District Attorney Coty Wamp explained much about our criminal legal system and the burdens of proof to the CGJ at the beginning and end of our term. Although she or one of her assistant DAs are always there for a case presentation, most often ADA Tom Landis assists in cases presented to the CGJ. The DAs with us at the hearings answer our legal and process questions, but they do not present evidence, and they are not present when we vote to true bill or no bill a case or a charge. In fact, no persons other than the grand jurors and the foreman are present for consideration, discussions, and voting on each case.

The staff that handles the order and presentation of witnesses to the CGJ does an amazing job of coordinating the many officer schedules and contingencies needed to bring cases to us. We are seldom aware of all the scheduling challenges that the testifying officers and the liaison staff face. Don Klasing, CGJ liaison on behalf of the Hamilton County Sheriffs office, and Sgt. April Bolton of the Chattanooga Police Department are indispensable in their continuing efforts to assure law enforcement officers are available to testify. This is no easy task as officers have many duties, time constraints, and emergency situations that sometimes make it difficult to come before the grand jury at a time certain. The CGJ recommends that the staff and officers continue these efforts so there is minimal downtime during CGJ sessions.

It is noted that everyone involved in the work of this grand jury generally showed grace and patience as we worked on these timing issues, and we truly appreciated that.

Officers sometimes present case facts for other officers who cannot be in attendance, and the CGJ believes this arrangement is helpful in preventing lag time, but it does present its own challenges. If an officer testifies for one who cannot attend, the presenter is limited to the facts that are on the face of the affidavits or case reports. If these written materials are thorough and coherent, the presenter can properly outline the facts and answer any questions we might have. However, if the written reports lack salient facts or are not well-written, then the CGJ might delay its decisions and ask the original officers to come before it to clarify. Almost always, the original officers can answer the questions.

The CGJ is impressed with the thoroughness of the testifying officers, not only in presenting but in answering follow-up questions. These answers provide both context for law enforcement procedures and clarification of specific case facts. A couple of cases were ill-prepared for presentation with the officers not organized nor completely effective in helping us understand the facts surrounding the arrest. Although ill preparation was seldom encountered by the CGJ, we recommend that all officers become and remain diligent and trained in what facts the CGJ needs to render its decisions, and how those facts can be presented in clear and understandable language, whether written or verbal. Simple things such as speaking clearly and loudly enough for everyone to hear, having the facts reasonably organized, and using videos, photos, or diagrams that would help explain the facts (not every case requires these visual aids)  all these are of importance to the CGJ.

Some of the cases that come before the jury are difficult to hear, but we recognize that if we are affected, the officers are even more impacted each day by the crimes they present to us. We know that some informal and formal procedures are in place to help officers cope with the stresses of their job, and we recommend that those be extended and braced up where needed to make access easy and meaningful. This recommendation has been made by previous grand juries but remains an independent recommendation of this CGJ at this time.

Law enforcement officers also took the time to help us understand the structures, challenges, and internal workings of processing various crimes. For instance, Officer Terry Topping of the Chattanooga Police Department provided some general drug crime information  quantities of drugs, dosages, effects of certain drugs on the human body, Narcan and other methods of saving lives from overdoses, and what happens in the field to victims, the accused, and the officers.

Other officers provided information for DUI issues in the field. The CGJ is very concerned about the recidivism rate of DUI offenders as well as the blood alcohol and illegal drug content of repeat offenders. We recommend our legislature continue to explore and legislate drug and alcohol crimes and help protect the populace from the terrible costs of the illegal drug trade to human lives.

Other CPD officers briefly explained their use of various law enforcement tools; for instance, the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network which automates ballistics evaluations and provides actionable investigative leads in a timely manner. It allows localities to work together on firearm ballistics that cross jurisdictional lines and can be of great assistance in solving gun crimes and identifying if a certain gun has been used in other crimes or in other jurisdictions.

We learned about the Crisis Co-Response Unit of the Chattanooga Police Department and how that unit combines law enforcement officers, social workers, caseworkers, hospitals, first responders, and courts in assisting citizens in need of mental health care. The CGJ shares the very serious concern that mental health issues of both perpetrators and victims of crimes permeate the day-to-day work of law enforcement and the criminal courts. And we strongly believe that the crisis unit is exactly the type of program the departments should be developing and implementing.

The CGJ recommends that other officers with specific knowledge/skills present early in each grand jury term to educate the jurors as they begin the case hearings. Knowledge of drug and alcohol issues including field sobriety and other tests, investigative techniques such as the use of NIBAN, inter-agency cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of cases  education on these and other areas help the CGJ better understand the facts surrounding arrests and apprehensions.

We learned that the criminals who manufacture or import, sell, and buy drugs are clogging the legal system and using up precious law enforcement resources. Illegal drugs raise problems on every level of societal structure, and some of those problems have their genesis in other countries and across borders when the manufacture and distribution of illegal drugs is brought into the U.S.

We received excellent information on our drug and mental health courts from our judges  Judges Amanda Dunn of Criminal Court and Alex McVeagh of Sessions Court oversee the drug programs in their courts. Likewise, Criminal Court Judge Boyd Patterson and Sessions Court Judge Lila Statom oversee the mental health programs. These judges described the processes, goals, and results of the programs. (It should be noted that operating these specialized recovery courts is in addition to the judges normal court duties.) The general public often hears of the failures of drug or mental health court participants, but the overwhelming success of the programs is under-reported.

Mental health must be a priority in Tennessee and locally. Moccasin Bend patients seem to get released without adequate regard to what happens to them as they try to move forward with their lives. Their inability to make sound decisions to begin with is obvious as a root cause of their problems. But it is difficult to determine how to require patients to stay connected to the mental health system after they are released from a facility or program. We have heard that the influx of mental health patients from surrounding counties has contributed greatly to the vast increase in the homeless population in our area. We have heard that it is difficult to have someone committed long-term in Tennessee (it should not be easy nor should it be impossible). The past statewide decisions to cut mental health funding seem to have done little more than shift the cost to the local court and jail systems and perhaps created more harm than good to those who need the services.

Other Recommendations:

This CGJ (and most other grand juries) strongly recommends an increase in jury pay. We believe that the $13/day rate is extremely low. Although our grand jurors receive free parking while in session, they must bear the costs of travel, meals, and other expenses (for instance, childcare). The CGJ strongly recommends an increased daily stipend. No grand juror seeks to make money from this civic service, but also none should lose money in performing it.

Conclusion, Additional Speakers, Visits, Tours, and Further Thanks

The CGC was pleased to have the opportunity to visit the Hamilton County Jail and Detention Center correctional facilities (formerly known as Silverdale) and the Hamilton County Juvenile Court this term.

At the Juvenile Court, Judge Rob Philyaw and his staff gave us a tour of the facilities and explained many of the programs the court has available for young offenders, including youth and recovery courts, mediation referral assistance, child support assistance programs, and volunteer organizations such as the Court Appointed Special Advocates or CASA. The goal of all these juvenile programs is to prevent recidivism and assist minors and their families in steering their lives in a positive direction. We applaud these efforts and recommend continued and additional resources for Juvenile Court to continue its work with youthful offenders.

At the Hamilton County jail, we were able to see some of the new facilities and improvements to the older ones. It appears that the housing and care of the inmates is being considered with the new facilities and improvements to the old, but of course, ongoing review of the facilities and operations should never end. We would have liked to have had more time at the jail  our tour was somewhat rushed although enlightening, and the officers who took us around were knowledgeable and able to answer our questions. We assume the new facilities will alleviate some overcrowding and improve the overall jail facilities for inmates and staff. The jail must be given a high priority in resource allocation.

The CGJ recommends that the Sheriffs Department continue whenever and wherever possible to educate the public about the challenges of, and improvements to, the jail facilities. There appears to be a great deal of misinformation about the operation and facilities of the jail; some of that misapprehension is inherent in a well-functioning, questioning society. But some is simply fundamental ignorance of how the jail is run. In sum, there must be acceptance by all that although improvements to safety, cleanliness, and other living conditions must be continually addressed, the Hamilton County jail is after all is said and done  a jail.

All the Assistant DAs who came before the CGJ were professional and helpful to our understanding of the law that applies to the cases the officers brought to the CGJ. None of them ever encouraged us to render any certain decision, but rather answered our questions patiently and fairly. We believe the leadership and ongoing work of the office is in solid and capable hands. We would be remiss if we didnt specifically thank ADA Tom Landis (who spent the most time with us) for his wisdom, patience, and knowledge. His knowledge of the law and criminal procedure is matched only by his pragmatism and excellent sense of humor.

Hamilton County Circuit Court Clerk Larry Henry and his staff  particularly Margo McConnell  are responsible for the grand jurors well-being and care. They are there from the first day the jury is sworn in to the last day of our service. They are always quick to assist in our requests and suggestions. This system would fail without them.

In addition to everyone mentioned above, we further thank our criminal court judges Barry Steelman, Boyd Patterson, and Amanda Dunn for overseeing the grand juries in addition to all their other duties. They answer questions and guide us in the processes of the grand jury. They all spoke with us this term and demonstrated continued support for a grand jury that is responsible, knowledgeable, capable, and independent.

We were unable to have all our county judges speak with us this term - this lack was due to scheduling problems only. However, in addition to those already mentioned, Sessions Court Judge Christie Sell provided great information about the workings of her court and what happens to cases before they come to us. Tennessee Criminal Court of Appeals Judge Tom Greenholtz also talked with us. Judge Greenholtz, after he left private practice, was a Hamilton County Criminal Court judge for years, and then moved up to the courts of appeal. His demeanor and attitude towards the CGJ and its role in the system are very appreciated, and his knowledge and description of that system after cases leave us was invaluable. He has practical knowledge of law enforcement and the courts and spends time considering why the system works the way it does and how it can be continually improved.

If weve forgotten to thank others who assisted or spoke with us through these four months, it is our lack and not theirs and we apologize.

By Rosemarie L. Hill, Foreman of the CGJ on behalf of and with the agreement of the concurrent grand jurors, filed on April 17, 2024.
One of the most highly decorated students in recent UTC history has received another prestigious award before her time as an undergraduate comes to a close.

Senior Emma Sprayberry, an Innovations in Honors student in the UTC Honors College majoring in both humanities: international studies (with an emphasis on Asian studies) and Spanish, along with a minor in anthropology, has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to Taiwan for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Later this summer, Ms. Sprayberrywho graduates from UTC on Saturday, May 4will travel to Taiwan to teach English while representing the U.S. as a cultural ambassador.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international academic exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government, providing awards to approximately 8,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists and professionals each year.



Founded in 1946, the Fulbright Program has partnerships with more than 135 countries worldwide to teach, conduct research and carry out professional projects.

To be awarded a Fulbright scholarship is a capstone achievement for undergraduate students. Its one of the most prestigious nationally competitive awards in the United States, said Dr. Trey Straussberger, director of the UTC Office of National Scholarships. Just as importantly, it serves as one of the most effective means of diplomacy for the U.S. government.

Emma is a truly tremendous person and student, and I think she will be a future leader in U.S. diplomacy abroad.

During her time at UTC, Ms. Sprayberry has landed numerous national competitive awards while participating in study-abroad opportunities. Her travels have taken her to Korea, Germany, Canada, Spain and Panama, and she has been the recipient of the following:

U.S. Department of States Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship and a Freeman-ASIA Scholarship (summer 2021), studying at Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea.

Fulbright Canada-Mitacs Globalink Research Internship (summer 2022), participating in an advanced summer research project at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada.

Killam Fellowships Program (fall 2022), spending the semester at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec.

Public Policy and International Affairs Junior Summer Institute Fellowship (summer 2023), spending her summer at Carnegie Mellon Universitys Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

In addition, she spent the spring 2023 semester in Spain in an international studies program at the University of Alcala.

Ms. Sprayberry, who grew up in nearby Rossville and is a 2020 graduate of Chattanooga Christian School, will learn later this spring where she will be teaching in Taiwan. She said one of her long-term goals is to become a foreign service officer, so she is hopeful that working in an international school will help her better understand policies and local culture.

I want to be an ambassador for the U.S., she said, and this will allow me to better understand what I need to do in grad school. I want to apply for a masters in public policy, and after that, I want to work for a nonprofit and in the education sector.

I still have my eyes on UNICEF and I really like working with kids, so Im excited that the Fulbright experience will help me develop a better educational perspective.

To learn more about Ms. Sprayberrys Fulbright Scholarship and other UTC stories, visit UTC News.
TennGreen Land Conservancy, its members, partner organizations and friends gathered with the public last Friday to celebrate the protection of 206 acres of critical cedar glade habitat outside Mt. Juliet.This environmental protection project, Lamar Cedar Glades and Woodlands, has been in the works for more than a decade. With the completion of a conservation easement, the land is now permanently protected, making it the largest known privately-owned glade habitat in the area.Lamar Cedar Glades and Woodlands was made possible by property owner Jane Griffin, whose family has stewarded the land for several generations.The Friday event celebrated her commitment to cedar glade conservation alongside her legacy.I want to thank TennGreen and our friends at the state for their leadership in protecting Tennessees beauty, Ms. Griffin told attendees Friday. It makes me very happy to know this land will be protected long after Im here.Officials said, "Ms. Griffin has generously hosted many wildflower hikes for friends of TennGreen, as shes passionate about sharing her land with others to further enviornmental education, especially around cedar glades. Now, her legacy also ensures the perpetual protection of 206-acres of this unique habitat."Middle Tennessee is home to unique limestone glades that are known as 'cedar glades' due to the eastern red cedar trees (Juniperus virginiana) that populate their rocky outskirts. Lamar Cedar Glades and Woodlands is exceptional, as three rare species that only thrive in cedar glades have been found on the property: Limestone fameflower (Phemeranthus calcaricus), Tennessee milkvetch (Astragalus tennesseensis), and glade cleft phlox (Phlox bifida ssp. stellaria)."Today, we gather to celebrate an extraordinary act of stewardship and conservation, as we extend our deepest gratitude to Jane Griffin and her family for their decision to place a conservation easement on more than 200 acres of precious land, TennGreens Executive Director Alice Hudson Pell, said during the event.This remarkable commitment to conservation not only safeguards the beauty and biodiversity of our natural world but also sets a shining example for generations to come, Ms. Hudson Pell said.All three of the most critical conservation plans TennGreen uses to guide its work describe Ms. Griffins property as high protection priority.Director of the Tennessee Division of Natural Areas Roger McCoy also spoke at the celebration to highlight its brilliance."I've known Jane for over 20 years, and to see her commitment to cedar glade habitat come full circle has been extraordinary, Mr. McCoy, who has led threatened and endangered plant research in Tennessee for decades, said of Ms. Griffin. She cares so deeply about preserving this landscape, and thanks to her critical work with TennGreen, it is now safe from the rapidly-encroaching development nearby.Nashville and its surrounding suburbs are experiencing unprecedented development, placing immense pressure on the delicate ecosystems that call these regions home, Mr. Pell added. It's up to each of us to step up and take action to protect these vital habitats before it's too late. Protecting cedar glades not only safeguards the biodiversity of our state but also ensures the survival of species found nowhere else on Earth.The Tennessee coneflower is a powerful example, Mr. McCoy said. This species is only found in Middle Tennessees cedar glades, but the majority of the population was destroyed by the development of the Nashville Speedway. After careful consideration and research, we were able to reintroduce the species to Janes land years ago. Today, this once-endangered wildflower species can be found here again and is protected by TennGreens conservation easement.TennGreens Director of Communications Jon D. Bumpus said to attendees,Youre surrounded by one of the most unique ecosystems on our already incredibly unique planet. Cedar glades may not be as ruggedly flashy as Rock Island, or as breathtakingly beautiful as Virgin Falls, but they are every bit as impressive and important once you get to know them. We all owe a debt to Jane, our partners and TennGreens Conservation Easement Manager Kristen Hanratty for this extraordinary accomplishment."To this end, cedar glades are also an excellent example of the importance of nature education," officials said.Growing up, the nearby Cedars of Lebanon State Park was not the most impressive Tennessee park to visit to myself and my siblings. Its flat, there are cedar trees and rocks. Thats about it, right? Wrong! Mr. Bumpus said. This area truly is a wonderland, one youd never come to know if you judge the book by its cover.
A jet's contrails are shown as Mario Rivera, a retired Army veteran, carries the U.S. flag during the Veteran Parachute Jump Team demonstration at the annual Salute to Military Service at the Kemah Boardwalk in 2014 in Kemah. Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle Two airplanes, one very high, causing a contrail, and another flying very low head for destinations known only to the occupants. They were photographed in 1981 near present-day Bush Intercontinental Airport. Larry Reese/Houston Chronicle

Looking at the sky on any clear or even partially cloudy day, you might see an outline of an aircraft with what seems like white steam trailing behind it. Most people assume that trail is some form of condensation, and they go about their day.

For almost 30 years, many have seen them as chemtrails and think its part of a secret mind control conspiracy. Or a plot to sterilize humanity. Or an attempt by the government to alter the atmosphere.

The chemtrail conspiracy theory has spread so much since 1996 that its one of the most widely believed conspiracies in the world.

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The conspiracy even prompted the Tennessee Legislature to pass a bill, which the states governor signed last week, that prohibits the intentional injection, release, or dispersion, by any means, of chemicals, chemical compounds, substances, or apparatus within the border of this state into the atmosphere with the express purpose of affecting temperature, weather or the intensity of the sunlight.

The reality is that the white lines of vapor are called contrails, and though they affect the environment, scientists have found no evidence of them being part of a global conspiracy  yet that hasnt stopped the conspiracies from spreading.

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The Tennessee Legislature had introduced the bill to prevent geoengineering from being tested in the state. Geoengineering is a controversial area of climate policy because, if tested on a larger scale, it could involve physical risks and raise a range of sociopolitical and ethical issues, according to the David Keith Research Group at Harvard University. Still, geoengineering research is new, and theres no evidence of any large-scale geoengineering programs.

The Tennessee lawmakers mentioned the chemtrail conspiracy when debating the bill, which made it clear that lawmakers werent just targeting geoengineering testing. And Tennessee isnt the only state to introduce this type of legislation: Lawmakers in seven other states also have attempted to enact anti-geoengineering policies.

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This idea of chemtrails as a conspiracy theory has always just sort of been off to the side lingering in the background as sort of noise, said Richard Moore, a research physical scientist at the NASA Langley Research Center.

Moore studies the emissions that come from aircraft engines and their effect on the environment. He said most of what is emitted from aircraft engines is carbon dioxide and water vapor with a small amount as unburned combustion products such as soot particles, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide.

No credible evidence shows contrails are a deliberate attempt to alter human behavior or the environment, Moore said. But contrails are human-made products that can alter the environment to a certain degree.

Just like the tailpipes that we see from our cars and trucks that emit exhaust, aircraft produce a visible cloudiness that is human-produced, Moore said. So, humans are affecting the environment. We are affecting the climate through aviation and the formation of contrails. But the idea that this is some deliberate attempt to form that cloud is just not true.

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How contrails can alter the environment

Its common to see white smoke coming from a cars exhaust pipe on a cold day. The water vapor caused by the engines combustion process is very hot, and when it mixes with cold air, the vapor can condense from a gas to a liquid.

On the Earths surface, the air is normally too warm to sustain a cloud, so it rapidly evaporates a few feet behind the vehicle. In the atmosphere, the air is much colder, so the water vapor from an aircraft, combined with the soot particles that are emitted from the engine, can form a wispy cirrus cloud.

When we start thinking about this cloudiness that humans have created by flying our airplanes through the air, these cirrus clouds are going to interact with the sunlight coming into the Earth, and also the heat that comes up from the Earths surface, Moore said.

Moore studies the cooling effects contrails create by reflecting sunlight back into space and the warming effect associated with trapping outgoing radiation from the Earths surface. Moore said the warming effects make a larger difference globally, particularly at night.

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If you add up the effect of all the contrail cirrus clouds over the whole globe, its actually a pretty significant climate impact, Moore said. We think the magnitude of that impact is of the same or even greater than that from the emissions of aviation carbon dioxide.

According to a 2022 report from the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, contrails may be responsible for most of the airline industrys effect on climate warming.

Researchers and airlines are looking into ways to curb those emissions, such as flying at different altitudes to avoid creating contrails. Although its still difficult to predict which contrails have the greatest effect on climate, airlines would still need to balance avoiding contrails and burning more fuel to reroute a plane, according to a report by the Washington Post.

Other possible solutions include creating low-emission aircraft engines and moving away from petroleum-based jet fuels. Although the engines and fuels wouldnt eliminate contrails, they could change the properties of the contrails so they have less effect on the climate, Moore said.

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Do chemtrail conspiracy theories hinder contrail research?

According to Moore, NASAs approach to conspiracy theories is to ignore them.

We try to steer clear of the conspiracy, Moore said. We focus on the science and the research to benefit the nation and society. Were here as scientists and active members of the science community to educate the public and tell them about what were doing and how that may impact the climate and their lives.

Moore said conspiracy theories can cloud discussions about how contrails affect the environment and can prevent real, policy-relevant discussions.
Prison Prevention Ministries announced a significant milestone in its journey of service and transformation. After careful consideration and prayer by its board of directors recognizing the growing need to touch lives of adults, students, and families, officials unveiled the new name: Transform Ministries.

This decision to transition from Prison Prevention Ministries to Transform Ministries reflects the organization's growth spanning 45 years and its steadfast dedication to ministering to a diverse community with the transformative message of Jesus Christ. While deeply rooted in the Biblical mandate to visit those in prison, as exemplified in Matthew 25, and continued commitment to prevention programs in school districts across Northwest Georgia and Southeast Tennessee, its mission has matured to embrace a holistic approach to transforming the lives of men, children, and families through the profound love and grace of the Gospel. The new name better reflects the diverse range of people we serve and the comprehensive nature of our program.



"We believe that true transformation knows no age or circumstance," said Joe Smith, executive director of Transform Ministries. "Our new name, Transform Ministries, reflects our belief that people are trapped in cycles of hopelessness and brokenness. We see these needs as opportunities and are committed to addressing them as the hands and feet of Jesus.



Transform Ministries acknowledges and honors its rich history, established by Colonel Roger Ingvalson and the visionary founding board in 1974. Dedication and leadership five decades ago laid the groundwork for the faith-based organization's mission of transformation in Jesus which serves about 150 adults weekly in the Bible and Life Skills studies in the area prisons; 15 students weekly in an afterschool and summer curriculum focused on literacy, addressing adverse childhood events, conflict management, and good decision-making; and 50 schools each academic year to address the dangers involving drug and substance use, failing or dropping out of school, and limiting ones future through poor choices.



The name change reflects the increased needs met through the work of the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ coupled with evidence-based interventions in the adult, youth, student populations, and families. Transform Ministries feature three separate ministries - Transform: Prevention, Transform: InZone, and Transform: Prison.



We invite our supporters, partners, and community members to celebrate this exciting new chapter for our organization. It is because of your continued support that this ministry has grown to this capacity, said Mr.Smith, director for five years after establishing and growing YCAP, YMCA Community Action Program.



For more information about Transform Ministries and our programs, visit www.transformchattanooga.org or contact Joe Smith at joe@transformchattnooga.org.


For the 13th consecutive year, local public-school teachers have earned grants for self-designed summer fellowships that they will use to enrich the knowledge of their students. The grants are made possible by the national non-profit Fund for Teachers and its partnership with Public Education Foundation. Congratulations to the seventeen local public-school teachers who won a 2024 Fund for Teachers Fellowship!, said Dan Challener, president of Public Education Foundation. We know that students benefit when their teachers have deep knowledge of the subjects they teach; these grants give our teachers the opportunity to become true experts. At a time when teacher morale is especially precarious, PEF is deeply grateful to Fund for Teachers for these fellowships.

Fund for Teachers awarded over $77,401 in grants to teachers from Hamilton County and Bradley County this year. This past fall, all local public-school teachers were invited to apply for a grant of up to $5,000 for a fellowship for an individual teacher and up to $10,000 for a grant for a team of teachers. The 2024 cohort of Fund for Teacher fellowship winners includes:  Sara Zane of Tyner Middle and Julieta Goode of Hunter Middle will attend the International Society of Technology and Education (ISTE) in Denver, CO, to gain expertise in Computer Science integration across all content areas and bring back tools designed to help students become more proficient in computational thinking across the curriculum.  Chad Burnett of Chattanooga High Center for Creative Arts will explore the people and pieces comprising New York Citys art galleries, particularly those in the Chelsea Art District, to deepen personal knowledge of art making skills, create a series of 'stories' about people working in the world of visual arts, and bring current artistic trends into the classroom.  Rita Schubert and Michele Pesce of East Ridge Elementary will journey through the southern regions of France on a guided bike and boat tour and participate in the Agen Workshop focused on Comprehensible Input Methods for language acquisition to create engaging and meaningful lessons that support students linguistic development and academic growth.

 Jamie Kerns of Lookout Valley Middle/High School will undertake a journey through Morocco and the Canary Islands to immerse in their cultures and languages. This experience will include visits to historic sites, UNESCO biospheres, national parks, and participation in an intensive language course combined with a homestay. The purpose of this trip is to enhance his personal understanding of how these cultures and languages shape the Hispanic heritage that is common among an increasing number of his students.  Catherine Cox and Sydney Parton of Chattanooga High Center for Creative Arts will explore the untouched beauty of Banff and Jasper National Parks in the Canadian Rockies to heighten personal understanding of the mental and physical health benefits of exploring nature. They will create a school hiking club that incorporates mindfulness, creative writing, and wellness education.  Jennifer Ellis of STEM School Chattanooga and Jami Thomason of Ocoee Middle will observe some of the worlds leading conservation programs in the United Kingdom to create custom conservation PBLs for student implementation that demonstrate how ecosystems worldwide are affected by environmental and human influences.  Abigail Klett of Chattanooga Preparatory and Susannah Jacobs of Thrasher Elementary will travel across Italy to study the art and design techniques originating from the Renaissance period. Their goal is to understand how innovation and design during that era can foster empathy. They plan to incorporate this understanding into new project-based learning lessons.  Melanie Carpenter of East Ridge Middle will research the successful and ambitious mental health modalities practiced in Barcelona, specifically for young people, and also meet with Liderazgo en Accion, an organization that helps immigrants integrate into society, to better meet students social and academic needs.  Rowena Williams of The Howard School will live with the families of students who have migrated from the mountain regions of Huehuetenango and San Marcos in Guatemala. She aims to gain a deep understanding of their experiences and cultural background. This insight will be used to develop new educational content that celebrates students culture and addresses the challenges they face, such as trauma, depression, and homesickness. This effort is designed to help these students better cope with the stresses of school, work, and extracurricular activities.  Kimberly OBrien of Clifton Hills Elementary will engage in a cultural and linguistic immersion program based in Santo Domingo de Heredia, Costa Rica, and volunteer with CEDCAS, an organization dedicated to empowering families through education and medical support, to build strategies and competencies for meeting the academic, social- emotional, and linguistic development needs of newcomer students experiencing trauma associated with emigration.

 Alison Redfoot of Normal Park Museum Magnet School will explore the American Revolution from the perspective of a woman who lived through it. She plans to visit key historical sites in Washington D.C. and Boston to conduct her research. The goal is to guide her students towards understanding how perspective shapes one's thoughts and actions, thereby fostering a more nuanced view of history.

 Lora Taylor of Tyner Middle Academy will attend the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle, ME, to discover exciting new ways to merge art and 21st-century technology in her schools VW eLab. Her goal is to prepare students for the ever- evolving, technology-driven world while nurturing their self-expression through art.

A curious teacher who recognizes students learning gaps, honors their lived experiences, and actively seeks innovative solutions will change the lives of those students and their families, said Karen Eckhoff, Fund for Teachers executive director. Our Fellows are models of what can happen when teachers are respected professionals and valued as agents of change.

As a regional partner with Fund for Teachers, PEF provides targeted support for HCS teachers throughout the rigorous application process. This support has helped over 200 HCS teachers earn Fund for Teachers awards and pursue these enriching learning experiences around the globe. The personalized learning model invests directly in veteran teachers as they design and participate in unique professional learning during their travels. Following the summer fellowship, Fellows return to Hamilton County schools and develop lessons that are informed by what was learned during the Fellowship.
A Criminal Court jury found drug dealer Terrence Dewayne Lewis guilty of first-degree murder and robbery in the slaying of 20-year-old UTC student Evan Derry.

It will be the second life prison sentence for the Chattanooga man. Lewis is already serving a life sentence for the December 2020 murder of Randy Williams, and he has been accused of a third murder, that of Pierre Casseus in November 2021.

The jury in the courtroom of Judge Barry Steelman began deliberating late Thursday morning in the trial that started last Friday.

Prosecutors acknowledged that the victim was at the scene at N. Bishop Drive on a drug deal in the Dec. 28, 2017, incident. With him was Baxter McCurry, who was owed a large amount of money by Lewis.

McCurry was later killed in a motorcycle wreck, but the state played his initial interview with police as well as two court appearances.

Defense attorney Josh Weiss said there were gaps in the state's proof and said detectives did not adequately check out a man who was later found to possess a gun that was fired at the murder scene.

Prosecutor Andrew Coyle said the man could have been at the scene, or he may have bought the gun later on the street.

A witness said she saw men in woods in the vicinity of the shooting, then heard shots. She afterward saw a black sedan stop by the shot-up Derry Tahoe and get something out of the vehicle. Prosecutor Coyle said that was Lewis getting about 10 pounds of marijuana. He said piles of cash in the vehicle were not taken. Some marijuana was left as well.

The prosecutor said that matched a black Chrysler 200 that Lewis drove, including on his Uber job.

Prosecutor Coyle highlighted a number of texts in which McCurry was trying to get Lewis to pay him the debt.

He said Lewis did not have the money to repay it, so he planned "the perfect robbery." He said Lewis brought along backup - men with guns - in case there was resistance. He said it was not likely that Derry and McCurry would report a robbery because it would identify them as drug dealers.

Prosecutor Coyle said the perfect crime was foiled when McCurry jumped out of the Tahoe and ran into nearby woods and Derry tried to drive away. Derry was shot in the head with the bullet exiting his head and going through the front windshield.

He said afterwards there were texts from Lewis discussing marijuana sales he was able to make due to the robbery.

McCurry fled to Smyrna, but soon returned and confessed his part in the incident. The prosecutor said Lewis did not go home after the robbery, but started staying in hotels.
Sean OBrien, who has 24 years of law enforcement experience, has been selected as the new University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Associate Vice Chancellor for Public Safety and UTC Police Chief. Lt. OBrien, who has worked for the Chattanooga Police Department (CPD) since 2007, will join UTC effective May 1, 2024.

He was in the news in 2010 when he was relieved of duty and arrested following a complaint of an assault that occurred at the Juvenile Detention Unit. Employees said they witnessed Officer OBrien hit a handcuffed 14-year-old arrestee.

According to the complaint, the juvenile was seated in the intake hallway when an exchange of words occurred between the youth and Officer OBrien. Shortly thereafter, OBrien allegedly hit him on the head, and then pushed him to the wall. OBrien has been charged with simple assault and was taken to the Hamilton County Jail. He was later reinstated to the police force.

In a related move, Matt Holzmacher has been appointed UTC Police Deputy Chief. Deputy Chief Holzmacher, a member of the UTC Police Department since 2010 and an administrative lieutenant since 2021, has been serving as interim police chief since November 2023 - when longtime UTC Chief of Police Robert Ratchford announced his retirement.



Lt. OBrien is the recipient of a graduate-level certificate in executive protection from Henley-Putnam University (San Jose, California) and a masters degree in human resources leadership and development from Seton Hall University (South Orange, New Jersey). His career in law enforcement includes a seven-year stint as a state trooper with the New Jersey State Police.



This is a win-win for Chattanooga and UTC. Sean OBrien is one of the finest officers at CPD, and he is incredibly deserving of this step up into departmental leadership, said Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly. CPD is a national leader in effective and responsive policing, so its no surprise that UTC looked to our police force to fill this position. The partnership between UTC and city government is crucial in all areas, but especially public safety. Both UTC and the City of Chattanooga will be safer and more responsive to the needs of the public thanks to this hire.



Currently a lieutenant in the CPDs Neighborhood Policing Bureau, Lt. OBrien is the commander for the downtown Chattanooga area and is responsible for the delivery of police services in coordination with 12 shift supervisors and more than 60 police officers.



During his time with the CPD, he has served as Homeland Security Coordinator and actively partners with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to teach and present strategies related to active shooter response. He has served as president of the Fraternal Order of Police, representing 500-plus members in Hamilton County while developing and maintaining budgetary and parliamentary procedures to improve the sustainability of the organization.



Lt. OBrien was the recipient of the Top Cop Award for acts of bravery during the July 16, 2015, terrorist attack in Chattanooga. His list of awards includes Chattanooga Police Department Officer of the Year (2019), Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Tennessee Big in Blue Brother of the Year (2017), and National Association of Police Organizations Citizens Choice Award (2016).



Former Chattanooga Police Department Police Chief David Roddy, now Hamilton County Governments chief operating officer, served 26 years with the CPD before retiring in 2022.



Sean OBrien is one of the finest people and leaders I have ever known and lucky enough to call a friend, Chief Roddy said. I could not be more proud for Sean or more excited for the students and staff of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.



Glenn Scruggs, the director of security and safety for BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, spent 29 years with the CPD - rising to executive chief of police before retiring in November 2023.



Having a leader like Sean there on campus, youre going to have a steady hand at the wheel. Youre going to have someone well-versed in a plethora of disciplines and someone who can answer the bell when something happens, Scruggs said. UTC has a top-notch chief. Hes going to take care of you for many years to come, and Im excited to see him get this opportunity.



Col. Dereck Stewart, a teaching associate in the University of Tennessees Law Enforcement Innovation Center, retired from the Tennessee Highway Patrol in 2020 after 33 years of service.



I just want to say what a tremendous choice UTC has made. You are really getting an exceptional leader, Stewart said. I met Sean last year at the Southeastern Leadership Academy andfrom day oneI knew that he was a steadfast and strong member of the class. What I recognized about him right away is his calmness in how he goes about doing his business. It really shows a lot of confidence and strong leadership.



Officials said, "Lt. OBriens training and expertise in emergency management, community policing and active shooter response will be crucial as the University enhances its public safety plan."



The appointment will be finalized upon transferring his POST commission from CPD to UTC.



Last November, UTC Public Safety was reorganized to modernize the Universitys strategy for mitigating public safety risks, streamline protocols and processes, reduce administrative costs and increase operational capacity.



UTC Public Safety includes UTC Police, Clery Compliance/Records Management, Emergency Management, Environmental Health and Safety, and Physical Security.
At the Friends of Hixson Coffee Meeting, Hamilton County Sheriff Austin Garrett updated a large crowd on his first two years as Sheriff and his recent visit to the southern border.



Sheriff Garrett oversees a department of over 500 employees and is the fourth largest Sheriffs Office in Tennessee. He said the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office prides itself on customer service and professionalism.



Sheriff Garrett discussed some of the HCSO's accomplishments regarding recruitment efforts.

When his term began, the HCSO faced a shortage of 120 officers. "Like other law enforcement departments in the United States, the HCSO faces staffing shortages and a decrease in recruiting new officers for several reasons, including compensation and public perception," he said.Sheriff Garrett said his office has successfully increased compensation for HCSO employees and has focused on the department's professionalism. "The HCSO has brought in over 40 new officers, including some former NYPD employees, utilizing its website and other new recruitment technology," he said. Sherriff Garrett has not filled more senior positions, including his former position as chief deputy, to help increase compensation for his deputies.Sheriff Garrett updated the attendees on the renovation and new construction projects at the Hamilton County Jail and reminded everyone that he lost 504 beds when the old jail closed. He also reminded everyone that the facility is called the Hamilton County Jail and not Silverdale. He drew laughter from the crowd when he stated that Silverdale is a church and school, not a correctional facility. Sherriff Garrett said he has reduced funded vacancies at the jail from 67 to 20, and the expansion should wrap up this summer.He said continues to focus on staffing SRO Officers in local schools, including charter schools. He praised Governor Lee and the Tennessee legislature for providing the budget to staff these schools with SROs.Sheriff Garrett also spoke about his recent trip to the southern border with Senator Bill Hagerty and how this visit allowed him to see firsthand the issues local, state and federal law enforcement agencies are dealing with regarding illegal immigration. He discussed his concern that many border crossings are from individuals not seeking a better life, but individuals with criminal histories and intentions and potential affiliations with terror organizations. He also reminded everyone that fentanyl continues to pour in from the southern border.Sheriff Garrett concluded the meeting with a Q & A session where, several of the questions focused on the fentanyl problem and its dangers. He reminded everyone that any pill that is not dispensed from a pharmacy could contain fentanyl and should be considered potentially deadly.

The FOH Community Coffee Meetings are free and open to the public; all are welcome to attend. Visit friendsofhixson.org for information on upcoming meetings.
Christoph Kowitz, currently head of WACKERs Corporate Research Department, takes charge of the Groups U.S. subsidiary Wacker Chemical Corporation (WCC) at the beginning of May. He succeeds David Wilhoit who has been responsible for WACKERs North and Central American business since 2015 and is now retiring.

Symbolic image Computer-generated image

WCCs future President & CEO has headed WACKERs Corporate R&D for six years. Im looking forward to my new job in the U.S., says Kowitz, a Ph.D. chemist, who, as a senior manager for WACKER SILICONES, has already been in close contact with silicone production and application technology at WCC sites in Adrian and Ann Arbor, both located in Michigan. The U.S. is and will remain one of WACKERs most important markets. With our products from all business divisions, we are ideally positioned to support the climate-neutral transformation of U.S. industry with innovative solutions. The U.S. government is driving this development forward with several investment programs. My aim is to make the best possible use of these opportunities for our growth.
Scientists have found a way to transform metal waste into a highly efficient catalyst to make hydrogen from water, a discovery that could make hydrogen production more sustainable.

Waste metal swarf used in experiment to transform it into a highly efficient catalyst to make hydrogen from water, a discovery that could make hydrogen production more sustainable. University of Nottingham

A team of researchers from the University of Nottingham's School of Chemistry and Faculty of Engineering have found that the surface of swarf, a byproduct of the metal machining industry, is textured with tiny steps and grooves on a nanoscale level. These textures can anchor atoms of platinum or cobalt, leading to an efficient electrocatalyst that can split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The research has been published in the Journal of Material Chemistry A of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Hydrogen is a clean fuel that can be used to generate heat or power vehicles, and the only byproduct of its combustion is water vapor. However, most hydrogen production methods rely on fossil fuel feedstock. Electrolysis of water is one of the most promising green pathways for hydrogen production, as it only requires water and electricity.

The industry is facing a challenge with water electrolysis, as this process requires rare and expensive elements like platinum to catalyse the water splitting. With the limited global supply and increasing prices of precious metals, there is an urgent need for alternative electrocatalyst materials to produce hydrogen from water.

Dr Jesum Alves Fernandes, School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, who led the research team, said: Industries in the UK alone generate millions of tons of metal waste annually. By using a scanning electron microscope, we were able to inspect the seemingly smooth surfaces of the stainless steel, titanium, or nickel alloy swarf. To our astonishment, we discovered that the surfaces had grooves and ridges that were only tens of nanometres wide. We realized that this nanotextured surface could present a unique opportunity for the fabrication of electrocatalysts.

The researchers used magnetron sputtering to create a platinum atom "rain" on the swarf's surface. These platinum atoms then come together into nanoparticles that fit snugly into the nanoscale grooves.

Dr Madasamy Thangamuthu, a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Nottingham who was responsible for the analysis of the structure and electrocatalytic activity of the new materials, says: It is remarkable that we are able to produce hydrogen from water using only a tenth of the amount of platinum loading compared to state-of-the-art commercial catalysts. By spreading just 28 micrograms of the precious metal over 1 cm of the swarf, we were able to create a laboratory-scale electrolyser that operates with 100% efficiency and produces 0.5 litres of hydrogen gas per minute just from a single piece of swarf.

The group is partnering with AqSorption Ltd, a Nottingham-based company specialising in electrolyser design and fabrication to scale up their technology. Professor Andrei Khlobystov, School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, said: The electrocatalysts made from swarf have the potential to greatly impact the economy. Our unique technology developed at Nottingham, which involves atom-by-atom growth of platinum particles on nanotextured surfaces, has solved two major challenges. Firstly, it enables the production of green hydrogen using the least amount of precious metal possible, and secondly, it upcycles metal waste from the aerospace industry, all in a single process.

The Zero Carbon Cluster has been set in the East Midlands to accelerate the development and deployment of innovation in green industries and advanced manufacturing.
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A line of Holstein dairy cows feed through a fence at a dairy farm in Idaho on March 11, 2009. As of April 11, 2024, a strain of the highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, that has killed millions of wild birds in recent years has been found in at least 24 dairy cow herds in eight U.S. states: Texas, Kansas, New Mexico, Ohio, Idaho, Michigan and North Carolina and South Dakota.
On the steps of the Cameron County Courthouse, Esperanza Trevino, Melissa Lucio's mother, pleaded with the public to save her daughter's life. Miguel Roberts/AP

Hours after Melissa Lucios 2-year-old daughter Mariah Alvarez fell asleep and never woke up from her nap in February 2007, an investigator with Child Protective Services interviewed some of her other children.

Had her mother ever hit them?

No, one daughter said, she only spanked them sometimes but never Mariah. Her 9-year-old and 12-year-old daughters agreed: she never hit any of them. So what explained the extensive bruising on her tiny body and the blunt force trauma that ultimately killed her? Bobby, Lucios 7-year-old son, offered another explanation: two days earlier, he saw his little sister fall down the rickety outdoor wooden stairs of the second-story Brownsville apartment they had just moved out of. Several of her other children mentioned the fall. Daniella, then 20, also told law enforcement that Mariahs health had been declining in the two days since the fall. She was having trouble breathing and was sleeping more than usual. These troubling signs of a medical condition caused by a blood coagulation disorder could have supported the defenses argument that Mariahs death was accidental and not, as the prosecution argued, the result of severe abuse.

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But the jury that sentenced Lucio to death in 2008 for capital murder never heard any of it. While the details of these interviews made it to the prosecution, the full story never made its way to Lucios defense team, a serious violation of due process.

Thanks to this revelation, theres now a mounting effort to overturn her conviction and free Lucio after 17 years in prison for a crime her attorneys, the district attorney and even the district judge who first tried the case agree, she probably shouldnt have been convicted of.

Lucios case has been in the spotlight since at least 2022 when a bipartisan effort among Texas legislators helped it get a serious second look. There were concerning missteps. The jury, for example, didnt hear why, after nearly five hours of coercive interrogation from a Texas Ranger, Lucio would so adamantly maintain her innocence before finally relenting with a confession of sorts.

An expert was prepared to testify that, as a victim of abuse herself, Lucios seeming acquiescence to a dominating male figure was not a reflection of guilt. But the judge decided the expert could not testify. Instead, the jury heard Ranger Victor Escalon Jr., tell them that he knew she was guilty because of the way she avoided eye contact and slumped her shoulders. Years later, that same ranger would find himself fumbling to explain law enforcements slow response to the deadly school shooting in Uvalde. The district attorney, for his part, was later convicted of bribery and extortion.

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The outcry as Lucios execution approached was loud enough to halt it just two days before it was scheduled. But Lucio remains on death row.

Now, theres a chance she could win back her freedom.

In a 33-page filing submitted in January 2023, the current Cameron County district attorney and Lucios defense team presented their findings that exculpatory evidence was withheld not just from the jury but from Lucios own lawyers. Last Friday, the district court judge who first heard the case agreed, urging the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to overturn the murder conviction and death sentence.

Again, Lucios family must wait to see what the court decides.

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Its been 17 years that we have been without her. We love her and miss her and cant wait to hug her, several of Lucios children wrote in a joint statement.

In 2022, we wrote that the question of Lucios innocence was harder to determine than the question of whether she received a fair trial. We were troubled, for example, that she did not seek medical care for her ailing child. For the same failure, Mariahs father was sentenced to only four years in prison. It is even clearer now that had the jury been able to hear all the evidence, they likely would not have convicted Lucio of murder. It is, as University of Texas law professor Jordan Steiker told the Texas Tribune, exceptionally rare to have this level of agreement about prosecutorial misconduct.

Lucios case certainly is exceptional for the attention its received. We worry its not all that exceptional for the missteps that helped put it in the spotlight. The Court of Criminal Appeals, though, has the chance, once again, to stand for justice and due process and provide relief to a woman and her family who, for nearly two decades have had to mourn not just the loss of a precious child but their mother, too.

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Weve all heard of Stockholm syndrome, where a victim develops a positive connection with their captor.

But most people are probably in the dark about Stockholm syndromes lesser-known opposite, Lima syndrome.

In Lima syndrome, a captor will develop a bond with their victim. When this psychological response happens, they may become empathetic to their victims circumstances.

There isnt much information on Lima syndrome thats available, but one example of it can be found in a hostage situation that took place in Lima, Peru, which is how the phenomenon got its name.

The history behind Lima syndrome began in late 1996 when several guests in attendance at a party hosted by the Japanese ambassador were captured and held hostage.

Many of the party guests were top government officials, high-level diplomats, and business executives.

They were captured by members of the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MTRA), a socialist group that demanded the release of MTRA prisoners. During the first month of the hostage crisis, more than half of the hostages were let go.

The reason for this seemed to be that the captors had started to feel sympathetic toward their victims.

The response came to be known as Lima syndrome. Its effects made it less likely that the hostages would be harmed and increased the chances of their escape.

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Bernd Dittrich / Unsplash

Christians love to sing about creation. Hymns like How Great Thou Art describe the beauty of creation that moves the church to sing, I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder / Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Nature can also be a source of confusion or anxiety for believers as they observe eclipses and earthquakes and try to discern Gods role or intent in their unfolding. And as climate change more visibly impacts humans, the natural world can seem increasingly hostile, even as it remains a source of inspiration and joy for the Christian.

Where is Gods hand at work? And how should we respond to mysteries and chaos in our prayers and worship?

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British scholar Mark Porter believes the Christian imagination can hold a complex view of creationas can music. His research looks at the intersection of music, faith, and climate change, showing ways to engage nature beyond using it as a signpost of Gods glory, contending also with its beauty, chaos, fragility, and brutality.

Theres not just one thing that nature imagery does, said Porter. It can do something besides inspire an individual to look to God in worship.

Porters forthcoming book For the Warming of the Earth: Music, Faith, and Ecological Crisis describes how faith communities and organizations are responding to climate change and environmental crises with music, such as Resound Worships Doxecology album, the activism of groups like Christian Climate Action (CCA), and Catholic song festivals centered on Pope Francis landmark encyclical, Laudato Si.

Its not a how-to book for worship leaders looking to more explicitly address creation care or environmental justice, but the resource offers a window into a variety of Christian practices and postures around worship and creation.

Classic songs like For the Beauty of the Earth and This Is My Fathers World and more recent offerings like God of Wonders turn observations of aesthetic and sensory wonder into outpourings of praise. Their verses describe ornate details and panoramas, punctuated by laudatory refrains like Christ, our Lord, to thee we raise / This our hymn of grateful praise and God of wonders beyond our galaxy / You are holy, holy.

Porter, a senior lecturer at the University of Erfurt in Germany, pointed out that the popular hymn When Peace, Like a River (It Is Well with My Soul) offers a more multifaceted acknowledgement of humankinds relationship with nature.

You have when peace, like a river and sorrows like sea billows, he said. Nature is there as both potentially comforting and potentially threatening.

The mystery of natureits majesty and violencehas always been a fount of creative inspiration for Christian artists, but most popular hymns and worship songs put nature imagery to use in one particular way: as a way to be moved to praise.

Its just me and God and nothing else, said Porter. Thats a fairly recent development. And I think there are ways to go back into Protestant thinking and rescue some things.

The charismatic influence in these songs, though, also brings a willingness to look for Gods hand in everything. From that perspective, God can use anything to speak to us, a butterfly or a bird, he said.

Climate change is still a contentious issue among American Christians, with roughly half of white evangelicals saying that the phenomenon is most likely caused by natural processesacross all Americans, only 28 percent hold that view.

But while many evangelicals may be skeptical of projections showing escalating climate changerelated deaths and the human contribution to environmental change, they are more likely than other Americans to believe that God causes natural disasters.

Most Christians reject animismattributing divine power or ensouledness to creationbut still look for the hand of God in natural events. So while the issue of climate change may cause division, Christians broadly pay attention to changes in the environment, whether watching for signs of apocalypse or human-caused damage, and they find these changes meaningful.

They also take notice when natural disasters cause human suffering, which, in Porters view, may be the thing that starts to move more Christians opinion on the issue. Hes seen churches on both sides of the pond grow more comfortable with the language of environmental and social justice than they were 10 and 20 years ago.

There was a lot of suspicion in the church in the UK about engaging with social justice, said Porter. It was widely thought, Thats something that liberal churches do.

Recent books like Kyle Meyaard-Schaaps Following Jesus in a Warming World and scientist Katharine Hayhoes Saving Us: A Climate Scientists Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World offer Christian perspectives on living faithfully in light of climate change, but the issue remains on the fringe.

Porter pointed out that the musical initiatives and projects he writes about in the book are still very much on the periphery of their denominations and traditions, but they may be part of bringing climate conversations into more evangelical churches.

The practices in this volume do not all rest on a sense of hope, Porter writes in the book. Some do not orient themselves to the future, some center on loss, and others are deliberately cautious about voicing a hope they are not sure they can really believe in. Some, in other words, might be suitable accompaniments even in a world that remains irretrievably broken.

Some Christians criticize the nihilism of climate change advocates who talk about irreversible damage to the earth. But even if they reject nihilism as counter to the gospel, Christians may feel stuck or lost when it comes to engaging in climate justice activism. Hayhoe argues that this stuckness, not disinterest, is the stumbling block for most people.

The biggest problem is not the people who arent on board; the biggest problem is the people who dont know what to do, Hayhoe said in an interview with The New York Times. Connect the dots to your heart so you dont see climate change as a separate bucket but rather as a hole in the bucket of every other thing that you already care about in your life.

For the musicians in Porters book, singing, performance art, composition, and gathering in nature are all means of connecting faith, community, and creation.

Hopefulness isnt a throughline in Porters book, but it is a common theme among many he spoke with.

A lot of people involved in climate change activism are struggling to hold on to hope and its something that people of faith are able to offer, I think, said Barbara Doye, one of Porters interviewees. Doye is an activist and musician who adapts hymns and folk songs as part of the Forest Church movement.

The interviews and vignettes in Porters book arent meant to be prescriptivefew of us will be convicted to engage in performance art or start a Forest Churchbut it can help Christians see music as a way into climate work.

For those unsure where to begin, Porter points to the simplicity of the first chapter of Genesis: God said it was good.
Illustration by Christianity Today / Source Images: Pexels

On April 8, the Vatican issued Dignitas Infinita, a 20-page document rejecting a variety of practices that violate human dignity. Unsurprisingly, these included human trafficking, violence against women, abortion, euthanasia, sex change, and child abuse. It also included surrogacy.

This isnt the first time the pontificate has come out against this deplorable practice, which fails to respect the dignity of [the] child and violates the dignity of the woman. Pope Francis made waves in January when he condemned surrogacy, noting that a child is always a gift and never the basis of a commercial contract.

Evangelical Christians and pastors value the life of the unborn. Thats why we march across the capital on freezing January mornings and pray outside of abortion clinics. Our motivation for child protection must also lead us to confront the ways children are impacted by the baby-making industry as well.

But when did you last hear your pastor address the issue of surrogacy from the pulpit? Odds are, never. Protestants have a dearth of official guidance on reproductive technologies. While some are clear on abortion, very few denominations have clear teachings on IVF, let alone the much rarer practice of surrogacy.

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary ethics professor Andrew T. Walker told The New York Times that when he suggested introducing a resolution about artificial reproductive technology at the denominations annual convention, his colleagues hesitated.

Some Christians are directly involved in surrogacy and see their role as a calling to help families have children, as CT reported in 2018. But many Christian bioethicists cite concerns. While theres no Bible verse that commands, Thou shall not hire an economically vulnerable woman to gestate your custom-ordered baby, that doesnt mean that there isnt clear biblical guidance on surrogacy for Protestants.

Infertility alone should not guide our thinking, even if longing for children is a God-given desire. Christians have a distinct responsibility to protect children. Thus, when considering reproductive technologies in general, and surrogacy specifically, it is childrens rights and needs that should rank highest.

While there are a variety of adults involvedintended parents, surrogate mothers, sperm/egg sellers, lawyers, fertility doctorsalong with their individual interests, from the childs perspective, surrogacy always requires loss.

As Ive detailed elsewhere, surrogacy splices what should be one womanmotherinto three purchasable and optional women: the genetic mother, or egg donor, who grants the child their biological identity; the birth mother, with whom the baby develops their first, critical bond; and the social mother, who provides daily female care to maximize the childs development and satisfy the childs longing for maternal love.

For children, none of these three mothers are optional. Studies have shown that if children never know their genetic mother, they often experience identity struggles. If they lose their birth mother, some believe that children experience a primal wound that makes bonding, trust, and attachment more challenging. And if they are deprived of a social mother, their development is impacted.

No matter what form it takestraditional or gestational, altruistic or commercial, commissioned by gay or straight adultssurrogacy takes something away from the child. Its not a loss that results from a fallen world, where parents who cannot or should not care for their child seek to redeem that loss through adoption. It is the infliction of an intentional loss simply because an adult wants it that way. And that violates several biblical mandates.

First, surrogacy goes against Gods protection of children. God insists that his people take child protection seriously. Its one basis on which Job pleads his innocence: I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist them (29:12). Child sacrifice is listed among the reasons God condemned Israel to Babylonian exile (Ezek. 16:21). And even if an unborn child was harmed when the mother was accidentally struck, God insisted on proportionate punishment for the offenderan eye for an eye, a life for a life (Ex. 21:2225). Chief among our concerns for children must be their safety and overall well-being. Surrogacy threatens both.

Second, Gods definition of a religion that is pure and faultless includes looking after orphans  in their distress (James 1:27). Adoption is one of the greatest ways we care for orphans. As the former assistant director of the largest Chinese adoption agency in the world, I was charged with upholding state, national, and international standards to ensure that adults were properly vetted and screened prior to child placement. We also ensured that money never flowed from intended parents to birth parents; otherwise, it was no longer a valid adoption but child trafficking. In adoption, adults shoulder the load in an attempt to relieve children of the burden of parental loss.

Surrogacy, on the other hand, often involves legally orphaning children via a pre-birth order that preemptively strips children of a relationship with genetic/birth parents. There are no adoption-like requirements for intended parents to undergo screenings, vetting, or background checks. Surrogacy also relies on direct payments to genetic/birth parents, which is arguably a form of child trafficking.

Christians are also called to defend the fatherless. The Old Testament includes dozens of commands to defend and protect the orphan. Children raised outside the protective umbrella of their parents lifelong marriage experience drastically diminished physical, mental, academic, and relational health, exploitation, and poverty. In biblical times and now, the fatherless stand out as a demographic deserving of distinct protection because they are distinctly vulnerable.

Never before, however, has humanity faced the phenomenon of the motherless. A woman is required to be connected to the child for the first nine months. After birth, biological systems chemically knit together mother and baby, making post-birth abandonment of the child unlikely. Historically, if the mother died during or soon after childbirth, the baby would often die as well. Only surrogacy enables what is utterly foreign to the human racea motherless baby.

Some surrogacy apologists point to the lack of data on children who grew up from birth without a mother as evidence that there must be no harm. The absence of data is actually the greatest alarm bell. The data on the harms of fatherlessness are well known. The statistics on motherless children, given that children have an even greater bond with their mother during the first three years of life, would likely be much more devastating.

Whenever you read of Gods admonishment to protect the fatherless, its safe to assume the mandate applies to the motherless as well. Far from protecting the motherless, surrogacy manufactures the motherless.

Finally, God calls his people to sacrifice for the vulnerable. A biblical meta-principle runs throughout Scripture: The strong are to sacrifice for the weak, not vice versa (Ps. 82:3; Jer. 22:16; Prov. 31:89). God warns of cruel punishment for adults who would cause little ones to stumble (Matt. 18:6). He demonstrated his sacrifice for the weak principle on a cosmic scale when Christ, the strongest of all, died for the ungodly while we were still powerless (Rom. 5:6). Surrogacy violates this meta-principle because it always requires the weak (children) to sacrifice for the strong (adults).

Sisters and brothers of the Reformation, we dont need a papal encyclical, decree, or motu proprio. We have the all-sufficient Word of God, which directs us to reject any practice or process that victimizes children.

Katy Faust is founder and president of the global nonprofit Them Before Us and coauthor of a book by the same name. She speaks and writes on why marriage and family are matters of justice for children.
Weve got little information on Jesus appearance and personality. But thats the way God designed it.

Illustration by Chloe Cushman

Not long ago, I came across several portraits of Christ that someone had posted online. Using the image on the Shroud of Turin as a basis and employing artificial intelligence, the pictures speculated what Jesus might have looked like before his crucifixion.

I viewed the images with interest, wondering if they would produce a sense of recognition in me as someone who is in Christ. But I cant say my heart was moved in any particular way about them.

I certainly did not feel the way I usually do when someone I care about deeply comes into view. I could not say, Oh, thats Jesus! I would know him anywhere!

No figure is as familiar to us as Jesus Christ. At the same time, no figure is as unfamiliar.

I first began to read about Jesus over 50 years ago as I worked the midnight shift at a fast-food restaurant. Having recently graduated from high school, I was trying to decide what direction my life should take. I thought it would be good to have a spiritual dimension and had been exploring Eastern mysticism and the occult, though not very seriously.

One day, it dawned on me that the Bible was a spiritual book. So during my breaks at the restaurant, I started reading the New Testament.

It didnt take long before Jesus Christnot so much his message as his personalitycaptured my attention. Or maybe I should say what attracted me was the mystery of his personality.

What kind of person is so compelling that someone would give up career or family to follow him? Id read in the Gospels how Peter walked away from the security of his fishing nets and Matthew abandoned the lucrative returns of the tax table. Although the Jesus I encountered in the Gospels was not entirely new to me, he was strange.

I have been reading about Jesus ever since, and he still puzzles me. Although I have been a pastor and a Bible college professor, there are times when I wonder if I know Jesus at all. I dont mean that I question whether I am truly a Christian or whether he is my Savior.

But often, when I read the Gospels, the Jesus I find is not what I expected. He will speak or act in ways that disturb me. Sometimes, like the disciples, I am irritated and want to ask Jesus, What were you thinking? Other times I am struck with wonder and want to say, What kind of man is this?

In ordinary relationships, we tend to keenly observe the kinds of details Scripture withholds about Jesus. Not only do we note face and form, but we pay attention to all the little details that contribute to personality: the glint in someones eye, the curve of a crooked smile, the jokes that make them laugh.

Personality is the word we use most often to speak of such attributes. It isnt simply a synonym for individuality but is a description of the distinctive ways a person expresses that individuality. Personality is the blend of characteristics that identifies the individual as an individual.

The Bible has little to say about such details where Christ is concerned. The information it does provide is relatively sparse; its scattered throughout the four Gospels in a piecemeal fashion or can only be guessed. The apostle John could speak of what he had heard with his own ears, seen with his own eyes, and touched, but we cannot (1 John 1:1). We depend on what is written.

Consequently, if we are to know Christ on a personal level, that intimacy must come in a way that differs from most of our other relationships. At the same time, Jesus promised a special blessing to those who have not seen him yet have believed (John 20:29).

God has provided us with two primary vehicles to mediate this knowledge of Christ to us.

The first is what has been recorded about him in the Scriptures. The other is the inner testimony of the Holy Spirit, who is also called the Spirit of Christ (Rom. 8:9).

In 2 Corinthians 4:6, the apostle Paul observes: For God, who said, Let light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of Gods glory displayed in the face of Christ. This is a curious thing to say to those who have never seen the face of Jesus.

Apparently, despite the Bibles lack of any detailed description of the appearance or personality of Jesus, we know more than we think.

There is a light that shines in our hearts that reveals the unseen face of Christ. Not in a literal sense. But by the Spirit, we come to know Jesus personally and intimately. He, in turn, displays the glory of the invisible God to us through his humanity.

Theologians have much to say about the personhood of God, especially in connection with the churchs doctrine of the Trinity. They have had less to say about Gods personality. One reason for this reluctance may be a concern not to anthropomorphize God. The Scriptures repeatedly assert that God is not a man (Num. 23:19; Job 9:32; Hos. 11:9).

Theologian Helmut Thielicke warns in The Evangelical Faith that making the human person a model of God is a mistake:

Any equation of God and person, or any attempt to make the human person a model in thinking of God, is thus ruled out from the very outset.  Equations of this kind would again make God an image of the creaturely in the sense of human religion or idolatry.

Yet what analog could be more anthropomorphic than the one God chose for himself? According to Genesis 1:2627,

Then God said, Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

It is hard to see how one could have a personal relationship with God as he presents himself in these verses without some correspondence between Gods nature and what we think of as personality. Even if it can be proved that the notion of personality is not relevant in this context, it cannot be meaningless where Jesus Christ is concerned. Hebrews 2:17 states that Jesus was made like us in the Incarnation, fully human in every way.

Jesus was not an empty shell into which the divine nature was poured. He was not merely wearing a fleshly body. Although he existed as a divine person prior to the Incarnation, when he became flesh, the Logos took on a new dimension (John 1:1, 14). Jesus did not cease to be what he was before but added human nature to his person. In doing so, both natures retained their fullness.

Jesus is not two persons, one human and the other divine, who cohabit in the same flesh. He is the one person of Christ who is both truly human and truly divine in every sense. As such, he possesses a personality. One reason Jesus became human was in order to provide an exact representation of Gods being (Heb. 1:3). The humanity of Jesus tells us what God is like.

Personality, wrote Francis Rogers in 1921, is the incarnation of individuality. When we talk about someones personality, we are usually speaking of the impression they leave us with. Are they friendly or unfriendly? Do they have a sense of humor, or are they serious? Are they shy or outgoing? Personality inventories tend to describe these traits in polarities. Introversion is the opposite of extroversion. A person focuses on either tasks or relationships. They are a leader or a follower. In reality, these qualities exist on a continuum.

Personality is a description of our ways of acting and relating to others. It includes temperament, habits of behavior, values, and preferences. Character is also expressed through personality but is not necessarily identical to it.

Graces like the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:2223) that shape a Christians character may be the same for all believers, but we do not all express those qualities in the same way.

The Gospels reveal relatively little of what typically interests us about people when they speak of Jesus personality.

We know nothing exact about the Saviors physical appearance and next to nothing about the sound of his voice. We know that he was a builder but not what he did in his spare time other than pray, go to dinners, weddings, and take at least one nap. How did he act when he was among friends? We know that Jesus cried but do not know what made him laugh.

There are occasional moments in the Gospels, though, when the clouds of silence part and the rays of Jesus personality peek through.

The religious leaders set a trap for Jesus by waiting for him to heal on the Sabbath, and he gazes at them angrily, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts (Mark 3:5).

A misguided youth believes he is already good enough to inherit eternal life and asks what else he must do, and Jesus looks at him with love (Mark 10:21).

Jesus touches a leper and speaks tenderly to a shy woman (Luke 5:13; 8:48). Jesus weeps, comforts, rebukes, and threatens. The God revealed to us through the humanity of Christ is someone who not only thunders but also sobs and sighs.

Personality is our point of connection with other human beings. We know them as individuals through their personalities. We bond with people who have personalities similar to ours. Just as often, we take note of our differences. Identity is not only a matter of knowing who we are; it is also a function of knowing who we are not.

In the face of the Gospels scant detail about Jesus personality, we can be tempted to model him after ourselves.

In a 2010 essay in Christianity Today about the failure of historians to reconstruct a historical Jesus, Scot McKnight described how he gave students a standardized psychological test divided into two parts. On the first part, the students described Jesus personality. On the second, they described and compared their own. The test is not about right or wrong answers, nor is it designed to help students understand Jesus, McKnight explained.

Instead, the test revealed that people tend to think Jesus is like them. Introverts think Jesus is introverted, for example. Extroverts think the opposite.

If the test were given to a random sample of adults, McKnight wrote, the results would be measurably similar. To one degree or another, we all conform Jesus to our own image.

Our mental image of Jesus is often shaped as much by cultural assumptions and personal experiences as by Scripture. This is why the Jesus in our mind often feels so familiar and comfortable. We believe that he looks like us. That he shares our tastes and reflects our expectations. That the truths he espouses are those of which we are already convinced. That the Christian life Jesus demands looks like the one we are already living. Republican Jesus, woke Jesus, rugged manly Jesus, gentle Jesus, mythical archetype Jesusthey are all, to some degree, self-curated versions of the biblical Jesus.

At best, they may emphasize certain features that we see in the Gospels portrayal of him. But mostly, they are images that resonate with values that we already hold. At worst, they are idols we have fashioned in our own image.

We do not need a photograph to see Gods glory displayed in the face of Christ, but we do need the Word and the Spirit. Christs revelation of the Father is made known each time we read about Jesus words and actions in Scripture. Gods Spirit uses that Word to shine in our hearts and disclose both the Father and the Son to us. As Jesus reveals the Father to us, the Spirit makes Christ known.

This understanding, which is gained by the Word and applied by the Spirit in conjunction with our experiences, provides us with a clearer sense of who Jesus is than any picture could, because it provides a personal knowledge of Christ that works from the inside out.

There is more to this knowledge than a set of traitsfrom which we would doubtless draw the wrong conclusions. Much of our interest in the personality of Jesus does not spring from a desire to understand Jesus better but from a desire to show that Jesus thinks and acts like us. Instead, the understanding the Spirit provides moves in the other direction.

The knowledge of Jesus that we actually have goes beyond the list of likes and dislikes or awareness of the sort of quirks we usually attribute to personality. For the believer, knowing Jesus involves the incorporation of Christ himself into our way of thinking and acting.

In other words, we come to know Jesus personally not only by reading about him but by becoming like him. There are two important features of this experience. One is that it is progressive. This transformation does not happen instantly when we are born again. It is ongoing and only brought to perfection in eternity.

The other is that this experience is integrated with the uniqueness of our distinctive personalities. As we become more and more like Christ, the distinctiveness is not wiped away. Instead, Christ displays himself through the various personality styles of those who belong to him.

If personality truly is the incarnation of individuality, you would think we would know our personality better than anyone else. It is, after all, who we are. Yet the popularity of tests and inventories that promise to summarize our personality traits for us seems to suggest otherwise. Perhaps it is easier to be aware of what others are like than ourselves. Or maybe we take these tests hoping to confirm what we already know about ourselves, to identify with our particular social tribe.

However, while personality inventories and surveys can be a valuable way of synthesizing data about people, they can also be too reductionistic to tell the whole story. Instead of highlighting the unique ways Christ works through each individual, they may slot individuals into categories that are often too broad or vague to be helpful.

What is more, they do not do justice to the mysterious way God works through the unlikely to accomplish his goals. God often works despite our personalities as much as he works through them.

In a sermon on the white stone and new name of Revelation 2:17, George MacDonald describes each person as having an individual and unique relationship with God. He is to God a peculiar being, made after his own fashion, and that of no one else, he said.

For MacDonald, this meant that each person is blessed with a distinctive angle of vision when it comes to understanding God:

Hence he can worship God as no man else can worship himcan understand God as no man else can understand him. This or that man may understand God more, may understand God better than he, but no other man can understand God as he understands him.

As truth is worked out in our daily experience, we not only learn about Jesus; we put him on display in a way that is just as unique as the insight that MacDonald describes. In MacDonalds words, each one of us is to God a peculiar being, made after his own fashion, and that of no one else. We may share some traits with others, but nobody else is exactly like us. This experiential knowledge of Christ mediated through our experience is also refracted through our distinctive personalities, the way light shines through stained glass.

Perhaps the students who completed the psychological profile on Jesus in McKnights class were on to something after allnot in thinking that Jesus was like them, but the other way around.

As the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins says in As Kingfishers Catch Fire,

Christ plays in ten thousand places,

Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his

To the Father through the features of mens faces.

Those who know Christ by experience serve as a medium through which others see Jesus. Their lives are the stage upon which he plays, and his beauty is revealed through them. More than the beauty of a single personality profile, this is an image with untold variety. And while Jesus is a human being with a real personality, he is also the God who has chosen to reveal himself through those he has created and saved.

As we are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory (2 Cor. 3:18), Jesus shows himself as, riffing on Joseph Campbells theory of heroes, the Savior with 1,000 faces. We put Jesus on display the way a diamond reveals its glory: in countless facets.

John Koessler is a writer, podcaster, and retired faculty emeritus of Moody Bible Institute. His latest book is When God Is Silent, published by Lexham Press.
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After the departure of thousands of traditionalist United Methodist churches from the denomination over the past five years, it might stand to reason that those congregations remaining in the fold are more progressive and open to ordination and marriage of people in same-sex relationships.

But the picture is far more mixed.

A new report from the Religion and Social Change Lab at Duke University that looked at disaffiliating clergy from North Carolinas two United Methodist conferences or regions found that even after the departures, 24 percent of North Carolina clergy remaining in the denomination disagree with allowing LGBTQ people to get married or ordained within the denomination.

At least some amount of ambivalence over LGBTQ+ issues among UMC clergy is likely to persist for years to come, the report concluded.

After a four-year COVID-19 delay and the departure of about 7,600 churchesa loss of 25 percent of all its US congregationsthe denomination is likely to reconsider the issue of human sexuality when it convenes its top legislative body April 23May 3 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Given that the denomination is a worldwide body, with hundreds of delegates from Africa and the Philippines, areas far more conservative in their views of human sexuality, its unclear whether the measures stand a chance of passing, even as the US delegation is far more open to such changes.

Overall, the Duke report finds that disaffiliating North Carolina clergy were much more politically and theologically conservative than those who chose to remain. Some 85 percent of clergy who left the denomination disagreed with the notion that all religious leadership positions should be open to people in same-sex relationships.

Leaving clergy members tended to be more homogeneous in their beliefs and to lead somewhat smaller and more rural churches. Nearly all (94%) of leaving clergy were white. More than a fourth of leaving clergy26 percentwere licensed local pastors, meaning they were not ordained and had less advanced ministerial training.

But the report paints a picture of a reconstituted denomination that, at least in North Carolina, is politically and theologically diverse. Based on clergys assessments of their own congregations, 59 percent of remaining congregations are evenly divided between Republican and Democratic parties, 2.2 percent lean Republican, and 18 percent lean Democratic.

It would be a mistake to say that the denomination in the US has moved to being virtually uniformly progressive, said Lovett Weems, director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC, who did not consult on the report. Clearly, those who left were almost universally conservative politically and theologically. But those staying show a more mixed picture.

A total of 671 churches across North Carolina left the United Methodist Church: 325 congregations in the North Carolina Conference, covering the eastern half of the state, and 346 congregations in the Western North Carolina Conference, covering the western half. The report was based on the two conferences updated clergy records and compared with a 2021 longitudinal survey of clergy.

Those churches accounted for some 139,361 members and thousands of others who attended regularly or sporadically. The southeastern region of the US has the most United Methodist churches.

The study also showed that 59 percent of North Carolina pastors staying in the denomination said they are at least somewhat more liberal than most people within their congregation.

For a long time, studies have shown that clergy in mainline denominations tend to be a bit more liberal than their membership. And this just kind of takes it one step further, said Weems. We should recognize that the denomination is still more middle of the road than on the progressive end of things.
Home News 15 AGs accuse Bank of America of 'discriminatory behavior': 'A serious threat to religious freedom'

A coalition of 15 Republican state attorneys general sent a letter to Bank of America earlier this week demanding answers to allegations that the financial behemoth has discriminated against customers based on political and religious viewpoints. The company has denied such allegations.

The group, led by GOP Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, expressed concern that the Charlotte, North Carolina-based company "is responsible for some of the worst-known instances of debanking" while at the same time cooperating with the federal government to provide "innocuous" private information to paint some conservative customers as "potential domestic terrorists."

"Your discriminatory behavior is a serious threat to free speech and religious freedom, is potentially illegal, and is causing political and regulatory backlash," Monday's letter reads. "Your bank needs to be transparent with and assure us, its shareholders, and others that it will not continue to de-bank customers for their speech or religious exercise."

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A spokesperson for Bank of America pushed back against any claim that they engage in discriminatory practices.

"Religious beliefs are not a factor in any account-closing decision," the spokesperson said in a statement to The Christian Post. "We are proud to provide banking services to non-profit organizations affiliated with diverse faith communities throughout the United States."

"Our U.S. division that serves small businesses doesn't offer banking services to organizations that provide debt collection services for a variety of risk-related considerations and doesn't serve small businesses operating outside the United States," the spokesperson added.

The letter contends that Bank of America has shuttered the accounts of multiple religious groups within the past three years.

In 2020, the bank sent a notice to Timothy Two Project International informing the pastor-training ministry that its account was being closed because they were "operating a business type we have chosen not to service."

The attorneys general noted that in April 2023, Bank of America closed the account of Indigenous Advance, a Memphis-based charity that has been serving Indigenous people in Uganda since 2015.

Echoing its letter to Timothy Two Project, Bank of America sent multiple letters to Indigenous Advance, informing them that they were "operating in a business type we have chosen not to service" and that its credit account "no longer aligns with the bank's risk tolerance."

Servants of Christ, a Memphis church that sometimes donated to Indigenous Advance, also had its Bank of America account closed with no explanation other than they had been deemed the wrong "business type," according to Fox News.

When the situation with Indigenous Advance and Servants of Christ drew international media attention, Bank of America claimed the ministries' accounts were canceled because they engaged in "debt collection" and operated internationally. According to the attorneys general, both of these claims are false.

Meanwhile, a report released last month from the U.S. House Judiciary Committee and its Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government found that Bank of America and other major U.S. financial institutions provided the FBI and the law enforcement branch of the U.S. Treasury Department with private financial information without a warrant.

"Tactics included keyword filtering of transactions, targeting terms like 'MAGA' and 'TRUMP,' as well as purchases of books, religious texts, firearms-related items, and recreational stores, like Cabela's, Bass Pro Shop, and Dick's Sporting Goods," the Judiciary Committee said in a press release. "This surveillance extended beyond criminal suspicion, likely encompassing millions of Americans with conservative viewpoints or Second Amendment interests."

The attorneys general note that viewpoint discrimination has seemingly emerged in other major U.S. financial institutions such as JPMorgan Chase, which made headlines in 2022 when they closed the bank account of the National Committee for Religious Freedom (NCRF).

The nonpartisan, multi-faith religious freedom nonprofit, founded by former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, a former governor of Kansas, was not given an explanation for why the account was closed.

NCRF Executive Director Justin Murff told The Christian Post that Chase's conditions for reinstatement included providing a list of donors who have given more than 10% of NCRF's operating budget and a list of candidates NCRF intends to support.

In response to allegations of discrimination, Chase told Fox Business at the time that they would never "exit a client relationship due to their political or religious affiliation."

The attorneys general warned Bank of America that they are potentially exposing themselves to legal and regulatory risk with their apparent behavior and urged the institution to exhibit more transparency.

"As attorneys general of our respective states, we take great interest in protecting a culture of free speech within our borders," they wrote. "You are the second-largest bank in the country and have nearly 15% of all domestic deposits. You appear to be using this power to punish conservative and religious customers by handing their data over to federal law enforcement and even cancelling their accounts."

"This not only undermines free speech and religious freedom, but also is potentially illegal and could lead to investigations, litigation, regulation, and political backlash," they added.

Within 30 days, the attorneys general asked Bank of America to provide them with a written report about its account cancellation policies. They particularly requested the bank to clarify how it assesses terms such as "risk tolerance," "reputational risk," "hate" and "intolerance," and whether they factor in a customer's speech and religion or public perception.

The letter demands Bank of America update its terms of service to state that the company does not discriminate against customers based on religious or political speech.

The letter asked the company to participate in the Viewpoint Diversity Score's Business Index and support shareholder proposals protecting religious and political diversity.

In addition to Kobach, the other GOP attorneys general who signed the letter include Steve Marshall of Alabama, Tim Griffin of Arkansas, Raul Labrador of Idaho, Todd Rokita of Indiana, Brenna Bird of Iowa, Lynn Fitch of Mississippi, Andrew Bailey of Missouri, Austin Knudsen of Montana, Mike Hilgers of Nebraska, Alan Wilson of South Carolina, Marty Jackley of South Dakota, Ken Paxton of Texas, Sean Reyes of Utah and Jason Miyares of Virginia.

Jeremy Tedesco, who serves as senior counsel and senior vice president for Corporate Engagements at the conservative legal nonprofit Alliance for Defending Freedom, said last year that Bank of America and other large banks are leveraging their own "risk tolerance" policies to "box out disfavored but legal business operations."
Home News California church's challenge of COVID-19 restrictions tossed by federal appeals court

A federal appeals court panel has upheld a lower court decision rejecting a lawsuit by a California church suing a county for the restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals released a brief ruling Tuesday in the case of Calvary Chapel San Jose v. County of Santa Clara et al.

The panel concluded unanimously that the district court properly abstained from the churchs lawsuit, given that a state case on the matter is still being adjudicated.

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The County initiated the state proceedings before the district court considered the merits of this action, so the proceedings were ongoing, the 9th Circuit panel states.

Moreover, state procedures presumptively provide an opportunity to present constitutional claims, and Calvary did not meet its burden to show that they are procedurally barred from presenting those claims.

The panel also ruled that Calvarys requested relief would have the practical effect of enjoining the state proceedings and that there is not yet a final judgment, so we lack appellate jurisdiction to review the interlocutory dismissal of the retaliation claim.

Calvary Chapel San Jose and other churches have filed complaints against Santa Clara County, arguing that local officials enacted unjustly strict lockdown measures during the pandemic.

These included orders that limited crowds at churches and restricted activities like singing and mandated face coverings, even after most of the rest of the state eased their measures, reported Courthouse News Service.

In March 2023, U.S. District Court Judge Beth Labson Freeman ruled against Calvary Chapel, dismissing the lawsuit and issuing a stay on the churchs federal claims for relief.

Calvary asks this Court to look to the current status of the federal proceeding, rather than the status when the state court case was filed, to determine whether any proceedings of substance of the merits have taken place. But the cases upon which Calvary relies do not support this standard, wrote Freeman, an Obama appointee.

Calvary has not demonstrated an irreparable injury that would justify this Courts intervention. Calvarys asserted irreparable injury appears to be that it will have to litigate in state court.

The nonprofit law firm Advocates for Faith and Freedom, representing Calvary Chapel, denounced the district court ruling in a statement published by Courthouse News Service last year.

"It is shocking that the judge, after warning the county that 'this is not the hill you want to die on,' would punt this to the state court at the last second," stated attorney Mariah Gondeiro of AFF.

"Regardless of whether the judge is unwilling to address our constitutional claims, we still feel confident about our case in state court. We will still appeal the federal courts decision because we believe she has a duty to address the federal constitutional claims."
Home News Columbia University president says faculty's remarks on Israel 'unacceptable' at congressional hearing

WASHINGTON  Republican and Democratic lawmakers grilled Columbia University President Minouche Shafik about how the university addresses antisemitism, including cases involving faculty members who have publicly referred to Hamas Oct. 7 massacre as awesome.

On Wednesday, Columbia University President Minouche Shafik testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce alongside two board of trustees members and a longtime Columbia University faculty member. The purpose of the hearing was to discuss reports of a rise in antisemitic behavior among the universitys students and faculty.

At one point during the hearing, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., asked the four witnesses if calling for the genocide of Jews violated the universitys code of conduct. All four of the witnesses answered yes.

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Bonamicis question was the same as that asked by Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., to the university presidents of Harvard, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Pennsylvania during a similar hearing in December. The responses from the three university presidents led to calls for their resignations after they failed to answer directly whether calling for genocide against Jews violated their institutions codes of conduct.

During the hearing, Shafik listed the steps the university has taken to address antisemitism, including the creation of a task force and listening sessions for students on both sides of the issue.

Stefanik asserted that Columbia University had not taken appropriate actions to discipline faculty members like Joseph Massad for antisemitism. Massad is a tenured professor of modern Arab politics and intellectual history at the university.

In October, Massad referred to Hamas Oct. 7 attacks as awesome in an essay for The Electronic Intifada, declaring that Israelis may have finally realized that living on land stolen from another people will never make them safe. Shafik had said earlier during the hearing that she spoke to the professor and that she was appalled by his rhetoric.

Were there any other enforcement action taken? Stefanik asked Shafik, who replied that Massad had not repeated those remarks, and that he had been removed from his position as chair of the Academic Review committee.

On the Columbia University website, Joseph Massad is listed as an outgoing chair of the Academic Review Committee. Stefanik said during the hearing that Massads name was still listed on the site, but Shafik claimed she could not answer whether his name had been removed.

Rep. Kathy Manning, D-N.C., also questioned Shafik about Massad, asking why the professor is still teaching at Columbia University. According to the university president, the school has disciplinary processes in place if a faculty member cross[es] a line. Shafik also told Manning that, to her knowledge, Massad is on the faculty, but he is not teaching anymore.

In addition to Massad, Stefanik highlighted the rhetoric of Columbia law professor Katherine Franke and visiting professor Mohamed Abdou. A few days after Hamas Oct. 7 massacre, Abdou wrote on Facebook he is with the muqawamah (the resistance), referring to Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad.

The Republican representative read a statement from Franke, in which the professor declared that All Israeli students who served in the I.D.F. [Israel Defense Forces] are dangerous and shouldnt be on campus.

Shafik said during the hearing that Abou had been terminated and that he would never work at Columbia again. As for Franke, the university president agreed that her comment was unacceptable, stating that a senior member of the schools administration has spoken to the professor, who claimed the statement was not what she intended to say.

The Republican representative for New York accused Shafik of failing to take disciplinary action.

Speaking to these professors is not enough, Stefanik said. And its sending a message across the university that this is tolerated, these antisemitic statements from a person with a position of authority in this classroom is tolerated.

In a Wednesday statement following the hearing, Stefanik asserted that Shafik offered inconsistent testimony about the disciplinary actions taken against students and faculty who engage in antisemitic behavior.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, R-Minn., who has also been accused of antisemitism, asked Shafik Wednesday if she has ever seen a protest on campus against Jewish people. As the university president began to answer, Omar interrupted and moved on to another set of questions.

Stefanik later accused Shafik of changing her testimony after the congresswoman asked her a question about whether there had been anti-Jewish protests at Columbia University. Shafik told Stefanik that she was not able to finish her sentence when the question was first presented to her. The president clarified that the protests were not labeled as anti-Jewish but agreed that antisemitic things were said at many of those events.
Harris County Commissioner Precinct 1 Rodney Ellis answers a question from the press during a press conference responding to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons lawsuit challenging the Uplift Harris program, the guaranteed income program, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at Harris County Administration Building in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

A district judge on Thursday ruled Harris County's new guaranteed income program can proceed, denying the Texas Attorney General Office's request for a temporary injunction. The state sued Harris County earlier this month, arguing the initiative to provide financial assistance to low-income residents violated a Texas statute prohibiting gifts of public funds.

Harris County Commissioners Court approved the plan last June to send $500 monthly payments to around 1,900 low-income households over the course of 18 months. The $20.5 million Uplift Harris program is funded by federal pandemic recovery dollars.

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Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis called the ruling a "victory for families struggling to make ends meet," while also acknowledging the legal battle likely isn't over.

"We stand ready to take our fight all the way to the Texas Supreme Court to protect Uplift Harris," Ellis said in a statement.

The Attorney General's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Though Uplift Harris has the support of Commissioners Court's four Democratic members, Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey  the lone Republican serving on the court  has vocally opposed it.

The Attorney General's Office called Ramsey to testify against the program on Thursday, though he is also a defendant in the case due to his position as a county commissioner.

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Attorney General Ken Paxton challenged the guaranteed income program after state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, a Houston Republican, requested an opinion on the legality of the program in January. Paxton filed a lawsuit on April 9, calling Uplift Harris a "socialist experiment by (Harris County Judge) Lina Hidalgo."

Paxton's office on Thursday argued Uplift Harris violated the Texas Constitution because it doesn't serve a public purpose, the participants are randomly selected and there are insufficient controls in place to restrict how recipients use the money.

An attorney with Paxton's office said the funding would serve no public benefit if a recipient spent the money on a trip to Las Vegas.

"If the community member won and brought all the money back, that could be a benefit," Judge Ursula Hall wryly noted.

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The Harris County Attorney's Office defended the program, arguing the public purpose is supporting low-income residents, and the lottery selection method is a common tool widely used by public programs, including some operated by the state.

The county also blasted Paxton's office for filing the lawsuit after recipients had already been notified that they had been selected.

"Because the State has sat on its hands over 10 months despite much public discussion and even a request for an Attorney General opinion from Senator Paul Bettencourt, it cannot come into court on the eve of the programs start and seek emergency relief," the county argued in its response to the state's request to put the program on hold.

Uplift Harris isn't the only guaranteed income program in the state, though the others appear not to have drawn Paxton's scrutiny. San Antonio launched the state's first guaranteed income program in December 2020, Austin began its $1.1 million pilot program in September 2022 and El Paso County recently approved a guaranteed income program in December.

As the judge heard the case in a Harris County courtroom on Thursday, Austin City Council voted to restart a similar guaranteed income program the city ran in 2022. Around 100 low-income Austin households will receive $1,000 monthly payments for one year.

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Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee said Thursday it's unclear whether Paxton's office will challenge Austin's efforts, as well.

"I think trying to assign some sort of logic or intellectual consistency to Ken Paxton's actions is probably an act of madness," Menefee said.

However, Menefee said he did feel certain about why Harris County had been targeted.

"One is so they can mention Lina Hidalgo's name 100 times and hopefully get some media off of her," Menefee said. "And two is because the participants in our program are low-income Black and brown folks, and I think history has shown that state officials aren't too favorable to those types of people."

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The first checks are expected to be sent to recipients on Wednesday.

One Harris County resident who attended the hearing, Robert Holley, said he is one of those recipients. He already knows what he wants to spend the money on  a new apartment, groceries and bills  but he's reluctant to celebrate the ruling since he knows an appeal is likely. Holley said he wondered about the state's objective in filing the lawsuit.
Home News Drag queen cancels story hour at Pennsylvania church after backlash

A drag queen story hour event that was moved from a library venue to a theologically progressive church in Pennsylvania has been canceled.

Vision of Hope Metropolitan Community Church of Mountville planned to host a drag queen performer known as Miss Amie for a gathering described as a tea party on April 27.

However, the church announced Monday morning that the event is canceled, citing unforeseen circumstances and news media publishing content without fact checking."

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An earlier social media post from the church stated that the decision to cancel the story hour ultimately came from Miss Amie.

Vision of Hope MCC describes itself as a safe and sacred space for authentic worship for the LGBGTQIA Community and all who would walk with us.

We endeavor to be a church of radical inclusivity and transformative love where the Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached and practiced; a place where all are empowered, encouraged, engaged, spiritually fed and made to feel loved, free and whole in the love of God, the church added.

Last month, the Lancaster Public Library canceled the story hour event featuring Miss Amie due to backlash, which included multiple threats and someone leaving a suspicious package at the facility.

Lancaster Police said the Pennsylvania State Police bomb squad was called out to the library and the facility was cleared as a precaution, with the threat alert lifted a few hours later, reported CBS News.

The library also saw financial backlash, as East Hempfield Township voted to pull its funding of the establishment following the controversy over the story hour event, while Mountville Borough Council voted to defer their donation over making sure that the facility promises to operate as a nonpartisan entity.

Mountville Borough Council Vice President Richard Spiegel explained that they hoped that events expressing or intending to promote a divisive cause or point of view, especially a controversial one, will not be scheduled.

In recent years, drag queen story hours at public libraries have been a source of division within communities. Critics view the events as inappropriate for children, while others see it as promoting inclusiveness.

Last week, the Community Church of Chesterland, Ohio, filed a lawsuit against an extremist group tied to vandalism of the congregation for their decision to host a drag show in 2023.

According to a Rasmussen Reports study released in November 2022, 60% of adults in the United States believe that drag queen story hours are inappropriate for children, while 29% said they were appropriate and 10% were unsure.
Home News New York man caught trading child pornography had over 800 explicit images on his phone

A New York resident caught trading child pornography admitted to the FBI that he had over 800 images and other explicit content in a hidden folder on his phone after an investigation found he used encrypted messaging and voice applications to trade the material.

Paul J. Mignacca, a 45-year-old suspect from Syracuse, was charged with distribution and possession of child pornography last week. After obtaining a warrant, the FBI joined other law enforcement agencies in searching Mignaccas car and home last week.

Citing a complaint filed in the U.S. Northern District Court of New York, Syracuse.com reported that Mignacca admitted to trading sexually explicit content in a conversation with law enforcement outside of his work. The suspect showed authorities the application he used to trade the materials on his phone.

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In September, FBI agents joined the voice application Mignacca used to trade images, and they observed a user named PJM upload three videos to the chat, according to the report. The FBI identified Mignacca as PJM after it subpoenaed T-Mobile for the phone number associated with the account.

During an interview last week at the Syracuse FBI office, the man showed the agents the hidden folder on his phone where he kept the child pornography materials and how he traded them. The hidden folder contained 839 images and two videos, according to the report.

The news of Mignaccas arrest comes a few weeks after Florida teacher Steven Houser was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography.

A resident of New Port Richey, the 67-year-old was accused last month of using childrens yearbook photos to create erotic materials and sexually explicit content through artificial intelligence.

According to a statement last month by the Pasco County Sheriffs Office, the investigation into the Florida teacher began after the office received an anonymous tip. The authorities found that Houser, who worked as a third-grade science teacher at Beacon Christian Academy, possessed two photos and three videos featuring child pornography.

The sheriffs office reported that the child pornography did not feature any students at the school. The investigation did find that Houser possessed child erotica generated by an AI computer program, which the teacher admitted he created by using yearbook photos.

Court records reveal that Houser was held at the Land O Lakes Jail on $100,000 bail for each of the five felony counts of child pornography possession. If the science teacher is convicted of committing a felony in the third degree, he could face up to a decade in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
Home News Judge considers if David Daleiden violated court order by sharing unseen undercover footage

A federal judge appeared to reluctantly agree that pro-life activist David Daleiden did not violate a permanent injunction by reposting previously unseen undercover footage of National Abortion Federation meetings after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., played them during a recent congressional hearing.

David Daleiden is the project lead at the Center for Medical Progress, the pro-life investigative group behind a series of undercover videos released in 2015 that show Planned Parenthood officials discussing the illegal sale of aborted baby body parts. Planned Parenthood has repeatedly denied the groups allegations.

Daleiden and one of his fellow investigators, Sandra Merrit, also secretly recorded conversations that took place at conferences hosted by the National Abortion Federation in 2014 and 2015.

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NAF filed a lawsuit in response to the videos, resulting in a permanent injunction that prohibited Daleiden from publishing materials from the events. Planned Parenthood also sued, resulting in a $2.4 million verdict.

Senior U.S. District Judge William Orrick expressed misgivings about Daleiden reposting several videos from the NAF conferences online, Courthouse News Service reported Monday. However, the judge appeared to concede that the footage was already shared during a public congressional hearing.

Last month, Daleiden testified alongside pro-life activist Terrisa Bukovinac at a hearing led by Greene and joined by Republican Reps. Chip Roy of Texas and Mary Miller of Illinois. During the hearing, which sought answers about how the abortion industry handles aborted baby body parts, Greene played several of CMPs previously unseen undercover videos.

While the faces of the individuals were obscured, Daleiden provided additional information about the content in the videos in response to Greenes questions.

In one of the videos played during the hearing, Planned Parenthood New York Citys Medical Director for abortion services, Dr. Stacy De-Lin, said her bosses would be "very happy" if they could be paid as high as $1,000 to $1,500 per intact liver.

In another clip featuring Planned Parenthood Gulf Coasts Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ann Schutt-Aine, an abortionist, is heard describing how she might use forceps to pull off a leg or two, so its not PBA. According to Daleiden, Schutt-Aine is talking about trying to hide a violation of the federal Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act by mutilating the babys body.

After the hearing, the pro-life activist published the videos played during the hearing on his website and social media pages, in addition to naming the individuals featured in the footage, according to Courthouse News Service.

In an April 4 X post, Daleiden posted a copy of Orricks clarification of a previous order from earlier this month to take down the videos. According to an April 3 X post from the pro-life activist, NAF filed a motion for Orrick to hold Daleiden and his organization in contempt for supposedly violating the permanent injunction by sharing the footage played at the hearing.

According to Courthouse News Service, Orrick seemed doubtful that he could enforce the permanent injunction but did allow for the redaction of abortion providers names in court documents. The federal judge also stated that he could not stop Daleiden from identifying the providers, noting that the activist learned who they were due to circumstances unrelated to the videos and the injunction.

I remain concerned about the personal safety issues that Ive expressed throughout this litigation, and I dont think time has assuaged my concern with respect to that. That said, Im not aware of any control or authority that I have with respect to congressional conduct, Orrick said.

Christina Dierolf, NAFs counsel, argued that the permanent injunction still prohibits Daleiden from publishing the videos and the names of the providers he met at the conferences, regardless of the source of that information.

Orrick provided Dierolf with a week to find a similar case that found barring the release of footage shared during a congressional hearing did not violate the First Amendment, according to Courthouse News Service.

The federal judge addressed Daleidens lawyer, Mark Meuser, clarifying that the pro-life activist does not have the right to publish additional footage from NAF conferences. The judge also requested that Daleiden notify him or seek permission in the future before publishing such information.
Home News Lions Club fights to restore giant cross in California park after atheist group pressured removal

A local Lions Club is continuing efforts to restore a 28-foot-tall cross in a public park in California after the city took the monument down.

The Pacific Justice Institute announced that it is helping to represent the Albany Lions Club in its effort to reinstate a cross in Albany, a town on the east shore of San Francisco Bay.

The cross was erected in Easter 1971 on a hill that was private property at the time.

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Made of lighted steel and plexiglass, the Lion's Club lit up the cross every year for Christmas and Easter and has also hosted Easter sunrise services, weddings, memorial services and baby dedications.

According to the PJI, no one objected to the cross until 2016, when an atheist activist organization successfully lobbied the Albany City Council to make an effort to remove the cross.

"The First Amendment of the Constitution protects individuals and private entities from such blatant state hostility to those wishing to express symbols of faith and hope," said PJI President Brad Dacus. "We at PJI are committed to defending such constitutionally protected expression."

In 2016, the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation, which advocates for a strict separation of church and state and often pressures local governments and school districts to end any perceived endorsement of religion, sent a complaint to Albany city officials saying they had been made aware of the cross by the group East Bay Atheists.

Even as the private property had been transferred to a public park, the Lions Club had been given an easement that gave the group a legal right to access the property to continue to maintain the cross, the legal group contends.

The city leadership agreed to try to remove the cross, and the Lions Club opposed removal and filed a complaint in 2017. A 2019 settlement allowed the cross to stand.

FFRF filed an amicus brief in 2019 before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, and a federal district judge later ruled that the cross was unconstitutional.

In 2022, the city took control of the Lions Club's easement via eminent domain, opening the door for the cross to be removed in June last year.

In January, an Alameda County Superior Court Judge upheld the cross' removal, arguing that the Lions Club cannot validly assert a First Amendment claim on the matter.

"The Lions Club has not shown that its organizational purpose, its mission, involves promoting religious activities," stated the ruling, as quoted by PJI.

"The Lions Club cites no authority for the proposition that it has a right to speech [display of a symbol which sends the message of God's love] in a manner that violates the Establishment Clause."

In 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in American Legion v. American Humanist Association that a 40-foot cross in Bladensburg, Maryland, meant to honor World War I soldiers, did not have to be removed from public property.
Home News Megachurch pastor responds to claims he plagiarized apology for viral wedding night 'joke'

A megachurch pastor has denied allegations that he plagiarized an apology as he continues to face pushback for suggesting in a joke that married women should do whatever their husbands want on their wedding night.

Josh Howerton, the pastor of Lakepointe Church in Rockwall, Texas, took to X on Wednesday to respond to online commentators who say that his recent apology for comments made in a February service closely resembled an apology made by Joby Martin of Church Eleven22 in Jacksonville, Florida, in 2022.

In response to the plagiarism allegations, the pastor posted a picture of himself with Martin, whom he calls "my preacher."

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"We both said goodbye to each other, but I said it 2nd, thus plagiarizing his farewell," he wrote. In another post as part of an X thread on the matter, Howerton added context for the photo.

"Someone accused me of 'plagiarizing' part of a Joby sermon last week, not knowing Joby called me to encourage me, help w sermon, gave me language, and that we frequently help each other w sermons."

"If you ever hear anything of mine in one of Joby's sermons  YUP, he's got my permission and we probably texted about it," he added.

In a sermon posted online on Feb. 26, Howerton told his congregation that because women plan their wedding days their entire lives, their husbands should "stand where she tells you to stand, wear what she tells you to wear, and do what she tells you to do" on their wedding day.

Howerton told the men in the audience that following this advice would make their wives "the happiest woman in the world." At the same time, he told the women in the audience that the man they marry has been waiting for his wedding night for his whole life and said that if they "just stand where he tells you to stand, wear what he tells you to wear and do what he tells you to do," they will "make him the happiest man in the world."

The second portion of his comments drew blowback, with podcast host Sheila Gregoire interpreting his remarks as a signal to men that "at the wedding night, you get to act like a porn director and direct her every move so you get exactly what you want." Howerton addressed the outcry over what he described as a "joke" during his April 7 sermon.

While insisting that his remarks were taken out of context because the viral clip of his sermon failed to include the first part directed at women, Howerton still offered an olive branch to anyone whom the joke "may have just landed on" wrong.

Howerton summarized a passage from the Book of Proverbs: "Careless words can stab like a sword, but wise words lead to healing."

"What that means is that  sometimes even jokes can be a careless word," he said. "I like to have fun around here. I want this to be a place where you have a little fun. I like to do that. At the same time  I never wanted to  toss something out there that feels like a careless word."

Howerton provided a detailed analogy in an attempt to explain the meaning of the Bible verse, comparing his actions to someone who "had a steak knife and they like had the intent to cut their steak and their hand slipped and accidentally stabbed you in the face." He stated that in such a scenario, "I still need to own that."

Howerton expressed gratitude for the "grace" his congregation showed him amid the outcry, telling them, "I love you," and illustrating how he wanted "to be doing this with you for decades and decades and decades."

In an August 2022 sermon, Martin apologized for talking about "breastfeeding" instead of the intended topic in a sermon that took place the previous week. The words Martin used in his apology are very similar to those used by Howerton in his message to the congregation last week.

"The Bible says in Proverbs 12:18 that careless words stab like a sword, and wise words lead to healing," Martin said.

He characterized his actions as part of "what I thought was a lighthearted, goofing off" attempt to "joke around" while acknowledging that "in an attempt to do that though, I was careless with my words."

"What the Bible means in Proverbs 12 when it says careless words stab like a sword, it means regardless of your intent, like if I was careless with a pocket knife and it slipped out of my hand and stabbed you in the face, it is still my responsibility," Martin said. "I am sorry, I apologize for my careless words."

"I love you, I love this church, I love getting to do this thing together, and again, I am sorry."

Like Howerton, Martin thanked his congregation for showing him "grace" in the wake of the negative attention he received and expressed a desire to continue in his position as pastor for "decades and decades to come." He assured the audience, "I love you, thank you, and I'm sorry."

In his X thread Wednesday, Howerton also shared a link to a blog post he wrote in September 2022 titled "On 'Sermon Plagiarism' Allegations."

"A church-sermon is not an academia-dissertation or a book/journalism-publication," Howerton wrote. "I freely give away my notes to other pastors because pastors aren't preaching to make themselves look good, sound smart, or sell something proprietary. We're preaching for life-change and to grow the kingdom. Those differing goals of written communication in journalism or academia vs. the goals of verbal communication in preaching lead to very different standards."

Howerton cited his views on "sermon plagiarism" allegations as the reason why such "accusations almost never come from other pastors, but from journalists, writers, or academics (or professional pastor-critics who need to manufacture new 'scandals' to generate clicks for their monetized sites)."

Howerton suggested that said individuals have a desire to "impose the standards of their industry onto another field."
Home News 'Reagan' film finally lands release date after delays; first look at Dennis Quaid as Ronald Reagan

A film adaptation of President Ronald Reagans life starring Dennis Quaid has officially landed a release date of Aug. 30, after a series of delays due to the COVID-19 lockdowns and an actors' strikes.

From ShowBiz Direct and set during the Cold War, "Reagan" tracks the 40th president of the United States life from his early days in a small town through his Hollywood career to his global political influence. The narrative, told through the perspective of Viktor Petrovich, a former KGB agent, explores Reagan's impact, which drew Soviet interest during his acting career. The film offers a unique take on Reagan's legacy, shaped by his resolve and the support of his wife.

Portraying Ronald Reagan was an enormous challenge, said Quaid. This is an important movie, one of my most interesting roles, and I am really excited to work with the ShowBiz Direct team.

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In addition to Quaid, the film's cast includes Penelope Ann Miller as Nancy Reagan, Mena Suvari as Jane Wyman, Lesley-Anne Down as Margaret Thatcher, David Henrie as a young Reagan, Kevin Dillon as Jack Warner, and Jon Voight as Petrovich. The film is directed by Sean McNamara, known for "Soul Surfer" and "Miracle Season."

ShowBiz Direct was recently launched by former exhibition veteran Kevin Mitchell, former Lionsgate Distribution President Richie Fay and former co-president of Open Road distribution Scott Kennedy.

I've had my eyes on this movie for a while, noted Mitchell. Dennis Quaid does such an amazing job portraying Ronald Reagan. Our goal in launching ShowBiz Direct is to help close the gap between the creative community and exhibition while embracing the theatrical release of motion pictures in a very transparent way. REAGAN was sought by many, and we are happy that we could reach an agreement with Mark Joseph and his team.

Originally planned for a 2023 release, "Reagan" faced production delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns and was further postponed by an actors' strike. It resumed shooting seven months after initially shutting down.

Although Reagan is a historical biopic and not categorized as a faith-based film, faith appears naturally in key moments, especially through his mother, Nelle, who was very devout, Chris Massoglia, who portrays legendary Gospel Hall of Famer Pat Boone in the upcoming biopic, previously told The Christian Post.

She gives her son a book called That Printer of Udells, and Reagan sees himself in the main character of that book, a young man who finds God and goes to Washington to become a congressman.

The impact of that book ends up shaping" Reagan's life, he added.

Massoglia also praised Quaid for being so good as Reagan," adding, I cant wait for everyone to see this film.

Its an inspiring and realistic portrait of one of our most consequential presidents, and I was honored to be asked to be a part of this film, Massoglia added. I appreciate that it shows the ups and downs of his life, the setbacks and the successes. My generation is cynical, and we dont trust stories in which the main character is perfect.

Quaid recently shared with CP how hes passionate about using his platform to share stories that honor his Christian faith, family and the U.S.

The actor told CP he's seeing a "hunger" for positive and uplifting films, adding: "I've been actually kind of surprised by that, like by the success of 'I Can Only Imagine'  it's not a Hollywood movie. Hollywood doesn't understand their audience anymore. People want to go to the movies to feel things and can't just discount the spirit, and people hunger for that. And so, these stories are really getting a lot of traction these days."
Home News FRC scholar blasts declaration from 'religious leaders' denouncing 'religious nationalism'

A scholar with the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit think tank Family Research Council (FRC) criticized the recent New Haven Declaration as the latest example of progressives attempting to smuggle in their agenda under the guise of Christianity, while trying to paint Bible-believing Christians as subversives.

"This is nothing new," David Closson, who serves as director of the Center for Biblical Worldview at FRC, told The Christian Post. "Over the last couple of years, the boogeyman of Christian nationalism has been raised by folks on the progressive Left, from the Biden campaign to people like Bill Maher. I remember after the January 6 incident, they were trying to blame Christian nationalism."

Last week, a group of Christian clergy, theologians and scholars led by progressive activist Bishop William J. Barber II signed the "New Haven Declaration of Moral & Spiritual Issues in the 2024 Presidential Election," which emerged as part of the inaugural conference of the Yale Divinity Schools Center for Public Theology & Policy.

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Barber, who founded the school's Center for Public Theology & Policy, appeared throughout Rob Reiner's recent documentary "God & Country," which alleged a creeping "Christian nationalism" in the U.S. that echoes the Third Reich and manifests most blatantly in former President Donald Trump.

In the New Haven Declaration, the self-described religious leaders denounced "distorted religious nationalism," which they claimed "has persuaded many well-meaning Christians to focus on a narrow set of divisive cultural wedge issues while ignoring the real moral issues that are at the heart of our Scriptures and tradition."

The declaration also warned that "a well-funded, coordinated political movement has co-opted our faith tradition and is exploiting so-called 'traditional values' to undermine democracy and divide people across this land," though what those specific "traditional values" are were left undefined.

The signatories further pledged "to launch a season of preaching the moral issues of living wages and union rights, healthcare and ecological justice, an end to the spilling of innocent blood, a re-imagination of criminal justice, and the protection and expansion of voting rights and equal protection guarantees."

Closson, who has been writing about Christian nationalism for years, noted that many of the same people who once used the term "religious right" in previous decades have now pivoted to using the phrase "Christian nationalism," which he said seems to be a tactic intended to silence those who are slapped with the label.

"The phrase seems to simply try to paint those who hold traditional conservative views, informed by the Scripture, as somehow not just outdated or a little odd, but as dangerous subversives who shouldn't even be allowed to participate in the public square," he said.

While he agrees with portions of the New Haven Declaration, Closson suggested that many flashpoint moral issues are conspicuously absent from the document despite their prominence in the Scriptures.

"I totally agree that we need a season of preaching on the moral issues," said Closson. "But when you pick through the issues that they're raising, noticeably there are some very clear issues that the Bible speaks to: the rights of the pre-born, issues related to religious liberty, issues related to the definition of human sexuality and the plethora of LGBT issues."

Regarding the declaration's call for "an end to the spilling of innocent blood," Closson said: "I could get on board with that, but we need to define that, and something tells me they wouldn't want it to define that the same way that I would."

The New Haven Declaration does not define the "divisive cultural wedge issues" by which Christians are allegedly being distracted from "the real moral issues," but Barber suggested in a 2019 interview with Intelligencer that Republicans who believe they have taken the moral position by opposing abortion while supporting gun rights, tax cuts, and school prayer are heretics.

"To suggest that if youre against abortion, youre against womens right to choose, youre for guns, for prayer in schools, for tax cuts, a Republican, then you have taken the moral position, that is modern-day heresy," Barber said. "And we have to challenge it. But were not just going to challenge it just emotionally. Were saying if you want to have a discussion about morality from a biblical standpoint, then lets have a real one."

Barber has also come out in support of same-sex marriage, claiming he was consecrated by a lesbian bishop. In 2019, he hosted an event at his Greenleaf Christian Church in Goldsboro, North Carolina, with then-Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, during which he claimed Jesus said nothing about homosexuality.

Closson noted there are some issues "where it's 'Thus saith the Lord,' and we don't have to guess what God's opinion is on a topic. Take the issue of abortion, we have Psalm 139:13-16. We have Luke 1:39-45. On the issue of the unborn, we don't have to guess what God's opinion is."

"And yet, I do think people are trying to smuggle a progressive agenda and use this veneer of outrage over Christian nationalism as simply a Trojan horse to continue pushing progressive views, which seems to be exactly what the [New Haven Declaration] was trying to accomplish," he said.

Clossen predicted that the firestorm over Christian nationalism will only intensify as the 2024 presidential election draws closer.

"I think that Christian nationalism, religious nationalism, that phrase is being wielded by the Biden administration, by the Biden campaign as a boogeyman to silence those whose conscience is formed by the Bible," he said.

While there are some Christians who adhere to theonomy and fringe ideas of establishing Old Testament law or some form of theocracy in the U.S., Closson said such people are miniscule compared to the vast majority of American Christians who simply wish to participate in the political process out of a desire to fulfill their biblical duties as a citizen.

"I think that the phrase and the allegations of Christian nationalism are only going to increase, and I really do think the goal behind that movement is to try to intimidate and silence conservative Evangelicals and Catholics from fully participating in the public square," he added.
Home Opinion Is abortion just a states issue?

Abortion is back as a presidential campaign issue. While it never really went away, last weeks ruling of the Arizona Supreme Court, along with former President Donald Trumps comments on his position on abortion, has propelled the mainstream media into daily  if not hourly  coverage of the abortion issue, and how it will affect the 2024 campaign. Trump said that his position on abortion is that its legality should be left up to the states and that it shouldnt be in the realm of the federal government. Democrats and even some Republicans have decried the Arizona decision to revert to its previous laws protecting life that were on the books before Roe v. Wade took effect.

For the media, abortion is the wedge issue supreme and will give them fodder for animated discussion all the way through November. For pro-abortion activists, and the Democratic Party alike, this is an opportunity to motivate their electoral base to action in light of an incumbent president who is drooping in the polls. For pro-lifers, this is an opportunity for real change in the wake of the Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health decision ending the decades of violence brought about by Roe v. Wade.

But an issue like this isnt unique in American history.

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Two U.S. Senate candidates debated a similar hot-button issue in 1858 Illinois. One was the incumbent Democrat, Stephen A. Douglas. His opponent was a Republican attorney named Abraham Lincoln. In what would become known as the Lincoln-Douglas debates (in which Lincoln gave his famous House Divided speech), a primary topic became the expansion of slavery into the U.S. territories. Douglas argued for the application of a doctrine called Popular Sovereignty, in which the territories would be allowed to choose for themselves whether or not to allow slavery. Lincoln claimed that such a doctrine could cause slavery to spread into the free (non-slave) states and perpetuate a policy that the U.S. had already limited in the Missouri Compromise.

Lincoln lost that election, but as we all know, went on to become the first Republican president. While in that office, Lincolns views on the slavery issue evolved even further. Lincoln took federal action on slavery in the Emancipation Proclamation and supported the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution  a federal ban on slavery  which was ratified shortly after his assassination. Lincoln came to see slavery as an issue that should see repudiation from all spheres  not just an individual states decision.

We would be hard-pressed to find any Democrat or Republican in the United States today who would say that individual states should be the final decision in deciding whether or not slavery should be legal. There will always be exceptions, but both parties know that it would be political suicide to take such a position. Its because the issue itself supersedes the mere category of state or federal legislation. Its a moral issue, and its inviolate. To relegate slavery to the level of mere local laws would undermine the very fabric of our nation. Our predecessors saw that slavery was doing just that in 1865 and wisely corrected it with the 13th Amendment. The addition of a constitutional amendment at the national level rightly underscored what was correctly enacted in many states at the state level. Americans dont vote anymore on slavery, but it was necessary to take government action to reach that goal.

When it comes to the issue of abortion, Republicans have  at least until recently  taken a more transcendent view on the value of the unborn life. Their latest platform states:

The Constitutions guarantee that no one can be deprived of life, liberty or property deliberately echoes the Declaration of Independences proclamation that all are endowed by their Creator with the inalienable right to life. Accordingly, we assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental right to life which cannot be infringed. We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendments protections apply to children before birth.

It remains to be seen how far Republicans have or will veer from this 2016 statement of party principle. During his administration, Trump advanced pro-life policies at a rate unseen in many previous administrations. Judging from Trumps actions and from the Republican platform, abortion isnt just an issue for the states.

For the Democrats, its clear that they do not view the protection of unborn life as a moral imperative. Their latest platform contains the phrase, We believe unequivocally, like the majority of Americans, that every woman should be able to access high-quality reproductive health care services, including safe and legal abortion. Its safe to say that we wont find Democratic spokespersons arguing for states rights on the issue of abortion  in fact, President Biden has stated a goal to codify Roe v. Wade into federal law. He posted on X this week, Donald Trump is the reason Roe v. Wade has ended. If you reelect me and @KamalaHarris, well be the reason its restored.



For the Democrats, abortion isnt just an issue for the states.

The issue of slavery has shown us that, in the eyes of both political parties, some issues are bigger than a mere commitment to federalism. And with abortion, its clear that political expediency, rather than a staunch commitment to federalism, maybe the operative factor for those making this appeal. Human lives arent fearfully and wonderfully legislated at the state level, they are fearfully and wonderfully made. We should treat them as such at all levels of government.

Originally published at The Washington Stand.
Home Opinion My realization about persecution for the sake of Christ

When Christians are persecuted and killed our responses are usually that of anger, disappointment, and pain. Sometimes we resent God for allowing us and our loved ones to go through trials simply because we follow Christ. We usually see those who are persecuted as disadvantaged people.

Jesus disciples had a different view of this. When they were persecuted, The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name (Acts 5:41). The Apostle Paul puts it this way in the New Living Translation: For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him (Philippians 1:29). The way we see persecution, suffering and death, which are associated with our belief in Christ, is not the same way as the Bible sees them.

I have persistently asked God in the past why He would not protect His servants. I expected God to arise and fight for the Nigerian Christians, but He remained silent. I wept profusely when I saw the video of how Lawan Andimi, the chairman of a local chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), was beheaded. His killing discouraged me so much that I wondered if these missionary risks were worth taking for a God who cannot protect His own.

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Soon thereafter the Lord revealed the mystery of the cross to me. I came to know that Lawan Andimi was one of the most privileged Christians whom God has blessed in the coming Kingdom.

I think that Christian martyrdom is the greatest privilege that God has given to believers. When Stephen was stoned to death, Scripture described the scene as glorious (Acts 7:55). The Apostle Paul understood the mystery attached to this privilege and was eager to go to Jerusalem and die for His master. Have we wondered why almost all the first-generation apostles had to pass through the same process of martyrdom? Christians who are martyred have the privilege of receiving the crown of life (Rev.2:10).

When Christ listed the conditions necessary for following Him, He said: Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it (Mathew 16:24-25). Many Christians see martyrdom and Christian suffering as strange concepts and a great disadvantage, but Christ was not afraid to state that these conditions are necessary for following Him. If the Church realizes this, more Christians will be willing to take risks for the sake of the Gospel.

Persecution, suffering, and death are never enjoyable but the truth remains that God has designed them for us to accomplish our Christian calling  just as He designed it for Christ to bring salvation to humanity. The Apostle James encouraged us to rejoice because there are many advantages attached to our sufferings and trials as believers: Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:2-4). The Apostle Peter in his epistle showed us that suffering for Christ is not disadvantageous but it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!" (1 Peter 4:16).



Understanding Scripture concerning this issue can help us cope with suffering when it inevitably comes. I am not of the opinion that Christians should invite persecution, suffering, and death but when it becomes unavoidable, we need to understand that it is the will of God for us and embrace it knowing fully well that the suffering in this present age is not comparable with the glory that will be revealed to us (Romans 8:18).
Bid to overturn Scotland's controversial new hate crime laws fails

MSPs opposed to Scotland's controversial new hate crime laws have failed in their bid to have them overturned.

A motion lodged by the Scottish Conservatives was defeated after a debate at Holyrood on Wednesday.

Among the motion's supporters was Tory MSP, Russell Findlay, who called the hate crime laws a "clype's charter" and a "disaster".

The laws came into effect on 1 April and criminalise language deemed to 'stir up hatred' on the grounds of age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity or certain sex characteristics.

They carry stiff penalties of up to seven years in prison and the possibility of an unlimited fine.

Critics, which include many Christian groups, have warned of the risk to pastors and parents who oppose transgender ideology.

Lois McLatchie Miller, Scottish spokesperson for Christian advocacy group ADF UK, said, "It's obvious that the 'hate speech ban' is completely unworkable according to democratic principles and must be repealed.

"Scotland was once the home of the Enlightenment, but these are dark days indeed for anyone wishing to challenge the dominant orthodoxies of our day  either through edgy comedy, religious conviction, or upholding truth on biological facts."

Police Scotland received more than 7,000 reports of 'hate crimes' in the first week after the laws came into effect but said that only 3.8% of the complaints were authentic.

The police have come in for further criticism after recently announcing that they would investigate every hate crime complaint but not all low level crimes.
Letter from China: Perceiving openness in ancient Silk Road city Xi'an

10:45, April 18, 2024 By Zhang Sijie ( Xinhua

XI'AN, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Picture the scene: Kazakhstan workers manage inventory as gantry cranes hoist containers onto trucks and trains. Now, think... where this might be taking place? Your initial answer might not be the inland city of Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province in northwest China.

If you are someone who loves history like me, then you may have already heard about the city. During the Tang Dynasty (618-907), it was called Chang'an, and it was a hub for merchants, envoys, and students from across the globe.

Despite the name change, the openness of Xi'an, the eastern starting point of the ancient Silk Road, endures, albeit in a more modern form.

The scene at the top of this story describes China-Kazakhstan (Xi'an) Trade Logistics, a freight terminal in Xi'an international port station. It was here that I met Sadvakkas Seitzhanov, general manager of the Chinese branch of KTZ Express, a subsidiary of Kazakhstan's national railway company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ).

Strolling around some of the 6.67-hectare terminal, we used our "outside voices" so we could hear each other over the background sounds of roaring machines. Pointing to row-upon-row containers loading Kazakh goods, Seitzhanov said they are waiting to be transported to eastern China and Southeast Asia. "The booming bilateral trade in recent years has given us the confidence to expand business in China."

According to KTZ, China-Kazakhstan rail cargo volume rose by 22 percent yearly to 28 million tonnes in 2023. For years, KTZ has been transporting goods such as grains and raw materials from Kazakhstan to China, while conveying mechanical equipment and new energy vehicles, among others in reverse.

When I asked him why the firm built a terminal here, he said that Xi'an, located in the heartland of China, has the advantage of distributing and gathering goods, as well as well-established business services. Every 100 minutes, a train leaves or arrives at Xi'an international port station.

"The aim of the terminal in Xi'an is for it to be a transfer hub and warehouse, so that goods can be transferred between China, Kazakhstan, Central Asia and even Europe and other places more efficiently," he said. "We adjust the shipment schedule based on real-time market demand, and share information about the train service and provide one-stop service to our clients."

At the China-Central Asia Summit held in May last year, China vowed to enhance connectivity with a series of measures including accelerating the upgrade of ports and developing China-Europe freight train hubs. China-Kazakhstan (Xi'an) Trade Logistics, jointly launched by KTZ Express and Xi'an Free Trade Port Construction and Operation last December, is an outcome of the summit.

Xi'an and Shaanxi, have attracted more attention from international companies. A total of 408 new foreign-funded enterprises were established in Shaanxi in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 29.9 percent and a record high over the past two decades. The actual utilization of foreign investment also saw an increase last year, according to the provincial commerce department.

Last year, a new manufacturing base in Xi'an, made possible by investment from power equipment multinational Hitachi Energy, was put into use to produce capacitors and power-quality products. Another firm, People &Technology from the Republic of Korea, has invested in an industrial park in Qianxian County near Xi'an, which will manufacture copper foil, a material for more advanced rechargeable lithium batteries once launched into operation.

The openness of Xi'an is not only reflected in international business, but also in people-to-people bonds. Xi'an has 40 sister cities worldwide, and over the past decade, inbound tourists made some 26 million visits to Shaanxi, according to data from local authorities.

Fluent Mandarin speaker Seitzhanov is a Peking University alumnus. He said he has adapted to the lifestyle in Xi'an after working here for almost a year. He said a unique feature of Xi'an is its cultural atmosphere, a nod to his fascination with the city's history.

"I do not need to make a travel plan to see ancient city walls, pagodas and other historical sites. They are everywhere here, and can be seen during a commute or just a casual walk around the city," he said.

While on my recent visit, I stopped by the Xi'an Museum, I was enchanted by a tri-colored galloping horse dating back to the Tang Dynasty. A guide told me that many people believe the ceramic figurine on horseback portrays the diverse culture of the ancient Silk Road.

The statue is just one of many historical documents and relics that bear testament to Xi'an's rich history of over 3,000 years, documenting its evolution as an ancient capital for 13 dynasties, and its position as a hub for commercial trade, cultural communication, and exploration.

"Despite the passing of time, the city has not lost its glamor for international investors thanks to its open economy and comprehensive transport links," Seitzhanov told me, adding that he always takes direct flights between Xi'an and Astana, capital of Kazakhstan.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
A sign advertises land for sale along South Main Street on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, in Houston. Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development granted an extension on Texas efforts to offer disaster assistance after Hurricane Harvey, potentially offering a lifeline to a city plan to build roughly 120 new homes in southwest Houston.

Houston received about $1.3 billion in federal disaster recovery funding after Harvey in 2017, which was mostly meant to replenish housing that was damaged or wiped out in the storm. One of the programs in that portfolio involved buying large tracts of land and developing affordable single-family homes.

The city purchased three sites with those intentions. Facing tough market conditions and the impending deadline on Harvey money, though, housing officials decided last fall to scrap the plans and put the land it had acquired up for sale.

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Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham told City Council members on Wednesday that HUD extended the states deadline on disaster recovery funding, likely saving the citys plans for a development on Stella Link Road, a former business park near NRG Stadium. The news means Houston can put out a funding notice for developers interested in building the homes.

Hopefully this will bring us the opportunity to really get all of these dollars delivered like we need to get them delivered, Buckingham said.

Mayor Pro Tem Martha Castex Tatum, whose District K includes the site in question, hailed the news. In recent weeks, she had opposed agenda items to put the land up for sale. The citys plans called for roughly 120 homes, with 51% reserved for buyers who make less than 80% of the area median income.

So many of our constituents were looking forward to having an affordable single-family home in the city, Castex-Tatum said. This particular property is right across the street from the medical center.

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The decision does not fully secure the future of the Stella Link development. State and city officials still are negotiating an extension for the city, which will have to prove it can get the houses built and sold to buyers before a new deadline.

Buckingham and newly elected Mayor John Whitmire pitched the news as part of a relationship reset, after City Hall and the General Land Office sparred for years over Harvey recovery.

Former Mayor Sylvester Turners administration and former Land Commissioner George P. Bush were at odds about the citys recovery efforts for most of their tenures. The state lambasted the city for what it said was sluggish progress, and the city argued the GLO was an overbearing partner, making progress unnecessarily difficult.

In 2020, the GLO sued to take over the citys entire $1.3 billion portfolio, which included much larger efforts to rebuild homes damaged in the storm ($427 million) and develop affordable multifamily housing ($350 million). The two sides ultimately reached a settlement that saw the city relinquish most of the program dedicated to rebuilding and rehabilitating homes.

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Later, the state clawed back another $170 million in funding, citing missed benchmarks. That left the citys revised recovery budget at $664 million, roughly half of the sum it started with. Its budget for developing single-family homes, $60 million, was slashed down from $220 million.

The funding deadlines for the rest of the citys programs will remain, with about half set to close out in August and the rest in February 2025. The city has about $151 million in federal grants remaining.

The city had requested extensions on those deadlines under Turners administration, but the GLO denied the request  despite getting its own extension from HUD.

Buckinghams presentation to council, however, was not entirely positive. She said the city failed to adequately provide relocation expenses and services to residents of 877 apartments in its buyout program, an effort to purchase flood-prone complexes and replace them with areas for water detention.

That program involved four apartment purchases in 2021  Biscayne at Cityview, Monticello Square Apartments, Appian Way Apartments and Spring Village Apartments.

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State and city staff have been working to find those residents for months. Buckingham announced Tuesday the GLO will partner with the city, Harris County and community leaders to find those displaced residents, using $45 million from the sale of two city properties back to the GLO, plus an additional $11 million, she and Housing Director Mike Nichols said.
International House of Prayer Kansas City denies report it plans to close

(CP) International House of Prayer Kansas City has denied a report that the ministry is in the process of shutting down but says it's in a restructuring phase that will shutter some aspects of its operations this year, including its school of ministry.

"In a word, IHOPKC is NOT closing," the ministry told The Christian Post in a statement Monday.

"To state the obvious, the last six months have been a test to the strengths and fortitude of our missions-based organization. Over the course of these last months, our leadership team has tirelessly endeavored to review and analyze the entire IHOPKC organizational structure and the many missions we have undertaken over our 24 years of existence," the statement continued. "That review and reflection has led to internal decisions to begin a transition and reorganization process, which will allow us to focus on our main mission yet deal with the realities of finance."

The Roys Report, citing a leaked recording from leaders at an internal IHOP University staff meeting as well as an email from IHOP University President Matt Candler, reported this week that IHOPKC was in the process of shuttering for good due to the financial impact of founder Mike Bickle's sexual abuse scandal. IHOPKC permanently cut ties with Bickle last December.

In the statement to CP, IHOPKC insisted that the ministry intends to continue despite phasing out IHOPU, its ministry school.

"We are NOT closing the 24/7 prayer room; it remains a main stay of our existence. We do intend to review the functionality of various operational locations and will likely consolidate several. We have also decided to conclude the operation of IHOPU, our ministry school, after this year's graduation," the ministry said.

Officials with the ministry also appeared to deny claims that they are seeking to escape liability connected to the allegations of sexual abuse against Bickle.

"We have supported and will continue to support any and all victims of abuse, sexual or otherwise, whether here within IHOPKC, or anywhere in the community. To be clear, there have been no lawsuits filed against IHOPKC; the allegations of prior misconduct pertained to an individual, not our organization," the ministry said.

"As we seek to create a 'bettered' version of IHOPKC, we may close some windows of our mission while opening others, but once again, IHOPKC is NOT closing," officials added.

Leaders of IHOPKC, including IHOP University President Matt Candler, revealed that the ministry was losing some $500,000 per month due to donors being too connected to Bickle, The Roys Report noted.

"IHOPKC as an organization is beginning to wind down," Candler said in the leaked recording of the meeting. "We're going to be maintaining our prayer room and eventually beginning a new organization."

Isaac Bennett, who leads IHOPKC's Forerunner Church, also noted that lawsuits from the victims in Bickle's sexual abuse scandal presented the ministry with "significant liabilities."

"We're the people to sue at the end of the day," he said. "That produces significant liabilities."

Boz Tchividjian, Billy Graham's grandson, an attorney and longtime advocate of sexual abuse survivors who is representing one of Bickle's alleged victims, said if IHOPKC leaders believe the ministry can just shutter then re-emerge as a rebranded organization to escape liability, they are living in "fantasyland."

"The notion that they can just shut it down and start a new organization and all of that prior potential liability is wiped away is fantasyland," he told the news outlet. "To suddenly take all the property, put it in name of [a] new organization to limit liability that would what I believe be called a fraudulent transfer. A court would not allow that."

Bennett reportedly explained in the leaked recording that while IHOPKC has been looking at different ways to navigate the Bickle scandal, they have found no way around the liability the organization has been exposed to as a result of the allegations of the ministry's mishandling of the abuse allegations.

"In cases where there's clergy abuse, where there's allegations that are outstanding  when there's now interest in having an investigation that goes back through all of our 24-year history to find cases where there's been mishandling of abuse, or where there's been cover-up, or whatever else it is people believe has been gone on  those things will produce inevitably a contingent of individuals who are wanting to get restitution," Bennett said. "And they're not going to go knock on Mike's door because, well, he probably won't answer. But they're not going to knock on Mike's door because he doesn't have any money. But IHOPKC has facilities."

 The Christian Post
Police disruption to conservative conference in Belgium was 'dark mark on European democracy'

A Christian group has criticised the actions of authorities in Belgium who brought a conservative conference attended by Nigel Farage and Suella Braverman to a halt.

High profile delegates at the two-day Conference on National Conservatism also included Miriam Cates MP, German Cardinal Ludwig Muller, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Brussels mayor Emir Kir had attempted to shut it down on the grounds that it endangered public safety. Police barricaded the venue and prevented people from entering after authorities demanded that it be "cancelled", citing "ethically conservative" beliefs on abortion, marriage and the EU.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo called it an "unacceptable" breach of the country's constitution.

The conference was able to go ahead after the Conseil d'Etat, the highest court in Belgium relating to issues of public administration, ruled in its favour.

Christian group, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which supported the emergency late night legal challenge by organisers, said the conference should never have been cancelled.

Paul Coleman, executive director of ADF International and a speaker at the conference, called the court ruling a victory for free speech.

"In allowing the National Conservatism Conference to continue, the Administrative Court has come down on the side of basic human rights," he said.

"While common sense and justice have prevailed, what happened yesterday is a dark mark on European democracy. No official should have the power to shut down free and peaceful assembly merely because he disagrees with what is being said.

"How can Brussels claim to be the heart of Europe if its officials only allow one side of the European conversation to be heard?

"The kind of authoritarian censorship we have just witnessed belongs in the worst chapters of Europe's history.

"Thankfully, the court has acted swiftly to prevent the repression of our fundamental freedoms to both assembly and speech, thus protecting these essential characteristics of democracy for another day."
Service held to mark 10 years since kidnapping of Chibok schoolgirls

A service has been held in Chibok, Nigeria, on the 10th anniversary of the kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls.

The service was attended by hundreds of parents, many of whom are still waiting for the release of their daughters.

While some have been released and others have escaped over the years, 82 of the girls remain unaccounted for.

Hanatu Daua, who attended the service, is one of the lucky parents as her daughter Saratu was released with three of her children. But she told Open Doors that she longs to see the other girls freed.

"But together, we are pleading for the release of the other daughters in captivity," she said.

"May God bail them so we can sit together again and let go of this bitterness in us. We are pleading with Boko Haram to release them. We are tired."

The girls, all aged between 16 and 18 at the time, were abducted from their school by terrorist group Boko Haram between 16 and 18 April 2014.

Yakubu Nkeki, chairman of the Chibok Parents Association, said, "It's been 10 years, so I ask the government, what is our crime? What did Chibok ever do that their children haven't been released? Even if they have grown old or given birth to 10 children each, a way should be made to bring them back to us the way they are."

Jabez Musa, a Nigerian human rights lawyer who has been advocating for persecuted Christians in the North and Middle Belt of Nigeria, said, "The Chibok families have been under serious trauma and agony this last decade. Some have fallen sick from the stress and worry, and some have died.

"One thing I think that is increasing the upset for parents is reports coming from the IDP camps where some of the released girls are being kept are for rehabilitation. We are hearing that government officials there are planning marry some of the girls to Boko Haram insurgents, without the consent of the parents."

Nigeria is ranked sixth on Open Doors World Watch list of countries where it is most dangerous to be a Christian. The human rights group says that Nigeria has the highest level of violence towards Christians of any nation, with over 5,000 Nigerian Christians killed for their faith last year.

Parents at the service were critical of the Nigerian government and its failure to stop wider violence against the Christian community.

"The president has been so quiet since he was elected," said Musa.

"He has not been commenting on this security situation, or the violence generally, particularly in the northern region of Nigeria.

"There is so much pressure now for government to end that impunity the militants have, and for some of us we are calling on the international community especially the UK Government to impress on the Tinubu government that they need to find a way to end this problem."
'Significant' number of schools failing to meet religious education obligations

There have been calls for more support for religious education (RE) after an Ofsted report published this week found that many schools need to "add depth" to their RE curriculum.

Ofsted's new subject report, 'Deep and meaningful', draws on evidence gathered during visits to a sample of primary and secondary schools in 2013.

It is the first time that RE provision has been reviewed by Ofsted since 2013 and the report published on Wednesday found that "little progress" has been made since then.

In "most" schools, RE provision is "superficially broad but lacks depth", while "a significant proportion of schools" are failing to meet the statutory requirement of teaching RE at all educational stages.

Ofsted also found a "lack of clarity" around the RE curriculum, prompting calls for better government guidance outlining what should be taught and when.

Ofsted's Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver, said: "A strong RE curriculum is not only important for pupils' cultural development, it is a requirement of law and too many schools are not meeting that obligation.

"I hope that the examples of good RE curriculum in our report help schools develop their own practice and support the development of a strong RE curriculum for all."

Deborah Weston, Chair of the Religious Education Policy Unit, said that Ofsted was right to highlight that "in far too many schools across the country RE does not fulfil the subject's potential".

"Fortunately, many of the factors it identified as enabling high-quality RE can be easily addressed. These include strong teacher subject knowledge, access to professional development, regular time for RE lessons, and a well-organised curriculum," she said.

Sarah Lane Cawte, chair of the Religious Education Council of England & Wales, said that funding was a factor in poor RE provision.

"In recent years RE has suffered from a gulf in government funding and the axing of the teacher training bursary," she said.

"Whilst the bursaries have been reinstated there is still much to be done. We are pleased that this Ofsted report calls for more government action to support RE across the sector."
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Democratic primary candidates for Texas State District 15, Jarvis Johnson and Molly Cook, debate on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Houston. The debate was sponsored by the Bayou Blue Democrats for the race to fill Houston Mayor John Whitmires former Texas Senate seat. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer Texas State District 15 candidate Jarvis Johnson debates with fellow Democratic primary candidate Molly Cook on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Houston. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer Texas State District 15 candidate Molly Cook debates with fellow Democratic primary candidate Jarvis Johnson on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Houston. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer Attendees listen to a debate for the Democratic primary runoff election for Texas State District 15, John Whitmire's former state Senate seat between Molly Cook and Jarvis Johnson on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Houston. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer

If Houstonians found recent political debates to be largely uneventful events, they were in for a big surprise Wednesday night, when state Rep. Jarvis Johnson and emergency room nurse Molly Cook took the stage. The two candidates, running to succeed Mayor John Whitmire in the Texas Senate, repeatedly clashed over their backgrounds and records ahead of back-to-back elections.

The District 15 seat became vacant for the first time since 1983 when Whitmire left the Legislature to serve as Houston's mayor. During the Democratic primary in March, Johnson and Cook received 36% and 21% of the ballots cast, respectively, eliminating four other candidates from the race.

Since neither candidate received a majority of the vote, they are now set to compete against each other in a primary runoff May 28. Due to Whitmires early resignation, the two will also face off in a special election May 4 to decide who will complete the remainder of Whitmires term this year. Early voting for the special election starts Monday.

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NO WINNER YET: Race to succeed John Whitmire in Texas Senate down to runoff between Jarvis Johnson, Molly Cook

During the debate, organized by the Bayou Blue Democrats, Johnson took aim at Cook for her lack of experience serving in elected office. Cook, striving to close a 15 percentage point gap behind her opponent, in turn leveled sharp attacks against Johnson for the state representatives voting and donation records.

The district has traditionally been a Democratic stronghold, encompassing several of Houston's most prominent neighborhoods, such as Montrose and the Heights. The winning Democrat in the runoff will face local businessman Joseph Trahan, the sole Republican to enter the race for the seat, in November.

Here are four takeaways from Wednesdays fiery debate.

Cooks political inexperience front and center

Johnson has served in the Texas House since 2016 and previously represented District B on Houston's City Council. On Wednesday, he sought to distinguish himself by emphasizing his extensive political experience, including passing dozens of bills during his time in the Legislature.

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The Senate is not a place to learn politics, Johnson said. Experience as a nurse does not translate to being an experienced lawmaker to get the job done, to get bills passed.

Cook highlighted her leadership in several grassroots activism campaigns in recent years. She spearheaded efforts to fight against the massive Interstate 45 expansion project. She also helped organize a successful campaign last year to increase Houston's influence in a regional planning body, which she said would benefit Houstonians in key policy areas such as transportation and disaster mitigation.

Johnsons experience in office also needs to be examined, Cook said. Specifically, she emphasized that Johnson missed more votes than most of his colleagues in 2021.

The state representative acknowledged his absence, noting that he and other Democrats walked out in 2021 to block a series of Republican-backed voting restrictions that attempted to ban drive-thru and 24-hour voting.

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Cook, however, said that although she respects Democratic legislators' decision to break quorum, Johnson also gave up on key opportunities to advance the rights of Texans that year.

I find this concerning, and I feel that it's something that voters need to know before they walk into that booth, Cook said.

Johnsons voting record under attack

Johnsons attendance rate was not the only issue Cook raised Wednesday. She cited several legislative actions that she argued demonstrate that Johnsons records are out of step with Democratic values.

She criticized Johnson for supporting a Republican-backed bill that she said made it more difficult for individuals with preexisting conditions to secure equitable health insurance coverage. The vote was particularly disturbing to her as a health care professional who see(s) people day in and day out with fear in their eyes, disease in their bodies, she said.

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I got the education and experience that we need not to let that kind of thing slip past me, not to fall prey to a Republican playbook, Cook said.

Johnson said he supported the bill only after Democrats had successfully added a favorable amendment to improve transparency in the process. Voting against the bill after securing the amendment, he said, would have jeopardized relationships with the Republican majority.

The bill will pass with or without us. We can stand strong and firm and don't move and say, Absolutely not, but we'll never get anywhere and well never get anything, Johnson said, adding Cooks criticisms were mind-boggling and baffling.

Candidates debate Johnsons PAC donations

The two contenders have been closely matched in fundraising. Since the start of 2023, Cook and Johnson have raised $420,400 and $443,700, respectively, with $39,700 and $75,500 in cash on hand as of late March, according to their campaign finance reports.

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A significant portion of Johnsons campaign fundsover $110,000came from Charter Schools Now PAC, the political arm of the Austin-based Texas Public Charter Schools Association, which is connected to many conservative donors, Cook said.

Johnson pointed out that Cook had also sought the association's endorsement: You said, Can I be your candidate? And they said, No. Now all of a sudden they're the demon and the devil?

Cook said she interviewed with nearly all organizations that requested meetings and was forthright during these interactions.

I promise never to touch dark Republican money that is floating through these PACs and changing the landscape and culture of our state around public education, she said.

Standing up to Republican state leadership

Both candidates vowed to stand up to Republican leadership and advance liberal causes such as public education and Medicaid expansion.

Cook highlighted health care and womens reproductive rights as causes personal to her. She has run campaign advertisements that describe her own experience of getting an abortion about a decade ago.

I think of all the women that I saw in that waiting room, and I think of every single patient that I cared for, tucked in with a warm blanket or used my hands to resuscitate and revive, she said. I carry those women and those patients with me every moment of every day.

She also emphasized transportation as a policy area on which she would focus. She said that instead of spending on more highways, which has disproportionately affected the quality of life of minority communities, the state should try to reduce traffic, mitigate air pollution and reduce flooding risks.

Johnson said he would combat racist rhetoric that has divided the state, including eliminating Confederate Heroes Day in Texas, which he described as long antiquated. Above all, he said, he would use his established relationships and work across the aisle to get the job done.
Oracle is planning to invest $8 billion in Japan over the next 10 years in order to expand its cloud infrastructure footprint, which in turn will help the company meet the growing demand for AI-based workloads, the company announced on Wednesday.

As part of the investment, the company said it will increase local customer support of its public cloud regions in Tokyo and Osaka.

[ Related: Oracle CloudWorld 2024 coverage ]
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A view southbound along Montrose Blvd. on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, between Allen Pkwy. and Clay St. Kirk Sides/Staff photographer Knitted squares adorn trees along Montrose Blvd. as area residents protest a plan to remove them during a roadway improvement project on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer

Permitting for an overhaul of Montrose Boulevard, a project that has drawn ire from residents pushing to protect the road's oak trees, has been delayed at City Hall after Mayor John Whitmires staff asked project organizers to consider revising key details of the plan.

Funding for the Montrose redesign is set to come from the neighborhood Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, which receives property taxes directly for redevelopment, rather than using city funds. However, the TIRZ cannot move forward on roadwork without city permits.

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Project organizers from the neighborhoods TIRZ discussed the plan with the city for years and were nearing final approvals when they first met with the new administration in January. In that meeting, they said, Whitmire and city agency leads asked for adjustments, which they incorporated before the final plan was submitted for permitting at the end of February.

Since then, the plan has been in a holding pattern as Whitmire has publicly questioned some of its key components, such as the planned tree removal and sidewalk expansion.

His new senior adviser for planning, Marlene Gafrick, said she met with the TIRZ a week ago.

I anticipate the project moving forward with some level of modifications, Gafrick said, adding that her conversation with TIRZ leaders involved further potential changes to the plan including maintaining lane widths, sidewalk widths and preserving trees and that they briefly touched on milling and overlay versus a complete reconstruction.

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Joe Webb, chair of the Montrose TIRZ, said the current plan is a serious drainage project based on an assessment the group published in February 2021 and that it took advantage of the road improvements to upgrade other infrastructure, reconstruct broken sidewalks and pavement and make the layout pedestrian-friendly. He said potentially switching the plan to an overlay would preclude the current intent to place large underground pipes for stormwater runoff.

Jonna Hitchcock, who co-founded Save Montrose Live Oaks to push back against the plan, said she and fellow opponents think its just really an over-engineered solution to a problem of needing better sidewalks and better pavement.

She is most concerned that the TIRZ still intends to pull up over 50 mature trees along the thoroughfare in its first two-block phase of construction, replacing them with younger ones, according to the latest version of the plan.

Some residents also called into question the flood mitigation measures in public meetings this year. Webb confirmed that in a TIRZ board meeting Monday, one resident told members that Whitmire had recently said he was unsure if the projects drainage component was necessary.

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The Charity Commission has responded after a think tank criticised the speed that it takes to conduct investigations.

Policy Exchange published a report this week on what it called the Iranian threat to the UK, which includes commentary on an ongoing statutory inquiry opened by the Commission in November 2022 into the Islamic Centre of England.

It reads: The snails pace at which the Charity Commission consistently operates is unacceptable, unfair to both those under investigation, and to the public.

The report adds that the recently-appointed chief executive of the Commission David Holdsworth, who will take office on 1 July 2024, must make it his priority to sharpen the pace and the investigative focus of this organisation  it cannot continue working in the way it has hitherto.

It adds that a key drawback with the Commission is the speed that it takes to conduct inquiries, sometimes taking one-two years from announcement to culmination.

This perhaps reflects a legalistic approach focused purely on regulatory issues, as opposed to seeking to establish wider aspects of a charitys behaviour or direction, it reads.

It is not at all clear that a change such as providing greater resources would assist in addressing this.

A spokesperson for the Charity Commission said: Our statutory inquiry into Islamic Centre of England remains ongoing and the interim manager, appointed by the Commission, continues to perform specific functions at the charity.



How long an inquiry runs for will depend on the nature and scale of the concerns under investigation and other influences, including whether serving or former trustees seek to challenge the Commission's actions in the courts.

This is one such case where we are defending a legal challenge against our decision to appoint an interim manager to the charity.

Islamic Centre of England inquiry

Emma Moody of Womble Bond Dickinson was appointed as interim manager of the Islamic Centre of England on 4 May 2023.

Some civil society groups and individuals then called the Commissions decision to appoint her as interim manager politically motivated.

In a letter sent to chair Orlando Fraser, organisations including the Islamic Human Rights Commission and the Scottish Palestinian Society, said that the regulators decision to appoint a non-Muslim interim manager serves the interest of Islamophobes.

Moody said she was appointed by the Commission on the back of her governance expertise and years of experience advising charities of all faiths across the UK, including a number of Muslim-faith led organisations.

She added: I am committed to working collaboratively with the Islamic Centre of England, and its trustees, and our first priority and focus is to reopen the centre as soon as possible.

Islamic Centre of England said the charity trustees are aware of the Policy Exchange report and met with its interim manager earlier this week to consider its response further.

A spokesperson for the charity said: Our congregation, composed of individuals from diverse backgrounds, reflects the Centres commitment to inclusivity and harmony.

It does not exist to further political purposes and does not promote or condone violence, hatred or discrimination of any sort.

We have cooperated fully with the Charity Commission and other public bodies, and have remained steadfast in our commitment to transparency, accountability, and service to the community. 

The spokesperson added that its trustees were committed to the continual improvement of its governance and would work with professional advisors, the Commission and the interim manager to achieve this.

Our focus is on bringing to a positive conclusion the ongoing statutory inquiry so the Charity can focus on the charitable purposes they said.

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Disability charity Leonard Cheshire is set to sell all of its five residential care homes in Wales this year, according to internal documents seen by Civil Society.

The documents state that six parties have submitted bids of interest for one or more of the homes, following a market exercise in December.

They state that the charity aims to complete the sale of its five care homes in Wales, which provide services for 148 adults with disabilities, by July 2024.

Leonard Cheshire said in response that if there was any major news of this kind, people impacted would be fully informed at the appropriate time but did not explicitly deny the plans in the leaked documents.

It comes after Leonard Cheshire recorded a deficit for the fifth year in a row and made 275 redundancies last year.

The Charity Commission opened a statutory inquiry into the charity in 2022 due to its financial difficulties, which remains ongoing.

One care home set to close

Leonard Cheshire runs five care homes in Wales  Danybryn, Dolywern, Eithinog, Llanhennock Lodge and Ty Cwm  according to its website .

According to media reports , Llanhennock Lodge, which cares for 34 adults with physical disabilities, is set to close this month.

The leaked documents state that the site will be the first care home divested from the charitys Welsh branches and is currently at documentation stage and pending approval of the board.

18.8m target

Plans to divest from its care homes in Wales form part of the charitys broader strategic plans to bring in 18.8m by September, the documents state.

Leonard Cheshire has already made 11.5m from sales of other closed services completed last year  including Agate House, Alder House and Greenhill  the documents state.

The documents state the charity is in the process of selling three other closed sites in England this year  Chiltern House, Rectory Road and Ashwood.

Leonard Cheshire: Explored a range of options

A spokesperson for Leonard Cheshire said: As part of our financial turnaround we've explored a range of options related to our service delivery, against the backdrop of a challenging environment in social care.

We will not comment on leaked documents which can be taken out of context.

If there was any major news of this kind, people impacted would be fully informed at the appropriate time.

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The Supreme Court has ruled in favour of a charity worker in a case that centred on employees freedom to take part in strike action.

Care worker Fiona Mercer previously won an employment appeal tribunal case against her former employer Alternative Futures Group (AFG) after the charity had suspended her following her participation in strikes related to a pay dispute.

Her case has since been escalated through the courts after the government intervened.

This week, Supreme Court judges declared that UK trade union legislation was incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

If employees can only take strike action by exposing themselves to detrimental treatment, the right dissolves, the judgment reads.

Nor is it clear what legitimate aim a complete absence of such protection serves. In the context of the scheme of protection that is available, it is hard to see what pressing social need is served by a general rule that has the effect of excluding protection from sanctions short of dismissal for taking lawful strike action.

Background to case

As a workplace representative of workers union Unison, Mercer planned and took part in lawful strike action at AFG in 2019.

AFG subsequently suspended Mercer, during which time she received normal pay but was unable to earn money for the overtime she would otherwise have worked.

The charitys continued position, despite the ruling against it, is that its actions were unrelated to the strike action.

Mercer brought a claim against AFG under section 146 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (TULRCA) that she had suffered detrimental treatment in relation to her industrial action.

An employment tribunal ruled that section 146 of TULRCA did not protect workers such as Mercer from detriment short of dismissal for participation in lawful industrial action as a member of an independent trade union.

However, an employment appeal tribunal ruled in favour of Mercer that the UK legislation could be interpreted as doing so.

This concluded AFGs participation in the case. The charity did not pay a settlement to Mercer.

The Court of Appeal allowed a further appeal by former business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng that section 146 of TULRCA could not be interpreted compatibly with article 10 of the ECHR but did not make a declaration of incompatibility.

This week, Supreme Court judges declared that the legislations were incompatible.

Charity respects Supreme Court decision

Mercer said yesterday she was delighted at the outcome of the case.

Although it wont change the way I was treated, it means irresponsible employers will now think twice before behaving badly towards their unhappy staff.

If they single strikers out for ill-treatment, theyll now be breaking the law.

An AFG spokesperson said: We are aware of the Supreme Court case judgement in relation to Unison on behalf of Fiona Mercer released today.

The case decided a point of law and was considered following an intervention by the Secretary of State at appeal court stage.

AFG did not participate at either Court of Appeal or Supreme Court level.

AFG respect the decision of the Supreme Court related to an employees right to strike however the case itself has not been decided by the decision.

Meanwhile, a government spokesperson said: The ability to strike is rightly subject to limitations and conditions in the UK so that the interests of workers is balanced fairly with those of employers and the general public.

The government will consider the judgment carefully before responding, but there is plenty of recent evidence that workers are perfectly able to take part in lawful industrial action to defend their interests without being put off by concerns about unfair or unreasonable sanctions imposed by employers.

Union: Most important industrial action case for decades

Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said: This is the most important industrial action case for decades.

Its a victory for every employee who might one day want to challenge something bad or unfair their employer has done.

Rogue bosses wont like it one bit. Theyll no longer be able to punish or ill-treat anyone who dares to take strike action to try to solve any problems at work.

No one strikes on a whim. There are many legal hoops to be jumped through first. But when a worker decides to walk out, they should be able to do so, safe in the knowledge they wont be victimised by a spiteful boss.

The government must now close this loophole promptly. It wont cost any money and isnt difficult to do. Today is a day to celebrate.

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HM Treasury/ flickr

The Treasury has announced that a new VAT relief to encourage businesses to donate everyday items to charity will be consulted on in the coming weeks.

Tax minister Nigel Huddlestone announced plans today for the 12-week consultation to be launched before 23 July this year.

Currently, firms do not pay VAT on any goods they donate which are then sold on, such as clothes, hygiene supplies and cleaning products.

However, they are charged VAT if these goods are distributed free of charge to those in need.

This has led to a growing barrier to businesses donating goods to charities for distribution to people in need as firms have had to account for VAT on donations which are not for onward sale, the Treasury said.

The Treasury will consult on introducing a new UK-wide VAT relief for donations of low value household goods such as hygiene items (soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shower gel, toilet rolls), second hand items from hotels (such as sheets, kettles) and cleaning supplies  including laundry detergent.

Huddleston said: We want the tax system to support donations to charity, not work against it.

We are consulting on how a VAT relief might boost donations so we can get more items we all rely on everyday to those in need and help to alleviate poverty.

CTG: Hoped for new relief without consultation

Richard Bray, Charity Tax Group (CTG) chair, said: We are pleased that the government has listened to the representations made by CTG and others and announced that it will hold a consultation later this year on the introduction of this relief.

We had hoped that the measure could have been introduced without a consultation being necessary as a measure such as this would be highly effective in increasing the help available for people who are in the greatest need.

Meanwhile, British Retail Council CEO Helen Dickinson said: We hope that the consultation will result in a meaningful change that will boost the charitable work of business in this country.

Andy Scott, principal tax adviser of the Confederation of British Industry, said: By removing the VAT penalty on donated goods, businesses will be more encouraged to support the growth of the civil society sector and the circular economy.

The Treasury said the conclusion to the consultation will be announced at a future fiscal event.

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What is it like to place a bet in a Las Vegas casino thats been hacked and is refusing to pay the ransom? Last September, technology journalist Jason Koebler answered that question in the style of Hunter S. Thompson: he went to Vegas and started gambling.

Koebler wrote about the bizarre conditions at the Aria, the Bellagio, and other MGM-owned casinos, which had been the victim of a ransomware attack a week earlierwith employees paying out slot machines by hand and eight restaurants forced to share a single credit card processing machine. His story was picked up by national news outlets.

It wasnt so different from the kind of reporting Koebler had done for years at his previous employer, Vices Motherboard. But this time, he was doing it for 404 Media, a new publication that he, along with his three coeditors, dont just work for, they own.

I didnt realize how important it would feel that the articles I do belong to me, Koebler told CJR. It gives me a sense of agency that I dont think I ever had.

Koebler quit his job as editor in chief at Motherboard last summer, a few months after Vice declared bankruptcy. (I worked at Vice from 2020 to 2023, and sometimes produced videos for Motherboard.) He and three other Motherboard writers and editors, Samantha Cole, Joseph Cox, and Emanuel Maiberg, launched 404 Media in August. They named it after the error code generated when an internet browser cant find a webpage.

Part of their inspiration, Cole said, was the bankruptcy filings that revealed that several executives were collecting large bonuses while the company faltered. While we were scraping by to get budgets for freelancers and basic services to do journalism, executives were laying people off and getting paid six figures to do it, Cole said. We were like, Screw this.

The worker-owned model is having a moment in journalismin sharp contrast to the profit-first agenda of many news outlets private-equity owners. Over the past few years, publications like Hell Gate, Racket, and Defectorall owned by the journalists who write for themhave sprouted up, promising a new way out of journalisms financial crisis.

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The model seems to be holding for nowalthough long-term sustainability remains unclear. According to financial reports they post online, Defector, Racket, and Hell Gate take in subscription and ad revenue that is close to their operating expenses.

At 404, which is barely eight months old, subscriptions and advertising have allowed the cofounders to recoup their initial investments (one thousand dollars each) and support the basic needs of running the site. (The founders declined to share raw subscriber data.) Theyve also required all readers to register with an email addresssomething that both protects the site from AI bots that poach original content and helps build a stronger base of potential subscribers.

As more people sign up for email, some convert to be paid subscribers over time as they see more of our journalism in their inbox, Koebler says. We went from thinking, We feel this publication is very good and its going in the right direction to a spot where its like, Okay, this is definitely a real business and we can definitely keep doing this. I stopped crushing my savings every month and [am] getting to a point where I can pay my rent with what we are bringing in.

Still, the cofounders have to meet each month to review how much the company earned and to decide how much they can afford to spendincluding on their own salaries.

Margot Susca, a journalism professor at American University, has studied the economics of news, and recently published a book, Hedged, on the role of private equity in decimating newsrooms.

She says that while worker-owned models sound nice, theres a reason why the business side has traditionally fallen to people different from those responsible for reporting.

The best journalists in the world may not know anything about running a company, Susca said. Its a much different ballgame when you are talking about keeping on the lights, as opposed to making sure your FOIA doesnt go years and years without an answer.

Still, over the course of writing her book, Susca found that with the decline of so many established brands, many Americans are willing to pay for the kind of quality journalism that the worker-owned model can provide.

I want to be cautiously optimistic, Susca added. If I was a betting person I would put my money on the long-term sustainability of one of these worker-owned news sites over one of these private-equity-owned sites.

Its still too early to know if 404 will work. But the publication continues to grow, and recently brought in its first new writer, fellow Motherboard alum Jules Roscoe, on a paid fellowship. Koebler says for now, the focus remains on publishing quality journalismand hoping that enough readers will be willing to pay for it.

People got so used to not paying for news on the internet, but I think that attitude is starting to change, he said.

Justin R. Silverman is a journalist and documentary producer. His work has appeared on the National Geographic and History channels, as well as the Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and Vice News.
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For almost four years, Congress has been talking about banning TikTok. Early last month, that talk seemed suddenly to turn into action: the House of Representatives brought forward a new billthe Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Actthat would force ByteDance, the China-based owner of TikTok, to either sell the company or see the app banned in the US. In his Platformer newsletter, Casey Newton described the legislative push as fast-moving. The Wall Street Journal described it as hurtling towards a vote.

The House quickly did vote, 35265, to pass the sale-or-ban law. But then the fast-moving effort seemed to stop hurtling and get stuck in quicksand. What happened? In a word, the Senate. Although some senators said that they supported the ban and wanted it passed, there appeared to be a lack of consensus in the chamber. As Newton noted in an update to his previous post, Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, mentioned the possibility of a TikTok bill recently, but only in the context of a letter identifying a long list of other priorities, including online safety legislation for children and a child tax credit. Mitch McConnell, the minority leader, called on his colleagues to take action on TikTok, saying the matter requires urgent attention. But many of his colleagues didnt seem convinced that urgent action, or in fact any action, was necessary.

Maria Cantwella Democrat who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, which would have to approve any Senate version of the House billsaid recently that she doesnt think the current legislation can withstand a legal challenge. (Senator Rand Paul, a Republican, also expressed concern that it would be struck down by the courts.) Cantwell said that the legislation is flawed because the executive branch, rather than Congress, should decide whether something constitutes a security threat. Cantwell proposed alternative legislation that would set up a process allowing the White House to make such decisions. But Punchbowl News pointed out that her bill didnt have a Republican cosponsor, limiting its prospects.

Cantwell has said that she believes in a TikTok ban, but other senators seemed concerned that her stalling would endanger the chances of getting legislation in front of President Biden before Congress grinds to a halt because of the election. Historically, the Commerce Committee is where this stuff goes to die, Senator Josh Hawley told the Wall Street Journal. But there were still some options for getting a TikTok bill to the floor for a vote. It could, for example, have been attached to legislation reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration, which must pass by May 10. There were reports that the House might try to pass a different TikTok ban as part of a broader package of legislation for the same reason.

Yesterday, Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House, said that he intends to package the TikTok ban with bills that would provide aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. According to the New York Times, this version of the legislation would extend the amount of time that TikTok has to find a buyer, which Cantwell had advocated; in a statement, she said she supported the bill. Packaging it with the urgent foreign-aid provisions could force the Senates hand, the Times notes, with one analyst describing the move as a bit of brinkmanship. At time of writing, it was unclear what would happen next.

But challenges to the idea of a forced sale or ban remain even under this accelerated timeline. If TikTok does still manage to avoid being banned, it likely wouldnt come as a surprise to anyone who has been watching its fortunes over the past few years. In 2020, Donald Trump issued an executive order saying that the app and its ties to China constituted a national emergency and pressuring Congress to come up with legislation to force a sale or ban. The courts struck down the order, however. And Trump, for his part, recently reversed his position on TikTok, saying that a ban would only help Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, whom Trump referred to as Zuckerschmuck.

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Pressure on Congress to do something about TikTok continued even after Trumps order was quashed. But as lawmakers debated an outright ban through 2020 and into 2021, the company tried to assuage concerns about its ties to the Chinese government in a number of ways. It started discussions with several potential investorsincluding Oracle, the corporate software maker, and Walmartabout a deal that would have reduced Chinese involvement with the company and ushered in majority American ownership. In addition, it launched an initiative called Project Texas, which was designed to keep the data of US users separate from the rest of TikToks user base, and to house all of that data on servers based in the US rather than China.

A year ago, some observers felt that the clock was finally running out on TikTok after the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a government body that reviews overseas investment on national security grounds (whose work we covered in this newsletter last year), gave ByteDance what appeared to be an ultimatum to sell the app to American interests or be banned. But that precipice started to recede as TikTok lobbied the committee aggressively, arguing that a combination of Project Texas and other efforts should quell government fears about Chinese government involvement. Under one arrangement, Oracle started to monitor the behavior of TikToks recommendation algorithms to ensure that they were not improperly influencing American users.

TikTok has maintained that it never shares US data with the Chinese government, that there is a firewall between its US and Chinese management, and that its recommendation algorithm is not influenced by China. In testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Committee last year, Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of TikTok, said that ByteDance is not an agent of China or any other country. Critics, however, have pointed to numerous reports of ongoing contact between American TikTok staff and those in China; this week, a report in Fortune quoted almost a dozen former staffers who said that such discussions were routine. Some have also argued that Chinese government influence was responsible for TikToks apparent removal of content related to the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre and recent pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

Either way, various observers believe that if legislation banning TikTok were to be passed by Congress, it would run headlong into a significant roadblock called the First Amendment. In a recent piece for CJR, Seth Stern, a First Amendment lawyer and the director of advocacy for the Freedom of the Press Foundation, wrote that advocacy for a TikTok ban forgets the lessons of the Pentagon Papers, the seminal Supreme Court case that, as Stern put it, established that national security isnt a magic word that nullifies the First Amendment without hard proof that there is some imminent danger. The government is not allowed to pass legislation banning things just in case, Stern wrote.

And some experts argue that a forced sale of TikTok would not be much of a solution either. Meredith Whittaker, a security expert and the CEO of Signal, a secure messaging app, wrote recently that replacing a Chinese-owned social networking app with one controlled by American billionaires shouldnt be seen as a win, since it would just replace one surveillance-oriented app with another. Whittaker also said that she could see no evidence that the House bill would offer any kind of meaningful privacy protection from China. Experts including Eric Goldman, a law professor at Santa Clara University, meanwhile, have pointed out that if the government gains the ability to ban TikTok, theres no reason to believe that the same kind of legislative rationale wont be used to ban other apps in the future.

A number of individuals and entities have reportedly expressed interest in acquiring TikTok if a sale were to happen: Steven Mnuchin, who was treasury secretary under Trump, is said to be interested in forming an investment group to acquire the company, and there have been reports that Bobby Kotick, the former CEO of the gaming company Activision Blizzard, held talks with Zhang Yiming, the cofounder of ByteDance, about a potential acquisition. (Zhang has denied this.) But there is at least one major hurdle standing in the way of such a deal: after Trump issued his executive order in 2020, the Chinese government passed a law requiring government approval of any sale of sensitive technology to a foreign entity, a requirement that applies to content recommendation algorithms such as TikToks.

Biden, for his part, has clearly signaled that he will sign the TikTok bill if it reaches his desk. But even his political incentives are scrambled: as Cameron Joseph reported recently for CJR, many young Americans get their news from TikTok and Biden desperately needs their votesto such an extent that his campaign is now itself on TikTok. When it comes to efforts to regulate the app, nothing is as easy as a 35265 vote might suggest.



Other notable stories:

ICYMI: Mandy Hofmockel on the story of the journalism jobs market

Mathew Ingram was CJRs longtime chief digital writer. Previously, he was a senior writer with Fortune magazine. He has written about the intersection between media and technology since the earliest days of the commercial internet. His writing has been published in the Washington Post and the Financial Times as well as by Reuters and Bloomberg.
Workers compensation is a crucial safety net for employees who suffer injuries or illnesses in the workplace by providing financial support, rehabilitation and medical care. However, beyond the physical aspects of workplace injuries, the role of behavioral health in workers comp is slowly gaining recognition.

Issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can significantly affect an injured workers recovery and return-to-work outcomes.

Allow me to further explain this intersection of behavioral health and workers comp, drawing insights from research conducted by organizations like the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) and Medrisks Industry Outlook findings.

The acceptance of engaging behavioral health in helping solve the bio-psychosocial aspects of a workplace injury at the claims desk level has yielded mixed results.

As someone who began his career as a claims professional several decades ago, one of the tenant expectations of adjusters managing work related disability claims is mitigation of what is commonly known as injury creep.

This is a phenomenon in which the severity or extent of an injury expands over time, potentially leading to increased costs and prolonged disability periods. The term is commonly used to describe situations where an initially minor injury evolves into a more complex and costly condition, often due to numerous factors, such as delayed recovery, secondary complications, or psychological aspects.

While we have socialized the concept of how such services play a role in recovery for as long as I can recall; its only been in the last few years that the topic has gotten positive traction amongst a smaller group of enlightened payers. Industry-wide, however, there remains many sceptics and the fear of utilization predominates still.

Claim situations that see implications for such strategies are defined by three unique pathways of need: a physical only injury with underlying biopsychosocial barrier present; a physical/mental claim (in which a distinct physical injury has occurred with stress related, such as an emergency room RN who gets physically assaulted by a patient and is dealing with the mental fallout from being emotionally threatened); a pure mental claim, in which the presumption of work related stress is accepted and under consideration.

The elephant is a reluctance to utilize behavioral health interventions (BHIs) for fear of morphing the nature and scope of the injury beyond a physical to a mental one. For the stake of this conversation, the focus will be on those claims that are physical only yet present with markers or screen to be at mid- to high-risk due to an underlying predisposition or show signs of delayed recovery despite making physical gains.

Claims professionals, who are responsible for managing workers comp claims, often have several concerns regarding the utilization of behavioral health services in the context of claim management. While recognizing the importance of addressing mental health issues in the workplace, these professionals also grapple with various challenges and considerations when incorporating behavioral health services into their practices.

Other concerns or influencing factors might include:

Claims professionals being ill-equipped or inexperienced in handling such cases compared to physical injuries, which tend to be more straightforward to assess and manage. Behavioral health interventions often involve addressing complex mental health issues such as fear of reinjury, depression from being away from work and colleagues, anxiety stemming from the economics of being out of work, PTSD and other psychological conditions. They are often concerned that engaging behavioral health treatment could be creating a secondary diagnosis that includes a psychological one.

Despite industry buzz about the need and viability for such care, there is still a stigma attached to mental health issues. Adjusters may be hesitant to delve into mental health concerns due to fear of injury creep backlash. They may not have received adequate training or have access to appropriate resources for handling behavioral health issues in the context of rehabilitation of the whole person. This can also include a lack of insight about effectiveness of behavioral health interventions, or further compounded by limited access to mental health professionals who truly understand workers comp injury treatment needs.

Some are operating under the belief that behavioral health interventions, such as Cognitive Behavorial Therapies (CBT) or short-term counseling, can add cost and is going to extend the duration of a claim. In the world of claims management. There is always pressure to keep unnecessary claim costs down and this expectation may prioritize more traditional medical treatments over biopsychosocial interventions to minimize expenses and/or avoid inflating the nature of the injury for which benefits are being paid.

Unlike physical injuries that often have clear diagnostic criteria and measurable outcomes, the behavioral health aspect of claims can be perceived to be more subjective and challenging to evaluate. Adjusters may struggle with determining the severity and legitimacy of mental health issues, leading to uncertainty in how and when to manage these claims effectively. Conversely, there maybe apprehension as to how to successfully introduce such services to the injured employee. This conversation is one that must frame expectations focused on the work aspect of recovery and care and not lead the parties to a perception of an open door of care that can get murky if not articulated contextually.

There may be legal and regulatory considerations that complicate the handling of behavorial health treatment in the workers comp system. Adjusters may be cautious about navigating these complexities while ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

Some may question the return on investment of engaging behavioral health interventions. They may doubt the effectiveness of such interventions in facilitating claim resolution or improving return-to-work outcomes.

So, what do the experts say?

NCCI Research Findings

The NCCI has conducted extensive research on this topic. According to their findings, mental health conditions often prolong the duration of workers comp claims and increase overall claim costs. Employees with comorbid mental health conditions and physical injuries tend to have more complex recovery paths, leading to higher medical expenses and longer periods of disability. Moreover, NCCI research suggests that early intervention and access to mental health treatment can positively influence claim outcomes, including faster return-to-work rates and reduced disability durations.

WCRI Insights

Similarly, the WCRI has examined the impact of behavioral health on workers comp outcomes. Their research highlights the importance of addressing psychosocial factors in injury management and return-to-work strategies. WCRI studies have shown that injured workers with psychological comorbidities often face greater challenges in navigating the workers compn system and may experience delays in accessing appropriate treatment. Furthermore, WCRI research underscores the significance of workplace interventions, such as employee assistance programs and supportive work environments, in promoting mental health and facilitating successful claim resolutions.

MedRisks 2024 Industry Outlook found:

50% or more of injured employees experience clinically related depressive symptoms at some point post injury, especially during the first month after the injury.

A 25% increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide because of COVID-19 pandemic Injured employees reporting anxiety and depression.

A 7% higher utilization than those who did not report these conditions.

Implications for Stakeholders

Employers, insurers, healthcare providers, and policymakers play pivotal roles in addressing behavioral health within the workers comp framework. Employers can promote mental wellness through supportive workplace policies, stress management programs and early intervention initiatives. Insurers can collaborate with healthcare providers to ensure timely and appropriate access to mental health services and incorporate behavioral health considerations into claims management practices. Healthcare providers, in turn, should adopt a comprehensive approach to treating injured workers, addressing both physical and psychological aspects of their recovery.

Policy recommendations based on NCCI and WCRI research include:

Integration of mental health screenings into workers comp assessments.

Expansion of access to mental health services for injured workers.

Implementation of evidence-based interventions to address psychosocial barriers to recovery.

Training programs for stakeholders to recognize and address behavioral health issues in the workplace.

Legislation Expanding Workers Comp Scope

More than a dozen new and revived bills have been filed since December 2023. Some call for new presumptions or add types of workers that would qualify, some deal with diagnoses and treatments for mental injuries, and some offer new parameters for qualifying for benefits.

Examples include:

Colorado is considering a bill that would provide benefits for all workers who are repeatedly exposed to trauma.

Arizona and Virginia lawmakers have introduced bills that would expand presumptions to include emergency dispatchers.

West Virginia lawmakers are considering a bill that would expand which professionals can diagnose a first responder with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Kentucky lawmakers are considering amendments that would make off-duty work compensable for PTSD.

Reasons to consider utilization include:

Improving Outcomes: Addressing behavioral health issues can lead to improved overall outcomes for the claimant, including faster recovery, reduced disability, and ideally a quicker return to work.

Addressing behavioral health issues can lead to improved overall outcomes for the claimant, including faster recovery, reduced disability, and ideally a quicker return to work. Reducing Costs: While there may be upfront costs associated with behavioral health interventions, addressing mental health issues early in the claims process can potentially prevent the escalation of problems and reduce long-term costs associated with prolonged disability or litigation.

While there may be upfront costs associated with behavioral health interventions, addressing mental health issues early in the claims process can potentially prevent the escalation of problems and reduce long-term costs associated with prolonged disability or litigation. Enhancing Employee Resiliency: Taking a proactive approach to addressing biopsychosocial health issues can improve employees ability to push through the fear, apprehension of re-injury, job satisfaction and employer loyalty, leading to a more positive work environment overall. The workers perception of their disability and its impact on their ability to work can significantly influence their motivation and willingness to return to work. Financial concerns, including loss of income and uncertainty about future earnings, can affect the workers motivation to return to work.

Behavioral wellbeing is a significant determinant of workers comp outcomes, influencing claim durations, costs and return-to-work success. Research conducted by organizations like NCCI and WCRI underscores the importance of addressing mental health within the workers comp system.

By implementing evidence-based strategies and policies, stakeholders can enhance support for injured workers, improve claim management practices, and promote overall workforce well-being. Prioritizing behavioral health in workers comp is not only ethically imperative but also economically beneficial, contributing to healthier workplaces and more sustainable claim resolutions. Improved resiliency for employee benefits all stakeholders.

The challenge is to get these concepts fully vetted and rightfully positioned as reliable tools in the adjusters toolbox. The industry messaging around this topic, supported by reliable and credible studies has set the stage to further enable this perspective.

Industry leaders need to take charge and move the needle from one of support to action at the desk level.

Artificial intelligence, claims analytical tools, and APPS exist to help define those at risk using these technology advances-but at the end of the day these tools are only as effective as the human making the decision to use or not to use.

Amato has more than 35 years of experience in the workers comp industry, including working for large national multi-lines carriers. He is currently vice president of sales & account management for Ascellus Behavioral Health.
Stung by paying billions of dollars for settlements and trials, chemical giant Bayer has been lobbying lawmakers in three states to pass bills providing it a legal shield from lawsuits that claim its popular weedkiller Roundup causes cancer.

Nearly identical bills introduced in Iowa, Missouri and Idaho this year  with wording supplied by Bayer  would protect pesticide companies from claims they failed to warn that their product causes cancer, if their labels otherwise complied with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys regulations.

But legal experts warn the legislation could have broader consequences  extending to any product liability claim or, in Iowas case, providing immunity from lawsuits of any kind. Critics say it could spread nationwide.

Its just not good government to give a company immunity for things that theyre not telling their consumers, said Matt Clement, a Jefferson City, Missouri, attorney who represents people suing Bayer. If theyre successful in getting this passed in Missouri, I think theyll be trying to do this all over the country.

Bayer described the legislation as one strategy to address the headwinds it faces. About 167,000 legal claims against Bayer assert Roundup causes a cancer called non-Hodgkins lymphoma, which Bayer disputes. The company has won some cases, settled many others but also has suffered several losses in which juries awarded huge initial judgments. It has paid about $10 billion while thousands of claims linger in court.

Though some studies associate Roundups key ingredient with cancer, the EPA has regularly concluded it is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans when used as directed.

The costs of defending a safe, approved product are unsustainable, said Jess Christiansen, head of communications for Bayers crop science division.

The legislation was introduced in targeted states pivotal to Bayers Roundup operations and is at a different stage in each. It passed the Iowa Senate, is awaiting debate in the Missouri House and was defeated in Idaho, where this years legislative session ended.

Farmers overwhelmingly rely on Roundup, which was introduced 50 years ago as a more efficient way to control weeds and reduce tilling and soil erosion. For crops like corn, soybeans and cotton, its designed to work with genetically modified seeds that resist Roundups deadly effect.

Missouri state Rep. Dane Diehl, a farmer who worked with Bayer to sponsor the legislation, cited concerns that costly lawsuits could force Bayer to pull Roundup from the U.S. market, leaving farmers to depend on alternative chemicals from China.

This product, ultimately, is a tool that we need, said Diehl, a Republican.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, said in an email the legislation maintains the integrity of the regulatory process and, without it, Iowa risks losing hundreds of jobs in Muscatine, an eastern Iowa city where Roundup is mostly produced.

The Associated Press is seeking public records on Bayers communications with governors offices in Iowa, Missouri and Idaho.

Bayer, like other companies, hires lobbyists in states to advocate for its interests. The company backs this legislation in the states where we have a big, direct economic impact, Christiansen said.

Roundups key ingredient, glyphosate, is derived from phosphate mined in Idaho. And St. Louis is the headquarters of its North America crop science division, acquired in its 2018 purchase of Monsanto. Because of that, many of the lawsuits are filed in Missouri.

The five lobbyists registered for Bayer in Iowa and three in Idaho is largely consistent with recent years, but the number working in Missouri this year ballooned from four to nine. Lobbyist expenditures exceeded $8,000 in Idaho this year; similar information was not available in Iowa or Missouri.

Led by Bayer, a coalition of agricultural organizations called Modern Ag Alliance also is spending tens of thousands of dollars on radio and print advertisements claiming that trial lawyers and litigation threaten the availability of glyphosate.

On its website, the group asserts that at risk are 500 jobs connected to glyphosate production in Iowa, and 800 jobs in Idaho.

Bayer stopped short of threatening closures. The Iowa facilities, including in Muscatine, are very critical facilities to our business, so well remain at some sort of support level, Christiansen said.

At issue in the lawsuits and legislation is how Bayer  and any other pesticide company  communicates with consumers about the safety of its products.

Companies are required to register products with the EPA, which evaluates  and then reevaluates every 15 years  a pesticide and its label. The EPA reiterated in 2020 that glyphosate used as directed posed no health risks to humans. But a federal appeals court panel in 2022 ruled that decision was not supported by substantial evidence and ordered the EPA to review further.

The debate over glyphosate escalated when a 2015 report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, said its probably carcinogenic to humans based on limited evidence of cancer in people and sufficient evidence in study animals.

Based on that international report, California sought to add a cancer warning label to products containing glyphosate. But a federal appeals court ruled against California last November, concluding such a warning wasnt factual.

Christiansen emphasized that many regulatory agencies worldwide agree with the EPA and insisted Bayer has to stick to EPA labeling to ensure it isnt providing false or misleading information. She added that the company is transparent in the information it does provide.

Critics of the legislation arent convinced, citing examples such as opioids and asbestos that had been deemed safe for use as directed  until they werent.

There also are concerns that the legislation could stifle any product liability claim since most rely on the argument that a company failed to warn, said Andrew Mertens, executive director of the Iowa Association for Justice, an organization for trial lawyers.

Jonathan Cardi, a product liability and torts expert at Wake Forest University School of Law, also said a strict reading of the Iowa legislation extends beyond liability claims, and the way its drafted makes it interpretable to mean nobody could bring any suit.

In lobbying lawmakers and in speaking with the AP, Bayer representatives disputed that the legislation would cut off other legal actions. Several legal experts said the legislation is unlikely to affect the 18,000 lawsuits already pending in Missouris capital of Jefferson City, and wouldnt prevent claims in states that dont adopt similar legislation.

In Idaho, the Republican-led Senate narrowly defeated the bill amid concerns about relying on federal agencies safety standards and limiting the ability of harmed individuals to sue.

John Gilbert, who farms in Iowa Falls, Iowa, with limited use of Roundup, called Republicans hypocritical for attempting to protect corporate interests after campaigning on standing up for Iowans.

The bill invites a lot of reckless disregard, said Gilbert, who is on the board for the Iowa Farmers Union. No amount of perfumes gonna make it anything but a skunk.

Photo: Weeds are sprayed with a bottle of Roundup brand weedkiller. Photo credit: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg
In a scathing 25-page opinion, a panel of three Democratic judges criticized the state bar for filing a complaint against attorney Sidney Powell with mislabeled evidence. Ben Margot /Associated Press

A Dallas appeals court on Thursday upheld a decision not to discipline Sidney Powell, former lawyer for Donald Trump, for her role in seeking to overturn the 2020 presidential election, saying the complaint against her was riddled with errors.

In a scathing 25-page opinion, a panel of three Democratic judges criticized the state bar for filing a complaint against Powell with mislabeled evidence. A Collin County judge had tossed the case in early 2023, citing the disorganization.

READ ALSO: Texas AG Ken Paxton fights misconduct lawsuit over attempts to overturn 2020 presidential election

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The Bar employed a scattershot approach to the case, which left this court and the trial court with the task of sorting through the argument to determine what issue ha(d) actually been raised, wrote Judge Dennise Garcia.

The appeals court agreed that the bar had not met its burden of proof to show Powell knowingly made a false statement or used false evidence when she filed lawsuits to overturn the election results.

Powells attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The trial court declined to consider any evidence that the bar failed to cite or identify, and the appeals court on Thursday said it would do the same.

A bar committee, which declined to comment on the ruling, had asked the appeals court to consider all evidence even if citations were incorrect or missing.

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Reference alone will not suffice, Garcia wrote, adding that according to court precedent, the court was not required to sift through plaintiffs voluminous evidence to determine whether any of it raised (a) fact question.

Claire Reynolds, a bar spokesperson, said the commission has not yet decided whether it will appeal.

The bar also is pursuing disciplinary action against Attorney General Ken Paxton and his top aide, First Assistant Brent Webster, for filing a case before the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to overturn President Joe Bidens wins in four battleground states.

Those cases have had opposing outcomes: A Collin County judge said Paxton ought to face trial, while a Milam County judge initially tossed the suit against Webster.

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An appeals court revived the case against Webster in July of last year, and its now before the Texas Supreme Court. A group of 18 Republican attorneys general last week wrote a brief in support of Webster, arguing that if the case is allowed to proceed, it would open the floodgates to more like it and will undermine state attorneys general in the discharge of their constitutional duties.
AKRON, Ohio  During March, the International Institute of Akron welcomed 48 refugees to its community from Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burma and Honduras, the institute said in a newsletter.

The institute, a nonprofit agency, provided resettlement services to 523 immigrants and refugees last year, according to Communications and Development Specialist Liv Randall. The institute expects to assist a similar number of individuals in 2024, she said.

Individuals who are accepted for resettlement in the Akron area often arrive with few personal possessions, Randall said. To help make their arrival more comfortable, the institute is collecting new and gently used blankets. Its goal is to collect more than 500 blankets this year.

We want to make sure that everyone who arrives at the International Institute of Akron gets a blanket, she said. Giving each person a blanket will help make them feel more at home, especially during the colder months for those who arent used to colder temperatures.

Those interested in donating blankets can drop them off at the International Institute of Akron, located at 530 S. Main St. in Akron, or contact Housing Coordinator Murtaza Hajizada at Murtaza.hajizada@iiakron.org.

The International Institute of Akron has been welcoming immigrants and refugees to Akron since 1916. Last year IIA relocated to its current home at Canal Place in Akron. It offers education, employment, legal, social and interpreting services, in addition to refugee resettlement. Individuals can also take English as a second language courses, learn employment skills and apply for U.S. citizenship, according to Randall.

In order to receive refugee status, individuals must qualify through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, according to the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is a United Nations agency designated to aid and protect refugees, communities that have been forcibly displaced and stateless people. It assists people with their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to a third country.

To receive refugee status, individuals must be outside of the U.S. and show that they were persecuted or have a fear of persecution in their home country due to their race, religion, nationality, social group or political opinion. Once individuals are accepted into a refugee camp, they must undergo background checks, biometrics (fingerprinting) and interviews to receive refugee status, according to Randall. The entire process can take months, or longer.

Open house

The International Institute of Akron is holding an open house to celebrate its one-year anniversary of being in its 530 S. Main St. location. The celebration is Friday, May 10 from 1-4 p.m. Tours, appetizers and refreshments will be provided. Those interested in attending should RSVP via the institutes website.

Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.coms Rubber City Update, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Wednesdays.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Irans attack against Israel over the weekend has spurred a flurry of bipartisan legislative action in Congress, uniting lawmakers against the country even as the risk of a larger regional war looms.

Several measures introduced and passed in the House and Senate seek to both publicly condemn Iran and punish the Islamic Republic financially. Lawmakers have denounced Irans actions, which came in response to a suspected Israeli strike weeks earlier on an Iranian consular building in Syria that killed two Iranian generals.

The world is on fire, and history will judge us for our action, said Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, during a news conference Tuesday.

The swift, bipartisan condemnation of Iran has put on sharp display the durability of American support for Israel, even amid growing partisan division over how the country is handling its more than six-month war with Hamas.

The House passed nearly a dozen bills by Wednesday that would, among other things, issue a slate of new sanctions and other financial restrictions against Iran and its leaders. Other legislation looks to prevent current Iranian officials sanctioned from evading those penalties and urge the European Union to expeditiously designate Irans Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization as the U.S. has already done.

On the other side of the Capitol, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday advanced five bills, including ones that targeted Iran for its human rights record and would require sanctions on ports and refineries that receive and process Iranian oil.

Irans direct attack on Israel this week underscores the need to further cut off the Iranian regimes key revenue streams, Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire said in a statement. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to support this bill  which has already passed the House  so that we can send it to President Bidens desk immediately.

A number of the bills had passed the House weeks before Hamas deadly attack on Israel in October but have been stalled in the Senate committee. An Israeli offensive in Gaza has since caused widespread devastation and killed over 33,000 people, according to local health officials. Israels conduct of the war has revealed the depth of unease among U.S. lawmakers as concerns over the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza have caused even some of President Joe Bidens closest allies to threaten conditioning future aid to Israel.

Congressional Democrats have been reluctant to challenge Bidens handling of the ongoing conflict and related regional tensions that have taken shape, mindful that criticism could further weaken Biden in his reelection campaign against former President Donald Trump.

But the attack on Saturday has proven to consolidate public support for the Biden administrations quick response as it ordered U.S. forces to help Israel down nearly all the 300 drones and missiles that were headed its way.

It also comes as House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., released legislation Wednesday that would provide $95 billion in aid collectively to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. The aid package had been held up for months over Republican opposition to continuing wartime funding for Ukraine as it battles Russia. Irans attack on Israel added urgency to Johnsons plans to bring the issue to the floor for a vote.

While the measures targeting Iran have received overwhelming support  with the series of House bills mostly passing with at least 300 votes  there has been a quiet but growing dissent among progressive Democratic lawmakers in both chambers, who warn that legislative efforts could risk further escalation in the Middle East.

Following last weekends unprecedented response by Iran to Israels attack on its consulate, the Republican Majority is explicitly leveraging a series of bills to further escalate tensions in the Middle East, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said in a statement Tuesday. This is a blatant attempt to distract from their own incompetence.

The strike on Saturday marked the first time Iran has launched a direct military assault on Israel despite decades of enmity dating back to the countrys 1979 Islamic Revolution. Israel has vowed to retaliate against Iran, risking further expanding the shadow war between the two foes into a direct conflict.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, condemned Irans attack in a statement but called on his colleagues to respond cautiously. He warned that further U.S. action against Iran could lead to a dangerous escalation that could drag America into a war in the Middle East.

Cooler heads must now prevail to ensure peace in the region and security for Israel, Sanders said.
Rotunda Rumblings

Bidens ballot blues: A top Ohio Republican lawmaker said Wednesday he thinks that President Joe Biden will appear on the ballot here this November, despite an obscure state law that threatens to block him over the scheduled date of this years Democratic National Convention. Andrew Tobias and Jeremy Pelzer write that Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman said he believes the issue will be addressed either legislatively or administratively by the Democratic National Committee. He even went as far as to say he thinks a lawsuit would succeed were the law to prevent Biden from qualifying. The comments are something of a softening from last week when Huffman called the issue a Democratic problem, leading some Democrats to believe he wouldnt help them.

Spousal rape: The Ohio General Assembly is two roll call votes away from passing a bill, years in the making, to close exemptions in state criminal law for those who commit sex crimes against their spouses. As Jake Zuckerman reports, however, the Senate president and judiciary chairman both declined to offer clear answers as to whether a vote is coming anytime soon on the bill that already has passed in the House.

Puppies: A bipartisan pair of state lawmakers introduced legislation that would return to Ohio cities the power to prohibit puppy retailers within their borders. Zuckerman reports that the bill would reverse a preemption law passed in 2016 after two cities passed legislation to excise Petland locations from town. A sponsor said Petland is notorious for buying from high-volume breeders known as puppy mills, which can pose serious health complications for the animals.

Housing crisis: Ohio has a wide range of housing problems, from skyrocketing property costs and property taxes to a need for more housing in general. Jeremy Pelzer reports that the Senate Select Committee on Housing on Wednesday unveiled a list of 23 recommendations to solve them, including speeding up building permit applications and making it harder for local residents to challenge local housing development decisions, among others. Many of the panels recommendations will now be introduced in a series of bills or potential administrative rule changes.

Camper concept: To provide temporary housing to about 250 families displaced by last months Indian Lake tornado, state and local officials are considering an unorthodox idea: have the state buy hundreds of RVs. As Jeremy Pelzer reports, Senate President Matt Huffman said earlier this month that the Ohio Controlling Board may soon be asked for the $8 million or so needed to buy the campers, though a spokesman for Gov. Mike DeWine said no final decision has been made yet.

Impeachment hearing: Hours after swearing in its members for an impeachment trial of Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas, the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate on Wednesday voted along party lines to dismiss the charges forwarded by U.S. House of Representatives Republicans who wanted to remove him from office. Sabrina Eaton reports that U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Cleveland Democrat, voted to dismiss the charges, while U.S. Sen. JD Vance, a Cincinnati Republican, opposed doing so.

Internet subsidies: Ohio Congress members on Wednesday urged passage of bipartisan legislation that would extend a soon-to-expire federal program that subsidizes broadband internet service for more than 1 million Ohioans, Eaton reports. Funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is expected to run out at the end of the month unless Congress extends it. If that happens, the internet bills of the Ohio households participating in the program are likely to rise by around $30 per month.

Crypto deal? A long-delayed bid to write a new law for stablecoins is getting a push from an unexpected lawmaker: crypto-skeptic Sherrod Brown. The Senate Banking Committee chairman told Bloomberg News that hes open to advancing such legislation in a package with a bill authorizing banks to do business with marijuana businesses and another measure clawing back compensation for executives at failed lenders. The Cleveland Democrat subsequently told Cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer that hes waiting for Republicans and Democrats on the House Financial Services Committee to finish negotiations on their legislation before moving forward. He cautioned that such legislation would have to protect consumers and address the problem of cryptocurrency being used to fund terrorism.

Trade issues: Brown on Wednesday quizzed U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai about efforts to hold Mexico and China responsible for undercutting U.S. companies on products including steel and solar panels. She assured Brown they are priorities. When Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey asked about her agencys review of Nippon Steels purchase of U.S. Steel, she said she couldnt discuss the process because of confidentiality rules but said USTR understands how ownership changes can result in lost jobs. I just want to acknowledge that these types of transactions are actually things that we have seen for a long time and continue to live with the consequences, and I think that that is something that we at USTR are very thoughtful about, she told Casey.

Joint vow: Huffman told reporters on Wednesday that, despite a months-long impasse, hes reasonably hopeful that state lawmakers will pass some sort of bill to alter the states new recreational marijuana law before dispensary license applications are sent out in early June. Huffman said higher-ups in the House (whom he declined to name) have told him they want to pass marijuana reform legislation by then, rather than seek changes via administrative rules. I think most reasonable people, including people in the industry, believe that its it would be better to have it clarified in law, Huffman said.

Aint no sunshine: A state database with the names and addresses of Ohioans who died early in the 2020 COVID-19 crisis is protected health information thats not required to be released under the states open-records law, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. As Laura Bischoff of the Columbus Dispatch reports, the court ruled 5-2 against now-retired Dispatch reporter Randy Ludlow, who filed the suit after the Ohio Department of Health refused to provide the information.

Conventional wisdom: As Milwaukee prepares to host the 2024 Republican National Convention this July, Sarah Volpenstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel takes a look at what the city can learn from Clevelands experience during the 2016 RNC. Her conclusion was that Milwaukee businesses should temper expectations, noting that while Cleveland saw an overall bump in tax and business revenue, as well as a positive spotlight on the city, businesses near whats now called Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse actually lost customers  including in Ohio City, which became a ghost town during the convention.

Full Disclosure

Five things we learned from the Feb. 21, 2024 ethics disclosure form filed by Desiree Tims, the Democratic nominee for Ohio House District 38, about her 2023 finances:

1. Tims income sources last year included Innovation Ohio (a left-leaning think tank that she leads) and Ohio State University, where she is a lecturer for the Department of Womens, Gender and Sexuality Studies.

2. She is director of Battleground Research, a Columbus-based firm that collects information on political candidates and their opponents.

3. At some point last year, Tims owed more than $1,000 to American Express, Capital One, Capital One Auto, Chase, and Edfinancial Services, a student-loan servicer.

4. She serves on the boards of the Dayton-based African-American Community Fund and Red, Wine and Blue, a Democratic advocacy group that focuses on engaging suburban women in politics.

5. Her only listed investment of more than $1,000 is a Vanguard mutual fund through Acorns, a micro-investing company.

On The Move

Lauren Blauvelt, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, made Times list of the 100 Most Influential People of 2024, along with Dua Lipa and Argentinian President Javier Mieli, for her work as co-chair of Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights, which proposed and ran the campaign to successfully enshrine abortion rights into the state constitution last year.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) endorsed U.S. Sen. Browns reelection. A spokesperson for the public service worker union said it has nearly 100,000 Ohio members.

Birthdays

Emma Cardone, director of advocacy for Ohio Hospital Association

Former state Rep. Mark Fraizer

Secretary of State Frank LaRose

U.S. Rep. Bob Latta

State Treasurer Robert Sprague

Thomas J. Moyer, former chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court (1939-2010)

Straight from the Source

This is for the very worst cases. This is not an overall (requirement for every domestic violence allegation). I do understand that it is difficult to claim domestic violence in many cases. It is almost the worst situation that our law enforcement goes into. It is the most dangerous situation for our law enforcement because they dont know what theyre facing.

-State Rep. Sara Carruthers, a Cincinnati-area Republican, during a Wednesday press conference about the newly introduced House Bill 486, a domestic violence victim protection bill known as Aishas Law. The proposal has passed the Ohio House three times but gone nowhere in the Senate. Many of the provisions in the bill, such as a referral to domestic violence advocacy services and an offer of emergency protection orders, are for victims who are assessed to be at the highest risk for potentially being killed by their partners.

Capitol Letter is a daily briefing providing succinct, timely information for those who care deeply about the decisions made by state government. Subscribe to get Capitol Letter in your email box each weekday for free.
Amazon announced that it will start selling its smart grocery carts to third-party retailers as part of its effort to expand the Dash Cart technology.

Stores such as Price Chopper and McKeever's Market in Kansas and Missouri are the first to test the smart grocery carts.

Read Also : AWS Launches Deadline Cloud to Help Render Media Content

Amazon Opens Dash Carts to Other Retailers Across Country

Amazon first introduced the Dash Cart in 2020 at its Fresh supermarket chain. Gradually, it was added to select Whole Foods stores.

The smart grocery carts are Amazon's solution for customers who wish to monitor and compute their purchases as they shop. Dash Carts have computer vision and sensors that help identify the items and their prices once they are placed in real time.

Previously, Amazon made a similar move to its Just Walk Out service. The cashier-less technology was initially exclusive to Amazon Go convenience stores but was later sold to third-party retailers in airports, hospitals, and other venues.

"In larger grocery stores, where customers are making a big weekly trip and buy a greater number of items, customers so far prefer Amazon Dash Cart, our smart shopping cart, which uses the same advanced, computer vision technology as Just Walk Out," the company wrote.

Amazon Details Plans for Just Walk Out Technology

Earlier this month, Amazon revealed that it will start replacing its Just Walk Out technology with Dash Cart. The move is part of the company's revamping of Fresh stores.

Unlike Dash Cart, Amazon explained that the Just Walk Out technology is more utilized in smaller stores. The company shared that 18 million items have been sold in Just Walk Out stores.

"We have strong conviction that Just Walk Out technology will be the future in stores that have a curated selection where customers can pop in, grab the small number of items they need, and simply walk out," the company stated.

Currently, over 140 third-party locations offer the technology across the U.S., UK, Australia, and Canada.
SpaceX will reportedly start cracking down on the "black market" illegally using Starlink's high-speed internet connection to countries that have yet to be authorized.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the US-based aerospace company will be closing down unauthorized connections in Sudan, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.

Many of the supposed customers of the internet service have reportedly received an email from SpaceX telling them that their connection to the high-speed internet will soon be shut down by the end of the month.

Customers who are illegally using Starlink's mobile connection via roaming data for more than two months will also be affected by the crackdown.

SpaceX or its CEO Elon Musk has yet to respond to WSJ regarding the reports.

SpaceX Starts Taking Steps on Unauthorized Starlink Networks

The crackdown follows earlier reports of other countries, many under US sanctions, able to use Starlink satellites for their military operations.

Most notable were Russian troops currently invading Ukraine and Sudan's Rapid Support Forces, a militant group the US has accused of terrorist acts.

US lawmakers have earlier called for an investigation on the alleged use of US technology on US-sanctioned countries, especially because of rumors that Russia is using the satellite connection for surveillance operations.

As of writing, only 72 countries have authorized the use of Starlink satellites to boost their internet connections.

Also Read : SpaceX Allegedly Building Spy Satellite Network for US Intelligence

Why Did it Take Long for SpaceX to Respond?

The issue of illegal Starlink connections has been going on for quite a while to the point that the affected countries' governments have issued warnings to people not to use the unauthorized service.

Sudan's official government has reportedly even tried to reach out to SpaceX to urge a response on the issue.

According to WSJ, Musk has expressed "limited concern" on the growing black market around his company's flagship satellite, deeming the whole affair would not cause any regulatory issues.

Musk has yet to indicate any intentions to expand the reach of the company's Starlink services to the affected countries.

It is worth noting that many citizens in Africa rely heavily on the much cheaper internet access via the illegal Starlink connection than the expensive but still slow internet connection legally offered in their countries.
Seven Waymo robotaxis blocked the traffic around the Potrero Avenue 101 on-ramp in San Francisco, as seen on a video uploaded on Reddit.

The company confirmed the incident and explained that it immediately dispatched Roadside Assistance to manually retrieve the vehicles.

Read Also : San Francisco Sues California Regulators for Allowing Self-Driving Cars in the City

Waymo Robotaxis' Jam Result to Traffic in San Francisco

According to a report, the first Waymo taxi hit the road closure and pulled out of the traffic lane which was originally blocked by cones. Six other Waymo vehicles followed its path, leading to a blockage caused by the robotaxis.

In a Reddit post, it was visible that the robotaxis were lined up in a road closure with traffic cones. According to Waymo, the vehicles are on their way back to the city's depot during the evening of the incident.

Some drivers had to get out of their cars and take the initiative to move the cones out of the way since it was the only way to pass both the road closure and the stuck Waymos. California regulators recently approved the company's operation on freeways without human assistance but the company is still testing the road with a human driver.

Waymo Handles Freeway Incident Immediately

Waymo explained that once they were informed of the situation, they quickly dispatched their Roadside Assistance team to resolve the issues. The company also stated that the whole incident did not last longer than 30 minutes.

On the other hand, this was not an isolated case from the Waymo vehicles. Previously, other Waymo vehicles were reported for road blockage. Other residents from San Fransisco had voiced their concern about the push towards robotaxis due to their potential to cause traffic jams.

According to some officials and responders, robotaxis are complicated to access and move during such incidents. In San Francisco, a driver's presence is a must before they can order to issue a traffic citation.

As for Waymo, the company assured that they are prioritizing safety and the gradual release of rider-only operations on the freeway in Arizona before pushing it to California.
(Photo : Unsplash/Gayatri Malhotra)

On Tuesday night, nine Google employees were arrested for trespassing after staging a sit-in protest at Google's offices in New York and Sunnyvale, California, including a protest in Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian's office.

No Tech for Apartheid Organization

The arrests, live-streamed on Twitch, followed rallies outside Google offices in New York, Sunnyvale, and Seattle, which drew hundreds of attendees, as reported by workers involved. The protests, organized by the No Tech for Apartheid organization, targeted Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion contract between Google and Amazon to supply cloud computing services, including artificial intelligence tools, data centers, and other infrastructure, to the Israeli government and military.

Protesters in Sunnyvale occupied Kurian's office for over nine hours before their arrests, expressing their demands on his whiteboard and wearing shirts stating "Googler against genocide." Meanwhile, protesters occupied a common space across three floors in New York. Five individuals from Sunnyvale and four from New York were arrested.

Cheyne Anderson, a Google Cloud software engineer based in Washington, expressed opposition to Google entering into any military contracts, regardless of the government or the contract's specifics. Anderson believes that as an international company, Google impacts people on both ends of military actions, including those within its employee and user base. Anderson flew to Sunnyvale to participate in the protest at Kurian's office and was subsequently arrested on Tuesday.

Mounting Pressure on Google's Partnership with Israeli Military

A Google spokesperson informed CNBC that Google Cloud provides its cloud computing services to various governments worldwide, including the Israeli government, in countries where it operates. They clarified that this involvement does not extend to highly sensitive, classified, or military-related tasks related to weapons or intelligence services.

The demonstrations highlight the mounting pressure Google faces from employees who oppose the military application of its AI and cloud technology. In a recent incident, Google Cloud engineer Eddie Hatfield interrupted a keynote speech by the managing director of Google's Israel business, refusing to build technology that powers genocide, who was later terminated from his position. During the same week, an internal message board for Google employees was shut down after discussions regarding the company's contracts with the Israeli military, which a spokesperson characterized as divisive content that is disruptive to their workplace.

READ ALSO: Google Claiming to Uphold Democratic Values, Reaches Breaking Point, Fired Protesting Employee at Israel Tech Event

The Israeli Ministry of Defense purportedly sought consulting services from Google to enhance its utilization of Google Cloud services. The Israeli government reportedly utilizes platforms like Google Photos for surveillance operations in Gaza, as detailed by The New York Times.

The Googlers Against Genocide's Sit-In Protest

The sit-in protest in New York began at noon ET and concluded around 9:30 p.m. ET. Security personnel requested that workers remove their banner, which stretched across two floors, approximately an hour into the protest, as reported by Hasan Ibraheem, a Google software engineer based in New York City and one of the individuals arrested during the demonstration.

Ibraheem expressed his realization that his workplace was deeply involved in and supporting the genocide, which prompted him to feel a responsibility to take action against it. Ibraheem emphasized the weight of his conscience regarding the fact that he receives money from Google, which is, in turn, paid by Israel, contributing to his decision to take a stand.

The New York workers were discharged from the police station approximately four hours after arrest. The nine individuals arrested in New York and Sunnyvale informed CNBC that while participating in the protest, they were barred from accessing their work accounts and offices, placed on administrative leave, and instructed to await further instructions from HR before returning to work.

The workers were also protesting their labor conditions, specifically demanding an end to what they perceived as harassment, intimidation, bullying, silencing, and censorship of Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim employees at Google. Additionally, they urged the company to address the health and safety concerns faced by workers, particularly those in Google Cloud, due to the potential impacts of their work, according to a release provided by the campaign.

RELATED ARTICLE: Ex-Google Engineer Busted Working with Chinese Companies, Faces Four Theft Counts for Stealing AI Trade Secrets

 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and owner of social media site X, attends the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France, on June 16, 2023.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk sent an internal email on Wednesday, telling staffers that the company sent out some severance packages that were too low to a number of laid-off workers this week.

"As we reorganize Tesla it has come to my attention that some severance packages are incorrectly low," Musk wrote in the brief email. "My apologies for this mistake. It is being corrected immediately."

Tesla didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

The electric vehicle company said Monday that it would be cutting more than 10% of its global workforce, which totaled around 140,000 employees at the end of 2023.

Few details have been shared by the company about the layoffs, but in a companywide memo sent Monday, Musk said the layoffs would help, "prepare the company" for a "next phase of growth."

Earlier this month, Reuters reported that Tesla would be shifting its strategy, and scrapping an earlier plan to produce a more affordable EV in favor of focusing on robotaxi development at Musk's direction. On Tuesday this week, Musk appeared to confirm that report in a post on X.

Musk hasn't yet said whether Tesla will stick with his 2023 "master plan," which laid out "a proposed path to reach a sustainable global energy economy through end-use electrification and sustainable electricity generation and storage."

The company reported an 8.5% year-over-year decline in first-quarter deliveries, the first drop since 2020, when operations were disrupted by the global pandemic.

Tesla is set to discuss first-quarter results with shareholders on Tuesday April 23, and executives are likely to reveal more about the restructuring and which departments were most impacted.

In a proxy filing out Wednesday, Tesla asked shareholders to approve a CEO pay package for Musk that's equivalent to the record compensation plan the company previously granted him in 2018.

His earlier CEO pay plan, worth $56 billion, was voided in a ruling by Delaware Chancery Court Judge Kathaleen McCormick, who decided that, as CEO, Musk controlled Tesla, and the board's compensation committee wasn't independent, among other factors.

Tesla shares have dropped about 37% this year as of Wednesday, closing at $155.45.
Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as he arrives at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. April 10, 2024.

Former President Donald Trump's campaign operation is requesting that any down-ballot candidates or Republican groups who use Trump's name, image or likeness in fundraising asks give a portion of the funds raised to Trump's main fundraising committee.

According to a memo obtained by NBC News from a source who received it, Trump's co-campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita requested a split of "a minimum of 5% of all fundraising solicitations to Trump National Committee JFC. This includes but is not limited to sending to the house file, prospecting vendors, and advertising."

The memo adds, "Any split that is higher than 5% will be seen favorably by the RNC and President Trump's campaign and is routinely reported to the highest levels of leadership within both organizations."

The letter was sent on Monday and asked candidates and committees to adhere by the guidelines beginning Tuesday. Politico was first to report on the memo.

Beyond the directive about splitting fundraising when using Trump's name, image and likeness to raise money, LaCivita and Wiles issued several additional guidelines for campaigns and committees using Trump for their own ends.

They forbid campaigns from "speaking on behalf of President Trump ... questioning the readers' support of President Trump or tying their support to a financial contribution ... creating new memberships, clubs or rewards that are not authorized by the campaign ... impersonating President Trump or his campaign," and more.
Law enforcement agencies across four states were left scrambling following reports of major 911 outages that saw millions unable to contact authorities late Wednesday.

Many of the outages  reported in Nebraska, South Dakota, Texas and Nevada  were restored by the late evening. While officials haven't said precisely what caused the outages, they come on the heels of the Department of Homeland Security warning of heightened cyber attack risks on 911 services as they moved to internet-based systems.

Local law enforcement agencies reported a full statewide in South Dakota shortly before 7 p.m. local time (9 p.m. ET). Rapid City police offered locals alternative phone numbers to call for first responders, and service was restored about two hours later.

The South Dakota Department of Public Safety said Wednesday evening that "texting to 9-1-1 is operating in most locations" was an option to contact authorities.

In Nevada, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said around 7 p.m. local time (10 p.m. ET) that "there is a 911 outage impacting your ability to contact us right now." Locals were urged to dial 911 on mobile devices, which dispatch was able to see and call back, and said calls from landlines "are NOT working at the moment."

Calls were working again by 9 p.m. (midnight ET). "All of the individuals who called during the outage have been called back and provided assistance," the department said.

In Nebraska, the Chase County Sheriff's Office said "911 is down across the State of Nebraska" for all cellular carriers except T-Mobile, and landlines were able to still get through to 911.

Del Rio Police in Texas said when announcing their outage that "this issue is with the carrier and not the City of Del Rio systems."

NBC News has reached out to major cellphone carriers and the Federal Communications Commission for comment on the issue.
Emad Mostaque, founder and CEO of Stability AI, speaks during the Bloomberg Technology Summit in San Francisco, California, US, on Thursday, June 22, 2023.

Beleaguered artificial intelligence startup Stability is laying off employees after the exit of its controversial former CEO Emad Mostaque.

Stability, which is behind the popular Stable Diffusion text-to-image model, made more than 20 of its employees redundant to "right-size" the business after a period of unsustainable growth, according to an internal memo obtained by CNBC.

The company's newly appointed co-CEOs Shan Shan Wong and Christian Laforte told employees in an email Wednesday night that the firm needed to "restructure parts of the business, which will sadly mean saying goodbye to some colleagues."

"Those who are affected by this have been notified individually and we will be supporting them throughout this period," Wong and Laforte, who were previously chief operating officer and chief technology officer at the company, respectively, said in the internal memo.

Stability AI's layoffs amount to about 10% of its global headcount, according to publicly available data online which shows the firm employs around 200 people in total.

The employees affected by the measures are mostly on the operational side of the business and have been notified of their redundancies, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke with CNBC under condition of anonymity as they were not able to speak publicly on the matter.
Alaska Airlines forecast second-quarter and full-year earnings well ahead of estimates on Thursday with executives predicting a strong peak travel season, despite a first-quarter loss stemming from a midair blowout of a door plug on a nearly new Boeing 737 Max 9 in January.

Alaska received $162 million from Boeing for the Jan. 5 accident, which caused the Federal Aviation Administration to briefly ground the planes. Alaska said it expects additional compensation from the manufacturer.

The Seattle-based carrier lost $132 million, or $1.05 a share in the first quarter, down from a net loss of $142 million, or $1.11 a share a year earlier.

The accident has added additional regulator scrutiny on Boeing and slowed its deliveries of new Max planes, of which Alaska is a major customer. Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci stood by Boeing on Thursday's earnings call but reiterated that he expects Boeing to fall short on its airplane delivery plan to the carrier this year.

"We remain committed partners but we will hold Boeing to the highest bar for quality out of the factory and to that end we have enhanced our in-person oversight of our 737 production line," Minicucci said.

"Alaska [Airlines] needs Boeing, our industry needs Boeing and our country needs Boeing to be a leader in airplane manufacturing," he said.

Minicucci told CNBC's "The Exchange" on Thursday that he was "encouraged" after Boeing's leadership visited Alaska's offices in Seattle on Monday to outline the manufacturer's quality improvement plan.

Boeing's safety crisis has sparked criticism from lawmakers and its customers. Boeing's CEO Dave Calhoun last month said he would step down by year's end, part of a broader shakeup at the manufacturer amid frustration voiced by airline CEOs.

Airline leaders say the resulting delays from quality problems at Boeing have forced schedule changes. Minicucci said Alaska is taking the delays into account to "deliver a schedule with the high level of service and reliability that our guests expect and know from us."

Alaska forecast adjusted earnings per share of between $2.20 and $2.40, above the $2.12 analysts polled by LSEG expected. For 2024, the carrier expects earnings ranging from $3.25 to $5.25 a share, well above the average of $4.36.

Alaska shares rose 4% to end Thursday at $44.44.

Delta and United have also forecast strong travel demand for 2024 will boost results this spring and summer.

Alaska reported revenue of $2.2 billion for the first quarter, slightly above the estimated $2.19 billion analysts polled by LSEG expected and 2% above last year. Adjusting for one-time items, Alaska posted a net loss of 62 cents a share in the second quarter, less than the $1.05 per-share loss analysts were expecting, according to LSEG.
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Baidu CEO Robin Li speaks during the company's Create conference in Shenzhen, China, on April 16, 2024. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

SHENZHEN, China  One year after Chinese search engine operator Baidu released its ChatGPT-like Ernie bot, the company this week announced tools to encourage locals to develop artificial intelligence applications. "In China today, there are 1 billion internet users, strong foundation models, sufficient AI application scenarios and the most complete industrial system in the world," CEO Robin Li said in his opening speech at Baidu's annual AI developers conference on Tuesday. "Everyone can be a developer," he said in Mandarin, according to a CNBC translation. While many point out how China lags behind the U.S. in artificial intelligence capabilities, others emphasize how the strength of the Chinese market lies more in technological application. Take next-day e-commerce and 30-minute food delivery, for example. Baidu's newly announced AI tools allow people with no coding knowledge to create generative AI-powered chatbots for specific functions, which can then be integrated in a website, Baidu search engine results or other online portals. That's different from a similar tool called GPTs that OpenAI launched earlier this year, since those custom-built chatbots  for everything from suggesting movies to fixing code  sit within the ChatGPT interface.

watch now

The basic Baidu tools are generally available to try for free, up until a certain usage limit, similar to some of Google's cloud and AI functions. OpenAI charges a monthly fee for the latest version of ChatGPT and the ability to use it for computer programs. The older ChatGPT 3.5 model is free to use, but without access to the custom-built GPTs. Baidu this week also announced three new versions of its Ernie AI model  called "Speed," "Lite" and "Tiny"  that coders can selectively access, based on the complexity of the task. "It feels like their focus is on building the entire native AI development ecosystem, providing a full set of development tools and platform solutions," said Bo Du, managing director at WestSummit Capital Management. That's according to a CNBC translation of the Chinese remarks. Baidu said this week that Ernie bot has accumulated more than 200 million users since its launch in March last year, and that computer programs are accessing the underlying AI model 200 million times a day. The company said more than 85,000 business clients have used its AI cloud platform to create 190,000 AI applications.

How the tech is being used

Many of the use cases Baidu showed off this week centered on consumer-facing applications: tourism and creation of content such as picture books and scheduling meetings. In a demonstration hall, Baidu business departments showed off how the AI tools could be integrated with virtual people doing livestreams, or directing search engine traffic to an AI-based interactive buying guide. Buysmart.AI, which won Baidu's AI competition last year, uses the tech for an online shopping assistant connected to Chinese social media platform Weibo. The startup said it is using ChatGPT for a standalone interactive e-commerce app in the U.S. "Personally I think that Ernie 4.0 has a better grasp of Chinese than ChatGPT 3.5," Buysmart.AI co-founder Andy Qiu said in an interview. That's according to a CNBC translation of his Mandarin-language remarks. Consumers in the U.S. are currently more interested in AI products than users in China are, Qiu said. But he said that overall there is still room for improvement when it comes to building consumers' trust of AI assistants and convincing users to place an order. Also on display was a humanoid robot developed by Shenzhen-based UBTech Robotics that used Baidu's Ernie AI model for understanding commands and reading written words.
The Korean Pavilion at this year's Venice Biennale offers a remarkably tranquil atmosphere, largely free from flashy visual stimulation. Instead, the pavilion is imbued with invisible sensory elements: scents.

The serene ambiance inside the Korean Pavilion was particularly notable on Wednesday amidst the outside clamor from protesters opposing international support for the Israeli government's military campaign against Gaza.

"From the planning stage, I envisioned the Korean Pavilion as a space for contemplation," multimedia and installation artist Koo Jeong-a talked to reporters at the pavilion on Wednesday.

"With so many things to see at the biennale, I aimed for the Korean Pavilion to serve as a serene space where visitors can contemplate," she added.

Nestled in a tranquil corner of the expansive Giardini park, the Korean Pavilion appeared as an ideal spot to unwind and relax.

Most of the exhibition spaces remain empty, with few visible attractions, except for the diffuser sculpture, two Mobius strip-shaped wooden sculptures and infinity symbols engraved on the newly installed wooden floor.

Co-curated by Jacob Fabricius and Lee Seol-hui, the Korean Pavilion presents the exhibition, titled "Odorama Cities," which centers around the theme of scent, intending to guide visitors on a "Korean Scent Journey" using scents as a potent and evocative medium for art.

The duo collaborated with Koo, celebrated for her site-specific creations, which conjure up personal memories through intangible elements, notably scents.

They said Koo possesses a distinctive ability to redefine space and evoke personal memories through the use of intangible elements, and that the exhibition's minimalist approach aligns with the artist's longstanding practice of interacting with space through simple gestures.

For the project, the artist invited people from around the world, including Korean adoptees and North Korean defectors living in South Korea, to share their scent memories of Korea, in an open call from June 25 to Sept. 30 last year.

Based on approximately 600 scent memories they received, the trio collaborated with a local cosmetics brand, Nonfiction, to create 17 scents, which are dispersed into various corners of the exhibition hall.

Fabricius said the borderless, boundary-transcending nature of scents resonates with the theme of this year's biennale, which is set to open on April 20 under the theme of "Foreigners Everywhere." (Yonhap)
Here are Thursday's biggest calls on Wall Street: Bank of America adds Cisco Systems and Goldman Sachs to the US1 list Bank of America added both stocks to its top picks list. "We are adding Cisco Systems (CSCO), Goldman Sachs Group (GS), and S & P Global (SPGI) to the US 1 List." JPMorgan upgrades JetBlue to neutral from underperform JPMorgan said it likes the stock's turnaround potential. "That said, we believe JBLU is increasingly well- positioned for a modest potential move to the upside based on improving market sentiment." Loop initiates Samsara as buy Loop said the software company is another way to play the AI and machine learning theme. "We are initiating coverage of Samsara (IOT) with a Buy rating and $42 price target." KBW downgrades US Bancorp to market perform from outperform KBW downgraded US Bancorp following the company's earnings report. "NII [net interest income] Outlook Weighs on the Stock; Downgrading to MP." Oppenheimer initiates Sprout Social as outperform Oppenheimer said the software company is an "attractive vehicle for owning a strong management team and category leader in social media management at a reasonable valuation." "We launch coverage of SPT at Outperform and a $76 PT." JPMorgan reiterates Duolingo as overweight JPMorgan said the online language app company has an attractive risk/reward. "We believe there is potential upside to both DUOLs 1Q guide & 2024 outlook, which aligns with investor expectations based on our conversations." Oppenheimer initiates Oracle as perform Oppenheimer said the company has a "less efficient cash model." "We see Oracle as a long-term beneficiary of the software industry secular trends (including digital transformation, generative AI, etc.) driving revenue growth and operating leverage." Deutsche Bank adds a catalyst call buy on Estee Lauder Deutsche added a short-term buy rating on shares of the beauty giant. "We view the setup into EL's coming FY3Q24 results on May 1 skewing positively." Mizuho upgrades Linde to buy from neutral Mizuho said the chemical company has defensive qualities. "We upgrade LIN to Buy from Neutral with an unchanged price target of $510, which represents ~30x our 2025E EPS of $17.00." TD Cowen reiterates Nvidia as buy TD Cowen said it's "full speed ahead" for Nvidia. "All systems go at the AI juggernaut on the heels of the 'rock concert-like' GTC in March." Bernstein reiterates Apple as market perform Bernstein said it's getting more "constructive" on Apple shares but is sticking with its market perform rating for now. "We see 3 main avenues for Apple to monetize AI, albeit with cannibalization risk: 1) Offering AI-enabled capabilities on iPhone 16, which could drive incremental hardware sales; 2) capturing AI search upside through Advertising; 3) charging a take rate on AI apps." Jefferies initiates Kite Realty Jefferies said the real estate investment trust is undervalued. " KRG is underappreciated given strength in the retail leasing cycle & for having the highest leasing upside potential." Evercore ISI initiates GE Vernova as outperform Evercore says GE Vernova is "well positioned for the energy transition." "The Key Player in the Mission to Electrify and Decarbonize the Power System; Well Positioned for the Energy Transition Supercycle." Loop downgrades BJ's to hold from buy Loop downgraded the stock mainly on valuation. "We spoke with management prior to their quiet period, and we checked a number of BJ's and competitor stores in our Metro NY market. We're lowering our estimates today for merchandise SSS [same-store sales] and gross margin." Deutsche Bank downgrades Tesla to hold from buy Deutsche downgraded the stock due to the possibility of a Model 2 "push-out." "We are downgrading TSLA to Hold from Buy and cutting our price target to $123, in light of the high likelihood of Model 2 push-out and the company's change of strategic priority to Robotaxi." Needham reiterates Amazon as buy Needham said it's sticking by shares of the e-commerce giant. "The catalyst for this note is to raise our FY24 profit ests for AMZN, based on CEO Andy Jassy's shareholder letter promising more cost-cutting at AMZN's inbound fulfillment architecture and inventory placement during FY24." BTIG initiates FTAI Infrastructure as buy BTIG said it's bullish on shares of the infrastructure company "We are initiating coverage of FTAI Infrastructure (FIP) with a Buy rating and a $10 PT." BMO upgrades SL Green to outperform from market perform BMO said commercial real estate in New York City "is back." "We upgrade shares of SLG to Outperform with a $58 target price. New York City office is one of the few REIT subsectors seeing improved demand." JPMorgan adds a negative catalyst watch on CarMax JPMorgan said Carvana's upcoming earnings report is a negative for CarMax shares. "Keeping this in context, we see CVNAs 1Q results, scheduled for 5/1 AMC, as a negative catalyst for peer KMX shares, given volumes at KMX continue to remain weak, and are likely to re-surface more structural and competitive concerns around the LT growth and margin potential." DA Davidson upgrades Barnes to buy from neutral DA said shares of the global industrial tech and aerospace company are attractive. The firm also added the stock to its best-in-class Stampede list. "We are upgrading shares of Barnes Group from Neutral to BUY and are additionally raising our PT from $35 to $45." Mizuho initiates The AES Corporation as buy Mizuho said it's bullish on shares of the utilities company. "We are initiating coverage of AES with a Buy rating and $21PT. AES is an owner and operator of US utilities, renewable developer, and global energy infrastructure pioneer." Morgan Stanley downgrades Match to equal weight from overweight Morgan Stanley said in its downgrade of the stock that it needs more evidence of user growth. "We downgrade MTCH from OW to EW and maintain BMBL at EW as we watch for evidence that product improvements are reaccelerating user growth." Morgan Stanley upgrades eBay to overweight from underweight and downgrades Etsy to underweight from equal weight Morgan Stanley opened a pair trade on Etsy and eBay. "We pair OW EBAY (u/g from UW) and UW ETSY (d/g from EW) on growth convergence." KeyBanc upgrades Zscaler to overweight from sector weight Key upgraded the IT security company following a series of positive channel checks. "We are upgrading shares of ZS in conjunction with our 1Q24 IT VAR survey given: 1) our more constructive view on the competitive landscape; 2) positive channel and survey feedback." Rosenblatt upgrades Zoom to buy from neutral Rosenblatt upgraded the stock after positive channel checks. " Zoom has revitalized its channel strategy with updated programs and incentives, generating positive partner feedback." Loop downgrades Knight-Swift to hold from buy Loop says the transportation company is in a "difficult place." " Knight-Swift is in a very different place, with a profit warning on Wednesday guiding Q1 EPS to a range of $0.19 to $0.20 from the prior guide of $0.37 to $0.41 just 12 weeks ago." Janney initiates Vistra as buy Janney said it's bullish on shares of the energy company. "Near-term cash flow is well hedged. Additionally, VST is unaffected by any newbuild-related trends such as interconnection queue delays, supply-chain headwinds, etc." Morgan Stanley names Comcast a top pick The firm said the cable giant is its new top cable pick. "We remain bullish [on] CMCSA shares given valuation, diversification, and a strong balance sheet." Disclosure: Comcast owns NBCUniversal, the parent company of CNBC. Benchmark initiates Beacon Roofing as buy Benchmark said shares of the roofing company are attractive. "We are initiating coverage on shares of Beacon Roofing Supply (BECN), a leading roofing products distributor in the United States, with a Buy rating and $135 PT."
U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping before a meeting during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders' week in Woodside, California, Nov. 15, 2023.

China said it "firmly opposes" the U.S. investigation into its maritime, logistics and shipbuilding industries, calling the move a "mistake on top of a mistake."

In an official statement late Wednesday, China's ministry of commerce said the U.S. provides hundreds of billions of dollars in "discriminatory" subsidies to its domestic industries, "yet accuses China of adopting so-called 'non-market practices.'"

"In fact, the development of China's industries is the result of companies' technological innovation and active participation in market competition," the Chinese ministry said.

On Wednesday, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative initiated a probe into China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding industries, alleging that Beijing used "unfair, non-market policies and practices" to dominate these sectors. Under the Trade Act of 1974, Section 301 seeks to address unfair foreign government practices impacting U.S. commerce.

"By launching a new Section 301 investigation, the U.S. is making a mistake on top of a mistake," the China's commerce ministry said.

Beijing called on the U.S. to "respect multilateral rules" and vowed to "take all necessary steps to resolutely defend its rights and interests."
Business woman working at office with laptop and documents on his desk, financial adviser analyzing data.

"Where do you see yourself in five years?"

It's a question that most people have asked themselves or been asked in job interviews, by mentors, career advisors or even just their parents.

But it's not a question people should really be worried about, Aneesh Raman, vice president and workforce expert at LinkedIn, told CNBC Make It in a conversation on the sidelines of LinkedIn's U.K. Talent Connect event last month.

"Don't worry about five years or 10 years from now," he said.

That might seem counterintuitive at first, but as the labor market and jobs themselves are evolving rapidly thanks to technological developments like artificial intelligence, planning for the future can be tricky.

Put simply, we just do not know which jobs will even exist in a few years, Raman said. "The only constant for the coming decade will be change," he added.

But where does that leave those who are about to start their career?

Instead of thinking about what job title or role you want, Raman suggests focusing on what you want to do, what skills to develop, and using them in an impactful way.

"The thing that matters most is skills," Raman said. Developing those should be the focus of anyone's early career, he explained, adding that where and how that happens is secondary.

"Employers are interested in all the skills you'll bring to the organization, regardless of where you've learned them," he said. "Take stock of your top skills and get really good at telling a story around where you built them and, more importantly, where you applied them."

Data shows that employers are placing an increasing amount of attention on skills  for example, recruiters are five times more likely to search for candidates based on skills than other accolades like college degrees, LinkedIn has found.

"Once you've built up some true expertise, the next step is to ask yourself how you can apply what you know to a specific issue or a topic you're passionate about," Raman said.

Next to skills, learning should be another key focal point and goes hand in hand with being able to adapt in an ever-changing job market.

"Find your way to a love of learning, where you are excited about learning because you are curious and determined to get better at certain skills or in certain areas of expertise," Raman said.

He has said that asking about the culture of learning is the most important question job seekers can ask in interviews. This is due to the changing nature of jobs and the labor market, Raman said. LinkedIn research has also found that learning boost workers' sense of connection to their employer and adds purpose to their jobs.
TOPSHOT - Cars are stranded on a flooded street in Dubai following heavy rains on April 18, 2024. Dubai's giant highways were clogged by flooding and its major airport was in chaos as the Middle East financial centre remained gridlocked on April 18, a day after the heaviest rains on record. Giuseppe Cacace | Afp | Getty Images

The United Arab Emirates continues to reel from floods caused by the heaviest rainfall ever recorded in the desert state, with airlines, banks, and city transport facing major disruptions and service outages. Roughly a year's worth of rain pummeled the normally bone-dry Gulf country in a span of just 12 hours. And in many homes and businesses across Dubai and other emirates, running water and power are no longer functioning. "The shower isn't working." "Can't flush the toilet." "Nothing is coming out of the taps." Those and other similar messages flooded Whatsapp groups in Dubai on Wednesday and Thursday, as many residents living in villas found themselves stuck inside, more than a foot of water flooding the roads outside their houses and submerging their cars. One widely-shared message urged: "DO NOT walk through flooded areas and DO NOT touch metallic objects on the ground while in water," warning of electric shocks. Still, with their cars out of commission and taxis avoiding flooded areas, some residents who ran out of food ventured out to buy groceries anyway. "Wear trainers and shorts and bring a backpack to carry your food back," one resident of the upmarket Al Manara residential neighborhood advised. Video footage from some neighborhoods showed locals on surfboards and even jet skis to get around. Beiruti Flame Grill, a local Lebanese restaurant, was one of many Dubai businesses completely submerged  its staff are using a raft to get around the neighborhood.

Two men use an inflatable bed to float above the water as downpour causes heavy flooding in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on April 17, 2024. Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Images

"Some friends of ours have lost almost everything  houses up to waist in water. Been horrible for lots of people," one resident, who declined to be named due to professional restrictions, told CNBC. For others, the weather disaster brought out the best in their communities. "Our community has honestly been amazing, banded together and helped each other where they could," Samantha Denichaud, a movement therapist living in Dubai, told CNBC. "I think it's been a time where neighbors who otherwise would never have connected have gotten to know one another. It's been horrible but also strangely amazing." She described residents cooking meals and donating blankets and toiletries to security and maintenance workers who were unable to get back to their homes.

A man steers his canoe on a flooded street in Dubai following heavy rains on April 18, 2024. Dubai's giant highways were clogged by flooding and its major airport was in chaos as the Middle East financial center remained gridlocked on April 18, a day after the heaviest rains on record. Giuseppe Cacace | Afp | Getty Images

Some parts of the UAE saw over 100 mm of rain between Tuesday and Wednesday  a 75-year record since the country began recording rainfall, according to country's National Centre of Meteorology. The government on Tuesday issued a red warning, shuttering offices, school and banks across the country. The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Authority warned residents to stay home and park vehicles in elevated spots away from flood-prone areas. Hundreds of cars were left abandoned on Dubai's Sheikh Zayed Highway as drivers' engines died while water rose around them. The city's metro became an impromptu overnight shelter, as people working in and around some stations couldn't get home. While water levels in some areas are receding and parts of the city are completely dry, some are still too submerged for maintenance and repair services to access. Police cars are blocking certain roads deemed too dangerous, while pumping trucks are working to empty the streets of water. A massive cleanup is underway and will have to continue for some time. The UAE's Ministry of Interior on Wednesday evening announced the "end of the weather fluctuations" and said efforts continue to "complete the recovery phase." Field work teams will "continue their intensive efforts to ensure full recovery and the return of life to normal in all affected areas," the ministry's statement said. Dubai's airport was a scene of chaos, as frustrated travelers were told they would be unable to fly. The airport urged travelers not to come to the airport unless absolutely necessary, and suspended check-ins until Thursday morning. For those who landed before arriving flights were suspended, getting home was also an endeavor. "The airport staff told everyone to get onto the metro for two stops and then to get on the bus replacement service ... We got there and there was no replacement service," one British resident of Dubai coming back from a holiday told CNBC. "Seemed like the airport was just trying to offload bodies further down the line ... eventually our mate came in a pickup and got us back home." In a statement, a Dubai Airports spokesperson said the airport was "working to restore operations as swiftly as possible amidst these challenging circumstances," and said that "due to crowding, access to Terminal 1 is now strictly limited to passengers with confirmed departures." It added that "there are no rebooking facilities available at the terminal."

Cars drive in a flooded street following heavy rains in Dubai on April 17, 2024. Giuseppe Cacace | Afp | Getty Images
"This evening, Google indiscriminately fired over two dozen workers, including those among us who did not directly participate in yesterday's historic, bicoastal 10-hour sit-in protests," No Tech For Apartheid said in a statement, adding, "In the three years that we have been organizing against Project Nimbus, we have yet to hear from a single executive about our concerns. Google workers have the right to peacefully protest about terms and conditions of our labor. These firings were clearly retaliatory."

The arrests, which were livestreamed on Twitch by participants, follow rallies outside Google offices in New York, Sunnyvale and Seattle, which attracted hundreds of attendees, according to workers involved. The protests were led by the "No Tech For Apartheid" organization, focused on Project Nimbus  Google and Amazon 's joint $1.2 billion contract to provide the Israeli government and military with cloud computing services, including AI tools, data centers and other cloud infrastructure.

On Wednesday evening, a memo sent by Chris Rackow, Google's vice president of global security, told Googlers that "following investigation, today we terminated the employment of twenty-eight employees found to be involved. We will continue to investigate and take action as needed."

Some of the arrested workers in New York and Sunnyvale, who spoke with CNBC earlier Wednesday, said that during the protest they were locked out of their work accounts and offices, placed on administrative leave and told to wait to return to work until being contacted by human resources.

The news comes one day after nine Google workers were arrested on trespassing charges Tuesday night after staging a sit-in at the company's offices in New York and Sunnyvale, California, including a protest in Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian's office.

Google terminated 28 employees Wednesday, according to an internal memo viewed by CNBC, after a series of protests against labor conditions and the company's contract to provide the Israeli government and military with cloud computing and artificial intelligence services.

In a statement to CNBC, Google disputed the notion that the firings on Wednesday impacted workers who were not directly involved in the protests. The company said some employees took longer to identify because their identity was "partly concealed."

"Our investigation into these events is now concluded, and we have terminated the employment of additional employees who were found to have been directly involved in disruptive activity," the spokesperson said. "To reiterate, every single one of those whose employment was terminated was personally and definitively involved in disruptive activity inside our buildings. We carefully confirmed and reconfirmed this."

Protesters in Sunnyvale sat in Kurian's office for more than nine hours until their arrests, writing demands on Kurian's whiteboard and wearing shirts that read "Googler against genocide." In New York, protesters sat in a three-floor common space. Five workers from Sunnyvale and four from New York were arrested.

"On a personal level, I am opposed to Google taking any military contracts  no matter which government they're with or what exactly the contract is about," Cheyne Anderson, a Google Cloud software engineer based in Washington, told CNBC earlier Wednesday. "And I hold that opinion because Google is an international company and no matter which military it's with, there are always going to be people on the receiving end ... represented in Google's employee base and also our user base." Anderson had flown to Sunnyvale for the protest in Kurian's office and was one of the workers arrested Tuesday.

"Google Cloud supports numerous governments around the world in countries where we operate, including the Israeli government, with our generally available cloud computing services," a Google spokesperson told CNBC on Wednesday evening, adding, "This work is not directed at highly sensitive, classified, or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services."

The demonstrations show Google's increased pressure from workers who oppose military use of its AI and cloud technology. Last month, Google Cloud engineer Eddie Hatfield interrupted a keynote speech from the managing director of Google's Israel business stating, "I refuse to build technology that powers genocide." Hatfield was subsequently fired. That same week, an internal Google employee message board was shut down after staffers posted comments about the company's Israeli military contracts. A spokesperson at the time described the posts as "divisive content that is disruptive to our workplace."

On Oct. 7, Hamas carried out deadly attacks on Israel, killing 1,200 and taking more than 240 hostages. The following day, Israel declared war and began implementing a siege of Gaza, cutting off access to power, food, water and fuel. At least 33,899 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since that date, the enclave's Health Ministry said Wednesday in a statement on Telegram. In January at the U.N.'s top court, Israel rejected genocide charges brought by South Africa.

The Israeli Ministry of Defense reportedly sought consulting services from Google to expand its access to Google Cloud services. Google Photos is one platform used by the Israeli government to conduct surveillance in Gaza, according to The New York Times.

"I think what happened yesterday is evidence that Google's attempts to suppress all of the voices of opposition to this contract are not only not working but actually having the opposite effect," Ariel Koren, a former Google employee who resigned in 2022 after leading efforts to oppose the Project Nimbus contract, told CNBC earlier Wednesday. "It's really just creating more agitation, more anger and more commitment."

The New York sit-in started at noon ET and ended around 9:30 p.m. ET. Security asked workers to remove their banner, which spanned two floors, about an hour into the protest, according to Hasan Ibraheem, a Google software engineer based in New York City and one of the arrested workers.

"I realized, 'Oh, the place that I work at is very complicit and aiding in this genocide  I have a responsibility to act against it,'" Ibraheem told CNBC earlier Wednesday. Ibraheem added, "The fact that I am receiving money from Google and Israel is paying Google  I am receiving part of that money, and that weighed very heavily on me."

The New York workers were released from the police station after about four hours.

The workers were also protesting their labor conditions  namely "that the company stop the harassment, intimidation, bullying, silencing, and censorship of Palestinian, Arab, Muslim Googlers  and that the company address the health and safety crisis workers, especially those in Google Cloud, are facing due to the potential impacts of their work," according to a release by the campaign.

"A small number of employee protesters entered and disrupted a few of our locations," a Google spokesperson told CNBC Wednesday evening. "Physically impeding other employees' work and preventing them from accessing our facilities is a clear violation of our policies, and completely unacceptable behavior. After refusing multiple requests to leave the premises, law enforcement was engaged to remove them to ensure office safety. We have so far concluded individual investigations that resulted in the termination of employment for 28 employees, and will continue to investigate and take action as needed."

Read the full memo below.
Nada Noaman became a C-Suite leader at The Estee Lauder Companies just weeks after learning she was pregnant with her first child.

When Nada Noaman landed her dream C-suite job at The Estee Lauder Cos. just hours after finding out she was pregnant, she felt unbridled joy  and panic. "It was two dreams of mine that I never expected to converge during the same year, much less the same 24-hour window," she recalls of April 28, 2022, the day she received her job offer. "I was shocked  and I immediately knew that it was not going to work." Noaman, then 44, had undergone multiple rounds of in vitro fertilization, or IVF, with no luck. When a headhunter reached out to her about interviewing for an open role as Estee Lauder's new chief information security officer, she says she didn't think twice about the timing or that the job, based in New York, would require a lot of travel from her home in Los Angeles. "I accepted that it would be much harder at my age to get pregnant, that it might not be in the cards for me," Noaman, now 46, adds. Until she saw two faint blue lines appear on an at-home pregnancy test she took late one night.

Accepting her dream job offer while newly pregnant

One of the first people Noaman told she was pregnant  besides her doctors and husband  was her potential new boss, Michael Smith, Estee Lauder's chief information officer. "I told him I was scared, that I had doubts about my ability to do this, but that I really wanted this job, and had I not just gotten this news, it would be a resounding yes," Noaman, who is also a senior vice president at Estee Lauder, says. "I knew telling him would be a risk but I chose to do that in favor of having some transparency, building trust between us, and with the hope that he could help me navigate this hard decision." Noaman's fears weren't unfounded. Although there are laws protecting pregnant people from discrimination in the hiring process and at work, including the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which went into effect last June, pregnancy discrimination is still common in workplaces across the U.S. Twenty percent of mothers reported experiencing pregnancy discrimination in the workplace, a Morning Consult survey of 2,200 adults found in 2022. Smith, Noaman's would-be boss, reassured her that she could do both  work as CISO and take maternity leave whenever she needed it, even if that was during her first year on the job. "I could tell that he believed in me, and he had the confidence that I could not only do the job well, but I could do it pregnant and was willing to adjust the timeline and expectations of the role as needed," Noaman recalls. She took the job, and started at Estee Lauder on June 1.

Starting in the C-suite pregnant and returning as a new mom

Noaman, who worked remotely during the last trimester of her pregnancy, decided not to tell most of her co-workers she was pregnant until she got close to her due date. "I wanted people to build a rapport with me and know that I wasn't going anywhere anytime soon so that by the time I did go on maternity leave, we had a plan and it felt as seamless as possible," she says. Noaman did, however, alert her executive assistant and human resources manager, who, along with Smith, helped Noaman adjust her travel schedule and set up a remote office from her home in Los Angeles.

Nada Noaman at a baby shower her co-workers threw for her right before she went on maternity leave in December 2022. Photo: The Estee Lauder Companies

She left for maternity leave in December 2022 and took about six months off, returning to work in the summer of 2023 (Noaman declined to share the date she gave birth). Estee Lauder offers full-time corporate employees in the U.S. up to 20 weeks of paid parental leave at their normal pay. To prepare for maternity leave during her first year in the C-suite, Noaman set up what she calls a "self-governance committee" of business leaders within her department to make decisions and lead team meetings on her behalf. She coordinated with Smith to delegate some of her higher-level duties, like leading meetings or dealing with tech emergencies. "I joined a couple of important meetings with our senior leadership while I was gone but other than that, I was off enjoying time with my husband and our daughter," says Noaman. "Having a solid support system at work and having a clear game plan months ahead of time made all the difference."

Noaman's best advice for job hunting while expecting a baby
Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook listen as India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, speaks during a meeting with senior officials and CEOs of American and Indian companies, in the White House in Washington, D.C., on June 23, 2023.

The ironclad relationship that India Prime Minister Narendra Modi has developed with CEOs of the largest U.S. tech companies is giving his nation the foreign support that India has craved for more than a decade.

Those ties also have boosted Modi's own profile ahead of key elections that start Friday, a former Indian government official told CNBC on the condition of anonymity.

The promise of further economic growth in India as China's economy slows has led many American CEOs to support Modi's policies.

Tensions between Washington and Beijing have also pushed U.S. conglomerates to diversify their manufacturing bases to countries including India to avoid disruptions from any potential conflict.

"Shifting supply chains away from rivals makes India a very important linchpin," Manjari Chatterjee Miller, senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, told CNBC.

The support from major U.S. companies also helps to shield Modi from criticism of India's continued purchase of Russian and Iranian oil, as most major economies sanction the two nations.

Ahead of the election, Apple's expansion into India in particular has given Modi political clout and created more investing interest among U.S. companies, experts told CNBC.

"The story of Apple, such a marquee name, has worked in Modi's favor  not only has it helped the economy, but it has also given him political swagger," said Pravin Krishna, Chung Ju Yung distinguished professor of international economics and business at Johns Hopkins University.

Modi has established an ongoing dialogue with a range of powerful Silicon Valley CEOs as India's national election starts.

The election, which will end in early June, is expected to see more than 960 million citizens vote. Polls suggest Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party is expected to win.
A worker fixes a flag of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on a hoarding of their leader and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 15, 2024. Idrees Mohammed | Afp | Getty Images

Indians head to the polls on Friday in what will be the world's largest democratic election, as close to one billion voters pick their next government and decide whether to hand Prime Minister Narendra Modi a third term in office. The 2024 general elections will pan out in seven phases over the next six weeks, starting April 19. Voters will decide who fills the seats of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's parliament, for the next five years. The Lok Sabha is the more powerful of the two houses of Parliament. Whichever party or coalition that wins the majority will lead the government and pick the next prime minister. Analysts widely expect Modi's Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party to score another landslide victory in the upcoming elections. Here's why India's elections matter.

India's meteoric rise

Under Modi's rule, India's economy has scaled to new heights. It is now the world's fifth-largest economy with a GDP of $3.7 trillion and has set its sight on becoming the world's third largest economy by 2027. Home to 1.4 billion people, India is the fastest growing economy in the world. Its economy grew 7.2% in fiscal 2022-2023, the second-highest among the G20 countries. The International Monetary Fund projects that India's economy will grow 6.8% in 2024 and 6.5% in 2025, compared to China's predicted growth of 4.6% in 2024 and 4.1% in 2025.

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That's not all. India's stock market overtook Hong Kong's in December to become the fourth largest in the world, and is now valued at over $4 trillion. Analysts expect Modi to win a third consecutive five-year term, further driving India's growth trajectory. "The growth story is not done. But private and foreign investments have been very subdued and exports have also declined," Suyash Rai, deputy director and fellow at Carnegie India told CNBC. "So I feel that there is some weakness building up."

U.S. President Joe Biden and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an arrival ceremony during a state visit on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on June 22, 2023. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

India has forged deeper ties with the West in the past year, and Modi's reelection could further strengthen U.S.-India relations, said Chietigj Bajpaee, senior research fellow for South Asia at Chatham House. He said India is seen as a "bulwark against China" as the Biden administration continues to encourage U.S. companies to move electronics and technology manufacturing operations out of China into friendlier countries, like India. "If there are two countries where there's the highest degree of consensus, it's China as a long-term strategic rival and India as a long-term strategic partner. That won't change," Bajpaee said.

Key contenders

There will be 543 contested seats in the lower house, and the party or coalition that wins at least 272 votes will form the government. There two main contenders: the BJP-led coalition known as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), and the opposition bloc known as the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). The opposition coalition was formed last year when more than 40 opposition parties joined forces. It is led by the Indian National Congress whose leading figure is Rahul Gandhi  the son of Rajiv Gandhi, a grandson of Indira Gandhi, and a great grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru, who all served as prime ministers of India. The Congress, which ruled the country for most of its post-Independence era, suffered a stinging defeat in the elections in 2014 and 2019. In 2019, the BJP secured a total of 303 seats. Together with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, 352 seats were clinched. The opposition Indian National Congress won 52 seats that year.

A worker fixes flags of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party displayed on a hoarding prior in Raipur on April 15, 2024 ahead of the country's upcoming general elections. Idrees Mohammed | Afp | Getty Images

This time, the BJP's coalition bloc is widely expected to once again trump the opposition parties and win a historic third term thanks to the political stability in the last decade, analysts said. "Policy consistency and political stability are connected to each other deeply. So the expectation will be that the government that comes in will be able to maintain that," said Amitendu Palit, senior research fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore. "This will be a significant year for India, and I have a feeling that whoever be the government in India, the foreign policy direction and the economic policy direction are going to remain broadly unchanged," he told CNBC. Modi reportedly said in March that he was confident the BJP and NDA will secure a total of 400 seats.

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Chatham's Bajpaee said it's a "foregone conclusion" that Modi's BJP will take the reins again this year, but "what's unclear is the scale of the victory." "You don't need the BJP to lose for the opposition to win. All they need to do is prove the Modi brand has weakened if they don't perform as well as last time," he highlighted.

Voters' concerns

According to a survey conducted by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, unemployment was the top concern for 27% of the 10,000 surveyed. More than half (62%) of those surveyed also said it had become more difficult to find a job in the last five years during Modi's second-term. "You still have a large proportion of the population which is impoverished, so there are large disparities across the country," Bajpaee said. Rising costs is the second biggest concern, with 23% of voters surveyed saying it was their primary concern. About 35% of respondents said their quality of life has declined in the last five years. About 13% said their biggest worry was the country's development, 8% said corruption was their top concern.

Election in numbers

This will be India's biggest election yet, with some 968 million people registered to vote  of which 48% will be women voters, according to the Council of Foreign Relations. There will also be 18 million first-time voters, according to Reuters. Given the sheer number of voters, the seven-phase election will last 44 days, from April 19 to June 1, according to the Election Commission of India.

A poll official marks an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) at a distribution center in Coimbatore on April 11, 2024. R.satish Babu | Afp | Getty Images

The six-week election is expected to cost more than the 2020 U.S. presidential election where $14.4 billion was spent, according to Washington-based research firm OpenSecrets. Data from the company showed that India spent $8.6 billion in the 2019 general elections, $2.1 billion more than the 2016 U.S. presidential race. Results will be released on June 4. Electoral rules have stated that since there must be a polling station within two kilometers of every registered voter, there will be about a 1.05 million polling stations, 5.5 million electronic voting machines, and 15 million staff and security personnel overseeing the election, data from the election commission showed.  CNBC's Joanna Tan contributed to this report.
The tough times will continue for Tesla as the company potentially pivots from building a low-cost entry vehicle in favor of self-driving technology, according to a longtime bullish analyst at Deutsche Bank. Emmanuel Rosner downgraded the electric-vehicle maker to hold from buy. He also slashed his price target to $123 from $189. The new forecast implies downside of 20.9% over the next 12 months. Tesla premarket shares were down 1.7%. The downgrade comes after an April 5 Reuters report said that Tesla had canceled plans to build a low-cost car, known as the Model 2, due to increasing competition in China. The car, according to the report, would have started at about $25,000. CEO Elon Musk said Reuters was "lying" but did not elaborate. On the same day, Musk said Tesla would unveil a robotaxi design on Aug. 8 . "The delay of Model 2 efforts creates the risk of no new vehicle in Tesla's consumer lineup for the foreseeable future, which would put continued downward pressure on its volume and pricing for many more years, requiring downward earnings estimate revisions for 2026+," wrote Rosner of Deutsche Bank. Rosner had a buy rating on Tesla since October 2021. Shares are down 37% this year already on fears of slowing sales and changing tastes in electrical vehicles. CNBC reported on Monday that Musk told employees Tesla would be cutting more than 10% of its global workforce . "Without any new vehicle, we feel that Tesla could face more headwinds to growth, as competition arise in China and from other OEMs, to which the company may not be able to respond due to limited [free cash flow,]" Rosner added. The analyst noted that the robotaxi could be a strong source of earnings once implemented, "but to get there, Tesla will need to solve significant technological, regulatory and operational challenges." Last week, two agencies in California that regulate robotaxis said they haven't been contacted by Tesla about its plans for the self-driving cars. "The fact that Mr. Musk announced an unveiling of Robotaxi for Aug 8 in no way means the technology is ready," Rosner said. "We worry there is considerable execution risk to the development of Robotaxi technology and that a fleet deployment could be years away." TSLA YTD mountain TSLA year to date Tesla is the second-worst performer in the S & P 500 this year. Tesla did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - 2018/01/24: A foreigner is seen with a Malaysia flag as a background. Kuala Lumpur or commonly known as KL is the national capital for Malaysia and is the fastest growing metropolitan regions in South-East Asia. The urban city is also well known to the world for tourism and shopping. Kuala Lumpur has a great public transportation for people travel around the city. (Photo by Faris Hadziq/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Malaysia isn't fazed about competition from China or the U.S. as it pushes into higher-end semiconductor manufacturing, according to the country's second finance minister.

"The semiconductor space is now in the upcycle  and Malaysia will be a beneficiary of that," Amir Hamzah Azizan told CNBC's Karen Tso at the IMF spring meetings in Washington on Wednesday.

He also noted the country doesn't see China  which is Malaysia's largest trading partner today  as a rival in the sector.

"I think the reality of it all is, there is enough growth that will go around. So, everybody will get some pickups on that one," he said.

If anything, Amir Hamzah explained, the recent geopolitical tensions have shown it is critical for supply chains to remain robust.

"We're seeing a lot of end users now diversifying their supply chain. Our focus, actually, is to provide a very vibrant, strong supply chain connectivity, and make sure that we ride on that."
Photos of K-pop supergroup BTS member V in the gear of a counter-terrorism unit have been unveiled, a Facebook page on the South Korean military showed Thursday.

Images of V wearing pitch black Special Duty Team (SDT) attire were released Wednesday on the page, which serves as an anonymous bulletin board for military service members.

V enlisted in the military last December for his mandatory service and was accepted to join the military police during boot camp training, according to the Army.

The BTS member has since been assigned to the SDT, which focuses on counter-terrorism and other special operations, under the Army's 2nd Corps.

Currently, all seven members of BTS are carrying out their mandatory service in the military or as a social service agent. All able-bodied South Korean men are required to serve in the military for at least 18 months in a country facing constant North Korean military threats. (Yonhap)
When it comes to taking risks, Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings has an important rule of thumb.

"I try to take a lot of risks on things that are recoverable," Hastings said in a recent conversation on entrepreneur Tim Ferriss' podcast.

Experimenting with reversible risks can "help you get more done," said Hastings, who launched Netflix in 1997 and now serves as chairman of the $260 billion streaming giant. Otherwise, you can get bogged down in hand-wringing over every potential worst-case scenario to the point that you're afraid to take any timely risks at all.

"[It] just gets in the way of creativity," Hastings said. "In most fields ... you want to move fast, and some things don't work, and you fix them fast."

Hastings' approach is borrowed from Jeff Bezos' leadership style at Amazon, the Netflix co-founder noted.

Bezos looks at risks as either "one-way doors [or] two-way doors," the Amazon founder told the "Lex Fridman Podcast" last year. A two-way door risk is easy to take because it's reversible, so "you can come back in and pick another door," Bezos said.

But a one-way door risk probably can't be undone. "You go in that door, you're not coming back," said Bezos. "Those decisions have to be made very deliberately, very carefully."

Hastings agreed: "I think that's a great business philosophy. I share it."

At Netflix, greenlighting new shows that aren't guaranteed hits may be considered a recoverable risk: If a show proves unpopular with viewers, the streaming giant can cancel it, using its revenue from safer, lower-risk programming to cover the financial losses.

In 2017, Hastings told CNBC he was actually pushing his content team to "take more risk" in that regard. "Our hit ratio is way too high right now," he said, adding: "You have to try more crazy things."

The strategy can lead to surprise hits  Hastings cited the series "13 Reasons Why" as an example  or valuable lessons from the failures on what doesn't work, and why.

Entrepreneurs typically show higher tolerance for risk than people in other professions, research shows. Hastings, for example, has "always been very comfortable" taking risks, even going back to his younger years when he "spent a bunch of college hopping freight trains and traveling around," he told Ferriss.

Hastings has also cited his post-college days in the Peace Corps, when he taught math to children in Swaziland, as an experience that made entrepreneurship feel less daunting. "Once you have hitchhiked across Africa with ten bucks in your pocket, starting a business doesn't seem too intimidating," he told Fortune in 2007.

"I think all of that very much contributed to my entrepreneurial success once getting into business in tech, because I wasn't afraid to fail," he added on Ferriss' podcast.

As to why some people are less likely to shy away from risks than most  even if it means accepting potential failure  Hastings theorized that it's in their "DNA."

"I think a lot of it is random genetics," he said. "You either have a propensity to be cautious or a propensity to take risk."

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A New York federal jury on Thursday convicted a Puerto Rico man of a $110 million scheme that was the Department of Justice's first-ever cryptocurrency open-market manipulation case, prosecutors said.

The man, 28-year-old Avraham Eisenberg of San Juan, faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison for the charges of wire fraud, commodities fraud, and commodities manipulation.

Prosecutors said Eisenberg fraudulently obtained about $110 million worth of cryptocurrency from the Mango Markets exchange and its customers by artificially and dramatically driving up the price of both futures contracts and the MNGO crypto token, and then borrowing cryptocurrency based on the value of the inflated assets.

"When Eisenberg borrowed and withdrew this cryptocurrency, he had no intention of repaying the borrowed funds but rather intended to steal those funds," the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement when he was indicted in February 2023.
Illustration of a cybercriminal using a computer. Seksan Mongkhonkhamsao | Moment | Getty Images

A huge fraud website used by thousands of criminals to trick people into handing over personal information such as email addresses, passwords and bank details, has been infiltrated by international police. Britain's Metropolitan Police said in a statement Thursday that the website, called LabHost, was used by 2,000 criminals to steal users' personal details. Police have so far identified just under 70,000 individual U.K. victims who entered their details onto a website linked to LabHost. A total of 37 suspects have been arrested so far, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Police have also disrupted those websites and replaced the information on their pages with a message stating that law enforcement has seized the services. LabHost obtained 480,000 credit card numbers, 64,000 PIN codes, as well as more than 1 million passwords used for websites and other online services, the Metropolitan Police said. The Metropolitan Police said that up to 25,000 victims in the U.K. have been contacted by police to notify them that their data has been compromised.

What is LabHost?

Police say that LabHost was set up in 2021 by a criminal cyber network which sought to scam victims out of key personally identifiable information, such as bank details and passwords, by creating fake websites.

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Criminals were able to use it to exploit victims through existing sites, or create new websites mimicking those of trusted brands including banks, health-care providers and postal services. "Online fraudsters think they can act with impunity," Dame Lynne Owens, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, said in a statement Thursday. "They believe they can hide behind digital identities and platforms such as LabHost and have absolute confidence these sites are impenetrable by policing."

Owens added that the operation showed "how law enforcement worldwide can, and will, come together with one another and private sector partners to dismantle international fraud networks at source." Private companies including blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis, Intel 471, Microsoft, The Shadowserver Foundation and Trend Micro worked with police to identify and bring down LabHost. The investigation started in June 2022 after police received intelligence about LabHost's activities from the Cyber Defence Alliance, an intelligence-sharing partnership between banks and law enforcement agencies. The Met's Cyber Crime Unit then joined forces with the National Crime Agency, City of London Police, Europol, regional U.K. authorities, as well as other international police forces to take action.
Identifying a stock before it takes off is an elusive goal many investors share, but spotting three in one sector at the same time is an even more daunting task. Ocean Park Investments, led by Chief Investment Officer J. Dennis Jean-Jacques, has been able to do that in the artificial intelligence space, even as he looks beyond chipmakers like Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices , which have already attracted a lot of attention. "We try to look for value opportunities in areas that people and companies need and want," Jean-Jacques told CNBC during a phone interview, adding that he's taken a value approach for 25 years. Using this strategy, he identified three big winners: Eaton , Vertiv and Super Micro Computer . All three companies are capitalizing on the AI boom without competing directly with the chip giants. Instead, two are likely to play a critical role in helping power the shift to AI, according to the investor, while the third, Super Micro Computer, stands to benefit from its close ties to Nvidia. ETN 1Y mountain Eaton is profiting from the AI boom. "Eaton holds a dominant position in the electrification sector," Jean-Jacques wrote in a newsletter released to shareholders. The company focuses on building and maintaining electric networks essential for the increase in power and data centers required by the burgeoning AI industry. The International Energy Agency has predicted that power needs from data centers , AI and cryptocurrency will double by 2026. Eaton's stock price has nearly done that in the past 12 months. That's when Ocean Park saw value in the stock. But that isn't necessarily a popular opinion. Sixty-seven percent of analysts covering Eaton shares rate it a buy or overweight, according to FactSet. On average, they have a $324.51 price target, which implies about 3% upside from Tuesday's close. VRT 1Y mountain Vertiv specializes in infrastructure and cooling technology for the AI industry. Around the same time the fund picked Eaton, Ocean Park also was buying Vertiv. The company, headquartered just outside Columbus in Westerville, Ohio, also builds power systems for data centers, as well as cooling devices that allow servers and other high-tech manufacturing plants to operate more efficiently. The stock is up more than 560% over the past year. Analysts surveyed by FactSet are overwhelmingly positive on the stock, with nearly all rating the shares as buy or overweight. The average price target of $89.06 implies more than 8% upside ahead. SMCI mountain 2023-07-14 This tech company is benefiting from its relationship with Nvidia, located right across the street in San Jose, California. Super Micro's gains over the past year have been even more staggering. It's Ocean Park's biggest winner. Jean-Jacques started acquiring the stock in mid-summer 2023. It has shot up 717% since then. The shares are also the top performer in the S & P 500, with a 243% gain so far in 2024. It was selected to join the index in March , replacing Whirlpool. While Super Micro is involved in several areas of the high-tech landscape, it has a very close relationship with Nvidia, which extends to the proximity of the two companies' headquarters in California. The company is a key Nvidia vendor that makes servers and other infrastructure, including "clusters" of servers that are used for training generative AI models. Wall Street also loves the stock. On Tuesday, Loop Capital analysts put a $1,500 target on Super Micro. In addition, JPMorgan officially began covering the stock with an overweight rating and a $1,150 price target  25% higher than where the stock stands now. Having three stocks in the portfolio perform like Eaton, Vertiv and Super Micro may be a once-in-a-lifetime event. Jean-Jacques said the firm has about 40 long positions in its biggest fund, the Ocean Park Omaha Dislocation Fund. It aims to keep each investment at a 3% cap to avoid over-investment in one area. Overall, the fund was up 8.61% in the first quarter of 2024, compared with a 10.5% gain for the S & P. But Ocean Park Investments almost tripled its HFRX Equity Hedge Fund Index in that same time period. (There are different share class fees for Ocean Park's investors but a 1.5% management charge is typical according to the fund.) One of Jean-Jacques' tests is to "look for operational efficiency" in companies that may have the ability to increase margins by 30% to 50%. He also appears to value management skills. Jean-Jacques had been a long-time investor in Honeywell , which was led by CEO Dave Cote. It was Cote's role on the Vertiv board that helped him decide to invest. Jean-Jacques also credits his ability to ask simple questions to industry insiders, saying that asking the right questions often leads to investing success. Correction: Nvidia is based in Santa Clara, California. An earlier version of this story misstated its location.
Former US President Donald Trump sits in the courtroom at Manhattan criminal court in New York, US, on Thursday, April 18, 2024. Jeenah Moon | Reuters

A full jury of 12 people was seated Thursday at the New York criminal hush money trial of former President Donald Trump. One alternate also was selected. Five alternates remain to be selected for the case when proceedings resume Friday morning. Opening arguments in the trial could begin Monday. Latest Trump trial update: Verdict watch in hush money case "I'm hopeful we will finish tomorrow," Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan said Thursday afternoon. Trump blasted the case after court adjourned. "The whole world is watching this New York scam," Trump said. He exited the courtroom carrying a ream of paper comprising dozens of news articles that were critical or skeptical of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's case. Trump spent minutes thumbing through the papers and reading headlines. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee complained that he was forced to be in court for hours a day, preventing him from campaigning against President Joe Biden. He even railed against the courtroom itself, saying he was stuck "in that freezing room, freezing."

Former U.S. President Donald Trump holds news clippings, as his trial continues over charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court in New York City, U.S. April 18, 2024. Brendan McDermid | Reuters

Earlier in the day, Merchan dismissed two jurors who had initially been seated Tuesday. The first juror had raised concerns about her identity being made public, and her ability to be impartial. The second juror was excused after prosecutors questioned whether he had had been truthful in an answer about his criminal history. The dismissal of the two jurors seemed to threaten the quick pace of jury selection, which looked to be on track to finish a week before some legal experts anticipated. But those seats, and the rest of the 12-person panel, were filled by Thursday afternoon. The 13 jurors and alternate picked on Tuesday and Thursday were selected from a pool of 192 people. Prosecutors earlier Thursday accused Trump of violating his gag order in the case seven more times on social media since Monday. The gag order bars him making certain statements about jurors and witnesses, as well as the family members of the judge and Trump's prosecutors. "It's ridiculous, it has to stop," assistant District Attorney Chris Conroy told Merchan. Conroy said that the "most disturbing post" by Trump echoed a claim by Fox News host Jesse Watters that the pool of potential jurors includes "undercover Liberal Activists lying to the Judge."

In this courtroom sketch, former President Donald Trump far right, turns around and looks at prospective jurors who raised their hands requesting to be excused from the jury panel in Manhattan Criminal Court, Thursday, April 18, 2024, in New York. Elizabeth Williams | Via Reuters

Conroy said prosecutors would decide later what sanctions to ask for against Trump. A hearing on Trump's alleged gag order violations is set for next week. The dismissed female juror said that on Wednesday, she received multiple calls from people asking whether she had been picked. Watters in a Tuesday night broadcast listed a number of details about the juror, including her marital status and news diet, and said, "I'm not so sure about" her. That juror on Thursday morning told Merchan, "I don't believe I can be fair and unbiased and let the outside influences not affect me in the courtroom." The judge apologized and promptly excused her from the trial. He admonished journalists covering the trial to "apply common sense" and refrain from publishing identifiable information about jurors who are supposed to be anonymous. Merchan also ordered the press not to report the answers to a question on the jury questionnaire about past and current employers. The parties were tasked Thursday with questioning a group of 96 prospective jurors to fill the remaining seats on the jury. But half of that group was quickly excused after they signaled to Merchan that they could not be fair and impartial. Among the would-be jurors who remained, one person, who said he was born and raised in Italy, was dismissed after comparing Trump to the late former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Berlusconi, who died last June, was a scandal-plagued billionaire who in 2012 was convicted of tax fraud. Trump is charged with falsifying business records in a scheme to silence porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump, seated far left, looks on with Judge Juan Merchan presiding as members of the jury panel answer questions from the jury questionnaire in Manhattan criminal court Thursday, April 18, 2024, in New York. Elizabeth Williams | Via Reuters

Trump is required to sit in court throughout the trial, which convenes on all weekdays, except Wednesday, and is expected to last around six weeks. Trump has denounced the trial as a political "witch hunt" and complained that it keeps him off the campaign trail.

But Trump has also used the media frenzy surrounding his trial  and his three other pending criminal cases  as an opportunity to spread campaign messages and attack his political foes. On Tuesday afternoon, Trump accused Judge Juan Merchan of "rushing" the trial.

Former President Donald Trump visits a bodega in the Harlem neighborhood of upper Manhattan where a worker killed a man who had assaulted him in 2022, on April 16, 2024 in New York City. Spencer Platt | Getty Images
Sweden's Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson said on Thursday that Europe can't afford to let Russian win its war with Ukraine as it would lead to troubling events in the coming years.

Speaking with CNBC's Karen Tso at the International Monetary Fund's Spring Meetings, Svantesson said that Ukraine can't lose the war and that this isn't something she's willing to accept.

"They can't lose," Svantesson said. "We must help Ukraine so they don't lose. If Russia wins here, we will have much trouble in the years ahead," she added. "So no, they can't win."

Although the West has provided financial and military support to Ukraine to help combat the illegal invasion of Russian forces, it has been reluctant to assist Ukraine with direct military forces.

Kyiv has watched how Israel's Western partners actively intervened last Saturday to help defend the state from a massive Iranian drone and missile strike.

The solid allied response prompted Ukraine's leadership to ask why its international partners can't do the same for Ukraine.

- Ryan Browne
Unidentified men are carrying a model of Iran's first-ever hypersonic missile, Fattah, past a mosque during a gathering to celebrate the IRGC UAV and missile attack against Israel, in Tehran, Iran, on April 15, 2024.

The Biden administration on Thursday announced new sanctions targeting Iran's drone program for its recent attack on Israel.

The sanctions target 16 individuals and two entities involved in Tehran's drone production. Companies involved in the country's steel industry and providing vehicles to Iran's military were also targeted.

"Today, in coordination with the United Kingdom and in consultation with partners and allies, we are taking swift and decisive action to respond to Iran's unprecedented attack on Israel," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.

"We're using Treasury's economic tools to degrade and disrupt key aspects of Iran's malign activity, including its [unmanned aerial vehicle] program and the revenue the regime generates to support its terrorism," Yellen added.

The move comes as Israel weighs how to respond to the attack last weekend, which Iran launched in retaliation for an Israeli strike on an Iranian consulate in Syria earlier this month.

Executives at an Iranian-based company that manufactured engines used in the attack are among the individuals sanctioned. Several members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force were also targeted for their roles in drone testing and development.

All of the sanctioned individuals' property in the United States will be frozen. Entities in which the individuals have at least a 50% stake will also be blocked.

Five companies that provide materials to Khuzestan Steel Company, one of Iran's largest steel producers, were also sanctioned. KSC was previously targeted by sanctions and its sales bring in billions of dollars in revenue for Iran's government.

"Let it be clear to all those who enable or support Iran's attacks: The United States is committed to Israel's security. We are committed to the security of our personnel and partners in the region. And we will not hesitate to take all necessary action to hold you accountable," President Joe Biden said in a statement Thursday.
Shortly after the opening bell, we will be buying 50 shares of Estee Lauder at roughly $139. Following the trade, Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust will own 475 shares of EL, increasing its weighting to 2.1% from 1.9%. We're making a small buy in Estee Lauder and upgrading our rating to a 1. At Wednesday's closing price of $138 per share, the stock has essentially given back all of its gains from the post-earnings pop in February when CEO Fabrizio Freda declared the company has finally reached an "inflection point" and was positioned to return to strong organic sales growth and profitability in the second half of its fiscal year. We've been very patient about adding to Estee Lauder until we had more confidence that inventories in China and its travel retail channel have normalized. Any set back to the destocking process would likely cause management to push out when it expected to return to growth, causing the stock to fall. That's why we took notice Thursday when analysts at Deutsche Bank made a bullish call on Estee Lauder. Analysts at the firm named the stock of this prestige beauty company a "Catalyst Call: Buy Idea," pointing to a positive setup into earnings May 1. The analysts think it's likely that Estee Lauder will report an in-line to better-than-expected result versus Wall Street estimates while reiterating guidance. To be sure, the strong dollar could cause a tweak to the downside, but investors will be more focused on the operational results given the challenges the company has had. Deutsche Bank also sees management speaking constructively about its market share while maintaining its commitment to its so-called Profit Recovery Plan. As a reminder, Estee Lauder expects this plan will increase operating profit by $1.1 billion to $1.4 billion. The plan began in the company's fiscal 2024 third quarter  the one that just concluded  and is expected to be completed by the end of fiscal 2026. All in, Deutsche Bank thinks the results and commentary "would surpass market fears of a potential hiccup and spur relative relief in EL's stock price." We agree with this view. Given the fact that Estee Lauder shares are trading only a few dollars above when Freda said the inflection point was here, we think this is a sign the market wants to see the proof before the stock gets the credit. If Deutsche Bank is right and Estee Lauder makes the number, we expect a stronger move higher in the stock as well. That being said, the company isn't out of the woods just yet. Deutsche Banks acknowledges that the company still faces longer-term questions about category demand and execution. We agree with this as well, which is why we are keeping this buy on the smaller side  this is still a high-risk, volatile situation. Getting inventories clean will represent a major milestone in the company's recovery, but we still have some lingering concerns about the Chinese consumer and the company's ability to retake market share in the United States. On the latter point, we are encouraged by some of the company's recent efforts to expand its consumer reach. We were pleasantly surprised to see Estee Lauder finally embrace Amazon and open a premium beauty store on the online platform. Other prestige beauty brands have found success on Amazon, and we think the same will happen for Estee Lauder. According to Deutsche Bank, the current bull-versus-bear debate is on what multiple the stock should trade on $6 of earnings per share over time. They see the bulls arguing for a 30-times earnings multiple as the company begins the road to recovery from here, while the bears think it should be closer to 20 because they think the recovery will inevitably find problems. We fall on the more bullish side now that inventories have come down and management has a plan in place to boost profits and innovation. That said, we prefer to err a little more cautiously than those bulls. That's why we are using a 27 multiple on those $6 of earnings, which puts our price target at $162. Lastly, this buy falls in line with our investing discipline of putting money to work in the market when it is heavily oversold. Following Wednesday's decline in the market, the S & P 500 Short Range Oscillator moved deeper into oversold territory at -6.68%. As a reminder, we view an oversold market as a sign that stocks have fallen fast and we need to start thinking about the selloff more and more opportunistically. (Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust is long EL. See here for a full list of the stocks.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED.
Norway's giant sovereign wealth fund on Thursday reported a first-quarter profit of 1.21 trillion kroner ($110 billion), supported by robust returns on its investments in technology stocks.

The so-called Government Pension Fund Global, the world's largest sovereign wealth fund, said it had a value of 17.7 trillion kroner at the end of March.

It described the relative return through the first three months of the year as "good" for equity and fixed income investments, but noted that "this was offset by weak results from real estate, leading to a negative result overall."

The return on the fund's equity investments in the first quarter came in at 9.1%, while the yield on the fixed income investments stood at -0.4% and investments in unlisted real estate returned -0.5%.

Norway's wealth fund said the return on its unlisted renewable energy infrastructure was -11.4%.

The fund's return was 0.1 percentage point lower than that of the benchmark index.
Indonesian authorities on Thursday raised the alert level of Sulawesi's Mount Ruang to the highest and issued a tsunami warning after the volcano erupted at least five times as rescuers raced to evacuate thousands of people, while a nearby airport was shut down.The crater of Mount Ruang on a remote island in the province of North Sulawesi threw a fiery-red column of lava, accompanied by incandescent rock and ash as much as three km into the sky on Wednesday, according to reports.On Thursday morning, the volcano was still billowing a column of smoke, forcing authorities to shut the nearest international airport in Manado City on the Sulawesi island for 24 hours, AFP reported.Authorities rushed to evacuate around 11,000 people from the nearby areas, including the remote island of Tagulandang, where approximately 20,000 people reside.Jandry Paendong, an official from the local search and rescue agency, said that on Wednesday night people evacuated on their own but without direction due to the volcano's eruption and materials in the form of small rocks that fell.Around 20 staff members were helping in the evacuation process along the coastline near the volcano on rubber boats, the official said.Further, he has asked for more boats and equipment so that his team could carry out evacuation for people in the coast or near the coast facing the volcano, the news agency reported.The tourists and residents have been warned by authorities to remain outside a six-kilometre exclusion zone of the volcano In the initial phase, over 800 locals were safely evacuated from Ruang to nearby Tagulandang island after the first eruption on Tuesday evening. Later on, four more eruptions were reported on Wednesday.Looking at the current situation, the Indonesian authorities have warned of a possible tsunami due to the eruptions.Hendra Gunawan, head of Indonesia's volcanology agency, said communities in Tagulandang island, especially the ones residing near the beach, will have to be on alert for the potential ejection of incandescent rocks, hot clouds discharges and tsunamis that can be caused by the collapse of the volcano's body into the sea.Earlier in 2018, the crater of Mount Anak Krakatoa between Java and Sumatra islands had partly collapsed. It led to a major eruption that sent huge chunks of the volcano sliding into the ocean, triggering a tsunami. Over 400 people were killed in that incident, while thousands of others were injured.
U.S. blamed for being cause of chaos as Mideast tensions heat up

Xinhua) 10:48, April 18, 2024

BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- As the world witnesses a sharp deterioration of the Middle East's security landscape, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he would try to advance wartime aid for Israel.

Johnson's announcement came shortly after Iran launched drone and missile attacks against Israel on Saturday night in retaliation for an airstrike that demolished Iran's consulate in Syria.

Analysts pointed out that Washington is still "adding fuel to the fire" at a time when escalating tensions are pushing the Middle East closer to a full-blown regional war, a catastrophic scenario in which everyone will lose. They said the United States is responsible for the ongoing conflicts and chaos in the region.

HYPOCRISY & DOUBLE STANDARDS

After Iran's drone and missile attack on Israeli territory, U.S. President Joe Biden said the United States will not take part in a counter-offensive against Iran. The U.S. media also reflexively reported that the Biden administration is doing what it can to avoid an escalation in the Middle East.

However, analysts said Washington's de-escalating rhetoric and gestures don't constitute true de-escalation at all. They point to the fact that it has consistently provided military support to Israel since the current round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict began last October while opting to turn a blind eye to the plight of the Gazan people and blocking repeated efforts by the UN Security Council to pass resolutions calling for a ceasefire.

"If you give Biden (deservingly) credit for having helped prevent the region from falling off the cliff ... you must also give him credit for helping bring the region to the edge of the cliff in the first place by refusing to restrain Israel and blocking a ceasefire," Trita Parsi, co-founder and executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a U.S.-based think tank, commented on X, formerly Twitter.

Biden's approach allows Israel maximum maneuverability to conduct attacks, escalate at will and slaughter civilians in Gaza while only urging restraint from the other actors in the region, Parsi added.

The international community is no stranger to the double-standard mindset of the United States, as well as its hypocrisy on the Palestine-Israel issue. "The support of the U.S., in practice, for a genocide, has ignited the world," Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on Saturday.

While offering verbal appeals for de-escalation, the U.S. government is now urging Congress to quickly approve a 95-billion-dollar national security package that includes more aid for Israel after the weekend attack. Analysts pointed out that Washington's double standards on Israel and Palestine are the underlying cause of the worsening chaos in the region.

Ali Maqsoud, a Syrian political and military analyst, noted that Iran had previously proposed the UN Security Council condemn the attack on the country's embassy in Syria but received no response from the United States and other Western countries.

In contrast, the United States called on the UN Security Council to condemn Iran soon after the weekend attack, warning that Iran "will be held responsible" if it attempted further military action against Israel.

"The United States bears a large part of the responsibility for what is happening because it did not put deterrents on Israel," said Samir Ragheb, head of the Arab Foundation for Development and Strategic Studies in Egypt.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR MIDDLE EAST CHAOS

According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, the Israeli attack in the Strip has so far left more than 33,000 dead and about 76,000 wounded. Despite its constant claim to defend human rights, the United States "did not move a finger when about 34,000 civilians, most of whom were women and children, were killed in Gaza," Ragheb said.

"Everyone recognizes that those people were killed with U.S. weapons, deadly ammunition, and U.S. protection," he added.

Washington has long regarded Israel as its most crucial ally out of its need to consolidate its hegemony in the Middle East, offering the country a large amount of aid and arms. U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, for example, once referred to Israel as the "eyes and ears of America" in the region.

The first time the United States used its veto to support Israel was in 1972 when it vetoed a resolution that called on Israel to cease its strike against Lebanon. By the end of 2023, the United States had vetoed 89 Security Council resolutions in total, of which 45 were related to Israel. Of the vetoed resolutions, 33 pertained to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories or the country's treatment of the Palestinian people.

The United States stood against all resolutions in the Security Council and used its veto to prevent a ceasefire, continue the killings and stop aid from entering Gaza, Ragheb said. "The United States will pay a heavy political cost, as its image has been severely shaken."

Echoing Ragheb's opinion, Iraqi political analyst Mustafa Khalil said the root cause of these latest Middle East tensions is Washington's long-standing hegemonic policy and bias on the Palestine-Israel issue, which is pushing the entire Middle East region to the brink of war. He urged the United States to change its hegemonic approach in the region and promote peace talks and a ceasefire.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
By Lee Yeon-woo

Hyundai Capital, the finance arm of Hyundai Motor Group, announced Thursday that it has completed the takeover of an Indonesian finance company, thereby entering the Indonesian market.

This follows last month's acquisition of a financial business license from Australian authorities.

According to the firm, it finalized the process of acquiring Paramitra Multifinance, Wednesday, in an effort to establish an Indonesian corporate body. Hyundai Capital tentatively plans to change its name to Hyundai Capital Indonesia and begin operations in April 2025.

The move is aimed at targeting the Indonesian market, which has seen over 5 percent annual economic growth over the past two years. The country is considered important for Hyundai Motor Group as it represents a key focus in terms of production and sales.

Hyundai Capital said it will strengthen its financing capabilities in the country and establish a sales network in major cities by leveraging its partnership with Sinar Mas, the fourth-largest conglomerate in Indonesia, and Shinhan Indonesia.

The company intends to launch a variety of new products, including car leases, to meet the diverse needs of Hyundai Motor Group's customers there.

Hyundai Capital is accelerating efforts to establish its Australian entity. Hyundai Capital Australia, a captive finance company wholly owned by Hyundai Motor Group, initiated partial operations in July and is set to expand its business across Australia starting in November.

"Hyundai Capital has established a distinguished competitive edge in marketing and digital sectors by fiercely competing with various financial institutions in the domestic automotive finance market," Mok Jin-won, CEO of Hyundai Capital, said. "The company is poised to drive a new wave of 'financial hallyu' or 'K-Finance' in the global consumer finance market."

Hyundai Capital operates 17 corporate bodies and two branches across 14 countries, including the United States, Canada, Britain, Germany and Brazil.

Despite the worldwide recession last year, it has recorded 158 trillion won ($114.6 billion) in total global assets.
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Microsofts $13 billion investment in OpenAI might not trigger EU antitrust restrictions since it is unlikely to be viewed as an acquisition in the legal sense in that jurisdiction.

A report Wednesday by Reuters said this means Microsoft would likely avoid more formal investigation procedures and potential regulatory stumbling blocks as a result of its investment in the generative AI LLM provider.

Reached for comment, a European Commission spokesperson said that for a transaction to be notifiable to EC as a merger, it has to represent a change in control of the affected company on a lasting basis.
The head of the financial regulator on Thursday stressed the need for businesses and their shareholders to work together to ensure joint development, saying the government will work to create a virtuous cycle between shareholder activities and business growth.

Lee Bok-hyun, chief of the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), noted that shareholder activism will only continue to grow, but said efforts by shareholders may end in vain unless they are sound and reasonable enough to be supported by other shareholders.

Shareholder activism refers to efforts by shareholders to influence a firm's behavior by exercising their rights as stakeholders, often through letter-writing, voting or campaigning for changes.

The financial regulator said out of 93 agenda items suggested by shareholders at various firms this year, only 30 percent have been approved.

"I ask shareholder activist organizations to actively propose 'long-term growth strategies' to businesses and other shareholders," the FSS chief said in a meeting with officials from activist groups, businesses and other related organizations.

"Unreasonable demands that only seek short-term profits will not only undermine the firms' long-term growth engines but also become an obstacle to the development of the financial market," he added.

For businesses, the chief of the financial regulator stressed a need to listen.

"To businesses, I ask them to listen to the voice of shareholders and to 'actively react' to just demands of shareholders," Lee told the meeting. "We live in a time where shareholders can directly suggest agendas for shareholder meetings through their smartphone apps. Also, shareholder activism is very likely to expand into various activities, such as calling on firms to fulfill their social responsibilities."

Lee's call comes amid government efforts to boost the value of local businesses to end the so-called Korea discount, a phenomenon where local shares are traded lower than their fundamentals.

The FSS chief said the government will closely watch future developments in shareholder activities and firms' reactions.

"In addition, the financial authorities will work to foster a business-friendly environment to create a 'virtuous cycle' where firms can maximize returns to shareholders through continuous growth and shareholders can reinvest their gains in the firms," said Lee. (Yonhap)
There's new evidence on how air pollution harms the brain.

A study led by Associate Professors Cindy Gunawan and Kristine McGrath from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) suggests that magnetite, a particle present in air pollution, may induce Alzheimer's disease.

Published in the journal Environment International, the research aimed to understand how exposure to toxic air pollution particles could lead to Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's disease, characterized by memory loss and cognitive decline, affects millions globally and is a leading cause of death in older individuals.

According to Associate Professor Gunawan, environmental and lifestyle factors likely play a significant role in its development, as fewer than 1% of cases are inherited.

"Previous studies have indicated that people who live in areas with high levels of air pollution are at greater risk of developing Alzheimer's disease," Gunawan explained, per SciTech Daily.

"Magnetite, a magnetic iron oxide compound, has also been found in greater amounts in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease."

"However, this is the first study to look at whether the presence of magnetite particles in the brain can indeed lead to signs of Alzheimer's."

The researchers exposed healthy mice and those genetically predisposed to Alzheimer's to fine iron, magnetite, and diesel hydrocarbon particles for four months.

Magnetite consistently induced Alzheimer's-like pathologies, including neuronal loss in brain regions crucial for memory and increased amyloid plaque formation.

Behavioral changes consistent with Alzheimer's, such as stress, anxiety, and memory impairment, were observed in mice exposed to magnetite.

Associate Professor McGrath explained that "magnetite can enter the brain via the lining of the nasal passage, and from the olfactory bulb, a small structure on the bottom of the brain responsible for processing smells, bypassing the blood-brain barrier."

Moreover, magnetite induced an immune response, inflammation, and oxidative stress in mice and human neuronal cells, contributing to cell damage.

Dr. Charlotte Fleming, a co-first author, also noted that "the magnetite-induced neurodegeneration is also independent of the disease state, with signs of Alzheimer's seen in the brains of healthy mice."

The findings suggest the need to reduce exposure to air pollution and improve air quality to mitigate Alzheimer's risk.

Health practitioners and policymakers should consider including magnetite particles in air pollution guidelines and implementing measures to reduce emissions from vehicles and coal-fired power stations.
In a bid to prioritize employee mental health and well-being, companies are taking initiatives to incorporate pets in their workplace.

NBCUniversal, for instance, has introduced Atlas, a 6-month-old black lab, as the latest addition to its office space at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

Atlas, acquired from the Guide Dog Foundation, is on a mission to promote a pet-friendly work environment and alleviate workplace stress through his presence.

Recognizing the therapeutic benefits of pets in the workplace, NBCUniversal's HR chief, Vicki Williams, spearheaded efforts to include Atlas in the bustling office environment.

Williams noted the importance of fostering a supportive atmosphere conducive to employee mental health during an event in New York showcasing pet-friendly workplaces.

Atlas, in his role as a colleague, attends team meetings and interacts with employees, his presence serving as a source of comfort and relaxation.

"We wanted Atlas to feel like a colleague," Williams said, according to Bloomberg.

Despite initial concerns about potential disruptions, Williams attested to Atlas' seamless integration into the workplace, noting his positive impact on employee morale.

"With all the tension in the workplace and the election approaching," Williams explained, "it's just honestly been nice to talk about something light and fun."

While some may question the practicality of pets in the workplace, Steven Feldman, president of the Human-Animal Bond Research Institute, advocates for greater support for "pet consciousness" in corporate environments.

Marissa Andrada, a former HR executive at Starbucks and Chipotle Mexican Grill, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the potential productivity benefits of embracing pets in the workplace.

Beyond providing emotional support, Atlas symbolizes NBCUniversal's commitment to promoting employee well-being amid the challenges of the modern workplace.

As mental health concerns continue to rise, initiatives like pet presence serve as a reminder of the importance of fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace culture.
Wikipedia is a massive collection of information put together by hardcore information fans (read: nerds). Unfortunately, not all entries are as straightforward as "here is a description of a penis and a picture of an Asian elephant's penis." Sometimes editors have disagreements on citations, accuracy, or which type of flopping dong to use as an illustration. Editors accept some of these battles as the natural cost that comes with ensuring that only the best penis information emerges from the crucible of academic debate. However, some of the battles fought on Wikipedia are pointless, insane, or both. Actually, it's almost always both.

6 An Economist Named "Guy Standing" Inspired A Fight Over An Accidental Joke The Wikipedia page for a 70-year-old British economist doesn't seem like it'd be a hot spot for controversy. That is, until the site met ... GUY STANDING. Guy had a short, extremely straightforward Wikipedia entry explaining his (sorry, Guy) barely interesting career as an educator and author. However, his entry also included this photo and caption: Wikipedia Yep. It's the same joke poor Guy has certainly heard every day of his life, and some people found it in bad taste. Some editors changed the caption, arguing that "Guy Standing sitting" was a pointless, discursive joke. Other editors changed it back, arguing they were just literally describing what was happening, and that deliberately avoiding the phrase or changing the pic was needlessly confusing. It seemed like a classic battle between the philosophies of "One should never be cute, even by accident" and "Relax, that guy is sitting." The comments got heated. One user from Team Relax said, "It's accurate, though. The photo is of Guy Standing, sitting, so it isn't really vandalism." A rival from Team Never Cute countered, "It's still just a pointless joke. There's no actual reason for it really being there. I suggest changing the picture to him not sitting." But this argument would not be solved by finding a picture of Guy Standing standing. It would be solved with WAR. Advertisement The volunteer Wikipedia editors battled back and forth like this ... for three years. "There's no reason for his picture to be of him pointing with both hands at a computer monitor, looking like a computer-befuddled godfather, either. Not only is it utterly harmless to have his picture be of him sitting, but the sitting picture is finely posed as an introductory photo of him - actually choosing a poorer-posed photo just to avoid the joke actually draws attention to it." This person warns of the dangers of drawing attention to how Guy Standing sometimes sits should they replace the photo with one of him "looking like a computer-befuddled godfather." It takes a certain amount of crazy to engage in an argument like this to begin with, but it's becoming clear that some of these participants are crazier than necessary. Advertisement "Just a stupid joke. Back to /r/me_irl with your perennial reposts, folks." This snap requires such a specific and sad hobby to conceive that it does more damage to the deliverer of the insult than the target. "We can keep the picture without stating the joke and people will see it anyways. They will see a guy sitting and read the name Standing and maybe chuckle a bit. There's no need to write the joke if people don't want it and there are plenty of editors ready to take away the word sitting." Advertisement This comedy critic from Team Never Cute advised that pointing out how Guy Standing is sitting is hamfisted when you could simply imply he was sitting with a picture of him in a chair. He believes plays on words work best when they are so subtle they don't involve words. For instance: Advertisement "Reinstate the sitting photo, it is both factual and amusing. Humor in education is a well known and endorsed method of increasing learning, arguably the mission of popflock.com resource is improved by a factual play on words which does not detract at all from the topic. http://www.apa.org/monitor/jun06/learning.aspx for instance or many other papers would back up the inclusion of Guy Standing, sitting as a positive enhancement to this article." This user from Team Relax is a realist. They know comedy is inevitable, and that only a fool would try to hide from it. They even cited an article about how laughter can help lead to learning. It's an overwhelming argument. And since this is a person arguing for a specific picture on a relatively inconsequential economist's Wikipedia page, they needed a win. Unfortunately, Team Never Cute was not so easily defeated. "It makes me sad about humankind to learn that people keep removing the picture of Guy Standing sitting. Can we at least have a labelled photo of Guy Standing standing if you're that determined not to have him sitting?" Advertisement Wait, maybe this one came from Team Relax? Maybe sitting or standing are irrelevant when the tragedy of humankind's fall looms over the very discussion of such a thing? In the end, aren't we all specks on a dot floating in a cosmos that will never know we were here? Nothing matters, and in the end, Wikipedia agreed. Guy Standing is no longer sitting. He simply is. They ended up zooming in on the photo so no chairs can be seen. His caption is now simply "Standing in 2012." Wikipedia B-but he's still technically sitting, even though you can't see the chair, right? So in a way, "Standing in 2012" overcorrects from a bad joke to almost misleading information. It sounds like they better restart this argument ASAP. BACK TO THE GUY STANDING SITTING DRAWING BOARD FOR THREE MORE YEARS! Advertisement Advertisement

5 Should "Arachnophobia" Have A Picture Of A Giant Spider? Between 2005 and 2007, the Wikipedia page for arachnophobia (the phenomenon that makes your leg itch when you read the words THERE IS A SPIDER ON YOUR LEG YOU CAN FEEL IT, IT'S REALLY FUCKING THERE) was the site of a relentless edit war about whether or not it should feature a picture of a giant tarantula. It does seem informative to put a big picture of the cause of the affliction the reader is researching. And in this case it may be an incredible time-saver, since arachnophobia sufferers will immediately know exactly what the symptoms are. The entire entry could be: Advertisement mgkuijpers/Adobe Stock "This! What you're feeling right now is arachnophobia! Bye!" Users fought ceaselessly about the picture. Some thought it was helpful, while others thought it could be cruel to arachnophobes. And since it's the internet, some people heard the words "cruel to ..." and staunchly defended that side, no more information needed. Soon enough, the admins had to get involved. Let's see some of the comments that inspired them to swoop in: Advertisement "Considering the nature of the article, maybe there shouldn't be spider pictures in this discussion section. Just a thought." Advertisement This plays at being both thoughtful and condescending, but seems to land on the side of "no spiders." "Umm.. yes please. I am not aware of how things work on discussion pages (and in editing wikipedia in general) so I won't try it. If this causes problems because encyclopedic content should have pictures, wouldn't a link to spiders with "see images here" somewhere do the job? Are there pictures of murdered people in the murder article/discussion?" This person started out confused, admitted they have no idea what's going on, then ended with more confusion. The crux of their argument, aside from their own befuddlement, seems to be that spiders are something close to murder and corpses. This person obviously has some issues, and one of them is almost certainly arachnophobia. So we'll call it another vote for "no spiders." "Um, totally agree here. Why exactly is there a picture of a spider (a large, threatening-looking one at that) on a page which a lot of arachnaphobes are likely to visit? It seems rather counter-intuitive." Advertisement This is a decent point from Team No Spiders. And I'll even add to it: It seems unlikely anyone able to spell "arachnophobia" would be hearing about spiders for the first time. They probably don't need a picture of one looming above as they read about their own crippling fear of them. But on the other hand ... "The image will stay. Censorship will not be allowed. If we start doing this on slight whims, we will end in deletion half of articles." You see, arachnophobes!? Spider censorship will kick us down a slippery slope, to the point that experts estimate half of all articles would be deleted. Do you want to wake up some morning and Wikipedia Jim Varney, only to find a wall of text? Are you prepared to read about the critical reception of Ernest Goes To Camp without a picture of Jim Varney from the 1994 film The Expert? Thanks for the communism, spider cowards. Advertisement "I have strong impression that all this about picture is trolling. An acute arachnophobe shoul seek medical attention, not to keep peeking into this page to remove the image. I think the person who is doing this is not an archnophobe but an arachnomasochist or troll." Advertisement Most mental health experts say you shouldn't make a psychological diagnosis from afar. But fuck that. This is, without overstating the dangers to you and your loved ones, 100 percent certainly the work of an arachnomasochist, possibly a serial arachnomasochist. "Mild arachnaphobe with some common sense and consideration, mostly. The picture does not serve as an illustration of arachnaphobia any more than a picture of skydiving would serve as an illustration of acrophobia, though I'm sure it does an excellent job of deterring or otherwise making uncomfortable true arachnaphobes without presenting any tangible benefit." This person helped frame the argument in a way you can understand. It's like when you're studying a fear of heights and you see a picture of skydiving. There is nothing more that needs to be said about this common, universal experience. Advertisement So which side did you land on? Spider or no spider? Irrational fear or desperate compassion? Here's how the final decision went: "The image will not stay, and you can live without it. There is absoluteley no need for it, and it isn't a good example of arachnophobia. All that it is is a picture of a tarantula with a description of the type of spider it is. It isn't "censorship", Some people have severe arachnophobia and may want to read about it here, and they dont deserve to see an image like that on this page. Image deleted." That's right. Eleven years ago, spiders were CENSORED from the page about the fear they themselves cause. What's next, skydivers can't post pictures of Jim Varney? Where is your outrage, skydivers!? Advertisement

4 The Poor Palestinian Viper Ignites A War Over What Palestine Is Advertisement You're likely aware that every issue halfway related to the Middle East goes through a process of heavy political filtering before reaching American shores. Apparently that includes the basic identification of snakes. The Palestinian viper, a reptile interested in eating mice and nothing else, somehow got pulled into a full on political war on Wikipedia. You see, its neighborhood of origin, and which people recognize that place as an independent state, is a bit of a touchy subject. To put things into context, the battle on this page started long ago, back when the Iraq War was still on and there was not yet an ISIS. The fight is ostensibly about whether or not "Palestine" should be included in the territory description of the Palestinian viper, but this is a wild guess at best, since it immediately went off the rails. Eran Finkle/Wiki Commons And before you ask, no, no one has bothered to ask the poor snake which side of the proverbial fence it is on. "I'm going to ignore users who have proven incapable of collaborating civilly without personal attacks. To anyone interested in maintaining an accurate and policy compliant encyclopedia, I encourage you to look at this source, already in the article. It lists "Palestinian Territory" as the geographic location. I am not going to breach WP:3RR by correcting the mistake." Advertisement Advertisement This person is named Bree, and they did not get into a political fight on a snake's Wikipedia page to be treated in an uncivil manner. Let's see how that worked out for them. "Oh Bree. You're so noble (in-line sarcasm-tag). One of these days you'll understand that disagreement isn't incivility. If anything, running around willy nilly crying "incivility" is in itself, incivil." Bree's opponent in this snake debate seems to have forgotten about snakes completely. They likely have a thoughtful opinion on what a Palestinian viper's habitat should be called, but on the other hand, FUCK YOU, BREE. "I will repeat for what feels like the hundredth time: it does not make sense to say that this snake is found in both Israel and "Palestine". If the author of that source said "Palestine" as in the geographic region, then it includes Israel and is superfluous. It is not encyclopedic of us to blindly follow his error and have misleading, erroneous wording in our article." Advertisement Imagine telling someone you were inside their momma. Obviously, you were inside her many eager holes, but that's a needlessly incendiary way to put it, right? This user feels the same way about the Palestine/Israel issue. Well, not the "same" way, since they are a miserable asshole screaming at strangers in a snake's taxonomic citations, and you're simply happy that your momma is happy. "Darling, I understand it is hard for some Israelis to accept the notion that there is a place called Palestine, but your personal difficulties do not amount to an "error" on the part of others." As you can already tell, "darling" in this case means "bitch." Advertisement Advertisement "It's a stupid dispute -- but I'll point out the ridiculousness of believing that the "Palestine viper" is not found in Palestine, particularly when a perfectly reliable source asserts that that is exactly where it is found." Like all online arguments, someone eventually comes in to explain how truly simple everything is. It's like, come on, snake experts asserted where the snake is found. How are you still not getting this? The Palestine thing is solved! Well, strangely enough, this tactic did not work. Stubborn lunatics from both sides are still arguing after over a decade, and have since been joined in battle by the even more stubborn lunatics who are only there to talk about snakes.

3 The Mad Dash To Pick A New Photo For "Bathrobe" It seemed a simple enough mission: Find a picture to go with the article "Bathrobe." Someone did. But someone else didn't like the picture, because the bathrobe model's goofy expression was too distracting from the subject. The bathrobe subject. Name higher stakes, ever, about anything. We'll wait. Advertisement Wikipedia The original "Bathrobe" deemed unsuitable by internet bathrobe academics. Specifically cited was "the demeanor of the face model." Advertisement Sad, lonely internet users around the world saw this as an opportunity. They began vying for the starring role as the featured image of a Wikipedia article, and it was dog eat dog. With everyone trying to pull down the other photos in order to get their own installed, the battle of nitpickery was savage. Every tiny thing wrong with any new bathrobe picture was a hill to die on. Hmwith/Wiki Commons This was rejected in 2008 for the reason of, "I liked the other picture better. The current one looks kinda girly." Advertisement Peng/Wiki Commons This was also rejected, probably for looking kinda dirtbag. Advertisement Advertisement The Rambling Man/Wiki Commons Many photos like this were rejected because "Is this encyclopedic? It's not a user page or talk page or whatever. Just seems to be used for showing themselves off -- surely this is wrong" So many people chased the fantasy of online bathrobe model that they formed a group called "The Illustrious and Honourable Bathrobe Cabal of Wikipedia" where they could show themselves off, free from the judgement of crowdsourced encyclopedias. In the end, it could only be solved by finding a bathrobe without any goofballs in it. It doesn't look much like you'd expect a bathrobe to look, and might just be a photo of a Victorian woman's ghost, but it was a compromise every bathrobe scholar could live with. Advertisement Here you go, everyone. Bathrobe.

2 A "Language Jihadist" Changes Every "Comprised Of" To "Composed Of" Advertisement Advertisement This list is comprised of a lot of interesting incidents from Wikipedia's history. Or at least it would be, if mega-contributor Giraffedata (real name Bryan Henderson) wasn't on a mission from God to rid every single Wikipedia article of the phrase "comprised of." Henderson has made it his raison d'etre to fix a common issue: mixing up "comprise" and "compose," which are technically very different. A whole is composed of its parts, such as "the alphabet is composed of 26 letters," but a whole comprises its parts, as in "the alphabet comprises 26 letters." But you knew that already, of course. Because of this minor syntax error (which has probably never caused a misunderstanding in the history of English), Henderson has more than 67,000 Wikipedia edits. Sixty fucking seven THOUSAND, and nearly all of them are focused on correcting that one mistake. He's even written a magnum opus on his user page detailing the process, his linguistic philosophy, and a history of his edits -- which comprises more than 6,000 words at this time. It's fair to speculate that it would take far fewer words to describe what his personal life is composed of. Advertisement Most fellow editors accepted the short grammar lesson and moved on. But this is the internet; somebody is willing to die on this hill. Giraffedata has attracted cyber stalkers who revert all of his edits and fanatics who beg admins to stop his crusade. There was even a turf war in which vandals inserted "comprised of" into hundreds of random articles all over the site. And it's tough to win a war when the only thing your enemies know about you is your one crippling weakness. In early 2015, Henderson's mission started receiving media attention. Several writers, journalists, and editors had something to say about it, labeling him a stickler, a pain in the ass, "the world's most pedantic man," and even a language jihadist. Advertisement Advertisement Wikipedia Roughly translated: "IT'S YOU'RE! NOT GODDAMN YOUR!!!!" Absolutely none of this managed to bother Henderson, though, because he's essentially a Clara Barton / angel hybrid sent to save us from ourselves. Just read his mission statement: "As one who subscribes to the anti-comprised-of doctrine . . . I can tell you it triggers the same 'what an idiot' neurons in us as 'could of' and 'could care less.' If I can spare any readers that discomfort without hurting anyone else, why wouldn't I?" It's as if someone told him there was a Congressional Medal of Pedantry, and that it was an honor to win it, and he believed them.
It might be because youre anxious, but there may also be another explanation no one talks about

Youre asleep and dreaming. In the dream, youre a kid in school again, and theres a surprise test, one you didnt study for. Surveys say this is one of the most common recurring dreams people have. Its an example of whats called an anxiety dream. Youre anxious about something in real life, like everyone is, and this comes back to you when you sleep in the form of some stressful scenario. If you want an official explanation for why so many of us dream of tests, thats the best youre going to get.

But thats not such a satisfying explanation. If youre anxious about real issues you face as an adult, why doesnt your anxiety manifest as dreams about those, rather than this situation from childhood youll never experience again? Why arent you dreaming about an axe murderer breaking into your home? Axe murderers killed two people on your street this week; this issue deserves more consideration.

Florian Olivo/Unsplash Sure, you dream of Axe Max sometimes, but you dream of tests more. Why?

Plus, you may have this recurring test dream even if, as a child, you were a good student who never showed up for tests unprepared. And if you werent a good student, well, theres a fair chance you didnt care how you did on tests so you never found them stressful in the first place. Either way, high-stakes tests probably never took you by surprise. A terrifying surprise test is something youll never experience again and may have never experienced before, and yet your subconscious seems obsessed with it.

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Lets throw out some ideas and see if we can figure out whats going on here.

4 Youre Rationally Processing the Dreamworlds Randomness Dreams toss you into random settings drawn from your memories and imagination. Youll dream youre at work, then this will transition to your hometown followed by being stranded on an island with an uncle who died decades ago. Usually, youll accept this absurdness without questioning it. Occasionally, you wont. You remember Uncle Bob died, and you say, What are you doing here? This is weird. Jakob Owens/Unsplash I faked my death, hell say, as the dream reasserts itself. Suppose you dream youre at some strange restaurant. You may dream youre missing your wallet, but you probably wont, because you carry a wallet with you every day, and this will translate to the dream. But then your dream places you in school, and when you sit down at a desk, your mind doesnt generate a textbook and a binder because this isnt stuff you regularly carry. You now try to reconcile this setting with how (though your persona in this dream doesnt know it) you in the real world arent a student and arent equipped for anything this class offers. You conclude that you have arrived unprepared for this specific test. Advertisement Reconciling nonsense may also explain another common anxiety dream  showing up to work (or school) naked. In this dream, your clothes arent suddenly stripped from you. You simply wander around nude or in your underwear, quite comfortable with this until you gradually realize youre underdressed. Your brain picked the setting at random and picked your wardrobe at random, dressing you in a manner youre thoroughly familiar with from your private time at home. You arent anxious at all in this dream, until rationality creeps in and you question the incongruity of the elements the dream mashed together.

3 Your Memories Are Most Defined by Being Around Others Advertisement So, anytime you dream youre at school, you might end up panicking over a surprise test (or might walk around in holey underpants). But why do you keep dreaming youre at school so much? That stat we mentioned earlier, which said a surprise test is among the four most recurring dreams, put just being back in school in the top three. Why do our minds keep going there? Did we peak in high school? Vasily Koloda/Unsplash No. Even if you were cool then and boring now, you advanced since then. Theres a fairly obvious explanation here regarding how those were your formative years and left the strongest mark on you. You experienced a lot of firsts while in school, and you perceived everything in a heightened fashion. But there may also be something broader at play about the sort of experiences we register as part of ourselves. Advertisement What proportion of your day do you spend staring at a phone or computer? A considerable amount, surely  maybe even the majority of it. Now, what proportion of your dreams consist of you looking at a screen? Not a whole lot, and many people report that they never dream of that at all. While awake, they may look at an app so much that they see the afterimage of its interface every time they blink, but their dreams dont feature themselves looking at a screen of any kind. For many people (though not everyone), it seems like this: Your brain wont register your time alone staring at a rectangle as a memory to draw upon for your nightly adventures. Advertisement Marten Bjork/Unsplash A dreamer will open a maps app when lost but will never just scroll their feed. Now think back to sometime when you lived alone, in a studio apartment or in a single in a college dorm. How often does your dream place you in that setting? Likely never. You might have lived in an apartment alone for years as an adult and never dream of that place but will dream time and again of a different apartment you shared with someone for six months. The more we interact with others, the more deeply those memories sear into our skull. You dream about work, about parties youve been to, about airports. And school was probably the time in your life when you interacted with the most people. You maintained scores of relationships and said hi to all those people every single day. Some people grow up to have even wider social circles, but many never do. Because you were around so many people you knew every day, your mind registered that setting as the most real. And now, any time your sleeping brain puts you among a crowd of people, school seems like a logical place to transition that dream into. Advertisement

2 The Test Represents a Real Test Youre Facing Advertisement Dream symbolism sounds like quackery. Dream of a ladder, and that means youll soon ascend in life is nonsense. Dreams dont have the ability to predict the future. Finn Mund/Unsplash Only the entrails of a chicken can do that. But dreams may reflect your waking thoughts, in a non-literal manner. Respected authorities say so. So, along with that general idea that you dream of anxiety because youre anxious, lets mention the theory that you dream of taking a test because you expect youre going to be evaluated. Advertisement The dream test, says this theory, may also reflect some real decision or choice you are facing. In an alternate world, maybe our dreams would express that by sticking us all at literal crossroads. Except, we dont dream that  or dream of driving at all  because your brain goes on autopilot when you drive alone, much like when you scroll. It never registers that as a real setting worth saving in the memory bank.
From Richard Pryor and Chevy Chase trading racial barbs in Word Association to Cecily Strongs Goober the Clown, Saturday Night Live has had its share of brave moments. But over the course of that same 49 seasons, the show occasionally turned tail and ran when the going got tough. Here are four times in particular that SNL didnt have the courage of its comic convictions

1 No One Would Tell Norm Macdonald That He Got the Axe You cant accuse Macdonald of cowardice  despite multiple warnings from NBC higher-ups to knock it off, the Weekend Update anchor made O.J. Simpson a weekly punching bag. But when NBC exec Don Ohlmeyer finally decided Macdonald had to go, Lorne Michaels couldnt work up the nerve to break the news himself. Lorne had a hard time telling you bad stuff, Macdonald said in Live From New York: The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live. So I said, Somebodys got to tell me Im fired, but nobody wanted to do it. Instead, the weak-kneed Michaels made Macdonald place his own phone call to Ohlmeyer to confirm the bad news.

2 Conspiracy Theory Rock Disappears from Reruns Give credit to Saturday Night Live for at least the initial airing of Conspiracy Theory Rock, Robert Smigels kick in the cartoon crotch to monolithic corporate interests. Smigel told me that while Conspiracy Theory Rock is probably one of the least funny cartoons I did, its biting-the-hand-that-feeds-SNL satire was the reason the animation was cut from all reruns. Smigel was furious, and Vice President for Late Night Rick Ludwin tried to calm the writer about NBCs decision to bow to corporate interests. I said, Robert, it got on the air. You were not censored. It got on the first time, Ludwin explained before revealing the punchline. It got on once  but never again.

3 Not-Sorry Pete Davidson Forced to Apologize Anyway Play In a 2018 Weekend Update bit, Davidson roasted a number of candidates in the upcoming midterm elections. One was Dan Crenshaw, who wore an eyepatch as the result of a combat wound. Davidson joked that he was surprised hes a congressional candidate from Texas and not a hitman in a porno movie. Because America is pretty touchy about comics poking fun at military veterans, SNL invited Crenshaw to the show for a live apology from Davidson. Crenshaw also took the opportunity to poke back at Davidsons looks, joking that he looks like if the meth from Breaking Bad was a person. But in Davidsons Netflix special Alive from New York, the comic came clean. So I made fun of this guy with an eyepatch and then, like, I kind of got forced to apologize, despite having no regrets about the punchline. His SNL bosses were skittish about the public criticism; hence, the insincere apology. But Davidson says the only thing hes actually sorry about is making Crenshaw famous and a household name for no reason.
Is an animal going extinct a great tragedy of the world?

Of course it is. The knowledge that no human will ever again see a particular species in real life, and instead have to head to the internet or the Smithsonian, is humbling. Sometimes, that comes with the knowledge that were implicitly responsible, ending in shaking heads and a respectful how could we? Some animals, also, are so inherently cool that its a massive bummer that theyve been wiped off the map.

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But along with the heavily poached West African Black rhinoceros or the thoroughly sick thylacine, there are some animals that, well, kinda had it coming.

5 The Dodo Ballista The living equivalent of the phrase guh-huh? Possibly the most famous extinct animal in the world, and the touchstone for any school class explaining extinction. Id argue its not a great introduction, because if youre trying to warn children about the dangers of extinction, you shouldnt then show them a picture of what looks like the dumbest animal to ever exist. Its hard to feel especially bad about the Dutch showing up on an island populated with fat, flightless birds and immediately thinking, Well, theres our food sorted. 4 Steller Advertisement  Biodiversity Heritage Library Too delicious for this earth. s Sea Cow Another animal that suffered from being an absolutely ideal foodstuff is the Stellers sea cow. With a name like that, you already know it wasnt an animal treated with an outpouring of reverence. Again, humans found themselves in an inhospitable environment, namely the sea, and got hungry. That was terrible news for the Stellers sea cow, which was basically a floating care package filled with 11 tons of high-calorie vittles. It feels like an animal that was specifically bred to keep sailors alive. Im surprised they even made it to human hands, instead of existing for about two weeks and then the worlds sharks just being fat for a couple years.

3 The Giant Pika Tiziana Bardelli This is a regular pika, so imagine this, but giant. Look, I hear your awwwwwwwwwwwwws. Yes, I agree that pikas are incredibly cute, and I sure would have liked to have the opportunity to see a giant one up close. Preferably close enough that I could also pat it on its little head. At the same time, I have to admit, looking at this picture, that you might as well have given it the official species name of Bird Feast. If youre a predator, and one of these pops up from between the rocks, its as close to a vision of a dancing drumstick as you can get. Weighing in at up to four ounces, they were literally the ecosystems natural Quarter-Pounder. If Kraft Singles occurred in nature, they would have been extinct twice as fast.

2 Sabre-Toothed Cats Frank Wouters Good riddance! The opposite of the pika, in that it was a massive fucking asshole that no human wanted to see. They werent lacking in any evolutionary way, being terrifying killing machines and all. In fact, scientists still aren't totally sure why they went extinct. What I can tell you is that, given a time machine and the ability to deliver that news to the humans that shared a timeframe with them, there would have been a massive celebration. All they had to do was be nice, and let us ride them like He-Man, and wed probably be buying them little sweaters and/or using them to guard warehouses.
Korea will administer $200 million in humanitarian assistance for Ukraine this year as part of its pledged aid package worth $2.3 billion for its recovery efforts following its war with Russia, Seoul's finance minister has said.

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok presented the plan during the Ukraine roundtable held in Washington on Wednesday (U.S. time), as President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed to provide an additional $2.3 billion in aid for Ukraine during the Group of 20 (G20) summit in New Delhi in September 2023.

Choi said the Seoul government plans to provide the initial $200 million this year in the form of humanitarian aid for responses to emergency needs in Ukraine, and the remaining $2.1 billion will be administered as long-term, low-interest loans through the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) starting in 2025, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

Detailed recovery and reconstruction projects under the EDCF program will be decided after close consultations, Choi added.

Korea launched the EDCF program in 1987 with the purpose of supporting economic and social infrastructure projects in developing countries.

Korea also will donate $50 million each to the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for their projects to help Ukraine, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, Choi met with Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) President Ilan Goldfajn in Washington on Wednesday and discussed ways of boosting cooperation between Korea and the organization.

Choi voiced support for IDB Invest's business model and pledged Korea will provide a capital increase of $150 million for the entity.

IDB Invest, a private sector arm of the IDB, recently presented a new business model that includes a capital increase of $3.5 billion, which is meant to increase its investments and mobilize capital from the private sector for development projects in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the organization.

Choi is in Washington for a trilateral ministerial meeting with his U.S. and Japanese counterparts, and to attend a gathering of finance ministers and central bank deputies of the G20 nations this week. (Yonhap)
Cisco has announced Hypershield, an AI-based capability of the companys Security Cloud platform for hyperscalers. Hypershield is designed to defend cloud, data center, and distributed edge appliances from rapid vulnerability exploitation, according to Cisco.

Patching todays sprawling applications has become a task beyond the capabilities of any security team and manual processes. This covers a range of problems: patching cycles cannot keep up, patch testing is complex and therefore takes too long, and legacy technology is unlikely to be patched at all. This model of centralized vulnerability management left defenders at a huge disadvantage and was no longer sustainable. Hypershield is expected to address these issues in three ways:

Distributed exploit protection  part of Cisco Defense Orchestrator, this can be used to test and deploy controls to contain newly-published vulnerabilities. Flaws are often exploited by criminals faster than organizations can patch them. Distributed exploit protection could be used as a stopgap when a patch was not available, or even deployed indefinitely.

 part of Cisco Defense Orchestrator, this can be used to test and deploy controls to contain newly-published vulnerabilities. Flaws are often exploited by criminals faster than organizations can patch them. Distributed exploit protection could be used as a stopgap when a patch was not available, or even deployed indefinitely. Autonomous segmentation  this uses AI to react to possible attacks by autonomously segmenting the network by policy to block lateral movement.

 this uses AI to react to possible attacks by autonomously segmenting the network by policy to block lateral movement. Self-qualifying upgrades  a way of automating the testing and deployment of upgrades into what the company termed a digital twin of an application environment, including any policies and traffic profile. Updates are then applied without incurring downtime in production.

Containing attacks is getting hard because the isolation of attackers is no longer a trivial task. Now, an application runs across thousands of microservices and APIs talking to each other across the public cloud and private cloud, Ciscos EVP and general manager for security and collaboration Jeetu Patel said in a press briefing.
UK law enforcement has infiltrated LabHost, a fraudulent online service used by more than 10,000 cybercriminals to create phishing websites and trick victims into revealing personal information. Law enforcement agencies from 19 countries coordinated to disrupt the criminal network.

Between April 14 and April 17, through a joint operation led by the Metropolitan police, Labhosts existing services were disrupted with a seizure notice, and a total of 37 arrests were made by the UK as well as international law enforcement agencies.

LabHost is a service which was set up in 2021 by a criminal cyber network, said Met in a statement. On Wednesday, 17 April LabHost and its linked fraudulent sites were disrupted and existing information was replaced with a message stating law enforcement has seized the services.
By Lee Hae-rin

Korean travelers are becoming dissatisfied with trips to countries that use the U.S. dollar due to rising travel expenses from fluctuating exchange rates, a survey showed Thursday.

According to an annual report by Consumer Insight on Koreans' satisfaction with traveling overseas, dollar-using destinations such as the U.S. and Saipan experienced significant drops in satisfaction scores.

The survey interviewed 9,375 Koreans who traveled abroad between September 2022 and August 2023 and collected satisfaction scores on a scale of 1,000 points.

Hawaii (738 points), the continental United States (708 points) and Saipan (706 points) each saw declines of 61, 57 and 73 points, with only Hawaii going over the average score of 735 points for the 27 destinations surveyed.

Notably, Japan jumped to sixth place with 767 points, up 18 places from the pre-pandemic levels in 2019. The figure is the highest since the annual study began in 2018.

The surge is "largely due to the fading of the 'No Japan' campaign and cheaper prices due to the impact of the weaker yen," the study noted.

Travel costs were a key factor behind fluctuations in rankings and scores among mid-ranking destinations, according to the study.

The importance of prices, among six factors of the pleasantness of the travel environment  prices, transportation, cleanliness, convenience, safety and language  increased from 2019's 14 percent to last year's 19 percent, while those of other factors either decreased or remained unchanged.

Specifically, airfares are the primary factor contributing to cost increases, and air travel costs to North American destinations jumped 42 percent from 2019 to 2023.

However, satisfaction rate notably increased in Asia, where cost increases were relatively lower than those of the North American destinations, the report said.

It found that respondents were more satisfied with overseas destinations than domestic travel, which could spur growth of the outbound tourism market.

Korea already made a 79.1 percent recovery of its pre-pandemic record high in the number of overseas travelers with 22.7 million outbound tourists in 2023.

About a third of them visited Japan, considering that over 6.95 million Koreans visited Japan last year, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization's statistics.

Meanwhile, Switzerland and Spain scored 833 points and 810 points, respectively, becoming the top two countries on the list. Rounding out the top 10 were Australia with 799 points, Italy with 778 points, New Zealand with 775 points, Japan with 767 points, Portugal with 764 points, Singapore with 763 points and Guam with 752 points.
Renee Saucedo coordinates theNorthern California Coalition for Just Immigration Reform (NCCJIR) and partnered with the Berkeley-based nonprofit East Bay Sanctuary Covenant to write this op-ed. Contact the Opinion Desk at opinion@dailycal.org or follow us on Twitter.
North Korea has dismantled street lamps along its side of two rare roads connecting the two Koreas, a source said Thursday, in an apparent move to completely shut down the routes once seen as symbols of inter-Korean cooperation and exchange.

The military last month detected the North removing dozens of street lamps along the Gyeongui road, which connects the South's western border city of Paju to the North's Kaesong, and the Donghae road along the east coast, according to the source.

The move comes after North Korean troops were spotted installing mines on the two roads in January as inter-Korean ties have become increasingly strained in recent months.

Last December, the North's leader called for scrapping a decadeslong policy of seeking unification with South Korea and defining their relations as those between "two states hostile to each other."

In January, Kim gave instructions for "strict" measures to block all the channels of inter-Korean communication along the border, such as cutting off the Gyeongui land route, which includes a railway, on the North's side to an "irretrievable level."

The two roads were built during a reconciliatory mood between the two Koreas in the mid-2000s but have ceased to function in recent years as ties have soured.

The Gyeongui road was last used when South Korean officials withdrew from a joint liaison office in Kaesong in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Donghae road remains unused since the 2019 no-deal Hanoi summit between then U.S. President Donald Trump and the North's leader Kim Jong-un. (Yonhap)
Could the woke nightmare be coming to an end? Might Britain be stirring, shaking off its bad dream, and returning to common sense?

There are glimmers of hope. This week, the Michaela community school in Brent, north-west London  the strictest and one of the most successful secondary schools in the land  won a court case allowing it to ban public religious rituals, which it argued were against the spirit of cohesiveness that underpins its academic achievements.

And last week, the Cass report confirmed what almost everyone knew, though many were too frightened to say, that it was far too easy for children to be given puberty-blocking drugs.

Famously strict headmistress Katharine Birbalsingh CBE, won a court case allowing Michaela Community School, London, to ban public religious rituals which it argued were against the spirit of cohesiveness that underpins its academic achievements

And in Tuesday's Mail the Culture Secretary, Lucy Frazer, urged sporting authorities to ban biologically male competitors from women's sports.

Are we finally seeing a backlash against the identity politics that has rendered our country ill-tempered, intimidated and inane?

Yes and no. Before we get carried away, we should note that there has been no let-up in the anti-white bias that is widespread in our public sector and in universities. Preposterous demands for reparations from the only country that devoted itself to stamping out slavery get louder.

Campaigners for social change, caught up in their own moral outrage, sometimes over-reach. When they do, there is a limited and localised backlash. But the dial never quite moves back to where it was.

Let's consider the cases separately, starting with Michaela. I used to wonder whether Katharine Birbalsingh, its famously strict headmistress, could really live up to all she was cracked up to be. Then I spent a day in her classrooms.

Keira Bell, a teenage girl who was prescribed puberty blockers by the NHS's Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS), speaks outside court after she took the Tavistock clinic to court over the treatment she was given in transitioning

The teaching was better than I had had at my fee-paying school. The atmosphere was disciplined  the kids were not allowed to talk in the corridors or look around in class  but palpably happy. Michaela does not just outperform private schools in terms of raising the accomplishments of its children, a quarter of whom qualify for free school meals; it also outperforms them in absolute terms, with better GCSE and A-level results.

A lot of its success lies in Birbalsingh's commitment to integration. Many of her children come from difficult home environments, but she never allows that as an excuse for sloppy homework. Knowing that her pupils between them speak dozens of languages, she stresses what they have in common. As they come to lunch, for example, they belt out lines of patriotic poetry.

The Tavistock transgender clinic announced it would close down the Gender Identity Development Service

Then a child on each table serves their friends a vegetarian meal, so Hindu kids don't need to worry about beef, nor Muslims about pork. It is this togetherness that Birbalsingh wants to preserve. She worries that, in a school where half the children are Muslims, public prayer rituals would divide the community. It was this policy that prompted one Muslim student to launch a legal challenge.

The extraordinary thing is not that Birbalsingh won the case, but that it could be brought in the first place  and, indeed, funded by legal aid to the tune of 150,000. It would recently have gone without saying that, provided national standards on child welfare and the curriculum were being met, heads could set whatever policies they thought best.

Parents are free to choose Islamic schools. If they instead choose Michaela, they are accepting its philosophy. It is a pity that this principle was ever subjected to legal challenge.

The issue of trans is slightly different. Here we see the terrifying over-reach that can happen when a cause is fuelled by both fashion and self-righteousness. The idea that children should make irreversible decisions about their sexual development is, when stated baldly, so absurd that hardly anyone would countenance it. But its exponents are angry, energised and ready to destroy the reputations and job prospects of anyone who disagrees.

Dr Hilary Cass' report confirmed what almost everyone knew, though many were too frightened to say, that it was far too easy for children to be given puberty-blocking drugs

For a few demented years, the denial of biological reality has been adopted by swathes of society  publishing, broadcasting, the performing arts, universities, the civil service. Some kept their heads down for fear of criticism. Others rationalised their cowardice by genuinely convincing themselves of what was being proposed.

The publication of the Cass report was like the breaking of a spell. Many of those who had been outraged at the suggestion that women had wombs have shaken off their enchantment and, indeed, forgotten that they ever held their previous opinions.

Should we expect a wider pushback against some of the dottier woke doctrines? On past evidence, we shouldn't hold our breath.

The vilification of those who insisted on the primacy of biology was a moral panic. The essence of a moral panic is that people act in ways that look absurd and shameful when the panic passes.

For example, during the 1980s and 1990s, many journalists, social workers and childcare professionals believed children were being used in Satanic rituals. Hundreds of children were taken from their families on the basis of bogus evidence.

Today, it is hard to believe it happened. Go back further and we find something even creepier, a serious and organised campaign to legalise paedophilia. In the early 1970s, an organisation called the Paedophile Information Exchange demanded the abolition of the age of consent.

Now here's the thing. That campaign was backed by many of the same sorts of people as the ones who later backed the more extreme trans nonsense. Among those who gave it a measure of support were the future Labour MPs Harriet Harman and Patricia Hewitt  both of whom have since apologised.

I don't mean to point the finger. I have always admired both women, and their apologies were sincere. No, my point is precisely that, when bad ideas become fashionable, well-meaning people can end up backing them.

Just as with puberty-blockers, the country as a whole was solidly against abolishing the age of consent. And, just as with puberty-blockers, most of those who got caught up in the fad eventually came to their senses.

The disquieting truth is almost every civilisation has been based on a measure of identity politics, meaning some groups are favoured over others. In the West, around 300 years ago, we did something quite exceptional. We decided freedom trumped birth, caste or tradition.

That achievement was more precarious than we realised. The liberal ideal, that every able-minded adult is equal before the law and that personal autonomy should be paramount, has given way many times before to the fierce appeal of authoritarianism.

That's the terrifying thing about identity politics  not that it is absurd, but that it is dangerously seductive.

These recent victories don't mean we have fought it off. Indeed, we will never definitively fight it off, for it appeals to a part of human nature. The best thing we can do is to educate our children, to teach them that open societies are happier, fairer and richer than collectivist societies where the cancel culture trumps freedom of expression.

Michaela, at least, is a school where that still happens. Sadly, it is in the minority, and there is every sign that today's children will be an even more illiberal generation. We take freedom for granted. But, by Heaven, we'll miss it when it has gone.

Lord Hannan is International Secretary of the Conservative Party and serves on the Board of Trade.
On the Italian island of Capri yesterday, some point between the Campari and the antipasti, we can imagine a white-gloved waiter shimmering up to a peachy-cheeked Etonian with sunglasses and open-necked Jermyn Street shirt.

'Hai un messaggio, mio Signore.' 'Thank you, Luigi.' The Englishman glanced at the message.

It was from his gentleman's-gentleman in London. 'They're talking about you in the Commons, m'lud, and they're seething. Chope's glasses have steamed up. Lammy has gone supersonic-pompous. And there is nothing more they can do. All very satisfactory. Mitchell.'

Lord Cameron, Foreign Secretary, was in Italy for a G7 foreign ministers' meeting. These meetings have to be held in sun-kissed resorts. It's a security requirement. Back in the House of Commons, MPs were complaining that the government had dead-batted a suggestion from the procedure committee.

Its not entirely cerebral supremo Dame Karen Bradley (Con, Staffordshire Moorlands) had proposed that parliamentary convention be bent to allow his lordship to be quizzed at the bar of the Commons. The Government's response, not quite in full: 'You must be joking. Get stuffed.'

Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron was in Italy for a G7 foreign ministers' summit at the picturesque island resort of Capri

David Cameron was made foreign secretary, and immediately became a peer so that he would at least be in parliament, but there was agitation that he would not face Commons questions

Lord Cameron has been hosted in Italy by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, with whom he has had bilateral talks

'The bar of the Commons' is nothing to do with sherbets. It is the part of the chamber next to the Serjeant at Arms's seat. Although it is not officially part of the chamber, someone could stand there and still be questioned, or reprimanded, by MPs.

Historically the Commons has been jealous of its privileges. After all, we want the people contributing to its debates to have been elected. But when the unelected David Cameron was made foreign secretary, and immediately became a peer so that he would at least be in parliament, there was agitation that he would not face questions in the Commons.

The House of Lords can scrutinise him but that is like watching goldfish chewing a Murray Mint. The old fools don't leave much of a dent.

Read More: Lord Cameron Faces Accountability Questions as a Foreign Secretary in Lords Advertisement

Dame Karen led a short Commons debate on the parliamentary report in which her committee made its 'bar of the house' suggestion. It was 'regrettable' and 'most disappointing' that the government had given it the bum's rush.

Patrick Grady (SNP, Glasgow North) called the rejection 'predictable'. He was right. In Gordon Brown's government both Peter Mandelson and Andrew Adonis ran spending departments from the Lords. Whitehall was always likely to follow that precedent and refuse to let Lord Cameron be inconvenienced by questions from MPs.

Sir Christopher Chope (Con, Christchurch) felt Dame Karen was too 'mild-mannered' in her language. MPs felt 'strong anger'.

Dame Karen was upset the Government had been slow to respond. This made it difficult for her to assemble enough colleagues for a meeting to be quorate. Pretty feeble. They were prepared to bend the rules to make Cameron answer questions but not prepared to eat into their parliamentary holidays for a Zoom meeting?

Dame Karen Bradley had proposed that parliamentary convention be bent to allow his lordship to be quizzed at the bar of the House of Commons

David Lammy, shadow foreign secretary, waxed indignant about how 'the seriousness of this cannot be understated'. He possibly meant 'overstated'

Liberal Democrat Richard Foord spoke during the debate and reminded the House of Commons that Lord Carrington resigned after Argentine invasion of the Falklands

Richard Foord (Lib Dem, Tiverton), sometimes a strange goose, made the reasonable point that Lord Carrington quit in 1982 after the Falklands invasion because some MPs had predicted it while he, a foreign secretary in the Lords, ignored them.

David Lammy, shadow foreign secretary, waxed indignant about how 'the seriousness of this cannot be understated'. He possibly meant 'overstated'. Mr Lammy also had a dig at Lord Curzon. His lordship died in 1925. Mr Lammy seems to be the sort to kick a man when he is down.

Sir Roger Gale, Deputy Speaker, was asked to do something about Lord Cameron's elusiveness. Sir Roger said there was naught he could do.

In the absence of Dave the scarlet-faced pimpernel, the Commons must make do with Andrew Mitchell (Con, Sutton Coldfield), the gentleman's-gentleman or, as he is now also known, Deputy Foreign Secretary. He did not attend Dame Karen's debate, being busy ironing his master's copy of the Tangier Gazette.

Kevan Jones (Lab, North Durham) asked if Mr Mitchell would be sufficiently informed to answer questions about MI6. That would entail getting Mr Mitchell's hair-sprayed fringe past the Geiger counters at intelligence HQ and therefore seems unlikely.
Tory MP Mark Menzies was surprisingly upbeat as he entered the division lobby on Tuesday to vote for Rishi Sunak's flagship legislation to ban smoking for future generations.

Only half his party were said to be backing the Bill and so, joked Menzies, the Prime Minister might reward any loyalist who did.

But if he had fantasies of promotion, they proved fleeting. The next day Menzies, the MP for Fylde, Lancashire, was approached by a newspaper with the bombshell allegations that he had misused thousands of pounds of campaign funds.

The 52-year-old had, it is claimed, called a 78-year-old party volunteer at 3.15am one December morning begging for money to pay off 'bad men' who were detaining him in a flat against his will.

His initial plea for 5,000 rose to 6,500  to be paid from a Tory campaign fund. Mr Menzies strongly disputes the allegation. He is also accused of having diverted 14,000 from the same fund to pay for medical bills. He resigned the Whip yesterday, but disputes the claim it had been his suggestion to use campaign funds to pay his medical bills.

Mark Menzies, a Conservative MP, is alleged to have misused thousands of pounds of campaign funds

The allegations made against Menzies is yet another headache for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, whose administration had become plagued by a succession of backbench scandals

There are echoes of John Major's administration, whose majority won in 1992 had been eroded by the time the country went to the polls again in 1997

Yet another sleaze scandal to engulf the Tories then  and yet another to raise serious questions for party bosses.

The leadership was informed in January about allegations of potential fraud against Menzies, including claims that a party worker had paid 6,500 from their own bank account. But no action was taken until the story made it into the media.

Yet again there are echoes of the dying days of John Major's administration as one Tory after another is ousted in seeming disgrace.

The majority of 21 seats won by Major in the 1992 General Election had been completely lost by the time the country went to the polls again in 1997. Now, after a series of scandals and by-elections, the thumping 80-seat majority won by Boris Johnson at the 2019 election has dwindled to 49.

The latest controversy, first reported in The Times, also bears unpleasant parallels with that of William Wragg. A vice chairman of the influential 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, Wragg lost the Whip last week after admitting he had provided the phone numbers of colleagues and researchers to a blackmailer he had never met, but with whom he shared intimate photos on a gay dating website.

Both loners in Parliament, Menzies and Wragg are often seen together around the estate. They share a number of grievances: both are angry and frustrated that they believe they have been overlooked for promotion.

Yet in the case of Menzies he has only himself to blame. In 2014 he was on the lowest rung of the ministerial ladder as the parliamentary bag-carrier to the then minister for international development Alan Duncan, the first openly gay Tory MP.

But Menzies quit that year after a Sunday newspaper reported he had paid for sex with Rogerio Santos, a teenage Brazilian escort who was in the country illegally. He also claimed the MP had asked him to obtain the Class-B stimulant mephedrone and given him guided tours of Parliament.

Before the story broke, Menzies had never spoken publicly about his sexuality and never mentions his family or private life on his website. He never formally came out but his sexuality has long been an open secret at Westminster.

In 2017, Menzies was in trouble once again, when he was questioned by the police over bizarre claims he had deliberately got a friend's dog drunk and was then involved in a brawl when challenged over his actions.

The friend claimed he was left with a 500 vet's bill to 'sober up' the unfortunate animal. Menzies, who was not charged by the police, strongly denied any wrongdoing.

Last year, he was accused of 'kicking chairs' and 'poking people' at a Last Night Of The Proms concert starring Katherine Jenkins at 18th century country house Lytham Hall in his own Lancashire constituency. He was upset after discovering his party did not have seats reserved in the VIP section.

Even his own supporters conceded he had been 'drinking too much' that night, but the MP insisted he never poked anyone intentionally but may have done it by accident, caught up in the patriotic fervour of the evening, brandishing a Union flag.

One senior Tory MP told me: 'Like Wragg, I'm afraid Mark Menzies was an accident waiting to happen. He has few friends. I'm not aware he's ever had a partner.' He shares a home in London with fellow Conservative MP Damien Moore but they are not close.

In Fylde, he lives with his mother, who has Alzheimer's. His father, a merchant seaman, died a month before he was born.

The senior Tory added: 'He's not the first MP to have to contend with an ageing unwell parent and, anyway, that cannot justify his increasingly outlandish behaviour. He's bitter about the fact he's never been made a minister and must have worked out by now he never will be.'

Tory leadership was told in January about the allegations against Menzies, but no action was taken until the story made it into the media

Menzies is alleged to have called 78-year-old party volunteer Katie Fieldhouse at 3.15am begging for money to pay off 'bad men' who were detaining him in a flat against his will

After Ms Fieldhouse said she could not help, his office manager Shirley Green (left) is said to have sent him 6,500 later that day, later being reimbursed from local party funds

Menzies has lost not just the Whip but unpaid Government trade envoy roles  to Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru  which he's held since 2018 when Theresa May was in No 10.

Another senior source said: 'This will really hurt him. He tells people they make him feel like a Government minister as the red carpet is rolled out when ever he goes to South America. It's tragic, because the jobs are just baubles given out by prime ministers to keep backbench nobodies onside.'

Ironically, according to one unnamed MP, Menzies used to regale colleagues with gossip about the bawdy antics of fellow MPs on overseas trips.

Brought up in Ayrshire, he is a Glasgow University graduate. Before politics, he held marketing roles with Asda and M&S.

In the past, his constituency association members have stood loyally by him when controversy has darkened their door. But not this time.

The chairman of Fylde Conservative Association is David Jones, who is also the party's candidate in the forthcoming Blackpool South by-election on May 2. (The contest was triggered by the resignation of the Tory MP Scott Benton who  in yet another scandal with a whiff of Major-era sleaze about it  was caught in a sting operation last April offering to lobby ministers and table parliamentary questions on behalf of gambling investors.) Jones is the chief executive of The Feathers Association, founded in 1934, which works on projects to help children transition from adolescence to adulthood.

Another senior Tory told me: 'David Jones is a stickler for doing the right thing. Calling a 78-year-old demanding thousands of pounds at 3am and apparently diverting thousands of pounds of party money to his medical records, will be beyond the pale. He will not fight that seat at the next general election.'

In No 10 and at Tory HQ, they are aghast that the party has been thrust into another embarrassing row, particularly when there was evidence the police investigation into Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner's tax arrangements was cutting through with voters.

One senior minister told me: 'It's a disaster  and what's made it worse, we have apparently been sitting on this for three months. What were we thinking of?

'Every time we take one step forward, like with Rayner, we take six back with backbenchers who simply do not know how to behave like the rest of society.

'This is John Major's time all over again and do you remember what happened to us then? We were massacred.'

Another Tory sleaze headache for Rishi

By James Tozer and Richard Marsden

Police were last night urged to investigate a Tory MP accused of misusing thousands of pounds of campaign funds to pay off 'bad people' who locked him in a flat.

In another sleaze headache for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Fylde MP Mark Menzies had the whip suspended and was axed as a trade envoy over the extraordinary allegations.

He is said to have 'angrily' called an elderly former mayoress at 3.15am one day last December demanding that she release 5,000 from a local campaign account as a 'matter of life and death'.

Local party stalwart Katie Fieldhouse, 78, refused, but another party worker reportedly cashed in an Isa to cover the payment, later being reimbursed from money raised by local donors

Menzies has lost not just the Whip but unpaid Government trade envoy roles  to Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru

The latest controversary bears resemblance to one last week, in which MP William Wragg lost the Whip after admitting he had provided phone numbers of colleagues to a blackmailer

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said that there were 'lot of unanswered questions' in relation to the allegations made against Mark Menzies, and questioned why the Tories took so long to act

Separately, a further 14,000 given for use on Tory campaign activities was also allegedly transferred to Mr Menzies' personal bank accounts and used to pay private medical expenses. Sources close to the MP said he offered to repay the 'ransom' money but was told he did not need to. Last night, one of those who nominated Mr Menzies at the last election joined Sir Keir Starmer in calling for a police investigation. Mr Menzies denies any wrongdoing.

Tory activist Caroline Sheppard, who seconded Mr Menzies' nomination in 2019, said: 'I think he is disgusting as an individual and for what he put a 78-year-old woman through.

'There should be a police investigation. This was not his money. It belongs to his constituents.'

Sir Keir said: 'There are obviously a lot of unanswered questions in relation to these allegations, not least why it seems the Conservative Party took so long to act and whether they've reported this to the police, who, it seems to me, should be involved in this.'

Ms Fieldhouse said yesterday that she had given a full account of last December's alleged incident to Chief Whip Simon Hart the following month.

But she felt let down that the Conservative Party had taken no action against him until the allegations were made public on Wednesday, she told the Daily Mail at her home in the seaside resort of Lytham St Annes.

Asked whether the Tories had treated her allegations sufficiently seriously, she replied: 'It was three and a half months ago  you can draw your own conclusions.' Ms Fieldhouse, who was mayoress in 2001, added: 'I'm a devout Christian and a very devout Conservative and this has distressed me deeply. I live in a beautiful place and it deserves better.'

A senior member of the local Conservative Association said he was 'furious' with the way the MP treated Ms Fieldhouse.

'What happened beggars belief,' he said. 'I wouldn't dream of ringing anyone at that time in the morning.' He said Ms Fieldhouse  a former campaign manager for Mr Menzies  had been left feeling the party was 'sweeping it under the carpet'.

Another senior Fylde Tory, who did not want to be named, said: 'I will not stand by and see a lady who's given 40 years to the party being besmirched by someone trying to save their own skin.'

Last night Lancashire Police said while they had not yet received any requests to become involved, officers would 'make contact with those impacted in due course to see whether they wish to make a complaint'.

Questions for Conservatives over why they did nothing By Claire Ellicott, Whitehall Editor The Conservatives were facing questions last night about why they allowed Mark Menzies to remain in the party for more than three months despite being aware of the allegations about him. The claims were first made to party chiefs in January, by a local Tory stalwart, but action was only taken this week when they became public. There was also disbelief among his fellow MPs that he had been allowed to continue as a Tory despite previous allegations about him. One senior Tory said: 'He should have been deselected after the rent boy incident.' Mr Menzies quit as a ministerial aide in 2014 after a Brazilian male escort claimed the MP had paid him for sex and asked him to buy an illegal drug. At the time Mr Menzies said a number of the allegations were untrue. The MP also disputes the newest allegations. But questions were raised about why the whip had not been removed earlier. In a letter to her opposite number, Labour Party chairman Anneliese Dodds said: 'Rishi Sunak and the Conservative Party have serious questions to answer about whether funds have been misused and why no action has been taken despite the allegations reportedly being known about since January. 'Sunak promised professionalism, integrity and accountability at all levels. He has delivered stagnation, scandal and sleaze, which is engulfing his party.' A Tory party spokesman said: 'The party is investigating allegations ... This process is rightfully confidential. The party takes all allegations seriously.' Advertisement

Labour Party chairman Anneliese Dodds has also written to her Tory counterpart, Richard Holden, to say the allegations raise 'extremely serious questions relating to potential criminality'.

A source close to Mr Menzies told the Times, which first reported the allegations, that the unmarried MP had met a man on an online dating website and gone to a flat, before subsequently going to a second address where he continued drinking.

The source said it was falsely claimed that he had been sick, with money demanded for cleaning up and other purposes.

He decided to pay them because he was scared of what would happen otherwise, but did not have the funds from his own savings, the source said.

After Ms Fieldhouse said she could not help, his office manager Shirley Green is said to have sent him 6,500 later that day, later being reimbursed from local party funds.

When the allegations were made public on Wednesday, Mr Menzies had the Tory whip removed as well as losing his role as a trade envoy.

The Lancashire seat has been in Conservative hands for decades, with Mr Menzies, who was first elected in 2010, enjoying a majority of more than 16,000.

At his flat in the constituency, a woman said she did not know the politician's whereabouts yesterday.

But in a statement to the Times, the Ayrshire-born MP said: 'I strongly dispute the allegations put to me.

'I have fully complied with all the rules for declarations. As there is an investigation ongoing, I will not be commenting further.'

The Conservative Party confirmed that 'allegations' were being investigated but added that the matter was 'rightfully confidential'. Speaking to Times Radio, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps suggested that Mr Menzies is 'potentially somebody who is quite troubled'.

In 2014 Mr Menzies quit as a ministerial aide after allegations about his behaviour made by a Brazilian male escort.

He responded that some of the allegations were untrue and claimed he would be 'setting the record straight in due course'.

He was accused of getting a friend's dog drunk in 2017, but branded the claims 'false and malicious', with police ultimately dismissing them. It is yet another headache for Mr Sunak after William Wragg gave up the whip last week after admitting he had given his colleagues' phone number to someone on a dating app in a suspected honeytrap scandal.

Fylde borders Blackpool South, where former Conservative MP Scott Benton recently resigned after a newspaper exposed him allegedly offering to lobby ministers in exchange for money.
Jam maker Meghan isn't the only royal producer of preserves. Kate makes a mean chutney, a jar of which delighted the late Queen as a breakfast table Christmas present at Sandringham.

Despite frequent requests for jars as charity donations, Kate graciously declined, maintaining the secret family recipe.

That was until sister Pippa published the ingredients in a Diamond Jubilee book. Now anyone can make Granny Middleton's marrow chutney.

Despite frequent requests for jars as charity donations, Kate graciously declined, maintaining the secret family recipe

Jam maker Meghan isn't the only royal producer of preserves. Kate makes a mean chutney, a jar of which delighted the late Queen as a breakfast table Christmas present at Sandringham

Sister Pippa published the ingredients in a Diamond Jubilee book and now anyone can make Granny Middleton's marrow chutney

Father Ted creator Graham Linehan is at war with Hat Trick's boss Jimmy Mulville over a West End musical of the comedy.

Linehan claims to have declined 200,000 from Mulville to have his name removed from any production.

'For too long now, Mulville has been sitting on a musical that would be a surefire hit,' says the apparently rehabilitated Graham.

Father Ted creator Graham Linehan (pictured) is at war with Hat Trick's boss Jimmy Mulville over a West End musical of the comedy

'He is doing this for no other reason than to please the gender cultists on his staff and in the wider, captured media landscape. It's pathetic, cruel and cowardly. If he doesn't want to make the show, he should get out of the way and let me do it.'

Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies, 61, as fit as an aerobic flea, says she beats both her 25-year-old daughter and 17-year-old son at core exercises.

Can she beat them at swimming? Sharron, pictured, doesn't swim any more, explaining: 'For me, it's a busman's holiday. I did 20 years of my life, six hours a day. It's quite enough for anybody, really.'

Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies (pictured), 61, as fit as an aerobic flea, says she beats both her 25-year-old daughter and 17-year-old son at core exercises

ITN News At Ten pioneer Diana Edwards-Jones, who has died aged 91, famously sacked permanently well refreshed newscaster Reginald Bosanquet after he mishandled the announcement of Elvis Presley's death in 1977.

He initially stated Elvis had died, then said he was in hospital. After the ad break, he confirmed the death. Could sozzled Reggie be responsible for the enduring rumour that Elvis lives, with regular sightings in Croydon wearing his Las Vegas jumpsuit? Bong!

Rich as Croesus from a musical and two movies of Mamma Mia!, Judy Craymer fails to provide a 50th birthday present for Victoria Beckham by explaining why the Spice Girls musical Viva Forever! was a comparative flop.

'I think it was great,' she says. 'But it was unfairly beaten up. I don't know why. I think there was probably slight prejudice towards the Spice Girls.'

Domeheaded SNP MP Patrick Grady submits a written question to the PM asking if he considers the International Criminal Court to be a foreign court.

Rishi replies: 'The clue is in the name.' Doh.

Dame Joan Collins at the Emmy Awards ceremony in January this year. Dame Joan rages in The Spectator about the unnamed London restaurant-club chef who refused to cook her al dente asparagus softer

Dame Joan Collins rages in The Spectator about the unnamed London restaurant-club chef who refused to cook her al dente asparagus softer.

'Oh really?' barks Joan. 'It seems some chefs are displaying diva-like qualities beyond anything I've ever been accused of.'
By Kwak Yeon-soo

North Korea has demolished street lamps on land routes connecting the two Koreas, in what observers say is a signal to South Korea that its leader Kim Jong-un is serious about abandoning the goal of peaceful unification with the South.

The military confirmed on Thursday that North Korea has recently torn down street lamps along the Gyeongui road, which was used mainly for connecting the Norths Kaesong Industrial Complex to South Korea, and the Donghae road, which was used for traveling to Mount Geumgang and sending food aid to the North.

We recently detected that North Korea has dismantled street lamps, and are closely monitoring their military activities. We are analyzing the motive behind dismantling. It currently has no military impact, Col. Lee Sung-jun, spokesperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a press briefing Thursday.

This comes after North Korean troops were spotted installing mines on two roads in January as inter-Korean relations have become increasingly strained in recent months. Last December, Kim said that inter-Korean relations had become a relationship between two hostile countries and two belligerents at war, the Norths state-run Korean Central News Agency said.

The Ministry of Unification said demolishing street lamps on two roads is a clear act of violating the inter-Korean agreement, urging North Korea to repay millions of dollars in loans provided to build the roads.

Pyongyang is obligated to repay the loans to Seoul. Construction of the Gyeongui and the Donghae railway development and road linkage projects were funded by loans from the South Korean government, but the North has not paid a penny yet, a ministry official said.

The South Korean government provided loans worth $132.9 million to North Korea from 2002 to 2008. However, the final loan amount has not been confirmed, as the constructions were halted before they were completed.

The official said North Koreas intention of dismantling street lamps may have to do with a lack of materials.

Another possibility might be to collect and reuse scrap metal from the demolition of street lamps, the official said.

The two inter-Korean roads were built in the mid-2000s during a reconciliatory mood on the Korean Peninsula but have ceased to function as ties have soured in recent years.

The Gyeongui road was last used when South Korean officials withdrew from a joint liaison office in Kaesong in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Donghae road has remained unused since the 2019 Hanoi summit between Kim and then-U.S. President Donald Trump.
A British family who bought a private island near Nicaragua and ended up in a battle to reclaim it from local indigenous people which ended in kidnapping and death.

The story of Jayne Gaskin, a former Playboy Bunny Girl and croupier, her partner and Jayne's children, Damien 13, James 11 and Cherry nine, who she shares with ex-husband Phil Gaskin, captivated the nation in 2002 when they featured in Channel 4 documentary No Going Back.

Viewers watched Jayne, her kids and her new partner also called Phil, attempt to leave behind their ordinary life in Britain for the 9.5-acre Lime Clay island on the Mosquito Coast of Nicaragua, which they purchased for 170,000 in 2000 - only to find it was at the centre of a centuries-old land dispute.

Maria Acosta, a local human rights lawyer, launched a legal battle to reclaim the island for Nicaragua's indigenous population, but the story evolved into more than just a courtroom drama  ending in disaster, with the family kidnapped at gunpoint and Phil dying from an asthma attack.

Now, the jaw-dropping story of the family from Hampshire is told in The Price of Paradise, a new true crime podcast by Wondery and Forest Sounds.

A British family who bought a private island near Nicaragua and ended up in a battle to reclaim it from local indigenous people which ended in kidnapping and death (pictured Jayne, her kids and her partner Phil)

When Jayne and her partner Phil bought the island, they were confident that the sale was legal. The keys were sold to a private person by the government 100 years earlier.

Once living on the island the blended family quickly clashed with locals, who claimed it was a sacred space that was only to be passed down through generations and the local community launched a campaign to reclaim their home.

At one point, a camera crew followed the couple into a tense meeting at a town hall with the mayor, where they tried to convince him that their arrival would help relieve the island's desperate poverty.

'This is hope,' Phil said. 'This is the future. This is like Belize 25 years ago. They had nothing and then, everything.'

The mayor said: 'The properties of the people  the indigenous people  cannot be loaned, cannot be given. We will not give up our fight.'

Environmentalists accused the family of destroying natural habitats for local birds during their renovations, and locals arrived on the island to protest once courts determined the Gaskins were within their right to own the property.

The shocking story of Hampshire-based mother Jayne Gaskin, (pictured) her partner Phil and her three children who trade their village home for a tropical paradise is told in a new true crime podcast by Wondery and Forest Sounds The Price of Paradise

The story of Jayne, a former Playboy Bunny Girl and croupier, her partner and her children, Damien 13, James 11 and Cherry nine, captivated the nation in 2002 when they featured in Channel 4 documentary No Going Back

Once living on the island the couple quickly clashed with locals, who claimed it was a sacred space that was only to be passed down through generations (pictured Jayne, her three children and her partner Phil)

Phil accused the protesters of being 'racist' against whites, while Jayne added: 'I'm not just going to walk away, I want the island. I love the smell of napalm in the morning. That's what it would be. All-out war.'

While Phil and the three children pined for their old life in England, Jayne was determined to make the move work, despite the tension.

Phil said: 'It's all very pretty. But it's still not my idea of paradise. It's growing on me. But there's no going back because Jayne's not leaving this island.'

The couple's plan was to make the island into a tourist attraction and Phil got to work on building six cabanas, each housing up to four people.

The first structure he decided to build was a bar and restaurant in a shady spot on the beach.

A few days into the hard labour Phil and Jayne hired Teodoro, a construction worker, from the mainland to help with the building work.

Before leaving England, Phil set aside around 50,000 for building the resort, wages, materials, fuel and food, however costs started spiralling out of control.

Phil said: 'Is a lot more expensive living here than I thought it was going to be. I've got about 90 weeks to make this work at present rates of expenditure.'

A few days into the hard labour Phil and Jayne hired Teodoro, (pictured) a construction worker, from the mainland to help with the building work

Jayne's ex-husband Phil Gaskin from Poole, Dorset, visited the tropical island of Lime Clay in Nicaragua where his estranged wife had taken their children to live

After Teodoro started slacking on his duties he was swiftly fired, only to return a few days later to beg for his job back.

However after a heated discussion with Jayne it appeared the two were actually having an affair which ended when he slept with the family's cook.

Speaking to Teodoro on the show Jayne said: 'I don't know how much English you understand. You mess around with me, next thing you mess with the cook.

'I don't want someone like that on my island. You no like me anymore.'

Teodoro responded saying: 'You have husband and these children, you know.'

Before leaving the island Teodoro declared: 'This is my country. One day she gone and I stay in my country. You will see.'

It all came to a head one night when five masked men burst into their home and demanded $1 million in return for their lives.

They were kidnapped, bundled onto a motorboat and taken out to sea, but eventually they managed to escape after Phil fought back, setting the motorboat ablaze and hiding in an alligator-infested swamp overnight.

Speaking on the Channel 4 documentary, Phil said: 'Lots of commotion outside the hut and the next thing I know somebody said, Mr. Philip, you better do what you're told. There was a gun pointing at me telling me get down on the floor.'

Phil recognised the leader of the kidnappers, it was his wife's former lover Teodoro.

He said: 'First of all, I recognised his voice, and the children also recognised his voice.'

Jayne's ex-husband visited the island to see his children and had a sweet moment with his daughter Cherry, then nine

The family built and lived in a small wooden hut on the edge of the water on the island near Nicaragua

Planning the escape Phil managed to light the boat on fire with a gas canister and a match, allowing the family to flee.

'All I could hear was bang, bang. I didn't look back I was running for my life at that point,' he recalled. 'The men came after us, there were two men and they had got me down in a corner, they found me.

'I could see a gun. They were waving the gun at me and he was pulling the trigger but there were no bullets left.' Jayne added: 'I tried to get up and one of them hit me twice in the face.'

Phil continued: 'We went right back into the bush, through some swamp. We waded through right up to our knees, then we hide in the swamp behind a tree.'

Jayne said: 'We stayed completely silent all night because I knew Teodora enjoyed hunting in the bush. He used to talk about hunting tigers at night. I knew he enjoyed killing.

'He used to talk about how he killed people before and how he enjoyed to drink men's blood. Stories he used to tell. So we knew that it was a killer.'

Viewers watched the couple attempt to leave behind their ordinary life in Britain and establish a diving school on the remote tropical island, which they purchased for 170,000 in 2000 (pictured Jayne Gaskin)

Phil eventually flagged down a passing fishing boat which took the family to safety and they reported their ordeal to the local police, who eventually found the kidnappers after a week of searching.

Despite all the torment they had been through, Jayne insisted the family should return to the island.

Phil said: 'This is my jail cell, the sea is my bars, and I'm permanently tormented, yet the only way I can escape this island is in my dreams.'

Phil's health started to deteriorate as a result, and he developed a respiratory infection while hiding out from the kidnappers.

After a bout of severe asthma attacks the family decided to leave the island with Phil to be closer to a hospital, four weeks later he sadly passed away.

Jayne and her children are believed to have since sold the island and returned to London, according to a 2014 BuzzFeed article.

The synopsis for the podcast, which is hosted by Alice Levine, reads: 'When ex-Bunny girl Jayne Gaskin spots the desert island of her dreams for sale online, she decides to risk it all.

'Trading in their English village home, Jayne and her family relocate to their own private paradise, just off the coast of Nicaragua. And a reality TV crew follows them to film a new show,

'But soon they all discover that paradise has its secrets. The locals claim the island belongs to them, and its been sold illegally. Jaynes not leaving without a fight. A fight that will soon turn deadly.'

The Price of Paradise launches on 22 April on Wondery+, Amazon Music and everywhere you get your podcasts.
Investigators have revealed how the Hells Angels were inspired by the Mafia - with new joiners required to commit murder in order to be accepted into the notorious biker gang.

The startling admission was laid bare in A&E's Secrets of the Hells Angels docuseries which has taken a deep dive into the history of the 'outlaw' group.

In an upcoming episode, seen exclusively by DailyMail.com, retired police detective Tom Doyle did not hold back in divulging the blood-thirsty entry requirements.

The former cop, from Eastlake Police Department, Ohio, explained how The Godfather - a crime novel about fictional Mafia family headed by headed by Vito Corleone - had formed the basis of the biker gang's code of conduct.

In an upcoming episode, seen exclusively by DailyMail.com, retired police detective Tom Doyle did not hold back in divulging the blood-thirsty entry requirements

Kerrie Droban, author and attorney, said of the biker group (pictured): 'They fell in love with the whole law of the Mafia'

Explaining how the law of Hells Angels came about, Doyle said: 'While in jail, someone obtains a copy of The Godfather and it's read and passed around.

'To become a "made" member of the Mafia, you have to commit a murder. [The Hells Angels] sit there and look around the cell block and they realize "we've already done that."

'Then they realized if you have an organization where everyone is bonded by murder the person who commits the murder is not going to turn on the club - that ensures silence and that ensures loyalty.'

The Godfather novel had formed the basis of the biker gang's code of conduct

Kerrie Droban, author and attorney, said of the biker group: 'They fell in love with the whole law of the Mafia and they were able to take a lot of those philosophies and ideologies...

'If you're willing to do this, then you are willing to be a brother for life.'

And Doyle conceded that this is soon how the group started operating, as he added: 'It was a closely-guarded secret.

'New members are required to roll your bones - required to kill. In The Godfather, they "make their bones." Bikers "roll their bones."'

Links between the Hells Angels and the Mafia have been the subject of much scrutiny over the years, with one report back in 1986 revealing that the FBI was investigating possible ties between the two notorious groups.

At the time, an FBI organized crime squad agent, Jim Ring, suggested that the Hells Angels would step in to 'nibble away' at mob boss ventures whenever the Mafia found itself 'out of action'.

'Whenever a certain La Cosa Nostra group is taken out of action, other groups will try to step in and nibble away at that business,' he said, according to UPI, adding: 'We know in certain parts of the country it has been firmly established through court evidence that the Hell's Angels do business with the (Mafia).

'We think there is reason to monitor the situation in Boston to see what contact they do have and see if it fits into the furthering of the criminal enterprise.'

Doyle's fascinating new revelation about the Hells Angels' ties to the Mafia comes after Jay Dobyns, an undercover cop who infiltrated the biker gang for two years, spoke exclusively with DailyMail.com about the dark underbelly of the biker group.

The now 62-year-old was embedded within the group in Arizona between 2001 and 2003 after joining the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).

He described the operation as a 'life and death experience' during which time he saw that 'the Hells Angels were willing to kill their own' and 'just how violent they can be.'

Jay also candidly divulged how he caused his family an 'immense amount of battle damage' during his assignment and was left facing death threats after his cover was finally exposed.

The shocking revelation comes after Jay Dobyns (pictured), an undercover cop who infiltrated the biker gang for two years, spoke exclusively with DailyMail.com about the dark underbelly of the Hells Angels

He described how the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) ramped up its investigation of the biker gang after a bloody riot at a casino in Nevada

The notorious clash was described by news outlets at the time as a 'bloodbath' (aftermath pictured)

It was a brutal and bloody murder that prompted Jay's infiltration of the notorious gang, with the former undercover cop revealing how ATF had ramped up its investigation of the Hells Angels after two 'key events that were the cornerstones of the investigation.'

The first was the murder of Cynthia Garcia who Jay said was 'beaten to near death in the Hells Angels clubhouse in Massa, Arizona.'

He continued: 'And, when she wasn't dead yet, they stuffed her in the trunk of a car and they drove her to the desert near Apache Leap in Arizona and they cut her throat. They tried to cut her head off.'

The former cop said that the other flashpoint had been the public riot at a casino in Laughlin, Nevada, which saw the Hells Angels in a bloody clash with rival group the Mongols.

Jay also shared his own experiences with the biker gang's initiation procedures, describing it as a 'very slow process'.

'They are very paranoid and they are paranoid for legitimate, good reasons,' he said. 'Their paranoia keeps them out of jail, their paranoia keeps them out of prison, their paranoia keeps them from being infiltrated because when you arrive on scene, they view you as one of two things.

'They view you first as a threat - as someone who is looking to hurt them. Then they also look at you as a victim - as someone who could eventually be taken advantage of.

'You slowly start climbing the ladder and as you spend time around the suspects you begin to build trust and then that trust leads towards loyalty and then the loyalty in some cases leads to love.

'But it's a very slow, tedious process - it's like any relationship. Those things don't happen instantly they happen over time.'

The latest episode of A&E's Secrets of the Hells Angels will air on April 21
Aldi has re-launched their trio of their popular saucy mayos, inspired by some of the nations favourite flavours, just in time for BBQ season.

Aldis Bacon Mayo, as well as two other flavours in this mayo range, is now available in stores across the UK for 89p.

The returning line-up includes Aldis Bramwells Bacon Mayo, Caramelised Onion Mayo, and Lemon & Cracked Black Pepper Mayo - and all share the same low price point.

The Bacon Mayo launch comes just as Heinz launches its new Smokey Bacon Ketchup, which costs 3.39 for a 250ml bottle.

Aldi brings back Bacon Mayo after popular demand! Would you be brave enough to try it? The Bramwells' mayo range also includes the Caramelised Onion and Lemon & Cracked Black Pepper Mayo

The frontage and brand logo of a branch of German discount retailer Aldi, taken in a local retail park on Wirral, UK on a sunny afternoon

Shoppers can find this trio of saucy delights in stores now and via Click & Collect and they've already taken to social media to praise the range.

'The bacon mayo is sensational on burgers,' one wrote.

The news comes after the German discount retailer opened the doors to its exclusive Beauty Club for a second year running, allowing 20 lucky customers the chance to get free cosmetics before they even hit the shelves.

The supermarket is recruiting makeup enthusiasts to trial, test and review new Lacura beauty products with feedback to be taken into the next release.

Successful beauty fans will make up Aldi's latest panel of members for 2024, receiving 13 products from its new summer line-up which is set to land in supermarkets on June 23.

The freebies include a selection of makeup must-haves, haircare essentials and fake tan Specialbuys.

Panellists will be required to review colour, smell, look and feel across three weeks, before being asked to share a minimum of one post through TikTok and Instagram using the #AldiBeautyClub hashtag.

Any hopeful beauty fanatics, have to email the brand explaining why they think they should be chosen for the role, as well as outlining what their favourite Lacura product is and why.

Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Aldi UK, said: 'Our health and beauty brand, Lacura, is hugely popular with shoppers, but it's important we continue to excite our loyal fan base with an innovative offering.

'That's why we're returning our cult Beauty Club. Shopper feedback helps us ensure we're giving customers quality, on-trend products at affordable prices.'

To apply for Aldi's Beauty Club and be in with a chance of receiving the exclusive products, shoppers need to send an email to aldibeautyclub@clarioncomms.co.uk with the following details:

Entries are open until Friday, May 3, and the full T&Cs can be found on the Aldi Beauty Club page at aldi.co.uk/beautyclub.
A millennial content creator's conspiracy theory about why the most talented and hard-working people will 'never' get promoted has been branded 'painfully true' by disgruntled employees.

Jacqueline Morris frequently posts about her life on her TikTok account, where she has amassed more than 7,500 followers.

The Maine-based social media pro recently took to the video-sharing platform to discuss something different from her usual content. She ignited the conversation about 'corporate structures' as she claimed that being nice to your employees and being a great worker won't get you anywhere.

In a viral video, which has so far amassed more than 5.6million views, Jacqueline - who didn't reveal her line of work - suggested that employers refuse to give more money to workers who are friendly and good at their profession because they 'know they can keep serving you s**t on a platter and you will eat it with a smile'.

A millennial content creator has revealed her 'painfully true' conspiracy theory, in which she claims that workers who are kind and good at their job will 'never' get promoted

Jacqueline Morris frequently posts about her life on TikTok account, where she has amassed more than 7,500 followers

She captioned the clip: 'But if I take a week off everything falls apart? It isn't adding up.'

At the beginning of the video, she told her followers that her corporate 'conspiracy theory' is the 'hill [she] will die on'.

'If you are both good at your job and a pleasure to work with, like you have a good personality, you will never be promoted,' she explained.

She noted that those in junior positions thought they had to be kind and productive to get a promotion, while those in 'executive' slots were neither friendly or good at their jobs.

'If you are a VP or director level, you can either be really good at your job or a pleasure to work with, you don't have to be both,' she added.

Jacqueline claimed that the people who were doing the actual work would often stay at the bottom of the corporate pool without achieving any credit or affirmation for their performances.

'If you're down here where all the actual work is being done, it's not being directed, it's not being strategized, they will never allow an employee who is both good at doing the work and good at keeping a smile on their face while doing the work move up that ladder,' she said.

The content creator noted that this was because employers knew that friendly workers wouldn't complain.

@jacquelameo but if I take a week off everything falls apart? it aint adding up  original sound - jacqueline

In a viral video, Jacqueline - who didn't reveal her line of work - suggested that employers refused to give more money to workers who were friendly and good at their profession

People on the web flooded the comments section and agreed with the content creator

She added: 'They know that they can keep serving you s**t on a silver platter and you will eat it with a smile on your face.'

Viewers flooded the comments section to agree.

One person said: 'Performance punishment.'

Someone else wrote: 'Former HR here, you are absolutely correct.'

Another user added: 'This isn't a conspiracy theory... this is fact. Make yourself indispensable and you will be indispensable in the same position forever.'

'This is painfully true,' a fourth said.
On the day we left secondary school, my five closest friends and I made a pact. Our friendship, forged as awkward 11-year-olds, would span a lifetime, regardless of where careers or families took us.

And sure enough, for 24 years, the six of us met regularly, husbands and children in tow, even going on group holidays together. Then last spring, a touchy subject tore our little group apart: money, leading to a sense of betrayal and, I'll admit, latent jealousy.

For years, Rachel, 41, a project manager, and her husband Rob, 44, a surveyor, who live in a modest three-bedroom townhouse, had pleaded relative poverty and we had no reason not to believe them.

For 24 years we remained close to our friends from school... until the touchy subject of money started to crop up in our conversations

The rest of us are not wealthy exactly, but comfortably off with good careers (I'm a management consultant). Although we never discussed salaries  my husband and I earn a total of 100,000 a year, but in the South East this doesn't stretch far  I assumed we were in similar boats.

To accommodate Rachel and Rob's apparently more meagre budget, we had downgraded group ski trips, city breaks, staycations and ordered takeaways instead of eating out. Once we subsidised Rachel on a girls' holiday to Malta when she said she couldn't afford the accommodation. When we had takeaways at my house, I didn't chase her to pay me back.

At a gathering last April, however, they pulled up in a showroom-fresh Range Rover that wouldn't have left them much change out of 75,000. Quite a step up from their old Volvo.

'It's as great as I thought it would be,' said Rob.

For years, Rachel, 41, a project manager, and her husband Rob, 44, a surveyor, who live in a modest three-bedroom townhouse, had pleaded relative poverty and we had no reason not to believe them

Glances were exchanged around the room; weren't they supposed to be strapped for cash? Perhaps they'd had a secret windfall  an inheritance, or a bonus at work.

But a couple of months later, when we were having a girls-only weekend, Rachel let slip that 'Rob and I have just bought a second home as an investment to rent out'. When one of the group repeated her words back to her in astonishment, she replied: 'Yeah, we've been saving for years.'

Apparently, it's a three-bedroom terraced cottage close to where we grew up in Cambridgeshire, not grand, but buying a second home is in stark contrast to our stressing over increased mortgage rates on our only property.

Incredulity rippled around the group as we realised they'd hoodwinked us. All those years pretending they couldn't afford this or that while they were secretly amassing a savings pot containing hundreds of thousands!

At a gathering last April, however, they pulled up in a showroom-fresh Range Rover that wouldn't have left them much change out of 75,000. Quite a step up from their old Volvo. Picture posed by model

After the weekend away, a WhatsApp group minus Rachel was set up so the rest of us could vent our fury, remembering countless times we'd altered our plans so they could join in.

I was furious recalling the fuss Rachel had made about my 40th birthday 18 months before.

In hindsight, this was perhaps the most hurtful compromise. I had planned a weekend away in a beautiful cottage in Norfolk. When I presented my suggestion and prices  200 per couple for three nights  Rachel immediately replied: 'We're not doing that, we can't afford it.'

She followed it up with: 'Surely you can find a cheaper cottage, otherwise do we have to do a weekend away?' I was disappointed, but sympathetic, believing they were squeezed financially. We went out for afternoon tea instead.

One friend was furious that we'd paid for Rachel's Malta hotel room. And another reminded us that when Rachel and Rob hosted a barbecue a couple of summers earlier, they'd asked everyone to contribute to the cost of food and drink. Then there was the planned ski trip they said was extravagant (it wasn't) so we switched it from Italy to Bulgaria to save about 300 per couple.

Now we know they were saving hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Who knows where their splurge will end  they're planning a large kitchen extension next. You may think it's a case of the green-eyed monster on my part. I admit I was envious of the second property.

And it did make me and my husband reflect on our own financial decisions. We've both lost loved ones and our attitude is that life is short, so we spend a bit and we save a bit.

During a girls-only weekend, Rachel let slip that 'Rob and I have just bought a second home as an investment to rent out'. Picture posed by models

But the real reason for my anger is a sense of betrayal. If they'd opened up about the reasons for being so hard up, we would have understood but probably not been so accommodating on reducing our group plans.

The deception cuts deep and the other girls feel the same. Our husbands' views are more divided  some say we should leave them be. A year on, however, my husband thinks it's time to include Rachel and Rob again.

We should have explained how betrayed we felt. Instead, we talk behind their backs and it's become easier not to include them.

We all felt a curious sense of relief and guilt the first time we met for dinner without them. But it's not the same now there's a core member of our group missing. Sadness is my prevailing emotion because I love Rachel. She is the most loyal of friends, but money can change people and I don't doubt that Rob was the main driver in keeping their savings scheme to themselves.

We're planning a short break to Mallorca  feeling guilty, we decided to let Rachel and Rob know. As always, their first question was 'How much will it cost?'

This time we said we're sticking with the flights and accommodation we've earmarked, so they're not coming  no doubt putting money aside for their new kitchen instead. I think they're oblivious to the hurt they've caused.

So it turns out our friendship pact won't go the distance. I hope their new spoils were worth it.

Names have been changed.

As told to SADIE NICHOLAS
READ MORE: The tiny detail in this photo is infuriating football lovers

A man was left in awe after spotting ten water dragons hidden in leaf litter during his morning walk.

The walker, in Kangaroo Point, Brisbane, snapped a photo of the well-disguised native lizards and posted it on Reddit, challenging others to find them.

Water dragons are Australia's largest species of dragon lizard and are found along waterways on the country's east coast. While mostly shy, the well-hidden creatures have been known to chase small dogs and children when they feel threatened.

Most of the lizards near the top of the photo can be spotted fairly easily; however, two are much trickier to spot - namely the sun-bathing water dragon and another that is facing the camera.

Many Reddit users joined in trying to spot them, leading to the post going viral.

A man was left in awe after spotting ten water dragons hanging out in leaf litter during his morning walk

'This is like some kind of native Australian Where's Wally game,' one man said, with the original poster agreeing this was his 'exact thought' when he took the photo.

Many people struggled with the challenge.

'Only seeing nine, so nein,' one said.

'I can't see the tenth dragon. It's the one you don't see that gets you. He is behind me, isn't he?' wrote a second.

Some claimed to have found 11 water dragons in the photo.

'Bottom right corner in the shade, 11,' one said.

The water dragons were sitting in the leaf litter next to a popular path

'That's a tail over the root in the bottom right corner,' another agreed.

Others claimed to have gone down to Kangaroo Point to look for themselves.

'No, I was just there now and since you took the picture its gotten dark, really hard to see them now,' one wrote.
A woman travelled to the Maldives on a budget and spent just 416 for a six-day holiday which included food, activities and a room overlooking the ocean.

Travel influencer Natasha Whitley, from Bournemouth, Dorset, had planned a trip to Sri Lanka and with the Maldives being just a 90-minute flight, she decided to make a stop there along the way.

Accommodation in the Maldives, which is known for its sandy beaches and turquoise water, can cost up to 1,300 per night.

But instead of staying in the resort islands, the 28-year-old decided to stay in the local islands and was able to book a room overlooking the ocean for just 25 a night.

The local islands, which only opened to tourists in 2009, are less popular with tourists because alcohol is banned and only certain beaches allow you to wear bikinis.

Natasha Whitley, from Bournemouth, Dorset, is pictured on Dhiffushi, a local island in the Maldives

The pharmacist enjoyed a stunning sunset during her budget trip to Thulusdhoo

Natasha thought she'd stop by the Maldives on her trip to Sri Lanka and is pictured enjoying a pretty sunset in Dhiffushi

Natasha and Kara enjoy a jet ski ride during their time in Dhiffushi where they only spent 416 on accommodation, food and activities

Natasha takes a stroll along the stunning beach in a bikini on Thulusdhoo, a local island in the Maldives

Natasha said: 'It had always been high on my bucket list but I never thought I would be able to afford it.

COST BREAKDOWN PER PERSON Flight to Sri Lanka via The Maldives: 905 Transport: 32 (four ferries and one speedboat) Food: 95 (avg 7 per meal) Swimming with sharks: 88 Deserted island trip: 28 Floating bar: 12 Miscellaneous: 28 (atm fees, souvenirs, airport storage) Accommodation: 133 Total (without flights): 416 per person Advertisement

'Since I saw a TikTok about doing the Maldives on a budget, I googled it and looked at what hotels were costing and was shocked at how cheap it was.'

The pharmacist and her friend Kara Wildbur, 23, set off on their travels on April 1 and spent six days in the Maldives before heading to Sri Lanka, where they both are now.

They split their time between the islands of Thulusdhoo and Dhiffushi staying in two beautiful beach-front rooms at the Beach House by Sii Hotels and the Batutu Surf View Hotel.

Natasha said: 'Rooms on Thulusdhoo and Dhiffushi islands were around 30 a night for a room per person.

'Ferries and transport were also cheap so it was much more affordable than it looked.'

Natasha, who is also a content creator, and her friend took advantage of the cheaper prices and did lots of activities.

They went swimming with sharks for 88 and took a trip to a deserted island for 28, which both included jet ski rides.

They also paid a modest 12 each to take a trip to a floating bar, which is common on the local islands because they can't serve alcohol on land.

Natasha said: 'We went swimming with sharks and we got an excursion to visit a deserted island.

Natasha, sporting a summery yellow dress, smiles for a photo next to a fresh coconut stand in Dhiffushi

The view from where the two friends were staying in Thulusdhoo in the Maldives

The content creator overlooks where she is staying in Dhiffushi for just 25 a night

Natasha snapped beautiful palm trees, flowers and a turtle mural in Thulusdhoo

The view from Natasha and Kara's room in Dhiffushi, where they stayed for just 25 a night

'We also took a jet ski ride and spotted dolphins, manta rays, stingrays, turtles and flying fish.

'There is no alcohol allowed due to religious reasons either, so we got a dinghy to a floating bar in the sea too.'

Food was also very affordable with a meal costing an average of 7 a day per person with breakfast included with their rooms.

The most expensive part of their trip were flights - from London to Male and then Male to Colombo - which came up to 905.

Natasha has also started running affordable group trips for solo travellers, and has trips planned to Iceland and Costa Rica.
Once upon a time, telling someone how much you earned was considered somewhat gauche.

It could also get you into trouble if your contract stipulated that you were forbidden from doing so.

However, thanks to the Equality Act 2010, coupled with the UK governments pay transparency pilot scheme announced in 2022, discussing how much you earn is not only encouraged but expected among younger generations.

Discussing how much you earn is not only encouraged, but expected among younger generations

Shifting opinions

Theres evidence to suggest that Gen Z and Millennials are more concerned with money than their Gen X or Boomer colleagues.

According to a study by PwC, younger people who are feeling the cost of living most acutely are responding in the most pronounced way and as such are more tuned in to personal finance advice (38 per cent) than those aged over 55 (13 per cent).

Separate data from Cigna supports this, with 39 per cent of global Gen Z workers sharing that financial insecurity is their leading stressor, compared to 34 per cent of millennials and 29 per cent of 50-to-64-year-olds.

Take the emerging social media trend for disclosing your pay as anecdotal evidence of thisthe hashtags #paytransparency and #salarytransparency have amassed 944.9 million views and 55.1 million views respectively.

The hashtags #paytransparency and #salarytransparency have amassed 944.9 million views and 55.1 million views respectively

Accounts dedicated to disclosing pay are also gaining traction, with one of the most prominent accounts gaining upwards of one million followers and thirty million likes.

And here in the UK, a user that creates similarly styled videos and has just under 200,000 followers and 5.2 million likes.

Full disclosure

But beyond indulging a nosey disposition to find out how much your friends or colleagues earn, what impact does pay transparency really have when it comes to things like salary negotiations?

Research compiled by the World Economic Forum has identified that disclosing salaries can help close the wage gap between male and female workers and people of colour by empowering employees with knowledge and facts.

Within your existing role, salary transparency is also the perfect tool to benchmark your salary against current market rates. Not only is this hugely beneficial during your annual pay review, it can also shed some light on whether or not your company is remunerating staff across the board in terms of market value, and can often allude to how goodor badthe company is doing when it comes to its financial performance.

Within your existing role, salary transparency is also the perfect tool to benchmark your salary against current market rates

Additionally, pay transparency can help job seekers weed through job descriptions in seconds as salaries more often than not correlate to skills and experience, and in a challenging job market, companies are keenly aware that providing as much information as possible can help speed up the process.

The bottom line is this: whatever generation of worker you belong to, if your current job isnt paying you enough, it could be time to start considering your options elsewherethe ONS has found that average earnings are consistently higher for those who move jobs than those who stay put.

And if you do find yourself looking for a new opportunity, the Mail Jobs Board is the perfect place to focus your search as it features thousands of openings in companies actively hiring, such as the three below.

Job openings in the UK Senior Network Administrator, Jisc, London Salary: 50,000 per year Jisc is a not-for-profit UK digital, data and technology agency focused on tertiary education, research, and innovation. As a Senior Network Administrator you will be responsible for the maintenance and development of platforms and applications supporting the work of the cybersecurity function, including patching and monitoring. You will also assist in the monitoring and auditing of all systems to ensure all systems are performing and optimised to ensure that services are meeting the needs of the business. Interested? Apply here. Data Engineer, Pharmacy2U Ltd, Leeds Salary: 50,000 per year plus benefits Pharmacy2U helps over 800,000 patients in England manage their NHS prescriptions from request through to delivery. It is currently hiring a Data Engineer to work alongside developers, cloud engineers, solution and data architects and software developers to deliver projects that support the business through continuous growth. If you want to know more, you can find out additional information here. ALTEN UK Innovation Engineer Placement, Quick Release, Derby Salary: 23,800 Are you beginning your tech career and looking for an opportunity in artificial intelligence, data science or machine learning? ALTEN UK, the parent company of Quick Release, is seeking a Placement candidate for one year. During this year you will get the unique opportunity to assume early responsibility as part of a dynamic team and apply cutting-edge technology to real world problems. This will entail utilising innovation development methodologies, while facing a wide scope of application and expanding on your technical skills. If youd like to apply, you can do so here.

Looking for a way to boost your salary in 2024? Visit the Mail Jobs Board today
The young royal, 20, appeared in high spirits during her first state banquet

Raising her glass for a toast at her first ever state banquet last night, Crown Princess Amalia of the Netherlands was the picture of poise and looked every inch the future Queen in her tiara and an elegant navy gown.

It was all the more remarkable coming just hours after the revelation that the 20-year old was previously forced to flee to Spain to escape safety threats by organised crime groups in the Netherlands, just weeks after she started at the University of Amsterdam.

She betrayed no hint of turoil as she joined family members and Spanish royals, King Felipe and Queen Letizia, for her first-ever state banquet where her father King Willem-Alexander referenced the security scare in his speech.

It's a clear sign that the future Queen, who will one day succeed her father, will be a level-headed and stoic monarch, showing some of the same steely qualities the late Queen Elizabeth was known for.

Until now, she's enjoyed a relatively normal life growing up out of the spotlight, attending a state primary school close to her family home in The Hague and working at a beach bar in during the summer.

But she hit the headlines more recently after being linked earlier this year by Prive, a magazine in the Netherlands, to the 20-year-old heir apparent to the defunct throne of Bulgaria, Prince Boris of Turnovo.

Crown Princess Amalia of the Netherlands looked poised as she attended her first state banquet in Amsterdam on Wednesday evening, despite news of her recent security fears

Spanish-born Boris, 26, is the son of the late Prince Kardam of Turnovo, who passed away in 2015 at the age of 52.

The sculptor, who studied at the London School of Fine Arts at Wimbledon, was spotted with Amalia last October attending the wedding of the Duchess of Medinaceli.

Boris Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was born in Madrid in October 1997, to Prince Kardam and Miriam Ungria y Lopez. His father sadly passed away in 2015, and in 2022 his mother remarried - giving Boris a link to another royal family.

His stepfather is Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, who is the cousin of King Abdullah II of Jordan.

In addition to these connections, Boris also has close ties to the Spanish royal family - particularly after the death of his father.

According to Spanish magazine Hola!, Boris and the heir to the Dutch throne share a close friendship and he has become one of her most trusted confidants.

The magazine reported that they share a friendship group and spend time together when Amalia visits Madrid, his home city.

Earlier this year, Boris Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, 26, was linked to Princess Amalia of The Netherlands by a Dutch magazine

Often thought of a down to earth royal in the Netherlands, Princess Amalia is slowly stepping up to attend more royal engagements

Last February Amalia joined her parents, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima, on a tour of the Dutch Caribbean islands

Yesterday was another step up for the future queen of the Netherlands, after she joined her mother and father for a state visit to the Dutch Caribbean Islands last year, during which she made an address to her hosts.

As she takes small steps onto the big world stage ahead of one day ascending the throne, her parents have carefully prepared her for the role of a lifetime, ensuring her eventual transition into Queen will be as smooth as possible.

When it came to raising the princess, the King and Queen of the Netherlands did their best to keep her upbringing as down-to-earth as possible in a bid to keep her feet on the ground despite the fact she would one day become the monarch.

She attended a state primary school close to her family home in The Hague and rode her bike in every day, just like her peers. Following this, she went to a Protestant secondary school.

Childhood friends of the Princess told the BBC on her 18th birthday that Amalia was just like all the other pupils when she was a schoolgirl - the only difference being that, when she ride her bicycle home at the end of the day, she was heading back to the Huis ten Bosch Palace.

Pictured alongside Maxima and Willem-Alexander, the 20-year-old visited several attractions on the Caribbean tour

The royal appeared in high spirits on Wednesday, despite news breaking that she was forced to flee Spain amid security fears

For Wednesday's event, the young royal looked elegant in a sophisticated deep blue caped dress

(From top L) Dutch Princess Margriet, Dutch Crown Princess Amalia, Dutch Princess Beatrix (from bottom L) Spanish King Felipe and Dutch King Willem-Alexander during the official photo prior to the state banquet with at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam

Her parents led by example when they raised Amalia, with King Willem-Alexander previously revealing he and Argentine-born Queen Maxima's marriage is happy because they are 'open and honest' with each other.

Perhaps the reason the young princess doesn't seem daunted by the responsibilities she will one day assume is that she has been taught to prioritise her happiness.

An authorised biography published on her 18th birthday quoted the Princess on the topic of choosing a husband one day - and her willingness to renounce the throne if Parliament considered her partner unsuitable.

She said: 'I can't choose at my own expense. Then I can't give the best for our country.'

The future Queen also revealed a candid glimpse into her love life as a teenager - claiming that she had briefly dated a fellow pupil when she was in high school, before learning he had only got involved with her as a bet.

Elsewhere in the biography, the princess expresses her progressive views - revealing that she took part in school acts of solidarity for the LGBTQ+ community.

Before security fears took over, Princess Amalia planned to live in student digs at the University of Amsterdam (seen in 2022)

Princess Amalia is the eldest of three sisters. She is pictured above with Princess Ariane of The Netherlands

She also took on a part-time job as a waitress at a beach club to take on early responsibility - and reportedly mixes a decent drink which has earnt her the nickname 'cocktail queen'.

She's also a keen jockey and owns a horse named Mojito.

Although the King and Queen have taken care to ensure Amalia could enjoy being a child, the monarch has previously revealed he and his eldest daughter have had serious and private discussions about when he will choose to abdicate and she will take over.

Speaking on the Through the Eyes of the King podcast last April as he marked a decade on the throne, Willem-Alexander said he hopes his eldest daughter can enjoy spending time on herself and with her family before she becomes a monarch in the 'distant future'.

He said he wished the heir apparent a long time to prepare for the role so she can start a family or do whatever she pleases.

Then he revealed he will sit down with his daughter to decide together when she will ascend the throne, but added it was a decision to be made 'between Amalia and me'.

He also revealed he and Queen Maxima don't shield her, nor her younger sisters Alexia, 18, and Ariane, 16, from the 'reality' of their lives as public figures.

'They are not blind and deaf, they see everything on social media, they read everything, they hear everything. We don't cut them off from anything. And they talk about it,' he said.

'It affects them,' he added, saying that he has also had to learn to deal with negative comments on social media during his time in the public eye.

The monarch explained that he encourages his daughters not to see social media criticism as a personal attack, saying that for children growing up, it was 'very annoying' to see the criticism posted online.

'Kids dont have a filter in that regard, but its reality, and they have to learn to deal with that.'

He said it is important to teach his children not to take things personally as, for the most part, he believes online trolling is not personal.

At last night's banquet, the 20-year-old appeared in high spirits as she toasted to the occasion while donning a lavish blue caped dress and historic jewels, including The Ruby Peacock Parure tiara, necklace, and bracelet.

Amalia wore the Dame Grand Cross of The Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic, which she recently honoured with by the Spanish monarch.

The young royal raised her glass for a toast after her father, King Willem-Alexander, 56, made a speech referencing her previous security concerns.

In the speech, Willem Alexander gave a touching thank you to King Felipe after allowing Amalia to stay in Madrid for a year after being threatened with kidnap.

According to Dutch paper Nos News, he said: 'This was made possible by the kind efforts of many of your countrymen and yourself.

'A touching show of friendship at a difficult time. I would like to sincerely thank you and all others who helped arrange this.'

The Princess of Orange moved to Amsterdam to study for her degree at the city's university in 2022, and went to live in university halls to live a life much like her fellow peers - something she had always done throughout her education so far.

However, within weeks she was forced to leave the student accommodation after kidnap threats had been made against her.

Consequently, Amalia abandoned plans to live in student digs to study politics, law, psychology, and economics, and fled to Spain to escape threats to her safety.

The heir to the Dutch throne was captured beaming by photographers when she started her studies, with much made of the fact that she planned to live in student accommodation.

But the royal couple later said their daughter had been forced to return to the heavily guarded palace in The Hague following kidnapping threats.

The 56-year-old Dutch monarch has attempted to give Amalia and her sisters a more humble upbringing

Amalia is said to be able to converse in Spanish fluently, thanks to her mother, Queen Maxima

Queen Maxima and Princess Amalia are seen at the wedding reception and dinner for Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II and Rajwa Al-Saif at Al Husseiniya Palace in Amman, Jordan, in 2023

A new report by Dutch public broadcaster NOS this week revealed the 'Princess of Orange' did ultimately escape the confines of The Hague and has studied in Madrid for more than a year, citing royal sources.

Officials would not confirm details of Amalia's initial departure from her studies in Amsterdam, but the move came weeks after reports that Amalia and Prime Minister Mark Rutte were mentioned in communications by organised crime groups - leading to fears of kidnappings.

Amalia started university in September last year and had moved into an apartment in Amsterdam, but weeks later the royal couple said concerns for her safety have forced her to move back to Huis ten Bosch royal palace in The Hague.

Dutch police and the country's secret service declined to discuss security arrangements around the Royal House.

Princess Amalia started her degree in September and was living in rented accommodation she shared with several other students in Amsterdam before she had to move back home.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte said at the time: 'I'm very sorry for her and I'm obviously very concerned about it.'

He added that Dutch authorities were doing everything to ensure that the princess is safe.

'She can't live in Amsterdam and she can't really go outside (the palace)... It has enormous consequences on her life. There is no student life for her like others have,' said an emotional Queen Maxima at the time.

Amalia herself told reporters during a royal family tour of the Caribbean early last year that she missed 'the normal life of a student', having hoped she would be able to enjoy the student experience like her peers.

'Sadly the reality was different,' she said.

Her father, King Willem-Alexander, said in the podcast Through the Eyes of the King that the situation had 'had a very hard impact' on his daughter and his family.

'The uncertainty, the lack of freedom, that is not how you want to raise your children and what you want to pass on to your children,' he said.

Similarly Amalia's uncle, Prince Constantijn, said that the Princess is forced to live a 'very restrictive' lifestyle.

Amalia is a keen jockey with her horse called Mojito, which references her time working in a beach bar

Willem-Alexander (2L), Queen Maxima (2R), Princess Amalia (L), Princess Alexia (C) and Princess Ariane are pictured during the summer photo session at Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague, The Netherlands, 2021

According to RoyalCentral, while speaking on NPO 1, Prince Constantijn said: 'There's not much you can say about it It is of course a very dramatic situation.

'It is especially humanly very restrictive. If you are a young woman you want to be able to live freely during your student days and that is not granted to her.'

The Minister for Justice and Security, Dilan Yesilgoz, told reporters in the weeks following Amalia's withdrawal from studies in Amsterdam: 'I guarantee that our security services work hard day and night to guarantee her safety.

'It is terrible that this is necessary, in the first place for the Crown Princess herself.'

NOS this week said the threat to Amalia had not completely disappeared, but she was able to return from Madrid to live and study in the Netherlands again due to unspecified 'measures'.

It was not clear what circumstances had changed that allowed for her safe return.

She is said to have been living in Amsterdam once again since February, and is continuing her studies.
Tony Beckett and Mary Dunstan were 'very close' when growing up

This is the touching moment a brother and sister were finally reunited after 45 years of living on opposite sides of the planet.

Siblings Tony Beckett, 69, and Mary Dunstan, 72, last saw each other in 1979 before Mrs Dunstan moved to Adelaide, Australia.

The pair emotionally reunited at Norwich train station on Tuesday afternoon after 45 years of living apart on April 16.

In pictures of their first meeting in decades, Mr Beckett had tears in his eyes as he warmly engulfed his sister in a hug.

Mr Beckett, from Cantley, Norfolk, said: 'I didn't realise it had been so long. Now the moment is here, I am nervous as hell.

This is the very emotional moment that siblings Tony Beckett and Mary Dunstan met for the first time since 1979

In pictures of their first meeting in decades, Mr Beckett had tears in his eyes as he warmly engulfed his sister in a hug

Tony Beckett and Mary Dunstan in Carlton Colville in 1962

'We had a great childhood and we were very close.

'Our father was a herdsman on the farm, Mary trained as a nurse at the old Norfolk and Norwich, and I became a porter at St Andrews Hospital in Thorpe.'

Following the death of Mrs Dunstan's husband in 2021 and Mr Beckett's wife in 2023, the siblings knew they had to be reunited soon.

Mrs Dunstan 'began getting the pennies together' to take the 22-hour flight back to the UK and arrived two weeks ago.

She said: 'We left as we thought we'd have a better life for our kids in Australia and we didn't make a mistake.

'All our children have done well - there are no regrets.

'But I've missed my family a lot, especially Tony as we were the closest out of the siblings in terms of age. We fought like cats and dogs, but we were all very close.'

Tony also hadn't seen his niece Sam since just after she was born.

The last time Mrs Dunstan visited their hometown was in October 1979, shortly after Sam's birth.

The last time Mrs Dunstan visited their hometown was in October 1979, shortly after the birth of her daughter, Sam Raven, who is now grown up and accompanied her on the trip back. L to R: Sam, Tony and Mary

Mary Dunstan and her daughter, Sam Raven, coming through the barriers at Norwich Train Station

Tony and Mary in the early 1960s. The siblings were 'very close' when they were growing up

A lot has changed since Tony and Mary's childhood but they will relive old memories over the coming weeks (pictured in Pakefield in 1962)

Mrs Dunstan cared for her husband who was living with dementia for the last ten years with the strain preventing her from even considering an earlier reunion.

Mr Beckett said his mortgage and living costs had prevented him from taking a trip to Australia.

The family will be getting together and reliving memories over the next week.

A lot has changed since their childhood on the farm together - as the site of the farm itself has now become part of the city's northern distributor road.

Tony and Mary are not the only siblings who have reunited after many decades apart.

In February, twin sisters Maurilia Chavez and Andrea Lopez met each other after 81 years apart after being orphaned, eventually finding each other through DNA testing.

And Diane Ward and Mary McLaughlin reunited in June 2022 for the first time in 55 years, just months after discovering they were related.
By Kwak Yeon-soo

Human rights groups called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to speak up for North Korean defectors at the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and submit a set of questions for the fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR) cycle, scheduled to take place in Vietnam on May 7, to address issues of both North Korean refugees and Vietnam War prisoners of war.

Activists have urged the government to send inquiries and recommendations to the U.N. to find ways to protect North Korean defectors whose human rights are at risk of abuse upon forced repatriation.

As a member of the UNHCR executive committee and 20 million club of donors, South Korea should demand the UNHCR to adopt guidelines on the international protection needs of people fleeing North Korea like Afghan and Ukrainian refugees, the rights group said in a statement.

The Transitional Justice Working Group argued that the South Korean government should continue to make inquiries about ways to protect and assist North Korean defectors who are exposed to human trafficking, forced marriage and other forms of exploitation. It also urged advised countries such as Laos and Mongolia  which are often used as escape routes for those fleeing North Korea  to respect the international principle of non-refoulement.

Rights activists also called on the government to cooperate with Vietnam in sharing information and discussing repatriation of South Korean POWs during the Vietnam War who were sent to North Korea. The POWs who failed to return home include Army Sgt. Park Seong-ryeol and Army Staff Sergeant Ahn Hak-soo.
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and Queen Letizia of Spain both wowed in their pink ensembles in Amsterdam today.

The royals looked in high spirits as they visited Lab6, a centre in Amsterdam where cultural, sporting and other activities are organised by and for young people from the ages of 12 to 23.

The fashionable duo were on top form and coordinated their stunning outfits to match each other for the visit.

Queen Letizia wowed crowds in a smart oversized fuchsia coat which she was stylishly draped over her shoulders.

The 51-year-old put her best fashion foot forward by sporting a slim-fit cherry red dress which featured flared short sleeves and a modest high-neck. The frock cinched in at the waist, showing off her elegant figure.

Queen Maxima (L) and Queen Letizia (R) looked stunning in coordinated pink outfits in Amsterdam today

The Spanish queen looked on top form today in a red and pink ensemble that showed off her elegant figure

Maxima wowed in a glitzy pastel pink coat dress as she visited the centre with Letizia

The former journalist opted for hot pink pointed kitten heels, simple silver diamond dangly earrings and a matching magenta shoulder bag.

Letizia wore her chocolate tresses down in a sleek, straight blowdry and matched her makeup to her ensemble, donning pink eyeshadow and a hint of blush.

Both her and Maxima spoke to young people and youth workers from similar organisations about the young people's mental health and the importance of having easily accessible walk-in centres to assist them.

Maxima looked every inch the Queen of the Netherlands in a pastel pink sparkly pink coat dress with ruffle detailing.

The royal's frock also had a large matching belt which highlighted her sophisticated figure. For accessories, Maxima opted for classic nude-coloured heels, a hairband that matched her dress and a small clutch that coordinated well with her ensemble.

The mother-of-three showcased her bling and chose to wear a watch and several silver diamond bracelets, along with four rings and a pair of large glitzy earrings.

Similar to Letizia, the royal opted for a pink-themed makeup look and wore her wavy blonde hair down.

The radiant pair posed for photos together and were pictured chatting as they sat down to listen to officials speaking at the event.

The Queens were also given a tour of Lab6 and saw the activities that they offer to young people.

The pair looked in high spirits as they chatted away while at Lab6 in Amsterdam today

Letizia matched her makeup look with her outfit, donning sparkly pink eyeshadow and blush

Maxima looks excited as she pulls a smile while royal fans gather to see the royal pair together

At the event, Maxima and Letizia spoke to young people and youth workers from similar organisations about the young people's mental health

The pair smiled as they sat down to listen to young people and youth workers at the event

The cause is deeply important to Maxima, as not only are her children between the ages of 17 and 20, but she is also the honorary chair of Stichting MIND Us, an organisation that promotes mental health among teenagers and young adults.

Later on, Maxima and Letizia will attend the tenth anniversary celebrations of the Amsterdam Spanish Film Festival at the Royal Theatre Tuschinski cinema.

This afternoon, Deputy Prime Minister Rob Jetten will sit down for lunch with King Felipe and King Willem-Alexander. They will discuss Spanish-Dutch bilateral relations and European cooperation on energy and climate policy.

In the evening the four royals will get together, with King Felipe and Queen Letizia hosting a reception for King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima at STRAAT, Amsterdams museum for street art and graffiti.

Maxima and Willem-Alexander's eldest daughter, Crown Princess Catharina-Amalia, will also be in attendance.

Queen Letizia and her husband King Felipe are on their last day of their two-day visit to the Netherlands

Queen Maxima excitedly waves to someone as Letizia poses for cameras

Yesterday, Willem-Alexander thanked King Felipe and Queen Letizia for 'a touching show of friendship at a difficult time' - after they 'helped arrange' his daughter's year-long stay in Madrid amid kidnapping fears.

The Dutch royals were hosting the Spanish royals for a glitzy state banquet at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam yesterday, as part of their two-day state visit to the country.

Princess Amalia, who was making her debut at her first-ever state banquet in the Dutch capital, also joined them.

It was revealed earlier in the day that the princess had fled to Spain to escape threats to her safety by organised crime groups in the Netherlands and studied in Madrid for more than a year, according to a report by local media.
Our brilliant advice columnist Bel Mooney has answered thousands of readers letters over the years. But what if the rich and famous turned to her for peerless advice about their own problems?

Each week we invite Bel to look behind the headlines and ponder an imaginary celebrity dilemma that we have made up for her (tongue firmly in cheek). In turn, Bel will take the letter at face value, just as she does with all those that pour into her famous column each week.

She will give an honest answer  so celebrities and politicians, listen up! This week, we imagine what former Prime Minister Liz Truss might write in a letter to Bel.

Dear Bel,

I need your advice on a work situation. In short I believe snobby colleagues (many male) have deliberately sabotaged and humiliated me. After years of steadily advancing (perhaps not as fast as I would have liked) through the ranks in a competitive field I saw my opportunity for a big promotion.

Controversially, my boss had to leave at short notice after making some mistakes, and I put myself forward to take his place. Even though some people said I wasnt up to the job, Ive always believed in myself and my abilities and felt this was my time.

But my plans were unconventional and didnt go down well with the old hands who thought they knew better. I believe they hid crucial information, resulting in my workplace almost going bankrupt. The mood turned against me, I was forced to sack my closest confidante, and then my colleagues started quitting left and right. Eventually I saw the writing on the wall and quit too, just as a cruel joke started circulating  that a lettuce would have been better at my job.

But I think I was plunged into a horrible situation, where everyone conspired to make my job impossible. Ive been saying this to anyone who will listen. How can I convince my detractors that none of it was my fault?

From Liz

Liz Truss promoting her new memoir Ten Years To Save The West

Bel Mooney replies: Youve obviously been through a very trying time, which is why you feel so bruised. Nobody likes having mean things said about them, even if its par for the course in any competitive field like the one you work in. More important, nobody likes to think they have failed.

But that takes us to the very heart of your problem. Nowhere in this letter is there any question of whether you could have played your hand better. Most of us will recall words we shouldnt have said, or wrong decisions made that still make us cringe. But Im not reading any of that in your words. Im not seeing interesting questions here, just blame.

Plenty of people have to work in very stressful occupations and are bound to endure times when they feel the world is against them. Over the years (in my work category of problem letters) Ive had many heartfelt missives from those convinced their co-workers were out to get them, or that others were favoured while their own talents were unrecognised, or that they could have turned a companys fortunes around if only people had listened properly  and so on. So much self-pity masked as self-belief.

All that is in your letter. Your monotonous clang of Me, me, me! must have struck a very false note  when the important new job as company boss obviously required you to listen to others. To be successful as a leader in any industry you need tact, charm, diplomacy and sheer cunning. You need to be able to read the room  and that means looking ahead, not peering crossly over your shoulder because youre obsessed with detractors. You must cultivate the best minds and listen to the most nuanced of suggestions  and take it all on board alongside your own convictions, then present the package as your own. Pragmatism? Of course  but it also creates harmony. You can run a company without it  but you wont last long.

One-note self-belief like yours halts any conversation right there. Why would you ever need to consult even the wisest of your colleagues if you're utterly convinced you are right? Your ambition was never rewarded as speedily as you wished, and from the start you believed snobbish men (mostly) were hell-bent on stopping your progress  but where is the curiosity as to why? If success is only achieved as a result of not believing in anybody else at all, then Im afraid the cost is too great.

Sadly, I think youve already paid it  and it is your secret fury at failure that makes you unable to admit to any regrets at all.
Princess Sofia rarely puts a foot wrong with her sense of fashion and today was no different, as she wowed in a bold ensemble while attending a conference on Neuropsychiatric Disabilities in Stockholm.

Sofia, 39, was on top form today and opted to wear a flattering hot pink balloon-sleeve blouse which she tucked in show off her classy figure.

The mother-of-three paired her magenta piece with black smart belted suit trousers, a pair of practical shiny heels and a black envelope style bag with gold detailing.

She was joined by her husband Prince Carl Philip who is the only son of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, and is currently fourth-in-line to the Swedish throne.

The pair shared a smile as they arrived at the Karolinska Institute and were greeted by the event organisers, Jessica Stigsdotter Axberg and Eric Donell.

Princess Sofia of Sweden looked stunning in pink as she was joined by her husband Prince Carl Philip to attend an event about disabilities

The royal, known for her fashion prowess, paired a hot pink balloon-sleeved blouse with smart black trousers

The mother-of-three's elegant ensemble showed off her elegant figure

The 39-year-old opted for natural makeup but opted for pink gloss to match her blouse

The Princess chose to pair her look with gold hoop earrings and opted for natural makeup with a hint of pink gloss.

She looked effortlessly elegant in the ensemble and decided to wear her chocolate and honey tresses down in a curly blowdry.

The 44-year-old looked suave in a grey tartan suit with a crisp white shirt, a sapphire-blue tie and polished black shoes.

The royal couple and Jessica Stigsdotter Axberg and Eric Donell grinned as they posed for photos together before they entered building and began the forum.

The Karolinska Institute is one of the biggest medical universities in Sweden and accounts for the single largest share of all academic medical research conducted in the country.

Sofia and Carl Philip attended the same event last year and also went to a a singing contest for disabled artists at around the same time.

It seems pink is a popular choice for European royals today, as Queen Letizia of Spain and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands were snapped donning the colour during their joint visit in Amsterdam today.

The fashionable duo were on top form and coordinated their stunning outfits to match each other for the visit.

Sofia and Carl Philip shared a sweet smile as they made their way to the conference

Princess Sofia and Prince Carl Philip of Sweden are greeted by organisers Jessica Stigsdotter Axberg and Eric Donell

Princess Sofia and Prince Carl Philip of Sweden pose for a photo with organisers Jessica Stigsdotter Axberg and Eric Donell

Sofia looked effortlessly elegant in the ensemble and decided to wear her chocolate and honey tresses down in a curly blowdry

Princess Sofia shares a laugh with one of the organisers, Jessica, as they enter the building for the forum

The royal couple smiled as they attended the forum on Neuropsychiatric Disabilities at the Karolinska Institute today

Last week, Princess Sofia and Prince Carl Philip met with with representatives at the European Parliament in Brussels to discuss children's rights.

The royal couple travelled to Belgium to attend the European Parliament Intergroup on Children's Rights, which is co-charied by Swedish politician David Lega of the Christian Democrats.

The cross-party and cross-national group of MEPs promotes childrens rights and works to ensure their wellbeing is put to the forefront of EU policy.

Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia were joined by representatives from their Foundation, which was set up when they married in 2015 and is focused on campaigning against bullying.

The couple share three children Prince Alexander, seven, Prince Gabriel, six, and Prince Julian, three.

In 2019, King Carl XVI Gustaf decided that Princess Sofia's sons, as well as those of Prince Carl Philip's sister Princess Madeline, will not have HRH titles.

Although they will still go by prince and princesses they will not receive taxpayer funds.
The 14-day aged Sladesdown duck is on offer at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay

Gordon Ramsay has been slated for his tiny portion of duck as part of a 260 meal.

The TV chef, 57, is serving up the 14-day aged Sladesdown farm duck at his Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, in Chelsea, west London.

But diners have compared it to a portion for a 'hamster' and say they would need to get a 'pizza on the way home' due to the unsatisfying amount on the plate.

The dish is not on the main menu, but it is understood to be on the upmarket, three-Michelin star restaurant's Carte Blanche option, where the chef creates a bespoke tasting menu costing 260 per person.

The minimalist piece of duck appears on a huge white plate, with a tiny vegetable and garnish.

Gordon Ramsay has been slated for his tiny portion of duck for which customers have to fork out 260 to eat

Posting to Instagram on Tuesday, the star described it as: 'Stunning 14-day aged Sladesdown farm duck from chef Matt Abe at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay.'

But amused diners could not believe how little food they would get for their money: 'Is this a portion for a hamster?''

'Would still have to grab a pizza on the way home after spending a small fortune on a few bites';

'Even a toddler would still be hungry with portion size. Sure it tastes great for what little on the plate though';

'Bro who tf is even getting full with these portions of dishes';

'And where do we go for dinner afterwards?';

'Honestly glad I'm not rich so I get to eat a real meal portion.'

The restaurant even asks guests to avoid wearing shorts, tracksuits and hoodies as visitors like to 'dress smartly'.

The TV chef (pictured), 57, is serving up the 14-day aged Sladesdown farm duck at his Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, in Chelsea, west London

Amused diners could not believe how little food they would get for their money, even comparing it to a 'portion for a hamster'

The dish is understood to be on the upmarket, three-Michelin star restaurant's Carte Blanche. Pictured: General view of Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea

And the duck was cooked up by Chef Patron Matt Abe, who organises the restaurant's prestigious Carte Blanche menu.

The menu offers Matt the freedom to cook dishes of his choice, so would not necessarily include the duck.

The chef, who works closely with Ramsay, spent 16 years rising through the ranks of the chef's restaurants in London and moving to the UK from Australia aged 21.

It's not the first time Hell's Kitchen star Ramsay has been lambasted for his pricey offerings.

In January, Gordon proudly promoted his roast, available at the Savoy Grill in London, in footage on X (formerly known as Twitter), which showed beef wellington, carrots, potatoes, a single Yorkshire pudding and dash of gravy - but some diners weren't impressed.

Gordon previously came under fire for his 65 roast as diners once again complained about portion size

The 65 roast includes a beef wellington with confit Roscoff onion and red wine jus - but some were put out that 'all the trimmings' on the dish barely covered the plate.

Diners once again complained about the portion sizes, saying it was 'way too small', while someone else said: 'I'd need a kebab after that!'

It comes as Ramsay is facing a legal battle with a group of squatters in his 13million London pub.

The Camden Art Cafe activists entered Ramsay's York and Albany pub in north London early last week and told how they planned to turn the empty venue into a community cafe.

One member of the group, a 28-year-old bar worker who is originally from Liverpool, told MailOnline: 'We're still here. We've not moved out. We're fighting the eviction. We'll go to court with our lawyers and from there we'll see what happens.'

In November Ramsay became a father for the sixth time as she welcomed son Jesse James into the world with his life Tana on his own birthday, November 8.

FEMAIL has reached out to Gordon Ramsay Restaurants for comment.
A mom has sparked fierce fury after she revealed that she asked guests coming to her daughter's first birthday party to bring $5 contributions to her backyard renovations instead of a gift for her child.

Rachel Gibbs, from Houston, Texas, left many people on the web outraged after she spoke out about the 'unusual things' that she was planning for her daughter, Hazel's one-year-old birthday celebration on TikTok last month.

She revealed that she didn't want to spend any money on the party, which meant she would not be serving a meal or cake, and had no plans to buy decorations or provide any games for the party-goers to play.

She also said that she instructed guests on the invitations to not bring toys or clothes for the birthday girl, but in leu of presents, she asked for donations toward her lawn work - and her admissions did not go over well with social media users.

A mom has sparked fierce fury after she revealed that she asked guests coming to her daughter's first birthday party to bring $5 contributions to her backyard renovations

Rachel Gibbs, from Houston, Texas , left many people on the web outraged after she spoke out about the 'unusual things' that she was planning for her daughter, Hazel's birthday celebration

She revealed that she didn't want to spend any money on the party, which meant she would not be serving a meal or cake, and had no plans to buy decorations or provide any games

She also said that she instructed guests on the invitations to not bring toys or clothes for the birthday girl, but in leu of presents, she asked for donations toward her lawn work - and her admissions did not go over well with social media users

'This is a list of things I'm doing for my daughter's first birthday party that are just a little bit not normal,' Rachel began in the now-viral video, which has been viewed more than 622,000 times.

'I specifically put on the invitations, "Please do not bring gifts,"' shared the mother-of-two.

'Homegirl needs nothing. If you feel inclined to bring something, consider $5 because we're trying to remodel our backyard.

'Our backyard is a train wreck. Bring us $5 to help us redo our yard - that's what we're asking for.

'She does not need anything. Also, I am very picky so I don't want you to buy s**t for my kids.'

During the video, Rachel said she didn't want to fork out any money on a party that her daughter 'wouldn't remember.'

She said that meant she had no plans to give guests food or alcohol, except for maybe a few snacks.

'Please eat before you come, there will be some snacks and that's it,' she shared. 'And I'm not doing games. I'm not doing anything really.

TikTok users certainly had thoughts about Rachel's party plans, and the post was quickly flooded with a slew of negative responses

'This is gonna be a very '90s vibe party, where I have a ball pit out and maybe some toys. I'll put the Pikler Triangle and the trampoline up outside and that'll be that.

'I am not spending money on this. I'm just not. I spent money to get the invitations printed and that's it. It's not going to be expensive.'

Rachel also said that she scheduled the party for 9:30 in the morning, and added that she made it clear on the invites that it will only be an hour-and-a-half long - and that guests need to leave immediately after it ends.

'I literally put 9:30am to 11am on the invitation. I want you all to know I don't want you at my house all day,' she stated.

'Anyone coming to a one-year-old's birthday party is already up at 9:00am or they can suck it up for one day because it's over at 11 and you still have your entire day.

'I don't expect you to sacrifice your entire Saturday for a child's birthday party, she's not even gonna remember it. And at the end time, please leave my house. My child needs to nap.'

TikTok users certainly had thoughts about Rachel's party plans, and the post was quickly flooded with a slew of negative responses.

'Tacky to ask for $5 to go towards your home,' one person slammed. 'If it's a child's birthday, money should go towards something your child needs.'

'It's giving narcissism,' replied someone else. A third user added, 'This is insane. Why not just cancel it and do a GoFundMe for your backyard. Sounds like the worst "party" ever.'

'I dont get the point to have the party. No gifts, no games, no food, no CAKE. Sounds like a work meeting,' read a fourth comment.

A different user said, 'This is terrible Im sorry. I hope no one shows.'

'How the hell do you ask your guests to get up at 8 am to attend a birthday party and not feed them?' asked another person.

'So you want your guests to get up extra early on a Saturday morning and youre not even going to feed them. Just say you're cheap,' replied someone else.

In a follow-up, Rachel responded to some of her haters and defended her decision to ask for money towards their yard renovations.

In a follow-up, Rachel vowed the money would eventually go towards her daughter, explaining, 'We want to redo our backyard so our kids can play in it'

'She's not gonna care or remember that she didn't get presents at her first birthday party,' she stated.

'We give stuff away weekly. We have so much stuff we don't need anymore. I didn't want to put "no gifts" because then people still feel obligated to bring a gift, so that's why I was like, "If you feel inclined to bring something, $5." That's why I put that.'

She added that she's been trying to 'focus on intentional spending' recently, and didn't think it was right to fork out 'hundreds of dollars' on decorations that will be just be thrown away after the party.

'I will use what we have, I will print stuff and be resourceful. It's not gonna be lame,' she insisted.

'But I'm not gonna spend $3,000 on a first birthday party. I'm not gonna rent out a venue.

'I'm not gonna do all of these things. We really just want people who love her here. We just want to be together.

'I don't know what point in time parties became about the people that were invited - it's the same with wedding culture.

'People will be like, "If you don't let me bring my kid then I'm not coming." OK then don't come it's not about you.

'It's a birthday party for a one-year-old. No one's graduating from medical school it doesn't need to be a whole thing.'

In a third video, she said that 'asking for $5 at a kids' birthday wasn't a new thing,' and vowed the money would eventually go towards her daughter.

'We want to redo our backyard so our kids can play in it,' she added. 'We want to get this great playground and it's going to take some work.'

But her follow-up posts were only flooded with more nasty comments.

Afterwards, Rachel posted a tearful clip of herself revealing that she would be stepping away from the video streaming platform amid the immense backlash.

'Hey so I'm gonna be taking a little bit of a break from TikTok because that video I posted about Hazel's birthday party, people do not like it,' she said as she broke down in tears.

'People are not happy ... Apparently I'm the s**ttiest mom on the planet for that. Apparently I don't love Hazel because of that.'

Rachel added that she had been 'sobbing' for a while over the comments.

'Y'all, I'm a f**king person. Content creators read their comments. If you see something you don't like, block that creator,' she concluded.

But her post was only flooded with more nasty comments. Afterwards, Rachel posted a tearful clip of herself revealing that she would be stepping away from the video streaming platform

Rachel told People that 'there's no "right" way to do anything when it comes to parenting,' and said so many parents feel like 'you have to go all out' for things that really aren't necessary

Rachel spoke about the internet's harsh reaction to her video with People magazine recently, and she further defended her decisions.

She said the party went well, and that the early start time meant 'all of the kids were so pleasant' and 'no naps were missed.'

She added that she ended up serving coffee, juice, soda, milk, donuts and breakfast tacos.

While reflecting on the hate, she said she was 'surprised' by people who branded her as 'cheap' for her admissions.

'I'm a full time content creator, so I'm used to people always having an opinion,' she explained.

'But the "cheap" comments surprised me. We wanted to have a party for our daughter but didn't want to spend tons of money.

'We also didn't want to obligate our friends into spending unnecessary money on toys, books, clothes or memberships ... because our kids have everything they could ever need (they both have 529s too!).

'I practice what I preach and I wear my heart on my shoulder, so when the 'wrong side' of TikTok gets ahold of a video, the attacks can be personal. Thankfully, I'm very well acquainted with the block button.'

She added that 'there's no "right" way to do anything when it comes to parenting,' and said she wanted to be honest since so many parents feel like 'you have to go all out' for things that really aren't necessary.

'It's clear to me that there's a heavy load on parents' shoulders to "get it right" because everything is documented now,' she said.

'There's no rule book, and at some point, none of us have ever done this before. Even a mom of six is a first-time mom to that oldest child.'
Garvey and her co-presenter Fi Glover left the BBC for Times Radio in 2022

Former Radio 4 Woman's Hour host Jane Garvey has hit out at the station saying it 'takes itself too seriously' and that it is 'smug'.

The presenter, 59, who spent three years on the flagship show, revealed she preferred working at Radio 5 Live because it was more entertaining.

Jane broadcast her final Woman's Hour in 2020 and in 2022 she and Fi Glover left the BBC for Times Radio, where they present a live afternoon show four days a week as well as their own podcast.

Speaking to Kaye Adams on her How To Be 60 podcast, she said she felt the BBC radio station had too high an opinion of itself.

She said: 'I never enjoyed working for Radio 4 as much as I'd enjoyed working for 5 Live, because, to be blunt about it, it's not as much fun. It takes itself remarkably seriously.

Former Radio 4 Woman's Hour host Jane Garvey has hit out at the station saying it 'takes itself too seriously' and says it is 'smug'

'I loved 5 Live. That was much more of a free flow of being slightly ramshackle - never knew what was coming next - kind of radio station, which I was quite well suited to.

'And then I found myself in this most curious broadcasting corset that was super tight, I could hardly breathe and didn't enjoy.'

'I get a bit worn down by how much Radio 4 rates itself,' she said.

'I just think: 'oh, get over yourselves!' There's some amazing stuff, but it's quite smug.

'There are some brilliant programmes on Radio 4, but there's an awful lot of very bang average programmes on Radio 4 and some bang average broadcasters, as there are everywhere.'

Jane was the first voice on BBC Radio 5 Live when it launched in 1994. She spent 13 years with the station before going to Woman's Hour in 2007, where she joined veteran host Jenni Murray.

Jane became one of the top 25 highest-paid presenters at the BBC, but she admitted to How To Be 60 that she had only heard the show once before joining.

'When I first went to Radio 4, I'd never listened to it,' she confessed. 'I'd only ever heard Woman's Hour once before I presented it  no wonder the audience hated me.

Jane broadcast her final Woman's Hour in 2020 (pictured on the show) after three years

In 2022 Garvey and Fi Glover left the BBC for Times Radio, where they present a live afternoon show four days a week as well as their own podcast

'I'm the first person in my family to go to university. I went to Birmingham University so I suppose at the BBC I ticked a box, because I was a Northerner who hadn't been to Oxford or Cambridge.

'So, they probably thought  she's a bit of a rogue booking. And in some ways, I was. I'm absolutely not intellectual.'

The Liverpool-born presenter caused a stir in 2008 when she described Radio 4 as too middle-class and fixated on cooking.

She told How To Be 60: 'I thought Radio 4 was just for much older people and at Radio 5 the culture was very much  'Oh we don't bother about Radio 4, we're trying to be something else', which was obviously right.'

She said: 'What I'm doing now with Fi is probably the most fun either of us have ever had at work and that's not a bad place to be as you approach 60.'

Explaining her decision to leave Woman's Hour, she said: 'I realised that all the topics that were coming up, I had done them before.

'I realised too that I was not as good at doing the subjects, because I'd done them before. They'd say: 'Oh you're interviewing  insert name of famous woman  and I'd think: 'Oh God, I've interviewed her before.'

'And as much for their sake as mine and for the audience's sake, I was thinking I don't think I should do this for another five years, it's genuinely not fair. That programme deserves someone who is fresh and vigorous, indignant and able to get angry all over again. You can stay in jobs a bit too long.'

Jane was the first voice on BBC Radio 5 Live when it launched in 1994. She spent 13 years with the station before going to Woman's Hour in 2007, where she joined veteran host Jenni Murray (pictured together)

Jane was married to the television presenter Adrian Chiles from 1998 to 2009 and the couple had two children together, both now in their 20s.

She told How To Be 60 that she was currently single, but happy that way. 'It's partly a lack of interest and partly a desire never to bend down and pick up someone's Y-Fronts ever again,' she explained.

'I'm aways getting pep talks from my friends about how I need to do something about that and I completely accept their wisdom, but I still don't do anything about it.

'I don't rule out anything happening in the future, who knows, but I'm pretty good at coping on my own. I have always been quite self-contained and I'm easily content.'

It comes as the BBC announced that Irish broadcaster Nuala McGovern will be joining the Woman's Hour line-up, replacing Emma Barnett - who had taken over from Garvey in 2021.

You can listen to Kaye Adams' full interview with Jane Garvey from midnight on the How to be 60 podcast, available on all podcast providers.
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden looked in great spirits as she visited Store Mosse National Park in Varnamo in the south of the country on Thursday.

The royal, 46, seemed to be having a lot of fun as she donned red plastic snowshoes to wade through a marsh.

She opted for a very casual and practical look, sporting relaxed jeans and a grey parka jacket.

The mother-of-two couldn't hold back her laughter as she nearly fell over in the shoes - while the bottom of her jeans had clearly suffered from falling into the area.

While other European royals - such as Queens Letizia of Spain and Maxima of the Netherlands - have made headlines this week for their grand ensembles at royal banquets, Victoria put on a very different display in her outdoorsy gear.

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden struggled to keep her balance as she wore snowshoes to walk through a marsh in the Store Mosse National Park

She seemed to have opted for a bare-faced look, while her brunette tresses were pulled back into a messy bun.

Victoria, who is the heir apparent to the Swedish throne as the eldest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf, later sat down by the edge of a lake to warm up with a hot drink, and spoke to locals working at the reserve.

Speaking to Swedish outlet SVT, she said: 'It's great fun to be here. It's probably the first time I'm here to experience this incredible offering of nature.

'If you don't have a relationship with nature, you won't take care of it either. It is something I constantly want to highlight.'

She added that the nature reserves are important for recreation, to move freely and for our 'inner selves'.

Store Mosse has the largest boggy ground south of Lapland, and is an important nature reserve for birds and other wildlife.

The park - which was inaugurated in 2002 by the King - offers guided snowshoe tours in the summer, in which Victoria was taking part.

Victoria seemed to have opted for a bare-faced look, while her brunette tresses were pulled back into a messy bun

She appeared in very good spirits and couldn't stop laughing as she nearly fell over in the shoes

Victoria sat down to enjoy a hot drink to warm up - but the bottom of her trousers had clearly fallen victim to the area

During the tour, visitors study the various peat mosses and plants in the bog, as well as taking part in bird watching.

The princess is planning to visit all 30 national parks in the country over the next few years, and has previously visited Sonfjallet National Park.

The Swedish government has reduced funding for the management of nature reserves and national parks in the country by more than 60 per cent since 2022 and the government has been met with criticism for curbing green policies in general.

And more than 750 million krona (55million) is missing every year to look after these areas, according to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.

On Wednesday, Crown Princess Victoria dressed for the occasion in an ocean blue suit to discuss marine conservation in Stockholm - again showing her great love and passion for the outdoors.

The heir to the Swedish throne may have been practising the new phenomenon of so-called method dressing, as her visit to the Sanga-Saby Hotel in the Swedish capital saw her meet with seafood companies in the SeaBOS group to discuss sustainable production and ocean conservation.

The companies come together to research and set sustainable goals for the sector. SeaBOS connects wild capture fisheries, feed producers and aquaculture businesses across Asia, Europe, and North America.

Victoria swept her brunette tresses up into a low bun that she fastened in place with a black clip and opted for simple silver jewellery - diamond studs and horseshoe necklace.

The mother-of-two plans to visit all 30 national parks in Sweden over the next few years

The royal, 46, donned relaxed jeans and a parka jacket as she met some of the locals

She looked in high spirits as she greeted those attending the event and posed for pictures with Henrik Osterblom, Science Director at SeaBOS, Martin Exel, Managing Director.

The Princess has demonstrated that she's passionate about protecting the ocean, as she has previously joined the UN in discussions about preserving marine wildlife.

In a speech she made at the Stockholm Resilience Centre event in 2017, she said: 'Do what you can, do it wisely, and most importantly do it now.

'A healthy ocean is not a luxury item. It is a necessity for survival. And taking care of the ocean means taking care of ourselves.'

Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel and their children Princess Estelle, 12, and Prince Oscar, eight, recently spent some quality family time during the Easter break in Palma, Mallorca.

Victoria and Daniel returned to royal duties last Monday and attended a diplomatic reception with the King and Queen.

The Swedish royals are now preparing for a state visit from Finland on the 23 April, where they will host President of Finland Alexander Stubb and his wife Suzanne Innes-Stubb.

The visit will last for two days and take place in Stockholm and Gothenburg.
An unassuming cafe in an inner-city Sydney suburb is attracting attention from keen foodies for its 'out of this world' sandwiches.

Salumeria Norcino, in Pyrmont just west of the CBD, serves up pizzetta sandwiches with authentic Italian ingredients.

Diners are raving about their visits to the little-known eatery, which also offers a deli counter of meats and cheeses made in-house and various pastas.

Salumeria Norcino has racked up dozens of five-star reviews since it opened in May last year, with one visitor saying they could 'rant and rave' about their experience 'all day'.

A fan favourite is the Breaky Porchetta egg roll filled with the deli's signature free-range pork roman roast, a fried egg and mayonnaise.

Salumeria Norcino, in Pyrmont just west of the CBD, serves up mouth-watering pizzetta sandwiches with authentic Italian ingredients that Sydneysiders are rushing to try

A fan favourite is the Breaky Porchetta egg roll filled with the deli's signature free-range pork roman roast, a gooey fried egg and mayonnaise

There is a selection of pizzettas or Roman pizzetta sandwiches that are a huge hit with customers.

In between two slices of crunchy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside flatbread, fillings include Waygu beef, 'tonnato' sauce and rocket, mortadella and stracciatella, and homemade eggplant parmigiana and cotto ham.

Burgers are also on the menu, with one person saying the Blackmore Waygu beef burger with fresh tomato and truffle mayonnaise was the 'potentially the best they've ever eaten'.

For sweet-tooths, there is a range of decadent bakery treats including the bombe Italian doughnut, cornetta Italian croissant and Maritozzo Roman brioche filled with either whipped cream, chocolate or custard.

In the evening, the dinner offerings prove less is more with a range of pasta dishes with high-quality ingredients.

Diners are raving about their visits to the little-known eatery which also offers a deli counter of meats and cheeses made in-house and a menu of decadent pastas

Burgers are also on the menu with one person saying the Blackmore Waygu Beef Burger with fresh tomato and truffle mayonnaise was the 'potentially the best they've ever eaten'

There is the classic spaghetti carbonara, as well as the Rigatoni alla Norcina with sausage, mushroom and truffle oil, and a Cacio e Pepe with just pecorino cheese and black pepper.

Diners can also indulge in Italian cocktails, beers and wines while enjoying their tasty authentic food.

Salumeria Norcino's front windows shows the deli counter and dining room below shelves of Italian food stacked with bags of Italian coffee, flour, cans of olive oil and tinned tomatoes.

One Sydney food blogger, Let's Nom Nom, said they had to try Salumeria Norcino after hearing 'every ingredient is made from scratch and sourced from exceptional producers'.

In the evening, the dinner offerings prove less is more with a range of pasta dishes with only a couple of high-quality ingredients

Salumeria Norcino's windowed facade shows the deli counter and dining room below shelves of Italian food stacked with bags of Italian coffee, flour, cans of olive oil and tinned tomatoes

'Their Porchetta XO Egg Roll is a next-level breaky roll that we need to start our morning! Don't forget to also try their Mortadella and Truffle Mayo!' they said in a video.

One reviewer gave the eatery five stars, saying: 'The food here was absolutely delicious. Everything from appetizers to dessert blew my mind!'

Another said Salumeria Norcino serves the 'best Italian food in town', and a third said it was the 'definition of a hidden gem'.

'An unpretentious, humble and delicious Italian restaurant (that is still relatively undiscovered and hasn't made the rounds on social media yet),' they wrote.

'I've been here three times and have not been disappointed at all. All the cured meats and cheeses we tried are to die for, as are the dry-aged steak and pastas.'
Teen smoking rates are eight times lower now than they were in the 80s thanks to the Government's war on tobacco.

Only 3 per cent of 15 year olds in England now smoke, official figures show.

For comparison, a quarter did so in 1982. Rates fell quickest in the early noughties, according to an historical survey ran by the NHS.

Experts say the introduction of modern anti-smoking laws, like selling cigarettes in plain packaging, are behind the huge fall.

Other tough measures deployed in the past two decades include slapping graphic warning labels depicting their damaging health effects on all tobacco and banning smoking in restaurants, pubs and nightclubs.

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Gen Z are thought to now view the deadly habit as uncool.

Social media users tore into model Kylie Jenner when she was pictured smoking on Instagram in 2019.

One fumed: 'She's smoking. Unfollow  I thought you were cool.' Another bluntly commented: 'Stop smoking nasty.'

Last year, Disney star Cole Sprouse was also branded 'cringe' for smoking indoors during an interview on the Call Her Daddy podcast.

Others joked he successfully made smoking cigarettes look 'uncool' and should be the next face of an anti-smoking ad.

How dangerous is smoking for the heart? How does tobacco damage the heart? Tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, including tar and others that can narrow arteries and damage blood vessels. While nicotine - a highly addictive toxin found in tobacco - is heavily linked with dangerous increases in heart rate and blood pressure. Smoking also unleashes poisonous gases such as carbon monoxide, which replaces oxygen in the blood - reducing the availability of oxygen for the heart. How many people does smoking kill? Smoking is known to kill more than seven million people across the world each year, including 890,000 from breathing in second-hand smoke. But many people are unaware that nearly half of those deaths, around three million, are due to heart disease, including heart attacks and strokes. Advertisement

The latest teen figures, for 2021, suggest just four per cent of boys aged 15 and three per cent of girls now smoke.

This marked a three-fold drop on just a decade earlier, when 11 per cent regularly lit up.

The sharpest drop came between 2006 and 2012 when total rates halved from 20 to 10 per cent.

The same policies have also caused smoking rates to tumble in adults.

Nationwide, only about one in eight people in the UK now smoke. Almost half did so in the mid-70s, according to data compiled by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) and NHS England.

Yet there is still a huge disparity in rates across the country.

Approximately one in four still light up in some local authorities in England, such as mid-Devon (25.1 per cent) and Hastings (23.7 per cent).

But just 2.9 per cent of adults smoke in Stafford (2.9 per cent).

Rushcliffe in Nottinghamshire logged an equally low figure, where just 4 per cent of adults still light up.

Just seven of roughly 300 local areas currently meet the 2030 'smoke-free' target of less than five per cent.

MailOnline has compiled the smoking data, collected by the Office for National Statistics's 'Annual Population Survey', into an interactive map.

It comes as Rishi Sunak's bold plan to ban the next generation from ever smoking yesterday moved a step closer to becoming law.

Under the bill, which MPs last night voted to back by 383 to 67, anyone born after 2009 won't ever be able to legally buy tobacco.

If eventually passed, it means children aged 15 or younger today will never legally be sold a cigarette.

Mr Sunak's flagship smoking proposal also takes aim at vapes.

Ministers would also be handed powers to restrict the flavours and promotion of the gadgets in an effort to thwart the UK's child e-cig epidemic.

This could change how nicotine-laden vapes are displayed in shops, moving them away from other products such as sweets. They would be limited in flavours and sold in plain, tobacco-style packaging.

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The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development 2023 health report showed 12.7 per cent of Brits over the age of 15 smoke cigarettes daily, far higher than the US and New Zealand, the latter of which recently introduced a similar phased smoking ban

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Gen Z are thought to now view the deadly habit as uncool. Social media users tore into model Kylie Jenner when she was pictured smoking on Instagram in 2019. One fumed: 'She's smoking. Unfollow  I thought you were cool.' Another bluntly commented: 'Stop smoking nasty'

Last year, actor Cole Sprouse was branded 'cringe' for smoking indoors during an interview on the Call Her Daddy podcast. Others joked he successfully made smoking cigarettes look 'uncool' and should be the next face of an anti-smoking ad

Council officers will also be given powers to dole out 100 on-the-spot fines to shops caught breaking the rules.

The smoking proposals, however, have long been criticised as 'illiberal' by critics.

They also fear that health chiefs may eye up crackdowns on sugar, caffeine and alcohol next, calling the move a 'slippery slope'.

Fifty nine Tory MPs  including six Government ministers  last night opposed the plans.

Among them included Kemi Badenoch, Steve Baker and ex-Cabinet ministers Suella Braverman, Sir Simon Clarke and Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg.

More than 100 Tories also failed to vote, leaving just 165 of the cohort of 347 backing the bill.

Responding to the ban's backlash, England's chief medical officer, yesterday rejected 'pro-choice' arguments.

Professor Sir Chris Whitty argued instead that cigarettes were a product 'designed to take your choice away'.

The Government believes the phased ban, raising the legal age for purchasing tobacco by one year every year from 2027, will lead to 1.7million fewer people smoking by 2075.

It predicts the move will save tens of thousands of lives, and avoiding avoid up to 115,000 cases of strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and other lung diseases.

The approach was initially recommended in a Government-commissioned report published in 2022 by ex-children's charity chief Javed Khan.

Smoking kills around 78,000 people in the UK every year, with many more living with illnesses due to their habit  half of which are due to cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack and stroke.

It is estimated that around 500,000 hospital admissions every year in England are attributable to smoking and that smoking costs the economy 17billion per year.

Of this, 2.4billion falls on the NHS, 1.19billion falls on the social care system, and over 13billion is lost in productivity costs from tobacco-related lost earnings, unemployment and premature death.

The 7,000 chemicals in tobacco  including tar and others that can narrow arteries and damage blood vessels  are thought to be behind some of the damage smoking inflicts on the heart.

Meanwhile, nicotine  a highly addictive toxin found in tobacco  is heavily linked with dangerous increases in heart rate and blood pressure.

Smoking also unleashes poisonous gases such as carbon monoxide, which replaces oxygen in the blood  reducing the availability of oxygen for the heart.

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The increasing spread of bird flu to humans is an 'enormous concern', the World Health Organization has warned.

The virus, an extremely deadly H5N1 subtype, has caused devastating declines in bird populations following its emergence in Europe in 2020.

It has since jumped to mammals such as cows, cats, seals and now people, raising the risk of the virus mutating to become more transmissible.

While there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission, scientists have warned it would be significantly more deadly than Covid.

Experts at the World Health Organization said the strain humans face an 'extraordinarily high' mortality rate if it were to take hold, currently killing more than half of those infected. Jeremy Farrar (pictured), the UN health agency's chief scientist, said: 'This remains I think an enormous concern'

UK scientists tasked with developing 'scenarios of early human transmission' of bird flu have warned that 5 per cent of infected people could die if the virus took off in humans (shown under scenario three). Under another scenario, the scientists assumed 1 per cent of those infected would be hospitalised and 0.25 per cent would die  similar to how deadly Covid was in autumn 2021 (scenario one). The other saw a death rate of 2.5 per cent (scenario two)

Over 700 confirmed cases of H5N1 have been detected among wild birds in England since September 2022, according to the UKHSA. Pictured above, a bird flu outbreak last February in Queens Park, Heywood, Rochdale

Experts at the WHO said humans face an 'extraordinarily high' mortality rate if the strain were to take hold, currently killing more than half of those infected.

Jeremy Farrar, the UN health agency's chief scientist, said: 'This remains I think an enormous concern'.

Describing it as 'a global zoonotic animal pandemic', the former SAGE advisor told reporters: 'The great concern of course is that in... infecting ducks and chickens and then increasingly mammals, that virus now evolves and develops the ability to infect humans and then critically the ability to go from human to human.'

He added: 'When you come into the mammalian population, then you're getting closer to humans this virus is just looking for new, novel hosts.

'It's a real concern.'

There is so far no evidence that the virus, responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of poultry and wild birds, is spreading between humans.

But its evolution to infect more species, is what is most concerning to scientists.

In the hundreds of cases where humans have been infected through contact with animals, 'the mortality rate is extraordinarily high', Sir Jeremy said.

Official data shows between 2003 and April 1, 2024, there have been 463 deaths recorded from 889 human cases across 23 countries. This puts the case fatality rate at 52 per cent.

US authorities earlier this month said a person in Texas was recovering from bird flu after being exposed to dairy cattle.

It was only the second case of a human testing positive for bird flu in the country and came after the virus sickened herds that were apparently exposed to wild birds in Texas, Kansas and other states.

It also appears to have been the first human infection with the influenza A virus strain through contact with an infected mammal, WHO said.

Sir Jeremy Farrar said greater monitoring is needed to understand how human infections are happening, 'because that's where adaptation (of the virus) will happen'.

'It's a tragic thing to say, but if I get infected with H5N1 and I die, that's the end of it. If I go around the community and I spread it to somebody else then you start the cycle.'

A report from the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) warned this week warned all of the UK's native breeds of chicken, duck, geese and turkey, are under threat because of bird flu.

Efforts are underway to develop vaccines and therapeutics for H5N1 should the situation escalate.

But Sir Jeremy stressed regional and national health authorities globally need capacity to diagnose the virus to ensure the world is 'in a position to immediately respond'.
Senior trade officials from Korea and the United States discussed preparations for the upcoming three-way talks of industry chiefs with Japan, Seoul's industry ministry said Thursday.

The discussion was made as Deputy Minister for Trade Yang Byeong-nae met with officials from the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative during his three-day visit to Washington this week, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

Seoul and Washington also discussed details of the anticipated trilateral industry ministers' meeting with Japan and the Korea-U.S. Supply Chain and Commercial Dialogue (SCCD), both slated for the first half of 2024.

The SCCD is a regular ministerial forum designed to discuss the promotion of resilient supply chains for key products, including semiconductors, batteries and critical minerals.

"We have identified positive public perceptions regarding Korean firms' investment in the U.S. (during the meetings)," Yang said in a statement.

"Amid the growing uncertainties in policies due to the trend in the global economy and the U.S. presidential election, we plan to make proactive efforts to address concerns and support Korean firms' business operations in the U.S.," Yang said. (Yonhap)
Children addicted to vaping should be spared punishment and given nicotine patches or gum to help them kick their habit, an official report says.

Health experts want vaping to be seen as a 'dependency issue' rather than a 'deliberate act of misconduct', with young people given support to quit.

A review by Public Health Wales (PHW) found 'vape dealers' are prevalent across social groups, with kids feeling pressure to 'fit in and look cool'.

Users reported suffering 'cravings' and 'shaking', while teachers warned some pupils are struggling to get through a single class without losing focus and needing a nicotine hit.

PHW convened an Incident Response Group (IRG) of teachers and health workers in July 2023 to investigate the rise of vaping amongst children and young people.

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Its report, published today, makes a series of recommendations to help pupils break their addiction, including a call for those with dependency issues be given access to nicotine replacement therapies, such as chewing gum, skin patches, or inhalators.

Other recommendations include restrictions on vape visibility, appeal and availability to young people, such as a ban on colourful packaging.

The report says: 'The most commonly raised concerns raised by professionals working with children and young people and raised by Group members was the increasing prevalence of nicotine dependence and the impact this was having on health, wellbeing and learning.

'Reports from staff of learners finding it difficult to complete a school day, or even a period of class time between breaks without vaping were consistently related to the Group by those members working within or representing educational settings.'

It adds: '[Pupils] would sometimes lose focus and find it difficult to complete other activities, potentially affecting their schoolwork and attendance in class.

'Vaping was discussed as something that could "calm you down", "help with stress", regulate "bad moods", relieve "boredom", and "give you something to do".'

Figures show the number of pupils who vape at least weekly in their final year of secondary school has more than doubled in Wales from 6.6 per cent in 2017 to 13.6 per cent in 2021.

Chris Emmerson, a public health consultant for PHW, said there is a 'clear consensus view' that the rise in youth vaping 'must be addressed with urgency' if it is to be tackled quickly and effectively.

He said: 'These best practices provide a comprehensive framework for supporting young vapers in Wales.

'By implementing these practices, we can better address the complex needs of children and young people struggling with vaping dependency.

'Nicotine replacement therapies, which are already offered to people aged over 12 who are smoking, is one tool that could help children and young people out of their dependency on vaping in tandem with other support mechanisms.'

The IRG's report said that access to vapes was 'relatively convenient' for children, which are often sourced from older siblings and family members, shops and online stores.

It said: 'Vaping was most frequently observed in visible (although sometimes secluded) social settings.

'This environment seemed to contribute to feelings of peer pressure.

Tests on e-cigarettes confiscated from youngsters found they contained dangerous levels of lead, nickel and chromium. Some were almost ten times above safe limits. Exposure to lead can impair brain development, while the other two metals can trigger blood clotting

NHS Digital data, based on the smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England survey for the year 2021, showed 30 per cent of children in Yorkshire and the Humber have used a vape

'Participants described a strong desire to fit in and look cool and found it difficult to refuse offers to share devices.'

The IRG's recommendations are:

Vapes should be 'denormalised' and not permitted in spaces intended for children

The advertising and display of vapes should be restricted, with only plain, unbranded packaging

Disposable vapes should be banned

Flavour names should be restricted

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: 'We are very concerned by the rise in youth vaping and welcome the investigation undertaken by the IRG on vaping amongst children and young people in Wales. We will consider its recommendations carefully.

'We are working with the other UK Governments to tackle youth vaping by reducing the appeal and availability of vapes to children through the UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill.'

Hazel Cheeseman, deputy chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said: It is likely that some teenagers who are vaping are addicted to nicotine and could benefit from using patches and gums as an alternative.

Addiction is not desirable at any age and certainly not in childhood.

However, it must be remembered that the much bigger risk to health remains smoking. Health services must prioritise helping children and parents who smoke to quit.

The UK Government has already announced plans to ban disposable vapes in England by April 2025, with a new tax on vaping being implemented in October 2026.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: We have always been clear children should never vape.

We are banning disposable vapes and our Tobacco and Vapes Bill includes powers to limit flavours, packaging and displays of vapes to reduce the appeal to children.

A form of nicotine replacement therapy is already licenced in England for use in children over the age of 12  and we continue to build the evidence on the most effective interventions to help vapers quit.
A Dutch pensioner had the longest lasting Covid infection ever recorded  at 613 days.

Whereas most people can expect to shake off the virus in days or weeks, the 72-year-old had a weakened immune system and eventually died with his infection.

The virus mutated around 50 times and eventually spawned an ultra-mutated variant, according to scientists.

They warned such cases are perfect breeding grounds for deadly new strains of the disease to develop.

However, separate NHS data released today shows Covid cases in hospital are also rising, up more than a third in the last four weeks. There were 3,390 virus patients in hospital on December 17, up 38 per cent on the 2,452 logged on November 19. This is also an increase of 12 per cent in a week from the 3,024 logged on December 10

The patient was admitted to Amsterdam University Medical Centre in February 2022 with the omicron variant of Covid.

He had a history of blood cancer and had received treatment that depleted B-cells, including those that normally produce Covid directed antibodies.

Despite receiving several Covid vaccines, he had little antibody response when tested upon hospital admission and did not respond to antibody treatments.

But researchers found the virus developed a sotrovimab-resistance mutation as early as 21 days after receiving the antibody.

They also noted that anti-spike antibody development in the first month was minimal, indicating that the patient's immune system was incapable of clearing the virus.

The prolonged infection led to the emergence of a novel, immune-evasive variant of the virus due to its extensive evolution within a host. He eventually died from a relapse of a condition in his blood.

Presenting their findings at ESCMID Global Congress in Barcelona next week, researchers said he had remained Covid positive, with high viral loads, for a total of 613 days.

The mutated variant was not transmitted to anyone else, they confirmed.

Dr Magda Vergouwe, from the Centre for Experimental and Molecular Medicine (CEMM) in Amsterdam, warned that the case underscored the importance of tracking the infections of the most vulnerable patients, whose bodies could be used as hosts to develop resistant mutations.

She said: 'This case underscores the risk of persistent SARS-CoV-2 infections in immunocompromised individuals as unique SARS-CoV-2 viral variants may emerge due to extensive intra-host evolution.

'We emphasise the importance of continuing genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 evolution in immunocompromised individuals with persistent infections given the potential public health threat of possibly introducing viral escape variants into the community.'

She acknowledged there had to be a balance between protecting the world from dangerous new variants and providing humane, supportive end-of-life care to severely ill patients.

Prior to this case, UK doctors believed they had documented the longest Covid infection on record who they treated for more than 16 months, or 505 days.

King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust doctors said detailed lab analysis of the unnamed patient revealed it was the same, persistent infection, rather than repeated bouts.

Dr Vergouwe added that though there's an increased risk of the development of novel variants in immunocompromised patients, not every variant that develops will be of public concern.

The underlying mechanisms involved in the development of a variant of concern are much more complex, as they are also dependent on factors in the population surrounding the patient, including the prevalence of B- and T-cell related immunity.

She added: 'The duration of SARS-CoV-2 infection in this described case is extreme, but prolonged infections in immunocompromised patients are much more common compared to the general community.

'Further work by our team includes describing a cohort of prolonged infections in immunocompromised patients from our hospital with infection durations varying between one month and two years.

'However, from the viewpoint of the general public, prolonged infections remain rare as the immunocompromised population is only a very small percentage of the total population.'
The main focus for the Western democracies at this finance gathering has been Ukraine in spite of the conflagration in the Middle East.

The worry for the UK and Europe is that, unless new resources are released, Ukraines struggle with the Russian bear will become even harder.

Failure would make freeing large-scale US military assistance, currently bogged down on Capitol Hill, more difficult.

Discussions at the G7 finance ministers dinner were dominated by finding ways of mobilising cash for Kyiv.

Obstacles to using some $300billion (241billion) of frozen Russian assets to finance the war are manifest. Britain insists that the use of seized reserves must comply with international law.

Cash crisis: A Ukrainian soldier checks a machine gun. The worry for the UK and Europe is that, unless new resources are released, Ukraine's struggle with Russia will become even harder

It is recognised that simply disbursing frozen assets could be a threat to global stability since it would raise questions for China and others about the wisdom of holding US bonds, or for that matter UK gilts, in their reserves.

The current goal is to find ways of using the returns on the immobilised assets, most of which are held in euros in Belgian banks, to fund Ukraines domestic needs.

The direction of travel is clear, although no final decisions were taken at the G7.

The objective is to find ways of leveraging accumulated interest payments to meet Europes commitment to Ukraine.

Pressure on Germany and other core EU countries to come up with a package quickly is intense, with Poland and the Baltic states, supported by France, leading the charge.

Clever financing, using derivatives, looks the most likely route and speed is of the essence. Russias fast-growing economy, boosted by military production, is larger than before the outbreak of conflict.

All of which raises enormous questions about the effectiveness of sanctions in resolving conflict around the world.

Royal Maelstrom

Feeble regulation and Government insouciance about financially-driven overseas ownership led Thames Water down the road to ruin.

Jeremy Hunt is determined that consumers and taxpayers should not have to pick up the bills run up by exploitative lenders and belligerent shareholders.

There are big lessons in this farce for stakeholders in International Distributions Services, owners of the Royal Mail. Any offer for the company from billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, who already owns 27.5 per cent, must be looked at through a clear lens.

The Chancellor spent time in New York courting foreign investment. But there are big differences between encouraging investors such as Blackrock to put money into the London stock market and rolling out the red carpet to opaque private capital.

Kretinsky earned the title Sphinx because the origins of his wealth and how he spends it are shrouded in mystery.

The Thames fiasco tells us that the public, markets and government need to be alert to the shortcomings of private capital.

There is a big difference between the way in which Thames has been run and the records of publicly quoted Pennon, Severn Trent and United Utilities.

They too have made mistakes, and sewage discharges are objectionable. But they have no hiding place, with requirements for quarterly reporting, careful audit and corporate governance.

Promises made to regulators by private buyers, who shift financing overseas, are all but impossible to enforce.

Royal Mail is relied upon by the NHS, HMRC, police authorities and millions of households. Hunt is clear that transparency is vital for entities providing services to the public.

The authorities need to be alert to the fact that there is no such thing as benign financially-driven ownership.

Music stops

As Neil Young might croon it is the Last Dance for Merck Mercuriadis and his innovative music royalty rights fund.

It was a brilliant idea and Merck assembled a fascinating songbook including Young, Justin Bieber and Shakira.

The speed of fundraisings, weak management and the incursion of bigger players hammered the model.

The 1.1billion sale to US private equity outfit Concord may on this occasion be a lucky escape.
Sophie Lund-Yates, lead equity analyst, Hargreaves Lansdown:

'Disruption in the Middle East has led to a 40mn direct impact for easyJet in the first half. Flying into Israel has been suspended for the summer. In true easyJet fashion, the groups been able to flex its unexpected capacity to other areas, and has still been able to reduce losses compared to the previous year. easyJets best-in-class approach to capacity planning and route discipline has allowed it to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of travels renaissance.

'The budget airline has also upped its capacity by around 8% to meet swelling demand. Its clear the importance of travel isnt petering out for consumers, and easyJet has grasped the nettle by backing its holidays business which has paid dividends. Summer bookings look strong, which will continue to help offset the rising costs.

'Another important consumer bellwether, Dunelm, has reported that sales rose 3% in the third quarter  led by volume. While this suggests consumers are still prepared to part ways with their cash on homewares, the market remains very challenging. Dunelm speaks of volatile trading patterns and profits arent expected to be especially impressive.
A challenge to 'consensus thinking'? Neil Woodford has returned with a new blog and newsletter

'You may remember me as the fund manager who avoided the dot-com bubble and the banking crisis.... or perhaps as the "disgraced" fund manager who presided over Woodford Investment Management's collapse in 2019.'

Those are the words of Neil Woodford, who has re-emerged with a newsletter and blog - claiming to offer readers an alternative to 'consensus thinking' - just a week after the City watchdog blasted the former fund manager's grasp of risk management.

And while there may be many investors reluctant to follow the advice of the man who famously crashed his giant equity income fund, his Woodford Views blog has instantly become the talk of the investment world.

Woodford Investment Management imploded in 2019 after its once-3.7billion fund collapsed when investors rushed to the exit in droves amid a sustained period of underperformance.

The collapse of Woodford Equity Income left some 300,000 investors stranded and left to wait five years to be compensated with a fraction of the capital they had entrusted with the fund manager.

Now Mr Woodford has taken to Instagram, X and a newly-launched website to help readers 'navigate the complexities of financial markets'.

Last week the Financial Conduct Authority, which is yet to take any formal sanctions against Mr Woodford, said he had a 'defective and unreasonably narrow understanding' of his responsibility for managing 'liquidity risks'  the need to be able to turn assets into cash.

It is not clear how or if Mr Woodford intends to profit from his latest venture, which follows the failure of a new fund business, WCM Partners, in 2021.

In his first Woodford Views post, he said: 'You may remember me as the fund manager who avoided the dot-com bubble and the banking crisis and delivered index-beating performance for over 25 years, or perhaps as the "disgraced" fund manager who presided over Woodford Investment Management's collapse in 2019.

'Others may not have heard of me at all. Whatever your perspective, you may be curious about what I have to say about a wide range of economic, social, and political issues that impact our everyday lives.'

He added that much UK economic commentary 'is long on opinion but critically short on data', suggesting this is 'because established narratives are too willingly accepted'.

Mr Woodford said: 'The economic analysis and commentary in Woodford Views will focus on relevant facts and data without censorship from editors, pressure to toe a particular line or consensus thinking.'

Why did Woodford Investment Management collapse?

Neil Woodford had a successful 25-year career when employed by Invesco, where his funds racked up billions of pounds of investment from retail investors and institutions alike on the back of bumper returns.

When he struck out on his own in 2014 investors naturally followed into the Woodford Patient Capital Trust, the Woodford Income Focus fund and  crucially  the Woodford Equity Income Fund (WEIF).

WEIF's initial good run was followed by two years of poor performance, exacerbated by exposure to smaller  sometimes unprofitable  companies and unlisted stocks.

Eventually larger investors, such as the Kent County Council Pension Scheme, started pulling out large amounts of money.

Others followed suit and the fund's large exposure to illiquid assets meant it was unable to sell assets quick enough to meet outflows, leading to administrator Link forcing its suspension.

St. James's Place then terminated Woodford's contract to manage three of its funds.

The decision to close WEIF entirely in October 2019 left many investors out of pocket and ultimately led to the demise of Woodford Investment Management.

Investors are only now receiving compensation for the Woodford collapse.
The Co-operative Bank is set to return to mutual ownership after it agreed a potential 780million takeover by Coventry Building Society on Thursday.

The combined group is set to boast a balance sheet of 89billion, while providing customers  who would eventually become members  with an 'enlarged range of products and propositions', the pair said in a joint statement.

Coventry said the deal, should it receive backing from members and the regulator, would give it a business savings and current account proposition, as well as an 'enlarged, national brand footprint'.

It would also give Coventry an established position in the personal current account market, thereby 'extending the society's product proposition to meet more of members' daily needs'.

Co-op Bank is set to return to mutual ownership, if a deal with Coventry Building Society is approved by members and the regulator

Coventry boss Steve Hughes said: 'The Co-operative Bank is a financially stable, profitable organisation with a shared heritage and products and services that complement our own.

'Its customers, colleagues, branches, mortgages and savings balances, and the additional products and services it provides, will make us stronger and enable us to continue offering the value and service that matters to members and customers alike.

'We're confident that we have the people, capability and the financial strength to bring both organisations together successfully over a number of years.'

The pair's statement noted the 780million cash consideration 'excludes capital in excess of certain thresholds at completion', with up to 125million deferred for a period of three years subject to the future performance.

Talk of a potential combination of the two groups emerged in March after Co-op launched a strategic review, amid rumours it was verge of being taken over by the likes of specialist lenders Shawbrook, Aldermore and Paragon Banking Group.

Co-op Bank is planning to cut 400 jobs this year as its seeks to 'simplify and transform the business,' but said this would not have an impact on branch numbers.

It more than quadrupled its profit in 2022 to 132.6million on the back of higher rates.

It marked a major turnaround for the lender, which was on the brink of collapse before being rescued by a group of US hedge funds in 2017.

But it suffered a dip in profit during the nine months to the end of September after acquiring Sainsbury's mortgage portfolio comprised of approximately 3,500 customers and 500million of balances.

Hughes added: 'This is an exciting moment for the Society. We have a very successful history, and we believe this could be the basis of a very successful future - with membership, great value and great service at its heart.'
The Chancellor has voiced concerns over the proposed takeover of Royal Mail by a billionaire dubbed the Czech Sphinx in a sign that a deal could be blocked.

As analysts suggested that tycoon Daniel Kretinsky would have to raise his bid for the postal group to more than 4billion, Jeremy Hunt said there were lessons to be learned from the tangled mess at Thames Water.

Asked about a foreign take-over of Royal Mail owner International Distributions Services (IDS), he said: Do I look at whats happened to some of the water companies and say that we shouldnt learn any lessons? Absolutely not.

We need to make sure that companies are regulated in a way that makes sure that what happens to the balance sheet doesnt do damage to public services on which we all depend.

Speaking on the fringes of International Monetary Fund meetings in Washington, Hunt added: At the same time we must also make sure that we continue to attract international investment.

Debt fears: Asked about a foreign takeover of Royal Mail, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt (pictured) said there were 'lessons' to be learned from the tangled mess at Thames Water

That needs to be done in a transparent and open way so that investors know exactly what they are looking for and can depend on consistency in the approach taken by the state.

The Treasury is currently grappling with efforts to rescue Thames Water, which has 16m customers in southern England and is struggling under the weight of an 18bn debt pile.

Thames Water was sold to German utility RWE in 2001 and subsequently auctioned off to Australian giant Macquarie dubbed the vampire kangaroo  in 2006.

It is now owned by a consortium of shareholders, including sovereign wealth funds in China and Abu Dhabi, and pension funds in Canada and the UK.

Although Hunt did not say ministers would block foreign ownership of Royal Mail, his reference to Thames Water highlights the sensitivity in Government around such a deal.

The unions have already come out strongly against a takeover though there are suggestions Labour is open to the idea.

IDS this week revealed it has already rejected one bid from West Ham United co-owner Kretinsky worth 320p a share, or 3.2billion.

But it is understood the Czech tycoon, who has a 27.6 per cent stake in the company and is also a major investor in Sainsburys, is now preparing a higher offer.

Analysts at investment bank JP Morgan said the company merits a valuation of 4.2billion, or 441p per share.

But experts have warned a deal could be called in under the National Security and Investment Act, which allows the Government to block takeovers.

Ministers allowed Kretinsky to raise his stake in Royal Mail when it breached the 25 per cent threshold in 2022.

But a leading analyst, who asked not to be named, said clearance would be required for a full takeover.

Ironically, a precedent was set back in 2022 when Kretinsky requested pre-approval to raise his stake above 25 per cent, the analyst said.

The Government chose to not block that. But a full takeover would be a different matter.
I currently own a one-bed leasehold flat in London and I'm looking to take a two-month sabbatical to go travelling in July.

I'm planning to rent my flat out on Airbnb to pay for my expenses abroad.

How can I effectively set things up so that I can easily manage lettings from abroad? My main concerns are access, cleaning in between stays and safeguarding my personal possessions.

I'm also wondering if I will be in breach of anything by using my flat on Airbnb. Do I need to inform my mortgage lender, the freeholder or my insurer?

Also, will I need to pay tax on the income and if so can I use the Government's Rent a Room allowance?

Conundrum: Our reader wants to know whether their lease, mortgage agreement, and insurance policy allow for Airbnb lets

Ed Magnus of This is Money replies: The answers to your questions are likely to unsettle some people.

In reality, many people who let our their home for a short period of time won't even consider these potential issues, and most won't be calling up their insurance provider, freeholder or mortgage lender to check either.

But technically, there is a good chance that people who do let their flats through Airbnb and other platforms will be in breach of either their lease agreement, their insurance policy or their mortgage agreement - or possibly all three.

In terms of the tax, you will be liable to pay income tax on any income you make from Airbnb.

However, as you allude to, since this is your main home you may be eligible for the Government's Rent a Room Scheme.

This scheme enables homeowners or tenants to earn up to 7,500 each year tax-free by renting out a room within their home.

The tax exemption is automatic if you earn less than 7,500, meaning you won't need to complete a tax return if you earn less than that.

HMRC's rules state you cannot use the scheme if the property isn't furnished, or is let whilst you live abroad.

However, a spokesperson for HMRC clarified that if the person letting out their main residence is simply going travelling for a couple of months, then their main or sole residence will remain the same and the tax relief would still apply.

Breach of the lease: It's common for leasehold agreements to prohibit sub-letting, unless it's for a minimum of six months or on an assured shorthold tenancy

For expert advice we spoke to Amanda Cupples, general manager of Northern Europe for Airbnb, Mike Hansom, a consultant for property litigation at BLB Solicitors, George Smith, a mortgage broker at LDN Finance, Helen Phipps, home insurance expert at Compare the Market, David Hannah, group chairman of Cornerstone Tax and Hannah Davidson, senior underwriting manager at Aviva.

How can they manage bookings from abroad?

Ed Magnus replies: The prospect of managing your bookings from abroad may feel daunting, but it's perfectly possible.

You should aim to make the access to your home secure and simple for guests while making sure it's cleaned in between guests leaving and arriving.

Perhaps the simplest way to take care of potential access problems is to offer a self-service check in, removing the need for someone to meet guests at the flat.

This can be best achieved by installing a key lockbox or an electronic smart lock.

Self-service check in: Installing an electronic smart lock could be one way to allow guests to come and go without the need for someone to be on hand to let them in

But this is not always possible, particularly where an apartment is within a secure building - perhaps with a separate fob or key required to enter the building.

In this situation you may need to organise for someone to meet them at the property for check-in. This could possibly be a friend, family member or neighbour.

A trusted and reliable cleaner will also be worth their weight in gold in ensuring a smooth transition between guests. You may also be able to pay a cleaner extra to meet guests for check-in.

Alternatively, Airbnb allows you to hire a co-host in your area via its platform. Their support ranges from cleaning or welcoming guests to full-service property management.

Expert: Amanda Cupples, general manager of Northern Europe for Airbnb suggests using a co-host to help manage the property

Amanda Cupples replies: Through the Airbnb setup process we'll match you with a 'superhost' in your area who'll help get you started. For your first booking, you can choose to welcome an experienced guest who has a good track record on Airbnb.

When it comes to managing the listing whilst you're away you can do this by yourself, ensuring that the key is somewhere safe and secure and there's sufficient time between your guests arriving for a cleaner, or with the help of a co-host.

Co-Hosts are often trusted friends, partners or someone from a professional team who can help you do things like manage your listing, respond to enquiries or message guests so you can focus on your trip.

Will they be in breach of their home insurance?

Helen Phipps replies: Renting out a spare room or your whole property can be an effective way to boost your income.

However, amongst the relevant parties you'd need to make aware, you will need to let your home insurance provider know, as otherwise your policy could be invalidated.

Insurance expert: Helen Phipps of Compare the Market says standard home insurance policies generally won't cover you if your home is used for Airbnb

Standard home insurance policies generally won't cover you if your home is used for commercial gain.

As a first step, ask your existing home insurer if you can extend your current policy (for an additional premium) so you're covered for guests renting from you.

You might want to include home emergency cover in your policy, as this could cover you if you need to call out emergency assistance to your property, for instance if there's a burst pipe.

Liability insurance is also worth considering as this could cover the cost of compensation, should a guest or visitor be injured on your property.

If you're not able to extend your policy, look for a provider that offers host insurance.

This is designed for homeowners who rent somewhere out for short periods on house-sharing platforms.

Host insurance typically provides more protection against incidents, such as theft, malicious damage, and injuries.

Considering short-term rental? Insurance expert: Hannah Davidson, senior underwriting manager at Aviva gives her top insurance tips 1) Notify your insurer: you must tell your insurer of any intention to rent out your property on a short-term basis. If you don't, you risk invalidating your home insurance policy. 2) Policy coverage: understand what your current home insurance policy covers and excludes regarding short-term rentals. 3) Occupancy limits: check if your insurer has any additional restrictions on the number of people in the house. 4) Lock away or remove any valuables or breakables from the home: to help minimise the risk of burglary or accidental damage by guests at the property. 5) Security: consider installing extra security measures, such as CCTV, even if you are only renting your property for a short period of time. 6) Renovations: notify your insurer if you plan to renovate your property to accommodate guests, as this may affect your cover 7) Additional cover: if you plan on renting out your property for longer periods of time, you may need specialist coverage for the specific risks associated with short-term rentals.

Hannah Davidson adds: Most standard home insurance policies require customers to contact their insurer if they are planning on letting out their property, even if only on a short-term basis.

This is because home insurance policies are not typically designed for the needs of short-term letting and may not cover some of the risks associated with this, such as loss or damage caused by guests or theft of belongings.

Does Airbnb offer insurance cover?

Amanda Cupples replies: For peace of mind about your personal possessions we have AirCover For hosts.

This is top-to-bottom protection, always included and always free, that helps protect hosts in the rare event of an issue during a stay. It provides $3million host damage protection and $1million host liability insurance.

In addition, all guests booking homes and primary hosts getting booked globally on Airbnb are required to have undergone the ID verification process.

Before taking the final step, make sure you're familiar with our responsible hosting guidelines about local laws and if your property has a mortgage or insurance, always check with the lender to make sure that there aren't restrictions on hosting.

Will they be in breach of their mortgage?

George Smith replies: Renting out your property on a short-term basis, for example through Airbnb, is increasingly common.

Some lenders now allow this without prior notification. Nationwide permits it for up to 18 weeks, while Barclays allows 90 days annually. Santander allows property letting with 'consent to let,' subject to a 295 fee.

However, lenders such as Halifax and NatWest don't permit short-term lets, even with 'consent to let' applications, due to discomfort with their transient nature.

It's prudent to review your lender's terms, as unauthorised letting could violate your mortgage terms, leading to serious consequences.

Also, consider the overlap of your current mortgage deal's end with your planned rental period, which can complicate negotiations.

Contacting your broker for advice on your options is always recommended.

Mortgage expert: George Smith, mortgage broker at LDN Finance warns that depending on the lender, people may be in breach of their mortgage agreement when they use Airbnb

Will they be breaching the lease?

Mike Hansom replies: First, check whether your proposed use would breach your lease. The rise of Airbnb-type lettings has resulted in some clear guidance from the Lands Tribunal, which the courts have adopted.

Lease terms vary considerably, and each case must be considered on its facts. Does your lease contain a covenant (restriction) not to use the flat other than as a 'private residence' or as a 'dwelling for occupation by a single family'?

If it does, you will likely be in breach by letting on Airbnb as a 'residence' or 'dwelling' requires a degree of permanence of occupation.

Even if your lease does not contain this type of covenant, other lease clauses could still thwart your planned use.

Legal expert: Mike Hansom, a consultant for property litigation at BLB Solicitors, says there is a good chance that letting a flat out on Airbnb will be in breach of the lease

For example, it's common for leases to prohibit sub-letting unless it's for a minimum of six months or on an assured shorthold tenancy.

The courts have been swift and robust in their treatment of lessees whose Airbnb-type use breaches their leases.

You risk the landlord bringing a claim for an injunction forcing you to stop the unlawful use, or even a claim to forfeit your lease.

Assuming the unlawful use had stopped, it's unlikely you would lose your flat, but the court or tribunal would likely order you to pay compensation and costs to the freeholder.

Will they need to pay tax on the Airbnb income?

David Hannah replies: The rent-a-room scheme applies to short-term rentals, allowing individuals to utilise it if they operate on platforms such as Airbnb.

Alternatively, homeowners renting out rooms through Airbnb can take advantage of a tax-free 'property allowance' of up to 1,000 per tax year.

However, this allowance cannot be claimed concurrently with the rent-a-room allowance, making it unsuitable for everyone.

In most cases, homeowners opting to rent out a room - up to the maximum of 90 days per year - are likely to find the rent-a-room scheme more advantageous.

Tax expert: David Hannah group chairman of Cornerstone Tax says the 7,500 tax free rent-a-room scheme applies to short-term rentals, including platforms such as Airbnb

In the UK, rent-a-room relief allows individuals to earn up to 7,500 per year tax-free from letting out furnished accommodation in their own home. This limit is halved where more than one person benefits from the income.

The income limit encompasses all charges you impose on your tenants for the rental service, including fees for cleaning, meals, or laundry.

Therefore, if you use the rent-a-room scheme, you cannot subtract any expenses from your rental income.

If your lodger payments exceed 7,500, you must file a tax return. When filling out the property section of your return, you have two options for how to handle this income.

Firstly, you can choose to pay tax on your profits as usual for a rental business, by calculating and paying tax based on your actual profit after deducting expenses.

Alternatively, you can opt for a tax-free allowance of 7,500 (3,750 if you're part of a couple), with any excess rent being subject to income tax.
Child benefit: Failure to claim because you aren't entitled to receive the payments means you don't receive state pension credits

One million fewer families are claiming child benefit payments than a decade ago, new figures reveal, meaning many could unwittingly be falling into the trap of creating shortfalls in their state pension records.

Parents who do not qualify for child benefit and therefore don't claim it can miss out on valuable credits - worth 329 a year, or 6,500 over a 20-year retirement - in what one expert calls a 'hidden horror' of the system.

After shunning parents' pleas for years, the Government has promised to let them repair state pension records by creating a new credit they can apply for from April 2026.

But there is little detail so far, no guarantee take-up of these new credits will be sufficient to fix the problem, and meanwhile the pending election could cause delay.

Former Pensions Minister Steve Webb, who has campaigned with This is Money on the issue for the past six years, today called for urgent action to protect parents' state pensions.

Hardly anyone is aware there is a connection between child benefit and how much state pension you could receive decades from now.

This became a problem because the number of families claiming it slumped after a controversial overhaul in 2013.

Child benefit: Claims have slumped which means some parents will have holes in their state pension records, until a proposed Government fix due in spring 2026

Child benefit was reduced for those earning 50,000-plus a year, or wiped out entirely for those earning 60,000-plus - something officially known as the 'high income child benefit charge' or HICBC.

The rules were eased earlier this month so child benefit starts to be phased out if one member of the household earns 60,000, and payments stop altogether at 80,000.

HMRC released figures today showing around 1million fewer families now claim child benefit payments, down from a peak of 7.92million in summer 2012.

Before the rule change in January 2013, the number of families receiving child benefit had been rising every year, but there was an immediate drop of 370,000 the following year, and the decline has continued ever since.

HMRC figures show that in August last year, 7.65 million families in total were claiming child benefit, down 47,000 on the year before.

Some 6.91million were receiving payments, down 106,000. There were 741,000 families who claimed but chose to opt out of receiving the money.

At present, parents can submit a claim for child benefit but tick a box to opt out of receiving payments, and only get state pension credits.

Anyone who has not done so yet is urged to do so now, rather than wait for the Government to fix the issue by offering new credits in several years' time.

For now, your state pension credits will only be backdated for three months when you belatedly register, but you will be in the system and the hole in your record will stop getting bigger.

Parents who miss out on credits might make them up before retirement by working and paying National Insurance for enough years, or qualifying for them in some other way such as being a carer.

But this is not guaranteed, and parents will not necessarily be well off in their own right, or still married to a partner whose high earnings disqualified them from child benefit, by the time they reach retirement age.

MPs have questioned the delay to fixing state pension holes for parents and asked for more details of 'simplification' plans to help them claim valuable credits.

Now a partner at LCP, Steve Webb, who is This is Money's pension columnist, has previously called it a 'sticking plaster' solution to create another NI credit for those who didn't get a first credit because they were put off claiming child benefit.

Regarding the latest data on claims released by HMRC, he says: 'These latest figures show the dramatic impact of the High Income Child Benefit Charge, knocking a million families off child benefit in just over a decade.

'An important knock-on effect is that hundreds of thousands of parents may have missed out on vital National Insurance credits towards their state pension.

'Although the government has proposed a new way of crediting people in, we still lack important detail and there is a risk that these new credits will suffer from the same non take-up problems we see in the existing system. This issue needs to be resolved as a matter of urgency.'

Helen Morrissey, head of retirement analysis at Hargreaves Lansdown, says: 'Child benefit take-up continues to fall, as parents do what they can to avoid the dreaded High Income Child Benefit tax charge.

'But avoiding the charge today can have a severe impact on their income long term, because they also risk missing out on valuable National Insurance credits towards their state pension.

'Child benefit is one benefit that carries National Insurance credits to help preserve parents state pension entitlement during time they spend out of work.

'Not claiming it leaves gaps in peoples records, leading to lower state pensions as a result. Its a real hidden horror of the system that more people need to know about.'

Morrissey says ticking a box to get the National Insurance credit but not the child benefit payment saves you the admin headache of filling out a self-assessment tax return, but the continuing fall in claims suggests not everyone is aware that they can do this.

Meanwhile, she says the new higher threshold for the High Income Child Benefit tax charge means more families wont be affected, but until a system to help claim back NI credits is up and running we will continue to see people unwittingly miss out.

A Government spokesperson says: 'Weve raised the threshold for the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) which will take 170,000 families out of paying the charge this year.

'We also plan to end the unfairness for single earner families by administering the HICBC on a household basis from April 2026 and will consult in due course.

'Were developing comprehensive plans to raise awareness of the new retrospective National Insurance credits scheme and ensure parents dont miss out on their state pension entitlement.'
This is the moment a student dragged a fellow classmate to the ground and repeatedly banged her head against the floor in a horrific school fight.

The student, who was enrolled at a school in Florida's St. Johns County School District, carried out the brutal attack in February as a crowd students looked on, barking and cheering as the fight ensued.

District officials say the school 'swiftly addressed' the incident and took action against the attacker in accordance to the code of conduct's guidelines for level four offences, which are classified as the 'most serious' infractions.

While the school refused to specify what discipline the student received, the Governor's Office, which addressed the incident after video of the fight went viral online, said the pupil was 'removed from the school'.

The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office also issued the student a Juvenile Civil Citation, which is the state's diversion initiative, a department spokesperson told DailyMail.com.

The fight is the latest in a slew of brutal attacks on school premises that have made national headlines in recent weeks, demonstrating an apparent rise in violence against students and educators alike.

A survey by the National Center for Education Statistics conducted last year revealed that nearly 50 per cent of schools in America have seen an increase in fighting and violence.

A student who was enrolled at an institution in Florida's St. John's County School District attacked a fellow pupil in what appears to be a school hallway on February 12 this year

The student dragged a fellow classmate to the ground and repeatedly banged her head against the floor in the horrific fight as a crowd students stood by, barking and cheering

District officials say the school 'swiftly addressed' the incident and took action against the attacker in accordance to the code of conduct. The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office also issued the student a Juvenile Civil Citation, which is the state's diversion initiative

The brutal attack, which appears to take place in a school hallway, occurred on February 12, the sheriff's office said.

Officials have not named the students or school involved, but social media users claim the pupils were in middle school. It is unclear what instigated the fight.

A spokesperson with the St. John's County School District confirmed the fight took place, but declined to provide further details, telling DailyMail.com: 'This was an incident that occurred over a month ago, the school swiftly addressed, and consequences were applied in accordance with the St. Johns County School Districts Code of Conduct as a level 4 offense.'

The district's code of conduct defines level four acts of misconduct as the 'most serious' and includes a variety of infractions including serious assault and serious battery.

Per the guidance, students who commit these offences will be issued sanctions that 'include suspension and may include placement in an alternative school and/or expulsion'.

Students who commit level four offences may also be subject to criminal proceedings and referral to mental health services.

Despite taking place in February, the fight went viral earlier this week after the Libs of TikTok X account shared the video and falsely claimed the school was 'trying to shove this under the rug'.

Jeremy Redfern, press secretary for Governor Ron DeSantis, responded to the incident and slammed the account for publishing 'another lie about Florida'.

'This incident happened months ago. The offender was disciplined and subsequently removed from the school,' he tweeted, adding that DeSantis had previously criticized the account for sharing misinformation in another instance.

The Governor's Office declined to comment, referring DailyMail.com to the Board of Education, which has not yet responded to our enquiry.

A survey by the National Center for Education Statistics conducted last year revealed that nearly 50 per cent of schools in America have seen an increase in fighting and violence. This graphic shows the percentage of public schools that recorded at least one incident of violence on school premises during the 2021-22 academic year

Fighting culture appears to be on the rise in schools across the US, with 46 per cent of institutions last year having reported an increase in fighting and threats between students during the 2021-2022 academic year.

The survey of 846 public schools, conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, revealed that nearly 56 per cent of schools reported frequent disruptions due to student misconduct.

According to the survey, roughly 80 per cent of schools cited a need for additional mental health support.

Similarly, 70 per cent of schools said more effort needed to be taken to help students with social-emotional development, the data showed.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that a North Carolina student was arrested after he allegedly abused and repeatedly punched his middle-aged female teacher in the face.

Authorities took the teen into custody after a classmate filmed the profanity-laden physical attack at Parkland High School in North Salem.

Last month a sixth-grade girl was brutally attacked by another student at a California middle school, in a vicious attack that is said to have started during a dispute over a boy.

The onslaught saw the victim being ambushed by a classmate by pulling her hair then viciously punching in the face. The beating appeared to continue for almost two minutes before anyone intervened.

A North Carolina student was arrested after he allegedly abused and repeatedly punched his middle-aged female teacher in the face

Last month a sixth-grade girl was brutally attacked by another student at a California middle school, in a vicious attack that is said to have started during a dispute over a boy

Also in March, video went viral of a group of boys shoving a smaller student against lockers before beating him up at a Minneapolis school

Also in March, video went viral of a group of boys shoving a smaller student against lockers before beating him up at a Minneapolis school.

Two of the much larger boys then started pummeling the boy as he ducked down to try to avoid their violent swings.

Similarly, a teenage girl was charged with violently assaulting fellow classmate Kaylee Gain in a brutal attack on March 18.

Gain, 16, was left in a comma for two weeks after the beating near Hazelwood East High School in St Louis, which saw a teen girl beating her head repeatedly into concrete.

She was left with a skull fracture and frontal lobe damage, but has since been released from the intensive care unit.

Gain and her alleged attacker, 15-year-old Maurnice DeClue, who remains in juvenile detention, were apparently members of warring friend groups in their high school.

Text messages revealed the pair had agreed to the fight, with one messages showing they wanted to settle their differences outside their school one-on-one.

DeClue's family previously told DailyMail.com that she is the real victim who was 'harassed and bullied' before the viral incident and hit back at calls to charge the 15-year-old girl as an adult.

Kaylee Gain, 16, was left in a comma for two weeks in March after the beating near Hazelwood East High School in St Louis, which saw a teen girl beating her head repeatedly into concrete

Kaylee Gain suffered a skull fracture and frontal lobe damage when her head was repeatedly smashed into the ground during a brawl (pictured) near her St. Louis high school last Friday

Two female students were filmed brawling with each other at Minneapolis' Lakeville North High School in February. Teachers were seen struggling to pull the students apart during the lunch time brawl

Earlier this year, in February, video went viral of a huge lunch time brawl between students at a Minneapolis high school.

Shocking footage has emerged showing a huge brawl between students at a Minneapolis high school.

Two female students viciously attacked one another as teachers desperately tried to pull them apart. One of the girls charged at the other, sending her sprawling the floor as other students cry out in shock.

Teachers and fellow pupils tried to intervene and pull the girls apart. Police were called to the premises to provide 'additional supervision'
By Luna Sun

The prospects of a trilateral summit between South Korea, China and Japan, potentially to be held by the end of May, are looking rather uncertain as geopolitical tensions show no signs of abating especially between Beijing and Seoul.

Analysts ponder whether the summit, if held, will produce any meaningful results, while calling for a much-needed channel for communication between the major East Asian economies.

From the current international geopolitical situation, the environment for a trilateral summit between China, Japan and South Korea is unfavorable  one might even say dire, said He Jun, a senior analyst with Anbound, a Beijing-based public policy think tank.

The current relationship between China and South Korea is at its lowest point since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992, he added.

The comments came as South Korea has been actively signaling its intent to revitalize the meeting. Still, China has been unhappy with Seoul's increasingly outspoken remarks about the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, as well as its expanding security and economic ties with the U.S. and efforts to diversify its economy away from China.

However, even amid adversity, a trilateral summit between the leaders remains necessary. Dialogue is better than no dialogue, he said, adding that China will not hold the summit in high regard, but that the significance lies in the contact itself between leaders from the three East Asian powers.

The three countries are in talks to hold a long-overdue high-level summit likely on May 26 or 27, according to a report by Japanese daily Yomiuri Shimbun last week.

The summit has been suspended since December 2019 when then-Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, then-South Korean President Moon Jae-in and then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met in the Chinese city of Chengdu.

As the host, the conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol is actively pushing for the high-level meeting, especially after experiencing a massive political setback in the general elections last week.

It would be an opportunity for Yoon to be able to showcase his diplomatic achievements, offsetting the parliamentary election losses, but China will have to see his attitude, said Zhang Huizhi, a professor of Northeast Asian studies at Jilin University in China's northeastern Jilin province.

However, his actions, such as Seoul's cooperation with the U.S. in restricting semiconductor-related exports to China and contemplating joining AUKUS, have strained relations further, deepening Beijing's dissatisfaction.

If there's a new stance from Yoon recently, it might help push things forward, Zhang added.

When asked about the trilateral summit, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave ambiguous comments that signaled a degree of uncertainty.

The Chinese side attaches importance to cooperation among China, Japan and South Korea. We hope that the three parties can jointly create conditions for holding a leaders' summit, ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said last week.

We are also willing to maintain communication with South Korea and Japan on the preparation for the leaders' meeting.

The subtle hints in the response indicate that an agreement has yet to be reached regarding the agenda for the meeting, according to Kang Jun-young, a Chinese studies professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul.

While South Korea may seek China's assistance in containing military threats from North Korea and addressing the North Korean nuclear issue, China does not seem inclined to discuss this topic, which is perceived as a matter between South Korea and the U.S., Kang said.

But before dealing with the nuclear issues, the two countries should re-establish an atmosphere of communication between themselves as well as their people. The relationship has been quite rocky following the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in 2016 on South Korean soil.

It's natural for problems to arise, but when they do, how can they be addressed? A resolution mechanism has been absent for over three decades  this is the biggest issue between South Korea and China, Kang said, adding that both or all three countries should understand each others issues and what can be done under the current framework.

Kang said that many Chinese local governments are keen to work with South Korea, but are held back by the general atmosphere. If local-level exchanges can continue, new starting points could emerge to organically catalyze business exchanges, he said.

"This summit would mark the first gathering since the pandemic. Given the changing international landscape and supply chain dynamics, these three nations need to find better development directions," Kang said. "Topics such as industry and the economy are up for discussion while this summit should be used as an opportunity to chart a new course.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is unlikely to attend the meeting; instead, Prime Minister Li Qiang may participate, which could be interpreted as a subtle gesture of Chinas discontent with the other two countries strengthening ties with the U.S. in the past few years, said Xue Fei, senior analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit.

We expect the upcoming trilateral high-level meeting to focus on maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, efforts to contain trade frictions and overcapacity in certain industries such as clean energy and electric vehicles, the strategic weapons program and weapons testing by North Korea, among others."

Meanwhile, China will also caution against the establishment of alliances in the region that target specific countries, he added.

Compared with its neighbors, Japan is the least invested in the meeting, experts pointed out.

From Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's current focus and concerns, the trilateral summit is not something he prioritizes, and he is unlikely to make any serious efforts to promote it, Anbound's He said.

Luna Sun is an economy reporter with the South China Morning Post. She is currently based in Seoul, reporting for both The Korea Times and the South China Morning Post under an exchange program.


Experts have warned Iran could have an unknown arsenal of EMP and dirty bombs after Tehran threatened it would hit Israel with 'weapons never used before'.

Iran made its threat in a bid to deter Israel's retaliation following an unprecedented barrage of missiles and drones by the Islamic Republic.

'If such 'never-before-seen' weapons exist, they are probably larger and more sophisticated payloads and warheads compared to the missiles and drones they launched against Israel,' Professor Gerald Steinberg, head of Jerusalem-based NGO Monitor, said.

The Islamic Republic's President Ebrahim Raisi warned that the 'tiniest invasion' by Israel would bring a 'massive and harsh' response.

Here, experts assess the potential arsenal at Iran's disposal and the possible havoc these weapons could cause.

Iran's president Ebrahim Raisi (pictured) warned during an annual army parade that the 'tiniest invasion' by Israel would bring a 'massive and harsh' response, as the region braces for potential Israeli retaliation

A missile is launched during a military exercise in an undisclosed location in the south of Iran

ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE WEAPONS (EMPs)

Electromagnetic pulse weapons (EMPs) use light, lasers, invisible microwaves and electromagnetic energy to cut off electricity - and experts claim Iran has EMPs in their arsenal.

The US military warned in 2018 that Iran was developing such arms and the deadly consequences they could have if used, estimating that an EMP attack on American soil could kill millions in the utter chaos they would create.

The aim in using EMPs is to destroy an enemy's command, control, communication and computing, surveillance and intelligence capabilities without hurting people or infrastructure.

Military and commercial jets would be degraded, bases would be cut off, and power and GPS would go dark making defence and counter-attacks virtually impossible.

Asaf Romirowsky, who holds a PhD in Middle East and Mediterranean Studies from King's College London, said that EMPs are one of the 'major' concerns for Israel, because they 'would render the country defenceless'.

'The domino effect of an EMP attack would be that the Iranian Axis groups - Hamas, Hizbullah and the Houthis - would then start firing at Israel if they cannot retaliate,' the expert, who now heads Scholars for Peace in the Middle East, said.

'The bigger threat has always been the use of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), which is where the region fully understands the threat of Iran as the greatest destabilizing force in the region,' Romirowsky added.

Electromagnetic pulse weapons (EMPs) use light, lasers, invisible microwaves and electromagnetic energy to cut off electricity - and experts claim Iran has EMPs in their arsenal (file image)

Iranians drive past a huge anti-Israel billboard carrying pictures of Iranian missiles and a sentence reading in Persian 'Israel is weaker than spider home', in Tehran, 16 April 2024

A handout picture provided by the Iranian Army media office on January 19, 2024, shows the launch of a missile during a military drill at an undisclosed location in southern Iran

CHEMICAL WEAPONS

Also in Iran's arsenal among the never-before-seen weapons could be chemical arms, another expert has claimed, which are considered to be deadly WMDs.

'It is possible that the Islamic Republic has a supply of chemical weapons. They have been the victim of such weapons in the 1990's when Iraq used them in their war against Iran, so they know how lethal they are,' says Professor John Strawson, a lecturer for Middle East studies at the University of East London.

Several Western governments have accused Iran of developing and maintaining its own arsenal of chemical weapons in the past, which the country has consistently denied.

Professor Strawson said that 'it would be very high stakes to use them', as firing off chemical weapons would trigger a devastating response by Israel and its allies and would 'further weaken them politically in the region'.

But he believes that after the Iranian blitz attack last weekend, anything is possible.

'We have entered an even more unpredictable period in the Middle East,' the Middle East expert said after Iran's failed missile strike damaged 'their reputation with their proxies' after more than 99 per cent were shot down.

NUCLEAR WEAPONS

Iran's threats of using 'weapons we have never used before' raise fears that its lacklustre drone and missile barrage could further push Tehran to develop nuclear weapons.

The Islamic Republic has several nuclear research sites, two uranium mines, a research reactor and uranium processing facilities - including three uranium enrichment plants.

A UN report in 2007 found that Iran had halted an alleged nuclear weapons programme in 2003, and a report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 2018 said it had found no evidence of nuclear weapons activity after 2009.

In 2015, Iran signed up to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action - or Iran Nuclear Deal - along with countries including the US, UK, France, Russia and China, imposing restrictions on Iran's nuclear facilities.

An Iranian military truck carries missiles during a military parade as part of a ceremony marking the country's annual army day in the capital Tehran on April 17, 2024

A drone is launched during a military exercise in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on August 25, 2022

Iranian missiles exhibited in a park on January 20, 2024 in Tehran

Iranian medium range missiles 'Nazeat' are displayed during the annual Army Day celebration at a military base in Tehran, Iran, April 17, 2024

However, the agreement took a hit in 2018 when the US - under president Donald Trump - withdrew and imposed new sanctions on Iran under a 'maximum pressure' policy, essentially cutting Iran off from the international financial system.

In November 2023, an IAEA report estimated Iran's uranium stockpile was 22 times larger than the limit agreed upon in the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal.

In December, the UN's watchdog warned that Iran had escalated the rate at which it is enriching uranium to up to 60 per cent purity, levels close to weapons-grade, and has enough uranium enriched for three atom bombs.

Adham Mardini, former Syrian diplomat and currently lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire, said: 'Iran might be speeding up to accelerating its nuclear weapons programme which could be used by Iran to develop a nuclear bomb to deter any attacks by Israel against Tehran and its proxy groups.'
The Manhattan judge overseeing the hush money trial has not yet made his decision, but the Trump campaign already believes the possibility of preventing the former president from attending his son's high-school graduation is political dynamite.

'F***ing with us on Barron's graduation has the potential to be the "$18M Mar-a-Lago valuation" faux pas of this trial,' a Trump insider told DailyMail.com.

Earlier this year another judge in a different trial offered an $18 million valuation of Trump's Florida club, a number that the former president said was orders of magnitude lower that its true value and which has been used ever since to ridicule the outcome of a civil case.

In the same way, his campaign is now looking to weaponize anything it can from the hush money trial in Manhattan.

Any sign that Trump is being treated unfairly, including the courthouse's dirty bathrooms, will be turned into talking points or campaign mailers, say people familiar with the thinking.

Barron Trump (left) poses with his father and a fan at Mar-a-Lago recently

The Trump campaign is using the possibility that the former president may not be allowed to attend his son's high-school graduation in May to raise funds

There is already a team of allies on standby to attack the judge or witnesses, while the defendant himself is held to a gag order.

Barron Trump's high-school graduation was already being used in fundraising emails within 24 hours of the issue coming up on the first day of Trump's criminal trial.

As they discussed scheduling in courtroom 1530 of Manhattan criminal court, Trump's lawyers asked that May 17 be kept free so that Trump can attend the event.

Barron turned 18 last month and is due to graduate from Oxbridge Academy, about eight miles from Mar-a-Lago.

A Trump lawyer also asked that June 3 be a recess day so that he could attend his own son's graduation.

But Judge Juan Merchan, who has tried to avoid any delays in such a pivotal, important case, said he could not rule yet on either request.

'It really depends on how we are doing on time and where we are in the trial,' he said.

'If everything is going according to schedule without unnecessary delays, then I am sure we will be able to adjourn for one or both of those days, but if we are running behind schedule, we will not be able to.'

The next day, Trump email lists distributed a message with the subject line: 'Forced to miss my son's graduation.'

Any sign that Trump is being treated unfairly, including the courthouse's dirty bathrooms, will be turned into talking points or campaign mailers, say people familiar with the thinking

Judge Juan Merchan said he could not guarantee taking off the day of May 17. 'It really depends on how we are doing on time and where we are in the trial,' he said

Trump called it a 'scam trial' and railed against the judge as he left court on Monday

A source said the courthouse bathrooms were 'disgusting,' part of an effort to punish Trump

It added another grievance to regular reminders that Trump is unable to visit critical swing states while he is stuck in courtroom 1530.

'The heartless thugs are forcing me to skip my son's graduation,' it said. 'They want to ruin my life.'

A campaign source said: 'Our team is preparing our allies, with the facts about this case,' they said. 'So we have all hands on deck, exposing the truth to the broader public, through every earned media opportunity that we possibly can.'

They added that the former president had to put up with degrading facilities in the ageing courthouse.

'It's disgusting. The bathrooms are terrible, the courtroom itself is nasty,' they said. 'And it's just despicable what they're putting him through.'

Allies said everyone could identify with a high-school graduation.

'It's something that I think most Americans find cruel,' said Alex Bruesewitz, a Trump-allied strategist.

'Most Americans believe this case, in particular ... even many on the left ... is the weakest of all cases, and that at this point they're just bullying Trump.

'It doesn't sit well with a lot of people. And now you're bringing his 18 year old son into it.'

The campaign says the former president has to put up with degrading facilities in the ageing courthouse, including disgusting toilets

Barron turned 18 last month and is due to graduate from Oxbridge Academy (above), about eight miles from Mar-a-Lago

Trump is due to return to court on Thursday morning for day three of his trial

Trump's son Eric weighed in on X on Monday.

'Judge Merchan is truly heartless in not letting a father attend his son's graduation,' he posted.

And the episode gave Trump a message for the media as he left the courtroom at the end of proceedings.

'It looks like the judge will not let me go to the graduation of my son who's worked very, very hard,' said in front of cameras in the 15th floor hallway

'He's a great student and he's very proud of the fact he did so well and was looking forward for years to having his graduation with his mother and father there, and it looks like the judge isn't going to allow me to escape this scam.

'It's a scam trial.'
A shameless group of squatters vowed to fight Gordon Ramsay in the courts after the TV chef launched a legal battle to kick them out of his 13 million London pub.

The invaders told how they have recruited their own lawyers 'to defend their rights' after Ramsay launched High Court legal proceedings against them.

But the brazen squatters urged Mr Ramsay to drop the case and 'come to an arrangement' with them to 'help save him some money'.

The defiant occupiers entered Ramsay's York and Albany pub in north London early last week and told how they planned to turn the empty venue into a community cafe.

A group calling themselves the Camden Arts Cafe collective announced they had left the building after papers were served but occupiers today claimed that 60 people remained on the premises and have no plans to quit.

The squatters have taken over the Gordon Ramsay pub which is currently up for sale with a guide price of A13 million

The pub and boutique hotel was run by Gordon Ramsay - but the chef was reportedly in the midst of renegotiating the lease

The York & Albany pub in Camden, north London, was taken over by squatters earlier this month who said they wanted to turn it into a soup kitchen

Occupiers today claimed that 60 people remained on the premises and have no plans to quit

One member of the group, a 28-year-old bar worker who is originally from Liverpool, told MailOnline: 'We're still here. We've not moved out. We're fighting the eviction. We'll go to court with our lawyers and from there we'll see what happens.'

Calling on Mr Ramsay to open up a dialogue with the group he said: 'Ramsay was down here after we came in but but he didn't show his face. I don't know if he was scared. He's under a lot of stress.

'We would like to sit down and have a chat with him to explain our intentions.

'We could save him a lot of money on court costs and security. We're paying for the electricity ourselves.

'We changed it over to our names. We'd be happy to make a property guardianship deal with him. We're happy to come to arrangement which would benefit him. Maybe set up a rolling contract of a few days at time.

'We could help him money from the court case. We would look after his building until the new leaseholder come in and then we will leave.

'He could save money on security by having us here. No other squatters would move in.'

Members of the group distanced themselves from squatters who had taken over a restaurant in London's Leicester Square which had been run by

One member of the group, a 28-year-old bar worker who is originally from Liverpool, told MailOnline the squatters had not moved yet

The group have called on Mr Ramsay to open up a dialogue with them

The squatters said that while other members of the group had moved 'to another high profile building' in the capital the rest planned to remain until they 'still had the right to do so'

They insisted it was not against the law to occupy residential properties and that the group had moved in to highlight the homeless crisis.

The squatter, who declined to give his name, said: 'It's completely different to what was going on in Leicester Square. We don't want to be a part of that. It's anti-social.

'We know some of them but they're not part of us.

'We want to keep the peace. We want to get on with the neighbours.

'The idea was to use it for the community benefit which is better than the building being left lying empty.

'We are respectful. We could have hung banners out of windows and held parties here but we haven't because we don't want to cause the neighbours a nuisance.

'There's 60 of us here people from all different backgrounds, different stories but we're all peaceful people. We speak to the neighbours and say hello. We keep ourselves to ourselves.'

The squatter said that while other members of the group had moved 'to another high profile building' in the capital the rest planned to remain until they 'still had the right to do so'.

He said:' We're keeping our spirits up. If the worst comes to the worst, we're going to leave the building. We're going to leave it as we found it.

'It's an empty building. We didn't cause any damage to get into the place. There was no forced entry. We got in through an open window.

'We're not here to destroy the building. Everything is here in tact the way it should be.

The group locked themselves inside the Grade II-listed hotel and gastropub situated just outside Regent's Park last week

All of Ramsay's kitchen equipment is still 'in tact' and 'immaculate'

'We're not here to cause criminal damage. We're not here to cause Ramsay any damage to his building.

'All of his stuff is still here. We've not barricaded the doors with kitchen knives. There are some barricades on the door but not kitchen utensils or anything like that.

'All of his kitchen equipment is intact. Everything is still there and it's still immaculate.

'We cut the gas off ourselves and use our own electric hub to heat stuff - pot noodles and stuff that is easy.

'There's no budding Gordon Ramsay's in there - there is a bit of of effing and blinding sometimes but that's about it.

'If we get evicted we'll move on somewhere else.'
Most studies into US election fraud conclude it is very rare.

But research this week questions whether we can rest assured that the results on November 5 can be trusted.

A survey by the Heartland Institute, a conservative think tank, found that nearly a third of voters would cheat to get their preferred candidate over the line.

Their survey of 1,467 voters took an unusual approach.

They presented respondents with various types of dodgy voting, and asked them if they would consider bending the rules themselves.

Nearly a third of voters would consider some kind of trickery to get their candidate over the line

A voter exits after casting their ballot in the Georgia primary election at Park Tavern precinct in Atlanta, Georgia

They were asked if they might vote in multiple states, destroy or alter mail-in ballots of friends or family, or pay a fellow voter a few bucks to tick a box.

They were also asked if they'd give another voter false information about where, when and how to cast their ballot.

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Only a small proportion of voters said they would consider cheating in each scenario.

But, added together, they found that more than a fourth of voters would consider some type of fraud.

'Overall, 28 percent of all respondents stated that they would resort to at least one form of election fraud if it helped propel their preferred candidate in office,' said researcher Jack McPherrin.

'Doing the math, that means that  if voter turnout remains similar to 2020  nearly 45 million ballots may be fraudulently cast if they are not prevented.'

Dodgy voting could be higher than in the past because 2024 is such a high-stakes election, researchers said.

The Republican front-runner Donald Trump says only his victory can halt America's collapse, while President Joe Biden says democracy will unravel unless he keeps the White House.

Still, there was little difference in the likelihood of cheating between supporters of the two main candidates.

Former president Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson last week questioned the integrity of America's vote in a joint appearance at Mar-a-Lago

A voter works on her ballot at one of the booths at Sioux Falls School District in Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Fully 27 percent of Biden supporters said they'd consider ballot trickery, compared to 29 percent of Trump backers.

Men were slightly more likely to say they'd cheat than women.

Black and Hispanic voters said they would commit vote fraud at higher rates than did whites.

But the most cheating-prone group is young people, the survey revealed.

Fully 52 percent of adults aged 18-39 would bend the rules to get their preferred candidate over the line.

That's much higher than the 15 percent of those aged 65 and above who would cheat.

The survey comes 29 weeks before an election in which election integrity is frequently cited as a concern.

Former president Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson last week questioned the integrity of America's vote in a joint appearance at Mar-a-Lago that focussed on immigration and other hot topics.

Johnson said that 'there are so many millions of illegals in the country' that even if a fraction were able to vote, they could swing the election.

Trump has said the 2020 election he lost to Biden was rigged, and that 2024 could go the same way.

He's been indicted for trying to overturn the results of his 2020 defeat in the run-up to the violent riot by his supporters at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Trump's claims of widespread voter fraud in Nevada in 2020 were rebuffed this week by state officials.

A poll worker waits to hand out stickers as Americans cast their votes

The office of Nevada's Secretary of State announced in a new report that there was 'no evidence of widespread voter fraud in Nevada' in recent years.

Researchers say the concerns of voter fraud raised by Trump and Johnson are overblown.

Critics say Trump is just paving the way to call foul if he loses again in November.

The Center for Election Innovation & Research, a think tank, says undocumented migrants almost never vote illegally in the US.

The left-leaning Brennan Center for Justice says voter fraud almost never happens.

'Extensive research reveals that fraud is very rare, voter impersonation is virtually nonexistent, and many instances of alleged fraud are, in fact, mistakes by voters or administrators,' the group said in a 2022 report.

Still, Haskins says his survey shows that election officials need to impose 'common-sense election rules.'

Mississippi, Missouri, and Oklahoma already make voters sign mail-in ballots in front of a notary  this should be a nationwide norm, he added.

'If state lawmakers do not succeed in getting better election integrity laws in place, Americans will cheat in the 2024 presidential election,' he said.

'How do I know? Because they are openly admitting it.'
The Albanese government has been pressed to justify a $50billion funding boost for the defence force over the next decade.

Defence Minister Richard Marles unveiled the new national defence strategy and investment program on Wednesday, which includes naval upgrades.

The spending boost will provide an additional $5.7billion over the next four years and will increase defence funding to 2.4 percent of GDP by 2033/34.

It will be the largest growth in military spending since 1949, and comes despite massive borrowing and spending which has triggered runaway inflation and consequent interest rate rises.

During an interview with Mr Marles on Sunrise, host Natalie Barr asked: 'Who else besides China are we protecting ourselves from?'

Sunrise host Natalie Barr (pictured) questioned Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles over Australia's $50billion military upgrade

The rise of China and its growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region had created the most challenging strategic environment since World War II, Mr Marles (pictured) said

'In our region, we are witnessing the biggest conventional military buildup since the Second World War, which is China; that is an inescapable fact.'

Mr Marles said the spending was required in a region which is 'less certain' due to China claiming territories, and trade routes need to be protected due to that expansionism.

Barr said others have argued this spending should have happened earlier.

'A former top bureaucrat wrote a defence paper 15 years ago and basically it sounds like he's furious that no-one listened to him. That was in 2009,' she said.

'He said, "Both sides of politics should be judged harshly here because no one listened".

'Do you accept that? He says we're starting from scratch here?'

Mr Marles put the blame on the previous government, including the failed French submarine contract.

'There was no doubt as we came into office we were met with an enormous amount of challenges,' he said.

'The best time to act on this would have been ten years ago but the second best time to act is now, and that's what we're doing.'

China has slammed the government's plans, and urged Australia to abandon its 'Cold War mentality'.

'We hope Australia will correctly view China's development and strategic intentions, abandon the Cold War mentality, do more things to keep the region peaceful and stable, and stop buzzing about China,' China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.

The security risks in the Indo-Pacific were coming from 'major countries' outside the region, Mr Lin said.

'They have been forming exclusive groupings, stoking bloc confrontation, and in particular, muddying the waters in the South China Sea, as if the world needed any more instability. China firmly opposes it,' he said.

Defending the initiative, Mr Marles said it was 'ridiculous' to suggest Australia was trying to match the strength of China and the US in the Indo-Pacific.

'You're talking about great powers and clearly, we're not seeking to be a peer of the United States or China. Which is why... commentators who walked down that road, frankly, lack wit,' he said.

Mr Marles said the funds will focus on protecting Australia's trade routes in the Asia Pacific as China continues to expand its network of military bases in the region

The defence strategy includes a push to widen the recruitment eligibility to non-citizens but Mr Marles said that' would not happen overnight'.

'It's reasonable to describe that in terms of years,' he told ABC's Radio National on Thursday.

'Looking at certain classes of non-Australian citizens as potential recruits for the ADF going forward is an important step that we will need to take if we're going to meet the challenge of growing our defence force through to 2040.'

Mr Marles said the government's immediate challenge was to improve conditions for Australians currently serving or thinking about joining the ADF.

'Trying to streamline recruitment to make it a better offer for Australians is what we're doing right now and that is actually having an impact,' he said.

The defence minister said there had been a fall in the number of personnel leaving the military and recruitment numbers were starting to turn around.

Speaking at the National Press Club, Mr Marles said the hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders calling Australia home was an obvious place to start.
NSW Premier Chris Minns has issued a warning to social media giants after graphic images were still circulating online days after the Bondi Junction massacre.

Joel Cauchi, 40, stabbed 18 people - killing five women and a security guard - during a murderous rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction on Saturday.

He was shot dead by hero police Inspector Amy Scott.

The centre opened its doors for the first time since the incident on Thursday with the Premier and Police Commissioner among the first to walk through.

The Premier signed a condolence book in honour of the victim's and spoke outside police headquarters just before midday.

He said it is a 'major concern' that rumours and graphic content circulated online after the stabbing and took days to be removed by content moderators.

'To have so much unsubstantiated rumour as well as graphic content still available on public websites and social media platforms,' Mr Minns said.

'It proves to be very difficult to foster community cohesion and harmony to calm down the community to send messages of unity in a difficult period when social media firms still continue to disseminate terrible pieces of information.'
A doctor has described the harrowing scenes inside a Sydney hospital's emergency department including how victims had to be repeatedly resuscitated following the horrific Westfield Bondi Junction attack.

Trauma surgeon Dr Anthony Chambers was on duty at St Vincent's Hospital in Darlinghurst, about 10 minutes from the scene of the attack, and was finishing up an appendix operation at about 4pm Saturday when the chaos erupted.

'My phone, our surgical registrar's phone, the anaesthetist's phone, our trauma alert went off and I knew something really bad had happened,' Dr Chambers told the ABC's 7.30.

St Vincent's was told to expect five patients, all critical, as the situation unfolded.

It was just one of six Sydney hospitals that would treat the 18 victims stabbed at the hands of the lone knifeman in the busy shopping mall, six of whom tragically died.

Dr Anthony Chambers was the trauma surgeon on duty at St Vincent's Hospital on Saturday

Eighteen people were stabbed by a lone knifeman at Westfield Bondi Junction in an attack that has left Sydney reeling (pictured: paramedics at the scene)

READ MORE: Bombshell development in visa case for brave security guard who confronted Westfield Bondi Junction stabber Advertisement

'By the time I had got down to the emergency department, we had already received our first patient,' Dr Chambers said.

'And so the team was actively resuscitating that patient and I went straight to assist with that.'

Part of his job as lead surgeon on duty is to assess patients, coordinate treatment and allocate the hospital's limited life-saving staff and equipment as needed - a task made harder by not knowing what injuries the next patients to arrive might have.

'We just methodically worked our way through doing the initial resuscitation of those patients, moving them to our CAT scanner to do a full body scan to get a better appreciation of the injuries, and resuscitate them (again),' Dr Chambers said.

One of the most urgent tasks to stabilise patients, he said, is to replace lost blood to prevent organs shutting down.

'Then we moved them up to our operating room and our intensive care unit so that they could have definitive surgery to stop the bleeding from their stab wounds,' Dr Chambers said.

As doctors, nurses, surgeons and anesthetists were feverishly working on the patients, social worker Scarlett Sevastopoulos was one of the staff helping frantic family members who had rushed to the hospital.

St Vincent's was one of six hospitals to take in patients from Saturday's attack

Scarlett Sevastopoulos told the ABC it was a privilege to help families as a social worker at the hospital

Many were unsure of their loved one's injuries or even if they were at the right hospital their family member had been transferred to.

Ms Sevestopoulos said her main focus was to calm confused relatives by getting them to a quieter part of the hospital and potentially getting them off searching their phones for information online which might be distressing or inaccurate.

She described the work she does helping families navigate such heart-rending events as a 'privilege'.

Eight hours after the first patient arrived the situation was under control enough for staff to be able to take a breather and collect their bearings.

On Thursday, hundreds of people are set to gather at Westfield Bondi Junction in the eastern suburbs to pay their respects to those affected by Saturday's attack, with black ribbons to be displayed inside the centre.

The re-opening will mark almost a week since six people were killed when 40-year-old Joel Cauchi went on a stabbing spree.

Bondi Junction's Oxford Street Mall has become a sea of tributes honouring the victims of the Westfield stabbing attack

The Queensland man, whose family said lived with mental illness for decades, was shot dead by a police inspector on level five of the complex.

Six people remain in hospitals across Sydney, with one woman in intensive care in a serious but stable condition, NSW Health said on Wednesday.

A nine-month-old baby, whose mother was among five women killed in the attack, is in hospital in a serious but stable condition.

A permanent memorial is being planned near the site, and a beachside candlelight vigil will also be held on Sunday.

Ashlee Good, 38, advertising heiress Dawn Singleton, 25, architect Jade Young, 47, artist Pikria Darchia, 55, and security guard Faraz Tahir, 30, and Yixuan Cheng, 27, lost their lives during the attack.

Bondi Junction was swarming with police and paramedics on Saturday (pictured)

Cauchi (pictured) stabbed six people to death at Westfield Bondi Junction shortly before 4pm on Saturday

NSW Premier Chris Minns and Police Commissioner Karen Webb at a memorial to the victims held at Bondi Junction on Thursday
A fungi expert has revealed why so many Aussies are taking magic mushrooms after a mother-of-two died from suspected poisoning at an alternative health clinic.

Rachael Dixon, 53, became critically ill and later died from a suspected heart attack after allegedly drinking a mushroom tonic at Soul Barn in Clunes, near Ballarat, western Victoria, at about 12am on Saturday night.

Investigations are continuing into the death of the Melbourne mother of two sons, who was herself a health practitioner.

Natalie Barr asked Dr Alistair McTaggart from Symbiotika Lab why people were so keen to get their hands on magic mushrooms.

'I think because of the hype around the [reported] improvements to [people's] mental health,' the mycologist told Sunrise on Thursday.

Rachael Dixon, 53, became critically ill and later died from a suspected heart attack after allegedly drinking a mushroom tonic at Soul Barn in Clunes, near Ballarat

Natalie Barr asked Dr Alistair McTaggart from Symbiotika Lab (right) why people were so desperate to get their hands on magic mushrooms

He said magic mushrooms actually contain an evolutionary form of slug poison, which is made up of a series of psychedelic compounds, including psilocybin.

'When people and celebrities take mushrooms, instead of us being like a slug and getting poisoned, we have these amazing benefits,' he explained.

'So maybe we'll have a revelation, or we'll increase our empathy, or maybe we'll look at a problem we've been dwelling with a new perspective.

'Psilocybin has been classified as a breakthrough therapy for treatment of mental health disorders, anxiety, addiction, depression and PTSD.

'People get very interested in trying magic mushrooms to see what it's all about.'

But he stressed that magic mushrooms are illegal in Australia and are classified a Schedule 9 prohibited drug in Australia, on a legal par with heroin.

'You can be penalised by quite draconian laws for their possession,' he said.

'The TGA announced that psilocybin would be downgraded to a Schedule 8 for treatment-resistant depression.

'But [magic mushrooms] are still illegal to have in your possession.'

The mycologist said despite this, there was still a 'large community' taking magic mushrooms recreationally.

Investigations are continuing into the death of the mother-of-two, who was herself a health practitioner who was raising two sons in Melbourne (pictured, Soul Barn)

'As a community, we have to acknowledge there is a growing, swelling, number of people who are interested in magic mushrooms, that probably won't be accommodated in a clinical and therapeutic space,' he said.

Michelle Mullins, the owner of the alternative health clinic Soul Barn, revealed a private event was being held at the clinic when Ms Dixon fell ill and died.

'There are no words to express the deep sorrow and shock we are feeling here at Soul following the tragic incident that occurred on April 13th,' her statement read.

'Soul Barn hires out workshop space to external businesses and facilitators.

'The event which took place on April 13th was a private event, and those facilitating the event do not work for or represent Soul Barn in any way. None of our regular therapists, staff or facilitators were present at any point during this event.'

Ms Dixon's heartbroken son, Matthew, wrote on Sunday: 'To the most loving, most caring person I've ever known can't thank you enough for everything you ever did for me and all the support you gave me.

'Words can't begin to describe how much I will miss you, wish I could give you one last hug.'

Ms Dixon's sister, Penny Muller-Dixon, added: 'Words cannot express the heartbreak we are all feeling' in a statement on social media.

'Matthew your NZ family love you, we will see you soon. Life is so f*n short please hug and love those around you,' she wrote.

Ms Dixon and two other Soul Barn customers were rushed from the wellness centre to hospital after the possible poisoning (pictured, Soul Barn in Ballarat)

Ms Dixon and two other Soul Barn customers were rushed from the wellness centre to hospital after the possible poisoning.

The two other patients were released from hospital on Tuesday.

One line of inquiry police will investigate is if the trio consumed a drink with magic mushrooms.

It is currently mushroom season in Australia's south and Clunes, located some 30km north of Ballarat, is surrounding by forests.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia that detectives from its Moorabool Crime Investigation Unit were investigating the death.

'It is believed a woman was at a retreat on Fraser Street when she became ill after ingesting a drink about 12pm,' she said in a statement.

'Investigations remain ongoing and police will prepare a report for the coroner.'
Qatar is 'reconsidering' its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas after its Prime Minister claimed his country was 'exploited' by leaders while overseeing hostage negotiations.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdurrahman Al Thani said there had been an 'abuse' of Qatar's mediation for 'narrow political interests.'

He did not name any politicians in his remarks, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticised Qatar and recently threatened to shutter Qatar-owned broadcaster Al Jazeera.

Top Hamas leaders live in exile in Qatar, which is seen as one of the only parties with influence over the militant group.

Al Thani said there were 'limits' to the role of mediator and 'to the ability to which we can contribute to these negotiations in a constructive manner.'

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdurrahman Al Thani said Wednesday the country is reconsidering its role as mediator between Israel and Hamas

Al Thani made his remarks at a joint press conference in Doha, alongside Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (pictured left)

'Qatar is in the process of a complete re-evaluation of its role,' Al Thani told a joint Doha news conference alongside Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, yesterday.

'There is exploitation and abuse of the Qatari role,' he said, adding that Qatar had been the victim of 'point-scoring' by 'politicians who are trying to conduct election campaigns by slighting the State of Qatar'.

Qatar has been a key intermediary throughout the war in Gaza, and along with the US and Egypt, was instrumental in helping negotiate a brief halt to the fighting in November that led to the release of dozens of hostages.

The three countries have been engaged on weeks of behind-the-scenes talks aiming to secure a truce in war-torn Gaza as well as the release of 133 Israeli captives held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Mediators have been trying to push Hamas and Israel toward a cease-fire deal, and hoped to have had secured one before the start of Ramadan last month, but the sides continue to remain far apart on key terms.

Earlier Wednesday, Al Thani said negotiations had stalled.

'We are going through a sensitive stage with some stalling, and we are trying as much as possible to address this stalling,' the Qatari premier said.

Al Thani's comments come after the US Democratic Congressman Steny Hoyer criticised Doha's mediation role on Monday and threatened to 'reevaluate' the ties between Washington and Doha.

Hoyer said that Qatar must threaten Hamas with 'repercussions' if the militant Palestinian group 'continues to block progress toward releasing the hostages and establishing a temporary ceasefire.'

The Qatari Embassy in Washington snapped back at Hoyer's remarks, which it called 'surprising' and 'not constructive'.

'Qatar is only a mediator  we do not control Israel or Hamas. Israel and Hamas are entirely responsible for reaching an agreement,' the Qatari embassy said in a previous statement on Tuesday.

The Gulf diplomatic power has received backlash by both US and Israeli officials since it began its mediation role in the wake of the October 7 massacre led by Hamas on Israel.

Palestinian media reported yesterday that there had been intense bombardment and fighting around Nuseirat refugee camp

Palestinians gather to inspect a collapsed building following an Israeli strike in the Yibta refugee camp in Rafah, Gaza on April 17, 2024

Israeli air strikes were reported across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, including in the southern town of Rafah

There have been days of intense bombardment and fighting in and around central Gaza, local reports have stated

This is despite Qatar's crucial role in mediating the release of more than 100 captives from Hamas' clutches last year.

The ceasefire discussions are being held against the backdrop of a humanitarian disaster brewing in Gaza, where Palestinians are suffering severe shortages of food, power, medicine, and other essentials.

A week-long ceasefire in November saw 105 hostages - most of them women and children - freed in return for some 240 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

During the Doha press conference yesterday, the Qatari and Turkish officials emphasised the urgent need to end the brutal war in Gaza.

The conflict has entered its seventh month without plans for a ceasefire in sight - and with the numbers of killed Palestinians nearing a staggering 34,000, according to the Gaza health ministry.

US President Joe Biden also voiced his concerns regarding the conflict in the Middle East and reiterated his demands for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

READ HERE: Benjamin Netanyahu rebuffs plea for restraint in response to Iran attack after meeting Lord Cameron in Jerusalem Advertisement

'The United States is committed to a ceasefire that will bring the hostages home and prevent the conflict from spreading,' Biden said in the Oval Office ahead of his meeting with and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shyaa Al-Sudani on Monday, following Iran's attack on Israel over the weekend.

Iran launched around 350 drone and missiles into the country - most of which were intercepted thanks to Israel's Iron Dome air defence system and the help of the British and US military.

The Qatari premier said Doha had 'warned from the beginning of this war against the expansion of the circle of conflict, and today we see conflicts on different fronts.

'We constantly call on the international community to assume its responsibilities and stop this war,' he added, stating the people of Gaza faced 'siege and starvation' with humanitarian aid being used as a 'tool for political blackmail.'

Palestinian media reported yesterday that there had been intense bombardment and fighting around Nuseirat refugee camp, where 11 members of the al-Nouri family were reportedly killed in a strike on their home on Tuesday.

The Israeli military also said its forces had carried out a raid 'to apprehend terrorists hiding in schools' in the northern town of Beit Hanoun.

A number of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives were detained and others who resisted were killed, it added.

The IDF forces have been accused of beating and torturing captured Palestinians - including UN staff

A truck carrying humanitarian aid arrives for processing at the Kerem Shalom (Karm Abu Salem) border crossing on April 15

Palestinians gather to receive aid outside an UNRWA warehouse as Gaza residents face crisis levels of hunger, March 18, 2024

Meanwhile, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have been accused of beating and torturing captured Palestinians - including UN staff - and subjecting them to extreme sexual violence.

The accusations were documented in a United Nations report on Tuesday, one which was fiercely contested by Israel.

Israeli soldiers allegedly held detainees in cages, deprived them of food, water and sleep and tortured them during interrogation.

It came as the Israeli authorities released over 150 Palestinian detainees on Monday morning after they had been captured in different parts of the Gaza Strip.

The detainees were delivered to Kerem Shalom, a crossing on the border of Egypt, Israel and Gaza.

The devastating UNRWA report is based on the information obtained as a result of the group's role carrying out humanitarian aid at the crossing point.

Released Palestinians allege they were forced to drink toilet water, were attacked by dogs and faced threats that their relatives would be killed, according to the UN report.

A man, aged 41, quoted in the report, said he was sexually violated with a hot metal rod.

He said he was also beaten with shoes and watched as other detainees succumbed to their injuries.
The parents of Thomas Kelly claim they were not aware of their son's killer's violent outbursts in prison before they gave their blessing for him to be paroled.

Kieran Loveridge is due to be released from prison within the next week after the NSW State Parole Authority (SPA) found there would be a 'substantially greater risk' if he was released at a later time.

The now 30-year-old killed Mr Kelly, 18, in a 'cowardly and unprovoked' attack in July 2012, and two weeks ago Justice Geoffrey Bellew said the SPA was 'satisfied' it was in the community's interest to release Loveridge.

Mr Kelly's parents, Kathy and Ralph, supported the parole, but on Wednesday night they told ABC's 7.30 program that they did so based 'on a pack of lies' and that Loveridge had shown no remorse.

At the April parole hearing, they learned Loveridge had been repeatedly violent during his years in prison, assaulting several people including punching a bikie in the face.

The parents of one-punch victim Thomas Kelly said they were 'blindsided' after their son's killer's most recent violent outburst was revealed at his parole hearing. Ralph and Kathy Kelly are pictured

Thomas Kelly (pictured) was killed in a 'cowardly and unprovoked' attack in July 2012

READ MORE: Mum's heartbreaking plea as one-punch killer Kieran Loveridge walks free from jail 12 years after deadly attack Mr Kelly's death prompted the NSW government to introduce legislation that closed Sydney venues at 1am. Kings Cross is pictured Advertisement

In the most recent incident, just weeks before the parole hearing, Loveridge was drunk and violent towards corrections officers.

'It's hard to believe that the State Parole Authority think that he won't be a risk to the community, or a low risk, as they say,' Mr Kelly said.

'Given that he had an outburst on the 27th of February it shows that he is still the same person that he was 12 years ago.'

Ms Kelly said Loveridge 'was drunk in prison and was aggravated'.

'We're talking a month-and-a-half ago... and we weren't aware of that when we put the submission forward saying that we supported the parole. We were doing the right thing, as far as we were concerned.'

She said they only found out about the extent of Loveridge's behaviour in prison at the parole hearing 'as the judge was basically summing everything up'.

'It was disgusting,' Ms Kelly said.

'It was just appalling that that we've been kept in the dark about that, because we really went in with our submission and supported the parole on a pack of lies.

'Had we known that, we definitely would not have supported it.'

Mr Kelly believes 'it's only a matter of time' before Loveridge commits further crimes once he is given parole.

'He can't be watched 24 hours a day, and he will be drinking and he will become violent, and he will reoffend,' he said.

'There's no question of a doubt that when he touches alcohol, the violence, the aggravation comes out, the violence comes out, and it's uncontrollable.'

Kathy Kelly does not believe that Loveridge is sorry for killing her son.

'Absolutely not... of course, he hasn't been able to contact us, I understand that. But there are ways to reach out to the family and show that you are sorry.

'There has never been an apology for what he did. I don't believe there's ever been any remorse whatsoever.'

Kieran Loveridge (left) is due to be released from prison on Thursday after the NSW State Parole Authority found there would be a 'substantially greater risk' if he was released at a later time

Ralph Kelly agreed, saying: 'We know he's not sorry for killing Thomas.

'We got an apology note the day before the Supreme Court (case where Loveridge was convicted).

'It wasn't written by him; it was written by someone in the legal profession and there was a squiggle at the bottom, which gave him 25 per cent (time) off right there, for putting his autograph on the letter.'

Ms Kelly said most people do not realise 'that prisoners have access to (illegally) making alcohol and various things that aren't allowed in prison'.

Loveridge, who assaulted four others on the night he killed Thomas Kelly, initially got a sentence of just four years, but on appeal this was raised to a minimum of 10 years, and a maximum of 13 years and eight months.

When Loveridge was convicted, Thomas' younger brother Stuart made a heartbreaking statement outside the court.

'I now no longer have an older brother. Instead I have a hole in my life that somehow I'm meant to come to terms with and accept,' he said.

Stuart Kelly later took his own life.

Thomas Kelly's brother Stuart (pictured centre) made a heartbreaking statement outside the court

'We lost our beautiful son... four years later our other child Stuart took his own life as a result of the loss of his older brother,' Ms Kelly said after Loveridge's parole hearing.

'He was only 14 years old when Tom was killed... our family may never find forgiveness for Mr Loveridge.

'We continue to grieve every day for our two boys... we have been handed a double life sentence.'

Beyond Blue 1300 22 46 36
By J. Keeler Johnson ("Keelerman") Twitter: @J_Keelerman

Barely more than two weeks out from the 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1), all the prep races have been contested and the field is coming into sharp focus. It's time to analyze the prospective entries and look for live longshots capable of crashing the superfecta at double-digit odds.

With this goal in mind, here are a trio of longshots I'm considering backing in this year's Derby:

Domestic Product

Domestic Product caught my eye when he dominated a 1 1/8-mile maiden special weight at Aqueduct last fall. After tracking a slow pace, he finished fast (final three furlongs in :36.66) to win by 4 1/2 lengths.

Since then, Domestic Product has encountered one bad setup after another. In the 1 1/8-mile Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct, Domestic Product settled in fourth position over a muddy and strongly speed-favoring track before giving way to finish seventh behind Dornoch, who led virtually all the way.

Back on a fast track for the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream, Domestic Product was compromised by settling as many as three lengths behind pedestrian fractions of :25.03, :50.53, and 1:14.25. Despite this obstacle, he rallied gamely to finish second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Kentucky Derby favorite Fierceness.

Domestic Product encountered an even slower pace in the 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay Derby (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs, rating a couple of lengths behind snail-like fractions of :25.25, :51.14, and 1:16.21. But he refused to be defeated, sprinting his final three furlongs in a blazing :35.01 (and his final furlong in :11.77) to prevail by a neck over the pace-tracking Sam F. Davis (G3) winner No More Time.

The point is, Domestic Product has qualified to the Kentucky Derby despite receiving poor setups in three straight stakes. He's repeatedly shown a strong finishing kick on fast tracks, and while entering the Kentucky Derby off an eight-week layoff is a question mark, I believe Domestic Product has a shot to land a top-four finish under five-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.

Honor Marie

We know Honor Marie likes Churchill Downs. The son of champion Honor Code boasts a 3-2-1-0 record at the Kentucky Derby host track, highlighted by a stretch-running score in the 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) last fall. Modest early fractions of :23.70, :48.45, and 1:13.40 didn't lend Honor Marie any advantages, yet he clocked his final three furlongs in a sharp :36.79 to get up and win by two lengths.

Honor Marie didn't fare as well when kicking off 2024 in the Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds, rallying only belatedly from 11th position to finish fifth. But the top four finishers were Blue Grass (G1) winner Sierra Leone, Lecomte (G3) hero Track Phantom, Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Catching Freedom, and Wood Memorial (G2) victor Resilience, so we can forgive Honor Marie for faltering against a deep field in his first start off a three-month layoff. Even in defeat, he ran his final three furlongs in approximately :37.27.

Honor Marie improved significantly in his second start of 2024. In the 1 3/16-mile Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds, he rallied wide to finish second by one length against Catching Freedom. By hand-timing the replay of the race, I gauge that Honor Marie ran his final three furlongs in :37.01.

In short, Honor Marie has finished up strongly in three straight Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifiers. I can certainly envision a scenario where Honor Marie rallies from far behind to crack the Kentucky Derby superfecta

T O Password

Undefeated UAE Derby (G2) winner Forever Young is considered the top Kentucky Derby contender from Japan, but don't underestimate T O Password. The lightly raced colt is 2-for-2 and heads to Churchill Downs with a promising profile.

T O Password showed speed when winning his debut racing 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) at Kyoto, racing in second place before finishing his final 600 meters (about three furlongs) in :37.5 to win by two lengths. He was particularly strong through the final 200 meters (about one furlong), which elapsed in :12.1.

T O Password showed a similar turn-of-foot when stepping up in class for the 1,800-meter Fukuryu S. at Nakayama, the final stop on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. After setting fractions of :24.8, :51.3, and 1:16.2, T O Password ran his final 600 meters in :37.9 to hold off a deep closer and win by a head in 1:54.1.

It's important to note that dirt tracks in Japan tend to play quite slowly, and the fact T O Password has twice finished in under :38 while racing 1,800 meters is respectable. Remember Master Fencer, the Japanese raider who finished seventh (upgraded to sixth via disqualification) at 58-1 in the 2019 Kentucky Derby? He exited a runner-up finish in the Fukuryu, in which he finished up in :37.1 to record a final time of 1:53.4.

T O Password is bound to encounter a faster pace in the Kentucky Derby, and that's a question mark. But if he's able to adapt to an off-the-pace running style, I don't think we can dismiss the possibility of T O Password launching a homestretch rally to finish in the top four, especially if the track is sloppy. His sire, Copano Rickey, repeatedly thrived over sloppy and muddy tracks while winning multiple local Group 1 races on Japan's National Association of Racing (NAR) circuit.

Now it's your turn! Which live longshots do you like in the 2024 Kentucky Derby?

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J. Keeler Johnson (also known as "Keelerman") is a writer, videographer, voice actor, handicapper, and all-around horse racing enthusiast. A great fan of racing history, he considers Dr. Fager to be the greatest racehorse ever produced in America, but counts Zenyatta as his all-time favorite.
Direct flights resume between Chengdu, Auckland

Xinhua) 10:56, April 18, 2024

Crew of Sichuan Airlines' direct flight from China's Chengdu to Auckland of New Zealand pose for a group photo with honored guests at the Auckland International Airport in Auckland, New Zealand, April 17, 2024. The direct flights between China's Chengdu and Auckland of New Zealand officially resumed on Wednesday after being suspended for more than four years as a Sichuan Airlines' aircraft carrying over 200 Chinese tourists landed at the Auckland International Airport. (Xinhua/Lu Huaiqian)

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The direct flights between China's Chengdu and Auckland of New Zealand officially resumed on Wednesday as a Sichuan Airlines' aircraft carrying over 200 Chinese tourists landed at the Auckland International Airport.

The services had been suspended for more than four years due to the COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions. The Chinese tourists were welcomed by a special ceremony featured with traditional Maori dance and singing at the airport on Wednesday afternoon.

Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong said there are now six airlines in operation of direct flights between the two countries, involving seven Chinese cities.

Rachel Maidment, the director of the Auckland office of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said that the resumption of the Sichuan Airlines flight between Chengdu and Auckland is a positive milestone for New Zealand-China connectivity.

"Resumption of this direct link between Chengdu and Auckland will further strengthen the ties between our peoples and our lands. It will make it easier for tourists and students to build connections and explore; and will help foster greater business and economic connections through a more seamless and convenient bridge between Chengdu and Auckland," she said.

Currently, direct flight is conducted between Chengdu and Auckland one time every week, according to Sichuan Airlines. Zhao Feng, general manager of Sichuan Airlines, told Xinhua that the company will pay close attention to the passenger demand in the New Zealand market, consider adding more flights during China's winter flight season, and gradually expand the route layout in Oceania.

This photo taken on April 17, 2024 shows a Sichuan Airlines' aircraft at the Auckland International Airport in Auckland, New Zealand. The direct flights between China's Chengdu and Auckland of New Zealand officially resumed on Wednesday after being suspended for more than four years as a Sichuan Airlines' aircraft carrying over 200 Chinese tourists landed at the Auckland International Airport. (Xinhua/Lu Huaiqian)

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
Russia's denial of entry of a Korean national and its subsequent decision to impose a 30-year entry ban on the person appears to be unrelated to the bilateral relations that have soured amid Moscow's war in Ukraine, a Seoul official said Thursday.

Lim Soo-suk, the foreign ministry spokesperson, made the comment after the Donga Ilbo daily reported that a Korean businesswoman, who has spent more than 20 years doing business in Russia, was denied entry last month upon arrival and issued an entry ban for 30 years until 2054.

The unidentified woman in her 60s claimed that the Russian authorities only cited "state secrets" as the reason for her denial of entry. She also said that the entry ban came after the Russian immigration authorities turned down her bid to gain permanent residency.

"We are aware of the case. We do not think that this case has much to do with the Korea-Russia relations," Lim said during a press briefing. He declined to provide further details, citing privacy concerns.

The latest case draws attention as the bilateral ties between Seoul and Moscow have remained frosty since Korea joined the U.S.-led move to impose sanctions against Russia over its invasion in Ukraine.

Russia has labeled Korea as one of the unfriendly nations, calling for the withdrawal of a string of economic sanctions Seoul has imposed on Moscow.

Russia revealed early last month that a Korean missionary, identified only by his family name Baek, has been held in the Lefortovo detention facility in Moscow since late February on espionage charges, a claim denied by the Christian aid group he works for.

The foreign ministry in Seoul said it is communicating with the Russian side over Baek's arrest and taking steps to provide necessary consular assistance. (Yonhap)
A mother and her four children have been forced to live in a tent after losing their entire home in a fire amid Australia's worsening housing crisis.

Kristine Meakins, and her kids aged two, five, eight and 15, have been living in a tent at a caravan park in Perth's south for the past two weeks.

Her rental home in Rockingham burnt down in January, leaving the Meakins family with nothing.

They have been put on the priority list for social housing and Ms Meakins said she has submitted 50 applications for rental homes to no avail.

'This isn't liveable. You are not supposed to live this way,' she told the ABC in between tears.

Kristine Meakins, and her four kids, aged two, five, eight and 15, have been living in a tent at a caravan park in Perth 's south for the past two weeks

After their house burnt down, Ms Meakins bought camping gear, mattresses and a stove but said the first campsite they went to kicked them out after three days.

The family have then moved around various caravan parks, but it's becoming increasingly difficult to find somewhere to sleep.

Visitors are also only allowed to stay in caravan parks for a maximum of two weeks so the Meakins family will soon be on the move again.

'I just felt angry, really, really angry, because not everyone's house burns down and not everyone has to watch everything you've accumulated in your whole life get destroyed right in front of you,' Ms Meakins said.

'I just feel like I'm hitting a brick wall every single time, and then we come back here and go to sleep and do it all again the next day.'

The mother is desperately trying to make life as normal as she can for her children, with toys and colouring-in books seen in the tent.

She said she'd been going to every open house and handing in applications on time while trying to make a good impression.

'And I've been rejected every single time and it's depressing because it makes you not want to even bother but if you don't bother you don't have a chance at all,' Ms Meakins said.

Tragically her predicament is becoming more common as the housing shortage escalates, with many caravan parks hitting capacity around the nation.

The family have then moved around from various caravan parks, but it's becoming increasingly more difficult to find somewhere to sleep.

The vacancy rate of rental properties in the metro Perth area sits below 1 per cent, the lowest in Australia.

It's estimated that just under 200,000 people need housing.

WA Minister for Housing and Planning, John Carey, gave a grim outlook for the future.

He said he hoped Ms Meakins and her family would secure housing but said the housing shortage would not be overcome quickly.

'It won't be in the next year because our market, like every market in Australia, is facing the same constraints and pressures,' he told the publication.

At time when population is booming due to record migration, the nation's building industry is in crisis due to shortages in qualified tradesmen, and the rise in cost of materials.
Sir Keir Starmer still hasn't seen legal advice which his deputy Angela Rayner claims exonerates her over her 'two homes' row.

Ms Rayner is under mounting pressure as both police and council investigations have been launched into the saga.

It is now threatening to overshadow Labour's campaigning ahead of next month's local elections.

At Prime Minister's Questions yesterday, Sir Keir was mocked by Rishi Sunak over his claim that he does not need to see the legal and tax advice which Ms Rayner says clears her of any wrongdoing.

The Labour leader attacked Mr Sunak over predecessor Liz Truss's book, Ten Years To Save The West, calling it 'quite the read'.

At Prime Minister's Questions yesterday, Sir Keir was mocked by Rishi Sunak over his claim that he does not need to see the legal advice which Ms Rayner says clears her of any wrongdoing

Ms Rayner, 44, has faced questions over whether she should have paid capital gains tax on the ex-council house when it was sold in 2015, for a 48,500 profit, if it was not her principal residence

But the PM hit back, telling MPs: 'He ought to spend a bit less time reading that book and a bit more time reading the deputy leader's tax advice.'

Mr Sunak told his opposite number to 'show some leadership' and 'simply publish' the legal advice Ms Rayner has received over the sale of her former council house in Stockport, Greater Manchester.

Ms Rayner, 44, has faced questions over whether she should have paid capital gains tax on the ex-council house when it was sold in 2015, for a 48,500 profit, if it was not her principal residence.

The allegations first emerged in Red Queen? The Unauthorised Biography Of Angela Rayner by Lord Ashcroft, serialised in the Mail and Mail on Sunday.

A Labour spokesman confirmed Ms Rayner had received separate advice on the legal and tax implications of her property dealings.

The advice has been seen by members of Sir Keir's team, but the Labour leader has not asked to look at it himself.

A spokesman for Sir Keir said he was confident Ms Rayner had 'acted within the rules' but said it was 'not for him to rule on the advice'.

Police last week launched an investigation into claims that before becoming an MP in 2015, Ms Rayner may have wrongly declared on the electoral roll she was living in a property on Vicarage Road.

Neighbours allege that she was living primarily at her then-husband Mark's home in Lowndes Lane, a mile away.

Police last week launched an investigation into claims that before becoming an MP in 2015, Ms Rayner may have wrongly declared on the electoral roll she was living in a property on Vicarage Road - but neighbours allege she was living primarily at her then-husband Mark's home in Lowndes Lane (pictured), a mile away

The police are also understood to be looking at her tax affairs, including whether she wrongly claimed a single person's council tax discount on her property while allowing her brother to live there.

However it was revealed yesterday that documentation confirming the address Ms Rayner gave while bidding to enter politics  thought to be crucial to the investigation  has been destroyed.

The mother-of-three would have had to provide an address when she applied to become the Labour candidate for Ashton-under-Lyne the year prior to the election.

A Labour spokesman told the Mail the paperwork had been 'disposed of' in line with data protection rules.

Giving false information is an offence under the Representation of the People Act 1983 but there is a time limit of a year for bringing any charge.

Magistrates can extend this in rare situations.

Ms Rayner says she and her ex-husband both 'maintained' their own properties at the time. Sources say she has 'never denied' she 'spent time' at his home.

Last week Ms Rayner said she would resign if 'found to have committed a criminal offence'.
The International Monetary Fund faced a backlash yesterday after warning Jeremy Hunt that his tax cuts were likely to push up debt.

It took aim at the Chancellor's recent two percentage point cut in National Insurance contributions, costing 9billion a year.

In a report, the IMF said the cut could 'worsen the debt trajectory in the medium term' - meaning the Chancellor would fail to meet the Government's own target for cutting debt.

Mr Hunt went ahead with the reduction in NIC at last month's Budget despite a previous intervention from the Fund earlier this year.

They advised against the cut and said that the Government should spend more money on the NHS and the transition to net zero.

It took aim at the Chancellor's (pictured) recent two percentage point cut in National Insurance contributions, costing 9billion a year

Yesterday the IMF's latest reprimand of the UK sparked fresh criticism.

Former business secretary Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg said: 'The IMF is always wrong and it is as arrogant as it is mistaken.

'Fortunately, its track record is so bad that no sensible person listens to it.'

Julian Jessop, economics fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs, said: 'The UK government is free to ignore the IMF's advice and is surely right to do so here.

'The cuts in National Insurance are helping to rebalance the tax burden away from taxes on work.

'They should therefore boost the sustainable growth rate of the economy, which is key to improving the public finances over the longer term.'

Calculations by the IMF show the UK's ratio of debt to national output on a rising trajectory from 92.9 per cent in 2024 to 98 per cent over the next five years.

The Fund's numbers differ from those prepared by Britain's Office for Budget Responsibility at the time of the Spring Statement.

Nevertheless, in spite of the criticism, projections of the British national debt remain below those of several of its G7 competitors, including France, Italy, the US and Japan.
Prince Harry chose the day he and Meghan left Frogmore Cottage as the date his formal US residency began, it has been revealed.

The couple reportedly moved out the last of their belongings from the Windsor property - which until then had remained their UK base after they moved to California in 2020 - on June 29 last year.

This is the date that the Duke of Sussex said he began living in America in new business documents disclosed by the Mail yesterday.

Filings published by Companies House for 'Prince Henry Charles Albert David Duke of Sussex' record that his 'New Country/State Usually Resident' is now the USA, while it previously stated the United Kingdom.

Royal experts have said Harry was 'deeply wounded' by his father's order for him and Meghan to leave Frogmore, which had been a wedding gift from Queen Elizabeth, with suggestions that he was making a point by choosing the date.

This is the date that the Duke of Sussex said he began living in America on new business documents disclosed by the Mail yesterday

Royal experts have said Harry was 'deeply wounded' by his father's order for him and Meghan to leave Frogmore Cottage

The Sussexes' mansion is worth $14 million (11m) and has six bedrooms and seven bathrooms

The publicly-viewable document that shows Prince Harry is now based in the United States

Royal author Phil Dampier told The Sun: 'Charles and William knew it had to be done to emphasise Harry and Meghan were outside The Firm but he probably still thought he could keep a base here. Now he's shown he accepts his life is in the US.'

It comes after Harry revealed earlier this year that he has 'considered' becoming a US citizen, a move which would mean he may have to renounce his titles.

'The thought has crossed my mind but not a high priority right now,' he said on Good Morning America in February.

Pressure has been increasing on Joe Biden's government to release Harry's visa records after campaigners seized on comments made by the American ambassador to London that he would not be deported while the Democrat was president.

The conservative Heritage Foundation think tank in Washington DC, which has gone to court to seek the release of the file, has submitted the remarks made by Jane Hartley as part of its case.

The new details, filed at Companies House for Harry's eco travel venture Travalyst, also raise serious questions about whether he can remain as a Counsellor of State, one of seven members of the Royal Family who can deputise for the Monarch if he is abroad or unwell.

By law, Counsellors of State are required to have a UK domicile, but Harry has no home here after King Charles asked the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to vacate Frogmore Cottage, a gift from the late Queen Elizabeth.

Dr Craig Prescott, an expert on constitutional law, said last year: 'We are really in uncharted waters here: the Prince Harry situation is not something the law easily allows for.

'The idea of the second son of the King choosing a life away from royal duties is not something the law has thought about, and I can imagine that Buckingham Palace would be concerned by that.

The King had the chance to remove him with the counsellor-of-state legislation last year, but chose not to.'

Until 2022, the Counsellors of State were Queen Camilla, Prince William, Harry, Prince Andrew and his elder daughter Princess Beatrice.

However, many considered this situation unsuitable as Harry, the Duke of York and Beatrice are not working royals.

Harry with Charles at Windsor around the time of the Queen's funeral

Later that year, the King asked parliament to add his sister, Princess Anne, and youngest brother, Prince Edward, to the list.

It was reported that the King decided not to remove Harry and Andrew because he did not want to escalate family tensions and believed it was unlikely either would ever be required to deputise for him.

However, last year courtiers were keen to ensure that William returned to Britain from a solo trip to New York before the King and Queen departed for their state visit to France on the same day.

READ MORE: Moment Meghan Markle asks woman not to pose next to Prince Harry for Polo prizegiving photo - and lets royal fan stand next to her instead Advertisement

The situation has since become even more urgent because of the King's cancer treatment.

Harry challenged the decision by the Home Office to remove his right to automatic Metropolitan Police protection when he is in Britain, even though he has offered to pay for it himself.

After the decision was made, a legal representative for Harry has said he was 'unable to return to his home' with his family because it is too dangerous.

He has since lost the court case and potentially faces a bill of around 1million when his own legal costs are taken into account.

A judge rejected a bid to halve the amount he had to pay by saying the Duke of Sussex had 'comprehensively lost' his case.

Separately Sir Peter Lane also threw out the duke's application to appeal against the ruling, describing one section of it as 'frankly hopeless'.

The Heritage Foundation has been pushing the Department of Homeland Security to open its dossier on Harry under America's freedom of information laws.

After he admitted taking cocaine in his memoirs, Spare, he faced questions over how he had been able to move to the USA, where admitting drug use can block a visa application.

Prince Harry, pictured with Meghan Markle at a polo event in Florida on April 12, has listed the US as his primary residence for the first time
An MP who was once quizzed by police over claims he got a dog drunk has lost the Tory whip amid serious allegations he misused campaign funds.

Mark Menzies, who has served as the MP for Fylde in Lancashire since 2010, allegedly made a 3am call to a 78-year-old party volunteer because he had been locked up by 'bad people' who were demanding thousands of pounds for his release.

Mr Menzies disputes the allegations but the Conservative Party is looking into the claims and taking them seriously.

According to The Times, 14,000 given by donors for use on Tory campaign activities was transferred to Mr Menzies' personal bank accounts and used for private medical expenses.

The shamed MP was also previously accused of getting a friend's dog drunk in 2017, paying for sex from a male escort in 2014 and drunkenly 'kicking chairs and poking people' at a Last Night of the Proms concert as recently as last August.

A spokesperson for Chief Whip Simon Hart said: 'Following a call with the Chief Whip, Mark Menzies has agreed to relinquish the Conservative whip, pending the outcome of an investigation.'

Mark Menzies (pictured) has lost the Tory whip amid serious allegations he misused campaign funds

A spokesperson for Chief Whip Simon Hart (pictured) said Mr Menzies has agreed to give up the Tory whip pending an investigation

This means that Mr Menzies is no longer a Tory MP and will sit as an independent MP in the House of Commons.

READ MORE: MP William Wragg 'voluntarily' gives up Tory whip after admitting giving out the phone numbers of his colleagues in honeytrapping scandal that has embroiled Westminster Advertisement

It is yet another headache for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after another MP, William Wragg, gave up the whip last week after admitting he had given his colleagues' phone number to someone on a dating app in a suspected honeytrap scandal.

Police are investigating reports explicit images and flirtatious texts were sent to multiple MPs in what is believed to be a 'spear-phishing' attack and a deliberate attempt to compromise Westminster.

Mr Menzies, who is one of Mr Sunak's trade envoys, is said to have called his former campaign manager at 3.15am one morning in December, claiming he was locked in a flat and needed 5,000 as a matter of 'life and death'.

The unnamed woman refused and is said to have told the MP she would speak to his constituency office manager in the morning.

A few hours later the sum demanded, which rose to 6,500, was eventually paid by his office manager from her personal bank account and subsequently reimbursed from funds raised from donors in an account named Fylde Westminster Group, it is alleged.

After being rescued from the flat, Mr Menzies is said to have rang the 78-year-old up again to tell her he had asked one of his London staffers to collect him.

The junior staffer allegedly handed over his own money, thought to be a few hundred pounds, which Mr Menzies said he owed to two other men.

It is yet another headache for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (pictured)

The next day, on another call, Mr Menzies allegedly said he needed another 35,000 for medical bills. When he was told there were no more campaign funds, he allegedly replied: 'Oh, we'll raise some more.'

According to a source close to Mr Menzies, the MP had met a man on an online dating website and gone to the man's flat, before subsequently going with another man to a second address where he continued drinking.

It was falsely claimed he was sick at one point and several people at the address demanded 5,000, claiming it was for cleaning up and other expenses.

The source said Mr Menzies decided to pay them because he was scared of what would happen otherwise, but did not have the funds to transfer the money from his own savings.

They claimed the MP subsequently offered to reimburse the monies to the fund but was allegedly told he did not have to.

There are other occasions where Mr Menzies is said to have used money from the campaign fund to cover his personal expenses.

In 2020 he allegedly sought 3,000 to cover medical bills, but he did not repay the money and instead asked for and received a further 4,000, The Times reported.

The newspaper said a source close to the MP disputed this account. Several years later, by which time a different campaign manager was in post, a further 7,000 was received by Mr Menzies from the account in November, it is alleged in The Times.

William Wragg gave up the Tory whip last week after admitting he had given his colleagues' phone number to someone on a dating app suspected to be involved in a honeytrap plot

The newspaper reports that in January, following the MPs alleged 3.15am December phone call, the former campaign manager reported what had happened to Mr Hart, alleging misuse of donor's money and abuse of privilege and an investigation was opened.

In a statement to The Times, Mr Menzies said: 'I strongly dispute the allegations put to me. I have fully complied with all the rules for declarations. As there is an investigation ongoing I will not be commenting further.'

A Conservative Party spokesman said: 'The Conservative Party is investigating allegations made regarding a Member of Parliament. This process is rightfully confidential.

'The party takes all allegations seriously and will always investigate any matters put to them.'

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said it was 'frankly appalling' that the Conservative Party had been aware of the allegations for more than three months.

'When our national security faces threats on many fronts, it is deeply concerning that some MPs are so open to traps, threats and manipulations,' she said.

'Rishi Sunak must suspend the whip for Mark Menzies immediately, while all the relevant authorities investigate the matter.'

A decade ago Mr Menzies quit as a ministerial aide following allegations about his behaviour made by a Brazilian male escort.

The MP, who was born in Ayrshire, was raised by his mother after his Merchant Navy father died a month before he was born.

Mr Menzies (pictured) was first elected as MP for Fylde in 2010 when David Cameron was prime minister

He studied economic and social history at the University of Glasgow and worked for Marks & Spencer and Asda before moving into politics.

While the unmarried MP has never disclosed his sexuality, he has appeared on a list of gay MPs on the website Pink News.

Mr Menzies was first elected as MP for Fylde in 2010 when David Cameron was prime minister.

He quickly took up a position as parliamentary private secretary but his political career was left in tatters when he became embroiled in a sex-for-money scandal.

A 19-year-old Brazilian man called Rogerio dos Santos Pinto told The Sunday Mirror that the MP had paid him for sex and asked him to buy an illegal drug.

He said they met on a gay escort website and claimed the politician had given him a tour of the Houses of Parliament before allegedly offering to pay him 250 for a two-hour session.

Mr Menzies, then 42, resigned as a ministerial aide and said some of the allegations were untrue and claimed he would be 'setting the record straight in due course'. He has not held a ministerial role since, however.

Three years later, the shamed MP was quizzed by cops after being accused of deliberately getting a friend's dog drunk and then starting a fight with them when challenged.

It was reported at the time that the dog needed emergency treatment for 'intoxication' and 'poisoning'. The dog owner claimed to have spent some 500 on vets' bills, The Mirror reported.

Mr Menzies said the allegations were 'false and malicious' at the time and police ultimately dismissed the claims. And a source later denied Mr Menzies' involvement, claiming the dog drunk alcohol that had been left on the grass when the friend fell asleep.

More recently, Mr Menzies is said to have caused a drunken scene at a Last Night of the Proms concert featuring Katherine Jenkins at Lytham Hall last August.

More recently, Mr Menzies is said to have caused a drunken scene at a Last Night of the Proms concert featuring Katherine Jenkins at Lytham Hall last August (pictured)

One patron claimed the MP 'started kicking the chairs and poking the people on the front row' at the 150-a-ticket event (pictured)

The MP, who was invited by the local mayor, is said to have arrived intoxicated before getting into a row with other guests after finding out his seats had not been reserved in the VIP section.

One patron claimed the MP 'started kicking the chairs and poking the people on the front row' at the 150-a-ticket event, the Times reports.

Mr Menzies allegedly had to be spoken to by security because he was so heavily intoxicated. A source close to the MP admitted he had too much to drink but did not intentionally poke anyone.

The Times reports that the Tory party has known about the allegations for three months.

It comes just weeks before the local elections and it remains to be seen whether Prime Minister Rishi Sunak could face another by-election headache.
Molly the Magpie has cherished his first day back at home, with heartwarming footage showing him being reunited with his human family and Staffordshire Terrier friends.

Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen shared a montage of the bird's 'first 24 hours home' after he was returned to his family on the Gold Coast, Queensland.

Molly had been separated from the family for 45 days after being confiscated by wildlife authorities who said they were not permitted to keep a wild bird.

He was returned following nationwide outrage that led to the Queensland Premier personally intervening in the case.

Video showed Molly charging around the house with his wings out, having a bath, singing and enjoying the sunshine with his canine friends Peggy and Ruby.

'Molly's first 24 hours home has been wonderful for all of us,' Ms Wells wrote on Instagram on Tuesday.

'The three best friends have been enjoying the sun together or just enjoying each others' company like they have always done.

Molly, the Inst-famous magpie, is back with his Staffy friends and human carers 45 days after he was seized by wildlife authorities

Video showed Molly charging around the house with his wings out, having a bath, singing and enjoying the sunshine with his canine friends Peggy and Ruby

'They are resettling into their normal home life and Molly has had a few baths and played with his faithful sloth toys, with Peggy and Ruby never too far away.

'We have had to duck quite a few times as wings flap by our heads and the constant singing is music to our ears.'

Ms Wells and Mr Mortensen rescued Molly as a baby in 2020 and started sharing his 'unlikely friendship with their two pet staffies on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

The trio shot to stardom, attracting two million followers, and starred in a book filled with photos of the unlikely companions, with fans gushing over the 'very special' relationship between the three animals.

Molly was originally thought to be a female by Ms Wells, but is actually a male and the name stuck.

Ms Wells and Mr Mortensen voluntarily surrendered Molly to Queensland's Department of Science, Environment and Innovation (DESI) on March 1 after authorities found they did not have the required permit to care for native wildlife.

After a battle with the state government, Molly was returned on Monday under strict conditions, including that the couple no longer profit from the bird or its image.

Ms Wells and Mr Mortensen shared an emotional update on Facebook immediately after they were reunited with their beloved bird earlier this week.

'We are so excited to be able to share the first photo of the 3 besties reunited,' the couple wrote.

'Thank you for giving us a little space to settle in and enjoy each others company again.'

A photo showed the two dogs sitting on a white fluffy cushion while Molly stood on the side and stared into the camera.

'Hes singing, barking and sunning himself with Peggy and Ruby,' Ms Wells and Mr Mortenson said.

'We are so grateful to have him back with us we couldnt have done it with you'.

Another gushing post read: 'We have the best news. Molly is Home. We are overwhelmed with emotion right now.

'Molly's first 24 hours home has been wonderful for all of us,' Ms Wells wrote on Instagram on Tuesday

Ms Wells and Mr Mortensen rescued Molly as a baby in 2020 and started sharing his 'unlikely friendship with their two pet staffies on Facebook , Instagram and YouTube

'It was a very exciting reunion at the [Department] this morning for us with a little cry of happiness from Molly.'

Social media users were overjoyed about Molly's return.

'So happy to see Molly back where he belongs,' one person said.

'Watching Molly come has made my day. Love how he has a bath, it's like he's washing himself clean of all the ridiculousness that went one,' another wrote.

'If this doesn't show the world the bond these have, I don't know what else could,' a third person said. 'So glad Molly is safe and home.'

Ms Wells and Mr Mortensen undertook wildlife carer training and must continue engaging with authorities to ensure the bird is receiving adequate care.

They couple said they had been given a license to care for the bird.

They are also encouraged to publicly educate others on how to appropriately care for native wildlife.
Dramatic footage has captured the moment a man was arrested in his underwear following a city-wide raid on a crime syndicate.

Strike Force Murraguldrie detectives carried out six search warrants across Sydney with properties in Liverpool, Maroubra, Eastlakes and Rhodes raided on Wednesday.

Two men were charged for their alleged involvement in the syndicate that supplies firearms and drugs.

Some $500,000 in cash was seized along with a rifle, pistol, ammunition, flick knife, prohibited drugs and electronic devices.

Footage showed heavily-armed police visiting one of the houses and banging on the door demanding the owner open it.

Dramatic footage captured the moment a man was arrested in his underwear following a city-wide raid as police cracked down on a crime syndicate

Police seized around $500,000 in cash in a series of raids across Sydney

An officer then smashed a battering ram into the door sending it wide open before the squad moved in.

Moments later a tattooed man wearing only his underwear was seen sitting on a fold-out chair with his hands handcuffed behind his back and cops surrounding him.

A 21-year-old man was arrested after cops raided one of the properties at Liverpool.

Jake Joshua Buttigieg was taken to Liverpool Police Station and charged with 14 offences.

Twelve drug-supply related offences, knowingly deal with proceeds of crime and fail to comply digital evidence access order direction were among the charges.

He was refused bail to front Liverpool Local Court on Thursday.

Weapons were seized in the raids by detectives from Strike Force Murraguldrie and riot squad officers

Prohibited drugs were also seized in a series of raids across Sydney

Strike force detectives arrested a 36-year-old man at an Eastlakes property.

Oscar Santa Ana was taken to Mascot Police Station and charged with 14 offences.

Seven of the charges relate to drug-supply offences and the others for firearm supply offences.

He was refused bail to appear at Downing Centre Local Court today

The seized items will undergo further forensic examination.

Inquiries under Strike Force Murraguldrie continue, with further arrests expected.

The strike force was established by Raptor Squad in October 2023 to investigate the drug supply activities of a 36-year-old man and his associates in the greater Sydney area.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
A tropical low over north-eastern Australia could bring heavy rain to the region, while grey skies and showers continue over most major cities.

Tropical Low 15U has a chance of developing into a cyclone in the eastern Arafura Sea from late Friday into Saturday.

'If 15U develops, it should be located in the eastern Arafura Sea or northern Gulf of Carpentaria on Friday and Saturday,' the Bureau of Meteorology said.

'From Sunday 15U is likely to start weakening, and it is expected to dissipate by later on Monday.'

Due to steady rainfall across Australia's east coast, flood warnings have been issued for several regions in Queensland and New South Wales.

In Queensland, warnings were issued for the Barcoo River, Georgina River, Warrego River, Weir River and Eyre Creek.

Minor flood warnings were in place for the Bokhara River, Balonne River Minor, Moonie River and Cooper Creek.

A minor to moderate flood warning was issued for the Warrego River and Barwon River in NSW on top of a moderate flood warning for the Weir River.

Showers and cloudy skies are forecast for almost all of Australia's major cities as the week comes to an end

READ MORE: Five words cop told the first man arrested over Sydney church stabbing riots Advertisement

Sydney

Sydney's wet weather was expected to ease late on Thursday but return on Friday.

'That's due to a low pressure trough longer over north-east NSW this afternoon,' Weatherzone meteorologist Felix Levesque said.

Friday is looking wet with a high chance of showers along the coast and medium chance elsewhere.

'Around midday onwards we will see a southerly wind move through the Sydney region,' Mr Levesque said.

'That should bring showers and cooler temperatures.'

Saturday also has a high chance of showers, becoming less likely in the evening, before the sky partially clears on Sunday.

Melbourne

Melbourne's showers were likely to persist through Thursday night after a top of just 17C.

The rest of the week is also set to be chilly with tops of just 18C forecast through to Monday.

Showers are expected to ease on Friday ahead of a cloudy weekend.

Brisbane

Showers over Brisbane during the day on Thursday could develop into thunderstorms in the evening with possibly severe conditions in the city's west.

Friday's forecast is looking sunnier with clear skies coupled with a top of 29C.

Rain is set to redevelop on Saturday with a medium chance of showers and a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening.

That wet weather will hang around on Sunday with a high chance of showers and a possible thunderstorm.

Adelaide

Cloudy skies over Adelaide are forecast to develop into rain on Friday with a medium chance of showers, most likely in the early morning.

The city's weekend is set to be sunny with clear skies on Saturday and Sunday and tops of 22C.

Canberra

Thursday's partially cloudy conditions in Canberra are forecast to continue on Friday and Saturday with a medium chance of showers in the late morning and afternoon on Friday.

However, the city is expected to be sunny on Sunday with a top of 21C.

Brisbane could cop a severe thunderstorm on Thursday while Sydney and Melbourne see showers

Perth

Sunny skies over Perth are forecast through to next week with maximum temperatures remaining in the low 30Cs.

Hobart

Friday's temperature is only set to crack 17C with cloudy weather and a slight chance of a shower in the early morning.

Saturday and Sunday are both expected to be partially cloudy.

Darwin

Rain is developing over Darwin on Friday with a medium chance of showers and the chance of a thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening.

However, conditions are set to improve with mostly sunny skies on Friday, Saturday and Sunday coupled with high temperatures in the mid 30Cs.
A failed asylum seeker whose deportation was blocked after cabin crew prevented his repatriation flight from taking off has pleaded guilty to raping a 15-year-old girl.

Anicet Mayela, 40, who once protested outside a detention centre with a sign that read 'migrants are not criminals', could now face life in jail.

Oxford Crown Court heard that there was a high level of 'dangerousness' during the sex attack by the former economics student, The Sun reports.

The Congolese national claimed his life was at risk when he paid an 'agent' to smuggle him out of the African country, arriving in the UK in 2004.

The first attempt to deport him failed after he alleged he was injured in an isolation cell at Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre near Heathrow Airport.

Anicet Mayela, 40, once protested outside a detention centre with a sign that read 'migrants are not criminals'

Mayela was then held at Campsfield House Detention Centre in Kidlington, where he was later pictured with a 'stop detention' sign following his release.

A deportation flight was planned for May 2005, but the removal was foiled by Air France crew, who stopped the flight taking off from Southampton.

A source said to be close to Home Secretary James Cleverly reportedly told The Sun that people 'with no knowledge' of the situations of those for whom 'they suddenly decide to intervene... can have appalling consequences for others'.

The cabin crew's intervention came amid claims Mayela's hand had been broken by deportation minders who handcuffed his wrists and taped his legs together.

Weeks later, Mayela won leave to remain after lawyers said that deportation would be against his human rights while police investigated the handlers for alleged assault.

He was released two days later and took part in a campaign to close Campsfield House, where he had been detained.

A deportation flight was planned for May 2005, but the removal was prevented by Air France crew (file image)

Mayela was then held at Campsfield House Detention Centre in Kidlington, where he was later pictured protesting with a 'stop detention' sign following his release

At the time he is said to have told the BBC: 'I am here to support my friends... I have been inside here, and at Colnbrook.'

Tory MP Marco Longhi, who sits on the Home Affairs select committee, told The Sun that the case 'raises serious questions about the legal process and Mayela's right to stay in this country.'

'My constituents are sure to be furious to discover that he has remained here on what appears to be a flimsy excuse before committing this horrific crime.'
Darwin's only gay nightclub is closing after 24 years because of building safety issues.

Throb Nightclub has been placed into liquidation after the venue's directors on Wednesday voted to wind the company up and appoint Adelaide-based firm Tarquin Koch Accounting and Insolvency Services as liquidator.

The Northern Territory government had shut down the nightclub in September last year because the Manolas building on Smith Street was deemed to be unsafe.

Liquidator Tarquin Koch told Daily Mail Australia this had stopped Throb Nightclub from trading.

'A business that can't trade is a business that's going to fail,' he said.

Darwin's only gay nightclub is closing after 24 years because of building issues

Throb Nightclub has been placed into liquidation after the venue's directors on Wednesday voted to wind the company up and appoint Adelaide-based firm Tarquin Koch Accounting and Insolvency Services as liquidator

'It had an unsafe order slapped on it with issues with the slab and that has been an ongoing issue with directors liaising with the relevant government departments and their landlord to try and rectify, so they can open the doors and obviously trade but they haven't been able to do so.

'Hence the requirement to go into liquidation.

'They can't trade due to the orders made on the actual building, which they are a tenant.'

The Northern Territory's Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics' Director of Building Control had forced the nightclub to close September 7, 2023, following an inspection of the premises on the corner of Smith and Edmunds streets.

An emergency order was served on the building owner Halikos Group to rectify the safety issues related to the walls and a concrete slab.

This affected Throb Nightclub because they were tenants but the Meraki Greek Taverna restaurant has since moved back into the building while the National Flag shop has relocated.

Businessman Tim Palmer, Mark Marcelis and his sister Karen Dunham had established the nightclub in 2000, making it one of Darwin's most popular venues on Friday and Saturday nights, with drag shows after 11pm.

It also became a popular venue for straight people, from Supreme Court judges to tradies and those in the Defence Force who wanted a more relaxed place to party in a more youthful city where men are the majority.

The Northern Territory government had shut down the nightclub in September because the Manolas building was deemed to be unsafe

Liquidator Tarquin Koch told Daily Mail Australia this had stopped Throb Nightclub from trading

Throb had also encouraged both gay and straight people to visit, rather than marketing itself as just a place for same-sex attracted patrons.

'All welcome,' its Facebook page said.

'Where you're free to be with respect and consideration for others.'

But the venue had signs targeting those with anti-gay attitudes.

'You! You are entering a gay and lesbian-friendly zone! Men kiss men, women kiss women,' it said.

'If this offends you, do not enter (and grow up).'

Unlike some other nightclubs in the hot, tropical city, Throb had allowed men to enter wearing shorts rather than long pants.

The closure of Throb means Darwin and the Northern Territory's tropical Top End won't have a gay nightclub.

But The Cavenagh Hotel and The Deck Bar occasionally hold gay-themed events.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Halikos Group for comment.
South Korea's National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo stressed the need Wednesday to beef up joint deterrence efforts by Seoul and Washington to address evolving North Korean military capabilities, which he said pose a "direct" threat to the continental United States.

Kim made the remarks during a forum hosted by the Institute for Korean Studies at George Washington University, urging Pyongyang to cease its nuclear threats and return to the "path of denuclearization."

"Despite South Korea's attempts to initiate dialogue, North Korea has escalated provocations to unprecedented levels with advancements in ICBMs, SLBMs and nuclear-powered submarines. North Korea now poses a direct threat not only to the Korean Peninsula but also to the continental U.S.," he said.

ICBM and SLBM stand for intercontinental ballistic missile and submarine-launched ballistic missile, respectively.

"(South Korea and the U.S.) have consistently strengthened the operational capabilities of extended deterrence. I firmly believe that we are moving in the right direction and must continue to intensify our collective endeavors in this regard," he added.

Extended deterrence refers to America's commitment to using the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear to defend its ally. The allies have been pursuing an integrated form of extended deterrence with Seoul leveraging its high-tech conventional military capabilities.

Kim stressed that the international community will "never" accept North Korea as a nuclear power, highlighting Seoul's steadfast efforts to stop the North's provocative activities and persuade the recalcitrant regime to come back to diplomacy.

"I strongly urge North Korea to cease nuclear threats and provocations, and come back to the path of denuclearization," he said.

Moreover, he pointed out Pyongyang's activities to bankroll its weapons of mass destruction programs through illicit means.

"Our two countries must work together to prevent North Korea from accessing illegal sources of funding to finance its nuclear program," he said.

"Despite the dire situation faced by North Korean residents, including food and power shortages, the regime continues to advance its nuclear and missile capabilities, using illegal funding through cyber hacking and other activities," he added.

The speaker then called for the international community to stand united to block Pyongyang from accessing illegal financial resources and to dissuade it from its nuclear program.

He also underlined the "imperative" for the international community to closely coordinate to respond to growing military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.

"There are also growing concerns over recent military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, which poses a significant threat to peace and stability not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in other parts of the world," he said. (Yonhap)
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Westfield Bondi Junction has reopened to the public for a day of reflection following a deadly massacre on Saturday afternoon.

Six people were killed after Joel Cauchi, 40, went on a stabbing rampage at the shopping centre before he was fatally shot by a senior female police officer.

Tributes have since flown for the victims - new mum Ashlee Good, 38, bride-to-be Dawn Singleton, 25, mother-of-two Jade Young, 47, artist Pikria Darchia, 55, Chinese national Yixuan Cheng, 27, and security guard Faraz Tahir, 30.

The public will be able to walk through the centre from 11am on Thursday to pay their respects to the lives lost.

The centre will not play music and a black ribbon will be shown on advertising platforms, before it closes at 5pm.

Retail trading will return on Friday for stores that choose to reopen.

Follow Daily Mail Australia's live coverage on the opening of the shopping centre here.
Star Wars and Harry Potter actor Warwick Davis has opened up about how the death of his wife has left 'a huge hole in our lives' - as he paid a heartbreaking tribute to the woman who made him feel like he had a 'superpower'.

Fellow actor Samantha Davis, who met her husband on the set of his 1988 film Willow, tragically died aged 53 on March 24.

In an emotional tribute to his 'favourite human', Davis said: 'Her passing has left a huge hole in our lives as a family. I miss her hugs.'

He described Sammy, as he called her, as his 'most trusted confidant and an ardent supporter of everything I did in my career'. He said he felt like he could achieve anything with his wife by his side and that it felt like he had a 'superpower'.

'She was a unique character, always seeing the sunny side of life she had a wicked sense of humour and always laughed at my bad jokes,' Davis said in a statement given to the BBC.

The couple met on the set of George Lucas's film Willow and married three years later in 1991. During their 33-year marriage, they had three children - one of whom tragically died shortly after he was born.

Their two other children, Annabelle and Harrison, also paid tribute to their mother, saying: 'Her love and happiness carried us through our whole lives'. Mum is our best friend and we're honoured to have received a love like hers.'

Samantha Davis (pictured with Warwick), who met her husband on the set of his 1988 film Willow, tragically died aged 53 on March 24

Warwick with his wife Samantha and children Harrison and Annabelle at the screening of Disney+ series Willow

Warwick Davis and his wife Samantha on their wedding day in 1991. They were married for more than three decades

The couple's children (all pictured together) said they were 'honoured to have received a love like hers'

During their 33-year marriage, they had three children - one of whom tragically died shortly after he was born. The couple are pictured in 1996

Davis said his wife's mobility had become impaired in recent years but shared how she was determined not to let it bring her down.

She had a brush with death in 2019 when she fell ill with sepsis ahead of a family holiday.

Davis previously told how he and the couple's children 'sort of said goodbye' by her bedside before she pulled through.

The actor and his wife lost baby son Lloyd just nine days after he was born in 1991 - the year they got married.

Davis said in 2022 that he would not wish the 'devastating' experience on anyone and added: 'You never get over it.'

He and Samantha - who co-founded the charity Little People UK - met when Davis starred as sorcerer Willow Ufgood in the 1988 film named after the character.

Samantha and her father Peter - who is Davis's business partner - had minor roles as villagers.

She also had an uncredited role as a a goblin in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in 2011, in which Davis portrayed Filius Flitwick - Hogwarts' charms professor - for the final time.

In 1989, she had a part in BBC educational series Through the Dragon's Eye.

Davis and Mr Burroughs, 77, co-founded Willow Management in 1995 with the aim of changing the way people with dwarfism were represented on screen.

Mr Burroughs is also an actor and has appeared both on stage and in TV and film productions including The Legend of King Arthur, Hamlet, and as an Ewok in 1983 Star Wars film Return of the Jedi.

Davis and his wife have actress daughter Annabelle, 27, and son Harrison, 21, together.

The actor and his wife lost baby son Lloyd just nine days after he was born in 1991 - the year they got married

Warwick Davis and his wife Samantha are pictured with their two kids at the European premiere of Star Wars in December 2015

Warwick and Samantha Davis with their children Harrison and Annabelle at the premiere of Star Wars: the Last Jedi in California in 2017

Warwick Davis and Samantha Davis attend the Pride of Britain awards at The Grosvenor House Hotel on October 6, 2014

Warwick Davis and wife Samantha at the Children's BAFTA Awards in November 2011

Samantha Davis and Warwick Davis attend the ITV Palooza! held at The Royal Festival Hall on October 16, 2018

Harrison also appeared as a goblin in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Annabelle portrayed Lacey Lloyd in Hollyoaks until January this year.

Speaking of his first son's death to People in 2022, Davis said: 'I think it brings you closer together, or something like that, but it's an experience I wouldn't wish on anyone, it's devastating.

'You do learn to live with it, eventually, over time, you're able to better understand why it happened and can come to terms with it a bit more, but you never get over it.

'I think the losses shaped our family dynamic, we love Annabelle and Harrison all that more because they're here with us.'

Lloyd inherited dwarfism from both his parents and died from complications caused by the condition.

The couple lost a second child - who they named George - when Samantha miscarried at 20 weeks in 1993.

Samantha Davis with her husband when he starred in Spamalot at the Playhouse Theatre, London, in 2013

Warwick Davis, wife Samantha, daughter Annabelle and son Harrison attend the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens at Leicester Square on December 16, 2015

Davis and his wife Samantha at the London Palladium in 2015

Samantha Davis had a brush with death in 2019 when she fell ill with sepsis ahead of a family holiday. Above: Being hugged by her daughter in hospital

Davis added: 'We'll always remember what happened with George and Lloyd. We'll always be grateful that we had them for the short time that we did.'

The star previously said the tragedies made him and Samantha stronger as a couple.

Speaking on Bear Grylls' television show Bear's Mission in 2018, he said: 'Prior to Annabelle and Harrison we had a baby boy, Lloyd, who inherited both our conditions and that is something that proves fatal.

'It's something that a baby won't survive. But Lloyd he lived for survived for nine days, but yeah he was beautiful but it was a tough time. And yeah, we had a stillborn too.'

The star said he and his wife had made it through the painful time together, saying: 'That kind of stuff it just makes you stronger [as a couple].'

Davis was born with an extremely rare condition called spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SED), where the bone endings fail to form. It meant he never grew taller than 3ft 6in.

His wife had a different form of dwarfism called achondroplasia.

Samantha fell ill with sepsis ahead of a family caravan holiday in 2019.

She initially thought that her symptoms were caused by stress from preparing for the trip.

When her exhaustion led to her not being able to stand without support, her husband called an out-of-hours doctor and she was rushed to hospital.

Davis said in 2022: 'The next few hours were the longest of my life as I waited on the ward with our children in the empty space left by Sam's hospital bed. I hoped it would not symbolise a future for us without her.'

He continued: Our family gathered by her bedside; although optimistic, we were sort of saying goodbye in case Sam didn't survive.'

Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick in Harry Potter. He portrayed the charms professor in all of the Harry Potter films

Davis with Val Kilmer in 1988 film Willow. He met his future wife Samantha while making the film

Warwick Davis meets King Charles, then the Prince of Wales, at the charity premiere of Willow

Warwick Davis as sorcerer Willow Ufgood in 1988 film Willow

Davis reprised his role as Ufgood in TV series Willow, which aired in 2022 but was then cancelled after just one season

'It's so hard to see someone you love more than anything in the world fighting to stay alive without the strength to even roll over in bed.'

Doctors became concerned about a scar on Samantha's back from a recent spinal surgery she had undergone. Davis said it was 'inflamed with fluid, red, and hot to touch.'

Tests came back showing Sam had a deadly Streptococcus bacteria and meningitis infection, meaning she needed emergency surgery.

However, she pulled through and was nursed back to help by Davis over the course of three months.

Davis reprised his role as Ufgood in TV series Willow, which aired in 2022 but was then cancelled after just one season.
The kidnapper of Shannon Matthews claimed to be a forensic psychologist named Wendy in a series of bizarre emails as he attempted to try and shift the blame over a crime that shocked the nation.

Michael Donovan, 54, who died from cancer on Tuesday, had kept schoolgirl Shannon, nine, under a bed in his council flat for 24 days as part of a plot hatched by her mother Karen Matthews.

The pair had planned to discover Shannon in a bid to claim 50,000 reward money.

But it has now been revealed that Donovan had concocted an elaborate plan to disguise himself as 'Wendy' - a phony figure of a psychiatrist who had carried out assessments on him after he was thrown behind bars in 2009, so he could continue his webs of lies surrounding the kidnap and remove the blame from himself.

Donovan told The Mirror that Karen had threatened to burn his house down if he didn't follow through with the sick kidnap plan of her daughter.

Michael Donovan, the kidnapper of schoolgirl Shannon Matthews, reportedly sent emails to The Mirror under the name of Wendy in a bid to shift the blame of the crime

Shannon was nine when she went missing from her estate in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire

The double bed base where schoolgirl Shannon Matthews was found hiding. This image was shown by the prosecution as evidence during a trial at Leeds Crown Court in 2008

Police launched a 3.2million search for missing Shannon, only to find that she had been tied up and drugged in Donovan's home for 24 days - hidden in his bedroom with a list of rules on how to behave.

He admitted that the crime was carried out with the large reward sum in mind, and that the pair would have split it between them if they emerged successful.

'The plan to keep Shannon was only for a full week and not any further but Karen Matthews got greedy,' he wrote in an email to the publication.

Donovan then claimed Karen's threats of setting his property ablaze scared him while he had Shannon in his flat, and that he had concerns for her life.

According to the news site, Donovan had at least four different aliases he used.

The plan was, he claimed, to release Shannon near Dewsbury town centre and then pretend to find her - picking her up and dashing her to the nearest police station to collect the reward and appear the hero.

A family member of the kidnapper confirmed the emails were from him, and revealed the man 'wanted his side to come out' by writing a book, claiming 'he knew what he'd done'.

Police eventually found the nine-year-old in the drawer of a divan bed a few miles from her home estate in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, where she went missing on February 19, 2008.

Matthews and Donovan were both jailed for eight years in January 2009 after being convicted of kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice.

She was released in April 2012 after serving half her sentence and given a new taxpayer-funded identity and home.

Karen Matthews pictured last year having a cigarette outside a supermarket with her boyfriend Paul Saunders

Matthews became a household name 16 years ago when her daughter Shannon went missing and a massive police investigation was launched to find her

Donovan was also freed in 2012, from HMP Leeds, after serving half of his sentence.

At his trial at Leeds Crown Court, his niece Caroline Meehan described him as 'a bit creepy'.

She agreed when Matthews' lawyer Francis Oldham asked whether Donovan was 'a loner, a strange character, a bit creepy and a fantasist'.

Since then, Donovan has reportedly created several fake Facebook profiles, including under his new name Aiden Johnson.

It is believed the convicted kidnapper had emailed numerous people using the name Wendy over the past year, including detectives.

Donovan, under the guise of Wendy, told The Mirror he had never used a noose on Shannon - despite it being claimed in his kidnap trial.

He said he had reached out to the paper to apologise for the plot.

The email reportedly stated that Donovan was remorseful for his actions, and would like to say a 'big sorry' to Shannon for holding her against her wishes.

He also claimed he had been suffering from sleepless nights and flashbacks, before passing away on April 16.

Shannon's mother Karen Matthews had organised the fake abduction plot in February 2008

Shannon Matthews' mother Karen Matthews is pictured alongside then-partner Craig Meehan as they appealed for information about the schoolgirl's whereabouts in 2008

Matthews had hatched the fake kidnap plot herself and was later jailed for eight years

Donovan was diagnosed with Stage 3 throat cancer in February and was pronounced dead yesterday at Three Valleys Hospital in Keighley, West Yorkshire, after collapsing in a courtyard there, the Sun reported.

His whereabouts since being released had been unknown before his death at the hospital, which is a privately-run mental health facility.

Following Shannon's horrific ordeal, Karen is banned from seeing her daughter and her seven other children, who were put in care.

Shannon and her siblings have been granted lifelong anonymity following a High Court injunction in 2020.

Matthews is reported to live in a secret location in the south of England under a new identity, which cannot be disclosed for legal reasons. It was revealed in 2020 that Matthews had found love with a paedophile handyman who had been doing up her house.

Paul Saunders, 58, was jailed for five years in 2010 for abusing his former stepdaughter, who bravely waived her anonymity.

CCTV footage from Halifax police station showed the moment co-conspirator Michael Donovan alerted officers to Karen Matthews' involvement in the plot

Donovan, who had kept Shannon captive at his home, urged police to detain her mother too

Karen Matthews is seen here leaving Dewsbury police station to appear at court charged with perverting the course of justice and child neglect in April 2008

He had been working as a driver taking the elderly to hospital and disabled teenagers to college.

Back in January 2010 Oxford Crown Court heard his offences took place between 2006 and 2009 when his victim was aged between 15 and 17. Saunders, of Blackbird Leys, Oxfordshire, was only caught after he was jailed for eight weeks for benefit fraud in May the previous year.

He was jailed for five years and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

Saunders and Matthews got engaged over Christmas 2019 but she had to buy her own Princess Diana-style ring herself.

Elysium Healthcare, which runs Three Valleys Hospital, declined to comment when contacted by MailOnline.
Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger has offered up an alibi in a bid to prove his innocence after four students were brutally killed in their college home.

Kohberger, 28, has claimed through his attorneys that he was out driving on the night of the quadruple killings on November 13, 2022 - as he often did to 'see the moon and stars.'

He is accused of massacring University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20.

In a newly released court filing, his lawyers said that his demanding schedule lecturing at Washington State University meant he didn't have time for his normal hobbies of running and hiking.

Instead, he claims to have taken up driving at nighttime as a pastime, and says that phone records will show he frequently drove around the countryside near Wawai County Park in Whitman County.

Prosecutors say they tracked Kohberger's phone to near the home where he allegedly murdered the students, however his attorneys also say they plan to present an expert on cellphone information to dispute this.

Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger has offered up an alibi in a bid to prove his innocence after four students were killed in their college home

Kohberger is accused of murdering University of Idaho students (L-R) Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle on November 13, 2022

From cellphone data produced by prosecutors, the route allegedly driven by Bryan Kohberger on the night of the brutal Idaho murders may be a crucial piece of evidence in the state's case against the 28-year-old. In his new alibi filing, his lawyers say they plan to dispute this data

Last year, Kohberger's legal team had claimed that he was out driving alone on the night of the murders, but declined to offer specifics.

As the victim's families spoke out over ongoing delays, a judge ordered a Wednesday deadline to provide more details, after previously saying the excuse of driving alone was insufficient - branding it a 'so-called alibi.'

Now, Kohberger's lawyers say they have further details of the alibi, but claimed that prosecutors haven't shared more discovery information as requested.

They claim that without the discovery evidence, the cellphone expert's testimony will 'also reveal that critical exculpatory evidence, further corroborating Mr. Kohberger's alibi, was either not preserved or has been withheld.'

Kohberger is next due in court on May 14, when a judge will decide over a change of venue motion from his attorneys, who claim the fervent attention around his case in the area would impact jury impartiality.

When Kohberger was arrested in December 2023, over a month after the slayings, cops said a key piece of evidence was a white Hyundai seen in surveillance footage driving to and from the site of the killings that matched Kohberger's car.

However, Kohberger's alibi filing claims that cellphone expert Sy Ray will offer testimony that shows his cellphone did not travel towards the home, and 'thus could not be the vehicle captured on video.'

Along with the surveillance footage, another key piece of evidence put forward by prosecutors is Kohberger's DNA allegedly found on a knife sheath left behind at the massacre.

The families of the victims have shared their frustration at the unending delays, with the mother of Kaylee Goncalves (left, with Madison Mogen) saying: 'It's gut-wrenching how slow everything has to go. Why does this have to be so drawn out?'

Boyfriend and girlfriend Ethan Chapin (left) and Xana Kernodle (right) were slain in bed together in the gruesome murders in November 2022

Prosecutors allege that a white Hyundai matching one owned by Kohberger was seen in surveillance footage fleeing the scene of the crime

Kohberger's legal team have come under fire from the families of his alleged victims, amid claims they are using delay tactics to help his chances at trial, which remains in its preliminary stages over one-and-a-half years after the slayings.

Although he was initially set to stand trial in the spring of 2024, the repeat delays saw a judge in February push the court date back to at least the spring of 2025.

'The victim families are really the sufferers with these delays,' former FBI special agent Jennifer Coffindaffer told DailyMail.com after the trial was pushed back for the third time.

'Unfortunately, it looks like we're still years away from trial.'

In December, after another previous delay, the mother of victim Kaylee Goncalves said the ongoing process has been 'gut wrenching.'

'It's gut-wrenching how slow everything has to go. Why does this have to be so drawn out?' Kaylee's mother Krisi said in an interview with KHQ.

'It's important, I get it, but there are facts, we have certain facts, we have certain knowledge. I can't believe that this is how it works.'

The manner in which the killer navigated the three-story home to kill the four students  who were sleeping in separate rooms and floors  in the early hours of a November morning has raised questions about his motives and potential knowledge of the layout

The off-campus home where the four grisly murders took place was torn down in December amid the delays, despite calls from the victims' families to keep it standing

The scenes inside the home were so gruesome that blood dripped down the outside of the wall of the property, which investigators described as the worst crime scene they have ever seen

Investigators were seen in January 2023 removing a bloodied mattress from the home where four University of Idaho were murdered

Detectives found a Ka-Bar knife sheath on the bed with the bodies of Mogen and Goncalves. DNA on the sheath was later statistically matched to Kohberger through genealogy testing

In December, Idaho officials again came under fire after the off-campus home where the four students were stabbed to death was torn down, against the victim's families' wishes.

Although both prosecution and defense agreed for it to be torn down, the families argued against it, with Goncalves' loved ones fearing the move would 'destroy one of the most critical pieces of evidence in the case.'

Before it was torn down, the scenes inside the home were so gruesome that exclusive DailyMail.com images showed blood seeping down the outsides of the home.

On the night of the murders, the four victims and their friends had been enjoying a typical night out at local college bars, and Mogen and Goncalves were last seen buying carbonara pasta from a takeout truck shortly before they returned home at around 2am.

Chapin and Kernodle had spent the evening at his Sigma Chi fraternity house, and arrived home at around the same time.

After the white Hyundai was initially seen lurking around the home earlier in the evening, it was again spotted on surveillance footage just over an hour after the friends arrived home.

At that moment, Kernodle appears to have still been awake as she had just received a DoorDash order.

Investigators also determined that she had been playing TikTok at around the same moment the white Hyundai was seen performing a three-point turn in the street outside, at 4.04am.

Kohberger's phone had been turned off in Pullman at 2.47am, where he lived around 10 miles from the murder house in Moscow, and turned back on again at 4.48am south of Moscow, on the route back to Pullman.

The victim's surviving roommate, Dylan Mortensen, later told police she was also awake at the time, and even heard what was likely the sounds of the murders taking place in the room upstairs.

Kohberger (pictured during his extradition in January 2023), a 28-year-old criminology PhD student, has remained behind bars ever since his arrest as he pleads his innocence

Chapin and Kernodle (pictured together) had been in a relationship for around a year before the murders, with his brother saying that she 'gave him purpose'

Best friends Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogel were found stabbed to death together, where a knife sheath investigators believe is a crucial piece of evidence was also discovered, allegedly containing Kohberger's DNA

Dylan Mortensen (pictured) who survived the slayings, didn't call the police at the time of the murders. Instead, she claimed she believed the noises from upstairs were party-goers and her roommate playing with a dog

Mortensen told investigators she believed the sounds were Goncalves playing with her dog, and even called out to her friends to quiet down thinking they were merely partying.

'Calm down, you're being loud!' she reportedly yelled around 4am, in addition to: 'I'm trying to sleep!'

After she heard the questionable sounds slamming around the house in the dead of night, Mortensen said a male voice upstairs said something to the effect of: 'It's okay, I'm going to help you.'

Surveillance cameras later picked up what was deemed to be someone sobbing, a loud thud, and a dog barking, at 4.17am.

In a move that has led to numerous questions since the murders, Mortensen says she opened her bedroom door to investigate the sounds and was stunned to come face-to-face with an intruder, dressed in all black and wearing a mask.

She claims the killer walked right past her and exited out a sliding glass door at the back of the house, leaving her frozen in fear.

Nobody called 911 for over seven hours.

At 4.20am, the white Hyundai Elantra was seen again in surveillance footage driving through the neighborhood, with the car later becoming a key piece of evidence that prosecutors say places Kohberger in the area at the time.

This led to Kohberger's initial alibi, claiming to have been 'driving alone' at the time the murders were taking place.
Two teenage boys have had a lucky escape after crashing their car into the famous Australian train The Ghan.

The accident happened at Baroota, near Port Pirie in South Australia where the two 17-year-olds were travelling in a Mazda 3 on the Augusta Highway on Wednesday afternoon.

The vehicle crossed the rail tracks and smashed into the train, causing their vehicle to roll.

Incredibly, the driver and passenger, who are both from Port Augusta, only suffered minor injuries despite the car being badly damaged, and were transported to hospital where they are recovering.

Passengers and staff on The Ghan were unharmed, with no reported injuries.

Two 17-year-olds are lucky to be alive after their car rolled after hitting The Ghan at a crossing (pictured)

Despite the mangled wreckage (pictured), the teenagers suffered only minor injuries and were transported to hospital where they are recovering

The train came to a stop a short distance from the crash site and after swapping to another locomotive, it was able to continue its northward journey to Darwin.

Police are investigating the crash at the level crossing on Park Road, as reported by The Advertiser.

The driver and their passenger were taken to hospital with minor injuries, where they are recovering (pictured)

The world-famous train, The Ghan, was able to continue its journey north to Darwin after changing locomotives. No-one was injured onboard (stock image)

The Ghan is the world's longest north-south train journey.

It started operating in 1929 and travels between Adelaide and Darwin, with passengers able to stop at Alice Springs and Katherine.
A shocking new video has shown a Brazilian woman pushing a gaunt wheelchair-bound man around, just one day before she wheeled his corpse into a bank.

CCTV footage reportedly captured in Rio de Janeiro on April 15 outside a door of the Emergency Care Unit in Bangu showed 68-year-old Roberto Braga alive and being pushed by Erika de Souza.

He could be seen moving his head and waving his arm, as 42-year-old Souza struggled to push the elderly man towards the door.

At one point in the video, a man in a black t-shirt was seen approaching the pair and speaking to Braga before Souza intervened and begun to re-adjust his wheelchair.

In the end, she successfully pushed the elderly man inside the door while he rested his head on the chair.

CCTV footage that was reportedly captured in Rio de Janeiro on April 15 outside a door of the Emergency Care Unit in Bangu showed 68-year-old Braga alive as he was being wheeled by Souza

He could be seen moving his head and waving his arm as 42-year-old struggled to push the elderly man towards the door

At one point in the video, a black t-shirt clad man can be seen approaching the pair and speaking to Braga before Souza intervenes and begins to re-adjust his wheelchair

In the end, she is successfully able to push the elderly man inside the door while he rests his head on the chair

According to Brazilian publication Revista Forum, Braga entered medical care on the April 8 and was discharged on the same day the CCTV footage was recorded.

Despite being discharged from the hospital alive and well, Souza was seen pushing Braga's corpse to a bank teller's desk and attempting to withdraw 17,000 reais (about $3,200) a day later.

Employees at the bank branch became concerned with de Souza's actions while she tried to get a lifeless Braga to sign a document and called the police, who arrested her on the scene.

Rio de Janeiro Civil Police chief Fabio Souza told Brazilian news outlet G1 on Wednesday that while he could not exactly provide the moment that Braga died, cadaver spots that were visible on the back of his head indicate that he would have been dead for about two hours.

Souza was arrested by authorities in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday after she tried to get her dead uncle, Paulo Braga, to sign a loan document at a bank while he sat on a wheelchair

Souza was spotted on a surveillance video pushing a wheelchair with the lifeless body of her uncle, Paulo Braga, before she tried to take out $3,200 from his bank account

Footage showed the Souza telling a dead Braga to grip hold of his pen hard as she placed it between his fingers and encouraged him to sign a piece of paper at the bank branch in Bangu, a neighborhood in the western size of Rio de Janeiro

Had Braga died while he was sitting in the wheelchair, the cadaver patches would have been located on his legs, authorities said.

'It is not possible to say the exact moment of death,' Fabio said. 'It was found by Samu (Mobile Emergency Attendance Service) that there was (livor mortis). This only happens from the moment of death, but is only noticeable around two hours after death.'

Fabio said that agents were deployed to search for the rideshare app driver who dropped off Souza with her dead uncle at the bank.

The accused, who is facing attempted theft by fraud and vilification of a corpse charges, was interviewed Wednesday morning by authorities.

She told cops that Braga had died while sitting in the wheelchair at the bank, a claim that police are disputing.

'In my 22-year career I have never seen a story like this,' Fabio said.

Customers and workers at the bank initially thought Braga was sick, the police chief indicated, before they called for ambulance.

A viral video recorded by a bank staffer showed de Souza holding up Braga's head and telling him, 'Uncle, are you listening? You have to sign it. I can't sign for you.'

Bank employees started filming the pair and ended up calling for an ambulance and police while Erika de Souza used her hand to keep Paulo Braga's head upright and told him: 'Uncle, are you listening? You have to sign it. I can't sign for you'

Erika de Souza wheeled her dead uncle Paulo Braga through a Rio de Janeiro mall before she visited a bank, where she attempted to get him to sign a loan document

Authorities in Rio de Janeiro are looking into whether Erika de Souza is really related to Paulo Braga, the 68-year-old man whose lifeless body was placed in a wheelchair and taken to a bank in her attempt to take out a loan

One of the bank workers then told de Souza: 'I don't think this is legal. He doesn't look well. He's very pale.'

'He's like that,' she replied and told her dead uncle, 'If you're not well, I can take you to hospital. Do you want to go back to hospital again?'

De Souza then told Braga, 'Sign so you don't give me any more headaches, I can't take it anymore.'

'She calls herself his niece. In fact, she has a degree of kinship, according to our research,' he said. 'And she calls herself his caretaker. We want to identify other family members,' Fabio said.
Former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is among hundreds of Australians blacklisted from visiting Russia indefinitely, as the Kremlin has accused him of promoting an 'anti-Russian agenda'.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation has released a new list of 235 Australians barred from the country 'in response to the politically motivated sanctions imposed on Russian private individuals and legal entities by the Government of Australia as part of the collective West's Russophobic campaign'.

Other Victorian politicians on the banned list include former deputy premier James Merlino, his successor Ben Carroll, current treasurer Tim Pallas, opposition leader John Pesutto, controversial MP Moira Deeming, Labor MP and former actor Paul Mercurio and Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell.

A host of South Australian leaders have also been barred, including deputy premier Susan Close, treasurer Stephen Mullighan, opposition leader David Speirs and former Liberal premier Stephen Marshall.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas was already blacklisted.

Former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is among 235 Aussies who have been barred from Russia

Victorian MP Georgie Purcell (pictured) is also on the new blacklist released by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

READ MORE: Aussies furious over small detail in video of Anthony Albanese Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been slammed for almost completely covering the Australian flag during an international message of support for Ukraine Advertisement

The statement from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation said the 235 banned people are guilty of 'actively promoting the anti-Russia agenda'.

'Given that official Canberra shows no sign of renouncing its anti-Russia position and the continued introduction of new sanctions, we will further update the Russian stop list accordingly.'

Mr Andrews previously publicly vowed to support the people of Ukraine when the east of that country was invaded by Russian forces in February 2022.

'With tens of thousands of Ukrainians currently fleeing their home, Victoria stands ready to help,' he tweeted at the time.

'We'll work with the Commonwealth Government wherever possible to welcome families seeking either temporary shelter, or to find a new permanent home here in our state.'

Former prime minister Scott Morrison was placed on the ban list in 2022 after he banned Russia's President Vladimir Putin from travelling to Australia due to the Ukraine action.

A number of high-profile Australians were also banned, including journalists, political commentator Andrew Bolt and mining magnate Gina Rinehart.
A police search-and-rescue operation is underway for a 16-year-old boy who tried to swim to shore from a broken dinghy in the waters of Torres Strait.

Queensland Police said his 13-year-old companion swam about 500 metres to shore at Saibai Island, approximately four kilometres south of Papua New Guinea, and raised the alarm at around 4am.

He told police that his 16-year-old mate also tried to swim ashore but failed to make it in rainy weather.

Queensland police said a 13-year-old boy swam about 500 metres to shore at Saibai Island (pictured)

Queensland Police Torres Strait Acting Inspector Anthony Moynihan said the younger boy reached the island near the air stript and went home.

'He's in a bit of shock at the moment,' he told ABC News.

'He's talking with police up there.'

It is believed the two boys were about 500 metres north of the island when they abandoned the 5m fibreglass 'banana boat' after the engine stopped working.

Thursday Island Water Police immediately began searching for the missing teen with help from general duties crews.

Police launched a search and rescue operation on Thursday morning

It remains unclear whether the boat had been found.

Approximately eight private boats and a helicopter are searching the area.

A water police boat which left Thursday Island early on Thursday was scheduled to join the searach around luncthime.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police.
'We had four great years together,' Trump said, 'We may have to do it again'

Duda arrived as Republicans threaten to derail plans for more US aid to Ukraine

Andrzej Duda became the latest world leader to renew acquaintances with the former president as November's election looms

The president of Poland became the latest foreign leader to beat a path to Donald Trump's door last night as the world prepares for his possible return to the White House.

Andrzej Duda was greeted as an old friend as he arrived at Trump Tower, where the former president is staying as his criminal trial over alleged hush money payments gets underway in New York.

The two men are long-time allies but Duda was keen to win his support for more military help to Ukraine amid continued Republican hostility to a new aid package.

'This gentleman is doing a fantastic job, the people of Poland love him, they really do,' Trump told reporters as the pair walked in.

'We had four great years together. We may have to do it again.'

'We had four great years together. We may have to do it again' Donald Trump said as he welcomed Polish president Andrzej Duda to Trump Tower

Duda was one of Trump's strongest European allies during his time in the White House. They are pictured in 2019 together

The planned dinner meeting comes as European leaders prepare for the possibility that Trump might win the November election and return to the White House, according to AP.

Duda was at the White House just last month to press the case for more arms for Ukraine, which shares a 330-mile border with his country.

But Trump has yet to back the latest attempt by House Speaker Mike Johnson to send $61 billion to Ukraine, including a $7.9 billion loan.

And the former president horrified world leaders in February when he told a rally he would 'encourage' Russia to 'do whatever the hell they want' to Nato members who do not contribute their share to the alliance's budget  repeating the threat days later.

He has praised Russia's invasion of Ukraine as 'smart' and 'savvy', boasting he could bring the long-running war to an end 'within 24 hours'.

The ex-president has long railed at Nato members who fail to meet the treaty requirement to spend two percent of national income on defense.

But with the war raging on their doorstep Poland's expenditure currently amounts to four percent and Duda has echoed Trump's calls for others to contribute more.

'In the face of the war in Ukraine and Russia's growing imperial aspirations, the countries making up NATO must act boldly and uncompromisingly,' he said on his visit to the White House last month.

'The war in Ukraine has clearly shown that the United States is and should remain the leader in security issues in Europe and the world.

'However, other NATO countries must also take greater responsibility for the security of the entire alliance and intensively modernize and strengthen their troops.'

With the Republican nomination all but wrapped up and a narrow edge over Joe Biden in the polls the former president has had a string of meetings with foreign leaders.

He has spoken to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, had dinner with UK foreign secretary David Cameron and enjoyed one-on-ones with Argentine President Javier Milei and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Duda was elected Poland's president in 2015 for the populist Law and Justice Party and has long praised his former White House colleague, once proposing that a Polish military base be renamed 'Fort Trump'.

British foreign minister David Cameron, who once described Donald Trump as 'xenophobic, misogynistic and stupid' made the trip to Mar-A-Lago last month

The former president has been renewing acquaintances with other foreign leaders including Hungary's far-right Prime Minister Viktor Orban who he met in March

Argentina's newly elected populist president Javier Milei also called at Mar-A-Lago in February

He is officially in New York for a meeting of the United Nations but his cozy dinner with Trump has alarmed opponents back home who fear it may damage Poland's standing with the current White House.

Poland's newly-elected centrist Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he hoped Duda would use his visit 'to raise the issue of clearly siding with the Western world, democracy and Europe in this Ukrainian-Russian conflict'.

Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza said the visit would be 'harmful and dangerous' and be seen as a 'slap in the face' by the Biden administration.

But Duda's former foreign minister Pawe Jabonski said it was prudent to meet the man who may determine the world's fate after the November general election.

'We need to talk to both sides of the political scene, especially since Donald Trump has a good chance of winning and these relations must be maintained,' he insisted.

'International politics is about having relationships with everyone and having them as good as possible.'
Peter Dutton has shied away from supporting a long-term visa for the injured Pakistani security guard who put his life on the line in the Bondi Junction tragedy - despite agreeing the French 'Bollard Man' should be allowed to stay.

The Opposition Leader was asked about Muhammad Taha's hospital bed request for a visa extension when he stopped by Westfield in Bondi Junction to pay his respects on Thursday morning.

Mr Taha was stabbed in the stomach after bravely confronting crazed knifeman Joel Cauchi during his violent rampage on Saturday afternoon.

His colleague, Faraz Tahir, was among the six people fatally stabbed. Eight other victims remain in hospital, with two critical.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this week singled out fellow hero, Frenchman Damien Guerot, who earned the nickname 'Bollard Man' after footage went viral of him attempting to keep Cauchi from ascending an escalator.

The Opposition Leader was asked about Muhammad Taha's hospital bed request for a visa extension when he stopped by Westfield in Bondi Junction to pay his respects on Thursday morning

Muhammad Taha was knifed in the stomach but managed to radio other security staff for help - becoming one of the first people to raise the alarm (pictured, still recovering in hospital)

Mr Dutton shied away from supporting a long-term visa for the injured Pakistani security guard who put his life on the line in the Bondi Junction tragedy

The PM offered him citizenship on Tuesday, claiming he was 'welcome to stay for as long' as he likes. The generous offer prompted Mr Taha, whose skilled subclass 487 visa expires next month, to ask for the same treatment.

LIVE READ MORE: Follow our liveblog as Westfield Bondi Junction re-opens to mourners Advertisement

Asked about the request as he laid flowers on Thursday, Mr Dutton said: 'That's obviously an issue for the Prime Minister.

'I think at the moment the focus really is on those who have lost their lives, those who are recovering, and I think any other matter can be dealt with in due course.'

But Mr Dutton was supportive of the PM's offer to Mr Guerot earlier this week.

'I support the Prime Minister's generous offer... we shouldn't be afraid of wanting people to come to our country who are the best people,' Mr Dutton said on Tuesday.

'When you look at the images of that young French citizen standing at the top of the escalator with a bollard, putting his own life at risk to protect others, he embodies the Anzac spirit and we would want people of that character in our country.

'I think it is a good call by the prime minister and I'm happy to support it.'

Mr Taha was stabbed in the stomach after bravely confronting crazed knifeman Joel Cauchi during his violent rampage on Saturday afternoon

Damien Guerot was offered citizenship by Anthony Albanese for his bravery

Frenchman Guerot who went viral after footage of him facing down Cauchi at the top of an escalator while holding a bollard went viral

Poll Should Muhammad Taha be granted residency for his bravery like 'Bollard Man' Yes No Should Muhammad Taha be granted residency for his bravery like 'Bollard Man' Yes 2332 votes

No 703 votes Now share your opinion





Speaking to Ray Hadley on Thursday morning, Mr Dutton said the Frenchman is 'ticking a lot of the boxes' of qualities he would like to see in people coming to Australia.

'They tell me he was a pretty impressive young fellow and very humble. They're the sorts of Australians that we want.'

Mr Hadley noted he'd offered 'bipartisan support' regarding Mr Guerot's visa, and suggested he'd now done the same for Mr Taha.

Mr Dutton responded by highlighting Mr Guerot's efforts, but did not address Mr Taha's.

'I think in a circumstance that when you look at the footage of that young bloke holding the bollard at the top of the escalator  he didn't need to do that, he didn't need to be there, it's not his country,' he said.

'I just think the acts of strangers helping other people that they've never met before and putting their own lives at risk, or those who were on the ground applying pressure to puncture wounds in young children or women, they're pretty heroic acts.'

Westfield Bondi Junction opened to the public on Thursday from 11am to 5pm for the community to pay its respects following the horrific stabbing on Saturday.

The 40-year-old attacker, Cauchi, was shot dead by seasoned cop Inspector Amy Scott.

The six victims being honoured are new mum Ashlee Good, 38, bride-to-be Dawn Singleton, 25, mother-of-two Jade Young, 47, artist Pikria Darchia, 55, Chinese national Yixuan Cheng, 27, and security guard Faraz Tahir, 30.

Community members will be able to walk through the centre on Thursday while a section will be set up to lay flowers and wreaths.

New music will be played in Westfield, and a black ribbon will instead be shown on advertising platforms.

Trading will return on Friday for stores that choose to reopen.
President Yoon Suk Yeol's mother-in-law, who has been serving a one-year prison term for forgery, is expected to undergo a parole review by the justice ministry next week, sources said Thursday.

Choi Eun-soon, the 77-year-old mother of first lady Kim Keon Hee, is reportedly among the inmates to be considered for parole during the ministry's monthly parole review session slated for next Tuesday, according to legal sources.

Choi has been serving a one-year sentence at the Dongbu Detention Center in southeastern Seoul since an appellate court convicted her in July last year of forging a financial document used in a land purchase deal.

By law, incarcerated convicts become eligible for a parole review after serving at least one-third of their prison sentences. However, in practice, the justice ministry only subjects to parole review those who have served at least half of their prison sentences.

Once the parole review panel, chaired by the vice justice minister, makes its decisions on parole candidates in its monthly session, the justice minister gives his or her final confirmation on whether to approve the decisions.

If Choi is cleared for parole, she is expected to be discharged April 30.

Since her incarceration, Choi had applied for bail, seeking to stand trial without detention. The Supreme Court later dismissed her bail request and finalized her one-year prison sentence. (Yonhap)
President Joe Biden attempted to rip a page out of his predecessor and 2024 opponent Donald Trump's playbook by ordering fast food for construction workers Wednesday.

Trump made a surprise visit to a Chick-fil-A in Atlanta on April 10, where he told a dozen of employees behind the counter: 'We're going to take care of the customers.'

He ordered 30 milkshakes and chicken for the excited people in the store, as well as for his staff.

Biden attempted to make a similar moment when he entered a Sheetz in Moon Township, Pennsylvania in the Pittsburgh area Wednesday.

Sheetz is a chain of convenience stores and coffee shops that sells fast food and sandwiches across several states, though it is famously beloved in western Pennsylvania.

President Joe Biden attempted to rip a page out of his predecessor and 2024 opponent Donald Trump 's playbook by ordering fast food for construction workers Wednesday

Trump made a surprise visit to a Chick-fil-A in Atlanta on April 10

Perhaps that's why Democrat Senator John Fetterman - a notorious Sheetz booster over its Philadelphia-based rival Wawa - posted excitedly to X Wednesday: 'Joe Biden just won another term.'

However, the crowd inside the establishment seemed a little less enthusiastic for the president than both Fetterman and the excited crowd that greeted Trump at Chick-fil-A.

The crowd and employees smiled politely at Biden, dressed in his famous aviator sunglasses, as Biden went behind the counter to take photos with a cashier.

However, it was more formal than Trump, who worked the room speaking to supporters, shaking hands, giving autographs and even hugging a woman.

Biden made an order of sandwiches, fruit and other ready-to-eat items alongside Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato.

'Everyone loves a good Sheetz Run, even the President of the United States,' a spokesperson for Sheetz said in a statement.

The president dropped the sandwiches off at the construction site for Pittsburgh International Airport's new terminal, where he shook hands and passed out food.

In his visit last Wednesday, Trump made sure there were enough milkshakes for everyone from the Atlanta Chick-fil-A, even telling a worker that if they 'run low' as they were handed out to customers, he would pay for more.

Biden attempted to make a similar moment when he entered a Sheetz in Moon Township, Pennsylvania in the Pittsburgh area Wednesday

Biden made an order of sandwiches, fruit and other ready-to-eat items alongside Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato

Democrat Senator John Fetterman - a notorious Sheetz booster over its Philadelphia-based rival Wawa - posted excitedly to X Wednesday: 'Joe Biden just won another term'

Trump (pictured handing out milkshakes) made a surprise visit to the fast food restaurant, where he told a dozen of employees behind the counter: 'We're gonna take care of the customers'

He was in Georgia as part of his campaign trail and answered questions to journalists in the Chick-fil-A restaurant.

'So is this good? Making a lot of money? Get rich, right? Excellent,' he said as he joked with the workers.

A woman appeared overjoyed as she hugged Trump, shouting to the crowd: 'Tell my mama I made it,' which earned her a laugh by Trump.

He went on to hug another supporter after signing his hat and shaking his hands with him as he praised the man's show and took a picture with him.

Both Biden and Georgia are courting voters in swing states like Georgia and Pennsylvania - which Biden flipped from red to blue in 2020 - ahead of November's election.

Biden suggested to cheering, unionized steelworkers on Wednesday that his administration would thwart the acquisition of U.S. Steel by a Japanese company, and he called for a tripling of tariffs on Chinese steel, seeking to use trade policy to win over working-class votes.

During a visit to the Pittsburgh headquarters of United Steelworkers, Biden said U.S. Steel 'has been an iconic American company for more than a century and it should remain totally American.'

Biden is on a three-day Pennsylvania swing that began in his childhood hometown of Scranton on Tuesday and will include a visit to Philadelphia on Thursday.
Search engine giant Google has fired nearly 30 of its US employees after they were arrested for staging sits-ins at the companys offices to protest its contract with the Israeli government.

The pro-Palestinian employees - who were seen wearing traditional Arab headscarves- were taken in by officials from both the organization's New York City and California offices.

Soon after an internal investigation, Google vice president of global security Chris Rackow announced the termination of 28 employees in a companywide memo.

The memo reportedly read: 'They took over office spaces, defaced our property, and physically impeded the work of other Googlers.

'Their behavior was unacceptable, extremely disruptive and made co-workers feel threatened.

'Behavior like this has no place in our workplace and we will not tolerate it.

'It clearly violates multiple policies that all employees must adhere to  including our code of conduct and policy on harassment, discrimination, retaliation, standards of conduct, and workplace concerns'.

Search engine giant Google has fired nearly 30 of its US employees after they were arrested for staging sits-ins at the companys offices to protest its contract with the Israeli government

The pro-Palestinian employees - who were seen wearing traditional Arab headscarves- were taken in by officials from both the organization's New York City and California offices

Soon after an internal investigation, Google vice president of global security Chris Rackow announced the termination of 28 employees in a companywide memo

A Google spokesperson had previously said that the protestors had been placed on administrative leave and their access to office systems was limited

Rackow also noted that the company 'takes this extremely seriously, and we will continue to apply our longstanding policies to take action against disruptive behavior  up to and including termination', according to the New York Post.

A Google spokesperson had previously said that the protestors had been placed on administrative leave and their access to office systems was limited.

The fired staffers are believed to be associated with a group called No Tech For Apartheid.

The group has been long critical of Google's involvement and response to the Israel-Hamas war on social media.

Jane Chung, one of the group's spokespersons criticized the company's decision to fire its employees.

'This evening, Google indiscriminately fired 28 workers, including those among us who did not directly participate in yesterdays historic, bicoastal 10-hour sit-in protests.

'This flagrant act of retaliation is a clear indication that Google values its $1.2 billion contract with the genocidal Israeli government and military more than its own workers  the ones who create real value for executives and shareholders.

'Sundar Pichai and Thomas Kurian are genocide profiteers. We cannot comprehend how these men are able to sleep at night while their tech has enabled 100,000 Palestinians killed, reported missing, or wounded in the last six months of Israels genocide  and counting,' the statement read.

The fired staffers are believed to be associated with a group called No Tech For Apartheid

Demonstrators associated with the group entered offices yesterday afternoon and vowed to remain seated until Google pulled out of its $1.2 billion contract with Israel

Several Google employees were arrested Tuesday after staging sit-ins at the company's offices in California and New York

Police officers removed protestors from the office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian as hundreds of people watched over a livestream

Yesterday, a total of nine protestors were arrested across both locations. It is unclear if these nine are included in the 28 that were fired today.

Staffers on the Sunnyvale campus were livestreaming their protest on Twitch when another employee walked in around the eighth hour.

'We'd like to see if you could just voluntarily - it's been a while, so, can you do that for us?' the man asked, urging them to clear out the space and contact HR.

'Could you get in contact with TK about this?' one woman responded, referring to Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian, whose office they were sitting in.

When the workers refused to leave, a stream of police officers filed in and instructed them to put their hands behind their backs.

Hundreds of people watched online as the employees were taken into custody. Video posted to social media shows police leading them out of the building in handcuffs.

Demonstrators associated with the group entered offices yesterday afternoon and vowed to remain seated until Google pulled out of its $1.2 billion contract with Israel.

Under the 2021 agreement, known as Project Nimbus, Google and Amazon jointly provide AI and cloud computing services to branches of the Israeli government.

While the contract initially faced some pushback from shareholders, protests have only intensified amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict that has seen over 30,000 Palestinian civilians killed.

In December, employees staged a 'die-in' outside one of Google's offices in San Francisco, bringing traffic to a standstill as they chanted and waved flags at a busy intersection.

Just last month, the tech giant fired an engineer who protested during a keynote speech by the managing director of Googles Israel business.

The nine arrested employees were placed on administrative leave, according to a spokesperson for the tech giant

Demonstrators protested Google's $1.2 billion contract with the Israeli government, which supplies them with AI and cloud infrastructure

Opponents fear the contract, known as Project Nimbus, lays the groundwork for the Israeli military to surveil Palestinians en masse

Workers' concerns stem from a clause in the deal that bars Google and Amazon from denying services to specific parts of the government, sparking speculation that the tech could be used by the Israeli Defense Forces.

Demonstrators crowded into Kurian's California office on Tuesday, displaying signs splashed with the colors of the Google logo and a poster urging him to 'drop Nimbus.'

In the New York office, workers unfurled a banner over a railing reading 'Google worker sit-in against Project Nimbus,' along with the rallying cry: 'No tech for genocide.'

A truck outside the building flashed messages on large screens. One read, 'IDF soldier admitted to the New York Times that they use Google Photos to make a hit list with little evidence.'

The line referenced a report from March that detailed the IDF's use of facial recognition technology across the embattled Gaza Strip.

In that article, an anonymous Israeli official claimed Google Photos worked better than any alternative facial recognition technology and could aid in efforts to identify Hamas members in crowds.

A post to the No Tech for Apartheid Instagram page lays out a list of workers' demands.

Among them are calls to cancel the Project Nimbus contract, 'stop the harassment, intimidation, bullying, silencing, and censorship of Palestinian, Arab, Muslim Googlers' and 'address the health and safety crisis among Google workers.

In the New York office, workers displayed a banner reading, 'No tech for genocide'

Protestors in the Sunnyvale office (pictured) were seen being led out of the office in handcuffs

Workers' demands include the cancellation of the Project Nimbus contract and an end to 'the harassment, intimidation, bullying, silencing, and censorship of Palestinian, Arab, Muslim Googlers'

A truck outside the New York office referenced a March report in which an Israeli official claimed Google Photos worked better than any alternative facial recognition technology

The sit-ins came amid a wave of similar protests at Amazon, which jointly signed the 2021 Project Nimbus contract, and across the country at large

Amazon employees also attended rallies on Tuesday to decry the Nimbus Project, marking the latest in a series of clashes within the company.

On April 12, the the Anti-Defamation League and JLens, a Jewish investor network, filed a notice of exempt solicitation with the Securities and Exchange Commission in response to a shareholder-submitted proposal.

Proposal 6 of Amazon's 2024 proxy statement includes a request that the tech giant's board of directors commission an independent third-party report to determine whether customers' use of Amazon services 'contributes to human rights violations or violates international humanitarian law.'

The ADL and JLens insist the proposal 'contains information that seeks to delegitimize Israels right to exist' and that its supporting statement, which claims Israel 'uses AWS to support the apartheid system,' is defamatory.

Tuesday's sit-ins came amid sweeping protests across the United States. Just a day earlier, demonstrators blocked Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, snarling traffic and leading to a spate of arrests.

California Governor Gavin Newsom later asserted that the 38 people taken into custody 'need to be held to account for their actions.'

Activists crowded entrances to airports and blocked highways in other states as part of coordinated demonstrations against U.S. military support for Israel.
Australia's biggest plastics and chemical manufacturer has gone bust with some 700 jobs on the line.

Qenos was plunged into voluntary administration on Wednesday, leaving the future of its manufacturing plants in Victoria and NSW up in the air.

Staff revealed they were advised of the latest development in several meetings.

Qenos operates two facilities: one in Altona in Melbourne's west - which is Australia's largest production centre for petrochemicals and plastics and employs 450 workers - and one in Botany in Sydney - where 250 workers are employed.

The future of workers at the Qenos manufacturing plants in Victoria and NSW are on the line

The company's Botany facility is set to be closed, although it has not been operational since February 2023 due to the collapse of its cooling towers

The company's Botany facility is set to be closed, although it has not been operational since February 2023 due to the collapse of its cooling towers.

On its website, Qenos claims to be 'the sole manufacturer of polyethylene and polymers within Australia.'

'If you see or use plastic in your household items, it was probably made by us,' it reads.

'We directly contribute more than $1 billion a year to the Australian economy.'

Sky News business editor Ross Greenwood said that 'Qenos is one of the key companies in Australia'.

'The one thing that is strategically important, I would think, are the pipes that carry your water and carry your sewage,' he said.

Greenwood added: 'Well, the core ingredient for that is either ethylene or polyethylene; the one company that makes that is Qenos.'

High gas prices in recent years, combined with the closure of Exxon's Altona fuel refinery in 2021, are believed to be contributing factors to the company's collapse.

Qenos was recently sold by its Chinese owner, China National Chemical, to property developer Logos.

A spokesman for industry minister Ed Husic said the government was 'actively monitoring the situation' and what it meant for workers and any potential impacts on supply chains.

700 Qenos workers in Victoria and NSW face an uncertain future following the collapse of the company

Experts warned that the collapse of Qenos would make it impossible to create an end-to-end recyling industry for plastic in Australia.

The National Plastics Plan 2021 sets out a 70 per cent target of plastic packaging to be recycled by next year.

2GB broadcaster Mark Levy said the closure could upend the goal.

'They can forget about it if Qenos shuts,' Mr Levy said.

'In 2022, Qenos launched a feasibility study with Cleanaway to break down 1000 tonnes a year of packaging into its chemical components then back to a resin for future use.

'(That) is the same weight as two Sydney Harbour Bridges, that is a lot of recycled plastic.

'That 100,000 tonnes of plastic will now end up in landfill.'
A distraught young mother has lashed out at medical staff after her baby died at Rockingham Hospital in Western Australia.

Perth woman Madison Dansey said doctors did seriously address her fears about baby Louis' worsening health conditions, such as seizures, until it was too late.

Louis, who would have turned one on Wednesday, died aged 10 months, with the cause still not known.

Louis was admitted to Rockingham Hospital 12 times and after three of his discharges, he had to be brought back again within hours.

'It was like they were just looking straight through me, and they couldn't take me seriously and I feel like because I am a young mum they don't really listen to us that much,' she told 7News.

Louis (pictured), who died aged 10 months, would have turned one year old on April 17, but the cause of his death is still not known

Ms Dansey claimed that while doctors treated Louis' symptoms, they did not have enough time to find the cause of his illness.

She took her baby to Perth Children's Hospital where he was tested for epilepsy and referred to a neurologist - but Louis did not live long enough to make that appointment.

'If they had looked into it more they could have saved his life and he could still be here now,' his heartbroken mum said.

Perth woman Madison Dansey (pictured) said doctors did not take her fears about baby Louis' worsening health conditions, such as seizures, seriously until it was too late

A South Metropolitan Health Service spokesman told Channel 7 that the correct policies and procedures were followed.

But given the complexity of the case, and the boy's death, the service would 'further review the patient's history'.

Samantha Smith of the Health Consumers' Council said any patient or parent who feels their case needs more attention should phone the hospital's dedicated care call line.

'They're there to review your care and to review and listen to your concerns and escalate your treatment,' she said.
Indonesian authorities issued a tsunami alert on Wednesday after eruptions at Ruang mountain sent ash thousands of feet high.

Officials are racing to evacuate people from the region after ordering more than 11,000 to leave the area. Authorities were also forced to close a nearby airport and issue a warning about falling debris that could cause a tsunami.

Mount Ruang's crater flamed with lava against a backdrop of lightning bolts overnight after erupting five times on Wednesday.

This pushed an ash column more than a mile into the sky and forcing authorities to raise its alert level to the highest of a four-tiered system.

Indonesia's Centre for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation said it had registered at least five eruptions within 24 hours.

At least 800 residents left the area earlier on Wednesday.

Indonesian authorities issued a tsunami alert on Wednesday after eruptions at Ruang mountain sent ash thousands of feet high (pictured on Wednesday)

Officials are racing to evacuate people from the region after ordering more than 11,000 to leave the area. Authorities were forced to close a nearby airport and issue a warning about falling debris that could cause a tsunami

The Ruang volcano spews molten lava and volcanic ash into the air overnight

The volcano, which sits on a remote island in Indonesia's outermost region with a peak 725 metres above sea level, was still billowing a column of smoke up to 800 metres (2,625 feet) high on Thursday morning, officials said.

Houses on the neighbouring remote island of Tagulandang were riddled with holes from falling volcanic rocks on Thursday, rescuers said, and residents were preparing to leave at least temporarily.

'The current condition, particularly the road condition, is covered by volcanic material,' local rescuer Ikram Al Ulah told AFP by phone from the Tagulandang seaport.

'Currently, many people are still wandering around. Maybe to evacuate precious goods from their house.'

There were no reports of deaths or injuries but authorities said they were rushing to evacuate more than 11,000 residents from the area around Tagulandang, home to around 20,000 people.

Indonesia, an archipelago of 270 million people, has 120 active volcanoes.

It is prone to volcanic activity because it sits along the Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines around the Pacific Ocean.

Authorities urged tourists and others to stay at least 3.7 miles from the 725-metre Ruang volcano, worried that part of the volcano could collapse into the sea.

This could cause a tsunami in the region home to many islands.

Tagulandang island to the volcano's northeast is again at risk, and its residents are among those being told to evacuate.

Mount Ruang volcano is seen during the eruption from Tagulandang island, Indonesia, Thursday, April 18, 2024

A handout photo made available by National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) shows rescuers observing Mount Ruang eruption in Tagulandang, Indonesia, 18 April 2024

Mount Ruang volcano is seen during the eruption from Tagulandang island, Indonesia, Thursday, April 18, 2024

Taka, a local fisherman who only gave one name, was at sea helping people to safety by boat when the crater unleashed a fiery orange column.

'There was a mix of fire and rocks. Lava flowed in various directions,' he told AFP.

Some residents were already trying to flee in a panic, according to officials.

'People evacuated on their own but without direction due to the volcano's eruption and... small rocks that fell,' local search and rescue agency official Jandry Paendong said in a statement Thursday.

'The people scattered to find evacuation routes.'

He said 20 staff were helping evacuate residents along the coastline near the volcano on rubber boats.

Authorities also evacuated a prison on Tagulandang island, ferrying 17 inmates along with 11 officials and 19 residents by boat to Likupang seaport in northern Sulawesi island, according to Ikram.

The evacuation was requested by the prison chief because the facility sits directly across from the volcano, said the rescuer.

Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency said residents will be relocated to Manado, the nearest city, on Sulawesi island, a journey of six hours by boat.

Authorities also warned of a possible tsunami as a result of the eruptions.

'The communities in Tagulandang island... (need) to be on alert for the potential ejection of incandescent rocks, hot clouds discharges and tsunami caused by the collapse of the volcano's body into the sea,' volcanology agency head Hendra Gunawan said in a statement Wednesday.

The authorities' fears were compounded by previous experience.

In 2018, the crater of Mount Anak Krakatoa between Java and Sumatra islands partly collapsed when a major eruption sent huge chunks of the volcano sliding into the ocean, triggering a tsunami that killed more than 400 people and injured thousands.

Indonesia, a vast archipelago nation, experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire', an arc where tectonic plates collide that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

The impact of Mount Ruang's eruption led to the closure of Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado city, located more than 62 miles from the volcano, for 24 hours until Thursday evening before being extended to midnight.

The airport runways in Manado were shut 'due to the spread of volcanic ash which could endanger flight safety', Ambar Suryoko, head of the Manado region airport authority office, said in a statement.

The airport hosts airlines that fly to Singapore and cities in South Korea and China.

Budget airline AirAsia also cancelled flights to and from nine airports in eastern Malaysia and Brunei until Friday morning due to the Ruang eruption, it wrote on social media platform X.

A resident is seen being evacuated as Mount Ruang erupts, in Sitaro, Indonesia, April 17

Indonesian military personnel load food items onto a ship as they head to the island near Mount Ruang volcano at the port in Manado, North Sulawesi, on April 18, 2024

The volcano's last major eruption was in 2002, causing damage to nearby settlements and also requiring the evacuation of residents.

Locals this time around expressed their shock on social media.

One posted video showed a swarm of electricity coming from multiple lightning bolts as lava shot into the air.

'Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!' a man is heard saying.
'I left him there to decide, you can come to heaven with me or hell. I think he chose hell', he explained

He told police that the 57-year-old who was being treated for alcoholism was possessed by a 'demon' that could be destroyed through exorcism

Jack Callahan, 22, has gone on trial for the murder of his banker father Scott who was found dead in a pond in June 2021

An alcoholic father was drowned in an attempted 'exorcism' after his son decided to confront the 'demon' he saw in his father's eyes, a Massachusetts court has heard.

Jack Callahan, 22, has gone on trial at at Plymouth County Superior Court for the murder of his father Scott, 57, who was found by police floating in a pond outside Duxbury, around 30 miles outside of Boston, in June 2021.

The then 19-year-old told police his banker father was possessed by a demon called 'Dirty Dan' who he thought could be destroyed through baptism.

Callahan was bringing his father home from a Boston bar when his mother, Wendy, called to say she would not have her ex-husband in their house, and the young man asked their cab driver to pull over next to the pond.

He grabbed his father and repeatedly plunged his head under the water, telling cops: 'I left him there to decide, you can come to heaven with me or hell. I think he chose hell.'

Jack Callahan, 22, is pictured on his father Scott's left alongside his mother Wendy and his two brothers Will and Charlie in 2016. The parents were divorced when Jack allegedly murdered his father in June 2021

Jack Callahan, 22, has gone on trial for the murder of his father Scott during an 'exorcism'

Police found Scott Callahan (pictured with a unnamed woman) dead in a pond outside Duxbury, Massachusetts in July 2021

Scott Callahan (pictured in an undated photo from his obituary page) was a heavy drinker. His son had gone to collect him from a bar on the night of the alleged killing

Jack Callahan told police he had been bringing his father home from a bar when they stopped next to Island Creek Pond where his father began attacking him

Scott Callahan's obituary reported that he was the Senior Vice President of Texas Capital Bank, and had an 'extensive career in finance'.

He had been receiving treatment for alcoholism at a center in Hopkinton before he checked himself out and headed for the bar in Boston.

The teenager called an Uber to bring him back to the $1.5 million home in Duxbury and said his father began to attack him when he asked the driver to pull over at around midnight.

'He indicated that the victim had been punching him in the face,' Plymouth Assistant District Attorney Shanan Buckingham said at Callahan's 2021 arraignment.

'He went on to state that in this incident at the pond, he believed he was baptizing his father.

'He described that he was holding his father in the pond on his back like a baby, that he continually dunked the father's head in the water about four to eight times, that when the father started to cough and choke, he would lift his head up.

'And then when the father started to fight and strike him, he would push the head back into the water.

'He did so until his father was no longer struggling and floating.'

Jack Callahan, 21, cried when he first pleaded not guilty at Plymouth District Court in 2021

According to Buckingham, Callahan held his father in the pond on his back like a baby, and continually dunked his head in the water about four-to-eight times

Authorities said Callahan went to a bar in Boston Sunday night to pick up his father, Scott Callahan, 57, who was not supposed to be drinking

Scott Callahan's obituary reported that he was the Senior Vice President of Texas Capital Bank, and had an 'extensive career in finance'

The family lived in this $1.5 million five-bedroom house outside Duxbury

Wendy Callahan with her children Jack, Will and Charlie a year before Scott's death

Wendy Callahan with sons Jack and Will at a birthday dinner in 2019

Scott Callahan had been receiving treatment for alcoholism at a center in Hopkinton before he checked himself out and headed for a Boston bar on his last night

Officers attempted CPR on the Colorado State University graduate before he was taken to Plymouth's Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital where he was pronounced dead

The teen's mother saw him finally arrive home in soaking wet clothes at about 2am when she called police to tell them he was having a mental health episode and her ex-husband was missing.

'The mother indicated that the defendant had not exhibited this behavior before and that he had no history of mental illness,' Buckingham said.

Police called an ambulance after finding Callahan 'worked up and distraught', hyperventilating and passing out.

He told them his father hit him, and he did not know where he was: 'He's missing. I don't know what happened. I blacked out.'

He eventually directed the police to Crooker Memorial Park where officers found Scott in Island Creek Pond.

Officers attempted CPR on the Colorado State University graduate before he was taken to Plymouth's Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The teen was arrested the following day and cried in court as he pleaded not guilty at the first hearing in 2021.

Callahan's attorney Kevin Reddington asked the judge to send the teen to Bridgewater State Hospital for a mental health evaluation, warning that he was a danger to himself.

'He's a very nice young man,' Reddington said, 'He comes from a wonderful family.

Scott Callahan in an undated photo. He was the Senior Vice President of Texas Capital Bank, and had an 'extensive career in finance'

Plymouth Superior Court Judge William Sullivan is hearing the case which is expected to take ten days

The public gallery was packed as the trial got underway on Friday

Jack Callahan, 22, at Plymouth Superior Court in Brockton on Wednesday April 17, 2024

'My client had a concern for his father, knowing that he would be drinking and knowing that he shouldn't be.

'He was going to try to take him back where he should be.'

His mother told the court that he had been living with a brother in Colorado and had to leave his job in the logging industry after injuring his back before returning to Duxbury to live with his mother.

Callahan has pleaded not guilty to murder and the trial is expected to last for 10 days.
Farmers say market is flooded but prices at supermarkets still high

He can't find buyer for sheep and their feed is dwindling

Wayne Smith from Caluka Farms in Narrikup, four hours south-east of Perth , said he was heartbroken

A West Australian farmer is preparing to shoot 3,000 sheep because he can't find a buyer for them - or else let them starve to death because he can't feed them all.

Wayne Smith from Caluka Farms in Narrikup, four hours south-east of Perth, said he was heartbroken at the decision he is forced to make.

'It is such very hard times for sheep farmers in Western Australia,' he posted on social media.

He said it was 'a very teary day for me, organising with a neighbour to dig a pit big enough to put 3,000-plus sheep in'.

'I can't cope with the thought of shooting them,' he added.

'When no one can buy them, there is no more money to buy feed for them (if you can find any to buy).

'There is no feed in the paddocks and sometimes no water, there is no choice.

'We can't let them suffer from hunger and thirst. It breaks our hearts having to do it. Gut wrenching.'

Farmer Wayne Smith from Caluka Farms said he has been in tears but is running out of options

It is such very hard times for sheep farmers in Western Australia. It's been a very teary day for me. Started organising a neighbour to dig a pit big enough to put 3,000+ sheep in. This video shows our beautiful lambs. I can't cope with the thought of shooting them. No buyers. pic.twitter.com/NBOEv7nx3Y  @calukafarms (@calukafarms) April 17, 2024

What caused the situation?

The Albanese government has committed to phasing out live sheep exports from Australia by sea, which another WA farmer, Steven Bolt from Claypans Merino Stud, said was causing 'complete industry destruction'.

'Growers lose confidence and try to sell out of sheep, causing an oversupply to the market and no space at the abattoir. Feed costs are sky high and often there's none available.'

Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt appointed an independent panel to provide advice about 'how and when' to ban the exports which held consultations 'at very short notice' with farmers last year.

A report was handed back to the government at the end of 2023 but farmers do not know how and when the minister intends to shut down the trade.

Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt during a senate estimates hearing in February

The phase out does not apply to other livestock export industries, such as live cattle exports, nor does it apply to live sheep exports by air.

'Phasing out live sheep exports by sea is a complex issue that will impact farmers, businesses, our trading partners, and the communities that participate in the trade,' Mr Watt said.

'I am also conscious that the wider Australian community is interested in the phase out, including those that want to see animal welfare maintained and improved.

'Along with other measures, such as creating a new Inspector-General of Animal Welfare, the Albanese Government is delivering on our election commitment to strengthen animal welfare in Australia.'

What about Aussie supermarkets?

Social media asked Mr Smith if there was any other option considering the price of lamb is through the roof at Australia's big supermarket chains Coles and Woolworths.

Woolworths reduced the price of lamb in November due to an 'oversupply of the market' from $10 per kilogram to $8 per kilogram, though the online store was selling it for $9 per kilogram on Thursday.

A lamb roast was going for $9 per kilogram on the Woolworths online site on Thursday (stock)

'Virtue signalling politicians and the duopoly of big supermarkets caused this, but it's still expensive in the shops for lamb and families can't put food on their tables,' one person said.

'We need a supermarket regulator to fix the disconnect between farmers and consumers,' another said.

Some even questioned whether there was a way to cut out the supermarkets and sell direct to the public.

'When the cost of living is so high is there not a way to have a farmers' co-op who could cheaply sell these cuts directly to the public?' asked one.

'People are looking to buy meat from farmers. Have a look into Farm to Fork and Our Cow. I hate the idea of wasting so many animals,' another said.

Mr Smith said he had been 'trying for many months' to sell his sheep through traditional channels.

Caluka Farms on the southern WA coast (pictured) is for sale with expressions of interest closing on Friday

Selling agent Kate Jefferies has pleaded for anyone who can offer a short term lease or agistment for the sheep

'Had 6,000 down to 4,600 but 1,400-plus are dropping lambs,' Mr Smith said.

'Can't sell them for another few months. It's been brick walls trying to sell them.

'Our agent is working really hard, but so many are in the same boat and can't buy them, nor take them.'

Caluka Farms is currently listed for sale on Ray White Rural WA with expressions of interest closing Friday.

Selling agent Kate Jefferies said on Thursday: 'My phone has been ringing with calls from farmers who are in a desperate situation where they have found themselves overstocked - unable to move sheep with the appalling state of the sheep market despite trying all avenues.

'Now with the extended dry season they are running out of feed, water and in some cases funds.

'I'm hoping that I can maybe help facilitate some short term leases, agistment etc to help.

'I'm not doing this for any financial gain and want nothing out of it - I just purely want to assist in some way as I'm feeling quite helpless with the calls I have coming in.

'I have had farmers in tears this week preparing to dig a pit and shoot sheep because they are fast running out of options.

'Please feel free to contact me and I am happy to try and facilitate between those needing somewhere for sheep to go and those that have spare paddocks.'
Traumatised shoppers have questioned if Westfield Bondi Junction can ever be the same again after it was the scene of a deadly massacre.

Five innocent shoppers and a security guard were killed when Joel Cauchi, 40, embarked on a stabbing spree at the busy shopping centre on Saturday.

On Thursday, members of the public were invited to pay their respects during a sombre 'day of reflection', with hundreds attending and many leaving tributes.

Others left bouquets of flowers underneath six wreaths of white roses or shared messages with those affected by the tragedy in a condolence book.

Daily Mail Australia went to Bondi Junction to hear how the public there was recovering from the violent scenes that shocked Australia and the world.

Hundreds of people paid their respects to victims of the Bondi Junction stabbing on Thursday

One woman is seen overcome with emotion after visiting the memorial on Thursday

A little girl is seen leaving a single rose at the growing sea of flowers at the memorial site

Rohan Anderson was forced to take cover in Fitness First when shoppers were told to evacuate Westfield Bondi Junction at about 3.30pm on Saturday.

He told Daily Mail Australia he heard gunshots from inside the gym.

Mr Anderson returned to the shopping centre to pay his respects to the victims.

'It was very sombre and very reflective in there today,' he said. 'On the night there was a lot of emotion but in a different way.

'Lots of fear and the unknown. I think it's the unknown that drives the 'what if' scenarios and creates more fear.

'When you're in the centre and you don't know what's going on, I think it's that sense of 'what if' fear that is the most shocking thing about it.'

Mr Anderson said a day of reflection was the right thing to do for victims.

'I think we're extremely lucky in Australia that this is rare and we have very strong settings around weapons and particularly guns,' he said.

'That gives me a lot of comfort and a feeling of safety but I think it will take time.'

When asked if security guards should be armed, Mr Anderson said he felt uncomfortable about more weapons in the community.

'I think the premier has done the right thing in announcing some funding for that. We need to look at it, we need to get the settings right,' he said.

'I would have felt a lot less safe [that night] if I had known there were more guns out there, no matter whose hands they were in.'

Mental Health volunteers were on hand to support mourners at the centre on Thursday

Bondi Junction locals William and Harriette said it felt eerie to see the shopping centre so quiet

But William and Harriette, who live locally, said they had reservations on returning to the shopping centre when normal trading resumes.

'I don't think I'll be back for a while,' Harriette said.

'It's pretty scary that it could happen at any time, anywhere,' William added.

The pair said it felt 'very eerie' to see Westfield so calm and quiet.

'It's funny to see all the shops closed,' William said.

'And everyone's not looking too happy, which reflects what's happened. It's very sad all the women that have passed away and the security guard too.

Eugenie, who works in Westfield Bondi Junction at Sydney Ultrasound for Women, said the mood at the memorial had been sombre.

Friday marked her first day back at work since the attack on Saturday.

Friday marked Eugenie's first day back at work in the shopping centre since Saturday's attack

'We are part of this community, we are so devastated for a lot of our patients that work locally and lives within the Sydney region,' she said.

'This is a very central hub for us all to do everyday tasks whether it's work or it's coming here to shop, to see the dry cleaner.

'So you don't really have a choice not to come back here.

'But I think it is important to return and let everyone know it's our place and we're going to make it very safe and very special for the lives that were lost.'

Eugenie said the community was making their support clear after a 'horrific event'.

'The community has very heavy hearts for what's happened. It's hard to come back here when you know some family members haven't made it home,' she said.

NSW Premier Chris Minns and NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webbs visited the Westfield

People queue up to sign the condolences book at the memorial at Westfield Bondi Junction

Alice, who works in one the shops in Bondi Junction, revealed she had narrowly avoided being caught up in the stabbing spree on Saturday.

'I usually work a lot of weekends, but I was away,' she said.

'So finding out... I just instantly wanted to message my friends, which I did. Luckily they were all okay but everyone is really shaken up.'

Alice said it was 'touch and go' for when people returned to work.

'It's a case of wanting to do it very respectfully,' she said.

'I will go back to work as soon as the store reopens, maybe some of my staff members won't want to go.

'It will definitely be a really weird vibe. I reckon it will be very quiet.'

Leo George, 23, said there was an empty feeling in the shopping centre on Thursday

Leo George, 23, visited the memorial with his mother.

The family had moved out of their unit in one of the apartment blocks less than 100m from Bondi Junction on Friday - just one day before the attack.

'We come here all the time, all the time,' he said.

'It's a very empty feeling and it's pretty indescribable. I think the second-hand feeling is very different to the first-hand feeling, it's pretty unreachable.

'You can still feel the emptiness inside there.'

Julie Nguyen, who works at Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology just around the corner from Westfield, visited the memorial on her lunch break.

She and her colleagues were taking turns to take a walk around the centre.

'It's sad,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'You can't believe that you can go to the shops and never return.'

Ms Nguyen said she was unsure about returning to the shopping centre.

'I do believe the security team and the police did as much as they could but you just never know, you might be in the middle of the road, you might be surrounded by police and it still could happen,' she said.

Julie Nguyen works at the Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology just around the corner

Father-of-two Tony Chiadac said Bondi Junction was a close community

Father-of-two Tony Chidiac said the mood inside the centre had been 'surreal'.

'To walk through and at the same time try to understand what unfolded,' he said.

While he didn't personally know any of the victims, he said there was 'one degree of separation' in the close community.

'I know of people who knew the victims,' he said.

'So it just makes it all the more real and sad really. We're locals, we live across the road and we're most days.'

Mr Chiadac is hopeful his family can feel safe in the shopping centre again.

'It's like a second home to us,' he said.

'Just getting groceries, going to the gym, childcare in there over the years. I hope it can return to normality at some point in time.'

He said it was up to police to decide if security guards would be armed with pepper spray or given powers to spot check shoppers.

'That's a tough one. I'm sure they'll analyse that in due course,' he said.

Kristelle Castro said her roommate was working in the food court at Bondi Junction Westfield

Debra Birke said the memorial felt like a 'beautiful place of love'

Kristelle Castro said her roommate, who works in the food court, had been working when the incident unfolded on Saturday.

'She was pretty traumatised,' she said. 'There's no updates as to when she's returning to work.'

Ms Castro said the memorial had given her a 'headache' and a 'sick stomach'.

'It's really scary walking past there, it feels completely different.'

Debra Birke said she was grateful to be allowed the opportunity to grieve in peace.

'It felt like a beautiful place of love, that might sound a little corny,' she said.

'I feel like it was very special.'

Ms Birke visits Bondi Junction Westfield a couple of times a week.

'I think people will reflect here for quite some time and the emotion is real. I think people will come here with a more open heart,' she said.

'I hope that people don't get scared by it because it's a tragedy all round. It's a tragedy for the families that have lost someone, it's a tragedy for the family of the mentally unwell person who was the perpetrator.

'It's just such a tragedy because it is about mental health issues of course, but it's also about someone who was in a major struggle and fell through the gaps.'

She questioned whether security guards should have better protections.

'Do we want to put pepper spray in the hands of everybody? Do we want to have metal detectors to ensure that no metal of any description is brought in.

'I don't know what the answer is.'

Many took the opportunity to grieve in peace before normal trading resumes on Friday

Rebecca Sommi-Fisher said she had come to pay her respects to the victims despite not personally knowing anyone involved in the attack.

'It's my local and it's my community,' she said.

'It feels so surreal to be here. It was so respectful in there, everyone was silent like we were in a church. It's a reminder of the goodness in the world.'

Ms Sommer-Fisher said she would hate Australia to have to follow in America's footsteps in having people enter malls through security gates.

She is in support of security guards being armed with measures that could 'stop people in their tracks' such as pepper spray.

Ms Sommer will continue to shop at Bondi Junction and believes there is more good than evil in the world.

'I will definitely come back here, this hasn't changed things,' she said.

'That man was very sick. I don't think there's anything to be afraid of.'
A piece of wall art in the front window of Harvey Norman declared 'This is my happy place', and for tens of thousands of Sydneysiders that's what Westfield Bondi Junction always had been.

But when the doors to the shopping centre re-opened on Thursday morning for the first time since last weekend's atrocity, it was for a sombre gathering in a strangely silent building.

Some came alone, others as couples or in small groups of friends and workmates. There were hugs, handshakes and tears.

This was about reunions, returning to familiar surroundings and attempting to resume normal lives as much as it was about remembering the dead.

Westfield Bondi Junction re-opened on Thursday morning so members of the community could pay their respects to the six people killed in the shopping centre last weekend. A woman is pictured outside the complex at a makeshift memorial

If Westfield management had worried ghouls would come to gawk at the scenes where six people were killed on Saturday they need not have been concerned.

From the moment the first arrivals took the escalator from ground level on Oxford Street up to the fourth floor shortly after 11am it was obvious those who had come here had done so for the right reasons.

Visitors were offered a black ribbon to wear as a sign of respect and many did.

Shops remained closed, no muzak played and the information screen which normally provides directions to retail outlets had been switched to display a remembrance ribbon.

At the top of the escalators on level four stood six white wreaths representing each of the victims stabbed to death by itinerant schizophrenic Joel Cauchi during his senseless spree.

They were: new mum Ashlee Good, 28, bride-to-be Dawn Singleton, 25, architect Jade Young, 47, security guard Faraz Tahir, 30, artist Pikria Darchia, 55 and economics student Yixuan Cheng, 27.

Ms Good's nine-month-old daughter Harriet was taken to Sydney Children's Hospital in a critical condition after suffering stab wounds but has since been moved out of the intensive care unit.

Those who wished to sign a condolence book lined up patiently. Some placed flowers below six wreaths which stood at the top of an escalator to represent those who were killed

NSW Premier Chris Minns and Police Commissioner Karen Webb paid tribute to the victims by placing a wreath at the memorial before the public was allowed to enter.

It was impossible to tell how many of those who came on Thursday had a direct connection to the slain or the dozen others seriously injured.

Snippets of conversation among small groups could be overheard: 'Guy had only just come out of Cotton On', 'I just can't imagine it' and 'it all happened so quickly'.

Through the morning and into the afternoon the focus remained on the fourth-floor memorial, where people laid bunches of flowers and paused to say prayers.

Near the memorial, mourners waited patiently in line to sign a condolence book alongside the Tommy Hilfiger store where the floor was stained with blood last weekend.

Management had planned this operation with meticulous care and consideration. There was free tea and coffee as well as bottles of water, and the whole place was spotlessly clean.

It was impossible to tell how many of those who came on Thursday had a direct connection to the slain or the dozen others seriously injured

There was a strong but subtle police presence, as well as Westfield staff including security guards walking the floors throughout the building.

Counsellors from Lifeline mingled with the crowd offering words of comfort to those would wanted it, along with members of the Salvation Army and Red Cross volunteers.

Those who took photographs generally trained their cameras on the memorial. This was no occasion for selfies.

Nothing marked the places where the dead and injured were found or where Inspector Amy Scott ended Cauchi's rampage with three fatal shots to the chest.

No one seemed to dwell outside any of the shops where the knifeman caused the worst of his carnage: Cotton On, Chanel, Country Road, Myer, Lululemon.

One door at Lululemon was later partially drawn back to allow those who wished to return to the store do so - they were girls and young women.

There was a strong but subtle police presence, as well as Westfield staff including security guards walking the floors throughout the building

Most who walked past Eckersley's Art and Craft on the other side of the fifth-floor walkway over Oxford Street did not stop to look at where Cauchi was killed.

A sign outside Myer summed up how the centre's tenants were feeling.

'On this day of reflection, we acknowledge the tragic events that unfolded here at Bondi Junction last weekend,' it said.

'Our thoughts remain with the victims, their loved ones and our entire community.

'We thank our brave team members, first responders and customers who worked to save lives and keep others safe.

'We stand with our Bondi Junction community, offering our heartfelt condolences and solidarity.'

Nothing marked the places where the dead and injured were found or where Inspector Amy Scott ended Cauchi's rampage with three fatal shots to the chest

Victim's family members had been given the chance to walk through the complex on Tuesday ahead of Thursday's re-opening.

Westfield owner Scentre Group's chief executive officer Elliott Rusanow accompanied those who took that opportunity and described it as a 'very emotional experience'.

Mr Rusanow said trading would return on Friday, after the community adjusted to the centre being open again.

'Having a reflection day allows members of the community to come back, in a way that is not about retail trade,' he said.

'It's about paying respects, it's about coming back and feeling comfortable with coming back to Westfield Bondi.'
This is the final picture of Warwick Davis and his wife Samantha as the smiling pair enjoyed a date night just five months before her death.

The Star Wars and Harry Potter actor, 54, heartbreakingly revealed yesterday that his life partner, who he first met on the set of his 1988 film Willow, had died on March 24, aged 53.

In an emotional tribute put out on Wednesday, Davis said the death of his wife, who was also an actor, had left 'a huge hole in our lives' and said she made him feel like he had a 'superpower'.

The loving couple were most recently seen together in a selfie posted his Instagram page on October 5 last year, in which they were seen smiling at the camera during a 'date night'.

It was accompanied by the light-hearted and tender caption: 'A long overdue date night with my beautiful wife. She felt a bit overdressed for McDonald's!'

The couple were last seen together seen smiling for a selfie taken during a date night in October last year

In a caption for the photo Davis said it was 'a long overdue date night with my beautiful wife', before joking 'she felt a bit overdressed for McDonald's!'

Samantha Davis (pictured with Warwick), who met her husband on the set of his 1988 film Willow, tragically died aged 53 on March 24

Warwick with his wife Samantha and children Harrison and Annabelle at the screening of Disney+ series Willow

Warwick Davis and his wife Samantha on their wedding day in 1991. They were married for more than three decades

The couple's children (all pictured together) said they were 'honoured to have received a love like hers'

During their 33-year marriage, they had three children - one of whom tragically died shortly after he was born. The couple are pictured in 1996

The picture delighted fans of the pair, with one remarking 'you two are just amazing' and another calling them a 'gorgeous couple'.

The photo resurfaced after Davis tragically revealed his wife of 33 years had passed away last month.

In an emotional tribute to his 'favourite human', Davis said: 'Her passing has left a huge hole in our lives as a family. I miss her hugs.'

He described Sammy, as he called her, as his 'most trusted confidant and an ardent supporter of everything I did in my career'. He said he felt like he could achieve anything with his wife by his side and that it felt like he had a 'superpower'.

'She was a unique character, always seeing the sunny side of life she had a wicked sense of humour and always laughed at my bad jokes,' Davis said in a statement given to the BBC.

The couple met on the set of George Lucas's film Willow and married three years later in 1991. During their 33-year marriage, they had three children - one of whom tragically died shortly after he was born.

Their two other children, Annabelle and Harrison, also paid tribute to their mother, saying: 'Her love and happiness carried us through our whole lives'. Mum is our best friend and we're honoured to have received a love like hers.'

Davis said his wife's mobility had become impaired in recent years but shared how she was determined not to let it bring her down.

She had a brush with death in 2019 when she fell ill with sepsis ahead of a family holiday.

Davis previously told how he and the couple's children 'sort of said goodbye' by her bedside before she pulled through.

Warwick Davis and his wife Samantha are pictured with their two kids at the European premiere of Star Wars in December 2015

Warwick and Samantha Davis with their children Harrison and Annabelle at the premiere of Star Wars: the Last Jedi in California in 2017

Warwick Davis and Samantha Davis attend the Pride of Britain awards at The Grosvenor House Hotel on October 6, 2014

Warwick Davis and wife Samantha at the Children's BAFTA Awards in November 2011

Samantha Davis and Warwick Davis attend the ITV Palooza! held at The Royal Festival Hall on October 16, 2018

The actor and his wife lost baby son Lloyd just nine days after he was born in 1991 - the year they got married.

Davis said in 2022 that he would not wish the 'devastating' experience on anyone and added: 'You never get over it.'

He and Samantha - who co-founded the charity Little People UK - met when Davis starred as sorcerer Willow Ufgood in the 1988 film named after the character.

Samantha and her father Peter - who is Davis's business partner - had minor roles as villagers.

She also had an uncredited role as a a goblin in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in 2011, in which Davis portrayed Filius Flitwick - Hogwarts' charms professor - for the final time.

In 1989, she had a part in BBC educational series Through the Dragon's Eye.

Davis and Mr Burroughs, 77, co-founded Willow Management in 1995 with the aim of changing the way people with dwarfism were represented on screen.

Mr Burroughs is also an actor and has appeared both on stage and in TV and film productions including The Legend of King Arthur, Hamlet, and as an Ewok in 1983 Star Wars film Return of the Jedi.

Davis and his wife have actress daughter Annabelle, 27, and son Harrison, 21, together.

Harrison also appeared as a goblin in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Annabelle portrayed Lacey Lloyd in Hollyoaks until January this year.

Speaking of his first son's death to People in 2022, Davis said: 'I think it brings you closer together, or something like that, but it's an experience I wouldn't wish on anyone, it's devastating.

'You do learn to live with it, eventually, over time, you're able to better understand why it happened and can come to terms with it a bit more, but you never get over it.

'I think the losses shaped our family dynamic, we love Annabelle and Harrison all that more because they're here with us.'

Lloyd inherited dwarfism from both his parents and died from complications caused by the condition.

The couple lost a second child - who they named George - when Samantha miscarried at 20 weeks in 1993.

Samantha Davis with her husband when he starred in Spamalot at the Playhouse Theatre, London, in 2013

Warwick Davis, wife Samantha, daughter Annabelle and son Harrison attend the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens at Leicester Square on December 16, 2015

Davis and his wife Samantha at the London Palladium in 2015

Samantha Davis had a brush with death in 2019 when she fell ill with sepsis ahead of a family holiday. Above: Being hugged by her daughter in hospital

Davis added: 'We'll always remember what happened with George and Lloyd. We'll always be grateful that we had them for the short time that we did.'

The star previously said the tragedies made him and Samantha stronger as a couple.

Speaking on Bear Grylls' television show Bear's Mission in 2018, he said: 'Prior to Annabelle and Harrison we had a baby boy, Lloyd, who inherited both our conditions and that is something that proves fatal.

'It's something that a baby won't survive. But Lloyd he lived for survived for nine days, but yeah he was beautiful but it was a tough time. And yeah, we had a stillborn too.'

The star said he and his wife had made it through the painful time together, saying: 'That kind of stuff it just makes you stronger [as a couple].'

Davis was born with an extremely rare condition called spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SED), where the bone endings fail to form. It meant he never grew taller than 3ft 6in.

His wife had a different form of dwarfism called achondroplasia.

Samantha fell ill with sepsis ahead of a family caravan holiday in 2019.

She initially thought that her symptoms were caused by stress from preparing for the trip.

When her exhaustion led to her not being able to stand without support, her husband called an out-of-hours doctor and she was rushed to hospital.

Davis said in 2022: 'The next few hours were the longest of my life as I waited on the ward with our children in the empty space left by Sam's hospital bed. I hoped it would not symbolise a future for us without her.'

He continued: Our family gathered by her bedside; although optimistic, we were sort of saying goodbye in case Sam didn't survive.'

Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick in Harry Potter. He portrayed the charms professor in all of the Harry Potter films

Davis with Val Kilmer in 1988 film Willow. He met his future wife Samantha while making the film

Warwick Davis meets King Charles, then the Prince of Wales, at the charity premiere of Willow

Warwick Davis as sorcerer Willow Ufgood in 1988 film Willow

Davis reprised his role as Ufgood in TV series Willow, which aired in 2022 but was then cancelled after just one season

'It's so hard to see someone you love more than anything in the world fighting to stay alive without the strength to even roll over in bed.'

Doctors became concerned about a scar on Samantha's back from a recent spinal surgery she had undergone. Davis said it was 'inflamed with fluid, red, and hot to touch.'

Tests came back showing Sam had a deadly Streptococcus bacteria and meningitis infection, meaning she needed emergency surgery.

However, she pulled through and was nursed back to help by Davis over the course of three months.

Davis reprised his role as Ufgood in TV series Willow, which aired in 2022 but was then cancelled after just one season.
A Chinese national was sentenced to 1 1/2 years in prison Thursday in an appeals trial on charges of secretly filming more than 230 people with cameras hidden in motel rooms in Seoul last year.

The 28-year-old had originally been sentenced by a district court to two years in prison, but an appeals panel at the Seoul Central District Court reduced the sentence, citing he reached settlements with all identified victims and has no record of criminal punishment in Korea.

The Chinese was indicted for installing secret cameras in seven rooms at three motels in Seoul's Gwanak district and filming 236 guests naked or having sex on about 120 occasions between April and September last year.

The court also ordered the defendant to undergo 40 hours of sexual harassment treatment and banned him from working at child-related facilities for three years. (Yonhap)
A suspect in the vehicular death of an advisor to Senator Catherine Cortez Masto entered the US illegally, the Department of Homeland Security revealed.

Elmer Rueda-Linares, 18, was arrested after a horror crash that killed the senator's senior advisor Kurt Englehart, 38, on April 6, before his immigration status came under scrutiny from officials.

Originally from Honduras, it was found that he entered the US illegally in 2021, and has been put on an 'ICE hold' in Washoe County Jail in Nevada, a statute that allows officials extra time to prepare deportation.

With Rueda-Linares in custody, the senator's team paid tribute to Englehart as a 'beloved figure across the state.'

Elmer Rueda-Linares, 18, was arrested after a horror crash that killed Kurt Englewood, a senior advisor to Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, on April 6. It was found that he entered the US illegally in 2021

Kurt Englehart, 38, had worked for Cortez Masto since 2017, and was described as a 'beloved' Nevadan who 'was always eager to help a constituent at a moments notice'

The 18-year-old's ICE hold, first reported by the Reno Gazette-Journal, was ordered two days after the crash.

The hold is an official request by immigration officials to hold a 'removable citizen' for up to 48 hours longer than they would have to be released, in order for preparations for their deportation to be made.

Rueda-Linares was charged with failing to stop at the scene of an accident, and is being held on a $100,000 bail.

The Department of Homeland Security told the New York Post that he first entered the country on March 12, 2021, near the port of entry at Rio Grande City, Texas 'without inspection by an immigration official.'

'United States Customs and Border Protection arrested him, and he was later released on his own recognizance June 22, 2021,' the statement read.

The horror crash unfolded April 6 at around 4:30am, and Rueda-Linares was alleged to have fled the scene before his arrest.

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto said her team were 'heartbroken' by the news of Englehart's death, saying he 'touched many lives'

Englehart had previously worked for President Obama's 2012 presidential campaign, and was described as a beloved and dedicated public servant

Englehart had worked for Cortez Masto since 2017, and was named as a senior state advisor and rural outreach director last March.

The Democrat senator's office described the 38-year-old as a 'beloved' employee, who 'was always eager to help a constituent at a moments notice.'

'For the past eight years, Kurt proudly served in both my campaign and official offices,' Cortez Masto said after the news of Englehart's death, saying her team were 'heartbroken.'

'He touched many lives and I know almost everyone in Northern Nevada has a great story about Kurt helping them or making them laugh.'

Englehart had previously worked for President Obama's 2012 presidential campaign.

When questioned by the Post over the suspect's immigration status, Cortez Masto's spokesperson Lauren Wodarski said: 'Senator Cortez Masto looks forward to justice being served and has confidence in the local police and prosecutors.'

Cortez Masto had often lobbied for immigration reform, previously introducing legislation in 2020 to fix the 'broken immigration system.'

Rueda-Linares is next due in court Thursday.
Australia is on tsunami alert after Indonesian stratovolcano Mount Ruang, in North Sulawesi Province, erupted spectacularly five times in 24 hours.

The eruptions have forced the evacuation of 11,000 people and the closure of Sam Ratulangi International Airport in the provincial capital of Manado.

Fiery lava and ash plumes were spewed thousands of metres into the air.

Mount Ruang is a 725m volcano on remote Ruang Island, 1,640km from Indonesias tourist hotspot Bali.

According to Indonesias Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation, Mount Ruang first erupted at 9:45pm local time on Tuesday and then four times throughout Wednesday.

Fears were raised that Mount Ruang could trigger a tsunami by collapsing into the sea. North Sulawesi Province region is now in a state of heightened alert.

Australia is on tsunami alert after Indonesian stratovolcano Mount Ruang (pictured), in North Sulawesi Province, erupted spectacularly five times in 24 hours

'In light of the escalating volcanic activity observed visually and instrumentally, Mount Ruangs alert level has been elevated from Level 3 to Level 4,' Hendra Gunawan, the director of Indonesias volcanology agency said on Wednesday night.

'The force of Mount Ruangs eruption is getting bigger and has emitted hot clouds of approximately 1.7 kilometres,' Mr Gunawan told national news agency Antara.

Mr Gunanwan added the eruptions were triggered by recent earthquakes in the area.

About 800 people live on Ruang Island and they have been relocated to neighboring Tagulandang Island, which is over a hundred kilometres north of Manado.

No casualties have been reported.

Mount Ruang is known as a stratovolcano, which are steep-sided and conical due to the formation of viscous, sticky lava.

According to volcanologists, they often produce explosive eruptions due to a build-up of gas in the magma.

Indonesia has over 120 active volcanoes  more than anywhere else in the world. It sits along a 40,000km arc of seismic fault lines around the Pacific Ocean.

More to follow
Israel considered carrying out a strike on Iran in retaliation for last weekend's unprecedented attack but aborted the plan following discussions with Washington, according to Israeli and US media reports.

Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles over the weekend in an unprecedented attack on Israel.

The strikes, which Tehran telegraphed to Western and regional officials, caused little damage with most of the projectiles being intercepted, but signalled a momentous shift in the Islamic Republic's rules of engagement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to respond to the attack, prompting global powers, including main ally the United States, to call for restraint to avoid any further escalation or regional spillover from the months-long war in Gaza.

Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that following discussions with US President Joe Biden, Netanyahu decided not to proceed with pre-arranged plans for retaliatory strikes on Iran in the event of an attack.

'Diplomatic sensitivities came into play,' a senior Israeli official speaking on condition of anonymity told Kan, adding that there would be a response, but that it would be different from what was initially planned.

Rocket trails are seen in the sky above Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem as Iranian missiles are intercepted by air defences

This photo taken on April 14, 2024 shows flares from explosions in the sky over Jerusalem as Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts missiles and drones from Iran

Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari (L) poses next to an Iranian ballistic missile which fell in Israel on the weekend, during a media tour at the Julis military base near the southern Israeli city of Kiryat Malachi on April 16, 2024

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to respond to the attack, prompting global powers, including main ally the United States, to call for restraint to avoid any further escalation or regional spillover from the months-long war in Gaza

Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that following discussions with US President Joe Biden, Netanyahu decided not to proceed with pre-arranged plans for retaliatory strikes on Iran

Iranian medium range missiles 'Nazeat' are displayed during the annual Army Day celebration at a military base in Tehran, Iran, 17 April 2024

Citing three unnamed Israeli sources, ABC News reported: 'Israel prepared for and then aborted retaliatory strikes against Iran on at least two nights this past week.'

Among the range of possible reactions considered by the Israeli war cabinet were options to attack Iranian proxies elsewhere in the region or to conduct a cyberattack, the sources told ABC.

At a cabinet meeting on Monday, Israeli officials considered giving the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) permission for a strike against Iran, but 'for operational reasons' decided not to go ahead with it, two unnamed Israeli officials told US news outlet Axios.

Iran-backed armed groups across the region have carried out attacks since the Israel-Hamas war broke out in October.

Tehran's weekend onslaught, its first direct assault on Israeli soil, came in response to a deadly strike on Iran's consular annex in Damascus on April 1 that was widely blamed on Israel.

Washington and Brussels have pledged to ramp up sanctions against Iran, while Iran's president has warned of 'a fierce and severe response' to any retaliation.

In response to the diplomatic pressure, including from main military backer Washington, Netanyahu on Wednesday insisted Israel will make its own decisions, and 'do what it needs to defend itself'.

The comments come after Benny Gantz, Israel's former defence minister and a member of the War Cabinet, said cryptically that Tel-Aviv 'will collect the price from Iran, in the way and at the time that suits us'.

Many analysts said Iran's strike - while measured and easily managed by Israeli air defences - changed its rules of engagement in its decades long shadow war with Israel - a shift that must precipitate an Israeli response.

RUSI associate fellow and defence analyst Samuel Cranny-Evans told MailOnline: 'Iran has deviated from its usual strategy of using proxies to exert influence and conduct conflict in the area and moved to direct state-on-state confrontation.

'The dynamics have changed and made the risk of conflict greater - both between Israel and Iran, and in the wider region.

'Israel has and can act independently (of the US) - they have to do something to restore deterrence... Netanyahu is all about security, and in the context of Hamas' October 7 attacks is unlikely to want to be seen as weak in the face of Iranian aggression.'

Former Israeli intelligence officer Avi Melamed told MailOnline that Tel-Aviv would seek to exact some kind of cost from Iran, arguing that such a strike cannot go unpunished lest Israel be seen as more vulnerable by its foes.

'Iran is watching to see if Israel is capable of mounting a response, and a failure to do so will result in added risk for Israel of future attacks from Iran and other enemies,' he said.

These comments were echoed by Ari Sacher, senior policy advisor at the U.S. Israel Education Association.

'It's imperative for Israel to respond here. De-escalation is a suboptimal path forward so long as Iran and its proxies fail to recognize Israel as a sovereign nation... A purely defensive stance by Israel against Iran's attacks will continue this cycle of aggression, leaving Israel strategically vulnerable and emboldening the Islamic Republic.'

This video grab from AFPTV taken on April 14, 2024 shows explosions lighting up the sky in Hebron, Palestinian Territories, during an Iranian attack on Israel

Israeli military deputy head of the IDF International press department, first lieutenant Masha Michelson, display to the media one of the Iranian ballistic missiles Israel intercepted over the weekend, in Julis army base, southern Israel, Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Motorists drive their vehicles past a billboard depicting named Iranian ballistic missiles in service, with text in Arabic reading 'the honest [person's] promise' and in Persian 'Israel is weaker than a spider's web', in Valiasr Square in central Tehran on April 15, 2024

FILE PHOTO: A F-35 fighter jet flies during a graduation ceremony for Israeli Air Force pilots at Hatzerim Airbase, in southern Israel, June 29, 2023

This picture taken on April 15, 2024 shows a mural drawn by the 'Grafitiyul' graffiti art group depicting US President Joe Biden dressed as the Marvel comics character 'Captain America' standing before an Israeli flag and holding up his shield depicting the Star of David symbol, along a street in Tel Aviv

One likely course of action would see Israel step up its strikes on Iran's proxy forces.

It was an Israeli strike in Damascus that prompted Sunday's attack from Iran - but several IRGC officers were killed, including two Quds force generals.

More intense strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and targets elsewhere that are linked to Iran could demonstrate Israel's willingness and military capability to Tehran, without risking any more Iranian lives.

A large-scale cyber attack might be equally effective in demonstrating Israel's capabilities without causing casualties.

Meanwhile, any targeted attacks by Israel on Iranian soil - particularly kinetic strikes with drones or missiles - would undoubtedly trigger another response of greater magnitude from Tehran.

However, Justin Crump, British army veteran and CEO of global risk analysis firm Sibylline, said escalation may benefit Netanyahu, arguing that the prospect of major conflict with Iran reduces the political pressure over Israel's war in Gaza.

Prior to Iran's attack, the Israeli Prime Minister was facing a torrent of international criticism amid a rapidly increasing Palestinian death toll in Gaza, the deaths of seven aid workers following an Israeli drone attack, and outcry over a planned military incursion into the southern Gazan city of Rafah.

'Permacrisis suits Netanyahu at this stage,' Crump told MailOnline.

'This situation has certainly helped Israel and its leadership, reversing the trend of pressure over Gaza and helping defuse some political tensions that were once again building.

'It is to be expected that Netanyahu will leverage this environment. The Israeli public stance from the War Cabinet will therefore remain belligerent, whatever goes on behind the scenes.'
A partially-selective school's decision to convert a girls' bathroom into a unisex toilet block has left parents concerned after a reported 'behavioural incident'.

Prestigious co-ed Brisbane State High School recently converted its P Block of female-only toilets to accommodate for either sex.

Since then, male students have been accused of intimidating female classmates outside the unisex block and urinating over toilet seats and sanitary bins, the Courier Mail reported.

The decision to change the bathroom's gender restrictions is required by the state's Department of Education and Queensland Human Rights Commission.

The commission has ordered schools to have a specific proportion of both gender specific and unisex toilets.

A prestigious co-ed school, Brisbane State High School (pictured), have come under fire for suddenly changing some girl's toilets to unisex this week

An email notifying parents of the change said the toilets are 'now a shared space and should be treated with respect by all students using the facility'.

One parent said female students were no longer entering the bathrooms.

'You have boys using those cubicles that were originally for girls p***ing everywhere, including on the sanitary bins in those limited stalls that now have them,' they told the Courier Mail.

'It's creating a very negative experience for the girls of the school.'

The parent added that they didn't have an issue with the 'need to cater for diversity' but with the lack of consultation with parents before the change was made.

Another parent told the publication they were okay with the lack of consultation as it gave no time for the 'naysayers' to delay the change.

'I think it's a good idea as it provides neutral facilities for those students that are non-binary,' the parent said.

Parents have claimed female students are now afraid to enter the unisex block after male students urinated over toilet seats and sanitary bins (stock image)

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said they are 'committed to providing inclusive facilities to respect and value diversity'.

'The introduction this term of a dedicated unisex toilet facility is available to anyone who wishes to use it.

'The school continues to provide separate girls and boys toileting facilities on both campuses. Sanitary bins have not been removed from school bathrooms.'

The spokesperson said the school is aware of an incident that 'occurred near, not inside, a school toilet facility' and that has been dealt with in line with the Student Code of Conduct.

They added that 'allegations that male students were intimidating girls or urinating on the toilet seats and sanitary bins in this toilet facility are unfounded'.

'The school takes all parent complaints seriously and deals with them as they arise.'
A failed anti-vax politician who once posed while wearing a face mask as underwear has been found guilty of 'scalping' a police officer during a brawl outside a pub.

Raina Cruise, 39, who was a SA Senate candidate for the Informed Medical Opinions party, was found guilty of one county of assaulting a police officer at Adelaide's District Court on Thursday.

The court heard Cruise launched a violent attack on Constable Anthea Beck outside the Exeter Hotel in central Adelaide on the night of October 17, 2021, leaving the officer with a large section of hair torn from her scalp.

The incident was recorded on police bodycam.

Raina Cruise (pictured), 39, who was a SA Senate candidate for the Informed Medical Opinions party, was found guilty of one county of assaulting a police officer at Adelaide's District Court on Thursday

The court heard Cruise launched a violent attack on Constable Anthea Beck outside the Exeter Hotel in central Adelaide on the night of October 17, 2021, leaving the officer with a large section of hair torn from her scalp (pictured)

Cruise pleaded guilty to assaulting two of the venue's security staff after a disagreement over its Covid mask policy.

However, she pleaded not guilty to intentionally causing harm to Constable Beck when she later intervened.

Prosecutors revealed she had a previous conviction for assaulting another police officer in 2005 and requested that her bail be revoked ahead of sentencing, The Advertiser reported.

The court heard that outside the Exeter Hotel Cruise was 'argumentative, belligerent, obnoxious and frankly dangerous'.

Prosecutors alleged she compared police to 'Nazi Germany' before 'latching on' to Constable Beck, when she allegedly claimed 'I will smash you one-on-one, b*tch' as she yanked at her hair.

Lawyers for Cruise argued that Constable Beck had acted unlawfully because she did not tell Cruise she was under arrest.

Constable Beck conceded she had hit Cruise twice during the incident.

'She has got a handful of my hair, shes got control of my head, shes jerking me around and it hurts, shes on top of me and I cant get out,' Constable Beck said.

'I was losing control of the situation, I was scared for my safety  I was very scared  because I had this person who was fairly heavy on top of me.

'Im alone, theres no one coming, I have to get out of this situation because how many times do I let her hit the back of my head into the footpath?'

Judge Joanne Deuter sided with Constable Beck, claiming Cruise's 'actions and verbal threats, made it impossible for Beck to fully inform of the reason for her arrest'.

Cruise, who campaigned on a platform of abolishing vaccine mandates and removing fluoride from the water supply, refused to comment outside court (her campaign leaflet is pictured)

She jokingly posed for a picture in a Covid mask bra saying she had finally worked out their use (pictured)

'I am (also) satisfied beyond all reasonable doubt that, in all the circumstances, Constable Beck was acting in the course of her official duties as a police officer,' Judge Deuter said.

The judge added: 'I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt, upon all of the evidence, that the accused intended to harm Constable Beck.'

Cruise, who campaigned on a platform of abolishing vaccine mandates and removing fluoride from the water supply and now describes herself as a 'Naturopath & Homeopath', refused to comment outside court.

She previously jokingly posed for a picture in a Covid mask bra saying she had finally worked out their use.

On the day of her judgement, Cruise, shared a YouTube link to a two-and-a-half hour online seminar she gave earlier this month warning about the risks of vaccinations.

It has 47 views.
Britain's most expensive coffee using topica beans shipped in from Japan's 'island of eternal youth' is being sold for a whopping 265 a cup.

Coffee lovers, who have a few hundred pounds to spare, can find the pricey brew at Shot - a darkly lit coffee shop based in Mayfair and Marylebone in London.

The coffee is made from typica beans, a higher quality version of the arabica beans, and have been shipped in from the Nakayama estate based on the Okinawa Island in Japan.

Ordering a one kilogram bag of the special beans from the estate to the UK will set back ammeter baristas 1,480 - with delivery cost not included - suggesting there is a mark-up on the cup served in London.

At Shot, the high priced beverage can be made into any form of coffee that would be found in a high street coffee shop. It is available as an espresso, macchiato, flat white, americano, cappuccino or latte.

Britain's most expensive coffee is being sold for a whopping 265 a cup being made out of topica beans shipped in from Japan 's 'island of eternal youth'. Pictured: Photograph of a coffee served at Shot in Mayfair

Coffee lovers, who have a few hundred pounds to spare, can find the pricey brew at Shot a darkly lit coffee shop based in Mayfair and Marylebone in London .

According to baristas working in the influencer-haven, the coffee is reportedly ordered 'two to three times a week' and is most often ordered by 'true coffee lovers'.

Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood, a UK barista champion and founder of Colonna Coffee, told the Telegraph that 'hardly anyone grows coffee in Japan' because of the difficult climate.

He speculated that this may be the reason for the extreme cost of the beans.

Mr Colonna-Dashwood told the paper: 'Rarity is obviously sought-after in coffee, and most of the 'fancy' coffee people drink is all arabica.

'Typica, which is what is used here, is not the most sought-after variety of arabica  I've never seen a typica that expensive before  which suggests the value is coming from the fact that it's grown in Japan.'

He added that it was the most expensive coffee he had ever seen, explaining that these expensive collector item coffees are usually sold in bags rather than for individual establishments.

Shot's coffee has exceed the price of the Queen of Mayfair, which previously declared to have 'the most expensive cup of coffee in the UK'.

It was served for 50 - more than a fifth of the price of Shot's coffee - and was made from the Cup of Excellence from Ethiopia.

The price of a cup of coffee has been driven up by a third in three years, research has shown

Pret sells a substantial number of coffees through its Club Pret subscription, which costs 30

And Pret isn't the only one, with there being similar increases at competitors. File photo

The unveiling of Shot's coffee comes as the average person is grappling the rocketing prices on high street chains.

Prices have driven up by a third in the past three years - attributed to rising rents and supplier costs.

Poll Would you pay 265 for a cup of coffee? Yes No Would you pay 265 for a cup of coffee? Yes 18 votes

No 123 votes Now share your opinion





A medium latte at the main big coffee chains has risen by up to 30 per cent from 2021 to the beginning of this year.

Research by manufacturer UCC Coffee found that the price of a medium latte at Pret in Buckinghamshire cost 2.75, but cost 3.60 at the beginning of 2024 - with the current price being 3.70.

In Starbucks, the same drink in the same county cost 4 and 3.90 in Costa.

The increase of bean prices is said to be due to climate change in countries like Brazil and Ethiopia.

Coffee farmers in Colombia's Sierra Nevada mountain range say warming temperatures are forcing them to plant their crops on higher ground.

Meanwhile increasingly unpredictable rainfall cycles are affecting growth and harvesting logistics.

The region used to be free of coffee plant diseases but farmers say climate change means their plants are increasingly vulnerable to rust, brown eye spot or borer insects, further hitting their yields.

Production in the area has shrunk by 35 per cent in the last five years, according to the Latin American and Caribbean Fairtrade Network (CLAC).
Scottish primary schools have appointed children as 'LGBT champions' and are being encouraged to ask children as young as four if they are gay, lesbian or transgender.

Schools are setting up LGBT clubs and 'gender and sexual orientation alliance groups' for their students as part of their membership with a scheme run by the charity LGBT Youth Scotland, documents seen by The Telegraph show.

The charity reportedly also encourages head teachers to build gender neutral toilets and mark Transgender Day of Remembrance in the calendar.

As part of the scheme, school staff must be trained by the charity, which provides an online guide and letter templates for children who want to change their gender at school.

Schools that join the scheme are reportedly told to appoint at least two students and two members of staff as 'LGBT champions'. They are also urged to consider a survey of students to ask them if they are 'part of the LBGT community' to find out whether 'bullying affects those pupils proportionally within the school'.

Last week the Cass Review into NHS gender identity services raised concerns that evidence for allowing children to change gender was built on weak foundations.

Scottish primary schools have appointed children as ' LGBT champions' and are being encouraged to ask children as young as four if they are gay, lesbian or transgender (Stock photo)

Dr Hillary Cass (pictured) said allowing 'social transitioning' for young people - treating them as the opposite gender - could 'change their trajectory'

Dr Hillary Cass said allowing 'social transitioning' for young people - treating them as the opposite gender - could 'change their trajectory' and cause them to go down the route of a possibly damaging medical pathway later on in life.

The SNP Government was asked to act on concerns over the encouragement of ideology in classrooms following the revelations of the Cass review.

Miriam Cates, co-chairman of the New Conservatives group of MPs, said: 'We have seen from the Cass Review the appalling results of using children as pawns in adult political battles. Indoctrinating small children with sexualised ideologies is deeply unethical and breaks all established safeguarding principles.'

Chairman of the Tory Common Sense Group, Sir John Hayes, said: 'Those responsible for the outrage of approaching four year olds in this way should be rounded up and charged with child abuse.'

Retired educational psychologist Carolyn Brown said: 'Children of primary school age are very suggestible and are still at a very early stage of their psychological and emotional development.'

Children given NHS transgender treatment have been set on a path of irreversible change despite scant medical data, a report has concluded last week.

NHS gender identity services for children and young people have been based on 'remarkably weak evidence', the independent review by leading paediatrician Dr Cass warned.

Her study, commissioned nearly four years ago, made 32 recommendations to overhaul NHS trans services to improve the care that children receive.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed the report and called for 'extreme caution' in treating youngsters in the future.

A Scottish government spokesman said: 'We are committed to doing everything we can to make Scotland the best place to grow up for LGBTQI+ young people. This includes funding LGBT Youth Scotland to deliver a range of projects, such as the LGBT Charter programme.

'This work is particularly important at a time when we are seeing a rise in attacks against the LGBTQI+ community.'

MailOnline has contacted LGBT Youth Scotland for comment.
Ukraine's prime minister has warned that a Russian victory in his nation could lead to yet more conflict and bring about World War III as he implored US Congress to approve a military aid package for Kyiv worth more than $60 billion.

Denys Shmyhal said US military aid was essential to Kyiv's efforts to repel Russian forces and that further delays could have catastrophic consequences.

'We need this money yesterday, not tomorrow, not today. If Ukraine will fall, the global system of security will be destroyed.

'There will be many conflicts, many such kinds of wars, and at the end of the day, it could lead to the Third World War.'

The Prime Minister's comments echo those of President Volodymyr Zelensky who has long urged the US and Europe to provide more military support to Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials say Vladimir Putin and the Russian armed forces would be emboldened by victory in Ukraine and could threaten other countries - though the Kremlin has dismissed such claims as 'utter nonsense', casting its 'special military operation' across the border as a response to NATO expansionism.

Denys Shmyhal said US military aid was essential to Kyiv's efforts to repel Russian forces and that further delays could have catastrophic consequences

Ukrainian tank-men are seen on a BWP infantry fighting vehicle preparing for combat as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues in the direction of Lyman in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on March 17, 2024

Ukrainian soldiers at the artillery position in an unidentified area on the Adiivka frontlines the war between Russia and Ukraine continues in Adiivka, Donetsk Oblast

Ukrainian servicemen of the 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade fire a 120-mm mortar towards Russian troops at a frontline, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine

Firefighters conduct operations in the rubble of heavily damaged building, part of which collapsed, following the Russian missile attack on Chernihiv, Ukraine on April 17, 2024. It was reported that 14 people died and 61 people were injured in Russia's missile attack on Chernihiv

A view of destroyed residential area as about 30 of 650 residents have come back to the completely destroyed village, the former frontline Dovhenke, Kharkiv, Ukraine on April 5, 2024

Shmyhal's stark warning came as the US House of Representatives finally announced a vote on a massive military aid package that includes about $61 billion in long-delayed support for Kyiv.

The package also includes some $26.38 billion in military aid for Israel, some of which will cover the cost of US military operations responding to recent attacks, with a further $9.1 billion designated for humanitarian needs.

In Washington, Biden applauded the planned vote in Congress - now scheduled for Saturday after months of political wrangling - and called on American lawmakers to pass it.

'I will sign this into law immediately to send a message to the world: ''We stand with our friends, and we won't let Iran or Russia succeed'',' he said in a White House statement.

The three bills are similar to a $95 billion foreign assistance package the Senate passed in February with strong 70% bipartisan support.

But Republican Speaker Mike Johnson declined to move ahead until this week amid objections from hard-right lawmakers - some of whom threatened to try to oust him as speaker.

Aid to Ukraine is strongly opposed by many of the most conservative lawmakers - especially those allied with former President Donald Trump, who has been a Ukraine aid skeptic and hopes to win back the White House in November.

There are also some objections on the left, amid concern about sending money to Israel as it strikes back against the October 7 attack by Hamas militants and calls for tighter controls on US weapons and taxpayer dollars, given the devastating toll of Israel's campaign in Gaza on civilians.

But Johnson this week gave an impassioned speech in defence of the bill, despite resistance within his own party.

The Republican speaker said he would not let the threat influence him, saying it was critically important to support Ukraine.

'I could make a selfish decision... but I'm doing here what I believe to be the right thing,' he told reporters.

While debate continues over Saturday's vote on aid for Kyiv, residents in the Ukrainian city of Chernihiv mourn the deaths of at least 18 people following one of Russia's most deadly missile attacks in recent weeks.

A dog stands on rubble as rescuers work at the site of a destroyed building during a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attacks on Ukraine, in Chernihiv, Ukraine April 17, 2024

Officers put the lifeless body of a person killed in a Russian attack into a body bag to take to the morgue as firefighters conduct operations in the rubble of heavily damaged building, part of which collapsed, following the Russian missile attack on Chernihiv, Ukraine on April 17, 2024

A man (C) reacts near the site of a missile strike in Chernihiv, northern Ukraine, 17 April 2024, amid the Russian invasion

Firefighters work on a building that was partially destroyed after a Russian bombardment in Chernihiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Another 78 people were wounded in the devastating strikes yesterday, with dark images showing emergency workers plucking bodies off the streets as pools of blood soaked into the tarmac.

Mayor Oleksandr Lomako said more than a dozen buildings had been damaged in the attack, while other officials said dozens of vehicles and medical and educational facilities were also damaged.

Zelensky blamed Russia for the attack, but also said the West should do more to help defend Ukraine's skies.

'This would not have happened if Ukraine had received sufficient air defence equipment and if the world's determination to resist Russian terror had been sufficient,' he said.

Addressing the European Council by video link later Wednesday, Zelensky said Ukraine should enjoy the same cover from aerial attacks as Israel and pleaded for more air defence systems.

'Here in Ukraine, in our part of Europe, unfortunately, we don't have the level of defence that we saw recently in the Middle East,' Zelensky said, referring to the interception of Iran's drone and missile barrage on Israel last Saturday.

'Our Ukrainian sky, the sky of our neighbours deserves the same level of defence.'

The Ukrainian president added: 'All lives are equally valuable.'
A young Thai woman knifed to death at a luxury 4million mansion near Hyde Park had planned to fly to Thailand but cancelled the trip at the last minute, her cousin has revealed.

Kamonnan Thiamphanit, 27, - who was a tenant at the former Ethiopian embassy - was found dead last week shortly after neighbours heard ear piercing screams.

Her cousin Nutcha Tiempanich, 28, spoke with Ms Thiamphanit eight days before her body was found on April 8 to rubber-stamp plans for her to jet back to the Thai province of Ratchaburi.

But she suddenly cancelled at the last minute because she could no longer make it.

Her killer is believed to have fled the country, an inquest has heard, with police telling the hearing they have a name for the prime suspect.

Murder detectives are working on a theory that Ms Thiamphanit, known as Angela, knew her killer and had let him into the apartment in Bayswater, which she had been renting out as an AirBnB.

Kamonnan Thiamphanit, who was found stabbed to death at a 4million home near Hyde Park

Police officers at the scene after forcing entry to the house near Hyde Park at around 8.30am on April 8

According to Ms Tiempanich, Ms Thiamphanit was flying back for the Qingming festival - a Chinese celebration that honours the dead.

'We talked about the day the whole family would meet in a Chinese cemetery [for] the festival,' she told The Times.

'Angela said she was ready to book the ticket, but she could not make it. We are shocked. We did not believe the news when we heard [she had died]. It happened so suddenly. We spoke only days before she passed.'

Ms Thiamphanit had a boyfriend, her cousin said, although she 'did not say much about him'.

She said there was no sign that anything was wrong before her killing and the property manager had last visited Ratchaburi in February.

The Chinese-Hong Kong and Thai national moved to London eight years ago to study graphic design at the London College of Communication and would travel between Hong Kong and Thailand several times a year to see her parents.

DCI Alison Foxwell told an inquest on Tuesday, held remotely by Westminster Coroner's Court: 'Angela which is what she was known as while here in the UK had been renting out the property as an Airbnb.

'We believe that the person who attacked her was known to her, this isn't a stranger attack but at some point after the 6 April at 6.15am she was attacked in the address and sustained a number of stab injuries.

This map shows the street where Ms Thiamphanit was staying. It is located just off Bayswater Road, which is opposite Hyde Park in London

Murder detectives are working on a theory that Ms Thiamphanit, known as Angela, knew her killer and had let him into the apartment in Bayswater

Forensic officers gather evidence at the scene where Ms Thiamphanit was knifed to death

The Chinese-Hong Kong and Thai national moved to London eight years ago to study graphic design at the London College of Communication

Her killer is believed to have fled the country, an inquest has heard, with police telling the hearing they have a name for the prime suspect

(Pictured: Forensics at the scene in Stanhope Place, Bayswater) An inquest revealed Ms Thiamphanit died from multiple stab injuries

'We are currently seeking the perpetrator but cannot give much more information about that at this stage, I'm afraid.'

When asked by the corner Fiona Wilcox, for further details, DCI Foxwell said: 'We have a named individual. I think it unlikely that the person will be arrested in the next two weeks.

'We are asking the CPS whether we have sufficient evidence to extradite somebody from outside the UK.'

The inquest also heard how she was identified by fingerprints through immigration records. Her mother in Thailand had been informed of her death with the family planning to hold a traditional funeral in Ratchaburi.

An inquest revealed she had died from multiple stab injuries.

The five storey building, just a stone's throw from Hyde Park, has a video camera entry and police are believed to have recovered that and used it to identify their prime suspect.

No details of who that is have been released but the Metropolitan Police has referred itself to the IOPC watchdog over how it responded to an initial report of concern by the woman's friend 13 hours before she was found dead.

Scotland Yard said it had been made aware of concern for the woman's welfare on April 7 but now admit there were two phone calls made by a worried friend on the Sunday night, within two and half hours.

However she was not found until 8.30am on April 8 after police were seen forcing open the door to the building and then sealing it off.
The Metropolitan Police is facing a 'monumental' struggle to rebuild its trust with women after several scandals that saw servicing officers convicted of the rape, kidnap and even murder of females in the capital.

A study published today suggests the force is the least trusted by women in any region of England, following high-profile court cases involving Met cops and a brutal report that labelled the force institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic.

A report by Baroness Casey published a year ago warned there was a 'rot' at the heart of the Met that had been allowed to go unchecked, and said the force had lost public trust and become 'unanchored' from its founding principles.

The paper's authors say female trust was decimated by the rape and kidnap of Sarah Everard by Wayne Couzens in March 2021 - which came after fellow officers had joked about his inappropriate behaviour and nicknamed him 'The Rapist'.

Met bosses did little to improve their standing with women in the immediate aftermath of her killing with what the study labelled an 'overreaction' at a vigil held in her memory, when several arrests were made for alleged breaches of Covid rules.

A woman walks past New Scotland Yard, the Metropolitan Police headquarters in London. A new study found trust among women in the capital's police is lower than elsewhere in England

Sarah Everard, who was kidnapped, raped and murdered by Wayne Couzens in March 2021. Couzens was a serving Met officer nicknamed 'the rapist' by colleagues

A woman being restrained by police at a vigil for Sarah Everard in March 2021

Baroness Louise Casey, who authored a damning report into the Metropolitan Police. The authors of a new study say her warnings about an erosion of trust may have actually been understated

Your browser does not support iframes.

Met Police officer Wayne Couzens, who kidnapped, raped and murdered Sarah Everard. Investigations found there were chances to stop Couzens before he abused his police powers to kill the marketing executive

The Met's actions at the Clapham Common vigil led to damages being paid out to activists Patsy Stevenson (above) and Dania al-Obeid

The force was criticised for using what was seen as excessive force against people who turned out to remember Ms Everard

The Met's actions at a vigil on Clapham Common, which saw women restrained, pinned against trees and pushed to the floor by officers as they paid tribute to Ms Everard, were widely criticised.

It led to the force paying damages to two women who were arrested at the vigil, Patsy Stevenson and Dania al-Obeid, while a third woman, Jennifer Edmunds, was paid 10,000 last month for false imprisonment.

As the Met's reputation nosedived, commissioner Cressida Dick resigned after the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was not confident she was capable of taking up the challenge of restoring the Met's reputation amongst Londoners.

READ MORE: Met Police face paying up to 2million to a young black man after admitting liability when he was left paralysed from the chest down after Tasering Advertisement

But exactly how little trust Londoners place in the capital's crime-fighters has not been measured until now - and the scores make for grim reading for those tasked with improving the reputation of the UK's largest police service.

The study, conducted by academics from several UK and international universities, surveyed 8,000 people across England and asked them to rate their trust of the police on a scale of one to seven.

A score of one would indicate they did not trust the police 'at all' and a score of seven 'completely'. Researchers found women were more trusting of the police than men in other regions of the country. But this did not apply in London.

On average, trust in the police in other English regions was scored as 4.1 out of seven by women, and 3.91 out of seven by men. But in London this dropped to 3.72 and 3.82 out of seven respectively.

The scores were even lower for ethnic minorities, who rated their trust in the police at an average of 3.61 in other parts of England and 3.59 within the capital.

Areas with predominantly Conservative voting populations, meanwhile, tended to have 'significantly higher' levels of trust in their local constabulary.

Steven Pickering, honorary professor at Brunel University London, believes the problem the Met has in rebuilding public trust is even greater than was assumed in the Casey report.

'Baroness Louise Casey ran an investigation into the Met, and she issued a scathing report, saying drastic action was needed,' he said.

'But our research suggests that public trust in the Met is even lower than Baroness Casey found. This is especially pronounced among women and ethnic minorities.'

Researchers have expressed concerns about whether the Met can actually do its job of policing by consent - if the public no longer trusts those meant to uphold the law.

'The scope of the problem has meant that there is a scepticism, if not outright distrust, towards the police and policing among groups in British society today,' the study warns.

'This creates a general problem for a public institution depending on trust to perform duties central to the functioning of society equally across all subgroups.'

The Met says it is working to restore trust in its service amongst female Londoners, having recently updated its plan to tackle violence against women and girls.

Its V100 initiative has been seeking to identify suspects posing the greatest threat to women in London, with 60 arrested to date.

People turn on phone torches and point them at police during the Sarah Everard vigil on Clapham Common in March 2021 - before officers moved to dispel the crowds

Sir Mark Rowley, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. He has declined to describe the Met as having an institutional problem with racism and misogyny

Serving Met officers David Carrick (left) and Cliff Mitchell (right) were convicted of multiple counts of rape

Women holding protest signs outside Southwark Crown Court during David Carrick's trial. The study found high-profile cases such as his have done little to help the Met's reputation

Previous Met commissioner Cressida Dick resigned in 2022 after the Mayor of London said he did not have confidence in her ability to rebuild public trust in London's police

The Met says it is 'determined' to win back the trust of London's female population (pictured: the Met Police sign outside New Scotland Yard)

But women's charities such as Advance warn that the 'arbitrary' target is but a 'drop in the ocean' of abuse perpetrated against the fairer sex in the capital and wants a greater focus on specialised domestic abuse policing, and support for women who fall into crime fleeing from abuse.

Responding to the study, a Metropolitan Police Service spokesperson said: 'We are determined to earn back the trust of women and girls whose confidence in policing has been shaken by events of recent years.

'Through our Violence Against Women and Girls Action Plan we are transforming how we protect women and girls including seeing more predators brought to justice, more victims protected from harm and safer spaces for women and girls to enjoy.

'We are creating bigger teams to reduce caseloads of officers, provide a better service to victims and survivors and improving training.'

READ MORE: Met Police officer who sent 'misogynistic' messages about female colleague and visited her home while on duty would have been sacked had he not already resigned Advertisement

The Casey review, published March 2023, concluded Scotland Yard is 'broken' and riven with racism, misogyny and homophobia.

She found the force was not protecting the public from abusive officers, rape cases were being dropped due to improper handling of evidence and that 'eye-watering amount(s) of force' were being used on suspects.

The Met, she wrote, 'preferred to pretend that their own perpetrators of unconscionable crimes were just 'bad apples''.

Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police commissioner, has refused to use the label of 'institutionally racist' to describe the service he runs.

Gavin Stephens, the chair of the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), used it to describe forces across Britain in general earlier this year, The Guardian reported - adding it was his 'personal view'.

Around 1000 officers were suspended amid accusations of improper conduct last year, according to figures gathered by the BBC.

And trust in the force has likely been further eroded following a number of high-profile convictions of serving Met officers.

One month before the review was published, armed diplomatic protection unit officer David Carrick was jailed for life after admitting 85 serious offences including 48 rapes against a dozen women.

His targets included women he was in a relationship with, met through dating apps or in work, and he told some: 'I'm a police officer, you're safe with me.'

Met officer Wayne Couzens is serving a life sentence without parole after using Covid powers to falsely detain Sarah Everard, 33, in March 2021 - before raping her and murdering her. He had been planning the attack for a month.

Colleagues had nicknamed him 'The Rapist' and Couzens had been investigated over indecent exposure shortly before he abducted the marketing executive; the probe into which was later dropped.

Couzens was convicted of the offence after being convicted of Ms Everard's murder while an officer who investigated the claims was found guilty of gross misconduct; she had already left the Met by the time the ruling was made.

And in February this year serving cop Cliff Mitchell was convicted of 10 rapes, three counts of raping a child under 13, kidnap and breaching a non-molestation order.

One of his targets was tied up with cable ties and gagged with tape. Mitchell had previously been the subject of a rape investigation in 2017, for which no further action was taken until he struck again against another victim.
By Kim Se-jeong

Two-month-old premature baby boy Elhan was born in Korea  at 27 weeks  to a Russian couple whose visa status here remains uncertain. The baby's surname has not been disclosed.

Elhan, who has faced acute respiratory distress syndrome and other complications since he was born, is being cared for in an incubator at a Gangwon Province hospital.

The infant's father arrived in Korea five years ago and currently resides without documentation, while the mother, joining her husband here last year, holds a temporary visa. The mother has applied for asylum and awaits further processing.

Right now, accessing urgent medical care under the national health insurance system is impossible for Elhan. To receive subsidized health care services, his parents must register Elhan to receive a foreigner registration card, which requires a passport. However, that process is complex given the baby's condition and his parents' visa statuses.

Elhan's parents were not avilable for comment.

Thanks to the benevolence of the hospital, local non-profit groups and Gangneung Support Center for Foreign Workers, Elhan has received critical medical attention so far. According to a hospital official, he was discharged from the intensive care unit on Monday and is expected to be discharged in May.

However, the real challenge will come when the baby boy needs additional medical attention after being discharged.

An activist from NANCEN, a refugee rights group headquartered in Seoul, expressed concern over an increasing number of children in Elhan's situation amid a surge in asylum seekers here in recent years.

"As the number of asylum seekers increases, I see more children facing vulnerability," the activist remarked. She also noted the number of Russian asylum seekers increased greatly since the war in Ukraine.

In 2023, the Ministry of Jusice received a total of 18,838 asylum applications, among which 13,711 were from Russian nationals. A decade earlier in 2013, the total number of asylum applications was more than 10 times lower at only 1,574.
The prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case seduced a young mother in a chatroom used by 'paedophiles and sick people', where he told her he thought her three-year-old daughter was 'cute' and 'could be a model', a court heard.

Christian Brueckner, 47, who is currently on trial accused of carrying out separate sex attacks on women and children in Portugal, was said to have met his ex-girlfriend on the dating site in 2013, before she discovered it was 'where many paedophiles... operate'.

'At the beginning I thought it was about me,' the woman from Hanover, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court yesterday. 'But when I spoke to him, I mentioned my daughter. She was almost four  He said she was cute and could be a model.'

The witness claimed that Brueckner had also boasted to her about burgling holiday apartments at night, and alleged he had 'always' been drunk, but that she had not felt unsafe leaving her daughter alone with him.

Brueckner is also being investigated by German prosecutors, who believe he may have abducted Madeleine McCann, then three-years-old, from a rented holiday villa in Praia da Luz in May 2007.

Christian Brueckner arriving in court in Braunschweig, Germany, accused of sex offences

Madeleine McCann disappeared from a rented villa in Portugal in May 2007

Speaking at the court on Wednesday, Brueckner's former girlfriend testified that the convicted paedophile had asked her for pictures of her daughter after learning that she was three-years-old.

'He just said that he found her cute, and she could be a model,' she said, as reported by The Times.

The woman also said that while she 'never knew him sober', she never felt unsafe to leave him alone with her daughter when they went on dog walks.

Brueckner is still serving a seven-year sentence for the rape of an American pensioner, 72, in Praia da Luz in 2005.

In 2020, a year after his sentencing, he was named as the prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case by German investigators.

Brueckner denies involvement in the disappearance.

Brueckner is now standing trial accused of raping a woman in Praia da Rocha in 2004, and abusing a teenage girl and a woman aged between 70 and 80 in Praia da Luz, where he lived, between December 2000 and June 2006.

He is also accused of exposing himself and masturbating in front of children on at least two occasions in Portugal, and insulting prison officers in Germany.

His current trial started in February and has heard from witnesses who say they saw Brueckner in harrowing sex tapes which showed the rape of an elderly woman and a young girl.

Brueckner's defence have tried several times to have witnesses ruled out saying the case is unfair and prejudiced against their client because of the link to Madeleine but all attempts have so far failed.

A former girlfriend of Brueckner previously claimed at the trial that detectives in the Madeleine McCann case had still not searched her home, despite revelations he called her on the night she disappeared.

The woman said that on the night of May 3, 2007, Brueckner had called her to say he was driving to her house in Portugal and that she did not know if he had arrived.

It was revealed the woman's father and German prosecutors had urged police to investigate the compound near Praia da Luz in 2022, but they never arrived.

Speaking at the trial in Germany, the unnamed woman said: 'I don't know if he came late that night and parked the vehicle outside and slept in there, and left that morning again.'

German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters said they gave the information about the house to the Portuguese police but 'I don't know if they are going to doing anything'.

Madeleine McCann disappeared from the Ocean Club resort in Praia da Luz on May 3, 2007.

The case was archived in July 2008 for lack of evidence, but the family kept the investigation open with private detectives until Scotland Yard opened its own enquiry in 2011.

Since then, German police in Braunschweig have picked up the case after identifying a convicted paedophile as a new suspect.

German prosecutor Hans Wolters said evidence included phone analysis placing the suspect at the Ocean Club resort, and an alleged confession Brueckner made to a friend.

Brueckner was named as the suspect being investigated by the Met in 2020, in what they classed as a murder inquiry.

Christian Brueckner is currently on trial in Germany for sex attack charges her denies

Madeleine McCann vanished from the resort in 2007, the case then archived in 2008

Police said he was seen in the area around Praia da Luz in the days and weeks ahead of Madeleine's disappearance.

Portuguese prosecutors formally identified as a suspect Brueckner in 2022 after his yellow and white VW T3 Westfalia campervan was reportedly spotted near the Praia da Luz resort in Portugal where Madeleine vanished.

Brueckner has denied he was in the area at the time and distanced himself from the allegations against him.

German prosecutors say phone logs show he received a call on May 3 2007 near the Ocean Club.

He has claimed he was miles away with a young woman at the time.
Jurors were today shown the moment when a former sister in law of a pub landlord admitted to police that she stabbed to him to death with a knife.

Matthew Bryant was allegedly stabbed outside the Hare and Hounds in Maidstone on September 11 last year by Stephanie Langley, Maidstone Crown Court heard.

In new footage of the incident, Langley is filmed in the back of a police car after her arrest, telling an officer: 'I took a knife and I killed him. I don't care.'

Moments before, she can be seen knocking Mr Bryant's phone out of his hand after he rung the police to say that she had threatened to kill him.

The pair then disappear from view and he was stabbed twice in the back and once in the chest.

Stephanie Langley is pictured arriving at Matthew Bryant's pub, the Hare and Hounds in Maidstone, where she threatened to kill him

Mr Bryant can be seen inside the pub on the phone to police after his former sister-in-law had threatened to kill him

Langley knocks a phone out of Mr Bryant's hand before the pair disappear from view and he is stabbed

Langley tells an officer after being arrested: 'I will tell you exactly as it happened; I took a knife and I killed him.'

Mr Bryant (pictured with his wife Caroline) was repeatedly stabbed outside the Hare and Hounds pub last September

The court heard that Langley had been going through various personal and financial difficulties at the time which had placed her under a great deal of stress.

On September 11, Langley's son Cameron Langley-McColm told her he would be playing pool at Mr Bryant's pub. She replied: 'Enjoy your pool with the w*****'. Later, she told him: 'I'll see you there. Crazy mum remember.'

Mr Langley-McColm said his mother had alleged that Mr Bryant was violent, abusive, and had committed rape.

It comes after Langley became angry during an encounter with Mr Bryant in May last year. She was made to leave the pub by Mr Bryant at the time after making threats, the court heard.

Despite previously being related by marriage, Mr Bryant's first contact with Langley in 21 years was when she had turned up at his pub in May 2023.

On the day of the stabbing, CCTV captured Langley arriving at the Hare and Hounds at 5.53pm and being served a drink by Mr Bryant who joined her at a table.

She was later seen trying to knock Mr Bryant's phone out of his hand while he was serving a customer - someone who Langley allegedly told: 'Get a drink while he is still alive.'

Mr Bryant (pictured), 52, was the landlord of the Hare and Hounds pub in Maidstone

Just six minutes later, Mr Bryant's wife Caroline - who did not know Langley - asked her to leave and told her husband to phone the police.

But as Langley got up, she allegedly told him: 'You're dead tonight.'

Langley then drove her car to Maidstone East train station and left it parked there with the hazard lights on before she walked back to the pub.

By 6.05pm, Mr Bryant was outside and in the middle of his police call, which was also played in court.

He was heard calmly telling the operator that his former sister-in-law had threatened to kill him.

'Today, she has come in intentionally, had a whiskey, sat down and said 'I'm going to have you killed',' he explained.

'I don't want to be told I'm going to be killed. I just sat down out of politeness, but she said to me three times 'I'm going to have you killed'. How can you respond to that?'

Mr Bryant also added that Langley had been 'gunning for' him when she attended the pub in May. He said that he had not reported that incident because he had not taken it seriously.

He also told the operator that Langley had accused him of violence and rape but he said there were no police records of any such allegations.

It was at this point in the conversation that Langley approached him. Mr Bryant said: 'Hang on a tick, would you like to speak to her? I have got the police on the phone.'

But the phone was then knocked out of his hand and the alleged attack ensued off-camera.

Witnesses to the terrifying incident said Langley (pictured with Mr Bryant) had shouted 'I told you I would stab you'

A few seconds later, Mr Bryant could be heard telling the operator: 'I have just been stabbed' while people, including his wife, went to his aid.

The court heard that the time between the phone being knocked from his hand and the knife falling to the ground was 24 seconds.

Paramedics tried to save Mr Bryant's life but he was eventually declared dead at the scene just before 6:50pm.

Body worn video footage recorded by police showed Langley in a distressed state during this time, shouting: 'Get away from me, I want to stab him. I killed him. I don't care. I want him dead...I'm just so happy. I hate him so much... I hope he dies.'

Pub customer Eddie Williams said she then held the weapon over her head 'in a dagger motion' before plunging it 'with great force' into Mr Bryant's chest.

A half empty bottle of Bushmills whiskey was later found in a Tesco bag in the front passenger footwell of her Volvo.

Langley, who sustained a small cut to her hand, has admitted a charge of possessing a knife but denied both murder and the alternative offence of manslaughter.

Prior to the attack, Mr Langley-McColm explained that his mother was ill, her son had been involved in a serious road accident, she faced a hefty bill for repairs to her Volvo, and she was drinking more than usual.

Prosecutor Nina Ellin KC said Langley's former brother-in-law had become 'the focal point of her rage' by the time she returned to Mr Bryant's pub in September.

She told the court that it was the prosecution's case that Langley was guilty of murdering a man who had posed no threat to anyone.

She told the jury of six men and six women: 'The Crown say that the words spoken by the defendant that you have heard and will hear during this trial demonstrate her intentions.

'They evidence what was in her mind at the time.

'She makes it clear time and time again that she wanted Mr Bryant dead. She said it before she stabbed him and she said it afterwards.

Police at the Hare and Hounds pub after the incident occurred last September

'Indeed, after it had happened, she said she was glad he was dead. Those words will be for you to assess but the Crown say they are significant when you consider what her intention was on that day.

'You will also consider how it was that a large kitchen knife from her own kitchen ended up in her hands at the scene... There was no need for her to take such a weapon to a public house in Maidstone.

'You may think that her possession of that knife and her expressed intention to stab or kill him show that she intended to do just that when she set off in her car on September 11 to see him.

'The manner of her blows and the force required to inflict those wounds will also be something you should have regard to when you consider her intentions.'

Referring to Langley's assertions that Mr Bryant was violent and committed rape, Ms Ellin continued: 'The Crown say even if she genuinely believed those allegations, there is no evidence that he was a threat to the defendant or anyone she knew at the time.

'There is no evidence he was behaving in a threatening manner on September 11 or at any stage prior to then.

'On the contrary, as you heard in his 999 call, he was the one under threat.. He was the one who called police and sought their help in relation to a threat she made to him.

'She left his pub and then returned with the knife and deliberately stabbed him.'

Ms Ellin also told the jury that in deciding their verdict, they may want to consider whether Mr Bryant had 'simply become the focal point' for Langley's unhappiness and anger.

'On September 11 she was down, fed up with various members of her family, she had issues with her car and financial problems. She had also been drinking,' Ms Ellin said.

'She was annoyed that her son wanted to play pool at Mr Bryant's pub and, in her mind, it was Mr Bryant who was at fault - he was the focus of her rage.

'So she took the largest kitchen knife from her home and she went to him and killed him. It was impulsive, it was irrational, but it was also deliberate and intentional.

'It is the Crown's case that this defendant intended to kill or at least to cause really serious harm to Mr Bryant. The Crown say she is guilty of murder.'

The trial continues.
The University of Reading has denied its 'cloud-seeding' technology caused the devastating floods in the United Arab Emirates.

Earlier this week, Dubai travel authorities urged travellers to stay away from the airport after more than a year and a half's worth of rain battered the desert city in just one day.

Horrendous floods swamped the typically scorching UAE, forcing dozens of flights to be cancelled as travellers crammed into the concourse to shelter from the torrential downpour.

Ahmed Habib, a meteorologist at the UAE's National Centre for Meteorology (NCM), told Bloomberg several cloud-seeding sorties were flown in the days before the unprecedented rainfall hit.

However, Reading University has said that even if cloud seeding had been carried out in the days running up to the storm, it could not have caused such extreme flooding.

Professor Maarten Ambaum, a meteorologist at Reading, said operational seeding 'would not have been able to influence this particular weather system'

Cars were filled with water, forcing people to abandon their vehicles

Shocking videos shared on social media showed how cars were filled with water, forcing hundreds of motorists to abandon their vehicles and swim to safety. Some cars were completely submerged, with the top of their roofs barely breaking the water's surface

Meteorology experts at the University of Reading have been working with the UAE in the past few years on a project to electrically charge clouds and produce raindrops.

Cloud-seeding is a technique which sees aircraft fire salt flares into clouds to speed up condensation and induce rainfall - to provide its groundwater.

Flight-tracking data analysed by the Associated Press showed one aircraft affiliated with the UAE's cloud-seeding efforts flew around the country on Sunday.

However, Professor Maarten Ambaum, a meteorologist at Reading, who works closely with NCM, told the Telegraph: 'The UAE does have an operational cloud seeding programme to enhance the rainfall in this arid part of the world; however, there is no technology in existence that can create or even severely modify this kind of rainfall event.

'Any seeding operation has a fairly short-lived  a few hours at the very most, and small-scale effect.

'So even if they had had some operational seeding activities in the days before, then they would not have been able to influence this particular weather system.'

Giles Harrison, Professor of Atmospheric Physics at the University of Reading, also said: 'The UAE does do operational cloud seeding, but there is huge difference between what this can achieve  targeting individual, developing clouds with seeding material released from an aircraft  and the Dubai rainfall, which was associated with a large weather system advancing across the region.'

His colleague Professor Maarten Ambaum added: 'The UAE does have an operational cloud seeding programme to enhance the rainfall in this arid part of the world, however, there is no technology in existence that can create or even severely modify this kind of rainfall event.'

Since the early 1990s the UAE has been using this controversial technique to increase rainfall by around 15-25 per cent. Shown here is a UAE plane releasing salt flares within a cloud

Cloud seeding works by releasing grains of salt or silver iodide into clouds, these trigger water vapour to condense or freeze into droplets big enough to fall as rain

Two men use an inflatable bed to float above the water as downpour causes heavy flooding in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on April 17, 2024

People wade through submerged streets at flooded area as heavy rains negatively affect daily life in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on April 17, 2024

Not every cloud can be seeded so the UAE's National Center of Meteorology maintains a fleet of planes (pictured) that can respond when a suitable cloud is spotted

The planes are loaded with salt flares that can be burned in order to trigger increased rainfall

It is estimated that the UAE flies around 1,000 hours of seeding flights every year, although it is uncertain just how much this actually changes rain patterns

The rains began late on Monday, soaking the sands and roadways of Dubai with some 0.79 inches of rain, according to meteorological data collected at Dubai International Airport.

The storms intensified at around 9am local time on Tuesday and continued throughout the day, dumping more rain and hail onto the overwhelmed city.

By the end of Tuesday, more than 5.59 inches of rainfall had soaked Dubai over 24 hours.

An average year sees 3.73 inches of rain at Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest for international travel and a hub for the long-haul carrier Emirates.

In neighbouring Oman, a sultanate that rests on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, at least 18 people had been killed in heavy rains in recent days, according to a statement on Tuesday from the country's National Committee for Emergency Management.

That includes some 10 schoolchildren swept away in a vehicle with an adult, which saw condolences come into the country from rulers across the region.

Shocking videos shared on social media have showed how cars were filled with water, forcing hundreds of motorists to abandon their vehicles and swim to safety. Some vehicles were completely submerged, with the top of their roofs barely breaking the water's surface.

Some wealthy drivers in luxury motors bragged of 'floating' their way through the carnage - but most saw their vehicles stall as they became stuck in the deluge.

Rainwater also poured into homes, pushing people out of their houses and into the streets to seek shelter in higher structures.

A man walks through floodwater in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, April 17, 2024

The roof of a mall is seen collapsed after being battered by heavy rains

 Slide me  An incredible time lapse video shared on social media this morning showed how the thunderstorms rolled in and turned the sky black

The city was totally obscured by rainfall, as evidenced by this shot from a balcony

A picture shows a flooded street following heavy rains in Sharjah on April 17, 2024

In this video grab from AFPTV, a man wades through a flooded street in Dubai on April 16, 2024

Cars are stuck on a flooded road after a rainstorm hit Dubai, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 17, 2024

The horrendous floods swamped the airport and many of the surrounding roads, forcing dozens of flights to be cancelled as travellers crammed into the concourse to shelter from the torrential downpour.

The country's hereditary rulers offered no overall damage information or injury information for the nation, as some slept in their flooded vehicles on Tuesday night.

But In Ras al-Khaimah, the country's northernmost emirate, police said one 70-year-old man died when his vehicle was swept away by floodwater.

An incredible time lapse video shared on social media this morning showed how the thunderstorms rolled in and the sky became black before the city was obscured by a blanket of rain.

Rain is not common in UAE, but occurs periodically during the cooler winter months. Many roads lack drainage systems for managing floods.

Some residents were told to shelter if they felt in danger or were asked by authorities to do so.

Police and the military were sent out to help evacuate citizens in the hardest-hit province of Ash Sharqiyah North, state media reported.

MailOnline has contacted the University of Reading for comment.
Parents have been told they need to buy 25 pouches to lock up their children's mobile phones after teachers spent 'too much time enforcing' an existing smartphone ban.

Cardinal Newman School, in Hove, has told parents that all pupils will need to have magnetic-secured pouches, come September, as part of its uniform policy.

Smartphone devices will be locked away inside the pouches at the start of the school day so they cannot be accessed until students go home.

The policy is still under consultation, but plans are being introduced as teachers were spending too much time having to enforce an existing smartphone ban at the school.

The pouches, manufactured by the America company Yondr, aim to create 'distraction-free experiences' and are used by teachers, business owners and artists.

In a letter to parents, seen by The Argus newspaper, Principal Claire Jarman said: 'As a school we are increasingly concerned about the impact of smartphones on our young people.

'Students receive up to three strikes per half term until they are required to hand in their phones to staff. Speaking bluntly, this is not working. Too many students at Cardinal Newman School are disregarding the rule and failing to hand in when required.

Principal Claire Jarman (pictured) told parents in a letter to buy magnetic-secured pouches for their children's smartphones

Cardinal Newman Catholic School and Newman College in Hove, Brighton (pictured)

The Yondr pouch which locks mobile phones away for a period of time to prevent distractions

'This is, in turn, creating a huge workload for our staff  time and energy we would prefer to be focusing on supporting students in more positive ways.'

According to The Argus, the letter reported that the cost of a pouch would be around 25.

One prospective parent supported the move and said it was a 'reliable way to monitor phone use'.

It was previously reported by MailOnline that schools who were making the move to lock away students' phone during the daytime had been receiving a surprising response from pupils, who said they actually enjoyed having less screen time.

Students at Wauchope High School on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, have been locking their phones in Yondr electronic pouches from 9am to 3.30pm since May 6.

Student suspensions dropped by a third and negative incidents dropped by 10 per cent during a four-week trial of the technology.

Wauchope Principal Glen Sawle said students showed 'maturity' in making the school 'a phone free zone' in a school newsletter.

Parents widely supported the Yondr program, which is also used for concerts, stand-up comedy and private events.

School Captain Caitlin Miller said she has noticed a massive change in the school.

Wauchope High School (pictured) is the first school in Australia to lock away students' phones has received a surprising response from pupils who actually enjoy having less screen time

Students lock their cases (pictured left) on docking stations (pictured right) when they enter the school in the morning

Students (pictured) have locked their phones in electronic Yondr pouches (pictured) from 9am to 3.30pm at Wauchope High School since May 6

'I really love it and everyone's interacting with each other  a lot of people are getting in trouble for talking now,' she told to ABC News.

School vice-captain Ella-Jai Nolland said the phone ban was a big adjustment.

'I was excited, nervous, mixed emotions, a little bit scared  I never really knew how addicted I was,' she said.

'I'm feeling better about myself and I feel like I don't have to rely on my phone constantly.'

Students are allowed to take phones out of their pouches for educational purposes - like a Year 11 biology class that was allowed to film a rat dissection.

In February, the Department for Education issued guidance to school headteachers regarding the banning of mobile phones.

Rules back teachers in prohibiting phone use throughout the school day  including at break times  in a bid to minimise disruption and improve behaviour in classrooms.

While many schools already banned mobiles, guidance is in place to ensure consistency across all schools.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said she wanted to give teachers the tools to 'take action to help improve behaviour and to allow them to do what they do best  teach'.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said she wanted to give teachers the tools to 'take action to help improve behaviour and to allow them to do what they do best  teach'

In England, it is currently up to individual heads to decide policies on mobile phones and whether they should be banned. The guidance, which is non-statutory, instructs headteachers on how to ban the use of phones not only during lessons but during break and lunch periods as well.

It offers four different policies that schools can adopt to enforce it, including banning phones from the school premises, handing in phones on arrival at school, and keeping phones securely locked away at school.

A fourth option allows pupils to keep hold of their phones, provided they are never used, seen or heard. Almost all children  97 per cent  now have mobile phones by the age of 12, according to Ofcom.

In December last year, it was reported that mobile phone use in the classroom was fueling a 'devastating' slump in Scottish pupils' performance in maths, science and reading.

Experts said Scots pupils were being distracted by smartphones, which they claimed were stoking anxiety levels and affecting learning.

The OECDs Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) revealed that 15-year-olds in Scotland lag behind pupils in former Soviet bloc countries such as the Czech Republic, Estonia and Slovenia  and are also outperformed by their peers in England.

In OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries, 65 per cent of students who participated in the PISA survey said they were distracted by their phones or other devices such as computers and tablets.
This is the sickening moment a cliff jumper misjudges his leap into the abyss and crashes onto rocks at a notorious beauty spot in Tenerife as British tourist pals watch on in horror.

The 40-year-old man was stretchered away from a sea cave called Charco El Tancon in Puerto Santiago in northern Tenerife on Monday afternoon, having sustained 'serious injuries' to his legs.

Footage of the brutal injury that emerged overnight showed a group of men believed to be friends of the holidaymaker counting down from five before he launched himself into the air.

But the man leapt too far, overshooting the sea and smashing feet-first onto the rocks surrounding the pool dozens of feet below.

The witnesses could be overheard reacting in shock and terror as the unfortunate jumper made contact with the rocks before rebounding into the water with clear signs his injuries included at least one broken leg.

Some appeared to have performed the same leap moments earlier and were still in the water when the victim suffered his stomach-turning accident.

Do YOU know who was involved in the accident? david.averre@mailonline.co.uk

A group of men believed to be friends of the holidaymaker counted down from five before he launched himself into the air

The man leapt too far, overshooting the pool below and headed for the rocky outcrop

The witnesses could be overheard reacting in shock and terror as the unfortunate jumper made contact with the rocks before rebounding into the water

The victim was stretchered away from El Tancon sea cave in Puerto Santiago in northern Tenerife

Several holidaymakers have lost their lives at the notoriously dangerous cave.

El Tancon crystal clear waters attract tourists from all corners of the globe, but the beauty spot is considered highly dangerous.

The seemingly tranquil waters can swiftly transform into turbulent ones depending on the tides, with swimmers relaxing in the pool liable to be smashed against the rocks.

Spanish influencer Marina Rivera Saldana, who has two million followers on Instagram, was criticised for posting photos of her swimming at the spot last September where bathing is prohibited.

It is listed as 'permanently closed' on TripAdvisor, where locals warn people not to visit.

Witnesses to Monday's accident reported seeing a group of tourists filming themselves performing somersaults and diving off the rocks into the open sea before moving over to the spot where the horror accident occurred.

The injured man had been pulled out of the water by the time the emergency services arrived.

A spokesman for a regional emergency services coordinator said after he was rushed to hospital: 'A 40-year-old foreign man has been taken by ambulance to Hospiten Sur University Hospital.

'He had several serious lower limb trauma injuries.

'The first emergency call was received at 2.10pm on Monday, saying the foreign man needed medical assistance after hitting rocks when he jumped into the sea pool at Charco El Tancon.

'His companions had already got him out of the water by the time the first emergency responders arrived.'

Firefighters took him to a local health centre where he was stabilised before his transfer to hospital.

It was not immediately clear today what his current condition is.

A Canary Islands-based organisation set up to prevent aquatic accidents like Monday's incident said in an overnight post: 'El Tancon in Tenerife has once again become tragic news for the most absurd recklessness.'

Saying the video footage of the accident showed people 'freely risking their lives and recording everything for social media' despite warning signs, a spokesman for the group said: 'Please: no more recklessness, no more suicidal actions, no more deaths at sea. Prevention and common sense.'

El Tancon crystal clear waters attract tourists from all corners of the globe, but the beauty spot is considered highly dangerous

The seemingly tranquil waters can swiftly transform into turbulent ones depending on the tides, with swimmers relaxing in the pool liable to be smashed against the rocks

The site where the accident occurred, part of a complex of natural pools on the Los Gigantes cliffs, has been described as a 'mortal paradise.'

One online travel page described it as 'one of the most beautiful places in all of Tenerife' before bathing there was banned.

It adds: 'There is also a cave under the rocks that you can swim in. There is also an alternate descent on the other side that will allow you to see the cave from below.

'Common sense is very important here, as the pool can be very dangerous in high tide. Then the cave fills with water and getting out can be very difficult. Therefore, it is worth observing the situation in the ocean and not taking risks when the water begins to rise.'

An English-speaking visitor wrote on TripAdvisor in September 2022: 'I found the cave by accident back in 1999. It is a mesmerising place, watching the cave fill up and empty with the swell of the sea.

'As I am not a strong swimmer, I would not dare go into it. I have read over the years that strong swimmers have succumbed to the speed the cave fills up, resulting in them being pinned to the roof of the cave and having either fatal head injuries or drowning.

'I have visited the place over three different holiday years so have seen some 'hairy' sea conditions. To stand and see just how quickly the cave fills up terrified me.

'Please, if you do visit this place, be very mindful of the consequences of what may happen to you as you will have no control whatsoever.'

A Spanish local replied: 'DO NOT GET IN. People die here every year. Although it may seem that the sea is calm, in a matter of seconds a range of waves can come in, leading you to the grave.

'Once you are in the water, the cave fills up with the waves, hitting your head to the ceiling of the cave and leaving you unconscious.

'Your only way out would be to dive as deep as possible and wait there for a couple minutes. This is impossible for most of us. Please do not attempt to swim here. THERE IS NO WAY OUT.'

Another visitor added: 'We passed this natural 'swimming pool' a couple of times on our way from Puerto de Santiago and Los Gigantes.

'It is well signposted but there are also warning signs at the start of the steps down to the pool indicating that people who use it do so at their own risk as there are no lifeguards.

'On a relatively calm sunny day the swell in the sea still resulted in what looked to be strong waves coming over the outer boundary wall.'
Pablo Escobar's brother will not be allowed to trademark the infamous cocaine baron's name for his 'flamethrowers and smartphones' business as it would go against 'accepted principles of morality', an EU court has ruled.

Roberto Escobar filed an application to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in 2021 to register 'Pablo Escobar' as a trademark for his company but was denied, prompting a lengthy appeal process in 2022.

His firm, Escobar Inc, currently only lists 'Escobar Cash' cryptocurrency online, but has dabbled in selling gold-plated smartphones and 'tactical toy' flamethrowers in the past.

The European Court of Justice ruled in favour of the EUIPO's decision on Wednesday, citing concerns about 'the perception of the Spanish public' towards Pablo Escobar, and contending that people would associate the name with 'narco-terrorism and with the crimes and suffering resulting therefrom'.

Cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar, shot dead in 1993, rose to fame as the founder of the Medellin Cartel through the 1970s and 80s, amassing a net worth of some $30bn by the time of his death by overseeing shipments of cocaine into the United States.

Escobar became one of the richest men in the world through his drug trafficking operations

Escobar Inc previously sold a limited run of 'tactical toy flamethrowers' for 'burning money'

Roberto Escobar (pictured, file photo) applied to trademark his brother's name

'EUIPO correctly found that those persons would associate the name of Pablo Escobar with drug trafficking and narco-terrorism and with the crimes and suffering resulting therefrom, rather than with his possible good deeds in favour of the poor in Colombia,' the court said in a statement following yesterday's ruling against the appeal.

Pablo Escobar founded the Medellin Cartel in 1976 and established smuggling routes through Latin America into the United States.

Over a career spanning nearly 20 years, he embedded himself in Colombian politics, rife with corruption, and engaged in bloody conflict with rival cartels to become one of the most wealthy individuals in the world.

Escobar surrendered in 1991 and sentenced to just five years' imprisonment, living in his own self-built prison before escaping in 1992 and going into hiding.

He was eventually shot on a roof while fleeing authorities in 1993.

Escobar remains a divisive figure, having enacted a number of populist policies to the benefit of the urban poor in Colombia.

To this day he remains known for both his ruthless criminal exploits and his charitable offerings, investing large sums into the building of schools and housing developments in his native country.

Escobar's brother, Roberto de Jesus Escobar Gaviria, was also implicated in the crimes and spent 12 years in prison for his role in his brother's organisation before going on to found Escobar Inc in 1984.

The company made headlines when Roberto ended up in a spat with Elon Musk, who he accused of stealing his designs for a 'tactical toy' flamethrower.

The flamethrowers retailed at $249 (around 200) in 2019, limited to 20,000 units.

'I want the people to be able to burn money, like me and Pablo used to do,' Roberto said in a statement at the time.

'I burned probably a couple of billion dollars over the years. Literally burning the money. For many reasons. The Escobar Inc Flamethrower will sell out very fast.'

According to a press release at the time, Escobar Inc is 'currently responsible for managing the assets of the Escobar family, including but not limited to the intellectual property rights and licencing of same [sic]'.

An ad for phones by Escobar Inc titled 'Rest In Peace Samsung - Say Hello to Escobar Fold 2'

The Fold 1 smartphone by Escobar Inc, on offer at the time for an affordable $350

A museum and souvenir shop run by Escobar's niece Laura Escobar, in Medellin, Colombia April 12, 2024

In 2020, Roberto said that his company would launch a foldable smartphone called the Escobar Fold 1.

The company soon after released the Fold 2, billed as 'affordable, high-end foldable handsets', according to BGR, selling for $399.

A review of the Fold 2 later that year claimed the phone was 'actually a Samsung Galaxy Fold with a sticker'.

'The Escobar Fold 2 is just a Galaxy Fold handset covered in a gold sticker,' the reviewer claimed.

'The sticker comes off easily, revealing the Samsung branding you expect for the handset. Theres no way anyone in the world can sell this phone for $399, not even Samsung.

After the release of the Fold 2, engadget reported the company was selling refurbished iPhone 11 Pros for $499.
Police have stormed a number of airports across the UK to break up a global cyber scam gang that defrauded 70,000 Brits.

The UK-founded website LabHost, which had been used to defraud victims on an industrial scale, was infiltrated by the Metropolitan Police leading to 37 arrests around the world, including at Manchester and Luton airports.

The site was set up in 2021 by a criminal network and enabled criminals to create their own scam websites designed to trick innocent victims into revealing personal information such as email addresses, passwords, and bank details.

By the beginning of 2024, more than 40,000 fraudulent sites had been created through LabHost, which generated just under 1 million in payments from criminal users paying a monthly subscription fee.

As many as 70,000 UK victims were tricked by scamming set up through LabHost, which obtained 480,000 card numbers, 64,000 PINs and more than one million passwords globally.

The UK-founded website LabHost, which had been used to defraud victims on an industrial scale, defrauding 70,000 Brits. Pictured is a screen grab of the LabHost website page

The website now shows this message after the gang behind the scheme was infiltrated by the Metropolitan Police leading to 37 arrests around the world

This picture shows a man being arrested by Met Police at an airport in the UK in connection with the LabHost scam

These items were seized by the Met after arresting one suspected gang member in Bromley

Criminal subscribers to LabHost were able to log on to the service and choose from existing sites or request bespoke pages replicating those of trusted brands including banks, healthcare agencies and postal services.

How did the LabHost scam work?

LabHost was a subscription service for criminals that allowed them to set up their own scam websites. Subscribers were able to log onto LabHost and set up web pages replicating those of trusted brands including banks, healthcare agencies and postal services. These sites would then be used to deceive people into revealing sensitive information such as email addresses, passwords, and bank details. At the start of 2024, LabHost had 2,000 registered users and was responsible for the creation of more than 40,000 fraudulent sites. Advertisement

LabHost even provided templates and an easy to follow tutorial allowing would-be fraudsters with limited IT knowledge to use the service and set up phishing websites.

Phishing is a form of scam where attackers deceive people into revealing sensitive information by masquerading as a legitimate person.

By the beginning of 2024, more than 40,000 fraudulent sites had been created and 2,000 users were registered and paying a monthly subscription fee to LabHost.

LabHost provided its subscribers with fake profiles for 170 companies to trick victims, including 47 based in the UK.

Those subscribing to the 'worldwide membership', meaning they could target victims internationally, paid between 200 and 300 a month. Since creation, the site has received just under 1 million in payments from criminal users.

Work apprehending the gang behind LabHost began in June 2022 after detectives received crucial intelligence about the site's activity from the Cyber Defence Alliance - a group of British-based banks and law enforcement agencies which work together to share intelligence.

The Met joined forces with the National Crime Agency, City of London Police, Europol, Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCUs) across the country and other international police forces to put an end to the gang's harmful scheme.

They also worked with a number of tech companies including Intel 471 and Microsoft to bring down the platform.

Between Sunday, April 14 and Wednesday April 17 a total of 37 suspects were arrested across the UK and by international law enforcement agencies.

This included arrests at both Manchester and Luton airports, as well as in Essex and London. Over 70 addresses were searched both in the UK and across the world.

Shortly after the arrests were made on Wednesday, LabHost and its linked fraudulent sites were disrupted and existing information was replaced with a message stating law enforcement had seized the services.

Pictured is the LabHost mascot, a snide looking rat holding a briefcase with a dollar sign on it

This picture shows the login page of the LabHost website. At the start of 2024, LabHost had 2,000 registered users

This image show details of LabHost's 'worldwide membership', which allowed users to target victims internationally by paying between 200 and 300 a month.

Following the Met's intervention, 800 users subscribed to LabHost received a video message, nicknamed LabHost wrapped, telling them that police 'know who they are and what they've been doing'.

Criminals users were shown how much theyve paid to LabHost, how many different sites theyve accessed and how many lines of data theyve received, according to data obtained by the Met.

These users will continue to be investigated by detectives over the coming weeks and months.

Meanwhile, detectives have so far contacted up to 25,000 victims in the UK to tell them their data has been compromised after using scamming sites set up through LabHost.

Detectives have so far established that just under 70,000 individual UK victims have entered their details into one of LabHosts fraudulent sites, but said the total number of victims is likely to be even higher.

The Met said that each victim has been given advice about next steps and how to further protect their data, while a team of officers will also be on hand to provide personalised support to any victims who want further help and advice.

Dame Lynne Owens, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, said: 'You are more likely to be a victim of fraud than any other crime.

'In addition to the financial impact, it undermines the public's confidence in the tools and technology they need to use in daily life. Our collective approach should ensure suspects feel that same level of distrust in their own criminal environment.

'Online fraudsters think they can act with impunity. They believe they can hide behind digital identities and platforms such as LabHost and have absolute confidence these sites are impenetrable by policing.

'But this operation and others over the last year show how law enforcement worldwide can, and will, come together with one another and private sector partners to dismantle international fraud networks at source.

'Our approach is to be more precise and targeted with a clear focus on those enabling online fraud to be carried out on an international scale.'

Adrian Searle, director of the National Economic Crime Centre in the NCA, said: 'Fraud is a terrible crime that impacts victims both financially and psychologically, undermining our collective trust in others and the online services on which we all rely.

'Together with cyber crime, it makes up around 50% of all crime in England and Wales. Recognising the scale and nature of the threat, law enforcement are working evermore closely together, both here and overseas, to target the fraudsters and the technology they are exploiting.

'This operation again demonstrates that UK law enforcement has the capability and intent to identify, disrupt and completely compromise criminal services that are targeting the UK on an industrial scale.'
An accountant blamed 'family priorities' for stealing 334,000 from his boss before it was revealed he used the funds to buy a seaside holiday home and Range Rover.

Laurence Hearldon, 39, was caught using his employers' Paypal account to steal the cash over a three year period, insisting he needed the money to pay household debts.

The father-of-one initially repaid 43,000, but refused to pay back the rest after admitting to colleagues he had purchased the luxury motor and a static caravan at a holiday park near Blackpool.

Bosses at Influence Fashion, a wholesale clothing empire based in Cheetham Hill, Manchester - where Hearldon worked for seven years - had to contact insurers to get the money back, but were still left 50,000 out of pocket.

Hearldon admitted fraud of 334,844 between July 2018 and June 30, 2021 by abuse of position and was jailed for three years at Manchester Crown Court.

Laurence Hearldon, 39, (pictured) was caught using his employers' Paypal account to steal more than 300,000

The father-of-one initially repaid 43,000, but refused to pay back the rest after admitting to colleagues he had spent the money on expensive items

A judge accused him of 'greed' and of 'living beyond his means'. He will now face a proceeds of Crime hearing.

Hearldron, who left school with 11 GCSEs and a GNVQ in Leisure and Tourism, was taken on at Influence Fashion as an accounts manager in May 2014 after working as a credit controller and a clerk for various financial companies.

He was later promoted to management accountant where he was said to be a 'trusted figure'.

William Donnelly, prosecuting, said: 'By all accounts he was a popular and diligent member of staff at the company. By August 2021 he was senior managing clerk and was involved in all areas of the firm's financial affairs. He was undoubtedly a trusted employee and was experienced in his job and the finances of the company involved.'

The firm, which has an annual turnover of 22 million, used its Paypal account in one per cent of its transactions and it was described as a 'small but necessary' part of its operation.

But Hearldon stole cash by exploiting the online payment system's refusal to provide security codes or 'precise definitions' for transactions.

Investigations began in August 2021 after auditors carried out end of year financial checks and noticed discrepancies in the accounts.

Hearldon admitted fraud of 334,844 between July 2018 and June 30, 2021 by abuse of position and was jailed for three years

A judge accused the father-of-one of 'greed' and of 'living beyond his means'

Mr Donnelly said: 'The defendant had taken a leading role in that end of year reconciliation as part of his job and he detailed knowledge of the accounts and its requirements.

'But he had since 2018 been transferring funds from the company Paypal account to his own Paypal account and then onto his personal accounts with the Royal Bank of Scotland. Not insubstantial sums of money - some running into the several thousands of pounds - were transferred in this way. In effect the company Paypal account was being used as the defendant's own personal account to extract money.

'During preparations for the audit, concerns were raised and the defendant was asked about that, Initially he tried to explain it away as refunds and online disbursements and that was at first accepted as plausible.

'But the head of finance was not happy and confronted the defendant who then then accepted his role when presented with the relevant details of of over 140 transactions spanning three years,

'He was interviewed by police and he said he was it was debt and began to steal small amounts but then lost control. He dipped into company funds on a regular and not insubstantial basis. He said most of the money had been spent.

'He repaid 43,000 but nothing has been repaid since and he told the company's head of finance he had recently purchased a Range Rover and and a holiday home in Blackpool. His grandmother had also transferred an interest in property to him.

'This was an abuse of trust which occurred over a substantial period of time and there will be an impact on the company.'

Hearldon promoted to management accountant where he was said to be a 'trusted figure'

Hearldon, who has no previous convictions, was sacked but subsequently got a job doing manual labour at a different company. He was suspended from that post when his new boss found out about the thefts.

In mitigation defence counsel William Staunton said: 'This offence is something he is profoundly ashamed of but he had priorities at the time which were familial.

'It is a sad story about a man who saw an opportunity to help feather the nest but kept going with it and he knows he will now be punished.

'His partner earns 300 a week in the hotel industry and they have a four year old daughter. He looks after their daughter at weekends when his partner works. He is a grafter by nature and he is a man who wishes to be able to pay back to the community.'

Sentencing Hearldon, Judge Sarah Johnston said: 'Whilst I am, prepared to accept it was debt that was the catalyst for your offending, I am also entirely satisfied the majority of your offending was to provide you with a lifestyle beyond your means.

'You had significant responsibility for banking and credit control along with other functions within the business - you were also were liked and you were trusted.

'But you exploited what was a small but necessary part of the business conducted through Paypal to transfer company funds into your Paypal account then into your own savings account in more than 140 transactions in varying amounts on a monthly basis.

'You disguised those transfers and conducted your activities in such a manner to minimise the chances of being discovered. You initially tried to explain the discrepancies away but when later challenged you made admissions.

'You promised to repay the rest of the money on the sale of assets of the fraud but no further monies were recovered. You have failed to account properly for the monies stolen and you give differing accounts as to the level of debt you had accrued and now have.

'You also purchased a static caravan and a Range Rover whilst it is urged on your behalf it was 'family priorities' that motivated your offending. Those purchases prove that the only explanation for your offending is greed.'
Nicolas Sternaman was charged with kidnapping and battery, and remains jailed

A father whose four-year-old son was nearly abducted in broad daylight at a drug store in Miami feared the attempted kidnapper 'would have killed him' if he had not fought him off.

Suspected kidnapper Nicolas Sternaman tried to brazenly snatch the little boy as he exited the CVS with his parents around 11.55am on February 8.

As the child walked through the exit, closely following his mother, Sternaman allegedly bent over and made a grab for the little boy - prompting his father Hassan Rodriguez to launch at the attacker.

He bravely grabbed Sternaman, 26, and wrestled him away from the boy as his mother pulled her child to safety.

'He grabbed him by the neck, if I'm not behind him, he would have killed him,' Rodriguez told police after the incident, new body camera footage obtained by NBC 6 revealed.

Miami Beach Police quickly arrested Sternaman three blocks from the CVS. He was subsequently charged with kidnapping and battery, and remains jailed without bond.

Nicolas Sternaman is accused of trying to kidnap a four-year-old in broad daylight in front of his parents at a CVS in Miami on February 8

Newly released body camera footage shows the moment police put handcuffed Sternaman (pictured) in the back of a cruiser after he was arrested for attempted kidnapping

The boy's father Hassan Rodriguez (pictured) spoke to police after the attack, newly released body camera footage revealed. He told officers that Sternaman 'grabbed him by the neck, if I'm not behind him, he would have killed him'

Nicholas Sternaman, 26, (pictured) has been charged with kidnapping and battery, and remains jailed without bond

Rodriguez and his family recently moved from Cuba to Florida and had only been in the country about a month when the attempted abduction occurred.

Sternaman, after walking past Rodriguez's wife, allegedly hunched over and grabbed the four-year-old by his neck.

A full-on brawl broke out between the alleged kidnapper and the father, who yanked the man's coat off at one point and even slammed him into the store's glass.

The fight ended with Sternaman strolling out of the CVS as the boy's mother clutched her shaken-up son.

The alleged kidnapper bolted out of store, but Rodriguez and fellow shopper Deven Surajpal chased after him.

Surveillance footage from the pharmacy shows the moment Sternaman allegedly tried to snatch the little boy as he exited with his parents

Miami Beach Police quickly arrested Sternaman three blocks from the CVS. Bodycamera footage shows the moment he was apprehended by officers

A tourist who rushed to help Rodriguez called 911 and reportedly helped lead officers to Sternaman, pictured during his arrest on February 8

Surajpal, a tourist visiting from the Tampa area, called 911 and reportedly helped lead officers to the attempted abductor.

'I just ran him down,' Surajpal told detectives, according to the newly released body camera footage. 'This is crazy man, broad daylight, trying to snatch the, just like that, out of nowhere.'

The witness, who told officers he had five children of his own, said that he rushed to help Rodriguez because he 'just felt his pain' and didn't want Sternaman to get away.

Meanwhile, the Rodriguez family say they were left terrified by what happened.

'It's very terrifying that it happens actually at day, in a store where people are around,' the boy's mother Vanessa Selk told WPLG after the incident as she clutched her traumatized child.

'Be aware of your child every second because in one second they can be taken away,' Rodriguez added.

The suspected kidnapper, Nicolas Sternaman, was entering the CVS on Collins Avenue at 11:55 am when he made his bold abduction attempt

As the child walked through the exit, closely following his mother, Sternaman allegedly bent over and made a grab for the little boy - prompting Rodriguez to launch at him

Rodriguez bravely grabbed Sternaman, 26, and wrestled him away from the boy as his mother pulled her child to safety

Sternaman was arrested and reportedly refused to explain to police why he had allegedly tried to snatch the child.

He has since been charged with kidnapping and battery and booked into jail.

Officers, in another body camera video, are heard discussing his arrest with one describing the incident as the 'strangest thing I ever heard'.

Another said: 'Don't even question himwe shook him good, right? Nothing on him? We shook him, you're sure, we patted him down really good? There was nothing on him, no IDs, nothing?'

Sternaman has been arrested before for petty theft in Miami Beach back in July, an incident for which he is still awaiting trial.
Starving arctic foxes turn to cannibalism as they battle climate change and lack of food in one of the saddest scenes ever filmed for a Sir David Attenborough programme.

In a heartbreaking moment on BBC series Mammals, desperate foxes are seen feeding on one of their own who is believed to have collapsed and died from starvation.

Rising temperatures in the Arctic have caused the sea to freeze over later in the year and, without sea ice, it means the foxes are unable to hunt.

Desperate and starving, the latest episode sees them resort to cannibalism in order to survive in one of the most gruesome and saddest scenes the broadcaster has ever shot.

In scenes some viewers might find too unbearable to watch, the episode shows a skulk of foxes fighting over the carcass that has starved to death on Canada's Hudson Bay.

Starving arctic foxes turn to cannibalism as they battle climate change and lack of food along Canada's Hudson Bay in heartbreaking scenes filmed for BBC Mammals

Desperate and starving, the latest episode sees them resort to cannibalism in order to survive in one of the most gruesome and saddest scenes the broadcaster has ever shot

Sir David Attenborough's latest wildlife series focuses on how animals are adapting to the world as they battle climate change

Sir David will tell viewers only 'time will tell' if the species can survive in the long term, reports The Mirror.

He says: 'Arctic foxes form unlikely alliances with the polar bears.

'It's late in the year and both species are waiting for the sea to freeze.

'Once it does, polar bears will once again be able to hunt seals out on the ice and Arctic foxes will scavenge from their leftovers.

'But right now, both are hungry and both must wait. Ten days pass but there is still no sea ice in sight.

'For the foxes the situation is becoming desperate. The wait for one Arctic fox has been too long.

'The starving survivors cannot ignore this opportunity. Desperation has led to cannibalism, something being seen more and more in the Arctic.'

The new series has won rave reviews from critics and viewers despite baseless claims by some that elephants in one episode 'look like CGI'.

Sir David will tell viewers only 'time will tell' if the species can survive in the long term

In scenes some viewers might find too unbearable to watch, the episode shows a skulk of foxes fighting over the carcass

The Arctic foxes wait for the sea to freeze over so they scavenge from the polar bears' leftovers

Rising temperatures in the Arctic have caused the sea to freeze over later in the year and, without sea ice, it means the foxes are unable to hunt

Elephants walk into a town in Zimbabwe in scenes filmed for the new BBC series Mammals

Some have claimed the elephant scenes looked computer-generated, but this has been denied

Audience members took to social media during the show to highlight concerns over scenes showing the nightly jaunts of African elephants through a town in Zimbabwe.

But Mammals assistant producer Sarah-Jane Walsh confirmed it was real, from a 'low light camera' and 'high ISO' - a setting to capture brighter images in dark situations.

Another assistant producer on the show, Harriet Lawrence, said it was hard to find the elephants, with the team using thermal scopes to spot them in dark alleyways.

The latest episode in the six-part series, titled Cold, airs this Sunday on BBC One at 7pm.
Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong renewed his vow to accomplish medical reform Thursday, although a mass walkout by trainee doctors in protest of the reform has crippled public health services for about two months.

About 12,000 trainee doctors have left their worksites since Feb. 20 in the walkout against the government's push to hike the annual enrollment of medical students by 2,000 starting next year.

"The medical reform is essential to protect the lives and health of the people, to enhance local and essential medical services, and to prepare for future demand," Cho said at a government response meeting.

"We plan to gather reasonable opinions from different sectors and carry out the reform unwaveringly," the minister said.

Some media reports have said last week's parliamentary election outcome may affect the medical reform by the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol because Yoon's ruling party suffered a crushing defeat.

But Cho's remarks were seen as indicating that the government will continue to push the medical reform forward.

Since the election defeat, Yoon has vowed to accelerate the implementation of policies that are helpful to the people while filling any gaps by collecting public opinion through town halls.

He indicated, however, that he has no intention of backing down from his plans to increase admissions at medical schools. (Yonhap)
Prince Harry's decision to pinpoint the day he and Meghan were 'evicted' from Frogmore Cottage by King Charles as the date his US residency began points to 'irritation' with his father and that he won't return to the UK, royal experts told MailOnline today.

The Duke of Sussex has updated his official business records in this country to make it clear that he no longer lives in Britain.

Filings published by Companies House yesterday for Prince Henry Charles Albert David Duke of Sussex record that his New Country/State Usually Resident is now the U.S. It was previously recorded as the United Kingdom.

And despite being updated officially this week, Prince Harry chose the day he and Meghan officially moved out of Frogmore Cottage - June 29, 2023, as the date his formal US residency began - not when they emigrated in early 2020.

Royal biographer Tom Bower told MailOnline that Harrys decision to use the date of leaving Frogmore as the start of his US residency reveals his annoyance with his father. It is also a sure sign that Harry has no intention of living in Britain again for some time.

King Charles was quite right to evict Harry from Frogmore, and not surprisingly Harry was irritated. He and Meghan thought they could have their cake and eat it, he said.

Unfortunately, the King did not go further and strip the Sussexes of their titles. That might have stopped their recent promotional splurge, exploiting their royal titles to earn money. Hopefully, when the King recovers he will reconsider his attitude towards the Sussexes and distance them further from the royal family.

Prince Harry, right, and wife Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, arrive for the 2024 Royal Salute Polo Challenge in Florida on Friday

The publicly-viewable document that officially shows Prince Harry is now based in the United States

King Charles evicted Prince Harry and Meghan from Frogmore Cottage and instead offered it to his brother Prince Andrew

Royal experts have said Harry was 'deeply wounded' by his father's order for him and Meghan to leave Frogmore Cottage

Mr Bower says the Companies House document unearthed by the Mail shows Harry has decided to remain in America for the foreseeable future.

He said: He should now be firmly told by the King to stop exploiting his royal titles for commercial profit.

Royal author Angela Levin said the change in residence means that Harry should no longer be 'a Counsellor of State to stand in for the monarch should it be needed.

By law, Counsellors of State are required to have a UK domicile, but Harry has no home here after King Charles asked the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to vacate Frogmore Cottage, a gift from the late Queen Elizabeth.

Until 2022, the Counsellors of State were Queen Camilla, Prince William, Harry, Prince Andrew and his elder daughter Princess Beatrice.

However, many considered this situation unsuitable as Harry, the Duke of York and Beatrice are not working royals.

Later that year, the King asked parliament to add his sister, Princess Anne, and youngest brother, Prince Edward, to the list.

It was reported that the King decided not to remove Harry and Andrew because he did not want to escalate family tensions and believed it was unlikely either would ever be required to deputise for him.

However, last year courtiers were keen to ensure that William returned to Britain from a solo trip to New York before the King and Queen departed for their state visit to France on the same day.

The situation has since become even more urgent because of the King's cancer treatment.

The Duke of Sussex said he began living in America was disclosed by the Mail yesterday.

Filings published by Companies House for 'Prince Henry Charles Albert David Duke of Sussex' record that his 'New Country/State Usually Resident' is now the USA, while it previously stated the United Kingdom.

Royal experts have said Harry was 'deeply wounded' by his father's order for him and Meghan to leave Frogmore, which had been a wedding gift from Queen Elizabeth, with suggestions that he was making a point by choosing the date.

This is the date that the Duke of Sussex said he began living in America on new business documents disclosed by the Mail yesterday

The Sussexes' mansion is worth $14 million (11m) and has six bedrooms and seven bathrooms

Prince Harry, pictured with Meghan Markle at a polo event in Florida on April 12, has listed the US as his primary residence for the first time

Royal author Phil Dampier told The Sun: 'Charles and William knew it had to be done to emphasise Harry and Meghan were outside The Firm but he probably still thought he could keep a base here. Now he's shown he accepts his life is in the US.'

It comes after Harry revealed earlier this year that he has 'considered' becoming a US citizen, a move which would mean he may have to renounce his titles.

'The thought has crossed my mind but not a high priority right now,' he said on Good Morning America in February.

Pressure has been increasing on Joe Biden's government to release Harry's visa records after campaigners seized on comments made by the American ambassador to London that he would not be deported while the Democrat was president.

The conservative Heritage Foundation think tank in Washington DC, which has gone to court to seek the release of the file, has submitted the remarks made by Jane Hartley as part of its case.

The new details, filed at Companies House for Harry's eco travel venture Travalyst, also raise serious questions about whether he can remain as a Counsellor of State, one of seven members of the Royal Family who can deputise for the Monarch if he is abroad or unwell.

By law, Counsellors of State are required to have a UK domicile, but Harry has no home here after King Charles asked the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to vacate Frogmore Cottage, a gift from the late Queen Elizabeth.

Until 2022, the Counsellors of State were Queen Camilla, Prince William, Harry, Prince Andrew and his elder daughter Princess Beatrice.

However, many considered this situation unsuitable as Harry, the Duke of York and Beatrice are not working royals.

Harry with Charles at Windsor around the time of the Queen's funeral

Harry challenged the decision by the Home Office to remove his right to automatic Metropolitan Police protection when he is in Britain, even though he has offered to pay for it himself.

READ MORE: Moment Meghan Markle asks woman not to pose next to Prince Harry for Polo prizegiving photo - and lets royal fan stand next to her instead Advertisement

After the decision was made, a legal representative for Harry has said he was 'unable to return to his home' with his family because it is too dangerous.

He has since lost the court case and potentially faces a bill of around 1million when his own legal costs are taken into account.

A judge rejected a bid to halve the amount he had to pay by saying the Duke of Sussex had 'comprehensively lost' his case.

Separately Sir Peter Lane also threw out the duke's application to appeal against the ruling, describing one section of it as 'frankly hopeless'.

The Heritage Foundation has been pushing the Department of Homeland Security to open its dossier on Harry under America's freedom of information laws.

After he admitted taking cocaine in his memoirs, Spare, he faced questions over how he had been able to move to the USA, where admitting drug use can block a visa application.
Brittany Higgins has broken her silence on social media after a judge ruled that she was raped by Bruce Lehrmann.

In an Instagram story, Ms Higgins shared a post encouraging people to make submissions to a Australian Law Reform Commission inquiry into the judicial treatment of sexual violence.

Justice Michael Lee on Tuesday ruled that Lerhmann had raped Brittany Higgins, saying he been 'hellbent' on having sex with his former colleague.

Brittany Higgins has broken her silence on social media after a judge ruled that she was likely raped by Bruce Lehrmann

The 28-year-old stood when the Justice Lee adjourned the matter, kept his head down, and charged from the court at the first opportunity.

Lehrmann was flanked by his legal team as he left NSW's Federal Court and made efforts to avoid a waiting throng of reporters and cameramen.

He remained stoney-faced and silent as he was followed down the street with one cameraman seen falling over onto the pavement amid the chaos.

Moment earlier Lee found that Lehrmann was 'indifferent' to whether drunk Ms Higgins consented or not before he raped her on a senator's couch at Parliament House in March 2019.

The findings were delivered on Monday as Justice Lee handed down his judgment in Lehrmann's defamation case against Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson.

'Mr Lehrmann raped Ms Higgins,' he said of the infamous night in March 2019.

While there was no evidence Lehrmann knew that Ms Higgins did not consent to the sexual activity, he was recklessly indifferent to her rights and was 'hellbent' on having sex, the judge said.

Earlier on Monday, Justice Lee slammed Lehrmann as being an unreliable, dishonest witness.

'Mr Lehrmann has no compunction from departing from the truth if he thought it was expedient,' the judge said.

'I am satisfied that in important respects, he told deliberate lies.'

The 28-year-old was suing Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson for defamation over a February 2021 report on The Project in which Brittany Higgins claimed he raped her in a Parliament House office almost two years prior.

Justice Michael Lee on Tuesday ruled that Lerhmann had raped Brittany Higgins, saying he been 'hellbent' on having sex with his former colleague

The findings were delivered on Monday as Justice Lee handed down his judgment in Lehrmann's defamation case against Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson

Justice Lee described both Lehrmann and Ms Higgins as 'unreliable historians' when recounting what occurred on that fateful night.

The judge said Ms Higgins had been loose with the truth regarding allegations made to Ten in 2021 that members of the Coalition government at the time had sought to silence her in reporting the alleged rape.

'The cover-up allegation was objectively short on facts but long on speculation,' he said.

But Justice Lee found that any incorrect statements made to the police in 2019 were not inconsistent with remarks being made by a 'genuine victim of sexual assault'.

Justice Lee said that Lehrmann was identified by Ten's report, despite denials from the network.

The ex-Liberal staffer claims his reputation was ruined and is seeking significant damages.

Ten has defended its reporting, saying claims in the interview were true and in the public interest as they involved alleged sexual abuse in Parliament House.

Justice Lee considered whether or not, on the balance of probabilities, the alleged sexual assault occurred in the office of their then-boss, Senator Linda Reynolds.

Lehrmann denies the sexual assault allegation and a criminal case was dropped in 2022, with no findings made against him.
A ban on prayer rituals at a top London school was supported by senior Muslims, its headteacher has said.

Michaela Community School in Brent, north London, faced legal action from a pupil, who claimed its policy was discriminatory and unlawfully breached her right to religious freedom.

One of the five pillars of Islam is for Muslims to pray five times a day. However, school head Katherine Birbalsingh told the court that observant Muslim pupils who missed the Dhuhr prayer could make up for it at a nearby civic centre after school.

In a judgment on Tuesday, a judge concluded the ban did not interfere with the student's rights and was 'proportionate' amid the school's aim to promote an ethos of inclusivity and social cohesion.

Mrs Birbalsingh, also the high-achieving school's founder dubbed Britain's strictest headteacher, said she had spoken to the imam at the London Central Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre after introducing the ban.

In court papers, she said the imam 'agreed with this view and offered to speak to any Muslim parents who had doubts on this point'.

Katharine Birbalsingh, dubbed Britain's strictest headteacher, introduced a prayer ban at Michaela Community School in Brent

Michaela Community School in Brent, North London, pictured earlier this week after the ruling

Speaking after the ruling on Tuesday, she went on: 'A school should be free to do what is right for the pupils it serves. The court's decision is therefore a victory for all schools.

'Schools should not be forced by one child and her mother to change its approach simply because they have decided they don't like something at the school.'

She said the school of some 700 pupils, about half of whom are Muslim, embraces 'traditional values' where 'children are happy and are friends with each other across racial and religious divides'.

Ms Birbalsingh said people are informed about its strict rules before pupils join, adding: 'If parents do not like what Michaela is, they do not need to send their children to us.'

The student, who cannot be named, said after the ruling that her school was 'very well run', had good teachers and that being involved in the case 'has not been easy for me'.

'Even though I lost, I still feel that I did the right thing in seeking to challenge the ban. I tried my best and was true to myself and my religion,' she said.

Her mother, who supported the challenge, said: 'The case was rooted in the understanding that prayer isn't just a desirable act for us - it's an essential element that shapes our lives as Muslims.

In September 2014, Ms Birbalsingh established Michaela Community School and appointed former Home Secretary Suella Braverman as the first chair of governors

Over the years, Ms Birbalsingh has made headlines for her controversial views on ' woke culture' in schools

'In our faith, prayer holds undeniable importance, guiding us through each challenge with strength and faith.'

She continued: 'My daughter's impassioned stance compelled me to support her and I stand firm in that decision.

'Her courage in pursuing this matter fills me with pride and I'm confident she's gained invaluable lessons from the experience.'

Some Muslim leaders told of their disappointment in the ruling, with Dr Abdul-Azim Ahmed, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Wales, saying the court 'hasn't defended a very well-established British principle of freedom of religion'.

At a hearing in January, the court was told that Ms Birbalsingh, a former government social mobility tsar, introduced the policy in March last year, with it being backed by the governing body in May.

In March 2023, up to 30 students began praying in the school's yard, using blazers to kneel on.

Lawyers for the school said students seen praying outside contributed to a 'concerted campaign' on social media over the school's approach to religion, with there also being a since-removed online petition attracting thousands of signatures.

The court heard the school was targeted with death threats, abuse, 'false' allegations of Islamophobia and a 'bomb hoax'.

The student's lawyers argued the ban on prayer rituals on the premises 'uniquely' affected her faith due to its ritualised nature.

The pupil alleged the school's stance on prayer - one of the five pillars of Islam - was 'the kind of discrimination which makes religious minorities feel alienated from society'.

Her legal team said she was making a 'modest' request to be allowed to pray for around five minutes at lunch time, on dates when faith rules required it, but not during lessons.

The school argued its policy was justified as it risked 'undermining inclusion and social cohesion' between pupils, would again expose it to 'an unacceptable risk of threats' and that it avoided 'logistical disruption'.

Mr Justice Linden dismissed the pupil's arguments against the prayer rituals ban at the school

In her witness statement, the girl said she had been at the school for nearly three academic years and all her friends were there.

'She does not want to go to a new school and start again. She does not want to go to an Islamic school or a different secular school.

'She values the teaching at the school which she describes as 'excellent' and she thinks she is likely to do well if she stays,' the statement said.

'She does not think that she would be able to access such a high standard of education elsewhere in her area and a move would be very disruptive to her education.

'She wishes to do well enough in her GCSEs to go to the school's sixth form. Moving would be very difficult for her as other schools are likely to have different exam boards or set texts.

'She missed a certain amount of school in year 9 owing in part to the [two] exclusions. Having to move would 'really set me back'.'

Mr Justice Linden concluded there was 'a rational connection between the aim of promoting the team ethos of the school, inclusivity, social cohesion etc and the prayer ritual policy'.

He said: 'The disadvantage to Muslim pupils at the school caused by the prayer ritual policy is in my view outweighed by the aims which it seeks to promote in the interests of the school community as a whole, including Muslim pupils.'

He said the student had 'at the very least impliedly accepted' that she would be 'subject to restrictions on her ability to manifest her religion' when joining the secular school.

The judge said the pupil could also perform 'Qada' prayers - permitted by Islam to 'make up' for missing prayers earlier in the day - 'to mitigate the failure to pray within the allotted window'.

He accepted the prayer policy caused the pupil a 'detriment' but concluded it was 'a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim', adding that the school was justified in deciding that there were practical difficulties in allowing indoor Muslim prayer during the school day.

Mr Justice Linden said of the student: 'I do not doubt that she has strong feelings, but she says that they are based on the whole of the events which have led to this claim ... and on her views that she has been treated differently because she is a Muslim, that she is the victim of discrimination, and that she has effectively been told that she does not 'properly belong here', none of which is in fact the case.'

Evidence showed that since the prayer rituals ban was introduced 'good relations within the school community have been restored', the judge said.

He upheld the student's challenge to a decision to temporarily exclude her from the school as a breach of its duty 'to act fairly'.
Warwick Davis kept vigil at his wife Samantha's hospital bedside as she fought for her life against sepsis five years before her death aged 53.

The couple, who had been together for nearly 30 years, had been through struggles before including losing two children, but this was something Warwick was not prepared for.

Their family had been gearing up for a caravan holiday in 2019 when Samantha suddenly fell ill with a mystery condition, something she put down to stress.

However, within days she was at death's door with doctors telling her terrified husband that she had sepsis, a rare condition which sees the body's immune system attack its own organs and tissues.

The thought of losing his 'soul mate' tortured Warwick and despite her battling hard to recover, he later admitted they still felt its effects as they refused to 'take life for granted' anymore.

Samantha Davis seen holding her daughter Annabelle in hospital as she battled sepsis in 2019. She would later make a full recovery

Warwick Davis pictured with his wife Samantha and their children Annabelle and Harrison at the premiere of TV series Willow in November 2022

Warwick and Samantha Davis pictured at their wedding in Yaxley, Cambridgeshire, in 1991

It was a motto the couple lived by, enjoying another five years of bliss with each other before Samantha tragically passed away at the age of 53 last month.

In a touching statement released on Wednesday, Warwick said his late wife's passing had 'left a huge hole in our lives' and paid tribute to his 'favourite human'.

He described Sammy, as he called her, as his 'most trusted confidant and an ardent supporter of everything I did in my career'.

He said he felt like he could achieve anything with his wife by his side and that it felt like he had a 'superpower'.

'She was a unique character, always seeing the sunny side of life she had a wicked sense of humour and always laughed at my bad jokes,' Warwick said in a statement given to the BBC.

In 2022 Warwick had opened up about Samantha's health issues, including her hard fought battle with sepsis which left her on the brink of death before making a remarkable recovery.

He revealed the mother-of-two had fallen ill while preparing for a family caravan holiday in 2019.

Initially she had a sensation of itchiness and exhaustion, but concern grew when she was unable to stand up.

Warwick called an out of hours doctor who told them to immediately go to their nearest A&E as they were worried she might have sepsis.

Samantha Davis (pictured with Warwick), who met her husband on the set of his 1988 film Willow, tragically died aged 53 on March 24

Warwick and Samantha pictured together on a 'date night' in October last year

During their 33-year marriage, they had three children - one of whom tragically died shortly after he was born. The couple are pictured in 1996

The illness is caused an infection that causes the body's immune system to go into overdrive and attack tissues and organs, which can be lethal and lead to amputations.

WHAT IS SEPSIS? Sepsis occurs when the body reacts to an infection by attacking its own organs and tissues. 48,000 people die from sepsis every year in the UK. Worldwide, someone dies from the condition every 3.5 seconds. Sepsis symptoms include: S lurred speech or confusion

lurred speech or confusion E xtreme shivering or muscle pain

xtreme shivering or muscle pain P assing no urine in a day

assing no urine in a day S evere breathlessness

evere breathlessness I t feels like you are dying

t feels like you are dying S kin mottled or discoloured Under fives may be vomiting repeatedly, not feeding or not urinating for 12 hours. Anyone can develop sepsis but it is most common in people who have recently had surgery, have a urinary catheter or have stayed in hospital for a long time. Other at-risk people include those with weak immune systems, chemotherapy patients, pregnant women, the elderly and the very young. Treatment varies depending on the site of the infection but involves antibiotics, IV fluids and oxygen, if necessary. Source: UK Sepsis Trust and NHS Choices Advertisement

Nearly 250,000 Brits are diagnosed with sepsis every year, of which 48,000 die and 40 per cent are left with life-altering disabilities and symptoms.

On arrival doctors examined Samantha and quickly became concerned about a scar on her back from a recent spinal surgery that was 'inflamed with fluid, red, and hot to touch'.

Tests came back showing she had a deadly Streptococcus bacteria and meningitis infection, meaning she needed emergency surgery.

He told The Sun: 'The next few hours were the longest of my life as I waited on the ward with our children in the empty space left by Sam's hospital bed. I hoped it would not symbolise a future for us without her.'

The ordeal left Samantha in intensive care with doctors flooding her body with antibiotics in a bid to save her life.

The infection had 'ravaged every cell in her body', leaving Samantha extremely weak and her family worried about whether she would pull through.

Warwick continued: 'Our family gathered by her bedside; although optimistic, we were sort of saying goodbye in case Sam didn't survive.'

'It's so hard to see someone you love more than anything in the world fighting to stay alive without the strength to even roll over in bed.'

Samantha was able to battle through the disease, although it took three months - and the constant companionship of her husband - to nurse her back to full health.

However, while Samantha physically recovered, the illness left its mark on both her and Warwick.

'I broke down every night thinking that this terrible illness that came out of nowhere might take my soulmate away from me,' he told The Sun.

'We never take life for granted now, living each day as if it were our last.

'I appreciate and cherish every moment that Sam and I spend together.'

It was an ideal they lived by as they enjoyed another five years together before her tragic death on March 24.

The couple's children (all pictured together) said they were 'honoured to have received a love like hers'

Warwick and Samantha smile and hold hands in the back of a taxi as they attend the Pride of Britain awards at The Grosvenor House Hotel in October 2014 in London

Samantha and Warwick attending the ITV Palooza! held at The Royal Festival Hall in October, 2018 in London

Davis said his wife's mobility had become impaired in recent years but shared how she was determined not to let it bring her down.

READ MORE Final picture of Warwick Davis' wife Samantha as smiling pair enjoyed a date night before her death aged 53 Advertisement

Their two other children, Annabelle and Harrison, paid tribute to their mother, saying: 'Her love and happiness carried us through our whole lives'. Mum is our best friend and we're honoured to have received a love like hers.'

The couple met on the set of George Lucas's film Willow and married three years later in 1991.

During their 33-year marriage, they had three children - one of whom tragically died shortly after he was born.

The actor and his wife lost baby son Lloyd just nine days after he was born in 1991 - the year they got married.

Davis said in 2022 that he would not wish the 'devastating' experience on anyone and added: 'You never get over it.'

He and Samantha - who co-founded the charity Little People UK - met when Davis starred as sorcerer Willow Ufgood in the 1988 film named after the character.
Religious education lessons are failing to provide pupils with the knowledge they need leading some to believe Christmas is 'God's birthday'.

An Ofsted report blamed the shocking revelation on English schools covering too many faiths leaving huge gaps in children's understanding of religions including Christianity.

It found that most RE lessons in secondary school were of 'limited and poor quality' with the curriculum often lacking 'sufficient substance to prepare pupils to live in a complex world', the watchdog said.

Pupils in one secondary school had developed misconceptions such as 'Christians don't like gay things', with some students being taught ideas that did not actually reflect the traditions they were learning about.

The report - which draws on findings from 50 visits to schools - said: 'What pupils know and remember about the subject is noticeably patchy. Misconceptions abound.

Religious education lessons are failing to provide pupils with the knowledge they need leading some to believe Christmas is 'God's birthday'

An Ofsted report blamed the shocking revelation on English schools covering too many faiths leaving huge gaps in children's understanding of religions including Christianity

'A superficial and limited approach to RE sometimes ends up normalising caricatures or the most extreme or 'unusual' religious traditions.'

It found a notable proportion of schools did not meet the statutory requirement to teach RE to all pupils at all key stages.

The watchdog has called on the Government to urgently update guidance for schools about its statutory expectations for RE and ensure there is clarity about what should be taught and when.

It is compulsory for all state schools in England to teach RE to pupils - apart from those who have been withdrawn from lessons by their parents.

The report said: 'A superficially broad curriculum does not always provide pupils with the depth of knowledge they require for future study.

'In most cases, where the curriculum tried to cover many religions, like equal slices of a pie, pupils generally remembered very little.'

It added that the content of some secondary curriculums was 'restricted' by what teachers considered pupils needed to know for exams.

In a significant number of cases, teachers taught examination skills 'too prematurely', which limited the range of RE content taught, the review found.

The watchdog has called on the Government to urgently update guidance for schools about its statutory expectations for RE and ensure there is clarity about what should be taught and when

The findings from inspections and research visits, carried out between September 2021 and April 2023, suggested an ambitious RE curriculum is still a 'work in progress' in some schools.

The report called on schools to ensure there is a distinct curriculum in place for teaching RE at all key stages which is 'rigorous and challenging'.

It found that the majority of teachers had not received subject-based professional development in RE, which it called a 'significant concern' due to the complexity of the subject and the 'misconceptions' that pupils are left with.

The report concluded that RE content selected was rarely enough to ensure pupils were 'well prepared to engage in a multi-religious and multi-secular society'.

Ofsted chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver said: 'A strong RE curriculum is not only important for pupils' cultural development, it is a requirement of law and too many schools are not meeting that obligation.

'I hope that the examples of good RE curriculum in our report help schools develop their own practice and support the development of a strong RE curriculum for all.'

Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'The most telling part of Ofsted's report is its conclusion that there is a lack of clarity on the RE curriculum and its suggestion that the Government should provide better guidance about what should be taught and when.

'In fact, this doesn't go far enough as the only real solution is a review of the curriculum as a whole to ensure that it is deliverable, focuses on a set of agreed priorities, and that it aligns with what is required in performance tables and Ofsted inspections.

'At present, the system is extremely confused and schools are left in an impossible position of having to spin far too many plates with far too few resources.'

Sarah Lane Cawte, chairwoman of the Religious Education Council of England and Wales, said: 'In recent years RE has suffered from a gulf in Government funding and the axing of the teacher training bursary.

'Whilst the bursaries have been reinstated, there is still much to be done. We are pleased that this Ofsted report calls for more Government action to support RE across the sector.'

A Department for Education spokesman said: 'Religious education helps develop pupils' understanding of different faiths and is compulsory for all pupils at state-funded mainstream schools up to the age of 18.

'To support RE teaching, we provide bursaries of 10,000 for trainee RE teachers, while Oak National Academy is procuring new materials to ensure high-quality RE lessons are available nationwide, benefitting both teachers and pupils.'
The Duchess of Sussex's new American Riviera Orchard lifestyle brand has been hijacked by what appears to be a Princess Kate fan.

While the American web link takes you to the Duchess' website for her business venture, the UK domain name has been purchased by someone who has linked it to a food bank and message saying 'thoughts with Catherine'.

Fans clicking on the link 'americanrivieraorchard.uk' will be taken to a page asking for donations for the UK-based charity - and discover a very pointed message.

While the home page states 'Forgiveness. Permission. Please donate to the Trussell Trust', clicking on this will lead to a Just Giving fundraiser for the Trussell Trust charity.

'not Meghan. hope Meghan wouldn't mind. thoughts with catherine X,' the cryptic message reads.

Did YOU buy the domain name? Email eirian.prosser@dailymail.co.uk

Those visiting the site ending in 'americanriveriaorchard.uk', however, will be met with a Just Giving page for the Trussell Trust

The Just Giving page story has a cryptic message on it that reads: 'Not Meghan. Hope Meghan wouldn't mind. Thoughts with Catherine x'

The UK domain name for Meghan Markle's new business, American Riviera Orchard, has been bought up. Pictured: Kate and Meghan during Wimbledon in 2018

Those wanting to visit her new website 'americanriveria.com', will be led to a flash page asking fans to join a wait list

The message of support to the Princess of Wales comes after she revealed she had been diagnosed with cancer last month and was undergoing chemotherapy.

As soon as users open the website they are met with the cryptic words 'forgiveness' and 'permission' before encouraging people to 'please donate to the Trussell Trust'.

It seems unlikely that the domain was bought by Meghan's representatives with those who have donated suggesting a Good Samaritan was responsible for buying up the domain.

The Trussell Trust confirmed to MailOnline that it did not set up the webpage and had been unaware of the donation site.

Sophie Carre, Director of Public Engagement at the Trussell Trust, said: 'The Trussell Trust are grateful to people who put their time and energy into supporting our work to end the need for food banks in the UK.

The charity is not connected with this website domain and have no knowledge of who set it up.'

So far the spoof page has raised 56 out of its 1,000 target with one US-based donator writing: 'I am happy to support from across the pond and am glad to know of this organization through the link on the American Riviera Orchards website.'

Another added: 'A really good way of bringing attention to the great work they do.'

The Duchess (pictured last week) soft launched the first product of her new lifestyle brand this week, sending influencers and friends a jar of jam, including her comedian pal Mindy Kaling and actress Tracee Ellis

The couple's launch of Meghan's new business American Rivera Orchard was released in March on the four year anniversary of them moving to California

The American Riviera Orchard launch video starts with a video of a woman arranging flowers

The video continues with an image of a woman in a long dress, backlit through a corridor

MailOnline has contacted the Sussexes' representatives.

Earlier this week Meghan sent 50 jars of jam to a very exclusive group of people.

Parenting campaigner Kelly McKee Zajfen, Argentine socialite Delfina Balquier and stylist Tracy Robbins are amongst those who took to Instagram to share the new product.

Meghan's jam had the American Riviera Orchard logo and 'Montecito' underneath - the celebrity enclave in California where she lives with Harry in a 12million mansion.

The price list for the new products has not been revealed yet although it is expected to be a luxury brand. It is registered to sell lifestyle products from recipe books to table wear and textiles - and of course, jams and marmalade.

The Duchesses' business venture was revealed in a glitzy social media video last month, with the new venture set to coincide with a new Netflix cookery show featuring her.

Insiders told the Mail the business was set to be a 'lifestyle and cooking brand' which would focus on things Meghan holds dear.

Another added: 'It's a lifestyle and cooking brand called American Riviera Orchard. The brand is meant to coincide with the launch of a new cookery show for Netflix.

Prince Harry and Meghan kiss at the Royal Salute Polo Challenge in Florida last Friday

Showing the strawberry jam in a basket with lemons, Tracy Robbins added: 'Thank you, M!'

Fashion designer Tracy Robbins posted a picture of the jam, which had the logo for American Riviera Orchard and 'Montecito' underneath. The label also had the words '17 of 50'

'Meghan will be making, and selling, products such as jams. And at some point there will be a book and blog etc.'

The new brand is set to be an extension of her former lifestyle blog The Tig, an insider told America's Page Six, adding: 'She's been working on this for over a year and it's all the things that are close to her heart.'

It is fitting that the Duchess's venture will feature cooking and food, which is something she has shown a passion for in the past.

In 2018 when she was living in the UK as a working royal, Meghan bonded with survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire when she joined a community kitchen in the area and had no qualms with pitching in to help create meals.

Publicity materials have made no attempts to hide Meghan's royal links or her brand's nakedly commercial nature, with its Instagram profile including the caption 'by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex'.

Meghan's biographer Tom Bower said previously that the initiative flies in the face of the Sussexes' vow to the former Queen not to trade off their royal connections following the so-called 'Sandringham Summit' in 2022.

He told MailOnline: 'Meghan and Harry promised they would not use their titles as commercial vehicles and they have broken that understanding. The only solution is for the King to strip the Sussexes of their titles. Hopefully he will find the resilience.'
Enraged locals in a village which is plagued by sewage spills have been dubbed the 'Berkshire Banksys' over hilarious signs venting their fury.

The group of anonymous residents are taking action over polluted water in Hampstead Norreys.

One sign warns drivers to keep their speed low to avoid splashes in the 'Poo-nami' area - while another has changed Water Street to 'Sewage Street'.

The signs have been praised as a typically British method of protest.

But the humour is intended to highlight the problem of residents being regularly splashed with sewage in the street by passing cars.

It comes after fed up villagers in Lambourn, Berkshire - where the Great British Bake Off is filmed - also said they have been forced to wade through filth.

Enraged locals in a village which is plagued by sewage spills have been dubbed the 'Berkshire Banksys' over hilarious signs venting their fury, including this 'Poo Nami' one

The humour is intended to highlight instead of detract from the local sewage spills, where residents complain they're regularly splashed with sewage in the street by passing cars

A sign put up by frustrated locals in the village of Hampstead Norreys in Berkshire

Steve Masters, a Green Party Town Councillor in Newbury and the Party's Parliamentary candidate for upcoming elections in Newbury, lives in a narrowboat along the river

Steve Masters, who lives on a narrowboat moored on the Kennet River in nearby Newbury, compared locals wading through sewage to Dickensian or Victorian standards of living.

The 54-year-old RAF veteran, who is also a local councillor for the Green Party and will be standing as the party's parliamentary candidate in upcoming general elections, said: 'The signs are there to draw attention to these problems.

'They reflect the collective mind of the residents. It's frustration manifesting itself in a very creative and typically British defiance.

'I know many people have shed tears over this - it's not a laughing matter.

'But when the chips are down, people do find some solace in humour.'

The signs in Hampstead Norreys include some placed along the River Pang, which runs through the village, reading: 'More species less faeces.'

The veteran added: 'This is one of only 210 chalk streams on Earth - a unique habitat for many species. Keep pollution out.'

The signs in Hampstead Norreys include some placed along the River Pang, which runs through the village, reading: 'More species less faeces.'

Another sign has been changed Water Street to 'Sewage Street' (pictured)

Another sign at the side of a road warns drivers to keep to ten miles an hour, saying: 'This is not rainwater, it is sewage - no splash zone.'

EXCLUSIVE READ MORE - Revealed: Idyllic Cotswolds village where shamed Thames Water has been leaking sewage into its river for 338 HOURS straight and counting Advertisement

Mr Masters, a councillor for Speenhamland on Newbury Town Council who now works in renewable energy sales, said the problem of sewage spills in the area was not new.

'A lot of Thames Water's sewage is finding its way onto roads and into chalk streams,' the grandfather-of-three said.

'This is not something that has just happened - it has been going on for months and years but is now becoming more and more frequent and longer lasting.

'These are biodiverse, nationally and globally significant chalk streams and special habitats.

'Some people have had faeces, tampons and sanitary products on their road since before Christmas.

'It's a public health hazard. Four members of one family in Hampstead Norreys have been in hospital with sickness as a cause of the sewage that has infiltrated their house.

Fed up villagers in Lambourn, Berkshire, have ALSO erected a 's**t show' sign mocking Thames Water after sewage began to churn up from drains

Children have been walking through the stinking water to get to school, while passing cars churn up the filth, which has also been killing plants and wildlife in Lambourn

Health warning signs about the flow of raw sewage were erected in Lambourn village

Total hours water companies in England leaked sewage into rivers, lakes and the sea in 2023

Water companies pumped raw sewage into British rivers and seas for a record four million hours last year, more than double than in 2022, new figures have revealed . Stock image

'It's an appalling state of affairs when children are walking to school through this.

'We are in the 21st Century, not Dickensian or Victorian Britain, yet people are having to walk through raw sewage in their homes and on their roads.

'At what stage does it become a public health crisis?'

Cllr Masters added that though Thames Water should take the brunt of the blame for the spills, regulatory authorities such as Ofwat and the Environment Agency need greater powers to encourage water companies to fix the problems.

He said: 'Thames Water are very much a part of this problem but a lot of this is down to the government and a lack of regulations from the authorities charged with policing this.

'It's easier and cheaper for the water companies to pay the fines than address the problems.

'We need to bring the water companies back into public ownership.

'Climate change will only lead to more extreme weather events and resulting flooding.

'Living on a boat on a river polluted with sewage makes it personal to me as well. Nobody wants to live in an open sewer.'

Earlier this month, a Thames Water spokesperson told the BBC: 'We are working hard to make these discharges unnecessary and have published plans to upgrade over 250 of our sites, including our Hampstead Norreys sewage treatment works.

'This project will increase the treatment capacity of incoming sewage and reduce the need for overflows during wet weather.'

Discharge is seen flowing into the River Thames at Crossness sewage works last month

The River Coln has long been affected by sewage outflows. Pictured in Bilbury last year

Thames Water was approached for further comment.

Last month, MailOnline revealed Thames Water has been leaking raw sewage into a river in an idyllic Cotswolds village for 338 hours straight - and it is still spewing filth.

READ MORE - Fury as raw sewage is pumped non-stop into a picturesque Cotswolds river for more than 44 DAYS Advertisement

Locals fear untreated sewage pumped into Bledington Brook, near Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire for two weeks is poisoning their dogs, killing bees and harming farmers' crops.

This comes after ministers warned 'arrogant' Thames Water bosses that taxpayers must not bail them out amid fears customers face a 40 per cent hike in bills.

Michael Gove said the firm must 'carry the can' for years of 'serial mismanagement' that left it 15billion in debt, after a bombshell report revealed water companies pumped record amounts of raw sewage into British rivers and seas last year.

Disgusted Bledington residents were not surprised Thames Water's own data showed the raw sewage at the site - less just 30 yards from a school playground - for two weeks, as they say the issue has been 'on and off' for about a year.

Thames Water said untreated discharges were 'unacceptable' but blamed high rainfall and groundwater conditions for the sewage spills.

In another Cotswolds river - the River Coln - also had untreated sewage dumped into it in January.

Michael Gove insisted the company must 'carry the can' for years of 'serial mismanagement'

The River Coln is popular with fly fishermen and runs through some of the most beautiful villages in England. Pictured is the river at Fairford

Footage filmed by local campaigner Ashley Smith shows dirty, smelly water gushing from the pipe in Fairford at an alarmingly fast rate

The River Coln is popular with fly fishermen and runs through some of the most beautiful villages in England, including a row of 14th-century cottages that are pictured inside British passports.

Yet a sewage works in the town of Fairford was spewing untreated sewage into the river from 1077 hours, or 44.8 days, in total. It is far from an isolated incident, with the station pumping sewage for well over 3,000 hours in the past year, according to campaigners.

And last year locals upstream in Bilbury - dubbed the most beautiful village in England - revealed horrific photos of dead fish in the River Coln as a result of Thames Water soiling the limestone stream with waste.

The water company, which with 16million customers is the UK's largest, insists discharging the waste into the river is the only way to stop it flooding people's homes.

Fed up villagers in Lambourn, Berkshire - where the Great British Bake Off is filmed - also say they have been forced to wade through the filth after raw sewage began spewing out of manholes.

They say the grim issue started back in December when a drain began to overflow - and spilled out into other areas of the village, where Stand Up to Cancer is also filmed.

A mock road sign created by one cheeky local has been positioned along one road with the message 'Lambourne s**t show' written over it.

It is believed that high levels of groundwater have formed after one of the wettest years on record. The already saturated ground has led to increased water flow into local drainage systems.

A Thames Water spokesperson said: 'We're sorry that customers have been affected as our sewers have become overloaded by floodwaters in the River Lambourn area. The excessively heavy rain that the region has experienced means the groundwater and river levels remain very high in this area and the ground is saturated.

'A significant amount of this water is entering the local sewer system and causing flooding from manholes.

'We are working hard to keep our sewers flowing and to prevent further flooding.

'We're carrying out daily clean-ups where the manholes have been overflowing in Lambourn and we're using tankers at our sewage pumping station in Upper Lambourn 24 hours a day to help manage excess flows in the sewers.

'We also have a filter unit in place near Lambourn fire station, which uses a pump to take the excess water out of our foul sewer, so it can be screened and then safely returned to the river.

'We regularly monitor the water quality in the River Lambourn and the results have has shown a minimal impact on the environment because the flows are heavily diluted by the groundwater and surface water runoff. We regularly keep the Environment Agency updated on these results.

'We're continuing to work closely with the Lambourn Valley Flood Forum and we continue to investigate where groundwater and surface water is getting into the sewer system.

'We've previously installed 10.1km of leak-tight liners in our sewers, and have sealed 122 manholes in the local sewer network.'
A 33-year-old father-to-be died on a Ryanair flight over Italy after suffering a heart attack while his pregnant wife was sitting in a different row of seats at the back of the plane.

Giuseppe Stilo received medical assistance from two trained passengers after falling sick on flight FR8780 from Turin to Lamezia Terme on Wednesday morning.

Despite their efforts, staff were forced to step in with a defibrillator and began trying to save the Ferrero employee from Filogaso as the plane diverted back to Turin.

Doctors rushed on board with adrenaline after the plane landed 35 minutes after takeoff - but the man was soon pronounced dead.

It was only after arriving back in Turin that his five-months pregnant wife Federica Marella - who had been sitting separately at the back of the plane - learned of her husband's death, according to Torino Today. She was then taken to the nearby Cirie hospital in a state of shock.

Giuseppe Stilo with his wife Federica, who was taken to hospital after her husband died

Giuseppe was married in June last year and lived in Vezza d'Alba with his wife, also originally from Vibo Valentina

Father-to-be Giuseppe Stilo suffered a heart attack while on the flight across Italy yesterday

Mr Stilo, who was travelling with his four-months pregnant wife towards their families in Calabria, began to feel ill after setting off from Caselle airport in Turin around 11am yesterday, LaStampa reported.

The plane's pilot was notified and made the decision to return back to the departure airport, turning the plane around less than an hour into the 1hr45m expected flight time.

Two passengers trained as doctors stepped in to help Mr Stilo, beginning resuscitation efforts together with flight staff.

This included chest compressions and use of the on-board defibrillator, according to local media.

Doctors were waiting nearby for the plane to land back in Turin in arrived with adrenaline and another defibrillator, but declared the man dead after issuing a third shock.

It took 36 minutes for the plane to make the diversion and land back in Turin, Corriere Torino reported.

Mr Stilo had reportedly only recently started a new role as an employee of the Ferrero factory in Alba.

He was married in June last year and lived in Vezza d'Alba with his wife, also originally from Vibo Valentina.

The father-to-be was reportedly an avid traveller who enjoyed talking long walks with his wife, and was an altar boy growing up.

Hours after the tragedy, it was revealed rescue teams had suffered delays of more than ten minutes accessing the airport gate.

Sagat, Azienda Zero and ASL To4 denied the reports.

Mr Stilo married his wife last year. She is four-months pregnant with their child, local media reports

The flight was forced to return to Turin where a doctor and a nurse boarded the plane

File pic of a Ryanair plane. Flight staff stepped in to help the man but were unable to save him

ASL To4, the local health authority, said in a statement: 'There was no delay in the rescue.

'The medical personnel on duty at the airport emergency room were preparing on the runway to provide aid and the 118 operations centre, alerted to the situation, sent the basic ambulance from Borgaro Torinese, followed by the vehicle with doctor and nurse based in Venaria.'

'It should be noted that the first ambulance with volunteers was waiting at the gate and took about 2 minutes to access the airport grounds,' the statement continued.

'In the meantime the patient had three doctors with defibrillator and adrenaline who were assisting him, while the 118 medical team entered immediately.'

Giuseppe Stilo was also reported as being aged 34 and 35 in some Italian outlets.

MailOnline approached Ryanair for comment.
A Home Office case worker has been arrested after being accused of attempting to sell UK residency to a vulnerable asylum seeker for 2,000.

A BBC investigation has alleged the official offered to approve the refugee application for a man living in Northern Ireland, using sensitive Home Office records.

The government department said a member of staff had now been suspended, while a police investigation is ongoing.

Labour's shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock accused ministers of having 'lost control' of asylum amid what he called the 'deeply concerning allegations'.

The alleged victim, who the BBC referred to by the pseudonym Renas, said he was contacted by a Home Office 'decision maker' in northern England in March last year.

The Home Office, based in Whitehall in central London (pictured), has said it expects 'the highest standards from our staff to ensure asylum claims are properly considered'

The BBC spoke to the asylum seeker (pictured right), given the pseudonym Renas, who said he initially suspected a 'scam' when contacted by a Home Office case worker

Renas said the official told him '95 per cent of people like you' had their asylum bids rejected but suggested a direct payment could pave the way for approval.

The asylum seeker told investigators: 'He said I could be sure he would refuse my application.

'But if I could help him, he could help me and he asked for some money. He asked for 2,000 - he basically offered me a positive decision.'

Renas, an ex-journalist, had doubts about whether it was a genuine Home Office employee - suspecting the call could be 'a total scam' - before being convinced.

The alleged victim said: 'He had all my information - he gave me very specific details from my application.'

He later recorded a follow-up video call from the same man - appearing to use a laptop with official Home Office software - before passing the footage on to police as well as sharing it with the BBC.

Renas warned: 'He targeted the most vulnerable people in society,' Renas said.

'There will be other asylum seekers who are going through the same process, or maybe there are some people who have already been scammed like this - I feel this is my responsibility to inform them.'

Renas raised concerns with his solicitor who alerted the authorities.

Immigration lawyer Sinead Marmion, who is acting for Renas, told the BBC the alleged behaviour by the official was 'egregious'.

Labour's shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock (pictured) has called the new allegations arising out of the BBC investigation 'deeply concerning'

A group of migrants is seen being picked up by Border Force in the Channel last Sunday

READ MORE: Record day yet for Channel migrants with 534 crossing on Sunday in small boats - as MPs are set to finally approve Rwanda deportation flights this week Advertisement

She acclaimed her client for his 'integrity', adding: 'For him to be able to raise an issue like this took a lot of guts.'

And Mr Kinnock said: 'These are deeply concerning allegations and it is right that the police are looking into this matter.

'The Conservatives have lost control of our asylum system across the board and should be working round the clock to restore integrity and public trust.'

A Home Office spokesperson said: 'We expect the highest standards from our staff to ensure asylum claims are properly considered, decisions are sound and that protection is granted to those who genuinely need it.

'The member of staff was arrested and suspended. It would be inappropriate to comment further as the matter is subject to a live police investigation.'

Lancashire Police told BBC News NI in a statement: 'We can confirm we have arrested a man on suspicion of misconduct in public office, suspicion of money laundering, bribery, and computer misuse offences.

'Officers from Lancashire Constabulary alongside partners from the Home Office arrested the man, in his 30s, in the Ramsgreave area of Blackburn.

'An investigation remains in its early stages and enquiries are ongoing.'

It was recently revealed more than half of Home Office staff were working remotely, with only 47 per cent of desks were occupied at its Whitehall headquarters.

Sir Matthew Rycroft (pictured) told MPs that a one-third reduction in small boat crossings from last year's figure of 29,437 would be needed given the cost of the Rwanda deportation scheme

Meanwhile, about 40,000 migrants living in the UK are still 'pending relocation' after having their asylum claims ruled inadmissible, officials this week admitted.

And Sir Matthew Rycroft, the head of the Home Office, told MPs on Monday the number of migrants arriving illegally in Britain must fall by about 10,000 for the government's Rwanda policy to prove value for money.

He said a one-third reduction in small boat crossings from last year's figure of 29,437 would be needed given the cost of the deportation scheme, which will reach 290million by next year.

Sir Matthew also revealed that the government in Kigali would be handed another 50million almost as soon as the new law aimed at getting flights off the ground was passed by Parliament amid ongoing wrangles between the Commons and the Lords.
Tomato sauce on pizza was invented in America, not Italy, according to an Italian food historian - and veteran pizzaiolos in Rome have been left furious over the claim.

Professor Alberto Grandi, of Parma University, Italy, argues that "pizza rossa" - or red pizza, topped with tomato sauce - was founded when Italian immigrants took advantage of new-found ingredients on American soil to improve it.

The food historian details pizza's alleged origin story in his and Daniele Soffiati's book, La Cucina Italiana Non Esiste  Italian Cuisine Does Not Exist, which promises to debunk 'lies and myths' about Italian cuisine.

According to the authors, not only did tomatoes originate in the New World but so did tomato sauce, with Italians only discovering tomato sauce in abundant quantities when they started emigrating to the United States in the 19th century.

As part of the famous 'Italian diaspora', 13million Italians emigrated to America between 1880 and 1920 - however, many then returned to their home country the following years.

Tomato sauce on pizza was invented in America, not Italy , according to an Italian food historian - and veteran pizzaiolos in Rome have been left furious over the claim

Up until the mass emigration, pizza in Italy was served without tomato sauce and would have consisted of a circular piece of plain focaccia topped with various ingredients, the authors say.

'The plant is from America and so is the use of tomato sauce as the basis for our cuisine,' Professor Grandi told La Repubblica newspaper in 2023.

'Italians discovered it overseas, thanks to the industrialisation of food production. Pizza became red in America. Before that it was plain focaccia, sometimes adorned with pieces of tomato.'

However, not everyone is ready to embrace the saucy theory - as outraged veteran pizza makers in Rome rally to defend their culinary heritage and dismiss the claims as 'rubbish.'

Gianni Altrui, 48, knows a thing or two about pizza - he has made around 300 a day in the restaurant near Piazza del Popolo in the Italian capital since the age of 20.

Speaking to the Telegraph, Gianni said of the authors' claims: 'That's rubbish, I don't believe that's true, It's the Americans who learned from the Italians when it comes to food, not the other way around.'

Another pizzaiolo - or pizza maker - agrees with Gianni: at Antica Trattoria Agonale in Piazza Navona, Clariston Alves has also been left unimpressed by the authors' claims.

The Brazilian national who has lived in Rome for 30 years pointed at a pizza being brought out of the wood-fired oven and said: 'Look at this, it's pizza rossa. The Americans may have adapted it, but I don't think they invented it.'

Professor Alberto Grandi argues that "pizza rossa" - or red pizza - was founded when Italian immigrants took advantage of new-found ingredients on American soil to improve it

'The plant is from America and so is the use of tomato sauce as the basis for our cuisine,' Professor Grandi said of Italians stumbling across tomatoes in the United States in the 1800s

Pictured: The pizza seller, 1825, by Gaetano Dura (1805-1878), lithograph. According to Professor Grandi, pizza in Italy was made without tomato sauce until 19th century emigration

But the authors of the book have insisted they have accumulated solid research to prove their thesis that it was the Americans who started producing tomato sauce on a large scale in the 19th century.

Italian immigrants in the US who opened up restaurants and pizzerias began seizing up the abundance of tomato sauce, and, by the Second World War, there were many more pizzerias in America than there were in Italy, according to the historians.

It is not the first time that Professor Grandi, who teaches food history, has challenged the mythology surrounding Italy's culinary favourites.

He alleges another of Italy's most treasured dishes, spaghetti carbonara, was invented during the Second World War using the bacon, cheese and powdered eggs that American soldiers brought over.

Meanwhile, Americans have been busy adding their own peculiar twists to pizzas, as they reveal the most bizarre 'local pizza styles' across the United States - including Pennsylvania's cheese slice-topped 'Altoona pie' and Rhode Island tomato squares.
Patients with cancer or other serious diseases voiced frustrations and fears Thursday over their dwindling medical options as the trainee doctors' collective walkout approaches its two-month mark.

With the government not budging on its decision to add 2,000 more medical school admissions starting next year, the walkout by protesting intern and resident doctors shows no signs of subsiding.

More than 90 percent of Korea's 13,000 trainee doctors have walked off their duties at general hospitals since Feb. 20 in protest of the drastic quota hike.

The government and doctors remain far apart on how to tackle the situation, with many doctors objecting to the government and politicians' proposal of forming a special consultative body for negotiations.

Patients with a cancer diagnosis or other serious illnesses have been hit hardest by the prolongation of the government-medical confrontation.

A woman in her 40s found herself unable to reserve surgery at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, the nearest general university hospital to her home, after she was recently diagnosed with breast cancer at a neighborhood hospital in Seongnam, south of Seoul.

She managed to schedule an appointment with a doctor at another smaller hospital in the area, but she was informed that although she can see a doctor immediately, any surgery may be delayed.

"I am very nervous about whether this surgery and treatment schedule, which I barely managed to secure, will be suddenly postponed due to the current situation," she said. "I need to begin treatment before my disease worsens."

Another breast cancer patient in her 30s is awaiting surgery at a general university hospital in the southeastern port city of Busan late next month after all her attempts to reserve surgery at a general hospital in Seoul failed.

"I've been waiting for surgery for four months now, and I cannot live my normal life because I am so worried about whether the size of my tumor has gotten bigger and spread to other organs," she said.

A 53-year-old cerebral aneurysm patient in the central city of Nonsan, surnamed Kim, had to mobilize all his connections to secure urgent surgery at a far-off hospital in Gyeonggi Province, as he was unable to find any hospitals available near his home.

"I had been checking news every day, believing trainee doctors would finally return to work after the general elections terminate," he said in frustration.

"Watching the government only repeating the same lines and trainee doctors demanding reduction of their military service duties, I think both of them have gone way too far," he said.

Experts and civic groups warn that further protraction of the medical vacuum could turn the situation disastrous and called for a compromise from both the government and the medical community.

Yoon Seok-joon, a preventive medicine professor at Korea University, said given the timetable of the programs for trainee doctors, if the situation continues after April, trainee doctors are even less likely to return to work.

"If no agreement is made by late April or early May, the situation may further prolong to over a year and cause a disaster that goes beyond a medical vacuum," he said, urging the government to suspend or reconsider the quota hike plan.

Jeong Un-yong, a branch head of an activist doctors' group, pointed out that the government has lost part of its momentum for medical reform due to the ruling party's crushing defeat in the recent parliamentary elections.

"It may be an appropriate approach if a consultative body is established, which brings together civic society and the National Assembly, as well as the government and doctors," he said. (Yonhap)
This week's devastating floods that soaked the Gulf states, snarled flights into the world's busiest international airport in Dubai and killed 21 people in Oman and the United Arab Emirates were among the worst in the region's history.

Punishing rains - the heaviest experienced by the UAE in the 75 years that records have been kept - brought much of the country to a standstill and trapped thousands of residents and holidaymakers in traffic, offices, homes and hotels.

In Dubai, some vehicles, including buses, were almost entirely submerged by the deluge water while the roofs of shopping centres and public buildings collapsed, sending torrents of rainwater gushing through.

But this is by no means the first time the influencer capital of the world and favourite destination of jetsetters around the globe has been underwater.

In fact, it has become something of a regular occurrence - the city has been blighted by floods three times in as many months this year, and on many more occasions in recent memory.

A person stands surrounded by flood water caused by heavy rains, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 17, 2024

Cars drive in a flooded street following heavy rains in Dubai on April 17, 2024. Dubai, the Middle East's financial centre, has been paralysed by the torrential rain that caused floods across the UAE and Bahrain and left 18 dead in Oman

Shocking videos shared on social media showed how cars were filled with water, forcing hundreds of motorists to abandon their vehicles and swim to safety. Some cars were completely submerged, with the top of their roofs barely breaking the water's surface

A man steers his canoe past a stranded car on a flooded street in Dubai following heavy rains on April 18, 2024. Dubai's giant highways were clogged by flooding and its major airport was in chaos as the Middle East financial centre remained gridlocked on April 18, a day after the heaviest rains on record

People walk along an flooded highway on April 18, 2024 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

In this video grab from AFPTV, a man wades through a flooded street in Dubai on April 16, 2024

Cars are stuck on a flooded road after a rainstorm hit Dubai, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 17, 2024

April 2024

This week's floods were described by the UAE's state-run news agency as 'a historic weather event' that surpassed anything documented since the start of data collection in 1949.

The rains began late on Monday, soaking the sands and roadways of Dubai.

The storms intensified at around 9am local time on Tuesday and continued throughout the day, dumping more rain and hail onto the overwhelmed city.

By the end of Tuesday, more than 5.59 inches of rainfall had soaked Dubai over 24 hours.

An average year sees 3.73 inches of rain at Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest for international travel and a hub for the long-haul carrier Emirates.

Shocking videos shared on social media showed how cars were filled with water, forcing hundreds of motorists to abandon their vehicles and swim to safety.

Some vehicles were completely submerged, with the top of their roofs barely breaking the water's surface.

Other clips showed how furniture was blown off the balconies of highrise buildings into the deluge below as residents and holidaymakers waded - and in some cases swam - to safety.

Operations at Dubai airport remain disrupted after the storm flooded the runway, resulting in flight diversions, delays and cancellations.

Shops and businesses are slowly opening two days on from the flooding as a mass clean up operation continues.

Cars are stranded on a flooded street in Dubai following heavy rains on April 18, 2024

Cars were filled with water, forcing people to abandon their vehicles

Planes are caught in intense flooding at Dubai International Airport on Tuesday

Hundreds of buildings and shops were destroyed throughout the day, as the large masses of water crashed through windows and sent vehicles sailing through walls

Airport staff hike through desert scrub to reach accommodation after planes were grounded

February and March 2024

The UAE suffered considerable floods following heavy thunderstorms just over one month ago on Saturday, March 9 and into Sunday.

A torrential downpour, accompanied by severe lightning, battered the country over the weekend, prompting authorities across the Emirates to issue orange weather warnings.

This forced the closure of most public buildings including medical centres, gyms and shopping centres, as well as most offices.

Several cars were submerged up to the windows, while many residents suffered floods and leaks at their homes.

Others were seen stranded on the streets, leaving behind their cars as they waded to safety.

More than 2,300 emergency workers were deployed across the Emirates, with 250 tankers, 300 rainwater pumps and 180 emergency vehicles ploughing through feet of water to clear the streets.

The UAE was also hit with more monsoon-like rains one month prior on February 12 which caused similar levels of flooding.

One video taken by an AP journalist showed how a 4x4 was forced to plough through several feet of water that had completely submerged an underpass.

Another shot by AFP showed how a McLaren supercar trundled carefully through roughly a foot of water.

Authorities told schools and workplaces to switch to remote working for several days as the water was cleared, with Dubai Police using mobile phone alerts to urge residents to remain indoors and stay away from valleys and wadis prone to overflow.

A cyclist makes his way through a flooded street after heavy rains in Dubai on March 10, 2024

Commuters make their way through a flooded street after heavy rains in Dubai on March 10, 2024

People make their way through a flooded street after heavy rains in Dubai on March 10, 2024

A sportscar moves near a water pump along a flooded street following heavy rains in Dubai on February 12, 2024

When it rains in Dubai and you have a Strict boss!! You bring your boat out!!#DubaiAirshow #Dubairain #rain pic.twitter.com/1eHrMrkXNs  Kashif Ali (@kashifali514) November 17, 2023

August and November 2023

November and August last year saw floods submerge parts of Dubai after rainfall lashed the UAE.

Several roads in Dubai were waterlogged, with Dubai police posting an alert on November 18 urging people to avoid going to beaches and other areas prone to flash floods.

Eyewitness reports in Gulf News and India TV News recounted how one man was seen rowing along a road in Dubai on November 18.

But there were no casualties as meteorologists were well aware that the rains were on their way.

'We expected this rainfall of different intensity especially in the northern and eastern parts of the county that day due to convective cloud formation over the sea moving gradually towards coastal areas, starting from Dubai to Sharjah, Ajman and so on,' said Dr Abdul Habib, a weather expert from the National Centre for Meteorology.

Nevertheless, 13 inbound flights were diverted from Dubai's international airport to neighbouring airports while six outbound flights were cancelled.

Other images from August showed how expensive Porsches, Jeeps and large freight trucks forged on through water covered streets.

People were seen wading in knee-deep water while traffic was snarled on highways.

July 2022

The summer of 2022 saw the UAE suffer fatal flooding as a result of a brutal thunderstorm and winds of up to 70mph.

Seven Asian migrant workers were killed in the flash flooding which blighted the Emirates and was described as some of the worst in the Emirates for 30 years.

The emergency services said they responded to hundreds of calls for help as floodwaters swamped the streets.

Officials later said that 870 people were rescued and 3,897 people were evacuated from floods in various parts of the country between July 23 and July 28.

Of those evacuated, nearly 2,000 were housed in hotels until the streets were cleared and their homes had been deemed safe.

A man carries his scooter as he crosses a flooded street on a rainy day in Dubai on August 5, 2023

A man carries his scooter as he crosses a flooded street on a rainy day in Dubai on August 5, 2023

Seven people were killed after unseasonable downpours triggered flash flooding in eastern districts of the normally parched Gulf state in 2016

'We regret to announce that six people of Asian nationalities have been found dead as a result of the floods,' the interior ministry's chief of central operations, Ali al-Tunaiji, said, in March 2016. The ministry later announced the death of a seventh Asian migrant

General view of flood water following a day of heavy rain in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, July 28, 2022

Major flood on the streets due to heavy rains in the Dubai, UAE

Source: Saudi Weather gr #UAE #Dubai #floods #Rains pic.twitter.com/Qtc6spfX9H  Shadab Javed (@JShadab1) November 17, 2023

March 2016

The flooding witnessed in Dubai this week has drawn comparisons to that of 2016.

Six people were killed across the UAE and Oman, while police registered more than 250 road accidents in Dubai alone due to the horrendous flooding eight years ago, which caught many motorists unawares.

One young boy drowned after being stuck in a car in the UAE, while five others died in Oman.

One was swept away by the floods, with his body recovered days later. Another was found trapped in a vehicle that had sunk into the soft mud in a valley.

The rain started lightly, with many residents not expecting the conditions to deteriorate so sharply.

Flights were suspended at Dubai International Airport for a day and Abu Dhabi's stock market was forced to suspend trading after many workers were unable to reach the building.

There was also considerable structural damage to many buildings, with some roofs collapsing under the weight of the water. Some power lines were also put out of commission.

Wow Downtown Dubai after flash floods pic.twitter.com/2k6y14nnZa  Peter (@peterwwilson) March 10, 2016

A man in a shopping trolley attempts to push himself through flood water with a stick amid the floods in Dubai, March 2016

The rain started lightly, with many residents not expecting the conditions to deteriorate so sharply

Why is the UAE so badly affected by floods?

Following the shocking floods this week, questions were raised over whether cloud-seeding could have caused the heavy rains.

The typically scorching UAE heavily relies on cloud-seeding - a technique which sees aircraft fire salt flares into clouds to speed up condensation and induce rainfall - to provide its groundwater.

Flight-tracking data analysed by the Associated Press showed one aircraft affiliated with the UAE's cloud-seeding efforts flew around the country on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Ahmed Habib, a meteorologist at the UAE's National Centre for Meteorology (NCM), told Bloomberg several cloud-seeding sorties were flown in the days before the unprecedented rainfall hit.

But climate experts said global warming was the main culprit behind extreme weather events, arguing cloud-seeding is nowhere near effective enough to have triggered such a downpour.

They suggested that an abnormal weather system was already headed for the region and blamed the brutal flooding on Dubai's poor drainage systems.

Giles Harrison, Professor of Atmospheric Physics at the University of Reading, said: 'The UAE does do operational cloud seeding, but there is huge difference between what this can achieve  targeting individual, developing clouds with seeding material released from an aircraft  and the Dubai rainfall, which was associated with a large weather system advancing across the region.'

His colleague Professor Maarten Ambaum added: 'The UAE does have an operational cloud seeding programme to enhance the rainfall in this arid part of the world, however, there is no technology in existence that can create or even severely modify this kind of rainfall event.'

Researchers anticipate that climate change will lead to heightened temperatures, increased humidity and a greater risk of flooding in parts of the Gulf region.

The UAE in 2021 completed the Deep Drainage Project, which involved building a six-mile-long tunnel to help transport stormwater and surface water away from the city.

But the drainage system is still not adequate and becomes easily overwhelmed amid heavy rainfall.

Another project, known as the Deep Tunnels Portfolio, is now underway to considerably enhance the drainage and sewage systems that serve Dubai, whose population is projected to continue skyrocketing.
The Costa Brava, Italy's Amalfi coast and some of Greece's lesser-known islands could be the next cheap destinations to face a tourism backlash as visitors continue to flock in.

These locations have good availability of inexpensive accommodation options - such as room only, self-catering and bed and breakfast deals, according to a study.

Researchers from Which? said that as a result, families have the flexibility to create a low cost bespoke break rather having to sign up to an all-inclusive package.

But many of these destinations have already experienced a post-pandemic tourism boom with record numbers of arrivals at airports as popularity for holidays surges.

It comes amid concerns over anti-tourism movements multiplying in Spain - the world's second most visited country - and then spreading to other countries.

For example, anger is growing over pressure on depleted water reserves by Costa Brava hotels after the region of Catalonia had a drought emergency in February.

The analysis by Which? comes from specialists who assessed 4,500 holidays still available to book in the first week of August in 70 regions of 15 European countries.

It found that people who carefully pick the right destinations can save hundreds of pounds during the peak season. Traditional low-cost destinations like Bulgaria and Turkey were notably absent from the top 10 cheapest spots for a package break.

Activist group Canarias Se Agota - 'The Canaries have a limit' - protest in Tenerife on April 12

The picturesque Greek island of Kalymnos took the crown for cheapest overall package destination, with a week's stay costing 847 per person on average.

Cheapest package holiday destinations The ten cheapest package holiday destinations based on average price of a seven-night holiday per person: 1. Kalymnos, Greece 847 2. Thassos, Greece 862 3. Lefkada, Greece 935 4. Costa Brava, Spain 952 5. Venetian Riviera, Italy 965 6. Amalfi Coast, Italy 977 7. Skopelos, Greece 985 8. Costa de la Luz, Spain 994 9. Campania, Italy 998 10. Malta 1,006 Source: Which? Travel Advertisement

Which? said: 'The tiny island is Greece as you imagine it - boasting secluded coves, sapphire seas, rugged mountains, and charming towns.'

Getting there involves a flight to Kos followed by a 40 minute ferry trip, which is included in the price study.

The capital Pothia is the most competitively priced resort on the island - with the cheapest package found costing 794 per person.

For those looking to relax on the sand, the island's most popular beach resort, Massouri, costs an average of 856 for a week's stay.

But Kalymnos could also see a surge in tourists from Turkey in the coming months after the island was included a new visa scheme that will allow Turkish travellers to visit ten Greek islands.

The 60 (51) visa will allow Turks to visit the Kalymnos for up to a week without having to apply for full access to the European Union's passport-free Schengen travel zone.

Other islands in the visa programme, which all lie near the Turkish coastline, include Lesbos, Limnos, Chios, Samos, Leros, Kos, Symi and Kastellorizo.

As for the Which? study, taking a close second place behind Kalymnos are Greek islands Thassos, at 862 per person, and Lefkada, at 935 per person in third.

Thassos saw tourist accommodation hit 100 per cent capacity in 2022, with the number of arrivals surpassing the previous high set in 2019.

And as for Lefkada, around one million tourists visit per year  with most travelling by car or bus given there are no ferry connections to the mainland.

Cheapest flights to the cheapest destinations

Live flight prices from London airports to the top ten cheapest destinations over the next few months: Kalymnos from 300 return

Kavala (Thassos) from 260 return

Preveza (Lefkada) from 42 return

Girona (Costa Brava) from 35 rtn

Venice from 45 return

Naples (Amalfi Coast) from 33 rtn

Athens (Skopelos) from 109 return

Jerez (Costa de la Luz) from 36 rtn

Valetta (Malta) from 47 return Data from Skyscanner Advertisement

Spain's Costa Brava - the stretch of coast north of Barcelona famed for its sweeping golden beaches and stunning craggy cliff tops - placed fourth with an average of 952.

The area recorded 7.43million tourists in 2023, up 1 per cent on 2022. These visitors generated 25.37million overnight stays, up 4.6 per cent on 2022.

In addition, Girona - Costa Brava Airport had 1.59million users last year, which was an increase of 20.7 per cent on 2022. British tourists were reported to be the main users, then German and Dutch.

The Venetian Riviera - Lido di Jesolo - was the cheapest spot in Italy, at 965 per person. This is located next to the city of Venice which is struggling with its own tourism boom after 20million visitors came last year.

The city is set to bring in a controversial 5 charge for daytrippers to enter from April 25  with those who don't comply risking fines of between 50 and 300.

In sixth place was the Amalfi Coast (977) in Italy, where there has been a 93 per cent increase in Airbnb bookings to the Atrani area this month after the release of Netflix's Ripley which was filmed there.

Another area that has benefited from a screen-related tourism boom is Skopelos (985) in Greece, in seventh, which was made famous by the 2008 film Mamma Mia!.

The Greek island of Kalymnos took the crown from Which? for cheapest package destination

Italy's Amalfi Coast came sixth in the list of the ten cheapest package holiday destinations

In eight place is the Costa de la Luz (994) - a section of the Andalusian coast in Spain.

There were 12.2million international tourists who entered Andalucia in 2023, up 22 per cent on the 2022 level of 10million in 2022. The 2023 figure was also up slightly on the pre-pandemic 2019 level of 12million.

As for the Campania region (998) of Italy, in ninth place, Naples Airport had its busiest ever year in 2023 with 12.4million passengers, up 13.5 per cent on 2022 levels.

Finishing off the top ten is Malta (1,006), which had more than three million visitors in 2023 for the first time, up 8 per cent on the previous high in 2019.

A separate look by Which? at the cheapest locations for an all-inclusive break found Tenerife had the most competitive rates. The average was 1,097 per person for seven nights.

Other competitively priced options included Fuerteventura, the Costa Blanca, Spain, the Bourgas area of Bulgaria, and Dalaman, Turkey.

The editor of Which? Travel, Rory Boland, said: 'Travelling in the summer holidays is notoriously expensive, and demand is again high this year - but our latest price analysis shows that by being flexible on your destination, you can potentially save hundreds of pounds.

Graffiti in Tenerife highlights the low monthly salary for workers in the popular tourist hotspot

'Many of the locations we found aren't those you'd necessarily assume would be the cheapest - but from tiny, traditional Greek islands to the glitzy Amalfi coast, there are bargains to be found this summer.'

Data compiled by Skyscanner for MailOnline found return flights from London over the next few months starting at just 33 to Naples for the Amalfi Coast.

Return tickets are 35 to Girona for the Costa Brava; 36 to Jerez for the Costa de la Luz; 42 to Preveza for Lefkada; and 47 to Malta.

Skopelos was 109 return to Athens, then there was a big jump to Kavala for Thassos from 260 and Kalymnos from 300 return.

Laura Lindsay, Skyscanner's travel trends expert, told MailOnline: 'Our data indicates that prices are more likely to rise on popular routes as demand increases and the departure date gets closer.

'However, some providers will lower prices if capacity is lower as the departure time nears.'

She added that travellers often use an 'everywhere' search to 'bag bargains, especially if you're flexible on destination and dates'.

Ms Lindsay continued: 'There are great deals for those who know how to shop around - and remaining flexible on times and destinations will ultimately get savvy travellers the best prices.'

An anti-tourist message is scrawled on the side of a bollard on the island of Tenerife

In Spain, authorities faced with a backlash against tourism are trying to try and reconcile the interests of locals and the lucrative sector.

READ MORE Fight them on the beaches! Furious Spanish locals are ordering tourists to stop posting videos of their best beaches with hashtagged locations on TikTok as they continue to wage war on Brit holidaymakers Advertisement

Rallying under the slogan 'The Canaries have a limit', a collective of groups on the archipelago off northwest Africa are planning a slew of protests this Saturday.

The Canaries are known for volcanic landscapes and year-round sunshine and attracts millions of visitors from all over the world.

Groups there want authorities to halt work on two new hotels on Tenerife, the largest and most developed of the archipelago's seven islands.

They are also demanding that locals be given a greater say in the face of what they consider uncontrolled development which is harming the environment.

Several members of the collective 'Canaries Sold Out' also began an 'indefinite' hunger strike last week to put pressure of the authorities.

'Our islands are a treasure that must be defended,' the collective said.

The Canaries received 16million visitors last year, more than seven times its population of around 2.2million people.

This is an unsustainable level given the archipelago's limited resources, Victor Martin, a spokesman for the collective told a recent press briefing, calling it a 'suicidal growth model'.

A wave of new anti-tourism graffiti has popped up near resorts in Tenerife in recent weeks

Similar anti-tourism movements have sprung up elsewhere in Spain and are active on social media.

In the southern port of Malaga on the Costa del Sol, a centre of Spain's decades-old 'soy y playa' or 'sun and beach' tourism model, stickers with unfriendly slogans such as 'This used to be my home' and 'Go home' have appeared on the walls and doors of tourist accommodations.

In Barcelona and the Balearic Islands, activists have put up fake signs at the entrances to some popular beaches warning in English of the risk of 'falling rocks' or 'dangerous jellyfish'.

Locals complain a rise in accommodation listings on short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb have worsened a housing shortage and caused rents to soar, especially in town centres.

The influx of tourists also adds to noise and environmental pollution and taxes resources such as water, they add.

In the northeastern region of Catalonia, which declared a drought emergency in February, concern is growing over the pressure exerted on depleted water reserves by hotels on the Costa Brava.

A rental car was pictured with 'Go Home' graffiti on it in Tenerife ahead of protests on Saturday

'Our concern is to continue to grow tourism in Spain so that it is sustainable and does not generate social revulsion,' the vice president of tourism association Exceltur, Jose Luis Zoreda, told a news conference on Tuesday when asked about the protest movements.

READ MORE The cheapest summer holiday getaway destinations are revealed... which could save you hundreds of pounds Advertisement

The group said it expects Spain's tourism sector will post record revenues of 202.65billion (173.41billion) this year.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic brought the global travel industry to its knees in 2020, protest movements against overtourism had already emerged in Spain, especially in Barcelona.

Now that pandemic travel restrictions have been lifted, tourism is back with a vengeance - Spain welcomed a record 85.1 million foreign visitors last year.

In response, several cities have taken measures to try to limit overcrowding.

The northern seaside city of San Sebastian last month limited the size of tourist groups in the centre to 25 people and banned the use of loudspeakers during guided tours.

The southern city of Seville is mulling charging non-residents a fee to enter its landmark Plaza de Espana while Barcelona had removed a bus route popular with tourists from Google Maps to try to make more room for locals.

Housing Minister Isabel Rodriguez said over the weekend that 'action needs to be taken to limit the number of tourist flats' but stressed the government is 'aware of the importance of the tourist sector', which accounts for 12.8 per cent of Spain's economic activity.
This is the outrageous moment a drunk man is caught racing at 100mph on the M40 hard shoulder while a crying child sat in the passenger seat.

Miley Connors, 37, was caught on dash cam footage swerving uncontrollably in between rows of cars as he sped down the southbound carriageway of the M40 on December 29, 2021.

Cops were called at around 4.10pm after other shocked motorists reported a silver SUV driving recklessly along the motorway in what one officer described as the 'worst piece of driving' she had ever seen.

Video shows Connors, who was drunk and had a young child in the passenger seat, zooming down the hard shoulder, crashing and driving off before he decided to pull over to the side of the road to urinate and throw up.

He was then swiftly arrested by police and began verbally abusing officers who drove him to a nearby hospital, where he continued his foul-mouthed rant, which caused a member of the public to faint.

Miley Connors, 37, is seen here is dashcam footage driving an silver SUV while drunk along the southbound carriageway of the M40 on December 29, 2021

This is the moment Connors' car hit the central reservation on the Shabbington bend between junctions nine and 8A, causing it to spin and lose a tyre. Despite the crash he continued driving

The car can be seen here after Connor pulled over to the side of the motorway to urinate and throw up before being arrested

Dash cam footage of the harrowing ordeal shows Connors racing down the hard shoulder of the southbound carriageway of the M40 at over 100mph

He was swerving in between traffic, initially in Warwickshire before crossing into Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, all while a terrified young child was sat in the passenger seat.

His car then hit the central reservation on the Shabbington bend between junctions nine and 8A, causing it to spin and lose a tyre.

Miraculously, he did not hit any other other vehicles and continued driving to the overbridge near Worminghall, where he got out and started urinating and vomiting.

At the same time, the child got out of the car and ran away up by the embankment.

One woman who reported the incident to police said it was 'really awful' and had left her 'shaken up'. She added that she saw Connors 'urinating against his car' before seeing a 'young lad running up the side of the embankment'.

Police launched a desperate search for the pair after finding the SUV abandoned on the side of the motorway.

Officers enlisting the help of a helicopter from the National Police Air Service to track them down to a nearby field, where the 37-year-old continued throwing up.

Officers arrested Connors, who was charged the following day and safeguarded the child.

Police found Connors and the child in a nearby field. One officer said the 'child was found wet, muddy and cold, and stood over Miley Connors, who was throwing up'

Connors is seen here, being held on the ground by police after being arrested

This image, taken from the thermal imaging camera of a police helicopter, shows Connors bent over the hood of a police car as he is arrested

Connors is seen here in the back of a police van. During his arrest Connors launched at foul-mouthed tirade at officers

Connors can be seen here in a nearby hospital where his insults continued, causing one member of the public to faint

Investigating officer PC Amy Boughton, of the Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit, said: 'This was one of the worse pieces of driving I have ever seen.

'Not only is it shocking to watch, it's gut-wrenching to know there was a young child in that vehicle, scared and crying.

'The child was found wet, muddy and cold, and stood over Miley Connors, who was throwing up and incapable of looking after them.

'I can only hope that Connors take this second chance and makes recompense for the lives he could have so easily taken because of his reckless actions.'

Connors was caught on police body cam footage launching at foul-mouthed tirade at officers after questioning why he was being arrested.

He was later taken to hospital where his insults continued, causing one member of the public to faint.

Connors, of Scant Road East, Hambrook, West Sussex, was found guilty of one count each of dangerous driving and child neglect at Oxford Crown Court on 16 February.

He was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years, at the same court on April 12.

The judge also disqualified Connors from driving for two years and he will need to pass an extended retest to get his licence back.

The judge also ordered Connors to complete 250 hours of unpaid work, 120 days of alcohol monitoring, and an accredited thinking skills programme within 20 days, as well as paying 3,000 in a fine and costs.
A male professional dancer is accused of sexually assaulting five other female artists during a single warm-up session for a routine at a college, a court has heard.

Nathan Goodman, 36, a graduate of the BRIT School, is alleged to have inappropriately touched the women at a dance school in central London.

Prosecutor Jonathan Bryan said: 'Mr Goodman is a dancer and on 17 April last year he assisted the choreographer with a number of dances in what is described as a warm-up session.'

During the warm-up session Goodman allegedly touched five of the dancers inappropriately.

'This was an abuse of trust,' said Mr Bryan. 'He was in a position of trust over the dancers he was assisting.'

Nathan Goodman, 36, (pictured) is alleged to have inappropriately touched five female artists during a single warm-up session

Goodman was granted conditional bail and is barred from contacting any member of the associated dance company or any of the alleged victims

Goodman denies five counts of sexual assault in relation to April 17 and one like charge relating to an incident last April 4.

Judge David Richards fixed his trial for April 22 next year at Inner London Crown Court and told Goodman: 'It is a very long time away and I'm sorry for that.

'It's a long time for you to wait and it's a long time for everyone to wait... it's just the pressure of work in the courts.'

Goodman was granted conditional bail and is barred from contacting any member of the associated dance company or any of the alleged victims.

He was told not to work with any female dancer without a chaperone, and not to choreograph or dance with any female dancer that involves physical contact.

Goodman, of Southwark, will also face a further case management hearing on 20 September and a pre-trial review on February 21 next year.
A 16-year-old boy has been charged with terrorism after a Christian Bishop was allegedly stabbed while delivering a sermon.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is accused of stabbing Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, 55, while he was delivering a livestreamed sermon in front of parishioners at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley in Sydney's west on Monday just after 7pm.

The incident sparked a riot outside the church with a crowd of 2,000 people chanting 'bring him out' and 'an eye for an eye' as police kept him inside the building amid fears for his safety.

On Thursday evening police revealed the teenager has been charged with terrorism.

The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, allegedly stabbed Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel while he was delivering a livestreamed sermon in front of parishioners at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley in Sydney's west on Monday just after 7pm (pictured). He was charged with committing a terrorist act on Thursday evening

Bishop Emmanuel (pictured) broke his silence from his hospital bed on Thursday morning to plea for calm and to forgive his alleged attacker

'This afternoon investigators from the Joint Counter Terrorism Team Sydney attended a medical facility to interview the boy, before he was charged with committing a terrorist act under section 101.1 Criminal Code Act (Commonwealth) 1995, an offence which carries a maximum penalty of imprisonment for life,' s spokesperson for NSW Police said.

The 16-year-old has been refused bail and will appear before a bedside court hearing tomorrow.

The alleged attack and its ugly aftermath, which saw some officers injured by projectiles and about 50 police vehicles damaged, was condemned across the political spectrum.

On Wednesday evening police revealed they had arrested a 19-year-old man - the first to be made over the 'public order incident'. He has since been released on bail.

Horrifying footage of the incident, which was being broadcast live on the church's YouTube page, shows Bishop Emmanuel look up in astonishment as the alleged attacker suddenly rains down blows on his face and head.

The alleged teen terrorist accused of stabbing a western Sydney church leader accidentally cut off one of his own fingers during the alleged attack, after rumours initially spread on social media he had been injured by vigilantes (pictured)

Bishop Emmanuel was rushed to Liverpool Hospital, where he spent the last few days recovering.

On Thursday morning, Bishop Emmanuel broke his silence from his hospital bed to plea for calm and to forgive his alleged attacker.

'The Lord Jesus never taught us to fight. The Lord Jesus never taught us to retaliate,' Bishop Emmanuel said.

'The Lord Jesus never said to us an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'

Father Isaac Royel, 39, sustained stab wounds to the shoulder when he rushed over to intervene. He was released from hospital on Wednesday.

The 16-year-old was eventually removed from the church in an armoured police car and moved to an undisclosed hospital where he underwent surgery for hand injuries sustained during the alleged attack.

He accidentally cut off one of his own fingers during the alleged attack, after rumours initially spread on social media he had been injured by vigilantes.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb labelled the alleged stabbing a 'terror incident'.
The Tories are embroiled in a fresh sleaze row today after it emerged an MP has been stripped of the Tory whip and axed as a trade envoy over allegations he misused campaign funds.

Mark Menzies is said to have made a 3am call to a 78-year-old party volunteer in December claiming to have been locked up by 'bad people'.

The MP for Fylde in Lancashire is accused of saying he needed 5,000 as a 'matter of life and death', with the sum later rising to 6,500.

It was initially handed over by an office manager, before being reimbursed from party funds, according to The Times.

A further 14,000 given by donors for use on Tory campaign activities was also allegedly transferred to Mr Menzies' personal bank accounts and used for private medical expenses.

Mr Menzies disputes the allegations but the Conservative Party is looking into the claims and taking them seriously - while Labour has called for the police to get involved.

He has been removed as one of the PM's trade envoys, an unpaid role that saw him foster relations with Colombia, Chile, Peru and Argentina.

Keir Starmer told reporters during a visit to Teesside: 'There are obviously a lot of unanswered questions in relation to these allegations. Not least why it seems the Conservative Party took so long to act and whether they've reported this to the police, who it seems to me should be involved in this.'

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps dodged on the situation during interviews this morning, insisting he was 'not privy to the details'. Amid claims the Tories have known about the claims since January, Mr Shapps suggested new information had come to light yesterday. The MP was previously accused of getting a friend's dog drunk in 2017, paying for sex from a male escort in 2014 and drunkenly 'kicking chairs and poking people' at a Last Night of the Proms concert as recently as last August.

A spokeswoman for Chief Whip Simon Hart said: 'Following a call with the Chief Whip, Mark Menzies has agreed to relinquish the Conservative whip, pending the outcome of an investigation.'

Mark Menzies (pictured) has lost the Tory whip amid serious allegations he misused campaign funds

A spokeswoman for Chief Whip Simon Hart (pictured) said Mr Menzies has agreed to give up the Tory whip pending an investigation

This means that Mr Menzies is no longer a Tory MP and will sit as an independent MP in the House of Commons.

The role of trade envoy is given by the PM to MPs from across parties who have links to the relevant areas.

It is yet another headache for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after another MP, William Wragg, gave up the whip last week after admitting he had given his colleagues' phone number to someone on a dating app in a suspected honeytrap scandal.

Police are investigating reports explicit images and flirtatious texts were sent to multiple MPs in what is believed to be a 'spear-phishing' attack and a deliberate attempt to compromise Westminster.

Mr Menzies is said to have called his former campaign manager at 3.15am one morning in December, claiming he was locked in a flat and needed 5,000 as a matter of 'life and death'.

The unnamed woman refused and is said to have told the MP she would speak to his constituency office manager in the morning.

A few hours later the sum demanded, which rose to 6,500, was eventually paid by his office manager from her personal bank account and subsequently reimbursed from funds raised from donors in an account named Fylde Westminster Group, it is alleged.

After being rescued from the flat, Mr Menzies is said to have called the 78-year-old again to tell her he had asked one of his London staffers to collect him.

The junior staffer allegedly handed over his own money, thought to be a few hundred pounds, which Mr Menzies said he owed to two other men.

It is yet another headache for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (pictured)

The next day, on another call, Mr Menzies allegedly said he needed another 35,000 for medical bills. When he was told there were no more campaign funds, he allegedly replied: 'Oh, we'll raise some more.'

According to a source close to Mr Menzies, the MP had met a man on an online dating website and gone to the man's flat, before subsequently going with another man to a second address where he continued drinking.

It was falsely claimed he was sick at one point and several people at the address demanded 5,000, claiming it was for cleaning up and other expenses.

The source said Mr Menzies decided to pay them because he was scared of what would happen otherwise, but did not have the funds to transfer the money from his own savings.

They claimed the MP subsequently offered to reimburse the monies to the fund but was allegedly told he did not have to.

There are other occasions where Mr Menzies is said to have used money from the campaign fund to cover his personal expenses.

In 2020 he allegedly sought 3,000 to cover medical bills, but he did not repay the money and instead asked for and received a further 4,000, The Times reported.

The newspaper said a source close to the MP disputed this account. Several years later, by which time a different campaign manager was in post, a further 7,000 was received by Mr Menzies from the account in November.

The newspaper reported that in January, following the MPs' alleged 3.15am December phone call, the former campaign manager reported what had happened to Mr Hart, alleging misuse of donor's money and abuse of privilege and an investigation was opened.

In a statement to The Times, Mr Menzies said: 'I strongly dispute the allegations put to me. I have fully complied with all the rules for declarations. As there is an investigation ongoing I will not be commenting further.'

A Conservative Party spokesman said: 'The Conservative Party is investigating allegations made regarding a Member of Parliament. This process is rightfully confidential.

'The party takes all allegations seriously and will always investigate any matters put to them.'

Asked why the whip had not been removed earlier, given reports the party was already aware of allegations about Mr Menzies, Mr Shapps told Times Radio: 'My understanding is that there was some further information yesterday  I don't know precisely what that was  that led to a conversation in which the whip was removed and this will be properly investigated.

'As you know, the MP concerned denies the allegations, it's quite proper there should be a proper investigation into it.'

Mr Shapps added: 'It sounds to me that there is potentially somebody who is quite troubled in the mix here, so I don't want to sort of go further commenting on something I don't have all the details (on).'

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said it was 'frankly appalling' that the Conservative Party had been aware of the allegations for more than three months.

'When our national security faces threats on many fronts, it is deeply concerning that some MPs are so open to traps, threats and manipulations,' she said.

'Rishi Sunak must suspend the whip for Mark Menzies immediately, while all the relevant authorities investigate the matter.'

A decade ago Mr Menzies quit as a ministerial aide following allegations about his behaviour made by a Brazilian male escort.

The MP, who was born in Ayrshire, was raised by his mother after his Merchant Navy father died a month before he was born.

Mr Menzies was first elected as MP for Fylde at the 2010 general election

He studied economic and social history at the University of Glasgow and worked for Marks & Spencer and Asda before moving into politics.

While the unmarried MP has never disclosed his sexuality, he has appeared on a list of gay MPs on the website Pink News.

Mr Menzies was first elected as MP for Fylde at the 2010 general election.

He quickly took up a position as parliamentary private secretary but his political career was left in tatters when he became embroiled in a sex-for-money scandal.

A 19-year-old Brazilian man called Rogerio dos Santos Pinto told The Sunday Mirror that the MP had paid him for sex and asked him to buy an illegal drug.

He said they met on a gay escort website and claimed the politician had given him a tour of the Houses of Parliament before allegedly offering to pay him 250 for a two-hour session.

Mr Menzies, then 42, resigned as a ministerial aide and said some of the allegations were untrue and claimed he would be 'setting the record straight in due course'. He has not held a ministerial role since, however.

Three years later, the shamed MP was quizzed by cops after being accused of deliberately getting a friend's dog drunk and then starting a fight with them when challenged.

It was reported at the time that the dog needed emergency treatment for 'intoxication' and 'poisoning'. The dog owner claimed to have spent some 500 on vets' bills, The Mirror reported.

Mr Menzies said the allegations were 'false and malicious' at the time and police ultimately dismissed the claims. And a source later denied Mr Menzies' involvement, claiming the dog drunk alcohol that had been left on the grass when the friend fell asleep.

More recently, Mr Menzies is said to have caused a drunken scene at a Last Night of the Proms concert featuring Katherine Jenkins at Lytham Hall last August.

More recently, Mr Menzies is said to have caused a drunken scene at a Last Night of the Proms concert featuring Katherine Jenkins at Lytham Hall last August (pictured)

One patron claimed the MP 'started kicking the chairs and poking the people on the front row' at the 150-a-ticket event (pictured)

The MP, who was invited by the local mayor, is said to have arrived intoxicated before getting into a row with other guests after finding out his seats had not been reserved in the VIP section.

One patron claimed the MP 'started kicking the chairs and poking the people on the front row' at the 150-a-ticket event, the Times reports.

Mr Menzies allegedly had to be spoken to by security because he was so heavily intoxicated. A source close to the MP admitted he had too much to drink but did not intentionally poke anyone.

The Times reports that the Tory party has known about the allegations for three months.

It comes just weeks before the local elections and it remains to be seen whether Prime Minister Rishi Sunak could face another by-election headache.
The mother of a teenager accused of drowning his alcoholic dad as part of an 'exorcism' called 911 when he came home and claimed his father was missing.

Jack Callahan, 22, is currently on trial for the murder of his father Scott, 57, who was found by police floating in a pond outside Duxbury, around 30 miles outside of Boston, in June 2021.

He was 19 when his mother Wendy called police saying her son was having a mental health episode and that her ex-husband was missing.

Police then called an ambulance after finding Callahan 'worked up and distraught', hyperventilating and passing out.

He told them his father hit him, and he did not know where he was: 'He's missing. I don't know what happened. I blacked out.'

Jack Callahan, 22, has gone on trial for the murder of his father Scott during an 'exorcism'

Police found Scott Callahan (pictured with a unnamed woman) dead in a pond outside Duxbury, Massachusetts in July 2021

Jack Callahan, 21, cried when he first pleaded not guilty at Plymouth District Court in 2021

Callahan told police he had been bringing his father home from a bar when they stopped next to Island Creek Pond where his father began attacking him

Callahan eventually directed police to Crooker Memorial Park where officers found Scott in Island Creek Pond.

He told cops his banker father was possessed by a demon called 'Dirty Dan' who he thought could be destroyed through baptism.

He was bringing his father home from a Boston bar when his mother called to say she would not have her ex-husband in their house, and the young man asked their cab driver to pull over next to the pond.

He grabbed his father and repeatedly plunged his head under the water, telling cops: 'I left him there to decide, you can come to heaven with me or hell. I think he chose hell.'

Scott Callahan's obituary reported that he was the Senior Vice President of Texas Capital Bank, and had an 'extensive career in finance'.

He had been receiving treatment for alcoholism at a center in Hopkinton before he checked himself out and headed for the bar in Boston.

The teenager called an Uber to bring him back to the $1.5 million home in Duxbury and said his father began to attack him when he asked the driver to pull over at around midnight.

Wendy Callahan with her children Jack, Will and Charlie a year before Scott's death

Scott Callahan's obituary reported that he was the Senior Vice President of Texas Capital Bank, and had an 'extensive career in finance'

The family lived in this $1.5 million five-bedroom house outside Duxbury

'He indicated that the victim had been punching him in the face,' Plymouth Assistant District Attorney Shanan Buckingham said at Callahan's 2021 arraignment.

'He went on to state that in this incident at the pond, he believed he was baptizing his father.

'He described that he was holding his father in the pond on his back like a baby, that he continually dunked the father's head in the water about four to eight times, that when the father started to cough and choke, he would lift his head up.

'And then when the father started to fight and strike him, he would push the head back into the water.

'He did so until his father was no longer struggling and floating.'

'The mother indicated that the defendant had not exhibited this behavior before and that he had no history of mental illness,' Buckingham said.

Authorities said Callahan went to a bar in Boston Sunday night to pick up his father, Scott Callahan, 57, who was not supposed to be drinking

The public gallery was packed as the trial got underway on Friday

Officers attempted CPR on the Colorado State University graduate before he was taken to Plymouth's Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The teen was arrested the following day and cried in court as he pleaded not guilty at the first hearing in 2021.

Callahan's attorney Kevin Reddington asked the judge to send the teen to Bridgewater State Hospital for a mental health evaluation, warning that he was a danger to himself.

'He's a very nice young man,' Reddington said, 'He comes from a wonderful family.

'My client had a concern for his father, knowing that he would be drinking and knowing that he shouldn't be.

'He was going to try to take him back where he should be.'

His mother told the court that he had been living with a brother in Colorado and had to leave his job in the logging industry after injuring his back before returning to Duxbury to live with his mother.

Callahan has pleaded not guilty to murder and the trial is expected to last for 10 days.
This is Karen Matthews, pictured for the first time since the man she conspired with to help kidnap her daughter died.

Kidnapper Michael Donovan had colluded with Matthew's in 2009 when he abducted her nine-year-old daughter Shannon and held her captive in a plot to claim a 50,000 award.

The schoolgirl, who had been drugged and hidden in the draw of a divan bed, was found 24 days later after police raided Donovan's council flat in Batley Carr, West Yorkshire.

Donovan and Matthews were both found guilty of kidnap, false, imprisonment and perverting the court of justice and served half their sentence of eight years in jail.

On Tuesday, it was announced that the Donovan had died age 54 after collapsing in a mental health unit at the Three Valleys Hospital in Keighley. He had been suffering from brain cancer.

Emerging for the first time today, wearing a long beige puffer coat and with her face hidden behind a pink scarf, Matthews emerged from her shabby flat and shouted 'I'm innocent, leave me alone.'

She stared intensely ahead as she rushed away with her hands in her pockets.

Matthews, 47, became a household name exactly 15 years ago when she appeared on TV crying as she appealed for people to come forward with information about her daughter's whereabouts.

Karen Matthews was seen for the first time since kidnapper Michael Donovan's death

Matthews' boyfriend Paul Saunders said she was 'over the moon' that Donovan had passed away

Donovan died on Tuesday after collapsing at Three Valleys Hospital in Keighley, West Yorkshire

Speaking on behalf of Matthews, her boyfriend Paul Saunders, a convicted paedophile told MailOnline: 'She's over the moon that Donovan is dead. It's the best news she's had in ages.

'Karen hopes that he rots in hell, we both do. Donovan is scum, we hope that he had a painful death.'

He added: 'She was told about it in a phone call and she screamed with happiness. She was punching the air because this man deserved to die. Good riddance to him.'

Despite Matthews' conviction, Saunders insisted: 'She's innocent. It was Donovan who did the crime and kidnapped Shannon. She had nothing to do with it. People have got this all wrong.'

Shannon was reported missing from her home estate in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, on February 19, 2008.

Police launched a 3.2million search to find Shannon, only to discover that she had been tied up and drugged in Donovan's home for 24 days - hidden in his bedroom with a list of rules on how to behave.

The girl was found in the drawer of a divan bed in his bedroom, just a mile from her Dewsbury home.

Saunders today revealed that Matthews has not seen her daughter or her other six children for 'several years' and has no contact with the rest of her family.

He said: 'Karen has been unfairly portrayed as Britain's worst mother. But it's total lies. Donovan is the only criminal here.'

Shannon Matthews, aged nine when she was taken captive, has been granted a new identity and lifelong anonymity along with her six siblings

Shannon Matthews' mother Karen Matthews plotted the fake kidnap in a bid to claim the 50,000 reward put up for offer in February 2009

Wearing a long beige puffer coat and with her face hidden behind a pink scarf, Matthews emerged from her shabby flat and shouted 'I'm innocent, leave me alone.'

Saunders insisted today: 'She's innocent. It was Donovan who did the crime and kidnapped Shannon. She had nothing to do with it. People have got this all wrong'

Saunders was jailed for five years at Oxford Crown Court in 2010 for sexual activity with a child and sexual assault. He must sign the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

He and Matthews live together in the south of England and are believed to have been together for around five years. They met after Saunders worked at her home as a handyman.

Shannon and her siblings have been granted new identities and lifelong anonymity following a High Court injunction in 2020 and are kept apart from their mother.

Matthews and Donovan were both jailed for eight years at Leeds Crown Court in January 2009 after being convicted of kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice.

Each served four years of their sentences before being released in 2012. Matthews was released in April 2012 and given a new taxpayer-funded identity and home.

Her new name - Kate - was said to have been inspired by one of her Hollywood idols.

Since leaving prison Matthews, who is apparently teatotal, previously was receiving regular support from a group of religious volunteers.

Matthews was seen in a fish and chip shop despite her disguise and somebody noticed her and threw a plate of mushy peas over her head, according to a passerby who saw her in 2017.

Matthews was released from prison in April 2012 and was given a new identity. Pictured: Matthews in Berkshire in 2020

Matthews spotted getting a bus in Reading in February 2022, 14 years on after she reported her daughter missing

Matthews and Saunders spotted together in February 2020 after police were called to their home following a blazing row

Following the alleged attack in a chip shop, a source said: 'Karen thinks this is just the start and wonders how many more attacks she will suffer.

'She was glad it was just a few peas but next time it could be worse. She was living quite a peaceful life until this programme came along.

'But Karen being Karen, she doesn't think it is anything to do with what she did by kidnapping her daughter.'

The source added: 'She is a long way from Dewsbury and has only been recognised a couple of times in a year.

'But now with this new drama on the telly she's petrified. The show is bringing her crimes to the attention of lot more people, who were younger at the time and weren't aware of what she did.'

Matthews case was pushed back into the public eye following the 2017 BBC drama The Moorside - which saw Sheridan Smith play family friend Julie Bushby.

The BBC1 programme was made by ITV Studios and watched by 7.2million viewers at the time.

Matthews cousin, Susan Howgate, slammed the drama at the time saying it would 'bring everything back' and cause unnecessary pain.

'Family members will get grief like they have done in the past. I've had a lot of trouble, and same with my auntie. People keep saying stuff to her still,' Ms Howgate said at the time.

Matthews, was sacked from her volunteer role because of her relationship with Saunders (pictured together in 2020)

Matthews (pictured today) met Saunders when he worked as a handyman in her home

Paedophile Saunders spotted leaving the couple's flat today

Following the programme's release, Matthews was said to be fearing for her life, using a face scarf to cover her identity walking the street. Since leaving prison she reportedly gave up drinking.

She took up a job at a charity shop after struggling to find another because of her notoriety.

Matthews claimed she was struggling to survive on benefits of 25 a week and prayed every day to find the strength to carry on.

In 2020 it was revealed that Matthews had been fired from her job at the charity shop after bosses found out she wanted to marry a paedophile.

The good cause store is linked to a Christian group who were appalled when they heard what she had done.

After news of her engagement to Saunders was made public the shop told she can no longer work there over here 'error in judgement over the relationship.

'The boss was gobsmacked when they found out what had happened, a source told The Sun. 'They told her they can't have someone working there in a relationship with someone like that. It goes against everything the charity stands for.'

Despite their convictions, Matthews and Saunders both appear to be living a normal life. The mother has been spotted leaving a B&M store, buying trainers and visiting a Pets at Home Store.

The couple have also been buying fish and chips together.

Julie Bushby has suggested Shannon 'can get some peace now' that Donovan has died.

Karen Matthews' former best friend Julie Bushby, pictured here on ITV's This Morning programme in February 2017, has welcomed the death of Michael Donovan as 'karma'

Karen Matthews and her then-partner Craig Meehan posed for photographs outside their home in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, after her daughter Shannon was found in March 2009

Karen Matthews was photographed in February last year with new partner Paul Saunders

She told the Mirror: 'At least now the taxpayer will save some money, and Shannon can get some peace and some closure.

'Every time a picture of him is shown it must hurt her - every time there's a picture of Donovan or her mother, it's alongside her picture. That's got to be hard to live with.'

Ms Bushby was one of the woman involved in the search for Shannon, later describing how the community 'paid the price' for Matthews' and Donovan's crimes.

She was among those who slept all night in a community centre with the lights kept on to act as a beacon to help the schoolgirl find her way home.

In 2016, Ms Bushby said many people living in the area felt like they were partly blamed for what had happened, said: 'It's as if they punished us for what happened and killed our community spirit.

'There's only about a handful of the originals left on the estate - most have moved because they don't want to be associated with it.'

Donovan is said to have told a relative earlier this year he had been given just three to nine months to live after being diagnosed with Stage 3 brain cancer.

He was given the name Paul Drake when born but later changed it to Michael Donovan after a TV sci-fi character, before another recent switch to Aiden Johnson.

West Yorkshire Police was last year investigating him for the alleged possession of child pornography and he was placed under a sexual harm prevention order after appearing at Bradford Crown Court.

Karen Matthews is pictured in March 2008 holding her daughter's favourite teddy bear as she feigned an emotional appeal for her safe return

She is seen here leaving Dewsbury police station in April 2008 after being charged

West Yorkshire Police released footage of her being interviewed by officers at the time

A relative of Donovan said: 'He had told me in the past that he had cancer, but I didn't believe him at first because he would make things up. I was told he had lung cancer which spread to his brain.

'I'm glad that his suffering is finally over. I feel sorry for Mick - he was a fool to himself.'

And Ms Bushby suggested she was not surprised by the revelation about the sexual harm prevention order, saying: 'It's clear he was still a danger to children - so it's good he's dead.'

Ms Bushby added: 'It would have been over in a breath if we'd been told that but instead it turned into one of the biggest police hunts ever.'

Donovan was pronounced dead on Tuesday afternoon after collapsing at Three Valleys Hospital, whose private operators Elysium Healthcare refused to comment.
Two Scottish health boards have followed England to stop dishing out puberty blockers to youngsters after the Cass Review found that gender medicine is 'built on shaky foundations'.

The decision to pause prescribing the medication has been backed by the country's chief medical officer Professor Sir Gregor Smith and health secretary Neil Gray.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) and NHS Lothian - of which the former covers Scotland's only gender clinic - has made the decision on the back of Dr Hilary Cass' landmark review which was published last week.

The scathing report said children questioning their identity had been let down by 'wholly inadequate' data while finding there is no good evidence to support the use of puberty blockers and hormone treatments in transgender children.

Dr Cass warned in her near 400-page report that gender medicine is 'built on shaky foundations' and largely relies on clinical guidelines that are not backed by science.

It comes after NHS England announced in March that puberty blockers would no longer be prescribed for children.

Scotland's decision to pause prescribing puberty blockers comes after the landmark Dr Hilary Cass Review which found the gender medicine is 'built on shaky foundations'

Puberty blockers, known medically as gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogues, stop the physical changes of puberty in teens questioning their gender. Pictured one example of these drugs, called Triptorelin

NHSGGC covers Scotland's only gender clinic for under-18s while NHS Lothian provides care to those aged 17 and over at its Chalmers gender identity clinic.

Mr Gray said it was right for the decision to be made by clinicians rather than politicians, adding the Government and boards are considering the recommendations of the Cass Review.

'The Scottish Government welcomes the joint statement from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian confirming their change in clinical policy on prescribing puberty hormone suppressants and cross-sex hormone medication to young people,' he said.

'We have been clear it is for clinicians and health boards to make decisions about clinical pathways, and that these decisions should be made carefully and based on the best evidence available.

'This is what both health boards have done and their position is supported by the chief medical officer.

'More broadly, the Cass Review's final report and findings are being closely considered by both the Scottish Government and health boards, in the context of how such healthcare can be best delivered in Scotland.'

He went on to lament the 'toxic' debate around gender issues - mentioned by Dr Cass in her review - saying those in receipt of care should be 'at the centre of our thoughts when we discuss this issue'.

Dr Emilia Crighton, director of public health at NHSGGC, said: 'The findings informing the Cass Review are important and we have reviewed the impact on our clinical pathways.

'The next step from here is to work with the Scottish Government and academic partners to generate evidence that enables us to deliver safe care for our patients.

Scottish Trans manager Vic Valentine (pictured) said they were 'saddened that this change will result in some young people being unable to access the care they need at all'

Scotland's chief medical officer Sir Gregor Smith (left) and the country's Health Secretary Neil Gray have both backed the move

'We echo the views of Dr Hilary Cass that toxicity around public debate is impacting the lives of young people seeking the care of our service and does not serve the teams working hard to care and support them.

'We understand the distress that gender incongruence can cause and while all referrals to endocrinology are paused, we will continue to give anyone who is referred into the young people gender service the psychological support that they require while we review the pathways in line with the findings.'

The Cass Review criticised the lack of evidence around the use of puberty blockers and other medical intervention, with the health boards saying they will work with Government on research into the treatments.

Under the changes, those who have already been prescribed the drugs will continue to receive them, but new patients will not.

The boards said they had made the decision to 'defer' putting new patients on hormone suppressants in mid-March following the same decision by NHS England.

Tracey Gillies, executive medical director at NHS Lothian, said: 'The Cass Review is a significant piece of work into how the NHS can better support children and young people who present with gender dysphoria.

'Patient safety must always be our priority and it is right that we pause this treatment to allow more research to be carried out.'

But two Scottish charities have said the decision is wrong.

The Equality Network and Scottish Trans said they are concerned about the impact the decision could have on transgender young people, who they said were rarely prescribed the drugs.

Dr Cass recommended a 'follow-through service' for 17 to 25-year-olds to protect teenagers 'falling off a cliff edge' in care when they hit 17

'We're saddened that this change will result in some young people being unable to access the care they need at all, or having to wait even longer for it,' Scottish Trans manager Vic Valentine said.

'We want every child or young person to get the individualised care that's right for them at the time that's right for them. We don't think this decision will make that possible.'

The charities called on health boards and the Scottish Government to 'urgently prioritise' research required to 'make sure that no child or young person is denied the care they need'.

Since the publication of the Cass Review, the Scottish Government has faced pressure to respond to its findings, with high-profile politicians including SNP MP Joanna Cherry calling for the use of puberty blockers to be halted.

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Meghan Gallacher has repeatedly attempted to force a statement from the Government on the issue, and she said the health boards' decision should have been taken 'weeks ago'.

She said: 'The SNP Government have been dragged kicking and screaming towards taking the necessary action to safeguard vulnerable youngsters after days of shameful silence and dithering in response to the Cass Review - presumably to placate the gender zealots in the Scottish Greens.

'Humza Yousaf repeatedly passed the buck, insisting it was up to clinicians to decide on the efficacy of puberty blockers and saying he wouldn't be rushed into responding to Cass - when it was clear decisive action was required.'

Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said she was 'pleased' at the decision and urged the Government to lay out what changes will be made to treatment in the wake of the Cass Review.

'The guiding principle for all actions must be to ensure that young people with gender dysphoria get safe treatment,' she added.

'The messaging from the Scottish Government on the Cass report has been all over the place, leaving the public without clarity on this vital issue.'

Alba Holyrood leader Ash Regan - who resigned from the Scottish Government over her gender-critical views and later defected from the SNP - welcomed the announcement and called for a timetable to be set out for a 'full response' to the Cass Review's recommendations.
A mass cyber attack is suspected to have caused a 911 outage that hit four states across the country, leaving millions without emergency assistance.

Cities as big as Las Vegas, as well as the entire state of South Dakota and locales in Texas and Nebraska announced the outages on Wednesday night.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has warned of increased risks of cyber attacks on 911 services as they have migrated to digital systems.

In analysis compiled by the agency and published by ABC News just hours before the outages, they outlined concerns of how emergency services can be exploited for sensitive data.

The bulletin said that ransomware attacks have 'disrupted the networks of police department and 911 call center operations'.

Authorities asked callers not to test out the phone line while they try and get service back up

Cities as big as Las Vegas, as well as locales in South Dakota and Nebraska have both announced the outages and have posted administrative numbers as alternates

The bulletin added: 'Cybercriminal exploitation of data stolen during ransomware attacks against the Emergency Service Sector (ESS) likely poses a persistent criminal threat due to the exposure and availability of victims personal information.'

The DHS said that once stolen, potentially sensitive personal information including police records could be leaked, sold or used to facilitate other crimes like extortion or identity theft.

'Additionally, you have to have a lot of resources devoted to addressing it. And it can also prevent us from doing investigations.'

Officials in South Dakota, Nevada and Las Vegas said 911 services had been restored, but have yet to identify the official cause of the failure.

In Las Vegas specifically, no estimate was initially given after an outage wiped out landline and mobile phones connectivity to the crucial 911 number.

Authorities asked for callers not to test out the phone line while they try and get service back up, amid fears that unreported crimes may be taking place.

Nearby Henderson, Nevada was also facing a down 911 - but various other emergency services were still running.

The entire state of South Dakota, Dundy County, Kearney County, Howard County and Fremont, Nebraska, as well as Del Rio, Texas were also affected.

The emergency mobile number to get a hold of police, ambulance, and fire services was not connecting to call centers for many hours throughout the night.

Police urged the public to call alternative numbers if they needed help.

In South Dakota, one county did say that text messages to 911 did appear still be going through.

Others suggested that members of the public needing help ought to call 911 on a mobile device, and wait for the service to call you back.

In Vegas and South Dakota, police announced just after 10pm local time that service was restored following a three hour outage.

John Cohen, the former intelligence chief at the DHS and now a contributor for ABC, said: 'Whereas cyberattacks were once considered to be a technology issue, today theyre considered a threat to the very operations of law enforcement and other public safety agencies.'

Robert Boyce, another contributor for the outlet and retired chief of detectives with the NYPD, said: 'For a police department, or fire department, or any emergency service to be hijacked in any way, its a big problem for public safety.

'Additionally, you have to have a lot of resources devoted to addressing it. And it can also prevent us from doing investigations.'

Several cyberattacks targeting 911 systems have taken down the services in recent years, one of which, in 2017, paralyzed 911 centers in more than a dozen states.

A spokesperson for the Federal Communications Commission told DailyMail.com: 'We are aware of reports of 911-related outages and we are currently investigating.'
By Lee Hyo-jin

A lawmaker-elect of the minor Reform Party stood by a controversial adult festival recently banned in Seoul and cities across Gyeonggi Province, saying that enjoying adult culture in adults-only spaces should be allowed.

Dubbed the "2024 KXF The Fashion," the festival is scheduled for this weekend, but it has encountered venue rejections from both  a cruise bar at a Han River park and a cafe alley in Gangnam District. Banning the festival, local governments have expressed concerns that the event, featuring Japanese porn stars, could distort people's perceptions of sex.

"Somewhere along the line, our society began applying strange standards where basic instincts of women are widely recognized as rightful, while men's instincts are stigmatized as inherently criminal and repulsive," Chun Ha-ram, a Reform Party lawmaker-elect, wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.

Chun secured a seat in the National Assembly through proportional representation voting in the April 10 general elections.

The lawmaker-elect said that prohibiting the 2024 KXF The Fashion  a festival apparently catering to men  could be viewed as gender discrimination, citing past adult shows and musicals aimed at women that were held across Seoul.

He urged the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Gangnam District Office to reconsider their decisions to ban the festival.

Chun's comments come amid struggles encountered by Play Joker, the organizer of the upcoming adult show, in securing a venue with just days remaining until its scheduled date. The repeated cancellations of venue rentals by local governments have compounded their challenges.

According to the organizer, the event will feature a fashion show, fan meetup and dance performances with several Japanese porn actors. The entrance fee to last year's event was about 90,000 won ($65).

In February, the organizer had planned to hold the festival at an exhibition hall in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, but the event was called off due mainly to opposition from residents. The organizers then attempted to relocate to a studio in Paju, also Gyeonggi Province, but this was also canceled due to opposition from the Paju City Government.

As it became difficult to hold the event in the Gyeonggi area, the organizer moved to a bar on a boat anchored on the riverside of Jamwon Hangang Park.

However, the Seoul Metropolitan Government prohibited the hosting of the festival last week, citing concerns that the event could distort people's perceptions of sex and potentially trigger sex crimes. This decision was based on the River Act and the capital's regulations on riverside projects and events.

After the organizer said it will proceed with the event on the cruise, Seoul City warned that it would cut off electricity at the bar if they push ahead.

The organizer announced via its Instagram account on Monday that the event will be relocated to the Apgujeong neighborhood in Gangnam District, adding that the specific venue will be notified only to those who pay the entrance fee in advance, by Friday night.

But the Gangnam District Office notified the hundreds of cafes and bars in the neighborhood, Wednesday, that hosting the adult festival would be illegal according to the Food Sanitation Act.
A 'warped' hoaxer who waged a six-week campaign of terror with bogus chemical attacks against schools, shopping centres and businesses, has been jailed for more than four years.

Gary Preston, 64, sent letters containing a white powder to 21 locations, causing panic and evacuations, over a six-week period in 2013.

Some of the envelopes contained threats including 'If I was you, I would hold my breath and run in the name of Allah' and were signed off with the black flag of ISIS.

Others warned 'Think fast, you have seconds inshallah', 'there are improvised explosive devices planted' and 'we have hostages and any attempts to rescue they will meet their fate'.

Preston was sentenced to four years and three months in prison at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday.

He previously pleaded guilty to 21 charges of sending a hoax substance contrary to the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001.

Gary Preston, 64, sent letters containing a white powder to 21 locations, causing panic and evacuations, over a six-week period in 2013

Fears that the envelopes contained ricin or another toxic substance turned out to be misplaced after it was found to be harmless talcum powder inside the 42 envelopes.

Locations targeted in the 2013 campaign included the Westfield shopping centres in east and west London, two primary schools in Braintree, Essex, the DVLA headquarters in Swansea and Transport for London premises.

Addresses were either printed out and stuck onto the envelopes or handwritten in black ink.

One of the envelopes caused an entire hotel with 303 rooms to be evacuated, the court heard.

Emergency services pictured on the scene at Haverhill over 'concerns for an individual' after Preston phoned the fire brigade to say he had taken ricin

Detectives were unable to identify who was responsible. All they had to go on was a match with DNA from an unknown individual who carried out a knifepoint sex attack on a woman in Rainham, Essex, in 1988.

It was only in September 2020 that Preston, of Haverhill in Suffolk, was arrested after his DNA was taken for an unconnected incident, in which he phoned a fire brigade to say he had taken ricin at a sheltered housing block for over-55s.

Preston was arrested on September 16 2020 and pleaded guilty to the charges on August 11 last year.

The defendant was also sentenced to a further five years and three months in prison for a separate charge of serious indecent assault at knifepoint that occurred on January 26 1988 at a women's public toilets in Rainham, Essex.

No chemicals were found at the 64-year-old's property after it was visited by multiple emergency workers. After this incident Preston's DNA was linked with a number of hoax cases and he was subsequently arrested

Defence barrister Steven Dyble said at an earlier hearing that Preston had suffered 'a cognitive decline' in recent years but added: 'There are no mental issues that we seek to lay before the court.

'He is undoubtedly responsible for the decisions that he took.'

Preston, who appeared in court via a video link from HMP Chelmsford, spoke only to confirm his identity before the sentence was handed down.

Judge Andrew Lees said the respective sentences were to be served consecutively, giving Preston a total sentence of nine years and six months in prison.

The judge added there was 'a significant risk' of the defendant 'committing further specified offences' which was an aggravating factor in the sentence.
Prince Harrys decision to officially make the US his home has finally 'closed the door' on a return to royal duties as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex finish off Megxit and concentrate on making money, experts told MailOnline today.

The Duke of Sussex has updated his business records in London to make it clear that he no longer lives in Britain and California is his official home - despite moving there in 2020.

Mark Borkowski, arguably Britain's leading PR guru, has said it is the culmination of years of gradual change by Harry and Meghan from working royals to influencers establishing their Sussex name as a commercial vehicle to make millions.

He said: 'The line has been drawn and hope of a rapprochement with the royals is now gone. Harry has closed the door and burned the bridge. It's now all eyes on commerce.

'They're getting further and further away from Harry's family and they're trying to be lifestyle models. They [Harry and Meghan] need a lot of money to maintain their lifestyle and their royal status is gradually diminishing'.

Mr Borkowski has said that King Charles and the Princess of Wales' cancer battles has meant that the launch of Meghan's American Riviera Orchard brand came with less of a PR blitz than expected.

'Meghan's jam emerged this week. All these products are going to come out but to some extent they have been quite low profile, whilst Kate and the king have been grappling with their cancer', Mr Borkowski said.

Prince Harry, right, and wife Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, arrive for the 2024 Royal Salute Polo Challenge in Florida on Friday

The publicly-viewable document that officially shows Prince Harry is now based in the United States

Meghan's American Riviera Orchard brand has had a soft launch , with Meghan sharing limited edition jars of jam with friends and influencers who shared images on Instagram

On the day they left from Vancouver Island to Canada on March 14 2020, Prince Harry celebrated their emigration calling it their 'freedom flight'. Four years on he has made his permanent residence the US instead of the UK

In the last week Meghan has shared limited edition jars of her Strawberry preserve with selected friends and influencers to share on social media. Experts believe she is trying to use her profile to make millions in the food and lifestyle world like her friend Gwyneth Paltrow has with Goop.

But despite the health crisis gripping Harry's family, the Sussexes are ploughing on because they need 'a lot of money' to support their luxury lifestyle after previous deals failed to take off, such as with Spotify, and Netflix has put them 'in the last chance saloon', Mr Borkowski said.

Harry's decision to update his official business records in Britain and declare that his home is in the US is the culmination of years of creeping towards America being the 'home' of Harry and Meghan's brand, he said.

Mr Borkowski said: 'There's an honesty about the declaration. It's fascinating and I guess the story has become bigger because of the idea that somehow there is a residency issue and this declaration that America is now the home of the brand.

'None of this surprises me. I think that the endeavour that they've set out over a period of time is obviously to establish a commercial model.

'But sooner or later, they've got to get beyond the hype and all those negative headlines and establish a commercial vehicle. They cannot maintain their status and their lifestyle without having something that is to getting them the type of money that they need to keep going', Mr Borkowski said.

'So everything at the moment seems to be commercially biased. This deal with Netflix. They have given them three projects. That's last chance saloon.

'They are under the microscope, which makes it very difficult to succeed because there's more talk about failure than there is success. They need some success stories. All eyes will be on their commercial viability.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle being interviewed by Oprah Winfrey. The incendiary conversation made global headlines

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex with their son Archie while in Cape Town in September 2019 - before Megxit and quitting as frontline royals

The couple are seen in February 2020, shortly after stepping off a plane in Canada following Megxit

James Corden grabs Harry's iPhone and calls Meghan on FaceTime during a segment for the Late Late Show during the pandemic

Prince Harry with James Cordon enjoying tea and scones in an open-top bus on The Late Late Show

Harry and Meghan attend the 2021 Salute To Freedom Gala at Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum in NYC

Their lucrative Spotify deal was axed and Meghan was criticised by top Hollywood agent Jeremy Zimmer as 'not a great audio talent, or necessarily any kind of talent'

Harry and Meghan on a sofa at their Montecito residence in their Netflix documentary

The Duke of Sussex taking part in a Q&A with the San Francisco-based company BetterUp, one of the businesses he works for

Prince William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex seen inside the Palace of Westminster during the Lying-in State of Queen

Prince Harry, centre, arrives at Westminster Abbey for the coronation ceremony of Britain's King Charles III. Meghan stayed in the US and he left straight after his father was crowned

The Diana Awards this year had been touted as a rare joint appearance by estranged brothers William and Harry but they did not appear at all together, with Harry dialling in later in the evening after his brother had left

Mindy Kaling, award-winning writer and actress, is among the exclusive group to have received jam from Meghan's first American Riviera Orchard batch

Meghan Markle was seen congratulating her husband Prince Harry with a passionate kiss after he won a charity polo match in Miami last week

Prince Harry's decision to pinpoint the day he and Meghan were 'evicted' from Frogmore Cottage by King Charles as the date his US residency began points to 'irritation' with his father and that he won't return to the UK, royal experts told MailOnline today.

The Duke of Sussex has updated his official business records in this country to make it clear that he no longer lives in Britain.

Filings published by Companies House yesterday for Prince Henry Charles Albert David Duke of Sussex record that his New Country/State Usually Resident is now the U.S. It was previously recorded as the United Kingdom.

And despite being updated officially this week, Prince Harry chose the day he and Meghan officially moved out of Frogmore Cottage - June 29, 2023, as the date his formal US residency began - not when they emigrated in early 2020.

Royal biographer Tom Bower told MailOnline that Harrys decision to use the date of leaving Frogmore as the start of his US residency reveals his annoyance with his father. It is also a sure sign that Harry has no intention of living in Britain again for some time.

King Charles was quite right to evict Harry from Frogmore, and not surprisingly Harry was irritated. He and Meghan thought they could have their cake and eat it, he said.

Unfortunately, the King did not go further and strip the Sussexes of their titles. That might have stopped their recent promotional splurge, exploiting their royal titles to earn money. Hopefully, when the King recovers he will reconsider his attitude towards the Sussexes and distance them further from the royal family.

Royal experts have said Harry was 'deeply wounded' by his father's order for him and Meghan to leave Frogmore Cottage

King Charles evicted Prince Harry and Meghan from Frogmore Cottage and instead offered it to his brother Prince Andrew

Mr Bower says the Companies House document unearthed by the Mail shows Harry has decided to remain in America for the foreseeable future.

He said: He should now be firmly told by the King to stop exploiting his royal titles for commercial profit.

Royal author Angela Levin said the change in residence means that Harry should no longer be 'a Counsellor of State to stand in for the monarch should it be needed.

By law, Counsellors of State are required to have a UK domicile, but Harry has no home here after King Charles asked the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to vacate Frogmore Cottage, a gift from the late Queen Elizabeth.

Until 2022, the Counsellors of State were Queen Camilla, Prince William, Harry, Prince Andrew and his elder daughter Princess Beatrice.

However, many considered this situation unsuitable as Harry, the Duke of York and Beatrice are not working royals.

Later that year, the King asked parliament to add his sister, Princess Anne, and youngest brother, Prince Edward, to the list.

It was reported that the King decided not to remove Harry and Andrew because he did not want to escalate family tensions and believed it was unlikely either would ever be required to deputise for him.

However, last year courtiers were keen to ensure that William returned to Britain from a solo trip to New York before the King and Queen departed for their state visit to France on the same day.

The situation has since become even more urgent because of the King's cancer treatment.

The Duke of Sussex said he began living in America was disclosed by the Mail yesterday.

Filings published by Companies House for 'Prince Henry Charles Albert David Duke of Sussex' record that his 'New Country/State Usually Resident' is now the USA, while it previously stated the United Kingdom.

Royal experts have said Harry was 'deeply wounded' by his father's order for him and Meghan to leave Frogmore, which had been a wedding gift from Queen Elizabeth, with suggestions that he was making a point by choosing the date.

This is the date that the Duke of Sussex said he began living in America on new business documents disclosed by the Mail yesterday

The Sussexes' mansion is worth $14 million (11m) and has six bedrooms and seven bathrooms

Royal author Phil Dampier told The Sun: 'Charles and William knew it had to be done to emphasise Harry and Meghan were outside The Firm but he probably still thought he could keep a base here. Now he's shown he accepts his life is in the US.'

It comes after Harry revealed earlier this year that he has 'considered' becoming a US citizen, a move which would mean he may have to renounce his titles.

'The thought has crossed my mind but not a high priority right now,' he said on Good Morning America in February.

Pressure has been increasing on Joe Biden's government to release Harry's visa records after campaigners seized on comments made by the American ambassador to London that he would not be deported while the Democrat was president.

The conservative Heritage Foundation think tank in Washington DC, which has gone to court to seek the release of the file, has submitted the remarks made by Jane Hartley as part of its case.

The new details, filed at Companies House for Harry's eco travel venture Travalyst, also raise serious questions about whether he can remain as a Counsellor of State, one of seven members of the Royal Family who can deputise for the Monarch if he is abroad or unwell.

By law, Counsellors of State are required to have a UK domicile, but Harry has no home here after King Charles asked the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to vacate Frogmore Cottage, a gift from the late Queen Elizabeth.

Until 2022, the Counsellors of State were Queen Camilla, Prince William, Harry, Prince Andrew and his elder daughter Princess Beatrice.

However, many considered this situation unsuitable as Harry, the Duke of York and Beatrice are not working royals.

Prince William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex seen inside the Palace of Westminster during the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II

Harry with Charles at Windsor around the time of the Queen's funeral

Harry challenged the decision by the Home Office to remove his right to automatic Metropolitan Police protection when he is in Britain, even though he has offered to pay for it himself.

After the decision was made, a legal representative for Harry has said he was 'unable to return to his home' with his family because it is too dangerous.

He has since lost the court case and potentially faces a bill of around 1million when his own legal costs are taken into account.

A judge rejected a bid to halve the amount he had to pay by saying the Duke of Sussex had 'comprehensively lost' his case.

Separately Sir Peter Lane also threw out the duke's application to appeal against the ruling, describing one section of it as 'frankly hopeless'.

The Heritage Foundation has been pushing the Department of Homeland Security to open its dossier on Harry under America's freedom of information laws.

After he admitted taking cocaine in his memoirs, Spare, he faced questions over how he had been able to move to the USA, where admitting drug use can block a visa application.
Supermarket chain Iceland has dropped mothers from its strapline after several decades - retooling it as a nod to the fact people other than 'mums' go to its shops.

The frozen food specialist, which opened its first store in Oswestry, Shropshire in 1970, has dispensed with its classic slogan of 'that's why mums go to Iceland' as part of a new advertising push.

Instead, adverts will now feature a more neutral slogan of 'that's why we go to Iceland' - which bosses say reflects its 'growing customer base' beyond just mothers stocking up on budget-friendly frozen staples.

And despite the new slogan the new ads will continue an Iceland tradition of featuring famous mothers - in this case Josie Gibson, who has young son Reggie.

And Josie - romantically linked to ITV presenter Stephen Mulhern - herself said of the tweak: 'I think the new tagline is great because Iceland is not just for mums. Even though mums love it, Iceland is for everybody.'

Josie Gibson is the new face of Iceland after signing a year-long deal to front adverts for the frozen food specialists

The supermarket chain's slogans referring to 'mums' have been dropped in favour of a more neutral 'we'

Katona was later joined by Jason Donovan and Coleen Nolan for a Christmas advert in 2008 - before she was dropped over her historical cocaine use

In 2014, popstar Peter Andre - who finished second to Kerry on I'm A Celebrity in 2004 - became the new face of Iceland

The ads even changed the slogan for Andre's appearances - noting that 'Peter goes to Iceland'

Iceland says the change in slogan is a reflection of the fact that 'mums' aren't the only ones doing the shopping in their stores

Explaining the rationale to MailOnline, Iceland executive chairman Richard Walker said: 'Iceland's always been number one with mums, but the reality is people from all walks of life, and life stage, choose to shop with us.

'That includes everyone from students and seniors, to single parent families, mums, dads, and fitness enthusiasts. We're a Great British institution and open to all.'

Iceland, which also runs the Food Warehouse chain of bulk-buy shops, historically advertised with the slogan 'Mums Love It', before changing the catchline to 'That's why Mum's gone to Iceland' in 1988.

But its advertising peak, at a time of financial crisis for the firm in the mid-2000s, saw it bring in one-time Atomic Kitten and TV presenter Kerry Katona, then a mother-of-two who left the pop group after falling pregnant with Westlife's Brian McFadden's baby.

Unbeknownst to supermarket bosses at the time, they had created a British pop-culture phenomenon was born.

The Northerner's warm, mumsy manner, together with the slightly retooled slogan 'that's why mums go to Iceland', was a hit with shoppers - and the 'Katona effect' helped Iceland to escape from near-bankruptcy.

The company, which had been withdrawn from public trading, went from a loss of 53.9million in the year to April 1 2005 to a 98million profit just one year later. Last year, the firm reported a profit of 666m.

The Iceland-Katona partnership continued to grow as it became the main sponsor for I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! - a partnership that continued until 2014.

But while Katona was a hit with mothers, her own personal struggles presented headaches for supermarket bosses.

She appeared on This Morning in October 2008 slurring her words - which she later put down to a side-effect of medication she was taking for bipolar disorder. She criticised the interview after the departure of Philip Schofield last year.

Iceland boss Richard Walker told MailOnline of the slogan change: 'The reality is people from all walks of life, and life stage, choose to shop with us'

Josie Gibson browsing the aisles of an Iceland store as she signs on to become the new face of the brand

Josie - who even had a go at running the checkouts (above) - says 'even though mums love it, Iceland is for everybody'

Josie appeared on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! last year (above), finishing fourth

Josie is mother to son Reggie, five (pictured here in a recent advertising campaign to encourage kids to eat more yoghurt)

But Katona was dropped from the ads altogether in 2009 after the News of the World published pictures of her taking cocaine.

The images were completely at odds with Iceland's family friendly image - and while supermarket bosses said Katona was 'an example of a normal person and mum who has experienced some of the modern-day culture of fame', she had to go.

Katona was then replaced by a succession of famous mothers: Coleen Nolan - who had appeared in an advert with Katona and Jason Donovan - as well as X-Factor contestant turned TV presenter Stacey Solomon.

And in 2010 'real mum' Ellie Taylor from Nailsea, North Somerset became the face of Iceland for a year after winning a competition to front its advertisements.

But the new shift to 'we' isn't the first time Iceland has deviated from 'mums'. When Peter Andre became the face of the company in 2014, the slogan was changed to 'that's why Peter goes to Iceland' - underlining his name to make the point clear.

Elsewhere, it has used the slogan 'the magic of Frozen' as a nod to both its freezer-food credentials and as a tie-in with the Disney animated movies of the same name.

And in 2018 the company's Christmas advert, a tie-in with Greenpeace that promoted the fact Iceland no longer used palm oil in its own-brand products, was not cleared for TV broadcast because it was too 'political'.

Ads watchdog Clearcast said the advert contravened rules on political advertising because it had been published on Greenpeace's website beforehand.

Josie's new ad, set to air in primetime slots for programmes such as Gogglebox, In for a Penny, Britain's Got Talent and Made in Chelsea, was filmed on location in an Iceland shop.

It sees her shopping the aisles for Iceland favourites, from budget frozen meals to value deals and well-known brands. She was even given her own Iceland jacket and name badge to mark the occasion.

Recruiting Josie marks a return to tradition for the frozen food specialist - which is embarking on a year-long marketing push as Brits seek out more affordable groceries amid the cost-of-living crisis.

Iceland boss Mr Walker added: 'With her famous warmth and positivity, Josie is the perfect person to encapsulate the friendly welcome all our customers receive at Iceland and we're delighted to have her onboard.

'We're excited to be working with Josie and can't wait to see the great things we'll do together to show that's why we go to Iceland.'
Grieving families of the Covenant Christian School shooter's six victims have claimed they own copyright of the full handwritten confession of the killer.

They are arguing before a Nashville judge that the confession, and other documents, should never be publicly released because no good can come from it.

The families' claims comes as both city police and the FBI fight to stop the confession, and potentially information about mysterious notes and numbers found on Hale's body, from being made public.

Audrey Hale, 28, was a transgender artist, who identified as a male named Aiden, shot her way into the Tennessee elementary school in March 2023, killing three adults and three nine-year-olds, before responding officers killed her.

Following the shooting, Nashville's Metropolitan Police Chief John Drake said his force had recovered the shooter's manifesto, as well as hand-drawn maps in her car, and said they would eventually be made public.

Now, both cityi police and the FBI say the material shouldn't be released because the information could damage any potential investigation.

Audrey Hale (pictured), 28, was a transgender artist, who identified as a male named Aiden, shot her way into the Tennessee elementary school last March, killing three adults and three nine-year-olds before responding officers killed her

Today, a Nashville judge will decide whether or not the families of the victims of the shooting will be able to assert a copyright claim over Hale's manifesto

Hale's manifesto has long been expected to reveal more detail about the killer's motive.

A Tennessee judge on Thursday will determine if Hale's estate can assert a posthumous copyright claim over the handwritten confession and stop the information from being released.

When Hale was killed as a result of the mass shooting, her parents transferred control of her estate to the families of the victims.

The families have subsequently stepped in and become part of a public records lawsuit against the city. They claim the killer's estate includes the manifesto and that they therefore own the copyright and can determine whether or not to release it.

According to Fox Digital, Doug Pierce - an attorney for the plaintiffs in the case against the city - said: 'You can't just assume there is a copyright interest on any particular writing.

'The only way they could get copyright protection established is if they would have to show the documents in federal court - in other words, they gotta let the cat out of the bag.

'Every day, the public is being denied the right of access,' he said, adding that Hale was clearly the only suspect and that there is 'obviously no pending investigation' that the release of the manifesto could potentially disrupt.

The families, on the other hand, argue that there is no good that can or will come from the release of the writings.

In a filing from last May, they referred to the materials as the 'dangerous and harmful writings of a mentally-damaged person.'

In their argument, they wrote: 'No one was more traumatized, or has suffered more, than the families of the victims and survivors of the Covenant school atrocity. No one. And no one can claim a remotely similar interest in whether the writings of the shooter be released,'

The copyright claim is an extension of their attempt to prevent the documents from becoming public.

Last November, three page of notes written by Hale ahead of the shooting were leaked.

The notes revealed Hale's plan to target 'white privileged cr***ers' and 'f****ts,' before turning the gun on herself.

Hale, pictured ahead of her transition into 'Aiden,' wrote extensively about her mindset and detailed plans to cause terror in a manifesto that has yet to be released

Hale is shown inside the school, which she attended years before she returned to bring terror to its classrooms

In an entry on the day of the attack, Hale wrote: 'Today is the day. The day has finally come. I can't believe it's here. Don't know how I was able to get this far but here I am.

'I'm a little nervous but excited too, been excited for the past two weeks.'

She then declares, 'I'm ready ... I hope my victims aren't.'

'God let my wrath take over my anxiety. It might be 10 minutes tops. It might be 3-7. It's gonna go quick. I hope I have a high death count. Ready to die,' she wrote, before heading on her way toward Covenant.

She was ultimately shot dead at 10.25am, 14 minutes after she began shooting.

An autopsy revealed Hale's clothing was covered in 'handwritten words, drawings and numbers'. It's unclear what was written on her clothes.

The shooter also wrote a plastic orange anklet inscribed with the mysterious number '508407.'

Following the leak, seven Nashville police officers were suspended after a probe into how the notes became public.
One of the cubs was found be authorities very wet, cold and alone

Video shows one of the women dropped the cub and it frantically fled

A group of six North Carolina fools were caught on camera tearing bear cubs out of a tree to take selfies, causing at least one of the cubs to be taken to a rehabilitation center.

Six people in Buncombe County pulled the three bear cubs out of a tree near Berrington Village Apartments on Tuesday.

Video obtained by WLOS shows the group carelessly grabbing the cubs out of the tree to pose for photos with them.

Ashley Hobbs, a North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission special projects biologist, was called to the scene.

'We did see the video in response to the bear being left alone,' Hobbs told the local news outlet. 'We do think that the bear probably had a pretty traumatic experience.'

Six people in Buncombe County pulled the three bear cubs out of a tree near Berrington Village Apartments on Tuesday

Video shows the group carelessly grabbing the cubs out of the tree to pose for photos with them

The group worked together to pull the first cub out of the tree, despite its resistance to be disturbed.

After capturing the first cub, one of the women appears giddy, jumping up and down while holding the bear and getting ready to take photos with it.

The group continued to attempt to drag the other two cubs, while one of the women dropped the cub as she was passing it to another person.

The terrified cub fled from the group, running along the fence to get back to its siblings.

'An apartment complex in the Fairview area that officer did ask me to assist him in response to that, so I did get on site and I saw the cub,' Hobbs said.

Hobbs said when she arrived they found one cub described as being very wet, cold and alone for quite some time.

FOX Carolina reported it is illegal for people to disturb bear dens in North Carolina, though it is unclear if anyone from the video could face charges.

'We did follow up with the people who pulled the bear out of the tree,' Hobbs said.

One of the women dropped the cub as she was passing it to another person to take photos with

The terrified cub fled from the group, running along the fence to get back to its siblings

'We did confront them on site that day and let them know how irresponsible and potentially deadly it could be for that cub to be separated from its mom, especially ripped out of a tree like that.'

'It is frustrating to see people be that irresponsible around wildlife because it is a blessing that we get to live in the mountains around these creatures,' she said.

The cub found at the scene was taken to a rehabilitation center, but wildlife officials are unsure if the other cubs made it back to their mother.

Jody Williams, founder of Help Asheville Bears, slammed the group for their selfish actions of disturbing the cubs and endangering both their own lives and the cubs.

'All for a selfie, all for a selfie,' he said. 'It's just ignorance, total selfishness, this is not what we talk about when we talk about coexisting.'
The judge in Donald Trump's historic hush money trial dismissed two jurors on Thursday as the court struggled to assemble a panel for one of the most high-profile criminal cases in American history.

Prosecutors said one juror had not disclosed prior brushes with the law, and Judge Juan Merchan excused him after bringing him in to the court for further questioning.

It came shortly after Judge Merchan had let go another juror, a nurse who said she felt intimidated because some of her personal information had been made public.

The two removals mean that five people have so far been selected for the jury, down from seven. It will ultimately comprise 12 members and six alternates.

It highlighted the unprecedented pressures around the first criminal trial ever of a former U.S. president.

Former President Donald Trump awaits the start of proceedings during jury selection at Manhattan criminal court, Thursday, April 18, 2024 in New York

Former US President Donald Trump attends his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affairs, at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City on April 18, 2024

Donald Trump's assistant Margo Martin is seen leaving Trump Tower to heart to court. Martin did not travel in the same SUV as Trump but was part of the convoy of cars that followed. She was carrying her shoes as she entered the vehicle

Deputy communications chief Margo Martin gets into a convoy vehicle

The latest juror to be dismissed was a grandfather and IT consultant who had previously told the court he finds Trump 'fascinating'.

'He walks into a room and he sets people off an I find that really interesting,' the man said during jury selection. 'One guy can do all this. Wow. He makes things interesting.'

After he was accepted on to the jury on Tuesday details of a possible past arrest came to light.

It was uncovered by lawyers that he may have taken down conservative political posters in the 1990s.

On Thursday, Judge Merchan spoke to the juror for about four minutes and then excused him.

Earlier, the former president had left Trump Tower for the third day of jury selection.

Aide Margo Martin, who has been among those attending the case, was spotted carrying her stilettos under an umbrella to protect them from the rain.

The deputy communications chief was part of the convoy of cars that followed Trump's SUV.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump sits during the jury selection of his criminal trial on charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court in New York City, U.S. April 18, 2024 in this courtroom sketch

Former President Donald Trump, seated far left, looks on with Judge Juan Merchan presiding as members of the jury panel answer questions from the jury questionnaire in Manhattan criminal court Thursday, April 18, 2024, in New York

Former U.S. President Donald Trump sits beside his lawyers Emil Bove and Susan Necheles during jury selection of his criminal trial on charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court in New York City, U.S. April 18, 2024 in this courtroom sketch

Shortly after Trump arrived the judge told the court that a female juror had conveyed after sleeping on it overnight' that she 'had concerns about her ability to be fair and impartial.

The woman was then brought to court and asked by Judge Merchan to explain herself.

The woman said: 'Yesterday alone, I had friends, colleagues, and family push things to my phone, questioning my identity as a juror.

'I dont believe at this point I can be fair and unbiased and let the outside influence not affect my decision making in the courtroom.'

Judge Merchan said: Im sorry you went through that and excused her.

Meanwhile, Trump could face a showdown with Judge Merchan over a social media post.

Judge Merchan has ordered Trump not to attack potential jurors in the case.

In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday night Trump quoted Fox News host Jesse Watters.

Watters was quoted as saying: 'They are catching undercover Liberal Activists lying to the Judge in order to get on the Trump Jury.'

Some legal analsts suggested that could breach the order.

The order prohibits Trump from 'making or directing others to make public statements about any prospective juror or any juror.'

Trump aide Natalie Harp on her way to court for day three of jury selection

Trump headed to court for the third day of jury selection

Judge Juan M. Merchan has issued a gag order against Trump

CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said the post 'was 'clearly barred by the gag order in this case.'

He added: 'Criminal defendants have different and lesser rights than ordinary citizens. They are not allowed to interfere in the trial process, especially when there is a gag order that specifically addresses attempts to intimidate jurors. It is just not permissible.'

So far, seven jurors have been picked to sit in deliberation.

They include an oncology nurse, a software engineer, an information technology professional, a sales professional, an English teacher and two lawyers.

Judge Merchan has said he anticipates opening statements in the landmark case to be given as early as next week.

The jury selection process has moved more quickly than expected and Trump has complained that Judge Merchan, is "rushing" the trial.

Trump in court for day three of jury selection in his hush money trial

Former president Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower on his way to Manhattan criminal court, Thursday, April 18, 2024

Stormy Daniels appears at an event, May 23, 2018, in West Hollywood, California

In this courtroom sketch, Judge Juan M. Merchan presides over former U.S. President Donald Trump's trial in a Manhattan criminal court in New York

The case centers on a $130,000 payment that Trump's lawyer and personal fixer, Michael Cohen, made shortly before the 2016 election to porn actor Stormy Daniels to prevent her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump from becoming public.

Prosecutors say Trump obscured the true nature of the payments in internal records when his company reimbursed Cohen, who pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2018 and is expected to be a star witness for the prosecution.

Trump has denied having a sexual encounter with Daniels, and his lawyers argue the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses.

Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records and has pleaded not guilty.

He could face up to four years in prison if convicted, though it's not clear that the judge would opt to put him behind bars.
An Oklahoma man was arrested and charged for throwing a homemade pipe bomb onto the porch of a Satanic Temple last week.

Sean Patrick Palmer, 49, allegedly ignited a pipe filled with gunpowder and threw it at the entrance of the Satanic Temple in Salem, Massachusetts, before making his escape last Monday.

Surveillance cameras captured the suspect walking outside the temple, wearing a tan-colored tactical vest, gloves, a black jacket, and a black face covering early that morning.

The homemade pipe bomb caused minor fire damage to the temple, but no one was inside the building when it detonated.

On Wednesday morning, FBI agents were spotted searching through a property in Perkins, Oklahoma, where Palmer lives. Authorities later announced his arrest.

Surveillance cameras captured the suspect walking outside the temple, wearing a tan-colored tactical vest, gloves, a black jacket, and a black face covering early that morning

Sean Patrick Palmer, 49, was arrested and charged for throwing a homemade pipe bomb onto the porch of a Satanic Temple last week

Palmer allegedly ignited a pipe filled with gunpowder(pictured), threw it at the entrance of the Satanic Temple in Salem, Massachusetts, before making his escape last Monday

The homemade pipe bomb caused minor fire damage to the temple(seen above). Fortunately, no one was inside the building when the bomb detonated

Evidence found on the scene included a six-page, handwritten note that addressed to 'Dear Satanist', according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The misspelled note read: 'DEAR SATANIST ELOHIM SEND ME 7 MONTHS AGO TO GIVE YOU PEACEFUL MESSAGE TO HOPE YOU REPENT. YOU SAY NO, ELOHIM NOW SEND ME TO SMITE SATAN AND I HAPPY TO OBEY.'

The message continued: 'AND ELOHIM WANT ME TO CONTACT YOU TO TELL YOU REPENT. TURN FROM SIN. ELOHIM NO LIKE THIS PLACE AND PLAN TO DESTROY IT. MAYBE SALEM TOO? ELOHIM SEND ME TO FIGHT CRYBABY SATAN, BUT WANT ME TO MAKE HARD EFFORT SO NO ONE DIES. I OBEY.'

The Satanic Temple in Salem, also an art gallery with a permanent exhibit on Satanism, was vandalized seven months ago with white spray paint, although the incident was not publicized at the time.

'There is probable cause to believe, therefore, that the person responsible for the April 8th IED incident is the same person responsible for vandalizing TST with spray paint in September 2023,' the FBI said.

Authorities said the bomb was made from a plastic pipe covered with metal nails and a substance later identified as smokeless gunpowder.

A single human hair belonging to a Caucasian man and a dark-colored dog hair were also found on the scene.

Palmer is seen on social media donning a tan tactical vest similar to the one captured in the surveillance footage

Authorities said the bomb was made from a plastic pipe covered with metal nails and a substance later identified as smokeless gunpowder

The homemade pipe bomb caused minor fire damage to the temple

The charging document alleged that Palmer purchased PVC pipe and matching PVC end cap like the pipe and end cap used to construct the pipe bomb from a home improvement retailer in Oklahoma in early April.

Authorities disclosed that a black Volvo sedan, registered under Palmer's name, was seen driving 'erratically' near the temple both before and after the incident.

Photos on Palmer's social media reveal that the 49-year-old man owns at least one dog with dark hair like the one found on the scene.

'Palmer also allegedly comments frequently on a social media website about religious matters and themes similar to those contained in the handwritten note found outside of TST on April 8, 2024,' a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office read.

Palmer will make an initial appearance in the Western District of Oklahoma on Thursday. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

If convicted, Palmer faces five to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

The Satanic Temple claims to be the only federally recognized international nontheistic religious Satanic organization, according to its website

'I also hope this makes clear once again, that if you target the people of Salem for violence, we, and our friends in the FBI, will find you,' Salem Police Chief Lucas Miller said in a statement.

Lucien Greaves, co-founder of the temple, told NBC10: 'I think this person was very motivated to cause a good amount of damage and destruction and didn't care if people got killed or harmed along the way.'

'Especially when it's some random person who think they know something about us when clearly they don't, just based on ignorance, we do have to fear that ignorance is still present among a population of people,' Lucien added.

The Satanic Temple claims to be the only federally recognized international nontheistic religious Satanic organization, according to its website.

Its headquarters in Salem also maintain an art gallery and a permanent exhibit dedicated to witch-hunts, Satanism, and moral panics.
Former President Donald Trump is experiencing a massive shift in support from young people, according to a new poll released Thursday.

The new Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics Spring poll shows that Trump has gained 15 points in support from young voters 18-29 compared to four years ago.

President Joe Biden still leads in support among young people 18-29, but only by eight points. Forty-five percent favor Biden compared to 37 percent favoring Trump.

In the 2020 Spring Harvard poll, Biden led Trump by 23 points with 51 percent supporting him compared to only 28 percent for Trump.

Former US President Donald Trump arrives to a rally in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania

Trump supporters during a rally for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump

Although Biden still leads Trump among young voters, Trump leads Biden in enthusiasm. Seventy-six percent of Trump voters say they enthusiastically support their candidate, while just 44 percent of Biden voters say the same.

Trump's new-found strength among young voters is driven by men.

The new poll shows that 32 percent of young men consider themselves Democrats while 29 percent are Republicans, a three point advantage for Democrats.

In 2020, Democrats had a 22 point advantage as 42 percent of young men identified as Democrats and just 20 percent were Republicans.

Young women now support Biden by a larger margin than in 2020.

The poll shows that 44 percent of young women identify as Democrats with just 18 percent as Republicans giving Democrats a 26 point advantage.

President Joe Biden speaks in Pennsylvania

U.S. President Joe Biden visits a Sheetz gas station in Moon Township, Pennsylvania

In 2020, 43 percent of young women identified as Democrats, and 23 percent were Republicans.

Biden's support from young people only dims when third party candidates are on the ballot.

In a scenario where third party candidates Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Cornel West, and Jill Stein are options, Biden only leads Trump by three points among Americans 18-29.

Twenty-eight percent support Biden with 25 percent for Trump. Eleven percent support Kennedy, four percent support Stein, and three percent for West.

But a significant number of young people remain uncertain about their choice in the 2024 election.

Twenty-eight percent of Americans in this category said they did not know who they would support.
A nurse thought she was going to die when a gang of youths, some as young as 11, attempted to carjack her at knifepoint.

Anu Chapagain, a personal care assistant at Darwin Hospital, said she thought she was going to have a 'heart attack' when four boys tried to steal her car outside her home in Darwin City at 6.40pm on Wednesday.

Terrifying footage of the incident shows one youth appear to throw a projectile at the car window before Ms Chapagain steps outside and tries to remonstrate with them.

Later, when she has walked several metres up the road a shoeless youth runs up to her and points a knife in her face, repeatedly shouting 'give me your car right now'.

'I was thinking  what if they kill me, how is my family going to survive,' Ms Chapagain told The Australian.

'I always help them, and Im always helping the community and Im working in a hospital, lots of Indigenous people are there, Im caring for them in the hospital.

Anu Chapagain (pictured), a personal care assistant at Darwin Hospital, said she thought she was going to have a 'heart attack' when four boys tried to steal her car outside her home in Darwin City at 6.40pm on Wednesday

READ MORE: Single photo exposes the harsh reality of life in Alice Springs as a crime wave spirals out of control Advertisement

Ms Chapagain, who moved to Darwin from Nepal in 2009, told the paper she felt 'betrayed'.

'My children, my family, my community, all Darwin people are not safe,' she said.

The gang of four youths failed to start the car because Ms Chapagain kept hold of the key.

They fled and at 10.pm that same evening they allegedly assaulted a taxi driver with a 'blunt weapon' before stealing 'small items' from the vehicle.

'The victim has since been transported to Royal Darwin Hospital to receive treatment for their injuries,' a spokesperson for the NT Police said.

'Police located and arrested two males aged 13 and 14 and two males aged 11.

'The 13 and 14-year-old remain in custody and are expected to be charged at a later time today.

'The two 11-year-olds were conveyed into the care of a responsible adult and a referral has been made to Territory Families.'

It comes just days after a three-week youth curfew in Alice Springs expired.

The curfew meant that children under the age of 18 were not allowed to enter the CBD area between 6pm and 6am.
Salman Rushdie has revealed he thought 'this is the end' as he lay in a 'lake' of his own blood after being viciously stabbed multiple times at a book fair two years ago.

The Indian-born British author, who was left fighting for his life after being attacked at the Chautauqua Institution in New York state, says it was 'good fortune' that means he survived his grievous injuries.

The 76-year-old lost his right eye following the attack, while also being stabbed in the face, neck, chest, abdomen, thigh and hand in the assassination attempt in front of horrified audience members on August 12, 2022.

The novelist said frenzied knifing, which lasted around 30 seconds, came 'out of the blue' despite having been the subject of death threats since the 1980s over his book The Satanic Verses.

He previously told how when he saw the man who attacked him approaching him on stage he initially thought 'so it's you, here you are' and recalled how memories of the attack 'upset me every day'.

Salman Rushdie says he thought 'this is the end' after he was stabbed on stage at a book fair in New York two years ago. Pictured: Mr Rushdie at the Vaclav Havel Center in New York in November, 2023

It took 27 seconds for festival goers and festival staff to drag Rushdie's attacker off him during the incident. Pictured: Security staff and first aiders crowd round Mr Rushdie after the assault

He told Sky News programme Speaking to The World with Yalda Hakin that the attack was an 'unpleasant experience' and he 'quite clearly' thought he was dying.

Mr Rushdie said he remembered 'lying on the floor in a substantial lake of blood, and I clearly remember thinking this was about to be the end', but 'fortunately, I was wrong'.

He said: 'Fortunately he missed a lot of places that would have been immediately fatal. Although there was a big cut across my neck, he didn't get the artery.

'Although there were three injuries to my torso, he didn't reach the heart - in that sense, it was a piece of good fortune in the middle of an unpleasant experience.'

He was speaking after the publication of his 22nd book, the memoir Knife: Meditations After An Attempted Murder, in which he talks about the attack and the impact it has had on him.

He said he felt releasing a book about his experience was his way of 'regaining control the narrative' about his life.

It was the release of his fourth book, The Satanic Verses, drew heavy criticism for the suggested contradiction of the prophet Mohammed's infallibility and was banned in a number of countries.

Then in 1989, the then supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, declared a $3million fatwa contract on his life for the 'blasphemy' contained in the book, which sent the writer into hiding for 10 years.

Before the 2022 knife attack, Mr Rushdie's police minders alerted him to half a dozen serious assassination attempts from state-sponsored terrorists before Iran called off its attempts in 1998.

The author spent eight hours in surgery, 18 days in hospital, and three weeks in rehabilitation after being airlifted to hospital from New York's Chautauqua Amphitheater

Sir Salman's wife, the poet and novelist Rachel Eliza Griffiths (pictured together), chartered a private plane to reach him after the attack

The Indian-born author had a $3million fatwa placed on his head and endured at least six state-sponsored assassination attempts after the publication of The Satanic Verses in 1988

But the fatwa remains in place and a lone wolf nearly claimed the prize after Mr Rushdie accepted an invitation to speak at the Chautauqua Amphitheater in August 2022.

Mr Rushdie told Sky News he had done many public speaking events before this particular booking and there had 'never been a hint of trouble before', with the attack itself coming 'out of the blue'.

Rushdie's account of the attack has been published by Penguin Random House

His alleged attacker, Hadi Matar, 26, was dragged off the stage by stewards and has been held without bail at the Chautauqua County Jail as he awaits trial.

His trial was postponed at the start of this year after Matar's lawyer argued that he was entitled to see a what Mr Rushdie had written in his book about the attack before jurors were sworn in as it may contain evidence that could be used in court.

Mr Rushdie previously told the BBC the attack still 'upsets me every day'.

He said: 'I confess, I had sometimes imagined my assassin rising up in some public forum or other, and coming for me in just this way,' he wrote.

'So my first thought when I saw this murderous shape rushing towards me was, 'So it's you. Here you are'.'

He nearly pulled out after having a dream two nights earlier in which he was being violently attacked.

Perhaps spurred unconsciously by the venue's name, he found himself dreaming that he was in a Roman gladiatorial arena.

His alleged attacker, Hadi Matar, 24, admitted he had only read two pages of the book which had so outraged the Iranian clerics

Salman Rushdie described how his attacker slashed his throat during the assassination attempt that cost him an eye and nearly killed him in August 2022

'It was just somebody with a spear stabbing downwards, and I was rolling around on the floor trying to get away from him,' he told CBS.

The dream was so vivid he thrashed around in his bed trying to escape, waking his wife, the poet and novelist Rachel Eliza Griffiths, who had to wake him in turn and reassure him.

'I was quite shaken by it,' he told the BBC, 'and I said to Eliza, I don't want to go.

READ MORE Salman Rushdie's new book about stabbing that almost killed him could DELAY trial of his 'attacker', which is set to begin next week Advertisement

'And then you wake up a bit more, and you think, it's just a dream, and you're not going to allow your life to be ruled by something that happened in a dream. And so I thought, I'll go. It's a gig.'

He brushed his fears aside but discovered that there was no security as he took to the stage to deliver a lecture on the importance of protecting writers whose lives are under threat.

'In the corner of my right eye  the last thing my right eye would ever see  I saw the man in black running towards me down the right-hand side of the seating area,' he writes in his book.

But he did not see the knife and thought, at first, that he'd just been punched.

'I think he was just wildly, you know, flailing around,' Rushdie said.

But then he saw a pool of blood 'spreading out from my body', and realised that his right eye was 'kind of hanging out of my face, sitting on my cheek, I've said like a soft-boiled egg. And blind'.

'I remember thinking that I was probably dying. And it was interesting because it was quite matter of fact. It wasn't, it wasn't like I was terrified of it or whatever.'

Author Salman Rushdie has described his 256-page memoir as 'a way to take charge of what happened, and to answer violence with art' after the attack in August 2022

Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses sparked worldwide protests among Muslims outraged at its alleged 'blasphemy'

Pakistani activists of Jamiat Tulba Arabia, a student wing of Jamaat-i-Islami party, shout slogans in front of a burning effigy of Salman Rushdie in Multan on June 17, 2007

It was 27 seconds before festival staff managed to pull the attacker off the then 75-year-old.

Mr Rushdie said: 'That's quite a long time. That's the extraordinary half-minute of intimacy, you know, in which life meets death.'

The author was airlifted to hospital where he underwent eight hours of emergency surgery before being placed on a ventilator, unable to speak.

READ MORE Sir Salman Rushdie reveals in new interview 'no explanation' for how he survived brutal New York stabbing in 2022 Advertisement

He said he felt a 'profound sense of loneliness' at the prospect of dying away from his family, but recovered because 'A part of me, some battling part deep within simply had no plan to die'.

After 18 days in hospital and three weeks of rehabilitation, Rushdie was discharged.

One of his surgeons told him that he was both really unlucky and really lucky.

'I said, 'What's the lucky part?' And he said, 'Well, the lucky part is that the man who attacked you had no idea how to kill a man with a knife',' Rushdie said.

Mr Rushdie is likely to see Matar again in person when he eventually comes to trial but has refused to name him in his new book.

'He and I had 27 seconds together, you know? That's it,' Rushdie told 60 Minutes correspondent Anderson Cooper.

'I don't need to give him any more of my time.'

The author has always fought against being defined by the attempts on his life and was reluctant to turn his pen on the attack that nearly killed him until he decided it might help him come to terms with it.

'I need to focus on, you know, to use the cliche, the elephant in the room,' he said.

'And the moment I thought that, kinda something changed in my head. And it then became a book I really very much wanted to write.

'I mean, language is a way of breaking open the world. I don't have any other weapons.'
Govt plans to develop 6-month pilot program into full-scale project

By Jun Ji-hye

Korea will receive 100 domestic helpers from the Philippines at the end of July for a pilot program to test the import of foreign care workers. They are expected to begin working in Seoul in late August at the earliest after going through necessary education and training, according to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, Thursday.

The ministry drew up the plans for the pilot program last year as demand has been increasing for domestic workers who can offer child care or other housework services while the labor supply has been thinning out gradually. This imbalance has resulted in an increase in costs as well as hesitation of more women to give birth amid concerns over their career disruption.

The 100 workers, who will be given non-professional employment visas (E-9), will provide the services under the six-month pilot program in the capital city, where Mayor Oh Se-hoon has strongly advocated for the introduction of foreign care laborers.

The government had originally planned to implement the pilot program late last year as part of broad measures to address the countrys demographic crisis stemming from declining birthrates. But the plan was pushed back as negotiations with the Philippine government on the details took longer than expected.

The two nations have recently finalized the details and decided to accept applications only from those who have earned certificates related to child care from the Technical Education And Skills Development Authority of the Philippines.

The hiring process will begin within this month. Candidates should be aged 24 or older, and will be evaluated for their language skills and health. They will also be subject to criminal background checks and drug tests.

It may take some three months for the 100 successful candidates to enter Korea, which means they are likely to arrive roughly at the end of July and be ready to start work in August.

After entering the country, the Philippine helpers will go through vocational training and cultural education, which will be supervised by the Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRDK), for four weeks before actually beginning to work in households.

They will be supplied and managed by two private companies providing domestic helpers, accredited by the government.

The ministry is considering offering a dormitory for these workers in cooperation with the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

It will not be easy for them to look for a place to live here, so we are thinking about offering them accommodation in which they can live together, a ministry official said.

The city governments budget could be used to manage the accommodation, though room and board would be charged.

The minimum wage system will be applied to them, although there have been calls to provide lower wages to them. Koreas minimum hourly wage for 2024 is set at 9,860 won ($7).

The labor ministry cited its survey that shows there is more demand for part-time helpers  rather than full-time ones  able to work for about four hours a day and three to four days a week. This means each household using the service on a part-time basis would pay below 1 million won per month, while the workers could earn more than 2 million won if they work part-time at multiple households.

The ministry is considering developing the pilot program into a full-scale project after analyzing the results, leaving open the possibility that the service area could be expanded beyond the capital.

Foreign workers with E-9 visas can work in Korea for three years, and the sojourn period could be extended for those having worked at the same company for a certain period.

Following the end of the pilot program, the Philippine domestic helpers would be able to continue their work if the project is implemented at full scale, the ministry official said.

Also, they could change jobs if they want, as the government decided to newly open jobs in hotels and restaurants, among others, to E-9 holders.
Neighbourhood Alert system let users see personal details of anyone signed up

A digital neighbourhood watch scheme used by 33 police forces left the personal data of up to 1.3million people at the mercy of hackers and fraudsters, the Daily Mail can reveal.

The Action Fraud-backed Neighbourhood Alert system allows concerned citizens to message each other and receive bespoke updates about local crime.

But until last week, the platform's defective security permissions let anyone with an email address to sign up and see phone numbers, addresses, and in some cases photos belonging its users.

The design flaw allowed members to draw city-sized neighbourhood watch scheme boundaries on a map and obtain data on hundreds of thousands of signed-up 'suggested members' who live within the boundary.

Local fire and rescue departments, police and crime commissioners, and councils are also signed up to the network.

Digital neighbourhood watch Neighbourhood Alert (pictured) used by 33 police forces left the personal data of up to 1.3million people at the mercy of hackers and fraudsters

A design flaw allowed members to draw city-sized neighbourhood watch scheme boundaries on a map and obtain data on hundreds of thousands of signed-up 'suggested members' who live within the boundary

They all offer re-branded websites of the scheme, such as actionfraudalert.co.uk for Action Fraud, but all the data belongs of the Neighbourhood Alert database.

This means that while someone could have signed up through their local police force alert system in the north of England, they could still scour data pooled by a different scheme in the south of the country.

Among those whose name, phone number, and address was made public were MPs, civil servants and police officers.

One victim is understood to be a veteran intelligence officer responsible for tackling international organised crime.

The error was only fixed after data protection experts tipped off VISAV Ltd, the company responsible for managing the scheme, earlier this month.

VISAV - a web design firm which started life in 1998 as a Nottinghamshire tourism promoter and still runs a Robin Hood-themed gift shop - emailed users to say it had fixed a 'technical anomaly' and warned of 'the possibility that your contact details may have been exposed.'

Both VISAV and the Neighbourhood Watch Network initially insisted that the breach was limited to a single mistakenly-approved scheme affecting just 121 people - but finally admitted the problem when a reporter explained in detail how the design flaw could be systematically exploited by fraudsters.

'We are extremely sorry that there was a loophole in the Alert System,' said Neighbourhood Watch Network CEO John Hayward-Cripps (pictured)

The platform's defective security permissions let anyone with an email address to sign up and see phone numbers, addresses, and in some cases photos belonging its users

Neighbourhood Watch Network CEO John Hayward-Cripps said: 'We are extremely sorry that there was a loophole in the Alert System.

'This enabled someone posing as a local Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator to undertake some unusual actions on the system.

'This gave them access to the contact details of people who had signed up to Neighbourhood Watch within the bogus scheme areas.

'We have been reassured that the data visible was contact details - name, first line of address, phone/email and a small profile picture.

'This loophole has now been closed and we are reviewing the processes and what we can learn.'

VISAV Product Director Mike Douglas added: 'We are sincerely sorry for any distress caused to all our registered members due to this unusual risk of a leak taking place.

'We have reported ourselves to the ICO to support our own intensive investigation and help prevent future risks.'

An Action Fraud spokesperson said: 'We are aware of an incident on the Neighbourhood Alert system and we understand that the Action Fraud alerts were not affected by this issue.'
Kerry Kennedy, who will led the famous political family's endorsement of President Joe Biden on Thursday, said there is no competition when it comes to carrying on the Kennedy legacy.

'Nobody competes with President Biden when it comes to carrying on the legacies of John Kennedy and Robert Kennedy and Ted Kennedy,' she said on ABC's Good Morning America.

Her words were a subtle dig at Robert Kennedy Jr., a family member who's making an independent bid for the White House. Many Democrats worry his run could hurt Biden in crucial battleground states in November, taking votes away from the president and handing a victory to Donald Trump.

'Nobody competes with President Biden when it comes to carrying on the legacies of John Kennedy and Robert Kennedy and Ted Kennedy,' Kerry Kenned said on ABC's Good Morning America

Kerry Kennedy avoided direct criticism of her brother, noting the family loves him, but the family has made it clear for months they are supporting Biden.

'In a big family, you have to love everybody, but you don't have to like them. In our family, we love Bobby and we like him, but that's not what this race is about,' she said.

At least 15 members of the most-storied political family in America will join Biden at an event in Philadelphia to show their support for their fellow Irish American.

'The point here today is electing Joe Biden. It is a two-man race. There's only two people in this race who can get to 270 electoral votes,' Kerry Kennedy said.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. responded to the news with a post on social media.

'I hear some of my family will be endorsing President Biden today. I am pleased they are politically active  its a family tradition. We are divided in our opinions but united in our love for each other,' he wrote.

'I hold this as a possibility for America too. Can we disagree without hating our opponents? Can we restore civility and respect to public discourse? I think we can.'

Additionally, his campaign announced on Thursday he has qualified for the presidential ballot in the battleground state of Michigan.

As an indepedent candidate, Kennedy must meet with requirements of each state to be listed on the ballot.

Thursday's endorsement caps Biden's three-day campaign swing in the critical battleground state, where polls show he and Trump are essentially tied. Each man needs the state to win the White House.

But it also shows how seriously Biden's re-election campaign sees Robert Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy as a threat to the president's quest for a second term.

Polls have indicated that Kennedy could draw support away from Biden - enough to make a difference in the swing states that will decide the next president.

Kerry Kennedy made clear the family was endorsing Biden so Trump would not win a second term. The family has called Robert Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy 'dangerous.'

'This is the most important election of my lifetime,' she said.

'We are up against Donald Trump who says he's going to be a dictator on day one, who lays claim to overturning Roe V. Wade, who has said he wants to change the constitution in order to go after his enemies and his critics. The list goes on and on and on. So we must elect President Biden, and that is where all our energy has to be.'

Many members of the Kennedy clan joined President Joe Biden at the White House for St. Patrick's Day - and splashed the above photo across social media

Maria Shriver joined Biden at the White House in March for an event on women's health

Biden has long emphasized his admiration for the Kennedy. He's cited Robert F. Kennedy Sr. as a personal inspiration in his political career. A bust of the former attorney general and senator sits in the Oval Office.

Additionally, John F. Kennedy was the nation's first Irish Catholic president; Biden is the second.

The Kennedy clan have signaled their support for Biden for months but Thursday marks their formal endorsement of the president.

Last month, nearly the whole clan joined Biden for a St. Patrick's Day celebration at the White House, splashing a picture with the president across social media.

Kennedys even serve in Biden's administration: Joe Kennedy III is Biden's envoy to Northern Ireland, Caroline Kennedy is ambassador to Australia, and Victoria Reggie Kennedy, the widow of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, is ambassador to Austria.

Two of the most prominent members of the family - Caroline Kennedy and Maria Shriver - will not be at Thursday's event.

The Biden campaign told the New York Times that it was due to their nonpolitical professional roles.

Maria Shriver has made her support of Biden clear. She has co-hosted many women's health events with Jill Biden, including one last month at the White House.

But there will be many, many, many Kennedys on stage.

Joe Kennedy III, the grandson of Robert F. Kennedy, will be there. And Robert Kennedy Jr.'s siblings Joseph, Rory, Kathleen, Maxwell and Christopher will also be on hand to endorse Biden.

Kerry, the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, will led the family's endorsement.

'I can only imagine how Donald Trump's outrageous lies and behavior would have horrified my father, Robert F. Kennedy, who proudly served as attorney general of the United States, and honored his pledge to uphold the law and protect the country,' Kerry Kennedy will say, according to her prepared remarks released by the campaign.

'Daddy stood for equal justice, human rights and freedom from want and fear. Just as President Biden does today.'

Many Kennedy family members have questioned why Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is challenging a sitting Democratic president

Many Kennedy family members have disavowed RFK Jr. for his skepticism about vaccines and talk of conspiracy theories. They also have publicly questioned why he would challenge a sitting Democrat.

They also criticized him for an ad that a super PAC supporting RFK Jr. ran during the Super Bowl. The ad closely resembled one supporting John F. Kennedy, his uncle, during his 1960 bid for the White House.

Later, RFK Jr. apologized to his relatives, writing on X that he was sorry if the spot 'caused anyone in my family pain.'

He has tried to downplay the lack of family support.

'I have a big family, about 105 cousins on the last time we counted,' he told CNN a few weeks ago. 'I have a big family. I don't know anybody in America who's got a family who agrees with him on everything.'

After Thursday's endorsement event, President Biden and members of the Kennedy family will join supporters and volunteers at a grassroots organizing event, the campaign said.

Later in the day, members of the Kennedy family will make calls and knock on doors on Biden's behalf.
Karen Read, dubbed America's 'happiest murder defendant,' has found herself at the center of a high-profile case after being accused of killing her cop boyfriend in drunken hit-and-run.

Read, 44, a financial analyst and college professor from Mansfield, is facing charges of second-degree murder, with prosecutors arguing that she drunkenly drove over Boston police officer John O'Keefe in January 29, 2022.

Amid intense media scrutiny and large demonstrations surrounding her hearings, public opinion on Read's innocence is split - with some calling to 'free her' and others accusing her of being a villainous murderer.

People who knew her in the past have also shared contradictory statements regarding her character.

While Read's upbringing was marked by her outgoing personality and academic achievements, according to a report by The Boston Globe, interactions with neighbors in recent years were less amicable, as detailed in police reports.

Read, a financial analyst and college professor, is facing charges of second-degree murder, as prosecutors say she drunkenly drove over Boston police officer John O'Keefe in January 29, 2022

Amid intense media scrutiny and large demonstrations surrounding her hearings, public opinion on Read's innocence is split - with some calling to 'free her' and others accusing her of being a villainous murderer

Read and O'Keefe had been out drinking on the night of his death, before she drove him to an afterparty while she went home to sleep. He was found dead on the lawn of the afterparty's home hours later

Read was raised in Blacksburg, Va., and Taunton, Mass and lived on a 'quiet, woodsy cul-de-sac' with her family, where she enjoyed playing piano, and attended Mass regularly, according to her father William Read.

She attended Coyle & Cassidy, a private Catholic school in Taunton, where she reportedly stood out as a high-achieving student.

After Coyle & Cassidy, Read pursued finance at Bentley University, where she earned both a bachelor's and master's degrees in finance, graduating in 2004.

Read began working at Fidelity Investments and teaching finance classes as an adjunct professor at Bentley, the same college where her father taught accounting, when she moved back to Boston.

She served as a faculty member in the Finance Department of Bentley University for over 13 years.

Read's family and life-long friends are fighting alongside her and believe in her innocence, while the relatives of O'Keefe's think Read is responsible for his death.

Catherine Quarantello, a friend since ninth grade, told The Globe that a close-knit group of Read's friends and family are supporting her.

The two took Advanced Placement (AP) classes together and were members of the National Honor Society, according to Quarantello.

'We have been by her side since day one and will see it to the finish line for her and John,' Quarantello told The Globe.

'She's the strongest person I know,' she added.

Quarantello told the Globe that Read was always 'outgoing and sociable.'

But Read's journey has also been marked by health battles, including a decade-long struggle with Crohn's disease and later multiple sclerosis, her father, William Read told the Boston Globe.

Initially diagnosed with Crohn's disease at age 25, Read underwent 10 surgeries in two years, her father said.

Nevertheless, she persevered - ultimately recovering at the Cleveland Clinic, where a surgeon performed 'major reconstructive surgery on her intestines,' he said.

But at 32-years-old, Read was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

Her father and former dean of business at Bentley University expressed unwavering support for his daughter, stating that she will fight the charges with the backing of family and friends.

As her trial began this week, Read received a slew of support from true crime fans and locals who have been camped outside the courthouse with signs reading 'Free Karen Read'

This week, a judge to issue an order barring Read's supporters from coming within 200 feet of the courthouse

Read has an army of supporters after the case, and Read's claims of a wide-ranging conspiracy against her, whipped up intense speculation online

Matthew Pervier of Worcester with a sign he made to support Read

'She will fight this injustice as long as it takes, and our family and friends will be there every step of the way,' her father, William Read, told the Boston Globe.

'Karen will never break down and she will never lose her resolve,' he added.

Her father bailed his elder daughter out of jail for $50,000, according to court records obtained by the Globe.

He now attends each hearing - sitting front and center to support his daughter. To the media, he emphasized his faith in 'God, in the justice system, in his daughter's innocence,' the Globe reported.

'Karen's road to healthiness was a long ten-year battle, but she ultimately prevailed  as she will from this battle,' he told the Globe.

In a photo of Read obtained by the Globe, she is displayed in her senior yearbook of 1998, alongside the quote by British writer V.S. Pritchett: 'Youth is the period of assumed personalities and disguises, it is the time of the sincerely insincere.' Her ambition? 'To break on through to the other side.'

Michael Cote, a teacher at the high school said Read stood out to him among his many students.

He described the time she developed a close relationship with an elderly patient at a nursing home where she volunteered as part of his class, stating, 'She was a remarkable, young, mature woman who showed such compassion and sensitivity.'

A former Fidelity colleague described Read as generous and humorous, and recalled the time she once salvaged a failed end-of-summer intern party by footing the bill for an event at a restaurant atop the Prudential Center, the Globe reported.

Jury selection begins on Tuesday at the Norfolk Superior Court, south of Boston, where Read faces second-degree murder and manslaughter charges

Karen Read, center and her lawyer Alan Jackson pass through a gauntlet of supporters en route to court

Read's defense is led by Alan Jackson (center, with Read on right), the high-powered lawyer who secured disgraced actor Kevin Spacey's acquittal of sexual assault charges

Read sparked backlash on Tuesday after being filmed winking at a camera, with one critic slamming her for 'thinking she is Miss America'

However, more recent interactions with neighbors in Mansfield, where Read relocated from Boston before the pandemic, were reportedly less friendly.

In April 2020, she called the police on her next-door neighbors, alleging excessive noise while she taught an online class- but upon arrival, officers found no disturbance, according to the Boston Globe report.

In November 2020, the neighbors called the police on Read, citing her disruptive behavior while they were vacuuming and mowing the lawn.

Allegedly, Read approached their residence, shouting threats.

Read allegedly came to their house, 'yelling and screaming,' according to the report and said, 'Wait and see. You'll be sorry.'

Read had no criminal record prior to the police report.

Her two-year relationship with John O'Keefe, a Boston police officer, was rekindled from her younger years.

Read was first introduced to John O'Keefe when she was 24 and he was 28, where they become involved in a short-term relationship.

They were separated after Read moved to Dublin, Ireland, for work, her father said.

During the pandemic, Read reconnected with O'Keefe, who shared his life story, including adopting his deceased relatives' children.

Karen Read at her final pretrial hearing on April 12 at Norfolk Superior Court

Karen Read, 44, is standing trial accused of murdering her Boston police officer boyfriend John O'Keefe with her car in January 2022

Read has come under scrutiny for a perceived flippant attitude in court, including winking at cameras and snacking during proceedings

While Read's upbringing was marked by her outgoing personality and academic achievements, according to a report by The Boston Globe, interactions with neighbors in recent years were less amicable, as detailed in police reports

'I admired that. I thought that was amazing,' she told the ABC in August.

Their relationship became more serious, until an argument broke out on New Year's Eve in 2021.

Read said O'Keefe got drunk and stayed out until 3am, leaving her to take care of the children.

'I felt very much taken advantage of,' she said in the interview, while also confirming 'she loved them all.'

But prosecutors have casted a shadow of doubt over their romance - pointing to mounting discord, fueled by accusations of infidelity and angry voicemails exchanged between Read and O'Keefe - leading up to O'Keefe's mysterious death.

O'Keefe's friends and family believe Read is responsible for his death.

'No one planted anything in our heads,' his brother, Paul O'Keefe told the Boston Globe. 'No one brainwashed us.'

Boston attorney David Yannetti and high-profile Los Angeles lawyer Alan Jackson are leading the defense for Read.

Jackson, known for defending actor Kevin Spacey against groping allegations, has raised over $271,000 through a legal defense fund set up by his law firm.

Before the trial, some rallies even went paraded through the streets visiting the houses of witnesses. Now they will focus on the courthouse

Protesters must stay at least 200ft from the courthouse during the trial

Dubbed America's 'happiest murder defendant,' Read has been spotted winking and smirking at cameras outside court where she is standing trial.

Prosecutors claim Read struck O'Keefe with her car, while her attorneys argue that she was framed by party attendees and members of the Boston Police Department after he was killed inside the home.

As her trial began this week, Read received a slew of support from true crime fans who have been camped outside the courthouse with signs reading 'Free Karen Read.'

Many have taken to wearing pink as a show of support for Read, leading a judge to issue an order barring any clothing or accessories that could be perceived as encouraging, and banning them from coming within 200 feet of the courthouse.

The alleged murder occurred on January 29, 2022, during a snowstorm outside a home in Canton, where Read is accused of hitting O'Keefe with her vehicle.

She had spent the evening drinking with O'Keefe and a group of friends at the Waterfall Bar and Grill in Canton, around 14 miles south of Boston, and were invited to his friend Brian Albert's home for an afterparty.

Read, who prosecutors say drank several alcoholic drinks beforehand, decided to drop O'Keefe at the afterparty at around 1am before she returned to sleep at O'Keefe's home that he shared with his orphaned niece and nephew.

Court documents revealed that the couple had been bitterly arguing for weeks beforehand, and on the night O'Keefe died, Read left him a voicemail calling him a 'f****** loser', and 'John, I f****** hate you.'

The couple had been dating for two years at the time of O'Keefe's death. He had been serving on the Boston Police Department for 16 years.

As the party went on inside the home of Albert, who was a retired Boston police officer, Read said she woke up around 4am to find that he was not at home, and told O'Keefe's niece that she was 'distraught.'

Attendees at the party, including some law enforcement, claimed O'Keefe never arrived at the party or entered the home.

Read then searched for O'Keefe with a friend, and prosecutors allege that during the search she speculated: 'What if he's dead? What if a plow hit him? I don't remember anything from last night, we drank so much I don't remember anything.'

At 6am, Read found O'Keefe laying in the snow outside Albert's home, and a first responder on the scene reportedly claimed Read repeatedly cried out, 'I hit him, I hit him', reports CBS News.

O'Keefe was rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy found that the cause of death was blunt impact injuries and hypothermia.

John O'Keefe, 46, was found dead 6am on January 29, 2022, outside a house where she dropped him off for an afterparty about 12.45am

However, Read's defense team claim that this testimony heard by the grand jury which handed down the murder indictment was 'false and deceptive'.

Read had also allegedly told her friends during the search that she cracked her tail light, and pieces of a broken cocktail glass and a tail light were found around O'Keefe's body, prosecutors say.

As the college professor argues she was framed by police officers at the party, prior to jury selection on the first day of trial, the judge ruled that she would not stop her legal team from mounting a 'third party culprit defense.'

The tactic is used by attorneys to argue that someone other than the defendant committed the crime in question.

The judge said: 'I'm going to give you a chance to develop it through relevant, competent, admissible evidence... but you cannot open with it.'

Read has pleaded not guilty to charges including second-degree murder.

On the second day of Read's trial on Wednesday, she was seen being flanked by a number of lawyers, cameras and supporters, who cheered her name as she smiled and waved.

At one stage, Read smiled at a camera as she flashed a large wink, sparking backlash online among some of her detractors.

'Happiest murder defendant in history!' said one on Twitter. 'The Chick thinks she is Miss America.'

Another commented: 'It's a murder trial not a traffic ticket she's fighting. Bad look for the jury.'

As of Wednesday, the second day of the trial, the court has continued jury selection, with around 80 percent of potential jurors dismissed amid fervent online attention around the case.

Read has also compiled a blockbuster legal team for her defense, including attorney Alan Jackson, famed for representing actor Kevin Spacey when he was cleared of sexual assault charges in 2019.

Her claims of innocence also coincide with an FBI probe into the investigation of the death, seeking to see if there is any merit to her claims that she was framed.

Read's defense attorneys argue that O'Keefe was involved in a fight inside Albert's home, and presented evidence they claimed showed he had been in an altercation, including wounds on his arms they say came from Albert's dog. Albert has not been charged with any crime.

O'Keefe was found in the snow outside this home in Canton, around 12 miles from Boston, in the early hours of January 29, 2022

Prosecutors allege that Read hit O'Keefe with her car after an argument, while she contends that she was framed by party attendees and members of the Boston PD. Read's family believe in her innocence while the relatives of O'Keefe's believe Read is responsible for his death

When presenting images of the cop's arms, Jackson insisted to the judge that the claims of framing were 'not just fishing.'

'We've got a fish on the hook, we just need the court to help us reel it in,' he said.

'Certainly the Massachusetts State Police is involved. There are people that were in that house that are involved,' Jackson claimed at a pre-trial hearing.

'Brian Albert is involved. Jennifer McCabe is involved. The rest of the folks that were in that house, there's some level of involvement by every one of them.

'Every single one of them. We're not going to rest until we get to the bottom of exactly who's behind this coverup. Not only Karen Read deserves this. John O'Keefe deserves this, and has deserved this from moment one. And that's why they're not going to rest.'

Read also spoke to reporters on the steps of the courthouse at a pre-trial hearing in May 2023, where she claimed that she and her attorneys 'know who did it.'

'We know. And we know who spearheaded this coverup. You all know,' she said. 'I tried to save his life. I tried to save his life at 6 in the morning, I was covered in his blood. I was the only one trying to save his life.'

Norfolk Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally countered that there is 'no evidence that Mr. O'Keefe was beaten and left for dead.'
A respected police officer who took her own life inside Port Adelaide Police Station reportedly made a bullying complaint before her death.

The female officer, who was a married mother-of-two, died at the station in the city's northwest on the afternoon of January 9.

Some of her colleagues told a SA parliamentary committee into mental health support within the police force that she had made a complaint about bullying at some point before her death.

'Bullying is rife throughout the organisation despite a supposed change of culture following [a] raft of sexual abuse allegations a few years ago,' a submission from a serving officer read, according to The Advertiser.

'The day after the officer killed herself recently at West Adelaide, who incidentally made a complaint that she was being bullied, it was business as usual.

The female officer (pictured), who was a married mother-of-two, died at the station, in the city's northwest, on the afternoon of Monday 9 January

Some of her colleagues told a SA parliamentary committee into mental health support within the police force that she had made a complaint about bullying at some point before her death (Pictured: Port Adelaide Police Station, where she was found dead)

'No contact from some managers and no real acknowledgment of the effect it might have on her ex-colleagues.'

The submission claimed colleagues of the officer had to take time off work to attend her funeral.

Another said 'morale was at an all-time low' within the SA Police force.

Daily Mail Australia previously revealed online reports from witnesses at the station who heard a loud bang within the building before they discovered her body.

Devastated friends and colleagues paid tribute to the tribute to the officer who was nominated for 'Aboriginal Person of the Year' in 2012 for her work within the First Nations community.

Colleagues remembered the officer for her 'infectious laugh' and how she would always 'meet people with a smile'

She was remembered as a 'beautiful person' who had an 'infectious, loud laugh' which could be heard 'right across the station'.

One workmate previously said the officer told her, 'It will be okay, bestie,' during one of their last conversations.

'You said it a thousand times to me over the years,' her colleague wrote.

'It doesn't feel like anything will ever be okay again.'

In a statement, SAPOL told the Advertiser it took the mental health of all employees seriously and offered different options for seeking help.

'While not diminishing the sentiment of those who have made submissions, SAPOL does not believe they are indicative of the wider workforce's views,' the statement said.

The female officer's death in Port Adelaide is still subject to a coronial investigation and ongoing Commissioner's Inquiry.

Police previously requested media outlets not to publish the name or photos of the officer in question due to 'cultural reasons'.

For confidential support 24/7, call Lifeline 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636
British parents-to-be have been blasted for are inadvertently killing birds by dyeing them pink or blue for gender reveal parties.

The RSPCA has issued a warning after hearing about a number of alarming cases where pigeons were covered in paint as part of a sick online craze - made popular in the US - to release birds at parties that reveal the gender of an unborn child.

One pigeon covered in pink dye died after being discovered in Corby, Northamptonshire, while another brightly coloured bird was spotted at a farm near Exmouth, in Devon.

Meanwhile, across the pond, a pigeon named Flamingo, rescued from a park in New York City, died after it too was dyed pink as part of a suspected gender reveal ceremony last year.

The RSPCA said the worrying trend is 'unacceptable', while one rescue centre in Leicestershire described it as 'an act of cruelty and is no way to celebrate the gender of your baby'.

This pigeon covered in pink dye died after being discovered in Corby, Northamptonshire. It is believed it died after being covered in paint as part of a sick online craze to release birds at parties that reveal the gender of an unborn child

Another brightly coloured bird was spotted at a farm near Exmouth, in Devon, also believed to have been painted as part of the trend which was made popular in the US

This pigeon named Flamingo, rescued from a park in New York City, died after it too was dyed pink as part of a suspected gender reveal ceremony last year

The RSPCA issued a warning to future parents after the painted pigeon, which was discovered in Corby, was attacked by a cat.

The bird was taken to Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital severely malnourished and dehydrated where staff believe it may have inhaled toxins in the dye.

A spokesperson for the RSPCA said: 'The majority of us want the best for animals, and to treat them with respect - so intentionally painting a pigeon's feathers is unacceptable as it could cause health problems, impair their ability to fly and make them more vulnerable to predators.

'In addition, dye and paints can be toxic to birds and other animals, and they would be likely to try to clean any such substance from their coat or feathers which could result in them swallowing it.

'From time to time we do hear anecdotally about incidents involving animals being affected in this way - and sadly we fear social media trends could be fuelling this.

'To find out what to do if you witness an incident involving dyeing or painting an animal, please visit the RSPCA's website.'

Amy Ducker, from Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital, added: 'It was something we were aware of but we haven't ever admitted one that's been used for such purposes.

'Other centres have seen similar situations. In any case using domestic birds for releases at weddings or parties never seems to end that well for the pigeons or doves.

Flamingo the pigeon, who died after being found in a park in New York, was described as being in poor condition when he arrived at a nearby wildlife rehabilitation center

Madison Square Park in New York, where Flamingo the pigeon was found

'They're domestic animals and they've never lived in the wild so they don't really know what they're doing.

'But to then do that with a brightly coloured pigeon that's got all sorts of chemicals flashed over it's back and is obviously a target for predators that can see them more visibly it can cause so many issues for the pigeon.

'People obviously don't realise when they see these trends going on on social media and they don't even stop to think whether it's something that's right or wrong.

'I suppose they just look at it and think everyone's doing it so it must be OK.'

Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital, based in Kibworth, Leicestershire, added in a statement: 'Yesterday, we admitted this pigeon which had been dyed pink. The pigeon was most likely used for a gender reveal party and is absolutely shocking.

'It has become a horrendous trend and we are urging you to spread the message about the effects that this can have.

'Please think before you follow these social media trends. Quite simply, it is an act of cruelty and is no way to celebrate the gender of your baby.

'As in the case of this pigeon, the dye makes the birds a much easier and identifiable target to predators.

'They may also be 'picked on' by other pigeons causing them to struggle with getting food - exacerbated by the fact that these pigeons are usually bred in captivity and so have absolutely no sense of how to survive in the wild.

'The dye also contains toxins which can be inhaled, or ingested by the pigeon, causing them to become incredibly unwell.

'This pigeon sadly didn't make it, he was incredibly malnourished, dehydrated and had significant wounds caused by the cat.

'Please share to spread the message.'

Just last year, people living near a farm in Exmouth were left baffled after a pink pigeon was spotted by an onlooker, who described it as 'a real surprise'.

Andrew Lamont of Lower Halsdon Farm told DevonLive at the time: 'I think it was dyed however, can't be sure. It was a real surprise when it landed next to me. We are at Lower Halsdon Farm, Exmouth, just by the Exe trail path.'

The farmer shared his encounter to a community Facebook group, prompting another local to claim they had also seen the painted pigeon.

They wrote: 'I saw this on the rooftop of a house in Brixington on the weekend! Thought I was seeing things'.

A few months earlier In February 2023, a pigeon named Flamingo, rescued from a park in New York City, died after it too was dyed pink as part of a suspected gender reveal ceremony.

The Wild Bird Fund said previously: 'Flamingo's story sparked a lot of emotion and generated interest from around the world.

'We hope the tale of his too-short life will help prevent more acts of careless cruelty.

'Dove releases sound romantic, but take away the decorations and Instagram photos, and they are the equivalent of dumping your helpless pets on the side of the road.

'This is no way to celebrate anything.'
Filings show she has paid her security guard husband over $135,000 since 2022

A recent Federal Elections Commission filing indicates she is continuing to pay him $5,000 a month despite the probe

Rep. Cori Bush is paying her husband for security purposes despite a federal investigation into her use of campaign funds for security

Progressive 'Squad' member Rep. Cori Bush is continuing to dish out cash to her security guard husband despite a federal probe into her alleged misuse of campaign funds for security purposes.

Her most recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) filing reveals her campaign paid her husband Cortney Merritts - who works as her personal security guard - $15,000 in the first quarter of 2024.

That brings the total amount she has paid him to over $135,000. Bush has regularly paid Merritts $5,000 a month since January 2022, her filings indicate.

The two got married in a private ceremony in February 2023, well after Merritts began working as her personal security agent on her $750,000 detail.

The continuing flow of cash to Merritts comes after she confirmed in January that the Department of Justice is investigating her for potentially misusing $750,000 campaign funds.

Bush said at the time that she is cooperating with all the pending investigations and called the complaints filed against her 'frivolous.'

Bush's most recent FEC filing indicates she continues to pay her husband $5,000 a month despite a federal probe into her security payments

'As a rank-and-file member of Congress I am not entitled to personal protection by the House, and instead have used campaign funds as permissible to retain security services,' the Missouri Democrat said in a January statement.

'I have not used any federal tax dollars for personal security services. Any reporting that I have used federal funds for personal security is simply false.'

The Democrat who represents St. Louis, Missouri, has spent thousands on security services out of her campaign account since getting elected in 2020.

She has also been one of the most fervent and outspoken supporters of the defund the police movement.

Before Merritts began working as a security guard for Bush he also oversaw a moving company in St. Louis.

Kendra Arnold, executive director for ethics watchdog the Foundation for Accountability & Civic Trust (FACT) told DailyMail.com at the time that 'a host of other possible charges' for Bush are possible.

That's because in any campaign finance case, documents submitted to the FEC 'must be accurate,' she explained.

In March 2023, FACT filed a complaint about Bush's campaign expenditures with the FEC.

Arnold told DailyMail.com that the language on Bush's FEC filings changed after her group filed the complaint - which could be an issue for the congresswoman.

Bush changed her description of her payments to her husband from 'security' to 'wage expenses,' Arnold said, calling it 'troubling.'

In addition to abusing campaign funds for personal use, Bush could potentially be on the hook for perjury, filing a false statement and mail fraud.

Cori Bush and her now-husband Cortney Merritts together at the 2020 inauguration

'At that time, we believed strongly that there were several facts that led to a need for an investigation into the into Rep. Bush's payments to her then husband,' Arnold told DailyMail.com about the initial filing.

'They were the amount that she was paying [Merritts], the fact that he reportedly didn't have a license to perform the security services and that she was also paying other individuals and another vendor for those same services.'

Merritts did not have the appropriate licensing to perform security services in St. Louis - the district his wife represents - or Washington, D.C., at the time FACT filed their complaint, according to a Fox News report.

The D.C. Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, that runs the licensing database, did not immediately return request for comment.

'That complaint is still pending before the FEC,' Arnold added. 'And we won't get a result back until they are done with that and have voted on it.'

The DOJ's investigation, meanwhile, may take a while to complete.

'The next step really is waiting for the DOJ to conduct its work, and how long that takes varies,' Arnold said.

'There's no way for us to tell what exactly they're looking at, and what precisely what evidence they're gathering,' she added.

'So it's really just a waiting game at this point to let them do their job.'

Bush, R-Mo., married Cortney Merritts in a private ceremony in February 2023

Bush and Merritts are seen here with President Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden during a Christmas party at the White House

The investigation against Bush has rattled both House Republicans and Democrats.

'If she has violated the law and she's indicted, and she's found guilty, then she obviously should be removed, 100 percent,' Moskowitz, D-Fla., told DailyMail.com in January.

Republican Tim Burchett of Tennessee previously told DailyMail.com the DOJ 'should throw the book at her' because of the 'crazy amount of money' she has spent on security.

'She hired her husband who wasn't qualified to be that form of security guard,' he added. 'Well I guess were going to have to decide that; are we going to allow that activity to happen.'
A woman who was busted drink driving in leather lingerie when she collided with a man on an e-scooter has been sentenced for her 'very very poor decisions'.

Cindy Pham, 27, was driving along South Dowling St in Moore Park at 3.45am on February 3 when an e-bike rider moved into the path of her car and the vehicles collided.

The court documents reveal Pham - who was wearing black leather lingerie at the time - was not at fault for the collision.

However, she failed the roadside breath test administered by police.

Cindy Pham, 27, was driving along South Dowling St in Moore Park at 3.45am on February 3 when an e-bike rider moved into the path of her car and the vehicles collided

The 27-year-old returned a reading of 0.095, which is just shy of twice the legal limit.

She wore a tight-fitting all black outfit when she appeared in the Sydney Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday to be sentenced for mid-range drink driving.

READ MORE: Sydney driver allegedly caught doing 170km/h at Mount Panorama Advertisement

Her lawyer told the court Pham realised she was 'at the proverbial fork in the road in her life'.

He said she had moved back to Sydney to reconnect with her family, but she had 'fallen back into making some very very poor decisions' at the time of the crash.

The court heard Pham had received a call from her friends asking if she wanted to go out on the night of February 2, so she had driven her car to Potts Point, in Sydney's east.

She had a few drinks and decided she would be alright to drive herself home instead of staying with a friend or collecting her car in the morning, as she had originally intended.

'She made what she thought was a calculated decision but was actually intensely reckless,' Pham's lawyer said.

He argued it wasn't 'a blatant disregard for the rules' but rather a miscalculation on her behalf.

However, Magistrate Susan Horan found there was 'some difficulty' with that argument because Pham had been caught with a blood-alcohol level that was nearly twice the limit.

'That submission has more weight if it's close to the legal limit,' she said.

'This is well past that.'

The court documents reveal Pham - who was wearing black leather lingerie at the time - was not at fault for the collision

The court heard the 27-year-old had previously been convicted of another drink driving offence in Western Australia.

'It is a problematic offence in terms of public safety and the safety of other road users,' magistrate Horan said.

'I remain concerned about the reading and the fact it's her second time.'

She sentenced Pham to a 12-month community corrections order and disqualified her from driving for nine months.

When the lingerie-loving 27-year-old is allowed to drive again, she will have to abide by an interlock order for two years.

The interlock system requires a driver to breathe into a tube to ensure they haven't consumed any alcohol before the car is able to be driven.

Pham did not comment as she left court on Thursday and held papers in front of her face in an attempt to hide her face.
Denver City Councils Finance and Governance Committee has approved plans to defund the police to pay for the migrant crisis that is costing the democrat-led city about $89.9 million.

The finance committee determined that $41 million in cuts from multiple city departments is needed to house migrants on Tuesday, reported KDVR.

The police department is expected to experience $8.4 million budget cuts, the sheriffs office could see a $3.8 million cut and the fire department is expected to cut $2.4 million.

The sanctuary city's progressive Mayor Mike Johnston unveiled the budget proposal last week, allocating $89.9 million to assist incoming undocumented migrants, whom he refers to as 'newcomers.'

The amount will be drawn from approximately $45 million that's used for public programs and services, the rest is coming from city wide budget cuts.

Denver City Councils Finance and Governance Committee has approved plans to defund the police to pay for the migrant crisis

Mayor Mike Johnston unveiled the budget proposal last week , allocating $89.9 million to assist incoming undocumented migrants

The police department is expected to experience $8.4 million budget cuts to help house the city's migrants

'After more than a year of facing this crisis together, Denver finally has a sustainable plan for treating our newcomers with dignity while avoiding the worst cuts to city services,' Johnston said at the press conference discussing 'Newcomer Operations and 2024 Budget.'

'So many times we were told that we couldn't be compassionate while still being fiscally responsible. Today is proof that our hardest challenges are still solvable, and that together we are the ones who will solve them.'

The proposed budget cuts will now go to the full city council for a vote on April 22, and if passed could go into effect by May 10.

Denver plans to spend the $89.9 million on various migrant assistance programs in 2024, including $3 million to 'Program Administration,' $51.7 million to 'Shelter and Housing,' $9.7 million to 'Supportive Services,' $9.5 million to 'One Time Capital Costs' and $10 million to 'Contingency.'

'Kinda crazy how much of an insult this is to Colorado's residents. Youve got money for migrants but meanwhile homeless people have ruined downtown and every piece of infrastructure needs attention,' said Spencer Davis on Facebook.

'What about our local homeless, veterans that really need help,' said Michele Santi.

'Put that 89 million into the schools instead,' said Quin Williams.

The Colorado capital has become inundated with new migrants crossing over the border - despite the fact the city is already at the brink in terms of resources.

According to the city's migrant sheltering dashboard, 78 migrants are being housed in short-term shelter and 710 are being housed in hotels, as of Thursday

With more than 40,000 arrivals in 2023 alone, the influx of migrants has contributed to a total migrant population of around 710,000 in the city

Denver has already spent over $42 million on migrant housing and medical services in 2023 and anticipates exceeding $100 million for similar expenses in 2024

According to the city's migrant sheltering dashboard, 78 migrants are being housed in short-term shelter and 710 are being housed in hotels, as of Thursday.

With more than 40,000 arrivals in 2023 alone, the influx of migrants has contributed to a total migrant population of around 710,000 in the city.

In response, Denver has already spent over $42 million on migrant housing and medical services in 2023 and anticipates exceeding $100 million for similar expenses in 2024.

City official Andres Carrea recently urged migrant families to move on to other sanctuary cities like New York and Chicago, warning them that a lack of resources in Colorado would cause them to 'suffer.'

'The opportunities are over,' Carrera told recent arrivals inside a migrant shelter in Spanish. 'New York gives you more. Chicago gives you more. So I suggest you go there where there is longer-term shelter. There are also more job opportunities there.'

In the footage, Carerra tells the crowd that Denver has 'received too many migrants' and has since run out of resources.

City official Andres Carrea recently urged migrant families to move on to other sanctuary cities like New York and Chicago

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been sending migrants from the Mexican border to Democrat-led sanctuary cities such as Denver for over a year

'If you stay here, you are going to suffer even more and I dont want to see this,' he says.

Carerra then professes that officials will buy migrants tickets 'to any city. We can take you up to the Canadian border, wherever!'

The migrants in the video were bused into Denver on March 26, according to a city spokesperson, as part of an effort coordinated by Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

Abbott has been sending migrants from the Mexican border to Democrat-led sanctuary cities for over a year in an attempt to incite mass fury over the Biden administration's border policy.

As of March, there have been a total of 1,340,801 southwest land border encounters for the 2024 fiscal year, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
A 170-year-old lizard specimen is to be sent to Jamaica in a jar from a Scottish university in order to 'rectify past injustices' after the species was wiped out by the sugar trade.

The Jamaican Giant Galliwasp, a species now presumed extinct, is thought to have been collected in the 1850s and became part of the University of Glasgow collections in 1888.

A joint team from the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the Institute of Jamaica (IOJ) will travel to Glasgow to retrieve the specimen in what is said to be the first repatriation of a natural history specimen in the Caribbean.

Giant Jamaican Galliwasps were last confirmed alive in the 1800s but the species is now considered to be extinct.

Their disappearance was due to the sugar cane plantation economy, which led to a loss of natural habitat and introduced predators such as rats to the island.

A 170-year-old specimen of the Jamaican Giant Galliwasp is to be sent to Jamaica in a jar in order to 'rectify past injustices' after the species was wiped out by the sugar trade

It comes following a 2019 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the UWI and University of Glasgow (UofG), which aims to foster collaboration in research and education and address the historical legacies of colonialism.

Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, vice-chancellor of the UWI, said: 'The reparatory justice movement deals with various issues of different scales that must be addressed.

'By returning the Galliwasp to its rightful place, we take a small but significant step towards laying the foundation for a regional and international discussion on repatriation.'

The specimen at the University of Glasgow's Hunterian Museum entered the university's collections in 1888 following the transfer of ethnographical and zoological specimens from another Glasgow collection, the Andersonian Museum.

The lizard, a mature adult, is contained in a glass stoppered jar and stored in 70% ethanol and is said to be in good condition for a wet preserved specimen that is around 170 years old.

Steph Scholten, director of the Hunterian, said: 'We hope that this return will help foster further relationships between the University of the West Indies and the University of Glasgow, as well as deepen understanding of repatriation issues in the museum sector.'

The Jamaican Giant Galliwasp, a species now presumed extinct, is thought to have been collected in the 1850s and became part of the University of Glasgow collections in 1888

The university said that one of the most tangible outcomes of the MOU is the Glasgow-Caribbean Centre for Development Research (GCCDR), which funds research projects that advance development goals in the Caribbean, facilitate academic partnerships, and raise global awareness about the ongoing impact of historical slavery.

It said the repatriation not only represents the return of a valuable piece of Jamaican heritage but also signifies a commitment by the university to rectify past injustices and ensure Caribbean ownership of its scientific and cultural treasures.

The team from UWI and IOJ will return to Jamaica with the lizard specimen on April 24.

An official handover ceremony will be held there and the lizard will be deposited in the Natural History Museum of Jamaica on permanent loan in the national flora and fauna collection for safekeeping and to ensure it is accessible to all Jamaicans.
Iran has hinted it could build a nuclear weapon if Benjamin Netanyahu strikes Tehran's atomic sites - and target Israel's own nuclear facilities in response.

A senior Revolutionary Guards general said Iran could review its 'nuclear doctrine' in the event of an Israeli strike on Tehran's atomic facilities.

The comments represent the first time Iran has explicitly mentioned its suspected nuclear weapons programme since Tehran's unprecedented weekend attack that saw Iran launch more than 300 missiles at Israel.

They also appear to be anticipating retaliation for the attack.

Israel's military chief has vowed a response to the Iranian aerial salvo, which was mostly intercepted, while world leaders have urged de-escalation.

Tehran's first direct attack on Israel, launched late Saturday, was in retaliation for an April 1 air strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus that killed seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including two generals.

Israeli officials have not said when or where the country would retaliate.

However, Ahmad Haghtalab, the Guards' head of nuclear protection and security, said Iran would 'definitely' reciprocate any attack on nuclear sites.

Iran has hinted it could build a nuclear weapon if Benjamin Netanyahu strikes Tehran's atomic sites - and target Israel's own nuclear facilities in response. Pictured: A S-300 missile system is displayed during the annual Army Day celebration at a military base in Tehran, April 17 2024

A senior Revolutionary Guards general said Iran could review its 'nuclear doctrine' in the event of an Israeli strike on Tehran's atomic facilities

Israel's military chief has vowed a response to the Iranian aerial salvo (pictured over Jerusalem), which was mostly intercepted, while world leaders have urged de-escalation

'If the Zionist regime (Israel) wants to take action against our nuclear centres and facilities, it will definitely and surely face our reaction,' the official news agency IRNA quoted Haghtalab as saying.

'For the counterattack, the nuclear facilities of the (Israeli) regime will be targeted and operated upon with advanced weaponry.'

He added: 'a review of our nuclear doctrine and politics as well as considerations previously communicated is entirely possible.'

His warning came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel reserves 'the right to protect itself' following the Iranian attack.

British Foreign Minister Lord David Cameron on Wednesday said that 'it is clear the Israelis are making a decision to act' after the Iranian attack.

He expressed the British government 's 'hope' that 'Israel acts in a way that does as little to escalate this as possible.'

Today, Haghtalab said 'the threat' of an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities could lead Tehran 'to revise and deviate from the declared nuclear policies and considerations', without elaborating.

The Islamic republic, which has always insisted its nuclear programme is peaceful and denies seeking an atomic bomb, has accused arch foe Israel of sabotage attacks on its facilities and assassinations of nuclear scientists in recent years.

According to Haghtalab, Iran has 'identified' Israeli nuclear centres and holds 'necessary information of all targets'.

Israel is widely known to have nuclear weapons but has never admitted so.

'Hands are on the trigger to fire powerful missiles for the total destruction of determined targets,' the Iranian general said.

On Monday, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, said Iran had closed its nuclear facilities 'for security reasons' on the day of its attack.

Amirali Hajizadeh, commander of the Revolutionary Guards' aerospace unit that led the attack on Israel, said on Thursday that Iran had only used 'old weapons and minimal power' for it.

'At this stage, we have not used' ballistic missiles, he said, arguing Iran has 'overcome the maximum capacity' of Israel and its allies 'with minimal power'.

Ahmad Haghtalab, the Guards' head of nuclear protection and security, said Iran would 'definitely' reciprocate any attack on nuclear sites. In this picture released by the Iranian Defense Ministry in 2023, Khorramshahr-4 missile is test-launched in Iran

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi speaks during the annual Army Day celebration at a military base in Tehran, Iran, April 17 2024

Iran's president Ebrahim Raisi also warned during an annual army parade on Wednesday that the 'tiniest invasion' by Israel would bring a 'massive and harsh' response, as the region braces for potential Israeli retaliation.

His comments came after Iranian Parliament's National Security Committee Abolfazl Amoue stated that Iran is 'prepared to use a weapon that we have never used' if Israel responds further to Tehran's weekend attack.

Speaking on Monday, he said Israel should consider its next steps and 'act wisely.'

Raisi said Saturday's attack was a limited one, and that if Iran had wanted to carry out a bigger attack, 'nothing would remain from the Zionist regime.

His remarks were carried by the official IRNA news agency.

It was also reported on Wednesday that Iranian Navy Commander Shahram Irani has said Iran's navy would escort its commercial ships to the Red Sea - putting Iranian warships directly on Israel's doorstep.

Tasnim news agency quoted Irani as saying: 'The Islamic Republic of Iran [is] carrying out a mission to escort our commercial ships, and now the Jamaran destroyer is present in the Gulf of Aden with all its strength.

'This mission will continue until It will also be the Red Sea,' he said according to the outlet, adding: 'We escort our ships from the Gulf of Aden to the Suez Strait and are ready to protect the ships of other countries as well.

'For a long time, the balance of power in the region has changed despite the resistance force. Today, with the operation of the honest promise, it was proved to everyone that Muslims are speaking one thing together and that is supporting the oppressed and confronting the oppressor.

'Operation True Promise [Iran's missile attack on Israel] proved to the whole world how real power works with fake power on stage,' the commander said.

Israel and Iran have waged a shadow war for decades, but the strike over the weekend was the first direct Iranian military attack on Israel.

The attack was in response to an apparent Israeli strike on Iran's embassy compound in Syria on April 1 that killed 12 people, including two Iranian generals.

Israel, with help from the United States, the United Kingdom, neighbouring Jordan and other nations, successfully intercepted nearly all the missiles and drones.

An Iranian missile launch is seen in this footage, claimed to be the first missile launched towards Israel in Tehran's attack over the weekend

US and UK unveil sweeping sanctions on Iran's drone program The United States and Britain announced widespread sanctions against Iran's military drone program on Thursday, in response to its weekend attack against Israel. 'Today, we are holding Iran accountable - imposing new sanctions and export controls,' US President Joe Biden said in a statement. Tehran launched its first ever direct military attack on Israel late Saturday in retaliation for an April 1 air strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus - widely blamed on Israel - that killed seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including two generals. The large-scale attack involved more than 300 drones and missiles, most of which were shot down by Israel and its allies including Washington and London, causing little damage. Israeli officials have not said when or where they would retaliate, but the country's military chief has vowed a response. Washington's sanctions target 16 people and two companies involved in Iran's unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) program, as well as components for the drones used in the Saturday attack, according to the Treasury Department. 'As I discussed with my fellow G7 leaders the morning after the attack, we are committed to acting collectively to increase economic pressure on Iran,' Biden said. 'Let it be clear to all those who enable or support Iran's attacks: the United States is committed to Israel's security,' he continued. 'And we will not hesitate to take all necessary action to hold you accountable.' In coordination with the US Treasury, the UK government announced its own suite of sanctions against Tehran on Thursday, targeting seven individuals and six companies for enabling Iran to continue its 'destabilizing regional activity, including its direct attack on Israel.' 'The Iranian regime's attack against Israel was a reckless act and a dangerous escalation,' British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said, adding that the UK had sanctioned the 'ringleaders of the Iranian military and forces responsible for the weekend's attack.' The United States and Britain announced widespread sanctions against Iran's military drone program on Thursday, in response to its weekend attack against Israel 'These sanctions - announced with the US - show we unequivocally condemn this behavior, and they will further limit Iran's ability to destabilize the region,' he added. Alongside its sanctions against Iran's UAV program, the US also targeted five companies providing parts for Iran's steel industry, and an automaker involved in providing 'material support' to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. 'Iran's metals sector generates the equivalent of several billion dollars in revenue annually, with the majority coming from steel exports,' the Treasury Department said. 'We're using Treasury's economic tools to degrade and disrupt key aspects of Iran's malign activity, including its UAV program and the revenue the regime generates to support its terrorism,' US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement. 'We will continue to deploy our sanctions authority to counter Iran with further actions in the days and weeks ahead,' she added. Advertisement

Speaking to MailOnline on Monday before Iran's latest threat, Justin Crump - British army veteran and CEO of global risk analysis firm Sibylline, pointed to the nuclear threat posed by Iran when discussing Israel's possible responses.

'At the back of everyone's minds, though, is the nuclear issue,' he said.

'Iran has shown it can and will strike at Israel and those who have always held concerns about a nuclear capability will be speaking loudly in the coming days.'

In addition to its possible nuclear weapons programme, Iran has a vast array of missiles and other weapons in its arsenal that it could use to strike Israel.

Saturday's attack already demonstrated some such weapons, including cruise missiles and kamikaze drones - the likes of which have also been seen in Ukraine after Iran sent Russia Shahed 136 drones to be used in its continuing invasion there.

In fact, with more than 3,000 ballistic missiles - according to a US estimate - Iran has one of the largest missile stockpiles in the Middle East, and is believed to have nine types of missiles with enough range to reach Israel's territory.

What's more, Iranian authorities unveiled what the Tehran regime billed as its first domestically-made hypersonic ballistic missile last June.

Iranian missiles exhibited in a park on January 20, 2024 in Tehran

Fighters from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah carry out a training exercise in Aaramta village in the Jezzine District, southern Lebanon, Sunday, May 21, 2023

A shell from Israeli artillery explodes over Dahaira, a Lebanese border village with Israel, south Lebanon, Monday, October 16, 2023

Hypersonic missiles are defined as a missile that can travel five times the speed of sound, making them incredibly hard to detect and intercept.

In addition to its own stockpile, Iran also has several proxies across the region willing to do its bidding. These include Hamas in Gaza - who attacked Israel on October 7 sparking the on-going crisis, the Houthi rebels in Yemen and the powerful Hezbollah.

In their own right, Hezbollah - based in Lebanon on Israel's northern border - is a powerful fighting force in itself.

Financed by Iran and trained by Iran's Revolutionary Guard, the group's leader has claimed to have 100,000 trained fighters who have tanks and a vast weapons armoury at its disposal, much of which is maintained in neighbouring Syria.
President Yoon Suk Yeol met with Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo this week to discuss post-election matters, including the future running of government affairs and personnel appointments, sources said Thursday.

The two met over dinner Tuesday, six days after the ruling People Power Party was routed in the general elections, winning only 108 seats in the 300-member National Assembly.

Yoon has vowed to communicate more with the public in the wake of the election defeat, which was seen as a midterm referendum on his performance two years into his single, five-year term.

The meeting with Hong was not set up specifically to offer him a position in the government, sources said, though he has been reported to be among the people under consideration for the next prime minister.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, presidential chief of staff Lee Kwan-sup and most senior presidential secretaries have offered to resign to take responsibility for the election defeat.

Hong reportedly advised the president to reorganize his Cabinet and his staff at an early date, stressing that the next presidential chief of staff should be politically savvy and loyal, while the prime minister should be free of political ambitions and able to communicate well with the opposition party.

For the former, he recommended PPP Rep. Chang Je-won, while for the latter, he recommended Kim Han-gil, chief of the Presidential Committee of National Cohesion, according to the sources.

Hong is a former prosecutor, as well as a former five-term lawmaker and presidential candidate of what is now the PPP.

He reportedly dismissed the speculation surrounding his own nomination as prime minister, telling those close to him: "Now is not my time. I didn't come to Daegu to be prime minister." (Yonhap)
Animal rights activists have expressed their disgust at the light punishment a Wyoming man received for killed a wolf after parading it around a bar.

The activists from state across the U.S. appeared at the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission to share their feelings about the video showing the wolf being tortured before it was killed.

One of the activists, Lorraine Finazzo, said on Wednesday that the video of the wolf had left her unable to sleep

Finazzo, who according to Cowboy State Daily had travelled from South Carolina for the meeting, told the commission: 'Those pictures, I couldn't sleep.'

Roberts, from Daniel, Wyoming, had captured an injured wolf after hitting it with his snowmobile and paraded it around a bar before he killed it.

Roberts, 42, captured an injured wolf after hitting it with his snowmobile and paraded it around a local bar before killing it. He's pictured with the animal

Finazzo was allowed two minutes to address the commission along with dozens of others who spoke during the two-hour public comment session.

During her testimony, she said that her family had frequently visited Wyoming, but might not return to the state unless it changes it policies towards wolves.

She added: ' The incident [with the wolf] in Wyoming has given me nightmares.

'Unless there are changes in these laws, we cannot continue to support Wyoming tourism. The laws much change, the world is watching.'

Wyoming native and hunter Jim Laybour told the outlet that the images of the wolf had also affected him.

He said: 'I cant get those pictures out of my head', adding that he wouldn't 'give another dime' to the state until they changed wildlife management laws.

During his testimony he told commissioners: 'Wyoming hunters will forever be associated with the likes of the wolf torturer in Daniel, and I refuse to be associated with that.'

The outlet reported that many others criticized the practice of hunting animals with snowmobiles or other vehicles.

University of Wyoming professor Donal O'Toole told the meeting he was horrified to hear about the practice via a work colleague.

He said: 'He told me about chasing coyotes with a snowmobile and running them over. I think we have a cultural problem.'

Video released on Wednesday by Wyoming Game and Fish Department shows the clearly injured animal lying in the corner of the bar while patrons discuss its fate

During the meeting with the commission on Wednesday, one audience member said the images of the wolf left her unable to sleep

Montana resident Dave Stalling, who represents Hunters and Anglers for Wildlife Management Reform, said there is a widespread 'hated of wolves' among hunters.

He told the meeting: 'Its an irrational hatred of wolves. They talk about shoot, shovel and shut up.

'The way we manage wolves isnt based on science. Its based on fear, lies, misconception and hate.'

Others noted that the incident could ruin Wyoming's reputation as a leader in wildlife management.

Wyoming Game and Fish Department Director Brian Nesvik told those in attendance that he had 'dozens and dozens' of conversations about the incident.

Nesvik added that he would have discussions with Governor Mark Gordon and the legislature about possible next steps.

Roberts, 42, was fined $250 for being in possession of a live wolf, which caused outrage among animal activists.

Witnesses said Roberts dragged or carried the animal through the Green River Bar as patrons looked on. He was hit with a $250 fine on February 29 for his actions

He was not punished for the death of the year-old animal as it is legal in Wyoming to kill wolves.

Video released on Wednesday by Wyoming Game and Fish shows the clearly injured animal lying in the corner of the bar while patrons discuss its fate.

Animal rights groups are calling for the Sublette County Sheriff and county attorney to file felony animal cruelty charges against him.

Lori Wynn, the CEO of Guardians of Wolves, previously told DailyMail.com: 'The gray wolf is a misunderstood creature.

'Wolves are not mindless killers. They balance their own populations by conflicting with other packs,' she said, adding that they also avoid humans whenever possible

'The innocent wolf that Cody killed mattered,' added Wynn. 'She was vital to our environment.'

The group has produced a calling for Roberts to be punished more harshly. It has garnered more than 100,000 signatures.

Roberts' social media accounts show how he is an avid hunter who frequently hunts wild animals alongside his kids.

Others, however, conveyed the complete opposite, as the director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department told Cowboy State Daily Monday the agency isn't being secretive about the torment and killing of the wolf

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon weighed in on the incident saying on social media, 'Our office has received considerable communication about the actions of an individual involving a wolf that occurred earlier this winter in Sublette County.

'I want to make my position in this absolutely clear. Cruelty to any wildlife is absolutely unacceptable. This is not the way anyone should treat any animal.

'I am outraged by this incident, just like thousands of Wyoming ranchers, farmers, sportsmen and sportswoman, and other around the state,' added Gordon.

'I would be disappointed if anyone were to paint Wyoming with a broad brush and suggest the Wyoming citizens condone the reckless, thoughtless and heinous actions of one individual.'

In a statement from the commission, they said: 'By way of this statement, the Commission denounces the actions that were revealed following the (Game and Fish) Departments investigation of the incident.

'The actions of the defendant do not represent the value Wyoming people and our Commission have for our incredible and priceless wildlife resources.

'This incident perpetrated by one individual does not represent a failure in wildlife policy or management.

'We wish to be clear: We support the investigation conducted by the Department.

'We recognize and appreciate the work of the Department and the work of the Wardens involved.

'Were satisfied that every tool we have available was used, and used to the best of our ability. The Department has acted with transparency and in compliance with Wyoming law.'
An unarmed pickup driver, 26, was shot dead in what police in Ohio believe was an horrific road rage incident that occurred just before midnight on Tuesday

When first responders got to the scene in the Cincinnati suburb of Middletown, they found a Chevy pickup resting against a pole. The driver had been shot in the neck. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Acting Middletown Police Chief Eric Crank told the media that thanks to surveillance footage and fragments of the other car being found at the scene, he expects and arrest to made on Thursday.

'This is just one of those things that we see across the nation. People are frustrated, people are angry but this is a perfect example of how something like this, so simple probably, I think once we find out its going to be some simple thing that escalated into someones death,' Crank told the media.

A 911 caller described the incident as involving 'road rage' and said that both drivers were involved.

There was at least one witness to the horror.

The incident occurred here at the cross section between Manchester Avenue and Verity Parkway in Middletown just before midnight on Tuesday

'This is just one of those things that we see across the nation. People are frustrated,' Acting Middletown Police Chief Eric Crank

According to a 2024 Consumer Affairs study, nearly eight in ten American drivers exhibit aggressive behavior behind the wheel

'First thing that I saw was the flashing lights coming through my window. I looked and there was a guy laying almost, he wasn't completely out of his truck his feet was under the truck, but he was laying there,' nearby resident Otis Turner told WCPO.

'With the description that we have, officers are out now looking for any type of video evidence and following up with any type of witnesses who saw the incident, and they are working those leads as they are talking right now,' Crank later said.

'We have downloaded several videos from the bus transit building and we have several others businesses that we got and obtained video from so the detectives are going through those right now,' he added.

The exact circumstances of what occurred in the lead-up to the shooting are not clear.

According to a 2024 Consumer Affairs study, nearly eight in ten American drivers exhibit aggressive behavior behind the wheel.

Males are more likely to both dish out and receive road rage.

Between 2023 and 2016, 70 deaths were attributed to road rage as well as hundreds of injuries.

By generations, millennials are by far-and-away the most likely to be involved in a road rage, followed by Generation X and finally Baby Boomers.

In Hawaii if a driver is cited for road rage, their insurance premium can increase by up to 96 percent.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, road rage figures soared as an American was shot once every 17 hours in 2021.

In all, 131 people were killed and 391 wounded by gunfire for a total of 522 road rage casualties in 2021, the gun control group Everytown for Gun Safety said in a report released in 2022.

That represents a significant jump from 73 dead and 166 wounded in 2016, a spike that the report's authors suspect was linked to stresses caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Forget KFC!

These are the restaurants with the best fried chicken in America, according to a new list compiled by food experts Eat This, Not That!

From California to Louisiana and even a spot in pizza-famous New York, here are the winners.

1. Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles - California

Herb Hudson founded the Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles in 1975 and some of its restaurants have been visited by celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Stevie Wonder

Herb Hudson founded the Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles in 1975 and some of its restaurants have been visited by celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Stevie Wonder

California chain Roscoe's claimed the top spot with its non-greasy options like chicken and waffles.

Business Insider gave the franchise high praise.

'Even though the chicken was far from dry, it wasn't greasy at all. It was perfect,' she wrote.

Snoop Dogg, Stevie Wonder, and former US President Barack Obama are all fans.

2. Willie Mae's Scotch House - New Orleans & L.A.

Willie Mae's Scotch House started out as a bar in New Orleans before transforming into a restaurant based on customer demand in the 1970s

President Barack Obama talks with young men during a lunch stop with them at Willie Mae's Scotch House August 27, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana

Willie Mae's menu offers classic sides like grits and cornbread

Originally intended to be a bar, New Orleans-based Willie Mae's Scotch House became a restaurant based in the 1970s amid high demand.

According to the restaurant's website, both the Food Network and the Travel Channel have recognized it as 'America's Best Fried Chicken.'

Willie Mae's Scotch House is primarily known for its fried chicken platters.

Now, the restaurant another location in Los Angeles.

Both the original and the Californian outpost are run by Mae's granddaughter, Kerry Seaton Stewart.

3. Honey B utter Fried Chicken - Illinois

Honey Butter Fried Chicken serves menu items like sweet chili barbecue fried chicken sandwiches and a fried chicken sandwich with honey butter

Co-owners and chefs Josh Kulp and Christine Cikowski opened the first Honey Butter Fried Chicken restaurant in 2013.

Today, it has three Illinois locations that are known for its unique fried chicken menu items.

According to Eat This, Not That!, all three of the restaurants only serve antibiotic-free and humanely raised chicken.

4. The Jerk Shack - San Antonio

The only city The Jerk Shack is located in is San Antonio, but it was featured in an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives

The Jerk Shack received positive attention right after Nicola Blaque opened the Texas restaurant in 2018.

The Jamaican-inspired restaurant is 20 minutes away from downtown San Antonio, and it offers a variety of chicken dishes.

Its only restaurant location is the one in San Antonio, but Guy Fieri once stopped by for a meal during an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.

5. Prince's Hot Chicken - Tennessee

There are currently more than five Prince's Hot Chicken restaurants in Tennessee and there is also one in South Carolina

This fried chicken restaurant has more than five locations in Tennessee and was founded by Thorton Prince.

Prince's Hot Chicken website refers to Prince as 'the father of Nashvilles hot chicken' who founded the restaurant after he ate a plate of spicy fried chicken.

The small restaurant chain in the south has since gained recognition for its spicy chicken, and its 8 locations are being run by Prince's great-niece, Andre Prince Jeffries.

6. Le Chick Miami - Florida

Le Chick Miami prides itself on having an 'up-scale, yet inviting dining atmosphere.' The restaurant serves one of their chicken dishes with maple syrup and roasted honey mustard

Le Chick Miami's website reads that the restaurant is an 'up-scale, yet inviting dining atmosphere.'

Le Chick Miami uses high-quality ingredients to create its seemingly delicious fried chicken dishes.

One of the restaurant's fried chicken dishes is covered in spicy maple syrup, ranch dressing, and roasted honey mustard.

More than 1,000 guests who ate at Le Chick Miami reviewed the restaurant, and some of them only wrote about the place's fried chicken.

'The fried chicken was surprisingly so good, and it's a nice plate to share,' a Florida woman wrote on Yelp in January 2024.

7. Howlin' Ray's - California

Johnny Ray Zone, the restaurant's founder, worked as a chef under Thomas Keller, Gordon Ramsay, and Nobu Matsuhisa

Howlin' Ray's, another California chain, is known for offering customers a spicy scale to choose from.

Six heat levels are available at the restaurant. Founder Johnny Ray Zone previously worked with Thomas Keller, Gordon Ramsay, and Nobu Matsuhisa, and started the business as a food truck.

8. Mike's Chicken - Dallas Fort Worth

The first Mike's Chicken restaurant launched 10 years ago in a laundromat, and its second store opened in North Dallas 8 years later

Mike's Chicken is 'a family-run chicken joint based in the Dallas Fort Worth area.

Its first restaurant launched 10 years ago in a laundromat, and its second store opened in North Dallas eight years later.

9. Wagner's Village Inn - Indiana

Wagner's Village Inn has been owned and operated by the same family since the 1960s

Located in Oldenburg, Indiana, Wagner's Village Inn has been owned and operated by the same family since the 1960s.

The restaurant also has a long list of appetizers, including pretzel bites, pickle fries, and mac & cheese bites.

10. Pies 'n' Thighs - New York

Pies 'n' Thighs in New York offers a chicken & waffles meal, which includes cinnamon butter and baked apple toppings

Poll Do you agree with Eat This, Not That? Yes The best isn't on the list! Do you agree with Eat This, Not That? Yes 32 votes

The best isn't on the list! 103 votes Now share your opinion





Pies 'n' Thighs is the only restaurant in the Northeast to have made the top 10 of this list.

The New York restaurant was founded almost 20 years ago in Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood.

One of its main menu items is the fried chicken box that comes with a side and a buttermilk biscuit.

The restaurant also offers a chicken & waffles meal, which includes cinnamon butter and baked apple toppings.

There is only one location, but a Yelp reviewer from Los Angeles wrote that the chicken at Pies 'n Thighs can compete with the meat at Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles.
A stunning array of pictures revealed in a new exhibition celebrates the work of a photographer who escaped the Nazis and built a life in Britain.

Dorothy Bohm, who died last year aged 98, spent more than seven decades honing her craft after coming to Britain from Lithuania aged just 14.

When she said goodbye to her father, he gave her his Leica camera and put it around her neck, saying: 'It might be useful to you'.

Although she initially had no interest in photography, Bohm went on to have a hugely successful and celebrated career.

A collection of her images are being displayed at The Photographers' Gallery near Oxford Circus, central London.

Many show ordinary people in locations as diverse as Morocco, Paris, New York and Egypt from the 1950s up to the early 2000s.

Bohm frequently declared her fondness for Britain. In the Daily Mail in 2015, she told of her 'tremendous love for this wonderful country, for what is stands for, its principles, the humanity compared with other countries.'

A stunning array of pictures revealed in a new exhibition celebrates the work of photographer Dorothy Bohm, who escaped the Nazis and built a life in Britain. Above: Two women in Aswan, a city in southern Egypt, in 1987

Bohm, who died last year aged 98, spent more than seven decades honing her craft after coming to Britain from Lithuania aged just 14. Above: Bohm as a young woman and in 2006

In a quote on the website of The Photographers' Gallery, she added: 'I have spent my lifetime taking photographs.

'The photograph fulfils my deep need to stop things from disappearing.

'It makes transience less painful and retains some of the special magic, which I have looked for and found.

'I have tried to create order out of chaos, to find stability in flux and beauty in the most unlikely places.'

Bohm was born in Konigsberg, East Prussia (now Kaliningrad in Russia) in June 1924 into a wealthy Jewish family.

The family moved to Lithuania when the situation in Germany deteriorated in the early 1930s.

A woman using a payphone in New York in the 1970s, when Bohm was happily married

The scene down Villa des Tulipes, 18th arrondissement, Paris in 1955

A woman picking flowers to make a bunch, Rude de la Loi, Brussels, October 1949

A young boy opening a pack of sweets in New York in 1952

In June 1939 Bohm was sent to the safety of England. She learnt English in the space of a year at a boarding school in Ditchling, East Sussex.

She went on to study photography at Manchester College of Technology, where she met her future husband Louis Bohm, a Polish Jewish refugee who was studying chemistry there.

During the war Bohm drew on her personal experiences to give talks about the crimes of Nazi Germany for the Ministry of Information.

She married Louis in 1945 and a short time afterwards opened her own photographic studio in Manchester.

In the 1950s the couple settled in London, where they brought up their two daughters.

Bohm's husband's work saw him travel around the world, allowing the photographer to take pictures in places such as Mexico and South Africa.

She received word that her parents were safe and living in Riga, so in 1960 travelled to the USSR to meet them.

They had escaped the Nazis but had subsequently been deported by the Soviets to separate labour camps before being reunited.

In Moscow, Bohm was trailed by the Soviet security services. She took pictures in the city's GUM department store and later admitted to the Telegraph that she was 'slightly uncomfortable' taking them.

'We knew we were being watched, so I was taking a risk', she added.

Two men look bemused as Bohm takes their photograph in Coney Island, New York, in 1956

The scene near Castelo de S. Jorge in Lisbon, 1963

A little girl walking her dog in the Jardin des Tuileries, Paris, 1953

A calming view of the River Seine in Paris in 1955

Bohm continued taking pictures across Europe in later life. Above: Locals on a street in Marrakech, Morocco, in 2004

A colourful scene in front of a newspaper stand in Lisbon, 1996

A picture taken by Bohm in Scheveningen, Holland, 2009

In 1963, Bohm's parents were given permission to join their daughter and son-in-law in London.

She had her first solo show - 'People at Peace' - in 1969. The photographer's first book, A Word Observed, was published in 1970.

Later in the decade, she took fewer pictures and instead helped build the reputation of The Photographers' Gallery, which opened in 1971.

She spent 15 years as the Gallery's Associate Director.

In the mid-1980s, Bohm started working in colour and embraced more abstract work, taking pictures of pavement furniture and reflections in shop windows.

Her husband's death in 1994 prompted Bohm to consider giving up her craft, but she kept at it in the belief that Louis would disapprove.

Well into her 90s she continued working, taking pictures around her neighbourhood in Hampstead and beyond.
Home Office had no record of his status to stay in the UK indefinitely

A man stranded in Africa for the last 15 years after he lost his travel document can appeal to be allowed back into the UK, Court of Appeal judges have ruled.

Saleh Ahmed Handule Ali lost the vital document while he was in Ethiopia in 2009 when he was a teenager.

He and his family had been granted permission to stay in the UK indefinitely in 2004 but he wasn't able to get a new document as the Home Office had no record of his status.

Mr Ali has been stranded in the east African country ever since with repeated bids for entry clearance being denied.

Yesterday, three appeal judges - Lady Justice King, Lord Justice Coulson and Lady Justice Andrews - gave Mr Ali the green light to challenge a decision by an immigration tribunal to block his return, ruling there was an 'overwhelming case' for an appeal in the 'most extraordinary' circumstances.

The Home Office said it was 'carefully considering' the court's ruling.

Three Court of Appeal judges at the Royal Courts of Justice ruled Saleh Ahmed Handule Ali can appeal to be allowed back into the UK after being stranded in Ethiopia for 15 years

A hearing in March was told that Mr Ali was granted indefinite leave to remain in 2004 after relocating from his home country of Somalia with his family.

He was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 2008, aged 18, and travelled to Djibouti to aid his recovery.

READ MORE: Harsh reason why Australians were left stranded in Africa after cruise ship left without them Advertisement

He planned to return to the UK within two years, as allowed by immigration rules, but lost his travel document in 2009.

Mr Ali travelled to the nearest British embassy in neighbouring Ethiopia but was twice unsuccessful in gaining the necessary paperwork to return to the UK.

Lady Justice Andrews said that even after being provided with a copy of the document by his mother, his immigration status could not be proved as 'the Home Office had failed to keep a record on its database of the grant of indefinite leave to remain'.

She said: 'The Home Office had no information on their system to show that the appellant had been granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK before he left the country in 2008.

'Quite how this could have happened, particularly when all the other family members were granted indefinite leave to remain at the same time, and the appellant had been issued with the travel document, is difficult to comprehend.'

Due to not having a travel document, Mr Ali lost his right to return to the UK after two years in line with immigration law and has remained in Ethiopia since then.

After an application for entry clearance was refused in 2015, Mr Ali made a second application in 2019.

Lady Justice Andrews (above) said was part of the three judge panel alongside Lord Justice Coulson and Lady Justice Andrews which gave Mr Ali the green light

Lady Justice King left) was part of the three judge panel alongside Lord Justice Coulson (right) and Lady Justice Andrews which gave Mr Ali the green light

Barristers for Mr Ali said the case represented a 'historic injustice' due to a 'wrongful failure' by the Home Office to record Mr Ali's immigration status, but the application was again rejected.

Mr Ali took the decision to the Court of Appeal, with his lawyers claiming the decision infringed on his human rights.

The Home Office opposed the challenge but the judges said the appeal should be allowed as Mr Ali had been placed in an 'invidious situation' and had a 'long-established private life within the UK which had been curtailed for reasons beyond his control'.

Agreeing with Lady Justice Andrews, Lord Justice Coulson said: 'This case is typical of many immigration and asylum cases, where those involved become fixated with so-called "principle" and fail properly to consider the underlying facts.

'Here, on any view, the appellant's history provides an overwhelming case for allowing the appeal.'

The judges ruled that an immigration tribunal should hear an appeal on Mr Ali's case, to be heard at a later date.

Following the ruling, a Home Office spokesperson said: 'We are carefully considering the court's decision. It would be inappropriate to comment further on ongoing legal proceedings.'
The Republican Senate campaign arm is out with a scathing new ad accusing Arizona Senate candidate Ruben Gallego of being a 'deadbeat dad' as the Senate race in the battleground states heats up.

'One of life's greatest joys, becoming a parent, but days before that life changing moment, Ruben Gallego walked out on his family, abandoning his newborn son,' the narrator says.

She goes on 'if deadbeat dad Ruben Gallego would abandon his own family, he won't be there for Arizonans when it matters most.'

Gallego, a Democratic congressman representing Arizona's third district, is in a bruising Senate race against Republican firebrand Kari Lake.

The Real Clear Politics average of polls in the race shows Gallego with a six point lead on Lake.

Arizona is a major battleground come November not just in the presidential race but also for the Senate seat as Republicans look to retake the majority.

Senate candidate Ruben Gallego speaking at an event with Vice President Kamala Harris on April 12

Gallego is in a close race with Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake

The 30-second digital ad was put out by the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

'Arizona women can't trust a man who divorced his wife when she was weeks away from having their child,' said NRSC spokesperson Tate Mitchell in a statement.

Gallego and ex-wife Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego separated in 2016 while she was pregnant.

Gallego went on to marry Sydney Barron in 2021, and they welcomed a daughter last July.

Despite their divorce, Mayor Gallego, a Democrat, endorsed Gallego late last year in his Senate bid to fill the seat being vacated by retiring Senator Kyrsten Sinema.

In her December 2023 endorsement, Mayor Gallego said he would do an 'excellent job.'

Rep. Gallego's lawyers have been fighting with the Free Beacon to prevent his divorce records from being unsealed.

Both Ruben and Kate Gallego has said little publicly about their decision to split up calling it a private matter.

The NRSC released a 30-second political ad attacking Rep. Gallego for leaving his wife in 2016 while she was pregnant

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego speaking at the state Capitol on April 9. Despite her split with Rep. Gallego in 2016 while she was pregnant, she endorsed him in the Senate race in November

If you want to know how @RubenGallego would treat Arizona women as Senator, just look at how he treated his pregnant wife days before she gave birth to their first child. pic.twitter.com/lwgq1qpoBt  Senate Republicans (@NRSC) April 18, 2024

Gallego, an Iraq War veteran, has said it came at a time when he was having PTSD-induced 'outbursts.'

The congressman has been more open about his battle with PTSD. He has said wanting to be a better father drove him to seek treatment.

Lake has attacked her opponent numerous times over the timing of his divorce.

'I will not be lectured on motherhood by a man who left his wife when she was nine months pregnant with his first child,' she wrote in a post on X last year.

The new ad used images of a pregnant woman and ultrasound images.

It comes as Democrats have been attacking Lake heavily for flip-flopping on abortion as the issue has been a central focus in the Arizona race after the state's Supreme Court ruled a 1864 law banning nearly all abortion could be upheld.

Gallego went after Lake for criticizing the 1864 ban following the State Supreme Court decision after she called it a 'great law' while running for governor in 2022.

Lake responded to his attacks by reposting those who slammed Gallego over his divorce.

One repost said 'He is not, and never has been, pro-woman or pro-family.'

Another repost read 'Why did you abandon your pregnant wife, Ruben?'
King Charles III can only remove Prince Harry as a Counsellor of State by consulting Parliament, legal experts confirmed today after his son formally cut ties with Britain.

The Duke of Sussex also cannot resign from the stand-in role which means he can technically still deputise for the monarch if he is overseas on an official trip or ill.

Charles has postponed all public-facing duties while undergoing cancer treatment, but is continuing with behind-the-scenes work on his red boxes of state papers.

Provisions for the Counsellors are made under the Regency Acts 1937 to 1953 and those who can currently stand in for the King include his wife Queen Camilla, along with the four most senior adults in the line of succession who are aged at least 21.

This quartet is Prince William, Princess Beatrice, the disgraced Prince Andrew and Harry, who now lives in California after stepping down as a working royal in 2020.

Debate over Harry being one of Counsellors returned today after it was revealed he had updated his records in the UK to make clear that he no longer lives in Britain.

But constitutional expert Craig Prescott, a lecturer in law at Royal Holloway University of London, said Buckingham Palace could only ditch Harry as a Counsellor by going to Parliament.

Charles and Harry at the Our Planet' premiere at the Natural History Museum in London in 2019

William, Harry, Meghan & Charles at the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in 2019

He told MailOnline: 'It's a matter for Parliament. But as happened with the Counsellor of State Act 2022, if the Palace wanted to change the law, then they would consult with the Government, who would introduce the necessary legislation in Parliament.

What is the role of Counsellors of State? Counsellors of State can deputise for the monarch if he is overseas on an official trip or ill. Provisions for the counsellors are made under the Regency Acts 1937 to 1953 and those who can currently stand in for King Charles include Queen Camilla, and the four most senior adults in the line of succession  Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew and Princess Beatrice. Under the Counsellor of State Act 2022, passed in December that year, Charles added Princess Anne and Prince Edward to the list, Counsellors of State are authorised to carry out most of the official duties of the Sovereign like attending Privy Council meetings, signing routine documents and receiving the credentials of new ambassadors to the UK. But certain core constitutional functions cannot be delegated, like appointing a prime minister or creating peers. Advertisement

'It would be passed very quickly, any change would only be a short bill.

'But the Palace only seem to move then there's a real issue, they are very cautious about any legislation to the with the monarchy, because the Government and Parliament have other priorities.'

Mr Prescott was referring to the 2022 Act when the King added Princess Anne and Prince Edward to the list of members of the Royal Family who can stand in for him when he can't fulfil certain official duties.

Asked whether Harry could quit the Counsellor role himself, Mr Prescott added: 'No. He can't resign because it's laid down in the Regency Acts who is a Counsellor of State - and for that matter who would be the Regent.

'There is no provision for anyone to resign. At least as regards Counsellors of State, the only thing you can do is simply not to act, with others doing so instead.'

Towards the end of the late Queen's reign, the Counsellors dilemma was left unresolved, with sources saying there would be no change in the law despite the scandal surrounding Andrew, and Harry's permanent departure for the US.

Public debate and pressure to resolve the situation increased when Elizabeth II got Covid and became increasingly frail.

Then in November 2022, just two months after she died, Charles moved to address the issue, appearing to underline there was no way back into public life for his brother Andrew, as well as sidelining his son Harry.

The King, however, opted to ask for a less drastic option by seeking to add Anne and Edward, rather than removing Andrew and Harry entirely from the list.

Charles's intention was announced that month in a signed message read to the House of Lords by the Lord Chamberlain, Lord Parker of Minsmere, who is the most senior official in the royal household.

Charles, William, Kate, Meghan and Harry at church in Sandringham on Christmas Day 2018

Camilla watches as Harry kisses Charles at the Chelsea Flower Show in London in 2013

The King said the aim of the increase was to 'ensure continued efficiency of public business when I am unavailable'. The message was read out on Charles's 74th birthday.

Full list of Counsellors of State in Britain Queen Camilla

Prince William

Prince Harry

Prince Andrew

Princess Beatrice

Princess Anne

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In December that year, Anne and Edward were officially added to the list under the Counsellors of State Act 2022.

It came after Labour Peer Viscount Stansgate, the son of the late left-wing firebrand Tony Benn, questioned the list of royals able to officiate when the King is not available, given it included Andrew and Harry - 'one of whom has left public life and the other of whom has left the country'.

Today, Mr Prescott also spoke about what it could mean for Harry's position as a Counsellor that he is no longer domiciled in a part of the UK - ie England.

He told MailOnline: 'The law is as provided for by the Regency Acts 1937 to 1953. However, just what is meant by 'domicile' in the Regency Acts is unclear.

'Prince Harry will always retain his domicile of origin of being UK, but he's likely by now to have acquired a domicile of choice.

'If he hasn't, he will do at some point - assuming he remains in the US as his only primary residence, and the location of his business interests and so on.

Harry, Charles and William in London for the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference in February 2014

'In a sense the issue of Harry became a dead letter when the Counsellor of State Act 2022 was passed, adding Prince Edward and Princess Anne to the pool of Counsellors of State, and the clarification that only working members of the Royal Family would ever act.

'So with Prince William, two of these three would be expected to act if need be. It's been interesting, even with the King's cancer diagnosis, that Counsellors of State have not been appointed. But it is a sign that the King is still able to do the 'desk job' of dealing with state papers and his red boxes.'

He said the constitutional implication of Harry losing his UK domicile is that 'should anything happen to the King and William in short succession, so that Prince George becomes King before he turns 18, the Regency Acts provide for a Regent, who is the first in the line of succession, domiciled in the UK and aged over 21. This would be Prince Andrew'.

But Mr Prescott continued: 'The Regency Act 1953 was passed, to cover the circumstance of Charles becoming King before he was 18, and this would have made Prince Philip the Regent.

'So following this precedent I would imagine that if William became King while Prince George was younger than 18, they would pass another Regency Act that would make the Princess of Wales the Regent, or perhaps another working royal.'

Speaking further about the US now appearing to be Harry's domicile of choice, he explained how this was effectively the Duke 'acquiring a new domicile'.

Charles and his son Harry arriving together at Eton College in Berkshire in September 1998

Mr Prescott said: 'To prove that someone has a new domicile you must show that you have settled permanently in the country you are now claiming you are domiciled, that you intend to stay there for the rest of your life, and that you have broken your ties with the country that is your domicile of origin.

READ MORE Revealed: How 'wounded' Prince Harry chose the day he and Meghan were evicted from Frogmore Cottage as the start of his formal US residence Advertisement

'When considering intentions, factors such as your permanent place of residence, business, social and family commitments will be taken into account when deciding whether someone has acquired a domicile of choice.

'Clearly, this is easier to prove over time, in that it's unlikely that you have acquired a domicile of choice on day one of moving to a new country, but at some point it's easier to prove an intention to remain in the new country permanently if you've been there for a few years.'

He added that citizenship was an important factor, saying that with domicile in the UK, 'if you have a non-UK domicile of origin and then you acquire UK citizenship, then HMRC consider that's a strong indication that you have acquired a domicile of choice'.

Mr Prescott also pointed out that 'tax is the context when questions of domicile most arise these days'.

However he explained that Harry's was an 'unusual case', given that there were many factors pointing towards him acquiring a domicile of choice of the US, but he still retains the title of a 'Prince' of the United Kingdom.

Charles and Princess Diana leave hospital in London with a baby Prince Harry in 1984

Mr Prescott also cited Harry's interview with ABC's Good Morning America in January in which he confirmed he had 'considered' becoming a US citizen.

EXCLUSIVE READ MORE Harry FINALLY cut ties with Britain: Exiled prince lists US as primary residence for first time - amid deportation fears over past drug use Advertisement

And the expert said: 'If he made such a move, that would remove any doubts about this.'

The Counsellors are authorised to carry out most of the official duties of the Sovereign such as attending Privy Council meetings, signing routine documents and receiving the credentials of new ambassadors to the UK.

But certain core constitutional functions cannot be delegated, like appointing a prime minister or creating peers.

Andrew stepped down from public life over his friendship with paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in 2019.

The late Queen's second son went on to pay millions to settle a civil sexual assault case to a woman he claimed never to have met.

Anne was previously a Counsellor between 1971, when she turned 21, and 2003, when she was replaced by William when he reached his 21st birthday.

Edward was a Counsellor between 1985, at the age of 21, until 2005 when his nephew Harry turned 21.
The hero Westfield Bondi Junction security guard who faced a visa battle to stay in Australia says he is 'honoured' after being offered permanent residency.

Muhammad Taha was stabbed in the stomach as he tried to protect his friend during Joel Cauchi's deadly knife rampage on Saturday.

While recovering in hospital, Mr Taha confirmed that the government would be granting him the opportunity to stay in the country he calls home.

'Yeah, (the government) got in touch with me, so maybe they will soon start the process, hopefully,' he told The Australian on Thursday.

'I'm very honoured. It's a great gesture from the government.

'I've been in Australia around one-and-a-half years. It's home to me. I love being here. I'm very thankful for this.'

Mushammad Taha was stabbed in the stomach as he tried to protect his friend during Joel Cauchi's deadly knife rampage on Saturday

While recovering in hospital, Mr Taha confirmed that the government would be granting him the opportunity to stay in the country he calls home

In an interview with SBS reporter Janice Peterson on Thursday night, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Immigration Minister Andrew Giles had spoken with the Pakistani immigrant and expressed confidence Mr Taha's visa issues would be 'sorted out'.

'We know that Mr Taha put his own safety at risk in order to protect people who were there shopping,' Mr Albanese said.

Mr Albanese also told A Current Affair he was 'very confident' the matter would resolved on Friday.

'The minister has spoken with the gentlemen who is still in hospital, Muhammad, and we wish him every swift recovery,' Mr Albanese said.

'We're just going through our processes but we see no reason why this shouldn't be approved, and I'm very confident it will be approved tomorrow.'

The Prime Minister said people like Mr Taha were welcome in Australia.

The Prime Minister said people like Mr Taha were welcome in Australia

'This is again another person who is newly arrived, was here working, and put his life on the line in order to protect Australians who he didn't know,' he said.

'Amidst all this carnage and sorrow, there are stories of bravery ... he certainly is the sort of character that we want to see continuing to contribute here in Australia.'

The call to extend a permanent visa to Mr Taha followed the prime minister's announcement that 'Bollard Man' legend and French national Damien Guerot was welcome to 'stay as long as he likes' in Australia.

Mr Taha had asked why he hadn't heard from the Prime Minister with an offer of permanent residency.

'As a direct victim of the incident, I believe I deserve recognition and consideration for citizenship,' Mr Taha told The Australian.

'As well, the guards working alongside came running towards the point of incident and risking their lives ... (they) should be offered citizenship as well.'

Mr Taha heroically confronted Cauchi - alongside colleague and Ahmadi refugee Faraz Tahir - as the 40-year-old Queenslander began randomly stabbing female shoppers.

Faraz Tahir was killed during attack last weekend

Joel Cauchi is pictured during the rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction

Mr Tahir was killed in the attack.

Mr Taha is on a graduate visa that is due to expire within weeks.

In the interview, the Prime Minister praised Australia's multicultural character and said looking after each other is 'what we do'.

It comes after Mr Albanese offered citizenshp to Frenchman Damien Guerot who went viral after footage of him facing down Cauchi at the top of an escalator while holding a bollard went viral.

He was quickly given the moniker 'Bollard Man' and for his bravery Mr Albanese said he was 'welcome to stay for as long' as he likes.

Mr Guerot's father told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday his 31-year-old son was so full of adrenaline that he went for a two-hour jog after confronting the killer.

Loic Guerot, speaking from at his home in France, said: 'I've had a lot of trouble sleeping, it's incredible. I can't find the words, I'm extremely proud.'

The family is from Saint-Jean-sur-Mayenne, in the Loire Valley, some 320km southwest of Paris.

Mr Guerot left the town six years ago, and is now happily settled in Australia and working as a carpenter.

Admitting that he could have lost his son in the stabbing rampage, Mr Guerot added: 'He feels very, very good now. He went for a two-hour jog afterwards.

Damien Guerot was offered citizenship by Anthony Albanese for his bravery

Frenchman Damien Guerot who went viral after footage of him facing down Cauchi at the top of an escalator while holding a bollard went viral

'We talked for two hours and then he went to sleep. And then off to work the next morning!'

'He always maintains the same values and he always thinks of others.

'He's always been a go-getter, that's how he is. He always thinks of others before himself!' Mr Guerot added.

A childhood friend in Saint-Jean-sur-Mayenne, who asked not to be named, said: 'Damien is an incredible guy, and extremely low-key with it.

'He know he's famous around the world now, but doesn't want to show off. He'll just get on with his ordinary life, like he always does.'

President Emmanuel Macron himself has also praised Mr Guerot and fellow Frenchman Silas Despreaux for helping to stop the knifeman.

'Two of our compatriots behaved like true heroes,' Mr Macron wrote on X, formely Twitter.

'Very great pride and recognition.'
Sen. Roger Marshall ripped into Mayorkas' and the agency for facilitating secret flights that transported migrants from Latin America into the U.S.

The hearing before the Senate came one day after the chamber voted to dismiss articles of impeachment against Mayorkas

Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas appeared on Capitol Hill Thursday to testify before the Senate about his agency's $108 billion 2025 budget request

Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas defended his performance overseeing the border one day after the Senate dismissed articles of impeachment against him.

On Wednesday, Democrat senators voted kill the two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas passed by the House, ending the first trial of a cabinet secretary in 150 years early.

Less than 24 hours later, Mayorkas faced a grilling by visibly angry Senate Republicans who are still demanding he take responsibility for policies that have allowed an estimate nine million illegal migrants to enter the U.S.

The top Republican leading a hearing on the department's proposed 2025 budget Thursday told Mayorkas that he's disappointed and bewildered that 'Democrats let you get away with it.'

'You refuse to look at the facts and it's still, I guess, insulting to all of us and insulting to the memory of Lake and Riley and to the memory of others who have been killed by people who came into this country,' Paul, R-Ky., said.

'I have not read the articles of impeachment,' Mayorkas shockingly admitted when another senator, Mitt Romney of Utah, pressed him on the articles.

House Republicans voted to impeach Mayorkas in February for high crimes and misdemeanors related to his handling of the U.S. border and for lying to Congress. The senate voted to dismiss those articles of impeachment on Wednesday

Republicans say that Mayorkas has incentivized migrant to come across the U.S. border illegally because DHS has lessened penalties for doing so

'Id probably want to do that,' Romney fired back.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., then ripped into Mayorkas for enabling border policies that allowed illegal migrant Jose Ibarra - who is accused of killing Laken Riley - into the U.S. because there was not enough space at the migrant processing center he arrived at.

After Hawley pressed him on why Ibarra was paroled into the U.S., Mayorkas responded: 'I will not speak to the particulars of the case.'

'Of course you don't want to, because it is an absolutely damning indictment of your policies,' Hawley exclaimed emphatically.

The GOP lawmakers also tore into Mayorkas for a DHS program that has facilitated flights of migrants from Latin America and the Caribbean into the U.S.

DailyMail.com previously reported that the Biden administration has flown at least 320,000 migrants into the U.S.

'Why are you mass importing tens of thousands of Venezuelans into our country via parole knowing they can't be deported because Venezuela is not accepting removal flights,' Sen. Roger Marshall asked Mayorkas.

'We are not doing that Senator,' the secretary quickly retorted.

'The term importation is incorrect,' Mayorkas clarified.

Marshall shot back: 'Why are you paroling them knowing Venezuela will not take their return flights?'

Guatemalan migrants deported from the United States walks on the tarmac after landing at the Air Force Base in Guatemala City. Venezuela currently is not accepting deportation flights from the U.S.

Mayorkas responded telling Marshall he was wrong.

'So that is false,' the secretary stated.

'We have, in fact, negotiated in the past removal flights to Venezuela, those are suspended right now.'

'We also remove Venezuelans to Mexico, for example.'

'You're twisting the truth,' Marshal responded visibly annoyed.

'This is really a de-facto amnesty orchestrated by your administration,' Marshall said.
A top aide for 'America's worst mayor' Tiffany Henyard has been indicted on bankruptcy fraud.

Keith Freeman is accused of under reporting his income by almost $200,000 on a bankruptcy petition he filed in Chicago in January.

The 45-year-old failed to disclose earnings from his role as Village Administrator for Dolton and the Municipality Manager for Thornton Township, as well as fees he received from his consulting business, according to a federal indictment.

He also did not notify the court of a $90,000 claim against him from his previous employers, the Village of Robbins, meaning they were excluded from his bankruptcy case, the filings state.

The scandal is the latest to hit the small Illinois town of Dolton, which is at the center of a probe led by Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot over misconduct allegations against its mayor, Henyard.

Keith Freeman a top aide for 'America's worst mayor' Tiffany Henyard has been indicted on bankruptcy fraud

Freeman is an aide to embattled Dolton mayor Tiffany Henyard (pictured) who is being probed over various allegations of misconduct

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was hired by the nearby village of Dolton, Illinois to investigation their mayor, whom many have called 'America's worst'

Prosecutors said Freeman underreported his gross income as $45,186 for 2022 and $99,647 for 2023.

In reality, he earned around $140,000 and $195,000 respectively, according the investigators.

After filing for bankruptcy, he testified under oath at a meeting of his creditors that he was not a Dolton employee, the indictment states.

However the following month he opened another bank account which he did not disclose and arranged for his Dolton pay to be deposited there, prosecutors said.

Freeman was appointed to his position by the embattled Henyard, a self-professed 'super mayor' who has been branded the country's worst owing to a litany of explosive accusations against her.

These include misspending taxpayers' money on lavish trips, employing a convicted sex offender to a public role and firing staff who refuse to support her.

Henyard, who is also supervisor of Thornton Township, was also sued along with Dolton trustee Andrew Holmes over the alleged sexual assault of an employee during a work trip to Las Vegas.

The trip is among the areas being probed by Lightfoot, who has been hired on a $400-a-day contract.

Self-described 'Super Mayor' Tiffany Henyard, 40, has been accused of embezzling taxpayer funds and retaliating against a victim of sexual assault

The high-rolling mayor, who earns $300,000 for her public duties, has spent thousands more on first class trips, a professional hair and makeup team and a security detail

Freeman (right) is accused of under reporting his income by almost $200,000 on a bankruptcy petition he filed in Chicago in January

However, she may not get very far as Henyard's mayoral powers extend to potentially vetoing the probe.

Even if the mayor does allow the investigation, the results cannot trigger an impeachment or any charges.

Henyard has been clinging onto power despite mounting criticism over her management of the village of 20,000 people which Henyard has a deficit of at least $2 million.

The high-rolling mayor, who earns $300,000 for her public duties, has spent thousands more on first class trips, a professional hair and makeup team and a security detail.

She has been accused of unlawfully signing off contracts as dozens of unpaid suppliers threaten to take the town to court.

Henyard has also been accused by a former employee of sexual harassment and retaliation.

The former employee claims the mayor fired her after she said she was sexually assaulted at a work trip in Las Vegas.

Henyard is being sued along with Dolton trustee Andrew Holmes over the alleged sexual assault of an employee during a work trip to Las Vegas

Lightfoot may not get very far however as Henyard's mayoral powers extend to potentially vetoing the probe

A year after her election, Dolton residents triggered a recall process largely due to her hiring of convicted sex offender Lavelle Redmond into a role that would require him to enter people's homes.

The recall failed on a technicality and Henyard remained in post, turning up to the next board meeting blasting a disco song and dancing on the podium.

Following the verdict, she also posted a defiant picture on Instagram proclaiming herself the 'People's Mayor' with the caption, 'I am and forever will be Dolton's Mayor'.
Chinese FM holds talks with Slovenian FM

Xinhua) 10:56, April 18, 2024

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Tanja Fajon, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Slovenia, in Beijing, capital of China, April 17, 2024. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Tanja Fajon, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Slovenia, in Beijing on Wednesday, and both sides pledged to enhance cooperation in various fields.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted that after more than 30 years of development, the relationship between China and Slovenia has entered a stable and mature stage.

China appreciates the Slovenian government's understanding of and support for China's core interests and its firm adherence to the one-China principle, Wang said, adding that China supports Slovenia's national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity and respects Slovenia's development path suited to its national conditions.

China congratulates Slovenia on its election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2024-2025 period and stands ready to strengthen cooperation with Slovenia in the UN Security Council and other international institutions to promote global governance in a more just and equitable direction, Wang said.

Fajon said Slovenia attaches great importance to its relations with China and firmly pursues the one-China policy. Slovenia sent the largest-ever economic and trade delegation to China this time and is willing to further deepen practical cooperation with China in the fields of economy, trade, tourism, and scientific and technological innovation.

Slovenia is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China under the UN and other multilateral frameworks to jointly address global challenges, Fajon said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Tanja Fajon, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Slovenia, in Beijing, capital of China, April 17, 2024. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
A controversial grain bill requiring government intervention to stabilize rice prices was put directly to a plenary meeting Thursday after a parliamentary standing committee controlled by the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) unilaterally passed it.

The DPK-controlled parliamentary agriculture, food, rural affairs, oceans and fisheries committee railroaded the motion to table the revision to the Grain Management Act to a plenary session, along with four other bills, while the ruling People Power Party boycotted the vote in protest.

The bill requires the government to take measures, such as buying surplus rice or releasing government stocks, if rice prices fall or rise sharply. It is a toned-down version of a similar bill that President Yoon Suk Yoel vetoed and was ultimately scrapped last year.

Since February, the bill has been pending at the parliamentary legislation and judiciary committee.

A bill pending at the judiciary committee for over 60 days can be sent to a plenary session with consent from three-fifths of standing committee members. (Yonhap)
The mysterious case of Emile Soleil's death has intensified with locals now suggesting the tragic French toddler may have been eaten by wolves.

The chilling theory comes after a new bone fragment was discovered earlier this month near the spot where the two-year-old's skull was found in a French Alpine village.

Emile's skull - which contained fractures and a bite mark - was found by a walker on March 30 on a path between the Church and Chapel of the rural Alpine village of Haut Vernet in southeastern France.

The site, less than a mile from where Emile disappeared while staying with his grandfather last July, had already been scoured by gendarmes with a 'tooth comb', the mayor told Le Figaro.

The prosecutor in the Emile Soleil case, Jean-Luc Blachon, said wild animals may have dispersed Emile's remains and could also have been responsible for 'small fractures' and 'bite marks' on his skull.

The mystery in the case of Emile Soleil's death has intensified, as locals now suggest the toddler may have been eaten by wolves

The prosecutor in the Emile Soleil case, Jean-Luc Blachon, said wild animals may have dispersed Emile's remains and could also have been responsible for 'small fractures' and 'bite marks' on his skull (stock image)

Earlier this month, it was revealed police were no closer to solving the mystery, with authorities baffled as to how the Emile 'wandered off' and perished, and mayor Francois Balique suggesting that an adult may have been responsible for his death.

He said: 'I can't help but believe that an adult is involved in this matter. Emile would never have gone alone to where he was found.'

While authorities work to determine the cause of the toddler's death by analysing the skull and bones that were found, a new theory around Emile's unsettling death has surfaced.

Locals from Haut Vernet now believe that Emile was killed in a devastating attack by a pack of wolves.

One resident told Le Parisien: 'The little one must have been the victim of an animal. And I only see the wolf as the culprit. They say wolves are afraid of people, but with a little boy like that, a big boy, the wolf would have seen him as another prey.'

Vernet residents have also fueled the theory by confirming that several wolves have been spotted in the area.

Stephane Chevrier, president of the Vernet hunters' association, told Le Figaro: 'Our department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence is one of the largest recorded wolf populations.'

He added: 'Last September there were several attacks on cows and sheep near Vernet.'

Emile's skull - which contained fractures and a bite mark - was found by a walker on March 30 on a path between the Church and Chapel of the rural Alpine village

French gendarmes take part in a search operation for two-and-a-half-year-old Emile who is reporting missing

Volunteers take part in a search operation for two-and-a-half-year-old Emile who is reported missing

Mayor Balique has now leaned in the direction of a wolf attack being a possible cause of Emile's death.

He said: 'There are some wolves here, especially in the summer with the sheep flocks. A wolf can very well grab a child at the village well and run for half an hour without stopping and without shedding blood.'

Meanwhile, Emile's grieving mother, Marie Soleil, has spoken for the first time since the death of her young son was announced.

Posting on the Facebook group Pray for Emile, Marie wrote in a heartfelt message, translated from French: 'We try to read all your messages, whether comments, PMs, letters... And are always very touched by your compassion.'

It comes after the extreme-right wing political background of Emile's parents had been examined by authorities shortly after his disappearance in 2023, as fears for his safety grew.

The toddler's father, Colomban Soleil was revealed to be an activist linked to Action Francaise, the notorious far-Right nationalist and royalist group, as well as the neofascist Bastion Social.
President Joe Biden's administration on Thursday announced new sanctions on Iran that target unarmed aerial vehicle production after its missile and drone strike on Israel last weekend.

'Let it be clear to all those who enable or support Iran's attacks: The United States is committed to Israel's security. We are committed to the security of our personnel and partners in the region. And we will not hesitate to take all necessary action to hold you accountable,' Biden said in a statement.

His announcement came after Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country reserved the right to protect and would decide the best way how to do so. Biden has made clear the U.S. does not support an Israeli attack on Iran.

'Let it be clear to all those who enable or support Iran's attacks: The United States is committed to Israel's security,' President Joe Biden said

On Thursday, Biden's Treasury Department targeted 16 people and two entities in Iran that produce engines that power the drones used in the April 13th attack.

Treasury also sanctioned five firms involved in steel production and three subsidiaries of Iranian automaker Bahman Group - which is accused of materially supporting Iran's military and other sanctioned groups.

'Our actions make it harder and costlier at every turn for Iran to continue its destabilizing behavior,' Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.

'We will continue to deploy our sanctions authority to counter Iran with further actions in the days and weeks ahead.'

The White House warns there may be more sanctions to come.

'These are specifically targeted at their drone capability and we'll keep the option open for any more that we need,' White House spokesman John Kirby said.

Additionally, the U.K. is targeting several Iranian military organizations, individuals and entities involved in Irans drone and ballistic missile industries.

In addition to Treasury's sanctions, the U.S. Commerce Department is imposing new controls to restrict Irans access to basic commercial grade microelectronics, which apply to items manufactured outside the U.S. that are produced using U.S. technology.

Iran sent over 300 missiles and drones at Israel on Saturday night. The majority were shot down.

The president of the European Council also announced Thursday that new European sanctions would be imposed on Iran's drone and missile programs as punishment for last weekend's attack on Israel.

'It's a clear signal that we want to send,' Charles Michel said. 'We need to isolate Iran.'

The sanctions on Iran came after its April 13th attack on Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) welcomes UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron (left) during his official visit in West Jerusalem

Tehran says it launched the April 13 attack in retaliation for Israel's suspected April 1 strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.

Meanwhile, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country reserved the right to protect itself after Iran's unprecedented attack, and that it alone would decide how to do so.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock became the first Western envoys to visit Israel since the attack.

Netanyahu told the visiting ministers that Israel 'will reserve the right to protect itself,' his office said.

The pair offered 'all kinds of suggestions and advice' during a meeting, Netanyahu said. 'However, I would also like to clarify: we will make our decisions ourselves.'

For his part, Cameron said 'we're very anxious to avoid escalation and to say to our friends in Israel: It's a time to think with head as well as heart.'

Baerbock emphasised that 'the region must not slide into a situation whose outcome is completely unpredictable.'

Tehran has vowed to hit back if its arch-foe Israel responds to the Saturday attack.

The United States has made clear it won't join any attack on Iran.

'It is clear that the Israelis are making a decision to act,' Cameron told the BBC.

'We hope that they do so in a way that does as little to escalate this as possible.'
An Air Canada worker and several others have been charged or sought in connection with what cops are calling the biggest gold theft in Canadian history.

The Ocean's 11-esque heist occurred at Toronto Pearson International Airport this past year, and saw a gang make off with 20 kilograms of gold bars worth some $20million.

Another $1.7million in foreign currency was also swiped, taken from a cargo plane that had just arrived from Zurich, Switzerland. Footage shows members of the nine-person group loading it all into a suspect's truck, as cops on Wednesday revealed six have been arrested, and that a good deal of the goods have been repossessed.

Holding the press conference in front of the same truck exactly a year removed from the audacious incident, authorities painted it as an 'inside job.'

They also revealed three of the men, including a former Air Canada employee, remain on the run, as they recounted how the theft actually occurred.

Scroll down for video:

The Ocean's 11-esque heist occurred at Toronto Pearson International Airport in April of last year, and saw a gang make off with 20 kilograms of gold bars worth some $20million. Pictured, thieves loading a truck with the haul before making off on April 17, 2023

Police officers opened the back of the truck the thieves used to make off with the goods during a press conference at Pearson International Airport, in Brampton, Ontario, on Wednesday

'This particular theft has become the largest gold theft in Canadian history,' said Peel Regional Chief Nishan Duraiappah of the April 17, 2023, incident, speaking in front of the seized truck.

It's 'one we jokingly say belongs in a Netflix series,' he added - as Air Canada went on to issue its own statement stating it had suspended one cargo division employee charged, though not the one who remains at large.

That's because the worker, identified Wednesday as 31-year -old Simran Preet Panesar, left the airline before the charges were announced, cops said.

They also told those listening how the suspect - who is charged with theft over $5,000 and conspiracy to commit an indictable offense - brazenly gave investigators a tour of the facility before suddenly resigning.

The other 'inside man', cops said, was 54-year-old Parmpal Sidhu - another Air Canada worker arrested at some point in the past year.

The pair, Duraiappah said, worked in the same department, and coalesced - and conspired - to steal the treasure trove of goods.

'They needed people inside Air Canada to facilitate this theft,' added Detective Sgt. Mike Mavity of Peel Regional Police.

'[This was] an inside job.'

Holding the press conference in front of the same truck exactly a year removed from the audacious incident, authorities painted it as an 'inside job'

ARRESTED: Air Canada employee Parmpal Sidhu, 54; Amit Jalota, 40, of Oakville, Ontario; and Ammad Chaudhary, 43, of Georgetown, Ontario

ALSO CUFFED: Toronto jewelry store owner Ali Raza, 37; Prasath Paramalingam, 35, of Brampton; and confirmed getaway driver Durante King-McLean, 25, who was arrested in the US. All besides McLean, who is awaiting extradition, have been released on bail

Both said investigators are still searching for Panesar, who worked as a manager at the popular airline.

Also at large, they said, is 36-year-old Archit Grover and Arsalan Chaudhary, 42, both of whom are also Canadian citizens.

Those arrested, they said, included Toronto jewelry store owner Ali Raza, 37; 40-year-old Amit Jalota; and Ammad Chaudhary, 43; and 35-year-old Prasath Paramalingam.

They have all been released on bail, and are set to appear in court on an unspecified date.

The sixth man arrested, meanwhile, was unmasked as the group's getaway driver - 25-year-old Durante King-Mclean.

He was cuffed in the US in September of last year, cops said - revealing how King-Mcleanhad been pulled over in Pennsylvania for some unspecified traffic violations.

Cops from the probe - being called Project 24K - went onto share satellite images showing the exact route King-Mclean took after his alleged accomplices loaded the truck to the gills before driving off.

Unlike the others, King-Mclean remains in custody in the US, jailed on firearms trafficking charges due to some of the haul being melted down and used to buy illegal firearms, officials said.

Peel Police Detective Sergeant Mike Mavity speaks to the media at a press conference, where he painted the widely seen theft as 'an inside job'

This particular theft has become the largest gold theft in Canadian history,' said Peel Regional Chief Nishan Duraiappah of the April 17, 2023, incident, before offering the new information. 'It's one we jokingly say belongs in a Netflix series'

ON THE RUN: Police are still looking for former Air Canada manager Simran Preet Panesar, 31, as well as Archit Grover, 36, and 42-year-old Arsalan Chaudhary

Cops from the probe - being called Project 24K - went onto share satellite images showing the exact route Mclean took after his alleged accomplices loaded the truck to the gills before driving off

He is currently awaiting extradition to Canada on those charges, as the others face allegations including theft, firearms trafficking, conspiracy, and aiding and abetting, which could land them each in prison for an uncertain amount of years.

Cops on Wednesday outlined the stolen items that they've seized, including some $430,000 in Canadian currency and six gold bracelets valued at more than $89,000.

Also recovered was the five-ton truck and a litany of smelting pots and molds, allegedly used to melt down the goods.

Gold can be transformed into different forms, making it harder to track once stolen.

That makes it a prime target for criminal gangs like the one seen in the now widely seen footage, which was released last April when cops set out on their search.

Cops also shared photos of 65 guns seized during their probe, as Air Canada has faced scrutiny for security protocols that allowed the thieves to take the 'valuable cargo' from a warehouse next to the airport.

Cops on Wednesday outlined the stolen items that they've seized, including some $430,000 in Canadian currency and six gold bracelets valued at more than $89,000

Pictured, some of the stolen gold since recovered by the Canadian cop task force

Also recovered was the five-ton truck and a litany of smelting pots and molds, allegedly used to melt down the stolen goods for cash

Some of the sum was used to buy guns, as cops also shared photos of 65 guns seized during their probe

Also recovered was the five-ton truck, which acted as the group's getaway vehicle, cops said

The gold heist was pulled off near Toronto's Pearson airport, Canada's largest airport - leading many to accuse Air Canada of having 'no security protocols' to prevent thieves taking 'valuable cargo' transported to a nearby warehouse

Following the heist, Miami-based transport and security services provider Brinks sued Air Canada, alleging 'negligence and carelessness' by the airline

The heist was ranked as the sixth largest gold heist in the history of world crime- and is believed to be the largest gold heist in Canada, according to the National Post

'As this is now before the courts, we are limited in our ability to comment further,' Air Canada said in a statement.

Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick told CBC that two suspects individuals worked for the airline's cargo division when the theft occurred.

'One left the company prior to the arrests announced today and the second has been suspended. As this is now before the courts, we are limited in our ability to comment further,' he said.

Following the heist, Miami-based transport and security services provider Brinks sued Air Canada, alleging 'negligence and carelessness' by the airline.

The heist was ranked as the sixth largest gold heist in the history of world crime- and is believed to be the largest gold heist in Canada, according to the National Post.

Cops investigation into the matter remains ongoing. No court dates for the six arrested have been announced.
A group of parents are suing an Ohio school district after a female student allegedly suffered 'severe emotional trauma' by teachers accused of pressuring her to identify as male.

The parents filed a lawsuit against Hilliard City Schools in January last year in a bid to prohibit educators from discussing sexual matters with students. The suit also aimed to ban teachers from wearing badges issuing support of LGBTQ students.

In an amended suit filed this month, the parents accused school officials of forcing a female student to adopt 'a new name and identity as the opposite sex'.

School officials 'treated the child as the opposite sex' without parental consent after allegedly 'diagnosing' the girl with gender dysphoria, according to the complaint obtained by DailyMail.com.

Her parents were not privy to the district's diagnosis and, according to the suit, the student's 'condition spiraled out of control' after the family was made aware of the situation when a postcard using the child's male name and pronouns arrived at the home.

The parents allege the district's actions caused the student to take self-harming actions and resulted in a suicide attempt at school, the filing claims.

A group of parents filed a lawsuit against Hilliard City Schools in January last year in a bid to prohibit educators from discussing sexual matters with students. They have since filed an amendment to the complaint, alleging a female student allegedly suffered 'severe emotional trauma' by teachers accused of pressuring her to identify as male. Pictured is the school's board in 2022

In the complaint, which lists the school board and its members as defendants, the parents accused school officials of deceiving them about the girl's alleged-condition.

They claim that although they referred to the student using their 'opposite-sex name' while in school, teachers used pronounced consistent with their 'biological sex' in the presence of the parents.

'The district's acts were reckless because district officials are not qualified - and are specifically denied entitlement to - make diagnoses and treatment decisions for somebody else's child,' the amended complaint filed on April 1 states.

The parents cited the student's experience as one of several reasons they are concerned the district is 'hiding their child's gender dysphoria from them'.

The suit questions if school officials would 'affirmatively deceive parents' if the guardians are not identified as a 'safe person' or supporter of the LGBTQ community.

'"Support" for '[LGBTQ+] youth or issues' is a matter of personal opinion,' the parents state. 'Thus, a district official's opinion of whether a parent is a "safe person" could arise from judgments related to a parent's constitutionally-protected practices, such as practicing certain religions, expressing certain political views.'

President of the school board Brian Perry

VP Kara Crowley of the school board and member Zach Vorst

The district, in a response to the compliant filed on Monday, denied nearly all of the allegations and said the 'alleged damages, if any, were proximately caused by the sole or contributory or comparative negligence of the plaintiffs.'

Hilliard City Schools stated the district 'acted reasonably, in good faith, upon advice of counsel, in accordance with law and/or in the exercise of their statutory duties and responsibilities,' according to the filing.

The district's response also said the claim made by the parents is outside the statute of limitations.

The parents' amended claim does not identify when the alleged suicide attempt occurred of what school the student attended.

It does state, however, that through 'professional therapy and counseling' it was determined that the student's 'problems were not gender dysphoria.'

The suit also aimed to ban teachers from wearing badges issuing support of LGBTQ students

Hilliard City Schools, in a statement to NBC 4, said the substance of the complaint remains the same as the version originally filed in January 2023.

The district reiterated its position on the suit has not changed and that its motion to dismiss remains applicable. The district is still waiting for a ruling on the motion.

At the time of the original filing, the district said the lawsuit contained 'thread-bare assertions, innuendo, rumor, and spurious legal conclusions'.

Superintendent David Stewart added it was 'filled with misstatements of fact and mischaracterizations.'

DailyMail.com has approached the district and school board for comment.

For confidential help or support, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Tiffany Gomas, aka 'crazy plane lady,' posted a raunchy bikini shot to X in a post to emphasizes her right-leaning politics.

On Wednesday, Gomas shared a snap with her some 240,000 followers of herself in a tiny bikini branded by Ultra Right Beer - a conservative company that sells '100% Woke-Free American Beer.'

Gomas infamously had a total meltdown on an airplane, which was recorded and went viral.

She has since called the tantrum 'the worst moment' of her life, and revealed that she stayed in her house for a month after the fit went viral.

'Crazy plane lady' Tiffany Gomas posted a risque picture of herself on X Wednesday, sporting a bikini from conservtive beer brand Ultra Right

Weeks after the incident, Gomas relaunched her social media platforms and has cultivated a niche following.

Atop her new post, which she has pinned to the top of her profile, she wrote: 'Wonder how many people I'm gonna piss off with this post...' likely referring to the revelation of her conservative politics.

Gomas may be making a bid to join the ranks of attractive conservative influencers who are all over X - though the move would alienate a significant portion of her potential audience.

She has not previously opened up about her political views.

In the mirror selfie, which has been viewed nearly five million times on X, a tan-looking Gomas also holds a can of Ultra Right Beer.

Gomas poses for a glamorous shot on her Instagram page

Weeks after the incident, Gomas relaunched her social media platforms and has cultivated a niche following

Gomas may be making a bid to join the ranks of attractive conservative influencers who are all over X - though the move would alienate a significant portion of her potential audience

The woman, who went viral on social media last year, poses in a sultry dress on her Instagram

Her bikini, which retails on the brand's website for $59.99, is red, white, and blue and has 'Ultra Right' printed on the top and across the front and back of the bottom.

Several conservative influencers who were featured in the beer company's 'Real Woman of America' calendar, commented in support of Gomas's post.

'Conservative Dad's Ultra Right Beer' was launched one year ago in the wake of the Bud Light controversy pertaining to the brand's affiliation with transgender influence Dylan Mulvaney.

Entrepreneur Seth Weathers, who was previously behind the sale of millions of dollars of 'Let's Go Brandon' wrapping paper,' launched the brand to cater to Americans with 'traditional values.'

In the launch video for the brand, Weathers said: 'If you love America, our traditional values, and you know which restroom to use, Conservative Dad's Ultra Right Beer is for you.'

Following her instant infamy, Gomas went silent for a bit before relaunching her social media platforms in an attempt to rebrand herself

Gomas, who is in her late thirties, pictured mid meltdown on a plane attempting to leave the Dallas-Fortworth airport

Gomas heading to a flight out of LAX just weeks after her viral meltdown

On a flight out of Dallas later in the summer, Gomas joked about her attempt to return to the skies

The brew company has continued its involvement in the transgender debate that is perhaps the loudest ongoing culture war in the United States.

Several months ago, the brand released the 'Conservative Dad's Real Women of America 2024 Calendar,' a dig at the left and trans communities' claim that transgender women are real women.

To bring their point home, former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines, who is the most well-known example of a female athlete who was stripped of an award because a biologically male swimmer was given preference in her college sport, is the calendar's 2024 cover girl.
Two schoolgirls aged six and 11 were injured in a knife attack close to their school in the east of France today.

The six-year-old was attacked by a man after he stabbed the 11-year-old outside her school in Souffelweyersheim, just outside Strasbourg, officials said.

Both received superficial wounds, police said, and are being treated in a paediatric hospital.

Parents were later in the afternoon allowed to pick up their children, who had been confined to the school in the immediate aftermath of the attack.

Police added the attacker did not appear to have any known links to radicals and was not previously known to the security services.

Gendarmes investigate in the premises of a school in the eastern France after two girls were wounded in a knife attack outside the school on April 18, 2024

Gendarmes stand guard outside the school in eastern France after reports of stabbings

Police investigate around a school in the eastern France city of Souffelweyersheim on April 18

The attacker, born in 1995, was arrested in the area where he attacked the second girl, the police said.

He no longer had the knife in his hand and did not resist arrest, it added.

'I'm really scared. We've been reassured that the children are safe inside, but we don't know when we'll be able to get them back,' Sarah, a mother of an eight-year-old pupil, told AFP before the green light was given to collect the children.

'A friend called me. She saw the commotion in front of the school as she passed by. Her reflex was to call me so that I could pick up my son.'

There was no indication so far that the attacker had a link with the school.

The attack came as Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced a series of measures aimed at cracking down on violence committed by schoolchildren against their peers.

France recently set up mobile security forces for schools under pressure from external threats amid rising tensions over a nationwide ban on wearing religious clothing in the classroom.

While the motive for the stabbing of the two girls was unclear, Education Minister Nicole Belloubet last month promised to 'guarantee... triple security' with new 'physical, digital and legal' measures amid outcry over pupils in dozens of schools receiving 'serious threats' via online portals.

However, the security outfits would be deployed only after receiving reports of 'an acute crisis around an establishment' within 48 hours in order to 'strengthen local resources'.

France has been shaken by a slew of terror threats in high schools across the country in recent weeks, with the headteacher of a Paris school forced to resign following death threats for requesting a pupil remove her Islamic head-covering in line with France's secular law.

Police have since been ordered to patrol the Maurice-Ravel Lycee in eastern Paris in light of the controversial resignation of the head of the Maurice Ravel Lycee.

Prime minister Gabriel Attal has since vowed to bring a complaint against the student and two others at the Maurice-Ravel Lycee for slander and false accusations.

France, which introduced its ban on religious clothing in schools in a bid to preserve secular tradition two decades ago, remains steadfast in efforts to preserve the ban while protecting teachers and children.

Pupils and parents gather outside a school among police forces in Souffelweyersheim after two girls were wounded in a knife attack outside the school on April 18

Parents collect their children with police forces and firefighters standing by, on April 18

Mr Attal said last month that the country was raising its security alert to the highest level after the Moscow concert hall attack.

ISIS claimed responsibility for the atrocity on March 22, which saw gunmen storm a public event and fire indiscriminately at civilians with automatic weapons, killing at least 143.

Up to 45,000 French police and gendarmes are now set to be deployed each day during the Olympics this summer, while 18,000 troops are also expected to be mobilised, according to government figures.

Another 18,000-22,000 private security guards will be on the ground for the Games, which run from July 26 to August 11.

The latest threats follow a flurry of false bomb alerts targeted schools, airport and tourist sites in autumn 2023.
San Francisco residents are balking at the sky-high cost of the city's new homeless cabins.

A complex of 60 'tiny homes' for unhoused Californians each cost taxpayers an eye-popping $113,000.

That's several times higher than the price of similar cabins in nearby Oakland and San Jose.

Worse still, the new project in the Mission District will cost $2.9 million a year to run.

Even so, the ultra-liberal city's Mayor London Breed and others back the controversial and long-delayed project.

Each unit has a locking door, a bed, storage space, furniture, electric outlets and heating

Mayor London Breed says the $113,000-per cabin scheme offers a 'safe, stable environment' for 50 homeless

Marc Joffe, an analyst at the libertarian Cato Institute think tank called it a massive overspend.

'If SF can't accommodate the homeless cost-effectively, maybe some other county in California can,' he posted on X/Twitter.

Poll Do you think the homeless should be relocated to official camps outside towns and cities? Yes No Not sure Do you think the homeless should be relocated to official camps outside towns and cities? Yes 2013 votes

No 497 votes

Not sure 204 votes Now share your opinion





Ten unhoused people moved into the village at the start of the week, housing department spokeswoman Emily Cohen told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Five more unhoused people will move in each day until all 60 cabins are occupied.

Each home has a locking door, a bed, storage space, furniture, electric outlets and heating.

Residents will share bathrooms, a dining area, laundry machines, and get meals provided on site.

The costly scheme will be torn down in two years, when developers break ground on an affordable housing project.

Mayor Breed said the temporary cabins would help 'bring people off the streets and into a safe, stable environment.'

'They can get on the path to a more secure, long-term housed environment,' she added.

The Mission District has been plagued by visible tents, open drug use, vending of illegal goods and other quality-of-life issues.

San Francisco is battling a deadly wave of drug use among it's 8,000 homeless people

Supervisor Hillary Ronen, who represents the district, supports the homeless village, but has called the cost of units 'insane.'

Cities across the Bay Area, including San Jose and Oakland, have embraced tiny cabin villages in recent years as a cheaper solution to the crisis.

Advocates say they offer unhoused people a dignified alternative to mass shelters, which lack privacy and where residents can face property theft and violence.

The San Francisco site's opening comes as California battles a crisis of homelessness and vagrancy.

Homelessness jumped 6 percent to more than 180,000 people in California last year, federal data show.

Since 2013, the numbers have exploded by 53 percent.

Nearly 28 percent of the nation's entire unhoused population are in the Golden State.

San Francisco alone has some 8,000 homeless.

Supervisor Hillary Ronen, who represents the downtown area, supports the homeless village, but has called the cost of units 'insane'

That's why the costly new tiny home complex will barely make a dent in the city's crisis.

San Francisco has added more than 1,000 temporary shelter beds these past six years.

Officials last year estimated it would take 6,000 new housing units and beds and cost more than $1 billion to end the crisis.

Auditors this month panned California's bungled attempts at addressing the problem

The state spent $24 billion tackling homelessness over five years but didn't track if the money was helping its growing number of unhoused people, their damning report said.

It slammed the state's homelessness tsars for spending billions across 30 programs from 2018-2023, but gathering no data on why the cash wasn't tackling the crisis.

It confirmed what's clear to many residents  the homelessness crisis is out of control, and that tent encampments and troublesome vagrancy across major cities is bad and getting worse.
Kemi Badenoch today slammed claims Britain is only wealthy because of 'colonialism and white privilege'.

The Business Secretary insisted the establishment of Parliamentary democracy and the rule of law was at the heart of the country's success.

She also hit out at calls for mandatory ethnicity quotas in the financial sector, jibing that her job often involved 'killing bad ideas'.

The comments came as Ms Badenoch spoke at the CityUK international conference.

She highlighted that financial services 'exploded' after the Glorious Revolution of 1688, when James II was deposed by Parliament and a swathe of reforms were brought in under Mary II and William of Orange.

Ms Badenoch said the ideas that took root in England eventually 'spread around the world, sometimes freely sometimes not, but eventually they do lift billions out of poverty and lead to unimagined wealth globally'.

Kemi Badenoch today slammed claims Britain is only wealthy because of 'colonialism and white privilege'

'So it worries me when I hear people talk about the wealth and success of the UK as being down to colonialism or white imperialism or privilege or whatever,' she added.

'It matters because if people genuinely believe that the UK only grew and developed into an advanced economy because of exploitation and oppression, then the solutions they will devise will make our growth and productivity problem, even worse. They'll start quoting Mao!

'It matters in other countries too because if developing nations do not understand how the West became rich, they cannot follow in its footsteps.

'And it matters, when as your Trade Secretary I go to the World Trade Organization Conference negotiating on the UK's behalf and some of my counterparts spend the entire time in meetings talking about colonialism, blame the West for their economic difficulties and make demands that would make all of us, not just in this country but around the world, poorer.'

Turning to cultural issues in the City, Ms Badenoch said she would be writing to UK financial regulators to warn against proposed mandatory ethnicity quotas.

She said the law 'does not require' the rules and they 'could be counterproductive'.

'These so-called cultural issues have an impact more significant than we realise on the bigger picture,' Ms Badenoch told the audience.

Black, Asian or other ethnic minority staff hold one in 10 management roles in UK financial institutions, according to a letter sent by major UK investors to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in December.

They were urging the FCA to introduce mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting, which they said was a step towards encouraging more action to create more equitable workplaces.

The FCA is currently consulting on proposals to boost diversity and inclusion in UK financial services.

Ms Badenoch said she has spoken against mandatory ethnicity pay reporting 'on dozens of occasions', adding: 'People want us to bring these things in, I say no.'

Ms Badenoch highlighted that financial services 'exploded' after the Glorious Revolution of 1688, when James II was deposed by Parliament and a swathe of reforms were brought in under Mary II and William of Orange

Meanwhile, Ms Badenoch referenced her own background in banking and consulting, having worked as a systems analyst at Royal Bank of Scotland prior to her career in politics.

'When I say the burden of regulation has become too high under successive governments, I speak not from theory, but from personal experience,' she said.

The Conservative MP said that was where her 'intense dislike of burdensome, arcane and quite often needless regulation was born'.

Ms Badenoch said: 'I worry about the tendency to push for well-meaning but counterproductive measures that stifle growth, productivity and innovation.'

She added: 'Regulation has moved from protection against fraud and systemic failure to everything from diversity to green finance, and this ever-rising tide of micro management will not necessarily make us or the financial markets stronger.'
Thirteen Democrats and one Republican voted against a resolution to condemn Iran for its missile strikes on Israel last weekend.

Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., told DailyMail.com she voted against the resolution because it did not condemn Israel's strike on Iran's consulate in Syria.

'There were attacks on both sides,' she said. 'So the retaliatory attack from Iran, on Israel, we condemn that.'

'But we also condemn the attack from the Israeli military on the Iranian embassy complex that also that killed people. So we can't have either one,' the progressive congresswoman went on. 'So this was just a Republican messaging deal that furthers us to get closer to being on the brink of war.'

Bush and other progressives have insisted on a ceasefire as the death toll from the Israel-Hamas war nears 34,000 in Gaza.

Israel struck Iran's consulate in Damascus on April 1, taking out Iran's top commander, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, and other high-level military officials.

Iran responded with 300 missiles and drones, which Israel largely intercepted with U.S. help, in its first-ever direct attack on Israel.

Rep. Cori Bush , D-Mo., told DailyMail.com she voted against the resolution because it did not condemn Israel's strike on Iran's consulate in Syria .

Rep. Thomas Massie was the only Republican to vote against resolution condemning Iran

Israel has long targeted Iran's military installations in Syria and those of its proxies, but the April 1 attack was the first time Israel hit the vast embassy compound itself.

Bush was joined in her no vote by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, Ky., and other progressives like Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, N.Y., Ilhan Omar, Minn., Rashida Tlaib, Mich., and Jamaal Bowman, N.Y.

Members who voted against resolution to condemn Iran

Thomas Massie, R-Ky. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D- N.Y. Cori Bush, D-Mo. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y. Greg Casar, D-Texas Hank Johnson, D-Ga. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash. Summer Lee, D-Pa. Barbara Lee, D-Calif. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill. Jonathan Jackson, D-Ill. Advertisement

Libertarian-minded Massie often opposes such messaging bills.

Speaker Mike Johnson put 17 new bills on the House floor schedule after Iran launched over 300 drone and missile attacks on Israel over the weekend - and rush-ordered a package that will give billions in aid to Israel along with Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific.

The slew of resolutions require the U.S. to 'fully implement' sanctions on Iran and make sure there aren't any loopholes, restrict Iranian imports and crack down on financial transactions between the U.S. and Iran and sanction Chinese companies that buy oil from Iran.

The progressive Squad members have voted against many of the resolutions that hit the floor this week.

Republicans used it to accuse them of sympathizing with Iran as Congress scrambles to get a foreign aid package over the finish line and provide support for the top U.S. ally.

Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., told DailyMail.com that the Squad Democrats are embracing Iran's 'murderous regime.'

'It's clear to me, the woke Socialist Squad has fully embraced the murderous regime in #Iran  the world's most nefarious State Sponsor of Terrorism and one of the most cynical Human Right violators,' he said.

Another bill to ensure humanitarian aid is not used to fund Iran-backed terrorism passed overwhelmingly 408-13.

Bhavini Patel, a more moderate Democrat candidate for Congress in Pennsylvania, slammed her primary opponent Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., for voting against the humanitarian aid bill.

Iran launched over 300 drone and missile attacks on Israel over the weekend

A handful of progressives voted against the bills, including notorious 'Squad' members Reps. Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar and AOC

An anti-missile system operates after Iran launched drones and missiles towards Israel, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel April 14, 2024

Rashida Tlaib was slammed for voting against imposing harsher penalties on Iran

She called it an 'alarming  and telling  vote' by the progressive in a post to X.

Another of the bills declared the phrase 'from the river to the sea,' controversially used by Tlaib, D-Mich., to be anti-Semitic.

GOP Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., slammed votes against this particular bill.

'You can't get more antisemitic than endorsing calls for the total annihilation of Israel,' he said in a statement to DailyMail.com.

'Once again, the Democrat Party has solidified its position as the pro-terrorist party.'

Johnson pushed off plans for 'appliance week,' to make room for the anti-Iran measures.

The House was expected to vote on a series of messaging measures against the Biden administration's regulations on home appliances like gas stoves.

Speaker Mike Johnson has put 17 new bills involving Iran and Israel on the House floor schedule after Iran launched drone attacks on Israel over the weekend

Republicans are planning dozens of votes on measures in support of Israel and condemnation of Iran, led by Ayatollah Khameini, above, after the weekend attacks, but still do not have a path forward on funding for the U.S. ally

Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., told DailyMail.com that the Squad Democrats are embracing the 'murderous regime.'

Johnson is also forging ahead with plans to pass separate foreign aid bills for Israel, Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific that he could lose his job over. The total cost of the plan is $95 billion.

Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., has already filed a motion to vacate that she could call for a vote at any moment. Massie signed on to the effort after Johnson announced the foreign aid plan.

In an olive branch to conservative hardliners, Johnson agreed to bring a separate border bill to the floor too.

Israel has deemed Iran's 350-missile attack a 'declaration of war,' though it said 99 percent of the missiles were intercepted.

The attack was in response to Israel's drone strike in Syria that killed 12 Iranians, including two top generals.

Meanwhile President Biden is facing mounting pressure to contain the crisis, with defense experts claiming the president has allowed the conflict in Gaza to spread and that the expanding battle lines risk pulling in allies including the US.

Donald Trump last night accused Biden of 'weakness and incompetence' as he railed against his election rival for failing to address the American public following the attack by Tehran, its first-ever direct assault on Israel.

IDF spokesman Peter Lerner on Monday morning confirmed that there would be retaliation from Israel, stating that this could involve 'a strike or no strike.'

He explained that military top brass had submitted 'a wide range of options' and that there are 'a lot of different scenarios' on the table.

Iranian missiles launched into Israel, as seen on Iranian TV

The Israeli government will 'decide on the steps forward' as early as Monday or within the coming days, Lerner told reporters.

Johnson has signaled that he wants to get foreign aid for both Israel and Ukraine across the finish line. But he hasn't said whether that will consist of one vote or multiple.

Appearing with Johnson on Friday, Trump said he was 'taking a look' at Ukraine aid, but favored it in the form of a loan rather than a direct grant.

Johnson and his top brass have discussed using the Lend-Lease Act, which would require Ukraine to give back any military equipment that is not destroyed after a certain time frame, and the REPO Act, which would seize Russian assets that have been frozen across the globe for Ukraine.

An image-grab from a video taken early on April 14, 2024, shows rocket trails in the sky above the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem

But a motion to vacate has loomed over Johnson's head since Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene launched the bid to oust him last month. The Georgia Republican is a staunch opponent to Ukraine aid and has already threatened to try to boot Johnson if he brings it to the floor.

With Republicans' razor-thin majority, Johnson can only afford to lose three Republicans and keep his job.

The Senate-passed bill included both humanitarian and military aid: $61 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel in its war against Hamas and $4.83 billion to support partners in the Indo-Pacific.

Johnson suggested he would not be putting the Senate bill on the House floor, adding military-only aid is 'more palatable' to members.

'No American taxpayer should be tasked with propping up the pension system of the nation of Ukraine.'

Any foreign aid bill would likely have to come to the House floor under suspension of the rules, meaning it would need a two-thirds majority vote to pass.

The bill would lose a number of Democrats would oppose further aid to Israel without humanitarian conditions. It would lose a number of Republicans who outright oppose Ukraine aid - potentially jeopardizing its chances of passing.

But Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries insisted the bill would pass even under suspension - he would put up enough Democratic votes.

'I believe that there are a sufficient number of votes to make sure that the national security bill makes it over the legislative finish line,' Jeffries said.
A pair of Virginia dads had a narrow escape when a tree came crashing down on their backyard firepit hangout.

Home surveillance footage captured the dramatic moment the 40ft tree fell down on April 12 as Chris Johannsen and his friend Chad Day were enjoying a nice evening at one of their home's in Powhatan, about 40 minutes outside of Richmond.

As the pair were setting up s'mores for their children and sipping on a drink, they heard a strange noise and ran away just before the tree plummeted to the ground.

'Luckily [our] wives had gone to the house in front of us and we had sent the kids in to watch a movie,' Johannsen said.

'We were enjoying a nice glass of bourbon, when crack, crack, and boom.'

Chris Johannsen and his friend Chad Day are seen enjoying a glass of bourbon and setting up s'mores for their kids on April 12, just before a 40ft tree fell and nearly crushed them

The massive tree is seen on the pavement as it sends sparks flying into the air. The two dad's managed to escape just in time

The fathers, Chad Day (left), and Chris Johannsen (right) are relieved that they made it out alive and were able to see their families again

As the pals heard what sounded 'like a bear coming through the woods,' they ran for their lives and avoided what would've been a disaster.

Video of the harrowing moment starts with Johannsen and Day sitting in chairs on a large backyard patio.

They face the fire pit just before one of them quickly stands up and runs with his drink in hand, as the other follows right behind him.

As they swiftly made their way to the grass, the tree falls directly where they were sitting and a loud crash is heard.

As it landed, the fire illuminates and sparks fly out of the chimney before the tree settles on the pavement.

With the tree still on the ground, a child appears near a back door attached to the home and slowly surveys the area as the video ends.

'I heard the sound, and that's what cued me to look over. It sounded like a bear was coming through the wood, it was so loud,' Johannsen told WTVR.

'And I just see this white tarp lift out of the ground, and it just hit me: "This tree is falling".'

Johannsen is seen pointing at the massive tree with its exposed roots hanging out from the soil

The father's don't know exactly why the tree fell, but Day said that his friend seeing the 'white tarp', that was later found to be a root ball, saved both of their lives.

Day and Johannsen are thankful that they made it out alive and admitted that they were definitely frightened by the incident.

'My legs would've gotten crushed, and then, this 30 pound cinder block came off and landed right where my face was,' Day said.

As they made a detour from the falling tree, Day accidently landed on Johannsen.

'You get up, and you're like "Did that really just happen?",' Johannsen said.

In a Facebook post, Johannsen credited their escape to someone 'looking out' for him in the sky.

'Someone up there is looking out for me. Almost died last night with Chad Dey,' he said.

Johannsen explained that his father believed that his late mother was the one who saved him and his friend that night.

'So, I truly think my mom was looking out after me. It's not fun having the tree fall over, but it went as good as it could have,' Johannsen said.

The fathers are relieved that they made it out alive and were able to see their families again.

Johannsen said that to his knowledge, the fallen tree was healthy, but has urged others to inspect trees on their property to be safe. (pictured: the fallen tree laying across the yard)

Day (pictured) and Johannsen are thankful that they made it out alive and admitted that they were definitely frightened by the incident

'The fact that we got to hear their voices again is enough for me,' Day said.

Johannsen said that to his knowledge, the fallen tree was healthy, but has urged others to inspect trees on their property to be safe.

He was seen with the tree after it had fallen over as he pointed at its exposed roots that seemingly lifted from the ground.

'What ifs, what ifs, what ifs. If the wind was blowing, we wouldnt have heard the roots cracking and coming up.

'If we were playing music, we wouldnt have heard it,' Johannsen said.

'Had the kids been outside playing and being loud as kids are, we might not have heard it, and then, all of us got crushed.'
Former SMEs and Startups Minister Park Young-sun, a well-known opposition politician, stressed the importance of "cooperative politics" Thursday after she became a target of speculation following reports that she was being considered a candidate for prime minister.

Park, who served as minister under the preceding Moon Jae-in administration, has been at the center of attention since some reports said Wednesday that she is a leading prime minister candidate, while Yang Jung-chul, a close aide to Moon, was being considered for presidential chief of staff.

The news caught many in the political community off guard because both Park, a former four-term lawmaker, and Yang are high-profile opposition figures unlikely to work in the conservative administration of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Yoon's office denied the reports, but some aides still said it is true that both were being considered as candidates in a reorganization that Yoon plans to carry out in the wake of the ruling People Power Party's crushing defeat in last week's general elections.

"I think cooperative politics are crucial because now is a critical moment for the future of the Republic of Korea," Park said in a Facebook post, referring to Korea by its official name. "But now our society looks like two trains running head-on into each other."

It was not clear what she meant, but some observers viewed it as a roundabout way of declining a potential position in the rival bloc's Cabinet, considering the country's deepening political divide, even though she understands the need for cooperation.

"It's a de facto rejection," an official close to Park said. "Unless President Yoon switches his attitude in a forward-looking manner and circumstances are created to start cooperative politics, there is nothing she could do by taking the seat."

Park is currently visiting Osaka, Japan, to attend an event hosted by a city museum. She was set to stay in the United States until June to finish her semester at the Harvard Kennedy School, where she is a senior researcher, but is expected to return sometime this week. (Yonhap)
It is home to the 47th Flying Training Wing and instructs pilots on how to fly

Laughlin Air Force Base is roughly 20 miles away from the southern border

An active-duty airman has been found dead near a railway off the base

An active-duty Airman has been found dead near a railway off a Texas air force base.

Around 9 a.m. CT on Tuesday, the Val Verde County Sheriff's Office notified security forces at Laughlin Air Force Base that remains had been found near train tracks.

The deceased was identified as an active-duty Airman who had been stationed at the base. His name has yet to be released as officials work to notify family members.

'We tragically lost a member of our Air Force and Laughlin family,' said Colonel Kevin A. Davidson, 47th Flying Training Wing commander.

'Our hearts and prayers are with the family and all those that knew him. Our top priority is to support the grieving family, friends, and loved ones struggling with this loss.'

An active-duty airman has been found dead near Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas

Colonel Kevin A. Davidson, 47th Flying Training Wing commander, extended his condolences to the unidentified airman's family and friends

The base is located east of Del Rio and roughly 20 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border

Laughlin Air Force Base is located east of Del Rio and roughly 20 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.

It began as a flight training school in 1942 and instructed bomber crews during World War II. The Army decided to close the base two years later and lease the land to local goat farmers.

The base reopened as a flight training school for American and allied nations pilots in May 1952, amid flaring tensions with the Soviet Union.

Later that year, the Air Force re-designated the wing as the 3645th Flying Training Wing, whose primary mission was to provide gunnery and weapons delivery training.

That wing was deactivated in 1957 and replaced by Strategic Air Commands 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, which had been transferred to Texas from Georgia.

The 4080th provided high-altitude surveillance and meteorological gathering in addition to gathering air samples from nuclear above-ground tests.

In 1961, Laughlin expanded its mission to include an undergraduate pilot training program, while the 4080th remained as a tenant unit.

The Air Force re-designated the 3645th as the 3646th Pilot Training Wing the following year, and in April 1963, the 4080th moved to Arizona. Since then, training has been Laughlin's only mission.

It began as a flight training school in 1942 and instructed bomber crews during World War II

Today, pilots in the 47th Flying Training Wing - one of five pilot training units in the Air Force's Air Education and Training Command - are taught how to fly at the base

In September 1972, USAF deactivated the 3646th Pilot Training Wing and activated the 47th Flying Training Wing.

Today, it is one of five pilot training units in the Air Force's Air Education and Training Command.

'Laughlin's critical mission has remained the same since 1962: train and develop the finest military pilots,' reads an official website for the base.

'Beginning with the first UPT class in the mid-1950s, silver wings have been pinned on nearly 21,000 pilots.'

The base currently teaches pilots how to fly using the T-6 Texan II, T-38C Talon, and the T-1A Jayhawk.
A Polish national has been arrested on suspicion of handing sensitive information to Russia in order to facilitate a possible assassination plot against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Suspect Pawe K faces up to eight years in prison after he was detained in Poland and charged with 'reporting his readiness to act for foreign intelligence'.

The man was tasked with 'collecting... military intelligence... with information on the security of the Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport' in order to 'help Russian special services plan a possible attack' on the Ukrainian leader, Polish prosecutors believe.

Polish authorities worked with their counterparts in Ukraine during the investigation, leading to Pawe K's detention on Wednesday. The investigation is still ongoing.

A number of attempts on the life of President Zelensky have been reported since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the Three Seas Summit in Vilnius this month

File photo of Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport. A man was detained in Poland on suspicion of feeding intelligence to Russia in order to help facilitate a plot on the life of President Zelensky

According to the Prosecutor's Office, an investigation revealed how Pawe K had 'declared his readiness to act for the military intelligence' of Russia and made contacts with citizens 'directly involved in the war in Ukraine'.

They claimed he became involved in gathering and relaying military intelligence back to Russia, including information on the security of the Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport in southeastern Poland.

This was 'among other things' intended to help special services plan an attack on Zelensky, the prosecutors allege.

The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine raised suspicions about Pawe K with the Polish Prosecutor's Office, who conducted an investigation into the suspect.

The 'Polish side' emphasised the strong collaboration with Ukraine to foil the alleged plot, sharing information and collating evidence from within and outside of Poland.

The investigation continues to be conducted by the Internal Security Agency under the supervision of the National Prosecutor's Office.

Earlier today, two men described as German-Russian national were also detained in Germany, suspected of planning to sabotage German military aid for Ukraine.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said authorities had also prevented 'possible explosive attacks'.

The men were accused of scouting US military facilities and other sites. One was remanded in pre-trial detention, accused of offences including plotting an explosion and maintaining contact with Russian intelligence.

The other was accused of helping him identify potential targets.

As early as March 2022, Pravda reported that the Ukrainian military had 'destroyed' a Chechen outfit tasked with 'eliminating' Zelensky.

Chechnya is a republic within Russia.

'Putin assigned the head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov to do the dirtiest work and personally instructed him during a meeting on February 3, 2022,' the outlet reported, dated more than two weeks before the invasion.

The Chechen group were tasked with taking out Ukrainian leaders before they were repelled by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Pravda claimed.

Mikhail Podolyak, presidential adviser to Zelensky, claimed previously that the Ukrainian leader had survived more than a dozen attempts in the first two weeks of the war alone.

'Our foreign partners are talking about two or three attempts. I believe that there were more than a dozen such attempts,' he told Ukrainian Pravda in March 2022.

'We have a very powerful intelligence and counterintelligence network - they monitor it all and all these DRGs [Russian reconnaissance groups] are being eliminated on the way.

'That is, we understand all the plans and our counterintelligence is working on them.'

In 2023, Polish intelligence services captured a pro-Russian spy network said to have been planning sabotage attacks against Poland's train lines. The agents were seized after intelligence officers from Poland's ABW (pictured, file photo) found hidden cameras

File photo. Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting in Russia, April 17, 2024

In March 2023, a group of foreign citizens were arrested on suspicion of spying for Russia, Polish government officials told the BBC.

Polish security services reportedly broke up the spy network accused of installing secret cameras at the Rzeszow-Jasionka airport in order to film transport infrastructure used to deliver aid to Ukraine.

The group allegedly installed dozens of cameras near railway junctions and key transport routes in areas border Ukraine, local radio station RMF FM reported.

Military and cargo aircraft from the US and Europe regularly use the airport in Poland to deliver supplies headed for Ukraine.
The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has offered an 'unreserved apology' for failing Andrew Malkinson, who spent 17 years in prison for being wrongly convicted of rape.

Mr Malkinson, who was finally cleared in July last year after being convicted in 2003, was released on a strict life licence in 2020.

The 57-year-old was wrongly found guilty of the 2003 attack on a woman in Greater Manchester.

The following year he was jailed for life with a minimum term of seven years but remained in prison for a further 10 because he maintained he was innocent.

His appeal against his conviction, which centred around new DNA evidence that recently emerged pointing to another potential suspect, who the court ordered can only be identified as Mr B, was successful last year.

The CCRC, which investigates possible miscarriages of justice, today offered an apology after an independent review of the case by Chris Henley KC.

Andrew Malkinson was wrongly jailed for 17 years for a rape he didn't commit

Helen Pitcher: As chairman of the Criminal Cases Review Commission, she is embroiled in the controversy over Andrew Malkinson

Mr Malkinson outside the Royal Courts of Justice, London in May 2023. He has received an apology from the CCRC

Chairwoman of the CCRC, Helen Pitcher, said: 'Mr Henley's report makes sobering reading, and it is clear from his findings that the commission failed Andrew Malkinson.

'For this, I am deeply sorry. I have written to Mr Malkinson to offer him my sincere regret and an unreserved apology on behalf of the commission.

'There may have been a belief that I have been unwilling ever to apologise to Mr Malkinson, and I want to clarify that this is not the case.

'For me, offering a genuine apology required a clear understanding of the circumstances in which the commission failed Mr Malkinson. We now have that.

'Nobody can ever begin to imagine the devastating impact that Mr Malkinson's wrongful conviction has had on his life, and I can only apologise for the additional harm caused to him by our handling of his case.'

He had applied for his case to be reviewed by the CCRC in 2009, but at the conclusion of its review in 2012 the commission refused to order further forensic testing or refer the case for appeal, amid concerns over costs.

Mr Malkinson, who was wrongly convicted in 2003 for the rape of a woman in Salford, Greater Manchester

A second application was rejected in 2020.

Crucial DNA evidence had been available since 2007, but no match was found on the police database at the time.

After his release in December 2020, advancements in scientific techniques allowed his legal team, supported by legal charity Appeal, to provide new DNA analysis that cast doubt on his conviction to the CCRC.

The body then commissioned its own testing which found that DNA from the victim's clothing matched another man on the national police database.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed in January last year that a man had been arrested and released under investigation in light of the new information, but no decision had been made as to whether he will be charged.

He later had his conviction referred to the Court of Appeal by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) over the new DNA evidence. The court quashed the conviction last year.

Mr Pitcher said the organisation would provide Mr Malkinson with a copy of the review report, which contains nine recommendations, and that it intended to make the findings public at a later date.

The review was commissioned before a wider inquiry into the case led by Judge Sarah Munro KC and Mr Henley's report will be shared with the inquiry, the Crown Prosecution Service, Greater Manchester Police and the Independent Office for Police Conduct 'to ensure that the Commission does nothing that would compromise the integrity of the inquiry process or jeopardise the potential prosecution of an alternative suspect'.

Ms Pitcher added: 'Once we have received clarity regarding the sharing and publication of Mr Henley's report, I will arrange a meeting with Andrew Malkinson in person not only to discuss the report's findings and recommendations and outline the steps we are taking to address them, but to offer him a formal apology on behalf of the Commission.

'I want to assure Mr Malkinson and the wider public of our commitment to rectify the mistakes made.

'Our aim is to enact reforms that prevent further injustices, such as those Andrew Malkinson has experienced, from ever occurring in the future. To that end, work has already started on implementing the nine recommendations outlined in Mr Henley's review.'
Since November, more than 150 French bulldogs, commonly called Frenchies, have invaded a Florida rescue shelter tasked with rehoming them.

Ashley Pedersen, founder of Space Coast Frenchie Rescue in Brevard County, told local cable station WKMG 6 she's 'averaging one surrender a day' and that the dogs are coming from all over Florida.

Sky high demand and out-of-control overbreeding has led to shelters across Florida becoming full, Pedersen said. Many of them are reaching out to her and her cofounder Courtney Schilling to take some of the dogs off their hands.

Schilling took the call to action seriously, sheltering 15 dogs at her house at one point.

Frenchies' magnetic appeal is a result of their scrunched faces and flattened noses, according to scientists. They say the dogs' appearance is similar enough to human infants to make the average person swoon over their cuteness.

Pictured: Ashley Pedersen (left) and Courtney Schilling (right) are the founders of Space Coast Frenchie Rescue in Brevard County, Florida

Pictured: A black French bulldog

Winston, a French bulldog, competes in a competition during the 147th Westminster Kennel Club Dog show in 2023

Frenchies are so desirable in fact that there's been a noticeable trend of them getting stolen.

A 21-year-old woman stole another woman's French bulldog in broad daylight in Los Angeles. The victim, Ali Zacharias, chased after the thief and was caught on camera hanging from the hood of the perpetrator's car as she tried to escape with the dog.

Breeders are well aware of the rabid demand and are now flooding the market with Frenchies in hopes to make a quick buck, according to associate veterinarian Jocelyn Brickett.

A staggering number of Frenchies being deprived of a loving, safe home isn't the only problem with the supposed get-rich-quick scheme of overbreeding them.

Brickett, who works at the Eau Gallie Veterinary Hospital in Melbourne, Florida, said haphazard breeding leads to dire genetic defects in the dogs.

She pointed out one Frenchie named Keller at Pedersen and Schilling's shelter as a prime example of selective breeding gone wrong.

Pictured: Dogs in cages at Space Coast Frenchie Rescue in Brevard County

Zacharias said she thought she was going to die as the car went faster and faster

Lily is the first dog that was bred by Hawbucks Franse Bulldog Kennel, a kennel whose owner is trying to breed a healthier Frenchie. Lily still looks like a French bulldog, but she has a longer tail, back, and legs than are often seen in the breed.

'Keller is a result of trying to breed the mural color, so they breed two mural dogs together, which leads to this kind of white syndrome, so he's blind and deaf due to them breeding those two colors together,' Brickett said to WKMG 6. 'People need to stop doing that and leave it to the professionals.'

But even the average French bulldog often suffers from respiratory problems, spine malformations and skin problems as a result of constant inbreeding over the last century or so. As a result the breed has an average lifespan of 4.5 years.

Still, people don't seem to care.

French bulldogs have been the most popular dog in the US for two years in a row, according to the American Kennel Club. The UK, too, fancies flat-faced dogs, including bulldogs and pugs.

Hawbucks Franse Bulldog Kennel is one breeder trying to restore the healthiness French bulldogs once had by weeding out its major defects, DailyMail.com reported in March.

Though, for people who love the purebred dogs, it might be a dealbreaker because the kennel said it might need to breed the Frenchies with other types of canines.
The 68-year-old man whose corpse was wheeled into a bank by his niece trying to get a loan was malnourished and may have been poisoned, officials said.

An autopsy, obtained by Brazilian news outlet Metropoles on Wednesday, showed that Paulo Braga's death was caused by 'bronchoaspiration and heart failure.'

The coroner's office is now awaiting the results of an additional test to determine if the 68-year-old was poisoned.

'Such data corroborates the necroscopic finding of malnutrition and bronchoaspiration,' the report indicated. 'The previous heart disease found also contributed to the death event.'

Rio de Janeiro police arrested Erika de Souza, 42, on Tuesday after she visited the bank with Braga's corpse in an attempt to take out a loan for 17,000 reais ($3,250) and tried to get him to sign for it.

Erika de Souza (pictured) was arrested by authorities in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Tuesday after she tried to get her dead uncle, Paulo Braga, to sign a loan document at a bank while he sat on a wheelchair

Footage showed the Erika de Souza instructing her uncle Paulo Braga to hold of his pen encouraged him to sign a piece of paper at the bank branch

A video recorded by the bank staff showed de Souza holding a pen and moving Braga's hand to sign the document moments after his head tilted.

She could be heard in the footage telling Braga, 'Uncle, are you listening? You need to sign.'

De Souza then told the teller, 'He doesn't say anything, that's just how he is,' and turned to her uncle and said, 'If you're not okay, I'm going to take you to the hospital.'

The bankers were concerned with the woman's behavior and called the police, who arrested her on the scene.

Paramedics performed CPR on Braga and found that he was already dead and then discovered cadaver marks behind his head that indicated that he would have been dead for two hours.

De Souza told police that he was alive when they visited the bank, a claim they have challenged.

She told investigators that Braga was discharged from an urgent care center Monday and told her that he wanted a loan to purchase a new television and to cover the cost of repairs at his home.

De Souza said that she picked him up at his residence Tuesday and noticed that he was weak. She added he was unresponsive when they entered the bank.

A motorcycle taxi driver was interviewed by the police Wednesday and said that Braga was alive when de Souza called him over at around 12:20 pm so that he could assist her in getting him out of the house, according to O Globo newspaper.

'When I entered the house, Paulo was lying in bed,' he said. 'I took Paulo by the arms, with Erika's help, and took him into the car. I was able to see that he was still breathing and had strength in his hands.'

Bank employees started filming the pair and ended up calling for an ambulance and police as Erika de Souza used her hand to keep Paulo Braga's head upright and told him: 'Uncle, are you listening? You have to sign it. I can't sign for you'

Police also spoke with the ride share app driver who picked up Braga and de Souza at 12:26pm and dropped them off at the mall at 12:52pm.

O Globo also had access to his testimony in which he said that he spent seven minutes alone with Braga in the car while de Souza went to search for a wheelchair at the mall.

'He (Braga) even held the car door,' when he was being helped out to get on the wheelchair.

Surveillance videos showed Braga being placed on the wheelchair and pushed away at the mall parking lot and also at the mall before reaching the bank.

The medical examiner's office believes Braga may have died between 11:30 am 2:30 pm.
Donald Trump could be held in contempt in the historic hush money trial after prosecutors produced seven more social media posts they claim violate a gag order.

Attorneys for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office said the former president should be punished for sharing a New York Post article calling Michael Cohen a 'serial perjurer' and 'embarrassment' to the court system.

Another was Trump resharing a quote from Fox News host Jesse Watters saying the defense team is 'catching undercover liberal activists lying to the judge' to get on the jury.

Donald Trump could be held in contempt in the historic hush money trial after prosecutors produced seven more social media posts they claim violate the gag order

Judge Juan Merchan has scheduled a hearing over violations of the gag order next week, and could even be jailed if he keeps flouting the guidelines.

The stern warning kicked off the third day of jury selection in the trial where Trump also risked angering the judge by taking a phone call.

He only spoke briefly before his lead attorney Todd Blanche spoke to him.

Judge Merchan then scolded the media for reporting too many details about members of the jury.

He urged the press not to reveal accents, where they work or too much about their physical appearance.

A juror who had already been selected was dramatically dismissed after she admitted fears she couldn't be impartial.

The juror who dropped out had been among seven people so far selected from a pool of hundreds to sit in deliberation on Trump.

Judge Merchan told the court the juror had conveyed after sleeping on it overnight she had concerns about her ability to be fair and impartial.

Prosecutors said this post of Trump resharing a quote from Fox News host Jesse Watters violated the gag order

Attorneys for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office said the former president should be punished for sharing a New York Post article calling Michael Cohen a 'serial perjurer' and 'embarrassment' to the court system

Trump in court for day three of jury selection in his hush money trial

The woman was then brought to court and asked by Judge Merchan to explain herself.

She said: 'Yesterday alone, I had friends, colleagues, and family push things to my phone, questioning my identity as a juror.

'I dont believe at this point I can be fair and unbiased and let the outside influence not affect my decision making in the courtroom.'

Judge Merchan said: Im sorry you went through that and excused her.

Judge Merchan also has ordered Trump not to attack potential jurors in the case, a rule the former president is threatening to break.

CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said the post 'was 'clearly barred by the gag order in this case.'

Trump has frequently attacked the credibility of his former fixer Michael Cohen, who was jailed for his part in the 'hush money' plot

Deputy communications chief Margo Martin gets into a convoy vehicle

Trump aide Natalie Harp on her way to court for day three of jury selection

Trump headed to court for the third day of jury selection

He added: 'Criminal defendants have different and lesser rights than ordinary citizens. They are not allowed to interfere in the trial process, especially when there is a gag order that specifically addresses attempts to intimidate jurors. It is just not permissible.'

So far, seven jurors have been picked to sit in deliberation.

They include an oncology nurse, a software engineer, an information technology professional, a sales professional, an English teacher and two lawyers.

Judge Merchan has said he anticipates opening statements in the landmark case to be given as early as next week.

The jury selection process has moved more quickly than expected and Trump has complained that Judge Merchan, is "rushing" the trial.
A Port Orange man has been caught on police bodycam footage enjoying a cold beer while wearing sunglasses at night during an armed stand-off with cops.

Bearded Florida man Brett McPeek can be heard saying 'I'm going to crack this beer' as an officer approaches him with a loaded gun.

Port Orange Police Department cops were called to his street on Tuesday night after a neighbor accused him of threatening them with a firearm.

'The situation is, he's used a vehicle multiple times and threatened me with a gun multiple times,' the neighbor tells cops at the start of the footage - before he's interrupted by the sound of gunshots coming from McPeek's home.

'You see what I mean?' the neighbor says as a second gunshot rings out in the background.

A Port Orange man has been caught on police bodycam footage enjoying a cold beer while wearing sunglasses at night during an armed stand-off with cops

Bearded Florida man Brett McPeek can be heard saying 'I'm going to crack this beer' as an officer approaches him with a loaded gun

McPeek complies with police officers' orders to turn around and they handcuff him.

The officers approach McPeek's home and ask for his name, to which he replies 'Brett' from the darkness.

'Stay right there,' one cop tells him while angling his gun at the homeowner.

An apparently drunk McPeek replies: 'I'm going to crack this beer, OK?' and the sound of the ring-pull opening can be heard - though the suspect isn't yet visible.

The officer questions whether McPeek has a firearm on him, to which he replies 'no, sir' and confirms that his wife is asleep in the house.

McPeek initially raises his hands with a beer can in each

'He just has two beers in his hand,' the cop says to his HQ via the radio. 'These beers are cold sir, I want to drink them. Come check me.'

'I got you, just for right now we're just going to stay right here, alright' the cop says.

'I'm gonna drink a beer is that cool?' McPeek pushes on as the cop continues to point his gun at him. 'I haven't done nothin' wrong.'

'I want you to put your hands above your head for me,' the cop says, to which McPeek replies: 'Why?'

'Because right now we're trying to figure out what's going on, bud, ok,' the officer explains. 'We want to make sure everybody's safe, m'kay.'

The officer instructs McPeek to move to his right and approaches him. McPeek comes into view, with his hands raised with a beer can in each.

Wearing shades, pink knee-length shorts and a black t-shirt, McPeek is visible in the officer's flashlight behind a picket fence and close to a trash can.

He deposits the beer cans on the ground and pushes his shades onto his head before saying 'what am I doing wrong'.

Wearing shades, pink knee-length shorts and a black t-shirt, McPeek is visible in the officer's flashlight behind a picket fence and close to a trash can

The officers handcuff McPeek at the end of the video. He is now in custody

McPeek walks forward with his arms raised in front of him. He complies with police officers' orders to turn around and they handcuff him.

Port Orange Police Department said the peak Florida interaction came when officers responded to a 'neighbor disturbance.'

'Officers arrived on scene and while investigating, the suspect, identified as Brett McPeek, exited his residence and fired a firearm in the area of the officers, victim, and several neighbors who were outside at the time,' the department said.

'Officers moved in toward the sound of the gunshot and located Brett McPeek outside the front of his residence.

'Officers negotiated with Brett McPeek and were able to safely take him into custody.'

The department said McPeek was 'not in possession of the firearm at the time of the arrest' but cops recovered two handguns, including a .38 Special revolver with a spent shell casing.

McPeek was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail with no bond for aggravated assault with a firearm and using a firearm while under the influence of alcohol.
The White House dodged questions Thursday after Joe Biden made the startling claim that his uncle was eaten by cannibals during World War II.

Biden suggested his relative had met a grisly end at the hands of flesh-eating savages after his plane was shot down by the enemy over New Guinea.

The president made the assertion, apparently for the first time publicly, during a trip to his birthplace of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

In Scranton he visited a World War II memorial that bears the name of his maternal uncle, Ambrose J. Finnegan, who the Biden family referred to as 'Uncle Bosie'.

Biden described how Finnegan's plane was 'shot down' and implied that he was flying the aircraft.

According to the president his uncle 'got shot down in an area where there were a lot of cannibals at the time...they never recovered his body.'

However, Pentagon records have emerged flatly contradicting the president's claims.

They show that the aircraft - an A-20 Havoc - suffered engine failure and was lost over the sea, rather than landing in a jungle amid cannibalistic tribes.

The records also show that Finnegan was a passenger on a non-combat flight. He was listed on the manifest as a 'courier'.

It was the latest in a litany of stories Biden has told which have later been found to include factual errors or exaggerations.

On board Air Force One on Thursday reporters repeatedly asked Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, to confirm the president's cannibal story, but she did not.

She joked that there was 'no cannibal tab' in her binder of information.

Jean-Pierre went on to confirm that Biden's uncle 'died 'when the military aircraft he was on crashed in the Pacific after taking off near New Guinea' - rather than being eaten by cannibals.

On Thursday White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre wouldn't answer questions about the veracity of a story told by President Joe Biden (left) - that his late uncle Ambrose Finnegan (right) was eaten by cannibals during World War II

President Joe Biden reaches to touch the name of his uncle Ambrose J. Finnegan, Jr., on a wall at a Scranton war memorial on Wednesday in Scranton. Biden said Finnegan's plane was 'shot down' despite military records saying the airplane suffered engine failure

White House press secretary Karine Jeanne-Pierre leaving the White House with Joe Biden shortly before telling reporters there was 'no cannibal tab' in her binder of information

Jean-Pierre said: 'Look, you saw the president. He was incredibly proud of his uncle's service in uniform. You saw him at the war memorial. It was incredibly emotional and important to him.

'You saw him respond to all of you when asked about the moment yesterday, and his uncle, who lost his life when the military aircraft he was on crashed in the Pacific after taking off near New Guinea,' she continued.

Jean-Pierre added that Biden highlighted his uncle's story to make the case for 'honoring our sacred commitment to equip those we send to war and to take care of them and their families when they come home.'

'And as he reiterated that the last thing American veterans are are suckers or losers, and he wanted to make that clear,' she added - a dig at former President Donald Trump, Biden's 2024 general election opponent.

Trump has strongly denied making such comments about American soldiers who died in World War II.

When a reporter asked her again about the veracity of the cannibal claim Jean-Pierre responded, 'I mean, look, I don't have anything beyond about what I just laid out.'

'But it was a really proud moment for him. It was incredibly emotional,' she said.

U.S. President Joe Biden visits a war memorial in Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S., April 17, 2024

There are no images of Joe Biden's uncle's plane crashing. This photograph shows a Douglas A-20 Havoc medium bomber attack aircraft being shot down by anti-aircraft fire during an attack on the Imperial Japanese seaplane base and harbor installations at Sekar Bay on 22nd July 1944 at Kokas in Dutch New Guinea, Dutch East Indies.

Local people watching wounded U,S. and Australian soldiers being placed on a row of stretchers. Papua New Guinea, December 1942

'And I think we can't, we can't forget that moment. And we cannot also forget what it means to be a commander-in-chief, what it means to lift up our service members, what it means to make sure that we respect their service, and he made that [contrast] very clear as to what we saw from the former, former president,' Jean-Pierre said, going after Trump again.

When another reporter asked her about the cannibal claims she wrapped up the media briefing as Air Force One was landing, having still not confirmed the president's story.

Pentagon records from that era say that Finnegan was on a 'courier' flight that suffered engine failure and ditched in the ocean off Papua New Guinea on May 14, 1944.

The report by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency said there was a crew of three and one passenger, and the plane departed Momote Airfield, Los Negros Island, for a courier flight to Nadzab Airfield, New Guinea.

The loss of Ambrose Finnegan is also detailed in a 'missing aircraft' report made on March 17, 1944 and kept at the National Archives.

Marked 'Secret' the War Department report shows he was not flying the plane and was a passenger.

Missing Air Crew Report number 48472D LT AMBROSE J. FINNEGAN

Missing Air Crew Report number 48472D LT AMBROSE J. FINNEGAN

Missing Air Crew Report number 48472D LT AMBROSE J. FINNEGAN

There were three 'crew' and one 'passenger' on board. Finnegan was listed as a 2nd Lieutenant who was a 'courier.'

The three-strong crew consisted of a pilot, gunner and engineer. The pilot was 1st Lieutenant Harold R. Prince.

According to the report the weather was 'good' when the plane went down and there was 'nil' evidence to suggest whether or not those on board had survived.

'For unknown reasons, this plane was forced to ditch in the ocean off the north coast of New Guinea, the report said.

'Both engines failed at low altitude, and the aircraft's nose hit the water hard.

'Three men failed to emerge from the sinking wreck and were lost in the crash.

'One crew member survived and was rescued by a passing barge. An aerial search the next day found no trace of the missing aircraft or the lost crew members.'

It said Second Lieutenant Ambrose J. Finnegan was 'the passenger on this Havoc when it was lost.'

The report went on: 'He has not been associated with any remains recovered from the area after the war and is still unaccounted for.'

There were also reports in the National Archives submitted by pilots who went looking for the missing plane.

A Douglas A-20 'Havoc' light bomber like the one Biden's uncle was on

S President Joe Biden with Pennsylvania, Mayor Paige Cognetti, visits the Veterans War Memorial in Scranton, Pennsylvania

President Joe Biden visits Zummo's Cafe with Scranton, Pennsylvania, Mayor Paige Cognetti

They reported 'searching the water all the way with nil obeservations' and that 'no sightings were made.'

Pilots reported back that 'no trace was found of Lieutenant Prince's plane or the crew.'

In Scranton Biden said that when D-Day occurred, 'the next day, all four of my mother's brothers volunteered to join the military. Three of them made it, one of them couldn't go.'

'Ambrose Finnegan - we called him Uncle Bosie - he was shot down. He was in the Army Air Corps, before there was an Air Force, flew those single engine airplanes, reconnaissance flights over New Guinea,' the president continued.

'He volunteered because someone couldn't make it.'

That led to him being shot down.

In a speech later on Wednesday Biden added: 'My Uncle Bosie, he was a hell of an athlete, they tell me, when he was a kid.

'And he became an Army Air Corps before the Air Force came along. He flew those single engine planes as reconnaissance over war zones.

'And he got shot down near Guinea and they never found the body because there used to be, there were a lot of cannibals for real, in that part of New Guinea.'

Speaking in Scranton, Biden went on: 'We had a tradition in my family my grandfather taught us.

'When you visit the graveside of a family member you say three Hail Marys. That was what I was doing (at the memorial).

'My Uncle Ambrose Finnegan - Uncle Bosie was a hell of a guy. I never met him.'

Biden said as he looked at the memorial he thought about Trump.

'What I was thinking about when I was standing there, when Trump refused to go up the memorial in Paris and he said they were bunch of suckers and losers,' he said.

'To me that is a such a disqualifying assertion made by a president. The guys who saved civilization in the 1940s suckers and losers.'
Bargain Hunt star Charlie Hanson's auction house was broken into overnight before it prepared to sell Star Wars memorabilia, leaving him fuming over the 'despicable and sad' raid.

Officers were called to Hansons Auctioneers, in Heage Lane, Etwall, South Derbyshire, at 2.10am on Thursday.

Derbyshire Police remain at the scene carrying out an investigation, as information on what has been stolen is currently unknown.

A four-day auction of silver, jewellery, and watches had been due to start today, but a notice on the company website informed eager collectors that the event had been 'temporarily delayed due to unforeseen circumstances'.

'We hope to start the auction tomorrow or early next week. We will update further on our website and social media soon,' it added.

Bargain Hunt star Charlie Hanson's has been left fuming after his auction house was broken into in the early hours of Thursday morning

The auctioneer (pictured centre), 45, called the raid 'despicable and sad' after an auction was set to take place today and has now been 'temporarily delayed'

Derbyshire police are still investigating the incident as it is not currently known what has been stolen from the establishment

Hansons Auctioneers was founded in 2005 by well-known television personality Charles Hanson, 45, who is famed for his appearances on Bargain Hunt, Flog It! and Antiques Road Trip.

Following the devastating break-in, Hanson said: 'It is despicable and sad that my Etwall saleroom has been broken into.'

But he claimed that thanks to the buildings security system and how quick the police arrived at the scene, limited mess and disturbance had occurred.

'Sadly in this world, instances like this occur. However, we thrive on what we do across Derbyshire, Staffordshire and the UK and we will quickly recover,' he added.

'Hansons' four-day Derby Antiques and Collectors Auction, which was due to start on April 18, will suffer a slight delay but will go on as normal.

'Any vendors affected by this upsetting incident will be properly compensated through our insurance policy.

'Clients who have any concerns should contact the saleroom, or myself, directly'.

With optimism, he added: 'Derbyshire police will do their utmost to catch those responsible.

As well as the four-day auction, Hansons was also set to host a Derby May Single Owner Star Wars Auction

A chartered surveyor, Hanson then made his first appearance on Bargain Hunt in 2002

'We hope these individuals will be swiftly apprehended as we do not wish to see anyone else suffer in this way.'

As well as the four-day auction, Hansons was also set to host a Derby May Single Owner Star Wars Auction next month.

Star Wars fans had been eagerly placing their bids on the vintage pieces before entries closed on April 12.

The catalogue is set to be published online next Friday, but with investigations ongoing into the break-in, collectors will be keeping a close eye on the auction details as the week progresses.

A police statement on the incident said: 'We were called to reports of a break-in at Hansons Auctioneers in Heage Lane, Etwall, at 2.10am today.

'Officers remain at the scene of the incident and there will be an ongoing presence there as the investigation continues.'

They have since launched an appeal for information relating to the break-in asking people to contact them or CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.

The shock break-in comes just months after Hanson faced charges of assault by beating and coercive behaviour, a source told the MailOnline in December.

The BBC auctioneer was set to not appear in any BBC shows in the 'imminent future' as he awaits to stand trial for alleged behaviour against his wife, Rebecca Ludlam.

Hanson pictured with his wife Rebecca at their home in Derbyshire

He pleaded not guilty to controlling or coercive behaviour that 'caused his wife Rebecca on two occasions to fear violence', and told the MailOnline:'I deny all the charges. I have never behaved aggressively or unlawfully towards my family.

'We have been through some difficult times in our marriage and it is extremely sad that this has become a criminal matter. I will be co-operating fully with the investigation and legal process.'

The TV star also denied with assault occasioning causing actual bodily harm and two counts of assault by beating.

The charges allegedly took place against wife Rebecca between 2015 and June 2023.
The 78-year-woman allegedly awoken at 3.15am by Mr Menzies demanding money because he had been locked up by 'bad people' is today revealed to be Katie Fieldhouse, a former Lady Mayoress of his Fylde constituency.

Speaking publicly for the first time about the extraordinary saga today, Mr Menzies' former campaign manager and life-long Tory activist told MailOnline she had been 'deeply distressed' by what had happened.

She said that as 'a devout Christian and a very devout Conservative' she was 'very sad' that Mr Menzies had allegedly put himself in that position.

Ms Fieldhouse confirmed that she had given a full account of that night to Chief Whip Simon Hart back in January, and said she felt let down that no action had been taken against him until the allegations were made public yesterday.

Speaking at her neat bungalow in Lytham St Annes, the respected local figure said Conservative voters in the upmarket seaside resort 'deserve better' from the party.

The 78-year-woman allegedly awoken at 3.15am by Mr Menzies demanding money because he had been locked up by 'bad people' is today revealed to be Katie Fieldhouse (pictured)

MP Mark Menzies (pictured) had the Tory whip suspended yesterday after the allegations surfaced

The 78-year-old confirmed she was awoken last December by an 'angry' Mr Menzies demanding thousands of pounds from local campaign funds in order for the 'bad people' holding him hostage to release him, saying it was 'a matter of life and death'.

Ms Fieldhouse said she 'didn't dispute' anything which had been reported about the saga by The Times.

'My main concern in all this is for the people of Fylde,' she said. 'It's very, very sad.

'I don't know what's going to happen now.

'I'm a Christian woman with morals and principles and I think that says everything.

'I was the one that reported his behaviour - I gave a full account to the Chief Whip when I reported it, that was on January 3.

'I didn't make a complaint, I reported my concerns.'

Asked if she was 'dubious' about Grant Shapps' claim on the Today programme this morning that Mr Menzies had the whip suspended yesterday because 'further information' came to light, and not necessarily because the allegations became public, Ms Fieldhouse said: 'You've come to the same conclusion as me.'

Questioned on whether the Conservative Party had treated her allegations sufficiently seriously up until yesterday, she replied: 'It was three and a half months ago  you can draw your own conclusions.'

Ms Fieldhouse said she had been contacted by party officials about what happened 'a couple of times' since January but had not had any formal contact from the Conservatives.

'I'm a devout Christian and a very devout Conservative and this has distressed me deeply,' she said.

A spokesperson for Chief Whip Simon Hart (pictured) said Mr Menzies has agreed to give up the Tory whip pending an investigation

'I live in a beautiful place and it deserves better.

'My concern in all of this is this constituency.

'I said my piece in January and what's happened since is nothing to do with me.'

Asked if she thought there should now be a police investigation into her allegations, Ms Fieldhouse said she did not want to have 'any further involvement' in the 'distressing' affair.

In a statement to The Times, Menzies said: 'I strongly dispute the allegations put to me. I have fully complied with all the rules for declarations. As there is an investigation ongoing I will not be commenting further.'

A Conservative Party spokesman said: 'The Conservative Party is investigating allegations made regarding a Member of Parliament. This process is rightfully confidential. The party takes all allegations seriously and will always investigate any matters put to them.'

Mark Menzies pictured with Micky and Minnie Mouse at the St Anne's Carnival in his local Lancashire constituency last year

Shirley Green (left) bailed out Mark Menzies (centre). They are pictured with councillor Karen Harrison at St Annes Charity Carnival in July last year

It comes after MailOnline revealed the woman who bailed out Mr Menzies with 5,500 from her personal bank account after he had desperately called Ms Fieldhouse.

Shirley Green is a Conservative Mayoress in Menzies Lancashire constituency who apparently found herself awoken early the following morning by Ms Fieldhouse who was concerned after her early hours call from Mr Menzies.

Ms Fieldhouse was calling Mrs Green because she herself had just been rung hours earlier by their local MP apparently in great distress about what might happen to him if he didnt come up with the money immediately.

Mrs Green, 57, the MPs office manager, then paid out 6,500 from her personal savings to bad men said to be holding Mr Menzies hostage, and was apparently later reimbursed from Conservative Party funds raised from donors.

Mrs Green, who is currently Mayor of genteel St Annes on the Sea, down the coast from Blackpool, and her term will come to an end next month.

She has served on the Town Council since 2019 and has taken a full role in local civic life, and is a governor of a local primary school and trustee of a Boys and Girls club.

Recently, she was photographed with Mr Menzies at the St Annes Carnival, alongside her neighbour Mayor of Fylde Borough Council and volunteers dressed up as Disney characters.

The local newspaper wryly captioned it a magical moment as Mark met Micky, Minnie and the Mayors.

The scandal is now being investigated by Conservative Party bosses, along with some 14,000 given by donors for Tory campaign activities which was previously transferred to Mr Menziess personal bank account and used for his private medical expenses, according to The Times.

Tory party chiefs are said to have been aware of the allegations of potential fraud for more than three months.

The shamed MP was also previously accused of paying for sex from a male escort in 2014, getting a friend's dog drunk in 2017, and drunkenly 'kicking chairs and poking people' at a Last Night of the Proms concert as recently as last August.

The MP, who was born in Ayrshire, was raised by his mother after his Merchant Navy father died a month before he was born.

Mr Menzies was first elected as MP for Fylde at the 2010 general election

He studied economic and social history at the University of Glasgow and worked for Marks & Spencer and Asda before moving into politics.

Mr Menzies was first elected as MP for Fylde in 2010 when David Cameron was prime minister.

He quickly took up a position as parliamentary private secretary but his political career was left in tatters when he became embroiled in a sex-for-money scandal.

A 19-year-old Brazilian man called Rogerio dos Santos Pinto told The Sunday Mirror that the MP had paid him for sex and asked him to buy an illegal drug.

He said they met on a gay escort website and claimed the politician had given him a tour of the Houses of Parliament before allegedly offering to pay him 250 for a two-hour session.

Mr Menzies, then 42, resigned as a ministerial aide and said some of the allegations were untrue and claimed he would be 'setting the record straight in due course'. He has not held a ministerial role since, however.

Three years later, the shamed MP was quizzed by cops after being accused of deliberately getting a friend's dog drunk and then starting a fight with them when challenged.

It was reported at the time that the dog needed emergency treatment for 'intoxication' and 'poisoning'. The dog owner claimed to have spent some 500 on vets' bills, The Mirror reported.

Mr Menzies said the allegations were 'false and malicious' at the time and police ultimately dismissed the claims. And a source later denied Mr Menzies' involvement, claiming the dog drunk alcohol that had been left on the grass when the friend fell asleep.

More recently, Mr Menzies is said to have caused a drunken scene at a Last Night of the Proms concert featuring Katherine Jenkins at Lytham Hall last August.

The MP, who was invited by the local mayor, is said to have arrived intoxicated before getting into a row with other guests after finding out his seats had not been reserved in the VIP section.

One patron claimed the MP 'started kicking the chairs and poking the people on the front row' at the 150-a-ticket event, the Times reports.

Mr Menzies allegedly had to be spoken to by security because he was so heavily intoxicated. A source close to the MP admitted he had too much to drink but did not intentionally poke anyone.

It comes just weeks before the local elections and it remains to be seen whether Prime Minister Rishi Sunak could face another by-election headache.
Samsung gets $6.4 billion in grant from US

The U.S. announced a plan to provide Samsung Electronics with $6.4 billion in subsidies to help facilitate its bid to build advanced semiconductor facilities in Austin, Texas. The plan, unveiled by the U.S. Department of Commerce on Monday, is largely meant to encourage the Korean tech giant to invest in the U.S. Samsung is poised to pour more than $40 billion over the next 10 years into the U.S.

At face value, Samsungs grant is smaller than those allotted to Intel and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC). Yet, the ratio of the subsidy in regard to the investment stands at 16 percent, far exceeding both Intel and TSMC. Intel is set to invest $100 billion with an $8.5 billion grant, equivalent to 8.5 percent of the investment. TSMC is subject to receive a subsidy of $6.6 billion compared to its investment of $65 billion. This can be taken to mean the U.S. administration recognized Samsungs prestige as the world's No. 1 memory chip maker.

The U.S. has become a new battleground for major chip producers. Its provision of such huge grants to semiconductor manufacturers investing in the U.S. is part of an adroit global strategy to maintain its upper hand in the crucial chip sector. The U.S. has been pushing ambitiously for the project to increase domestic production of major chip items in a bid to once again achieve hegemony in the chip industry over its East Asian rivals by reshaping the global chip supply network.

The whole chain, R&D to packaging, is concentrated in a couple of Asian locations and that leaves the U.S. supply chain incredibly vulnerable to disruption. Thats untenable, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said ahead of the announcement. We are all making these investments which will allow the United States to once again lead the world.

The U.S.' vision got the green light with positive responses from Samsung and TSMC, the world's two largest chip firms. An enormous semiconductor synergy effect is expected with the envisioned setup of foundry facilities on U.S. soil. They will be manufacturing chips for supply to world-class companies such as Nvidia, Qualcomm, Apple and their related affiliates.

The demand for advanced chips has been increasing exponentially, boosted by the drastic evolution of the artificial intelligence industry. Currently, the demand for next-generation chips such as high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and process-in-memory (PIM) has been expanding phenomenally, triggering a shortage of supply.

Americans will be able to benefit from more job opportunities. More than 20,000 jobs will be generated with the investment by Samsung alone. The Semiconductor Industry Association of the U.S. estimates that more than 120,000 jobs will be created in the chip sector thanks to combined investments from Samsung, Intel and TSMC by 2030.

More enterprises offer assistance and scholarships to U.S. universities so as to bolster their research and development activities to secure more talented personnel in the future. Samsung has already been making huge investments to nurture students at colleges in Taylor and Austin. The recent investment will boost Samsung's bid to become the worlds No. 1 foundry maker, attracting major global firms as its clients. Despite this, however, Samsung has still got a long way to go, given its rivals like Intel and TSMC have been expanding the foundation of their AI networks, riding on the vehement support of their respective governments.

What about the case of South Korea? Much talk, no action. It is time to offer substantial and feasible assistance to lift the semiconductor sector. Deregulation is necessary to accommodate relevant facilities. Discussions should focus on how to enable firms to receive the proper amount of subsidies from the government. In the past, such efforts faced setbacks amid anti-business sentiment. It is time for Korea Inc. to join forces to boost the chip industry substantially. Such efforts should be made beyond partisan interests and affiliations, as the chip industry has grave implications for the future of the nation.
An investigation into the party's funding and finances has been ongoing since July 2021.

May 2021 - MP quits party finance role

Douglas Chapman resigned from his role as treasurer, saying he had not been given enough information to do his job. Senior figures in the party, including Ms Sturgeon, later disputed his assessment. Joanna Cherry, a vocal, internal critic of the party's leadership, also resigned from her role on the National Executive Committee (NEC).

July 2021 - Police open investigation

Police Scotland confirmed they were investigating after seven complaints were made around donations to the SNP. This followed allegations that 600,000 raised for campaigning towards Scottish independence was diverted elsewhere. Earlier, the police said they were assessing a fraud allegation relating to 600,000 of funds 'to determine if an investigation is required'. The party said 'all sums raised for independence campaigning will be spent on independence campaigning'.

August 2021 - Party accounts acknowledge 'concern'

As the party's annual accounts were published, treasurer Mr Beattie acknowledged there had been 'concern' about transparency over independence-related appeals that had raised more than 600,000. In a section of the accounts, Mr Beattie discussed money raised by the referendum-related appeals since 2017. He said that 666,953 had been raised up to the end of 2021, with a total of 51,760 expenditure applied to this income. The money was 'earmarked' through internal processes, he said, though the accounts did not officially record a separate sum.

December 2022 - Loan to SNP emerges

In December, it emerged that Mr Murrell had loaned the party 100,000 in June 2021. The party said this was to help with a 'cash flow' issue after the election that year. Ms Sturgeon said: 'The resources that he lent the party were resources that belonged to him.'

February 2023 - Nicola Sturgeon resigns

Ms Sturgeon stunned the political world by suddenly announcing her resignation on February 15. She said this was not in relation to short-term pressures but because she knew in her 'head and heart' that the time was right to go. During her Bute House press conference, she was asked if she expected to be interviewed in relation to the investigation. She said she did not.

March 2023 - Peter Murrell resigns

Amid the SNP leadership contest to replace Ms Sturgeon, Mr Murrell announced he was stepping down as the party's chief executive - a role he had held for more than 20 years. It came during a row over the party's membership numbers, which also led to media chief Murray Foote stepping down. Membership numbers had dropped by about 30,000 in the past year, something the party previously denied.

April 2023 - Peter Murrell arrested as police search premises

Mr Murrell was arrested on the morning of Wednesday April 5. There was a large police presence around his home in Glasgow as well as the SNP's headquarters in Edinburgh. He was released without charge, pending further investigation, the same day.

April 2023 - Camper van seized

On April 9, a luxury camper van, thought to be worth about 110,000, was seized by police investigating the party's finances.

April 2023 - Treasurer Colin Beattie arrested

On April 18, party treasurer Mr Beattie was arrested and interviewed by police. His role was to oversee the party's finances.

April 2023 - SNP appoints new treasurer

Stuart McDonald was appointed as the SNP's new treasurer on April 22 after Mr Beattie stood down with 'immediate effect' following his arrest. The 44-year-old MP, who represents Cumbernauld, Kirkintilloch and Kilsyth, admitted it would be a 'difficult and challenging time' for the party.

May 2023 - SNP appoints new auditor

The party appointed the AMS Accountant Group on May 3 2023, after its previous auditor, Johnston Carmichael, stood down in September 2022. The party was subsequently able to file accounts before a crucial deadline which could have seen the Westminster group miss out on 1.2 million worth of funding.

June 2023 - Nicola Sturgeon arrested

Former first minister and SNP leader Ms Sturgeon was arrested on June 11. She 'voluntarily' arranged with Police Scotland to be questioned as part of the investigation into the party's finances, a spokesman said. Like the other party figures, she was released without charge pending further investigation. Upon returning to Holyrood, she said: 'The thing that sustains me right now is the certainty that I have done nothing wrong.'

July 2023 - Sir Iain Livingstone says probe has 'moved beyond' initial reports

Police Scotland Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone gave an interview shortly before he was to step down from his role. He confirmed the police investigation, known as Operation Branchform, had 'moved beyond what some of the initial reports were', saying this is not uncommon in financial inquiries. Sir Iain said he would not put an 'absolute timeframe' on the length of the investigation but that it would be 'proportionate and timeous'.

August 2023 - Further comments from Sir Iain Livingstone

The outgoing chief constable spoke to the BBC in August 2023, saying police are 'duty bound' to investigate matters reported to them. He said: 'Our action and our investigation is in the interests of everybody involved because it will clarify facts and deal with evidence and facts as opposed to rumour and innuendo. So the sooner this investigation is concluded, the better for everyone involved.'

October 2023 - Finances probe a factor in by-election loss

Following the SNP's defeat in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election, Humza Yousaf said the investigation into the party's finances - along with the 'reckless' actions of recalled MP Margaret Ferrier - played a part in the result. He said the party would 'regroup' and come back stronger.

January 2024 - Investigation has affected how public views party: Yousaf

Speaking to a BBC Radio 4 podcast, Mr Yousaf said the police investigation into SNP finances has 'clearly' affected the public perception of the party. He said the inquiry has been 'one of the most difficult times' for the SNP and that he must work hard to rebuild trust.

April 2024 - Peter Murrell re-arrested

On the morning of April 18 2024, Mr Murrell was re-arrested by police and questioned by detectives. This took place just over a year since the police search of his home near Glasgow.

He was questioned and later charged by Police Scotland detectives over embezzlement of funds from the SNP. He was released from custody.

Mr Murrell is reported to have resigned his membership of the SNP following the charge.
Finding jurors who believe they can be fair and impartial is proving difficult

Finding an impartial jury in the trial of the century proved to be a challenge in the hush money case against Donald Trump as it dragged into day three.

It turns out that many potential jurors already have an opinion of the ex-president while others are concerned about their own safety and whether their identities would be publicly uncovered even if they do believe they can remain impartial in the case.

Day three of the Trump hush money trial started with seven jurors having been seated but two were dismissed throughout the day dropping the number down to five before more were added.

Dozens of more potential jurors filed through the courtroom in lower Manhattan as the ex-president of the United States looked on. But many were excused after saying the could not remain impartial.

By the end of the day twelve jurors had been seated. Jury selection for the alternates will continue Friday.

Judge Juan Merchan said he remains hopeful opening statements could begin Monday.

Ex-President Donald Trump awaits day 3 proceedings to start in the Manhattan criminal court on April 18, 2024

Here are the big takeaways:

Twelve jurors seated after two were dismissed

Juror number two was dismissed on Thursday.

One was an oncology nurse who was selected to be the second juror but she was dismissed after casting doubts about her ability to be fair and impartial.

The woman was brought in before proceedings began. She told the court that she 'definitely have my concerns now.'

The woman said she had her friends and family 'push things' questioning her identity as a juror.

I dont believe at this point I can be fair and unbiased and let the outside influence not affect my decision making in the courtroom,' she said.

Merchan said he was 'sorry' she went through that and she was excused.

Juror four was also excused after prosecutor Joshua Steinglass said his team found a man with the same name was arrested for tearing down political ads.

The arrest was not disclosed on the juror questionnaire.

Two replacement jurors were officially added to Trump's panel bringing the tally back to seven by the late afternoon.

A married male engineer originally from California was the next added.

A second man - who follows Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen on Twitter and former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway- also secured a spot on the jury.

By late afternoon the full 12 jurors had been seated for the case.

Two jurors were dismissed on Thursday before the full 12 jurors were seated

Juror privacy is a top concern

Judge Merchan on Thursday addressed concerns over juror privacy as lawyers have struggled to find a jury for the case.

Merchan said he agreed it was important to obtain information about potential jurors' employers, but he ordered that the information be redacted from the court record and directed the press not to report such details.

'It's become a problem,' Merchan said.

He also said the press should not report on physical appearances of jurors which could be used to help identify them.

The directives came as one of the jurors on Thursday expressed concerns over being identified publicly.

The woman said her friends, colleagues and family conveyed to her that she had been identified as a potential juror and she was concerned.

She was one of the two jurors the judge ended up dismissing.

Courtroom sketch of Trump sitting with his lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove during jury selection on day three for his criminal trial on charges of falsifying business records over hush money payments

Dozens excused amid struggle to find impartial jurors

Day three of the trial started with 96 new prospective jurors entering the courtroom.

But 48 of those potential jurors were dismissed after they said they could not be fair or impartial.

Another nine jurors were excused for other reasons as the prosectors and lawyers work to seat a jury of Trump's peers.

Those who remained were questioned individually.

One potential juror who is a paralegal said 'yes, I will be unbiased. I will be very impartial' in response to the question if she can put aside bias.

Another said she had read Trump's 'Art of the Deal' decades earlier but said 'absolutely' when asked whether she could decide the case solely on the evidence and law.

One man who was raised in Italy was excused after saying it would be a little hard to 'retain my impartiality and fairness' since the Italian media has a strong association with Trump.

But a pause for lunch gave more potential jurors the time to consider whether they could really be impartial.

A sketch of Trump paying close attention as jurors are questioned for his criminal trial Thursday

A lawyer in the juror pool said she feared she might not be able to set aside prior knowledge and thoughts about Trump's cases.

'I thought about this during lunch. I think the fact that I spent a year discussing this case with a federal judge and law clerks, I fear that I know too much,' she said. 'I dont know that I can put that aside. Im worried that its going to seep in, in some way.'

One said she disagreed with most of Trump's policies, but she said she did not have an opinion of him personally.

Another said she doesn't like his 'persona' and how he 'presents himself in public.'

'I dont like some of my coworkers but I dont try to sabotage their work,' she added.

Multiple prospective jurors have read about Trump and others in case

Potential jurors filing through the Manhattan courtroom on Thursday are very familiar with Donald Trump.

One prospective juror said she had read Trump's book 'Art of the Deal' decades ago.

Another said he had read several of Trump's books including 'Art of the Deal' and 'How to be Rich.' But the man maintained he could be a 'fair and impartial juror.'

A third from Manhattan had also read 'Art of the Deal.'

Potential jurors also were familiar with expected witnesses in the case.

One woman said she had read the first ten pages of Michael Cohen's book 'Disloyal' for work.

Another said he follows Cohen's podcast as well as Trump on social media.

T rump appears engrossed at times, bored others but holds his tongue in court on Day 3

Unlike his first two days during the trial, Trump did not speak to reporters when he arrived at court for day three of his trial.

The ex-president entered court with his lawyers around 9:15am Thursday morning. He waved, but he did not make remarks or take questions.

During a break he also did not speak with reporters or answer questions.

He did at one point raise a clenched fist at the cameras.

As potential jurors filed in, Trump eventually turned around and looked at them. As potential jurors took the jury box throughout the day, Trump craned his neck observe them.

Reporters observing said Trump appeared 'engrossed' with potential jurors seated in the jury box as they gave their answers to the questionnaire.

At other times he was seated silently at the defense table looking forward.

Trump raising a fist when returning from a break at the Manhattan criminal court on April 18

Prosecutors urge judge to find Trump in contempt over posts

Prosecutors in the case added seven additional statements made by Trump for the contempt hearing that is set to take place next Tuesday.

The online posts from Trump's Truth Social account and his campaign website attacked Michale Cohen.

The most disturbing one was a claim on Truth Social that there were undercover liberal activists lying to the judge to get on the jury.

Prosecutors have already asked the court to fine Trump $3,000 for three previous violations, but they said they were considering our options for what further sanctions were justified.

Were asking you to hold the defendant in contempt, prosecutor Chris Conroy said.

Judge Merchan said he would deal with it on Tuesday at the hearing.

Judge Juan M. Merchan has issued a gag order against Trump

It is cold in the Manhattan criminal court

On numerous occasions throughout the day, the temperature in the courtroom was the topic of conversation, but the judge refused to turn up the heat.

Trump joked with reporters 'is it cold enough?' as he walked out for a lunch break.

Earlier in the day, his lead attorney Todd Blanche approached Merchan and asked if he could make the court any warmer.

Merchan agreed it was cold, but warned turning up the heat would lead to a spike in the temperature.

Later, Merchan even apologized to potential jurors for the chill, but said 'it's one extreme or the other.'

In the late afternoon, Trump could be heard telling an aide 'it's freezing.'
A new timeline lays bare the horror of the fatal beating of 16-year-old Preston Lord by a gang of teens in Arizona.

Lord was assaulted at a Halloween party last October and found on a nearby sidewalk in Queen Creek, a suburb of Phoenix.

Talan Renner, 17, is accused of being the bully who delivered the devastating 'hammer punches' that ended the young athlete's life.

Witnesses told police Renner punched Lord at least four times as the victim was knocked to the ground, before kicking him at least once.

Renner then stepped away and allowed the other alleged teen delinquents, who call themselves the 'Gilbert Goons,' to each take a turn assaulting Lord.

The other six murder suspects then took turns stomping, punching and even humping Lord as he laid on the ground, according to a police report and as reported by The Arizona Republic.

Preston Lord, 16, was left to die on a Queen Creek road outside Phoenix after being attacked at the party on October 28 and suffering critical wounds

Talan Renner, 17, is accused of being the bully who delivered the devastating 'hammer punches' that ended Lord's life

A memorial for Preston Lord is seen by the sidewalk where he was found unconscious

Repeat offenders William 'Owen' Hines, 18, and Dominic Turner, 20, were seen kicking Lord. Jacob Meisner, 17, charged in other Goon assaults, was also seen hitting Lord multiple times.

Treston Billey, 18, another Goon previously accused in various assaults, was allegedly the last to attack, jumping on Lord's head as he yelled: 'F*** you, pu***!'

Then, Taylor Sherman, 19, is accused of opening Snapchat on his phone to record rescuers dragging Lord's body out of the street.

He reportedly said: 'Slumped the f*** out. Haha.'

Talyn Vigil then allegedly ran to his car and told his girlfriend: 'I just knocked out a kid cold ... we have to go, we have to leave.'

Lord died from his brain injuries at the hospital two days later, but police did not make any arrests for months, until March, sparking frustration in a community that has been rocked by teen violence over the last years.

All seven suspects have pled not guilty to Lord's murder, and all but Vigil, who posted bail last week, remain in jail awaiting trial.

Lord's murder suspects Billey and Meisner are seen above. Both were previously accused in assaults connected to the so-called Gilber Goons

Suspect Talyn Vigil ran to his car and told his girlfriend: 'I just knocked out a kid cold ... we have to go, we have to leave'

By 9.40pm, the Goons had caught up to Lord and his friends, and Dominic Turner snatched a $10 gold chain from the boy who had recorded the previous altercation

Sherman told police as they left the scene that Renner said: 'I might have hospitalized that kid... I hit him pretty hard.'

Lord's friends told police that while they did not know any of the attackers, Billey zeroed in on one of Lord's friends after he began recording another altercation involving the murder suspects.

The boy told Billey he deleted the video, but the Goons continued targeting Lord and his friends, who tried retreating away from the party but were followed by the teen delinquents.

As they chased them, the Goons were reportedly singing a disturbing tone that went: ' Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye.'

By 9.40pm, the Goons had caught up to Lord and his friends, and Turner snatched a $10 gold chain from the boy who had recorded the previous altercation, according to police reports.

The Goons then began playing hot potato with the gold chain as they mocked the boys and incited him to 'do something' about the stolen chain, it's alleged.

Taylor Sherman, 19, opened Snapchat on his phone to record rescuers dragging Lord's body out of the street

Repeat offender William 'Owen' Hines, 18, was also seen assaulting Lord

Despite the taunts, the boy tried walking away but soon felt a hit to the right side of his head. The punch was thrown by Meisner, witnesses told police, and it sparked the chaos that followed.

Lord and his friends began running away but the Goons gave chase again, pushing a 14-year-old to the ground before allegedly punching him in the head and leaving him with a broken wrist.

The Goons then caught up to Lord, and knocked him to the ground with a punch before taking turns assaulting him. It's unclear who threw the first punch, with some witnesses pointing to Renner and others to Vigil.

The boys' have a similar name, and Renner's father Travis Renner has been accused of using the similarity in names to try to pin the murder on Vigil, who is the only suspect released on bail.

The beating took seconds, and the Goons reportedly headed to their cars after 'twerking' and 'air humping' Lord's body.

According to a former employee of Travis Renner, an attempted coverup began almost immediately after Lord's murder.

Ashley Reynolds, who used to work at Relentless Media Agency, has claimed that her former bosses Travis Renner and Adam Kifer openly discussed their plans to hide evidence and shift blame on Talyn Vigil.

Travis Renner and his business partner reportedly plotted to bring Talan to a cabin until the injuries he sustained while handing out the beating healed. Detectives recorded that Renners family had 'financial means to aid in fleeing to Mexico' and he was taken out of the Phoenix area after the attack on Preston.

The businessmen said Preston's beating was part of some sort of initiation, as Talan wanted to participate in beatings like the ones carried out by the Gilbert Goons, Reynolds said.

Court documents say none of the suspects knew Preston before they attacked him over a gold chain.

Arizona businessman Travis Renner has been accused of helping his teen son cover up the murder of a 16-year-old boy who was beaten to death after a house party

Reynolds claimed she was instructed to backdate electronic calendar entries to make it appear as if Talan was out of town the day of the Halloween party. She added her former bosses even came up for a way for Renner to divest himself from the company to minimize the possibility of lawsuits.

Renner's business partner Kifer then allegedly requested Reynolds sign a nondisclosure agreement. He told Arizona Republic he has 'no connection to the allegations involving the Renner family.'

Reynolds spoke with the local outlet before anyone had been charged with Preston's murder.

Queen Creek police Chief Randy Brice confirmed detectives spoke with Reynolds, who provided information that aligned with their findings.

'The statements that were made that related to our case corroborated what we already knew. ... It was corroboration rather than a contradiction,' the police chief said. 'It's information that we already knew through a different set of interviews.'

The Renner home was raided by police in November, but Talan was not arrested until later.

Renner's other son Kyler has been charged in connection with two separate gang attacks at a parking garage and a house party in 2022.

Travis Renner was also arrested in January on suspicion of drug possession and paraphernalia charges while his son Kyler was taken into custody over the gang violence claims.

The father has not been charged with the alleged coverup.
The mother of a baby girl who died after being left face down on a bean bag for 90 minutes at a day nursery today claimed she had been told by bosses that 'safety was paramount.'

Katie Wheeler said she was naturally anxious and had asked for reassurances that all staff were first aid trained and that her daughter, Genevieve Meehan, would be 'cared for.'

The nine-month-old was rushed to hospital after being found 'unresponsive and blue' at Tiny Toes, in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester, on the afternoon of May 9, 2022.

Deputy manager Kate Roughley, 37, who was in charge of the nursery's baby room, is on trial accused of ill-treating Genevieve, who was known as Gigi, and causing her death.

The jury, sitting at Manchester Crown Court, has been told the nursery wasn't Genevieve's parents first choice, but they had enrolled her as a stop gap until a place at their preferred nursery became available in October.

Pictured: Kate Roughley deputy manager of Tiny Toes Day Nursery in Cheadle Hulme. She is on trial accused of ill-treating Genevieve, who was known as Gigi, and causing her death

Roughley, of Heaton Norris, Stockport, denies manslaughter and an alternative charge of child cruelty

The nine-month-old Genevieve Meehan was rushed to hospital after being found 'unresponsive and blue' at Tiny Toes, in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester, on the afternoon of May 9, 2022

In a statement Ms Wheeler said the weekend before Genevieve's death was 'the most wonderful' of the baby's life.

She had taken a few steps on her own and had started 'babbling away,' saying 'Dada, dada,' Ms Wheeler said.

Although her daughter had been in hospital for a week until April 30 with a chest infection, she had got back to her 'bright, alert and mischievous self' and there were 'no concerns' about her health when she was dropped off at nursery on May 9.

Recalling conversations with nursery managers, Ms Wheeler said: 'I explained that I was an anxious person and I asked a number of questions about safety and was reassured that all staff had regular first aid training.

'I wanted to know that Genevieve would be cared for and that safety in the nursery was paramount.'

The mother-of-two, who has an older daughter from a previous relationship, said she and Genevieve's father, John Meehan, were 'obsessive' about safe sleeping practices.

Earlier prosecutor Peter Wright KC told the jury that guidance states babies should be placed on their backs to sleep, but Roughley had tightly swaddled Genevieve in a blanket and used a harness to restrain her face down on the bean bag.

'The risk of asphyxiation and death was serious and obvious,' the barrister said.

Roughley outside Manchester Crown Court. The prosecution say Genevieve's death was not the result of 'some terrible or unavoidable accident' but down to 'ill-treatment' at the hands of Roughley, who is a qualified nursery nurse and early years practitioner with 17 years' experience

Earlier prosecutor Peter Wright KC told the jury that guidance states babies should be placed on their backs to sleep, but Roughley had tightly swaddled Genevieve in a blanket and used a harness to restrain her face down on the bean bag

In a separate statement Mr Meehan, said he rushed to Stepping Hill Hospital, near Stockport, after being telephoned by his Ms Wheeler, to say their daughter was unwell.

He told the court he arrived before Genevieve, who was being blue-lighted in an ambulance, and Ms Wheeler, who was taken to the hospital in a police car.

'I was waiting outside A&E as the ambulance arrived,' Mr Meehan said. 'He (a paramedic) opened the doors of the ambulance and I could see that CPR was being conducted on Genevieve.

'I remained at the hospital as the doctors were trying to save Genevieve.

'I recall having a conversation with the police officers and doctors that I didn't want Katie to see this.

'We were told that they were going to stop CPR and they could not save Gigi.'

Earlier, Ms Wheeler described Genevieve as a 'beautiful' daughter, who was 'a complete person and a real individual.'

Their family was 'very happy and complete' when she was born, Ms Wheeler said, which was 'something she cherished.'

'Owing to her beautiful French name she adopted a French persona in our house and often used to speak - voiced by me - all in French with a French accent, which really became part of her character,' Ms Wheeler added.

'We used to joke that it would be very strange when she started to talk properly and wouldn't actually sound French.'

The prosecution say Genevieve's death was not the result of 'some terrible or unavoidable accident' but down to 'ill-treatment' at the hands of Roughley, who is a qualified nursery nurse and early years practitioner with 17 years' experience.

Mr Wright said Genevieve had been 'distressed' and kicking her legs in the air, but Roughley ignored the baby's crying and left her in the same position on the bean bag for an hour and 37 minutes until she was found unresponsive at 3.12pm.

Roughley's monitoring of Genevieve had been 'sporadic' and she lied to police to say she constantly checked on babies to conceal 'the awful truth,' Mr Wright said.

Roughley, of Heaton Norris, Stockport, denies manslaughter and an alternative charge of child cruelty.

The trial, estimated to last four weeks, continues.
The Senate voted to advance a controversial spy tool on Thursday, clearing it for final passage ahead of a Friday expiration deadline.

In a 67-32 vote, the Senate invoked cloture, allowing debate to begin on the bill.

Senate leaders along with intelligence officials have stressed a need to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Authority (FISA), or else 'America will go blind.'

'With less than a week to go before FISA authorities expire, time is a luxury the Senate doesn't have,' Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had warned earlier this week as Republicans tried to pull procedural stunts to delay the reauthorization.

'With less than a week to go before FISA authorities expire, time is a luxury the Senate doesn't have,' Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer

'We will go blind on April 20,' Intelligence Chairman Mike Turner told reporters last week, stressing the urgency of the national security surveillance tool.

Sen. Rand Paul, a FISA critic, seemed unconcerned.

'I'm not concerned with the date,' he said.

Last week the House approved a two-year extension of a controversial foreign surveillance program that can help track foreign terrorists after a chaotic week of Republican infighting.

It came after Trump said he is 'not a fan' of FISA but did not try to whip members against voting for it.

'I'm not a big fan of FISA. But I told everybody I said do what you want,' Trump said during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago standing next to Speaker Mike Johnson.

'They put a lot of checks and balances on and I guess it's down to two years now so that it would come due in the early part of my administration.'

'I know [FISA] probably better than anybody,' Trump claimed. 'You know they spied on my campaign. You do know that right? And they did lots of other bad things.'

Trump had deflated chances of FISA's passing the House ahead of a failed rule vote to advance it earlier this week with a scathing post to Truth Social.

'KILL FISA, IT WAS ILLEGALLY USED AGAINST ME, AND MANY OTHERS. THEY SPIED ON MY CAMPAIGN!!! DJT,' Trump wrote.

But Johnson made an agreement with Trump and his allies to renew it only for two years instead of five, so they could hash out more reforms under a potential Trump administration.

Another part of the law that is not up for reauthorization - Title 1 - was used to spy on Trump campaign adviser Carter Page in 2016 when he was suspected of communications with the Russians. Trump reauthorized FISA in 2018.

Trump's comments at the Friday news conference were a more passive opposition.

Section 702 specifically allows the U.S. government to surveil foreign nationals with suspected terror ties who are not on U.S. soil, even if the party on the other side of such communications is a U.S. national in America.

A hotly contested amendment from Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., to require a warrant before picking up conversations of those on U.S. soil who communicate with suspected terrorists failed on a rare tie vote, 212-212.

Speaker Mike Johnson cast the final vote that tanked the amendment - a move that is sure to rankle hardliners.

'Being the vote that took down the warrant amendment certainly brought other members over to my side,' said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Johnson, who she has filed a motion to oust from the speakership.

'This is a sad day for America. The Speaker doesn't always vote in the House, but he was the tie breaker today. He voted against warrants,' Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., wrote on X.

An amendment from Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, that would require the FBI to provide quarterly reports about how many Americans had been queried under 702 passed and was added to the bill.

The national security surveillance bill includes new guardrails aimed at oversight and transparency, after a report found that intelligence agents had improperly queried Americans 278,000 times under the law.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) released a May 2023 report that details how the FBI improperly used Section 702 to 'query' - or search - names of individuals who were suspected of being on the Capitol grounds during the January 6, 2021 riot, Black Lives Matters protestors, victims of crime and their families and donors to one congressional campaign.

FISA is set to expire on April 19, after which 'America will go blind,' Intelligence Chairman Mike Turner warned reporters.

Ahead of the vote, Turner noted that FISA could have been used to spy on Al-Qaeda ahead of the 9/11 attack.

'The 9/11 perpetrators were in the United States and they were communicating with Al-Qaeda,' he said on the House floor.

'At that time, we made a grave mistake and that we were not spying on al Qaeda and we didn't see who they were communicating with United in the United States. we changed that and we began to spine al Qaeda and we got to see the extent to which they were recruiting people the United States to do us harm.'

Without Section 702, intelligence agents would not be able to get the full picture of conversations of suspected terrorists abroad who are communicating with people on American soil.

Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, tore into the right-wing House Freedom Caucus and its allies who want the FBI to have to get a warrant to pick up those conversations, which critics say would bog down the process of fighting terrorism.

'Let's be clear. Your position is aligned (and cosponsored) with the progressive caucus - Jerry Nadler, AOC, Rashida Tlaib, Pramila Jayapal - the list goes on and on. It is the far left socialists that want this same policy,' he said.

'What the progressives want to do is much more than just fix the program, they want to kill it entirely. I'm not surprised when Rashida Tlaib wants to make it easier for terrorists to kill Americans, but I am VERY surprised that many Republicans agree with her.'

Crenshaw's amendment to allow international drug traffickers to be queried under 702, in addition to terrorists, was adopted to the bill.

Crenshaw likened it to a wire tap of criminal investigation. Police don't have to get a warrant to probe conversations of suspects and the people they talk to. He noted that intelligence agents need to track would-be terrorists' conversations with those in the U.S. at early stages, potentially before a judge would approve a warrant for 'probable cause.'

'This requirement - while perhaps well intentioned - would actually destroy our ability to detect domestic terror attacks (or drug trafficking, or espionage), because it prevents our investigators from moving past step 1 of the investigation process, which is simply connecting the dots with data we already legally have.'

Biggs, who sponsored the warrant requirement, shot back: 'You've aligned yourself with the DC Cartel that insists on spying on Americans and violating the Bill of Rights.'

Crenshaw claimed the FBI 'HATES' the new reforms in the bill. 'It severely degrades their access to the FISA database. It imposes criminal penalties for abusing it. It makes clear you can't search anyone for any reason, but only for investigations related to foreign intelligence, WMD, or terrorism.'

While many of Section 702's uses remain classified, intelligence officials leaked late last year that they had used the controversial tool to thwart weapons sales to Iran.

The CIA and other intelligence agencies had used information gathered through monitoring the electronic communications of foreign weapons manufacturers and stopping several shipments of advanced weapons to Iran.

On Thursday FBI Director Christopher Wray issued a dire warning to members of Congress about what could happen if FISA lapses. 'It will massively increase the risk of missing crucial intelligence during a time of heightened national security threats across a whole multiple of fronts,' Wray said.

'If we're blinded from seeing what our adversaries are, who they're working with, I can tell you that's going to most definitely have consequences for our ability to protect the American people, because I can assure that none of our adversaries are tying their own hands. So now is not the time for us to hang up our gloves.'

The ODNI report states 13 people connected to January 6 were inappropriately queried in order to determine if they had 'foreign ties.'

In addition, over 130 individuals were searched in the database who were linked to the social unrest and riots conducted by Black Lives Matter activists in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd in 2020.

The FISA search was conducted to gain information on whether they were connected to any counterterrorism plots - which DOJ wrote in the report was 'reasonable,' but the high level of redactions don't allow for a fuller explanation.

There was also a 'batched inquiry' of over 19,000 donors to a congressional campaign, which was unnamed.

The FBI analyst who conducted the search said the campaign was a possible target of foreign influence.

However, the Department of Justice said there were only 'eight identifiers' used in the search in total that 'had sufficient ties to foreign influence activities to comply with the querying standard.'

Additionally, FBI FISA searches were conducted on crime victims, including 'individuals listed in police homicide reports, including victims, next-of-kin, witnesses, and suspects.'

DOJ said these queries were inappropriate because there was 'no reasonable basis' to expect the individuals would be linked to foreign intelligence through those searches.
An impressive 1,475 statues have filled the landscape beside a D-Day memorial overlooking France's Golden Beach in honour of each of the servicemen who fell during the historic mission.

The Standing with Giants silhouettes are part of the For Your Tomorrow installation at the British Normandy Memorial, in Ver-Sur-Mer, France.

In a stunning nod to the servicemen who fell on D-Day itself, almost 80 years ago, the fields within the British Normandy Memorial campus have been filled with two-metre-tall statues of soldiers - representing the three military services.

Alongside the 1,475 silhouettes, the project will also install bespoke 'giants' to represent the only two women on the Memorial, nurses Sisters Evershed and Field.

The two heroic women died while saving 75 men from a sinking hospital ship.

The Standing with Giants silhouettes are part of the For Your Tomorrow installation at the British Normandy Memorial, in Ver-Sur-Mer, France

The staggering number of silhouettes represents the number of fatalities under British command on June 6, 1944

Statues of some 50 French resistance fighters are also set to be placed around the French Memorial.

Images of the project, which launched this Spring and open next Summer, show lush green fields dotted with figures that cast long shadows across the grass as the sun sets in the distance.

The sombre mood captures the deep emotion and tragedy behind the project as statues of men in helmets and guns strapped to their backs stand proudly on the French landscape.

The staggering number of silhouettes represents the number of fatalities under British command on June 6, 1944.

According to the British Normandy Memorial website, the instillation will be available to visit throughout Summer next year.

Standing with Giants is a community project, set up in 2019 by Oxfordshire community artist, Dan Barton, and a group of local volunteers.

They create large scale art instillations using recycled building materials, and provide meaningful spaces for people to visit, reflect, and remember.

Since February, families and organisation groups have been invited to take part in preparing the 1,475 statues om an Oxfordshire workshop ahead of the instillation in Normandy, due to take place this month.

According to the British Normandy Memorial website, the instillation will be available to visit throughout Summer next year

The British Normandy Memorial records the names of the 22,442 servicemen and women under British command who fell on D-Day

Those who lost a loved one in the historic mission also have the opportunity to commemorate them with a Tribute plaque beside one of the statues.

The British Normandy Memorial said: 'Plaques ordered by May 6 2024 will be displayed alongside the Standing with Giants installation for the summer of 2024, allowing your giant to stand amongst peers'.

The plaques will remain on the grounds for a minimum of five years.

For 150, people will be able to dedicate a black plaque with a printed white inscription, attached to a 1.2m stake that will stand in the wildflower meadow of the British Normandy Memorial in the summer of the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day landings.

They will also be offered the opportunity for their plaque to have a silhouette of a soldier, sailor or pilot.

The British Normandy Memorial records the names of the 22,442 servicemen and women under British command who fell on D-Day and during the Battle of Normandy in the summer of 1944.

This includes people from more than 30 different countries.

Inscribed in stone, their names have never, until now, been brought together.

The site also includes a French Memorial, dedicated to the memory of French civilians who died during this time.
The theatre critic of The Spectator magazine has sparked a backlash after writing about visiting a prostitute after becoming aroused by a 'beautiful historian' giving a lecture.

Lloyd Evans, who is also a sketch-writer for the publication, was widely condemned for the column, described as 'horrific', 'crude' and 'appalling'.

In the article he described academic Lea Ypi as having 'blonde hair spilling over her shoulders', saying her appearance 'absorbed far more' of his 'attention' than her reflections on politics.

He described in the magazine how he had attended Downing College in Cambridge for the lecture by Ms Ypi, an Albanian academic who lectures on political theory at the London School of Economics.

But he said having no way to 'orchestrate' a meeting with the historian after the talk, he 'instead headed for the rougher end of Cambridge'.

Lloyd Evans, who is also a sketch-writer for the publication, was widely condemned for the column, described as 'horrific', 'crude' and 'appalling'

Lea Ypi, an academic who lectures on political theory at the London School of Economics. In the article he described Ypi as having 'blonde hair spilling over her shoulders', saying her appearance 'absorbed far more' of his 'attention' than her reflections on politics

Evans, who has written for The Spectator since the 1980s, then described going to an 'already arranged... social rendezvous at a private business location'.

He explained 'how it works' - handing 'over a roll of banknotes to a concierge at a desk who ushers you into a softly lit room where your companion awaits you'.

Evans said he met a woman called Shea, who was 'petite' and 'buxom'. He added that she 'looked Chinese'.

She is said to have 'rubbed hot wax' onto his shoulders before ordering him to 'flip onto my back as she dimmed the lights and raised one eyebrow at me suggestively'. He then talks about 'negotiations' before describing at length how he paid for the encounter.

His article, published today, has sparked outrage from commentators and academics.

Ms Ypi responded to the article herself on social media.

She wrote: 'Advice for scholars: next time you lecture on Kant and revolutions at 'Downing' (Darwin College) Cambridge, make sure your hair is neatly tied and that you're not blonde.

Ms Ypi responded to the article on social media. She wrote: 'Advice for scholars: next time you lecture on Kant and revolutions at 'Downing' (Darwin College) Cambridge, make sure your hair is neatly tied and that you're not blonde. Or else your research impact will be on the Spectator libido section'

'Or else your research impact will be on the Spectator libido section.'

Darwin College, part of the University of Cambridge, where the talk happened - not Downing College as Evans stated - also criticised the piece in a post on social media.

It said: 'Absolutely appalled to see this Lea. Your fascinating, beautifully crafted lecture was a hugely appreciated highlight of the College's cultural year, and we hope your memory of the event won't be tainted by an audience member using it to write something so crude and offensive.'

Other academics also condemned the article, with one calling the piece 'creepy' and 'cringe' and another saying it was 'appalling'.

Doctor Charlotte Lydia Riley, a historian, added: 'This is horrific. I'm so sorry.'

In the column, Evans wrote: 'Her blonde hair spilling over her shoulders absorbed far more of my attention than her political reflections and I was desperate to speak to her afterwards, but I had no way to orchestrate a meeting.'

The Spectator has been contacted for comment.
A protester committed contempt of court by 'deliberately targeting' jurors when holding up a sign outside a court ahead of a trial of climate activists, the High Court has heard.

Trudi Warner was arrested on March 27 last year for holding up a sign outside an entrance used by jurors at Inner London Crown Court.

She carried out the move before a trial involving members of the climate group, Insulate Britain, with a sign that read: 'Jurors you have an absolute right to acquit a defendant according to your conscience.'

Senior government legal officers are now asking the High Court for the green light to proceed with legal action against Ms Warner.

They say the retired social worker was guilty of contempt of court due to her 'serious interference' with the 'administration of justice'.

Barristers for the Walthamstow resident argued today that her actions did not constitute an offence and claimed she merely acted as a 'human billboard'.

Ever since the Attorney General's Office announced its decision to take legal action against Ms Warner, campaigners have held placards outside every crown court across England and Wales in solidarity with the 69-year-old.

Trudi Warner was arrested on March 27 last year for holding up a sign outside an entrance used by jurors at Inner London Crown Court

Ever since the Attorney General's Office announced its decision to take legal action against Ms Warner, campaigners have held placards outside every crown court across England and Wales in solidarity with the 69-year-old

In his written submissions, Aidan Eardley KC, representing Solicitor General Robert Courts for the Government, said Ms Warner 'deliberately targeted' jurors and encouraged them to 'approach their task in a particular way'.

Speaking in court on Thursday, he said the incident was 'a confrontation with jurors, calculated objectively, and intended subjectively, to tell them how to go about doing their job'.

READ MORE: Extinction Rebellion activists storm offices of major insurers and march through streets of the capital's financial centre in protest over insurance for oil and gas projects Advertisement

He added that the 'public needs to know' that they could perform their role as jurors 'without being bombarded with instructions from bystanders about how they go about that task'.

Ms Warner was seen on CCTV outside the court for around half an hour on the morning of March 27, the first day of the trial, but did not speak to any members of the public.

Later that day outside the same court, she joined a protest over how the judge in the trial, Judge Silas Reid, had overseen previous trials of other Insulate Britain protesters.

Judge Reid had previously instructed jurors to decide the case according to the law and evidence and set aside any views they might have about climate change.

Mr Eardley said that while Ms Warner's sign was 'inaccurate as a matter of law', her actions still constituted an offence and there was a 'strong public interest' in taking legal action against her.

He added on Thursday that Ms Warner said at the time: 'I felt it was really important to get the word out directly that there is a higher authority than judges.'

The Attorney General's Office announced its decision to take legal action against Ms Warner last September, which prompted hundreds of people to hold similar signs outside courts across the country in solidarity.

Several protesters held placards outside the Royal Courts of Justice again on Thursday.

Speaking to supporters outside court, Ms Warner thanked all the protesters who had showed their support

Extinction Rebellion Highgate descended on Wood Green Crown Court on Monday (April 15) as part of a Defend Our Juries campaign

Protesters outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London ahead of Trudi Warner's hearing

Several protesters held placards outside the Royal Courts of Justice again on Thursday

Between April 13 and April 21, hundreds of people are gathering outside every crown court across England and Wales, in a bid to 'uphold the principle of jury equity'

Extinction Rebellion Highgate descended on Wood Green Crown Court on Monday (April 15) as part of a Defend Our Juries campaign.

Between April 13 and April 21, hundreds of people are gathering outside every crown court across England and Wales, in a bid to 'uphold the principle of jury equity'.

This relates to the capacity of a jury to acquit a defendant as a matter of conscience even if a judge directs that there is no defence.

Ms Warner's barristers told the court that it was not in the public interest to take legal action against her.

They claimed she acted as a 'human billboard' to advertise a 'vital constitutional, if occasionally used, safeguard against unjust prosecutions'.

Lawyer Clare Montgomery KC said: 'The solicitor general has placed before the court an entirely false picture of what was taking place.

'At no stage did Ms Warner direct, instruct, cajole or try to persuade any juror to disobey a direction of the judge.

'The sign she had said what it said and did no more.'

'It cannot in any circumstances give rise to any species of contempt,' she added.

Mr Justice Saini said at the end of the hearing that he would give his judgment at 10.30am on Monday.

Speaking to supporters outside court, Ms Warner said: 'I can't say anything. I am only allowed to say thank you.

'I don't have to come on Monday, but I will, because I think I should be the first to know.'
The uncle of Jordan Neely, whose chokehold death on the subway sparked outrage, has appeared in court on grand larceny charges in a bucket hat and flashy coat.

Christopher Neely, 44, was arrested twice in 10 days in May 2023 and faces three counts of grand larceny over allegations he stole a wallet in August 2022, another the following April as well as a $15,000 purse from a Manhattan restaurant.

He appeared in New York Supreme Criminal Court on Thursday where his defense attorney Gurmeet Singh asked for him to be released on his own recognizance instead of the supervised release he is on now.

But Acting Supreme Court Justice April Newbauer denied this and said: I think for now, when it aint broke dont fix it, and set a new court date for June 20.

Neely was arrested on May 22 last year while trying to flee the New York City Police Department's pickpocket team before he was put in handcuffs again on May 31.

The uncle of Jordan Neely , whose chokehold death on the subway sparked outrage, has appeared in court on grand larceny charges

Christopher Neely appears in Manhattan Supreme Court on fraud charges

On May 1, Penny put Neely in a fatal chokehold on a NYC subway. Neely had been threatening passengers

He was first released without bail after his lawyer argued his nephew's death had taken a 'terrible toll' on him and that he couldn't go to jail because he was being a 'rock' for his family.

Neely was previously arrested near the Port Authority Bus Terminal close to Manhattan's Garment District last May.

He was spotted by cops who recognized him as a known robber, sources told The New York Daily News, and he jumped the turnstile before he was chased and caught by an officer around 11.35pm.

Neely was allegedly armed with a gravity knife and was carrying several bank cards in the names of other people.

And he had seven credit cards with different names in his possession, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Evan Rufrano said.

He was hit with four felonies including possession of stolen property, resisting arrest, bail jumping, and unlawful possession of a weapon. He was also charged with eight misdemeanors.

During a court appearance last May, prosecutors requested for him to be held on a $10,000 bail.

They argued he had a warrant out for allegedly violating his five year probation sentence following a 2019 grand larceny case which he served six months in prison for.

However, a judge released him under supervision after his attorney Singh, claimed Jordans death had taken a terrible toll on his family, according to the New York Post.

Christopher Neely, 44, was arrested twice in 10 days in May 2023 and faces three counts of grand larceny over allegations he stole a wallet in August 2022, another the following April as well as a $15,000 purse from a Manhattan restaurant

He appeared in New York Supreme Criminal Court on Thursday where his defense attorney Gurmeet Singh asked for him to be released on his own recognizance instead of the supervised release he is on now

Neely was arrested on May 22 last year while trying to flee the New York City Police Department's pickpocket team before he was put in handcuffs again on May 31

He was first released without bail after his lawyer argued his nephew's death had taken a 'terrible toll' on him and that he couldn't go to jail because he was being a 'rock' for his family

Neely was allegedly armed with a gravity knife and was carrying several bank cards in the names of other people

'Its been a very hard experience for the family, a very harrowing experience,' the public defender told the court.

'Christopher Neely has been a rock for the family and is taking care of them.'

Neely was supposed to appear back in court days later but he was arrested by authorities on new charges before he could appear.

'I dont see Mr. Neely?' Judge Josh Hanshaft asked in the hearing.

Singh said: 'Mr. Neely, from what I understand, was picked up this morning. He is in custody currently.'

Prosecutors claim Neely stole a wallet from a woman on August 19, 2022, and then spent $8,650 on her credit cards.

And he is accused of stealing another victim's wallet on East 82nd Street in April 2023 and a $15,000 purse from a Mexican restaurant on Church Street in Tribeca last May.

The prosecutors revealed that Neely has been arrested at least 20 times since June 2022, while on probation for grand larceny or criminal possession of stolen property.

He has two dozen previous convictions, including rape, robbery and burglary. He was also wanted for an outstanding grand larceny charge - which had violated his probation from a prior case.

His nephew's funeral was held in Harlem on May 19 and it was attended by politicians including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who said that Jordan was 'murdered.'

Jordan was restrained by Daniel Penny after he allegedly threatened people on the train car.

Penny put him in a chokehold on the F train at the Broadway-Lafayette Street and Bleecker Street station on May 1.

He was 24 at the time of the incident and was filmed putting Jordan into a chokehold and holding him on the floor until he was unconscious.

Neely leaves after being arraigned at the Manhattan Criminal Court Wednesday

Pallbearers carry the casket of Jordan Neely days before his uncle said Penny should not get a plea deal in the case

Jordan was pronounced dead at the scene and the medical examiner later ruled the death a homicide, saying his neck injuries proved the chokehold was what caused it.

The former Marine has since been charged with second-degree manslaughter and released on $100,000 bond following furious protests and accusations of racism.

Penny broke his silence to say that Neely's death had nothing to do with race, claiming he did what he believed was right and would behave the same way if he were put in the same situation again.

He has pleaded not guilty. His defense attorneys previously tried to get the case dismissed, claiming he stepped in to save lives but this was rejected in January.

Supreme Court Justice Maxwell Wiley set a trial date of October 8 as well as a suppression hearing for September 17.
Gang members who hacked a father to death with machetes and zombie knives in broad daylight outside a KFC were jailed for life today.

Kelvin Ward was ambushed and chased by the masked thugs as he tried to defend his teenage son, their intended target.

He died from a single stab wound, it was revealed this afternoon, but the violence leading up to his death was shocking and brutal.

Security camera footage caught the gang following Mr Ward, 50 and his son  who cannot be named for legal reasons  to a KFC drive-thru near Birmingham last April.

The pair were about to leave the fast-food chain when the gang smashed a stolen Ford Kuga into their Vauxhall Corsa in the car park.

Kelvin Ward, 50, died after the savage attack in Castle Bromwich, Birmingham - of which the original target had been his son

Kelvin Ward (left) being swung at by an attacker with a machete on April 18 2023 - moments later, he suffered a fatal wound to the heart

Christine Ward holds a photograph of her son Kelvin (left) at her home in Birmingham

Mr Ward's son managed to drive off and then fled on foot. His father, meanwhile, jumped into the gang's Kuga and drove in the direction his son had run off in.

He aimed the vehicle at one of the gang  but missed and crashed into the railings on the side of the road.

Two of the gang were then caught on CCTV attacking Mr Ward in the middle of the road with knives.

Emergency services rushed to the scene but nothing could be done to save him despite the efforts of medics.

Today two of his killers were sentenced to life imprisonment for murder.

Leighton Williams, 28, will serve a minimum of 29-years while Tyrone Hollywood, who was aged just 17 at the time of the killing, will spend at least 19-years behind bars.

Another gang member Aaron Coates, 18, was jailed for 21-years for manslaughter while a fourth man -18-year-old Rusharn Williams-Reid - was sentenced to 13-years and six months after being found guilty alongside the three other defendants of conspiracy to murder Mr Ward's son.

The teenager had initially been friends with some of the attackers before falling out with them, Coventry Crown Court was told.

Passing sentence, Justice Cheema-Grubb concluded that Mr Ward was 'unarmed and alone and presented no threat' to Williams and Hollywood.She says: 'It took a single stab wound to kill Kelvin Ward. No-one should die by a knife in this way if knives were not carried about unlawfully on the streets around our cities.'Young or older men including all of the defendants who carry knives or associate deliberately with those who do will go to prison for long terms if knives are used to kill. There are no second chances when someone is stabbed to death for them or the perpetrator.'

Leighton Williams (left), 28, and Tyrone Hollywood (right), 17, were found guilty of murdering Kelvin Ward. Williams will sever a minimum of 29-years while Hollywood will spend 19-years behind bars

Terrifying footage released by West Midlands Police showed the moments before Mr Ward was fatally stabbed through the heart by his killers

Mr Ward's devastated family had earlier given victim impact statements. In a letter read out in court, his devastated partner of more than 30-years, Tammy McKenzie said the defendants had 'shattered' her family's life.

She recalled how her partner went to KFC for dinner after work on April 18 last year and how she spoke to him on the phone while he was being chased and said: 'Kelvin was begging for his life and never stood a chance.'She described Mr Ward as the 'love of my life, fantastic partner, father, son, brother and friend to many'.

David Ward, Kelvin's brother, stated he 'changed everyone he met' and had turned his own life around to become an 'aspirational' person while Mr Ward's mother Christine described him as a 'much-loved, cherished and good son' and told how 500 mourners attended his funeral.

Ms Ward, 78, spoke exclusively to MailOnline last November and recalled how she raced to the scene of the killing and held her son as his life slowly ebbed away.

She said: It was dark at that point, I couldn't see any blood or anything like that. But I knelt down to where he was laid out and noticed someone had covered him partially with a blanket and had put a pillow underneath his head.

'I held his hand, kissed his face over and over and whispered in his ear to wake up because he looked like he was sleeping.

'I was telling him 'Come on now, get up and stop making a scene' because I didn't want to believe he had gone.'

Speaking from her home in Birmingham last November, Mrs Ward, a retired cook for the Territorial Army, said she brought up Kelvin and his older brother David as a single mum when she split with their Barbados-born father in the early 1970s.

She said her youngest son had forged a successful career in the building trade and lived in Coleshill in Warwickshire with Ms McKenzie and their son. The couple have two older daughters aged 28 and 24.

Mrs Ward said the last time she saw her son was on March 19th last year when he and David, 55, gave her some flowers for Mother's Day.

In a tragic twist, she revealed how her son had tried to help some of his killers escape a life of crime just two years earlier and had offered to find them jobs to stop 'hanging around street corners'.

Mrs Ward, added: ''Kelvin had been a bit of a tearaway in his youth but he turned his life around - he wanted to do the same for them.

But how did they repay him? By butchering him in the street.'
By Kim Sang-woo

U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held a summit in Washington on April 10. After two hours of talks, they held a joint press conference.

The Biden-Kishida summit has been characterized by Washington as a historic opportunity for the two countries to modernize their alliances as both eye regional threats from North Korea's weapons testing and burgeoning relations with Russia to China's aggression in the South China Sea and Taiwan.

Japan has long been a central partner of the United States in the Indo-Pacific, but the defense relationship has expanded under Kishida, who has raised Japan's profile in global and regional security.

He has overseen a sweeping shift in Tokyo's defense posture, veering away from the pacifist constitution imposed by the United States in the aftermath of World War II to boost defense spending to about 2 percent of its GDP by 2027 and acquire counterstrike capabilities.

Kishida also positioned Japan as a partner to the U.S. not only in Asia but also globally. He has championed the view that security in Europe and the Indo-Pacific are inextricably linked while emerging as a staunch supporter of Ukraine and closely aligning with the Group of Seven countries.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine led to a resurgence of ties between Moscow and Pyongyang that had largely elapsed after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Kim Jong-un's September 2023 trip to Russia and summit with Vladimir Putin was a breakthrough in bilateral relations and confirmed the growing military and diplomatic relationship between the two countries. Kim doubled down on his support for Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, depicting it as a fight to "punish the evil forces that ambitiously pursue hegemony and expansion."

On March 28, Russia vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution to extend the mandate of the panel of experts responsible for monitoring North Korea's violations of U.N. sanctions.

Russia's veto highlights a policy reversal in its attitude toward the United Nations. With Russia actively supporting North Korea, the U.N. will increasingly struggle to restrain North Korea's belligerence at a time when it's expanding its nuclear and missile capabilities, as demonstrated by recent tests of new missile technology.

North Korean arms enable Moscow to continue its aggression against Ukraine. If Russia remains desperate for North Korean weapons, Moscow may be willing to provide more sensitive technology for its nuclear and missile programs.

Therefore, the U.S. should make absolutely clear to its friends and foes alike that it will defend its allies by continually reaffirming its extended deterrence guarantee to use all necessary force, including nuclear weapons, in response to a North Korean attack.

The credibility of the U.S. extended deterrence guarantee requires that capabilities are effective, commitment is consistent, and both enemies and allies are convinced of America's resolve.

The Biden administration should step up its enforcement of U.S. and U.N. sanctions and work systematically with the international community to target North Korean, Russian and Chinese violators as well as banks, businesses and shipping companies that assist illicit actions.

While China and Russia will veto approval of any new U.N. resolutions, the United States and its partners can more fully implement existing measures, including the extensive sanctions imposed on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.

The end of U.S. President Biden's Executive Order last year on "Taking Additional Steps with Respect to the Russian Federation's Harmful Activities" is a useful new tool for targeting Russia's procurement of dual-use and other critical items.

The U.S. can impose secondary sanctions, including exclusion from the U.S. financial system, on any financial institution that is supporting Russia's defense industry.

A senior Biden administration official outlined the scale of Beijing's growing support for Moscow's war effort. He said that 90 percent of the reason Russia has been able to sustain the war effort and reconstitute its economy, despite sanctions, is due to a "massive effort" by China that ranges from geospatial assistance to dual-use optics and propellants used in everything from tanks to missiles.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent the message to European allies in Brussels, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned officials in Beijing, and President Biden raised the issue directly to President Xi Jinping in a telephone conversation on April 2.

Meanwhile, on April 10, South Korea held general elections. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) emerged victorious, winning a majority, with 175 seats out of 300 seats.

As a result, President Yoon Suk Yeol's domestic and foreign policy will face significant headwinds, but it is expected that foreign policy will likely stay on its current course because Yoon's foreign policy is not based on populism.

Since the beginning of his presidency, strong opposition from the DPK in the legislative body and a relatively low approval rating did not deter Yoon from reversing the previous government's foreign policy.

He has realized his campaign pledge to strengthen the South Korea-U.S. alliance and take a tough stand on North Korea's provocations and ensured that South Korea and the United States are in close alignment over their regional strategy.

Most importantly, Yoon has pushed forward to improve South Korea's strained relationship with Japan despite the risk of political backlash at home.

The opposition party will probably increase its criticism of Yoon's foreign policy, as DPK leader Lee Jae-myung advocated for neutrality in issues concerning the Taiwan Strait and Ukraine during the election campaign.

This position is the complete opposite of Yoon's, which has sought to enhance South Korea's global standing through enhanced support for Ukraine and promoting rules-based diplomacy.

With the new National Assembly, this strategic division will most likely deepen, even at a time when South Korea faces a clear and present danger from North Korea.

Kim Sang-woo (swkim54@hotmail.com), a former lawmaker, is chairman of the East Asia Cultural Project and a member of the board of directors at the Kim Dae-jung Peace Foundation.
Angry citizens argued that he use it on them and threatened to recall him

Livid Chicago residents dressed in MAGA hats tore into the city's mayor for allotting $70million to migrant care.

Concerned citizens spoke directly to Democrat Mayor Brandon Johnson on Wednesday during a gathering where officials were originally expected to vote on funding for migrant services in the Windy City.

Johnson, a progressive, has long defended the city's sanctuary policies and on Friday, he planned to get the aldermen to accept the requested funds, even though the city has already invested $300million on the crisis.

One woman, dressed in a red MAGA cowboy hat and a 'Chicago RED' t-shirt slammed Johnson and said: 'We need that money in my neighborhood, we need that money on my block.'

'So I'm asking ya'll to use our tax money for our people, we need it,' she added.

However, the meeting ended without a vote as the city's aldermen deferred a decision on the request for funds.

Angry Chicago residents blasted Mayor Brandon Johnson during a meeting on Wednesday where he planned to get $70million in taxpayer's money to go toward migrants. (pictured: A woman speaking to Johnson at the meeting)

While frustrated residents insisted the money is needed elsewhere, others told Johnson that if they are not listened to, they will vote him out of office. The mayor said that the 'extreme right wing' in the US is 'intimidated'

The city has already invested $300million on the migrant crisis. (pictured: Migrants forced to sleep in Chicago police stations earlier on in the crisis)

While frustrated residents insisted that the money is needed elsewhere, others warned Johnson that if the funds go toward migrants, they will vote him out of office.

'Vote for the money for these immigrants today and we coming for those seats, you can believe that,' another woman said during the meeting.

Following the meeting, Johnson laughed about the citizen's threatening to recall him and insisted that past mayors have done worse.

'We've had mayors close schools, we've had mayors who have shut down public housing,' he said.

'So any individual who is somehow insulted by this progressive agenda that is being led by one of the most diverse cabinets in the history of Chicago  I just call into question anyone who would be motivated to see this type of transformation disrupted,' Johnson added.

The challenged mayor added the 'extreme right wing' in the US is 'intimidated by the fact that weve passed paid time off [for] thousands of workers. Weve abolished sub-minimum wage, which has its roots in history in slavery.'

Currently, Johnson cannot be kicked out of office under Illinois state law, which only allows the governor to be recalled. The mayor made it clear that he plans 'to be here for the next 23 years.'

Dan Boland, 58, a former technology salesman, has formed a political action group to raise money to challenge the state law.

Other concerned Chicagoans made it clear that they will not stand for the having their tax money going toward migrants

Venezuelan migrants are bused into Chicago by Texas Governor Greg Abbott this past December. More than 25,300 migrants have arrived in Chicago since August 2022

Boland told Chicago Sun Times that the petition, which would put a referendum on the November ballot, was not created to 'hurt' Johnson, but was introduced to 'help and empower' Chicago citizens.

'We cant let Chicago circle the rim for another three years,' Boland said. 'We need to get out of this cycle and fix things if [Johnson] cant fix it, we need to get someone in there who can.'

Boland expressed that people of Chicago are also concerned about the rampant crime that has taken over since migrants entered.

'People can't go out and even go to the grocery store without getting mugged. People can't sell their tamales out on the street without getting accosted by people who are armed,' Boland said.

'These are armed juvenile thugs. That's one reason that just put it over the top for me.'

If Johnson does get the $70million approved, it would be taken from the city's 2022 fund balance, Budget Director Annette Guzman said in a statement on Monday.

This was not the first time angry Chicagoans have ripped into Mayor Johnson, as another woman was filmed berating him over the city's 'sanctuary' status for migrants and the progressive's failure to bring funds to more at-risk communities.

During a meeting in December, Chicago native Lauren Lawrence lamented how she and others have witnessed a 'transition' that left citizens in the lurch, almost 'as if a lot of people are not important here.'

A Chicago resident was filmed berating Mayor Brandon Johnson in December over the city's current 'sanctuary' status for migrants, and the politicians' failure to bring funds to inner city communities

Speaking as Johnson stood at attention at his podium, Lawrence lamented how she has witnessed a 'transition' that has left citizens in the lurch - 'as if a lot of people are not important here'

She said: 'I'm not against anyone coming in here legally. I want to say that clearly. But for those who have not, they don't top us. They don't go before us. We're not last in line.'

'I'm not for the sanctuary city,' an emotional Lawrence at first began, before tearing into the relatively new mayor after a disastrous four years of Lori Lightfoot.

She continued: 'And the reason why I'm not for the sanctuary city is because people have waited years to come in here legally.'

Citing the mass of arrivals and the more than 13,000 migrants currently embroiled in Chicago's shelter system, she went on to pan city officials for continuing where Lightfoot left off.

She said of asylum seekers being brought into Illinois' biggest city by the busload: 'Not just transported on these buses, dropped off in our neighborhood.'

Lawrence proceeded to turn her attention to Chicago's notorious inner city, which she painted as a victim of the city's continued sanctuary status.

She suggested Johnson - a man brought up in a suburb of Cook County - had let down these predominantly black communities, simply by continuing Lightfoot's guidance.

In March, Johnson was widely criticized for refusing to be completely transparent on how hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars had gone to the city's homeless shelters amid a migrant crisis.

The Windy City has struggled to care for more than 34,000 asylum-seekers bussed in from the border by Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

The city has only provided full transparency on funding for a third of the city's 27 shelters.

Other shelters like the site in the city's Pilsen neighborhood are getting $280,000 a week, with the Ogden shelter getting $150,000 a week. These shelters are servicing 2,000 and 1,000 migrants, respectively and pocketing millions over the last three months.

Currently, Johnson cannot be kicked out of office under Illinois state law, which only allows the governor to be recalled. The mayor made it clear that he plans 'to be here for the next 23 years'

In March, Johnson was widely criticized for refusing to be completely transparent on how hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars had gone to the city's homeless shelters. (pictured: Migrants in a makeshift shelter operated by the city of Chicago at O'Hare International Airport in August 2023)

At the time, Johnson joined the mayors of New York and Denver, which are also inundated with migrants, to call for the crisis to be declared a federal emergency, freeing up funds to bail out the struggling cities.

Shelters in converted warehouses in Chicago have been filled to the brim with new arrivals living in poor conditions, leading to the city commandeering other venues.

Johnson has insisted the city would not open any more migrant shelters, and called on Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to make good on promises to build its own ones.

Mayor Johnson himself says the huge influx of migrants is unsustainable, but he can't turn them away because Chicago is a 'sanctuary city.'

He blamed both the Biden Administration and Texas for his city struggling to care for the about 15,000 asylum-seekers crammed into 28 shelters across the city.

Governor Greg Abbott has sent more than 25,300 migrants to Chicago since August 2022, on buses.
Congress is further devolving into unseriousness as Republicans hurl weight insults at each other on the House floor and members submit outlandish amendments for the House's foreign aid package.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is demanding 'space lasers' at the southern border.

The firebrand Georgia Republican submitted an amendment for the $26 billion Israel aid bill that would install 'space laser technology on the southwest border,' while trolling of her own notorious conspiracy about Jewish space lasers controlling the weather.

She called to mind 'space lasers' that defend Israel's border - likely referring to Israel's on-the-ground laser defense system, known as the Iron Beam.

In a 2018 Facebook post, Greene theorized that a huge California wildfire had been caused by 'laser beam or a light beam' being sent down from space by the Rothschilds.

Meanwhile Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., called Rep. Matt Gaetz 'tubby' on the House floor after he said Gaetz called him a 'squish.'

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is demanding 'space lasers' at the southern border

It came while Speaker Mike Johnson was huddling with conservative hardliners who want to boot him from his job over the $95 billion foreign aid package with bills to fund Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific he is planning to put on the House floor.

Another Greene amendment would require anyone who votes to fund the war in Ukraine conscript in the Ukrainian military.

An amendment submitted by Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., would designate Greene as 'Vladimir Putin's Special Envoy to the U.S. and another would rename Greene's office the 'Neville Chamberlain Room,' in reference to the former UK prime minister known for appeasing Adolf Hitler ahead of World War II.

A motion to vacate has loomed over Johnson's head since Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene launched the bid to oust him last month. The Georgia Republican is a staunch opponent to Ukraine aid and has already threatened to try to boot Johnson if he brings it to the floor.

With Republicans' razor-thin majority, Johnson can only afford to lose three Republicans and keep his job.

The package in total would offer $26 billion to Israel, $60 billion to Ukraine and $8 billion to the Indo-Pacific, a combination of military and humanitarian aid. It is made up of four separate bills, including one for each region.

The Israel security bill will offer $4 billion to replenish Israel's Iron Dome Missile Defense system and billions more for weapons systems, artillery and munitions, as well as an additional $2.4 billion for U.S. operations in the region.

Nine billion dollars in that bill goes to humanitarian relief for Palestinians in Gaza.

'Some of my colleagues want the speaker of the House to have a magic wand,' Johnson said on Fox News after releasing the bills' text and as some of his colleagues threaten to oust him over them.

He seemed resigned to the new motion to vacate threats. 'If Marjorie brings the motion, she brings the motion and let the chips fall where they may.'
A suspected DUI motorist who was driving the wrong way has killed a teenage boy and man after smashing into five people at a bus stop.

Cynthia Phelps, 64, slammed her 2014 Kia Rio into the shelter while traveling north on the southbound lane of Boulder Highway in Las Vegas on Wednesday evening.

Las Vegas Metropolitan police said the man, woman and three children at the bus stop were flung onto the highway by the force of the collision.

A 42-year-old man and 14-year-old boy were killed on impact, while a 41-year-old woman and two children were seriously injured.

The woman is in a life-threatening condition following the crash, while an 11-year-old girl and eight-year-old boy are in 'serious' conditions in hospital.

A suspected DUI motorist who was driving the wrong way has killed a teenage boy and man after smashing into five people at a bus stop

Cynthia Phelps, 64, slammed her 2014 Kia Rio into the bus stop while traveling north on the southbound lane of Boulder Highway in Las Vegas on Wednesday evening. Her mugshot has not yet been released by police

News 3 is on the scene of a fatal crash near Boulder Highway that also left multiple injured. Tune in at 11 p.m. for the latest details. >>>https://t.co/QSujyShXSS pic.twitter.com/lawoK7enmf  KSNV News 3 Las Vegas (@News3LV) April 18, 2024

All the victims are Las Vegas residents, and it is not known whether they knew each other.

A scene of destruction was left in the wake of the crash, with debris flung across the highway and a white Kia still smashed into the bus shelter.

Police said the 'vehicle versus multiple pedestrians collision' happened at 7.37pm south of Dalhart Street.

'Evidence at the scene, surveillance video, and witness statements indicated that a 2014 Kia Rio was traveling northbound on Boulder Highway in the southbound travel lanes at a high rate of speed,' the department said in a statement.

'The pedestrians were at an RTC bus Shelter, waiting for a southbound bus.

'A collision occurred when the vehicle left the roadway to the west, striking several fixed objects as it carried into the RTC bus shelter, where the pedestrians were.

'The collision resulted in the pedestrians being projected forward and onto the roadway.'

Las Vegas Metropolitan police officers said the man, woman and three children at the bus stop were flung onto the highway by the force of the collision

Police said the 'vehicle versus multiple pedestrians collision' happened at 7.37pm south of Dalhart Street

The man and teenage boy were pronounced dead at the scene, while the woman and two children were taken to the UMC Trauma Center by ambulance.

Phelps was also taken to the same hospital by ambulance where she was treated for 'minor injuries.'

She 'displayed signs of impairment' and was arrested for DUI-related charges, police said.

The pedestrian deaths mark the 49th and 50th traffic-related fatalities in the LVMPD area for 2024. LVMPD is continuing to investigate the crash.

Phelps appeared in court Thursday afternoon and remains in custody in Clark County without bond.
An illegal open-air 'flea market' operating in Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's district has popped back up days days after it was raided by police officers.

Many of those operating on the sidewalks of Queens are believed to be illegal migrants hawking counterfeit goods and other wares.

The sellers have been blocking sidewalks and causing general quality of life issues for the residents of Jackson Heights, Corona, and Elmhurst.

Some locals have said their neighborhood now looks like a Third World country due to the illegal and shabby-looking street markets that blanket the blocks. Peddlers offer shoes, pots and pans, toys, used books, and picture frames, among other semi-random items.

Sex workers are also a staple of the area, leading some to dub the main stretch of Roosevelt Avenue, the 'avenue of the sweethearts.'

Just days after being shut down by the police, illegal street vendors in Queens were back at their set ups, with which residents have taken issue

Earlier this week police raided the lengthy stretch of Roosevelt Boulevard where a significant number of the illegal vendors operate.

NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry flaunted his department's success on X, writing: 'Now you see it  now you don't. This 'flea market' has been at the center of many quality-of-life complaints in Jackson Heights. We conducted an operation yesterday in response to these community concerns ... we addressed the unlicensed peddlers, selling counterfeit goods on the streets of Queens!'

But just one day later, videos posted by local politicians, including Ramses Frias - a Democrat-turned-Republican - showed the illegal salespeople back on the streets.

'If there isnt a consistent police presence and/or team set in place to educate these illegal vendors then this will all continue,' Frias told Fox Digital.

He warned that conditions will really deteriorate as the weather gets warmer.

'The constant neglect from the actual representatives of this area like Ocasio-Cortez, Assembly Members Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas and Catalina Cruz and the rest have angered and frustrated the residents here in these communities ... Things are spiraling out of control and the lawlessness must come to an end,' he said.

Frias is running as a Republican in an area largely led by progressive politicians, including Assembly Member Catalina Cruz, whom he is currently running to oust.

Council Member Francisco Moya, who represents the district, has also been a vocal dissenter against allowing the illegal vendors and prostitutes to continue operating in the area.

'The number one complaint to my office is the congestion and garbage caused by illegal street vendors,' he recently wrote on Instagram.

'Mothers cant push their strollers through our sidewalks, businesses are being robbed and undercut steps from their doors and residents are being put at risk from unsafe food handling. Enough is enough.'

Progressive politicians, including AOC, are catching flack for failing to deal in any meaningful way with the quality of life issue the migrant vendors present

'The number one complaint to my office is the congestion and garbage caused by illegal street vendors,' said Council Member Francisco Moya

Explicit prostitution has also become a noticeable issue in the working-class Queens neighborhood

Frias recently told Fox News: 'Like most of my like-minded residents, we see this as a third-world market.

'Basically, you just see clothes thrown across the floor the items are stolen from donation bins or stolen from stores, and they just set up shop outside brick-and-mortar businesses.

'They take away trade from these businesses and don't pay taxes. There are no repercussions, they get a free pass.'

Regarding the explicitly illegal sexual activity taking place in the area, the NYPD recently raided six establishments allegedly engaging in prostitution with Mayor Eric Adams present.

The mayor, who is concerned with the ongoing issue of illegal migrants flooding the streets of his city said at the time: 'Sex trafficking is real ... and we're not going to sit idly by and pretend that it's not happening.'

In another instance, Adams lamented the lack of workers' permits available for available to the illegal immigrants.

'Some of the illegal shops, sex trafficking that is taking place, all of this is a by-product  I keep telling folks, you have 3,000 people on Randalls Island [migrant facility] that cannot do anything all day. Thats just not right,' he said.
Senior U.S. and Israeli officials held a virtual meeting on Thursday to discuss Israel's plans for the southern Gaza city of Rafah and on how the country is weighing a retaliatory strike against Iran.

President Joe Biden has encouraged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to attack Rafah, where at least 1.4 million Palestinian refugees are sheltering. Biden also has made it clear the U.S., which helped Israel fend off Iran's April 13th attack, would not support a hit on Tehran.

American officials expressed 'concerns with various courses of action in Rafah,' the White House said in a readout of the meeting. Israel agreed to 'take these concerns into account' and to have further follow up discussions.

Internally displaced Palestinians at the beach, near Rafah refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip

But it's unclear what message Biden administration officials gave to Israel on Rafah or whether Israel pledged not to take action until the additional discussions had taken place.

'The two sides agreed on the shared objective to see Hamas defeated in Rafah,' the White House said in its readout.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan led the meeting along with Biden's Middle East envoy, Brett McGurk.

Joining on the Israeli side was minister for strategic affairs Ron Dermer and national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi.

'The main purpose really is to talk about Rafah ... and also share our continued concerns over a major ground offensive there,' White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby said of the meeting.

This is the second meeting between the two sides. An in-person meeting was scheduled to take place in Washington this week but was postponed because of the Iranian attack.

Netanyahu has given indications he intends to move forward on two fronts: Gaza and Israel.

He has reportedly told allies that Israel's response to Iran will be measured. He's also offered reassurance he will get aid to Gaza and ensure that civilians and aid agencies are given ample opportunity to flee any coming attack.

Palestinians examine the big hole after Israeli attack on building housing refugees in Rafah

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan led talks for the U.S. side

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) (seen above with UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron on left) is looking to fight a war on two fronts: Rafah and Iran

Biden has been frustrated with Netanyahu over the situation in Gaza, particularly after an Israeli strike resulted in the death of seven aid workers with World Central Kitchen.

The president has demanded Israel let me humanitarian aid into the war-torn region, which is experiencing famine-like conditions, and to allow a temporary ceasefire in order to get hostages out.

Biden is under heavy pressure from home and abroad to ensure the safety of aid workers and get critical supplies to the Palestinian people.

Local health authorities report that more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed during the Israeli campaign.

International outrage against Israel ensued after the convoy of aid workers for World Central Kitchen was hit by an Israeli 'triple tap' drone strike in early April, leaving seven dead. The three cars were marked as humanitarian aid and were struck while moving along a route approved by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

But allies flocked to Netanyahu's defense this past weekend when Iran sent more than 300 missiles and drones toward Tehran.

Israeli defense forces knocked most of them out of the sky with help from American, British, French and Jordanian forces.
However, a spokesperson for the district slammed the claims as 'untrue'

Some children claimed their 'furry' peers were biting and scratching people

Students at a Utah middle school staged a walkout to protest their peers who identified as 'furries' - people who dress up in animal costumes - after accusing them of scratching and biting classmates.

The hours-long protest took place outside Mt. Nebo Middle School in Payson, Utah, on Wednesday. It was triggered by a petition demanding a stricter dress code, with some middle schoolers reported the offending students were physically attacking other people.

A 'furry' is anyone with a strong interest in anthropomorphic animals. Enthusiasts often don full-body animal costumes and gather at 'furry' conventions.

The allegations from inside Mt. Nebo Middle School even drew condemnation from members of the costumed community themselves.

'It's crazy that it's escalated to this point where these kids are being so distracting to their peers that their peers want to stage a walkout,' a furry identified as 'Strudel' told ABC 4 in Utah.

Students at Mt. Nebo Middle School in Utah staged a walkout in protest of their peers, who they claimed came to school dressed as 'furries'

The protest was sparked by an online petition urging the district to better enforce its dress code

The campaign, titled 'Students for Humans at School, not animals aka furries,' racked up over 1,000 signatures in a matter of days

Around 75 parents and students gathered on the sidewalk by the school campus, holding up posters with messages ranging from 'Compelled speech is not free speech' to 'Stop brainwashing us!'

The demonstration was preceded by a Change.org petition titled 'Students for Humans at School, not animals aka furries' that went live on Sunday.

While the initial target was 500 signatures, the campaign quickly racked up more than 1,000 of them. The petition had received over 1,430 signatures.

It calls for stronger enforcement of Section 3.8.1 of the district's dress code, which prohibits 'elements of a student's appearance that draw undue attention, distract, disrupt, or otherwise interfere with the learning atmosphere at school.'

Examples provided are jewelry, accessories, tattoos, hair and facial hair.

'Please help us in taking care of our children's well being and safety while at school,' the petition begs.

However, it seemed the students had a different concern. Several middle schoolers lobbed accusations of violence at their peers, including alleged instances of biting.

'Multiple of my friends have been bitten by the furries and scratched, and the school won't do anything about it when we tell them,' one student said in a video testimonial.

'They're barking at us in class. Then they try to bite peoples' ankles. We need them out of our environment. Save it for the forest,' another said.

Some students displayed signs reading 'Compelled speech is not free speech' and 'I will not comply.' Some alleged that their 'furry' peers were biting and scratching other students

A representative for the district claimed the concerns behind the protest, including rumors circulating online, were 'completely untrue'

District PIO Seth Sorensen said there had been no reports of 'students attending school wearing masks, animal costumes or acting like animals'

People online were quick to react to news of the walkout. Some social media users rallied behind the furry community as a whole, but steered clear of defending the students' actions.

'As a furry, fursuiting can be a fun and creative outlet hobby. However, this distracting behavior takes things too far and shouldn't be allowed in the classroom,' one user on X, formerly Twitter, wrote. 'Schools should foremost be a place of education and learning for all students.'

Others were quick to bash the children for causing a disruption in the classroom and community.

'Hard to believe that this is a real story. But here we are,' conservative podcast host Cash Loren stated.

Another X user noted the sordid history associated with the furry community, writing, 'Furries was an adult sex fetish back in the day. I actually remember seeing an episode of the show "Real Sex" on HBO about it.'

However, school officials were quick to push back against claims made on social media.

Nebo School District Public Information Officer Seth Sorensen told DailyMail.com that much of the information circulating online was 'completely untrue.'

'These are 11- and 12-year-old students, and while sometimes these children may come to school with a headband that has ears, sometimes with giant bows, and sometimes dressed as their favorite athlete, there have been no students attending school wearing masks, animal costumes, or acting like animals,' Sorensen said.

He asserted there had been no incidents of 'biting, licking, costumes or animal behavior' at the middle school.

'These rumors are unfounded and are not occurring in our schools,' Sorensen said.

'We have not observed or had reported, any of these types of incidents in the school. The claims being made online are all third-party, or someone told me, statements with no first-person accounts.'

A local furry identified as 'Strudel' told a local news outlet that the students were giving the community a bad name

'It's crazy that it's escalated to this point where these kids are being so distracting to their peers that their peers want to stage a walkout,' Strudel said

Sorensen also encouraged parents to engage in 'open communication' with the district.

'If parents or patrons have concerns, we encourage them to please reach out to the school administration or myself,' he said. 'Our top priority is a safe and supportive environment for both students and parents.'

Speaking to ABC 4 from a local park, Strudel defended the furry community, which they have been part of for a decade, and claimed it was being misrepresented.

'To have the next generation kind of muddy our name and not represent it very well, it is kind of disappointing,' Strudel said.

The furry asserted that young people stumbling upon the community online are not old enough to understand what it entails.

'Continue doing things you like. Continue dressing up, continue making art. But maybe let's keep it outside of school hours?' Strudel said.

A 'furry' is someone with a strong interest in anthropomorphic, or humanoid, animals

While members of the community are often pictured in head-to-toe 'fursuits,' a researcher explained that only around 15 to 25 percent of furries own such a costume

While furries might seem like a strange community, they are quite popular and have been seen across the world for decades.

Speaking to DailyMail.com, Sharon E. Roberts, co-founder of the International Anthropomorphic Research Projects, shed some light on the phenomenon she has studied for nearly two decades.

'Furries are people with an interest in anthropomorphism, which specifically refers to giving human characteristics to animals, Roberts explained.

Around 95 percent of furries develop their own unique avatar-like character called a fursona  a safe, functional way to explore who they are as people, including their gender identity and sexual orientation.

Depending on the study, we find that more than 70 percent of furries identify as LGBTQ+ and more than 25 percent are gender-identity diverse,' she added.

'They are bullied at almost twice the rates of non-furries and our forthcoming research indicates that four to 15 per cent are on the autistic spectrum.

While many people think furries always dress up as animals, similar to sport team mascots, Roberts said that is not quite true.

Furries dont identify as animals, they identify with animals, she asserted.

Only around 15 to 25 percent of furries have "fursuits," which can be prohibitively expensive. These are usually worn on special occasions, such as a parade or a convention. Another 50 percent of furries own furry paraphernalia  a furry T-shirt, ears, collar or tail  that communicates their furry interests to others.'
Milei and Lord Cameron said 'they would agree to disagree' over the Falklands

Argentina has formally requested to join NATO as a 'global partner', a status that would facilitate greater political and security cooperation as President Javier Milei eyes stronger ties with the West.

Firebrand Milei has been accused of playing 'two different games', as the famously unpredictable leader recently vowed to establish a diplomatic 'roadmap' towards the UK handing over the Falkland Islands.

The contentious issue came up during a meeting between Milei and UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron in January, during which the pair said 'they would agree to disagree, and do so politely', according to the Foreign Office.

As the Argentine government bids to improve relations with the US and its allies, it announced on Tuesday that it was purchasing 24 US-made F-16 fighter jets from Denmark, a deal backed by Washington.

Today, Argentine Defence Minister Luis Alfonso Petri met with the Deputy Secretary General of NATO Mircea Geoana to submit the country's formal request to join the security alliance's list of 'partners across the globe'.

President Javier Milei met with UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron at the World Economic Forum in Davos back in January

German and British servicemen transfer tanks and armored vehicles via Vistula river during NATO's Dragon-24 exercise, a part of large scale Steadfast Defender-24 exercise

The famously unpredictable leader recently vowed to establish a diplomatic 'roadmap' towards the UK handing over the territory. He is pictured brandishing a chainsaw on the campaign trail for the presidency in September

Geoana said he welcomed Argentina's bid to become an accredited partner in the alliance - a valued role short of 'ally' for nations not in Nato's geographical area and not required to participate in collective military actions.

NATO membership is currently limited to European countries, Turkey, Canada, and the United States. Formally partnering with Nato requires the consensus of all 32 Nato members.

The designation could allow Argentina access to advanced technology, security systems, and training that was not previously available to it, the Argentine presidency said.

'Argentina plays an important role in Latin America,' Geoana said at the NATO headquarters. 'Closer political and practical cooperation could benefit us both.'

According to NATO, global partners cooperate with alliance members, for example through intelligence sharing and participating in military operations.

NATO's current global partners include Australia, Iraq, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand and Pakistan. As it stands, Colombia is the only South American country to partner with NATO.

It comes as NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg warned on Thursday that Ukraine had an 'urgent, critical need for more air defence', as he attended a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Italy.

While NATO allies had made 'encouraging' recent commitments on military support, he said: 'We should have given them more earlier.'

Argentine Defence Minister Luis Alfonso Petri met with the Deputy Secretary General of NATO

'Ninety-nine percent of the military support for Ukraine comes from Nato Allies, and it is of vital importance that NATO Allies sustain and step up their support,' added the Secretary General.

Meeting with NATO officials, Petri is said to have discussed Argentina's continued support to Ukraine. President Zelensky is a supporter of Milei's, and attended his inauguration in December and hailing it 'a new beginning for Argentina'.

Milei has been pushing a radical libertarian agenda aimed at reversing years of protectionist trade measures, overspending and crippling international debt that has plunged the country's economy into a tailspin.

Over his past four months as president, he has reshaped Argentina's foreign policy to almost unconditional support for the US.

President Zelensky attended Milei's inauguration in December and hailed it 'a new beginning for Argentina'

This is part of an effort to return Argentina to prominence in the global economy after past administrations allowed relations with Washington and European allies to wither.

Milei's government also seeks security benefits through warming ties with Western countries.

Argentina's ties to key NATO ally Britain have been fraught since the 1982 Falklands war, and Milei's rhetoric over the contested islands has remained forceful throughout his presidency.

Speaking at a recent ceremony to mark the 42nd anniversary of the start of the conflict between Argentina and the UK, he told the audience: 'I want to reiterate our unwavering claim for the islands.'

Ian Shields OBE, a retired RAF officer who served in the war and is now an academic, told Express.co.uk that ramping up emotions over the Falklands 'plays well with a nationalist, right-wing agenda, and also distracts the people from domestic economic issues.'

Perhaps surprisingly, Milei is a self-confessed Anglophile, admitting in the past that he is a fan of Margaret Thatcher and Winston Churchill.

He previously said that when he criticised the Argentine military junta's 1982 invasion of the islands as an 11-year-old, his father thrashed him for being unpatriotic.

However, during his presidential campaign, Milei insisted that Britain returning the Falkland Islands was 'non-negotiable', adding that the territory, known as the Malvinas in Argentina, is Argentine.

Milei has said the islanders must have a say in their future. Pictured: Farm buildings at Carcass Island Settlement in the Falkland Islands

He stopped short of saying he would go to war over them, instead comparing it to the UK returning Hong Kong to China, and has repeatedly said that the islanders must have a say in their future.

The Falklands were the subject of a short but brutal war after Argentina invaded in 1982, claiming the lives of 649 Argentines and 255 British soldiers.

Britain repelled the invaders after dispatching a naval armada, but the issue has never been considered settled in Buenos Aires.

Argentina still claims the islands while Britain says the Falklands are a self-governing entity under its protection. A 2013 referendum there resulted in a 99.8 per cent vote to remain British.
The Seattle teacher was exposed by conservative group Accuracy in Media

A Seattle high school teacher has been placed on leave after footage emerged of him agreeing that the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel was justified.

Ian Golash, the social studies department chair at Chief Sealth International High School, was placed on leave last week according to the district.

The move to have him suspended came after conservative advocacy group 'Accuracy in Media' exposed his social media posts outside of the school.

In a video clip released this month, Adam Guillette, the president of the group, asked Golash whether what happened to Israel in October was justified.

After considering his answer for a few seconds, the teacher responds, 'Yes', and later adds that: 'I think resistance against Israel is justified.'

Ian Golash, the social studies department chair at Chief Sealth International High School, was placed on leave last week according to the district

Guillette then asks him whether the rape of women at the Re'im festival that was attacked by Hamas was justified. He responds: 'Where is the evidence that there was rape?'

Guillette then asks 'The murder of innocent women just attending a music festival, that was justified in your opinion.'

'No', Golash responds, 'I think resistance against Israel is justified, yes.'

During an interview with KOMO News, Golash's father Mike Golash confirmed that his son had been placed on paid leave for the remainder of the semester.

His father told the outlet that he was instructed not to speak with any teachers or students.

Seattle Public Schools said in a statement that the district 'does not tolerate anti-Semitic, Islamophobic, or any kind of hate speech in its schools or offices.'

It continued:' The circumstances surrounding a conversation between an Accuracy in Media representative and an SPS teacher on April 1 are deeply concerning.

'We are conducting an immediate, appropriate investigation into this event.'

In a text message to The Seattle Times, Golash told the outlet that he does not support the killing or terrorizing of anyone.

In a text message to The Seattle Times , Golash told the outlet that he does not support the killing or terrorizing of anyone

Golash seen here in a mugshot from a prior arrest in Oregon, he has previously been arrested numerous times for assault, violating parole and criminal harassment

He wrote: 'I think any atrocities that happened on October 7th including rape, mutilations or killings of civilians committed by Hamas fighters or Gazans or Israeli citizens or Israeli Defense Forces are deplorable and worthy of condemnation.'

Social media posts shared by Golash include statements like: 'I believe that resistance against colonialism  and yes I believe Israel is a settler colonial state  and all forms of oppression is justified. People who are being oppressed get to decide what forms of resistance works best for them, not me or anyone else  especially not the oppressors.'

In another post, Golash declares that he is a communist.

In January, Golash blasted a student who said he was 'straight' and told the boy to use a less 'offensive' term.

Social media posts made by Golash include statements that he is a communist and supports the resistance against Israel

The boy's mom claimed that he provided students with a 'Social Identity Wheel' worksheet asking 10th graders to reflect on various identities including racial, ethnic, gender and sexual orientation.

The parent previously complained that Golash failed her son on a quiz for saying men cannot get pregnant and that women do not have penises.

She aired her concerns with Golash and Principal Ray Garcia-Morales in an email in September.

'It is completely inappropriate to dictate what terms a student can and cannot use to identify themselves with,' the mom wrote on September 24.

Golash thanked the woman for her feedback but denied singling out her son.

'I did not tell anyone what words they should use to identify themselves. In fact, I stated explicitly that I was not going to tell them how they should identify except to explain the difference between race, ethnicity and nationality,' Golash responded.

Israeli authorities say 364 people were shot, bludgeoned or burned to death and some were sexually assaulted at the 'peace festival' in Re'im on October 7.

About 40 were also taken hostage to Gaza.

Sitting on the back of a terrorist's motorcycle, her outstretched arms pointing towards her helpless boyfriend, student Noa Argamani pleads for her life

Some tourists come on visits organized by civil society groups, others come independently to pay tribute to those killed at the Nova festival.

It was the single most deadly incident in a shock cross-border assault by Hamas in which 1,200 people were killed and 240 were taken hostage.

Amongst those still unaccounted for are Noa Argamani and her boyfriend Avi Nathan.

Heartbreaking footage showed the 25-year-old student screaming 'Don't kill me! N, no, no' as she was forced onto the back of a motorcycle just meters away from her helpless boyfriend who was held at gunpoint. Both remain missing.

Widely shared on social media, the footage of Noa's kidnapping is almost too distressing to bear.

Some of the survivors who have been released from Gaza during the hostage exchange and ceasefire deal in November have described being tortured, sexually assaulted and starved in captivity.
New York police officers invaded a pro-Palestine encampment and arrested protesters on Columbia University's campus at the behest of the university's president, ending a two day long sit-in.

Dozens of riot gear clad cops entered the 'Gaza solidarity camp' that was organized by demonstrators on Wednesday as university president Minouche Shafik testified before congress about rampant anti-Semitism remarks on campus.

'I regret that all of these attempts to resolve the situation were rejected by the students involved. As a result, NYPD officers are now on campus and the process of clearing the encampment is underway,' Shafik said.

Video shows police raiding an encampment protesters set up on campus in 'solidarity in Gaza' hours before Shafik was scheduled to testify before the House Education and Workforce Committee about rampant anti-Semitism remarks on campus on Wednesday.

An army of police officers arrived at the campus around 1:30 p.m. and began arresting students.

New York police officers arrest a protestor who participated in an encampment on the Columbia University campus

Minouche Shafik, the university's president, who testified before congress about rampant anti-Semitism remarks on campus, authorized the arrests

Officers dressed in riot gear arrived at the campus around 1:30 p.m. and began arresting students

'At the request of Columbia officials, we are on scene to disperse protestors who have erected an unlawful encampment on campus,' NYPD Deputy Commissioner Operations Kaz Daughtry said.

'School officials had previously determined that the encampment and related disruptions pose a clear and present danger to the substantial functioning of the University.'

It is unclear exactly how many students were charged, but The New York Times reported at least three NYPD buses had been filled with detained protesters.

As arrests were being made, some protesters chanted 'NYPD KKK,' according to CBS New York.

'There was no point of ever working with the police. Like every single step of the way, they were escalating it,' protester Selena said.

Students involved in the protest have also been suspended from Columbia and Barnard College, including Isra Hirsi, who is the daughter of U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar

'Columbia has shown over and over they don't care about students' rights, voices or safety,' said Aidan Parisi

Shafik said she tried to warn the over 100 students occupying the South Lawn that they would be punished if they did not disperse.

'Through direct conversations and in writing, the university provided multiple notices of these violations, including a written warning at 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday notifying students who remained in the encampment as of 9:00 p.m. that they would face suspension pending investigation,' Shafik said.

The Ivy League chief defended the 'peaceful' demonstrations and the students' right to free speech in the surge of anti-Semitic rhetoric since the start of the Gaza war

Pro-Palestine protesters at Columbia University have been arrested as police raided their ' Gaza solidarity camp'

Protestors demonstrate at Columbia University as New York police load arrested demonstrators on to transport buses

'We also tried through a number of channels to engage with their concerns and offered to continue discussions if they agreed to disperse.'

The Columbia Journalism school announced additional security measures for its upcoming alumni weekend, including relocating its welcome reception and requiring identification and registration verification.

Presidential candidate Cornell West addressed the protesters and said, 'I just want to say I stand here in solidarity with you. I stand in solidarity with human suffering.'

Inspired by the occupation of the university's Hamilton Hall in 1968 against the Vietnam War, students gathered at what they called the 'Gaza Solidarity Encampment' to demand the school administration to divest from companies affiliated with Israel

Around 60 tents dotted the campus's south lawn, featuring two large signs declaring 'liberated zone' and 'Gaza solidarity encampment.'

The Ivy League chief defended the 'peaceful' demonstrations and the students' right to free speech in the surge of anti-Semitic rhetoric since the start of the Gaza war during her testimony.

At least five people were arrested Wednesday as a brawl broke out at the university- just one day after the president was accused of running 'hotbed of anti-Semitism and hate.'

In a video from Wednesday, pro-Palestine and pro-Israel demonstrators clashed outside of the school as one person screamed: 'We are Hamas!' while a man wearing an Israel flag on his back and a yamaka on his head walked past her.

As another man filmed the angry protestor and shoved his phone in her face, she repeated: 'Yes, we are all Hamas b****!'

As arrests were being made, some protesters chanted 'NYPD KKK'

Protesters set up on campus in 'solidarity in Gaza' hours before Shafik was scheduled to testify before the House Education and Workforce Committee about rampant anti-Semitism

It is unclear how many arrest were made, but the NYPD reportedly used three buses to transport the students

During another protest, people were seen flooding the Ivy League campus, waving around Palestinian flags and chanting: 'Oh Al-Qassam, you make us proud! Kill another soldier now!'

In another clip, a mass of people crammed onto a subway train, banging drums, as they chanted: 'Free our prisoners, free them all! Zionism will fall!' while on their way to Columbia.

People clapped their hands as keffiyeh scarves covered their mouths, and quickly changed the chant to: 'Free our prisoners, free them all! Israel will fall!'

Each group praised Hamas, a Palestinian resistance group that took over the Gaza strip in 2007.

On October 7 the Israel-Hamas war began as Hamas militants, known as Qassam Brigades, stormed Israel.

The ongoing terror attacks have killed more than 30,000 people and caused a massive uproar across the world.
Robert F. Kennedy's campaign announced Thursday that the independent presidential candidate will appear on the ballot in Michigan - which could have masssive repercussions for President Joe Biden's reelection prospects.

In the most recent poll in the state, Biden has fallen behind former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee.

And during February's Democratic primary, he lost more than 100,000 votes to 'uncommitted,' a protest over his stance on Gaza.

Kennedy and his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, were able to skip the arduous process of gathering signatures to appear on the ballot, as they were chosen to represent the little-known Natural Law Party in the fall instead.

The Natural Law Party already has a spot secured on Michigan's general election ballot - one of five minor parties that are represented.

Robert F. Kennedy is officially on the ballot in Michigan, his campaign announced Thursday, due to the minor party, the Natural Law Party, nominating the independent and his running mate Nicole Shanahan to be their nominees and represent them in the fall general election

The same day RFK Jr. announced he would appear on the ballot in Michigan, President Joe Biden (center) assembled members of the Kennedy clan to appear alongside him in Philadelphia and officially endorse his reelection campaign

The others include Libertarian, Green, U.S. Taxpayers and Working Class parties.

Independent presidential hopeful Cornel West also approached the Natural Law Party, but the group's president, Doug Dern, felt Kennedy was the better fit, he told The Detroit News.

'He's the most qualified candidate in the modern-day history of American,' Dern said in a statement.

Kennedy - the son of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and nephew of President John F. Kennedy - has never held elected office.

He was a top environmental lawyer but in recent years was known better for being a prominent anti-vaxxer.

Kennedy launched his campaign a year ago as a Democrat but switched to an independent bid in October, angering a number of members of his historically Democratic family.

As Kennedy gained ballot access in Michigan, Biden had gathered together members of the Kennedy clan Thursday for a campaign event in Philadelphia to officially endorse his 2024 bid.

Kerry Kennedy, the sister of RFK Jr., said Thursday that Biden was a 'champion for the rights and freedoms that my father and uncle stood for.'

President Joe Biden lost more than 100,000 votes in Michigan's Democratic primary in February to 'uncommitted,' which was a protest vote over his handling of Israel's killing of civilians in Gaza after Hamas' October 7 terror attack

'That's why nearly every single grandchild of Joe and Rose Kennedy supports Joe Biden,' she noted.

RFK's sister Rory Kennedy, a prominent documentary filmmaker, said earlier this month that she won't vote for him because she's too worried about a second term of Trump.

'You know, the truth is, that I love my brother, and it pains me to come out against him, but I am very concerned with the stakes in this election, and I'm very concerned from the polls I'm seeing that he takes many more votes from Biden than he does from Trump,' she told Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC.

'And I think this election is going to come down to a handful of votes in a handful of states, and I'm concerned that his campaign and running for office as an independent is going to lead to Trump's election,' she added.

Biden beat Trump in 2020 by flipping back three states Trump had won over Hillary Clinton in 2016 - Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania - and adding Arizona and Georgia to the Democratic column as well.
By Lee Min-hyung

Hyundai Motor Group has forged a partnership with Toray Industries to co-develop materials used for future mobility  such as carbon fiber-reinforced plastic  in a strategic move to strengthen vehicle performance and safety, the company said Thursday.

Toray Industries is renowned for its tech expertise in producing carbon fiber composite materials. The company is the worlds leader in carbon fiber, a material widely adopted in advanced industries  such as automotive and aviation  due to multiple upsides including the fact that it is lightweight, strong and possesses heat resistance properties.

Hyundai Motor Group aims to leverage this strategic partnership to strengthen its position as a global leader in mobility solutions, Hyundai Motor Group President Song Chang-hyeon said. By combining our automotive expertise with Toray Groups material technology prowess, we aim to become the first mover and gain a competitive edge in the global market.

Toray Industries also pledged to level up the partnership amid the era of electric vehicles (EV).

Toray Industries has developed innovative technology and materials focusing on electrification and sustainability to address the needs of customers in the constantly evolving automotive industry, Toray Industries President Mitsuo Ohya said. We are happy to partner with Hyundai Motor Group to continue this innovation.

Toray Industries Chairman Akihiro Nikkaku and Toray Advanced Materials Korea Chairman Lee Young-kwan also attended the partnership ceremony. They pledged to deepen their bilateral relations for joint research and development and build a longer-term partnership. Toray specializes in fibers and textiles, performance chemicals, carbon fiber composite materials, environmental engineering and life science.

Hyundai Motor said the partnership comes with huge significance, as the automaker stands at a crucial juncture for its transition into an eco-friendly future mobility solutions provider.

The partnership with Toray Group plays a key role in the groups future mobility strategy, an official from the company said. Hyundai Motor Group is adopting a comprehensive approach by pursuing fundamental advancements in material technology, in addition to electrification and software-defined vehicles (SDVs).
QUESTION Was Charlie Chaplin's grave once robbed?

Yes, his coffin was stolen and held for ransom.

In 1952 Charlie Chaplin paid a visit to Britain only to find that the U.S. attorney general had revoked his visa (he had never obtained U.S. citizenship) because of alleged Communist sympathies. Incensed, Chaplin vowed never to set foot in the U.S. again. He settled in Switzerland and died there on Christmas Day 1977 in the town of Corsier-sur-Vevey on the banks of Lake Geneva.

One morning early in 1978, the local cemetery worker made a startling discovery: a muddy hole where Chaplin's coffin should have been.

The Press speculated that a group of neo-Nazis, rabid anti-Semites or a crazed Englishman who wanted to repatriate Chaplin were responsible. Within a few days, the motive was revealed. The coffin was offered for a ransom of 600,000 Swiss francs.

The thieves made numerous phone calls to his widow Oona threatening to harm the younger Chaplin children, and the police traced the calls to a series of local phone booths. After three months they captured the culprits: Roman Wardas, a 24-year-old Pole, and Gantscho Ganev, a 38-year-old Bulgarian.

Charlie Chaplin in 1915. The Press speculated that a group of neo-Nazis, rabid anti-Semites or a crazed Englishman who wanted to repatriate Chaplin were responsible. Within a few days, the motive was revealed. The coffin was offered for a ransom of 600,000 Swiss francs

Charlie Chaplin's grave in Switzerland. He settled in Switzerland and died there on Christmas Day 1977 in the town of Corsier-sur-Vevey on the banks of Lake Geneva

The coffin was unearthed, having been hidden in a farmer's field some 14 miles away. It was soon reinterred in its plot in the cemetery and reinforced with concrete.

Wardas, the mastermind of the plot, got four and a half years hard labour while Ganev got 18 months.

Heidi Powell, Nantwich, Cheshire.

QUESTION How is the nutritional value of foods determined by the supermarkets and food manufacturers?

The government requires food and drink manufacturers to declare the nutritional value of their products based on their own analysis. This is usually undertaken by an accredited laboratory, which is a requirement when there are specific nutritional claims, such as those with a boosted mineral or vitamin content.

Accredited laboratories are listed on the Food Standards Agency website. They can test factors such as carbohydrate, fat, protein and vitamin content using a variety of recognised tests.

A laboratory analysis is not mandatory, especially for simple foods. Manufacturers can refer to existing nutritional data. McCance and Widdowson's The Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset is the reference that the government recommends for this purpose.

Alun Griffiths, Swansea.

QUESTION How were the Dogon people of Mali aware of the planet Sirius B, which isn't visible to the naked eye?

The story that the Dogon have knowledge of a star that can only be seen with a powerful telescope has been gleefully used to prop up nonsensical stories of aliens from outer space coming to Earth in the ancient past. But it is not a mystery at all, and as U.S. astronomer Carl Sagan pointed out, the Dogon have no knowledge of a planet further out than Saturn or that Jupiter has more than four moons. Wouldn't the little green men have told them otherwise?

Masked ceremonial Dogon dancers in Mali. The Dogon appeared to have some knowledge of Sirius B, but that their 'facts' were often wildly incorrect and contradictory

TOMORROW'S QUESTIONS Q:What is the best area of the dartboard for amateurs to aim at to maximise their scores? Jenny Burns, Kendal, Cumbria. Q: Where does the term 'straw man argument' come from? Edward Smith, Monmouth. Q: If a Lieutenant is junior to a Major, why does a Lieutenant General outrank a Major General? Richard Barry, Bristol. Advertisement

The Dogon are not a single culture or 'tribe'. Their civilization is diverse and encompasses different dialects, religions, cultural and social groups and beliefs. It is more accurate to say that some of the Dogon appeared to have some knowledge of Sirius B, but that their 'facts' were often wildly incorrect and contradictory.

In 1844, the German astronomer Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel concluded that irregularities in the orbit of Sirius A meant that it must have a massive but faint companion star. American astronomer Alvan Graham Clark confirmed this in 1862 when he first observed Sirius B using a huge refracting telescope at the Dearborn Observatory in Illinois.

French astrophysicist Henri- Alexandre Deslandres led an expedition to Mali to observe the solar eclipse of April 1893. Deslandres and his team lived among the Dogon for over a month and were reportedly fascinated by their extensive knowledge of astronomy, much of which was based upon myth and legend. It is probable that they told the Dogon of the existence of Sirius B.

This fits in well with some Dogon beliefs that there is a duality in all nature. So, when the ancient alien theorists began gleefully reporting on the 'fact' that the Dogon had knowledge of a star they could not possibly have seen, they were careful to select and listen to those few Dogon who had heard the parables passed down from Deslandres and his associates, conveniently ignoring those who believed that Sirius is a triple rather than a binary system (it isn't) or those who had not even heard of Sirius B in the first place.

Angus Gafraidh, London E11.
An American on trial for the murder of his DJ girlfriend in Colombia suffered an anxiety attack before the start of a hearing and had to be rushed to a hospital.

John Poulos, 36, who confessed to murdering 23-year-old Valentina Trespalacios in January 2023, was seen being taken out in a stretcher from the courthouse Wednesday morning.

A male demonstrator later blocked the ambulance from leaving before a police officer intervened as people in the background could be heard shouting 'murderer.'

The trial hearing was rescheduled for Thursday morning as the defense and prosecution were expected to make their arguments, but it was postponed until April 30 because Poulos was hospitalized.

Poulos is accused of strangling Trespalacios at a home he rented during a visit last year.

John Poulos, who confessed to murdering 23-year-old Valentina Trespalacios in January 2023, was rushed to a hospital in Bogota, Colombia, on Wednesday after he suffered an anxiety attack before the start of a trial hearing

Poulos (left) had plans of living in Colombia full time and marrying his DJ girlfriend, Valentina Trespalacios (right). He was arrested in Panama on January 24, 2023, two days after her body was found inside a suitcase in a dumpster

During a trial hearing on March 6, the divorced father-of-two told the judge he and Trespalacios drank alcohol and took drugs and that he choked her with jewelry she had around her neck while they were having sex.

Poulos added he then fell asleep and later woke up. He noticed Trespalacios dead in the bed beside him.

He would admitted that while in a state of confusion he panicked and tried to hide her body.

The confessed killer, who met Trespalacios on a dating site in 2022, testified he joined Trespalacios for her DJ gig at a club the night of January 21, 2023 and then returned to the apartment in the early hours of January 22.

'I don't remember how I got back to the apartment. I remember waking up with my clothes and shoes on,' he said. 'Valentina was next to me  I was in a state induced by drugs and alcohol.'

Poulos is facing femicide charges in Bogota, Colombia

Valentina Trespalacios was beaten and strangled to death before she was stuffed into a suitcase that was dumped in a construction waste container in Bogota, Colombia, on January 22, 2023

Poulos said he woke up from bed to shower and noticed Trespalacios unresponsive when he returned bedside.

'Saw Valentina, tried to wake her up, but she didn't respond. I was destroyed, I loved her, I had been with her for nine months. Imagine killing someone you love. The room was spinning,' he said.

Poulos said he made the 'horrible decision' after he noticed Trespalacios had no vital signs

He was captured by a surveillance camera pushing the car that contained luggage, including the suitcase where he stuffed his girlfriend's corpse.

'I tried to escape from her and put her in the blue suitcase,' Poulos said. 'I regret that decision.'

An autopsy report showed that Valentina Trespalacios was strangled and beaten

A homeless man was searching through a waste container (seen here) in the Bogota neighborhood of Los Cambulos where he discovered the suitcase with Valentina Trespalacios' body on January 22, 2023

He abandoned the suitcase in a dumpster and dropped of his car rental and headed to El Dorado International Airport, where he purchased a flight to Panama City, with a connection to Istanbul.

Upon arriving in Istanbul, he had plans of boarding another flight to Montenegro, which does not have an extradition treaty with Colombia.

Authorities noticed him at Tocumen International Airport on January 24 and arrested him before extraditing him to Colombia.

Shortly after the killing, Poulos sat down with Colombian weekly news magazine Semana for an interview and claimed he was 'in love' with Trespalacios while adding he had proof that would allow him to be cleared of any wrongdoing.
A California mom-of-three has died after falling 140 feet down a cliff during a hiking trip in Arizona with her husband.

Zaynab Joseph, 40, from Huntington Beach, California, was on a trip to Sedona where she was hiking Bear Mountain with her husband and one-year-old child when tragedy struck.

A group of hikers discovered Joseph during their trek along the mountain after she had already fallen down a cliff.

Hikers heard yelling and found Joseph, still alive but with serious injuries.

One hiker called 911 and another rushed down the embankment to confirm that the mother was still breathing. Joseph tragically died shortly after.

Zaynab Joseph, 40, from Huntington Beach, California, was on a trip to Sedona where she was hiking Bear Mountain with her husband and one-year-old child when tragedy struck

A group of hikers discovered Joseph during their trek along the mountain after she had already fallen down the cliff

The sheriff's department sent search and rescue teams to the mountain embankment to recover Joseph's body - which they managed to do with the help of Arizona's Department of Public Safety.

Following her deadly fall, Joseph's husband and their one-year-old baby were airlifted from the mountain - but the sheriff did not say if anyone else was hurt.

The circumstances of Joseph's death are still not known and the circumstances of her apparent fall are under investigation.

Joseph's sister posted a heartbreaking tribute on Facebook. 'My beloved sister, Zaynab Joseph, passed away yesterday in a tragic accident,' the post said.

'She had a heart of gold and was very dear to all of us. No words can describe the pain our families are going through, especially her husband and three young children.'

Another of Joseph's friends posted, 'We are heartbroken, we are shattered, but we know that you are in a better place. Your memory will live on in our hearts, in our minds, in our lives.'

Joseph tragically died shortly after the hikers found her and Sedona Fire officials pronounced her dead after being the first responders to arrive on the scene

Joseph and her family were staying in an AirBnB they were renting in Sedona during their trip

The Arizona desert town has a population of just under 10,000 - but the hiking hotspot attracts around three million tourists each year

Joseph and her family were staying in an AirBnB they were renting in Sedona during their trip.

The Arizona desert town has a population of just under 10,000 - but the hiking hotspot attracts around three million tourists each year.

Sedona's busiest season is Spring because temperatures sit in the mid 60s to low 80s - making it perfect weather for the outdoor activities on offer, including hiking and desert jeep tours.

Hikes in Bear Mountain can range from challenging, steep climbs to peaceful walking paths. The classic loop trail is a popular choice - which includes some steep and rocky sections.

Bear Mountain Trail is described as 'strenuous' and 'steep'. It leads hikers to the summit, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been named as one of Time's 100 most influential people of 2024, with magazine claiming the red state leader is 'among the contenders best positioned to eventually pick up the MAGA mantle'.

Abbott, 66, was dubbed one of the GOP's 'most persuasive pitchmen,' following a year during which the border-state governor led the party's response to the crisis at the Southern Border.

'During his nine years as the governor of Texas, he has proved adept at simultaneously throwing red meat to his conservative base while tempering pushback from the state's liberal enclaves,' wrote TIME senior correspondent Philip Elliott.

'All the while, he has masterfully needled Washington, through both unending legal challenges and agitating stunts, such as sending buses of migrants to Democratic cities.'

Abbot joins fellow Texans Patrick Mahomes and Shark Tank billionaire Mark Cuban on the list.

Other American politicians included in the top 100 included Congresswoman and GOP House Chair Elise Stefanik, and California Governor Gavin Newsom.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott, pictured here with former President Donald Trump, was named to TIME's list of 100 most influential people of 2024

Abbott (pictured here with his wife and daughter) was dubbed one of the GOP 's 'most persuasive pitchmen,' following a year during which the border-state governor led the party's response to the crisis at the Southern Border

'We have worked tirelessly to ensure Texas remains a beacon of freedom and opportunity for the entire world, and it is an honor to be recognized for all we have accomplished,' his said in response to his inclusion on the list.

'From building the eighth-largest economy in the world to leading a historic border security mission amidst the most prolific border crisis our nation has ever seen, one thing remains clear: where Texas leads, others follow.

'I am proud of the work we have accomplished and look forward to building an even bigger, better Texas for generations to come.'

Both Stefanik and Abbott have reportedly been short-listed as potential picks for Donald Trump's vice presidential slot as he seeks another White House term.

Trump identified Abbott as a contender to Fox News host Sean Hannity following a recent trip to the border with the Texan governor.

In late February, Abbott guided Trump along the edge of the Rio Grande and showed him what Texas is doing to stop illegal immigrants crossing.

The Republican governor showed Trump how shipping containers topped with concertina wire are being used as barriers.

He took him to a spot where the body of a drowned illegal migrant was brought ashore earlier this week, and laid out plans to build an 80-acre base for the Texas National Guard.

He also vowed to continue his policy of sending illegal migrants to Democrat 'sanctuary' cities on buses.

The bussed migrants have become an issue of genuine concern to blue city leaders, including New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who residents have threatened to recall him over his catastrophic handling of the migrant crisis.

Abbott has reportedly been short-listed as potential picks for Donald Trump's vice presidential slot as the de facto GOP leader seeks another White House term

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump points to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott as he speaks at Shelby Park during a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border, Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024, in Eagle Pass, Texas

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks to NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara, a Houston native currently on the International Space Station, during a visit to NASA's Johnson Space Center to announce the inaugural members of the Texas Space Commission Board of Directors and the Texas Aerospace Research and Space Economy Consortium Executive Committee

During the tour with trump, Abbott blasted President Joe Biden for 'endangering America' by 'not doing his job' protecting the border.

Abbott said: 'The United States of America is being invaded. Joe Biden is not doing his job.

'I don't think he (Biden) is on the border itself right now. He's in some sanitized location in the Brownsville area, not seeing the razor wire that Texas has put up around Brownsville,' referring to Biden's parallel trip to the 'border.'

'It just goes to show that Biden does not care about either Texas or the border and what's going on. As a result you see a disaster.'

Abbott said America is dealing with 'more deadly consequences than we have in our entire lifetime because of Joe Biden's policies on the border' and 'it did not have to be this way.

'All Joe Biden had to do to secure the border was to keep in place what President Trump put in place in the first place,' he said.

'Not a week goes by without an American either losing their life, being raped or assaulted by somebody that Biden has allowed in our country illegally,' he said.

Texas is 'ground zero' for illegal crossings and Biden had 'lied to America' about the border, he said.
Social media users quickly questioned if the memoir will contain stock trading tips as the former speaker has recently seen her net worth explode

It will cover her time as House speaker including her experience on January 6, 2021 and her husband's infamous bludgeoning in their San Francisco home

Nancy Pelosi has completed a new memoir about her time serving as the first woman speaker of the House in U.S. history.

The memoir is entitled 'The Art of Power' and will be released on August 6, according to its publisher Simon & Schuster.

It will chronicle the 84-year-old Democrats' nearly 40-year tenure in government, spanning from her election to the House in 1987, through her two stints as speaker of the House and her post-speaker career.

Social media users were quick to question whether it will contain stock trading advice from the prolific investor.

According to Quiver Quantitive, a finance data firm that tracks congressional stock trading, Pelosi's net-worth has exploded in recent years. The group now estimates Pelosi is worth $190 million.

In 2024 alone, Pelosi has traded at least $3.9 million worth of stock, according to Quiver.

'Does she give any stock market tips in this book,' one user posted on X. '[That's] what we all really want to know about.'

This image provided by Simon & Schuster shows the cover of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's new book, 'The Art of Power'

How many pages devoted to her insider trading and turning her $150k salary into a nine figure net worth via YOLO tech call options?  Craig Shapiro (@ces921) April 18, 2024

'How many pages devoted to her insider trading and turning her $150k salary into a nine figure net worth via YOLO tech call options,' another user posted.

Some one else suggested an alternative book title for the new memoir: 'The Art of Insider Trading How I made more than even the best investors by leveraging the confidential info I learned in Congress.'

'I was expecting a book giving away her secrets to insider trading and how to become a multi millionaire while working for the government your whole life,' another post said.

'We've been collecting and sharing data on stock trading by politicians for the past few years, and recently started building bots that mimic stock trading by different members of Congress,' Quiver Quantitive Co-founder Christopher Kardatzke told DailyMail.com.

'Our 'Nancy Pelosi Strategy' rose over 60% last year,' he said.

'Pelosis portfolio is off to a fast start in 2024, with Nvidia stock up over 75 percent so far this year,' Kardatzke continued, adding, 'Pelosi bought up to $5M in Nvidia call options in November.'

In fact, Pelosi's stock trading has drawn so much attention that Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., introduced the Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments (PELOSI) Act in 2023 to prohibit lawmakers from trading stocks while in office.

'For too long, politicians in Washington have taken advantage of the economic system they write the rules for, turning profits for themselves at the expense of the American people,' Hawley said at the time.

'As members of Congress, both Senators and Representatives are tasked with providing oversight of the same companies they invest in, yet they continually buy and sell stocks, outperforming the market time and again.'

'While Wall Street and Big Tech work hand-in-hand with elected officials to enrich each other, hardworking Americans pay the price. The solution is clear: we must immediately and permanently ban all members of Congress from trading stocks.'

Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., poses with her husband Paul, who is an investment banker in San Francisco

The memoir will cover Pelosi's time as House speaker including her experience on January 6, 2021 and her husband's infamous bludgeoning in their San Francisco home

Still, the question of whether the book will contain stock trading tips is yet to be answered.

However, the book announcement did say the memoir will reveal 'how she went toe-to-toe with Trump, leading up to January 6, 2021, when he unleashed his post-election fury on the Congress.'

It will also explain more about the man who 'viciously attacked her beloved husband, Paul,' and 'the traumatic aftermath for her and her family.'

Pelosi's office did not return a request for comment.
Brussels last night offered Britain a 'backpackers and baristas' deal on free movement.

The European Commission is proposing a 'youth mobility' scheme that would let 18- to 30-year-olds from anywhere across the EU, for up to four years, move to the UK for work, travel or study.

Young Britons would have reciprocal rights to live in the EU.

EU arrivals would pay domestic rates for university tuition fees rather than the higher ones usually charged to foreign students, and would be exempted from paying a healthcare surcharge imposed on other migrants.

There would be no limit to the number allowed in under the scheme, which could help fill staffing shortages in restaurants or care homes.

European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic said: 'Our aim is to rebuild human bridges between young Europeans on both sides of the Channel'

Downing Street suggested the Government would prefer to do deals with individual countries instead of the whole bloc

The EC insisted that the plan would not reinstate pre-Brexit rights, saying: 'It is not about conferring to young UK nationals the benefits of the fundamental freedom of movement enjoyed by EU citizens.'

European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic said: 'The United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union has hit young people in the EU and the UK who would like to study, work and live abroad particularly hard.

'Today, we take the first step towards an ambitious but realistic agreement between the EU and the UK that would fix this issue. Our aim is to rebuild human bridges between young Europeans on both sides of the Channel.'

Some suspect that the EC proposal is aimed at a future Labour government.

Downing Street suggested the Government would prefer to do deals with individual countries instead of the whole bloc.
Staff for Vice President Kamala Harris celebrated the news that she was almost as popular as Beyonce, sharing the headline to a Newsweek article making the claim.

The article cites a new Echelon Insights survey showing Harris that showed a 43 percent favorable rating for Harris and a 45 percent favorable rating for Beyonce.

The Newsweek headline prompted Harris' press secretary to share the news on social media, reminding her followers that Harris, like Beyonce 'run the world,' quoting a song from the superstar's musical catalog.

Beyonce released her new 'Cowboy Carter' album in March that featured country music

Vice President Kamala Harris attends a meeting at the White House

But there is a significant difference between the two famous Americans, as Harris' unfavorable numbers were significantly higher than the world-famous artist.

Harris had a 52 percent unfavorable rating, while Beyonce's unfavorable ratings were just 26 percent.

The Newsweek headline drew a comment from Echelon pollster Patrick Ruffini, pointing out the differences between the unpopular vice president and Beyonce.

'Always look at net margins, kids. Kamala has a net -9 favorability rating and Beyonce has net +19,' he wrote on social media. 'So shes not as popular.'

The Echelon survey, however, does offer some positive news for Harris.

Her 43 percent approval rating is much higher than some of her most recent poll.

A Redfield & Wilton Strategies survey in April showed her with only a 36 percent approval rating.

Harris' approval ratings have been stuck in the 30s for the entire year, according to FiveThirtyEight.com, despite multiple attempts at rebooting her political image.

Harris also still has significant support among black voters, according to the Echelon survey as 68 percent have a favorable opinion of her. Just 24 percent of black voters gave her an unfavorable rating.

The Echelon survey of likely voters was fielded online from April 12-14 among a sample of 1,020 voters.
She has been in the backbenches at Holyrood for more than a year, but the walls of the debating chamber still echo with Nicola Sturgeons rhetoric.

Scotland will lead by example on tackling climate change, she used to say as First Minister. I know, you can hear her voice in your head right now. Im sorry about that.

She was fond of that expression and convinced with every fibre of her being  another favourite from the phrasebook  by the subtext. Up here, we do things better than down there.

Well see your half-baked Westminster righteousness and raise you the real McCoy. No one  and certainly not a Tory government  trumps Scotland in being right about stuff.

Being superior to you  morally, intellectually, legislatively  is what we do. Its woven into our beings fibre.

Shambles

There was a lot of that in the second half of the Sturgeon era, and the more events conspired to demonstrate the barrenness of the assertion the more vigorously she held to it.

Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon claimed Scotland would lead by example on tackling climate change  her targets were ditched by her successor on Thursday

Time after time we watched the Scottish Governments tilts at superiority collapse around its ears. And time after time we heard versions of the same excuse from amidst the shambles: if it wasnt for dastardly deeds beyond our control in Westminster wed be home free.

We are more right than they are  its what we do  and when it all goes wrong for us, its their fault. Which, voters, just goes to show the absolute rotters they are.

This, in a nutshell, is the regime under which we toil. Grown men and women, earning six-figure salaries in many cases, stand on their hind legs and repeat an argument unworthy of a primary school debate for a living.

Be in no doubt that it was because we do things better up here that Scotland set a carbon emissions reduction target of 75 per cent by 2030 while, for the UK as a whole, it was just the 68 per cent.

Ms Sturgeon was anxious to press home the point. Scotland had the most stretching targets in the world, she liked to say. It was just one more way in which we were leading by example.

She will note the collapse this week of yet another house of cards  felled by the grim reality that targets are meaningless without a workable route map for achieving them. The fact is Scotland has missed the annual emissions reductions targets required by law in eight of the past 12 years.

Last month the UK Climate Change Committee said Scottish ministers had no meaningful plan to hit the 2030 target and, indeed, had failed even to produce the climate change strategy due last year. Its 75 per cent target was no longer credible.

This was the context for yesterdays abject humiliation as the SNP rowed back on its world-leading climate target stretchers status and became also-rans.

And this, incidentally, is exactly what the then 18-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg perceived them to be back in 2021 when asked in the run-up to the COP26 summit in Glasgow if Scotland was really a world leader in this field of endeavour. The first word out of her mouth was No.

The Swedish firebrand would be forgiven for failing to detect a pattern in the posturing of the SNP. She has no reason to be up to speed on a domestic political scene in which points are scored by selling the lie that we go further up here, dig deeper, care more.

But we who live here should call it out every time. We should do it not in the spirit of talking our country down but of salvaging what is left of its reputation. It is now no secret in the rest of the UK that our government makes itself  and, by extension, its electorate  look like fools.

If the rest of the world is not already aware, it is surely cottoning on fast.

Early last year we still had a world-leading bottle return scheme which was far superior to the watered-down version they were planning in England  until, inevitably, we didnt. Ministers were so consumed with going further that they missed the fact that their plan was a guddle and most of the country hated it.

Their obsession with underlining their independence of thought propels them into labyrinthine stratagems from which there is no way out but backwards.

In 2022 we had the Scottish census  a year later than they did it in England because were smarter cookies up here. Our government knew there was no way the Scottish public could be expected to sit at their computers in the privacy of their own homes and type out the answers to a questionnaire in 2021 when there was a pandemic on.

Inferior

No, it would have to move to the following year  which would make it both high quality and safe.

It was no more or less safe than the English one. It was of demonstrably inferior quality. Swathes of folk didnt bother filling it in. The impertinent questions about gender identity and inbuilt political bias deterred many.

The first rule of a census is to count heads  not to do them in.

Throughout the pandemic, suspicions proliferated on the frequency with which the Scottish rules diverged from the English ones. Could Ms Sturgeon say, hand on heart, that the imperative to be different was not a driver in her thinking? Well, she did say exactly that at the Covid Inquiry in Edinburgh.

I do not say she lied in her answer but that the question speaks to an established pattern of behaviour  one which all too often ends in tears.

Why, for example, were XL Bully dogs not banned in Scotland at the end of last year as they were in England and Wales? Would closing the loophole which brought an influx of the dogs across the Border into Scotland not have been the wiser course  and wasnt there something horribly predictable about the spate of attacks we have seen by XL Bullies in Scotland in recent months?

Petulant

There is, in this country, an intuitive reluctance to pursue almost any course in tandem with the Westminster government. Its a petulant tactic with Ms Sturgeons personality written all over it and, Im afraid, it suggests to me that, in her more inglorious moments, her hatred of the Tories spoke louder than her love of Scotland.

On climate, as with much else we have witnessed since the 2014 referendum, our government reached for the stars and fell flat on its face.

It is so intent on plotting to best Westminster that it neglects to plot a course to achieving anything. It loses and so do we.

And, one has to wonder, is this the plan for staying in government? Keep on saying were better than them and blaming London oppressors when it turns out were not?

Well, its worked for them before. If it aint broke

But Scotland increasingly is broken. Chippy one-upmanship has never served us well, whether in sport or politics.

My being has fibres too. And all of them long for a government which, genuinely, is more interested in us than getting one over on them.
Scotlandss gender clinic has paused the prescribing of puberty blockers after days of shameful silence and dithering from the Scottish Government.

The Sandyford clinic in Glasgow said no prescriptions would be issued to new patients and under-18s would not get other gender hormone treatments.

The U-turn comes after a review of gender services for children in England found there was not enough evidence puberty blockers are safe or effective.

The findings by Dr Hilary Cass piled pressure on the NHS in Scotland to scrap the controversial practice of giving such drugs to gender-questioning children.

The Sandyford is the national gender clinic for under-18s. From there, patients are referred to endocrinology clinics in childrens hospitals in Edinburgh or Glasgow.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC), which runs the Sandyford, and NHS Lothian said they had decided in mid-March to defer putting new patients on hormone suppressants, following the same move by NHS England.

Glasgows Sandyford Clinic said no prescriptions would be issued to new patients and under-18s would not get other gender hormone treatments

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Meghan Gallacher said: The SNP Government have been dragged kicking and screaming towards taking the necessary action to safeguard vulnerable youngsters after days of shameful silence and dithering.

First Minister Humza Yousaf had said he did not believe there was a case to shut the Sandyford, despite the closure of the similar Tavistock facility in London.

Puberty blockers allow children with gender dysphoria time to think about whether they want to transition. Youngsters can self-refer to the Sandyford or go through their GP. At the end of last year 1,100 patients were on its waiting list.

The clinic has also paused referrals for gender affirming hormones such as testosterone and oestrogen for under-18s. The Sandyford said there would be no change for those already being prescribed drugs and it would continue to see new patients and give psychological support.

Health Secretary Neil Gray said: We have been clear it is for clinicians and health boards to make decisions about clinical pathways, and these decisions should be made carefully and based on the best evidence available.

He said the Cass Reviews findings were being closely considered by the Scottish Government and health boards.

Dr Emilia Crighton, director of public health at NHSGGC, said: The next step is to work with the Scottish Government and academic partners to generate evidence that enables us to deliver safe care for our patients.

We echo the views of Dr Hilary Cass that toxicity around public debate is impacting the lives of young people seeking the care of our service and does not serve the teams working hard to care for and support them.

Scottish Trans manager Vic Valentine said: We want every child or young person to get the individualised care thats right for them at the time thats right for them. We dont think this decision will make that possible.

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie urged the government to lay out treatment changes to be made in the wake of the Cass Review.

The announcement on puberty blockers prompted the LGBT wing of the Scottish Greens to call for an emergency general meeting to discuss the future of the partys power-sharing agreement with the SNP.

Rainbow Greens co-convener Jen Bell said the clinics decision broke promises in the Bute House Agreement on putting trans patients at the heart of decisions on their own healthcare and warned Greens in government would do well to take heed.

Right call despite Humzas shameful lack of leadership

Commentary by Meghan Gallacher, Scottish Conservative Deputy Leader

YESTERDAY we got the welcome news that the Sandyford clinic is to halt the prescription of puberty blockers to children.

The First Minister and the SNP Government had tried to dodge the issue.

The Cass review, published more than a week ago, was highly critical of the treatment of children uncertain about their sexuality and gender identity. It concluded the policy of prescribing puberty-blocking medicines and setting them on a path to major surgery was based on remarkably weak evidence.

Its damning verdict was that gender identity services have been letting down vulnerable and distressed children.

In the lead-up to the review, the UK Government put a halt to the use of these untested treatments  the long-term effects of which, shockingly, are unknown  on young children.

The only reasonable response would have been for the SNP Government to adopt the same approach. The fact that the Scottish NHS is devolved doesnt make the slightest difference to the scientific and clinical findings of the report.

Medical interventions that are, at the very least, experimental and unevidenced do not change character at Gretna. Yet Humza Yousaf and other government ministers have spent weeks attempting to avoid the issue.

The controversy on gender services for children is not new. I have been raising concerns for quite some time.

The SNP had every opportunity to protect children. Ministers are ultimately responsible for Scotlands health system; Mr Yousafs deflections about leaving decisions to clinicians are preposterous.

He and other SNP ministers have a duty of care towards vulnerable young people. Yet for years they have refused to listen to those who have bravely voiced their concerns. Although the Cass report was only published this month, its interim conclusions have been known for almost two years. Yet, despite knowing that they would need to make a decision, the SNPs pathetic response to its publication was to insist that they would need some time to read, analyse and digest it.

People will not forget, or forgive, the SNPs shocking abdication of responsibility on this subject. I have had the privilege of speaking to families who have had their lives turned upside down because of gender services, and the lack of care their sons and daughters receive. Their bravery has given me the strength to keep going  knowing their voices must be heard. I want to see all those who suffer from distress or confusion over gender or sexuality, especially children, receiving the right psychological support and assessment. Yet I have been called transphobic for taking that view.

Serious medical procedures  which despite the protests of ministers and activists, are not reversible or well-evidenced  should never have been imposed on children, as a host of countries have now concluded. It beggars belief the SNP Government should have disowned all responsibility on such a serious issue.
British spooks are probing Beijing's ability to spy on UK citizens through Chinese-made electric cars.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden revealed that a top-level review is under way into whether hostile states could use the vehicles (EVs) as intelligence-gathering devices.

Speaking at an event in central London, he said officials at the National Cyber Security Centre were working with ministers and intelligence agency GCHQ.

The electric car probe mirrors an investigation announced by Joe Biden into whether the vehicles can be used to hoover up sensitive data about people and infrastructure.

Tory MP Tim Loughton, who sits on the Commons home affairs select committee and was one of nine MPs sanctioned by China for criticising the country's Communist regime, said: 'It is good to see the Government waking up at last to the very real threat that China poses to security [and] the daily lives of everyday people.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, speaking at an event in central London today (pictured), said that a top-level review is under way into whether hostile states could use the vehicles (EVs) as intelligence-gathering devices

The electric car probe mirrors an investigation announced by Joe Biden into whether the vehicles can be used to hoover up sensitive data about people and infrastructure (stock photo)

The revelation came after security minister Tom Tugendhat (pictured) said this week that some EVs could 'be easily turned into mobile intelligence gathering platforms'

Alicia Kearns (pictured), chairman of the foreign affairs select committee, said: 'There are long-standing concerns about cellular IOT modules [connectivity devices] or SIM cards which enable cars to be tracked and potentially listened to'

'Chinese-made cars have effectively become mobile computers able to connect to the internet, transfer data to Beijing or be operated by an outside body.

Universities 'targeted' by hostile states University bosses will be briefed by the security services over fears that they are being 'targeted' and 'exploited' by hostile states, Oliver Dowden revealed. Vice-chancellors will be called to a Cobra meeting about becoming overly reliant on cash from foreign students and how it could leave them vulnerable to political 'coercion'. Mr Dowden said UK universities are 'vulnerable in the fallout from heightened geopolitical tensions'. Advertisement

'We all need to be wise to this and stop becoming Beijing junkies for cheap technology.'

China is the world's biggest producer of electric cars and there are fears that its cheaper models could flood US, UK and European roads.

The revelation came after security minister Tom Tugendhat said this week that some EVs could 'be easily turned into mobile intelligence gathering platforms'.

Asked whether he agreed with the remarks, Mr Dowden said: 'I think the security minister raises a very important point and that is something we're actively looking at.

'It's important that we put security in at the beginning in the design and don't tack it on to the end.'

Alicia Kearns, chairman of the foreign affairs select committee, said: 'There are long-standing concerns about cellular IOT modules [connectivity devices] or SIM cards which enable cars to be tracked and potentially listened to.'

Concerns over EVs come after ministers moved to ban Huawei technology from all 5G public networks by the end of 2027.

Luke de Pulford, of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said: 'What we need is action to prevent the import of products which threaten national security.'
Hyundai Motor Group said Thursday it has forged a strategic partnership with Japanese chemical giant Toray Group to use carbon fiber and other innovative new materials in future mobility products.

Under the agreement, Hyundai Motor and Toray plan to jointly develop carbon fiber-reinforced plastic and other lightweight materials to enhance performance and safety involving mobility products, the Korean auto group said.

They also aim to actively apply new materials to future mobility products and lead innovation in the mobility industry by offering differentiated competitiveness in the field.

Carbon fiber, one of Toray Group's core business areas, is widely used in the mobility sectors involving automobiles and aircraft, thanks to its excellent properties, such as lightweight, strength and heat resistance.

A signing ceremony for the agreement was held at Hyundai's headquarters in southern Seoul and was attended by key executives of the two groups.

Song Chang-hyeon, president of Hyundai's Advanced Vehicle Platform division, said the companies "will establish competitiveness as a first mover in the global market by combining Hyundai Motor Group's vehicle technology expertise with Toray Group's material technology."

Mitsuo Ohya, president of Toray Group, said he looks forward to developing innovative materials and technologies together with Hyundai Motor Group. (Yonhap)
A day of reflection was held for victims of the stabbing

A Sydney woman who accused Westfield Bondi Junction of 'virtue signalling' by holding a day of reflection to commemorate those killed in last weekend's stabbing rampage has refused to back down despite facing an avalanche of criticism online.

Five female shoppers and one male security guard were killed by Joel Cauchi, 40, during his stabbing spree on Saturday before he was shot dead by a police officer.

The shopping centre was closed for four days before re-opening on Thursday for people to visit and pay their respects to the dead and injured, and shops were given the option of resuming business from Friday.

Westfield operator Scentre Group's Chief executive Elliott Rusanow said the day of reflection was intended to help people feel comfortable returning to the site.

But conservative commentator Kobie Thatcher lashed the move as woke 'virtue signalling' and said those affected by the tragedy have 'had days to mourn'.

'Bondi Junction will reopen tomorrow for a "Community Reflection Day",' Ms Thatcher wrote in a post on social media.

'No retail trade. What kind of woke nonsense is this?

'Surely the last few days when the shopping centre was closed and people were leaving flowers were enough time for reflection.

'Let businesses reopen.'

She added in a subsequent post: 'Virtue Signalling Day at Bondi Junction. Oh, I mean "Community Reflection Day".'

Conservative commentator Kobie Thatcher (pictured) lashed Westfield's community day of reflection as 'virtue signalling' in a post on social media

Her inflammatory post on X was viewed almost 900,000 times

The post received plenty of blowback, with former Lord Mayor of Sydney Lucy Turnbull saying it had nothing to do with wokeness.

'Nope. It is respectful and empathetic,' Ms Turnbull said.

Another called on Ms Thatcher to 'have some compassion' for those affected.

'You weren't there. You weren't directly affected by what happened,' they said.

'Let those who were there decide what is the best method to deal with the trauma that they faced on the day.'

Further commenters also defended the day of reflection.

'Is it letting businesses reopen or forcing workers to return to a massacre site when they're still concerned for their health and well-being?'

'So, Kobie, business is more important than the loss of innocent human lives and some time to mourn for them.'

'No idea my grandson was there missed it by five minutes and is struggling with feeling safe. A family member was in lockdown there. Imagine how those who were there are feeling.'

'She is disgraceful.'

Ms Thatcher told Daily Mail Australia in a statement: 'While I have received some expected backlash, I've also received many messages of support.

'Some will disagree and say that the shops should remain closed for a longer period, but the reality is that people's bills and rent payments don't stop just because there is a tragedy.

'It is essential to return to normalcy as soon as possible and let businesses reopen for their staff and customers.'

Retailers will have their rent waived from Saturday April 13 to Friday April 19, the Scentre Group has confirmed.

Australians were quick to react to her take on the day of reflection, with many advocating for the safety of retail staff at Bondi Junction (pictured, a woman leaves flowers at the memorial)

The shopping centre was closed for four days before re-opening on Thursday for people to visit and pay their respects to the dead and injured

Shops were given the option of resuming business from Friday

Stores are welcome to resume trading on Friday, with shoppers can expect an increased police and security presence.

Mental health support and counselling services will also be available.

A candlelight vigil at nearby Bondi Beach will be held on Sunday evening, with a minute's silence to honour victims.
If youre wondering what went wrong with the Hate Crime Act, just know that everyone except Humza Yousaf is to blame. At Holyrood, the First Minister ran through the ID parade of suspects.

The Tories. The far Right. Bad faith actors. Deliberate disinformation. Shoddy tabloid headlines. Everyone except the bloke who introduced the law.

The consequences of his own actions should really stop victimising Humza Yousaf.

Douglas Ross approached the matter as a policy failure, citing the 40 overtime officers drafted in to deal with 9,000 complaints. The Scottish Tory leader continues to believe his interlocutor can be engaged in debate. His interlocutor simply regards opponents of his legislation as haters.

Yousaf charged Ross with debasing political discourse in pursuit of shoddy tabloid headlines. Since this is a First Minister who would gnaw off his own right arm for a tabloid headline, shoddy or otherwise, it was hard to take this criticism seriously. Again, Ross tried to appeal to Yousafs reasonable side, which is like trying to appeal to Joe Bidens lucid side. He demanded to know why the First Minister thought he knew better than police representatives who have outlined the additional pressures the Hate Crime Act has piled on frontline officers.

This earned him a rebuke for failing to listen to victims of hate crime. Citing police officers has as much chance of swaying the First Minister as does reference to Lord Hopes calls for the Act to be repealed. Since none of these people go by the name Humza Yousaf, they dont stand a chance of being heeded.

Humza said Scotland was on course to meet its Net Zero target before the UK.

The Tory leader brought up a poll showing two-thirds of Scots want the Act gone. As if that is going to persuade Yousaf. He is convinced he is all that stands in the way of a tsunami of hatred that threatens to wash over the country.

Ross said his party had tried to warn the First Minister that things would end up in a shambles. Yousaf resumed his finger-pointing routine.

It wasnt his fault. It was Colonel Misinformation in the billiards room with the bad-faith actors.

Another thing that wasnt Yousafs fault was his governments decision to roll back on its climate targets. Its been rolling back on them for some time, failing to meet them in eight of the last 12 years. Yousaf was scathing when Rishi Sunak did the same, because Sunak broke his promises at Westminster while Yousaf broke his at Holyrood. It was progressive promise-breaking.

Scotland, he said, was on course to meet its Net Zero target before the UK. When the planet is engulfed in a fiery ball, lochs bled dry, up will pipe the reassuring voice of Humza Yousaf: things are worse in Wales.

Unfortunately for the First Minister, Green MSP Ariane Burgess asked a toadying question about plans to accelerate action to ensure that Scotland achieves Net Zero by 2045. This prompted laughter as Yousaf had to repeat his flimsy excuses. Burgess accused the opposition of corralling the full forces of climate denialism to undermine the Scottish Governments climate goals. The Government seems more than capable of doing that itself.
A young boy lost his mother to breast cancer just days before he was killed in a horrific crash in rural Victoria.

Seven-year-old Harley Galea-Smith and the adult driver of the car were both killed when it collided with a truck on Willow Grove Rd in Trafalgar on Sunday.

Two dogs in the vehicle also died, while the driver of the truck was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Earlier this year, Harley's mother, Amy Galea was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer. She tragically died four days before the crash.

'This has devastated Amy's family and left them helpless,' a friend said.

Harley Galea-Smith (pictured left) died in the horrific crash. His mother, Amy Galea, died of breast cancer just four days before

A GoFundMe page has been created for the family.

Donations will be used to cover the family's funeral expenses.

Victoria Police is investigating details surrounding the crash.
Six alternate jurors still have to be picked when the court returns on Friday

Seven men and five women chosen to decide Trump's guilt or innocence

Donald Trump now knows the 12 jurors who will decide his fate in his historic criminal hush money trial in which he is accused of illegally paying off a porn star.

Following three days of legal wrangling a panel of seven men and five women has now been selected and they will assess his guilt or innocence over the coming weeks.

Moments after the last of the 12 was selected Judge Juan Merchan declared 'We have our jury' and they were ushered out of the courtroom.

On the way they passed Trump who had his elbows on the table and looked at the dozen New Yorkers who will rule over his future.

The jurors include a corporate lawyer, an investment banker, a software engineer and a teacher.

One of the female jurors called the ex-president 'selfish' as she was questioned about her opinions in court.

The jury foreman, when questioned about where he gets his news from, said Dailymail.com, among other outlets.

Trump vents his frustration outside court after day three of his trial

Communications aide to former US President Donald Trump Natalie Harp (L) and Trump's Deputy Communications chief Margo Martin (R) at court

Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass talks to jurors as attorney Todd Blanche and former U.S. President Donald Trump pay close attention during Trump's criminal trial on charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court in New York City, U.S. April 18, 2024 in this courtroom sketch.

After the jury was picked Trump stepped outside court and vented his frustration at the trial process, wielding a thick pile of media clippings.

The former president read out some of the headlines which declared the trial was a 'spectacle and outrage' and that it showed America was a 'third world country.'

Flicking through them, he said: 'The whole world is watching this New York scam. Every single one (of the cuttings), I haven't seen one that says it is a good trial. It is political. It is a shame.

'I am sitting here for days now, from morning until night, in that freezing room. Freezing in there. All for this. It is very unfair.'

Trump went on: 'I am supposed to be in New Hampshire, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, a lot of places campaigning, but I have been here all day on a trial that is really an unfair trial.

'Very bad thing. The whole world is watching. You have a D.A. out of control. You have a judge that is highly conflicted.'

He added: 'The whole thing is a mess and you have the leading candidate, Joe Biden - he is the one that should be on trial. We have a crooked president.

'He should be on trial, but he is the one in charge. His top people are here, working with the D.A.'s office to make sure everything goes right because they have no case. It really is a shame, this country is devolving into a third world country between having no orders, no justice.'

Earlier, the judge dismissed two jurors as the court struggled to assemble a panel for one of the most high-profile criminal cases in American history.

Prosecutors said one juror had not disclosed prior brushes with the law, and Judge Merchan excused him after bringing him in to the court for further questioning.

It came shortly after the judge had let go another juror, a nurse who said she felt intimidated because some of her personal information had been made public.

It highlighted the unprecedented pressures around the first criminal trial ever of a former U.S. president.

One juror to be dismissed was a grandfather and IT consultant who had previously told the court he finds Trump 'fascinating'.

Former President Donald Trump awaits the start of proceedings during jury selection at Manhattan criminal court, Thursday, April 18, 2024 in New York

Donald Trump's assistant Margo Martin is seen leaving Trump Tower to heart to court. Martin did not travel in the same SUV as Trump but was part of the convoy of cars that followed. She was carrying her shoes as she entered the vehicle

'He walks into a room and he sets people off an I find that really interesting,' the man said during jury selection. 'One guy can do all this. Wow. He makes things interesting.'

After he was accepted on to the jury on Tuesday details of a possible past arrest came to light.

It was uncovered by lawyers that he may have taken down conservative political posters in the 1990s.

On Thursday, Judge Merchan spoke to the juror for about four minutes and then excused him.

Earlier, the former president had left Trump Tower for the third day of jury selection.

Aide Margo Martin, who has been among those attending the case, was spotted carrying her stilettos under an umbrella to protect them from the rain.

The deputy communications chief was part of the convoy of cars that followed Trump's SUV.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump sits during the jury selection of his criminal trial on charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court in New York City, U.S. April 18, 2024 in this courtroom sketch

Former President Donald Trump, seated far left, looks on with Judge Juan Merchan presiding as members of the jury panel answer questions from the jury questionnaire in Manhattan criminal court Thursday, April 18, 2024, in New York

Former U.S. President Donald Trump sits beside his lawyers Emil Bove and Susan Necheles during jury selection of his criminal trial on charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court in New York City, U.S. April 18, 2024 in this courtroom sketch

Shortly after Trump arrived the judge told the court that a female juror had conveyed after sleeping on it overnight' that she 'had concerns about her ability to be fair and impartial.

The woman was then brought to court and asked by Judge Merchan to explain herself.

The woman said: 'Yesterday alone, I had friends, colleagues, and family push things to my phone, questioning my identity as a juror.

'I dont believe at this point I can be fair and unbiased and let the outside influence not affect my decision making in the courtroom.'

Judge Merchan said: Im sorry you went through that and excused her.

Meanwhile, Trump could face a showdown with Judge Merchan over a social media post.

Judge Merchan has ordered Trump not to attack potential jurors in the case.

In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday night Trump quoted Fox News host Jesse Watters.

Watters was quoted as saying: 'They are catching undercover Liberal Activists lying to the Judge in order to get on the Trump Jury.'

Some legal analsts suggested that could breach the order.

The order prohibits Trump from 'making or directing others to make public statements about any prospective juror or any juror.'

Trump aide Natalie Harp on her way to court for day three of jury selection

Trump headed to court for the third day of jury selection

Judge Juan M. Merchan has issued a gag order against Trump

CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said the post 'was 'clearly barred by the gag order in this case.'

He added: 'Criminal defendants have different and lesser rights than ordinary citizens. They are not allowed to interfere in the trial process, especially when there is a gag order that specifically addresses attempts to intimidate jurors. It is just not permissible.'

So far, seven jurors have been picked to sit in deliberation.

They include an oncology nurse, a software engineer, an information technology professional, a sales professional, an English teacher and two lawyers.

Judge Merchan has said he anticipates opening statements in the landmark case to be given as early as next week.

The jury selection process has moved more quickly than expected and Trump has complained that Judge Merchan, is "rushing" the trial.

Trump in court for day three of jury selection in his hush money trial

Former president Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower on his way to Manhattan criminal court, Thursday, April 18, 2024

Stormy Daniels appears at an event, May 23, 2018, in West Hollywood, California

In this courtroom sketch, Judge Juan M. Merchan presides over former U.S. President Donald Trump's trial in a Manhattan criminal court in New York

The case centers on a $130,000 payment that Trump's lawyer and personal fixer, Michael Cohen, made shortly before the 2016 election to porn actor Stormy Daniels to prevent her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump from becoming public.

Prosecutors say Trump obscured the true nature of the payments in internal records when his company reimbursed Cohen, who pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2018 and is expected to be a star witness for the prosecution.

Trump has denied having a sexual encounter with Daniels, and his lawyers argue the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses.

Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records and has pleaded not guilty.

He could face up to four years in prison if convicted, though it's not clear that the judge would opt to put him behind bars.
Trade will resume for the first time in almost a week at the shopping centre that was the scene of Australia's worst mass killing in years.

Customers will return to the normally-bustling Westfield Bondi Junction, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, after 40-year-old Joel Cauchi went on a stabbing spree, killing six and injuring many more.

The Queensland man, who had a long history of mental illness, was shot dead by police inside the shopping complex.

Six people remain in hospitals across Sydney.

The centre will have an increased police and security presence and mental health support and counselling services on site.

Bernie Smith from the NSW Retail union said many staff are returning for the first time since seeking shelter in storage rooms and back offices during the attack.

He cautioned shoppers to treat workers with care and sensitivity, advising against re-traumatising them by probing for details about the attack.

Westfield Bondi Junction re-opened on Thursday morning so members of the community could pay their respects. The shopping centre will officially open on Friday

Mental health support workers will be available at the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre

'It's going to be a pretty confronting day for many people,' he told ABC.

'If you are in those shops sure, you should acknowledge what's happened, but don't re-traumatise workers by asking them what happened on that day.

'Our members need to be able to quietly and gently get back to work.'

The union will make sure all staff are paid their full wages - even though stores had been closed this week.

Hundreds of people gathered at the centre on Thursday to pay their respects to those affected by Saturday's attack.

A solemn crowd formed to leave condolences and bouquets.

Hazel Stein said she felt for the six families left without their loved ones.

'It could have been any one of us,' she said.

'It's just very sad and senseless ... hard to believe.'

Hundreds of people gathered at the centre on Thursday to pay their respects to those affected by Saturday's attack.

A sombre-faced NSW Premier Chris Minns described the day as 'the first step in healing'.

'It is not back to normal for Sydney, but this is an opportunity to get some kind of grieving and to turn the page on what has been a very difficult period,' Mr Minns said.

'We are a community that can stand together in difficult periods and show that grief is universal when it is felt by one family, one individual.'

He has indicated stricter knife laws would be considered following the stabbing and a separate attack at a western Sydney church.

A candlelight vigil at nearby Bondi Beach will be held on Sunday evening, with a minute's silence to honour victims.
The Metropolitan Police has been branded 'beyond appalling' after an officer threatened to arrest a Jewish man trying to cross the road at a pro-Palestine march because his 'presence was antagonising'.

The man, who said he trying to walk around the capital after going to a synagogue, was pulled aside by a police officer who said he was 'breaching the peace' because he was 'quite openly Jewish'.

In a video shared by Campaign Against Antisemitism from Saturday's march, the man - who was wearing a kippah on his head - tells the officer: 'I don't want to stay here, I want to leave.'

The officer then replies: 'In that case sir, when the crowd is gone I will happily escort you out.'

After the defiant man attempts to walk across the road in the Aldwych area, the officer blocks him and says: 'I don't want anybody antagonising anybody... and at the moment sir, you are quite openly Jewish. This is a pro-Palestinian march.

'I am not accusing you of anything but I am worried about the reaction to your presence.'

The Metropolitan Police has been branded 'beyond appalling' after an officer threatened to arrest a Jewish man for 'breaching the peace' as he is stopped from crossing the road

This officer was seen blocking the Jewish man from crossing the road amid because he was 'quite openly Jewish'

The man was interviewed alongside the footage and accused the Met of failing to make London safe for Jews

Later on in the video, another officer says: 'There's a unit of people here now. You will be escorted out of this area so you can go about your business, go where you want freely or if you choose to remain here because you are causing a breach of peace, with all these other people, you will be arrested.'

He clarifies: 'Your presence here is antagonising a large group of people that we can't deal with all of them if they attack you... because your presence is antagonising them.'

The Met Police said it was aware of the video and 'fully acknowledge the worry it has caused'.

The video has sparked another backlash for the Met who have been accused of failing to make London safe for Jews. Robert Largan, the MP for High Peak, Derbyshire, shared the video and wrote: 'This is beyond appalling'.

At another protest last month, an officer told a Jewish woman that swastikas 'need to be taken into context' when she reported seeing the Nazi logo on posters at a pro-Palestine march.

At the time, Jocelin Weiss, 30, told MailOnline: 'I think there's a problem with a lack of basic education for this police force.'

Speaking about the latest incident, the Jewish man said he felt sympathetic towards frontline officers who are put in 'impossible positions' every week when they are asked to police huge protests 'where there's all sorts of criminality on display'.

This officer blocks the Jewish man from crossing the road

Another clip from the protest was also shared of a second officer telling the Jewish man: 'I am trying to make sure you are safe and that no one attacks you or your group or anyone else, that's all.'

Another clip from the protest was also shared of a second officer telling the Jewish man: 'I am trying to make sure you are safe and that no one attacks you or your group or anyone else, that's all.

READ MORE: Met Police arrest nine as Palestine and Israel demonstrators trade insults as thousands march through London to protest about Gaza conflict Advertisement

The Jewish man, who asks him why there is no-one surrounding any of the pro-Palestine protesters, adds: 'I'd like that too but your sergeant here has told me that because I'm Jewish, it's antagonistic to the crowd and it's dangerous for me.'

The officer replies: 'I'm not saying that.'

But the man interrupts, saying: 'But he's just said that. Do you have any idea what it's like being a Jew in London at the moment?'

When the officer says no, he adds: 'Let me tell you, this goes on every Saturday, you probably know it, your colleagues know it. You guys are on the front line. The route changes every single week, you never have any idea where it's going to be.

'Because you're Jewish in London, you now have to cross these huge groups of people. It's intimidating enough and now look at the number of police that are around her... I'm just a Jew in London trying to cross the road.

'I've been told repeatedly by the Met that these are completely safe for Jews, that I should have nothing to worry about and yet here I find myself in this bubble. This guy has just been shouting at me and shoving me because I want to cross the road.'

Pro-Palestine protesters are seen waving banners at the march on London

People hold a variety of flags and placards at the protests in London on Saturday, including Palestine and Israel national flags

Pro-Palestinian supporters speak with a police officer during a protest organised by Turning Point UK in London on Saturday

Campaign Against Antisemitism also shared shocking footage from the march of protesters shouting 'scum' at the Jewish man. Another pro-Palestine protester was heard shouting 'Nazi' in front of an officer.

A third protester told the Jewish man: 'I'm watching your movement... that's right. We're all going to watch your movements and record you. The police ain't gonna help you in this scenario.'

The Jewish man said: 'After months of being gaslit by the Met, it's not safe for Jews to be walking in the presence of these protests. And was there anything so crazy about what we were trying to do? Just walking around our home city on a Saturday.'

He added: 'Is this something that we are willing to accept? That now the police have to keep Jews away. We mustn't accept it.'

The Met Police arrested nine people at Saturday's march for public order offences. It came hours before Iran launched an unprecedented Iranian strike on Israel that has raised fears of the war in the Middle East escalating.

The Met also sparked backlash when they told a Jewish woman a 'swastika was not necessarily anti-Semitic'

Jocelin Weiss, 30, told MailOnline at the time that the Metropolitan police needs 'basic education'

Campaign groups have condemned the Met for the spike in anti-Semitism.

A poster of a baby kidnapped by Hamas was defaced with two swastikas in an incident in London at the end of last year, including a swastika drawn on the infant's forehead.

And in October a synagogue in Sussex was daubed with 'SS IDF' in red paint, with 'SS' depicted as the emblem of the Nazi's genocidal elite guard, and 'IDF' referring to the Israeli Defence Forces.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: 'We are aware of this video and fully acknowledge the worry it has caused, not only to those featured, but also anyone who watches it, and will review the circumstances.

'We have always said that we recognise the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to be an issue of concern for many Londoners, and this includes the regular protests and marches in central London.

'Everyone has the right to travel throughout the capital in safety.

'We will meet with anyone who wishes to organise a march or protest ahead of 27 April.'
Bosses at one of America's most controversial gender clinics warned staff to stay quiet when distraught teenage girls returned begging to have their amputated breasts re-attached, its former case manager has claimed.

The Washington University Transgender Center in Missouri would prescribe irreversible gender changing drugs to children as young as 12 after seeing them just twice, according to the whistleblower who worked there for four years.

Jamie Reed, who is gay and married to a transgender person herself, told Dr Phil Primetime that classmates would arrive together demanding to transition as the fad swept through their schools.

'I saw a young person who was begging to have their breasts put back on after having surgery,' she told the program.

'We were encouraged not to make a big deal out of it and definitely not to tell other families. I couldn't continue to be silent on it.'

Former gender clinic case manager Jamie Reed said she saw young people begging to have their amputated body parts re-attached after sex-change surgery

Jamie Reed worked at The Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children's Hospital between 2018 and November 2022

Missouri Governor Mike Parsons outlawed puberty blockers for under-18's in the state in response to Reed's revelations last year

Reed worked at the clinic in St Louis Children's Hospital between 2018 and 2022 and helped force a change in Missouri law when she blew the whistle on its 'morally and medically appalling' programs last year.

'There were very few written protocols or guidelines,' she revealed today.

'One of the providers even said 'we were flying the plane as we built it.

Poll Should 'gender-affirming care' be banned for children in your state? Yes No Not sure Should 'gender-affirming care' be banned for children in your state? Yes 36877 votes

No 1726 votes

Not sure 988 votes Now share your opinion





'Doctors are acting like they're God when it comes to medically transitioning children.'

An internal investigation into the center in April last year found that 531 of the 1,165 children who sought help after 2018 received 'cross-sex hormones' and puberty blockers.

But Reed pointed out that hormone prescriptions can have irreversible and life-altering consequences, such as sterility.

'You're telling me that a 12- or 13-year-old, who can't decide which pajamas to wear, can come in and say, 'I've decided that I want to transition?' demanded Dr Phil.

'And with no more than two visits, not even a couple of hours, they say 'Okay, start taking this, start doing this,' which alters their biochemistry in a way that you can't come back from?'

'Correct,' Reed replied.

Sexual-reassignment operations, like this one in France, are fraught with difficulties. A complete head-to-toe package can cost more than $100,000 in the US

'The thing that kept happening is every time I would raise concerns and ask about the protocols and ask about the guidelines  this is just how the industry works, if a child says they're trans there's no questioning it. We just say, 'Yep, you're trans, what would you like?

'We started to see patients who were experiencing very significant medical harms being rushed to the emergency room with lacerations requiring stitches.

'We had patients contact us who were begging to have body parts put back on within months of having surgeries.'

She said that social media pressures have sparked an explosion in the number of children seeking treatment and that they are now overwhelmingly young women wishing to become men.

'They would come in, and they would almost have the exact same storyline, too, like they learned what to say from a video to explain, 'Oh, no, really, I've felt this way from early childhood', she said.

'But a lot of their parents couldn't remember anything like that.'

Reed's revelations caused a sensation when she went public with them in February last year after becoming horrified at the harm she was seeing.

She said that in 2019 she started noticing a growing number of patients deciding not to go through with transition, or deciding to return to the gender they had been previously.

She and her colleague started collating information about those patients with the assumption that the doctors would want to know about their change of heart.

'We thought the doctors would want to collect and understand this data in order to figure out what they had missed,' she explained.

'We were wrong. One doctor wondered aloud why he would spend time on someone who was no longer his patient.'

But she said she was hesitant to raise her concerns because anyone who did was deemed a 'transphobe'.

Reed claimed doctors would ask questions like 'do you want a dead daughter or an alive son?' to 'bully' children's parents into going ahead with gender transitions - under the pretense that not doing so would make them suicidal.

Sex-reassignment procedures are complicated and have worrying rates of post-surgery and long-term pain and discomfort

Dr. Phil interviews Jamie Reed, a case worker whistleblower, on the mid-evil barbaric medical applications propagandized children currently suffer as a result of gender dysphoria disorder  under the guise of inclusive diversity.



Scheduled Episode:

 https://t.co/rlV1J844CX pic.twitter.com/HDwPEpK31R  Blue Owl (@BlueOwlHoots) April 10, 2024

The Center 'will no longer prescribe puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones to minors for purposes of gender transition,' the university announced last year

The whistleblower said working at the center, which medically transitioned 600 children within two years, was 'like I was in a cult, and I had to de-program my way out of it'.

In September last year the center said it would abide by legislation signed into law by Missouri's Republican Gov Mike Parson which prohibits doctors from performing gender transition surgeries or prescribing hormone therapy or other drugs for gender transition to children under 18 years old.

'This creates unsustainable liability for health-care professionals and makes it untenable for us to continue to provide comprehensive transgender care for minor patients without subjecting the university and our providers to an unacceptable level of liability,' it said in a statement.

The law went into effect on August 28, but exempted patients who had already begun transitioning.
The parents of a 10-year-old indigenous boy who took his own life while in state care were made to jump through 'hoop after hoop' in their failed bid to be reunited, an advocate says.

The child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, died on Friday night in Perth while under the care of the Department of Communities.

National Suicide Prevention and Trauma Recovery Project director Megan Krakouer said the boy was removed from his parents' care four days before Christmas in 2020 when they were living in a tent.

Three of his five siblings had also been removed and taken into care.

Ms Krakouer said the parents had created a stable home in the years since, and had been trying to reunite the family.

'Their hearts are broken,' she said.

'They are good people, respectful people, loving people.'

The 10-year-old boy (pictured) was under the care of the WA Department of Communities

Ms Krakouer, who is acting for the parents, accused the department of being judgmental and dismissive.

'They made them jump through hoop after hoop after hoop,' she said.

'Some of the words they used were 'grooming' and 'manipulation' and they also said... they were being looked down upon.'

Ms Krakouer said the boy's parents had not seen him from the time he was taken into care to the time his body was in the morgue.

'Twenty-six case managers over four years and there was not even a cultural safety plan,' she said.

WA Premier Roger Cook said he would support expediting the coronial inquest and said the 'very sad' events had left him with 'cause for reflection'.

'It's always horrible when you see a young child resort to what must be the most desperate act, which is the act of taking one's own life,' Mr Cook said.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the boy's death was tragic and highlighted the difficulties face by some Indigenous communities

'(It) makes you wonder what else we can do to make sure that we keep young people safe.'

The Department of Communities said it could not comment on individual cases.

'The death of any child or young person is a tragedy which has a devastating impact on the families, friends and communities involved,' a spokesman said.

'Any death of a child in care automatically triggers a coronial inquest and we support all matters of this nature being investigated.'

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said it was 'impossible not to be moved by' the boy's death and it was a 'tragic circumstance'.

'It certainly does speak to the fact that we have enormous challenges going forward in relation to closing the gap,' he told ABC TV.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney said the death was 'shocking, heartbreaking and demands deep reflection'.

'My heart goes out to the family and community in WA that has lost a son so young,' she posted on X.

Senator Lidia Thorpe called on the federal government to implement the recommendations of the 1997 Bringing Them Home report.

'Minister Burney and the Prime Minister are failing to protect First Nations children,' she said.

'They should be deeply ashamed of the news of this young boy's death.'

WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam said the department was under-resourced and allegations the boy had 26 caseworkers in just over three years were disturbing.

'Quite clearly this is a department in crisis,' she said.

Lifeline 13 11 14

beyondblue 1300 22 4636
US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall suffered an awkward moment in Congress as he was stumped over a question about military overspending.

The military leader was questioned by Florida Congressman Mike Waltz over the 'exorbitant' amounts spent on regular inexpensive items, using a bag of bushings as an example.

Despite the small bag of electrical bolts costing average Americans around $100, Waltz said the military forks out $90,000 a bag.

'This is literally driving us out of business,' he said. 'The interest on our debt alone is now exceeding, for the first time in American history, the entire defense budget.'

Florida Congressman Mike Waltz slammed US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall over military overspending, using a $90,000 bag of bushings as an example

Kendall was stumped when quizzed over the 'exorbitant' spending, particularly as the DOD sources commercial parts directly from factories

Waltz began his grilling of the Air Force secretary by holding up the small bag of bushings, which only contained a handful of bolts.

'This, Mr. Secretary, is a bag of bushings,' he began. 'This bag of bushings, stamped out by machines, don't need a high school diploma, nothing high tech about this, all of this bag is compliant with the FAA specifications.

'How much do you think the Air Force pays for this bag of bushings?'

Kendall responded that he 'didn't know', leading Waltz to quickly clarify: '$90,000.'

Waving the small bag in the air, the exacerbated representative continued: 'This is a $90,000 bag of bushings, that you need for any jet turbine engine.'

Bushings are essential components of engines, and the small rotating parts are typically placed between joint mounts for vibration absorption, rotation support and thermal resistance.

Branding the cost 'exorbitant', Waltz noted that the Department of Defense sources all commercial parts directly from original equipment manufacturers, meaning they should be cheaper than off-the-shelf items.

However, while everyday Americans can expect to pay roughly $100 for the bag of bushings, Waltz questioned why the taxpayers were footing the bill for the huge markup.

'This is literally driving us out of business,' he said. 'The interest on our debt alone is now exceeding, for the first time in American history, the entire defense budget.'

Waltz's remarks sparked backlash towards the military after it circulated on social media, with viewers feeling it is 'pretty insane how the taxpayer is ripped off by the MIC (military industrial complex).'

The US Air Force is paying $90,000 for a bag of Bushings that normally costs well under $100



Pretty insane how the taxpayer is ripped off by the MIC. pic.twitter.com/lwLjKHMGF2  Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) April 18, 2024

A $90,000 bag of bushings courtesy of the DOD.



Typical of American government waste and fraud.pic.twitter.com/ERKDHN0pnd  Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) April 17, 2024

$90,000 for a small bag of bushings. Should be like $90!



Privatization just means private contractors fleece the US government!



Of course, some of this money cycles back into the pockets of politicians. pic.twitter.com/d8hKti8kQO  S.L. Kanthan (@Kanthan2030) April 18, 2024

'A $90,000 bag of bushings courtesy of the DOD,' commented another. 'Typical American government waste and fraud.'

Another said: '$90,000 for a small bag of bushings. Should be like $90!

'Privatization just means private contractors fleece the US government! Of course, some of this money cycles back into the pockets of politicians.'

The issue was raised as military spending shows no signs of slowing down, with the cost of militaries around the world topping $2.24 trillion in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

It is not the first time that Waltz has slammed military leaders, after previously introducing legislation to audit the military's DEI policies that he argued were 'harming our military readiness.'

Last June, the congressman, a Green Beret veteran, introduced the WARRIOR Act to combat what he perceived as left-wing ideology infiltrating the military.

Waltz said the military overspending is 'literally driving us out of business', noting that 'the interest on our debt alone is now exceeding, for the first time in American history, the entire defense budget'

Alongside ending DEI, Waltz also lobbied against critical race theory being taught in military academies, and hoped to launch an investigation into the effect of Covid-19 vaccines on troops.

'Under the Biden Administration, the Pentagon has diverted its focus from lethality and have instead pushed initiatives that have politicized our warfighting ranks and harmed our military readiness,' Waltz said at the time.

'Our military faces the worst recruiting crisis since the Vietnam War because young Americans dont want to join what was once a trusted institution that has become overly politicized and hyper-focused on DEI initiatives.

'The reforms proposed in this legislation will restore a merit-based culture to our ranks, audit unnecessary and political DEI programs, and require cost-benefit analysis reports for green-energy-focused proposals.'
A wild shootout at an Atlanta gas station with one gunman appearing to wield an AK-47 was caught on camera, with three bystanders left injured.

The gunfight broke out on Tuesday just after 8.20pm at a Circle K gas station in Decatur between at least four men, with bullets flying across the forecourt.

Three innocent bystanders were caught in the crossfire. Two of the men, aged 32 and 44, were hospitalized with their injuries, and a third was grazed by a bullet.

One of the victims, Atif Ray, was shot twice while sitting in his car texting, he told WSBTV: 'I was looking down at my phone. But I know what it sounds like. That's the world we live in. It's scary.'

Police arrested Darius Morris, 34, and he was charged with three counts of aggravated assault - they are still searching for the other suspects.

Three men stood around their black car and fired across the forecourt at another man

Across the gas station passersby ran to get out of the way and crouched down inside the store

Police arrested 34-year-old Darius Morris who was out on bond after allegedly being involved in a 2020 murder

Shocking video of the fight was caught on CCTV.

Three men stood around their black car and fired dozens of times across the forecourt at another man.

Other cars in the lot tried to drive away as chaos broke out and they were caught in the middle.

Customers crouched outside the front of the convenience store, trying to avoid the bullets while those inside the store ducked down and hid.

One of the gunmen wielded what appeared to be an AK-47 and let off a quick fire round while the other two held handguns.

All three then climbed back inside the black car and drove away.

Police arrived at the scene and found three bystanders injured - one of the men, Ray said: 'I was sitting in my truck actually, sending a text message at a gas station on Candler.'

Police arrested Darius Morris and are looking for more suspects. Morris was on bond for a second shooting in October 2020 and was supposed to be under curfew at the time of the shooting.

The DeKalb County District Attorney's Office told FOX 5 Atlanta: 'Our office is aware of the new charges against Darius Maurice Morris in connection with a shooting at a DeKalb County gas station.

'Morris is a defendant in a previous shooting in our county in October 2020.

The three men gathered together to shoot while an innocent bystander sat in his truck just meters away

One of the gunmen ran across the parking spaces while being shot at while another ran over to join the others

Police are still hunting for the remaining suspects

'Despite our office's objections, a DeKalb County Superior Court Judge granted Defendant Morris bond on December 31, 2020.

'As a condition of that bond, Defendant Morris was ordered to be under house arrest with a curfew of 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

'In light of these new allegations, our team has filed a motion to revoke Defendant Morris' bond in that case.

'We hope the court will schedule a bond revocation hearing as soon as possible.

'Mr. Morris' case has been continued on several occasions because of scheduling conflicts with his defense attorney who is also representing a defendant in the ongoing YSL trial in Fulton County.'
By Ko Dong-hwan

CJ Olive Young has introduced portable translation devices for foreign customers at its 1,340 stores nationwide as the Korean beauty product seller's sales to shoppers from overseas have been on a steep rise, according to the beauty retailer of major conglomerate CJ Group, Thursday.

The new device offers simultaneous interpretation for 16 languages, including English, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Russian and Mongolian, among others.

The device also offers a visual translation feature, allowing users to understand descriptions of products written in Korean by scanning the text with the device's camera. The device then displays the Korean text in the target language.

With the device, the company hopes to break down the language barrier for foreign customers and expects they will access an extensive range of information and tips on K-beauty products through curation and verbal explanations from the store's clerks.

The devices will also raise efficiency for store employees serving customers, according to the company.

"We wanted our foreign customers to fully experience our services without language barriers interfering," a company official said. "This way, our products developed by the country's small-to-medium-size companies will become more popular among our consumers from around the world."

Olive Young's new store feature comes after the brand last year confirmed its robust popularity among tourists to Korea. The company said Thursday that foreign shoppers who used its tax refund service last year numbered 3.7 million. Considering that tourists visiting Korea last year numbered 8.8 million overall, according to the Korea Tourism Knowledge & Information System, a significant proportion of them spared time to shop at Olive Young stores.

Sales figures proved the brand's rising popularity. Olive Young's sales to foreign customers last year saw a year-on-year increase of 660 percent. Compared to the figure from 2019 before COVID-19 hit the country the following year, performance has more than quadrupled.

The lion's share of sales were recorded in popular tourist areas. Not only did the stores in Seoul's key tourist hotspots  Myeongdong, Hongdae and Dongdaemun  see outstanding performances, but high sales figures also came from a broader range of regions across the country, such as Seoul's Gangnam District, Seongsu neighborhood, Busan and Jeju Island.

Unlike in the past, when Chinese tourists marked the highest number of foreign tourists to the country, Olive Young is now seeing more customers from Japan, Southeast Asian nations, the Middle East and English-speaking nations.
A retired NYPD lieutenant has been arrested after he was accused of groping a woman from behind while on the subway, DailyMail.com can reveal.

Jose Jacome, 60, was arrested on suspicion of sex crimes after allegedly assaulting a 25-year-old woman while traveling on a train in Queens yesterday.

Police sources told DailyMail.com Jacome was accused of grabbing her buttocks multiple times, as she boarded the train at 74th Street Broadway station in Jackson Heights, and again once they were on board.

He then continued the alleged assault on the train, while standing behind her and breathing heavily on her neck.

Plain clothes officers spotted him as he touched the woman, with Jacome admitting to them that he was a retired officer once he was approached.

Jose Jacome, 60, was arrested on suspicion of sex crimes after allegedly assaulting a 25-year-old woman while traveling on a train in Queens yesterday

Pictured: 74th Street Broadway station in Jackson Heights, where the alleged incident took place

He was arrested without incident and has no prior allegations against him.

Authorities charged him with forcible touching, sex abuse and harassment, and is set to appear in Queens Criminal Court with a date pending.

The former Lt was carrying his licensed Smith and Wesson pistol at the time of the incident and left the force in 2016.

Public records show that he had four complaints substantiated against him during his time as a cop and was named as part of a $800,000 settlement case against the city in 2017.

The retired lieutenant served in the 44th Precinct in the Bronx and the 110th Precinct in Queens, before leaving the force.

He hit headlines in 2007 for stopping a mugging in Jackson Heights while off duty, after picking up his girlfriend from work.

One of the alleged robbers, a 17-year-old boy, attempted to take his gun in the fight and was shot in the chest during the struggle. The NYPD said at the time it was unclear who pulled the trigger.
Shoppers are being fooled by misleading supermarket signs and labels that are dressing up imported food as British.

Union Jacks and 'Made in Britain' stamps were printed on the packaging of some Aldi pork and beef products, even though they used EU meat.

And shelves laden with tomatoes from Morocco, parsley from Italy and sweet mini peppers from Spain sat on a shelf under a large banner decorated with a Union Jack.

The findings are the result of an investigation by Which? researchers, who also found that consumers are keen to buy British. The study established that almost two in three - 64 per cent - would be more likely to buy a product labelled 'British' than one that was not.

Labelling rules require stores to identify a country or place of origin on meat, fish, fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as honey and wine.

Union Jacks and 'Made in Britain' stamps were printed on the packaging of some Aldi pork and beef products, even though they used EU meat (File Image)

Aldi's Crestwood bacon and cheese wraps had a Union Jack and 'Made in Britain' on the front of the pack. However, the small print on the back said the meat was European (File Image)

However, confusion creeps in because these rules do not generally apply to processed products, such as ready meals, sausages, pizzas, pies and many frozen or processed fruits and vegetables.

Aldi's Crestwood bacon and cheese wraps had a Union Jack and 'Made in Britain' on the front of the pack. However, the small print on the back said the meat was European.

The same 'Union Jack' ruse was used with an Aldi steak and gravy pie that was made from imported beef.

Researchers also found examples of stores selling loose vegetables with no visible labelling of where they came from.

These included cauliflowers, red cabbage, courgettes and onions at Sainsbury's, peppers, melons and mangoes at Asda and spring onions at Aldi.

In one Asda, cauliflowers from Spain were on a shelf labelled with a Union Jack.

Other labels had fairly meaningless information. For example, packs of sausage rolls from Lidl stated they used 'UK and non UK pork' while gammon joints at Iceland labelled them as 'EU and non EU origin'.

Food and Farming Secretary Steve Barclay is promising a change in the law to improve labels and ensure British products are properly labelled.

In one Asda, cauliflowers from Spain were on a shelf labelled with a Union Jack (File Image)

Food and Farming Secretary Steve Barclay (pictured) is promising a change in the law to improve labels and ensure British products are properly labelled

However, this has reportedly triggered a row in Whitehall with the Business Secretary, Kemi Badenoch, raising objections on the basis it might increase costs, put up prices and upset foreign trade partners.

Ele Clark, of Which?, said: 'Our research has uncovered a surprising amount of inconsistent and misleading food labelling, suggesting that - even when the rules are properly adhered to - consumers aren't getting all the information they want about their food's origin.

'Shoppers want to know where their food comes from for multiple reasons, including supporting British suppliers and making more sustainable choices.'

She added: 'Supermarkets should particularly focus on labelling loose fruit and vegetables more clearly, but manufacturers and retailers should also consider providing origin information on more processed meat products so shoppers are armed with the information they need.'

The supermarkets insist they support British food and farmers and do all they can to provide honest labels.

Aldi said: 'When it comes to fresh fruit and veg, we are proud to support British farmers and aim to stock British produce whenever it's available.

'Customers understand that at this time of year that isn't always possible.'

Asda said: 'We have stringent processes in place to ensure country of origin is clearly displayed at the shelf edge and on products themselves where applicable, at all our stores.'

Iceland said it follows government rules on food labelling, while Sainsbury's said: 'We have processes in place to make sure country of origin information is clearly displayed on the product or shelf and we carry out regular checks.'

Tesco said: 'We are committed to providing honest and helpful information so that customers can make an informed decision on what they wish to buy.'
China is not just any country. It is the ultimate surveillance state, obsessively watching its own citizens and aggressively spying on the rest of the world.

The Communist regime's plan for global domination involves waging a constant and secret war against the West.

It is also the world's largest producer of electric cars. And while it sounds like the plot of some dystopian sci-fi movie, these vehicles might be Beijing's latest intelligence-gathering weapon.

As we report today, the Government has asked the National Cyber Security Centre to review urgently how these vehicles could be used for malign purposes.

Increasingly motorists are switching to electric vehicles. The fear is that the technology and software built into Chinese models could hoover up vital information about high-profile people and infrastructure, weakening our defences as a result.

China, led by President Xi Jinping, is the ultimate surveillance state, obsessively watching its own citizens and aggressively spying on the rest of the world

At the same time, university chiefs will be hauled in by ministers for a security briefing amid concern that their institutions are too reliant on funding from Chinese students. This leaves them vulnerable to exploitation, such as the stealing of sensitive research.

It is important not to show any weakness. Britain is in an existential struggle with a Chinese dictatorship intent on undermining our economy and democracy.

House of Sleaze

At a time when China is posing such a huge threat, this country needs the highest calibre people in Parliament.

But while some MPs are conscientious, do important work and lead by example, too many are mired in sleaze and scandal.

The latest making lurid headlines is Tory Mark Menzies who has lost the whip over accusations he misused campaign funds.

After drinking with a man he met online, the backbencher is said to have made a 3am phone call to a party aide demanding thousands of pounds to pay off 'bad people'.

Tory MP Mark Menzies has lost the whip over accusations he misused campaign funds

Thanks to the conduct of a depressing number of Tories at Westminster, we are starting to experience the familiar fin de siecle feel of John Major's last years

Yes, Conservative HQ is now investigating this eye-popping saga, but only after sitting on it for months. That is not good enough.

Thanks to the conduct of a depressing number of Tories at Westminster, we are starting to experience the familiar fin de siecle feel of John Major's last years.

But the Conservatives do not have a monopoly on bad behaviour. Numerous Labour MPs have fallen as vertiginously from grace recently  some more so.

While Sir Keir Starmer has called for a police probe into Mr Menzies, it's grossly hypocritical when he continues to stonewall over Angela Rayner's possible law-breaking.

Instead of our MPs being examples of probity and propriety, too many are of disturbingly low quality, involved in financial chicanery or unable to control sexual urges.

This not only harms the country's ability to meet the vast challenges we face  it gravely damages the public's faith in politics.

Keir's weasel words

Sir Keir is clear about what he thinks of the people-smuggling gangs who put Channel migrants' lives at risk.

They are 'vile', he says, adding that Rishi Sunak should 'concentrate on stopping the small boats from arriving'. So why has Labour voted 121 times to block government measures to crack down on illegal immigration, including the Rwanda Bill?

Sir Keir is clear about what he thinks of the people-smuggling gangs who put Channel migrants' lives at risk. They are 'vile', he says

The truth is, he secretly fears deportation flights to the African nation might work as a deterrent  giving the Tories a poll boost.

Despicably, he would rather play cynical political games than support a scheme that could end the evil trade in human misery.
Although not herself a front-line royal, Flora Vesterberg (nee Ogilvy) is most definitely part of the elite family circle.

Flora is the granddaughter of Princess Alexandra - known as Alexandra Ogilvy following her marriage - a first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth.

And while she mostly keeps a low social profile, Flora still manages to steal the limelight when she does make an appearance at an exclusive gathering or two.

That's because she's made a name for herself through an impeccable sense of style, which frequently involves such sought-after British labels as Self-Portrait, Emilia Wickstead and The Deck.

Flora Ogilvy and Timothy Vesterberg at their marriage blessing at St James's Piccadilly in 2021

A Windsor family tree showing how Flora Ogilvy is related to the late Queen, Elizabeth II

Whether gracing the Buckingham Palace balcony during Trooping the Colour or attending high-profile events, she exudes elegance.

One outstanding example was Flora's royal's wedding gown, designed by Phillipa Lepley.

The couple originally tied the knot in a private ceremony at The Chapel Royal, St James's Palace, in 2020, adhering to Covid restrictions.

Exactly one year later, they staged a more public marriage blessing at St James's Piccadilly, with a host of royals in attendance.

The bride wore an ivory gown featuring an A-line silhouette and delicate floral embroidery.

Lepley, a leading British couture designer, said: 'We took great inspiration from the Ogilvy tiara, combined with my own passion for florals, to create an embroidery design of magnolia, jasmine, starflowers and orchids.

'Hand-embroidered onto sheer tulle and embellished with double cut beads, pearls and sequins, the flowers grew organically over the dress and long sleeves.

'As a special personal touch for Flora, she requested one sweet pea to be embroidered at the sleeve wrist.'

'Flora looked incredible in the final timeless look'.

The design was inspired by the glinting tiara that Flora would wear, originally belonging to her grandmother, Princess Alexandra.

The Ogilvy Tiara was formed in the 1960s from several pearl and diamond hair ornaments that already existed in Alexandra's collection.

Floral motifs and pearls were woven into the embroidery adorning Flora's wedding dress and veil.

Princess Alexandra wears the The Ogilvy Tiara while attending a Guildhall banquet alongside her husband, Angus Ogilvy

Multiple fittings were required over a number of months, Lepley explained:

'Every bespoke dress starts with detailed toile fittings to mould the corset and ascertain the precise silhouette and style lines before the embroidery design is drawn.'

'I have such a passion for celebrating the female form through our signature corsetry.

'I adore the corseted silhouette we created for Flora defining her shape perfectly with a fluid satin base of Italian silk, the softest of petticoats to create a gentle flare to the skirt, and a striking decollete V-neckline.'

The designer concluded: 'It was a joy and honour to work closely with Flora on this incredibly feminine bespoke dress and hand embroidered silk veil. It is always a pleasure to work alongside someone equally detailed'.

The bride's timeless appearance was complemented by a small posy of white stephanotis and orchids.

Flora's royal lineage was also taken into consideration when selecting her initial wedding outfit.

She chose an ivory dress by Emilia Wickstead, featuring a square neckline, emulating a design worn by her great-grandmother Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent.

Flora's father, James, is the son of Princess Alexandra and Sir Angus Ogilvy.

Flora and her younger brother, Alexander, grew up in a 1780s country house on the east coast of Scotland.

Floral attended Rugby School, studying English, French and Fine Art at A-level, before graduating with a degree in Art History from the University of Bristol.

This was followed by a master's degree from The Courtauld Institute of Art.

Flora Vesterberg wore two versions of Self-Portrait's off-shoulder midi dress in 2023

Flora favours Emilia Wickstead dresses because they make her feel 'empowered'

The art historian oozed glamour in a tuxedo dress by The Deck during an event at The National Portrait Gallery. She later wore the dress to a private V&A viewing

Today, she describes herself as an art historian and broadcaster and has lectured at Sotheby's Institute of Art.

Flora is also an Ambassador of the Young Patrons' Circle of the Victoria & Albert Museum and Co-chair of the Art History Link-Up Young Patrons' Committee, demonstrating her commitment to education.

She is also skilled in the style department as she has proved time after time.

Flora has worn a myriad of British brands, from high street to high-end designers.

She tends to favour Emilia Wickstead for important events, explaining to Vogue: 'I often wear Emilia Wickstead's pieces to give lectures at The Sotheby's Institute of Art because they feel empowering.'

Attending a private viewing of the V&A's exhibition, Gabrielle Chanel: Fashion Manifesto, last month, she opted for a tuxedo dress by The Deck, Savile Row's first B Corp and the street's only shopfront dedicated to women.

The tailored monochrome design incorporated a double-breasted front and silk-satin peak lapels, creating an commanding aesthetic.

Flora kept her accessories to a minimum, selecting semi-sheer tights, court shoes and a Jennifer Chamandi velvet clutch.

The Deck's coveted suits have been worn by countless celebrities, such as Carrie Johnson, Elizabeth Hurley and Olivia Williams, during a red carpet premiere of The Crown.

Days later, Flora was snapped wearing a beautiful sky blue dress by Self-Portrait to a wedding.

Self-Portrait, which was founded in 2013 by Han Chong in London, is a favourite of Princess Beatrice and Catherine, Princess of Wales.

Cut from textured fabric, Flora's charming dress was characterised by an open collar neckline and full mid-length skirt.

She styled her dress with a Lock & Co headpiece and her reliable Jennifer Chamandi clutch.

Flora is a fan of the Self-Portrait label - as is Catherine, Princess of Wales,

The royal wears a lace Phillipa Lepley dress to the 32nd Cartier Racing Awards at The Dorchester

Flora looked particularly stylish in a ME+EM dress while visiting Boston in 2023

While the royal owns her fair share of designer labels, she occasionally delves into more affordable attire.

For another glamorous event - the 2024 National Portrait Gala - she chose a distinctive dress from the British high street.

Hailing from Phase Eight, the fishtail silhouette was adorned with floral embroidery, semi-sheer sleeves and a V-back.

The elegant aesthetic was right on par with Flora's signature style.
Queen Elizabeth was a wise woman. And when she needed to take decisive action, she did.

That is why she decided the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could not be allowed to combine royal duties with seeking their fortune overseas.

And why she ignored Prince Harrys efforts to persuade her otherwise.

In his best-selling memoir, Spare, Harry tries to convince readers that his grandmother was bamboozled into taking a tough line against him and Meghan by scheming courtiers.

In my opinion, however, Her Late Majesty knew exactly what she was doing and why.

Now, King Charles needs to take a leaf out of his mothers book  and be decisive when it comes to his younger son and his role as a Counsellor of State.

As things stand, California-based Prince Harry could still be called on to stand in for his father in some circumstances because he remains a Counsellor of State  which is surely now intolerable.

The situation has since become even more urgent because of the Kings cancer treatment

In today's Daily Mail, in my social diary Eden Confidential, I reveal that Harry has updated his records in this country to make it crystal clear that he no longer lives in Britain.

Filings published by Companies House for Prince Henry Charles Albert David Duke of Sussex record that his New Country/State Usually Resident is now the United States of America. It was previously recorded as the United Kingdom.

It represents a sharp about-turn for Harry, who declared soon after announcing his decision to quit royal duties in 2020: The UK is my home and a place that I love. That will never change.

What could have helped bring about that unforeseen change is the growing pressure on US President Joe Biden to release Harrys visa records.

The conservative Heritage Foundation think tank has been pushing the Department of Homeland Security to open its dossier on Harry under Americas freedom of information laws.

After he admitted taking cocaine in his memoirs, the prince has faced questions over how he had been able to move to the USA, where admitting drug use can block a visa application.

Now, campaigners have seized on comments made by the American ambassador to London that he would not be deported while Biden, a Democrat, was president.

The Heritage Foundation, which has gone to court to seek the release of the files, has submitted the Ambassadors remarks as part of its case.

With this in mind, Harrys new filing at Companies House  for his eco travel venture Travalyst  is a fact on the ground, a declaration that he is in California to stay.

Yet this raises other questions for the prince, and serious ones.

If America really is his home, how can he remain as a Counsellor of State, one of seven members of the Royal Family who can deputise for the Monarch if he is abroad or unwell?

By law, Counsellors of State are required to have a UK domicile, but Harry has no home here after King Charles asked the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to vacate Frogmore Cottage, a gift from the late Queen.

Harry, pictured with wife Meghan, declared soon after announcing his decision to quit royal duties in 2020: The UK is my home and a place that I love. That will never change'

Until 2022, the Counsellors of State were Queen Camilla, William, Harry, Prince Andrew and his elder daughter Princess Beatrice.

However, many considered this situation unsuitable as neither Harry, the Duke of York, nor Beatrice are working royals.

Later that year, the King asked parliament to add his sister, Princess Anne, and youngest brother, Prince Edward, to the list.

It was reported that the King decided not to remove Harry and Andrew because he did not want to escalate family tensions and believed it was unlikely either would ever be required to deputise for him.

It would be wrong, though, to imagine that the role is a mere honorific.

Courtiers were notably keen to ensure that William returned to Britain from last years solo trip to New York before the King and Queen departed for their state visit to France on the same day.

Continuity matters.

The situation has since become even more urgent because of the Kings cancer treatment.

Now, the King needs to take decisive action and remove Harry as a Counsellor of State.

How on earth can someone who has officially left Britain be allowed to stand in for our countrys head of state?

Even the prospect of such an intolerable situation is putting the Monarchy in danger.

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A species on the verge of extinction has a promising future after scientists cloned an animal that has been frozen in time since the 1980s.

Scientists at the US Fish and Wildlife Service successfully cloned two black-footed ferrets that they hope to breed when they reach full maturity later this year.

The ferrets - named Antonia and Noreen - could be the much-needed solution to the species' survival that has dwindled to just 300 in the wild.

The cloning process is similar to the one used on Dolly the Sheep in 1996, required scientists to inject the DNA cells from a donor animal into an egg cell.

Antonia and Noreen were the second and third black-footed ferrets to be cloned last May after Elizabeth Ann in 2021.

Scientists at the US Fish and Wildlife Service successfully cloned two back-footed ferrets that they hope to breed when they reach full maturity later this year. Pictured: Noreen

Noreen and Antonia were bred from the tissue samples collected from another member of the species that was frozen in 1988. Pictured: Antonia

Noreen and Antonia were bred from frozen tissue samples collected in 1988 from a black-footed ferret named Willa that was stored at San Diego's Zoo Wildlife Alliance's Frozen Zoo.

Scientists cloned the animals by taking one of Willa's cells and injecting it into an egg from a domesticated ferret.

The process is called somatic cell cloning which removes DNA tissue from a donor cell and replaces the DNA that already exists in an egg cell.

From there, scientists implant the altered egg cell into a surrogate of the same species, and when it is born, it is genetically identical to the donor DNA it came from.

Willa didn't have any living descendants, so scientists hoped that by freezing some of her cells, they could reproduce the population in the future.

The FWS hasn't announced plans to clone more black-footed ferrets, saying only that they're focusing on making sure Antonia and Noreen are healthy as scientists try to breed from them but they don't intend to clone other endangered animals yet.

Scientists saved the samples because they contained three times more unique genetic variations than the current population, making them ideal for cloning.

When it comes to cloning, genetic variety is important because it helps the species adapt and survive in the wild, making them adverse to disease outbreaks and future environmental changes.

Elizabeth Ann (pictured) was the first successful cloned black-footed ferret in 2021

Scientists attempted to breed from Elizabeth Ann, but due to a reproductive organ issue, her only litter wasn't viable

Researchers will keep Elizabeth Ann (pictured), Noreen and Antonia in captivity so they can better understand what the long-term effects are of the cloning process

Inbreeding, which occurs in small animal populations such as the black-footed ferret, could reduce the species' ability to reproduce and survive in the wild.

'With only seven genetic founders, the genetic diversity of the black-footed ferret has been a concern in the captive breeding program,' the FWS said.

READ MORE: Black-footed ferret called Elizabeth Ann becomes the first endangered species native to the U.S. to be CLONED Elizabeth Ann, black-footed ferret clone, explores her surroundings at the National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center in Carr, Colorado. Born December 10, she is the first successful clone of an endangered species in the United States Advertisement

'Small population size and low genetic diversity are problematic,' said Dr. Marty Kardos, a geneticist at NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center.

'These conditions make populations more vulnerable to extinction,' he added.

The species' population decline was so dramatic that they were thought to be extinct in the early 1970s but were rediscovered 10 years later when a dog brought a dead black-footed ferret home, prompting the discovery of seven left in the wilderness.

Today, all existing black-footed ferrets are related to the seven founders which were discovered in Meeteetse, Wyoming in 1981.

The two ferrets follow in the footsteps of Elizabeth Ann - the first successful clone from Willa's DNA in 2021 - and although researchers hoped to breed from her, all attempts had failed.

Elizabeth suffered from a reproductive organ issue that wasn't caused by her being cloned, but scientists now have high hopes for Antonia and Noreen's breeding.

The FWS confirmed the two baby ferrets are 'healthy and continue to reach expected developmental and behavioral milestones.'

The agency added that it 'views this new potential tool as one of many strategies to aid species recovery alongside efforts to address habitat challenges and other barriers to recovery.'

According to Barbara Durrant, the director of reproductive sciences at the Frozen Zoo, an estimated one million species are on the brink of extinction, and this could only be corrected by scientific discoveries like cloning Elizabeth, Noreen and Antonia.

'If we disappeared, a lot of things would grow back. But some populations are so small, or don't even exist except here, that they would not be able to regenerate without us,' Durrant told CBS News.

The cloned ferrets will remain at the National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center in Colorado and won't be released into the wild so scientists can continue to assess their developments.

The first-born weighed 7.4 pounds and 'is healthy,' according to a video from the state-owned news channel China Central Television, but there has been no mention of the second goat

The healthy rhesus monkey (pictured) has survived for more than two years, unlike a prior attempt to clone the species

Professor Ian Wilmut, the scientist who led the team that cloned Dolly, with her at the Roslin Institute

In recent years, scientists have cloned other animals including the rhesus monkey named Retro who was born in July 2020 - making it 'the first live and healthy cloned rhesus monkey.'

It 'is a big step forward that has turned impossible to possible,' Falong Lu, an investigator at the State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology told CNN.

Last month, China became the first country to successfully clone Tibetan goats using the same process scientists used to clone Dolly the Sheep in 1996.

The goats were cloned from males in an attempt to 'restore and preserve' their genetics from the species' 'excellent individuals.'
The boundary between what's real and what's not is becoming ever thinner thanks to a new AI tool from Microsoft.

Called VASA-1, the technology transforms a still image of a person's face into an animated clip of them talking or singing.

Lip movements are 'exquisitely synchronised' with audio to make it seem like the subject has come to life, the tech giant claims.

In one example, Leonardo da Vinci's 16th century masterpiece 'The Mona Lisa' starts rapping crudely in an American accent.

However, Microsoft admits the tool could be 'misused for impersonating humans' and is not releasing it to the public.

Microsoft's new tool VASA-1 can generate clips of people talking from a still image and audio of someone talking - but the tech giant isn't releasing it any time soon

READ MORE Scientists say fake faces created by AI look MORE real than human faces AI 'hyperrealism' means fake faces are perceived as more real than human ones Advertisement

VASA-1 takes a static image of a face  whether it's a photo of a real person or an artwork or drawing of someone fictional.

It then 'meticulously' matches this up with audio of speech 'from any person' to make the face come to life.

The AI was trained with a library of facial expressions, which even lets it animate the still image even in real time  so as the audio is being spoken.

In a blog post, Microsoft researchers describe VASA as a 'framework for generating lifelike talking faces of virtual characters'.

'It paves the way for real-time engagements with lifelike avatars that emulate human conversational behaviors,' they say.

'Our method is capable of not only producing precious lip-audio synchronisation, but also capturing a large spectrum of emotions and expressive facial nuances and natural head motions that contribute to the perception of realism and liveliness.'

In terms of use cases, the team thinks VASA-1 could enable digital AI avatars to 'engage with us in ways that are as natural and intuitive as interactions with real humans'.

But experts have shared their concerns around the technology, which if released could make people appear to say things that they never said.

VASA-1 requires a static image of a face  whether it's a photo of a real person or an artwork or drawing of someone imaginary. It 'meticulously' matches this up with audio of speech 'from any person' to make the face come to life

Microsoft's team said VASA-1 is 'not intended to create content that is used to mislead or deceive'

Another potential risk is fraud, as people online could be duped by a fake message from the image of someone they trust.

Jake Moore, a security specialist at ESET, said 'seeing is most definitely not believing anymore'.

'As this technology improves, it is a race against time to make sure everyone is fully aware of what is capable and that they should think twice before they accept correspondence as genuine,' he told MailOnline.

Anticipating concerns that the public might have, the Microsoft experts said VASA-1 is 'not intended to create content that is used to mislead or deceive'.

'However, like other related content generation techniques, it could still potentially be misused for impersonating humans,' they add.

'We are opposed to any behavior to create misleading or harmful contents of real persons, and are interested in applying our technique for advancing forgery detection.

'Currently, the videos generated by this method still contain identifiable artifacts, and the numerical analysis shows that there's still a gap to achieve the authenticity of real videos.'

Microsoft admits that existing techniques are still far from 'achieving the authenticity of natural talking faces', but the capability of AI is growing rapidly.

Regardless of the face in the image, the tool can form realistic facial expressions that match the sounds of the words being spoken

According to researchers at Australian National University, fake faces made by AI seem more realistic than human faces.

These experts warned that AI depictions of people tend to have a 'hyperrealism', with faces that are more in-proportion, and people mistake this as a sign of humanness.

Another study by experts at Lancaster University found fake AI faces appear more trustworthy, which has implications for online privacy.

Meanwhile, OpenAI, the creator of the famous ChatGPT bot, introduced its 'terrifying' text-to-video tool Sora in February, which can make ultra-realistic AI video clips based solely on short, descriptive text prompts.

This frame of an AI-generated video of Tokyo created by OpenAI's Sora shocked experts with its 'terrifying' realism

In response to the prompt 'a cat waking up its sleeping owner demanding breakfast', Sora returned this film

A dedicated page on OpenAI's website has a rich gallery of the AI-made films, from a man walking on a treadmill to reflections in the windows of a moving train and a cat waking up its owner.

However, experts warned it could wipe out entire industries such as film production and lead to a rise in deep fake videos leading up to the US presidential election.

'The idea that an AI can create a hyper-realistic video of, say, a politician doing something untoward should ring alarm bells as we enter into the most election-heavy year in human history,' said Dr Andrew Rogoyski from the University of Surrey.

A research paper describing Microsoft's new tool has been published as a pre-print.
Elon Musk has finally acknowledged that Cybertruck deliveries have been paused due to equipment issues - days after customers received shipment cancellations.

The pause followed reports of the accelerator pedal becoming stuck after its cover slipped off, sending vehicles to top speeds in a matter of seconds.

The billionaire made a statement on X, commenting on a post about the matter: 'There were no injuries or accidents because of this. We are just being very cautious.'

However, Musk had not clarified when Cybertruck deliveries will restart - many customers have been told 'two weeks at best' or nothing at all.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed a Cybertruck delivery pause, but owner reports seem to contradict his claim that there have been no accidents because of the accelerator problem.

Hundreds of Cybertrucks have been spotted stacking up at the Tesla Gigafactory in Texas as customers wait for their deliveries

One of the more dangerous problems identified by Cybertruck owners and commentators is the accelerator pedal cover, which can slip off and stick the pedal down

While Musk claimed there were no accidents due to the issue, a Cybertruck owner reported they crashed into a pole mid-corner on April 4 when the vehicle refused to slow down.

Leading up to Musk's acknowledgment, the Cybertruck Owners Club online message boards have been full of people complaining that they have no idea when their EVs will arrive, as well as speculating about the reasons.

READ MORE: Customers discover dangerous design flaw in Tesla's $80,000 Cybertruck It could lead to passengers' fingers being chopped off - and it's been named the 'guillotine effect.' The $80,000 truck - which has been plagued by manufacturing issues - does not feature anti-pinch sensors like Tesla's own Model X and rival electric trucks like Ford's F-150 Lightning. Advertisement

Musk posted his statement as a reply to a post from Whole Mars Catalog that incorrectly claimed 'Cybertruck deliveries resuming,' citing as evidence the fact that a customer had been assigned a vehicle identification number (VIN).

Receiving a VIN for a Cybertruck is one stage in the purchase and delivery process, but plenty of customers who have received VINs are still waiting to take delivery of their delayed vehicles.

These complaints are happening at the same time that buyers and Tesla insiders have raised alarms about build problems like body panel rust, as well as other safety issues, including steering lockups, and doors that could slice fingers off.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Tesla for comment.

The company's current problems go beyond the Cybertruck, as Tesla announced this week that it plans to lay off more than 10 percent of its global staff - about 14,000 workers.

On Wednesday evening, a Cybertruck Owners Club member posted that they had gone to a Tesla dealership in Southern California to get some information on where their truck was.

'It did leave Texas but is now sitting in some temporary storage facility is San Diego during this delivery delay,' wrote the customer, who goes by Pstryker on the forum.

'The guy who helped me was very helpful and showed me all the info he could see,' Pstryker wrote. 'One bit of info he shared from what he had been told was the delivery delay is currently slated to run until April 23.'

Other forum members posted about delivery delays, too, some expressing frustration at the company's lack of communication with its customers.

'I dont understand why Tesla has to keep every little thing a secret. Why invite so much unnecessary speculation?' wrote a forum user who goes by AnthonyJ.

The impatient customer added that the local dealership didn't even know there was a delivery delay until he brought it up to them.

The company's current problems go beyond the Cybertruck, as Tesla announced this week that it plans to lay off more than 10 percent of its global staff - about 14,000 workers

This warning screen came up on one Cybertruck owner's display after the vehicle's steering locked up.

A Tesla Cybertruck is displayed at the SAE WCX conference in Detroit, Michigan, today. Tesla is planning to lay off more than 10 percent of its employees as the company continues to see a decrease in sales, which began earlier this year.

He was then told that a two-week delay is a 'best case' scenario.

'Im spending $100k and I deserve to know why my truck is delayed, and when to prepare for it,' he wrote.

In 2024, some Tesla customers have received text messages from the company (above) saying it is cancelling their Cybertruck 'delivery appointment' due to an 'unexpected delay' as the firm waits for Cybertruck replacement parts to come in.

Stalled production could be to blame, as new citizen drone footage revealed hundreds of unfinished Cybertrucks sitting outdoors at the company's Giga Factory outside of Austin, Texas.

And impatient Cybertruck owners have also received indirect confirmation that some manufacturing or parts issue is to blame.

While there has been no official announcement from Tesla, several customers have posted text messages they have received from the company cancelling their Cybertruck 'delivery appointment' due to an unexplained and 'unexpected delay' regarding preparation of their vehicle.

Tesla cited an unspecified parts issue, according to these texts to customers, which could relate to Cybertruck's accelerator pedal covers.

Approximately 600 Cybertrucks were shown in citizen drone footage, outside the company's factory in Texas. Production seems stalled by parts issues.

A broken down Cybertruck gets loaded onto a flatbed towtruck. Because the vehicle can't be shifted into neutral when it's lost power, it has to be winched up.

'It appears they need at least until April 20th to correct the issue, but it could be potentially longer than that,' a Tesla representative texted one customer, Max Pyko of Birmingham, Alabama.

'Tesla is working on getting improved parts to all affected locations asap,' the company's text message continued.

Cybertruck Owners Club member DarickHemphill posted this screenshot on Monday, April 15.

In the new post, Pstryker specified that they had already paid Tesla in full, and activated an automotive insurance policy.

'The delivery window came and went, zero communication from them, not even a text, so I went to the dealership to ask,' the frustrated customer wrote.

'They had no problem accepting my wire,' wrote another user who goes by Cyber_P, who also claimed to have paid Tesla for a Cybertruck that has not arrived.

'And now I'm just completely in the dark while they make interest on my 100k,' they added.

On Monday, another Cybertruck Owners Club member who claimed to have already paid for his undelivered vehicle posted a screenshot of a message with a Tesla rep.

'Any word on revised delivery date?' user DarickHemphill messages Tesla on Sunday. After receiving no reply, he messaged the next say to say, 'I know you are slammed. Any word?'

His delivery was reportedly supposed to happen on Saturday, April 13, at 2:30pm.

On Friday at 6:00pm, he received a call from Tesla saying that his delivery was canceled because of 'a problem with the accelerator.'

The Tesla rep replied, 'We do not have a clear direction just yet but delivery will not be until after April 20th. We will provide updates as soon as possible!'

In each case where eager customers got a reply from Tesla, they were only told the soonest their vehicle would be delivered. Never were they told when their Cybertrucks would be delivered by.

Like other customers, DarickHemphill claimed to have already paid over $100,000 for the undelivered truck.

'I was so excited to finally get my cyber truck,' he wrote. 'Now just broken hearted.'
NASA has warned that China could be preparing for a lunar takeover in the coming years, using its civilian space program as guise for military operations.

Bill Nelson, NASA administrator, fears the Asian nation's 'extraordinary strides' in the last decade are more than just for science, but to exert dominance over the moon.

China has launched a craft to the moon and brought samples back to Earth, has its own space station circling the planet and is eyeing 2030 for when it will send humans to the natural satellite.

While NASA is set to land humans on the lunar South Pole in 2026, Nelson has raised concerns that China has the capabilities to beat them there.

China launched its Shenzhou-16 flight (pictured) in May of last year, carrying a civilian astronaut on board the six-month mission

China plans to land humans on the moon in 2030 and wants to establish a lunar presence within the next five years

'China has made extraordinary strides, especially in the last 10 years, but they are very, very secretive,' Nelson told members of the House Appropriations Committee at a 2024 budget hearing.

'We believe that a lot of their, so-called civilian space programs is a military program,' Nelson continued. 'And I think, in effect, we are in a race.'

Nelson made the statements to a committee this week as support for why NASA needs a $25.4 billion budget for 2025.

The country plans to establish a landing base on the moon's surface within the next five years, making it all the more necessary for the US to ramp up its efforts and investments to send astronauts to space.

'Their latest date that they have said that they're going to land is 2030, but that keeps moving up,' Nelson said.

'Their science is good, their engineering is good, and the proof's in the pudding, they now have a space station up there,' Nelson added.

He noted that much of his concern stems from the Chinese space programs' close-knit ties to the People's Liberation Army - a military branch of the Communist Party.

'My concern would be if China got there first and suddenly said: 'Okay, this is our territory, you stay out,''' Nelson said.

China was forced to build its own space station (pictured) after it was barred from the international space station in 2011 over US concerns that Beijing's space programs were linked to is People's Liberation Army - a branch of the Communist Party

READ MORE: China launches top-secret military plane into orbit just one day after US' delayed mystery launch China successfully launched its top secret, unmanned spacecraft in December, which the US Space Force chief said was 'no coincidence.' Advertisement

Nelson compared the race with China to that of the Soviet Union in 1958 as both countries competed to land the first man on the moon - but the US is still the only nation to have put boots on the lunar surface.

'China has made aggressive investments in both deep space exploration and low earth orbit,' Nelson said, adding that 'funding is critical to making sure the United States remains the international leader in space.'

Nelson argued that if anyone doubts his warning, they should look at Beijing's involvement in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea which is claimed by Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia the Philippines and China.

The Spratly Islands are highly coveted for their rich natural resources and plentiful fishing areas, but China has continuously tried to exert dominance over other countries, claiming it owns the lion's share of the territory.

Nelson claimed China will try to pull a similar stunt in space and while they could try to control the moon, the US would use the landing for practicality purposes.

The US will use its landing to predict floods and droughts, look at deforestation or trees that are susceptible to fire and notify officials to head off wildfires, according to Nelson.

'And so I think it's incumbent on us to get there first and to utilize our research efforts for peaceful purposes,' he added.
An ex-NASA physicist warns cheap satellite 'megaconstellations' like Elon Musk's Starlink could disrupt Earth's magnetosphere exposing all life to deadly cosmic rays.

Dr. Sierra Solter-Hunt's new study draws on new estimates that Musk's SpaceX is burning up over 2,755 lbs (1.3 tons) of wireless internet satellite debris into Earth's atmosphere every hour  creating a metal layer of 'conductive particulate' in orbit.

'I was very surprised,' physicist Dr Solter-Hunt told DailyMail.com. 'No one has given much research to the accumulation of metal dust from the space industry.'

There are 5,504 Starlink satellites now in orbit, as of the last estimate by astronomers this March, of which 5,442 are operational. But tens of thousands more are planned.

An ex-NASA physicist warns cheap satellite 'megaconstellations' like Elon Musk 's Starlink could disrupt Earth's magnetosphere exposing all life to deadly cosmic rays

Her new study draws on estimates that Musk's SpaceX is currently burning up over 2,755 lbs (1.3 tons) of internet satellite debris in Earth's atmosphere every hour, creating a metal layer of 'conductive particulate' in orbit. There are now 5,504 Starlink satellites above Earth (pictured)

Particles from these satellites at the end of their lifecycle could 'distort or trap the magnetic field' that keeps Earth's atmosphere from escaping, the physicist said, 'with all of the highly-conductive metal trash that is all settling in one region.'

Although she notes it is an 'extreme case,' such a layer of charged metal dust could lead to 'atmospheric stripping' akin to the ancient fates of Mars and Mercury.

After working on NASA's comet-catching Stardust spacecraft research team in 2012, Dr Solter-Hunt spent three years at the US Air Force Research Laboratory.

There she studied the electromagnetic behavior of plasma plumes in low-Earth orbit (LEO), the region of the upper-atmosphere where Starlink's orbital network resides. She now consults on space weather's impact on the aerospace industry.

Seattle-based scientist Sierra Solter-Hunt (pictured) believes floating, metallic space junk will likely settle in the upper part of the ionosphere - some 50 to 400 miles above the Earth's surface - weakening its magnetic field

'We are at about 10,000 satellites [in orbit] right now, but in 10 to 15 years there are likely going to be 100,000,' Dr. Solter-Hunt told DailyMail.com.

'By the time we get to 100,000 I think it could be too late,' she said, 'in terms of this unplanned geoengineering experiment that is going to occur.'

The cause for her concern is that vast this fine-particle metal debris already vastly outweighs the weight of the magnetically charged particles that protect Earth from cosmic radiation.

The heaviest known portion of Earth's magnetosphere are the large loops of trapped particles called the Van Allen Belts  two donut-shaped regions of small particles energized by cosmic radiation from the sun.

The belts loop from Earth's magnetically charged North and South Poles.

The weight of this vital region is impossibly small compared to the metal debris that could cut it off from Earth  the Van Allen Belts only have a total mass of 0.0004 lbs (or about 0.00018 kilograms).

'The masses of other parts of the magnetosphere (ring current, plasmasphere, etc.),' as she notes in her new paper, posted to Cornell's arXiv, 'are not widely estimated but are less dense than the Van Allen Belts.'

This light weight and low mass of the magnetosphere, in other words, means that a high volume of heavy satellite debris could have a dramatic, unprecedented impact.

'I think we need to stop using the ionosphere and atmosphere as a space industry trash bin immediately,' she told DailyMail.com

In recent years, both academic astronomers and SpaceX's satellite company competitors to SpaceX have issued years of formal complaints to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over SpaceX's Starlink ambitions.

Astronomers in particular worry the company's space junk could permanently interfere with ground-based observatories, grinding the study of space to a halt.

Dr. Solter-Hunt's paper, currently in peer-review, follows years of formal complaints to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) made by academic astronomers and SpaceX's satellite rivals who have protested Starlink's impact on the basic study of space

'The addition of nearly 30,000 Starlink satellites will disrupt the entire field of astronomical research,' as the FCC summarized academic researchers complaints in their November 29, 2022 ruling on SpaceX's Gen2 satellite plans

'The addition of nearly 30,000 Starlink satellites will disrupt the entire field of astronomical research,' as the FCC summarized academic researchers complaints in their November 29, 2022 ruling on SpaceX's Gen2 satellite plans.

Multiple scientists weighed in writing letters to the agency to voice their concerns, including Canadian astronomer and planetary science professor Dr. Samantha Lawler and Dr. Meredith Rawls, a researcher in the Vera C. Rubin Observatory.

'When I heard Dr. Lawler [...] speak about how no one knew what could happen when satellite re-entries start to create debris regularly,' Dr. Solter-Hunt told DailyMail.com, 'I wanted to look into it further as a part of my PhD in plasma physics.'

However, some astrophysicists and planetary scientists have voiced skepticism over the new paper's hypothetical worst case scenario.

One critic of the paper, researcher Fionagh Thompson from Durham University in the UK, said that Dr. Solter-Hunt's estimates for the number of future satellites 'seems exaggerated,' as companies' ambitious launch plans tend to be overhyped. Above, SpaceX owner Elon Musk

From Durham University in the UK, researcher Fionagh Thompson told Live Science that Dr. Solter-Hunt's estimates for the number of future satellites 'seems exaggerated,' as companies' ambitious launch schedules tend to be overhyped.

The paper is an 'interesting thought experiment,' she noted, but added that 'it shouldn't be passed off as "this is what is going to happen,"' definitively.

One magnetosphere expert and planetary scientist at the University of Rochester in New York, Dr. John Tarduno, criticized specifically the new paper's hypothesis that the density of metallic debris might get so thick that it cuts off Earth from its Van Allen Belts like a magnetic shield.

READ MORE: Terrifying interactive map reveals the space junk orbiting Earth From spent rockets to dead satellites, the sheer volume of space junk is huge. A map by California-based satellite monitoring and collision detection firm LeoLabs reveals the scale of the problem. Advertisement

'Even at the densities [of spacecraft dust] discussed, a continuous conductive shell like a true magnetic shield is unlikely,' Dr. Tarduno said.

Some of the study's assumptions, he said, were likely 'too simple and unlikely to be correct.'

But Dr. Solter-Hunt told DailyMail.com that none of her critics have been able to poke holes in her basic premise, even when she has personally requested deeper constructive criticism.

'I've reached out to [some of] them for further elaboration on how I could improve the research and they simply didn't know how I could improve my study on electrostatic signatures,' she said. 'Or they were unreachable.'

'So I do not consider there to be any real scientific critics at this time,' she concluded, 'and the paper is in the peer-review process.'

Dr. Lawler, the astronomer at the University of Regina in Canada who inspired her investigations, called the new study 'a really important first step' that draw needed attention to the 'terrifying' quantity of spacecraft dust building up in Earth's atmosphere.

'The consequences [of this satellite pollution],' Dr. Lawler said, 'could also be on a totally different scale than we're used to thinking about.'

DailyMail.com has reached out to SpaceX's public relations team for comment, and will update this article if the company responds.
By Park Jae-hyuk

Cautious optimism is growing that Korean producers of steel and aluminum will benefit from U.S. President Joe Bidens plan to triple tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum imports, according to industry officials, Thursday.

After the U.S. president called for up to 25 percent tariffs on Chinese products on Wednesday (local time) to win over blue-collar voters in Novembers election, shares of Koreas major steelmakers and aluminum producers jumped sharply during Thursdays trading session.

Histeel, which produces steel pipes and tubes, hit the daily ceiling price on Thursday morning and closed at 3,430 won ($2.5), up 18.07 percent from the day before. POSCO Holdings and Hyundai Steel showed 5.12 percent and 4.57 percent hikes in their stock prices, respectively.

The stock price of POSCO Steeleon, a producer of galvanized steel sheet and aluminum coated steel sheet, soared to 52,900 won from 40,900 won on Thursday morning, although it closed at 45,300 won, up 10.76 percent from the day before. Other aluminum makers also showed a sharp rise in each of their stock prices on Thursday morning.

Industry officials anticipate limited impacts of the proposed U.S. tariffs on Koreas steel and aluminum exports  in the short run  because Korea accepted a quota that limits its annual steel exports to the United States below 2.63 million tons, in order to avoid high tariffs.

Even if the U.S. reduces its steel imports from China, Korea cannot increase its steel exports to the U.S., said Chang Sang-sik, head of industrial analysis at the Korea International Trade Association. However, Korean company-owned factories in countries that did not accept a quota can increase shipping to the U.S.

He added that higher U.S. tariffs may reduce steel production in China in the long run, resolving the lingering oversupply in the global market and allowing Korean firms to sell their products at more reasonable prices. The China Iron and Steel Association has already announced its plan to cut steel production to cope with the slow domestic demand and rising inventories.

Investors seem to expect the tariffs' potential benefits to Korean companies, Chang said.

There is also a view that the U.S. tariffs can justify Korean steelmakers request for the government to investigate alleged dumping of Chinas low-priced steel sheets in the Korean market.

However, it still remains uncertain whether Biden will be able to fulfill his promise.

Chinas Ministry of Commerce urged the U.S. to respect the facts and multilateral rules, immediately cease its erroneous practices and return to a rules-based multilateral trading system after Biden called on the U.S. Trade Representative to consider tripling the existing 301 tariff rate on Chinese steel and aluminum, citing Chinese policies and subsidies for their domestic steel and aluminum industries.

Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, also said that the U.S. is repeating the same mistake by seeking increased tariffs.
Sardinia can be reached by just a two-hour flight from the UK

Our jolly, mahogany-tanned captain glides the dingy towards some rocks, then directs his group of excited day-trippers to head for an indiscernible path between tall reeds.

I lead the way with fearless vigour, and a few minutes later we emerge at a beach of cinematic beauty, with alabaster-white sand and a glimmering sea of the palest emerald.

But the desert island spell is broken instantly by a vexed Italian woman striding towards us, clutching a walkie-talkie and snapping orders in comically accented English.

NO stop! NO towel! NO sit! Walk! She then instructs our bemused troop to follow her.

Its business as usual at Budelli islands Cavaliere beach, a stretch of sand so precious that it requires security guards.

Isolated: Rob McGibbon explores Sardinia's lesser-visited north. Above, one of the tucked away bays that dot the shores

Budelli islands Cavaliere beach (pictured), just off the coast of northern Sardinia, is a stretch of sand so precious that it requires security guards

Budelli is one of more than 60 islands that make up La Maddalena Archipelago, a protected national marine park just off the coast of northern Sardinia.

The entire area is gorgeous and has been a magnet for flotillas of sea-faring tourists for decades.

However, mindless souvenir hunters have stolen so much sand, shells and stones over the years that guards are now stationed on a few ecologically fragile beaches during peak season. For removing these irreplaceable treasures, fines can hit 2,600.

I first went to Sardinia in 1977 and have rediscovered it in recent years as a perfect European family holiday destination.

It has everything  weather, sea, cuisine, culture, history and beaches that match the Caribbean.

Youll be sure of a warm welcome wherever you go, and its only a two-hour flight away.

Rob checks into Resort Valle dellErica, part of hotel group Delphina Resorts

Most of Rob's time at Valle dellErica was spent on the 'serene' Licciola beach (pictured)

We are here to discover the lesser-visited north, and are using the hotels of Delphina Resorts, the islands oldest hotel group, as stepping stones.

Delphina has eight coastal properties here and is still owned by the two families who founded it 30 years ago.

Our first stay is at Capo dOrso, with 80 rooms set in a woodland leading to the sea.

A boat trip is the only way to appreciate the beauty of the Sardinian seas, and our next hotel has the perfect answer. Valle dellErica has its own elegant 1927 wooden sailing boat called La Pulcinella exclusively for guests.

Its aboard La Pulcinella that we visit Budelli and cruise around other islands, dropping anchor in bays to swim in the warm waters.

A boat trip is the only way to appreciate the beauty of the Sardinian seas, says Rob. Pictured: Boats anchored near the shores of Budelli island

Pictured: The sandy shoreline at Licciola beach, located near Valle dellErica

Above, seafood dish spaghetti alle vongole

A delicious lunch of seafood pasta and crisp local Vermentino white wine is served on board.

On the way home, our deckhand flags down a passing Algida branded speedboat (Italys version of Walls ice cream), so we can buy Cornettos. A truly unforgettable day.

Most of our time staying at Erica is spent on the serene Licciola beach, or in its spa and saltwater swimming pools.

As we say goodbye to Sardinia, a member of the reception staff says: Stessa spiaggia, stesso mare. She explains that this is a typical Italian summer farewell, imparting a simple wish to see you again next year at the same beach, the same sea.

Well, if the holiday gods shine on us, we will definitely be there again  and promise not to steal any of it.
He ultimately came up just short of flying on all 28 domestic airlines

Per his own rules, he could not leave the 'airport system' during the endeavor

A YouTube prankster decided to try out every airline based in the United States, a rollicking adventure that kept him confined to 'the airport system' within the country for a week straight.

Eric Decker, 27, who goes by Airrack on YouTube, where he boasts nearly 15 million subscribers, decided to 'dedicate however many days of my life it takes to try every single airline in the country.'

All the while, he teased in his latest video that he had the 'best seat' in the country booked for the final leg of his journey, on an American Airlines flight, that would take him home to Los Angeles.

He embarked on the sky-high endeavor, with an itinerary spanning all 28 domestic airlines, with 'three simple rules' in place.

YouTube creator Eric Decker, 27, spent a week attempting to fly on every domestic airline in the United States

His itinerary was unfortunately plagued with delays and cancellations every step of the way and ultimately saw him spend nearly a week straight exclusively in airports or on airplanes

The ultimate US airline ranking: Top flight carriers revealed

Top tier: Boutique Airlines, Lana'i Air A grade: Frontier, Delta, Alaska B grade: Avelo, Spirit, Envoy, Sun Country, Hawaiian C grade: United, JSX, Southwest, Contour, JetBlue, Delta Republic, Cape Air, New Pacific, Flying Finn D grade: SkyWest, Republic Airways, Delta Connection E grade: American Airlines F grade: Horizon, Silver, Mokulele Advertisement

First rule: He was 'not allowed to leave the airport system' - that is, all the action must be confined to planes and airports - until the mission was complete.

Second rule: He must 'buy the nicest seat' the airline will sell him, and then will rate the experience on: price, comfort, service, and 'the X-factor,' adding of the latter that he wanted 'to leave these airlines room to surprise me.'

Third and final rule: All eating, drinking, bathroom usage and sleep must be done on a plane or in an airport.

'Live by the plane, die by the plane,' Eric declared.

He also hauled along a carry-on filled with trophies, including 'Flight Attendant of the Year Award,' 'Best Captain Award,' and 'Coolest Person To Sit Next To Award,' to be distributed appropriately amidst his travels.

At the same time, Eric recruited friends on the ground to help him assess each airline - with Tyler Blanchard assigned to check out corresponding airport lounges, and Jack to review airplane bathrooms.

The goal was to put forth the most well-rounded possible assessment of each airline in assigning them a letter grade, from A to F.

With that, just above the A-grade level was an 'S-tier,' for extraordinary, above and beyond experiences.

'Live by the plane, die by the plane,' he declared of his mission

Departing out of LAX, first up was a United Flight.

While Tyler gave the LAX United lounge a B, Eric decided to rank United a C thanks to delays.

Next up was a flight on Horizon. Almost as soon as everyone boarded the plane - which Eric 'immediately noticed was about 120 degrees inside' - the crew asked everyone to disembark.

'This entire schedule relies on an extremely calculated flight plane, and one delayed flight could throw this entire thing off,' Eric fretted.

But, instead, the worst case scenario happened, and the Horizon flight wound up being cancelled outright.

'Two flights in, Horizon Air had already destroyed my meticulous plan, which means I think that this is going to take longer than I thought it was going to,' Eric sighed.

Elsewhere, Jack was testing out bathrooms on Avelo and JSX, giving budget airlines Avelo a B and the private-jet charter airline JSX, with the fare at more than $1,000, earning a C. Then, still going primarily on the bathrooms quality, Jack rated Allegiant an A.

Meanwhile, Eric embarked on a Southwest flight - acquiring 'the best seat' in the first row on the plane.

On-board, the crew was polite, but Eric still rated Southwest a C, due to a four-hour delay.

Next up was the 'infamous' Spirit, the much-maligned budget airlines notorious for its absolutely no-frills approach to air travel.

Eric, however, had a good experience, sleeping 'like a baby' - and adding that the Spirit flight was the 'cleanest, smoothest, nicest staff I have interacted with this entire time.'

'I cannot believe I am saying this, but Spirit Airlines is B-tier,' he concluded.

Meanwhile, Contour, with a 'comedically small' plane, garnered a C.

Envoy Airlines, owned by American, made it to the B-tier.

The regional Silver Airways boasted as its mascot a pink flamingo, with their airplanes, uniforms, and even traffic cones on the tarmac, colored to match.

Though Silver seemed to start off strong, they lost serious points after deplaning everyone due to a mechanical issue. They then re-planed everyone for take off, only to stop the airplane, disembarked everyone, and cancelled the flight.

Despite the pretty in pink aesthetic, Silver landed at an F.

Eric had a better experience at Frontier, where he sat next to a flight attendant named Tamisha - to whom he ultimately gave his 'Coolest Person To Sit Next To Award.'

Given the positive experience, he also awarded Frontier an A.

Eric ranked the airlines on a letter scale, with 'S-tier' being the best, and 'F-tier' being the worst

Just before final leg of his voyage - which Eric had been boasting would be on the 'most comfortable seat in the country' on an American Airlines flight to LA - he began chocking up

Next up was the iconic Delta, of which fellow travelers Eric interviewed across airports consistently spoke highly.

Seated on the Delta flight, Eric admitted that he felt weird filming given the 'classy' environment. Delta would have made it to S-tier, but, thanks to the higher price, Eric ultimately ranked it an A.

Happily, at the end of the Delta leg of his trip, Eric landed in Chicago O'Hare, which has a Hilton on the premise.

'I immediately fell asleep,' he said.

However, by this point in his journey, Eric admitted he was starting to feel alone and isolated, like he was 'in purgatory.'

Elsewhere, Tyler's parents had surprised him at the airport for his birthday, and Tyler soon after gave up on reviewing airport lounges in favor of celebrating at a rented Malibu mansion.

On catching up with Tyler, Eric admitted his morale was at an all-time low.

But, as he'd done throughout the video, he continued to tease that the 'most comfortable seat in the country,' on an American Airlines flight, was awaiting him on the final leg of his travels.

Another well-known airline, JetBlue, earned C-tier due to its 'jenky' seats.

He then took Sun Country to Las Vegas, noting the 'comfortable' seating and the 'unbeatable' price.

From there, Eric was off to an Alaska Airlines flight. On this flight, he'd booked a seat near the exit door in a nod to the recent Alaska flight on which a cargo door flew off mid-flight.

Luckily, the terrifying incident was not repeated, and Eric thought his Alaska Airlines warranted an A.

Next up was Boutique Airlines - tagline, 'Fly Private for the Cost of Commercial.'

Indeed, the fare cost only $146 - 'one of the cheapest tickets for the entire video, for the nicest seat. It doesn't make any sense!'

'I was just thinking about all of the people that we've met over the last six days. They remind me so much of my own friends and family,' Eric said

Eric reflected that no one had been more supportive in his dreams of being a YouTube creator than mom Jean, so he decided to reroute his journey to go visit her, giving up his luxe seat

The pilot also let Eric put a GoPro in his cockpit.

'If there's such a thing as an S-tier airlines, this was it,' Eric gushed. 'Free snacks, amazing service.'

Eric further presented the pilot with his 'Best Captain Award' trophy.

Last up was supposed to be the final - and most luxe - leg of Eric's journey: the first-class seat on an American Airlines flight.

But, prior to boarding the final flight, which would have taken him back home to Los Angeles, Eric began getting emotional.

'Tyler and I ended up talking on the phone for a while and it was sort of in this moment that I realized that something actually was wrong,' Eric admitted.

'I don't know why I'm emotional right now. I was just thinking about all of the people that we've met over the last six days.'

'They remind me so much of my own friends and family,' Eric continued, adding that his friends had also send him a video from a hot tub.

'And it makes me think about the fact that I've actually been gone for so long. Not just the six days that I've been doing this video, but the four years that I've been doing YouTube.

'And it makes me think of my mom. My mom's name is Jean. She is the coolest lady I've ever met. Since I was a little kid, I wanted to do YouTube. And there's not a person that has supported me in whatever I want to do more than my mom, Jean.

'And since I really started grinding on YouTube, I have not seen her nearly as much as I should.

After being surprised by her son at her front door - who'd given up his posh American Airlines booking to fly to see her instead - Jean admitted that she'd didn't like American

'Let's go spend some time together,' Eric said to his mom, while embracing her at the end of his video

'What I'm trying to say is, I think I decided that I'm going to cancel my flight home and book the first flight I possibly can to go find my mom,' he explained while tearing up.

'So I ended up giving up the best seat in the country, but at this point it didn't really feel like a sacrifice.

'I'm going to be honest, after flying 30 flights in a week it's all the same.

'The thing I feel like I learned over the last seven days was not which airline is the best in the US. I learned that if you're lucky enough to still have a mom you should call her. Or, if you can, book a flight!'

His video concluded with Eric surprising his mom at her front door.

Jean admitted she didn't like American, saying that they'd previously lost her baggage and determining that the airline should land at the E-tier, just one level above F.

'Let's go spend some time together,' Eric said to his mom, while embracing her.
Families after a cheap summer getaway should head for the Costa Brava, Italy's Amalfi Coast or lesser-known Greek islands.

The destinations have plenty of inexpensive room-only, self-catering and bed and breakfast deals, according to Which?.

The consumer experts assessed 4,500 holiday options in the first week of August in 70 European regions. And they found that picking the right destination can save hundreds of pounds.

Traditional low-cost destinations such as Bulgaria and Turkey were missing from the top ten cheapest spots for a package break. Instead the Greek island of Kalymnos took the crown for cheapest package destination, with a week's stay typically costing 847 per person.

Getting there involves a flight to Kos followed by a 40-minute ferry trip, which is included in the price.

The Greek island of Kalymnos took the crown for cheapest package destination, with a week's stay typically costing 847 per person

Which? said of Kalymnos: 'The tiny island is Greece as you imagine it  boasting secluded coves, sapphire seas, rugged mountains, and charming towns.'

The capital Pothia is the most competitively priced resort on the island - with the cheapest package found costing 794 per person.

For those looking to relax on the sand, the island's most popular beach resort, Massouri, costs an average of 856 for a week's stay.

Behind Kalymnos are the Greek islands of Thassos, at 862 per person, and Lefkada, at 935 per person.

Skopelos in Greece, which was made famous by the hit film Mamma Mia!, is also among the ten cheapest options.

Spain's Costa Brava - the stretch of coast north of Barcelona famed for its sweeping golden beaches and stunning craggy cliff tops - placed fourth with an average of 952.

Tenerife was crowned the cheapest destination for an all-inclusive holiday by Which? Travel

Italy's Amalfi Coast came sixth in the list of the ten cheapest package holiday destinations

The Venetian Riviera - Lido di Jesolo - was the cheapest spot in Italy, at 965 per person, while the upmarket Amalfi coast was close behind on 977.

The rest of the top ten is made up of the Costa de Luz, Spain, Campania, Italy, and Malta.

A look at the cheapest locations for an all-inclusive break found Tenerife had the most competitive rates. The average was 1,097 per person for seven nights.

Other competitively priced options included Fuerteventura, the Costa Blanca, Spain, the Bourgas area of Bulgaria, and Dalaman, Turkey.

The editor of Which? Travel, Rory Boland, said: 'Travelling in the summer holidays is notoriously expensive, and demand is again high this year - but our latest price analysis shows that by being flexible on your destination, you can potentially save hundreds of pounds.

'Many of the locations we found aren't those you'd necessarily assume would be the cheapest - but from tiny, traditional Greek islands to the glitzy Amalfi coast, there are bargains to be found this summer.'
The stepson of Real Housewives of New Jersey star Sigalit 'Siggy' Flicker has been arrested in connection with the January 6 riots after the glamorous reality TV star incriminated him and shared that he was at the Capitol.

Tyler Campanella, 27, was arrested on Wednesday in New York City on five misdemeanor charges related to the attack. His presence in the riots was partially confirmed by Flicker on social media, according to the FBI.

In a Facebook post from the day, Flicker - who was not at the insurrection - shared images captioned: 'I love patriots so much. Stay safe Tyler. We love you.'

She ended her post with #StopTheSteal - which is used by Trump supporters who believe the outgoing president lost his second term because of election fraud.

According to an FBI affidavit, Campanella was snared through witness testimony and open-source images shared online, with further footage from NBC reportedly showed him as part of a group that targeted Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Flickers representative for comment.

Tyler Campanella, the stepson of Real Housewives of New Jersey alum Sigalit 'Siggy' Flicker, 56, was arrested Wednesday on five misdemeanor charges in connection with the January 6, 2021 attacks on the U.S. Capitol. He is pictured during January 6

Flicker has made no secret of her support for Donald Trump, and her Instagram profile image (pictured) showing her with the former president and her husband Michael Campanella, holding the Israeli flag

Campanella had been seen in social media photos Flicker, 56, posted to her social media pages, according to an FBI affidavit - including one she captioned with the hashtag #StopTheSteal

Flicker pictured with her stepson Campanella, who was charged with five misdemeanor offences related to the January 6 riots

Campanella's phone was inside of the U.S. Capitol on the day of the attacks, according to the FBI, which cited phone records it had subpoenaed in their probe.

He works as a sales manager with Bayside Chrysler, which the FBI said they confirmed by speaking to his colleagues.

According to NBC News, footage from inside of the Capitol during the melee 'appears to show the man federal authorities identified as Campanella entering then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi's suite.'

The report added that he was part of a group caught 'walking into the room where Pelosi's laptop was stolen.'

The FBI affidavit says that a review of surveillance footage appears to show Campanella entering the Capitol at around 2:17pm through the Senate Wing doors.

The suspect was then spotted in 'various locations' around the building, including sitting on the base of a statue, walking around the Rotunda, and walking into the Senate Gallery for around a minute before leaving at around 2:52pm.

An FBI affidavit cited open-source images shared on social media as confirming him as 'both outside and inside of the Capitol' during the deadly riots

Further images alleged to be Campanella show him in various locations around the Capitol on January 6

The FBI added that he was caught sitting on the base of a statue during the insurrection

The Bravo alum previously referred to Trump's current lawyer Alina Habba (pictured together) as her 'bestie'. The friends are pictured at Habba's glamorous 40th birthday party

Flicker was pictured in January in a selfie taken outside of the private jet of former President Donald Trump

Flicker, who appeared on the seventh and eighth seasons of the Bravo series, is an ardent supporter of Trump's, as she identifies herself as an 'Israeli/American Patriot' with the hashtag #MAGA on her Instagram page.

Her main photo on her account, which has more than 644,000 followers, is a picture of her standing next to Trump and her husband Michael Campanella, holding the Israeli flag.

Other notable names in Trump orbit she's seen posing with in pictures on her page include former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, comic Roseanne Barr and Trump's current lawyer Alina Habba.

Last month, Flicker shared a glimpse from inside Habba's luxurious 40th birthday party in St. Barts, and she has previously referred to the former president's lawyer as her 'bestie.'

She is also seen in multiple selfies posing outside of Trump's private jet.

No evidence exists that Flicker herself was at the Capitol the day of the attacks, which led to the deaths of seven people, according to a bipartisan Senate report cited in The New York Times in October of 2022.

Flicker is an ardent supporter of Trump's, as she identifies herself as an 'Israeli/American Patriot' with the hashtag #MAGA on her Instagram page

Flicker denied being in Washington D.C . during the timeframe of the attacks in a January 13, 2021 video she put on her Instagram account, urging followers not to 'believe all the bulls**t that's out there

Flicker was seen in an Instagram post posting with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who called for 'trial by combat' in a speech prior to the storming of the Capitol

Flicker denied being in Washington D.C. during the timeframe of the attacks in a January 13, 2021 video she put on her Instagram account, urging followers not to 'believe all the bulls**t that's out there.

She said: 'I'm getting fake news alerts again! Supposedly they're saying that I was at the Capitol on January 6 for the rally. Not me. But the girl who, I don't know what picture's circulating around, she better be pretty.'

Flicker continued in the clip, 'I've been in Florida since December 3rd. Headed back to Jersey soon. Hey, but you know what I have to say? Just keep me relevant, that's all I have to say!'

According to NBC News, more than 1,387 people have faced charges in connection with the January 6 attacks with 984 convictions.

The outlet noted that 'the overwhelming majority' of suspects in the attack admitted to criminal charges against them, or had been found guilty at trial.

A total of 15 people linked to the attack remain in custody ahead of their trials, more than three years after the attacks - and six months ahead of a presumed presidential election rematch between Biden and Trump.
Zoe Saldana looked elegant as she posed up a storm in Venice, Italy on Wednesday.

The actress, 45, arrived alongside her husband Marco Perego-Saldana, 45, at the Fondazione Cini, Isola Di San Giorgio photocall during Biennale Art 2024.

The Guardians of the Galaxy star look sensational as she wowed in a trendy black dress and oversized blazer.

She rocked heels that resembled hooves and added a small black purse.

Her honey-brown locks were let loose as they rested on her shoulders and she donned a light makeup look that showed off her natural beauty.

Zoe Saldana, 45, looked elegant as she posed up a storm with her husband Marco Perego-Saldana, 45, in Venice, Italy on Wednesday

The couple were seen arriving at the Fondazione Cini, Isola Di San Giorgio photocall during Biennale Art 2024

Marco opted for a knit black sweater under a coat paired with black dress pants and boots.

His dirty blonde hair was left in its natural wavy state as he posed with his hands in his pockets.

Salma Hayek also attended the event as she put on a busty display for the rare family appearance with husband Francois-Henri Pinault and step-daughter Mathilde.

Over the weekend, Zoe and Marco dazzled in matching black all-black ensembles at the 10th Annual Breakthrough Prize event in Los Angeles.

Just two weeks ago the couple sat down with Drew Barrymore as they spoke candidly about their marriage. The actress said her film director husband is very amorous toward her.

'It feels lovely, I have to say there were for many years when we first got married, it was hard for me to accept it,' she said.

Zoe added, 'There's a part of us and women, you know, if our hearts have been broken before where we self-sabotage a lot and then one day you just wake up and you sort of go oh, maybe this is real.'

At one point, director reassured his wife's comfortability, leading to a sweet moment.

The Guardians of the Galaxy star look sensational as she wowed in a trendy black dress and oversized blazer

Her honey-brown locks were let loose as they rested on her shoulders and she donned a light makeup look that showed off her natural beauty

Marco opted for a knit black sweater under a coat paired with black dress pants and boots as he leaned towards his wife

Her husband of eleven years said that they, 'play Lego naked now'

'Maybe he really means to ask me if I'm comfortable. So I should just say thank you I am. And, the next step is asking him if he's comfortable,' she added.

She also admitted that they like to swim nude.

'When we're in Europe and in the Caribbean, sometimes we forget our bathing suits and we just go for like a swim,' The Guardians of the Galaxy star admitted.

They then revealed their code word for when it comes to initiating intimacy to ensure others don't catch on.

'Oh God... and he just found a way to, to call sexy time like playing Legos naked,' the mother-of-three said.

'So then the boys, at least, you know, our older ones caught on and they were like, "Are you guys kissing? Are you guys gonna go play naked with your Legos?" And we're like, "No, we're not going to do that," she laughed.

Marco added, 'We can try. We play Lego naked now.'

Their relationship is bonded by something even more permanent.

The couple has tattoos of each other's face on different places of their bodies.

She also admitted that they like to swim nude

The couple has tattoos of each other's face on different places of their bodies

The couple finds time for each other - especially when it comes to attending events together

She shared, 'Oh my God, his is better. I have, I have his on my torso but because Marco looks like the Catholic version of Jesus Christo, of Jesus Christ.

'Everybody thinks like, you know, whenever I get undressed around people, they're like, "Are you very religious?" I'm like, "No, why" its like, "Well because you have a portrait of Jesus" and I'm like, "No, that's my husband."'

Still, the couple finds time for each other - especially when it comes to attending events together.

Thrown at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles, the glittering prize event is held in honor of those who have made accomplishments in math and science, with each awardee getting $3 million, according to a press release.

But in spite of its focus outside of showbiz, the swanky gala reliably draws a cavalcade of A-list celebrities to troupe across the red carpet and hand out the prizes.

Hosted by James Corden, this year's formal affair drew a formidable audience of boldface names, including none other than Elon Musk, Kim Kardashian, and Margot Robbie.
Olivia Munn described the 'shock' she experienced when she saw her body for the first time following a double mastectomy.

The actress, 43, had undergone a lymph node dissection, a nipple delay procedure and a double mastectomy during her battle with breast cancer, after she was diagnosed around a year ago and had all the operations in the space of 10 months.

The mom-of-one revealed that 'nothing' could have prepared her for 'what it would look like' in a new candid interview with People, adding that she 'absolutely broke down.'

A week after having the double mastectomy she went for a post-surgical check up, which is when she saw her body without bandages for the first time with her doctor.

'It was a shock. It was a shock to my system. I had such a hard time, I remember just looking in the mirror with him and just having no emotion, just taking in what he was saying,' she shared.

Olivia Munn, 43, described the 'shock' she experienced when she saw her body for the first time following a double mastectomy; seen in January 2024

The mom-of-one revealed that 'nothing' could have prepared her for 'what it would look like' in a new candid interview with People, adding that she 'absolutely broke down'

Munn woke up from her 10-hour double mastectomy on May 24, 2023, and opted for expanders instead of immediate reconstructive surgery in order to allow her body time to heal and rest.

Expanders are silicone implants placed under the chest wall muscles or tissues to gradually stretch the skin and create space for permanent breast implants.

The Predator star  who shares two-year-old son Malcolm with comedian boyfriend John Mulaney, 41  said when she saw herself for the first time, 'I was in shock. It was incredibly hard.'

'I really tried to be prepared, but the truth is that nothing could prepare me for what I would feel like, what it would look like, how I would handle it emotionally. It was a lot tougher than I expected.'

She said that not even the doctor's reassurances about the results looking 'fantastic' could be a comfort at the time.

'The doctor was telling me how fantastic it looked. Which made it even harder. Because fantastic is top, you don't get better than fantastic. So I thought, this doesn't get better.'

'When I got home, I undressed and looked in the mirror again, and that's when I just absolutely broke down,' she added.

After having her reconstructive surgery in the fall, Munn has come to terms with the changes in her body.

She also started hormone suppression therapy in November to reduce future risk of cancer, putting her into medically induced menopause, causing hot flashes, thinning hair and exhaustion.

'It was a shock to my system. I had such a hard time, I remember just looking in the mirror with him [her doctor] and just having no emotion'

The actress had undergone a lymph node dissection, a nipple delay procedure and a double mastectomy during her battle with breast cancer

Olivia's cancer battle began last year with a shock diagnosis - just three months after she underwent a mammogram that indicated she was healthy

'It's much better, but it's not the same, and that's okay. Because I'm here, and I'm extremely happy that I got the opportunity to fight, she said.

'I was given that chance, and I know a lot of people in my situation don't have that as an option. So I'm extremely grateful.'

Munn revealed that during surgery, doctors discovered a 'tangerine-sized' section of ductal carcinoma in situ  a preinvasive cancer  in her right breast.

'Hearing that news gave me peace that I'd made the right decision.'

The star has also come to accept her 'battle wounds'  scars and dents from her lymph node surgery  and is now focused on raising awareness for other women at risk of breast cancer.

Elsewhere in the cover interview she added that her cancer diagnosis was 'much more terrifying' because she was caring for her son Malcolm.

Malcolm was just one year old when Olivia discovered she had cancer, though she did not go public with the news until this March.

Olivia's cancer battle began last year with a jarring diagnosis - just three months after she had a mammogram that indicated she was healthy.

After having her reconstructive surgery in the fall, Munn has come to terms with the changes in her body: 'It's much better, but it's not the same, and that's okay. Because I'm here'; seen in 2021

Her astonishment was compounded by the fact that she had gotten a negative test for a cancer gene mutation not long beforehand.

She 'did all the tests that I knew about' and as a result was 'walking around thinking I had no breast cancer' shortly before she was diagnosed.

When she received news that she had cancer in both breasts, she 'was not someone who obsessed over death or was afraid of it in any way' but confessed that 'having a little baby at home made everything much more terrifying.'

Olivia, who was about to start shooting a film at the time, realized 'cancer doesnt care who you are; it doesnt care if you have a baby or if you dont have time. It comes at you, and you have no choice but to face it head-on.'

Although having little Malcolm at home made the initial news scarier, the task of taking care of him helped Olivia cope with her treatment.

'When Im with him, its the only time my brain doesnt think about being sick. Im just so happy with him,' she explained.

'And it puts a lot of stuff into perspective. Because if my body changes, Im still his mom. If I have hot flashes, Im still his mom. If I lose my hair, Im still his mom. Thats really what matters the most to me. I get to be here for him.'

She shared that when she underwent reconstructive surgery after her double mastectomy, she opted for smaller breasts rather than larger ones.

'I know a lot of women want to go bigger, but [I said] go smaller. Its so important to say what you want out loud - and dont stop,' she said. 'Even as the anesthesia was making its way into my body, the last thing I said was: "Please go smaller."'

She shared that her cancer diagnosis was 'much more terrifying' because she was caring for her son Malcolm, two, whom she share with her boyfriend John Mulaney, 41

Having John around also helped her get through her cancer battle, which 'wouldve felt like climbing an iceberg without him'; pictured at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party last month

Having John around also helped her soldier through her struggle with her illness, which 'wouldve felt like climbing an iceberg without him.'

She recalled: 'I dont think he had a moment to himself, between being an incredibly hands-on father and going to and from the hospital - taking Malcolm to the park, putting him to nap, driving to Cedars-Sinai, hanging out with me, going home, putting Malcolm to bed, coming back to me. And he did it all happily.'

Olivia also shed light on her decision to remain secretive about her cancer battle until months after she went through her double mastectomy.

'Keeping it private for as long as I did allowed me time to fight without any outside noise at all,' the Oklahoma native said.
Emily Ratajkowski was seen on a rare outing with her father John David Ratajkowski on Wednesday in New York City.

The model/actress, 32, and the Ratajkowski patriarch enjoyed a morning stroll near her luxury West Village apartment.

Sipping on an iced coffee, Emily looked stylish in a white crop top, beige cords and a trendy utility jacket.

She had a brown leather Miu Miu purse slung over one shoulder as she chatted with her father.

Emily let her natural beauty shine by pairing light makeup with her brown designer sunglasses.

Emily Ratajkowski was seen on a rare outing with her father John David Ratajkowski on Wednesday in New York City

The model/actress, 32, and the Ratajkowski patriarch enjoyed a morning stroll near her luxury West Village apartment

John towered over his 5foot7inch daughter in blue jeans, flip flop sandals and a comfy blue pullover.

Missing from the action was Emily's three-year-old son Sylvester and mother Kathleen Balgley.

John is a California-based professional artist with sculptures and paintings in dozens of galleries across the United States and Europe.

Meanwhile, Kathleen, who is from Poland, is a tenured college professor  having previously taught at UCLA and UCSD  and a published author.

Though Emily was born in London, she was raised in Encinitas, a beach city near San Diego, California. She is John and Kathleen's only child.

Emily, who was signed to Ford Models at age 14, had the full support of her parents as she pursued modeling.

After finding fame as the video vixen in Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines music video in 2013, Emily has front major fashion campaigns for Versace and Victoria's Secret.

She's since branched out into acting and even published a memoir in 2021.

In an interview with Cultured in 2023, both Emily and John spoke about her upbringing and how she was destined to be an artist herself.

Sipping on an iced coffee, Emily looked stylish in a white crop top, beige cords and a trendy utility jacket

John towered over his 5foot7inch daughter in blue jeans, flip flop sandals and a comfy blue pullover

'I mean..your mother is a writer and I'm a visual artist,' he told Emily. 'So it was an obvious step to me when you moved into acting.

'I knew whatever you did was going to be art-related. It's just who we are.'

John shared his approach to parenting and how he encouraged Emily to explore her own creativity growing up.

'My feeling about life, in general, is to make things first and talk about them later, you know?' he explained. 'Raising you, I wanted to put everything out there. Ideas, materials, questions, and leave you alone with it.

'Afterward, I'd tell you what I thought was good and what you could do better. You always found your way through your art and your career,' John said.

In the same interview, Emily talked about growing up in the house her father built in San Diego as well as the properties he owned and restored in Ireland and Spain.

'You built our San Diego home, and you worked on the Ireland one, which was pretty beat-up. I remember summers in Spain helping you restore that place, too. You learned a local rock-building technique to make the patio,' she recalled.

She remembered how her and her dad would go 'dumpster diving' to find items for him to turn into art and how he'd often involve her in his creative process as a kid.

Emily is the only child of John and wife Kathleen Balgley

Though Emily was born in London, she was raised in Encinitas, a beach city near San Diego, California

'Building and making is your way of being close to the people you love,' Emily remarked

Her outing with John in NYC on Wednesday came shortly after her new swimsuit campaign for Victoria's Secret was released.

In photos shared to Instagram, the mother-of-one flaunted her fit form as she posed on a white sand beach with palm trees in the background.

Also in the new summer 2024 campaign is model Gigi Hadid.

It is The Escape To Summer collection for Victoria's Secret which is available on April 17.

The feminist advocate recently made headlines when she released pictures of her divorce rings.

They were two pieces of jewelry made from her Toi et Moi engagement ring, which included a square cut stone and a pear shaped stone.

The influencer was married to movie producer Sebastian Bear-McClard from 2018-2022 and they share a son, Sylvester, three.

On April 7, the headline maker revealed she had forgotten to make TikTok about her altered jewelry.

Her outing with John in NYC on Wednesday came shortly after her new swimsuit campaign for Victoria's Secret was released

In photos shared to Instagram, the mother-of-one flaunted her fit form as she posed on a white sand beach with palm trees in the background

She told her fans the 'main reason that I'm sharing that I did this because I've seen so many comments that associate divorce with failure and shame. And both personally and politically, I fundamentally disagree with that.'

'I think historically, the shame around divorce is at least partly what has kept women in unfair, unhappy, and even sometimes abusive marriages,' she said.

'Finding the resources and strength to leave a relationship is often a very brave and remarkable act,' she maintained.

'I'm not trying to make the point that everyone needs to make a divorce ring or turn their wedding dress into a mini dress or whatever symbolic gesture for evolution, but I do think that single moms and women who are starting over for the first time in a terrifying way should find solace in the fact that they're not failures for leaving.'
AFL fans rushed to congratulate St Kilda forward Josh Battle and his partner Casey Ollier on the birth of their first child on Monday.

But some were a little confused by their announcement because of one detail in the Instagram post they considered a 'flex'.

Josh, 25, went shirtless in the hospital snap next to Casey as the new parents cradled their newborn daughter Bobbi Lee Battle.

A handful of followers thought Josh was using the occasion of his child's birth to show off his muscles - but that wasn't the case at all.

He was shirtless because hospitals now encourage dads to go 'skin to skin' with their babies soon after birth, just like mums have done for years, because it helps them bond.

AFL star Josh Battle and his partner Casey Ollier welcomed their first child - a baby girl - on Monday

'Why has he taken his top off,' one person asked.

'Why doesn't he have any clothes on?' another questioned.

But one Twitter user pointed out that Josh removed his shirt for skin-to-skin contact.

The St Kilda forward, 25, and his girlfriend announced the exciting news on social media sharing a photo of the trio

'Skin-to-skin contact is really good for a newborn, so I'd say thats why. I did it with both of my kids, extremely common these days,' another revealed.

'The midwife will help raise the baby's temperature and bond with their father by wrapping them up together with skin to skin contact. He would've been doing that prior to the pic being taken,' a third user said.

Meanwhile, other fans didn't mention Josh going shirtless and simply congratulated the new parents on their bundle of joy.

Some fans were confused as to why Josh chose to be shirtless in the hospital photo

'Congratulations to both, welcome to the Saints family Bobbi,' one wrote.

'Congrats on the new addition to the Battle family!' another said.

Bobbi is the second child for Casey, she welcomed her first daughter, Billie Lee Decker, three, in November 2020 with former partner Brad Decker.
Victoria Beckham was given the five star treatment from husband David as the pair celebrated her 50th birthday together on Wednesday.

As birthday wishes poured in for the Spice Girl, David flew the couple out on a European mini-break to celebrate the start of her lavish 50th birthday extravaganza, The Sun has revealed.

The couple were joined by their four children Brooklyn, 24, Romeo, 21, Cruz, 19, and Harper, 12, as well as Victoria's parents Tony and Jackie at a 'remote retreat'.

A source told the publication: 'It was all top secret up until the last minute. David loves going all-out for big celebrations.'

Yet it is only a short getaway, with the family due back on Thursday in preparation for her main party at a private members' club in London on Saturday night.

David Beckham whisked Victoria away for a 50th birthday minibreak on Wednesday after he shared a sweet video of unseen family moments celebrating his 'beautiful wife' on her big day

The couple flew out on a European mini-break to celebrate the start of her lavish 50th birthday extravaganza, The Sun has revealed

Victoria is sparing no expense for her 50th birthday celebrations and will be honouring the occasion with a four-day extravaganza alongside her family and close friends.

On Tuesday hedgerow trimmers were spotted near her lavish Cotswolds pad as preparations began at their country bolthole, as they employed the hedge trimmer to neaten the road near their home.

It seems like everything will be looking perfect for her guests to arrive, in what is promised to be a raucous affair, with all of her children flying in for the event.

According to the Mirror, guests received save the cards for the celebrations, but only a couple of her Spice Girls bandmates are able to attend.

A source said: 'David and Victoria have made it known they are planning a party to remember - but now it turns out it will be four nights to remember for members of their family.

'The current plan is that there will be one main party, but their family and close friends will be invited to stay for all four days.

'Victoria was keen to reunite with the Spice Girls for one performance during the celebrations and really pushed for it to happen. But unfortunately a performance has now been ruled out, and instead she will get together with the girls separately later this month'

Their Oxfordshire pad has played host to many big parties over the years, most recently their son Brooklyn's lavish '100,000' 21st birthday party.

The couple were joined by their four children Brooklyn, 24, Romeo, 21, Cruz, 19, and Harper, 12, as well as Victoria's parents Tony and Jackie at a 'remote retreat'

Victoria is sparing no expense ahead of her 50th birthday party after hedgerow trimmers were spotted near her lavish Cotswolds pad on Tuesday

The fashion designer will be honouring the occasion with a four-day extravaganza alongside her family and close friends

According to the Sun, after the gathering in the Cotswolds, the party will then move to an exclusive London private member's restaurant, where she will be joined by a close group of 40 friends.

Apparently the dress-code will be 'smart casual' and Victoria is slated to be in one of her own autumn/winter designs on the night.

Guests will sip on champagne, tequila and a selection of fine wines including her favourite Chateau Mouton Rothschild, which costs 3,000 a bottle.

As well as the surprise trip away, David also shared a sweet tribute to Victoria in an early morning Instagram post dedicated to his 'beautiful wife'.

A video set to the Bee Gees classic More Than A Woman showed clips from Victoria's life, starting with a childhood video of her oldest children Brooklyn and Romeo wishing her happy birthday.

In between throwback footage of Victoria during her Spice Girls career and her dancing with her family, David couldn't resist adding a dig at Victoria's now infamous Rolls Royce gaffe.

Adding a clip of the 'be honest' voice over from his 2023 documentary, David shared a childhood snap of Victoria and her sister Louise posing with their dad's Rolls Royce.

A video set to the Bee Gees classic More Than A Woman showed clips from Victoria's life, starting with a childhood clip of her oldest children Brooklyn and Romeo wishing her happy birthday

In between throwback videos of Victoria during her Spice Girls career and her dancing with her family, David couldn't resist adding a dig at Victoria's now infamous Rolls Royce gaffe

He added heartfelt words about his wife's many achievements, writing: 'As you head into this birthday you should look back and be proud of what you have accomplished

The video showed photos and video clips of Victoria from childhood, through her pop career to her fashion designer days

One clip showed Victoria in her pop era wowing in a pair of tight trousers as David joked '50 and fit' in the caption

The hilarious dig refers back to the viral moment in David's documentary where Victoria told the cameras that her family were 'very working, working class'.

David interrupted, incredulous, and asked Victoria to 'be honest' to which she replied: 'I am!' He then repeatedly asked Victoria to reveal what car her dad used to drive her to school in.

The Spice Girl eventually gave in and said: 'OK. In the '80s, my dad had a Rolls-Royce.'

David also referenced the moment in his sweet caption for the birthday video, writing: '50 and fit I AM BEING HONEST'.

He added heartfelt words about his wife's many achievements, writing: 'Happy Birthday to my beautiful wife As you head into this birthday you should look back and be proud of what you have accomplished , achieved & what you have built , Posh spice , business woman & of course marrying an England captain.'

'But your biggest success are your children , you guide them , love them & teach them They love you beyond words , we all love you so much x'

'Have a special day you deserve it all 50 and fit I AM BEING HONEST @victoriabeckham @brooklynpeltzbeckham @romeobeckham @cruzbeckham #HarperSeven.'

The video showed photos and video clips of Victoria from childhood dance and theatre performances, through her pop career to her fashion designer days.

David also shared throwback photos from the couple's wedding day in 1999, including one of her posing for photos in her Vera Wang wedding dress.

Her children posted their own Instagram tributes on Wednesday as Romeo thanked his mum 'for everything' while eldest son Brooklyn shared a photo of himself as a baby on holiday with his mum.

David also shared throwback photos from the couple's wedding day in 1999, including one of her posing in her Vera Wang wedding dress

David also posted throwbacks on his Instagram Stories as he declared: '50 never looked so good'

Another snap from decades ago showed a fresh-faced Victoria cuddling her pet puppies

Victoria was seen as a baby with her parents Tony and Jackie in the opening moments of David's tribute video

Family snaps included one showing the Spice Girl with her parents Tony and Jackie, her sister Louise and brother Christian

Victoria's eldest son Brooklyn, 25, shared a throwback snap of himself with his mum as he sent a birthday message

Romeo, 21, gushed 'thank you for everything' in his Instagram post

Victoria's sister Louise Adams shared a family photo for her birthday tribute

Emma Bunton kicked off the Spice Girls' tributes on Wednesday.

Baby Spice was the first to post a gushing Instagram tribute to her Posh pal, sharing a highlights video of their years together set to the tune of their band's hit Say You'll Be There.

'Happy birthday @victoriabeckham! 50 and bossing it!' Emma, 48, wrote. 'Your beautiful family are a credit to you and I'm sure you'll be spoilt rotten. We love you to bits.'

Emma's video showed her and Victoria in their Spice Girls era as well as more recent photos of their 30 year friendship.

One hilarious video clip saw Victoria dressed as Emma for Spice World The Movie in 1997, with Posh swapping her LBD for a pink dress and pigtails.

Emma Bunton kicked off the Spice Girls' tributes on Wednesday

One hilarious video clip saw Victoria dressed as Emma for Spice World The Movie in 1997, with Posh swapping her LBD for a pink dress and pigtails

Sporty Spice Mel C, 50, posted her own memories, as she asked on Instagram: 'How did we get here? 50 bloody years old!'

'We have shared so many adventures together from dancing in a church hall in Woking to dancing on top of black cabs at the Olympics!!!'

'I'm so proud of everything we achieved together and to watch you go on to fulfill so many of your dreams beyond that is just incredible.

'Happy Birthday Victoria, I am very proud of you, to be your friend and band mate. Love you to bits #friendshipneverends #girlpower.'

Sporty Spice Mel C posted her own memories, as she asked on Instagram: 'How did we get here? 50 bloody years old!'

'We have shared so many adventures together from dancing in a church hall in Woking to dancing on top of black cabs at the Olympics!!!' she wrote alongside the throwbacks

'Happy Birthday Victoria, I am very proud of you, to be your friend and band mate' Mel added

Mel B, 48, shared a sweet snap of the pair cuddled up at a previous celebration as she wished her bandmate many happy returns.

Geri Horner broke her social media silence amid her husband Christian's ongoing 'sexting scandal' to wish her friend a happy birthday.

Posting for the first time in weeks, Geri, 51, shared photos of the two over thge years as she gushed: 'Happy Birthday! @victoriabeckham You're amazing!'

'From our Tank girl audition over 30 years ago , and you're still shining bright ! Wishing you love & joy.'

Mel B shared a snap from another celebration as she wished her bandmate many happy returns

Geri Horner broke her social media silence amid her husband Christian's ongoing 'sexting scandal' to wish her friend a happy birthday

Posting for the first time in weeks, Geri, 51, shared photos of the two over thge years as she gushed: 'Happy Birthday! @victoriabeckham You're amazing!'
Warwick Davis' has paid tribute to his wife Samantha after she tragically passed away last month.

And the last photo of the pair sees the couple enjoying a date night out together as they beamed in a cheeky selfie.

Samantha, who was an actor herself and met her husband when she had an uncredited role in his 1988 film Willow, tragically died on March 24 aged 53.

In their final snap back in October, the pair beamed from ear to ear as Warwick joked they were heading to McDonald's for a date night.

The Star Wars star captioned the post: 'A long overdue date night with my beautiful wife. She felt a bit overdressed for mcDonalds!'

Warwick Davis' heartbreaking final photo with his wife Samantha before her tragic death aged 53 sees the couple heading on a date night back in October

The pair beamed from ear to ear as Warwick joked they were heading to McDonald's for a date night

Samantha, who was an actor herself and met her husband when she had an uncredited role in his 1988 film Willow, tragically died on March 24 aged 53 (pictured in 1996)

Fans rushed to compliment the couple last October. They wrote: 'You guys are just such a beautiful couple!'; 'Enjoy warwick!!!'; 'Looking fabulous'; 'Awwww. No better to have a date night than McDonalds.'

Meanwhile other fans posted their condolences on the post, which is Warwick's most recent update on the social media app.

They wrote: 'Condolences to you and your family'; 'sorry for your loss'.

Warwick paid an emotional tribute to his 'favourite human' who he was married to for more than 30 years and shared three children with.

'Her passing has left a huge hole in our lives as a family,' the 54-year-old said in a statement to the BBC on Wednesday. 'I miss her hugs.'

He described Sammy, as he called her, as his 'most trusted confidant and an ardent supporter of everything I did in my career'.

'She was a unique character, always seeing the sunny side of life she had a wicked sense of humour and always laughed at my bad jokes,' he added.

The couple's children, Harrison and Annabelle, said 'her love and happiness carried us through our whole lives'. 'Mum is our best friend and we're honoured to have received a love like hers,' they added.

Fans rushed to compliment the couple last October and shared their condolences

Warwick and Samantha with their children Harrison and Annabelle at the premiere of Star Wars: the Last Jedi in California in 2017

Warwick said he felt like he could achieve anything with his wife by his side, comparing it to the feeling of having a 'superpower'.

He said her mobility had become impaired in recent years but shared how she was determined not to let it bring her down.

She had a brush with death in 2019 when she fell ill with sepsis ahead of a family holiday.

Warwick previously told how he and the couple's children 'sort of said goodbye' by her bedside before she pulled through.

The actor and his wife lost baby son Lloyd just nine days after he was born in 1991 - the year they got married.

Warwick said in 2022 that he would not wish the 'devastating' experience on anyone and added: 'You never get over it.'

He and Samantha met when Warwick starred as sorcerer Willow Ufgood in the 1988 film named after the character.

Samantha and her father Peter - who is Warwick's business partner - had minor roles as villagers.

The couple on their wedding day in 1991

In an emotional tribute he told the BBC: 'Her passing has left a huge hole in our lives as a family , I miss her hugs' (pictured at the ITV Palooza! held at The Royal Festival Hall in October 2018)

She also had an uncredited role as a a goblin in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in 2011, in which Davis portrayed Filius Flitwick - Hogwarts' charms professor - for the final time.

In 1989, she had a part in BBC educational series Through the Dragon's Eye.

Warwick and Mr Burroughs, 77, co-founded Willow Management in 1995 with the aim of changing the way people with dwarfism were represented on screen.

Mr Burroughs is also an actor and has appeared both on stage and in TV and film productions including The Legend of King Arthur, Hamlet, and as an Ewok in 1983 Star Wars film Return of the Jedi.

Harrison also appeared as a goblin in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Annabelle portrayed Lacey Lloyd in Hollyoaks until January this year.

Speaking of his first son's death to People in 2022, Davis said: 'I think it brings you closer together, or something like that, but it's an experience I wouldn't wish on anyone, it's devastating.

'You do learn to live with it, eventually, over time, you're able to better understand why it happened and can come to terms with it a bit more, but you never get over it.

'I think the losses shaped our family dynamic, we love Annabelle and Harrison all that more because they're here with us.'

Lloyd inherited dwarfism from both his parents and died from complications caused by the condition.

The couple lost a second child - who they named George - when Samantha miscarried at 20 weeks in 1993.

Warwick added: 'We'll always remember what happened with George and Lloyd. We'll always be grateful that we had them for the short time that we did.'
With Sonny down, veterans, young guns step up game for Korea in World Cup qualifying win
Quentin Tarantino may still make only 10 films in his career, but his last film won't be the project he's been preparing of late, The Movie Critic.

The 61-year-old director has pulled the plug on the project, which was reported in February to have Brad Pitt attached to star in their third movie project together.

Now Deadline reports that Tarantino has simply 'changed his mind' about the project and will not move forward with it.

Tarantino reportedly had rewritten the script which had delayed the start of production, though now it isn't happening altogether.

The filmmaker is said to have, 'gone back to the drawing board,' to try and figure out what his 10th and still final film would be.

Quentin Tarantino may still make only 10 films in his career, but his last film won't be the project he's been preparing of late, The Movie Critic

The 61-year-old director has pulled the plug on the project, which was reported in February to have Brad Pitt attached to star in their third movie project together.

QT has said for years that he plans on retiring after his 10th film, which apparently still seems to be the plan, just not with The Movie Critic.

There were other reports from The Hollywood Reporter that claimed the writer-director's rewrites changed the film quite drastically.

The story was to be set in 1977 Los Angeles, and follow the title character, inspired by both a real-life movie critic and his first job as a teenager, stocking porn magazines into vending machines.

QT told Deadline at Cannes last year that the film, 'is based on a guy who really lived but was never really famous, and he used to write movie reviews for a porno rag.'

'All the other stuff was too skanky to read, but then there was this porno rag that had a really interesting movie page,' he added.

There were other reports that characters from Tarantino's previous movies would ultimately surface in The Movie Critic.

THR reports that QT's most recent rewrites were going to bring Pitt back as Cliff Booth, his stuntman character from 2019's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Tarantino was also planning on shooting for just one day in August, so the project could secure a $20.5 million California Tax Credit, before filming would start fully in early 2025.

QT has said for years that he plans on retiring after his 10th film, which apparently still seems to be the plan, just not with The Movie Critic

QT told Deadline at Cannes last year that the film, 'is based on a guy who really lived but was never really famous, and he used to write movie reviews for a porno rag'

'All the other stuff was too skanky to read, but then there was this porno rag that had a really interesting movie page,' he added

THR reports that QT's most recent rewrites were going to bring Pitt back as Cliff Booth, his stuntman character from 2019's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

This wouldn't be the first time that Tarantino has pulled the plug on a movie project abruptly.

Back in early 2014, it was revealed that Tarantino was pulling the plug on The Hateful Eight, after he sent the script to a small group of trusted actors.

One of those actors shared the script with his agent, and it had subsequently been shared all over town, which caused Tarantino to pull the plug on it.

He later came around after a live-read for charity drew rave reviews, which lead him to go into production, with the film released in 2015.

There were a few other projects Tarantino has bandied about that never came to fruition, like the oft-rumored Vega Brothers project that would have starred Michael Madsen as Vic Vega from 1992's Reservoir Dogs and John Travolta as Vincent Vega from 1994's Pulp Fiction.

He was also at one point developing an R-rated Star Trek project for Paramount though that never moved forward either.
As Rooney Mara prepares to give birth to her second child with fiance Joaquin Phoenix, the proud mom is also celebrating her birthday.

While stepping out in Los Angeles on her 39th birthday Wednesday, the Academy Award nominee dressed her baby bump in head-to-toe black.

She donned a cropped knit sweater over a matching singlet, which she tucked into elastic pants with black Nike sneakers.

Mara revealed her pregnancy in February, when she debuted her baby bump on the red carpet of her film La Cocina's premiere at the Berlinale International Film Festival.

The Women Talking actress draped her pregnant belly in a billowing black strapless dress.

While stepping out in Los Angeles on her 39th birthday Wednesday, Rooney Mara dressed her baby bump in head-to-toe black

She donned a cropped knit sweater over a matching singlet, which she tucked into elastic pants with black Nike sneakers

She and Phoenix, 49, welcomed their first child in August 2020, a baby boy named after Joaquin's late brother River Phoenix.

Mara opened up about motherhood to People for her first Mother's Day in 2021.

'As a new mom, Mother's Day has taken on a special meaning this year,' she said.

'Raising our baby, River, has opened my heart to a whole new life filled with hope and more determination than ever to create a kinder and more sustainable world.'

The animal rights advocate added, 'I feel so fortunate to be able to nurture my son in all of the ways that nature intended, and I wish all mothers in the animal kingdom could experience that sacred maternal bond with their young, devoid of exploitation by humans.'

She and Phoenix will soon appear onscreen together again after they were cast in the upcoming films Polaris and The Island.

Written and directed by Lynne Ramsay, Polaris follows an ice photographer (Phoenix) who meets the Devil in 1890s Alaska.

The couple wrapped filming on location in Alaska last year.

The Island stars the pair as a 1930s couple who moves to a deserted island with the intention of living off the land.

Mara revealed her pregnancy in February, when she debuted her baby bump on the red carpet of her film La Cocina's premiere at the Berlinale International Film Festival

She and fiance Joaquin Phoenix welcomed their first child in August 2020, a baby boy named after Joaquin's late brother River Phoenix

The couple will soon appear onscreen together again after they were cast in the upcoming films Polaris and The Island

Production halted on the eve of the shoot in Spain last May amid the impending Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) strike.

After the SAG and Writers Guild of America (WGA) strikes concluded in the fall, the actors and Pawe Pawlikowski remain 'committed' to it.

Mara said at Berlinale that they 'still have hope that we will make it,' telling Deadline: 'We just don't know when that will be.'

'It doesn't look like that will happen this year,' said Mara. 'But we're all committed to the project.'

Mara and Phoenix began dating in 2016 after starring together in 2013's Her, and they announced their engagement in 2019.

The couple has also starred together in Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot and Mary Magdalene (both 2018).
The Kyle and Jackie O Show are neck-and-neck with Fifi, Fev and Nick in the latest survey as each show takes out the number one spots in Sydney and Melbourne.

According to GFK Radio Ratings, Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson once again landed Sydney's #1 breakfast show in AM and FM for their 42nd consecutive survey, just over a week ahead of their expansion into Melbourne territory.

But they have stiff competition ahead as 101.9 The Fox's Fifi Box, Brendan Fevola and Nick Cody secured their own crown as Melbourne's most listened to FM breakfast show for their 11th consecutive survey.

Kyle, 52, and Jackie O, 49, managed to grow their market share to 16.1% in the latest ratings survey, raking in a whopping 834,000 listeners each week as 'the most listened to show in Australia'.

Meanwhile, their competitors Fifi, 47, Fev, 43, and Nick achieved 'the biggest share result in Melbourne FM radio' since 2012, securing 11.2% of the market share and pulling a massive 694,000 listeners.

The Kyle and Jackie O Show are neck-and-neck with Fifi, Fev and Nick in the latest survey as each show takes out the number one spots in Sydney and Melbourne

Kyle, 52, spoke about his show's results live on Thursday morning, saying: 'The ratings have come out again today, and surprise, surprise, here we are on top of the pile once again. Number one. Clearly both AM and FM.'

The shock jock went on to 'congratulate' Nova FM's Fitzy and Wippa 'who have had the biggest ratings they've ever had in the history of their show'.

'Although we are double their ratings and they, at their best, are still not like us at our worst ratings ever of all time,' he brutally added.

Down in Victoria, Fifi, Fev and Nick released a much more humble statement to their audience, saying: 'Thank you to our incredible listeners for making us Melbourne's number one breakfast show - this is an unreal result.

'From Narre Warren to Sunbury, from Ringwood to Werribee, we love joining Melburnians for their morning!'

According to GFK Radio Ratings, Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson once again landed Sydney's #1 breakfast show in their 42nd consecutive survey, just over a week ahead of their expansion into Melbourne territory

News of the radio war comes just over a week before Kyle and Jackie O are set to bring their show to Melbourne as part of a record-breaking $200million 10-year contract.

'What we are going to put into Melbourne has never been done before. Even if you already hate Jackie, give me a chance,' Kyle recently joked.

'We're going to give you a very different type of show. I'm not saying the other ones are the worst shows, they're not. They've been great, but we offer something different.'

'We are sticking to what we know. In terms of the day-to-day content, nothing changes, we won't be dumbing things down or pulling back,' Jackie added.

The pair promised they would become more 'inclusive' for Melbourne and include the city in its prize giveaways, which previously were only for Sydney residents.

But they have stiff competition ahead as 101.9 The Fox's Fifi Box, Brendan Fevola and Nick Cody secured their own crown as Melbourne's most listened to breakfast show for their 11th consecutive survey

However, Fifi, Fev and Nick seem confident in their ability to take on the ratings juggernaut that is the Kyle and Jackie O Show.

Fevola initially heard the bombshell news of their expansion back in August last year and shrugged off any potential competition coming to Melbourne radio waves.

'It doesn't affect us, we're fine,' he said in November.

'We've got the most listeners in Melbourne so I don't feel that's going to affect us at all.

'Great show, great product, we've been together for a long time now and we'll just keep doing what we're doing.'
Jeezy has walked back his request for full custody of his two-year-old daughter Monaco with estranged wife Jeannie Mai.

According to TMZ, the rapper  who recently claimed Mai 'isn't taking care of their child'  is now asking a judge for joint custody and a temporary parenting schedule.

He wants time with Monaco to be equally split between both parents.

Jeezy claims that he's hardly seen his daughter in 2024 because Mai has allegedly failed to adhere to the custody arrangement they agreed upon in mediation last year.

Although Mai agreed to let him take Monaco from the dates of March 3 to March 9, Jeezy alleges that plans to see his child again in early April were thwarted.

He claims that Monaco was not at his and Jeannie's marital home when he sent someone there to pick her up on visitation day.

Jeezy has walked back his request for full custody of his two-year-old daughter Monaco with estranged wife Jeannie Mai; the exes seen in 2020

According to TMZ , the rapper  who recently claimed Mai 'isn't taking care of their child'  is now asking a judge for joint custody and a temporary parenting schedule. He wants time with Monaco to be equally split between both parents

The Put On hitmaker claims that he's often left in the dark about his child's location now that Jeannie and Monaco no longer live in the home.

He claims that Jeannie has his cellphone number blocked so he is unable to see Monaco via FaceTime.

He also alleges that Jeannie is bothered by him being a gun owner despite him having always owned guns.

Jeezy is requesting that a hearing be held to work out the details of a temporary parenting schedule as their divorce battle rages on.

This comes just one week after he shocked fans by petitioning an Atlanta judge to discard the custody and parenting time arrangement that he and Jeannie, 44, agreed upon in recent mediation and wanted Monaco to live with him full time.

He alleged that 'Jeannie isnt even taking care of their kid herself,' per the outlet.

Additionally, the Soul Survivor hitmaker claimed that Jeannie had denied him parenting time with Monaco for nearly two months.

Initially, during his separation from Mai, Jeezy consented to relocate to the basement, while Mai eventually vacated their residence, taking Monaco with her.

He now asserts that over the past two months, during which his parenting time has been denied, their daughter has predominantly been under the care of Mai's mother and brother, while Mai, as the host of The Talk, maintains a demanding travel itinerary.

In essence, Jeezy argued that Monaco's life would be more stable under his sole guardianship.

The court filing comes four months after Jeannie requested that the court hold off on enforcing her prenup with Jeezy as she claims that she did not have enough time to review it before signing after conflicting statements about their separation.

Jeezy claims that he's hardly seen his daughter in 2024 because Mai has allegedly failed to adhere to the custody arrangement they agreed upon in mediation last year

Although Mai agreed to let him take Monaco from the dates of March 3 to March 9, Jeezy alleges that plans to see his child again in early April were thwarted. He claims that Monaco was not at his and Jeannie's marital home when he sent someone there to pick her up on visitation day; seen on April 11

The television personality filed the request in Fulton County Superior Court in Georgia.

In it Jeannie is asking judge to either deny the rapper's motion to enforce the prenuptial agreement or at least hold off on enforcing it until both parties can exchange info about it.

The publication reports that the documents indicate that Jeannie said the prenup process was so quick that she doesn't believe that she had the time to be able to do the proper due diligence on the agreement.

She claims that the two had only started negotiating five days before their wedding.

Jeannie alleges that she did not go through Jeezy's - born Jay Wayne Jenkins - financial disclosures as thoroughly as she would have liked in order to make sure that she was getting a fair deal.

According to TMZ, Jeannie says in the documents that the smaller window 'raises significant concerns about the adequacy and thoroughness of the due diligence process.'

Jeannie also said that she believes she has 'significant reservations' about her now ex's financial disclosures.

Her legal team says that the rapper only handed over one personal financial statement with approximate taxes and insists she was legally entitled to a thorough examination of all relevant documents.

Just a month ago Jeannie and Jeezy have made conflicting statements about their separation.

The television personality claimed that she found out about her divorce from the news while the rapper reportedly stated that was not true.

On Monday, December 4, the actress made an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show and admitted she was 'gutted' after learning about her now-estranged husband filing for divorce.

The Put On hitmaker claims that he's often left in the dark about his child's location now that Jeannie and Monaco no longer live in the home; seen in 2022

Jeezy is requesting that a hearing be held to work out the details of a temporary parenting schedule as their divorce battle rages on; seen in 2023

Just days after she suggested her ex was allegedly unfaithful, he told the host that finding out 'at the same time as the rest of the world' was 'kinda hard', but the split is something she is 'taking day by day'.

That came about two months after it was reported that the pair had split and filed for divorce in September.

'I think I'm doing better now,' she said after Hudson asked how she has been doing since the separation.

However, she admitted that she couldn't say the same for weeks ago when she had been allegedly blindsided by Jeezy, whose real name is Jay Wayne Jenkins.

'At the time, when I found out at the same time as the rest of the world that my marriage was ending in divorce, I was gutted,' she said.

In the aftermath of their split, she said that she has been 'picking up the pieces' and has been focusing on 'discovering' herself.

Most importantly, she said that her main priority is 'being a mom to the best blessing in my life  my little girl.'

About a year ago, Mai had welcomed her daughter Monaco, nearly 11-months-old, with Jenkins.

This comes just one week after he shocked fans by petitioning an Atlanta judge to discard the custody and parenting time arrangement that he and Jeannie, 44, agreed upon in recent mediation and wanted Monaco to live with him full time; seen in 2020

The court filing comes four months after Jeannie requested that the court hold off on enforcing her prenup with Jeezy as she claims that she did not have enough time to review it before signing after conflicting statements about their separation; seen in 2020

She also said on the show that she wants to make sure that their child gets to spend time with her father for the holidays.

Just last week, Mai had cited her pre-nuptial agreement in her divorce petition response to Jenkins and suggested that Jenkins had been unfaithful.

A source told TMZ just hours after The Jennifer Hudson Show episode with Mai's guest appearance aired on Monday that those claims were false.

The insider said Jenkins also refuted what his estranged wife said on the show about how he had blindsided her about their divorce.

He alleged that it was something they both knew was coming as they had gone to multiple marriage counselors and therapists in the time leading up to their split, the source told the outlet.

They also claimed that Jenkins is adamantly refuting the cheating allegations.
Married At First Sight's Eden Harper has expressed her shock and disappointment over the sudden breakup with Jayden Eynaud.

The couple surprised fans on Wednesday night by announcing their split in separate Instagram posts.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Thursday, Eden, 27, revealed the breakup came without warning and has left her bewildered and unable to reach Eynaud, 'He won't reply to me. He hasn't replied.'

Reflecting on the relationship and its unexpected demise, Eden conveyed her confusion.

'Everything was good. I do think in any relationship, there's ups and downs, but it came completely out of the blue for me. It was definitely a blind side,' she explained.

Married At First Sight's Eden Harper has expressed her shock and disappointment over the sudden breakup with Jayden Eynaud

'I just felt that the way that it all fell apart for us when he broke up with me, I just felt he was choosing not to be with me, and he didn't want to be with me.'

Despite attempts to salvage the relationship or at least gain closure, Eden revealed Jayden 'split up with me that night, and then, yeah, I guess we've hardly spoken since then.'

This lack of communication has led Eden to a reluctant acceptance of their separation, admitting that Jayden's disinterest was clear.

In the aftermath of the breakup, Eden has decided to take a step back from the dating scene, finding solace in the company of her beloved dog, Cub.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Thursday, Eden, 27, revealed the breakup came without warning and has left her bewildered and unable to reach Eynaud, 'He won't reply to me. He hasn't replied'

'Yeah, I think I'm done with dating for a little while. I think it's reminded me how beautiful my dog is and how much I've just focused on him.'

Jayden broke his silence on their breakup on Instagram, offering a more optimistic view of their time together.

He wrote: 'After the experiment, Eden and I went back to the Gold Coast and continued to enjoy living our lives together and getting to know each other every day.'

Reflecting on the relationship and its unexpected demise, Eden conveyed her confusion, 'everything was good. I do think in any relationship, there's ups and downs, but it came completely out of the blue for me. It was definitely a blind side'

However, he acknowledged the relationship's end, expressing gratitude for the time spent with Harper and her dog.

Eden, however, found Jayden's breakup post perplexing, especially his mention of her having a family with him, given their current lack of communication.

'I thought his announcement was nice in that he wrote similarly to how I did, but yeah, I was a little bit confused by him saying that I had family with him because he doesn't reply to me,' she explained.

Despite attempts to salvage the relationship or at least gain closure, Eden revealed, 'he split up with me that night, and then, yeah, I guess we've hardly spoken since then'. Pictured together in November

Eden has found solace in the overwhelming support from fans and friends alike, alongside insights into her personal journey towards healing and rediscovery.

'It's been crazy to be honest. I really didn't expect such love and support from everybody. And I'm really grateful for that,' she shared, reflecting on the public's reaction to the news of their breakup.

'I didn't feel like that's the way that it was. I didn't think that's how everyone was going to react, to be honest.'

The support has come as a surprise to Eden, who initially thought fans' reactions would be mixed, considering how many were rooting for the couple.

Following the split, Eden has been focusing on adapting to life back on the Gold Coast, aiming to make the most of her circumstances

'I felt like people were really rooting for Jayden and I knew that some people would be sad about that, but I really feel everyone's rallying behind me here and I didn't really even say that much,' Eden said.

'I am really grateful to have everyone's support.'

Following the split, Eden has been focusing on adapting to life back on the Gold Coast, aiming to make the most of her circumstances.

'To be honest, it went back to normal pretty quickly and I think life's pretty low key here on the Gold Coast. But yeah, I do want to make the most of everything and enjoy my life as much as possible,' she continued. 'And you never know what's going to happen.

'Obviously, this isn't what I expected. So I'm just trying to shift my focus and focus on myself and enjoying my life and making the most of it. Cause you never know when things are going to change.'

The pair recently crossed paths at Nova 96.9's MAFS reunion, where Eden noted their interaction was civil, hinting at a friendly rapport post-breakup.

'It was only about a week or so before the Nova event, but we were pretty civil. It wasn't a nasty breakup at the time. Yeah, we were still really good friends,' she revealed.

'And at that time I was still trying to work it out with him and still trying to yeah, figure things out I suppose. So yeah, his family was babysitting my dog that week. We went to Sydney together.'

Jayden was seen partying and looking flirtatious with fellow bride Lauren Dunn, on a night out.

In terms of support, Eden has found unexpected allies among her fellow MAFS contestants.

'Lucinda Light has been amazing to me. We speak on the phone quite a little bit. And I am really close with Stephen Stewart and Jade Pywell.'

Eden also revealed that former bride, Ella Ding, who was paired with Jayden's brother on the show back in 2022 has helped her get through the breakup.

'To be honest Ella Ding has been really supportive of me through everything going on the last few weeks. And she's been through it herself. She's been amazing.'

Eden also revealed that former bride, Ella Ding, who was paired with Jayden's brother Mitch on the show back in 2022 (both pictured) has helped her get through the breakup
Eminem's daughter Hailie Jade Scott Mathers enjoyed a girls' trip to Tampa Bay to celebrate her bachelorette party.

The stunning influencer, 28  who is set to marry her boyfriend of six years, Evan McClintock  took to her Instagram on Wednesday to share snaps from the fun-filled soiree taking place on a luxury yacht.

The brunette bombshell radiated beauty as she flaunted her figure in a sleek white bikini atop the boat's bow.

Accompanied by her tight-knit circle of friends, among them her sister Alaina Scott Mathers, 31, all sporting coordinated black swimsuits, she captioned the charming carousel with a playful nod to their locale: 'Tampa Baes.'

The bachelorette bash follows Hailie's Instagram announcement of her engagement, featuring an adorable snapshot of Evan on bended knee and a close-up of the ring: an oval-cut diamond nestled on a delicate gold band.

Eminem 's daughter Hailie Jade Scott Mathers enjoyed a girls' trip to Tampa Bay to celebrate her bachelorette party

The stunning influencer, 28, took to her Instagram on Wednesday to share snaps from the fun-filled soiree taking place on a luxury yacht

'Casual weekend recap 2.4.23 i love you @evanmcclintock11,' wrote Hailey in her caption of the February 2023 post.

'Couldn't be happier for the two of you, can't wait do this chapter of life with you guys,'" Alaina commented.

The pair have been in a relationship since 2016. Evan is an executive at an investigation management company in Michigan.

Eminem, 48, briefly spoke about Hailie and Evan in an interview on Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson in March 2020.

'No babies,' the rapper replied when the legendary fighter asked if Hailie had any children of her own. 'Just a boyfriend. She's doing good.

'She's made me proud for sure,' he added, sharing that Hailie graduated from college with an impressive 3.9 GPA. Hailie studied psychology at Michigan State University.

Hailie grew up in Detroit with her superstar dad  real name Marshall Bruce Mathers III  and mom Kim Scott.

She recently opened up about her childhood when she debuted her new podcast, Just A Little Shady, which is obviously a reference to her father Eminem's evil and mischievous Slim Shady alter ego.

Accompanied by her tight-knit circle of friends, among them her sister Alaina Scott Mathers, 31, all sporting coordinated black swimsuits, she captioned the charming carousel with a playful nod to their locale: 'Tampa Baes'

Hailie and Alaina seen at Aliana's event in 2022

Evan and Hailie have been in a relationship since 2016; seen in 2023

Hailie grew up in Detroit with her superstar dad  real name Marshall Bruce Mathers III  and mom Kim Scott; Eminem and Hailie in 2022

For the first episode, titled It's A Double Entendre, Hailie reminisced about her 'surreal' childhood alongside co-host and BFF Brittany Edni.

The Michigan native then proceeded to dish about some of her memories of growing up on a tour bus.

They both joked about how the lifestyle was 'casual' to them and a part of their 'normal conversations.'

Fondly recalling her childhood, Hailie said: 'Its so fun to look back  thinking back as an adult, Im like, "Wow, that's so, so surreal" and those memories of me thinking those were normal things, now I look back like, "Holy crap, that was cool."'
Australian musician G Flip has opened up about an unforgettable experience with Taylor Swift.

Despite not securing an opening spot for Swift's highly anticipated Eras Tour, G Flip, whose full name is Georgia Flipo, received a gesture from the pop icon that left a lasting impression.

The Be Your Man hitmaker, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, recounted the moment Swift's team reached out after listening to their cover of Cruel Summer.

Swifts team even invited them to see her perform during one of her Eras Tour dates in Melbourne in February.

'Taylor's publicist took a moment to tell me personally that Taylor was really impressed with my cover. That alone was incredible. I didn't need to perform at the shows to feel validated,' G Flip shared with Daily Mail Australia this week.

Australian musician G Flip has opened up about an unforgettable experience with Taylor Swift

The drummer's cover had caught Swift's attention on Instagram, sparking a hopeful petition by G Flip's mother for an opening act opportunity.

Although it didn't materialise, the recognition was a significant accolade.

'The idea that she not only watched but enjoyed my work is mind-blowing. It validates the effort and passion I poured into it,' G Flip reflected.

Despite not securing an opening spot for Swift's highly anticipated Eras Tour, G Flip, whose full name is Georgia Flipo, received a gesture from the pop icon that left a lasting impression

'Taylor's publicist took a moment to tell me personally that Taylor was really impressed with my cover. That alone was incredible. I didn't need to perform at the shows to feel validated,' G Flip shared with Daily Mail Australia

The artist's journey has been marked by a mission to be a role model, a goal evidently achieved through encounters with fans around the world.

'Meeting so many incredible young people who see me as an idol, especially those navigating their gender identity, has been overwhelmingly emotional,' G Flip added.

G Flip's influence extends beyond music, touching on personal identities and empowering fans.

The artist's journey has been marked by a mission to be a role model, a goal evidently achieved through encounters with fans around the world

'Seeing videos of kids with their makeshift drumsticks, trying to drum along with me, is just the cutest thing,' they said.

G Flip also revealed the weirdest thing about global fame is the strange messages they receive on Instagram.

'The variety of DMs, especially the odd ones from men hilariously missing the mark and forgetting that I am married always gives me a laugh. It's a weird and funny part of this journey,' they remarked.

G-Flip is back in Australia to help launch the rebrand of Pepsi.

The iconic company is celebrating their new identity by not only refreshing their own look, but also reinventing conventional fashion classics too.

Cowden, the designer behind the collection, has created 10 bespoke pieces using elements from Pepsi's new visual identity.
The reboot of Top Gear Australia has released its first official trailer ahead of the new season's highly anticipated premiere.

The new eight-part series will stream on May 17 on Paramount+ with new hosts Beau Ryan, Jonathan LaPaglia and Blair Joscelyne.

Based on the famed BBC reality series of the same name, Top Gear gives fans a chance to get an up close look at the latest in car tech.

Paramount+ released an exciting trailer on Thursday teasing entertaining adventures and challenges for car enthusiasts.

Top Gear Australia debuted on SBS in 2008 before it moved over to Channel Nine in 2010 where it ran until 2012.

The reboot of Top Gear Australia has released its first official trailer ahead of the new season's highly anticipated premiere. (Pictured L-R: Beau Ryan, Blair Joscelyne and Jonathan LaPaglia)

Filming begun earlier this year in Rome.

The fresh line-up of stars were spotted getting along famously in the Italian capital in February as they filmed scenes for the globally acclaimed series.

The reboot will see the hosts travel to a range of overseas locations including the French Alps, Rome, St Tropez and Colombia.

The new eight-part series will stream on May 17 on Paramount+ with new hosts Beau Ryan, Jonathan LaPaglia and Blair Joscelyne

Based on the famed BBC reality series of the same name, Top Gear gives fans a chance to get an up close look at the latest in car tech

The show will also premiere internationally in Latin America, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France and Japan at a later date.

Host Jonathan, 54, who is a motoring enthusiast, previously revealed the role was a dream job.

'It is a dream come true - but be careful what you wish for because its harder than I imagined it was going to be... But it's fun,' he told The Daily Telegraph in January.

He continued: 'I do like to be challenged by different things and I do like to keep working and be engaged.

'Fortunately, its all come together this year, so Im lucky. Im not going to complain.'
Rebel Wilson has cancelled her Australian book tour which had been scheduled to promote her tell-all memoir Rebel Rising.

In the book, the 44-year-old accused former co-star Sacha Baron Cohen of inappropriate on-set behavior. He has denied all the allegations.

The actress was set to host an event in Brisbane on May 12 and Melbourne on May 14.

She said her book will be available in the country on May 8, but said she 'won't be able to host any book events due to a changing work schedule'.

'I'm really excited for UK and Australian readers to finally get to read Rebel Rising. New UK publishing date is 25 April and in Aus its 8 May,' she wrote on Instagram.

Rebel Wilson has cancelled her Australian book tour which had been scheduled to promote her tell-all memoir Rebel Rising

'This is my full story - from my childhood to the birth of my beautiful daughter. I hope you enjoy it.'

'Unfortunately I now won't be able to do the in-person book events in Australia due to my changing work schedule.'

All ticket holders are expected to be informed, with refunds to be processed.

Earlier this month, Rebel revealed the sale of her hotly anticipated tell-all memoir had been delayed indefinitely in Australia.

Buyers attempting to get the book on Amazon were notified that the title was 'currently unavailable' and that 'we don't know when or if this item will be back in stock'.

Multiple fans online had reported that sites such as Booktopia had cancelled orders of the book, and local stores such as Big W and Dymocks have also refunded existing pre-orders.

The actress, 44, revealed her book will be available in Australia on May 8 but said she 'won't be able to host any book events due to a changing work schedule'

It comes after Rebel accused her former co-star Sacha Baron Cohen of inappropriate on-set behavior in the memoir. He has denied all the allegations.

She alleged that on the set of 2016 comedy The Brothers Grimsby, Sacha would ask her to strip off for scenes despite her 'no nudity' rule, in a string of claims which Sacha has strenuously denied and says are contradicted by evidence.

Earlier this month, Rebel revealed the sale of her hotly anticipated tell-all memoir had been delayed indefinitely in Australia

Rebel played Sacha's on-screen girlfriend in the 2016 Louis Leterrier-directed film and has made a series of allegations about her uncomfortable experience during shooting.

She claimed that during filming, Sacha would repeatedly 'mention that he wanted me to go naked in a future scene', which she alleged was in 'no way essential' to the film's plot.

In her book, which has been released in the US, she wrote: 'It felt like every time I'd speak to SBC, he'd mention that he wanted me to go naked in a future scene. I was like, 'Ha, I don't do nudity, Sacha'.'

It comes after Rebel accused her former co-star Sacha Baron Cohen of inappropriate on-set behavior in the memoir. He has denied all the allegations

Rebel claimed that she was allegedly summoned by a product assistant for an additional scene while shooting in Cape Town, South Africa.

Rebel said: 'OK, well, we're gonna film this extra scene,' SBC says. 'Then he pulls his pants down', SBC says very matter-of-factly: 'OK, now I want you to stick your finger up my a**.' And I'm like, 'What??  No!!''

Rebel claimed she was shocked and wanted to get out of it, adding: 'I was now scared. I wanted to get out of there, so I finally compromised: I slapped him on the ass and improvised a few lines as the character.'

The Bridesmaids actress also claimed she only agreed to a sex scene with Sacha after several rewrites and recalled allegedly telling the producers that she wouldn't be promoting the film ahead of its release.

However, newly emerged footage from the sex scene in the 2016 film seems to show that the action was part of the script and the actress was on board with the scene.

She shockingly alleged Sacha requested she 'stick her finger up his a**' because he thought it would make a funny scene in the film'

Several never-before-seen clips from the movie that failed to make the final cut were obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com and depict Rebel and Sarah's characters using a cellphone to film themselves getting intimate.

In the clips, Rebel can be heard discussing the scene while on camera but out of character, telling Sacha: 'I'll do a slap [of your butt] and I'll do a  going down the crack', to which he replies: 'It's almost as if you're going to ram your fingers inside,' prompting her to answer 'yeah'.

According to those close to Sacha, director Louis Leterrier had to discuss any nudity or sex scenes with Wilson before they were shot. They say she agreed to the scene.

They also say that the cell phone was used because the movie called for Rebel and Sacha's characters Dawn and Nobby to use an iPhone to film themselves having sex.

However, in a statement given to DailyMail.com, Rebel doubled down on her book's description of Sacha as an 'a**hole'.

'It is an a**hole move to release footage of one part of that disgusting episode while leaving out everything that preceded it including my horrified refusal to stick my finger up SBC's butt,' she said.

'This could not have possibly been for the film as the director Louis Leterrier was not even present,' she claimed.

'What this edited video shows is what I had to do in order to get out of the room, as written in Rebel Rising. Releasing unauthorized and misleading behind the scenes video without my approval is SBC's latest way of bullying and gaslighting me.'

Rebel played Sacha's on-screen girlfriend in the 2016 Louis Leterrier-directed film and has made a series of allegations about her uncomfortable experience during shooting

Sacha has strongly denied ever mistreating Rebel or pressuring her to be naked in the film.

A spokesperson for Sacha said: 'While we appreciate the importance of speaking out, these demonstrably false claims are directly contradicted by extensive detailed evidence, including contemporaneous documents, film footage and eyewitness accounts from those present before, during and after the production of The Brothers Grimsby.'

Sacha's team also provided nine anonymous statements from crew members that backed the claim that the scene was in the script.
Valerie Bertinelli's mystery man has revealed his identity.

Writer Mike Goodnough, 53, announced Wednesday via his social media platforms that he is in a romantic relationship with the One Day at a Time star, 63.

Goodnough has racked up more than 412,400 followers on Twitter/X on The Hoarse Whisperer under the handle @TheRealHoarse, mostly for his musings on politics and news.

Goodnough went into detail on his Substack in a post titled 'Rumors, Rumors, Rumors...' in which he explained how his romance with the Wilmington, Delaware-born actress came to be.

'I am Valerie Bertinelli's boyfriend and that may well be among the most surreal sentences I've ever pecked out,' Goodnough said in an extended essay on his page. 'But it's true and nothing about our actual relationship seems surreal. It just seems good lucky a gift.'

Valerie Bertinelli's mystery man has revealed his identity as writer Mike Goodnough, 53, who announced Wednesday via his social media platforms that he is in a romantic relationship with the One Day at a Time star, 63

He continued: 'Life is crazy, kids. It just is. It'll rain hellfire down on you for years and bring you to your knees and then it'll open the skies to deep blue and love and calling someone "Honey" because you just love the absolute hell out of her and feel so very thankful for the gift of that feeling, the gift of her.'

Goodnough said that amid 'a certain bit of gossip' they were involved, he decided to 'address it head on' and consulted with Bertinelli 'out of respect' and 'reached out to [her] in question directly to discuss the matter with [her] prior to writing this.

Goodnough cited Bertinelli's impressive credentials over decades in show business, noting her successful TV career in both cooking shows and sitcoms, two Emmys, two Golden Globes, and six books.

'The whole thing is nuts,' Goodnough said. 'Nonetheless, with it getting out of hand, I figured I should say something about it.'

Goodnough said that he and Bertinelli 'had a humorous conversation about this whole thing,' and that 'she was lovely and warm and just exactly as you would imagine.'

Goodnough said he asked Bertinelli 'in a very reporterly voice "Anyway, Ms. Bertinelli, any truth to the rumor you are dating me? Care to comment?"'

'She said, "Its true. I totally am. Youre my boyfriend." Then we both laughed and I said, "Wow. Youd think Id remember something like that."'

Goodnough wrapped up in saying, 'Somewhat bonkers though it may be, the rumor is true. Valerie and I are together and have been for a while now ... I assume nearly all of you already knew that. Well, now, you all do.'

Goodnough hinted at the romance earlier this month as he read a People magazine with a cover story about the actress speaking about her love life

Goodnough went into detail on his Substack in a post titled 'Rumors, Rumors, Rumors...' in which he explained how his romance with the Wilmington, Delaware-born actress came to be

Goodnough addressed the new romance on his Substack on Wednesday, teasing the announcement via his popular Twitter/X account

Bertinelli was pictured with her musician son Wolfgang Van Halen, 33, and his wife Andraia at an Oscars party in LA last month

The Touched by an Angel actress earlier this week opened up about her romance with Goodnough, and how they connected, in an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show Monday.

'He was not supposed to come into my life and here he is, he's 10 years younger,' the Hot in Cleveland star said of her new love, without directly naming him.

'He would like to think he's complicated and brooding, but he's thoughtful and kind and ridiculously talented,' Bertinelli said. 'He's an amazing writer. He's gorgeous, like so hot. He does it for me. We all have our type, like he's just hot.'

Bertinelli said of how she connected with Goodnough via Twitter: 'I actually started following him on Twitter back in, 2016 or 17.

'He has a really amazing Twitter following. He's very funny, very acerbic, and political at that time. And I started following him. I was like, "There's something about this guy, I got to know more about him."

She added, 'I kind of got little butterflies when I followed him and then he didn't follow me back for two years.'

Bertinelli said they eventually began following one another on Instagram, and exchanged DMs at a gradual pace.

Goodnough had been with Bertinelli on April 3 when she filmed the talk show in New York City, as she was on to plug her cookbook Indulge.

Bertinelli earlier this week opened up about her romance with Goodnough, and how they connected, in an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show broadcast on Monday

The actress said of her beau, 'He would like to think he's complicated and brooding, but he's thoughtful and kind and ridiculously talented'

Goodnough had been with Bertinelli on April 3 when she filmed the talk show in New York City to plug her cookbook Indulge. Pictured with Barrymore and Ross Mathews

Bertinelli had previously been wed to late rock legend Eddie Van Halen between 1981-2007, and they are parents to musician son Wolfgang Van Halen, 33.

The legendary guitar player died at 65 in October 2020 following a stroke and longtime cancer battle.

She had been wed to Tom Vitale from January of 2011 prior to their May 2022 split after 11 years together, when she filed for divorce.
The Korean private information protection watchdog requested Chinese e-commerce giants Thursday to faithfully comply with the Korean law on personal data protection, the agency said.

Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) Vice Chairperson Choi Jang-hyuk made the request during a meeting in Beijing with officials from AliExpress, Temu and about eight other Chinese internet firms, as Chinese e-commerce firms have rapidly emerged as major players in Korea.

A senior executive from the Internet Society of China and officials from the Korea Internet & Security Agency were also among the attendees.

During the meeting, Choi introduced Korea's personal data protection act and emphasized the precautions that foreign firms have to take regarding data protection when doing business in the country.

He also shared with the Chinese side key points from the PIPC's recently published booklet on the application of the law to foreign companies, the watchdog said.

In China, Choi also attended the opening ceremony of a Korea-China center for internet cooperation and agreed with the Chinese side to increase efforts to comply with each other's personal data protection laws.

According to Wiseapp Retail Goods, a market analysis service provider, the number of monthly users of the AliExpress application reached 8.18 million in February in Korea, marking a sharp increase of 130 percent from a year ago.

In terms of total user numbers, AliExpress currently ranks as the No. 2 player after Coupang, while Temu, which made inroads into Korea in July last year, has emerged as the fourth biggest online shopping mall, with 5.81 million users.

As concerns recently arose over personal data protection by Chinese e-commerce players operating in Korea, Ko Hak-soo, the PIPC's chairperson, has said his agency was looking into how Chinese e-commerce firms, such as AliExpress and Temu, have been collecting and using consumer data. (Yonhap)
Nick 'Honey Badger' Cummins has relisted his stunning five-bedroom Gold Coast property on the market after failing to find a buyer six month ago.

The Bachelor star, 36, shared a real estate video to Instagram on Thursday which showcased the luxurious beachside property he is hoping to sell.

The exquisite home boasts exquisite modern architecture and a cutting-edge design, featuring palatial French doors, a wood panel verandah and large spacious surroundings.

It also boasts a spacious open-plan kitchen, dining and living area that seamlessly lead to a multi-level deck complete with a spa, firepit, and a private pontoon.

With its stylish blend of stunning contemporary design and traditional trappings, including a wooden staircase, the home is perfect for families and entertaining.

Nick 'Honey Badger' Cummins has relisted his stunning five-bedroom Gold Coast property on the market after failing to find a buyer six month ago

Its desirable location is just a short stroll from the beach and a variety of amenities, including a shopping centre and dining facilities.

Cummins told his fans he was selling the property because he was looking for a sea change, after years of city living.

'I've decided to live the country life. I will sadly have to let go of this beautiful home. This is the most entertaining feel good house I've lived in and it's up for auction!'

The Bachelor star, 36, shared a real estate video to Instagram on Thursday which showcased the luxurious beachside property he is hoping to sell

This is the second time Cummins has tried to sell the property after purchasing it in 2019, as he first listed it for auction in October.

Nick and his jewellery designer partner Alexandra are trading their beachside lifestyle for the tranquility of acreage living after acquiring a sprawling estate in the Gold Coast Hinterland.

According to PropTrack data, Broadbeach Waters has recently joined the ranks of Gold Coast suburbs with a median house price exceeding $2 million, with the median house price currently standing at $2,018,383.

The exquisite home boasts exquisite modern architecture and a cutting-edge design, featuring palatial French doors, a wood panel verandah and large spacious surroundings

Cummins, renowned for his international rugby career and subsequent stints on reality television shows such as I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here, as well as earlier appearances on The Bachelor and SAS Australia, acquired the 551-square-meter property in January 2019 for $775,000.

Nick debuted his romance with Alexandra on Instagram in January 2021 and they welcomed their first child in October 2022.

This is the former rugby union star's first serious relationship since he caused an uproar by not choosing a winner in the finale of The Bachelor in 2018.

Nick famously left finalists Brittany Hockley and Sophie Tieman heartbroken after he dumped them both at the finale because he hadn't fallen in love.

It also features a spacious open-plan kitchen, dining and living area that seamlessly lead to a multi-level deck, complete with a spa, firepit, and a private pontoon
The Walking Dead star Tom Payne revealed that he and his wife 'unexpectedly' welcomed twins earlier this month.

The English actor, 41, married Swedish model Jennifer Akerman, 34, in 2020 and they share two-year-old son Harrison.

The couple confirmed to PEOPLE on Wednesday that they were taken by 'surprise' when Jennifer gave birth to identical twins on April 1.

'We are overjoyed to share the news that on April 1st, 2024, we welcomed twins into our family! An entirely unexpected and wonderful surprise,' they shared.

They said that Harrison is 'over the moon to have not one but two new siblings.'

The Walking Dead star Tom Payne revealed that he and his wife 'unexpectedly' welcomed twins earlier this month; seen in 2018

The couple confirmed to PEOPLE on Wednesday that they were taken by 'surprise' when Jennifer gave birth to identical twins on April 1

Tom added: 'Jennifer and I have joked that he had something to do with this because there's nothing he likes more than a house full of people.'

Along with their birth announcement, the couple was 'excited' to reveal that they will be launching a podcast this month, where they'll discuss the 'unique birth.'

'We're excited to share our journey (from the moment we found out we were having twins, to their unique birth and beyond) in our new podcast California Dreamin,' they told the outlet.

'We'll be talking about our life in LA and how we now juggle our careers with three kids!'

Tom and Jennifer have been a couple since 2013 and he popped the question in 2018.

They married in December 2020 after the COVID-10 pandemic thwarted their plans to walk down the aisle in April of that year.

They held a proper wedding ceremony in New York City in November 2022.

According to PEOPLE, they held the wedding at The Foundry in Queens on November 12 and it was attended by a slew of A-list stars.

They also share son Harrison, two

Along with their birth announcement, the couple were 'excited' to reveal that they will be launching a podcast this month, where they'll discuss the 'unique birth'

Tom and Jennifer have been a couple since 2013 and he popped the question in 2018. They married in December 2020

Jennifer's famous half-sister Malin Akerman, Tyson Ritter, Bellamy Young and Jamie Chung were among the guests.

The couple announced in November 2021 that Jennifer was pregnant with their first child.

She documented her pregnancy on Instagram, often sharing photos of her baby bump.

She gave birth to son Harrison in January 2022.

In December 2023, Jennifer confirmed she was pregnant with their second child.

She did so by unveiling her baby bump on the red carpet an event in Los Angeles.

Tom is an English actor who is best known for playing Paul 'Jesus' Rovia on AMC's The Walking Dead. He starred in the hit show from 2016 to 2018.

He's also known for his roles in films like The Physician (2013), MindGamers (2015) and Netflix's IO (2019).

The couple announced in November 2021 that Jennifer was pregnant with their first child. She gave birth in January 2022

In December 2023, Jennifer confirmed she was pregnant with their second child

Tom is an English actor who is best known for playing Paul 'Jesus' Rovia on AMC's The Walking Dead. He starred in the hit show from 2016 to 2018

Most recently, Tom starred in the horror film Imaginary (2024).

Jennifer is a 5foot9inch model, who was born and raised in Sweden.

She moved to the United States when she turned 18 and her modeling career kicked off in New York City.

She is also a musician and is part of the duo Bloke & Bird with Lorenzo Jansson Kilman.
Rita Ora looked like she meant business on Thursday as she strutted around Sydney in a grey three-piece suit ahead of the launch of her new haircare line, Typebea.

Despite the rain, the pop star, 33, and her best pal Vas J Morgan appeared in good spirits as they returned to their CBD hotel Capella after a stroll around the city.

Rita looked stylish in her chic pinstripe grey ensemble, which featured a unique cut-out detail near her midriff, a loose-fitting blazer and tailored trousers.

Her hair was styled in a wavy bob.

Reality star-turned-fashion designer Vas meanwhile looked effortlessly stylish in a cream-coloured suit with a white turtleneck sweater.

Rita Ora looked like she meant business on Thursday as she strutted around Sydney with her good pal Val J Morgan in a grey power suit ahead of the launch of her new haircare line, Typebea

Despite the rain, the pop star, 33, appeared in good spirits as they returned to their CBD hotel Capella after a stroll around the city

He completed his look wearing a pair of black designer sunglasses.

The UK pop star is in Australia launching her new hairline in partnership with Anna Lahey of Vida Glow.

The brand is said to be the solution to the challenges Ora's faced throughout her hair journey, specifically in reversing years of damage from excess use of heat and styling during her music career.

out detail near her midriff, a loose- fitting blazer and tailored trousers

The UK pop star is in Australia launching her new hairline in partnership with Anna Lahey of Vida Glow

She said in statement: 'I wanted to find and build a solution to a beauty concern that I know myself and my community really battle with.'

The Anywhere songstress recently spent the Easter weekend in Sydney, where she was seen catching up with her friend, fashion designer Pip Edwards.

The pair were seen smiling for bikini-clad snaps alongside their pal Anna Lahey as they all hit the beach.

Reality star turned fashion designer Vas meanwhile looked effortlessly stylish in a cream-coloured suit with a white turtleneck sweater

He completed his look wearing a pair of black designer sunglasses and black boots

Rita and her husband Taika Waititi tied the knot in August 2022.

They split their time between London and New Zealand - where Taika's two daughters, who he shares with his ex Chelsea Winstanley, are based.

Rita is well known to Australian shores, where she often spent time while working as a judge on The Voice Australia.

Vas has meanwhile been spotted spending time with Booby Tape founders Bianca and Bridgett Roccisano during his stay Down Under.
After welcoming baby number three, Nara Smith is offering some inspiration to other expecting mothers.

The South African model, 22, shared a video Wednesday to TikTok with newborn daughter Whimsy Lou as she revealed the names she and husband Lucky Blue Smith nearly picked.

The couple also share daughter Honey Rumble, 3, and 2-year-old son Slim Easy.

Additionally, Lucky co-parents daughter Gravity Blue, 6, with ex Stormi Henley.

'Who else has a list of names on their phone?' Nara captioned the new video.

'These are some baby names I loved but didn't use this time around,' she explained in the clip.

'For reference, our kids have pretty unique names ... so, these might be a little out there, a little bit more controversial,' added Nara. 'But in case someone needs any ideas for their kids.'

Nara Smith shared a video Wednesday to TikTok with newborn daughter Whimsy Lou as she revealed the names she and husband Lucky Blue Smith nearly picked

She revealed that they were 'almost going to name her Tink,' and for a middle name, she 'loved the name Bow'

She revealed that they were 'almost going to name her Tink,' and for a middle name, she 'loved the name Bow.'

Nara said she 'really liked fruit names,' including Lemon, Plum and Clementine.

'I also really liked Pippen, or Pip for short, and Dottie, or Dot for short,' she added. 'And then Ivy as well, just because that would have almost been my name.'

Although she found the boy names 'a bit trickier,' Nara came up with Halo, Dusk, Dew, Mercer and Flick.

'So yeah, those were some names that we didn't end up using but that were still on my list,' said Nara.

The proud mom also shared a photo of baby Whimsy taking a nap, with her hands covering her face.

In another video on her Instagram Story, Lucky, 25, cuddled with all three of their kids after waking up.

'Good morning!' she wrote with the clip. 'Lately our days have started off in our bed holding baby Whimsy and hearing all the things the kids want to do with her.'

Nara and Lucky announced the birth of their third child last week. 'Our little angel has arrived! Meet Whimsy Lou Smith,' they wrote in a joint post.

In another video on her Instagram Story, Lucky, 25, cuddled with all three of their kids after waking up

The couple also shares daughter Honey Rumble, 3, and 2-year-old son Slim Easy, and Lucky co-parents daughter Gravity Blue, 6, with ex Stormi Henley

Nara and Lucky announced the birth of their third child last week. 'Our little angel has arrived! Meet Whimsy Lou Smith,' they wrote in a joint post

After revealing their latest pregnancy in December, Nara divided the internet with her list of prospective baby names in February.

When Slim was born in January 2022, they faced some online trolling over their choice of name.
Jennifer Garner was seen with a smile on her face as she stepped out on her 52nd birthday on Wednesday in Los Angeles.

The 13 Going On 30 actress - who recently donned a sporty look during a coffee run - strolled alongside a sidewalk before picking up her son Samuel, 12.

The star wore a pair of black, fitted leggings as well as a black, long-sleeved jacket that was fastened at the front.

Garner additionally slipped into a pair of black leg warmers as well as colorful, pastel sneakers to stay comfortable during the daytime excursion.

Her brunette locks were parted in the middle, and pulled back into a simple up do, preventing any loose strands from falling onto her face.

Jennifer Garner was seen with a smile on her face as she stepped out on her 52nd birthday on Wednesday in Los Angeles

The 13 Going On 30 actress strolled alongside a sidewalk before picking up her son Samuel, 12, later in the day

Jennifer also donned a pair of shades that offered a stylish flare to the casual look, and easily carried her smartphone in her hand.

She was later seen without the warm jacket and wore a long-sleeved, black shirt as well as a gold-chained necklace.

Both the actress and her son were seen making their way across a street before heading to their next destination.

The Alias star shares the 12-year-old with ex-husband Ben Affleck, as well as Violet, 18, and Fin, 15 - who formerly went by the name of Seraphina Rose.

During a memorial service earlier this month following the passing of Garner's father William, the 15-year-old notably introduced themselves under the new name of Fin.

Also on Wednesday, the mother-of-three took to her main Instagram page to share a humorous video as she celebrated her 52nd birthday.

In the clip - which was uploaded to her 16.1 million followers - the beauty could be seen inside a spacious bathroom as she put on 'fancy boots,' which were simply gray oven mitts.

As she sat on a white, fuzzy stool, Jennifer slipped the mitts onto her feet, with the thumb portion acting as the heel.

The star wore a pair of black, fitted leggings as well as a black, long-sleeved jacket that was fastened at the front

Garner additionally slipped into a pair of black leg warmers as well as colorful, pastel sneakers to stay comfortable during the daytime excursion

Also on Wednesday, the mother-of-three took to her main Instagram page to share a humorous video as she celebrated her 52nd birthday

As she sat on a white, fuzzy stool, Jennifer slipped the mitts onto her feet, with the thumb portion acting as the heel

She also sported a pair of dark navy sweatpants that contained stripes on the sides with various hues of blue.

The actress wore a dark gray sweater and combed back her hair into a low up do at the base of her neck.

At one point, Garner attempted to stand on the oven mitts and did a little dance, before stumbling slightly, ending the reel.

Throughout the short clip, the lyrics 'High heels on my tippies...' from Nicki Minaj's song titled, FTCU, played in the background.

In the caption, she wrote, 'Fancy boots for my birthday! Yay, happy birthday to me! (Shoutout to my favorite BJG).'

Social media users jumped to the comment section to send the actress birthday wishes, including the main Instagram page for Late Night With Stephen Colbert. The message read: 'Happy birthday!!!!' followed by a few celebratory emojis.

21 Jump Street actress, Holly Robinson Peete, added laughing face emojis as well as, 'Happy birthday Sis.'

While talking to People last month in March, Garner shared her thoughts on aging and revealed that she was not 'scared' of getting older. 'Honestly, mostly, I am grateful just to be alive.'

At one point, Garner attempted to stand on the oven mitts and did a little dance, before stumbling slightly, ending the reel

Throughout the short clip, the lyrics 'High heels on my tippies...' from Nicki Minaj's song titled, FTCU, played in the background

While talking to People last month in March, Garner shared her thoughts on aging and revealed that she was not 'scared' of getting older . 'Honestly, mostly, I am grateful just to be alive'

'And I'm grateful for the wisdom that I've gleaned out of these years and really grateful to be able to watch other women go through this process of life so gracefully.'

The star explained that she also aims, 'to follow in their footsteps and tell other young women "Take care of yourself, but don't be scared. Aging is a gift."'

Jennifer opened up about her own self-care steps, and explained that she works out daily and said, 'it's super important for my mental health.'

'I eat really well. I just finished a big bowl of kale. And I have a really strong family and strong relationships in my life,' she continued.

Garner's 52nd birthday comes shortly after her father, William, ' peacefully' passed away at the age of 85 over Easter weekend

Earlier this month, she took to her main Instagram page to share the sad news while also paying a special tribute to his 'gentle demeanor and quiet strength'

However, the actress told the outlet that she still has 'down days' and expressed, 'I'm gentle with myself.'

Garner's 52nd birthday comes shortly after her father, William, 'peacefully' passed away at the age of 85 over Easter weekend.

Earlier this month, she took to her main Instagram page to share the sad news while also paying a special tribute to his 'gentle demeanor and quiet strength.'

She shared an assortment of throwback images of her father, including an adorable selfie that the pair had taken while outdoors. A memorial service was held at the Christ Church United Methodist in Charleston, West Virginia on April 6.
Ant McPartlin and Anne-Marie took the opportunity for a romantic date night on Wednesday, as they enjoy the final weeks of pregnancy.

The ITV star, 48, held hands with his pregnant wife, 46, as they left the Kit Kat Club at London's Playhouse Theatre where they had watched Cara Delevingne star in the musical, Cabaret.

Flashing a smile, Anne-Marie, who is thought to be around seven months pregnant, looked chic in a pink blazer teamed with black trousers and flat pumps for the date night.

Ant, who was dressed in a navy jacket and striped top, sweetly held his wife's hand as they headed to their car.

The couple, who married in 2021, are counting down the weeks until they welcome their first child together.

Ant McPartlin and his pregnant wife Anne-Marie held hands on Wednesday night as they left the Kit Kat Club at London's Playhouse Theatre where they had watched Cabaret

Anne-Marie, who is due to welcome her first child with Ant in June, cradled her bump

Ant is set to become a father for the first time in June. The baby will be Ant's first while Anne-Marie has two children from her previous marriage.

But there could be a clash for the excited new dad as Anne-Marie's due date apparently coincides with one of Ant's biggest shows - the live finals of Britain's Got Talent.

Last year's final aired on June 4, with the five live semi finals traditionally taking place nightly in the week leading up to the finale date.

A source has said that the 'timing is causing something of a headache for bosses,' and they are considering having a back up presenter on stand by in case Ant can't be there.

Names in the frame include new This Morning host Cat Deeley or Dancing On Ice's Stephen Mulhern.

'They are considering whether Dec would present alone if Anne-Marie went into labour or, if time allows, a guest presenter could step in,' the source revealed.

'Cat and Stephen, who the lads have worked with in the past, are front-runners.'

Cat hosted SMTV with Ant and Dec from 1998-2001 while Stephen appeared with the duo regularly on Saturday Night Takeaway.

MailOnline contacted ITV for comment at the time.

Flashing a smile, Anne-Marie looked chic in a pink blazer teamed with black trousers and flat pumps for the date night

Ant, who was dressed in a navy jacket and striped top, sweetly held his wife's hand as they headed to their car

The couple, who married in 2021, are counting down the weeks until they welcome their first child together, with Anne-Marie in her third trimester of pregnancy

Last month, Ant broke his silence on becoming a father for the first time in a candid interview as he spoke about taking a break from hosting Saturday Night Takeaway.

Ant opened up about the real reasons for the show's pause in an interview with Fault Magazine as he publicly addressed his wife's pregnancy for the first time.

He said: 'We [he and Declan Donnelly] have both got children that we need to spend time with for a little bit.

'We need time to think and, and time to step back and look at the bigger picture and just see where we are now.'

Dec shares two children - Isla, age five, and Jack, one, with his wife Ali Astall.

It was previously rumoured in December that Anne-Marie could be expecting their first child, after she appeared to be pregnant while returning from a trip to Dubai.

According to The Sun Ant, who was previously married to makeup artist Lisa Armstrong, had already confided the wonderful news to Dec following weeks of speculation, with a source telling the publication: 'This is the news everyone wanted. Ant and Anne- Marie are beyond delighted.'

Ant is set to become a father for the first time in June. The baby will be Ant's first while Anne-Marie has two children from her previous marriage

But there could be a clash for the excited new dad as Anne-Marie's due date apparently coincides with one of Ant's biggest shows - the live finals of Britain's Got Talent

A source has said that the 'timing is causing something of a headache for bosses,' and they are considering having a back up presenter on stand by in case Ant can't be there

'It's no secret that Ant has always wanted children, but that it may never happen for him was something he had, sadly, come to terms with.'

They went on to describe Ant as a 'wonderful doting father' to Anne-Marie's children and said the couple did everything they could to keep the news a secret for as long as possible.

Adding: 'To be having a child two years short of his 50th birthday, with the love of his life, is the stuff of dreams for Ant.'

The TV star credits his wife, who he married in a lavish 500k wedding in 2021, for getting him through his alcohol and prescription drug addictions.
Holly Willoughby's famous friends and loved ones came together on Wednesday evening to say her goodbyes ahead of a two-month trip to Costa Rica.

The presenter, 43, is jetting to Central America this month with co-host Bear Grylls, 49, to film her upcoming jungle survival show Bear Hunt, which will see 10 celebrities put to the test in the treacherous terrain.

Ensuring she was sent off in style, the mother-of-three's pals including Christine Lampard and Nicola Appleton threw her a farewell supper at Mexican cantina Ixchel on the Kings Road.

The Chelsea eatery is a celebrity hotspot loved by the likes of Poppy Delelvingne, Lisa Snowdon and Jaime Winstone and even has the royal seal of approval - with Princess Beatrice a fan.

For Holly's intimate soiree, the group booked out a private room at the venue, owned by restauranteur Fraser Carruthers, and was treated to a tasting menu with personalised cocktails.

Holly Willoughby enjoyed a star-studded boozy soiree at royal hotspot Ixchel on the Kings Road on Thursday ahead of her two-month trip to Costa Rica to film survival show Bear Hunt (pictured in 2023)

Diners sipped on tequila based cocktails - or mocktails - at the restaurant, which has been compared to a Mexican nightclub before nibbling on her special 'Full Moon' menu

Diners sipped on tequila based cocktails - or mocktails - at the restaurant, which has been compared to a Mexican nightclub before nibbling on her special 'Full Moon' menu that included the likes of pork belly tacos and crispy potatoes, finished off with tres leches cake.

Holly's friends had gathered not just to wish her farewell but congratulate her on landing her first show away from terrestrial television.

The Wylde Moon founder, who quit ITV's This Morning last October, will host the programme, which has been described by television insiders a more challenging version of the BBC's Survivor.

She will oversee as the celebrity contestants - who have yet to be announced - take on Bear Grylls in the jungle.

A show insider told MailOnline: 'It's a great and such an exciting fresh series and of course a great challenge for Holly. It's a great opportunity for her.'

The show, which is produced by Bear's company, will see him pursue celebrity contestants and when he catches them, they will be eliminated.

Holly's new job was finalised just days after Cat Deeley replaced her on This Morning, five months after she announced her departure.

Netflix bosses are said to be 'ecstatic' that they have been able to hire her. One said: 'Holly was their woman for this project from the word go.

The presenter, 43, is jetting to Central America this month with co-host Bear Grylls, 49, to film Netflix's Bear Hunt, which will see 10 celebrities put to the test in the treacherous terrain

Ensuring she was sent off in style, the mother-of-three's pals including Christine Lampard and Nicola Appleton threw her a farewell supper (pictured with L-R Nicole, Christine, Shiarra Bell, Niki de Metz and Emma Bunton in January)

'They are absolutely delighted to have got her to sign on the line, hopefully there will be many more opportunities to work with her down the line too.'

Holly is familiar with jungle surroundings after she hosted I'm A Celeb alongside Declan Donnelly in 2018 - the highest rated series ever.

She took on the job as a stand-in for Ant McPartlin who was in rehab for alcohol and painkiller addictions, and she was hailed a huge success.

There are some differences between the Central American jungles and the Australian outback, however.

Netflix producers are said to have shelled out 1 million to keep the team safe from drugs gangs and kidnappers in Costa Rica which has seen a massive uptick in gang and drug violence in recent years.

WHAT DID HOLLY'S FRIENDS DRINK? The Aztec Marg Classic Margarita - perfect for a Central American pit stop Hollys Paloma Classic Paloma - to quench ones thirst after all that jungle trekking Bears Punch Non-Alcoholic Paloma - for the health conscious among us Advertisement

The once peaceful nation saw a record number of homicides in 2023, and a 66 percent increase in murders from 2013 to 2023.

More than 70 percent of the killings have been put down to drug trafficking as local gangs - as well as cartels from Mexico and Colombia - fight for control.

The influence of Mexican drug gangs and increased cocaine output in Colombia pushed murders to record levels last year, casting a shadow over a country that has long been a beacon of stability in the region.

With authorities struggling to get to grips with the explosion of killings, Costa Rica has even been forced to call on the European Union for help in its battle against the drug trafficking epidemic gripping the country.

Cocaine and fentanyl have flooded the outskirts of the capital of San Jose, where police spend much of their time hunting for gang leaders.

In parts, authorities are seeing violence synonymous with Mexican cartels like torture, gang killings, and assassinations carried out by highly trained hitmen.

Officials say these assassins carry out gruesome killings. Seven people were found in 2023 executed on a ranch. A decapitated body was also found floating in a marsh, and a drug boss was executed while dropping his daughter off at school.

Meanwhile, the country is experiencing the emergence of a new drug culture.

Young men ride around on shiny new motorbikes, some wielding rifles, and street vendors sell paintings of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.

It is easy to see, therefore, why Netflix has set aside 1million to protect Holly, Bear and the other 10 celebs jetting to Costa Rica this month.

The budget for the show is said to be 10million after the protection budget.

For Holly's intimate soiree, the group booked out a private room at the venue, owned by restauranteur Fraser Carruthers, and was treated to a tasting menu with bespoke cocktails

The Chelsea eatery is a celebrity hotspot loved by the likes of Poppy Delelvingne and even has the royal seal of approval - with Princess Beatrice a fan (Calum Best and Lady Victoria Hervey pictured in November)

WHAT WAS ON HOLLY'S 'FULL MOON' MENU?

On Arrival Guacamole, pico de gallo, totopos Small Plates Hand dived scallop aguachile, cucumber, red onion, avocado Pork belly taco, salsa verde, watercress, refried beans Elotes baby, grated cheese, chilli cream Platos Fuertes Short rib, smoky adobo, pineapple salsa Whole fish marinated in chilli sauce, coriander, parsley, mint, tarragon salad, charred lemon vinaigrette Guarniciones White hominy corn esquites Grilled broccolini, padron peppers, lemon vinaigrette Crispy potatoes, salsa verde Postres Tres leches cake, cinnamon custard creme, fresh strawberries, corn meringue Advertisement

'Netflix are investing huge sums in creating a show which can rival ITV's I'm a Celebrity, by bagging big names and choosing a tropical location,' A TV insider told The Sun newspaper.

'But keeping Holly and everyone fully protected in Costa Rica is the priority. That means hiring specialist teams of guards, many of whom will be ex-military and special forces experts.

'They'll also need specialist vehicles, safe accommodation and a secure location in which to film. That won't be straightforward or cheap in a country which has a very luxurious tourist trade combined with a dangerous underbelly.'

Holly pulled out from presenting an episode of This Morning on October 5 last year just moments before going on air after police informed her bosses about an alleged 'kidnap and murder' plot.

She then stepped down as host of the ITV flagship daytime show on October 10 last year, saying on social media it was an 'honour to just be part of its story', but that she felt 'I have to make this decision for me and my family'.

The broadcaster was reportedly left 'distraught' after learning about the alleged plot.

Security guard Gavin Plumb, 36, appeared in court last month and pleaded not guilty to charges of soliciting murder and incitement to commit kidnap.

The defendant is accused of planning to assemble a 'kidnap and restraint' kit and encouraging another man to travel from the USA to carry out the alleged plot.

Bear Hunt is expected to air in 2025.
Married At First Sight's Jade Pywell and Ridge Barredo were all smiles as they stepped out hand-in-hand for a date night in Sydney.

The Gold Coast executive assistant, 26, and psychiatric nurse, 27, were spotted looking as loved-up as ever as they dined at Hurricane's Grill & Bar Cronulla Beach.

Jade showed off her incredible figure wearing a long-sleeved black top and a high-waisted pale beige pleated mini skirt.

She matched her outfit with sheer black tights and black high-heeled shoes.

Her long dark hair was styled straight worn out relaxed down her back.

Married At First Sight's Jade Pywell and Ridge Barredo were all smiles as they stepped out hand-in-hand for a date night in Sydney

The Gold Coast executive assistant, 26, and psychiatric nurse, 27, were spotted looking as loved-up as ever as they dined at Hurricane's Grill & Bar Cronulla Beach

Jade showed off her incredible figure wearing a long-sleeved black top and a high-waisted pale beige pleated mini skirt

Ridge meanwhile showed off his tattoos on his arms and neck in a casual grey button-up short-sleeve shirt, black ripped jeans, and black sneakers.

The couple were spotted greeting former MAFS groom Al Perkins, who appeared on the Channel Nine dating show in 2022.

They were also joined by singer Tom Jay Williams.

It comes after Ridge and Jade revealed their plans to start a family earlier this month.

The lovebirds said they hope to have twin babies in the near future so they can give Jade's eight-year-old daughter Victoria some siblings to play with.

'Boy and girl twins! I'll definitely be waiting for another ring before we have any kiddies,' Jade told New Idea magazine.

She matched her outfit with sheer black tights and black high-heeled shoes and styled her long dark hair straight worn out relaxed down her back

Ridge meanwhile showed off his tattoos on his arms and neck in a casual grey button-up short-sleeve shirt, black ripped jeans, and black sneakers as they walked hand-in-hand

The couple were spotted greeting former MAFS groom Al Perkins, who appeared on the Channel Nine dating show in 2022

Ridge was seen playfully posing with his arm around Al as the pals caught up at the event

'The show doesn't count. I'd like a proper engagement, instead of me just being handed to him.'

Ridge added he was committed to having children with Jade so their family could be complete.

Their pairing on MAFS was initially questioned during their wedding ceremony after Ridge cracked several immature jokes while delivering his vows.

He also repeatedly used a made-up catchphrase 'deece' and described himself as 'gorgeous', leaving Jade's sister very unimpressed.

Ridge also promised to provide 'safety and security' in their relationship, before bizarrely adding, 'because I know you girls love that stuff'.

It comes after Ridge and Jade revealed their plans to start a family earlier this month

Ridge and Jade's relationship has been going from strength to strength however their pairing on MAFS was initially questioned during their wedding ceremony
Billy Brownless' daughter and ex-wife have collaborated on a beachside photoshoot.

The AFL legend's daughter Lucy Brownless posed alongside her mother Nicky Brownless in images shared to Lucy's Instagram.

The photoshoot, which was organised by swimwear brand Seafolly, showed Nicky in a white one piece swimsuit, while Lucy flaunted her incredible figure in two different options.

In one photo, Brownless is wearing a halter-style white one piece, complete with lace-like detail and a plunging V-shape chest showing off her cleavage.

In others, Lucy can be seen in a much more revealing two-piece, tangerine-coloured bikini with pink frills.

Billy Brownless' daughter and ex-wife have collaborated on a beachside photoshoot. The AFL legend's daughter Lucy Brownless (pictured right) posed alongside her mother Nicky Brownless (pictured left) in the post that was shared to Lucy's Instagram

The photoshoot, which was organised by swimwear brand Seafolly, showed Nicky in a white one piece swimsuit, while Lucy flaunted her incredible figure in two different options

The strong bond between mother and daughter is evident in Lucy's caption to the photoshoot, in which she expresses her gratitude for her mother.

'Time spent together in our favourite place, grateful for these moments,' Lucy wrote.

Many of Lucy's followers complimented the pair, with sister Ruby especially enthused by the images.

In one photo, the younger Brownless lady is wearing a white one piece, complete with lace-like detail and a plunging V-shape chest showing off her cleavage

'Beach gals!' Ruby commented alongside with a love heart emoji.

Lucy recently moved back to Melbourne from Byron Bay after Nicky got engaged to another former AFL-player, Garry Lyon, in December.

The engagement came seven years after their relationship began in a scandalous circumstances.

In others, Lucy can be seen in a much more revealing two-piece, tangerine-coloured bikini with pink frills

The former Melbourne captain, 56, controversially went public with Nicky, who is the ex-wife of his close friend and former AFL Footy Show co-host Billy Brownless, in 2016.

Garry blindsided his best mate by starting a relationship with his wife of 18 years just 12 months after they separated.

After years of intense scrutiny, Garry got down on one knee and proposed to Nicky during a recent trip to the Mornington Peninsula and presented her with a giant diamond ring.

Nicky shares four children with Billy, daughters Lucy and Ruby and sons Oscar and Max.

Lyon blindsided his best mate by starting a relationship with his wife of 18 years, just 12 months after they separated. Pictured: Billy Brownless and Nikki in 2013
Kate Garraway has said her desperate plea to a London council on social media was made 'out of utter frustration' after receiving an 'unsettling post making demands' in relation to her late husband Derek Draper.

The Good Morning Britain host had accused Haringey Council in north London of sending 'demanding' letters which he 'obviously can't respond to' after his death at the age of 56 before Christmas.

The grieving mother-of-two, who recently revealed she was in crippling debt from the paying carers to look after Derek as he battled the effects of long Covid, fumed that she had spent 'ten days' trying to speak to an official at the council.

Some 17 hours after the post on X (formerly Twitter), in which she also claimed to have been left on hold for nearly an hour, the council responded underneath asking for more information about what the problem was.

Speaking on the ITV programme she co-presents with Ed Balls today, Kate revealed more details about why she had spoken out on social media and insisted it was 'not an attack' on the local authority.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain today, Kate Garraway said her social media post was made 'out of utter frustration'

Political lobbyist Derek died aged 56 in January after a long battle with Covid-19

Broadcaster Kate has spoken candidly about losing her husband and has also opened up about her perilous financial state

After Ed brought up her recent tweet, Kate said: 'This is not an attack on Haringey Council, it was born out of utter frustration. I don't like putting things onto Twitter but many good people, including Martin Lewis, say that often the people who monitor social media are also more staffed than the people who have to answer phones.

'It's not really sending the post, as you understand, there will be a period where the algorithm doesn't work out, when someone's passed away. It's just something that's been going on for about three or four years, actually.

'The inability to convey to people that this is to do with many things but this is particularly to do with posts, bills, demands, threatens of bailiffs still going to Derek, even though I've been paying those things but I have a different name on some accounts and not being able to get through to anyone to say: "This person has passed away."

'I'm sure I'm not alone in that. I will say it's a common experience and very frustrating because you want to be able to sort things out as quickly as possible.

'Lots of companies and areas do have specific bereavement people who take that on for you and help you to navigate through, but it's just that others don't and you're having the same conversation again and again.

'Sorry about putting that on Twitter but Haringey Council have got in touch and asked me to DM them directly with my details and hopefully it will get resolved!

'But then it shouldn't be because you're on the telly and you Tweet something that these things happen, should it? Because I'm sure there's many people who are railing against it without that. So we will see!'

Good Morning Britain host Kate, 56, took to social media on Tuesday to express her frustration with Haringey Council and beg for their help

Kate claims that Haringey Council (pictured), in north London, is still sending Derek letters which she said he 'obviously can't respond to'

The 56-year-old had vented her frustration on X on Tuesday shortly after 5pm, writing: '@haringeycouncil -please help - have been trying for ten days sold [sic] to speak to someone about my husband passing away - following unsettling post making demands which obviously he cant respond to.

READ MORE: Kate Garraway reveals she is filming a new project after admitting she felt ashamed over her crippling debt from caring for late husband Derek Draper Advertisement

'I just cannot get through. Again today nearly 50 mins wait.'

Visibly irate at the lack of response, she added: 'Is there a bereavement service or SOMETHING!!!!'

Kate did not clarify what the post was in relation to or what 'demands' were being made.

After finally managing to get through to someone, she claims she was put 'straight back to the beginning'. She said she was then put on hold for another 20 minutes before the call cut off at 5pm.

Visibly irate at the lack of response, she added: 'Is there a bereavement service or SOMETHING!!!!'

Kate did not clarify what the post was in relation to or what 'demands' were being made.

The council did finally respond to her this morning on X, formerly Twitter - 17 hours after her own posts, at 10.09am today.

The local authority said on the site: 'Hello Kate. I'm sorry to hear that. Please send us a DM and provide the details of your enquiry along with your contact details and I'll see what I can do to help. Thank you.'

Derek was among the first in the UK to fall seriously ill with Covid-19 and was admitted to an intensive care unit as the country entered lockdown in March 2020.

Kate could have to pay a staggering fee of up to 800,000 for all the care used for her late husband Derek Draper

Derek's final moments were shown in the documentary, that also captured him talking on camera about his battle for the first time

He was one of the country's longest-suffering Covid patients after being in hospital but never fully recovered after the virus left long-lasting damage to his organs and meant he needed round-the-clock care. He suffered a heart attack before Christmas and died on January 3.

Broadcaster Kate has spoken candidly about losing her husband and has also opened up about her perilous financial state.

In the ITV documentary Derek's Story - which was filmed while he was still alive - she says his care was costing 16,000 a month.

In an emotional admission of the couple's dire finances, she said: 'Derek's care costs more than my salary from ITV and that is before you pay for a mortgage, before you pay any household bills, before you pay for anything for the kids, so we are at a crunch point.

'I am in debt. I can't earn enough money to cover my debt because I am managing Derek's care and I can't even use the money I do have to support Derek's recovery because it's going on the basics all the time.

Kate - who owes between 500,000 to 800,000 - told The Times last month: 'Derek's needs were clearly so great, yet he didnt warrant funded care  so you think, "If he isnt getting it, then who is?"

'To be fair to them, no ones contacted me since hes passed away to ask for that. They may well still do, but they havent as yet.

'The bigger picture of the further appeals I havent addressed yet, because Im still in survival mode. Its supposed to be a system thats meant to catch you if you fall. But actually, it feels like its trying to catch you out.'

Derek's final moments were shown in the documentary, that also captured him talking on camera about his battle for the first time.

He really 'wanted to have his say' despite his illness leaving him with very limited speech, according to The Sun.

The touching ITV documentary captured emotional moments alongside his children and his beloved wife Kate as he bravely fought the disease after four years.

A poignant moment from the documentary's trailer, showed the former political adviser lying in bed as he wrote down in his notepad.

During a heart-wrenching moment from the clip, Derek said: 'My name's Derek Draper, I want you to hear my story.'

The GMB host sat on his bed as she asked, 'You've written Covid changed everything. Do you mean for you?' as Derek replied: 'Yes.'

A source told the publication: 'Derek really wanted to make this documentary and have his say. It was incredibly brave of him to let cameras into his home.'

Speaking with co-host Ed Balls on Good Morning Britain, Kate admitted she 'can't quite believe' that Derek isn't with her to 'watch his story'.

'It's been pretty emotional actually. Makes you want to jump in the screen and give him a hug.'
Blooming jacaranda trees turn road in SW China's Kunming into wonderland

People's Daily Online) 13:07, April 18, 2024

Blooming flowers on jacaranda trees turn Jiaochang Middle Road in Wuhua district, Kunming city, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, into a lively tourist attraction. (People's Daily Online/Zeng Zhihui)

As the flowers on jacaranda trees lining Jiaochang Middle Road in Wuhua district, Kunming city, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, have entered their blooming season, vibrant blue-purple flowers have transformed the road into a dreamy and romantic wonderland, attracting visitors from far and wide to take photos and soak in the breathtaking beauty.

The jacaranda-lined road has long been a popular spot among locals and tourists. Since 2019, Wuhua district has leveraged the spellbinding appeal of jacaranda blossoms to host the annual Kunming jacaranda culture and arts festival to celebrate the iconic blossoms with themed events like a music season, poetry reading, a cultural and creative design competition for young people, photography contest, and lifestyle markets.

During these events, participants can admire, taste, and experience various featured products, including snacks from time-honored brands, handicrafts involving intangible cultural heritage, jacaranda-inspired cultural and creative merchandise, as well as jacaranda-flavored and jacaranda-shaped ice creams.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
By Baek Byung-yeul

HLB opened an office in the U.S. city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, to strengthen collaborations with global pharmaceutical companies and support the overseas market entry of its group companies, the Korean biotech said Thursday.

HLB, currently awaiting approval for its Rivoceranib liver cancer treatment from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, said it expects the opening of its office at Cambridge Innovation Center will improve the company's business capabilities.

"Through the Boston office, HLB aims to improve communication and collaboration with its U.S. subsidiaries, and to support the discovery of new drug development technologies or materials by HLB and its group companies, as well as pursue joint research with overseas companies," a company spokesperson said.

Cambridge is one of the world's leading biotech clusters. It, along with neighboring Boston, hosts the research and development centers of global pharmaceutical companies, top universities such as Harvard University and over 400 venture capitals.

HLB plans to use this foothold to acquire biotech companies with a high potential in the United States or expand new pipelines, aiming to become a global top-tier company once it secures substantial liquidity through the sale of its liver cancer drug.

Earlier in March, HLB established HLB U.S. Corp. in Delaware. The company chose the Boston area for an additional U.S. office as it was selected for the Connect & Development Incubation project run by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHDI). With the incubation program, the state-run KHDI has been supporting the opening of overseas offices for domestic biotech companies to help them expand into overseas markets.

"The HLB Group, having achieved visible results in various drug development sectors through its U.S. subsidiaries, will continue to implement various strategies to strengthen smooth cooperation between domestic and overseas subsidiaries in the group and to establish a firm position as a global company," Kim Dong-gun, head of HLB USA and CEO of Immunomic Therapeutics, one of HLB's affiliates, said.
Eamonn Holmes used his crutches as he headed to broadcaster James Whale's star-studded MBE party with Lizzie Cundy on Wednesday night.

The presenter and journalist, 64, is still recovering following back surgery and an injury to his shoulder, which saw him takes four months off work at the end of last year.

Despite using crutches he looked in good spirits and cut a smart figure in a navy suit as he made his way to Langan's Brasserie in Mayfair with socialite Lizzie, 55.

Eammon completed his look with a white shirt and shiny blue tie and gave a huge smile for the cameras.

Beside him Lizzie cut a glamorous figure in a tight gold dress with feather detailing on the sleeves.

Eamonn Holmes used his crutches as he headed to broadcaster James Whale's star-studded MBE party with Lizzie Cundy on Wednesday night

The presenter and journalist, 64, is still recovering following back surgery and an injury to his shoulder, which saw him takes four months off work at the end of last year

She boosted her height with huge strappy heels and toted a white quilted Chanel bag.

Broadcaster James celebrated his MBE with a glitzy bash at the Mayfair restaurant attended by a host of celebrities such as Vanessa Feltz, Nigel Farage and Jeremy Kyle.

Even Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un showed up, by way of uncanny impersonators, to help the TalkTV presenter toast to his success.

Other familiar faces in attendance included actress Su Pollard, actor Terry Stone, Pimlico Plumbers founder Charlie Mullins, 'Allo 'Allo! actress Vicki Michelle and musician Matt Goss.

After receiving his MBE for his services to broadcasting and charity from Princess Anne at Windsor Castle James, 72, headed to Langan's Brasserie in Mayfair with his wife Nadine Talbot-Brown to party with his friends.

Langan's Brasserie has been a celebrity hot-spot since the mid-1980s and has seen the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Jack Nicholson and David Hockney saunter through its doors.

The eclectic mix of stars at James's party were pictured sipping on bubbles and posing with each other inside the swanky eatery.

Despite using crutches he looked in good spirits and cut a smart figure in a navy suit as he made his way to Langan's Brasserie in Mayfair with socialite Lizzie, 55 (seen with group of friends)

Eammon completed his look with a white shirt and shiny blue tie and gave a huge smile for the cameras

Broadcaster James celebrates his MBE with wife Nadine Talbot-Brown and friends at Langan's Brasserie in Mayfair on Wednesday night

GB News presenter and politician Nigel Farage was in good spirits as he laughed with a faux Trump - after having the real one attend his 60th birthday party at the beginning of the month

Opening up about his terminal kidney cancer after the MBE ceremony on Wednesday James said: 'I didn't think I'd be here to receive this.

'But who knows? I've been terminally ill now for nearly four years. 25 years ago I had the original cancer.

'So I might make the end of this year, I might not. I might be around next year.'

James was diagnosed with cancer back in 2000 and had to have one of his kidneys removed.

Unfortunately, in 2020 he revealed that the cancer had returned in his kidney, spine, brain and lungs.

Meanwhile Eammon has been open with fans in explaining his health woes - the most recent of which was a fall which broke his shoulder.

Speaking to his 764,000 followers on Instagram in January, the host said in a sit-down video: 'Hello there everybody, just to say that after nearly four months away off the telly, I'm back tomorrow.

'Sounds like a threat doesn't it! No, I mean you may or may not be aware of what happened to me, I had back surgery, I've had disc problems.

'I then got some back surgery which affected one of my legs which led to me falling down stairs, which led to me breaking my shoulder.

'So I had a leg that didn't work and a shoulder that didn't work and lots of other things in-between but here I am.

'I feel there are only so many box sets that I can watch and recommend to you - I'm not better, but I'm better than I was.

'And I've decided to make an attempt to go back to work, on GB News from tomorrow on the basis that work will hopefully heal me.

'Any of you that are long-term sick or in any way convalescing particularly at home will know that there's a lot of frustration involved in it.

'For me I think I'm going to give it a go, be back to work and hopefully get better as a result of doing day-to-day things.

'So on a day-to-day basis all I need is you to be there, GB News, with Isabel, from tomorrow, from 6 through to 9.30am, hope you can join me,' he said.

In November 2023, his GB News co-host Isabel Webster revealed that he'd be absent from work until the New Year as he recovers.

Speaking about his injury, the much-loved Breakfast show anchor discussed the 'amazing' NHS workers he have been taking care of him throughout his ordeal.

Princess Anne presented James with his MBE at Windsor Castle earlier in the day on Wednesday

James was made an MBE for his services to broadcasting and to charity throughout his five decade career

This Morning's Vanessa Felts also joined the celebrations at Langan's Brasserie on Wednesday night

Eamonn said of fracturing his shoulder during the fall: 'It was a massive setback and means I'm going to need to take some extra time off to get myself better.

'It's been a hellish few weeks. But day by day I'm improving and I am remaining positive and trying to look on the bright side.'

Praising the NHS, Eamonn added: 'Also, I really must say a heartfelt thank you to the doctors and nursing staff who have been looking after me. They all are amazing. God bless.'

Eamonn also insisted that he is 'determined' to keep speaking up for all of the people suffering with chronic pain.
Jessica Alves put on a typically revealing display on Wednesday night as she went out on girls' night out in London.

The Brazilian TV personality, 40, flaunted her surgically-enhanced curves in a skintight red catsuit that left little to the imagination.

Her daring outfit featured pearl detailing and cutouts down the arms and across her chest, barely containing her ample assets.

While Jessica made sure to show off her bottom, on full display thanks to the sheer panels detailing on the trousers.

She amped the red to the max, by adding coordinating coloured high heels and an Yves Saint Laurent bag.

Jessica Alves put on a typically revealing display on Wednesday night as she went out on a girls' night out in London

The Brazilian TV personality, 40, flaunted her surgically-enhanced curves in a skintight red catsuit that left little to the imagination

Jessica was out at dinner with glamour model Georgina, who has the largest boobs in the UK

The reality star added pearl encrusted hoop earrings and a full face of glamorous makeup, complete with a classic red lip.

Jessica was joined on her outing by a male friend, who matched with her by also sporting a red ensemble.

He put on a dapper display in a red blazer, decorated with pictures of starfish, paired with smart trousers, a white shirt and black bow tie.

Ever the gentleman, he carried Jessica's bold red leather jacket, while the two walked arm-in-arm.

Jessica seemed to have recovered after being left shaken by a car accident earlier this month.

She had been on her way to local nightspot Sexy Fish for a meal with friends when her taxi was struck by another vehicle.

She told MailOnline: 'It was very scary! I was going to Sexy Fish to meet some friends for dinner and drinks when a car just crashed into my driver's car.

'I hit my head quite violently back and forth. I had seatbelts on, but when I got to the restaurant I had a banging headache. It was very scary.'

While Jessica made sure to show off her bottom, on full display thanks to the sheer panels detailing on the trousers

She amped the red to the max, by adding coordinating coloured high heels and an Yves Saint Laurent bag

The reality star added pearl encrusted hoop earrings and a full face of glamorous makeup, complete with a classic red lip

Jessica was joined on her outing by a male friend, who matched with her by also sporting a red ensemble

He put on a dapper display in a red blazer, decorated with pictures of starfish, paired with smart trousers, a white shirt and black bow tie

Ever the gentleman, he carried Jessica's bold red leather jacket, while the two walked arm-in-arm

A photo taken by Jessica at the time shows police officers attending the scene shortly after the collision on Sunday evening.

The former Celebrity Big Brother contestant was later seen outside the restaurant in a cleavage-boosting Versace outfit and black stiletto heels.

The accident comes after Jessica claimed a millionaire Sheikh once offered her a seven-figure sum to cover her surgically-enhanced body with chocolate - so he could lick it off.

The Brazilian star said she speaks to the man daily via her OnlyFans platform and despite turning down his request she admitted she wasn't completely opposed to the idea.

She told MailOnline: 'This week, after a stream chat on OF, he offered me a seven-figure tip to meet me in person and to cover my entire body with chocolate then lick it off me.'

Jessica has been posting to her OnlyFans page for the last two years and said it was a way of giving her fans 'the attention they deserved'.

Jessica seemed to have recovered after being left shaken by a car accident, when her taxi was struck by another vehicle and took a photo showing police officers attending the scene

The accident comes after Jessica claimed a millionaire Sheikh once offered her a seven-figure sum to cover her surgically-enhanced body with chocolate - so he could lick it off

She said: 'I have created sizzling exclusive content to all my OnlyFans subscribers this Easter where I will cover my body in chocolate - but I just dont have anyone to lick it off me yet.'

It won't be difficult for Jessica to pick a volunteer as despite being so new to the app, she is already in the top 0.1 percent of creators, beating out two million others.

She added: 'My OnlyFans burst with confidence and my fans' love and admiration validates me as a woman - even if I'm still single and feeling lonely or if I had a bad day.

'When I log-in on my OnlyFans to chat to the fans it fills that void that most of us single people have.'
Michelle Bridges touched down at Sydney Airport on Thursday, just days after being eliminated from I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Australia.

The author, 53, was the fourth star to leave the South African jungle in the public voting last weekend amid a string of eliminations ahead of Sunday night's final.

Arriving back in Sydney, Michelle cut a stylish figure in a blue vest top and jeans, which she styled with a brown tweed jacket.

She kept comfortable in a pair of white trainers and tucked her golden tresses beneath a wide-brimmed beige hat.

Michelle went make-up free and appeared to be in jovial spirits after her travels as she flashed a huge smile while stepping out of the airport.

Michelle Bridges touched down at Sydney Airport on Thursday, just days after being eliminated from I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here! Australia

The author, 53, was the fourth star to leave the South African jungle in the public voting last weekend amid a string of eliminations ahead of Sunday night's final

Arriving back in Sydney, Michelle cut a stylish figure in a blue vest top and jeans, which she styled with a brown tweed jacket

The personal trainer became the fourth star to be voted out of the jungle over the weekend, and she admitted she was disappointed to have missed out on the final.

'I won't lie, I am disappointed. I really would have liked to have stayed a bit longer,' she confessed in her exit interview.

'I was really just getting into my stride there and I was just loving the experience - it has been great.'

She continued: 'I came in for lots of different reasons. One of them was just because who gets a chance to come to the African jungle and just, you know, act like a total dag for a couple of weeks and have fun and meet new people?'

'I've loved meeting new people and I have made good friendships in there, I won't lie. There's some really great people I've connected with and I know that I'll have that connection on the outside.'

Michelle went make-up free and appeared to be in jovial spirits after her travels as she flashed a huge smile while stepping out of the airport

She kept comfortable in a pair of white trainers and tucked her golden tresses beneath a wide-brimmed beige hat

Michelle wheeled her luggage, including a leopard print bag, through the airport as she arrived back Down Under

She accessorised her ensemble with hoop earrings and a gold bangle as she strolled through the airport

Michelle arrived back in Sydney after her I'm A Celebrity journey came to an end over the weekend

The personal trainer became the fourth star to be voted out of the jungle on Sunday, and she admitted she was disappointed to have missed out on the final

Seven celebrities have so far been voted out of the jungle as the race to become the 2024 champion continues ahead of the final on Sunday.

Stephen K Amos was the seventh campmate to be eliminated on Tuesday, leaving just Skye Wheatley, Tristan MacManus, Callum Hole, Ellie Cole and Brittany Hockley left in the jungle.

Wednesday's vote broke I'm A Celebrity Australia records as the stars collectively received the most votes in a 24-hour period as they have won over viewers.

In his exit interview, Stephen broke down in tears upon watching his highlights on the Channel 10 show, which included him conquering his fear of swimming.

Speaking to hosts Julia Morris and Robert Irwin, Stephen emotionally said he appreciated being able to be 'vulnerable' with his campmates on the show.

Seven celebrities have so far been voted out of the jungle as the race to become the 2024 champion continues (pictured: Michelle before her elimination)

Stephen K Amos was the latest campmate to be eliminated on Tuesday, leaving Skye Wheatley, Tristan MacManus, Callum Hole, Ellie Cole and Brittany Hockley left in the jungle

Through tears, he said: 'Just being able to be vulnerable in front of other people and be honest, be able to speak your truth, which you rarely get to do. In my job, you just make people laugh all the time.

'It was really nice to sit down with a group of people, there's mutual respect, they have their listening ears on, and you can just talk with no judgement.'

After Stephen's exit, host Robert confirmed that his will be the final single elimination as there will be the first double vote out in camp on Thursday night.
Julie Bishop has debuted yet another new hairstyle after experimenting with an edgier cut in recent weeks.

The former foreign minister, 67, showed off her polished new hairdo as she spoke at the launch of Elise Stephenson's new book The Face of the Nation last week.

She opted for a glossy fringed look for the event which was slightly longer than her traditional sleek bob as she continues to try out an array of chic new looks.

Julie cut a stylish figure in a black turtleneck midi dress as she took to the stage for a discussion about gender equality in international affairs.

Her sleek new look comes after she has been rocking a choppier fringed hairstyle in recent weeks as she opted for a change up from her signature look.

Julie Bishop has gone back to a look similar to her signature hairstyle after experimenting with an edgier cut in recent weeks

It comes after Julie has been changing up her style in recent weeks, trying out an array of longer haircuts

However, she was cruelly hit by criticism over her striking look, but Julie didn't shy away from clapping back at the unkind comments with her usual sense of humour.

'Not so sure about the hairdo Julie,' one person commented on her Instagram post, but she simply replied with a shrugging emoji as she appeared unbothered.

Another called her look 'dishevelled', but a quick-witted Julie hit back, writing: 'I love change so I'll change it again sometime!' followed by a laughing face emoji and clapping hands.

Elsewhere, it was recently revealed that Julie is dating Perth motorcycle rider Stephen Gray, with the couple appearing to have been together for several months.

In her latest change-up, the former foreign minister, 67, showed off her sleek new hairdo as she spoke at the launch of Elise Stephenson's new book The Face of the Nation last week

She has been rocking a choppier fringed hairstyle (right) in recent weeks as she opted for a change up from her usual polished bob (left)

Julie first shared photographs with Stephen to her Instagram back in July 2023, but little is known about her partner.

His Facebook profile features one picture of him proudly standing behind a cafe-racer style motorcycle, clad in a black leather jacket.

He also shared photos of a yellow Ducati bike parked along the harbour as he appears to be a keen motorcycle rider.

Julie's name and 'partner' Steve Gray appeared together on the guest list for the Australian Grand Prix's Glamour on the Grid event.

Julie Bishop is enjoying a new relationship with Perth man Stephen Gray, two years after her eight-year romance with David Panton came to an end

However, the former deputy Liberal Party leader did not attend as she was instead be back in her home town of Perth.

The couple recently travelled to South Australia for a 'fabulous outback adventure' together.

In a video shared to her Instagram account, Julie put together a montage of images and clips from their outback holiday and tagged Stephen.

It comes almost two years after her ex David Panton, 62, allegedly dumped her over dinner in Sydney in July 2022, putting an end to their eight-year relationship.
Joey Essex and James Argent have revealed their holiday hell at the hands of the devastation in flood-stricken Dubai.

The former TOWIE stars, aged 33 and 36 respectively, appeared on Good Morning Britain on Thursday to shed light on how they are being affected by the terrifying weather alerts in the United Arab Emirates.

After jetting to Dubai to visit their friend and former co-star Tom Pearce, the duo revealed they awoke to Joey's room flooding while he was shooting content, leading to James being forced to crawl on his hands and knees to save furniture.

This week, Dubai fell victim to the heaviest rain ever recorded in the desert nation. More than 140 mm of rain soaked Dubai on Tuesday, almost as much as what falls there in a year-and-a-half leading to a host of stars sharing pictures of the damage.

Arg revealed the duo are set to fly back on Saturday and he 'cannot wait' to get on the plane, while Joey claimed he had no awareness of government warnings.

Joey Essex and James Argent have revealed their holiday hell at the hands of the devastation in flood-stricken Dubai

The former TOWIE stars, aged 33 and 36 respectively, appeared on Good Morning Britain on Thursday to shed light on how they are being affected by the terrifying weather alerts in the United Arab Emirates

Explaining their holiday of horrors, a shocked Arg said: 'We got woke up by our mate Tom Pearce to say the apartment was flooding downstairs', while Joey added: 'It was actually my room that flooded.'

Arg continued: 'He was shooting content while I was on my hands and knees trying to save the furniture. We managed to get to the local shopping mall and we got stuck there for hours. We Had to wade our way home...

'Flooring was caving in, it was quite scary to be honest. It's meant to be the best time of year to come. You don't expect these sort of things to happen on your holiday.

Joey went on: - 'Apparently there was a warning but the only warning I got was Tom Pearce on his hands and knees in my room at 8am.'

Despite being the holiday of a lifetime destination, Arg admitted he was desperate to get home, saying: 'We've got a flight home on Saturday and I can't wait to get on it.'

Dubai travel authorities today urged travellers to stay away from the airport after the United Arab Emirates was battered by more than a year and a half's worth of rain in just a few hours.

The desert city-state yesterday suffered horrendous floods which swamped the airport and many of the surrounding roads, forcing dozens of flights to be cancelled as travellers crammed into the concourse to shelter from the torrential downpour.

Shocking videos shared on social media showed how cars were filled with water, forcing hundreds of motorists to abandon their vehicles and swim to safety. Some cars were completely submerged, with the top of their roofs barely breaking the water's surface.

Joey shared images of their nightmare scenario

A statement shared by Dubai airport operators on social media read: 'We advise you NOT to come to the airport, unless absolutely necessary. Flights continue to be delayed and diverted'

Some wealthy drivers in luxury cars bragged of 'floating' their way through the carnage - but most saw their vehicles stall as they became stuck in the deluge.

Rainwater also poured into homes, pushing people out of their houses and into the streets to seek shelter in higher structures.

Meanwhile, footage from inside the airport - the world's busiest for international travel - showed passengers sleeping on the floor as others were turned away from the terminal.

Standing water lapped on taxiways as aircraft came in to land, forcing operators to completely close the airport for almost an hour. The facility quickly reopened but the schedule has descended into chaos with dozens more flights disrupted.

A statement shared by Dubai airport operators on social media read: 'We advise you NOT to come to the airport, unless absolutely necessary. Flights continue to be delayed and diverted.

The news comes after fellow former TOWIE star Dan Osborne, his wife Jacqueline Jossa, their two daughters Ella, nine, and Mia, five, and his son Teddy, 10, were left stranded, according to The Sun, amid chaos at the airport.

Some wealthy drivers in luxury cars bragged of 'floating' their way through the carnage - but most saw their vehicles stall as they became stuck in the deluge

A source told the publication: 'Dan and Jacqueline took the kids on a break to Dubai and it's ended up being a nightmare...

'They've been trapped by the storms and are concerned about getting home. The airport is chaos. They've hunkered down at their hotel and are hoping for the best.'

Dan captured the scenes from their hotel room in a dramatic Instagram video that showed the severe weather.

The former TOWIE star, 32, took to his Story to post an update showing the family waiting out the weather in their hotel.

Meanwhile, footage from inside the airport - the world's busiest for international travel - showed passengers sleeping on the floor as others were turned away from the terminal
The BBC are giving an acclaimed drama a second series after two years off screens following rave reviews.

Scottish murder mystery Granite Harbour was a BBC iPlayer favourite at its debut in 2022, racking up more than seven million streams for its three, hour-long episodes.

The series centres around Lance Corporal Davis Lindo (Romario Simpson), a new recruit to Police Scotland who arrived in Aberdeen from Jamaica.

Series two is being launched at 10pm on Thursday, May 2 on BBC Scotland, and the following day on BBC One.

Alternatively, all three episodes will be available to binge on BBC iPlayer from the second it is released.

The BBC's acclaimed drama Granite Harbour is returning for a second season on May 2, after the 2022 debut brought in over seven million streams

The series centres around Lance Corporal Davis Lindo (Romario Simpson, pictured), a new recruit to Police Scotland who arrived in Aberdeen from Jamaica

The new DC is thrown in at the deep end with mentor DCI Lara Bartlett (Hannah Donaldson, left) as the pair are tasked with solving the murder of an Aberdeen oil magnate

In the first season, the new Detective Constable found himself straight in at the deep end after a headline-grabbing murder of a local oil magnate -found dead as his company merged with a renewables firm.

Lance, alongside his new mentor, DCI Lara 'Bart' Bartlett (Hannah Donaldson) - a sharp, streetwise Aberdonian who is used to working alone - were tasked with finding the criminal.

Filming on the new season, which will also consist of three parts, began in October 2023 and concluded shortly after, having been renewed last August.

The synopsis for the first installment of season two reads: 'When drug kingpin Grace McFadden's (Lesley Hart) notorious fixer turns up dead, the MIT have their work cut out to find the source of a new cocaine and ketamine compound flooding the streets.

'Fearing an impending drugs turf war is brewing, the team fight to uncover the truth.

'To complicate things, Lindo investigates the case of pregnant stowaway Mariam, who claims her partner was killed on their journey across the sea.

'At the dockside, Lindo and Bart's suspicions are raised by the guarded behaviour of Captain Anders Nilsen and his protege Axel Berg from the Stolthet, a Norwegian cargo ship which recently arrived in Aberdeen.

'After complications and conflicts arise, DCI MacMillan pulls Lindo and Bart off the stowaway murder case.

'However, Lindo has other ideas, refusing to give up on his hunch the Stolthet's crew are guilty of something sinister.

'With the drug investigation making slow progress, Monty and Mallick are further frustrated by the McFadden family's unwillingness to cooperate.

'As the investigation pulls the team in different directions, Lindo faces an added complication when his estranged father, Grantley, arrives for a visit from Jamaica. However, it's clear he's got an agenda of his own.'

Returning with Simpson and Donaldson are Dawn Steele as DCI MacMillan, Bhav Joshi as Mallick and Michelle Jeram as DS Simone 'Monty' Montrose.

They will be joined by new cast members including Hart, Patrick Robinson as Grantley, Afsaneh Dehrouyeh as Mariam, Sren Malling as Captain Anders Nilsen and Christopher Rygh as Axel Berg.

Sani Mamood, Sakuntala Ramanee, Sam Garioch, Layla Kirk, Kate Bracken, Melina Akermin Kvie and Alex Hgh Anderson will also be featuring in unknown roles.

Following the success of season one, Jamaica-born Simpson said: 'I'm delighted to be returning to Scotland to film season two of Granite Harbour.

'I'm looking forward to reuniting with the original cast and collaborating with some new creatives.

'It's another opportunity to learn more about Aberdeen and take in some vital fresh air and open space.'

Following the success of season one, Jamaica-born Simpson said: 'I'm delighted to be returning to Scotland to film season two of Granite Harbour. It's another opportunity to learn more about Aberdeen and take in some vital fresh air and open space'

His co-star, Donaldson, added: 'Series two is an excellent opportunity for us to delve further into Bart and Lindo's relationship and the dynamics of the team'

Co-star Donaldson added: 'Growing up as an aspiring young actress in the northeast of Scotland, I didn't often see the landscapes I recognised as home or hear the accents of my friends and family on screen.

'I'm very proud to be a small part of bringing Granite Harbour to life.

'Series two is an excellent opportunity for us to delve further into Bart and Lindo's relationship and the dynamics of the team.

'I can't wait to get my necktie on and get back to work with the North East Murder Investigation Team.'

Granite Harbour joins a burgeoning list of BBC dramas from Scotland, with the likes of Shetland, Guilt, Vigil and the upcoming new series Nightsleeper in that category.
Iris Law put on a very leggy display as she stepped out in short shorts to catch up with friends for a relaxed afternoon in West Hollywood.

The daughter of Jude Law, 51, and Sadie Frost, 58, showed off her sun-kissed legs as she rolled up the hem.

She cut a relaxed figure for the outing, wearing a coral T-shirt layered under an oversized black Alaska-branded jumper.

The model and actress, 23, paired her comfortable look with a large cotton tie-dye sling tote bag, which she threw over her right shoulder.

In keeping with her chilled look, Iris wore a pair of grey drawstring ballet pumps, which featured a string bow on the front.

Iris Law put on a very leggy display as she stepped out in short shorts to catch up with friends for a relaxed afternoon in West Hollywood

The daughter of Jude Law and Sadie Frost showed off her sun-kissed legs as she rolled up the hem of her shorts

Iris showcased her trendy sense of style as she accessorised with a pair of 90s-inspired sunglasses and a floral headpiece - complete with a fake skeleton hand.

With her phone in one hand, the blonde beauty soaked up rays of sunshine as she chatted with an equally trendy-looking friend.

Her pal stepped out in a much warmer ensemble for the reunion as he wore a thick green jumper, oversized parachute trousers and chunky black military boots.

Iris's outing comes after she and Sadie dubbed themselves as 'mother-daughter goals' as they spent a whirlwind 24 hours together in Venice before boarding the luxury Simplon Orient Express to Paris in December.

Sadie looked youthful as ever in a stunning navy evening gown as she posed in the 'Prague' suite onboard the train - a stay worth tens of thousands of pounds.

The duo looked the spitting image of one another as they posed for a selfie while strolling the canals in Venice, while donning woolly hats to keep warm.

They showed they were getting into the festive spirit at the Gritti Palace hotel, sharing snaps of a large Christmas tree and of a gondola ride.

Iris's outing comes after she and Sadie dubbed themselves as 'mother-daughter goals' as they spent a whirlwind 24 hours together in Venice before boarding the luxury Simplon Orient Express to Paris in December

In another post documenting their train journey, she used the hashtag 'mother daughter goals', showing they were having some quality bonding time

Posting on Instagram, Sadie said they were 'catching up' for missed birthdays and Christmasses.

In another post documenting their train journey, she used the hashtag 'mother daughter goals', showing they were having some quality bonding time.

She added: 'We get to experience the ultimate mama and daughter trip where forever memories are made - 30 hours aboard Venice- Paris.

'Thank you to everyone who made this trip so so special you are all the best..we laughed, we cried, we showered, we dined, we read in our beautiful Prague suite, we journalled- even practised yoga and meditated!!

'30 hours of bliss - the whole journey just went tooo quick - every moment so precious- a forever memory:)

'Big thanks to the chefs - the meals so special for veggies and vegans and experiencing the magic which happens in the piano bar all so dreamy Till the next time.'

Iris commented: 'Love uuuu' and described it as the 'perfect mama-daughter trip'.

Their private luxury train journey was the epitome of luxury, with the suites all restored to 1920s grandeur while opulent carriages offered a trip back in time.

Their private luxury train journey was the epitome of luxury, with the suites all restored to 1920s grandeur while opulent carriages offered a trip back in time
Their hit show Succession ended with a sibling shouting match in a boardroom but in real life Kieran Culkin and Sarah Snook are closer than ever.

Kieran was spotted in the audience for his co-star's West End play The Picture of Dorian Gray on Wednesday night.

The US actor, who plays Sarah's little brother Roman on Succession, and his wife Jazz Charton were pictured leaving The Theatre Royal Haymarket in London after watching the Olivier-award winning play.

Sarah was also spotted leaving via the stage door arm in arm with her husband, Australian comedian Dave Lawson, with the group heading out for a late night dinner after the show.

Sarah dressed down after another exhausting night in the play, in which she performs all 26 roles, standing out in a bright purple and green tracksuit.

Their hit show Succession ended with a sibling shouting match but in real life Kieran Culkin and Sarah Snook are closer than ever as he headed to his co-star's London play on Wednesday

Kieran was spotted in the audience for his co-star's West End play The Picture of Dorian Gray before leaving with his wife Jazz and Sarah for an after show dinner

Looking in great spirits, the beaming actress put an arm around her husband as they followed Kieran and their friends to the nearby restaurant.

Kieran and Sarah played brother and sister for five years on their smash hit show Succession, before it came to its devastating conclusion a year ago.

They were recently reunited during this year's awards season as their show picked up gong after gong for its final season.

Sarah has also been winning plaudits for her West End role, picking up the best actress Olivier Award last week for her one-woman performance of Oscar Wilde's classic.

The mother of one admitted in her acceptance speech that breastfeeding her daughter in the middle of the night gave her the window to learn the 60,000 words of the Oscar Wilde monologue which won her British theatre's biggest award.

Speaking after collecting her award she said: 'I just felt "what am I doing? Why am I doing a 60,000 word monologue with an eight-month-old baby?" I felt so stupid.

'So I was doing a lot of night breastfeeding.

'And in the evening when I would wake up then rather than being on my phone and feeding her I would run over the lines.

Kieran and Sarah played brother and sister for five years on their smash hit show Succession, before it came to its devastating conclusion a year ago

Sarah was also spotted leaving via the stage door arm in arm with her husband, Australian comedian Dave Lawson, with the group heading out for a late night dinner after the show

Kieran and Jazz, who share two young children, were spotted on a Facetime before their dinner

Kieran and his wife are enjoying a trip to London after he wrapped up his recent film project

'I find that if you learn your lines at night and then sleep on them they do go in more effectively.'

Sarah went head-to-head with fellow TV star Sarah Jessica Parker, 59, of Sex And The City as well as Sheridan Smith, 42, Sophie Okonedo, 55, and Laura Donnelly, 41.

Kieran meanwhile has won rave reviews for his latest role, the lead in Jesse Eisenberg's film A Real Pain which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

He and wife Jazz, who have been married since 2013, share two children Kinsey Sioux, five, and Wilder Wolf, three.

At January's Emmy Awards the actor famously called out Jazz in his acceptance speech and told her 'I want more kids. You said maybe, if I win'.

Looking in great spirits, a beaming Sarah chatted to her friends as the group celebrated after the show

Sarah has been winning plaudits for her West End role, picking up the best actress Olivier Award last week for her one-woman performance of Oscar Wilde's classic
Kate Ritchie flew out of Sydney Airport on Thursday, accompanied by her lookalike daughter Mae.

The former Home and Away star, 45, appeared to be in a hurry as she led her nine-year-old girl through the terminal.

Kate, who shares Mae with ex-NRL star Stuart Webb, went for a cosy look with an earth tone jumper over a red undershirt.

While wearing comfy blue jeans, she held a red cardigan and green jacket slung over one arm.

The radio star wore statement spectacles and a leather cross-body bag as she pushed her luggage to check in.

Kate Ritchie flew out of Sydney Airport on Thursday, accompanied by her lookalike daughter Mae. The former Home and Away star, 45, was in a hurry as she led her 9-year-old girl through the terminal. Both pictured

Kate, who shares her daughter with ex-NRL star Stuart Webb, went for a cosy look with an earth tone jumper over a red undershirt. While wearing comfy blue jeans, she held a red cardigan and green jacket slung over one arm

She wore her long brown locks down and she held her daughter's hand as they walked.

Mae meanwhile wore a simple white T-shirt and blue jeans with Converse sneakers.

The trip comes just weeks after Ritchie's stalker nightmare came to light.

Earlier this month, it was revealed Ritchie made a phone call to NSW Police after receiving a message from Gerard Ryan, 71, which said he was in the suburb where she lives and hoped to find her.

The radio star wore statement spectacles and a leather cross-body bag as she pushed her luggage to check in



He had sent her 'hundreds' of messages from February 2022 through to April 2023, including 'numerous naked photographs of the accused and numerous videos of the accused masturbating', police facts, seen by the Daily Telegraph, claimed.

Ryan was arrested at a park in Sydney's eastern suburbs last month and charged with stalking charge, which he pleaded guilty to. He was also hit with an apprehended violence order banning him from approaching Ritchie.

Waverley Local Court was told Ryan's obsession with the TV star began last year when he started posting on her social media accounts comments including, 'Hello Kate  I love you so much'.

Another post said: 'I just want to kiss you my heart is pounding for you I love you madly'.

Ryan posted very explicit messages of a sexual nature about Ritchie on his own social media pages, and when she didn't respond it got worse.

On the 9-year-old's birthday in August last year, the Nova star paid tribute to her daughter

The police facts also indicated Ryan had said he wanted to marry Ritchie and referenced her daughter, saying he would make 'a good stepfather'.

In February he sent a letter to her work address which included a Valentine's Day card.

In a subsequent letter he included a photograph of himself and another of a church with the inscription: The church we could get married one day. Its on Rottnest Island.'

Ritchie (left) has been plagued by a stalker who has sent her 'hundreds' of sexually explicit texts and videos. Pictured right: Gerard Ryan

Ryan posted this along with a $200 gift card, saying it was to replace her lawnmower, which Ritchie had mentioned had blown up on her Nova radio show.

Before his arrest, Ryan posted on Facebook images from his trip to Sydney, including an Eastern Suburbs hotel, the Australian National Maritime Museum and Waverley Cemetery.

Ryan was sentenced to a 12-month Conditional Release Order and an AVO states he must not go within 500m of Ritchie's home or workplace.
Amanda Holden and Myleene Klass enjoyed margaritas in the back of a cab and sprayed champagne on Wednesday as they celebrated her clothing collaboration.

The Heart FM presenter, 53, looked nothing short of sensational as she modelled a striped midi dress from the collection.

The stunning ensemble showcased Amanda's slender figure and boasted a square neckline, a figure-hugging design, and a midi length with a frilly hem.

The talent judge added inches to her frame with a pair of white court heels and further accessorised the look with a layer of gold necklaces and braces.

Meanwhile, best pal Myleene Klass, 46, who turned up to show her support, cut a bold look in a striking lime green suit.

Amanda Holden, (left) and Myleene Klass enjoyed a cheeky margarita in the back of a Lipsy branded cab on Wednesday as they celebrated her latest clothing line

The Heart FM presenter, 53, looked nothing short of sensational as she modelled a striped midi dress from the elegant collection while spraying Myleene with champagne

The chic ensemble consisted of a lime green blazer and a pair of wide-legged trousers to match.

The TV presenter opted for layering up a black singlet underneath and further accessorised the look with a layer of gold necklaces.

She appeared in high spirits as they celebrated in style by sipping on margaritas and champagne.

In other hilarious snaps, Amanda was spotted soaking Myleene from head to toe in champagne as Amanda excitedly popped the cork.

The dynamic duo posed up a storm as they celebrated the ambassador's latest clothing line.

It comes after Amanda showcased her toned figure in a coral red dress on Wednesday as she headed to the NOHO studios in London.

She modelled a dress from her collection which boasted a high neckline, a vertical pleat detailing and a midi length.

She further accessorised the look with a simple diamond bracelet, a gold bangle, and a silver Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet.

The stunning ensemble showcased Amanda's slender figure and boasted a square neckline, a figure-hugging design, and a midi length with a frilly hem

The talent judge added inches to her frame with a pair of white court heels and further accessorised the look with a layer of gold necklaces and braces

Meanwhile, best pal Myleene Klass, 46, who turned up to show her support, cut a bold look in a striking lime green suit

The chic ensemble consisted of a lime green blazer and a pair of wide-legged trousers to match and she held champagne flutes out after getting a soaking from Amanda

Amanda completed her look with nude heels and beamed as she threw herself into her work in the capital.

It comes after the Britain's Got Talent judge was announced as Lipsy's oldest-ever brand ambassador in August 2023.

She joins the likes of actress Michelle Keegan, Selling Sunset favourite Chrishell Stause, and Bollywood star Amy Jackson as the faces of the high-street brand.

Amanda said at the time: 'I am thrilled to collaborate with Lipsy  we wanted to create a range that celebrates the spirit of the modern woman  confident, empowered, and utterly glamorous.

'The pieces in this collection are not only stylish but also versatile, making them perfect for any occasion.'

The range featured chic day wear as well as glamorous evening gowns for festive parties.

It comes after Amanda showcased her toned figure in a coral red dress on Wednesday as she headed to the NOHO studios in London
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country reserved the right to protect itself after Iran's unprecedented attack, and that it alone would decide how to do so.

Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel over the weekend in an attack that caused little damage after most of the projectiles were intercepted.

The Israeli military has vowed to respond, prompting a diplomatic flurry aimed at calming the Middle East.

Israel's allies in Washington and Brussels have pledged to ramp up sanctions against Iran, while British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock became the first Western envoys to visit Israel since the attack.

Netanyahu told the visiting ministers that Israel "will reserve the right to protect itself," his office said.

The pair offered "all kinds of suggestions and advice" during a meeting, Netanyahu said. "However, I would also like to clarify: we will make our decisions ourselves."

For his part, Cameron said "we're very anxious to avoid escalation and to say to our friends in Israel: It's a time to think with head as well as heart."

Baerbock emphasised that "the region must not slide into a situation whose outcome is completely unpredictable."

Tehran has vowed to hit back if its arch-foe Israel responds to the Saturday attack, which itself was launched after a deadly strike on Iran's Damascus consulate building earlier this month that was widely blamed on Israel.

Citing three unnamed Israeli sources, ABC News reported on Thursday that "Israel prepared for and then aborted retaliatory strikes against Iran on at least two nights this past week."

Among the range of possible reactions considered by the Israeli war cabinet were options to attack Iranian proxies elsewhere in the region or to conduct a cyberattack, the sources told ABC.

Meanwhile, the war in Gaza that has sent regional tensions soaring continued unabated with efforts at a truce appearing to flounder, as key mediator Qatar said it was re-evaluating its role in the stalling negotiations.

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi warned after the attack of "a fierce and severe response" to any retaliation, and on Wednesday his country celebrated its annual Army Day with a parade featuring various attack drones and long-range missiles.

Also on Wednesday, Tehran-backed Hezbollah wounded 14 soldiers, six seriously, in a strike on northern Israel, the Israeli army said.

This was the third day in a row the Lebanese militant group had wounded people in Israel, amid near-daily cross-border fire since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

Later, Israel hit targets in eastern Lebanon, far from the border, a Hezbollah source told AFP.

Israel's top ally the United States has made clear it won't join any attack on Iran, vowing instead to level more sanctions against the country's missile and drone programme, its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Iranian defence ministry.

Nevertheless, on Wednesday U.S. Republicans unveiled a bill that would provide $26 billion of military aid to Israel which appeared to have White House backing.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Brussels was also working to expand sanctions against Iran, including its supply of drones and other weapons to Russia and to proxy groups around the Middle East.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the EU and its allies had a "duty... to expand these sanctions," while Baerbock said Berlin backed further sanctions.

Cameron also urged the G7 to adopt new "coordinated sanctions against Iran," ahead of a meeting with counterparts from the Western-led grouping in Italy.

The Israel-Iran tensions have threatened to overshadow the Gaza war, even as deadly bombardment and combat raged in the besieged territory.

Talks toward a truce and hostage release deal have stalled, said Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, despite months of effort also involving U.S. and Egyptian officials.

He later said that his country was undertaking "a complete re-evaluation of its role because there has been damage to Qatar," which does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.

The Israeli military said Wednesday its aircraft had "struck over 40 terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip" over the past day.

When one strike hit the southernmost city of Rafah, where 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering, Jamalat Ramidan said she "woke up to the sounds of girls shouting 'mama, mama, mama'."

As she fled the carnage alongside the children, they stumbled over "body parts and corpses scattered all over the place," Ramidan told AFP.

The war was triggered by an unprecedented attack on Israel by Hamas on Oct. 7 that resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

The militants also took about 250 hostages, of whom Israel estimates 129 remain in Gaza, including 34 who are presumed dead.

Israel's devastating retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,899 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

Israel has faced growing global opposition to the relentless fighting in Gaza, which the United Nations and aid agencies have warned has pushed the north of the territory to the brink of famine.

But Netanyahu rejected any claims about famine on Wednesday, saying Israel is doing "above and beyond" what is needed "on the humanitarian issue," his office said.

The Israeli army said that eight trucks of food aid from the World Food Programme that arrived via Ashdod port in Israel had entered Gaza through an Israeli land crossing.

It is the first time U.N. aid has travelled through the sea port since Israel said it would open it earlier this month following international pressure.

Meanwhile, the U.N. Security Council was preparing to vote Thursday on an Algeria-drafted resolution for full United Nations membership for a Palestinian state, diplomatic sources said.

However, the veto-wielding United States has repeatedly expressed opposition to the move. (AFP)
I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Australia viewers were left shocked as two fan favourite celebrities were sent home in a double elimination on Thursday.

Brittany Hockley and Ellie Cole both narrowly missed out on a place in Sunday night's final as they were sent home in the final elimination of the 2024 series.

The final three were also revealed as Callum Hole, Tristan MacManus and Skye Wheatley all made it through to Sunday's grand final.

Fans took to X - formerly known as Twitter - to share their shock after fan favourites Ellie and Brittany were eliminated from the South African jungle.

They wrote: 'Farewell Brittany and Ellie. You were fantastic'; 'Through this show I've learned that Ellie is a badass and a sweetheart;'

I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Australia viewers were left shocked as Brittany Hockley (pictured) and Ellie Cole were sent home in a double elimination on Thursday

Brittany and Ellie (pictured) both narrowly missed out on a place in Sunday night's final as they were sent home in the final elimination of the 2024 series

'The third through should have been Ellie for sure'; 'Damn I wanted Ellie in top three'; 'Ellie robbed;' 'Ellie gone I'm heartbroken.'

However, other fans also shared their delight over the final three as they shared their predictions on who they think will be crowned the 2024 winner.

They tweeted: 'I NEED Tristan to win, however i'm expecting Callum or Skye to'; 'CALLUM AND SKYE AND TRISTAN IS THE BEST POSSIBLE TOP 3 i am so pleased with that result';

'All of these celebrities deserve to win'; 'Tristan on making the top 3 'I feel like they're reading from the wrong list' No, we love you mate! fans for years and years here;'

'Yay! My Save votes actually worked this time!'; 'I'm so happy!!!! Callum and Tristian are in the #ImACelebrityAU grand finale!!!!!'

The final three were also revealed as Callum Hole, Tristan MacManus and Skye Wheatley (pictured with Ellie and Brittany) all made it through to Sunday's grand final

Fans took to X - formerly known as Twitter - to share their shock after fan favourites Ellie and Brittany were eliminated from the South African jungle

However, other fans also shared their delight over the final three as they shared their predictions on who they think will be crowned the 2024 winner

In their exit interviews, Brittany and Ellie were both overcome with emotion as they reflected on their stints in the South African jungle.

Brittany revealed which aspect of living in the jungle she found the hardest, as she insisted it wasn't the grueling conditions as people might expect.

Breaking down in tears, Brittany told hosts Robert Irwin and Julia Morris of her jungle stint: 'It's a once in a lifetime experience [...] you can't put words, yeah.

'I've travelled the world and lived rougher than this, which helped me a lot. For me, the environment was easy, the hardest thing was the food and being away from family,' she added.

In her exit interview, Ellie gushed over getting to know the 11 other celebrities and told how she has always wanted to appear on I'm A Celebrity

Skye became overcome with emotion after it was revealed she had made it through to Sunday night's final, where the winner will be announced after a month-long stint in the jungle

Meanwhile, Ellie gushed over getting to know the 11 other celebrities and told how she has always wanted to appear on I'm A Celebrity.

'I've always wanted to do a show like this, it tests you in an environment you'll never find in the outside world,' she emotionally said.

'To be able to share all of those experiences and get to know each other so well - and get to know yourself much more - is amazing.'

Brittany had been competing on the show in a bid to raise funds for Rize Up Australia, while Ellie had selected cancer charity Challenge as her cause.

Tristan said he felt like hosts Robert Irwin and Julia Morris had 'read from the wrong list' as he shared his shock over making the final

The final three celebrities - Skye, Callum and Tristan - also all shared their shock upon making it to the grand final.

The 2024 winner will finally be revealed on Sunday night, with public voting now open, after a month-long stint in the South African jungle.

I'm A Celebrity Australia continues on Sunday at 7.30pm on Channel 10.
Blue Lights star Sian Brooke has revealed how much her police officer dad helped her with her role in the gritty cop drama.

The Welsh actress, 44, plays the lead, rookie PC Grace Ellis in the Belfast-based BBC drama, which is currently airing its second series.

Appearing on ITV This Morning on Thursday to talk about the huge success of the series, Sian explained how the role has strengthened her relationship with her police officer dad.

'My dad was a police officer in England. He gave me the seal of approval,' she told Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard.

'When I was younger he never really told me things that had gone on. So being on the show opened that conversation'.

Blue Lights star Sian Brooke has revealed how much her police officer dad helped her with her role in the gritty cop drama

The Welsh actress, 44, plays the lead, rookie PC Grace Ellis in the Belfast-based BBC drama, which is currently airing its second series

She also admitted that she found herself on the phone to her dad during filming for help with one tricky aspect of the script.

'Thank god he was on the other end of the line because there's a lot of abbreviations he had to translate!' she said.

Sian gushed about her character in the show, telling This Morning: 'I love playing her because she is a lot braver than I am.

'She know's right from wrong and follows that regardless of what happens. She's just trying to make her sector of society better.'

Written by the team behind Novichok drama The Salisbury Poisonings, Blue Lights stars Sian as Grace, a single mother and ex-social worker who's decided to switch careers in mid-life.

Now a probationary cop, she's frequently out of her depth and finds herself in unexpected danger as she attempts to keep order in post-Troubles Belfast.

Last year the BBC drama was a sleeper hit, with hordes of fans now devouring the second series.

Series three and four were commissioned by the BBC during filming.

Appearing on ITV This Morning on Thursday to talk about the huge success of the series, Sian explained how the role has strengthened her relationship with her police officer dad

'My dad was a police officer in England. He gave me the seal of approval,' she told Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard

'When I was younger he never really told me things that had gone on. So being on the show opened that conversation', she said (pictured with Martin McCann who plays Stevie)

For Sian, it's been a rare chance to work on a long-term character study after years of guest roles and single episode appearances, with the actress telling This Morning she has 'to pinch myself' over the dream role.

Blue Lights season two returned with rave reviews on Monday.

An average of 2.7 million viewers tuned into the police drama, with the figure expected to rise in coming days.
Lucy Beaumont was pictured arriving at her stand up show in Cardiff on Wednesday in the first sighting since she announced her divorce from husband Jon Richardson.

The comedian, 40, was spotted outside the Sherman Theatre, where she performed a sold out show on Wednesday evening.

The sighting comes just days after she and Jon, 41, jointly announced their separation in a statement last Friday.

Their statement confirmed that the comedy couple are divorcing after nine years of marriage.

During the outing this week, Lucy was wearing a tan jacket with skinny jeans and heeled boots and carried a WHSmith carrier bag.

Lucy Beaumont was pictured arriving at her stand up show in Cardiff in the first sighting since she announced her divorce from husband Jon Richardson

The comedian, 40, was spotted outside the Sherman Theatre, just days after she and Jon, 41, jointly announced their separation in a statement on Friday

Her estranged husband Jon made his first solo outing on Sunday, at a family screening event of the Bluey episode The Sign in London

His public appearances comes after his joint statement with Lucy on Friday, confirming the comedy couple are divorcing after nine years of marriage

Her estranged husband Jon made his first solo outing on Sunday, at a family screening event of the Bluey episode The Sign in London.

Jon and Lucy insisted the separation had been 'amicable' as they detailed their priority of putting their child first.

The pair have starred in 'at home mockumentary' show about their relationship, Meet The Richardsons, since it it first aired in 2020. Its fifth series began on Dave just last week on April 8.

In the show they play 'exaggerated versions of themselves', and make comedic jibes at each other.

A statement to the PA news agency read: 'After 9 years of marriage, we would like to announce that we have separated.

'We have jointly and amicably made the difficult decision to divorce and go our separate ways.

'As our only priority is managing this difficult transition for our daughter, we would ask that our privacy is respected at this sensitive time to protect her well-being. We will be making no further comment.'

The couple began dating in 2013 after meeting through fellow comedian Roisin Conaty, before tying the knot in April 2015 and welcoming their daughter in September the following year.

During the outing, Lucy was wearing a tan jacket with skinny jeans and heeled boots and carried a WHSmith carrier bag

Lucy could be seen handing over something to a male companion - who may have been a member of her team

Lucy was joined by a group including a member of staff wearing a lanyard and radio

Jon arrived solo for a family screening event of the Bluey episode The Sign at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, London

A statement to the PA news agency said: 'After 9 years of marriage, we would like to announce that we have separated. We have jointly and amicably made the difficult decision'

When Jon and Lucy have appeared together on TV together, they frequently made jokes about their relationship.

The couple have starred in Meet The Richardsons, which began in 2019, in which they play 'exaggerated versions of themselves' and also fronted Channel 4 panel show, Jon & Lucy's Odd Couples, which featured celebrity couples last year.

'At home mockumentary' Meet The Richardsons, which airs on UKTV's Dave with the fifth series starting this month, saw Lucy nominated for a BAFTA TV award in the female performance in a comedy programme category in 2023.

Lucy joked about divorcing Jon one year before the couple announced their split just one year before couple announced their split.

The comedian, 40, made the foreboding comment during a joint appearance on Eight Out Of Ten Cats Does Countdown last year.

Speaking on the Channel 4 show, host Jimmy Carr said: 'Lucy and Jon are married.

'So I know Lucy, everyone watching at home is dying to know... What made you decide to settle?'

Joking Lucy responded: 'I don't see this for life. Isn't it a song - just passing through? Is it?'

Lucy and Jon are known for rowing in mockumentary Meet The Richardson's where they play exaggerated versions of themsleves (pictured 2023)

'Just passing through?' Jimmy asked.

She continued: 'You meet in your life old souls, new souls... a***holes. Who knows what will happen in the future.'

Cutting in, Jon asked: 'Are we breaking up now?'

The couple began dating in 2013 after meeting through fellow comedian Roisin Conaty, before tying the knot in April 2015 and welcoming their daughter in September the following year.

Recalling their first meeting in her book, Drinking Custard: Diary of a Confused Mum, Lucy said they 'hit it off' straight away.

She explained how she had just moved to London to pursue a career in comedy when Roisin invited her to a gig at The Fighting Cocks in Kingston-upon-Thames.

The couple began dating in 2013 after meeting through fellow comedian Roisin Conaty, before tying the knot in April 2015 and welcoming their daughter in September the following year

'I felt someone's presence behind me. I nearly fainted; honestly my heart was beating like the clappers as I was sure Jon knew I fancied him,' she wrote.

Speaking in an interview with The Sunday Times, Lucy added: 'It was quite symbolic as we have been fighting like cocks ever since.'

Two weeks after their first meeting at the gig, the duo went on to have their first date, writing in her memoir, she revealed 'something quite weird happened.'

'Jon dropped me off in his car to the train station and we swapped phone numbers,' the comedian wrote. 'Lo and behold, via Bluetooth, on his dashboard in big LED letters flashed 'MY WIFE'. I have never got out of a car so fast.

'I rang my friend Jackie and she told me very calmly that he must be a psychopath and to leave London immediately and come back and live in Hull with her again.'
Pandemonium Rocks has announced that one of its headliners has been forced to drop out due to a tragic family emergency.

American rock band Palaye Royale had been set to perform at the Australian rock music festival, which kicks off on Saturday in Melbourne.

However, the band - consisting of brothers Remington Leith, Sebastian Danzig, and Emerson Barrett - has had to pull out at the last minute due to a devastating family emergency.

The brothers took to Instagram to explain that their mother has been told she only has a few days left to live amid a battle with stage four brain and lung cancer.

Pandemonium Rocks took to Instagram to confirm that Palaye Royale would no longer be travelling to Australia for the festival in light of the tragic news.

Pandemonium Rocks has announced that headliners Palaye Royale (pictured) has been forced to drop out due to a tragic family emergency

A statement from the band read: 'It is with heavy hearts that we are cancelling our performance at the upcoming Pandemonium Festival.

'We have encountered a family emergency that requires our immediate attention and presence.

'In light of this unfortunate circumstance, we extend our sincerest apologies to all those who were anticipating our performance.

'We are grateful for the understanding and support of our fans, as well as the organisers of Pandemonium Festival, during this challenging time.'

The band added on their Instagram in an emotional post: 'All prayers and positive thoughts in hopes of our Mom feeling the love would be greatly appreciated.

The band - consisting of brothers Remington Leith, Sebastian Danzig, and Emerson Barrett - had been set to perform at the Australian rock music festival, but they have had to pull out

The brothers took to Instagram to explain that their mother only has a few days left to live amid a battle with brain and lung cancer, with Pandemonium Rocks also sharing a statement

'We have received devastating news regarding our Mom. As many of you know she was diagnosed with stage 4 brain and lung cancer in July 2023.

'She fought hard and long but this past weekend our Mom had to be rushed back to the hospital to find out the cancer has torn through her intestines and we have been given only a few more hours to days left.'

The brothers were quickly flooded with messages from support from their friends and fans as they sent their love to the family at the difficult time.

Pandemonium Rocks confirmed that a local act will now be opening each festival, with set times yet to be confirmed.

The new rock festival is set to kick off in Melbourne on Saturday, before touring in Sydney, the Gold Coast and Brisbane the following week

Last month, the festival was hit by fears it would be cancelled after a trying time for Australian music festivals (pictured: Stock image of crowds at The Soundwave Music Festival in 2011)

The new rock festival is set to kick off in Melbourne on Saturday, before touring in Sydney, the Gold Coast and Brisbane the following week.

It recently came under fire from fans over its announcement that ticketholders won't be given full refunds, following a major line-up change.

Earlier this month, it was announced that six acts had been scrapped from the festival, including international headliners Placebo and Deep Purple as well as US band Dead Kennedys.

The location of several dates have also been changed, while organisers also confirmed that its original multi-stage layout had been condensed into one stage.

It recently came under fire from fans over its announcement that ticketholders won't be given full refunds, following a major line-up change, which saw Placebo among the band scrapped

General admission tickets have also been slashed from around $285 to $190, while VIP tickets have been reduced from $830 to $650.

Pandemonium Rocks then clarified on social media that, despite the changes, ticketholders could not claim a full refund.

Instead, they could either receive one complimentary GA ticket per full price ticket purchased, a partial refund of $70 (which is the difference between the initial price and the new ticket price), or an 'exclusive Pandemonium hoodie valued at $100'.

The decision not to provide a full refund option caused outrage among fans, who took to social media at the time to voice their disapproval.

Alice Cooper (pictured in 2022), Blondie, Wheatus, Wolfmother and Cosmic Psychos are among the acts still set to perform at the rock festival

Last month, the festival was hit by fears it would be cancelled after a string of Australian festivals got the axe.

But organisers reassured fans at the time the festival would go ahead with 'some changes', before officially confirming the line-up alterations.

Alice Cooper, Blondie, Wheatus, Wolfmother and Cosmic Psychos are among the acts still set to perform at the rock festival.
Hollywood producer Carol Baum has admitted she regrets publicly slanging Sydney Sweeney after feeling the wrath from the actress' diehard fans.

Last week, Baum sparked outrage when she took aim at the 26-year-old actress while speaking to New York Times film critic Janet Maslin in front of a live audience.

DailyMail.com then exclusively revealed that she had accused Sweeney of not being able to act while branding her film Anyone But You 'unwatchable.'

The American star was defended by fans who were quick to accuse Baum of jealousy and said she was an example of 'internal misogyny.'

Now, Baum has confessed she wishes she'd never made the remarks, telling TMZ that 'c***ping on an actor like that in public usually isn't her style.'

Hollywood producer Carol Baum has admitted she regrets publicly slanging Sydney Sweeney after feeling the wrath from the actress' diehard fans

DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that Baum had accused Sweeney (pictured in February) of not being able to act while branding her film Anyone But You 'unwatchable'

Baum went on to reveal that she's been inundated with hate mail in the aftermath.

Simultaneously, Sweeney broke her silence on the debacle to lambast Baum for attacking another woman in the industry.

'How sad that a woman in the position to share her expertise and experience chooses instead to attack another woman,' a representative for Sweeney told DailyMail.com.

'If that's what she's learned in her decades in the industry and feels is appropriate to teach to her students, that's shameful.

'To unjustly disparage a fellow female producer speaks volumes about Ms Baum's character.'

Baum was speaking with Maslin before an audience of fans when she made the comments following a screening of her 1988 film Dead Ringers starring Jeremy Irons.

'She's not pretty, she can't act,' said Baum, whose films include Father of the Bride and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

'There's an actress who everybody loves now  Sydney Sweeney. I don't get Sydney Sweeney.'

Sweeney, who starred alongside Glen Powell in Anyone But You (pictured) simultaneously, Sweeney broke her silence on the debacle to lambast Baum and brand her 'shameful'

How sad that a woman in the position to share her expertise and experience chooses instead to attack another woman, a representative for Sweeney told DailyMail.com

Addressing her romcom Anything But You, in which she stars alongside Glen Powell, Baum continued: 'I was watching on the plane Sydney Sweeney's movie because I wanted to watch it.

'I wanted to know who she is and why everybody's talking about her. I watched this unwatchable movie  sorry to people who love this movie  [this] romantic comedy where they hate each other.'

Referencing the producing class she teaches at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, Baum added: 'I said to my class, 'Explain this girl to me. She's not pretty, she can't act. Why is she so hot?''

'Nobody had an answer but then the question was asked, 'Well if you could get your movie made because she was in it, would you do it?'

'I said, 'Well that's a really good question...that's a very hard question to answer because we all want to get the movie made and who walks away from a green light? Nobody I know. Your job is to get the movie made.'

Baum has produced 34 films starring the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Michael Douglas and Dolly Parton and last year published a book entitled Creative Producing.

Fans leapt to Sweeney's defense in the wake of Baum's incendiary comments, with one posting on X: 'Some lady said Sydney Sweeney 'wasn't pretty' and if she wants to fight me I'll meet her anywhere she wants.'

Another added: 'God give me the confidence of top Hollywood producer Carol Baum who said this of Sydney Sweeney '[she's] not pretty and she can't act'. Judge for yourself.'

'Just accept Sydney is all that,' wrote a third. 'And you are bitter [and] probably irrelevant.'

Sweeney as Cassie in provocative HBO series Euphoria, which won her an Emmy nomination

Sweeney's fans leapt to her defense in the wake of Baum's comments, with some accusing her of 'jealousy'

Sweeney, who rose to fame in HBO's Euphoria, has become one of Hollywood's hottest prospects, starring in three films in the past six months: Anyone But You, Madame Web and Immaculate.

An article by DailyMail.com last week described how the all-American blue-eyed blonde has become a cultural phenomenon, her unashamed sexuality embraced by America's conservative Right as proof that woke culture is dying, if not already dead.

Hailed by Republicans as the poster girl of a long overdue cultural shift away from political correctness, an incredulous headline in one of Canada's biggest newspapers, the National Post, asked: 'Are Sydney Sweeney's breasts double-D harbingers of the death of woke?'

Sweeney produces her own films and is tipped to star in Marvel blockbuster Spider-Woman as well as being poised to remake Jane Fonda's brazenly libidinous 1968 sci-fi action movie Barbarella.
Molly-Mae Hague has been pictured for the first time since revealing she and fiance Tommy Fury were in a car crash.

The influencer, 24, was spotted getting out of her vehicle as she ran errands near the couple's Cheshire mansion, worth 3.5 million, on Thursday.

The Love Island star cut a relaxed figure in a pair of grey high-waisted bootcut jeans and a tight-fitting white T-shirt.

Dressing for the weather, Molly layered up with a suede camel-coloured bomber jacket and platform Timberland boots.

Molly accessorised her look with chunky gold hoop earrings, black square sunglasses and an envy-inducing 2,600 handbag by Bottega Veneta.

Molly-Mae Hague has been pictured for the first time since revealing she and fiance Tommy Fury were in a car crash

The influencer, 24, was spotted getting out of her vehicle as she ran errands near the couple's Cheshire mansion, worth 3.5 million, on Thursday

The TV personality's outing comes just hours after Molly revealed she and Tommy were in a car crash near their home as she opened up about the accident via her YouTube channel on Wednesday.

The blonde beauty revealed she and boxer Tommy, also 24, were heading out on a romantic date night when they were unexpectedly involved in their 'first accident'.

Molly explained how the couple collided with another vehicle after an elderly lady 'drove straight into' Tommy's car while on a country lane.

The Love Island star, displaying her resilience, shared that they were left in 'shock' following the crash but reassured everyone that they were both 'completely fine' and no one was injured.

In her most recent video while driving, Molly said: 'I just drove down this little bit of road, which has made me have a flashback that happened a couple of days ago.

'It was the weirdest thing ever and we kind of experienced our first little car crash. We were complete fine but a women drove literally straight into Tommy's car.

Molly also confirmed that daughter Bambi, 14 months, was not in the vehicle with the couple at the time as she explained the incident in detail.

She continued: 'We weren't in my car and luckily Bambi wasn't in the car because we were going on a date night and Zoe and Danny (Molly's sister and her fiance) were at the house with Bambi.

The Love Island star cut a relaxed figure in a pair of grey high-waisted bootcut jeans and a tight-fitting white T-shirt, teamed with an envy-inducing 2,600 handbag by Bottega Veneta

The TV personality's outing comes just hours after Molly revealed she and Tommy were in a car crash near their home as she opened up about the accident via her YouTube channel

'We had literally just left the house and this women was pulling out a church car park and there was basically not enough room in the road for two cars and so she needed to wait until we had gone passed to then pull out and instead our cars just collided and we went straight into each other.

'Then she reversed her car back because I think she was like 'oh my gosh I can't believe I've just crashed into you' but she reversed back and then pushed the accelerator again and went straight into us again so she went into us twice!

'It was the weirdest thing ever, so I immediately got out the car and ran over to her. I actually thought she was not well or having a bit of a, I don't know, I can't explain it.

'She must have been like late 70s/early 80s or something, she was really quite old and my heart just broke for her because she was in complete shock by what she had just done.

'She was really confused and upset and I tried to comfort her but she wanted to just drive off and shut the car door and go.

The blonde beauty revealed she and boxer Tommy, also 24, were heading out on a romantic date night when they were unexpectedly involved in their 'first accident'

The former Love Island star said they were left in 'shock' following the crash but confirmed they were both 'completely fine' and no one was injured

Molly confirmed that daughter Bambi, 14 months, was not in the vehicle with the couple at the time as she opened up about the incident

'There was some car damage but we didn't take her details because we were too flustered and a bit in shock. I felt really sorry for her and I didn't want to upset her anymore. So yeah, that was fun.'

It comes as Molly and Tommy are in search for the 'perfect wedding venue' ahead of their upcoming nuptials, which have been dubbed 'reality TV's very own royal wedding'.

The couple, who met on Love Island in 2019, have started planning their dream wedding and have been busy looking at a number of churches in Cheshire, where they live.

The influencer and the boxer, who are parents to daughter Bambi, reportedly have their hearts set on a traditional ceremony.

An insider told The Sun: 'Molly and Tommy have really ramped up their wedding plans. They know exactly what they want, but want to find the perfect venue.

'It's going to be a huge affair and the locals are already bracing themselves for the fanfare surrounding it. It will be reality TV's very own royal wedding.'

In a recent YouTube video, Molly, who has previously said she dreams to marry in a church, pointed out a stunning venue she had seen while in the Lake District.

She said: 'That's a really beautiful church. We're currently in the talks of looking for a church to get married at, because we definitely do want to get married in the UK in a traditional Catholic Church.

'So if anyone knows any beautiful churches, Catholic churches in Cheshire, because I think we want to do Cheshire because that's where we live obviously, or maybe London as well...'

Tommy proposed to Molly on a picturesque cliffside in Ibiza last July and the couple shared a sweet black and white video of the special moment.

The area had been decorated with lavish roses and petals covering the ground where Tommy knelt down on one knee as he popped the question with a diamond ring.

She added: 'There was some car damage but we didn't take her details because we were to flustered and a bit in shock. I felt really sorry for her and I didn't want to upset her anymore'

Molly captioned the post: 'Forever. 23/07/23'.

She has previously revealed that she won't be tying the knot with Tommy until 2025 because her sister Zoe Hague is getting married this year.

She explained: 'My sister is getting married next year so I want to let her have her moment. So it might be the year after hers.

'I had visions of just running off to a little chapel to do it. It is so much money and planning. How will I find the mental space for this? We're not in any rush.'
Laura Anderson has revealed what really happened when she was forced to rush her daughter Bonnie to A&E on Tuesday.

Talking to MailOnline, Laura said she 'knew straight away' something was wrong with her only child as she opened up about her 'frightening' hospital trip.

Laura, who is the new host of the Scotland Capital breakfast show with co-presenter Fat Brestovci, revealed she had returned home from work and her little girl 'didn't seem herself'.

She explained that Bonnie, who she shares with ex Gary Lucy, had a very high temperature and a raised heart rate.

Laura detailed: 'I got such a fright because I'd come straight from Capital and I was trialing a nanny so she didn't know her too well and I came in and just looked at her and I thought you're usually so smiley and happy but she didn't really seem herself.

Love Island's Laura Anderson has revealed what really happened when she rushed her baby daughter Bonnie to hospital amid a 'frightening scare' on Tuesday

The Love Island star, 34, revealed she had rushed her baby girl, seven months, to hospital on Tuesday and wrote: 'A&E with bubba' which caused concern among her fans

'I just knew straight away and then I picked her up and I felt she was so hot and I took her temperature and it was 39 and the thermometer went red and like flashed like an alarm.

'I phoned 111 and it said it was temporarily unavailable and I was like, "oh my god I don't know what to do", so I phoned the children's hospital near me and I said I don't want to be over dramatic and they said come to A&E straight away.'

She continued: 'My heart just sank. I was like, oh I'm not overreacting. I was trying not to be stressed, her temperature had gone down a little bit and they did loads of tests and they had to try and get urine from her, which was a nightmare.

'They got some Calpol in her because she wouldn't take it from me and then I took her to the GP the next day and they just checked her over again because her temperature was still quite high.

'She's just on the mend, they said sometimes they can get a viral thing and it can raise their heart rate up as well when they've got a temperature so that's quite alarming'.

Laura went on to admit she was 'mortified' to call in sick on her second week at Capital but said they were very 'understanding' as she wanted to stay home and 'monitor' her little girl.

The former reality star confirmed that Bonnie is now 'totally back to normal' following the scare.

She continued: 'I'm the only person probably that knows her and is able to monitor her properly which was so crucial the next day and it was nice to be able to just spend a day with her make sure she was alright so thank god.

Laura revealed to MailOnline that she had returned home from work and her little girl had a very high temperature and a raised heart rate which prompted her to take her straight to A&E

She said: 'I was trying not to be stressed, they did loads of tests and they had to try and get urine from her, which was a nightmare. They got some Calpol in her and then I took her to the GP the next day and they just checked over again'

The former reality star confirmed that Bonnie is now 'totally back to normal' following the scare, she added: 'I'm calling her the little rascal. I feel like she was just testing me'

Laura went on to admit she was 'mortified' to call in sick on her second week at Capital but said they were very 'understanding' as she wanted to stay home and 'monitor' her little girl

'I'm calling her the little rascal. I feel like she was just testing me. I feel like, she's totally back to normal.'

Laura also opened up to MailOnline about the 'worry' of balancing life as a single parent and working her new full time job.

She revealed she has been busy trialing nannies but her mum has now decided to 'quit her job' and look after Bonnie for full time.

The ITV2 star said: 'I was a bit stressed, how do you trust somebody that you don't know to look after your little baby.

'My mum has now said she is going to leave her job and I'm going to basically employ her instead of a nanny that I don't know and she's gonna have her every morning for me.

'I feel like now I can just properly get stuck into Capital and not be worrying about Bonnie, it just puts my mind at ease and I can focus on work when I'm there.

'This is the happiest I've been ever, it's just such a weight lifted off my shoulders. I'm don't have that partner to kind of help juggle it so it just feels like a weight lifted from me.'

Laura added that she 'would love to meet a new partner in the future' but she doesn't feel 'one hundred percent ready yet' as she is busy 'juggling' being a single mum.

She said: 'I just don't see how I would have time at the minute but of course in the future I would love to have that family unit. I'm open to that in the future but at the moment I just feel like I've got no time for a man.'

Laura shares Bonnie with ex Gary Lucy, who she met while filming Celebs Go Dating in July 2022

She also told MailOnline that she would love to meet a 'partner in the future' but she doesn't feel 'one hundred percent ready yet' as she is busy 'juggling' being a single parent

Laura and Gary met while filming Celebs Go Dating in July 2022 and have been together on and off since then.

Laura confirmed she is 'happily single' earlier this year after fans were left guessing over the state of her relationship with Gary .

It was believed the pair were back together after they shared a post kissing on New Year's Eve.

Gary fuelled rumours they had split after he was seen cosying up to a mystery woman at a party earlier this year.

'Gary looked very cosy with a girl at the table and was whispering in her ear. He was clearly here for a fun night and didn't care who was watching,' a source told MailOnline.

Meanwhile Laura was busy posting videos and photos from her day with their baby girl.

The on-off couple have had a tumultuous relationship after meeting on E4 reality show Celebs Go Dating in 2022.

The couple announced they were having a baby in February 2023, but split shortly after.

Since Bonnie's birth in September, speculation over the pair's relationship status has been mounting - with the couple hinting they were secretly back on in numerous snaps together.
Brooklyn and Romeo Beckham were spotted arriving at the family's London home on Thursday in time for more 50th birthday celebrations for their mum Victoria.

Victoria tuned 50 on Wednesday and has so far been celebrating privately with her family.

Brooklyn, 25, and Romeo, 21, were seen with one of the family's favourite Land Rovers on Thursday, dressed down in sportswear.

As birthday wishes poured in for the Spice Girl, David flew the couple out on a European mini-break to celebrate the start of her lavish 50th birthday extravaganza, The Sun has revealed.

Brooklyn and Romeo Beckham were spotted arriving at the family's London home on Thursday in time for more 50th birthday celebrations for their mum Victoria

Victoria tuned 50 on Wednesday and has so far been celebrating privately with her family



The couple were joined by their four children Brooklyn Romeo, Cruz, 19, and Harper, 12, as well as Victoria's parents Tony and Jackie at a 'remote retreat'.

A source told the publication: 'It was all top secret up until the last minute. David loves going all-out for big celebrations.'

Yet it is only a short getaway, with the family due back on Thursday in preparation for her main party at a private members' club in London on Saturday night.

The fashion designer will also be honouring the occassion with a four-day extravaganza alongside her family and close friends at the family's country home.

Preparations are their country bolthole in the Coltswolds were well underway this week, as they employed the hedge trimmer to neaten the road near their home.

It seems like everything will be looking perfect for her guests to arrive, in what is promised to be a raucous affair, with all of her children flying in for the event.

According to the Mirror, guests received save the cards for the celebrations, but only a couple of her Spice Girls bandmates are able to attend.

A source said: 'David and Victoria have made it known they are planning a party to remember - but now it turns out it will be four nights to remember for members of their family.

'The current plan is that there will be one main party, but their family and close friends will be invited to stay for all four days.

'Victoria was keen to reunite with the Spice Girls for one performance during the celebrations and really pushed for it to happen.'

Brooklyn, 25, and Romeo, 21, were seen with one of the family's favourite Land Rovers on Thursday, dressed down in sportswear

As birthday wishes poured in for the Spice Girl, David flew the couple out on a European mini-break to celebrate the start of her lavish 50th birthday extravaganza, The Sun has revealed

Brooklyn and Romeo both posted sweet Instagram tributes on Wednesday as Romeo thanked his mum 'for everything'

Brooklyn shared an adorable photo of himself as a baby on holiday with his mum

'But unfortunately a performance has now been ruled out, and instead she will get together with the girls separately later this month.

Their Oxfordshire pad has played host to many big parties over the years, most recently their son Brooklyn's lavish '100,000' 21st birthday party.

Brooklyn and Romeo both posted sweet Instagram tributes on Wednesday as Romeo thanked his mum 'for everything' while eldest son Brooklyn shared a photo of himself as a baby on holiday with his mum.
Idris Elba has finally put the rumours about him being cast as the next James Bond to bed.

The Luther actor, 51, revealed that he will not be following in Daniel Craig's shoes in the coming 007 hit and is not getting a license a kill.

He admitted that he is 'ancient' and while he appreciated the compliment of being considered back in 2009, the opportunity is now 'dead'.

Speaking to Chris Moyles on his Radio X morning show, Idris joked that the longstanding rumours surrounding the agent role have made him 'more famous for not playing Bond' than 'some of the actors who did'.

Chris quipped: 'There were loads of rumours flying around a few years ago about you and a certain infamous role of a British agent, right? James Bond. Right? Was that ever a thing? Was that ever close to being a thing? Did you ever want it? There were rumours, but I don't know if you ever spoke out about it one way or the other.'

Idris Elba has finally put the rumours about him being cast as the next James Bond to bed

The Luther actor, 51, revealed that he will not be following in Daniel Craig 's shoes in the coming 007 hit and is not getting a license a kill

Idris replied: 'I have several times, several sort of half-a-million times. No, it was definitely one of the biggest rumours.

'I'm arguably more famous for not playing Bond than some of the actors who did!

'And you know, it's been one that I've taken lightly at times. You know, everyone loves Bond. Such a fantastic character, and just to me, I found it as a compliment to be considered all those years ago.'

Chris persisted: 'But listen, you never know. It's not dead', but he was shot down by the acting sensation who responded: 'Well, I mean yeah, it is. The rumour has definitely done.

'And I mean, I'm ancient now. I don't know what kind of Bond I'd be.'

The radio host replied: 'But there's always Yeah, you're probably right, actually.'

Not giving up on the thought of Idris getting involved in the highly-anticipated motion picture, Chris added: 'Well, what about Bond villains? Bond villain?'

Idris said: 'Well, I think probably, if I'm really honest, I did the Luther movie. And my instinct about doing the movie version verses the TV, is to take it bigger. Bigger, bigger landscapes and maybe fill that void.'

He admitted that he is 'ancient' and while he appreciated the compliment of being considered back in 2009, the opportunity is now 'dead'

Speaking to Chris Moyles on his Radio X morning show, Idris joked that the longstanding rumours surrounding the agent role have made him 'more famous for not playing Bond' than 'some of the actors who did'

It comes following the recent chatter over who will be the next man to take on the iconic role.

It was recently believed that Aaron Taylor-Johnson could be getting himself a license to kill in four James Bond films after 'endless discussions' with studio execs - who insiders claim are hoping he can replace Daniel Craig to lead the franchise into a new age with a 'fantasy' twist.

The British actor, 33, has reportedly been formally offered the chance to play 007, with sources claiming bosses have already taken extraordinary lengths to secure him.

Producer Barbara Broccoli, 63, is not considering anyone else, according to insiders, who have claimed costume fittings for Aaron are already allegedly underway.

'It is all in the details and agents and lawyers are going through all the red tape and how many movies Aaron will sign up for.

It comes following the recent chatter over who will be the next man to take on the iconic role

It was recently believed that Aaron Taylor-Johnson could be getting himself a license to kill in four James Bond films after 'endless discussions' with studio execs - who insiders claim are hoping he can replace Daniel Craig to lead the franchise into a new age with a 'fantasy' twist

The British actor, 33, has reportedly been formally offered the chance to play 007 , with sources claiming bosses have already taken extraordinary lengths to secure him

'It is currently looking to be a three-picture deal with the option of a fourth.

'They have done all the fittings, they have the haircut they have in mind for him, and he's already in tremendous shape.

'Barbara Broccoli and the rest of the producers are going to make a huge deal out of the announcement.'

Earlier this year, it was reported that the Kick Ass actor is on the verge of inking a deal to take over from Daniel as the titular spy after he retired from the role following his swansong in 2021 blockbuster No Time To Die.

Aaron was coy when questioned previously about the rumors, telling Numero magazine earlier this month: 'I find it charming and wonderful that people see me in that role. I take it as a great compliment.'

A recent poll suggested Idris is still the public's number one choice to replace Daniel, despite being 51 - old for a Bond candidate - and already ruling himself out of the running in order to focus on his crime drama, Luther.

Back in August 2022, it was reported he had walked away from 'years of talks' with movie bosses to take over the famous role.

Last summer, Idris admitted that he used to be 'super complimented' by the idea of playing Bond, saying it was the 'pinnacle.'

But he told Variety that he was turned off, when 'those that weren't happy about the idea made the whole thing disgusting and off-putting, because it became about race. It became about nonsense and I got the brunt of it.'

Meanwhile, Michael Fassbender has also ruled himself out, saying he thought a younger star should take on the role.

When asked by GQ magazine if he would be up for the part, the actor, 46, said: 'To be honest, no.'

A recent poll suggested Idris is still the public's number one choice to replace Daniel, despite being 51 - old for a Bond candidate - and already ruling himself out of the running in order to focus on his crime drama, Luther

Meanwhil, Michael Fassbender, 46, has also ruled himself out, saying he thought a younger star should take on the role

Aaron is yet to officially accept the role or make a formal comment on his standing but in March he spoke out in an interview with Rolling Stone UK , insisting he won't be a part of the 'pop culture studio film' machine

In a cover shoot to promote his latest role in Sony's next Marvel film Kraven the Hunter, Aaron muses on the direction his stellar career is heading after two decades on the big screen.

Asked directly about the reports that he is in talks to be Bond, the actor coyly replied that he 'can only really talk about the things I'm going to show and tell,' before tellingly adding:

'I don't feel like I need to have a future drawn out for me. I feel like, whatever's drawn out for me, I can f**kin' do better.'

Aaron is yet to officially accept the role or make a formal comment on his standing but in March he spoke out in an interview with Rolling Stone UK , insisting he won't be a part of the 'pop culture studio film' machine

Asked directly about the reports that he is in talks to be Bond, the actor coyly replied that he 'can only really talk about the things I'm going to show and tell'

While he hasn't been cast as Bond, Aaron has taken on the lead in another big budget action franchise.

But the actor insists he can find the nuances in any character, even in Kraven - a big-game hunter whose singular goal in life is to beat Spider-Man.

'I think there was something unique about this character, and something grounded,' he insists, adding: 'We've all had enough of seeing certain studio films, a certain kind of pop culture where they're churning out stuff that dilutes wanting to go to the cinema'.

'I wouldn't have signed onto it if I felt there wasn't something to really bring to life with this character.'

The star adds that the extreme physical transformation he undertook to play the Marvel villain made him ponder if he wanted to put himself through it for film after film, explaining: 'I wanted to approach it like an actor, and I'm not someone who's just juicing up and going to the gym.'

'I don't necessarily want this to be my brand, doing one action movie after another. But I trained to the point where I was 200 pounds of muscle. I ate so much f**king food. I was so big.'

James Bond producers have still not made a formal announcement to confirm who will be the next 007.
Mom-of-three joked that it 'wasn't Charley's fault that he and Poppy broke up'

Jenna Bush Hager has revealed that her eight-year-old daughter Poppy enjoyed a 'short romance' with Savannah Guthrie's seven-year-old son Charley, while sharing insight into the youngsters' 'break-up'.

Jenna, 42, is mom to Mila, 11, Poppy, and four-year-old son, while Savannah, 52, shares nine-year-old daughter Vale and son Charley with her husband Michael Feldman - and the two hosts have clearly socialized with one another's families in the past.

During Thursday's episode of Today with Hoda & Jenna, the latter confirmed that her middle child had a soft spot for Savannah's only son as they discussed a viewer's dilemma about whether or not she should get involved in her son's break-up with her best friend's daughter.

Both Hoda, 59, and Jenna were in agreement that the woman should stay well out of it, with Hoda using Poppy and Charley as an example when she said: 'What if Charley, Savannah's son, was dating Poppy...' as Jenna butted in and replied: 'They did have a little, short romance.'

Jenna Bush Hager (right) has revealed her daughter had a romance with Savannah Guthrie's son

Savannah is mom to her nine-year-old daughter Vale and seven-year-old son Charley (seen)

TV host Jenna is mom to her kids Mila, 11, Poppy, eight, and four-year-old son Hal

Jenna and Savannah pictured together with their daughters Mila and Vale

Suggesting a potential future scenario, Hoda continued: 'And they are grown now and then they have a huge fight and every night Poppy is crying to you, and you are going to have lunch with Savannah, it's going to come up...'

Mother-of-three Jenna agreed that it would definitely come up and went on to divulge a bit more about the children's relationship, but did not confirm when it happened.

'I don't think you can blame... I think teen romances break. It's not Charley's fault that he and Poppy broke up. They had a short romance, it was okay, but there was nobody involved,' Jenna commented.

However, Hoda suggested that it was easier said than done and said: 'If your heart is breaking because your daughter or your son has a broken heart, it's hard, I get how you want to discuss it. It's like, the center of my world's heart is broken, I get it.'

Jenna then admitted: 'I think staying out of our kids' stuff is going to be the hardest thing we ever do,' before referring to Mila and adding: 'I am already feeling it with my 11-year-old.

'You want to hear everything. And there is a weird thing that happens around middle school where it's like I was her biggest confidant and all of a sudden, the things she used to tell me, she's not really and I have to be okay with that.'

Jenna's comments come after she revealed she was in an 'absolute panic' last weekend after she lost one of Poppy's friends during recent birthday celebrations at the American Dream Mall in New Jersey.

Jenna and her husband Henry took 15 children to the huge mall to mark their eldest child Mila's 11th birthday, but the fun day out took a 'horrible' turn when one of the kids went missing during their time at the water park.

Savannah pictured on the set of Today enjoying a hug with her only son Charley

Jenna pictured with her husband Henry Hager and their three children; Mila, Hal and Poppy

'Mila and her friends had a blast, and it was wonderful until we lost one child,' Jenna admitted to Hoda, before explaining that she thought she would be able to handle taking such a large group of kids out for the day because she used to be a teacher.

'I thought, "I was a teacher, I took 24 kids on a subway in Washington, D.C. by myself! I got this!" Well, turns out, I didn't really have it,' Jenna revealed. 'When it's your own children who don't listen to you the way your students did!

'And I said, "Please stay with your partner, that's the number one rule, and the number two rule is be up here at 2:15." Well, nobody showed up at 2:15 and I panicked, because the smallest among us, Poppy's little friend, who's the cutest, sweetest...

'I wouldn't choose which child to lose, but I would not want to lose her, okay! If I could save one child, she's who... well, and my children, too... if this was the Titantic!' Jenna continued as Hoda burst out laughing.

'So what happened?' Hoda asked, as Jenna replied: 'She went missing,' before adding: 'How do you think I acted? Absolute panic. [I said] "Poppy, there was a buddy system for a reason! We never leave people behind!"

'So finally I found her waiting by the lion from some movie,' Jenna continued. 'And Poppy did mention she might be waiting for me by the lion but I said, "That should have been the headline!"

'She thought she was in the wave pool, so I was looking for one child in the wave pool. Anyway, I love Mila [but] I am retiring from water parks, even though the American Dream Mall... if I go to any, that's the one I'd go to.'
When the first batch of potential jurors was brought in for Donald Trump's criminal trial this week, all the lawyers had to go on to size them up  at first  were their names and the answers they gave in court to a set of screening questions.

Then the lawyers went to work, scouring social media for posts that might reveal whether people in the jury pool had hidden biases or extreme views.

One potential juror was dismissed by the judge after the former president's lawyers found a 2017 online post about Trump that said Lock him up! Trump's lawyers rejected another potential juror after discovering she had posted a video of New Yorkers celebrating President Joe Biden's election win.

It's all part of an effort by both sides to get a competent jury that  just maybe  might slant slightly in their favor.

Even experts in the art of jury selection say there are limits to what any lawyer can do.

We never pick a jury. We unpick jurors, said Tama Kudman, a veteran West Palm Beach, Florida, criminal defense lawyer who also practices in New Jersey and New York.

We never get who we want. We are just careful to get rid of who we think are dangerous to our clients, she said. You know youve picked a good jury when nobodys happy. The prosecution hasnt gotten who they want. The defense hasnt gotten who they want. But everybodys kind of gotten rid of the people who really raise the hair on the back of our neck.

Jury selection in Trumps trial resumes Thursday. So far, seven jurors have been chosen for the trial over allegations that Trump falsified business records to cover up a sex scandal during his 2016 campaign. Ultimately, 12 jurors will determine the verdict, with six alternates on standby.

Nearly 200 potential jurors have been brought in so far. All potential jurors will be asked whether they can serve and be fair and impartial. Those who have said no so far have all been sent home.

Lawyers on both sides then comb through answers prospective jurors provide orally in court to a set of 42 questions that probe whether they have been part of various extremist groups, have attended pro- or anti-Trump rallies, or have been involved with Trump's political campaigns, among other things.

The judge can dismiss people that don't seem likely to be impartial. Under state law, each side also gets to strike up to 10 potential jurors they don't like.

A jury consultant has helped Trump's lawyers research the backgrounds of prospective jurors whose names are provided to lawyers on both sides, but not to the public.

Jo-Ellan Dimitrius, a jury consultant who worked on the O.J. Simpson trial team in the mid-1990s and remains employed in that capacity today, said a social media check has become critical in recent years. She likened it to a juror polygraph that can reveal whether a potential juror's answers to questions in court are false.

Still, Dimitrius said, such checks aren't foolproof. Potential jurors can scrub their online footprint before they show up or make their social media accounts private.

Some people considered but not selected for Trump's jury had things on their social media that looked problematic. Some had shared inflammatory posts, including a meme showing Trump beheaded.

In each case, the person was brought into the courtroom alone to confirm the posts indeed appeared or originated on their account  and, in one case, the account of a spouse. They were asked again about their feelings about Trump and whether they could act impartially.

A bookseller whod previously declined to share his feelings about the former president admitted holding a highly unfavorable overall impression of him after being confronted by a series of Facebook posts, including a video mocking Trump.

In that case, the judge agreed with Trumps attorneys that the prospective juror should be dismissed with cause. But in other instances, Judge Juan M. Merchan said the posts did not rise to that level, forcing Trumps attorneys to use their limited number of strikes to have the prospective jurors removed.

The question is not whether someone agrees with your client politically or not, the question is whether or not they can be fair and impartial, Merchan told Trumps attorneys.

The process led Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee in this year's presidential race, to say in a Truth Social post Wednesday that he thought strikes were supposed to be unlimited, not capped at 10, "as the Witch Hunt continues! ELECTION INTERFERENCE!

Among six people struck by the Manhattan district attorney's office was a prosecutor who works for the district attorney in the Bronx and a man who works in real estate and said he read Trumps book, The Art of the Deal."

Perhaps the most memorable was a former corrections officer who said he may have once served on a jury for a case involving Trump and Merv Griffin. He was dismissed by prosecutors after acknowledging that he appreciated Trumps style of humor.

That man had also expressed reservations about Trump, noting that hed known relatives of the wrongly accused teenagers in the Central Park Five case  a group that Trump famously said should face the death penalty.

Sabrina Shroff, a criminal defense attorney, said she considers the jury selection process one of the most stressful and fun parts of any trial.

Its like setting up a blind date with 12 people and youre hoping that the blind date is at least a friendship at the end. Its such a roll of the dice, she said.

Shroff said she goes by her gut when choosing jurors. Scrutinizing social media profiles, she said, can be challenging because what people put online isn't who they are.

Maybe their affiliations are telling, she said. You're still guessing. We make the wrong call all the time. Sometimes, you really think the juror was pulling for you and then you find he was leading the charge to convict.

Shroff added: You're always worried you have it wrong. You've misread the scowl or the smile. Maybe they aren't smiling at you; just thinking about a movie they saw and liked. (AP)
A decade after portraying hero Navy SEAL Chris Kyle in 2014 flick American Sniper, it has been revealed that Bradley Cooper still keeps in touch with his family.

The 49-year-old 12-time Oscar nominee - who took his seven-year-old daughter Lea to a starry event over the weekend - has stayed in touch with Chris' widow Taya Kyle, 49, and children Colton, 19, and McKenna, 18 the family told People magazine on Thursday.

Taya told the weekly: 'Weve stayed in touch over the years quite a bit.

'Bradley will always be tied to me in a way that connects me to what Chris lost in being able to represent himself after his death in 2013.'

In the 2014 Clint Eastwood directed flick Bradley played Chris whose pinpoint accuracy saved countless lives on the battlefield and turned him into a legend. However, back home with his family after four tours of duty, Chris finds that it is the war he can't leave behind.

A decade after portraying hero Navy SEAL Chris Kyle in 2014 flick American Sniper, it has been revealed that Bradley Cooper still keeps in touch with his family

The 49-year-old 12-time Oscar nominee - who took his seven-year-old daughter Lea to a starry event over the weekend - has stayed in touch with Chris' widow Taya Kyle, 49, and children Colton, 19, and McKenna, 18 the family told People magazine on Thursday; the Kyle family are seen in a throwback image

Taya said that the talented actor has been there throughout the years as she explained: 'As we reflect on the past, I see that although Bradley is tied to my past, he is the type of person who stays.

'He has seen me through every stage of grief. I look forward to our friendship into the future with less of my pain from the past and more of the beauty that lies ahead.'

In 2022, Bradley even joined Chris' children for their first time watching the critically-acclaimed film as he had them over at his New York home as Colton said: 'Hes been a friend over the years.

'I know him for who he is as a person, and I appreciate that,' said the teenager adding: 'He's a good guy.'

The son of the American war hero described what it was like watching a film about his father with the A-list actor portraying him.

Colton said: 'For me, it was watching a movie with a friend who just so happens to be famous.'

The film was based on Kyle's New York Times best selling book 'American Sniper' which detailed his time in combat.

It tells the story of Chris during his four tours of duty in Iraq from 2003 to 2008 where he killed as many as 255 insurgents with his high powered sniper rifle.

Taya (pictured in 2013) said that the talented actor has been there throughout the years as she explained: 'As we reflect on the past, I see that although Bradley is tied to my past, he is the type of person who stays. 'He has seen me through every stage of grief. I look forward to our friendship into the future with less of my pain from the past and more of the beauty that lies ahead'

In 2022, Bradley even joined Chris' children for their first time watching the critically-acclaimed film American Sniper (pictured) as he had them over at his New York home as Colton said: 'Hes been a friend over the years. I know him for who he is as a person, and I appreciate that,' said the teenager adding: 'He's a good guy.'

The deadly toll makes him the most lethal shot in US military history.

Such was his prowess with a sniper rifle that a $80,000 bounty was put on his head by Iraqi insurgents who called him the 'Devil of Ramadi'.

His colleagues in the Navy SEALs nicknamed him 'The Legend' due to his skills in taking out targets.

Tragically, the highly decorated Navy SEAL was killed in February 2013 when he was shot dead by another veteran said to be suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome at a Texas gun range.

Due to Chris saving countless lives with his sharpshooter skills and his death was mourned by more than 7,000 people who attended his funeral held at the Dallas Cowboys stadium.

Bradley's portrayal of Chris earned him an Academy Award nomination in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role as it was also nominated for Best Picture.
Brad Pitt's girlfriend Ines de Ramon certainly wants the world to know she is still dating the Oscar-winning actor.

On Wednesday the 34-year-old Anita Ko jewelry executive was seen again wearing a B pendant necklace, which is for her 60-year-old love Brad.

The brunette beauty - who resembles his ex-wife Angelina Jolie - started modeling the B pendant over a year ago.

Since then she has moved into his Los Angeles home and are 'very much in love,' according to several outlets.

Meanwhile, de Ramon recently finalized her divorce from her 41-year-old Paul Wesley of Vampire Diaries fame. They were wed from 2019 until their split in September of 2022.

Brad Pitt 's girlfriend Ines de Ramon certainly wants the world to know she is still dating the Oscar-winning actor. On Wednesday the 34-year-old jewelry executive was seen again wearing the B pendant necklace which is for her 60-year-old love Brad

Ines looked every inch the stunning fashion model during her outing in Los Angeles this week.

Sporting a fitted white crop top that showcased her sculpted abs, the former actress paired it with faded denim and brown leather boots.

The budding star carried a gray hoodie and a thermos, her long brunette locks billowing in the wind.

Ines and Brad have been dating for almost two years after his split from wife Jolie, with whom he shares six children.

This comes after a report that Pitt is 'smitten' with de Ramon. The film star 'is on top of the world again' in his love life, an insider told People in February.

The Fight Club actor 'has a cheeky smile every time he is around' de Ramon, and 'is happy to live with her too,' the source said.

The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star and de Ramon began living together, the source said, after 'they were spending a lot of time at Brad's' anyway, as 'it only made sense for her to move in.'

The relationship between the Shawnee, Oklahomaborn actor and de Ramon 'is serious,' the source said, noting that 'this is Brad's first girlfriend since [his] divorce' from ex-wife Angelina Jolie, 48.

The source praised the patience the eligible bachelor exhibited following the his 2016 split with Jolie, adding, 'He didn't settle and it's paying off.'

The relationship between the Shawnee, Oklahomaborn actor and de Ramon 'is serious,' the source said, noting that 'this is Brad's first girlfriend since [his] divorce' from ex-wife Angelina Jolie, 48. Seen in 2015

Ines, left, and Angelina, right, do have a similar look as they are both slender with dark hair and almond eyes

Jolie with Vivienne and Pax at The Outsiders Broadway opening night on April 11

An insider told the publication earlier this month that 'they were spending so much time together at Brad's that it just made sense for Ines to move in with him.

'Since the divorce, Brad's dated but never seriously - this is the first serious relationship and he couldn't be happier.'

Pitt and de Ramon were initially seen spending time with one another at a November 20, 2022 Bono concert in Los Angeles.

They were seen chatting with celebrities including Sean Penn, Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber.

Pitt arrives ahead of the British Grand Prix at the Silverstone Circuit in the UK in 2023

The outing comes hours after DailyMail.com discovered she is the star of the new spring/summer 2024 ad campaign for UTER by designer Philippe Uter.

The images were released on Wednesday, with the brunette looking stylish in the clothing as she posed in the backyard of a home in Palm Springs, California.

In one shot her shirt is worn open revealing she was bra-free as she sat on a lounge chair with two men behind her.

'The palm design came from a trip to Egypt with his father, where he was inspired by the lush palms that adorned the banks of the Nile,' said the release.

'This campaign was shot in Palm Springs, a special place to Philippe as he considers it his personal sanctuary.

'Time seems to stand still in a sunny California ambiance with stunning architect houses everywhere you look, echoing the timeless essence of the brand.'

De Ramon has been spied in a new modeling campaign for UTER spring/summer 2024

DailyMail.com has discovered the jewelry executive is the star of the new spring/summer 2024 ad campaign for UTER by designer Philippe Uter

Before dating Pitt, de Ramon was married to Vampire Diaries actor Paul Wesley, 41, from August of 2018 until their split in September of 2022. Pictured in LA in September 2019

Brad was wed to Jennifer Aniston from 2000 until their split in 2005, when he began seeing Jolie at the time they worked on the film Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

Pitt and Jolie dated for nine years until tying the knot in 2014, announcing their split in 2016.

The former couple are parents to six children: Maddox, 21; Pax, 19; Zahara, 18; Shiloh, 17; and twins Knox and Vivienne, 15.

In recent years, Pitt has been seen in a number of films, including the 2022 thriller Bullet Train, the 2022 historical drama Babylon and the 2022 action adventure film The Lost City.

A reunion with Ocean 11's costar George Clooney in a film titled Wolfs is coming out soon and he is also in a motion picture about Formula One racing.

But his collaboration with Quentin Tarantino tentatively titled The Movie Critic was recently shelved.
Danny Cipriani's estranged wife Victoria Rose is holidaying in Egypt at the same time her former flame is there with actress AnnaLynne McCord.

The couple, who were married for over two years, called time on their marriage in November following a series of 'rows over text messages she saw on his phone.

Victoria, 42, is enjoying a family holiday in the north African country with her daughter Jade and Jade's daughter Rosie.

The Derby native looked incredible as she shared a photo of herself in a baby blue bikini as she soaked up the sun.

Victoria also told how she had been to see the pyramids and rode a horse through the desert which she described as 'one of the most wildly exhilarating unforgettable experiences of my life.'

Danny Cipriani's estranged wife Victoria Rose is holidaying in Egypt at the same time her former flame is there with actress AnnaLynne McCord

Danny, who split from Victoria last year, has joined AnnaLynne at a spiritual retreat in Egypt (the pair are pictured centre)

The brunette also posted a cryptic message about 'the importance of self-love' amid her and Danny's excursions.

She wrote: 'A reminder of the importance of self-love. One of the greatest gifts in my life was the day when it all finally made sense.

'We are living in a multi-mirroring universe. Everything outside of me is being created from the beliefs and perspectives from within me.

'Our perspective is our reality. If you dont choose yourself, the universe will mirror that back by others not choosing you.

'If you believe love leaves, the universe will always mirror that back to you by having love leave.

'If you believe you should be rejected, every experience you have will be through the perspective that youre being rejected

'All my triggers are revealers. All my judgments show me where I dont love and accept me; All the sh***y, hard, it makes no sense experiences that we have, are all being created by our higher and subconscious self.

'For years, my pain tormented me until I understood I was the creator of every experience, and the pain is only there until it teaches me what I am asking myself to learn about myself.

Victoria, 42, is enjoying a family holiday in the north African country with her daughter Jade and Jade's daughter Rosie

She shared a snap of herself performing a handstand while enjoying a trip to the beach

Victoria told how she rpde a horse through the desert, describing it as 'one of the most wildly exhilarating unforgettable experiences of my life'

Victoria shared a snap of herself in a white crop top and matching leggings as she visited the pyramids

In one snap, she looked radiant while posing in a blue patterned bikini

The brunette also posted a cryptic message about 'the importance of self-love' amid her and Danny's excursions

'I knew I would never be able to see the world the same after this sunk in. It finally helped me fully understand that I am the artist and I am holding the paintbrush.

'And that I wasnt subject to something outside of me controlling and creating the storyline of my life. When you love you, the universe loves you back.' Danny, who split from Victoria last year, has joined 90210 actress AnnaLynne at a spiritual retreat in Egypt at the same time.

The actress runs regular retreats from Egypt and Danny has joined the latest trip after the pair 'bonded deeply' over their shared love of 'meditation.'

Last month the English rugby player cosied up with the actress at skincare brand Clarins' new product launch party in Los Angeles.

The pair, both 36, were seen cosying up for photos on the red carpet, sparking rumours of a romance.

Danny and AnnaLynne are currently on a tour of historical Egyptian sites organised by tour guide Sacred Awakenings which is described on Instagram as: 'Designed to activate your capacity to receive more of your divine self, expanding into abundance embodying a higher frequency.'

The Sun report that AnnaLynne and Danny have known each other for over ten years but started 'hooking up' at the start of last month.

AnnaLynne and Danny are pictured in a fellow holidaymaker's snap during the retreat

Danny has been enjoying the retreat's meditation and yoga sessions this week

Last month the English rugby player cosied up with the 90210 actress at skincare brand Clarins new product launch party in Los Angeles

The couple are also believed to have travelled to another spiritual hotspot over Easter weekend - Glastonbury, Somerset, where they took part in a meditation ceremony with a spiritual guide.

They were first pictured together at the Clarins event on March 15, with a close source telling The Sun on Sunday:

'This is the first official event that Dannyhas been to with another woman since he split from Victoria.

'You can still see Victoria's name tattooed on his neck but he is publically planting a kiss on Annalynne.

'They've known each other for about a decade but this is the first time they have been out in public so openly.'

Representatives for Danny and AnnaLynne have been contacted by MailOnline for comment.

Prior to his marriage to Victoria, Danny also had well documented relationships with Kelly Brook, Katie Price, Lindsay Lohan and Kirsty Gallacher.

Last year the ex rugby player shared shocking details of his well-documented sex life and romantic dalliances in his autobiography Who Am I?

AnnaLynne found mainstream fame as the sensitive yet socially-ambitious rich girl Naomi Clark in 90210 between 2008-2013

AnnaLynne was previously in an on/off relationship with Prison Break star Dominic Purcell, who she infamously described as a 'very, very ferociously strong man' who was her 'dom' when she got into BDSM  with the pair enjoying 'explosive' sex.

AnnaLynne and Dominic first got together in July 2011, when she was 23 and he was 41. They split in December 2014, renkindled their romance in 2016, and split again in January 2018.

AnnaLynne first gained prominence as the scheming Eden Lord in 12 episodes of FX's Nip/Tuck between 2007-2009 but found mainstream fame as Naomi Clark in the reboot of 90210 between 2008-2013.

AnnaLynne also had a recurring role in the soap opera Dallas in 2014. In 2021, the Atlanta-born beauty revealed in an Amen Clinics vlog that she developed dissociative identity disorder in order to cope with sexual abuse as a child between age five and 11.

AnnaLynne would cut herself and have suicidal thoughts until she finally sought treatment for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder in 2017, and she was officially diagnosed with DID in early 2019.

AnnaLynne - who meditates and takes ice baths to calm her mind - 'is no longer on medication' and her alters have 'largely disappeared.'
Cardi B revealed she is not going out until she gains weight, after losing nearly 10 pounds over the past two weeks.

While speaking about her more slender figure, since dropping from 137 pounds to 130 due to a nasty stomach bug, the WAP rapper, 31, declared that she was staying in until she gets her curves back.

'I wasn't able to eat or take food down,' she revealed over an Instagram Live on Tuesday. 'So, until I gain weight back, I'm not going out because I do not like how my body looks.'

She continued: 'I look too f**king skinny. When I look too skinny, I don't feel like pants look good on me or skirts. Small little dresses look good on me.'

Cardi B revealed she is not going out until she gains weight, after losing nearly 10 pounds over the past two weeks

'I don't like being too skinny,' she reiterated, before sharing her plans to bulk up a bit.

'I need to eat and I need that d**k,' the mother-of-two mused. ''Cause, you know, d**k helps you gain wait. It's just a science, you know what I'm saying? It's a f**king science.'

It is unclear if she and her estranged husband Offset have reconciled, but they were seen ringing in Valentine's Day together and she confirmed they were intimate on New Year's Eve following their split.

'Was I clubbing with my baby father yesterday? Yes. Did I got d**ked down yesterday? Absolutely, baby,' she revealed during a live X chat on January 1.

She continued: 'I need some d**k on New Year's Eve. I feel like we was vibing yesterday. We had a good time.'

In December, Cardi confirmed that she had separated from Offset during another Instagram Live session.

According to E! News, the Grammy winner told her fans that she had 'been single for a minute now' and admitted that her hesitation to reveal the news was because she did not 'know how to tell the world.'

The performer - whose estranged husband was alleged to have cheated on her with Chrisean Rock - remained optimistic about her future, however, and told her fans that she was 'curious for a new life, for a new beginning.'

While speaking about her more slender figure, since dropping from 137 pounds to 130 due to a nasty stomach bug, the WAP rapper, 31, declared that she was staying in until she gets her curves back (seen in 2018)

'I wasn't able to eat or take food down,' she revealed over an Instagram Live on Tuesday. 'So, until I gain weight back, I'm not going out because I do not like how my body looks'

The Bodak Yellow rapper then stated that she was 'excited' about her new stage in life.

At the time, eagle-eyed fans noticed that Cardi (born Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar) and Offset (born Kiari Kendrell Cephus) both unfollowed each other.

The rapper also recently shared a cryptic Instagram story post where she revealed, 'You know sometimes you just outgrow relationships.'

She added in the next story post, 'I'm tired of protecting people's feelings... I GOTTA PUT MYSELF FIRST.'

This certainly wouldn't be the first time the couple has been on the outs throughout their tumultuous relationship.

The couple reportedly met at an 'industry event' in 2016, with Cardi B recalling in a November 2017 Twitter video, 'He was very consistent. He really wanted to talk to me.'

They reportedly started dating in January 2017, the same month they released a song together called Lick.

Cardi shared a photo of them on her Instagram during the Super Bowl, referring to the Migos rapper as, 'my friend you know what Im saying?'

Offset later revealed that the Super Bowl was their first real date, with the couple sharing a kissing Instagram snap on Valentine's Day 2017.

'I need to eat and I need that d**k,' the mother-of-two mused. ''Cause, you know, d**k helps you gain wait. It's just a science, you know what I'm saying? It's a f**king science'

While Cardi refused to confirm she was even dating Offset that summer, she dropped some not-so-subtle marriage hints at the VMAs in late August 2017.

Less than a month later, the couple secretly married in Fulton County, Georgia, though it was not publicly revealed until June 2018.

Offset proposed to Cardi on stage in October 2017 - despite already being legally married - though in January 2018, rumors surfaced that not only had Offset cheated on Cardi, but he had made a sex tape with another woman.

Cardi defended her decision to stay with Offset in February 2018, stating, 'Its not right, what he f***ing didbut people dont know what I did, cause I aint no angel.'

It is unclear if she and her estranged husband Offset have reconciled, but they were seen ringing in Valentine's Day together and she confirmed they were intimate on New Year's Eve following their split (pictured in 2020)

Pregnancy rumors swirled just weeks later, with Cardi confirming she's expecting while performing on Saturday Night Live, with the couple welcoming their first child Kulture in June 2018.

After months of cheating rumors, Cardi revealed in December 2018 that she had split with Offset, even denying rumors their entire relationship was 'fake.'

Later that month, while Cardi was performing at Rolling Loud, Offset took over her set in an effort to win her back, with signs reading, 'Take Me Back Cardi.'

A month later they had reconciled, with the couple in attendance at the Grammy's where Cardi became the first solo female artist to win Best Rap Album.

In December, Cardi confirmed that she had separated from Offset during another Instagram Live session; pictured in 2023

According to E! News , the Grammy winner told her fans that she had 'been single for a minute now' and admitted that her hesitation to reveal the news was because she did not 'know how to tell the world' (seen in 2019)

Cardi confirmed Offset had cheated on her in December 2019, though the couple seemed to be going strong into 2020, before Cardi surprisingly filed for divorce in September 2020.

They seemingly got back together just months later, with each giving each other expensive cars for their respective birthdays, before welcoming their second child Wave Set in September 2021.

While the couple has seemingly been going strong since, she admitted in September that she didn't think they'd actually get married.

They celebrated their six-year wedding anniversary this past September as well.
A Love Island star was rushed into hospital on Thursday with a fractured rib.

Bombshell Aaron Waters, 26, shared a snap from his hospital room and a picture of his X-ray scan as he revealed the painful news.

Aaron gave his 92.4k Instagram followers the health update but didn't disclose what had caused the injury.

He captioned his post: 'A fractured rib ain't what I need rn..'

The model first appeared on Love Island Australia, finishing runner up, and later appeared in the UK winter-series alongside Jessie Wynter.

A Love Island star was rushed into hospital on Thursday with a fractured rib

Bombshell Aaron Waters, 26, shared a snap from his hospital room and a picture of his X-ray scan as he revealed the painful news

It comes after Aaron defended himself against shocking allegations his former co-star Courtney Stubbs made about him in 2023.

The pair were coupled up for a short period of time on season three of the Australian series in 2021, and after he appeared on the UK series, Courtney made some damning claims about him.

In a video she posted to TikTok, Courtney said her experience with Aaron on the show left her wanting to 'bawl her eyes out'.

She becomes very emotional as she tells her followers about how he 'disrespected' her during their time together on the show, claiming he body-shamed her and mocked her cystic acne.

However, since exiting the Love Island UK villa in South Africa, he has spoken out about the claims, saying that it never happened and that he isn't a bully.

Aaron has even claimed that ITV producers said they would back-up his claim, however, no official statement from the station has been released.

In the video, Courtney said: '[Aaron] has gone on to Love Island UK and first thing he wanted to do was in his promotion was drag me.

'He bullied me, belittled me, he skin-shamed me, he body-shamed me. He would constantly tell me to f**k off [and] shut up the whole show, and made it his personal vendetta against me to make sure every single guy felt the same way he felt about me.'

Aaron gave his 92.4k Instagram followers the health update but didn't disclose what had caused the injury

The model first appeared on Love Island Australia, finishing runner up, and later appeared in the UK winter-series alongside Jessie Wynter

It comes after Aaron defended himself against shocking allegations his former co-star Courtney Stubbs made about him in 2023

The pair were coupled up for a short period of time on season three of the Australian series in 2021, and after he appeared on the UK series, Courtney made some damning claims about him

Speaking to the Where's Your Head At podcast with Anna McEvoy and Matt Zukowski, Aaron claimed that he never bullied his former co-star, and never made comments about her body or skin.

He said: 'The video frustrated me because I didn't do those things, we just didn't get along, but I never bullied you. Do you know what a bully is? The definition of a bully isn't not getting along with someone.

'Saying in my interview that she was my least favourite isn't dragging you through the mud it's me being honest and being asked questions about my journey and who I was coupled up with, it is not dragging someone through the mud or bullying.

'We just don't get along, not everyone gets a long with everyone, so it was very like... what the f**k?'

The reality TV star said he did repeat his preferences while on the show, such as wanting 'a girly girl' and someone who 'goes to the gym and looks after themselves'.

Co-host Anna then asked Aaron if maybe because of these comments Courtney felt he was making a dig at her and that the whole situation is a 'miscommunication'.

He said: 'I wouldn't call it a miscommunication. I had arguments with Courtney on the show, we never saw eye to eye, that's Love Island, you argue with people.

'But, they are my preferences, I still want a girl who takes care of themselves and goes to the gym, but I never once told her that [I like a girl with clean skin] I would have never said I don't like a girl because of their skin.'
Theresa Nist's daughter only had words of praise for her mother's ex Gerry Turner as she reflected on their time together as a blended family.

Nist, 70, and Turner, 72, were only married for three months before their shock divorce announcement - but Nist's daughter Jen Woolston only has fond memories of the Turner family.

On Instagram, Woolston posted a snap from her mother's wedding to Turner - along with a heartwarming message about her time with Gerry and his family.

Woolston called the experience she had with Gerry and his relatives 'lovely' - and said they would be 'family always.'

'I had only the loveliest experiences being with Gerry and his family and I will hold the days we were officially family in my heart forever, and will think of them as family always,' Jen captioned the post, shared Wednesday.

Golden Bachelor star Theresa Nist's daughter Jen Woolston gushed about Gerry Turner and his family after he split from her mother

Turner's daughter, Angie Turner, kindly replied in the comments: 'Right back at you Jen! You guys will always be family to us as well!!'

After their proposal in Costa Rica, Turner and Nist tied the knot in a televised wedding in January 2024 - only to announce their divorce just three months later.

During an appearance on the Dear Shandy podcast back in March, the then-couple described how Nist's job had become a 'hurdle' in their marriage.

Nist works as a securities professional and remained committed to her job after becoming engaged to Gerry on The Golden Bachelor.

However, her career kept her in New Jersey, hundreds of miles away from Gerry's home in Indiana.

The former couple - who wed in January 2024 before announcing their divorce just three months later - opened up about the obstacle during an appearance on Bachelor vet Sharleen Joynt's podcast, admitting they were in a 'long-distance relationship.'

'I still work, so thats the hurdle,' Theresa explained.

'When I went on the show, I'm a very, very loyal person, and I had no idea what lay in store for me that I would be on this show for so long. I said, "I'll be back in two weeks,"' she explained.

Initially Nist had only hoped to make it through the first night - but she ended up staying far longer than anticipated.

The couple wed in January 2024 before Turner filed for divorce three months later

Gerry described how Nist's job impacted their marriage during an interview done ahead of their shock divorce announcement

She had also assured her employer she wouldn't be leaving her job.

'I honestly thought, "Oh, let me just get through the first night,"' she recalled. 'And I stayed and I stayed and I stayed, and my employer was so good to me. And before I left, I kind of said, "Dont worry, Im not going to leave you."'

'So kind of stuck with me, even though my intent, I'm not going to work until I'm 80, but I am still working. So, right now, it's a long distance relationship essentially.

'Until we decide on a place to really live, then I can really make a big decision to say, "Okay, were going to live in this place or that place," she said. 'And originally, it was South Carolina. Were still not sure if thats what it is.'

Asked how he felt about the challenge, Gerry said: 'I go through phases.'

While Theresa was still working, Gerry was now retired and was hopeful for a life of 'fun' and 'adventure' with his partner.

The former couple - who wed in January 2024 before announcing their divorce just three months later - opened up about the 'hurdle' during an appearance on Bachelor vet Sharleen Joynt's podcast Dear Shandy

'I guess the difficult part is I went on to the show to find my partner, and Ive been retired for a long time,' he said.

'I wanted fun, adventure. I wanted to go do,' he explained. 'So that is the crux of it, right now, is when does that start? I think the living arrangement is really secondary to the freedom of being able to go and enjoy life and do.'

Gerry admitted it was Theresa's first week visiting him at his home in Indiana and she had won over his friends after meeting them during a get-together the night prior.

'This is Theresa's first week in Indiana at my house. So we had the good fortune last night, I got my closest friends together and went to the nearby bar and grill and had a great night.

'And then this morning I see those same friends playing pickleball and they're all raving. "Theresa was so nice, is she enjoying her time here in Indiana?" All positive comments.'

'I work, so that's the hurdle,' Nist admitted

Gerry added they were 'dealing' with the obstacle: 'That hurdle is still there, and right now, were dealing with it. Its just something were gonna have to find a way around.'

Theresa noted they had plans in store together, including a trip to Italy: ' Coming up we're about to be doing a lot of things together.'

Theresa and Gerry's long-distance marriage was no secret to fans, with TMZ reporting early this month that they were still living apart due to the roots they already planted in their respective cities.

The marriage, however, wasn't meant to be - just three months after saying 'I do' on TV, they announced their divorce this past Friday on Good Morning America.

'Theresa and I have had a number of heart-to-heart conversations, and weve looked closely at our situation, our living situation, so forth and - and weve kind of come to the conclusion mutually that its probably time for us to - dissolve our marriage,' Gerry told host Juju Chang.

The same day, Gerry filed for divorce.

In documents obtained by TMZ and filed by Turner on Friday morning in his hometown of Petersburg, Indiana, the star cites an 'irretrievable breakdown' of the marriage as the reason for the split.

The couple said 'I do' in a lavish televised wedding in January 2024

In their interview Turner admitted that their decision to separate was motivated in large part by their 'dedication' to their respective families - hinting that this has made it incredibly difficult for them to decide on a place to settle down together.

Both Gerry, a retired restauranteur from Indiana, and Theresa, a securities professional from New Jersey, have kids from past relationships; he has two daughters and two granddaughters, while she has a son, daughter, and six grandsons.

'The thing that strikes me the most in our conversations, its been how dedicated both of us are to our families,' Gerry explained.

'So we look at these situations and I think we just feel like its best for the happiness of each of us to live apart.'

Gerry proposed to Nist in Costa Rica

However, Theresa insisted that the former couple tried their utmost to reach a compromise that would work for both of their families, revealing that they had looked at different locations across the country in the hopes of finding a ideal home to start their new lives together.

'We looked at homes in South Carolina, we considered New Jersey, and we just looked at home after home, but we never got to the point where we made that decision,' she said.

'We have received so much love and support from so many people who watched The Golden Bachelor, and I dont think we can tell you how many people told us that it gave them so much hope,' Theresa added. 'We want none of that to change for anybody.'

When asked if they 'fell out of love,' Gerry insisted, 'No. I still love this person. There's no doubt in my mind, I am still in love with her and still root for her every day.'

They added that they were going to have to 'give their rings back,' but that they were happy they could keep 'the memories' that they shared.
Laura Whitmore's Prime Video show Date My Mate has been axed after one series.

Date My Mate saw singletons put their love lives in the hands of their friends who helped them swipe and match with people on an exclusive dating app.

It's the second show fronted by the TV presenter to be given the chop recently after ITV chose not to renew her Sunday programme Laura Whitmore's Breakfast Show.

An insider told The Sun: 'Love Island is a distant memory and she has ceased hosting her weekend show on ITV1, so this is a rather disappointing hat-trick of farewells.

'Laura seems to have tried a variety of projects after leaving the villa, including chat shows and documentaries, but it seems even the familiar territory of a dating show isn't a safe bet.'

Laura Whitmore 's Prime Video show Date My Mate has been axed after one series

Date My Mate saw singletons put their love lives in the hands of their friends who helped them swipe and match with people on an exclusive dating app

It's the second show fronted by the TV presenter to be given the chop recently after ITV chose not to renew her Sunday programme Laura Whitmore's Breakfast Show

Laura began hosting her ITV breakfast show in 2023 but ITV announced in February it would be replacedy by Farmhouse Breakfast hosted by Jimmy Doherty and Shivi Ramoutar.

A representative for Prime Video declined to comment.

The Irish beauty stepped down as the host of Love Island in 2022 after fronting three seasons of the dating show.

She has since filmed investigative documentaries and expressed her relief at being a producer on her ITVX series Laura Whitmore Investigates, after having previously just been 'the face' of television projects.

The DJ admitted she sees the move as her way of 'reclaiming my power,' after having been 'frustrated' over having 'no control' over the shows she worked on.

Laura also revealed she is having therapy after it was offered to her for the first time, and admitted: 'I never really feel like I fit in!'

The television personality confessed that perhaps she has never asked for mental health support, because she 'didn't want to be seen to be weak.'

Speaking to The Telegraph, Laura said: 'Sometimes  a lot of the time  your job is to turn up and look a certain way. I've worked on shows where I've had no control over my script or producing or anything.

The Irish beauty stepped down as the host of Love Island in 2022 after fronting three seasons of the dating show

'When I first started on Radio 5 Live, I had comments on Twitter saying, "Why have you got that bimbo on that slot?" [] I never really feel like I fit in anywhere, but does anyone?'

She continued: 'Once I can add something to the narrative and I'm getting something from it I'll bloody well do it, and I hope I'll do it to the best ability I can.

'I have a lovely life, but I will also call out the s**t, because I hope I'll be able to continue to do this for years and it will get better and I'll have more power. I've definitely got more power now than I did 10 years ago in this industry.'
James Hetfield found a unique way to honor late rocker Lemmy Kilmister.

On Wednesday, the Metallica legend, 60, revealed he got a permanent tribute to the English musician, who founded the British heavy metal band Motorhead, inked to his body.

'With the steady hand of friend and tattoo artist @coreymillertattoo, this tattoo,' Hetfield captioned an image of himself flipping off the camera as he showed off the piece of ink on his middle finger. 'A salute to my friend and inspiration Mr. Lemmy Kilmister. Without him, there would be NO Metallica.'

He continued: 'Black ink mixed with a pinch of his cremation ashes that were so graciously given to me. So now, he is still able to fly the bird at the world.'

Metallica frontman James Hetfield revealed he got a tattoo made with his late friend Lemmy Kilmister's ashes on his middle finger

The tat, made from a pinch of Kilmister's ashes, was a design of an Ace of Spades, seemingly a nod to his own band's hit track, Ace of Spades, released in 1980.

In the image, he held onto a box, which appeared to contain the rest of Kilmister's ashes.

His tattoo artist Corey Miller commented that he was 'honoured to do that tattoo.'

Following Kilmister's passing on December 28, 2015, Hetfield revealed he was 'distraught' by the loss.

'My vision of him was as a statue of a man that was immortal. When he passed it scared me, like, 'Where's our captain now?' He's been a godfather to us. There's no doubt that without him there wouldn't be a Metallica. When he was around, it just felt like things were going to be okay,' he told told Kerrang!

Kilmister died at age 70 from prostate cancer and congestive heart failure, according to his death certificate, obtained by TMZ.

The British-born star had cut back on his alcohol and tobacco intake ahead of his death due to poor health. He had been a smoker for 57 years.

The heavy metal icon died while sitting in front of his favorite poker video game at his Los Angeles home, surrounded by family.

Following Kilmister's passing on December 28, 2015, Hetfield revealed he was 'distraught' by the loss (seen in 2006)

His death was announced in a statement on the Motorhead Facebook page, which remembered a 'mighty, noble friend' and called on fans to play his music loud and 'have a drink or few'.

His death came just over a month after the passing of his bandmate Phil Philthy Animal Taylor.

Kilmister, who was born in Stoke-on-Trent on Christmas Eve 1945, founded Motorhead in 1975. The group later became one of the defining metal bands of the 1980s.

'My vision of him was as a statue of a man that was immortal. When he passed it scared me, like, 'Where's our captain now?' He's been a godfather to us,' Hetfield told Kerrang!

He wrote in his autobiography, White Line Fever, that he had been fired from his previous band Hawkwind for 'doing the wrong drugs'.

His exit followed his arrest at the Canadian border for possessing cocaine and spent five days in prison, causing the band to cancel some of a US tour.

Famous for his hard-rocking lifestyle, Kilmister said he drank a bottle of Jack Daniels every day for many years, and also claimed to have slept with more than 1,000 women.

He said he had never married because the love of his life, a woman named Susan Bennett, had died of a heroin overdose aged 19. He dedicated his autobiography to Ms Bennett.
Alexia Nepola is expressing her appreciation for her supportive fanbase in the aftermath of her heartbreaking split from husband Todd.

The Real Housewives of Miami star shared a statement thanking followers for all the 'love and support' sent her way after Todd's divorce filing.

The couple were married for two years before Todd filed to end the union earlier this month.

'The outpouring [of] love and support that I have received from all of you has truly warmed my heart,' Nepola, 56, wrote in a post shared to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday.

'Thank you,' she added. 'Love you all.'

Alexia Nepola is thanking her supportive fanbase in the aftermath of her heartbreaking split from husband Todd

The couple were married for two years before Todd filed to end the union earlier this month; Alexia and Todd pictured February 2023 in NYC

It's the second message Nepola has posted in regards to her divorce on her Instagram.

On Monday, a 'heartbroken' Nepola shared a statement responding to the divorce filing shortly after news broke her spouse had filed to end the marriage.

'I am shocked and heartbroken that Todd has chosen to dissolve our marriage,' she posted to her Instagram Stories on Monday.

'I will take comfort in the fact that my friends and family will be by my side supporting me during this difficult time.

'I'm praying for better times ahead.'

It came after Page Six reported that Todd had filed to end the marriage on April 11.

In the divorce documents, Todd said their marriage was 'irretrievably broken.'

Alexia, best known as a member of the Real Housewives of Miami cast, has not yet legally responded to the petition, Page Six reports.

Todd, a commercial real estate executive, revealed in his filing that each had signed a prenuptial agreement on Dec. 10, 2021, six days before they tied the knot.

On Monday, a 'heartbroken' Nepola shared a statement responding to the divorce filing shortly after news broke her spouse had filed to end the marriage

Nepola, 56, and her husband Todd, 51, are divorcing after two years of marriage

The details of the contract were not listed in the filing.

The pair tied the knot quietly in St. Barts.

The Bravo star told US Weekly at the time she announced it, the intimate ceremony was 'perfect for us! Truly everything we wanted. Just him and I.'

'Our favorite moment of the ceremony was when a big sea turtle came up to above the water. I knew there was a symbolic and spiritual meaning and the universe trying to tell me something,' she recalled.

The mother of two, shares her sons Peter, 31, and Frankie, 27, with ex-husband Pedro Rosello, to whom she was married from 1992 to 1996.

She became famous as Alexia Echevarria when she married her late husband Hermann, who passed away unexpectedly in 2016. They were separated at the time of his death.

Alexia and Todd met in 2017 and became engaged in 2019, before walking down the aisle two years later.

The relationship between Todd and his step-son Peter was always a difficult one.

The couple wed during a quiet ceremony in St. Barts in late December 2021 and traveled to Italy a year later to celebrate their first anniversary

Court papers indicate that the pair signed a prenup before tying the knot. Details of the contract were not disclosed in the filing (Pictured in Miami in December 2022)

Alexia has yet to respond to the petition

It's been going on for a few years,' Alexia told BravoTV.com in January 2022.

'The viewers are going to see Todd's side of the argument, and they're also going to see Peter's side of the argument. And the truth is, you can never judge. You have to be at the moment and really know the whole story in order to form an opinion.'

The devoted mom also helps provide care for Frankie, who suffered permanent brain damage from a 2011 car accident.

Since then, she has worked as an advocate for people with brain injuries.
Brooke Shields proved she is one proud mom as she celebrated her youngest daughter's birthday.

The iconic actress, 58  who recently opened up about her difficult childhood took to her Instagram on Thursday to share adorable pics featuring her daughter, Grier, who is turning 18.

The beaming mother first posted a nostalgic photo capturing her planting a kiss on her then-toddler daughter's cheek.

She also curated a collage featuring recent snapshots of Grier intertwined with glimpses of her childhood.

'My baby girl is 18! I love being your mom and seeing the wonderful woman youre growing into.. Happy golden birthday, Grier! I love you!' Brooke wrote in her caption.

Brooke Shields proved she is one proud mom as she celebrated her youngest daughter Grier's birthday

The iconic actress, 58, took to her Instagram on Thursday to share adorable pics featuring her youngest daughter, Grier, who is turning 18

The star shares Grier, along with daughter Rowan, 20, with her husband Chris Henchy.

Brooke and Chris welcomed Grier Hammond Henchy on April 18, 2006, in Los Angeles.

Following in her mother's modeling path, Grier has recently stepped into the spotlight.

In May 2022, she made her debut in a Mother's Day campaign for Victoria's Secret alongside Brooke.

'I asked her, and it was just such an emotionally beautiful period,' Brooke told People at the time.

'You know, I have resisted this. But to watch her handle herself in a way, it makes me realize, okay, she's a pretty strong character.'

She continued: 'So I don't feel like this business will eat her up. It was really fun to be in front of the camera with her.'

Meanwhile, the trailer for Brooke's upcoming romantic comedy Mother of the Bride was recently released.

Brooke stars as Lana, a woman who travels to the Southeast Asian kingdom when her daughter announces she is getting married there in a month's time to her boyfriend, played by Sean Teale.

The drama around the hasty nuptials is further complicated when Lana discovers her future son-in-law is the offspring of the man who broke her heart decades ago, played by Benjamin Bratt.

She also curated a collage featuring recent snapshots of Grier intertwined with glimpses of her childhood

Brooke's daughter Grier has her mom's modeling genes

The beaming mother first posted a nostalgic photo capturing her planting a kiss on her then-toddler daughter's cheek

Following in her mother's modeling path, Grier has recently stepped into the spotlight

The star shares Grier, along with daughter Rowan, 20, with her husband Chris Henchy

A family portrait with Brooke, Rowen, Chris and Grier

The 60-year-old actor even has a moment of full frontal nudity when Brooke's character walks in on him naked.

Chad Michael Murray, 42, appears to be a romantic rival for Lana's affection.

Also starring in the film are Rachael Harris (Suits), Michael McDonald (MADtv), Wilson Cruz (My So-Called Life), Tasneem Roc (The Bureau of Magical Things), and Dalip Sondhi (Frayed).

The movie was shot on location in Thailand for six weeks and will come out on Netflix May 9.
Irans President Ebrahim Raisi will visit Pakistan as scheduled next week despite increasing tension in the Middle East in the wake of Tehran's aerial attack on Israel, Pakistan's foreign minister said Thursday.

Ishaq Dar said Raisi will arrive in the capital, Islamabad, on Monday on an official three-day visit.

Dar provided no further details, but the visit seems to be part of efforts by the two sides to mend ties which had briefly been strained in January, when Tehran and Islamabad carried out tit-for-tat strikes targeting militants accused of attacking each other's security forces.

But the two sides soon agreed to work together to improve security cooperation.

The visit was announced days after Iran launched unprecedented air strikes on Israel after a suspected Israeli strike in Syria killed two Iranian generals in an Iranian consular building.

Pakistan is among the countries that has no diplomatic relations with Israel because of the lingering issue of Palestinian statehood. Dar said Pakistan wants the issue to be settled according to U.N. resolutions. (AP)
I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! fans have slammed the show following Brittany Hockley's shock elimination on Thursday.

The podcast host, 36, and Ellie Cole both narrowly missed out on a place in Sunday night's finale as they were sent home in the final elimination of the 2024 series.

Viewers have taken to social media to call out the show for failing to display much of Brittany's humour that her fellow contestants raved about.

'Brittany's humour must have ended up on the cutting room floor because her humour wasn't shown,' one user tweeted.

'"Brittanys one of the funniest people I know" Channel 10 should have shown us some of those bits then,' added another.

I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Australia viewers were left shocked as Brittany Hockley (pictured) and Ellie Cole were sent home in a double elimination on Thursday

Tristan MacManus said of his campmate: 'Brittany is one of the funniest people I know. She's quick on absolutely everything.'

The final three IAC contestants were also revealed on Thursday's episode as Callum Hole, Tristan MacManus and Skye Wheatley all made it through to Sunday's grand final.

Fans took to X - formerly known as Twitter - to share their shock after fan favourites Ellie and Brittany were eliminated from the South African jungle.

They wrote: 'Farewell Brittany and Ellie. You were fantastic'; 'Through this show I've learned that Ellie is a badass and a sweetheart.'

Viewers have taken to social media to call out the show for failing to display much of Brittany's humour that contestants raved about

'Brittany's humour must have ended up on the cutting room floor because her humour wasn't shown,' one user tweeted

'The third through should have been Ellie for sure'; 'Damn I wanted Ellie in top three'; 'Ellie robbed;' 'Ellie gone I'm heartbroken.'

However, other fans also shared their delight over the final three as they shared their predictions on who they think will be crowned the 2024 winner.

They tweeted: 'I NEED Tristan to win, however i'm expecting Callum or Skye to'; 'CALLUM AND SKYE AND TRISTAN IS THE BEST POSSIBLE TOP 3 i am so pleased with that result';

'All of these celebrities deserve to win'; 'Tristan on making the top 3 'I feel like they're reading from the wrong list' No, we love you mate! fans for years and years here;'

Brittany and Ellie (pictured) both narrowly missed out on a place in Sunday night's final as they were sent home in the final elimination of the 2024 series

The final three were also revealed as Callum Hole, Tristan MacManus and Skye Wheatley (pictured with Ellie and Brittany) all made it through to Sunday's grand final

'Yay! My Save votes actually worked this time!'; 'I'm so happy!!!! Callum and Tristian are in the #ImACelebrityAU grand finale!!!!!'

In their exit interviews, Brittany and Ellie were both overcome with emotion as they reflected on their stints in the South African jungle.

Brittany revealed which aspect of living in the jungle she found the hardest, as she insisted it wasn't the grueling conditions as people might expect.

Breaking down in tears, Brittany told hosts Robert Irwin and Julia Morris of her jungle stint: 'It's a once in a lifetime experience [...] you can't put words, yeah.

'I've travelled the world and lived rougher than this, which helped me a lot. For me, the environment was easy, the hardest thing was the food and being away from family,' she added.

Fans took to X - formerly known as Twitter - to share their shock after fan favourites Ellie and Brittany were eliminated from the South African jungle

Skye became overcome with emotion after it was revealed she had made it through to Sunday night's final, where the winner will be announced after a month-long stint in the jungle

Meanwhile, Ellie gushed over getting to know the 11 other celebrities and told how she has always wanted to appear on I'm A Celebrity.

'I've always wanted to do a show like this, it tests you in an environment you'll never find in the outside world,' she emotionally said.

'To be able to share all of those experiences and get to know each other so well - and get to know yourself much more - is amazing.'

Brittany had been competing on the show in a bid to raise funds for Rize Up Australia, while Ellie had selected cancer charity Challenge as her cause.

The final three celebrities - Skye, Callum and Tristan - also all shared their shock upon making it to the grand final.

The 2024 winner will finally be revealed on Sunday night, with public voting now open, after a month-long stint in the South African jungle.

I'm A Celebrity Australia continues on Sunday at 7.30pm on Channel 10.
Bravo has issued a quick denial that Andy Cohen was negotiating an exit package to leave the network.

A report surfaced on Thursday from InTouch that claimed the 55-year-old Watch What Happens Live host and Real Housewives executive was on his way out.

'Negotiations for Cohens departure package are underway as he grapples with the fallout from mounting accusations by his stars,' a source claimed.

However, TMZ is reporting that a network source claims, 'there is absolutely no truth to the rumor Andy's negotiating an exit from the network.'

A rep for the network also told Deadline that the source cited in the original report, 'obviously has no clue about the situation.'

Bravo has issued a quick denial that Andy Cohen was negotiating an exit package to leave the network

However, TMZ is reporting that a network source claims, 'there is absolutely no truth to the rumor Andy's negotiating an exit from the network'

This also comes roughly a week after Cohen announced there will be no BravoCon in 2024, though the convention would be back in 2025.

For his part, Cohen hasn't spoken publicly about the reports on social media, though he was taking questions on X for an upcoming Watch What Happens Live and showcasing the guests for Thursday's episode - Tyler Cameron and Ciara Miller - on his Instagram story.

It remains to be seen if Cohen will address the rumors on Watch What Happens Live on Thursday or not.

The original report claimed his exit was being negotiated, 'amid mounting accusations,' referring to a lawsuit filed by former Real Housewives of New York star Leah McSweeney.

The lawsuit alleges that Cohen and the entire network fostered a, 'rotted' workplace culture and that he and other producers constantly encouraging them to imbibe alcohol while filming.

She alleges cocaine use is rampant at the the network. She said in court docs reviewed by Page Six that Cohen 'tends to provide the Housewives with whom he uses cocaine with more favorable treatment' and strategic editing to make them look better.

A rep for Cohen told Dailymail.com that 'the claims against Andy are completely false.'

In a legal letter obtained by TMZ last month, Cohen's attorneys urged McSweeney to retract her 'categorically false' allegations or face a lawsuit. They also accuse McSweeney of making the explosive claim to 'just to get headlines and a quick payday.'

This also comes roughly a week after Cohen announced there will be no BravoCon in 2024 , though the convention would be back in 2025

It remains to be seen if Cohen will address the rumors on Watch What Happens Live on Thursday or not

The lawsuit alleges that Cohen and the entire network fostered a, 'rotted' workplace culture and that he and other producers constantly encouraging them to imbibe alcohol while filming

RHONJ star Caroline Manzo is suing Bravo and claims production plied the cast of Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip with alcohol as they filmed the spin-off in Morocco in January 2023

According to court documents obtained by Page Six earlier this year, Manzo claims co-star Brandi Glanville 'forced her vagina against her back' and 'proceeded to mount Manzo on the couch holding Manzo down with her body, forcibly squeezed Manzo's cheeks together and thrust her tongue in Manzo's mouth, while humping her'

RHONJ star Caroline Manzo is suing Bravo and claims production plied the cast of Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip with alcohol as they filmed the spin-off in Morocco in January 2023.

According to court documents obtained by Page Six earlier this year, Manzo claims co-star Brandi Glanville 'forced her vagina against her back' and 'proceeded to mount Manzo on the couch holding Manzo down with her body, forcibly squeezed Manzo's cheeks together and thrust her tongue in Manzo's mouth, while humping her.'

The documents state: 'Defendants, including Bravo, regularly ply the Real Housewives cast with alcohol, cause them to become severely intoxicated, and then direct, encourage and/or allow them to sexually harass other cast members because that is good for ratings.'

'Caroline Manzo is a victim of those harmful actions,' it added.
Single women now make up an increasing proportion of American homebuyers

Meanwhile, men disinterested in families will cause demand to fall

The analyst predicted housing supply will ramp up as the elderly relocate

A financial analyst nicknamed the 'Oracle of Wall Street' has said a 'growing crisis of the young American male' will cause house prices to fall as much as 30 percent.

Meredith Whitney, who earned the title after predicting the financial crisis of 2007 - 2008, suggested young men increasingly living with their parents and disinterested in starting families will drastically reduce housing demand.

The trend of men refusing to settle in turn means more women are remaining single into later life, leaving them without the income or need for big family homes.

But it comes as baby boomers start to downsize, meaning there will be a surplus of available properties. Much of the last decade's gains in home values have been driven by high demand and low supply - a phenomenon, Whitney says, is reversing.

To explain the rise in men living at home, she pointed to the increasing prevalence of video games, starting in the mid-2000s.

Meredith Whitney, also known as the 'Oracle of Wall Street,' has predicted house prices are set to fall because men are increasingly disinterested in starting families

Over the last decades, the number of young men living in their family home has been on the rise. (Young adults are defined as those aged between 25 and 34)

'You feel like you're with other people but you're actually at home alone, and that created a big chasm in young male sociability,' she told DailyMail.com.

Whitney cited US Census Bureau data showing that before the financial crisis around 13 percent of men aged between 25 and 34 lived at home.

That rose to as high as 22 percent during the pandemic but even after falling back down was still almost 20 percent in 2023. It was only in the last decade that rate had risen above 16 percent.

The data also shows that young women have consistently been around twice as likely to leave their parents' homes. Last year, just 12.3 percent were still at home.

The figures coincide with a decline in romantic relationships among young men. A 2023 Pew Research study found 63 percent of males under 30 describe themselves as single.

Experts have attributed the figures to a confluence of factors such as increased porn consumption, the rise in hook-up apps and the legacy of lockdown during the pandemic.

'The pace at which young men live at home versus young women live at home is around 2x, I correlated all of this with in the early, mid-2000s launch of the Xbox, Wii and PlayStation,' she said.

'The biggest driver of home prices has historically been household formation,' Whitney told DailyMail.com. 'Household formation today is the lowest it's been in 160 years.'

And household formation, she said, is driven by the 'five Ds' - 'diamonds, diapers, divorce, debt, and death.'

'Without at least the first two Ds, there's no reason to buy a home,' she said.

Whitney previously told Fortune the drop could be as much as 30 percent.

Whitney attributed the increasing rate of men living at home to the rise of video gaming, starting in the mid-2000s

Single women have increasingly been purchasing homes of their own. Female buyers alone make up 19 percent of American homebuyers - almost double that of single men - according to recent data from the National Association of Realtors.

That is a stark contrast from 40 years ago when the portion of single women and men buying homes was roughly the same - 11 percent and 10 percent respectively.

As of 2023, the proportion of single men purchasing property has stayed steady at 10 percent. According to the NAR, the share of recent buyers who are married couples has also dropped to 59 percent.

In 1981, when the organization began analyzing the profiles of buyers and sellers, married couples made up 73 percent of homeowners.

However, according to Whitney, single women alone will be unable to absorb the entire supply of large, family homes.

'I don't see single women buying a four bedroom, three bath home,' she said.

And spurring the downsizing of the elderly into smaller homes are rising costs, Whitney said.

Despite the inconvenience of moving in old age, burdensome costs like household expenses, property taxes, insurance, utilities, homeowners association fees and mortgages may leave them with little choice.

Single women are purchasing an increasing share of homes but Whitney doubts they will be able to absorb all the demand, so prices will fall. Pictured is a 'for sale' sign outside a home in Phoenix, Arizona

Whether or not aging baby boomers will vacate their homes and flood the market in the coming years is uncertain

While the youth aspiring to buy homes may be eagerly waiting for baby boomers and older homeowners to start vacating theirs, whether or not that will happen is up for debate.

A Redfin survey in February found that out of more than 800 Americans aged 60 and older, some 71 percent said they would stay in place in their current homes.

A separate study by government-backed lender Freddie Mac downplayed the significance of the 'silver tsunami' - a metaphor sometimes used to describe population aging.

'Some have warned of a 'silver tsunami' as aging boomers look to sell their homes, flooding the market with inventory,' it read.

'But as this analysis demonstrates, the tsunami is more like a tide, bringing a gradual exit that will mostly be offset by new entrants.'
After Malta and Luxembourg, on April 1, Germany became the third country in the European Union to legalize the recreational use of cannabis. Possession of 25 grams of dried cannabis is now permitted in public places, as is cultivation at home. Distribution will be done, from July 1 only, by cannabis clubs, associations responsible for cultivation and sales to members.

As in all countries where the legalization of cannabis is discussed, its opponents fear an increase in consumption, particularly among young people under 25 for whom this drug presents an increased risk to the brain.

Only twelve countries have partially or fully legalized cannabis worldwide, but only a handful have done so long enough to allow analysis of its effects on consumption. This is the case of Uruguay, which took the plunge in 2013, but also of a few American states, such as Colorado and Washington State (2014) and finally of Canada, in 2018. Each of these states has adopted a different approach but the finding is the same: the surveys all show an increase in cannabis consumption among adults. As for minors, no increase (apart from Uruguay), but it is difficult to attribute this result to legalization since this trend is global.

Possible reporting biases in surveys

This increase in consumption among adults can first be explained by the difficulty of measuring drug use in society. In all prevalence surveys, underreporting is a well-known methodological problem. Due to the legal prohibition and even if the anonymity of respondents is guaranteed, the consumers interviewed may fear recognizing a stigmatized practice. By becoming legal, the consumption of cannabis can be more easily accepted, which can be reflected in the surveys.

We cannot measure consumption with constant bias, we can therefore imagine that part of the increase observed in countries that have legalized cannabis is due to the freedom of speech due to the fact that it is no longer illicit behavior , suggests Ivana Obradovic, deputy director of the French Observatory of Drugs and Addictive Tendencies (OFDT). It is impossible, however, to know how much of the increase could be due to these reporting biases.

Greater availability and diversification of the offer

In any case, the results of an OFDT survey on the effects of legalization in North America, published at the end of 2023, are clear: Legalization appears to contribute to a wider distribution of the product among the adults. 

In American states, rather business-friendly regulatory models, with the aim of increasing tax revenues, have led to an increase in the number of products and ways of consuming: cannabis is consumed more often and in greater quantities. Dried cannabis remains at the top of sales, but the appearance of new edible products (sodas, gummies, cakes) and concentrates has attracted new audiences.

The opening of numerous shops has also increased the visibility of this drug in public spaces. At the start of 2021, there were 14 stores per 100,000 residents in Colorado. Seven years after the market opened, 3,000 brands were listed in this state and in Washington State, each marketing on average 40 to 60 cannabis products, according to data analyzed by Ivana Obradovic.

One of the effects of legalization is that more seniors have started to consume cannabis, moving towards products concentrated in CBD, praised for their relaxing or pain-relieving effects, explains the researcher, also author of the book Le Cannabis published by La Decouverte (Reperes collection, 2022). Unlike THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), more sought after by younger age groups, CBD (cannabidiol) does not have psychotropic effects.

A drop in prices and a black market difficult to dry up

One of the arguments put forward by defenders of legalization is always to combat the illicit market. Legal production must then align with street prices. Competition is established between the two markets, legal and illegal, which leads to an overall drop in cannabis prices. If the general drop in prices on legal cannabis markets can help reduce the illicit market, it can also lead to an increase in consumption, notes the OFDT study.

Always gradual, the decline of the black market can be more or less rapid depending on the States and the regulatory models put in place. In Uruguay, where legalization was passed in 2013, the implementation of restrictive regulation has been slow and legal supply in pharmacies or in cannabis social clubs remains complicated. The limited production capacity of the legal market and the resulting shortage may have diverted consumers towards the black market. So much so that in 2018 only one in three cannabis users said they obtained it through legal channels, according to a report from the Uruguayan Drug Observatory.

In certain American states, on the contrary, it is overproduction which constitutes one of the main counterproductive effects of legalization. Legal production sometimes greatly exceeds demand, as in Oregon where supply covered seven years of local demand as of 2019, according to the OFDT study. Due to the federal and international ban, this overproduction cannot be exported or transported to another state and often ends up being diverted to the black market, once again contributing to the drop in prices.

The fact remains that legalization still has the advantage of bringing users back to a previously non-existent legal market, with controlled products, known health risks and targeted prevention campaigns. Health Canada data in this sense is more reassuring: it shows that in 2023, five years after the opening of a legal market, three-quarters (73%) of people who declared having consumed cannabis during year had purchased their cannabis from a legal source.

For Ivana Obradovic, the question is what is the priority objective knowing that there are always several: health? Security ? Economic profitability? . Countries adopting these new laws must then find the equation that allows them to generate tax revenue without worsening public health problems. No state that has legalized cannabis has yet found the optimal formula, points out the deputy director of the OFDT. The search for the balance point is still ongoing. 
President Dennis Francis, at the helm of the 78th UN General Assembly session, champions sustainability as pivotal to economic advancement

While the news of increasing temperatures in the Capital City of Delhi in the coming weeks and months hit the headlines, in a resounding affirmation of the symbiotic relationship between sustainability and economic progress, President Dennis Francis (heading the 78th session of the UN General Assembly), recently in an exclusive interview with PTI, unequivocally asserted that the pursuit of sustainability stands as the cornerstone of 21st-century development endeavours. He also emphasised the imperative of integrating sustainability into the fabric of global advancement. Dennis Francis is all set to inaugurate the Sustainability Week at the United Nations headquarters scheduled from April 15-19, 2024. Under the overarching theme of Paving the Way for a Sustainable Future, this landmark event will spotlight pivotal sectors such as tourism, infrastructure connectivity, transportation, energy and debt, dedicating its discourse to the multifaceted dimensions of sustainability in each domain.

In this PTI exclusive, President Francis outlines a strategic focus on key economic sectors  tourism, transportation, infrastructure, energy and debt management  to drive transformative sustainability. He highlights challenges like climate change, energy security and debt entrapment, emphasising their nexus with poverty, education, housing and national security. Francis further underscores sustainability as both a moral imperative and a catalyst for equitable global progress, envisioning judicious decisions in these realms as key to profound shifts towards a sustainable future.

During the upcoming Sustainability Week, Dennis will host a series of high-level events including debates on debt sustainability and socio-economic equality; discussions on tourism and sustainable transport, an informal dialogue on global resilience through infrastructure connectivity and a stocktaking session for the completion of the UN Decade of Sustainable Energy for All - all aimed at advancing the implementation of SDG 7 for sustainable development.

Dennis (in the interview) fervently promotes the fusion of sustainability and economic advancement, underscoring their intrinsic interdependence for societal well-being. He advocates for a transformative approach toward sustainable lifestyles, condemning antiquated resource exploitation methods exacerbating climate instability. He envisions a future where profitability harmonises with environmental stewardship, fostering equity and resilience. Sustainability Week precedes the Summit of the Future, to instil sustainability as a collective imperative for safeguarding resources for posterity. He further emphasised the pressing requirement to refocus endeavours on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which saw a setback in target achievement because of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing conflicts. Sustainability Week aims to revive dedication to impactful measures, crucial for reorienting the SDGs towards their intended trajectory.

Through collective action, the aim should be to uplift communities, inspire hope and advance the global agenda for sustainability and equity. The need is to empower communities, foster optimism and promote sustainability and equity worldwide. Governments, communities and organisations per se are uniting to tackle environmental challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss and renewable energy promotion.

For example, in Scandinavia, countries like Denmark have been leaders in wind energy production, investing heavily in offshore wind farms and renewable energy infrastructure. Denmarks commitment to sustainability has led to a significant reduction in carbon emissions and reliance on fossil fuels.

Moreover, in Southeast Asia, Singapore pioneers innovative strategies to address river and ocean waste, utilising advanced wastewater treatment and strict plastic regulations, effectively curbing marine pollution. Meanwhile, Africas Great Green Wall initiative fights desertification in the bio-geographical Sahel region by planting trees and promoting sustainable land management, revitalising degraded landscapes and fostering biodiversity. Across Latin America, Costa Rica exemplifies biodiversity conservation through national parks and eco-tourism, fostering sustainable development while preserving its rich natural heritage, resulting in both environmental protection and economic prosperity. Some of these diverse efforts demonstrate global commitment to environmental management, enhancing resilience and also safeguarding ecosystems for future generations.

Indias proactive stance towards achieving the SDGs is evident through multifaceted commitments across sectors. Initiatives like the National Solar Mission and Jal Jeevan Mission, National Health Mission, etc., highlight the resolve to tackle environmental challenges. India further aims to generate great renewable energy capacity, emphasising reduced reliance on fossil fuels. Water conservation programs such as rainwater harvesting and the Jal Jeevan Mission underscore Indias dedication to ensuring water security, aiming to provide piped water supply to all households by 2024. This commitment is reinforced by experts like waterman, Rajendra Singh and CEO of Centre for Science and Environment, Sunita Narain, who stress the importance of renewable energy and community-driven water conservation efforts.

Additionally, Indias sustainability efforts extend to biodiversity conservation, rural development, healthcare, education, waste management and gender equality, exemplified by schemes like MGNREGA and Ayushman Bharat. Dr. Vandana Shiva emphasises that sustainability encompasses socio-economic factors, with Indias inclusive policies striving to create a more equitable and resilient society through integrated policymaking.

It may be noted that India initiated its climate action journey in 2009 by pledging to decrease emissions intensity by 20-25 per cent by 2020, achieving a commendable 24 per cent reduction. Subsequently aligning with the Paris Agreement, India outlined its Nationally Determined Contributions in 2015, aiming for a 33-35 per cent emissions intensity reduction by 2030. Additional goals include enhancing non-fossil fuel energy generation, expanding carbon sinks and targeting NET ZERO emissions by 2070. National efforts are reinforced by initiatives such as the National Action Plan on Climate Change and the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change, focusing on renewable energy, sustainable habitat and adaptation strategies.

As per media reports, by April 2023, India had made substantial progress toward 14 of the 33 SDGs, with improvements in neonatal and under-five mortality; sanitation and electricity access. Challenges like adolescent pregnancy, clean cooking fuel and water facilities persist. Legislative amendments promoting renewable energy and carbon credit trading, along with initiatives such as the Green Hydrogen Mission, highlight Indias commitment to sustainability. Business Today report of August 25, 2023, suggests that these efforts, coupled with the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals National Indicator Framework, positioned India as a global leader in sustainability, as reflected in its ranking in the Climate Change Performance Index, indicating promising future progress.

India has implemented various environmental conservation initiatives like the Swachh Bharat Mission Namami Gange, etc., along with legislative measures such as the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act and so on. The introduction of the Sustainable Development Goals National Indicator Framework by the National Statistics Office in 2023 signifies efforts to monitor progress. However, despite advancements in climate action, financing SDGs remains a challenge. Proactive measures, integrating sustainability into policymaking and engaging communities are essential for achieving the ambitious 2030 SDG targets globally, ensuring equity and resilience. The imperative for proactive engagement by dedicated and committed citizens, not only within India but globally, underscores the exigency of collective action. Such involvement is paramount in addressing contemporary challenges, necessitating concerted efforts on a global scale. The choice is ours  perish or preserve.

(The writer is Programme Executive, Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti; views are personal)
Amid ongoing heatwave conditions in some parts of Southern and Eastern States, the 2024 Lok Sabha elections are set to kick off with polling in 102 constituencies (General- 73; ST- 11; SC-18) across 21 States and Union Territories (UTs). This phase marks the largest of the seven phases of the elections, with 16.63 crore eligible voters. On Thursday, lakhs of polling personnel made their way to their stations in preparation for Friday morning.

The Election Commission (EC) announced on Thursday that it is prepared for the polls to open at 7 am on Friday, with polling parties travelling by ship and boat to reach Lakshadweep's Kiltan Island, officials trekking to remote booths in Arunachal Pradesh' Siang district, and personnel venturing into areas hit by violent insurgencies and crossing rivers to reach millions of voters. Simultaneously, Assembly elections will also be held in Arunachal Pradesh (60 seats) and Sikkim (32 seats).

Meanwhile the BJP's ambition to emerge as a force challenging Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu and determination to retain its strongholds across the country will be put to a stern test on Friday when the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections commence.

If a lot is at stake for the ruling party in the 102 constituencies going to the polls as Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks a stronger majority, the challenge is even bigger for the Opposition INDIA Bloc, whose several constituents are in a battle of survival and hope for a rebound after facing reverses in the 2014 and 2019 elections. The Prime Minister has visited many temples in the run-up to the elections, especially in the days ahead of the Ram temple consecration ceremony in January.

According to the EC, of the total 16.63 crore voters in phase one, there are 8.4 crore male, 8.23 crore female and 11,371 transgender voters. Over 35 lakh first-time electors are also eligible to cast their votes. As many as 1,625 candidates (1,491 male and 134 female) are in the fray. As many as 18 lakh polling personnel will work at 1.87 lakh polling stations. In order to ensure the smooth movement of security forces, the EC said 41 helicopters, 84 special trains and nearly lakh other vehicles had been deployed.

According to the EC, there are 181 polling stations in 21 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu critical and six of the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal as 'financially sensitive'. In Bihar, 5,000 polling booths have been marked as "sensitive", given these districts' long history of naxal violence.

Scores of polling officers have been flown to remote areas in the rugged Himalayas and the Central Indian constituency of Gadchiroli-Chimur, beset by Maoist violence, to which 850 polling staff are being sent, the EC said.

It said a total of 4,627 Flying Squads, 5,208 Statistics Surveillance Teams, 2,028 Video Surveillance Teams and 1,255 Video Viewing Teams are keeping surveillance round the clock to strictly and swiftly deal with any form of inducement of voters. "A total of 1,374 inter-State and 162 international Border check posts are keeping strict vigil on any illicit flow of liquor, drugs, cash and freebies. Strict surveillance has been kept at sea and air routes," the EC said.

Of the 102 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP had won 39 in 2019, with the ruling alliance NDA bagging 12, five and three of them in Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and West Bengal, respectively. The BJP's existing allies hold seven of them.

Polling will be held in all seats of Tamil Nadu (39), Uttarakhand (5), Arunachal Pradesh (2), Meghalaya (2), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Puducherry (1), Sikkim (1) and Lakshadweep (1).

Besides, there will be voting in 12 seats in Rajasthan, 8 in Uttar Pradesh, 6 in Madhya Pradesh, 5 seats each in Assam and Maharashtra, 4 in Bihar, 3 in West Bengal, 2 seats in Manipur, and one seat each in Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir and Chhattisgarh. Campaigning for the first phase ended Wednesday evening.

On the eve of the Lok Sabha polls' first phase, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Thursday reminded people of the significance of each vote, saying there have been instances when one vote has mattered in a critical contest. Elections are the most beautiful expression of India's democracy and there is "nothing like voting", he said in a video message.

In view of the heatwave, Kumar said people must take all precautions. "But I know the spirit of the Indian voter will beat the summer heat," he said.

"In our great democracy, elections belong to you, the choice belongs to you... You are deciding the Government. You are doing it for your sake, for your family and children, for your village or town and, of course, for the country," he said.

"I call upon the youth to lead a revolution in electoral participation," the Chief Election Commissioner said as he urged people to cast their ballot.

Webcasting will be done in more than 50 per cent of the polling stations along with deployment of micro observers in all polling stations. Additionally, 361 observers -- 127 general, 67 police and 167 expenditure observers -- have already reached their constituencies days before the polls. They will serve as the eyes and ears of the commission. Special observers have also been deployed in certain States.

"Assured Minimum Facilities like water, shed, toilets, ramps, volunteers, wheelchairs, and electricity are in place to ensure that every voter, including elderly and persons with disabilities, can cast their vote with ease. Fifteen model polling stations are being set up across the 102 PCs with local themes. More than 5,000 polling stations will be completely managed by women including security staff and at over 1000 Polling stations by Persons with Disabilities (PwDs)," it said.

Amongst the prominent leaders trying their electoral luck in phase one are Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari from Nagpur, Kiren Rijiju from Arunachal Pradesh (West), Arjun Ram Meghwal from Bikaner, Sarbanada Sonowal from Dibrugarh in Assam, Sanjeev Baliyan from Muzaffarnagar in western UP, Jitendra Singh from Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir and Bhupendra Yadav from Alwar in Rajasthan. Tamilisai Soundararajan, who recently resigned as governor of Telangana and Lt Governor of Puducherry to return to active politics, is contesting from Chennai South Lok Sabha constituency.

Nakul Nath, son of Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, is seeking reelection from Chhindwara.

Of the two Lok Sabha constituencies in Tripura, the seat of West Tripura that votes in the first phase will see a high-voltage clash between former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and State Congress president Ashish Kumar Saha.
With the nation on the brink of the first phase of general elections slated for April 19, all eyes are focussed on Western Uttar Pradesh (UP) region, where the Jatava community, known for their support of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and the Muslim electorate wield considerable influence.

"The performance of BSP candidates across the eight contested seats and the voting inclinations of minority communities are poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the electoral outcome for both Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Samajwadi Party, BSP candidates in the initial phase," remarks political analyst Rajesh N Bajpai.

In the upcoming polls, the spotlight will be on Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina (SC), Moradabad, Rampur, and Pilibhit.

Reflecting on past electoral trends, the 2014 Lok Sabha elections witnessed a clean sweep by the BJP across all eight seats earmarked for the first phase, significantly bolstering its tally to 71 seats, later rising to 73 in alliance with the Apna Dal. However, the 2019 elections witnessed a notable shift, with the BJP facing setbacks against the grand alliance of SP-RLD and BSP.

Out of the same eight seats, the BJP secured only three, marking a substantial decline from its previous dominance and ending with 62 seats overall, a decrease of nine from the 2014 elections.

The recent political developments in the western region, following the demise of farmer and Jat leader Ajit Singh in 2021, have reshaped the political landscape. His absence presents both opportunities and challenges for parties traditionally aligned with him.

"The BJP's strategic decision to confer Bharat Ratna upon former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh proved instrumental, prompting Jayant to realign with the saffron party," explains political analyst Manoj Bhadra.

"The electoral outcome will determine the wisdom of Jayant's decision," says Bhadra.

The shifting political scenario has compelled both the SP and BSP to recalibrate their strategies. In a bid to court Muslim voters, SP has labelled BSP as the "B-team of the BJP," while the BSP's strategic move to field candidates from demographics traditionally aligned with the BJP has sparked interest.

Even a slight deviation from the anticipated voting patterns rooted in caste affiliations could disrupt the BJP's electoral calculations, particularly in constituencies like Muzaffarnagar, where victories were secured by narrow margins.

However, apprehensions linger among both the Samajwadi Party and the BJP regarding the BSP's ability to appeal to Muslim voters, suggesting a potential shift in voting behaviour compared to past elections.

Traditionally, minority votes have been split between SP and BSP candidates, resulting in a fragmented electoral landscape favouring the BJP. Yet, the consolidation of minority votes behind the SP in the 2022 Assembly elections hinted at a potential change in dynamics.

While Jatavs, a prominent Dalit sub-group in western UP, are expected to remain loyal to Mayawati's BSP, the presence of Chandrashekhar Azad in Nagina presents challenges to BSP's dominance in this constituency.

The electoral contest in Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Moradabad, Bijnor, and Kairana hinges on various factors, including BSP candidates' ability to sustain support from their respective communities and attract votes from minorities.

In constituencies like Rampur and Pilibhit, other factors such as voter turnout, community allegiance, and the impact of national issues like the Modi Government's performance, Yogi Adityanath's governance, and the Ram Temple dispute may overshadow local dynamics.

Ultimately, the electoral outcome will be determined by a complex interplay of caste dynamics, strategic voting patterns, and the resonance of national issues, underscoring the intricate nature of Indian electoral politics.
Google has fired 28 employees involved in protests over the tech company's cloud computing contract with the Israeli government, according to statements from the company and campaigners.

The workers held sit-ins at the companys offices in California and New York over Google's $1.2 billion contract to provide custom tools for Israeli's military. They were fired on Wednesday evening after police earlier arrested nine people.

Google said a small number of employee protesters entered and disrupted a few of our locations.

After refusing multiple requests to leave the premises, law enforcement was engaged to remove them to ensure office safety, Google said.

The company said it carried out "individual investigations that resulted in the termination of employment for 28 employees, and will continue to investigate and take action as needed.

The group behind the protests, No Tech for Apartheid, disputed Google's version of events, saying the company fired people who didn't directly participate.

The company's claim that the protests were part of a longstanding campaign by groups and people who largely dont work at Google was untrue, the group said.

The group posted photos and videos on social media showing workers in Google offices holding placards and sitting on the floor, chanting slogans. (AP)
The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday declared its candidates for the April 26 Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) mayoral polls, fielding Mahesh Khichi for the post of mayor and Ravinder Bhardwaj for deputy mayor. Meanwhile, the BJP has announced Krishna Lal for the post of Mayor and Neeta Bisht for the post of Deputy Mayor. The new mayor will be elected in a general house meeting of MCD councillors on April 26.

Khichi, 45, who represents Dev Nagar ward number 84 in the MCD House, has been associated with the AAP since its inception in 2012. He was also a part of the 2011 India Against Corruption (IAC) movement that led to birth of the Arvind Kejriwal-party.

Considering his contribution to the party, he was fielded as candidate from Dev Nagar ward. He won, and in the last one year, he has worked diligently with the people on the ground. Considering all of this, the party has decided to make him the mayoral candidate for the upcoming term, Delhi AAP convener Gopal Rai said at a press conference.

Khichi has campaigned for the AAP in many elections, including those in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. He has also served as booth president, ward president and RWA president of Karol Bagh. The Dev Nagar ward falls under the Karol Bagh assembly constituency.

Khichi is a B.Com graduate from Delhi Universitys Moti Lal Nehru College. This year, the MCD mayor is being elected from reserved category of councillors.

The post of mayor sees five single-year terms on a rotation basis, with the first year being reserved for women, the second for open category, third for reserved category, and the remaining two again for the open category.

Earlier in the day, Khichi and Bhardwaj filed their nomination papers for the polls. Opposition BJP in the MCD House is yet to announce its candidates for the polls. Bhardwaj too has been associated with the AAP since its inception and was part of the anti-corruption IAC movement.

He is a second-time councillor from Aman Vihar ward number 41, which falls under the Kirari assembly constituency. He had joined the AAP as a local in-charge. He has served as a booth president and mandal president.

Bhardwaj has also been a member of the North MCD standing committee (2019-2021) and member of the working committee and appointment committee. He has done his graduation in political science from the Delhi University and post-graduation from IGNOU. With 134 councillors in the 250-member MCD House, the AAP expects both its candidates to get elected to their respective posts with ease. BJP has 104 councillors.

The AAP-led MCD is currently being headed by Mayor Shelly Oberoi and Deputy Mayor Aaley Mohammad Iqbal.
Bullet Rani Maa Raj Lakshmi concluded her 65 days journey on Thursday by reaching Delhi, covering a distance of 21,000 kilometres across 15 States, in a bid to urge the citizens to cast their vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a third term ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha 2024 elections.

The Delhi BJP Yuva Morcha welcomed Bullet Rani at the Delhi State BJP office, who commenced her journey from Tamil Nadu with the resolve of Vote for Modi. Concluding her journey, Lakshmi said that the future of the country is secure in the hands of PM Modi, so we urge all the people of the country to prove the slogan of crossing 400 seats for a united India.

I appeal to all voters to come out of their homes and vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a bright future of the country because your one vote will determine your future, she said.

Yuva Morcha in-charge Vikram Bidhuri, President Sagar Tyagi, Womens Morcha President Richa Pandey Mishra, Yuva Morcha General Secretaries Arun Daral, Gaurav Jorasia and Puneet Sharma, along with other officials including Mahila Morcha General Secretaries. Sarita Tomar and Vaishali Poddar, warmly welcomed Bullet Rani at the state office.
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Ranchi Zonal Office has provisionally attached tainted land parcels worth Rs. 266 Crore (Commercial Value) and arrested 22 accused persons in the land scam cases so far in the State, stated a press communique issued by the ED on April 17.

The agency had conducted searches recently and arrested four accused persons namely Priya Ranjan Sahay, Irshad Akhtar, Antu Tirkey and Bipin Singh in case of Bhanu Pratap Prasad and Others. In addition, one person namely Afsar Ali has also been arrested and taken into custody after getting him produced in Special PMLA Court on the strength of Production Warrant.

Another accused namely Md. Saddam Hussain is already in ED custody. All these 6 persons have been arrested for their role in forgery, tampering and fabrication of land records, thus changing the nature of lands which are designated as non-saleable under Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act (CNT Act), a legislation with objective to protect the land rights of tribal and marginalized communities.

During investigation, active involvement of government officials of land revenue department located in Ranchi and Kolkata has also surfaced. Investigation revealed that some of the lands acquired through such falsification and forgery by the above stated accused persons are under illegal possession of former CM Hemant Soren. Earlier in the case, Hemant Soren and Bhanu Pratap Prasad, a Revenue Official and custodian of original government records, were arrested for acquiring, possessing and concealing the proceeds of crime in the nature of an immovable property admeasuring 8.8 acres at Bariatu, Ranchi.

The said property worth Rs. 31 Crore (Govt. Value) was also provisionally attached by the ED. Subsequently, Saddam Hussain was arrested on April 9 for involvement in forgery and falsification of land records. ED has initiated money laundering investigation in five cases of land scam with similar modus operandi on the basis of multiple FIRs registered by Jharkhand Police and Kolkata Police against several persons including government officials.

Investigation revealed that a racket of land mafia is active in Jharkhand which is involved in tampering of the land records in Ranchi and Kolkata. Original land records of ownerships are either tampered or concealed to facilitate unlawful acquisition/possession/use of landed properties. Subsequently, on the basis of forged land records, such land parcels are sold to other persons. ED had earlier carried out 51 searches & 9 surveys in such cases and incriminating evidences like forged seals of Land Revenue Department, forged land deeds, records of distribution of Proceeds of Crime among them, photographs doing forgery, evidence of giving bribe to Government officials etc were seized.

Searches have resulted in recovery and seizure of Rs.1.25 Crore (approx.) of cash and further freezing of Rs. 3.56 Crore worth of balance in bank accounts.

The 22 accused persons arrested included Hemant Soren, Chhavi Ranjan, IAS, Bhanu Pratap Prasad (Revenue Sub-Inspector), Amit Kumar Agarwal, Prem Prakash among others. The findings of investigation including the land scam are being shared with the Government of Jharkhand from time to time vide 14 references made under section 66 (2) of PMLA, said the ED release.
District Election Officer cum Deputy Commissioner Dr. Waghmare Krishna and SP Haris Bin Zaman addressed the representatives of print and electronic media on Thursday. He said that the notification for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 has been issued today on 18 April 2024 by the Election Commission of India, New Delhi.

Enrollment has started with the notification. Parliamentary constituency 12-Lohardaga (ST) includes parts of 72-Lohardaga assembly constituency and 69-Bishunpur assembly constituency of the district. Parliamentary Constituency 12- Lohardaga (SC) Nomination for Lok Sabha General Election 2024 Interested Scheduled Tribe candidates can file nomination in Gumla. 12- Lohardaga (SC) Last date of nomination for parliamentary election is 24 April 2024, nomination The date of scrutiny is 26 April 2024, the last date for withdrawal of nominations is 29 April 2024, the date of voting is 13 May 2024 and the date of counting is 04 June 2024.

The DEO said that the total number of voters in 72-Lohardaga assembly constituency in Lohardaga district is 283184, of which men are 140316 and women are 142868 and in Vishunpur (Ansh) are 85974, of which men are 42974 and women are 42998. There are a total of 324 polling stations in the district, 72- Lohardaga assembly constituency and 104 polling stations in 69- Vishunpur assembly constituency. A total of 428 polling stations have been set up in the district. There are a total of 240 polling station buildings in 72-Lohardaga assembly constituency and 84 polling station buildings in 69-Vishunpur assembly constituency. A total of 324 polling station buildings have been built in the district. DEO Dr. Waghmare Prasad said that the first readmission of EVMs and VVPATs was done on April 15 in the presence of all political parties. A total of 375 ballot units including safe and 375 control units and a total of 417 VV PET units including safe have been allotted to the polling stations. The second re-registration of EVMs and VVPATs will be done on May 1-10 in the presence of all political parties. Copies of the authorized ballot unit and control unit and VVPAT were handed over to the representatives of all the political parties present. The General Observer of the Election Commission of India is IAS officer KD Kunjan, the Police Observer is IPS officer Manoj Kumar, while the Expenditure Observer is IDAS Rejoy Krishna. There are 19 election cells. Similarly, the election team formed includes 68 sector officers and five FST teams, which are active since April 18.

Superintendent of Police Haris Bin Zaman said that out of the total 428 polling stations in the district, hypersensitive, sensitive and other general polling stations have been identified. Additional police force has been called in to conduct peaceful and fear-free elections. If any information related to the Model Code of Conduct is received, action will be taken on it. Special attention is also being kept on Naxal activities. He said that the process of depositing all the licensed arms in the district is going on. About 80 percent of the arms have been collected. However, the process of filing bonds under section 107 is being completed against all the people who may affect the election work.
City police have arrested Kunal Thakur, the absconding accused in the case of murder of a Haryana based young woman in the hotel Square located in Bawadia Kalan, Bhopal.

In the case it was Kunal who dropped the woman to the hotel where the accused Ritul Pandey had murdered her in a brutal manner. On the information, the police caught Kunal from a house behind the private hospital in E-5, Arera Colony.

DCP Priyanka Shukla said that the body of a 27-year-old woman was found in the square room of the hotel late night on Saturday (13 April). On the basis of a short PM report, a case of murder was registered. In this case, four accused (main accused Ritul Pandey), Indra Bahadur (member of sex racket gang), Sagar (hotel employee) and Yogesh hotel manager have been arrested earlier. Three teams are engaged in search of the accused woman Mehak Yadav (leader of the sex racket gang). Accused Kunal Thakur was arrested on Thursday morning. He is under interrogation.

During interrogation, Kunal told the police that whenever any call woman of Mehak Yadav gang was booked, it was his responsibility to drop her to the customer and bring her back from there. Booking per woman was for four to five thousand rupees. For pick and drop, he used to get ten percent of the earning i.e. Rs 400 out of Rs 4000. The police are questioning him in connection with Mehak Yadav along with other gang members.

Earlier in the night of April 13 at 11:30 pm , the employee of Hotel K Square located in Bawadia Kalan had informed that the woman died under suspicious circumstances in a room of the hotel. After the information, the police reached the spot and took the body into custody. There were no serious visible injuries on the body. There were minor marks on her neck, based on the documents found from the deceased, she was identified as a (27) year old woman living in Faridabad, Haryana.

She checked into the hotel at 7:30 pm on Saturday evening. Ritul Pandey, a resident of Kolar, Bhopal, was already staying in the room where the woman was staying.

Ritul has a criminal record in Kolar police station. The accused was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. The deceased was a member of a sex racket gang. For 4 thousand rupees, Mehak Yadav had sent him to Ritul's hotel room. On the night of the murder, Kunal had dropped the woman to the hotel. The main accused Ritul had demanded the woman from the hotel manager Yogesh. Yogesh had contacted Mehak through employee Sagar. Mehak sent the woman to the hotel, where she was murdered.
The Department of Pharmacology at AIIMS Bhopal on Wednesday celebrated its Foundation Day with a prestigious oration event, marking a significant moment for the institution's commitment to advancing pharmaceutical education and research.

The distinguished occasion was graced by Professor (Dr.) Ajai Singh, Executive Director and CEO of AIIMS Bhopal, who delivered an insightful address emphasizing the importance of fostering exemplary prescribing skills among both residents and faculty members. Prof Singh's remarks underscored the department's dedication to excellence in pharmacological practice.

Dr. Balakrishnan S, Head of the Department of Pharmacology, presented the department's annual report, highlighting the remarkable accomplishments of the past year while outlining ambitious targets for the future. The event's keynote speaker, Dr Shoibal Mukherjee, a distinguished consultant in pharmaceutical medicine & drug development, and Director of Medical Research at Medanta Hospitals, delivered an engaging speech on the "Emerging Future of Pharmacology as a Discipline in India."

Following Dr Mukherjee's keynote speech, an interactive session provided a platform for undergraduate and postgraduate students to engage with industry experts on various issues, including emerging career opportunities and essential skills in pharmacology.

This session facilitated valuable discussions and insights that will undoubtedly shape the future trajectories of aspiring pharmacologists. The Foundation Day Oration attracted a diverse audience, including undergraduate and postgraduate students from AIIMS Bhopal, as well as esteemed faculties and residents from state medical colleges.
n In the first phase of Lok Sabha Elections-2024, voting will be held in 6 Lok Sabha parliamentary constituencies of the state on Friday, April 19. Voting will be held from 7 am to 6 pm in Lok Sabha parliamentary constituencies No. 11 Sidhi, No. 12 Shahdol (ST), No. 13 Jabalpur, No. 14 Mandla (ST), No. 15 Balaghat and No. 16 Chhindwara. Voting will be held from 7 am to 4 pm in only three assembly constituencies of Balaghat Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency - No. 108 Baihar (ST), No. 109 Lanji and No. 110 Parswara. All the polling parties have left for their respective polling centers to conduct the voting.

Holiday declared on voting day

For the convenience of voters, there will be a public and general holiday on polling day (April 19) in the above mentioned 6 parliamentary constituencies. The state government has declared public holiday and general holiday in the respective areas on the day of polling using the powers conferred in Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.

Citizens to get information about voting percentage from Voter Turn-out App and CEO MP website

On the day of voting, information about voting percentage will be available on the Voter Turnout App of the Election Commission of India and the website of Chief Electoral Officer, Madhya Pradesh https://ceomadhyapradesh.nic.in. Through this, citizens will be able to get information about the voting percentage recorded every two hours. Citizens will have to download the Voter-Turnout App by visiting Google Play Store.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Thursday, accused the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Congress of following a danga (riot) policy, and said that the policy of the National Democratic Alliance government was that of development, which was in sharp contrast to the oppositions policy.

Speaking at a public meeting in Secunderabad, Bulandshahr, the chief minister emphasised, The BJP stands for faith, security and prosperity. Under the governance of SP, BSP and Congress, the state frequently saw curfews lasting for months. However, now there are no curfews in the state. These parties were known for stirring unrest through riots. They adopted a riot policy, while we prioritise development policy.

Chief Minister Yogi urged the public to vote for Dr Mahesh Sharma, Member of Parliament and the BJP candidate from Gautam Buddha Nagar. Many leaders of the SP also joined the BJP on the occasion.

Highlighting the transformation in India, Yogi Adityanath said, We are now in a New India. Those who remember the 2014 elections can attest to the conditions of the country back then. They should inform the new generation and first-time voters about the prevailing discontent and mistrust during that period.

He further remarked, Terrorism, Naxalism and separatism were on the rise across the nation. Corruption was rampant in all sectors. The youth were disheartened and the farmers were driven to suicide.

The chief minister highlighted the significant changes India has undergone in the past decade, pointing out that various challenging issues such as tackling Naxalism and terrorism have been successfully addressed and resolved.

He attributed these problems to the Congress governance, stating that the entire country, including Jammu, was once plagued by terrorism.

Daily explosions claimed innocent lives, leaving families shattered. Yet, the Congress remained a passive spectator, shying away from uttering a word against terrorism, he remarked.

He contrasted the situation with todays when the present government has revoked Article 370.

Chief Minister Yogi pointed to the development of Asias largest airport in Jewar as a testament to progress. He mentioned that Secunderabad and Jewar will reap substantial benefits from this project.

He also emphasised the strengthening of the national and state economies. Plans are underway for a rapid rail system and the expansion of the metro network. Additionally, with the Dadri junction being a part of the dedicated freight corridor, the countrys largest logistics centre is set to be established there. This development is expected to generate hundreds of thousands of jobs, he said.

Outlining the governments development initiatives, the chief minister said, In Uttar Pradesh, if someone falls ill and he does not have an Ayushman card, MPs, MLAs, and the affected individual can write a letter, and the funds will be directly deposited into their accounts. The government ensures that families are not financially burdened by medical expenses.

The chief minister said that by solving the problems of builder-buyers in Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Authority, the cases pending for years were being closed and the buyers were being given the rights.

The chief minister emphasised that previously some individuals prioritised family interests over national welfare. He said this election was a choice between the swarth ka parivar (vested interests) and Modi ka parivar (Modi family) representing Indias 140 crore people.

He criticised the SP, the BSP and the Congress for their narrow focus on family interests. He also noted the improved environment for secure investment.

After 500 years, Ram Lalla celebrated his janmotsav at his birthplace. Many witnessed the unique tilak ceremony of Suryavanshi Ram, where the rays of Lord Surya adorned him, he remarked.

Chief Minister Yogi attributed Indias prosperity to Narendra Modis leadership and urged voters to re-elect him as prime minister and Dr Mahesh Sharma as MP for a third term.

He commended their commitment to not obstructing any development projects, emphasising that they consistently prioritise unhindered progress. He praised them for fulfilling their roles as dedicated and responsible representatives.

Chief Minister Yogi further stated, Noida is poised to become one of the most developed regions in the country. Gautam Buddha Nagar is setting the benchmark for a developed India, distinguishing itself from other districts. The presence of both an MP and MLA, along with the double-engine government, is benefiting Noida immensely.

He emphasised that while many might resort to caste and regional politics during the elections, voters should prioritise nationalistic and developmental agendas. He urged voters to choose a government that embodies these principles, emphasising that only the BJP can provide such leadership.

He encouraged people to vote regardless of the weather conditions and suggested aiming for 50 per cent voter turnout in the first three hours to ensure maximum participation.
Tight security arrangements have been made for the first phase of voting in the eight Lok Sabha constituencies spread across nine districts of Uttar Pradesh on Friday.

The voters of the eight Lok Sabha constituencies in western UP falling in the Jat land and sugarcane belt are set to exercise their constitutional right as polling for the first phase of the seven-phase parliamentary election begins on Friday.

The constituencies going to polls on Friday are Saharanpur, Bijnor, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Nagina (reserved for Scheduled Castes), Moradabad, Rampur and Pilibhit.

The poll campaign for the first phase ended on Wednesday evening.

Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa said here on Thursday that all arrangements were in place for peaceful, free and fair conduct of the election in the eight Lok Sabha constituencies going to polls on Friday. He said there were 80 candidates, including eight women, in the fray for these eight Lok Sabha seats

DGP Prashant Kumar disclosed that to ensure peaceful, free and fair polling in these eight constituencies, one lakh jawans. 6,018 inspectors and sub-inspectors, 35,750 head constables and constables, 24,992 home guards, 60 companies of PAC and 220 companies of CAPF have been deployed for security duty. The CAPF includes BSF, CRPF, ITBP, CISF, SSB and RPF. He added that 6,764 village chowkidars and 155 PRD jawans have also been deployed on security duty.

Gazetted officers and other police forces will be continuously active on general and law and order duty districts going to polls.

In the first phase, voting is to be held at 1,48,49 polling stations of 7,689 polling centres in the Lok Sabha constituencies of nine districts  Saharanpur, Shamli, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Moradabad, Rampur, Bareilly and Pilibhit.

A total of 248 barriers have been set up in these nine districts. Out of these, 11 barriers have been set up in the international border area of Pilibhit and 88 barriers have been set up on the interstate borders of Saharanpur, Shamli, Moradabad, Bijnor, Rampur, Muzaffarnagar and Pilibhit and continuous intensive checking is being done.

Kumar informed that flying squad teams, static surveillance teams and quick response teams were keeping vigil in all the nine districts. A total of 1,824 flying squad teams, 1,470 static surveillance teams and 459 QRTs have been formed in all the districts of the state.

For keeping close watch on the polling process on Friday, the poll panel has deployed eight general observers, five police observers and 10 expenditure observers. Besides these, 1,272 sector magistrates, 150 zonal magistrates, 103 static magistrates and 1,861 micro observers have also been deployed.

Rinwa said 18,662 electronic voting machine (EVM) control units, 18,734 ballot control units and 19,603 VVPAT would be used for polling. He said arrangements for live webcasting had been made in 50 per cent of polling stations while videography would be done in 1,510 polling booths. He said the polling would commence from 7 am and voters who reach the polling station by 6 pm would be allowed to cast their vote.

Poll officials said that the presence of the workers of all political parties had been restricted in these constituencies with the conclusion of electioneering.

According to the Election Commission of India, 1.43 crore people are eligible to cast their votes in the first phase polls. Of them, 76.23 lakh are men, 67.14 lakh women and 824 are transgenders.

According to data compiled by political parties, Muslim voters account for 35 per cent to 50 per cent of the electorate in these constituencies.

Twelve candidates are in the fray from Moradabad, 14 from Kairana, 11 each from Muzaffarnagar and Bijnor, 10 each from Saharanpur and Pilibhit and six each from Nagina and Rampur.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has joined hands with the Rashtriya Lok Dal while the Samajwadi Party has allied with the Congress for the election. The Bahujan Samaj Party has decided to go solo.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP swept all eight seats slated for the first phase of voting, contributing to its impressive tally of 71 seats, which rose to 73 in alliance with the Apna Dal (Sonelal). However, the 2019 elections saw a shift in the political landscape, with the BJP facing setbacks against the grand alliance of SP, RLD and BSP. Out of the eight seats it won in 2014, the BJP could secure only three in 2019, marking a significant decline from its previous dominance. This loss of momentum resulted in the BJP winning 62 seats overall, a decrease of nine from the 2014 elections, as SP and BSP made significant gains in Purvanchal. The SP-BSP alliance secured victory in five out of the eight seats contested in the first phase of the 2019 elections.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday expressed confidence that the BJP would win all 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state this time, including Chhindwara.

He was addressing a rally after BJPs Bhopal Lok Sabha seat candidate Alok Sharma filed his nomination papers here.

Yadav said nobody had imagined that the BJP would run a majority government in 2014.

It was late Atal Bihari Vajpayee who proved earlier that the party can form a government on its own, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now taking it further, he said.

The people of Madhya Pradesh are very generous as they gave 27 seats to the BJP in 2014, followed by 28 in 2019. This time, they will help BJP bag Chhindwara also, Yadav said.

In the last Lok Sabha election, of the total 29 seats in the state, the ruling BJP lost the Chhindwara to the Congress, but won the remaining 28 seats with a comfortable margin. The Chhindwara seat, the home turf of former chief minister and Congress veteran Kamal Nath, was won by his son Nakul Nath in 2019.

Referring to the influx of workers from the Congress and other parties into the BJP, Yadav compared them with sugar that was getting melted in milk, and said it was a unique quality of the saffron party.

BJP is the only party that is known the world over because of its workers, Yadav said.

The CM said his party would once again win the Bhopal seat with a record margin.

Election to this seat will be held on May 7.

The Congress had won the Bhopal seat in 1984 after the assassination of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi. However, it has remained with the BJP since 1989, as it has been winning it with record margins.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJPs Pragya Singh Thakur had defeated Congress stalwart and former chief minister Digvijaya Singh by a margin of more than 3.64 lakh votes from the state capital.

CM Yadav also accompanied BJPs Sagar seat candidate Lata Wankhede and Bhind seat nominee Sandhya Rai when they filed their nomination papers.

Yadav said that Bharatiya Janata Party is a party of workers. BJP is known in the world only for its hardworking workers. Every worker of BJP is important for the party, he is the backbone of the party. The customs and policies of BJP are such that our family is continuously expanding.

Congress leaders have accepted membership of BJP here on Thursday. He said that there are many examples of how BJP sends its workers from place to place. Be it the Prime Minister of the country, the Chief Minister or any other party official, everyone has reached here after being a small worker. We all are fortunate, who are workers of Bharatiya Janata Party and are seeing history being made in the country.

The scenario of the country and the state has changed since 2014. After winning with a huge majority in 2014, BJP government was formed in the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and then it won 28 seats in Madhya Pradesh in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. This time BJP is also winning Chhindwara seat of Madhya Pradesh.

Yadav said that we are people of the culture of Shri Ram and Shri Krishna. Congress has always been against this culture, hence it never supported the construction of Shri Ram temple. Always protested. The culture of Congress is a culture of protest

The Congress party has always created obstacles in the Shri Ram temple of Ayodhya. They even criticized the decision of the Supreme Court as wrong, but the Hindu-Muslim brothers of the country welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court.

Former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, former home minister Narottam Mishra and others were present on the occasion.
The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday declared Devnagar ward councillor Mahesh Khichi as its candidate for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) mayoral polls.

At a press conference, Delhi AAP convener Gopal Rai said the Aman Vihar councillor Ravinder Bhardwaj will be the party candidate for the post of deputy mayor.

This year, the MCD mayor will be elected from reserved category councillors. Khichi has been associated with the AAP since its inception in 2012, Rai said.

The MCD mayor is elected for a one-year term.

Both the candidates will file nominations later in the day. With the AAP having 134 out of 250 councillors in the MCD, both its candidates are going to have a smooth ride in the polls.

The opposition BJP has 104 councillors in the civic body.

The new mayor will be elected in a general house meeting of MCD councillors on April 26.
Polling for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections is set to take place on Friday in which more than 1,600 candidates, including eight Union ministers, two former chief ministers and an ex-governor will test their electoral fate.

As many as 102 parliamentary constituencies across 21 states and Union territories will go to polls in the first phase which is also the largest of the seven phases of the elections.

Separately, voting will also be held for 92 assembly seats in the state elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim on Friday.

Of the 102 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP had won 39 in 2019, with the ruling alliance NDA bagging 12, five and three of them in Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and West Bengal, respectively. The BJP's existing allies hold seven of them.

Voting will begin at 7 am and end at 6 pm, though the closure of poll timings differs in some seats.

The Election Commission has deployed over 18 lakh polling personnel across 1.87 lakh polling stations where over 16.63 crore voters will exercise their franchise.

Voters include 8.4 crore men, 8.23 crore women and 11,371 third gender. There are as many as 35.67 lakh first time voters, besides 3.51 crore young voters in the age group of 20-29 years.

A total of 41 helicopters, 84 special trains and nearly one lakh vehicles have been deployed to ferry polling and security personnel, the poll panel pointed out.

Webcasting will be done in more than 50 per cent of the polling stations along with deployment of micro observers in all polling stations. Additionally, 361 observers -- 127 general, 67 police and 167 expenditure observers -- have already reached their constituencies days before the polls. They will serve as the eyes and ears of the Commission. Special observers have also been deployed in certain states.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has been leading the preparations for the Lok Sabha elections for the past two years. He had led a conference of state chief electoral officers at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration.

Amongst the prominent leaders trying their electoral luck in phase one are Union ministers Nitin Gadkari from Nagpur, Kiren Rijiju from Arunachal Pradesh (West), Arjun Ram Meghwal from Bikaner, Sarbanada Sonowal from Dibrugarh in Assam, Sanjeev Baliyan from Muzaffarnagar in western UP, Jitendra Singh from Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir and Bhupendra Yadav from Alwar in Rajasthan.

Tamilisai Soundararajan, who recently resigned as governor of Telangana and Lt Governor of Puducherry to return to active politics, is contesting from Chennai South Lok Sabha constituency.

Nakul Nath, son of Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, is seeking reelection from Chhindwara.

Of the two Lok Sabha constituencies in Tripura, the seat of West Tripura that votes in the first phase will see a high-voltage clash between former chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb and state Congress president Ashish Kumar Saha.

Aiming to enhance voter turnout, ahead of the polling, the poll panel had also organised a conference on low voter turnout with focus on parliamentary constituencies with a history of low poll participation in previous elections.

Polling for the 543 seats for electing the 18th Lok Sabha will be held in seven phases. The votes will be counted on June 4.
Chinese FM urges U.S. to stop seeking supremacy, revisit basic knowledge of int'l law

Xinhua) 13:31, April 18, 2024

JAKARTA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Thursday that he hopes that the United States should stop seeking supremacy and listen carefully to the voices of the international community.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at a joint press conference after he met with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

He also suggested that U.S. officials should revisit their basic knowledge of international law.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
A documentary, which chronicles a County Derry family's journey as they seek redress for the injustice of the murder of their husband and father, is set to air on RTE next week.

On May 12, 1997, in the small rural village of Bellaghy in South Derry, Sean Brown, the esteemed chairman of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAA Club, fell victim to a brutal act of violence that shook the foundation of the community.

At 11:25pm, Mr Brown was ambushed by members of the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) as he locked up the gates to the training ground.

He was abducted, beaten, and shot six times in the head.

He was found next to his burning car the following morning in Randalstown, Co. Antrim.

The perpetrators fled the scene, leaving behind a trail of devastation that would scar a community for decades to come.



Within two days of Sean Browns murder, the RUC said the LVF was responsible, but almost three decades later, no one has been charged.



The passage of the Troubles Legacy Act, which becomes law on May 1, has drawn widespread condemnation from victims' families, and opposition from the Irish Government, the European Union, the United Nations, and all the main political parties in the North.



Aspects of the laws include a limited form of immunity from prosecution for Troubles-related offences for those who co-operate with the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).



As the deadline for the Troubles Legacy Act looms, Murder of a GAA Chairman chronicles the Brown family's journey as they seek redress for the injustice of the murder of father, husband and grandfather, Sean Brown.



On April 11, the UK government announced it is taking legal action over the inquest into Sean Brown's death. Despite a coroner's request for a public inquiry into Sean's death, the UK government has chosen to challenge the decision by the Coroner to disclose to the family that intelligence had identified 25 suspects in the murder and that several of those suspects were State Agents.



Seans death sent shockwaves throughout every GAA club in Ireland. A childhood friend, Seamus Heaney was heartbroken. Upon hearing the news, he sent a fax to the Irish News to make plain Sean Browns goodwill and integrity. Only one year earlier, Heaney had shared a stage with Sean at a cross-community event Brown had organised at the club to celebrate the poets Nobel Prize win.



Nearly three decades later, the wounds inflicted by Sean's untimely death remain unhealed. Despite the decades long campaign by Seans family, no one has been brought to account for this crime, however failings in the police investigation have been exposed. Murder of a GAA Chairman examines the investigation into Sean Browns murder and looks at how the Brown family has been left grappling with unanswered questions.



Murder of a GAA Chairman will be aired on Monday, April 22 at 9:35pm on RTE One and RTE Player.
A Stem Cell Donor Drive will be held in Magherafelt next month in memory of a County Derry teen, who passed away in 2020.

Ozzie Rogers was just 17 years-old when he died following a long battle with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia.

The popular Knockloughrim teenager was diagnosed with the condition, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, when he was 15 years-old.

Following his diagnosis in 2018, Ozzie spent three months in the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children receiving chemotherapy, which unfortunately didn't work as well as doctors had hoped. In March 2019, Ozzie received an anonymous stell cell donation and went on to live a further 18 months until he sadly relapsed and died in September 2020.

In May, Ozzie would have been turning 21 and his family have now decided to hold the life-saving donor drive in his memory.

Stem cell donation can potentially save the life of someone with a blood cancer diagnosis, Ozzie's mum Miranda told the County Derry Post

Ozzie was 16 years old when he received his. He lived a further 18 months, time we wouldn't have had, if it wasn't for his donor. He would have died before his 16th birthday from Leukaemia.

Ozzie would have been turning 21 in May, so this year we will be supporting DKMS UK, an international charity dedicated to the fight against blood cancer and blood disorders, in helping to recruit potential life-savers.

The donor drive will be held in St Swithin's Parish Hall in Magherafelt on Saturday, May 11 between 10am and 3pm.

If you're aged between 17 and 55, come along for a simple cheek swab and you may be someone's hero in the future.

If you can't make the event, visit www.DKMS.co.uk where you can register for a cheek swab kit along with enrolment documents to be posted out.
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A former Sinn Fein press officer charged with sex offences has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Michael McMonagle (42) of Limewood Street in Derry appeared at Derry Crown Court charged with two counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in a sexual act.

He also faces 13 charges of attempted sexual communication with a child.

All of the charges were said to have occurred on dates between June 8, 2020 and August 16, 2021.

When the charges were put to him McMonagle pleaded not guilty to all counts.

Defence counsel Kieran Mallon told the court: "There are a number of issues I would want to address in an urgent fashion."

He asked the court for a four week adjournment 'for good reason'.

Judge Neil Rafferty KC told the defendant that there were a 'number of urgent investigations' that needed to be done.

He said he was releasing McMonagle on continuing bail and adjourned the case until May 17.
A man has been banned from County Derry and order to report daily to police after breaching bail conditions that had been set on Monday.

Robert Doyle (30) of Queen Square in Belfast initially appeared in Derry Magistrates Court on April 14, being released on bail with a restraining order in place relating to his brother and conditions that he not enter the city and abstain from alcohol.

Doyle was again arrested on April 18 after police were called by his brother. Who said that the defendant was banging on his windows.

Police found him hiding under a bed in Rockmills a hundred yards or so from his brother's address.

He was said to be clearly intoxicated and he was arrested for breaching his restraining order.

A police officer told the court that Doyle should have 'miles away' instead of hundreds of yards.

Defence Barrister Sinead Rogan said that Doyle had only returned to Derry to pick up a prescription and, while there, went to see his girlfriend in Rockmills.

She added that he didn't have a phone to inform police or his solicitor about this beforehand.

Deputy District Judge Chris Holmes banned Doyle from entering County Derry, ordering him to report to police in Belfast every day, warning that if he misses a single day he will be arrested.

He will appear again on May 15.
Gardai along with an international law coalition from 19 countries searched a dozen properties across Waterford, Dublin and Kildare, targeting international fraud operations.

In conjunction with Europol and other international Law Enforcement Agencies, Gardai conducted searches at locations across the three counties on Tuesday and Wednesday. During these searches, 42,000 in cash, 10,000 in cryptocurrency, 82 smartphones, 25 computers, 9 tablet devices, and a Rolex watch were seized.

The searches were led by Gardai from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB), with assistance from Gardai at the Armed Support Unit, Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau, Garda National Immigration Bureau, Garda Dog Unit, Gardai seconded to the Special Investigation Unit at the Department of Social Protection, the Criminal Assets Bureau, and local units in the DMR West and DMR South Divisions.

The fraud searches were part of 'Operation Stargrew', which targets individuals suspected to be involved in organized fraud - bulk "Phishing or "Smishing text messages are sent out, which are designed to deceive people into providing their personal data and credentials for the purposes of fraud. Many of these purport to be from banks and service providers.

This week under Operation Stargrew, law enforcement from 19 countries severely disrupted one of the worlds largest phishing-as-a-service platform, known as LabHost. This year-long operation, coordinated at the international level by Europol, resulted in the compromise of LabHosts infrastructure. The LabHost platform, previously available on the open web, has been shut down, and now displays a law enforcement splash page.

The Irish operation was carried out jointly with Europol, and other Law Enforcement Agencies from participating EU and Non-EU countries.

Two males were arrested during the course of the operation. One of the males arrested has been charged, and will appear before the courts at a later date.
Education support staff in Northern Ireland are preparing to take further industrial action, trade unions have said.

The unions met Stormont Education Minister Paul Givan on Thursday to discuss a pay and grading review for non-teaching staff.

Following the meeting they said the minister indicated his support for the pay and grading review, and said while he has sought funding to implement it, he was concerned that sufficient funding would not be available in the budget which is to be unveiled next week.

The unions have urged all the parties on the Executive to back the full implementation of the pay and grading review agreed between the employers and the trade unions.

In a joint statement, the unions expressed disappointment that the issue of the pay and grading review has still not been resolved.

It is intolerable that the voice of education workers has not been heard, they said.

With that in mind we are taking steps to review and strengthen our current action short of strike action and, in addition, discussions will take place about escalating strike action.
The biggest challenge facing unionists in Northern Ireland is the reunification of the United Kingdom, a meeting in Co Down has been told.

TUV leader Jim Allister and loyalist activist Jamie Bryson addressed the latest in a series of anti-Northern Ireland Protocol meetings at Conlig Orange Hall in Bangor.

Both men are vocal opponents of the post-Brexit trading arrangements that created economic barriers on the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

They are also critics of the DUPs decision to agree a deal with the UK government on trade that saw the party drop its two-year blockade of powersharing and return to devolved government at Stormont earlier this year.

The DUP leadership said at the time the deal had effectively removed the trading border for goods moving from Great Britain to, and staying in, Northern Ireland.

But Mr Allister told the meeting that the DUP is now following a path which will lead to Irish unity.

He said: Make no mistake, that is the goal of the (Northern Ireland) Protocol.

By pushing the border from where it should be to the Irish Sea, the protocol achieved where the IRA failed.

Mr Allister added: Its means of achievement are equally obvious. The ultimate manifestation of Irish unity is Northern Ireland and the Republic ruled by precisely the same laws.

That is what, under the protocol, we now have in terms of our goods economy and agri-food industry.

The 300+ EU laws that govern these vital economic sectors  laws we cant change  are exactly the same laws that apply in the Republic because they, as part of the EU, are subject to its governance and we, being treated as part of its customs union and single market, are equally subject to these laws.

Mr Bryson told the meeting that the so-called Irish Sea trading border had not been removed by the DUP deal.

He said: Anyone who simply read the regulations would understand that powers conferred to implement the protocol are never going to be, and could never be, used to disapply core components of the requirements imposed by those arrangements.

He added: The DUP once described EU law as the fundamental issue, now they have changed.

EU law in itself is no longer an issue, let alone a fundamental one, but rather it is how EU law manifests itself is the DUPs only concern.

If it governs NI without creating GB-NI divergence, then the DUP are content with NIs colony-like status.

Mr Bryson predicted that the DUPs deal with the Government is falling apart.

He said: It is inevitable because, try as they will, they cant bring the unionist community with them.

There is a sufficient number who will never implement and accept a border in the Irish Sea and we wont be bought, bullied or silenced.
HIGHLIGHTS Demis Hassabis said that Google will eventually pitch in over $100 billion in the artificial general intelligence (AGI). This seems like Googles response to Microsoft's Stargate project. Microsoft and OpenAI are reportedly in talks to develop a $100 billion supercomputer.

Artificial Intelligence is the way forward, and the leading tech players know it. Thats the reason why all of these companies, be it Microsoft, Google, or any other, are not only putting in all the efforts but also the money to push forward their AI ambitions. It looks like they are in a constant race with each other. And I think that they think so too.

Now, in a recent TED conference held in Canada, Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, said that Google will eventually pitch in over $100 billion in the advancement of artificial general intelligence (AGI).

This seems like Googles response to Microsofts Stargate project. For the uninitiated, Microsoft recently announced its Stargate project. As per reports, Microsoft and OpenAI are currently in talks to develop a $100 billion supercomputer project for artificial intelligence system training. This is called the Frontier system. It is said to be the most powerful supercomputer in the world and is located in the United States. The construction of this alone cost around $600 million.

Also read: Microsoft will give 2 million Indians AI training, says CEO Nadella

Hassabis remark is proof enough that Google has acknowledged what Microsoft and OpenAI are doing. It also shows that Google is not willing to share its plans but is willing to put in as much money as its competitor towards the goal. Seems like a classic tech-company Cold War plot.

Why are Google and Microsoft in such a rush?

Both of these companies are willing to put in all the effort and money because both of them want to become the first to create artificial general intelligence (AGI). As we have seen in ChatGPTs case, the first mover always has an advantage.

The AI industry will get more competitive with time it seems, and only time will tell what is in store for us.
Connections Summit 2024 gathers RFID industry to discuss market trends, technical developments and future use cases for technology

Connections Summit 2024 takes place between 13-16th May in Taichung, Taiwan. The event will bring together the RFID industry for four days of learning, networking and cultural experiences, covering current and future RFID market trends, technical developments and emerging use cases for the technology.

Connections Summit 2024 is presented by the RAIN Alliance in collaboration with NFC Forum and hosted by SAG.

"This year's Connections Summit will have a particularly celebratory mood. We're celebrating 10 years of the RAIN Alliance, while our partner NFC Forum and host SAG mark their respective 20 and 25 year anniversaries," said Aileen Ryan, President and CEO of the RAIN Alliance. "With this in mind, we are delighted to bring the RFID industry together to explore the technology's future, including new and emerging use cases in tomorrow's connected world  such as sustainability and the circular economy."

Organisations are increasingly using tags to improve traceability of goods, to align with incoming sustainability regulation such as the Digital Product Passport. The wide range of emerging use cases for RAIN RFID has also led to rapid global adoption of the technology in recent years. Shipments of RAIN RFID tag chips surged to 44.8bn in 2023 alone, representing year-on-year growth of 32%.

Sustainability will be a key topic of discussion throughout the Connections Summit, particularly during the Open Day co-hosted by NFC Forum. The morning will feature panel discussions and keynote addresses on topics including: sustainability initiatives; the benefits of RAIN RFID and NFC Technology as key enablers of smart retail innovation; how RFID can help make the circular economy a reality; key market trends; and driving adoption of the technology as our world gets more connected. In the afternoon, attendees will split into two tracks, with sessions covering issues specific to RAIN RFID and NFC Technology in more detail.

"Learning, networking and cultural exchange were key focuses for us when devising the programme," added Ryan. "Alongside our Open Day, the Connections Summit will be an opportunity for the RAIN Alliance to host training masterclasses, enable working groups to connect and celebrate the cultural richness of our host Taiwan through a concert experience and various dinners. We look forward to seeing you there!"

For more information or to register for the event, please visit: https://bit.ly/RainAllianceSummit

Connections Summit also features a unique, cultural extravaganza featuring traditional Taiwanese music, dance, and cuisine, hosted by SAG and NXP.
New figures show that the number of taxi licences in operation has fallen in nearly every county across the country over the past five years.

In 23 of the 26 counties the number of licences is lower today than it was in 2019, with the national total down 3.5%.

The figures show there were 26,360 taxis operating in 2023, a decrease of 1,033 from 27,393 in 2019.

The reduction in taxi licence numbers is most acute in the border region, where there has been a 17% decrease over the time period.

The South East region as a whole has seen shortages in the sector by over 11%, leading to criticism of current Small Public Service Vehicles (SPSV) policy.

The stats raise concerns for both locals and visitors to the area, especially as we head for the summer months. CEO of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, Adrian Cummins, notes; The significant decrease in taxi availability is a crippling blow to rural Irelands hospitality sector.

These businesses often rely on taxis to get customers home safely, especially after dark. With little to no public transport links in rural areas and without a vital taxi service, many people simply wont go out, further squeezing already strained rural businesses. The Government needs to take immediate action to address this issue before it cripples the entire industry entirely.

The Taxis for Ireland Coalition is calling on the NTA and the Government to take immediate action to address the shortage of taxis. They propose a 30% increase in taxi vehicles by 2027 as a step towards alleviating the impact of driver and vehicle number decrease over the past decade, coupled with Irelands population growth.
Over four decades after the biggest disaster of its kind in the history of the State, an inquest jury has found that all 48 of the young people who died in the Stardust nightclub fire were unlawfully killed.

The 12-person jury reached majority verdicts in all cases of those who died in the fire at the Artane nightclub 43 years ago.

After deliberating for eleven days over three weeks, the panel of seven women and five men returned to the Pillar Room at the Rotunda Hospital (where the court has been sitting since April 2023) this afternoon to deliver their majority findings and verdicts to Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane.

The jury has found that the fire started in the hot press in the main bar, and was caused by an electrical fault. Carpet tiles on the walls of the Stardust contributed to the spread of the fire.

The jury also found that at the time the fire broke out, exits in the Stardust were locked, chained, or obstructed, blocking the way out for those trapped inside.

These findings are in stark contrast to the original 1982 Keane Tribunal finding, that ruled the fire was "probably caused deliberately". That conclusion, which was been contested by families and friends of the victims since the fire, was struck from the record in 2009, although it still lingered for many.

More than 90 days of evidence and testimony from over 350 witnesses was heard at the inquiry into the deaths at Stardust Ballroom, aged 16 to 27, in a fire in the north Dublin on the morning of 14th February 1981. Five verdicts were available  accidental, misadventure, unlawful killing, open verdict and narrative.

The jury recommended that there should be regular reviews of the building regulations and they also recommended fire safety of all venues annually as opposed to the current target of 70pc every two years.

Those in court got to their feet and applauded the jury once the verdict was read out. Dr Myra Cullinane said they were the longest running inquests in the history of the State and that the jurors had stood outside their normal lives to attend court.

Cullinane said they had heard very difficult testimony. She also said she wanted to acknowledge the relatives' ongoing grief and said the holding of the inquests was in no small part down to their persistence.

The passage of time did not diminish the horror of the evidence they heard, the coroner said. Cullinane commended the jury for stepping outside their own lives for a year and said they did a great act of public service.

More than 150 family members of those who died packed the emotionally-charged courtroom, as they hoped the hear the news they had fought long and hard for.
A new report from the Health information and Quality Authority (HIQA) into International Protection Service (IPAS) centres has found pest infestations, incomplete Garda vetting and reports that asylum seekers have felt "unsafe" in state provided accommodation.

Inspections were carried out on four different centres around the country earlier this year by HIQA including Monaghan and Limerick.

The Knockalisheen accommodation in Limerick was found to have "significant deficits" in standards and was deemed "unsuitable" with "underdeveloped governance and oversight".

The centre has a capacity to house 354 residents, but currently houses 278 people, including 35 children.

The investigation found that there was no Garda vetting in place for a number of staff and international police checks had failed to be carried out on others who had previously lived abroad, leaving recruitment practices at the centre "not sufficiently safe or effective".

Eleven members of staff had also not undergone mandatory Children First training.

The report also noted that the "military-style tents" that house 52 males on the grounds of the accommodation were living in conditions that posed "potential risks to their health, safety and welfare".

The men had "no private space to change their clothing, no privacy screens between beds and no access to storage for personal belongings", which in turn impacts their basic human rights, said inspectors.

Residents in Knockalisheen also reported incidents of "drug use, alcohol use and aggressive behaviours", with some telling inspectors they felt "unsafe".

The report also stated the centre was in need of a "deep clean" and noted there was "little engagement with children", by staff members.

The report states the inspectors took the "unusual steps of issuing an immediate action, requesting the service provider to complete a full analysis of all risks in the centre, including risks relating to residents."

In a separate inspection at St Patrick's Accommodation Centre in Monaghan, inspectors noted "ongoing issues related to pest control", along with "high levels of non compliance", with national standards.

A child had previously been admitted to hospital due to the presence of pests in their accommodation.

338 residents including 155 children live at this accommodation centre, and investigators directed the service provider to take immediate actions after "infestations" were found in residents living spaces.

The report found gross overcrowding at the centre with some adults sharing beds with children, and no room for a baby's crib.

Children who spoke to the inspectors said they don't have any room to their homework, instead having to lie on the floor.

No Garda vetting or police checks were also found among staff and not one member of staff had attended training on first aid, anti-bullying, conflict resolution or human trafficking.

Inspections were also carried out at another centre in Limerick, Hanratty's Hotel, and the Hazel Hotel in Kildare, both of which house 95 residents each.

Those living in the Hazel Hotel said there were "some improvements" required and they didn't always "feel safe" but the general welfare of residents was "well-promoted".

Residents in Hanratty's Hotel said they were generally satisfied and spoke very highly of the staff members. Inspectors noted the centre was "a supportive space where staff and managers were readily available to residents".

Staff at the centres that were investigated were notified of the inspections, however HIQA is expected to carry out further unannounced inspections in the coming months.
Earlier this Thursday, Valentia Coast Guard launched Lough Derg RNLI to assist 2 people on a 36ft vessel which ran aground at Gortmore Point.

At 1.03pm Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat, Jean Spier, launched with helm Eleanor Hooker, and crew Steve Smyth, Chris Parker and Joe ODonoghue on board. They noted that the wind was westerly with Force 4, and gusting Force 5, and it is said that visibility was good with frequent squalls.

At 1.15pm the lifeboat located the casualty vessel 25ft from shore. The lifeboat stood off to observe the casualty vessel, which appeared to be raised out of the water and pivoting on a central point.

With a volunteer taking soundings at the bow, and using on board electronic charts, the lifeboat navigated a safe passage to the vessel. RNLI volunteers also noted hazards in the water close by.

An RNLI volunteer boarded the casualty vessel and established that there were 3 people on board, safe and unharmed and all wearing their lifejackets. The RNLI crew enquired if there were any more people on board they were told that a fourth member of their crew had swam to shore.

The skipper of the casualty vessel had deployed the anchor in an attempt to prevent further drift towards shore. They informed the lifeboat that they had damaged their propellers and suffered engine failure after hitting rocks. An RNLI volunteer checked under the floorboards and reported back to the lifeboat that there was no ingress of water or visible damage to the hull,

Given that the vessel was high out of the water and appeared to be pivoting on a rock, and hadnt changed its aspect to weather with the anchor out, the helm made the decision to take everyone off the cruiser and onto the lifeboat, having first ensured that the casualty vessel was secure with windows closed and gas supply switched off.

The lifeboat informed Valentia Coast Guard of this decision and the plan to moor up at the nearby Gortmore Harbour, so that two RNLI volunteers could walk back to locate the person who had swam to shore. Shore crew back at boathouse informed the cruiser company.

Accompanied by one of the casualties, 2 volunteers set out on foot from Gortmore Harbour to search for the fourth casualty. A member of the public who had offered to drive down the road to assist in the search, located the casualty and drove him back.

With the four casualties reunited, the lifeboat took them to Portumna, where their car was located.



The lifeboat departed the scene at 2.39pm and was back at station at 3.03pm.

Aoife Kennedy, Launching Authority at Lough Derg RNLI advises boat users to stay with your vessel and if in danger call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.
Taxi numbers in Louth have declined by almost 16%, according to new figures from the National Transport Authority (NTA), highlighting what the The Taxis for Ireland Coalition describes as stark regional disparities in access to essential transport.

According to the NTA data, there was 697 taxis in Louth in 2019, a figure which fell to 607 in 2022, and to 586 in 2023.

The figures came in response to a recent parliamentary question by Independent TD Carol Nolan. This dramatic drop in available taxis raises concerns for the country's vital hospitality industry and everyday passengers, particularly as tourist numbers are expected to surge in the coming months.

The Midlands East Region excluding Dublin has been heavily impacted by taxi shortages in recent years, falling by 17.5%, which has led to criticism of current small public service vehicles (SPSV) policy by various stakeholders, particularly in hospitality and tourism.

The significant decrease in taxi availability is a crippling blow to rural Irelands hospitality sector, says Adrian Cummins, CEO of the Restaurants Association of Ireland.

These businesses often rely on taxis to get customers home safely, especially after dark. With little to no public transport links in rural areas and without a vital taxi service, many people simply won't go out, further squeezing already strained rural businesses. The Government needs to take immediate action to address this issue before it cripples the entire industry entirely.

The decline in taxi numbers is attributed to a number of factors, including the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, what the The Taxis for Ireland Coalition describes as an onerous entry system, and costly barriers for new drivers  such as outlays of up to 59,000 for a vehicle alone.

The Taxis for Ireland Coalition says it is calling on the NTA and the Government to take immediate action to address the shortage of taxis. It proposes a 30% increase in taxi vehicles by 2027 as a step towards alleviating the impact of driver and vehicle number decrease over the past decade, coupled with Ireland's population growth.

A reliable and accessible taxi network is essential for a thriving hospitality industry and local economies, says Kieran Harte, General Manager of Uber Ireland. Taxis provide a safe and familiar option for visitors to Ireland and serve an invaluable service to people in rural and urban areas alike. We urge the Government and NTA to acknowledge the issue and take concrete steps to improve the supply of licensed, regulated taxi drivers and vehicles.

The Taxis for Ireland Coalition is calling for the removal of the WAV requirement for newly registered small public service vehicles (SPSVs) and a re-assessment of the SPSV Driver Entry Tests geography-based knowledge requirements. The removal of the WAV requirement but the continuation of the WAV grant, it says, would mean a larger pool of taxis to choose from, meaning that people that do not need a WAV will not be booking one unnecessarily.

The Coalition states that these measures would alleviate the current burdens facing prospective new drivers and would increase overall supply into the market.
Creative Spark in Dundalk has announced its collaboration on a new initiative, Taiscealai, which aims to empower primary schools to explore 3D printing and sustainability in the classroom.

Taiscealai, derived from the Irish word for "explorer", is embarking on a mission to revolutionise primary school education in Ireland by integrating 3D printing technology into the curriculum. This innovative initiative aims to inspire young minds to explore the realms of STEM and manufacturing through engaging and interactive learning experiences.

In collaboration with primary school educators, Taiscealai has developed comprehensive resources including a Teacher's Guide and a Student Workbook. These resources, tailored to the primary school curriculum, facilitate seamless integration of 3D printing elements into classroom activities.

Updated versions of these resources are set to be released in Autumn 2024, further enhancing the learning journey for students and teachers alike.

"We are thrilled to be part of the Taiscealai initiative for a second year, offering primary schools across Ireland the opportunity to embark on an exciting journey into the world of 3D printing and sustainability," said Oscar Diaz, FabLab Education and Operations Manager at Creative Spark.

Above: Last years winners, Murhur National School in Kerry

"Through hands-on learning experiences, we aim to ignite curiosity, foster creativity, and empower the next generation of innovators. Last years winners, Murhur National School in Kerry, had a day-long visit from our team in our specially customised Mobile FabLab.

Applications for the Taiscealai 2024 programme are now open to primary schools across Ireland. This unique opportunity offers participating schools a range of benefits, including:

Two teachers from each school will attend a two-day in-person training course in 3D printing scheduled for 1st and 2 nd July 2024, in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. This comprehensive training will cover the basics of 3D design and printing, along with practical applications in the classroom.

Each participating school will receive a 3D printer, valued at over 2,000, along with setup and technical support.

Schools will have the chance to showcase their students' creativity and innovation in a 'Sustainability Challenge' competition, leveraging their newfound 3D printing skills.

An invitation will be extended to all participating schools to attend an end-of-year Celebration Event in December, celebrating the achievements and progress made throughout the programme.

No prior experience is necessary to participate in the Taiscealai program, as ongoing support will be provided by the project team. The programme is ideally suited for teachers of 2nd class up to 6th class, fostering essential skills and knowledge aligned with the primary school curriculum.

Applications for the Taiscealai programme close on Friday, April 26th, 2024. Interested schools are encouraged to complete the online application form available at https://www.i-form.ie/communityengagement/schools/primaryschools/taiscealai/

For further information or enquiries, please contact Michael Golden at michael.golden@i-form.ie.
US TV host and comedian Conan OBrien had made his Irish TV debut after tracing his family roots in Limerick.

Ros na Runs village rogue and publican, Tadhg O Direain is faced with a feisty delivery man whos having none of Tadhgs arrogant nonsense. Standing his ground, Conan OBrien, the new Ros na Run delivery man is certainly no push over for Tadhg, as a war of words is declared between the two in Tigh Thaidhg.

Loyal fans of Irelands only rural based TV drama will have to watch on April 30 at 8.30pm to see if the publican Tadhg throws Conan out of his pub.

Conan OBrien and HBO Max visited Ireland in January to record one of their unique travel shows as part of the Conan OBrien Must Go series. His primary focus was to trace his family roots in Limerick while taking in some of Irelands most unique features.

For his travel show, Conan Without Borders, the comedian made his way to Galbally, where he explained that his great-grandfather was from, before leaving in the 1870s.

At the time of his visit, he also shared on social media that he was working with Limerick Genealogy to trace his roots while in the country.

Speaking of the series, Conan said: Getting to work with the cast and crew of Ros Na Run was a delightful highlight of my trip to Ireland, and I apologize in advance for inadvertently butchering my mother tongue.

Ros na Run Series Producer, Marion Ni Loingsigh and her production team were thrilled to cast Conan OBrien upon his request. Never shy of a challenge, Ros na Run scriptwriters, producers and directors created a fun script for the world-famous comedian.

The producer of the series, Marion Ni Loingsigh, said: Every day is a challenge on a working TV Set where we produce 82 episodes of Ros na Run over 6 and half months of filming, so were never shy of a new challenge.

It was thrilling to get the request from Conan OBrien that he wanted to have a cameo appearance in Season 28.

Ros na Run is broadcast twice-weekly on Tuesday and Thursday at 8.30pm on TG4 with an omnibus on Sunday evening at 7.30pm and is also available on the TG4 and RTE players.
The median house price for houses sold with the Dundalk Eircode A91 in February 2024 was 262,500, according to figures released by the CSO (Central Statistics Office), an increase of 2,500 on the previous month.

Of the 43 houses sold in Dundalk in February, 11 were to first time buyer owner-occupiers; 25 to former owner-occupiers and 7 were to non occupiers.

Thirty-Seven of these houses were existing builds while six were new homes.

The median price of the new houses sold was 415,000 and the median price of existing houses sold in February was 240,000.

In Drogheda, the median price of residential properties sold in A92: Drogheda in February 2024, was 331,000.

Twenty-Five of the houses sold were new houses and 44 were existing. The median price for the new houses sold was 350,000, while for existing houses it was 262,500.

Nationally, the national Residential Property Price Index (RPPI) increased by 6.1% in the 12 months to February 2024, with prices in Dublin rising by 5.6% and prices outside Dublin up by 6.5%.

In February 2024, 3,327 dwelling purchases by households at market prices were filed with the Revenue Commissioners, down by 0.7% when compared with the 3,351 purchases in February 2023.

The median price of a dwelling purchased in the 12 months to February 2024 was 330,000.

The lowest median price for a dwelling in the 12 months to February 2024 was 165,000 in Leitrim, while the highest median price was 620,000 in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown.
Eagle Times Staff

BRATTLEBORO, Vt.  Filmmaker Andy Reichsman of Marlboro, Vermont, will visit the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) on Thursday, May 2, to share his story of reclaiming family artwork stolen by the Nazi-aligned Yugoslavian government during World War II.

Nearly 80 years after the war ended, Reichsman became the first person to recover artwork that was looted during the Holocaust in Croatia, which was part of Yugoslavia for most of the 20th century. Three Croatian museums returned paintings, lithographs, and small copper and bronze pieces  about a dozen objects altogether  that once belonged to Dane Reichsmann, Andy Reichsmans paternal grandfather. Dane owned a department store in the city of Zagreb before he and his wife, Frieda, were forced from their home and killed at Auschwitz.

For half a century, Danes daughter  Reichsmans aunt  fought in court to compel Croatias National Museum of Modern Art, the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, and the Zagreb Museum of Arts and Crafts to return the collection, which included paintings by Andre Derain and Maurice de Vlaminick and lithographs by Paul Cezanne, Pablo Picasso, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Pierre Bonnard. Reichsman took up the cause after his aunt died 20 years ago.

What drove her was the injustice of it; these were things her father admired, and she wanted them back, Reichsman said. I was utterly skeptical. I assumed I would never, ever, see any of this.

Reichsman and his Croatian lawyer stayed on the case, and in December 2020, he learned that he and his late aunt had won. It wasnt until more than two years later, after the court worked out the inheritance details, he said, that it dawned on me that I was actually going to be able to go get the art. He did so in September 2023, describing the situation to The New York Times as almost beyond belief.

The paintings are now awaiting auction, and the lithographs will stay in the family, Reichsman says. The Zagreb Museum of Arts and Crafts still holds 19 pieces that Reichsman and his lawyer in Croatia continue to pursue.

Reichsmans BMAC talk will take place on Thursday, May 2, at 7 p.m. Admission is $10 for the general public and free for BMAC members. Tickets may be purchased in advance at brattleboromuseum.org or by calling 802-257-0124 x101. Tickets may also be purchased at the door, subject to availability.
As part of the British section of the International Marxist Tendency's series on the historic crimes of Stalinism, and in defence of the genuine ideas of communism, Rob Sewell examines the disastrous Popular Front policy in the 1930s, which consigned the revolutionary working class to defeat.

[Originally published at communist.red]

As previously reported, the misnamed Communist Party of Britain (CPB), worried about the impact we are making, have issued a statement falsely accusing us of coming from an anti-communist tradition.

We have in fact consistently defended genuine communism: against the capitalists, as well as the Stalinists. We reject the tradition of Stalinism, which played  and still plays  a disastrous role in the workers movement.

It is the CPB leaders who shamefully and deliberately hide the criminal history of Stalinism, and try to cover up their Stalinist past.

From ultra-leftism

KPD election poster from 1928 attacking the notion of a coalition with the SPD / Image: public domain

We previously dealt with the Communist Partys insane ultra-left period between 1928 and 1934, which played a pernicious role in splitting the German working class. This directly led to the victory of Hitler and prepared the way for the Second World War.

Despite this catastrophe, the Stalinists maintained that their policy was 100% correct. They said the Hitler regime would soon collapse, to be followed by their turn in power!

In reality, the party was smashed, and its members were being led to the concentration camps.

For the first six months, Stalin hoped to keep on good terms with Hitler. But Hitler rebuffed him. Stalin therefore began to look to France and the other democracies.

to the Popular Front

From denouncing everyone as fascists, especially the Social Democrats, Stalin now shifted 180 degrees to seek a broad alliance that included bourgeois and even right-wing groups.

This new Popular Front line was adopted at the Seventh (and last) Congress of the Communist International (Comintern) in 1935.

The Popular Front was the opposite of Lenins tactic of the united front. Lenins united front was a proposal for a bloc of workers organisations, formed with concrete aims. It was, in effect, a call for workers groups to march separately, but strike together.

In contrast, the Popular Front was a replica of the class-collaborationist position of the Mensheviks in Russia, which Lenin attacked. It was a case of march together, and get cut down separately.

The Popular Front acted as a trap for the working class. So as to avoid alienating their new friends, the bourgeois liberals were effectively given a veto over the actions of the workers parties.

Class collaboration

Stalin signing a mutual assistance pact with the French imperialists in 1936 / Image: prlib.ru

It was at this time that Stalin succeeded in joining the League of Nations in September 1934. Lenin, in contrast, described the League as a thieves kitchen.

While a workers state may need to make temporary agreements with capitalist governments for its survival, under Lenins leadership there was no question of any political support for such governments. Lenin stated that it was impermissible to put an ounce of trust in these allies.

In contrast, Stalin signed a treaty of mutual assistance with France in 1936, heartily approving the growth of French militarism. This resulted in the French CP falling into line and voting for the war budget of the French militarists.

The communist parties had become mouthpieces for Moscows foreign policy, and adapted their policies accordingly.

Patriotism

In Stalins interview with Roy Howard (1 March 1936), he abandoned any pretence of Marxist analysis, and simply dropped a class perspective in favour of liberal terms like the friends of peace and the enemies of peace. In much the same way, the present-day Stalinists refer to peace-loving nations, etc.

When Stalin was asked about the USSRs plans and intentions for bringing about a world revolution, he replied that we never had such plans and intentions. The idea, he said, they had was a tragi-comic misunderstanding.

Socialism in one country was being interpreted as revolution in a single country.

Patriotism was now being fostered in the communist parties, with the French Stalinist leader Thorez offering his hand to the fascist Croix de Feu on a patriotic, anti-German basis. The French tricolour replaced the red flag. In Britain, the CP was to offer a similar appeal to Churchills Tories.

Today, patriotism and sovereignty permeates the nationalist programme of the British Road to Socialism of the CPB.

France

The radicalisation of the 1930s led, under the influence of the Stalinists, to the formation of Popular Front (coalition) governments in France and Spain, which acted as a brake on the revolutionary movements of the working class.

In June 1936, following the election of the Popular Front government in France, two million workers took part in a spontaneous general strike. Factory occupations spread like wildfire. It was the mightiest movement of the French working class since the Paris Commune.

French CP leader Maurice Thorez standing with SFIO leader Leon Blum / Image: public domain

From the start, explained Jacques Fauves, the movement assumed a two-fold revolutionary aspect, attacking both authority and property.

The leaders of the trade unions and the workers parties were taken completely by surprise, and sought to undermine the movement. This included the so-called Communist Party.

We are concerned about two things, stated the French CP leader, Duclos, first, to avoid any disorder, and second, to get talks going as soon as may be, with a view to a quick settlement of the conflict.

At its height, Thorez, another CP leader, assembled the Communists of Paris and ordered them to use their influence to end the strike:

While it is important to lead well a movement for economic demands, it is necessary to know how to end it. There is at present no question of taking power.

The party put forward the slogan: The Peoples Front is not the revolution.

Betrayal

The revolutionary movement of the French workers was betrayed. The Socialists and Communists, in alliance with the bourgeois liberals, acted as a colossal brake, which sabotaged the developing revolution.

This policy was not, of course, decided by the French Communist leaders alone, but was the policy of the Comintern and Stalin.

The French CP leaders acted to betray in the same way as they betrayed the revolutionary general strike of 1968.

The bourgeois liberals (the Radicals) acted as a Trojan horse within the Popular Front, who represented the interests of big business.

But rather than leading the workers to power, the Socialist and Communist leaders used their prestige to act as a cover for the liberals. They could not allow anything to frighten away their new allies, as they argued this would play into the hands of the fascists. But this prepared the way for the defeat of the movement.

Spanish revolution

Trotsky correctly described the Peoples Front as a strike-breaking conspiracy.

The Spanish CP deliberately sabotaged the Spanish Revolution on the orders of Moscow / Image: public domain

The victory of the Popular Front in Spain in 1936, also propelled the masses into action. They took control of the streets, and occupied the closed factories and estates, without waiting for the government to act.

But again, the Popular Front government, with the connivance of the Stalinists, acted as a massive brake.

When the workers seized the factories in Catalonia, following the fascist rebellion of General Franco, the Communists held them back. They adopted a two-stage theory: first win the war against Franco, they said, then the workers could talk about socialism later.

Once again, this was a direct reflection of the Menshevik two-stage theory, which Lenin attacked.

The real choice was not between a fascist dictatorship or a bourgeois democratic republic, but fascism or proletarian revolution.

The only way to defeat Franco was to give land to the peasants, and factories to the workers. That meant carrying out the socialist revolution and waging a revolutionary war against Franco.

But the Spanish Communist Party, under orders from Stalin, vehemently opposed this, and became the bulwark behind the lines of the bourgeois counter-revolution. The Stalinists became the greatest defenders of law and order and private property.

They deliberately sabotaged the Spanish Revolution on the orders of Moscow. Stalin betrayed the revolution to smooth the way for a diplomatic deal with the capitalist democracies. But this only prepared the way for the victory of Franco.

Throughout this period, British Communist Party leaders justified every twist and turn demanded by Moscow. The CPB became a willing tool of its foreign policy.

This clearly demonstrates the gulf between genuine communism  upon which the Revolutionary Communist Party stands  and Stalinism.
WITH holidays becoming more of a luxury, its important to ensure you have all bases covered - including making the flight experience as smooth and comfortable as possible.

So, what are the best travel hacks to ensure you have the best holiday experience? We asked travel experts and frequent flyers to share everything their top hacks...

Avoid heavy, greasy meals

Jenna Wright*, a cabin crew member, has a solution for avoiding post-flight bloat.

Bloating is one of the most annoying things about flights - especially when travelling long-haul, Wright says.

The combination of reduced air pressure, dehydration and sitting for long periods of time slows down your digestion and leads to a build-up of gas in your digestive tract. This is why you often feel bloated, gassy and nauseated while flying.

For travellers trying to minimise post-flight bloat, I suggest avoiding eating anything heavy, spicy or greasy before you fly. Instead, try to stick to foods that are easier to digest.

Follow the 24-hour rule to rehydrate

Abby Dunn, marketing manager at Ocean Florida, who has made the nine-hour flight to Florida 42 times, also has tips for dealing with bloating and digestive discomfort.

The best thing you can do to ensure comfort is to hydrate yourself - not only before your flight but also once you make it to your hotel or holiday villa too, says Dunn.

Try to follow the 24-hour rule - upping your water intake for 24 hours before and after your flight to prevent dehydration and water retention.

This will help keep dehydration headaches and dry skin at bay, too.

Skip the aeroplane food

If you are prone to bloating and feeling the effects of dehydration, you might also want to skip the in-flight meal and bring your own food.

You lose your taste buds in the air, so they fill the food with salt and oil to try and give it some flavour - which is extremely bloating, Wright adds.

Use technology to your advantage

For Lee Dobson, co-founder of Travel City, noise-cancelling headphones are a travel must-have. They create a personal oasis of calm, even in the noisiest of cabins (or help me focus if Im trying to finish a report on the flight), he says.

Alongside that, I always ensure my iPad is loaded with shows, movies, and playlists to keep me entertained.

The power bank is just as important; theres nothing worse than gearing up to watch a film or listen to a podcast only to find my battery is flat.

This combination of tech essentials has levelled up my in-flight experience, making long hauls feel like a breeze and ensuring I arrive at my destination relaxed and ready to explore.

Bring an extension chord

Sasha Kalonji*, who regularly travels for work as a global public health project officer, says her personal favourite is remembering to pack an extension chord.

Youll only need one adapter, but youll have multiple outlets to charge your electrical devices and you can use your hair styling tools at the same time, says Kalonji.

Don't over pack.

Pack three days worth of clothes

You never know what can happen once you arrive at your destination, so its important to be prepared and think ahead if youre going on a long holiday. If luggage goes missing, you dont want to be stuck unable to enjoy the first few days until its located.

Always pack at least three days worth of clothes in your hand luggage, even if you dont have a connecting flight, and especially if you have an important event to go to, like a wedding, says Kalonji. Luggage often gets held up for security checks or other reasons.

Use a VPN

Safety should always be a priority when travelling, especially if you are doing it solo.

Use a VPN when using public WiFi, including at the hotel, to help keep your data safe, says Kalonji, who also advises people use antibacterial wipes to wipe down your phone and remote in your hotel.

Leave your main bank cards at home

Dont bring your main bank cards on holiday, suggests Kalonji. If they are stolen, it reduces the risk of a large sum of money being taken [out of your account]. I bring two cards and transfer money into them as needed.
This week in our Lenin in a Year series, we republish a short but punchy article by Lenin, originally written in 1913 for the Bolshevik paper Prosveshcheniye (Enlightenment). In it, Lenin traces the unbroken thread that places Marxism as the successor and synthesis of the most progressive and revolutionary ideas that came before it.

By the time Lenin wrote this article, the Bolsheviks had undertaken their final split with the Mensheviks and emerged as an independent party that was beginning to develop into a mass party with tens of thousands of members and hundreds of thousands of sympathisers. Russia was in the throes of a renewed, militant strike wave that had commenced in 1912 and would continue until 1914. The working class had clearly recovered its fighting spirit after the defeat of the 1905 revolution.

But Lenin never complacently gave up his struggle for Marxist theory, which he defends wholeheartedly in the article. Lenin explains that the idea of an impartial science is a complete utopia in class society, and that the hatred of official science for Marxism in capitalist society derives directly from the class interests it represents:

To expect science to be impartial in a wage-slave society is as foolishly naive as to expect impartiality from manufacturers on the question of whether workers wages ought not to be increased by decreasing the profits of capital.

Fundamentally, the reason they hate Marxism is because it represents a true, harmonious and unified theory. When these truths penetrate the mass of workers, the death knell will sound for capitalism. But these truths did not fall from the sky. Rather, Marxs ideas were a development on the highest products of science until that point: specifically, of German philosophy, English political economy, and French socialism, as Lenin explains in this article, which we reproduce below.

In 1913, the forces of Marxism, defended by Lenin and the Bolsheviks, were once more rising up to meet the ascending struggle of the working class, which was teaching workers in the same spirit:

The proletariat is becoming enlightened and educated by waging its class struggle; it is ridding itself of the prejudices of bourgeois society; it is rallying its ranks ever more closely and is learning to gauge the measure of its successes; it is steeling its forces and is growing irresistibly.

A revolutionary struggle seemed sure to break out, although the First World War would temporarily cut across this development. As Russia plunged into turmoil, the masses entered into revolt against all the old injustices. Russia had long been known as a prison house of nations and nationalist ideas were growing in influence among the oppressed peoples across the empire. To clarify the important national question, in 1913 Lenin wrote his classic text The Right of Nations to Self-Determination, which we will look at in next week's article in this series.

Today, our duty is to build an International that draws upon these ideas expertly laid out by Lenin to provide clarity and guidance for the great revolutionary movements that are on the horizon in every country. This is why we are putting on the World School of Communism from 10-15 June, at which we shall launch a new Revolutionary Communist International (RCI). Join us and arm yourself with the ideas that make the capitalists tremble!

The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism

Throughout the civilised world the teachings of Marx evoke the utmost hostility and hatred of all bourgeois science (both official and liberal), which regards Marxism as a kind of pernicious sect. And no other attitude is to be expected, for there can be no impartial social science in a society based on class struggle. In one way or another, all official and liberal science defends wage-slavery, whereas Marxism has declared relentless war on that slavery. To expect science to be impartial in a wage-slave society is as foolishly naive as to expect impartiality from manufacturers on the question of whether workers wages ought not to be increased by decreasing the profits of capital.

But this is not all. The history of philosophy and the history of social science show with perfect clarity that there is nothing resembling sectarianism in Marxism, in the sense of its being a hidebound, petrified doctrine, a doctrine which arose away from the high road of the development of world civilisation. On the contrary, the genius of Marx consists precisely in his having furnished answers to questions already raised by the foremost minds of mankind. His doctrine emerged as the direct and immediate continuation of the teachings of the greatest representatives of philosophy, political economy and socialism.

The Marxist doctrine is omnipotent because it is true. It is comprehensive and harmonious, and provides men with an integral world outlook irreconcilable with any form of superstition, reaction, or defence of bourgeois oppression. It is the legitimate successor to the best that man produced in the nineteenth century, as represented by German philosophy, English political economy and French socialism.

It is these three sources of Marxism, which are also its component parts that we shall outline in brief.

I

The philosophy of Marxism is materialism. Throughout the modern history of Europe, and especially at the end of the eighteenth century in France, where a resolute struggle was conducted against every kind of medieval rubbish, against serfdom in institutions and ideas, materialism has proved to be the only philosophy that is consistent, true to all the teachings of natural science and hostile to superstition, cant and so forth. The enemies of democracy have, therefore, always exerted all their efforts to refute, undermine and defame materialism, and have advocated various forms of philosophical idealism, which always, in one way or another, amounts to the defence or support of religion.

Marx and Engels defended philosophical materialism in the most determined manner and repeatedly explained how profoundly erroneous is every deviation from this basis. Their views are most clearly and fully expounded in the works of Engels, Ludwig Feuerbach and Anti-Duhring, which, like the Communist Manifesto, are handbooks for every class-conscious worker.

But Marx did not stop at eighteenth-century materialism: he developed philosophy to a higher level, he enriched it with the achievements of German classical philosophy, especially of Hegels system, which in its turn had led to the materialism of Feuerbach. The main achievement was dialectics, i.e., the doctrine of development in its fullest, deepest and most comprehensive form, the doctrine of the relativity of the human knowledge that provides us with a reflection of eternally developing matter. The latest discoveries of natural scienceradium, electrons, the transmutation of elementshave been a remarkable confirmation of Marxs dialectical materialism despite the teachings of the bourgeois philosophers with their new reversions to old and decadent idealism.

Marx deepened and developed philosophical materialism to the full, and extended the cognition of nature to include the cognition of human society. His historical materialism was a great achievement in scientific thinking. The chaos and arbitrariness that had previously reigned in views on history and politics were replaced by a strikingly integral and harmonious scientific theory, which shows how, in consequence of the growth of productive forces, out of one system of social life another and higher system develops  how capitalism, for instance, grows out of feudalism.

Just as mans knowledge reflects nature (i.e., developing matter), which exists independently of him, so mans social knowledge (i.e., his various views and doctrines  philosophical, religious, political and so forth) reflects the economic system of society. Political institutions are a superstructure on the economic foundation. We see, for example, that the various political forms of the modern European states serve to strengthen the domination of the bourgeoisie over the proletariat.

Marxs philosophy is a consummate philosophical materialism which has provided mankind, and especially the working class, with powerful instruments of knowledge.

II

Having recognised that the economic system is the foundation on which the political superstructure is erected, Marx devoted his greatest attention to the study of this economic system. Marxs principal work, Capital, is devoted to a study of the economic system of modern, i.e., capitalist, society.

Classical political economy, before Marx, evolved in England, the most developed of the capitalist countries. Adam Smith and David Ricardo, by their investigations of the economic system, laid the foundations of the labour theory of value. Marx continued their work; he provided a proof of the theory and developed it consistently. He showed that the value of every commodity is determined by the quantity of socially necessary labour time spent on its production.

Where the bourgeois economists saw a relation between things (the exchange of one commodity for another) Marx revealed a relation between people. The exchange of commodities expresses the connection between individual producers through the market. Money signifies that the connection is becoming closer and closer, inseparably uniting the entire economic life of the individual producers into one whole. Capital signifies a further development of this connection: mans labour-power becomes a commodity. The wage-worker sells his labour-power to the owner of land, factories and instruments of labour. The worker spends one part of the day covering the cost of maintaining himself and his family (wages), while the other part of the day he works without remuneration, creating for the capitalist surplus-value, the source of profit, the source of the wealth of the capitalist class.

The doctrine of surplus-value is the corner-stone of Marxs economic theory.

Capital, created by the labour of the worker, crushes the worker, ruining small proprietors and creating an army of unemployed. In industry, the victory of large-scale production is immediately apparent, but the same phenomenon is also to be observed in agriculture, where the superiority of large-scale capitalist agriculture is enhanced, the use of machinery increases and the peasant economy, trapped by money-capital, declines and falls into ruin under the burden of its backward technique. The decline of small-scale production assumes different forms in agriculture, but the decline itself is an indisputable fact.

By destroying small-scale production, capital leads to an increase in productivity of labour and to the creation of a monopoly position for the associations of big capitalists. Production itself becomes more and more socialhundreds of thousands and millions of workers become bound together in a regular economic organismbut the product of this collective labour is appropriated by a handful of capitalists. Anarchy of production, crises, the furious chase after markets and the insecurity of existence of the mass of the population are intensified.

By increasing the dependence of the workers on capital, the capitalist system creates the great power of united labour.

Marx traced the development of capitalism from embryonic commodity economy, from simple exchange, to its highest forms, to large-scale production.

And the experience of all capitalist countries, old and new, year by year demonstrates clearly the truth of this Marxian doctrine to increasing numbers of workers.

Capitalism has triumphed all over the world, but this triumph is only the prelude to the triumph of labour over capital.

III

When feudalism was overthrown and free capitalist society appeared in the world, it at once became apparent that this freedom meant a new system of oppression and exploitation of the working people. Various socialist doctrines immediately emerged as a reflection of and protest against this oppression. Early socialism, however, was utopian socialism. It criticised capitalist society, it condemned and damned it, it dreamed of its destruction, it had visions of a better order and endeavoured to convince the rich of the immorality of exploitation.

But utopian socialism could not indicate the real solution. It could not explain the real nature of wage-slavery under capitalism, it could not reveal the laws of capitalist development, or show what social force is capable of becoming the creator of a new society.

Meanwhile, the stormy revolutions which everywhere in Europe, and especially in France, accompanied the fall of feudalism, of serfdom, more and more clearly revealed the struggle of classes as the basis and the driving force of all development.

Not a single victory of political freedom over the feudal class was won except against desperate resistance. Not a single capitalist country evolved on a more or less free and democratic basis except by a life-and-death struggle between the various classes of capitalist society.

The genius of Marx lies in his having been the first to deduce from this the lesson world history teaches and to apply that lesson consistently. The deduction he made is the doctrine of the class struggle.

People always have been the foolish victims of deception and self-deception in politics, and they always will be until they have learnt to seek out the interests of some class or other behind all moral, religious, political and social phrases, declarations and promises. Champions of reforms and improvements will always be fooled by the defenders of the old order until they realise that every old institution, however barbarous and rotten it may appear to be, is kept going by the forces of certain ruling classes. And there is only one way of smashing the resistance of those classes, and that is to find, in the very society which surrounds us, the forces which can  and, owing to their social position, must constitute the power capable of sweeping away the old and creating the new, and to enlighten and organise those forces for the struggle.

Marxs philosophical materialism alone has shown the proletariat the way out of the spiritual slavery in which all oppressed classes have hitherto languished. Marxs economic theory alone has explained the true position of the proletariat in the general system of capitalism.

Independent organisations of the proletariat are multiplying all over the world, from America to Japan and from Sweden to South Africa. The proletariat is becoming enlightened and educated by waging its class struggle; it is ridding itself of the prejudices of bourgeois society; it is rallying its ranks ever more closely and is learning to gauge the measure of its successes; it is steeling its forces and is growing irresistibly.
A 33-year-old West Cork man who followed a 13-year-old girl into a bathroom and sexually assaulted her after she had become unwell from drinking alcohol with friends was jailed yesterday for five and a half years.

Judge Helen Boyle sentenced Edward Such to seven years in prison with the last 18 months suspended. He denied the sexual assault charge but was found guilty by a jury after a four-day trial.

The victim was present in the courthouse at Cork Circuit Criminal Court with her mother but did not want to be present in the courtroom when the sentence was passed. Her father and brother were present.

Victim impact statements were handed into the court by the victim and her parents and they did not want them read publicly in court.

Judge Boyle said in the course of sentencing that the injured party suffered unfortunate consequences in that she lost friends and she felt that some people did not believe her. She also felt at fault even though she did nothing wrong.

Judge Boyle said Edward Such was the only person who entirely responsible for the sexual assault.

The judge said that as well as what was suffered by the victim there was no doubt it was a dreadful experience for the parents to learn what happened to their child.

Judge Boyle commended the teenagers bravery in bringing the complaint and following through with the evidence she gave in the trial.

The judge noted that was no issue with convicted man being named but that no particulars identifying the injured party should be published. For that reason some of the circumstances that gave rise to the parties being present in the same house on that night are not being reported.

Judge Boyle said an aggravating factor was the big age gap between the parties.

This girl was 13 years old at the time. She was feeling physically unwell after consuming alcohol and you preyed on her and followed her into the bathroom. You touched and penetrated her vagina with your fingers."

Peter OFlynn defence barrister said the accused had been doing well in prison and had an extremely dysfunctional background. He was homeless at the time of the sexual assault.

Mr OFlynn said that from a young age Edward Such had addiction issues and be homeless and addicted to heroin.

Detective Garda Brian Morris of West Cork protective services unit said that on the night of April 8 into the following Friday morning of April 9 2021, the 13-year-old was drinking alcohol with friends and began to feel unwell.

The evidence in the course of a four-day trial by judge and jury was that the accused entered a downstairs bathroom with the injured party and that he closed the door, placed his hand inside her pants and underwear and penetrated her vagina with his fingers.
A CORK restaurateur has said the first quarter of 2024 was probably one of the worst he has ever seen in the industry.

Mike Ryan, the Cork chairman of the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) and co-owner of the Cornstore Restaurant, said that without a move to reduce the Vat rate, businesses will be unable to weather the storm.

Its very stressful, he said.

For a lot of people, its hard to feel certainty  I can see it on the ground.

Peoples habits have changed, people are very selective with how they spend their money.

Even if there was a buffer built in, by taking the Vat back to 9%, it would take off a small bit of that pressure.

The Government can directly influence whats happening here with the decisions that they make, said Mr Ryan.

RAI report on impact of closures

His comments come as a new report, published by the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI), found that the average closure of a restaurant costs the State and economy up to 1.36m, resulting in the loss of 22 direct jobs and 13 indirect jobs.

The report, titled The Economic Impact of Restaurant Closures, conducted by leading economist Jim Power and commissioned by the RAI, was launched as part of its campaign arguing in favour of the reinstatement of the pandemic-era 9% Vat rate for food-led businesses.

The findings showed that an average of two restaurants, cafes, and other food-led businesses are closing their doors for good each day, meaning a total loss of 288m to the economy and State already this year.

This wave of closures can be seen across the country with more than 70 food-led businesses closing in February alone, and most notably in Cork with over five high-profile restaurants exiting the sector since January.

The Vat rate was at 9% for a long time and it worked, said Mr Ryan.

You saw growth in the sector at a time when there was basically a worldwide recession.

Reducing the Vat will save businesses; they wont be able to help them all, but its going to save a higher percentage than it would be by leaving it up.

'People are at their limits'

The report further showed that aside from increased Vat, other increased costs are one of the main factors in businesses closing their doors.

These factors include the rise in energy costs and food prices, labour shortages, and the recent introduction of State measures such as an increased minimum wage, statutory sick pay changes, parental leave, and higher PRSI.

Something has to break, says Mr Ryan. With another energy spike, itll be worse than the Vat.

People are at their limits. Any more will be the straw that breaks the proverbial camels back.

Theres no point in being open if were not making money.

Its hard to put money at the bottom line right now.

Everyone is struggling, and the realities are that with these interventions, its lobbed a lot of pressure on to small businesses across the country.

We cant absorb it, there isnt a big chest of money to use to weather the storm.
Tributes have been paid this morning to former RTE presenter Alf McCarthy following news of his passing.

His death was announced on RTE this morning.

He was 73.

Mr McCarthy began broadcasting with RTE Radio Cork in 1979 and retired from RTE in 2015.

During that time he had been a presenter of Late Date on RTE Radio 1.

He is also credited with creating the comedy and satire series Shortt Circuit, The Usual Suspects and Bull Island and produced documentaries such as The Cleggan Disaster, Early Doors No More and A Tale of Three Cities.

He was also well-known for his contribution to the arts and was an award-winning performer.

The Lord Mayor of Cork, Kieran McCarthy said that McCarthy had been "passionate about the arts, fun, v creative, funny, a proud Corkman, a great building communities advocate" on X.

#GotCork RIP Alf, sincere condolences to family &friends; passionate about the arts, fun, v creative, funny, a proud Corkman, a great building communities advocate #weareCork #proudofCork https://t.co/6kAIghXCTT  Cllr Kieran McCarthy (@cllrkmac) April 18, 2024

"Sincere condolences to family and friends," he said.

The Tanaiste Micheal Martin said he was deeply saddened at the passing of Alf McCarthy.

"Raconteur, broadcaster & actor - Alf had a wonderful personality. His warm, courteous & happy disposition towards life was truly infectious. My sympathies to his family & friends at this time," he said.

Deeply saddened at the passing of Alf McCarthy.



Raconteur, broadcaster & actor - Alf had a wonderful personality.



His warm, courteous & happy disposition towards life was truly infectious.



My sympathies to his family & friends at this time. https://t.co/hRn8Fd32U8  Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) April 18, 2024

Members of the Great Singalong Songbook, whom Alf McCarthy performed with, said that they were "absolutely devastated and heartbroken to learn of the passing of our beloved friend and Singalong Songbook family member, Alf Mccarthy, following a brief illness."

Damian Smith, Alan Carney, the late Alf McCarthy and Linda Kenny from The Everyman Sunday Songbook team at The Metropole as they celebrated their 20th anniversary of Sunday Songbook concerts at The Everyman. Photo Darragh Kane

In a post on Facebook they wrote: "Just 10 days ago, we shared The Everyman stage together in Burt Bacharach: A Celebration. We don't know how to begin to process our profound loss. Our deepest sympathies go to Alf's family and his friends at this most difficult of times. Words seem to fail us right now, but to borrow the words of Vera Lynn, Alf's favourite Songbook show, "We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when, but I know we'll meet again some sunny day"

"Rest easy, dear Alf."

Broadcaster Elmarie Mawe said that Mr McCarthy's voice had been "iconic" on Late Date.

"He was full of such humour and mischief, and was a true performer to the end, only on stage in The Everyman in Cork 10 days ago. Ar dheis De go raibh se," she said on X.

So deeply, deeply sad to hear the one and only Alf McCarthy died tonight. His voice was iconic on Late Date on @RTERadio1. He was full of such humour and mischief, and was a true performer to the end, only on stage in @EverymanCork 10 days ago. Ar dheis De go raibh se. #PureCork pic.twitter.com/I0eVNzWv6r  Elmarie Mawe  (@elmarie96) April 18, 2024

Senator Jerry Buttimer said he was shocked and saddened to hear of Mr McCarthy's passing.

"Alf was a great mentor when working in RTE Radio Cork. He was full of fun. His voice was golden."

Shocked & Sad to hear of the passing of Alf McCarthy. Alf was a great mentor when working in RTE Radio Cork. He was full of fun. His voice was golden. @rte @RTERadio1 my sympathies to his family & friends. pic.twitter.com/eTry2EF78f  Senator Jerry Buttimer (@jerrybuttimer) April 18, 2024

More to follow.
A YOUNG man who lost his life as a result of the dangerous, drunken driving of another man, in Fermoy, was asked as a boy what he wanted to be when he grew up. He replied, President of Ukraine.

This poignant memory of Igor Skokivskyi was recalled by his sister in a victim-impact statement at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

The man who caused his death was sentenced to two and a half years in prison.

Lulian Lotca of Carrigtohill, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to drunken driving and dangerous driving, causing the death of Mr Skokivskyi, who was a back-seat passenger in the car that night. He also admitted having no insurance.

Garda Ronan Casey testified at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that the black BMW was driven at speed at MacCurtain St, Fermoy, on July 1, 2023. Mr Skokivskyi died the next day in hospital as a result of his injuries.

Family lost father in car accident in 2008

Judge James McCourt said, after hearing the statements from the deceased mans sister, brother, and mother, It is unimaginable to figure out losing one member of a family in a road-traffic accident that happened in 2008. It is even more unimaginable to contemplate losing another member of the family years later. But that is what happened with the loss of Igor.

Oksana recalled her brother: There are now three of us remaining. We lost our father in 2008 in a car accident. And we ask how this has come to happen to our little family once again. We were a peaceful and happy family, yet here we are.

When he graduated school, the principal awarded him the Soul of the Class for his kindness and generosity with his time. He was a good listener, even from a young age.

Now, every day is a struggle for us. We now have to learn to start each day without Igor. Now, life does not bring us joy. We live with this constant pain and open emotional wounds that will never heal.

Leonid said he misses his brother every day: He will not know what it is to start a family, have children. I know he would have been the best dad, a good husband and provider.

There is a war in my country and I was happy my brother went to Ireland before the war started, but, unfortunately, this did not save him.

'Life without him has lost value'

Mina said her son was stolen way to soon from her: It is not natural for a mother to outlive her youngest child. Life without him has lost value. I visit his grave every day now. I place my trust in you and the Irish system that justice will be served.

Judge McCourt said of the accused: No doubt you acted negligently and recklessly. I have to consider whether there are aggravating factors It was a disastrous decision (to drive after drinking). Speed was dangerous and we now know and it resulted in a loss of life.

I accept you did not set out on that fateful evening with that in mind, but that was the outcome. I accept you have shown remorse and essentially been a model prisoner, accessing education and working in the kitchen. You have been a positive contributor to society as an employed person. You missed out on the birth of your child (who was born two months after he went into custody in July 2023).

You have offered an apology through your counsel. You are currently in prison. Obviously, it is acknowledged to be even harder for a non-national.

Extending his sympathies to the family of the deceased, Judge McCourt said: Of course he is for ever in their hearts, in their lives. This mother saw her son go to Ireland. Then war broke out in her home country. Little could she contemplate he would lose his life far away from the war zone.

Judge McCourt imposed a total sentence of three years imprisonment, with the last six months suspended, and disqualified him from driving for five years. The sentence was backdated to July 3, when he went into custody.

Defence senior counsel Elizabeth OConnell said the defendant was totally remorseful and he had no previous convictions.
GREEN Party councillor for Cork City North East, Oliver Moran, will host an information meeting this evening on planned changes to public transport in Glanmire.

The meeting will take place between 7.30pm and 8.30pm in the Riverstown Community Centre, and will highlight upcoming changes to the bus network.

This includes extending the 208 to Glanmire, as well as revising the 214 so that it does not travel via Togher, both of which are part of the expansion of the city bus network that is planned to begin rollout in a years time.

It comes as The Echo recently revealed that between December 9, 2023, and February 6, 2024, the 214 service left a stop early 7,552 times, left a stop late 75,416 times, and did not turn up at a stop 29,327 times.

Calling for a comprehensive plan to prioritise public transport in the city so that its a reliable option for commuters, Mr Moran said that increasing the number of services alone is not enough.

The 214 was increased in frequency in 2021, but its still the most unreliable of services in the city, he added.

Reliability is what people want.

He added that he is in very regular contact with the National Transport Authority on plans for BusConnects in Cork, which has promised to introduce significant improvements across the city.

Mr Moran added that there are also significant works taking place to do with the suburban rail and active travel that he will touch on at the meeting, explaining how they will be relevant to Glanmire.

He said: As well as the planned new routes to Glanmire, Ill also go through the public transport priority measures being planned and how these relate to the area.

Those will have the greatest impact on the reliability of services for Glanmire and its where real transformation has to happen.

There will be an opportunity for open discussion at the meeting.

A sharable invite to the event is available at: https://eclv.ie/Moran
A unanimous guilty verdict was delivered this afternoon against a Ukrainian national accused of dangerous driving causing the death of GAA broadcaster Paudie Palmer at Innishannon at Christmas time in 2022.

The seven women and five men who deliberated for approximately five hours returned to Cork Circuit Criminal Court with their unanimous guilty verdict on what was the seventh day of the trial.

Judge Jonathan Dunphy remanded the accused man in continuing custody for sentencing on May 2.

The judge did not accede to an application by defence senior counsel Seamus Roche to direct the preparation of a probation report. Judge Dunphy said it would not be required in the absence of factors such as addiction issues or previous convictions. The accused man has no addictions or previous convictions. It was suggested that a prison governors report on him could be obtained.

The family of the late Paudie Palmer embraced each other and thanked the garda investigation team as the verdict was delivered.

They will have an opportunity to present victim impact statements on May 2 so that consideration can be given to the impact on them of the circumstances of the loss of Mr Palmer.

33-year-old Bohdan Bezverkhyi, of Rigsdale House, Rigsdale, Ballinhassig, County Cork, pleaded not guilty to the charge of dangerous driving causing the death of Mr Palmer at Dunkereen Cross, Innishannon, Co Cork, on December 29 2022. Picture Dan Linehan

33-year-old Bohdan Bezverkhyi, of Rigsdale House, Rigsdale, Ballinhassig, County Cork, pleaded not guilty to the charge of dangerous driving causing the death of Mr Palmer at Dunkereen Cross, Innishannon, Co Cork, on December 29 2022. Mr Palmer was fatally injured as his car ended up overturned on an embankment at the junction near his home, having been in a collision with the defendant's car which was then driven from the scene.

He admitted charges related to his failure to remain at the scene of the collision but denied the most serious charge against him.

While his plea was one of not guilty, the jury were presented with evidence of texts from his phone sent to family and friends on December 29 2022. These texts showed the accused man saying:

I am in the wrong 100%, I drove off, I was drunk, there is no excuse for me, I am guilty of it all.

"I will be jailed. I left the scene of a traffic accident, drunk.

I am a moron. I am guilty of it all. Dont know what happened to the people. I am blaming myself for driving off."

Left the scene of the accident. Was pissed."

Retrial

As the trial broke for the weekend last Friday, Judge Dunphy warned the jury they should not engage in amateur detective work. He reminded them they should only consider the evidence that they saw and heard in court as part of their work as jurors.

In the context of this case there was a particular significance to this warning. The jury were not told that in fact they were hearing a retrial of the case. And they certainly were not informed of the reason for the retrial.

The first trial took place in February and the jury had heard all of the evidence and closing speeches. They had begun their deliberations and there was a break for the weekend. When they returned it came to light that one juror had engaged in just this sort of amateur detective work. He privately visited the scene of the collision over that weekend and discussed his observations with the jury causing the immediate collapse of the trial.

Judge Colin Daly who presided over that first trial told the jury they had failed in their oath to conduct their deliberations on the basis of what was given in evidence and not to conduct any independent enquiries, and he declared a mistrial.

Judge Daly said: You have failed in your duty and in your oath because you have failed to conduct the trial in a proper manner. You were directed not to conduct your own investigations. But one of you has done that. A fair trial cannot now take place. You are discharged in those circumstances.

Fortunately, there was no such failure in the present trial and the jury completed their work without incident. What now remains is sentencing of the guilty driver on May 2.
THE jury in the Carrigaline murder trial where a 29-year-old man lost his life following an assault on December 28 2022 will commence their deliberations on Friday.

Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford addressed the jury on legal issues in relation to the case on Thursday and will conclude her address to the jury on Friday on the matters they would have to bear in mind when considering the evidence.

21-year-old Ricardo Hoey of 7 Ardcarrig, Carrigaline, County Cork, and 19-year-old Jordan Deasy of 41 Ravensdale, Heron's Wood, both pleaded not guilty to the single charge against them, namely that on December 28 2022 at Glenwood estate, Carrigaline, County Cork, they did murder 29-year-old Matt ONeill, contrary to common law.
WRITING lately of my more than half a century as a GAA member, I quoted the first two lines of a famous song, Ive been to a great many places /And wonderful sights I have seen.

Those are the opening lines written in 1894 by one Percy French.

The Roscommon native was nominally an Engineer for Drains in the Department of Agriculture. He was also an artist and a composer of many, many songs, including The Mountains Of Mourne, Come Back Paddy Rielly To Ballyjamesduff, Eileen Oge, Are Ye Right There Michael, and Gortnamona.

While working in Co. Limerick, French stayed in the boarding house of one Anthony McAuliffe in the town of Dromcollogher.

French wrote all sorts of compositions - happy, sad, tongue in cheek, and hilarious. By his own account, he was treated well in Drom, and after his sojourn there he penned the song Drumcolliher - using the more Irish anglican spelling - which I quoted at the start.

By another coincidence, the 170th anniversary of Frenchs birth is in a few days time. Little did I think last week as I quoted his famous Limerick song that Id be by a graveside in County Clare on Monday this week, joining in the singing of Drumcolliher - truly is ait an mac an saol - life can take strange turns!

It was a funeral with a difference in more ways than one.

Denis (DJ) Broderick was the son of a shopkeeper, Patrick, in the Square in Dromcollogher. He expanded the family business and became a publican, undertaker, draper and farmer.

In the troubled year of 1921, DJ, while on a buying trip in London, met, fell in love with, and married Moira O Mahony - all in the space of three days!

Moira was the daughter of a captain in the British Army who had been killed in World War I. She and DJ lived on in Drom, where they reared their family of nine children.

One of these nine, Denis, was married to my mothers sister, Auntie Bridie, and thats how the Brodericks of Drom became part and parcel of the Twomey family.

The second youngest of the nine Brodericks was Hilda Nora, who married Galway man Ignatius Raftery. They had four children and five grandchildren.

A beautiful couple, Hilda and Ignatius were great friends of my own mother and when Mam died suddenly in 1996, they came down from Clare to support us in our grief.

Hilda suffered a short illness in recent weeks. She celebrated her 83rd birthday on April 11, just last week, and died on the following day April 12 - the day before her father DJs birthday.

So, on Monday last I travelled up to the beautiful Our Lady of The Well Church in Clonmoney, near Bunratty for the Funeral Mass.

Music and song were part and parcel of the rich tapestry that was wrapped around the Broderick family over the years. These blessed gifts were well and truly reflected in the gorgeous and uplifting celebration of Hildas farewell.

Then we made the short journey to the cemetery at Bunratty. This, with the solid remains of an ancient church, has been used as a burial place for close on eight centuries. It is very well kept with a smaller new extension being used nowadays for burials.

I was at the cemetery before the funeral cortege arrived and got into conversation with the man in charge. He told me of a unique and ancient tradition which always takes place at funerals there.

Historians say the last wolf was killed in Ireland in the year 1786. Well, in the Bunratty area centuries before that, wolves were to be found on a widespread basis - twas the same over most of the country.

In the Middle Ages, wooden coffins were seldom used - shrouds, blankets and wicker/rush baskets, or even sugans of straw, were the norm. Graves were often very shallow, maybe only three or four feet.

Packs of marauding wolves often frequented graveyards and would attack fresh graves with terrible results, and that happened regularly in Bunratty cemetery.

In an effort to deter the wolves nocturnal activities, the corpse of the deceased person was placed on the ground just outside the cemetery gate. The thinking was that the scent would remain on the spot on the ground and confuse the wolves.

So, down the centuries, every coffin that came here for burial was briefly placed on the sod before being lifted up and borne then to its final resting place in the cemetery.

The wolves are long gone from Bunratty and elsewhere on this island, but the old tradition is still observed.

So, last Monday evening, Hildas family bore the coffin from the hearse, then put it on the sacred ground for a second, and then continued to the graveside.

In another lovely old custom, we all took turns in filling in the grave -the way twas always done in days of yore. When finished, the shovels were put aside and the green sod rolled back on top and the final prayers were said.

As the soil was shovelled in, we sang and - afterwards too. Hildas brother John led us with Drumcolliher;

Ive been to a great many places,

And wonderful sights Ive seen

From Agernavoe to Ballinasloe

And back to Ballyporeen.

But when they talk of the town that

Over the ocean lie

When they say to me Pat,

what do you think of that.

I up and says, says I... have you ever been to Drumcolliher?

Yes, and we sang Two Little Girls In Blue and Que Sera, Sera.

Of course funerals are, by nature, sad, but theres truth and common sense in the saying, She got a great send-off. Yes truly, Hilda a was remarkable daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, teacher and pioneer educator.

Her daughter Marinella said she had a curiosity for learning, life-long learning, and as we have so often heard, the longer we live, the more we learn and having a curious mind is one of Gods greatest gifts.

In our house, we never forget the Broderick family and their link to us. In our dining room is a fine solid oak table. It was originally in a premises in Dromcollogher, bought by Uncle Denis and Auntie Bridie for their home in Glanworth and then came to us in Bartlemy.

I wrote a few lines from the song last week, heard John Bowman on the radio on Sunday morning speak of Percy French, and then the wheel of life came the full circle last Monday in a tranquil setting in rural County Clare.

Hilda was a lovely person - truly she brightened our pathway awhile. She loved her parents, siblings and her family, and we were all privileged to be part of her extensive, extended family.

Her father was a great man for saying and quotations. One of his favourites was by Adam Lindsay Gordon;

Life is mostly froth and bubble,

Two things stand like stone.

Kindness in anothers trouble,

Courage in your own.

In a few weeks time, Hilda was to have been at a family wedding with us all - how things change:  whatever will be will be, the futures not ours to see, what will be, will be.
ON May 1, 2004, the European Union underwent its biggest enlargement, welcoming ten new countries, including the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of their membership, and to celebrate, the three countries are hosting the first-ever Baltic Film Festival in Ireland.

The festival will showcase one film from each of the Baltic states and will take place on April 19 and 20 at the Triskel Cinema.

It is organised by the Embassies of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia in Ireland, and helmed by the Estonian Ambassador, Kairi Kunka, the Latvian Ambassador, Juris Stalmeistars, and the Lithuanian Ambassador, Marijus Gudynas.

Ambassador Kunka says Ireland held the European Union Presidency at the time of the expansion and she is looking forward to the festival, which will bring Ireland and the Baltic states closer together.

This festival will provide the people of Ireland with a unique opportunity to learn more about the lives, history and culture of the three Baltic states, she said.

The Estonian Ambassador, Kairi Kunka

Ambassador Kunka invites members of the Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian communities in Cork to attend the festival. I hope that they will enjoy this unique cultural celebration, she added. The film season will also strike a chord with Irish film fans.

Culture has always played a significant role in the EU, and the film industry is blooming across the union, including in the Baltic States. Film is a wonderful way of giving an insight into culture and allowing audiences to experience life in another country, historically or in the present day, making it a perfect medium for celebrating the 20-year milestone.

The opening night film, Living Images, is Estonian, directed by Hardi Volmer and released in 2013. It follows the story of Helmi, who was born in 1908 in a house owned by Baron von Strandmann. The house is located in the Estonian capital, Tallinn.

Helmi knows little about her parents. She knows that her mother was a servant, but everything after that is a mystery, which she gradually unravels.

Several different actors play the role of Helmi as she ages throughout the film, including Sandra Uusberg, Priit Voigemast, and Anu Lamp.

As she grows up, Helmi becomes friends with a young boy, Erik, who also lives in the house, and she gains the attention of Julius, a cinema technician.

Destiny means that Helmi will live her whole life in the house, and over the course of a century, the house, like Helmi, witnesses great changes in Tallinn, some happy, some tragic.

Ambassador Kunka says the film shows the full range of 20th-century history through the lens of the house. It is specific to Estonia, but it is also a reflection of the rest of the world.

It is a story of a meeting place of people whose destinies show the 20th-century history of Europe, first of all in Estonia, but almost in the entire world: the revolutions, wars, creation of countries, collapses, and new beginnings. The witness to these events is a top-floor apartment, which will, together with its inhabitants, witness all the dramatic events and changes around it.

The Ambassador also says that Irish audiences will be able to relate to the films message.

The story of this house is a story of Estonia, the good and the bad. It also shows that, even during the worst of times, we did not lose hope as things do change.

In a way, it is a manifestation of the value of freedom that both Estonians and Irish, because of our history, can appreciate probably more deeply than many others.

A scene from Lithuanian film Kisses, Juozas, based on the true story of a World War II soldier who fought the Soviets.

The Lithuanian offering is Kisses, Juozas, directed by Agne Zalanskaite and released last year. It is based on the true story of Juozas Vitkus-Kazimieraitis, played by Dainius Kazlauskas. He was a high-ranking Lithuanian soldier during World War II who remained in the army at the conclusion of the war.

Despite having the opportunity to travel to America and live in peace and safety, he chooses to remain and fight for his country following Soviet incursions in Lithuania.

Leading thousands of soldiers in the fight against the Soviets, Vitkus-Kazimieraitis became a national hero and a much-loved freedom fighter.

The film explores the sacrifices people make in the name of freedom and asks the audience to think about what they would do if they faced similar circumstances. Would you stay and fight for freedom or take the easier path to safety?

It is filmed in the style of a documentary, as though it was shot in the 1940s, with actors playing the parts of the real people involved.

A scene from Soviet Milk, a powerful drama set in Latvia during the Soviet occupation.

Latvia is represented by Soviet Milk, based on a true story and inspired by the best-selling book of the same name by Latvian author Nora Ikstena. The film, directed by Inara Kolmane, was released in 2023.

Set during the Soviet occupation of Latvia from 1945 to 1989, the film is a powerful drama between a mother and a daughter, Astra (Maija Doveika) and Nora (Ruta Kronberga).

Astra is a talented doctor who rails against the Soviet regime, but her defiance has devastating consequences. She loses her career and her primary maternal connection with her baby and sinks into a deep depression.

When Nora becomes a teenager, she and her intersex friend Jesse (Zane Bierande) find a way to connect with Astra as they, too, face adulthood under the regime.

The film examines resilience and sacrifice, particularly of women, under totalitarian regimes.

The Baltic Film Festival runs from April 19 and 20 at the Triskel Cinema, For more, see www.triskelartscentre.ie
APPLICATIONS are open for the Network Ireland Cork Businesswoman of the Year Awards. This annual event celebrates the achievements and contributions of outstanding female entrepreneurs and professionals across Cork.

The awards honour female professionals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, and success in their respective fields. These awards are designed to recognise the individual accomplishments of these women and to inspire and empower women to pursue excellence in their businesses and careers.

The closing date for the awards is April 19.

Network Cork President Susana Marambio, urged businesswomen across Cork to join the vibrant Network Cork community and submit their application.

She said: This is a call to all women in business: join Network Cork and apply for the Businesswoman of the Year Awards, where ambition, innovation, and hard work are celebrated.

"With the support of LEO Cork City, South, North, and West through mentoring sessions, we offer you an opportunity to refine your application and enhance your chances.

This is not just about winning; its an occasion to evaluate where you stand today and envision where you aim to be in the future.

The awards are divided into eight categories. Eligible candidates can apply for various categories including Established and Emerging Businesswoman, STEM and Employee awards.

Cathy Fitzgibbon, Vice President of Network Cork, will coordinate this years Businesswoman of the Year Awards. She said; The Network Ireland Cork branch is full of talented and dedicated businesswomen, so we are here to champion and support our branch members as they step into the spotlight. In applying for these prestigious business awards, members get to seize the opportunity to showcase their accomplishments, inspire the next generation of trailblazers and contribute to the collective empowerment of women in business.

Winners are chosen by a panel of business experts based on the information supplied in the application form and the successful applicants will be announced at the annual award ceremony, taking place on Thursday May 23 at Corks Vienna Woods Hotel .The judging panel are looking for women who understand business, who are passionate about their career and business, and who show a determination to succeed no matter what life throws at them. The winners of the awards will go forward to represent the Cork branch at national level at Network Ireland Businesswoman of the Year Awards later this year.

For more information about the Network Ireland Cork Businesswoman of the Year Awards and to submit an application, please visit https://networkireland.ie/page/Businesswoman_of_the_Year_Awards
(Reuters/Jayanta Shaw)Young Christian Indians rally against persecutions.

India goes to the polls on April 19 for its massive endeavor involving nearly a billion voters to elect a new government amid growing concerns about the rising persecution of Christians.

Two new reports record a dramatic increase in acts of violence against Christians, according to Release International.

Release International says a top priority must be to repeal the divisive anti-conversion laws of the world's most populous nation of 1.4 billion people, which are leading to an increase in violence and arrests.

India prides itself on the scale of its parliamentary elections that finally end on June 1, ensuring that even those in the remotest corners and highest peaks of the vast country can cast their vote.

Intolerance is, however, growing towards other faiths as Hindu nationalism gains ground, reports Andrew Boyd for Release International.

The latest figures show an alarming rise in attacks against Christians and churches.

More than 2,600 political parties are registered in this election.

HINDU NATIONALISM

According to most analysts and political polling, the frontrunner is India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, and his Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) which has been in power since 2014 and is seeking a third term, The Guardian newspaper reported on April 18.

"Once a fringe Indian ideology, Hindu nationalism is now mainstream, thanks to Modi's decade in power," The Associated Press headlined a report.

"The Hindu nationalist policies of Modi and the BJP government are widely seen to have reshaped the political and cultural landscape of the country over the past decade, shifting it away from the secularism enshrined in the constitution  which guarantees equality for all religions  and towards Hindu majoritarian rule," The Guardian said.

Two new reports record a dramatic increase in acts of violence against Christians, according to Release International.

The Religious Liberty Commission of the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) recorded a record 601 cases of persecution against Christians in India in 2023. That's a 45 percent increase.

And the United Christian Forum says the violence has continued into the first quarter of 2024. Their latest report documents more than 160 attacks to the middle of March.

'CULTURE OF HOSTILITY'

UK-based Release International supports the persecuted Church worldwide, and it warns that unless India's government takes action to calm the violence and overturn the culture of hostility, further bloodshed will result.

"We have seen a dramatic rise in intolerance towards Christians since the BJP first swept to power in 2014," says Paul Robinson, the CEO of Release International.

"Our partners in India report pastors beaten, churches attacked and prayer meetings disrupted at the hands of ultra-right wing Hindu militants. At the same time, states in India are passing anti-conversion laws which prevent Christians from sharing their faith with Hindus."

Release International said its partner in India provides legal assistance to many pastors.

It says that in Uttar Pradesh, a state in northern India and the country's most populous alone with over 241 million inhabitants, more than 130 church leaders are now under arrest and facing trial, many having been refused bail.

The Evangelical Fellowship of India reports a total of 440 pastors arrested in 2023.

The EFI describes the figure as "unprecedented" and says its findings "only scratch the surface."

"What we're seeing in India is the rise in right-wing militancy, underpinned by intolerance from the state," notes Paul Robinson.

"Our message to India is to act immediately to halt the spread of intolerance and repeal these anti-conversion laws. These laws fly in the face of India's constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion, including the freedom to propagate one's faith," said Robinson.

"India is the world's largest democracy, yet it is heading in a divisive and authoritarian direction. And where intolerance is allowed to rise, violence will inevitably follow."

Modi's Hindu nationalist agenda has won him support among swathes of India's 80 percent Hindu majority, often enabling him to transcend traditional caste and class barriers to win votes among poorer, rural, and lowest caste communities as well as affluent urban voters and the rising middle classes, The Guardian reported.

INDIA AS WORLD POWER

"He has also gained accolades for being seen to have elevated India into a world power being courted the West, and many of his supporters say Modi has made them proud to be Indian."

The ruling BJP and the India National Congress (INC) parties (and their coalition partners) are the primary two parties that people will decide between.

The BJP has had two straight elections of significant success, which means Narendra Modi has been prime minister since 2014. Broadly speaking, the INC is a centrist/center-left political party, and the BJP is a right-wing party with roots in Hindu nationalism, reported Open Doors.

India's government is similar to the United Kingdom's, in that the elections decide who will sit in the lower house of parliament, called the Lok Sabha or House of the People in India.

There are 543 seats, and a prime minister is elected from among the people who win those seats.

"Because the ruling party in India has significant ties to Hindutva, the ideology that says Indian identity is tied to Hinduism, another victory in this year's election could be continued difficulties for India's religious minorities, including Christians," Open Doors commented.

"These [elections] are very crucial, as this will decide the next five years," says Priya Sharma, an Open Doors partner in India.

"If the current government stays in power, there are chances that India will undergo a complete transformation into a Hindu nationalist state. India will be absolutely intolerant to Christians and other religious minorities."




Chilean salmon industry launches project to combat bacterial infections in farmed fish



Inspired by the fight against COVID-19, Chilean salmon producers have partnered with the government to address bacterial infection challenges in farmed fish through the "Yelcho" initiative, Fish Farmer reported.

Eleven leading salmon farming companies, along with the Salmon Council and SalmonChile's Salmon Technological Institute (Intesal), have collaborated on Project Yelcho, supported by Aquabench, a Chile-based research and analysis firm.

The project recently formalised collaboration with Chile's Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) and the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca), aiming to promote innovation and technical collaboration between authorities and the private sector.

Described as a "precompetitive initiative," Yelcho focuses on implementing new solutions to prevent bacterial diseases and reduce antibiotic usage in salmon farming.

Yelcho partners closely with pharmaceutical companies to develop solutions for common bacterial diseases, such as salmon Rickettsial syndrome (SRS), with upcoming partnerships set to be announced.

Named after the Chilean navy cutter that rescued the crew of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton's ship in 1916, Yelcho represents a commitment to overcoming challenges against the odds.

David Farcas, director of Yelcho, underscored the project's significance in reducing antibiotic usage, aligning with global antimicrobial resistance efforts.

Esteban Ramirez, general manager of Intesal, highlighted the positive response from the pharmaceutical industry, emphasizing the importance of public-private collaboration.

Project Yelcho's immediate plans include establishing a Technical-Scientific Committee working group, comprising renowned scientists and representatives from SAG and Sernapesca, to drive innovation forward.

- Fish Farmer
As learning language models (LLMs) continue to advance, so do questions about how they can benefit society in areas such as the medical field. A recent study from the University of Cambridge's School of Clinical Medicine found that OpenAI's GPT-4 performed nearly as well in an ophthalmology assessment as experts in the field, the Financial Times first reported.

In the study, published in PLOS Digital Health, researchers tested the LLM, its predecessor GPT-3.5, Google's PaLM 2 and Meta's LLaMA with 87 multiple choice questions. Five expert ophthalmologists, three trainee ophthalmologists and two unspecialized junior doctors received the same mock exam. The questions came from a textbook for trialing trainees on everything from light sensitivity to lesions. The contents aren't publicly available, so the researchers believe LLMs couldn't have been trained on them previously. ChatGPT, equipped with GPT-4 or GPT-3.5, was given three chances to answer definitively or its response was marked as null.

GPT-4 scored higher than the trainees and junior doctors, getting 60 of the 87 questions right. While this was significantly higher than the junior doctors' average of 37 correct answers, it just beat out the three trainees' average of 59.7. While one expert ophthalmologist only answered 56 questions accurately, the five had an average score of 66.4 right answers, beating the machine. PaLM 2 scored a 49, and GPT-3.5 scored a 42. LLaMa scored the lowest at 28, falling below the junior doctors. Notably, these trials occurred in mid-2023.

While these results have potential benefits, there are also quite a few risks and concerns. Researchers noted that the study offered a limited number of questions, especially in certain categories, meaning the actual results might be varied. LLMs also have a tendency to "hallucinate" or make things up. That's one thing if its an irrelevant fact but claiming there's a cataract or cancer is another story. As is the case in many instances of LLM use, the systems also lack nuance, creating further opportunities for inaccuracy.
"Real Housewives of New Jersey" alum Siggy Flicker's stepson was arrested Wednesday -- three years after the TV personality posted photos from the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and suggested he was there.

According to court records obtained by NBC News, Tyler Campanella was arrested in New York City and faces five misdemeanor charges in connection with the Jan. 6 attack.

While Flicker was not part of the mob that stormed the Capitol, she shared photos of the day on social media, according to the FBI affidavit cited by the outlet.

"I love patriots so much. Stay safe, Tyler. We love you," she captioned the images, adding several American flag emojis and a "Stop the Steal" hashtag.

The stepson of a former cast member of Real Housewives of New Jersey' has been arrested in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to court records. https://t.co/2Coh4lziOD  NBC News (@NBCNews) April 17, 2024

The FBI said phone records showed that Campanella's phone was inside the Capitol that day.

Authorities also discovered videos showing Campanella, who works as a sales manager at a Chrysler dealership, inside various parts of the Capitol.

In an additional video reviewed by NBC News, a man identified as Campanella can be seen entering Nancy Pelosi's suite, including the room where the then-House speaker's laptop was stolen.

Campanella was also seen wearing a flag featuring the symbol of far-right group QAnon as a cape, the outlet reported.

Campanella joins the nearly 1,400 people who have been charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack.

Of the figure, more than 984 have been convicted.

Flicker has not publicly addressed her stepson's arrest as of this writing.

The former TV star, who appeared on "RHONJ" from 2016 to 2018, has been married to Tyler's father, Michael Campanella, since 2012.

She has posted about Tyler on her social media several times over the years, expressing how "proud" she was of him.

Flicker is a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, sharing snaps of her with the former president on social media.

She is also close friends with Trump lawyer Alina Habba.

Last month, Flicker uploaded on Instagram photos from Habba's 40th birthday party at Trump's private club Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.

One of the pictures she posted featured the GOP 2024 presidential candidate and his wife, Melania Trump, smiling as they posed alongside Habba and her husband, Gregg Reuben.

The bash was also attended by Eric Trump and his wife, Lara Trump, as well as Donald Trump Jr. and his partner, Kimberly Guilfoyle.

While it is not clear if Flicker mingled with the Trumps during the party, a video shared on X, formerly Twitter, days earlier showed that the reality star did have another recent encounter with the former president.

In the clip, Flicker can be seen approaching and greeting Trump at Mar-a-Lago as he arrived.
The State Department of Corrections and the University of Alabama at Birmingham are being accused of removing deceased inmate's organs and keeping them without consent.

Last week, the families of five inmates whose organs were removed filed a lawsuit, according to CNN, in Montgomery County Circuit Court. A lawyer for the families claims their loved one's organs were retained for teaching purposes.

"It's the wild, wild west. There's no governance," Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein, an expert on prison standards, said about the state's current standards. "The wild, wild west. There's no governance."

RELATED : Over 30 Kentucky Prison Guards Involved In Sexual Misconduct And Drug Smuggling

"It's like, the provision of health care. No standards. What that health care should look like, who has bodily autonomy and who doesn't, and who, when someone dies, acts as next of kin to people who are incarcerated - all those things are just undefined," she said. "There's no standard and there's no oversight."

The family of Brandon Clay Dotson, who died in a state prison in November 2023, filed a federal lawsuit against the Alabama Department of Corrections. His estate alleges his heart was missing and his body was already decomposing when his remains were returned to his family.

The lawsuit alleges the "Defendants' outrageous and inexcusable mishandling of the deceased's body amounts to a reprehensible violation of human dignity and common decency." They added how "their appalling misconduct is nothing short of grave robbery and mutilation."

Alabama's overcrowded and understaffed prisons are also the defendants of a US Justice Department lawsuit that claims the state fails to prevent violence and abuse behind bars. The lawsuit alleges the prisons do not protect inmates from excessive force by prison staff or provide safe conditions.

Alabama's men's prisons are also the country's deadliest, with a homicide rate in 2019 more than seven times higher than the national average, according to a report by the non-profit Equal Justice Initiative.
No exception nor privilege for U.S. in complying with int'l law: Wang Yi

Xinhua) 14:39, April 18, 2024

JAKARTA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- There is no exception nor any privilege for the United States in complying with international law, including United Nations Security Council resolutions, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Thursday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at a joint press conference after meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

In response to a question over the UN's role in calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Wang said that in the Gaza conflict, which has persisted for half a year, a rare humanitarian tragedy of the 21st century has unfolded.

The UN Security Council, in response to the calls of the international community, has been continuously deliberating on draft resolutions regarding a ceasefire in Gaza, only to be repeatedly vetoed by the United States, Wang said.

He added that the UN Security Council has recently adopted Resolution 2728, demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. This time, the United States did not dare to continue standing against international moral principles and instead chose to abstain, yet claimed that this resolution was "non-binding."

This statement by the United States has astounded the world, once again exposing the hegemonic mentality of the United States, Wang noted.

He criticized the U.S. for employing international law as merely a tool that can be utilized at will or discarded when deemed unnecessary.

Wang pointed out that every member state of the United Nations is well aware that the resolutions adopted by the Security Council in accordance with the UN Charter are binding and that all countries are obliged to abide by them, which is a serious commitment made by all countries when they joined the United Nations.

The United States, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, should take the lead in abiding by UN Security Council resolutions, Wang said, adding that in response to the absurd claims made by the United States, the UN Secretariat has clearly emphasized that all Security Council resolutions are international laws and are legally binding.

It is hoped that the United States will drop its sense of superiority and truly heed the voices of the international community, Wang said, adding that it is time U.S. officials brush up on their basic knowledge of international law.

The United States has consistently claimed to comply with "the rules-based international order," but the most significant rules are the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including international legal norms such as UN Security Council resolutions, Wang said.

The Security Council, as the core of the world's collective security mechanism, should by no means be manipulated by individual countries for geopolitical purposes, nor should it serve as a stage to pursue hegemony or power politics, the Chinese foreign minister noted.

There is no exception in the United Nations in complying with international laws including Security Council resolutions, and the United States holds no privileges in this regard, Wang said.

Wang expressed hope that the United States would change its long-standing superiority complex, and work, as a member of the United Nations, along with other member states, to fulfill the due international responsibilities, support Resolution 2728, and achieve an overall cease-fire in the Gaza Strip at an early date, so as to save the Palestinian people from their sufferings.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. and his wife La'Quetta Small are facing accusations they are beating their teen daughter.

From December 2023 to January 2024, according to court documents acquired by the 'Daily Mail,' the Smalls reportedly beat their daughter unconscious with a broom and threatened to "earth slam" her down a flight of stairs. The documents also accuse the pair of striking their 16-year-old with a belt, punching her in the mouth, and beating her to the point she miscarried her baby.

"I don't care where I push you at... I'm going to earth-slam her down the steps! Come past this line and I'm gonna grab you by the head and throw you on the ground," Marty reportedly said on the recording. "Nothing is going to happen to me."

The Smalls held a press conference later, where they allegedly demanded the teenager to publicly deny all claims of abuse. The couple was charged shortly after.

Via Facetime, the teenager's boyfriend secretly recorded the daughter's abuse via a FaceTime call during an alleged heated argument.

The Smalls were criminally charged after their daughter told an Atlantic City High School staff member about her parent's abuse during the school's mental health workshop.

Marty and his wife, who is the city's superintendent of schools, are currently facing criminal charges for child endangerment. CBS reports the mayor is charged with terroristic threats, aggravated assault, and disorderly persons simple assault.

Despite the allegations, Marty reportedly refuses to resign from his position.

"Mayor Marty Small remains the mayor in the city of Atlantic City and will continue to faithfully perform all of his duties as mayor," Ed Jacobs, Small's attorney, said in a statement. "He and his wife La'Quetta and their two children remain a close and loving and intact family."

The couple has not been arrested and no bail has been set. Jacobs said his clients are "completely innocent of any wrongdoing and will ultimately be vindicated."
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Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Winston Churchill called the British Special Operations Executive his Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. None of those who served in the SOE were more ungentlemanly than Nancy Wake.

Before she became a legendary figure in the Special Operations Executive (SOE) during World War II, Wake was already involved in aiding Allied airmen escape from German-occupied territory. Her early efforts in the escape network showcased her bravery and resourcefulness, setting the stage for her later heroics. Known as Die Weisse Maus (the White Mouse) by the Germans, the Gestapo put a $5 million price on her head.

In 1943, Wake joined the SOE and underwent rigorous training, earning praise for her exceptional marksmanship and fieldcraft skills. Vera Atkins, a senior figure in the SOE, described Wake as a real Australian bombshell with tremendous vitality and a cheerful spirit that inspired those around her.

Her first major mission with the SOE took place in April 1944, when she parachuted into occupied France as part of a team code-named Freelance. Working tirelessly to coordinate between the SOE and various Maquis groups in the Auvergne region, Wake played a crucial role in organizing resistance efforts against the German occupation.

One of Wakes most daring actions occurred during a battle between 500 Maquisards and a large German force. Despite facing overwhelming odds, Wake displayed exceptional leadership by ordering a strategic withdrawal to avoid unnecessary casualties. She then cycled hundreds of kilometers to ensure that other resistance groups were informed and coordinated, preventing further engagements that could jeopardize the overall Allied strategy.

Wakes strategic brilliance and ability to inspire loyalty among her comrades made her a formidable adversary for the Germans. Under her guidance, the Maquis in the Auvergne region became a significant thorn in the side of the occupying forces, engaging in fierce firefights and sabotage operations that disrupted enemy operations.

Wake was as tough as they come. She killed a German guard with her bare hands, and shamed her male companions into executing a captured German spy by volunteering to do it herself. (the spy was a young woman)

For her exceptional bravery and contributions to the war effort, Wake received numerous honors, including the George Medal from the United Kingdom, the Medal of Freedom from the United States, and the Legion of Honor from France. These awards reflected the immense respect and admiration she earned from allies and adversaries alike.
WILBERFORCE, Ohio  Professor Sakthi Kumarans time is split between research and teaching. He teaches soil sciences to undergraduate students at Central State University and runs a laboratory where his research team is studying carbon sequestration in soil.

My goal is to train the next generation of researchers, he said. They are our countrys future.

Since achieving 1890 Land-Grant status in 2014, Central State University has expanded its teaching mission to include research and outreach.

The land-grant status gives the university additional federal funding aimed at building partnerships for agricultural outreach.

Faculty at Central State are studying programs in precision agriculture, food safety, pollinator health, the use of robotics and more. Funding also supports research programs that support students in labs where they apply classroom knowledge to hands-on work.

To celebrate its 10th anniversary as an 1890 Land-Grant institution, Central State is holding a campus-wide open house on April 26, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m, at the campus in Wilberforce, 1400 Brush Row Road. Attendees can learn more about Central States Extension programs, tour labs, connect with faculty and staff and explore opportunities for partnerships. For more information, click here.

History

Central State University started in 1887 as a two-year program for teacher training and vocational coursework within Wilberforce University, located in Greene County, Ohio. Founded in 1856 by the African Episcopal Methodist Church, Wilberforce University is a historically Black College or University, one of the few in the Midwest.

Central State was part of Wilberforce until 1947 when it split off from the private institution and emerged as an independent, public university, becoming Ohios only public HBCU.

On April 3, 1974, the Xenia tornado  the largest, most damaging storm ever recorded in the state  tore through the Wilberforce, Ohio campus, destroying more than half of it. Federal disaster relief and state rebuilding efforts repaired or rebuilt 40 buildings that were damaged or destroyed.

Reaching land grant status

Congress passed the original Land-Grant Act  also called the Morrill Act  in 1862. It was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. Proposed by Senator Justin Morrill, the act set aside 30,000 acres of land in each state to establish agricultural and mechanical colleges.

Ohios better-known land-grant institution, Ohio State University, was founded in 1870.

Because people of color couldnt enroll in higher education until the next century, the Second Morrill Act of 1890 sought to fix this discrimination. Also called the Agricultural College Act of 1890, the Second Morrill Act required states to create land-grant institutions for Black Americans or show that race did not prevent Black students from attending their states existing land-grant institution.

While the first Morrill Act provided land for higher education institutions and supported extension work in agriculture, the Second Morrill Act provided funding for research and outreach. After 120 years of applications, Central State University received its 1890 Land-Grant designation in 2014.

The additional funding enhances teaching and research capacity in science, technology, engineering, agriculture and mathematics.

SUSHI feeds fish first

While many research programs are interdisciplinary, where experts in different fields work independently on a shared interest, Dr. Brandy E. Phipps prefers to call her research transdisciplinary. Her diverse team works collaboratively to solve complex problems like how to feed the world in a sustainable way.

Phipps, associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Life Sciences, is leading a $10 million research project known as SUSHI  Sustainable Use of a Safe Hemp Ingredient.

She started with a question: Could hemp provide a safe, economical and environmentally friendly food additive for farm-raised fish? SUSHI examines how hemp might enhance fish nutrition, how fish enhance human nutrition and how local aquaponics production can enhance community nutrition and food security.

The study includes economics and workforce development, too. Part of the program provides participants with training in aquaponics and hemp production.

The research, education and outreach are being carried out by a team of researchers from across Central State and partner institutions, including the College of Menominee Nation in Wisconsin where Native American students from Wisconsin received SUSHI scholarships to learn about sustainable agriculture. A pilot aquaponics program is in development, so tribal members can learn about aquaculture and start their own production system.

We are looking at ways to connect traditional and modern ways of food production on the Reservation, Phipps said.We want to support sustainable food production through this project, including removing barriers to startup funding.

Climate-smart agriculture

Ibrahim Katampes research wont take place in a laboratory but on farms throughout Ohio and southern Michigan.

Katampe, a professor of chemistry and the assistant director of the Innovation and Technology Transfer program at Central State, is managing a $4.9 million research grant to develop climate-smart commodities.

Producers and landowners will receive financial incentives via direct payments to support farming methods that sequester carbon and improve soil health. The program also follows products from farm to market.

According to Katampe, some consumers voluntarily pay extra for products labeled organic. Future product marketing may include a label that says climate-smart.

The climate-smart program offers a three-prong approach, Katampe said. Innovative solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, methods for improving soil health and better marketing for products.

One piece of the holistic program is improving methods for trapping methane from manure, while extracting valuable nutrients to provide fertilizer. Researchers will test soil on farms in the program who use the fertilizer. Another part of the program is studying the use of high-fiber feed for cows, which means slower digestion. Less-hungry cows produce less waste.

Katampe said he plans to recruit 20 farms in Ohio and southern Michigan to participate in the program starting this summer.

Taking a closer look at soils  from the sky

Kumarans research team is developing a soil carbon index using advanced technologies such as hyperspectral imaging of soils taken over farm landscapes with drones.

Ohio has about 440 different soil types, he said. The lab is using data provided by the NRCS in the Gridded Soil Survey Geographic Database. His research team is comparing existing soil maps with new data from drone imaging to help farmers determine best management practices.Teams of surveyors have mapped soil types in Ohio since the early 1900s.

Some surveyors were lumpers, Kumaran said, with a smile. Others were splitters.

Lumpers combine different soil types while splitters separate them. This resulted in variability in county soil surveys. The differences matter when determining the best land-management practices and agricultural policy.

Kumarans drone work, which is funded by NASA and USDA, will help make more accurate maps. Workforce development is another goal of the research.

Kumaran also serves as a co-principal investigator on a $10 million NextGen project funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. His lab will be available for tours during the Open House on April 26.

(Melissa L Weber is a lifelong Ohioan who spent 20+ years in communications at Ohio State University. Now, she raises trees on land in Hocking County, and writes from her home in Worthington about agriculture, healthcare, conservation, science and research. Contact her at melwriter78@yahoo.com or 614-327-6024.)
A Welsh farming family is undertaking a project exploring the potential of white clover to improve nitrogen use efficiency and boost milk and meat production.

Deryl and Frances Jones rely entirely on grass and silage to feed their herd of 120 Holstein Friesian dairy cows, Texel cross Charollais sheep flock, and beef cattle, with nitrogen fertiliser a major input cost for their production.

The family, who farm at Rhyd Y Gofaint Farm, Ceredigion, is now exploring the potential of white clover to further improve their dairy farm's efficiency.

Independent grassland specialist Chris Duller, who is supporting the family, says he is optimistic about the project: "White clover has potential to reduce fertiliser use and boost animal performance," he says.

"The Jones family experiment with different varieties and monitoring is a great way to find the best approach for their farm."

The project, which is being spearheaded by the Welsh government-funded Farming Connect initiative, investigates white clover, a legume that offers a natural solution to this challenge.

With nitrogen-fixing bacteria in its roots, white clover captures atmospheric nitrogen and converts it into a plant-usable form through a natural process.

This biological nitrogen fixation can potentially replace up to 150kg/ha of synthetic fertiliser, leading to significant cost savings. Reduced synthetic fertiliser use can also help to lower greenhouse gas emissions and improve water quality.

The benefits of white clover extend beyond cost reduction. It boasts the highest digestibility of common grassland plants and a high crude protein content, resulting in increased quality pastures for grazing animals.

Irish research provides compelling evidence. Dairy farms transitioning to clover-based swards have halved their nitrogen fertiliser use while maintaining or even increasing milk production.

Notably, one project achieved national average milk output with just half the national average fertiliser input, demonstrating the power of clover.

The project explores two approaches for maximizing white clover's potential:

 Overseeding existing swards: This method will compare standard white clover with a hybrid variety at different seeding rates.

 Potential full reseeding (weather permitting): Depending on weather conditions, the project might explore a full reseeding option, involving and surface cultivation.

The project will monitor clover establishment, dry matter production, sward quality, and botanical composition throughout the growing season.

Additionally, milk yields and quality will be tracked to assess the impact on overall production.

By closely monitoring the experiment's progress, the Jones family aim to determine the optimal N fertiliser application rate for clover-dominant swards.

This will allow them to further reduce costs while maintaining or increasing production.

Deryl Jones added: 'We are interested as to whether including more legumes in our sward can work in Rhyd y Gofaint.

"If the white clover experiment is successful, we would hope to see a reduction in fertiliser costs coupled with improved constituents in our milk."
Farmers should not be expected to provide food and environmental benefits at the detriment of their mental health, according to a survey of the general public.

Farming charity RABI's survey, released today (18 April), has revealed strong public backing for fair prices and protecting farmers mental health.

Most of the 1,000 respondents highly supported farmers, with 90% of the public agreeing that their mental health should not be impacted while doing their vital work.

Recognition for farmers contribution to the countryside, local economy and rural community was also high, as was their contribution to UK targets on food security, climate and the environment.

When asked, where best should wellbeing support for British farmers come from?, responses advocated for improved collaboration across society, including the third sector, government, retailers and consumers themselves.

The respondents, who ranged in age from 17 to 79 and were based in both urban (75%) and rural settings, all held very similar views on the industry.

RABIs chief executive, Alicia Chivers said the charity was 'heartened' by the publics wider recognition of farmers contributions to society and the collective need to protect their mental health.

We believe that collaboration is key if we are to make a tangible difference to the health of our farming communities," she said.

"Its imperative we all work together to develop solutions that prevent people spiralling into poor mental health.

"Its reassuring to see the public agreeing that improving access to mental health services for farmers should be a collective effort.

It comes after MPs accused the government of having a 'worrying degree of complacency' over rural mental health issues, specifically regarding farmers.

Their report, published in November 2023, found that farmers face particular stresses, including unpredictable weather, isolation, connectivity and animal health crises.

Farmers also faced changing and uncertain government policies which can affect their incomes as well as their mental health, the report said.

Ms Chivers said RABI was now needed 'more than ever': "The wellbeing of the farming community is everybodys responsibility," she added.

"RABI are confident that we have opportunity to help build a future where farming people can be empowered to thrive.
Audio from the first 'conversation' between humans and whales has been released.

Scientists have released audio of a 'conversation' between humans and a humpback whale

Experts from the SETI Institute and the University of California 'spoke' with a humpback whale called Twain off the coast of Alaska.

An underwater microphone was used to send out whale calls and the team got 36 responses that made it appear as if Twain was engaging in conversation.

AI-powered algorithms analysed the replies and revealed that Twain could have shared a greeting call with the scientists on a boat in the Pacific Ocean.

The researchers are determined to use whales to develop strategies for non-human communication.

Lead author Brenda McCowan said: "Humpbacks are very socially complex.

"They travel vast distances. They have a huge vocal repertoire. I always say that every sound ever made in the natural world the humpback makes. It's incredible the diversity of sounds they produce."
Meghan, Duchess of Sussexs new Goop-style website has been hijacked.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussexs new Goop-style website has been hijacked

The mum-of-two, 42, set up her American Riviera Orchard website in March and carried out a soft launch of the first product from her new business venture this week by sending her friends a limited-edition jar of strawberry jam.

Its now emerged the domain name of her business has been snapped up in Britain by an apparent fan of her sister-in-law Catherine, Princess of Wales.

While the US American Riviera link takes users to Meghans website, the UK version  americanriveriaorchard.uk  has been bought by someone who has then linked it to a food bank, The Sun has revealed.

Web users are asked for donations to a British-based charity, while a message on the site says: Thoughts with Catherine.

The home page of the site adds: Forgiveness. Permission. Please donate to the Trussell Trust, and clicking on it takes browsers to a Just Giving fundraiser for the Trussell Trust charity.

A message also states: Not Meghan. Hope Meghan wouldnt mind. Thoughts with Catherine. X.

The notes appear to reference the fact Catherine, 42, is undergoing preventative chemotherapy after cancer was detected in her body following major abdominal surgery she underwent in January.

It is unclear who has bought the UK domain and the Trussell Trust charity has confirmed it did not set up the webpage and is not aware of the bogus site.

But the linked page has so far raised 56 of its 1,000 donations target  with some users posting derogatory remarks and support messages for Catherine.

It comes as the princess husband William, Prince of Wales, 41, returned to official royal duties as he visited a food distribution charity Surplus to Supper.

His visit to the good caused is his first official engagement since Catherine used a video message to reveal her cancer diagnosis to the world after she had spent weeks out of the spotlight to recover from her stomach surgery.
Tom Payne and Jennifer Akerman have "unexpectedly" welcomed twins.

Tom Payne and his wife Jennifer Akerman have welcomed a set of twins

The 41-year-old actor has been married to Swedish model Jennifer Akerman, 34, since 2020 and already has two-year-old son Harrison with her but revealed that the pair are now parents to two more in what has been a "wonderful surprise" for them.

In a joint statement, they told People: "We are overjoyed to share the news that on April 1st, 2024, we welcomed twins into our family! An entirely unexpected and wonderful surprise.

"Harrison is over the moon to have not one but two new siblings. Jennifer and I have joked that he had something to do with this because there's nothing he likes more than a house full of people."

The former 'Walking Dead' star - who was born in the UK and starred in a host of British television dramas before carving out a career across the pond - and his wife will be sharing their story as part of their new podcast 'California Dreamin' - which will also detail the "unique" birth - and will also discuss their lives since moving to the US.

Tom said: "We're excited to share our journey (from the moment we found out we were having twins, to their unique birth and beyond) in our new podcast California Dreamin'. We'll be talking about our life in LA and how we now juggle our careers with three kids!"

When the 'Horizon: An American Saga' star became a father for the first time, he took to social media to thank family and friends for their support.

He wrote on Instagram: "I can't believe you're here. We love you immeasurably and will always be there for you. The next big life adventure starts here! "Thank you so much to everyone at Cedars Sinai, our amazing doula Carmen and all of our friends and family for the support.

"Not forgetting my incredible wife who rocked the whole pregnancy and birth. I love you
Wendy Williams legal guardian has filed court documents demanding her ex-husband Kevin Hunter pay back $112,500 in alimony.

Wendy Williams legal guardian has filed court documents demanding her ex-husband Kevin Hunter pay back $112,500 in alimony

The 59-year-old former talk show host was placed under a guardianship in early February 2022 when her bank stepped in and claimed in a New York court her behaviour was concerning.

Her guardian Sabrina Morrissey has now claimed in court documents Wendys former partner Kevin  who the presenter divorced in 2020 after a 21-year marriage  was overpaid for three months and was unjustly enriched by the stars bank account.

Sabrina added in papers obtained by Page Six The Wendy Williams Show ceased paying the former host in October 2021, but Kevin continued receiving payments until January 2022, which he confirmed.

She says in her filing: I believe this was largely the result of the fact that the payments had been put on an autopay function within her account.

Sabrina added the payments go against the express terms of Wendy and Kevins settlement agreement, which stated his payments would cease if his ex-wifes income reduced to less than two times her then yearly income (as of 1 February, 2020.)

The papers add: By holding on to the funds he was overpaid, he has interfered with (Wendys)right of possessions to those funds.

As well as calling for Kevin to returning the six-figure sum, Sabrina is also calling for him to pay back the interest on the cash.

She has also requested the court issue a gag order against him to prevent him from speaking to press or others about the matter.

Sabrina stated in the documents; The potential harm to (Wendy) is great.

Mr Hunter and his agents have shown their willingness to talk to the press about these issues.

Wendy has hit out at being placed under a guardianship and detailed her lack of financial freedom in the two-part documentary Where Is Wendy Williams?

The Lifetime special also reveales Wendys battles with dementia and aphasia, which her son, Kevin Hunter Jr, has claimed stem from her years of drinking.

Sabrina has accused Lifetimes parent company, A and E Networks, of humiliating Wendy by filming her in an obviously disabled state for the show.
In a thrilling development for women in the United Kingdom, Shapermint, one of the most renowned brands in shapewear in the United States that offers Shaping Essentials for every body, is now making its mark on British shores. This exciting venture promises to revolutionize the way women in the UK approach fashion, comfort, and body confidence.

Shapermint

Embracing Shapewear: A Celebration of Confidence and Comfort

Shapewear, often hailed as a woman's confidence booster, has become an integral part of modern fashion. More than just undergarments, Shapermint shapewear offers a range of benefits, catering to the diverse needs and lifestyles of women so they can celebrate their shape and wear confidence.

Understanding Shapewear: Uses and Advantages

1. Enhanced Silhouette: Shapewear is designed to provide an instant boost in confidence by enhancing and smoothing out curves. They create a streamlined silhouette, ensuring that clothing drapes elegantly and accentuates the wearer's natural beauty.

2. Versatility in Wardrobe Choices: From everyday wear to special occasions, shapewear offers versatility. Whether it's a figure-hugging dress or a casual outfit, these undergarments seamlessly adapt to various styles, allowing women to confidently express their fashion preferences.

3. Comfortable All-Day Wear: Modern shapewear, like Shapermint Essentials, prioritizes comfort without sacrificing shaping functionality. Crafted from breathable and flexible materials, they are so comfortable that you can confidently wear them every day, ensuring women feel at ease from morning to night.

4. Empowers To Celebrate Curves: Shapewear contributes to celebrating one's body and confidence. Rather than imposing unrealistic standards, it empowers women by offering a choice  an option to enhance certain features or achieve a desired silhouette, embracing individual beauty.

Shapermint: Shaping Essential for Every Body

With a stellar reputation in the United States, Shapermint has become synonymous with quality, diversity, and empowerment in the realm of shapewear. The brand's commitment to providing women with options that enhance their natural beauty while prioritizing comfort has garnered widespread acclaim, inviting women to celebrate their shape and wear confidence.

The brand's arrival brings a wide range of shapewear designed to cater to different body types, shapes, and sizes, from S-4XL.As Shapermint makes its debut in the UK, it's an invitation for women to embrace their confidence, celebrate their bodies, and redefine their fashion choices. Shapewear isn't just about creating a sleek appearance; it's a tool for empowering women to feel comfortable, beautiful, and self-assured every day.

Their top-selling essentials that changed the shape-enhancing game include bras, shapewear, undies, leggings, and more.

The #1 best-selling bra, with millions of units sold, has garnered rave reviews from over 64k satisfied clients who rated it as a 4.1-star bra. This bra revolutionizes the concept of support by eliminating the need for an underwire while providing exceptional comfort throughout the day.

Our customers adore its wider straps, side coverage, and smoothing capabilities, ensuring a seamless fit and eliminating any concerns about bulges. With a smoothing underband that stays in place and cups that create a flattering silhouette, this bra has earned its reputation as a customer favorite, making it a top choice among shoppers.

The high-waisted shaping leggings, the unrivaled bestseller, that has captured the hearts of countless customers who unanimously award it a 4.1/5 star rating from over 15k satisfied customers. It combines comfort and style effortlessly while ensuring a more put-together appearance.

These leggings stay in place, are not see-through, and offer breathability and durability, so you can comfortably wear them wherever you go, even the gym.

This shaper panty is a beloved choice among clients, with a 4.2-star rating from over 18k customers. Its comfortable, soft, and stretchy fabric ensures a slimming effect without sacrificing ease of wear. Women love the confidence it provides, as it stays in place without rolling down or riding up. Whether wearing dresses, pants, or shorts, this shapewear enhances their comfort and overall appearance.

As Shapermint makes its grand entrance onto the British fashion scene, it's not just about shapewear; it's about redefining confidence and comfort for women across the United Kingdom. With its innovative designs and unwavering commitment to body positivity, Shapermint is set to empower women to embrace their unique selves like never before.

Join us in celebrating this milestone as we embark on a journey to redefine fashion, comfort, and body positivity. Together, let's embrace every curve, every shape, and every moment with pride and confidence.
Prince Harry paid tribute to Princess Diana during a surprise virtual appearance for his green travel initiative.

Prince Harry paid tribute to Princess Diana during a surprise virtual appearance for his green travel initiative

The Duke of Sussex, 39, appeared via video link on Wednesday (17.04.24) to speak at Travalysts annual conference in the South of France, in which he urged the travel industry to put sustainability at the heart of tourism.

His Diana tribute came in the form of a photo that showed him as a child with his late mum, who died aged 36 in a Paris car smash in August 1997, wrapping his arms around the tragic royal.

Harry also used the picture in his memoir Spare, in which he opened up about his torment over his mums death, which came when he was aged 12.

Harry spoke during his virtual appearance about residents whose lives are impacted by travel and tourism and stressed the world must do better by the people who are the custodians of the places we visit.

He added: Travel and tourism relies on destinations, held together by communities, without which we have nowhere to travel to.

Harry added communities are the beating heart of travel, saying: We've heard from some fantastic organisations like Invisible Cities who train people affected by homelessness to be tour guides in their own city, and Global Himalayan Expedition, whose programs have helped electrify over 200 Himalayan villages impacting over 60,000 lives for the better.

More and more people are wanting to make informed travel choices so that the benefit of travel is felt by all. Travalyst and its partners bring a combined market value of nearly $3 trillion and are working hard to provide that resource at a systems level.

Travalysts CEO Sally Davey said: I think having Prince Harry involved in these sorts of discussions is vital.

It demonstrates how critical it is to have community voices at the heart of everything that were doing. We were there to listen, as was Prince Harry, to hear those voices, to learn, and to understand how can do better by those people and those places.

Its so obvious that he cares.

Also on the bookshelf behind Harry was a book marked California, in a nod to the spot where he shares a mansion with Meghan and their two children Archie, four, and two-year-old daughter Lilibet.


Weve been enjoying his work for over 14 years now, and laughed at his seemingly silly jokes, which are, in reality very difficult to write! One of the most-loved stand-up comics known for his clean comedy, Kenny Sebastian is loved by audiences of all ages alike.





We caught up with him when he was in Mumbai for her performance for Black Dog Soda Savour The Pause, a phrase that resonates with him a lot! I think its great line, you know, savour the pause. Its something that the Japanese culture also follows which is to take a moment to stop and to recognise that this moment will never happen again. Sometimes you have to slow down to kind of appreciate how life is and how fast things are going. We all kind of deserve to sit back and savour the pause! We bring you edited excerpts from the interview

Your first question is whats your trick to get the audience to warm up to you?

I feel like youre trying to steal my secrets but Ill tell you anyway. First thing I do is I open with a joke that pertains to that particular show, that particular city. And Ive really tried to live a life of being a nice and charming fellow so hopefully that comes across. When Im on stage theyre like, Hey this fellow seems nice and I think that kind of, you know, I win them over. But having a specific joke to that audience of that evening, and that usually does the trick.

What is the one thing you keep in mind when you go for an act?

I think its been there for a long time. I keep telling myself that this could be somebody watching me for the first and last time, so give them the best you can. For instance, when I go to concerts of my favourite artists, its sometimes hard to get a ticket or I might not be in that city or might not be able to catch them or they might be doing this particular show only during that period. I would like them to do it the best way they can.





There are days when Im tired, sick or dont have enough energy. Im just off or maybe somethings happening in my personal life. I just try to dissociate from that and be like, try to give them the best show if this was like your last show.Image: Instagram

Your new show that you toured for  Professor Of Tomfoolery  how did that take shape? We know the ones that you do with dad and mom as central characters are much loved.

Professor of Tomfoolery is my brand new special. This show is very different from my previous ones, since it is very very personal. I talk about being married, I talk about my wife Tracy, and I talk about my Dad and my Mom. Earlier, I used to just kind of make observations about life that are very detached from me but this is a very personal one. I am vulnerable in it and expose aspects of me that Ive not fully resolved, and Im still working on. At the same time, its accessible to all ages. I have jokes about people who are very young and even older folk so its something I always try to make sure that even though Im getting very personal it can be enjoyed by a wide range of audiences.

How do you react when you see the audience squirming when you touch upon taboo topics?

The idea of taboo is very relative. A joke that people laugh openly in one city might be too much for an audience in another city. Taboos are subjective. For instance, performing in America, I could do far more quote unquote taboo jokes about home because I think they are more open about talking. Coming back to India, we have make very dark jokes about life and death; I think we are normalised about life and death because there are so many people in India. In America, thats too mean for them. So, its subjective.





In that sense, I tend to ignore the squirming because I know that today theyre squirming, tomorrow theyll laugh their heads off. I dont let it affect me. Its a cool part of writing stand-up  observing human behaviour and psychology. You come to realise that audiences might be squirming, but theyre enjoying it all the same. Perhaps the squirming is a societal learning, but theyre glad you kind of talking about it.

Image: Instagram

What kind of evolution do you see in the Indian audiences?

I think they have evolved a lot, especially the audiences that come, watches live. Theres an entire giant audience thats online that is very naive and new to comedy, but the audience that comes to watch comedy live is fantastic. They are very, very, very open, very progressive, love to laugh, love humour, love and appreciate layers, complex writing and unconventional ideas. That never used to happen.





I started doing comedy 14 years ago. It was very different. Then you had to almost explain which part is the punch line, which part is the beginning of the joke, when I have started a new joke. My God, now the audience is not only excited and open and smart. Theyre exposed to Western comedy. And also they want you to roast them, which is a very new thing to me as well. Where I come from theatre where, you know, you kind of have a healthy separation from the audience. But these guys want you to pick on them, make fun of them!

Does language pose a problem when youre planning an act?

Well, I primarily do a comedy in English. In Bombay, I do bits in Hindi. In Delhi, I do bits in Hindi. In Bangalore, Ill put some Kannada word. In Kerala, Ill put some Malayalam word in it. In Tamil Nadu also, I understand Tamil. So, but its primarily English. The advantage of that is I can take the same act across the world. The disadvantage is that I feel its not as, you know, grounding as a regional language. But, you know, theres pros and cons to everything. And the point is I think in English. I write in English, so I dont have a choice.

Doing clean English comedy gives me a lot of freedom. Its very hard to write. Thats why theres such few clean comics, but I feel the benefits of it, I think, pay off.





Image: Instagram

Where do you look for inspiration?

Life in general! I make sure I have a healthy mind and a healthy body and a healthy personal life. If Im emotionally happy, my comedy does really well. I was always funny, even before I became a stand-up comedian. I always enjoyed observing life and people around me; its my favourite hobby. I think I got it from my Mom. She loves observing people and shes a great observer of habits and she has a fantastic memory. My Dad loves to make jokes. I think I got a good combo of both of them. My Dad is in the Navy and my Moms a homemaker. So, I guess its unfortunate they didnt get an opportunity to explore their comedic talents, but luckily I do.

Which comedians/stand-up comics do you admire?

My first and foremost inspiration is Jerry Seinfeld. And I obviously like the greats. I like Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Bill Burr, (Louis) C.K., Ali Wong, Mike Brigadier. John Mulaney is a new favourite but hes very similar to Seinfeld so its an obvious choice. Big fan of Tina Fey.





In India, Im a big fan of my friends. Big fan of Kanan (Gill), Biswa (Kalyan Rath), Tanmay (Bhatt), Abish (Mathew), Prashasti (Singh). Im really in awe of my colleagues as well.

What do we see next from you?

Im writing a brand new music comedy show. Im very excited to do an all-out music comedy show live. Professor Tom Foolery was primarily stand up. And I usually bring music elements into my show, but this time I kept it separate. So very excited to bring this new show. It doesnt have a name yet. Im still working on it. Ive written a few songs already. So very excited for you guys to witness it.
Apparel exports from Cambodia surged by 18.32 per cent to $2,025.322 million in the first quarter (Q1) of 2024. This accounted for 32.34 per cent of the country's total foreign income, which amounted to $6,261.657 million for the period, as per the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE) under the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The trade figures for March 2024 indicate that textile exports are gaining momentum after a long declining trend.

During the period under review, Cambodia's exports of apparel and clothing accessories (knitted) (Chapter 61) amounted to $1,255.941 million, representing an increase of 19.9 per cent compared to $1,047.137 million in the corresponding period of 2023. Similarly, exports of apparel and clothing accessories (not knitted) (Chapter 62) rose by 30.8 per cent to $794.381 million, up from $607.495 million in January-March 2023.

In Q1 2024, Cambodia's apparel exports increased by 18.32 per cent to $2,025.322 million. Knitted apparel exports rose by 19.9 per cent, while non-knitted garments saw a 30.8 per cent increase. This resurgence in textile exports comes after a significant slowdown in global demand since late 2022, contrasting with a 12.91 per cent decline in exports in 2023.

In March 2024, Cambodia's apparel exports increased by 16.02 per cent to $680.611 million, compared to $571.187 million in the same month of 2023. The shipment of apparel and clothing accessories (knitted) increased by 11.6 per cent to $413.530 million, up from $370.385 million during the corresponding month of the previous year. Meanwhile, exports of apparel and clothing accessories (not knitted) improved by 33.0 per cent to $267.081 million in March 2024.

In terms of imports, the value of Cambodia's knitted or crocheted fabric (Chapter 60) imports from January to March 2024 was $602.382 million, marking a rise of 1.8 per cent compared to $591.904 million in the same period of 2023. Imports of man-made fibre (Chapter 55) gained 15.2 per cent to $310.783 million, compared to $269.846 million in the corresponding period of the previous year. Meanwhile, cotton and cotton yarn (Chapter 52) imports increased by 29.3 per cent, reaching $167.042 million during the period under review, up from $129.145 million in the same period of 2023.

Global garment and apparel demand had been slowing down since the third quarter of 2022. Higher global demand and a limited base accounted for the impressive growth in the foreign trade of textiles and garments from Cambodia.

In 2023, the country's apparel exports declined by 12.91 per cent to $7,868.779 million. In contrast, the country's apparel exports had increased by 12.69 per cent, reaching $9.035 billion in 2022.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)
The Conference Board Leading Economic Index (LEI) for the United Kingdom declined by 0.3 per cent in February 2024 to 75.8 (2016=100), after being unchanged in the previous two months according to revised data. The LEI for the UK contracted by 1.6 per cent between August 2023 and February 2024, a much slower rate of decline than the contraction of 5.1 per cent over the previous six-month period.

The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index (CEI) for the United Kingdom increased by 0.2 per cent in February 2024 to 104.9 (2016=100), after increasing by 0.3 per cent in January. Over the six-month period between August 2023 and February 2024, the CEI for UK rose by 0.6 per cent, slightly faster than the 0.4 per cent growth over the previous six-month period, The Conference Board said in a press release.

The UK LEI declined in February, but the six-month pace of decline has been moderating in recent months, said Allen Li, associate economist at The Conference Board. In addition, fewer components have been declining, with working hours and share prices seeing improvement in recent months. Overall, this suggests that headwinds to economic growth in the United Kingdom may start easing later in the year. The Conference Board currently projects that annual real GDP growth will pick up slightly in 2024 to 0.4 per cent, largely thanks to expected rate cuts.

UK's Conference Board LEI fell by 0.3 per cent in February 2024, reaching 75.8, following two months of stability. Meanwhile, the Coincident Economic Index (CEI) increased by 0.2 per cent in February to 104.9, with a 0.6 per cent rise over the last six months, indicating potential easing of economic headwinds, according to The Conference Board.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)
SHENZHEN, China, April 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- During the 21st Huawei Analyst Summit, the "Building F5.5G All-Optical Target Network, and Ushering in 10 Gbps UBB Intelligent Era" forum was held, where industry stakeholders deliberated on how to apply F5.5G optical technologies to build home and industry intelligence. Also at this forum, Bob Chen, President of Huawei Optical Business Product Line, said, "To stride to the intelligent era in the next 10 years, a high-quality computing bearer network, that is, F5.5G all-optical premium computing network, needs to be built to ensure that computing power is always-on with 99.9999% availability and instantly-accessible with 1 ms latency. With its ubiquitous 10 Gbps access, the network makes computing power accessible everywhere and connects ubiquitous intelligence, enabling intelligence in various industries."

Technologies such as AI foundation models are being rapidly integrated into various industries. And in the intelligent era, intelligent computing data centers are accelerating the development of multi-layer and distributed architecture, from what previously centralized, posing new challenges and requirements on networks.

Without doubt, the F5.5G all-optical premium computing network is the best option for carrying computing power, and it consists of three parts:

First, 3D-mesh backbone computing network. Featuring 3D-mesh architecture, 400G/800G ultra-high bandwidth, and 99.9999% availability, the network achieves non-blocking interconnection and lossless collaboration between intelligent computing data centers, efficiently connecting computing resources of operators, industries, data centers, and the Internet.

Second, one-hop metro computing network. The full-mesh metro core network enables the shortest path between intelligent computing data centers to reduce interconnection latency to 1 ms. Moreover, OTN to edge implements all-optical switching, one-hop transmission of services, and computing access upon network access, satisfying the requirements of individuals, homes, and enterprises for computing access within 1 ms.

Third, 10 Gbps intelligent access network. 50G PON to home and 10G FTTR to room are creating 10 Gbps ultra-broadband pipes. In addition, intelligent identification of access services, intelligent hard slicing, and interconnection with upstream OTN hard pipes provide a localized experience for the services that require high computing power, such as cloud PC and cloud rendering.

Furthermore, an intelligent management and control platform is built to implement efficient O&M of complex networks, support fast access of computing power, and ensure that computing power is always-on.

Industry representatives were invited to deliver speeches to jointly promote cooperation across the industry. Martin Creaner, Director General of WBBA, predicted, "Global gigabit broadband services subscription will reach 44%+ by 2028, and the industry must work together to address broadband infrastructure development inequality in various regions, while breaking the OTN bottleneck to ensure the gigabit user experience. With the advent of the AI era, the industry should also begin preparing for the 10 gigabit society."

Gao Hongfu, Deputy Managing Director of the Optical Network Alliance (ONA), proposed: "With the release of F5.5G standards, Wi-Fi 7 will be used in future campus construction to accelerate 10 Gbps upgrades. Fiber-in and copper-out are inevitable for campus networks."

Finally, all participants of the forum advocated close cooperation across the industry in terms of scenario-specific application and experience upgrade to embrace the development opportunities of the F5.5G optical industry, ushering in the 10 Gbps UBB intelligent era at the same time.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2389873/Bob_Chen_President_Huawei_Optical_Business_Product_Line.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2389874/Martin_Creaner_Director_General_WBBA.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/f5-5g-all-optical-premium-computing-network-connecting-ubiquitous-intelligence-302119676.html
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 17, 2024 / Aclara Resources Inc. ("Aclara" or the "Company") (TSX:ARA) is pleased to announce the closing of the acquisition by CAP S.A. ("CAP") of its 20% equity ownership interest in REE Uno SpA ("REE Uno"), the Company's Chilean subsidiary that owns the Penco Module project, and receipt by the Company of the initial payment of approximately US$9.7 million in connection with such acquisition. The acquisition is made pursuant to the terms of the previously announced investment agreement entered into between CAP and Aclara on March 13, 2024 (the "Investment Agreement"). Under the terms of the Investment Agreement, payments are to be made in three tranches, of which the remaining two tranches in the amounts of US$12.5 million and US$6.9 million are to be made in January of 2025 and 2026, respectively.

Transaction Summary

A US$29.1 million capital contribution by CAP into REE Uno, Aclara's Chilean subsidiary which owns the Penco Module and all of Aclara's mining concessions in Chile, in exchange for a 20% equity participation in REE Uno. Following payment of the initial tranche of US$9.7 million, the remaining tranches in the amounts of US$12.5 million and US$6.9 million are to be paid in January of 2025 and 2026, respectively. This initial investment by CAP represents a pre-money valuation of REE Uno of US$116.5 million.

An option to invest an additional US$50 million in REE Uno for an additional 20% equity interest in REE Uno once the requisite environmental permit is secured for the Penco Module. Upon completion, this additional investment would allow CAP to attain a 40% equity interest in REE Uno. This second investment represents a pre-money valuation of REE Uno of US$150 million.

A three-year option to invest up to 19.9% in Aclara by participating in any private placement or public offering of shares that Aclara may make during the next 36 months, including a residual top-up right to maintain pro rata voting rights. Any subscription to such private placement or public offering will be made on the same terms offered by Aclara to other investors. CAP will have the right to nominate one board member upon attaining and for so long as its equity interest in Aclara amount to at least 15% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Aclara. In addition, CAP holds a one-time demand subscription right to invest up to an aggregate of 19.9% in Aclara, exercisable upon the satisfaction of certain conditions and continuing for a maximum period of 18 months counted from the end of the initial 3-year option.

The formation of a 50/50 joint venture to develop metals and alloys for the rare earths permanent magnet industry. CAP will invest US$3.0 million in exchange for its 50% of the shares of the newly established joint venture company. Aclara will own the other 50% of the shares.

Aclara Corporate Structure after the Completion of the Transaction with CAP

Transaction Benefits to Aclara

Funding

The US$29.1 million initial capital injection from CAP into REE Uno will support the ongoing development of the Penco Module throughout its permitting, community relations, and feasibility study phases. This allocation will allow Aclara Resources to reallocate its current cash reserves towards advancing its Carina Module project in Brazil.

The option for an additional US$50 million investment post-receipt of the environmental permit is intended to cover a significant part of the equity portion associated with the construction of the Penco Module. This provision mitigates financing risks linked to the module's construction for Aclara.

Permitting

Drawing upon CAP's extensive experience in environmental permitting from multiple mining projects in Chile, Aclara anticipates strengthened support for the forthcoming Environmental Impact Assessment permit application in respect of the Penco Module. CAP's involvement includes a thorough review and constructive contributions to the application preparation, as well as accompanying Aclara throughout the review and approval process by Chilean environmental agencies.

Vertical Integration

Furthermore, the establishment of a metals and alloys company represents a crucial step of Aclara's strategic vision to vertically integrate its rare earths concentrate production towards the manufacturing of permanent magnets. The newly formed joint venture company will harness CAP's substantial expertise in metal refining and ferro-alloyed special steels, synergizing with Aclara's thorough understanding of the rare earths and permanent magnet industry. The joint venture with CAP is intended to supplement the Company's efforts in developing independent rare earth separation capabilities in the United States through its U.S. subsidiary, Aclara Technologies Inc., as previously announced on April 10, 2024, and to further position Aclara as a source of geopolitically independent alternative supply of permanent magnets to the global market.

Valuation

The transactions contemplated under the Investment Agreement (the "Transaction") reflects the valuation of Aclara at the time of the Company's initial public offering (the "IPO") and is indicative of the belief both parties have in establishing Aclara as a leading producer of clean rare earths.

Upon closing, REE Uno has been valued at US$116.5 million on a pre-money valuation. In addition, Aclara will own 50% of the newly established joint venture company, which has a valuation of US$3.0 million. In total, the Transaction represents an aggregate valuation reflecting the Company's pre-money valuation at the IPO of US$119.5 million.

It's noteworthy that Aclara's Brazilian subsidiary, Aclara Mineracao, which oversees the Carina Module and all mining concessions in Brazil, is not part of the Transaction nor included in the valuation mentioned above. This aspect adds further value to Aclara Resources and its shareholders.

About CAP

CAPS.A., a company with more than 77 years of history and listed in the Chilean Stock Exchange since 1987, is the parent company of the CAP Group, a Chilean conglomerate operating in various industries including iron ore mining (CMP), with mines and industrial operations in the north of the country, as well as in Concepcion, in proximity to the Penco Module. CAP is one of the leading high-grade iron ore producers in the world with four operating mines in Chile. In addition, CAP has several steel product manufacturing plants in Chile, Peru and Argentina. It operates five ports, a seawater desalination plant and has vast industrial infrastructure in the Biobio region. CAP has a strong connection with the people of the Biobio region, where it has been a major employer for several decades, contributing directly to the development of the south of Chile.

About Aclara

Aclara Resources Inc. (TSX:ARA) is a development-stage company that focuses on heavy rare earth mineral resources hosted in Ion-Adsorption Clay deposits. The Company currently has two projects under development: the Penco Module in the Bio-Bio Region of Chile, and the Carina Project in the State of Goias, Brazil.

Aclara's rare earth extraction process offers several environmentally attractive features. It does not involve blasting, crushing, or milling, and therefore does not generate tailings, thus eliminating the need for a tailings storage facility. The extraction process developed by Aclara minimizes water consumption through high levels of water recirculation made possible by the inclusion of a water treatment facility within its patented process design. The ionic clay feedstock is amenable to leaching with a common fertilizer, ammonium sulfate. Further, harmful levels of radionuclides, typical of hard rock rare earth deposits, are not concentrated within the Aclara flowsheet.

Simultaneously, alongside the development of the Carina and Penco projects, the Company intends to identify and evaluate further opportunities to increase future production of heavy rare earths. This will involve greenfield exploration programs and the development of additional projects within the Company's concessions in Brazil, Chile, and Peru.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which reflects the Company's current expectations regarding future events, including statements with regard to: the Company's strategic investments and partnerships, the current and future valuation of the Company and its subsidiary, the economic effect of the Investment Agreement, the closing of the strategic investment and other transactions contemplated thereby, and the Company's expectations as to the partnership and future financings by investors and the achievement of certain environmental and permitting milestones, and other transactions contemplated thereby. Forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to risks related to operating in a foreign jurisdiction, including political and economic problems in Chile and Brazil; risks related to changes to mining laws and regulations and the termination or non-renewal of mining rights by governmental authorities; risks related to failure to comply with the law or obtain necessary permits and licenses or renew them; compliance with environmental regulations can be costly; actual production, capital and operating costs may be different than those anticipated; the Company may be not able to successfully complete the development, construction and start-up of mines and new development projects; risks related to mining operations; and dependence on the Penco Module and/or the Carina Module. Aclara cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. For a detailed discussion of the foregoing factors, among others, please refer to the risk factors discussed under "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form dated as of March 28, 2023, filed on the Company's SEDAR+ profile. Actual results and timing could differ materially from those projected herein. Unless otherwise noted or the context otherwise indicates, the forward-looking information contained in this press release is provided as of the date of this press release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required under applicable securities laws.

For further information, please contact:

Ramon Barua

Chief Executive Officer

investorrelations@aclara-re.com

SOURCE: Aclara Resources Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 17, 2024) - Bayridge Resources Corp. (CSE: BYRG) ("Bayridge" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously-announced non-brokered private placement for aggregate gross proceeds of $6,953,600 through the issuance of: (i) 12,060,000 non-flow-through units (each, a "NFT Unit") at a price of $0.25 per NFT Unit for gross proceeds of $3,015,000 (the "NFT Offering"); and (ii) 13,128,667 flow-through units (each, a "FT Unit") at a price of $0.30 per FT Unit, for gross proceeds of $3,938,600 (the "FT Offering" and, together with the NFT Offering, the "Offering").

Each NFT Unit is comprised of one (1) common share of the Company (a "Common Share") and one-half of one (1/2) common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"), with each Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one Common Share at a price of $0.35 for a period of 24 months from the date of the closing. Each FT Unit is comprised of one (1) Common Share, issued on a flow-through basis pursuant to the Income Tax Act (Canada), and one-half of one (1/2) Warrant.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for expenditures on its properties located in Ontario and Saskatchewan, and for general working capital purposes.

In conjunction with the Offering, the Company paid an aggregate of $330,162 in finder's fees and issued an aggregate of 1,217,206 non-transferable finder warrants (each, a "Finder's Warrant") to finders. Each Finder's Warrant is exercisable into one (1) Common Share at a price of $0.35 for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance.

All securities issued under the Offering are subject to a four-month and one-day hold period. Additional details respecting the Offering can be found in the Form 9 filed in accordance with the rules of the Canadian Securities Exchange, a copy of which will be available at www.thecse.com under the Company's profile.

The securities issued pursuant to the Offering have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons in the absence of U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Bayridge Resources Corp.

Bayridge Resources Corp. is a mining exploration company that currently operates the Sharpe Lake property, a lithium exploration project in Ontario. The Company also has an interest in two uranium exploration projects located in the Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan, which are optioned from CanAlaska Uranium Corp.

For more information, please contact:

Charn Deol, Director and Chief Executive Officer

E-mail: charnee@gmail.com

Tel: 604-760-1781

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, including statements respecting the intended use of proceeds from the Offering are "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company based on information currently available to it. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time in filings made by the Company with securities regulatory authorities, which may cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/205889

SOURCE: Bayridge Resources Corp.
'First-of-its-kind' study shows that adult immunisation programmes return up to 19 times their initial investment when the full spectrum of benefits is valued

The findings highlight the opportunity to ease pressures on health systems by adopting a prevention-first mindset that includes adult immunisation programmes

The report comes ahead of World Immunisation Week and reveals substantial variation between countries of the availability of evidence for valuing adult vaccination

A new report published today reveals that adult vaccination programmes can return up to 19 times their initial investment when the full spectrum of economic and societal benefits is valued. The 19x return is equivalent to up to USD 4,637 in net monetary benefits to society per individual full vaccination course.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240417519822/en/

Learn more about the economic benefits of investing in adult immunisation programmes in a new study by the Office of Health Economics (OHE). Graphic: OHE

The study, a first-of-its-kind analysis of adult immunisation programmes by the Office of Health Economics (OHE) and commissioned by IFPMA (1), looked at four adult vaccines across ten countries where they are available to determine the wider economic and social impact.

Focusing on vaccines that protect against influenza (flu), pneumococcal disease, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and herpes zoster (shingles), the research looks at the delivery of vaccine programmes in countries that represent a range of healthcare systems, demographics, and vaccine schedules Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, South Africa, Thailand, and the United States.

The report concludes that the vaccination programmes deliver substantial returns on government investment through cost savings within healthcare systems and wider socio-economic benefits. Preventing illness reduces doctor and hospital visits, meaning valuable resources can be allocated elsewhere, and ensuring a healthy and active workforce throughout life can boost economic productivity.

The data also demonstrates that adult immunisation can deliver socio-economic returns proportional to childhood immunisation programmes (2). Despite this, access to adult vaccination is inconsistent around the world, with limited inclusion in routine immunisation schedules.

Professor Lotte Steuten, Deputy CEO of OHE, and co-author of the report, said:

"Increasing pressures on ailing healthcare systems, such as ageing populations, are driving an urgent need to shift to a prevention-first mindset. Our report sets out a compelling case for adult immunisation programmes playing a key role in the shift to prevention.

Our findings show that costs are offset multiple times over by benefits to society when governments invest in adult immunisation programmes. These returns are realised through benefits to individuals, families, and communities, providing a clear call to action to countries not already implementing or expanding robust vaccination schedules."

The researchers used an established vaccine value framework to gather evidence but discovered a lack of data across many elements. This finding, coupled with a lack of agreed methods for capturing some elements, means the positive returns shown are likely to be underestimates of the full value that adult vaccines bring to society.

The report has been released ahead of the WHO's World Immunisation Week, and addressing such evidence gaps will be critical in meeting the ambition of the Immunization Agenda 2030. This includes a strategic priority to ensure that 'all people benefit from recommended immunizations throughout the life-course' and explicitly outlines the need for data guided implementation.

Laetitia Bigger, IFPMA Vaccines Policy Director, added:

"This important study widens the lens to demonstrate that adult vaccination programmes are delivering real benefits for health systems and societies across the globe.

Vaccines are one of the most effective public health measures and can also be a powerful driver of more productive economies and resilient societies.

"It is critical that these benefits are better understood if we are to ensure that people who can benefit from adult immunisation programmes are able to access them."

Maarten Postma, Professor in Pharmacoeconomics at the University of Groningen (Netherlands) and reviewer of the report's methodology, commented:

"Assessing the value of adult immunisation provides policymakers with a clearer picture of the associated benefits and costs. This comprehensive report looked at four adult vaccines internationally and employed a rigorous methodological framework to assess their value."

(1) The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) is the innovative pharmaceutical industry's representative in official relations with the United Nations.

(2) Using the value-of-a-statistical-life approach, return on investment for 10 childhood vaccination programmes was 51.0 from 2011 to 2020 and 52.2 from 2021 to 2030 (Source: https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00103).

ENDS

Notes to editors

About the report

The full report 'The Socio-Economic Value of Adult Immunisation Programmes' is available at: https://www.ohe.org/publications/the-socio-economic-value-of-adult-immunisation-programmes/

About OHE

With over 60 years of expertise, the Office of Health Economics (OHE) is the world's oldest independent health economics research organisation. Every day we work to improve health care through pioneering and innovative research, analysis, and education.

As a global thought leader and publisher in the economics of health, health care, and life sciences, we partner with Universities, Government, health systems and the pharmaceutical industry to research and respond to global health challenges.

As a government-recognised Independent Research Organisation and not-for-profit, our international reputation for the quality and independence of our research is at the forefront of all we do. OHE provides independent and pioneering resources, research and analyses in health economics, health policy and health statistics. Our work informs decision-making about health care and pharmaceutical issues at a global level.

All of our work is available for free online at www.ohe.org

About IFPMA

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) represents over 90 innovative pharmaceutical companies and associations around the world. Our industry's almost three million employees discover, develop, and deliver medicines and vaccines that advance global health. Based in Geneva, IFPMA has official relations with the United Nations and contributes industry expertise to help the global health community improve the lives of people everywhere. For more information, visit ifpma.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240417519822/en/

Contacts:

For further details, including high-resolution photos, or to arrange a briefing or interview, please contact:

Tim Watson

Director of Marketing Communications,

Office of Health Economics

T: +44 (0)7866 288456

E: twatson@ohe.org
L'actone Cosmetics Unveils Strategic Vision for Global Dominance in Beauty Industry

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 17, 2024 / L'actone Cosmetics, under the dynamic leadership of CEO Ali Osman Akat, is poised to redefine the beauty industry landscape with a bold strategic vision aimed at unprecedented global growth, including expansion into Canada.

L'actone

L'actone

Akat's strategic prowess has propelled L'actone into a new era of expansion, marked by strategic partnerships and collaborations meticulously crafted to position the brand as a dominant force in diverse global markets, including Canada. These partnerships, yet to be disclosed, are poised to play a pivotal role in L'actone's strategic initiatives for market penetration and brand visibility in the Canadian beauty industry.

In tandem with its partnership strategy, L'actone is investing heavily in immersive experiences designed to captivate and engage Canadian consumers on a deeper level. These experiential exhibitions transcend traditional retail environments, offering Canadians an opportunity to connect with L'actone's brand ethos of beauty, innovation, and self-expression, fostering deeper connections and solidifying brand loyalty.

Central to L'actone's growth strategy in Canada is its unwavering commitment to consumer-centric innovation. By staying attuned to evolving industry trends and Canadian consumer preferences, L'actone continues to introduce cutting-edge products and services tailored to meet the diverse needs of Canadian customers.

Ali Osman Akat's visionary leadership has been instrumental in driving L'actone's strategic vision for global dominance, including expansion into the Canadian market. Backed by a dedicated team of professionals and a culture of excellence, Akat is confident that L'actone will continue to thrive in Canada's dynamic beauty industry landscape.

As L'actone expands its presence in Canada, the brand remains steadfast in its mission to empower Canadian individuals to embrace their unique beauty with confidence. Through its diverse range of products, immersive experiences, and inclusive messaging, L'actone champions diversity, authenticity, and self-expression, shaping the future of beauty in Canada and beyond.

About L'actone Cosmetics:

L'actone Cosmetics is a leading beauty brand dedicated to empowering individuals to embrace their unique beauty with confidence. With a commitment to innovation, quality, and inclusivity, L'actone offers a wide range of skincare, makeup, and fragrance products designed to inspire self-expression and celebrate individuality.

Contact Information

Ben Befon

Marketing Director

ss@lactone.com.tr

SOURCE: L'actone Cosmetics

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Victoria, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 17, 2024) - GoldON Resources Ltd. (TSXV: GLD) ("GoldON" or the "Company") is arranging a non-brokered private placement financing with qualified investors of up to 8,000,000 units (the "Units") for maximum gross proceeds of $400,000 (the "Offering").

The Units will be priced at $0.05 and consist of one common share and one non-transferable share purchase warrant that will entitle the holder to purchase one additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.10 per share for two years from the closing date of the Offering.

The Company will use the proceeds of the Offering to fund work at its 100%-owned West Madsen Gold Property and for general working capital purposes. Completion of this Offering is subject to TSX Venture Exchange acceptance.

About GoldON Resources Ltd.

GoldON is a mineral exploration company focused on discovery-stage properties. Our goal with a property is to add value by defining (or redefining) the exploration opportunity, maintain ownership control during the value creation phase of discovery, and then source a well-financed partner capable of accelerating discovery, resource definition, and development.

For more information, you can visit our website at goldonresources.com, download our investor presentation by clicking here, and follow us on X at https://twitter.com/GoldONResources.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Signed "Michael Romanik"

Michael Romanik, President

GoldON Resources Ltd.

Direct line: (204) 724-0613

Email: info@goldonresources.com

179 - 2945 Jacklin Road, Suite 416

Victoria, BC, V9B 6J9

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain "forward-looking statements" that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this news release and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/205923

SOURCE: GoldON Resources Ltd.
SINGAPORE, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- DataTracks, a provider of cloud-based software to automate/generate compliance reports for filing with financial/security regulators to more than 28,000 business enterprises in 26 countries, celebrates the completion of 19 years of service and innovation. Founded with a vision to make regulatory compliance "accurate, reliable, timely, and easy", DataTracks has grown into a leading name in the industry, worldwide with cutting edge software that incorporates "artificial intelligence" aided features to reduce "time to prepare" and improve "accuracy".

Decades of Dedication and Expertise

Over nearly two decades, DataTracks has achieved significant growth, with its software delivering more than 400,000 reports, showcasing its pivotal role in regulatory reporting. The software and service address regulations across diverse jurisdictions, including SEC in the USA, HMRC and FCA in the UK, Revenue in Ireland, CIPC in South Africa, ACRA in Singapore, MCA in India, SSM in Malaysia and ESMA, EBA, and EIOPA in Europe.

DataTracks distinguishes itself in the industry

(a) with its global footprint (preferred by business enterprises whose regulatory obligations are spread across multiple jurisdictions)

(b) with its state-of-the art software that incorporates "AI/ML" features and

(c) with its credentials for information security (including ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2013 certifications)

Addressing the employees and spouses in a town hall meeting to celebrate the event, Vinod P John, President of DataTracks said: "We are happy to start our 20th year in the industry. I have to thank the 28,000 clients who trust us and the several hundred employees who developed our software and who helped customers (and our internal team) prepare compliance reports for reaching this milestone. We've always believed in leveraging technology to make regulatory compliance as easy, quick, timely, and accurate as possible for our clients. Our continuous investment in AI and machine learning is a testament to this belief, and it's what keeps us at the forefront of the industry."

Looking ahead, DataTracks is ready to address upcoming mandates such as the DATA Act and FTA in the US as well as the MBRS/XBRL mandate by SSM in Malaysia.

About DataTracks

DataTracks is a Singapore-based globally renowned leader in providing cloud-based regulatory compliance software for self-use and "black box services" using the same software, catering to 28,000 clients across 26 countries. In 19 years DataTracks has helped its client enterprises prepare more than 400,000 compliance reports for filing with financial/security regulators in several jurisdictions. Financial analysts have rated the quality of reports generated using DataTracks as top of industry for quality; significantly above that of several of its competitors. For further information, visit www.datatracks.com.

For Business Enquiries:Email: enquiry@datatracks.com; Phone: Singapore: +6531582850, US: +1(646)9048324, UK: +44(0)2036088035

Media Contact: mediarelations@datatracks.com

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HONG KONG, Apr 18, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - The Executive Centre (TEC), the leading premium workspace provider that serves more than 47,000 Members in 34 cities across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, announced its annual results today for fiscal year 2023. Achieving a record-breaking revenue of USD 315 million representing a 11.2% YoY growth, these exceptional results come on the back of a series of strategic expansions and TEC's consistency in delivering unparalleled workspace solutions and service to its customers.TEC's focus on the high growth regions of Greater China, South Asia and the Middle East has been a cornerstone of the company's success. In 2023, Greater China accounted for 47% of TEC's total revenue while South Asia and the Middle East collectively contributed 22%, reflecting robust demand for premium flexible workspaces in these markets. In terms of adjusted EBITDA, TEC witnessed a healthy YoY increase of 12%, reaching USD 56 million. Greater China, with South Asia and the Middle East collectively, were also the most significant contributors at 37% and 34% respectively. In terms of contribution by city, Singapore emerged at the top, contributing 14% to overall adjusted EBITDA.In 2023, TEC expanded its footprint exponentially with an addition of 26 new Centres across its network. Driven by strong client demand, South Asia and the Middle East saw the most significant growth with 12 new Centre openings, effectively doubling TEC's footprint in the region since the pre-pandemic period. There were also new Centres opening in Mainland China, North Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia, spearheaded by high demand and TEC's commitment to understanding and servicing the unique needs of local businesses.TEC maintained an impressive global average occupancy rate of 88% across its network in 2023, reflecting strong customer satisfaction and the growing trend towards flexible workspaces globally.Central to TEC's success is also its agility in adapting to the evolving needs of the modern economy and workforce. A notable highlight of the year was the growth of the Coworking & Virtual Office segment, which saw a YoY revenue increase of 15% globally. This was a result of significant growth from key markets of Southeast Asia and the Middle East with YoY increases of 35% and 37% respectively. With a comprehensive inhouse suite of professional business and operations support, the Coworking & Virtual Office offering empowers business owners and entrepreneurs to enter new markets and scale rapidly without the need to commit long-term investments in inflexible office infrastructure.Diving into data on revenue by service, TEC's insights revealed an uptrend in the use of physical meeting and event spaces. The segment saw a global growth rate of 39% YoY, with high levels of usage in Hong Kong, and cities such as Singapore and Tokyo. In terms of markets, notable growth rates were recorded in Greater China, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, achieving YoY increases of 55%, 57% and 65% respectively, pointing to a resurgence of in-person collaboration and the importance of continued availability of flexible event spaces and solutions for businesses to fulfil networking and operational needs.TEC Founder and CEO, Paul Salnikow, said: "Our unwavering commitment to service excellence and our ability to anticipate market trends have allowed us to not only meet but exceed our goals amidst a rapidly changing global business environment. We are excited to continue on this trajectory, fostering innovation and expanding our presence strategically to support our clients' growth and success."With its strong financial results and a proven business model, The Executive Centre is poised to maintain its leadership in the premium workspace sector as it celebrates 30 years of excellence this year. TEC remains committed to its mission of providing exceptional service and facilities to its global members as it looks to the future with a clear vision for continued expansion and success.About The Executive CentreThe Executive Centre (TEC) is Asia's premium flexible workspace provider, opened its doors in Hong Kong in 1994 and today boasts over 200+ Centres in 34 cities and 15 markets. It is the third largest serviced office business in Asia.The Executive Centre caters to ambitious professionals and industry leaders looking for more than just an office space - they are looking for a place for their organisation to thrive. TEC has cultivated an environment designed for success with a global network spanning Greater China, Southeast Asia, North Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and Australia, with sights to go further and grow faster. Each Executive Centre offers a prestigious address with the advanced infrastructure to pre-empt, meet, and exceed the needs of its Members. Walking with Members through every milestone and achievement, The Executive Centre empowers ambitious professionals and organisations to succeed.Privately owned and headquartered in Hong Kong, TEC provides first class Private and Shared Workspaces, Business Concierge Services, and Meeting & Events facilities to suit any business' needs.www.executivecentre.comPress EnquiriesFGS GlobalCrystal Chow / Kitty LamCrystal.Chow@fgsglobal.com / +852 3166 9838Kitty.Lam@fgsglobal.com / +852 6306 8851The Executive CentrePebble LeePebble_lee@executivecentre.com / +852 3951 9888Source: The Executive CentreCopyright 2024 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Locust Valley, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - April 17, 2024) - Partslion is pleased to announce the launch of its new software for seamless online car part browsing and ordering. This is one of the first direct-to-customer auto part sellers in the States, disrupting the old operational methods of traditional salvage yards and tackling all the key issues with which auto owners have been struggling.

Partslion Launches New Software to Streamline Access to Quality Car Parts

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/203937_76f404de144b99b6_002full.jpg

Partslion.com has officially launched its proprietary software, which allows the firm to tap into all salvage databases across the United States instantly.

With this new technology, Partslion.com has direct access to not only all auto part types, makes, and models that are currently available on the market, but also their prices.

Partslion.com was founded with a simple vision - to simplify salvaged the auto part search process, give customers an opportunity to order desired models online, and to establish affordability as the new norm.

"Our main goal is to change the used auto parts industry, with our very large inventory, our new software technology, and logistics approach. All to, simply put, allow customers to get any engine or transmission with ease, from anywhere in the United States," Carmine Agnello said.

As the leading edge of progress in the auto part industry, Partslion has cataloged an impressive inventory with over 10 million parts, featuring an array of car engines, transmissions, wheels, and various smaller parts.

One of the main issues in the current landscape of the auto part industry is that vehicle owners have to drive for hours and waste money on gas while searching for small interior or exterior parts.

The firm's new software enables Partslion to source used car transmission systems and engines of pristine quality. As opposed to conventional salvage yards, this company's top-of-the-line inventory management system, courtesy of its hulking warehouses, ensures transmissions and engines are perfectly maintained over extended periods.

The firm has built an extensive catalog filled with auto parts from the most popular brands while carrying used parts for every car and truck model and make. Customers can quickly locate any specific part by using the search tool built into Partslion's website.

New Partslion software, which connects the company to the US salvage yard network, aims to drastically boost the firm's operational efficiency. Boasting multiple warehouses nationwide, Partslion is now able to simultaneously keep its catalog current and enable its customers to order products from its ever-growing stock.

According to the company's spokesperson, Carmine Agnello, this gives this auto part seller the edge over traditional salvage yards and enables the firm to consistently stay ahead of the curve, stating the following:

"What sets Partslion apart from the old way of salvage yards is that we have three large facilities across the United States with every engine and transmission in stock. Partslion has developed software that allows us to get our parts anywhere in the United States quickly."

Committed to excellence and striving to eliminate all major pain points in the used auto part industry, Partslion stands at the forefront of progress and innovation. The launch of its new software is but one of the many milestones this company achieved in recent times. With sights set on further expansion, Partslion pushes forward in its mission to make auto part purchases effortless and convenient.

Deep integrations with national salvage yard databases combined with a comprehensive catalog numbering over 10 million parts, and a streamlined website complete with free quotes and product previews makes Partslion uniquely poised to change the way used auto parts are searched for and sold.

More information about Partslion.com is available on the company's official website.

Contact Info:

Name: Carmine A

Email: customerservice@partslion.com

Organization: Partslion.com

Website: https://partslion.com/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/203937

SOURCE: Plentisoft
ABU DHABI, UAE, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sungrow, the global leading PV inverter and energy storage system provider, exhibited its cutting-edge and comprehensive renewable energy solutions at the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) 2024. Notably, Sungrow has achieved a remarkable milestone by shipping 15GW inverters in the MENA region, making a significant stride in its commitment to promoting green energy transition in the region. And Sungrow has also signed a strategic partnership agreement with PowenSun and Menlo during the expo.

The Middle East countries are quickly moving forward with their energy transformation and are actively developing clean energy. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is leading the way in solar energy development, and by 2025, it is expected to have a compound annual growth rate for renewable energy production capacity exceeding 31%. This will result in a significant increase in renewable energy power generation, from 7% in 2020 to 21% by 2030. Sungrow's renewable energy solutions aim to address the challenges and seize the opportunities in this region.

Innovative renewable energy solutions for utility-scale projects

The Middle East countries are vast, with utility-scale solar power plants playing a significant role in the advancement of renewable energy. PowerTitan G2, the latest addition to Sungrow's liquid-cooled energy storage system line, pushes the envelope beyond a traditional all-in-one solution. It seamlessly incorporates an innovative AC storage design, along with an embedded PCS and a standard 20-foot 5MWh full liquid cooling energy storage system, which can be easily expandable up to 10MWh. Throughout its lifespan, the string PCS facilitates independent charging and discharging of battery racks, leading to a noteworthy boost of over 8% in the system's discharged energy capacity.

In addition to the storage solutions, Sungrow introduced its innovative utility inverter "1+X" and SG320HX-20 string inverter. The "1+X" Modular Inverter features a 1.1 MW single unit as the minimum, and the maximum capacity can be expanded to 8.8 MW by combing eight units together. To meet their requirements, customers can choose from 1.1 MW to 8.8 MW. Also tailored to utility-scale PV plants, the new generation of SG320HX-20 realizes lower LCOE, enhanced protection and stronger grid support.

Comprehensive C&I solutions for enterprises' sustainability

Supported by policies and corporate energy transformation needs, Sungrow offers tailored solutions for commercial and industrial (C&I) applications. These include the SG125CX-P2 and SG25-50CX-P2 series, and the PowerStack 200CS energy storage system. The new Sungrow inverters feature high power density, intelligent monitoring, and easy installation, making them an ideal choice for cost-effective and reliable renewable energy solutions for C&I customers. The PowerStack200CS is a groundbreaking storage system for C&I businesses in the region, providing a compact, scalable, and cost-effective way to store and manage renewable energy.

Advanced solar-plus-storage solutions for growing residential demand

The Middle East's residential solar market, with great potential, has attracted attention with Sungrow's comprehensive solution. Sungrow presented its residential SG2-6RS, SG5-20RT-P2 with optimizer compatibility and high input current, SH5-25T three phase hybrid inverters paired with SBH high voltage battery. With the help of Sungrow's self-developed digital platform, iSolarCloud, households can monitor their power generation status in real-time and quickly locate faults, reducing maintenance time and costs.

Sungrow also demonstrated EV Charger during the expo, including 30kW DC home EV Charger and 180kW integrated DC fast charging station.

Thompson Meng, Vice President of Sungrow PV & Storage BG said, "We are delighted to announce that our inverter shipment in the MENA region has achieved a remarkable milestone of 15GW. Over the years, Sungrow has successfully implemented numerous projects in this region, displaying our expertise in scale and technology. These projects have provided reliable and eco-friendly power to local communities, including the Al Kharsaah 800MW solar plant in Qatar, AI Dhafra PV2 2.1GW solar plant in the UAE, and the NEOM New City 2.2GWac solar + 660MWh energy storage project in Saudi Arabia."

About Sungrow

Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd. ("Sungrow") is a global leading PV inverter and ESS provider with over?500?GW of power electronics equipment installed worldwide as of?December?2023. Founded in 1997 by University Professor Cao Renxian, Sungrow is a leader in the research and development of solar inverters with the largest dedicated R&D team in the industry and a broad product portfolio offering PV inverter solutions and ESS for utility-scale, commercial & industrial, and residential applications, as well as internationally recognized floating PV plant solutions, NEV driving solutions, EV charging solutions and renewable hydrogen production systems. With a strong 27-year track record in the PV space, Sungrow products power over 170 countries worldwide.?For more information about Sungrow, visit: www.sungrowpower.com.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2390627/Sungrow_at_WFES_2024.jpg

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Kunstliche Intelligenz hat spatestens nach dem Raketenstart von Chat GPT das Leben aller verandert. Doch der Superzyklus steht nach Meinungen von Experten erst am Anfang. Wahrend Aktien wie Nvidia von der ersten Aufwartsentwicklung stark profitieren konnten, versprechen aussichtsreiche Player aus der

zweiten Reihe noch enormes Aufwartspotenzial.



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Trotz der jungsten Erfolge steht die Entwicklung der kunstlichen Intelligenz noch am Beginn eines neuen Superzyklus. Experten gehen davon aus, dass der Sektor bis 2032 global auf 1,3 Billionen US-Dollar explodieren wird, wobei ein groer Teil auf Hardware und Infrastruktur entfallen wird.



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Los Angeles, California--(Newsfile Corp. - April 17, 2024) - With the auction acquisition of an Industrial Light and Magic built original Chewbacca costume (circa 1977 - "Star Wars: IV A New Hope"), collector Rich Correll's "Hollywood's Icons of Darkness" Collection has surpassed the 2000 item mark, continuing its reputation as the "one of the world's largest collections of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror film memorabilia."

The Chewbacca costume joins Correll's treasure trove of Star Wars items, along with Darth Maul's (Ray Park) original costume from "The Phantom Menace," (1999), Luke Skywalker's (Mark Hamill) original lightsaber from "Return of the Jedi,"(1983), several "studio scale" miniatures from the original trilogy and several original items from "The Mandalorian" series (2022). "Star Wars artifacts are hard to come by," recalls Correll, "and the addition of the full-size Chewbacca is a welcomed essential."

The sale was held March 20th through March 24th by Heritage Auctions in Dallas. Other items purchased by Correll included Angelica Huston's original Mortica costume from "The Addams Family" (1991), a complete Mangalore Costume from "The Fifth Element" (1997) and a complete Xenomorph costume from "Aliens" (1986).

Correll has been acquiring film-used artifacts since 1961 and after a successful 2-year run as an interactive exhibit on Hollywood Blvd in Los Angeles, "Hollywood's Icons of Darkness" is soon moving to a much larger home which will be announced at a later time. "This is a dream come true," says Correll, who claims that the new exhibition will be 3 times larger than the one in Hollywood and will allow him to display nearly the entire collection.

The timeline for the opening is late 2024. Correll hopes his exhibition will soon become headquarters for all fans of the Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror genres. "The whole point of collecting is to share these awesome artifacts with the public, and this is my chance to do just that."

For more information please visit https://www.iconsofdarkness.com

Contact Info:

Name: Pamela Sharp

Email: info@sharpassociatespr.com

Organization: Icons of Darkness

Address: 1516 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles CA 90046

Phone: (323) 876-5153

Website: https://www.iconsofdarkness.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/205834

SOURCE: Plentisoft
Sartorius Stedim Biotech SA / Key word(s): Quarter Results

Sartorius Stedim Biotech publishes unaudited first quarter results for 2024



18-Apr-2024 / 07:02 CET/CEST



Aubagne, France | April 18, 2024



Sartorius Stedim Biotech publishes unaudited first quarter results for 2024

Sales revenue of 667 million euros, in constant currencies 1 - 9.4 percent organically 1 and - 6.7 percent including acquisitions 2 (reported: - 8.2 percent)

- 9.4 percent organically and - 6.7 percent including acquisitions (reported: - 8.2 percent) Order intake up 13.9 percent to 676 million euros (reported: 12.5 percent) with significant growth in recurring business, while demand from China remains weak; book-to-bill ratio slightly above 1

Underlying EBITDA 1 at 191 million euros, resulting margin at 28.6 percent; net profit of 56 million euros

at 191 million euros, resulting margin at 28.6 percent; net profit of 56 million euros Full-year outlook confirmed; uncertainties remain high due to the global political and economic situation

In a continuously challenging market environment, Sartorius Stedim Biotech, a leading partner of the biopharmaceutical industry, closed its first quarter largely within the bandwidth of expectations recording an increase in order intake and a decline in sales revenue compared with a significantly stronger prior-year period. For the full year, the company continues to anticipate business momentum to gradually pick up from quarter to quarter and forecasts sales revenue growth in the mid to high single-digit percentage range.



"Overall, the first three months showed the projected continued recovery, however the dynamics across our portfolio and regions were mixed. Demand continued to normalize particularly in our recurring core business with consumables, where orders are picking up, signaling that customers have made further progress in destocking. In addition, it is encouraging to see that the business with cell and gene therapy customers, a major strategic focus point, has continued to perform strongly. On the other hand, customer investment into hardware and systems remained muted, especially in China and to some extent also in Europe, which led to soft development in our equipment business. In terms of profitability, we achieved a robust EBITDA margin, and our ongoing efficiency programs should deliver further benefits later in the year," said Rene Faber, CEO of Sartorius Stedim Biotech.



Business development1

In the first quarter of the fiscal year, Sartorius Stedim Biotech recorded an increase in order intake1 of 13.9 percent in constant currencies (reported: 12.5 percent) to 676 million euros, with growth coming from all regions except China. In view of advanced inventory reductions on the part of customers, business has been recovering since the end of the third quarter of 2023. Order volume was slightly above sales revenue in the first three months of 2024, which stood at 667 million euros, down 6.7 percent in constant currencies (organic: - 9.4 percent; reported: - 8.2 percent) compared with the prior-year period's strong figure. This includes a growth contribution from acquisitions2 of 2.7 percentage points.



From a regional perspective, the normalization of demand was visible in all business regions: The EMEA3 region recorded an increase in order intake of 8.6 percent with sales revenue down by 3.8 percent. In the Americas region, order intake grew at a double-digit rate of 29.4 percent, while sales revenue declined by 8.6 percent. In Asia/Pacific, order intake increased by 3,2 % in constant currencies, while the continued market weakness in China led to a decline in sales revenue (- 8.8 percent).



Underlying EBITDA decreased by 13.2 percent to 191 million euros in the first three months, with positive product mix effects and cost base adjustments partially compensating the negative volume development. The EBITDA margin reached 28.6 percent (prior-year period: 30.3 percent).



Underlying net profit1 was 84 million euros, compared with 131 million euros in the first quarter of 2023. Net profit amounted to 56 million euros against 111 million euros in the previous year's period. Underlying earnings per share stood at 0.86 euros (prior-year period 1.43 euros) and earnings per share at 0.58 euros (prior-year period: 1.21 euros). The number of employees worldwide was 10,493 as of March 31, 2024, after 11,581 in the prior-year quarter (December 31, 2023: 10,662 people).



Key financial indicators

Sartorius Stedim Biotech's key financial indicators remain at a sound level. Equity was 3,867 million euros as of March 31, 2024, while the equity ratio1 increased to 45.8 percent (December 31, 2023: 2,673 million euros and 34,5 percent, respectively), mainly as a result of the equity measures successfully completed at the beginning of February 2024. Gross debt was down to 3,189 million euros (December 31, 2023: 3,682 million euros) and net debt down to 2,494 million euros, resulting in a reduced ratio of net debt to underlying EBITDA1 of 3.3 (December 31, 2023: 3,565 million euros and 4.5 respectively).



Mainly due to lower earnings, net operating cash flow totaled 55 million euros, compared with 166 million euros in the prior-year period. Cash flow from investing activities amounted to - 109 million euros after - 116 million euros in the first quarter of 2023. The ratio of capital expenditures (capex) to sales revenue was 16.4 percent compared with 16.0 percent in the prior-year period.



Outlook for fiscal 2024

Management confirms its expectations for the current fiscal year and continues to anticipate a moderate first half of 2024 and increasing business momentum in the course of the year. In addition, business performance could also be affected by increasing geopolitical tensions and economic slowdowns.



Accordingly, consolidated Group sales revenue is projected to increase in the mid to high single-digit percentage range, including a contribution of around 2 percentage points from acquired businesses. In terms of profitability, management anticipates a rise in the underlying EBITDA margin to more than 30 percent compared with the previous year's figure of 28.3 percent. The above-average profitability of the Polyplus business should have a slightly positive effect on the margin development. The ratio of capital expenditure to sales revenue is expected to be around 13 percent (prior year: 17.1 percent), and the ratio of net debt to underlying EBITDA1 slightly below 2.5.





Forecasts have been prepared based on historical information and are consistent with accounting policies. All forecast figures are based on constant currencies, as in the past years. Management points out that the dynamics and volatilities in the industry have increased significantly in recent years. In addition, uncertainties due to the changed geopolitical situation, such as the emerging decoupling tendencies of various countries, are playing a greater role. This results in higher uncertainty when forecasting business figures.



1 Sartorius Stedim Biotech publishes alternative performance measures that are not defined by international accounting standards. These are determined with the aim of improving the comparability of business performance over time and within the industry.

Constant currencies: figures given in constant currencies eliminate the impact of changes in exchange rates by applying the same exchange rate for the current and the previous period

Organic: organic growth figures exclude the impact from changes in exchange rates and changes in the scope of consolidation

Order intake: all customer orders contractually concluded and booked during the respective reporting period

Underlying EBITDA: earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization and adjusted for extraordinary items

Underlying net profit: profit for the period after non-controlling interest, adjusted for extraordinary items and amortization, as well as based on the normalized financial result and the normalized tax rate

Equity ratio: equity in relation to the balance sheet total

Ratio of net debt to underlying EBITDA: quotient of net debt and underlying EBITDA over the past 12 months, including the pro forma amount contributed by acquisitions for this period 2 Acquisition of Polyplus

3 EMEA = Europe, Middle East, Africa





This press release contains forward-looking statements about the future development of the Sartorius Stedim Biotech Group. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Sartorius Stedim Biotech assumes no liability for updating such statements in light of new information or future events. Sartorius Stedim Biotech shall not assume any liability for the correctness of this release. The original French press release is the legally binding version.





Conference call

Dr. Rene Faber, CEO of the Sartorius Stedim Biotech Group, will discuss the company's first quarter results with analysts and investors in a conference call at 1.00 p.m. CEST on April 18, 2024.

Register here: https://sar.to/Q1_IR_SSB_Registration





Financial calendar

July 19, 2024 Publication of the first-half figures (January to June 2024)

October 17, 2024 Publication of the nine-month figures (January to September 2024)





Key Performance Indicators for the First Quarter of 2024

in millions of 

unless otherwise specified Q1

2024 Q1

2023 ? in % Reported ? in % cc1 Order Intake and Sales Revenue Order intake 676.3 601.3 12.5 13.9 Sales revenue 666.9 726.1 -8.2 -6.7 EMEA 284.4 296.8 -4.2 -3.8 Americas 233.4 258.2 -9.6 -8.6 Asia | Pacific 149.1 171.1 -12.8 -8.8 Results EBITDA4 191.0 220.1 -13.2 EBITDA margin4 in % 28.6 30.3 Underlying net profit5 84.1 131.4 -36.0 Underlying earnings per share5 in  0.86 1.43 -39.4 Net profit6 56.1 111.1 -49.5 Earnings per share6 in  0.58 1.21 -52.2

1 cc = constant currencies: Figures given in constant currencies eliminate the impact of changes in exchange rates by applying the same exchange rate for the current and the previous period

2 All customer orders contractually concluded and booked during the respective reporting period

3 According to customer location

4 Underlying EBITDA = earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, and adjusted for extraordinary items

5 Relevant / underlying net profit = net profit after non-controlling interest; adjusted for extraordinary items and

amortization, as well as based on a normalized financial result and normalized tax rate

6 After non-controlling interest



Figures are not audited nor reviewed.





Reconciliation in millions of  Q1

2024 Q1

2023 EBIT (operating result) 110.0 153.7 Extraordinary items 10.6 17.8 Depreciation & amortization 70.4 48.6 Underlying EBITDA 191.0 220.1

Figures are not audited nor reviewed.

In millions of ,

unless otherwise specified Q1

2024 Q1

2023 EBIT (operating result) 110.0 153.7 Extraordinary items 10.6 17.8 Amortization | IFRS 3 29.7 16.8 Normalized financial result1 -35.5 -10.3 Normalized income tax (26%)2 -29.9 -46.3 Underlying net result after taxes 85.0 131.8 Non-controlling interest -0.9 -0.4 Underlying net result after taxes and non-controlling interest 84.1 131.4 Underlying earnings per share (in ) 0.86 1.43

1 Financial result excluding fair value adjustments of hedging instruments and currency effects relating to financing activities and change in valuation of earn-out liability

2 Normalized income tax based on the underlying profit before taxes and amortization

Figures are not audited nor reviewed.



In millions of ,

unless otherwise specified Q1

2024 Q1

2023 Gross debt 3,188.8 1,306.8 - Cash and cash equivalents 695.1 94.0 Net debt 2,493.8 1,212.8 Underlying EBITDA (12 months) 756.3 1,137.8 + Pro forma EBITDA (12 months) 7.2 7.3 Pro forma underlying EBITDA (12 months) 763.5 1,145.0 Ratio of net debt to underlying EBITDA 3.3 1.1 In millions of ,

unless otherwise specified Q1

2024 Q1

2023 Sales revenue 666.9 726.1 Capital expenditures 109.2 115.8 Capital expenditures as % of sales revenue 16.4 16.0

Figures are not audited nor reviewed







A profile of Sartorius Stedim Biotech

Sartorius Stedim Biotech is a leading international partner of the biopharmaceutical industry. As a provider of innovative solutions, the company based in Aubagne, France, helps its customers to manufacture biotech medications, such as cell and gene therapies, safely, rapidly, and economically. The shares of Sartorius Stedim Biotech S.A. are quoted on the Euronext Paris. The company has a strong global reach with manufacturing and R&D sites as well as sales entities in Europe, North America, and Asia. Sartorius Stedim Biotech regularly expands its portfolio through acquisitions of complementary technologies. In 2023, the company generated sales revenue of around 2.8 billion euros. By the end of 2023, more than 10,600 employees were working for customers around the globe.



Visit our newsroom and follow Sartorius Stedim Biotech on LinkedIn .





Contact

Petra Kirchhoff

Head of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations

+49 (0)551 308 1686

petra.kirchhoff@sartorius.com

Attachment



File: MediaRelease_SSB_Q1_2024_en





Dissemination of a Financial Wire News, transmitted by EQS Group.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.




M360 Eurasia returns to Baku, Azerbaijan for the second year, inviting leaders from the mobile industry and vertical sectors, and senior policymakers, to accelerate regional transformation

LONDON, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- M360 Eurasia, hosted by the GSMA and with Host Sponsor Azercell, will return to Baku from 15-16 May 2024 at the JW Marriott Absheron Baku Hotel.

M360 Eurasia convenes executives from leading corporations in mobile and vertical sectors, as well as key political and regulatory figures from the region. The previous edition saw attendance from 29 countries and territories, consisting of 30% senior decision-makers and 45% non-telco attendees. This year's event will explore how the mobile industry can forge partnerships across industries to prepare for the AI revolution.

The agenda will be aimed at accelerating the ongoing digital transformation of CIS countries and the neighbouring regions, with key topics of discussion including the Digitalisation of Everything, Next-Generation Networks and the Role of Generative AI.

Recently announced speakers include:

Zarina Zeynalova, CEO of Azercell

Jana Krimpe, CEO & Founder, B.EST Solutions

Evgeny Nastradin, CEO of Beeline Kazakhstan

John Giusti, Chief Regulatory Officer, GSMA

Lara Dewar, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA

Dr. Emin Islam Tatli, CISO of Turkcell

Petr Dvorak, CEO for Partner Markets, Vodafone Group

M360 Eurasia is with the support of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Host Sponsor, Azercell. Attendees and members of the media can register for their digital event pass here.

The GSMA's Chief Regulatory Officer, John Giusti, said: "As industry and society across Eurasia transform at an unprecedented pace, our connected ecosystem needs a place to explore the latest technologies, identify opportunities and meet with those shaping the digital economy for the region. M360 Eurasia is that place and Baku provides the perfect venue for regional businesses to explore global opportunities, or for global companies to expand across Eurasia."

M360 series: Regional focus, global impact

Presented by the GSMA, M360 is a series of global events that unify the regional mobile ecosystem. The events aim to discover, develop and deliver innovation that serves as the foundation for positive business environments and societal change. The subsequent M360 event will be M360 LATAM, hosted in Mexico City from 5-6 June 2024. We invite you to find out more about the GSMA by clicking here.

About GSMA?

The GSMA is a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments and societal change. Our vision is to unlock the full power of connectivity so that people, industry, and society thrive. Representing mobile operators and organisations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries, the GSMA delivers for its members across three broad pillars: Connectivity for Good, Industry Services and Solutions, and Outreach. This activity includes advancing policy, tackling today's biggest societal challenges, underpinning the technology and interoperability that make mobile work, and providing the world's largest platform to convene the mobile ecosystem at the MWC and M360 series of events.?

We invite you to find out more at? gsma.com ??

Media Contacts?

GSMA Press Office -

pressoffice@gsma.com ?

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1882833/4566762/GSMA_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/gsma-m360-eurasia-2024-returns-to-baku-302120110.html
In a personal capacity, the Danish Finance Minister will initiate global dialogues to mobilize political leadership, activate the private sector and create new financing mechanisms to deliver education in emergencies and protracted crises.

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- At this week's Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C., Senior Danish politician Nicolai Wammen announced that he would join Education Cannot Wait (ECW), as a Global Champion. Mr. Wammen will provide invaluable support in advancing global conversations on mobilizing political leadership and promoting new and innovative sources of financing particularly with the private sector.

Mr. Wammen is the Finance Minister of Denmark and will serve in his personal capacity as Global Champion for Education Cannot Wait (ECW). His two-year engagement with Education Cannot Wait will focus on increasing global investments for education in emergencies and protracted crises. By lending his personal voice and vast wealth of political experience, Mr. Wammen's advocacy will specifically focus on activating new partnerships across a broad range of strategic private sector partners and identifying promising and viable global financing mechanisms to increase the volume and impact of financing for education. Mr. Wammen will not receive any salary for his new role.

"I am honoured to join the important work of Education Cannot Wait (ECW) as a Global Champion, and I look forward to supporting the global efforts to ensure that no child or young person is left behind. Too many children in developing countries are not enrolled in school and have no access to education. We must give all children the opportunity to transform their lives and communities, by giving them the quality education they deserve," said Nicolai Wammen, Global Champion for Education Cannot Wait (ECW) and Finance Minister of Denmark.

"We believe that Nicolai Wammen's political experience, recognition and convening power will make him a strong Global Champion to support ECW's strategic plan to mobilize US$1.5 billion over the next two years to reach 20 million crisis-affected children. Worldwide, more than 224 million children impacted by armed conflict, forced displacement, climate change and other protracted crises are in urgent need of education support. In his capacity as a Global Champion, Mr. Wammen will help us to bring together more resources to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals, including our commitment to provide education for all by 2030," said The Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown, UN Special Envoy for Global Education and Chair of the ECW High-Level Steering Group.

"The number of crisis-impacted children worldwide has grown from around 75 million when ECW first started operations in 2017, to more than 224 million today. With the tireless advocacy of global leaders like Nicolai Wammen, we can unlock further private sector funding and provide these girls and boys with safe places to learn, grow and thrive. This is our investment in sustainable economic growth, global security and universal human rights," said Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait.

Without safe learning environments, children face grave risks of forced recruitment into armed groups, abuse, gender-based violence, child marriage and other human rights violations. The United Nations indicates that without additional support, 85 million children will be out of school in 2030, and around 300 million will lack basic numeracy and literacy skills - more than the total populations of Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom combined.

While overall funding for education has increased, low and middle-income countries face a US$100 billion annual financing gap to reach their education targets, according to the United Nations. Education Cannot Wait (ECW), as the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises within the United Nations, has already reached 9 million girls and boys with quality holistic education.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2390407/Education_Cannot_Wait.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1656121/Education_Cannot_Wait_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/senior-danish-politician-nicolai-wammen-joins-education-cannot-wait-as-a-global-champion-302120358.html
Kupfer wird oft als das Gold der Energiewende bezeichnet, weil es aufgrund seiner hervorragenden elektrischen Leitfahigkeit eine zentrale Rolle in vielen Technologien spielt, die fur nachhaltige Energiesysteme entscheidend sind. Experten gehen aufgrund der Angebotsknappheit von einem Superzyklus aus.

Korrektur als Einstiegschance

Nach Hochststanden im Mai korrigierte das rote Metall stark. Die Abwartsspirale verstarkte sich in den vergangenen Tagen aufgrund schwacher Konjunkturdaten aus den USA und China. Langfristig konnte sich die aktuell laufende Korrektur als exzellente Einstiegsmoglichkeit herausstellen.

3 Kupferaktien mit hohem Potential

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PRESS RELEASE



Amsterdam 18 April 2024

JDE Peet'sMOUs to combat deforestation with Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea, Tanzania and Uganda.

Honduras, Peru and Rwanda are committed to implementing JDE Peet's' innovative strategy to ensure all coffee is EUDR compliant, including the identification of coffee plots grown on land deforested after the 2020 cut-off date. A mutually agreed protocol will ensure that any coffee found to be in contravention of the new regulation is remediated. JDE Peet's then works with farmers and local partners to assist in reforesting the land.

This ground-breaking initiative, developed by JDE Peet's in partnership with Enveritas, a global sustainability platform, uses a combination of high-resolution satellite imagery, artificial intelligence and on-the-ground verification to measure the extent of coffee-related deforestation. This approach allows local operators, governments, NGOs and farmers to better mitigate deforestation risks.

To date, more than 90% of the coffee grown in the world has been mapped, representing a major step in the fight against deforestation. In addition to remediated deforested coffee plots, JDE Peet's will bolster its efforts in regions at risk of deforestation, targeting the underlying issue of poverty by spearheading the advancement of regenerative agricultural practices.

The new MOUs follow JDE Peet's' recent commitment to newly validated near-term and net-zero SBTi targets, including a specific SBTi Forest, Land and Agriculture (FLAG) target. SBTi FLAG is the world's first framework for companies in land-intensive sectors to set science-based targets that include land-based emission reductions and removals.

JDE Peet's is one of only 39 companies globally in the FMCG sector to have a net-zero target by 2050, and one of only 23 companies to have a FLAG target.

JDE Peet's' commitments to combat deforestation are further captured in its expanded Forest Policy, which aims to protect forests through responsible sourcing principles and guidance and sets out expectations for suppliers. This includes a no-deforestation policy across JDE Peet's' primary deforestation-linked commodities, coffee, pulp & paper, palm oil and cocoa, with a target date of 31 December 2025.

Laurent Sagarra, Vice President Sustainability at JDE Peet's, commented: "We are very proud to further progress our efforts to combat deforestation through these new MOUs with Honduras, Peru and Rwanda. Deforestation, and its impact on climate change, poses a threat to our business, as we look to buy high-quality coffee beans from around the world to delight our customers and consumers. That is why JDE Peet's is committed to working with our partners and governments to ensure we can grow coffee responsibly while helping to secure the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers."

For more information on JDE Peet's' climate transition plan, please visit our Common Grounds programme.

# # #

Enquiries



Media

Will Hummel

+31 6 3917 7280

Media@JDEPeets.com



Investors & Analysts

Robin Jansen

+31 6 1594 4569

IR@JDEPeets.com

About JDE Peet's

JDE Peet's is the world's leading pure-play coffee and tea company, serving approximately 4,100 cups of coffee or tea per second. JDE Peet's unleashes the possibilities of coffee and tea in more than 100 markets, with a portfolio of over 50 brands including L'OR, Peet's, Jacobs, Senseo, Tassimo, Douwe Egberts, OldTown, Super, Pickwick and Moccona. In 2023, JDE Peet's generated total sales of EUR 8.2 billion and employed a global workforce of more than 21,000 employees. Read more about our journey towards a coffee and tea for every cup at www.jdepeets.com.

Attachment


EQS Newswire / 18/04/2024 / 14:49 UTC+8

Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Celebrates 95-Year Anniversary and Embarks on Brand Transformation Journey

(Hong Kong, China, 18 April, 2024) Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited ("Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group", the "Group" or the "Company"; SEHK stock code: 1929), the leading Chinese jeweller built on nearly a century of trust and innovation, is proud to announce 95 years of legacy, marked by unwavering trust and exquisite craftsmanship. The Group also today announces the launch of a significant brand transformation journey. A 95-Year Legacy of Trust and Chinese Craftsmanship At the heart of this new era is the vision that sets the course for the Group's future: "To be the leading global jewellery brand that is a trusted lifetime partner for every generation". Today marks the beginning of the Group's exciting transformation journey that will bring to life the brand's evolution, exploring its heritage to inspire the innovations of tomorrow. With this new vision, the Group is also committed to upholding the highest standards of Chinese jewellery craftsmanship and sharing the beauty of Chinese art and culture with international audiences. Chow Tai Fook Jewellery's rich heritage and remarkable growth are a testament to the trust it has earned since 1929. From pioneering the launch of 999.9 gold products in Hong Kong and Macau in 1972, to being the first Chinese company to become a De Beers global sightholder in 1973, and expanding its global footprint to nearly 8,000 stores, the Group has solidified its leadership in the jewellery industry. As the Group embarks on its transformation journey and moves towards the 100th anniversary, its commitment remains unwavering in promoting traditional Chinese culture and unveiling the exquisite beauty of Chinese jewellery to the world, while staying focused in executing its strategy to strengthen long-term competitiveness and drive higher value growth. "At Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, our main goal is to pass on the excellent craftsmanship that Chinese jewellery is known for. We are committed to keeping these high standards as we connect with and understand the needs of our customers. We take pride in our Chinese culture and apply this to inspire the designs and quality of our products. By doing so, we make sure our jewellery appeals to our customers' modern tastes while staying true to our roots," said Mr. Conroy Cheng, Vice-chairman of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group. "In the face of rapidly evolving customer preferences, our strategy at Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group is not just to adapt, but to lead. As we celebrate our 95th anniversary, we are embarking on a transformative journey that will redefine our brand. We aim to harmonise traditional craftsmanship with contemporary innovation to create a brand that resonates with the aspirations of our consumers. We are paving the way towards our centennial, by sculpting our legacy into a beacon of modern jewellery and cultural resonance, ensuring that every piece that we craft is as timeless as the heritage we carry forward," said Ms. Sonia Cheng, Vice-chairman of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group. Refreshing Omni-Channels to Elevate Customer Experience Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group is set to revolutionise its retail presence. Over the next five years, all stores will undergo a strategic refurbishment, culminating in the celebration of the Group's 100th anniversary in 2029. The enhancement of customer experience is further embodied in the Group's launch of two stores with new image, situated in the heart of Central, Hong Kong, and Shanghai's distinguished retail district in the iconic East Nanjing Road. The store in Central, Hong Kong with a refreshed image, will launch in the third quarter of 2024 and occupy 2,880 square feet of prime retail space on Queen's Road. The new store in Shanghai will be the Group's first flagship store in Mainland China. It will span approximately 8,600 square feet over 5 stories and is expected to be revealed in early 2025. These stores will serve as twin showcases for the Group's commitment to excellence, providing customers with an unparalleled jewellery shopping experience including innovative designs. Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group is also unveiling a new consumer-facing logo that represents its enduring legacy in a modern and dynamic way. This new design captures both the rich history and commitment to a vibrant, forward-looking identity while reflecting who we are in a classic, timeless and iconic way. The Group is also launching new group and brand websites, creating an enhanced and immersive customer experience that aligns with its vision for the future. The new consumer website's improved features and streamlined design ensure a frictionless shopping experience, reflecting the Group's dedication to customer satisfaction and aligning with a forward-thinking vision for the brand. Launching a Commemorative Contemporary Collection With 95 years of heritage, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery has become a brand that has been by the side of many generations - witnessing countless momentous occasions between individuals, families, and lovers. To mark this momentous occasion, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group is introducing the Chow Tai Fook Rouge Collection as it celebrates the 95th anniversary. Inspired by the passionate hues of red and the auspicious symbol of good fortune, "?", the Rouge Collection blends innovation and heritage with timeless designs that feature natural diamonds with a stylish touch of red. The motif also pays homage to the architectural beauty of Chinese windowsills, which further enriches the collection's deep sense of cultural authenticity. Each creation from the Rouge Collection represents tradition, craftsmanship and serendipitous moments, fusing cultural heritage and contemporary elegance to foster shared emotional bonds that transcend time and space. The new Rouge Collection showcases the brand's commitment to advancing modern jewellery aesthetics to global audiences. Renewed Sense of Purpose - Advancing our Sustainability Journey Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group embraces its role as a responsible corporate citizen. Guided by the Group's vision to be the leading global jewellery brand that is a trusted lifetime partner for every generation, the Group is embarking on a journey to shape a sustainable future for generations to come. This September, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group will unveil targets and outline a roadmap to contribute positively to the environment and the communities in which it operates. The Group's sustainability strategy is built upon initiatives such as enhancing circularity, reducing emissions, safeguarding biodiversity, ensuring the traceability of raw materials, enhancing employee and community well-being, and leading the jewellery industry towards sustainable practices. Photography/ captions Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group unveiled its new consumer-facing logo that captures both

the rich history and commitment to a vibrant, forward-looking identity. The Rouge Collection marks Chow Tai Fook Jewellery's 95 years

of trust and craftsmanship. Vice-chairmen of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, Mr. Conroy Cheng (right) and

Ms. Sonia Cheng (left)

### Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited



Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited (the "Group"; SEHK stock code: 1929) was listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong in December 2011. The Group celebrates its 95th anniversary this year, guided by a vision: "To be the leading global jewellery brand that is a trusted lifetime partner for every generation". Founded in 1929, the Group's iconic brand "CHOW TAI FOOK" has become an emblem of tradition, celebrated for its bold designs and an unwavering attention to detail. Building upon a rich heritage and a foundation of trust, the Group is not only widely recognised for honouring traditions but also for fostering deep, meaningful connections with a diverse customer base through its products. The Group's long-standing commitment to innovation and craftsmanship has been integral to its success over time and has become synonymous with excellence, value and authenticity. As a leading Chinese jeweller, the Group believes in blending contemporary cutting-edge designs with traditional techniques to create jewellery that can be passed down from generation to generation. Every collection is thoughtfully conceived and crafted to reflect the stories of our customers, celebrating the special moments in their lives. Committed to growing alongside our customers, the Group embraces a spirit that aspires to inspire and captivate generations to come, weaving the story of CHOW TAI FOOK into the fabric of their lives. Offering a wide variety of products, services and channels, the Group's brand portfolio comprises the CHOW TAI FOOK flagship brand with curated retail experiences, and other individual brands including HEARTS ON FIRE, ENZO, SOINLOVE and MONOLOGUE. The Group is committed to delivering sustainable long-term value creation for its stakeholders by enhancing the quality of earnings and driving higher value growth. With an extensive retail network of nearly 8,000 stores across China as well as multiple locations globally, and a growing e-commerce business, the Group is implementing targeted online-to-offline ("O2O") strategies to strengthen its competitiveness in today's omni-channel retail environment. Media Enquiries: Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited

Haide Ng Senior Manager, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications Tel: (852) 3115 4402 Email: haideng@chowtaifook.com Acky Chan Senior Manager, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications Tel: (852) 3115 4403 Email: ackychan@chowtaifook.com



File: [Press Release] Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Celebrates 95-year Anniversary and Embarks on Brand Transformation Journey



18/04/2024 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



Media archive at www.todayir.com


VELDHOVEN, Netherlands, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The e-bike brand BESV has entered its tenth year since its launch in 2014. BESV continues to pursue excellence in product research, development and bicycle applications, adhering to the brand's core concepts: Beautiful, Eco-Friendly, Smarter, and Vision. With the user in mind, the most advanced technology is used to create a perfect green-energy, micro-mobility solution: BESV premium e-bikes . Simultaneously, BESV has made its best efforts to be environmentally conscious and practice green mobility. Over the years, BESV has successfully entered different international markets, offering BESV owners around the world the opportunity to Experience Amazing.

Continue to lead with innovation

Throughout its journey, BESV has pursued design, quality and innovation, creating many amazing products and several industry benchmarks:

The first BESV e-bike, LX1, was launched in 2015, hailed by the Los Angeles Times as "the Maserati of the two-wheel world". LX1 is a fashion symbol that combines strength and beauty, attracting everyone's attention as soon as it takes to the road.

BESV PS1, the first dual-suspended compact e-bike, uses AI to automatically switch on assistant force. This enables simple operation and comfortable riding, setting a new standard for the e-bike riding experience.

Upon its launch, the BESV TRB1 became the e-MTB with the industry's largest battery capacity and ultra-rigid double-tube frame design. The super frame strength and abundant power allow users to conquer and explore any off-road terrain with confidence.

BESV PSF1, is also a first of its kind, unique in having an axial folding design. With its minimized folding size, this design maintains the rigidity of the frame, and presents a restrained and simple aesthetic.

The BESV JR1 is the first e-road bike that integrates biophysical conditions and set training parameters to provide intuitive assistant force. Designed to achieve safe, aerobic and anaerobic training rides, based on real-time heart rate and training goals, it offers a truly interactive riding experience between the cyclist and bike.

The new BESV LX2 model is the first e-bike that uses AI to achieve fully automatic riding assistance. The riders of this model don't have to worry about how to shift gears and when to switch on assistant force according to different riding intentions or road conditions. It is intuitive and inclusive - everyone can enjoy the beauty of riding.

In addition to these benchmarks, BESV has also received a number of international awards, such as the German Red Dot Design Award, the Japanese Good Design Award, the Taiwan Excellence Award, and the Taipei Cycle d&i awards. BESV promises to continue to devote itself to research, development and innovation to meet the diverse needs of its different markets and users. BESV continues to exist so that more consumers can enjoy a healthy, environmentally-friendly, intelligent, high-quality lifestyle through its e-bikes.

Ten years of success, thanks for giving back

In the next ten years, BESV promises to continue to create more firsts and more amazing experiences for every BESV owner. In order to thank you for participating in BESV's amazing journey so far, this year BESV will launch successive promotional programs to celebrate with you all. BESV invites you to participate in BESV's next amazing journey.

For details (including discounted products and prices), please refer to the anniversary page: https://besv.eu/10-year-anniversary/, and follow our social media channels:@besv_europe (Instagram) and BESV Europe (Facebook).

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2386758/PR_image_EN_3.jpg

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/encourage-the-next-amazing-journey-besv-10th-anniversary-celebration-special-promotion-302116511.html
Emittent / Herausgeber: DTCP / Schlagwort(e): Private Equity/Fonds

DTCP Successfully Closes Digital Infrastructure Vehicle II and Associated Co-Investment Vehicles at ~ 1.6 Billion



18.04.2024 / 09:19 CET/CEST

Fur den Inhalt der Mitteilung ist der Emittent / Herausgeber verantwortlich.





DTCP Successfully Closes Digital Infrastructure Vehicle II

and Associated Co-Investment Vehicles at ~ 1.6 Billion

DTCP has raised capital from new and existing institutional investors for its second-generation specialist Digital Infrastructure Fund

The Fund invests in digital infrastructure including data centers, fiber networks, and mobile access sites

The Fund and its associated vehicles have exceeded the total volume of its predecessor fund by eight times

Hamburg, London, Frankfurt, Luxembourg, 18 April 2024: DTCP, an independent investment management firm focused on digital transformation, is pleased to announce that it has successfully held the final close of its Digital Infrastructure Vehicle II ("DIV II" or "the Fund"). DIV II and its associated vehicles reached the fundraising target of approximately 1.6 billion, eight times larger than the predecessor fund.

The Fund has attracted capital from global investors predominantly from Europe, US, Middle East and South Korea. Several investors increased their initial commitment to the fund, underscoring their commitment to DTCP's specialist digital infrastructure strategy and its investment focus on data centers, fiber networks and mobile access sites.

DTCP's value proposition is marked by its emphasis on exclusive deal access, an attractive risk/return profile, structuring capabilities aimed at mitigating downside risks, and the implementation of value creation strategies for our portfolio companies.

Vicente Vento, Founder & CEO of DTCP, and a Managing Partner of DIV II, said: "We are very pleased with this result and thankful to our partners for their continued support. The calibre of investors validates our specialist investment strategy and attests to the quality of the team, the DTCP brand, and the investments made so far. Our focus for 2024 will be on investing the remaining capital and generating further value in the existing portfolio."

The Fund is targeting equity investments in the range of 150 to 250 million, along with significant on-top co-investment opportunities for its investors. Early deployment momentum has been strong, and about two-thirds of the Fund are already invested, all of which have hit significant growth milestones under DTCP ownership.

DIV II is classified as an Article 8+ fund in accordance with the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), aiming to have a minimum of 20% of its assets meet sustainable investment criteria. DIV II pledges to decrease its total greenhouse gas emissions and achieve carbon net-zero across its portfolio companies by the year 2040. In 2023 the Fund achieved a GRESB 5-star rating, ranking 2nd out of 46 participating European PE infrastructure funds.

Currently, the DTCP Infra team is focused on managing the portfolio and expanding the fund's holdings. Plans are underway for the next fund generation in the digital infrastructure sector, with a potential launch in 2025.

ENDS

DTCP Media Contact

Kekst CNC DTCP@kekstcnc.com

Phone: +44 7814 930 261 DTCP Investor Relations

Melanie Bottcher melanie.boettcher@dtcp.capital

Phone: +49 176 84210634

Veroffentlichung einer Mitteilung, ubermittelt durch EQS Group AG.

Medienarchiv unter https://www.eqs-news.com.



Fur den Inhalt der Mitteilung ist der Emittent / Herausgeber verantwortlich.






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EQS Post-admission Duties announcement: BP p.l.c. / bp simplifies organisation; changes to exec team

BP p.l.c.: Release of a capital market information



18.04.2024 / 10:00 CET/CEST

Dissemination of a Post-admission Duties announcement transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





press release 18 April 2024 bp simplifies organisational structure and announces executive team changes Simplified structure reduces duplication and reporting line complexity.

William Lin to lead gas & low carbon energy business, following retirement of Anja- - Isabel Dotzenrath.

Emeka Emembolu to lead technology function, following Leigh-Ann Russell's decision to leave bp for an external opportunity. bp is simplifying its organisational structure, supporting delivery of the priorities it set out in February 2024 to grow the value of bp. bp will continue to have three businesses - production & operations, gas & low carbon energy and customers & products - enabled by trading & shipping. The current regions, corporates & solutions organisation will be integrated into the businesses and functions, and bp will now be supported by five functions: finance; technology; strategy, sustainability & ventures; people & culture; and legal. Together these changes will reduce duplication and reporting line complexity. bp's executive leadership team will reduce in size to ten members. bp's financial reporting structure remains unchanged. William Lin, who previously led regions, corporates & solutions, will now lead the gas & low carbon energy business, succeeding Anja-Isabel Dotzenrath who is retiring from bp and her executive career. Emeka Emembolu will head bp's technology function, taking over from Leigh-Ann Russell who is leaving bp for an external opportunity. Murray Auchincloss, bp's chief executive officer, said: "As I set out in February, bp's destination from IOC to IEC is unchanged - and we need to deliver as a simpler, more focused and higher value company. These changes will help us do just that, reducing complexity within bp, allowing our team to focus on delivering our priorities and growing the value of bp. "I congratulate William on his new role and am delighted to welcome Emeka to the leadership team. William brings extensive experience, expertise, and leadership to gas & low carbon energy - a key part of our portfolio. He has a proven track record of delivery, managing complex relationships and deals - effectively leading teams to build resilient businesses. Emeka has been chief of staff for the past two years and in a 25-year bp career has held senior technical roles right across the business, always focused on safety, value growth, people and technology. "I would of course also like to thank Anja and Leigh-Ann. Anja has made a hugely positive and lasting impact, building a world class team and low carbon business platform and leading and implementing the right low carbon strategy for bp for the long term. Leigh-Ann has ensured bp kept aware of both the opportunities and risks presented by today's fast-developing technologies. Her leadership, commitment to building diverse teams, and care for people are deeply appreciated throughout bp. I wish them both all the very best for the future." William Lin is already a member of bp's leadership team in his current role as executive vice president for regions, corporates & solutions. For the past four years, he has led RC&S as a key integrator of bp's global activities with customers, partners, and governments. William has worked in bp for 28 years, holding senior management roles across the world including in Asia Pacific, Egypt and the US, and as head of bp's group chief executive office and as chief operating officer in the former Upstream responsible for all oil and gas regions across the portfolio. Emeka Emembolu has worked as chief of staff for the past two years. In this role he has run the CEO office and provided direct support and advice to the bp leadership team. Emeka has been with bp for 25 years, starting his career working offshore as an engineer. Before joining the executive office, he ran bp's business in the North Sea. Prior to that, he held a range of senior technical leadership roles in the Gulf of Mexico/Canada, North Africa, and Alaska businesses and in bp's subsurface function. Notes to editors:

bp's executive leadership team: CEO, Murray Auchincloss CFO, Kate Thomson EVP Production and operations, Gordon Birrell EVP Gas & low carbon energy, William Lin EVP Customers & products, Emma Delaney EVP Trading & shipping, Carol Howle EVP Technology, Emeka Emembolu EVP Strategy, sustainability & ventures, Giulia Chierchia EVP People & culture, Kerry Dryburgh EVP Legal, Mike Sosso

Regional teams will report to their most relevant businesses. The Latin America team, formerly part of RC&S, will now report to P&O. The bp America and China teams, formerly part of RC&S, will now report to G&LCE, as will bp's strategic corporates and partnerships team and central non-operated joint ventures team. The UK and Europe teams, formerly part of RC&S, will now report to C&P. Other teams from RC&S will report into relevant functions. The organisational changes will not impact bp's financial reporting structure. Further information : bp press office, London: bppress@bp.com Cautionary statement : In order to utilize the 'safe harbor' provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the 'PSLRA') and the general doctrine of cautionary statements, bp is providing the following cautionary statement: This announcement contains certain forecasts, projections and forward-looking statements - that is, statements related to future, not past events and circumstances - with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of bp and certain of the plans and objectives of bp with respect to these items. These statements may generally, but not always, be identified by the use of words such as 'will', 'expects', 'is expected to', 'aims', 'should', 'may', 'objective', 'is likely to', 'intends', 'believes', 'anticipates', 'plans', 'we see', 'focus on' or similar expressions. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will or may occur in the future and are outside the control of bp. Actual results or outcomes, may differ materially from those expressed in such statements, depending on a variety of factors, including the risk factors discussed under "Risk factors" in bp's most recent Annual Report and Form 20-F as filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Our most recent Annual Report and Form 20-F and other period filings are available on our website at www.bp.com, or can be obtained from the SEC by calling 1-800-SEC-0330 or on its website at www.sec.gov. This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com .



18.04.2024 CET/CEST The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

Archive at www.eqs-news.com


LONDON, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Abatable is pleased to announce a partnership with the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM). The AACM is an initiative that seeks to promote the growth of voluntary carbon markets across ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and support the implementation of compliance markets. The collaboration was announced today during an executive roundtable at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Singapore, held to discuss the strategic development of carbon markets in Southeast Asia.

The ASEAN region is home to some of the more advanced carbon markets and boasts one of the world's most investable carbon stocks. A recent surge in financing opportunities for nature-based transactions aimed at combating deforestation has been seen here, alongside a rise in domestic carbon market programmes.

The roundtable event explored opportunities to advance the carbon market ecosystem, address challenges, and devise actionable plans to foster sustainable growth, and impact, within the region.

The partnership will focus on supporting the AACM's policy advocacy work, centring on an upcoming report on the voluntary carbon market in Southeast Asia, led by Abatable's policy specialists. The report will be launched at Climate Week New York City in September of this year.

Co-Founder of Abatable, Maria Eugenia Filmanovic, speaking as part of the dialogue discussions today, comments: "Carbon markets have proven to be an effective tool in facilitating finance flows from rich to low- and middle-income countries, supporting positive solutions for climate, nature and people. We are delighted to be partnering with the AACM to advance the development of carbon markets across Southeast Asia. As the first private sector-led body to advocate for cross-border efforts in the areas of carbon market development, this collaboration solidifies Abatable's role at the centre of carbon market policy within this important region."

Dharsono Hartono, Permanent Chair of the AACM and CEO of PT RMU, said: "I'm pleased to see the strategic partnership between Abatable and AACM signed today in Singapore. The Alliance is well-positioned to work with leading organisations and international partners to address the most pressing issues in both the VCM and compliance markets. In 2024, we will be looking at two reports focusing on the ASEAN region and on the Indonesia market. As the ASEAN Secretariat is shaping the next ASEAN Economic Community blueprint for the next 25 years and as we're seeing the Indonesian government in transition for a new administration by this October, AACM wish to foster a regional ecosystem with multi-sectoral approach to support their key priorities to allow Southeast Asia to truly unleash economic and environmental benefits for the ASEAN region, Indonesia and wider societies. Beyond 2024, the AACM will be looking at Malaysia and other countries' deep dives subject to inputs from our International Advisory Board (IAB)".

Steven Marcelino, Deputy International Affairs of the AACM and Managing Partner of Equatorise Advisory, said: "The policy advocacy track has been a key part of AACM since its inception. AACM is inclusive by nature, welcoming both Southeast Asian domiciled organisations as well as those in ASEAN Dialogue Partner countries outside the region. We hope the Abatable-AACM partnership can support the Alliance in contributing market insights to key policymakers through key reports that will be launched in the Autumn of 2024. For the first time, we will be able to look at all types of carbon projects from NbS; Biochar; and so on in a single study to project potential inward investment and job creation opportunities whilst addressing the climate crisis."

HE Suryo Pratomo, Indonesia Ambassador to Singapore said: "Indonesia is delighted to see the continuation of such a positive legacy project at the back of Indonesia's ASEAN Chairmanship in 2023. The ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) plays a key role to foster a robust ecosystem of players across the carbon markets value chain that will be able to work hand in hand with Indonesia and ASEAN policymakers to really get this industry off the ground. We really applaud what AACM is trying to do to foster the first regional ecosystem to promote scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets across ASEAN and to support implementation of compliance markets in the region. It is crucial to have AACM & Abatable to support governments in Indonesia & ASEAN for capacity building and technical assistance to ensure the various elements work in practice. I believe there is a strong role for carbon markets to play in the Indonesia 2045 roadmap, given the current Jokowi Administration has launched Indonesia Carbon Exchange through IDX, a promising milestone last year with more to come."

For further information on Abatable and its service offering, go to abatable.com .

About Abatable

Abatable is on a mission to enable all organisations to build a thriving future for climate, nature and people. We do this by developing the tools organisations need to confidently navigate carbon markets and find the right partners, understand market risk and amplify their planetary impact. Our solutions are enabled by technology, and powered by people, making us a trusted guide for organisations looking to take action within the complex and evolving carbon markets.

About AACM

ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) will be the first private sector-led body to advocate for cross-border efforts in the areas of carbon market development. AACM will foster a regional ecosystem and act as a focal point for international partnerships, with activities including capacity building and technical assistance.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/abatable-partners-with-the-asean-alliance-on-carbon-markets-302119793.html
Der Goldpreis haussiert und schwingt sich von Hoch zu Hoch. Getrieben von geopolitischen Unsicherheiten sowie der Aussicht auf eine lockere Geldpolitik der FED gehen Experten aktuell von weiter steigenden Notierungen bis sogar in den Bereich von 3.000 US-Dollar je Unze Gold aus.



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United Renewables CEO Chris Caldwell in conversation with Laurent Muzellec, Dean of Trinity Business School, Dublin

United Renewables CEO Chris Caldwell in conversation with Laurent Muzellec, Dean of Trinity Business School, Dublin

DOUGLAS, Isle of Man, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a thought-provoking conversation with Chris Caldwell, CEO of United Renewables, Laurent Muzellec, Dean of Trinity Business School, discusses the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in the education sector. Muzellec, an expert in the field, shared valuable insights on leveraging AI to create personalised learning experiences and improve student outcomes.

"AI has the power to revolutionise the way we teach and learn," said Muzellec. "By harnessing its capabilities to personalise learning pathways and tailor educational content, we can create more engaging and effective learning experiences for students."

Muzellec also highlighted the importance of data-driven decision-making in education. "AI can help us analyse student data and make more informed decisions about curriculum design, instructional strategies, and resource allocation," he said. "This can lead to improved student outcomes and more efficient administrative processes."

While acknowledging the potential risks associated with AI, Muzellec emphasised the need for ethical guidelines and responsible implementation. "We need to ensure that AI is used in a way that is transparent, fair, and respectful of privacy and human rights," he said. "That's why we're introducing a module on teaching with AI for all faculty members, to ensure that educators are well-equipped to integrate AI effectively and responsibly."

Caldwell added, "As a leader in renewable energy, United Renewablesis committed to driving innovation and sustainability across all sectors, including education. We're thrilled to have had the opportunity to learn from Dean Muzellec's expertise and vision for the future of learning."

To learn more about the role of AI in education and Muzellec's vision for the future of learning, tune in to United Renewables' "Conversations on Climate" podcast for the full interview with host Chris Caldwell and Dean Laurent Muzellec.

Listen to the conversation on How Can Artificial Intelligence

All previous episodes can be found here.

About United Renewables:

United Renewables is at the forefront of the renewable energy sector, dedicated to providing diverse green energy solutions, including solar, wind, hydro, and bioenergy. The company is committed to fostering sustainable futures, reducing global carbon footprints, and empowering businesses and communities through innovation and environmental stewardship.

About the Conversations on Climate Podcast:

United Renewables' Conversations on Climate podcast, now in its third season, offers enlightening insights on climate change. The podcast combines academic knowledge with practical industry experience, covering topics from leadership to green innovations. Season 3 provides a roadmap for professionals navigating the climate conundrum.

For the latest episodes and updates, subscribe to the Conversations on Climate Channel on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Podbean, and Spotify.

For all related articles.

Conversations on Climate brings world-leading thinkers from business and academia together to share their expertise on the subject of climate change. Guests include Sir Andrew Likierman , Francois Ortalo-Magne , Kelly Price.

Contact Information:

Isabella Hawke - Sales and Marketing Consultant

United Renewables

Phone: +447624457139

Email: IIhawke@unitedrenewables.co.uk

Web: unitedrenewables.co.uk

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b3b607ed-dbd2-4bc0-b74a-3090d48d16b5
UNICE's ground-breaking "AI Doctor" is about to go through a rigorous review by renowned medical professionals at Chung-Ang University Hospital, marking a significant step towards changing healthcare. UNICE and Chung-Ang University Hospital have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which is a significant step forward in the development of AI-driven healthcare solutions.

Chung-Ang University Healthcare System, established in 1968 as the first domestic association of medical school professors, is a symbol of excellence in the Korean medical field. Over the years, Chung-Ang University Hospital has undergone continuous changes, including its relocation to Heukseok-dong in 2004 and its merger with Yongsan Hospital in 2011.

The establishment of Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital in March 2022 further solidified the institution's commitment to pioneering new frontiers in medical care. With a focus on convergence research, the industrialization of biomedical technologies, and the cultivation of global healthcare leaders, this institution aims to redefine the standards of medical excellence. Additionally, Chung-Ang University Hospital is one of Korea's leading large-scale hospitals with over 1,500 beds, playing a pivotal role in providing top-tier medical services to patients both domestically and internationally.

UNICE is an AI-based blockchain healthcare messenger service created by doctors, aimed at developing an AI doctor capable of diagnosing diseases, prescribing medications, and performing surgeries. This project has been selected as an ecosystem project by a leading global Web3 venture capital firm and has garnered worldwide attention. UNICE analyzes users' conversational and voice data to assess their physical and mental health. Based on these assessments, UNICE provides personalized health management solutions, monitors users' mental health through regular conversations, and offers pathways to professional assistance when needed. Additionally, it ensures the secure protection of users' health data and tokenizes this data, allowing users to manage and monetize their information.

UNICE and Chung-Ang University Hospital's partnership signifies a collaborative effort to harness the power of AI in healthcare delivery. UNICE's "AI Doctor" represents a paradigm shift in medical support, leveraging cutting-edge technology to overcome language barriers, facilitate real-time communication, and provide invaluable medical insights.

Under the terms of the MOU, Chung-Ang University Hospital's team of high-level medical professionals will conduct a comprehensive review of UNICE's "AI Doctor." This evaluation process will scrutinize the AI's ability to analyze and interpret medical data accurately, provide timely recommendations, and ensure patient privacy and confidentiality.

Dr. Jeong-taek Kwon, Director of Chung-Ang University Hospital, emphasized the potential of UNICE Lab's service in addressing medical personnel shortages and economically predicting and managing diseases. He highlighted the expansion of Chung-Ang University Hospital's global healthcare network through partnerships with leading AI-based companies.

Meanwhile, Dr. Yoo, the CEO of UNICE Lab, expressed his expectations to enhance medical accessibility in regions with limited medical resources by creating AI doctors and economically valuing user data to reduce the financial burden of treatment. He emphasized the significant impact of combining UNICE Lab's technology with the medical expertise of Chung-Ang University Hospital in achieving their goals.

The synergy between UNICE and Chung-Ang University Hospital exemplifies the transformative potential of interdisciplinary collaboration in healthcare. By leveraging the expertise of medical professionals alongside cutting-edge AI technology, the partnership seeks to elevate the standard of care and improve patient outcomes.

As the evaluation process unfolds, both UNICE and Chung-Ang University Hospital remain committed to advancing the frontiers of medical innovation. The culmination of this partnership promises to usher in a new era of AI-driven healthcare, where the boundaries of possibility are continually pushed, and the pursuit of excellence knows no bounds.

In conclusion, the MOU between UNICE and Chung-Ang University Hospital heralds a new chapter in the journey towards harnessing AI for the betterment of healthcare. Through collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to excellence, these two institutions are poised to redefine the future of healthcare and crypto.

Media Contact

Organization: unice lab

Contact Person: Jaden Jeon

Website: https://unicelab.io

Email: contact@unicelab.io

City: Singapore

Country: Singapore

SOURCE: unice lab

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - April 18, 2024) - COELACANTH ENERGY INC. (TSXV: CEI) ("Coelacanth" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its financial and operating results for the three months and year ended December 31, 2023. All dollar figures are Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.

2023 HIGHLIGHTS

Drilled five wells on its 5-19 pad at Two Rivers East. Four wells (three Lower Montney and one Basal Montney) were completed in Q4 2023. Combined test production from the three Lower Montney wells was 4,015 boe/d (54% light oil). (2)

Completed two Upper Montney wells on its 10-08 pad at Two Rivers West and commenced production in Q4 2023. C10-08 was recently re-tested after four months of production at an unrestricted rate of 1,284 boe/d (35% light oil and NGLs). (2)

Closed a bought-deal public financing in Q4 2023 raising gross proceeds of $80.0 million.

Exited 2023 with adjusted working capital (2) of $67.6 million.

Financial and operational results below present the carved-out historic financial position, results of operations and cash flows of Leucrotta's Two Rivers Assets for all prior periods up to and including May 31, 2022 and the results of operations from May 31, 2022 forward include the results of Coelacanth after assuming the Two Rivers Assets upon close of the Arrangement.

FINANCIAL RESULTS

Three Months Ended



Year Ended



December 31



December 31

($000s, except per share amounts)

2023



2022

% Change



2023



2022

% Change























Oil and natural gas sales

4,204



1,676



151



6,663



7,833



(15 )























Cash flow used in operating activities

(404 )

(636 )

(36 )

(4,234 )

(9,741 )

(57 ) Per share - basic and diluted (1)

(-)



(-)



-



(0.01 )

(0.03 )

(67 )























Adjusted funds flow (used) (1)

1,750



(60 )

(3,017 )

(333 )

(350 )

(5 ) Per share - basic and diluted

-



(-)



-



(-)



(-)



-

























Net loss

(750 )

(725 )

3



(6,573 )

(11,163 )

(41 ) Per share - basic and diluted

(-)



(-)



-



(0.01 )

(0.03 )

(67 )























Capital expenditures (1)

34,656



8,876



290



74,613



13,904



437

























Adjusted working capital (1)













67,589



67,738



(-)

























Common shares outstanding (000s)























Weighted average - basic and diluted

478,731



425,106



13



439,055



363,743



21

























End of period - basic













528,650



425,106



24

End of period - fully diluted













609,989



461,955



32

(1) See "Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures" section.

(2) See "Test Results and Initial Production Rates" section.



Three Months Ended



Year Ended

OPERATING RESULTS (1)

December 31



December 31



2023



2022



% Change



2023



2022

% Change

























Daily production (2)























Oil and condensate (bbls/d)

419



55



662



139



62



124

Other NGLs (bbls/d)

28



15



87



16



18



(11 ) Oil and NGLs (bbls/d)

447



70



539



155



80



94

Natural gas (mcf/d)

2,858



1,468



95



1,624



1,614



1

Oil equivalent (boe/d)

923



315



193



426



349



22

























Oil and natural gas sales























Oil and condensate ($/bbl)

87.38



103.34



(15 )

88.94



116.29



(24 ) Other NGLs ($/bbl)

32.32



45.14



(28 )

33.22



49.98



(34 ) Oil and NGLs ($/bbl)

83.88



91.33



(8 )

83.28



101.64



(18 ) Natural gas ($/mcf)

2.86



8.03



(64 )

3.26



8.26



(61 ) Oil equivalent ($/boe)

49.47



57.83



(14 )

42.82



61.48



(30 )























Royalties























Oil and NGLs ($/bbl)

19.38



24.88



(22 )

20.24



31.22



(35 ) Natural gas ($/mcf)

0.26



2.08



(88 )

0.57



2.24



(75 ) Oil equivalent ($/boe)

10.20



15.25



(33 )

9.57



17.50



(45 )























Operating expenses























Oil and NGLs ($/bbl)

11.57



17.13



(32 )

13.25



14.14



(6 ) Natural gas ($/mcf)

1.28



2.85



(55 )

2.21



2.36



(6 ) Oil equivalent ($/boe)

9.57



17.11



(44 )

13.25



14.15



(6 )























Net transportation expenses (3)























Oil and NGLs ($/bbl)

4.95



1.91



159



4.10



2.70



52

Natural gas ($/mcf)

0.81



1.30



(38 )

1.12



1.08



4

Oil equivalent ($/boe)

4.92



6.48



(24 )

5.75



5.61



2

























Operating netback (3)























Oil and NGLs ($/bbl)

47.98



47.41



1



45.69



53.58



(15 ) Natural gas ($/mcf)

0.51



1.80



(72 )

(0.64 )

2.58



(125 ) Oil equivalent ($/boe)

24.78



18.99



30



14.25



24.22



(41 )























Depletion and depreciation ($/boe)

(12.18 )

(14.26 )

(15 )

(14.93 )

(14.79 )

1

General and administrative expenses ($/boe)

(10.77 )

(46.11 )

(77 )

(27.08 )

(36.34 )

(25 ) Share based compensation ($/boe)

(16.31 )

(14.02 )

16



(23.49 )

(75.61 )

(69 ) Gain on insurance proceeds ($/boe)

-



-



-



-



5.16



(100 ) Finance expense ($/boe)

(1.28 )

(2.59 )

(51 )

(3.09 )

(3.14 )

(2 ) Finance income ($/boe)

10.01



25.11



(60 )

18.75



10.33



82

Other income ($/boe)

-



1.53



(100 )

-



1.12



(100 ) Unutilized transportation ($/boe)

(3.08 )

-



100



(6.65 )

-



100

Deferred income tax recovery ($/boe)

-



6.32



(100 )

-



1.44



(100 ) Net loss ($/boe)

(8.83 )

(25.03 )

(65 )

(42.24 )

(87.61 )

(52 )

(1) See "Oil and Gas Terms" section.

(2) See "Product Types" section.

(3) See "Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures" section.

Selected financial and operational information outlined in this news release should be read in conjunction with Coelacanth's audited financial statements and related Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") for the year ended December 31, 2023, which are available for review under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com.

COMMON-CONTROL TRANSACTION

On May 31, 2022, the arrangement agreement between Coelacanth, Leucrotta Exploration Inc. ("Leucrotta"), Vermilion Energy Inc. ("Vermilion"), and the shareholders of Leucrotta (the "Arrangement") closed and Vermilion acquired all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Leucrotta in exchange for $1.73 cash for each common share of Leucrotta held.

Pursuant to an asset conveyance agreement between Coelacanth and Leucrotta made as of May 31, 2022, and immediately prior to the closing of the Arrangement, Leucrotta transferred approximately $45.1 million cash, net of transaction costs, and certain oil and natural gas assets primarily located in the Two Rivers area of British Columbia ("Two Rivers Assets") to Coelacanth in exchange for one common share of Coelacanth ("Coelacanth Share"), and 0.1917 of a common share purchase warrant of Coelacanth (one whole warrant being an "Arrangement Warrant") for each common share of Leucrotta outstanding. The Coelacanth Shares and Arrangement Warrants were then transferred to the shareholders of Leucrotta.

Since the shareholders of Coelacanth and Leucrotta were the same both before and after the conveyance of the Two Rivers Assets (at the time Coelacanth was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leucrotta), this transaction was deemed a common-control transaction. The financial and operational results below present the historic financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the transferred Two Rivers Assets for all prior periods up to and including May 31, 2022 on a carve-out basis as if they had operated as a stand-alone entity subject to Leucrotta's control. The financial position, results of operations and cash flows from March 24, 2022 (the date of incorporation of Coelacanth) to May 31, 2022 include both the Two Rivers Assets and Coelacanth on a combined basis and from May 31, 2022 forward include the results of Coelacanth after assuming the Two Rivers Assets upon close of the Arrangement.

FINANCINGS

On November 15, 2023, the Company closed a bought-deal public financing through a syndicate of underwriters. The Company issued 100.0 million units of the Company ("Units") at a price of $0.80 per Unit for gross proceeds of $80.0 million. A Unit is comprised of one common share of the Company and 0.33 common share purchase warrants. Each whole common share purchase warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share at an exercise price of $1.05 per common share expiring on November 15, 2024.

On November 16, 2023, the Company closed a non-brokered private placement to three employees of 1,875,000 units of the Company ("Private Placement Units"), at a price of $0.80 per Private Placement Unit, for aggregate proceeds of $1.5 million. Each Private Placement Unit consists of one common share of the Company and one common share purchase warrant. Each common share purchase warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of $0.80 per share expiring on November 16, 2028.

OPERATIONS UPDATE

Q4 2023 was a busy and productive quarter for Coelacanth in furthering its Two Rivers Montney project that spans over 150 contiguous sections of land. Both Two Rivers East and Two Rivers West had material developments in de-risking the resource and proving productivity via pad development as specifically noted below.

Two Rivers East

Coelacanth successfully completed the 5-19 pad that consisted of three Lower Montney wells and one Basal Montney well. As previously released, test production from the four wells was a combined 4,410 boe/d (55% light oil). (1) Based on the success of the 5-19 pad, Coelacanth is in the process of permitting the required infrastructure and procuring long-lead equipment for an estimated April 2025 start-up for the Two Rivers East facility. Additional 5-19 pad wells have already been licensed and Coelacanth will determine timing of additional drilling once infrastructure is closer to completion.

Two Rivers West

Coelacanth successfully completed the 10-08 pad that consisted of two Upper Montney wells. As previously released, the C10-08 produced at a restricted rate of 542 boe/d for four months and was then re-tested at an unrestricted rate of 1,284 boe/d (35% light oil and NGLs)(1) for a short duration. Facility restrictions on both water and gas handling will limit production from the 10-08 pad until additional pipelines and facilities can be permitted and constructed which will occur after Two Rivers East is constructed at the earliest.

The updated productivity of the C10-08 well is viewed as very material to the long-term value of Coelacanth given the Upper Montney can be mapped over large portions of the existing land base.

(1)See "Test Results and Initial Production Rates" section for more details.

OIL AND GAS TERMS

The Company uses the following frequently recurring oil and gas industry terms in the news release:

Liquids Bbls Barrels Bbls/d Barrels per day NGLs Natural gas liquids (includes condensate, pentane, butane, propane, and ethane) Condensate Pentane and heavier hydrocarbons Natural Gas Mcf Thousands of cubic feet Mcf/d Thousands of cubic feet per day MMcf/d Millions of cubic feet per day MMbtu Million of British thermal units MMbtu/d Million of British thermal units per day Oil Equivalent Boe Barrels of oil equivalent Boe/d Barrels of oil equivalent per day

Disclosure provided herein in respect of a boe may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A boe conversion rate of six thousand cubic feet of natural gas to one barrel of oil equivalent has been used for the calculation of boe amounts in the news release. This boe conversion rate is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead.

NON-GAAP AND OTHER FINANCIAL MEASURES

This news release refers to certain measures that are not determined in accordance with IFRS (or "GAAP"). These non-GAAP and other financial measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other entities. The non-GAAP and other financial measures should not be considered alternatives to, or more meaningful than, financial measures that are determined in accordance with IFRS as indicators of the Company's performance. Management believes that the presentation of these non-GAAP and other financial measures provides useful information to shareholders and investors in understanding and evaluating the Company's ongoing operating performance, and the measures provide increased transparency to better analyze the Company's performance against prior periods on a comparable basis.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Adjusted funds flow (used)

Management uses adjusted funds flow (used) to analyze performance and considers it a key measure as it demonstrates the Company's ability to generate the cash necessary to fund future capital investments and abandonment obligations and to repay debt, if any. Adjusted funds flow (used) is a non-GAAP financial measure and has been defined by the Company as cash flow used in operating activities excluding the change in non-cash working capital related to operating activities, movements in restricted cash deposits and expenditures on decommissioning obligations. Management believes the timing of collection, payment or incurrence of these items involves a high degree of discretion and as such may not be useful for evaluating the Company's cash flows. Adjusted funds flow (used) is reconciled from cash flow used in operating activities as follows:



Three Months Ended



Year Ended



December 31



December 31

($000s)

2023



2022



2023



2022 Cash flow used in operating activities

(404 )

(636 )

(4,234 )

(9,741 ) Add (deduct):















Decommissioning expenditures

206



748



1,883



1,402

Restricted cash deposits

-



-



(784 )

8,060

Change in non-cash working capital

1,948



(172 )

2,802



(71 ) Adjusted funds flow (used) (non-GAAP)

1,750



(60 )

(333 )

(350 )

Net transportation expenses

Management considers net transportation expenses an important measure as it demonstrates the cost of utilized transportation related to the Company's production. Net transportation expenses is calculated as transportation expenses less unutilized transportation and is calculated as follows:



Three Months Ended



Year Ended



December 31



December 31

($000s)

2023



2022



2023



2022

Transportation expenses

680



188



1,930



715

Unutilized transportation

(262 )

-



(1,035 )

-

Net transportation expenses (non-GAAP)

418



188



895



715

Operating netback

Management considers operating netback an important measure as it demonstrates its profitability relative to current commodity prices. Operating netback is calculated as oil and natural gas sales less royalties, operating expenses, and net transportation expenses and is calculated as follows:



Three Months Ended



Year Ended



December 31



December 31

($000s)

2023



2022



2023



2022

Oil and natural gas sales

4,204



1,676



6,663



7,833

Royalties

(866 )

(442 )

(1,489 )

(2,230 ) Operating expenses

(813 )

(495 )

(2,062 )

(1,802 ) Net transportation expenses

(418 )

(188 )

(895 )

(715 ) Operating netback (non-GAAP)

2,107



551



2,217



3,086

Capital expenditures

Coelacanth utilizes capital expenditures as a measure of capital investment on property, plant, and equipment, exploration and evaluation assets and property acquisitions compared to its annual budgeted capital expenditures. Capital expenditures are calculated as follows:



Three Months Ended



Year Ended



December 31



December 31

($000s)

2023



2022



2023



2022

Capital expenditures - property, plant, and equipment

4,584



4,372



26,928



8,944

Capital expenditures - exploration and evaluation assets

30,072



4,504



47,685



4,960

Capital expenditures (non-GAAP)

34,656



8,876



74,613



13,904

Capital Management Measures

Adjusted working capital

Management uses adjusted working capital as a measure to assess the Company's financial position. Adjusted working capital is calculated as current assets and restricted cash deposits less current liabilities, excluding the current portion of decommissioning obligations.

($000s)

December 31, 2023



December 31, 2022 Current assets

87,616



67,938

Less:







Current liabilities

(28,754 )

(8,901 ) Working capital

58,862



59,037

Add:







Restricted cash deposits

6,784



7,389

Current portion of decommissioning obligations

1,943



1,312

Adjusted working capital (Capital management measure)

67,589



67,738

Non-GAAP Financial Ratios

Adjusted Funds Flow (Used) per Share

Adjusted funds flow (used) per share is a non-GAAP financial ratio, calculated using adjusted funds flow (used) and the same weighted average basic and diluted shares used in calculating net loss per share.

Net transportation expenses per boe

The Company utilizes net transportation expenses per boe to assess the per unit cost of utilized transportation related to the Company's production. Net transportation expenses per boe is calculated as net transportation expenses divided by total production for the applicable period.

Operating netback per boe

The Company utilizes operating netback per boe to assess the operating performance of its petroleum and natural gas assets on a per unit of production basis. Operating netback per boe is calculated as operating netback divided by total production for the applicable period.

Supplementary Financial Measures

The supplementary financial measures used in this news release (primarily average sales price per product type and certain per boe and per share figures) are either a per unit disclosure of a corresponding GAAP measure, or a component of a corresponding GAAP measure, presented in the financial statements. Supplementary financial measures that are disclosed on a per unit basis are calculated by dividing the aggregate GAAP measure (or component thereof) by the applicable unit for the period. Supplementary financial measures that are disclosed on a component basis of a corresponding GAAP measure are a granular representation of a financial statement line item and are determined in accordance with GAAP.

PRODUCT TYPES

The Company uses the following references to sales volumes in the news release:

Natural gas refers to shale gas

Oil and condensate refers to condensate and tight oil combined

Other NGLs refers to butane, propane and ethane combined

Oil and NGLs refers to tight oil and NGLs combined

Oil equivalent refers to the total oil equivalent of shale gas, tight oil, and NGLs combined, using the conversion rate of six thousand cubic feet of shale gas to one barrel of oil equivalent as described above.

The following is a complete breakdown of sales volumes for applicable periods by specific product types of shale gas, tight oil, and NGLs:



Three Months Ended



Year Ended



December 31



December 31

Sales Volumes by Product Type

2023



2022



2023



2022

















Condensate (bbls/d)

12



6



7



9

Other NGLs (bbls/d)

28



15



16



18

NGLs (bbls/d)

40



21



23



27

















Tight oil (bbls/d)

407



49



132



53

Condensate (bbls/d)

12



6



7



9

Oil and condensate (bbls/d)

419



55



139



62

Other NGLs (bbls/d)

28



15



16



18

Oil and NGLs (bbls/d)

447



70



155



80

















Shale gas (mcf/d)

2,858



1,468



1,624



1,614

Natural gas (mcf/d)

2,858



1,468



1,624



1,614

















Oil equivalent (boe/d)

923



315



426



349

TEST RESULTS AND INITIAL PRODUCTION RATES

The A5-19 Basal Montney well was production tested for 5.9 days and produced at an average rate of 117 bbl/d oil and 630 mcf/d gas (net of load fluid and energizing fluid) over that period which includes the initial cleanup where only load water was being recovered. At the end of the test, flowing wellhead pressure and production rates were stable.

The C5-19 Lower Montney well was production tested for 5.8 days and produced at an average rate of 736 bbl/d oil and 2,660 mcf/d gas (net of load fluid and energizing fluid) over that period which includes the initial cleanup where only load water was being recovered. At the end of the test, flowing wellhead pressure and production rates were stable.

The D5-19 Lower Montney well was production tested for 12.6 days and produced at an average rate of 170 bbl/d oil and 580 mcf/d gas (net of load fluid and energizing fluid) over that period which includes the initial cleanup where only load water was being recovered. At the end of the test, flowing wellhead pressure and production rates were stable.

The E5-19 Lower Montney well was production tested for 11.4 days and produced at an average rate of 312 bbl/d oil and 890 mcf/d gas (net of load fluid and energizing fluid) over that period which includes the initial cleanup where only load water was being recovered. At the end of the test, flowing wellhead pressure was stable and production was starting to decline.

For the short-term production test of the C10-08 Upper Montney well in February 2024, the well was production tested for 2 days and produced at an average rate of 359 bbl/d oil and 5,236 mcf/d gas (net of load fluid and energizing fluid) over that period. This was an inline test to prove deliverability after four months of production. At the end of the test, flowing wellhead pressure and production rates were stable.

A pressure transient analysis or well-test interpretation has not been carried out on these five wells and thus certain of the test results provided herein should be considered to be preliminary until such analysis or interpretation has been completed. Test results and initial production rates disclosed herein, particularly those short in duration, may not necessarily be indicative of long-term performance or of ultimate recovery.

Any references to peak rates, test rates, IP30, IP90, IP180 or initial production rates or declines are useful for confirming the presence of hydrocarbons, however, such rates and declines are not determinative of the rates at which such wells will continue production and decline thereafter and are not indicative of long-term performance or ultimate recovery. IP30 is defined as an average production rate over 30 consecutive days, IP90 is defined as an average production rate over 90 consecutive days and IP180 is defined as an average production rate over 180 consecutive days. Readers are cautioned not to place reliance on such rates in calculating aggregate production for the Company.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This document contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "expect", "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "may", "will", "should", "believe", "intends", "forecast", "plans", "guidance" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements or information.

More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements and information relating to the Company's oil and condensate, other NGLs, and natural gas production, capital programs, and adjusted working capital. The forward-looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company, including expectations and assumptions relating to prevailing commodity prices and exchange rates, applicable royalty rates and tax laws, future well production rates, the performance of existing wells, the success of drilling new wells, the availability of capital to undertake planned activities, and the availability and cost of labour and services.

Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, the risks associated with the oil and gas industry in general such as operational risks in development, exploration and production, delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures, the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to production rates, costs, and expenses, commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations, marketing and transportation, environmental risks, competition, the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources and changes in tax, royalty, and environmental legislation. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this document are made as of the date hereof for the purpose of providing the readers with the Company's expectations for the coming year. The forward-looking statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws.

Coelacanth is an oil and natural gas company, actively engaged in the acquisition, development, exploration, and production of oil and natural gas reserves in northeastern British Columbia, Canada.

Further Information

For additional information, please contact:

Coelacanth Energy Inc.

Suite 2110, 530 - 8th Avenue SW

Calgary, Alberta T2P 3S8

Phone: (403) 705-4525

www.coelacanth.ca

Mr. Robert J. Zakresky

President and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Nolan Chicoine

Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/205912

SOURCE: Coelacanth Energy Inc.
New Video Podcast Episode Discusses the Implications of Central Bank Digital Currencies in the U.S.

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / The latest episode of "The Hard Asset Money Show," hosted by Christian Briggs, CEO of Hard Asset Management, Inc., features a profound discussion with Tennessee Congressman and Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee Mark Green. This episode, available now on YouTube, tackles the pivotal subjects of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), the stark contrast between centralized and decentralized cryptocurrencies, and the impending privacy implications for U.S. citizens.

[Watch the full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcZC4S5QEEo&t=231s]

In a detailed conversation, Briggs and Congressman Green delve into the U.S. Federal Reserve's plans to roll out a centralized CBDC. Such a move may mark a significant shift from the anonymous nature of decentralized cryptocurrencies to a system where "every transaction is tracked and known by the government, ensuring zero privacy," as Briggs vividly outlines.

Further intensifying the dialogue, the episode explores TikTok's data mining practices. As the U.S. edges closer to implementing a CBDC, the duo discusses the social media giant's data collection methods and if they could serve as a tool for adversaries or potentially leverage personal data against American citizens in a fully digital currency ecosystem.

"This discussion is not just about the evolution of currency; it's a critical look at the future of personal freedom and privacy in the digital age," said Briggs. "The potential for government surveillance and control over individual spending is a stark departure from the decentralized ethos of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, and it raises profound questions about the kind of society we want to live in."

The episode sheds light on the broader implications of digital currencies on national security, privacy, and the very fabric of economic freedom in the United States. As the conversation unfolds, viewers are invited to consider the balance between innovation and individual rights in the age of digital transformation.

Watch the full episode on YouTube and subscribe to "The Hard Asset Money Show" for more insightful discussions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcZC4S5QEEo&t=231s

Contact Information

John Grainer

info@bmcham.com

844-426-4653

SOURCE: Hard Asset Management Inc.

View the original press release on newswire.com.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Grid Metals Corp. (TSXV:GRDM);(OTCQB:MSMGF) ("Grid" or the "Company") is pleased to announce drill results from its January-March 2024 drill program at the Donner Lake Lithium Project ("Donner Lake") in southeastern Manitoba, Canada. Drilling was completed at both: (1) the Northwest Dyke ("NW") Dyke for the purposes of upgrading the near surface resource; and (2) at depth below the Main Dyke resource to test the potential for adding to the existing underground resources. The results from both dykes were in line with expectations and support the ongoing development timeline for Donner Lake. The Company is continuing study and permitting activities to position Donner Lake for higher lithium prices in the future.

Drill Highlights

The two drill holes at the Main Dyke intersected the spodumene-bearing Main Dyke approximately 125 meters beneath the previously deepest drill holes. Both holes were drilled to test the potential for extending the existing underground resources at depth. Based on these new results and the consistent nature of the Main Dyke over its ~1 km strike length, Grid Metals plans to proceed with a fully-funded summer drill program comprising ~10 additional resource extension drill holes.

All of the 12 infill drill holes at the Northwest Dyke intersected spodumene-bearing pegmatite that returned lithium grades and intersection lengths in line with previous resource delineation drill holes completed in 2022 and 2023. Highlights from the 2024 winter drilling included 7 m at 1.85% Li20 and 12 m at 1.25% Li2O . Overall, the Company expects this drilling to enable an upgrade to the resource category at the Northwest Dyke.

and . Overall, the Company expects this drilling to enable an upgrade to the resource category at the Northwest Dyke. Drill highlights include (a complete table of results are provided in Table 1): GDL 24-01: 6.9 m at 1.28% Li2O starting at 467.4 m (Main Dyke extension drilling) GDL 24-03: 3.2 m at 1.56% Li2O starting at 422.8 m and 2.3 m at 1.50% Li2O starting at 428.9 m (Main Dyke extension drilling) GDL24-07: 6.7 m at 1.85% Li2O starting at 84.6 m (Northwest Dyke infill drilling) GDL24-09: 11.5 m at 1.25% Li2O starting at 101.5 m (Northwest Dyke infill drilling) GDL24-10: 7.8 m at 1.50% Li2O starting at 28.9 m (Northwest Dyke infill drilling) GDL24-13: 7.4 m at 1.62% Li2O starting at 52.3 m (Northwest Dyke infill drilling)



Project Update

The Company has now completed significant work towards a NI 43-101 compliant Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA"). The project design is based on mining at the Donner Lake Lithium Project and trucking of the material to the True North Mill in Bissett, Manitoba. The major consultants working on the PEA are Primero Engineering and Mining Plus, who are supported by Arsalan Talebzadeh, P. Eng., a consultant to the Company. Major components of the study have been substantially completed including a mine plan, capital and operating cost estimation and a number of optimization trade-off studies.

The Company is continuing optimization work including further metallurgical test work from the NW Dyke. Grid is also actively continuing with permitting initiatives to obtain an Advanced Exploration Permit for the Donner site. A comprehensive update will be provided in the coming weeks.

Other Activities

The Company is in the final stages of preparing an updated mineral resource estimate for its Makwa Mayville ("MM") Copper Nickel Project, located approximately 150 km from Winnipeg. The Project consists of the Makwa resource (which is nickel dominant) and the Mayville resource (which is copper dominant). Mayville is located immediately adjacent to the Donner Lake Lithium Project and is accessible by the same road network. Donner Lake, Makwa and Mayville are located in the traditional territory of the Sagkeeng First Nation with whom Grid signed an Exploration Agreement in April 2021.

Robin Dunbar, Chief Executive Officer of Grid Metals Corp., stated, "the current market conditions for lithium are very challenging in light of the decline in prices for lithium products in the past year. However, we have taken the initiative to continue development of the Donner Lake Lithium project and related permitting activities to take advantage of the anticipated rebound in prices expected to occur later in 2024 and into 2025. The Company plans further updates to shareholders in the coming weeks on the PEA and permitting initiatives, as well as drill results from our Falcon West Lithium Property. We remain committed to advancing Donner to become one of the next permitted lithium projects in North America."

Discussion of Drill Results

A summary of the drill results (Table 1) and a plan view location map (Figure 1) are shown below:

Table 1: Selected pegmatite intersections and weighted average lithium oxide grades for the Main and Northwest dykes, Donner Lake Lithium Project. True widths are estimated to represent between 40-80% of the reported intersection lengths.

DDH# Purpose From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Li2O% GDL24-01 Main Dyke Extension 467.42 474.35 6.93 1.28 including 469.00 471.00 2.00 2.11 GDL24-02 NW Dyke Infill 16.40 17.80 1.40 2.09 and 25.05 28.45 3.40 1.54 GDL24-03 Main Dyke Extension 419.65 422.80 3.15 1.56 and 428.85 431.10 2.25 1.50 GDL24-04 NW Dyke Infill 33.15 40.40 7.25 1.26 GDL24-05 NW Dyke Infill 81.20 87.50 6.30 1.50 including 81.20 83.00 1.80 1.99 GDL24-06 NW Dyke Infill 165.00 165.60 0.60 1.16 and 166.60 169.20 2.60 1.63 and 175.10 178.30 3.20 1.60 GDL24-07 NW Dyke Infill 84.60 91.33 6.73 1.85 including 85.60 87.60 2.00 2.36 and 94.05 95.45 1.40 2.02 GDL24-09 NW Dyke Infill 101.50 113.00 11.50 1.25 including 109.00 111.00 2.00 1.84 GDL24-10 NW Dyke Infill 28.92 36.75 7.83 1.50 GDL24-12 NW Dyke Infill 102.90 105.85 2.95 1.21 GDL24-13 NW Dyke Infill 52.34 59.74 7.40 1.62

Figure 1: Donner Lake Plan Map with January-March 2024 drill results

The current results relate to 14 diamond drill holes completed at the Main and Northwest dykes during the months of January, February and March 2024.

At the Main Dyke, two holes were drilled ~100 metres vertically beneath the previously deepest drill holes. Both holes intersected the Main Dyke at the expected depth and returned true widths and weighted average Li2O grades consistent with previously reported resource drill hole intersections. The new results suggest that there are very good prospects for adding, with appropriate deep drilling, new underground resources below the current inferred resources.

Figure 2: Main Dyke long section

A total of 12 holes and 1,332 metres were completed at the Northwest Dyke. Results for 9 of these holes were available at the time of writing and are reported here. All 12 holes intersected the spodumene-bearing NW dyke at the expected depth. The 9 holes reported here returned weighted average lithium grades over true widths in line with the results reported in the 2023 resource estimate for the Property (see Company news release dated July 18, 2023 and associated Technical Report filed on SEDAR on September 6, 2023). The new results will be used to support the conversion of existing, open pit inferred resources to the indicated category.

Figure 3: Northwest Dyke long section

QAQC

The exploration program at Donner Lake is being supervised by Carey Galeschuk, P.Geo., who is an experienced lithium geologist with nearly three decades of exploration experience in the Bird River Greenstone Belt with Grid Metals, Tantalum Mining Corporation of Canada and other companies. Grid Metals applies best practice quality assurance and quality control ("QAQC") protocols on all it's exploration programs. For the Donner Lake Lithium Project drilling program, core was logged and sampled at the Company's core facility located on the Makwa Property. Generally, 1.0 metre sample lengths were used. Samples were bagged and tagged and then transported by secure carrier to the Actlabs (Thunder Bay) laboratory for sample preparation and analysis for lithium, cesium, tantalum and selected major and trace element abundances using a sodium peroxide fusion total digestion method followed by ICP-OES and ICP-MS analysis. The Company is using two lithium + rare metal certified reference materials ("CRMs") and an analytical blank for the program to monitor analytical accuracy and check for cross contamination between samples.

Mr. Galeschuk P Geo is the Qualified Person for Grid Metals Corp. who has reviewed and approved the contents of this press release with respect to NI 43-101 reporting guidelines.

About Grid Metals Corp.

Grid Metals is focused on both lithium and copper/nickel projects in the Bird River area, approximately 150 km northeast of Winnipeg Manitoba. The Donner Lake lithium project is a 75% owned property subject to a joint venture agreement. Grid has a lease agreement on the True North mill where it plans to process feed from Donner Lake. Grid also has an MOU with Tantalum Mining Corporation of Canada Limited who operates the nearby producing Tanco Mine. The Makwa Mayville copper/nickel project is a resource-stage project that is undergoing exploration and development work in the Bird River greenstone belt.

On Behalf of the Board of Grid Metals Corp.

For more information about the Company please see the Company website at www.gridmetalscorp.com or contact:

Robin Dunbar - President, CEO & Director Telephone: 416-955-4773 Email: rd@gridmetalscorp.com

Brandon Smith - Chief Development Officer - bsmith@gridmetalscorp.com

David Black - Investor Relations Email: info@gridmetalscorp.com

We seek safe harbour. This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of the Securities Act (Ontario) (together, "forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements include the Company's closing of the proposed financial transactions, sale of royalty and property interests. the overall economic potential of its properties, the availability of adequate financing and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward- looking statements to be materially different. Such factors include, among others, risks and uncertainties relating to potential political risk, uncertainty of production and capital costs estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses, physical risks inherent in mining operations, metallurgical risk, currency fluctuations, fluctuations in the price of nickel, cobalt, copper and other metals, completion of economic evaluations, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, the inability or failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis, and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis for the most recent financial period and Material Change Reports filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available at www.sedar.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

This news release does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States absent U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from U.S. registration requirements

Appendix: Specifications for diamond drill holes completed during the January-March 2024 campaign targeting the Main and Northwest dykes.

Drill Hole Purpose Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip Depth (m) GDL24-01 Main Dyke Extension 317148 5610239 300 105 -64 566 GDL24-02 NW Dyke Infill 315858 5610389 300 305 -45 56 GDL24-03 Main Dyke Extension 317148 5610239 300 176 -62 524 GDL24-04 NW Dyke Infill 315991 5610565 300 305 -45 62 GDL24-05 NW Dyke Infill 316003 5610535 300 307 -51 104 GDL24-06 NW Dyke Infill 315954 5610630 289 97 -64 200 GDL24-07 NW Dyke Infill 315953 5610630 289 90 -42 110 GDL24-09 NW Dyke Infill 315954 5610629 289 169 -54 143 GDL24-10 NW Dyke Infill 316037 5610625 300 305 -45 50 GDL24-12 NW Dyke Infill 316188 5610739 299 307 -49 125 GDL24-13 NW Dyke Infill 316106 5610684 300 305 -45 80 GDL24-15 NW Dyke Infill 315879 5610374 300 305 -45 80 GDL24-16 NW Dyke Infill 315966 5610352 300 285 -45 230 GDL24-19 NW Dyke Infill 315947 5610444 300 305 -45 92

SOURCE: Grid Metals Corp.Grid Metals Corp.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Signal Gold Inc. ("Signal Gold" or the "Company") (TSX:SGNL)(OTCQX:SGNLF) is pleased to announce that it has completed a 1,245-line kilometre airborne magnetic and very low frequency ("VLF") electromagnetic survey over its recently expanded exploration land position immediately north of, and contiguous with, the Goldboro Project ("Goldboro", or the "Project). The Company now has geophysical and VLF data over the entirety of its exploration property package of approximately 27,200 hectares (~272 km2) of prospective exploration land in the Goldboro Gold District.

In addition, the Company has completed the compilation of historic geological and exploration data from the expanded property, which included databasing and the interpretation of more than 10,000 till and soil geochemical samples, 416-line kilometers of ground geophysics, 14 diamond drill holes, 116 reverse circulation drill holes, and more than 1,500 rock samples. The preliminary analysis of the historical data along with recently completed airborne and ground geophysical surveys has led to the identification of an initial four high priority growth targets: the Stewart, Fowler, Armstrong and Hurricane targets (Exhibit A and B). The Company is initiating exploration programs this spring which will further assess these prospective areas and develop specific drill targets, with the goal of identifying new discoveries while we continue drilling the western extension of the Goldboro Deposit.

"We are excited with the results of the recent airborne magnetic and VLF geophysical survey and historical compilation work over our significant land position in the Goldboro Gold District, which has highlighted numerous high-quality targets for gold discovery. We now have complete airborne geophysical data for our entire land position and a critical mass of valuable data, compiled at little cost, which has allowed us to construct a robust model for regional exploration targeting. We plan on sharing further details on each of these initial high-priority targets in the coming weeks and continue to work with our significant geological database to identify further targets. Our regional exploration activity continues to demonstrate the scale and gold camp potential of the Goldboro Gold District."

~ Kevin Bullock, President and CEO, Signal Gold Inc.

The Company has used historical exploration data, in conjunction with recent ground Induced-Polarization (IP) surveys, to construct a robust model for regional exploration targeting. This model has proved successful in our recent drilling west of the current Mineral Resource at the Goldboro Deposit and towards the past producing Dolliver Mountain Gold Mine*. Since 2023, the Company has conducted 3,945-line kilometres of airborne surveys which indicated numerous VLF anomalies consistent with our exploration model and associated with both the Goldboro and Lower Seal Harbour Trends, which cover a combined 51 kilometers of strike potential, including areas with little to no previous exploration work. The Company will continue to evaluate the geophysical data recently acquired to determine if there are additional high priority targets.

The airborne survey was completed by Terraquest Ltd. and comprises high-resolution aeromagnetics, horizontal gradiometer and matrix digital VLF electromagnetics. The survey was flown at 100m north-south line spacing with one (1) kilometre spaced tie lines.

Exhibit A: A map showing the extent of an ~ 1,245-line kilometre airborne magnetic and VLF survey over the ~7,771 hectare of newly acquired licenses, shown in pink, at the Goldboro Gold Project. This survey is in addition to a similar survey conducted over the remainder of the property in 2023.

Exhibit B: A map showing the extent of airborne magnetic coverage over the entire property, including preliminary magnetic results from the recent airborne survey. Also shown are the four key exploration target areas including the Stewart, Fowler, Armstrong and Hurricane targets.

*Operations began at the Dolliver Mountain Gold Mine in 1901 and the operation ceased in 1904.

This news release has been reviewed and approved by Paul McNeill, P. Geo., VP Exploration with Signal Gold Inc., a "Qualified Person", under National Instrument 43-101 Standard for Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

ABOUT SIGNAL GOLD

Signal Gold is advancing the Goldboro Gold Project in Nova Scotia, a significant growth project subject to a positive Feasibility Study which demonstrates an approximately 11-year open pit life of mine with average gold production of 100,000 ounces per annum and an average diluted grade of 2.26 grams per tonne gold. (Please see the 'NI 43-101 Technical Report and Feasibility Study for the Goldboro Gold Project, Eastern Goldfields District, Nova Scotia' on January 11, 2022, for further details). On August 3, 2022, the Goldboro Project received its environmental assessment approval from the Nova Scotia Minister of Environment and Climate Change, a significant regulatory milestone, and the Company has now submitted all key permits including the Industrial Approval, Fisheries Act Authorization and Schedule 2 Amendment, and the Mining and Crown Land Leases. The Goldboro Project has significant potential for further Mineral Resource expansion, particularly towards the west along strike and at depth, and the Company has consolidated 27,200 hectares (~272 km2) of prospective exploration land in the Goldboro Gold District.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:

Signal Gold Inc.

Kevin Bullock

President and CEO

(647) 388-1842

kbullock@signalgold.com Reseau ProMarket Inc.

Dany Cenac Robert

Investor Relations

(514) 722-2276 x456

Dany.Cenac-Robert@ReseauProMarket.com

SOURCE: Signal Gold Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
To expand the potential for luxury resorts in tourism industry

BERLIN, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Saudi Arabia's Tourism Development Fund (TDF) and Karisma Hotels & Resorts International signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), exploring opportunities for developing luxury resorts in Saudi Arabia. The signing took place on 17th April at the International Hospitality Investment Forum (IHIF) in Berlin.

This partnership represents a strategic alliance as it unlocks a new potential for the tourism industry. The mutually beneficial agreement outlines a roadmap to determining a methodology for investing and providing financial and non-financial support to a vibrant ecosystem of investors, clients and partners bringing tourism and hospitality to unique areas.

"The Tourism Development Fund is unlocking a great potential with Karisma Hotels & Resorts as we join forces to explore the feasibility of funding and supportive innovative projects that will significantly contribute to the growing of tourism sector" said Qusai Al-Fakhri, CEO of TDF.

"We are proud to announce the company's significant entrance into Saudi Arabia with multiple hotel developments throughout the Kingdom, in collaboration with our partners and local developers. Leveraging our expertise in conceptualizing, developing, owning, and managing All-Inclusive and European Plan (EP) experiential leisure resorts worldwide, Karisma will introduce first-of-its-kind experiential leisure hotels in partnership with worldwide acclaimed brands, bringing a new offering of leisure vacations to the Kingdom." Esteban Velasquez, CEO of Karisma Hotels and Resorts.

The Tourism Development Fund aims to connect the world with opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's high-growth tourism sector. TDF offers financial and non-financial support to both international private investors and home-grown small and medium-sized businesses, as well as entrepreneurs.

Karisma Hotels and Resorts is renowned for its diverse portfolio of unique brands, each offering distinct experiences tailored to different preferences. From the family-friendly luxury all-inclusive of Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts, featuring immersive experiences inspired by beloved Nickelodeon characters, to the laid-back island vibes of Margaritaville Island Reserve  by Karisma and Margaritaville Beach Resort Ambergris Caye, BOR hotel and Azul Beach Resorts by Karisma.

This signing between TDF and Karisma Resorts comes during an important era as Saudi Arabia's hospitality industry is booming as it represents significant investment opportunities. This is happening as the Kingdom has reached to its target, set out for 2030, of 100 million annual visitors. This target was already achieved in 2023, which led to a new target that aims to welcome 150 million visitors to Saudi Arabia by 2030.

To Know More: tdf.gov.sa

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2391050/TDF_Karisma_Resorts.jpg
Bringing Together the Top Minds Across Vector Engineering, Viral Vector Delivery Systems and Next-Generation Gene Transfer Technologies Further Cements Form Bio's Position as a Leader in AI-Driven Cell and Gene Therapy

DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Form Bio, the breakthrough computational life sciences solutions provider, today announced the creation of a new Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). This esteemed board will provide strategic guidance and consultation on the company's research and development efforts, particularly in the life sciences sector, serving biotech and pharma customers.

The SAB, comprised of renowned experts from industry and academia, brings deep knowledge and a shared commitment to advancing science for improved therapeutic development, clinical outcomes and human health. Tasked with providing strategic counsel and critical expertise, the collective experience of Form Bio's SAB aligns with the company's mission to advance cell and gene therapies for the AI era.

"The formation of our distinguished SAB reaffirms our commitment to advancing innovative cell and gene therapy development. Our focus is on leveraging AI-based technology to accelerate and optimize construct designs for safety, yield and efficacy, ensuring cell and gene therapies reach the market faster and with a higher probability of success," said Kent Wakeford, Form Bio's co-founder and co-chief executive officer. "We look forward to leveraging the collective expertise of our SAB as we advance our in silico programs from AAV-based gene therapy to other modalities to make a meaningful impact on patients affected by debilitating diseases."

New Members of Form Bio's SAB include:

Steven Gray, Ph.D. , is a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Texas Southwestern. Dr. Gray has core expertise in AAV gene therapy vector engineering and optimization approaches for nervous system gene delivery. He earned his Ph.D. in molecular biology from Vanderbilt University after receiving a B.S. with honors from Auburn University.

, is a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Texas Southwestern. Dr. Gray has core expertise in AAV gene therapy vector engineering and optimization approaches for nervous system gene delivery. He earned his Ph.D. in molecular biology from Vanderbilt University after receiving a B.S. with honors from Auburn University. Noriyuki Kasahara, Ph.D., M.D. , is professor and Alvera L. Kan Endowed chair of Neurological Surgery and Radiation Oncology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and chief scientific officer of 4D Molecular Therapeutics Inc. Dr. Kasahara specializes in diverse viral vector-based gene delivery systems and next-generation gene transfer technologies. He received his M.D. from Tokyo Medical and Dental University, and Ph.D. in endocrinology from UCSF.

, is professor and Alvera L. Kan Endowed chair of Neurological Surgery and Radiation Oncology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and chief scientific officer of 4D Molecular Therapeutics Inc. Dr. Kasahara specializes in diverse viral vector-based gene delivery systems and next-generation gene transfer technologies. He received his M.D. from Tokyo Medical and Dental University, and Ph.D. in endocrinology from UCSF. Chengwen Li, Ph.D. , is professor of Pediatrics at UNC School of Medicine. Dr. Li is an internationally recognized expert in AAV gene therapy with a focus on immune response, vector transduction enhancement and AAV vector application for various diseases. He received his M.D. and Ph.D. from Peking Union Medical College.

, is professor of Pediatrics at UNC School of Medicine. Dr. Li is an internationally recognized expert in AAV gene therapy with a focus on immune response, vector transduction enhancement and AAV vector application for various diseases. He received his M.D. and Ph.D. from Peking Union Medical College. Paris Margaritis, DPhil , is Research Director of Translational Programs in Gene Therapy at the University of Pennsylvania (Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics). Dr. Margaritis develops AAV gene delivery approaches for the treatment of rare genetic disorders, from proof-of-concept to IND stage. His expertise lies in the ocular and the hemophilia gene therapy space. He holds a B.Sc. in Genetics from The University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and a DPhil in hemophilia gene therapy from The University of Oxford.

, is Research Director of Translational Programs in Gene Therapy at the University of Pennsylvania (Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics). Dr. Margaritis develops AAV gene delivery approaches for the treatment of rare genetic disorders, from proof-of-concept to IND stage. His expertise lies in the ocular and the hemophilia gene therapy space. He holds a B.Sc. in Genetics from The University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and a DPhil in hemophilia gene therapy from The University of Oxford. Dolan Sondhi, Ph.D., is professor of Research in Genetic Medicine and associate director of Belfer Gene Therapy Core at Weill Cornell Medical College and a board member of Passage Bio. Dr. Sondhi's research focuses on developing gene therapies for rare genetic diseases and diseases that significantly impact the brain. She holds a B.S. in chemistry from St. Stephen's College in Delhi, a Ph.D. in chemistry from Brown University and she did a post-doctoral fellowship in bioorganic chemistry at Rockefeller University.

"AAV has taken the lead in efficiently and safely delivering therapeutic agents to target cells, but there are still challenges in the design and development of new viral vectors," said Steven Gray, Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Texas Southwestern. "The field needs better in silico tools to optimize AAV payload design, manufacturing yields and overall performance."

AI models and in silico techniques are already being applied to early drug discovery, target identification, clinical, and commercial stages. However, there remains a critical and lengthy development stage, post-discovery and preclinical, yet to be fully realized by AI and next-generation technologies. Form Bio is directing its efforts toward bridging this gap, aiming to be a comprehensive in silico partner for biotech and pharma companies - accelerating preclinical development from the earliest design stages through manufacturing and IND submission.

About Form Bio

Form Bio provides award-winning software and AI solutions for cell and gene therapy leaders. By combining data, technology and expertise, Form's solutions accelerate timelines from discovery to clinic by providing drug developers with rapid in silico characterization, prediction, simulation and optimization of their therapeutics - enabling higher yields, enhanced safety and shorter, less-expensive development cycles. With cross-disciplinary expertise spanning software engineering, biology, bioinformatics and data science, the Form Bio team collaborates closely with customers on their most pressing and strategic challenges and opportunities. For more information, visit www.formbio.com or follow the company at https://www.linkedin.com/company/formbio.

Contact Information

Angela Anderson

Form Bio

angela@formbio.com

Jake Robison

Inizio Evoke Comms

jake.robison@inizioevoke.com

SOURCE: Form Bio

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Rockland Resources Ltd. (the "Company" or "Rockland") (CSE:RKL) announces that, in anticipation of an upcoming diamond drill program this season, the permitting process is now underway. Work is also ongoing to prepare for a busy 2024 field season at the 100% owned Cole Gold Mines Property, located adjacent to West Red Lake Gold Mines Ltd. (WRLG) Rowan property in the western portion of the prolific Red Lake gold district of northwestern Ontario.

As soon as conditions permit, field crews will be prospecting the property to follow up historical results, mapping, and collar locations of old diamond drill holes (refer to RKL PR, March 27, 2024). Rockland is encouraged by the historical data and looking forward to confirming this in the field.

Rockland is also looking to secure a contractor to conduct a drone survey that would include both LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and high-resolution magnetic data. LiDAR data has never been collected on this property and could aid in identifying structural features and provide a very accurate digital terrain model.

"This is an exciting time for shareholders as gold continues to set new record highs and we continue to find historical data on the Cole Gold Mines project indicating gold occurrences in numerous locations for us to now follow up on using modern mineral exploration technology," stated Mike England, CEO of Rockland Resources.

About Rockland Resources Ltd.

Rockland Resources is engaged in the business of mineral exploration and the acquisition of mineral property assets for the benefit of its shareholders. The Company also now owns 100-per-cent of the Cole Gold Mines property, located in Ball township, Red Lake mining division, Ontario. The Cole Property hosts high-grade gold mineralization in a classic Red Lake-type structurally controlled gold deposit environment.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Michael England, CEO & Director

For further information, please contact:

Mike England

Email: mike@engcom.ca

Neither the Canadian Stock Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Investors are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at WWW.SEDAR.COM).

SOURCE: Rockland Resources Ltd.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Finovate drawn to BackBay's deep expertise in Fintech

Finovate, a research and events firm focused on innovation in financial and banking technology, has appointed BackBay Communications, an award-winning financial services public relations agency, as the official PR and media relations partner for FinovateSpring 2024, FinovateFall 2024, and FinovateEurope 2025, respectively.

Thousands of professionals from the fintech ecosystem, including senior financial and banking executives, venture capitalists, regulators and entrepreneurs, will attend these leading events dedicated to shaping the digital future of financial institutions.

The agreement kicks off with BackBay supporting FinovateSpring, taking place May 21-23, 2024, at the Marriot Marquis San Francisco. Renowned for bringing together decision makers to meet and discuss the future of fintech, the conference will spotlight more than 50 live demo sessions from both emerging fintech innovators and established industry leaders. In addition, FinovateSpring will feature 100+ industry-leading speakers on such topics as financial inclusion, retail digital transformation, community banking, embedded finance and BaaS, emerging opportunities in payments, and women in fintech.

The agreement also includes FinovateFall 2024 in New York City, a gathering of the most senior executive-level audience in fintech for matchmaking and networking, as well as FinovateEurope 2025 in London, the region's leading fintech conference by and for the executives transforming financial services.

"BackBay Communications is known for its fintech expertise and long history of supporting high-impact events in the financial services industry," said Tyler Ferst, Marketing Manager, The Finovate Group. "We are thrilled to have the firm lead the public relations effort for the Finovate conference series."

"We are delighted to be chosen as the official press partner for Finovate, the premier conference shaping the future of fintech," said Bill Haynes, BackBay Communications' Founder and CEO. "For more than a decade, Finovate has been a leading platform for key players to connect across the financial landscape. Given the myriad issues and opportunities in the fintech industry, this year's events will be especially impactful, both in terms of the quality of participants and the comprehensive depth of each event's agenda."

BackBay's engagement includes raising awareness of the conferences and their speakers among fintech-focused media, supporting press inquiries pre-event and onsite, as well supporting digital communications, including event announcements and speaker Q&As.

"We are excited to support the Finovate series of events in the United States and United Kingdom," said Tylor Tourville, Senior Vice President and Head of BackBay's Fintech group. "We look forward to managing the communications for the events, liaising with fintech journalists, and seeing our fintech clients, investors, and other members of the global fintech community at these events."

A leader in providing public relations, content marketing and branding services, BackBay is a partner to many fintech clients from disruptive startups to large global public corporations. Its specialized programs are designed to help fintechs build brand awareness and credibility, accelerate growth, and capitalize on new market opportunities. For more information on BackBay's fintech expertise, visit: https://www.backbaycommunications.com/fintech/.

For more information on FinovateSpring 2024, visit: https://shorturl.at/cgvRY

For more information on FinovateFall 2024, visit: https://shorturl.at/bxBM2

For more information on FinovateEurope 2025, visit: https://shorturl.at/izCDS

About BackBay Communications

BackBay Communications is an award-winning public relations agency focused on the financial services sector. BackBay has particular expertise in Fintech, Private Markets, Asset Wealth Management, and Sustainable Investing. With offices in Boston and London, BackBay serves companies across North America and Europe, and elsewhere leveraging its global partners. For more information, please visit: www.BackBayCommunications.com.

About Finovate

Finovate is a research and events firm focused on innovation in financial and banking technology. Its team runs the Finovate conference series and authors the popular Finovate blog. Finovate is the only conference series focused exclusively on showcasing the best and most innovative new financial and banking technologies. Finovate conferences consistently attract large, high-impact audiences of senior financial and banking executives, venture capitalists, press, industry analysts, bloggers, regulators and entrepreneurs. For more information visit www.finovate.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240418183603/en/

Contacts:

BackBay Communications

finovate@backbaycommunications.com
VANCOUVER, BC, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Lithium South Development Corporation (the "Company or Lithium South") (TSX-V: LIS) (OTCQB: LISMF) (Frankfurt: OGPQ) is pleased to announce significant progress at Well PW23-AS-02 on its flagship Hombre Muerto North Lithium Project (HMN Li Project), which is the first pumping well to be located at the Alba Sabrina claim block. Spanning 2,089 hectares, Alba Sabrina is the largest claim block in the HMN Li Project package and a key component of the corporation's lithium development efforts.

Recent efforts at Well PW23-AS-02, have successfully cleared the well of sediment, leading to the flow of clear brine with strong artesian characteristics. These developments suggest potential for enhanced brine extraction rates. To maximize these benefits, an 80-kilowatt pump, significantly larger than the initially planned 50-kilowatt pump, has been contracted for the HMN Li Project.

Adrian F. C. Hobkirk, President and CEO of Lithium South Development Corporation states, "These developments on the Alba Sabrina claim block could potentially enhance our operational capacity. The completion of this pumping test, anticipated by the end of May, will provide critical technical insight into the capacity potential of this area of the salar. We're excited about the future and are committed to delivering value to our shareholders and contributing responsibly to the global energy transition."

In response to these developments, Lithium South has decided to significantly expand its well installation program. This expansion includes an additional well of up to 400 meters at the Alba Sabrina block and three more within the adjoining Norma Edith and Viamonte blocks, subject to a 50/50 brine share with neighbor POSCO.

Concurrently, the technical team is preparing the biannual Environmental Impact Report, incorporating the expanded drilling plans. This report, essential to the strategic objectives of Lithium South, will be submitted by the end of April.

About Lithium South

Lithium South owns 100% of the HMN Li Project located in Salta and Catamarca Provinces, Argentina, in the heart of the lithium triangle. The Salar del Hombre Muerto has a history of lithium production, with Arcadium Lithium (as a result of the Alkem and Livent merger) in operation for over twenty-five years, in an area just south of the HMN Li Project. The HMN Li Project is surrounded by a US$4 billion lithium development under construction by POSCO (Korea) and the Sal de Vida Project under development by Arcadium. Exploration work to date has delineated a National Instrument 43-101 compliant 1,583,200 tonne Lithium Carbonate Equivalent ("LCE") Resource (See Note 1 Below) on the Alba Sabrina, Natalia Maria, and Tramo claim blocks , three of five non-contiguous blocks that make up the HMN Lithium Project. A recent Preliminary Economic Assessment announced on March 04, 2024 and with report to follow, delineates the exciting potential of the 15,600 tonne per year lithium carbonate project. With pumping well installation underway, Lithium South is transitioning from being a lithium explorer to becoming a lithium developer.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Adrian F. C. Hobkirk

President and Chief Executive Officer

Investors / Shareholders call 855-415-8100 / website: www.lithiumsouth.com

Mr. William Feyerabend, CPG, a Consulting Geologist and Qualified Person under NI 43-101 contributed to the production of this press release and approves of the technical and scientific information contained herein.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed the content of this news release and therefore does not accept responsibility or liability for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this news release

Note 1: A report titled Updated Mineral Resource Estimate - Hombre Muerto North Project, NI 43-101 Technical Report Catamarca and Salta, Argentina, Mark King, PhD, PGeo, Peter Ehren, M.Sc, MAusIMM, September 5th, 2023.

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the United States Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Except for statements of historical fact relating to the Company, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based upon opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward- looking statements. We seek safe harbor.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1815015/Lithium_South_Development_Corporation_Logo_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/lithium-south-expands-production-well-drill-program-302120086.html
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Data443 Risk Mitigation, Inc. (OTCPK: ATDS) ("Data443" or the "Company"), a data security and privacy software company for "All Things Data Security," today announced its results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.



Business Accomplishments and Highlights in Fiscal Year 2023 and to date:

Recognized as a Sample Vendor in the Data Discovery category in three Gartner  Hype Cycle Reports for 2023.

Hype Cycle Reports for 2023. Data443's Ransomware Recovery Manager named "Best of Inexpensive Protection" and "Best for Kiosks" in "The Best Ransomware Protection for 2023" by PC Magazine.

Data443  Antivirus Protection Manager received VB100 certification.

Antivirus Protection Manager received VB100 certification. Achieved an overall 98% customer renewal rate.

Acquisitions

Acquired select assets from Cyren Ltd. ("Cyren"), specifically Cyren's proprietary technology and intellectual property related to threat intelligence, URL categorization and email security services. The acquisition enables Data443 to enhance its existing product portfolio, leverage its growing AI & ML capabilities with signficiant raw data and accelerate the development of next-generation solutions.



Deal Win Short Summary

Secured an additional contract win from one of its largest fintech clients, which processes over 75 billion transactions amounting to more than $9 trillion annually.

Secured an additional contract win with a long-time, multinational fintech client that provides payment technology and services to merchants, issuers and consumers, annually transferring over 10 million sensitive files for thousands of partners.

Secured an additional contract win worth $484,000 from one of the 'Big Four' U.S.-based banks.

Issued over 40 new contract agreements for the Cyren product set to some of the world's leading ISP, MSP, firewall/router, zerotrust, SASE and online gaming organizations.

Strategic Advances

Executed long term partnership agreement with Varist ehf. for continued distribution and new licensing of Varist's Malware Detection Engine and new cloud-based Hybrid Analyzer.

Received strategic onboarding investment in the form of consumption discounts and professional services cost offsets from Amazon AWS to consolidate Data443's growing infrastructure, data security lakes and privacy-sensitive hosting operations.

Existing product mappings to new category for Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) requirements.

Data443 joined Amazon as a technology partner for AI & ML usecases, global high-speed and fault tolerant distribution of hundreds of millions threat indicators on a daily basis.

Data443 joined invite-only Microsoft Security Co-Pilot partner suite to further research and deploy AI-based capabilities leveraging Data443's data classification and discovery capabilities.



Product Updates

Released the latest update to Data443's award-winning Ransomware Recovery Manager product offering, which includes advanced features designed to help businesses and individuals to recover from ransomware attacks.

Bundled antivirus and ransomware protection to Data443's Enhanced File Transfer/Managed File Transfer (EFT/MFT) solution, Data Placement Manager (DPM). Data443's DPM securely processes thousands of sensitive data files on an hourly basis for its clients around the globe, with clients experiencing up to 99.999% uptime.

Refactoring of Cyren product set to leverage global data security lake for advanced use cases, including automated classifications via AI LLM's.



Management Commentary:

Data443's CEO & Founder Jason Remillard commented, "As we reflect on the accomplishments in 2023, Data443 continues to demonstrate resilience, innovation and steadfast commitment to our customers in the data security and privacy industry. Throughout 2023, we achieved significant milestones and garnered notable recognition.

Strategic acquisitions have always been instrumental in fortifying our market presence and enriching our product suite. The integration of select assets from Cyren Ltd. exemplifies our commitment to augmenting our capabilities and accelerating the development of cutting-edge solutions. This strategic expansion, combined with our unwavering focus on client satisfaction, is underscored by our commendable 98% customer renewal rate-a testament to the trust and value our clientele place in our offerings.

Fiscal year 2023 saw significant contract wins from prominent entities within the fintech sector, reflecting the industry's confidence in our solutions. These victories, alongside our relentless pursuit of product innovation, including deploying advanced features within our Ransomware Recovery Manager and enhancing our Enhanced File Transfer/Managed File Transfer solution, have helped scale our growth trajectory.

Looking ahead, we remain steadfast in our mission to establish pioneering standards in data security and privacy, foster innovation, and empower enterprises to navigate the ever-evolving threat landscape confidently. We believe that together, we are not merely adapting to change but shaping the future of data security," concluded Mr. Remillard.

Fiscal Year 2023 Financial Highlights:

Total revenues were $5,578,942 for the year ended December 31, 2023, an increase of 112% from $2,627,123 for the year ended December 31, 2022.



The Company attributes its increase in revenue to its acquisition of intellectual property, accounts receivable, and other assets from the assets of Cyren Ltd.

Data443 continues to see organic growth in increased consumption of its services that contain storage or volume components, matching its expectations and as reflected in its continuing ARR growth.



General and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2023, were $5,951,386, compared to $5,552,936 for the year ended December 31, 2022, an increase of 7%. The increase in general and administrative expenses was primarily due to an increase in costs to integrate assets we acquired and expand sales, along with an increase in professional service fees.



Net loss decreased 57% from $9,713,467 for the year ended December 31, 2022 to $4,046,851 for year ended December 31, 2023.



The net loss was mainly derived from an operating loss of $2,586,602 and interest expense of $6,417,407 and settlement of debt of $4,913,181. The net loss for the year ended December 31, 2022 was mainly derived from an operating loss of $3,676,128, and interest expense of $5,979,456 and loss on change in fair value of derivative liability of $57,883.





Liquidity:

As of December 31, 2023, Data443 had assets of cash in the amount of $84,570 and other current assets in the amount of $339,235, as compared to cash of $1,712, and other current assets in the amount of $123,182 as of December 31, 2022.

About Data443 Risk Mitigation, Inc.

Data443 Risk Mitigation, Inc. (OTCPK: ATDS) provides software and services to enable secure data across devices and databases, at rest and in flight/in transit, locally, on a network or in the cloud. We are All Things Data Security. With over 10,000 customers in over 100 countries, Data443 provides a modern approach to data governance and security by identifying and protecting all sensitive data regardless of location, platform or format. Data443's framework helps customers prioritize risk, identify security gaps and implement effective data protection and privacy management strategies.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by use of terms such as "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "may," "could," "will," "should," "plan," "project," "intend," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "pursuant," "target," "continue" or the negative of these words or other comparable terminology. Statements in this press release that are not historical statements, including statements regarding Data443's plans, objectives, future opportunities for Data443's services, future financial performance and operating results, and any other statements regarding Data443's future expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, financial conditions, assumptions or future events or performance, or regarding the anticipated consummation of any transaction, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and assumptions, many of which are difficult to predict or are beyond Data443's control. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the statements. They may relate to the outcome of litigation, settlements and investigations; actions by third parties, including governmental agencies; volatility in customer spending; global economic conditions; inability to hire and retain personnel; loss of, or reduction in business with, key customers; difficulty with growth and integration of acquisitions; product liability; cybersecurity risk; anti-takeover measures in the Company's charter documents; and the uncertainties created by global health issues, such as the ongoing outbreak of COVID, and political unrest and conflict, such as the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. These and other important risk factors are described more fully in the Company's reports and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("the SEC"), including in Part I, Item 1A of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 17, 2024, and subsequent filings with the SEC. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements in this press release, which are based on information available to the Company on the date hereof. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, Data443 undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise.

"DATA443" is a registered trademark of Data443 Risk Mitigation, Inc.

All product names, trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners. All company, product and service names used in this press release are for identification purposes only. Use of these names, trademarks and brands does not imply endorsement.

For further information:

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/data443-risk-mitigation-inc/

Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZXDhJcx-XgMBhvE9aFHRdA

Sign up for our Investor Newsletter: https://data443.com/investor-email-alerts/

To learn more about Data443, please watch the Company's video introduction on its YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/1Fp93jOxFSg
The "OPDIVO Market Size, Forecast, and Emerging Insight 2032" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report provides comprehensive insights about OPDIVO for ovarian cancer in the six major markets. A detailed picture of the OPDIVO for ovarian cancer in the 6MM, i.e., the United States, EU4 (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain), and the United Kingdom for the study period 2019 -2032 is provided in this report along with a detailed description of the OPDIVO for ovarian cancer.

The report provides insights about mechanism of action, dosage and administration, as well as research and development including regulatory milestones, along with other developmental activities. Further, it also consists of future market assessments inclusive of the OPDIVO market forecast analysis for ovarian cancer in the 6MM, SWOT, analysts' views, comprehensive overview of market competitors, and brief about other emerging therapies in ovarian cancer.

Drug Summary

OPDIVO (also known as Nivolumab) is the first-in-human immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor antibody that disrupts the interaction of the PD-1 receptor with its ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2, thereby inhibiting the cellular immune response. Targeted immunotherapy has now become the most promising approach for tumor patients. PD-1 expressed on activated T-cells can reverse immune suppression and release T-cell activation.

Nivolumab is an already established drug and is currently approved in different indications and for different patient segments. Currently, the drug is being developed in a Phase II (NCT02873962) clinical study evaluating the drug in relapsed epithelial ovarian cancer.

OPDIVO Analytical Perspective

In-depth OPDIVO Market Assessment

This report provides a detailed market assessment of OPDIVO for ovarian cancer in the six major markets, i.e., the United States, EU4 (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain), and the United Kingdom. This segment of the report provides forecasted sales data from 2026 to 2032.

OPDIVO Clinical Assessment

The report provides the clinical trials information of OPDIVO for ovarian cancer covering trial interventions, trial conditions, trial status, start and completion dates.

Report Highlights

In the coming years, the market scenario for ovarian cancer is set to change due to the extensive research and incremental healthcare spending across the world; which would expand the size of the market to enable the drug manufacturers to penetrate more into the market.

The companies are developing therapies that focus on novel approaches to treat/improve the disease condition, assess challenges, and seek opportunities that could influence OPDIVO dominance.

Other emerging products for ovarian cancer are expected to give tough market competition to OPDIVO and launch of late-stage emerging therapies in the near future will significantly impact the market.

A detailed description of regulatory milestones, and developmental activities, provide the current development scenario of OPDIVO in ovarian cancer.

Our in-depth analysis of the forecasted sales data of OPDIVO from 2026 to 2032 will support the clients in the decision-making process regarding their therapeutic portfolio by identifying the overall scenario of the OPDIVO in ovarian cancer.

Key Questions Answered

What is the product type, route of administration and mechanism of action of OPDIVO?

What is the clinical trial status of the study related to OPDIVO in ovarian cancer and study completion date?

What are the key collaborations, mergers and acquisitions, licensing and other activities related to the OPDIVO development?

What are the key designations that have been granted to OPDIVO for ovarian cancer?

What is the forecasted market scenario of OPDIVO for ovarian cancer?

What are the forecasted sales of OPDIVO in the six major countries, including the United States, Europe (Germany, France, Italy, Spain), and the United Kingdom?

What are the other emerging products available and how are these giving competition to OPDIVO for ovarian cancer?

Which are the late-stage emerging therapies under development for the treatment of ovarian cancer?

Key Topics Covered:

1. Report Introduction

2. OPDIVO Overview in ovarian cancer

2.1. Product Detail

2.2. Clinical Development

2.2.1. Clinical studies

2.2.2. Clinical trials information

2.2.3. Safety and efficacy

2.3. Other Developmental Activities

2.4. Product Profile

3. Competitive Landscape (Marketed Therapies)

4. Competitive Landscape (Late-stage Emerging Therapies)

5. OPDIVO Market Assessment

5.1. Market Outlook of OPDIVO in ovarian cancer

5.2. 6MM Analysis

5.2.1. Market Size of OPDIVO in the 6MM for ovarian cancer

5.3. Country-wise Market Analysis

5.3.1. Market Size of OPDIVO in the United States for ovarian cancer

5.3.2. Market Size of OPDIVO in Germany for ovarian cancer

5.3.3. Market Size of OPDIVO in France for ovarian cancer

5.3.4. Market Size of OPDIVO in Italy for ovarian cancer

5.3.5. Market Size of OPDIVO in Spain for ovarian cancer

5.3.6. Market Size of OPDIVO in the United Kingdom for ovarian cancer

6. SWOT Analysis

7. Analysts' Views

8. Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/upycop

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.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240418233672/en/

Contacts:

ResearchAndMarkets.com

Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T. Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470

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Pampa Metals Corp. ("Pampa Metals" or the "Company") (CSE:PM)(FSE:FIRA)(OTCQX:PMMCF) is pleased to announce that it has issued 8,427,500 units ("Units") at a price of $0.24 per Unit, under the Non-Brokered Private Placement offering (the "Offering") detailed in an April 8, 2024 News Release, for gross proceeds of $2,022,600. Each Unit consists of one fully paid common share and a half share purchase warrant entitling the holder to acquire an additional common share at a price of $0.40 for a period of 3 years after the closing of the Offering.

Units were allocated to a specialist resources fund and supportive long-term shareholders.

Proceeds will fund continuing exploration at the Piuquenes Copper-Gold Porphyry Project, where the Company recently reported results from the first drillhole (refer 18 March 2024 News Release) including:

422 m @ 0.48% Cu, 0.61 g/t Au, 2.9 g/t Ag (from 198 m);

including 132 m @ 0.71% Cu, 0.85 g/t Au, 4.3 g/t Ag (from 220m);

Including 80 m @ 0.6% Cu, 0.77 g/t Au, 3.2 g/t Ag (from 468m).

The Company paid aggregate finder's fees of $75,852 and issued 316,050 finder's warrants to Canaccord Genuity Inc, Haywood Securities Inc, Raymond James Ltd and PI Financial Corp. All securities issued under the Offering are subject to a four-month hold period, in accordance with securities laws and the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange, as applicable.

Grant of Incentive Stock Options and RSUs

The Company has granted a total of 800,000 stock options and 650,000 restricted share units ("RSUs") to its President & CEO, Directors, CFO and three consultants. The stock options are exercisable at $0.40 until April 17, 2026 and the RSUs will vest upon the 10-day volume weighted average trading price of the common shares being equal to $0.40.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD INVESTOR CONTACT

Joseph van den Elsen | President & CEO Joseph van den Elsen | Joseph@pampametals.com

ABOUT PAMPA METALS

Pampa Metals is a copper-gold exploration company listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE:PM), Frankfurt (FSE:FIR), and OTC (OTCQB:PMMCF) exchanges.

In November 2023, the Company announced it had entered into an Option and Joint Venture Agreement for the acquisition of an 80% interest in the Piuquenes Copper-Gold Porphyry Project in San Juan Province, Argentina. Reported intervals of significant copper and gold mineralization at Piuquenes Central include:

413.5 m@ 0.47% Cu, 0.52 g/t Au (167-580.5 m);

422 m @ 0.48% Cu, 0.61 g/t Au, 2.9 g/t Ag (198 - 620m);

including 132m @ 0.71% Cu, 0.85 g/t Au, 4.3 g/t Ag (220 - 352m);

including 80m @ 0.6% Cu, 0.77 g/t Au, 3.2 g/t Ag (468 - 548m)

558.2 m @ 0.38% Cu, 0.42 g/t Au, 2.4 g/t Ag (362-920.2 m EOH)

including 130 m @ 0.81% Cu, 0.6 g/t Au, 4 g/t Ag (362-492 m)

Qualified Person

Technical information in this news release has been approved by Mario Orrego G. Mr. Orrego G. is a Geologist, a Registered Member of the Chilean Mining Commission and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Orrego G. is a consultant to the Company.

Neither the CSE nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT

This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that Pampa Metals expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will" or "may" occur. These statements are subject to various risks. Although Pampa Metals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guaranteeing of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: Pampa Metals Corp.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
RAADR, Inc. (OTC PINK:RDAR), a technology and software development company that provides cutting edge solutions to detect and combat cyber-bullying and cyber-harassment throughout the internet on social media platforms announced today that it has plans to integrate "AI " Artificial Intelligence into its monitoring and reporting application platform. When you think about the essence of what AI provides, it is the recognition and the identification of multiple threats across the many platforms currently available. We believe that the ability to identify these threats will add another layer of protection from things that we have yet to identify. There is clearly no shortage of new ways, appearing almost daily, for the perpetrators to approach and harm our children!

The company will be making this integration over the next 12 months with its development team. The integration of AI will be a very useful tool to help parents and children both use the application more effectively and efficiently in regards to monitoring and reporting harassment, harmful content and bullying incidents. It will also focus on images and videos that involve cyber bullying.

CEO Jacob DiMartino stated, "We know AI is the future and while many small companies are saying that they are adding AI to their offerings, we feel that the abilities that AI will provide can only affect the effectiveness of our current offerings. As we have discussed before, the one issue that everyone in Washington agrees about is the necessity to find more ways to increase the protection of our children and grandchildren! We believe it will further set us apart from our competitors."

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT

This press release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by terminology such as "believes," "expects," "potential," "plans," "suggests," "may," "should," "could," "intends," or similar expressions. Many forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results implied by such statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, our ability to continue to enhance our products and systems to address industry changes, our ability to expand our customer base and retain existing customers, our ability to effectively compete in our market segment, the lack of public information on our company, our ability to raise sufficient capital to fund our business, operations, our ability to continue as a going concern, and a limited public market for our common stock, among other risks. Many factors are difficult to predict accurately and are generally beyond the company's control. Forward-looking statements speak only as to the date they are made, and we do not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Media Contact:

Jacob DiMartino,

jacob.d@raadr.com

SOURCE: Raadr, Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 18, 2024) - Kingsmen Resources Ltd. (TSXV: KNG) (OTCQB: KNGRF) ("Kingsmen" or the "Company") is pleased to report high grade multi-element analyses from the 1.2 km long Soledad II structure/vein system on the 100% owned Las Coloradas project, located in the Central Mexican silver belt, Chihuahua Mexico. The Soledad II structure is one of three currently identified structure/vein systems on the project. Results are presented in Figure 1 and Table 1.

Highlights:

Thirty- two (32) samples were analyzed.

9 > 300 g/t silver-equivalent (AgEq)

4 > 200 g/t AgEq

3 > 100 g/t AgEq

8 > 0.58 g/t gold

Kingsmen's sampling of residual mineralization in old workings on the NW-trending Soledad II structure/vein system identified four areas of high-grade silver mineralization on the main structure (A, B, C & D) and one on a NE-trending cross structure (E). The silver values and silver equivalents overall reflect the silver-lead-zinc gold-copper composition of the mineralization. Some higher gold values occur in area B (max. 2.89 g/t Au) along with high grade silver.

The old workings on the Soledad II structure are distributed over approximately 800 meters, however, the structure is at least 1.2 km in length. The better silver grades are localized in structural intersections and flexures in all rock types. NE-trending structures are locally recognized where they host mineralization, as in area E, and where they intersect the NW-trending Soledad II structure (areas B and C). A major zone of NE-trending structures lies to the north and the NE-trending structures here are related to that trend. The mineralization likely continues at depth below the water table which is at a depth of approximately 125 meters. Blind extensions to all the mineralized structures, as well as new structures, are probable at depth.

The sizes of the old workings suggest the exploited mineralization may have been up to several meters in width. There are strong similarities/parallels with the mineralization in the underground Santa Barbara mine where vein systems vary from 3 to 6.5 km along strike and the vertical extension of the shoots have a vertical extension of up to 900 meters. The Santa Barbara mine is located 40 kilometers east of the project.

The Las Coloradas mineralization is on the southeast flank of a prominent aeromagnetic high interpreted to be a buried felsic intrusive body. The felsic intrusives associated with the Soledad and other structures are likely linked to this body and the setting is favourable for porphyry, skarn and epithermal vein mineralization.

Scott Emerson, President, commented: "The recognition of high grade gold and silver mineralization in different locales is important as it may indicate a different style of precious metal mineralization, this work will aid us in our ongoing drill targeting."





Figure 1

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9640/205921_107239df24ce38b0_001full.jpg

Table 1

SAMPLE_ ID Width (m) Au ppm Ag ppm Ag Eq g/t Cu ppm Pb ppm Zn ppm Area LC-200623-001 Composite 0.22 162.00 307 183.5 67200 5540 C LC-200623-002 Composite 0.40 12.70 43 9 1710 339 B LC-200623-003 Composite 0.71 352.00 584 139 55100 51500 B LC-200623-004 Composite 2.42 200.00 396 64.3 30300 354 B LC-200623-005 0.6 1.28 218.00 295 73.6 7770 5110 D LC-200623-006 Composite 0.26 32.90 59 67 2860 3050 D LC-200623-007 1.5 0.13 12.45 26 10.4 2910 90 D PRSLC-0001 0.7 0.24 497.97 498 167 0 10440 D PRSLC-0002 1 2.46 218.89 376 213 0 10690 D PRSLC-0003 0.8 0.23 85.60 98 134 0 4420 D PRSLC-0004 1 0.23 142.95 143 102 0 3280 D PRSLC-0005 1 0.27 35.70 55 58 0 2800 D PRSLC-0006 0.5 0.22 138.57 136 77 0 3160 C PRSLC-0007 1 0.01 4.80 8 49 453 870 C PRSLC-0008 0.5 2.89 481.66 595 100 0 2350 B PRSLC-0009 0.6 0.45 68.30 87 54 0 184 B PRSLC-0010 0.5 0.98 284.12 298 49 0 218 B PRSLC-0011 0.5 1.29 375.47 396 117 0 1550 B PRSLC-0012 0.7 0.37 329.82 298 70 0 2610 B PRSLC-0013 1.3 0.09 52.40 53 20 0 243 B PRSLC-0014 1.3 0.04 19.60 32 14 5770 190 B PRSLC-0023 0.6 0.13 43.00 52 47 2550 774 E PRSLC-0024 0.8 0.05 54.70 65 72 6280 1210 E PRSLC-0025 0.6 0.12 362.03 364 141 0 3880 E PRSLC-0030 1.3 0.00 1.20 2 42 185 150 A PRSLC-0031 0.5 0.02 5.90 10 36 1310 544 A PRSLC-0035 0.5 0.01 16.60 19 25 1160 1010 A PRSLC-0036 0.5 0.16 13.70 27 21 1170 954 A PRSLC-0083 0.6 0.20 45.30 163 157 7580 37330 A PRSLC-0084 0.8 0.40 638.56 768 61 80700 20360 A PRSLC-0085 0.6 0.01 2.50 57 35 595 20720 A PRSLC-0086 0.7 0.58 91.30 212 40 14330 26340 A

The silver equivalent calculation utilizes the standard equation and is based on current spot metal prices of silver $25/oz, gold $2163/oz, copper $4.04/lb, lead $$0.98/lb and zinc $1.16/lb. Recoveries are set at 100% for all metals for purposes of the silver equivalent calculation as no metallurgical test data is available. AgEq is used for illustrative purposes only and does not imply that the metals are economically recoverable.

QA/QC Program

The QA/QC program employes blanks and certified reference standard, and check sampling. Samples from separate areas were analyzed at Actlabs, Zacatecas. Sealed and tagged sample bags were transported to the laboratory where the entire sample was crushed to a nominal -2 mm, mechanically split to obtain a representative sub-sample and then pulverized to at least 95% -105 microns (m).

All samples were analyzed for gold by Fire Assay Fusion-AA finish. All samples were analyzed for silver by aqua extraction with ICP finish. Multi-element analysis was by four acid extraction with ICP-OES finish.

About Las Coloradas

The 100% owned Las Coloradas Project (8.5 km2 -3.3 sq miles) represents a consolidation of a historic mining district which covers numerous silver-gold-lead-zinc-copper mines previously exploited by ASARCO (American Smelting and Refining Company), the U.S. based subsidiary of Grupo Mexico.

Las Coloradas is in the Parral mining district of the Central Mexican Silver Belt, and is located approximately 30 kilometers southeast of the city of Hidalgo de Parral and 40 kilometers east of the San Francisco de Oro and Santa Barbara mining districts where several old major mines are located, such as La Prieta, Veta Colorada, Palmilla, Esmeralda, San Francisco del Oro and Santa Barbara. As well, new major mining projects are currently being explored in the district; Cordero (Discovery Silver Corp.), 35 kms north of Parral, and La Cigarra (Kootenay Silver Inc.), 35 kms northwest of Parral. Click here to see locator map, https:// www.kingsmenresources.com/area-history

Qualified Person

Kieran Downes, Ph.D., P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure set out in this news release.

About Kingsmen Resources

In line with Kingsmen's organic-growth strategy, the Company's focus is on exploration and development, and is currently focused on district-scale exploration for high -margin metallic mineral deposits in the prolific mining districts of Parral Mexico. In addition, the company has a 1% NSR on the Los Ricos North project in Mexico operated by GoGold Resources Inc. The Company's leaders have extensive experience in the mining and financial sectors. Kingsmen is a publicly-traded company (TSXV: KNG) (OTCQB: KNGRF) and is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia.

On behalf of the Board,

"Scott Emerson"

Scott Emerson,

President & CEO

Phone: 604- 685-9316

Email: se@kingsmenresources.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statement:

All statements, trend analysis and other information contained in this press release about anticipated future events or results constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including, without limitation, statements regarding the completion of the acquisition of the Las Coloradas Project and receipt of regulatory approval, are forward-looking statements. Although Kingsmen believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since Kingsmen can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements, including the risks, uncertainties and other factors identified in Kingsmen's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators, and assumptions made with regard to: Kingsmen's ability to make the required payments under the definitive agreements; and Kingsmen's ability to secure the necessary regulatory approvals. Forward-looking statements are subject to business and economic risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results of operations to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Kingsmen's expectations include risks associated with the business of Kingsmen; risks related to the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions to the closing of the acquisition of the Las Coloradas Project; non-completion of the acquisition of the Las Coloradas Project; risks related to exploration and potential development of the Las Coloradas Project; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; fluctuations in commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; the need for cooperation of government agencies in the exploration and development of properties and the issuance of required permits; the need to obtain additional financing to develop properties and uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; the possibility of delay in exploration or development programs and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; and other risk factors as detailed from time to time and additional risks identified in Kingsmen's filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedarplus.ca). Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the date the statements are made. Kingsmen does not undertake any obligation to update forward looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/205921

SOURCE: Kingsmen Resources Ltd
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 18, 2024) - Benjamin Hill Mining Corp. (CSE: BNN) (OTCQB: BNNHF) (FSE: 5YZ0) ("BNN" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the company has prioritized the initial target areas for drill testing this spring on the Alotta project. Currently, the company is proposing to complete up to 5 drill holes for a total of 2,500 metres as part of the continuation of the fall 2023 diamond drilling program that paused in November for the winter season.

The proposed holes will focus on several high priority and undrilled tested coincident geochemical/geophysical anomalies along a four-kilometre trend. Archer Cathro and Benjamin Hill have created a preliminary drill plan for the 2024 Alotta field program, to test for porphyry-style mineralization on the property. The strategy is designed to test the best drill targets based on merit. These areas are situated in closer proximity to the core area of coincident soil and geophysical anomalies with previous rock sampling confirming the occurrence of copper and gold mineralization.

Lorne Warner, President and P.Geo for Benjamin Hill, states, "We are very optimistic that this year's drilling program will continue to or exceed last year's drill results. In 2023 we started the first ever drilling program on the property, completing two drill holes resulting in the discovery of gold, copper and molybdenum porphyry style mineralization."

Exploring Payout and Severance Zones

The two primary targets on the property are the Payout and Severance Zones, located in the west-central and east-central parts of the property. These two zones have significant surface mineralization, which comprise highly anomalous gold, copper and molybdenum values from rock and soil samples. These targets represent the areas of the property with significant (>1 g/t gold) rock values on surface.

For preliminary drilling, a total of four holes are recommended to test surface mineralization and geophysical anomalies at depth. At both targets, the first hole is designed as a shallow angle hole to test the extent of mineralization directly beneath the prospective area, while the second is steeper to test for deeper mineralization and corresponding chargeability/resistivity anomalies present in the vicinity.

Expanding Exploration to Alimony and Commission Targets

In a later drilling phase, the company has two additional drill targets to test. The Alimony Target is a significant 1200 m by 500 m molybdenum-gold soil anomaly that coincides with overlapping chargeability and resistivity anomalies. In the eastern part of the property, the Commission Target is defined by a 1500 m by 1000 m gold-copper-molybdenum soil anomaly, which corresponds to magnetic low to moderate response. A well constrained resistivity anomaly is present that coincides with strongly anomalous gold and copper soil values.

Figure #1 above outlines the high priority target areas within the Alotta property with potential gold-copper-molybdenum, porphyry style mineralization. Target areas have not been drill tested.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8680/205969_dc6ef53734586b46_001full.jpg

In November 2023 two drill holes were completed on the property which confirmed the porphyry style nature of mineralization. As announced on February 24, 2024, Hole ALT-23-01 intercepted 211.65 metres of 0.46 grams/tonne gold from the first ever diamond drill hole on the property.

Proximity to Proven Resources

The Alotta property consists of 96 mineral claims that cover approximately 1,926 hectares that is located 50 km south-east of Western Copper and Gold's (TSX: WRN) Casino deposit. The Casino deposit is one of the most economic, greenfield copper-gold mining projects in the world which is ranked as one of the top ten largest, undeveloped, copper-gold porphyry deposits in the world. Indicating strong investor support in the region, Western Copper and Gold recently announced on April 16, 2024 that they have upsized from $25 to $40 million a bought deal public offering.

Figure # 2 above provides a historical (Feb 2023) illustration of the Casino Deposit superimposed over unglaciated, anomalous copper in soil geochemistry.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8680/205969_dc6ef53734586b46_002full.jpg

About Benjamin Hill Mining Corp.

Benjamin Hill Mining Corp. is a Canadian-listed junior exploration company focused on exploring and advancing the Alotta project, a prospective porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum project located 50 km south-east of the Casino porphyry deposit in the unglaciated portion of the Dawson Range porphyry/epithermal belt in the Yukon Territory of Canada.

In addition, the Company holds a 40% interest in Aion Mining Corp., a company that is developing the fully permitted La Estrella coal project in Santander, Colombia. The project contains eight known seams of metallurgical and thermal coal.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Cole McClay", CEO Benjamin Hill Mining Corp.

info@benjaminhillmining.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain of the statements made and information contained herein may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-Looking information includes, but is not limited to, information concerning the Company's intentions with respect to the development of its mineral properties. Forward-Looking information is based on the views, opinions, intentions and estimates of management at the date the information is made, and is based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected in the forward-looking information (including the actions of other parties who have agreed to do certain things and the approval of certain regulatory bodies). Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of the Company and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws, or to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Company, its financial or operating results or its securities. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. We seek safe harbor.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/205969

SOURCE: Benjamin Hill Mining Corp.
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / The Manufacturing Institute - the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers - announced that Susy Zazueta of Whirlpool Corporation's Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, operations has been recognized as a 2024 Women MAKE Awards honoree. This annual national awards program honors women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers and represent all levels of the manufacturing industry, from the factory floor to the C-suite.

"I have worked hard to build a reputation for making things happen, and the manufacturing environment values anyone who gets things done," said Zazueta, plant director at Whirlpool Corp.'s Ramos Arizpe operations. "I look for opportunities where I can continue to guide, support and light a path for all who wish to travel forward with his or her career in manufacturing. Manufacturing is a meaningful field where the individual contributions blend into exceptional results, and those results deeply impact our communities and our consumers."

"I look for opportunities where I can continue to guide, support and light a path for all who wish to travel forward with his or her career in manufacturing. Manufacturing is a meaningful field where the individual contributions blend into exceptional results, and those results deeply impact our communities and our consumers."

The Women MAKE Awards are part of the MI's Women MAKE America initiative, which is the nation's marquee program to close the gender gap in manufacturing. Women account for about half of the U.S. labor force but represent less than one-third of the manufacturing workforce. Women MAKE America aims to build the 21st-century manufacturing workforce by empowering and inspiring women in the industry.

"The Women MAKE Awards showcase the vibrant, diverse and rewarding careers in the industry and how women have excelled as manufacturing leaders, paying it forward to inspire and uplift the next generation to pursue opportunities in modern manufacturing," said Caterpillar Group President of Resource Industries and Women MAKE Awards Chair Denise Johnson.

The Women MAKE Awards gala honors 100 industry leaders ("Honorees") and 30 rising stars ("Emerging Leaders ") who have been nominated by their companies as the "go-to" women, recognized for their innovation, dedication, contributions and good counsel. Honorees are further rewarded with access to a two-day leadership development conference in Washington, D.C., in the days leading up to the evening awards gala. Since its launch in 2011, the program has honored and recognized more than 1,400 Honorees and Emerging Leaders.

"I was so excited to hear that Susy will be recognized for her many achievements," said Dale Laws, Whirlpool Corp. VP NAR Manufacturing. "Susy brings a level of infectious energy, passion and commitment to her work. She is a role model as a leader and a subject matter expert in her field. She is well deserving of this selection as a Women MAKE America Honoree.

"With more than 600,000 open jobs in manufacturing today and the continued need to fill millions more jobs by the end of the decade, it's critical for manufacturers to engage the largest underrepresented pool of talent: women," said MI President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee. "The 2024 Women MAKE Awards gala promises to be an inspirational, powerful event, where some of the brightest stars in manufacturing will be recognized for the incredible work they have done - both to grow our industry and to uplift others like them."

On April 18, the Manufacturing Institute will recognize 130 recipients of the Women MAKE Awards in Washington, D.C. The evening will highlight the story of each Honoree and Emerging Leader, including their leadership and accomplishments in manufacturing.

View original content here.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Whirlpool Corporation on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Whirlpool Corporation

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/whirlpool-corporation

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Whirlpool Corporation

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Digital bank doubles down on commitment to small businesses, meeting demand for easier access to capital and digital solutions to efficiently manage their finances

Grasshopper , the client-first digital bank built for the business and innovation economy, today announced the launch of a digital application for borrowers to apply directly for Small Business Administration (SBA) loans. Small business owners can now get pre-qualified for an SBA 7(a) loan in less than 10 minutes from any device using this online form .

The launch of the digital loan application, combined with Grasshopper's industry-leading digital Innovator Business Checking account and access to exclusive perks and custom offerings, like corporate cards, accounting software, productivity and communication tools through its partner marketplace, makes it easier than ever for time-constrained small businesses to manage their business needs all in one place.

This achievement coincides with a historic peak in American entrepreneurship, with the U.S. Small Business Administration reporting that, under President Biden, Americans filed a record 16 million applications to start new businesses, and $52 billion in SBA capital supported the small business boom in 2023. The growing interest in entrepreneurship from first-time small business owners, particularly women and minority-owned businesses, is fueling the demand for diverse and efficient ways to access capital. Coupled with the increase in borrowers seeking to apply for business loans online, Grasshopper found it imperative to offer a seamless digital application to potential borrowers.

"As a digital bank, technology-focused experiences that meet evolving client demands are always at the forefront of our minds," said Stephanie Castagnier Dunn , Head of SBA Lending at Grasshopper Bank. "The launch of this digital application marks a significant shift from the historically traditional SBA loan application process. By leveraging this innovative approach, we're aiming to transform and modernize the SBA lending process to help small business owners achieve their funding goals sooner."

Grasshopper's Preferred Lender Program (PLP) status, combined with a cutting-edge digital application, accelerates the funding process for small business borrowers by enabling faster documentation submission and verification. Backed by the Small Business Administration, Grasshopper currently offers SBA 7(a), SBA 504, and USDA business and industry loans.

"Serving small businesses is a core component of our mission - they are the backbone of our economy, which makes banking this sector more important than ever," said Mike Butler, President & CEO of Grasshopper Bank. "We want to see the small business ecosystem flourish, and by launching this digital application, we are making it easier to get critical funds into the hands of small business owners so their doors stay open, and they can continue delivering value to their customers."

Grasshopper's client-first approach and commitment to serving small businesses across the nation has helped fortify the strength of its offerings, with the Bank reporting 16% year-over-year growth in total loans and an impressive 96% year-over-year growth in total deposits. Additionally, its SBA Lending division has notably contributed to this success, reporting $72.5 million in total loan production in 2023, underscoring the Bank's pivotal role in supporting the growth and stability of small businesses.

Grasshopper leveraged the strength of its fintech partnerships to successfully bring this digital application to market, working with industry-leading technology providers, including MANTL to build the application and Alloy to serve as the decision engine. With an initial focus on the SBA's most widely used loan program, the digital application currently supports SBA 7(a) loans, with ongoing plans to expand its capabilities to include other SBA and small business loan types, catering to a broader range of small business financing needs.

To learn more, and apply today, visit www.grasshopper.bank .

About Grasshopper Bank

With total assets of approximately $733 million, Grasshopper is a client-first digital bank serving the business and innovation economy. Grasshopper replaces the traditional one-size-fits-all approach to banking with a suite of products and services tailored to specific industries, and a passionate team of experts with deep expertise in their fields. Grasshopper's banking solutions cover small business, venture-backed companies, fintech-focused Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) and commercial API banking platforms, SBA lending, commercial real estate lending, and yacht financing. Headquartered in New York City, the bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and is an Equal Housing/Equal Opportunity Lender. For more information, visit the bank's website at www.grasshopper.bank or follow on LinkedIn and Twitter .

Media Contact:

Catharine Rybeck

Caliber Corporate Advisers

catharine@calibercorporateadvisers.com

SOURCE: Grasshopper

View the original press release on accesswire.com
AUSTIN, TX / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Xtra Energy Corp. (OTC PINK:XTPT) is excited to present a Google Earth tour of the recently disclosed results on the interpretation of high-resolution satellite images carried out by Dirt Exploration at approximately 33 feet (10 meters) resolution for its American Antimony Project located in the Bernice Mining District of Churchill County, Nevada (See 3/27/24 Press Release). Xtra Energy Corporation is an antimony exploration company focused on developing its flagship project, "American Antimony," approximately 31 miles northeast of Eastgate, Nevada. Xtra Energy Corporation holds 100% ownership in a 207-lode, 4276-acre antimony project surrounding the historically documented Antimony King Mine and covering all other documented antimony producers in the Bernice Mining District. The company is seeking to develop this expanding portfolio of antimony-rich assets to become a major supplier of antimony-based products.

Viewing of this video can be found at the link provided: CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

Historic Antimony Mines Featured in the Above Video:

Arrance Antimony Prospect - See 4/8/24 Press Release

King Solomon Mine - See 2/21/24 Press Release

Blue Eagle Mine - See 12/21/23 Press Release

Lofthouse Antimony Mine - See 8/2/23 Press Release

DIRT Exploration, a remote sensing geoscience company headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, completed an analysis using publicly available satellite imagery. The research combined Long-Wave Infrared (LWIR), Visible Near Infrared (VNIR), Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR), and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery into its analysis. LWIR analysis has the ability to map or identify mineral distribution over extensive areas through reflectance spectroscopy. Reflectance signatures captured on the satellite imagery are compared to databases of known mineral reflectance. The LWIR analysis can view mineral spectra at shallow depths thanks to its ground-penetrating nature and utilization of the long-wave bands of infrared radiation.

Xtra Energy's Chairman and CEO, Mac J. Shahsavar, P.Eng., commented, "This video tour provides a first-hand look at some of the key historical mines highlighted throughout our 2023 exploration program. Of particular importance is the high antimony correlation with these historic locations, which not only validates their historical value but also demonstrates the enormous potential for further exploration and development from these past-producing antimony mines."

Contact & Learn More:

Xtra Energy Corporation

Phone: 512-412-3636

Corporate Website: https://americanantimony.com/

Corporate Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtra-energy-corp/

Corporate Twitter: https://twitter.com/xtra_corp

Corporate Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xtraenergycorp/

Corporate Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093057374695

About Xtra Energy Corporation

Xtra Energy Corporation is an antimony exploration company focused on developing its flagship project "American Antimony", approximately 31 miles northeast of Eastgate, Nevada. Xtra Energy Corporation holds a 100% ownership in a 207 lode claim, 4276 acre antimony project surrounding the historically documented Antimony King Mine and covering all other documented antimony producers of the Bernice Mining District. The Company is seeking to develop this expanding portfolio of antimony-rich assets to become a major supplier of antimony based products.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined within Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements relate to future events, including our ability to raise capital, or to our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause materially different results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

For a discussion of these risks and uncertainties, please see our filings with the OTC Markets Group Inc. Our public filings with the OTC Markets Group Inc are available from commercial document retrieval services and at the website maintained by the OTC Markets at https://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/XTPT/disclosure.

SOURCE: Xtra Energy Corp.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - April 18, 2024) - LithiumBank Resources Corp. (TSXV: LBNK) (OTCQX: LBNKF) ("LithiumBank" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its participation in the upcoming investor conferences. These conferences provide and excellent platform to connect with industry leaders, engage in thought provoking discussions and gain valuable insights that can shape investment decisions. The Company will be presenting updates on its progress, unveiling exciting developments and offering a comprehensive overview of our vision for the future. Additionally, investors will have the opportunity to interact with key members of the LithiumBank team and explore potential collaboration opportunities.

Capital Event Management Conferences | Scottsdale, Arizona

Dates: April 19 th /21 st

/21 Location: Scottsdale Arizona

Details: The Conference introduces growth stage companies to active top level capital finance individuals through a day of scheduled 1:1 meetings and networking activities.

Website: www.cem.ca

2024 Energy Transition Metals Summit | Washington, DC

Dates: April 29 th /30th, 2024

/30th, 2024 Location: Washington, DC

Details: The Energy Transition Metals Summit brings together producers of copper, uranium, lithium, cobalt and critical metals use for the Global Energy Transition. In addition to delivering a presentation, investors will have the opportunity to have one-on-one discussions with members of the Company's team to learn more about how LithiumBank is progressing towards commercial production.

Website: www.precioussummit.com

Capital Event Management Conferences | Hamilton, Bermuda

Dates: June 7 th /9 th

/9 Location: Hamilton, Bermuda

Details: The Conference introduces growth stage companies to active top level capital finance individuals through a day of scheduled 1:1 meetings and networking activities.

Website: www.cem.ca

Lithium Supply and Battery Raw Metals Conference 2024 | Las Vegas, NV

Dates: June 24 th /27 th

/27 Location: Red Rock Casino and Resort, Las Vegas, USA

Details: The global flagship event for the lithium market brings together leading experts from across the supply chain for a week of discussions, debate and networking.

Website: www.fastmarkets.com /events/lithiumsupply-brm/

Canada Direct Lithium Extraction 2024 | Calgary, AB

Dates: July 17 th /18 th , 2024

/18 , 2024 Location: Sheraton Cavalier Hotel, Calgary Alberta

Details: the leading trade show for showcasing cutting-edge innovations in lithium extraction technologies. This event brings together industry experts from the oil & gas, electric vehicles, and geothermal energy sectors, providing a unique opportunity to connect and collaborate with leaders at the forefront of extracting lithium from brine resources.

Website: www.canada.direct-lithium-extraction-show.com/index

TSX Venture Growth Capital Event | Kelowna, BC

Dates: July 19 th /21 st

/21 Location: Marriott Grand Okanagan Resort

Details: The Conference introduces growth stage companies to active top level capital finance individuals through a day of scheduled 1:1 meetings and networking activities.

Website: www.cem.ca

The Company would also like to clarify the disclosure of the last news release dated April 9, 2024. The current Boardwalk Resource Estimate of 395,000 t LCE Indicated at 71.6 mg/L Li and 5,734,000 t LCE Inferred at 68.0 mg/L Li is NI 43-101 compliant, dated effective February 22, 2024, entitled "Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for LithiumBank Resources Boardwalk Lithium-Brine Project in West-Central Alberta, Canada". The PEA was prepared by the following Qualified Persons: Roy Eccles, P. Geol. of APEX Geoscience Ltd., Kim Mohler, P. Eng. of GLJ Ltd., Gordon MacMillan, P. Geol. of Fluid Domains, Jim Touw, P. Geol. of HCL Ltd., Frederick Scott, P. Eng. of Scott Energy, Egon Linton, P. Eng. of Hatch Ltd., Evan Jones, P. Eng. of Hatch Ltd., Stefan Hlouschko, P. Eng. of Hatch Ltd., and Lisa Park, AusIMM.

The indicated and inferred Boardwalk Leduc Formation lithium-brine resource estimations are presented as a total (or global value), and were estimated using the following relation in consideration of the Leduc Formation aquifer brine:

Lithium Resource = Total Brine Aquifer Volume X Average Porosity X Percentage of Brine in the Pore Space X Average Concentration of Lithium in the Brine.

Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no guarantee that all or any part of the mineral resource will be converted into a mineral reserve. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by geology, environment, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues.

About LithiumBank Resources Corp.

LithiumBank Resources Corp. (TSXV: LBNK) (OTCQX: LBNKF), is a publicly traded lithium company that is focused on acquiring district-scale landholdings with prospective lithium brine geology, efficiently de-risking the assets, and structuring mutually beneficial transactions with major project developers. The Company holds 2,148,963 acres of brown-field lithium brine licences, across 3 districts in Western Canada, including its two flagship projects, Boardwalk and Park Place as well as exclusive use of one of the largest DLE Pilot Plants in North America. The Company's January 2024 PEA at Boardwalk proposes the largest LCE brine production in North America at 34,005 TPA (LHM).

Contact:

Rob Shewchuk

Co-Founder, CEO & Director

rob@lithiumbank.ca

(778) 987-9767

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/205983

SOURCE: LithiumBank Resources Corp.
FY25 guidance - revenue growth of 1%-3% and operating margin of 20%-22%

BENGALURU, India, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Infosys (NSE: INFY) (BSE: INFY) (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, delivered $18.6 billion in FY24 revenues with a growth of 1.4% in constant currency and operating margin of 20.7%. Free Cash Flow was strong at $2,882 million, an increase of 13.7% over FY 23. Large deal TCV for FY24 was highest ever at $17.7 billion, with 52% being net new.

Q4 revenues were at $4,564 million, flat year on year and decrease of 2.2% sequentially in constant currency. Large deal TCV for the quarter was $4.5 billion, with 44% being net new. Operating margin for the quarter was 20.1%, a sequential decrease of 40 bps. Free Cash Flow was robust at $848 million.

"We delivered the highest ever large deal value in the financial year 2024. This reflects the strong trust clients have in us. Our capabilities in Generative AI continue to expand. We are working on client programs leveraging large language models with impact across software engineering, process optimization, and customer support, said Salil Parekh, CEO and MD. "I would like to thank our 317,000 employees across the world that are working to create value for our clients." he added.

1.4% FY 20.7% FY 20.1% Q4 Operating Margin 10.0% FY 30.2% Q4 YoY EPS Increase

(? terms) $17.7 Bn FY $4.5 Bn Q4 Large Deal

TCV $2.9 Bn FY Flat Q4 $848 Mn Q4 YoY CC Growth Free Cash Flow

Guidance for FY25:

Revenue growth of 1%-3% in constant currency

Operating margin of 20%-22%

1. Key highlights:

For the quarter ended March 31, 2024

For year ended March 31, 2024





- Revenues in CC terms remained flat YoY and declined by 2.2% QoQ

- Revenues in CC terms grew by 1.4% YoY - Reported revenues at $4,564 million, growth of 0.2% YoY

- Reported revenues at $18,562 million, growth of 1.9% YoY - Operating margin at 20.1%, decline of 0.9% YoY and 0.4% QoQ

- Operating margin at 20.7%, decline of 0.3% YoY - Basic EPS at $0.23, increase of 28.9% YoY

- Basic EPS at $0.77, increase of 7.3% YoY - FCF at $848 million, growth of 18.9% YoY; FCF conversion at 88.4% of net profit

- FCF at $2,882 million, growth of 13.7% YoY; FCF conversion at 91.0% of net profit

"Free cash flow of $848 million in Q4 was highest in the last 11 quarters driven by our relentless focus to improve working capital cycle. Consistent with the objective of giving high and predictable returns to shareholders, the Board has approved the capital allocation policy under which the company expects to return 85% over the next 5 years and progressively increase annual Dividend Per Share", said Jayesh Sanghrajka, CFO. "Operating margin expansion in the medium-term and improving cash generation continue to remain our priorities underpinned by early success in Project Maximus", he added.

2.Capital Allocation

For the Financial Year 2024, the Board recommended a final dividend of '20 per share (0.24 per ADS) and additionally a special dividend of '8 per share (0.10 per ADS*). With this, the total payout over FY20 - FY 24 will be 85% of Free Cash Flow, in line with our capital allocation policy announced earlier.

The Board in its meeting held on April 18, 2024 has reviewed and approved the capital allocation policy for the next 5 years from FY25 - FY29 after taking into consideration the strategic and operational cash requirements as below.

"Effective from financial year 2025, the Company expects to continue its policy of returning approximately 85% of the free cash flow cumulatively over a 5-year period through a combination of semi-annual dividends and/or share buyback/ special dividends subject to applicable laws and requisite approvals, if any."

Under this policy, the Company expects to progressively increase its annual Dividend Per Share (excluding special dividend if any).

Free cash flow is defined as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditure as per the consolidated statement of cash flows prepared under IFRS. Dividend and buyback include applicable taxes.

*USD/INR rate of '83.41

3.Update on India Income Tax Orders

During the quarter ending March 31, 2024, the Company received orders under sections 250 and 254 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, from the Income Tax Authorities in India for the assessment years, 2007-08 to 2015-16, 2017-18 and 2018-19. These orders confirmed the Company's position with respect to tax treatment of certain contentious matters. As a result, interest income (pre-tax) of $232 million was recognized and provision for income tax aggregating $63 million was reversed with a corresponding credit to the Statement of Profit and Loss. Also, upon resolution of the disputes, an amount aggregating to $196 million has been reduced from contingent liabilities.

4.Update on Financial Services Client

During Q4, we had rescoping and renegotiation of one of the large contracts in the financial services segment leading to a one-time impact of approximately 100bps in Q4. Nearly 85% of the scope of the contract continues as-is.

5.Client wins & testimonials

Infosys announced a strategic collaboration with Musgrave to help automate their IT operations by leveraging its industry leading AI and Cloud offerings, Infosys Topaz and Infosys Cobalt. Stephen Mckenna, Chief Technology Officer, Musgrave , said, "I am delighted by our recently announced collaboration with Infosys, which will enable us to leverage Infosys' expertise and resources to deliver innovative solutions to all our customers and retail partners. Musgrave has always been committed to providing our customers with the best possible service, and this collaboration is a testament to that commitment. We are confident that this collaboration will result in new and exciting products and services that will benefit all our customers."

, said, "I am delighted by our recently announced collaboration with Infosys, which will enable us to leverage Infosys' expertise and resources to deliver innovative solutions to all our customers and retail partners. Musgrave has always been committed to providing our customers with the best possible service, and this collaboration is a testament to that commitment. We are confident that this collaboration will result in new and exciting products and services that will benefit all our customers." Infosys collaborated with PROG Holdings, Inc. to bring AI-powered experiences to their customers and intelligent automation to their operations, as an integral part of PROG Holdings' ongoing cloud and AI-focused technology modernization and innovation efforts. Steve Michaels, President and CEO of PROG Holdings , said, "We look forward to working with Infosys to develop and enhance key systems that positively impact the speed to market, agility, and scalability of key PROG Holdings technologies and platforms. We expect our collaboration with Infosys will reduce friction for both our customers and retail partners, further solidifying PROG Holdings' position atop the virtual lease-to-own industry we helped create twenty-five years ago."

, said, "We look forward to working with Infosys to develop and enhance key systems that positively impact the speed to market, agility, and scalability of key PROG Holdings technologies and platforms. We expect our collaboration with Infosys will reduce friction for both our customers and retail partners, further solidifying PROG Holdings' position atop the virtual lease-to-own industry we helped create twenty-five years ago." Infosys collaborated with Pacific International Lines (PIL) to accelerate their digital transformation initiative by helping revamp PIL's existing customer portal and deploying a scalable and modern technology platform, aimed at creating a positive impact for PIL's key stakeholders across the shipping and logistics ecosystem. Lionel Patrice Chatelet, Chief Commercial Officer, Pacific International Lines (PIL) , said, "We are looking for a partner who can not only bring technology but also play an advisory role in the journey of transformation. Infosys brings together a strong combination of right capabilities as well as highly collaborative ways of working. We are delighted to collaborate with Infosys."

, said, "We are looking for a partner who can not only bring technology but also play an advisory role in the journey of transformation. Infosys brings together a strong combination of right capabilities as well as highly collaborative ways of working. We are delighted to collaborate with Infosys." Resolution Life Australasia collaborated with Infosys to virtualize its mainframe systems by enabling a seamless migration to the cloud, enhancing the overall customer experience. Peter Histon, CIO of Resolution Life Australasia , said, "Infosys brought a number of proprietary accelerators to the table as part of the virtualization which helped us to deliver the solution rapidly. But beyond that, Infosys brought in a number of different people capabilities. We took a progressive approach around migration of the underlying applications. There were two very big releases. Infosys worked with us every step of the way."

, said, "Infosys brought a number of proprietary accelerators to the table as part of the virtualization which helped us to deliver the solution rapidly. But beyond that, Infosys brought in a number of different people capabilities. We took a progressive approach around migration of the underlying applications. There were two very big releases. Infosys worked with us every step of the way." zooplus and Infosys have entered into a strategic eight- year collaboration to set up an AI-led product and technology hub in Hyderabad, India. Markus Hermanutz, Chief Information Officer, zooplus SE , said, "We are excited to have selected Infosys to set up a new AI-led hub through which we will drive our business growth ambition. With Infosys Topaz, we will achieve productivity and efficiency at scale, and attract the right talent for upcoming transformations across our e-commerce value chain."

, said, "We are excited to have selected Infosys to set up a new AI-led hub through which we will drive our business growth ambition. With Infosys Topaz, we will achieve productivity and efficiency at scale, and attract the right talent for upcoming transformations across our e-commerce value chain." Infosys is expanding its successful collaboration with Hasbro, building on their initial achievements in the SAP S4 implementation. Together, they are advancing their relationship and strategy globally through a multi-year strategic engagement. Leveraging Infosys's expertise in AI and a proven experience led cognitive approach, Infosys is poised to support Hasbro's global business. This collaboration aims to drive operational excellence, foster innovation, and deliver superior experiences at scale for both customers and employees worldwide. Steve Zoltick, CIO & Head, Global Business Enablement, Hasbro , said, "Infosys is bringing the right talent to our collaboration allowing us to enhance our capabilities and achieve our Global Business Enablement goals".

, said, "Infosys is bringing the right talent to our collaboration allowing us to enhance our capabilities and achieve our Global Business Enablement goals". Infosys Finacle successfully implemented the Finacle Digital Lending Solution Suite in a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) mode for Regional Investment Corporation (RIC) which included the adoption of the Finacle Online Banking and Finacle Alerts Solution. Chris Rawlins, Executive Director Transformation, Regional Investment Corporation (RIC) , said, "At RIC, our mission is to nurture the growth of the Australian farm businesses through affordable loans, while also ensuring their resilience and profitability. With the Infosys Finacle Lending solution, we have a proven technology platform to support the evolving demands of our business and customers, with the agility to roll out new products and regulations as mandated by the Federal Government. The nine-month implementation by the Infosys Finacle team was delivered on schedule and we are impressed by the team's commitment to facilitate RIC in achieving a smooth transition without any disruptions to our customers."

, said, "At RIC, our mission is to nurture the growth of the Australian farm businesses through affordable loans, while also ensuring their resilience and profitability. With the Infosys Finacle Lending solution, we have a proven technology platform to support the evolving demands of our business and customers, with the agility to roll out new products and regulations as mandated by the Federal Government. The nine-month implementation by the Infosys Finacle team was delivered on schedule and we are impressed by the team's commitment to facilitate RIC in achieving a smooth transition without any disruptions to our customers." Infosys and Handlesblatt Media Group announced a strategic collaboration to support the Handelsblatt Research Institute (HRI) in making complex reports on global economic and financial topics more accessible and easily consumable for the public, by leveraging Infosys Topaz, an AI-first set of services, solutions and platforms using generative AI technologies. Dr. Jan Kleibrink, Managing Director, Handelsblatt Research Institute, said, "We are excited to collaborate with Infosys to offer cutting-edge, AI-enabled trend reports. One of the core tasks of the Handelsblatt Research Institute is to present complex economic relationships and the results of scientific analysis to a broad readership. We achieve this with texts of the highest journalistic quality and visual storytelling based on high-quality infographics. With Infosys as our AI and digital innovation partner, we now move to the next level of digital storytelling that is powered by AI."

6.Recognitions & Awards

AI and Cloud Services

Awarded ISO 42001:2023 certification for implementing an Artificial Intelligence Management System framework

Positioned as a leader in IDC MarketScape Worldwide Higher Education Cloud Professional Services Vendor Assessment

Positioned as a leader in HFS Horizons: Assuring the Generative Enterprise, 2024

Rated as a leader in ISG's Multi Public Cloud Services Provider Lens study

Rated as a leader in ISG's Intelligent Automation - Solutions and Services Provider Lens study in US and Europe

Key Digital Services

Rated as a leader in The Forrester Wave: Application Modernization And Migration Services, Q1 2024

Positioned as a leader in the Unified Communication & Collaboration (UCC) Specialist Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024 by Everest and ranked #1 in the UCC rating by Everest

Rated as a leader in Pega Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024 by Everest

Positioned as a leader in Application Transformation Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024 - North America by Everest

Positioned as a leader in Application Transformation Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024 - Europe by Everest

Positioned as a leader in Software Product Engineering Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024 by Everest

Rated as a leader in Talent Readiness for Next-generation IT Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2023 by Everest

Positioned as a leader in IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Blockchain Services 2024 Vendor Assessment

Rated as a leader in Cyber Resiliency NEAT 2024 by NelsonHall

Rated as a leader in Salesforce Services 2024 NEAT 2024 by NelsonHall

Rated as a leader in ShortList 2024: Custom Software Development Services by Constellation Research

Rated as a leader in ShortList 2024: Innovation Services and Engineering by Constellation Research

Rated as leader in ShortList 2024: Learning Marketplaces by Constellation Research

Rated as leader in ShortList 2024: Microsoft End-to-End Service Providers by Constellation Research

Rated as leader in ShortList 2024: QA Tools for NextGen Apps by Constellation Research

Recognized as a leader in Avasant's Retail Digital Services 2024 Radarview

Recognized as a leader in Avasant's SAP S/4HANA Services 2023-2024 Radarview

Rated as a leader in ISG's Environmental, Social and Governance Services (ESG) Provider Lens study in US, Europe and Global

Industry & Solutions

Positioned as a leader in Retail IT Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024 by Everest

Positioned as a leader in HFS Horizons: Manufacturing Intelligent Operations Services, 2024

Positioned as a leader in HFS Horizons: The Best Service Providers for Asset and Wealth Management

Rated as a leader in ESG Services in Banking 2024 by NelsonHall

Rated as a leader in Innovation Radar - Salesforce Related Services in Europe: The Communications & Media View by PAC, The Manufacturing View by PAC, The Energy & Utilities View by PAC, and The Financial Services View by PAC

Infosys Finacle along with its customers, won multiple industry awards at the Retail Banker International Asia Trailblazer Awards 2024. These include Infosys Finacle Mobile Teller awarded for Most Innovative Branch Offering; Infosys Finacle and HDFC awarded for

Excellence in Mass Affluent Banking; Infosys Finacle and South Indian Bank awarded for Best CSR Initiative - Environmental Impact; Infosys Finacle and Suryoday Bank awarded for Best Core Banking System Initiative

Excellence in Mass Affluent Banking; Infosys Finacle and South Indian Bank awarded for Best CSR Initiative - Environmental Impact; Infosys Finacle and Suryoday Bank awarded for Best Core Banking System Initiative Infosys BPM and T-Mobile won the SSON North America Impact Award 2024, in the Creative Talent Management category

Infosys BPM recognized at the ISG Digital Case Study Research and Awards 2023 with 3 STANDOUT winners: Banking and Financial Services (India), Communications (Asia Pacific), Retail (UK, Ireland, Scandinavia)

Infosys BPM won the Best Workplace Diversity Award, at HR Tech Summit & Awards 2024

About Infosys

Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. Over 300,000 of our people work to amplify human potential and create the next opportunity for people, businesses and communities. We enable clients in more than 56 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer clients, as they navigate their digital transformation powered by the cloud. We enable them with an AI-powered core, empower the business with agile digital at scale and drive continuous improvement with always-on learning through the transfer of digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. We are deeply committed to being a well-governed, environmentally sustainable organization where diverse talent thrives in an inclusive workplace.

Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next.

Safe Harbor

Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, our future financial or operating performance, and the McCamish cybersecurity incident review and notification process are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding the execution of our business strategy, our ability to attract and retain personnel, our ability to effectively implement a hybrid working model, macro-economic and geo-political situations, technological innovations such as Generative AI, the complex and evolving regulatory landscape including immigration regulation changes, onerous terms and conditions in customer contracts, our ESG vision, our capital allocation policy and expectations concerning our market position, future operations, margins, profitability, liquidity, capital resources, our corporate actions including acquisitions, the findings of the ongoing review of the extent and nature of accessed or exfiltrated data in relation to the McCamish cybersecurity incident and reaction to such findings, the timing of the review and notification process, and the amount of any additional costs, including indemnities or damages / claims, resulting from the incident. Important factors that may cause actual results or outcomes to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements are discussed in more detail in our US Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law.

Infosys Limited and subsidiaries Extracted from the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet under IFRS as at: (Dollars in millions)









March 31, 2024 March 31, 2023 ASSETS



Current assets



Cash and cash equivalents 1,773 1,481 Current investments 1,548 841 Trade receivables 3,620 3,094 Unbilled revenue 1,531 1,861 Other Current assets 2,250 1,349 Total current assets 10,722 8,626 Non-current assets



Property, plant and equipment and Right-of-use assets 2,323 2,516 Goodwill and other Intangible assets 1,042 1,095 Non-current investments 1,404 1,530 Unbilled revenue 213 176 Other non-current assets 819 1,369 Total non-current assets 5,801 6,686 Total assets 16,523 15,312 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY



Current liabilities



Trade payables 474 470 Unearned revenue 880 872 Employee benefit obligations 314 292 Other current liabilities and provisions 2,983 3,135 Total current liabilities 4,651 4,769 Non-current liabilities



Lease liabilities 767 859 Other non-current liabilities 500 460 Total non-current liabilities 1,267 1,319 Total liabilities 5,918 6,088 Total equity attributable to equity holders of the company 10,559 9,172 Non-controlling interests 46 52 Total equity 10,605 9,224 Total liabilities and equity 16,523 15,312

Extracted from the Condensed Consolidated statement of Comprehensive Income under IFRS for: (Dollars in millions except per equity share data)



3 months ended

March 31, 2024 3 months ended

March 31, 2023 Year ended

March 31, 2024 Year ended

March 31, 2023 Revenues 4,564 4,554 18,562 18,212 Cost of sales 3,219 3,164 12,975 12,709 Gross profit 1,345 1,390 5,587 5,503 Operating expenses:







Selling and marketing expenses 209 202 842 776 Administrative expenses 219 231 911 902 Total operating expenses 428 433 1,753 1,678 Operating profit 917 957 3,834 3,825 Other income, net (3) 315 72 512 300 Profit before income taxes 1,232 1,029 4,346 4,125 Income tax expense 273 284 1,177 1,142 Net profit (before minority interest) 959 745 3,169 2,983 Net profit (after minority interest) 958 744 3,167 2,981 Basic EPS ($) (4) 0.23 0.18 0.77 0.71 Diluted EPS ($) (4) 0.23 0.18 0.76 0.71

NOTES :

The above information is extracted from the audited condensed consolidated Balance sheet and Statement of Comprehensive Income for the quarter and year ended March 31, 2024, which have been taken on record at the Board meeting held on April 18, 2024. A Fact Sheet providing the operating metrics of the Company can be downloaded from www.infosys.com. Other income is net of Finance Cost. Includes interest income (pre-tax) of $232Mn and reversal of net tax provisions amounting to $5Mn on account of orders received under sections 250 & 254 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, from the Income Tax Authorities in India for certain assessment years. This has resulted in a positive impact on the consolidated Basic and Diluted EPS by approximately $0.06 for the quarter and year ended March 31, 2024. As the quarter and year ended figures are taken from the source and rounded to the nearest digits, the quarter figures in this statement added up to the figures reported for the previous quarters might not always add up to the year ended figures reported in this statement.

IFRS-INR Press Release: https://www.infosys.com/investors/reports-filings/quarterly-results/2023-2024/q4/documents/ifrs-inr-press-release.pdf

Fact sheet: https://www.infosys.com/investors/reports-filings/quarterly-results/2023-2024/q4/documents/fact-sheet.pdf

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Melting Point Solutions has grown to become a trusted player in the lower middle market for secondary LP sales. After advising on over $8 billion of secondary transactions for over 200 discrete clients in the past decade, Melting Point remains bullish about the prospects for the secondary market in LP interests for the foreseeable future.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Melting Point Solutions, a boutique secondary market advisory firm, has released a report, Ten Years - Reflections, Review and Prognosis, to mark the 10-year anniversary of its founding. The report can be found HERE.

Since its inception in April 2014, Melting Point has advised on the secondary market sale of over 1,400 interests in alternative investment funds for over 200 discrete clients, many of them on a repeat basis. With a singular focus on secondary market advisory, Melting Point is focused on LP-led liquidity solutions. With its auction-based price discovery process, Melting Point has designed its price-maximizing approach to be as frictionless as possible to its clients. As a result, Melting Point has grown to become a dominant player in the lower middle market for secondary LP sales.

Raphael Haas, Founder and CEO, said, "Much has changed in the secondary market over the last decade and through our continual process improvement, a conflict-free business model aligned completely with our clients, and a culture of excellence, we have advised on over $8 billion of transactions since inception. While our average transaction size is now nearly 7 times larger than it was in 2014, we do not deviate from our objective of achieving the best outcome for our clients, regardless of size or type. We are grateful to have been entrusted by so many owners and managers of portfolios of LP interests."

Jose Dios, Managing Director & Head of the New York Office added, "The secondary market demand for most LP interests has never been more robust and, with a particular focus on the lower and middle market, Melting Point provides an efficient and price-maximizing access point for sellers of all sizes."

About Melting Point Solutions:

With offices in San Francisco and New York, Melting Point Solutions is a secondary market advisory firm that provides anonymous, efficient, and transparent liquidity solutions for owners and managers of interests in alternative investment funds. Melting Point is led by a senior team with collectively over 100 years of private markets experience. To learn more about Melting Point, please visit www.MeltingPointSolutions.com.

All securities transactions undertaken by Melting Point are conducted solely through Kidron Capital Securities LLC, Member FINRA, SIPC. Melting Point Solutions personnel are registered representatives of Kidron Capital.

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Strategic partnership with AV integrator pays big dividends in cost savings, workplace efficiency, data security, and improved public services for booming Arizona town.

MESA, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / The Town of Gilbert, home to a quarter-million people in the Phoenix metropolitan area, hired Level 3 Audiovisual for a single project in 2016. Nearly eight years later, that contract has grown into a thriving partnership that has helped the town address a multitude of challenges, highlighting the benefits that a strategic partner relationship can provide.









Level 3 Audiovisual has been a leading AV systems integrator and solutions provider for nearly three decades, with more than 2,000 major projects completed in 22 countries, with clients as diverse as JP Morgan Chase Bank, Amex, Department of Defense, Kia, Micron, New York Life, and Mayo Clinic.

The Town of Gilbert is dealing with the ripple effects of a challenge common to Sun Belt cities: rapid population growth, which places stress on outdated technology infrastructure and creates inefficiencies in municipal employees' work.

Recently, Level 3 Audiovisual collaborated with the Town of Gilbert team to modernize their Municipal Council Chambers. Following the successful completion of the contract, officials recognized the company's potential to address broader system-wide challenges.

Sasan Poureetezadi, Gilbert's Chief Technology Officer, expressed, "Gilbert is a vibrant and innovative municipality that has experienced rapid growth. Partnering with Level 3 Audiovisual to modernize and integrate our AV environment has allowed us to achieve critical objectives outlined in our IT Roadmap. It has also transformed the way we engage and communicate with our community, staff, and business partners."

To achieve these goals, Gilbert engaged Level 3 Audiovisual as its primary AV vendor. As an Arizona state contract vendor, Level 3 Audiovisual holds certification to deliver expert AV integrations and installations to a diverse range of government entities, ensuring optimal AV solutions for government that align with their unique needs and requirements.

"At Level 3 Audiovisual, we take pride in surpassing the typical role of an AV vendor. Our mission extends beyond technology; it's about empowering clients to achieve their goals. We strategically plan for the future, consistently deliver quality, enhance user experiences, and realize cost savings. Transformative partnerships are at the core of what we do," said Jeff Bethke, Level 3 Audiovisual's Chief Business Officer.

This strategic partnership established Level 3 Audiovisual as the town's supplier of AV equipment, such as video conferencing systems, live streaming capabilities, control rooms, wireless presentation, digital signage, and direct view LED video walls, and as the provider of AV services and support contracts.

In the short term, the partnership provided the Town of Gilbert with expertise in selecting and purchasing the AV infrastructure best suited to its programmatic needs and budget constraints, typically the greatest barrier for government bodies seeking to implement improvements.

It also gave the Town of Gilbert an expert technology support team, essential for maximizing employees' workflow and preventing deterioration and early replacement of expensive AV equipment.

Both can pay significant financial dividends. A recent study from the U.S. Government Accountability Office reported that the 10 legacy technology systems needing modernization cost taxpayers $337 million a year to operate and maintain compared to newer systems being much less expensive to manage.

However, a relationship with an experienced firm as a preferred vendor can have longer-term benefits as well.

Level 3 Audiovisual is strengthening its partnership with the Town of Gilbert by maintaining a robust support contract. Using their advanced Network Operations Center (NOC), they actively monitor AV systems, addressing issues oftentimes before they impact the client. Their remote access tool is top-notch and SOC2 compliant, ensuring added security. For the Town of Gilbert and others, this translates to the assurance that your systems will function when you need them to.

AV systems are a well-known choke point for workplace efficiency. New research from Grammarly reveals from respondents that nearly three in four business leaders (72%) say their team struggled with communicating effectively over the last year, and most business leaders (82%) and employees (59%) are concerned about effective communication with remote or hybrid working models in the future. Leaders estimate teams lose the equivalent of nearly an entire workday (7.47 hours) each week to poor communication-or approximately $12,506 per employee every year. The study estimates up to a $1.2 trillion annual loss among businesses due to inefficiencies.

The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) advises that efficient and modern technology is crucial for government entities to provide quality services to citizens. AV systems can improve citizens' experience with the government, from digital signage and video walls that provide easy access to timely information, video conferencing, and livestreaming that connects citizens to officials. Better experiences with their government can generate more public support from citizens and constituents.

AV solutions also allow government agencies to connect more effectively with each other and afford collaboration that can improve services, enhance safety and security, and more.

"Level 3 Audiovisual is proud to stand by the Town of Gilbert, offering comprehensive support that goes beyond mere technology. Our commitment extends to ensuring operational reliability through proactive monitoring and secure remote access tools, empowering Gilbert to focus fully on its mission of serving the community with confidence and efficiency," said Jeff Bethke, Level 3 Audiovisual's Chief Business Officer.

For more information, please visit https://level3av.com/government-av-solutions

About Level 3 Audiovisual:

Level 3 Audiovisual is a global AV services leader with a mission: to help individuals and organizations reach their greatest potential. Its dedication to this mission is exemplified by being one of only four AV9000 quality management system-certified companies in the world. Its offerings include the design, deployment, and support of audiovisual systems as well as AV-as-a-Service (AVaaS), which allows customers to subscribe to meeting spaces or classrooms and forget about maintenance, upgrades, and support. For global organizations, it offers its proprietary Enterprise Program Management (EPM) solution, a managed service purpose-built to define and augment a global enterprise's audiovisual and meeting room program, focused specifically on centralized management of the architecture, deployment, and continued success of meeting room systems. As a thought leader in the industry, Level 3 Audiovisual continues to push the boundaries of AV/IT and offer increasing value for its customers while also sharing its knowledge with its peers.

Contact Information

Maria Penaloza

maria.penaloza@newswire.com

SOURCE: Level 3 Audiovisual

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Chili, Sichuan peppers fuel Tianshui malatang's unique flavor

People's Daily Online) 15:13, April 18, 2024

Tianshui malatang, the numbing-spicy hotpot from Tianshui city in northwest China's Gansu Province, has quickly gained popularity this spring. The secret behind its unique flavor lies in the combination of chili pepper and Sichuan pepper.

Photo shows chilis produced in Gangu county, northwest Chinas Gansu Province. (Photo provided to People's Daily Online)

The iconic dish typically includes hand-pulled noodles and a variety of vegetables. The preparation begins by blanching the selected assortment of vegetables in the broth. Seasonings such as salt, peppercorn powder, and garlic are then added, along with a ladle of the broth. A few spoonfuls of hot chili oil, primarily made from dried chili peppers from Gangu county in Tianshui, are poured over the dish, and everything is stirred together. The aromatic chili oil is delicious without being overpowering. The final touch involves topping the dish with chopped scallions, cilantro, and crushed peanuts, creating an irresistible temptation.

Gansu's abundant Sichuan pepper resources guarantee the flavor of the numbing-spicy hotpot. In 2022, Gansu was home to nearly 2.49 million mu (166,000 hectares) of land planted with Sichuan peppers, yielding 74,800 tonnes of the spice.

Photo shows Sichuan pepper trees in Gangu county, northwest Chinas Gansu Province. (Photo provided to People's Daily Online)

Gangu, situated in southeastern Gansu, is a prime location for vegetable production due to its abundant sunlight, fertile soil, and significant daily temperature variation. The county also serves as one of the largest distribution hubs for Sichuan peppers in southeast Gansu, with an annual trade volume of 20,000 tonnes. Additionally, high-quality Sichuan peppers are extensively cultivated in various regions, including Wudu district of Longnan city, as well as Maiji district and Qin'an county in Tianshui.

In 2023, Gangu's total cultivation area for chili peppers reached 56,000 mu, resulting in an annual production of 130,600 tonnes and an output value of 369 million yuan ($51 million).

Photo shows chili oil and malatang. (Photo provided to People's Daily Online)

Since early autumn, the sight of drying chili peppers and Sichuan peppers in front of houses has created a unique landscape across Gangu. While Sichuan peppers are spread out and sun-dried directly on the ground, chili peppers are meticulously strung together on ropes and hung on racks that can reach up to 3 meters in height. Each string of fresh chili peppers can measure an impressive 2 meters in length and weigh over 20 kilograms.

Photo shows a chili pepper growing area in Gangu county, northwest Chinas Gansu Province. (Photo provided to People's Daily Online)

In the past, the process of grinding chili peppers into powder relied heavily on manual labor, utilizing traditional tools such as stone mortars and stone mills. However, with the advent of modern technology, the integration of mechanization and traditional methods has significantly improved processing efficiency while maintaining the quality and flavor of the chili powder.

The explosive popularity of Tianshui malatang has profoundly impacted sales of chili pepper powder and Sichuan peppers. The peak daily sales volume of chili pepper products from Gangu has skyrocketed to 17,200 kilograms. Similarly, demand for Gangu's Sichuan peppers has soared, with daily sales ranging from 25,000 to 30,000 kilograms.

Photo shows chilis produced in Gangu county, northwest Chinas Gansu Province. (Photo provided to People's Daily Online)

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
CHICAGO, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Market in terms of revenue was estimated to be worth $92.0 billion in 2024 and is poised to reach $126.2 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2024 to 2029 according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets.

Globally, the growing burden of chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, the rising incidence of ESRD globally are anticipated to accelerate the demand for renal care, further propelling the adoption of hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis products and services. Moreover, the rising advancements in dialysis machines, development of biocompatible dialysis membranes, dialysis fluid, and portable & home based dialysis equipment are likely to fuel the market growth. Moreover, the increasing investments for new product development and growing adoption of home dialysis modality owing to its advantages over in center dialysis treatment modality are expected to support the hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis market growth during the forecast period.

Download an Illustrative overview: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=1279

Browse in-depth TOC on "Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Market"

150 - Tables

65 - Figures

350 - Pages

Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Market Scope:

Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2024 $92.0 billion Estimated Value by 2029 $126.2 billion Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 6.5% Market Size Available for 2022-2029 Forecast Period 2024-2029 Forecast Units Value (USD Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered Product and Services, Disease Indication, End user, and Region Geographies Covered North America (US & Canada), Europe (Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Spain, and RoE), APAC (Japan, China, Australia, South Korea India, and the RoAPAC), LATAM (Brazil, Mexico, and RoLATAM), and MEA (GCC Countries, RoMEA) Report Highlights Updated financial information / product portfolio of players Key Market Opportunities High growth potential of emerging markets Key Market Drivers Rising prevalence of chronic kidney disease globally

Vascular complication associated with dialysis procedures and lack of well established reimbursement and coverage for dialysis in many economic countries, reducing the affordability of dialysis treatment among patients with kidney diseases are likely to hamper the growth of hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis market.

The hemodialysis services segment, by hemodialysis products and services, is expected to register the largest market share of the global hemodialysis market in 2023.

The hemodialysis market is segmented based on product and service. Hemodialysis products include hemodialysis machines and hemodialysis consumables & supplies, whereas hemodialysis services include in-center services and home services. The hemodialysis services segment is anticipated to grow at significant rate during the forecast period. This is attributed to the increasing utilization of in-center and home hemodialysis services among ESRD patients and the rising number of hemodialysis services providers with strong focus on expanding their hemodialysis services. In March 20254, DaVita Inc., a hemodialysis service provider announced the expansion of its international operation across Latin America.

"The APAC market, by region, to register highest growth rate in the forecast period."

On the basis of region, the hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Latin America, Middle East & Africa. The Asia-Pacific market is likely to witness significant market growth. This is attributed to the rise in geriatric patient population, increasing cases of chronic kidney diseases, moreover, improving healthcare infrastructure and the implementation of supportive government initiatives to increase the accessibility of dialysis services in many APAC countries such as India and China. The geographical expansion of key players, and emergence of many local players in the region are likely to support growth of the hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis market in Asia Pacific.

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Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Market Dynamics:

Drivers:

Rising prevalence of chronic kidney disease globally

Restraints:

Complications linked with dialysis procedures

Opportunities:

High growth potential of emerging markets

Challenge:

Product Recall

Key Market Players of Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Industry:

As of 2023, prominent players in the patient monitoring market are Medtronic (Ireland), Nihon Kohden Corporation (Japan), Mindray Medical International Ltd. (China), GE Healthcare (US), Abbott Laboratories (US) and Boston Scientific Corporation (US), among others.

A breakdown of the primary participants referred to for this report is provided below:

By Company Type: Tier 1-25%, Tier 2-30%, and Tier 3- 45%

By Designation: C-level-26%, Director-level-30%, and Others-44%

By Region: North America-40%, Europe-31%, Asia Pacific-20%, Latin America-6%, and the Middle East & Africa-3%

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Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Market - Key Benefits of Buying the Report:

The report will enable established firms as well as entrants/smaller firms to gauge the pulse of the market, which, in turn, would help them to garner a larger market share. Firms purchasing the report could use one or a combination of the below-mentioned strategies for strengthening their market presence.

This report provides insights on the following pointers:

Analysis of Key divers (increasing number of ESRD patients, technological advancement in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis equipment, growing prevalence of diabetes and hypertension), restraints (high cost of hemodialysis treatment, reimbursement concerns in emerging countries, complication associated with dialysis procedure), Opportunities (emerging markets, gradual shift towards home hemodialysis), Challenge (Product recall)

Market Penetration: Comprehensive information on the product portfolios offered by the top players in the hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis market

Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights on the upcoming trends, R&D activities, and product launches in the hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis market

Market Development: Comprehensive information on lucrative emerging regions

Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new products, growing geographies, and recent developments in the hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis market

Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of market segments, growth strategies, revenue analysis, and products of the leading market players.

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Top 10 Medical Device Technologies Market - Global Forecasts to 2027

Medical Supplies Market - Global Forecasts to 2027

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Mentor Securities, LLC, a preeminent middle market investment bank, is pleased to announce that it's client, Hofmann Sausage Company LLC and its high-profile ownership group led by the Oneida Indian Nation, ("Hofmann"), headquartered in Syracuse, NY, was acquired by Miami Beef Company Inc. ("Miami Beef"). "Led by Davis Blaine and Eric Klein, Mentor was invaluable in finding the ultimate buyer and meeting our required terms," the former Chairman of Hofmann's Board of Directors, Ray Halbritter, said about working with the Mentor Securities investment banking team.

Founded in 1879 in Syracuse, New York, Hofmann is the leading sausage and hot dog brand in the Central New York area. Hofmann's product portfolio includes beef and pork franks, Smoked Sausage, Bratwursts, Beef Jerky, and Condiments. Hofmann is joining Miami Beef's growing family of brands.

Robert Young, CEO of Miami Beef, said, "We are thrilled to welcome Hofmann to the Miami Beef family. Hofmann has a meaningful heritage and deep connection to its loyal customers, employees, and community, which we plan to continue serving through investment in its facilities in Syracuse. We are excited to add hot dogs and sausages to our high-quality hamburger offerings to give our customers the full grilling experience. Our plan is to turbo-charge the growth of Hofmann's footprint throughout the country and continue to look for complementary brands to acquire."

To view selected transactions completed by Mentor Securities, click on the image above.

About Miami Beef

Since 1972, Miami Beef has been an industry leader in providing quality fresh and frozen meat products to retail and foodservice customers nationwide. Miami Beef brands, including Miami Beef, Free Graze, Florida Raised, Sizzle King, Young Ridge, Brooklyn Burger, Devault Foods and Hofmann Sausage, are produced out of their South Florida and Central New York-based facilities.

About Trivest

Trivest Partners, with offices in Miami, Charlotte, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Toronto, is a private investment firm that focuses exclusively on the support and growth of founder-led and family-owned businesses in the U.S. and Canada, in both control and non-control transactions. Since its founding in 1981, Trivest has completed more than 500 investments, totaling approximately $8 billion in value. The firm has roughly $4.5 billion in assets under management, with a growing team of 70 professionals. https://www.trivest.com/our-private-equity-portfolio/

About Mentor Securities, LLC

Mentor Securities, LLC is a preeminent investment bank dedicated to providing middle-market companies with the highest-quality, step-by-step advice to maximize value and experience a successful transaction. One strength is our unique team's unique backgrounds. Our professionals come from accounting and law firms, and various management, executive and operational roles in numerous industries.

Between our investment banking and valuation practices, our firm has completed thousands of assignments resulting in the exchange of multi-billions of dollars. Our firm typically engages sell-side companies with revenues from $15 million to $300 million. In addition, we also engage private equity firms, family offices and strategic acquirers with targeted add-on and platform searches.

Related links to the transaction:

Miami company acquires Syracuse's Hofmann Sausage Company (localsyr.com)

Syracuse, New York's Hofmann Sausage Acquired by Miami Beef Co. | Food Processing

Miami Beef acquires Hofmann Sausage Co. | MEAT+POULTRY

Mergers & Acquisitions | Corporate Finance | Corporate Advisory Services | Business & IP Valuations

Securities through Mentor Securities LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC.

Mentor Securities LLC

200 N. Westlake Blvd., Suite 204

Westlake Village CA 91362

818.991.4150 | www.mentorsecurities.com

For inquiries on this transaction or investment banking and valuation services contact:

Eric Klein Davis Blaine Senior Managing Director Chairman 310.651.9941 818.597.3559 eklein@mentorsecurities.com dblaine@mentorsecurities.com

SOURCE: Mentor Securities LLC

View the original press release on accesswire.com
The BI survey indicates that 42% of buyers likely to opt for EVs for their next purchase

Charging obstacles and affordability remain the largest hurdles to incremental adoption of battery EVs, albeit temporarily

BI expects US Battery EV penetration to reach 25% by 2030

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Bloomberg

Originally published on bloomberg.com

Electric Vehicles (EVs) continue to pick up major traction in the US, with adoption continuing to accelerate even amidst growing challenges with charging infrastructure and overall affordability. A new survey from Bloomberg Intelligence (BI) found that despite these hurdles to growth, US battery electric vehicles (BEV) penetration is likely to reach 25% by the end of the decade.

The survey, conducted with 1,000 prospective auto purchasers, found that 42% of respondents were considering purchasing an electrified vehicle as their next car, with 23% opting for hybrid electric vehicles, in contrast to the current 7% penetration in hybrid electric vehicles. 9% of those surveyed favoring battery EVs, which is higher than the 7% battery EVs penetration last year.

BI's research shows that prospective auto purchasers who already own an electrified vehicle are incredibly loyal to BEVs, with the report finding that 93% would stick with their current powertrain for their next purchase, compared to 34% of gasoline vehicle owners who are deciding to opt for an electric car. Fuel-type stickiness suggests that EV penetration is unlikely to reverse course as the benefits to an electric vehicle could continue to outweigh costs to current owners; and this continuous preference for EVs is consistent across HEV, PHEV, and BEV owner segments.

Steve Man, Global Lead Director for Auto & Industrial Market Research at Bloomberg Intelligence and the lead author of this report said: "We're continuing to witness a profound penetration of BEVs in the US auto market, which promises to reach 25% by the end of this decade. Tesla, GM and Stellantis' slew of affordable EV models, set for debut by 2026, may tap more mass-market buyers. Despite this, the market still has a long way to go to mature, with charging network inadequacy, range anxiety and extended charging wait times topping the list of concerns for all car buyers. China, a country with a 23% BEV penetration, has an average charge point per BEV almost 5 times higher than the U.S., signaling a critical need for charging infrastructure development in the country to bolster the technology's penetration in the US auto market."

Tesla still maintains an 87% brand retention rate, outperforming two non-electric automakers at 67% with Lexus and 54% at Toyota. 81% of prospective Tesla buyers are new customers switching from competing EV brands compared to 42% of Nissan's prospective buyers.

Traditional driving preferences and trust in technology is slowing down wide adoption of Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS). Close to 80% of potential users, who would opt out of autopilot technology, remain skeptical about the reliance and safety of self-driving systems. Consumer preference for the fun of driving and a sense of being in control also rank highly in resistance to ADAS.

BI's survey on auto-buying intentions in United States was carried out on Mar. 18-25, using the Attest platform. The target audience of 1,000 adults was selected using criteria specified by BI to reflect a nationally representative sample of geography and gender. Respondents qualified if they were planning to buy or lease a brand new car in the next year. The survey's confidence interval is 99% and margin of error 5%.

The full 2024 US Auto Electrification Survey will be available to Bloomberg Terminal subscribers who can access the report via {BI}.

Contact

Oktavia Catsaros

Bloomberg Intelligence

ocatsaros@bloomberg.net



About Bloomberg Intelligence

Bloomberg Intelligence (BI) research delivers an independent perspective providing interactive data and investment research on over 2,000 companies, 135 industries and all global markets. Our team of over 400 research professionals help our clients make decisions with confidence in the rapidly moving investment landscape. BI analysis is backed by live, transparent data from Bloomberg and more than 600 third-party data contributors that clients can use to refine and support their ideas. Bloomberg Intelligence is available exclusively on the Bloomberg Terminal and the Bloomberg Professional App. Visit us at https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/product/bloomberg-intelligence/ or request a demo.

Disclaimer

The data included in these materials are for illustrative purposes only. The BLOOMBERG TERMINAL service and Bloomberg data products (the "Services") are owned and distributed by Bloomberg Finance L.P. ("BFLP") except (i) in Argentina, Australia and certain jurisdictions in the Pacific Islands, Bermuda, China, India, Japan, Korea and New Zealand, where Bloomberg L.P. and its subsidiaries ("BLP") distribute these products, and (ii) in Singapore and the jurisdictions serviced by Bloomberg's Singapore office, where a subsidiary of BFLP distributes these products. BLP provides BFLP and its subsidiaries with global marketing and operational support and service. Certain features, functions, products and services are available only to sophisticated investors and only where permitted. BFLP, BLP and their affiliates do not guarantee the accuracy of prices or other information in the Services. Nothing in the Services shall constitute or be construed as an offering of financial instruments by BFLP, BLP or their affiliates, or as investment advice or recommendations by BFLP, BLP or their affiliates of an investment strategy or whether or not to "buy", "sell" or "hold" an investment. Information available via the Services should not be considered as information sufficient upon which to base an investment decision. The following are trademarks and service marks of BFLP, a Delaware limited partnership, or its subsidiaries: BLOOMBERG, BLOOMBERG ANYWHERE, BLOOMBERG MARKETS, BLOOMBERG NEWS, BLOOMBERG PROFESSIONAL, BLOOMBERG TERMINAL and BLOOMBERG.COM. Absence of any trademark or service mark from this list does not waive Bloomberg's intellectual property rights in that name, mark or logo. All rights reserved.  2024 Bloomberg.

Bloomberg Intelligence is a service provided by Bloomberg Finance L.P. and its affiliates. Bloomberg Intelligence likewise shall not constitute, nor be construed as, investment advice or investment recommendations, or as information sufficient upon which to base an investment decision. The Bloomberg Intelligence function, and the information provided by Bloomberg Intelligence, is impersonal and is not based on the consideration of any customer's individual circumstances. You should determine on your own whether you agree with Bloomberg Intelligence.

Bloomberg Intelligence Credit and Company research is offered only in certain jurisdictions. Bloomberg Intelligence should not be construed as tax or accounting advice or as a service designed to facilitate any Bloomberg Intelligence subscriber's compliance with its tax, accounting, or other legal obligations. Employees involved in Bloomberg Intelligence may hold positions in the securities analyzed or discussed on Bloomberg Intelligence.

Figure One: Survey Findings - Brand Retention (%)

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Bloomberg on 3blmedia.com.

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SOURCE: Bloomberg

View the original press release on accesswire.com
The Brandies Awards Celebrate Excellence in Brand Design, Campaigns, Rebrands and Brand Management Software

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / IntelligenceBank, the platform that empowers global marketing teams to go to market faster, maintain brand integrity across channels and maintain legal compliance, is pleased to announce open entries for the 2024 Brandies.





IntelligenceBank Brandies 2024





Once again, the Brandies will celebrate the brilliant brand work produced by marketing and brand heroes worldwide. Past winners included marketing teams from Univar, The Australian Grand Prix Corporation, HealthComp, Luminis Health, Medibank, National Australia Bank and many others.

Categories for the 2024 brand marketing awards series are as follows:

Best Brand Campaign

This category will celebrate campaigns that effectively emphasize the company's brand identity, core message or story. Competitive entries will be driven by a specific goal to improve brand equity, awareness or another result.

Best Rebrand or Brand Update

This brand award category will recognize excellence in either a comprehensive overhaul in identity or a significant update in market positioning, brand relevance or emotional resonance. Competitive entries will be able to tell a concise and compelling story about what prompted the decision to execute the changes and any perceived qualitative or quantitative feedback.

Best Agency-Created Brand Design

Design agency work is often unheralded, and this award category will herald superb brand identity design and positioning work done with clear audiences and objectives in mind.

Best Brand Portal Design and Execution

Brand portals are increasingly essential to helping companies ensure brand compliance across company and partner initiatives. This award category will seek out excellence in brand portal design, using evocative imagery representative of core brand identity. In addition, Brandies winners and finalists will provide evidence of outstanding UX and innovative use cases that truly enable internal and external partners.

Entries can be submitted at https://intelligencebank.com/the-brandies/.

"There's so much great brand work out there, yet not enough recognition," said IntelligenceBank CEO Tessa Court. "The Brandies celebrate the inspiration and the perspiration - the strategists, the ideators and the facilitators."

Entries will be accepted until midnight PDT on May 31, 2024.

About IntelligenceBank

IntelligenceBank is the leading digital asset management, brand portal and marketing operations platform. Used by over 800,000+ users in 55 countries, IntelligenceBank employs AI and automation to ensure brands reach the market quickly, maintain brand consistency and adhere to regulatory compliance. Enterprise customers include Hyatt, Hertz, ING and KFC, with offices located in the United States, Canada and Australia.

For media inquiries, please contact marketingteam@intelligencebank.com.

Contact Information

William Tyree

Chief Marketing Officer

marketing@intelligencebank.com

SOURCE: IntelligenceBank

View the original press release on newswire.com.
TORONTO, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Class 1 Nickel and Technologies Ltd. (CSE: NICO | OTCQB: NICLF) ("Class 1 Nickel" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Caracle Creek Chile SpA ("Caracle") and their strategic partner Atticus Geoscience Consulting Ltd. ("Atticus") (together the "Consultants") have completed the first stage of a comprehensive independent review of both the Alexo-Dundonald and Somanike nickel projects. Work is near-complete on the delivery of an updated Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") for the Alexo South Nickel Deposit, one of 4 nickel deposits on the Alexo-Dundonald Project (the "Project"), located about 45 km northeast of the City of Timmins, Ontario and covering approximately 1,895 hectares (18.95 km2). Updates to the other 3 nickel mineral resources contained within the Project will be completed over the coming months.



To date, the Consultants have made significant progress with the Alexo-Dundonald Project:

Geological database compilation (>120,000 m of drilling), review, and validation program.

Completion of the Company's first comprehensive 3D geological model (lithology, mineralization, structure, alteration and metal domains) and detailed interpretation at Alexo South.

Targeting for resource expansion at Alexo South as part of the updated MRE.

Targeting for resource expansion at Alexo North initiated.

Updated mineral resource estimate for Alexo South, inclusive of results from the 2021 diamond drilling program, pending release.

Design and optimization of a new pit shell at Alexo South, forming part of the updated MRE.

Environmental and permitting requirements, initially focusing on Alexo South and Alexo North, are being reviewed with an aim toward evaluating the return to small-scale nickel production.

Updated mineral resource estimates for Alexo North, Dundonald South and Dundonald North are underway.

Targeting and planning for next drilling programs at Alexo South, Alexo North, Dundonald South and Dundonald North.

Property-wide target generation and drill hole planning outside of the four known deposit areas.

Drill hole planning to target and develop large-tonnage, low-grade nickel deposits ("Crawford-type" deposits) on the Project.



A summary of the work completed on the Class 1 nickel sulphide projects can be found in the 13 December 2023 news release.

David Fitch, CEO of Class 1 Nickel, commented: "We are very pleased to now have a completely updated and third party verified database of our existing resources. The Company now looks forward to publishing the new Mineral Resource Estimates for each of the 4 deposits from the Alexo Dundonald Project, starting with Alexo South."

The primary objectives of the Company are to expand known mineralization and resources at its 4 existing magmatic nickel sulphide deposits within the Alexo-Dundonald Nickel Project. Furthermore, the Company will be launching an exploration program to examine the as yet underexplored areas of the Project including the numerous nickel sulphide occurrences that exist outside of the known deposit areas. Much of this exploration will be guided by recently completed airborne geophysics and historical drilling, with new ground geophysics and remote sensing surveys being planned.

In addition to the high-grade nickel sulphide (>1.0% Ni) potential we see at Alexo-Dundonald, immense potential exists to target and develop large tonnage, low-grade komatiite-hosted deposits such as those being developed in the Timmins area by Canada Nickel Company (Crawford Project), EV Nickel Inc. (CarLang A Deposit) and Aston Minerals Limited (Boomerang Project). The Company is currently planning a targeted diamond drilling program to outline this deposit type within the Alexo-Dundonald Project.

This two-pronged approach - develop "traditional" high-grade nickel sulphide resources and in parallel large-tonnage, low grade nickel deposits - brings together the best of both nickel deposit types which are actively and aggressively being explored for and developed within the Timmins Mining Camp.

Alexo-Dundonald Nickel Project

The Alexo-Dundonald Nickel Project ("A-D Project"), is located about 45 km northeast of the City of Timmins, Ontario, covers an area of approximately 1,895 hectares (18.95 km2), and was acquired by the Company in September 2018. The A-D Project includes four foundation nickel deposits (Alexo North and South and Dundonald North and South) of which the Alexo North and Alexo South (aka Kelex) were small-scale past producers of nickel (i.e., 1957; 2004-2005). The deposits are located on a near-continuous folded komatiite-ultramafic rock sequence that extends for at least 14 km within the Property. The four mineral resources (Tables 1 and 2) are open at depth and along strike and could increase in size with additional drilling.

The current Mineral Resource Estimates (Tables 1 and 2) were prepared by Yungang Wu (P.Geo.) and Eugene Puritch (P.Eng., FEC, CET) of P&E Mining Consultants Inc, both Independent Qualified Persons as defined by NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

For more information, please refer to the current NI 43-101 Technical Report and Mineral Resource Estimates on the Alexo-Dundonald Nickel Project (Stone et al., 2020) posted to the Company's SEDAR+ profile on 17 December 2020.

Table 1. Summary of 2020 Alexo-Dundonald Mineral Resource Estimates as combined from the 4 deposits.

ALEXO-DUNDONALD GLOBAL MINERAL RESOURCE ESTIMATE(1-9) Classification Tonnes (M) Ni (%) Cu (%) Co (%) Contained Ni Mlb Contained Cu Mlb Contained Co Mlb Pit-Constrained & Out-of-Pit Indicated 1.25 0.99 0.04 0.02 27.35 1.00 0.66 Out-of-Pit Inferred 2.01 1.01 0.03 0.02 44.51 1.29 0.89

Table 2. Pit-Constrained and Out-of-Pit (Underground) Mineral Resource Estimates from the 4 deposits (2020).

ALEXO-DUNDONALD MINERAL RESOURCE ESTIMATE(1-9) Scenario Classification Cut-off NSR (C$/t) Tonnes (k) Ni

(%) Ni (Mlb) Cu

(%) Cu (Mlb) Co (%) CO

(Mlb) Pit-Constrained Indicated 30 593.4 0.78 10.22 0.04 0.53 0.03 0.34 Out-of-Pit

Indicated 90 661.0 1.18 17.13 0.03 0.47 0.02 0.32 Inferred 90 2,007.5 1.01 44.51 0.03 1.29 0.02 0.89 Total:

Indicated 30+90 1,254.4 0.99 27.35 0.04 1.00 0.02 0.66 Inferred 90 2,007.5 1.01 44.51 0.03 1.29 0.02 0.89

Notes to Table 1 and Table 2 (Stone et al., 2020):

(1) Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability.

(2) The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues.

(3) The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource could be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration.

(4) The Mineral Resources were estimated following the 2019 CIM Estimation of Mineral Resources & Mineral Reserves Best Practice Guidelines prepared by the CIM Mineral Resource & Mineral Reserve Committee and the 2014 CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources & Mineral Reserves prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions.

(5) The historical open pit mined areas were removed from the MRE.

(6) US$ metal prices of $7.35/lb NI, $3/lb Cu, $20/lb Co, $1,500/oz Au, $900/oz Pt and $1,650/oz Pd were used in the NSR calculation with respective process recoveries of 89%, 90%, 40%, 50%, 50% and 50%.

(7) Pit constrained Mineral Resource NSR cut-off considers ore crushing, transport, processing and general and administration (G&A) costs that respectively combine for a total of ($2 + $6 + $20 + $2) = CAD$30/tonne processed.

(8) Out-of-pit Mineral Resource NSR cut-off considers ore mining, crushing, transport, processing and G&A costs that respectively combine for a total of ($58 + $2 + $6 + $20 + $4) = CAD$90/tonne processed.

(9) The out-of-pit Mineral Resource grade blocks were quantified above the $90/t cut-off, below the constraining pit shell and within the constraining mineralized wireframes. Additionally, only groups of blocks that exhibited continuity and reasonable potential stope geometry were included. All orphaned blocks and narrow strings of blocks were excluded. The long-hole stoping with backfill mining method was assumed for the out-of-pit (underground) Mineral Resource Estimate calculation.

About Class 1 Nickel

Class 1 Nickel and Technologies Limited (CSE: NICO | OTCQB: NICLF) is a Mineral Resources Company focused on the exploration and development of its 100% owned komatiite-hosted nickel sulphide projects: the Alexo-Dundonald Project, neat Timmins, Ontario (4 nickel sulphide deposits) and the Somanike Project, near Val-d'Or, Quebec (includes the historical Marbridge Ni-Cu Mine). Both projects comprise extensive property packages covering past-producing nickel mines, offering near-term production opportunity and excellent exploration upside.

Class 1's current focus is to advance the Alexo-Dundonald Project back into production and at the same time continue brownfield and greenfield exploration on its large property package to aggregate additional nickel resources. The A-D Project sits on a 14+ km strike-length, folded komatiite unit containing several nickel-copper-cobalt and PGE Mineral Resources plus numerous underexplored sulphide occurrences. Decades of successful capital expenditure and investment into the Project has resulted in the discovery and delineation of four main nickel Mineral Resources that occur along the folded komatiite unit. The A-D Project was previously mined (ca. 2005) via a direct shipping model, and the Company will soon commence a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) study to determine the best path forward.

In addition, the Company also holds 100% interest in its River Valley PGE Project located about 65 km northeast of the City of Sudbury, the world's largest and longest operating nickel-copper-cobalt-PGE mining camp. See the Company's 13 December 2023 new release for additional information.

Qualified Person

Technical information and data in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Scott Jobin-Bevans (P.Geo., PGO #0183), a geological consultant to the Company, and a Qualified Person under the definitions established by National Instrument 43-101.

About Class 1 Nickel

Class 1 Nickel and Technologies Limited (CSE: NICO | OTCQB: NICLF) is a Mineral Resources Company focused on the exploration and development of its 100% owned komatiite-hosted Somanike Ni-Cu Sulphide Project in Quebec, which includes the historical Marbridge Ni-Cu Mine. The Company also owns the Alexo-Dundonald Ni-Cu-Co Sulphide Project, a portfolio of komatiite-hosted magmatic sulphide deposits located near Timmins, Ontario.

For more information, please contact:

Mr. David Fitch, President & CEO

T: +61.400.631.608

E: info@class1nickel.com

For additional information please visit our website at www.class1nickel.com and our Twitter feed: @Class1Nickel.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider has reviewed or accepted responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

This news release contains forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information is characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, changes in the state of equity and debt markets, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in obtaining required regulatory or governmental approvals, and other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, including those risks set out in the Company's management's discussion and analysis as filed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on the opinions and assumptions of management considered reasonable as of the date hereof, including that all necessary governmental and regulatory approvals will be received as and when expected. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable securities laws.
With capacity management becoming increasingly important for healthcare providers, HubStar a leader in advanced workplace technology has introduced new AI-powered space management features which accurately measure and optimize hospital capacity.

Heralded as a significant step forward for the industry, HubStar's new approach is designed to meet the increasingly challenging daily operational needs of hospitals and healthcare facilities.

It also meets the industry's growing demand for secure, unified solutions that analyze data to guide strategic decision making.

Existing capacity management systems typically rely solely on one source of data. HubStar's new solution goes much further and uses three planes of data, plus patented AI algorithms, to support better decision making.

This approach provides a clear, unified picture of actual occupancy in real time.

Steve Vatidis, HubStar's Executive Chairman, said: "There is clear recognition that the healthcare sector is not sufficiently optimized. Optimization is especially important for operating theatre scheduling as well as planning and budgeting for current and future capacity."

He added: "HubStar's combination of sensor technology and Wi-fi means healthcare facilities can now track the usage of every office and exam room, and accurately identify high demand and lulls in use."

The launch of HubStar's space management features follows its recent acquisition of Canadian company Relogix, a leading provider of sensors and workspace occupancy intelligence. Healthcare facilities are already using thousands of Relogix's occupancy and people counting sensors to optimize space and improve efficiency.

The data gathered through HubStar and Relogix will empower healthcare organizations to improve the quality of care and deliver a better experience for patients and doctors.

Vatidis said: "The combination of Relogix's industry experience with our new AI-powered solution will completely transform space optimization in healthcare."

For more information, please visit HubStar for Healthcare.

About HubStar

HubStar is a privately held global company with headquarters in Marlborough, Mass and London, UK. The company provides next-generation workplace technology solutions that drive optimization, collaboration and better workplace experiences. With operations in the US, UK, Europe and APAC, HubStar helps thousands of teams in over 60 countries create dynamic workplaces across diverse industries.

About Relogix

Based in Ottawa, Canada, Relogix is an industry-leading provider of workplace analytics solutions, with a mission to transform the way businesses understand and utilize their workspace. Relogix delivers data-driven insights, facilitating workspace optimization, enhanced productivity, and innovative, growth-oriented environments.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240418239545/en/

Contacts:

Jacqueline Towers

jtowers@hubstar.com
Rio Tinto has donated US$1.5 million to the Icelandic Red Cross to support the people and community of Grindavik in Iceland, who have been impacted by months of volcanic eruptions.

Since December, a series of volcanic eruptions has left 3,800 people homeless and damaged the community's water and electricity supplies. Residents of Grindavik and neighbouring communities continue to feel social and economic impacts from these unprecedented events.

In the coming weeks, the Icelandic Red Cross will announce details of a project built around Rio Tinto's contribution to provide support for impacted people and enhance the resilience of the community. The project will be managed in close collaboration with the Municipality of Grindavik and other affected stakeholders.

Rio Tinto Iceland General Manager Rannveig Rist said: "For 55 years, Rio Tinto has been an important member of Iceland's closely knit community. We deeply empathize with those affected by the catastrophic eruptions in the Reykjanes peninsula, including some of our own employees. This is the largest donation Rio Tinto has made in Iceland and we are very proud to partner with the Icelandic Red Cross and the Municipality of Grindavik to bring relief to the community in this time of need."

Icelandic Red Cross General Manager Kristin S. Hjalmtysdottir said: "This donation will enable the Red Cross to make a real difference for the people of Grindavik. A contribution of this magnitude to the Red Cross from a private company is unprecedented for projects in Iceland. It is an example of corporate social responsibility and how important it can be for society. The Red Cross and the Municipality of Grindavik have stood side by side through these difficult times and will continue to do so. There are indications that volcanic activity will continue to shape the lives of people in the Reykjanes peninsula into the future. This donation will help us better support the community and strengthen its resilience through this difficult period as it adapts to a new reality."

Grindavik Mayor Fannar Jonasson said: "We would like to thank Rio Tinto for this initiative and this generous donation. The ISAL team has shown us great care and solidarity, stepping up to the plate when we need it most. We do not control the course of natural forces, but this kind of support helps us deal with their consequences and the pressing issues facing our community at present."

About ISAL

Rio Tinto's ISAL aluminium smelter is located in Straumsvik, approximately 30 km from Grindavik, and has not been directly affected by the volcanic eruptions.

ISAL has been a major part of the Icelandic economy and the community in Reykjanes Peninsula since 1969.

Today, the smelter employs 380 people and produces 209,000 tonnes of high-quality aluminium billets with one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world. ISAL is entirely powered by clean, renewable hydroelectricity supplied by Iceland's national power company Landsvirkjun.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240418429005/en/

Contacts:

Please direct all enquiries to: media.enquiries@riotinto.com

Media Relations,

United Kingdom

Matthew Klar

M +44 7796 630 637

David Outhwaite

M +44 7787 597 493

Media Relations,

Australia

Matt Chambers

M +61 433 525 739

Jesse Riseborough

M +61 436 653 412

Alyesha Anderson

M +61 434 868 118

Michelle Lee

M +61 458 609 322

Investor Relations,

United Kingdom

Menno Sanderse

M +44 7825 195 178

David Ovington

M +44 7920 010 978

Laura Brooks

M +44 7826 942 797

Media Relations,

Americas

Simon Letendre

M +1 514 796 4973

Malika Cherry

M +1 418 592 7293

Vanessa Damha

M +1 514 715 2152

Investor Relations,

Australia

Tom Gallop

M +61 439 353 948

Amar Jambaa

M +61 472 865 948

Rio Tinto plc

6 St James's Square

London SW1Y 4AD

United Kingdom

T +44 20 7781 2000

Registered in England

No. 719885

Rio Tinto Limited

Level 43, 120 Collins Street

Melbourne 3000

Australia

T +61 3 9283 3333

Registered in Australia

ABN 96 004 458 404

riotinto.com

Category: ISAL
Marquee customer case studies and open networking strategies will be examined on a panel hosted by IP Infusion Chief Marketing and Product Officer Kelly LeBlanc

IP Infusion, the market leader in carrier-grade networking software systems, will be hosting an executive panel at the upcoming 2024 Open Compute Project (OCP) Regional Summit in Portugal.

"A Practical Guide to Disaggregated Networking: IP Infusion, Madeo Consultant, and Prosoluce Present the Keys to Success" will examine several marquee IP Infusion deployments in use today. IP Infusion Chief Marketing and Product Officer Kelly LeBlanc will host the Wednesday, April 24 panel, with representatives from Madeo Consultant and Prosoluce discussing their use cases in detail.

Madeo Consultant is a systems integrator based in France currently using IP Infusion's OcNOS networking software products in a data center environment, replacing legacy Cisco products with modern open networking hardware and disaggregated software. Madeo Consultant Solutions Engineer Francois Defrocourt will discuss real-world lessons learned from the deployment and the evaluation process that determined IP Infusion as the most effective alternative to SONiC and Cisco.

Managed service provider Prosoluce, also based in France, will discuss their disaggregated networking strategy in upgrading a 10G backbone to 100G with modern features. This open networking strategy allowed efficient and timely upgrades and also provided seamless operations with Prosoluce's existing multi-vendor network. Gael Hermet, Directeur General for Prosoluce, will discuss the disaggregated networking project and provide insights for any organization that has similar networking needs.

"We are always pleased to showcase real-world applications for open compute affiliations," said George Tchaparian, CEO of Open Compute Project Foundation. "Open computing, and with it Open Networking, is much more significant than being a product or group of products. It is a modernized way of thinking and deploying computing needs with disaggregation to an ends-oriented and economical perspective."

"For more than twenty years, IP Infusion has been a primary market presence for open computing and open networking in particular," said Atsushi Ogata, President and CEO of IP Infusion. "Advanced networking depends on open standards and interoperability, and IP Infusion is the networking software for disaggregated open networking."

The OCP Regional Summit in Europe serves as a platform where technical and business leaders tackle crucial issues related to data center sustainability, energy efficiency, and heat reuse. The focus is on exploring how innovations from hyperscale data center operators can contribute to solving these challenges.

Event Details:

2024 OCP Regional Summit, Lisbon, Portugal

Wednesday, April 24 from 2:45-3:10 pm

About IP Infusion

IP Infusion manufactures open network software and solutions for carriers, service providers, and data centers. With hundreds of customers and thousands of deployments, IP Infusion is a market leader in Network Operating Systems. Our flagship software platform OcNOS allows network operators to disaggregate their networks, streamline operations, and reduce Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Network OEMs may also disaggregate network devices to expedite time to market, offer comprehensive services, and achieve carrier-grade robustness.

IP Infusion is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., and is a wholly owned and independently operated subsidiary of ACCESS CO., LTD. Additional information can be found at http://www.IPInfusion.com.

IP Infusion and OcNOS are trademarks or registered trademarks of IP Infusion. ACCESS is a registered trademark or trademark of ACCESS CO., LTD. in the United States, Japan and/or other countries. Northforge Innovations is a registered trademark of Northforge Innovations, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, or registered service marks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240418842858/en/

Contacts:

Katherine Verducci

1903 PR

kverducci@1903pr.com

408.429.5779
TURKU, Finland, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The expert for charging solutions InterControl Oy and the manufacturer of electric snowmobiles Aurora Powertrains Oy are presenting the first bidirectional charging for snowmobiles. The both companies from Finland were at Nordic EV Summit in Oslo in April 2024 with this truly electrifying solution for the mobile environment.

"Electric snowmobiles are entering the market with a significant speed. eSled Aurora is not producing any CO2- or other emissions, it is odourless and quiet and do not disturb other people in the nature. Stable and agile behaviour in driving is also appreciated by the drivers, all smiling during their test drives," states Matti Autioniemi, CEO of Aurora Powertrains Oy.

The economic efficiency in an electric snowmobile is on a class of it's own. On the track eSled usage of electricity is on the level of only 21 kWh in 100 km (even under the cost of 2) added with minimalistic service fees.

"We want our electric snowmobile to be the absolute frontrunner in the field. Together with InterControl Latinki 11 DC -charger our eSled Aurora offers the vehicle to grid technology (V2G) as the first in the world," tells Mr. Autioniemi.

"This real functional V2G -solution transfers eSled to a energy storage with the possibility to manage the electricity in the battery pack optimally. For example the cheap electricity from the stock exchange or the solar power are taking care of "filling the tank" and you can decide to use it from there according to your needs, every day of the year!" thrilled Mr. Autioniemi continues.

In addition to the enormous decline in CO2-emissions and savings V2G is offering other new opportunities to snowmobile operators. For example the ski resorts, experience travel entrepreneurs and the institutions in public domain may use their fleet of eSled as a part of their emergency power solutions for the electric grid. In this way the snowmobiles are also in use during the off-season earning euros, not only collecting dust, highlights Matti Autioniemi.

"The cooperation with Aurora Powertrains has opened new possibilities to use our V2G -charging solution. The open-minded and determined way forward according to the new standards has enabled to build a working 15118-20 bidirectional charging process, which uses the central charging components in both eSled and Latinki 11 in our production from different manufacturers. This is the reason why we emphasize especially the importance of the compatible solutions, in order to everybody being able to build solutions to this new V2G environment."

"We would like to thank especially our strategic partner, Ambibox GmbH, for enabling and developing these solutions," states the CEO of InterControl Oy, Ilkka Ilola and stresses the importance to have next the car manufacturers to come together and taking the next step to enable the common development of V2G environment.

Additional information

Aurora Powertrains Oy

Ismo Makinen, brand manager, partner

+358 400 313 003, ismo.makinen@esled.com

InterControl Oy

Timo Kulkki, sales and product manager

+358 45 7881 5922, timo.kulkki@intercontrol.fi

Attachments

Image1 : Aurora Powertrains Oy's electric snowmobile

Image2 : InterControl Oy's bidirectional V2G DC charger

Image3 : eSled and Latinki11 presented at the Nordic EV Summit, Oslo 2024

Aurora Powertrains Ltd develops and manufactures eSled electric snowmobiles as well as battery systems based on their own battery modules. The battery system is modular and offers high performance. APT's systems are used by manufacturers of electric boats, small machinery, and tracked vehicles, among others. The company was founded in 2017. The product development unit is located in Rovaniemi, and the production facility is in Mikkeli.

InterControl Oy is a company founded in 2011 that offers charging and energy solutions in Finland, Nordic and Baltic countries. InterControl is part of the ITR Group, whose work community has around 40 people and the office is located in Turku, Finland.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/intercontrol-oy/r/snowmobiles-now-in-use-365-days-in-a-year,c3963863

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/23126/3963863/2742617.pdf Press release (PDF) https://news.cision.com/intercontrol-oy/i/aurora-powertrains-esled,c3290694 Aurora Powertrains eSled https://news.cision.com/intercontrol-oy/i/intercontrol-latinki11,c3290696 InterControl Latinki11 https://news.cision.com/intercontrol-oy/i/esled-ja-latinki11-nordic-ev-summit,c3290695 eSled ja Latinki11 Nordic EV Summit

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/intercontrol-oy--snowmobiles-now-in-use-365-days-in-a-year-302121129.html
Annual General Meeting 2024: Tecan shareholders endorse all motions proposed by the Board of Directors

Increase in the dividend from CHF 2.90 to CHF 3.00 per share

Monica Manotas elected as additional independent member of the Board of Directors

Lukas Braunschweiler, Myra Eskes, Oliver Fetzer, Matthias Gillner, Karen Huebscher, Christa Kreuzburg and Daniel R. Marshak re-elected as members of the Board of Directors

Lukas Braunschweiler confirmed by shareholders as Chair of the Board

Myra Eskes, Oliver Fetzer, Christa Kreuzburg and Daniel R. Marshak confirmed as members of the Compensation Committee

Various amendments to the Articles of Incorporation approved

All proposals relating to compensation approved

Approval of the Report on Non-Financial Matters 2023 (Sustainability Report)

Mannedorf, Switzerland, April 18, 2024 - The Annual General Meeting of the Tecan Group (SIX Swiss Exchange: TECN) endorsed all motions proposed by the Board of Directors. Shareholders approved the Annual Report, the financial statements and the consolidated financial statements, and granted discharge to the Board of Directors and the Management Board. They agreed to an increase in the dividend from CHF 2.90 to CHF 3.00 per registered share. Half of the dividend, i.e., CHF 1.50, will be paid out from the available capital contribution reserve and is therefore not subject to withholding tax. The payout will take place on April 24, 2024.

The shareholders elected Monica Manotas as an additional independent member of the Tecan Board of Directors. With her many years of international experience in the life science industry and her proven expertise in finance, the industrial engineer with Colombian and US citizenship will strengthen the Board in a variety of ways. All current members of the Board of Directors were confirmed by the shareholders for a term of one year: Dr. Lukas Braunschweiler, Myra Eskes, Dr. Oliver Fetzer, Matthias Gillner, Dr. Karen Huebscher, Dr. Christa Kreuzburg and Dr. Daniel R. Marshak. Lukas Braunschweiler was re-elected as Chair of the Board of Directors. The shareholders confirmed Myra Eskes, Oliver Fetzer, Christa Kreuzburg and Daniel R. Marshak as members of the Compensation Committee.

Various amendments to the Articles of Incorporation approved

Shareholders approved a number of amendments to the Articles of Incorporation. These are intended to adapt the Articles of Incorporation to the revised corporate law and take account of current best practices in the area of corporate governance. The Articles of Incorporation now allow future General Meetings to be held virtually if necessary. To ensure a broad range of skills and appropriate diversity on the Tecan Board of Directors, the maximum number of Board members was increased from seven to eight. Tecan has also expanded the definition of its corporate purpose in order to anchor the pursuit of sustainable value creation in the Articles of Incorporation.

Other proposals also approved

The shareholders voted on the conditions governing the compensation of the Board of Directors and Management Board for the following fiscal year. They made a binding decision to endorse the proposed maximum total amount of compensation for fiscal year 2025 and also, for the Board of Directors, for the period until the 2025 Annual General Meeting. The 2023 Compensation Report, which was submitted for an advisory vote, was also accepted by shareholders.

For the first time, Tecan submitted a report on non-financial matters for 2023 to the Annual General Meeting for approval. The company is thus fulfilling a new legal requirement and increasing the transparency and commitment of its sustainability reporting. This report was also approved by the shareholders.

Ernst & Young AG, Zurich, was reappointed as the statutory auditors for fiscal year 2024.

Shareholders approved the motion proposed by the Board of Directors to appoint Proxy Voting Services GmbH, Zurich, as the independent proxy for the period up to the close of the Tecan Group 39th Annual General Meeting in 2025.

Key upcoming dates

The 2024 Interim Report will be published on August 13, 2024.

The Capital Markets Day will take place on October 22, 2024.

About Tecan

Tecan (www.tecan.com) improves people's lives and health by empowering customers to scale healthcare innovation globally from life science to the clinic. Tecan is a pioneer and global leader in laboratory automation. As an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Tecan is also a leader in developing and manufacturing OEM instruments, components and medical devices that are then distributed by partner companies. Founded in Switzerland in 1980, the company has more than 3,500 employees, with manufacturing, research and development sites in Europe, North America and Asia, and maintains a sales and service network in over 70 countries. In 2023, Tecan generated sales of CHF 1,074 million (USD 1,194 million; EUR 1,108 million). Registered shares of Tecan Group are traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange (TECN; ISIN CH0012100191).

For further information:

Tecan Group

Martin Braendle

Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications & IR

Tel. +41

www.tecan.com

Attachment
Regulatory News:

Oncodesign Precision Medicine (OPM) (ISIN: FR001400CM63; Mnemonic: ALOPM), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in precision medicine for the treatment of resistant and metastatic cancer, today announced that Degroof Petercam, a brokerage firm and investment bank, has initiated coverage of its shares.

In its initiation study entitled "Targeted therapies for inflammation oncology", Degroof Petercam began covering the stock by rendering its first commissioned research report on the Company with a 1.90-2.70 target price range1

About Oncodesign Precision Medicine (OPM

Oncodesign Precision Medicine (OPM), founded in 2022, is a biopharmaceutical company specializing in precision medicine, dedicated to the discovery of treatments for resistant and metastatic cancers.

OPM currently has two kinase inhibitors in clinical trials: OPM-101, for the treatment of chronic immuno-inflammatory digestive diseases, which demonstrated a significant therapeutic margin and lack of toxicity in phase I trials with healthy volunteers, with a phase II trials in cancer patients with severe colitis induced by treatment with immuno checkpoint inhibitors (CUII) scheduled to start at the end of 2024. OPM-201, licensed to Servier for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, completed its phase I trial in healthy volunteers this year, with phase II scheduled to start in 2025.

Finally, a third kinase inhibitor, OPM-102, targeting oncology, is in preclinical development.

These three molecules come from the Nanocyclix technology platform, which enables the design and selection of small macrocyclic kinase inhibitors that are highly effective and selective. We now have 12,000 molecules in our library and will be using AI to accelerate the discovery of drug candidates while reducing the cost of this phase.

OPM's two other technology platforms are:

OncoSNIPER, for the selection of therapeutic targets using artificial intelligence, in partnership with Servier for the search of targets in pancreatic cancer, PROMETHE for the design and selection of radiolabeled biological molecules for systemic radiotherapy, for which we are currently discussing partnerships with vectorization companies.

OPM, co-founded by Philippe Genne, Jan Hoflack and Karine Lignel, is based in Dijon, in the heart of the university and hospital cluster, and has 22 employees.

Further information: oncodesign.com

1 This information does not constitute an offer to sell or subscribe, or the solicitation of an order to buy or subscribe, securities in France, Europe, the United States or any other country. The coverage is commissioned research, meaning it has been agreed upon between Oncodesign Precision Medicine and Degroof Petercam whereby the company has appointed DP to cover the company and is paying for this service.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240418463364/en/

Contacts:

OPM

Karine Lignel

Deputy General Manager

Tel: +33 (0)3 80 78 41 93

investisseurs@oncodesign.com

NewCap

Investor Relations

Mathilde Bohin Alban Dufumier

Tel: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 95

oncodesign@newcap.eu

NewCap

Media Relations

Arthur Rouille

Tel: +33 (0)1 44 71 00 15

oncodesign@newcap.eu
BH Macro Limited - Transaction in Own Shares

PR Newswire

LONDON, United Kingdom, April 18

BH Macro Limited (the "Company")

(a closed-ended collective investment scheme established as a company with limited liability under the laws of Guernsey with registered number 46235)

Transaction in Own Shares

18 April 2024

BH Macro Limited (the Company) announces today it has purchased the following number of its ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange from J.P. Morgan Securities plc:

Ordinary Shares: - Share Class Sterling Sterling Date of purchase: 18 April 2024 18 April 2024 Number of ordinary shares purchased: 50,000 150,000 Lowest price per share (pence) 352 351 Highest price per share (pence) 352 352 Trading venue JPSI LSE Aggregate volume per date per trading venue: 50,000 150,000 Weighted average price per day per trading venue (pence): 352.0000 351.6122

The Company intends to hold the purchased shares in treasury.

Following the above share transactions of the relevant US Dollar and Sterling Shares, the total number of shares in issue in each share class of the Company will be as follows:

Ordinary Shares in issue (excluding Treasury) Ordinary Shares held in Treasury 359,944,167 Sterling Shares 13,905,269 Sterling Shares 29,465,434 Dollar Shares Nil Dollar Shares

From 18 April 2024, the total number of voting rights in the Company (rounded up to the whole number) is 551,889,279.

Enquiries:

Company website: www.bhmacro.com

William Simmonds

JPMorgan Cazenove

Tel: 020 7588 2828

The Company Secretary

Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited

Tel: 01481 745001
Leading Prime of Prime liquidity provider B2Broker is committed to quality, always listening to their clients' needs to provide them with the best possible tools to bring in more end users and gain a competitive edge in the industry. In this regard, B2Broker announces the rise of the leverage to 1:200 for major FX pairs, thereby reducing the margin requirements from 1% to 0.5%.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240418556608/en/

B2Broker increases leverage on major FOREX pairs to 1:200 and to 1:50 for BTC/USD and ETH/USD pairs, enhancing the market position of their clients. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Additionally, with the cryptocurrency market thriving and traders' demands for higher leverage growing, the company has increased leverage up to 1:50 for BTCUSD and ETHUSD, reducing margin requirements from 10% to 2% and significantly enhancing the clients' market position.

Additional Information about B2Broker Liquidity Solutions

Having been in the industry for over a decade, B2Broker's liquidity solutions have significantly expanded. They currently offer over 1500 instruments across 8 asset classes, including FOREX, Crypto CFD, Spot Indices, Precious Metals, Single Stocks, ETFs, Commodities, and NDFs CFD.

B2Broker ensures access to deep liquidity pools from Tier-1 providers, facilitating tight spreads and ultra-fast execution. Advanced technology platforms and FIX API integrations like B2Trader, cTrader, oneZero, Prime XM, Centroid, TFB, TradeLocker, Your Bourse, FX Cubic, and MT4/MT5 allow for seamless connectivity across multiple trading systems. The infrastructure of B2Broker facilitates the distribution and aggregation of liquidity through various channels, enhancing trade execution and reducing risk.

The key strengths of the liquidity solutions include a robust infrastructure, extensive connectivity options, and the ability to develop customised liquidity setups to meet the client's demands.

As an industry leader, B2Broker has introduced multiple innovative solutions throughout its journey. Last year, the company introduced NDFs as a new asset class in the form of CFDs, with the advantage of next-day settlements. Furthermore, they were the first in the market to introduce crypto CFDs based on spot and then perpetual futures LPs. And now, B2Broker proudly offers the most competitive margin conditions on the market!

The company has significantly strengthened its balance sheet by serving over 250 institutional clients and 30 professional funds. Because of this strong financial base, it has been able to expand leverage and meet clients' requests.

With the increased leverage on highly demanded trading pairs in key markets such as FX and Crypto, the company empowers brokers to give their traders greater flexibility in managing their capital, significantly broadening the client's appeal to a larger user base.

John Murillo, Chief Dealing Officer of B2Broker Group of Companies, remarked:

"This strategic update not only enhances our clients' competitive edge but also augments their capacity to cater to the evolving demands of their clientele, attract new business, and elevate their service standards by leveraging our liquidity solutions.

Thanks to our robust balance sheet and extensive client base, coupled with our impressive trading volumes, we stand at the forefront of the market. Our innovative mindset has been evident throughout our journey. We were the first to introduce crypto CFDs based on spot and, later, on perpetual futures. In addition to FOREX, today, we proudly offer over 150 crypto CFD pairs, a testament to our commitment to innovation and meeting the diverse needs of our clients."

Final Remarks

B2Broker is a distinguished leader in the FinTech sector, revolutionising the industry with significant contributions over the last decade. With a dedication to innovation and continuous improvement, the company guarantees that its clients stay ahead of the competition and set trends alongside it. Their vast ecosystem provides solutions that suit various business models.

In the latest update, B2Broker has substantially upgraded the leverage to provide the most competitive conditions for institutional clients, professional traders, brokerages, hedge funds, proprietary trading desks, and other financial institutions.

Contact B2Broker today for tailored solutions that drive success!

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240418556608/en/

Contacts:

Email: sales@b2broker.net

Phone: +44 208 068 8636

Website: b2broker.com
Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Transaction in Own Shares

PR Newswire

LONDON, United Kingdom, April 18

For immediate release

18 April 2024

FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC

(the "Company")

MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES

The Company announce that it has today purchased 136,221 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 814.00 pence per Ordinary Share. Such shares will be held in treasury by the Company.

The transaction was made pursuant to the authority granted at the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 23 January 2024.

Following this transaction, the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury is 39,797,935; the total number of Ordinary Shares that the Company has in issue, less the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury following such purchase, and therefore, the total number of voting rights in the Company is 185,193,368.

The figure of 185,193,368 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for calculations of interests in the Company's voting rights in accordance with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

For and on behalf of

Frostrow Capital LLP

Company Secretary

For further information, please contact:

Victoria Hale

Frostrow Capital LLP

Tel: 020 3 170 8732
Redde Northgate Plc - Transaction in Own Shares

PR Newswire

LONDON, United Kingdom, April 18

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION

18 April 2024

REDDE NORTHGATE PLC

("Redde Northgate" or the "Group" or the "Company")

Transaction in Own Shares

Redde Northgate plc (LSE:REDD) announces that on 18 April 2024 it purchased the following number of its own shares to be held in treasury:

Class of shares : Ordinary shares of 50p ("shares") Number of shares purchased : 25,000 Weighted average purchase price paid 369.7: pence per share Highest purchase price paid 369.7 pence per share Lowest purchase price paid 369.7: pence per share

Following the above transaction, the Company's issued share capital consists of 246,091,423 ordinary shares of 50p each, of which 20,806,862 ordinary shares are held in treasury, and 1,000,000 preference shares of 50p each which do not carry any rights to vote. Therefore, the total number of voting rights in the Company is 225,284,561 which may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in the Company under the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

In accordance with Article 5(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (the Market Abuse Regulation) as incorporated into UK domestic law by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, the schedule below contains detailed information about the purchases made by Numis Securities Limited on behalf of the Company as part of the Company's buyback programme.

Schedule of Purchase - Individual Transaction (as at 18 April 2024)

Number of shares

purchased Transaction price

(GB pence per share) Time of transaction Transaction reference number Venue 25,000 369.70 14:16:54 00069626847TRLO0 LSE

Notes

This announcement is made in accordance with the requirements of Listing Rule 12.4.6.

For further information contact:

Buchanan

David Rydell/Jamie Hooper/Hannah Ratcliff +44 (0) 207 466 5000

Notes to Editors:

Redde Northgate is the leading integrated mobility solutions platform providing services across the vehicle lifecycle. The Company offers integrated mobility solutions to businesses, fleet operators, insurers, OEMs and other customers across seven key areas: vehicle rental, vehicle data, accident management, vehicle repairs, fleet management, service and maintenance, vehicle ancillary services and vehicle sales.

The Company's core purpose is to keep its customers mobile, whether through meeting their regular mobility needs or by servicing and supporting them when unforeseen events occur. With its considerable scale and reach, Redde Northgate's mission is to offer a market-leading customer proposition and drive enhanced returns for shareholders by creating value through sustainable compounding growth. The Group aims to achieve this through the delivery of its strategic framework of Focus, Drive and Broaden.

Redde Northgate services its customers through a network and diversified fleet of over 120,000 owned and leased vehicles, supporting over 600,000 managed vehicles, with more than 170 workshop, body shop and rental locations across the UK, Ireland and Spain and a specialist team of over 6,000 automotive services professionals.

Further information please visit the Company's website:
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 18, 2024) - Ankh II Capital Inc. (TSXV: AUNK.P) ("Ankh II" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding letter of intent dated April 17, 2024, to enter into a business combination (the "Transaction") with Rare Earth Ridge Resources Corp. ("Rare Earth Ridge"). It is expected that upon completion of the Transaction, the combined entity (the "Resulting Issuer") will meet the listing requirements for a Tier 2 Mining issuer under the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV").

General Information on Ankh II

Ankh II was incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) on August 23, 2022. The Company was formed for the primary purpose of completing an initial public offering on the TSXV as a Capital Pool Company (as such term is defined in TSXV Policy 2.4 - Capital Pool Companies (the "Policy")). The Company has not commenced operations and has no significant assets. The principal business of the Company is the identification and evaluation of assets or businesses with a view to completing a Qualifying Transaction (as such term is defined in the Policy), and it is intended that the Transaction will constitute such Qualifying Transaction. The Company's head office and registered and records office is 250 Howe Street 20th Floor, Vancouver, BC, V6C 3R8. The common shares of Ankh II ("Ankh II Common Shares") are currently listed on the TSXV and Ankh II is a reporting issuer in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario.

Ankh II currently has 6,041,801 Ankh II Common Shares issued and outstanding and securities exercisable or exchangeable into 1,008,359 Ankh II Common Shares, being: (i) 604,179 director's options exercisable at a price of $0.10 per Ankh II Common Share; and (ii) 404,180 agent's warrants exercisable at $0.10 per Ankh II Common Share.

General Information on Rare Earth Ridge

Rare Earth Ridge was incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) on August 19, 2022. Rare Earth Ridge's head office is located at 2976 Thacker Avenue, Coquitlam, BC, V3C 4N7.

Rare Earth Ridge is a mineral exploration company which has a portfolio of mineral exploration properties located in British Columbia. Rare Earth Ridge's focus is on rare earth elements and rare metals, particularly lithium and rubidium.

Rare Earth Ridge has two major projects:

The Mt. Hart project (the "Mt. Hart Project") is located in the tin-tungsten belt of British Columbia's and is adjacent to the Golden Triangle. The Mt. Hart Project has a presence of a peralkaline granite with high levels of rare earth and critical metals. Peralkaline granites are sought for their unique composition and associated critical metals, including a higher proportion of heavy rare earth elements relative to light rare earth elements. Heavy rare earth elements are more valuable and in higher demand, and project's focus on these deposits aligns with current market dynamics. The Mt. Hart Project also shows high prospectivity for tin greisen deposits, broadening its scope and appeal in the mining sector.

The Mt. Hart Project is located in an area with well-developed mining infrastructure, which is proximate to operational facilities, logistical networks, and existing mining operations. Such infrastructure facilitates the exploration process and may ease future development stages. The Mt. Hart Project is comprised of five underlying mineral titles, of which one is 95% owned by Rare Earth Ridge and the remaining four mineral titles are 100% owned by Rare Earth Ridge. Rare Earth Ridge also owns 100% of the Conrad Claim which is adjacent to the Mt. Hart Project, and the combined Mt. Hart Project plus Conrad Claim encompasses over 2,563 hectares (6,333 acres).

The Beryl Tong Rare Earths/Metals project (the "Beryl Tong Project") is located in north-western British Columbia, siting within the Alaskan belt along the southern portion that extends into British Columbia. The Beryl Tong Project shows potential for prospectivity in rare earth elements, tin and tungsten. Initial assessments revealed rare earth elements consisting of gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, ytterbium, and samarium. The Beryl Tong Project consists of two claim blocks with a combined area of 405.10 hectares (1,001 acres) and is 100% owned by Rare Earth Ridge.

Rare Earth Ridge currently has 29,375,001 common shares ("Rare Earth Ridge Common Shares") issued and outstanding and no convertible securities issued and outstanding other than 209,000 special warrants convertible into 209,000 common shares for no additional consideration and 200,000 compensation special warrants convertible into 200,000 common shares for no additional consideration.

Qualified Person

Carl Schulze, B.Sc. Geology, P. Geo, of Aurora Geosciences Ltd. is an independent consultant to Rare Earth Ridge, and a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101. He has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release.

Terms of the Transaction

The Transaction is expected to be completed by way of a three-cornered amalgamation, share purchase, share exchange or alternate transaction to be determined with input from the legal and tax advisors to each of Ankh II and Rare Earth Ridge, which will result in Rare Earth Ridge becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ankh II.

Upon the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set out in the definitive transaction agreement to be entered into by Ankh II and Rare Earth Ridge (the "Definitive Agreement"), the following, among other things, will be completed in connection with the Transaction:

Ankh II will change its name to such name as determined by Rare Earth Ridge in its sole discretion, in compliance with applicable law and as may be acceptable to the TSXV and a corresponding change shall be made to the trading symbol;

Ankh II shall change its auditor to such audit firm as determined by Rare Earth Ridge in its sole discretion, subject to applicable regulatory requirements and securities laws;

Rare Earth Ridge will consolidate (the " Rare Earth Ridge Consolidation ") all of the then issued and outstanding Rare Earth Ridge Common Shares on the basis of one post-Consolidation Rare Earth Ridge Common Share for each previously outstanding two Rare Earth Ridge Common Shares;

the holders of Rare Earth Ridge Common Shares, as adjusted for by the Rare Earth Ridge Consolidation, will receive one common share of the Resulting Issuer (on a post-Consolidation basis) in exchange for their Rare Earth Ridge Common Shares, at a ratio of one to one (the " Exchange Ratio "); and

the management and board of directors of the Resulting Issuer will be determined by Rare Earth Ridge and announced in further press releases.

The Transaction is not expected to constitute a Non-Arm's Length Qualifying Transaction or a related party transaction pursuant to the policies of the TSXV.

Private Placement Financing

In connection with and as a condition to the Transaction, Rare Earth Ridge intends to complete an equity financing for minimum gross proceeds of $700,000 and maximum gross proceeds of up to $1,500,000, consisting of both flow through and non-flow through units (the "Private Placement").

It is expected the Private Placement structure will include the issuance of a minimum value of $200,000 and a maximum of up to $400,000 in flow through units ("FT Units") priced at $0.065 per FT Unit, with each FT Unit consisting of one flow through Rare Earth Ridge Common Share and one-half of one warrant, with each full warrant entitling the holder to acquire one additional Rare Earth Ridge Common Share for 2 years at an exercise price $0.10 per warrant. In addition, a minimum value of $500,000 and a maximum of up to $1,100,000 in non-flow through units ("Units") priced at $0.05 per Unit will be issued, with each Unit consisting of one Rare Earth Ridge Common Share and one-half of one warrant, with each full warrant entitling the holder to acquire one additional Rare Earth Ridge Common Share for 2 years at an exercise price of $0.10 per warrant. The Private Placement is expected to complete prior to the Rare Earth Ridge Consolidation and the information described herein is on a pre-consolidation basis.

The FT Units and Units are expected to be sold to "accredited investors" and other exempt parties pursuant to exemptions from prospectus requirements under Canadian securities laws. Some of the Private Placement may be sold by Ankh II on the same terms (but with Ankh II Common Shares) and would be completed with the closing of the Transaction. The net proceeds of the Private Placement will be used for exploration and development of the Resulting Issuer's properties as well as working capital and general corporate purposes.

The ultimate structuring of the Private Placement is subject to receipt of tax, securities law and corporate law advice.

Conditions of the Transaction

Completion of the Transaction is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including: (i) the satisfactory completion of due diligence by each of Ankh II and Rare Earth Ridge; (ii) receipt of all required approvals and consents relating to the Transaction, including without limitation any approvals of the shareholders of Ankh II and Rare Earth Ridge, as required by the TSXV and under applicable corporate or securities laws; (iii) completion of the Private Placement; and (iv) the TSXV's approval for listing the shares of the Resulting Issuer.

Finder's Fee

In connection with the Transaction, the parties have agreed to pay a 2.5% finder's fee to an arm's length party, which fee shall be payable in Resulting Issuer Common Shares, subject to the approval by the TSXV.

Sponsorship of Transaction

The Transaction will be subject to the sponsorship requirements of the TSXV unless a waiver or exemption from the sponsorship requirement is available. If required, a sponsor will be identified at a later date and will be announced in a subsequent news release. Ankh II intends to apply for a waiver of the sponsorship requirement in connection with the Transaction.

Trading Halt

Trading in Ankh II Common Shares on the TSXV will remain halted in compliance with the policies of the TSXV in connection with the announcement of the Transaction, and is expected to remain halted pending the review of the Transaction by the TSXV, and satisfaction of the conditions of the TSXV for resumption of trading. It is not expected that trading in the Ankh II Common Shares will resume prior to the closing of the Transaction.

Filing Statement

In connection with the Transaction and in compliance with the policies of the TSXV, Ankh II will file on SEDAR+ a filing statement which will contain details regarding the Transaction, Ankh II, Rare Earth Ridge and the Resulting Issuer. As the Transaction is not a Non-Arm's Length Qualifying Transaction Ankh II will not be required to obtain the approval of its shareholders for the Transaction as provided by the TSXV's policies.

Additional Information

If and when a Definitive Agreement is executed, Ankh II will issue a subsequent press release in accordance with the policies of the TSXV containing details of the Definitive Agreement and additional terms of the Transaction, including information relating to sponsorship, summary financial information in respect of Rare Earth Ridge, and to the extent not contained in this press release, additional information with respect to the Private Placement, history of Rare Earth Ridge and the proposed directors, officers, and insiders of the Resulting Issuer upon completion of the Transaction.

For further information please contact:

Ankh II Capital Inc.

Roger Milad, CEO and CFO

Phone: (604) 690-2680

Rare Earth Ridge Resources Corp.

Barry Miller, President, CEO and Director

Phone: (778) 232-1878

Email: barry@rareearthridge.com

All information in this press release relating to Rare Earth Ridge has been provided by Rare Earth Ridge and is the sole responsibility of Rare Earth Ridge.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

Cautionary Note

Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, TSXV acceptance and if applicable pursuant to TSXV requirements, majority of the minority shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a Capital Pool Company should be considered highly speculative.

The TSXV has in no way passed upon the merits of the Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the exploration and development of Rare Earth Ridge's [properties, projects, claims, etc.], [the exercise by Rare Earth Ridge of options to acquire properties], the proposal to complete the Transaction and associated transactions, including statements regarding the terms and conditions of the Transaction (including the Rare Earth Ridge Consolidation), the Exchange Ratio, the name change of the Company, the Private Placement, the use of proceeds of the Private Placement and the proposed directors and officers of the Resulting Issuer. The information about Rare Earth Ridge contained in the press release has not been independently verified by Ankh II. Although Ankh II believes in light of the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because Ankh II can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things, the risks that the parties will not proceed with the Transaction, the name change of the Company, the Private Placement, the appointment of the proposed directors and officers of the Resulting Issuer and associated transactions, that the ultimate terms of the Transaction, the Private Placement, the appointment of the proposed directors and officers of the Resulting Issuer and associated transactions will differ from those that currently are contemplated, and that the Transaction, the name change of the Company, the Private Placement, the appointment of the proposed directors and officers of the Resulting Issuer and associated transactions will not be successfully completed for any reason (including the failure to obtain the required approvals or clearances from regulatory authorities). The terms and conditions of the Transaction may change based on Ankh II's due diligence (which is going to be limited as Ankh II intends largely to rely on the due diligence of other parties of the Transaction to contain its costs, among other things) and the receipt of tax, corporate and securities law advice for both Ankh II and Rare Earth Ridge. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. Ankh II undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third-parties in respect of Ankh II, Rare Earth Ridge, their securities, or their respective financial or operating results (as applicable).

Not for distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States of America. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of U.S. Securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/206063

SOURCE: Ankh II Capital Inc.
Rand Merchant Bank (RMB)

RMB contributes to Acre Impact Capital's $100 million private debt fund for climate-aligned infrastructure projects across Africa



18-Apr-2024 / 19:30 CET/CEST

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





RMB ( www.RMB.co.za ) one of Africa's leading corporate and investment banks, has invested in Acre Export Finance Fund I which targets commercial debt tranches of Export Credit Agency (ECA) transactions supporting climate-aligned infrastructure in Africa.

The fund has announced its first close on 17th of April in which it has successfully raised an equity of ~$100m which will be used to part finance projects in four impact sectors: renewable power generation, health, food and water scarcity - as well as sustainable cities and green transportation.

Aymeric Perrin-Guinot, Senior Transactor ECA Finance at RMB London said: "By providing specialist funding for the commercial debt tranche and as a result unlocking the ECA guaranteed part of the transaction, the fund will enable the mobilisation of up to $2bln toward impact projects."

"ECA finance, by enabling access to long-term debt for borrowers in emerging markets, is seen as a key contributor to the reduction of the infrastructure financing gap in Africa, which is estimated to be over $100 billion every year."

Siyanda Mflathelwa, Sector Head of PPPs and Concessions at RMB noted that the fund fills a specific gap in the market which is the funding of the uncovered portion of ECA transactions, which has become increasingly difficult to fund. Thereby unlocking transactions that will have a multiplier effect on the economies of the countries where it is deployed.

The IMF has recently noted that for every $1m invested in infrastructure projects, between 8 and 30 jobs are created in low income developing countries.

"In addition, the fund is expected to have a significant positive social, environmental and economic impact, underlining RMB's own ambitions in sustainable finance and our commitment to support Africa's transition to a lower carbon economy in line with the Paris Agreement."

Acre Export Finance Fund will align all its investments with the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and leverage industry-leading frameworks for impact reporting.

Perrin-Guinot added that RMB's investment in the fund is a great example of African banks contributing to solutions to African problems.

Hussein Sefian, CEO of Acre Impact Capital said: "RMB's investment in the Fund demonstrates the positive role that African financial institutions are playing in supporting the financing of climate-aligned essential infrastructure in Africa. We are pleased to have received commitments from premier African investors such as RMB."

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Rand Merchant Bank.

Dissemination of a CORPORATE NEWS, transmitted by EQS Group.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.




WASHINGTON, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- EARTHDAY.ORG , the global force behind Earth Day, is partnering with the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA), the leading trade group representing the entire out of home (OOH) advertising industry, for the sixth year in a row! OAAA and their membership are supporting the launch of a national (OOH) campaign to help shine a light on the dangers of plastics to human health.

The EARTHDAY.ORG Theme for 2024 is PLANET VS PLASTICS and has been driving home the message that plastics are not inert. Research is finding that plastics break down into tiny fragments called microplastics, which leach out toxic plastic chemicals. They are both associated with a wide range of human health issues from Alzheimer's to strokes to male infertility to obesity.

"Plastics in one form or another have contaminated our soil, our air and our water," said Kathleen Rogers, the President of EARTHDAY.ORG. "Plastics are in our food chain and by default, inside all of us, and we are inhaling them in from the air we breathe. It's important that the public knows this - and that we bring this crucial issue to the forefront of consumers' minds."

Babies seem the most at risk with evidence microplastics can interrupt maternal-fetal communication and potentially damage DNA . Reports have linked microplastics to autism and other endocrine disruption issues which can amongst other things manifest as early onset puberty , as well as association with some cancers , including in the prostate gland of fetuses .

"Helping to drive awareness around this important and widespread issue is what out of home is made for - delivering larger-than-life impact and engagement with the masses. These are big problems to solve, and we need to harness big, bold storytelling to help solve them," said Anna Bager, President and CEO, OAAA.

Media partners can download the creative here.

"This incredible campaign devised by our friends at the creative agency Extra Credit Projects and supported by OAAA, is about alerting the public to the dangers of plastics and their additive chemicals. It is forthright because EARTHDAY.ORG believes that the plastic industry doesn't give a fork about the planet," said Tom Cosgrove, Chief Creative and Content Officer for EARTHDAY.ORG.

To help generate even more awareness, share pictures of our creative, tag EARTHDAY.ORG, OAAA , and use the hashtag PlanetvsPlastics .

About EARTHDAY.ORG: EARTHDAY.ORG's founders created and organized the very first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. Since then, EARTHDAY.ORG has mobilized over 1 billion people annually on Earth Day, and every other day, to protect the planet. EARTHDAY.ORG's mission is to diversify, educate, and activate the environmental movement worldwide. EARTHDAY.ORG is the world's largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 150,000 partners in nearly 192 countries to build environmental democracy. Learn more at EARTHDAY.ORG . It's not a day, it's a movement.

For Media Inquiries: On how plastic harms human health & loads more.

Sarah Davies, davies@earthday.org , +1 240 463 1341

About OAAA

The Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) is the national trade association for the entire out of home (OOH) advertising industry. OAAA represents over 800 members, including leading media companies, advertisers, agencies, ad-tech providers, and suppliers. OOH media includes billboards, street furniture, transit, place-based media, and digital formats (DOOH) across every sector of the channel. OAAA is the unifying voice for the industry, the authoritative thought leader, and the passionate advocate for advancing OOH advertising in the United States. The legislative unit of OAAA advocates for the responsible growth of OOH with federal, state, and local governments. OAAA-member media companies donate over $500 million annually in public service advertising. Founded in 1891, OAAA is headquartered in Washington, DC, with offices in New York City. To learn more, visit oaaa.org.

For Media Inquiries: On OOH's role in this campaign and OAAA's partnership with EARTHDAY - Christine Galetto, christine@digennaro-usa.com

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/earthdayorg-partners-with-oaaa-to-bring-awareness-to-the-dangers-of-plastics-to-human-health-302121240.html
WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / CSI DMC, Inc., the leading Destination and Event Management Company clients trust to transform their events into exceptional experiences, is honored to have been awarded Platinum Level certification from Green Business Benchmark for its commitment to sustainable business practices. This certification reflects CSI DMC's determination to prioritize sustainable practices within its operations and reflects growing changes within the events industry.

Green Business Benchmark, a trusted authority in green business, assists organizations in implementing sustainable initiatives through tailored solutions, while its parent company, Clearyst, provides integrated support to align, plan, and expedite ESG priorities within business operations.?Paul Ghiz, Chairman of the Board at Green Business Benchmark, shares, "Green Business Benchmark is pleased to have awarded CSI DMC platinum-level certification, recognizing their organizational commitment to sustainable business practices. We look forward to supporting their continued growth in this realm with measurement tools and resources that help them do so."

Amberlee Huggins, CSI DMC's Chief Marketing Officer, shares, "Receiving the certification from the Green Business Benchmark is a significant kickstart to our journey. It reflects the dedication of our employees to integrating environmental sustainability into their daily lives. It propels CSI DMC further along the environmental, social, and governance path to which we are committed. As a Destination Management Company, we also have a pivotal role in creating more sustainable event experiences. This benefits our clients, supports our local business communities, and fosters a sense of collective environmental stewardship. We are inspired to continue innovating and exploring new ways to make a positive impact for all and the planet we love."

About CSI DMC: CSI DMC is the destination management company clients trust to create exceptional experiences. Since 1987, CSI DMC has transformed events into unforgettable memories for organizations worldwide. Driven by talented designers, destination experts, and experienced event professionals, we support our clients' success with boundless creativity, deep destination knowledge, extensive local relationships, global resources, and proven logistical expertise. Our award-winning company reflects a culture of innovation, shared values, quality, and collaboration. Today, CSI DMC serves over 65 destinations annually, with regional offices in Arizona, Baltimore, Boston, California, Chicago, Colorado Springs, Denver, Las Vegas, Nashville, Newport, RI, Orlando, South Florida, Texas, Washington, D.C. and globally with CSI International.

Contact Information

Flor Major, CSM, DMCP

Senior Content Marketing Manager

flor.major@csi-dmc.com

12108423753

SOURCE: CSI DMC

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Company accelerates its commitment to "Automation for Anyone, Anywhere" by supporting the automation requirements of global companies.

ODENSE, Denmark, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Robots (UR), the world's leading collaborative robot (cobot) company, has now integrated the Standard Robot Command Interface (SRCI) into its software. UR is proud to be among the first cobot vendors to offer this functionality.

The SRCI is a new standard for robotics manufacturers that aims to create a single interface between PLCs and robots. The full integration of SRCI into UR's software will enhance the connectivity capabilities of UR's cobots and will ensure customers a frictionless integration with Siemens PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), since Siemens is the first - and currently only - PLC Vendor supporting SRCI in the automation market.

"By having our robots connect seamlessly to a global industry leader like Siemens, we can now offer our partners and customers, both existing and prospective, faster integration and higher ease of use," says Global Director, Strategic Partnerships at Universal Robots, Daniel Friedman. "We strive to make cobot automation as simple as possible for our customers and this is yet another step in our commitment to provide automation for anyone, anywhere."

The uniform cross-manufacturer data interface of the SRCI makes robot implementation interoperable, and it standardizes definitions and robot commands between UR cobots and Siemens PLCs. This allows for easier and quicker setup and simplifies the deployment of UR robots into existing and new Siemens ecosystem-based production lines.

"We are encouraged that cobots from Universal Robots can now be controlled via the SRCI and can be programmed by Simatic users," says Rolf Heinsohn, Senior Vice President, Factory Automation Segment Control at Siemens. "We want to accelerate Factory Automation and scale the use of robots in industry by making them simple and available to all our customers' employees. It is a great advantage for our customers to be able to easily integrate and use UR's robots together with the Siemens PLCs in their production."

The SRCI is available for UR's e-Series family and the next-generation robots UR20 and UR30. It can be installed and activated with PolyScope version 5.15 or higher via add-on URcap software. For more info, click here.

Read more about Universal Robots here

Read more about Siemens' SIMATIC Robot Integrator here

Photos

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View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/universal-robots-announces-seamless-integration-with-siemens-plcs-302121317.html
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / EquityMultiple, a premier real estate investment platform, today reinforced its commitment to the burgeoning industrial real estate sector. Drawing on insights from its latest investment framework, EquityMultiple is poised to capitalize on significant growth within this robust market segment, offering individual accredited investors unique commercial real estate opportunities.

As outlined in EquityMultiple's Market Framework, the firm's strategic analysis highlights the industrial sector's promising outlook. With a projected increase in demand for warehouse and distribution centers driven by e-commerce growth, the sector expects a rental growth rate of 3% annually over the next five years, outpacing many other real estate categories.

Charles Clinton, CEO of EquityMultiple, stated: "Our deep dive into the industrial sector reveals substantial growth potential, underpinned by solid fundamentals and accelerated by technological advancements and evolving consumer behaviors. This presents a compelling opportunity for our investors to diversify their portfolios and engage in value-driven commercial real estate investments."

"Acceleration of the fundamental sector drivers, particularly the maturation of e-commerce post-covid, has been striking," said Charles De Andrade, CAIA, Associate Director at EM Investment Partners, EquityMultiple's capital markets arm. "In 2023, nominal growth in e-commerce outpaced brick & mortar by 7.5% to 2.7%, respectively. With e-commerce generally requiring 3x the footprint, this significant demand driver is projected to average ~25% of net absorption over the next five years."

EquityMultiple's approach is backed by rigorous data analysis and market evaluations, ensuring that investments are both strategic and aligned with broader economic indicators. The platform's focus on the industrial sector is supported by a historical occupancy rate of over 90% in key markets, signaling strong and sustained demand. The firm's selective approach and breadth of opportunities were on display recently with the closing of its 'Northern NJ In-Fill Industrial' offering - an equity investment in partnership with Snowball Developments, a vetted operator with significant experience in both industrial and the local market. Both Northern New Jersey and New York appear in the top 12 industrial markets, per EquityMultiple's framework.

Brian Ker of Snowball Developments, a partner of EquityMultiple, said, "Snowball Developments identified 657 Union as an exciting acquisition opportunity due to its highly accessible location, multi-tenancy configuration and large exterior parking capacity, which perfectly encapsulates the dominant industrial leasing trends across Northern New Jersey. We are very bullish on this industrial market."

"Partnering with EquityMultiple for the third time, we are impressed with the team's sophisticated and flexible approach to commercial real estate investing," Ker said.

EquityMultiple's commitment to providing access to diverse commercial real estate opportunities is evident in its proactive sourcing and comprehensive assessment strategies. By focusing on timely, high-potential sectors like industrial real estate, EquityMultiple positions its investors to benefit from specialized market insights and potential above-market returns. In the near term, EquityMultiple will offer industrial opportunities in Orlando, the third-ranked industrial market in its market scoring, which is forecasted to experience 5%-plus growth in the coming years.

"Through strategic investments in the industrial sector, we are not just following market trends; we are anticipating them. Our goal is to offer our investors a gateway to premium commercial real estate that stands to benefit from macroeconomic shifts and sector-specific growth," said Marious Sjulsen, Chief Investment Officer at EquityMultiple.

As EquityMultiple continues to lead with innovation and investor-centric strategies, it remains dedicated to enhancing its offerings, reflecting its stature as a thought leader in the real estate investment landscape. The firm's emphasis on the industrial sector underscores its commitment to maximizing investor returns while contributing to the resilience and dynamism of their investment portfolios.

For more information about EquityMultiple and its focus on industrial real estate investments, please visit EquityMultiple.com.

About EquityMultiple

EquityMultiple is a leading investment management and technology firm that offers unique real estate private equity and private credit opportunities to accredited investors. With a portfolio that has participated in over $5 billion in commercial real estate transactions since 2015, EquityMultiple partners with experienced real estate operators in strong markets across the country. The firm's innovative platform provides investors with access to individual properties and funds, aligning cutting-edge technology with institutional-quality real estate investing.

Contact Information

Jessica Lombao

jessica.lombao@issuerdirect.com

SOURCE: EquityMultiple

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Award Funding to Empower Climate-Tech Innovators at Camp Cleantech on August 12-14, 2024, in Denver, Colorado

Today, the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN), a $50 million clean technology program funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation and co-administered by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, announced its eighth cycle of IN2 Channel Partner Strategic Awards. This year, IN distributed $767,000 across 15 organizations within the Channel Partner network, equipping them to host impactful workshops at the pioneering event, Camp Cleantech, this August 12-14, 2024, at CSU Spur in Denver, Colorado.

Camp Cleantech is designed to immerse climate-tech startups in an environment ripe with knowledge-sharing and collaborative opportunities. The event aims to equip attendees with critical tools and insights necessary for navigating the complexities of startup life while providing unparalleled access to ecosystem leaders, premier partners, incubators, and accelerators.

"We are celebrating this year's Strategic Award winners and looking forward to Camp Cleantech," said Robyn Luhning, chief sustainability officer at Wells Fargo. "As the real economy demands more lower-carbon solutions, Wells Fargo continues to support the scaling of new solutions for a successful shift to a low-carbon economy."

The workshops at Camp Cleantech will cover a range of topics critical to entrepreneurial success, including community and corporate partnerships, financing strategies, organizational development, product design and manufacturing, pilot and demonstration readiness, and crafting compelling value propositions. These sessions are designed to equip climate-tech startups with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Workshops will be presented by:

Activate Global

BRITE Energy Innovators

Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological University

Cleantech Group

Cleantech Open.

Colorado Cleantech Industries Association (CCIA)

Dominion Energy Innovation Center (DEIC)

Elemental Excelerator

Evergreen Climate Innovations

FORGE

Greentown Labs

Grid Catalyst

Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI)

Rice Alliance Clean Energy Accelerator

Urban Future Lab at New York University.

In line with IN's broader goals, this year's awards also emphasize fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within the cleantech ecosystem. Workshops will explore effective team building through both internal and external lenses, ensuring that startups are well-equipped to build inclusive, resilient, and high-performing organizations.

"The significance of this year's awards goes beyond the recognition of innovation; it embodies a concerted effort to elevate collaboration and engagement across the board," said Sarah Derdowski, IN program director at NREL. "Through Camp Cleantech, we're setting a new standard in how we gather, inspire, and propel our community forward."

The selection process for this year's awards was informed by comprehensive surveys and insights across the Channel Partner network, highlighting the ecosystem's most pressing needs and areas for development. The awards prioritize projects that offer unique expertise and address key themes such as financing resources, pilots and demonstrations with corporate or industry partners, and strategies for overcoming barriers to innovation.

A portion of the awards, totaling $435,000, is dedicated to a select few recipients receiving additional follow-on funding to enhance and expand their workshop content and insights towards entrepreneurs in their local networks.

IN launched the Channel Partner awards program in 2017 to nurture the Channel Partner ecosystem, which includes more than 60 cleantech and agtech business incubators, accelerators, universities, and industry experts. Since its inception, the Channel Partner Awards program has distributed more than $8 million, supporting 79 Strategic Awards and 232 Ecosystem or Connector Awards. The nationwide program engages thousands of entrepreneurs, students, investors, mentors, and industry experts.

IN invites climate-tech startups to register for Camp Cleantech starting May 1, 2024. For more information visit the Camp Cleantech website.

About the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN)

The Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN) is a $50 million clean technology program funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation and co-administered by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory. IN advances clean technologies from ideation to commercialization-validating emerging startups in the built environment and infrastructure sectors, while facilitating connections with end users who receive practical implementation guidance in support of their sustainability goals. IN is guided by a mission to foster innovation and increase market adoption of clean technologies to address urgent climate challenges. For more information, visit www.in2ecosystem.com.

Contacts

Media

Camille Cater

Antenna Group

nrel@antennagroup.com

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Wells Fargo on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Wells Fargo

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/wells-fargo

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Wells Fargo

View the original press release on accesswire.com
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Respect for human rights is a fundamental value of PotlatchDeltic. We recognize that we have an important role in fostering human rights and have built our approach to protecting human rights on respect for internationally recognized human rights principles, such as the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Labour Organization standards. These principles have informed our Human Rights Policy. Our operations, however, are entirely within the United States, which has a robust and expanding body of human rights laws. Accordingly, we comply with applicable state and federal human rights laws, and our Human Rights Policy and Supplier Code of Conduct have been drafted to meet or exceed those legal requirements. Our Human Rights Policy commitments were approved by our Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, and our Vice President Public Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer.

Our commitment to human rights is embodied in our Human Rights Policy and supported by our Corporate Conduct and Ethics Code, Supplier Code of Conduct, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy, Forest Stewardship Policy, Environmental, Health, and Safety Policy, and our other policies, standards, and practices. These codify the expectations we have for our full-time employees, part-time employees, and temporary staff. We respect Indigenous peoples and traditional livelihoods and value stakeholder engagement on these issues. We recognize the fundamental importance of water and respect the right to water including quality, sufficiency, and accessibility.

Our operations are entirely in the United States and do not include stakeholder resettlement, although we support the principle to seek free, prior, and informed consent, offer compensation, and avoid forced evictions of stakeholders. Similarly, our operations are not in conflict zones, but we support the principle that private security forces respect international human rights and the requirement to avoid complicity in public security force human rights violations.

We require that our value chain - suppliers, contractors, and customers uphold human rights in their actions and relationships with PotlatchDeltic. We have outlined these requirements in our Supplier Code of Conduct.

All salaried Team Members receive training on selected components of the Human Rights Policy. We provide training to contractors and suppliers about our Supplier Code of Conduct, which includes our Human Rights Policy. Human rights are integrated into our enterprise risk management process. Regular internal audits monitor our procedures and activities. We provide an ethics hotline as an avenue for Team Members and external stakeholders to raise concerns regarding human rights and other issues. Reports may be made anonymously, and are made to an independent third party, which then notifies the Law Department.

This release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as "commitment," "may," "regular," "seek," and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management's views of future events based on assumptions and are therefore subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, and are not guarantees of future conduct, results, or policies. Please view the Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information on page 134 of PotlatchDeltic's 2022 ESG Report.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from PotlatchDeltic on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: PotlatchDeltic

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/potlatchdeltic

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: PotlatchDeltic

View the original press release on accesswire.com
NEW BEDFORD, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell delivered compelling testimony before the New England Fishery Management Council on Tuesday, urging the Council to open the Northern Edge scallop grounds to New Bedford commercial fishermen. Mayor Mitchell emphasized the potential benefits of this move, highlighting its significance as a new source of scallops while other locations recover, and scallop recruitment progresses.

Mayor Mitchell, who also serves as chairman of the New Bedford Port Authority, had previously written to Council Chair Eric Reid, noting that the work of the Habitat and Scallop Plan Development Teams has been careful and thoughtful, and has led to the cautious and prudent recommendation to pursue the opening of Concept Areas #2 and #4. Despite being the smallest of the Concept Areas evaluated, Mayor Mitchell stressed their importance in providing much-needed scallop fishing opportunities.

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell testifying at the New England Fishery Management Council

Concept Area #4 was highlighted for potentially harboring the highest concentration of scallops in recent surveys. Mayor Mitchell underscored that scallops have been spawning in the entire Closed Area for years, suggesting that a significant portion of the overall biomass would remain intact even after opening these areas to fishing. Additionally, the identified areas exhibit the lowest amount of complex bottom conditions, reducing the likelihood of adverse habitat impacts from scallop fishing.

Citing a long-term study conducted by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Mayor Mitchell emphasized that most habitats recover from scallop fishing impacts in less than 10 months, with even more complex habitats fully recovering within six years. This scientific evidence supports the feasibility and sustainability of opening the identified areas to scallop fishing.

It is anticipated that opening these areas wouldn't necessitate new habitat closures elsewhere, easing the burden on other fishing interests.

National Marine Fisheries Service Regional Administrator Mike Pentony echoed support for moving forward with opening the two concept areas, noting that it was too early to abandon the concept areas over enforcement concerns, and that more can be done to improve enforceability if there are concerns.

Following Mayor Mitchell's testimony, the Council took votes advancing Areas #2 and #4 towards a final action, possibly slated for September. This aligns with the Mayor's request, both in his letter to Chair Eric Reid and in his in-person testimony.

The Port of New Bedford is the most valuable commercial fishing port in the U.S., maintaining its leadership position for more than two decades. With more than 7,000 jobs and 400 fishing vessels, the Port serves as a cornerstone of the regional economy, driving shoreside businesses and attracting significant public and private investments.

While New Bedford's fishing vessels harvest multiple species, scallops remain the prime drivers of economic activity within the Port. Mayor Mitchell highlighted the fishermen's commitment to maintaining the resource and their recognition of the strategic long-term importance of managing the scallop biomass.

The mayor's letter to the NEFMC is available here.

For media inquiries, please contact:

John T. Regan

Director of Policy & External Affairs

(508) 961-3000

John.Regan@newbedford-ma.gov

About New Bedford Port Authority

The New Bedford Port Authority is a state-created agency charged with managing the Port of New Bedford. The Port is the physical center and primary economic engine of Southeastern Massachusetts. It is America's top commercial fishing port, the staging site for America's first industrial-scale offshore wind project, and home to hundreds of recreational and commercial vessels and businesses. According to a recent study, the Port generates more than $11 billion in annual economic activity and supports more than 6,700 jobs.

SOURCE: Port of New Bedford

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Now in its third year, the 10 Under 20 Food Heroes program recognizes young innovators fostering positive change in our food system

AUSTIN, MN / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Hormel Foods Corporation, a Fortune 500 global branded food company, is now accepting nominations for the 2024 class of 10 Under 20 Food Heroes. The impact-driven program, now in its third year, recognizes the efforts of young trailblazers from across the United States whose philanthropic efforts are driving the world toward a more transparent, secure and sustainable food system.

The company is seeking candidates under 20 years of age who reside in the United States that are driven, passionate and determined to make a lasting impact on the world.

Nominations can be submitted at 10under20foodheroes.com/nominate from now through April 26, 2024.

Each 10 Under 20 Food Hero will receive support and resources from Hormel Foods and its partners, including mentorship, internship opportunities, executive networking sessions and hands-on experiences to foster their growth as future leaders. The program continues to grow into a nationwide network of young changemakers connected through purpose and passion for improving our food system.

"By celebrating and supporting the passion of young minds, we pave the way for a brighter, more sustainable future," said Katie Clark, senior vice president and chief communications officer at Hormel Foods. "The 10 Under 20 Food Heroes program is a testament to the power of youth-driven innovation in shaping tomorrow's food landscape."

To celebrate the achievements of the new cohort of Food Heroes, the 2024 award recipients and their guardians will be invited to the company's global headquarters in Austin, Minnesota, for a celebration this summer. They will also receive a financial donation to further their impactful efforts.

Explore the inspiring stories of previous Food Heroes and learn more about the program at 10under20foodheroes.com.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Hormel Foods Corporation on 3blmedia.com.



Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Hormel Foods Corporation

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/hormel-foods-corporation

Email: info@3blmedia.com



SOURCE: Hormel Foods Corporation

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 18, 2024) - Minaurum Gold Inc. (TSXV: MGG) ("Minaurum" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Red Cloud Securities Inc. (the "Agent") to act as sole agent and bookrunner in connection with a best efforts, private placement (the "Offering") for gross proceeds of up to C$6,000,000 from the sale of up to 24,000,000 units of the Company (each, a "Unit") at a price of C$0.25 per Unit. Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (each, a "Unit Share") and one half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant shall entitle the holder to purchase one common share of the Company (each, a "Warrant Share") at a price of C$0.34 at any time on or before that date which is 24 months after the closing date of the Offering.

The Agent will have an option, exercisable in full or in part, up to 48 hours prior to the closing of the Offering, to sell up to an additional 4,000,000 Units for additional gross proceeds of up to C$1,000,000 (the "Agent's Option").

Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), the Units will be offered for sale to purchasers in the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106 (the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption"). The Unit Shares and Warrant Shares are expected to be immediately freely tradeable under applicable Canadian securities legislation if sold to purchasers resident in Canada.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to complete a National Instrument 43-101 resource at the Alamos Silver project, to continue exploration drilling and for working capital and general corporate purposes. The Offering is scheduled to close on or around May 2, 2024 and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, receipt of all necessary approvals including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

There is an offering document related to the Offering that can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.minaurum.com. Prospective investors should read the offering document before making an investment decision.

None of the securities sold under the Private Placement have been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and no such securities may be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Minaurum Gold Inc. (TSXV: MGG) (OTCQX: MMRGF) (FSE: 78M) is a Mexico-focused explorer concentrating on the high-grade 100% owned fully production permitted Alamos silver project in southern Sonora. Minaurum is managed by one of the strongest technical and finance teams and will continue its founders' legacy of creating shareholder value to develop and acquire a pipeline of potential Tier One precious metals projects. Through a portfolio containing Silver projects totaling 37,928 hectares; Gold projects totaling 25,933 hectares; and Copper projects totaling 12,856 hectares, Minaurum provides significant exposure to precious and base metals.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Darrell A. Rader"

Darrell A. Rader

President and CEO

For more information, please contact:

Sunny Pannu - Investor Relations and Corporate Development Manager

(778) 330 0994 or via email at pannu@minaurum.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2710 - 200 Granville Street

Vancouver, BC V6C 1S4

Telephone 778 330-0994

www.minaurum.com

info@minaurum.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information: This news release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, including statements regarding future estimates, plans, objectives, timing, assumptions or expectations of future performance, including, without limitation, the anticipated timing of closing of the Offering or at all; the anticipated terms of the Units and the Warrants; the anticipated use of the net proceeds of the Offering; and the anticipated receipt of all necessary approvals in respect of the Offering are forward-looking statements and contain forward-looking information. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should" or "would" or occur.

Forward-looking statements are based on certain material assumptions and analysis made by the Company and the opinions and estimates of management as of the date of this press release, including, among other things, that the Offering will close on the anticipated timeline or at all; that the Units and the Warrants will have the anticipated terms; that the Company will use the net proceeds of the Offering as anticipated; and that the Company will receive all necessary approvals in respect of the Offering. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Important risks that may cause actual results to vary, include, without limitation, the risks that the Offering will not close on the anticipated timeline or at all; that the Units and the Warrants will not have the anticipated terms; that the Company will not use the net proceeds of the Offering as anticipated; and that the Company will not receive all necessary approvals in respect of the Offering.

Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Not for distribution to U.S. news wire services or for dissemination in the United States

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/206079

SOURCE: Minaurum Gold Inc.
VANCOUVER, BC AND KIBBUTZ YIFAT, ISRAEL / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Beyond Oil Ltd. (CSE:BOIL)(OTCQB:BEOLF) ("Beyond Oil" or the "Company"), a food-tech innovation company extending the life of frying oil, reducing costs and waste, will host its annual general and special meeting of shareholders (the "Meeting") on Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 8:00 a.m. (Vancouver time) at the offices of Endeavor Trust Corporation, Suite 1150-777 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC. The record date for the shareholders entitled to vote at the Meeting has been set as shareholders of record as at the close of business on March 19, 2024. The notice of meeting, proxy form, voter information form and information circular ("Circular", and collectively the "Meeting Materials") are located under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

The business at the Meeting includes: setting the number of and electing directors of the Company; appointing an auditor for the ensuing year; approving the amendment to the Company's omnibus equity incentive plan; amending the deferred purchase price agreement (the "Deferred Purchase Price Agreement"); approving the extension of the expiry date of 2,683,333 warrants (the "SubcoWarrants"); and approving the extension of the expiry date of 2,241,324 warrants (the "Warrants").

The Company would like to provide shareholders with the following additional information in respect of the Deferred Purchase Price Agreement and the Subco Warrants to supplement the information in the Circular.

Regulatory Exemptions

The Company has made the determination that it is in the best interest of shareholders, for the Company to adhere to a high standard of corporate governance and request minority approval in respect of the Revised DPPA Resolutions and the Subco Extension Resolutions. The Company would like to clarify that notwithstanding the foregoing the Company would nonetheless be required to obtain minority shareholder approval as is required by Canadian Securities Administrators Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions MI 61-101 ("MI 61-101"). The Company will also be relying on Section 5.5(b) of MI 61-101, an exemption from the formal valuation requirements, which exemption is available to the Company as no securities of the Company are listed or quoted on any of the prescribed exchanges.

Disinterested Shareholder Approval

As disclosed in the Circular, at the Meeting, in order to approve each of: (a) the Subco Extension Resolutions; and (b) Revised DPPA Resolutions, such resolutions must be approved by ordinary resolution approved by a majority of the votes cast by those Shareholders present in person or represented by proxy at the Meeting who are not "related parties".

The following table lists those "related parties" who will not be entitled to vote in respect of the aforementioned resolutions, their existing shareholdings, the aggregate number of Common Shares each will be entitled to received in the event of the approval of the Revised DPPA Resolutions (and then only in the future upon fulfillment of the Revised Milestones as more particularly described in the Circular) and the aggregate number of Common Shares each will be entitled to received in the event of the approval of the Subco Extension Resolutions (and then only in the future if such "related party" elects to pay the exercise price, as more particularly described in the Circular):

Related Party Number of Common Shares Presently Held Aggregate Common Share Entitlement Upon Fulfillment of Revised Milestone Aggregate Common Shares upon Exercise of Subco Warrants Dani Itzhaki 1,155,862 690,024 86,953 Jonathan Or 6,417,926 5,131,868 646,693 Matan Or 4,811,129 3,848,904 485,020 Aviva Or 4,811,129 3,848,904 485,020 Total: 17,196,047 13,519,700 1,703,686

About Beyond Oil Ltd.

Beyond Oil develops and manufactures an innovative, proprietary, and patented product designed to extend the life of frying oil while preserving the oil's quality and nutritional value. The unique product integrates into the existing filtration systems of both commercial and industrial fryers, reducing oil costs, helping create healthier food, decreasing waste, and increasing sustainability. For more information visit: www.beyondoil.co.

Contacts:

Jonathan Or

CEO and Co-founder

1-647-691-9801

info@beyondoil.co

Caroline Sawamoto

Investor Relations

1-647-691-9801

ir@beyondoil.co

Forward Looking Statement and Information

The Canadian Securities Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the Company and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. 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. This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the securities laws. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates" and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and are based upon management's current expectations, beliefs and projections, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain. Such expectations, beliefs and projections are expressed in good faith. However, there can be no assurance that management's expectations, beliefs and projections will be achieved, and actual results may differ materially from what is expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. In addition, we cannot assure that any patent will issued as a result of a pending patent application or, if issued, whether it will issue in a form that will be advantageous to us. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting the Company, reference is made to the Company's reports filed from time to time at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, subsequent events or circumstances, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information except to the extent required by applicable securities laws. If the Company does update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that the Company will make additional updates with respect thereto or with respect to other forward-looking statements. References and links to websites have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release. The Company is not responsible for the contents of third-party websites.

SOURCE: Beyond Oil Ltd.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 18, 2024) - Moonbound Mining Ltd. (CSE: MML) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its news release dated December 19, 2023, January 18, 2024, January 29, 2024 and March 18, 2024, it intends to increase the size of its previously announced non-brokered private placement, which is now expected to consist of the issuance of up to 30,000,000 common shares (each, a "Share") at a price of $0.30 per Share for gross proceeds of up to $9,000,000(the "Offering").

The initial tranche of the Offering closed on January 29, 2024 and included the issuance of an aggregate of 7,000,000 Shares at a price of $0.30 per Share for gross proceeds of $2,100,000 as well as an aggregate of 7,000,000 subscription receipts (each, a "Subscription Receipt") at a price of $0.30 per Subscription Receipt for gross proceeds of $2,100,000. Each Subscription Receipt was converted into one Share, at no additional cost, upon completion of the Company's acquisition of 1442160 B.C. Ltd., an arm's length private British Columbia corporation, on January 29, 2024.

The second tranche of the Offering closed on March 15, 2024 and included the issuance of an aggregate 4,493,334 Shares at a price of $0.30 per Share for gross proceeds of $1,348,000. In connection with the closing of the second tranche, the Company issued 196,700 share purchase warrants (each, a "Finders' Warrant") and paid a cash finder's fees totaling $59,010 to certain finders. Each Finders' Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Share at a price of $0.30 per Share for a period of twenty (24) months from the date of issuance.

The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to the account or benefit of a U.S. person absent an exemption from the registration requirements of such Act. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor there by any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Announcement of new Chief Financial Officer

The Company also announces the resignation of Yulia McCutcheon as the Company's Chief Financial Officer ("CFO") and Secretary. The Company thanks Ms. McCutcheon for all her hard work and wishes her the very best in her future endeavors. Taking on the roles of CFO and Secretary of the Company will be Herrick Lau.

Herrick Lau

Mr. Herrick Lau has over 25 years' experience as an investment banking professional for initial public offerings, reverse takeovers, mergers & acquisitions, divestitures and various financial advisory services. He is currently Managing Director of Baron Global Financial Canada Ltd., providing ongoing consulting and governance support services to public companies. Mr. Lau has experience as CFO and director for various publicly listed companies. Mr. Lau obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees in Business and Economics from Simon Fraser University. He is also a charter holder of the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. Mr. Lau is currently a member of the local advisory committee of the TSX Venture Exchange.

There were no other changes to the existing management or board of directors of the Company.

About the Company

Moonbound Mining Ltd. is a mineral exploration company which currently has two exploration projects and is seeking to acquire additional mineral exploration properties. The current projects include the Yak Property, located in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, and the Strathmore Property, which includes seven mining licenses located in Namibia, South Africa.

For further information, please refer to the Company's disclosure record on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca).

For more information please contact:

James Lumley

Chief Executive Officer

(604) 908 1679

info@moonboundmining.com

The Canadian Securities Exchange (operated by CNSX Markets Inc.) has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this press release.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE

SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/206083

SOURCE: Moonbound Mining
MONTREAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / VIOR INC. ("Vior" or the "Corporation") (TSXV:VIO);(OTCQB:VIORF) and (FRANKFURT:VL51) is pleased to announce that it has closed a non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") for gross proceeds of $2,520,000, by issuing 20,160,000 units of the Corporation (the "Units") at an issue price of $0.125 per Unit. Each Unit is comprised of one common share of the Corporation (each, a "Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant of the Corporation (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Share at an exercise price of $0.21 per Share for a period of 24 months following the closing date of the Offering.

Mark Fedosiewich, President and CEO of Vior, stated, "We are pleased to announce this second finance closing with several institutional funds and high net worth individuals, who were not able to meet the tight closing window of the original March 28, 2024 financing. These combined closings, totalling $21.83M, reinforce the confidence and commitment that well-heeled investors have demonstrated in the Vior team and our flagship Belleterre Gold Project. We are well underway in the permitting for the initial 60,000 metres of drilling, and we anticipate that drills will be turning sometime in June. We look forward to a very busy and exciting news-filled year ahead".

Vior intends to use the net proceeds from this Offering to fund exploration work in Quebec, as well as for working capital and general corporate purposes.

The Units and the Warrants issued in connection with Offering are subject to a four-month and one (1) day hold period expiring on August 19, 2024, pursuant to National Instrument 45-102 - Resale Restrictions and Regulation 45-102 - Resale of Securities and the certificates or DRS advices representing such securities will bear a legend to that effect.

The Offering is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals, including the final acceptance by the TSX-V.

In connection with the Offering, the Corporation paid finders' fees totalling $113,313 to arm's length third parties of Vior.

About VIOR

Vior is a junior mineral exploration Corporation based in the province of Quebec, Canada, whose corporate strategy is to generate, explore, and develop high-quality mineral projects in the proven and favourable mining jurisdiction of Quebec. Through the years, Vior's management and technical teams have demonstrated their ability to discover several gold deposits and many high-quality mineral prospects.

Vior is rapidly advancing its flagship Belleterre Gold Project with the strategic support of Osisko Mining Inc. The Belleterre Gold Project is an exciting district-scale property that includes Quebec's past-producing high-grade Belleterre gold mine. Vior has conducted extensive exploration at the Belleterre property and is finalizing plans for a +60,000m drill program. Vior is also actively developing its promising Skyfall Project in partnership with SOQUEM Inc., as well as several other properties with multi-mineral potential.

For More Information, Please Contact:

Mark Fedosiewich

President and CEO

613-898-5052

mfedosiewich@vior.ca Laurent Eustache

Executive Vice-President

514-442-7707

leustache@vior.ca

Forward-Looking Information

The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Corporation expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, without limitation, statements with respect to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals of the Offering, including approval of the Exchange; the use of proceeds from the Offering; the anticipated date for the Special Meeting. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof.

Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the price of gold, the anticipated cost of planned exploration activities, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, that third party contractors, equipment and supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct the Corporation's planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by the Corporation in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate.

Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual events or results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others: negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of additional financing, no known mineral reserves, the limited operating history of the Corporation, the influence of a large shareholder, aboriginal title and consultation issues, reliance on key management and other personnel, actual results of exploration activities being different than anticipated, changes in exploration programs based upon results, availability of third party contractors, availability of equipment and supplies, failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry, environmental risks, changes in laws and regulations, community relations and delays in obtaining governmental or other approvals and the risk factors with respect to the Corporation set out in the Corporation's filings with the Canadian securities regulators and available under the Corporation's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Although the Corporation has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws.

Neither the Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Vior Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Boulder, Colorado and Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 18, 2024) - Intellabridge Technology Corporation (CSE: KASH) (OTCQB: KASHF) (FSE: KASH) (the "Company" or "Intellabridge"), a financial technology company, is pleased to announce that the Company will resume trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE"), effective April 19, 2024.

This announcement follows the Company's press release dated April 15, 2024, announcing that the Ontario Securities Commission (the "OSC") had issued the Company a revocation order dated April 12, 2024 granting full revocation of the cease trade order previously issued by the OSC on May 6, 2022 and the reciprocal cease trade orders issued by the Alberta Securities Commission and the British Columbia Securities Commission.

The Company will provide a further update to shareholders in respect of the Company's trading status on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in due course.

About Intellabridge Technology Corporation

Intellabridge Technology Corporation (CSE: KASH) (OTCQB: KASHF) (FSE: KASH) is a financial technology company in the business of impact finance with a mission to make every financial transaction to have a positive impact. Intellabridge's Karma Card impact finance product allows customers to generate cashback from financial transactions and makes it easy for customers to donate their cashback to charitable organizations based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Intellabridge offers progressive web applications providing customers with cashback debit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay and automated donation systems.

For more information on Intellabridge, visit www.intellabridge.com.

For more information on the Karma impact finance product, visit www.getkarmacard.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD of DIRECTORS INTELLABRIDGE TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

"Maria Eagleton"

Maria Eagleton, COO

To contact Intellabridge:

Website: intellabridge.com

Phone: +1-303-800-5333

Email: maria@intellabridge.com

The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively "forward-looking statements"). The use of any of the words "will", "plan", "on track", "possible", "anticipated" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon. Actual results achieved may vary from the information provided herein as a result of numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors. The Company believes the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. The Company does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

###

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/206102

SOURCE: Intellabridge Technology Corporation
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Think Research Corporation (TSXV:THNK) ("Think" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce the completion of the previously announced plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement"), pursuant to which Beedie Investments Ltd. ("Beedie Capital") acquired all of the issued and outstanding common shares in the capital of the Company ("Shares"), other than those Shares owned by Beedie Capital and other shareholders comprised of certain directors and executive officers of the Company as well as other persons, for cash consideration of C$0.32 per Share. The Arrangement, which was announced on February 16, 2024, was approved by the Company's shareholders at a special meeting held on April 4, 2024. The Company obtained a final order from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List) in respect of the Arrangement on April 9, 2024.

"The Company is looking forward to this new chapter working with Beedie Capital. We are excited about the opportunities and innovations that lie ahead, and the positive impacts this Arrangement will have on our customers and employees," said Sachin Aggarwal, Chief Executive Officer of Think.

As a result of the Arrangement, the Company is expected to be delisted from the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") at the close of trading on April 22, 2024. The Company will submit an application to cease to be a reporting issuer under applicable Canadian securities laws which will terminate the Company's public reporting requirements.

Following the completion of the Arrangement, Beedie Capital and Think entered into a ninth amendment to the credit agreement dated April 22, 2022, as amended, between Beedie Capital and the Company, pursuant to which, among other things, a non-revolving, non-convertible term loan in the amount of $1,850,000 (the "Bridge Loan") was made available to Think for working capital purposes.

Canaccord Genuity Corp. provided a fairness opinion to the independent special committee of the board of directors of the Company (the "Special Committee"), Stikeman Elliott LLP acted as counsel to the Company, Dentons Canada LLP acted as counsel to Beedie Capital, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP acted as counsel to the Special Committee of Think's board of directors, and Morrow Sodali acted as proxy advisor.

Shareholder Questions and Assistance

Registered Shareholders must submit any certificates and/or DRS advices representing their Shares, together with a duly completed and executed letter of transmittal and any other documents that TSX Trust Company, who is acting as depositary under the Arrangement, may reasonably require, in order to receive the cash consideration to which they are entitled under the Arrangement.

Shareholders who have questions or require assistance with submitting their Shares to the Arrangement may direct their questions to the Company's strategic shareholder advisor and proxy solicitation agent, Morrow Sodali at 1-888-444-0591 toll free in North America or 1-289-695-3075 collect outside North America or by email at assistance@morrowsodali.com. Further information about submitting your Shares to the Arrangement, including with respect to completing the letter of transmittal, may be addressed to TSX Trust Company toll free at 1-866-600-5869 or by email at tsxtis@tmx.com.

Early Warning

Immediately prior to the completion of the Arrangement, Beedie Capital held or exercised control or direction over (i) 2,934,900 Shares, representing approximately 3.7% of the issued and outstanding Shares (on a non-diluted basis) and (ii) assuming the conversion in full of the aggregate principal amount outstanding under the non-revolving term convertible loan facility made available by Beedie Capital to the Company (the "Loan Facility") of $21 million using the applicable conversion price as of the respective dates of each advance under the Loan Facility, Beedie Capital would hold or exercise control or direction over an aggregate of 43,039,057 Shares, representing approximately 36.1% of the issued and outstanding Shares (on a partially-diluted basis); and (iii) assuming the conversion in full of the principal amounts outstanding under the Loan Facility of $21 million using the applicable conversion price as of the respective dates of each advance under the Loan Facility, as well as the remaining $4 million of undrawn principal available under the Loan Facility at a conversion price of $0.388 per share, representing a 25% premium above the closing price of the Shares on the TSXV as of April 17, 2024, Beedie Capital would hold or exercise control or direction over an aggregate of 53,361,638 Shares, representing approximately 41.16% of the issued and outstanding Shares (on a partially-diluted basis).

Following the completion of the Arrangement, Beedie Capital owns 57,864,367 Shares, representing approximately 73.0% of the issued and outstanding Shares.

In connection with the closing of the Arrangement, each of the directors that were previously on the board of directors of the Company resigned, other than Sachin Aggarwal. Two representatives of Beedie Capital, David Bell and Adrian Chan have also been appointed as directors of the Company.

The completion of the Arrangement and entry into the Bridge Loan result in changes to material facts included in the early warning report dated February 16, 2024 filed by Beedie Capital on Think's SEDAR+ profile. Accordingly, an early warning report containing additional information will be filed by Beedie Capital in accordance with applicable securities laws and will be available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca or may be obtained directly from Beedie Capital upon request at 604-436-7888. Beedie Capital's head office is located at Suite 900 - 1111 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6E 4M3.

MI 61-101 Disclosure

Beedie Capital is a "related party" of the Company as defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101- Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"), and the amendments to the credit agreement would constitute a "related party transaction" as defined in MI 61-101. The Company is relying on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, respectively.

Forward Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information may be identified by statements including words such as: "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "budget," "believe," "project," "estimate," "expect," "scheduled," "forecast," "strategy," "future," "likely," "may," "to be," "could,", "would," "should," "will" and similar references to future periods or the negative or comparable terminology, as well as terms usually used in the future and the conditional.

Statements including forward-looking information may include, without limitation, the timing of various steps to be completed in connection with the delisting of the Shares from the TSXV and the Company's application to cease to be a reporting issuer and terminate its public reporting requirements. Forward-looking information is based on assumptions that may prove to be incorrect, including but not limited to, current expectations and analyses made by the Company and its management in light of experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors appropriate under the circumstances. The Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable in the circumstances. However, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. By its nature, forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties, changes in circumstances and other factors that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of the Company's control which may cause actual results to differ materially from the any future or potential results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking information include, among others, (i) the possibility that the Shares will not be delisted from the TSXV in accordance with the timing currently contemplated and that the Shares may not be delisted at all, due to a failure to satisfy, in a timely manner or otherwise, conditions necessary to delist the Shares from the TSXV or for other reasons, (ii) the possibility that the Company will not receive approval to cease to be a reporting issuer under applicable Canadian securities laws and to otherwise terminate the Company's public reporting requirements (iii) the possibility of adverse reactions or changes in business resulting from the completion of the Arrangement; (iv) the possibility of litigation relating to the Arrangement; and (v) other risks inherent to the business carried out by the Company and factors beyond its control which could have a material adverse effect on the Company. The Company has assumed that the risk factors referred to above will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. The reader is cautioned to consider these and other factors, uncertainties and potential events carefully and not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Other than as specifically required by applicable Canadian securities law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, or otherwise.

About Think Research Corporation

Think Research Corporation is an industry leader in delivering knowledge-based digital health software solutions. The Company's focused mission is to organize the world's health knowledge so everyone gets the best care. Its evidence-based healthcare technology solutions support the clinical decision-making process and standardization of care to facilitate better health care outcomes. The Company gathers, develops, and delivers knowledge-based solutions globally to customers including enterprise clients, hospitals, health regions, healthcare professionals, and / or governments. The Company has gathered a significant amount of data by building its repository of knowledge through its network and group of companies.

The Company licenses its solutions to over 14,200 facilities for over 320,000 primary care, acute care, and long-term care doctors, nurses and pharmacists that rely on the content and data provided by the Company to support their practices. Millions of patients and residents annually receive better care due to the essential data that the Company produces, manages and delivers.

In addition, the Company collects and manages pharmaceutical and clinical trial data via its BioPharma Services subsidiary. BioPharma Services is a leading provider of bioequivalence and Phase 1 clinical research services to pharmaceutical companies globally. The Company's other services include a network of digital-first primary care clinics and medical clinics that provide elective surgery. Visit www.thinkresearch.com for more details.

About Beedie Capital

Beedie Capital is a multi-strategy direct investment platform that manages the alternative investments for Beedie, one of the largest private companies in Western Canada. It deploys capital using a flexible, evergreen mandate, and applies a highly agnostic approach to the duration, structure and size of its investments. Beedie Capital combines the strategic capabilities of an institutional investment platform with the flexibility and entrepreneurial mindset of a privately owned business. Beedie Capital invests in any sector, with a core focus on Technology, Tech-enabled Services, and Metals and Mining, and seeks to grow its invested capital alongside the enterprise value of its investments. For further information on Beedie Capital, please visit www.beediecapital.com.

For further information, please contact:

Mark Sakamoto

Executive Vice President

Think Research Corporation

Direct: 416-388-7119

mark.sakamoto@thinkresearch.com

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Think Research

View the original press release on accesswire.com
A pivotal partnership with a global leader in human and animal nutrition, ADM.

A strategic presence in Illinois, the heart of America's corn belt, fostering innovation and driving local growth.

A dynamic American expansion: Innovafeed, a B Corp-certified company since 2022, is recognized by Fast Company as the Most Innovative Company 2024 and accredited by the Pet Sustainability Coalition for its pet food segment products.

ADM and Innovafeed have an exclusive distributorship agreement for the pet food industry in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Innovafeed, a global leader in the production of insect ingredients for high-quality animal feed, pet food and plant nutrition, inaugurated its North American Insect Innovation Center (NAIIC) in Decatur, Illinois on the 18th of April. This pilot plant is the first step of the rising French agtech's industrial expansion to North America and aims to scale up production and commercialization of insect protein in the USA.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240418174226/en/

Opening new horizons: Governor JB Pritzker joined local and international leaders to celebrate the inauguration of Innovafeed's first North American facility in Decatur, Illinois. Pictured left to right: Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Director Kristin Richards, Decatur Economic Development Corporation President Nicole Bateman, Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe, Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce President Mirinda Rothrock, State of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Innovafeed CEO Clement Ray, ADM SVP and President of Carbohydrate Solutions Chris Cuddy, Consulate General of France Clement Calais, ADM Animal Nutrition North America President Simon Walley, Innovafeed U.S. General Manager Maye Walraven. (Photo: Business Wire)

Innovafeed breeds Hermetia illucens, also known as black soldier flies, in state-of-the-art indoor farms, while efficiently repurposing agricultural by-products from its strategic partner, ADM, in a pioneering zero-waste framework. This innovative process yields insect meal, oil, and soil amendment, which Innovafeed markets under the brand Hilucia.

The inauguration of NAIIC will be a milestone in Innovafeed's expansion in North America. The choice of Decatur, Illinois, is not coincidental: located in the heart of the corn belt adjacent to ADM's North American headquarters and the world's largest corn mill operations, with hundreds of processing plants across multiple States, the region offers high potential for multiple sites to be deployed in the future. The broader area is also a historical innovation hub for the agro-industry, making it a strategic location for Innovafeed to serve its core markets. Since 2023, the company in partnership with ADM, already has commercialized Hilucia insect ingredients for the pet food market in North America. As part of this effort, ADM has invested in a comprehensive R&D study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with results to be released later this year demonstrating the nutritional and health benefits of its ingredients. Future opportunities with other types of animal feed are also being explored as part of the comprehensive partnership between the two companies.

"We are thrilled to partner with Innovafeed on this exciting project that highlights our commitment to responsible and sustainable sourcing. Our collaboration is a great example of how we are constantly seeking innovative solutions to meet the growing demand for alternative protein sources in animal and pet products. By expanding our value chain and offering collaboration opportunities to leading, innovative partners, we are positioning ADM as the provider of choice for responsible, sustainable materials across the food, beverage, feed, fuel, consumer product and industrial spaces. We are proud to be a part of this job-creating project and look forward to the positive impact it will have on our communities," says ADM Senior Vice President and President of ADM's Carbohydrate Solutions business, Chris Cuddy.

A pipeline will connect the plant to the ADM's corn processing wet mill, allowing it to directly recover up to 300,000 tons per year of by-products. These by-products will be transformed into high-quality insect ingredients producing up to 60,000 metric tons of animal feed protein derived from Hermetia Illucens. Additionally, it will generate 20,000 metric tons of oils for poultry and swine rations each year, along with 400,000 metric tons of soil amendment. In Decatur, the planned large-scale manufacturing facility will replicate an industrial symbiosis model pioneered by Innovafeed in France. A comprehensive Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is still to be conducted at the NAIIC.

"We chose Decatur for our first U.S. operation because of its location in the heart of the Midwest corn belt and its proximity to our partner ADM and other agribusiness leaders. ADM's corn by-products are a rich resource that we will leverage to fuel our black soldier fly production. At the same time, this circular process will present a tangible solution to contribute to our Mission and the US Department of Energy's objectives of decarbonizing the industrial sector," says Clement Ray, CEO of Innovafeed.

Innovafeed is delighted to welcome the presence of Governor JB Pritzker at our inauguration, which underscores Illinois's commitment to innovation, sustainability, and its pivotal role in driving both local and global economic impact within the United States.

"Innovative, exciting new approaches to agricultural and environmental challenges are what Illinois is all about, from the invention of the farm silo to global leaders like Innovafeed," said Governor JB Pritzker. "This expansion, perfectly situated in Illinois's rich corn country, demonstrates a commitment to Illinois as a place to grow and continue to innovate, and I'm glad to welcome Innovafeed to Illinois."

Finally, the plant is proudly part of a local ecosystem of industrial projects in Decatur that are poised to create future-focused jobs and help solidify the region as a catalyst for local economic growth and innovation.

"As the project expands, we believe Innovafeed can benefit from a strongly qualified local workforce, as well as contribute to developing new skills specific to our innovative industry. Furthermore, we envision Decatur as a promising hub for innovation with many opportunities for collaboration between Innovafeed and the neighboring projects that have recently been announced in the area," says Maye Walraven, US General Manager for Innovafeed.

Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe added, "The inauguration of Innovafeed's first U.S. location is another huge win for Decatur and is a prime example of what innovation and growth looks like in central Illinois. The northeast quadrant of Decatur will look very different in the coming years, and we are excited to see the future of Innovafeed and other synergistic partners in the area."

Founded in 2016, Innovafeed currently operates two industrial plants in northern France, producing insect protein for animal and pet nutrition. To date, Innovafeed has secured more than $1 billion in commercial contracts for its fly protein products for the aquaculture, pet food and poultry feed markets and has introduced insect ingredients as a viable, affordable, and sustainable source of animal and pet food, which is now recognized and embraced by both agribusiness leaders and environmental stewards alike. By integrating sustainable and innovative solutions, Innovafeed aims to play a pivotal role in mitigating the environmental impact of the animal and pet agribusiness sector.

Innovafeed is also proud to announce that it is now a Pet Sustainability Coalition (PSC) accredited company in the pet segment, effective from February 2024. Additionally, the company has been honored with the Most Innovative Company 2024 award by the prestigious Fast Company Prize. These milestones once again underscore Innovafeed's international expansion and its commitment to sustainability and innovation.

ABOUT INNOVAFEED

Innovafeed is a global agtech company and a leader in insect production (Hermetia illucens Black Soldier Fly) for animal and plant nutrition, created in 2016 by three co-founders: Aude Guo, Bastien Oggeri, and Clement Ray, all driven by the ambition to find innovative and disruptive solutions to the challenges faced by the global food system. It develops disruptive technologies that replicate natural processes on an industrial scale. By building a circular, waste-free food chain that replicates the natural role of the insect, Innovafeed reinvents our way of life with increased quality, sustainability, and resilience for all. Its wide range of products includes Hilucia Protein for aquaculture; Hilucia Oil for monogastrics; and Hilucia Frass for plants, a 100% natural fertilizer made from insect excrement. Innovafeed also offers Hilucia Protein and Oil for pet food. Innovafeed has over 350 pragmatic dreamers for whom performance and positive impact must go hand in hand to shape the world we will leave to future generations. To find out more: https://innovafeed.com/en

ABOUT ADM

ADM unlocks the power of nature to enrich the quality of life. We're a premier global human and animal nutrition company, delivering solutions today with an eye to the future. We're blazing new trails in health and well-being as our scientists develop groundbreaking products to support healthier living. We're a cutting-edge innovator leading the way to a new future of plant-based consumer and industrial solutions to replace petroleum-based products. We're an unmatched agricultural supply chain manager and processor, providing food security by connecting local needs with global capabilities. And we're a leader in sustainability, scaling across entire value chains to help decarbonize our industry and safeguard our planet. From the seed of the idea to the outcome of the solution, we give customers an edge in solving the nutritional and sustainability challenges of today and tomorrow. Learn more at www.adm.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240418174226/en/

Contacts:

Innovafeed

Nadege Audiffren, Communication Manager

+ 33 6 64 09 25 94

nadege.audiffren@innovafeed.com

ADM

Jackie Anderson, Director, External Communications

312-634-8484

media@adm.com
GA Drilling, a Houston, TX-based company which specializes in deep geothermal energy, raised $15M in funding.

Backers included Nabors, Christian Oldendorffs new Family Office, alfa8, the previous CEO of private equity firm EQT, Thomas von Koch, newly established geothermal fund Underground Ventures, and Slovakia-based, Neulogy Ventures.

The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and development efforts.

Led by CEO Igor Kocis, GA Drilling is a leader in deep geothermal drilling technology, which offers a secure solution for a local and independent source of electricity, heating, clean water, and food production. The companys scalable, modular solutions are able to access this clean, baseload energy source fast, at deep depths, and cost-effective than before, even through hard rock and steel.

FinSMEs

18/04/2024
Kontakt.io, a NYC-based provider of an inpatient journey analytics platform, raised $47.5M in funding.

The round was ld by Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Christian Resch, partner at Goldman Sachs, will join Kontakt.ios Board of Directors to advise on the companys next stage of growth.

The company intends to use the funds for global growth and advancement of its AI-driven IoT platform to optimize hospital operations and resources outside the clinical domain.

Led by CEO Philipp von Gilsa, Kontakt.io enables health systems to optimize patient, staff, and resource flows, improving safety, coordination, and service delivery. The company uses AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud technology to provide real-time location data and orchestrate staff, equipment, and clinical spaces around a patients care journey. By integrating these technologies into hospital workflows, Kontakt.io enables a new era of operational excellence in clinical care delivery. Customers include HCA, the VA, Mercy Health, North East Georgia Health System, Trinity Health, and the NHS.

Since 2013, Kontakt.io has provided solutions to +32,000 end users across multiple verticals, and deployed 4+ million IoT devices in the field.

FinSMEs

18/04/2024
Merlin Chain, a Singapore-based company providing a Bitcoin Layer 2 solution, raised an undisclosed amount in funding.

The round was led by Spartan Group and Hailstone Labs with participation from Amber Group, Presto Labs, and IOBC Ventures.

The company intends to use the funds to continue to expand its development efforts.

Merlin Chain is a Bitcoin Layer 2 solution that facilitates secure transactions within the Bitcoin ecosystem. It is designed to enhance Bitcoins usability while maintaining the highest security standards. It utilizes zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs, a form of cryptographic security that allows transaction verification without revealing any underlying data. This method, combined with Bitcoins Taproot upgrade, enhances privacy and efficiency. Taproot simplifies complex transactions on the Bitcoin network by merging multiple signatures into a single transaction, reducing the data needed and ensuring transactions are more private.

FinSMEs

17/04/2024
Sumday, a Burnie, Tasmania, Australia-based carbon accounting startup, closed a $5.3m seed funding round.

The round was led by Sophie Purdom at Planeteer Capital with participation from existing and returning investors Blackbird, Wedgetail, Cameron Adams and Possible Ventures.

The company intends to use the funds to expand operations across the UK, EU and US, and its development efforts.

Led by Jessica Richmond, CEO, Sumday provides a greenhouse gas accounting software for accountants and finance teams to deliver carbon accounting for their clients or within their organisations, with the same rigour and transparency as it is expected from financial accounting. The company also provides practical courses and support to sustainability, finance, and procurement teams. Sumday currently serves over 50 accounting firms, big and small, public companies and the mallest businesses in the supply chain.

FinSMEs

17/04/2024
Travel insurance is an important document that protects you from potential financial risks and hassles during overseas trips. If you lose your luggage or have a medical emergency, you can contact the insurance provider for timely assistance. While travel insurance is not mandatory for tourists in some countries, others will not allow you to travel without it.

Talking about Thailand, travel insurance is not mandatory for international travellers. Nonetheless, it is wise to secure your trip with travel insurance for Thailand to cover different risks while on an overseas tour. Lets discuss this in detail.

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Should you take travel insurance for Thailand?

Travel insurance is not mandatory for tourists visiting Thailand. However, it is always wise to keep this travel document handy for a hassle-free trip. A travel insurance policy ensures financial security and peace of mind throughout the trip and helps you make the most of your tour. Therefore, whether you are visiting Thailand for work or leisure, travel insurance will cover you against unforeseen situations.

Lets take a look at the many benefits that a travel insurance policy offers to travellers.

Benefits of travel insurance

Travel insurance offers a host of benefits to policyholders and helps them travel stress-free. The following are the benefits of a travel insurance policy 

Emergency hospitalisation expenses: A medical emergency can happen at any time, and the hospital bills can exhaust your travel budget easily. However, if you have travel insurance, the insurer will cover your hospital bills and associated expenses and ease your worries. Emergency dental treatment: If you require emergency dental treatment during the trip, the insurer will cover the expenses. For example, if you suffer a dental injury while on a holiday in Thailand, the insurer will cover the treatment bills. Other medical expenses: A travel insurance policy also covers other medical expenses, such as a personal accident, medical evacuation, and repatriation of mortal remains. Loss of checked-in baggage: Losing your checked-in baggage can be quite distressing. If you have travel insurance, the insurer will compensate you for the loss incurred. Delay of checked-in baggage: If your checked-in baggage gets delayed, the insurer will reimburse the money spent on buying the essentials. However, the same is subject to policy terms and conditions. For example, some insurance companies compensate the insured only if their checked-in baggage gets delayed by 12 hours or more. Trip delay: If your trip gets delayed due to flight cancellation, rescheduling, natural calamity, or any other reason mentioned in the policys terms and conditions, the insurer will reimburse the additional expenses incurred. Trip cancellation: If you have to cancel your trip due to a natural calamity, emergency hospitalisation, or any other genuine reason, the insurer will reimburse the trip cancellation charges and associated expenses. Missed flight connection: If you miss your connecting flight due to the delayed arrival of the earlier flight or any other reason beyond your control, the insurer will compensate you for the same. Loss of Passport: If you happen to lose your Passport during the trip, the insurer will reimburse the expenses that you incur to get a new or duplicate one. Personal liability: If you are legally liable to a third party for bodily injury or property damage in an accident, the insurer will come to your rescue. Emergency cash: If you lose your money to theft or robbery during the trip, the insurer will give you an emergency cash allowance. However, the allowance will be up to the amount mentioned in the policy terms and conditions. Compassionate visit: If you get hospitalised during the trip for a certain number of days, the insurer will cover the compassionate visit expenses of an immediate family member. Hijack distress allowance: If the common carrier in which you are travelling gets hijacked and kept captive by the hijackers thereafter, the insurer will offer compensation for the same.

Conclusion

No matter where you go, it is crucial to stay protected against unexpected situations, including flight delays, baggage loss, medical emergencies, and even petty crimes. Hence, before travelling to Thailand, get a travel insurance policy that keeps you safe in every way.

Keeping the many benefits of travel insurance for Thailand in mind, it is wise to take this coverage for better financial security. Many insurance providers in India offer 24/7 support to policyholders. Therefore, if you happen to find yourself in a distressing situation at any time during the trip, your travel insurance provider is a call away!

This is a Partnered Post.
As education goes global, international universities look to come to India and Indian universities look at expanding abroad Firstpost spoke to Professor Richard Wells, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) of UK-based Coventry University to understand why that is happening read more

As India continues with the endeavour to expand its global education networks, universities around the world are considering it a viable market to establish international campuses and knowledge hubs.

In the post-COVID world, where learning went beyond borders, universities all around the world found it an interesting way to reach out to more students who have the desire to learn.

However, the recent immigration crisis in the Western world did emerge as a major barrier in this regard, with the government formulating stringent policies and sometimes closing doors for international students.

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As education goes global, international universities look to come to India and Indian universities look at expanding abroad, Firstposts Bhagyasree Sengupta spoke to Professor Richard Wells, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) of UK-based Coventry University to understand why that is happening and how it will impact students and countries.

Wells is an expert in transnational education and looks at the global activity of his university, including student recruitment and academic partnerships, and has driven collaborations in the Gulf, Australia, China and Southeast Asia.

Q. As someone who has been working on building transnational education networks around the world, do you see more openness in students globally in exploring new areas to study as well as new areas of study?

I would say theres been a huge change in the last probably five to ten years, particularly post-COVID. Before the pandemic, the aim for most international students was to go overseas either to the UK, Australia, Canada and the United States all those different big markets. Now I think theres much more of a choice, there are opportunities whereby international universities can operate overseas.

The concept of online education has transformed since COVID. Before COVID, governments kind of looked down their nose. Online education was viewed very much as second class. The pandemic proved that really thats not the case and universities now have to justify almost why students have to come to campuses.

So a lot of governments and regulators have changed their views about the validity of online education. I think the more progressive universities of which I count Coventry as well have realised that actually something of a blended approach is the best way for young people to learn.

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The days of lecture halls with 100-200 students sitting and scribbling notes, being talked at by a professor are over.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) Of Coventry University Richard Wells and Leena Arora Kukreja, Regional Managing Director (India hub) with the team of the Indian Chapter of the British university. Image Courtesy: Coventry University (India Hub)

At the end of the day when you are working, you will not be going to go back to your exercise book and look at that exact problem, it isnt going to be there. So it is about problem-solving.

Q. Other than conventional degrees, what are the upcoming areas of interest in students that you have noticed?

I think we still see that degrees in conventional academic disciplines are still a predominant demand coming from South Asia in particular. Theres a lot in computing, data science, digital, and graphics. Stuff like gaming, how you will apply data and graphics into gaming, artificial intelligence (AI), and the very applied end of computing science are becoming very important.

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But the demand for conventional areas of things like hard engineering, medicine and health is still very strong.

Q. What does the presence of international students bring to a university and the host country?

It brings massive benefits to everyone in a university. In my opinion, it benefits both the incoming students and the host students. Because at the end of the day, graduates of today are going to work in a global job market. They are not going to have one job for most of their career theyre not going to work for one employer for most of their career. Chances are theyre going to have multiple jobs, multiple- employers, probably in multiple countries.

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They will be working with people from completely different backgrounds and different cultures. If you dont educate yourself in that environment, you are never going to be properly prepared for working in that environment.

The job of a university is to prepare somebody for work. So to educate home students in an environment where they are entirely surrounded by people like themselves would not be doing them a good service.

We are not very good at this in the UK, thats something we really have to promote quite hard. Hence, the whole concept of ensuring a global environment for education is really important.

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Q. Indias new education policy also encourages foreign universities to set up their operations in India. What are your plans in India?

We have got big plans for India. We are the biggest provider of face-to-face transnational education in the UK so at the moment we have about 24,000 students overseas studying for Coventry degrees. The changes in the regulatory framework for India are a big opportunity for us.

It is one of our few markets where we recruit a lot of students, where at the moment we dont have an educational presence.

We do expect to open a facility in India in the near future and I dont anticipate it to be the last one. India is big enough for us to have more than one presence and we hope to open such facilities elsewhere in South Asia as well.

Prof. Richard Wells with the team of Coventry University (India Hub). Image Courtesy: Coventry University (India Hub)

Theres a huge demand and I think we can really contribute to the needs of the region.

Q. What do you think about the role regulatory framework plays in ensuring best education practices are being followed and what are your thoughts about the regulatory framework that is currently in place in India?

Regulatory frameworks are important, I will be honest with you some are better than others. So in some countries, the regulatory frameworks try to get overseas universities to either deliver exactly what they deliver at home or to deliver exactly the same way as their home universities.

My view of the best forms of international transnational education is that you bring the best of an overseas university to the local environment where you are operating. For example, if I have a site where Im teaching law for example overseas, an Indian student I dont think is particularly interested in being able to understand British law (well they might be). Chances are they want to understand and be taught Indian law.

There needs to be flexibility in that and that is not there in all countries. What you need is an idea of the regulatory framework which protects the quality of the education because thats critical. But it should allow a degree of flexibility so that you can operate in a way which is the most beneficial for the country that youre operating in.

In the case of the current UGC regulations in India, its a good start, its at a good place. I think there are still some details that need to be understood. I think there is still a lot of work that needs to be done on them.

What is critical is that the regulator is willing to have those conversations. I think that is the case in India, youve actually got a regulator thats prepared to listen and have a conversation with the potential operator.

Q. Is the curriculum altered to suit local needs in case of campuses abroad?

Formulating the curriculum based on the local need is how I like to see transnational education. Thats our ideal, thats what we would do given the choice. Some countries dont allow it, and India isnt one of them. You want to be able to teach a relevant curriculum. Thats how we deliver our education.

Q. How do you ensure the quality of education on campuses abroad or with partners abroad is the same, or maybe even better, than back home?

You have to recognise that the quality of a universitys education is everything. If our quality drops anywhere, whether thats in Coventry, in our London campus, in Singapore, or in Egypt, if that quality drops, thats our right to exist gone essentially.

If people think our degrees are not worth what they used to be, why would they pay good money to attend our hubs overseas or come to the UK to do a degree, you know thats a lot of money. Its expensive.

We have a regulator called the Office For Students, which basically gives us the license to operate in the UK but they also take a view of any education that we deliver overseas. Hence, overseas education has to be of a similar standard to what we deliver at home If not, it would affect our licence. So we have absolutely no choice but to ensure that.

Q. What makes India a viable market in promoting transnational education and what will it take for India to emerge as a global education hub?

The growth in India at the moment is phenomenal. It reminds me of the growth in China 15 years ago. Indias population has already exceeded Chinas, but this growth demands education, the real thirst for education and the ability to take the education on and deliver it to startups, SMEs and businesses, that is a fantastic ecosystem for any education entity to be part of.

Ill be honest, of all the places I go in the world, India is by far the most exciting for me. I see incredible potential and its really important, I think for universities to be part of that.

Q. How big a barrier is the cost of education and relocating in taking education really global? For instance, British universities like many others around the world have cheaper tuition fees for local students in comparison to international students.

Not only the cost of education is higher if you are an international student, but the biggest barrier can be the cost of living. Its a huge investment for an individual or more likely their family and thats why I am a big believer in the concept of transnational education.

It allows different market segments to benefit from overseas education. Some universities in the UK will worried about transnational education because they think that if they go overseas to deliver education those overseas students wont come to the UK.

Personally, I dont believe that, I think theres a group of students who have the funds available to them to undertake international education, and they will always want to travel.

Something like this is significantly cheaper, the living costs are very likely to be significantly less. So the overall cost of education in this model is a lot less.

Q. There is a sense that Western colleges and universities want foreign students, but governments are becoming increasingly cagey in letting those students work and stay there. What is your take on this?

I think we are in a period of global politics where all the big countries that are involved in education are concerned about immigration. Its largely a perception of a certain portion of society. I dont think its real in the slightest personally and the problem is that governments think that controlling the number of international students is an easy way to start to reduce those immigration numbers.

Now the reality is that is nonsense actually because you know students have been massive contributors to the UK economy. Education, I think is our second biggest export, not only do they massively contribute, but they tend to be relatively young. They dont tend to use health services, they tend to use very few public services but contribute hugely to the local economy.

So the argument itself is fatally flawed. This is the problem in all countries you talk about Australia, Canada, the UK, US, there is a public perception that international students are a problem now. This is leading to difficult conversations being had around things.

Q. In January this year, the Rishi Sunak administration announced that new overseas students will no longer be able to bring family members to the UK. Even students pursuing post-graduation or PhDs will have to demonstrate exorbitant finances for their family members. Do you think policies like these hinder the aim of building a transnational network of education?

The easy answer to that question is yeah! I think of course its a barrier. Its telling people you cant come and if you can come, its going to cost even more money. The biggest problem of all this is that it sends out a message that international students arent as well as they used to be or worse that they are not welcome.

Now all I can say to that is that it is completely the wrong message. Its a message that the government in the UK is putting out because it is incredibly unpopular and is destined to lose the forthcoming elections.

Policies like these are greatly affecting the number of students who are applying to come to the UK and Ill be honest with you, its having a very negative effect on university finances.

The biggest problem at the moment is uncertainty. There isnt certainty in the market, and thats the one thing that kills any business. I still remain reasonably hopeful, because we have had these times before, and we always get through them.

One of the biggest problems in the UK is a shortage of staff, and the worst way to deal with that is to say we dont want international students staying after their degree. I remain hopeful that post-election sense will prevail.

Q. How do you see the face of global education changing, in say, the next decade or so?

There are definitely new locations which are becoming education hubs. You look at the growth in places like Dubai that is now starting in other countries as well. It is interesting to see how Indian universities are growing overseas to operate now.

There has been the rise in some slightly more unusual destinations, Georgia for example is turning into a hub for health education. So there are definitely countries that are becoming locations for students who probably cant afford to go to what I would call the big four.

I could easily foresee India becoming a real hub in the Asian markets.
The actress revealed in an interview how Pulkit always carries sanitary pads with him all the time and how she was left impressed read more

The most adorable couple of the B-town is married now! Kriti Kharbanda and Pulkit Samrat entered marital bliss in a lavish ceremony organised at the ITC Grand Bharat in Manesar, Haryana last month. As the couple got married in the presence of their friends and families, their enchanting pictures caught everyones attention, leaving fans in complete awe.

And in an interview that has gone viral, the actress recalled how they met for the first time. The first time I met Pulkit, we were not even friends, we were co-stars and I remember I got my period. He is someone who actually carries tampons and sanitary pads in his bag at all times. He has it at all times. He has got so many cousins and sisters and all and I found that extremely attractive quality. This is something I noticed about him even before we started dating.

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Ladkiya patane ka tarika thoda casual hai pic.twitter.com/R0Eof2DZpI  Tweeting Quarantino (@rohitadhikari92) April 17, 2024

Netizens react

Either she is lying or Pulkit uses it as a tool to flirt/break ice/impress women, one user expressed. Another one wrote- I dont know if its green flag or weird .. I am so confused because if I guy offers me a sanitary product from his bag I might have a lot of questions. A third one said- Its sweet to do so for your wife or gf.

Pulkit Samrat and Kriti Sanon started romancing each other in 2019 while filming for Pagalpanti. Five years into dating, the couple decided to take their relationship to another level this year when they exchanged rings in a private affair. The couple also posted pictures flaunting their beautiful rings.
She is not only one of the worlds leading actors, admired for her work in the Indian film industry for over a decadeshe is also a businesswoman and a philanthropist who leads with integrity, the director wrote for Alia read more

Alia Bhatt has added another feather to her cap. She has become the only Bollywood actor to feature in Time 100 Most Influential List. And on this achievement, her Heart Of Stone director Tom Harper has heaped praises on the actress.

She is not only one of the worlds leading actors, admired for her work in the Indian film industry for over a decadeshe is also a businesswoman and a philanthropist who leads with integrity, the director wrote for Alia. She also wrote-Alias superpower is her ability to mix movie-star magnetism with authenticity and sensitivity. As an actor she is luminous, and as a person she brings the grounded assurance and creativity that make a truly international star.

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Dev Patel, Dua Lipa, Oscar-winner DaVine Joy Randolph and Oscar-nominated actors Jeffrey Wright and Colman Domingo. Taraji P Henson, Elliot Page, Michael J. Fox, Sofia Coppola and Hayao Miyazak also featured on the list.

Alia Bhatt and Hope Gala

Bhatt is all set to host her first Hope Gala in London.

As per a source close to the actress team, Alia will host Hope Gala on March 28 in partnership with the Mandarin Oriental hotel group at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London. This is in support of Alias chosen charity Salaam Bombay which is focused on engaging Mumbais most vulnerable at-risk children through in-school programmes (leadership and advocacy) and after-school academies (skill building) that help build their confidence, self-esteem and commit them to stay in school.

Alia Bhatt rang in her 31st birthday with her husband Ranbir Kapoor and family including Neetu Kapoor, Shaheen Bhatt, and Soni Razdan. She was also joined by her and Ranbirs close friends Akash Ambani, Isha Ambani, and her husband Anand Piramal. As the Kapoor and Bhatt families arrived at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai on the eve of March 14 to celebrate the actress birthday, several pictures and videos captured by paparazzi started making rounds on the Internet, giving a glimpse of the delightful gathering.
Aparna alleged she and Ravi Kishan met in 1995, got married a year later, and even have a daughter named Shenova read more

Ravi Kishans personal life is currently surrounded by turmoil and chaos. A lady has alleged shes his second wife and they even have a daughter together. The woman in question is Aparna Thakur. She alleged they met in 1995, got married a year later, and even have a daughter named Shenova. She even held a press conference in Lucknow and revealed Kishan refuses to acknowledge or accept their marriage or their daughter.

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Kishans first wife files a FIR

Preeti Shukla has filed a FIR against Aparna at the Hazratganj police station for making false allegations against her husband and allegedly demanding Rs 20 crore. She said Aparna tried to trap Kishan in a false rape case and that she had underworld connections.

What Aparna said at her press conference?

She said, My name is Aparna, and my daughter is the daughter of MP and actor Ravi Kishan, whom he is not accepting, as per a report by Times of India. She added,I am also going to court for this. The reason for calling this press conference is I want my daughter who is also Ravi Kishans daughter get her rights. I will approach the court as well over this. I want him to accept his daughter and give her the legal rights that she deserves.

What her daughter Shenova said?

In a video shared by her on social media, she said, Respected Yogi Ji. My name is Shenova. I am your MP Ravi Kishans daughter, and I would like to request that you give my mother and me some time. I want to tell you my truth with proof. After that, you can decide whats right.

Talking about Ravi Kishans film Laapataa Ladies , it was directed by Kiran Rao and produced by megastar Aamir Khan under his production house Aamir Khan Productions.
The allegations that have been made against businessman Raj Kundra is that he collected funds worth Rs 6,600 crore in 2017 with others in the form of bitcoins with the promise of 10% return read more

After the adult-film case that unfolded in 2021, businessman Raj Kundra and actress Shilpa Shettys husband has landed in trouble again. The Enforcement Directorate has seized his properties worth Rs 97 crore.

What happened?

The allegations that have been made against businessman Raj Kundra is that he collected funds worth Rs 6,600 crore in 2017 with others in the form of bitcoins with the promise of 10% return. ED says they have attached movable and immovable properties under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

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Statement by the agency

The collected bitcoins were supposed to be utilized for bitcoin mining and investors were supposed to get huge returns in Crypto assets. But the promoters cheated the investors and have been concealing the ill-gotten bitcoins in obscure online wallets.

The agency also said Kundra received 286 bitcoins by the mastermind behind the Ponzi Scam Amit Bhardwaj for setting up a bitcoin farm in Ukraine.

The said bitcoins were sourced out of proceeds of crime collected by Amit Bhardwaj from gullible investors. Since the deal didnt materialize, Kundra is still in possession and enjoyment of 285 bitcoins which are presently valued at more than Rs 150 crore, the Enforcement Directorate statement stated.

An official statement by Raj Kundra is yet to be released.

Businessman and Shilpa Shettys husband Raj Kundra was implicated by Mumbai Police in the much-talked about pornography case back in May 2022. The Enforcement Directorate began a money laundering investigation and now, reports have said they have found no direct connection between Kundra and the pornography racket.

Raj Kundra s pornography case

Back in September 2021, Kundra walked out of a Mumbai jail, a day after a magistrate court granted bail to the key accused in a pornographic films case. Kundra was released from the Arthur Road jail shortly after 11.30 am, a jail official said.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate SB Bhajipale on Monday allowed Kundras bail application on furnishing a bond of Rs 50,000.
Supriya Sule will file her nominations for the Lok Sabha elections today. UNSC will hold its quarterly meeting and is expected to discuss the situation in Gaza. Here is what else to expect read more

Supriya Sule of the Sharad Pawar faction will submit nomination papers for Baramati Lok Sabha constituency on April 18. File image/PTI

It is going to be a crucial Thursday all around the globe.

Member of Parliament Supriya Sule will file her nomination today to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

In the national capital, AAP leader Manish Sisodias judicial custody is expected to end today.

On the international stage, the UN Security Council is expected to hold its quarterly meeting on The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question today at the ministerial level.

Lets delve into the days newsmakers:

Pawar and Sule to set up clash in Baramati

Sunetra Pawar from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Supriya Sule representing the Sharad Pawar faction are slated to lodge their nomination papers for the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency on 18 April.

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Initially, a joint plan was in place for Mahayuti candidates from Pune, Baramati, and Shirur to file their nomination forms together, preceded by a public rally. However, this arrangement was shelved due to logistical challenges, given the candidates disparate locations.

Sources indicate that Sharad Pawar may be present during Supriya Sules nomination filing.

According to NCP insiders, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, are expected to attend the public rally coinciding with Sunetras nomination submission.

A crucial UNSC meeting

On 2 April, the heads of the Arab Group at the UN (Saudi Arabia), Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (Mauritania), and the Non-Aligned Movement (Uganda) jointly addressed a letter to the Secretary-General, the President of the General Assembly, and the President of the Security Council, expressing their endorsement for the admission of the State of Palestine to UN membership.

The Security Council is anticipated to convene its quarterly meeting on The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question on 18 April, at the ministerial level. If there has been limited progress regarding the reconsideration of the State of Palestines application for UN membership, this issue might be discussed during or before this meeting.

Sisodias judicial custody to end today?

Last week, a court in Delhi extended the judicial custody of Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia until 18 April in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

Special Judge Kaveri Baweja made this decision after Sisodia was presented before the court upon the expiration of his previous judicial custody.

2024 World Press Photo winners to be declared

On 18 April 2024 at 11:00 am CEST (Amsterdam time), the four global winners, selected from the regional winners, will be announced at the press opening of the Flagship World Press Photo Exhibition 2024 at De Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and online simultaneously.

DXB on hold

Dubai International (DXB) has released a travel advisory urging passengers to avoid visiting the airport unless absolutely necessary due to unprecedented weather conditions in the country. Dubai Airports emphasised ongoing flight delays and diversions, advising passengers to stay informed by contacting their airlines for the latest flight status updates.

The advisory is in response to adverse weather conditions impacting operations at Dubai International Airport, resulting in continued flight disruptions. Authorities are cautioning travelers against unnecessary visits to the airport while assuring passengers that efforts are underway to swiftly restore operations.

In a related development, Emirates Airlines has announced the suspension of travel procedures for departing passengers from Dubai, effective from 8:00 am on Wednesday, April 17, until midnight on April 18.

Happy birthday, Sachin!

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, often referred to as the Master Blaster, was born on this day, marking the celebration of his remarkable contributions to the sport.
Indian elections are a remarkable feat of democracy. The electoral process has evolved since the country held its first polls in 1951. Back then, there were 17.3 crore voters; today that number is 96.8 crore. Heres what else has changed since read more

The elections will start from 19 April and culminate on 4 June with the counting of ballots. The poll cycle will be completed in 47 days compared with 42 days in 2019. PTI

Indias elections, the biggest in the world, are colossal, colourful, and complex. In the elections starting from 19 April and culminating on 4 June, over 96.8 crore people will cast their ballot to elect 543 politicians to the Lok Sabha. There are more than 2,600 political parties registered today.

The electoral process has evolved since the country held its first elections in 1951. The Election Commission of India (ECI), then barely a year old, conducted this historic poll with 17.3 crore electors and 1,874 candidates.

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Despite obstacles such as illiteracy and a lack of infrastructure, ECI successfully carried out what many dubbed as a great experiment in democracy. Many of the decisions made at that time have become integral to our entire electoral process, whether it be symbols or indelible ink. Since then, the elections have grown bigger and better.

We explain in graphics.

Also read: How India held its first Lok Sabha election in 68 phases
India is the fastest-growing economy in the world and the second-richest man in the world wants in. Elon Musks affair with India started almost a decade ago and now hes ready to make it official read more

Elon Musk is set to visit India on April 21, his meeting with PM Narendra Modi is expected to be on April 22. File image/PTI

India is in the midst of its election season. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a busy man. But amid all this, he will make time to meet a fan  probably his most high-profile one  Elon Musk.

The billionaires upcoming visit to India on 21 April marks a significant milestone in the burgeoning relationship between the tech tycoon and the worlds fastest-growing economy. He is scheduled to meet with Modi on 22 April and the discussion is poised to yield substantial outcomes for both Tesla and Starlinks ventures in India.

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According to a report by Moneycontrol, a meeting between PM Modi and Musk is anticipated to herald Teslas highly anticipated foray into the Indian market. Quoting an anonymous senior government official, the report suggests that Teslas entry announcement is expected on 22 April.

Musk himself confirmed his visit via his microblogging platform, expressing anticipation for his meeting with the PM.

Looking forward to meeting with Prime Minister @NarendraModi in India!  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 10, 2024

But this is not the first instance of Musk being outspoken about his love for India and the promises the subcontinent holds for him and his endeavours. Musk and Indias affair started long back when he founded Tesla and started sourcing material from India. It came into the spotlight when PM Modi toured a Tesla manufacturing facility in California back in 2015.

We take a look at how the Musk-India relationship has evolved.

2024: Musks advocacy for Indias UNSC seat

In January, Elon Musk renewed his engagement with India by advocating for the countrys inclusion in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Expressing astonishment at Indias exclusion from a permanent seat, Musk called India not having a permanent seat in the UNSC absurd. He said that nations with excess power dont want to relinquish it.

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At some point, there needs to be a revision of the UN bodies. Problem is that those with excess power dont want to give it up. India not having a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite being the most populous country on Earth, is absurd. Africa collectively should also have a permanent seat imo, he said in a most from X.

At some point, there needs to be a revision of the UN bodies.



Problem is that those with excess power dont want to give it up.



India not having a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite being the most populous country on Earth, is absurd.



Africa collectively should  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 21, 2024

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Now ahead of Musks India visit, the US offered support for reforms to United Nations institutions, including the UNSC.

When asked about Tesla CEOs statement regarding Indias lack of a permanent seat at the UNSC, Vedant Patel, US state department principal deputy spokesperson said in a press briefing, The president has spoken about this before in his remarks to the UN General Assembly, and the Secretary has alluded to this as well. We certainly support reforms to the UN institution, including the Security Council, to make it reflective of the 21st-century world that we live in.

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I dont have any specifics to offer on what those steps are, but certainly, we recognise that there is a need for reform, but I will leave it at that for now.

2024: SpaceX and ISRO Collaboration

Also in January, following the success of the Indian Space Research Organisations (ISRO) Chandrayaan-2 mission, Musks space company, SpaceX, announced its collaboration with ISRO. SpaceX revealed plans to assist ISRO in launching a 4.7-tonne communication satellite using its Falcon 9 rocket. This collaboration further solidified Musks presence in Indias space endeavours.

2024: Starlinks license in India

Simultaneously, Musks satellite internet service, Starlink, geared towards providing global internet coverage, is poised to obtain a license to operate in India, pending resolution of regulatory issues. This development underscores Musks expanding footprint in Indias telecommunications sector.

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2023: Musks second encounter with Modi and Teslas plans

In June 2023, Modi met with Elon Musk during a US visit. Following the meeting, Musk expressed his enthusiasm for Indias future, hailing it as a country with unparalleled promise. Musks admiration for Modi was evident as he declared himself a fan of the Prime Minister.

#WATCH | Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, says "I'm incredibly excited about the future of India. India has more promise than any large country in the world. He (PM Modi) really cares about India as he's pushing us to make significant investments in India. I am a fan of Modi. It pic.twitter.com/lfRNoUQy3R  ANI (@ANI) June 20, 2023

Tesla executives engaged in discussions with Indian officials, proposing the establishment of a Giga factory aimed at localising component sourcing and manufacturing vehicles for domestic and international markets.

Great meeting you today @elonmusk! We had multifaceted conversations on issues ranging from energy to spirituality. https://t.co/r0mzwNbTyN pic.twitter.com/IVwOy5SlMV  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 21, 2023

This signified Teslas commitment to swiftly finalise the factorys location, marking a strategic move towards expanding its manufacturing presence in India.

2022: Teslas hurdles and regulatory challenges

In 2022, Tesla faced hurdles in its plans to establish an electric vehicle (EV) production plant in India. Despite invitations from states like Telangana, Maharashtra, and West Bengal, Musk cited ongoing challenges with the government. Regulatory barriers, including existing tax regulations, posed obstacles to Teslas plans.

Still working through a lot of challenges with the government  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 12, 2022

In response, Vivek Johnri, chairman of Indias Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, suggested importing partially assembled models to circumvent these challenges. Ultimately, Tesla suspended its EV production plans in India, disappointing enthusiasts.

But a lot has changed since.

2021: Teslas entry and strategic lobbying

In January 2021, Tesla made its official entry into the Indian market by registering Tesla India Motors and Energy in Bengaluru. Throughout the year, the company strategically lobbied for reduced import duties and tax incentives, securing approval in December to launch seven electric models in India. This marked a significant step towards Teslas establishment in the Indian automotive landscape.

2020: Musks teasing tweet

In October 2020, Elon Musk teased enthusiasts with a tweet responding to photos of Tesla India t-shirts, hinting at the possibility of action in the following year.

Next year for sure  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 2, 2020

This playful interaction fueled speculation among fans eagerly awaiting Teslas presence in India.

2019: Musks indicative response

During a Tesla Model Y exhibition, Musk hinted at potential developments in India in response to a query from a tech enthusiast on Twitter.

Would love to be there this year. If not, definitely next!  India   Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 15, 2019

While not a definitive confirmation, Musks response indicated favourable intentions toward establishing a presence in India, generating optimism among followers.

2015: Modis visit to Tesla

Nearly a decade ago, during Modis visit to the US, he toured the Tesla Motors factory in California. It was during this visit that Modi met Musk for the first time, engaging in extensive discussions and receiving a special tour of the facility. This initial encounter laid the foundation for future engagements between Musk and India.

With inputs from agencies
Election fever has gripped India. The first phase of polling has begun on Friday, with voters in 21 states and Union Territories exercising their franchise. Heres everything electors should know as voting commences read more

Polling officials sort papers after collecting election materials at a distribution centre, ahead of the first phase of India's general election, in Alipurduar district in West Bengal, 18 April 2024. Reuters

India is geared up to hold the worlds largest election. As many as 21 states and Union Territories are polling on Friday (19 April) during the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections.

Voting will be held in 102 Lok Sabha seats, including all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu, 12 constituencies in Rajasthan, six in Madhya Pradesh, five each in Uttarakhand, Assam and Maharashtra, four in Bihar, three in West Bengal, all seats in six Northeastern states and one each in Chhattisgarh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep and Puducherry.

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About 1,625 candidates are in the fray on Friday. The Lok Sabha polls are being organised in seven phases ending on 1 June, with the counting of votes on 4 June.

Heres everything to know about the electoral process.

How many voters are eligible?

Nearly 97 crore voters will decide the fate of candidates in this years Lok Sabha elections. Over 1.8 crore first-time voters will be exercising their franchise.

In the first phase, 8.4 crore males, 8.23 crore females and 11,371 Third gender electors in 1.87 lakh polling stations will cast their ballots. Of these, 35.67 lakh first-time electors will also exercise their franchise.

How much will the 2024 Lok Sabha elections cost?

Indias general elections are expected to be the most expensive. Political parties and candidates are likely to spend Rs 1.2 lakh crore, N Bhaskara Rao, chairman of the Centre for Media Studies in New Delhi, which tracks political expenditure figures, told The National News.

As per a report by the Centre for Media Studies, Rs 60,000 crore were coughed up by candidates in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

ALSO READ:

What is NOTA?

Voters can select the None of the Above (NOTA) option on the electronic voting machine (EVM) if they do not deem any of the candidates seeking mandate suitable. However, even if NOTA gets the most number of ballots, this does not mean no one wins. The candidate with the second-most number of votes is considered the winner in such cases.

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Workers collect Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and other election material to be loaded on to a truck at a distribution center on the eve of the first round of voting in the six-week-long national election in Tamil Nadus Chennai, on 18 April 2024. AP

How to get voter slips online?

If you are voting in the first phase, you would have received the Voter Information Slip (VIS) till now. However, in case you are a registered elector who has their name in the electoral roll and still have not got the voter slip or VIS, you can check it online and download it.

Voter slips contain several key details like name, age, gender, assembly constituency, polling station location, room number, and so on. It also has a QR code to easily verify the voters details.

You can download the voter slip from either the Election Commissions (EC) app or website.

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1. Go to the ECI website and log in using the Election Photo ID Card (EPIC) number, registered phone number or email ID and password. Enter the captcha, OTP and submit.

2. Once logged in, click on the Electors tab.

3. Scroll and you will come across Download E-EPIC.

4. Enter your EPIC number.

5. The E-EPIC along with the VIS should appear. You can download it from there and take a printout if you want.

How to check your name in the voters list?

First-time voters must ensure their names are on the electoral list before going for polling. Heres what to do:

1. Visit the Election Commissions website.

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2. Go to the Electors tab on the homepage, browse and you will find Search your name in Electoral Roll.

3. Click on it and submit your Voter ID or EPIC number in the designated space. The Voter ID card has the EPIC code on the front.

4. If you dont have your EPIC number, you can use your mobile number, name, date of birth, assembly area and information about your relatives.

5. Once you have entered the required information, the ECI website will display if your name is on the electoral list.

A polling official walks holding a Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) inside a strong room at a distribution centre ahead of the first phase of the election, in Bikaner, Rajasthan, on 18 April 2024. Reuters

How to check polling booth information?

If your name is on the electoral list, you can use your EPIC number to search for the polling station in your assembly segment and other details.

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1. Visit electoralsearch.eci.gov.in.

2. Submit the EPIC code, state, and captcha code. Once done, click on Search.

3. The polling booth information will appear.

How to vote if you dont have a Voter ID?

You can cast a ballot even if you do not have a Voter ID. But you must ensure that your name is on the electoral list to cast your ballot. You can take a printout of the voter slip and carry it with you to the booth.

At the polling station, a polling officer will verify your name and check your ID proof.

If you do not have a Voter ID, you can produce other official photo identity documents such as a Passport, Aadhaar card, PAN card, Driving licence, MNREGA or pension cards as proof. The ID cards of Central and state government employees are also considered valid to cast votes.

With inputs from agencies
Mohamed Muizzu, the president of the Maldives, is back in the news again. A leaked report claims corruption against him dating back to 2018. Since coming to power last year, Muizzu has courted many a controversy, including his bully comment aimed at New Delhi read more

Mohamed Muizzu came to power in the Maldives late last year. Since then, hes constantly been in the news, albeit for all the wrong reasons. In fact, some would say, hes controversys child. The latest controversy surrounding the Maldivian president is allegations of corruption. This has prompted the Opposition in the island country demanding a probe and the impeachment of Muizzu.

Maldives Muizzu has dismissed the charges. However, the timing of the claims is important; the election of Maldives Majlis  the legislative body  is scheduled for Sunday (21 April).

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We take a closer look at the myriad of troubles faced by Muizzu since he won the elections in October 2023.

Corruption charges

Ahead of the elections on Sunday, Muizzu is facing corruption charges after a leaked report alleges him of the same. The allegations came to light on Monday (15 April) when a handle on X going by the name of Hassan Kurusee on X leaked intelligence reports, including documents prepared by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Maldives Monetary Authority and the Maldives Police Service. These linked President Muizzu to corruption.

These reports dated to 2018 claim irregularities in money transfers to President Muizzus personal bank account, highlighting 10 critical red flag indicators of financial misconduct. These indicators suggest involvement with politically exposed persons, embezzlement, structured transactions, and the use of corporate entities to hide fund origins, news portal Maldives Republic (mvrepublic.com) reported.

Reacting to the claims, the Opposition  the Maldivian Democratic Party and the Peoples National Front  demanded an investigation and also an impeachment of Muizzu.

However, Muizzu has dismissed all the allegations against him, accusing the Opposition of leaking the reports out of desperation. While you attempt to pin something on me like this, you couldnt do it before and you cant do it now. Theres nothing you can show against me no matter how far you take this, the Maldivian president was quoted as saying by Adhadhu.com.

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He further stated that the money he had earned had come from renting his row house to foreign companies and the rest had been inherited after the death of his father. I want you to keep talking about this vigorously. Its you who will get exposed as much as you talk, he said, referring again to the Opposition.

Missing the geo in politics

Muizzu stormed to power in October 2023. Since the election, he has revealed a pro-China bend and since becoming president, he has constantly tried to woo Beijing even at the cost of New Delhi.

This sentiment was heightened in January when Muizzu said, We may be small, but that doesnt give you the license to bully us. The statement was a sign of defiance toward India and was made as he returned from China.

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He further added that the Maldives is not in any countrys backyard and that the Indian Ocean does not belong to a single country  a reference to a recent tiff between the Maldives and India.

Maldivian president Mohamed Muizzu has had a pro-Chinese stance since coming to power, at the cost of India. He has powered the India Out campaign in the country. File image/Reuters

Additionally, he took a jibe at the previous Maldives government and said that the earlier administration used to take permission from a foreign country before getting up from one chair and sitting on another.

In response to his bully remark, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in March that big bullies dont provide $4.5 billion aid when neighbouring countries are in distress.

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The big change today in this part of the world is what has happened between India and its neighbours. When you say India is perceived as a big bully, you know, big bullies dont provide $4.5 billion when the neighbours are in trouble. Big bullies dont supply vaccines to other countries when COVID-19 is on or make exceptions to their own rules to respond to food demands or fuel demands or fertiliser demands because some war in some other part of the world has complicated their lives, Jaishankar said at an event.

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Prior to his bully remark, Muizzu had also courted headlines when ministers in his Cabinet made derogatory comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It all began on 4 January when PM Modi posted breathtaking images of Lakshadweep on X. Soon after, three Maldivian ministers  Mariyam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef and Mahzoom Majid  commented on the images, calling the PM derogatory names, including a clown. In return, many in India called for tourists to boycott the Maldives, and one Indian travel company suspended flights.

A Maldivian poses with an India Out flag in Male, Maldives. Since Muizzu has come to power, India-Maldives ties have come under intense pressure. File image/Reuters

It also prompted New Delhi to summon the Maldivian high commissioner to register its protest. It was only after the uproar that Muizzu suspended the leaders for their remarks.

Muizzu has also earned the ire from his Opposition for demanding that India withdraw its troops from the Maldives. He had then said: There will be no Indian troops in the country come 10 May. Not in uniform and not in civilian clothing. The Indian military will not be residing in this country in any form of clothing. I state this with confidence.

He has also put under the microscope dozens of pacts that Male signed with New Delhi in recent years.

Docking of Chinese ship

In January, Muizzus move of allowing a Chinese ship to dock at its port also raised eyebrows. Chinese research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 3 was allowed to moor at a dock in Male, with the Maldivian foreign ministry then saying, The Maldives has always been a welcoming destination for vessels of friendly countries, and continues to host both civilian and military vessels making port calls for peaceful purposes.

In response, India said it would monitor the vessels activity and ensure that it does not carry out any exploration activity in the Maldivian Exclusive Economic Zone. India had previously too expressed its reservations over surveillance activity of the said Chinese spy ship to Maldives last year. However, Indias objections, it seems, made little difference in the Maldives.

With inputs from agencies
A debt crisis to the tune of trillions has affected the livelihoods of many Chinese nationals as they scramble to pay their debts. Beijing, on the other hand, is punishing defaulters in questionable ways read more

Household debt in China has surged by 50% in the past five years to around $11 trillion today. Image used for representational purposes/AP

On Tuesday (April 16), China released data showing that its economy had grown far more than expected in the first quarter of 2024. While this is a reason for Beijing to smile, personal debt is a reason to worry.

Its a growing burden and Chinese authorities realise this. They have stringent measures to crack down on delinquent debtors.

If you have personal debt, you become an outcast of sorts. You are put on a government blacklist, which is ever-growing: The number of people on it has jumped by close to 50 per cent since last 2019 to 8.3 million today, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). This is about one per cent of the countrys working-age adults.

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We take a look at how China is unforgiving towards those with personal debt.

Punishing people with debt

Unlike the United States, China does not permit individuals, even those who have a streak of misfortune, to file for bankruptcy to write off their debts and start afresh. What it does instead is penalise them.

An aerial view shows residential buildings at the construction site of Evergrande Cultural Tourism City in Suzhous Taicang, Jiangsu province. File image/Reuters

Chinese authorities blacklist debtors, making it impossible for them to go about their everyday business. They cannot use toll roads, purchase online tickets or use electronic payment apps like Alipay and WeChat. Many stores in China do not accept cash payments making it difficult for defaulters to buy essentials like food, says a report in Voice of America (VoA).

Individuals are restricted from using high-speed rail and air travel; they cannot purchase costly insurance plans or enjoy leisure activities such as vacations and stays in upscale hotels. Failure to adhere to these restrictions can result in detention by authorities, reports WSJ.

The blacklisted Chinese have difficulty getting more loans and some are even banned from working as civil servants. In case of unpaid debts, authorities seize a persons income to cover the liabilities, leaving them with a meagre allowance to meet their daily expenses. Despite attempts to seek relief through legal channels, such as petitioning for increased allowances, debtors often face unfavourable outcomes.

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The Chinese government had earlier said that it only targets those who can repay debts but refuse to do so. But that appears far from the truth. The countrys indebted population continues to grow as the economy faces challenges and unemployment is a concern.

Chinas personal debt burden

People across the country are heavily burdened with debt. According to a report in The Financial Times, there were 5.7 million defaulters in 2020. In four years, that number has soared to 8.3 million. That is a staggering increase of 46 per cent.

A China yuan note is seen in this illustration photo. Image used for representational purposes/Reuters

Household debt has surged by 50 per cent in the past five years to around $11 trillion today.

Chinas prolonged housing boom significantly contributed to the surge in personal debts, as individuals borrowed extensively to buy homes. Some buyers even accrued additional debt to invest in multiple properties, often leaving them vacant. With the housing market downturn and falling prices, many find themselves burdened with unmanageable debts.

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Foreclosed homes listed for sale surged by 43 per cent in 2023, reaching approximately 400,000 properties, according to the China Index Academy. Its not just housing loans that have led to rising debt levels. Increased reliance on credit cards and personal credit lines to cover expenses amid economic stagnation has also led to higher indebtedness.

The Bank of China reported in September last year that overdue unpaid credit in the first half of 2023 totalled RMB 89.646 billion yuan (approximately $12.3 billion), an increase of 3.54 per cent compared to 2022, reports VoA.

According to Li Zhaobo, an honorary research fellow at the Asia-Pacific Institute of Business at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, another reason for high debt is that many mainland Chinese people, whose consumption has grown faster than their salaries, do not understand the risks and costs of borrowing. While Hong Kong people know that they can choose low-interest loans, mainlanders are not familiar with the idea So once they have cash flow difficulties, they cant pay off their debts with interest, he told VOA Mandarin last December.

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The fallout

In China, leaders are keen that people spend more, as it would provide an impetus to the economy. However, the fear of not being able to pay off their debts is making consumers cautious.

Retail sales of consumer goods in China rose 4.7 per cent on year in the first quarter, the government said Tuesday, lagging behind total economic growth of 5.3 per cent, reports WSJ.

The financial strain on Chinese consumers has led to weaker sales for Western companies operating in the country including tech giants like Apple and automotive manufacturers like General Motors.

Image used for representational purposes/Reuters

Many individuals face significant challenges in managing their debt and navigating systemic hurdles and restrictions imposed by the government. Despite efforts to repay debts, debtors often find themselves trapped in a cycle of financial strain and uncertainty. Its a vicious cycle.

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The way forward

Scholars and experts advocate for a nationwide personal bankruptcy system to address Chinas debt crisis and promote economic equity. A personal-bankruptcy system is a mechanism for the redistribution of wealth, Li Shuguang, a scholar who has advised the government on bankruptcy policy, wrote in a Chinese magazine commentary online last summer, according to WSJ.

However, in China that is easier said than done.

With inputs from agencies
Switzerlands lawmakers have approved a motion to ban Nazi symbols, including the swastika. Today, many in the West associate the emblem with Adolf Hitler. But that wasnt always the case. Heres the history behind this religious-cultural symbol, which to date signifies good fortune read more

Switzerland lawmakers have overwhelmingly voted in favour of banning the swastika symbol. While known in India for peace, it was appropriated by Hitler and become a symbol of hate. File image/AFP

If all goes as planned, the use of the swastika will soon be banned in the land of the Alps. On Wednesday, lawmakers in Switzerland voted overwhelmingly in favour of banning the public use of racist, violence-promoting and extremist symbols, such as Nazi symbols, including the swastika.

Switzerlands ban follows other countries such as Germany, Poland and even parts of Australia, which have criminalised the display of the swastika.

While the symbol in most Western nations is seen upon as a symbol of Nazism, it has a long history. It is, in fact, a millennia-old sacred symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism that represents peace and good fortune.

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So, how did the symbol go from being a peace-loving sign to one being synonymous with hate.

Whats the history behind the swastika?

The word swastika comes from the Sanskrit word svastika, meaning something like blessing or good fortune. And even today, it is how its best known in Hindu, Jain and Buddhist communities.

The symbol, however, has a long, complex history. The emblem, which is an equilateral cross with legs bent at right angles, was found everywhere, from the tombs of early Christians to the catacombs of Rome and the Lalibela Rock Churches, to the Cathedral of Cordoba.

According to the Holocaust Encyclopaedia, The motif appears to have first been used in Eurasia, as early as 7,000 years ago, perhaps representing the movement of the sun through the sky as a symbol of wellbeing in ancient societies.

In Hinduism, the swastika has been used in the prayers of the Rig Veda. In fact, Hindu philosophy theorises that it represents various things that come in four  the four aims of life, the four stages of life, the four vedas.

The word swastika comes from the Sanskrit word svastika, meaning something like blessing or good fortune. And even today, it is how its best known in Hindu, Jain and Buddhist communities. File image/AFP

For the Buddhist, the symbol is known as manji, it signifies Buddhas footsteps. For Jains it means a spiritual teacher. In the Zoroastrian faith, it represents the four elements  water, fire, air and earth.

In India, one will often see the swastika being drawn at entrances of houses or shop doors as a welcome sign. It is also displayed at weddings and other festive events, such as a housewarming or opening new ventures.

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It is said that when early Western travellers came to India, they were inspired by the swastika and its positive vibes and even started using it back home. At the start of the 20th Century, the swastika became the sign of good luck across the world.

US graphic design writer Steven Heller told BBC that the symbol was enthusiastically adopted by the West. Coca-Cola used it. Carlsberg used it on their beer bottles. The Boy Scouts adopted it and the Girls Club of America called their magazine Swastika. They would even send out swastika badges to their young readers as a prize for selling copies of the magazine, he said.

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Moreover, it was used by American troops during World War I and was also seen on Royal Air Force planes until 1939.

Hindu devotees light oil lamps in a formation of the swastika inside a temple to celebrate Diwali. Till date, the symbol is linked to good will and happiness in the country. File image/Reuters

How did it become Hitlers sign?

However, all of it changed when Hitler adopted the sign and it became synonymous with Nazism.

Historians note that Adolf Hitler adopted the symbol in 1920 as a symbol for his party, the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party), by rotating it to the right and omitting the four dots. In his autobiography, Mein Kampf, Hitler outlines how and why he chose the modified symbol for his party. He said that the symbol not only harked back to an idealised imperial past, but laid out the ideology of National Socialism and its hope for the future.

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He wrote, The red expressed the social thought underlying the movement. White the national thought. And the swastika signified the mission allotted to us  the struggle for the victory of Aryan mankind

A man looks at a Nazi flag as he visits the exhibition Design of the Third Reich at the Design Museum Den Bosch. Hitler appropriated the design as a symbol for his party, the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party), by rotating it to the right and omitting the four dots. File image/AFP

There are also suggestions that Hitlers choice of the symbol comes from the belief that Indians and Germans come from the same pure Aryan ancestry and lineage.

In fact, some believe that the German appropriation of the swastika can be traced back to German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann, who in 1871 excavated more than 1,800 variations of swastika-like symbols on pottery fragments at the site of ancient Troy in Turkey. Similar designs had been found on pottery in Germany, which led Schliemann to conclude that the swastika was a significant religious symbol of our remote ancestors, the cultural historian Malcolm Quinn wrote in his 1994 book, The Swastika: Constructing the Symbol.

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And in 1933, Joseph Goebbels, Hitlers minister of propaganda, passed a law that prevented unauthorised commercial use of the symbol.

Soon, the symbol was linked to the atrocities that the Nazis perpetrated against the Jews. It became the most recognisable icon of Nazi propaganda, appearing everywhere  from armbands to flags and even military badges.

A man walks past graves desecrated with swastikas at the Jewish cemetery in Westhoffen, near Strasbourg, France. For many Jews, the symbol is a sign of evil and hatred. File image/Reuters

As Holocaust survivor Freddie Knoller told the BBC, For the Jewish people, the swastika is a symbol of fear, of suppression, and of extermination. Its a symbol that we will never ever be able to change. If they put the swastika on gravestones or synagogues, it puts a fear into us.

This same feeling is echoed by Shelley Rood Wernick, managing director of the Jewish Federations of North Americas Center on Holocaust Survivor Care. In an AP report, shes quoted as saying, The swastika was a representation of the concept that stood for the annihilation of an entire people. I recognise the swastika as a symbol of hate.

Whats behind Switzerlands move?

On Wednesday (17 April), Swiss lawmakers in the lower house of Parliament approved a motion to ban Nazi symbols, including the swastika, as part of a crackdown on extremist symbols in the neutral country.

In a 133-38 vote, the lawmakers voted to prohibit the symbol following concerns about rising anti-Semitism. Racially discriminatory, violent, extremist and especially National Socialist symbols have no place in our society and should not be used in public, Justice Minister Beat Jans told parliament.

Lawmaker Raphael Mahaim also said, We dont want a swastika or a Hitler salute in our country, ever!

Today, in Switzerland, it is possible, it is even permitted, to display a flag with a swastika on your balcony. It is possible to put a flag bearing the image of the SS on the windshield of your car. It is possible to give the Hitler salute in public spaces. This situation is intolerable.

Many countries across the world have banned the swastika for its association with Nazism. File image/Reuters

And with this, Switzerland has joined several countries banning the use of the swastika, including Germany, France, Austria, and Lithuania. In Australia, New South Wales and Victoria have criminalise the display of the swastika in 2022.

However, many argue against such bans, with some even stating that the swastika differs from the hakenkreuz used by Hitler in Germany. Others argue that it cant be called a symbol of evil because it was polluted by Hitler. You cannot call it a symbol of evil or (deny) other facts that have existed for hundreds of years, just because of Hitler, said Reverend TK Nakagaki, a New York-based Buddhist priest.

Sheetal Deo, a resident of Queenstown who was asked to bring down her Diwali decoration in 2022, concurs. She was quoted as telling the AP that she and people of other faiths should not have to sacrifice or apologise for a sacred symbol simply because it is often conflated with its tainted version.

But as Mark Pitcavage, senior research fellow at the Anti-Defamation Leagues Center on Extremism, told the AP: In the case of the swastika, Hitler polluted a symbol that was used innocuously in a variety of contexts. Because that meaning has become so entrenched in the West, while I believe it is possible to create some awareness, I dont think that its association with the Nazis can be completely eliminated.

With inputs from agencies
Southern African nations are grappling with the worst cholera outbreak on record with the supply of vaccines relatively low. The disease has left more than 1,000 dead and tens of thousands infected read more

In the wake of multiple cholera outbreaks across Africa since the start of 2024, the toll has mounted grimly with over 1,000 lives claimed and tens of thousands infected. Among the hardest-hit nations are the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia in southern Africa, and Ethiopia further north.

Zambia is grappling with its most severe outbreak on record, tallying over 740 cholera-related deaths since the onset of seasonal rains in October 2023. Despite the diseases treatable nature, with timely intervention resulting in less than one per cent mortality, Zambia, one of the worlds poorest countries, faces a death rate exceeding three per cent.

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The cholera outbreak is in its 20th month, with over 41,000 cases in 54 districts across 8 regions. Its the largest cholera outbreak in Ethiopias history, said Dr Michael Ryan, deputy director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO) at the High-level Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Situation in Ethiopia on 16 April.

How is the disease spreading?

Cholera outbreaks often strike in areas reeling from disasters or impoverished communities lacking safe water and sanitation infrastructure. The Vibrio cholerae bacterium responsible for the disease proliferates in fecal matter, contaminating food and water sources.'

Epidemiologist Yap Boum tells Deutsche Welle (DW), Just imagine one household where the toilet is pretty close to the place where people fetch their water, so there is a transmission of contamination between the toilets and the water that people drink.

And then in settings like refugee camps, where you have a concentration of people, the water that is being used is highly contaminated.

Regular, unchecked cross-border movement, for example, means infections can be transported: One 2023 study found that two sisters who had travelled from South Africa to a cholera hot spot in Malawi infected a third person on their return and that the strain that is currently spreading is originally from South Asia.

While its rare for people to transfer the infection through casual contact, poor hygiene can lead to faecal matter from an infected person contaminating food meant for others, reported Al Jazeera.

What are the contributing factors?

Epidemiologist Boum underscores inequality, conflict, insecurity, and poverty as key drivers of cholera outbreaks in affected African nations.

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Cholera is a marker of inequality, mostly affecting countries that are exposed to conflict, insecurity and poverty, he said. Those factors are all present in each of the African nations currently battling cholera outbreaks.

Additionally, climate change exacerbates the situation, with more frequent and intense flooding increasing the risk of contamination, as explained by water management expert Anja du Plessis to DW.

Isnt there any vaccine?

Compounding the crisis, global demand for cholera vaccines outstrips supply, with stockpiles depleted. Only one manufacturer, based in South Korea, produces the oral cholera vaccine, struggling to meet a demand quadruple its capacity.

Despite a 2022 recommendation to streamline vaccination regimens, vaccine availability remains limited, hindering effective outbreak control efforts.

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While vaccines play a crucial role, experts caution against relying solely on them for cholera containment. Alongside vaccination, promoting hygiene practices, ensuring access to safe water, and bolstering water quality monitoring are essential components of a comprehensive strategy.

Efforts to bolster vaccine manufacturing in affected regions, such as the licensing agreement signed by Biovac in South Africa, offer hope for future outbreak response.

Diseases are not prioritised the same way in all parts of the world, vaccinologist Amponsah-Dacosta told DW. With cholera, we have just one manufacturer with limited global interest in a disease such as this one. It creates the situation that were seeing now in terms of the dwindling stockpile.

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If you increase manufacturing capacity in parts of the world that experience the disease the worst, it just means that they are able to take ownership and rely on their own resources and better support their health programmes. That is critical.

With inputs from agencies
Summer is here and several parts of the country are already witnessing heatwaves. Courts in Karnataka and Kerala have taken note and made adjustments to the dress code for advocates attending proceedings as the mercury rises read more

In Karnataka, the advocates appearing in court proceedings are exempted from wearing black coats from April 18 to May 31. Image used for representational purposes/Firstpost

Lawyers feel the burn as well, especially when they are running around court corridors in their bespoke uniform under scorching heat and record-breaking humidity.

Well, a couple of courts in India realised their plight. Courts in Karnataka and Kerala have made notable adjustments to the dress code for advocates attending proceedings as temperatures soar.

Addressing the stifling summer, the Karnataka High Court, in a circular issued on 16 April, announced a temporary exemption for advocates appearing in district and trial courts from wearing black coats.

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Instead, advocates have been permitted to wear plain white shirts, salwar-kameez, or sarees of any muted colour accompanied by a plain white neckband.

Similarly, the Kerala High Court, recognising the challenges posed by the oppressive summer heat, passed a resolution allowing advocates to forgo wearing gowns during court sessions until 31 May 2024.

Advocates appearing in district courts are permitted to wear a white shirt with a neckband, with the use of black coats and gowns being optional. In the Kerala High Court, wearing gowns has also been made optional.

Both decisions come as a relief to the legal fraternity, acknowledging the practical difficulties faced due to the extreme temperatures. The Kerala High Courts resolution was a response to a plea from the Kerala High Court Advocates Association, highlighting the need for flexibility in the dress code during the sweltering summer months.

What laws dictate the dress code for advocates?

According to the Advocates Act, 1961, the Bar Council of India (BCI) has the authority to establish regulations concerning the attire to be worn by advocates, taking into account the prevailing weather conditions, when appearing before any court or tribunal.

The Bar Council of India Rules, 1975 (BCI Rules), outline dress code regulations aimed at ensuring that advocates present themselves in a manner that is sober and dignified.

What is the dress code for advocates in court?

Men are instructed to wear a black gown, commonly referred to as the advocates gown, over their black coat, except interns, when presenting arguments before the Supreme Court, High Courts, Subordinate Courts, and Tribunals. They are also required to don trousers (white, black striped, or grey) or a dhoti, along with either a black buttoned up coat, chapkan, achkan, black sherwani and white bands or a black open breast coat, white shirt, white collar, stiff or soft, and white bands.

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For women, the guidelines stipulate wearing either a black full sleeve jacket or blouse, white collar stiff or soft, with white bands and Advocates Gowns. White blouse, with or without collar, with white bands and with a black open breast coat", or sarees or long skirts (white or black or any mellow or subdued colours without any print or design) or flare (white, black or black stripped or grey) or Punjabi dress churidar kurta or salwar-kurta with or without dupatta (white or black) or traditional dress with black coat and bands.

Outside of the Supreme Court and High Courts, the wearing of gowns is discretionary, and during the summer months, the black coat is not obligatory except within the precincts of the Supreme Court and High Courts.

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What prompted the relaxation of the dress code?

The Advocates Act itself specifies that during the summer months, the requirement for a black coat is waived, often clarified through notices and circulars. For example, on March 14, 2023, the Bar Council of Andhra Pradesh issued a circular stating, wearing of Black Coat is not mandatory in Subordinate Courts, during summer, specifying the period from March 15 to July 15 annually.

Although this relaxation directly contradicts the rules outlined in the Advocates Act, High Courts typically issue notifications during the summer months, exempting advocates from wearing gowns while practicing before them. In 2023, the Kerala, Punjab and Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, and Calcutta High Courts, among others, permitted advocates to appear without gowns during this period.

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The Delhi High Court has regularly relaxed the gown requirement for advocates practicing before it, reports The Indian Express. The first circular, exempting gown-wearing, was issued in May 2020, citing the need to contain the spread of COVID-19. Subsequent circulars, however, granted exemptions due to the summer months.

In May 2020, the Supreme Court also permitted advocates to appear via video conferencing without gowns, and shortly thereafter exempted them from wearing heavy upper body clothing like coat, chapkan, achkan, sherwani, gown, and jacket.

Additionally, in 2021, the apex court briefly considered a plea filed by Advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi, seeking an amendment to the BCI Rules to exempt advocates from wearing black coats and gowns during the summer months at the Supreme Court and High Courts. However, the plea was dismissed in July 2022, with Tripathi advised to present his case to the Bar Council of India instead.

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With inputs from agencies
The last time Air Indias 747 took to the skies was in March 2021, in a flight between Delhi and Mumbai. After acquiring the airline in 2022, the Tata Group had mandated UK-based remarketing firm Skytech-AIC to sell the four remaining planes read more

Air India has sold off four of its last remaining Boeing 747-400 jumbo jetliners, aircrafts that were once used to ferry prime ministers, presidents, vice presidents.

The going of Boeing 747, that had once thrust the airline to the global league, marks the end of an era.

Why did Air India sell its last Boeing 747s?

According to a report by The Economic Times, Tata Group, the new owners of Air India, had no intention of using the 747s as they found them uneconomical to operate in current conditions.

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The last time Air Indias 747 took to the skies was in March 2021, in a flight between Delhi and Mumbai. After acquiring the airline in January 2022, the Tata Group had mandated UK-based remarketing firm Skytech-AIC to sell the four remaining planes to interested parties.

Did Air India Boeing 747s find any takers?

The Economic Times report quoted people familiar with the matter as saying that the four 747s that Air India stopped using were sold to US company AerSale, a supplier of aftermarket commercial jet engines and their spare parts.

The report further said that two of the aircrafts are likely to be converted to freighters, while the others will be disassembled for their parts

Vman Aviation Services, a Mumbai-based company, will manage the transfer of the planes to AerSale.

Are used aircraft parts safe?

Most used aircraft parts that are sold globally, have plenty of remaining operational life which makes them a hot commodity. They are also a lot cheaper than new parts straight from the factory and therefore, are a great way for operators to save costs.

History of Boeing 747 with Air India

Air India took the first delivery of Boeing 747 on March 22 1971. The aircraft entered service on May 21 of the same year, with four weekly flights from India to London. It had 423 seats in a triple-class configuration.

When they were in use by the airline, these planes served prime ministers, presidents and vice presidents till the Indian Air Force (IAF) acquired two Boeing 777s in 2020 which are now used to ferry dignitaries.

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When these Boeing 747s were sent on executive duties, Air India would convert them into an executive configuration by removing some seats.

Back then, when Air India used Boeing 747s, it rebranded the aircrafts and launched it under a branding called Your Place in the Sky.

It had also introduced a new look with the exterior aircraft flaunting silver and white with red details and windows described as Rajasthani style arches. These were intended to give the effect of a row of Jharokha type balconies reminiscent of the Hawa Mahal at Jaipur.
Late on Thursday night, senior AAP leaders made their way to Amanatullah Khans home in the Okhla neighborhood of Delhi. This occurs only hours after Khan made an appearance before the chief investigative body in the matter pertaining to purported anomalies in the Delhi Waqf Board under his leadership read more

According to the Aam Aadmi Party, MLA Amanatullah Khan was detained by the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday in relation to a money laundering case involving purported anomalies in the Delhi Waqf Board Image Courtesy PTI

According to the Aam Aadmi Party, MLA Amanatullah Khan was detained by the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday in relation to a money laundering case involving purported anomalies in the Delhi Waqf Board.

Late on Thursday night, senior AAP leaders made their way to Amanatullah Khans home in the Okhla neighborhood of Delhi. This occurs only hours after Khan made an appearance before the chief investigative body in the matter pertaining to purported anomalies in the Delhi Waqf Board under his leadership.

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In a post on X, Amanatullah Khan said, You will not be able to break my spirit by arresting me, dictator.

AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj, who reached Amanatullah Khans residence, said, How did the ED officials arrive here when he (Khan) hadnt taken any money? Sanjay Singh was also kept in jail for six months and they (ED) are here to arrest him (Khan) on the same pattern so that the AAP government falls.

Delhi Minister and AAP leader Atishi said, The case against Amanatullah Khan is false. ED does not have any proof. I want to tell the BJP and the Prime Minister that even if you put all the AAP ministers or workers in jail, we will still stand resolutely behind Arvind Kejriwal.

According to the Aam Aadmi Party, MLA Amanatullah Khan was detained by the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday in relation to a money laundering case involving purported anomalies in the Delhi Waqf Board.

Late on Thursday night, senior AAP leaders made their way to Amanatullah Khans home in the Okhla neighborhood of Delhi. This occurs only hours after Khan made an appearance before the chief investigative body in the matter pertaining to purported anomalies in the Delhi Waqf Board under his leadership.

The investigation agency claims that Khan acquired huge proceeds of crime out of the said criminal activities in cash and this cash amount was invested in the purchase of various immovable properties in Delhi in the name of his associates .

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During the raids, the ED claimed to have found several incriminating materialsboth digital and physicalthat indicated the Khans involvement in money laundering.

This probe, according to the AAP, is one of the false cases being brought against its party leaders.
The disease was confirmed after the samples of the ducks showing symptoms of bird flu were sent to a lab in Bhopal for testing. A district administration official confirmed that samples tested positive for avian influenza (H5N1). read more

A bird flu outbreak reported at two places in Keralas Alappuzha on Thursday. The outbreak was confirmed in ducks raised in an area of ward 1 of Edathva Grama Panchayat and another area in ward 3 of Cheruthana Grama Panchayat.

Samples from ducks displaying symptoms of bird flu were sent to a lab in Bhopal for testing and the results confirmed the presence of avian influenza (H5N1), according to a district administration official.

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Alappuzha District Animal Husbandry officer Sajeev Kumar K.R. told The Hindu that the presence of the H5N1 subtype of the Influenza A virus has been reported in ducks at Edathua and Cheruthana in Kuttanad region.

Abraham Ouseph at Edathua, who was raising 7,500 ducks, had lost 3,000 birds since April 12. Likewise, Raghunathan Chirayil and Devarajan T., who were raising 2,000 and 15,000 ducks at Cheruthana, lost 238 and 171 birds respectively, according to the report by The Hindu.

In this situation, according to the action plan of the Government of India, a meeting chaired by the District Collector decided to initiate the process of killing and destroying (culling) domestic birds within a radius of one kilometer from the epicenter.

A Rapid Action Force will be formed and related preparations will be completed by the Animal Welfare Department as soon as possible, the official said. The district administration said there is no need to panic unnecessarily as there is no possibility of the disease transmitting to humans.

With inputs from PTI.
According to a media report, at least four electronic voting machines erroneously logged in votes in favour of a single political party during mock polls held in Keralas Kasaragod read more

The elections will start from 19 April and culminate on 4 June with the counting of ballots. The poll cycle will be completed in 47 days compared with 42 days in 2019. PTI

The Supreme Court, on Thursday, highlighted media reports claiming that extra votes were erroneously recorded in favour of the BJP in four electronic voting machines (EVMs) during a mock poll in Kerala and directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to look into the allegation.

The issue was brought to the fore in the apex court during the hearing of the EVM-VVPAT case by advocate Prashant Bhushan.

After hearing the issue, a bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta passed this oral direction.

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For the unversed, the matter came up just a day ahead of the first phase of Lok Sabha 2024 polls.

Polling of 543 Lok Sabha seats is being held in seven phases between April 19 and June 1. The counting of votes and results are expected on June 4.

Voting on all 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in Kerala will be held in a single phase on April 26.

Which media reported issue in mock polls in Kerala?

Advocate Bhushan cited a report by Manorama Online published on April 17.

What did the report say?

According to the report, during mock polling in Kasaragod on Wednesday (April 17), at least four EVMs erroneously registered votes in favour of BJP, alleged agents of Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) candidates.

A complaint was also registered by Kasaragod Lok Sabha constituencys LDF candidate and CPM leader M V Balakrishnan with District Collector Inbasekar K, designated as the District Election Officer, to look into the errors.

As per the report, the voting machines in Kasaragod Lok Sabha constituency have 10 options, including NOTA (none of the above).

In the first round of mock polls, all 190 EVMs were tested by casting votes against each of the 10 options. BJPs lotus symbol was the first option.

The report further said the officials tested 20 machines at a time. When all 10 options on the EVMs were pressed one time each, the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) gave two votes to the BJP in four machines.

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When the button next to BJPs lotus symbol was not pressed, the same four erroneous VVPAT units gave one vote to the party, the report quoted UDF candidate Rajmohan Unnithans agent Muhammed Nasar Cherkalam Abdulla as saying.

Cherkalam said the errors automatically disappeared when the EVMs were tested for the third time. But we cannot be sure that the errors would reappear in the fourth or fifth test, he added.

What did SC say then?

The Supreme Court then asked senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the ECI, to check it up.

The court on Thursday reserved the verdict on pleas seeking 100 per cent cross-verification of EVM votes with VVPAT slips.

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The petitioners, including Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), have urged the court to allow electorates physical access to the VVPAT slips to confirm the votes they have cast before putting the slips into the sealed ballot boxes.

With inputs from agencies
BJP is going to launch Gaganyaan in 5 years but the launch of a young leader of the Congress party has not happened in the last 20 years. Congress partys Rahulyaan is neither getting launched nor is it landing anywhere, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while addressing a rally in Keralas Kottayam read more

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday mocked Rahul Gandhi saying that the launch of the young Congress leader has not happened in the last 20 years even as the BJP is all set to launch Gaganyaan in five years.

Addressing a public rally in Keralas Kottayam to garner support for BJP candidate Anil K Antony, Singh said, BJP is going to launch Gaganyaan in 5 years but the launch of a young leader of the Congress party has not happened in the last 20 years. Congress partys Rahulyaan is neither getting launched nor is it landing anywhere.

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#WATCH | Kerala: Addressing a public rally in Kottayam, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says, "BJP is going to launch Gaganyaan in 5 years but the launch of a young leader of the Congress Party has not happened in the last 20 years. Congress Party's 'Rahulyaan' is neither getting pic.twitter.com/KPtCW0m0GN  ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2024

Singh said that after his defeat from Amethi Lok Sabha seat in 2019, Rahul does not have the courage to stand from there this time.

Rahul has migrated from Uttar Pradesh to Kerala. Last time he had lost the election in Amethi. This time he is not able to muster the courage to contest from Amethi. But this time the people of Wayanad have also made up their minds that they will not make Rahul their Member of Parliament., added the Defence Minister.

Veteran Congress leader and former defence minister A K Antony had earlier called for the defeat of his son Anil Antony, who is contesting as a BJP candidate from Keralas Pathanamthitta constituency in the Lok Sabha elections.

It was wrong for children of Congress leaders to join the BJP, Antony said, adding Congress is my religion.

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While praising the Congress stalwart, Singh said he was surprised on reading Antonys statement that Anil Antony should lose in the Lok Sabha polls.

I know he (A K Antony) is a principled person and I understand his compulsions. It is difficult for him to support Anil Antony. However, I would like to tell him that Anil is your son. You (A K Antony) may not vote for him (Anil) or canvass votes for him, but you are his father so I would like to request that your blessings should be with him, Singh added.

Meanwhile, addressing a public meeting in Kannur, Gandhi attacked the BJP for its plans of imposing one history, one nation, and one language on the people of India and emphasised that the Congress was striving to protect the diversity of this great nation.

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#WATCH | Kerala: While addressing a public meeting in Kannur, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, "Congress and UDF accept the diversity of India. we accept the multiple languages, the multiple traditions, the different histories, and the different expressions of all our people. The pic.twitter.com/RczKo9x3h3  ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2024

Congress and UDF accept the diversity of India. we accept the multiple languages, the multiple traditions, the different histories, and the different expressions of all our people. The BJP wants to impose one history, one nation, and one language on the people of IndiaFor example, if you remove Malayalam from Kerala, then how a mother in the state will explain the history of this great land to her childrenSo, this is what we are protecting, said the Congress MP from Wayanad.

The Lok Sabha elections in Kerala will be held on 26 April and the results will be declared on 4 June.

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With inputs from agencies
Although Sunita Kejriwal has been representing her husband, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 and is currently in Tihar jail, her participation in the upcoming election rally marks her debut in wooing voters during the Lok Sabha elections read more

Sunita Kejriwal, wife of jailed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, will enter the political arena by participating in an INDI Alliance rally to be held in Jharkhands Ranchi on April 21.

Although Sunita Kejriwal has been representing her husband, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 and is currently in Tihar jail, her participation in the upcoming election rally marks her debut in wooing voters during the Lok Sabha elections.

Sunita Kejriwal will be accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP MP Sanjay Singh in the Jharkhand rally.

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Heres a look at how Sunita Kejriwal has taken a front seat in politics:
India walks the talk for the Global South amidst its quest for reforming multilateralism for a multipolar world so that they are not left out read more

Indias persistent advocacy and eventual inclusion of the African Union (AU) during the G20 summit under its presidency is a testament to its steadfast commitment towards Africa. (PTI/PMO)

The year 2023 upheld Indias credibility as a strong champion for Global South aspirations. India is advocating for a more inclusive global governance structure, embracing new technological forefronts like digital public infrastructure. The Global South essays an instrumental role in Indian diplomacys playbook. It prompts a series of issues that keep sustainable development at its core, like global health, food security, mitigating climate change, steering towards a green economy, supply chain resilience, countering cyberterrorism, early implementation of Sustainable Development Goals, and so on.

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When India situates itself as a leading voice in the region, it needs to collaborate and engage with the developing world by keeping the Afro-Asian region at its center. The time-honoured partnership in the region illustrates substantive economic growth. With Africa, Indias trade has grown from US$ 68.5 billion in 201112 to US$ 98 billion in 2023.

India is now one of the top five investors in Africa. It is estimated that 200 developmental projects have been completed. Over 40 African countries are the largest recipients of lines of credit and capacity-building assistance extended by India bilaterally and under various schemes, as well as under the India-Africa Forum Summits (IAFS).

The fourth IAFS is overdue and should be held this year so that new realities in accordance with Indias Africa policy enunciated by PM Modi while addressing the Ugandan Parliament could be implemented in the right earnest.

Africa is the future, especially in the second half of this century. A strong Africa is imperative for India at the global forums. Africa houses over 39 per cent of the global GDP, and there is a serious need to systematically overhaul their existing systems and reform them according to the situation. Indias persistent advocacy and eventual inclusion of the African Union (AU) during the G20 summit under its presidency is a testament to its steadfast commitment towards Africa. This is also highly appreciated by Africans.

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Thematically, India and Africa have a fostering strategic relationship in multifaceted dimensions, like the critical mineral sector. This synergises with the goals of sustainable development and a low-carbon future and amalgamates with Indias supply chain diversification and Africas goal to converge and cooperate on emerging avenues.

Furthermore, as India prepares itself for another dawn of the industrial age; the rise in technical capabilities in African workforces is improving the technical skill set. India has already shown its zeal by revamping and bolstering technical institutes and organisations that could increase the accessibility of technology in the region and create solutions to the challenges that mar the African continent.

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Indian President Draupadi Murmu, during her visit to Mauritius from March 1113, which resulted in the foundation of 14 high-impact development projects, mentioned that it is a close maritime neighbour and a cherished partner in the Indian Ocean.

This coincides with when India is diving into the vast domain of the Global South and in the era of geopolitical contestations vying for influence in the region and shaping its grand strategy. Such ongoing and expanding mutually beneficial initiatives will surely help Indias quest to become a global rule-shaper rather than a permanent rule-taker. While carefully discerning, it is observed that resource rich, strategically located assets and territories on the Indo-Pacific, South Pacific, and African coasts have become new linchpins in Indias geopolitical approach.

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From Indias long-standing partnership with Mauritius to newly found relations with Papua New Guinea to the elevation of maritime relations between India and Australia over the eastern Indian Ocean, the maritime domain has come into greater focus.

This shows India is leaving no stone unturned to map out its path in the region. This also covers Indias own backyard, with a focus on developing the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Lakshadweep Islands. A paradigm shift in the world order has altered Indias contour in the broader picture of the Global South in the past decade. It is a reality that the strategic and economic pivot has moved to the South, with India being a key strategic player.

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While riding high on civilisational and cultural connections with the Global South, Indias newfound pursuits to engage constructively with the Global North and multilateral platforms represent an idea and opportunity for itself and the greater good. The Global South as a concept should not be misinterpreted as a revisionist outlook or a typical anti-western front. It is not limited, like an exclusive club. India being the torchbearer for the Global South is on the basis of collective solidarity, which seeks proactive engagement and multi-alignments.

The growing interest in the Indo-Pacific region was first proffered in 2007 by the erstwhile Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, who promoted the confluence of the two oceansthe Indian and Pacific. It was initially seen as a ploy by the US to use India as a decoy to contain China. A decade later, the Indo-Pacific was formally accepted by India when PM Modi, at the Shangri-La Dialogue in 2018, professed openly about ASEAN centrality, inclusivity, and development for all.

Amidst the cut-throat rivalries and extremities in the region today, it is viewed as a course correction by India to build a discourse that counters the predatory tactics. Indo-Pacific does not mean to act like a dominant group that aims to corner any country, contrary to popular belief in geopolitical discussions.

PM Modi often reiterates that QUAD is the force for global good.

One of the most important fronts that has constantly been a part of the Global South debates is the reforming of multilateral institutions, including Bretton Woods, the skewed financial order, and the need for inclusivity in decision-making. When well-situated organisations like the WTO, after its recent debacle during the 13th Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi, are staring towards their lamenting future and de-judicialisation by the US. BRICS and SCO rise to the occasion. They provide an alternative to the predominantly Western outfits. From Indias perspective, these are non-Western and not anti-West.

However, India argues that the inclusion of non-West entities and democratisation of the level playing field are imperative, which is anything but antithetical to the West. Furthermore, India views the move as an inclusion of Eurasia, and Russia being a key player in the region increases the stakes.

Zooming on the economic corridor between India and Europe through West Asia (IMEC), Indias deepening strategic ties with the UAE and Saudi Arabia are dispelling the grapevine talks regarding India as a hypernationalistic majoritarian country. Its naval presence in the Red Sea region, providing help and assistance to all, and geopolitically well integrated relations with West Asia, Africa, the Mediterranean region, and the Western Indian Ocean are gradually evolving according to its status as the first responder and security partner in the fraught geographies.

Politics in general abhors vacuums. Therefore, when the West and the developed world witness an overall saturation, the timing of the Global South as a concept is impeccable. However, the development of the Global South is not a zero-sum game. There are some major fault lines that would need to be addressed. The Chinese iron grip needs to be tackled meticulously and consistently since China will be a strategic challenge for India in every geography. India needs to display its evenhandedness and harness its increasing diplomatic clout.

While India is performing well on the high table with its India First campaign, its immediate neighbours in South Asia pose a recurring disjunct due to perceived Big Brother syndrome. New Delhis predicament is coupled with neighbourhood dilemmas and perceived Chinese hegemonic presence. Due to power asymmetries prevalent in the region, India often encounters equivocal behaviour, but a proactive and benign Neighbourhood First policy will yield the requisite collaborative outcomes while contending with evolving realities.

Footprints of China in the region are evident from the most recent developments in the Maldives, where India has shown large-heartedness and continues to assist them. Pakistan never grew its own spine and has always been a proxy state for external forces, whether today for China or in the past for the US.

Pakistans resort to terrorism as an instrument of foreign policy against India, Afghanistan, and even Iran is pretty evident. And SAARC became a casualty while India continued with other sub-regional-focused initiatives like Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal (BBIN) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). Nepal and India have to deal with Chinas shadow. Bhutan and India are recalibrating their approaches; however, India is monitoring the Bhutan-China border dynamics.

Bangladesh and India have witnessed a positive and stable engagement arc. The recent Katchatheevu Islands controversy has quickly become the talk of Indian politics, but damage control would be manageable between New Delhi and Colombo. Afghanistan under the Taliban has created scepticism, and India is contemplating and treading carefully for the larger good of the Afghan people. Although Myanmar is not a South Asian country, the unrest has a spillover effect on Indias eastern front. It forms an integral part of Indias Act East Policy and is a historic partner for India; hence, stability there is of importance.

Indian foreign policy has a major work cut out for itself to dissipate the uncertainties that the neighbourhood faces and poses. India and China will continue to play their part, but it will be for our South Asian neighbours to see what is good for them by seeing the recent debt diplomacy and issues by Sri Lanka and others. Indian diplomacy will need to work on its dual moralitysensibility and sensitivityto display its maturity.

India needs to firmly convey to the neighbourhood that India does provide all help in a non-reciprocal manner but expects them to be sensitive to its core security concern. No doubt, big power rivalry in a contested region is always a difficult walk. The impending issues in the immediate vicinity need to be resolved for India to hold its ground on South-South cooperation, establish its benign leadership in the Global South, and portray itself as a bridge to reduce the rifts with the Global North.

EAM Jaishankar provides a different perspective. He states that with Indias profile on the rise, policymakers are experimenting and including the expectations of other nations, which are not confined to their immediate surroundings.

Since independence, India has spoken for the larger constituency and taken the cudgels on their behalf, especially during the anti-colonial struggle and thereafter, for their legitimate rights. Indias ideation of Vishwaguru and Vishwamita is not a woolly-headed and unwarranted proclamation but is rooted in its civilisational heritage, with Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam as the living dictum.

It presents Indias aspirational leadership with an urge to break out from the redundant world order that was constructed post World War II. India seems to show its political dexterity and benign and sane leadership with strategic autonomy, and the quest for multilateralism is deeply rooted in this fractious unipolar and bipolar era. India walks the talk for the Global South amidst its quest for reforming multilateralism for a multipolar world so that they are not left out.

Anil Trigunayat is a distinguished Fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation and Vedika Znwar is a researcher in international relations and geo-politics. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Add the potency of proxies, and Iran suddenly emerges as a power like no other in the region. And, it has not yet gone nuclear! read more

On April 13, Iran, breaking off the trend established for decades, launched a direct military attack from its soil against a nationthat too its sworn enemy, Israelin a massive and simultaneous strike of drones and missiles, numbering in excess of 300.

This attack was a retaliatory response to an earlier Israeli strike on April 1, which targeted the Iranian Consulate in Damascus, resulting in the deaths of seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, the senior commander in Lebanon and Syria. It is difficult to say whether Iran was provoked enough to take this unprecedented action due to the strike on its consulate or whether Iran was patiently waiting for an opportune moment to join the war directly for legitimate reasons.

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Nonetheless, the retaliatory strike did two things. Firstly, it immediately expanded the scope of war much beyond Gaza, and secondly, it signalled to the world that Iran has finally crossed the threshold of patience and that it is no longer willing to fight the battle from the shadows, through its proxies in the region.

There were three more very interesting facts about the Iranian strikes. First, this was the first direct military engagement of Iran with any nation after the end of its war with Iraq in 1988. Second, this was the first time that Iran has entered into a direct military conflict with Israel, as it was not part of the Arab coalitions that fought Arab-Israeli wars in the previous century. Third, this is being called the largest simultaneous strike by aerial military platforms in modern history, with over 300 projectiles (including drones) descending on the targeted country at the same time.

Iran may have shed its strategic patience by striking Israel directly from its soil, however, the fact that it targeted only military sites clearly indicated a sense of caution, restraint, and non-escalation. Before we dwell into the reasons why Iran has finally shed its strategic patience, it may be worthwhile to take a brief recap of major provocations in the past and how Iran reacted to better understand this tectonic shift in Irans policy.

Recap of Major Attacks on Iran

Iran has been in the eye of the storm of the West as well as the Sunni Muslim world in the region for more than two decades. Reasons vary, from the threats posed by its nuclear programme to its rivalry with Saudi Arabia to its sworn enmity with Israel. And therefore, the history of most of the previous attacks on Iranian interests is indicative of these factors.

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Irans nuclear programme has been repeatedly targeted. In June 2010, the Stuxnet virus attacked the computers at the Bushehr nuclear plant. It soon spread to the Natanz enrichment facility, where almost 1,000 out of 9,000 centrifuges were destroyed. Investigations pointed the blame at Israel and the US; however, Iran undertook no overt retaliation.

Iran tightened its cyber security measures and thwarted many later attempts, including computer virus attacks like Stars, Duqu, Wiper, Flame, etc. Again, in July 2020 and April 2021, explosions struck the centrifuge production plant at the underground facility at the Natanz nuclear plant, the cause of which on both occasions pointed to sabotage.

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Irans nuclear scientists were targeted too. In November 2010, Majid Shahriari, a professor of nuclear engineering at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran, was killed in a car explosion on his way to work. In November 2020, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, called the father of an Iranian nuclear weapons programme, was killed in a roadside attack outside Tehran. Both these and many other mysterious deaths of nuclear scientists were blamed on Israeli intelligence services.

Among military sites, the Parchin military complex southeast of Tehran was targeted by explosives-laden quadcopter suicide drones in May 2022, killing an engineer and damaging a building. In January 2023, a weapons production factory in Ishafan was struck by drones. Incidentally, this factory is known to produce the Shahed or Kamakazi drones, which were being exported to Russia too.

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Irans IRGC, too, has been repeatedly targeted and its senior commanders assassinated. Qaseem Suleimani, the IRGC commander and considered one of the closest advisers to the Supreme Leader, was killed in a US drone strike in Iraq on January 3, 2020. Seyed Radhi Mousavi, the IRGCs most influential military commander in Levant, was killed in a suspected Israeli airstrike in Damascus on December 25 last year, and the most recent strike in Damascus on April 1 killed General Mohammad Reza Zahedi.

Irans commercial interests, too, have been targeted. In May 2020, a cyberattack impacted maritime traffic control at Shahid Rajaee port on Irans southern coast in the Gulf, creating a hold-up of ships waiting to dock. In October 2021, a cyberattack hit the computer systems at over 4,000 gas stations in Iran, preventing people from using government-issued cards to purchase fuel at a subsidised rate.

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In February 2024, Irans leading south-north gas pipeline was hit by explosions, termed an act of terrorist act or sabotage". Once again, the attacks were traced back to Israel.

Despite all such acts of sabotage or attack, Iran maintained restraint and avoided direct military confrontation, opting instead to retaliate in its own way through its proxies in the region. It therefore needs to be examined why Iran had to break its strategic patience this time after the attack on the Damascus consulate.

Why Break the Strategic Patience

There are a number of factors that could have led to this strategic decision, which promises to alter the landscape of any conflict with Iran in the future. Some of these are based on internal dynamics in Iran, while others owe their origins to recent global and regional geopolitics.

As regards the ongoing war in Gaza, Iran could have easily continued to hold off Israel through a combination of Hamas, Houthis, Hezbollah, and others. With every passing day, Israel was getting impatient and making mistakes, for example, the attack on three cars of World Central Kitchen on April 1 or the strike on Irans consulate, etc.

It was also rapidly losing world support due to the reckless killing of civilians in Gaza, especially in hospitals, schools, and aid convoys. The US, its principal benefactor, too, was losing patience with Israel. Back home in Israel, the continued failure to get back the hostages, mounting casualties among the IDF, and the economic downturn were driving Netanyahus government into a corner with every passing day. Iran watched from the sidelines and was perhaps waiting for the opportune moment to join the battle, which the Consulate attack provided.

Also, repeated targeting of Iranian assets, IRGC commanders, and people in Iran without any direct response was painting a picture of weak leadership back home in Iran. The attack in the city of Kermen on January 3, during the ceremony to mark the death anniversary of IRGC commander Suleimani, which killed over 100 people, is a case in point too.

With the Supreme Leader Khamenei due to turn 85 years old on April 20, 2024, and no successor yet appointed, there was also a thought that Irans policy in the region needed to be set right before it was too late. The poor voter turnout in the parliamentary elections earlier in the year and the protests against the regime in 202122 must have also been playing in the minds of the leadership. And, as Iran has experienced in the past, there is no better method of rallying support for the regime and whipping up national fervour than a strategic, game-changing decision like this.

Within the region, Iran has been on a roll for the past few years. The Saudi-Iran peace deal in March 2023 buried decades of hostilities between the two regional rivals. Soon, reconciliation with countries like Egypt, the UAE, and Turkey followed. The Gaza war provided Iran with an undisputed leadership role in the region, as Saudi Arabia and the UAE took a back seat while Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar were busy negotiating a ceasefire.

The onus of fighting for the cause of Palestinians was fairly and squarely on Irans shoulders, and it successfully fought Israel, the US, and others through its proxies for over six months. Its 25-year strategic partnership with China and the increasing cooperation with Russia, including the supply of drones and missiles in the Ukraine war, meant that a very powerful anti-west pole in the form of Russia-Iran-China is challenging the decades-old world order. Plus, Irans influence across the Levant, with President Assad in Syria, Iraq under PM Mohammad Shia al-Sudani, and Hezbollah in Lebanon, has never been better.

Irans entry into the BRICS and SCO in 2023 provided Iran with added legitimacy in global discourse. Finally, repeated assertions by the US that it does not want to get into any conflict in the region, that it does not seek war with Iran, and the fact that the US has already entered its presidential election cycle made it evident that there is almost no possibility of a direct military conflict with the US.

Quietly and concurrently, Irans nuclear programme is continuing uninhibited after formal talks broke off in August 2022. Despite Iran officially announcing enrichment of uranium to 60 per cent in April 2021 and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) finding traces of even 84 per cent enrichment in February 2023, there were no punitive actions against Iran by the P5 plus 1 or the IAEA, and so Iran continues to enrich and accumulate highly enriched uranium, with the capability of weaponising the programme at short notice. Militarily, too, Iran is in a good space. Its ballistic missile programme is developing well; it has developed its own hypersonic missiles, and its killer drone programme is creating waves, even in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Plus, economically, despite continuing western sanctions, Iran is doing well. The IMF, in its quarterly report in January 2024, announced that the Iranian economy has outperformed many of the world powers in 2023 with a growth rate of 5.4 per cent. Irans crude oil exports of almost 1.6 million barrels per day are almost back to pre-May 2018 days, when President Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal and imposed sanctions.

All the above facts cumulatively present a very positive picture for Iran, and a holistic overview from Irans point of view clearly indicated that there could be no better time than now to break free from the shadows and shed its strategic reluctance. The only thing required was an opportune moment, and the Damascus attack provided the perfect opportunity.

What Next

Having tasted success, Iran would be emboldened for the future. Mohammed Jamshidi, Political Advisor to Irans President, has declared that the era of strategic patience is over and that any Israeli assaults will be met with a direct response. Warning Israel, Irans President has issued a statement: If the Zionist regime (Israel) or its supporters demonstrate reckless behaviour, they will receive a decisive and much stronger response.

As the dust settles on Irans strike, it is becoming clearer that the entire swarm of drones and missiles were never intended to hit the targets, except a few. Also, the attack was more of a show of strength, especially with the kind of advance warning given by Iran to its allies and to the US.

Also, it once again shattered the myth of the invincibility of Israels defence systems as some of the Iranian missiles found their mark on one of the most closely defended air bases in Israel. With more potent weapon systems yet to be employed, Iran would feel satisfied with the result of its attack on April 13.

The Iranian retaliation may have lacked the desired punch in delivery, but the act has opened up a whole new dimension for consideration in future conflicts in West Asia. If Iran has decided to play from the front foot, it presents a whole new challenge to its adversaries in the region. Add the potency of proxies in the region, and Iran suddenly emerges as a power like no other in the region, with perhaps no equal. And, it has not yet gone nuclear!

The author is Assistant Director, MP-IDSA. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Support for the Palestine cause among major Arab countries is dying out. Iran made it a point to gain traction among the Arab population and targeted Arab states as traitors to the ummah read more

In its effort to position Iran as a true Muslim power, it made anti-Israel posturing an intrinsic part of its foreign policy rhetoric. Image: Reuters File Photo

On Sunday, April 14, Israel experienced a barrage of missiles launched from Iran, marking a notable escalation in tensions between the two nations. Although Iran and Israel do not engage in direct conflict, their rivalry is entangled within the broader power struggle between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Both Tehran and Riyadh vie for regional dominance, not just through geopolitical manoeuvring but also through religious leadership.

Lebanese analyst posits that Iran perceives the Israel-Palestine conflict as an opportunity to bolster its influence over Shiite groups in the Middle East. Iran aligns itself with the so-called axis of resistance, loosely comprising regional military proxies closely linked to Tehran.

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Roots of the Conflict Run Deep

The year 1979 witnessed a dramatic shift in the Middle Easts power dynamics. Mass protests in February 1979 in Iran culminated in overthrowing the Pahlavi dynastys decades-long rule. The new regime, led by Ayatollah Khomeini, established a Shiite Islamic Republic, directly challenging Saudi Arabias self-proclaimed leadership of Sunni Islam. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia took it as an anti-royalist coup that happened earlier in Cairo and Baghdad.

This sectarian divide intensified later that year when an extremist religious group led by extremist Juhayman Al-Otaybi, a follower of the Wahhabi Salafi creed of Islam, carried out a 14-day occupation of Meccas Grand Mosque. Driven by a messianic mission, the group exhorted the Saudi population to rise up and overthrow the monarchy and establish an anti-Western, Islamist regime.

According to the attackers, the Al-Saud family had lost its legitimacy because it was corrupt, ostentatious, and under the spell of the morally degraded values of the West. The siege of Mecca struck a direct blow to the religious and political legitimacy of the House of Saud.

Saudi Arabia, as custodian of Islams holiest sites in Mecca and Medina, has long viewed itself as the guardian of Sunni Islam worldwide. However, Irans transformation into a Shiite Islamic Republic posed a formidable challenge to Saudi Arabias leadership of the Muslim ummah (community of believers). In response to the Iranian revisionist claims, the Saudi regime sought to defend its authority by scaling up its pan-Islamic activism in the global arena. To placate extremist Islamist factions within the country, the Kingdom roped in charity organisations like the Muslim World League to fund madrasas and Islamic associations preaching Wahhabi-Salafi ideology worldwide.

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The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 presented an opportunity for the Saudi leaders. In close coordination with the United States and Pakistan, Saudi Arabia played a crucial role in organising and supporting the mujahideen resistance against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.

Another theatre of rivalry was opened with the fall of Saddam Husseins Sunni-led regime in Iraq in 2003. Historically, political power in the Arab world, except in Syria, has predominantly been strongly concentrated in Sunni hands, including in Shiite-majority Iraq, where Saddams regime was perceived as a Sunni bulwark against Iran. Saddams removal virtually ensured the political empowerment of Shiites in Iraq, leaving the Sunni Arab regimes fearful of the emergence of a  Shiite crescent stretching from the Persian Gulf to Beirut, as warned by King Abdullah II of Jordan in 2004.

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West Asian Policy of Iran

In a bid to counter the Saudi-led Arab monarchies under the US security umbrella, the Iranian regime patronises Shia parties and militias in West Asia. Tehran uses different proxy armies, such as Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and Houthis in Yemen, to push back Saudi influence and enhance its influence in the region.

To bolster its Islamic credentials and counter the Saudis brand of Wahabi-Salafi Islam, Iran positions itself as the most vocal opponent of anti-Americanism and anti-Zionism. Addressing the International Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran on December 27, 2015, Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian President, called all Muslims to unite and strive to improve the public image of Islam, stressing that there was  neither a Shiite nor a Sunni Crescent. We have an Islamic moon.

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Iranian leaders have always underscored their commitment to pan-Islamic unity. They downplayed the Shia character of the regime while speaking on foreign policy issues, as opposed to it being Shia-centric. However, Irans strategic approach in West Asia has been focused on supporting the Shia armed groups in the region since 2003. Working through non-state actors, Iran has dramatically expanded its regional influence and established its allegedly furtive idea of a Shia crescent, passing through different countries like Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.

This Iranian policy of supporting Shia militant proxies in the region to counter Saudi-led monarchies and legitimising domestic order makes it loggerheads with Israel. Israel finds itself surrounded by Iran-supported Shia militias in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza. Prior to 1979, relations between Iran and Israel were relatively good, and there was cooperation in many sectors. However, they have no territorial or resource conflict. The sectarian strife that raised its ugly head in post-1979 West Asia and the ensuing rivalry for regional leadership with historical rival Saudi Arabia paves the way for Iran to play Israel as a bogeyman in its regional political calculus.

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Israel-Iran Rivalry

In line with the US policy of not letting West Asia be dominated by a single superpower, Israel, too, wanted a Saudi-Israel competition in the region. Iran, with its proud Persian civilisation, educated young population under the average age of 35, sufficient military and industrial capacity, and a messianic religious leadership, has the potential to emerge as a formidable regional power in the region.

Iran has also made advancements in nuclear technology, which essentially set the bar for producing bombs. A successful Irans nuclear programme could lead to the emergence of Iran as a regional hegemony detrimental to the security interests of Israel.

In its effort to position Iran as a true Muslim power, it made anti-Israel posturing an intrinsic part of its foreign policy rhetoric. The long-term goals of Israel are to eliminate the voice of Palestinians from global platforms and project Iran as the only evil regime in the region.

The Trump administrations effort to ease hostility between Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain and possible future deals between Israel and other Arab nations like Oman and Saudi Arabia under the Abrahamic Accord are part of a larger effort to counter Iran and help make Israel a normal state in the region. Iran had every interest in making sure it did not happen.

Support for the Palestine cause among major Arab countries is dying out. Iran made it a point to gain traction among the Arab population and targeted Arab states as traitors to the ummah. According to Sean Yom, supporting Hamas has long been a part of Irans regional ambitions to subvert a regional order headlined by American hegemony and its Arab allies.

Ankur Dixit is a Doctoral Candidate at Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi. Rupal Mishra is a Doctoral Candidate at Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Apple will invest in six rooftop solar projects to power Apples operations in the country. The solar projects collectively will generate 14.4 megawatts of clean energy, catering to the energy needs of Apples offices and two retail stores located in Mumbai and New Delhi read more

Apple is pushing hard to get close to its green goals and reduce its carbon footprint and the effect its manufacturing has on the environment. To that effect, the Cupertino-based tech giant has forged a partnership with renewable energy developer CleanMax to embark on a green energy initiative in India.

The collaboration aims to invest in six rooftop solar projects to power Apples operations in the country, the tech giant announced on Wednesday.

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The solar projects collectively will generate 14.4 megawatts of clean energy, catering to the energy needs of Apples offices and two retail stores located in Mumbai and New Delhi, according to a statement from the Cupertino-based company.

This move underscores Apples commitment to sustainability and its ambition to achieve carbon neutrality throughout its entire value chain by the end of the decade.

The tech behemoth highlighted its global push towards clean energy, with over 18 gigawatts of renewable electricity already powering its operations and manufacturing supply chain, a significant leap from the 2020 figures.

In addition to its renewable energy endeavours, Apple is actively engaged in addressing water scarcity challenges. The company has set a lofty goal to replenish 100 per cent of the freshwater consumed in its corporate operations, particularly in regions facing high water stress.

To fulfill this commitment, Apple has initiated projects to replenish freshwater reserves in states like Telangana and Maharashtra in India.

Notably, the company achieved its 100 per cent water replenishment target for its corporate operations in India last year, facilitated through collaborations with entities like the Uptime Catalyst Facility.

Moreover, Apples efforts extend beyond its own operations. The company has been instrumental in providing clean, accessible drinking water to communities through various initiatives, including supporting local entrepreneurs in setting up water kiosks.

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In 2023 alone, Apples contributions provided 23 million gallons of clean water to communities through this program.

In a significant milestone, Apples data centre in Prineville, Oregon, earned certification as the first-ever facility to meet the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) International Water Stewardship Standard, underscoring its commitment to responsible water management.

Furthermore, Apple is actively promoting water stewardship practices among its supplier sites, conducting training programs in regions like southern India and the vicinity of Shanghai and Suzhou in China.

This collaborative effort aims to instil responsible water management practices across Apples supply chain, contributing to broader sustainability goals in the industry.

(With inputs from agencies)
China has made some seriously impressive advancements in space, despite their space programme working in isolation. NASA chief Bill Nelson believes that their civilian space program is a military program read more

The three astronauts who are stationed at Tiangong, China's own space station that it built in under a decade. Image Credit: Reuters

The head of NASA has raised concerns about Chinas space ambitions, warning that Beijing may be using civilian space programs to conceal military objectives, urging Washington to remain vigilant.

China has made extraordinary strides, especially in the last 10 years, but they are very, very secretive, NASA chief Bill Nelson said

He highlighted Chinas significant advancements in space technology over the past decade but stressed the secrecy surrounding their activities. We believe that a lot of their so-called civilian space program is a military program, Nelson stated during his testimony before lawmakers on Capitol Hill. And I think, in effect, we are in a race.

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Expressing hope that Beijing would prioritize peaceful uses of space, Nelson emphasized the lack of demonstrated commitment from China to this end. His remarks came as he testified before the House Appropriations Committee on NASAs budget for 2025.

Nelson asserted the importance of the United States landing on the moon before China, as both nations pursued lunar missions. He voiced concerns that if China were to achieve this milestone first, they might assert territorial claims over lunar regions.

Highlighting previous statements, Nelson reiterated the perception of a space race between the US and China, warning of potential claims by China over lunar resources. Chinas recent space endeavours include the establishment of an Earth-orbiting space station and several lunar missions, while the US plans to return astronauts to the moon in 2026 with its Artemis III mission.

While China aims to send humans to the moon by 2030, Nelson expressed confidence in the United States maintaining its leadership position in space exploration. However, he cautioned against complacency, acknowledging Chinas significant investment in space programs and the need for continued vigilance. I think that we just better not let down our guard, Nelson emphasized.

(With inputs from agencies)
Along with these planned layoffs, Google also fired 28 people for participating in a sit-in protest against Googles $1.2 billion contract between its cloud services and the government Israel. Some of the roles from the planned terminations will be shifted to India read more

Google had hired people very aggressively during the lockdown, and has been firing just as aggressively since demand for tech slowed down. Image Credit: Reuters

Google is once again conducting layoffs, this time firing an unspecified number of people from across its real estate and finance businesses.

While the exact figure remains undisclosed, sources suggest that the impact is significant. The move, according to a Google spokesperson, is aimed at cost-cutting measures.

However, impacted employees will have the opportunity to seek alternative roles within the company, with some positions relocating to various global hubs such as India and Ireland.

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In a statement to Business Insider, a Google spokesperson revealed the companys commitment to investing in key priorities and future opportunities. The spokesperson highlighted ongoing efforts within various teams to streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and realign resources with core product objectives.

According to insights from Business Insider, the latest round of layoffs has notably affected Googles real estate and finance departments. Specific areas within finance, including treasury, business services, and revenue cash operations, have been impacted by the restructuring.

In other news, Google has also laid off 28 employees who had participated in a sit-in protest at Google offices, to show their dissent to Googles contract with the Israeli government, with employees expressing dissent over the decision.

This action follows the suspension and subsequent arrest of nine Google employees in the United States earlier in the week, as reported by The Verge.

The terminated employees were protesting against a $1.2 billion contract between Google Cloud and the Israeli government. In an internal memo, the company reaffirmed its commitment to upholding workplace policies and condemned disruptive behaviour.

Google stressed that such conduct contradicts its values and will not be tolerated, indicating a zero-tolerance approach towards policy violations.

The overwhelming majority of our employees adhere to our policies. However, for those few who may consider violating them, we will take decisive action, stated the tech giant in its memo.

Google reiterated its dedication to maintaining a positive work environment and vowed to continue enforcing disciplinary measures, including termination, against individuals engaging in disruptive behaviour.
Efforts to obtain clarification from the Department of Transportations Office of Emergency Medical Services, responsible for the National 911 Program, as well as inquiries to the US Federal Communications Commission, yielded no immediate responses read more

Numerous states in the US faced a disruption in their 911 emergency services late on Wednesday, with South Dakota entirely affected and parts of Nevada, Texas, and Nebraska also impacted, according to local authorities.

The cause of these outages remained unclear.

Authorities in South Dakota and Las Vegas confirmed late Wednesday that 911 services had been restored, but they provided no details regarding the reason behind the breakdown in this critical emergency infrastructure.

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Efforts to obtain clarification from the Department of Transportations Office of Emergency Medical Services, responsible for the National 911 Program, as well as inquiries to the US Federal Communications Commission, yielded no immediate responses.

Similarly, the Federal Emergency Management Agency did not reply to requests for comment.

The Department of Homeland Security has warned, opens new tab of increased risks of cyber attacks on 911 services, as they have migrated to digital, internet-protocol based systems.

Several cyberattacks targeting 911 systems have taken down the services in recent years, including a 2017 attack that paralyzed 911 centers in over a dozen states.

The South Dakota Department of Public Safety, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and Douglas County, Nebraska, all reported outages to their 911 services.

Late on Wednesday, the Las Vegas police said their 911 service had been restored, and that everyone who called during the outage had been called back and given assistance.

In Texas, the police department in Del Rio, on the border with Mexico, said on its Facebook page that 911 services were down.

South Dakotas Department of Public Safety said efforts were underway to resolve the issue, without disclosing the cause of the outage.

Authorities also asked people not to call 911 as a test.

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With inputs from Reuters
Alex Spiro, representing Neumanns real estate firm Flow, informed FT that the company, along with its financial partners, is prepared to outbid any other offers received by WeWork by 10% read more

Adam Neumann, the founder of WeWork Inc, has launched a fresh attempt to repurchase the company, even as it endeavors to secure hundreds of millions of dollars to exit bankruptcy and circumvent a potential sale, as per reported in FT Thursday, .

The shared office space provider is facing a cash crunch and requires up to $400 million in additional funding to achieve a viable emergence from bankruptcy, as per FTs sources familiar with the situation.

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Alex Spiro, representing Neumanns real estate firm Flow, informed FT that the company, along with its financial partners, is prepared to outbid any other offers received by WeWork by 10%.

Last month, Reuters reported, based on information from a knowledgeable source, that Adam Neumann had put forth a bid exceeding $500 million to repurchase WeWork.

WeWork did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The SoftBank-backed company said earlier this month that it aims to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. and Canada by May 31 and had negotiated more than $8 billion, or over 40%, reduction in rent commitments from landlords.

With inputs from Reuters
Ministry of Information and Culture spokesman Khubaib Ghufran informed that the two channels - Barya and Noor - had been suspended on Tuesday read more

With an aim to crack down on media freedoms and enforce an austere vision of Islamist rule, the Taliban on Thursday said that it has suspended two privately run local TV channels for flouting Islamic and national values.

Ministry of Information and Culture spokesman Khubaib Ghufran informed that the two channels - Barya and Noor - had been suspended on Tuesday.

They had programmes creating confusion among the public and their owners are abroad, AFP quoted Ghufran as saying, adding, The media violation commission suspended their operations.

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He said their owners have even taken stands as opponents of the Taliban government and until their owners come here, and answer the questions posed to them, their operations will be suspended.

In a statement late on Tuesday, the Taliban-run information ministrys Media Violations Commission said that a court will examine the activities of the two channels and decide on their fate.

Hafizullah Barakzai, the commission spokesman, said that the broadcasters are barred from conducting operations until then.

Barakzai criticised the channels for not following journalistic principles and not considering national and Islamic values during their coverage despite repeated government warnings and recommendations.

Meanwhile, the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) said that the media commission had repeatedly warned Barya for airing remarks by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a once-powerful warlord and former prime minister, about the Taliban government and Noor had received warnings because it broadcast music and the uncovered faces of female presenters.

The Barya channel is owned by Hekmatyars son Habiburrahman Hekmatyar.

Barya had religious and national values in mind, not Taliban values, Habiburrahman Hekmatyar, who lives in exile and whose father has increasingly found himself at odds with Taliban authorities, said on social media platform X.

The only thing you wont see from us is silence, he said.

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The Noor channel is owned by Salahuddin Rabbani, who also lives in exile and served as Afghanistans foreign minister under the former US-backed government from 2015 to 2019.

His father, Burhanuddin Rabbani, was president of Afghanistan in the 1990s but fled the country as the Taliban surged to power for the first time and ruled from 1996 to 2001.

Burhanuddin Rabbani was assassinated in 2011 by a bomber, posing as a Taliban peace envoy, with explosives packed in his turban.

The AFJC said the suspension of the two channels infringes on the countrys mass media laws and is a blatant attempt to suppress freedom of the press.

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Curbs introduced by Taliban authorities have effectively banned music, while the Ministry for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice issued an order in May 2022 for women TV presenters to cover their faces.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said last month Afghanistans media landscape is being suffocated by repressive Taliban directives.

Many journalists fled Afghanistan, fearing repercussions for their reporting as the Talibans two-decade insurgency ended with the collapse of the foreign-backed government in August 2021.

Many of those who remained have been detained by Taliban authorities since their return. An RSF tally says two journalists are currently being held in detention in Afghanistan.

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With inputs from agencies
A new hotel can only be built in the city on three conditions: if an old hotel shuts down, if the number of places to sleep doesnt increase, or if the new hotel will be better read more

The Netherlands solution to curb overtourism in the capital city of Amsterdam is to ban the construction of new hotels, according to a decree issued by the local government.

The government in Amsterdam, on Wednesday, said, We want to make and keep the city liveable for residents and visitors. This means: no overtourism, no new hotels, and no more than 20 million hotel overnight stays by tourists per year.

A new hotel can only be built in the city on three conditions: if an old hotel shuts down, if the number of places to sleep doesnt increase, or if the new hotel will be better.

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The new rules, however, would not be applied to hotels that have already received permission to be constructed.

Amsterdam has been battling with mass tourism for the past couple of years and to tackle the issue the local administration coming up with innovative ways to keep travellers away from the city.

While the city is home to about 800,000 people, Amsterdam attracts 20 million tourists a year.

In 2023, the city restricted the operation of cruise ships, saying, Cruise ships in the heart of the city do not fit into Amsterdams goal of reducing the number of tourists.

Amsterdam also launched a stay away campaign to keep rowdy sex and drug tourists at bay. Particularly, partying too wildly is not an option for young Britishers coming to the city as their post-party behaviour creates a nuisance.

The campaign aims to keep check the conduct of young travelers who come to the city solely to engage in excessive partying using alcohol and drugs.

Deputy Mayor Sofyan Mbarki had earlier said, If we love the city, we have to act now. Much has been done in recent years, but we need to do even more in the coming years. In recent months, I have talked to many different groups: residents, businesses, experts and interest groups. From these discussions, it has become clear that everyone cares about the city and that intervention is needed to counter the nuisance and overcrowding.
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel also called for his supporters not to retaliate over the attack but to behave Christlike read more

This FILE image shows Senior Parish Priest Fr. Isaac Royel (L) and Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel during the 2023 Holy Resurrection Feast services, in Sydney, Australia. REUTERS.

Youre my son. I love you and I will always pray for you, said 53-year-old bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel as he forgave a 16-year-old boy who allegedly stabbed him while delivering a serom at a church in Australia earlier this week.

The first public comments of the bishop since the incident on Monday evening was released by the Assyrian Christ the Good Shepherd church in Wakeley, western Sydney, where the attack took place during service which was livestreamed.

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What did the Bishop say?

In an audio statement released by the church, the bishop, speaking from his hospital bed, said he was recovering well and he was praying for his alleged attacker.

I forgive whoever has done this act. And whoever sent you to do this, I forgive them as well in Jesuss mighty name, he said.

I have nothing in my heart but love for everyone. Whether that person is a Christian or not, its totally beside the point," the bishop said.

Also Read: Watch: Priest attacked in another mass stabbing in Australias Sydney

Bishop Emmanuel also called on his supporters to pray instead of retaliate. There is no need to be worried or concerned. And a piece of advice to all our beloved faithfuls  I need you to act Christlike," he said.

The Lord Jesus never taught us to fight, the Lord Jesus never taught us to retaliate, the Lord Jesus never said to us an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth," he further said.

Bishop attacked in Australia

Bishop Emmanuel has a popular online presence as well as a large following. As per a report by The Guardian, he has previously criticised Islam and the prophet Muhammad in public sermons.

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In the video of the alleged attack, the alleged attacker could be heard saying in Arabic: If he [the bishop] didnt get himself involved in my religion, if he hadnt spoken about my prophet, I wouldnt have come here  if he just spoke about his own religion, I wouldnt have come.

The New South Wales police and state government are treating the alleged stabbing incident as an act of terrorism.

Also Read: Stabbed bishop in Sydney church attack is a TikTok star, beloved by his community

The NSW police has not revealed any specific motive for the alleged attack.

We believe there are elements that are satisfied in terms of religious-motivated extremism, NSW police commissioner, Karen Webb, said on Tuesday.

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With inputs from agencies
The woman claimed the man was her uncle and needed his signature for a loan worth $3,000, already approved by the bank read more

It could have been a scene straight out of a Hollywood horror movie, but as it turns out, this incident in Brazil really happened, and it has left everyone shell shocked!

A woman, Erika de Souza Vieira, was apprehended under suspicion of attempting to withdraw a loan using her aged uncle  the only catch, her uncle was very, very dead.

The incident, captured in a video that went viral on social media, has sparked widespread discussion across the nation.

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Bizarre encounter at bank

The footage depicts the woman at a Rio de Janeiro branch of Itau Bank, supporting the head of an elderly man in a wheelchair while trying to get him to sign with a pen.

She claimed the man was her uncle and needed his signature for a loan worth $3,000, already approved by the bank.

Signs of deception

However, the elderly man, 68-year-old Paulo Roberto Braga, remained unresponsive in the video, with limp arms and a falling head, leading to suspicions that he was already deceased during the visit to the bank.

The womans pleas and attempts to get the man to sign were met with no response.

In the video, the woman can be seen saying, Uncle, are you listening?

You need to sign. If you dont sign, theres no way. I cant sign for you, it has to be you. What I can do, I do, she said.

Sign it so you dont give me any more headaches, having to go to the registry office. I cant take it anymore, the woman was heard saying.

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 WOMAN BRINGS CORPSE IN WHEELCHAIR TO BANK TO SIGN OFF HER LOAN.



In a bizarre incident in Bangu, a neighborhood in western Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a woman was caught on camera trying to use a deceased man to sign off on a loan. She was seen manipulating the dead man's hand pic.twitter.com/HjUI6GZiib  TabZ (@TabZLIVE) April 17, 2024

Escalation & medical intervention

Bank attendants became concerned about the mans condition, prompting them to call for an ambulance. Paramedics arrived and determined that the man had likely been dead for several hours, casting doubt on the womans claims.

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Conflicting accounts & legal response

While police investigate the case and work to establish the relationship between the woman and the deceased man, the familys lawyer disputes the official account. They argue that the man arrived at the bank alive and that the woman is deeply affected by the situation.

A report in CNN Brasil said the familys lawyer disputed the account offered by police, saying:  the facts did not happen as stated; that the man has arrived at the bank alive; and that the woman is completely shaken and medicated.

However, according to a report in The Guardian, investigating officer Fabio Luiz Souza said the woman knew her uncle was dead and that he had been dead for at least two hours.

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I have never come across a story like this in 22 years [as a cop], said Souza, adding that visible signs of livor mortis left no doubt as to Bragas state.

Investigation underway

Authorities have not yet pressed charges in the matter, but they continue to look into the circumstances surrounding the troubling incident.

With inputs from agencies
General elections are scheduled to take place between April 19 and June 1, 2024. Demonstrations could occur before, during and after the elections, read the newly added part in the updated travel advisory read more

In light of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in India, Canada has asked its citizens to exercise a high degree of caution as demonstarions could occur before, during and after the elections in the country.

The information was updated on the safety and security section of the travel advisory on Wednesday.

General elections are scheduled to take place between April 19 and June 1, 2024. Demonstrations could occur before, during and after the elections, read the newly added part.

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The advisory also warned that disruptions to traffic and public transportation may also occur during the process, while curfews may be imposed without notice.

It advised travellers to avoid areas where demonstrations and large gatherings are taking place.

The advisory has retained many of last years warnings following the strained relations between Canada and India after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus statement in the House of Commons regarding credible allegations linking Indian agents to the killing of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar on 18 June, 2023, in Surrey, British Columbia.

In the context of recent developments in Canada and in India, there are calls for protests and some negative sentiment towards Canada in traditional media and on social media. Demonstrations, including anti-Canada protests, could occur and Canadians may be subjected to intimidation or harassment, read the advisory issued in October last year.

This section remains as it is, along with advice for those in Delhi and the National Capital Region to maintain a low profile with strangers, refrain from sharing personal information, avoid crowded areas and public transportation, and travel accompanied while informing a friend or family member of their plans.

The advisory also called upon travellers to exercise a high degree of caution in and around Bengaluru, Chandigarh and Mumbai, as consular services in-person are temporarily unavailable in those cities or surrounding areas.

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With inputs from agencies
The warning from China came less than a week ahead of the Philippine and US forces first ever military exercises outside the south-east Asian countrys territorial waters read more

Philippine marines take position next to US Marine amphibious assault vehicles during an amphibious landing exercise at the beach of the Philippine navy training center facing the South China Sea in San Antonio town, Zambales Province. FILE/AFP.

China has warned that the upcoming military maritime exercise by the US and the Philippines outside Manilas territorial waters will result in greater insecurity in the disputed South China Sea.

Come April 22, as many as 16,700 soldiers will participate in the US and Philippines maritime exercise that will for the first time be held outside Philippine territorial waters.

The annual Balikatan or shoulder-to-shoulder drills will continue till May 10.

US-Philippines drills will only aggravate tensions

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The foreign ministry of China warned that the Philippines should be sober enough to realise that involving external countries to show their might in the South China Sea and provoke confrontation will only aggravate tensions and undermine regional stability.

Addressing the media, ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, Attempts to bring in external forces to safeguard its so-called security will only lead to greater insecurity for itself.

China also went on to urge both the US and the Philippines to stop provocation.

US-Philippine military drills

The drill is aimed at improving communication and coordination between the militaries of the US and Philippine and come within days after Manila accused Beijing of dangerous manoeuvres in the South China Sea that damaged its vessels and left four Filipinos with injuries.

Michael Logico, a Philippine army colonel overseeing the Balikatan exercises, said the US troops and their Philippine counterparts will simulate retaking islands occupied by hostile forces in the northernmost islands of the country, close to Taiwan and in the western Palawan province facing the South China Sea.

This years drill will also see a small French contingent participating for the first time since the annual exercise began in 1991. France will deploy a frigate that will sail jointly with Philippines and US naval vessels in Manilas exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea.

As many as 14 nations including India, Japan and countries in ASEAN and the European Union, will join as observers, Logico said.

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China claims almost the entire South China Sea despite a 2016 ruling by an international tribunal that found Beijings sweeping claims had no legal basis.

Despite a 2016 ruling by an international tribunal, China claims almost the entire South China Sea. The ruling had found Beijings sweeping claims had no legal basis.

US President Joe Biden, last week, had pledged to defend the Philippines from any attack in the South China Sea, as he hosted the first joint summit with Manila and Tokyo amid growing tensions with Beijing.

With inputs from agencies
Dutch intelligence agencies first publicly attributed cyber espionage to China in February, when they said state-backed cyber spies had gained access to a Dutch military network last year read more

Earlier this month, the U.S. government also pressed the Netherlands to stop ASML from servicing some tools in China, according to people familiar with the matter Image Courtesy Reuters

In an effort to bolster Chinas military forces, Chinese spies have targeted the Dutch semiconductor, aerospace, and maritime industries, according to the Dutch military intelligence agency MIVDs annual report, which was released on Thursday.

China is making significant investments in gathering western knowledge and technical skills as part of a continuous campaign of political espionage against the Netherlands and its allies, the agency said.

China wants to be independent from western knowledge and technology (and) wants to build a military that can match any other, the MIVD said.

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To do so, it needs advanced technology it doesnt yet fully possess. It tries to get this abroad, using legal means such as research and investments, but also through its intelligence agencies.

Dutch intelligence agencies first publicly attributed cyber espionage to China in February, when they said state-backed cyber spies had gained access to a Dutch military network last year.

Last year, the Netherlands joined a U.S. effort to keep certain chipmaking technology from China for national security reasons, restricting the export by leading chipmaking equipment maker ASML of certain deep ultraviolet (DUV) equipment for Chinese customers.

Earlier this month, the U.S. government also pressed the Netherlands to stop ASML from servicing some tools in China, according to people familiar with the matter.

In its annual report, the MIVD said China continued to target western armed forces for their knowledge on modern weapon systems and operational expertise, while also seeking out other advanced industries.

China tries to get hold of technology in the Netherlands in various ways, using a combination of (cyber) espionage, company insiders, acquisitions, circumvention of export restrictions and reverse engineering of technology for which no licenses are required, the agency said.

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The agency said Chinese intelligence agencies had broadened the scope, intensity and technical level of its cyber campaigns over the last year.

Chinese universities also play an important role in gathering intelligence, it said, as scientists who work with western companies often also work for Chinas security services and state companies.

(With agency inputs)
The landmark deal was announced last June during the historic Official State Visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US. The General Electric signed a memorandum of understanding with Hindustan Aeronautics to make fighter jet engines for the IAF. read more

Terming the India-US fighter jet engine deal revolutionary, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told the House Appropriations Subcommittee that the United States has a great relationship with India and the US is also co-producing an armoured vehicle with India.

We recently have enabled India to produce a jet weapon, a jet engine in India. And thats kind of revolutionary. That will provide a great capability to them. We are also co-producing an armoured vehicle with India, he said.

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So, all of these things, when you add them up, are probably more than we have seen happen in that region in a very, very long time, Austin said.

The jet engine deal holds strategic importance for India and is crucial for the development of indigenous capabilities. Despite efforts by the DRDOs Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), achieving the desired level of development for an advanced combat jet engine has remained a challenge.

GE-HAL engine deal

The landmark deal was announced last June during the historic Official State Visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US. The General Electric signed a memorandum of understanding with Hindustan Aeronautics to make fighter jet engines for the IAF.

GEs memorandum of understanding with HAL includes the potential joint production of GE Aerospaces F414 engines in India. GE Aerospace continues to work with the US government to receive the necessary export authorization for this. The effort is part of the Indian Air Forces Light Combat Aircraft Mk2 program, GE Aerospace had said in a statement. These engines will be used in the made-in-India Tejas Mark-2 fighter jets.Once its production starts in India, the GE F414 will power all future fighter jets including the Tejas Mk II, Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) as well as the indigenous Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF) for the Indian Navy.

What makes the GE F414 engine so special though?

It is the power behind the Boeings Super Hornets and the Gripen fighter jets. GE describes the F414 as an American afterburning turbofan engine in the 22,000-pound (98 kN) thrust class. It offers unrestricted engine performance on demand with rapid engine throttle response and zero throttle restrictions. Excellent afterburner light and stability ensure extra thrust is ready on demand when needed. Experts state that the F414 features the latest technologies, proving its versatility and hence, has become the engine of choice for an increasing number of advanced, next-generation combat aircraft.

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The GE F414 is a derivative of the GE F404 engine, which was developed in the 1970s. It produces up to 18,000 pounds of thrust, which gives it the power to operate a variety of aircraft in a variety of missions. This engine is also designed for easy maintenance, which reduces the cost of ownership and it meets all current environmental regulations, and is designed to be even more environmentally friendly in the future.

The engine also uses an integrated electronic engine instrumentation; this provides real-time data on the engines performance that enables pilots to make informed decisions about the engine. Its wide chord, high-pressure compressor (HPC) provides greater efficiency and lower emissions than previous generation engines.

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But this engine doesnt come cheap. According to reports, GEs F414 comes with a price tag of $3.71 million (Rs 30 crore).
The EU leaders in their statement from the summit urged all parties to exercise the utmost restraint and to refrain from any action that may increase tensions in the region. read more

European Union leaders have reached a consensus to impose fresh sanctions on Irans drone and missile manufacturers in response to Tehrans recent attack on Israel, announced EU chief Charles Michel on Wednesday.

Speaking at an EU summit in Brussels, Michel stated, We have decided to put in place sanctions against Iran, it is a clear signal that we wanted to send. He highlighted that the sanctions aim to target companies involved in the production of drones and missiles.

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Over the weekend, Iran launched an unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel, resulting in minimal damage as most of the projectiles were intercepted. This marked Tehrans first direct attack on Israeli territory, purportedly in retaliation for a deadly strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, which was widely attributed to Israel.

Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country will decide how to respond to Irans attack as global powers called for restraint to avoid escalation.

The EU leaders in their statement from the summit urged all parties to exercise the utmost restraint and to refrain from any action that may increase tensions in the region.

The EU has already imposed sanctions on Iran over its supply of drones to Russia for its war in Ukraine, but they have had little effect on cutting the ties between Tehran and Moscow.

With inputs from AFP
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned that without more Patriot air defense missile systems to guard against incoming Russian strikes,More than two years into Russias full-scale invasion, Ukraine is facing a shortage of ammunition, with vital funding from the US blocked by Republicans in Congress for months and the EU failing to deliver sufficient munitions on time. read more

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, left, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, top left, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, top, second from left, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, bottom left, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, bottom right, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly, top right, French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, right, meet on the second day of a G7 foreign ministers meeting on Capri island, Italy, Thursday April 18, 2024. -AP

The European Unions chief diplomat called on the Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers on Thursday and urged to take tangible actions to supply additional air defense systems to Ukraine, warning that ongoing delays could shift the balance of the conflict in favour of Moscow.

EU foreign policy head Josep Borrell emphasised the urgent need for more Patriot air defense missile systems to protect against incoming Russian attacks. He underscored that without such systems, Ukraines electricity infrastructure could be severely damaged.

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Borrell stressed the critical importance of electricity for domestic needs, industrial operations, and maintaining frontline capabilities, highlighting the vital role it plays in sustaining Ukraines defense efforts.

More than two years into Russias full-scale invasion, Ukraine is facing a shortage of ammunition, with vital funding from the US blocked by Republicans in Congress for months and the EU failing to deliver sufficient munitions on time.

G7 ministers kicked off a second day of talks on the Italian island of Capri by discussing the West Asia crisis and will turn their attention to Ukraine in the afternoon when they will be joined by the head of NATO and Ukraines foreign minister.

The European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who attends G7 gatherings alongside U.S., Italian, German, French, British, Japanese and Canadian counterparts, urged EU nations to hand over air defence systems to help Ukraine protect its cities from Russia, which is targeting key infrastructure.

Otherwise the electricity system of Ukraine will be destroyed. And no country can fight without having electricity at home, in the factories, online, for everything, he told reporters as Thursdays session got underway.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the West had a different attitude towards Israel than his own country, noting that when Iran launched missiles and drones towards Israel on Saturday, U.S., British and French forces helped down them.

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The strategy of our partners in Israel seems to be in preventing damage and death.  In the last months, the strategy of our partners in Ukraine seems to be in helping (us) to recover from damage, he said ahead of the Capri talks. So our job today is to find a way where our partners will design a mechanism, a way that will allow us also to avoid death and destruction in Ukraine.

US President Joe Biden said Wednesday he supported a proposal from the House speaker, Mike Johnson, to provide about $61 billion in aid for Ukraine, signaling bipartisan support for the precarious funding bill.

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Blinken said he hoped the bill would come before the House this weekend and insisted that the U.S. has profound stakes in Ukraines success.

If Putin is allowed to proceed with impunity, we know he wont stop at Ukraine and we can safely predict that his aggression will continue, Blinken said after meeting with Kuleba. Other would-be aggressors around the world will take note and unleash their aggressions. And we will have a world of conflict, not a world of peace and security.

Borrell concurred and said Europe cant rely solely on Washington to help Ukraine defend itself.

Concrete decisions have to be taken to send to Ukraine more air defense, he said. We do have Patriots, we have anti-missile systems. We have to take them from our barracks where they are just in case, and to send to Ukraine where the war is raging. And Im sure we will be doing that, but it has to be done quickly.

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HOPE FROM WASHINGTON

Domestic political wrangling has delayed the delivery of desperately needed aid for Ukraine worth $60.84 billion, but the U.S. House of Representatives might finally get to vote on the package this weekend, bringing some hope to G7 ministers.

In these turbulent times, it is a hopeful sign that there are now signals from the Republicans in the U.S. that support for Ukraine can be continued intensively, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told a news conference in Capri.

Kuleba said he hoped to get immediate pledges this week on the delivery of more Patriot and SAMP/T air defence systems and also new Western sanctions targeting Irans production of armed drones, which are being exported to Russia.

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Opening Thursdays talks, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the question of sanctions on Iran would be addressed as the West looked for ways to penalise Tehran for its missile attack on Israel, but also reiterated Western calls for Israel to show restraint.

Any form of retaliation would compromise already fragile and delicate equilibriums, Tajani said.

It appears that such appeals will fall on deaf ears with Israel saying on Wednesday it would make its own decisions about how to defend itself, and British Foreign Secretary David Cameron saying it was apparent Israel planned to strike back.

Although the Middle East and Ukraine will dominate the G7 gathering, which finishes on Friday, the ministers will also look at ways of strengthening ties with Africa, discuss stability in the Indo-Pacific region and hold debates on issues including cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence.

With inputs from agencies.
This marks the first formal investigation initiated against Gen Faiz, who stepped down from his position in November 2022, just four months before his scheduled retirement read more

The Pakistan Army has set up a major general-headed inquiry panel to look into the allegations against Lt-Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed that he as the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) director-general misused his authority, according to a report on Thursday.

According to The Express Tribune newspaper, the inquiry has been ordered as per the orders of the Supreme Court and in the light of the directives of the Ministry of Defence.

This marks the first formal investigation initiated against Gen Faiz, who stepped down from his position in November 2022, just four months before his scheduled retirement.

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Faiz, who previously served as the Director-General of Counter Intelligence in the ISI and later headed the spy agency, has been embroiled in various controversies, notably the Faizabad Dharna case.

Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has implicated him, along with former army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, as pivotal figures in his ousting via a Supreme Court decree.

Although Faiz was exonerated in the Faizabad Dharna case by an inquiry commission, the army has commenced an investigation following allegations from a housing society owner, who accused him of unlawfully raiding his residence and pilfering valuables.

Reports indicate that the Pakistan Army has opted for a comprehensive, high-level institutional inquiry into all these matters, underscoring its commitment to the accountability process.

A high-level inquiry committee has been constituted under a major general, which will look at every aspect related to this matter in detail, the report quoted sources as saying.

On November 8, 2023, Moeez Ahmed Khan, the owner of Top City, filed a petition in the Supreme Court in which he accused Faiz of misusing his authority.

The petition stated that on May 12, 2017, at the behest of Gen Faiz, ISI officials raided his Top City office and house.

During the raid, valuables, including gold, diamonds and money, were seized from the house by ISI officials, the petitioner alleged.

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The petition also stated that Sardar Najaf, the brother of Faiz, also contacted him to resolve the issue later.

The petition also claimed that Gen Faiz later personally met him to resolve the issue and assured him that some of the items, which had been taken away by the ISI officials during the raid, would be returned.

However, 4.67 kg of gold and cash werent returned to him.

The petitioner also alleged that the ISI officials extorted Pakistani Rs 4 crore cash from him.

Considering the sensitivity of the matter and given these serious allegations, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, which included Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, Justice Attar Minullah and Justice Aminuddin, heard the case.

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The Supreme Court observed that this was a very serious matter and the serious nature of allegations may damage the image of the entire institution, therefore the matter cannot be ignored.

The Supreme Court asked the attorney general to look into the matter and discuss it with the relevant authorities.

The attorney general assured the apex court that full cooperation would be given to the matter and action would be taken according to law, the report said.

With inputs from agencies
According to figures released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Indias exports to ASEAN member countries stood at USD 25,627.89 million in the year 2010-11, while imports from these nations amounted to USD 30,607.96 million. read more

Indias trade deficit with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has undergone a significant surge, more than doubling since the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in 2010.

According to figures of Ministry of Commerce and Industry Indias exports to ASEAN member countries amounted to USD 25,627.89 million in the fiscal year 2010-11, while imports from these nations totaled USD 30,607.96 million. However, over the past decade, the situation has deteriorated considerably, with the deficit expanding at an alarming rate.

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In the fiscal year 2022-2023, Indias exports to ASEAN countries reached USD 44,000.42 million, but imports surged far ahead, reaching USD 87,577.42 million during the same period. This sharp increase in imports not only eroded the gains from increased exports but also exacerbated the trade deficit, prompting concerns among policymakers and economists.

ASEAN comprises 10 countries, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. India entered into an FTA in goods with the regional bloc in 2009, known as the ASEANIndia Free Trade Agreement (AIFTA). Subsequently, in 2014, an FTA in services was also included.

India had also signed the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement with various countries of Asean.

The trend continued into the fiscal year FY 2023-24 as well, available data from April 2023 to January 2024 painting a grim picture. Indias exports to ASEAN amounted to USD 32,713.01 million during this period. However, imports were recorded at USD 68,550.60 million.

The growth in imports from ASEAN countries has outpaced Indias export performance, raising concerns about the widening trade deficit and the need for a comprehensive examination of the underlying factors contributing to this disparity.

Since the inception of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and ASEAN in 2010, bilateral trade has steadily expanded, reaching USD 131.58 billion in the fiscal year 2022-23, but trade deficit also expanded in favour of ASEAN countries.

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The ongoing review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) aims to further enhance trade ties between the two regions in a balanced and sustainable manner, with both sides aiming to conclude the review by 2025.

The discrepancy in trade performance can be attributed to various factors, including Indias import policy evolution and tariff structures.

Indias transition from a restrictive trade policy regime to a more liberalized framework since 1991 has significantly influenced trade dynamics, leading to a surge in imports, particularly intermediate inputs.

Expert says, Import tariff rates have undergone fluctuations over the years, with the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2017 marking a milestone in trade policy reforms.

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While India has taken steps to streamline trade procedures and correct certain inversion of duties, challenges persist in achieving a more balanced trade relationship with ASEAN.

The need for continued efforts to enhance export competitiveness, diversify export baskets, and address structural constraints in key sectors is paramount to narrowing the trade gap.

Furthermore, the evolving global economic landscape and geopolitical dynamics necessitate a proactive approach towards fostering mutually beneficial trade relations between India and ASEAN.

Collaborative initiatives aimed at promoting trade facilitation, enhancing market access, and fostering innovation and technology exchange are essential to harnessing the full potential of the India-ASEAN partnership.

While Indias trade with ASEAN has witnessed significant growth, the persistent trade imbalance underscores the imperative for concerted efforts to foster a more equitable and sustainable trade ecosystem between the two regions.

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Addressing the underlying structural challenges and leveraging opportunities for collaboration and mutual benefit will be pivotal in charting a path towards greater economic integration and prosperity.

With inputs from agencies.
Nitin Vats, a former employee of a now-defunct New Jersey-based marble and granite wholesaler, pleaded guilty before US District Judge Susan D Wigenton to one count of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution. read more

A 52-year-old Indian national has admitted guilt in connection with a scheme to defraud a US bank of $17 million in a secured line of credit, announced US Attorney Philip R Sellinger.

Nitin Vats, a former employee of a now-defunct New Jersey-based marble and granite wholesaler, pleaded guilty before US District Judge Susan D Wigenton to one count of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, the Department of Justice (DoJ) said on Wednesday.

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According to documents, from March 2016 through March 2018, an owner and employees of Lotus Exim International Inc (LEI), including Vats, conspired to obtain from the victim bank a USD 17 million line of credit by fraudulent means.

To mask the lack of adequate collateral, Vats generated fake email addresses for LEIs customers, allowing other LEI employees to impersonate these customers and respond to inquiries from the victim bank and external auditors regarding the accounts receivable. The scheme encompassed numerous fraudulent accounts receivable with inflated or entirely fabricated outstanding balances, resulting in approximately $17 million in losses for the victim bank.

Federal prosecutors alleged that to conceal the lack of sufficient collateral, Vats created fake email addresses on behalf of LEIs customers so that other LEI employees could pose as those customers and answer the victim banks and outside auditors inquiries about the accounts receivable.

The scheme involved numerous fraudulent accounts receivable where the outstanding balances were either inflated or entirely fabricated. The scheme caused the victim bank losses of approximately USD 17 million, it said.

He faces a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of USD 1 million. His sentencing is scheduled for September 11.

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With inputs from PTI.
On April 17, 2023, an air cargo container containing foreign currency and gold bars valued at over 22 million Canadian dollars was taken from a secure storage facility using fictitious documentation, according to police. The gold and currency had just arrived on an Air Canada flight from Zurich, Switzerland read more

Police claim that at least two former workers of Air Canada assisted in the bold theft. An arrest warrant has been issued for the other, and one is currently in custody

Six individuals, including two men of Indian descent, have been detained in relation to the most heinous gold theft in Canadian history, which occurred at Torontos main airport last year. Peel Regional Police (PRP) said that warrants have been issued for three additional individuals in this case by the Canadian authorities.

On April 17, 2023, an air cargo container containing foreign currency and gold bars valued at over 22 million Canadian dollars was taken from a secure storage facility using fictitious documentation, according to police. The gold and currency had just arrived on an Air Canada flight from Zurich, Switzerland.

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Police claim that at least two former workers of Air Canada assisted in the bold theft. An arrest warrant has been issued for the other, and one is currently in custody.

On Wednesday, Ammad Chaudhary, 43, Ali Raza, 37, and Prasath Paramalingam, 35, were detained together with two individuals of Indian descent, Parmpal Sidhu, 54, and Amit Jalota, 40, both from Ontario.

Investigators have communicated with Durante King-Mclean, a 25-year-old Brampton resident who is being held in the United States on charges relating to weapons trafficking.

Following a thorough investigation into the incident that was reported last year, the arrests were made public.

Parmpal Sidhu was employed for Air Canada at the time of the crime.

Additionally, according to the article, the police have issued nationwide warrants for the arrests of Simran Preet Panesar, 31, of Brampton, who was also employed by Air Canada at the time of the crime, Archit Grover, 36, of Brampton, and Arsalan Chaudhary, 42, of Mississauga.

Simran Panesar and Parmpal Sidhus employment with Air Canada was verified by spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick.

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One left the company prior to the arrests announced today and the second has been suspended, he said. As this is now before the courts, we are limited in our ability to comment further. Lead investigator Det.-Sgt. Mike Mavity called the daring theft from an Air Canada cargo facility the single-largest gold heist in Canadian history. He said two men who worked for the airline were instrumental in pulling it off, CBC News reported.

They needed people inside Air Canada to facilitate this theft, Mavity said.

On April 17, 2023, at 3:56 p.m. a flight landed at Pearson International Airport from Zurich, Switzerland, with a cargo containing 6,600 bars of .9999% pure gold, weighing 400 kilogrammes, valued at over 20 million dollars and CAD 2.5 million worth in foreign currency. Shortly after landing, it was offloaded and transported to a separate location on Airport property, Peel police said in a statement.

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On April 18, the cargo was reported missing to Peel Regional Police.

Peel Regional Police immediately started the investigation, which has crossed borders, and we have been working collaboratively with the Philadelphia Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the statement said.

Peel Regional Police and ATF have made significant progress in the investigation. ATF has arrested one individual in the United States who had 65 illegal firearms in his possession, two of which had been modified to have fully automatic capabilities. Five of the 65 handguns are known as ghost guns, meaning that they were not serialized and, therefore, are untraceable.

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Peel Regional Police (PRP) investigators also seized one kilogramme of gold worth approximately $89,000.00, believed to be from the theft, smelting equipment, and approximately $434,000 Canadian currency, the statement said.

PRP has identified and charged or issued warrants for nine individuals with over 19 charges.

Our investigators and entire service recognized the heightened interest and impact this incident had in our community. We immediately deployed the necessary resources to address and ensure arrests are made in this complex and multi-faceted investigation that crossed international borders. I commend the incredible work done by our investigators, the ATF, other law enforcement partners, and our community for working together to identify and arrest those responsible for this brazen crime. Nishan Duraiappah, Peel Regional Police Chief.

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This investigation remains a priority for Peel Regional Police. The cross-jurisdictional boundaries will not hinder our ability to charge and arrest those responsible. We are working closely with national and international law enforcement partners to arrest those responsible and hold them accountable, Duraiappah, said.

(With agency inputs)
The response wont be what was planned any longer, diplomatic sensitivities won out, a senior source told an Insrael news channel. There will be a response, but it seems it will be different from what was planned read more

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu postponed planned retaliatory measures against Iran after consulting with US President Joe Biden immediately following the assault, Israeli television reported on Wednesday.

According to the Kan public broadcaster, the Israeli cabinet had greenlit various response options based on the severity of Irans attack, initially intended for immediate execution after the onslaught early Sunday.

The response wont be what was planned any longer, diplomatic sensitivities won out, a senior source told the broadcaster. There will be a response, but it seems it will be different from what was planned.

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Reports suggest that the altered response may be weaker than initially approved.

Unnamed Western diplomats informed Kan that the understanding is that Israel will respond.

While most of Israels leadership and military brass reportedly support retaliatory action against Iran, there is opposition, led by Shas leader Aryeh Deri, who advocated against escalating the situation earlier Wednesday.

Iran launched over 300 missiles, drones, and rockets at Israel over the weekend in retaliation for an airstrike in Damascus, claiming it targeted a consulate and resulted in casualties among Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps personnel. However, Israel intercepted most of the projectiles, causing minimal damage.

Separately, a report by Axios claimed that Israels war cabinet discussed authorizing a strike on Iran during a meeting on Monday but ultimately opted against it for operational reasons. The Biden administration was reportedly informed of Israels decision to withhold a response.

Preparations for potential future attacks from Iran are underway within the Israeli Air Force, with adjustments being made based on lessons learned from the recent attack, according to Brig. Gen. Doron Gavish, the former commander of Israels air defense.

We are preparing ourselves for the next time, debriefing the mission and seeing how could we prepare ourselves for the next attack, Gavish said from a military base in southern Israel.

With inputs from Agencies
Zardari assumed office on 9 March becoming the first Pakistani to get the role twice read more

(File) Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari with daughter Asifa Bhutto arrive for a ceremony after Zardari became the first Pakistani to be elected as Pakistans President for the second time. PTI

Go Zardari go.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari faced a rather hostile welcome during his first address to the joint session of the parliament in his second presidential term on Thursday. Loud sloganeering from the PTI-Sunni Ittehad Council lawmakers was heard, but Zardari was not one to be cowed down as he proceeded with his speech.

Zardari assumed office on 9 March becoming the first Pakistani to get the role twice, Dawn reported.

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This is President Zardaris seventh such address with the other six happening during his first term in office from 2008 to 2013. Here are the top quotes from his speech:

Let me take this opportunity to express my sincerest gratitude to all parliamentarians and provincial assembly members for their trust and confidence in electing me for a second time as the president of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. I am humbled.

The word needs was the highest used in President Zardaris speech

Let me begin this year by sharing my vision for the future; much of it is based on the choices Ive made in my past.

If we see today as a new beginning we can invest in our strength and people by focusing on public needs.

The country needs us to move from the polarisation so common now, to contemporary politics. This joint house must play a leading role in rebuilding public confidence in the parliamentary process.

The country needs us to take a pause and reflect on what we prioritise in our goals, narratives and agendas.

Lets begin with a vision that strives to leave no one behind, the political leadership gathering in this house must prioritise the needs of communities in underdeveloped areas.

Pakistan needs all hands on deck to revitalise its economy.

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 we must accelerate endeavours to enhance the competitiveness of our products in global markets.
Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani stated Wednesday that the role of mediator has limits: (Mediators) cannot provide things that the parties themselves refrain from (offering). read more

Qatar is reassessing its involvement as a mediator in ceasefire discussions between Israel and Hamas due to apprehensions about political meddling.

Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani stated that there has been abuse of this mediation for narrow political interests, prompting the need for a thorough evaluation of Qatars role.

While no specific politicians were named, concerns were raised following comments made by U.S. Democratic congressman Steny Hoyer urging a reevaluation of the U.S.s relationship with Qatar.

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Hoyer said on Monday that Qatar must threaten Hamas with repercussions if the militant Palestinian group continues to block progress towards releasing the hostages and establishing a temporary ceasefire.

Some other U.S. lawmakers have suggested in recent months that Qatar supports Hamas, an accusation rejected by the Gulf state, which hosts some 10,000 U.S. troops, the largest U.S. military presence in the Middle East.

Sheikh Mohammed underscored on Wednesday that the role of mediator has limits: (Mediators) cannot provide things that the parties themselves refrain from (offering).

Earlier on Wednesday Sheikh Mohammed said the talks on a Gaza ceasefire and a release of hostages were at a delicate phase.

We are trying as much as possible to address this stumbling block, he added, without giving further details.

Qatars premier also condemned what he described as a policy of collective punishment being pursued by Israel in its war in Gaza against Hamas as well as the latest escalation of violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The ceasefire discussions, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, are being held against the backdrop of a humanitarian disaster in Gaza, where Palestinians are suffering severe shortages of food, medicine and other essentials.

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The war was triggered when Hamas attacked southern Israel from Gaza on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 253 hostages into the enclave, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel has retaliated by pounding Gaza in an air and ground offensive which has killed almost 34,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.

With inputs from Reuters
The Turkish president urgently needs something significant to divert attention from his political challenges and also to parallelly project himself as the messiah of the Muslim world read more

For the beleaguered Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is facing a tough time in his political turf, the plan to host Ismail Haniyeh, leader of the Palestinian terror group Hamas, could not have come at a better time.

Erdogans political gambit

The Turkish president urgently needs something significant to divert attention from his political challenges and also to parallelly project himself as the messiah of the Muslim world. This will not only give a fillip to his supporters, who are believed to be staunch Islamists, but also divert the global chatter to his increasingly cozy ties with Hamas, away from his political foibles.

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At the start of this month, President Erdogans Justice and Development (AK) Party faced its most significant electoral setback yet, with the main opposition securing victories in crucial cities such as Istanbul and Ankara during the municipal elections.

Nearly a year after Erdogan narrowly retained his office and got re-elected as president in May last year despite a tough competition from opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the Turkish president is seeking ways to prevent losing his turf further.

Turkish support for Hamas

For Haniyeh, the visit is equally important as Hamas faces the wrath of Israel following the terror groups massacre on Israeli soil in October last year. Despite its NATO membership, Turkey has blatantly ignored the mandate of the US-led military grouping and continues to support Hamas openly while equally breathing fire against Israel.

Erdogan and Haniyeh are set to convene this weekend as the Hamas leader journeys to Turkey for talks with the Turkish president. Erdogan has previously lauded Hamas as a liberation movement while condemning Western nations for their perceived bias towards Israel. Ankaras imposition of trade restrictions on Israel, coupled with its call for an urgent ceasefire, underscores its firm stance on the Israel-Palestine issue.

I will host the leader of the Palestinian cause at the weekend. We will discuss a number of issues, Erdogan told lawmakers from his AK Party in parliament, according to Reuters. Haniyehs visit to Istanbul will be his first trip to Turkey since Israel began its campaign in Gaza on 7 October 2023.

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The rising Iran-Israel tensions also complicates the situation in the Middle East with the region already reeling under violence on multiple fronts. It also comes amid escalating regional tensions, after Iran attacked Israel at the weekend in response to an Israeli strike on the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus on 1 April.

Erdogan has consistently blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the West Asia crisis.

The Turkish president had met Haniyeh in 2019 as well making it abundantly clear which way Turkey was fast leaning.

According to a FT report,  Turkey has also granted citizenship to dozens of Hamas members, according to one person briefed on the issue, allowing them to travel without visas to more than 100 countries. This brought the relationship between Turkey and Israel to a near halt, according to two others briefed on the situation  and was what triggered the recent reprimand from the US.

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It is no longer a secret that Hamas gets financial support from Turkey.

Geopolitical ramifications

Erdogans increasingly closer ties with Hamas have put Turkeys NATO allies in a difficult position, as Hamas has roots in the Muslim Brotherhood and shares an ideology built on an anti-Western and anti-Semitic worldview. The Turkish president has long defiantly undermined the trans-Atlantic alliance, whether for purely political reasons or to bolster his global image.
The President has spoken about thiswe certainly support reforms to the UN institution including the security councilI dont have any specifics to offer what those steps are but certainly we recognise that there is need for reforms, said Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson, US Department of State read more

Months after Tesla CEO Elon Musk called India not having a permanent seat in the UNSC as absurd, the US on Wednesday said that it certainly recognises that there is need for reforms to the UN institutions, including the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Responding to a question on Musks statement on India not having a permanent seat at UNSC during a press briefing on Wednesday, Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson, US Department of State said, The President has spoken about thiswe certainly support reforms to the UN institution including the security councilI dont have any specifics to offer what those steps are but certainly we recognise that there is need for reforms.

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#WATCH | When asked about Tesla CEO Elon Musk's statement regarding India not having a permanent seat at UNSC, When asked about Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson, US Department of State says, " The President has spoken about this...we certainly support reforms to the UN pic.twitter.com/UrMzqaSso6  ANI (@ANI) April 17, 2024

Terming India not having a permanent seat in the UNSC as absurd, Musk in a post on X in January had said that countries with excess power dont want to give it up.

At some point, there needs to be a revision of the UN bodies. Problem is that those with excess power dont want to give it up. India not having a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite being the most populous country on Earth, is absurd. Africa collectively should also have a permanent seat imo, he wrote.

Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP too in its election manifesto titled Sankalp Patra has vowed to pursue permanent membership for the country in the United Nations Security Council.

We are committed to seeking permanent membership in the UN Security Council to elevate Bharats position in global decision-making, said the BJP in its manifesto released on 14 April.

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Earlier in January, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stressed growing global support for Indias permanent membership at the United Nations Security Council and said that sometimes things are not given generously, and one has to seize them.

With each passing year, the feeling in the world is that India should be there, and I can feel that supportThe world does not give things easily and generously; sometimes you have to take them, the EAM said while responding to a question about a permanent seat for India at the UNSC. He made the remarks at Manthan: Townhall meeting in Maharashtras Nagpur.

India has long sought a permanent seat on the Security Council to better represent the interests of the developing world. The nations quest has gained momentum with support from the international community.

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The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is composed of 15 member states, including five permanent members with veto power and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms.

The five permanent members of the UNSC include China, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and the United States. The non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council are elected for 2-year terms by the UNGA.

With inputs from agencies
Many ordinary Greeks reeling from the crisis say they see little difference as economists say the wider benefits of the rebound will take time. To ensure long-term growth, the country needs to diversify beyond the typical economic drivers of tourism, real estate and services. read more

Greece which was facing a severe debt crisis a decade ago characterised by years of austerity measures, economic hardship and social unrest has shown a sign of recovery with forecasts suggesting that the economy of the country will grow by nearly 3 per cent this year.

The Greek economy will grow by nearly 3 per cent this year, nearing its size before the crisis hit in 2009. This growth significantly exceeds the eurozone average of 0.8 per cent. Officials and investors now suggest that 2024 may mark the completion of its recovery.

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Notably, the borrowing costs for the country have dropped below those of Italy and banks that received bailouts during the crisis are poised to be fully privatized for the first time in many years. This development is viewed by some of the countrys largest investors as a definitive indicator of returning stability.

With (the states participation) out of the way, thats a landmark, said Wim-Hein Pals of asset manager Robeco, which recently bought shares in Greek banks. The Greek economy is in good shape to benefit from further growth going forward.

The turnaround in Greece, whose debt crisis threatened to cause the demise of the whole euro zone, is stark - on paper at least. Now the country faces a novel problem: being held back by stagnation in the same euro zone giants that once imposed strict reforms on its economy.

After years shut off from international markets, Greece returned to investment grade credit rating in 2023. When the states bailout fund last month sold its stake in Piraeus Bank , one of the countrys largest, the sale was oversubscribed eight times. Challenges remain, however. Falling birth-rates and labour shortages threaten the long-term outlook, and the spread of climate-related disasters like wildfires and floods have strained government finances.

Many ordinary Greeks reeling from the crisis say they see little difference as economists say the wider benefits of the rebound will take time. To ensure long-term growth, the country needs to diversify beyond the typical economic drivers of tourism, real estate and services.

More than half of foreign direct investment into Greece, which totalled about 7.5 billion euros ($7.98 billion) in 2022, comes from northern European countries like France and Germany that are struggling with weak growth. Greek exports, such as agricultural goods, fuel and pharmaceutical products - two thirds of which head to the EU - fell almost 9 per cent last year. Economic growth slowed to 2 per cent in 2023, partly a result of its lagging neighbours. The lower expectations for growth in Europe affect Greece in two main ways. Through pressure on exports and through the higher cost of money, said Nikos Vettas, head of economic think tank IOBE.

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Finances revive

Decades of rampant tax evasion and overspending caught up with Greece in 2009, when it went into recession and the government revealed a giant hole in its finances that sent shockwaves across global markets. By 2015, it had signed three bailouts with the euro zone and the International Monetary Fund worth 280 billion euros.

In return it agreed to austerity measures that slashed public sector wages and pensions, and triggered years of violent protests. Since Greece emerged from the bailout in 2018 it has revived its banking system and has relied solely on debt markets for its borrowing needs. In 2022, it paid off the IMF two years ahead of schedule.

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Calm is largely restored. In Athens central Syntagma Square, where 10 years ago protesters would hurl petrol bombs at riot police in protest at austerity measures, today buskers entertain tourists who sit in the shade of its sour orange trees. Visits to the Acropolis, Greeces best known ancient site, hit 3.8 million in 2023, nearly four times the number seen at the height of the crisis.

Inequality remains

For many Greeks though, economic recovery has not translated into improved living standards. Unemployment remains above 10 per cent, the second highest in the EU after Spain, and GDP per capita in purchasing power is among the lowest in the bloc, Eurostat data show. The average monthly salary of 1,175 euros is 20 per cent lower than 15 years ago, according to labour ministry figures.

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Greece needs to develop sectors where investments are more long term, said Vettas from IOBE, like infrastructure projects and manufacturing. Unions held a general strike on Wednesday in which trains, buses, ships and taxis were halted and hundreds took to the streets calling for higher wages. Some people havent recovered from losing everything when the economy tanked.

Periklis Fryganas took out a bank loan in 2009 to expand his motorcycle repair shop in Athens, only for the crisis to reduce his turnover by 90 per cent over the next six years. He closed the shop in 2020 and recently lost an apartment he shared with his unemployed wife and three sons after using it as collateral for the loan.

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The crisis broke a lot of people and I was one of them, Fryganas, 61, said. Things are getting better only for the rich ones, all the others are lsing.

With inputs from Reuters.
Since February this year, a $60 billion military package to Ukraine has been stuck in transit after the Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson refused to pass the Senate-approved aid read more

There could be a World War III if Kyiv loses its conflict with Russia, Ukraines Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said as he pushed for the passage of the $60 billion military package stuck in the US House of Representatives.

Since February this year, a $60 billion military package to Ukraine has been stuck in transit after the Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson refused to pass the Senate-approved aid.

Talking to BBC, PM Shmyhal said, We need this money yesterday, not tomorrow, not today.

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If we will not protect Ukraine will fall. So the global, the global system of security will be destroyed and all the world will need to find a new system of security. Or, there will be many conflicts, many such kinds of wars, and at the end of the day, it could lead to the Third World War, he added.

Last year, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raised a similar alarm, saying that if his country loses the war, Russia will invade Poland, triggering the possibility of a third World War.

Careful optimism about passage of US aid

While urging US officials to pass the aid package, the Ukrainian prime minister also expressed careful optimism about its passage.

In a major breakthrough, the US House of Representatives may finally vote on providing additional aid to Kyiv.

On Wednesday Johnson sent a text message to House Republicans that said that draft legislation would soon be published on three separate bills that would send additional money to Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine.

Will sign this into law immediately

President Joe Biden said Wednesday he strongly supports a proposal from Johnson to provide aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending crucial bipartisan support to the precarious effort to approve $95 billion in funding for the US allies this week.

The House must pass the package this week, and the Senate should quickly follow, Biden said. I will sign this into law immediately to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends, and we wont let Iran or Russia succeed.

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With inputs from agencies
The American administration showed acceptance of the plan previously presented by the occupation government regarding the military operation in Rafah, in exchange for not carrying out a large-scale attack against Iran, a report quoted an Egyptian official as saying read more

A tent camp housing Palestinians displaced by the Israeli offensive is seen in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on 27 February, 2024. AP File

The US has accepted Israels plan for an operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah in exchange for a limited response against Iran after Tehrans unprecedented missile and drone attack, according to a Times of Israel report_,_ citing a Qatari outlet.

The American administration showed acceptance of the plan previously presented by the occupation government regarding the military operation in Rafah, in exchange for not carrying out a large-scale attack against Iran, Times of Israel quoted an unnamed official telling London-based Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

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The Egyptian officials told the outlet that they are making preparations to address any potential consequences of the planned operation.

Its believed that four Hamas battalions are stationed in Rafah, where over a million civilians have sought shelter after escaping conflicts in other parts of the Strip. Rafah is also suspected to be the location of Hamas leaders and possibly Israeli hostages.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said on multiple occasions that he has authorised plans for an operation in Rafah, and more recently, he mentioned that a launch date has been decided.

Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel over the weekend in response to an apparent Israeli strike on Irans embassy compound in Syria on 1 April that killed 12 people, including two Iranian generals.

Israel, with help from the United States, the United Kingdom, neighboring Jordan and other nations, successfully intercepted nearly all the missiles and drones.

Israel has vowed to respond, without saying when or how, while its allies have urged all sides to avoid further escalation.

With inputs from agencies
The U.S. Commerce Department is enforcing further restrictions to limit Irans access to basic commercial grade microelectronics in addition to the Treasurys sanctions. These restrictions apply to goods made abroad that use technology developed in the United States read more

In reaction to what it claims was an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria earlier this month, Iran launched an attack on Israel early on Sunday Image Courtesy Agencies

In response to growing fears that Tehrans unprecedented strike on Israel may spark a larger Middle East conflict, the United States and the United Kingdom imposed more sanctions on Iran on Thursday.

The Iranian manufacturers of the engines used in the drone attacks on Israel on April 1316 individuals and two companieswere singled out by the US Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control. Additionally, three subsidiaries of the Iranian automobile Bahman Group and five steel-producing companies were sanctioned by OFAC for allegedly providing material support to the Iranian military and other sanctioned organizations.

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The United Kingdom is also pursuing a number of Iranian military groups, as well as people and companies connected to Irans ballistic missile and drone sectors.

The U.S. Treasury has been instructed by President Joe Biden to continue to impose sanctions that further degrade Irans military industries, according to a statement he made.

Let it be clear to all those who enable or support Irans attacks, he said, we will not hesitate to take all necessary action to hold you accountable.

The U.S. Commerce Department is enforcing further restrictions to limit Irans access to basic commercial grade microelectronics in addition to the Treasurys sanctions. These restrictions apply to goods made abroad that use technology developed in the United States.

The measures are in reaction to warnings issued earlier this week by US officials that further penalties were being prepared in response to Irans actions in the area and to deter further strikes. Additionally, lawmakers on Capitol Hill have been moving swiftly to introduce legislation that will penalize the Islamic Republic of Iran and its officials monetarily.

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Leaders of the European Union also promised on Wednesday to tighten sanctions against Iran, focusing on the countrys supply of drones and missiles to proxies in Yemen, Lebanon, and Gaza.

The current EU sanctions framework will be reinforced and broadened, according to EU foreign policy leader Josep Borrell, in order to penalize Tehran and deter future attacks on Israel. Israel, he added, has to be restrained at the same time.

I dont want to exaggerate, but we are on the edge of a war, a regional war in the Middle East, which will be sending shockwaves to the rest of the world, and in particular to Europe, he warned. So stop it.

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In reaction to what it claims was an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria earlier this month, Iran launched an attack on Israel early on Sunday. The head of Israels armed forces declared on Monday that his nation will counter the Iranian assault.
Since February this year, a $60 billion military package to Ukraine has been stuck in transit after the Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson refused to pass the Senate-approved aid. Kyivs aid is part of a $95 billion national security supplemental aid package, the remaining amount of which is meant for Israel and Taiwan read more

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson stands in the House of Representatives. Reuters file

In what could be seen as a major breakthrough in Ukraines response to Russias assault, the US House of Representatives may finally vote on providing additional aid to Kyiv. The vote will also cover aid to Israel and Taiwan.

Since February this year, a $60 billion military package to Ukraine has been stuck in transit after the Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson refused to pass the Senate-approved aid. Kyivs aid is part of a $95 billion national security supplemental aid package, the remaining amount of which is meant for Israel and Taiwan.

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On Wednesday, however, Johnson sent a text message to House Republicans that said that draft legislation would soon be published on three separate bills that would send additional money to Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has time and again urged Washington to pass the military package and failing to do so would lead to Ukraines defeat in the war.

More recently, Ukraines Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told BBC, If we will not protect Ukraine will fall.

So the global, the global system of security will be destroyed and all the world will need to find a new system of security. Or, there will be many conflicts, many such kinds of wars, and in the end of the day, it could lead to the Third World War, he added.

The US House, which is under the control of Republicans owing to a thin margin, will go to vote on Saturday. It is, however, uncertain if any of the bills will pass the Senate after Wisconsin Republican Mike Gallagher steps down.

Therefore, Johnson might have to bag the support of Democrats to get the bills passed.

Apart from the military aid packages, a fourth bill will include provisions to seize Russian assets and impose additional sanctions on Moscow, China and Iran.
Senator Ron Wyden, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, alleged that Indias wheat subsidies are distorting prices and directly hurting American farmers. Without enforcement, our trade laws arent worth the paper they are written on, he said read more

India has expanded market access to the American agricultural sector across 12 different categories, a senior Biden administration trade official informed lawmakers Wednesday.

The move comes as some influential senators raised concerns regarding subsidies for wheat and rice in India, as well as allegations of forced labor in the countrys shrimp industry.

US Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tie defended the Biden administrations actions during a congressional hearing on trade, highlighting the efforts to open markets for American families and rural communities.

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Tie highlighted that through negotiations, the administration has secured over USD 21 billion in new agricultural market access over the past three years.

Tie cited specific examples, noting that India agreed to remove retaliatory tariffs on various US products after terminating seven WTO disputes.

This decision facilitates improved access for a range of agricultural goods, including chickpeas, lentils, almonds, walnuts, and apples, benefitting farmers across several US states such as Michigan, Oregon, California, and Washington.

Furthermore, Tie mentioned that the increased market access extends to products like turkey, duck, blueberries, and cranberries, benefiting farmers in states like North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Minnesota.

Trade should work for all Americans. Our goal is to stop pitting Americans against each other in our trade policy and this is why we are taking unprecedented steps to incorporate more voices into trade policymaking, Tie said.

Tie said enforcing trade rules continues to be a priority this year for the administration.

We will continue to level the playing field for American workers and businesses. We are vigorously enforcing our trade agreements, defending American jobs, and making sure more people enjoy the benefits of trade, she said.

Senator Ron Wyden, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, alleged that Indias wheat subsidies are distorting prices and directly hurting American farmers.

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Without enforcement, our trade laws arent worth the paper they are written on, he said.

Indias wheat subsidies are distorting prices and making it harder for Oregons farmers to compete in the Asian market. Mexicos illegal fishing practices are hurting the environment and its harmful energy regulations are undermining American clean energy suppliers, he said.

China has a rap sheet of unfair subsidies and trade practices so long, wed be here until dinnertime just to get through it. But I will spare everyone the filibuster. Every single one of these unfair practices by foreign countries is directly hurting workers and companies in the United States, he said.

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Theres a lot more USTR can be doing with the tools it has whether thats raising issues directly with trading partners, starting dispute settlement, or opening 301 investigations into unfair trade practices.

Thats the only way to hold trade cheats accountable and level the playing field for American workers and businesses, Wyden said.

Senator Steve Daines said that the US has been a leading producer of lentils and access to India is very important for its farmers.

Ranking member Mike Crapo from Idaho targeted China for unfair trade practices and charged that the USTR had not taken any action against them.

USTR has yet to take a single enforcement action against China, period. Whether at the WTO or under section 301 or under the Phase 1 deal. Nothing, he said.

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Tie said that the Biden administration has secured USD 21 billion in market access over the last three years.

The safeguard agreement that we renewed with Japan that has allowed for high-quality US beef from your state to increase access to a growing Japanese market. That includes the 12 tariff categories with India, a growing market, growing opportunity for US exporters, she said.

Responding to a question from Senator Bill Cassidy on a whistleblowers allegations of forced labour in the Indian shrimp industry, Tie said she has raised this issue with her Indian counterpart. Its not an easy conversation. We will continue to champion this particular issue, she said.

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Cassidy also raised the issue of rice subsidy by India. Theres also a concern from our rice people who they say if it were not for Indian subsidies of rice, they would have roughly USD 850 million more in export, he said.

With inputs from PTI
The three diplomats were declared persona non grata and were told to leave the country in 48 hours read more

Supporters of Capt. Ibrahim Traore parade waving a Russian flag in the streets of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Source: AP / File Photo

In the latest sign of frosty bilateral relations, Burkina Faso expelled three French diplomats for subversive activities. The news was confirmed in a statement which was released by the African nations Foreign Ministry on April 18.

According to French News outlet Le Monde, the three diplomats were declared persona non grata and were told to leave the country in 48 hours. The three French officials are named Gwenaelle Habouzit, Herve Fournier and Guillaume Reisacher.

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The French foreign ministry is yet to respond to the expulsion.

Why were they expelled?

While the ministry did not reveal the exact reason for the expulsion of the French diplomats, a source close to the ruling regime told Reuters that the officials were kicked out because they allegedly had a meeting with civil society members.

It is important to note that the West African nation is run by a junta that seized power in a military coup back in 2022. The coup eventually led to the breakdown of Burkina Fasos relations with its erstwhile colonial ruler France.

Burkina Faso sidelines French presence

On December 1 last year, four French officials were arrested, charged and imprisoned in the capital Ouagadougou. As per the reports, the Burkinabe authorities claimed that they were intelligence agents but the French sources stated that they were just IT security staff.

Immediately after coming to power in the September 2022 coup, the Junta led by Captain Ibrahim Traore distanced the West African nation from France, which ruled the country until 1960.

The diplomatic ties immediately went downhill when the French ambassador was withdrawn. After the takeover, the authorities of the African nation cancelled a 1961 military accord between the two countries and ordered a withdrawal of French troops.

The troops were recalled in light of the countrys growing closeness with Russia for security support.

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France has ended military missions in Mali and Burkina Faso. More recently, the European nation has begun to withdraw forces from Niger. It is important to note that juntas are ruling in all three countries after gruesome military coups.

Burkina Faso has itself turned to Russia, Mali and Niger for security assistance.

With Inputs from agencies.
Forest police station in SW China ensures safety of migratory birds

Xinhua) 16:08, April 18, 2024

KUNMING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Li Sizhong retired in February, having just finished a six-month patrol of a well-known stopover site for migratory birds in southwest China, bidding farewell to the birds he had safeguarded for four decades.

Li, 60, worked at the Hongtupo forest police station, which is affiliated with the public security bureau of Nanhua County in Yunnan Province. Over the years, he and his fellow police officers worked hard to guarantee the safe migration of birds.

"Braving wind and rain and sleeping in tents in the forest, we guarded the birds' nests in mountainous areas spanning thousands of mu (one mu equals about 667 square meters)," Li said.

The Dazhong Mountain section, located in the hinterland of Ailao Mountain in Yunnan, is one of the world's important bird migration routes.

Over a period of 40 years, Li and the other officers at the station have entered the forest in the Nanhua area of the Ailao Mountain national nature reserve each September and remained there until the following February. During their patrols, they ensure a safe environment for the birds, protect forests and prevent wildlife-related crimes such as poaching.

As their schedules are dictated by bird migration habits, Hongtupo is affectionately known as the "migratory bird police station" among locals.

However, in the 1980s, the poaching of migratory birds was rampant in the area.

Local villager Tao Faqing said that at that time, some people hunted migratory birds when they flew across the area and, gradually, the sounds of the birds became almost inaudible.

To address the issue, the police station established its first migratory bird guard point in 1984. The station had gotten off to a rough start, lacking running water and phone service, and it faced significant challenges receiving supplies. Initially, the officers had no choice but to live in tents, and it was not until 2010 that a residence was built for them.

To avoid spooking poachers, the officers move as silently as possible and do not use flashlights during their patrols.

When police officer Yang Zhengqiang saw a fire that had been lit by poachers during a nighttime patrol, he chased after them and fell down a steep slope, he said. He did not call out for help, waiting until dawn before he was rescued by his colleagues.

"It was only after dawn that I realized there was a cliff a little farther from where I was stuck," Yang said.

To date, the forest police station has developed five patrol routes to protect the birds, covering 157 mountain ridges and 474 mountain passes.

Arduous as the journey has been, these protection efforts have paid off. No poaching cases have been reported in the Nanhua area in the last five years, and the forest areas have seen growing numbers of birds.

As of the end of February this year, the forest police station has ensured the safe migration of more than 5 million birds during the just-finished patrol.

Following Li's retirement, others have taken up the baton and marched ahead.

"Protecting migratory birds is a heavy responsibility, and we must pass on this tradition," said Zhang Yueping, director of the police station.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
AMD today announced a range of new products aimed at bolstering its commercial mobile and desktop AI PC lineup, catering to the needs of business users seeking productivity and advanced AI capabilities.

AMD Ryzen PRO 8040 Series: Advanced Mobile Processors

The AMD Ryzen PRO 8040 Series marks a significant advancement in x86 processors tailored for business laptops and mobile workstations to deliver exceptional performance, particularly in handling demanding business and AI workloads.

With up to eight high-performance cores, advanced 4nm technology, and Zen 4 architecture, they offer up to 30% greater performance for intensive mobile workstation applications.

Select models feature AMD Ryzen AI, coupled with powerful AMD RDNA 3 graphics, resulting in up to 72% faster performance and 84% less power consumption for tasks such as video conferencing compared to Intel Core Ultra 7 165U processors. Additionally, these processors integrate WiFi-7 technology for connectivity.

Leading this series is the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS processor, featuring eight cores, 16 threads, 24MB of cache, and Radeon 780M graphics, making it ideal for resource-intensive applications like 3D rendering and multimedia content creation.

AMD Ryzen PRO 8000 Series: First AI-Enabled Desktop Processors

For desktop users, the AMD Ryzen PRO 8000 Series introduces the first AI-enabled desktop processors for business professionals. Featuring up to eight high-performance Zen 4 cores on a 4nm process, to offer unparalleled speed and efficiency in daily business operations.

PCs equipped with Ryzen PRO 8000 Series processors support DDR5 and PCIe 4 for lightning-fast data transfer and next-gen connectivity with Wi-Fi 7 available on select models.

Leading this series is the AMD Ryzen 8700G processor, delivering eight high-performance cores, 16 threads, 24MB of cache, and integrated AMD Radeon 780M graphics, ensuring superior performance across various workloads.

Enhanced Security and Manageability with AMD PRO Technologies

AMD PRO technologies provide enterprise-grade manageability features, enabling IT managers to deploy and manage AMD-powered laptops up to 41% faster than competitors laptops.

These technologies also offer robust security features embedded directly onto the hardware, operating system, and system level, including the Microsoft Pluton security processor integrated into AMD Ryzen PRO processors.

Expanding AI Capabilities with Ryzen AI

Ryzen AI empowers business users with AI-driven experiences, enabling tasks such as document creation, email summarization, and coding assistance.

By the end of 2024, over 150 AI-powered ISVs are expected to enable experiences on Ryzen AI, enhancing productivity and efficiency for business users.

OEM Partnerships and Availability

AMDs OEM partners, including HP and Lenovo, are launching a range of laptops, mobile workstations, and desktops powered by the Ryzen PRO 8040 and 8000 Series processors.

Availability of the Ryzen PRO 8040 Series mobile processors and Ryzen PRO 8000 Series desktop processors is expected from Q2, 2024, through OEM partners and select channel partners.

Speaking about the new processors, Jack Huynh, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Computing and Graphics Group at AMD, said:
Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani at the Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to Expand Collaboration on Countering Foreign State Information Manipulation

US Department of State

Remarks

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

Grand Hotel Quisisana

Capri, Italy

April 17, 2024

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Let me just say I think - to our colleagues here, first, we are so grateful to have what I believe is the closest partnership we've ever had between the United States and Italy where we're working together on all of the most critical issues of our time, whether it's helping Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression, dealing with the challenges of conflict in the Middle East, having a shared approach to some of the challenges posed by China, working together to address the needs and aspirations of people in the global majority countries. All of this and so many more things bring us together, and Italy's leadership - whether it's the G7 or on all of these issues - is what's making a real difference. We're grateful for that. President Biden deeply appreciates his partnership with Prime Minister Meloni, and we appreciate our partnership with Italy.

This memorandum of understanding that we just signed goes to one of the critical challenges that our countries and other democracies are facing, which is the increasing use of misinformation and disinformation to try to destabilize our democracies. By working more closely together, Italy and the United States can more effectively deal with this challenge. That's what this MOU is all about.

FOREIGN MINISTER TAJANI: (Via translation) We are pleased that we have signed with the United States this memorandum to combat disinformation. There are non-democratic countries that use fake news to create confusion within democratic countries such as the United States, Italy, and inside the EU, and also to influence elections. Now Italy like the whole European Union is preparing to vote for the renewal of the European Parliament. We do not want any conditioning of our citizens through fake news, using social media or even AI, to influence their vote.

Democracy is valuable; we want to defend it. We want our citizens to be free, and this memorandum is a memorandum that defends the freedom of opinion. We do not want our citizens to be conditioned by fake news and for their vote to be distorted because it is influenced by baseless news.

It is a shared obligation, because great democracies like the United States and Italy have the right and the duty to defend the freedom of their citizens. This is most of all a battle for freedom, and when you are not free to decide, your freedom falls apart. It is an attack on democracy and that is what our adversaries want.

We face a confrontation between democracies and autocracies. Autocracies do not need to call elections and influence their citizens because they impose the truth of their regime. We are free, and we want every citizen to form their own opinion. Citizens should form their opinions through objective facts, not because they arrive at opinions through fake news in social media that pushes them to make choices that they would never make. Thus the importance to work together, to exchange information among democratic states.

I repeated this today. For us, the transatlantic relationship is the polar star of our foreign policy, like the relationship with European Union. We want to continue to work with the United States as well in such an important sector. We are defending the founding principles of the G7, NATO, and the transatlantic relationship.

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The United States of America and Italy Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Expand Collaboration on Countering Foreign State Information Manipulation

US Department of State

Media Note

April 17, 2024

Today, U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Italy's Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to strengthen cooperation between the United States and Italy on countering foreign state information manipulation.

Foreign state information manipulation, which includes disinformation and propaganda, is a transnational security threat that can create or exploit divisions within and among countries, imperil election integrity, and undermine public trust in government. Recognizing that the threat faced requires coordinated action, this memorandum of understanding demonstrates the U.S. and Italian commitment to expand cooperation against foreign disinformation both bilaterally and multilaterally, including through the G7 of which Italy currently holds the presidency. The signing ceremony took place in Capri, Italy, on the margins of the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting, hosted by Italy.

The actions set forth in this MOU are expected to advance a coordinated effort by the United States and Italy to counter the threat of foreign state information manipulation while respecting freedom of expression online and offline. As Allies, partners, and friends, the United States and Italy plan to align policies along the five key action areas established in the U.S. Department of State's Framework to Counter Foreign State Information Manipulation. This MOU is an important step towards protecting a free, open, and fact-based global information environment.

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Statement by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on the Upcoming Vote on Reauthorization and Reform of FISA Section 702

April 17, 2024

We applaud Senate leadership for moving swiftly toward a vote on H.R. 7888, the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act, which would reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act - a critical intelligence collection authority - before it expires on April 19. This legislation, which passed the House with robust bipartisan support, ensures that the U.S. government has the tools to protect our national security, while dramatically enhancing protections for privacy and civil liberties. We call on the Senate to quickly send the bill to the President's desk.

As the Senate considers this legislation, we urge the Senate to reject mischaracterizations of an amendment to the definition of "electronic communications service provider" that was adopted by a bipartisan majority in the House. This amendment is a technical fix designed to account for changing technological realities - the definition of "electronic service providers" adopted when Section 702 was first enacted in 2008 does not account for the technologies of 2024. This provision is also directly responsive to encouragement from a federal appellate court to update the definition of the private-sector companies with which the U.S. Government can work, under supervision of federal judges and with extensive oversight by four congressional committees, to obtain the communications of non-Americans abroad.

Furthermore, it is important to remember the limits on Section 702 collection. Section 702 authorizes the targeting of foreigners outside the United States. Americans, as well as foreigners in the United States, cannot be targets of such collection. Adding yet additional protections, the amendment explicitly carves out a wide range of entities such as a "dwelling," "community facility," "public accommodation facility," "food service establishment," and more, from the revised definition of electronic communication service provider.

To be clear: nothing in this amendment changes the fundamentals of Section 702, which can be used to target for collection only the communications of non-Americans located outside the United States. That will remain unchangedaperiod. The Senate should pass immediately the Section 702 reauthorization and reform bill sent over by the House, before the current law lapses on April 19.

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Secretary Blinken's Meeting with Maltese Foreign Minister Borg

US Department of State

Readout

Office of the Spokesperson

April 16, 2024

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met today with Maltese Foreign Minister Ian Borg in Washington, DC. Secretary Blinken expressed appreciation for Malta's leadership as a Member of the United Nations Security Council and as Chair-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and in particular Malta's continued efforts to support Ukraine. Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Borg spoke about the challenges posed by the People's Republic of China's support for Russia's defense-industrial base, which enables Russia to continue its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. They discussed shared concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, the urgent need to secure the release of hostages and protect civilians, and the importance of preventing the further spread of the conflict in the Middle East. They explored opportunities to build on the already strong U.S.-Malta relationship.

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UN Secretary-General Guterres' April 8 Negative Assessment of Preconditions for Elections in South Sudan

US Department of State

Press Statement

Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson

April 16, 2024

UN Secretary-General Guterres' April 8 letter, in which he enumerated over a dozen critical preconditions necessary to hold genuine and peaceful elections that the South Sudan transitional government has yet to meet, is a clear message to the Security Council. Despite significant international support, including identification of key election issues by the United Nations, African Union, and Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the letter demonstrates that President Salva Kiir, First Vice President Riek Machar, and other South Sudanese political leaders have thus far collectively failed to meet the standards necessary for genuine and peaceful elections to take place in December.

The United States remains concerned about ongoing reports of human rights violations, as well as inadequate investment in key democratic institutions. Transitional government leaders should act with urgency to address these deficiencies and create the necessary preconditions for a genuine and peaceful electoral process, including by protecting civic space, standing up politically neutral security forces, strengthening electoral institutions, and holding dialogue among leaders to resolve outstanding election decisions. UN electoral support should focus on establishing these preconditions. The longer South Sudan's leaders avoid taking these steps, the greater the risk of additional violence. An estimated 75 percent of the country's population will require humanitarian assistance this year alone as a result of ongoing violence.

U.S. engagement with the people of South Sudan, which began decades before the country's independence, remains focused on shared values of peace, democracy, human rights, and government's duty to respond to the needs of its people. Strong U.S. advocacy for the necessary preconditions for a genuine and peaceful electoral process is designed to avoid a return to civil war.

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Ethiopia High-level Pledging Event: Joint Communique by the Co-Hosts (16 April 2024)

UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

16 April 2024, Palais des Nations, Geneva

1. The High-level Pledging Event convened on 16 April 2024, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, was co-hosted by the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (hereafter, the Government of Ethiopia), the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The conference addressed the pressing humanitarian situation unfolding in Ethiopia, characterized by a convergence of climate-related disasters, conflict, and other challenges.

2. Despite continuing investments by the Government of Ethiopia, in close cooperation with international partners to build the resilience of vulnerable communities and implement long-term development programs, the country continues to face recurrent humanitarian challenges.

3. El Nino-induced drought has exacerbated humanitarian needs, particularly in the northern highlands, affecting millions of people and their livestock. Communities are grappling with reduced water availability, drier pastures, and decreased agricultural yields. Forecasts indicate a worsening scenario, with the number of critically food insecure individuals projected to peak at 10.8 million between July and September. Malnutrition rates in several regions have significantly increased, surpassing critical thresholds, with children under the age of five, the elderly, the sick, pregnant, and lactating women bearing the brunt. This is leading to stunted growth, and extremely low school attendance and performance.

4. Those in need include 4.5 million internally displaced persons and 10.5 million women and girls, whose needs will be given specific attention and who are also recognized as important drivers of change.

5. The Government of Ethiopia recently endorsed a new National Policy and Strategy on Disaster Risk Management in recognition of the country's vulnerability to different climatic and conflict-driven shocks. The aims of the new policy and strategy include enhancing partnership and engagement with bilateral and multilateral partners, along with the mobilization of domestic human and financial capacities, to strengthen efforts towards addressing these recurrent humanitarian challenges.

6. The United Nations and humanitarian partners are working with the Government of Ethiopia to deliver life-saving assistance to about 15 million people, with more than 67 per cent being women, girls and persons living with disabilities, and food aid to 10 million. Funding requirements are at US$3.2 billion, currently funded at 5 per cent. Of the outstanding 95 per cent of the required funding, US$1 billion is needed to address critical needs of the most vulnerable over the next three months and secure aid pipelines.

7. During the conference, participating Member States pledged more than $600 million to support the humanitarian situation in Ethiopia. The Federal Government of Ethiopia also has committed $250 million for food support over coming months that is in addition to the requirements identified in the March prioritization plan; further domestic resources have been dedicated to emergency response from regional governments and the Ethiopian private sector.

8. The following commitments were made:

a) All parties reaffirmed their commitment to upholding the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence in providing humanitarian assistance, ensuring that aid reaches those most in need without discrimination. They also committed to keeping up the momentum of the reforms introduced to improve accountability and mitigate the risk of aid diversion, ensuring assistance reaches the most vulnerable on the basis of need.

b) All parties agreed to enhance coordination and collaboration among government agencies, humanitarian organizations, civil society actors, and international donors to ensure a coherent and effective response to the humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia. They also committed to communicate their humanitarian allocations and spend in a transparent and timely manner.

c) The Government of Ethiopia pledged to facilitate unimpeded and sustained access for humanitarian organizations to reach affected populations throughout the country, including conflict-affected regions, and to ensure the safety and security of humanitarian personnel and assets. The Government of Ethiopia further committed to ensuring that the movement of Internally Displaced People is voluntary, safe, and dignified.

d) The Government of Ethiopia pledged to collaborate on a common food insecurity and livelihoods assessment and analysis framework, with the aim of establishing enhanced national capacities and vulnerability-linked databases, drawing on global best practices such as the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), as appropriate.

e) The Government also committed to undertaking a joint review exercise, aimed at ensuring a progressive environment for civil society organizations and NGOs, including to facilitate humanitarian operations. The Government is committed to lifting taxes on humanitarian relief commodities, including medical supplies and those used in the treatment of malnutrition. The review will further include consideration of streamlined administrative processes for visa applications and work permits for humanitarian personnel.

f) The United Nations, in collaboration with humanitarian partners, committed to mobilizing resources and delivering life-saving assistance to affected communities in Ethiopia, including food aid, medical supplies, shelter, and protection services, in accordance with identified needs and priorities.

g) The Government of Ethiopia committed to actively engage relevant stakeholders to address the root causes of crisis, including conflict resolution, peacebuilding, national dialogue, and transitional justice, alongside its long-term, game-changing sustainable development initiatives. This includes fostering collaboration and coordination with development partners and actors to transition from emergency assistance to sustainable support and resilience-building.

In light of the commitments announced during the High-Level Pledging Event, the Government of Ethiopia and the co-hosts reiterate their dedication to addressing the humanitarian crisis in the country and are grateful to the international community for their continued support. By working together to ensure an efficient and effective humanitarian response, and to tackle the root causes, partners will contribute to a more peaceful, prosperous, and equitable world.

Signed:

Signatories on behalf of the Government of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia; Co-hosts: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the United Nations

H.E Ambassador Taye Atske Selassie, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

The Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell, Deputy Foreign Secretary and Minister of Development and Africa

Ms. Joyce Msuya, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator

17 April 2024

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PACE recommends that Kosovo* becomes a member of the Council of Europe

Council of Europe

Parliamentary Assembly session

Strasbourg

17 April 2024

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has recommended that Kosovo* be invited to become a member of the Council of Europe - while deciding to monitor its fulfilment of an extensive list of commitments and obligations as from its accession.

Under the Council of Europe's procedures, the Assembly must first give its opinion on any application for membership before a final decision is taken by the Committee of Ministers, the organisation's executive body made up of Foreign Ministers.

In its statutory Opinion, based on a report by Dora Bakoyannis (Greece, EPP/CD) and passed by 131 votes in favour and 29 against with 11 abstentions, the Assembly said membership would lead to "the strengthening of human rights standards by ensuring access to the European Court of Human Rights for all those who are under Kosovo's jurisdiction".

It would be "the culmination of a dialogue which has developed over a span of two decades but should in no way be seen as the end of a process. On the contrary, membership should catalyse momentum for Kosovo to continue to make progress in strengthening human rights, democracy and the rule of law".

Membership would also help Kosovo to "address outstanding challenges and matters of concern", the parliamentarians pointed out, including the gap between normative standards and their effective implementation, the need to better protect the rights of non-majority communities, and fostering a climate conducive to trust, reconciliation and inclusion.

The Assembly welcomed as "a major breakthrough" the implementation of the Constitutional Court's judgment in the case of the Visoki Decani monastery, which it said was "a tangible sign of the commitment of the government to act in full accordance with the rule of law, irrespective of political considerations".

The establishment of an Association of Serb majority municipalities would be "an important step" to ensure the protection of the rights of Kosovo Serbs, it added, and "should feature in the Committee of Ministers' future consideration of Kosovo's application to accede to the Council of Europe, as a post-accession commitment".

Acknowledging the "unprecedented circumstances" of the application, given that a number of Council of Europe member states do not recognise Kosovo as a state, the Assembly called for "diplomacy, dialogue and compromise". It invited the Committee of Ministers to ensure that Kosovo's membership was "without prejudice to individual member states' positions as regards the statehood of Kosovo".

* Throughout this text, all reference to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, shall be understood in full compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.

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Petr Fiala discusses deeper Czech-U.S. cooperation in the U.S. Congress

Government of the Czech Republic

17. 4. 2024

On Tuesday 16 April 2024, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala held talks in the U.S. Congress, mainly on Czech-U.S. relations, and also on the U.S. aid package for Ukraine and other countries, which is pending in the House of Representatives. In addition, the Czech Prime Minister paid tribute to presidents Vaclav Havel and T. G. Masaryk in Washington and gave a speech at the Hudson Institute. He concluded his visit to the USA at a gala dinner with prominent personalities and Czech and U.S. investors.

Prime Minister Petr Fiala started the second day of his visit to the USA with a visit to the Hudson Institute, which focuses mainly on national security and foreign policy issues. The Czech Prime Minister gave a speech in which he spoke mainly about transatlantic relations, the Czech-U.S. alliance, but also about the war in Ukraine and the Czech munitions initiative. "The purpose is to find munitions on world markets, to negotiate their funding and possibly coordinate their deliveries to Ukraine. We have the know-how, contacts and experience. And we can organise this help effectively. I am glad that at this moment, already about 20 countries have joined our initiative - from Canada, Germany and the Netherlands to Poland," said the Prime Minister, who also described the Czech Republic's historical experience with communism and the Soviet Union.

Afterwards, Prime Minister Fiala moved to the U.S. Capitol, the seat of the U.S. Congress, where he held talks with Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Michael McCaul, Democratic Minority Leader of the House of Representatives Hakeem Jeffries, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ben Cardin, former Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and other congresspersons. During his visit to the Capitol, Petr Fiala stopped by the bust of the first Czech President Vaclav Havel, where he paid tribute together with the co-chairs of the Friends of the Czech Republic informal group, Lloyd Doggett and Mario Diaz-Balart. He then presented them with silver commemorative coins.

"Everyone I spoke to in Congress praised the Czech Republic, its approach, its role, its munitions initiative and the fact that a relatively small country from the U.S. perspective can actually play such an important role. It was gratifying for me," said the Prime Minister after the talks in Congress, where he also spoke with congresspersons about the financial aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, the approval of which is to be discussed by the House of Representatives in the coming days. "In addition, we also discussed Czech-U.S. relations and some specific issues, such as the importance of LNG gas supplies. We are very concerned that the United States should not restrict its gas supplies to Europe in the long term. It is important for the Czech Republic to remain energy independent from Russia and to have enough cheap gas available in Europe. However, we also talked about the Czech Republic's cooperation with the United States in the field of nuclear energy," said Petr Fiala.

After the talks, the Czech Prime Minister laid flowers at the statue of the first Czechoslovak President T. G. Masaryk in the diplomatic quarter, where he greeted Sokol representatives and other Czechs living overseas.

Petr Fiala concluded his visit to the United States at a gala dinner with prominent personalities and Czech and U.S. investors. "The Czech Republic is a country that has a lot to offer to the United States and I was pleased that many members of Congress know that Czech companies invest in the USA and employ thousands of Americans," the Prime Minister concluded.

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April 17, 2024

Release

DOD Announces Next Round of Projects to Receive Funding From Pilot Program to Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT)

The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) announced the next round of projects to receive funding via the pilot program to Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT). This is the second tranche of projects to be selected during Fiscal Year 2024, and the first tranche awarded after the Department received a full appropriation for FY 2024.

The purpose of the APFIT pilot program is to expeditiously transition technologies into production, and to accelerate the fielding of needed technologies to the warfighter, with priority given to technologies developed by small businesses and nontraditional defense contractors. The benefits of this pilot program will be to deliver war-winning capability earlier than scheduled, while contributing to the viability of small business and nontraditional defense contractor vendors. APFIT is an additional tool the DoD can use to propel innovative capabilities across the "Valley of Death" and accelerate fielding into the hands of warfighters.

"Thanks to congressional support for APFIT in this year's defense appropriation bill, R&E is accelerating the fielding of crucial capabilities to our warfighters," said Heidi Shyu, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

The National Defense Authorization Act of FY22 established APFIT under the Secretary of Defense as a competitive, merit-based program for innovative and mature technologies and products that can meet warfighter demands but lack the necessary funding to transition the capability into the production phase.

The U.S. Congress funded $100 million for APFIT in FY 2022, $150 million in FY 2023, and $300 million in FY 2024. In the past two years, twenty-one DoD programs were selected to receive APFIT funding to procure innovative technologies from these small businesses and nontraditional defense contractors. The APFIT program expects to award up to 19 total projects in FY 2024, with four awards previously announced in February. The 13 projects awarded in this tranche are:

Communications Mobile Gateway Buoy, $12.940M, U.S. Navy

Family of Systems for Assured Movement and Maneuver, $15.950, U.S. Transportation Command via U.S. Army

Gladius Micro-High-Altitude Balloon Deployed Glider, $10.000M, U.S. Army

High Efficiency Phase Modulator, $11.000M, Missile Defense Agency

Installation Resilience Operations Command and Control, $20.000M, U.S. Air Force

Majestic Alpha, $18.500M, U.S. European Command and U.S. Special Operations Command

Project 711: Containerized Secure Units, $15.200M, U.S. Marine Corps

Classified, $13.650M, U.S. Special Operations Command

Rack Mounted Optical Clocks, $22.000M, DARPA and multiple Services

Radome Operational Performance Evaluation, $10.000M, U.S. Air Force

Reducible Height Gunner Protection Kit, $19.721M, U.S. Marine Corps

Resilient Networking for Space Domain Awareness, $15.375M, U.S. Space Force

Ultra Long Endurance - Perpetual, $20.406M, U.S. Army

About USD(R&E)

The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E) is the Chief Technology Officer of the Department of Defense. The USD(R&E) champions research, science, technology, engineering, and innovation to maintain the United States military's technological advantage. Learn more at www.cto.mil, follow us on Twitter @DoDCTO, or visit us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/ousdre.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3745188/

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April 17, 2024

By Joseph Clark, DOD News

Brown: Joint Force Must Continually Drive Change as Threats Evolve

The Defense Department must continually drive change and anticipate emerging threats to meet evolving national security demands, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., said yesterday.

Speaking at the National Defense Industrial Association's 2024 Missile Defense Conference in Washington, Brown encouraged warfighters and their enablers to eschew complacency and seek the initial discomfort that often accompanies true progress.

"If we're comfortable, we're probably not changing," he said. "Leading-edge organizations are comfortable being uncomfortable because they anticipate, and they drive change.

"In this dynamic arena of global security, the joint force needs to be a leading-edge organization to stay relevant, to face challenges head on, to embrace change, to adapt and to innovate continuously," he said.

Brown described an evolving national security landscape characterized by near-peer competitors and potential adversaries, including China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, who are actively pursuing and developing advanced capabilities to confront U.S. forces.

He noted China remains as the United States' pacing challenge and the only nation with both the capability and intent to reshape the region and the globe.

"You see the People's Republic of China continue to undertake aggressive military behavior in the South China Sea and throughout the Indo-Pacific and across the world," Brown said.

He also cited Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, Iran's aims to extend its influence throughout the Middle East, and North Korea's persistent destabilizing actions and provocative ballistic missile tests. These threats are further compounded as terrorist organizations seek to capitalize on instability to further their aims.

"Right now, we see all of these challenges active at the same time," Brown said. "They're not isolated; they're interconnected."

Addressing these combined challenges, Brown said, requires a strategic approach that addresses immediate threats while modernizing for future contingencies.

Brown's remarks add to those of senior Pentagon officials who underscored, during the conference, the imperative for continued investments in missile defense and deterrence capabilities as U.S. adversaries increasingly seek to extend their offensive reach and threaten to upend global peace and stability.

Heidi Shyu, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, also a speaker at NDIA's conference, said the threats posed by adversaries' intermediate and long-range missile technologies are accelerating at a concerning pace.

Shyu noted frequent and ongoing missile tests by North Korea and China in describing the evolving threat. She also cited Russia's airborne attacks against civilian infrastructure in Ukraine and the rise of missile and drone attacks by Iran and its proxies in the Middle East.

John F. Plumb, assistant secretary of defense for space policy, joined Shyu in focusing on Iran's weekend attack on Israel as evidence of the evolving challenges in defeating airborne threats.

Iran launched more than 300 airborne weapons at targets in Israel. Those weapons, which were launched from locations in Syria and Yemen in addition to Iran, included more than 110 medium-range ballistic missiles, dozens of land-attack cruise missiles, and over 150 aerial vehicles.

U.S., Israeli and partner forces destroyed the vast majority of the airborne weapons before they reached their targets.

U.S. Central Command forces, supported by two U.S. Navy destroyers, destroyed more than 80 one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicles and at least six ballistic missiles.

Plumb noted that the attack underscored the multifaceted threat the U.S. and allies must contend with.

That threat is characterized by evolving tactics that have introduced a wide range of aerial platforms, distances and attack vectors by adversaries. Those evolving tactics and technologies allow adversaries to more easily conceal weapons and evade detection once launched.

Both Shyu and Plumb warned that the U.S. must not stop investing in and improving upon its missile defense capabilities as the threats continue to evolve.

Brown said the U.S. must meet the challenge head-on and continue to invest in capabilities that will ensure its warfighters are armed with an asymmetric advantage in any potential conflict.

"We can't sit on our laurels," he said. "We cannot predict the future, but we can certainly shape it."

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Joint Statement by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell and Commissioner Janez Lenarcic on the humanitarian situation in Gaza and West Bank

European Commission

Statement

17 April 2024

Brussels

High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell and Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic, have issued the following statement:

"It is essential to avoid any further escalation in the Middle East, in particular following the attacks from Iran targeting Israel. At this crucial time, we yet again call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2728, demanding an urgent and unfettered expansion of the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza to prevent further escalation of this humanitarian crisis and the catastrophic, predictable and avoidable outcome for its population.

It is with the gravest dismay that we acknowledge the mounting evidence of unfolding famine in Gaza and the escalation of the humanitarian situation to a catastrophic level.

The European Commission took note of Israel's commitments to open new humanitarian aid access points in Gaza, including Ashdod port and the Erez crossing, and to increase aid deliveries from Jordan. However, this must be followed by meaningful actions as a matter of priority. We want to make it clear that not facilitating aid delivery at the required volumes is a death sentence for Palestinians in desperate need of assistance.

Famine threatens 1.1 million Palestinians, with 210 000 in North Gaza alone facing imminent starvation, as indicated by the latest reports.

Since 7 October , only a fraction of the minimum required food has entered Gaza, significantly contributing to the looming famine and acute food insecurity.

There is no shortage of aid supplies as they are abundant, waiting at the border with neighbouring countries and ready to be channelled into Gaza. It is imperative to let them reach those who need them.

We call on all parties to fulfil their obligations under international law, particularly emphasising Israel's responsibility as the occupying power to ensure that the basic needs of Palestinians in Gaza are met.

This entails ensuring that the humanitarian community has unimpeded and safe access, first and foremost by land, to assist the population with adequate relief supplies.

These obligations are not discretionary but mandated by international humanitarian law, as set out by the Fourth Geneva Convention.

They are also reinforced by the International Court of Justice's provisional measures, resolutions from the United Nations Security Council, and European Council conclusions.

Moreover, the persistent instability within Gaza, including attacks on aid workers and medical personnel, contributes to the shrinking of the humanitarian space.

The loss of 7 staff members from World Central Kitchen is just one among many other appalling attacks on humanitarians which has claimed the lives of more than 200 aid workers.

All humanitarian and medical personnel, as well as hospitals and aid facilities, must be protected as per international humanitarian law.

We also urge Israel to address the rapidly escalating violence across the West Bank. We strongly condemn extremist settler violence and demand that all perpetrators be held accountable.

Immediate action is needed to de-escalate the situation and end the cycle of bloodshed and revenge."

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Solomon Islands holds high-stake elections amid warnings on US intervention

Global Times

By Zhang Han Published: Apr 17, 2024 09:22 PM

Amid media reports on possible US intervention, the Solomon Islands on Wednesday held its pivotal general elections, which are under close watch beyond the South Pacific as it is believed the election results could have an impact on regional dynamics.

The results could take weeks to come out due to the country's landscape: The ballots must be collected from scattered islands and then wait for the country's 50 members of parliament (MPs) to form a government before they choose the next prime minister, according to media reports.

Chinese analysts said that no matter who wins the election, the country should be cautious of foreign intervention, as the US might orchestrate unrest of a "color revolution" nature to prevent incumbent Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare from being reelected.

Sogavare was elected as prime minister in 2019 and has pledged to deepen cooperation with China further if he gets reelected, according to a report from France 24.

Chen Hong, executive director at the Asia Pacific Studies Center of East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Wednesday that Solomon Islands voters prioritize domestic affairs such as education, health and people's livelihoods rather than power politics.

The Pacific Island country, through close cooperation with China, has realized tangible progress in those areas, as well as better infrastructure and greater social stability, Chen said.

No matter who is elected, the Solomon Islands should be cautious of foreign intervention in the weeks of vote counting and government forming, particularly of instigation by the US directly or its agent Australia, Chen warned.

The West has been cultivating local agency under the guise of "democracy promotion," and the US has a variety of conventional methods to tighten control in Pacific Island countries, namely to deploy its military stationed in the region, mobilize local people to carry out subversion, impose economic sanctions, or use the Pacific Islands Forum to besiege the so-called disobedient countries, Yu Lei, chief research fellow at the Research Center for Pacific Island Countries of Liaocheng University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Anti-government riots took place in the Solomon Islands in 2021 with the US and the island of Taiwan being found to lurk behind.

But the Solomon Islands' domestic law enforcement has improved over the past few years, Chen said, citing the successful hosting of the Pacific Games in 2023 as evidence of enhanced police capability.

Also, police from countries including Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea are on the ground to help with logistics and keep the peace, ABC reported Wednesday.

Chen also said locals are not easily deceived by Western slander against China after having seen and enjoyed the fruitful benefits from cooperation with China. Candidates who care for the country and the people will not ignore those benefits, and agenda wants to force a U-turn of Solomon Islands' relations with China is unlikely to success.

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Why Sweden joined NATO - a paradigm shift in Sweden's foreign and security policy

Government Offices of Sweden

17 April 2024

Speech by Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billstrom at Selwyn College, Cambridge, 16 April 2024.

Check against delivery.

Dear Master Mosey, dear students, ladies and gentlemen,

Over 200 years ago, in 1812, the soon to be Swedish King, Karl XIV Johan, laid out the foundation of neutrality and non-alignment for our country. Few political decisions have been so fundamental in defining Sweden's modern history and identity. Since then, this choice of direction has formed the roots of our foreign and security policy.

It is a great honour to be back at Cambridge University today to talk to you about the shift in Swedish foreign and security policy and our priorities going forward. I will share how Sweden navigates at this time of great upheaval, and how we are actively engaged in shaping the security in our neighbourhood - one that we share with the UK - and in Europe.

Even though the history of Sweden's policy of neutrality and military non-alignment is long and well-known, it has not been linear. Sweden's stance has often been tested in times of turmoil and changing conditions.

As an example, during the Crimean War in 1853-1856, Sweden let the British use parts of the island of Gotland as a naval base in the conflict with the Russian Empire. This also serves as a reminder of the historic importance of the UK as an actor in the Baltic Sea.

During the Finnish Winter War, after the Soviet invasion, extensive military support was provided to Finland. In the initial stages of the Second World War, the coalition government made concessions to Germany. In its final stages, Danish and Norwegian units were trained in Sweden. In the former case, Sweden considered itself forced to deviate from neutrality; in the latter case, we wanted to do so.

When the Cold War took hold of Europe, the idea of a Scandinavian defence union was suggested, but Norway and Denmark chose - based on their geographical positions and their past experiences - to join NATO. Sweden chose - based on our geographical position and our past experiences - non-alignment in peacetime with a view to neutrality in war. Consideration of Finland's situation weighed heavily, both then and later on.

The fall of the Soviet Union fundamentally changed Sweden's situation, and the development of Swedish security policy for a new era began.

Sweden joined NATO's Partnership for Peace in 1994 and became a member of the European Union in 1995, leaving our policy of neutrality. That same year, Swedish troops served under NATO command for the first time, in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Since then, we have participated in major NATO peace support operations: in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Libya. We have built interoperability for our armed forces and exchanged assessments on the Baltic Sea region.

In 2017 Sweden joined the Joint Expedition Force (JEF) which brings together partners who share a common view on security, and a strong will and ability to act jointly with a focus on the security situation in Northern Europe.

Step by step, this cooperation and this solidarity have been consolidated as pillars of our security policy. The UK has been a close partner to us along this path over the last 30 years.

*

Becoming a NATO member is a paradigm shift in Swedish foreign and security policy, but it is also the natural and final step of a journey Sweden has made in recent decades. Sweden's NATO accession is the culmination of a long farewell to the policy of neutrality and non-alignment.

*

A little more than 20 years ago, I was sitting in the same chairs as you are now. It feels like yesterday. Little did I know then that I would have the great honour to be back here today to give this speech.

*

My personal bond with the UK is the fruit of the close and longstanding relationship between Sweden and the UK, for which I am very thankful. In particular the close people-to-people links and academic ties are exceptionally strong. About 140 000 Swedes reside in the UK, and about half of these in London, which makes it the foreign city with the most Swedish residents in the world.

Over the last couple of years, our bilateral cooperation has deepened significantly. In 2022, the UK and Sweden signed a political declaration of solidarity and a Memorandum of Understanding to deepen cooperation on life sciences.

In the last year, both myself and the Swedish Prime Minister Kristersson have had the privilege to welcome our British counterparts to the island of Gotland - the island that we allowed the British use as naval base during the Crimean War.

Last summer, I had the pleasure to host minister Cleverly there to discuss how to deepen our foreign and security policy cooperation and in October, Prime Minister Sunak visited to sign a bilateral Strategic Partnership. This Partnership will strengthen cooperation on foreign policy, security and defence, energy and climate, research and trade.

Our cooperation on security and defence, already advanced through the Joint Expeditionary Force, will be further enhanced as Sweden is now a member of NATO. The UK was an indispensable partner and provider of support in Sweden's application process that began almost two years ago.

*

Two years ago, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine - an irreversible turning point, for Swedish, British, European and global security. Although Sweden's cooperation with NATO began decades earlier, the Swedish membership of NATO is a direct result of Russia's illegal, unprovoked and indefensible war of aggression.

Russia's objective with its war of aggression is to control Ukraine, recreate an empire and violently overturn the European security order - to replace right with brutal might.

In December 2021, prior to the invasion, Russia issued demands amounting to ultimatums for new agreements on Europe's security. The Russian Secretary of State Lavrov sent a letter where he said that Sweden and Finland would never be allowed to join NATO and that we should accept our position in a Russian sphere of influence. This would have restricted Sweden's self-determination and security in crucial ways, as well as strengthened Russia's in its attempts to deny every state it's right to independently make its own security policy choices.

Russia has for a long time demonstrated its willingness to use military force for political objectives. In Georgia in 2008, in Ukraine since 2014, in Syria since 2015 and by using the Wagner Group in a number of countries on several continents.

We must plan and prepare for a prolonged confrontation with Russia. We must counter Russia's expansion of power by constraining its influence, its freedom of action, and - ultimately - its ability to do harm.

At the heart of our efforts is our firm commitment to standing up for Ukraine's freedom and sovereignty. This is and will remain the top priority for Sweden's foreign policy.

Ukrainian soldiers are not only fighting for their own security, their sovereignty, their territorial integrity, and their freedom. They are also fighting our security and our values.

The outcome of the war will shape Ukraine and Russia, but also Europe for decades to come. No one desires peace more than Ukraine, whose people suffer the consequences of Russia's brutal aggression. But peace at any cost would only invite further aggression. It is up to Ukraine - and Ukraine only - to decide if and when the moment is right to negotiate.

And let us not forget that Russia could end the war at any time, by simply withdrawing its troops. But it doesn't.

Some argue that supporting Ukraine is costly. Let me be clear: not doing so will incur a far greater cost.

Our greatest responsibility today is therefore to provide Ukraine with all the political, financial and military support necessary to win the war. Sweden is also a driving force within the EU for harsher sanctions and for restricting Russia's possibilities to fund its war of aggression.

The UK and Sweden are amongst the most prominent donors to Ukraine. Sweden will do what is needed to provide as much support as possible. We need both endurance and a strong sense of urgency. Sweden works closely with the UK, from everything from the training of soldiers to providing artillery, and I applaud the solid and long-term UK support for Ukraine - politically, financially and militarily. This also reflects the very strong public support for helping Ukraine in both countries.

*

40 days have now passed since Sweden became NATO's 32nd member. The moment Sweden's instrument of ratification was handed over to US Secretary of State Blinken in Washington marked a new beginning. A future for Sweden as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty. As an Ally.

Sweden will be safer in NATO and NATO will be stronger with Sweden as an Ally. Unity, solidarity and cohesion will be guiding lights for Sweden as a NATO member. To safeguard this unity is to safeguard the strength of the Alliance.

Within NATO, Sweden will stand for fair burden-sharing. Sweden's defence spending will exceed two per cent of GDP this year, and this should be considered a minimum level. We Europeans need to take greater responsibility in transatlantic relations, thereby creating a stronger Europe in NATO.

All countries around the Baltic Sea, except Russia, are now members of the Alliance. This fundamentally redraws the security map in our part of Europe. Sweden and Finland will allow an increase of NATO's operational depth and tie the High North, the North Atlantic and the Baltic regions more closely together.

Sweden's geography and military assets can significantly strengthen the Alliance's ability to carry out operations in Northern Europe. We will work with our Allies to make the best possible use of these assets in support of NATO's deterrence and defence. We fully embrace the possibilities to considerably facilitate collective defence of our neighbouring countries.

The Swedish defence industry is an important asset and will contribute to NATO. It is also an area where cooperation with the UK is strong, and in our bilateral strategic partnership, we set out to substantially strengthen our joint defence industry collaboration to ensure that NATO and its partners continue to generate a strategic advantage. This includes defence innovation in vital strategic areas such as space and underwater technology, cyber and security.

Sweden is joining NATO at a time when emerging technologies lie at the core of geopolitical competition and play an important role in the defence of Ukraine. We want to contribute to maintaining NATO's technological edge and countering threats in the cyber domain. Swedish strategic assets include an advanced private sector - not least in telecommunications - a strong defence industry and a national space capability in the making.

A strong transatlantic link is indispensable for Europe's security. However, it must never be taken for granted. It is therefore fundamental that we maintain and intensify relations with the United States, as Lord Cameron and I argued for in a joint OpEd in Foreign Policy two weeks ago. The US standing tall in an alliance with over 30 nations will increase the safety of both Americans and Europeans.

Sweden will contribute to the security of NATO as a whole in accordance with the Alliance's 360-degree approach and act resolutely and in a spirit of solidarity in the fight against terrorism. Our broad geographical commitment extends to NATO's engagement with global partners - not least in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions are increasingly closely linked in security terms. Sweden therefore welcomes the deepening of NATO cooperation with partners such as Japan, Australia, South Korea and New Zealand.

*

That brings me right up to the present, from 1812 to 2024. Before I hand over the word to you for questions, I would just like to say few words on the future.

No matter whether we look 40 days, 2 years, 20 years or 200 years ahead, I am certain that the values of Cambridge and its ability to generate knowledge and spread enlightenment all over the globe for the benefit of all will endure. I believe the same could be said for the strong relationship between Sweden and the UK. However, neither will do so undefended.

In rain or shine, we must protect what we believe in, and I acknowledge that there seem to be plenty of rainstorms in the forecast. We live in a time when a lot is at stake. Things we might have taken for granted are no longer so certain; there are powers that want to reshape the world in a way that greatly differs from the values of this university and our two countries. Powers that also seek to sow and exploit division among friends.

This will place great demands on us, on me as a policy-maker of today and on you as the policy-makers of tomorrow. Great demands also mean great opportunity to make a difference. Many alumni of Selwyn College are proof this is a school of possibilities and great deeds. So, I want to take the opportunity, as I believe is also my responsibility, to encourage you to make a difference. Because it will be needed.

I hope I have in some way been able to inspire you in this direction today. Rest assured, there will be a plenty of tasks for you to dig into.

Thank you.

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Over 5,000 Palestinians nabbed in Gaza since October 7

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 17, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Gaza Government Media Office has declared that the Israeli regime's army has arrested and incarcerated more than 5,000 Palestinians in the besieged strip since October 7, 2023.

According to Palestine Al-Youm news website, the media office issued a statement on the occasion of the Palestinian Prisoner's Day, announcing that the Israeli regime arrested more than 5,000 Palestinians residing in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the Gaza war.

The media office urged all Palestinian, Arab, and international media outlets to highlight the issue of Palestinian inmates, who are imprisoned in prisons of the occupying regime.

It also called on the international community to take on its ethical, humanitarian, and legal responsibilities.

The office called for immediate intervention of the international community when it comes to the matter of mistreatment and torture of Palestinian prisoners, in particular sick prisoners.

The Palestinian National Council chose April 17 as Palestinian Prisoner's Day in 1974 because it was the date that Mahmoud Bakr Hijazi was released in the first prisoner swap between the Israeli regime and Palestine in 1971.

4208**2050

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Explosions heard in Israeli Meron airbase

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 17, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Israeli regime's news sources in the occupied lands have reported that the sound of an explosion was heard in the regime's Meron airbase, located in the north of occupied Palestine.

Israeli media outlets reported an explosion at the Meron strategic airbase on Wednesday.

Earlier, the Lebanese Resistance Movement, Hezbollah, launched missile and drone attacks on the same airbase.

Additionally, Hezbollah conducted a missile attack on the 91st Division headquarters in Galilee, specifically the "Barnit" barracks.

In a separate statement, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for an attack on an Israeli military vehicle in the al-Matla region near the border, which resulted in the death and injury of all soldiers inside.

These strikes were in retaliation for Israeli drone attacks that killed two Hezbollah military commanders in the towns of Ain Baal and Shehabiyeh, located in southern Lebanon.

The Islamic Resistance fighters launched a double-attack, employing guided missiles and explosive-laden drones, targeting the newly established headquarters of the military surveillance command in Arab Al-Aramsha, the statement read, confirming that the strike resulted in direct hits.

An Israeli media outlet reported that injuries sustained by Hezbollah drone attacks in Arab Al-Aramesha have risen to 18.

The Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement has conducted multiple operations against Israeli military positions in the northern side of the 1948 Israeli-occupied territories in response to the Tel Aviv regime's continuous attacks on Palestinians in Gaza, as well as repeated assaults on southern regions of Lebanon.

Lebanon's Al Manar TV channel reported that Hezbollah hit an Israeli position in Arab Al-Aramsha, Western Galilee, and 4 soldiers as well as two Zionists injured.

Israeli media say Hezbollah's drone that targeted "Arab al-Aramsheh" was a direct hit without anything intercepting it.

Hezbollah said in a statement that the attack was carried out by guided missiles and armed drones, targeting the secret military headquarters in "Arab al-Aramsheh".

The statement also said the combined attack destroyed part of this military position and the deaths and injuries of enemy soldiers.

3266**2050

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Hezbollah targets Zionists' position in Branit Barracks

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 17, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Islamic Resistance of Lebanon has conducted a missile attack on the headquarters of the 91st Division in Galilee in "Barnit" barracks.

According to Qatari media Al Jazeera, Lebanon's Hezbollah launched new attacks against Zionist military positions.

In line with supporting the Palestinian nation in Gaza and helping its brave and honorable resistance, the fighters of the Islamic resistance destroyed the 91st Division Galilee in "Barnit" barracks with Burkan missile and inflicted heavy damage on it, Hezbollah announced in a statement on Wednesday.

The Zionist security circles are extremely worried about the full-scale entry of Hezbollah into the war.

Based on Raialyoum's report, the senior Zionist security sources stressed that the Israeli leaders are very worried about the full-scale entry of Hezbollah into the war if Tel Aviv is attacked by Iran.

Ronen Bergman, an Israeli investigative journalist, said that Iran managed to terrorize the Israelis twice; first, when it created a psychological atmosphere without firing a bullet, and second, when the country took revenge for the assassination of its commanders in Syria.

On April 13, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) fired dozens of drones and missiles toward the positions of the Zionist regime in the occupied Palestine. The firing took place in response to the Israeli attack against Iran's consulate in Damascus, Syria, a few days earlier.

9376**9417

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Deputy Secretary General praises Italy's role in NATO, calls for strengthened cooperation with partners

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

14 Apr. 2024 - 16 Apr. 2024

Last updated: 17 Apr. 2024

Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana concluded a visit with NATO Permanent Representatives to Italy on Tuesday (16 April 2024) with an address in Rome marking the Alliance's 75th anniversary. Speaking at the Societa Italiana per l'Organizzazione Internazionale (SIOI), Mr Geoana praised Italy's role in NATO, calling Italy an "indispensable Ally."

The Deputy Secretary General underlined that strengthening NATO's cooperation with partners is essential when dealing with shared security challenges. "We see this with Russia's war against Ukraine. It adversely affects Europe as a whole, and makes the entire world more unstable. The same is true of terrorists, of climate change, and the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. The sources of instability affect us all everywhere." He said, "we must address them together. This is why NATO is working ever more closely with our partners, with countries, organizations, corporations, universities, think tanks around the world. Because our sacred mission that our founding fathers enshrined in the Washington Treaty remain as valid as ever, to keep our people safe, and the world safer."

The Deputy Secretary General met with Minister of Defence Guido Crosetto in Rome and earlier visited the Italian "Cavour" aircraft carrier at Luni Sarzana Base, together with NATO Permanent Representatives

On Monday (15 April), the Deputy Secretary General visited the Italian airbase in Cameri, which serves as a regional centre to maintain and service the entire fleet of F-35 aircraft in Europe. In La Spezia, he also visited Fincantieri shipyard and the NATO Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE), a scientific facility that makes important contributions to Euro-Atlantic security.

On Sunday (14 April), Mr Geoana met with Italian defence industry representatives in Turin.

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NATO and industry work together to strengthen maritime surveillance

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

16 Apr. 2024 - 17 Apr. 2024

Last updated: 17 Apr. 2024 14:00

On 16 - 17 April 2024, more than 200 industry representatives and government officials met at NATO Headquarters to address the most pressing challenges in the maritime domain. They reviewed how industry can better support NATO in the use of emerging and disruptive technologies for operational problems.

The Digital Ocean Industry Symposium focused on how to increase NATO's ability to see, sense and act to better protect sea lines of communication, which are vital for the security of the Euro-Atlantic area. The discussions were part of NATO's Digital Ocean initiative, which includes the protection of critical undersea infrastructure, using technology to provide persistent maritime surveillance and innovative anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

The Digital Ocean initiative was launched in 2023 to enhance NATO's maritime situational awareness from seabed to space. It aims to transform Allied maritime domain awareness by improving coordination between national and Allied capabilities employed for maritime surveillance. This includes satellites and autonomous systems that operate below, on, and above the sea.

Technology is key to increasing the capacity of the maritime assets of both Allies and partners and it can help them work more closely together on common operational problems. By going beyond conventional capabilities and using state-of-the art technology, Allied navies can act in a more timely and cost-effective way to address a wide spectrum of security challenges. This includes the security of shipping lanes, energy pipelines and submarine cables, as well as countering piracy and threats deriving from climate change. Over the past decade NATO has been testing and integrating the latest technological advancements from industries and academia to enhance interoperability through exercises such as REPMUS and Dynamic Messenger.

At the Vilnius Summit in 2023, NATO leaders agreed to establish NATO's Maritime Centre for the Security of Critical Undersea Infrastructure within NATO's Maritime Command (MARCOM) in the United Kingdom, to increase situational awareness and enhance deterrence and defence. Earlier in 2023, NATO also created a Critical Undersea Infrastructure Coordination Cell at NATO Headquarters in Brussels to improve information sharing and exchange best practices between Allies, partners, and the private sector.

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A look at the Defence news 8 - 14 April

Netherlands Ministry of Defence

News item | 17-04-2024

Thirty years of Dutch and American drug hauls in Caribbean

For 30 years, the Netherlands and the United States have together been intercepting drug transports in the Caribbean. In the last two years alone, that led to some 50,000 kilos of contraband being intercepted.

Last week, both countries highlighted this long-term cooperation in counter-drug operations on board the Royal Netherlands Navy's guard ship in the Caribbean, HNLMS Groningen, which was moored in Key West, Florida, especially for this occasion.

Ollongren speaks out against Russian influence activities in Moldova

During a visit to Moldova last week, Netherlands Minister of Defence Kajsa Ollongren said that she wishes to lend support to Moldova against Russian influence activities. The eastern European republic is closely linked to the situation in Ukraine. Before visiting Moldova, the minister paid a visit to Greece, where she spoke to her counterpart Nikos Dendias and emphasised the importance of cooperation in providing military support to Ukraine. She also visited the HQ of Operation Aspides, currently being conducted in the Red Sea. The Netherlands is one of the countries contributing to this operation, which aims to protect shipping against Houthi attacks.

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Israel has speeded up settlement expansion since October 7: Report

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 17 April 2024 6:25 PM

Israel has accelerated its settlement expansion across East al-Quds since the regime launched its brutal campaign of death and destruction in the besieged Gaza Strip in early October, a report says.

The Guardian, citing the most recent official planning documents, reported on Wednesday that Israel has approved or advanced more than 20 projects - totaling thousands of settler units.

At least two new settlement projects were approved in the immediate aftermath of hostilities in Gaza - only 48 hours. The expansion of a high-security gated settlement called Kidmat Zion in the heart of the Palestinian neighborhood of Ras al-Amud on the eastern periphery of the city was soon set to go ahead.

The second project is known as Givat Shaked and will be built on the northwestern side of Beit Safafa on a plot of grass and trees.

Two major projects now flank the Palestinian community of Beit Safafa, most of which is in East al-Quds. One, known as Givat Hamatos, was frozen for a decade due to international opposition.

A third settlement project, also near Beit Safafa, is known as Lower Aqueduct and involves the construction of a large settlement adjacent to a Palestinian neighborhood. The Lower Aqueduct plan was fully approved on December 29. The site straddles the line between East al-Quds and the western part of the city.

Sari Kronish, with the Israeli rights organization Bimkom - Planners for Planning Rights, has said, "The fast-tracking of these plans has been unparalleled in the last six months."

Kronish said the construction plans continued to advance "at unprecedented speed," notwithstanding the shutdown of many activities due to the military campaign in Gaza.

Ahmed Salman, 71, the chair of Beit Safafa's community council, said, "Our family has been here for 250 years ... Now I have a black hole in my heart because I can't see how my children and grandchildren can spend their lives here."

In a report to the Human Rights Council in March, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, said the Israeli regime was going on with its settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territories by unprecedented amounts, posing a significant threat to the viability of a future Palestinian state.

The high commissioner said the expansion involved the transfer of settlers into occupied territories.

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Hezbollah attack on Israeli military position injures 18: Reports

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 17 April 2024 4:53 PM

At least 18 people have been injured, some of them seriously, in a drone and missile attack by Lebanon's resistance movement Hezbollah that hit an Israeli military center near the Lebanese border, Israeli media reported.

Earlier on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Israeli military said 14 soldiers had been injured, six of them seriously, two moderately, and six others lightly.

The regime's Walla news website said the Hezbollah attack was "a carefully planned ambush."

Another Israeli media report said Hezbollah drones hit the target they were directed at without warning, and the regime's army has no answers to the question of where they were sent from.

Hezbollah also reported its operation, with a statement saying the resistance movement had attacked a Zionist army base on the northern side of the Israeli-occupied territories in response to the regime's unrelenting strikes on Gaza and repeated assaults on Lebanon's southern regions.

Hezbollah said it launched "a combined attack with guided missiles and explosive drones on a new military reconnaissance command center in Arab al-Aramshe," a village near the Lebanese border. Hezbollah said the attack came "in response to the enemy assassinating several resistance fighters in Ain Baal and Shehabiya."

On Tuesday, the resistance movement said three of its members had been martyred by Israeli attacks.

Israeli media say the regime has imposed a ban on gatherings in settlements from zero to four kilometers from the Lebanese border.

Hezbollah also conducted several other operations on Wednesday, including an attack on the Zibdin barracks in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms using Falaq-1 missiles.

The regime said it had struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. Lebanese media have reported attacks targeting areas near the towns of Baalbek, Alma Al-Shaab, and Al-Dhahira, among others.

Wednesday's incident marked the third day in a row that Hezbollah strikes wounded Zionists, with tensions high after Iran launched a direct attack on the regime over the weekend in retaliation for a deadly strike on Iran's diplomatic mission in Damascus.

On Tuesday, Israeli authorities said three people were wounded in a strike from Lebanon. The day before, Hezbollah targeted Israeli troops with explosive devices, wounding four of them who crossed into Lebanese territory, the first such attack in six months of clashes.

Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging near-daily cross-border fire since the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas launched its historic Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the regime on October 7.

The fighting has forced the evacuation of tens of thousands from the northern part of the occupied territories, amid rocket fire and shelling carried out by Hezbollah and allied Palestinian groups.

Hezbollah has already fought off two Israeli wars against Lebanon in 2000 and 2006. The resistance forced the regime to retreat in both conflicts.

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Israel has killed more than 10,000 women in Gaza since October: UN

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 17 April 2024 3:54 PM

The United Nations says more than 10,000 women have been killed in the besieged Gaza Strip since Israel launched its savage campaign in early October.

A UN body which is dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women has compiled a report on the subject.

It said on Wednesday that among those who had lost their lives, an astonishing estimated number of 6,000 were mothers, with their deaths leaving virtually 19,000 children orphaned.

The report warned women who have survived the Israeli airstrikes and ground operations now face displacement, widowhood, hunger, and other hardships.

Susanne Mikhail is the regional director of UN Women in the Arab States. She briefed the media on the report in Geneva.

"Women who have survived the bombing are suffering daily starvation, sickness, and constant fear. The war in Gaza is no doubt a war on women, who are paying a heavy price for a war not of their making."

Over one million Palestinian women and girls in the besieged territory are facing "catastrophic hunger," the report has warned.

The report also called for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2728, adopted on March 25, to enforce an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, release all detained individuals, and ensure safe and unimpeded humanitarian access.

Israel launched the brutal campaign in the Gaza Strip on October 7. The death toll from the regime's genocidal atrocities now tops 34,000, mostly women and children.

Figures also show more than 14,500 of Gaza's 1.1 million children have been killed since that October day. Thousands more are missing, presumed buried under the rubble, their deaths unmarked.

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April 16: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 17 April 2024 12:57 PM

By Press TV Website Staff

Amid Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed nearly 33,900 Palestinians so far, including more than 16,000 children, resistance groups in Palestine and across the region continue their operations against the Tel Aviv regime and its Western backers.

The major operations carried out by the Palestinian and regional resistance groups on Tuesday, April 16, are as follows:

Al-Qassam Brigades' operations on April 16:

Sniped an Israeli regime soldier in Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip.

Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades' operations on April 16:

Targeted the command and control center of the Israeli military southwest of Gaza City with a barrage of 107mm rockets.

Engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli forces and their military vehicles in the city of Jenin, occupied West Bank, with machine guns and other appropriate weapons.

Al-Quds Brigades' operations on April 16:

Bombed "Sderot" and other settlements of the Gaza envelope with a barrage of rockets in a joint operation with Omar Al-Qasim Forces.

Mujahideen Brigades' operations on April 16:

Detonated locally-made explosive device near a gathering of Israeli soldiers and their military vehicles in Askar camp east of Nablus, occupied West Bank.

Engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli forces in the city of Nablus, occupied West Bank, with appropriate weapons.

Al-Asifah Forces' operations on April 16:

Bombed a gathering of Israeli soldiers and their military vehicles stationed in the vicinity of the Al-Malik military site north of Nusseirat camp with a barrage of heavy-caliber mortar shells.

Hezbollah's operations on April 16:

Eastern sector:

At around 14:25 local time, the Iron Dome battery was targeted at Beit Hillal base with a drone, resulting in heavy damage and casualties.

At around 15:40 local time, the Zibdin barracks in Lebanon's Shebaa were targeted with missiles.

At around 17:45 local time, the Al-Baghdadi site was targeted with artillery shells.

At around 16:15 local time, the Al-Samaqa site in Lebanon's Kfar Shuba was targeted with artillery shells.

At around 16:45 local time, the Beit Hillal base was targeted with Katyusha rockets.

At around 19:25 local time, the headquarters of the 769th Eastern Brigade in Kiryat Shmona was targeted with Katyusha rockets.

Western sector:

At around 19:30 local time, Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the Birkat Risha site were targeted with missiles.

At around 19:30 local time, Meron Air Base was targeted with missiles and artillery shells.

At around 20:10 local time, the headquarters of the 146th Division in Jatoun was targeted with Katyusha missiles.

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1.7 million Palestinians forcibly displaced in Gaza: UNHCR

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 17 April 2024 12:38 AM

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) has announced about 1.7 million Palestinians have been forcibly displaced inside Gaza due to Israel's genocidal war against the people of Palestine.

UNHCR spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said during a press conference at the United Nations office in Geneva on Tuesday that "resolving the catastrophic situation experienced by civilians in Gaza must remain a priority."

"UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk urges all states with influence to do everything in their power to halt the increasingly horrific human rights and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, rising violence and targeted attacks in the West Bank, and the heightened risk of a wider escalation of conflict in the Middle East," Shamdasani said.

She said that "Israel continues to impose unlawful restrictions on the entry and distribution of humanitarian assistance, and to carry out widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure."

Shamdasani added, "There are about 1.7 million forcibly displaced people in Gaza. These people live in terrifying conditions and under constant threat."

"In the past week alone, fighting has intensified in Middle Gaza leading to the displacement of some 10,000 people from in and around a Nuseirat camp and near Wadi Gaza," she said.

Israel denies hindering humanitarian relief to Gaza. The regime has faced increased international pressure to let more supplies into the Gaza Strip since it attacked an aid convoy on April 1, killing international relief workers.

"Those delivering or trying to access humanitarian assistance must never be attacked," added Shamdasani.

Shamdasani said that UNHCR also received reports that during Eid al-Fitr last week, the Israel forces attacked at least eight mosques in a Nuseirat and Gaza City, and struck a further three on 14 April.

Since October 2023, 534 mosques have been destroyed or damaged according to the Gaza Government Media Office. Places of worship are protected under the laws of war, she noted.

Shamdasani pointed out that the increasing violence against Palestinian and their proprieties in the occupied West Bank the past days.

She stated that Palestinians are subjected to attacks by hundreds of Israeli colonists, who are often accompanied or supported by Israeli soldiers.

She stressed that the "occupying power" must take all measures within its authority to restore order and public security in the West Bank.

"The Israeli security forces must immediately put an end to their active participation and support for colonists attacks against Palestinians," Shamdasani added.

The regime began the genocidal campaign in Gaza on October 7, 2023, after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

Israel has killed at least 33,800 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, since.

The Save the Children organization is deeply alarmed by the toll and suffering being exacted on children in the Gaza Strip.

According to the charity, more than 14,500 of Gaza's 1.1 million children have been killed. And thousands more are missing, presumed buried under the rubble, their deaths unmarked.

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TOKYO, Apr 18 (News On Japan) - A man in his 20s has turned himself in to police, hinting that he might be connected to the tragic incident of two charred bodies near a forest road in Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture.

The bodies were found early on Tuesday morning. The first person to discover them sought help, reporting that he couldn't distinguish if the burning figure was a person or a mannequin. The bodies, one wrapped in a vinyl bag and both covered in adhesive tape, were severely burned, exposing some skin.

According to witnesses and investigators, the victims appeared to have been placed on top of each other face-up. Their faces were wrapped in tape, hands tied, and one reportedly wore what seemed to be women's boots. A container, possibly for gasoline, was found burnt nearby.

One of the victims was identified as Ryutaro Takarajima, 55. The other victim, a woman, remains unidentified but is believed to be between 40 to 60 years old and about 162 cm tall. Both had been strangled to death, with the woman also suffering a fractured skull.

The relevance of the victims to this rural area is still unclear. Nasu, located near the borders of Fukushima and Ibaraki in Tochigi Prefecture, is about 150 kilometers from Tokyo's Taito district, where Takarajima was registered.

Takarajima owned several businesses, including over ten restaurants in Ueno, Tokyo, ranging from BBQ joints to real estate and import sales of Chinese and Korean fashion goods.

An ex-employee of one of Takarajima's restaurants commented on his hands-on approach, often performing repairs himself, which earned him deep respect.

The reason why the bodies were burnt and left in such a secluded area remains a mystery. The location is surrounded by mountains, dark at night, and without street lighting, accessible only by forest roads used by workers.

A local resident noted that the area is typically very quiet, with sounds from the river audible even during sleeping hours. The community is occasionally visited by foreigners and locals collecting scrap metal or farming equipment.

Police are currently questioning the young man who came forward, believing he may know something about the incident. They are also considering the possibility of multiple people being involved in the case.

Source: TBS
More damage control than deterrence in death sentence for Vietnam's $12 billion fraudster

Truong My Lan's huge fraud scheme reached its peak during Hanoi's vaunted 'blazing furnace' anti-corruption drive.

A commentary by David Hutt 2024.04.17 -- After Truong My Lan was sentenced to death last week over her role in a US$12.5 billion financial fraud case, the consensus appears to be that the Communist Party of Vietnam is offering up a human sacrifice to show that its "blazing furnace" anti-corruption campaign is for real.

It could be a ruse; the authorities may have announced this punishment before the end of the trial as a way of terrifying Lan into revealing where more of the stolen assets are located and to name more names of accomplices.

If she plays along, maybe she'll be spared death. The courts have done this before.

Yet many of her 84 co-conspirators also had their sentences announced early, and none of them was sentenced to death. The authorities have made Lan a hate figure as part of their anti-corruption campaign, unmuzzling the state-run media so they can vilify and demonize her.

Deciding to execute the chairwoman of Vietnamese developer Van Thinh Phat is an "exemplar of Vietnam's effort to crack down on corruption not only in the state sector but also in private spaces," commented Nguyen Khac Giang in a Time magazine piece that stated: "That Vietnam sought to make an example of Lan was clear."

But there's a problem with this logic.

Set aside the moral dimension of whether a state should kill one of its own citizens - Vietnam is among the world's most prolific executioners of prisoners and metes out capital punishment for vaguely-defined crimes - and focus on the consequentialist intent.

The ruling Communist Party of Vietnam's anti-corruption campaign started in 2016. The following year, the first Politburo member was taken down and Trinh Xuan Thanh, a fugitive state company official, was kidnapped by the Vietnamese secret service in Berlin.

In 2018, the Communist Party purged its junior ranks. It set its sights on provincial figures in 2019. Nguyen Xuan Phuc "resigned" as state president in early 2023 over corruption.

Phuc's successor, Vo Van Thuong, "quit" last month for the same reasons. Hundreds of officials and businesspeople have been jailed. Tens of thousands have probably lost their jobs.

'Blazing furnace'

Anyone with the most basic understanding of Vietnam knows there is a much-vaunted anti-graft campaign underway. Yet, despite all those dismissals and jailings and kidnappings and resignations, Lan and her accomplices still thought they could get away with stealing US$12.5 billion. Her actions over several years led Saigon Commercial Bank to lose the equivalent of US$27 billion, state media said.

Their fraud began in 2012, but the prosecution says most of Lan's bribery, embezzlement and banking law violations took place between early 2018 and October 2022, when she was finally arrested - and when the "blazing furnace" had been roaring for almost six years.

Some observers might argue that if Lan was not deterred by seeing other people be jailed, kidnapped or publicly shamed, maybe she would have been deterred had the Communist Party started killing the corrupt back in 2016. So her death, accordingly, will be an example to others to come.

But this assertion requires proponents to argue that the Communist Party needs to start killing people en masse. After all, why would someone be deterred by the murder of one person, by a one-off sacrifice?

The exact problem with Lan's death sentence is that it's unique and exceptional - suggesting that the message from the Communist Party is that it will only execute those who commit fraud on that monumental scale, which amounts to 3% of Vietnam's GDP.

Where's the deterrence factor when, in all probability, there aren't many cases involving someone stealing US$12.5 billion?

At the same, though, had the court sentenced Lan to life in prison, rather than to death, the story wouldn't have reverberated around the world as it has, published in almost every newspaper of repute.

Hanoi wouldn't have been able to run with its narrative: 'Look at how serious we are against corruption; we kill people for it!'

Perhaps the Vietnamese people would have felt short-changed. Maybe the fears of foreign investors wouldn't have been assuaged, and Vietnam's transparency scores might improve again thanks to a blood sacrifice.

Damage control

However, killing Lan serves no purpose of deterrence unless the Communist Party is about to start killing a lot more people for stealing a lot less. Given the monumental scale of corruption in Vietnam, including what has yet to be revealed, that will be quite a bit of state-sanctioned killing.

Instead, Lan's death sentence was retribution, reputational damage control by a Communist Party that has been greatly embarrassed by this whole affair. In handing down the sentence, the court argued that she was guilty of "eroding people's trust in the leadership of the party and state."

The prosecutors went into the trial last month arguing that the death penalty was needed so Lan could be "ostracized from society forever."

While some observers may argue that the Communist Party's decision to put Lan to death shows the power and competency of Hanoi's anti-graft campaign, it actually reveals the opposite.

Truong Hue Van and her associates' crimes made a mockery of the "blazing furnace" campaign: The biggest fraud case ever in Vietnam was carried out at the same time as Vietnam's most serious anti-graft campaign.

Now, the Communist Party is trying to turn a negative into a positive by saying the crime was uncovered and severely punished. It's trying to hide the obvious truth that an unaccountable Leninist system permits the crime in the first place.

The "Blazing Furnace" may burn on, but it will not truly torch corruption so long as the Communist Party of Vietnam is both the arsonist and the firefighter.



David Hutt is a research fellow at the Central European Institute of Asian Studies (CEIAS) and the Southeast Asia Columnist at the Diplomat. He writes the Watching Europe In Southeast Asia newsletter. As a journalist, he has covered Southeast Asian politics since 2014. The views expressed here are his own and do not reflect the position of RFA.

Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content April not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Yerevan Assures Iran That South Caucasus Won't Turn Into Field Of 'Geopolitical Competition,' Envoy Says

By Ruzanna Stepanian April 17, 2024

Iran says it has received assurances from Armenia regarding its concerns about the potential escalation of geopolitical competition in the South Caucasus stemming from the Armenian leader's recent high-level discussions with U.S. and EU officials in Brussels.

Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Mehdi Sobhani said on April 16 that Tehran had a discussion with Armenian authorities about the trilateral meeting on April 5 between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Western powers said the meeting was focused on helping Armenia increase its resilience and diversify its economy, which is still heavily dependent on Russia.

Sobhani said Armenian authorities told him that the meeting was "not directed against any third country" and was meant to "strengthen the economy of Armenia and to receive humanitarian aid and support for those displaced from Karabakh."

Iran does not oppose Armenia's efforts to develop its economy and solve the problems of the people displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh, Sobhani said at a news conference in Yerevan. This is Armenia's right, he said.

"Our concern is that Armenia and the [South] Caucasus should not turn into an arena for geopolitical competition and that the development of Armenia's foreign relations should not be at the expense of other countries," Sobhani said.

"And the Armenian authorities have informed us that the diversification of their country's foreign policy is not directed against Armenia-Iran relations."

The Iranian ambassador also defined the "extra-regional forces" whose intervention in the South Caucasus would be considered dangerous by Tehran. These would be forces unrelated to any security or geopolitical issues of the region, he said.

"That is, they come here from across the ocean and try to make decisions for the people of this region," Sobhani said.

Asked whether members of the EU mission who have been monitoring the Armenian-Azerbaijani border since last year are considered "extra-regional forces," the Iranian ambassador said, "Yes, some European countries and the United States are."

Meanwhile, the Iranian diplomat said that Tehran's "red lines" regarding borders in the South Caucasus have not changed.

"Iran has expressed its opposition to the change of internationally recognized borders at the highest level, at the level of the head of the country, and it cannot be ignored," he said.

"We are categorically against the change of any geopolitical and internationally recognized borders. If there are problems on the border, they should be solved on the basis of dialogue, mutual understanding, with the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries respected," Sobhani said.

Baku and Yerevan have been conducting negotiations over their respective borders for decades, but the process took on new urgency after Azerbaijan recaptured Nagorno-Karabakh amid a swift military offensive in September 2023.

Unlike in the past, the talks are now being conducted one-on-one without Russian, U.S., or EU mediators.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-iran-geopolitical- competition/32908822.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Head Of Anti-Graft Agency In Montenegro Arrested On Suspicion Of Abuse Of Office

By RFE/RL's Balkan Service April 17, 2024

The director of Montenegro's Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) has been arrested after a search of the ACA's offices and vehicles in Podgorica in the latest in a series of measures aimed at curtailing graft and abuse of public office at the highest levels of the Montenegrin justice system.

Jelena Perovic was escorted out of the ACA building in handcuffs as the searches were taking place on April 17, according to an RFE/RL reporter who was at the scene. She was taken to the Special Police Team building for questioning.

The search was ordered by the Special State Prosecutor's Office, which announced that Perovic is suspected of abuse of office over a prolonged period starting last year. The office said police officers also searched her apartment and "other premises."

There was no official confirmation that charges had been filed. Her lawyer, Nikola Martinovic, said that her arrest was in connection with her alleged misuse of a state car.

Perovic has been accused by parties in the Montenegrin ruling coalition of failing to be transparent in her work, taking selective action in checking the assets of public officials, and protecting some officials, including former President Milo Djukanovic.

In addition, she has been accused of giving herself and some employees pay increases in violation of the law.

The nongovernmental Network for the Affirmation of the NGO Sector, which goes by the acronym MANS, announced that it has made criminal complaints to Montenegrin authorities, including the Prosecutor-General's Office, seeking charges against Perovic for abuse of office, including using an official vehicle for private purposes.

Perovic has denied the allegations. She was questioned by the police in February but there were no grounds for suspecting that she committed any crime, ACA said at the time.

Perovic, who was appointed ACA director in July 2020, said the agency is the target of nonstop political attacks and claimed that the work of the ACA is in line with the law and conducted without bias.

Perovic is the third current or former government official arrest in the last four days as Montenegro forges ahead in its fight against corruption and organized crime.

The other two were former chief special prosecutor Milivoje Katnic and former deputy police director Zoran Lazovic, who were arrested on April 14.

The Special State Prosecutor's Office said the two are charged with forming and participating in a criminal organization and abuse of office. A Montenegro court on April 16 ordered them held in pretrial detention for up to 30 days.

In its latest report on Montenegro, the European Comission said the Balkan country had made only limited progress in preventing corruption.

The results achieved by the ACA improved in quantitative terms, but added that the ACA's "independence, accountability, impartiality, and proactiveness should be further ensured."

Indictments were previously brought against the former president of the Supreme Court, Vesna Medenica; former police directors Veselin Veljovic and Slavko Stojanovic; deputy police director Dejan Knezevic special prosecutor Sasa Cadjenovic; and others.

With reporting by Milos Rudovic

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/montenegro-anti- corruption-agency-perovic-arrested-abuse-office/32909799.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Protesters Give Georgian Government Ultimatum To Pull Controversial 'Foreign Agents' Law

By RFE/RL's Georgian Service April 17, 2024

TBILISI -- Thousands of Georgians rallied in front of parliament demanding the government immediately withdraw a controversial "foreign agents" bill being pushed through the legislature after lawmakers approved the first reading of it despite warnings from civil society groups and several Western governments that the bill is a replica of Russia's law on foreign agents, which Moscow has used for years to muzzle dissent.

Poet Rati Amaglobeli, one of the speakers at the rally on April 17, said the government had one hour to revoke the bill or face "the unbreakable will of the Georgian people." Just hours earlier, 83 lawmakers supported the legislation in its first reading while no votes were cast against.

There was no immediate comment from government officials, nor from the ruling Georgian Dream party that reintroduced the bill that would force foreign-funded entities to register as foreign agents -- a move that many liken to similar legislation enforced in Russia that has been used to severely restrict dissent and the activity of civil society groups.

The legislation, which sparked mass protests when first introduced last year, causing the government to withdraw the bill, would also introduce wide oversight powers by the authorities and potential criminal sanctions for undefined criminal offences.

"I ask, is it our request today to withdraw this law today?! Yes, today! They should make a political statement today, as they did a year ago," Amaglobeli told the crowd. He did not say what the protesters planned to do if the bill is not revoked.

The final reading of the bill is scheduled to be debated on May 17 and Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, told BBC News that she will veto it if it's approved in its final reading.

Zurabishvili said that her major concern is the fact that the bill in question is "exactly a copy of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's law."

However, Zurabishvili said that the ruling Georgian Dream party has enough lawmakers to override her if she does use her veto.

The EU High Representative Joseph Borrell and Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Verhelyi issued a joint statement shortly after the first reading, calling the lawmakers' move "a very concerning development" that may "negatively impact Georgia's progress on its EU path" if endorsed into law.

"Georgia has a vibrant civil society that contributes to the country's successful progress towards EU membership. The proposed legislation would limit the capacity of civil society and media organizations to operate freely, could limit freedom of expression and unfairly stigmatize organizations that deliver benefits to the citizens of Georgia," the statement said,

It urged Tbilisi "to refrain from adopting legislation that can compromise Georgia's EU path, a path supported by the overwhelming majority of Georgian citizens."

Vedant Patel, deputy spokesman at the U.S. State Department, said Washington remains "deeply concerned that this bill, if passed, will stigmatize civil society organizations that work to improve the lives of Georgian citizens and the media that provide information to the public."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/georgia-first-reading-foreign- agents/32909229.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Venezuela Sanctions Relief: Expiration of General License 44

US Department of State

Press Statement

Office of the Spokesperson

April 17, 2024

After a careful review of the current situation in Venezuela, the United States determined Nicolas Maduro and his representatives have not fully met the commitments made under the electoral roadmap agreement, which was signed by Maduro representatives and the opposition in Barbados in October 2023. Therefore, General License 44, which authorizes transactions related to oil or gas sector operations in Venezuela, will expire at 12:01 AM on April 18.

Despite delivering on some of the commitments made under the Barbados electoral roadmap, we are concerned that Maduro and his representatives prevented the democratic opposition from registering the candidate of their choice, harassed and intimidated political opponents, and unjustly detained numerous political actors and members of civil society. We again call on Maduro to allow all candidates and parties to participate in the electoral process and release all political prisoners without restrictions or delay.

In order to implement an orderly process following the expiration of General License 44, the United States will issue a 45-day wind-down license. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control also will consider requests for specific licenses to continue activities beyond the end of the wind-down period on a case-by-case basis.

We will continue to support Venezuelans' aspirations for a more democratic, stable, and prosperous Venezuela. We and our partners in the international community urge Maduro to uphold all the commitments made under the electoral roadmap established by the signatories of the Barbados Agreement.

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Japan-Republic of Korea-United States Trilateral Ministerial Joint Press Statement

U.S. Department of the Treasury

April 17, 2024

WASHINGTON -- Today, we, the Finance Ministers of Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the United States held our first trilateral meeting in Washington, DC. Our discussion builds on our Trilateral Leaders' Summit last August in Camp David, and affirms the importance of our relationship to our own economies and to the global economy.

As leading global economies, we seek continued opportunity and prosperity for our peoples, the Indo-Pacific region, and the globe through open and fair economic practices. We will continue to cooperate to promote sustainable economic growth, financial stability, as well as orderly and well-functioning financial markets. We will also continue to consult closely on foreign exchange market developments in line with our existing G20 commitments, while acknowledging serious concerns of Japan and the Republic of Korea about the recent sharp depreciation of the Japanese yen and the Korean won.

Together, we affirm our commitment to utilize and coordinate our respective sanctions tools to impose costs on Russia for its war against Ukraine and target the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK's) weapons program. We strongly condemn the DPRK's exports to Russia, as well as Russia's procurement of the DPRK's ballistic missiles, in direct violation of relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, and call upon them to immediately cease such activities. We emphasize the importance of collaboration to overcome supply chain vulnerabilities and the possible harm to our economies from non-market economic practices of other countries, including economic coercion and overcapacity in key sectors. We have reaffirmed Leaders' commitment to mobilize financing for resilient supply chains and will work together to that end, including through the Partnership for Resilient and Inclusive Supply-chain Enhancement (RISE). We will continue to work together to evolve the multilateral development banks and strengthen other international financial institutions to better respond to key global challenges. Reaffirming the importance of ASEAN and Pacific Island countries, we will combine efforts to strengthen their macroeconomic and financial resilience as well as financial integrity. We welcome the progress in the trilateral collaboration among our development finance institutions. We will continue staff level engagement to take these forward.

These goals demonstrate the ongoing importance and unprecedented strength of this trilateral economic relationship between Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the United States. We will continue cooperation to strengthen our economies and promote global economic prosperity.

###

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Palestinians in Gaza are facing a devastating humanitarian crisis and an imminent risk of famine: UK statement at the UN Security Council

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on UNRWA.

17 April 2024

Thank you President, and I start by thanking Commissioner-General Lazzarini for his briefing and for the work of all your team.

It has been 75 years since UNRWA was mandated by the UN General Assembly to provide essential services to Palestinian refugees. Today, that mandate remains as important as ever. Palestinians in Gaza are facing a devastating humanitarian crisis and an imminent risk of famine, and the region needs stability.

Against this backdrop, I wish to make three points:

First, the UK recognises that UNRWA is critical to aid delivery in Gaza. We call on Israel to allow UNRWA and all agencies providing humanitarian relief unhindered access in Gaza, particularly to the north. UNRWA is the main provider of humanitarian relief within Gaza, and other UN and humanitarian actors depend on UNRWA's distribution network to get aid to those in need.

The UK remains committed to increasing humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. We are calling on Israel to increase aid flows and to enable the UN's minimum operating requirements so that humanitarian agencies can operate safely. Our Foreign Secretary has made this clear in his discussions with Israeli Foreign Minister Katz.

Second, I want to recognise the essential role that UNRWA plays in providing health and education services and humanitarian relief across the region, including supporting some 4 million Palestinians in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. This support is important for regional stability and is of particular importance at this critical time.

Finally, to reiterate that the UK is appalled by allegations that some UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October attacks on Israel. We note the ongoing investigations of the UN Office for Internal Oversight Services into these allegations.

We also emphasise the importance of UNRWA continuing robust management reform, including stronger independent oversight and better detection systems.

And we look forward to seeing the findings and recommendations of former French foreign minister Colonna's independent review into UNRWA's neutrality, processes and systems. As our Prime Minister said this week, we will clarify the UK's position on funding once we've reviewed these.

President, I want to end by recalling our minute of silence at the beginning of this meeting and by recognising the 178 UNRWA staff tragically killed in Gaza, and pay tribute to them and offer condolences to their families.

Thank you.

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$2.8 billion appeal for three million people in Gaza, West Bank

17 April 2024 - UN and partner agencies insisted on Wednesday that "critical changes" are needed to improve aid access into Gaza, as they launched a $2.8 billion appeal to provide urgent assistance for millions of people in the devastated enclave, but also in the West Bank, where Palestinians have been targeted by increasing settler violence.

The development came amid reports of ongoing Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip including Gaza City in the north, Rafah in southern Gaza and central Gaza, where more than dozen people were believed to have died in an apparent missile attack on a refugee camp on Tuesday.

Video images reportedly from Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al-Balah showed injured and dead victims including children after the strike on Maghazi refugee camp in the centre of the enclave.

Hunger peril

Wednesday's appeal covers assistance to 3.1 million people between now and the end of the year.

It envisages helping 2.3 million people in the Gaza Strip where food insecurity experts have warned that imminent famine looms in the north after more than six months of intense Israeli bombardment and a ground offensive, launched in response to Hamas-led terror attacks in southern Israel last October.

Street vendor kids

"Famine is imminent in the northern governates and projected to occur anytime between now and May 2024; more than half the population of Gaza is facing catastrophic levels of hunger," OCHA said, adding that markets lack basic food items and rely on informal suppliers offering aid rations.

"A concerning trend identified is the rise of reselling humanitarian aid in markets, particularly informal street vendors, many of whom are young children."

Leading the appeal, OCHA noted that the funding request covered the requirements of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, which continues to be "the backbone" of the humanitarian response in Gaza and the West Bank.

UNRWA's key role

"Two thirds of the population of Gaza - 1.6 million people - are Palestine refugees registered with UNRWA," OCHA said, adding that nearly one million of the 1.7 million displaced people now shelter across 450 UNRWA and public shelters, or in the vicinity of the UN agency.

OCHA added that UNRWA has more than 13,000 staff in Gaza, with more than 3,500 engaged in aid relief. "In times of emergency, (UNRWA's) support is extended to the broader population," it said, adding that the UN agency also serves 1.1 million Palestine refugees and other registered persons in the West Bank, of whom 890,000 are refugees.

Water plight

Lack of access to clean water continues to be a major humanitarian concern, OCHA noted, with only one of three water pipelines coming from Israel still operational at only at 47 per cent capacity.

There are also fewer than 20 groundwater wells which only work "when fuel is available" and no fully functional wastewater treatment systems, OCHA reported, adding that sewage overflow has happened "in many areas adding to the public health risk across Gaza".

Rafah concerns

Citing a recent WASH assessment led by UNICEF, OCHA noted that it had found that within the 75 sites assessed in Rafah - covering a population of approximately 750,000 people - one third had water sources that were unsafe for drinking.

This included 68 per cent of the UNRWA collective centres, and average water availability was just three litres per person per day.

Following the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Gaza earlier this month, humanitarians have voiced repeated concerns about a military operation against Hamas's military wing by Israeli Defense Forces in the city of Rafah which borders Egypt and where more than a million people currently shelter.

Needs remain dire in northern Gaza amid ongoing aid obstacles including refusals from Israeli authorities to allow access for humanitarian missions.

Tedros concern

In a social media post on Wednesday, UN World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted how Monday's mission to Gaza City had been "severely delayed, leaving less time" to assess damage and requirements at the devastated Al-Shifa Hospital and Indonesian Hospital.

"The removal of dead bodies at Al-Shifa is still ongoing," Tedros said on X. "The emergency department is being cleaned by health workers and burnt beds have been removed. The safety of the remaining construction still needs a thorough engineering assessment."

The Indonesian Hospital is now empty but efforts are underway to open it again, Tedros said.

The Palestinian Medical Relief Society medical point is admitting trauma patients but remains "in dire need of fuel and medical supplies", which the UN health agency chief pledged to deliver.

"The level of destruction of Gaza's hospitals is heartbreaking. We again call for hospitals to be protected, not attacked or militarized."

Latest data from the enclave's health authorities indicates that at least 33,800 Palestinians have been killed and over 76,500 wounded in Gaza since 7 October. The death toll in Israel from Hamas's October 7 attacks stands at 1,139 and dozens of people are still being held captive in Gaza.

Some 259 Israeli soldiers have been killed in ground operations in the enclave with more than 1,570 injured, according to the UN aid coordination office, OCHA.

Humanitarian action

Wednesday's appeal replaces a previous call for funds in October 2023 that was updated in November and extended through March 2024.

The $2.8 billion figure represents only part of the nearly $4.1 billion that the UN and partners estimate is required to meet the needs of the most vulnerable but it reflects what aid teams believe is implementable over the coming nine months.

Later on Wednesday, the UN Security Council was due to discuss the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East, with a briefing by UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini.

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'Insidious campaign' by Israel is denying life-saving aid to Gaza says UNRWA chief

17 April 2024 - The Commissioner-General of the UN relief agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) briefed the Security Council in New York on Wednesday as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens, telling ambassadors that life-saving deliveries are being blocked by Israel as part of an "insidious campaign" to push it out of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

UNRWA is the "backbone" of the aid effort in support of over two million Gazans displaced and battered by war with more than 33,000 killed - mostly women and children - and over 76,000 injured said UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini.

UNRWA briefing HIGHLIGHTS

The agency is a 'stabilizing force', providing the backbone of the entire aid operation in Gaza

A man-made famine is tightening its grip but UNRWA is being denied permission to delivery enough life-saving aid

UNRWA is facing an Israeli campaign 'to push it out of the Occupied Palestinian Territory

178 UNRWA workers have been killed and 160 premises destroyed or damaged - killing more than 400 Gazans

Mr. Lazzarini demanded an independent investigation into the blatant disregard for protection of humanitarian workers during the conflict

UNRWA is 'firmly committed' to implementing any recommendations to strengthen neutrality safeguards

Dismantling UNRWA would have "lasting repercussions" and will condemn "an entire generation to despair"

Palestinians and Israelis share a long history of grief and loss. We must recognize "that they are equally deserving of a peaceful and secure future"

For summaries of this and other key UN meetings, visit our colleagues at the UN Meetings Coverage in English and French

5:23 PM

UNRWA must not be broken: Jordan

Ayman Safadi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan said Israel wanted to break UNRWA, the backbone of humanitarian efforts in Gaza, urging Member States not to allow this.

UNRWA deserves your support because only UNRWA has the ability to meaningfully help Palestinians in Gaza, who are starving, and provide vital services to Palestinian refugees across the region.

The disinformation campaign the Israeli government has been spreading against UNRWA must not shape the world's view of the agency, he said.

UNRWA has nothing to hide and it has faced up to its responsibilities, committing to fix any wrongdoings or shortfalls - should any be found.

He said Israel's "witch hunt" had started long before allegations were made against a dozen staffers.

The purpose of the attack on UNRWA is to destroy the rights of Palestinian refugees but it will not succeed, he told ambassadors.

UNRWA must be protected now, in the same way it has been protected in the past.

4:55 PM

'The time has come to defund UNRWA': Israel

Israel's Ambassador Gilad Erdan said UNRWA was "one of the weapons" crafted by the General Assembly which was only prolonging the Middle East conflict.

"UNRWA, the organization that so many of you [UN members] fund, is the UN's single biggest obstacle to a solution," he said, stressing that the agency "is creating a sea of Palestinian refugees, millions of them, indoctrinated to believe that Israel belongs to them".

"The end goal is to use these so-called refuges and their libelous right of return - a right that doesn't exist - to flood Israel and destroy the Jewish State," he added.

Ambassador Erdan said that just because "UNRWA has a thin layer of Europeans in charge of collecting donations and garnering support, it does not change the fact that UNRWA is a Palestinian organization fully committed to the Jewish State's destruction."

Which other group of refugees, he asked, has a UN body dedicated to them, while there are millions of other refugees in other crisis zones aided only by UNHCR - the UN refugee agency.

"UNRWA is the world's biggest advocate for a 'one-State solution', a Palestinian State from the river to the sea," he said.

"There are alternatives to UNRWA, among them NGOs and other UN agencies," said the Israeli Ambassador.

"Israel cannot and will not allow UNRWA to continue in Gaza as it did in the past, I repeat there are alternatives to UNRWA, and it is up to you [UN members] if they can succeed...the time has come to defund UNRWA," he concluded.

4:48 PM

Palestine: Ground invasion and airstrikes must end

Ziad Abu Amr, Special Representative of the President of Palestine, expressed his appreciation for UNRWA and all other humanitarians providing critical relief.

"We salute your courage and your dedication as you carry out this noble humanitarian mission, risking your own lives to provide relief for our people," he said, while offering his condolences to those killed performing their duties.

Mr. Ziad said lives cannot be saved or relief provided in Gaza as long as Israel continues its ground invasion and air strikes.

He call for international pressure to increase on Israel to ensure respect for international law, including international humanitarian law.

Stating that "massacres" against innocent people in Gaza have been ongoing for six months, he asked: is it not "high time for this killing, this destruction and displacement to stop?"

He recalled the General Assembly resolution that established UNRWA and gave it its mandate:

"This is when the question of the Palestinian refugees is solved. Based on that, the General Assembly renews UNRWA's mandate periodically - despite every attempt and campaign to cut if off from the United Nations," he said.

Mr. Ziad added that the agency is "not a mere humanitarian project", stressing that it is a "historic witness" of the commitment and obligation by the international community regarding Palestinian refugees forced from their homes after the 1948 Nakba.

4:26 PM

UNRWA must reform to ensure neutrality: France

Representative of France Nathalie Broadhurst said her country would pay its annual contribution for 2024, to allow UNRWA's humanitarian operations to continue.

She said all crossing points must be opened up so that the UN can deliver aid at scale, including to the north.

The agency plays "an indispensable" and important role for refugees and host countries while advocating for a just, equitable, realistic, and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

However, 75 years after its creation, UNRWA must be reformed and ensure absolute respect for the principle of neutrality, she continued.

The allegations that some UNRWA employees participated in the October 7 terrorist attacks against Israel are extremely serious.

France took note took note of the interim report of the independent external audit led by a former French foreign minister, whose final conclusions will be made public in a matter of days.

France will be extremely vigilant regarding the full implementation of the report's recommendations to ensure UNRWA fully respects the "humanitarian principles of independence, neutrality and impartiality" which it must operate under.

Hostages being held must be released without delay and a ceasefire implemented, ahead of a two-State solution. The Palestinian Authority has a key role to play and she urged members to support the French draft resolution currently under discussion.

4:20 PM

Israel must end smear campaign against UNRWA: China

China's Deputy Ambassador Geng Shuang said UNRWA was indispensable for the humanitarian efforts in Palestine, and cannot be replaced.

He urged Israel to stop interfering with UNRWA's work. China supports an independent investigation on the allegations against certain members of UNRWA's staff, but the results should not be predetermined, he said.

China also rejects vicious attacks on the agency in the absence of any solid evidence and called on Israel to end its smear campaign.

He reiterated China's call for an immediate ceasefire because providing aid while bombardment continues is simply an impossible task.

He called on the US to remain impartial, urging the international community to take measures which would force Israel to respect Security Council resolutions.

Mr. Shuang said the Council was due to vote on Palestine's full UN membership bid within days and China is hopeful they will prevail.

4:17 PM

UNRWA critical to aid effort in Gaza: UK

UK Ambassador Barbara Woodward recalled the mandate assigned to UNRWA some 75 years ago saying it remains "as important as ever".

She said UNRWA's work was "critical" to aid delivery in the Gaza Strip, calling on Israel to allow the agency and other humanitarian entities "unhindered access" in the enclave, particularly in the north.

"UNRWA is the main provider of humanitarian relief within Gaza and other UN and humanitarian actors depend on UNRWA's distribution network to get aid to those in need," she said.

Ambassador Woodward further recognized the agency's role in providing health and education services, providing humanitarian support across the Middle East region, stressing its importance to regional stability, especially during the current crisis.

She said the UK was appalled by allegations that some UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October attacks on Israel, noting the ongoing investigations.

"We also emphasize the importance of UNRWA continuing robust management reform, including stronger independent oversight and better detection systems, and we look forward to seeing the findings and recommendations of former French Foreign Minister [Catherine] Colonna's independent review into UNRWA neutrality processes and systems," she added.

"As our Prime Minister said this week, we will clarify the UK's position on funding once we have reviewed these," she said.

3:59 PM

US: 'Deeply concerned' Israel has not done enough to protect lives

US Ambassador Robert Wood, Deputy Permanent Representative, said the conflict has been one of the worst in recent memory in terms of the number of aid workers killed.

"These incidents are unacceptable, humanitarian workers must be protected," he stressed, adding that the US is "deeply concerned Israel has not done enough to protect humanitarian aid workers or civilians."

He recalled the draft resolution introduced by the US at the Security Council last month and reiterated the call for protection of humanitarians.

"As President [Joe] Biden conveyed to Israeli Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu on 4 April, that Israel must 'implement a series of specific, concrete and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering and the safety of aid workers'," he said.

"US policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by Israel's immediate and sustained actions on these steps," he added.

Ambassador Wood further noted that the US paused additional funding to UNRWA over allegations that its personnel were involved in the 7 October attacks, and that the US Congress has since prohibited additional contributions until at least March 2025.

"We urge UNRWA and the wider UN system to take all steps necessary to strengthen the neutrality of the organization and improve UNRWA's sustainability," he said, while recognizing UNRWA's "indispensable role" in distributing aid and maintaining continuity of care in Gaza.

"We urge UNRWA's continued humanitarian access in Gaza and the lifting of onerous restrictions on its work," he added.

3:48 PM

UNRWA's role is indispensable: Russia

Russia's Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said his country had repeatedly warned that in the absence of a full-fledged, sustainable ceasefire, "all of our humanitarian efforts are doomed."

No amount of voluntary deconfliction will help if one of the sides is determined to continue hostilities, especially when signals are received from one Security Council member, the United States, that Council resolutions do not have binding force.

The last resolution 2728 calling for a ceasefire during Ramadan, is clearly not enough, he added.

In these circumstances, the role of UNRWA is irreplaceable. If UNRWA cannot function, we will have "yet another illegal and immoral tool" for the collective punishment of millions of Palestinians "in dire need of aid."

He condemned attempts to discredit the agency, calling for the restoration of all funding, even before the investigations are concluded. Russia will continue providing comprehensive assistance he added, as UNRWA's work is not humanitarian, but also has an important stabilizing effect on the entire Middle East region.

3:26 PM

UNRWA: 'Indispensible lifeline' says Malta

Speaking in his national capacity Foreign Minister of Malta, Ian Borg said UNRWA was "an indispensable lifeline for Palestine refugees" in Gaza, the West Bank and elsewhere in the region, as well as a "stabilizing force"

"Preserving the lifesaving role and operations of UNRWA must be our primary objective," he stressed.

He also voiced deep concern over the continued hostilities and the harrowing humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, and ongoing attacks against humanitarian and medical personnel.

"We are witnessing an entire population being brought to the brink of conflict-induced starvation, with credible reports that famine has already taken hold in the north [Gaza]."

Foreign Minister Borg welcomed the UN's swift response in the establishment two investigations into the "deeply concerning" allegations of involvement of UNRWA staff in the 7 October terror attacks.

He also welcomed the independent review into UNRWA's neutrality, noting that the interim report indicated "UNRWA has in place a significant number of mechanisms and procedures to ensure compliance with humanitarian principal of neutrality."

"We now look forward to outcome of both inquiries...and call on all parties to fully cooperate with these inquiries," he said, urging donors to resume "desperately needed funding."

3:32 PM

UNRWA is a pillar of Palestine: Algeria

Ahmed Attaf, Minister for foreign affairs of Algeria, said UNRWA was the last glimpse of hope for the Palestinian people. It embodies the ideals and the values on which this Organization is built.

UNRWA is the best and most authentic witness to the modern "Nakba" - referencing the mass expulsion of Palestinians by Israel in 1948 - and it has been targeted in a shameful way and on a fallacious pretext to ensure its destruction.

It reflects the plight of Palestinian refugees and their right to go back to their homeland. UNRWA is a pillar of Palestine, he said.

The international community must protect it, facilitate its vital activities, and stop any Israeli attempt to transfer its work to other humanitarian agencies.

He called on all countries to resume funding for UNRWA

Algeria calls all countries to resume their financial contributions to UNRWA and said his country would make an exceptional contribution of $15 million, on top of other national contributions.

The Palestinian cause is indivisible, and we are convinced that Israel cannot be allowed to act in defiance of the entire international community, he said. The two-state solution cannot be held hostage by what he called Israeli manipulation.

3:15 PM

'Insidious campaign' to end UNRWA aid operation in Gaza: Lazzarini

UNRWA is the backbone of the aid effort to stop Gaza slipping into famine, Mr. Lazzarini told ambassadors, and beyond that it has championed Palestinian development for decades.

"Today an insidious campaign to end UNRWA's operations is underway, with serious implications for international peace and security", he said.

Now it faces an existential threat as relentless bombing and "a merciless siege have transformed Gaza beyond recognition."

Children have begun to die of malnutrition and dehydration, he said, while food and clean water are just across the border.

Stopped from saving lives

"But UNRWA is denied permission to deliver this aid and save lives. This outrage is occurring despite consecutive orders by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to increase the flow of aid into Gaza - which can be done if there is the political will", he added.

Security Council members "have the power to make a difference", he declared, with an overwhelming majority of Member States backing UNRWA.

The Israeli Government "seeks to end" the agency and requests to deliver aid to the stricken north are being repeatedly denied.

Mr. Lazzarini noted the challenges UNRWA has been facing since the war started, including attacks on its premises and staff, killing 178 personnel and damaging or destroying over 160 premises.

Demand for independent investigation

He said their premises have been used for military purposes, by Israeli forces, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups, and its headquarters occupied militarily.

UNRWA personnel detained by Israeli security forces have shared "harrowing accounts" of mistreatment and torture in detention.

"We demand an independent investigation and accountability for the blatant disregard for the protected status of humanitarian workers, operations, and facilities under international law," he stressed.

"To do otherwise would set a dangerous precedent and compromise humanitarian work around the world."

The UNRWA chief addressed the allegations against individual agency personnel of involvement in the 7 October attacks: "Horrified by the allegations, I immediately terminated the appointments of those concerned," he said, noting the investigation ordered by the Secretary-General as well as the independent review on how UNRWA upholds its neutrality.

He added that despite the prompt and decisive actions, a significant amount of donor funding remains suspended, with serious operational implications.

Committed to review findings

"Be assured that we remain firmly committed to implementing the recommendations of the review and to strengthening existing safeguards against neutrality breaches," Mr. Lazzarini said.

He also warned that dismantling UNRWA will have "lasting repercussions".

"It will make nearly impossible the formidable task of bringing half a million deeply distressed girls and boys back to learning," he said, stressing that "failing to deliver on education will condemn an entire generation to despair - fueling anger, resentment, and endless cycles of violence.

"A political solution cannot succeed in such a scenario."

"I urge you to commit to a genuine political process culminating in a solution that can bring peace to Palestinians and Israelis," he told ambassadors, calling for an acknowledgement that a political process alone will not guarantee a sustainable peace.

"We must recognize - and reflect in our words and actions - that Palestinians and Israelis share a long and profound experience of grief and loss. That they are equally deserving of a peaceful and secure future."

3:10 PM

The meeting is just getting underway with the Foreign Minister of Malta Ian Borg presiding, since his country holds the presidency for the month.

Members stood for a minute of silence in memory of all those humanitarian workers killed in the line of duty.

1:40 PM - Philippe Lazzarini has said the agency is facing a "deliberate and concerted campaign" to undermine its operations at a time when it's crucial services - delivered by over 12,000 mostly local staff in Gaza - are most needed.

So far, some 178 UNRWA officials working in Gaza have been killed since Israel's bombardment and military campaign began last October.

In January, the Israeli Government presented the UN with information accusing 12 UNRWA employees of taking part in the 7 October terror attacks but has yet to provide that evidence to the organisation. UNRWA nevertheless terminated their employment and began an internal investigation.

The UN chief also set up an independent review overseen by a former French foreign minister Catherine Colonna, which is due to report at the end of this week.

Funding crisis

Some 16 countries led by the United States announced a funding freeze for UNRWA - or suspension of future funding - in response to the allegations of collusion but some of those countries have since reversed course and resumed funding.

Mr. Lazzarini wrote to the General Assembly, which provides UNRWA its mandate, and later briefed Member States in March, saying the agency was at "breaking point" across the region and under serious threat of grinding to a halt.

Israel's announcement in late March that they would no longer approve any UNRWA food convoys into northern Gaza meant that the clock is ticking "faster towards famine", he said on X, formerly Twitter.

Diplomacy continues in New York

Ambassadors last met on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza on 5 April when they heard top UN aid officials make an appeal for the Security Council to help end the carnage there six months on from the start of the conflict.

The Maltese mission which holds the presidency for the month of April said in a post on X, that there will be a vote on a draft resolution put forward by Algeria this coming Friday.

The draft is focused on the diplomatic push by some countries to admit Palestine as a full Member State of the UN, in the wake of the crisis in the Middle East.

Although a special committee on UN membership did not come up with a conclusive recommendation this week, the Algeria draft recommends to the General Assembly that the State of Palestine "be admitted to membership in the United Nations."

Here's a reminder of the HIGHLIGHTS from the Council meeting on 25 March which passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire during Ramadan:

The UN Security Council adopts a resolution tabled by its 10 non-permanent members (E-10) demanding a ceasefire in Gaza during Ramadan, by a vote of 14 in favour to none against, with one abstention (United States)

tabled by its 10 non-permanent members (E-10) demanding a ceasefire in Gaza during Ramadan, by a vote of 14 in favour to none against, with one abstention (United States) Resolution 2728 also calls for the immediate release of hostages and for ensuring humanitarian access to Gaza

The Council rejected a Russia-proposed amendment that would have called for a permanent ceasefire

The US ambassador said her delegation "fully supports" the critical objectives of the draft

Algeria's ambassador says the ceasefire will end "the bloodbath"

"This must be a turning point," says the ambassador for the observer State of Palestine

The draft's lack of condemnation of Hamas is "a disgrace", says Israel's ambassador

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Kendall, Allvin, Saltzman continue modernization drumbeat, need for Congress to approve budgets on time

Published April 17, 2024

By WASHINGTON (AFNS)

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

Department of the Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall and the top-ranking military leaders from the Air Force and Space Force told a House committee April 17 that adequately defending the nation against modern-day adversaries demands the services modernize quickly and that Congress deliver funding in a timely and predictable manner.

The dominant messages from Kendall, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin and Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman were nearly word-for-word identical to the views they expressed the day before to members of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a week earlier to a Senate Appropriations subcommittee.

"As you are aware, the six-month delay has had a real impact. That time cannot be recovered, but at least we can now move forward with our urgent modernization priorities," Kendall told the House Armed Services Committee, referring to the current year's budget being finalized last month instead of Oct. 1, 2023, when the fiscal year began.

"Time is my greatest concern - we are in a race for military technological superiority with a capable pacing challenge," Kendall told lawmakers. "Our cushion is gone - we are out of time. As we have briefed the Committee at a classified level, the pacing threat moves steadily forward. Continued failure to provide on-time authorities and appropriations will leave the Air Force and Space Force inadequately prepared."

But departing from his prepared remarks, Kendall also used Iran's recent barrage of more than 300 ballistic missiles, drones and cruise missiles against Israel to vividly illustrate the stakes the United States, the Air Force and Space Force face today in competition with China.

"What Iran encountered was a highly contested environment. And what we face with China is a highly contested environment," Kendall told the committee of the April 13 attack in which nearly every one of the weapons launched against Israel was intercepted by a coalition that included the United States.

"What I'm dedicated to - and what we're all dedicated to here - is ensuring that the U.S. never has a result like Iran had in its attempt to attack Israel," Kendall said. "That's what's driving a lot of what we're doing and why it's so important to move on from legacy systems that weren't designed for that type of environment to ones that are designed for it and are capable of coping with that."

With that aside, the focus and priorities highlighted by Kendall, Allvin and Saltzman echoed the ones that have been voiced before. That the services must modernize to account for and meet China's actions and its growing military and position the services to meet the challenge. The three leaders provided insight and analysis on the Department's recently released $217.5 billion budget request for the 2025 fiscal year which begins October 1. They spoke about the trade-offs that were made and how the spending fits into the nation's larger national security strategy and why having a new budget in place on time is critical.

"The simultaneous demands of strategic competition with an aggressive and increasingly capable (China) and persistent, acute threats from around the globe require the Air Force to maximize the readiness of today's forces, while adapting our structures and processes to offer the best opportunity to prevail in an environment of enduring great power competition," Allvin said, adding, "Time is not on our side."

In describing the plans and needs for space, Saltzman was as clear and emphatic as he was in early congressional appearances. He also highlighted a new strategy the Space Force recently unveiled to better use commercial space firms to help the service achieve missions and develop new, more sophisticated equipment faster. Lawmakers offered general praise for the effort.

"Against a near-peer adversary, space superiority is the linchpin. Without it, we cannot deter conflict. Without it, we cannot provide vital effects. Without it, we cannot protect the joint force. Until we have built the infrastructure to achieve space superiority, the Space Force is a work in progress," he said.

For space, Saltzman said, "Our budget request is designed to build, train and equip the forces we need to perform each activity, preserving freedom of action in space while deterring and denying adversarial objectives."

As is typical, questions from lawmakers during the House hearing, which lasted nearly 2  hours, were varied and diverse, touching on topics ranging from the utility of a three-legged nuclear deterrent to mission capable rates for the frontline F-35 fighter, to the analysis driving decisions to divest planes and platforms to changes in recruiting and retention. From the two hearings this week came questions about diversity and equality programs, the Space Force's plans for space functions currently assigned within the Air National Guard, and more local concerns such as plans for bases in Michigan and Nebraska.

Kendall said the nuclear triad of land based ballistic missiles, submarine launched missiles and, finally, weapons attached to aircraft remains a valid approach. That system, he said, ensures the U.S. retains the ability to respond if needed and that certainty underwrites nuclear deterrence that has been successful for generations.

In response to repeated questions about Space Force's preference to transition Guardsmen to part-time Guardian positions within the Space Force in place of creating a Space National Guard, Kendall said the vigorous debate was out of proportion to the actual effect since only an estimated 600 personnel would be affected.

Additionally, he said that the personnel would operate much like they would if in the National Guard and that using a new law approved last year is more effective and efficient.

"It's a shame this has become politicized," Kendall said, noting that the law Congress approved last year gives Space Force flexibility in managing part time Guardians while avoiding additional bureaucracy and overhead.

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TOKYO, Apr 18 (News On Japan) - The Japanese government plans to impose fines of 20% on domestic sales of major IT companies like Apple and Google to curb monopolistic practices such as hindering new entrants in the smartphone app market.

The penalty exceeds the existing antitrust laws by threefold and could be increased to 30% if no improvements are seen. The bill also includes provisions that mandate the opening of app stores and payment systems and prohibit the preferential display of their own services. The government aims to pass the bill in the current session of the legislature.

Source: BIZ
SECNAV Del Toro Meets with Wisconsin Governor, Michigan Cabinet, and Leadership of Fincantieri Marinette Marine

US Navy - Press Release

17 April 2024

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro and senior members of his staff met with Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, members of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer's cabinet, and the leadership of Fincantieri Marinette Marine to coalesce federal, state, and local initiatives to ensure timely completion and delivery of the Constellation-class frigate.

Secretary Del Toro held these meetings around the keel laying of the future USS Constellation (FFG 62), the lead ship in the Constellation-class, awarded to Fincantieri Marinette Marine in 2020. In addition to Governor Evers, participants included Secretary Amy Pechacek of Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development, Director Susan Corbin of Michigan's Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity, Major General Paul Rogers of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, and CEO Quentin Messer of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

A key area of discussion centered on ways to improve workforce recruitment, retention, and quality of life at Fincantieri Marinette Marine. Workforce attrition has been a significant driver of delays in the Constellation-class program. The Navy has assessed that USS Constellation (FFG 62) will deliver to the fleet in 2029. Secretary Del Toro directed the Navy program office and Fincantieri Marinette Marine to spare no effort to improve this timeline.

"America's Northern Coast is our nation's manufacturing heartland," Secretary Del Toro affirmed. "I am determined to fully harness the Midwest's industrial might and renowned workers on behalf of American seapower."

Secretary Del Toro continued, "In our meetings with Governor Evers and Governor Whitmer's Cabinet, I was gratified by their shared commitment to helping us mobilize the world-class skilled workforce in Wisconsin and Michigan to meet our Navy's needs, both now and into the future. The Navy's investments in Wisconsin and Michigan under the Biden Administration are bringing good paying new-collar and blue-collar jobs to these states, building thriving communities that will play a critical role in our national security for decades to come."

The Constellation-class guided missile frigate represents the Navy's next generation small surface combatant. Constellation will be an agile, multi-mission warship capable of operations in both blue-water and littoral environments, delivering competition and combat-credible forward presence.

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Biden calls for quick congressional passage of Ukraine, Israel aid

By VOA News April 17, 2024

U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday voiced his strong support for more military aid for Ukraine and Israel and humanitarian assistance for Palestinians in Gaza after House Speaker Mike Johnson said the House of Representatives will vote on the funding packages Saturday night.

Johnson had wavered for weeks about calling a vote on the foreign aid, with some right-wing lawmakers in his Republican caucus opposing more assistance for Ukraine's two-year fight against Russia's invasion and threatening to try to oust him from the speakership if he proceeded with a vote.

Biden, a Democrat, said in a statement, "Israel is facing unprecedented attacks from Iran, and Ukraine is facing continued bombardment from Russia that has intensified dramatically in the last month."

"The House must pass the package this week and the Senate should quickly follow," he said. "I will sign this into law immediately to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends, and we won't let Iran or Russia succeed."

In a Wall Street Journal opinion piece, Biden called the Senate-approved version of the Ukraine and Israel aid package "strong and sensible," adding, "it shouldn't be held hostage any longer by a small group of extreme Republican House members."

The U.S. leader said Russian President Vladimir Putin "wants to subjugate the people of Ukraine and absorb their nation into a new Russian empire. The government of Iran wants to destroy Israel forever  wiping the world's only Jewish state off the map."

He said the weaponry to help Ukraine would be manufactured in the U.S., helping the American economy. Trying to allay the concerns of some of his fellow Democrats who oppose more funding for Israel's war against Hamas militants, Biden said the package would "continue delivering urgent humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza."

Johnson told his Republican colleagues he will hold votes on three separate funding packages for Ukraine, Israel and U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific, and address other foreign policy priorities in a fourth bill and U.S.-Mexico border security in a fifth measure.

Johnson proposed that the economic assistance for Kyiv be structured as forgivable loans, and that there be greater oversight on the funding. But the decision to even allow a vote on the Ukraine aid, which is likely to pass with robust support from Democratic lawmakers, angered populist Republican conservatives in the House.

Even getting to a rare Saturday night vote on the funding measures will need Democratic support on procedural votes before the spending packages can be considered.

Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia has threatened to try to force a vote to oust Johnson from the speakership, which makes him second in line to the presidency, if he goes ahead with the Ukraine aid vote. Another Republican, Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, said he was joining Greene and called for Johnson to resign.

"You are seriously out of step with Republicans by continuing to pass bills dependent on Democrats," Greene said of Johnson on the social media platform X. "Everyone sees through this."

In trying to satisfy conservatives, Johnson said he would hold a separate vote on a U.S.-Mexico border security package that encompasses most of a bill that was already passed by House Republicans last year, although it was rejected by the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Representative Mike Turner, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and Representative Jim Himes, the panel's lead Democrat, issued a joint statement Tuesday saying that they had been informed in a classified briefing that there is a "critical need" to provide funding for Ukraine this week.

"The United States must stand against Putin's war of aggression now as Ukraine's situation on the ground is critical," the lawmakers said in a statement.

In a separate hearing on Wednesday, Pentagon leaders testified that Ukraine and Israel both desperately need more military weapons.

"We're already seeing things on the battlefield begin to shift a bit in Russia's favor," said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Some material in this report came from Agence France-Presse and The Associated Press.

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Qatar evaluating role as mediator between Israel, Hamas

By VOA News April 17, 2024

Qatar is rethinking its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, its prime minister said Wednesday during a press conference with his Turkish counterpart in Doha.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said, without elaborating, that its mediation had been abused.

"At this point right now, we are reevaluating our role as mediators and how the parties are engaged with this mediation," he said.

Al Thani said there were "limits" to what Qatar can do as a mediator, though top leaders of Hamas live in exile in the country.

Earlier Wednesday, Al Thani said that negotiations for a new cease-fire in Gaza were at a "delicate phase," and that efforts were being made to address barriers to reaching a deal.

Qatar, Egypt and the United States have been involved in talks to secure a halt in fighting that would include the release of some hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza and the freeing of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the issue in a phone call with the Qatari prime minister on Tuesday. The U.S. State Department said the two officials reaffirmed "the importance of continuing to work closely together in the days ahead to achieve a cease-fire in Gaza that secures the release of all hostages."

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron called Wednesday for the world to focus its attention on the hostages, and for Hamas to immediately release the hostages and accept the cease-fire proposal.

"The only reason the conflict continues in Gaza is because they won't take that deal," Cameron said during a visit to Israel. "We need the hostages out. We need the aid in."

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh is scheduled to travel to Turkey in the coming days for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Three of Haniyeh's sons and several of his grandchildren died in an Israeli strike on Gaza this month.

Military campaign

Israel's military continued its campaign Wednesday, saying its forces had carried out airstrikes on more than 40 Hamas targets during the past day.

The Health Ministry in Gaza said Wednesday that Israeli military actions killed at least 56 people in the past day, bringing the total since the war began to at least 33,899. The ministry says two-thirds of those killed are women and children.

Israel has most recently concentrated its attacks on central Gaza, after pummeling northern Gaza and informing southern Gaza that an offensive there is imminent.

At a hospital morgue in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, the Nouri family mourned Wednesday over body bags. An Israeli assault Tuesday on their family home, officials say, killed 11 people, including children.

"Oh, people of the world, what is happening is wrong! Have mercy on us! Stop the war," a man inside the hospital wailed, Reuters reported.

An Israeli airstrike on a house in Rafah in southern Gaza killed seven Palestinians, including a woman and three children, medics said.

Gaza is on the brink of famine, numerous agencies have reported, but the U.S. and Israel say access to aid has improved this month. Food trucks entered Gaza's Ashdod Port for the first time since Israel approved its opening for aid shipments, the military said Wednesday.

Israel launched its offensive in response to the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people, according to Israeli figures. Militants also took about 250 people hostage. Israel says about 130 hostages remain in captivity, but one-quarter of them are dead. Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., U.K., EU and others.

Israeli tanks pushed back into parts of the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, and the Israeli military warned Palestinians not to return. Israel said it does not want the Palestinians to return because it fears Hamas militants will regroup there.

Palestinian UN membership

The U.N. Security Council could vote as early as Thursday on a resolution recommending full member status for the Palestinian Authority.

If the Security Council recommends the Palestinian Authority's application, the U.N. General Assembly can approve it with a two-thirds majority vote.

But the measure's fate at the Security Council is unclear, with the United States holding one of the council's veto-holding positions.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Wednesday during a visit to South Korea that the United States does not see the resolution as part of the path to achieving a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement last month that the United States sees a two-state solution as "the only path toward an enduring peace."

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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Chief of relief agency UNRWA pushes back against Israeli accusations

By Margaret Besheer April 17, 2024

The head of the embattled U.N. agency that assists Palestinian refugees said Wednesday that as famine is taking hold across Gaza, the agency is facing an Israeli campaign to push it out of the occupied Palestinian territories and prevent it from carrying out its humanitarian mission.

"In Gaza, the government of Israel seeks to end UNRWA's activities," Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told the U.N. Security Council. "The agency's requests to deliver aid to the north are repeatedly denied. Our staff are barred from coordination meetings between Israel and humanitarian actors."

He also accused Israel of targeting UNRWA staff and premises, saying that 178 staff have been killed, and that more than 160 UNWRA premises, mostly used as shelters, have been damaged or destroyed, killing more than 400 people since the war started in October.

Lazzarini said Israeli security forces have also detained UNRWA staff, who have described mistreatment and torture in detention.

"We demand an independent investigation and accountability for the blatant disregard for the protected status of humanitarian workers, operations and facilities under international law," Lazzarini told the council. "To do otherwise would set a dangerous precedent and compromise humanitarian work around the world."

Israeli criticism

Israeli officials have criticized UNRWA for years, alleging that Hamas uses its schools for terrorist activities and promotes an anti-Israel curriculum. After the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel, the rhetoric intensified.

Lazzarini said Israeli allegations against UNRWA are politically motivated because Israel wants to end the refugee status of millions of Palestinians.

"Accusations that UNRWA deliberately perpetrates refugee status are false and dishonest," he said. "The agency exists because a political solution does not."

He said dismantling the agency would in the short term deepen the humanitarian crisis and speed the onset of famine, and in the long-term, hurt reconstruction of Gaza.

In January, Israel alleged that 12 UNRWA staffers were involved in Hamas' deadly Oct. 7 attacks. The staffers were immediately fired, and an internal investigation was launched. But in the aftermath, 16 donors, including top contributor the United States, suspended contributions totaling around $450 million.

Since then, several donors have resumed funding, but the U.S. Congress has frozen further contributions until at least March 2025. Lazzarini said the agency currently has funding to cover operations through June.

"The time has come to defund UNRWA," Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan told the council. He accused the Palestinians of having "hijacked" and "weaponized" the agency shortly after its creation in 1949.

"UNRWA's goal is not aid or real education," Erdan said. "In practice, UNRWA is creating a sea of Palestinian 'refugees'  millions of them  indoctrinated to believe Israel belongs to them. And the end goal is to use these so-called refugees and their libelous 'right of return'  a right that doesn't exist  to flood Israel and destroy the Jewish state."

Since 1948, U.N. resolutions have called on Israel to facilitate the return of Palestinian refugees and provide compensation for their loss of land and property.

Jordan requested Wednesday's meeting. Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said with 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza facing hunger and famine, UNRWA is needed more than ever.

"The suffering is beyond words," Safadi said. "Only one agency has the knowledge, the ability and the infrastructure to help ease it. It is UNRWA, the backbone of humanitarian efforts in Gaza, and Israel wants to break it. Do not allow it to do so."

While Washington has suspended its funding, it says UNRWA is still necessary.

"We recognize UNRWA's indispensable role in distributing humanitarian assistance and maintaining continuity of care in Gaza, and we urge UNRWA's continued humanitarian access in Gaza and the lifting of onerous restrictions on its work," U.S. envoy Robert Wood said.

"The United States is gravely concerned about the dire food insecurity and the very real risk of imminent famine. UNRWA is critical to averting this."

He urged UNRWA to implement reforms and strengthen its management and oversight.

The General Assembly established the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA, in 1949 to assist some 700,000 Palestinian refugees displaced in the aftermath of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War that broke out after Israel became a state in May that year.

Today, it operates not just in the Gaza Strip and West Bank but also in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, where there are large Palestinian refugee communities. Nearly 6 million Palestinians are eligible for UNRWA services, which include education and health care.

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Hezbollah launches retaliatory strike in northern part of Israel

By VOA News April 17, 2024

Lebanon's Hezbollah launched a missile strike Wednesday on a military base in northern Israel that left 14 soldiers wounded, six of them seriously, according to media reports.

The strike was in response to one by Israel on Tuesday, Hezbollah said, that killed three people, including two local Hezbollah commanders and another operative in Ain Baal and Shehabiya.

Israel and Hezbollah, an Iran-backed ally of Hamas, have been exchanging cross-border fire since the start of the war in Gaza in October.

Following Wednesday's strike on Arab al-Aramshe, an Arab-majority village in northern Israel near the border with Lebanon, Israel said it "struck the sources of fire" by Hezbollah. Later, its fighter jets struck a building in eastern Lebanon that an Agence France-Presse photographer described as a food warehouse.

The continued tit-for-tat strikes raise concerns of further escalation, especially following the weekend strike by Iran on Israel that involved about 300 drones and missiles.

According to Reuters, at least 370 Lebanese, including more than 240 Hezbollah fighters and 68 civilians, have been killed. On the Israeli side, 18 soldiers and civilians have been killed.

Some information for this report came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse.

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India treads carefully amid rising Middle East tensions

By Suhail Anjum April 17, 2024

Mounting hostility between Israel and Iran is creating a diplomatic problem for India, which has long-standing and important relations with both countries.

Kallol Bhattacherjee, a senior foreign affairs analyst, says in the event of an Iran-Israel war, New Delhi cannot afford to support or oppose either of them.

Speaking to VOA, Bhattacherjee said 7 million Indians work in the Gulf countries and send more than $90 billion in foreign exchange to India annually. In the event of a war in the Middle East, Indian workers will be the most affected and remittances will stop.

Senior foreign affairs analyst Umashankar Singh says India has a strategic relationship with Israel and has a historical relationship with Iran.

He said India and Israel have been cooperating in various fields, including defense and technology, for decades, and Israel is the largest supplier of arms to India.

According to him, Iran was the second-largest supplier of oil to India before sanctions were imposed on it due to its nuclear program. Although India has not been able to buy oil from Iran for the past four years, the two countries still have close relations.

India and Iran signed a defense pact in 2002, while New Delhi has invested in the construction of Iran's Chabahar Port.

According to Bhattacherjee, Iran has helped India on issues including relations with Central Asian countries, communications with the Taliban and other security and defense matters.

Iran, Russia and India established the multilateral corridor model in September 2000 to promote cooperation in the transport sector. Later, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, Belarus, Oman, Syria and Bulgaria were included in this corridor.

The number of Indian workers in Iran is not high. According to India's ministry of external affairs, there are 4,000 Indian immigrants in Iran, while 18,000 Indians are working in Israel, many of them as caregivers, according to The Hindu newspaper. Another 6,000 are expected to arrive shortly to fill construction jobs left vacant by Palestinians because of the Israel-Hamas war, the newspaper said.

India and Israel had signed an agreement to send another 1,500 Indian workers to Israel, of whom the first group of 65 people arrived on April 2. The dispatch of a second group was postponed because of the threat of further Iran-Israel conflict.

Naor Gilon, Israeli ambassador in India, has said protection will be provided to the Indian workers.

This story originated in VOA's Urdu Service.

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Journalist jailed as Taliban continue media crackdown

By Akmal Dawi April 17, 2024

Free-press advocates are calling on de facto Taliban authorities in Afghanistan to release a local reporter jailed on unspecified charges.

Habib Rahman Taseer, a former Pashto-language reporter for Azadi Radio  a Prague-based affiliate of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, VOA's parent organization  was detained by the Taliban intelligence agency in Ghazni province this month.

According to the Afghanistan Journalists Center, or AFJC, he was subsequently transferred to a provincial prison on Wednesday.

"We demand his immediate and unconditional release," AFJC said in a statement.

The Taliban have banned VOA and Azadi Radio broadcasts in Afghanistan, accusing the U.S.-funded organizations of airing anti-Taliban content.

Both media entities firmly deny the accusation, instead saying that the Islamist regime stifles free press.

Officials at the Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture, which houses a commission that regulates media, did not respond to requests for comment regarding Taseer's detention.

"In the Taliban's directive for journalists, working for the banned outlets is considered a criminal act," Ahmad Queraishi, AFJC director, told VOA.

The Taliban continue to persecute reporters and contributors associated with Afghan media outlets operating from outside the country.

Two journalists inside Afghanistan told VOA that Taliban authorities routinely track individuals providing content to these banned organizations.

"I know of several individuals who were detained and only released after vouching they would not work for the banned channels," said one of the journalists, who asked not to be named for security reasons.

Several Azadi Radio journalists were killed in bombings in Afghanistan during the U.S. military engagement in the country that ended in 2021.

No female face, voice

On Tuesday, Afghanistan's state broadcaster announced the suspension of two private television channels, Noor TV and Barya TV, citing alleged violations of media regulations.

The cases have been referred to Taliban courts.

The information ministry and its media regulation commission have provided only vague explanations for the suspensions of the stations, whose owners reportedly reside outside Afghanistan.

Queraishi cited Noor TV's alleged violation of the Taliban's restrictions on the portrayal of women on television as a reason for its suspension.

The Taliban have mandated that female news presenters and guests cover their faces except for the eyes on television.

Additionally, local Taliban officials in some areas have banned radio stations from airing women's voices. These restrictions have faced widespread international condemnation as misogynistic and oppressive.

Taliban officials, however, defend the policy as being in accordance with Islamic and traditional values.

Journalists persecuted

Since the Taliban's return to power, Afghanistan's once-thriving free press has suffered a near-total collapse. Dozens of outlets have been silenced, forcing thousands of media professionals and civil society activists to flee the country.

While some Afghan journalists have launched media-in-exile startups abroad, those remaining in Afghanistan and neighboring countries have faced constant threats and escalating safety concerns.

Ahmad Hanayesh, a prominent Afghan journalist who previously worked for Azadi Radio, was critically injured in a shooting in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 3.

The motive and the identity of those responsible for the attack on Hanayesh remain unknown.

At least 150 Afghan journalists are currently stranded in Pakistan, awaiting resettlement to a third country, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Press freedom groups consider Pakistan to be quite dangerous for journalists, especially those who report critically on the government and military. Since 1992, CPJ has documented the deaths of 64 journalists who were killed in the country over their work. In many cases, no one has been held accountable.

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Taliban crack down on Afghan TV channels for alleged rule breaches

By Ayaz Gul April 17, 2024

The Taliban government in Afghanistan has suspended the broadcast of two privately run local TV channels over alleged violations of official regulations and "Islamic values."

Free media advocates Wednesday criticized the overnight suspension, calling it a violation of Afghanistan's media-governing laws.

The Taliban-run information ministry's Media Violations Commission said in a statement late Tuesday that a court will examine the activities of the two channels, Noor TV and Barya TV, and decide on their fate.

Hafizullah Barakzai, the commission spokesman, said that the broadcasters are barred from conducting operations until then.

Barakzai criticized the channels for not following "journalistic principles" and "not considering "national and Islamic values" during their coverage despite repeated government warnings and recommendations.

He reported that Noor TV was broadcasting music and that its female hosts and guests were not following the official dress code, which requires women to cover their faces, leaving only their eyes visible. Barakzai cited a controversial speech for suspending Barya TV but did not elaborate.

The Afghanistan Journalists Center or AFJC, an independent media watchdog, said in a statement that the suspensions were "against the country's public media law" and marked another step toward stifling free media in the Taliban-ruled country.

The watchdog demanded that Afghan authorities immediately withdraw the order and reopen the two media outlets unconditionally.

The two channels did not immediately comment on the allegations and suspension of their operations.

Noor TV has been operating in Afghanistan since 2007 and is backed by the country's Jamiat-e-Islami party of former Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani, who fled the country after the hardline Taliban returned to power nearly three years ago.

Barya TV, which launched its operations in 2019, is owned by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a former Afghan prime minister and the leader of his Hizb-e-Islami party.

Critics noted that Afghan media professionals have dealt with work conditions requiring them to strictly follow a set of media guidelines the Taliban introduced after reclaiming power in 2021.

Some directives prevent women from working in national radio and television stations, enforce "gender-based segregation" in workplaces, and prohibit broadcasting female voices and phone calls in certain provinces.

The Taliban have banned television dramas that include female performers, and female news presenters must wear an officially prescribed "Islamic hijab" on air.

Last month, Taliban officials warned media representatives to bar females from media platforms unless the women comply with the official dress code.

"The Afghan repression continues to intensify and specifically targets women's access to the media, whether as journalists or as listeners and spectators," said France-based Reporters Without Borders in a statement last month.

The Taliban have prohibited teenage Afghan girls from receiving an education beyond the sixth grade and banned women aid workers from working for nongovernmental humanitarian groups, including the United Nations, except in the health sector. They have placed travel restrictions on women without a male guardian, and access to public parks and gyms is also restricted for women.

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China-South Korea competition grows in Vietnam

By Peh Hong Lim April 17, 2024

A Vietnamese delegation's visit to China last week has underscored increasingly close economic ties between the territorial rivals, which analysts say is posing a challenge to the dominance of South Korean investment in Vietnam.

Vietnam's National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue led the high-level delegation from April 7 to 12 and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Hue proposed the two countries create a new push for trade development and "connect Vietnam to China's large development strategies."

He also met with the heads of many large Chinese companies that want to participate in Vietnam's infrastructure construction.

China is Vietnam's largest trade partner and on the way to becoming its biggest foreign direct investor.

A representative of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, or KCCI, in Vietnam last week told Nikkei Asia that Chinese companies are pushing back South Korean firms as China steps up investment in Vietnam.

"Looking at the cumulative amount of investment in Vietnam since 1988, South Korea ranks first with $85.8 billion, ahead of Singapore and Japan. However, in recent years, Korea has been in a neck-to-neck competition with China," Kim Hyong-mo told the Japan-based Asia news magazine.

More current figures provided by Vietnam's Ministry of Planning and Investment put South Korean foreign direct investment since 1988 at $87 billion, accounting for more than 18% of the total, followed by Singapore at $76 billion, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

But in 2023, South Korea ranked fifth after Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong and China, which led in terms of newly registered projects.

According to Joeffrey Maddatu Calimag, an assistant professor at the Department of Global Business Management at Kyungsung University in Busan, South Korea, competition between South Korean and Chinese companies is increasingly fierce.

"South Korean conglomerates like Samsung Electronics Limited have notably ramped up or increased their investment or R&D spending to counter the investments of China's in terms of this sector, the mobile technology," he told VOA.

"And Chinese companies have demonstrated impressive R&D growth, which can heighten the competition for South Korean firms in Vietnam. These combined with China's technological advancements, presents a formidable challenge to South Korean companies operating in the region," he said.

South Korea's Samsung is by far the largest single foreign investor in Vietnam.

Vietnam's Hanoi Times newspaper reports Samsung invested more than $1 billion in Vietnam in 2023, for a total of more than $22 billion, and is expected to invest a further $1 billion per year.

South Korean lens module manufacturer LG Innotek announced last year that it would invest an additional $1 billion in capital in Haiphong City, bringing the company's total investment in Vietnam to more than $2 billion.

But China's investment is heating up.

Vietnam's Trade Ministry said this month that Chinese automaker Chery signed a joint venture agreement with a Vietnamese company to build a factory in Vietnam at an investment of $800 million, becoming the first Chinese EV manufacturer in Vietnam. China's BYD, the world's largest EV maker, also plans to set up a factory in Vietnam.

Reuters reported in November that Chinese solar panel manufacturer Trina Solar, one of five Chinese solar firms the U.S. says used plants in Southeast Asia to avoid duties on panels made in China, plans to nearly double its investment in Vietnam to almost $900 million.

China-based economist and finance commentator He Jiangbing notes that since U.S.-China trade tensions erupted in 2018, many Chinese companies have invested in Southeast Asia to avoid made-in-China tariffs. He says China's domestic overcapacity has also forced Chinese companies to accelerate their overseas deployment.

"The focus of Southeast Asia is Vietnam because [China and Vietnam] are geographically closer. Vietnam also has a large population, with more than 100 million people. It also hoards a large part of the industrial chain transferred from mainland China," He said. "Wherever the industrial chain moves, Chinese companies will follow."

Nguyen Tri Hieu, a Vietnamese American economist, says Vietnam is politically closer to China, a fellow one-party communist state, than democratic South Korea.

"In Vietnam, there is a saying that the relationship between China and Vietnam is just like the teeth and the lips," he told VOA. "South Korea is politically more remote. I would say [South] Korea is important but is not in the same position as China."

But unlike Hanoi, Seoul has no territorial dispute with Beijing that could threaten to upend the relationship.

China's and Vietnam's competing claims to areas in the South China Sea have not halted trade and investment but they have at times slowed it down amid clashes and tensions.

Beijing claims most of the South China Sea as its own, putting it in conflict with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Adrianna Zhang contributed to this report.

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Solomon Islands awaits vote count after closely watched elections

By VOA News April 17, 2024

Polls closed Wednesday in the Solomon Islands where elections for the country's next government were being watched for potential regional impacts given the country's relationship with China.

Jasper Highwood Anisi, the head of the Solomon Islands Election Commission, said at a news conference that the polling took place as planned across the country, and that many polling places saw lines of voters early in the day compared to previous elections that included more late voters.

Vote-counting was due to begin Thursday, with results not expected for several weeks. The election featured more than 1,000 polling places spread across the nation's 900 islands.

Fifty lawmakers will be elected from 334 candidates, of which only 21 are women. Those 50 newly elected officials will then determine the prime minister.

The election is the first in the country since the government switched diplomatic ties from Taiwan to Beijing.

In addition to relations with China, opposition parties said voters would be focused on addressing health care, education and the country's road network.

The election was supposed to take place last year but was delayed by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, who argued that the country could not afford to hold the poll and host the regional Pacific Games in the same year. Critics of Sogavare have called this decision a power grab. He is the front-runner for an unprecedented second term.

China is also a concern in the election because of its growing security presence in the Pacific.

"The results will determine whether the Solomon Islands continues growing its relationship with China or changes course in favor of a different approach," Parker Novak, a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub, told VOA in a written response.

Reporter William Yang contributed to this report, which includes some information from The Associated Press.

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Shiga, Apr 18 (News On Japan) - A 74-year-old woman who was detained by police for 3 days following her arrest for allegedly stealing a pack of inari sushi, has received an apology from Shiga police after investigations revealed she had received the pack as a gift from a friend.

The incident began on the morning of April 13 when staff at a supermarket in Omihachiman City reported to the police that a woman inside the store had shoplifted. The suspect, a 74-year-old local woman, was arrested after surveillance footage showed her picking up items in the food section and seemingly placing something in her bag, including a pack of inari sushi worth about 300 yen, without paying at the register.

Throughout the police investigation, the woman consistently denied the allegations, stating, "I did not do it" and "A friend bought it for me."

Further investigation led to the identification of a male acquaintance who had given the inari sushi to the woman. After reconciling the store's inventory with sales data, the police concluded that no theft had occurred. The woman was released and received an apology from the police three days after her arrest, having been detained for approximately 82 hours.

Deputy Chief Takahiro Suginaka of Omihachiman Station expressed deep regret over the incident, stating, "We sincerely apologize to the person arrested. We will conduct a thorough investigation and take measures to prevent such incidents from happening again."
Operation Iron Swords - Day 194 - 17 April 2024

At any point, Hamas could have ended this burgeoning tragedy to

surrender and release every hostage.

Hamas instigated and owns this humanitarian catastrophe.

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA)

Following the Hamas-led massacre at the Nova Music Festival on October 7, about fifty survivors have committed suicide, revealed Guy Ben Shimon. Ben Shimon, a survivor of the massacre, spoke on Tuesday at a Parliamentary hearing for a State Audit Commission on the treatment of the survivors of October 7. "Few people know, but there have been almost 50 suicides among the Nova survivors. This number, which was true two months ago, may have increased since," Ben Shimon said, emphasizing that many of his friends who escaped the massacre could not recover from what they had experienced. "There are many survivors who had to be forcibly hospitalized due to their psychological state. My friends are not getting out of bed, neither am I." The Israeli Ministry of Health said that they do not have any information or statistics about the claim made of 50 survivors who have committed suicide.

War Termination

The Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, announced on Wednesday that Doha is in the process of "evaluating" the mediation role it has been playing for months between Israel and Hamas. The Qatari official said during a joint press conference with the Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, in Doha, Unfortunately, we saw that there is a misuse of this mediation, employing this mediation for narrow political interests, and this called for the State of Qatar to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of this role, explaining, We Now we are at this stage to evaluate the mediation and also evaluate how the parties engage in this mediation.

This is an unusual move, since Qatar is actually one of the two most significant mediators in the negotiations - and now it announces that it is considering its steps. Alongside this, there is another effort to start the negotiations for a new hostage deal, despite the disappointment in Israel - which said yes to the far-reaching American offer, while Sinwar refused. Sources in Israel told News 12 that the failure of the latest negotiations proves two things: the Qataris did not do their job And they didn't press hard enough - the "money tap" was not closed and the heads of the Hamas leadership were not expelled from the country. However, the same sources also admit behind closed doors that there is also disappointment with the Americans, who did not put enough pressure on the Qataris.

The Qatari Embassy in Washington commented on the statements of US Representative Steny Hoyer, in which he called on Qatar to put pressure on Hamas to release occupation prisoners in a reasonable manner and achieve a temporary ceasefire. The Democratic representative stressed the importance of Qatar conveying to Hamas the message that it will face "repercussions" if it continues to obstruct efforts aimed at releasing prisoners and achieving a temporary ceasefire, as he put it. The repercussions should include cutting off funding to Hamas or refusing to grant Hamas leaders asylum in Qatar, Hoyer said in his statement. If Qatar does not succeed in applying this pressure, the United States must reevaluate its relationship with Qatar.

Qatar responded by saying that Hoyer's statements were "unhelpful." The Qatari embassy stated in its statement that Qatar acts only as a mediator and does not control Israel or Hamas. The embassy added, "Of course, there is slow progress currently, and Representative Hoyer is not the only one who feels frustrated, but blame and threats do not contribute to building a solution." The statement criticized Hoyer's reference to the presence of Hamas in Qatar. It is clearly tempting to follow what he suggests and distance ourselves from parties that appear intransigent, but we must remember that Qatars role as a mediator continues due to the United States request to us in 2012, the statement said.

On Sunday, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in a statement that Hamas had rejected the latest proposal to return the hostages. He said that Israel "will continue to achieve its goals in Gaza with full force," according to Reuters. The statement added, "The rejection of the proposal shows that Yahya Al-Sinwar, head of Hamas's political bureau in the Gaza Strip, does not want an agreement and is trying to exploit the tensions with Iran and escalate the conflict at the regional level."

On Saturday, Hamas announced that it had delivered to the Egyptian and Qatari mediators its response to a truce proposal with Israel in the Gaza Strip, stressing a permanent ceasefire. In a statement, the movement affirmed its adherence to its demands and the national demands of the people, which are represented by a permanent ceasefire, the armys withdrawal from the entire Gaza Strip, the return of the displaced to their areas and places of residence, intensifying the entry of relief and aid, and beginning reconstruction.

Israel rejected a permanent ceasefire and a complete withdrawal of its armed forces from Gaza. Netanyahu also announced his intention to carry out a ground operation in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, considering that the city constitutes the last major stronghold of Hamas.

There will be another effort to check whether it is possible to formulate a deal as discussed with more Qatari pressure. If not, the leaders of the negotiations will probably hope for the moment when they will have to tell the public and the decision makers whether it is possible to have both things or whether a choice must be made - returning hostages or continuing fighting.

Operational Update

"Netanyahu said he would overthrow Hamas, free the hostages, and ensure that Gaza no longer posed a threat to Israel's security. He failed." said the spokesperson for the Egyptian Information Ministry. Diaa Rashwan, the spokesperson for the ministry, voiced these concerns during an interview with the Saudi channel Al-Arabiya. "Does Israel fully understand the meaning of Egypt's warnings against entering Rafah? Will it choose this option to the detriment of the peace that has lasted for 45 years?" Rashwan questioned, highlighting the gravity of the situation.

An article in the Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post wrote about Israel setting a minimum threshold for "victory" on multiple fronts highlighting its failure in dealing with Hezbollah and Hamas, whose capabilities have been increasing over the years. Israeli writer and analyst Seth Frantzman said that Israel started systemically from the bottom in every war to set a minimum threshold for victory on multiple fronts. As an example, he added, the Israeli occupation is not trying to respond to Yemen or Iraq; it has evacuated Israeli settlers from the occupied north and the borders of Gaza, which is a first.

He further elaborated that Israel is mainly focusing on facing Hezbollah's Radwan Force and Martyr Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, as it seems to believe that defeating them is a victory. However, it is the root of the problem from an analytical perspective.

Frantzman said that when Hamas was created, it did not have any organized brigades as it was a much smaller group, but it turned into an "army" including battalions because no one stopped it. In all of Israel's wars against Gaza, it claimed that it had achievements against Hamas, but in reality, Hamas quickly recovered and further expanded. Hence, he added, the 24 battalions are an example of Israel's failure in managing the "conflict with Hamas" as it has only become exponentially stronger.

Frantzman further said that many of those brigades diverged when the war started in Gaza last year which means that claims of defeating the brigades are only partially true "on paper." This also means that Hamas can quickly reshape itself regardless of any losses it might face as it can compensate for the latter as it has always done in the past, he added. As more than six months have passed since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza, Hamas still has a strong grip over most parts of Gaza, Frantzman said, and that is exactly because it dispersed its brigades.

Thus, gauging victory over Hamas based on the number of its battalions will only lead to the same false narrative of victory Israel attempted to deliver in the past, he said. It is unclear whether the declared goal of the war is to defeat Hamas or if Hamas will still exist but it seems that the goal has been diminished to only defeating its brigades, Frantzman stressed.

He added that this also applies to the frequently mentioned Radwan Force, highlighting that the excessive talks about defeating it are also set by Israel as a way to gauge victory against Hezbollah. However, in reality, all talks about getting Radwan Force to push away from the border will likely be meaningless in terms of Hezbollah's actual strength, actions, and impact, Franztman explained. He stressed that Hezbollah's capabilities are much more than just the Radwan Force, and turning the latter into a symbol for Hezbollah is an easy way to create something and then pretend to remove it.

Frantzman concluded his article by saying that based on these facts, the strengths of Hezbollah and Hamas have increased to a point where Israel is refraining from waging a war on both fronts to "defeat them" and this has dragged it into a long war with diminishing returns.

Operational Update - Gaza

The Israeli "Wala" website said that the Israeli army has raised the level of preparedness for ground operations in Rafah and the camps in the central Gaza Strip. The website added that the operational concept of the Rafah invasion plan was approved by the Israeli Army General Staff and Defense Minister Yoav Galant. It was reported from Israeli security sources that the army began increasing the number of artillery forces, armored personnel carriers, and mobile war rooms at the Gaza Division headquarters. The Israeli website also stated that within the framework of preparing the area, several decisions were taken, including increasing humanitarian aid to include all parts of the Gaza Strip, so that Israel would gain what it described as international legitimacy to support the operation in Rafah.

Western countries warned Israel against invading Rafah, saying that this would have dire consequences for hundreds of thousands of civilians. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his government announced that they were determined to carry out a military operation in the city under the pretext of eliminating the remaining Hamas brigades.

The military and strategic expert, Colonel Hatem Karim Al-Falahi, said that the Israeli occupation army used very large destructive energy in the Nuseirat area in the central Gaza Strip , as part of the strategy it has adopted since the beginning of the war, which does not pay any attention to civilians. Al-Falahi suggested - in his military analysis of the developments in the war in Gaza on Al-Jazeera - that the occupation army had discovered, through aerial or ground reconnaissance, the presence of elements of the Palestinian resistance in the Nuseirat area.

Regarding the reason for the occupations focus on destroying buildings in the areas extending from the Gaza border all the way to the sea, Colonel Hatem Al-Falahi explained that the occupation army may take this area as a place for its concentration during the coming period, and therefore it will bulldoze and destroy it to provide open spaces for its military sectors, to carry out shooting, surveillance and monitoring. .

The occupation army is trying to arrange the conditions of the sectors within the Gaza Strip to secure their protection, but it will not feel this security - in the opinion of the military and strategic expert - because the Palestinian resistance continues its operations, and yesterday it launched missiles towards areas in the Gaza Strip. He pointed out that the problem facing the occupation army in Gaza City is that it occupies a very narrow strip, which means that it is vulnerable to violations by the Palestinian resistance from any side.

Regarding the Israeli incursion into Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip and then the withdrawal, the military expert likened this entry to what happened previously in Al-Shifa Hospital, where he arrested Palestinians there and subjected them to investigation in an attempt to find information that would benefit him militarily and intelligence-wise. According to the military and strategic expert, the occupation army is carrying out inspections and disinfection of the areas it previously entered, such as Beit Hanoun, because these areas were not under complete control.

The Israeli army's vehicles withdrew from Beit Hanoun after an incursion that lasted more than 36 hours, during which they besieged the shelters for the displaced, arrested a number of them, and harassed the people of the town. Scenes of devastation caused by the occupation forces were shown, as they bulldozed agricultural lands before they withdrew from the town.

Last week, IDF and Shin Bet forces under the command of the Northern Brigade in the Gaza Division carried out a targeted operation in a civilian area in Beit Hanon following intelligence indications of the presence of terrorists there. The combat teams of the 401st Brigades, Nahal, the 215th Fire Brigade and other units under the command of the 162nd Division continue their activity focused on the center of the Gaza Strip to eliminate terrorists and destroy terrorist infrastructure. As part of the activity in the center of the Gaza Strip, Air Force aircraft have in the last day eliminated a number of terrorists and destroyed terrorist infrastructures. In one of the attacks, an aircraft attacked a terrorist squad that operated an armed drone against the forces operating in the area.

In additional attacks, Air Force aircraft in cooperation with the 215th Fire Brigade attacked a number of rocket launchers ready to be launched into the country. In the last day, the Nahal Brigade fighters eliminated a terrorist that was detected operating near the forces using a drone. In addition, the forces eliminated with sniper fire a terrorist that was detected moving towards them. Over the past day, fighter jets and aircraft of the Air Force attacked more than 40 terrorist targets throughout the Gaza Strip, including underground launch sites, trapped buildings, military buildings including armed terrorists, observation posts, underground terrorist infrastructures and other military infrastructures.

Palestinian sources also said that Israeli aircraft launched raids at night on Salah al-Din Street and the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City. The sources added that a raid targeted the Abu Bakr al-Siddiq Mosque in the al-Sabra neighborhood of the city.

Al Jazeera's correspondent reported that 12 Palestinians were martyred in an Israeli bombing of a market in the Maghazi camp. 9 others were martyred in a similar bombing of the Nuseirat camp, and Al Jazeeras correspondent reported intense gunfire from Israeli Quadcopter aircraft targeting residents, ambulances, medical crews, and journalists. North in Gaza City, 8 were killed in a bombing that targeted a police car in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City. The Ministry of Interior in the Strip said that among the martyrs were 7 police officers and members.

The Israeli army has intensified its raids on the Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip, while continuing its operations north of the camp for the sixth day in a row. The occupation army spoke of destroying a missile launch pad, dozens of infrastructure, tunnels, and military buildings, and killing militants in the middle of the Gaza Strip.

In the northern Gaza Strip, Israeli forces continued their incursion into Beit Hanoun for the second night, about 4 months after they withdrew from the area. At the beginning of their incursion near the main entrance to the city, the occupation forces surrounded a school housing displaced people and carried out a massive arrest campaign of young men. The Al-Qassam Brigades , the military arm of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ), announced that it was able to snipe an Israeli soldier in Beit Hanoun. The Palestinian resistance clashed with the forces penetrating Beit Hanoun and north of the Nuseirat camp, and carried out several operations against them.

Operational Update - Judea-Samaria

IDF, IDF and Shin Bet forces destroyed the homes of the terrorists Mahmoud Ali Zaidat and Ahmed Mohammad Zaidat, who carried out the attack in Ra'anana on January 15, 2024, in the village of Bnei Naim, in which the late Edna Blustein was murdered, and about twenty other civilians were injured In addition, the fighters will interrogate other suspects in the area. At the same time, the IDF forces, the Shin Bet and the Special Intelligence Service, operated tonight to arrest six wanted persons throughout Judea and Samaria. The fighters arrested two wanted men in the village of Azira Kavalia in the Samaria Division and in the village of Akbara they arrested two more wanted men. A wanted man was arrested in Hawara and another wanted man was arrested by the forces in Tsarah in the Samaria division. The wanted persons who were arrested were transferred for further investigation by the security forces, there are no casualties to Israeli forces.

Following the warning in the Western Galilee a short time ago, a number of launches were detected that crossed territory from Lebanon, there were no casualties. IDF forces attacked the sources of the shooting.

Israeli forces blew up the homes of two prisoners in Hebron, south of the occupied West Bank, hours after they destroyed the home of a martyrs family in occupied Jerusalem. Local sources said that the occupation forces stormed the town of Bani Naim, east of Hebron, besieged the Al-Zaidat neighborhood, raided the homes of the two prisoners, 'Zaidat', and destroyed them as part of a policy of collective punishment, while confrontations broke out between young men and the occupation forces in the streets near the house of the two captives, 'Zaidat'. The occupation forces arrested the two prisoners and accused them of carrying out the Raanana operation in Tel Aviv, which resulted in the death of an Israeli woman and the injury of 18 others last January.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces blew up the home of the family of the martyr Khaled Al-Muhtaseb in the town of Beit Hanina, north of occupied Jerusalem, and forced the residents of the building and neighboring buildings to evacuate their homes. In the south of Nablus , the occupation forces stormed the town of Asira Al-Qibliya and arrested two young men. They carried out raids in the town of Rujib, east of the city, and arrested two other young men.

In addition, Jenin witnessed confrontations between resistant youth and the occupation forces inside the village of Al-Fandakumiya, south of the city, and a young man was arrested after he was assaulted after the confrontations that broke out between them. In Tubas, violent clashes broke out between the resistant youth and the occupation forces, who stormed the city reinforced with a military bulldozer, and the resistance fighters detonated a number of explosive devices.

The occupation forces stormed the city of Tulkarm from the direction of the Taiba military checkpoint, southwest of the city, and deployed in its neighborhoods, while the resistance confronted the invasion of the occupation forces, and the resistant youth detonated an explosive device with the occupation forces. In Bethlehem , the Israeli occupation forces stormed the town of Al-Khader, south of Bethlehem, and stationed themselves in the vicinity of the Great Mosque on the main street leading to the gate area.

Operational Update - Lebanon

As part of the acceleration of readiness for defense and a strong attack in the northern arena, a large-scale exercise was completed yesterday (Tuesday) in the Galilee led by the 91st Division (the Galilee Formation) and in cooperation with the Air Force, the Israel Police alongside rescue forces. The exercise is a significant part of the division's preparation process for a variety of scenarios in the north while dealing with complex terrain, difficult weather conditions and multi-casualty incidents. All of the forces in the sector, including chiefs and members of the standby squads in the various localities, the police and rescue forces, armored forces, engineering and the division's brigades are working to maintain full readiness for a strong defense of the Upper Galilee and an attack in Lebanese territory.

Fighter jets of the Air Force attacked a terrorist infrastructure used by the air defense system of the terrorist organization Hezbollah in the area north of Baalbak. In addition, IDF forces attacked to remove a threat in the area as planned. Fighter jets attacked military buildings and terrorist infrastructure of Hezbollah in the areas of A-Nakura and Yarin in southern Lebanon. A number of launches of anti-tank missiles and UAVs that crossed from Lebanese territory towards the Arab al-Aramsha area were identified. As a result of the launches, six fighters were seriously injured, two were moderately injured and another six were slightly injured, the fighters were evacuated for medical treatment and their families were informed, the IDF attacked the sources of the shooting.

Fighter jets attacked a military building where Hezbollah terrorists were staying in the Eyta al-Sha'ab region in southern Lebanon. A number of launches were detected that crossed from Lebanese territory towards the Arab al-Aramsha region, the IDF attacked the sources of the shooting. Fighter jets of the Air Force attacked during the night a series of targets of the terrorist organization Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Among the targets that were attacked, Hizbullah military sites and military buildings in the areas of al-Khyam, al-Mansouri, Alma al-Sha'ab and Ya'atar in southern Lebanon.

The Lebanese National News Agency reported that an Israeli drone attacked a building in a residential area of a town in the Bekaa Valley.

Hezbollah announced in a statement that, In support of the steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their valiant and honorable resistance, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance targeted, at 07:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, the headquarters of the 91st Division in the Pranit Barracks with a Burkan missile. They hit her directly. The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon continued its operations against the sites and settlements of the Zionist enemy, on the border with occupied Palestine, in support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their brave and honorable resistance.

In this context, at 11:30 midnight on Tuesday 04/16/2024, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance targeted a military vehicle as it entered the Metulla site with appropriate weapons, directly hitting it and leaving those inside it dead and wounded. This Wednesday morning, they targeted the headquarters of the 91st Division in the Baranit Barracks with a Burkan missile , hitting it directly. They also targeted a new deployment of Israeli enemy soldiers south of Baranit with rocket weapons and artillery shells. The Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in the vicinity of the Ramia site with rocket weapons and artillery shells.

Yesterday, Tuesday, at 14:25, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance launched an air attack with assault marches in two batches, targeting the missile defense system in Beit Hilal, hitting the Iron Dome platforms and their crew, and leaving its members dead or wounded.

Operational Update - Syria / Iraq

Operational Update - Yemen

An official in the Sanaa government revealed suspicions that members of the Israeli Mossad had entered Yemen through the Al-Mokha area in Taiz Governorate on the Red Sea coast. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Sanaa government, Hussein Al-Ezzi , said in a tweet on the X platform: We currently have suspicions that Mossad members entered (Mokha) via a previous flight. He added, "We will not tolerate any carrier carrying out such a dirty job." He continued, "We are in a state of war with the Zionist entity, and we know with certainty that it has a plan to train and recruit tools to tamper with the security and values ??of our Yemeni society, and this matter we will confront decisively and strictly." Sanaa reveals a malicious plan by the occupation entity in Yemen.

Maps

All maps are lies. Not only is it easy to lie with maps, it is essential, wrote cartographer Mark Monmoneir in his book How to Lie with Maps. He showed that condensing complex, three-dimensional spaces onto a two-dimensional sheet of paper [in old days] is bound to be reductive. But it is impossible to comprehend the war in Gaza without reference to maps, otherwise the entire conflict is reduced to an endless series of meaningless acts of random violence and the suffering of civilians. The first characteristic of guerrilla warfare is the loss of a front line. Evidently, different mappers have different ideas of how to depict the war in Gaza, notably those that seek to depict Israeli progress in the ground campaign. Part of the problem is latency. The news that forms the basis of the maps takes time to filter out to mappers, and the cartographers take time in crafting their maps, and it takes time to curate them. These processes are uneven among mappers, so their maps may differ in detail. Probably there is some ideological bias, or at least thematic apperception, which is understandable in wartime. It may come as no surprise that al-Jazeera maps depict rather less Israeli territorial progress than other sources. Finally, there remains the epistemological question of just exactly what are the colored in areas depicting. Naively, this might be understood as areas of Israeli control, that are no longer contested by the HAMAS. Or possibly these are areas of Israeli presence, in many of which the possibility of an RPG-wielding HAMAS militant popping out of a tunnel unexpectedly remains a live possibility. With the "zero-range" combat characterized by small unit tactics on both sides, maps may be prey to a fallacy of misplaced concreteness.

Bystanders

Axis of Resistance

Deputy Secretary-General of the Lebanese Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem, confirmed that the demise of the Zionist entity and the victory of Palestine are cumulative, pointing out that the Islamic resistance imposed its rules in the confrontation using the minimum of conventional force. Sheikh Qassim said in a speech during the political meeting organized by the Muslim Scholars Association : The demise of the Zionist entity is cumulative and its path is brutality and injustice, and the victory of Palestine is cumulative and its path is jihad, martyrdom and patience, adding: Israel is powerless without the arrogant world standing with it.

Sheikh Qassim pointed out that two things stop the war: America and its elections, and an exceptional event that Israel is unable to confront, stressing that the New Middle East project was dropped the first time in Lebanon in July 2006, a second time in Syria, and this third time. The Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah added : We imposed rules in the confrontation that achieved all the goals, including five: supporting the people of Gaza, occupying the enemy, displacing its settlers, inflicting losses on it, and establishing deterrence, using the minimum amount of conventional force, with precious but natural sacrifices in the face of the major dangers that arise. Regarding the internal Lebanese situation, Sheikh Qassem stressed Hezbollahs keenness on unity and achieving the presidential election through dialogue in accordance with the constitution.

Allied for Democracy

Operation Iron Swords - By the Numbers

The Israeli Ministry of Wars Rehabilitation Division said : 7,209 injured people have been admitted to the rehabilitation ward since October 7, and about 30% of them, i.e. 2,111 injured people, showed various mental reactions (psychological crises), according to the Broadcasting Corporation ( official). The division continued: For about 60% of those who suffered psychological crises, or about 1,267 injured people, the psychological injury is the main injury. She reported that 95% of those infected in total are reserve soldiers up to the age of 30 years.

According to the Rehabilitation Division, The Rehabilitation Department is preparing to receive about 20,000 new patients by the end of 2024, including those suffering from psychological symptoms, including anxiety, post-traumatic depression, and difficulties in adaptation and communication. Earlier today, Wednesday, the occupation army admitted to disabling more than 2,000 soldiers, policemen, and security personnel, since the beginning of its aggression against Gaza more than 6 months ago, according to the Hebrew Walla news website (exclusive). According to the occupation armys data on its website on Wednesday, 604 officers and soldiers were killed and 3,219 were wounded since last October 7.

1,900,000 IDPs in Gaza

76,465 Gazans injured, 28% adult male

70,000 tons of explosives dropped on Gaza

70,000 housing units completely destroyed

70,000 Israeli IDPs from Lebanon border

45,000 bombs dropped in Gaza

43,000 Gazans killed, including buried under rubble

33,000 Gaza targets attacked

33,797 Gazans martyred

20,528 Palestinians in Israeli prisons [Haaretz, 20 Mar 2024]

15,140 Israelis injured [i24 TV]

15,000 rockets launched from Gaza

14,520 Gazan children martyred

13,000 HAMAS combatants killed [N12]

13,000 HAMAS combatants killed [IDF]

11,000 arrested by Israelis in the West Bank in 2023

10,000 Gazans missing under the rubble

9,920 Gazan women martyred

9,400 Palestinians in Israeli prisons

9,000 IDF needing psychological assistance

8,365 arrested by Israelis in the West Bank since Oct.7th

7,209 IDF injured admitted to rehabilitation [IDF]

6,800 IDF officers and soldiers injured [Channel 12]

6,000 HAMAS combatants killed [HAMAS]

5,500 IDF wounded [reports]

4,800 West Bank Palestinians wounded

4,700 sites targetted in Lebanon

3,850 wanted persons arrested throughout Judea and Samaria

3,484 administrative detainees

3,188 IDF wounded [IDF]

2,100 Gazan women are missing

1,609 terrorists killed on the first day

1,650 wanted persons arrested throughout Judea and Samaria affiliated with Hamas

1,160 Israelis killed on the first day

604 Israeli officers and soldiers killed since the start of the war

468 West Bank Palestinians martyred

364 people [including fighters] killed in Lebanon

260 Israeli officers and soldiers killed in Gaza

240 Hezbollah fighters killed in Lebanon

126 people recovered, including 91 Israelis, 11 bodies, and 24 foreign workers

116 living hostages in Palestinian custody

70 civilians killed in Lebanon

29 IDF deaths were caused by "friendly fire"

15 Israelis killed in the West Bank and Israel

Not every number is reported every day, so sudden jumps generally reflect reporting artifacts rather than actual upticks. Many of these numbers fluctate, up and down, with no apparent explanation. This list records the highest number reliably reported for each matter, under the theory that reality with catch up with reports, as is relentlessly the case.

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Russo-Ukraine War - 17 April 2024 - Day 784

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A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that on April 17, 71x tactical engagements were reported.

Russian forces launched a total of 4x missile and 43x air strikes, 43x MLRS attacks on the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, the Russian attacks have killed and wounded civilians. Residential apartment blocks and private houses as well as other infrastructure were destroyed or damaged.

In the morning, Russian forces launched a missile attack at the city of Chernihiv. Preliminarily, the attack killed 17x people, wounded more than 60x, including 2x children. 3x people were rescued from under the debris. The search and rescue operation is ongoing.

Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes. No signs of the formation of Russian offensive groups were found.

Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: the Russian adversary maintains its military presence in the areas of russia bordering Ukraine. Russia continues its sabotage and reconnaissance activities, shelling Ukrainian settlements from the territory of Russia and increases the density of minefields along the state border of Ukraine. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 15x settlements, including Klyusy, Yeline, Leonivka (Chernihiv oblast), Sydorivka, Bila Bereza, and Bilopillya (Sumy oblast).

Kup'yans'k axis: Russian forces launched 4x attacks at the Ukrainian positions in the vicinity of Novoserhiivka (Kharkiv oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 20x settlements, including Syn'kivka, Petropavlivka, and Kyslivka (Kharkiv oblast).

Lyman axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 3x in the vicinities of Nevs'ke (Luhansk oblast) and Terny (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Makiivka (Luhansk oblast), Yampolivka, Tors'ke, and Zarichne (Donetsk oblast).

Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian troops repelled 19x attacks in the vicinities of Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Vyimka, Rozdolivka, Chasiv Yar, Novyi, and Klishchiivka (Donetsk oblast). With the air support, Russian forces attempted to improve their tactical position in that area. Russian forces launched an air strike in the vicinity of Verkhn'okam'yans'ke, Ivano-Dar'ivka, Spirne, and Dyliivka (Donetsk oblast). More than 10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Hryhorivka, Kalynivka, and Chasiv Yar (Donetsk oblast).

Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 9x attacks in the vicinities of Semenivka, Novobakhmutivka, Ocheretyne, Novokalynove, and Pervomais'ke (Donetsk oblast). With the air support, Russian forces attempted to dislodge Ukrainian troops from their positions in that area. Also, the Russian adversary launched air strikes in the vicinities of Pervomais'ke, Soloviove, Novokalynove, Novopokrovs'ke, Novoselivka Persha, Novobakhmutivka, Sokil, and Oleksandropil' (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 15x settlements, including Novokalynove, Novobakhmutivka, and Netailove (Donetsk oblast).

Novopavlivka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back Russian forces in the vicinities of Vodyane, Pobjeda, and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). With the air support, Russian forces made 15x attempts to breach Ukrainian defense in that area. Also, Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, and Urozhaine (Donetsk oblast). More than 10x settlements, including Paraskoviivka, Kostyantynivka, and Vuhledar (Donetsk oblast), were under Russian artillery and mortar fire.

Orikhiv axis: with the air support, Russian forces launched 3x attacks on the positions of Ukrainian defenders in the vicinities of Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces launched 1x air strike in the vicinity of settlement of Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Around 20x settlements, including Malynivka, Chervone, Bilohir'ya, and Shcherbaky (Zaporizhzhia oblast), came under Russian artillery and mortar fire.

Kherson axis: Russia does not abandon its intention to dislodge Ukrainian troops from their bridgeheads on the left bank of the Dnipro River. For instance, on April 17, Russian forces launched 2x unsuccessful attacks on the positions of the Ukrainian troops in the vicinity of Krynky (Kherson oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 20x settlements, including Beryslav, Tokarivka, Tyahynka, Ol'hivka, Ponyativka, Inzhenerne, and Vesele (Kherson oblast).

On April 17, the Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 8x concentrations of the Russian invaders' troops.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces have taken more advantageous lines and inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of 57th motorised infantry, 14th, 54th mechanised, and 77th aeromobile brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Sinkovka, Zagoruykovka (Kharkov region), and Stelmakhovka (Lugansk People's Republic).

Four counter-attacks launched by assault groups of AFU 63rd mechanised, 3rd assault brigades, and the 125th Territorial Defence Brigade hae been repelled near Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic), Torskoye, and Terny (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses were up to 70 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, one 122-mm D-30 howitzer, two Plastun-3000 electronic reconnaissance stations, as well as one Nota electronic warfare station.

In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces have improved the situation along the front line and inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of 56th mechanised, 5th, 79th air assault, 28th, 30th, and 93rd mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Orekhovo-Vasilyevka, Blagodatnoye, Bogdanovka, Andreyevka, and Kurdyumovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

In addition, three counterattacks launched by assault groups of the AFU 10th Mountain Assault Brigade and 46th Airmobile Brigade have been repelled near Vyemka and Krasnogorovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses were up to 480 Ukrainian troops, one tank, one armoured fighting vehicle, 20 motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer, one 122-mm D-30 howitzer, and one Anklav-N electronic warfare station.

In Avdeyevka direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces have improved the tactical situation and inflicted fire damage on units of 24th, 47th, and 59th mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Novgorodskoye, Netaylovo, and Karlovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Eight counter-attacks have been repelled by units of 25th airborne, 68th, 71st jaeger, 23rd, 115th mechanised brigades, and the 78th Separate Air Assault regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Leninskoye, Novokalinovo, Pervomayskoye, Umanskoye, and Berdychi (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses were up to 330 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, and one D-30 howitzer 122-mm.

In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces have improved the situation along the front line. The servicemen also have defeated units of the AFU 72nd Mechanised Brigade and the 128th Territorial Defence Brigade near Vodyanoye and Makarovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses were up to 80 Ukrainian troops, one tank, two motor vehicles, one 152-mm Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, and one 122-mm D-30 howitzer.

In Kherson direction, the units of the Dnepr Group of Forces have inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of the 126th Territorial Defence Brigade near Kazatskoye, Berislav, and Nikolayevka (Kherson region).

The AFU losses were up to 35 Ukrainian troops, five motor vehicles, as well as one 122-mm D-30 howitzer.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have engaged ammunition depots of the Donetsk Operational-Tactical Group, the 125th Territorial Defence Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the terrorist units of the Russian Volunteer Corps, as well as manpower and military hardware in 132 areas.

Air defence facilities have shot down 191 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, six U.S.-made MGM-140 ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, and one French-made Hammer aerial guided bomb.

In total, 583 airplanes and 270 helicopters, 21,483 unmanned aerial vehicles, 502 air defence missile systems, 15,798 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,267 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,935 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 21,096 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.





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Russo-Ukraine War - 18 April 2024 - Day 785

Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

The UK Ministry of Defence reported that on 01 April 2024, a Grigorovich class guided missile frigate undertook weapons handling activity at the Black Sea Fleet (BSF) facility, Novorossiysk port. Modern Russian warships such as the Grigorovich class frigate have vertical launch systems for firing cruise missiles at sea and land targets. Such missiles have historically been reloaded in Sevastopol, Crimea.

The BSF has largely withdrawn its ships and submarines from Sevastopol further eastwards to Novorossiysk. Since the removal of the BSF commander in March 2024, the fleet has been the least active since the war began.

Whilst the BSF almost certainly remains alongside Novorossiysk as its best method of avoiding Ukrainian sea-borne attack, its maintenance, logistics and weapons-handling infrastructure at Novorossiysk has highly likely been improved to support the new basing arrangements indefinitely.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day, 71 combat encounters were recorded.

In total, Russian forces carried out 6 missiles and 63 air strikes, carried out 41 shelling from the volcano fire jet systems on the positions of our troops and settlements. As a result of the Russian attacks, unfortunately, there are wounded among the civilian population. Demolition and damage were suffered by multi-storey and private buildings, as well as other infrastructure objects.

In the Volyn and Polisky directions, the operating environment without significant changes. The sign of the formation of a Russian offensive group has not been detected.

In the Sivers komu and Slobozhans komu directions, Russia maintains a military presence in the border areas, conducts diversijno-intelligence activities, carries out shelling of settlements from the territory of Russia, increases the density of mine-explosive fences along the state border of Ukraine. Russian forces carried out air strikes in the areas of the settlements of Orlivka Sumy region; Vovchansk and Strilecha of Kharkiv region. Russian artillery and mortar shelling suffered more than 20 settlements, among them Embankment, Kremsky Bugor, Mykolaivka of Chernihiv region; Klyusi, Bilopillya, Bruski of Sumy region; Veterinarne, Kozacha Lopan, Gatis e of Kharkiv region.

In the Kupans komu direction, Russian offensive (stormovih) actions did not lead, but caused an air strike in the area of the settlement of Borov kharkiv region. About 20 settlements were under artillery and mortar fire, including Synkivka, Petropavlivka, Stepova Novoselivka of Kharkiv region.

In the Limans komu direction the Defense Forces repelled 2 attacks in the areas of the settlements of Terni and Yampolivka Donetsk region, where Russian forces, supported by aviation, tried to break through the defense of Ukrainian troops. Also, Russian forces carried out an air strike in the area of the settlement of Nevs ke Luhansk region. More than 10 settlements were affected by artillery and mortar shelling, among them Makiyivka, Nevsky Luhansk region and Terni  Torskke Donetsk region.

In the Bakhmut direction, Ukrainian soldiers fought 17 attacks in the areas of the settlements of Bilogorivka of Luhansk region; Verkhnyokamianske, Vyymka, Kalinivka, Chasiv Yar, Novy, Ivanivskke, Klishchiyivka of Donetsk region, where Russian forces tried to improve the tactical position. Russian forces carried out an air strike in the area of the New York settlement of Donetsk region. More than 10 settlements were under artillery and mortar fire, including Grigorivka, Kalinivka, Chasiv Yar Donetsk region.

In the Avdiiv direction, Ukrainian defenders hit 11 attacks in the areas of the settlements of Novokalinove, Ocheretyne, Berdychi, Pervomais ke Donetsk region, where Russian forces, supported by aviation, tried to push Ukrainian units out of occupied borders. Also, Russian forces carried out air strikes in the areas of the settlements of Semenivka and Selidove Donetsk region. Artillery and mortar shelling occurred about 10 settlements, among them Ocheretyne, Novobakhmutivka, Uman Donetsk region.

In the Novopavlivsk direction, the Defense Forces continue to restrain Russian forces in the areas of the settlements of Novomykhailivka, Urozhayne Donetsk region, where Russian troops, with aviation support, tried 12 times to break through the defenses of Ukrainian troops. Also, Russia carried out air strikes in the areas of settlements of Krasnogorivka, Alexandropil, Vodiyane, Vugledar Donetsk region. More than 10 settlements were under Russian artillery and mortar fire , among them Krasnogorivka, Paraskoviyivka, Konstantinivka of the Donetsk region.

In the Orekhiv direction, Russian forces, supported by aviation, attacked 3 times the positions of Ukrainian defenders in the area of Staromayorsk Donetsk region; Robotinyo Zaporizhzhia region. Artillery and mortar shelling were hit by about 20 settlements, among them Chervone, Bilogirya, Scherbaki, Pyatykhatka of Zaporizhia region.

In the Kherson direction, Russia does not refuse the intention to push out Ukrainian units from placdarmiv on the left bank of the dnieper. Yes, within a day, with air support, carried out 7 unsuccessful attacks on Ukrainian troops' positions in the area of Krynka settlement of Kherson region. Artillery and mortar shelling occurred about 20 settlements, among them Tyaginka, Ivanivka, Novotyaginka, Ponyativka of Kherson region.

During the day, the Defense Forces aviation struck 9 areas of focus of Russian personnel.

The units of the rocket troops were affected by the 1 area of focus of the personnel and 1 warehouse of the REB occupiers ammunition.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces have inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of the AFU 57th Motorised Infantry Brigade, the 100th Mechanised Brigade, as well as on the 31st Ukrainian National Guard Brigade near Sinkovka (Kharkov region), Novosyolovskoye, Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic), and Grigorovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Two counter-attacks launched by assault groups of the 3rd Assault and 63rd Mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were repelled near Terny (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 30 Ukrainian troops, one tank, two pick-up trucks, one 152-mm Msta-B howitzer, and two 152-mm D-20 howitzers.

In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces have improved the situation along the front line and inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of the AFU 30th, 56th, and 93rd mechanised brigades near Vasyukovka, Orekhovo-Vasilyevka, and Andreyevka (Donetsk People's Republic).

One counter-attack launched by an assault detachment of the AFU 46th Airmobile Brigade was repelled near Krasnogorovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy lost up to 590 Ukrainian troops, one tank, and seven motor vehicles.

In the course of the counter-battery warfare, one 152-mm Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, one U.S.-made 105-mm M119 gun, two Nota electronic warfare stations, as well as one field ammunition depot were eliminated.

In Avdeyevka direction, the units of the Tsentr Group of Forces have improved the tactical situation and defeated the units of the 68th Jaeger, 24th, 47th mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Artyomovo, Semyonovka, Netaylovo, and Orlovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Seven counter-attacks of the 24th, 115th mechanised, 71st Jaeger brigades, and 78th Separate Air Assault Regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were repelled close to Novokalinovo, Novogorodskoye, Vodyanoye, Pervomayskoye, Berdychi, and Novobakhmutovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses included up to 130 Ukrainian troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer, and one 152-mm D-20 howitzer.

In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and inflicted losses on units of the 58th Motorised Infantry Brigade, 72nd Mechanised Brigade of the AFU, 102nd and 128th territorial defence brigades near Vodyanoye, Ugledar, Urozhaynoye, Staromayorskoye (Donetsk People's Republic), and Malinovka (Zaporozhye region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 140 Ukrainian troops, four motor vehicles, UK-made 152-mm AS-90 Braveheart self-propelled artillery system, as well as three field ammunition depots.

In Kherson direction, the units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of the 65th Mechanised Brigade of the AFU, 36th Marine Brigade and 126th Territorial Defence Brigades close to Rabotino (Zaporozhye region), Zmeyevka, Nikolskoye, and Ivanovka (Kherson region).

One counter-attack launched by an assault detachment of the 15th Operational Brigade was repelled close to Verbovoye (Zaporozhye region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 50 Ukrainian troops, two motor vehicles, as well as two 122-mm D-30 howitzers.

Operational-Tactical and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Groups of Forces of the Russian Federation have been eliminated during the day: AFU Operational Command Centre North (Sever), two launchers equipped with illumination and targeting radar set of the S-300 air defence systems, an ammunition depot of the Donetsk Operational-Tactical Group, arms and fuel depots of the 101st Territorial Defence Brigade, and engaged enemy manpower and military hardware in 126 areas.

Air defence systems shot down 251 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, two Tochka-U tactical missiles, and 33 Vampire missiles during the day.

In total, 583 airplanes and 270 helicopters, 21,734 unmanned aerial vehicles, 504 air defence missile systems, 15,801 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,267 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,945 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 21,111 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.





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US says China is funding America's fentanyl crisis

A congressional report says Chinese firms are subsidized via tax rebates to export fentanyl raw materials

By Qiao Qinen for RFA Mandarin 2024.04.17 -- China is funding the United States' fentanyl crisis by using tax rebates to subsidize the manufacture and export of raw materials for the drug, a U.S. congressional report found.

The U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party report on Tuesday pointed to China as "the ultimate geographic source of the fentanyl crisis," where Chinese companies "produce nearly all of illicit fentanyl precursors, the key ingredients that drive the global illicit fentanyl trade."

The CCP also holds interests in several of the Chinese companies, the report added.

The accusation comes as both countries have pledged to co-operate to fight the global trafficking of fentanyl. The U.S. also alleged that China, despite its vast control over the internet, has failed to regulate its online sales of the materials via e-commerce and social media.

At present, fentanyl kills an average of more than 200 Americans every day, and more than 97% of fentanyl raw materials come from China.

"As long as China does not manufacture and export fentanyl and its raw materials, there will be no fentanyl crisis in the United States," said former U.S. Attorney General William Barr at the congressional hearing.

"Fentanyl is often distributed in the form of prescription drugs that make people think they are taking the painkiller Percocet, the anti-anxiety Xanax or the stimulant Adderall. These medications are immediately available on social media and online, and even if they are used as opioids, victims are unaware they may contain lethal doses of fentanyl," Barr said.

The report pointed out that since 2018, the value-added tax refund implemented by Beijing is equivalent to a subsidy, which has resulted in a significant increase in the export of fentanyl raw materials. These exports involved many state-owned enterprises, such as Gaosheng Biotechnology in Shanghai and Yafeng Biological Technology in Shijiazhuang, Hebei.

Earlier this year, the committee found that more than 30,000 Chinese companies were selling illegal drugs on seven e-commerce websites. In addition to guaranteeing consumers that the sales will not be inspected by customs, these Chinese companies also accept cryptocurrencies as payment.

Ray Donovan, former operations chief at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said at Tuesday's hearing that the findings "regarding Chinese chemical manufacturers, any intermediaries supported by the Chinese Communist Party, and the Chinese government are true, reliable and have conclusive evidence."

He said Mexican transnational drug trafficking groups have always been U.S.'s key target. In the past decade or so, more and more laboratories there have used Chinese raw materials to synthesize drugs, and at the same time, an increased number of Chinese laboratories have emerged.

The leaders of the U.S. and China reached a consensus on combating fentanyl in November last year. But several former U.S. officials at Tuesday's hearing said China has taken no effective action since then.

David Luckey, a researcher at the RAND Corporation, a US think tank, pointed out that strengthening the review of sea and air containers and goods from China, as well as detecting related chemicals and drug advertisements on the Internet, can effectively disrupt the fentanyl supply chain.

In this regard, former U.S. Attorney General Barr believes that facts have proven that the United States cannot count on the will or goodwill of the Chinese government. Therefore, the issue of fentanyl must also start from economic and trade policies and introduce punishment and accountability mechanisms.

Translated by RFA Staff. Edited by Mike Firn.

Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content April not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Security agencies warn election officials to brace for attacks on US presidential race

By Jeff Seldin April 17, 2024

U.S. intelligence and security agencies are trying to prepare election officials for a wave of new attacks aiming to destroy voter confidence in November's presidential election, just as a series of reports warn some familiar adversaries are starting to ramp up their efforts.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), along with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the FBI, issued a new warning on Wednesday that "the usual suspects" a Russia, China and Iran a are looking for ways to stoke tensions and divide American voters.

All three countries, the guidance said, are "leveraging influence operations exploiting perceived sociopolitical divisions to undermine confidence in U.S. democratic institutions."

The new guidance warned that the three countries are using fake online accounts and various proxies, including state-sponsored media organizations, to spread disinformation and sow doubt.

It also cautioned that Russia, China and Iran are using real people, including social media influencers, "to wittingly or unwittingly promote their narratives."

"The elections process is the golden thread of American democracy, which is why our foreign adversaries deliberately target our elections infrastructure with their influence operations," CISA senior adviser Cait Conley said in a statement to reporters. "CISA is committed to doing its part to ensure these [state and local] officials a and the American public a don't have to fight this battle alone."

Agency warns of new tactics

The latest guidance, posted on CISA's website, warns that in addition to resorting to familiar tactics, Russia, China and Iran are likely to employ new tricks to try to confuse U.S. voters and erode confidence in the election process.

One such technique is voice cloning a using a fake recording of a public official or figure to try to cause confusion. The agencies cited an example from last year's election in the Slovak Republic, when a fake recording of a key party leader purported to show him discussing how to rig the vote.

The guidance also warned that Iran could try to employ "hack and leak" cyberattacks in the U.S., using lessons learned from similar operations against Israel in recent months.

And it said Russia and China have separately sought to spark alarm among voters by spreading fake documents alleging to show evidence of security incidents impacting physical buildings or computer systems.

China denied the allegations.

"China has always adhered to noninterference in other countries' internal affairs," Liu Pengyu, the spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said in an email to VOA.

"Speculating or accusing China of using social media to interfere in the U.S. politics is completely groundless and malicious," Liu added.

VOA also contacted representatives for the Russian and Iranian governments, who have yet to respond.



For now, CISA, ODNI and the FBI are advising U.S. election officials that they can try to mitigate the impact of election meddling attempts by creating trusted portals for information, such as official U.S. government websites, and by proactively debunking false information.

But the challenge is likely to grow.

Russia already interfering, says Microsoft

Tech giant Microsoft warned on Wednesday it is seeing signs that Russia, at least, is already ramping up its election interference efforts.

"The usual Russian election influence actors kicked into gear over the last 45 days," according to a report by Microsoft's Threat Analysis Center.

The Russian effort so far, the report said, "employs a mix of themes from 2020 with a renewed focus on undermining U.S. support for Ukraine."

Microsoft further warned that Russia, China and Iran have "leveraged some form of generative AI [artificial intelligence] to create content since last summer."

"We anticipate that election influence campaigns will include fakes a some will be deep, most shallow a and the simplest manipulations, not the most complex employment of AI, will likely be the pieces of content that have the most impact," the report added.

At the same time, there is concern about domestic extremists impacting the presidential election.

"There is a serious risk of extremist violence," the Council on Foreign Relations wrote in a report issued Wednesday.

"While the risk of far-right election-related violence is greater, the possibility of far-left extremist violence cannot be dismissed," it said, pointing to the possibility of attacks on pre-election political events or gatherings, on polling places during Election Day, and against election offices in the days following the election.

Such warnings are consistent with those issued by U.S. officials in recent months.

"Some DVEs [domestic violent extremists], particularly those motivated by conspiracy theories and anti-government or partisan grievances, may seek to disrupt electoral processes," the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned in a threat assessment issued this past September.

"Violence or threats could be directed at government officials, voters, and electionsarelated personnel and infrastructure, including polling places, ballot drop box locations, voter registration sites, campaign events, political party offices and vote-counting sites," it said.

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Defence strategy homes in on Australia's greatest risks

17 APRIL 2024

The Australian Government has released the inaugural National Defence Strategy (NDS) and 2024 Integrated Investment Program (IIP).

As set out in the 2023 Defence Strategic Review, the current strategic environment demands a new approach to defending Australia and its national interests. This approach is based on the concept of National Defence.

The NDS articulates the Government's adoption of a Strategy of Denial, which aims at deterring conflict before it begins.

To achieve this, the Australian Defence Force will transition to an integrated, focused force designed to address Australia's greatest risks.

The NDS also involves working with military partners to ensure no country attempts military force to achieve regional goals, while protecting Australia's strategic lines of communication.

The rebuilt IIP lays out spending allocations to help achieve the Strategy of Denial, resulting in a number of projects being re-prioritised.

Chief of the Defence Force General Angus Campbell said while some people's roles may change, it will be critical to retain personnel and their skills and experience to meet the challenges of a rapidly evolving strategic environment.

"The NDS reinforces the need for growth and retention of highly skilled people to deliver Australia's national defence," General Campbell said.

"We must grow, reshape and reskill our workforce to transition to new platforms and build capacity in emerging capabilities across our five domains. People are, and will remain, our most important component of capability."

The strategy follows the release last year of the Defence Strategic Review, and new national defence strategies will be published every two years to keep pace with changing geo-politics.

Focus on people

NDS highlights the need for growth and retention of a highly skilled workforce to deliver Australia's national defence.

It also acknowledges the need for change to improve recruitment and retention.

The eligibility criteria will be widened to broaden the recruit pool including, where appropriate, non-Australians. Recruiting will be streamlined to take advantage of this wider pool of potential applicants and fill crucial skills gaps.

Other NDS considerations include options to improve personnel housing support through subsidised housing and home ownership, on top of the existing $50,000 continuation bonus and expanded health benefits program. Further retention initiatives have also been recommended.

The rebuilt IIP provides guidance for Defence to realign workforce allocations and capability requirements, creating career opportunities.

Enhancing organisational culture and improving workforce wellbeing are also areas of focus. Defence is invested in suicide-prevention programs and is responding urgently to recommendations from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

Acquisition priorities

The Government will prioritise introducing next-generation capabilities as soon as possible rather than upgrading existing ones, such as replacing Anzac-class frigates with new general-purpose frigates.

Defence will evolve from domain-centric approaches to an integrated force meeting prioritised, strategic needs.

Prioritisation includes bringing minimum viable capabilities into service rather than waiting for the 'perfect' solution.

Conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines are part of this, along with acquiring Army's littoral manoeuvre and Air Force's long-range strike capabilities.

Defence Secretary Greg Moriarty said the changes would provide meaningful contributions to Defence.

"We recognise that all of the Defence organisation have a role to play with the delivery of the National Defence Strategy," Mr Moriarty said.

"Our Defence leadership looks forward to working across the department, and with industry partners, to implement the inaugural strategy and the rebuilt IIP."

Until 2025, current forces will be enhanced, before the accelerated acquisition of critical capabilities from 2026-2030. By 2031, it is envisaged the Australian Defence Force will be fit for purpose across all five domains.

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2024 National Defence Strategy

The Hon Richard Marles MP

Deputy Prime Minister

Minister for Defence



17 APRIL 2024

Today, the Albanese Government has released the inaugural National Defence Strategy, which sets out a fundamentally new approach to the defence of Australia and our interests.

Developed in response to last year's Defence Strategic Review, the 2024 National Defence Strategy outlines the Government's strategic framework to guide the significant and urgent changes required to address Australia's challenging strategic circumstances.

Together with the rebuilt Integrated Investment Program, the National Defence Strategy is a blueprint to deliver an ambitious transformation of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to an integrated, focused force capable of safeguarding Australia's security for decades to come.

National Defence

Australia faces the most complex and challenging strategic environment since the Second World War. It demands a coordinated, whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach to Australia's defence.

This new approach is founded on National Defence - a concept that harnesses all arms of Australia's national power to achieve an integrated approach to our security.

The National Defence Strategy sees a Strategy of Denial become the cornerstone of Defence planning. This approach guides Defence's contribution to National Defence and spans all domains - maritime, land, air, space and cyber.

The adoption of National Defence also means the ADF will shift to an integrated, focused force designed to address Australia's most significant strategic risks. This will ensure the ADF has the capacity to:

defend Australia and our immediate region;

Australia and our immediate region; deter through denial any potential adversary's attempt to project power against Australia through our northern approaches;

through denial any potential adversary's attempt to project power against Australia through our northern approaches; protect Australia's economic connection to the region and the world;

Australia's economic connection to the region and the world; contribute with our partners to the collective security of the Indo-Pacific; and

with our partners to the collective security of the Indo-Pacific; and contribute with our partners to the maintenance of the global rules-based order.

Budget

Underpinning the National Defence Strategy is a generational investment in the ADF's posture, capability and structure.

Since the release of the Defence Strategic Review last year, the Albanese Government is investing an additional $5.7 billion over the next four years and $50.3 billion over the next decade in Defence funding, above the previous trajectory over that period.

These additional investments include:

$11.1 billion over the next decade to deliver the Government's response to the independent analysis of Navy's surface combatant fleet;

over the next decade to deliver the Government's response to the independent analysis of Navy's surface combatant fleet; $1 billion over the next four years to accelerate ADF preparedness including for long-range strike, targeting and autonomous systems; and

over the next four years to accelerate ADF preparedness including for long-range strike, targeting and autonomous systems; and $38.2 billion over the next decade to fund the rebuilt IIP and accelerate and sustain priority capabilities.

This increase in annual funding will see the Defence budget grow to more than $100 billion by 2033-34 - an historic investment, critical to giving effect to the National Defence Strategy.

The Albanese Government's investment in the Defence portfolio will see overall funding reach $765 billion over the decade, including $330 billion for the capability investments outlined today.

Comparatively, the 2020 Defence Strategic Update and 2020 Force Structure Plan outlined $270 billion for the 10-year period to 2029-30.

Not only is the Albanese Government growing the Defence budget, but we are ensuring this money will be spent more wisely to deliver the capabilities we need.

People

People are Defence's most important asset. As the ADF transitions to an integrated, focused force, Defence must recruit, retain and grow the highly specialised and skilled workforce it needs to meet the objectives of National Defence.

The Albanese Government has already introduced several key initiatives to improve recruitment and retention, including the ADF Continuation Bonus, better access to study opportunities and more health benefits.

While these are important steps, we recognise the need for a fundamental transformation of Defence's recruitment and retention system.

The National Defence Strategy calls for a widening of eligibility criteria to enable more people to join the ADF including developing options, where appropriate, to recruit non-Australian citizens; streamlining and improving the recruiting system; and encouraging personnel to serve longer through retention initiatives.

To address these challenges, Defence will develop a new, comprehensive workforce plan this year that will be aligned with the National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program to help meet current and future workforce needs.

Partnerships

Under the National Defence Strategy, Defence will adopt a more focused approach to its international engagement. These efforts will protect Australia's economic connection to the world and help shape a region that is peaceful, stable and prosperous.

Australia's Alliance with the United States remains fundamental to our national security. The Albanese Government is committed to deepening and expanding our defence cooperation with the United States, and working together with the United Kingdom under the auspices of AUKUS.

The Government is also deeply focused on enhancing Australia's defence relationships across Southeast Asia and the Pacific, as well as in the Indian Ocean and North Asia regions.

The path forward

The National Defence Strategy is a reflection of the Government's foundational thinking on defence policy. It outlines a coherent, sensible and logical plan - one that is built on strong foundations and hard decisions, and backed up with the necessary funding.

It will be updated biennially alongside the Integrated Investment Program to ensure defence policy, strategy, capability and planning keeps pace with the rapidly evolving strategic environment.

The next National Defence Strategy will be published in 2026.

The 2024 National Defence Strategy is available here

Quotes attributable to Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Richard Marles MP:

"The inaugural National Defence Strategy sets out a clear and priority-driven approach to protecting against threats to Australia and our interests.

"The National Defence Strategy outlines how we are transforming the ADF and equipping it to survive in a much less certain world.

"These transformational reforms are designed to ensure that peace, security, and prosperity are maintained in our region.

"The Albanese Government is making an historic investment in Defence and has taken tough decisions to reshape the ADF to meet our strategic circumstances and to keep Australians safe."

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2024 Integrated Investment Program

The Hon Richard Marles MP

Deputy Prime Minister

Minister for Defence



17 APRIL 2024

The Albanese Government has boosted Defence spending to deliver the 2024 National Defence Strategy and build an integrated, focused force that is ready to deter potential threats.

The 2024 Integrated Investment Program outlines the Government's capability investment priorities. This is the first substantial update to the Integrated Investment Program since 2020 and involves a complete rebuild of Defence's capability procurement plan to meet Australia's strategic circumstances and accelerate critical capabilities in a practical and affordable way.

Together, the National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program will ensure the Australian Defence Force has the capabilities, systems, structures and people to respond to threats, contribute to the stability of our region and keep Australians safe.

Delivering an integrated, focused force

The Albanese Government has allocated $330 billion for the Integrated Investment Program over the decade to 2033-34. This is a significant lift compared to the $270 billion allocated for the 10-year period to 2029-30 as part of the 2020 Defence Strategic Update and 2020 Force Structure Plan.

Following the Defence Strategic Review, the Albanese Government is making an historic investment in Defence, with an additional $5.7 billion over the next four years and $50.3 billion over the next decade, above the previous trajectory over that period, to deliver:

a Navy with an enhanced lethality surface fleet and conventionally-armed, nuclearapowered submarines;

an Army optimised for littoral manoeuvre with a long-range land and maritime strike capability;

an Air Force that can deliver long-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and an enhanced maritime, land and air strike capability; and

a strengthened and integrated space and cyber capability, including enhanced cyber and electronic warfare and new space-based situational awareness.

These investments include an additional $11.1 billion over the next decade to deliver the Government's response to the independent analysis of Navy's surface combatant fleet, and an additional $1 billion over the next four years to support targeting, long-range fires, theatre logistics, fuel resilience and robotic and autonomous systems.

As a result of this increased commitment, Defence funding as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product is projected to rise to around 2.4 per cent by 2033-34 - up to 0.3 per cent higher than the spending trajectory set by the former government.

The Integrated Investment Program outlines how the Government is making deliberate choices to invest in new capabilities and prioritise investments to bring those new capabilities into service as quickly as possible.

Whilst the Government is making an historic investment in Defence's capabilities, it is also making the necessary decisions to divest, delay or re-scope projects that do not meet our strategic circumstances.

The Integrated Investment Program will be revised biennially, in line with the National Defence Strategy cycle, to ensure the Government's investment plans remain aligned with the nation's strategic settings.

The 2024 Integrated Investment Program can be viewed here.

Quotes attributable to Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Richard Marles MP:

"The Albanese Government is delivering on its commitment to fund the Australian Defence Force and set out an affordable, achievable, and sustainable plan for the future.

"To deliver impactful projection, we are making an historic investment in Defence funding - including $330 billion for the Integrated Investment Program over the decade, a significant lift from previous planning.

"At a time of complex challenges and increasing uncertainty, a stronger, integrated, focused and capable Defence Force is of the upmost importance."

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Pat Conroy MP:

"The Integrated Investment Plan deliberately reshapes the ADF's acquisition program to ensure it has the critical capabilities needed for the next decade and beyond.

"This is a record investment in defence capability and an investment in a future made in Australia, which will not only make the country safer, but also deliver dividends for industry and jobs for hard-working Australians.

"This fully funded plan ensures a continuous pipeline of investment that underscores the Albanese Government's unwavering commitment to developing Australia's sovereign defence industry."

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China, US increase exchanges; Washington still 'lacks sincerity'

Global Times

Interactions meaningful while experts warn of 'tricks' of US

By Chen Qingqing, Guo Yuandan and Zhang Yiyi Published: Apr 17, 2024 08:26 PM

China and the US have recently engaged in intensive dialogues and communications across multiple fields, involving military, financial and economic aspects. Observers believe the current frequent interactions between the world's two largest economies are positively meaningful and conducive to better managing differences between the two sides, and also beneficial for the US to form correct understanding and judgments about China's actions and policies.

However, the most prominent feature of the current China-US relations is that Washington continuously raises demands with China but lacks sincerity in responding to many of China's reasonable requests. Although bilateral relations have relatively stabilized, whether they can progress further remains to be seen, observers said, who also warned to be vigilant against Washington's "tricks," especially in military sector.

Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun held a video call with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday. Dong said the heads of state of China and the United States are committed to stabilizing and improving bilateral relations, stressing that both militaries should serve as a cornerstone for maintaining such stability.

He underscored that the Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests, which brook no compromise. The Chinese People's Liberation Army stands firm against any activities seeking "Taiwan independence" or external support for such separatist actions, Dong said.

Noting the overall stability in the South China Sea situation, Dong urged the United States to recognize China's firm stance and take practical actions to uphold regional peace, as well as the stability of relations between the two countries and militaries.

Meanwhile, the economic and financial working groups of China and the US held their fourth meeting in Washington DC on Tuesday, with the two sides engaging in "in-depth, pragmatic and constructive" dialogue on how to implement the consensus reached earlier by the leaders of both nations, the macroeconomic situations of both countries and the world, how to achieve balanced growth, and other topics.

The fourth meeting came after the US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen wrapped up a high-stakes six-day visit to China last week, during which the two countries reached new areas of consensuses in economic and financial fields and also agreed on future meeting arrangements.

From the meeting between the leaders of China and the US in San Francisco last November to their phone call in early April this year, there has been effective communication between the two sides in practical areas. Regardless of whether differences still exist, the communication itself is effective and represents a breakthrough, some Chinese experts said.

Analyzing statements released by the US, Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, believes US' sincerity in communication and exchanges with China is insufficient.

"The starting point of their communication is not aimed at moving toward China to better manage differences and resolve conflicts. Instead, the US is motivated by the need to bolster its allies' confidence in how it handles relations with China, demonstrating its capability to keep China-US relations under control. This, in turn, assures its allies to more confidently follow the US in its strategic competition with China," Li told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Vigilance against 'tricks'

The latest talk between the defense chiefs of the two countries, which is a major breakthrough in fully resuming the military-to-military communication, is likely to add possibilities for a future face-to-face meeting at Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore later once both sides confirm their attendances, some experts said.

But there are still many uncertainties, which are largely linked to the upcoming actions of the US, or whether the US will challenge and break China's bottom line on its core interests.

A US P-8A anti-submarine patrol aircraft flew through the Taiwan Straits and hyped it up publicly on Wednesday. The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command organized warplanes to follow, monitor and deal with the trespassing US aircraft in accordance with the law and regulations, the command's spokesperson said.

The theater command troops are on high alert at all times, resolutely safeguarding national sovereign security and regional peace and stability, the spokesperson added.

In a readout issued by the Pentagon on Tuesday, it reiterated that the US remains committed to "our longstanding one China policy, which is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three US-China Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances, and he reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability across the Strait."

Austin also underscored the importance of respect for high seas freedom of navigation guaranteed under international law, especially in the South China Sea, according to the readout.

Philippine and US forces will simulate retaking enemy-occupied islands during joint military drills starting next week in areas facing Taiwan and the South China Sea, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

While military communication between China and the US can be regarded as having fully restored, it's evident from the readouts of both sides that China is well aware of US' ulterior motives and tricks, observers said.

On Lai Ching-te, who has been elected as Taiwan's regional leader in January and will take office in May, I believe that Chinese side is definitely sounding the alarm to the US, which is that the US must fulfill its promise not to support Taiwan independence, Wu Xinbo, director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

On the South China Sea issue, China's message is also clear that the US should not support the Philippines in its provocations, as such support won't change the overall situation, the expert said. "China and the relevant countries can manage and maintain the overall stability of the South China Sea, and the US' schemes will not succeed," Wu said.

Caution needed

The China-US relationship has not yet fully emerged from its low point, but it is relatively stable, or rather, "there are still pitfalls ahead, but both sides have lights to guide them," LA Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

"Both parties have flashlights in hand, so they are unlikely to fall into a pit. This is the current situation, but there is still the possibility of accidentally stepping into a pit, so both sides should remain cautious," LA said.

Despite that the economic and financial working groups of China and the US had substantial dialogue in Washington DC, the US Trade Representative Katherine Tai is reportedly going to tell lawmakers that the Biden administration is "taking a serious look" at US trade defense tools to deal with threats posed by China's trade and economic policies, including a review of Trump-era tariffs on Chinese imports.

"The core issue is that the US no longer adheres to or follows its own established rule, arbitrarily causing the current chaos in the global economic and international trade sectors," Gao Lingyun, an expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

It's also difficult to predict whether tensions in the economic and trade sectors between the two countries will ease following the latest interactions, but the two sides could focus on areas of mutual benefits before moving on to topics where there are greater disagreements.

While interactions between China and the US have increased, whether the relationship between the two countries can progress beyond stability is yet to be seen, observers said.

"It seems the US is more concerned with maintaining stability, ensuring that no major issues arise. In contrast, China hopes to address some mutual concerns while maintaining stability, to promote an improvement in bilateral relations," Wu said.

To improve, issues need to be resolved and progress made. However, the US currently shows little interest in moving forward, including in military relations and it is more focused on preventing any accidents or crises than on engaging in extensive military exchanges, the expert said.

The current dynamic is characterized by Washington continuously pressuring China and raising demands, with a lack of a positive and sincere response to China's legitimate concerns. "In this context, Blinken's upcoming visit to China won't be an easy task, and we should not expect significant outcomes," Wu added.

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US prepared to 'take further steps' as it warns China against enabling Russia

By Nike Ching April 17, 2024

The United States warned China on Wednesday against helping Russia in its war on Ukraine and said it is "prepared to take further steps as necessary." In Italy, foreign ministers from the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations gathered to reaffirm their support for Ukraine's defense.

"We believe that the PRC is supporting Russia's war effort and is doing so by helping ramp up its defense production," State Department principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters during a briefing in Washington.

"Specifically," he said, "the PRC is providing Russia with significant quantities of machine tools, microelectronics, optics, UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones] and cruise missile technology, and nitrocellulose, which Russia uses to make propellants for weapons."

Patel said the United States believes these materials "are filling critical gaps in Russia's defense production cycle" and helping to revitalize Russia's defense industrial base.

"China's support is actively enabling Russia's war in Ukraine, and it poses a significant threat to European security," he added. "We've sanctioned relevant firms in the PRC and are prepared to take further steps as necessary."

Blinken, G7 leaders talk

In Capri, Italy, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is holding talks this week with foreign ministers from the other G7 countries a Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom a as well as representatives from the European Union. Topics include Ukraine support, the Middle East crisis, Haitian instability and global partnerships.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Wednesday said the G7 ministers would discuss how to get more air defense to Ukraine as Kyiv faces increasing pressure from Russia.

"We and our partners around the world must now be just as resolute in our defense against Russian terror from the air," Baerbock said in a statement.

Blinken will later visit China, where he is expected to bring up Washington's concerns about China's support for Russia's defense industrial base.

On the margins of the G7 meeting Wednesday, Blinken and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani signed a memorandum of understanding to counter the manipulation of information by other countries.

Blinken said the two nations are collaborating on "all of the most critical issues," including aiding Ukraine in defending itself against Russian aggression, addressing challenges in the Middle East and sharing approaches to challenges posed by China.

Beijing rejected what Chinese officials described as Washington's "smear."

"China regulates the export of dual-use articles in accordance with laws and regulations. Relevant countries should not smear or attack the normal relations between China and Russia and should not harm the legitimate rights and interests of China and Chinese companies," Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said during a briefing.

China continues supporting Russia

After Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's visit to Beijing last week, Chinese officials said China would "continue to support Russia in pursuing development and revitalization under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin."

They said the two nations "have committed themselves to lasting friendship" and a deepened comprehensive strategic partnership.

Russian missile kills at least 17

In Washington, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. The two discussed the U.S. Commerce Department's work with partners to coordinate export controls and restrict sales of advanced technologies to Russia.

Deputy U.S. Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said G7 finance leaders have been working toward a plan to unlock the value of frozen Russian sovereign assets to aid Ukraine in the near term. But he noted the talks are still a work in progress.

In Ukraine, officials said earlier Wednesday that a Russian missile attack hit the northern city of Chernihiv, killing at least 17 people and injuring 61 others.

Denise Brown, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine, condemned the latest wave of strikes. She also emphasized that under international humanitarian law, civilians and hospitals must be protected.

In Chernihiv, aid workers provided on-the-ground support to those affected by the strikes, including psychosocial and legal assistance. Their efforts complement the work of first responders and rescue services.

Some information for this report came from Reuters.

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China's general aviation manufacturing industry burgeons

Xinhua) 16:11, April 18, 2024

BEIJING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- China's general aviation manufacturing industry has burgeoned in recent years, with the output rising nearly 60 percent year on year in 2023, a senior official said Thursday.

Last year, China delivered more than 3.17 million civilian drones, and the output of the general aviation manufacturing sector exceeded 51 billion yuan (about 7.18 billion U.S. dollars), Shan Zhongde, vice minister of industry and information technology, told a press conference.

According to incomplete statistics, China had over 2,300 civilian drone research and development enterprises by the end of 2023, and more than 1,000 drone models had been mass produced, he said.

The ministry will work with other authorities to accelerate the development of low-altitude economy in the future, Shan added.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Biden to triple tariffs on Chinese steel ahead of reelection bid

By Patsy Widakuswara April 17, 2024

In response to mounting pressure from labor unions anxious about the impact of cheap Chinese exports on the U.S steel industry, President Joe Biden is poised to triple tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from China.

"They're not competing. They're cheating," Biden said Wednesday in remarks to the United Steelworkers union in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "They're cheating. And we've seen the damage here in America."

Pennsylvania is one of a few battleground states that could determine the success of the president's reelection bid against former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee.

"Under my predecessor, who's busy right now, Pennsylvania lost 275,000 jobs," Biden said in a jab at Trump, who is on trial in New York on charges of falsifying business accounts to disguise hush money payments related to his 2016 election campaign.

Biden boasted of creating 800,000 new manufacturing jobs since taking office, including 28,000 in Pennsylvania.

He accused Beijing of "heavily" subsidizing Chinese steel companies that dump their products on the global markets at "unfairly low" prices. China is responsible for almost half of global steel production.

The tariff hike proposal by Biden, who calls himself the "most pro-union president in American history," echoed Trump's "America First" trade approach against China.

In 2018, the former president announced a 25% tariff on some imported steel products and a 10 percent tariff on some imported aluminum products, under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act.

However, Trump's action did not increase tariffs for some other steel and aluminum products, which are currently levied at a much lower 7.5% rate. Biden is directing U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai to explore tripling the tariff rate on those products under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, the White House said in a statement.

Rachel Ziemba, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, or CNAS, said the Biden administration is reviewing why some Chinese steel derivatives currently have a 25% tariff and some have a 7.5% tariff.

"Arguably, what they're proposing to do now might normalize the level of steel tariffs across almost all sorts of steel products that are coming in from China," she told VOA.

In a statement to VOA, the Trump campaign dismissed Biden's proposal.

"The Biden campaign is attacking President Trump's effective tariffs on China - while the Biden White House is planning to implement similar tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum," said Trump's national press secretary, Karoline Leavitt. "Biden's team is either run by hypocrites or people who don't know what they're doing."

Protectionist sentiment

The proposed tariffs reflect the resurging protectionist sentiment now embraced by politicians on both sides of the aisle.

"Rather astonishingly, trade tariffs have entered the political mainstream," said William Howell, Sydney Stein professor in American politics at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy.

"After decades of bipartisan agreement on the benefits of open international markets, Republican and Democratic presidents now are looking for ways to protect select domestic industries from international competition," he told VOA.

The shift, Howell added, involves a rethinking of the costs and benefits of free trade as well as political considerations of the two presidential candidates as they try to shore up union support in key battleground states.

The White House denies political motivation. A senior administration official said the move is not aimed at courting union workers, a powerful voting bloc.

"It has nothing to do with elections," the official told reporters during Wednesday's briefing. "We're actually acting from a place of self-confidence and strength because our economy is growing and manufacturing is rebounding."

China was the seventh-largest exporter of steel to the United States in 2023 with 598,000 net tons total shipments of all steel products, according to Census Bureau data compiled by the American Iron and Steel Institute, an industry trade group that welcomed Biden's proposal.

The economic effect of tripling the tariffs against such small volumes of Chinese steel and aluminum imports will be minor, said Gary Hufbauer, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.

"But the announcement may shift some votes," he told VOA.

While Biden has signaled that the Section 301 review is a high priority, the timeline of his proposed tariff increase, and its potential impact, are not clear.

"There are a lot of details to come out that won't be clear until the final rule and judgment is revealed," Ziemba of CNAS said.

Working with Mexico

Since Section 232 is related to national security rather than dumping or import surges, exemptions were allowed on certain derivatives of aluminum and steel from partner countries beginning in 2020.

Full or partial exemptions apply to steel derivatives from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, the European Union, Mexico, South Korea and the United Kingdom. The same applies to aluminum derivatives from Argentina, Australia, Canada, the EU, Mexico and the U.K.

Biden said he recently sent a delegation to meet with Mexican President AndrAs Manuel LApez Obrador, to ensure that Chinese companies can't circumvent the tariffs by shipping steel there for subsequent export to the U.S.

"Mexico and the United States are going to work together to solve this, I promise you," he said.

He said his administration will unveil a probe into "unfair practices" in the Chinese shipbuilding industry, following a petition from United Steelworkers and four other unions.

In a statement to VOA, Chinese Embassy Spokesperson Liu Pengyu said U.S. tariffs against China are "the embodiment of unilateralism and protectionism." He pointed out that in 2020, the World Trade Organization ruled that Trump-era tariffs imposed on China in 2018 breached international trade rules.

"The U.S. is making the same mistake again and again by seeking to triple the tariff rate on Chinese steel and aluminum products and launching Section 301 investigations targeting China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors," he said.

Liu added his government hopes the administration will "implement the important consensus and spirit" agreed by Biden and President Xi Jinping during their 2023 meeting in San Francisco and cancel tariffs through the Section 301 review.

Asked Wednesday if he was concerned his tariff hike plans would impact relations with Xi, Biden said, "No," without elaborating.

Increasingly, steel has become an election issue particularly in the so-called "Rust Belt," the country's manufacturing, steelmaking, and coal-producing heartland that went through industrial decline, resulting in high unemployment.

During a visit earlier this month by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, a staunch U.S. ally, Biden repeated his opposition to the proposed acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japanese group Nippon Steel.

"U.S. Steel has been an iconic American company for more than a century. And it should remain totally American," Biden underscored Wednesday.

The USW endorsed Biden for reelection in March, shortly after he announced his opposition to the takeover deal.

Trump has also pledged that he would block the $14.9 billion offer for U.S. Steel.

Paris Huang and Lin Feng contributed to this report.

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US eyes on new sanctions on Iran, urged to be responsible in Mideast affairs

Global Times

Heavily favoring Israel may trigger more aggressive decisions from Tehran: experts

By GT staff reporters Published: Apr 17, 2024 09:16 PM Updated: Apr 17, 2024 09:38 PM

The US-led West is once again eyeing a series of new sanctions against Iran, as Israel's war cabinet has put off a third meeting to decide on a response to Iran's attack. However, analysts warned that more sanctions are unlikely to stop Iran or an escalation of the tensions in the Middle East, but could instead trigger more aggressive decisions from Iran. The US should take responsibility and use its influence to prevent Israel from escalating the conflict, they said.

On Tuesday local time, the White House announced that it will impose new sanctions targeting Iran, including its missile and drone program as well as new sanctions against entities supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran's Defense Ministry, and will work to "further erode the effectiveness of Iran's missile and UAV capabilities."

With Washington saying that it anticipates that "its allies and partners will soon be following," the UK's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that he was working with G7 partners on further sanctions against Tehran, The Guardian reported.

Nonetheless, experts told the Global Times on Wednesday that new sanctions are unlikely to have a significant impact on Iran, as the country has experienced long-term sanctions and has essentially become accustomed to striving under such sanctions.

"Economic and technological sanctions will not have a major effect on Iran, at most it will only create some pressure in terms of public opinion," Zhu Yongbiao, executive director of the Research Center for the Belt and Road at Lanzhou University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

On the other hand, sanctions will only worsen the relationship between the US and Iran, and may even lead some decision-makers in Iran to believe that they should launch more aggressive attacks, warned LA Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

If Iran and Israel were to engage in serious attacks, it would have irreversible consequences for the entire region, likely on a scale not seen since the earlier Middle East wars, and would have a very negative impact on global energy supply, said LA, who described the scenario as "unimaginable."

LA believes that the key to this issue still lies in the US, which is the biggest influencer in the Middle East.

"Now that we know the US always has a special relationship with Israel, it should take the responsibility and use its influence to suppress Israel's warlike impulses," LA said. "If the US instead encourages Israel, the situation will be very difficult to handle."

The current US government's Middle East policy is the most chaotic, on which the Biden administration needs to reflect, LA said. He noted that its overall foreign policy is also very chaotic, with issues involving Russia, Iran and China all mixed up without a clear boundary or clue.

Zhu described the US' attitude toward Middle East issues as "duplicity." "On one hand, it tries to portray itself as a maintainer of order in the Middle East. On the other hand, it is deeply tied to Israel, heavily favoring Israel, with a stark contrast in its rhetoric," he said.

Zhu noted that Israel is adopting a comprehensive strategy against Iran, counterattacking economically, politically, and in terms of public opinion, including its recent statements and calls for Western countries to sanction Iran, which are both a threat and a form of psychological warfare.

On the contrary, observers pointed out that Iran is currently adopting a restrained attitude, as its latest attacks against Israel caused no deaths and little damage.

From the current situation, it appears that there are communication channels between Iran and Israel, LA said. "If the international community also exerts the right influence, the entire conflict still can potentially be controlled within manageable limits."

Zhu believes that while the likelihood of military conflict between Israel and Iran is increasing, the possibility of it catalyzing a large-scale war in the Middle East is relatively low.

"The basic ecology of this region has not fundamentally changed - The US does not want to be dragged into another Middle East war, and Arab countries also do not want to see another large-scale war," he said. "Due to the lack of willingness from all parties, the likelihood of a full-scale war breaking out in the short term is very low."

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Argentina ruling on AMIA case politicized: Iran FM spox

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 17, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani has rejected an anti-Iran ruling by Argentina's highest criminal court over the AMIA case, saying that the ruling was aimed at political purposes.

Kanaani on Wednesday rejected the "baseless and unsubstantiated allegations" made against Iran in the ruling by the Argentinian court over the bombing of the AMIA Jewish center in Buenos Aires in 1994.

The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that the latest ruling on the motives behind the blast as well as its perpetrators was an amateur move far from legal and judicial rigor, the spokesman said.

He also noted that the ruling is a clear sign that enemies of the Islamic Republic, specifically the Zionist regime, are implementing a new political project against Iran, as the case was under investigation in another court.

The ruling is also indicative of efforts to create a diversion in investigations to determine the truth, he added.

The spokesman also said that Iran has over the past 30 years backed constructive measures in connection with the case, including a 2013 memorandum of understanding which it signed with Buenos Aires to create a truth commission to investigate the attack.

Those measures were unfortunately fruitless because of the individuals who were not after discovering the truth and sacrificed justice for their political purposes, Kanaani said.

Having faced strong condemnations across the globe over crimes against Palestinians in Gaza, the Zionist regime is trying to divert the world public opinion from those crimes, the Iranian diplomat further said.

On April 11, Argentina's highest criminal court blamed Iran for the AMIA bombing and said it was carried out by the Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah. The court alleged that the attack was in response to Argentina reneging on a nuclear cooperation deal with Iran.

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Seizure of Israeli-linked ship 'retaliatory move': Official

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 17, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Iran's Deputy President for Legal Affairs Mohammad Dehghan has described the seizure of the Israeli-linked ship as a 'retaliatory move'.

Dehghan made the comment on the sidelines of the cabinet session on Wednesday about the seizure of the MCS Aries container ship.

Members of the Special Naval Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) have recently seized the MCS Aries container ship by carrying out a heliborne operation on the vessel's deck, directing it towards Iran's territorial waters.

It was a retaliatory operation against the actions of the United States and the Zionist regime, he said.

Zionist regime's actions have been the root cause of Iran's reactions, he added.

No legal action is on the agenda regarding the Zionist regime's attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, the official said.

On April 13, the IRGC announced firing dozens of drones and missiles toward the positions of the Zionist regime in occupied Palestine in response to the Israeli attack against Iran's consulate in Damascus, Syria, a few days earlier.

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Op. True Promise changes regional power balance: Navy chief

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 17, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani says "Operation True Promise" against the Zionist regime changed the regional power balance.

He made the remarks on the sideline of the parade of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army on National Army Day on Wednesday, adding that regional power balance has changed with the presence of resistance forces.

Operation True Promise proved to everyone that Muslims speak one word together, and that word is to support the oppressed and confront the oppressor.

The IRGC launched an extensive retaliatory missile and drone operation against the Zionist regime on April 13 night in response to its attack on the Iranian consulate on April 1.

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Foe's strategic mistake to be answered with Sukhoi Su-24: Commander

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 17, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Iranian Army Air Force is completely ready and waiting for the command of the Supreme Leader to hit the targets, especially with the Sukhoi Su-24, says the Iranian Army Air Force commander, Brigadier General Hamid Vahedi.

Speaking at the parade ceremony on the occasion of National Army Day on Wednesday, Brigadier Vahedi said it is not just the Sukhoi Su-24 but all the other aircraft stand prepared for action.

Brigadier Vahedi cautioned adversaries against committing mistakes, as such errors could result in irreparable damage from the Iranian armed forces.

Regarding Operation True Promise, he said that what the Islamic Revolution Guards Corp (IRG) did was a mere "slap".

The IRGC launched an extensive retaliatory missile and drone operation against the Zionist regime on April 13 night in response to its attack on the Iranian consulate on April 1.

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Next retaliatory operation will not be limited: Pres. Raisi warns Israeli regime

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 17, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned Wednesday that if the Zionist regime makes the slightest act of aggression on Iran's soil, it will be dealt with a powerful and fierce blow.

President Raisi also said that Iran's retaliatory operation against the Israeli regime, dubbed Operation True Promise, was "limited" and "punitive".

He made the remarks at the parade of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army on the occasion of National Army Day.

"The army stands by the nation and acts to defend the homeland, territorial integrity, and the values of the Islamic Revolution," he said.

He noted that what distinguishes Iran's Army from other armies in the world is its faith in God and reliance on divine power.

"Our army is a skilled and trained one," the president said. "The army is equipped with modern innovations and technologies. The equipment that had to be maintained by other countries before the Islamic Revolution is being updated today by the capable hands of our armed forces and army."

He further noted that the well-equipped and up-to-date army along with the powerful Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and our armed forces are the sources of the country's authority, adding that regional forces can "rely on our armed forces."

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New sanctions against Iran expected "in coming days," U.S. treasury secretary says

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:56, April 17, 2024

WASHINGTON, April 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen said Tuesday that she expects the United States to impose new sanctions on Iran "in the coming days."

"I fully expect that we will take additional sanctions action against Iran in the coming days," Yellen told reporters at a press conference just ahead of the unveiling of this year's Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.

Yellen's remarks came days after Iran attacked Israel with a barrage of missiles and drones, marking an escalation of the conflict in the Middle East that she said has already caused economic spillovers negatively impacting some countries in the region.

Yellen said she won't preview specific sanctions measures at this point in time, adding that the sanctions will be imposed in coordination with U.S. allies.

On Sunday, a senior Biden administration official said at a press call that part of the discussion among the Group of Seven (G7) leaders during a video-conference that day touched upon "a coordinated effort on some sanctions measures" against Iran.

The official added without elaboration that the leaders also explored ways to overcome "some hurdles" that are still in existence with regard to the G7's policy on Iran.

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'Unsubstantiated': Iran rejects Argentine court's blaming for AMIA bombing

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 17 April 2024 7:30 PM

The spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry has dismissed a ruling by an Argentine court that blames Iran for two bombing attacks in the country during the 1990s, labeling the claims in the verdict as unsubstantiated and politically motivated.

"From Iran's perspective, the court's involvement in the AMIA building explosion case and its final judgment on the motives and primary causes of the blast is premature and lacks legal-judicial wisdom," Nasser Kanaani said on Wednesday.

He was referencing a recent ruling by Argentina's Court of Cassation, which attributed responsibility for the dual attacks on Israel's embassy and the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) Jewish center in Buenos Aires to Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah movement.

The ruling, as reported by the press, alleged that Iran orchestrated the 1992 attack on Israel's embassy and the 1994 bombing of the AMIA center.

The spokesperson argued that the ruling represents an effort to misdirect the investigation's course to uncover the truth, as the case regarding the explosions is currently under review in another court.

"This demonstrates the execution of a new political project by the adversaries of the Islamic Republic of Iran, notably the Zionist regime," he asserted.

The spokesperson highlighted that for the past thirty years, Iran has endorsed any constructive initiative to ascertain the truth behind the incident, including signing a memorandum of understanding with the Argentine government to establish a joint investigative commission.

"Unfortunately, the aforementioned actions have remained fruitless and have not achieved any result due to actions by those who have not sought to discover the truth and have always sacrificed the execution of justice for their political and partisan objectives within Argentina," he said.

The spokesperson cautioned that the Israeli regime has repeatedly tried to shift focus from its genocide in Gaza, insinuating that it may have influenced the recent ruling.

"It is evident to all that in recent months, the Zionist regime has faced global condemnation for committing war crimes and the heinous killing of civilians, particularly Palestinian children and women in the Gaza Strip ... [and is attempting] to distract the international community from its offenses in various ways."

The 1992 and 1994 bombings in Argentina remain unclaimed and unresolved, although Israel has persistently accused Iran of involvement.

Argentina has cultivated strong ties with Israel under President Javier Milei, who has emerged as a fervent supporter of the regime.

Milei has backed the Israeli regime's continued actions against Gaza, in contrast to most other Latin American leaders who have either cut ties with the regime or withdrawn their envoys from Tel Aviv.

Milei also recently declared that Argentina would join the few countries that have relocated their embassy in the Israeli-occupied territories from Tel Aviv to Al-Quds.

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Hamas: Iran's attack ended Israel's era of hit-and-run

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 17 April 2024 6:47 PM

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas says Iran's military response to Israel's deadly April 1 strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus confirmed the end of the regime's era of acting "without accountability or punishment."

In a statement on Wednesday, Hamas said "the response from the Islamic Republic of Iran confirms that the time when the Zionist entity could act as it wanted without accountability or punishment has ended, and with it the illusions of betting on it."

In the multi-pronged Operation True Promise on April 13, Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles at the occupied territories. The operation has inflicted damage on Israeli military bases across the occupied territories. The extent of damage is yet to be specified.

The Israeli airstrikes on Iran's embassy compound in Damascus killed two generals of the Quds Force of IRGC, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi and General Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, as well as five of their accompanying officers.

"As we appreciate what the Islamic Republic has done, we at the same time deplore the biased Western position that came to protect the entity at a time when it has remained silent and continues to remain silent about the genocidal war to which our people are being subjected in Gaza, and the abuse to which our people in Al-Quds and the West Bank and our prisoners are subjected in the occupation prisons," Hamas stated.

Israel has killed over 34,000 people, mostly women and children, in Gaza since early October. Figures also show more than 14,500 of Gaza's 1.1 million children have been killed since.

Following Iran's attack, Israel says it must retaliate to preserve the credibility of its deterrence. Iran has already warned Israel against taking any retaliatory actions and also urged the United States to keep away from involvement in the conflict and signaled that it viewed the matter as "concluded."

In conclusion, Hamas once again called on "the Arab and Islamic nation, the resistance forces in the region, and the free people of the world to continue supporting our Palestinian people in the glorious battle of Al-Aqsa Flood to liberate their land and sanctities."

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Iran rejects nuclear activities against interaction with IAEA: Nuclear chief

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 17 April 2024 11:22 AM

Iran's nuclear chief says the Islamic Republic will not settle for any kind of nuclear activity that undermines the interaction between Tehran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), made the statement in a press briefing on the sidelines of the Iranian administration's weekly cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Pointing to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi's claims about ambiguities in Iran's nuclear program, Eslami said the reports submitted by the UN nuclear agency chief to the Board of Governors or the UN Security Council have two parts, with the first one pertaining to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the second one to safeguards and the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Highlighting good relations between Iran and the IAEA in the field of safeguards and the NPT, Eslami said, "In this area, the installation of the International Atomic Energy Agency's cameras and their constant monitoring is underway, and their knowledge about our measures is always up-to-date."

Iran's nuclear chief said there are 120 accredited inspectors of the IAEA for the country's nuclear program, some of whom are stationed in Iran while the others visit the country's nuclear facilities on a regular or unannounced basis.

"The IAEA submits a report about Iran's nuclear activities to the Board of Governors every three months and to the UN Security Council every six months, and the issue of compliance or non-compliance of Iran's nuclear activities with the JCPOA is the main focus of the report," Eslami said.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran rejects any nuclear activity that impairs the interaction between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency," he added.

Underlining that the Islamic Republic is committed to the 2020 strategic law concerning the JCPOA, the head of the AEOI said if the other side fails to fulfill its obligations, Iran will follow suit and, "If they fulfill their commitments, the Islamic Republic will also live up to its end of the bargain in the JCPOA regarding the clauses on certain restrictions."

The law, dubbed the Strategic Action Plan to Counter Sanctions, was adopted by Iranian lawmakers in December 2020 to counter sanctions imposed on Iran by the United States and its Western allies, and to promote the country's peaceful nuclear program.

Under the parliament's law, the Iranian administration is required to restrict the IAEA's inspections and accelerate the development of the country's nuclear program beyond the limits set under the JCPOA.

Meanwhile, Eslami pointed to the presence of IAEA inspectors in Iran and the good interaction between Tehran and the Agency, adding that Grossi will visit the country in the future.

Iran and the IAEA are in a dispute triggered by the agency's Israeli-influenced accusations, which were leveled against Tehran's peaceful nuclear activities. The UN atomic agency insisted on investigating what it claims to be "uranium traces" found at "undeclared nuclear sites" in Iran.

The row turned into a sticking point in the talks aimed at reviving the US-abandoned nuclear agreement, known as the JCPOA.

In 2019, Iran started to roll back the limits it had accepted under the landmark nuclear deal with world powers that had been signed in 2015. The decision came a year after the US withdrew from the agreement and re-imposed sanctions on Tehran.

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Raeisi: Iran 'Operation True Promise' inflicted strategic defeat on Israel

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 17 April 2024 7:59 AM

President Ebrahim Raeisi says Iran's retaliatory operation against Israel inflicted not only a military defeat but also a strategic setback on the occupying Tel Aviv regime, and dissuaded certain regional Arab countries seeking to normalize diplomatic ties with the Zionist entity.

"The Zionist regime's defeat was an intelligence, security and military one; but it was a strategic setback above all. Some countries sought to normalize relations with the Zionist regime, but they are now humiliated in the eyes of their own nations. This was was a strategic failure for that regime," he pointed out.

Raeisi made the remarks on Wednesday as he addressed a ceremony in the capital Tehran on the occasion of the National Army Day, where forces with various divisions of Iran's Army attended a large-scale military parade, and displayed their new defense achievements, and advanced military equipment and hardware.

The Iranian president went on to point to the growing global support for Palestine as well as simmering resentment against the United States and Israel, emphasizing that support for Palestine and the resistance front has now become the ensign of all nations and religions.

"Our armed forces are ensuring security and peace and establishing sovereignty across the region, and are completely reliable," the Iranian president stated, urging regional countries to rely on their own assets and Muslim forces rather than foreign interference and partnerships with Israel.

Raeisi also underscored that Iran's Operation True Promise was "limited and punitive," warning the Tel Aviv regime against any military adventurism as a stronger strike could have totally wiped it out.

He said the operation shattered the Israeli military's invincibility myth and proved that the regime's power is like a spider's web.

"Operation True Promise was a limited and not a comprehensive measure. If we had carried out a stronger operation, nothing would then have been left out of Israel," he said.

The Iranian president continued, "The [Iranian] Army stands by the nation and acts to defend the homeland, territorial integrity and the values aaof the Islamic Revolution. Our army has distinguished itself from other armies in the world in terms of belief and faith in God and reliance on divine power.

"Our army is a skilled and trained force. Its military know-how is up-to-date and such a skill has distinguished the Iranian Army. The army is equipped with sophisticated innovations and technologies. The hardware that once had to be operated by other countries before the Islamic Revolution, is now updated by capable technicians in the Armed Forces."

Raeisi emphasized that Iran has achieved technical, industrial, military, and indigenous independence, thanks to the efforts of young specialists in the armed forces.

He further noted the Islamic Republic's military capabilities, including the production of fighter jets, vessels, tanks, and smart systems, have established the nation as a formidable force both regionally and globally.

"Our equipped and updated Army, alongside the IRGC (Islamic Revolution Guards Corps) and (other) armed forces, constitute the pillars of our nation's authority," Raeisi said, stressing that regional forces can rely on Iranian Armed Forces.

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'Operation True Promise' exhibits new power balance in West Asia: Amir-Abdollahian

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 17 April 2024 7:50 AM

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says the Islamic Republic's retaliatory strikes on the Israeli-occupied territories presented a new definition of the balance of power in the West Asia region.

Amir-Abdollahian made the statement in a message to Army Chief Commander Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi on the occasion of National Army Day on April 17 as he praised Iran's defense capabilities and deterrence power in its recent retaliatory operation against the illegal entity.

In a multi-pronged attack, dubbed Operation True Promise, Iran launched late on Saturday hundreds of drones and missiles at the occupied territories in response to the regime's aggression on the Iranian diplomatic facilities in the Syrian capital of Damascus on April 1.

The Israeli airstrikes on Iran's embassy compound in Damascus had killed two generals of the Quds Force of IRGC, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi and General Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, as well as five of their accompanying officers.

Amir-Abdollahian expressed the Foreign Ministry's gratitude for the "precise and effective planning, designing and implementing" of the victorious Operation True Promise, which came in response to the "evil actions of the Zionist regime in the region," and the martyrdom of a group of IRGC commanders in the consulate building of the country's embassy in Damascus.

"Undoubtedly, this valuable and complex military action, which was carried out based on the [universally] acknowledged principle of legitimate defense and in accordance with generally recognized international laws and regulations, redefined the balance of power in the West Asian region and once again demonstrated the deterrence power of the country's Armed Forces to the sworn enemies of Islam and Iran," the top Iranian diplomat said.

Stressing that the retaliatory operation created more capacities for the Iranian diplomatic apparatus in the field of international and regional relations, Amir-Abdollahian said the reprisal led to an increase in the sense of patriotism among Iranians and expedited the Zionist regime's collapse.

On April 13, the IRGC targeted the Israeli-occupied territories with a barrage of drones and missiles. The extent of the damage on Israeli military bases across the occupied territories is yet to be specified.

Following the operation, Iran warned Israel against taking any retaliatory actions and urged the United States to try not to involve itself in the conflict, signaling that it viewed the matter as "concluded."

President Ebrahim Raeisi said in a statement on Sunday, "If the Zionist regime or its supporters show reckless behavior, they will receive a decisive and much stronger response."

Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations also said in a statement that Tehran's response to Israeli aggression was a "legitimate defense" in accordance with the UN Charter, warning Washington to "stay away" from the matter.

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Israel has lost deterrence against Iran: Islamic Jihad

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 17 April 2024 12:30 AM

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad resistance movement says Israel has lost its deterrence against Iran as evidenced by the Islamic Republic's unprecedented drone and missile strike in the occupied territories.

"Israel's deterrence in the face of Iran has ended," the Islamic Jihad's deputy chief Mohammad al-Hindi said in an interview with Lebanon's Al Mayadeen.

Iran's Armed Forces launched hundreds of drones and missiles towards the occupied territories on Saturday night in response to a deadly Israeli attack on its diplomatic premises in Syria early this month.

On Tuesday, the Israeli regime's war cabinet convened for the fifth time since Sunday to weigh its options vis-a-vis the Iranian strike.

Al-Hindi underscored that Iran's retaliatory attack served as a preliminary warning to the Israeli occupation.

Iranian officials assert that the strike, dubbed Operation True Storm, was a deliberately "limited" military action meant to punish Israel, warning that any counterattack would be met with a swift and decisive response.

"The balance of power is changing; America has its own problems and challenges, and Israel does not have the support or capabilities to assert dominance in the region," al-Hindi said.

"There are new rules of engagement today," he added.

The Palestinian official also criticized the complicity of the West in Israel's atrocities in Gaza, signaling the need for "reassessments" in the new geopolitical landscape of the region.

Addressing the issue of captives held by Hamas in Gaza, al-Hindi emphasized the resistance's leverage in negotiations and expressed skepticism about a proposal recently presented by mediators.

"The Americans and Israelis want to retrieve the captives at the lowest possible price, but that issue is the trump card in our hands," he said.

The Islamic Jihad official said the resistance has submitted its response to the proposal insisting that the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces and a ceasefire are the pivotal components of any agreement.

The Israeli regime must be forced to "pay a price" through a potential deal as it has suffered "strategic military failures on the battleground," he noted.

"Israel is facing a real impasse and its options are limited," the official said. "It has grown to appear weaker, and its strategic importance has diminished."

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As Iran And Israel Escalate Conflict, Arab States Stick To Their Guns

By Michael Scollon April 17, 2024

As the world anxiously awaited the outcome of Iran's large-scale attack against Israel, some Arab countries had already taken steps to blunt its impact.

When the dust from the April 13 attack settled, the vast majority of the hundreds of drones and missiles launched by Iran had been shot down -- by Israel, its Western allies, and Jordan, despite its strong opposition to Israel's ongoing war in Gaza.

At least two other Arab states -- Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), which have been highly critical of the Gaza war and have joined Iran and other Muslim states in pushing for a cease-fire -- also reportedly played a role in intercepting the Iranian assault by sharing intelligence information.

The actions by the Sunni Arab countries, all of which have tenuous relationships with both Israel and majority-Shi'a Iran, led to speculation that they may have chosen sides. But experts say that their involvement in thwarting Iran's attack does not mark a major shift in their positions -- either for or against Israel or Iran.

Not Taking Sides

"Some went so far as saying that this is an indication that the threat perception among Arab states vis-A -vis Iran is rising, and the equation has changed and the Arab countries may side with Israel against Iran," said Hamidreza Azizi, a fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. "I don't see the picture like that."

Azizi explained that the Arab countries' contribution, whether shooting down Iranian drones or missiles or providing intelligence, "was more about preventing a war than siding with one side against another."

On X, formerly Twitter, geopolitical and security analyst Michael Horowitz said that while several countries participated, directly or indirectly, in the effort to limit the impact of Iran's attack, Jordan clearly "acted out of self-interest."

Noting that Iranian projectiles had flown over Jordanian airspace during the attack, Horowitz, the director of security consultancy Le Beck International, asked: "What sovereign country would let a third party fly hundreds of missiles and drones over major urban centers without budging?"

Others acted following significant pressure by Israel's key ally, the United States, he said, or out of "fear of a regional escalation." This fear, Horowitz said, alluding to recent steps by Saudi Arabia and others to improve ties with Tehran in recent years, "was the same fear of escalation that has led them to renew communication and broker normalization deals with Iran."

Gaza And Security Above All

Through the smoke of the Israel-Iran showdown, observers who spoke to RFE/RL said, Arab countries sent a message that their desire to maintain regional stability and to see a cease-fire in the Gaza war trumps all.

"I don't see any kind of change in the Arab states' approach toward Israel's war in Gaza," said Azizi. "They are still opposed to it and it seems to be still the main priority of the Arab world and the Muslim world, more broadly speaking."

In fact, Iran's attack -- which Tehran launched in retaliation for a suspected Israeli strike on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Syria on April 1 -- may have been seen by Arab states as an unwelcome distraction from the Gaza situation, according to Azizi.

"What might have irritated the Arab countries is not Iran's strike or retaliation, per se, but the timing of it amid all the efforts for bringing a cease-fire to stop the war," Azizi said. "And also in the sense that, you know, the [Iranian] attack has already shifted international focus from basically pressuring Israel into reconsidering its approach in Gaza to the Iran-Israel confrontation."

The other major considerations in the eyes of the Arab countries, Azizi said, were maintaining regional stability and avoiding a war with Iran.

"They simply don't want further instability in the region. They want to focus on their developmental projects. There are a lot of ambitious initiatives that all states separately or together have been pursuing. So, further instability would be a big challenge to that," Azizi said. "And the last thing they would want to have is a war with Iran itself."

Out Of The Shadows

Iran and Israel have long been engaged in a shadow war that followed a general code -- Iran used its proxies and partners in the so-called "axis of resistance" against Israel to strike against its archenemy, and Israel did not hesitate to hit Iran's militant partners.

This was underscored by the events of October 7, when the Iran-backed and U.S.- and EU-designated terror group Hamas launched a deadly assault on Israel that prompted Israel to invade the Gaza Strip to root out Hamas. The war has left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead and has been accompanied by attacks on Israel by Iranian-backed proxies, as well as strikes by Israel against Iranian-backed militants and even members of the Iranian military in the region.

But all the while, Iran and Israel were careful not to strike each other directly.

That changed with the April 1 aerial strike that targeted the grounds of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, which killed Iran's top regional commander and six other members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

Blaming Israel for the deadly strike that hit a consular annex building, Iran vowed direct retaliation. And while it telegraphed its response 12 days later with advance warnings to regional states, Tehran's launching of hundreds of missiles and drones was a dangerous signal that Iran's "strategic patience" with Israel had run out and it was willing to take Israel on directly.

Speaking about the options Iran had prior to deciding to launch its barrage against Israel on April 13, experts who spoke to RFE/RL noted that it was Israel that took the first step to engage with its Iranian adversary directly.

"I think the one that [Iran] chose was one that signals that they took this seriously. They were trying to remind Israel that Israel might face military consequences if it continued [such] actions," Stephen Walt, a professor of international relations at Harvard University, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda. "But they didn't want to raise the ante to do something even more extensive or more damaging.

"I think the Iranians felt they had to respond, but wanted to do so in a way that didn't provoke a wider war," he added.

Now that Iran and Israel's long-standing conflict has emerged from the shadows, the question is whether it could spiral into a direct war or return to a proxy war.

Both Israel and Iran have suggested that their standoff is not over. Israel has vowed to respond to Iran's attack, without saying how or when. Iran has said that it considers its tit-for-tat with Israel concluded with its unprecedented attack on Israeli territory, while warning that even the "tiniest" retaliation on Iran's territory would bring a "massive and harsh" response.

"We are still in, in a sense, the realm of a shadow war, assuming that Israel does not now respond by hitting Iran back," Walt said. "Assuming it does not now escalate further, then I think we will see a return to the shadow war of the last few months."

Safety In Deniability

Azizi said that is something Iran was comfortable with, even in the event its interests or proxies were hit by Israel, because there was always "some room for deniability" that Iran itself was attacked.

On the other hand, Iran benefited from plausible deniability that it did not direct attacks on Israel carried out by its partners like Hamas, or Huthi rebels in Yemen, or Lebanese Hizballah.

By attacking Israel, Azizi said, "Iran actually abandoned plausible deniability, taking not only responsibility but credit." This, he added, "was an attempt to push Israel toward the old rules of engagement -- to say, let's go back to the gray zone."

None of the actors on the sidelines -- including the United States, which has worked to improve or establish relations between Israel and Arab states, and Russia, which commended Iran's attack on Israel as justified -- wants to see an all-out war.

Those closest to the conflict, the Arab states, have made it clear that they want stability and an end to the Gaza war. Some major players and regional rivals of Iran -- notably Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. -- have in recent years restored their relations with Tehran in an effort to minimize the threat.

While Arab countries have criticized and, in some cases, helped thwart Iran's attack on Israel, they did not condemn Tehran for its actions. Iran, while sending a vague warning that Jordan could be "the next target," has avoided criticism following months of diplomacy with Arab states over the Gaza war and humanitarian crisis.

"I think both sides (Iran and Arab states) are quite clear that they want to continue going toward this path," Azizi said, even suggesting a possible mediation role for an Arab country in resolving the Iran-Israel crisis.

Written and reported by Michael Scollon with contributions by Radio Farda correspondent Saeed Jafari.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-israel-war-gaza-arab- states/32909498.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Raisi Reiterates Warning As Israel Mulls Response To Weekend Air Attack

By RFE/RL's Radio Farda April 17, 2024

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has reiterated his warning to Israel that "the tiniest invasion" would trigger a swift and severe response amid global concerns over how the Jewish state will retaliate following a drone and missile attack on it orchestrated by Tehran over the weekend.

Speaking at a National Army Day parade on April 17 that was relocated without explanation, Raisi called the massive drone and missile attack in the early morning hours of April 14 a "limited action" and that an Israeli response on Iranian soil would be met with a "massive and harsh" answer. He made no further comment on what such a response would entail.

"If we had carried out a heavier operation, nothing would be left of Israel. But it was supposed to be a limited action," he said

Almost all of the more than 300 drones and missiles launched by Iran were shot down by Israeli defense systems, along with intercepts by forces from the United States, France, Britain, and Jordan.

An attack by Tehran had been widely anticipated in Israel following a suspected Israeli air strike on the Iranian Embassy compound in Damascus, Syria, early last month that killed two brigadier generals.

Since then, diplomats and politicians around the world, fearing another major escalation of fighting in the Middle East, have urged restraint as they await Israel's response.

Israel and Iran have been bitter enemies for decades, but this was the first direct attack by one on the other's soil instead of through proxy forces or by targeting each other's assets operating in third countries.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on April 17 that Israel will decide how and whether it will respond to the unprecedented attack on its soil.

"I want to be clear: we will make our decisions ourselves. The state of Israel will do whatever is necessary to defend itself," Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting on April 17.

Netanyahu's statement came after the British and German foreign ministers said during separate visits to the Middle East that, while they were in solidarity with Israel in its right to respond, restraint is needed as well.

"Everyone must now act prudently and responsibly. I'm not talking about giving in. I'm talking about prudent restraint, which is nothing less than strength," German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said.

"Because Israel has already shown strength with its defensive victory at the weekend," she added.

Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-raisi-warning-israel- attack-response/32909685.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Iran Inclined to See Russia as Key Player in Resolving Mideast Conflict

Sputnik News

20240417

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi discussed the current escalation in the Middle East, during a telephone conversation on April 16.

During the phone call, initiated by the Iranian side, Russian President Putin and his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi discussed in detail "the aggravated situation in the Middle East after the Israeli airstrike on the Iranian diplomatic mission in Damascus and the retaliatory measures taken by Iran," according to a statement issued by Kremlin.

At this time, Raisi has not yet called any other world leaders in the aftermath of the Iranian counterattack.

Dr. Vladimir Morozov, Associate Professor and Vice-Rector at MGIMO University, commented on this development by noting that whoever initiates such calls usually indicates which of the interlocutors is more interested in holding the conversation.

According to Morozov, making this call was a logical move for the Iranian president, considering the friendly nature of the relations between Russia and Iran.

"I believe Iran regards our country not just as a formal sponsor of the Middle Eastern conflict resolution, but as a country that can influence all sides of the conflict and has a vote in the UN Security Council," he said, adding that Tehran is perfectly aware of the fact that the issue of Iran and Israel exchanging strikes is far from resolved.

Thus, he argued, it was important for the Iranian leadership to show their people that Tehran has influential friends abroad, partners with whom the Islamic Republic can discuss the current situation.

Regarding the upcoming visit to Moscow by the Iranian deputy foreign minister, who is expected to participate in a non-proliferation conference this week, Morozov pointed out that Western powers have yet to present any evidence backing their claims that Iran may be working on a nuclear weapon.

"We all remember the situation with Iraq and how Colin Powell was waving a vial at a UNSC session, accusing Saddam Hussein's regime of possessing weapons of mass destruction which, as expected, no one found after Iraq was invaded that the regime was toppled," he said. "The same thing has been going over the past few decades with Iran who is being accused of being poised to build a nuclear bomb in the next two months."

Instead of trying to portray Iran as some kind of threat to global security, efforts should be made to involve Iran in discussions on regional security, to cooperate with the country, Morozov suggested.

He also cautioned that other countries in the Middle East should be mindful of the current crossroads they are facing: either they pursue negotiations and peace efforts, albeit fragile, or the situation in the region could quickly spiral into "a very serious escalation, up to World War III."

A Sputnik

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Federal Chancellor condemns attack on Israel - "Iran must put a stop to this aggression"

Germany - Federal Government

Speaking in Shanghai on Monday during a trip to China, the Federal Chancellor once again condemned the attack by Iran on Israel, saying it had been a serious escalation. It was now crucial for everything to be done to de-escalate the situation on the ground, Scholz said.

Sunday, 14 April 2024

"Our appeal is very clear: Iran must put a stop to this aggression," said Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, reporting from his meeting with the heads of state and government of the G7, of which Germany is a member. According to a joint statement by the G7, Iran's actions had been a further step towards destabilising the region, thereby risking an uncontrollable regional escalation. The G7 condemned the Iranian attack in the strongest possible terms, at the same time assuring Israel of their full support.

Contribution to de-escalation

"Everyone agrees that the way in which Israel managed to repel this attack with local and international partners was truly impressive," said Scholz on Monday in Shanghai during his trip to China, at the same time appealing to Israel to contribute to de-escalation itself.

On Saturday night, Iran fired cruise missiles directly at Israel from its national territory for the first time. According to Israeli reports, almost all of the more than 300 drones and missiles fired by Iran were repelled. Among those countries supporting Israel in its defence were the USA, the UK and Jordan.

"Extend sanctions against Iran"

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock spoke out strongly in favour of extending the sanctions against Iran. "We can see how dangerous Iran's actions are," said Baerbock, adding that Iran had led the Near and Middle East to the brink of disaster with its attacks.

At the beginning of the week, the Federal Government summoned the Iranian ambassador in Berlin in response to the attacks on Israel. The foreign ministers of the 27 member states of the European Union (EU) are due to assemble for a special meeting on Tuesday.

Protection of Jewish facilities has top priority

Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser said: "The protection of Israeli and Jewish facilities in Germany has top priority." Since the terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel on 7 October 2023, the threat to Israel and to Jews had become even clearer than before, said Faeser, which is why protective measures had been stepped up even further.

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Secretary General Jonatan Vseviov: Drone and missile attacks can be successfully fended off with international cooperation - we simply have to be brave

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

17.04.2024

Yesterday, on April 16th, Jonatan Vseviov, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, took part in an informal videoconference of EU foreign ministers focussing on Iran's drone and missile attack on Israel over the weekend and the security situation in the Middle East.

"I call on all those involved to avoid escalating the situation and to make every effort to alleviate tension in the region," he said, adding that the EU's credibility depends on how it responds to global challenges and on whether it can act as a substantial power in resolving them.

Vseviov added that we are facing several crises that will determine our future. "The decisions we make now will indicate whether we are brave enough to defend and maintain a rules-based world order," he remarked. "Events over the weekend clearly show that drone and missile attacks can be fended off with international cooperation. I call on all Member States to give Ukraine what they urgently need."

Other issues raised during the videoconference were the imposing additional sanctions on Iran, which is both jeopardising the security situation in the Middle East and supporting Russia's aggression in Ukraine.

Vseviov also provided an overview of ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure the prompt release of the crew members of the Aries - the vessel recently seized by Iran's Revolutionary Guard - among whose number is an Estonian resident.

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PM Netanyahu Meets with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock

Israel - Prime Minister's Office

Events and Speeches

The 37th Government

17.04.2024

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today, at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, met with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

During the meetings, Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated that Israel would maintain its right to self-defense.

The Prime Minister thanked the British Foreign Secretary and the German Foreign Minister for their unequivocal support and for their countries' unprecedented standing up in defense of the State of Israel against Iran's attack.

Prime Minister Netanyahu also briefed them on the scope of the humanitarian assistance and the continued fighting in Gaza.

Prime Minister Netanyahu rejected the claims of international organizations regarding famine in Gaza and said that Israel was going above and beyond in the humanitarian sphere.

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PM Netanyahu's Remarks at the Start of the Government Meeting

Israel - Prime Minister's Office

Press Releases

The 37th Government

17.04.2024

Following are Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks at the start of the Government meeting today:

"I have just come from meeting with the British and German foreign ministers. Last night, I spoke with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and soon I will speak with additional leaders.

I thank our friends for their support in defense of Israel and I say this - support in both words and deeds. They also have all kinds of suggestions and advice, which I appreciate; however, I would also like to clarify - we will make our decisions ourselves. The State of Israel will do whatever is necessary to defend itself.

Today, the Government will approve the Tekuma Plan to rebuild the communities in the Western Negev. We will invest the very large sum of NIS 19 billion in order to move the communities of the Western Negev forward for generations. We will invest in housing, infrastructure, education, employment, health and more.

The Hamas terrorists sought to uproot us. We will uproot them and deepen our roots. We will build the Land of Israel and safeguard our state."

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Prime Minister's Office - Tekuma Authority Joint Announcement

Israel - Prime Minister's Office

Press Releases

The 37th Government

17.04.2024

Prime Minister's Office - Tekuma Authority Joint Announcement: Tekuma Authority Strategic Five-Year Plan to Rebuild, Strengthen and Develop the Tekuma Region was Unanimously Approved by the Government and is Underway

The Tekuma Authority's strategic five-year plan was unanimously approved by the Government, today, and is underway.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:

"Today, the Government has approved the Tekuma Plan to rebuild the communities in the Western Negev. We will invest the very large sum of NIS 19 billion in order to move the communities of the Western Negev forward for generations. We will invest in housing, infrastructure, education, employment, health and more.

The Hamas terrorists sought to uproot us. We will uproot them and deepen our roots. We will build the Land of Israel and safeguard our state."

Tekuma Authority Director Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Moshe Edri:

"Today is the historic day on which we are starting the strategic five-year plan that will bring rehabilitation, rebuilding, growth, prosperity and hope for the region and its residents.

I thank the Prime Minister; the council heads in the region; the communities and residents in the city of Sderot, the communities and the kibbutzim; and the various Government ministries for their joint work; and for the confidence that has been given to us as an authority to formulate a plan that will bring good news to the region, the councils, the communities, the families and the citizens of the entire State of Israel.



With the approval of the plan, we are starting to implement it and carry it out including its plans and flagship projects. Just as we formulated the plan with the communities and the Government ministries, we will also work with them and in cooperation with the third sector, the business sector and philanthropists, to implement it and bring the region to be a positive, prosperous and attractive area.

The plan is spread over the next five years; already in the coming years, we will start to see the rebuilding, the rehabilitation, the growth and the prosperity we intend."

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On Israel visit, German FM urges 'restraint' after Iran's massive attack

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 17 April 2024 4:36 PM

Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was in Israel. She urged "prudent restraint" against the backdrop of Iran's Operation True Promise against the occupying regime in retaliation for its April 1 bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damascus.

Baerbock on Wednesday said she had made clear during her talks with Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, and others that West Asia must not get into a perilous situation.

"The region must not slide into a situation whose outcome is completely unpredictable," she told reporters.

"Everyone must now act prudently and responsibly. I am not talking about giving in. I am talking about prudent restraint," Baerbock said, before departing Israel for a Group of Seven (G7) meeting where she said she would discuss new sanctions against Iran.

The G7 foreign ministers gathered on the Italian island of Capri later in the day. The group reiterated support for Israel.

In the multi-pronged Operation True Promise on April 13, Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles at the occupied territories.

Operation True Promise has inflicted damage on Israeli military bases across the occupied territories. The extent of damage is yet to be specified.

The Israeli airstrikes on Iran's embassy compound in Damascus killed two generals of the Quds Force of IRGC, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi and General Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, as well as five of their accompanying officers.

Following Iran's attack, Israel says it must retaliate to preserve the credibility of its deterrence.

Iran has already warned Israel against taking any retaliatory actions and also urged the United States to keep away from involvement in the conflict and signaled that it viewed the matter as "concluded."

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Japan sending special unit to Asia-Pacific 'endangers regional stability'

Global Times

By GT staff reporters Published: Apr 17, 2024 08:37 PM

After Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force announced its intention to dispatch a special security unit to the Asia-Pacific region, Chinese observers said the move is to deter China's influence in region and it constitutes a major breakthrough for Japan in the military field to cooperate with US regional strategies, which threatens regional peace and stability.

Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) said it will dispatch a special security unit to the "Indo-Pacific" region to offer capacity-building support to coast guards in the region, Japan's NHK reported on Tuesday.

The MSDF says the deployment will come in May or later to help regional coast guards enhance their capabilities in conducting inspections of suspicious ships and other skills.

It has not revealed details on exactly where the unit will be sent and how long the mission will be.

Sources close to the Japanese defense ministry told NHK that the move comes in response to requests from multiple Pacific Island countries, and that the special unit will provide support for several days for each country.

This will be the first time an SDF special unit will provide capacity-building support for foreign agencies.

"This is a major breakthrough for Japan in military terms, and it must be met with high vigilance by the international community," said LA Chao, a research fellow at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

In recent years, Japan has been rapidly accelerating its military buildup, attempting to break through its previous exclusively defense-oriented policy, but there has never been a precedent for sending "special police teams" to other countries, LA said.

He noted that this is a major move by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida after his visit to the US where he took part in a trilateral summit with leaders of the US and the Philippines earlier this month.

The US, Japan, Australia and the Philippines also held a joint maritime exercise in the South China Sea earlier this month.

Japan's move is intended to widen its military presence in the Asia-Pacific region after the US Coast Guard announced an increase in maritime patrols and training activities in June last year, a military expert, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times. He said Japan's move is aimed at both cooperating with US strategy in the Asia-Pacific region and countering China's cooperation with regional countries.

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Myanmar junta releases thousands of prisoners in New Year amnesty

Only a small fraction are political prisoners, advocates said.

By RFA Burmese 2024.04.17 -- Myanmar prisons nationwide released over 3,000 prisoners on Wednesday, according to junta-controlled media, but watchdog groups said that few of those freed were political prisoners.

Since the country's 2021 coup, thousands of civilians have been arrested for donating to groups opposing the junta, protesting and speaking out against the military regime's leaders.

According to the junta's media statement, reduced sentences were given "for the peace of mind of the people" and "social leniency" during the Burmese New Year Commemoration.

Prisoners were released under the condition that if they commit another crime, they will serve the remainder of their previous sentence as well as the sentence for their most recent crime, in accordance with the country's Criminal Procedure Law, military-supported channels like MRTV continued.

Prisoners' family members have been waiting in front of Yangon region's infamous Insein Prison since early on Wednesday morning, residents said.

The mother of a political prisoner waiting by Insein Prison on Wednesday said she hopes to see her son, who has been in prison for three years for defamation.

"The people in the prison said that prisoners like my son with a prison term of less than three years would be released, while prisoners with a long sentence would get a reduced prison term," she said, declining to be named for security reasons.

"That's why I am waiting for my son. He was arrested and jailed when [junta forces] found revolutionary messages on his phone while checking the [ward's] guest list that night," she continued, referencing a housing registration system that has intensified since the junta took power.

Few political prisoners freed

However, like previous amnesties, which have been criticized as a false show of humanity from the junta in the past, only a small number of political prisoners will likely be released, said Thaik Tun Oo, a member of Political Prisoner Network-Myanmar.

"Even if there are political prisoners among the released, there will be a few well-known figures, a few political prisoners and there will be a lot of other people with criminal charges, just like the [junta] has done throughout the post-coup period," he said. "We have even heard that there are no political prisoners released in some prisons. I think they may have difficulty releasing political prisoners after the recent military defeats," he said, referring to military victories since last October by the Three Brotherhood Alliance and the Karen National Liberation Army.

Data released later on Wednesday by Political Prisoner Network-Myanmar showed that, among those released as part of the day's amnesty, around 90, or less than 3%, were political prisoners.

In Ayeyarwaddy region's Pathein Prison, for example, authorities released 45 prisoners as part of the amnesty, but sources familiar with the prison told RFA that only four of them were political prisoners.

RFA reached out to Khin Maung Kyi, the junta's minister of social affairs for Ayeyarwady region, for further details on the release, but received no response.

In addition to the more than 3,303 prisoners released nationwide on Wednesday, eight foreign prisoners who were jailed locally were released and deported, according to the military's announcement.

Prior to Wednesday's amnesty, the junta administration also released 9,652 prisoners on Jan. 4, 2024 for Burmese Independence Day, but few political prisoners were among them, according to advocates for those jailed under the military regime.

According to the statements released by the junta, only 15 pardons were granted and a total of 95,000 prisoners have been released in more than three years since the coup.

Translated by Kalyar Lwin. Edited by Kiana Duncan, Mike Firn and Joshua Lipes.

This story has been updated to include the latest figure for political prisoners released as part of the amnesty, as well as details of the release at Pathein Prison.

Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content April not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Arakan Army attacks another junta border outpost in western Myanmar

The push in Rakhine state follows an assault on a nearby outpost that caused several hundred junta personnel to flee.

By RFA Burmese 2024.04.17 -- Arakan Army rebels began an offensive against a junta police outpost on the Bangladesh border on Wednesday as Myanmar military forces responded with artillery fire, residents told Radio Free Asia.

The attack by the anti-junta Arakan Army, or AA, started at daylight, and fighting was still ongoing Wednesday evening at the outpost near Rakhine state's Ywet Nyo Taung village, residents said.

There are only around 20 houses in the village, which is about 32 km (20 miles) north of the seat of Maungdaw township. Almost all residents have fled because of the fighting, a resident who requested anonymity for security reasons told RFA.

Bangladeshis who live close to the border with Rakhine reported hearing loud sounds from artillery fire nearby, according to BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news organization.

Some of the junta forces defending the Ywet Nyo Taung outpost had fled from the nearby Ngar Khu Ya border outpost after the AA attacked there on Sunday and drove a force of some 300 junta personnel from the area, the resident said.

"As much as we know, they are indecisive," he said, referring to the junta troops and police officers now in Ywet Nyo Taung. "Some of them want to surrender to the AA but others do not."

Several hundred flee to Bangladesh

Since the Arakan Army ended a year-long ceasefire by launching an offensive on Nov. 13, 2023, the ethnic army has captured eight townships across Rakhine and one neighboring township in northern Chin state.

In February, it seized a border outpost in Maungdaw township's Taung Pyo Let Yar, about 48 km (30 miles) north of Ywet Nyo Taung.

That attack prompted nearly 60 fighters with the junta-affiliated Border Guard Force to flee toward the Bangladesh border.

Over the past week, about 260 Myanmar soldiers, border guards and citizens have taken shelter in Bangladesh, authorities told BenarNews. They crossed the border close to where fighting took place near the Ywet Nyo Taung and Ngar Khu Ya outposts.

Border Guard Bangladesh spokesman Shariful Islam told BenarNews that repatriation efforts have begun.

RFA attempted to contact Rakhine state's junta spokesperson Hla Thein for comment on this week's fighting in Maungdaw township, but he did not respond to phone calls.

Translated by Aung Naing. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster.

Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content April not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Ethnic Mon groups announce anti-junta alliance in southern Myanmar

The Mon State Revolutionary Force and Mon State Defense Force were formed after the 2021 coup.

By RFA Burmese 2024.04.17 -- Two ethnic armed groups in southern Myanmar have formed an alliance aimed at capturing military junta outposts and taking control of townships in Mon state, which has been relatively peaceful since the 2021 military coup.

The Mon State Revolutionary Force, or MSRF, and the Mon State Defense Force, or MSFD, agreed on April 7 to share equipment and train and fight together to remove the military junta from power, MSDF commander Thiri Mon Chan said.

"We have made an alliance to speed up the fighting by taking advantage of the military situation in other areas of the country," he told Radio Free Asia. "We will take over military outposts and towns as much as possible."

Both groups were formed after the Feb. 1, 2021, coup d'etat in which the military took control of the country, sparking a civil war that rages until today.

The MSRF and MSFD are also members of the Mon State Federal Council, made up of community-based organizations and members of the Civil Disobedience Movement, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule.

"Cooperation of Mon armed groups and resistance forces in Mon state is a good sign of development," said Kyaw Zaw, spokesman for the shadow National Unity Government.

"The NUG is always willing to interact with ethnic armed resistance groups and work together with them," he said. "We will also cooperate with Mon resistance forces."

Thiri Mon Chan said the MSRF and MSFD have discussed expanding their alliance to include the New Mon State Party-Anti Dictatorship, or NMSP-AD, which announced in February that it was breaking away from the similarly named New Mon State Party, or NMSP.

In 2018, the NMSP signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, which was introduced in 2015 to end years of fighting over minority rights and self-determination. Some 10 ethnic groups have signed the agreement.

The NMSP has remained neutral following the 2021 coup.

In its February announcement, the NMSP-AD said political discussions with junta officials were no longer possible because of the numerous instances of junta air attacks and arrests that have targeted and killed civilians in Mon state.

Translated by Aung Naing. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster.

Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content April not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Pakistan claims to have killed 7 'terrorists' near Afghan border

By Ayaz Gul April 17, 2024

Pakistan said Wednesday that its border security forces killed a group of seven "terrorists," who were attempting to cross over from Afghanistan.

A military statement said the overnight infiltration occurred in North Waziristan, a volatile Pakistani district on the Afghan border. It stated that "the infiltrators were surrounded, effectively engaged, and, after an intense fire exchange," all of them were killed.

The statement said that Pakistani security forces also "recovered a large quantity of weapons, ammunition, and explosives" from the slain militants.

The veracity of the official claims could not immediately be ascertained from independent sources.

The military said in its statement that Islamabad had consistently asked the Taliban government to "ensure effective border management" on the Afghan side, and it "is expected to fulfill its obligations" to prevent "acts of terrorism against Pakistan."

No group claimed responsibility for Tuesday's alleged border incident.

Pakistan blames fugitive commanders and fighters of an anti-state militant group known as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, for orchestrating cross-border attacks from sanctuaries in Afghanistan.

Authorities say the violence has intensified and killed hundreds of Pakistanis, including security forces, since the Taliban reclaimed power in the neighboring country in 2021.

Last month, Pakistani fighter planes carried out strikes against TTP hideouts inside Afghanistan, raising bilateral military tensions.

The United States and the United Nations have designated TTP as a global terrorist organization.

The Taliban deny they are allowing anyone to threaten neighboring countries from their territory, claiming no foreign militants, including TTP, are based in Afghanistan.

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Another Tajik Arrested In Connection With Moscow Terrorist Attack

By RFE/RL's Tajik Service April 17, 2024

Russian authorities have arrested a dual Tajik-Russian national in connection with the March 22 terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue on the outskirts of Moscow that left 144 people dead.

The suspect, identified only by his surname, Ashurov, has been placed under arrest for illegally registering two foreign nationals at his residence, a court in the city of Tver said on April 16.

The two foreigners -- Aminjon and Dilovar Islomov, brothers from Tajikistan -- are currently in Russian custody along with their father, Isroil Islomov, for allegedly aiding the suspects who are accused of carrying out the deadly attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue.

Prior to Ashurov's arrest, Russian authorities had arrested 10 Tajik citizens and a Kyrgyz national in connection with the attack, Russia's worst terrorist attack in two decades. Responsibility was claimed by an offshoot of the Islamic State extremist group.

Russian investigators have said the assault was carried out by four men, all Tajik nationals. Other detainees are being held for aiding and abetting the attackers.

On April 17, a Moscow court upheld the arrest of the Kyrgyz suspect, Alisher Kasimov, who had appealed against his arrest.

"The ruling of Moscow's Basmanny district court of March 26, 2024, has been upheld, and the appeal has been dismissed," a Moscow court official was quoted as saying by Russian state media.

A similar ruling was passed by the same court for Aminjon Islomov, who had also appealed his detention. The Islomovs have been charged with providing an apartment and vehicle to the attackers, and transporting cash for them. They have denied the accusations.

The Basmanny court also said that another suspect, Lutfulloi Nazrimad, a 24-year-old Tajik national, filed an appeal on April 15 against his arrest.

Nazrimad was taken into custody on March 23 with investigators claiming he knew about the planned terrorist attack and helped the attackers. In a closed-door hearing on March 29, the court extended Nazrimad's detention until May 22.

Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin on April 12 condemned the treatment of the Tajik suspects amid allegations that they were tortured in custody.

Several Tajik suspects showed signs of abuse when they appeared in court in Moscow following the attack.

The four accused gunmen had bruised and swollen faces and showed other signs of having been severely beaten. There were unconfirmed reports that one of them had his ear cut off during his arrest.

"The use of torture in the form of bodily mutilation is unacceptable," Muhriddin said. "The price of confessions extracted in this way is well known to everyone."

Muhriddin said that Russian security authorities should respect the rights of the Tajik suspects and adhere to the principles and norms of international law in their investigations into the massacre, especially regarding the presumption of innocence and the prohibition of torture and ill-treatment of detainees.

Speaking in Minsk at a meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Muhriddin also criticized what he said was a media campaign to slander Tajiks.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-tajikistan-new- arrest-crocus/32909316.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Russian Defence Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu inspects compliance with instructions on development of robotic systems, advanced weapons systems, as well as military support

17.04.2024

At the Patriot Congress and Exhibition Centre, the head of the Russian military department received reports from the deputy defence ministers of the Russian Federation and the heads of central military directorates of the Russian Ministry of Defence on new scientific and technical developments in the Russian Armed Forces' combat service support system.

General of the Army Sergei Shoigu was presented with more than 30 promising samples of weapons, military hardware, special equipment, and military-technical materiel from 18 industrial enterprises.

These include multi-role robotic vehicles designed to deliver materiel, evacuate troops, and use as a platform for installing various equipment and weapons, a series of robotic multi-role platforms mounted both on wheelbase and caterpillar track.

The Russian Defence Minister noted that the advanced ground-based medical robotics system presented is extremely needed in the zone of the special military operation, and tasked the designers to direct their efforts towards its early completion, optimisation, and batch production. General of the Army Sergei Shoigu stressed that 'such vehicles should enter the troops as soon as possible and should be as cheap as possible'.

'The vehicle is incredibly expected in the troops. It has to leave for the grouping in the coming days and start working. There is nothing more precious than human life. We need to evacuate the wounded from the front line. We must do it as safely and quickly as possible. It must be used on the front line and launched into the batch production immediately,' the Russian Defence Minister demanded.

Sergei Shoigu ordered to equip the multi-role robotic system for fire support, guarding facilities, and front-line evacuation with additional machine-gun fire means, which will allow it to be used in the course of assault operations.

The Russian Defence Minister personally tested the special vehicle and inspected its road performance. Light and protected special vehicles of this series are designed to transport personnel and ensure that special operations forces units carry out combat tasks with the help of mounted small arms.

The head of the Russian Ministry also demanded an increase in production and supply to the troops of robotic transport platforms for the delivery of materiel.

The Russian Defence Minister was informed that by the end of the following month, the first 30 samples would be manufactured to be supplied to the troops.

General of the Army Sergei Shoigu was also informed about the development of a forward-looking automated system of artillery fire control, which allows to boost the transferring of target data to artillery crews.

The head of the Russian military department also inspected equipment and materiel intended to ensure the living conditions of servicemen. The equipment have already undergone experimental operation in the special military operation zone and have proved their urgency.

The Russian Defence Minister also saw equipment and materiel to organise the living conditions of servicemen in the special military operation zone. Among the samples presented are equipment for sanitization and washing of personnel in the field, a multi-role sleeping module, equipment for cooking in the field, as well as small food kits.

Sergei Shoigu has instructed deputy defence ministers of the Russian Federation and the heads of the central military directorates of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation to make the procedure for receiving advanced weapons as simple as possible if they have passed the tests in the special military operation zone and have received positive results, and if enterprises are ready to put in order their batch production as soon as possible.

Department for Media Affairs and Information

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Russia's FSB Detains Courier of Explosives for Ukrainian Defector's Car Bombing in Moscow

Sputnik News

20240417

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Wednesday it detained a Russian-Moldovan national who had trafficked explosive components to blow up a car of a former Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) officer in Moscow.

This past Friday, the car belonging to former SBU Lt. Col. Vasily Prozorov exploded in Moscow while he was inside the vehicle. Prozorov survived, with minor injures, and blamed the assassination attempt on Ukrainian intelligence.

"Russia's FSB detained a citizen of Russia and Moldova, born in 1994, who delivered components of a radio-controlled explosive device to Russia from abroad as a courier, which he used on April 12, 2024 in Moscow, at the instructions of the Ukrainian Security Service head Vasyl Malyuk, to blow up the car of a Russian national, an ex-employee of the Ukrainian special service," the statement said.

The components of the explosive device were camouflaged into manicure tools and hair care products and were sent via a private transport company to the Moscow Region from Warsaw, the statement also said, adding that the courier delivered the parcel by car to Moscow after receiving the cargo in Lithuania.

Prior to fleeing to Russia, Prozorov worked in the SBU department for the Zaporozhye Region. After the 2014 coup in Ukraine, he moved to Kiev to serve in the so-called Anti-Terrorism Center of the SBU and has been commandeered to the so-called Anti-Terrorist Operation Zone in Donbass several times.

A Sputnik

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Defense minister defends estimated cost of indigenous sub program

ROC Central News Agency

04/17/2024 06:48 PM

Taipei, April 17 (CNA) Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng () on Wednesday defended the Indigenous Defense Submarine (IDS) program and said claims by local media that the cost per sub would soar were "unfair."

According to local media reports, the Navy estimated the cost of constructing the seven vessels over 15 years to be more than NT$280 billion (US$8.62 billion), averaging around NT$40 billion per vessel.

That is markedly higher than the prototype IDS Narwhal, also known by its Chinese name Hai Kun, which cost around NT$31.2 billion to build, the reports noted.

When asked about the issue by ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lin Chu-yin () during a legislative hearing on Wednesday, Chiu said that the estimate not only included construction costs but also expenses related to other classified items.

Opposition Kuomintang (KMT) Legislator Huang Jen () also questioned why the cost per sub was expected to rise, quoting Su Tzu-yun (), a research fellow at the defense ministry's Institute for National Defense and Security Research, who previously noted the cost of constructing each of the seven subs was expected to fall to about 80 percent of the price of building the prototype.

Chiu responded that the ministry plans to add "certain equipment" on the subs built after Narwahl as it was felt the prototype was "not necessarily sufficiently equipped."

Furthermore, the minister said, NT$280 billion was just an estimate given the budget proposal had not yet been submitted.

Taking that number and simply dividing it by seven was an "unfair" calculation method, he added.

Meanwhile, Chiu told reporters before attending the hearing that the resignation of IDS program convener Huang Shu-kuang () will not affect the program's progress.

The IDS program is a major project and a team effort in which all individuals take a unified stance and follow the same direction, Chiu said.

Therefore, it will not be affected by changes involving one individual, he added.

In a statement on Tuesday, Huang, a retired Navy admiral and a consultant for the National Security Council, said he tendered his resignation in hopes that it would put an end to politically charged, unfounded accusations and slander by certain politicians, academics, and media personalities targeting the IDS program.

There were no "political factors" involved in his resignation, Huang said, adding that certain individuals should stop perpetuating false accusations that have not only affected him but also the military's morale and compromised national security.

He will continue offering his suggestions to IDS program contractor CSBC Corp, Taiwan and the Navy as a civilian, Huang said.

(By Sean Lin and Matt Yu)

Enditem/kb

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KMT lawmakers to visit China for 'peaceful' talks: Caucus convener

ROC Central News Agency

04/17/2024 07:01 PM

Taipei, April 17 (CNA) Kuomintang (KMT) Legislator Fu Kun-chi (), who also heads the party's caucus, announced his plans Wednesday to lead a delegation of fellow KMT lawmakers on a visit to China by May 20 to advance cross-strait dialogue and peace.

The KMT hopes to step up efforts to promote the easing of tensions between Taiwan and China, Fu said, accusing the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of pushing both sides to the brink of conflict.

The visit before President-elect Lai Ching-te's () inauguration on May 20 aims to promote Taiwan to Chinese tourists and the exporting of Taiwanese agricultural and fishery products to China, Fu said, referring to the multiple restrictions imposed by Beijing due to cross-strait tensions.

The visit is crucial as foreign media has highlighted the tense situation between Taiwan and China, regularly labeling the Taiwan Strait a dangerous hotspot where confrontation could break out, he said.

In response to media reports about the trip, DPP legislative caucus secretary-general Wu Szu-yao () urged the KMT delegation to be cautious with their words and actions during the visit because they will be representing Taiwan's Legislature.

The visiting delegation should act in a way that meets society's expectations and avoids being overly political, she said.

Wu said the DPP caucus respects the visit, but as the Legislative Yuan is currently in session, they hope it will not disrupt the normal proceedings.

According to local media, the trip will involve about 20 lawmakers and other senior officials from the party, including KMT Chairman Eric Chu (), former KMT Deputy Chairman Hau Lung-bin () and former Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng ().

(By Lin Ching-yin and Lee Hsin-Yin)

Enditem/kb

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Doubts cast China will be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027

By Jeff Seldin April 17, 2024

A senior U.S. intelligence official is casting doubt on China's ability to make good on plans to possibly reunify Taiwan by force by its self-imposed deadline.

Various U.S. military and intelligence officials have testified publicly in recent years that Beijing's own planning documents show President Xi Jinping has ordered the Chinese military to be ready to take Taiwan by force should efforts to reunify the island by other means fail.

They also have said China's unprecedented military modernization and expansion efforts have been in line with the order to have an invasion plan ready to go by 2027 at the latest.

But Dave Frederick, the U.S. National Security Agency's assistant deputy director for China, is not sure they can meet that deadline.

"It's a pretty ambitious goal, so [I] won't make any predictions on whether they hit it or not," Frederick said at a security conference in Nashville, Tennessee. He added that China "remains focused on that 2027 capabilities" goal but that obstacles remain.

One of those challenges, he said, is the ability of China's military to land troops on the island of Taiwan.

An amphibious landing "would be a really, really challenging military problem for them," Frederick said. "[A] very difficult military problem for them to pull off."

However, he acknowledged that China is building a fourth amphibious landing craft and that "history's got many examples of [a] government deciding to pursue a policy that may not even be in their best self-interest, and certainly in cases where military victory isn't guaranteed."

Chinese officials dismissed the talk, though, telling VOA by email the situation with Taiwan is "a matter that must be resolved by the Chinese [people]."

"If the U.S. truly hopes for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, it should abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiquAs," said Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington.

Washington should "stop meddling in the Taiwan question and stop creating new factors that could lead to tensions in the Taiwan Strait," Liu added.

Frederick is not the first U.S. official to caution that China's military expansion, buoyed by new equipment and weapons systems, may be outpacing its actual capabilities.

The U.S. Defense Department's annual China Military Power Report issued late last year cautioned that Beijing itself believes it still faces some deficits as it tries to field a force capable of fighting and winning wars against other capable adversaries.

"They still have a long way to go in terms of having the level of military capability that we judge that they think that they need to advance their global security and economic interests," a senior U.S. defense official told reporters at the time.

The official called the lack of combat experience "one of the shortcomings that the PRC highlights in a lot of their own self assessments."

Top U.S. intelligence officials have said that despite China's desire to be able to take Taiwan by force, perhaps as early as next year, they believe Xi has not decided whether to use that option.

"Beijing will continue to apply military and economic pressure as well as public messaging and influence activities while promoting long-term cross-Strait economic and social integration to induce Taiwan to move toward unification," according to last month's annual threat assessment by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

A separate assessment by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency published last week concluded that "Beijing appears willing to defer the use of military force as long as it calculates that its unification with Taiwan ultimately can be negotiated."

"The costs of armed conflict would outweigh the benefits, and its stated red lines have not been crossed by Taiwan, the United States, or other countries," the DIA report added.

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PACE calls for frozen Russian State assets to be used to support the reconstruction of Ukraine

Council of Europe

Parliamentary Assembly session

Strasbourg

17 April 2024

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), meeting in plenary session in Strasbourg, today recommended "the seizure of Russian state assets and their use" in support of the reconstruction of Ukraine. This course of action would "strengthen Ukraine, ensure the accountability of the Russian Federation and deter against any other future aggression."

In adopting unanimously a resolution, based on the report by Lulzim Basha (Albania, EPP/CD), PACE said that "the aggressor State, the Russian Federation, had the obligation to provide full compensation for the damage, loss and injury caused by its wrongful acts, including the destruction of infrastructure, loss of life and economic hardships," in accordance with the principles of international law.

Addressing the Assembly during the debate, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, stated: "The civilisational gap that separates us and Russia is gigantic. And in its depth, any illusions about this aggressive, hateful and unlawful creature disappear. The beast that terrorises and intimidates the entire world that does not care about international norms and rules, that does not value the lives of other people or its own citizens. Therefore, friends, we must act immediately. The time of great concern and strong condemnation is over. [...] The time has come for frank and truthful assessments. It is time for quick action and decisions. It is time for responsible leadership. It is time to choose a resolute, united resistance to the Russian terror".

The resolution states that the Russian State financial assets already frozen by several countries - approximately US$300 billion - must be made available for the reconstruction of Ukraine, pointing out that the documented damages to Ukraine's infrastructure and economy caused by the Russian Federation's aggression had reached US$416 billion in June 2023.

In this context, PACE called for the creation of "an international compensation mechanism" under the auspices of the Council of Europe, to comprehensively address the damages incurred by natural and legal persons affected, including the State of Ukraine. It also recommended the setting up of an "international trust fund", where all Russian State assets held by Council of Europe member and non-member States will be deposited, as well as an "impartial and effective international claims commission", to adjudicate claims presented by Ukraine and entities affected by the Russian aggression.

In its resolution, PACE urged Council of Europe member and non-member states holding Russian State assets to "actively co-operate" in the prompt transfer of these assets to the established international compensation mechanism.

Finally, PACE recalled that the Council of Europe had led the way in expressing its solidarity with Ukraine and its people and by excluding Russia from its membership, and had set up the Register of Damage to record damage, loss or injury suffered by Ukraine, as a first step towards holding Russia accountable for its wrongful acts.

Speaking together with Mr Stefanchuk during a stand-up at the end of the debate, PACE President Theodoros Rousopulos said: "I want to ask once again the governments of the Council of Europe member states to support the Ukrainian people not only with words but also by providing them with the equipment needed to end this war". Mr Stefanchuk added: "This unanimous decision made by the Parliamentary Assembly will set a new benchmark for other international organisations that will inspire them to follow this path and to show that, in the third year of this horrible war, this is the support that Ukraine needs."

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Readout of Secretary Raimondo's Meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

Today, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal ahead of the second Ukraine Partnership Forum. During the meeting, Secretary Raimondo reiterated the Department of Commerce's continued support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russian aggression. The Secretary updated the Prime Minister on the Department's engagement with the U.S. private sector on Ukraine's defense and reconstruction objectives. The two also discussed the Department's work with partners in coordinating export controls and restricting sales of advanced technologies to Russia, which have hampered Russia's ability to access to key components and technology.

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The only way out of Ukraine crisis is to go back to the negotiation table: Chinese FM on Switzerland Ukraine peace conference

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Apr 17, 2024 08:00 PM

China supports the holding in due course of an international peace conference on the Ukraine crisis that is recognized by both Russia and Ukraine with equal participation of all parties and fair discussions on all peace plans, considering that any conflict will ultimately have to be resolved through diplomatic channels and political negotiation, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday in response to China's expectation about Ukraine peace conference to be held in Switzerland in June.

The two leaders from China and Germany met in Beijing on Tuesday, exchanged views on issues including the Ukraine crisis, and the two countries encourage and support efforts to seek a political settlement for peace in Ukraine, and are ready to continue to maintain close communication on the convening of a high-level conference in Switzerland and other future relevant international peace conferences.

In response to a question about China's expectation toward the peace conference taking place without Russia, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said during a Wednesday briefing that the Chinese leader said during the meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday that China encourages and supports all efforts that are conducive to the peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis, and supports the holding in due course of an international peace conference that is recognized by both Russia and Ukraine and ensures the equal participation of all parties and fair discussions on all peace plans.

China will maintain close communication with all parties concerned, including Germany, on this matter, Lin said.

China believes that ultimately, any conflict will have to be resolved through diplomatic channels and political negotiation; therefore, the only way out of the Ukraine crisis is to go back to the negotiation table, Lin added.

"We've learned that the relevant conference is still under preparation and a lot of work remains to be done. China is ready to maintain communication with relevant parties," said Lin.

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Increased Norwegian support for Ukrainian refugees in Moldova

Government of Norway

Press release | Date: 17/04/2024

Norway is providing an additional NOK 70 million for humanitarian aid in Moldova. Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide visited Ukraine's neighbour on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Moldova is the neighbouring country that has received the largest number of refugees per capita from Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. There is great need to provide support for the approximately 100 000 Ukrainian refugees in the country, the families hosting them and other vulnerable Moldovans.

'The Moldovan capital ChiAYinAu is a mere three-hour drive from the Ukrainian port city of Odesa, which is now subject to an increasing number of attacks. No other neighbouring country has taken in more of those fleeing from Russia's attacks,' said Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide during his first visit to the city.

Norway's humanitarian aid is designed both to provide relief in the acute phase and to help Ukrainian refugees and Moldovans facing economic hardship to thrive in the future. Norwegian civilian support will also be used to help to build up the Moldovan state and develop effective, robust social institutions in the long term.

The Foreign Minister met with Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Prime Minister Dorin Recean, Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Oleg Serebrian, Norwegian diplomats posted in ChiAYinAu and the director of the Centre for Strategic Communication and Combating Disinformation Ana Revenco, among others.

Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine is having a severe impact on Moldova. The authorities are dealing with a serious crisis that is affecting the economy, energy supply and national security. Few countries have been more exposed to Russian disinformation campaigns.

'Under President Sandu's leadership, Moldova has made significant progress in a very difficult situation. The country has embarked on a comprehensive reform process and has welcomed a large number of refugees from Ukraine,' said Mr Eide.

Under the Nansen Support Programme for Ukraine, Norway is also providing funding to help the Moldovan authorities to deal with the crisis and promote the rule of law, justice reforms and closer cooperation with the rest of Europe.

In 2023, Norway provided NOK 400 million to Moldova to purchase gas. The funds were provided through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Norway has also allocated NOK 100 million to the Moldova Growth, Resilience and Opportunities for Well-being (M-GROW) Program recently established by the World Bank. This multi-donor trust fund will help Moldova to improve its competitiveness and energy efficiency, and to strengthen institutions and promote good governance.

Norway is one of the largest donors of humanitarian assistance to Moldova. With this new allocation of NOK 70 million, Norway will have provided approximately NOK 490 million in humanitarian aid since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. According to the UN, approximately 160 000 people received humanitarian aid in 2023. This includes cash transfers to some 86 000 Ukrainian refugees and Moldovan host families.

The EFTA countries and Moldova negotiated a free trade agreement in 2023, paving the way for strengthened economic ties.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu will pay a state visit to Norway on 6-7 May, hosted by Their Majesties King Harald and Queen Sonja. This will be the first time a Moldovan president has visited Norway, a clear sign of the increasingly strong ties between the two countries in recent years.

Norway has also decided to open an embassy office in ChiAYinAu to follow up Norway's support efforts and further enhance bilateral relations.

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Drone Coalitions first shipment will soon reach Ukraine

Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Defence

04/17/2024 - 16:43

In Latvia

International cooperation

Information prepared by Preses nodaAa

Latvia will soon send Ukraine the first batch of unmanned aerial vehicles organized by the state in cooperation with local industry. This is the first significant contribution of Latvia in the framework of the coalition.

"We are moving towards Latvia being active in both leadership of the drone coalition, and drone deliveries to Ukraine. I sincerely thank Latvian manufacturers for supplying drones for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This is just the beginning, as we, in cooperation with local companies, prepare for future shipments," notes A. SprAds.

Latvia will spend at least 10 million euro each year to supply Ukraine with drones. By signing the Letter of Intent, members of the Drone Coalition have agreed to commit resources to drone production, carry out deliveries of drones and spare parts to Ukraine, as well as to implement drone testing, troop training and develop other technical solutions.

On April 12, A. SprAds held a weekly remote meeting of the Latvian-led drone coalition, which was also attended by the new member state of the coalition - Poland. After the meeting, the Minister of Defence informed Ukraine that drones manufactured in Latvia and adapted for the battlefield are being prepared for shipment.

So far, 14 countries have announced their participation in the Drone Coalition - Latvia, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden. More countries may join in the future.

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Landsbergis: "I am glad that the Lithuanian Development Cooperation Fund will bridge Lithuania, Andorra and Ukraine"

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

2024.04.17

On 17 April, Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabrielius Landsbergis, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Andorra, Imma Tor Faus, signed a double taxation avoidance agreement between Lithuania and Andorra. The application of this agreement will facilitate the development of economic ties between Lithuania and Andorra and encourage mutual investment.

The agreement will provide legal certainty for eliminating double taxation on income and capital in Lithuania and Andorra. At the same time, closer cooperation between the tax administrations of both countries will be ensured, preventing tax avoidance and enabling effective resolution of disputes related to double taxation. Currently, there are 58 international double taxation avoidance agreements in force in Lithuania.

The Foreign Ministers also signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania and Andorra, according to which Andorra will contribute to the Lithuanian Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Fund to finance a reconstruction and recovery project in Ukraine - a school in Snihurivka, Mykolaiv Oblast. When thanking the Government of Andorra for its contribution, the Foreign Minister of Lithuania expressed expectations that implementing the first joint project would open up wider opportunities for Lithuania and Andorra to cooperate in reconstructing Ukraine.

"The reconstruction of Ukraine, which is attacked every day and fighting for its existence, requires strong support from the international community. So, we must continue to join forces and show Ukraine that, in light of the war caused by Russia, we stand with Ukraine. I am glad that the Lithuanian Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Fund will bridge Lithuania, Andorra, and Ukraine," Landsbergis said.

The Foreign Minister also thanked Andorra for its principled attitude and solidarity in condemning Russia's aggression against Ukraine and aligning with the EU's positions in international organisations, EU restrictive measures introduced to starve Russia's war machine, and joining the Council of Europe's register of damage for Ukraine.

"We regard Andorra as a like-minded country that shares opinions on many of today's key issues. Every voice is important in defending our shared principles and values at stake, putting maximum pressure on Russia and its accomplice Belarus and other authoritarian regimes, and seeking the Kremlin's accountability for the brutal aggression against Ukraine and other international crimes," Landsbergis said.

The Foreign Minister also congratulated Andorra on the successful conclusion of negotiations on the EU-Andorra Association Agreement, noting that Lithuania supported closer cooperation between Andorra and the EU.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Andorra, Imma Tor Faus, is visiting Lithuania together with the delegation led by Xavier Espot Zamora, Prime Minister of Andorra. Lithuania and Andorra established diplomatic relations in 1997.

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At an informal meeting of EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Landsbergis calls on the EU to tighten sanctions against Iran and provide Ukraine with air defence

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

2024.04.17

On April 16, EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs held an informal video teleconference to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East in light of the April 14 attack on Israel by Iran and its allies. Lithuania was represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabrielius Landsbergis.

The head of Lithuania's diplomacy condemned the unprecedented attack with drones and missiles against Israel by Iran, stressing that such actions proved the growing determination of aggressive regimes to challenge Western states. Landsbergis called for an immediate tightening of sanctions against Iran for its attempts to destabilise the region and support Russia's aggression against Ukraine (by imposing more drone component bans and new restrictions on ballistic-missile-related activities).

In his speech, Landsbergis drew attention to the consequences of Western delay in tightening sanctions. Iran fired at least 300 Shahed drones and ballistic missiles at Israel over the weekend. Moreover, last week, Russia attacked Ukraine with some 180 Shahed drones, which Russia uses in the war of aggression against Ukraine.

Lithuania's Foreign Minister identified the immediate priorities, emphasising the need to avoid the spread of conflict in the region that would have disastrous consequences for the Middle East and Ukraine, which continues to fight against Russia.

Landsbergis stressed that the success of Israel's and its allies' joint efforts to defend against Iranian missiles and drones must lead to enhanced air defence supplies for Ukraine. "Western fear of escalating the situation by providing air defence to Ukraine will allow Russia to take advantage of such hesitation for its benefit," Lithuania's Foreign Minister said.

Concerning the situation in Gaza, the Foreign Minister recalled the remaining need to strive for the release of all hostages, the humanitarian ceasefire, and restart the Middle East peace process.

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The President called on EU leaders to increase support for Ukraine and provide it with all necessary air defense capabilities

President of the Republic of Lithuania

April 17, 2024

President Gitanas NausAda is attending the European Council meeting in Brussels on April 17-18. Wednesday evening, European leaders discussed support for Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East and EU-TArkiye relations.

The President also emphasized that the initiatives launched at the EU level to provide military assistance to Ukraine - in ammunition and munitions - should be implemented as soon as possible. According to Gitanas NausAda, the cost of insufficient military support for Ukraine is the loss of Ukrainian lives, further destruction and delayed victory for Ukraine.

The President underlined the need for continued financial support to Ukraine. According to Gitanas NausAda, support from the European Peace Facility Fund, which has been increased by five billion euros, could be accelerated. The President also called for rules to be established as soon as possible to use profits from frozen Russian financial assets immobilized in EU countries. The Lithuanian leader stressed the importance of ensuring that frozen Russian assets are used for the needs of Ukraine.

"We must tighten sanctions against Russia and Belarus and find a way to prevent the circumvention of sanctions. As Russia continues its brutal war in Ukraine, I call for including Russian liquefied and natural gas in the sanctions lists and introducing trade restrictive measures on Russian and Belarusian agricultural products. It is our responsibility and duty to ensure that sanctions are effectively implemented," the President said.

Addressing the EU- TArkiye relations, the President highlighted the importance of cooperation in fighting illegal migration, maintaining energy and food security, and ensuring security in the Black Sea region. According to Gitanas NausAda, TArkiye's role is particularly important in supporting Ukraine, and therefore it is necessary to maintain and strengthen the strategic dialogue with this country.

Regarding the situation in the Middle East, the President condemned Iran's attacks on Israel. He called on EU leaders to agree on sanctions against Iran in response to its attack on Israel and its military support for Russia's aggression in Ukraine. According to Gitanas NausAda, it is crucial to prevent the conflict in the Middle East from escalating further.

"Iran's actions in Israel are completely unjustifiable and have consequences, as does Iran's support for Russian aggression in Ukraine. Allied joint action to help Israel defend itself against air attacks sets an example for how we should act in Ukraine. Air defense assistance is vital to the Ukrainians," the President said.

On Thursday, EU leaders will resume their meeting. The second day of the summit will focus on EU competitiveness and economic issues.

The President's Communication Group

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NATO Secretary General and the Prime Ministers of the Netherlands, Denmark and Czechia discuss support to Ukraine

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

17 Apr. 2024

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, and the Prime Minister of Czechia, Petr Fiala, to NATO Headquarters on Wednesday (17 April 2024).

The leaders discussed the situation in Ukraine and agreed that NATO should have a greater role in coordinating security assistance and training for Ukraine over the longer term. The Secretary General highlighted the important contributions of the Netherlands, Denmark and Czechia: "Yesterday, Denmark announced a major new package of aid. The Netherlands has just announced 4 billion euros in additional military support and the Czech-led initiative is receiving hundreds of millions of euros for more artillery shells for Ukraine."

Mr Stoltenberg said that this support comes on top of the unprecedented aid already being provided, including F-16s from Denmark and the Netherlands. He welcomed that Germany is also sending an additional Patriot system to Ukraine: "I am also encouraged by indications that the U.S. Congress may take up further aid to Ukraine in the coming days."

The Secretary General said that Ukraine needs even more from NATO and delays in support have consequences on the ground every day: "That is why if Allies face a choice between meeting NATO capability targets and providing more aid to Ukraine, my message is clear: Send more to Ukraine."

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At Least 17 Dead In Ukraine As Zelenskiy Laments Lack Of Air Defenses

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service April 17, 2024

At least 17 people have died and several were injured in a Russian air strike on the city of Chernihiv, an attack President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said couldn't be thwarted because Ukraine lacked "sufficient" air defenses due to dwindling supplies from allies, especially the United States, where politicians are deadlocked over a military assistance and aid package worth some $62 billion.

Vyacheslav Chaus, governor of the Chernihiv region, said the air attack by Russian forces came after an air-raid alert was declared at 8:50 a.m. local time on April 17. The number of people killed was raised to 17, including two who died in the hospital, Emergencies Services said. Sixty people were injured.

Chaus said three missiles were fired at almost the center of the city, damaging 16 residential apartment buildings, a school, and a hospital.

Chernihiv Mayor Oleksandr Lomako expressed his condolences to the relatives of the victims and announced that April 18 would be a day of mourning in Chernihiv for those who died. He said the strikes hit local civil and social infrastructure in the city, which lies about 145 kilometers north of Kyiv. It has been hit several times since Russian tanks swept into Ukraine from nearby Belarusian territory in February 2022.

Zelenskiy had warned earlier on Telegram that the death toll may rise.

"This would not have happened if Ukraine had received enough air-defense equipment and if the world's determination to counter Russian terror was also sufficient," Zelenskiy said in a post on Telegram.

"Determination matters. Support matters. Ukrainian determination is enough. There needs to be sufficient commitment from partners and sufficient support to reflect it," he added.

Russia has drastically stepped up its air attacks on Ukraine as Kyiv's forces run low on air defenses and ammunition while desperately needed U.S. help remains stuck in the House of Representatives due to Republican opposition.

Ukrainian officials have desperately pleaded with Washington and its allies to step up military supplies and aid, saying Ukraine's air defenses were critical for the protection of its neighbors as well.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson has been seeking the votes needed to pass some $62 billion in aid for Ukraine, but many hard-right Republicans, especially those closely allied with former President Donald Trump, the party's presumptive nominee to run against President Joe Biden in a November election, have been skeptical about assisting Kyiv in its fight against Russia.

Confronted with a worsening lack of enough air defense systems, weapons, and ammunition as Western aid dries up, Kyiv has increasingly resorted to air and naval drone strikes deep inside Russian territory, targeting both military installations and critical oil-refining capabilities.

In Ukraine's Russian-occupied Crimea region, a series of explosions rang out early on April 17 in the area of the military airfield in the northern city of Dzhankoy.

The Telegram channel Astra showed several videos from local residents that showed flames shooting skyward amid large plumes of smoke at what reportedly was the airfield.

The reports could not be independently confirmed. Russian authorities in Crimea did not immediately comment on the reports.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-crimea- russia-airfield/32908715.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Countries In Czech-Led Initiative Pledge Enough To Buy 500,000 Shells For Ukraine

By RFE/RL April 17, 2024

WASHINGTON -- Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on April 16 that 20 countries had pledged enough money to buy 500,000 artillery shells under the Czech Republic's international fundraising drive to buy badly needed ammunition for the Ukrainian Army.

"I am glad that at this moment about 20 countries already joined our initiative -- from Canada, Germany and [from] the Netherlands to Poland," Fiala said in a speech in Washington.

"Thanks to them we can provide around 500,000 rounds of artillery ammunition. We believe that more deliveries will follow."

Ukraine has been pleading for its Western allies to supply more ammunition as troops on the battlefield run short with Russian forces outfiring them at a rate of about five-to-one.

The supply is dwindling, the top U.S. military commander in Europe told Congress last week, and the rate will go to 10-to-one in a matter of weeks.

European Union members promised 1 million artillery shells by the end of March, but their production capacities are limited and the countries fell short of delivering.

The Czech government then announced it would collect a substantial amount of shells -- some 800,000 in total -- for Ukraine from third countries outside the European Union.

Speaking at the Hudson Institute, a Washington think tank, Fiala said there was no reason why the 20 donor countries in the next 12 months could not help deliver 1 million more beyond the 500,000 already covered.

"I want to highlight that this initiative is not a onetime project. Our goal is to create a long-term system of ammunition supplies for heavy weapons. This will directly help to change the situation on the front line," he added.

The initiative can help cover Ukraine's ammunition needs at least until Europe's own defense industries can produce enough ammunition, he said.

Fiala didn't include details on the amount of money pledged to acquire artillery shells, but Tomas Kopecny, Czech commissioner for the reconstruction of Ukraine, told Czech Radio on April 16 that the sum was roughly $3 billion.

The Czech prime minister also said that for too long many European countries took their security for granted, which led to very low spending on defense. The situation is completely different now, he said, because of the "wakeup call" Europe received when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

"Most countries in the West want to pay. Europe now knows that it cannot use only soft power," he said. "It learned that hard power must be used, not only for global balance but also for out security."

With reporting by AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-czech- initiative-artillery-shells/32908749.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen Following Bilateral Meeting with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal of Ukraine

U.S. Department of the Treasury

April 17, 2024

As Prepared for Delivery

Prime Minister Shmyhal and Minister Marchenko, thank you for meeting with me today.

I was glad to discuss our key shared priorities, including international financial support for Ukraine, Ukraine's reform progress, and Russia's obligation to pay for the damages of its war of aggression.

Budgetary assistance from the United States is more critical than ever, as it is inextricably linked to Ukraine's success on the battlefield and the government's ability to deliver essential services to its people.

The United States has provided substantial direct budget support to Ukraine, as have our allies. As nearly all Ukrainian tax revenue funds your armed forces, our support has helped to fund critical services underpinning the war effort. Extensive controls and safeguards have ensured that this money is reaching the right people and is being used appropriately.

Now, the Biden Administration remains committed to providing Ukraine the military and economic support it needs. We commend the Senate for passing the national security supplemental on a bipartisan basis. The failure of House Republicans to act to support Ukraine in this pivotal moment of the war for so long has been inexcusableaand detrimental to our national security. Every moment of delay by House Republicans strengthens Putin and emboldens America's adversaries around the world who are closely watching to see if we, the United States, maintains its resolve to support a democratic Ukraine as it fends off an autocratic Russia. The House must move as quickly as possible to pass the House national security supplemental and the Senate should follow as soon as possible.

Turning to your efforts, I commend you both, and the rest of the Ukrainian government, for maintaining economic stability and implementing ambitious reforms under incredibly difficult circumstances.

I congratulate Ukraine for all it has done to enable a successful third review of its IMF program, which is providing $15.6 billion in support and lays the foundation for a robust reform agenda.

We also need to remain vigilant to ensure that Russia cannot acquire the goods and resources it needs to continue its war. The United States, as part of our global coalition, will continue to impose increasing costs on Russia through sanctions. We are also working to clamp down on evasion networks around the world that attempt to circumvent our efforts.

I will end with this: the United States stands with Ukraine and its allies. Ukraine's bravery in the face of this brutal invasion has been unshakable. The international community's collective response to Russian aggression has demonstrated the strength of our coalition. Together, we will continue to defend Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity, freedom, and independence.

###

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Foreign Secretary to urge G7 partners to hold firm and step up support for Ukraine

At the Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Italy the Foreign Secretary will urge G7 partners to keep up pressure on Putin as he continues his illegal war with Ukraine.

17 April 2024

the Foreign Secretary will call on his G7 counterparts to increase support for Ukraine

G7 foreign ministers will reaffirm the need to prevent a regional war following Iran's malign and dangerous attack on Israel

G7's collective response to the escalating conflict in the Middle East, a more assertive China and irregular migration will also be on the agenda

The Foreign Secretary is travelling to the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Italy today to urge his counterparts to keep up the pressure on Putin as he continues to wage his illegal war with Ukraine. The Foreign Secretary will reiterate to the G7 the UK's commitment to Israel's security and discuss with his counterparts how to de-escalate regional tensions.

The Foreign Secretary will make clear that partners in Europe and the G7 must spend more, produce more and deliver more to ensure that Ukraine can secure the victory that it deserves. He will call on G7 partners to work together to agree a clear and ambitious way forward to use sanctioned Russian assets to support Ukraine. This builds on messaging delivered at the NATO Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Brussels earlier this month.

The G7 has collectively sanctioned close to $300 billion of Russian assets. Without sanctions, it is estimated that Russia would have over $400 billion to finance its war, enough to fund Putin's invasion for another 4 years.

The Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, said:

Ukraine has our unequivocal support until it is victorious and achieves a just peace. It is vital that we agree a way forward to use sanctioned Russian assets to support Ukraine and ensure Russia pays for the destruction it has wreaked.

The Foreign Secretary will continue to call for the G7 to pilot more ambitious efforts to undermine Russia's defence industrial complex, including by pushing third countries to counter attempts to circumvent sanctions. He will urge partners to be prepared to act against those who help Russia to supply its war machine.

Responding to Iran's failed and dangerous attack on Israel over the weekend, Mr Cameron and his counterparts will continue to call for restraint, asking those involved to consider the devastating consequences of an escalation in the conflict. The Foreign Secretary will campaign for coordinated sanctions against Iran, ensuring the G7 shows a united front against Iran's malign activity in the region. The Foreign Secretary and the rest of the G7 will continue to work with allies in Europe and across the Middle East to stop the fighting in Gaza, pushing for an immediate pause to get aid in and hostages out, so there can be progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire.

Meetings will also cover a range of other priorities around the world, including a more assertive China, reform of financial systems and irregular migration.

The G7 represents around 50% of global GDP and its shared economic strength is helping to make the world a fairer, more stable and prosperous place. Discussions will look into reforms to the international financial system, investment in developing nations and new partnerships that work towards conflict resolution and resilience to global challenges - particularly climate change. The G7 will further strengthen ties with nations in Africa at the meeting, promoting economic prosperity on the continent through trade and unlocking private sector cash to support their green transition - a campaign which is in everyone's interest.

Irregular migration, propped up by transnational organised crime groups, actively stands in the way of the G7's efforts to encourage international prosperity. The Foreign Secretary will encourage his G7 counterparts to prioritise international engagement to tackle illegal migration at its root causes, so we can reduce irregular and dangerous journeys, protect lives and create growth.

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The Presidential Office Hosted a Meeting with the Swiss Delegation

President of Ukraine

17 April 2024 - 19:39

The Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Yulia Sokolovska met with the Ambassador of Switzerland to Ukraine FAlix Baumann, the Head of the Peace and Human Rights Division, the Ambassador of the Swiss Federal Department for Foreign Affairs Simon GeissbAhler and their colleagues.

Yulia Sokolovska thanked the Swiss partners for their support and cooperation in the healthcare sector: the assistance with psychological rehabilitation, which is being implemented at the initiative of the First Lady Olena Zelenska, the improvement of rehabilitation units, the training of medical personnel, and the digitization of paperwork.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the return of Ukrainian children illegally deported and forcibly displaced by Russia, their guidance and social support afterwards.

They also focused on the issue of reparations, in particular on the mechanism of compensation and registration of victims of the full-scale Russian invasion.

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Increasing Military Aid: The State and Business Implement the "Defence Partners" Project

President of Ukraine

17 April 2024 - 14:04

The Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak together with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi, and the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Anatoliy Barhylevych met with the representatives of the "Defence Partners" project and discussed with them the strengthening of support of the Ukrainian defenders.

Among the participants of the meeting were deputy heads of the Office of the Head of State, government officials, members of Parliament, and entrepreneurs.

"Defence Partners" is a project in which the government involves representatives of state authorities and businesses to join forces to help the soldiers. The idea of this project is that each unit of the Defence Forces will be assigned separate representatives of the state government and business, who will help meet all urgent needs.

"I would like to thank everyone who joined the idea of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and is already helping. Of course, the state is always the flagship on this path. This is its direct function, to ensure the defence of its territory. However, when the bureaucratic machine cannot keep up with the flexibility of a smart, talented entrepreneur and a skilled manager from the state, you become an important force to help the state. You all took it as a personal case. All of you have already managed to accomplish quite a lot. This is your historic contribution to our victory," Andriy Yermak emphasized.

This enables specialized departments to concentrate on the implementation of the most complex and large-scale projects. Meanwhile, the participants of the "Defence Partners" initiative, who are constantly in touch with the brigade commanders, help to ensure their urgent needs (ammunition, drones, computer equipment, means of communication, and military rehabilitation).

The role of this project in strengthening the defence capabilities of Ukraine against the background of the growing scale of Russian aggression was also noted by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi.

"Under circumstances when the enemy plans to expand its aggression and increase the number of troops, we need this help. We will be very happy if you continue to help our brigades a both those that are being formed and those that are already performing tasks," he said.

The meeting participants also discussed ways to scale the project to involve as many representatives of the state and business as possible to help the Defence Forces. After all, the quantity and quality of efforts depend on how quickly Ukraine will be able to achieve victory, the meeting participants summarized.

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Andriy Yermak: Security Agreement with the United States Should Be Exemplary

President of Ukraine

17 April 2024 - 09:23

Pursuant to the instruction of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak held a working meeting on the preparation of a security agreement with the United States.

The meeting was attended by members of the delegation involved in negotiations on drafting and preparing bilateral and multilateral international agreements between Ukraine and other states on security commitments for our country.

"This agreement should be exemplary: it should take into account the real capabilities of the United States and the best elements of the security agreements already signed by Ukraine," emphasized Andriy Yermak.

The meeting participants discussed the key elements of the future document, the strengths of the nine bilateral security agreements already concluded, and the algorithm of actions once the US Congress passes a decision on military assistance to Ukraine.

Two rounds of negotiations on the security agreement were held with American partners. The meeting participants agreed on actions to prepare for the next round, which will enable them to advance in drafting the document.

"The US agreement with Ukraine should be as effective as the US memorandum with Israel, which confirmed the effectiveness of allied actions during the recent repulsion of Iran's massive attack on Israel," the Head of the Presidential Office said.

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Ukrainian president says military hit Russian airfield in occupied Crimea

By VOA News April 17, 2024

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the country's military in his evening address on Wednesday for a "precise strike" on Dzhankoi, a Russian military airfield in occupied Crimea.

According to media reports, the early-morning strike resulted in a fire at the airfield, with explosions reported in the town of Dzhankoi.

Zelenskyy singled out Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces, to thank him for "organizing this operation."

Dzhankoi, in northern Crimea, was annexed by Russia in 2014.

Elsewhere Wednesday, Russia downed at least eight airborne targets over the city of Belgorod, near the border with Ukraine, regional officials said. It was not immediately clear if anyone was hurt in the incidents.

Also, Ukrainian officials said a Russian missile attack hit the northern city of Chernihiv, killing at least 17 people and injuring 61 others.

Vyacheslav Chaus, the regional governor, said several missiles struck near the center of the city.

"There are victims among civilians and many injured," Chaus said.

Zelenskyy issued condolences for the victims on social media and reiterated his call for allies to provide Ukraine with aid to defend itself from Russia's missile and drone attacks.

"This would not have happened if Ukraine had received a sufficient number of air defense systems and if the world's determination to counter Russian terror had been sufficient," Zelenskyy said. "Terrorists can only destroy lives if they first intimidate those who can stop terror and save lives. Determination matters. Support matters."

Zelenskyy said in his nightly address Tuesday that he would request a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council "to discuss the protection of the skies, the supply of anti-aircraft warfare, relevant systems and missiles."

Zelenskyy has in recent days drawn comparisons to the multinational effort to defend Israel from an Iranian drone and missile attack.

In his Tuesday address he cited comments by officials from other countries who drew distinctions between the conflicts. Zelenskyy said the Iranian-made Shahed drones are the same, as are the human lives involved.

Russia's defense ministry reported Wednesday destroying a Ukrainian drone over the Mordovia region, and another drone over Tatarstan.

G7 talks

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is joining his counterparts from the Group of Seven leading industrial nations for talks in Italy, where the State Department said he will discuss U.S. concerns about China's support for Russia's defense industrial base.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters on Tuesday that over the past months, the United States has observed materials being transferred from China to Russia. Russia is using the materials to rebuild its defense industrial base and produce arms that are showing up on the battlefield in Ukraine.

"We are incredibly concerned about that," Miller said.

The United States has long communicated its concerns to China about any actions that could support Russia's war in Ukraine, U.S. officials say. This includes not only direct military support but also steps taken by Chinese companies to reconstitute Russia's defense industrial base.

"The secretary does plan to travel to China in the coming weeks," Miller added. "That is an issue that he would be expected to raise."

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters



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SAN JOSE, Calif., April 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- California Water Service (Cal Water) confirmed today that its water systems will meet the new state maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 parts per billion (ppb) for chromium-6, which was adopted today by the State Water Resources Control Board.



Cal Water developed and installed treatment for the contaminant in its impacted water systems in Dixon, Oak Hills (Salinas), Las Lomas (Salinas), and Willows when the same chromium-6 MCL, which was subsequently vacated for administrative reasons, was originally set in 2014. In fact, Cal Waters treatment system design was used as a model for other water utilities. After the MCL was vacated, Cal Water continued to treat those wells to protect customer health and safety. Cal Water plans to install treatment at a newer well that was brought online in Oak Hills, as well as at another well in Dixon that currently does not serve customers but could, if needed, within the two- to four-year compliance timeline. All other active wells above the MCL in these service areas are already being treated.

We take our responsibility to protect our customers health and safety very seriously; thats why we continued to treat impacted water systems after the chromium-6 MCL was temporarily vacated, said Martin A. Kropelnicki, Cal Water Chairman & CEO. We remain committed to meeting all state and federal standards set to protect public health and safety.

Beyond removing chromium-6 from its affected water sources, Cal Water works to be a responsible steward of the environment. The utility sends the chromium-6 removed through the treatment process to be recycled for use by other industries.

About California Water Service

California Water Service provides high-quality, reliable water utility services to more than 2 million people statewide through 496,400 service connections. Cal Waters purpose is to enhance the quality of life for customers and communities. To do so, it invests responsibly in water and wastewater infrastructure, sustainability initiatives, and community well-being. The companys 1,100+ employees live by a set of strong core values and share a commitment to protecting the planet, caring for people, and operating with the utmost integrity. The utility has been named one of Americas Most Responsible Companies and the Worlds Most Trustworthy Companies by Newsweek and a Great Place to Work, and is ranked No. 1 in Customer Satisfaction Among Large Water Utilities in the West Region* by J.D. Power. More information is available at www.calwater.com.

*California Water Service received the highest score in the West Large segment of the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Water Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study of customers satisfaction nationally among water customers in the US. Visit jdpower.com/awards for more details.

Media Contact

Yvonne Kingman

ykingman@calwater.com

310-257-1434
Newark, April 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brainy Insights estimates that the global blood screening market will grow from USD 2.99 Billion in 2023 to USD 8.96 Billion by 2033. The importance of undergoing blood screening lies in its capacity to identify potential health hazards and detect anomalies at an initial phase, often before the appearance of symptoms. Early recognition allows for prompt intervention and management of medical conditions, improving treatment efficiency that helps avoid complications. Additionally, blood screening plays a significant part in preventing diseases by aiding risk evaluation, creating tailored interventions, and promoting wellness approaches specific to individual requirements. Regular blood screenings are crucial in monitoring the effectiveness of treatment. They are especially important for individuals receiving medical treatments like chemotherapy or anticoagulant therapy to keep track of medication levels, detect any side effects and modify treatment schedules accordingly. Routine blood tests also play a critical role in managing chronic conditions such as diabetes or hypertension by assessing disease control, allowing healthcare professionals to adjust treatments for optimal health results.



Request Sample Copy of Blood Screening Market Research Report: https://www.thebrainyinsights.com/enquiry/sample-request/14155



Key Insight of the Blood screening Market



Asia Pacific region is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.



During the forecast period, Asia Pacific is expected to grow at the highest CAGR within the global blood screening market. The Asia Pacific region will significantly expand. The Asia Pacific region is experiencing tremendous growth in the global blood screening industry, thanks to its rapid economic development and expanding healthcare infrastructure. Countries including China, Japan, India and Southeast Asian nations comprise this diverse market with a range of regulatory frameworks and levels of healthcare expenditure. Investment towards blood safety awareness has increased due to growing concern about infectious diseases and government initiatives to improve health systems that demand better technology improvements for blood transfusion services. Given these developments, many players within the industry are focusing on expansion strategies such as partnerships or product customization, which would cater specifically for unique preferences across multiple markets simultaneously.



The ELISA segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.



The technology segment includes Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAT), ELISA, Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (CLIA) and Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA), Next Generation Sequencing and Western Blotting. The ELISA segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. ELISA, a highly adaptable platform for serological testing, has become an essential technology in blood screening due to its cost-effectiveness, high throughput capabilities and versatility. This approach relies on the interaction between antigens and antibodies and enzyme-mediated colorimetric or chemiluminescent reactions to identify specific biomarkers in serum samples. It is commonly used as part of infectious disease screenings such as syphilis and hepatitis C infections, amongst others, by enabling rapid detection that aids donor screening while also aiding accurate surveillance efforts against diseases like HIV/AIDS.



The instrument segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.



The product segment includes instrument and reagents. The instrument segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The industry of blood screening encompasses the instruments category, which denotes all hardware and gear for scrutinizing blood samples. It comprises advanced analyzers, diagnostic tools, and testing equipment that are indispensable in conducting different tests to detect anomalies within the sample. A key aspect observed in this sector pertains to consistent technological progress culminating in higher-throughput analyzing devices alongside point-of-care inspection apparatuses aiming to augment precision levels while making such screenings more efficient and easily accessible than before, thus catering to an escalating demand for rapid diagnostics.



The hospital segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.



The end-user segment is bifurcated into hospitals and blood banks. The hospital segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Hospitals are the primary providers of transfusion medicine services and comprise various healthcare facilities such as tertiary care hospitals, community hospitals, and specialty clinics. With blood banks and transfusion services, these institutions rely on them to deliver secure and suitable blood products needed for patient treatment during medical emergencies or surgical procedures. Hospitals assume a critical role in screening donated blood by determining what patients require transplants so that they may order appropriate product types while also guaranteeing prompt delivery & administration.



Get a Complete TOC of Global Blood Screening Market Report 2024-2033 at: https://www.thebrainyinsights.com/report/blood-screening-market-14155



Recent Developments:



 In July 2023: The first direct-to-consumer blood test to detect abnormal levels of beta-amyloid, a critical protein linked to Alzheimer's disease that may show signs years before dementia symptoms do, was just released by Quest Diagnostics. The news stems from Leqembi, a drug developed by Eisai and Biogen in partnership, recently received regulatory approval in the United States. Leqembi is intended to remove amyloid from the brain and has shown promise in reducing the rate at which Alzheimer's disease progresses in those who are still in the early stages of the illness.

Market Dynamics



Driver: Growing Emphasis on Preventive Healthcare



The growing importance of preventive healthcare is boosting the market growth and development in the present scenario. Blood screening is crucial in this approach as it allows for early detection and intervention against infectious diseases, genetic disorders, and chronic illnesses. This capacity enables timely medical treatment when required. Moreover, proactive approaches to managing one's well-being have driven demand for comprehensive blood screening solutions offering support. As such, market growth reflects an increased focus on disease prevention initiatives to promote healthier lifestyles. This factor is stimulating the market growth and development.



Restraint: Risk of Blood Transfusion-Transmitted Infections



Although strict measures for blood screening have been put in place, there is still a lingering risk of transfusion-transmitted infections caused by viruses, bacteria, and parasites. The time window between the contraction of infection and detection can cause challenges to prompt identification. At the same time, the emergence of new pathogens could heighten potential risks associated with transfusions, leading to severe illness or death. Additionally, emerging infectious diseases such as Zika virus, dengue fever & chikungunya create further obstacles towards ensuring safe practices related to the procurement/national distribution/blood donation systems. These factors can lead to increased market instability.



Opportunity: Technological Advancements



The blood screening market's evolution is primarily propelled by technological advancements, which serve as its cornerstone. Notably, the advancements in molecular diagnostics, automation and high-throughput technologies have resulted in a pioneering transformation of this industry - elevating efficiency levels via better accuracy rates while also increasing throughput capacity notably well. In contemporary times, precision detection techniques such as nucleic acid testing (NAT), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) & next-generation sequencing (NGS) are now utilized for assaying samples to bolster their capabilities further; each technique provides unparalleled specificity/sensitivity resulting in exceptional clinical functionality concerning infectious agent detection methods.



Purchase this report (Price 4700 USD for a single-user license) at: https://www.thebrainyinsights.com/buy-now/14155/single



Some of the major players operating in the Blood Screening Market are:



 Abbott Laboratories

 Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.

 Roche Diagnostics

 Grifols

 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

 Ortho Clinical Diagnostics

 Quest Diagnostics

 Bio-Techne Corporation

 Siemens Healthineers

 Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD)

 BioMerieux SA

 F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.

 Sysmex Corporation



Key Segments Cover in the Market:



By Technology:



 Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAT)

 ELISA

 Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (CLIA) and Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA)

 Next Generation Sequencing

 Western Blotting



By Product:



 Reagent

 Instrument



By End-user:



 Blood Banks

 Hospitals



By Region



 North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico)

 Europe (Germany, France, the U.K., Italy, Spain, Rest of Europe)

 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Rest of APAC)

 South America (Brazil and the Rest of South America)

 The Middle East and Africa (UAE, South Africa, Rest of MEA)



Have a query before purchasing this report: https://www.thebrainyinsights.com/enquiry/buying-inquiry/14155

About the report:



The market is analyzed based on value (USD Billion). All the segments have been analyzed worldwide, regional, and country basis. The study includes the analysis of more than 30 countries for each part. The report analyzes driving factors, opportunities, restraints, and challenges to gain critical market insight. The study includes porter's five forces model, attractiveness analysis, product analysis, supply, and demand analysis, competitor position grid analysis, distribution, and marketing channel analysis.



About The Brainy Insights:



The Brainy Insights is a market research company, aimed at providing actionable insights through data analytics to companies to improve their business acumen. We have a robust forecasting and estimation model to meet the clients' objectives of high-quality output within a short span of time. We provide both customized (clients' specific) and syndicate reports. Our repository of syndicate reports is diverse across all the categories and sub-categories across domains. Our customized solutions are tailored to meet the clients' requirement whether they are looking to expand or planning to launch a new product in the global market.



Contact Us



Avinash D

Head of Business Development

Phone: +1-315-215-1633

Email: sales@thebrainyinsights.com

Web: http://www.thebrainyinsights.com
ATLANTA, April 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Mark Cuban Foundation, in partnership with Perficient is bringing the only artificial intelligence (AI) camp of its kind, free of charge, to high school students in Atlanta. With a custom and highly-relevant curriculum focused on teaching students about the latest developments in the world of AI and Generative AI, the camp will provide the tools to make these technologies work for them and promises to educate, inspire and fuel the next generation of AI professionals.



These AI bootcamps are introductory and accessible to students in grades 9-12 with an interest in technology. Students do not need any familiarity with computer science or programming to attend. Over the course of three half-days, students will learn what AI is and isn't, where they already interact with AI in their own lives, the ethical implications of AI systems, and much more. Students also learn how to utilize ChatGPT via tailored inputs and use Microsoft's cloud computing tools to build their own AI applications.

As AI continues to become an undeniable force in all of our lives, its crucial that we open the door to this knowledge, especially to young people who want to explore it, said Mark Cuban, founder. While technology expands and becomes more advanced, it becomes more critical that we ensure our students are prepared when they apply for schools or jobs in the future. Thanks to our work with Perficient, the bootcamp will offer an avenue to explore this fascinating field of technology to any student, no matter their means.

This years bootcamp, taking place at Perficients Atlanta office on November 2nd, 9th, and 16th is hosted and staffed by Perficient. Perficient helps companies imagine, create, engineer, and run digital solutions that transform how they connect with their customers and grow their business.

Perficient is one of 25+ host companies selected to host camps across the US.

With the proliferation of AI, its more important than ever to increase AI education  especially among todays youth. Were proud to partner with the Mark Cuban Foundation to educate the next generation of technology leaders, mentoring students in AI, and ensuring the future of STEM. - Bill Davis, senior vice president, Perficient.

Applications for the bootcamp are now open at: markcubanai.org.

Watch Mark Cubans message about Mark Cuban Foundations AI bootcamps and access the full media kit here.

To learn more, visit markcubanai.org.

Media contact:

Bishop.wash@markcubanai.org

This bootcamp is facilitated with support from Mark Cuban Foundation AI Bootcamp Program's media partner, Notified, a globally trusted technology partner for investor relations, public relations and marketing professionals.

About Mark Cuban Foundations AI Bootcamp Initiative

The Mark Cuban Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private non-profit led by entrepreneur and investor Mark Cuban. The AI Bootcamps Program at MCF seeks to inspire young people with emerging technology so that they can create more equitable futures for themselves and their communities. Over 3 consecutive Saturdays underserved 9th -12th grade students learn what AI is and isn't, where they already interact with AI in their own lives, the ethical implications of AI systems, and much more. Learn more about the no-cost AI Bootcamp program at markcubanai.org.

About Perficient

Perficient is the leading global digital consultancy. We imagine, create, engineer, and run digital transformation solutions that help our clients exceed customers expectations, outpace competition, and grow their business. With unparalleled strategy, creative, and technology capabilities, we bring big thinking and innovative ideas, along with a practical approach to help the worlds largest enterprises and biggest brands succeed. Traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, Perficient is a member of the Russell 2000 index and the S&P SmallCap 600 index. For more information, visit www.perficient.com.
PRESS RELEASE



Amsterdam 18 April 2024

JDE Peets (EURONEXT: JDEP) has expanded its global effort to combat coffee-related deforestation by signing three Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with Peru, Honduras and Rwanda. This not only ensures continued access to the European market for smallholder farmers upon implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), but crucially also fosters climate change resilience for coffee, which is imperative to ensuring that JDE Peets customers and consumers have continued access to a diversity of high-quality coffee products. JDE Peets has already signed MOUs to combat deforestation with Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea, Tanzania and Uganda.

Honduras, Peru and Rwanda are committed to implementing JDE Peets innovative strategy to ensure all coffee is EUDR compliant, including the identification of coffee plots grown on land deforested after the 2020 cut-off date. A mutually agreed protocol will ensure that any coffee found to be in contravention of the new regulation is remediated. JDE Peets then works with farmers and local partners to assist in reforesting the land.

This ground-breaking initiative, developed by JDE Peets in partnership with Enveritas, a global sustainability platform, uses a combination of high-resolution satellite imagery, artificial intelligence and on-the-ground verification to measure the extent of coffee-related deforestation. This approach allows local operators, governments, NGOs and farmers to better mitigate deforestation risks.

To date, more than 90% of the coffee grown in the world has been mapped, representing a major step in the fight against deforestation. In addition to remediated deforested coffee plots, JDE Peets will bolster its efforts in regions at risk of deforestation, targeting the underlying issue of poverty by spearheading the advancement of regenerative agricultural practices.

The new MOUs follow JDE Peets recent commitment to newly validated near-term and net-zero SBTi targets, including a specific SBTi Forest, Land and Agriculture (FLAG) target. SBTi FLAG is the worlds first framework for companies in land-intensive sectors to set science-based targets that include land-based emission reductions and removals.

JDE Peet's is one of only 39 companies globally in the FMCG sector to have a net-zero target by 2050, and one of only 23 companies to have a FLAG target.

JDE Peets commitments to combat deforestation are further captured in its expanded Forest Policy, which aims to protect forests through responsible sourcing principles and guidance and sets out expectations for suppliers. This includes a no-deforestation policy across JDE Peets primary deforestation-linked commodities, coffee, pulp & paper, palm oil and cocoa, with a target date of 31 December 2025.

Laurent Sagarra, Vice President Sustainability at JDE Peets, commented: We are very proud to further progress our efforts to combat deforestation through these new MOUs with Honduras, Peru and Rwanda. Deforestation, and its impact on climate change, poses a threat to our business, as we look to buy high-quality coffee beans from around the world to delight our customers and consumers. That is why JDE Peets is committed to working with our partners and governments to ensure we can grow coffee responsibly while helping to secure the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers.

For more information on JDE Peet's climate transition plan, please visit our Common Grounds programme.

# # #

Enquiries



Media

Will Hummel

+31 6 3917 7280

Media@JDEPeets.com



Investors & Analysts

Robin Jansen

+31 6 1594 4569

IR@JDEPeets.com

About JDE Peets

JDE Peets is the world's leading pure-play coffee and tea company, serving approximately 4,100 cups of coffee or tea per second. JDE Peet's unleashes the possibilities of coffee and tea in more than 100 markets, with a portfolio of over 50 brands including LOR, Peets, Jacobs, Senseo, Tassimo, Douwe Egberts, OldTown, Super, Pickwick and Moccona. In 2023, JDE Peets generated total sales of EUR 8.2 billion and employed a global workforce of more than 21,000 employees. Read more about our journey towards a coffee and tea for every cup at www.jdepeets.com.

Attachment
Dublin, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Image Recognition Market by Offering (Hardware, Software, Services), Technology (QR/barcode, Digital Image Processing, Facial Recognition), Application Area,Organization Size, Vertical and Region - Forecast to 2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The image recognition market is expected to grow from USD 46.7 billion in 2024 to USD 98.6 billion by 2029 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 16.1% during the forecast period. Continuous advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), deep learning, and computer vision technologies have significantly improved image recognition software's accuracy and capabilities, driving the market growth during the forecast period.







As per application area, the scanning & imaging segment is expected to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period.



Image recognition technology seamlessly integrates with existing workflow systems and document management platforms. Integrating with scanning devices, document repositories, and business applications enables end-to-end automation of document processing workflows, improving overall efficiency and productivity. Image recognition automates data extraction from scanned documents, such as invoices, forms, or receipts. It can identify and extract key data fields, such as names, dates, amounts, and reference numbers, with high accuracy. This streamlines data entry processes, reduces manual errors, and improves data quality. Image recognition technology can classify documents based on their visual content, such as layout, structure, or keywords; this allows workflow systems to automatically route documents to the correct workflows, departments, or users, speeding up processing times and improving organizational efficiency.



As per organization size, large enterprises will hold a larger market share in 2024.



Image recognition automates manual tasks such as data entry, document sorting, and quality control. Analyzing images and identifying relevant information reduces the need for human intervention, saving time and labor costs. Mage recognition analyzes visual data to identify inefficiencies or bottlenecks in operational processes. Monitoring workflows and analyzing process steps' images helps organizations identify optimization opportunities and improve overall efficiency. In industries such as manufacturing and utilities, image recognition monitors equipment performance and detects potential issues. Analyzing images from sensors or cameras identifies abnormalities or signs of wear and tear, enabling proactive maintenance and minimizing downtime.



As per region, Europe will witness the second-largest market share during the forecast period.



Europe has advanced technological infrastructure, including high-speed internet connectivity, robust computing resources, and a skilled workforce in artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision. These technological capabilities enable the development and deployment of sophisticated image recognition solutions across various industries. European countries have made significant strides in advancing image recognition capabilities.



For instance, in the retail sector, companies like Zalando and ASOS utilize image recognition algorithms to offer personalized shopping experiences, enabling customers to search for products using images rather than keywords; this has enhanced user engagement and increased conversion rates and sales for these retailers. European hospitals and research institutions in healthcare also leverage image recognition technology for medical imaging analysis and diagnostics. For instance, the UK's National Health Service (NHS) has implemented image recognition systems to assist radiologists in interpreting medical images, leading to faster and more accurate diagnoses. In addition, government initiatives such as the European Commission's Digital Single Market Strategy and funding programs like Horizon Europe further support research and development in image recognition technology, driving innovation and competitiveness in the European market.



The report provides insights on the following:

Analysis of critical drivers (increasing demand for image recognition in the automotive industry, rising demand for security applications and products enabled with image recognition functions, increasing use of high bandwidth data services, and technological advancements to boost the demand for image recognition among CPG and retail components), restraints (high installation cost of Image recognition services and data privacy concerns and regulatory challenges), opportunities (integration of AI capabilities with image recognition solutions, increase in demand for big data analytics, and increase in demand in the healthcare industry), and challenges (training models to generalize well to natural world settings and limited dataset quality) influencing the growth of the image recognition market.

Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights on upcoming technologies, research & development activities, and new product & service launches in the image recognition market.

Market Development: Comprehensive information about lucrative markets - the report analyses the image recognition market across varied regions.

Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new products & services, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the image recognition market.

Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of market shares, growth strategies, and service offerings of leading players Google, Qualcomm, AWS, Microsoft, Toshiba, NVIDIA, Oracle, NEC, Huawei, Hitachi, among others in the image recognition market.

Key Attributes:





Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 307 Forecast Period 2024 - 2029 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $46.7 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 $98.6 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 16.1% Regions Covered Global





Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

Image Recognition Market Size and Growth, 2019-2023 (USD Million, Y-O-Y %)

Image Recognition Market Size and Growth, 2024-2029 (USD Million, Y-O-Y %)

Image Recognition Market to Witness Significant Growth

North America to Account for Largest Market Share During Forecast Period

Fastest-Growing Segments of Image Recognition Market

Premium Insights

Overview of Image Recognition Market - Identification of Complex Patterns and Features Within Images for Enhanced Decision-Making Present Opportunities

Image Recognition Market, by Offering, 2024 vs. 2029 - Software Segment to Account for Largest Market Share During Forecast Period

Image Recognition Market, by Technology, 2024 vs. 2029 - QR/Barcode Recognition to Dominate in 2024

Image Recognition Market, by Application, 2024 vs. 2029 - Security & Surveillance Segment to Command Largest Market Share in 2024

Image Recognition Market, by Organization Size, 2024 vs. 2029 - Large Enterprises Segment to Hold Major Market Share During Forecast Period

Image Recognition Market, by Vertical, 2024 vs. 2029 - BFSI Segment to Hold Dominant Position in 2024

Image Recognition Market: Regional Scenario, 2024-2029 - Asia-Pacific to Emerge as Most Lucrative Market for Investment in Next Five Years

Key Market Dynamics

Drivers

Increasing Need for Image Recognition in Automotive Industry

Rising Demand for Security Applications

Increasing Use of High-Bandwidth Data Services

Technological Advancements Among CPG and Retail Companies

Restraints

High Development Cost of Image Recognition

Data Privacy and Regulatory Concerns

Opportunities

Integration of AI Capabilities with Image Recognition Solutions

Increase in Demand for Big Data Analytics

Challenges

Training Models to Adapt to Real-World Settings

Limited Dataset Quality

Case Study Analysis

Case Study 1: Microsoft's Vision Recognition Solution Reduces Injuries for Athletes in US

Case Study 2: AWD Enables AU Bank to Use Video Banking Services 7 Days a Week

Case Study 3: Google's Cloud Vision Automates Image Classification and Labeling for Box

Key Technologies

Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN)

Generative Adversarial Networks (GANS)

Automl

Complementary Technologies

Sensors

RPA

Cloud Computing

Adjacent Technologies

AI & ML

Internet of Things

NLP

Computer Vision

Company Profiles

Google

Qualcomm

AWS

Microsoft

Toshiba

Nvidia

Oracle

NEC Corporation

Huawei

Hitachi

Trax

Stmicroelectronics

On Semiconductor Corporation

Snap2Insight

Attrasoft

Sterison

Unicsoft

Paralleldots

Vue.AI

Catchoom

Wikitude

Ximilar

Imagga Technologies

Blippar

Clarifai

LTU Technologies

Deepsignals



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/4cmwb6

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Attachment
Dublin, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Indonesia Cement Industry Research Report 2024-2033" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



Indonesia is the largest economy in Southeast Asia with a population of about 280 million at the end of 2023. Indonesia is also the largest producer and consumer of cement in Southeast Asia.



Indonesia has emerged as the sixth-largest cement producer globally, with an estimated production of 66 million metric tons in 2023. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, its impact on the country's cement industry has been relatively moderate. Infrastructure and residential-commercial projects have played a crucial role in sustaining domestic demand during this period.



However, cement consumption remains low in Indonesia, with per capita annual production at no more than 300 kilograms, significantly lower than that of its peers like Malaysia (over 600 kilograms per capita) or Vietnam. According to the publisher, this suggests that infrastructure development is still lacking in Southeast Asia's largest economy. The insufficient quality and quantity of infrastructure hinder connectivity, raise logistics costs, reduce business competitiveness, and contribute to social issues, such as limited access to healthcare in rural regions.



The ongoing development of Indonesia's new capital city, IKN, particularly in Sumatra and Eastern Indonesia, has stimulated demand for cement. Leading companies like Semen Indonesia have shifted their focus to the domestic market, capitalizing on improved coal supplies availability in the first half of 2022.



Looking ahead, the cement sector expects significant growth driven by demand from developers undertaking numerous new construction projects, including the construction of a new capital in Borneo Island's jungles. Moreover, Indonesia's ambitious plans for sustained economic growth, with numerous seaports and harbor projects in the pipeline, alongside increasing urbanization, indicate Indonesia will remain a construction hub for years.



However, concerns loom over the industry, including rising production costs, particularly energy-related issues, and worries about the environmental impact of cement production, with instances of local unrest around provincial plants. Furthermore, Indonesia is still grappling with overcapacity in the cement sector, with a utilization level of 54% in 2022 and no expected increase beyond 57% by 2025.



In conclusion, Indonesia's cement industry is expected to have a moderate expansion despite encountering challenges such as fluctuating energy prices, environmental concerns and overcapacity. The publisher projects that the production volume of Indonesia's cement industry will rise from 67.32 million metric tons in 2024 to approximately 86.31 million metric tons by 2033, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.8%.





Topics covered:

Indonesia Cement Industry Overview

Economic environment and policy environment of cements in Indonesia

Indonesian cement market size from 2019 to 2023

Analysis of major Indonesian cement manufacturers

Key Drivers and Market Opportunities of Indonesia's Cement Industry

Key Questions Answered

What are the key drivers, challenges and opportunities for the Indonesian cement industry during the forecast period 2024-2033?

What is the expected revenue of the Indonesia Cement market during the forecast period 2024-2033?

What strategies are adopted by the key players in the market to increase their market share in the industry?

Which segment of the Indonesian Cement Market is expected to dominate the market in 2033?

Indonesia Cement Market Forecast from 2024 to 2033

What are the main headwinds facing Indonesia's cement industry?

Companies Featured

Semen Indonesia

Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa

Holcim Indonesia

Holcim-Apasco

Conch

Key Attributes:

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 60 Forecast Period 2024 - 2033 Estimated Market Value in 2024 67.32 Million Tons Forecasted Market Value by 2033 86.31 Million Tons Compound Annual Growth Rate 2.8% Regions Covered Indonesia





Key Topics Covered:



1 Overview of Indonesia

1.1 Geographical conditions

1.2 Indonesia's demographic structure

1.3 Indonesia's economy

1.4 Indonesian minimum wage from 2014 to 2024

1.5 Impact of COVID-19 on Indonesia's Cement Industry



2. Development Environment of Indonesia Cement Industry

2.1 Economic Environment

2.1.1 Indonesia's GDP

2.1.2 Minimum Wage in Indonesia, 2014-2023

2.2 FDI in Indonesia Cement Industry

2.3 Policy Environment of Indonesia Cement Industry

2.3.1 Preferential Policies on Foreign Investment of Cement Industry in Indonesia

2.3.2 Policies Related to Imports and Exports of Cement Industry in Indonesia



3. Analysis on Market Status of Indonesia Cement Industry

3.1 Supply of Indonesia Cement Industry

3.1.1 Production Volume of Indonesia Cement Industry

3.1.2 Production volume of Indonesia Cement products by types

3.2 Demand of Indonesia Cement Industry

3.2.1 Domestic Sales Volume of Cement

3.2.2 Market size of Cement

3.2.3 Demand structure and key clients of cement industry in Indonesia



4. Analysis on Import and Export of Cement in Indonesia

4.1 Indonesia Cement Industry Import Situation

4.2 Indonesia Cement Industry Export Situation



5. Cost and Price Analysis of the Indonesia Cement Industry

5.1 Cost

5.1.1 Raw Material Cost

5.1.2 Energy Cost

5.1.3 Human Resources Cost

5.2 Price trend of cement in Indonesia 2020-2024



6. Market Competition Analysis of Indonesia's Cement Industry

6.1 Barriers to entry in Indonesia's cement industry

6.1.1 Brand barriers

6.1.2 Quality barriers

6.1.3 Capital barriers

6.2 Competitive Structure of Indonesia's Cement Industry



7. Top 5 Cement Manufacturers in Indonesia

7.1 Semen Indonesia

7.2 Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa

7.3 Holcim Indonesia

7.4 Holcim-Apasco

7.5 Anhui Conch



8. Indonesia Cement Industry Outlook, 2024-2033

8.1 Analysis of Factors Influencing the Development of the Indonesia Cement Industry

8.2 Supply Forecast of Indonesia Cement Industry, 2024-2033

8.3 Demand Forecast of Indonesia Cement Industry, 2024-2033

8.4 Import and Export Forecast of Indonesia Cement Industry, 2024-2033



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/lb8puu

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Attachment
At the Extraordinary General Meeting of Jyske Bank held today, the motions set out in the agenda were finally adopted.

The motions about amendments to the Articles of Association proposed by the Supervisory Board under items a.1  a.4 of the agenda (concerning the remuneration structure for the Shareholders' Representatives, election of Supervisory Board members and handling of the salary and pension terms of the Executive Board) as well as the motion under item b of the agenda concerning the authorisation of the general meeting to the Supervisory Board for registration of the Articles of Association were all adopted.

The Danish Business Authority is subsequently requested to register the adopted motions.

Yours faithfully,

Jyske Bank

Contact person: CFO, Birger Krgh Nielsen, phone +45 89 89 64 44.

Attachment
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Endeavour Silver Corp. (Endeavour Silver or the Company) (NYSE: EXK; TSX: EDR) is pleased to announce Angela Johnson as a nominee for election to its Board of Directors at the Companys 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders on May 28, 2024. Current board member and former Chief Financial Officer, Christine West, will be stepping down having announced her retirement in 2023.



We are excited about adding Angela to the Board, her technical background and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) experience make her an exceptional fit with our existing Board members that achieves succession planning objectives to ensure core board competencies and expertise are in place, said Rex McLennan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Endeavour Silver. I would also like to sincerely thank Ms. West for her guidance and tireless commitment to Endeavour Silver over the years.

Angela Johnson brings over thirteen years of experience in the mining industry in both technical and corporate development roles. Her expertise includes managing international exploration efforts at projects and operations across North and South America and conducting project assessments to identify growth opportunities. Ms. Johnson is a Professional Geologist, MBA, with a depth of knowledge and expertise in geology and related technical reporting and project evaluations. Angela compliments this technical expertise with experience and knowledge in ESG best practices.

Ms. Johnson has held key leadership positions at several publicly listed mining companies. She currently serves as the VP of Corporate Development and Sustainability at Faraday Copper Corp., where she oversees corporate development due diligence processes, ESG reporting, permitting, and community engagement efforts.

Ms. Johnson is currently serving as an Independent Director at Gold Royalty Corp., where she sits on the Nomination & Corporate Governance Committee and ESG Committee, providing strategic oversight, particularly in technical due diligence reviews and ESG matters.

Ms. Johnson holds a Bachelor of Geology (Honours) from the University of Alberta, a Master of Science in Geochemistry/Geology from the University of Victoria, and a Master of Business Administration from Dalhousie University. She actively contributes to the industry by presenting at industry events and panels, sharing her expertise and passion for the mining sector. Furthermore, she serves as a committee member of the Association for Mineral Exploration (AME BC) Policy and Government Relations Committee, demonstrating her commitment to shaping policies that impact the mining industry.

About Endeavour Silver  Endeavour Silver is a mid-tier precious metals company with a strong commitment to sustainable and responsible mining practices. With operations in Mexico and the development of the new cornerstone mine in Jalisco state, the Company aims to contribute positively to the mining industry and the communities in which it operates. In addition, Endeavour has a portfolio of exploration projects in Mexico, Chile and the United States to facilitate its goal to become a premier senior silver producer.

Contact Information

Galina Meleger, VP, Investor Relations

Email: gmeleger@edrsilver.com

Website: www.edrsilver.com

Follow Endeavour Silver on Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn




Dublin, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Portable Ultrasound Market by Product (POCUS, Handheld Ultrasound, Transducer, Gels), Technology (2D, 3D, 4D, Doppler), Display, Application (Breast Cancer, MSK, OB/GYN, CVD, Urology), End User (Hospitals, ACC, Imaging Center) - Global Forecast to 2031" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The portable ultrasound market is expected to reach $3.8 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 7.9% from 2024 to 2031.



The growth of the portable ultrasound market is attributed to the growing adoption of portable medical devices in emergency care settings, the proliferation of hospitals, and the increasing demand for handheld ultrasound devices in ambulatory care and dialysis centers.

The growing preference for portable ultrasound devices over standard ultrasound machines among healthcare professionals is expected to create growth opportunities for players operating in this market. However, reimbursement irregularities, poor image quality, and integration issues of portable ultrasound devices with existing digital health infrastructure pose challenges to the market's growth.

North America is expected to dominate the global portable ultrasound market. North America's significant market share can be attributed to the increasing preference for minimally invasive surgery, rising incidence of chronic disorders, growing occurrences of orthopedic injuries, and advancements in ultrasound imaging technology.



In 2024, the devices segment is expected to account for the largest share of the market. The devices segment is sub-segmented into portability, technology, and display.

Based on display, the portable ultrasound devices are further segmented into color ultrasound and black & white (B/W) ultrasound. In 2024, the black & white (B/W) ultrasound segment is expected to account for the larger share of the portable ultrasound devices market. This large share is attributed to the low cost, widespread availability, long-standing use in various medical settings, and primary applications in pregnancy for fetal monitoring and diagnosing liver, kidney, and uterine diseases.



The musculoskeletal segment is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period of 2024-2031. The high growth of this segment is attributed to the rising geriatric population and increasing musculoskeletal disorders worldwide.

Portable ultrasound devices are becoming very common and are extensively used for several musculoskeletal imaging applications, such as guided interventional procedures, detecting soft tissue injuries, point-of-care, procedural guidance, real-time imaging, and AI-assisted imaging. Owing to this, physicians are turning to point-of-care ultrasound for a rapid diagnosis of the patient's injury.



In 2024, the hospitals & clinics segment is expected to account for the largest share of the global portable ultrasound market. The large market share of this segment is attributed to the increasing hospitalizations due to chronic diseases associated with an aging population, increasing healthcare expenditure, the willingness of hospitals to opt for advanced imaging modalities, rising focus on providing point of care/bedside service to patients, and increasing number of healthcare facilities in emerging economies.



These ultrasound systems are affordable as compared to traditional ultrasounds. The selling price for portable ultrasound usually ranges from USD 30,000 to USD 50,000, while the selling price for traditional ultrasound ranges from USD 50,000 to USD 200,000. Owing to its cost-effectiveness, portable ultrasounds are increasingly being installed in various small-to-medium-sized hospitals and clinics.

Also, big multispecialty hospitals are adopting these ultrasounds as they can offer patient monitoring during various surgical procedures. These systems are also used in emergency departments (EDs), intensive care units (ICUs), operating rooms (ORs), delivery rooms/resuscitation rooms, diabetic care wards, and dialysis units.

Market Insights



Factors Affecting Market Growth

Rise in the Geriatric Population and the Subsequent Increase in the Prevalence of Chronic Diseases Driving the Adoption of Portable Ultrasound Devices

Rising Prevalence of Orthopedic Injuries and Musculoskeletal Disorders Fuels the Market's Growth

Emerging Economies and Increasing Preference for Point-of-Care Testing to Provide Opportunities for Market Players

Lack of Skilled Professionals Poses a Major Challenge for the Market's Growth

Trends

Use of Artificial Intelligence in Portable Ultrasound Devices

Emergence of Wearable Ultrasound Devices

Regulatory Analysis

North America

Europe

Asia-Pacific

Latin America

Middle East

Pricing Analysis

Porter's Five Forces Analysis

Company Profiles

GE Healthcare Technologies Inc. (U.S.)

Siemens Healthineers AG (Germany)

Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd. (China)

Koninklijke Philips N.V., (Netherlands)

Samsung Medison Co. Ltd. (A subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.) (South Korea)

FUJIFILM Sonosite, Inc. (A subsidiary of FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation) (U.S.)

ALPINION MEDICAL SYSTEMS Co., Ltd. (South Korea)

Esaote S.p.A (Italy)

EDAN Instruments, Inc. (China)

EchoNous, Inc. (U.S.)

Butterfly Network, Inc. (U.S.)

Konica Minolta, Inc. (Japan)

CHISON Medical Technologies Co., Ltd (China)

SonoScape Medical Corp. (China)

Healcerion Co., Ltd. (South Korea)





Scope of the Report

Portable Ultrasound Market, by Product

Devices

Gels

Accessories

Devices, by Portability

Point-of-care (PoC) Ultrasound

Machines

Transducers

Hand-held Ultrasound

Devices, by Technology

2D

3D & 4D

Doppler

Devices, by Display

Black & White (B/W)

Colored

Portable Ultrasound Market, by Application

OB/GYN

Cardiovascular

Urology

Musculoskeletal

Breast Cancer

Other Applications

(Note: Other Applications include gastric, anesthesiology, neurology, image guidance, and some abdominal applications)

Portable Ultrasound Market, by End User

Hospitals & Clinics

Diagnostic Imaging Centers

Ambulatory Care Centers

Other End Users

(Other End Users include home care settings and academic institutes)

Portable ultrasound market, by Geography

North America U.S. Canada

Europe Germany France U.K. Italy Spain Switzerland Rest of Europe (RoE)

Asia-Pacific (APAC) Japan China India Australia South Korea Rest of Asia-Pacific (RoAPAC)

Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest of Latin America (RoLATAM)

Middle East & Africa

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/1tbfsh

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.
ARLINGTON, Va., April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Two Six Technologies (Two Six), a high-growth, technology-focused provider of products and expertise to U.S. national security customers, announced it has appointed Dan Bono as Senior Vice President of Intelligence Solutions. With a longstanding career and specialized expertise in national security and government contracting, Bonos addition to the Two Six leadership team will enhance the companys ability to expand and serve its base of Intelligence Community customers.



Bonos primary responsibility is to lead Two Sixs Trusted Concepts business unit (TCI), which provides software engineering, cyber, and advanced analytics solutions to customers in the Intelligence Community. TCI continues to grow rapidly, driven by the exceptional technical expertise of its team members, deep relationships with government customers, and dedication to missions of national security. Bono assumes the role previously held by Chris Greenlee, one of the co-founders of TCI who now serves as Two Sixs Vice President of Zero Trust Solutions.

Im delighted to announce the addition of Dan Bono, who brings a highly relevant technology, product-focused, and culture-driven skillset to our leadership team, said Joe Logue, CEO of Two Six Technologies. We pursued him for his reputation for building trusted relationships with both customers and colleagues. Dans unique approach to leading teams and solving complex technical challenges will be a major asset as we continue to strategically grow the company.

Bono spent his 23-year career prior to joining Two Six with government contractor CACI International Inc. where he rose through the ranks of the company, culminating as Vice President of Cyber Missions Operations. During that time, he honed skills across software development and program/team management, amassing experience in offensive cyber development and enhanced tradecraft, driving new methods for analysis in customer mission systems, and applying reengineering capabilities to new mission sets.

Two Six Technologies is an industry disruptor thats shifting the landscape in cutting edge technologies, including zero trust, cyber, analytics, and information advantage. Its exciting to be part of a leadership team dually dedicated to our customers missions and to our employees, said Bono. Having worked closely with Two Six in the past, Ive seen firsthand their support for critical missions. It will be a fantastic adventure to be a part of such a talented team of developers, engineers, and leaders.

Bono earned an M.B.A. with a focus in Information Systems Management from George Mason University, and a B.A. in Business Administration from James Madison University. He is an active partner in the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative.

About Two Six Technologies

Two Six Technologies is a high-growth technology company dedicated to providing products and expertise to national security customers. The company solves complex technical challenges in five focus areas that are key to national security missions: cyber, information operations, electronic systems, analytics, and secure solutions.

The company offers a robust suite of sole source contract vehicles with more than $1.0 billion of combined contract ceiling; a family of operationally deployed products including IKE, M3, Pulse, SIGMA, TrustedKeep and CircuitRE; and a global operational footprint that includes technical access in more than 100 countries coupled with native proficiency in more than 20 languages.

Two Six supports national security customers across the Department of Defense, including U.S. Special Operations Command, U.S. Cyber Command and DARPA; Department of State; the Intelligence Community; and civilian agencies.

Two Six was formed in February 2021 by global investment firm The Carlyle Group. Two Six is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia and employs more than 800 professionals working in 36 states across the country.

For more information, visit twosixtech.com and Two Six Technologies on LinkedIn .

Media Contact

David Leach

Vice President of Corporate Development

david.leach@twosixtech.com

703-782-9473

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/deecf53e-5769-4406-a176-988b770f53cb
TORONTO, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To tackle Canadas housing affordability crisis, governments need to do two things. First, they must build more homes of all types. Second, they must lower the taxes and fees Canadians pay to find an affordable place to call home. Todays Federal Budget gets it right on supply but needs to be careful about the impact of tax measures on housing supply and affordability.



The Budget continues the governments vital work announced last week as part of the Canada Housing Plan which will help deliver 3.87 million homes over the next ten years. The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) is encouraged to see more information on commitments in the Canada Housing Plan to build new homes. TRREB is a strong proponent of the federal government maximizing the use of its land assets to spur new construction of homes families can afford.

The Budget also announces a higher tax on capital gains and a consultation on the taxation of vacant land zoned for residential housing. These measures could work against Canadas housing affordability goals. For example, hiking the capital gains tax could increase the costs of converting underused commercial property into new housing. Similarly, hiking taxes on vacant lands zoned for residential is a risky measure that may result in costs passed on to new home buyers.

No plan from any level of government that proposes to end the housing affordability crisis can achieve real progress unless it addresses the government taxes, fees, and charges on housing.

Jennifer Pearce

TRREB President

Media Inquiries:

Maria Karafilidis, Manager, Public Affairs maria.karafilidis@trreb.ca 416-443-8139

The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board is Canadas largest real estate board with over 70,000 residential and commercial professionals connecting people, property and communities.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Central Iron Ore Limited (CIO  TSX.V) (CIO or the Company) is pleased to announce this Drilling Update.

South Darlot Joint Venture

The following work programme occurred:





Figure 1. Drill Targets of the 2023 Q4 RC Programme

Mermaid

New Targets - Q4 2023

QAQC of All Assays Data

Assay results for all 2,812 samples submitted during the 2023 Q4 South Darlot Gold Project RC drilling campaign have been received from ALS Kalgoorlie. The quality of the assay results for all the drilling is considered satisfactory with the required Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QAQC) processes having been completed with all results meeting industry standard.

Drilling Assay Result Interpretation

Interpretation of the assay results has indicated significant mineralisation with further drilling recommended to extend the new mineralised outline both at depth and laterally being planned.

Several significant intercepts further extending the current mineralised extents of the Mermaid deposit:

23MERC_001: 7m @ 1.72g/t from 37 meters

23MERC_002: 1m @ 3.75g/t from 66 meters

23MERC_004: 7m @ 2.13g/t from 54 meters

23MERC_007: 2m @ 3.04g/t from 69 meters

The drilling at Mermaid has been highly successful, further extending the currently defined mineralised lode and highlighting the potential for even further extension of the Mermaid lode down dip and to the south west.





Figure 2. Cross Section of the Mermaid Vein Showing 2023 and Historical Grade Distribution Downhole





Figure 3. Long Section View of the Pierce Point Grade Intercepts of the Mermaid Deposit

New Targets

Drilling Assay Result Interpretation

Interpretation of the assay results has begun with significant gold anomalism having been identified at the Sylvia & Kyneton and Weebo North prosects. Further exploratory drilling is currently being planned at the Sylvia & Kyneton and Weebo North targets.

Sylvia and Kyneton

High grade gold mineralisation has been identified in a one- to two-meter-wide fractured quartz vein and its associated wall rock contact zones. A low grade (up to 2 g/t) mineralisation halo is often found in altered wall rock around the auriferous vein.

Several significant intercepts from the program include:

23SKRC_002: 1m @ 3.26g/t from 19 meters

23SKRC_004: 1m @ 9.3g/t from 25 meters

23SKRC_007: 5m @ 3.63g/t from 36 meters

23SKRC_008: 6m @ 1g/t from 38 meters





Figure 4. Cross Section of the Sylvia Vein Showing 2023 and Historical Grade Distribution Downhole





Figure 5. Long Section View of the Pierce Point Grade Intercepts on the Sylvia & Kyneton Prospect

Weebo North

Drilling at Weebo North has confirmed high grade gold mineralisation in an area previously not tested by RC drilling. Gold mineralisation occurs in two distinct, near perpendicularly intersecting lodes; both lodes are characterised by very dark grey to near black vein quartz with minor amounts of sulphide mineralisation being present.

Significant interests from the program include:

23WNRC_002: 3m @ 3.34g/t from 19 meters

23WNRC_005: 1m @ 16.1g/t from 20 meters

and 3m @ 16.16g/t from 36 meters

and 3m @ 16.16g/t from 36 meters 23WNRC_006: 1m @ 8.16g/t from 28 meters



The results of the initial drilling at Sylvia and Kyneton and Weebo North have been largely positive. The drilling has indicated a degree of continuity of mid to high-grade mineralisation at shallow depths which historical drilling failed to identify effectively and in doing so, has delivered significant upside potential to the South Darlot project.

The auriferous lodes at both Sylvia and Kyneton and Weebo North remain open at depth and laterally. Follow up drilling testing the extent of the extension is being planned currently.





Figure 6. Cross Section of the Weebo Lode 1 Showing 2023 and Historical Grade Distribution Downhole





Figure 7. Long Section View of the Pierce Points Grade Intercepts on the Weebo North Prospect

Native Title Clearance

Native title clearance processes for portions of the tenements covered by lodged Aboriginal Cultural Heritage is ongoing, preliminary dates for the heritage surveys has been set for the end of May 2024. Following the completion of the heritage surveys, the intent is to drill in the following 3 to 6 months.

QUALIFIED PERSON

Mr Andrew Bewsher who is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and has compiled the information within this report relating to the RC drilling programme. Mr Bewsher has sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity currently being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in NI 43-101.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

CENTRAL IRON ORE LIMITED

David Deitz

____________________________

David Deitz, Director/CEO

For further information, please contact:

www.centralironorelimited.com

Investor and Media Inquiries:

Direct: +61 2 9397 7521

Email: info@centralironorelimited.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Although the Company believes that such information is reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information is typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company is not a guarantee of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking information as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, the state of the financial markets for the Companys equity securities, the state of the market for iron ore or other minerals that may be produced generally, recent market volatility; variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, the Company's ability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for its activities, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies and other risks associated with the exploration and development of mineral properties. The reader is referred to the Company's disclosure documents for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects, copies of which may be accessed through the Companys page on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8215c851-704c-4fad-a152-414ef45d25a6

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e83275b1-66cf-40c5-ba58-8f0d5f4d9f01

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1f54d7bb-34fb-4ef5-a4b9-961905e348b5

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/38f21498-0a25-4756-87d6-39688e77b00d

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/da87a625-39e4-462b-910d-91847a69f07f

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bcb690af-cef7-4909-832a-031c7a7d329f

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/27e7091d-bdf9-479b-af6e-6a2f1d541a79

ABN: 32 072 871 133
Jacksonville, Fla., April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In celebration of National Lineman Appreciation Day, Tulsa Welding School (TWS) announced today the expansion of its lineworker program to its Jacksonville campus for students seeking training in the field of utility power distribution, construction, maintenance, troubleshooting and repair.

The 15-week electrical lineworker program provides students with certifications in pole climbing, overhead and underground construction, system design and operation, national electric safety code, AC and DC circuits and electric power preparing students for environments, scenarios and safety standards they may encounter in the industry. The curriculum is consistent with the national standards for electrical power generation, distribution and transmission industry as described in the United States Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The program also offers students an option to receive their required OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health) 10-Hour certification card intended for entry level workers and required by most employers.

"As the electrical lineman industry anticipates a significant number of retirements and departures from the workforce, coupled with the projected increase in new transmission lines, it is critical to us at TWS that we align our educational offerings with this growing demand, said Michael Cole, Regional Campus President of Tulsa Welding School Jacksonville. In Florida, careers in the electrical lineworker field are crucial, as lineworkers are recognized as first responders during storms - being the first to respond to any significant power outages. With this new program offering, our goal is to expand access to skilled trades education and inspire more individuals to pursue rewarding careers within the field."

Industry veteran Zachary Taylor will play a critical role in the launch and development of the program at the TWS Jacksonville campus. Taylor played an integral role in launching the program at the TWS Dallas Metro campus in Irving, TX last summer and has more than 20 years of experience with primary voltage of overhead and underground distribution systems. For the last four years, Taylor was the lead instructor at Southeast Lineman Training Center in Trenton, GA.

Following the success of the program's launch at the TWS Dallas Metro campus, this program addition is timely considering recent projections by Lineman Central, which predict 12,400 job openings in the powerline industry in 2024. Florida also has the third-highest employment level among electrical power-line installers and repairers compared to all other states, with an annual mean salary of $77,950.

Those interested in enrolling in the lineworker program must be at least 18 years old and have received their high school diploma or GED. They must also be eligible to obtain a Class A commercial drivers license and pass a physical exam. The first cohort for the new electrical lineworker program is set to begin this summer.

For more information visit tws.edu/jacksonville.

###



About Tulsa Welding School

For over 75 years, Tulsa Welding School (TWS) has been training skilled trades professionals, nationwide. Students learn hands-on, technical competencies and skills through labs, virtual reality, and classroom instruction, with a curriculum designed to meet employers needs. TWS offers welding, HVAC/Refrigeration, electrical and electrical lineworker programs. There are four TWS campuses across the country including Tulsa Welding School in Tulsa, Tulsa Welding School -acksonville, Tulsa Welding School & Technology Center in Houston, and Tulsa Welding School serving the Dallas /Ft. Worth metro. Accredited Schools, ACCSC. Licensed by OBPVS, approved and regulated by TWC, and licensed by Florida CIE (License #2331). For more information, visit www.tws.edu and follow along our social channels: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.

About StrataTech Education Group

StrataTech Education Group focuses on the education, growth and development of specialized career education schools, particularly skilled-trade programs designed to address the nations growing infrastructure needs. Holding an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau, StrataTech Education Groups portfolio includes The Refrigeration School, Inc. (RSI) (Phoenix), Tulsa Welding School (TWS) (Tulsa, OK), Tulsa Welding School (Jacksonville, FL), Tulsa Welding School & Technology Center (Houston, TX) and Tulsa Welding School serving the Dallas Metro - Dallas, TX). For more information, visit www.StrataTech.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Attachments
LOS ANGELES, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via IBN  IBN, a multifaceted communications organization engaged in connecting public companies to the investment community, is pleased to announce the release of the latest episode of The Bell2Bell Podcast as part of its sustained effort to provide specialized content distribution via widespread syndication channels.



The Bell2Bell Podcast delivers informative updates and exclusive interviews with executives operating in fast-moving industries. Bell2Bells latest podcast features Bryan McLaren, Chairman and CEO of Zoned Properties Inc. (OTCQB: ZDPY), a technology-driven property investment company focused on acquiring value-add real estate within the regulated cannabis industry.

To begin the interview, McLaren provided an introduction to Zoned Properties and its business model.

Zoned Properties, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, is focused on real estate and the regulated cannabis industry. Zoned Properties is essentially a technology-driven property investment company. We look at state-by-state markets that have legalized and regulated cannabis  that's a huge emerging and growing industry.

Our company and our team go into these state marketplaces, and we identify, qualify and get these properties approved that can be utilized as regulated cannabis facilities. In the best-case scenario, what we're doing is securing a piece of retail real estate an old bank, an old restaurant, an old quick service retail location  getting that property approved to be used as a cannabis site called a retail dispensary and leasing that property out to a third-party tenant with a cannabis license in that location under a long-term lease agreement.

McLaren next discussed his background prior to joining Zoned Properties.

Ive been working in the regulated cannabis space as a real estate developer for 10 years now. There were only a couple of states with legalized cannabis back then. Now, we have 38 states in this country that have legalized either medical or full recreational adult use cannabis. Weve come a long way in the past decade. Prior to that, I spent my early career focused on community development and real estate. I worked on many sustainable development projects, zero waste projects, wind turbines and solar field installations It takes a lot of planning and organization on these very complex projects to get approvals. That experience translates perfectly into the regulated cannabis space.

Join IBNs Stuart Smith and Bryan McLaren, Chairman and CEO of Zoned Properties Inc. (OTCQB: ZDPY), to learn more about the companys management team, as well as its recent milestones and operational goals for 2024 and beyond.

To hear the episode and subscribe for future podcasts, visit https://podcast.bell2bell.com .

The latest installment of The Bell2Bell Podcast continues to reinforce IBNs commitment to the expansion of its robust network of brands, client partners, followers, and the growing IBN Podcast Series . For more than 18 years, IBN has leveraged this commitment to provide unparalleled distribution and corporate messaging solutions to 500+ public and private companies .

To learn more about IBNs achievements and milestones via a visual timeline, visit: https://IBN.fm/TimeLine

About Zoned Properties Inc.

Zoned Properties Inc. is a technology-driven property investment company focused on acquiring value-add real estate within the regulated cannabis industry in the United States. The company aspires to innovate within the real estate development sector, focusing on direct-to-consumer real estate that is leased to best-in-class cannabis retailers.

Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Zoned Properties is redefining the approach to commercial real estate investment through its standardized investment process backed by its proprietary property technology. Zoned Properties has developed a national ecosystem of real estate services to support its real estate development model, including a commercial real estate brokerage and a real estate advisory practice. With a decade of national experience and a team of experts devoted to the emerging cannabis industry, Zoned Properties is addressing the specific needs of a modern market in highly regulated industries. The company targets commercial properties that face unique zoning or development challenges, identifies solutions that can potentially have a major impact on their commercial value and then works to acquire the properties while securing long-term, absolute-net leases.

Zoned Properties targets commercial properties that can be acquired and rezoned for specific purposes, including the regulated and legalized cannabis industry. It does not grow, harvest, sell or distribute cannabis or any substances regulated under United States law.

For more information, visit the companys website at www.ZonedProperties.com

About IBN

IBN consists of financial brands introduced to the investment public over the course of 18+ years. With IBN, we have amassed a collective audience of millions of social media followers. These distinctive investor brands aim to fulfill the unique needs of a growing base of client-partners. IBN will continue to expand our branded network of highly influential properties, leveraging the knowledge and energy of specialized teams of experts to serve our increasingly diversified list of clients.

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Forward-Looking Statements

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Dallas, TX, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) announced the formation of the Nakayoshi Initiative, the newest cultural affinity group to join the organization in its fight against hunger. The Nakayoshi Initiative is a volunteer-driven grassroots movement to channel resources and contributions of the Japanese community to fight hunger through the work of the North Texas Food Bank.

The Japanese affinity group celebrated its founding during an April 6, 2024, event at NTFBs Perot Family Campus that featured State Sen. Nathan Johnson, Plano Mayor John Muns, NiHao Food Bank Initiative founder James Huang, HungerMitao founders Raj and Anna Asava, and Dr. Sam Shichijo, the honorary consul of Japan in Dallas who is spearheading the Nakayoshi Initiative.

The North Texas Food Bank is excited about the formation of the Nakayoshi Initiative and so grateful for the commitment and support of the Japanese American community in looking for ways to contribute to addressing the complex issue of food insecurity, said NTFB President and CEO Trisha Cunningham. Nakayoshi roughly translates to good friend, and we are excited about having this organization as friends of the Food Bank as we work together to close the hunger gap and strive for a hunger-free, healthy North Texas.

Nakayoshi Initiative joins HungerMitao, Niaho Food Bank Initiative and SinHambre as the latest cultural affinity group. Nakayoshi will work to bring together the Japanese community in North Texas to increase awareness of food insecurity while supporting the NTFBs mission of closing the hunger gap through advocacy, volunteerism and financial donations. Already, the group has scheduled a volunteer shift for later this month.

Through the Nakayoshi Initiative, the Japanese community is helping bridge the hunger gap in North Texas, said Dr. Sam Shichijo. For the nearly 640,000 people facing hunger in North Texas, it is critical that our community come together to provide children, seniors and adults with a hunger free future.

For more information on how to help make North Texas a hunger-free community, visit https://ntfb.org/get-involved/

###

About the North Texas Food Bank:

The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a top-ranked non-profit hunger-relief organization that sources, packages and distributes food through a network of about 500 Partner Agencies and organizations across 13 North Texas counties. The organization also provides food to children, seniors and families through various direct-delivery programs, including mobile pantries.

In its last fiscal year, the NTFB provided access to more than 144 million nutritious meals or nearly 400,000 meals a day, a 5% percent increase over the prior year. The North Texas Food Bank is designated a 4-Star Exceptional organization by Charity Navigator based on its governance, integrity and financial stability, and is ranked 89th on Forbes 2023 Top 100 Charities in America. NTFB is a member of Feeding America, the nations largest hunger-relief organization. For more information, www.ntfb.org.

Attachment
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Patriot Battery Metals Inc. (the Company or Patriot) (TSX: PMET) (ASX: PMT) (OTCQX: PMETF) (FSE: R9GA), which is developing the Corvette Property (the Property or Project), a hard-rock lithium exploration property wholly owned by the Company, is located in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Quebec. The Company today announced that Ken Brinsden, President and CEO, will present live at the OTCQX Best 50 Virtual Investor Conference hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com, on April 18th, 2024.



DATE: April 18th

TIME: 11:30AM

LINK: https://bit.ly/48OzEYk

Available for 1x1 meetings: April 18th

This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the Company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.

It is recommended that online investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.

Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com .

Recent Company Highlights

New spodumene pegmatite occurrence discovered (CV14) along geological trend of CV9 and CV10 during the 2023 surface program.

The Company continues to intersect spodumenes at the CV13 pegmatite, as shown by drill results from summer-fall 2023 program. The CV13 pegmatite has been traded over a 2.3 km strike length while remaining open at both ends and to depth.

The Companys exploration camp, Shaakichiuwaanan, is operational at an initial 80-person capacity, with a planned increase to at least a 132-persons later in the year.



About Patriot Battery Metals

Patriot Battery Metals Inc. is a hard-rock lithium exploration company focused on advancing its district-scale 100% owned Corvette Property located in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Quebec, Canada, and proximal to regional road and powerline infrastructure. The Corvette Property hosts the CV5 Spodumene Pegmatite with a maiden mineral resource estimate of 109.2 Mt at 1.42% Li 2 O inferred1 and ranks as the largest lithium pegmatite resource in the Americas based on contained lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE), and one of the top 10 largest lithium pegmatite resources in the world. Additionally, the Corvette Property hosts multiple other spodumene pegmatite clusters that remain to be drill tested, as well as more than 20 km of prospective trend that remains to be assessed.

1 The CV5 mineral resource estimate (109.2 Mt at 1.42% Li 2 O and 160 ppm Ta 2 O 5 inferred) is reported at a cut-off grade of 0.40% Li 2 O with effective date of June 25, 2023 (through drill hole CV23-190). Mineral resources are not mineral reserves as they do not have demonstrated economic viability.

Qualified/Competent Person

The information in this news release that relates to exploration results for the Corvette Property is based on, and fairly represents, information compiled by Mr. Darren L. Smith, M.Sc., P.Geo., who is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and member in good standing with the Ordre des Geologues du Quebec (Geologist Permit number 01968), and with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (member number 87868). Mr. Smith has reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release.

Mr. Smith is Vice President of Exploration for Patriot Battery Metals Inc. and holds common shares and options in the Company.

Mr. Smith has sufficient experience, which is relevant to the style of mineralization, type of deposit under consideration, and to the activities being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as described by the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (the JORC Code). Mr. Smith consents to the inclusion in this news release of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.

About Virtual Investor Conferences

Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.

Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access. Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

CONTACTS:

Patriot Battery Metals

Olivier Caza-Lapointe

Head of IR  North America

1 (514) 913-5264

Ocazalapointe@patriotbatterymetals.com

Virtual Investor Conferences

John M. Viglotti

SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access

OTC Markets Group

(212) 220-2221

johnv@otcmarkets.com

Disclaimer for Forward-looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are included to provide information about managements current expectations and plans that allows investors and others to have a better understanding of the Companys business plans and financial performance and condition.

All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this news release, regarding the Companys strategy, future operations, technical assessments, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as plan, expect, estimate, intend, anticipate, believe, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. In particular and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements pertaining to the expansion of the Companys exploration camp.

Forward-looking information is based upon certain assumptions and other important factors that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such information or statements. There can be no assurance that such information or statements will prove to be accurate. Key assumptions upon which the Companys forward-looking information is based include that proposed exploration and mineral resource estimate work on the Corvette Property will continue as expected, and that exploration and development results continue to support managements current plans for Corvette Property development.

Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which may have been used. Forward-looking statements are also subject to risks and uncertainties facing the Companys business, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Companys business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. Some of the risks the Company faces and the uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the ability to execute on plans relating to the Companys Corvette Project, including the timing thereof. In addition, readers are directed to carefully review the detailed risk discussion in the Companys most recent Annual Information Form filed on SEDAR+, which discussion is incorporated by reference in this news release, for a fuller understanding of the risks and uncertainties that affect the Companys business and operations.

Although the Company believes its expectations are based upon reasonable assumptions and has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. As such, these risks are not exhaustive; however, they should be considered carefully. If any of these risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements found herein. Due to the risks, uncertainties and assumptions inherent in forward-looking statements, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements contained herein are presented for the purpose of assisting investors in understanding the Companys business plans, financial performance and condition and may not be appropriate for other purposes.

The forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as of the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law. The Company qualifies all of its forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

Competent Person Statement (ASX Listing Rule 5.22)

The mineral resource estimate in this release was reported by the Company in accordance with ASX Listing Rule 5.8 on July 31, 2023. The Company confirms it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in the announcement and that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in the announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company confirms that the form and context in which the competent persons findings are presented have not been materially modified from the original market announcement.
The company has now paid users for over 19,000 posts they made on social media promoting its advertisers.



Los Angeles, CA, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Thumzup  Media Corporation ("Thumzup" or the "Company") (OTCQB: TZUP) is excited to announce that it has achieved a new milestone of 19,000 paid posts on its innovative social media AdTech platform. This accomplishment underscores the active participation of the Los Angeles community via the Thumzup app, which has collectively earned an impressive $190,000, showcasing the platforms significant influence and value.

Robert Steele, CEO of Thumzup, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "As Thumzup continues to carve out a substantial niche within the Gig Economy, we are thrilled to see our users capitalize on their social media engagements. Our community has now earned $190,000 by promoting brands they are passionate about. This not only enhances our advertisers' brand recognition but also positively affects our users' lives, allowing them to monetize their social media interactions. With these achievements, we are more optimistic than ever about the future of our platform and its potential growth."

Available on both the App Store and Google Play, the Thumzup app encourages users to become advocates for their favorite restaurants, shops, and events by rewarding them for their approved social media posts.

As the digital advertising landscape evolves, Thumzup is well-positioned to facilitate effective partnerships between brands and social media users, leveraging authentic, user-generated content to drive consumer engagement and decision-making.

About Thumzup

Thumzup Media Corporation (Thumzup) is democratizing the multi-billion dollar social media branding and marketing industry. Its flagship product, the Thumzup platform, utilizes a robust programmatic advertiser dashboard coupled with a consumer-facing App to enable individuals to get paid cash for posting about participating advertisers on major social media outlets through the Thumzup App. The easy-to-use dashboard allows advertisers to programmatically customize their campaigns. Cash payments are made to App users/creators through PayPal and other digital payment systems.

Thumzup was recently featured on CBS News Los Angeles and is a publicly traded company (OTCQB stock ticker: TZUP). For more information, please visit https://www.thumzupmedia.com.

Legal Disclaimer

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These include, without limitation, statements about its potential growth, impacts on the advertising industry, plans for potential uplisting, and planned expansion. These statements are identified by the use of the words "could," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "expect," "may," "continue," "predict," "potential," "project" and similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Although we believe that our plans, objectives, expectations and intentions reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that these plans, objectives, expectations or intentions will be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical experience and present expectations or projections. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements and the trading price for our common stock may fluctuate significantly. Forward-looking statements also are affected by the risk factors described in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Contact Info

investors@thumzupmedia.com

800-403-6150

Attachment
CHICAGO, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Following a successful Las Vegas test launch, where Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas was the #1 new Flavored Malt Beverage multipack and single serve*, Modelo is celebrating the expansion of Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas to strong Modelo markets across the country by once again honoring the street vendor community that made traditional aguas frescas a beloved cultural staple. Partnering with actress Francia Raisa and Juixxe, a changemaker famous for uplifting the street vendor community, Modelo surprised the owner of Oxnard, CA-based Las Aguas 805, Salvador Gutierrez, with a new, custom-built street cart and a $5,000 cash gift to help him fuel the fiesta in his community with delicious aguas frescas for years to come.

As a native Angeleno with a proud Mexican and Honduran heritage, it was so meaningful to partner with Juixxe and Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas to honor street vendors, said actress Francia Raisa. These small business owners provide the flavor that brings communities together and Salvador, the vendor I was able to recognize in partnership with Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas, is the perfect representation of someone who supports and builds community through his delicious aguas frescas.

Gutierrez was selected for this opportunity thanks to his commitment to drive his family, culture and community forward. Since he opened Las Aguas 805 over three years ago, Gutierrez has worked to grow his business by perfecting his aguas frescas flavors and continuing to be a positive influence for those around him.

Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas is thrilled to once again be teaming up with Juixxe to surprise another hard-working street vendor in Salvador. Our product wouldnt exist without the inspiration and cultural importance that street vendors bring to our communities each and every day, so to be able to gift him a new street cart and funds to keep growing his business is incredibly special, said Swathi Rao, Senior Brand Manager, Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas. We also added a new face this year in Francia Raisa and her passion for supporting this program really elevated it to the next level.

I started this business to make ends meet but what I wasnt prepared for was the amount of love and support I received from my community. They rallied behind me to support my business and my dream, said Gutierrez. With this new cart from Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas, I can keep giving that love back through my aguas frescas and continue to make my daughters proud.

To further support the street vendor community in the Los Angeles area, Modelo is also donating $5,000 to the LA-based economic justice organization, Inclusive Action for the City. Founded in 2008, Inclusive Action aims to eliminate income inequality, reduce the racial wealth gap, and create community power. Alongside their partners in the Los Angeles and California Street Vending Campaigns, Inclusive Action has directly supported the street vending community by legalizing street vending, creating pathways to formalizing their businesses and deploying healthy capital to grow their entrepreneurship.

With an estimated 50,000 street vendors operating in Los Angeles, their contributions to the economic, social, and cultural fabric of the city cannot be underestimated, says Rudy Espinoza, Executive Director, Inclusive Action for the City. The funding from Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas will provide direct cash assistance to these entrepreneurs who often lack access to resources required to build thriving businesses.

This moment represents the second time Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas has supported the street vendor community. To celebrate the initial test launch of Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas in Las Vegas last year, Modelo and Juixxe surprised five street vendors from the Los Angeles area by flying them to Las Vegas for an exclusive first taste of Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas and rewarding them with $5,000 each to help fuel their business.

Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas is now available in 15 states, along with Chicago and New York City, that represent more than 80% of the national volume for Modelo, in four varieties:

Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas Pina (Pineapple) is an aromatic, juicy pineapple flavor with a balanced sweetness for sessionability in a light-yellow color

is an aromatic, juicy pineapple flavor with a balanced sweetness for sessionability in a light-yellow color Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas Flor de Jamaica (Hibiscus) is a sweet, floral flavor that contains fruit notes with a low level of sourness and a dark reddish coloring fitting of a hibiscus flower

is a sweet, floral flavor that contains fruit notes with a low level of sourness and a dark reddish coloring fitting of a hibiscus flower Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas Sandia (Watermelon) is a refreshing flavor profile that has a sweet and indulgent watermelon juice taste, aroma and color

is a refreshing flavor profile that has a sweet and indulgent watermelon juice taste, aroma and color Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas Pepino y Limon (Cucumber Lime) is a fresh taste of cucumber notes, balanced with lime sweetness in a light green color

All four flavors are available in a 12oz 12pk variety pack and Pina is available in a 24oz single serve can.

All flavors are 4.5% ABV, and have <0.5% carbonation, resulting in a non-carbonated taste experience, and 171-197 calories, with 20-25g of sugar.**

The full list of location availability includes:

Arizona

California

Chicago

Colorado

Connecticut

Florida

Georgia

Idaho

Nevada

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York City

North Carolina

Oregon

South Carolina

Texas

Washington





For more information on Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas and other Casa Modelo products, visit www.modelousa.com.

*Circana, FMB Category New Item $ales, FYTM ending 2-24-24, Las Vegas MULO+C; FMB as defined by Circana does not include Cheladas

** Per 12 fl. oz. serving of average analysis: 4.5% ABV, Calories 193, Carbs 26.4 grams, Protein 0.2 grams, Fat 0 grams (Pina); 4.5% ABV, Calories 197, Carbs 34.2 grams, Protein 0.2 grams, Fat 0 grams (Sandia); 4.5% ABV, Calories 189, Carbs 25.7 grams, Protein 0.2 grams, Fat 0 grams (Pepino y Limon); 4.5% ABV, Calories 171, Carbs 22.6 grams, Protein 0.3 grams, Fat 0 grams (Flor de Jamaica).

ABOUT MODELO

Born in 1925 in the small town of Tacuba, Mexico, Modelo has been bringing distinctive high-quality beer to those with the Fighting Spirit ever since, including Modelo Especial, Modelo Negra, Modelo Oro, and a flavorful lineup of Modelo Cheladas and Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas.



Modelo Especial is a golden, full-flavored pilsner-style lager with a clean, crisp finish. As the #1 beer in the U.S., Modelo Especial recently surpassed 195MM cases sold in 2023. The Casa Modelo brand family is exclusively brewed in Mexico and imported and marketed for the U.S. by Constellation Brands.

Media Contact:

Stephanie McGuane

Stephanie.mcguane@cbrands.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/37a8d12f-07d7-462d-8bcb-c25a0686d420
Dublin, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "AD109 Market Size, Forecast, and Emerging Insight - 2032" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



This report provides comprehensive insights about AD109 for Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in the seven major markets. A detailed picture of the AD109 for OSA in the 7MM, i.e., the United States, EU4 (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain) and the United Kingdom, and Japan for the study period 2019 -2032 is provided in this report along with a detailed description of the AD109 for OSA.

The report provides insights about mechanism of action, dosage and administration, as well as research and development including regulatory milestones, along with other developmental activities. Further, it also consists of future market assessments inclusive of the AD109 market forecast analysis for OSA in the 7MM, SWOT, analysts' views, comprehensive overview of market competitors, and brief about other emerging therapies in OSA.



Drug Summary



AD109 is a first-in-class, oral pharmaceutical combination dosed once daily at bedtime, designed to treat OSA patients across a broad spectrum of disease severity. AD109 combines a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (NRI), atomoxetine, with a novel NCE selective antimuscarinic, aroxybutynin. The investigational drug is designed to be safe, effective, and convenient, addressing the key limitations of the current standard of care treatments.



AD109 has completed early-stage clinical trials. In a Phase II trial, patients with mild through severe OSA, AD109, had a statistically significant and clinically meaningful difference from placebo in the patients' hypoxic burden (HB), which was the study's primary endpoint. The company planned to initiate Phase III in 2022, but no further updates exist.



In addition to AD109, the company has a few other drugs in the pipeline for OSA, such as AD504 and some undisclosed programs. Year back (during 2021-2022), they also had AD036, AD275, and AD128 in their pipeline for OSA. The AD109 program is supported by additional clinical data collected with AD036, which consists of the norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor atomoxetine combined with the antimuscarinic, racemic oxybutynin.



AD109 Analytical Perspective

In-depth AD109 Market Assessment



This report provides a detailed market assessment of AD109 for Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in the seven major markets, i.e., the United States, EU4 (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain) and the United Kingdom, and Japan. This segment of the report provides forecasted sales data from 2026 to 2032.



AD109 Clinical Assessment



The report provides the clinical trials information of AD109 for OSA covering trial interventions, trial conditions, trial status, start and completion dates.

Key Questions Answered

What is the product type, route of administration and mechanism of action of AD109?

What is the clinical trial status of the study related to AD109 in Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and study completion date?

What are the key collaborations, mergers and acquisitions, licensing and other activities related to the AD109 development?

What are the key designations that have been granted to AD109 for OSA?

What is the forecasted market scenario of AD109 for OSA?

What are the forecasted sales of AD109 in the seven major countries, including the United States, Europe (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom), and Japan?

What are the other emerging products available and how are these giving competition to AD109 for OSA?

Which are the late-stage emerging therapies under development for the treatment of OSA?

Key Topics Covered:



1. Report Introduction



2. AD109 Overview in OSA

2.1. Product Detail

2.2. Clinical Development

2.2.1. Clinical studies

2.2.2. Clinical trials information

2.2.3. Safety and efficacy

2.3. Other Developmental Activities

2.4. Product Profile



3. Competitive Landscape (Marketed Therapies)



4. Competitive Landscape (Late-stage Emerging Therapies)



5. AD109 Market Assessment

5.1. Market Outlook of AD109 in OSA

5.2. 7MM Analysis

5.2.1. Market Size of AD109 in the 7MM for OSA

5.3. Country-wise Market Analysis

5.3.1. Market Size of AD109 in the United States for OSA

5.3.2. Market Size of AD109 in Germany for OSA

5.3.3. Market Size of AD109 in France for OSA

5.3.4. Market Size of AD109 in Italy for OSA

5.3.5. Market Size of AD109 in Spain for OSA

5.3.6. Market Size of AD109 in the United Kingdom for OSA

5.3.7. Market Size of AD109 in Japan for OSA



6. SWOT Analysis



7. Analysts' Views



8. Appendix



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ypd4a3

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.
BLOOMFIELD, Conn., April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LiquidPiston, Inc. , a leading innovator of efficient internal combustion engine technology and hybrid power systems, today announced that a fully integrated version of its 25hp XTS-210 heavy-fuel rotary engine has begun testing.



This milestone follows the successful completion of initial dynamometer testing of the engine core and enables parallel development of products powered by the engine, including a compact man-portable 10kW electric generator being developed under a U.S. Army contract awarded to LiquidPiston.

LiquidPiston will share updates on the newly integrated XTS-210 at two important upcoming industry conferences. Representatives from the company will be at Booth #3226 at XPONENTIAL , a drone-focused event being held April 22-25 in San Diego, and Booth #2000 at SOF Week 2024 , a defense industry event being held May 6-10 in Tampa, FL.

LiquidPiston is moving the XTS-210 from the lab to the real world, said LiquidPiston co-founder and CEO Alec Shkolnik. Integrating the engine core with the balance of plant components, including the supercharger, fuel and oil pumps, and other ancillary systems marks a major milestone in the development of the engine.



Upon successful completion of this development and testing phase, the XTS-210 will be able to power a broad range of vehicle and off-vehicle power systems. This includes a first-of-its-kind hybrid eVTOL UAS and a lightweight and man-portable 10kW generator to support the DoDs increasing critical operational energy needs by delivering unmatched power flexibility and portability to the warfighter.

The LiquidPiston 10kW genset will be approximately one-quarter the size and weight of the currently fielded Advanced Medium Mobile Power Source (AMMPS) 10kW generator system. Given its smaller footprint and power electronics, LiquidPistons genset platform can replace multiple existing generator power classes, greatly simplifying generator procurement and logistics for the U.S. Army and other DoD agencies.

XTS-210-powered 10kW generators will leverage LiquidPistons patented High Efficiency Hybrid Thermodynamic Cycle (HEHC) design, offering several key benefits:

Lightweight  Up to 75 percent lighter and smaller than the currently-fielded AMMPS.

Up to 75 percent lighter and smaller than the currently-fielded AMMPS. Easy to transport  Can be man-portable, instead of requiring a truck, trailer, or forklift.

Can be man-portable, instead of requiring a truck, trailer, or forklift. Space-efficient  Occupies only ~9 cubic feet of space.

Occupies only ~9 cubic feet of space. Heavy- / Multi- fuel capable  Designed for jet fuel, the engines have also been operated on gasoline, diesel, propane and hydrogen.

LiquidPistons XTS-210 engine is the result of decades of engine research and development, coupled with more than 10 contracts secured with the U.S. Department of Defense and over $20 million awarded in development funding, including a $9 million DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory award for a Compact Efficient Rotary Engine announced in November 2022 and an $8.3 million award from DEVCOM C5ISR Center for the development of a Light Weight High Efficiency Generator announced in July 2023. The XTS-210 is also being integrated into a hybrid eVTOL UAS for an Army demonstration that will occur later this year.

About LiquidPiston

LiquidPiston, Inc, a technology startup based in Bloomfield, CT, is leading the power systems industrys development of internal combustion engines that are scalable (from one horsepower (HP) to over 1,000 HP), compact (delivering 1.5 HP/lb), and capable of efficiently utilizing fossil or renewable fuels. The companys patented High Efficiency Hybrid Cycle (HEHC) and engine architecture innovation support next-generation fuel-energy conversion solutions for hybrid power systems, including for UAS, mobile power generation, and APU applications.

To learn more, visit www.liquidpiston.com .

High resolution image here .





A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/75868a05-09f3-4c36-8284-877f95920919
Toronto, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pizza Nova, Ontario's family-owned and operated premium pizza brand, announces the opening today of its fourth location in Oakville, Ontario, located at 2481 Taunton Road. To commemorate the opening, Pizza Nova will hold an official ribbon cutting, special event and community fundraiser on Saturday, April 27, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The newest Pizza Nova location is owned and operated by Adjmal (AJ) Nusrat, a proud member of the Pizza Nova team for the past 22 years. This is Nusrats second Pizza Nova franchise.

"I first joined the Pizza Nova family as a teenager some 22 years ago, says Nusrat. The company's commitment to family, quality and integrity resonated with me, eventually leading me to become a franchisee. I truly fell in love with their food, the world of pizza and entrepreneurship. As an employee, and since 2012 as a franchisee, I've only grown in confidence and affection for the brand and our team. Im happy to deliver our quality food choices to new customers in the Oakville area."

An official grand opening celebration will be held on Saturday, April 27, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will feature a ribbon cutting, a balloon artist and face painting for children as well as a special promotion of medium pizzas at $5.99 (plus tax), with $1 from every pizza sold during that time going to Fare Share Food Bank Oakville.

"It is a great joy to see members of our Pizza Nova family grow," says Domenic Primucci, president of Pizza Nova. "We are confident in our future precisely because we see our franchisees grow, increase their investment in us, and help our brand to serve new communities, while helping others along the way."

For more information on Pizza Nova, please visit pizzanova.com.

 30 

About Pizza Nova

Founded in 1963, Pizza Nova is a family-operated business that is committed to sharing the rich taste of Italy with Canadians. Pizza Nova has more than 150 stores and concession locations in Southern Ontario and inspired by family values such as trust, integrity, and authenticity. They are known for fresh toppings, high-quality ingredients and a wide range of authentic Italian menu items including lasagna, panzerotti, Italian sandwiches, chicken wings and arancini. They also have a line of Primucci branded products featuring Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Homestyle Tomato Sauce, Italian Hot Peppers, Spicy Green Olives, and Sundried Black Olives. Taste the Difference and learn more at pizzanova.com.

Attachment
TORONTO, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Class 1 Nickel and Technologies Ltd. (CSE: NICO | OTCQB: NICLF) ("Class 1 Nickel" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Caracle Creek Chile SpA (Caracle) and their strategic partner Atticus Geoscience Consulting Ltd. (Atticus) (together the Consultants) have completed the first stage of a comprehensive independent review of both the Alexo-Dundonald and Somanike nickel projects. Work is near-complete on the delivery of an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the Alexo South Nickel Deposit, one of 4 nickel deposits on the Alexo-Dundonald Project (the Project), located about 45 km northeast of the City of Timmins, Ontario and covering approximately 1,895 hectares (18.95 km2). Updates to the other 3 nickel mineral resources contained within the Project will be completed over the coming months.



To date, the Consultants have made significant progress with the Alexo-Dundonald Project:

Geological database compilation (>120,000 m of drilling), review, and validation program.

Completion of the Companys first comprehensive 3D geological model (lithology, mineralization, structure, alteration and metal domains) and detailed interpretation at Alexo South.

Targeting for resource expansion at Alexo South as part of the updated MRE.

Targeting for resource expansion at Alexo North initiated.

Updated mineral resource estimate for Alexo South, inclusive of results from the 2021 diamond drilling program, pending release.

Design and optimization of a new pit shell at Alexo South, forming part of the updated MRE.

Environmental and permitting requirements, initially focusing on Alexo South and Alexo North, are being reviewed with an aim toward evaluating the return to small-scale nickel production.

Updated mineral resource estimates for Alexo North, Dundonald South and Dundonald North are underway.

Targeting and planning for next drilling programs at Alexo South, Alexo North, Dundonald South and Dundonald North.

Property-wide target generation and drill hole planning outside of the four known deposit areas.

Drill hole planning to target and develop large-tonnage, low-grade nickel deposits (Crawford-type deposits) on the Project.



A summary of the work completed on the Class 1 nickel sulphide projects can be found in the 13 December 2023 news release.

David Fitch, CEO of Class 1 Nickel, commented: We are very pleased to now have a completely updated and third party verified database of our existing resources. The Company now looks forward to publishing the new Mineral Resource Estimates for each of the 4 deposits from the Alexo Dundonald Project, starting with Alexo South.

The primary objectives of the Company are to expand known mineralization and resources at its 4 existing magmatic nickel sulphide deposits within the Alexo-Dundonald Nickel Project. Furthermore, the Company will be launching an exploration program to examine the as yet underexplored areas of the Project including the numerous nickel sulphide occurrences that exist outside of the known deposit areas. Much of this exploration will be guided by recently completed airborne geophysics and historical drilling, with new ground geophysics and remote sensing surveys being planned.

In addition to the high-grade nickel sulphide (>1.0% Ni) potential we see at Alexo-Dundonald, immense potential exists to target and develop large tonnage, low-grade komatiite-hosted deposits such as those being developed in the Timmins area by Canada Nickel Company (Crawford Project), EV Nickel Inc. (CarLang A Deposit) and Aston Minerals Limited (Boomerang Project). The Company is currently planning a targeted diamond drilling program to outline this deposit type within the Alexo-Dundonald Project.

This two-pronged approach  develop traditional high-grade nickel sulphide resources and in parallel large-tonnage, low grade nickel deposits  brings together the best of both nickel deposit types which are actively and aggressively being explored for and developed within the Timmins Mining Camp.

Alexo-Dundonald Nickel Project

The Alexo-Dundonald Nickel Project (A-D Project), is located about 45 km northeast of the City of Timmins, Ontario, covers an area of approximately 1,895 hectares (18.95 km2), and was acquired by the Company in September 2018. The A-D Project includes four foundation nickel deposits (Alexo North and South and Dundonald North and South) of which the Alexo North and Alexo South (aka Kelex) were small-scale past producers of nickel (i.e., 1957; 2004-2005). The deposits are located on a near-continuous folded komatiite-ultramafic rock sequence that extends for at least 14 km within the Property. The four mineral resources (Tables 1 and 2) are open at depth and along strike and could increase in size with additional drilling.

The current Mineral Resource Estimates (Tables 1 and 2) were prepared by Yungang Wu (P.Geo.) and Eugene Puritch (P.Eng., FEC, CET) of P&E Mining Consultants Inc, both Independent Qualified Persons as defined by NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

For more information, please refer to the current NI 43-101 Technical Report and Mineral Resource Estimates on the Alexo-Dundonald Nickel Project (Stone et al., 2020) posted to the Companys SEDAR+ profile on 17 December 2020.

Table 1. Summary of 2020 Alexo-Dundonald Mineral Resource Estimates as combined from the 4 deposits.

ALEXO-DUNDONALD GLOBAL MINERAL RESOURCE ESTIMATE(1-9) Classification Tonnes (M) Ni (%) Cu (%) Co (%) Contained Ni Mlb Contained Cu Mlb Contained Co Mlb Pit-Constrained & Out-of-Pit Indicated 1.25 0.99 0.04 0.02 27.35 1.00 0.66 Out-of-Pit Inferred 2.01 1.01 0.03 0.02 44.51 1.29 0.89

Table 2. Pit-Constrained and Out-of-Pit (Underground) Mineral Resource Estimates from the 4 deposits (2020).

ALEXO-DUNDONALD MINERAL RESOURCE ESTIMATE(1-9) Scenario Classification Cut-off NSR (C$/t) Tonnes (k) Ni

(%) Ni (Mlb) Cu

(%) Cu (Mlb) Co (%) CO

(Mlb) Pit-Constrained Indicated 30 593.4 0.78 10.22 0.04 0.53 0.03 0.34 Out-of-Pit

Indicated 90 661.0 1.18 17.13 0.03 0.47 0.02 0.32 Inferred 90 2,007.5 1.01 44.51 0.03 1.29 0.02 0.89 Total:

Indicated 30+90 1,254.4 0.99 27.35 0.04 1.00 0.02 0.66 Inferred 90 2,007.5 1.01 44.51 0.03 1.29 0.02 0.89

Notes to Table 1 and Table 2 (Stone et al., 2020):

(1) Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability.

(2) The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues.

(3) The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource could be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration.

(4) The Mineral Resources were estimated following the 2019 CIM Estimation of Mineral Resources & Mineral Reserves Best Practice Guidelines prepared by the CIM Mineral Resource & Mineral Reserve Committee and the 2014 CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources & Mineral Reserves prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions.

(5) The historical open pit mined areas were removed from the MRE.

(6) US$ metal prices of $7.35/lb NI, $3/lb Cu, $20/lb Co, $1,500/oz Au, $900/oz Pt and $1,650/oz Pd were used in the NSR calculation with respective process recoveries of 89%, 90%, 40%, 50%, 50% and 50%.

(7) Pit constrained Mineral Resource NSR cut-off considers ore crushing, transport, processing and general and administration (G&A) costs that respectively combine for a total of ($2 + $6 + $20 + $2) = CAD$30/tonne processed.

(8) Out-of-pit Mineral Resource NSR cut-off considers ore mining, crushing, transport, processing and G&A costs that respectively combine for a total of ($58 + $2 + $6 + $20 + $4) = CAD$90/tonne processed.

(9) The out-of-pit Mineral Resource grade blocks were quantified above the $90/t cut-off, below the constraining pit shell and within the constraining mineralized wireframes. Additionally, only groups of blocks that exhibited continuity and reasonable potential stope geometry were included. All orphaned blocks and narrow strings of blocks were excluded. The long-hole stoping with backfill mining method was assumed for the out-of-pit (underground) Mineral Resource Estimate calculation.

About Class 1 Nickel

Class 1 Nickel and Technologies Limited (CSE: NICO | OTCQB: NICLF) is a Mineral Resources Company focused on the exploration and development of its 100% owned komatiite-hosted nickel sulphide projects: the Alexo-Dundonald Project, neat Timmins, Ontario (4 nickel sulphide deposits) and the Somanike Project, near Val-dOr, Quebec (includes the historical Marbridge Ni-Cu Mine). Both projects comprise extensive property packages covering past-producing nickel mines, offering near-term production opportunity and excellent exploration upside.

Class 1s current focus is to advance the Alexo-Dundonald Project back into production and at the same time continue brownfield and greenfield exploration on its large property package to aggregate additional nickel resources. The A-D Project sits on a 14+ km strike-length, folded komatiite unit containing several nickel-copper-cobalt and PGE Mineral Resources plus numerous underexplored sulphide occurrences. Decades of successful capital expenditure and investment into the Project has resulted in the discovery and delineation of four main nickel Mineral Resources that occur along the folded komatiite unit. The A-D Project was previously mined (ca. 2005) via a direct shipping model, and the Company will soon commence a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) study to determine the best path forward.

In addition, the Company also holds 100% interest in its River Valley PGE Project located about 65 km northeast of the City of Sudbury, the worlds largest and longest operating nickel-copper-cobalt-PGE mining camp. See the Companys 13 December 2023 new release for additional information.

Qualified Person

Technical information and data in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Scott Jobin-Bevans (P.Geo., PGO #0183), a geological consultant to the Company, and a Qualified Person under the definitions established by National Instrument 43101.

About Class 1 Nickel

Class 1 Nickel and Technologies Limited (CSE: NICO | OTCQB: NICLF) is a Mineral Resources Company focused on the exploration and development of its 100% owned komatiite-hosted Somanike Ni-Cu Sulphide Project in Quebec, which includes the historical Marbridge Ni-Cu Mine. The Company also owns the Alexo-Dundonald Ni-Cu-Co Sulphide Project, a portfolio of komatiite-hosted magmatic sulphide deposits located near Timmins, Ontario.

For more information, please contact:

Mr. David Fitch, President & CEO

T: +61.400.631.608

E: info@class1nickel.com

For additional information please visit our website at www.class1nickel.com and our Twitter feed: @Class1Nickel.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider has reviewed or accepted responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

This news release contains forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information is characterized by words such as plan, expect, project, intend, believe, anticipate, estimate and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions may or will occur. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, changes in the state of equity and debt markets, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in obtaining required regulatory or governmental approvals, and other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, including those risks set out in the Companys managements discussion and analysis as filed under the Companys profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on the opinions and assumptions of management considered reasonable as of the date hereof, including that all necessary governmental and regulatory approvals will be received as and when expected. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable securities laws.
Dublin, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Data Center Blade Server Market - Forecasts from 2024 to 2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global data center blade server market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.9% during the forecast period, reaching a total market size of US$31.7 billion in 2029 from US$16.37 billion in 2022. The demand for data centre blade servers is increasing due to the growing focus on low power consumption and high productivity in the existing infrastructure.

The data centre blade server market growth is driving because of less usage of physical space and energy, providing more processing power in less space which further deducts the primary expenses for the enterprise. The installation of the data centre blade server even reduces secondary costs like hardware cabling costs, facility charges, and the personnel hours required to configure and manage systems. The rise in demand for data centre blade servers is also attributed to the fact that they are a great substitute for traditional racks and tower servers that occupy a large surface area and consume a huge amount of power.



The increasing computer density, business optimization needs, and virtualization are also the reasons for the growing demand for data centre blade servers. Companies are increasingly demanding data centre blade servers to streamline their IT operations and speed up their delivery of services. The increasing adoption of virtualization applications, increasing load on data centres, and effective utilization of data centre space are also key drivers for the data centre blade server market.



The data centre blade server is segmented by function, end-user, and geography. Based on function, the data centre blade server market is segmented into web hosting, virtualization, and cluster computing. The market is also segmented based on users as colocation service providers, cloud service providers, and enterprises.



Cluster Computing and Web Hosting hold a notable share



The cluster computing and web hosting segments hold a notable share in the data centre blade server market. The increasing requirement for storage space and connectivity around the world with its branches, clients, and vendors through the network will provide businesses with better accessibility and wider reach to their customers. The virtualization segment will witness a substantial CAGR during the forecast period owing to rising investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and its applications like augmented reality (AR).

Virtualization is providing more space for enterprises and colocation centres, making more space for cloud computing and providing a bigger platform to share with their clients. The increase in usage of web hosting, virtualization, and cluster computing is due to a reduction in cost, efficient delivery service, wider reach, flexibility, scalability, and management of multiple infrastructures at once.



Colocation Service providers to witness considerable market growth



The Colocation Service Provider segment is projected to grow at a sizable compound annual growth rate during the forecast period. Growing adoption of colocation solutions and services owing to the rising volume of big data is leading to a rise in the demand for colocation which, along with a growing focus on low power consumption, is boosting the adoption of data centres blade servers for reducing overall cost, while increasing their virtual space for providing their clients with more storage space and better networking solutions.

The enterprise segment will also grow during the forecast period owing to the increasing demand for storage space, networking, and security, which is making enterprises move towards using data centre blade servers for higher efficiency and cost-effectiveness.



North America is expected to hold a significant share during the forecast period



The region is witnessing a transition from storage on individual devices and systems to core clouds and network edges. A recent survey conducted by Intel Security indicates that the number of businesses utilizing hybrid cloud services alone has increased by three times. It can be very advantageous that cloud providers are boosting security and enabling stronger, more reliable systems in businesses. Furthermore, the region's businesses are heavily investing in AI infrastructure, necessitating the immediate processing of the massive volumes of data being gathered in real-time.



Product Offerings

The Supermicro SuperBlade : For the most demanding applications that demand high CPU density and the quickest networking currently available, Supermicro SuperBlade is designed. The new generation blade portfolio from Supermicro is made to reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) of important data centre components like cooling, power usage, node density, and networking administration. Additionally, the Supermicro SuperBlade powered by AMD EPYC processors of the third generation is a reliable platform that satisfies the needs of enterprise customers for on-premises private/hybrid cloud installations.

: For the most demanding applications that demand high CPU density and the quickest networking currently available, Supermicro SuperBlade is designed. The new generation blade portfolio from Supermicro is made to reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) of important data centre components like cooling, power usage, node density, and networking administration. Additionally, the Supermicro SuperBlade powered by AMD EPYC processors of the third generation is a reliable platform that satisfies the needs of enterprise customers for on-premises private/hybrid cloud installations. HPE ProLiant e910: The HPE ProLiant e910 Server Blade supports industry-standard technology and makes use of the Intel Xeon Scalable processor series. With HPE iLO 5, which incorporates server administration features and Silicon Root of Trust from HPE, the HPE ProLiant e910 Server Blade allows you to securely set up, monitor, and upgrade HPE servers from anywhere. The HPE ProLiant e910 Server Blades offer a wide variety of GPU accelerator configurations, enhancing the potential for deep learning at the edge.

Market key launches

In January 2023, the opening of two new Canadian data centers in Toronto and Montreal by ManageEngine, the enterprise IT management branch of Zoho Corporation, will provide better data security and privacy to clients in the area. Large Canadian corporations, including those in the banking, financial services, and government sectors, are emphasizing the need for localized data processing and storage due to stricter privacy laws and performance standards.

In January 2023, Cisco announced the availability of the 7th generation of UCS C-Series and X-Series servers, which are powered by 4th generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors. Cisco has introduced the Cisco UCS X210c M7 Compute Node and the Cisco UCS X410c M7 Compute Node, two new blades for the X-Series that support the newest Intel processors.

Market Segmentation:

By Function

Web Hosting

Virtualization

Cluster Computing

By End-User

Colocation Providers

Cloud Providers

Enterprises

By Geography

North America USA Canada Mexico

South America Brazil Argentina Others

Europe Germany France United Kingdom Spain Others

Middle East and Africa Saudi Arabia Israel Others

Asia Pacific China Japan South Korea India Taiwan Thailand Indonesia Others



Key Attributes:





Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 136 Forecast Period 2022 - 2029 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2022 $16.37 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 $31.71 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 9.9% Regions Covered Global





Key Topics Covered:



1. INTRODUCTION



2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY



3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

3.1. Key Findings

3.2. CXO Perspective



4. MARKET DYNAMICS

4.1. Market Drivers

4.2. Market Restraints

4.3. Porter's Five Forces Analysis

4.4. Industry Value Chain Analysis

4.5. CXO Perspective



5. DATA CENTRE BLADE SERVER MARKET, BY FUNCTION

5.1. Introduction

5.2. Web Hosting

5.3. Virtualization

5.4. Cluster Computing



6. DATA CENTRE BLADE SERVER MARKET, BY END-USER

6.1. Introduction

6.2. Colocation Providers

6.3. Cloud Providers

6.4. Enterprises



7. DATA CENTRE BLADE SERVER MARKET, BY GEOGRAPHY



8. COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT AND ANALYSIS

8.1. Major Players and Strategy Analysis

8.2. Market Share Analysis

8.3. Mergers, Acquisitions, Agreements, and Collaborations

8.4. Competitive Dashboard



9. COMPANY PROFILES

Super Micro Computer

Dell

Intel

Oracle

Cisco Systems

Hitachi Vantara

IBM

Lenovo

AVADirect Custom Computers

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/gplc4p

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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SOUTHFIELD, Mich., April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- More Michigan students will have access to new advanced manufacturing technology and training through the SME Education Foundations SME PRIME program, due to an expansion of the public-private partnership between the Foundation and the State of Michigan to bolster the states manufacturing talent pipeline.





SME PRIMEs expansion to 16 new high schools brings the number of SME PRIME schools in Michigan to 50, casting a wide net of exposure and access for youth to relevant hands-on manufacturing and engineering educational experiences.

Currently, there are over 620,000 manufacturing positions unfilled in the United States. This shortage is projected to grow to 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030. SME PRIME helps address this critical shortage by providing schools with tailored project-based learning programs that meet the needs of local manufacturers.





SME PRIME paves the way for students to develop specialized skills in advanced manufacturing and puts them on a career path to make a livable wage right here in Michigan, said SME Education Foundation Vice President Rob Luce. We thank the state of Michigan for their partnership and trust in us to inspire, prepare, and support the next generation of manufacturing and engineering talent.

Informed by private industry, SME PRIME (Partnership Response In Manufacturing Education) builds custom manufacturing and engineering programs in high schools across the country, providing equipment, curriculum, teacher training, student scholarships, and funding for extracurricular activities and program sustainability. SME PRIME is tailored to meet the needs of local manufacturers and is aligned with 40 industry recognized credentials and certifications. SME PRIME is located in 110 schools across 23 states, serving 10,000 students, and 91% of SME PRIME seniors pursue manufacturing post-graduation.

The 16 additional Michigan schools introducing SME PRIME to their students this year include:

Caledonia High School, Caledonia

COOR Advanced Technical Innovation Center, Roscommon

Davison High School, Davison

Delata Schoolcraft Intermediate School District, Escanaba

Holt High School, Holt

INVEST Roosevelt, Hazel Park

Kearsley High School, Flint

Kelloggsville High School, Wyoming

Lakeview High School, Saint Clair Shores

Lincoln Senior High School, Ypsilanti

Marshall High School, Marshall

Northwest Education Services Career Tech Center, Traverse City

Owosso High School, Owosso

Saline High School, Saline

Waverly Senior High School, Lansing

Ypsilanti Community High School, Ypsilanti

"No matter who you are, where you come from or what community youre in, its important to have the tools to prepare you for your career and that is what SME PRIME ensures, said Michigan Speaker of the House, Joe Tate. The legislature is proud to support the State of Michigans manufacturing community and future leaders.

The SME Education Foundation works closely with the Michigan Manufacturers Association (MMA) to facilitate manufacturer participation in the assessment of local workforce needs and subsequently, the development of SME PRIME curriculum.

This expansion of the SME PRIME program benefits Michigan manufacturers, said John Walsh, President and CEO of the MMA. Our manufacturing partners need ambitious, creative, and prepared young people ready to join the advanced manufacturing workforce. We are proud to advocate for our manufacturing partners  and to be a key contributor to expanding SME PRIME in Michigan.

About SME PRIME

SME PRIME partners private industry with academia to build custom manufacturing and engineering programs in high schools across the country, providing equipment, curriculum, teacher training, student scholarships, and funding for extra-curricular activities and program sustainability. SME PRIME is tailored to meet the needs of local manufacturers and is aligned with over 40 industry recognized certifications. SME PRIME is located in 110 schools across 23 states, serving 10,000 students, and 91% of PRIME seniors pursue manufacturing post-graduation.

About the SME Education Foundation

As the philanthropic arm of SME, the SME Education Foundation inspires, prepares, and supports the next generation of manufacturing and engineering talent. Established in 1979, the Foundation works to expose youth to modern manufacturing technologies, train students on relevant manufacturing processes, and award millions of dollars in scholarships annually. All Foundation programming seeks to empower youth to consider and pursue careers in manufacturing and engineering and increase engagement with historically underrepresented populations to help diversify the manufacturing industry. We continue to inspire, prepare and support the next generation of manufacturing and engineering talent  now as many as 12,000 students every year. Visit smeef.org and follow the SME Education Foundation on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

About SME

Established in 1932 as a nonprofit organization, SME represents the entire North American manufacturing industry, including manufacturers, academia, professionals, students, and the communities in which they operate. We believe manufacturing holds the key to economic growth and prosperity, and champion the industry's potential as a diverse, thriving, and valued ecosystem. SME accelerates new technology adoption and builds North Americas talent and capabilities to advance manufacturing and drive competitiveness, resiliency, and national security. SME designs new ways to understand and solve problems, and our solutions advance the next wave of growth in manufacturing. Learn more at SME.org.

NOTE: High-resolution images of Rob Luce, b-roll, and selected images from current SME PRIME schools are available from SME.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/99eb0a53-eea8-4fc1-b939-1d416ff66ff4

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0b23e510-89a9-4f7b-ad6e-f2f974c1c69d
Skokie, IL, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center is proud to announce the creation of a groundbreaking core exhibition, Spagat Family Voices of Genocide Exhibition, which will debut on May 1, 2024.



The world has changed since the Holocaust, but the human capacity for inhumanity has not. We need only look at the continuation of genocide, past and present, that still threatens the security, well-being, and lives of people across the globe. This is why Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center was founded and continues its groundbreaking efforts: to remember the past so we can transform the future, said Bernard Cherkasov, Museum CEO.



Through Voices of Genocide, the Museum will be able to ensure this exhibition teaches hundreds of thousands of visitors in the years to come. The exhibition will help the Museum elevate voices of Survivors and descendants of genocides from across the globe while expanding awareness, fostering compassion and empathy, and empowering visitors with the knowledge needed to take a stand to prevent and respond to genocides, mass atrocities, and other human rights violations.

We know genocide does not just happen, which is why we must understand and educate about how genocide occurs and why. Through the Voices of Genocide visitors will learn about the common conditions that exist across genocides and how knowing these warning signs can provide an agency to work toward intervention and prevention, said Kelley Szany, Museum SVP of Exhibitions & Education.

Voices of Genocide will be a first-of-its-kind exhibition, revolutionizing the field of genocide memory and education. The exhibition will be broken down into 7-zones addressing the multitude of genocides throughout history and geography; exploring the definition of genocide and the tireless work of Polish-Jewish lawyer, Raphael Lemkin, who coined the term; the common condition and warning signs that create a genocidal environment and the process of repairing and rebuilding after. The exhibition will be anchored in testimony from Survivors and descendants of genocides in Armenia, Guatemala, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Rwanda, and Burma to weave the disparate elements of each atrocity into one larger message.

Funders:

Harvey L. Miller Supporting Foundation

Public Museum Capital Grants Program, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Illinois State Museum

National Endowment for the Humanities

Exhibition Production Team

Bluecadet

Brave New Pictures

Luci Creative

Ravenswood Studio

About Illinois Holocaust Museum

Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center honors the Survivors and victims of the Holocaust and transforms history into current, relevant, and universal lessons in humanity. Through world-class exhibitions and programs, the Museum inspires individuals and organizations to remember the past and transform the future. The Museum is open Wednesday through Monday from 10:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit www.ilholocaustmuseum.org or call 847-967-4800.

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MELVILLE, N.Y., April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Printing & Promotions Plus Inc. (Print Pro Plus), a Colton, California-based commercial printer, had already burnished its reputation as a leading provider of printing solutions, offering services such as digital and offset printing, large-format printing, graphic design, bulk mail, and signage, among others. Recently, Print Pro Plus bolstered its capabilities with the support of Canon Solutions America thanks to the addition of a Canon Colorado M-series and an Arizona 135 GT flatbed printer to its existing fleet.

Print Pro Pluss already versatile repertoire of print capabilities has been expanded with the additions. Both the Colorado and Arizona printers have been valuable in fulfilling orders for a variety of jobs, such as signage and promotion pieces, traffic directionals, wayfinding signage, and even promotional banners.

The Colorado M-series 64-inch roll-to-roll printerfeaturing two speed configurations and optional UVgel white ink capabilitieswas designed to help users produce high-quality applications and meet demanding productivity and turnaround standards. The Arizona 135 GT is a large format UV flatbed printer that includes an automated printhead maintenance system and instant-on LED-UV curing system.

The Colorado M-series is what Print Pro Plus owner Brian Melzer described as a game-changer in the industry, in regards to ensuring high-speed and high-quality printing with vibrant colors. It has become a crucial tool for the company with large format projects. Melzer also cited the Arizona 135 GT for helping to make their operations more efficient and flexible.

We are excited to announce the latest additions to our printing capabilities with the Colorado M-series and the Arizona 135 GT flatbed. These investments reflect our dedication to staying at the forefront of technology, providing our clients with innovative solutions, and ensuring that we continue to exceed their expectations, Melzer said.

In business for more than 40 years, Print Pro Plus has garnered success with its focus on quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction. Melzer said the company has continued to invest in technology to ensure those high standards continue to be met and credited the Canon equipment for playing a major role in fulfilling those goals.

Our commitment to staying at the forefront of technology is evident in our recent acquisitions of those printers, Melzer said. Our team is committed to delivering top-notch printing services with faster turnaround times. With a focus on innovation and customer satisfaction, we strive to exceed expectations in every project we undertake.

Among the key features Print Pro Plus highlighted for the Colorado M-series were the non-evaporative UVgel ink technology, pin-sharp image quality, and consistent color, while its drying properties enable immediate cutting and finishing. Its exceptional precision also helps enable printing of detailed graphics and images, along with the versatility to handle various media types.

The Arizona 135 GT was commended by Melzer for its wide range of substrate compatibility, including direct printing to ridged media. Like the Colorado, fast print speeds (of up to 368 square feet/hour) has been important for efficiency, while its inclusion of white ink for printing onto colored objects has enabled Print Pro Plus to expand their offering of specialty applications on colored or transparent media.

We are thrilled to see how the Colorado M-series and the Arizona 135 GT have helped Print Pro Plus meet the changing and diverse needs of their customers, said Peter P. Kowalczuk, president, Canon Solutions America, Inc. Print Pro Plus has consistently demonstrated a commitment to investing in technology and we at Canon Solutions America are glad that the expansion of their fleet has contributed to a successful operation.

Canon is a registered trademark of Canon Inc. in the United States and elsewhere. Colorado, Arizona and UVgel are trademarks or registered trademarks of Canon Production Printing Netherlands B.V. All other referenced product names and marks are trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby acknowledged. The views and opinions expressed in this document are based on the actual experiences of the customer and are not intended to represent or guarantee that the same or similar results will be achieved as various factors can impact different customers results.

2024 Canon Solutions America, Inc. All rights reserved.

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TURIN, Italy, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new prize for the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge to reward innovative university projects. The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, an active Monaco Energy Boat Challenge partner, is adding another dimension to the partnership in launching the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Sustainable Yachting Technology Award. The contest is open to universities anywhere in the world and on 6th July will reward the best technological solution that is applicable to yachting in terms of energy efficiency and/or carbon reduction. "We are pleased to initiate this prize to help finance the development of a universitys department with a grant of 25,000 euros. We hope to encourage the winner to go further with its applied research and who knows maybe help those prototypes progress towards a more industrial solution", explains Olivier Wenden, Vice-President of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. Once the grant has been awarded, the winner will be able to present progress on their project at the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge for three years starting in 2025. The prize was officially announced at the Monaco Ocean Week, that was attended by explorers Mike Horn and Bertrand Piccard.



Under the aegis of the collective Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting approach and organised by YCM, the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge brings maritime industry pioneers together with visionary engineers around a common goal: to promote alternative propulsion and sustainability in the yachting sector. On the programme, a unique convergence of boats already on or about to enter the market and innovative prototypes. Every year, students surpass themselves. They are an amazing source of ideas. It is fascinating to see their potential and we are happy to put them in contact with industry players who are a great support for these young engineers, says YCM General Secretary Bernard dAlessandri.

Entrants to the Solar Class have just confirmed their presence at the 11th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, with 15 teams and 13 nations set to go head to head in this historic category that has supported the event since its launch in 2014. A few weeks before, contestants in the Energy Class finalised their registrations, representing 20 renowned universities. Among these prestigious institutions is the University of Cambridge, the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, the Politecnico di Milano and Technical University of Berlin to name a few, with 14 nations represented including Canada, Croatia, Peru, Chile and China. All have a chance to meet well-known shipyards like Monaco Marine, Oceanco, Ferretti Group and Sanlorenzo. Perceived by many as one of the key new power sources in the energy transition to a cleaner more sustainable future, hydrogen ticks the boxes of a range of energy needs. As an energy carrier, hydrogen offers a promising alternative to fossil fuels as it can be produced from renewable sources like solar and wind or via the natural gas decarbonisation process. Several contestants have opted for this solution. Of the 21 teams in the Energy Class using electric propulsion, nearly 50% of projects (ten) will be presenting hybrid technologies based on hydrogen, while the other 11 are choosing to store 100% of the energy in Lithium-Ion batteries. Note that during the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge in 2019, the Yacht Club de Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation also co-launched the Monaco Hydrogen Working Group. Thanks to the success of this Working Groups conference, the Monaco Energy Transition has been co-organiser for the last three years.

For more information:

Press Office LaPresse - ufficio.stampa@lapresse.it

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/806ffd4e-ee3d-4c5c-b2a5-cda5fbf9f81b
Cincinnati, OH, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Osborne Coinage, a leading name in the coin manufacturing industry, is proud to announce its generous donation of 500 exquisitely crafted silver-plated and colorized coins to commemorate the latest group of accomplished youth achieving the esteemed rank of Eagle Scout with the Dan Beard Scouts of America. The official presentation ceremony took place on March 16, 2024 at the prestigious Cincinnati Masonic Center.

This philanthropic gesture by Osborne Coinage reflects the company's dedication to recognizing and celebrating the exceptional accomplishments of young individuals in the community. The commemorative coins, meticulously designed to embody the spirit of scouting and the values associated with the Eagle Scout rank, were presented to each honoree during the event.

The ceremony was a momentous occasion, bringing together community leaders, Scout officials, and the families and friends of the distinguished Eagle Scouts. Of this years class, 13 females make up the total of the 249 youth that are being honored for their accomplishments.





Also being recognized at this event for their service to scouting and community leadership was the Dan Beard Council Eagle Scout Class of 2023 Honoree, Rob McDonald, Chair of Tafts Cincinnati Business practice group, and his wife Alexa.



Osborne Coinage saw this as an opportunity to not only contribute to the recognition of these young leaders but also to highlight the significance of their achievements in character development, leadership, and community service.

"We were thrilled to support and honor the incredible achievements of the latest group of Eagle Scouts with the Dan Beard Scouts of America," said Gibson Olpp, Marketing Director at Osborne Coinage. "As a company deeply committed to excellence and community engagement, we believe in recognizing and celebrating the accomplishments of young individuals who exemplify leadership and service. The coins are a tangible representation of our appreciation for their dedication and hard work."

Scout Executive Andrew Zahn echoes the sentiment, offering, Achieving the rank of Eagle Scout signifies a profound commitment to personal growth, community service, and the embodiment of values ingrained in the scouting ethos. The Eagle Scout journey demands unwavering dedication, as candidates navigate a series of challenges, culminating in the planning and execution of a significant community service project. This accomplishment is a testament to a Scout's resilience, perseverance, and capacity to lead with integrity. We were grateful to mark the occasion with these beautifully designed coins.

The commemorative coins, with one side featuring the Dan Beard bridge and a fleur-de-lis, and the other with the American flag and a bald eagle, capture the essence of scouting and the Eagle Scout journey, and will serve as lasting mementos for the honorees. Osborne Coinage takes pride in contributing to the recognition of these young leaders, who are poised to make significant contributions to their communities and beyond.

##

About Osborne Coinage:

Osborne Coinage is America's oldest private mint, founded in 1835. The company has been producing custom-made coins for over 180 years and has earned a reputation for excellence in design, quality, and customer service. With a commitment to excellence and craftsmanship, Osborne Coinage has established itself as a trusted partner for organizations and individuals seeking distinctive and meaningful coinage.

About Dan Beard Council, BSA:

Dan Beard Council, overseeing Boy Scouts of America in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, spans 12 counties with 12,000 family members annually. Among the nation's largest metropolitan councils and Cincinnati's foremost youth organization, it operates through 7 districts, offering volunteer support, training, and diverse programs.

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WASHINGTON, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Monumental Financial Planning, formerly, The Cortale Group, is proud to announce its continued support for Calvary Women's Services by returning as a sponsor for the third year of their annual Hope Gala. This important event, taking place on April 25th, 2024, serves as a poignant celebration of the life-changing impact of Calvary's programs in empowering women facing homelessness to rebuild their lives.

Monumental Financial Planning has a long-standing relationship with Calvary, recognizing the invaluable services they provide to women in our community. As part of its ongoing commitment to social responsibility, Monumental Financial Planning enthusiastically participated in a "lunch and learn" session hosted at Calvary's shelter. During the session, the valued team from Monumental Financial Planning delivered invaluable insights on fundamental aspects of personal finance, including credit building and budget management. By sharing their expertise, the team aimed to equip the women served by Calvary with essential financial knowledge, empowering them to navigate their financial journeys with confidence and resilience.

"We are deeply honored to collaborate with Calvary in their mission to uplift and empower homeless women," remarked John Cortale, Managing Director at Monumental Financial Planning. "Our team is passionate about leveraging our expertise to make a positive impact in our community, and we believe that financial education is a powerful tool for promoting stability and independence."

The ongoing partnership between Monumental Financial Planning and Calvary Women's Services reflects a shared commitment to fostering positive change and providing essential support to those in need within the community. Through its continued sponsorship of the Hope Gala, Monumental Financial Planning demonstrates its unwavering dedication to advancing the mission of Calvary Women's Services and empowering women to overcome adversity and thrive.

"We are honored to once again stand alongside Calvary Women's Services as a proud sponsor of the annual Hope Gala," stated John Cortale at Monumental Financial Planning. "The Hope Gala represents an opportunity for us to come together as a community and celebrate the incredible resilience and determination of the women served by Calvary. We are inspired by their stories of triumph and remain committed to supporting Calvary's vital work."

As a leading financial services firm, Monumental Financial Planning recognizes the importance of investing in initiatives that drive positive social change and create meaningful opportunities for individuals to work toward achieving self-sufficiency and financial well-being. Through its continued partnership with Calvary Women's Services, Monumental Financial Planning reaffirms its commitment to making a tangible difference in the lives of women experiencing homelessness.

For more information about Monumental Financial Planning and its commitment to community engagement, please visit https://monumentalplanning.com/.

About Monumental Financial Planning (formerly The Cortale Group):

Monumental Financial Planning provides comprehensive financial planning and investment management services to individuals and families in the Washington, D.C. area. We are dedicated to helping our clients pursue their financial goals, including reaching the work-optional phase in their life and building a lasting foundation for their long-term well-being. We accomplish this through personalized advice, strategic planning, and ongoing support.

About Calvary Women's Services:

Calvary Women's Services is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering women experiencing homelessness and poverty by providing safe-haven, comprehensive support services, and pathways to self-sufficiency.

https://www.calvaryservices.org/

Calvary Women's Services, Monumental Financial Planning and LPL Financial are separate entities. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a registered investment advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC.
Washington, DC, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

WHAT: The Catholic University of America School of Theologys Institute for Human Ecology (IHE) and The Catholic Project will host a discussion on falling birth rates and their implications for the family. The event, titled "The Population Bust: Falling Birth Rates and the Family," will explore why the world's birth rates are declining and what actions can be taken to address this trend.

WHEN: Monday, Apr. 29, at 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: Heritage Hall, Father OConnell Hall at The Catholic University of America, 620 Michigan Ave., N.E., Washington, DC 20064

DETAILS:

Featured speakers include:

Catherine R. Pakaluk

IHE Scholar

Associate Professor, The Catholic University of America

Author, Hannahs Children (Regnery, 2024)

Ross Douthat

IHE Media Fellow

Columnist, The New York Times

Timothy P. Carney

Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute

Author, Family Unfriendly (HarperCollins, 2024)
Chicago, IL, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On April 17, Cook County Health cut the ribbon on its Intuitive da Vinci surgical system, celebrating the health systems new robotic surgery program.

Robotic-assisted surgery allows surgeons to perform many different complex procedures with more flexibility. The process is often less invasive than traditional surgery because it is performed through smaller incisions.

Cook County Health will use the da Vinci surgical system to perform general, cardiothoracic, colorectal, head & neck, gynecological and urologic surgeries at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital. View a video about the program here.

Today we are recognizing the tremendous work Cook County Health has done to break down the racial, gender, and socioeconomic barriers to advanced surgical care, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said. In making robotic surgery possible at Stroger Hospital, Cook County Health is demonstrating its commitment to health equity and advancement to ensure patients receive the highest quality of care.

The robotic surgery program represents an $11 million investment over seven years to bring the latest surgical technology to Cook County Health.

Robotic surgery is an investment in our system. More importantly, its an investment in our patients and the care they receive, and therefore an investment in the communities we serve, said Dr. Erik Mikaitis, Interim CEO, Cook County Health.

There are many benefits to robotic surgery over traditional surgical methods. Robotic surgery enables surgeons to perform complex surgeries through very small incisions, resulting in:

Less blood loss during the procedure

Less pain after the procedure

Less scarring and fewer complications

Shorter recovery time

I am thrilled that our patients can receive access to the highest levels of care with best-in-class technology, said Dr. Alexander Sauper, Chair of Surgical Critical Care and head of the robotics steering committee. The robotic system gives the surgeon a high-definition and magnified view of the surgical field. The instruments move like a human hand but with a greater range of motion, allowing for smaller, more precise cuts.



In 2023, more than 10,000 surgeries were performed at Stroger Hospital. Cook County Health expects to perform more than 500 robotic-assisted surgeries this year, with plans to continue to grow the program year-over-year.

For more information about Cook County Healths robotic surgery program, visit https://cookcountyhealth.org/robotic-assisted-surgery/.
Dallas, TX, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Let Dickeys Barbecue Pit help you combine your two favorite pastimes; spending time with loved ones and enjoying some Legit. Texas. Barbecue.

April 23rd is National Picnic Day, and the Texas-style barbecue brand has plenty of hickory smoked offerings to assist you in embracing the outdoors, gathering with friends, and indulging in some delicious barbecue. On April 23rd, break away from the monotony of eating lunch at your desk and take advantage of $5 OFF the Dickeys Picinic Pack when ordering in store, online, or in the Dickeys App with code 5OFFPACKS. The Picinic Pack includes your choice of 1 pit-smoked Meat, 2 Large Sides, 4 slices of Texas Toasts, and Dickeys famous barbecue sauce.

This year on National Picnic Day, were excited to offer barbecue lovers the chance to break away from the office and enjoy a delicous, midday escape, said Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickeys Barbecue Pit, Inc. So, roll out the gingham blanket, take off your shoes, and let Dickeys do the cooking.

Additional Pack options at Dickeys including the Family Pack, the XL Pack and they Big Yellow Box can be found HERE on the Dickeys website.

To learn more, follow Dickeys Barbecue Pit on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Download the Dickey  s Barbecue Pit app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

About Dickeys Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.

Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., the worlds largest barbecue concept, was founded in 1941 by the Dickey family. For the past 80 years, Dickeys Barbecue Pit has served millions of guests in 44 states Legit. Texas. Barbecue.  At Dickeys, all our barbecued meats are smoked onsite in a hickory wood burning pit. Dickeys proudly believes theres no shortcut to true barbecue and its why our name isnt BBQ. The Dallas-based, family-run barbecue franchise offers eight slow-smoked meats and 12 wholesome sides with 'No B.S. (Bad Stuff)' included. Dickeys Barbecue has 550 locations across the United States and eight other countries.

Dickeys was named to Newsweeks 2022 Americas Favorite Restaurant Chains list and USA Today 2021 readers choice awards. Dickeys won first place on Fast Casuals Top 100 Movers and Shakers list, been named a Top 500 Franchise by Entrepreneur and named to Hospitality Technologys Industry Heroes list. Led by CEO Laura Rea Dickey, who was named among the countrys 50 most influential women in foodservice in Nations Restaurant News, was recognized by Fast Casuals Top 100 Movers and Shakers list and honored by Dallas Business Journal. Dickey's Barbecue Pit has also been recognized by Fox News, Forbes Magazine, Franchise Times, The Dallas Morning News, The Wall Street Journal, People Magazine and QSR Magazine. Dickeys Barbecue is part of Dickeys Restaurant Brands which has more than 700 restaurants nationwide including brands Wing Boss, Trailer Birds, Big Deal Burger and bbqathome.com. DRB is led by CEO Roland Dickey Jr. For more information, visit www.dickeys.com.

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New York, NY, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) has announced the appointment of six new members to its Board of Trustees: Gil Addo, Natalia Cineas, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, Beth Oliver, DNP, RN, FAAN, Marie-Laure S. Romney, MD, MBA, Jannine Versi, MBA, and Mark S. Weiss.

NYAM is pleased to welcome this dynamic group of leaders to our Board of Trustees. Their extensive experience, unique perspectives, and dedication to our mission to advance health equity will expand NYAMs innovation and impact, said Ann Kurth, PhD, CNM, MPH, President, The New York Academy of Medicine.

I extend my congratulations and warm welcome to this outstanding cohort of new Trustees who join me and our esteemed colleagues on the board in the governance of The New York Academy of Medicine, said Wayne J. Riley, MD, MPH, MBA, MACP, NYAM Board Chair and President of SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

Gil Addo

Gil Addo is co-founder of RubiconMD, a CVS Health company. RubiconMDs digital health platform empowers primary care clinicians with access to virtual specialty care from top medical specialists to improve patient care. Founded in 2013, RubiconMD serves primary care clinicians across 37 states. The Huffington Post named RubiconMD one of the Five Companies Defining the Future of Healthcare and, in 2020, AllianceBernstein ranked RubiconMD no. 12 on its list of the top 25 private companies disrupting healthcare. Prior to founding RubiconMD, Gil was a consultant at Putnam Associates, a pharma strategy consultancy, where he designed payer and market access strategies for Fortune 500 clients. He previously held strategy and business development roles at Xerox, Cubist (acquired by Merck), and two early-stage healthcare ventures. Gil has appeared in Inc., Forbes, CNBC, Fortune, and Entrepreneur Magazine. Hes been named one of Forbess 30 Under 30 in healthcare, Crain's New Yorks Business 40 Under 40, and Business Insiders 30 under 40 in healthcare. In 2020, Crains New York Business named Gil to its list of the Most Notable in Health Care and in 2017, he received its Heritage Healthcare Innovator of the Year award. He holds a BS in economics and biomedical engineering from Yale University and an MBA from Harvard University.

"I am incredibly honored to be elected as a board member to The New York Academy of Medicine. Advancing health equity and tackling the barriers that prevent individuals from quality health care is not easy, but it is critical. It is a privilege to join NYAM and work alongside industry leaders who are inspired by the same mission and vision of health for all."

Natalia Cineas, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN

Natalia Cineas, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, serves as Senior Vice President, Chief Nursing Executive, and Co-Chair, Equity and Access Council for NYC Health + Hospitals, the largest municipal public health care system in the nation, serving more than 1.4 million New Yorkers annually in some 70 patient care locations, directing more than 9,600 nurses. Dr. Cineas previously held nursing leadership roles at Mount Sinai St. Lukes Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center-NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. She serves as adjunct faculty at Columbia University School of Nursing. In 2021, Dr. Cineas was named a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, one of the most significant milestones in a nurse leaders career, in which their accomplishments are honored by their colleagues within and outside the profession. She is currently serving a two-year term on the Academys Fellow Selection Committee. She also serves as president of the New York City American Heart Association Board; s a member of the Helene Fuld College of Nursing Board; a member of the Promoting Health in Haiti Board; a member of the Womens Leadership Council of Stony Brook University Board; as Keynote Speaker for the Nursing World Conference; a founding member of the National Black Nurses Association Greater NYC Chapter; and a board member on the Long Island University Harriet Rothkopf Heilbrunn School of Nursing Professional Nursing Advisory Board.

I am pleased and honored to serve as a Trustee on the New York Academy of Medicine, an organization that is committed to advancing health equity and promoting healthy communities. The mission and vision of The New York Academy of Medicine dovetails perfectly with the public health mission of NYC Health + Hospitals to serve the most vulnerable patients and communities, helping all New Yorkers live longer and healthier lives.

Marie-Laure S. Romney, MD, MBA

Marie-Laure S. Romney, MD, MBA, is Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital. In this role Dr. Romney manages day-to-day operations, oversees operating and capital budgets, and implements clinical strategy at the hospital. Dr. Romney joined NYP in 2018, and most recently served as Vice President of Operations at NYP/Columbia, where she directed the administration of clinical departments. She also served as Vice Chair of Quality and Patient Safety at Columbia University Department of Emergency Medicine. Prior to joining Columbia, she served as Director of Quality, Continuous Improvement and Patient Safety in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Kings County Hospital Center and as Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Dr. Romney holds an undergraduate degree from Cornell University, a medical degree from Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and a master of business administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Joining The New York Academy of Medicine as a Trustee is an immense honor for me. I am humbled to be part of an organization that is dedicated to driving access to high-quality healthcare for all. Together, we can make a profound impact on the lives of individuals and communities, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to receive the care they deserve. I am excited to contribute my knowledge and passion to this noble cause, and look forward to working alongside fellow Trustees to create lasting change in the healthcare landscape.

Beth Oliver, DNP, RN, FAAN

Beth Oliver, DNP, RN, FAAN, is Chief Nurse Executive and Senior Vice President of Cardiac Services at Mount Sinai Health System. Dr. Oliver is responsible for the practice of nursing across the Health System and collaborates with the senior executive team, as well as chief nursing officers throughout Mount Sinai. Her top priorities as the Chief Nurse Executive include ensuring the safety and quality of care for patients, supporting and advancing the professional development of the health systems nurses, transforming care around the needs of patients and communities, and partnering on the transition from volume to value. As a nationally recognized cardiac leader, Dr. Oliver develops cardiovascular service line strategy and leads cardiac services operations while ensuring the delivery of top quality care to Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital. Dr. Oliver received her MS from Columbia University and her DNP from Case Western Reserve University, and was inducted as a fellow into the American Academy of Nursing in 2022.

"As I step into my role as a new member of the Board of Trustees at The New York Academy of Medicine, I'm invigorated by the opportunity to contribute to our shared mission of advancing health equity. I believe that nursing plays a pivotal role in shaping the future landscape of healthcare and in fostering healthier communities. With a deep-seated commitment to this belief, I am eager to collaborate with fellow board members and work tirelessly toward a future where every individual has access to quality healthcare and where health disparities are a thing of the past."

Jannine Versi, MBA

Jannine Versi, MBA, is the co-founder and CEO of Elektra Health, a digital health company that provides evidence-based care and support for women navigating the menopause transition and their health in the decades that follow. Jannine has spent her career in healthcare, technology, and government. She was on the founding team of Cityblock Health, which addresses the complex medical and social needs of Medicaid and dually eligible beneficiaries. Earlier on, she held roles at Google and was a senior executive in the Obama Administration. Jannine earned her BA from the University of Pennsylvania, her MBA from Harvard Business School, and was a Fulbright Scholar. She lives with her husband and twins in Brooklyn.

"I am honored to join The New York Academy of Medicine under the visionary leadership of Dr. Ann Kurth. As a student of history and an entrepreneur focused on improving women's health outcomes, I find NYAM's mission and contributions to women's health and public health over nearly 18 decades simply awe-inspiring. I look forward to helping NYAM continue to make bold and ambitious progress in public health to safeguard current and future generations' opportunities to live healthier lives."

Mark S. Weiss

Mark S. Weiss is an Executive Vice Chairman and member of Cushman & Wakefield Global Advisory Board. He is universally regarded as a leading commercial broker/advisor/tactician within the real estate industry with a significant practice in healthcare. His range of experience and expertise includes successfully completing some of the City's most noteworthy and complex transactions in leasing, sales and development. He has represented Mount Sinai, MSKCC, Montefiore Medical Center, Columbia Presbyterian, and the New York Proton Center, as well as The Brooklyn Hospital. Mark has won the Real Estate Board of New Yorks Most Ingenious Deal of the Year four times. Mark is also a highly regarded published author, having written an acclaimed book on the impact of breast cancer on the spouse of a breast cancer patient. He is also on the Board of The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

Health equity is a basic human right. We cannot be a great society if all dont have access to the enormous stores of knowledge that reside in our great health care institutions. NYAMs mission aligns perfectly with my deep personal commitment to a healthier New York Cityall of New York City.

About The New York Academy of Medicine

The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) is a leading voice for innovation in public health. Throughout its 177-year history, NYAM has uniquely championed bold changes to the systems that perpetuate health inequities and keep all communities from achieving good health. Today, this work includes innovative research, programs, and policy initiatives that distinctively value community input for maximum impact. Combined with NYAMs trusted programming and historic Library, and with the support of nearly 2,000 esteemed Fellows and Members, NYAMs impact as a health leader continues. To learn more, visit www.nyam.org and follow @NYAMNYC on social media.
NEW YORK, April 18, 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 case@rosenlegal.com 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

case@rosenlegal.com

www.rosenlegal.com
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES



VAL-D'OR, Quebec, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bonterra Resources Inc. (TSX-V: BTR, OTCQX: BONXF, FSE: 9BR2) (Bonterra or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Eight Capital as lead agent (the Agent) in connection with a best efforts private placement of up to 16,000,000 units of the Company (the Units) at a price of $0.25 per Unit (the Issue Price) for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $4,000,000, pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption available under National Instrument 45-106  Prospectus Exemptions (the LIFE Offering) or the accredited investor exemption under National Instrument 45-106  Prospectus Exemptions (the Private Placement Offering and together with the LIFE Offering, the Offering), in each of the Provinces of Canada other than Quebec. Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (a Share) and one common share purchase warrant (a Warrant). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Share at an exercise price of $0.31 for a period of four years from the date of issuance.



The Company will make available an offering document relating to the LIFE Offering (the Offering Document) which will be accessible under the Companys profile at www.sedarplus.ca and at www.btrgold.com. Prospective investors in the LIFE Offering should read the Offering Document before making an investment decision.

The Offering is expected to close on or around May 2, 2024 (the Closing Date). Closing of the Offering is subject to certain customary conditions including receipt of all necessary approvals including satisfaction of listing conditions of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Units issued pursuant to the LIFE Offering will not be subject to any hold periods pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. The Units issued pursuant to the Private Placement Offering, which will include all Units issued to persons on the Presidents List, will be subject to a four month hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for working capital and general corporate purposes.

The Company also announces that it has reached an agreement to settle approximately $1.5 million in outstanding indebtedness owed to an arms length creditor through the issue of 6,000,000 Shares at a deemed price of $0.25 per Share. The debt settlement is subject to the execution of definitive documentation by the parties and the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Shares issued pursuant to the debt settlement will be subject to a hold period in Canada of four months.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any Shares in the United States. The securities to be sold in the Offering have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Marc-Andre Pelletier, President & CEO

ir@btrgold.com

2872 Sullivan Road, Suite 2, Val dOr, Quebec J9P 0B9

819-825-8678 | Website: www.btrgold.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forwardlooking statements and forwardlooking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forwardlooking statements or information. Forward-looking statements are frequently identified by such words as may, will, plan, expect, anticipate, estimate, intend and similar words referring to future events and results. The forwardlooking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by management of the Company. Forward-looking statements made in this news release include statements regarding anticipated completion of the Offering and debt settlement, and the proposed use of proceeds of the Offering. Although management of the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forwardlooking statements and information since no assurance can be given that they will prove to be correct.

Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations and plans of management of the Company relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks, including, with respect to the Offering and debt settlement, the conditions of the financial markets, availability of financing, timeliness of completion of the Offering, and the timing of TSX Venture Exchange approval; and with respect to the use of proceeds, the sufficiency of the proceeds, the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, fluctuating commodity prices, and competitive, as described in more detail in our recent securities filings available at www.sedarplus.ca, including the Offering Document. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forwardlooking statements and information contained in this news release. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. The forwardlooking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and no undertaking is given to update publicly or revise any forwardlooking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TYLin, a globally recognized full-service infrastructure consulting firm, announces that TYLin, in partnership with AtkinsRealis, has been selected to provide detailed design services and construction phase services for the Ile dOrleans Bridge. The new signature cable-stayed bridge will cross the heart of the St. Lawrence River and span close to 2.1 kilometers to connect Quebec City to Ile d'Orleans in Quebec, Canada.

A balance between innovation, aesthetics, and sustainability, the bridge design is the result of a collaboration between local and international partners forming the Groupe Heritage Ile d'Orleans (GHIO). TYLins client, GHIO, consists of Dragados Canada, Inc. and EBC, who was awarded the contract to build the new bridge.

The new Ile-d'Orleans Bridge will redefine the connectivity between the Capitale-Nationale and the emblematic destination that is the territory of Ile d'Orleans. The integration of the bridge as a symbol of the cultural heritage of Ile d'Orleans is significant, and as such, GHIO is committed to preserving the identity of this region.

The bridge consists of a 520-metre-long north approach; a 790-metre-long, three-span cable-stayed bridge; and a 740-metre-long south approach. The bridge superstructure is continuous with only two expansion joints, one at each abutment, for reduced bridge maintenance.

The new crossing will provide a 3.5-metre-wide traffic lane in each direction and 2.5-metre-wide shoulders on each side of the deck. The deck also incorporates 3-metre-wide multipurpose paths in each direction, which allow access for maintenance vehicles.

Included in the bridge design are four belvederes, positioned at the deck level of the north and south pylon legs, which will offer panoramic views of the Montmorency Falls and downtown Quebec City on the horizon. The absence of bracing on the V-shaped pylons also results in unobstructed vistas, enhancing users experience of crossing the St. Lawrence River.

This project represents critical infrastructure for Quebec and underscores TYLin's presence as a premier structural engineer in the region, said Marwan Nader, PhD, PE, P.Eng, TYLin Bridge Sector Leader. We are thrilled to serve as Lead Bridge Engineer and proud to help bring this vitally important project to life.

This project also continues TYLins legacy of bridge projects in Canada. The firm, in a joint venture with Systra IBT and SNC-Lavalin, is the Managing Partner and Lead Designer for the award-winning Samuel De Champlain Bridge over the St. Lawrence River. Serving as a gateway to Montreal, the signature cable-stayed replacement bridge fully opened to traffic on July 1, 2019, and represents one of the largest infrastructure projects in North America.

TYLins team for the successful design of the Samuel De Champlain Bridge will come together again for the Ile d'Orleans Bridge project. TYLin will work closely with subconsultant partners Fugro for geotechnical investigations, Tourney Consulting Group (TCG) for durability studies, and Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel Laboratory (BLWTL) for wind studies.

Added Nader, "This project marks another major bridge project that TYLin has led in Quebec. The new Ile DOrleans Bridge will not only significantly improve transportation for residents and businesses, but it will also serve as yet another significant landmark structure for the province."

TYLin, in partnership with Hatch, was also recently selected to provide detailed design services and construction phase services for the new Ile-aux-Tourtes Bridge , a signature bridge linking the municipalities of Senneville and Vaudreuil-Dorion in Quebec. Construction for the Design-Build-Finance bridge replacement project commenced in the summer of 2023, with the new bridge slated to open to traffic by 2026.

Attachment
SANTA ANA, Calif., April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blum Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: BLMH) (the Company, Blum, we or us), a cannabis company which through its subsidiaries has operations throughout California, is proud to announce the release of its 2023 Annual Report: Executive Summary.



The Executive Summary encapsulates the transformative journey of Unrivaled Brands, Inc. over the past 18 months, characterized by a restructuring, and a focus on debt reduction and achieving operational efficiency, said Sabas Carrillo, Chief Executive Officer of Blum Holdings. Despite the uncertainties of the past year, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to delivering value to our customers, employees, and shareholders, through resilience and dedication to our core values. We look forward to building on this momentum as we continue our journey towards sustained success.

The full 2023 Annual Report: Executive Summary, including detailed financial charts and management discussions, can be viewed here.

About Blum Holdings

Blum Holdings is a leader in the cannabis sector. Our commitment to quality, innovation, and customer service makes us a trusted name in the cannabis industry, dedicated to shaping its future. Blum Holdings, through its subsidiaries, operates leading dispensaries throughout California as well as several leading company-owned brands including Korova, known for its high potency products across multiple product categories, including the legendary 1000 mg THC Black Bar.

For more info, please visit: https://blumholdings.com .

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this communication regarding matters that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, known as the PSLRA. These include statements regarding management's intentions, plans, beliefs, expectations, or forecasts for the future, and, therefore, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on them. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual results may differ materially from those projected. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by law. The Company uses words such as anticipates, believes, plans, expects, projects, future, intends, may, will, should, could, estimates, predicts, potential, continue, guidance, and similar expressions to identify these forward-looking statements that are intended to be covered by the safe-harbor provisions of the PSLRA. Such forward-looking statements are based on the Companys expectations and involve risks and uncertainties; consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the statements due to a number of factors.

New factors emerge from time-to-time and it is not possible for the Company to predict all such factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of each such factor on the business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. These risks, as well as other risks associated with the combination, will be more fully discussed in the Companys reports with the SEC. Additional risks and uncertainties are identified and discussed in the Risk Factors section of the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other documents filed from time to time with the SEC. Forward-looking statements included in this release are based on information available to the Company as of the date of this release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

Contact:

Jason Assad

LR Advisors LLC.

jassad@blumholdings.com

678-570-6791
VANCOUVER, April 17, 2024 - RUA GOLD Corporation (the "Company" or RUA GOLD") announces the appointment of Tyron Breytenbach as independent director effective today. Mr. Breytenbach has been appointed to the Chair of the Audit Committee and member on the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, Compensation Committee and Sustainability and Governance Committee.

Oliver Lennox-King, Chair of RUA GOLD, commented "I am pleased to welcome Tyron to the RUA Board as an independent director. He brings significant capital markets experience as well as geological knowledge of the deposits in New Zealand which will serve the Company well as we build this Company and footprint in New Zealand."

About Tyron Breytenbach

Mr. Breytenbach is currently the CEO of Lithium Africa Resources and a former equity analyst at Cormark Securities and Stifel Canada and was SVP Capital Markets at Aris Mining. In each of these roles he interacted extensively with the international investment community. Mr. Breytenbach was a Senior Partner and Managing Director in the investment banking group at Canada's largest employee-owned dealer - Cormark. Prior to entering capital markets, Mr. Breytenbach spent a decade in the mining industry as a geologist where he focused on orogenic and epithermal gold deposits and specialized in resource estimation. Mr. Breytenbach holds a BSc (Honours) Degree from Rand Afrikaans University in South Africa and is a designated P.Geo in Ontario .

More information can be found at the Company's website: www.ruagold.com and the investor presentation can be downloaded here: Investor Presentation

AGM Voting Results

RUA GOLD also announces the results of its annual general meeting held on April 17, 2024 (the "AGM"). Shareholders voted in favour of all of the items of business put forth at the AGM, as detailed below. A total of 30,578,936 shares were represented at the AGM, representing 15.80% of the total issued and outstanding shares in the capital of the Company.

Description of the Matter Outcome of Vote Votes For Votes Withheld 1. An ordinary resolution to elect each of the five Board nominees described in the Information Circular as directors of the Company for the ensuing year or until their successors are duly elected or appointed subject to the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia):





Paul Criddle Passed 30,578,936 (100%) Nil (0%) Robert Eckford Passed 30,507,236 (99.77%) 71,000 (0.23%) Simon Henderson Passed 30,578,936 (100%) Nil (0%) Oliver Lennox-King Passed 30,578,936 (100%) Nil (0%) Mario Vetro Passed 30,578,936 (100%) Nil (0%) Tyron Breytenbach Passed 30,578,936 (100%) Nil (0%) 2. An ordinary resolution to appoint Charlton & Company, Chartered Professional Accountants, as the Company's auditor for the ensuing year. Passed 30,578,936 (100%) Nil (0%) 3. An ordinary resolution to ratify and approve the continuation of the Company's stock option plan dated for reference October 26, 2018. Passed 30,578,936 (100%) Nil (0%) 4. An ordinary resolution to adopt, ratify, and approve the continuation of the Company's deferred share unit plan dated for reference March 18, 2024. Passed 30,578,936 (100%) Nil (0%)

About RUA GOLD

RUA GOLD (CSE: RUA) is a minerals company at the forefront of the mining industry, specializing in gold exploration and discovery. With permits which have rich history dating back to the gold rush in the late 1800's, RUA GOLD has successfully combined traditional prospecting practices with modern technologies to uncover and capitalize on valuable gold deposits.

The Company is committed to responsible and sustainable exploration, which is evident in it's professional planning and execution, ensuring minimal environmental impact and with the aim of executing on these projects with the key stakeholders in mind. RUA GOLD has a highly skilled team of New Zealand professionals who possess extensive knowledge and experience in geology, geochemistry, and geophysical exploration technology.

Option Grant

On the appointment of Tyron Breytenbach, the Company granted Options to purchase up to an aggregate of 1,500,000 Company Shares of the Company. Each Option is exercisable into one Company Share at an exercise price of $0.175 per Company Share for five years following the date of grant. All Options were granted in accordance with the Stock Option Plan.

New Investor Relations agreements

Junior Mining Network LLC

On April 8, 2024, the Company entered into an advertising agreement with Junior Mining Network LLC ("Junior Mining") for total cash consideration of CAD $20,000. The term of Junior Mining's engagement is one (1) year. Pursuant to the terms of this engagement, Junior Mining will provide news release dissemination and will feature the Company on its website (www.juniorminingnetwork.com). Junior Mining's business is located at 600 Inwood Avenue N. Suite 130, St. Paul, Minnesota 55128 and can be reached at 763-200-1386 or support@juniorminingnetwork.com. Junior Mining and its principals are arm's length from the Company and do not have any interest, direct or indirect, in the Company or its securities nor do they have any right to acquire such an interest.

NAI Interactive Ltd.

On April 4, 2024, the Company also entered into a marketing agreement with NAI Interactive Ltd. ("NAI") for a total cash consideration of CAD $8,400 plus applicable taxes, paid up front, for a six-month period commencing on April 29th, 2024. Pursuant to the terms of this agreement, NAI will provide the Company with certain investor relations communications services, such as email marketing and CEO interviews. NAI's business is located at 2209 - 1111 Alberni Street Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 4V2 and can be reached at 604-488- 8878 or info@nai500.com. NAI and its principals are arm's length from the Company and do not have any interest, direct or indirect, in the Company or its securities nor do they have any right or intent to acquire such an interest.

Gold Standard Media, LLC

On April 15, 2024, the Company entered into an advertising agreement with Gold Standard Media LLC ("Gold Standard") for total cash consideration of CAD $284,000, which is payable on April 19, 2024. Gold Standard has agreed to provide the Company with its services to create landing pages and provide digital marketing, email marketing and influencer marketing services. Gold Standard will provide its services for a period of 90 days commencing on April 22, 2024. Gold Standard and its principals are arm's length from the Company and hold 3,247,614 common shares in the Company. Gold Standard's business is located at 723 W, University Ave., #110-283 Georgetown, TX 78626. Gold Standard can be reached by telephone at (626) 733-3678 or by email at Kennethameduri@gmail.com.

Investing News Network

On April 16, 2024, the Company entered into an advertising campaign agreement with Dig Media Inc. dba Investing News Network ("INN") for total cash consideration of CAD $57,000 plus GST. INN is a private company headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, dedicated to providing advertising services since 2007 at www.investingnews.com. The term of INN's engagement is 12 months and shall commence no later than May 16, 2024. INN will provide advertising on its website to increase awareness of the Company. INN and its principals are arm's length from the Company and do not have any interest, direct or indirect, in the Company or its securities nor do they have any right to acquire such an interest. INN's business is located at 736 Granville Street -Suite 1200 Vancouver, BC Canada and can be reached at 604-688-8231 or info@investingnews.com.

For further information, please refer to the Company's disclosure record on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

/s/ "Robert Eckford"

Robert Eckford, Chief Executive Officer and Director

SOURCE Rua Gold Inc.
Victoria, April 17, 2024 - GoldON Resources Ltd. (TSXV: GLD) ("GoldON" or the "Company") is arranging a non-brokered private placement financing with qualified investors of up to 8,000,000 units (the "Units") for maximum gross proceeds of $400,000 (the "Offering").

The Units will be priced at $0.05 and consist of one common share and one non-transferable share purchase warrant that will entitle the holder to purchase one additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.10 per share for two years from the closing date of the Offering.

The Company will use the proceeds of the Offering to fund work at its 100%-owned West Madsen Gold Property and for general working capital purposes. Completion of this Offering is subject to TSX Venture Exchange acceptance.

About GoldON Resources Ltd.

GoldON is a mineral exploration company focused on discovery-stage properties. Our goal with a property is to add value by defining (or redefining) the exploration opportunity, maintain ownership control during the value creation phase of discovery, and then source a well-financed partner capable of accelerating discovery, resource definition, and development.

For more information, you can visit our website at goldonresources.com, download our investor presentation by clicking here, and follow us on X at https://twitter.com/GoldONResources.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Signed "Michael Romanik"

Michael Romanik, President

GoldON Resources Ltd.

Direct line: (204) 724-0613

Email: info@goldonresources.com

179 - 2945 Jacklin Road, Suite 416

Victoria, BC, V9B 6J9

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain "forward-looking statements" that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this news release and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/205923
VANCOUVER, April 17, 2024 - Rusoro Mining Ltd. (TSXV: RML) (the "Company" or "Rusoro"), is pleased to announce it has retained Rothschild & Co as its financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis LLP, along with existing counsel DLA Piper LLP, as its legal counsel to assist the Company in the maximization of the value of its U.S. Judgement in the PDVSA sale process or otherwise. Muse, Stancil & Co. and S&P Global Inc. have also been engaged for due diligence on CITGO.

The principal business activities of Rusoro was the acquisition, exploration, development, and operation of gold mineral properties. Since Venezuela expropriated our assets in Venezuela in 2012 the Company has been focused on the recovery of our Arbitration Award.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Andre Agapov"

Andre Agapov, President & CEO

604-609-6110

Forward-looking statements:

"This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. This information and statements address future activities, events, plans, developments and projections. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information and statements are frequently identified by words such as "may," "will," "should," "anticipate," "plan," "expect," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and similar terminology, and reflect assumptions, estimates, opinions and analysis made by management of Rusoro Mining Ltd. in light of its experience, current conditions, expectations of future developments and other factors which it believes to be reasonable and relevant. Forward-looking information and statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause Rusoro's actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information and statements and accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed thereon.

Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to vary include but are not limited to the availability of financing; fluctuations in commodity prices; changes to and compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including environmental laws and obtaining requisite permits; political, economic and other risks; as well as other risks and uncertainties which are more fully described in our annual and quarterly Management's Discussion and Analysis and in other filings made by us with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedarplus.ca. Rusoro Mining Ltd. disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements except as may be required."

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Rusoro Mining Ltd.
LONDON, April 18, 2024 - Abitibi Metals Corp. (CSE: AMQ) (OTCQB: AMQFF) (FSE: FW0) ("Abitibi" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its technical team has completed its first comprehensive 3D geological model for the B26 Polymetallic Deposit ("B26", the "Project" or the "Deposit"). On November 16th, 2023, the Company entered into an option agreement on the B26 Polymetallic Deposit to earn 80% over 7 years from SOQUEM Inc. ("SOQUEM"), a subsidiary of Investissement Quebec (see news release dated November 16, 2023).

The new 3D geological model represents a fundamental evolution in the understanding of the geological controls of mineralization within the B26 Deposit and is expected to enhance confidence in mineral potential evaluation and refine drill planning initiatives currently underway.

3D Model Highlights:

The footprint of the deposit extends along a strike length of 1.6 km by 0.8 km at depth, occupying a corridor of approximately 150 metres in width.

Made up of three historical zones 1 :

Feeder Cu Zone 1 :

3.71 Mt @ 2.01% Cu, 0.1% Zn, 0.87 g/t Au, and 7 g/t Ag (indicated) 4.23 Mt @ 2.10% Cu, 0.4% Zn, 1.03 g/t Au, and 7 g/t Ag (inferred) Horizon Zn 1 : 2.24 Mt @ 4.98% Zn, 0.24% Cu, 99 g/t Ag, and 0.09 g/t Au (indicated) Remobilized Ag-Zn 1 : 0.81 Mt @ 3.02% Zn, 0.01% Cu, 138 g/t Ag, and 0.07 g/t Au (indicated)

: Abitibi's technical model was prepared using Oasis montaj software by applying a kriging tool. Multiple assumptions were tested to find the best orientation to grade shells using 0.2 g/t gold, 0.3% copper and 5 g/t silver respectively. The exercise was validated using both sections and plans with drill results. The illustrative summary was later created in Leapfrog, as highlighted in Figures 1 to 6 below.

From Abitibi's technical team's review of the database and modeling work to date, the following observations have been made:

Individual element: Each element (Cu, Au, Ag, Zn) was broken down during the modeling process to better understand the trends within the deposit. Plunge: Overall, the copper-gold system representing the main volume of the deposit is plunging to the west along a 40 to 50-degree trend with a 70-degree dip. The confirmed zinc-rich VMS lens marking the southern contact of the mineralized system follows a stronger plunge between 50 and 70 degrees to the west. Lithological and Structural Controls: Ongoing modelling puts in relation the porphyritic rhyolite dome, sills, and dykes complex with the bulk of the copper-gold mineralization. Geophysics: To improve the property-wide target model, a mag inversion along the B26 corridor and property-wide gravity survey will commence shortly. Expansion Potential: Through the Oasis montaj grade modeling, section-to-section interpretation, and Phase 1 drilling observations, the Company has identified high-priority expansion targets and trends within and outside the main deposit area that will be drilled in Q2 and Q3. The Company is finalizing these targets, which will be outlined in subsequent releases.

Our Phase 1 drilling was designed to improve and expand the model by:

North Bedrock / Open Pit: To evaluate the open pit potential and potential up-dip near-surface extensions of the main deposit to the north. This testing is distributed over a 1.2-kilometre strike length. Infill Gaps: Previous drill coverage was done using 50-metre centers; infill drilling was targeted to better define high-grade and higher metal factor trends. This will assist in better-defining targets at depth for drilling throughout the remainder of the year. Strike Expansion: Drilling has been targeted to expand the strike extent of the deposit at both the Satellite West and Eastern Extension targets.



Jonathon Deluce, CEO of Abitibi Metals, commented, "We are excited to highlight our new 3D model of the B26 Deposit, which showcases its size, scale and growth potential. There are few polymetallic opportunities of this grade and size within Canada and we believe these will be highly sought after as this commodity and precious metals market continues to break out. We will continue to refine the model as we receive results and provide updates to the market. We are still awaiting assays from over 30 holes from our phase 1 drill program, which we look forward to announcing over the coming weeks."

Highlights from the Phase 1 Program to-date include:

B26 Main Deposit: 36 holes have been completed, totalling 10,469.5 metres, to evaluate the open pit potential and potential up-dip near-surface extensions of the main deposit to the north and infill gaps in the model.

Satellite West: 5 holes have been completed, totalling 1,716 metres, targeting the geometric continuity of a potential satellite zone 500 metres to the west of the Main Deposit.

Eastern Extension: 3 holes have been completed, totalling 1,317 metres, targeting the expansion of the main deposit to the east where 2.45% Cu Eq over 26.7 metres, including 4.74% CuEq over 11.7 metres (1274-14-167) was intercepted in historical drilling.

#1274-24-293 and #1274-24-294: Tested the geometry and validating (infill & extension) mineralization within the Main Deposit, #293 and #294 supported the Company's thesis of B26 having near-surface potential with #293 returning 2.6% CuEq over 37.0 metres beginning at 106 metres depth, including 6.3% CuEq over 10.6 metres, and #294 returning 2.5% CuEq over 61.3 metres beginning at 128.6 metres depth, including 11.4% CuEq over 10.6 metres.

#1274-24-300 and #1274-23-301: Were planned to infill a central cluster of chalcopyrite stringer and quartz veining cross-cutting historical down dip holes 1274-16-238 and 1274-16-240. The two holes are separated laterally by about 150 metres. #301 intercepted 1.47 % CuEq over 97.5 metres started under the bedrock contact from 30.5 to 128 metres downhole, representing an estimated true thickness. #300 intercepted a shorter higher-grade interval of 5.35% CuEq over 8.1 metres from 251.45 to 259.6 metres, which also contained 1.1 g/t Au.

#1274-24-335 and 1274-24-334: were designed to test the continuity of a potential satellite zone 500 metres to the west of the main deposit. Drill hole 1274-24-335 highlighted indications of a strong VMS system with local sphalerite bands and stringers with accessory chalcopyrite hosted in chert tuff. The best interval obtained from #335 with 1.05% CuEq over 8.6 metres followed by lower-grade mineralized intervals of 0.49% CuEq and 0.82% CuEq over 7.55 metres and 6.4 metres, respectively. The Company is still waiting on additional assays from #1274-24-335, and the complete hole will be reported in the next results release.

Assays from 33 holes remain pending.

Qualified Person

Information contained in this press release was reviewed and approved by Martin Demers, P.Geo., OGQ No. 770, who is a qualified person as defined under National Instrument 43-101, and responsible for the technical information provided in this news release.

Abitibi Metals Corp. is a Quebec-focused mineral acquisition and exploration company focused on the development of quality base and precious metal properties that are drill-ready with high-upside and expansion potential. Abitibi's portfolio of strategic properties provides target-rich diversification and includes the option to earn 80% of the high-grade B26 Polymetallic Deposit, which hosts a historical resource estimate1 of 7.0MT @ 2.94% Cu Eq (Ind) & 4.4MT @ 2.97% Cu Eq (Inf), and the Beschefer Gold Project, where historical drilling has identified 4 historical intercepts with a metal factor of over 100 g/t gold highlighted by 55.63 g/t gold over 5.57 metres and 13.07 g/t gold over 8.75 metres amongst four modelled zones.

About SOQUEM:

SOQUEM, a subsidiary of Investissement Quebec, is dedicated to promoting the exploration, discovery and development of mining properties in Quebec. SOQUEM also contributes to maintaining strong local economies. Proud partner and ambassador for the development of Quebec's mineral wealth, SOQUEM relies on innovation, research and strategic minerals to be well-positioned for the future.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Jonathon Deluce, Chief Executive Officer

The Company also maintains an active presence on various social media platforms to keep stakeholders and the general public informed and encourages shareholders and interested parties to follow and engage with the Company through the following channels to stay updated with the latest news, industry insights, and corporate announcements:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AbitibiMetals

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/abitibi-metals-corp-amq-c/

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Note 1: A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. The issuer is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. Source: Rapport Technique NI 43-101 Estimation des Ressources Projet B26, Quebec, For SOQUEM Inc., By SGS Canada Inc., Yann Camus, ing., Olivier Vadnais-Leblanc, geo., SGS Canada - Geostat., Effective Date: April 18, 2018, Date of Report : May 11, 2018

Note 2: Copper Equivalent values were calculated using metal prices of $4.00/lb Cu, $1.50/lb Zn, $20.00/ounce Ag and $1,800/ounce Au. Metal recoveries of 100% are applied in the copper equivalent calculation. The application of a copper equivalent is a comparison measure used to level variable metal ratios. Results are not related to the recoveries and by virtue of the value of a mining production.

Note 3 - Sources:

Fayard, Q, Mercier-Langevin, P., Wodicka, N., Daigneault, R., & Perreault, S. (2020). The B26 Cu-Zn-Ag-Au Project, Brouillan Volcanic Complex, Abitibi Greenstone Belt, Part 1: Geological Setting and Geochronology.

Fayard, Q. (2020). CONTROLES VOLCANIQUES, HYDROTHERMAUX ET STRUCTURAUX SUR LA NATURE ET LA DISTRIBUTION DES METAUX USUELS ET PRECIEUX DANS LES ZONES MINERALISEES DU PROJET B26, COMPLEXE VOLCANIQUE DE BROUILLAN, ABITIBI, QUEBEC.

Forward-looking statement:

This news release contains certain statements, which may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information involves statements that are not based on historical information but rather relate to future operations, strategies, financial results or other developments on the B26 Project or otherwise. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions, which are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the Company's control and many of which, regarding future business decisions, are subject to change. These uncertainties and contingencies can affect actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on the Company's behalf. Although Abitibi has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. All factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on Abitibi's forward-looking information. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects," "estimates," "anticipates," or variations of such words and phrases (including negative and grammatical variations) or statements that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "might" or "occur. Mineral exploration and development are highly speculative and are characterized by a number of significant inherent risks, which may result in the inability of the Company to successfully develop current or proposed projects for commercial, technical, political, regulatory or financial reasons, or if successfully developed, may not remain economically viable for their mine life owing to any of the foregoing reasons, among others. There is no assurance that the Company will be successful in achieving commercial mineral production and the likelihood of success must be considered in light of the stage of operations.

SOURCE Abitibi Metals Corp.
NW China's Xinjiang becomes frontier of opening up

People's Daily Online) 14:17, April 18, 2024

Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has been transformed from a relatively closed inland region to a frontier of opening up in recent years.

The region's total imports and exports surged 51.4 percent year on year to 63.69 billion yuan (about $8.8 billion) in the first two months of this year. Xinjiang's foreign trade achieved double-digit growth in monthly imports and exports for 28 consecutive months.

Ports in Xinjiang are becoming more thriving. Alashankou, a major port also known as Alataw Pass, has seen over 30,000 China-Europe freight trains pass through, covering 25 Chinese provinces and regions, and 21 countries.

As of March 1, over 20,000 commercial vehicles had been exported through the Horgos highway port this year, a remarkable surge of 381 percent year on year. In 2023, the commercial vehicle export volume via Horgos reached 304,000, an increase of 307.5 percent year on year.

At the unveiling ceremony of the Kashgar Area of China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone in Kashgar prefecture in November 2023, the first group of 35 companies received business licenses with project funds worth more than 17.6 billion yuan. In the January-February period this year, Kashgar engaged in trade with 175 countries and regions worldwide, with its total imports and exports soaring 90 percent year on year to 17.06 billion yuan.

Going to Europe via Alashankou is the international trade channel with the shortest distance, takes the least time and has the lowest freight cost on the Silk Road," said Li Jianglin, executive deputy mayor of Alashankou city.

 Travelers heading abroad get on a passenger bus at the Khunjerab Pass, a land port in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

 Photo shows the Silk Road Cultural Commodity City of the China-Kazakhstan border trade zone at the Baketu Port, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Gou Lifeng)

 Photo shows vehicles about to be exported via the Horgos road port, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

 Photo shows the comprehensive bonded zone in Kashgar prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

In 2023, the Alashankou port handled 6,635 China-Europe freight train trips, a year-on-year increase of 6.8 percent, with the shipment volume reaching 14.07 million tonnes, up 17.5 percent from the previous year, ranking first among all railway ports in Xinjiang.

Chen Qian, secretary of the Communist Youth League of Alataw Pass border station of China Railway Urumqi Group Group Co., Ltd., said the border station has put into operation a series of infrastructure projects in recent years, including 94 broad-gauge and standard-gauge rail lines and a bulk-grain rail line.

With the continuous advancement of construction projects, the throughput capacity of the Alashankou railway port is expected to increase from 20 million tonnes to 40 million tonnes in the near future, and will reach 60 million tonnes in the long term, Chen added.

Alashankou has introduced an efficient "24/7" appointment-based customs clearance mechanism, minimizing the time needed for customs clearance.

Currently, the Alashankou port and the Horgos railway port have handled more than 70,000 China-Europe freight trains since the start of their operations.

The Alashankou port has 115 operating routes for freight trains, providing connections to 25 countries and regions. The Horgos railway port offers 80 operating routes, linking 45 cities and regions across 18 countries. More than 200 different categories of goods are transported through these two ports.

Since the beginning of this year, Kashgar prefecture has launched several new air cargo routes to Moscow, capital of Russia and Bournemouth, UK, among others. In the January-February period, the total value of Kashgar's imports and exports via air routes jumped 119.6 percent.

Smooth trade channels in Xinjiang have facilitated the thriving development of various industries.

For instance, Alashankou has attracted 14 leading grain and oil processing companies and over 100 foreign trade companies. It is actively developing its grain and oil storage and processing industries, and accelerating the formation of a complete industrial chain covering production, supply, and sales.

The Alashankou Comprehensive Bonded Zone has brought together 813 enterprises, forming five clusters of distinctive industries with competitive edges, i.e. imported grain processing, timber processing, export equipment manufacturing, medical materials, and cross-border e-commerce.

In recent years, the import and export trade volume of the comprehensive bonded zone in Kashgar prefecture has seen a significant increase, driving the development of trade and logistics, processing of electronic appliances, food processing, textile and garment, and precious metal processing.

In the first two months of this year, the exports of new products represented by lithium-ion batteries, photovoltaic products, and electric vehicles in Kashgar prefecture skyrocketed 396.7 percent, while the exports of traditional products represented by household appliances, automatic data processing equipment, and mobile phones grew 80.9 percent, said Wang Xiping, director of the comprehensive business division of Kashgar Customs.

The rapid growth of new product exports precisely mirrors the accelerated foreign trade upgrading in the prefecture, Wang added.

To support the development of cross-border e-commerce and leverage the advantages of the Alashankou port and the Alashankou Comprehensive Bonded Zone, Alashankou has established a 28,000-square-meter sorting and customs clearance center for cross-border e-commerce. Local authorities have implemented an efficient and fast customs clearance process, prioritizing the declaration, sealing, and inspection of cross-border e-commerce goods.

"We have pioneered an innovative 'slow air transportation' model, enabling exported goods to reach Europe within 12 to 18 days. Its cost is only one-fifth of regular air transportation and the service takes one-sixth of the time taken by sea transportation," said Zhou Chong, deputy director of the management committee of the Alashankou Comprehensive Bonded Zone. At present, Alashankou has provided services to 508,000 e-commerce enterprises.

In addition to numerous cross-border e-commerce enterprises, shopaholics also have a fantastic destination in Horgosthe China-Kazakhstan Horgos International Border Cooperation Center. Spanning an area of 3.43 square kilometers on the Chinese side and 2.17 square kilometers on the Kazakh side, this center offers visitors 30 days of visa-free cross-border use of the facility.

When entering into the Chinese territory from the center, each visitor is allowed to carry 8,000 yuan worth of duty-free goods per day. The center received 4.18 million tourist visits in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 4.27 times.

As Xinjiang opens itself ever wider to the world, ports in the region are thriving, with foreign trade continuously maintaining a high growth rate, providing important support for the construction of the core area for the Belt and Road Initiative, said Hao Weiming, chief of Urumqi Customs.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
As new Kimi tests F1, Raikkonen's son also on F1 road

As a 'new Kimi' makes his way to Formula 1, there seems little doubt that a 'new Raikkonen' also seems destined for the top category of motor racing.

Kimi Antonelli, Austria test 2024

 Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.

At the Red Bull Ring in Austria this week, Andrea 'Kimi' Antonelli - a teenage protege of Toto Wolff who is in the running for Lewis Hamilton's race seat in 2025 - got his first taste of F1 machinery.

The Italian, whose nickname is a tribute to 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen, he was at the wheel of the title-winning 2021 Mercedes, declaring afterwards: I loved every second of it.

Even younger than this 'new Kimi', however, is 'Raikkonen junior' - 9-year-old Robin Raikkonen, the son of the famous former Ferrari and McLaren driver.

Young Robin is already well on the way in his international karting journey.

I think Kimi (Raikkonen) is proceeding very sensibly with Robin, family friend and racing driver Toni Vilander, now a F1 pundit for Viaplay, told Iltalehti newpaper.

Compared to our day, the biggest change is that everything happens at a much younger age, he said. "By the age of 10, you already need experience in Italy now.

The family is doing everything very cleverly. They post Robin's results a little later, so that not everyone knows what they're doing.

Former Finnish Formula 1 driver Mika Salo thinks Robin is likely to be on the F1 grid some day.

Obviously we have to remember that he's still a child, said the former Ferrari and Toyota driver, "so it's completely premature to predict what will happen in the future.

But I've calculated that the entire journey from karting to Formula 1 costs about 10 million euros. And as we know, Kimi has money but also exceptionally strong contacts and an excellent reputation.

Indeed, the very young Raikkonen already drives for the CRG team - famous in motor racing circles for also once housing Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

(GMM)
Newey's mystery visit to Italy solved

The mystery about Adrian Newey's recent visit to Italy has been solved.

Adrian Newey, Saudi Arabian GP 2024

 Red Bull

Amid swirling rumours surrounding the Red Bull power struggle, the sighting of F1's most revered designer at Bologna airport - just an hour from Maranello - set tongues wagging.

But according to Italy's Formula Passion, the 65-year-old was not in town to meet for talks with Ferrari.

Instead, he treated himself to a day on the track at Mugello , the report revealed.

Mugello is owned by Ferrari, but Newey was there in Red Bull Racing team overalls for a track day with KR Motorsports - where he got behind the wheel of various performance and GT cars.

Red Bull's chief technical officer is now expected to be in Shanghai for the Chinese GP.

My top three for the sprint is Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde predicted on the DRS De Race Show podcast.

I think Leclerc is quite eager to prove himself and show what he can do and the circuit may suit him well, so yes, I expect to see him in P2.

(GMM)
Vasseur admits putting Sainz in difficult situation

Ferrari's boss admits he put Carlos Sainz in a "difficult situation" this year, but Frederic Vasseur defended the decision to bring Lewis Hamilton into the team for 2025 and beyond.

Carlos Sainz, Bahrain GP 2024

 Ferrari

At recent races, Vasseur has been reluctant to speak with the media about the on-form Sainz's looming departure and the future with seven time world champion Hamilton.

But he has now told Radio France: "Hamilton's arrival is very important for the team.

"In addition to the speed, he will bring calm to the team, experience from someone who has won a lot and an impressive track record.

We need that at Ferrari to move forward and achieve more results, Vasseur insisted. I'm also super happy because I'm convinced that Charles and Lewis will get along well.

It's been an awkward situation for Vasseur and Charles Leclerc so far this year, as the departing Spaniard Sainz has had the edge on the sister car.

Still speaking about Hamilton's 2025 arrival in red, Vasseur said: "It will help Charles as a driver.

Then it will not just be about performance in the car during qualifying or the race, but also about the total picture - so 365 days a year. And I think Lewis is an absolute master in this.

However, he also hails Sainz for handling the situation well, as he currently pushes to catch the front-running Red Bulls whilst also searching for a new team for 2025 and beyond.

Since the beginning of this year, they have known how to keep playing the team game, said Vasseur, "even though Carlos is in a difficult situation.

They did that very well in Australia, he explained. "And in Japan we also asked them to switch positions because they were on different strategies.

That radio message lasted no longer than a quarter of a second and did not cause any discussions. We need that peace.

(GMM)
Scenes from Flamingo East. Photo: Courtesy Flamingo East

For New Yorks anniversary, we are celebrating the history of the citys restaurants with a series of posts throughout the month. Read all of our Who Ate Where stories here.

In January 1999, I was 23 and living in a sixth-floor walk-up on Pitt Street (then the most aptly named street in lower Manhattan). To pay the rent, I waited tables four nights a week at Flamingo East on Second Avenue and East 13th Street. The restaurant had made a splash when it opened a decade earlier (and even was name-dropped in American Psycho). Much of the hype was thanks to its lanky, handsome, and surprisingly gentle owner, Darrell Maupin, who had risen through the ranks of the Odeon (as a waiter), Indochine (maitre d), and Canal Bar (manager). Many customers assumed the name was a winking homage to Flamingo, the legendary gay 1970s disco in Soho. In truth, Darrell had merely kept the name of the tacky previous tenant, which helped with the liquor license.

To enter, you wended through a giant mesh net to reach a low-ceilinged ground-floor dining room. The aesthetic was moody, futuristic Art Deco, lit like a tropical aquarium. The floor was a checkerboard, the banquettes gray leather, and purple lights lit the concrete columns. Upstairs, on what must have once been the parlor floor, was a cocktail bar with high ceilings embellished with the original molding of angels and cherubs. It was actually a mini dance club masquerading as a bar owing to New Yorks strict cabaret laws. (No dancing, although by the restaurants last order, the ceiling pounded with the force of a full-blown dance party upstairs.) The menu reflected the eras obsession with Asian fusion  spring rolls and fried-calamari appetizers battling more classic French entrees like duck confit. (The chef, Jacqueline Frazer, had been the first female executive sous-chef at New Yorks St. Regis but had also weathered a tenure as Leona Helmsleys personal chef.) The food was delicious, perhaps even excellent (what did I know, I was 23). Still, I got the impression that Darrell thought of the whole establishment as a renegade art project: Street artist Curtis Cuffie would often turn up for the five oclock staff dinner years after exhibiting some of his sculptures in the upstairs lounge. The year I moved to the city, in 1996, a promoter named Fancy and an ill-fated feather-haired DJ named Penelope Tuesdae threw a dance party on Sunday nights called 999999s. Three years later, as I was waiting tables, Kiki & Herb performed their cabaret act upstairs. Popular gay nights like Chip Ducketts Pop Rocks! and Gant Johnsons Salon Wednesdays filled out the week. In the end, the success of Flamingo East as a club sucked the air out of the restaurant, which often served as a waiting room for the likes of Kate Moss (the night I served her, she only ordered water) and Marc Jacobs.

Darrell shouldnt have hired me. I had zero experience working in high-end restaurants. The previous summer, I had served at a 24-hour Israeli dive on St. Marks Place, mostly serving keyed-up club kids plates of tabouli during the graveyard shift (the bathroom had red lighting to prevent junkies from finding a vein when shooting up and consequently passing out on the toilet with the door locked). I did not know how to select the best wine or, for that matter, open it without clamping it between my thighs and yanking violently on the cork. But he had a creed: If a person came in and had something special about them but didnt know it, he would hire them. And so the staff was a tight band of weirdos: a bald, skeletal Alexander McQueen model; a talented theater actor who would go on to make his fortune as Verizons Can you hear me now? guy. The rest of the waiters were like me, poor, too in love with New York for our own good, unsure of what wed be doing in three months, hardly caring, happy to please.

By summer, I was gone, burned out on restaurant work. New York was changing rapidly. It was the last year before the new millennium, and the next wave of It restaurants was opening in former warehouses in West Chelsea. Everyone wanted cavernous spaces, open kitchens, massive crowds, Hollywood celebrities. Flamingo East closed in 2000 when Darrell was bought out by an entrepreneur who wanted to rejigger the space as a posh piano bar. Darrell had also experienced a burnout, at least on the shores of lower Manhattan. He taught English in the Bronx before moving to Mombasa, Kenya, to teach there. A few years later, he opened a successful nightclub in Tanzania before eventually returning to New York. There was a whole slew of reasons he finally let the Flamingo loose, but I like to think Darrell had been a showman of the old downtown tradition: Do it until the fun stops.
The region we now call the Levant  from the French for rising, like the sun, a nod to its placement on the eastern edge of the Mediterranean  stretches across Israel, Palestine, and Lebanon, through Syria and Jordan. It is a place of civilizations beginning, part of the so-called Fertile Crescent, home to some of mankinds earliest agricultural experiments and of current and intractable conflict. Its heartening, at a disheartening moment, to visit Huda, a new Levantine bistro in Williamsburg. Its owner, Gehad Hadidi  who in 2019 bought midtowns La Bonne Soupe, a more traditional bistro with Burgundy snails, nicoise salad, and moules frites  is of Palestinian and Syrian ancestry with a Jordanian passport; its chef, Omneyah Hassan, who previously cooked at Celestine and Pasquale Jones, is of Egyptian descent.

All over the city, there seems to be a new energy in Middle Eastern cuisine: the Palestinian kitchens of Ayat and al Badawi, the Israeli Shmone, and the Lebanese Sawa. Huda opened in the fall on a quiet corner by the BQE, just slightly off the beaten track. It has made itself at home in the neighborhood: Every time I went, the room was full and humming. The decor borrows from the start-up bistro playbook, with small wooden tables, velvet-upholstered benches, plastered walls, and dimly glowing lights, but the menu feels appreciably its own from the start. Every meal begins with a dish, unbidden, of fresh chickpeas, spring green in their edamamelike pods. To these, you might add a cocktail of mint and arak (the anise-flavored Levantine spirit similar to Greek ouzo or French pastis) or a tiny tumbler of harissa-and-olive-laced vodka  a meze served as a shot. (You can sip. We sipped.)

Hassan takes the bistro part of the assignment seriously, too, and several of the dishes could do double duty on La Bonne Soupes menu were it not for the welcome addition of some spice. What would be labeled beef tartare in Manhattan is here turned into kibbe naya, chopped raw beef tenderloin given a little textural interest by the addition of bulgur, as they do in Lebanon. Where the French swear by their simple salade de carottes rapees, Hassan dresses her tangle of grated carrots with golden raisins and a sweet-sour honey-sumac dressing and adds pita and pomegranate molasses.

Strict adherence to tradition is not the point. We have a lot of Palestinians coming in here giving us side-eye, confessed our server, because the msakhan, a Palestinian dish usually composed of roasted chicken over taboon flatbread, is here a boned, flattened branzino. The fish turns out to be a bit mild to carry the whole, even when dusted generously with sumac. But no one had that problem with the shish barak, plump, ground-beef-stuffed dumplings  Lebanese tortellini, as the menu describes them, though they are equally cousin to pierogi and the full global spectrum of dumplings  napping in a thick, creamy yogurt sauce gleaming around the edges with chile-tinted oil.

As Arabic pop plays, you may wonder why everyone doesnt throw calorie counting to the wind to serve every bowl of tortellini this way or put little grilled squid over a squidgy pile of tahini-rich hummus enlivened by a rough mince of olives and vinegar. Here and throughout, Hassan walks a fine line, balancing the pillowy and the bracing, the sweet and the sour, comfort and tension, with an acrobatic grace.

Hadidi has said his familys recipes were the starting point, but Hassan has bistrod them into something with their own sense of place. Cheap dates, a $6 amuse-bouche of medjools warmed in ghee and spicy with cinnamon and paprika, are almost too simple for restaurant food, except that my table fought over them to the last pit. Or a little dish of ice cream, fragrant with mastic and rose water, with a melting spoonful of pistachio butter on top. Theyre small gestures, good ones, maybe even hopeful. The bill arrives on a pile of stickers: Free Palestine.
The Redmi Pad Pro was unveiled for the Chinese market last week alongside the Redmi Turbo 3 smartphone, and if you've been wondering whether the tablet would make a global debut later on, the answer seems to be a resounding yes - with 5G support in some markets, even.

The Redmi Pad Pro 5G has been spotted in the Google Play Console database, with the model number 24074RPD2I which tells us it's headed to India (the "I" at the end is for India). But wait, there's more! The Google Play Console also lists the 2405CRPFDL model number, which corresponds to the variant for Latin America, and 2405CRPFDG - which is for all other global markets. Both the Latin American version and the global one are devoid of 5G support, however.

So the Redmi Pad Pro will pretty much be launched everywhere Redmi products are officially available, which is definitely good news. The international models all have 8GB of RAM (in China there's a version with 6GB as well).

The tablet comes with a 12.1" 120 Hz IPS LCD touchscreen with 600-nit peak brightness, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 SoC, 128/256GB of storage, an 8 MP rear camera, an 8 MP front-facing camera, and a 10,000 mAh battery with support for 33W wired charging. It runs Android 14 with HyperOS 1.0 on top.

In China it's also available bundled with a keyboard case and stylus, and that may also be offered internationally as well - or at least you should be able to purchase the keyboard case and stylus separately.

Via
The 3GPP Release 17 specification for 5G introduced some major upgrades  among them support for 1024 QAM, which enables higher data transfer speeds as Samsung and Qualcomm just demonstrated.

Using Samsung 5G vRAN tech running on 2.1GHz (FDD) and 3.5GHz (TDD) and a test unit with a Snapdragon X75 modem, the two companies achieved speeds of 485Mbps with 20MHz bandwidth. This is 20% higher than whats possible with the 256 QAM that is common on 5G networks today. The X75 modem is featured in the Snapdragon 8/8s Gen 3, by the way.

This is a first time in the industry this was pulled off on an FDD band (Frequency-Division Duplexing as opposed to Time-Division Duplexing).

Anyway, keep in mind that this speed was achieved with using only 20MHz and modern modems can combine multiple streams to achieve higher throughput. For example, last year the two companies demonstrated 4x downlink and 2x uplink carrier aggregation.



An overview of improvements brought by 3GPP Release 17

Samsung says that it is testing 1024 QAM in traditional RAN configurations as well and expects the technology to be commercially available by the end of this year.

Source
A former Marine, Eric Anthony Galvan, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison, followed by three years supervised release, for cybercrime.

District Court of Guam Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood sentenced Galvan, 36, on Thursday.

Galvan pleaded guilty to unauthorized access of a protected computer in federal court on Friday.

He was also indicted for one count of cyberstalking and one count of video voyeurism following a weeks worth of incidents in March 2023.

Those charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement, and Galvan faced up to five years in prison.

Galvan said he spent his life building himself into someone who acted with honor, good character and sound judgment. He earned a masters degree and spent time in the U.S. Marines before an honorable discharge.

His wife at the time was a doctor, in residency at a Florida hospital.

He was a stay-at-home dad who raised their daughter while mom spent resident hours at work, and was exhausted every time she came home.

Yes, said Galvan, there were fights. They had already initiated divorce proceedings.

But he loved being a father most, so when mom and daughter moved to Guam in January 2024, Galvan followed. He got a job to pay child support, and his own place to live. He had his daughter on weekends, and she had her during the week.

In early March 2023, things got ugly. He learned his soon-to-be-ex-wife had another man in her life. Galvan accessed his estranged wifes home more than once, without her knowledge or permission. He put a tracking device on her car, took pictures of her text messages, and had a picture of her slashed tires on his phone.

On March 12, Galvan took a video of him bringing their 5-year-old daughter to her house and nudging her to the bedroom, where her mom was engaged in sexual activity. The mom later reported Galvan to the Guam Police Department before he was indicted in federal court in August 2023.

In January 2024, Galvan pleaded guilty to the unauthorized access to a protected computer, a felony.

Before Tydingco-Gatewood handed down his sentence, the judge went through the standard practice of getting input from Chief Probation Officer Jeffrey Ventura, and the Assistant U.S. Attorney assigned, Benjamin Petersburg.

Both parties recommended a prison sentence of 18 months. Tydingco-Gatewood chose a longer one

Briana Kottke, from the federal public defenders office, said her client has no criminal record, and has done everything right since his arrest and pre-trial detention.

She suggested a probation-only term, which would allow him to continue employment while nurturing his relationship with his daughter.

Tydingco-Gatewood commended Galvan for being a model detainee. She said that she took many things into consideration, including his service, education, clean criminal record and felt he was genuinely sorry.

She also read from a letter sent by his now ex-wife, who said she is still scared, and recommended Galvan serve between one and two years in prison.

The judge said she had to respect the victims wishes. Tydingco-Gatewood said she could still feel the victims fear while reading her words.

The judge reminded Galvan that what he did was horrible, and he nodded. He said his life as he knew it was obliterated when he gave in to emotions last year, and he is truly sorry.

When Galvan addressed the court, he reiterated that his only focus in life now was to build his relationship with his daughter.

Tydingco-Gatewood said he would still have time to do that upon his release from prison in two years.

Through Kottke, Galvan requested that he serve his sentence in San Pedro, California.

Although he could have self-surrendered to U.S. marshals in a week or two, Galvan asked to be remanded to their custody immediately. As Kottke stated, the earlier he starts his sentence, the earlier hell finish.

Galvan will also get credit for some jail time served.
Joshua Keith Terlaje said that for the first time in 15 to 20 years, he is drug free.

The family that would have ostracized him five years ago, he said, now stands in support of him. He has been clean for six months, he said, adding that he has no intention of doing drugs again.

His plea for leniency was echoed by his defense attorney Patrick Civille, as well as in a dozen letters from family members and co-workers attesting to the positive change they've seen in Terlaje since his 2021 arrest for illegally possessing a shotgun as a felon.

Those pleas, though impassioned, were ultimately ineffective on Wednesday in the District Court of Guam.

Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood sentenced Terlaje to 10 months in federal prison with three years supervised release.

The firearm possession charge stems from a hunting incident in March 2021. Local conservation officers found Terlaje and another man illegally hunting.

Terlaje, who has four convictions in the Superior Court of Guam dating back a decade  three misdemeanors and one felony burglary conviction in 2015  was not charged in federal court until early 2023.

Court documents indicate he had been cooperating with federal authorities since before his indictment, in exchange for leniency.

Prosecutor and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Leon Guerrero, representing the government in Terlaje's case, recommended a sentence of 10 months in prison, with 83 days credit for time already served.

Terlaje declined to comment following his sentencing. He will self-surrender when told to come in by the U.S. Marshals.

Terlaje originally faced a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to five years of probation and up to three years supervised release, as well as a fine of up to $250,000.

Civille told the judge that while grateful for the 10-month term, he also pointed out to Tydingco-Gatewood that she had the authority to go outside the sentencing guidelines and proposed terms that would allow him to continue his job as a laborer for the Department of Parks and Recreation during the day, and report back to the Department of Corrections after work.

Chief U.S. Probation Officer Jeffrey Ventura also told the judge she had the discretion to split the sentence, meaning five months of house arrest and five months in prison, less 83 days for time served.

Tydingco-Gatewood asked Ventura what he thought about Civille's suggestion to have him work during the day and report to jail at night.

"No," said Ventura.

"No," agreed Leon Guerrero.

Tydingco-Gatewood said she wished Terlaje good luck, and encouraged Terlaje to continue to show his ability to pay his debt to society, and also show his family that he is finally free from drugs.

Terlaje is the son of the late and former senator Jose "Pedo" Terlaje.
Thank a lineman today.

That's from the Guam Power Authority, which invites the community to join the observance of National Lineman Appreciation Day on April 18.

Or use the hashtag #ThankALineman or #ThankaGPALineman on social media to show your support for the men and women who help keep Guam energized, GPA said in a press release.

Each year, Guam participates in the national day of recognition to honor the skilled GPA linemen who work daily to "keep the island powered and safe."

Linemen are responsible for many critical tasks. On any given day, linemen are assessing the conditions of power lines, repairing damaged lines and transformers, connecting new service lines to homes and businesses, and restoring lost power connections.

"Each year, we look forward to April 18 to recognize our GPA Linemen who work daily in high-risk situations to keep our island powered. Our GPA Linemen, with support of our partner crews from the CNMI, Pohnpei, and Snohomish PUD, played a vital role in post-Typhoon Mawar recovery, and on National Lineman Appreciation Day, we extend our utmost gratitude for their hard work. We thank our GPA crews for their unwavering dedication to GPAs mission of providing reliable and resilient power for Guam," GPA General Manager John M. Benavente said in a statement.

Linemen work to maintain Guams energy infrastructure and keep electricity flowing into villages, homes, schools, and businesses. They perform ongoing maintenance work in the villages to trim trees that may become risks to power lines if they fall.

Benavente noted that throughout the nation and on Guam, linemen are first responders during storms and other catastrophic events who work to make the scene safe for other public safety heroes.

"Our Linemen are our first responders at GPA. This means that when there are emergency situations, such as downed power lines or poles due to weather-related issues or accidents, we call on them to assess the situation and ensure our community is safe," Benavente said. "They help us to prepare for storms and are the first to be deployed after a storm to swiftly repair any damages to lines so other first responders can safely navigate the streets."

Linemen are skilled electricians who work with thousands of volts of electricity high above and below the ground and respond to calls of downed power lines 24 hours a day.

GPA said linemen often work under dangerous conditions to construct and maintain the energy infrastructure of Guam while putting their lives on the line, which is why safety is of utmost priority at GPA.

"A Linemans job centers on installing, replacing, repairing, and protecting power lines," GPA said.

Developing a technical workforce

Jennifer G. Sablan, GPA assistant general manager of operations, said GPAs apprenticeship program is a proven training ground to develop quality and highly skilled employees to fill the technical workforce needed at the agency.

"Under the guidance of seasoned mentors in the Operations division, our apprentices gain hands-on experience, valuable knowledge, learn necessary job skills, and receive their national certification as journeymen. Graduates of the program are trained as substation electricians, relay technicians, and line electricians," Sablan said. "Our recent graduates gained significant skill-building during Typhoon Mawar, which has made our team even stronger.

To date, GPA graduated five cycles of apprentices, 16 in the fifth cycle, and will graduate its sixth cohort by the end of 2024.

The seventh cycle is slated to begin this year. GPA receives hundreds of applications each year for this apprenticeship program, which takes three to four years to complete before they become GPA employees.

Jesse Cruz, GPA power system superintendent, who has worked for GPA for 29 years and was an apprentice during the first cycle, noted that GPA now has 51 linemen on its team.

"Each day, our crews understand that our mission is to keep the energy flowing throughout the island and keeping each other safe on the job. We are a very tight-knit group that has learned, trained, and worked together during some of the harshest conditions," Cruz said. "We serve our community with pride, and the thanks we receive from our customers after we connect their new line or fix an issue are rewarding for us.

Benavente said the job of a lineman is "dangerous and complex, but theyre also the smiling faces youll see when you install new service to your homes and businesses and in the community educating about line safety and energy conservation."

"Join me in thanking a Lineman today and be sure to say hello when theyre working in your villages," Benavente said.
Much like the question of whether a roast beef or shrimp poboy is best, the origin of the sandwichs name is up for debate.

The prevailing theory belongs to the late Michael Mizell-Nelson, a New Orleans streetcar historian who spent 12 years researching the origin of the sub. It turns out the history of the sandwich is intertwined with the citys preferred method of public transport.

In 1929, streetcar workers went on strike in New Orleans. In a show of solidarity, local bakers Bennie and Clovis Martin offered free food to union members at their French Market store.

We fed those men free of charge until the strike ended, Bennie Martin wrote in a letter located by Mizell-Nelson. Whenever we saw one of the striking men coming, one of us would say, Here comes another poor boy.

The meal of choice was cheap: a loaf of bread, stuffed with meat scraps and slathered in gravy. Turns out it also was delicious.

It spread like wildfire right away, explains the cooking show Mind of a Chef. Youll have a guy with a $500 suit, rubbing elbows with a guy who could barely afford his sandwich. And theyre eating the same thing.

The history of the beloved sandwich seems to reflect the best parts of New Orleans culture: a city whose most treasured artifacts are born from the working class.

So important is the name poor boy, argue some historians, that to call the sandwich a poboy is a betrayal.

We wouldnt be so concerned about the bastardized name except that it betrays the sandwichs origin, Errol Laborde, editor of New Orleans Magazine, wrote in a 2011 column. Few foods have a name that is as descriptive of its historical and cultural past as does the poor boy, so why disguise it?

Well, there you have it. Now, the only question that remains is: Do you want your poor boy dressed?
Speak of the devil  on Thursday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis insisted that Satanists would not be running around in all our schools.

He made the announcement on April 18, as he spoke to reporters ahead of signing Florida House Bill 931 into law. It authorizes both public and charter schools to adopt policies that allow school chaplains to volunteer on campus. Its set to take effect July 1, 2024  just in time for the new school year.

But it seems the devil is in the details, as the Salem, Massachusetts-based Satanic Temple is looking to participate, with chaplains from its own After School Satan Club.

Now, some have said that if you do a school chaplain program, that somehow youre going to have Satanists running around in all our schools, DeSantis said. Were not playing those games in Florida. That is not a religion.

DeSantis went on to explain that the program doesnt qualify to participate, adding, Were going to be using common sense when it comes to this. So, you dont have to worry about that.

Not so, Lucien Greaves, cofounder of The Satanic Temple, told GulfLive.com.

This is nothing more than empty grandstanding on DeSantiss part and  assuming he has the bare minimum competence in regard to his duties to his public office  he knows it, Greaves said. There is nothing in the bill that specifically endorses or excludes one religion or another, nor could there be under any reasonable interpretation of constitutional law.

According to its website, The After School Satan Club does not believe in introducing religion into public schools, instead it exists to provide a safe and inclusive alternative to the religious clubs that use threats of eternal damnation to convert school children to their belief system.

Organizers say the program focuses on science, critical thinking, creative arts and good works for the community.

The Satanic Temple has already established its after-school cub in locations across the country, including Chimneyrock Elementary School in Cordova, Tennessee, Vista Elementary School in Taylorsville, and Truman Benedict Elementary School in San Clemente, California.

The clubs campaign director, June Everett, told the Los Angeles Times that the group will only open a club if other religious groups are operating on campus.

Ahead of passing the bill in March, Florida lawmakers debated the issue, with state Sen. Lori Berman of Boynton Beach, clarifying whether there were any prohibitions on which religions could be part of the program: Specifically, she asked, if someone was a Satanist?

In response, state Sen. Erin Grall, the bills sponsor, emphasized that the bill did not impose limitations, citing the protection of religious freedom enshrined in the First Amendment.

DeSantis is not at liberty to amend the constitution by fiat, and all he is doing is setting up school districts for failure in the courts if they take him seriously and attempt to discriminate against us, Greaves said. DeSantis just signed a bill into law that allows Satanist chaplains in Florida public schools, and his claims to the contrary are simply false.
Millions of people around the world will pause on Monday, at least for a moment, to mark Earth Day. Its an annual event founded by people who hoped to stir activism to clean up and preserve a planet that is now home to some 8 billion humans and assorted trillions of other organisms.

Here are answers to some common questions about Earth Day and how it came to be.

Why do we celebrate Earth Day?

Earth Day has its roots in growing concern over pollution in the 1960s, when author Rachel Carsons 1962 book Silent Spring, about the pesticide DDT and its damaging effects on the food chain, hit bestseller lists and raised awareness about natures delicate balance.

But it was a senator from Wisconsin, Democrat Gaylord Nelson, who had the idea that would become Earth Day. Nelson had long been concerned about the environment when a massive offshore oil spill sent millions of gallons onto the southern California coast in 1969. Nelson, after touring the spill site, had the idea of doing a national teach-in on the environment, similar to teach-ins being held on some college campuses at the time to oppose the war in Vietnam.

Nelson and others, including activist Denis Hayes, worked to expand the idea beyond college campuses, with events all around the country, and came up with the Earth Day name.

Climate activists hold a rally to protest the use of fossil fuels on Earth Day at Freedom Plaza on April 22, 2023, in Washington.Carolyn Kaster | The Associated Press File

Why was April 22 chosen for Earth Day?

A history of the movement by EarthDay.org, where Hayes remains board chair emeritus, says the date of the first Earth Day  April 22, 1970  was chosen because it fell on a weekday between spring break and final exams and the aim was to attract as many students as possible.

RELATED: H-E-B to give away free reusable bags in stores to celebrate Earth Day 2024

Is Earth Day a real holiday?

Its not a federal holiday. But many groups use the day to put together volunteer events with the environment in mind, such as cleanups of natural areas. You can see a list of events worldwide, or register your own event, at EarthDay.org.

Has Earth Day had an impact?

It has. The overwhelming public response to the first Earth Day is credited with adding pressure for the U.S. Congress to do more to address pollution, and it did, passing landmark legislation including the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. More broadly, its seen as the birth of the modern environmental movement. In later years, Earth Day expanded to become a truly global event. It now claims to have motivated action in more than 192 countries.

In 2000, Earth Day began taking aim at climate change, a problem that has grown rapidly more urgent in recent years.

Whats the theme for Earth Day this year?

This years Earth Day is focusing on the threat that plastics pose to our environment, with a call to end all single-use plastic and find replacements for their use so they can quickly be phased down.

The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.




Haiti - FLASH : Appointment of a special envoy to prepare the arrival of 2,000 Beninese soldiers





Wednesday April 17, 2024, the Beninese Council of Ministers announced the appointment of Colonel Pamphile Zomahoun (52 years old), Director of Benin's intelligence services as Benin's special envoy to Haiti as part of the next Multinational Support Mission Haiti Security (MMSS) led by Kenya, in which Benin participates voluntarily.



With this appointment, Benin takes a further step in the implementation of the project to deploy Beninese forces in Port-au-Prince and strengthens its ties with Haiti.



Even if this appointment says nothing about the terms of his Mission letter to Haiti, his first urgency will be to prepare the arrival of the 2,000 soldiers that Benin has committed to providing in support of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) in its fight against armed gangs.



These 2,000 men come mainly from the Beninese armed forces (land army, air force, navy and National Guard). It is possible that a very small number of police officers will complete the contingent.



Before leaving for Port-au-Prince, these men will benefit from additional training provided by Beninese and foreign instructors.



One still do not know the timetable for the deployment of the Mission and according to our sources the main players in the operation are preparing an imminent meeting.



The Office of the United Nations Youth Organization of Africa in Haiti-BOJNUAH, welcomes the appointment of Colonel Pamphile ZOMAHOUN as Deputy Ambassador, Special Envoy for Haiti as part of the Multinational Mission to Support the Haitian National Police (PNH) in its fight against armed gangs.



Knowing that part of the ancestral roots of Haitians come from Benin, BOJNUAH recalls the importance and primordial place of Africa in international relations and particularly for Haiti, which symbolizes one of the best representations of the African diaspora, even after centuries since crossing the Gate of No Return.



Learn more about Colonel Pamphile Zomahoun :

Born on June 1st, 1971, Pamphile Zomahoun is a gendarmerie officer (trained in Saint-Cyr and Melun, in France). He is also a former member of the National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN) and was respectively boss of the presidential escort under President Boni Yayi, and commander of the Cotonou gendarmerie group.



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Justice : Haitian authorities inform the DR about dangerous escaped fugitives





The Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (DCP) of Haiti provided the Dominican authorities with a 59-page document including the names and photos of escapees on the run (men and women) who could try to enter to the Dominican Republic to hide.



This document, which benefited from the collaboration of the Department of Prison Administration (DAP) of Haiti, emphasizes that the women escaped from Cabaret prison are dangerous and armed inmates. The majority of these escapees were imprisoned for murder, drug trafficking, kidnapping, armed robbery, possession of illegal weapons, criminal conspiracy, vehicle theft, infanticide and other crimes...



The report cites as an example Crercin Anita found guilty of kidnapping, Marie Carline of theft and criminal association, Home Nancy of criminal association; Ladouceur Guerline also for murder, Lafortune Roselaine convicted of drug trafficking and murder, Dorlus Lovely for assault, Joseph Mercilia alias "Mekou" for attempted murder, Pierre Lamercie accused of having killed a baby, Louis Danine for murder and Patric alias "Kettelie" member of the criminal gang "Tije".



In addition to women, male detainees identified as dangerous by the Haitian National Police (PNH) have links to the underground world of drug trafficking, murders, kidnappings and street violence and are, for the most part, members of gangs and criminal organizations operating in Haiti.



TB/ iciHaiti






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





Artibonite : 1,370 women and girls raped

1,370 women and girls were victims of rape at the hands of armed bandits between April 2023 and March 2024, according to the latest report from the Platform of Women Organized for the Development of Artibonite (PLAFODA). The victims were recorded in the municipalities of Verettes, Liancourt, L'Estere and Petite riviere de l'Artibonite. PLAFODA demands that measures be taken to combat organized crime in Haiti.



Phase 1 : Demolition of 183 houses completed

The first phase of the demolition operation of 183 houses near the rear wall of Toussaint Louverture international airport has ended. In a 2nd phase, the authorities plan to demolish around forty additional houses with the aim of facilitating the resumption of security activities at the airport.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42091-haiti-airport-demolition-of-183-houses-more-than-300-million-gourdes-in-compensation.html



70% drop in port activities

Jocelin Villier, Director General of the National Port Authority, on a radio station in the capital explained that the 70% drop in port activities at the port of Port-au-Prince is causing shortages of essential products. To counter these impacts, a plan to deconcentrate port activities is being developed, in order to avoid transshipment from Port-au-Prince.



Who will be the next PM ?

On the choice of the next Prime Minister : "We sent a correspondence to the 9 sectors involved in the formation of the Presidential Council inviting them to each appoint a prime minister. We asked the women's, diaspora and youth sectors to each submit 2 names to us. The constraint on Nationality to be Prime Minister has been canceled" according to a Presidential Advisor convinced that the CPT can "legally" modify the Constitution as it wishes due to the crisis...



OAVCT : Extension of the special renewal

In a press release, the Office of Insurance of Vehicles against Third Parties (OAVCT) announces the extension of the special insurance policy renewal until April 30, 2024. Remember that this special allows those who are two years or more late in payment , to pay only for one year.



Iron gates to close the streets !

To combat attacks by armed groups in the capital, several neighborhoods in the metropolitan area at the initiative of residents, double iron doors are installed in certain dead ends and even on main roads... Costing between 150,000 and 200,000 gourdes its barriers are closed at 7:00 in the evening and open at 6:00 in the morning. If bandits are reported in the area during the day, the doors are quickly closed. According to residents, since the installation of these gates, bandits no longer come to sow terror in their area.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Deputy Mayor Daniel Sazonov , who spoke at the event, highlighted the timely and crucial nature of these renovations.

In light of the current global situation, the City of Helsinki has announced a robust initiative to renovate several of its civil defense shelters over the next decade. This plan, revealed during an open house event at the recently upgraded Niemenmaki shelter, underscores the city's commitment to enhanced safety and preparedness.

"Given the global circumstances, we have accelerated the renovation of multiple shelters to ensure the safety of our citizens," said Sazonov. Following the completion of Niemenmaki's shelter, renovations are set to commence at shelters in Ita-Pasila, Karstulantie, Kulosaari, and Erottaja.

The city has allocated approximately 25 million euros for these projects as part of its 10-year investment program. An additional 500,000 euros have been earmarked for the procurement of civil defense materials this year alone.

Sazonov proudly noted Finland's ongoing commitment to national defense and civil protection. "Our allies and partners come to learn from us. Unfortunately, there is still a demand for such shelters, as civilians are currently subjected to deliberate acts of terror. We are not worried, but we are prepared," he stated.

The Niemenmaki shelter, originally built in 1964 and designed to accommodate up to 2,300 people, represents one of the smaller community shelters in Helsinki. The extensive renovations completed in March 2024 have modernized the facility, ensuring it can effectively serve the local population in times of need.

HT
Orpo on Tuesday stated on YLE A-studio that the government decided to build its effort on a 1.5-percentage-point increase in the general value-added tax rate, from 24.0 to 25.5 per cent, because it causes the least possible damage to economic and employment growth.

PRIME MINISTER Petteri Orpo (NCP) has defended the fiscal adjustment package ironed out at the newly concluded framework session.

Its effects will spread evenly across society, most evenly, he argued to the public broadcasting company.

The general value-added tax rate is applied to commodities such as clothes and petrol. While food products will continue to be taxed at the lowered rate of 14.0 per cent, the government decided to move chocolate and sweets under the general scheme in accordance with expert calls for a tax system based on health effects.

Raising the general rate is estimated to generate a billion euros in tax revenue.

With the government choosing not to make changes to the capital gains tax and to only raise the tax burden of high-income individuals moderately, the premier faced viewer questions about how the adjustment measures are distributed.

Finland is a capital-poor country, he responded to a question about the capital gains tax. We need capital. We want that capital is invested, that it doesnt flee abroad.

High-income earners are currently contributing the largest share of the tax revenue that accumulates in our common coffers. We have to find this balance, he added. The hike [on high-income earners] is modest, but itll still raise about 60 million euros.

Li Andersson, the chairperson of the Left Alliance, on Tuesday pointed out that the 60 million euros generated by the income tax hike is more than offset by the solidarity tax cut that entered into force at the beginning of the year, reducing tax revenue by about 70 million euros.

YLE on Tuesday also asked Orpo about the decision to disqualify students from the general housing allowance and reinstate the housing supplement of student financial aid, a move the government expects to reduce spending by 57 million euros. The National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL) has expressed its concern that the decision will have a significant impact on student livelihood.

This is how it goes, the premier said. Weve had to pore through all expenditures on a broad basis.

He also urged students not to rush to conclusions because the government has yet to finalise the details of the housing supplement. Its been improved from what it used to be, he promised.

Helsingin Sanomat on Wednesday highlighted that Orpo promised that students would not lose their eligibility for the housing allowance in a blog post co-authored with the student and youth wing of the National Coalition in March 2023.

The National Coalition is not about to abolish housing support for students or to move students outside the scope of the housing allowance. On the contrary, student livelihood must be taken into consideration when developing housing support, the post read.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT
Antti Lindtman , the chairperson of the Social Democrats, admitted on YLE A-studio on Wednesday that Finland has to take action to reduce its debt burden.

THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY has presented a 2.5-billion-euro fiscal adjustment package as an alternative to the spending cuts and tax hikes announced by the government on Tuesday.

He argued that the government should have taken a harder look at revenue sources such as the excise tax, dividend tax, interest expense deduction and foreign real estate companies. The opposition party, he stated, would not have embarked on a spree of spending cuts but rather approached the endeavour from a different standpoint  first by re-examining previously announced spending increases and tax decisions.

We wouldve first examined the governments spending increases and tax solutions that weaken the public economy, as has been recommended by the National Audit Office, he said.

As examples of such decisions he pointed to subsidies paid to private health care providers, the excise tax cut and the tax treatment of high-income earners. The Social Democratic Party would also be willing to adjust business subsidies and subsidies with a detrimental impact on the environment.

Its tax measures would add 1.5 billion euros and other measures another 1 billion euros to state coffers.

Lindtman viewed that the government granted special protection only to the wealthy and high-income earners in its newly concluded framework session: the tax decisions only benefit people at the high end of the income scale, he argued, the single parent of two children who works full time will lose hundreds of euros a month.

Youre cutting from low-income wage earners making less than 1,500 euros a month in gross income. The income group of cabinet ministers is getting 1,700 euros. If this is the governments understanding of inequality, I dont want to know whats the governments understanding of inequality, he slammed.

The plan was rejected as vastly insufficient by Antti Hakkanen, the minister of defence and deputy chairperson of the National Coalition. Finland wouldve really ended up on the same road as Greece, he said on A-studio.

Hakkanen declined to evaluate the equality of the measures, pointing to the difficulty of such an exercise.

Finland has 5.5 million different views on equality. We have to tailor a programme that enables the country to overcome its debt cycle. Which groups are ready to lift Finland from the mire? Can we bring debt under control, can we get the economy growing?

Also other opposition parties have criticised the outcome of the framework session, according to Helsingin Sanomat.

Annika Saarikko, the chairperson of the Centre, on Tuesday said the government seems intent on continuing to complicate the lives of families with children and erode child welfare, elderly care and health care services in many parts of Finland.

Health care costs will increase, not decrease, as a result of this, she wrote in a press release from the Centre.

The fiscal adjustment package unveiled by the government is characterised by inequality and lack of a long-term vision for a healthy economy, estimated Sofia Virta, the chairperson of the Green League. Atte Harjanne, the chairperson of the Green Parliamentary Group, viewed in turn that raising the general value-added tax rate to 25.5 per cent is in principle a sound measure to increase tax revenue.

Raising it brusquely to one of the highest levels in Europe at a time when low-income people are already facing substantial cuts will spell trouble for the daily lives of many. A VAT of 25.5 per cent suggests the government didnt have the courage to [levy] Pigouvian taxes and trim subsidies, Harjanne wrote on X.

The package trashed out at the framework session sends a catastrophic message to low-income earners, people with sicknesses, students and small entrepreneurs, commented Li Andersson, the chairperson of the Left Alliance.

Harry Harkimo of Movement Now, in turn, slammed the package for failing to spur economic growth.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT
Johnson outlines next steps in $1B broadband expansion

State Rep. Jake Johnson, R-Saluda, gestures while chairing a committee meeting.

State Rep. Jake Johnson on Wednesday announced the first steps in a plan to embark on the largest expansion of internet access in North Carolina history.

Johnson, who serves as chair of both the House Oversight Committee and the Information Technology Committee, said that North Carolina is uniquely positioned to leverage public and private dollars to make sure its citizens have access to fast and reliable internet.

The General Assembly last year allocated $350 million in Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology  GREAT grants  and $450 million in Completing Access to Broadband grants, plus $100 million to upfit broadband infrastructure on utility poles. When leveraged with private matching funds, these programs accounted for well over $1 billion in investment towards broadband accessibility, Johnson said in a news release. Now, the state in conjunction with federal and private funds, is looking at the possibility of an additional $1.5 billion investment to close the coverage gap in North Carolina.

As it stands right now, we are going to need a bill to make some minor changes in how we as a state administer broadband grants," Johnson said. "This bill will be a negotiation that includes what the federal government requires, what has worked well for our state, and what is realistic for our providers who will be making a sizable investment of private dollars. We will all have to sit down and negotiate a solution that is best for our citizens and respectful of those who are actually funding this endeavor  the taxpayers.

It is worth noting that there is still a large portion of the last round of funding that has not been allocated, and North Carolina is not the only state making a concerted effort to expand access to broadband. It is widely understood in Raleigh that time is of the essence and that other states are competing for workforce and materials to complete these projects.

I do not take for granted what a large investment this is, but if we are serious about giving our next generation the tools to succeed, I can think of no better investment to make," Johnson said. "As we look at economic development in rural areas, modernizing education and providing telehealth options to those who need it most, this is the most monumental action we can take as a community to accomplish that.

To learn more about the funding in legislation or the administration of Broadband Grants, visit https://www.ncleg.gov/ or https://www.ncbroadband.gov/.
PLANS to refurbish a former fine dining restaurant in Henley have been welcomed by town councillors.

The Grade II listed building in Market Place has been closed since Crockers closed in October 2022.

It is to become a new branch of the Italian restaurant chain Piccolino, which is due to open in June.

The Independent Group says it plans to spend 2 million renovating the building and has applied for planning permission to remove internal walls, raise floors and demolish a wooden pagoda.

The company also wants to erect a new retractable canopy in the courtyard, install bi-fold doors, repaint frontage and install a retractable awning.

The planning committee recommended approval subject to the agreement of the heritage officer at South Oxfordshire District Council, the planning authority.

The committee also welcomed maintenance work due to be carried out at the Relais Henley hotel in Hart Street.

The hotel has applied for permission to replace a timber lintel and repair brickwork as recommended by a structural engineer.

Councillor Michelle Thomas said: This looks like essential works to me and its a sign that this is a responsible proprietor of this establishment.

The committee also recommended approval of a new garage at a house in St Marks Road.

Chris Pierce wants to demolish a prefabricated single garage and build a brick-built garage with a flat roof in its place.

The garage would have a roller shutter door at the front and a patio door at the back.

Cllr Thomas said she was concerned the garage might be used as living accommodation.

The committee recommended approval subject to a condition that the building is used as a garage and remains ancillary to the house.

All three applications will be decided by the district council.
Washington, D.C. - Senior leadership at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the following statements today marking the one-year anniversary of President Bidens Executive Order on Increasing Access to High-Quality Care and Supporting Caregivers:

Statement from Secretary Xavier Becerra

No one will go through their life without providing care for someone or needing it themselves. Care is a true equalizer. But our access to that critical care is not equal. And we should be doing more to lift up our caregivers. Under President Bidens leadership, we are making sure every American has access to the essential care they need for their wellbeing. We are also recognizing that roles which are too often dismissed or demeaned are treated for what they are worth, and ensuring the caregivers receive the respect and support they deserve. Care and care work are needed in every community, and critical to the success of our economy. And we wont stop until those receiving care, and those providing it, have everything they need.

Statement from Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm

We all know someone whose life has been improved because of the support they received from a caregiver. Many of us have also provided care to others  a child, an elderly parent, someone with a disability. President Bidens Executive Order on the Care Economy recognized the importance of caregivers and care workers in our lives and its actions will make sure that they receive the support they deserve. Caregiving is critical to our economy and to the health of our communities, and the Biden-Harris Administrations ongoing support of caregivers and care workers demonstrates our commitment to them.

Statement from Alison Barkoff, Administration for Community Living

President Bidens Executive Order on the Care Economy created new momentum for growing and stabilizing the direct care workforce and improving support for family caregivers, who together provide the services and support that make community living possible for millions of people. Given that most Americans will need help at some point in our lives to continue living in our own homes, to provide support to a loved one, or both, the progress we are making as a result of President Bidens order is critically important for all of us.

Statement from Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

President Bidens Executive Order on the Care Economy impacts many of the people CMS serves. Caregivers can be family or those who stand in when loved ones cannot  they are an integral part of making sure that people get the care they need. We understand this role can be a difficult one that too often others do not see. This Administration recognizes that the hard work and dedication one commits as a caregiver is invaluable, and we see you. That is why CMS continues to work to ensure caregivers have the resources they need, when they need them. This executive order is incredibly important to the American public, and CMS will continue to support caregivers throughout all our programs.

Statement from Jeff Hild, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Administration for Children and Families

Children thrive when their caregivers thrive. Whether they be parents, relatives, child care workers, or any of the variations in between, all deserve to be supported for their love, skill and labor in laying a strong foundation for Americas next generation. President Bidens Executive Order on the Care Economy mobilized us to do more to support caregivers and increase access to affordable, high-quality child care for all, and we are proud to have done so over the last year. Our work investing in the future of Americas children, families, workforce, and economy will continue.
The Patel-Rajput rivalry that has ignited in Gujarats Saurashtra is just one of the many interesting developments that election season has thrown up, prompting the need for historical analysis and correction. On March 22, BJP Union minister Purshottam Rupala told a gathering: Maharajas had given their daughters to foreign rulers and the British and broke bread with them while us Dalits neither gave up our religion nor made any relations with them, we are the true inheritors of Sanatan dharma .

Rupala, who hails from the Patidar community, said this while campaigning as the BJP Lok sabha candidate from Rajkot, angering the Kshatriya-Rajput community who sought the revocation of his candidacy. Two days ago, Rupala held a roadshow near Race Course Ground in Rajkot, considered a stronghold of the saffron party. I want to make an appeal to the Kshatriya community. Your support is also crucial in the interest of the nation. I request you to show a big heart and support the BJP, Rupala said.

Rupala was undeniably wrong about Rajput rulers giving their daughters to the British, who were not looking for marriages as a tool to establish alliances and strengthen their rule. However, other dynasties in power did use marriages to build alliances.

Codes of honour

Indias Kshatriya community is diverse  some are known to call themselves Rajputs, claiming to be direct descendants of erstwhile rulers and tracing their genealogies based on the sun, moon and fire. These groups are geographically scattered across the country but find particular concentration in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. In Rajasthan, earlier known as Rajputana, they are considered the most influential and wield immense influence in rural areas where they continue to hold large tracts of land and resources.

Historians have shown that amongst the Rajputs, marriages were part of a broad gamut of social reproduction strategies to ensure that economic resources and land, inheritance of property, networks of support, influence and power remained in a few hands. Patrilineages stressed the purity of bloodline and genealogy to prove Rajputhood, which translated to control of womens reproductive systems and agency.

Lt. Col. James Tod (1782-1835), the author of Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan (1832), has been acknowledged as the Herodotus or the father of the history of Rajputs. He was the first British agent appointed to Mewar (Udaipur). Presenting Rajputs as a martial race he wrote paeans about their valour and pride. However, his motivations were not scholarly but imperial.

He gave a communal colour to wars between Hindu Rajput rulers and Mughals and called them holy wars; he disparaged Rajput kingdoms like Amer (Jaipur) for marriages with Mughals and also denigrated the Marathas with whom the British were warring through much of the late 18th and early 19th centuries (in the Anglo-Maratha Wars of 17751782, 18031805 and 1843). Ironically, even though Tod served the interests of the British colonial project in India, his works are often cited by members of the Rajput who take offence at the historical truth of intermarriage.

Alliance building when in power

Marriages are and have always been a tool for alliance-building. In modern times, it is a networking space deployed by business families. In ancient and medieval India and elsewhere, it was seen as a strategy to resolve conflict and turn ones foe into kin. In the 12th century CE/AD, for instance, the North Indian king, Govindchandra Gadahvala (1114-1155 CE), took four wives, two of whom were Buddhist, reflecting the need to govern a diverse society. In the 14th century, the mother of Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1309 - 1388) was a Bhati Rajput according to historian Jadunath Sarkar.

Emperor Akbar (1556-1605) recognized the importance of reinforcing alliances through marriage. He married 10 Rajput women, starting with Raj Kanwar, the daughter of Raja Bharmal (1498 - 1574), a Kachhwaha Rajput chief who was battling his neighbouring kingdom of Mewar. Through this alliance, the Kachhwaha kings rose to prominence in the Mughal court and remained one of the most influential and rich kingdoms till India became a democratic republic in 1947. The other marital alliances made by Akbar were with Rathor princesses of Merta, Marwar, and Bikaner, the Bhati princess of Jaisalmer, and the Guhilot princess of Dungarpur among others.

Interestingly, this alliance also helped Rajput chieftains build relationships with the trading Marwaris, who enabled them to transmit their revenue from jagirs (a feudal land grant) in different areas of the Mughal empire to Rajasthan. Emperor Jahangir (1569 - 1627) married Kachwaha, Bhati, Bundela and Rathor princesses. Aurangzeb (1658 - 1707) married off his sons to the granddaughter of Kachhwaha Raja Jai Singh, a Rathor princess of Kishangarh, and a Shekhwati princess from Manoharpur.

What the English did

There is no dearth of historical evidence to show that the English too consorted with Indian women, both Hindu and Muslim, but these were not to make political deals. Before the armed struggle for independence in 1857, there were many notable cases of interracial relations. Charles Hindoo Stuart, who embraced Hindu culture and particularly the worship of Lord Krishna, was known to be also partial towards Rajput soldiers with their twirly moustaches. David Ochterlony, a resident of Delhi on two occasions (1803-06) and (1818-22) was married to Mubarak Begum, a former courtesan. She built a mosque that is still disparagingly called Randi ki Masjid (prostitute's mosque) by locals of Delhi The other two notable Englishmen who married locals were Sir Charles Metcalfe (1834-1838) who fell for a Sikh woman in Lahore with whom he had a son, and James Kirkpatrick, who when stationed at Hyderabad as resident (1798-1805), married a Muslim noblewoman, Khairinussa and converted to Islam.

The East India Company also became an unwitting beneficiary of the Mughal policy of matrimonial bonds with Rajput kingdoms during the reign of Emperor Farukh Siyar (1713-1719). James Tod, the Rajput chronicler, writes, This marriage yielded most important results, which were not confined to the Mughals or Rajputs, for to it may be ascribed the rise of the British power in India.

The emperor was suffering from a swelling in the groin and no remedy suggested by his own doctors had worked. This malady, writes Tod,  had delayed the celebration of the nuptials between the emperor and Indira Kanwar, daughter of Raja Ajit Singh of Marwar (Jodhpur), and even threatened a fatal termination.

What the emperor needed was surgery and this is where the British found the opportunity to win his favour by using the services of Dr William Hamilton who was attached to the East India Companys Surat office. The operation was successful and so was the emperors marriage which took place in December 1715. Two years later in 1717, the much pleased Emperor Siyar then granted the British their first-ever royal grant conferring territorial possession of Calcutta and two other neighbouring villages as well as commercial privileges.

HistoriCity is a column by author Valay Singh that narrates the story of a city that is in the news, by going back to its documented history, mythology and archaeological digs. The views expressed are personal
Hyderabad [India], : The Atal Incubation Centre - Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology , a premier bio-incubator in Hyderabad, has signed an agreement with Thermo Fisher Scientific. The agreement includes equipping AIC-CCMBs state-of-the-art facility, the Centre for Innovation, with cutting-edge technology to enable scientists in start-ups with opportunities to enhance their expertise and entrepreneurial acumen. Speaking on the agreement, Dr. Madhusudhana Rao, CEO, AIC-CCMB said As one of the largest facilities supporting start-ups in healthcare, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, AIC-CCMB endeavors to build an ecosystem that fosters innovation. Through our agreement with Thermo Fisher Scientific, we are enabling startups to drive research initiatives and reduce time-to-market for new products. Thermo Fisher has equipped this Centre for Innovation with state-of-the-art platforms such as CellInsight CX7 LZR Pro High Content Screening Platform, KingFisherTM Flex automated nucleic purification system, EVOSTM M7000 imaging system as well as laboratory freezers and refrigerators, and thermal cyclers. These tools will help scientists in research, drug discovery and assay development to support molecular biology, protein biology, cell biology and cell analysis workflows. The Government of Indias flagship initiatives such as the Atal Innovation Mission , are aimed at fostering an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship. We are proud to work with the various bio-incubators to set up these Centres for Innovation as a part of our nationwide efforts to support innovative startups in becoming scalable and sustainable, stated Srinath Venkatesh, Managing Director, India & South Asia, Thermo Fisher Scientific. About Thermo Fisher Scientific Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with an annual revenue of over $40 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, increasing productivity in their laboratories, improving patient health through diagnostics or the development and manufacture of life-changing therapies, we are here to support them. Our global team delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services, Patheon and PPD. For more information, please visit https://www.thermofisher.com/. .

Atal Incubation Centre  Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology signs agreement with Thermo Fisher Scientific to advance innovation in India
The other day, I was searching about The First War of Independence on Google, and guess what it came up with: An AI Overview. Not a link to another website stating the answer to my search query written by someone else, but an answer generated by Google itself! The Google logo is seen during the Google I/O annual developers conference at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California.(AFP)

Google has been trying to experiment with its algorithm lately and has been coming up with ways to inculcate AI in its answers and search results, without making it obvious to users, delivering its search results in a combination of several links and also AI-generated answers, allowing its users to choose for themselves. But the AI generated traffic is still very less and at its nascent stage.

The AI war is pretty evident and Google has been trying to catch up with it. With the advent of OpenAIs ChatGPT, people have been fascinated by the generation of human-like answers by a machine. Also, the convenience factor is largely considered while searching for some information on the net; the ease with which we get answers on ChatGPT without having to go through the hassle of searching through multiple links to find the most appropriate answer that we want has played a huge role in this shift towards Generative AI.

The fact that Google is introducing this new feature without any big announcements and is also attaching a disclaimer at the end stating, "Because generative AI is experimental and a work in progress, it can and will make mistakes, it is also assuring that users are fully aware that these answers are AI generated and make an informed choice for themselves.

This is a great way Google is ensuring that users dont use other means of getting information, but are provided with google search results that have links for reference and also its own answers  it is now no longer just a search engine.
Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday welcomed Goa Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferraos statement asking people to fulfil their moral obligation of voting for those with secular credentials and uphold the values of the constitution, saying the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is secular. Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant. (ANI)

...the BJP government has spent money for the upkeep of Churches of Old Goa and the Exposition [of the relics of St Francis Xavier]. ...the BJP government revived the minority commissions in Goa and nationally....If any party is secular, it is the BJP, Sawant said.

In a circular to churches, Ferrao, who is one of six Catholic Cardinals in India, called on all eligible Catholic voters to vote for persons with secular credentials, who are truly committed to work for the good of all the people and to uphold the values enshrined in our Constitution.

He said it was his bounden duty, as the Head of the Church in Goa, to call the attention of our Church members to the fact that, in the Catholic Tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation. Ferrao said the Churchs obligation to participate in nation-building and in shaping the moral character of society is a requirement of faith. ...it is an all-important part of the mission.
Lok Sabha Election 2024 Highlights: The first phase of voting for the Lok Sabha Election 2024 is set to take place tomorrow, April 19. The voting in Phase 1 of the general elections will take place in 102 constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Assam, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and more. Ahead of Lok Sabha elections phase 1, the campaigning by political parties ended on April 17, as ordered by the Election Commission of India....Read More

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday addressed political rallies in Assam and Tripura, campaigning for the BJP-led NDA alliance in the states. Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was a part of two rallies in Karnataka on April 17. He also addressed a joint press conference with SP chief and ally Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday morning.

With the 2024 general elections, PM Modi's NDA government is eyeing its third term in power with echoes of Abki baar 400 paar throughout their election campaign. However, Rahul Gandhi claimed in his press conference on Wednesday that BJP won't get more than 150 seats this time.

Lok Sabha Election 2024: Phase-wise schedule

 Phase 1- April 19

 Phase 2- April 26

 Phase 3- May 7

 Phase 4 - May 13

 Phase 5 - May 20

 Phase 6 - May 25

 Phase 7 - June 1
Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh on Wednesday asked the masses to vote for the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections to keep the state's "territorial integrity intact". Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders release the party election manifesto. (N Biren Singh's X account)

The embattled CM said an attempt had been made to destroy Manipur by imbalancing its demography and the Central government took measures to solve the issue.

"Whatever union home minister Amit Shah said the day before yesterday--to keep Manipur's territorial integrity intact. He used very meaningful words. An attempt was made to destroy Manipur by imbalancing its demography by infusing people from the outside. The Prime Minister removed the FMR (Free Movement Regime) and took the decision on fencing. That is the point that the Manipur people want to hear from the central leaders," he said(sic), per ANI.

N Biren Singh said people need to vote for the BJP, "to complete the ongoing process".

"I think what is to be done by the Central government, under the leadership of PM Modi, has started, and to complete the ongoing process, people need to vote for the BJP candidate. I am requesting that people should vote for the BJP," Singh added.

Manipur has been witnessing armed violence for over 10 months. What began as an ethnic conflict between the majority Meiteis and the tribal Kukis, has descended into a major internal security challenge. Over 219 people have been killed and 50,000 displayed because of the violence.

The Opposition has been demanding N Biren Singh's resignation over the violence.

On Monday, union home minister Amit Shah addressed a rally in Manipur and alleged that "attempts were made to alter the state's demography through infiltration".

The most important thing is that no matter how much one tries - hum Manipur ko tutne nahi denge (we won't allow Manipur to break), ANI quoted Amit Shah as saying at a rally in Manipur's capital Imphal.

"Establishment of peace in Manipur by taking all communities on board and without breaking the state is the priority of the Narendra Modi government," the minister added.

With inputs from ANI
To ask what if Ukraine loses? was once a tactic favoured by those looking to berate its Western allies into sending more money and weapons. Increasingly the question feels less like a thought experiment and more like the first stage of contingency planning. After a gruelling few months on the battlefield, gone are last years hopes of a Ukrainian counter-offensive that would push Russia back to its borders and humble Vladimir Putin. These days it is fear that dominates: that an existing stalemate might crumble in favour of the invader, or of Donald Trump coming back to power in America and delivering victory to Russia on a silver platter. Although a vanquished Ukraine has become a less far-fetched prospect, it is no less frightening. Sobering as the return of war on the continent has been, a successful invasion reaping geopolitical rewards for Mr Putin would be much worse.

A defeat of Ukraine would be a humbling episode for the West, a modern Suez moment. Having provided moral, military and financial succour to its ally for two years now, America and Europe haveperhaps inadvertentlyput their own credibility on the line. That they have sometimes dithered in delivering this support would make things worse, not better: further confirmation, among sceptics of liberal polities, that democracies lack what it takes to stand up for their interests. In Russia but also China, India and across the global south, Ukraines backers would be dismissed as good at tabling UN resolutions and haggling over wording at EU and NATO summits but not much else. The colouring by atlas-makers of Ukrainian land into Russian territory would cement the idea that might make right, to the benefit of strongmen far and wide. George Robertson, a former boss of NATO, has warned that If Ukraine loses, our enemies will decide the world order. Unfortunately for the Taiwanese, among others, he is probably right.

Read more of our recent coverage of the Ukraine war.

Nowhere would feel the brunt of this humiliation more than the EU, the pinnacle of liberal international norm-setting. Ukraines neighbours moved less fast than America in providing support. But in the European slow-but-steady way they feel they have done as much as could be asked of them. By sending arms (including using EU money to pay for weapons, a first), propping up Ukraines finances, taking in millions of refugees, applying a dozen rounds of sanctions against Russia and weaning themselves off its piped gas, the blocs politicians have pushed out the boundaries of what initially seemed possible. If it proves not to have been enough, plenty will ask whether the union at its core is fit for purpose. Populistsand Putin fansin the mould of Hungarys Viktor Orban or Marine Le Pen in France will crow that theirs is the best way. Currently there are divisions between the hawkish eastern fringe and others in the bloc. If Ukraine loses, those will metastasise into recriminations and bitterness. Emmanuel Macron in France, a newly minted hawk, has set the tone by warning of cowards holding Europe back.

The geopolitical fallout of a Ukrainian defeat would depend on the shape of any peace settlement. This in turn would hinge on military dynamics or the mindset of Mr Trump, should he be elected again. If Ukraines ammunition-constrained army crumbles and somehow Russia controls not just its eastern territories but the whole country, perhaps under a Belarus-style puppet regime, its aggressor will in effect share over a thousand more kilometres of borders with the EU. Should defeat be more limitedincluding annexation of territory, but a still-functioning rump Ukrainenerves would still be set jangling. How long would it be before Mr Putin finished the job? Millions more Ukrainians might seize the opportunity to leave. The future shape of the EU would change: the promise of enlargement to Ukraine presupposed a comprehensive victory. The western Balkans, whose own bid to join was revived by the war, would surely be left in limbo too.

Beyond the feeling of culpability and shame, a sense of fear would pervade Europe. Might there be a further attack? Would it be on a NATO country, forcing allies into action? Further attempts at conquest would at least be a possibility. Mr Putin has alluded to Nazism in the Baltics, echoing the pretext he used to invade Ukraine; the trio also have a large Russian-speaking population. A year ago the joke was that Russias claim of having the best army in Europe was ludicrous: it didnt even have the best army in Ukraine. Fewer think that today, given Russias ability to keep supplying its mennot to mention supplying more menfaster than its adversary. A victorious Russian army would leave Mr Putin commanding the only fighting force with the battle-hardening and 21st-century warfare skills to take territory; if he controlled the Ukrainian state he would control two such military machines. Against him stand war-shy Europeans, perhaps with flaky American backing and depleted armouries. Might Poland or Germany find they will need their own nuclear deterrent?

War hoarse

Even if Ukraine wins, Europe will have to change. The peace project at its core will have to adjust to a world in which war is, if not likely, then at least possible. NATO celebrates its 75th birthday this month, but its future as an alliance that Europeans use to ensure that America guarantees their territorial integrity is uncertain. Decades of reaping the post-Cold War peace dividend will have to be followed by higher defence budgets, as has started happening.

But if Russia emerges even semi-victorious, change will be imposed upon Europe in far more unpleasant and unpredictable ways. Seeking an arrangement with Mr Putin that would reward his belligerence with control over bits of Ukraine if he promised not to wage more war will provide illusory security if that. Europes answer to the question What if Ukraine loses? remains simple: It must not.

Read more from Charlemagne, our columnist on European politics: Germanys Free Democrats have become desperate spoilers (Apr 4th) How Europes fear of migrants came to dominate its foreign policy (Mar 27th) Ukraines European allies are either broke, small or irresolute (Mar 21st)

Also: How the Charlemagne column got its name

 2023, The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com
The Rev. Isaac Royel, the other cleric who was wounded in a stabbing incident at the Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Sydney's Wakeley suburb that also injured Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, has been discharged from hospital days after a teenager stabbed him, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb told local media on Tuesday (Apr. 16) that police believe the attack on the two clerics was premeditated.

"We will allege [the suspect] attended that church armed with a knife and stabbed the bishop and priest..." she said. "We believe there are elements that are satisfied in terms of religious motivated extremism."

In a statement, the church said that Bishop Emmanuel suffered several blows to the head and body, while Royel was also injured.

No one else inside the church was harmed, the statement added.

In the aftermath of the knife attack, angry members of the community converged on the church and eventually became riotous, police told 9 News.

Bishop Emmanuel remains in the hospital in stable condition.
The once-in-a-lifetime "Devil Comet" is expected to be at its most visible just after sunset on April 21 - though hopeful stargazers should get their hands on some binoculars if they want to get a full view.

The comet, also known by its formal name, 12P/ Pons-Brooks, is 10.5 miles-wide and green in color. It gained its nickname in 2023, when observers noticed an asymmetrical outburst that resembled two devil horns.

The comet was last visible in 1954 and astronomers don't expect earthlings to get another good glimpse until 2096. During its travels, 12p can reach distances as far as Neptune and get as close to the sun as Venus.

People residing in the northern hemisphere will be able to see the Devil Comet this weekend, with the aid of binoculars or a small telescope. It will be most visible in the early evening sky, just after the sun dips below the horizon. Stargazers should look west, under the moon and to the right of Jupiter.

As the comet approaches the sun, it becomes increasingly bright and more visible from Earth. In astronomy, brightness is measured on a scale from one to six - with one being the absolute brightest celestial bodies. NASA cautioned would-be stargazers that 12p will likely reach a maximum brightness of five.

"Many images depict a bright comet with a long green tail," said Bill Cooke, who leads NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. "That's not going to happen."

There is some possibility, however, that the comet will experience an outburst that could light it up within the night sky.

"There have been minor outbursts roughly once a month but it's impossible to predict them," Cooke said. "The last one was on Leap Day, February 29."
The United States Senate dismissed the two articles of impeachment filed against Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, essentially ending the longshot bid to prosecute the cabinet secretary over his handling of migration at the US-Mexico border.

More than a dozen Constitutional law experts called on Speaker of the House Mike Johnson to not move forward with the impeachment, which they described as "utterly unjustified."

This sentiment was also expressed by Senate Democrats, when they moved to dismiss the charges.

"For the sake of the Senate's integrity and to protect impeachment for those rare cases we truly need it, senators should dismiss today's charges," said Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. "To validate this gross abuse by the House would be a grave mistake and could set a dangerous precedent for the future."

House Republicans argue that by enforcing President Joe Biden's border policy, Mayorkas was responsible for a wave of undocumented immigrants entering into the country.

Impeaching a cabinet secretary is virtually unprecedented - only Ulysses S. Grant's Secretary of War faced similar proceedings and he resigned moments before Congress was able to vote.

The 51-48 vote to dismiss Mayorkas' charges largely fell along party lines - though Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted present. While Democrats argue that Mayorkas' actions do not rise to the level of an impeachable offense, GOP leaders have said that the entire process of impeachment will be endangered if Mayorkas is not tried before the Senate.

"Tabling articles of impeachment would be unprecedented in the history of the Senate - it's as simple as that," said Senator Mitch McConnell, the minority leader.
New Zealander aircraft maker NZAero announced on Thursday (Apr. 18) that it would upgrade its operations in Thailand from a maintenance and repair facility to its Southeast Asian service hub.

According to an agreement signed on Wednesday (Apr. 17), the company would provide technical training to support all five of its models to Thai Aviation Industries (TAI), the primary maintenance and repair provider for the Royal Thai Air Force.

The deal would amount to NZ$37 million ($21.9 million) for NZAero through sales of components and future aircraft.

"Thailand stands alone as being a major buyer of NZAero products," NZAero CEO Stephen Burrows told Nikkei Asia. "Having a service center here in Thailand is a good base for supporting aircraft in Southeast Asia."

Thailand has purchased 10% of NZAero's output since it sold its first batch of 24 aircraft to the Thai military in 1974.

NZAero also supplies both the Australian and New Zealand air forces.

The company's executives were part of a business delegation accompanying New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to Thailand, the first time a Kiwi leader visited the country in 11 years. Relations between the countries cooled after the Thai military ousted an elected government in 2014.

Western democracies, including Australia, the US, and European nations looking to boost economic and strategic relations with Southeast Asia, have warmed to Thailand since coup leaders departed after the May 2023 general election.

Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Srettha Thavisin, have agreed to elevate relations to a strategic partnership by 2026. Bilateral defense talks have been resumed since August to increase interoperability and cooperation against transnational organized crime, particularly human and drug trafficking.

Aside from Thailand, Luxon and his delegation also traveled to Singapore and the Philippines to boost economic, diplomatic, and defense ties.

In particular, NZAero is looking to secure businesses in the Philippines as its annual defense budget is set to increase by 50% over the next five years amid the incidents in the South China Sea.

Meanwhile, Singapore will similarly increase its defense spending to a record level by next year following the resignation announcement of its long-time prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong.

Burrows added that NZAero's aircraft are suited for Southeast Asia's mountainous terrain and economy.

The company is one of nine global makers of turboprop planes, which require less fuel and shorter runways as they are powered by jet thrust and propellers.

Its new SuperPac model could be converted for agriculture, military-led humanitarian aid, and climate change mitigation efforts like cloud seeding and forest firefighting.

Thailand's Board of Investment saw room for growth in the country's largely untapped maintenance, repair, and overhaul sector, especially as commercial air traffic increases amid Srettha's plans to make Thailand a regional air transport hub.

Meanwhile, the Thai Ministry of Transport estimated that commercial airlines spent $12 billion on maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) in the Asia Pacific region in the past decade, 6.4% of which was transacted in Thailand.
Japan is known for its punctuality in its train system. However, a 40-centimeter serpent delayed the Shinkansen bullet train service bound for Osaka by 17 minutes.

According to local media, the incident happened Tuesday night (Apr. 16) after passengers discovered the snake loitering on the train between Tokyo and Nagoya.

While there was no injury or panic among passengers, the rail company decided to use another train for the passengers to travel to while officials attempted to capture the snake.

Investigations on the breed of the snake and how it managed to board the train are underway.

"It's difficult to imagine wild snakes somehow climbing onto the train at one of the stations," a Shinkansen spokesperson said. "We have rules against bringing snakes onto the Shinkansen, but we don't check passengers' baggage."

Tuesday's incident was not the first time a snake was discovered on a Shinkansen. In 2016, a passenger saw a python curled around the armrest of another person's seat, leading to an unscheduled stop. Despite the disruption, the train arrived on time at its destination, Hiroshima.

Aside from snakes aboard trains, several Shinkansen lines were suspended in January due to a power outage. Two months later, a bullet train overran a station in northeastern Japan by around 500 meters, causing suspension and service delays.

Earlier this month, Shinkansen lines bound for Kyushu were also temporarily halted after a man threw some cup noodles at the train. The delays, which lasted for up to 40 minutes, affected approximately 5,600 passengers.

Small cats, dogs, and pigeons were allowed on bullet trains in Japan, but snakes were prohibited.
Bryan Kohberger, the 29-year-old former graduate student charged in the vicious stabbing murders of four Idaho College students, has his alibi with scant new details for the time the three female and male roommates were killed in an off-campus house.

"Mr. Kohberger was out driving in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022, as he often did to hike and run and/or see the moon and stars," said a document filed Wednesday by his attorneys.

The lawyers stated they plan to to call a cell tower data expert to help support the claims. They also noted that "additional information" about Kohberger's whereabouts would be provided, though provided no details.

A earlier filing also noted that Kohberger was driving around the time of the murders, but also noted he was "not claiming to be at a specific location at a specific time"  and that there was no witness to confirm his whereabouts. The latest document was filed after prosecutors set a deadline of April 17 for more information.

Kohberger stands accused of breaking into the roommates' home in the town of Moscow in 2022 and fatally stabbing four of them  Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin  with a military-style knife.

Two other female roommates were at home when the others were killed, but were not attacked.

One of them  Dylan Mortensen  came face to face with the killer, who was dressed in black and wearing a mask, as he left the home after the murders, according to the criminal affidavit in the case.

Kohberger refused to enter a plea at the start of his trial last year. The judge set his plea as "not guilty."

Idaho will see the death penalty if Kohberger is convicted.
A high ranking Iranian commander has issued an ominous warning in response to Israel's repeated threats of retaliation, according to a report.



Senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards Commander Ahmad Haghtalab suggested on Thursday that Iran may reconsider its "nuclear doctrine" in light of Israeli threats, heightening concerns about Tehran's nuclear program, which Iran has consistently claimed is solely for peaceful purposes.

"The threats of the Zionist regime (Israel) against Iran's nuclear facilities make it possible to review our nuclear doctrine and deviate from our previous considerations," Haghtalab said, according to Reuters.

In 2021, Iran's then-intelligence minister warned that Western pressure could lead Tehran to pursue nuclear weapons, despite a ban by Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the early 2000s.

Khamenei has the final authority over Tehran's nuclear program, which the West suspects may have military intentions.

Israel has stated it will retaliate against Iran's missile and drone attack on April 13, which Tehran says was in response to an Israeli strike on its embassy compound in Damascus earlier this month, according to Reuters.

"If the Zionist regime wants to take action against our nuclear centres and facilities, we will surely and categorically reciprocate with advanced missiles against their own nuclear sites," Haghtalab said.

Indirect talks between Tehran and Washington to revive Iran's 2015 nuclear deal have been stalled since 2022.
Quentin Tarantino is reportedly no longer going to direct 'The Movie Critic,' as the renowned director's 10th and final movie, potentially opening up room for another project to take it's place.

Tarantino has been preparing to shoot the film for months and had lined up Brad Pitt to star.

The Oscar winners had previously collaborated on the films 'Inglourious Basterds' (2009) and 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' (2019).

Tarantino had planned for the new movie to take place in 1977 with the film's protagonist would be "a guy who lived but was never really famous, and he used to write movie reviews for a porno rag."

The project reportedly morphed into a film that would feature Cliff Booth, the stuntman Pitt portrayed in 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.'

But now, the Hollywood Reporter says the project has been scrapped.

Tarantino had a change of heart about the project in recent weeks, sources told the industry outlet. It was unclear why he decided to scrap the project that was set to begin production this summer.

It is unclear what the director might work on instead for his final movie before retiring.
Jack Callahan, 22, is currently on trial for allegedly drowning his father in a Massachusetts pond in June 2021 in an attempted exorcism, as he believed his father was possessed by a demon.

Callahan told police that he had submerged his father's head underwater in an effort to rid him of a demon called 'Dirty Dan.'

"I left him there to decide; you can come to heaven with me or hell. I think he chose hell," he told officers.

Scott Callahan, 57, a successful banker at the time, was receiving treatment for alcohol addiction at a facility in Hopkinton before he checked himself out and traveled to a bar in Boston.

The younger Callahan had traveled in an Uber to collect him and return him to the family home in Duxbury when he asked the driver to pull over for him to smoke a cigarette when they were near the pond.

The son claims his father then attacked him, punching him repeatedly.

At Callahan's 2021 arraignment, Assistant District Attorney Shanan Buckingham revealed,

"He went on to state that, in this incident at the pond, he believed he was baptizing his father."

"He described that he was holding his father in the pond on his back like a baby, that he continually dunked the father's head in the water about four to eight times, and that when the father started to cough and choke, he would lift his head up," Buckingham added.

He continued to do so until his father was no longer struggling.

The son was distraught when speaking to paramedics and explained that he had "blacked out" before directing police to Crooker Memorial Park, where they discovered Scott Callahan in the pond, according to The Independent.

Jack Callahan has denied the murder of the fifty-seven-year-old and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Callahan's attorney, Kevin Reddington, previously asked the judge to send the then-teenager to a hospital for a mental health evaluation, warning that he posed a risk to himself.

The trial is expected to last 10 days.
A new report has found that states made significantly more mistakes during the executions of Black people than they did with prisoners of other races.

The nonprofit Reprieve released an analysis of the more than 1,400 executions carried out or attempted in the U.S. since 1977. The study found 73 botched executions.

It found that Black people had 220% higher odds of suffering a botched lethal injection execution than white people.

It noted that in Georgia, 86% of botched lethal injection executions were of Black people despite executions of Black people accounting for just 30% of the executions.

The group says botched lethal injection executions occurred whether a one-drug or a three-drug protocol was used and over a third lasted over 45 minutes. A quarter of them lasted an hour or more.

A specific case outlined in the study was the Oklahoma 2014 execution of 38-year-old Clayton Lockett.

The report found that over the course of 51 minutes, the execution team punctured Locket 16 times in an attempt to insert IV lines.

After being administered the lethal injection He "started breathing heavily, writhing, clenching his teeth and straining to lift his head off the pillow."

The team lifted a sheet and discovered that a vein had "exploded" or "collapsed" and "the drugs were not getting into the system like they were supposed to."

Lockett died of a heart attack 43 minutes after the start of his execution.

The authors say their study debunks claims that lethal injection is a quick, peaceful and painless form of execution.

The group, which is against the death penalty, called for an immediate moratorium on lethal injection executions at both the state and federal levels for further investigation.
Tifany Adams, a member of "God's Misfits," accused of murdering a pair of Kansas moms, allegedly took responsibility for the slayings, according to court documents.

Prosecutors allege Adams, 54, "did provide a recorded statement to law enforcement indicating her responsibility for the death of the deceased," court documents stated, KSN-TV reported.

The details are unclear as to what Adams allegedly confessed.

She, along with boyfriend Tad Cullum, 43; Cora Twombly, 44; and her husband Cole Twombly, 50, have been charged with kidnapping and first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Veronica Butler, 27; and Jillian Kelley, 39, according to authorities.

The foursome were denied bond.

Butler and Kelley disappeared on March 30 during a drive from Hugoton, Kansas, to Eva, Oklahoma, to pick up Butler's children from Adams.

The women's abandoned vehicle  with evidence of foul play  was later found on the side of a bloodied highway, according to authorities.

Butler and Kelley's bodies were discovered Sunday buried in a hay-covered hole on a property rented out by Cullum, two weeks after they mysteriously disappeared.

Authorities allege a child custody battle between Butler and her ex motivated the suspects to kill.

The suspects face the death penalty if convicted of the murders.
Police suspect a rogue ram killed an elderly couple in New Zealand after the animal confronted officers in the family's paddock and was shot dead, according to a report.

The bodies of the man and woman were found in the enclosure at their home in West Auckland around 7:30 a.m. local time on Thursday, New Zealand Police said in a statement.

"Police can confirm a ram was in the paddock at the time we were notified this morning," the statement said. "Another party at the scene suffered a minor injury after being attacked by this ram."

When officers arrived at the scene, they were "confronted and approached" by the ram.

"On undertaking a risk assessment, the ram was shot and died at the scene," the police said.

The police are carrying out an investigation on behalf of the coroner, and post-mortem examinations are scheduled for Friday.

Dean Burrell said his mother's sister and husband were killed. Both were in their 80s and had lived at the property for about eight years.

"Unfortunately, they both lost their lives in a tragic accident. They are nice people and didn't deserve this," Burrell told the New Zealand Herald.

"Everyone's in shock as to what's happened. They're very upset. I feel like I was dreaming it actually, it was a bit of shock, being told what had happened and I just didn't believe it," he said.

The couple, Burrell said, kept sheep, chickens and some cattle on their farm.

The outlet reported that the man went to check on the ram. When he did not return, his wife went to see what happened to him.
An Arizona man has pleaded guilty to threatening a mass shooting at the University of Arizona.

Michael Pengchung Lee, 27, of Tucson, pleaded guilty last week to federal charges. Sentencing is scheduled for July 3, 2024.

Lee allegedly made the threats in a group chat on Snapchat and said he planned to target fraternities and sororities.

He expressed a desire to get revenge on "all the chads and stacies!!"

"Chads" and "Stacies" are commonly used terms by self-described involuntary celibates (incels), according to federal prosecutors.

Lee made further reference to incel ideology and finished the conversation by stating "im gonna do it guys, my mind is made up and there's nothing u can do or say to stop me."

He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both, and a maximum term of three years of supervised release.

"We must protect the intellectual rigor, diversity and safety of our universities," said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. "Robust intervention and prosecution of misogynists who threaten young students is critical to public safety."

"All students deserve to feel safe at their schools," said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Akil Davis.

"This case is a wonderful example of our strong partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Attorneys Office, said University of Arizona Police Chief Chris Olson. It also illustrates the sense of urgency in which the University of Arizona Police Department, the UA Office of Public Safety, and our federal partners will act when our community is threatened.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the University of Arizona Police Department investigated the case that led to Lee's arrest.
Over a week has gone by since Nebraska father Gregory Little was shot and killed outside a downtown Lincoln bar, and his family is demanding to know why the shooter has not been charged with a crime, according to a report.

"I don't know what's taking so long," said Kelyna Taylor, Little's sister.

"The evidence is there."

A security guard working at the bar allegedly shot Little on April 7, HNGN previously reported. The altercation stemmed from a disagreement between the two men outside the Royal Hookah Bar and Lounge near 16th and O streets.

Authorities have not released the security guard's name.

Assistant Police Chief Jason Stille said investigators are still tracking down witnesses and high-quality video, according to Nebraska 8 News.

However, Taylor insists they have more than enough to issue a warrant for the guard's arrest.

"We have a lot of videos, and it shows he murdered my brother," she said. "No self-defense or anything. It happened so fast, but I watched the videos, and you can see in the video."

Little's family continues to post flyers with the deceased's name and picture to keep the momentum going.

"The bar or the security company haven't even reached out to us to apologize for what happened, and that's really sad," she said.
HVS, the premier global consulting firm focused solely on the hospitality industry, is delighted to announce the appointment of Reem Garash as its newest partner. With over 12 years of unparalleled experience in hospitality and expertise in strategic planning, finance, and business development, Reem brings invaluable insights to support HVS's growth strategy in Saudi Arabia.

Reem, holding a Bachelor's degree in Banking and Finance and an MBA from Queens University of Charlotte, is recognized for her outstanding leadership and visionary approach. Her certification in hotel investment modeling equips her to drive growth and profitability across various hotel brands.

Reem's mission is to capitalize on HVS's strategic partnerships in Saudi Arabia, delivering excellence and creating value for customers, partners, and stakeholders while expanding the hospitality business's presence. Notably, she successfully with her partners restructured Shada, a family-owned business, establishing its hospitality division and securing substantial assets worth approximately SR 550 million.

Additionally, Reem spearheaded the creation of ALF, a micro-economy hotel brand for Shada, earning accolades as the best new brand at FHS 2023. Her tenure as CEO of Nuzul and subsequent role as Managing Director showcased her remarkable acumen, including the acquisition and implementation of the Dara brand across 8 properties.

In a testament to her commitment to social responsibility, Reem co-founded Sa'af Housing, a non-profit organization providing housing for Saudi Social Security beneficiaries, delivering over 500 houses since its establishment in 2021.

"We are thrilled to welcome Reem Garash to HVS as our newest partner," said Hala Matar Choufany, President, Middle East and Africa at HVS MEA. "With her extensive experience, innovative spirit, and commitment to excellence, Reem will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in further strengthening our existing relationships and driving our company's continued success and growth. Our team has more than 15 years of experience in the Kingdom and we have advised on hundreds of hospitality assets, providing unparalleled hospitality intelligence to our clients. Reem Garash's appointment comes at an exciting time for HVS MEA, and we look forward to leveraging her expertise to propel the company to new heights".
Revolution Places, the real estate and hospitality investment arm of Revolution, LLC, today announced the appointment of Neal Herman as President of Punta Cacique, a new luxury beach community designed to embrace the Costa Rican landscape and culture throughout its expanding collection of hotels, including the country's first Waldorf Astoria property, residences, and amenities. Herman brings more than two decades of luxury hospitality and development experience, most recently serving as President and COO of Las Catalinas, an award-winning luxury community designed as a fully car-free resort just an hour south of Punta Cacique.

Herman has a proven track record of building premier locales from blueprint to finished product. At Las Catalinas, he led planning, design, entitlement, development, construction, and operations. During his 10-year tenure, he oversaw the development of 40,000 square meters of residential and commercial space. Before joining Las Catalinas, Herman served in several executive roles at the Four Seasons in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, and Costa Rica.

Punta Cacique consists of more than 600 acres with panoramic views of the ocean and dramatic coastline beaches and cliffs - all just 25 minutes from the Guanacaste International (LIR) Airport and 10 minutes from the coastal villages of Playa Hermosa and Playas del Coco. Punta Cacique will be anchored by multiple luxury hotels, with additional branded residential units and a vast array of world-class amenities, including planned beach clubs, state-of-the-art recreational facilities, and culinary experiences. Currently in development, Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique is slated to open in late 2024.
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is delighted to announce a distinguished lineup of luxury hospitality executives joining the 375-room Waldorf Astoria New York, which is expected to reopen its doors later this year following an extensive, multi-year restoration.

With 25 years of sales experience in the hospitality sector, Howanietz has returned to Waldorf Astoria New York after dedicating more than a decade of her career to commercial leadership positions at the hotel, including director of sales and marketing, director of sales, and director of diplomatic affairs. In her new position at the landmark hotel, Howanietz plays an instrumental role in driving the commercial strategy to establish the hotel as the pinnacle of luxury in Manhattan, further positioning the Waldorf Astoria brand as a global blueprint in top-notch hospitality.

Howanietz oversees all sales endeavors for the luxury group, leisure and business travel segments, along with New York City's premier social events. She works closely with the sales and marketing team for Waldorf Astoria Residences New York and is focused on providing exceptional experiences for all guests.

Howanietz holds a Bachelor of Science in Hotel-Restaurant/Institutional Management from Johnson & Wales University and she attended the Hotel Management School of Salzburg in Austria. She is fluent in English, German and Spanish.

With Romaniello at the helm, Waldorf Astoria New York is poised for its next chapter of excellence, further solidifying its status as a global beacon of luxury hospitality. In addition to Howanietz, the executive team includes:
The Hotel Association of NYC Foundation, charitable arm of the Hotel Association of New York City (HANYC), hosted its annual Red Carpet Hospitality Gala at The Intercontinental Barclay in Manhattan on Monday, April 1, recognizing Hyatt Hotels and Resorts U.S. and Canada President Susan Santiago with its Hospitality Award and Robin Hood Foundations CEO Richard R. Buery, Jr. with its Humanitarian Award.

Attended by more than 300 of the citys hotel owners, executives, labor leaders and industry influencers, the event also featured keynote remarks delivered by former New York Governor David A. Paterson and Loews Hotels Executive Chairman Jonathan M. Tisch.

Co-chaired by HANYC President & CEO Vijay Dandapani, HANYC Foundation Chair Heather Davis and HANYC Chairman Fred Grapstein, the evening featured a special live Broadway performance from A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical. In attendance were New York City elected and appointed officials including New York City Council Majority Leader Amanda Farias, Councilmember Keith Powers, Assembly Member Alex Bores, NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, and NYC Mayor's Office of Nightlife Executive Director Jeffrey Garcia.

Proceeds from the gala support the HANYC Foundations charitable goals and educational initiatives.

2024 Red Carpet Hospitality Gala Host Committee: Steve Batta, Group President, Highgate; Simon Chapman, Complex General Manager, Benjamin Royal Sonesta & Fifty Sonesta Select; Peter Clarke, Vice President, Americas Luxury & Lifestyle Hotel Operations, IHG Hotels & Resorts; Jim Connelly, President, U.S. Eastern Region, Marriott International; Charles Flateman, Executive Vice President, Shubert Organization; Karambir Kang, Area Director, USA, Taj Hotels; Suri Kasirer, President, Kasirer; Lisa Linden, Media Strategist, The LAKPR Group; Jaime Novikoff, Counsel, Labor Relations, Legal, Hilton; Mark Pardue, Senior Vice President, Field Operations, Americas, Hyatt Hotels Corporation; Alan Steel, CEO, Javits Center; and Jonathan M. Tisch, Executive Chairman, Loews Hotels & Co.

Preferred Sponsors included Aimbridge Hospitality; Hotel and Gaming Trades Council/Local 6 UNITE HERE; and Kasirer. Prime Sponsors included BD Hotels LLC; Club Wyndham Midtown 45; Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP; Fitzpatrick Hotel Group; Forbes Travel Guide; Highgate; Hyatt Hotels; InterContinental New York Barclay for IHG Hotels & Resorts; Marriott Hotels of NYC; Lotte New York Palace; Sonesta; and Triumph Hotels.

Established in 1878, the Hotel Association of New York City, Inc. (HANYC) is one of the oldest professional trade associations in the nation. Today the Hotel Association of New York City is an internationally recognized leader in New York Citys $7 billion tourism industry, representing nearly 300 of the finest hotels with over 80,000 rooms and approximately 50,000 employees. http://www.hanyc.org/

The HANYC Foundation seeks to advance issues of importance to hotels such as economic viability, sustainability and corporate and social responsibility through educational and crisis relief initiatives. https://hanycfoundation.org/

About Hotel Association of New York City

Serving the Hotel Industry since 1878, HANYC (Hotel Association of New York City) is the oldest hotel association in the US and one of the oldest professional trade associations in the nation . Its founders' mission was to establish an association that would serve as the voice of the hotel industry, supporting its members with the highest standard of services and best available resources. Today the Hotel Association of New York City is an internationally recognized leader in New York City's $5 billion tourism industry, representing nearly 300 of the finest hotels with over 80,000 rooms and approximately 50,000 employees. http://www.hanyc.org/
Sommet Education, a leader in hospitality management education, unveils new step in strategic digital expansion initiative. Focused on elevating executive and lifelong learning, Sommet Education introduces innovative online Executive certificates to meet professionals' evolving needs and enhance their expertise across diverse industries.

The surge in digital education represents a transformative shift in the global learning landscape, driven by advancements in technology and evolving demands in the job market. As highlighted in the research by Markets and Markets (April 2023), the sector is on a trajectory of explosive growth, with the market size projected to soar from USD 19.4 billion to USD 67.8 billion by 2028, reflecting an impressive compound annual growth rate of 28%. This unprecedented expansion underscores the increasing preference among learners for flexible, accessible, and skill-focused educational solutions that can be seamlessly integrated into their professional lives.

In response to the increasing demand for flexible and upskilling learning options, Sommet Education has launched a new vertical business focused on digital learning to leverage the expertise and capabilities of each brand within the organization in program development and delivery. The goal is for Sommet Education to establish itself as the leading provider in online hospitality education.

In line with the establishment of its E-Academy in 2023, a cutting-edge platform dedicated to delivering high-quality education, Sommet Education further enhances its commitment to providing specialized and impactful learning experiences for professionals eager to advance their expertise. Focusing on Executive certificates, Sommet Education offers targeted and intensive learning opportunities tailored to meet the unique demands of today's dynamic and fast-paced business environment. With an expert-led curriculum, the certificates underscore the dedication to promoting career advancement and lifelong learning in the digital age. This innovative program accommodates professionals seeking to attain strategic positions and specialize in their field, facilitating a seamless integration of studies with their professional commitments through a part-time digital program.

As a result, eight online Executive certificates , available through both Glion Institute of Higher Education and Les Roches, have been carefully curated to address a broad spectrum of themes essential for professional growth and success. These certificates cater to individuals eager to enhance their skills in areas such as general management, luxury, and hospitality.

Mike Lambert, CEO of Sommet Education Digital Learning stated: Our new suite of online Executive certificates addresses the modern demand for ongoing skills enhancement, enabling individuals to navigate the digital economy with proficiency. This initiative reinforces Sommet Education's leadership in with Executive online learning.

The newly introduced online Executive certificates by Sommet Education span over a concise two-week duration with a commitment of 16-24 hours per week, are tailored to seamlessly integrate into the hectic routines of working individuals. Employing a fully online format, learners will enjoy unrestricted access to course materials and engaging interactive sessions.

Participants will engage with faculty experts, gaining real-world insights. Peer interactions enrich the learning journey, exchanging ideas and best practices across diverse backgrounds, fostering networking and professional growth. Successful completion grants certificates from the prestigious institutions of Glion and Les Roches.

With multiple intakes scheduled throughout the year, with opportunities to enrol in May, June, October, and November 2024, Sommet Education aims to democratize access to high-quality education while addressing the increasing demand for short-term, skill-focused learning opportunities. The launch of these online Executive certificates' underscores Sommet Education's commitment to supporting career development and growth, particularly in the post-COVID era where flexible learning options are paramount.

The newly launched certificates include:

Glion:

Les Roches:

Christophe Julliard, Chief Revenue Officer states that Sommet Education's strategic digital expansion responds to the urgent need for continuous upskilling in today's rapidly evolving landscape. Through innovative digital technologies and pedagogical methods, we empower professionals to excel in an increasingly competitive global environment.

In an age of rapid technological change and evolving industry needs, Sommet Education stands out for its commitment to innovation and excellence. Through its extensive range of online Executive certificates, Sommet is democratizing access to high-quality education and ushering in a new era of lifelong learning. This empowers individuals with the flexibility and resources to continually upgrade their skills, seize new opportunities, and thrive in the dynamic digital economy.

About Sommet Education

Sommet Education is the worlds leader in hospitality education with a global network of 5 education brands.

It comprises two of the Top 10 globally ranked institutions: the prestigious Swiss originated hospitality business schools Glion Institute of Higher Education and Les Roches. Sommet Education reinforced its leadership with culinary and pastry arts schools Ecole Ducasse; South African Education leader Invictus and Indian School of Hospitality.

These institutions offer 400 undergraduate, graduate and technical training programs to 10,000 students and learners from 100 different nationalities in 10 countries. Teaching is offered on 20 campuses, as well as through state-of-the-art remote learning platforms. Together the schools have a network of 60,000 influential alumni in hospitality and beyond.

For more information, visit https://www.sommet-education.com/

Anouck Weiss

Chief Communication Officer Sommet Education

Sommet Education

View source
Dimitris Manikis is the President of Wyndham Hotels and Resorts for Europe, Middle East, Eurasia and Africa. Wyndham is the world's biggest franchise with 25 brands across 9,200 hotels in 95 countries. Dimitris' region includes around 650 hotels in 45 countries.

Dimitris and Matt Welle, Mews CEO, first met in person at Mews Unfold 2023, where, in Matts words, it was love at first sight. Dimitris will be appearing on stage again at Unfold 2024, where hell be sharing his invaluable insights and unfiltered opinions around Shaping Hospitalitys Future.

Ahead of the main event on May 29th, Dimitris and Matt caught up again over a virtual coffee to explore some of hospitalitys most interesting topics, including the balance between technology and humans and whether traveler habits are really changing.

If youd like to see Dimitris (and a whole host of other hospitality leaders) in person, you can still book your tickets for Mews Unfold 2024.

Get your ticket

What should hoteliers be investing in right now?

Its a big conversation. Everybody talks about technology and AI, and I think what we should be investing in is a combination of technology and people. We have to find the right balance as an industry to still count on people but at the same time make a huge investment in the future in technology.

Look at Mews, for example. I remember you telling me a couple of months ago how you have progressed from being a small startup to a billion-dollar company, not just because you invest a lot of technology, but because you've invested in people at the same time.

As an industry that is predominantly people-driven, we realized that without people we cannot be where we want to be in the future. But at the same time, we realized that technology is going to be the vehicle, the tool and the funnel that will get us there.

How do we find that balance between people and technology?

We have to be very careful because if we emphasize that the future of hospitality is all about technology, why would a young person work in an industry thats going to replace her or his job with a robot?

We have to make sure that technology is there as an enabler to give people the opportunity to do so many other things and add to the experience. When your receptionist becomes an experiences officer  when there's no receptionist anymore but someone who welcomes guests and gives them information about the things they can do  thats how technology is going to make sure that it becomes complimentary and not a threat.

So how can we balance that message?

We use technology to provide better experiences for guests, but at the same time make sure that our staff members actually get empowered to deliver a better experience. That is what we should be investing in.

What can we do to help hotel staff to truly connect with guests again?

The pre-arrival experience is vital. Talk to guests before they arrive and make sure that you know a lot about your guests before they walk through the door.

Use technology to see what their preferences are. Send them a message or an email or a TikTok video about your hotel, so before they arrive, theyve already received a 30-second video of the five things you can do within 200 meters of the hotel, of the restaurant and bar, or an event thats happening in the hotel the night that you're going to be there.

If we know who's coming, why don't we make sure that the pre-arrival is as important as the arrival? Why don't we use that technology to make that guest feel comfortable before they even walk into the lobby?

Also, let's be honest: there will be people who don't want to interact with anybody while at the hotel. They want to order room service and thank you very much. But if you give them the opportunity to have a meaningful conversation with somebody, something like: I'm here if you need me; if you haven't got any dinner appointments, this is where I would suggest for the evening. They might not take that suggestion, but its nice to have it.

Do you think travelers have actually changed?

I'll take the example from my own family. We haven't fundamentally changed the way we travel. I've got two millennials at home, 26 and 24. Apart from the fact that they expect me to pay for everything, I don't think they've really changed the way the way they travel.

What has changed though, is that do you remember when we used to put travelers into tribes and segments and wed say Dimitris and his family travels only this way or Matt only travels this way. Now we are all cross borders.

The same guy who goes on a trekking holiday with EasyJet can fly business class to Cape Town six months later. The same guy who goes into a Michelin restaurant in Copenhagen can be on holiday six months later and get a Big Mac somewhere in the city center. We used to put them in tribes and segments and now they interact across the board.

Have you seen any hotel brands or hotels diversifying their offer for hybrid travel?

There are some amazing brands out there that are trying, but the reality is that the majority of hotels are owned by five or six hospitality companies. There are more brands coming in and somebody might say: do we actually need all these brands?

One of the reasons we have all these brands is the constant need of travelers to get something new, which pushes the hospitality companies to create new brands constantly. That's why you see so many brands coming out of the woodwork in the last six months to a year, because travel is changing constantly.

Our business is not different from the automotive industry, for example. Look at companies like Mercedes or BMW and how many different cars they have. Suddenly, electric cars become very popular, and then there are 10 different brands of electric cars, because that's going to be the future.

Everybody is on the quest for the Holy Grail: finding brands, products and services that will appeal to the new traveler or to the way people want to travel in the future.

Are there too many brands now?

We need to be very careful because our industry is getting to be a playground. Its getting commoditized. For example, you have extended stay versus serviced apartments versus branded residences.

Consumers are going to get confused at some point, and the meaning of hospitality could be lost somewhere in translation. Because how do you choose? Its an interesting debate, particularly with how co-living, co-working and other spaces are going to interact with each other.

What advice would you give to hoteliers?

A lot of people ask me what it takes to be successful in this industry, and the only thing I have to say is love. Love people. Not love what you do, because I do believe that everybody who works in any industry loves what they do. In our industry, you've got to love people.

If you don't love people, you're in the wrong business. No matter what happens, we show up every single day. We put on a welcoming face for the guests. You can build the best hotel in the world but if its full of grumpy people, nobodys going to stay.

Once youve booked your ticket to see Dimitris at Unfold, be sure to check out the Mews Coffee Corner. Its full of short, insightful conversations (including this one) with hoteliers and hospitality tech partners about what makes remarkable hospitality.

Visit Mews Coffee Corners

About Mews

Mews is the leading platform for the new era of hospitality. Powering over 5,500 customers across more than 85 countries, Mews Hospitality Cloud is designed to streamline operations for modern hoteliers, transform the guest experience and create more profitable businesses. Customers include Generator-Freehand, Strawberry, The Social Hub, and Airelles Collection. Mews was named Best PMS (2024) and listed among the Best Place to Work in Hotel Tech (2021, 2022, 2024) by Hotel Tech Report, as well as World's Best Hotel PMS Provider (2023) and World's Best Independent Hotel PMS Provider (2022, 2023) by World Travel Tech Awards. Mews has raised $335 million from investors including Goldman Sachs Alternatives, Kinnevik and Revaia to transform hospitality.

www.mews.com
Source WTTC

New reports from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Microsoft highlights the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its role in shaping the future of Travel & Tourism.



The final two reports of a series on Artificial Intelligence from WTTC entitled "Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI): Overview of AI Risks, Safety & Governance" and "Artificial Intelligence (AI): Global Strategies, Policies & Regulations," underscore a commitment to a digital future that prioritises safety, ethical considerations, and responsible AI adoption.



Launched during the global tourism bodys participation at the UN General Assembly in New York, these reports mark significant milestones in WTTC's mission to promote innovation and excellence in customer experiences through the safe and trustworthy integration of AI.



"Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI)" delves into the potential risks associated with AI deployment and offers strategies for establishing frameworks that promote transparency, accountability, and fairness.



From addressing bias and discrimination to ensuring human oversight of AI systems, this report empowers organisations to harness the power of AI responsibly.



In the fourth and final instalment, "Artificial Intelligence (AI): Global Strategies, Policies & Regulations," WTTC provides a detailed overview of the AI ecosystem across key countries and international organisations.



It shows how policymakers are navigating the AI landscape and shaping regulations and strategies to foster AI innovation, while ensuring its ethical and responsible use.



Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: In a rapidly evolving landscape, AI emerges as a catalyst for positive change. The insights provided in these reports demonstrate that AI is not just a technological advancement; it is a strategic tool that can personalise customer experiences, drive sustainable improvements, and shape the future of Travel & Tourism.



AI is already being used across our sector with incredible results. Several major hotel groups including Iberostar are using AI to monitor and reduce food waste, which recently resulted not only in a 27% cost saving but prevented thousands of kilos of unwanted food going to landfill. 



Julie Shainock, Managing Director, Travel, Transport, & Logistics Industry for Microsoft said: We are seeing AI being embraced across the entire travel eco-system enhancing the customer experience, the employee experience and also driving more efficiency in operations, but we know we are only at the beginning of the journey.



We are excited to see what the future holds as AI becomes more widely adopted to automate the more mundane tasks of travel and harness the true spirit of travel, to elevate the human experience.



According to WTTC, AI has the power to revolutionise how businesses in the Travel & Tourism sector operate, offering immense opportunities for growth and innovation.



Both reports underscore the urgent need for Travel & Tourism businesses to embrace AI as a strategic priority, investing in talent and fostering collaboration between humans and AI.



But despite the sector's increasing recognition of AI's potential, challenges such as AI-skilled workforce shortages in the Travel & Tourism sector persist, highlighting the importance of proactive measures to overcome barriers to adoption.



As AI continues to reshape the world, WTTC remains at the forefront, advocating for safe, ethical, and inclusive AI innovation.



To access these reports, please visit WTTCs Research Hub.
Crowne Plaza Dehradun Rajpur Road to Open 2028 in India



Set in the Himalayas, the newly built hotel marks the debut of Crowne Plaza brand in the state of Uttarakhand

IHG Hotels & Resorts has announced the signing of a management agreement with IVY Hotels & Resorts to bring the first Crowne Plaza hotel to Uttarakhand. Scheduled to open in April 2028, Crowne Plaza Dehradun Rajpur Road hotel will add 110 keys to IHG's portfolio in the state.

Set in Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand and a notable leisure destination, academic hub, as well as a fast-growing economic centre, Crowne Plaza Dehradun Rajpur Road promises a unique blend of premium hospitality and convenience. True to the Crowne Plaza brand, the hotel is set to deliver exceptional guest experiences rooted in blended travel that will cater to both leisure and business guests, enabling effortless flexibility and balance between work and life.

Commenting on the announcement, Sudeep Jain, Managing Director, South West Asia, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said, We are delighted to debut our premium brand, Crowne Plaza, in Dehradun in partnership with IVY Hotels & Resort. Dehradun has witnessed rapid economic growth due to its strategic location and has emerged as a key destination for the tourism and hospitality sector. The ideal positioning of Crowne Plaza Dehradun Rajpur Road will ensure access to a thriving market encompassing leisure, corporate, SME, and MICE sectors.

He added: The signing further strengthens IHGs commitment to bring quality branded accommodation to key destinations, catering to the growing needs of diverse travellers and contributing to the countrys economic development. In line with our strategy to expand our footprint in the country, we are confident we will become a preferred destination for both leisure, and corporate travellers seeking a memorable premium hospitality experience in the heart of the Himalayas as well as a preferred destination for MICE opportunities.

Mohammad Ilyas, Managing Partner at IVY Hotels & Resorts added, We are thrilled to partner with IHG Hotels & Resorts to open Crowne Plaza Dehradun Rajpur Road. With IHG's global expertise and our local insights, we are confident that this premium hotel will set new standards of excellence in hospitality, catering to the diverse needs of guests visiting this dynamic city. The Crowne Plaza brand is world-renowned for its premium comfortable experience, and we are proud to bring this experience to Dehradun. We look forward to harnessing the benefits of IHGs global systems and robust loyalty program.

Once opened, the hotel will feature 110 rooms with ample and modern spaces. For guests looking to indulge in exceptional culinary experiences, the new hotel will offer all-day dining, a specialty restaurant, a bar and a lobby lounge, catering to diverse guest preferences. For guests looking to unwind and relax, the hotel will boast a fully equipped fitness center, swimming pool, club lounge, rejuvenating spa, as well as a retail store.
Asia-Pacific 2024 Meetings & Events Trends

A positive shift is underway for meetings and events this year. Global trends show a return to in-person gatherings, increased attendees, and increasing budgets. What about the Asia-Pacific region specifically? While this region falls behind others when it comes to in-person meetings and events, positivity about health and safety  as well in other key areas  is strong with a ranking of 8 or higher on a scale of 1 to 10.

Our 13th annual Global Meetings and Events Forecast provides a comprehensive overview of what to expect over the next twelve months, including a look at regional trends in Asia-Pacific.

Slow and steady growth

Meeting professionals in this region are expecting a steady overall increase in activity in 2024. This steady increase balances growth with cautious optimism in most categories due to a variety of factors.

A few standout trends and findings include:

Small and simple meetings will be the most common meeting type.

46% of meeting professionals say theyre likely or very likely to look for a new job in the next 12 months.

Health and safety protocols remain a strong factor (at 28%) when selecting meeting locations.

67% of respondents said that sustainability has been strongly adopted in their meeting program.

Destination appeal

New to this years Forecast, were including the Top 5 meetings and events locations as determined by 131 American Express Global Business Travel meetings professionals. The results are based on criteria that include accessibility, local attractions, safety and security, and more.

With its cutting-edge facilities and state-of-the-art infrastructure, Singapore has reemerged as a global hub after enduring several years of restrictions. Tokyo and Bangkok rank second and third, further highlighting the vibrant and dynamic cities in this region. Sydney and Hong Kong occupy the final two positions contributing to the regional landscape of premier event destinations in Asia-Pacific.

This year were featuring two special must-read sections:

7 actionable insights to elevate your meetings program includes highlights to help kick start your programs evolution and optimize upcoming trends.

includes highlights to help kick start your programs evolution and optimize upcoming trends. Event marketing trends: Are you ready to impress your marketing stakeholder, focuses on key trends and insights into what matters to your marketing stakeholders plus questions and tips to help you better align with them.

Download the 2024 Global Meetings and Events Forecast here.
Chicago, IL (60637)

Today

Cloudy early followed by partly cloudy skies and gusty winds this afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 66F. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph..

Tonight

Overcast skies and windy. Low 47F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph.
The Retired Investor: The Appliance Scam

If you haven't noticed, the price of large appliances continues to climb. What's worse, in a year or two, many find that the costly smart refrigerator, oven, or washing machine in your kitchen is suddenly plagued with all kinds of problems. What happened to the concept of quality?

In the last two years, my wife and I have had to purchase a new refrigerator and washer. The guy who delivered them warned me that it was just a matter of time before the dryer went as well. None of these items were more than 10 years old. I credit Rachel Wolfe of The Wall Street Journal for explaining why.

There seem to be three factors behind the shorter life span of these household goods. Computerization, an increase in the number of individual components that go into each appliance, and the quality of materials overall. Let's take the refrigerator, as an example.

Back in the day, I can remember my mom having to shut down the fridge every six months or so and scrape off the ice that had built up in the freezer. Those days are gone. Manual defrost gave way to frost-free refrigerators that came with a bunch of new parts like heaters, fans, and sensors to automate the defrosting process.

The dawning of the 2000s saw a breakthrough in both energy efficiency and precise temperature control by replacing thermostats with digital computer control. All that was required was to add another batch of components and parts, mostly electronic, such as relays, capacitors, and solder joints to the old ice box.

Another factor impacting all appliances, not just refrigerators, was the industry-wide transition to lead-free solder in 2006. Environmentally, the benefits are obvious, since it eliminates toxic lead, however, the new solder requires stricter control over manufacturing processes and better design practices to ensure long-term reliability. This has resulted in an entirely new series of challenges to your neighborhood repair person to figure out what parts need to be repaired while others may need to be replaced.

In the meantime, George Jetson would be proud of the advancements. Appliance manufacturers keep coming up with wonder after wonder. Icemakers, touchscreens, and chilled water dispensers are built into refrigerator doors. I fully expect my fridge to be able to sing Zippity Do Dah in its next reincarnation.

The same trend is occurring in other appliances. New smart ovens offer induction, convection, air fry, steam, dual-fuel, and touch control. Washers and dryers promise smart technology integration with features such as in-washer faucets, dirt level and fabric type sensors, steam closets, removable agitators, cold water wash technology, and even add-on filters for microplastic capture.

While all these features enhance functionality, the number of valves, pumps, electrical connections, electronics, and such make something created to keep things cold now takes a rocket scientist to figure out, let alone repair. I confess that I still can't figure out how to switch the icemaker from simply dispensing water to giving me a cup full of ice. What's worse is that a blip in the icemaker can cause a systemwide failure and put your fridge down for the count. It has happened to me.

I am not alone. My appliance repair guy said his industry is seeing a ton more items in need of repair. The Wall Street Journal article confirmed that and found that Yelp helped users request 58 percent more quotes from thousands of appliance repair businesses. American households spent 43 percent more on home appliances last year than 10 years ago, even though prices have declined during that same period. One of the main reasons for this discrepancy is there has been a higher rate of replacements. Twenty-five years ago, the average homeowner replaced appliances every 12-13 years. Today it is every eight to nine years.

As most readers know, getting someone to repair your appliance is an expensive and time-consuming process. House calls are roughly $250 per visit before any work is done. You can easily spend almost as much repairing an appliance as buying a new one. Manufacturers know that consumers are unlikely to invest in costly repairs. Therefore, many companies prioritize cost-effective production methods over repairability. Products that are not meant to be taken apart and fixed can be made cheaply with less expensive parts and materials.

In addition, replacement parts can be a game of brands. Premium brands tend to provide extensive spare parts support for their products, but even the best can require a week's wait or more. Cheaper brands, normally sold in budget stores and some box stores, often offer limited or no spare parts availability. They are designed to be disposable with your money back, or a new appliance if it is still under warranty. If not, you are out of luck.

In summary, the appliance market today "ain't what it used to be." One of my neighbors just ordered a dishwasher from Home Depot. They only drop it off. Now she needs to find a plumber to uninstall and cart away the old one and install the new one. There's not much anyone can do about it but if you still have that old freezer or fridge in the basement, I would keep it.
Clark Art Presents Film Viewing and Discussion

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  On Thursday, April 25 at 6 pm, the Clark Art Institute presents an exclusive event with Warner Friedman, a prominent artist in the Berkshires for over fifty years.

After screening the 2023 short documentary directed by Diane Crespo, "Warner Friedman: A Postmodern Journey" (Run time: 21 minutes), the artist and the filmmaker join in a conversation and Q&A session. The event takes place in the Clark's auditorium, located in the Manton Research Center.

According to a press release:

Renowned as a contemporary landscape painter, Friedman is celebrated for his vibrant scenes framed by fences, gates, windows, and doors. Drawing from his early career in engineering, Friedman transitioned to creating abstract works of art. In the 1960s, he seamlessly integrated these abstract elements and geometric forms into expansive realist paintings, utilizing irregularly shaped canvases and employing models and carefully calibrated photographs for precision.

Free. Accessible seats available; for information, call 413 458 0524.
Clark Art Presents Thematic Tour on British Art

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  On Sunday, April 21 at 11:15 am, the Clark Art Institute presents a free In Focus tour examining how British artists and artists working in nineteenth-century Britain used realism and compelling storytelling in their art.

A Clark educator leads a thematic tour of the permanent collection, exploring how key artists depicted emotions in their figural works. Learn about groundbreaking modes of landscape painting originated by artists such as Joseph Mallord William Turner and John Constable.

Free with gallery admission. Capacity is limited. Visitors may pick up a ticket at the Clark Center Admissions desk, available on a first-come, first-served basis.




iciHaiti - Weather : An American helicopter bound for Haiti makes an emergency landing in Monte Cristi





Tuesday April 17, 2024, an American Sikorsky S-61 helicopter registered N907CH operating for the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service, coming from the island of Providenciales to Cap-Haitien was forced to make an emergency landing at the "Osvaldo Virgil" airport in San Fernando de Monte Cristi (Northwest of the Dominican Republic) due to bad weather conditions according to the Dominican authorities.



There were two passengers and four crew members on board, the landing went well and the passengers and crew members were safe.



Note that this helicopter is being used to evacuate American citizens from Haiti due to increasing insecurity.



S/ HaitiLibre


















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The Movie Critic is no more. The long-teased final film from Quentin Tarantino has been abandoned, according to Deadline, sending the pulp savant back to the proverbial drawing board.

The project was said to revolve around a reviewer of porn films in the 1970s, and was rumoured to star Brad Pitt as well as Paul Walter Hauser, the brilliant lead in Clint Eastwoods Richard Jewell. Now, The Movie Critic seemingly joins Tarantinos R-rated Star Trek film in the graveyard of cinemas what-might-have-beens. Maybe The Movie Critic would have been a disaster. But wouldnt it have been nice to find out?

For many years, Tarantino has insisted that he will retire after his 10th film, or at the age of 60. He is currently 61, and has so far directed nine films, if we count the two Kill Bills as one (which he seems to be doing). This vow was seemingly made as an attempt to preserve the integrity of his own oeuvre. Directors dont get better as they get older, he told Playboy in 2012. Usually the worst films in their filmography are those last four at the end ... I dont want that bad, out-of-touch comedy in my filmography.

Now, notwithstanding the matter of whether hell actually go through with the retirement  an eventual change of heart seems about as plausible as the alternative (an indulgent twilight career as a novelist and podcaster)  theres something dispiriting about Tarantinos self-imposed creative curfew. In trying to curate his own legacy, he may well end up souring it.

The first and most glaring issue with Tarantinos gambit: it simply isnt the case that filmmakers get worse in old age. While this may broadly hold true with great musicians, and a good amount of the time with novelists, the current filmmaking scene is teeming with directors making some of their best work in their eighth, ninth, and even, in the case of American documentarian Frederick Wiseman, 10th decades.

Martin Scorsese; Steven Spielberg; Hayao Miyazaki; Claire Denis; Pedro Almodovar; David Lynch  there are too many examples to list. If Stanley Kubrick had decided to retire at 60, we wouldnt have got Eyes Wide Shut; if Akira Kurosawa had done it, there would be no Ran.

Tarantino himself is living proof that filmmakers do not simply slide into creative oblivion as soon as the crows feet set in: 2019s Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood was arguably the best and most accomplished film hes ever made. (Ironically, it would have made the perfect tonal capper for his career; whatever he makes next will inevitably have the whiff of afterthought.)

To be clear: no one should ever be under any obligation to make art they dont want to make. If he wants to quit, he can quit! But make no mistake, Tarantinos legacy will be the lesser for it  and, while his violent, provocative sensibility has won him no shortage of detractors over the years, its hard to dispute that cinema will be worse off when it finally drops out of the Quentin Tarantino business.

There are almost no filmmakers out there who are able to make adult-rated films on Tarantino-sized budgets (in the $100m/80m range), with the kind of A-list actors Tarantino attracts, all while maintaining the kind of creative autonomy he has been afforded. When he retires, its not the case that the opportunities will simply be passed on to his successor. The money will go elsewhere, into safer bets, or smaller projects.

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Miyazaki, the animation genius behind Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke, is an interesting counterweight  a filmmaker who has vowed to retire several times, only to be lured back again and again. Each time, the decision has been fully vindicated: his last two features, The Wind Rises and The Boy and the Heron, are among the very best hes done.

Its telling, perhaps, that news of The Movie Critics demise comes amid reports that Spielberg, 77, has settled on a new project  a UFO film, his 36th feature. Scorsese, 81, is following last years triumphant Killers of the Flower Moon with two back-to-back projects: one about the life of Jesus, the other a Frank Sinatra biopic starring Leonardo DiCaprio. If both come to fruition, it would take Scorseses tally to 28 narrative films as well as 17 feature-length documentaries.

In the shadow of these bodies of work, Tarantinos 10-film posturing seems rather pointless. Its true that you should always leave em wanting more. But you cant help but suspect hell end up wanting more, too.
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Quentin Tarantino has reportedly scrapped The Movie Critic, which he had earlier said would be his directorial swan song.

The project had picked up pace when news broke in February that Brad Pitt was being cast in The Movie Critic. Sources at the time said that Pitt may be reprising his Oscar-winning role as Cliff Booth from Tarantinos 2019 film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Had the film moved forward, it would have been Tarantino and Pitts third collaboration after Inglourious Basterds and Hollywood.

However, Deadline has now claimed that Tarantino has simply had a change of heart so is going back to the drawing board to figure out what that final movie will be.

Not much was known about the proposed film, except that Tarantino told Deadline in 2023 it would be set in 1977 California and based on a guy who really lived but was never really famous, and he used to write movie reviews for a porno rag.

The inspiration came from a job Tarantino had as a teen, loading porn magazines into a vending machine. All the other stuff was too skanky to read, but then there was this porno rag that had a really interesting movie page, he added.

Speaking of the unnamed critic Tarantino said: He wrote about mainstream movies and he was the second-string critic. I think he was a very good critic. He was cynical as hell. His reviews were a cross between early Howard Stern and what Travis Bickle might be if he were a film critic.

The Pulp Fiction director gave no more information, saying, I cant tell you guys [anything] until you see the movie. Im tempted to do some of the characters monologues right now, but Im not going to. Maybe if there were less video cameras. You just have to wait and see.

open image in gallery Brad Pitt, Quentin Tarantino, Margot Robbie and Leonardo Di Caprio attend the premiere of Once Upon A Time In Hollywood in Berlin ( Getty Images for Sony Pictures )

Tarantino had also secured a $20.2m subsidy from California for the film, it was reported in September last year. At the time, the film was only identified as #10, a reference to it being the directors 10th film. It is unclear what the subsidy will be used for now.

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Tarantino has, in the past, returned to projects he has shelved. He abandoned work on The Hateful Eight in 2014 after a rough draft of the script he had shared with a small group of actors was leaked online. Tarantino called it a betrayal but then made and released the film in 2015.

The director has long said he would retire from directing after completing his final project, which would be his 10th.

I know film history and from here on in, filmmakers do not get better, he told Bill Maher in a 2021 interview.

I am all about my filmography, and one bad film f**** up three good ones. I dont want that bad, out-of-touch comedy in my filmography, the movie that makes people think, Oh man, he still thinks its 20 years ago. When directors get out-of-date, its not pretty, he said in an interview to Playboy magazine in 2012.
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Sydney Sweeney has responded after Hollywood producer Carol Baum claimed that shes not pretty and cant act.

Baum, 81, is known for her work on the 1988 thriller Dead Ringers, the 1991 comedy Father of the Bride and the original 1992 film version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

She made headlines last week when she said at an event in Pleasantville, New York: Theres an actress who everybody loves now: Sydney Sweeney. I dont get Sydney Sweeney. I was watching on the plane Sydney Sweeneys movie [Anyone but You] because I wanted to watch it.

I wanted to know who she is and why everybodys talking about her. I watched this unwatchable movie  sorry to people who love this romantic comedy where they hate each other.

She continued: I said to my class, Explain this girl to me. Shes not pretty, she cant act. Why is she so hot? Nobody had an answer. But then the question was asked, Well, if you could get your movie made because she was in it, would you do it?

Thats a very hard question to answer because we all want to get the movie made and who walks away from a green light? Nobody I know. Your job is to get the movie made.

open image in gallery Sydney Sweeney and Father of the Bride producer Carol Baum ( Getty )

Now, Sweeney, 26, has responded through a representative in a statement to Variety: How sad that a woman in the position to share her expertise and experience chooses instead to attack another woman.

If thats what shes learned in her decades in the industry and feels is appropriate to teach to her students, thats shameful. To unjustly disparage a fellow female producer speaks volumes about Ms Baums character.

She has also been defended by Teddy Schwarzman, a co-producer on her new film Immaculate.

Ill enlighten Ms. Baum that two-time Emmy nominee Sydney Sweeney is not only one of the most talented actresses Ive worked with, Schwarzman wrote on X/Twitter, but also incredibly smart, kind and humble.

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He added: Im not sure why someone who claims to still be a producer would make such terribly ugly comments.

Baum told TMZ she regrets her comments.

Last month, Sweeney revealed that her onscreen success has allowed her to pay off her mothers mortgage.

I recently paid off my moms mortgage, Sweeney said. As a kid, I always dreamt of being able to take care of my parents, so that was a really big thing for me to be able to do.

I try to incorporate them into my life as much as possible, whether its talking with my cousins every other day or going home, she added.
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Despite his place in the history of literature, there hasnt been a huge amount of Dickens on stage in recent years. Theres always Oliver!, of course, 700 adaptations of A Christmas Carol each year, and Eddie Izzards one-person Great Expectations last year, but Dickens adaptations have mostly been TV ones of the Sunday night sit-down-and-watch-with-granny type.

Ben Powers adaptation of Our Mutual Friend really doesnt want to be that. With its changed title and songs by PJ Harvey, the suggestion is of something far muddier, far murkier. Director Ian Rickson constructs a moody production to house Powers flowing script, and every so often it stops to allow for even moodier songs by Harvey. Its all a bit of an odd assemblage, those three elements trying to assert themselves individually rather than cohering as a whole.

Its Powers script that really sings, honing in on the River Thames as the emblem of the story. There are plenty of echoes for today, but Power doesnt overegg it. He manages to clip and condense one of Dickenss most complex stories into something manageable while keeping the essence of the characters.

The plot takes a lot of explaining but essentially involves a man whos inherited a fortune pretending to be dead, while the children of the man accused of killing him deal with the fallout. Its full of typically memorably Dickensian characters, from Tom Mothersdales skulking Rokesmith to Stephen Kennedys utterly loveable Mr Wilfer. Ami Tredrea stands out as end-of-her-tether, self-sacrificing Lizzie Hexam, trying to help everyone but herself. Theres a fantastic turn, too, from Ellie-May Sheridan in her stage debut as forthright Jenny Wren, a girl who makes dresses for dolls.

And it looks spectacular. Sufferings everywhere forever, says one character, and you feel that here; bleakness abounds. Designer Bunny Christie gives us a huge lighting rig dotted with 50 spotlights hanging over the stage in receding strips, each undulating slowly, giving the queasy impression of the river somehow reflected in the sky, rather than the other way around.

Rickson keeps most of the action right up the front of the stage, leaving a huge empty space behind. Its eerie, especially under Jack Knowless superbly ghostly lighting, sometimes greenish, sometimes pools of white, always leaving lots of darkness. That darkness is carried through in Christies costumes, too, mostly black and white except for splashes of pale green, all the colours washed out, like theyve been dredged up from the river.

The cast of London Tide ( Marc Brenner )

If that gives the impression of something grim and dour and slightly bleak, then yeah. Any leavening only comes from the fact that, eventually, Power lets some of Dickenss welcome sentimentality slip in towards the happy end.

Harvey, on the other hand, doesnt. Her songs intrigue at first, their lyrics both blunt  this is a story about Lundun chant the cast in the opening number  and esoteric. But as the story gets more interesting and the characters richer, the songs remain the same  each character stands centre stage and sings out at the audience  until you cant help sighing a little when another one strikes up, knowing another dirge is on its way.

Evidence, then, of why we get so few Dickens stage adaptations these days  massive plots, a million characters, dozens of locations  but still a strong case for more people giving it a go, if they can do it as deftly as Power. The stories are brilliant, the characters memorable, the themes still relevant. Its just that, here, as the story draws us in, Ricksons production wants to push us away. Its all cold and angular, sparse and colourless. The moments of joy and silliness that exist in the story try to break through, but theyre stifled by all this moody coolness. Rickson seems so resistant to this being naff Dickens, and Harvey so resistant to this being a musical, that it risks capsizing the whole thing.

National Theatre, until 22 June
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A new trailer for Clarksons Farm series three has been released, hinting at a chaotic run of episodes filled with disasters, heartbreak, surprises and promotions.

The series, which follows ex-Top Gear host Jeremy Clarksons attempts to run a 1,000-acre farm in the Cotswolds, has become one of Prime Videos biggest hits since it started in June 2021. A long-awaited third series starts in May.

The 61-year-old bought the land in 2008 and, after the villager who ran the farm retired in 2019, he decided to see if he could run it himself.

The trailer starts with an enforcement notice asking the group to cease use of any part of the land as a restaurant or cafe as they realise they are back at square one.

Farmer Kaleb Cooper receives good news as Clarkson promotes him to farm manager and tells another associate about his new thing: pigs.

Hes seen hoovering up blackberries using a red Henry hoover pipe mounted on the back of a truck as he demonstrates, simply apply the vacuum cleaner to the blackberry  and is disgusted as he turns out the pocket of his jacket to see one of the pigs has been sick inside it.

However, all is not well as his girlfriend Lisa Hogan is left in tears at the death of a baby piglet. Clarkson is seen comforting his partner through the tragic moment, which he recently described as shell shocking in an interview.

I reckoned the pigs would provide something thats sadly lacking in farming today: a bit of genuine happiness, Clarkson told The Sunday Times.

open image in gallery Clarkson is seem comforting his girlfriend Lisa ( Amazon Prime Video )

Instead, it was almost unbelievably sad. Ive never seen Lisa so upset. The film crew looked shell-shocked.

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Clarkson continued: We had a catastrophically high level of deaths and I was desperately worried we were doing something wrong, but it turned out we werent, it was just that pigs are bad mothers  the Sandy and Black particularly so. Thats why its a rare breed.

Later in the trailer he hatches a new plan to sell hay with a very specific list of celebrity clientele: All of the people moving out of London, Cowell, Beckham, Natalie Imbruglia, Amanda Holden... he announces to his team.

Meanwhile, a visit to a goat farm leads to an awkward injury for the host. The goat farmer appears amused and Lisa shocked as Clarkson is left swearing in pain.

open image in gallery A third season of Clarksons Farm returns next month. ( Amazon Prime Video )

The new season also appears to touch on his unpopularity with locals with one of his team Charlie, warning he could lose his only allies as a stuck digger threatens to flood the nearby village.

If this goes wrong, the only part of Chaddington that quite likes you, youre going to flood, he says.

Clarksons Farm returns to Prime Video on 3 May.
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Actor, author and activist Maulik Panchol says he has been incrediby moved by the outpouring of solidarity, love, and support after his appearance at a Pennsylvania highschool was cancelled by the institutions board over concerns about his lifestyle.

Mr Pancholy  who is gay  was supposed to host the anti-bulling event in May at Mountain View Middle School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania  until the Cumberland Valley School District school board voted unanimously to pass a motion to cancel it on Monday, the New York Times reported.

He labels himself as an activist who is proud of his lifestyle and I dont think that should be imposed on our students, said school board member Bud Shaffner, according to the outlet. Kelly Potteiger also expressed concern that the activist would mention his books, which feature LGBTQ+ characters.

She told the board that its not discriminating against his lifestyle, thats his choice. But its him speaking about it. He did say that thats not the topic, but thats what his books are about.

In a statement shared with The Independent on Thursday, Mr Pancholy questioned why the school board was afraid of his appearance and the promotion of his books which, he said, aimed to build empathy and promote inclusion.

My heart goes out to the entire Mountain View Middle School community, and particularly to the students, the statement read. Both of my books... are stories that reflect the full, complicated, and wonderful lives of middle school students.

As a middle schooler, I never saw myself represented in the stories around me. I couldn't find books that featured South Asian-American or LGBTQ+ characters. They didn't exist. And when I set out to write my own novels so many years later, I was still hard-pressed to find those stories. It's why I wrote my books in the first place. Because representation matters.

He continued: When I visit schools, my activism is to let all young people know that they're seen. To let them know that they matter.

When I talk about the characters in my books feeling different, Im always surprised by how many young people raise their hands - regardless of their identities and backgrounds - wanting to share about the ways in which they, too, feel different

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Thats the power of books. They build empathy. I wonder why a school board is so afraid of that?

Mr Pancholy added: I hope that every single student at MVMS is receiving that message of support and love. That you know that regardless of who you are, you belong. To each of you: I see you. I appreciate you. You matter.

The school boards decision to cancel on Monday sparked a major backlash, with some describing it as shameful. A petition to reinstate the anti-bullying talk was created.

The petitions creator, Trisha Comstock, who identified herself in the petitions description as a member of the Cumberland Valley School District community, said she was deeply saddened by the school boards decision to cancel the discussion, which she said was made solely because he is openly gay.

She told the newspaper that her children had gone to Mountain View Middle School.

Ms Comstock said online that the assemblys cancellation sends a harmful message to our students - that being different is something to be ashamed of or hidden away. As of Thursday afternoon, the petition had garnered more than 2,000 signatures.

It is imperative that our kids learn about diversity from an early age, Ms Comstock said in a statement to The Independent. The decision made by the school board sends the message that being different is something to be ashamed of  and that has likely already caused harm to some of our students. To have someone with Mauliks life experiences would have been inspirational for our kids.

Beyond being an actor in 30 Rock and Phineas and Ferb, Mr Pancholy has penned childrens books and also served on President Obamas Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, which grew into the nonprofit Act To Change. He leads the nonprofit, which aims to fight bullying in schools.

The Independent has reached out to a representative for Mr Pancholy, Ms Shaffner, Ms Potteiger, the school board president and the middle schools principal.

Mr Shaffner told the Times that his comment about the actors lifestyle concerned his activism. The fact that he is a self-proclaimed political activist is what we object to, the school board member told the outlet.

Ms Comstock objected to this characterisation, telling the outlet the board members cloaked the assembly as We want to keep politics out of school when they clearly knew it had nothing to do with politics.

She added that the community is outraged because this isnt who we are.
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Baby Reindeer creator Richard Gadd has said that making a show about his own experiences of being sexually assaulted provided him with a lifeline after grappling with his trauma in silence.

Gadd, 34, stars in the new Netflix series Baby Reindeer, which is based on his real-life experiences of being a victim of stalking, sexual assault and abuse.

Baby Reindeer follows struggling comic Donny Dunn (Gadd) as he is relentlessly harassed and stalked by Martha Scott (Jessica Gunning) for four and a half years. A subplot in the show sees Dunn groomed and raped by an older man called Darrian (Tom Goodman-Hill), who works in the comedy industry. Similar events happened to Gadd in real life.

In the penultimate episode of the seven-part series, Gadds character has an emotional breakdown on stage mid-performance and tells the audience what happened to him.

While in real life, Gadd didnt have a spontaneous breakdown on stage, he did write about being sexually assaulted for his award-winning Edinburgh fringe show Monkey See Monkey Do.

Speaking to The Guardian about the first time he performed Monkey See Monkey Do, Gadd said that the show saved him after keeping his experiences hidden for so long.

Speaking about the final technical rehearsal before opening night, Gadd recalled: I remember cracking up, because it was all going so badly, and the producer said, What do you want from this, man? And I turned to him with tears in my eyes, and said, I just want to make it out alive. Little did I know that it would provide a lifeline for me.

The way people received that show, and received me, and accepted what happened to me: it saved my life. Its mad that it happened that way.

open image in gallery Baby Reindeer is based on Gadds real-life experiences of stalking and sexual assault ( Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection )

Its clearly struck a chord, he says. I really did believe in it, but its taken off so quickly that I do feel a bit windswept.

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After watching Baby Reindeer, viewers have been left in awe of Gadds complex portrayal of abuse, sexual violence and the ways that male victims of harassment can be overlooked.

Its clearly struck a chord, he said of the shows success. I really did believe in it, but its taken off so quickly that I do feel a bit windswept.

Gadd has praised the charity We Are Survivors for supporting him through the years.

Sometimes I speak to male survivors, and Im not an advice giver or a professional, but the first advice is: break the silence. Talk to someone, and if thats too scary, just write it down, process it into something. Because I think the more you get it out, the smaller it becomes, he said.

When you go through something like sexual abuse, a lot of the disempowerment can come from these old ideas of what it means to be a man. Certainly when I shook off that idea, and realised that speaking out and saying Im struggling is a form of strength, sloughing off the idea that masculinity was the only form of survival  that was very healing.

open image in gallery Richard Gadd in Baby Reindeer ( Netflix )

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.

Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673).

Baby Reindeer is streaming now on Netflix.
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The Philippines and the US will conduct their first-ever military exercises outside Southeast Asian countrys territorial waters in the South China Sea, sparking condemnation from China.

The joint military drill, involving 16,700 American and Filipino soldiers, will stimulate exercises of sinking a target ship, retaking an island and sailing in waters that have remained a flashpoint between China and countries like the Philippines and Taiwan.

The annual Balikatan drill  that translates to shoulder-to-shoulder from Filipino  will begin on 22 April and continue till 10 May.

It will be the first time the mega drills are being carried out beyond Philippine territorial waters," said Michael Logico, a Philippine army colonel overseeing the exercises.

This also marks the inaugural participation of the Philippine Coast Guard in military exercises. The coast guard has been increasingly involved in confrontations with China, notably in areas like the disputed Second Thomas Shoal.

Issuing a warning against holding the drills, Chinas Foreign Ministry said that the involvement of extra-territorial countries to show off their force in the South China Sea will only provoke confrontation and undermine regional stability.

"Attempts to bring in external forces to safeguard its so-called security will only lead to greater insecurity for itself," ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a regular news conference, urging both countries to stop provocation.

He said Manila should be "sober enough to realise" the consequences.

open image in gallery A handout photo made available by Philippine Marines Corps - Public Affairs Office (PMC-PAO) shows US and Filipino Marines soldiers maneuvering during a jungle survival drill ( EPA )

Mr Logico said US troops and their Manila counterparts will simulate retaking islands occupied by hostile forces in the northernmost islands of the country, close to Taiwan and in the western Palawan province facing the South China Sea.

For the first time since the inception of the annual exercise in 1991, a small French contingent will participate in this years drills. They will deploy a frigate that will sail alongside Philippine and US naval vessels in Manilas exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea.

Around 14 nations will join as observers, including Japan, India and countries in Asean and the European Union, Mr Logico said.

The Philippines on Thursday defended its decision to strengthen ties with the US and Japan as the countries following a trilateral summit that drew flak from China.

The Philippine Foreign Ministry has called it a sovereign choice" as the trilateral grouping would promote peace and economic growth in the Indo-Pacific. China should not be threatened by it, a statement said.

open image in gallery President Joe Biden, center, speaks alongside Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., left, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida before a trilateral meeting ( AP )

"The source of tension in our region is well known to all. China should reflect upon its own actions in the South China Sea," the ministry said.

It is Chinas excessive maritime claims and aggressive behaviour, including its militarisation of reclaimed features, that are undermining regional peace and stability and raising tensions.

US president Joe Biden hosted Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida in Washington last week where the three leaders jointly expressed their "serious concerns" over Chinas actions in the South China Sea.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry had opposed the summit saying it opposes "forming exclusive circles in the region" and any "acts that stoke and drive up tensions".

Ties between Manila and Beijing have torpedoed to worse in recent years maritime run-ins in disputed atolls and shoals in the South China Sea that had led to injuries to Filipino coast guards.

China has been accused of using gray-zone harassment tactics such as shining military-grade lasers, the firing of water cannons and ramming into vessels, escalating tensions.

Additional reporting by agencies
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An elderly woman in South Korea died after waiting for five hours for a hospital that could perform heart surgery during a doctors strike that has paralysed the countrys healthcare system.

Despite experiencing chest pains and seeking emergency assistance last month, six hospitals in South Gyeongsang province refused to admit her for treatment, according to the South China Morning Herald.

Eventually a hospital in Busan accepted her but lacked the resources for the required surgery.

The identity of the woman was not clear. After undergoing tests, she was transferred to another hospital, where she died as she was being prepared for the surgery.

In February, the resignation of thousands of striking junior and trainee doctors in response to a government initiative to increase medical student admissions left the healthcare system in disarray.

South Korea has one of the lowest doctor-to-patient ratios among major economies and recently the government proposed to add 2,000 slots to the current annual quota of 3,000 medical students.

The plan was immediately criticised by doctors, who took to the streets to protest with signs that read end of healthcare. The striking doctors argued this expansion wont solve the actual shortages in certain specialities, where conditions and pay are poor, and could degrade medical service quality.

The strike has led to numerous cancelled surgeries and treatments, and even the death of an ophthalmologist who was overburdened due to the strike.

Meanwhile, the unidentified daughter of the deceased patient expressed frustration over the delayed admission to a hospital. She told SCMP: I am very upset and sad at the thought that my mother may have survived if she had been admitted to a general university hospital in the first place.

Its deplorable that the possibility of her survival may have been lost due to the medical vacuum, although I cannot say for sure that she would have survived if she had been immediately operated on.

open image in gallery Park Dan, head of an emergency committee at the Korean Intern Resident Association, centre right, is seen during a meeting at the Korean Medical Association in Seoul, South Korea, 31 March 2024 ( via AP )

The government has threatened to suspend the licenses of striking doctors, while more than 1,000 trainee doctors have filed a complaint against the vice-health minister, demanding his dismissal.

South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol has pledged to not back down from his plans to increase medical school admissions as he accused striking doctors of behaving like a cartel.

He said earlier this month: The number 2,000 is not a random figure we came up with. We have thoroughly reviewed relevant statistics and research and reviewed present and future medical situations. He added that the governments reforms aimed to create a medical environment where all people can receive treatment with a peace of mind.
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Mohammad Saad was excited to return home to Bihar in eastern India and see his family. He had bought a train ticket and was packed to leave in the morning, but he never made it.

On that night of 31 July 2023, a mob of around 200 Hindus stormed the Anjuman Mosque in Gurugram, where Saad served as the deputy imam, and killed him in his sleep. The mob also burnt down the mosque.

Sectarian violence had erupted in the neighbouring Nuh region, and quickly spilled over into Gurugram, a shiny satellite township of Indias capital Delhi that hosts the offices of multinational corporations such as Google, Meta and Deloitte.

Follow our live coverage on 2024 Indian election results here.

The violence in Gurugram was a reminder that the increasing persecution of religious minorities, particularly Muslims, was not confined to the hinterland.

It also reinforced accusations by critics that Narendra Modis Hindu nationalist government had mainstreamed sectarian violence  an act for which Saad, 22, who would sing about religious harmony in social media videos, paid the price.

I had spoken to Saad just half an hour before he was killed. He was excited to leave for home in the morning despite my concerns about the escalating violence in Nuh, Shadab Anwar, the slain clerics brother, tells The Independent.

He had multiple knife wounds on his chest and neck, suggesting a frenzied and prolonged assault. That night, everything changed for our family. I lost a brother, and my father and mother lost a son, to Muslim hate in this country.

While Anwar is still awaiting justice for the killing of his brother, Indian authorities have moved promptly to bulldoze hundreds of homes and shops in Nuh in an act of collective  and extrajudicial  punishment against the local Muslims they accuse of inciting the violence, which left six people dead.

Now, nearly nine months later, as Anwars family prepare to vote in the national elections, they are compelled to mull what a third consecutive term for Modi could mean for them and for the 200 million Muslims who call the country home.

The six-weeks long seven voting phases came to an end on 1 June (Saturday) and the result will be announced on Tuesday.

Supporters of Narendra Modi at a campaign rally held by the prime minister ( Getty )

Modis decade in power has seen a surge in hate speech against religious minorities, attacks on their places of learning and worship, and mob lynchings.

In recent years, Indian authorities have introduced bulldozer justice to punish Muslims for real and imagined offences. The demolition drive in Nuh was so blatantly discriminatory  283 Muslim and 71 Hindu properties were targeted  that Haryanas High Court asked the state government if it was carrying out an exercise of ethnic cleansing against Muslims.

All the while, Hindu hardline groups, such as the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, which are aligned with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and boast thousands of members, have been operating with impunity.

( AP )

We have been vilified to the extent that Hindus have started refusing jobs to Muslims and they avoid mingling with us. I invited 10 Hindu families to a function at my home, but only three people turned up, says Altaf Khan, a resident of Delhi.

Khan says he is worried for his children as the situation for Muslims in the country is growing grimmer by the day. Khans worry isnt misplaced, as evidence of what Muslim scholar Qari Nasaruddin calls injustice and Muslim hate is not hard to find.

Nasaruddin points, by way of example, to the rubble of what once was a mosque, a Muslim graveyard and an Islamic school in the heart of the national capital. Nasaruddin is the imam of a mosque in Mehrauli that took in the displaced children.

The sprawling complex was demolished on 30 January by the Delhi Development Authority, run by Modis federal government, which claimed it was an illegal encroachment.

It didnt matter that the Akhoondji Mosque was a site of historical significance built nearly 600 years ago in the same part of the city that boasts the iconic Qutub Minar.

The symbolism of the mosque being demolished barely days after Modi had presided over the inauguration of the new Ram Temple in Ayodhya  erected on the ruins of the medieval Babri Mosque, which was torn down by a Hindu mob in 1992  wasnt lost on the citys Muslims.

In neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, governed by a Hindu monk called Adityanath, the High Court effectively banned Islamic schools in the countrys largest state by declaring a law in 2004 that ruled them unconstitutional. The order, which would have displaced around 2.7 million students, has since been put on hold by the Supreme Court.

Islamic schools, called madrasas, mainly serve poor or orphaned children.

Muzammil Ahmed, who teaches such children in Delhi, says the Indian authorities are going after Islamic schools supposedly in an effort to curb radicalisation, but that it is just another conspiracy to malign Muslims.

Most of the children who come to us are orphans or have a single parent, and those with both parents are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. By providing education, shelter and food, we are only lightening the burden on the government, he tells The Independent.

Rubble from the Akhoondji Mosque strewn with books from the associated Islamic school ( Shweta Sharma/The Independent )

Munir, a data scientist in Haryana who is afraid to give his full name, says Muslims now feel there is a clear bias in government policies.

The normalisation of hatred has been very disturbing, and the governments reaction to it all is even more alarming to us minorities, he says. We have seen that no action is taken when there is violence against the minorities, but if people from the Muslim community raise their voice, they find a bulldozer standing outside their house.

India Hate Lab, a research group in the US, documented 668 incidents of hate speech against Muslims in 2023, of which 413 took place in the last six months of the year, coinciding with key state elections.

In the decade since Modi took power, what has exponentially increased is runaway hate speech spouting venom against Muslims, including calls for genocide by politicians and Hindu religious leaders, says social activist Harsh Mander.

India is witnessing an alarming rise in hate speech and targeted violence against individuals, which we call mob lynching  a word that was not even used earlier because it wasnt a common grind.

This could not happen except for an environment of encouragement and enablement, and indeed by validation, because these are the acts of open indictments for violence.

A Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh march in Ajmer, Rajasthan. The Sangh is the mothership of Hindu nationalist organisations in India including the ruling BJP ( AFP via Getty )

In the run-up to the national elections, the Modi government activated the Citizenship Amendment Act, which was passed by parliament in December 2019 but put on the back burner after it sparked nationwide protests. The law openly discriminates against Muslims.

In a related move, the BJP government in the northern state of Uttarakhand enacted a uniform civil code, a law that has been criticised for overwriting the personal laws of religious minorities with seemingly Hindu laws. The BJP has long promised to roll out a similar code nationally, in line with the agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a paramilitary volunteer organisation that campaigns for India to be made a Hindu nation. The RSS is the mothership of a network of Hindu nationalist groups, including the BJP.

In fact, the BJP was established in 1980 as the political arm of the RSS. It has come to dominate Indian politics under Modis leadership, making him the longest-serving prime minister to have come from a party other than Congress, the main opposition party.

In recent years, Hindu groups, along with their ideological fellow travellers in the media, have also targeted Muslims with conspiracy theories such as love jihad, land jihad, halal jihad, and population jihad, which claim that the minority community is deviously luring away Hindu women, taking over land, and increasing its numbers.

These are basically a series of quite fantastical conspiracy theories. These are absurd, and they call to memory the kind of conspiracy theories that were created against the Jews before the Holocaust, Mander says.

It is bad enough that they simply circulate on social media, but these are also the terms that have been used by chief ministers and ministers of the ruling party. Then it becomes concerning.

The love jihad conspiracy in particular has led to people being killed, and to a dozen states ruled by the BJP effectively criminalising religious conversion and interfaith relationships.

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom has pointed out that such laws enable and embolden existing government harassment, vigilante violence, and discrimination against religious minorities, as well as crackdowns on civil society organizations.

Parvez Qureshi, whose brother Faheem Qureshi was killed in sectarian violence in Uttarakhands Haldwani in February. India has a long and grim history of violence against minorities ( AFP via Getty )

In this context, Mander says, a third term for Modi is particularly terrifying.

In 2014, he adds, there was still hope, as the BJP leader promised to fight corruption, create 240 million jobs and build a stronger economy.

It is a frightening time for Indias Muslims. The status of Muslims has been altered, and there is no hope of reversing the damage done to the social fabric with him getting a third term. The hate has been normalised, the activist argues.

Apoorvanand, a professor and political commentator, says Hindus, who number over a billion, have been misled into thinking that it is going to be their rule.

It is the RSS that is going to rule and dictate all aspects of the lives of Hindus, he says. The Hindus need to realise that they are handing themselves over to an organisation that follows the idea of homogeneity and wants to homogenise Hindu religion.

The professor says it is already a disastrous situation for Muslims and that it will be catastrophic if the BJP continues to tighten its grip on power. Muslims in India are being marginalised and cornered systematically under what is the ideology of the BJP, he says.

At a rare press conference in the US last year, Modi declared that democracy runs in our veins when he was asked about his governments alleged discrimination against minorities.

We live in a democracy, he said, standing alongside his host, US president Joe Biden. Our government has taken the basic principles of democracy ... we have always proved that democracy can deliver. And when I say deliver, this is regardless of caste, creed, religion or gender.

There is absolutely no space for discrimination, he added. And when you talk of democracy, if there are no human values and there is no humanity  [if] there are no human rights  then its not a democracy.

The Independent reached out to BJP spokespeople for comment but did not receive a response.
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Myanmar's military has freed more than 3,000 prisoners under an amnesty to mark the traditional New Year holiday.

At least 28 foreign nationals were among the released prisoners who would be deported from the conflict-torn South Asian country.

Several political prisoners, including a member of the Kachin minority who is one of the countrys most prominent Christian church leaders, were among those freed on Wednesday.

The sentences for the remaining prisoners would be cut by one-sixth, barring those convicted for terrorism, corruption, and under drug laws.

Family and friends gathered outside the gates of Insein Prison in northern Yangon, waiting expectantly and scanning the windows of buses that brought the released detainees out of the vast complex.

Some held up signs with the names of the people they were seeking. My family still doesnt know about my release, said Khin Thu Zar, who was released from prison. She, like many political detainees, had been held on a charge of incitement, a catch-all offense, widely used to arrest critics of the government and punishable by up to three years in prison.

The military has jailed thousands of opponents and pro-democracy activists since it wrested power from Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government in a February coup in 2021.

The amnesty comes a day after the junta announced Ms Suu Kyi had been moved from prison to house arrest due to an ongoing heatwave across the country.

The Nobel laureate is currently serving 27 years on what critics claim are trumped-up charges and was kept in an undisclosed location.

But the National Unity Government [NUG]  an alliance of anti-junta groups  fear that Ms Suu Kyi could be moved to a military base that may be targeted by the revolutionary forces.

The military has suffered a string of major defeats against pro-democracy resistance fighters and their allies in ethnic minority guerrilla forces.

Ms Suu Kyis health has reportedly deteriorated in prison. In September last year, Ms Suu Kyis son, Kim Aris, said she was suffering from symptoms of low blood pressure including dizziness and loss of appetite, but had been denied treatment at qualified facilities outside the prison system.

I do fear for the reasons for her move, Mr Aris told The Independent on Wednesday. It would not appear to be for humanitarian reasons but rather to move her to a place to act as a shield against armed drones which are being used to try to remove this military tyranny by a brave opposition.

These cynical manoeuvres by the Burmese [Myanmar] generals merely underline their lack of a sense of justice and freedom.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an independent group that monitors casualties and arrests, more than 20,351 people arrested on political charges since the 2021 army takeover are still in detention, most of whom have not received criminal convictions.
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Authorities in Indonesia issued a tsunami alert after a volcano in the North Sulawesi Province erupted multiple times, prompting the closure of a provincial airport.

Thousands have been asked to evacuate after Mount Ruang, located on the Ruang island about 100km from the provincial capital Manado, threw a fiery-red column of lava, incandescent rock and ash around 3km into the sky.

The stratovolcano first erupted at 9.45pm (local time) on Tuesday and then four times on Wednesday, according to Indonesia's volcanology agency. Purple flashes of lightning rent the sky above the erupting volcano, videos on social media showed.

open image in gallery Mount Ruang spews hot lava and smoke as seen from Sitaro, North Sulawesi ( Center for Volcanology and Geolo )

Officials worry that part of the volcano could collapse into the sea and cause a tsunami amid fears of a repeat of the 1871 disaster.

"We're running, guys," said one witness who filmed the eruption while scrambling to evacuate. "We are escaping because the ash is coming close."

The alert level for the volcano was raised to the highest on Wednesday evening. "Based on the result of visual and instrumental observation that showed an increase in volcanic activity, Mount Ruangs level was raised from level three to level four, said Hendra Gunawan, the head of Indonesias volcanology agency.

open image in gallery Mount Ruang Volcano erupts in North Sulawesi, Indonesia ( EPA )

Authorities have prohibited activities within a 6km distance from the crater and the island was no longer considered safe.

So far there have been no reports of any deaths or injuries but more than 800 people were evacuated from two villages to a nearby island. Tagulandang Island to the volcano's northeast is again at risk, and its residents are among those being told to evacuate.

Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency said residents will be relocated to Manado, the nearest city, on Sulawesi Island, a journey of six hours by boat.

open image in gallery Mount Ruang releasing hot lava and smoke in Sangihe Islands as seen from Sitaro, North Sulawesi ( Center for Volcanology and Geolo )

About 1,500 of those in high-risk areas needed to be immediately evacuated, authorities said, while almost 12,000 more stand to be affected.

The airport in the provincial capital of Manado was shut on Wednesday to protect against the showers of ash from the eruption. Budget airline Air Asia canceled flights with nine airports in East Malaysia and Brunei after aviation authorities warned of a safety threat.

Indonesia is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire and has 142 volcanoes. The country has the largest global population living close to a volcano, with around 8.6 million Indonesians residing within 10km of a volcano.

open image in gallery A handout photo made available by Indonesian Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation shows smoke an lava erupting from Mount Ruang ( EPA )

Thousands of people were earlier forced to evacuate after the countrys most active volcano, Mount Merapi, erupted in January.

In 2018, the eruption of Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano caused a tsunami along the coasts of Sumatra and Java after parts of the mountain fell into the ocean, killing 430 people.

Additional reporting by agencies
With a new season in the air, theres no better time to give your mobile a refresh and invest in a new device or sim card with the award winning network.

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Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

A husband decided to celebrate his wifes milestone birthday with a misspelled cake.

In a recent Reddit post shared to the popular Mildly Infuriating subreddit, John Elllis showed off a photo of his wife Chandas Ellis 30th birthday cake. The first photo shows a white cake with various pastel accents like purple and mint green, but instead of saying thirty for the occasion, the cake actually reads hinty.

The second photo in the post shows the order ticket for the cake, where the bakery did appear to follow the instructions of making sure the cake is mint green with spring flowers and glitter,, but the word thirty is written in slightly illegible cursive, making the t and h blend together into just an h and the cursive r being mistaken for an n.

Despite the mistake, many people turned to the comments on the Reddit post to either joke about the typo, or to share their own cake fail stories.

This joke can go on for nine years. Next year get her one that says Hinty-One, one comment read, with another person replying to the commenter suggested the joke can go on even longer. Nine years? This is a life-long gag! Horty, Hifty, Hinety! they responded.

Okay but I busted out laughing, thats a funny mistake, another commenter agreed.

I think the person who wrote the order and decorated the cake are not the same. And the cake decorator cant read cursive lol.

Some people reflected on their own cake typos, with one person revealing that they had asked for a cake that had a big number five somewhere on it to celebrate their nephews fifth birthday. However, the bakery ended up literally writing the words, Big Five Somewhere on the cake.

One year when I was like 10 they wrote Zachairy or something like instead of Zachary so every birthday 15+ years later everyone says happy birthday Zach air ey instead making fun of the mistake, another cake story read.

A third story in the comments read: When I was a kid my mom ordered a cake and just wanted happy birthday in big letters. We got a cake that said Happy Birthday Big Litters. We had a good laugh over it.

As for who was to blame for the error, the Redditor revealed in the comments that hed given the order for his wifes cake verbally. However, he confirmed that the couple didnt complain when they picked up the cake. Didnt complain at all, not worth getting someone potentially in trouble. Cake was delicious.

This isnt the first time a person has taken to Reddit to share a funny cake story. Previously, one man shared a photo of a cake his wife gave him that read nobody cares to celebrate his recent accomplishment.

According to an interview with Today, the phrase was meant as a term of endearment, despite appearing to be an insult. He explained to the outlet that his big accomplishment was building a website. Ive been working on this website for three years or so, he said.

Because Bobby owns a printing company, he explained his lack of experience as a web developer means he always celebrates every coding victory hes had throughout the process.

Over the years while I was building it, every time I completed any small thing like a button or something like that, I would show one of my employees, Bobby said. Eventually, I think they just got tired of hearing about me, showing them these small, tiny tasks that I had accomplished.

Eventually, one of Bobbys employees sarcastically told him nobody cares after he shared another accomplishment with the website, before praising him for the work he put in.

I told my wife that story and we both found it hilarious, Bobby said. That kind of just became the mantra of me building this website over the past three years.
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Meghan Markle has reunited with her Suits co-star Abigail Spencer to support an organisation for mothers.

The co-founder of the Alliance for Moms, Kelly McKee Zajfen, took to Instagram on 17 April to share a snap of her, Meghan, and Spencer posing in matching shirts. As noted on its official website, Alliance of Moms is a community of philanthropists who support pregnant and parenting youth in LAs foster care system so that they can build a positive future for themselves and their children.

In one of the Instagram photos, Spencer, Zajfen, and Meghan were sitting on the grass and laughing together, as they each wore a white shirt with red text that read: Love Like A Mother. Another snap showed Zajfen sitting in the middle, while the two Suits stars were leaning on her shoulder.

Zajfen  whos the mother of twins  also opened up about how shes inspired by Meghan and Spencer, who are both parents as well.

When we speak about the people in our lives who lift us up when you need it with undeniable force of pure love, I think of these two. You inspire me. You pick me up when I need it and you Love Like A Mother! she wrote in the caption.

Meghan is a mother of two, as she shares a four-year-old son, Archie, and two-year-old daughter, Lilibet, with Prince Harry. Meanwhile, Spencer and her ex-husband, Andrew Pruett, share a 15-year-old son, Roman.

In her Instagram caption, Zajfen went on to express her gratitude for everyone whos supported Alliance for Moms, before introducing the organisations latest campaign, which Spencer and Meghan are part of.

Thank you for continuing to support the @allianceofmoms For supporting this campaign and our youth. In doing so, you are supporting the mission to build bright futures for young parents who have experienced foster care, she wrote. In honour of Mothers Day, I hope YOU support this campaign, and #LOVELIKEAMOTHER.

The proceeds for the T-shirts  which are on sale for $33  will support essential services, education, and advocacy so that young parents in foster care and their children can heal and thrive.

Meghan and Spencer have maintained a close friendship for more than 15 years, after they first met while working on their hit show, Suits. The Greys Anatomy star also attended Meghan and Harrys royal wedding in London in 2018.

During Meghan and Harrys tell-all Netflix series, which aired in December 2022, the Duchess of Sussex spoke candidly about maintaining friendships as a senior working royal. In the fourth episode - which documented the couples royal wedding in 2018, their time in Nottingham Cottage, and the beginning of a rift in the royal family - Meghan claimed that she felt restricted from sending photos over text to her friends.

We were in this bubble where everything is controlled by them, she said, during video footage of the couple celebrating Christmas in Nottingham Cottage in 2018. I couldnt even text my friends a photo.

Although Meghan didnt specify why she was told not to send photos to her friends, Spencer made an appearance in this episode to reflect on this point in the duchess life.

That was really a dark time, she said. And I didnt know what to do. Like, thats the thing is, like, they are in this complex organism that I dont know anything about, or how to help, or what to do, and Im not allowed to say anything. Like, I was not allowed to say anything.

Meghan and Spencers recent reunion also comes a month after the duchess launched her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. The bio for the Instagram page simply reads, by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex and Established 2024. Along with the social media launch, the website for American Riviera Orchard simply shows the brands script-like logo with Montecito - the neighbourhood where she and husband Prince Harry relocated after stepping down from the royal family in 2020 - written under it.

Earlier this week, Meghan proceeded to launch her new brand by sending jars of strawberry jam to influencers across the US, including fashion designer Tracy Robbins, who plugged the jam on her Instagram stories

The jam featured the new companys label and handwritten numbers that showed it was jar 17 of 50. Robbins wrote: @AmericanRivieraOrchard breakfast, lunch and dinner just got a little sweeter.

She followed this up with a picture of the jam in a basket of lemons, where she added: Thank you for the delicious basket! I absolutely love this jam so not sure Im sharing with anyone. @AmericanRivieraOrchard Thank you, M! #MontecitoGoodness #AmericanRivieraOrchard.
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Olivia Munn has revealed she was put into medically induced menopause after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

The 43-year-old actor spoke candidly about her diagnosis and the surgeries shed had since during an interview with People, published on 17 April. In March, she took to Instagram to reveal that she was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2023, before she had a double mastectomy  a surgical removal of both breasts  and four other surgeries.

Speaking to People, Munn opened up about her different types of treatment, noting that she began hormone suppression therapy in November. Although she did this to lessen further risk of her cancer recurring, she said the treatment also put her into medically induced menopause.

Im constantly thinking its hot, my hair is thinning, and Im tired a lot, she said, while describing some of her symptoms of menopause.

As noted by the Mayo Clinic, menopause is the time that marks the end of your menstrual cycles, with symptoms ranging from night sweats, thinning hair and dry skin, and sleep problems.

However, while opening up about her cancer treatments, Munn noted that she doesnt necessarily have an issue with going through menopause now.

Im basically on a treatment of suppressing all my hormones, so I will go into menopause. And I will shut down all the hormone production in my tissue and my ovaries, she told People. And thats again, more problems. But I figured, as a woman, I cant escape menopause. So Id rather just take it on now and tackle it head on.

The actor  who shares a two-year-old son, Malcolm, with boyfriend John Mulaney  also opened up about privately undergoing her double mastectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer. She further detailed how she tried to emotionally prepare herself for the surgery and how shed feel afterward.

Theres so much information, and youre making these huge decisions for the rest of your life, she said. I really tried to be prepared, but the truth is that nothing could prepare me for what I would feel like, what it would look like and how I would handle it emotionally. It was a lot tougher than I expected.

Following the double mastectomy in May 2023, the X-Men: Apocalypse star waited a few months to have her reconstructive surgery, in order to give herself the time to recover. She also specified that before that surgery, she was still keeping the details of her health off Instagram.

Keeping it private for as long as I did allowed me time to fight without any outside noise at all, she explained.

She further recalled the reconstruction she got for her breasts, noting that she asked for her doctors to go smaller.

Its so important to say what you want out loud - and dont stop, Munn explained. Even as the anaesthesia was making its way into my body, the last thing I said was Please go smaller.

Speaking to People, Munn went on to acknowledge that ever since her breast cancer diagnosis, her partner has been with her every step of the way. She also praised Mulaney for supporting their son amid this challenging time.

It wouldve felt like climbing an iceberg without him, she said. I dont think he had a moment to himself, between being an incredibly hands-on father and going to and from the hospital - taking Malcolm to the park, putting him to nap, driving to Cedars-Sinai, hanging out with me, going home, putting Malcolm to bed, coming back to me. And he did it all happily.

She further specified that throughout the last year, Malcolm has continued to bring so much joy to her life, explaining that when shes with him, her brain doesnt think about being sick.

Im just so happy with him. And it puts a lot of stuff into perspective. Because if my body changes, Im still his mom, she said. If I have hot flashes, Im still his mom. If I lose my hair, Im still his mom. Thats really what matters the most to me. I get to be here for him.

In March, Munn took to Instagram to reveal that she had breast cancer, while recalling her process of being diagnosed.

She wrote that she and her sister were undergoing genetic testing for 90 different cancer genes including BRCA, the most well-known breast cancer gene. Although both Munn and her sister tested negative for the gene and had a clear mammogram, her doctor decided to calculate her Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score just in case. The fact that she did saved my life, Munn added, noting that her risk was 37 per cent.

Because of that per centage, she was then sent for an MRI, ultrasound, and biopsy, which revealed she had Luminal B cancer in both breasts. Her post explained that this is an aggressive, fast moving cancer.

I went from feeling completely fine one day, to waking up in a hospital bed after a 10-hour surgery the next, she wrote. Im lucky. We caught it with enough time that I had options.

After expressing her gratitude for Mulaney, she ended her post by thanking all of the health professionals involved in her surgeries including her physicians, the staff at Cedars-Sinai and Saint Johns in Santa Monica, California. She also called her OBGYN, Dr Thais Aliabadi, her guardian angel.
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In a world where Kim Kardashian is selling bras with built-in nipples, young people are getting pre-emptive botox and peeling an orange is seen as a litmus test to determine the healthiness of your relationship, the tips and tricks for living your life, and living it well, are hotly debated.

This is why The Independent has rebranded its weekly newsletter: Lessons in Lifestyle.

Every Wednesday at 6pm, Ill be in your inbox, waxing lyrical on the latest beauty, fashion trends and lifestyle trends  and whether theyre worth any of our time. Ill be rounding up the Lifestyle desks weekly coverage, which analyses relationships, sex, dating, wellness, gender, fashion, beauty, food and more.

While I dont claim to be any sort of Lifestyle God  Ive been known to eat three pizzas a week  I hope we can bring you new Lifestyle stories with a pinch of humanity and sanity.

And maybe we can learn together? In each newsletter, there will be an interactive poll on the most eyebrow-raising debates that weve covered in the past seven days. So please do join in. The results will be collected here every week.

And a little disclaimer, things can be a little quirky around here. In the space of one week, our writers debated whether South Koreas 4B movement could destroy heterosexual relationships, why London Euston station became hell on earth and why Megan Fox has some stellar dating advice. Theres a lot going on, but I promise, youll come away from this newsletter each week with plenty of material for the group chat. See you on Wednesday?

How to sign up

To receive our Lessons in Lifestyle newsletter simply enter your email in the box at the top of this story.

Alternatively, head to our newsletter preference centre here. Once there simply press the + button and enter your email address to sign up.

While there you can also browse The Independents wide range of other newsletters; from our wellness email Living Well to IndyArts and IndyEats theres something for everyone.
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A judge in Tunisia sentenced a journalist and political commentator to six months in prison in the country's latest assault on members of the media who criticize the government.

Mohamed Boughalleb, who had been charged with insulting a public official, was sentenced Wednesday will remain behind bars, where he has been since his arrest last month after an official lodged a complaint against him.

The official alleged he was harmed by Boughalleb's commentary linking him to corruption and misuse of public funds.

The complaint from a member of Tunisia's Ministry of Religious Affairs came after Boughalleb on Facebook questioned trips abroad that the civil servant made with the minister and called them a waste of public funds.

He was subsequently charged with violating defamation laws in Tunisia's penal and telecommunications code.

Lawyers for Boughalleb, 60, denounced the sentence as an assault on freedom of expression and raised questions about its political nature. He joined a chorus of Tunisians who have called into question the government's pursuit of its critics as President Kais Saied prepares to compete for a second term leading the North African country.

Authorities have increasingly targeted and arrested journalists this year and about 20 are now facing similar charges, Ziad Dabbar, the president of the National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists, said.

To sentence a well-known radio and television commentator like Boughalleb constitutes another attempt to silence free voices and prevent journalists from doing their job," Dabbar said.

Journalists critical of the government are one of many groups that have seen their civil liberties restricted in Tunisia. More than 20 activists and politicians critical of Saied have been behind bars for more than a year, charged with plotting against state security in cases their advocates have denounced as politicized.

The pursuit of journalists, cartoonists and political opponents comes almost five years after Saied won the presidency on an anti-corruption platform and months before he's expected to seek a second term in a yet-to-be-scheduled election.

After taking office, Saied suspended Tunisias parliament, rewrote the constitution to consolidate his own power and curtailed the independence of a judiciary that has since ramped up its pursuit of his critics and opponents.
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Warning: the following livestream has not been independently fact-checked and may contain misinformation. The Independent strives to counteract misinformation across its platforms.

Watch again as Donald Trumps criminal trial over alleged hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels continues in New York City today (18 April).

Mr Trump made history once again on Monday morning when he became the first American president to ever stand trial on criminal charges.

He is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in a bid to conceal a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels in 2016 in the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election, in order to silence her over an alleged affair in 2006.
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Kuwait held national elections on Thursday for the fourth time in as many years as the oil-rich country seeks to break out of its longstanding political gridlock.

The Persian Gulf country's elected assembly has more power than most in the Arab world, but has long been at loggerheads with the government, which is appointed by the royal family.

These are the first elections since Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Jaber, 83, assumed power after the death of his half brother in December. The new emir dissolved parliament in February after a lawmaker reportedly insulted him.

Voters will chose among 200 candidates to fill 50 seats in the assembly. There are no political parties.

Domestic political disputes have been gripping Kuwait for years  including over changes to the welfare system  which prevented the sheikhdom from taking on debt. That has left it with little in its coffers to pay bloated public sector salaries, despite generating immense wealth from its oil reserves.

Parliament has been repeatedly dissolved after failing to move forward.

Last year, Kuwaits Constitutional Court annulled a 2022 decree overturning another such annulment. The countrys late emir then annulled that parliament again and held an election for a new parliament last summer, which was annulled with the February decision.

Kuwait, a nation with some 4.2 million people thats slightly smaller than the U.S. state of New Jersey, has the worlds sixth-largest known oil reserves.

It has been a staunch U.S. ally since the 1991 Gulf War expelled the occupying Iraqi forces of Saddam Hussein. Kuwait hosts some 13,500 American troops, as well as the forward headquarters of the U.S. Army in the Middle East.

Kuwait is alone among Gulf Arab countries in having a democratically elected parliament that exerts some checks on the ruling family  which nevertheless appoints the government and can dissolve the assembly at will.
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Prince Harry has changed his primary country of residence from the UK to the US, according to official documents.

The Duke of Sussex also appears to have backdated his official American residency to the day he was booted out of Frogmore Cottage, in an apparant swipe at his father, King Charles, and brother William.

The change of address was filed for his eco firm Travalyst, on Wednesday, although the date of change listed is June 29 last year, the date he was asked by the King to to return the keys to his Windsor bolthole.

Updated Company House records filed this week indicated that Harry declared the United States his new country of residence, dashing rumours that he was planning a return to frontline duties amid cancer battles for Charles and Kate.

He and Meghan moved to California in 2020 after quitting Britain and stepping down as working royals.

Frogmore Cottage had been a wedding gift to the pair from the late Queen Elizabeth, therefore when Charles is said to have asked the pair to leave - a decision that laid bare the deterioration of their relationship - it left his youngest son deeply wounded.

Publically available documents from Companies House demonstrate that Prince Henry Charles Albert David Duke of Sussex changed his New Country/State Usually Resident to the United States on June 29.

Prince Harry has not had a UK address in almost a year ( REUTERS )

It is believed that prior to being asked to leave, Prince Harry wanted to keep a base in his home country.

Phil Dampier, a Royal author, told The Sun: Charles and William knew it had to be done to emphasise Harry and Meghan were outside The Firm but he probably still thought he could keep a base here. Now hes shown he accepts his life is in the US.

The Duke of Sussex has since said that he has considered becoming an American citizen, but this would cost him his Royal titles.

The thought has crossed my mind but not a high priority right now, he admitted on Good Morning America earlier this year.

The news comes amid a highly-publicised review of Prince Harrys visa application.

It is being reviewed in private after the prince made candid revelations about his prior drug use in his 2023 memoir Spare.

Prince Harrys visa is currently being reviewed after he admitted to taking various drugs ( REUTERS )

He wrote: Psychedelics did me some good as well. Id experimented with them over the years, for fun, but now Id begun to use them therapeutically, medicinally. They didnt simply allow me to escape reality for a while.

This prompted an investigation into whether or not he lied on his application, as questions about prior drug use must be answered by potential US residents.

The Heritage Foundation, a think tank group, subsequently launched a lawsuit against the prince to get to the bottom of the matter.

A representative for the group said: [The case] comes about in the main because HRH [His Royal Highness] voluntarilyand for immense profitadmitted in writing to the elements of any number of controlled substance violations.

The Independent has reached out to a representative for Prince Harry for comment.
 Close Moment Constance Marten arrested by police

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The judge is summing up the evidence as the trial of aristocrat Constance Marten and her partner Mark Gordon over the death of their baby enters its final stages.

The couple is accused of gross negligence manslaughter of the newborn, whom they took off-grid to stop her from being taken into care like their four other children.

The Recorder of London, Judge Mark Lucraft KC, began summing up the evidence to the jury at the Old Bailey on Thursday. Evidence recapped so far includes eyewitness Ken Hudson, who stopped to help the couple when their car caught fire on the M61 near Bolton on 5 January.

Mr Hudson previously told the court he fears baby Victoria would still be alive if he had stayed at the roadside with the parents until police arrived. But the pair fled with baby Victoria after he pulled away, leaving their burning car at the roadside along with most of their possessions.

Police later found 2000 in cash, Martens passport, 34 burner phones and a placenta wrapped in a towel in the burnt-out vehicle.

Marten, 36, and Gordon, 49, both deny the charges of gross negligence manslaughter of Victoria between 4 January and 27 February last year. They also deny charges of perverting the course of justice by concealing the body, concealing the birth of a child, child cruelty, and allowing the death of a child.

The trial continues.
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A new tragedy has hit the Tetra Pak heir Hans Rausing, with the death of his second wife, Julia at the age of 63, after a long battle with cancer. She died peacefully on Thursday morning surrounded by her family.

Tens of millions of pounds have been donated in the couples names to the National Gallery and other arts organisations, as well as generous contributions to help tackle Covid.

Paying tribute Mr Rausing said: We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of my beloved wife Julia after an extended illness.

Julia dedicated her life to her family and charitable causes, and she will be missed by all who knew her. She leaves behind an extraordinary legacy across many charities which we will continue in her name.

President and former President of the Royal Academy, Rebecca Salter and Christopher Le Brun, with Julia and Hans Rausing, after they gave a 10m gift ( Getty Images )

The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust, which they co-founded, has given away more than 330m in total, including 50m to UK charities annually and more than 1,000 grants.

A family statement released through the trust, read: Julia Rausing was a much-loved wife, stepmother, sister and daughter. She passed away peacefully on the morning of 18 April 2024. She was 63 years old.

Julia was widely known for her unwavering commitment to philanthropy and her impactful contributions to various charitable causes.

They praised her speedy response to the pandemic, which saw her help provide over 35 million for charities to survive this turbulent time.

It added: She took a keen interest in all the Trusts giving, no matter how large or small the grant.

Mr Rausings first wife, Eva, died in tragic circumstances in 2012 after a drug overdose. Her death sparked huge publicity when it emerged that she had lain dead in the couples bedroom for months.

As her widower, he remained resolutely private amid the wide publicity and friends credited Julia with bringing him happiness after Evas death, encouraging the extraordinary generosity of their charitable trust.

Julia and Hans Rausing donated tens of millions of pounds to good causes ( Getty Images )

Friends of Julia Rausing, who married her husband in 2014, said she bore the illness with great courage while at the same time forging one of the worlds leading philanthropic forces with her husband.

One friend told The Independent: They were palpably in love and affectionate towards each other and were a very touching couple who focused most of their time on how to give away money to those in need.

They were also discreetly social while she also for many years had to battle cancer. Without a doubt, she was responsible for bringing Hans back from appalling grief and helping him find joy in life again.

The second Mrs Rausing, who kept her maiden name Delves Broughton on LinkedIn and Instagram, was an art expert at Christies auctioneers, where she worked before she met Mr Rausing.

After the death of his first wife, Julia was seen as a chance for him to start afresh. In one of his wifes last Instagram posts, in January, she featured a photograph of the picturesque Burano district in Venice, Italy.

Her sister was Isabella Blow, the Tatler fashion editor who had discovered Alexander McQueen and model Sophie Dahl, as well as becoming one of the most distinctive fashion influencers of her generation. After many years of battling depression, Ms Blow took her own life in 2007.

The family were brought up at Doddington Hall, the familys 35,000-acre estate in Cheshire.

Her grandfather, Sir Jock Delves Broughton, was sensationally acquitted of the murder of Lord Erroll in the White Mischief case, which rocked Kenyan society in the 40s.

Lord Erroll was found dead in his car in January 1941, after embarking on an affair with Sir Jocks wife, Diana. Despite being the prime suspect, Sir Jock was cleared but died by suicide soon after he returned to Britain.

Mr Rausings charitable website features photographs of the billionaire philanthropists and their two dogs, with links to the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust website.

His father, Hans Rausing senior, who died in 2019, is credited with making Tetra Pak a success in the Seventies and Eighties, turning a six-person family business into a global company with net sales of $12.5bn in 2022.
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The husband of Scottish former first minister Nicola Sturgeon has been charged in connection with embezzlement of funds from the SNP following a Police Scotland investigation into the partys finances.

It is understood that Peter Murrell, who was chief executive of the party for more than 20 years, has resigned his SNP membership.

The 59-year-old, who was taken into custody on Thursday morning, had been previously arrested on 5 April last year at the couples home in Uddingston near Glasgow.

The couples home was searched last year (Andrew Milligan/PA) ( PA Wire )

He was interviewed under caution for nearly 12 hours before he was released without charge.

Ms Sturgeon herself was also later arrested and released without charge the same day.

She voluntarily arranged with Police Scotland to be questioned as part of the investigation into the partys finances, a spokesman said.

The investigation, known as Operation Branchform, relates to 660,000 raised for Scottish independence campaigning since 2017.

Former party treasurer Colin Beattie was also arrested last April and released without charge.

Ms Sturgeon stood down as Scotlands first minister and SNP leader last February, saying that the pressures of the job had become very difficult after eight years in charge.

The following month, Mr Murrell resigned as party chief executive following a row over transparency about party membership numbers and amid calls from party figures to make way after the departure of Ms Sturgeon. The couple married in 2010.

The accountancy firm that had been handling the SNP accounts resigned in 2022.

Ms Sturgeon has denied any wrongdoing and not commented on her husband.

Police Scotland said: A 59-year-old man has today, Thursday, April 18, been charged in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the Scottish National Party.

The man, who was arrested at 9.13am today and had previously been arrested as a suspect on April 5, 2023, was charged at 6.35pm after further questioning by Police Scotland detectives investigating the funding and finances of the party.

A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in due course.

The man is no longer in police custody.

As this investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further.

The matter is active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and the public are therefore advised to exercise caution if discussing it on social media.

An SNP spokesperson said: While this development will come as a shock, the police investigation remains ongoing and it would, therefore, be inappropriate to make any comment.

A spokesperson for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said: Senior professional prosecutors from COPFS and an Advocate Depute are working with police on this ongoing investigation.

It is standard practice that any case regarding politicians is dealt with by prosecutors without the involvement of the Lord Advocate or Solicitor General. All Scotlands prosecutors act independently of political interference.

As is routine, to protect the integrity of ongoing investigations, we do not comment in detail on their conduct.

Ms Sturgeons successor, Humza Yousaf, has said the investigation clearly affected the publics perception of the party.
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The Spectators theatre critic has suggested in a misogynistic column about his libido that a blonde lecturers appearance made him so aroused that he later had to pay for the services of a sex worker.

The article was widely condemned as sexist immediately after publication, with journalists and commentators appalled  and confused  by the magazines decision to commission such a piece.

Writing in the magazine, Lloyd Evans described a trip to Darwin College  or Downing College, as he incorrectly calls it in the piece  at the University of Cambridge, to attend a lecture from Professor Lea Ypi, an academic from Albania who lectures on political theory at the London School of Economics.

Mr Evans, who has written for the right-wing publication since the 1980s, said he was distracted throughout the talk on Kant and revolutions by the beautiful historians appearance.

He writes: Her blonde hair spilling over her shoulders absorbed far more of my attention than her political reflections and I was desperate to speak to her afterwards, but I had no way to orchestrate a meeting.

Unable to meet the distinguished academic, he instead goes to the rougher end of Cambridge.

Mr Evans writes that he had already arranged a social rendezvous with a petite and buxom woman called Shea, who looked Chinese.

He then describes being covered in hot wax before she ordered me to flip on to my back as she dimmed the lights and raised one eyebrow at me suggestively. This was the cue for negotiations.

The piece prompted an immediate backlash online.

Writing on her X/Twitter account, Lea Ypi, said: Advice for scholars: next time you lecture on Kant and revolutions at Downing (@DarwinCollege) Cambridge, make sure your hair is neatly tied and that youre not blonde.

Or else your research impact will be on the @spectator libido section.

Academics were quick to support their colleague. Dr Charlotte Lydia Riley, a historian, said the article was horrific and Colin Wight, an academic, added: Just such a weird piece to write. I cant see the point of it.

Other X/Twitter users branded the piece grim and misogynistic, questioning why it would be published by The Spectator or what the piece was trying to articulate.

Darwin College, the constituent college at the University of Cambridge where the talk took place, also called out the article.

In a post on X/Twitter, it said: Absolutely appalled to see this Lea. Your fascinating, beautifully crafted lecture was a hugely appreciated highlight of the Colleges cultural year, and we hope your memory of the event wont be tainted by an audience member using it to write something so crude and offensive.

Despite the outrage, Mr Evans was unapologetic when responding to criticism of the misogyny.

Asked why he decided to include Professor Ypi in the piece at all, he told The Telegraph: I just find clever and articulate women very attractive and she was physically attractive and that made me feel a bit lonely and then I ended up in a sauna bath.

He added: I was trying to encompass both poles of life, between the intellectual high-flying political philosophy and a sexual encounter. Of the two I found the sexual encounter much more satisfying and enjoyable.

He added about Professor Ypi, he added: Shes really funny and sharp and witty, and that was partly what inspired my feelings of longing towards her because she was obviously a really good laugh, apart from everything else.

And he insisted he had no regrets: Its a bit unfortunate, I have had people calling me a sex pervert on Twitter which I think is strange.

The Spectator has been contacted for comment.
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Angela Rayner is expected to claim that she did not have to pay capital gains tax when she sold her former house due to a kitchen renovation, as the row over her housing affairs rumbles on.

The deputy Labour leader is likely to argue that enhancements she made to her former council house have offset the tax she would have paid had it not been her primary property, according to The Times.

It comes as the police are investigating tax matters and other issues in connection with Ms Rayners housing affairs, including whether she broke electoral law, whether she paid the correct amount of capital gains tax when she sold her property and what the council tax arrangements were at her former house.

The shadow levelling-up secretary is expected to provide a raft of legal and financial documents  which could include utility bills, payslips and bank account details  as evidence to show that her own home was her primary residence.

The probe into Ms Rayners tax affairs was launched after Conservative MP and deputy party chair James Daly complained after the Greater Manchester Police previously said it would not be investigating the allegations. Mr Daly said he had been made aware of neighbours contradicting Ms Rayners statement that her property, separate from her husbands, was her main residence.

James Daly (right) complained to the Greater Manchester Police about Ms Rayners former living arrangements ( Sky News )

Ms Rayner has always maintained that her house was her primary residence, but it is now alleged that she will claim that she would not have been required to pay capital gains when she sold her former council house because of work she did to the property, leaving no tax liability.

A Labour source said: Angela has consistently said that the house she owned was her main home and that no capital gains tax was payable on the sale. Various tax experts have already set out potential grounds for capital gains tax to not be applicable to the sale but it would not be appropriate to comment on baseless speculation while an investigation is ongoing.

It comes as experts have warned that the tax affairs of Mark Rayner, the estranged husband of the Ashton-under-Lyne MP, may also come under scrutiny if it is shown that he also did not pay capital gains tax when he sold his property.

Experts have said that if Vicarage Road was her main residence and she did not pay capital gains tax on it, it would have automatically become her husbands primary residence for tax purposes too.

Instead, the house her husband owned around a mile away on Lowndes Lane would have been subject to capital gains tax when it was sold. Married couples cannot legally have two primary residences for tax purposes.

Nimesh Shah, a tax expert at Blick Rothenberg, told The Telegraph newspaper: Married couples are only permitted to claim private residence relief [on capital gains tax] on one property.

If Mark Rayner has claimed PRR on Lowndes Lane in full, the Rayners have certainly had two bites of the cherry and it seems highly implausible, under the PRR rules and what we know, that that would have been possible.

The shadow levelling-up secretary has promised to resign if she is found to have committed a crime but has stated that she is confident that she has done nothing wrong.

The Labour Party said it remains confident Ms Rayner has complied with the rules, and she welcomes the chance to set out the facts with the police.

Senior former Conservative figures have also defended the MP. Nick Boles, who was an MP for nine years, said the attacks were one of the most grotesque spectacles of hypocrisy I have ever witnessed, while former Conservative MP Matthew Parris condemned what he called the hounding of the Labour MP, dubbing it outrageous: brutal, snobbish and completely out of proportion to any mistake she may (or may not) have made.

Sir Keir Starmer has maintained confidence in his deputy as the probe into her tax affairs rumbles on ( Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire )

Former regional chief crown prosecutor Nazir Afzal also said that based on whats in the public domain, the CPS would take no action against Ms Rayner.

Sir Keir has previously welcomed the police investigation into Ms Rayners council house sale and said it will allow a line to be drawn on the issue.

A number of legal experts have pointed out that even if Ms Rayner were found to have provided false information, it is unlikely any further action would be taken.

Scott Wortley, a law lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, says that any potential prosecution should have been launched within a year of the suspected crime.

Providing false information is an offence under Section 13D of the Representation of the People Act 1983, but the legislation imposes a time limit of a year for bringing any charge. As the allegations surrounding Ms Rayner relate to before 2015, this suggests it is unlikely that she could be prosecuted.

Magistrates may extend that deadline in certain circumstances, but only by another year, according to the act.
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Watch as Oliver Dowden delivers a speech on economic security on Thursday 18 April.

Britain needs to boost its economic defences to counter the security risks of globalisation, the deputy prime minister warned.

Mr Dowden set out plans to bolster the UKs ability to deal with economic security shocks such as the rise in energy prices following Russias invasion of Ukraine.

He told the Chatham House think tank that while the financial crash exposed the economic risks of globalisation, todays rising geopolitical competition is demonstrating the security risks behind such integration.

We must be clear-eyed that one of the great strengths of our system is its openness, but that also brings vulnerabilities, he added.

Mr Dowden was also expected to set out a review of export controls of emerging technologies and the risks from UK businesses investing overseas.
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Support for the Conservatives has fallen to its lowest level in 45 years, according to the latest Ipsos poll.

The Tories vote share has fallen to just 19 per cent  a record low for the second consecutive month  with Labour leading by 25 points on 44 per cent.

And in a further blow for Rishi Sunak, his personal approval ratings are now at the worst level in the history of Ipsos polling  equivalent only to John Major in 1994 and Jeremy Corbyn in 2019.

They have divebombed to -59, an all-time record low, as three quarters of voters say they are dissatisfied with the Conservative leader.

Meanwhile, the right-wing challenger party Reform UK are snapping at the Torys heels with 13 per cent of the vote share.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been forced to back down on plans to get flights to Rwanda off the ground this spring ( PA Wire )

Crucially, 84 per cent of voters say they are dissatisfied with the way the government is running the country, with only one in 10 people saying they are satisfied.

The news comes on the back of yet another challenging week for Mr Sunak as his flagship Rwanda bill experienced yet more delays as peers moved to block the legislation from gaining royal assent.

Peers insisted on further revisions of the bill, meaning it is set to face another round of back and forth between the two houses of parliament next week.

The prime minister has now been forced to abandon his commitment to get flights off the ground to Rwanda by the end of spring, despite having previously pledged that would be the case.

His party is also once again gripped by sleaze as Tory MP Mark Menzies was suspended after he was alleged to have misused campaign funds to pay off bad people who were demanding money for his release.

A spokesman for Tory chief whip Simon Hart said Mr Menzies had agreed to relinquish the Conservative whip, pending the outcome of an investigation, meaning he will now sit as an independent MP.

According to the The Times, 14,000 given by donors for use on Tory campaign activities was transferred to Mr Menzies personal bank accounts and used for private medical expenses.

Labour has called for a police investigation into allegations that Fylde MP Mark Menzies misused campaign funds ( PA Media )

Mr Sunak is just weeks away from local elections where his party are expected to receive a drubbing as voters turf out Tory councillors across the country and regional mayors Andy Street and Ben Houchen anticipate potentially losing their seats.

The prime minister has been warned that if local elections are particularly bad for his party, colleagues could force yet another leadership election.

Todays polling reveals that voters overwhelmingly back Labour leader Keir Starmer over Mr Sunak, with 44 per cent saying Sir Keir would make the more capable prime minister, and just 22 per cent saying the same for Mr Sunak.

Significantly, the latest polling suggested that another leader would not help the Conservatives chances of staying in number 10, as the Labour leader beats all the widely-tipped favourites to replace Mr Sunak, including Penny Mordaunt by 17 points (42% to 25%), James Cleverly by 29 points (47% to 18%) and Kemi Badenoch by 34 points (48% to 14%).

Gideon Skinner, Head of Political Research at Ipsos, said theres no doubt that Rishi Sunaks ratings are historically poor, but its still not clear the extent to which this a symptom rather than a cause of the Conservatives wider problems.

He added: The public are not crying out for another Conservative leadership change before the next election, and there is not much evidence that his potential challengers are seen as any better against the Labour leader, even among the Conservatives 2019 vote.
Chinese premier holds symposium with overseas buyers at Canton Fair

Xinhua) 08:25, April 18, 2024

Chinese Premier Li Qiang holds a symposium with overseas buyers attending the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 17, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)

GUANGZHOU, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang held a symposium with overseas buyers attending the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) in Guangzhou on Wednesday.

Overseas buyer representatives spoke about their experience in strengthening cooperation with China through the Canton Fair, noting that the fair has long played an important role in promoting trade exchanges and friendly relations between China and other countries.

The representatives said they are full of confidence in the prospects of China's economic development. They are ready to use the Canton Fair as a platform to continue expanding business in China, and to make positive contributions to the promotion of free trade and the maintenance of global supply chain stability.

They also put forward opinions and suggestions on developing the circular and green economies, on optimizing the business environment in China, and on strengthening people-to-people exchanges between China and foreign countries.

Li said he appreciates their long-term, active participation in the Canton Fair, as well as their vigorous economic and trade cooperation with China. He noted that many overseas enterprises have made connections with China through the Canton Fair, and have grown stronger along with China's development.

The history of the Canton Fair is a history of companies from all over the world sharing China's opportunities and achieving mutual benefits, and a microcosm of China's continuous opening-up and active integration into the international market, Li said.

China will steadfastly open wider to the outside world at a high level, and promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, he said. It will continue to inject stability into global trade and the world economy with the certainty of its own development, and provide broader space for the development of enterprises from all countries.

Li said that overseas enterprises have long been making positive contributions to promoting economic and trade cooperation between China and the world, to connecting Chinese manufacturing and overseas markets, and to promoting efficient matches between global supply and demand.

It is expected that overseas enterprises will continue to explore the Chinese market, expand business in China, share more in the opportunities brought by China's huge market demand, opening-up and development, and act as ambassadors of friendship to enhance mutual understanding and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and other countries, Li said.

He noted that China will promote the alignment of high-standard international economic and trade rules, continue expanding market access, and ensure foreign-funded enterprises receive equal treatment to their domestic peers. China will also strengthen service guarantees for foreign investment and intellectual property protection, earnestly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of foreign companies in China, and provide more support and convenience for international businesspeople and foreigners living and working in China.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
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Sir Keir Starmer has called for a police probe into allegations that a Tory MP misused campaign funds, in the latest sleaze scandal to rock Rishi Sunaks party.

Mark Menzies was stripped of his role as a government envoy and suspended by the Conservative Party after the claims emerged.

But Labour accused the Tories of a worrying pattern of cover-up and inaction after reports emerged that the party had been aware of the allegations for months.

The call for a police investigation follows allegations that Mr Menzies used thousands of pounds given by donors to fund his private medical expenses, and that he made a late-night call to a 78-year-old aide asking for cash because he had been locked up by bad people who were demanding money.

The Fylde MP disputes the allegations, but the Conservative Party has launched an investigation into the claims.

As the scandal unfolds, Mark Menzies has been suspended from his role as one of Rishi Sunaks international envoys ( Mark Menzies MP/Facebook/iStock )

Labour leader Sir Keir said there were a lot of unanswered questions... not least why it seems the Conservative Party took so long to act, and whether theyve reported this to the police, who, it seems to me, should be involved in this.

Labour Party chair Anneliese Dodds denounced the stagnation, scandal and sleaze engulfing Mr Sunaks party, and approached her Conservative counterpart Richard Holden to ascertain whether the police had been informed.

In a letter, she asked him: When presented with evidence of an MP involving junior staff in paying thousands of pounds to bad people, did you immediately report this matter to the police? And if you have not yet, why not and will you do so today?

She added: Will you give the police full access to all evidence you have in this case?

As the scandal unfolded, Mr Menzies was suspended from his role as one of Mr Sunaks international envoys  an unpaid, voluntary role designed to help boost trade links.

Defence secretary Grant Shapps confirmed that the Conservatives had known about the allegations for some time. But he insisted new information had come to light.

According to The Times, 14,000 given by donors for use on Tory campaign activities was transferred to Mr Menzies personal bank accounts and used for private medical expenses.

The MP is also said to have called his elderly former campaign manager at 3.15am one morning in December, claiming he was locked in a flat and needed 5,000 as a matter of life and death.

Anneliese Dodds has called for the Tories to refer the allegations against Menzies to the police ( Reuters )

The sum, which later rose to 6,500, was eventually paid from the office managers personal bank account, which was subsequently reimbursed using funds that had been raised by donors for campaigning purposes and were held in an account with the name Fylde Westminster Group, it is alleged.

According to a source close to Mr Menzies, the MP met a man on an online dating website and went to his flat, before subsequently going with another man to a second address where he continued drinking. He was sick at one point, and several people at the address demanded 5,000, claiming it was for cleaning and other expenses.

The source said Mr Menzies decided to pay them because he was scared of what would happen otherwise, but did not have the funds to transfer the money from his own savings.

There are other occasions on which Mr Menzies is said to have used money from the campaign fund to cover his personal expenses.

In 2020, he allegedly sought 3,000 to cover medical bills, but he did not repay the money and instead asked for and received a further 4,000, The Times reported.

The newspaper said that a source close to the MP had disputed this account, and that the former campaign manager had been the one who suggested Mr Menzies use funds from the business account to cover his personal medical expenses, but she is understood to have denied this.

Rishi Sunaks government is engulfed by stagnation, scandal and sleaze, says Dodds ( PA Wire )

A further 7,000 was received by Mr Menzies from the account in November, it is alleged.

In a statement to The Times, Mr Menzies said: I strongly dispute the allegations put to me. I have fully complied with all the rules for declarations. As there is an investigation ongoing I will not be commenting further.

Ms Dodds said: Rishi Sunak promised professionalism, integrity and accountability at all levels. He has delivered stagnation, scandal and sleaze which is engulfing his party. Britain deserves better than this Conservative chaos.

With a police probe underway into the Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner over the sale of her former council house in 2015, a Labour source added: It is absolutely incredible that Richard Holden and [Tory deputy chair] James Daly have been pressuring the police over Angela while sitting on this Mark Menzies case in CCHQ.

The suspension also raises the prospect of another tricky by-election for the Conservatives in Mr Menzies Fylde seat, where his majority of 16,000 is smaller than other majorities overturned so far by Labour during this parliament.
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The Conservatives have suspended MP Mark Menzies over allegations he misused campaign funds.

The 52-year-old reportedly spent thousands of pounds given by donors on medical expenses and made a late-night call to a 78-year-old aide asking for help because he had been locked up by bad people demanding money for his release.

The Fylde MP disputes the allegations reported by The Times, but the Conservative Party has launched an investigation into the claims.

MP Mark Menzies has agreed to give up the Conservative whip while the party investigates claims he misused campaign funds (Richard Townshend/UK Parliament) ( PA Media )

Mr Menzies added that he had fully complied with all the rules for declarations and would not be commenting further while the investigation is ongoing.

But the allegations raise the prospect of yet another tricky by-election for the Conservatives if Mr Menzies is suspended from parliament.

Who is Mark Menzies?

Mr Menzies is the Ayrshire-born Tory MP for Fylde, Lancashire, who won his seat at the 2010 general election.

The University of Glasgow graduate spent years at some of Britains biggest supermarkets including Marks & Spencer, which he joined as a graduate trainee in 1994 .

He has been an active member of the Conservative Party since 1987 and was president of his universitys Conservative Association.

Before winning his seat in Fylde, he unsuccessfully stood for two seats in Glasgow and Yorkshire and was then added to David Camerons so-called A-List of top tier parliamentary candidates.

His time as an MP

Mr Menzies was quickly promoted to become a parliamentary private secretary (PPS) under Charles Hendry in the Department for Energy and Climate Change.

He also served briefly as a member of parliaments Scottish affairs select committee.

According to his website, his priorities are UK energy security, changing the planning system to empower local communities and limit inappropriate development and ensuring a vibrant future for the defence industry within the UK.

The MP for Fylde in Lancashire will now sit as an independent

In 2014 Mr Menzies resigned as a ministerial aide to then international development minister Alan Duncan after a report he had paid a Brazilian male escort for sex.

The Sunday Mirror reported that it had been contacted by Rogerio Santos, who claimed that Mr Menzies had paid him for sex.

Mr Santos also claimed the MP had asked him to buy the stimulant methedrone, a Class B drug banned in Britain in 2010. Mr Menzies said a number of the allegations were not true.

What are the latest allegations?

According to The Times, 14,000 given by donors for use on Tory campaign activities was transferred to Mr Menzies personal bank accounts and used for private medical expenses.

The MP, who is one of Rishi Sunaks trade envoys, is also said to have called his 78-year-old former campaign manager at 3.15am one day in December, claiming he was locked in a flat and needed 5,000 as a matter of life and death.

The sum, which rose to 6,500, was eventually paid by his office manager from her personal bank account and subsequently reimbursed from funds raised from donors in an account named Fylde Westminster Group, it is alleged.

Meanwhile, in 2020, he allegedly sought 3,000 to cover medical bills but did not repay the money and instead asked for and received a further 4,000.

What has he said?

In a statement to The Times, Mr Menzies said: I strongly dispute the allegations put to me. I have fully complied with all the rules for declarations. As there is an investigation ongoing I will not be commenting further.

Mr Menzies has had the whip suspended and the Conservative Party is investigating the claims about him.

The Liberal Democrats said the saga was deeply concerning and criticised the Conservatives for sitting on the allegations for three months before launching a probe.
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The husband of former Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon was charged Thursday with embezzlement in a probe into the finances of Scotlands pro-independence governing party, a shocking setback for the country's most powerful political couple.

Police in Scotland said a 59-year-old man was charged Thursday evening after being arrested and taken into custody earlier in the day for questioning by detectives investigating the funding and finances of the party.

He was released after being charged, the force said. While police did not name the suspect, the details provided matched up with Peter Murrell, the partys former chief executive who was arrested just over a year ago.

Scottish police have been investigating how 600,000 pounds ($750,000) earmarked for a Scottish independence campaign were spent. Murrell, Sturgeon and Colin Beattie, the Scottish National Party's former treasurer, were arrested and questioned last year in the probe but released without being charged with a crime.

Murrell's first arrest came shortly after Sturgeon's surprise announcement in February 2023 that she was resigning her post after eight years as party leader and first minister of Scotlands semi-autonomous government.

Murrell stepped down the following month amid controversy about the partys declining membership and a bitter fight to replace Sturgeon. He held the position for more than 20 years.

At the time of Murrell's first arrest, police searched the couple's Glasgow home over two days.

It is highly unusual for a leader or former leader of a U.K. political party to be arrested. Sturgeon said after being released from custody in June that her arrest had been both a shock and deeply distressing. She insisted she had done nothing wrong.

I do wish to say this, and to do so in the strongest possible terms, she said in a statement on social media at the time. Innocence is not just a presumption I am entitled to in law. I know beyond doubt that I am in fact innocent of any wrongdoing.

In announcing her resignation, Sturgeon said she knew in my head and in my heart that it was the right time for her, her party and her country to make way for someone else.

Sturgeon and Murrell have been married since 2010 and helped steer the SNP to a dominant position in Scottish politics. It heads the semi-autonomous Scottish government in Edinburgh and holds a large majority of Scotland's seats in the U.K. Parliament in London.

But Sturgeon resigned with her biggest political goal  taking Scotland out of the United Kingdom to become an independent country  unrealized.

She had led the party and led Scotland since 2014, when Scots rejected independence in a referendum. While the referendum was billed as a once-in-a-generation decision on independence, Sturgeon and her party had pushed for a new vote, arguing that Britains departure from the European Union had changed the ground rules.

Those efforts reached a stalemate when the U.K. government refused to authorize a new referendum.

Sturgeons departure unleashed a tussle for the future of the SNP amid recriminations over the partys declining membership and divisions over the best path towards independence. Opinion polls suggest support for the party has sagged.
In another sign of cooling Sino-British relations, the deputy prime minister, Oliver Dowden, has signalled that the government will examine new measures to protect sensitive technology developed in British universities from being transferred to overseas competitors, with particular reference to China.

Ministers will also consider measures to prevent British institutions from becoming too dependent on foreign investment, in light of a Whitehall review of security threats to British academia. In a slightly unfortunately phrased warning, Dowden said that cutting-edge development in sensitive technologies in Britains universities had the potential to become a chink in our armoury [sic]. The fear is that the West is in cyber and economic contestation with an increasing range of state and non-state actors.

The chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, has also warned about British businesses and consumers becoming overly dependent on Chinese imports. It feels like a long time since David Cameron, the then prime minister, declared a golden age in relations between Britain and China...

Whats the problem?

The new problem is suspicion about Chinese intelligence operations. There have been suggestions, albeit without much evidence, that the Chinese may have been behind the recent honeytrap blackmail attempt perpetrated against Tory MP William Wragg (and against some other parliamentarians and Westminster journalists, some still unnamed, who have also been targeted).

In addition, as Dowden explains, there is the wider risk that Chinese technologies and systems could be used to gather data about UK companies, public organisations, households and individuals.

Some years ago, under the May and Johnson administrations, concerns were raised about the involvement of China in the UKs civil nuclear power programme, and about Huaweis role in the 5G rollout. More recent concerns, as in the US, have focused on social media, especially TikTok, and even the suggestion that data might be obtained via the use of Chinese-manufactured cars (though theres no evidence of this).

Anything else?

Of course. Over the last decade or so, the British have grown more concerned about Chinas oppression at home and expansion abroad. In particular, Beijing has effectively abrogated the Joint Declaration on the question of Hong Kong  the UN-registered treaty that was supposed to be the basis of Chinese rule in Hong Kong for 50 years after the British left the colony in 1997.

The one country, two systems approach has been all but abandoned, and the protections put in place to provide for an independent judiciary, free media, multiple political parties, freedom of assembly and free speech have been steadily extinguished, despite protests both locally and internationally.

Chinese repression of Tibet and the Muslim Uyghur people has also caused friction. Chinas assertion of sovereignty over large parts of the South China Sea has alarmed its neighbours, such as Vietnam and the Philippines, and Taiwan is under continual intimidation.

Criticism of China by British MPs, such as Iain Duncan Smith, has seen them become a target for harassment, impersonation, and attempted hacking attacks by Chinese entities, as well as official sanctions.

The formation of Aukus, a joint defence project between Australia, the UK and the US (with Japan a prospective fourth party), has been viewed with great suspicion by the Communist Party leadership. Russias war on Ukraine and subsequent isolation has also pushed these two traditional rivals closer together. It feels like blocs of great powers are coalescing into a 20th-century-style confrontation.

What is the UK going to do about it?

Aside from forming closer defence and security relationships with its traditional allies and friends in the region, Dowden suggests that Britain could undertake a series of smaller-scale targeted initiatives to improve security.

These include improvements to export controls on emerging technologies, and a review team whose aims will be to better understand potential risks from outward direct investment, update National Protective Security Authority guidance to highlight the risks, and issue guidance on how the governments existing powers can potentially be used to mitigate this risk and evaluate whether further powers are required.

Surely there are drawbacks to cutting ties with the worlds second-largest economy?

Yes. Although now unthinkable, a wide-reaching free trade and economic cooperation agreement with China was one of the proposed benefits of Brexit, pivoting the UK decisively towards a huge and fast-growing market and source of investment. The chance of such an agreement is more or less long gone, and with it the prospect of boosting Britains anaemic economic growth.

From the point of view of consumers, China has been responsible for lowering the cost of items such as clothing, smartphones, and latterly, battery electric vehicles. It also remains a crucial source of components and equipment for British manufacturers and other companies. Onshoring such supply chains and deglobalising operations across the West will indeed promote economic security, boosting local job creation; but it probably wont make Western consumers better off.

Are there any votes in this?

Not many. The main parties agree on the challenge China poses, and both are faced with the same trade-offs in policymaking.

The main impact of the cooling of relations is that it makes Brexit seem even less successful than it did already, by cutting off the key benefit of a closer economic relationship with a superpower. Indeed, the imminent Chinese accession to the trans-Pacific partnership, the east Asian economic bloc of which the UK is a member, presents the possibility that the UK may have to abandon a much-trumpeted post-Brexit trade deal.
 Close Related video: MP who made Rayner complaint unable to explain what offence he thinks she committed

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Rishi Sunak has doubled down on his refusal to exempt Afghan heroes who served with British forces from being deported to Rwanda.

A No 10 spokesman said on Wednesday that the government would not be making any concessions on the Rwanda bill after the House of Lords last night voted in favour of the move.

The defiant upper chamber refused to cave to ministers  demands and sent the flagship Rwanda plan back to the Commons.

Peers are also demanding the set up of a monitoring committee to assess whether Rwanda is safe before the government sends asylum seekers there.

Downing Street also on Thursday was unable to recommit to the prime ministers pledge to get flights to Rwanda off the ground by the spring.

The spokesman said: Im not going to get ahead of the bill passing, which obviously weve seen again last night has continued to be held up.

Were working at pace to ensure these flights leave as soon as possible. Its now incumbent on the Lords to pass this Bill such that we can trigger the final planning phases and ultimately stop the boats.
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Rishi Sunak has been forced to abandon his commitment to get flights off the ground to Rwanda by the end of spring, in a serious blow to the prime ministers flagship policy.

Downing Street has admitted that the policy is now facing delays as the Lords refused to back down on amendments to the bill, meaning the government will not set out a new timeline for the first flight to take off until it is passed into law.

The government had previously said on several occasions that flights would take off by the Spring, but the prime ministers spokesperson has now repeatedly declined to recommit to the original timetable.

Mr Sunaks spokesman said: The timetable that we had previously set out factored in plenty of time for parliamentary debate but obviously the bill has continued to be delayed.

We will set out the timeline as soon as the bill passes through the House of Lords. The Lords did hold the bill up again last night, we are working at pace to get the bill passed and get flights off.

The Rwanda Bill is set to face another round of back and forth between the two houses of Parliament next week after defiant peers snubbed ministerial calls to back down and again insisted on revisions to the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill.

The fresh government defeats mean a continuation of wrangling at Westminster over the proposed law that aims to clear the way to send asylum seekers who cross the Channel in small boats on a one-way flight to Kigali.

The Bill and a treaty with Rwanda are intended to prevent further legal challenges to the stalled asylum scheme after the Supreme Court ruled the plan was unlawful.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has u-turned on plans for the first flight to Rwanda to take off in the spring ( PA Wire )

As well as compelling judges to regard the east African country as safe, it would give ministers the power to ignore emergency injunctions.

But peers refused to back down, despite MPs overturning previous changes, renewing calls that Rwanda cannot be treated as a safe country until an independent monitoring body has verified that protections contained in the treaty are implemented.

The draft law will be sent back to the Commons, where MPs are set to consider the latest changes on Monday.

The government has insisted it will not be making concessions on changes to the Rwanda Bill requested by the House of Lords.

Peers on Wednesday again supported an exemption from removal for those who worked with the UK military or Government overseas, such as Afghan interpreters.

Asked whether ministers could move on that, the prime ministers spokesman said: The amendment is unnecessary.

We already have safe and legal routes for people in this category. Its one of the most generous safe and legal routes that we have, in fact.

We are proud that we have relocated over 16,000 people to safety through the scheme so far.

He said the amendment would create an unnecessary and dangerous incentive for these people to travel here illegally, which is precisely what this Bill is trying to avoid.

The conservatives have blamed Labour for the delays as Home Secretary James Cleverly accused the party of a politically cynical effort to scupper the Rwanda plan.

Labour said the government should stop wasting time and money on the hare-brained scheme and said that the legislation will not end the chaos the Tories have created in our asylum system.
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A tech company on Thursday admitted that it was behind widespread 911 outages across three states.

Lumen Technologies, which provides state-wide services to Nebraska, Nevada and South Dakota, told The Independent a disruption to their network caused a two-and-a-half-hour 911 outage on Wednesday evening. Multiple Texas cities also reported outages around the same time, but Lumen Technologies does not service the state and the exact cause of their outages is unclear.

Police departments in the affected states all reiterated similar issues that 911 calls appeared to be down on cellular carriers and in some areas, on landlines, but texts to the emergency number were still operational in many areas.

The outages came after a third party installed a light pole that disrupted the network of Lumen Technologies, according to Mark Molzen, global issues direction for Lumen Technologies.

Our techs identified the issue and worked hard to fix it as quickly as possible, Mr Molzen told The Independent.

Meanwhile, unrelated 911 outages were reported in multiple Texas cities on Wednesday evening.

The Del Rio, Texas Police Department in Texas told The Independent that an outage with carrier T-Mobile meant users could not call 911 on their cell phones on Wednesday evening. However, the citys 911 services remained completely operational, according to Juan Hernandez, communication supervisor for the department.

The department told impacted residents to instead use a landline to contact emergency services.

The Independent has contacted T-Mobile for comment.

Nearing the other side of Texas from Del Rio in the southwest, the Kilgore Police Department also reported 911 outages. In that case, the department said the 911 system has been intermittently down. It is yet unclear what caused their outage.

The South Dakota Department of Public Safety said that throughout the outage, citizens could reach 911 by text in most locations. If this method was not working, they could still call the non-emergency lines of their local police or county sheriffs offices, the department said.

Authorities in Sioux Falls also announced they were experiencing similar issues with their 911 services after the Lumen Technologies disruption appeared to cause a statewide 911 outage in South Dakota.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department also acknowledged that 911 services were down and said that if someone called the emergency number on their mobile device, police would be able to see their mobile number and would call back straight away.

They warned citizens not to try and call 911 in order to test the service, so the number can still be left open for emergencies.

Testing the service became an issue as the system went down on Wednesday night for other agencies too, such as the Rapid City Police Department in South Dakota, which said one of their dispatchers became inundated with calls from residents who were trying to see if the system was working.

Each 911 attempt is getting a call-back from dispatch, however the workload generated from unnecessary calls is hampering their efforts to get appropriate resources where they need to go, they wrote in a Facebook update, emphasising that the service is still only for emergencies.

The LVMPD added that calls from landlines were not working and their non-emergency number was also being impacted, but texting 911, like in other states, was still available.

Emergency services throughout southern Nevada, such as in other cities within Clark County, had also been impacted.

Authorities in Nebraska, such as the Dundy County Sheriffs Office, also reported that their 911 services were down, saying that callers will receive a busy signal when dialling 911, and telling citizens to call their administrative line or to text 911 instead.

While some authorities, like LVMPD, reported that 911 services were not working via landline, other areas, like Chase County in Nebraska, stated that landlines could still get through.

The Chase County Sheriffs Office also added that 911 was down for all cellular carriers except T-Mobile.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration told The Independent that their Office of Emergency Medical Services is monitoring the issue.
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More than half a year after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century burned through a historic Maui town, officials are still trying to determine exactly what went wrong and how to prevent similar catastrophes in the future. But two reports released this week are filling in some of the blanks.

The most recent is a detailed timeline of the fire that tore through the heart of Lahaina on Aug. 8, 2023, killing 101 people. Released Wednesday by Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez, it is the first phase of a three-part comprehensive investigation being conducted by the Fire Safety Research Institute, or FSRI, with more coming in the next several months.

The previous day, the Maui Fire Department put out an after-action report produced by the Western Fire Chiefs Association. It detailed the challenges the department faced, as well as more than 100 recommendations for improvements.

Here are the key takeaways from the reports:

COMMUNICATION WAS A STRUGGLE AMID THE CHAOS

A major windstorm was toppling power lines and utility poles throughout Lahaina, and the first fire of the day sparked when a live power line snapped and hit dry brush. But firefighters and police received mixed messages about whether Hawaiian Electric had de-energized the lines, according to the FSRI report.

In the early afternoon  before the initial fire flared back up and began overtaking the town  a utility worker told fire crews that he could not confirm if the lines were de-energized. It wasn't until after homes began catching fire that dispatchers reached Hawaiian Electric and got confirmation that the power was out.

The report also described a communications breakdown between police, firefighters and other emergency officials. Cellular networks were down, and the police and fire agencies used separate channels that public officials and others couldn't listen to. Overwhelmed dispatchers had single operators trying to monitor as many as five or six channels at once.

Residents and tourists had no way to get emergency alerts or communicate with loved ones, and 911 operators were inundated with calls. One of the operators was off-island and wasn't getting geographical location information with calls, and thus didn't know where to send people fleeing the flames.

Meanwhile the head of the Maui Emergency Management Agency, Herman Andaya, was off-island at a work conference and getting regular text messages and calls from staffers about the rapidly changing fires. After a series of evacuations in Lahaina, he asked his assistant if he should come home but was told that it may look OK, according to the report. A few hours later, after much of the town had burned, Andaya said he would come home the following morning.

An after-action report from police earlier this year also identified communication challenges and recommended that a high-ranking officer be placed in the island's communication center during future emergencies.

THE FIRE WAS SWIFT AND UNRELENTING, AND ESCAPE ROUTES WERE FEW

Firefighters thought they had extinguished the morning blaze, which started near a part of town that is far from the ocean. But less than 40 minutes after they left the scene, the flames reerupted, quickly spreading from home to home in a nearby neighborhood.

Wind gusts that were still toppling power lines pushed embers and burning debris farther into Lahaina.

As firefighters and other emergency crews scrambled to evacuate houses and get people to safety, dark smoke dropped visibility to near-zero at times. Those roads that weren't blocked by trees, utility poles or power lines became jammed with traffic that sometimes ground to a standstill.

But the time people had to escape would likely have been tight even if the roads were all clear: Within 90 minutes, spot fires were burning all the way to the ocean, according to the FSRI report, and spreading north and south.

Some people died in their cars. Others leaped into the ocean to escape the flames. Still others abandoned vehicles and fled on foot.

RESOURCES WERE SCATTERED AND STRETCHED THIN

Firefighters risked their lives again and again  packing survivors into fire trucks to get them to safety, physically carrying victims away from danger, and taking shelter behind their own disabled vehicles  according to Tuesday's report.

Many of the department's crews and engines were already deployed to fight other wildfires on a different part of the island when Lahaina began to burn. The back-up fire engines used in emergencies weren't fully stocked with equipment, and valuable minutes were lost restocking them before they could be put into action.

The report also highlighted a lack of mutual aid agreements between Hawaii counties, which meant that there was no standard way to request help from neighboring islands. The agencies also lacked a plan for evacuating tourists and residents who did not speak English  and language barriers made it difficult for the firefighters to warn some people of the need to flee.

WHAT COMES NEXT?

FSRI investigators are still trying to get some records from the Maui Emergency Management Agency. Research program manager Derek Alkonis said Wednesday that they requested incident activity logs and other records from MEMA on multiple occasions but still had not received all the data.

Alkonis did not go into detail about what he called a difficulty with gaining information from the agency, but said the reason is going to be analyzed in subsequent reports.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is working on a report about the origin and cause of the fire on behalf of the Maui Fire Department. That report is not yet complete but is expected to be released in the next few months.

___

Boone reported from Boise, Idaho; Keller from Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Lauer from Philadelphia. Christopher Weber in Los Angeles, Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu, Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon, Hallie Golden in Seattle, Anita Snow in Phoenix and Mark Thiessen in Anchorage, Alaska, contributed.
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A police department in Texas has admitted it did not act on key evidence in a 2019 murder case, with the suspect then going on to allegedly commit at least one other murder before his arrest in 2023.

Raul Meza Jr, 63, allegedly admitted to killing Gloria Lofton, after calling the Austin Police Department last May and confessing to killing his roommate Jesse Fraga that month.

Lofton was found strangled at her home on 9 May 2019, but Mr Meza wasnt caught despite a reported DNA match in 2020. A note at the house in her handwriting, mentioning him by name, also allegedly went overlooked by investigators.

In a recent interview with NBC News, Loftons daughter Christina Fultz said she was furious to learn that APD did not act on key evidence which could have potentially prevented Fragas death.

She said that after her mother died, officers gave away few details on the cause of death, and she presumed that Lofton had had an accident while drunk at home.

When Ms Fultz and her sister, Sonia Houston, searched their mothers home a few days after her body was discovered, they found blood in the hallway and on a pillow, along with a used condom and lube wrapped in a latex glove.

At the time, they still put this down to their mother having an accident. However, Mr Mezas arrest affidavit later showed that a sexual assault kit was used on their mothers body, with a vaginal swab providing a DNA profile which matched the suspect in 2020, NBC News reported.

After Mr Mezas confession three years later, Loftons cause of death was changed from undetermined to homicide by strangulation.

Raul Meza Jr is accused of murdering Gloria Lofton at her Austin home in 2019 ( AP )

Austin PD admitted to the oversight with the DNA report, with interim Police Chief Robin Henderson saying earlier this month that the department was deeply sorry for the error.

We realise the impacts this has on the case itself, community and most importantly the victims and their families, Henderson said in the statement released to NBC News.

As soon as the error was brought to our attention, we addressed it as quickly as we could to identify how it happened and implemented policies to avoid incidents like this from reoccurring. Since this occurrence, the Austin Police Department has added redundancies into the notification process to ensure this does not happen again.

The officer responsible wont be disciplined, however, as the incident happened more than 180 days ago - the cut-off for action outlined in Texas state law.

Ms Fultz told NBC she was furious at the decision, adding that the family was not told before reading about it in the local press.

In a role like this where youre supposed to protect and serve, youre not doing that, Fultz said. I would suggest that they go work at McDonalds, where you can mess up somebodys order and not kill somebody, potentially.

The Independent has reached out to the police department for comment.

Another possible piece of overlooked evidence is also being questioned, the note found by the sisters as they searched the house, which mentioned the suspect by name.

It was in a notebook, in their mothers handwriting, and Ms Fultz had videotaped it as part of a wider overview of the scene they found days after their mothers death.

I Gloria Elizabeth Lofton give permission to Raul Meza Jr to request a certificate of authority on my behalf for the purpose of the unfinished note said.

In the video, Ms Fultzs sister could be heard saying Who the hell is Raul Meza Jr?, but in the effort to sort out their mothers affairs, the note was forgotten about until December 2023.

The Travis County District Attorneys Office had asked the pair for the video taken that day and, in searching for it, there appeared Mr Mezas name.

I had a literal breakdown and panic attack, Ms Fultz continued. I got so sick with nerves and anger and just overwhelmed.

The note would have been in the home when police searched it, but it appears to have not been noticed.

It was there in front of us this whole time, and who knows how many deaths may have been prevented had they looked around a little bit further and a little bit harder? Ms Fultz added.

In his arrest affidavit, Mr Meza reportedly told officers that he had been promised 25 per cent of an inheritance meant for Loftons nephew and that he would be compensated for killing her.

The sisters told NBC that their mother did not have any nephews, adding that it was unclear if another relative had offered Mr Meza money.

Following Mr Mezas arrest last summer, officials said they were looking into possible connections with at least ten other deaths over the years.

The suspect served around a decade in prison for the killing of an 8-year-old girl in the early 1980s.

In the past few weeks, Mr Meza entered a plea to return to prison to serve two, 50-year sentences concurrently for the deaths of Lofton and Fraga.

A spokesperson for the Travis County District Attorneys Office told The Independent that prosecutors had received that plea, but could not comment further on the active case.
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Four members of a group, calling itself Gods Misfits are sitting in jail in Oklahoma, accused of kidnapping and murdering two friends, according to court filings.

Tifany Machel Adams, 54; Tad Bert Cullum, 43; Cole Earl Twombly, 50; and Cora Twombly, 44 have been charged with murder, kidnapping and conspiracy to commit murder, in relation to the disappearance of Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39 last month.

The two women were heading to pick up Ms Butlers two children from their grandmother, Ms Adams, when they disappeared. Their car was found abandoned at a rural crossroads near a trail of blood, broken hammer, a pistol magazine and one womans glasses. Two bodies were discovered this weekend, which are believed to be the two women.

Authorities have alleged that the four suspects kidnapped and killed the two women, confirming on 16 April that two bodies found on 14 April were those of the two victims.

Who are the members of Gods Misfits?

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has named the four suspects as members of Gods Misfits, according to court documents seen by The Independent. The group was described as anti-government and religious.

Tifany Machel Adams, 54

Tifany Machel Adams is one of four arrested over Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelleys disappearance ( Texas County Sheriffs Department )

Ms Adams is the paternal grandmother to missing Veronia Butlers children. Her son Wrangler Rickman, 26, is currently in a rehabilitation centre, according to court documents.

She was allegedly involved in an ongoing custody battle over the two children, aged six and eight.

On Tuesday it was reported that Ms Adams was elected chair of her local Republican Party in Cimarron County, which borders Texas County.

State Sen. Nathan Dahm, who is the chairman of the Oklahoma GOP, told KOCO 5 that he was aware of her involvement.

This is a tragic situation, with innocent children being at the centre of this still-developing situation, he told the outlet. While we at the Oklahoma Republican Party have no personal relationship or knowledge of the individuals who have been accused in this senseless crime, we have been made aware that Ms Adams was previously elected by a handful of people to the role of Chair in her county.

We ask everyone to join us in praying for the family and most especially the children devastated by this horrible tragedy.

Mr Dahm has not yet responded to a request for further comment from The Independent.

Tad Bert Cullum, 43

Tad Bert Cullum, 43, is one of four suspects arrested over the alleged kidnapping and murder on Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley ( AP )

The boyfriend of Ms Adams, has lived in and around Texas and Cimarron Counties in Oklahoma for most of his life, according to public records.

Cole Earl Twombly, 50

Cole Earl Twombly celebrated his birthday just days before his arrest ( AP )

Mr Twombly appears to have moved from Colorado to Oklahoma around 2005, according to public records. He and Cora Twombly have been married since June 2015.

He posted on Facebook the day before his arrest, thanking friends for their birthday wishes.

Got to dance in the front yard with the lovely and gracious Cora Twombly, have cake, and share the evening with our new daughter in love! he said.

Cora Twombly, 44

Cora Twombly, 44, allegedly told her daughter all about their involvement in the two womens disappearance ( AP )

Ms Twombly was previously known as Cora White. Her 16-year-old daughter, known in court documents as CW, lives with her and spoke to investigators on 3 April about the group that her parents are allegedly part of.

CW advised that she was told by Cora that Adams, Cullum, Cora, Cole... were involved in the deaths of Butler and Kelley, court documents read.

The court documents also mention three other possible members of Gods Misfits. They are not suspects in the case.

Paul Grice

Barrett Cook

Lacy Cook.

The Independent has determined that Lacey Cook and her husband Barrett Cook live in Keyes, Oklahoma, the same town as Ms Adams and Mr Cullum.

Mr and Ms Twombly live around 40 miles away, in Texhoma, Oklahoma, public records revealed.

It is unclear if Gods Misfits have other members.

What do they believe?

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) said that Ms Twomblys daughter, known as CW in court records, described the group as an anti-government group that has a religious affiliation.

Investigators found that Gods Misfits held regular, weekly meetings at both the Twomblys and Cooks homes.

The day before Ms Butler and Ms Kelley disappeared, CW claimed her parents said they were going on a mission the following day.

Have the suspects appeared in court?

The group appeared for their arraignment hearings on 17 April at the Texas County Courthouse.

All four arrived separately in orange jumpsuits, handcuffs and what appeared to be bullet-proof vests.

Emotions reportedly ran high, with some relatives of the victims being held back from trying to get to the suspects.

They were denied bond and will appear in court again in May.

Does Gods Misfits have members outside Oklahoma?

Social media searches have revealed no online presence of the Oklahoma-based Gods Misfits group.

There is another group called Gods Misfits on Facebook but they sought to distance themselves from the Oklahoma murder case this week, and said they had nothing to do with it.

Someway, people think they are part of us. Nothing could be more wrong, the groups owner, who goes by Squirrel, posted on Facebook. Gods misfits is about spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, not about hate and murder.

In a later video, posted later on Tuesday, Squirrel responded to messages he had received about the murder case and said that he started up his religious groups website in 2015.

He called news of another Gods Misfits group whacked-out and said that people had messaged him, calling his group a cult.

I aint got nothing to do with all of that, he said. I am about scripture and about spreading the love of Jesus. I am not an anti-government murderer.

The God Misfits Facebook group did not respond to The Independents request for information at the time of publication.
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Bryan Kohberger, the graduate student accused of murdering four University of Idaho students in November of 2022, was on an early morning drive at the time of the killings, according to a legal filing from his defence offered late on Wednesday.

Mr. Kohberger was out driving in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022; as he often did to hike and run and/or see the moon and stars, the document reads.

He drove throughout the area south of Pullman, Washington, west of Moscow, Idaho including Wawawai Park, the filing continues.

The defence plans to call a cell tower data expert to help corroborate claims of the 29-year-olds location at time of killings, per the filing.

The defence also suggested in its action that additional information about Mr Kohbergers whereabouts, as well as critical exculpatory evidence, could be forthcoming.

Mr Kohberger is accused of killing four University of Idaho students living in an off-campus house: Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.

Madison Mogen, 21, top left, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, bottom left, Ethan Chapin, 20, second right, and Xana Kernodle, 20, were all killed in a student house in Moscow, Idaho ( Instagram )

He is accused of breaking into an off-campus student home on King Road in the town of Moscow in the early hours of 13 November 2022 and stabbing the four students to death with a large, military-style knife.

Two other female roommates lived with the three women at the property and were home at the time of the massacre but survived.

One of the survivors  Dylan Mortensen  came face to face with the masked killer, dressed in head-to-toe black and with bushy eyebrows, as he left the home in the aftermath of the murders, according to the criminal affidavit.

In May of 2023, Mr Kohberger declined to enter a plea in the case, prompting a judge to mark his stance as pleading not guilty.

A previous filing in August also claimed Mr Kohberger was out for a drive around the time of the murders.

That document, however, contained less detail, noting that the student was not claiming to be at a specific location at a specific time.

It read in part: Mr. Kohberger has long had a habit of going for drives alone. Often he would go for drives at night.

He did so late on November 12 and into November 13, 2022. Mr. Kohberger is not claiming to be at a specific location at a specific time; at this time there is not a specific witness to say precisely where Mr. Kohberger was at each moment of the hours between late night November 12, 2022 and early morning November 13, 2022.

He was out, driving during the late night and early morning hours of November 12-13, 2022.

Prosecutors argued this claim was too vague.

Wednesdays filing came in just before a deadline to submit additional information related to his alibi defence.

The updated alibi defence claims are the latest development in the high-profile trial.

Earlier this month, Mr Kohbergers defence requested discovery requests be placed under seal to because the documents contain facts or statements that might threaten or endanger the life or safety of individuals.

Idaho intends to seek the death penalty against Mr Kohberger.

The house where the four students were killed being demolished ( AP )

His defence sought earlier this year to move the trial out of Latah County, arguing extensive, inflammatory pretrial publicity will make it unfair.

In March, the Idaho Supreme Court denied a request from Mr Kohberger for his grand jury indictment to be thrown out.

A trial date has not been set.

Prosecutors have tied him to the murders, in part, through surveillance footage showing his white Hyundai Elantra travelling to and from the crime scene.

An affidavit, released in January last year, outlined some of the evidence against the accused killer  including his DNA on a knife sheath left behind at the scene of the murders, the surveillance footage and cellphone activity.

The sheath  for a military or Ka-Bar style knife  was found partly under Mogens body after she and Goncalves were found stabbed multiple times on Mogens bed on the third floor of the home.

DNA on the button clasp of the sheath was then found to match that of the 28-year-old accused killer.

Mr Kohbergers attorneys have sought to cast doubts on the strength of this DNA evidence, in particular the use of genetic genealogy.

According to the affidavit in the case, the FBI used genetic genealogy databases to try to identify the DNA source.

Trash was then collected from the suspects parents home in the Poconos Mountains and a familial match  from Mr Kohbergers father  was made to the sheath, according to the criminal affidavit.

Following Mr Kohbergers arrest on 30 December, DNA samples were then taken directly from the suspect and came back as a statistical match, say prosecutors.
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A successful banker was drowned in a pond in an exorcism by his son, who believed his father was possessed by a demon, a court has heard.

Jack Callahan, 22, has denied the murder of Scott Callahan, 57, whose body was found floating in water around 30 miles from Boston, Massachusetts, in June 2021.

Jack Callahan told police that he had plunged his fathers head underwater in a bid to rid him of a demon called Dirty Dan, telling officers: I left him there to decide, you can come to heaven with me or hell. I think he chose hell.

His father Scott was found by police floating in a pond outside Duxbury, ( CBS Boston )

At the time of his death, Scott Callahan had been receiving treatment for an alcohol addiction at a centre in Hopkinton before he had checked himself out, and travelled to a bar in Boston.

His son had travelled in an Uber to collect him and return him to the family home in Duxbury, but asked the driver to pull over for him to smoke a cigarette when they were near the pond. The younger Callahan then claimed his father had begun to attack him by repeatedly punching him.

He went on to state that in this incident at the pond, he believed he was baptising his father, Assistant District Attorney Shanan Buckingham said at Callahans 2021 arraignment.

He described that he was holding his father in the pond on his back like a baby, that he continually dunked the fathers head in the water about four to eight times, that when the father started to cough and choke, he would lift his head up, Buckingham said.

And then when the father started to fight and strike him, he would push the head back into the water.

He claimed to have blacked out and believed his father was being possessed by a demon ( WHDH )

He did so until his father was no longer struggling and floating.

Jacks mother contacted the police after he arrived home in soaking wet clothes and informed her that his father was missing.

Callahan was distraught when speaking to paramedics and informed them that he had blacked out officials said, before directing police to Crooker Memorial Park where they discovered Scott Callahan in the pond.

Despite resuscitation efforts, he was pronounced dead in hospital with his son arrested the following day.

Callahans attorney Kevin Reddington had previously asked the judge for the then-teenager to be sent to hospital for a mental health evaluation, warning that he was a danger to himself.

He has pleaded not guilty to his fathers murder, with the trial in Massachusetts due to last 10 days.
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Police in Los Angeles are investigating Kanye West, who goes by Ye, after he allegedly punched a man in the face after he battered and sexually assaulted the rappers wife Bianca Censori, according to a report.

The altercation occurred early Wednesday morning after an unidentified man inappropriately touched Ms Censori, TMZ first reported. Authorities told the outlet that police are now investigating Ye.

The incident occurred at the Chateau Marmont Hotel on Sunset Boulevard, Fox 11 reported.

Bianca was physically assaulted, representatives for Ye told TMZ in a statement.

The assailant didnt merely collide into her. He put his hands under her dress, directly on her body, he grabbed her waist, he spun her around, and then he blew her kisses. She was battered and sexually assaulted, the statement added.

The LAPD told The Independent that at around 12.30am on Wednesday, 17 April, officers responded to the 8200 block of Sunset Boulevard  the address of the hotel  for a Battery Investigation. The police said a battery report was completed, but they could not confirm suspect information.

The Independent has reached out to representatives for the rapper.

This isnt the first time police have probed The Life of Pablo artist.

In January 2022, Ye was named in a battery report after an incident occurred outside of a club in downtown Los Angeles at around 3am. He was not arrested over the incident.

He just had this real attitude, like, Whatchu gonna do?, the rapper said at the time, according to The Guardian. Imma just tell you, that blue Covid mask aint stop that knockout.
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The judge who presided over the trial of Melissa Lucio, a Texas woman being held on death row for the murder of her child, has recommended her conviction and sentence be overturned.

The move by Judge Arturo Nelson comes after Cameron County, Texas District Attorney Luis Saenz and Lucios attorneys filed a statement last week agreeing she should never have been convicted. Both sides agreed key evidence was suppressed at Lucios trial  and now, their statement has the support of Judge Nelson.

Melissa Lucios mother, Esperanza Trevino, and other supporters gathered at the Cameron County Courthouse to protest her execution in 2022. The judge who oversaw her trial has said she should have never been convicted ( Copyright-2022 )

With Judge Nelsons signature, Lucios case will go to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the only court that can vacate a conviction.

Judge Nelson found that critical information was withheld from the defense at the time of trial and that Lucio met her burden of proof, by a preponderance of the evidence, that she would not have been convicted in light of the suppressed evidence, Lucios attorneys said in a statement on Monday.

Lucios sons and daughter-in-law expressed their gratitude for Judge Nelsons decision.

We hope and pray the Court of Criminal Appeals will agree with the District Attorney, the defense, and Judge Nelson and our mother can come home to her family, Bobby Alvarez, John Lucio and Michelle Lucio said in a joint statement.

Its been 17 years that we have been without her, they continued. We love her and miss her and cant wait to hug her.

Lucio was first arrested in 2007 after her two-year-old, Mariah, was found motionless in her familys home. The child showed signs of a broken arm untreated for weeks, a head injury, bite marks on her back, and bruises across her body.

Prosecutors said she beat her child to death. However, Lucio said the two-year-old sustained the injuries by falling down stairs.

Lucio was convicted and sentenced to death in 2008. She was scheduled to be executed in 2022, but the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals granted her a stay with just 48 hours to spare.

Melissa Lucio, pictured in an undated booking photo, is one step closer to having her murder conviction overturned ( AP )

Now, Judge Nelson, the District Attorneys office and Lucios legal team all agree suppressed evidence  such as a Child Protection Services report and witness statements  would have corroborated Lucios defence.

Her son, Mr Alvarez, spoke to The Independent just days after Lucio received her stay. He vowed to keep fighting for his mothers innocence  a fight that could end in the near future if the states Court of Criminal Appeals overturns her conviction.

Even though weve got the stay it doesnt mean the fight is now over, Mr Alvarez previously told The Independent.
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One of the USs most wanted fugitives was captured in Rome last week by Italian police, who reportedly found him carrying three concealed knives through a popular and busy tourist area.

Moises Tejada, 54, was picked up in St Peters Square near the Vatican on Wednesday 10 April after attracting the attention of law enforcement.

Pope Francis was holding a general audience the same day, resulting in crowds of tourists and pilgrims being present. Mr Tejada was found in possession of three knives that were 20cm long.

It is not known if he posed any threat to the pope.

According to the Office of Special Investigations New York most wanted list, Tejada has convictions for robbery and kidnapping and is classified as violent. The OSI website states that all those on its list should be considered armed and dangerous and advises members of the public not to approach them.

Tejada is described as six feet tall, with no tattoos, but with scars on his right hand and face. His arrest was first reported by Italys la Repubblica newspaper and later by Reuters.

The Italian outlet reported that the officers apprehended him without being aware of his identity, but used their intuition to stop and search the wanted man.

In the US, Tejada was previously charged with armed robbery after allegedly posing as a potential customer of a real estate agent in Suffolk County, New York. While taking a tour of a property Tejada is said to have handcuffed the realtor to a pole and robbed him of personal property including his car.

Court documents from 2004, showed that he had been linked to another near identical crime in Brooklyn.

Investigators found that he had recently arrived in Rome from Moldova, having previously spent time in Ukraine. Mr Tejada told them he had been in Ukraine since 2022 fighting against the Russian invasion. He had reportedly arrived in Italy 10 days prior.

The Italian authorities are waiting to hear if their US counterparts want to extradite him, according to Reuters.
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Police in Oklahoma arrested a man on Wednesday accused of throwing a pipe bomb at the Salem, Massachusetts headquarters of a Satanic group.

Authorities said Sean Patrick Palmer, 49, has been charged with using an explosive to damage a building following an attack last week on the Satanic Temple building.

On 8 April around 4am, officials said surveillance cameras outside The Satanic Temples headquarters captured a man walking towards the building wearing black trousers, a black face covering, and tan-coloured tactical vest and gloves.

The man lit a pipe bomb  a type of improvised explosive device  which he then threw towards the buildings main entrance and ran away. The bomb partially detonated seconds later, causing a minor fire and damage to the buildings exterior.

Officials also found a six-page handwritten note addressed to Dear Satanist and urging repentance; it was in a flower bed near to where the pipe bomb landed.

The US attorneys office in Massachusetts said they said they didnt yet have the name of any lawyer representing Mr Palmer, who is a resident of Perkins in Oklahoma. Several phone numbers associated with Mr Palmer were out of service on Wednesday, AP reported.

He is due to make an initial court appearance in Oklahoma on Thursday. If found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

The attorneys office said surveillance footage showed a black Volvo registered to Mr Palmer driving erratically in the area before and after the incident.

The Satanic Temples website says it does not actually worship Satan but campaigns for secularism and individual liberties.
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Ted Kaczynski, otherwise known as the Unabomber, had been diagnosed with rectal cancer in 2021, just two years before he died by suicide in prison, according to a new report.

Kaczynski was 81 when he died in June 2023. At the time, law enforcement officials said they did not know the type or severity of his cancer.

The report, which was obtained via FOIA by NBC News, shines a light on Kaczynski's mental health in his final days, noting that he had been "depressed and sent for psychiatric evaluation" before his death.

Kaczynski was eventually caught in 1996 after a 17-year bombing campaign that killed three people and wounded 23.

His targets were nearly always civilians, often academics, scientists, or businessmen. He explained in a 35,000-word manifesto his desire to see the modern world crumble, arguing that society gives politicians, corporation executives and remote, anonymous technicians and bureaucrats power over the life-and-death issues of ones existence".

It was those injustices that he felt justified his bombings, claiming that the attacks got our message before the public with some chance of making a lasting impression".

A new autopsy report detailing the death of the Unabomber Ted Kaczynski found his was suffering from rectal cancer and depression before his death ( AP1996 )

The former math teacher spent much of his time living in a tiny, primitive cabin in Montana building bombs and sending them through the mail to his victims.

During his trial, expert witness psychologists suggested his writings might be indicative of schizophrenia, setting the stage for an insanity defence by his attorneys, the New York Times reports.

He ultimately pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In exchange for his plea, federal prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty.

After more than two decades in prison  and approximately two years after his cancer diagnosis  Kaczynski died by suicide in his cell at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in North Carolina listed Kaczynski's cause of death as hanging, with a shoelace used to restrict his airflow.

The infamous FBI sketch depicting the Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, who died by suicide in prison in 2023

It was not immediately clear if Kaczynski's reported depression had triggered a suicide watch.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons has declined to comment about the case for "safety and security reasons," according to NBC News.

It did say that it follows a protocol to preserve and document evidence for later investigations and that it has guidelines and training for suicide prevention at its facilities.

The autopsy report also revealed that Kaczynski's cancer had progressed to stage 4 and that he was experiencing depression in the last month of his life.

At around midnight on June 10, 2023, he was found to have hung himself from a handicap rail in his room with shoelaces, the report says. He was initially pulseless, and resuscitation was initiated.

The report said he was not on any medication and had not reported suicidal ideation before the incident.

The decedent was not on any prescription medications and had no prior suicidal ideations or attempts, the report stated. Federal Law Enforcement had no concern for foul play.
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Tesla stocks dropped 12.4 per cent this week, hitting their lowest cost in more than a year on Thursday afternoon.

The electric vehicle companys shares hit $149.93 at the close of business on Thursday. Now an entire years gains have been wiped out, the Associated Press reports, as the company faces diminishing sales. On 14 July last year the shares were worth $281.38. They were at $165.08 on 21 April last year.

Since last year, Tesla has cut prices by as much as $20,000 on some models amid slowing demand. The price cuts caused used electric vehicle values to drop and clipped Teslas profit margins  making Thursdays drop in price even more notable. Tesla shares last dipped this low in January 2023.

Prior to this week, the vehicle companys stock price had already dropped some 25 per cent in 2024, losing $200bn in market value in four months, ABC News reported.

The dip in stock price also comes just days after CEO Elon Musk cut approximately 14,000 Tesla jobs, which made up some 10 per cent of the companys workforce.

There is nothing I hate more, but it must be done, Mr Musk wrote in a memo to employees on Monday. This will enable us to be lean, innovative and hungry for the next growth phase cycle.

Elon Musk  pictured on 13 April  told Tesla employees that some 10 per cent of their jobs would be cut on Monday ( Getty Images )

Mr Musk later had to apologise after sending incorrectly low severance packages to several employees, CNBC reports.

Two high-level Tesla executives announced their departure the same day: Andrew Baglino, senior vice president of powertrain and Rohan Patel, senior global director of public policy and business development.

Both executives expressed gratitude to the company when announcing their departure on X.

Meanwhile, Tesla will ask shareholders to reinstate the compensation package for Mr Musk that a Delaware judge rejected earlier this year, a filing with federal regulations on Wednesday revealed. Mr Musk will also ask shareholders to vote on moving the Tesla headquarters from Delaware to Texas.

In January, Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick ruled Musk is not entitled to a landmark compensation package awarded by Teslas board of directors.

At the time the package was worth nearly $56bn, but it has since dropped to $44.9bn amid the stock slide, the Associated Press reports.

The Independent has contacted Tesla for comment.
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Google has fired 28 employees after protests on Tuesday in the companys offices against their cloud contract with the Israeli government.

The employees were terminated on Wednesday following a sit-in protest inside Googles offices in New York and Sunnyvale, California.

Dozens of Google workers made their way inside Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurians office at the Sunnyvale office, as well as on the 10th-floor commons in New York City, according to No Tech for Apartheid, the organisation that led the protests.

They refuse to leave until @google stops powering the genocide in Gaza, the group added, showing pictures of protestors holding banners inside the offices, some of which said no more genocide for profit and Googlers against genocide.

The protests are directed at a $1.2bn contract entered into by Google and Amazon to provide cloud services to the Israeli government, known as Project Nimbus.

Google announced that it had since dismissed 28 workers from employment at the company after the protests, claiming they physically hindered the work of others and displayed unacceptable behaviour.

A small number of employee protesters entered and disrupted a few of our locations, a Google spokesperson told The Independent on Thursday.

Physically impeding other employees work and preventing them from accessing our facilities is a clear violation of our policies, and completely unacceptable behaviour.

After refusing multiple requests to leave the premises, law enforcement was engaged to remove them to ensure office safety, the spokesperson added.

A counter-protester holding an Israeli flag walks into the parking lot near a protest at Google Cloud offices in Sunnyvale, California, US on April 16, 2024. ( REUTERS/Nathan Frandino )

The Google spokesperson said the company would continue to investigate and take action as needed.

No Tech for Apartheid also captured the moment that several protestors were removed from their sit-in positions and arrested at the Google offices on both US coasts, including on its livestream of the Sunnyvale demonstration.

Nine people were reportedly arrested on trespassing charges, according to Bloomberg.

No Tech for Apartheid claimed in a statement after the terminations that Google had indiscriminately fired workers, including those who did not directly participate in the sit-ins.

This flagrant act of retaliation is a clear indication that Google values its $1.2bn contract with the genocidal Israeli government and military more than its own workers, the organisation added.

Some of the workers arrested amid the protest told CNBC on Wednesday that during the demonstration they were locked out of their work accounts and offices, placed on administrative leave and told to wait to return to work until being contacted by HR.

Cheyne Anderson, a Google Cloud software engineer, who had flown to Sunnyvale for the protest and was one of the workers who was arrested, told the outlet that she is opposed to Google taking any military contracts  no matter which government theyre with or what exactly the contract is about.

Another protestor, Hasan Ibraheem, told CNBC that it was weighing heavily on him that he was receiving money from Google and Israel is paying Google, adding that he felt he had a responsibility to act against the Nimbus project.

A Google spokesperson said that Nimbus is not directed at highly sensitive, classified, or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services.

We have been very clear that the Nimbus contract is for workloads running on our commercial cloud by Israeli government ministries who agree to comply with our terms of service and acceptable use policy, they said.

Google Cloud supports numerous governments around the world, in countries where we operate, including the Israeli government, with our generally available cloud computing services, the spokesperson added.

The protest comes as Gazas Ministry of Health reported an updated death toll, saying that nearly 34,000 Palestinians have been killed amid Israels ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza.
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An investigation into the disastrous Maui wildfires has revealed numerous issues with emergency preparedness on the island and coordination issues both before and while the fire tore across the landscape.

On 8 August, 2023, four wildfires burned much of Maui, killing 101 people and causing $6bn in damages. Questions arose after the catastrophe as to what went wrong and how the widespread damage and loss of life caused by the fire could have been prevented.

The new investigation, an 84-page report produced by the Western Fire Chiefs Association, seeks to answer some of those questions.

The report found that some emergency responders with the Maui Fire Department used the WhatsApp messaging service to provide situational awareness updates, but noted that not everyone in the department used the app, CNN reports.

Investigators also found that evacuation routes on the island were blocked by obstacles and evacuation procedures were hindered by communication hurdles.

A lack of preparation also contributed to the chaos on the day the fires broke out; according to the report, after the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning, there was "minimal" pre-positioning of emergency responders and fire-fighting equipment to deal with potential wildfires.

Four wildfires took the lives of 101 people and caused $6bn in damage

While the report points out the operational errors made before and during the wildfires, it also notes recognises the "island's limited resources," acknowledging that responders were "extremely challenged by the scope and scale of the collective incidents."

After conducting over 200 interviews and reviewing numerous data sets, it is clear that the four major wildfires pushed the (Maui Fire Department) to an unprecedented level of strain. Despite this, the collective actions by MFD and law enforcement saved many lives and property across the island, the report states.

Investigators found that "nearly every staff member and vehicle resource" controlled by the fire department has been deployed to assist in fighting the wildfires.

"The emergency response system did not break but rather it found itself outmatched by the extreme weather and fire conditions," the report states. "Staff members endured shifts of 36 hours or more and risked their lives in a valiant effort to stop the spread of the fires and save lives.

In addition to its findings, the report also provided 111 recommendations for preventing or mitigating future similar catastrophes.

Among those are recommendations for fire officials to work with local law enforcement and state officials to identify "key access routes" and to develop "contingency plans" for possible fire scenarios.

It also suggested that officials work with state emergency management to develop a multi-lingual emergency alert system to inform tourists  who are often transient on the island and who may not speak the same language  of wildfire threats.

Damaged property lies scattered in the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina ( Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

The report noted that the Maui Fire Department was already making institutional changes  like a fleet replacement program to update its service vehicles  in response to the wildfires and commended the department for doing so.

We commend MFD for their swift actions to address the issues identified in this AAR, rather than waiting for AAR recommendations," the report states.

While the report detailed the fire department's response, the question over what actually caused the Lahaina fire is still without an answer.

That is still under investigation with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Maui Fire Department Chief Brad Ventura told reporters on Tuesday.

The report was released a day before Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez is expected to announce the first wave of findings from an investigation conducted by her office and the Fire Safety Research Institute, according to ABC News.

Ms Lopez's office said the report would analyse a 72-hour period that covered the start of the fires through the aftermath of the incident.
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Honolulu authorities have announced that they will finally start a $2.5m project to remove the historic Haiku Stairs, saying the misbehaviour of hikers and influencers has forced them to strip them off the mountainside.

The Haiku Stairs in Hawaii, often called the Stairway to Heaven, are made up of 3,922 steps across the ridgeline of the Koolau Mountains and have been an iconic, picturesque part of Oahus heritage.

However, years of disturbance and disruption from trespassers  many are hikers who see the closed site as a tourist destination and have turned it into a social media photo hotspot  have led to the stairs removal from the mountain, in what was not at all a capricious decision by the council, Honolulu mayor Rick Blangiardi said.

The City and County of Honolulu announced that preparatory work has officially begun ahead of the removal of 600 stair modules on the Haiku Stairs later this month, the city said in a statement on 10 April.

Built by the US military during the Second World War for access to their communications facilities, the stairs have been closed to the public for almost 40 years.

But this has not stopped illegal trespassers from finding their way onto the stairs, and disturbing residents who live in the area, ever since the attraction was shut down in 1987 for liability and vandalism reasons.

On the morning that work began, the project workers attended a hoomaikaii (blessing) ceremony to bless the workers undertaking this important project, the city wrote.

The stairs, starting at 400 feet in Haiku Valley and reaching its highest elevation of 2,820 feet in the Koolau Mountains, are being removed as a matter of public safety, city officials said, seeking to stop regular trespassers from traversing the site.

The stairs nicknamed Stairway to Heaven have become an unofficial tourist attraction ( Getty )

The authorities warned that anyone who ignores the No Trespassing signs now that the removal work has started, should know that the site is considered extremely dangerous, and anyone who does decide to wander on the trail will put their safety immediately at threat.

The removal of the stairs has been a long and continuous debate between officials and residents for years, with the decision finally put in place after much deliberation and discussion with the community and the Honolulu City Council.

It has been over two years since the council voted unanimously to strip the stairs from the mountainside in the hopes that while it preserves public safety and the peace of neighbouring people, it will also help the natural beauty and condition of the area.

This was a decision, when we came into office, that was long overdue. Over the course of many months, in meeting with the people involved and the discovery that we put into it, I can promise you that this was not a capricious decision, Mayor Blangiardi said during Wednesdays announcement, the citys statement said.

Mr Blangiardi added that the decision also to affirm their respect for the people who live in and around the entrance to the stairs, our respect for our aina [land and sea], and our respect for both the future and the past history of the culture of the Haiku community.

The Haiku Stairs will take at least six months to dismantle ( Getty )

City officials said the project will be undertaken by The Nakoa Comapines Inc, which will start by removing the ageing, narrow metal stair structure.

The workers will collaborate with a biologist, who will evaluate each section of the stairs before and after removal to make sure native species are protected and to prevent any erosion.

After removal, the company will also re-vegetate the impacted areas with native plants, thus honouring the historical significance of the site.

The project is predicted to take at least six months to complete, using over $2.5m in funds.

Not everyone is on board with the project. Friends of Haiku Stairs, a community organisation fighting to preserve the site, filed a complaint last year against the dismantling of the stairs, according to Hawaii News Now.

In a statement to the outlet, the organisation said demolishing the stairs is a senseless waste of taxpayer money and an act of vandalism.

The city should heed the majority of Oahu residents, and Haiku Valley residents, who want to save the stairs, not destroy them, they added.

Honolulu City Council Vice Chair Esther Kiaaina has acknowledged that there will be many people who feel we are taking away something from them.

This is a man-made contraption on a natural valley. And as far as Im concerned, ensuring that there is no further liability on behalf of the city, providing for public safety, restoring the valley and, providing... a natural setting so that people could remember what Haiku Valley was, Ms Kiaana said at a conference after the announcement.
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A video has shown the lengths some people will go to in order to take a picture  even if it means risking their lives.

The footage, captured on Tuesday and posted to social media, showed a group of approximately six people in Buncombe County, North Carolina plucking black bear cubs from a tree and pulling them over a fence to use as photo props.

One woman can be seen holding a cub and taking a selfie with it before dropping the animal. The cub tries to run away and she gives chase.

Witnesses to the scene called the police, who responded to stop the group harassing the bears. A state wildlife commission representative was also called to assist, according to local TV out WLOS.

"Oh my god, she's holding the bear," a woman's voice, which can be heard saying on video. "That's insane."

A voice can then be heard saying: "Did she just drop it? Oh my gosh it's running, the poor little thing.

Another off-camera voice shouts: "Put it back, it's scared".

A group of people in North Carolina can be seen grabbing bear cubs after pulling them out of a tree to take photos ( screengrab/ABC6 Philadelphia )

By the time Ashley Hobbs, a biologist from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, arrived only a single cub was left in the area, she said.

She described the cub as being cold and very wet but unharmed. The animal was taken to a rehab facility.

"We do think that the bear probably had a pretty traumatic experience," Ms Hobbs told WLOS.

The biologist spoke to the group about how to respond responsibly to seeing bear cubs.

"We let them know how irresponsible and potentially deadly it could be for that cub to be separated from its mom," Ms Hobbs said.

The people who handled the bear cubs were residents of a nearby apartment complex, according to the Citizen Times.

A staff member at the complex recognised the individuals in the video and called law enforcement during their interaction with the cubs.

Bears are known to be exceptionally protective of their young, meaning that the group took a significant risk handling the creatures.

When mother bears leave to find food, they often put their cubs in a tree to keep them safe in their absence. It is likely that the mother was somewhere in the area while the group was taking photos with her cubs.

Ms Hobbs expressed frustration after viewing the video.

It is frustrating to see people be that irresponsible around wildlife because it is a blessing that we get to live in the mountains around these creatures, she said.
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Six people have been arrested over what officials say was the largest gold heist in Canadas history.

The theft of 6,600 gold bars weighing more than 400 kilograms took place at Torontos Pearson International Airport a year ago. The loot had a value of $20m CAD.

This story is a sensational one, and one which probably, we jokingly say, belongs in a Netflix series, Chief of the Peel Regional Police Nishan Duraiappah said during a Wednesday news conference.

An investigative project team called 24 karat determined that a group of organised crime members were able to easily pull off the robbery using their positions as employees of Air Canada.

The gold, along with foreign currency notes valued at $2.5m CAD, were ordered from a refinery in Zurich, Switzerland. The stolen goods were then transferred in the hull of an Air Canada flight bound for Toronto. Two of the people involved in the heist were employed by the airline, with one of them working in a managerial role.

When the gold arrived in the country, it was offloaded from the plane and brought to an Air Canada cargo facility. One of the suspects later entered the facility with a five-tonne truck, using a fraudulent air waybill from the day before for a seafood shipment.

A truck used to transport stolen gold is displayed at a press conference regarding Project 24K a joint investigation into the theft of gold from Pearson International Airport, in Brampton, Ontario, on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 ( AP )

The duplicate bill was printed off an Air Canada printer, Detective Sergeant Mike Mavity said at the news conference, standing in front of the truck used in the crime. Later, a forklift loaded the gold and foreign currency into the suspects vehicle. The man drove away.

Investigators have so far been able to recover $90,000 CAD out of the $20m CAD in gold.

Detective Sergeant Mavity said his team believes that the gold was melted down and sold off to purchase firearms. Additionally, investigators have recovered $430,000 CAD, thought to be some of the proceeds from the sales, six gold bangles valued at $89,000 CAD, smelting posts cast and moulds.

Lists recovered during the investigation show where the money was distributed when the gold was sold, the detective said.

Five people have been arrested in connection with the crime: Parmpal Sidhu, 54, an Air Canada employee at the time of the crime; Amit Jalota, 40; Ammad Chaudhary, 43; Ali Raza, 37 and Prasath Paramalingam, 35.

The men have been hit with various charges, including theft over $5,000 CAD, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence and possession of property obtained by crime, among others. The suspects have been released on conditions and will appear before in court at a later date in accordance with Canadian law.

Police officers open the back of a recovered truck during a press conference regarding Project 24K a joint investigation into the theft of gold from Pearson International Airport, in Brampton, Ontario, on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 ( AP )

Search warrants have been issued for the following individuals: Simran Preet Panesar, 31, a former Air Canada employee; Archit Grover, 36 and Arsalan Chaudhary, 42.

Durante King-Mclean, 25, the driver of the truck is currently in US custody on firearms-trafficking-related charges. Canadian charges have also been issued for the suspect.

In a statement, a representative for Air Canada said, We thank the police for their diligent efforts in investigating this matter. As this is now before the courts, we are limited in our ability to comment further.

Mr King-Mclean was stopped by Pennsylvania State Police in September for minor traffic violations. He attempted to flee the area on foot but was caught. Authorities discovered 65 illegal firearms in his truck that they said were heading to Canada.

A photo of firearms seized is displayed during a news conference regarding an investigation into the theft of gold from Torontoas Pearson International airport, in Brampton, Ontario, Canada on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 ( AP )

What we've come to learn from the service over and over is it always comes down to guns and organised crime, said Nando Iannicca, chairman of the Peel Police Services Board. This isn't just about gold. This is about how gold becomes guns.

Following the incident, Brinks, a Miami-based transport and security services provider, sued Air Canada for negligence. The company had been hired by a Swiss bank to move the stolen goods from Zurich to Toronto.
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President Joe Biden vowed to prevent US Steel from being acquired by a Japanese competitor and said he could soon triple tariffs on Chinese-made aluminium and steel imports if an investigation finds that the Chinese government is still engaging in anticompetitive practices to bolster its state-subsidised industries.

Mr Biden, who has described himself as the most pro-union president in US history, made the announcements before an enthusiastic audience of union steelworkers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the location of the iconic American steel producer, which in March announced it would be acquired by Japans Nippon Steel.

He noted that hed announced his 2020 campaign for president nearly five years before in Pittsburgh, and recalled how hed said he was running to rebuild the backbone of the US middle class  which he described as having a steel spine.

US Steel has been an iconic American company for more than a century, and it should remain totally American, he said.

American owned, American operated by American union steelworkers  the best in the world. And thats gonna happen, I promise you, he added.

The president also said he is considering tripling tariffs on Chinese-made steel and aluminium first imposed by his predecessor, Donald Trump, pending the result of an investigation currently being overseen by US Trade Representative Katherine Tai.

For too long, the Chinese government has poured state money into Chinese steel companies, pushing them to make so much steel as much as possible subsidised by the Chinese government. Because Chinese steel companies produce a lot more steel than China needs, it ends up dumping extra steel on the global markets at unfairly low prices, he said, adding that Chinese companies dont need to worry about profitability because they are state-subsidised.

Theyre not competing  theyre cheating, he said.

Mr Biden also described how Chinas dumping of steel has eroded the economies of steel-making areas across Pennsylvania and promised that he would not let anything like that happen again.

My US Trade Representative is investigating trade practices by the Chinese government regarding steel and aluminium. If that investment confirms these anti-competitive trade practices, then Im calling on her to consider tripling the tariff rates for both steel and aluminium imports from China, he said.

The president also announced that he and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador have been in talks to tackle Chinas use of Mexico as a cut-out to avoid those same tariffs.

Mexico and the United States are going to work together to solve it. I promise you, he said.

He added that he is poised to take action, pending a separate set of investigation results, to protect American shipbuilding from Chinese dumping practices.

Taken together, these are strategic and targeted actions that are going to protect American workers and ensure fair competition, he explained before contrasting his actions with those of Mr Trump, who has vowed to institute an across-the-board tariff  an import tax paid by American consumers  on all Chinese-made goods.

Its estimated that would cost the average American family an average of $1,500 a year if they succeeded in doing that. Trump simply doesnt get it, he said.
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Testimony in former president Donald Trumps hush money trial wrapped up on May 21 and the trial is headed to closing arguments on May 28.

In the end, Mr Trump chose not to take the stand. A verdict could come as soon as May 29.

Ahead of testimony from 22 witnesses, a full jury was sworn in to hear evidence and decide the guilt or innocence of Mr Trump. Twelve jurors and six alternates were seated following a jury selection process that lasted a week.

Mr Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records after he allegedly instructed then-fixer/now-witness for the prosecution Michael Cohen to pay off adult film star Stormy Daniels in the lead-up to the 2016 election to remain quiet about her claim that she had sex with Mr Trump in 2006. The former president denies the affair.

During jury selection, a top priority for both sides was to root out potential stealth jurors  those who claim to be impartial but who hide their biases to get on a jury and possibly derail a trial.

Jurors are supposed to be impartial. A number of prospective candidates were dismissed from proceedings simply because they felt they could not be neutral while sitting in judgment of Mr Trump.

No doubt possible stealth jurors exist on both sides

Steve Duffy, from Trial Behavior Consulting, told The Independent that stealth jurors fully have an opinion  but [are] trying to get on the jury.

I have no doubt that there are jurors in the pool on both sides, who really want to be on the jury [but] have a very strong opinion, either for or against him, and are deliberately not saying anything to try to get on, Mr Duffy said, during the jury selection process. The way you figure out who those people are is with background research, which  both sides are undoubtedly doing.

Dismissed juror says Donald Trump 'looked less orange, more yellow'

Manhattan prosecutors posed several questions to jurors in the trials first week. Among them - Can they follow the facts and the evidence and the judges instructions, and can they remain fair and impartial, despite knowing the man sitting at the defense table in front of them is a former president and a current candidate for that office?

We dont expect you to be living under a rock for the last eight years, or the last 30 years, Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass told a group on 16 April.

But focus on the evidence, he told them.

Mr Trumps attorneys largely had only one question: what do you think of him?

Its important to President Trump that he gets a fair shake, lead defense attorney, Todd Blanche, told potential jurors.

Its easy to read something off a sheet of paper and say, Yes, Im going to be fair and impartial. What I want to do is test that a little bit, he said. We all know that every one of you knows President Trump, and you all know him in different ways, and you all have different views of him.

Nothing was off limits and there were no wrong answers, he said, and nothing would offend him.

Theyre going to have an opinion one way or the other

But rather than face a disgusted panel of New Yorkers, Mr Blanche instead received promise after promise to treat Mr Trump as any other criminal defendant and to separate whatever they might feel about him personally from the case in front of them.

Mr Duffy told The Independent that a possible stealth juror would not be volunteering information, or honestly answering because they want to be on the jury to either convict or prevent a conviction.

The prosecution looked to remove any Trump supporters, and the defense tried to get rid of anyone who may be left-leaning, which was difficult considering that President Joe Biden got 84.5 percent of the vote in Manhattan in 2020.

Trump appears in court for day 3 of New York hush money trial

The parties do background research on jurors. That means looking at peoples social media, and you can also look at any publicly available information, its fair game, Mr Duffy said. Everybody involved in any sort of legal proceeding does it with jurors ... because if you dont, youre putting yourself in a huge competitive disadvantage. So they will know whos Democrat, whos Republican, if people have made really strong statements on social media.

Apart from social media posts, attorneys on both sides also look at criminal convictions and publicly available information on political donations of potential jurors.

The faster the jury selection process works the harder it is to do that comprehensively, Mr Duffy said. Ive had jury selection take 30 minutes in federal court from start to finish  we basically knew nothing about the people  You could never do that in a case like this.

Trump only needs one supportive juror for mistrial

While Mr Duffy said removing possible stealth jurors was a big focus for both sides, it was particularly important for the prosecution as a unanimous verdict is needed to avoid a mistrial. The Trump team needs only a single juror who refuses to convict.

If you get one person who just says I dont care  I will never vote to convict, then youre going to get a mistrial, he said. So rooting out  what I would call a stealth juror, either for or against Trump is certainly a huge priority for both sides.

He added: In Trumps world, if he gets one of those people on the jury who just no matter what, will not vote to convict, then thats great because you wont get convicted. So rooting out anyone like that is imperative for the prosecution.

New York as a trial venue is tougher on Mr Trump when it comes to the jury pool compared to the area of South Florida where his classified documents case is being handled, because, in Manhattan, Trumps supporters stick out like a sore thumb, he said.

The prosecution certainly has [fewer] problems than Trump does, Mr Duffy noted during the jury selection process, but he added that Mr Trump doesnt need to get acquitted. He just needs a mistrial.

Delay is often the defendants best friend, he added. The percentage of jurors who are outwardly pro-Trump is going to be very low. But he only needs one.

Could a stealth juror derail Trumps trial?

Mr Duffy said that its clear that the attorneys in Mr Trumps trial did their due diligence on the jurors.

You see both sides directly ask jurors questions about their social media content. Thats unusual, to directly confront jurors with that, but its just a product of Donald Trump being such a ubiquitous presence in the public eye, he said.

For sure, Mr Duffy said when asked if a stealth juror may be able to derail the trial. One of the jurors who was dismissed ... the prosecution was insinuating [that he] could be that kind of juror.

The prospective juror failed to disclose that he had torn down political signs and that his wife had been party to criminal corruption proceedings, the consultant noted.

Any non-disclosure like that is going to be a red flag to an attorney, he added. The more off the grid you are, the easier it is to fly under the radar.

However, the issue of stealth jurors cuts both ways. There are people who may try to get on the jury and are hell-bent on convicting and there are those wholl refuse to convict regardless of what the trial may unearth, Mr Duffy said.

People seeking celebrity may overlap with those looking to get on a jury to affect the outcome. Especially nowadays, certainly there are people who might want to do that because its exciting to them or almost titillating to them to be involved, he added.

But the opposite issue exists as well.

One of the jurors who was dismissed ... was someone whos terrified of being involved in this because theyre afraid for their own safety, Mr Duffy said.
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Ilhan Omars daughter, Isra Hirsi, said she had been suspended from Barnard College, Columbia University, for taking part in a protest encampment over the Gaza war and the universitys investments in Israel.

Dozens of students had camped out for two days at the university campus before police moved in on Thursday morning to dismantle some of the tents. Police made numerous arrests, but students continued to arrive at the scene into Thursday evening.

The suspension came just one day after congresswoman Omar had grilled the universitys president about the targeting of pro-Palestinian protesters at a congressional hearing on Wednesday.

im an organizer with CU Apartheid Divest @ColumbiaSJP , in my 3 years at @BarnardCollege i have never been reprimanded or received any disciplinary warnings, Ms Hirsi wrote on X.

i just received notice that i am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide, she added.

Isra Hirsi was suspended from Barnard College, Columbia University, over her participation in an encampment protest over the war in Gaza. ( @peoplesdispatch/X )

She wrote in a separate post: those of us in Gaza Solidarity Encampment will not be intimidated. we will stand resolute until our demands are met. our demands include divestment from companies complicit in genocide, transparency of @Columbias investments and FULL amnesty for all students facing repression.

Congresswoman Omar has previously expressed support for the protesting students, writing that Coliumbia had an incredible history of students fighting for a more just world.

Videos posted to social media on Thursday appeared to show NYPD officers arresting some members of the encampment.

Barnard College said in a statement that it had sent written warnings to its students taking part in the encampment that they would be suspended if they did not leave by 9pm on 17 April.

This morning, April 18, we started to place identified Barnard students remaining in the encampment on interim suspension, and we will continue to do so, the statement said.

Now and always, we prioritize our students learning and living in an inclusive environment free from harassment, it added.

A Columbia University spokesperson told The Independent: Students who are participating in the unauthorized encampment are suspended. We are continuing to identify them and will be sending out formal notifications.

The suspension comes after the president of Columbia University, Nemat Shafik, was grilled by Ms Omar on Wednesday during a Congressional hearing on what the congresswoman described as the targeting of pro-Palestinian protesters on campus by private investigators hired by the university.

Ms Shafik said the case referred to by Ms Omar related to students who held an online call with people who were inciting violence.

The hearing in the House of Representatives was focused on antisemitism on campus.

As arrests started on Thursday, Dr Shafik released a statement saying she had to make a decision that I hoped would never be necessary.

Out of an abundance of concern for the safety of Columbias campus, I authorized the New York Police Department to begin clearing the encampment from the South Lawn of Morningside campus that had been set up by students in the early hours of Wednesday morning, she added.

I took this extraordinary step because these are extraordinary circumstances. The individuals who established the encampment violated a long list of rules and policies, she wrote.
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Watch as Joe Biden held a campaign rally in Philadelphia, where the Kennedy political family endorsed his re-election campaign.

Their backing is a rebuke of Robert F Kennedy Jrs independent bid for office.

Mr Kennedy is the son of slain US senator and presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy.

He was an environmental lawyer before being a vocal anti-vaccine advocate with mixed political views.

Mr Kennedy has garnered the support of 15 per cent of registered voters, as opposed to 39 per cent for Biden and 38 per cent for Trump, Reuters/Ipsos poll figures which are likely to worry both parties.

Robert F Kennedy Jrs younger sister Kerry Kennedy voiced her opposition to Mr Trumps outrageous lies and behaviour.

The family is expected to join door-knocking and phone-banking volunteers for the Biden campaign.
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At least 15 members of the storied Kennedy political family, which has produced a president, two senators, and multiple House members since the 1950s, officially endorsed President Joe Biden for re-election at a campaign event on Thursday  in what marks perhaps their biggest snub to Robert F Kennedy Jr to date.

Introducing the president to the stage at the Martin Luther King Jr Recreation Centre in Philadelphia, Kerry Kennedy  the niece of late president John F Kennedy and sister of RFK Jr  made it clear that the family sees only two candidates with any chance of winning the presidency: Mr Biden and former president Donald Trump.

In 2024, there are only two candidates with any chance of winning the presidency, she said.

We want to make crystal clear our feeling that the best way forward for America is to reelect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to four more years, saying that a vote for the 46th president would be a vote for our democracy and our decency.

To hammer the message home, she added: Nearly every single grandchild of Joe and Rose Kennedy supports Joe Biden. Thats right, the Kennedy family endorses Joe Biden for president.

In what was a tacit rejection of her own brother, Ms Kennedy made no mention whatsoever of her brothers name.

She also described Mr Biden as the rightful heir to the political legacy of her and RFK Jrs father, Robert F Kennedy Jr  the late senator who was killed while running for president in 1968.

President Joe Biden speaks alongside members of the storied Kennedy family as he accepts their endorsement during a campaign event in Philadelphia on Thursday ( AP )

I can only imagine how Donald Trumps outrageous lies and behaviour would have horrified my father, senator Robert F Kennedy who proudly served as the Attorney General of the United States and honoured his pledge to uphold the law and protect the country. Daddy stood for equal justice, for human rights and freedom from want and fear, just as President Biden does today, she said.

She denounced Mr Trump as the most anti-democratic president in American history and someone who is running to use his power to punish his enemies, silence his opponents, and unleash more chaos, division and political violence with his extreme agenda.

Donald Trump is running to take us backwards attacking the most basic rights and freedoms that are at the core of who we are as Americans. Hes saying he will be a dictator on day one, even saying he wants to suspend the constitution so he can go after his enemies, after his critics after the press, she said.

A group 30 of Kennedy family members visited Mr Biden at the White House last month for St Patricks Day ( @KerryKennedyRFK/Twitter )

Ms Kennedy, quoting her fathers 1968 campaign announcement in which he said he felt obliged to do all that [he] can to keep the country from falling under the wrong leadership, echoed his vow that they would not stand aside.

We are here because we feel obliged to do all that we can. We cannot stand aside in this election. No American can stand aside. We must vote, she said.

The Kennedy family has flatly rejected the insurgent campaign by their environmental lawyer and vaccine skeptic relation in favour of Mr Biden, who is only the second Catholic president toJFKs first.

A large number of the Irish-American political clan previously appeared with Mr Biden at the White House for a St Patricks Day celebration in March.

In addition, multiple Kennedy family members are already serving in Mr Bidens administration, including Caroline Kennedy  who also served as US Ambassador to Japan during the Obama administration  and former Massachusetts Representative Joseph Kennedy III, who now serves as Mr Bidens Special Envoy for Northern Ireland.

The familys formal endorsement of the 46th president comes as polling between Mr Biden and Mr Trump tightens, with RFK Jrs presence in the race serving as a growing source of agitation among Democrats.

Former Representative Joseph Kennedy III, pictured on Thursday, serves as Mr Bidens Special Envoy to Northern Ireland ( AP )

According to some polls, a third-party candidate with high name recognition such as RFK Jr could become a spoiler for Mr Biden by pulling away votes and, as a result, helping Mr Trump in battleground states.

For his part, the president used Thursdays campaign stop to hit out at Mr Trumps use of violent political rhetoric and his dark vision for the US.

He warned the crowd that this years presidential election will be a choice between two fundamentally different visions, with Mr Trumps being one of anger hate revenge and retribution that embraces the insurrectionists of January 6.

Referring to the twin assassinations that took the lives of JFK and RFK Jr, Mr Biden said Mr Trumps whitewashing of the Jan 6 Capitol riot and his call for a bloodbath if he loses in November were both outrageous.

I have a very different view of America: One of hope and optimism ... optimism of the Bobby Kennedy variety, he said.

I see America when we defend democracy, not diminish it. I see America we protect our freedoms, not take them away. And I see in America where the economy grows and the middle out and the bottom up. And that way the middle class does well and the poor have a shot, and where healthcare is a right, not a privilege.

Both Republicans and Democrats are concerned that with an electorate less-than-enthused about the current candidates, third party candidates such as RFK Jr may be able to grab a small but significant number of votes from them which could be decisive in November.

Biden jokes he 'looks 40' as Kennedy family endorse 2024 campaign

In an effort to avoid such an outcome, members of the Kennedy family are planning on making calls and knocking on doors in support of Mr Biden.

While a small number of Kennedy family members are not choosing to endorse Mr Biden  including Caroline Kennedy, the US ambassador, and former NBC News Today show anchor and ex-California First Lady-turned-nonprofit leader Maria Shriver, the Biden campaign has attributed their stance to the nonpolitical nature of their engagements, not to support for his opponent.

During a Thursday appearance on MSNBC ahead of the Philadelphia event, Ms Kennedy said Mr Bidens re-election campaign was about democracy ... about freedom, and about the people of America, not only our country but all around the world.

 And that's why it's so, so important for every single person to come out and vote ... If everybody votes, Biden wins. But right now, this is going to be a very, very close election, she said.

We can't have people voting for third parties no matter who they are, she added. In every family ... Americans have diverse views. You have to love your family members. You don't have to like them. I love Bobby, and I like Bobby. But this campaign is not about Bobby, this campaign is about Trump versus Biden. And what we need to do today is focus on Biden winning.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
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Joe Biden has made the surprising suggestion that his uncle may have been eaten by cannibals after being shot down during World War II.

While speaking to reporters during a visit to Pennsylvania on Wednesday, the president referenced his uncle 2nd Lt Ambrose J Finnegan Jr, who he said had flown reconnaissance flights over New Guinea during the war.

Mr Biden used the anecdote in an attempt to draw a contrast with reports that Donald Trump, while president, had called fallen service members suckers and losers. However he seemed to get several details of his family history wrong.

Ambrose Finnegan, we called him Uncle Bosie, he was shot down, he was in the air corps before there was an air force. He flew single engine planes in reconnaissance flights over New Guinea, he volunteered because someone couldnt make it, he said, speaking following a visit to a war memorial in his hometown of Scranton.

Joe Biden visited a war memorial during a visit to Scranton, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday ( AFP via Getty Images )

He got shot down in an area where there were a lot of cannibals in New Guinea at the time. They never recovered his body but the government went back when I went down there and checked and found parts of the plane.

The US governments record of missing service members does not attribute Finnegans death to hostile action or indicate cannibals were a factor.

According to the records Finnegan died on 14 May 1944, while riding as a passenger on an Army Air Forces plane that, for unknown reasons, was forced to ditch in the Pacific Ocean off the northern coast of New Guinea.

Both engines failed at low altitude, and the aircrafts nose hit the water hard, the agency states in its listing of Finnegan. Three men failed to emerge from the sinking wreck and were lost in the crash.

Lt Ambrose Finnegan, Jr  or, Uncle Bosie  was MIA in the Second World War ( Supplied )

[Finnegan] has not been associated with any remains recovered from the area after the war and is still unaccounted-for.

Mr Biden, who was born in 1942 and was a toddler at the time of his uncles death, told reporters that his family had a tradition of saying three Hail Marys at the gravesite of family members. The presidents elder son, Beau, died in 2015 of brain cancer, something the president has stated he believes was linked to his sons deployment in Iraq and his exposure to so-called burn pits.

Referring to Mr Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, Mr Biden continued: What I was thinking about when I was standing there was when Trump refused to go up to the memorial for veterans in Paris and he said they were a bunch of suckers and losers.

That man doesnt deserve to have been the commander in chief for my son, my uncle.

Some former Trump officials have claimed the then-president used the disparaging terms to describe fallen service members and did not want to travel in 2018 to a cemetery for American war dead in France. Mr Trump previously denied the allegation, saying, What animal would say such a thing?

According to the Associated Press, White House spokesman Andrew Bates did not address the discrepancy between the agencys records and Mr Bidens account when he issued a statement on the matter.

President Biden is proud of his uncles service in uniform, Mr Bates said, adding that Finnegan lost his life when the military aircraft he was on crashed in the Pacific after taking off near New Guinea.

He added that the president had highlighted his uncles story as he made the case for honouring our sacred commitment ... to equip those we send to war and take care of them and their families when they come home, and as he reiterated that the last thing American veterans are is suckers or losers.
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Congress had a whirlwind day on Wednesday. The Senate began and terminated the trial of Alejandro Mayorkas, Joe Bidens director of Homeland Security, over the course of about four hours. Democrats, with their 51-vote majority in the upper chamber, voted to kill both of House Republicans long-awaited articles of impeachment, arguing in both cases that their rivals had failed to meet the standard of high crimes and misdemeanors set by the US Constitution.

Republicans railed against the largely predetermined outcome, calling it an abdication of the Senates constitutional duties and a dangerous precedent that will allow the chambers majority to reject any impeachment efforts going forward.

"Its not a proud day in the history of the Senate, fretted Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

But Democrats celebrated, calling it an end to a baseless political stunt played by their rivals in an election year.

Once and for all, the Senate has rightly voted down this baseless impeachment that even conservative legal scholars said was unconstitutional. President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas will continue doing their jobs to keep America safe and pursue actual solutions at the border, and Congressional Republicans should join them, instead of wasting time on baseless political stunts while killing real bipartisan border security reforms, said White House spokesman Ian Sams.

Across Congress, members of the House of Representatives were staying busy (and in front of the cameras) too. Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday unveiled his three-part plan to pass a supplemental national security package, which includes military and security assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, while also allocating funds for humanitarian assistance in Gaza. He also unveiled two other bills  one would address the divestiture of TikTok and frozen Russian assets in the US financial system, the second would address border security.

Conservatives are not happy, and a handful announced that they would try to tank a rule allowing all four bills to receive floor votes; Democrats are likely to bolster Mr Johnsons numbers here.

Oh, and then theres that pesky little rebellion: Marjorie Taylor Greenes motion to vacate, now cosponsored by Thomas Massie, could reportedly come up this week as well. Democrats have indicated theyll vote to protect the speaker from his right wing if he brings Ukraine aid up for a vote  but doing so would inevitably weaken Mr Johnsons speakership.

It sets up a tough schedule for the chamber over the next few days, with votes expected through Friday and throughout the day Saturday. Democrats, wary of Mr Johnson possibly yanking the Ukraine bill at the last second, are making overtures to Republicans on the possibility of a discharge petition to force a vote. The chamber also continues to work through a number of resolutions and bills pertaining to Iran after the missile and drone attack launched against Israel over the weekend.

With a showdown against the far right approaching, Mr Johnson is facing a very real possibility that his speakership will end imminently. His greatest possible advantage? The weariness the chambers members still feel from the weeks of chaos resulting from Kevin McCarthys ouster in the fall.

Or as one Democrat, Jared Moskowitz, put it plainly this week: Massie wants the world to burn, I wont stand by and watch. I have a bucket of water.
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House speaker Mike Johnson is attempting a high-wire act this week - one that could blow up in his face, cost him the job he has clung to for six months, and throw the lower chamber into chaos.

The ultra-conservative Republican is supporting a vote on Ukraine aid despite many of his partys conservative wing being strongly against it. A conservative rebellion is growing, with a challenge to his leadership from firebrand congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene who was joined on Tuesday by a second lawmaker.

Now, hes come up with a complicated plan to pass foreign aid by breaking up the supplemental national security funding package already passed by the Senate.

Johnson will attempt to pass five bills - three dealing with military and security assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan individually. A fourth bill would deal with the divestiture or sale of Chinese-owned social media app TikTok, and freeze Russian assets in the US. A fifth bill focuses on border security and includes some of the core components of a hardline immigration bill passed by the House in 2023.

For much of his speakership, Johnson has been between a rock and a hard place. He remains barely in control of one of the slimmest majorities and most ungovernable caucuses in memory, constantly battling protests and revolts from his partys right flank, often in the face of a unified Democratic minority. His greatest asset in the immediate future may be the weariness and fatigue that has settled over the House after months of rightwing antics.

Donald Trump and Mike Johnson appear together at Mar-a-Lago on 12 April ( AP )

At a closed-door GOP conference meeting on Tuesday, Mr Johnson was confronted by Rep. Thomas Massie, from Kentucky. Mr Massie told the room that the speaker should resign, or be ousted from his seat.

Both Ms Greene and Mr Massie are opposed to further military assistance to Ukraine. With Mr Massies statement and joining Rep. Greenes motion to vacate, the credibility of the threat suddenly grew. The addition of Mr Massie to her cause echoed the rebellion that fomented against House speaker Kevin McCarthy last fall, when he was ousted after less than a year on the job.

But Mr Johnson projected confidence on Tuesday.

I am not concerned about this, I am going to do my job, and I think thats what the American people expect of us, Mr Johnson said of Ms Greenes proposed ouster.

It is, in my view, an absurd notion that someone would bring a vacate motion when we are simply here trying to do our jobs.

Former president Donald Trump, responsible for some of the dysfunction within the GOP, attempted to mend fences last week. Last Friday, he met with Mr Johnson at Mar-a-Lago and praised him as doing a very good job.

And Im sure that Marjorie understands that, shes a very good friend of mine. And I know she has a lot of respect for the speaker, he said, referring to Ms Greene.

There are signs that more resistance will build over Johnsons bills before the weekend. Rep. Chip Roy, member of the House Freedom Caucus, said that he would vote against the passage of a rule necessary to bring the five pieces of legislation to the floor but acknowledged that the speaker would find Democratic support for his gambit.

The Republican Speaker of the House is seeking a rule to pass almost $100 billion in foreign aid - while unquestionably, dangerous criminals, terrorists, & fentanyl pour across our border. The border vote in this package is a watered-down dangerous cover vote. I will oppose, he tweeted.

But like everything else in Congress, Mr Johnsons future is down to a numbers game. But theres plenty of reasons to believe that an ouster bid by the far-right will not succeed.

In fact, it could be Democrats that come to his rescue. Mr Johnsons plan to pass the separate foreign aid measures will rely on Democratic support.

Democrat Brad Sherman, a senior member from California, told The Independent that he and others in his party would not allow a far right contingent of Republicans to oust their own speaker if Mr Johnson did the right thing and brought Ukraine aid up for a vote in the near future.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) speaks to reporters in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol Building on April 10, 2024 in Washington, DC ( Getty Images )

Others made similar comments throughout the day.

There is no way Im going to let Marjorie Taylor Greene, who wants to secede from the Union, take over the House, Rep Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat, told CNN. There is no way Im going to side with these people, stand by while they let the world burn.

Mr Moskowitzs comment appeared revealing of a possible broader trend among Democrats in Washington, that after the 7 October attack (which occurred just four days after the ousting of Mr McCarthy), America cannot afford to watch one half of the Legislative Branch descend into weeks of chaos and dysfunction.

There may also be simply weariness at the far rights antics combined with a desire to see them punished, or just unrewarded.

Pete Sessions, a Republican from Texas, expressed that sentiment to The Independent on Tuesday.

These folks just want to take down the speaker and all it does, it weakens our party, it weakens our country, Mr Sessions said. Why threaten the speaker when the majority wants to get something done? I see these moves as really disrespect[ful] to the majority. Its like, its got to be their way or the highway.

He went on to torch his colleagues, Rep. Massie and Rep. Greene, as wrong and described them as folks who believe in anarchy.

It leads to anarchy and weakness. Its not right. Its not good. I support Mike Johnson, I dont always agree with him, [but] I think hes got a good heart. Hes trying his best. He was dealt a terrible handand we saw what happened with Kevin McCarthy. It took us almost four weeks to get [the speakers chair] refilled.

His comments evoked an anger that many more moderate Republicans continue to hold against conservative colleagues even as Mr Johnson reached out to at least some of the rebels who joined Democrats to take down Mr McCarthy last fall.

On Monday, Mr Johnson formally endorsed the re-election campaign of South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, one of those rebels, as she faces a competitive primary, and allies of Mr McCarthy are reportedly boosting her rival.

However, Mr Johnsons faces real danger if he decides to rely heavily on Democrats to save his speakership or pass the foreign aid packages.

He may not lose the gavel but he could lose the support of more hardline conservatives, or worse, Donald Trump.

A Trump-backed challenger this year could easily mean the end of the speakers political career. Under Louisiana law, any primary challenge against Mr Johnson would play out in November, with a close race heading to a runoff in December. That leaves plenty of time for the Trump wing of the GOP to mobilise against him at the district level if this weekends votes dont go their way.
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Mike Lindell, the MyPillow founder and avid Donald Trump supporter, has seen his petition challenging the FBIs seizure of his mobile phone rejected by the US Supreme Court.

The highest court in the US ruled this week that it would not reconsider three lower court rulings that went against Mr Lindell over the seizure of his phone by agents at a Hardees drive-through restaurant in Mankato, Minnesota, in September 2022 as part of an investigation into an alleged scheme to breach voting system technology in Mesa County, Colorado.

The complainant had alleged the confiscation violated his constitutional rights against unlawful search and seizure and was an attempt by the US government to inhibit his freedom of speech.

But the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed, with a three-justice panel writing last September: While he has at times attempted to assert otherwise, Lindells objective in this action is apparent  this litigation is a tactic to, at a minimum, interfere with and, at most, enjoin a criminal investigation and ultimately hamper any potential federal prosecution.

Mr Lindell attempted to elevate his case to the Supreme Court in February, complaining that his device had still not been returned to him, but this weeks decision knocks him back.

It represents only the latest setback the eccentric entrepreneur has suffered as a consequence of his loudly promoting unfounded conspiracy theories about the alleged manipulation of voting machines during the 2020 presidential election.

The Christian businessmans insistence that machines at polling stations had been tampered with by Democrat-aligned operatives to prevent Mr Trump winning caused him to be sued for defamation by two manufacturers of those machines, Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic, seeking millions of dollars in damages.

Mr Lindell repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in those cases but, in October, lost the defence lawyers representing him when they walked out en masse over unpaid legal bills.

Mike Lindell talks to reporters at the Republican National Committee winter meeting ( AP )

He has also seen his brands advertising slots on a number of conservative cable news channels terminated and his relationships with several major retailers severed over his political activism, with Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohls, QVC, JCPenney and Wayfair all declining to stock his pillows.

Mr Lindell has attempted to characterise his plight as a form of cancellation and has complained of being unable to afford loans and having to auction off personal items and company equipment to make ends meet.

He also claimed during an appearance on Steve Bannons War Room podcast last September that MyPillow had been crippled after his credit line was cut from $1m to $100,000 out of the blue by American Express.

Asked about his financial situation by NBC News last year, Mr Lindell said candidly: Weve lost everything, every dime. All of it is gone.

He added that he would gladly have paid his lawyers if that were not the case and praised them as brave and courageous.

For all that, he remained bloodied but unbowed, telling the broadcaster: I will never stop trying to secure our elections.
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New York police arrested dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University on Thursday, a day after its president testified about antisemitism on campus at a congressional hearing.

Officers in riot gear cleared out a tent encampment and detained dozens of protesters after they occupied a campus lawn.

Among the arrests was the daughter of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. Isra Hirsi earlier revealed that she had been suspended from Barnard College at Columbia for taking part in the protest against the war and the universitys investments in Israel.

Im an organizer with CU Apartheid Divest @ColumbiaSJP, in my 3 years at @BarnardCollege I have never been reprimanded or received any disciplinary warnings, Ms Hirsi wrote on X. I just received notice that I am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide.

The arrests come as more than 33,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of Israels counteroffensive to the Hamas 7 October 2023 attacks in which 1,200 people were killed in Israel and around 250 taken hostage.

New York Police officers arrest a protestor who participated in an encampment on the Columbia University campus ( AP )

On Wednesday, university leaders told Congress they would push back against unauthorised student protests connected to the war in Gaza.

Police started to detain protesters shortly before 1.30pm, with others shouting shame as they were put on buses, The New York Times reported.

Columbia University President Nemat Shafik was asked during the hearing before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce on Wednesday if calling for the genocide of Jews violates Columbias code of conduct. She said it did. It was a repeat of a question that previously led to the dismissal of the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania after they appeared before Congress in December.

One of the things Ive said over and over is that antisemitism isnt a problem for Jewish people to solve. Its actually a problem for all of us, Dr Shafik said.

During the hearing, Ms Omar asked Dr Shafik about a pro-Israel professor, Shai Davidai, who has criticised the university for not doing enough to shield Jewish students and has directed his criticism against the university president.

As president, Im used to being attacked, Dr Shafik responded. But attacking our students is unacceptable, and in that case, weve had more than 50 complaints about that professor.

The President of Columbia knows for a FACT that Ive never attacked any of our students, the professor wrote in response on X. She knows I have been only speaking out against pro-Islamic Jihad organizations, their radical leaders, and terrorist-loving professors. She lied under oath.

Dr Shafik outraged some students with her comments on Wednesday when she said that some of the chants often heard at pro-Palestinian protests were antisemitic.

Police officers stand guard as demonstrators protest in solidarity with Pro-Palestinian organizers on the Columbia University campus ( REUTERS )

As arrests started on Thursday, Dr Shafik sent a letter to the Columbia community saying she had to make a decision that I hoped would never be necessary.

Out of an abundance of concern for the safety of Columbias campus, I authorized the New York Police Department to begin clearing the encampment from the South Lawn of Morningside campus that had been set up by students in the early hours of Wednesday morning, she added.

I took this extraordinary step because these are extraordinary circumstances. The individuals who established the encampment violated a long list of rules and policies, she wrote.

Police removed about 50 tents from the lawn on the Columbia campus while protesters called for amnesty for those who had been detained.

Demonstrators protest in solidarity with Pro-Palestinian organizers on the Columbia University campus ( REUTERS )

Crowds showed up to support the encamped demonstrators overnight and into the morning, with many joining after the arrests were made.

By about 3.30pm in the afternoon, things had begun to calm down even as many protesters remained at the scene.

They can threaten us all they want with the police, but at the end of the day, its only going to lead to more mobilization, a student, Maryam Alwan, told The New York Times.

Columbia has always had an incredible history of students fighting for a more just world and its good to see that tradition continue. As NYPD surrounds young activists, I hope their concerns are heard by school administrators and they not be criminalized, Ms Omar wrote on X on Wednesday.

Students who are participating in the unauthorized encampment are suspended. We are continuing to identify them and will be sending out formal notifications, a Columbia University spokesperson told The Independent.
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Donald Trumps attorneys have claimed that they tried to serve adult film star Stormy Daniels with a subpoena to testify in the former presidents hush money trial  but she refused to take it.

In a court filing, filed on Monday by Mr Trumps legal team and obtained by The Associated Press, his attorneys said that a process server had approached Ms Daniels as she arrived at the 3 Dollar Bill nightclub in Brooklyn on the night of her screening of her new documentary Stormy in March.

According to the documents, Ms Daniels refused to take the papers and the process server Dominic DellaPorte was forced to leave them at her feet.

I stated she was served as I identified her and explained to her what the documents were, the process server wrote.

She did not acknowledge me and kept walking inside the venue, and she had no expression on her face.

The subpoena reportedly relates to Ms Daniels documentary and asks for communications between her and two potential hush money witnesses: Mr Trumps former fixer Michael Cohen and Playboy model Karen McDougal, who  like Ms Daniels  also allegedly had an affair with the former president.

It also asked for communications between the adult film star and E Jean Carroll, the former Elle magazine columnist who Mr Trump was found liable for sexually abusing and defaming in a 2023 civil trial.

Ms Daniels lawyer Clark Brewster labelled the request an unwarranted fishing expedition and said it didnt bear relevance to the hush money case, according to a letter to the judge obtained by The Associated Press. Mr Brewster added that the request appears calculated to cause harassment and/or intimidation of a lay witness.

Meanwhile, Mr Trumps attorneys have claimed that Ms Daniels documentary was plainly seeking to promote her brand and make money based on her status as a witness.

Mr Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records related to payments given to Ms Daniels in exchange for her silence about their alleged 2006 affair ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

Stormy Daniels appears at an event in May 2018 in West Hollywood, California ( AP )

In her documentary, Ms Daniels recalls feeling f***ing terrified in the lead-up to 2016 election and so was actually very relieved at the prospect of keeping the affair quiet.

She also says she felt safer in the fact that there would be a paper trail and money trail linking me to Donald Trump so that he could not have me killed.

Ms Daniels has described her sexual encounter with Mr Trump as consensual, but she says in Stormy that she didnt want to go through with it.

To this day, I blame myself and I have not forgiven myself because I didnt shut his a** down in that moment, so maybe make him pause before he tried it with someone else, she says.

The hardest part about all of this is I feel like I am partially responsible for every woman that could have come after me.

Ms Daniels streamed the documentary at the Brooklyn bar at the end of March, just days before the original start date of the hush money trial.

Jury selection is still under way in the landmark trial  which marks the first time in American history that a former or sitting president is on trial on criminal charges.
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Jimmy Kimmel has mocked Donald Trump for mistaking him for Al Pacino in rant about the late-night television host.

Mr Trump tried taunting Kimmel in a Truth Social post, but it backfired when he mistook him for Oscar-winning actor Al Pacino. Calling Kimmel stupid and generally complaining about the job he did hosting the Oscars last month  Trump also wrongly claimed Kimmel was the one to to read out the Best Picture winner and made a classic choke out of it. Actor Al Pacino was the one to read out the winner, while Trump also called the award Picture of the Year.

Either Feeble Knieble doesnt know that Al Pacino and I are different guys, or he didnt actually watch the Oscars he claims to have hated so much, Kimmel responded during his Wednesday night show.

He got everything wrong, and we know he didnt forget because according to his top aides, he has an encyclopedic memory, he joked, echoing a sentiment Mr Trumps White House advisor, Stephen Miller, previously said on Fox News.

The Jimmy Kimmel Live host has repeatedly poked fun at Trump this week, calling the alleged hush money at the heart of his ongoing criminal trial a legal expense. But is it Kimmels callout of Trump onstage at the Oscars ceremony that the former president cannot seem to let go.

Kimmel theorises that maybe Mr Trump dreamed that he was Al Pacino during one of court sietstas ( Jimmy Kimmel Live )

During the show, Kimmel filled a bit of time by reading out a post by Mr Trump on Truth Social claiming he was a bad host and responding: Isnt it past your jail time?.

Stupid Jimmy Kimmel, who still hasnt recovered from his horrendous performance and big ratings drop as Host of The Academy Awards, especially when he showed he suffered from TDS, commonly known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, to the entire World by reading on air my TRUTH about how bad a job he was doing that night, right before he stumbled through announcing the biggest award of all, Picture of the Year, Trump wrote on Wednesday.

It was a CLASSIC CHOKE, one of the biggest ever in show business, and to top it off, he forgot to say the famous and mandatory line, AND THE WINNER IS. Instead he stammered around as he opened the envelope. Supposedly his wife, and even management, begged him not to do it, DONT READ HIS TRUTH, JIMMY, PLEASE DONT DO THIS, they said. He was made to look like a FOOL, which he is, and at the same time go down in Television History as the WORST HOST EVER OF THE ONCE VAUNTED ACADEMY AWARDS, the rest of the post read.

Al Pacino was actually the person to announce Best Picture, despite what Mr Trump thinks ( AFP via Getty Images )

Pacino was the one tasked with reading out the Best Picture winner, announcing Oppenheimer as the winner. But he broke from tradition as he did not read out the other nominees.

Maybe you dreamed this one during one of your courtroom siestas. I dont know, Kimmel quipped, referring to the former presidents apparent nod off in the courtroom on Monday, as witnessed by many court reporters.

Donald Trump talking to reporters after the conclusion of the second day on the hush money trial ( EPA )

Aside from that, Kimmel was astounded that this was how Trump decided to spend his day off from court proceedings, with the former president facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, related to payments made ahead of the 2016 presidential election, allegedly to conceal an affair with adult film star Stormy Daniels. Trump denies the affair and all of the charges against him.

Hes in the first week of a criminal trial, the first president to be on trial for a criminal offence for [allegedly] paying hush money to a pornographic film star, he was in court all day Monday, he was in all day yesterday; today, he had a day off, and how he did he spend that? Brunch with Melania? No. Maybe a catch with Barron in the yard? No, no. Ranta Claus got up bright and early to post 165 venomous words about yours truly, Kimmel said.
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The panel of 12 Manhattan residents who will ultimately decide the fate of former president Donald Trump in his New York criminal trial have now been seated.

After three days of jury selection, in which hundreds of New Yorkers were called to the New York Criminal Court, sworn in and asked personal questions, the majority of the jury was chosen  a panel of five women and seven men.

One alternative has also been seated, with five more needed to complete the full panel of 18.

Leaving court at the end of the historic day, Mr Trump immediately launched into his usual rhetoric  baselessly calling the case a witch hunt, blaming the crook President Joe Biden for the criminal charges levelled against him, and falsely claiming that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is the real culprit falsifying fraudulent documents.

He also fumed about sitting in the freezing courtroom when he should be campaigning for the White House. Mr Trump is required to attend every day of his criminal trial per New York criminal trial procedures.

Unlike previous days when Mr Trump appeared disinterested and possibly sleepy, he seemed more invested in jury selection on Thursday.

So long as none of the jurors contact the court to inform them they can no longer serve, or theyre dismissed, the panel of 12 will be the individuals who decide if Mr Trump is guilty of of criminal charges.

The former president is accused of falsifying 34 business records to cover up alleged hush money payments that were made to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

That cover-up was allegedly part of a wider catch-and-kill scheme that Mr Trump engaged in with his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, and the former publisher of The National Enquirer to suppress negative stories about him to influence the election.

Mr Trump has denied all wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to all 34 charges.

Donald Trump seemed more invested in jury selection on Thursday ( EPA )

Despite concerns that the jury selection process would take a long time, the defence, prosecution and judge managed to find 12 individuals fairly quickly, despite two previously selected jurors being dismissed on Thursday morning over concerns regarding the publicity of their identities.

Given the high-profile nature of the trial, and Mr Trumps history of lashing out at court staff, witnesses and prosecution, Judge Juan Merchan made the jury anonymous. He asked the media to keep any information (other than the facts stated during selection) private to help keep the jury anonymous. He also requested any answers to questions regarding current and former employers be redacted from the transcript and kept out of the media.

The 12 individuals chosen for the panel have a wide range of educational backgrounds; some have advanced degrees. Two are lawyers, three are engineers, one is a retired teacher and one is in finance.

Many of the jurors reported that they did not follow the news closely. One said they did not have any form of social media.

Each time the potential jurors were questioned, Mr Trump turned his attention toward the jury box and listened closely. At times when potential jurors criticised his policies, he turned to his lawyers and gave them a tap or whispered something.

The former president sat through hours of questions in which he heard an array of opinions from his fellow New Yorkers.

One potential juror said he was pretty amazing but a bigger portion of the jury pool used words like outrageous, self-serving, and selfish to describe his actions.

At one point, a potential juror was called in for further questions regarding negative social media posts she made about the former president from 2016 through 2021. The juror was forced to read aloud a post she made where she called Mr Trump racist  she later apologised to the former president.

Yet Mr Trump appeared relaxed most of the day, even while hearing touchy words from potential jurors  holding his feelings back until he left court.

A court sketch shows Trump sitting in the courtroom. He was forced to listen to a wide range of opinions about him, many negative ( REUTERS )

Though the first 12 jurors, and one alternate, have been seated, jury selection is not over. Selection to determine the five additional alternates will continue on Friday.

Judge Merchan expects opening statements to begin on Monday.

Though the first 12 jurors, and one alternate, have been seated, jury selection is not over. Selection to determine the five additional alternates will continue on Friday after the Sandoval hearing.

A Sandoval hearing is a common procedure in criminal cases when a defendant has a history of misconduct or criminal acts and plans to testify. Prosecutors can ask a judge to hold a hearing so they can determine the scope of what they can use to cross-examine the defendant.

In this case, Mr Trump has indicated he wants to testify and the district attorneys office asked Judge Merchan if they can bring up the E Jean Carroll defamation case, Trump Organization civil fraud case, Trump Organization criminal tax case and more.

Judge Merchan will go over that and determine the answer during the hearing on Friday.

Alex Woodward contributed to this report
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A prominent Orthodox Christian leader who was stabbed in Sydney on Monday during a service says he has forgiven his attacker.

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, in his first comments since the attack, asked his supporters to be Christlike and refrain from any violence.

The 53-year-old bishop has been hospitalised since he was attacked by a 16-year-old boy during a live-streamed service at the Assyrian Christ the Good Shepherd church in Wakeley, west Sydney.

A large riot broke out the day after the attack on the bishop. In an audio message released by the church on Thursday, the Christian leader urged his followers to obey the law.

There is no need to be worried or concerned. And a piece of advice to all our beloved faithful  I need you to act Christlike.

The Lord Jesus never taught us to fight, the Lord Jesus never taught us to retaliate, the Lord Jesus never said to us an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

He continued: I forgive whoever has done this act. I say to him, youre my son, I love you, and I will always pray for you.

And whoever sent you to do this, I forgive them as well.

The teenage suspect has been arrested by the police but is yet to be charged. Currently, he remains under police guard in hospital, according to 1News.

In the audio message sent from his hospital bed, Bishop Emmamual added: I have nothing in my heart but love for everyone. Whether that person is a Christian or not, its totally beside the point.

The police have not yet ascribed any motive to the church attack. We believe there are elements that are satisfied in terms of religious-motivated extremism, New South Wales (NSW) police commissioner Karen Webb said earlier this week.

NSW authorities have decided to declare the attack an act of terrorism.

Bishop Emmanuel has a strong social media following and is outspoken on a range of issues. He proselytises to both Jews and Muslims and has been of liberal Christian denominations.

He also speaks out on global political issues and has lamented the plight of Palestinians in Gaza.

The bishop, described in local media as a figure sometimes seen as divisive on issues such as Covid-19 restrictions, was in the national news last year over comments about gender.

Forensic officers at the church in the Sydney suburb earlier this week ( Getty )

NSWs premier, Chris Minns, on Wednesday defended his decision to declare the Wakeley church stabbing a terrorist attack and said that it was necessary and not a performative gesture.

In a separate stabbing incident in Sydney, six people were killed at a shopping mall, including a mother who died trying to save her nine-month-old baby. Five women and one man were killed by knife attacker Joel Cauchi in the Westfield shopping centre at Bondi Junction on Saturday.
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Westfield Bondi Junction, the Sydney shopping centre where six people were killed in a stabbing attack, reopened its door to the public for the first time since the incident.

Community members on Thursday were allowed to enter the centre and pay their respects to the victims, with stores remaining closed and a white floral tribute laid out on the second floor.

Trading would resume on Friday amid heightened security across the mall, announced Scentre Group, which operates Westfield malls in Australia and New Zealand.

Many people wept as they walked through the halls, with advertisements on digital screens replaced by black ribbons.

"It wasn't very nice walking through there, it obviously did bring back certain flashbacks," said Vinny Jovanovski, 33, who owns the Glo Bar cafe on the fifth floor of the mall and witnessed the attacks.

"But I mean, we have a lot of love and support from the community. Everybody is being very kind to each other," he told Reuters.

People lay flowers at a tribute for the victims in Saturdays knife attack ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

New South Wales premier Chris Minns walked through the centre on Thursday morning before the doors were opened for the community.

He said there would be an increased police presence in Bondi for "as long as necessary" as people were anxious following the stabbing spree last weekend. "Not just for the immediate security needs, but so that people feel confident and safe in their community," he told ABC News Channel.

Elliott Rusanow, chief executive of the Scentre Group, said having a "reflection day" allows members of the community to return to the shopping centre.

"It's about paying respects, it's about coming back and feeling comfortable with coming back to Westfield Bondi," he told reporters on Wednesday.

People walk past the entrance to the Westfield mall at Bondi Junction in Sydney ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Five women and one man were killed and several people, including a nine-month-old baby girl, were hospitalised following a knife attack by Joel Cauchi in the Westfield shopping centre on Saturday.

The New South Wales police commissioner Karen Webb said it was "obvious" that Cauchi focused on women and "avoided women".

The only man killed in the attack was a 30-year-old security guard, Faraz Tahir, who tried to intervene.

Inamul Haq Kauser from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association Australia paid tribute to "hero" Tahir, who he said "tried his best to save the life of others".

"He grabbed him first ... he was the first actually, who gave his life for the safety of Australians."

People pay their respects at the scene of the 13 April stabbing rampage at Bondi Junction in Sydney ( EPA )

He said Tahir hoped to bring his family from Pakistan and work as a plumber. "He never thought in this peaceful country, this is going to happen."

The other victims of Saturday's attack have been named as Dawn Singleton, 25, Jade Young, 47, who worked as an architect in Sydney, 55-year-old Pikria Darchia and Chinese student Yixuan Cheng.

Police shot and killed the attacker, while authorities have ruled out terrorism and said the 40-year-old had a history of mental illness.

The deadly rampage through Westfield Bondi Junction was the earlier of two knife attacks by lone assailants over three days that have traumatized Sydney. A 16-year-old boy is in police custody after he allegedly stabbed a Christian bishop and priest during a church service on Monday in an act of terrorism.
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Ukraines prime minister has warned there will be a third world war if the country loses the war against Russia, as he rallied the US to pass a multi-billion Congress bill to boost the countrys defences.

Denys Shmyal said Ukraine needs this money yesterday, not tomorrow, not today as he spoke of the $61bn (49bn) package.

It is understood that around $23.2 billion would be used to replenish US weapons, stocks and facilities.

Ukraines prime minister has warned there will be a third world war if the country loses the war against Russia ( EPA )

The House of Representatives will vote on the Bill on Saturday, which also includes funding for Israel and the Indo-Pacific.

Speaking to the BBC in Washington DC on Wednesday, Prime Minister Shmyhal said: If we will not protect... Ukraine will fall. So the global, the global system of security will be destroyed... and all the world will need to find... a new system of security.

Or, there will be many conflicts, many such kinds of wars, and in the end of the day, it could lead to the Third World War.

US president Joe Biden said in a statement on Wednesday he would sign the package into law immediately once passed by Congress to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends.

Ukraine has faced an increasingly deteriorating situation on the frontline as Western supplies run low ( AFP via Getty Images )

The Ukraine measure includes a provision that economic assistance to Kyiv - not military - should be repaid, which was a conservative demand. However, the Biden administration could waive that requirement.

The Houses version of the aid bill pushes the Biden administration to provide long-range ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile Systems) to Ukraine, which could be used to target Russian supply lines.

The US has resisted sending those weapons out of concerns Moscow would consider them escalatory, since they could reach deeper into Russia and Russian-held territory.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal speaking at a news conference in Chicago ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Many conservative lawmakers have so far strongly opposed aid to Ukraine, especially those allied with former President Donald Trump, who has been a Ukraine aid skeptic. But defense secretary Lloyd Austin reminded lawmakers of Ukraines deteriorating situation on the ground.

Were already seeing things on the battlefield begin to shift a bit in Russias favor, he said. We are seeing them make incremental gains. Were seeing the Ukrainians be challenged in terms of holding the line.

It comes as the mayor of Kharkiv, Ukraines second largest city, is at risk of becoming a second Aleppo if the US does not finally push through the package.

The city, located roughly 30 miles from the Russian border, is among the worst hit of Russias recent long-range attacks targeting energy infrastructure across Ukraine. Russian forces have also fired deadly guided aerial bombs nicknamed building destroyers, some of which weigh more than a tonne, into dense civilian areas in the city.
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The United Arab Emirates was hit by a years worth of rainfall in 12 hours which caused severe flooding to the desert nations roads, houses and Dubais airport.

In dramatic footage, residents were seen jet-sking down streets, planes were forced to land in what looked like an ocean, and high-end Rolls-Royce cars were swept away in the deluge. By the end of Tuesday, the UAE more than 5.59 inches (142mm) of rainfall hit the country. An average year sees 3.73 inches (86mm) of rain.

The state-run WAM news agency called the rain a historic weather event that surpassed anything documented since the start of data collection in 1949.

Online speculation suggested the freak weather event could have been caused by cloud seeding - otherwise known as pluviculture.

But experts are not convinced, and have suggested global warming is the most likely cause. But how much do we know about the practice? We look at the concept of cloud seeding below.

A flooded road after heavy rainfall in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 17 April 2024 ( EPA )

What is cloud seeding?

Countries where rainfall is low, such as the UAE, encourage downfalls by shocking clouds artificially stimulating rainfall, a technique known as pluviculture - or cloud seeding.

It was first discovered in the 1940s and has been used in around 50 countries, including the United States, China, Australia, Thailand and Russia.

In the UAE, small government-operated planes fly through clouds burning special salt flares that encourage small rain droplets to stick together. Once heavy enough these larger droplets will then fall to Earth as rain.

Implemented by the UAEs National Center of Meteorology (NCM), cloud seeding is part of an ongoing effort to curb the Gulfs states lack of rainfall.

A person walks surrounded by flood water caused by heavy rains, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates ( REUTERS )

Was cloud seeding done before the UAEs deluge?

Meteorologists at the NCM have been quoted as saying they flew six or seven cloud-seeding flights before the rainfall - which fueled online speculation that the floods were caused by the technology.

But after the event, Omar Al Yazeedi, the deputy director general of the NCM, said: We did not engage in any seeding operations during this particular weather event.

The essence of cloud seeding lies in targeting clouds at an earlier stage, prior to precipitation. Engaging in seeding activities during a severe thunderstorm scenario would prove futile.

Flight-tracking data analysed by news agency AP, showed one aircraft affiliated with the UAEs cloud-seeding efforts flying around the country on Monday.

A man walks in the floodwater in the UAE, which experts are divided on as to whether it was caused by cloud seeding ( REUTERS )

Is cloud seeding to blame?

While an increasingly common practice, some scientists remain cautious about cloud seeding as it is still unknown how far the impacts of tampering with the Earths natural processes could go. Evidence of the effectiveness of the technique is not conclusive, some studies have shown that cloud seeding could only increase rainfall by up to 35%.

Ryan Maue, former chief scientist at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration told Al Jazeera: If that occurred with cloud seeding, theyd have water all the time. You cant create rain out of thin air per se and get 6 inches [152.4mm] of water.

Other scientists say climate change in general is responsible for more intense and more frequent storms, droughts, flood and wildfires around the world - and is likely the cause of the UAEs flooding.

Dim Coumou, a professor in climate extremes at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, said the thunderstorms and rainfall seen in the UAE has a strong correlation with global warming.

This is because convection, which is the strong updraft in thunderstorms, strengthens in a warmer world, he told the same publication.

And climate expert Mark Howden explained that global warming had caused extraordinarily warmer seas around Dubai - which when combined with warm air can cause sudden downpours like that seen in the UAE.

This increases both potential evaporation rates and the capacity of the atmosphere to hold that water, allowing bigger dumps of rainfall such as what we have just seen in Dubai, he added.
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A senior Iranian commander has issued Tehrans first nuclear threat since it launched a missile and drone attack against Israel as it looks to warn off a retaliatory assault.

Israel has yet to decide - or at least announce publicly - how to respond to the Iranian attack last weekend, which saw Tehran fire more than 300 missiles and drones at Israel.

But several members of its five-person war cabinet have alluded to military retaliation despite calls from Israels western partners to act with both their head and their heart.

On Thursday, senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Ahmad Haghtalab warned that Israels recent threats to respond make it possible to review our nuclear doctrine and deviate from our previous considerations.

He added that if Israel was to attack its nuclear centres, we will surely reciprocate with advanced missiles against their own nuclear sites.

It is the first time Iran has explicitly referenced its suspected nuclear weapons programme since it launched its attack against Israel.

Senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Ahmad Haghtalab made Irans first nuclear threats since their attack on Israel ( Supplied )

And it comes a day after Irans president Ebrahim Raisi warned that even the tiniest invasion of its territory would bring a massive and harsh response.

Experts have warned that since Donald Trump abandoned a nuclear pact between Iran and the US, Tehran has become capable of building a nuclear bomb in six months to a year.

While one senior US official told ABC News that Israel was likely to hold off its response to the Iranian attack until after Passover, the major Jewish holiday that lasts from Monday to 30 April, top Israeli officials remain tight-lipped about their intentions.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following a meeting with UK foreign secretary David Cameron on Wednesday, said it was his country, and his alone, that would be the one to decide whether and how to respond.

Brigadier-General Doron Gavish, head of Israels air defence task force, meanwhile, said Israel has been working overtime to rebuild its stockpiles in preparation for another possible attack from Iran or its proxies.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has been tight-lipped about how Israel will respond to Irans attack last weekend ( REUTERS )

It comes as the US and UK launched sweeping sanctions against Iran and its military arm, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), heeding calls from Israeli officials to carry out a diplomatic attack in response to Tehrans assault.

The US announced new sanctions on Iran targeting its unarmed aerial vehicle (UAV) production. The Treasury Department said the measures targeted 16 individuals and two entities enabling Irans UAV production, including engine types that power Irans Shahed variant UAVs, which were used in the 13 April attack.

US president Joe Biden said the sanctions showed the US were committed to Israels security and would continue to hold Iran accountable.

Let it be clear to all those who enable or support Irans attacks: The United States is committed to Israels security, he said.

We are committed to the security of our personnel and partners in the region. And we will not hesitate to take all necessary action to hold you accountable.

Britain placed sanctions on Iranian military entities, including the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, according to an official notice. The British sanctions target 13 entities or individuals in total, the notice showed.

Israeli soldiers operating in the Gaza Strip amid continuing battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas ( Israeli Army/AFP via Getty Image )

It followed announcements from the European Union (EU) to step up sanctions against Iran. The decision was made after the EUs first summit with all 27 national leaders since the Iranian attack last Saturday

We feel its very important to do everything to isolate Iran, said Charles Michel, president of the European Council and chair of the summit.

He said that the new sanctions against Tehran would target companies involved in the production of drones and missiles.

Regarding the ongoing war in Gaza, a conflict at the heart of the wider tensions in the Middle East, senior US officials are set to hold a virtual meeting with their Israeli counterparts to discuss Israels plans for the southern Gaza city of Rafah as Washington seeks alternatives to an Israeli offensive. The meeting is a follow-up to a similar meeting held on 1 April.

Mr Biden has urged Israel not to conduct a large-scale offensive in Rafah to avoid more Palestinian civilian casualties in Gaza, where Palestinian health authorities say more at least 33,970 Palestinians have been killed and 76,770 wounded since 7 October, when Hamas launched its attack on Israeli soil.

Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are currently residing in Rafah with nowhere to go. Swathes of the Gaza Strip have been completely destroyed.
 Close Iranian state television reports explosions

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The UN has called for the preservation of evidence of mass graves in the Gaza Strip after 390 bodies were found at two different burial sites outside the Nasser and al-Shifa hospitals.

The Israeli army said any suggestion of its responsibility was baseless and unfounded and the graves were dug by Gazans a few months ago.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said its important that all forensic evidence be well preserved.

Earlier, the US demanded answers from Israel after mass graves were found outside two hospitals in the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, at least five people have been killed following Israeli strikes in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, Palestinian hospital officials have said.

More than half of the territorys population of 2.3 million have sought refuge in Rafah, where Israel has conducted near-daily raids as it prepares for an offensive in the city.

In central Gaza, four people were killed in Israeli tank shelling.
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Scientists say they have found new evidence that there is a hidden planet in our solar system.

For years, some astronomers have been suggesting that unusual behaviour on the edge of our solar system is best explained by another, undiscovered planet. That helps explain the orbits of objects that lie at the very far reaches of our solar system, more than 250 times away from the Sun than we are.

Now Konstantin Batygin, an astronomer who helped popularise the theory, says that he and his team have found yet more evidence that suggests that planet exists. The new work represents the strongest statistical evidence yet that Planet 9 is really out there, he said.

In the new work, scientists looked at a set of trans-Neptunian objects, or TNOs, which is the technical term for those objects that sit out at the edge of the solar system, beyond Neptune

The new work looked at those objects that have their movement made unstable because they interact with the orbit of Neptune. That instability meant they were harder to understand, so typically astronomers looking at a possible Planet Nine have avoided using them in their analysis.

Researchers instead looked towards those objects, and tried to understand their movements. And, Dr Batygin claimed, the best explanation is that they result from another, undiscovered planet.

The team carried out a host of simulations to understand how those objects orbits were affected by a variety of things, including the giant planets around them such as Neptune, the Galactic tide that comes from the Milky Way, and passing stars.

The best explanation was from the model that included Planet Nine, however, Dr Batygin said. They noted that there were other explanations for the behaviour of those objects  including the suggestion that other planets once influenced their orbit, but have since been removed  but claim that the theory of Planet Nine remains the best explanation.

Better understanding of the existence or not of Planet Nine will come when the Vera C Rubin Observatory is turned on, they note. That is currently being built in Chile, and when it is turned on it will be able to scan the sky to understand the behaviour of those distant objects.

This upcoming phase of exploration promises to provide critical insights into the mysteries of our solar systems outer reaches, the team writes in their paper.

A paper describing the work, Generation of Low-Inclination, Neptune-Crossing TNOs by Planet Nine, is available now on arXiv.
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A housing association has received an official reprimand after a new computer system enabled residents to access each others personal data.

Clyde Valley Housing Association received the reprimand from the Information Commissioners Office (ICO), the UK data protection regulator, following the launch of an online residents portal on July 14, 2022.

On the day the system went live, a resident contacted the housing association in Lanarkshire to say they were able to view other residents information, but the staff member who handled the call failed to escalate the matter.

The association eventually suspended access to the system on July 19 after receiving four further reports from other residents  meaning the personal information remained accessible for five days.

Jenny Brotchie, ICO Scotland regional manager, said: While new digital products and services can improve the experience for customers, these must not come at the cost of the security of personal information.

This breach was the result of a clear oversight by Clyde Valley Housing Association when preparing to launch its new customer portal.

We expect all organisations to ensure they have appropriate security measures in place when launching new products and have tested them thoroughly with data protection in mind, as well as ensuring staff are appropriately trained.

We will take action when peoples personal information is not protected.

Eleven residents were found to have logged into the new system during the time it was live, and the housing association has contacted them to ask they do no share, copy, or make further use of the data.

The ICO recommended Clyde Valley Housing Association carries out rigorous testing on data protection before similar systems are rolled out in future.

It also recommended the association ensures its employees receive suitable data protection training.

Clyde Valley Housing Association has been contacted for comment.
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Meta has released Llama 3, a new AI model that it claims is the state of the art.

As with much of its previous work in artificial intelligence, Meta will open source the new model, allowing the public to examine and use it. That puts it in competition with Google and OpenAI, which have refused to make most of their work on similar systems open to the public.

Meta has argued that making the system widely available will help encourage innovation and allow people to use AI in a variety of ways. It can be downloaded through a devoted website.

Llama 3 is a large language model, of the same kind that powers OpenAIs ChatGPT and Googles Gemini. It was built with the aim of making a system that was on par with the best proprietary models available today.

We wanted to address developer feedback to increase the overall helpfulness of Llama 3 and are doing so while continuing to play a leading role on responsible use and deployment of LLMs, it said. We are embracing the open source ethos of releasing early and often to enable the community to get access to these models while they are still in development.

The version being released today is just the first in Metas collection, it said. Future versions should get multiple languages, make it multimodal so that it can use a variety of kinds of content, and add better performance.

Meta said that the new model is now being used in Meta AI, its chatbot, which can be used in Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger and on the web, though is not available in some countries including the UK. That system is now the most intelligent system you can use for free, it claimed, suggesting that it believes that it is better than the base version of ChatGPT.

Meta AI has run into some controversy in recent days after it claimed to have a child who is both gifted and has a disability, as it attempted to help with questions in a group of parents.
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Helen and Roman from Manchester should be heading home from New Zealand today after visiting family near the capital, Wellington. The couple have been told their Emirates flights via Dubai are cancelled and there is no clear timetable for getting them back to the UK; Helen is running short of medication.

Gwen and her husband are stranded in paradise  Bali, to be precise  with no certainty about when they might leave. We cant seem to get any contact with Emirates to be advised of another flight to the UK, Gwen tells The Independent. She adds: We dont want to be stuck in Dubai at the airport. Can you update us on the position and offer any advice?

They are just four of the hundreds of thousands of passengers who have been stranded by the unprecedented storm and flooding in Dubai.

open image in gallery Going nowhere: A family stranded at Dubai airport after severe flooding and mass cancellations ( REUTERS )

On a typical day, 250,000 people pass through the worlds busiest international airport; Dubai overtook London Heathrow for this title several years ago.

But over the past 48 hours the vast majority have seen their flights cancelled, diverted or heavily delayed due to flooding.

Bizarrely, the way that air passengers rights rules are structured means that people who have yet to leave the country are in a far stronger position than those in far-flung corners of Asia, Australasia and Africa.

These are the key issues.

Whats the problem?

A severe storm began in the early hours of Tuesday 16 April. Dubai was drenched in a year and a halfs worth of rain in a single day, killing at least one person and disrupting travel through the airport that handles more international passengers than any other.

Flooding and associated disruption is continuing to cause widespread cancellations.

All airlines using Dubai International Airport affected, with British Airways flights from London Heathrow diverting in successive days to Bahrain and Abu Dhabi.

But passengers on Emirates  which flies more people on intercontinental journeys than any other airline  are collectively facing far bigger problems.

How bad are things?

A snapshot by The Independent of all the overnight Emirates departures due to arrive in Dubai from the UK on Thursday morning shows the scale of the problem. Bear in mind that most of the aircraft used are Airbus A380 SuperJumbo planes carrying more than 500 passengers.

Cancelled: London Heathrow (three), London Stansted, Birmingham and Glasgow. That represents around 3,000 people who did not arrive as expected on Thursday. Crucially, because the outbound flights were cancelled, a similar number did not fly out from Dubai to the UK.

London Heathrow (three), London Stansted, Birmingham and Glasgow. That represents around 3,000 people who did not arrive as expected on Thursday. Crucially, because the outbound flights were cancelled, a similar number did not fly out from Dubai to the UK. Delayed: The minimum delay arriving in Dubai was two hours, for a single flight from Heathrow. A second Stansted flight was three hours late, while arrivals of another flight from Heathrow and one from Newcastle were four hours late. But the standard delay was six hours, affecting passengers from Gatwick, Heathrow, Glasgow and Manchester.

Once in Dubai, though, their problems could just be beginning. Hundreds of flights are delayed, and onward connections on Emirates to destinations such as Colombo in Sri Lanka, the Seychelles and Kolkata in India are cancelled.

Many Emirates flights are resuming, but with planes, pilots and cabin crew scattered around the world it will be some time before a full schedule is running again.

When flights resume, the passengers who are booked on those departures take priority  with people who may have been waiting for days at the back of the queue.

What does Emirates say?

Emirates extends our sincerest apologies to impacted customers who have experienced delays and disruption to their travel plans caused by bad weather and road conditions.

We appreciate how difficult it is for everyone affected. While some customers have been able to return home or reach their destination, we are aware that many are still waiting to get on flights.

Our teams are working hard to restore our scheduled operations, as well as secure accommodation and other amenities for affected customers at the airport. Our primary concern will always be the safety of our customers and crew, and this will never be compromised.

The airline adds that Dubai airport remains congested and warns: There may still be delays to arriving and departing flights.

Emirates says: Customers impacted by flight cancellations should contact their booking agent, DM us [@EmiratesSupport on X/Twitter], or visit emirat.es/support for rebooking.

What is the position for British travellers due to be flying out to or via Dubai?

Air passengers rights rules mean they are in a strong position. Any airline that cancels a flight from a UK airport, for any reason, must provide passengers with:

An onward flight as soon as possible, including on a rival airline if seats are available. For example, a passenger from London to Sydney could expect to be rebooked via Hong Kong, Singapore or Doha if Emirates has no room but Cathay Pacific, Singapore or Qatar Airways does.

Hotels and meals as appropriate until they can reach their destination.

No cash compensation is payable because the cause of the delay is beyond Emirates control.

Passengers in Dubai awaiting an onward connection  what is the outlook?

Emirates says: While some customers have been able to return home or reach their destination, we are aware that many are still waiting to get on flights. Our teams are working hard to restore our scheduled operations.

The airline says it is trying to secure accommodation and other amenities for affected customers at the airport.

Anyone who arrived from the UK (or anywhere in the European Union) is entitled to a hotel, meals and an onward flight on any airline as soon as possible.

Passengers travelling in the opposite direction have no such legal protection.

Airlines generally provide stranded passengers with accommodation and meals, but such is the pressure on hotels that this may not happen. There is no legal obligation to arrange care.

What about people stranded in Asia, Africa or Australasia with connections via Dubai?

As they are flying on a non-British/non-European airline from outside the UK/EU, they have no formal rights besides the general principle that the airline will get them home when possible.

Travel insurance may cover added costs, and possible make a modest payment (typically 25 for each 12 hours) for the length of the delay.

Im booked on a package holiday. Does that make a difference?

If you have bought flights and accommodation at the same time from the same provider, you have an extra layer of consumer protection. The Package Travel Regulations mean that the company that sold you the trip is responsible for ensuring the holiday goes ahead as planned  and must take action if it does not. For example:

If you are booked to travel to the Maldives via Dubai, the holiday firm could look for alternative flights.

Should your short break to Dubai be impossible because of cancelled flights or conditions on the ground, you are due a full refund.

Stranded on the other side of the world? The holiday company must find a solution for you, and ensure your welfare while you wait.

If I pay for my own hotel or alternative flight, can I claim it back from Emirates?

That depends. If you are in the UK  or stranded in Dubai en route from the UK to a third country  and Emirates has been unable to provide you with these, then you should be able to claim. In all other circumstances, such as being stranded in Bali, it is unlikely the airline will pay up.

Travel insurance may help.

What about other airlines flying in and out of Dubai?

They are also facing big problems. Flydubai, the short-haul cousin of Emirates, made dozens of cancellations on Tuesday and Wednesday, with many flights on Thursday heavily delayed.

FlyNas, the Saudi budget airline, has cancelled more flights than any other on Thursday.

Other carriers, including British Airways and Royal Brunei, have grounded some UK flights, but operations overall are not as badly affected because Dubai represents only a tiny proportion of flying for most airlines.

I have a flight to or via Dubai next week. Should I worry?

Probably not. Emirates and other carriers should be back on track, and as mentioned anyone with a booking for a flight that goes ahead takes precedence over those who may have been waiting a week after a cancelled flight.
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The European Commission has proposed restoring much of the pre-Brexit freedom that allows British travellers aged 18 to 30 the opportunity to travel, work or study for up to four years in the EU.

One of the most-mourned European freedoms that the UK chose to remove with Brexit was the opportunity for young Brits to travel, study and work in any EU country without restriction.

Boris Johnsons government successfully negotiated for UK citizens to become third-country nationals, on a par with Venezuelans. As a result of the Brexit deal, British passport holders can stay a maximum of 90 days in the European Union and wider Schengen area  and must then leave for at least a further 90 days.

Post-Brexit work or study in continental Europe is possible only after fulfilling complex visa requirements.

Beneficiaries should be able to undertake different activities during that period, such as studying, training, working or travelling, says the commission in a briefing document.

The European Commission adds: The UK has shown interest in the issue by reaching out to a number of member states on youth mobility.

Under the proposals, young EU citizens would have a reciprocal opportunity to spend time in the UK.

Maros Sefcovic, executive vice-president responsible for inter-institutional relations, said: The United Kingdoms withdrawal from the European Union has hit young people in the EU and the UK who would like to study, work and live abroad particularly hard.

Today, we take the first step towards an ambitious but realistic agreement between the EU and the UK that would fix this issue. Our aim is to rebuild human bridges between young Europeans on both sides of the Channel.

The proposed requirements look simple, comprising a valid travel document, valid comprehensive sickness insurance, proof of sufficient means of subsistence. But applications could be rejected if the individual is believed to pose a threat to public policy, public security or public health.

Young people would pay for a visa or residence permit; the European Commission says this should not be disproportionate or excessive.

Technically, the commission is merely recommending the move to the European Council, comprising the leaders of EU member states. But it is likely to be rubber-stamped.

The question is: how will Rishi Sunaks government respond to the offer? Ministers have already backtracked on some of the hardline rules introduced with Brexit, such as a complete ban on EU children on school trips using identity cards.

Any such deal would be welcomed by the UK hospitality industry, which has struggled with recruitment since Brexit.

But with immigration high on the Conservatives election agenda, the government may not wish to confer freedom on young Europeans.

The Independent has asked the Home Office for a response.

Abta, the travel association, welcomed the move from Brussels. Luke Petherbridge, director of public affairs for the association, said: We strongly welcome todays announcement and urge the UK government to be ready to begin negotiations.

Post-Brexit restrictions on UK-EU labour mobility have undoubtedly been detrimental to the UK travel and tourism industry, whether outbound, inbound or domestic.

The impacts are being most keenly felt by young people, who are now less able to access the roles that have previously proven a springboard for successful careers, as well as providing enriching and rewarding experiences.

Abta has long argued that youth mobility should be a priority for both sides as we seek to rebuild relations post-Brexit, and we hope that negotiations can now begin quickly.
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The Duke of Sussex has urged the travel industry to do better by communities acting as custodians of tourist destinations.

Prince Harrys comments came in a online address to the annual general meeting of his Travalyst organisation, which aims to encourage the tourism sector to become more sustainable and make eco-choices simpler for travellers.

During an online video call with a number of delegates, the duke said: Travel and tourism relies on destinations, held together by communities, without which we have nowhere to travel to.

Communities are the beating heart of travel and we must do better by the people who are the custodians of the places we visit.

Weve heard from some fantastic organisations like Invisible Cities, who train people affected by homelessness to be tour guides in their own city, and Global Himalayan Expedition, whose programmes have helped electrify over 200 Himalayan villages, impacting over 60,000 lives for the better.

More and more people are wanting to make informed travel choices so that the benefit of travel is felt by all. Travalyst and its partners bring a combined market value of nearly three trillion dollars and are working hard to provide that resource at a systems level.

Non-profit organisation Travalyst was founded by the duke in 2019 and has formed a coalition of leading brands including Booking.com, Skyscanner, Tripadvisor, Trip.com, Visa, Google and Expedia Group.

The two-day meeting, which began on Tuesday, was held in southern France and brought together some of the biggest brands in travel and technology, as well as industry experts, to discuss sustainable and regenerative tourism.

Travalysts latest development came in February when it launched an initiative to review whether tourism certification bodies, that focus on sustainability, meet a set of criteria in order to be displayed on Travalysts partner platforms.

Sally Davey, Travalysts chief executive officer, said: I think having Prince Harry involved in these sorts of discussions is vital. It demonstrates how critical it is to have community voices at the heart of everything that were doing.

We were there to listen, as was Prince Harry, to hear those voices to learn and to understand how we can do better by those people and those places.
This is the moment a man launches a dangerous laser attack on an Airbus 320 plane carrying 200 passengers as it prepares to land at a UK airport.

Andrew Wilson, 53, aimed the laser directly at the aircraft flying over Yeovil on its descent to Bristol Airport on 14 August, last year.

One of the plane pilots said the laser attack happened during a critical stage of the flight.

The pilot said: Laser attacks on aircraft also have the ability to temporarily flash blind.

Rendering one or both pilots blind whilst they are flying is obviously extremely dangerous.

Wilson, of Martock, Somerset, was sentenced to four months imprisonment at Taunton Crown Court on 11 April.


First phase of LS polls: Will Modi-Yogi popularity override caste equations in UP? The wave of Prime Minister Modis popularity, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths stern dealing with the law & order situation and the euphoria over the Ram temple has started overriding the caste equations in Uttar Pradesh. The state has always witnessed the caste factor come into play whenever elections are to be held, but now it is the popularity of PM Modi and CM Yogi Adityananth that is overtaking all other issues.



In the first phase of elections in western UP, where normally the voting pattern of Muslims and Dalits decides the fate of candidates, this time there is a palpable difference because all that seems to be working is the Modi and Yogi factor.



The performance of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidates in this phase will also decide the partys future.



The BSP has tweaked its strategy when it fielded candidates from castes who, otherwise, are believed to be the core voters of the BJP but apparently, candidates are unable to wean away these votes from the BJPs bag.



For example, in 2014, Muzaffarnagar was won by BJPs Sanjeev Baliyan by a low margin of 6,400 votes, and Meerut was won by BJPs Rajendra Agrawal by a margin of around 4,700 votes.



In Muzaffarnagar, where the Muslims form around 30 per cent of the electorate, the BSP has fielded Dara Singh Prajapati, an OBC hoping to corner the votes of his community as well as the party's traditional Dalit community.



However, the BJP has gained ground in both these constituencies and caste factors have receded into the background.



Prime Minister Narendra Modis rally in Meerut and Yogi Adityanaths rally in Muzaffarnagar has turned the tide completely in BJPs favour.



In Meerut, the BSP has Deovrat Tyagi, a Brahmin against BJP's Arun Govil, who played Lord Rama in the serial 'Ramayana'. The BSP nominee is eyeing the support of around 50,000 'Tyagi' voters in Meerut, apart from Dalit and Muslim votes, but sources claim that upper castes and Dalits are preparing to vote for BJP this time.



In an interesting development, this time, the Muslim mood towards the BJP has also softened to an extent and even Dalits are veering towards BJP after being disillusioned by Mayawati's indecision.



Observers believe that, unlike Assembly elections, the Muslim voters will be more tactful this time. They will not blindly choose between the BSP and the SP-Congress alliance but will weigh the benefits they have received from the BJP governments at the centre and state.



Haji Ikhlaq, a trader in Meerut, says, The BJP is no longer untouchable for us. We have received the benefits of their welfare schemes and there is no reason why we will not vote for them. Muslims are breaking the earlier mindset and the change will be visible in these elections.



In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and 2017 Assembly elections, the minority voters supported candidates of both SP and BSP leading to the division of votes. The BJP got the maximum number of 71 Lok Sabha in 2014 and 312 Assembly seats in 2022.



In 2022, the minority vote consolidated towards the Samajwadi Party, but it could not cross the 112-seat mark.



It is only the Jatavs among Dalits in the west UP region who are likely to remain loyal to Mayawati.



In Saharanpur, BJPs Raghav Lakhan Pal, a Brahmin is pitted against Congress-SP alliance candidate Imran Masood and BSPs Majid Ali, one of the richest candidates in the fray.



Imran Masood is facing a tough challenge from BSP, which could make it easier for BJP to sail through to victory.



In Meerut, SP candidate and former mayor Sunita Verma, a Jatav, is likely to draw support from the voters of her caste which will dent BSPs base.



In Nagina (SC), Azad Samaj Party chief Chandra Shekhar Azad is likely to make some dent in BSPs vote bank.



If Chandra Shekhar dents BSP, the victory run for BJP will be much easier, said a local leader.



BJPs Kunwar Sarvesh Singh, in Moradabad, could find it easier to reach the victory post as BSPs Israr Saifi is locked in a crucial battle of Muslims and Dalit votes with SPs Ruchi Veera.



However, in Pilibhit, BSP is not a major factor.



In Pilibhit, Lodh Rajputs or Lodhs would be the deciding factor. It is the vote from this community which will decide who will have the last laugh - BJPs Jitin Prasada or SPs Bhagwat Saran Gangwar.



Jitin Prasada, meanwhile, is riding high on the Modi wave and the rallies by the Prime Minister and Yogi Adityanath have strengthened his position in the past week.



In Rampur, a lot will depend on how enthusiastic the voters are on the day of voting. There is a clear division of Muslim votes after SP leader Mohd Azam Khan refused to accept the partys official candidate Muhibullah Nadwi. His supporters are throwing their weight behind Zeeshan Khan of BSP.



The BJP candidate Ghanshyam Lodhi stands safe in his position.




This deep-sea footage shows inside a sunken passenger plane, once thought to be the wreckage of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

The wreckage of the MH370, which disappeared without trace while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in March 2014, has still never been found.

The wreckage filmed by Deep Blue Dive Center, is actually the Lockheed Martins L1011 Tristar plane, which was deliberately sunk in 2019 in Jordan.

It serves as a home for sea life, but a viral social media post wrongly speculated it was the MH370, which disappeared in 2014.
Joe Biden joked that he "looks like he's 40" as he delivered a campaign speech in Philadelphia, where the Kennedy political family endorsed his re-election campaign.

"I know I look like I'm 40 but I've been doing this a long time, but I've never been more optimistic about our future," the president told supporters.

Their backing is a rebuke of Robert F Kennedy Jrs independent bid for office.

Mr Kennedy's sister, Kerry Kennedy, praised Mr Biden as "a champion for all the rights and freedoms that my father and uncles stood for."
The moment a suspect associated with a UK-founded website used to defraud victims on an industrial scale was arrested at an airport was caught on police bodycam footage.

LabHost, a scammer site set up in 2021 by a criminal network, obtained 480,000 card numbers and 64,000 PINs globally.

The site allowed users to set up phishing websites intended to trick victims into giving away personal information such as bank details, email addresses, and passwords.

Authorities have arrested 37 suspects across the UK and globally, including at Manchester and Luton airports.
The Small Firms Association, which represents businesses with fewer than 50 workers, has called for a PRSI rebate to help them cope with the recent increase in the national minimum wage and the transition towards Living Wage rates.

It says the rebate could be based on each worker earning below an agreed threshold. The SFA proposes that the system be operated through Revenues PAYE Modernisation in much the same way as the employment wage subsidy scheme.

As well as a PRSI rebate, it proposes the introduction of an enterprise support scheme to assist small businesses make the transition to paying the Living Wage. Such a scheme, based on the proportion of low-wage workers in a firms wages bill, could provide a temporary subsidy to qualifying employers, the SFA says.

The proposals are included in a list of policy priorities the lobby group has published in advance of the upcoming local and European elections. It claims there now needs to be decisive action by the Government due to rising business costs.

Among its other suggestions is a reduction in Capital Gains Tax from 33pc to 20pc, and the introduction of a national training voucher scheme, which would be designed to boost in-company training schemes and get more workers to sign up for re-skilling and up-skilling programmes. The idea is that firms could claim back money spent on the cost of training provided by an accredited education provider.

David Broderick, director of the SFA, said: Many small and viable businesses are struggling to manage costs arising from high energy costs, supply chain challenges and fluctuating commodity prices. The most challenging issue is that the new national minimum wage rate, coupled with incoming Living Wage rates, are lowering the shutters to businesses across the country. Retail and hospitality businesses are particularly vulnerable at this time, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. Mr Broderick said he was encouraged by recent statements from Taoiseach Simon Harris about his governments new focus on helping small businesses. I hope his administration will follow through on its commitment as a matter of urgency, he added.

Among the SFAs other proposals are to increase the life-time limit for the entrepreneur relief on Capital Gains Tax to 5m. It wants a more rigorous stress test by Government on regulations.

The SFA says simplification is required in order to make the angel investor relief available to all trading and professional service businesses. The lobby group also wants the rate of income tax reduced on dividends to 25pc on the first 30,000 per annum per person.

Among the other proposed measures are:
A PPA is a long-term electricity supply agreement between a customer and a power producer.

The renewable energy agreement, which is set to last 10 years, will see Greencoat Renewables provide two data centres with up to 67 GWh (gigawatt hour) of renewable energy each year.

This energy will be generated at Greencoat Renewables wind farm, Ballybane Phase 1, which is located in Co. Cork. Keppel DC will purchase 100pc of the electricity generated.

The partnership forms part of Keppel DCs strategy to decarbonise operations at its Dublin data centres. The new agreement will supply 81pc of the current power needed over the 10 years of the deal, according to Keppel DC.

Both facilities owned by Keppel DC are also aiming to be powered by 100pc Irish renewable energy by 2030.

The partnership evidences the significant opportunity for Greencoat Renewables, as the largest operator of wind assets in Ireland, to provide renewable electricity to the growing Irish data centre market, Schroders Greencoat partner Paul ODonnell said.

"We are ready to supply the cost-effective, clean power that will support the countrys wider economic growth, and the ambitions of our partners, he added.

Keppel DCs country manager Gary Watson added that the PPA is transformational for the colocation data centre provider.

A colocation data centre allows a number of enterprises to share a single data centre by renting space for servers and data storage

[The agreement] will help us achieve our commitments to be Net Zero by 2030 in accordance with Irelands Climate Action Plan and our pledge to the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact, Mr Watson added.

A number of global companies also have major data centres here, with advances in artificial intelligence expected to create even more demand for such facilities.

However, data centres have faced criticism in recent years as they consume huge amounts of electricity. EirGrid, the semi-State company that manages Irelands electricity network, has predicted that data centres will account for almost 26pc of national demand by 2026.
Aviation research group says plan raises serious questions

A 2bn third terminal at Dublin Airport planned by the McEvaddy brothers would face significant obstacles, a new report says.

The report from international aviation research firm CAPA says these would include the level of potential cooperation with the DAA and questions over who would actually operate the facility.

Des and Ulick McEvaddy and other individuals own 260 acres of land between the two runways at Dublin Airport.

Last year they put the land up for sale with an estimated 210m price tag. The DAA, the semi-state company that controls airports at Dublin and Cork, bid less than 70m for the land. Other bidders for the land included the billionaire Comer brothers from Galway.

If this third terminal does go ahead, who would operate it?

But earlier this month, a company controlled by the McEvaddys presented a concept plan to Fingal County Council for a development that would include a passenger terminal, hotel, office space and a cargo terminal on the land.

The DAA  headed by chief executive Kenny Jacobs  has previously insisted it doesnt yet need a third terminal, and that when it does, it will build it beside its existing two terminals.

DAAs focus is on our own infrastructure application, which is well developed and based on the practical needs of passengers and airlines, the DAA said this month.

CAPA says there are few cases around the world where a publicly-operated airport permits a private operator to build and manage an onsite terminal.

If this third terminal does go ahead, in whatever form (and it isnt yet clear where the finance would come from), and is built, then there is the question of who would operate it, said CAPA in a report.

It questioned which potential operator would be prepared to take on the DAA on its home turf.

The logical response would be Ryanair, suggests CAPA. It says the airline has dabbled with airport operations, but has never come close to doing what it has threatened to do at several airports over the years.

Ryanair group chief executive Michael OLeary has previously called for an independent terminal at Dublin Airport and in 2016 even suggested that Ryanair could build one there for 200m.

The DAA is currently pursuing a 2bn capital investment plan at Dublin Airport, but growth at the gateway is hampered by a cap on the amount of passengers that can use the facility.
Insurance giant Aviva has joined forces with serial entrepreneur Oliver Tattan to launch a new health insurance provider.

The move will be a boost for consumers, but comes at a difficult time for existing players VHI, Laya and Irish Life Health.

VHI made a loss last year, while all three players have been forced into a raft of price hikes due to rising claims.

Mr Tattan and former Irish Life Health boss Jim Dowdall, along with Mr Tattans associate Stephen Loughman, have formed a new company called Douglasdale.

All three have a track record in founding and running health insurance ventures.

Aviva Insurance and Douglasdale will form a 50/50 joint venture to launch the fourth health insurer in this market.

Aviva has confirmed the launch of the new health insurance provider. The name of the new provider has not been released, but experts said it would inject much-needed competition into the market.

The new provider has yet to get regulatory approval from the Central Bank and the Health Insurance Authority but is expected to launch later this year.

Today's News in 90 seconds - 18th April 2024

Aviva said in a statement: Aviva announces that its Irish business is investing into a new start-up health insurance business in the Irish market.

This investment, which is subject to regulatory approvals, will result in Aviva taking a 50pc share in a new private health insurance business established by a group of senior executives with significant experience in both setting up and running health insurance businesses in Ireland.

It said that subject to regulatory approvals, the new business would begin selling private health insurance in the second half of 2024.

Aviva Insurance Ireland chief executive Declan ORourke said: Aviva is delighted to support the set-up of an exciting new health insurance business in Ireland. This is great news for Irish consumers as it will provide greater choice and value. This investment expands Avivas offering in Ireland to General, Life and Health Insurance and further demonstrates Avivas commitment to continue to grow in Ireland as a leading financial services provider.

The planned new venture was first reported in The Phoenix magazine.

Aviva has been in the health insurance market in this country previously but sold out, with Irish Life eventually picking up that business.

However, interest in the health insurance market here perked up when French insurance giant Axa agreed last year to buy Laya Healthcare for 650m, considered a huge price.

Laya is the States second-largest health insurer. It has a 28pc share of the Irish health insurance market, serving 690,000 members.

Experts speculated that Aviva, which has previously offered health insurance here, wants to ensure its entire offering here now matches that of Axa. It has a large health insurance business in UK.

Aviva is one of Irelands leading insurers, offering home, motor, commercial and travel insurance. It also provides pensions and investments to customers. It is the largest general insurer in this market, with a market share of more than 20pc.

Mr Tattan has a track record in running and founding health insurers in this market. He is a former chief executive of VHI and after that he founded Vivas, with backing from billionaire Dermot Desmond. It was sold to Aviva Insurance and renamed Aviva Health.

Mr Tattan also founded health insurer GloHealth with Jim Dowdall, who ran Irish Life Health for years.

GloHealth and Aviva Health would eventually be merged and taken over by Irish Life to create Irish Life Health.

Ruth Bailey, a long-term associate of the three, is also involved in the new venture.

Health insurance expert Dermot Goode of TotalHealthCover.ie said more choice was to be welcomed for hard-pressed consumers.

He said a new entrant would need to build scale quickly, resulting in competitive pricing and enhanced benefits for all.
Joe Biden calls for new tariffs on Chinese steel imported into US

White House says it seeks strategic and balanced plan for trade barrier

Joe Biden in Scranton, Pennsylvania, earlier this week. Photo: Reuters

Chris Megerian Thu 18 Apr 2024 at 03:30







US president Joe Biden has called for a tripling of American tariffs on steel imported from China, in order to protect US producers from a flood of cheap imports. His announcement was made yesterday in an address to steelworkers in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.
Dan Stevens, a cast member in Abigail, is interviewed at the premiere of the film at the Regency Village Theatre (Chris Pizzello/AP)

British actor Dan Stevens said, I love that this film has a tribute to late star Angus Cloud, following his posthumous performance in horror film Abigail.

The film stars Matilda actress Alisha Weir as a 12-year-old ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure who is kidnapped by a group of would-be criminals who are hoping to collect a $50 million ransom to watch the girl overnight.

Cloud plays a kidnapper in the film, alongside Downton Abbey actor Stevens, Scream star Melissa Barrera, Big Little Lies actress Kathryn Newton, X-Men star Kevin Durand and William Catlett, from Charm City Kings.

Angus Cloud, Kathryn Newton, Alisha Weir, Kevin Durand, Dan Stevens, Melissa Barrera and William Catlett in a scene from the film Abigail (Bernard Walsh/AP)

Euphoria actor Cloud died in July 2023 from an accidental overdose at the age of 25.

His castmates appeared at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles for the film premiere.

Angus was incredible, he was so unique and Ive never met anyone like him, Stevens told the PA news agency on the red carpet.

He was like all of our little brothers on set, and we loved him very much, and we miss him very much.

I love that this film has a tribute to him at the end, and he would have loved this; he wouldve laughed his arse off.

Cast members of Abigail, pose together at the premiere of the film at the Regency Village Theatre, Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Chris Pizzello/AP)

Beauty And The Beast star Stevens described the cast as such a lovely, unlikely gang which he said was sort of the point of the film.

In the film, 14-year-old Weir turns into a bloodthirsty child vampire, a little bit different from her starring role in the big screen version of Matilda The Musical in 2022.

Abigail and Matilda are so different in so many different ways, the genres are so different, the castings are so different, but what I love so much about acting is you get the opportunity to do that, she told PA.

The Dublin-born actress also spoke about learning so much from her fellow castmates on set, including Cloud.

Every single cast member was so incredible, and Angus brought so much joy to the set, she told PA.

Every single day he would make everybody smile and Im so so honoured and so grateful, not just to have worked with him, but to have known such a beautiful person who is so amazing and beautiful inside and out.

He shared that with every single person on the cast.

Kevin Durand at the premiere of Abigail (Chris Pizzello/PA)

Canadian actor Durand, who appeared in Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes, said, Everybody spoke of how good they felt when they talked to him, referencing Cloud.

It was just so nice to meet someone who was just so real, Durand told PA.

He wasnt concerned with being famous; he wanted to be a good person. We all loved him very much and are all very proud of what he did in this film.

I hope hes really happy with it.

Catlett said that when people ask about Cloud, they think the cast is supposed to be sad, but he is not because Angus deposited something into each and every one of us.

Will Catlett at the premiere of Abigail (Chris Pizzello/AP)

He never cared about being famous because he came in (to the film) pretty famous, he only cared about being a good person, and thats what makes him live forever, Catlett added.

The film comes from Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, known together as Radio Silence.

Their previous projects include Devils Due, Southbound, Ready Or Not, and several films in the Scream franchise.

Stevens said he has a lot of mutual friends in the horror community who spoke so highly of the director duo, which was what drew him to the project.

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, left, and Tyler Gillett (Chris Pizzello/AP)

They are just the loveliest, funniest guys. They really encourage you to be silly, playful, and throw improv in there, he told PA.

So many alt lines just trying to make each other laugh constantly while also being drenched in 30,000 litres of fake movie blood  which is apparently what we got through on this film.

Abigail is released in UK cinemas on April 19.
Albums of the week: Dark Matter by Pearl Jam and Im Doing It Again Baby! by Girl in Red

Grunge may forever be associated with Nirvana, but Pearl Jam also helped make the movement a global sensation. Its worth remembering that their debut album, Ten, outsold Nirvanas Nevermind in America. There wasnt much love lost between the bands frontmen, with Kurt Cobain famously dismissing Eddie Vedders upstarts as corporate puppets.

And yet few bands have fought against the corporatisation of live music as determinedly as Pearl Jam: Vedder has long been an outspoken critic of ticket price-gouging. Perhaps Cobain was alluding to Pearl Jams more mainstream, accessible, corporate rock sound and its true that Nirvana were a much rawer, grittier proposition.

Still, its hard not to applaud Pearl Jams longevity and their latest album, Dark Matter, offers quite the riposte to those who might assume theyve been resting on past glories all this time. Vedder claims the album is the best the band have ever made and while that might be stretching credibility, its about as urgent and compelling as a 12th album from any band has a right to be  its certainly their most consistently strong since the 1990s.

As is often the case with Pearl Jam albums, this one is front-loaded with arresting, stadium-sized anthems. Scared of Fear is a potent opener while the title track allows drummer Matt Cameron and bassist Jeff Ament to show their metal, with Mike McCready and Stone Gossard letting rip on guitar. React, Respond is as potent as that title suggests, and a boon for the rhythm section.

Vedder seems to be in an especially questioning, reflective mood and thats certainly the case on the subdued Something Special, which is inspired by his two daughters. The track may sound a little mawkish to some, but to these ears its another side to one of the better frontmen of his generation.

The album is produced by Andrew Watt, who worked wonders with the Rolling Stones on their acclaimed Hackney Diamonds comeback last year. Some quibble that he has a tendency for rock thats a little too bright and clean, but here he plays to the strengths of Vedder et al.

Its an impressive album that bodes well for Pearl Jams Dublin gig this summer. They play a headline show at Marlay Park on June 22 with support from Richard Ashcroft and the Murder Capital.

Taylor Swift releases a new album on Friday, a surefire global chart-topper. Girl in Red  aka 25-year-old Norwegian Marie Ulven  has been a support act on Swifts record-breaking Eras tour and her second album, Im Doing It Again Baby!, is a widescreen pop smash that will appeal to Swifties and others.

Lead single Too Much is typical  a feisty riot of synths and attitude  while the title track glories in braggadocio. Ulven does not lack confidence and these assertive, playful songs suggest her trajectory will continue in an upward direction.
ORANGEBURG, S.C.  South Carolina State Universitys Institute for Business, Environment, Communications and Transportation (BECT) recently provided nine students with a unique expedition diving into the ecosystems of South Carolina and Georgia's shores.

The four-day coastal expedition offered the SC State students an exclusive chance to engage in ongoing research efforts, educational programs and environmental stewardship initiatives.

This one-of-a-kind program was led by BECT team leaders Dr. Renu Singh from SC State, Dr. Mona Behl from the University of Georgia, and Dr. Susan Lovelace from SC Sea Grant.

Baruch Marine Field Laboratory

The journey began on April 1 with a warm program welcome and lunch at the Baruch Marine Field Laboratory. Students were inspired by the impactful work at the North Inlet-Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

The afternoon was filled by a hands-on Life in the Salt Marsh experience, where students explored a midden trail and observed the vibrant plant and animal life that thrives in this unique environment. They even had the opportunity to set pitfall traps to sample marsh crabs along an elevation gradient.

Isle of Palms & Charleston

On day two, April 2nd, students journeyed to the Isle of Palms Research Facility for a site visit focused on Isle Beach and Dune Research led by Dr. Jean Ellis of the University of South Carolina.

The afternoon took them to Charleston, where they toured the Grice Marine Lab with Dr. Jack DiTullio of the College of Charleston and explored the world of marine resources at the SC DNR Marine Resources Research Institute with the Dr. Tanya Darden of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

The day concluded with a tour of the Hollings Marine Laboratory. This world-class facility houses multiple research programs with the mission to provide science and technology applications to sustain, protect, and restore coastal ecosystems.

Sailing on Day 3

On day three, students sailed to Sapelo Island for tours of the UGA Marine Institute and the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve, gaining insights into coastal research and education efforts. They participated in a trawl, a fishing technique that captures a variety of marine life, followed by a tour of the largest clam-producing facility in the southern region.

This enriching experience concluded with a visit to Savannah State University, where they engaged in a student-alumni panel discussion.

An insightful experience

The coastal expedition was an insightful experience into the modern marine sciences in our low country, said Pennelope Fennell, a senior agribusiness major. It provided different possibilities and opportunities that are in reach for students to explore.

This sentiment was echoed by all participating students, which included both graduate and undergraduate students.

Shadyma White, a student in SC States Master of Business Management concentration in health management, said the expedition enhanced her understanding of marine life and the impact on human health and various fields.

The expedition fulfilled an objective of the BECT Institute in environment by providing students an unparalleled opportunity to connect with coastal ecosystems, learn about career pathways, meet leading researchers, and gain a deeper appreciation for these environments' vital role in the world.

For more information about the BECT Institute, contact Dr. Barbara Adams, executive director, at badams@scsu.edu or 803-516-4864.
Ex-garda landlord tore shower from bathroom wall and cut off electricity in nine-month campaign of harassment against tenant

Victim left unable to sleep, rest or have a quiet life

Former garda and father-of-six Kevin Galvin had his case adjourned at Dublin District Court. Photo: Collins

Andrew Phelan Thu 18 Apr 2024 at 03:30







A landlord tore a shower from a bathroom wall and cut off the electricity while the tenant was in the flat during a nine-month campaign of harassment.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee is facing significant backlash from lawyers to plans to extend the jurisdiction of the District Court to allow it to hear divorce cases.

The move, contained in the Family Courts Bill working its way through the Oireachtas, is aimed at cutting the costs of a divorce, which currently can only be obtained in the Circuit Court or, in big money cases involving property assets worth 3m or more, the High Court.
Man charged with violently hijacking elderly womans car refused compassionate bail to attend mums funeral

His mother died this week, with defence counsel proposing he attend the funeral mass and burial on Saturday and return to prison by 6pm

CCJ, Dublin.

Tom Tuite Thu 18 Apr 2024 at 15:01







A man charged with violently hijacking an elderly woman's car in Dublin has been refused compassionate bail to attend his mother's funeral.
A Dublin woman accused of laundering more than 18,000 in cash through her bank account has been sent forward for trial.
Activist (76) who drove 4x4 across Europe fears war is being forgotten

Author John Connors with his new book, 'Mariupol - A City Named Grief and Fear'

Ukrainian farmer Yuri Melnuk (left), who is now clearing mines, stands with a colleague next to a Mitsubishi 4x4 donated by Ireland

Donated Irish vehicles are being used to help save lives on the Ukrainian front line by transferring injured people and taking away landmines.

The news comes as Irish supporters of Ukrainian sovereignty warn it will be catastrophic if the country is forgotten because of the Middle East crisis.

Campaigners Sandy Blackley from Cork and John Connors from Tipperary said the only thing standing between Ukraine keeping or losing territory to Russia is foreign aid.

It will be tragic if Ukraine is now forgotten about, Mr Blackley said.

He and his wife Maggie hosted two Ukrainian mothers and their sons at their Fermoy home for two years.

He was so moved by the plight of Ukrainian families that he decided to help with a humanitarian aid convoy to their war-torn homeland.

Mr Blackley is also involved in Helping Irish Hosts (HIH), a group that liaises between host Irish families and Ukrainian refugees.

Nearly 110,000 refugees, the majority women and children, have arrived in Ireland since the Russian invasion in February 2022.

This week, Mr Blackley delivered a lecture on the aid convoy experience and the importance of Irish humanitarian aid.

Ukraine is fighting to defend Europe and democracy from Vladimir Putin  that is the reality, he said.

At 76, he was the oldest driver in an Irish aid convoy that delivered several 4x4s and a minibus to Ukraine last November. The vehicles were donated by Irish families and charities.

They drove nearly 3,000km from Ireland through France, Germany and Poland to Ukraine, and each vehicle was packed with medical and humanitarian supplies.

The Mitsubishi 4x4 driven by Mr Blackley was given to Yuri Melnuk, a 24-year-old Ukrainian farmer who is now working as a volunteer with a special sapper regiment clearing mines and unexploded Russian missiles.

Its incredible to think that this 19-year-old Galway 4x4 is now on the frontline in Ukraine, helping sappers to clear mines and missiles so Ukrainian civilians can be protected, Mr Blackley said.

Ukrainian hospitals and psychological support services have been overwhelmed.

Because of this, the rehabilitation of injured soldiers revolves around them being given a companion dog to care for.

That is the reality of Putins attack on Ukraine, where thousands of young soldiers and civilians have been left with life-changing injuries, Mr Blackley said.

Author and historian Mr Connors felt compelled to help after hearing survivors stories from the siege of Mariupol.

His new book, Mariupol  A City Named Grief and Fear, will be launched tomorrow night in Borrisoleigh Community Centre, Co Tipperary.

Irish people, in our history, are no strangers to hardship and conflict, he said. I think thats why Irish people are so moved by what is going on in Ukraine.

Mariupol, a city of 450,000 people, was levelled during the early stages of the Russian invasion.

A Ukrainian division fought for weeks to defend it against overwhelming odds. Their defiance resulted in a three-month siege.

The delay of the Russian advance bought critical time for Ukraine to gather resources and hinder the invaders progress.

After the siege, the population of Mariupol had fallen to less than 100,000.

It is a story of extreme tragedy. A lot of people from Mariupol who came to Ireland were just not able to talk about what happened there, Mr Connors said.

Some people have described Mariupol as probably the greatest war crime of the new millennium.

I got involved when the Ukrainian refugees came to Ireland. I was asked if I could help a couple. That couple just happened to come from Mariupol.

Mr Connors wrote his book to help the humanitarian effort in Ukraine, with all proceeds going towards the repair of ambulances on the front line.

Because of the inertia of the free world, if you want to call it that, Ukraine has been left under fierce pressure and Russia is getting an advantage on the front line, he said.
Dr Anthony Fauci, preeminent physician scientist and renowned immunologist, receives the Stearne Medal from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland at No. 6 Kildare Street for his significant contribution to medicine. Photo shows Dr Anthony Fauci, with Dr Diarmuid O'Shea, President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. Photo; Kenneth O Halloran. No Fee 17th April 2024.

Dr Anthony Fauci, preeminent physician scientist and renowned immunologist, receives the Stearne Medal from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland at No. 6 Kildare Street for his significant contribution to medicine. Photo shows Dr Anthony Fauci, with Dr Diarmuid O'Shea, President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. Photo; Kenneth O Halloran. No Fee 17th April 2024.

Dr Anthony Fauci, preeminent physician scientist and renowned immunologist, receives the Stearne Medal from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland at No. 6 Kildare Street for his significant contribution to medicine. Photo shows Dr Anthony Fauci, with Dr Diarmuid O'Shea, President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. Photo; Kenneth O Halloran. No Fee 17th April 2024.

Dr Anthony Fauci with Dr Diarmuid O'Shea, President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. Photo: Kenneth O Halloran.

Dr Anthony Fauci, who became the calm voice of reason during daily White House briefings with Donal Trump during the height of the pandemic was honoured by the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in Dublin this evening.

He was awarded the prestigious Stearne Medal for his outstanding contribution to public health.

It is the first visit to Ireland for New York- born Dr Fauci (83) who spent four decades combatting the threats of infectious disease.

As Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from 1984 to 2022, his research was instrumental in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of established and emerging diseases, said the college.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - April 17th

He served under seven United States presidents and his research and work covered HIV, Ebola and swine flu.

He spent forty years directing the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases at the National Institutes of Health.

However, it was his prominence in the response of the United States to the Covid-19 pandemic which made his a household name here.

President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, Dr Diarmuid OShea along with Tanaiste, Micheal Martin, presented the Stearne Medal to Dr Fauci at a ceremony in Dublin.

He is accompanied by his wife Dr Christine Grady who has family roots in Clare and Sligo.

Congratulating Dr Fauci, Dr OShea paid tribute to his outstanding career saying he had already become a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in a virtual ceremony in 2021 during the pandemic.

He described him as a role model for physicians worldwide. His work is featured in the textbooks that millions of medical students study and he is one of the most cited scientific researchers in the world.

His tireless efforts in advancing the frontiers of medical science have saved millions of lives and his courage, leadership and passionate advocacy for science will continue to inspire generations of healthcare professionals, said Dr OShea.

In an era marked by rampant misinformation and skepticism, his steadfast advocacy for evidence-based practices has been instrumental in shaping public health policies and safeguarding lives.

The Tanaiste said Dr Fauci helped guide policymakers and shape public health policy all around the globe.

Dr Fauci is due publish his memoir On Call:A Doctors Journey in Public Service in June when he will reflect on his career.
A number of European states need to recognise Palestinian statehood, Taoiseach Simon Harris has said.

Since being appointed Taoiseach last week, Mr Harris has worked with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on appealing to other European states to sign up to their plan for a joint declaration recognising Palestine.

Speaking in Brussels ahead of his first European Council meeting, Mr Harris said he would be continuing to engage with his European counterparts on the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza as well as the release of all hostages.

He said he believed there was also a "need for a number of European states to move ahead and recognise the state of Palestine".

He added: "Ultimately, if you believe in a two-state solution, I think such positive momentum could be helpful and could be important."

Following an attack on Israel by Iran, Mr Harris said there was a need for de-escalation and restraint amid "turmoil" in the region.

He said: "We have very clearly condemned the actions of Iran. It was a large-scale and reckless attack, and we need to now see de-escalation.

"I think the European position that is emerging is quite clear, it's one that needs to be focused on de-escalation.

"It's one that needs to appeal to all parties to show restraint, because anything other than de-escalation and restraint results in very significant catastrophe and bloodshed for many millions of people in a region that is already unstable."

Earlier, the Tanaiste Micheal Martin urged Israel not to respond to Iran's attack that saw around 300 drones and missiles fired at the weekend.

There are fears it could lead to an escalation of the conflict in the Middle East as Israel prepares for a military offensive on Rafah in southern Gaza.

Speaking on Wednesday, Mr Martin said the threat of escalation in the Middle East "could not get more serious".

He also urged people to remember the plight of Gazans.

"Ireland's role, along with fellow members of the European Union, is to appeal for de-escalation of tensions and conflict between Israel and Iran," he said, at a commissioning ceremony at The Curragh in Co Kildare.

"The implications for the wider region and the civilians in the wider region are extremely dark if conflict escalates - and for the world itself in terms of lives and in terms of livelihoods.

"Regional escalation has the potential to really undermine and obstruct trade routes, which impacts people in terms of food and in terms of the basic essentials of life, so it could not get more serious.

"We're saying to Israel not to respond to Iran's attack and we're saying to both sides to de-escalate.

"We must not forget about the plight of the people of Gaza who are close to famine, too many civilian lives have been lost, the trauma and terror that the children of Gaza have been through must end, and that war has to end very quickly, and we have to get around the table in terms of charting a pathway for the reconstruction of Gaza and also for moving towards a political solution along the lines of a two-state approach."
Tributes have been paid to the madly talented makeup artist Aisling Eyre, who died this week following treatment for cancer.

An award-winning makeup artist from Dublin, Ms Eyre had candidly shared her cancer journey and spoke openly about its toll, the challenges of treatment and the importance of finding joy and positivity in life.

She died on Tuesday, surrounded by her family at Wicklow Hospice, Magheramore.

Designer Helen Cody was among those who paid tribute to Ms Eyre, recounting how they worked on their first editorial together for Tatler magazine at the age of 21.

"Im sitting in my kitchen numbed by the news of Aisling Eyres passing I cant move its too sad, she said.

"We were kindred spirits starting out in the world of styling and makeup respectively. We worked on our first editorial together for Tatler mag at the tender age of 21.

"We would endlessly chat about the visual stories we could create with brilliant photographer friends. We shared a house together in Terenure which we christened Cleavage cottage, it wasnt easy working freelance in a tiny industry.

"But we always made it work. She was such a gentle sensitive soul, madly talented and always laughing. Im truly sad and sorry for her passing, she added.

"I have just listened to The Lonely podcast which Aisling recorded in March, if you would like to listen. Dearest Aisling I hope you are making faces beautiful somewhere lovely.

Makeup artist Julia Clements also paid tribute to Ms Eyre, who she described as the most beautiful and creative of makeup artists.

"So creative in everything she did, should that be creating characters for her foot whilst in plaster, stunning avant-garde make up of beautiful looks for models and mortals alike, she said.

"She was as beautiful on the inside as the looks she created. She continued training right up until the end most recently learning prosthetic dentures. A maverick, an industry professional, a wonderful being, a dear friend and colleague.

"She snuck out of palliative care recently to have the second stage added to her tattoo that she had intended to be a full sleeve, such was her zest for life.

"She gained her wings far too early but heavens will be a more beautiful now as she shone so bright wherever she was. Goodbye dear friend.

Today's News in 90 seconds - 18th April 2024

A funeral notice for Ms Eyre said she was the beloved daughter of the late Tess and will be sadly missed by her heartbroken father, Liam, loving siblings, Brian, Patricia and Aveen, sister-in-law Stella, brother-in-law Carl, cherished nieces and nephews, Christopher, Alexandra, Joey, Stephen, Ariel and Cait, extended family, Steve, Martin and her wide circle of friends.

Ms Eyre's removal will take place tomorrow morning at 10.30am, walking to St Annes Church, Shankill before arriving for funeral mass at 11am and a burial at Shanganagh Cemetery.
Stardust survivors have shared their horrific experiences of the tragic night. Here are six powerful quotes from the people who survived the blaze.

Louise Murray, who was 17 at the time of the disaster:

Eventually I kind of gave up hope because in this room the people who were with me were just on the floor.

"After a while I just thought of my family, my friends and I kind of went into a trance I suppose. I just said, Our father who art in heaven, and I said, Please, whoever is in here please join me and they started praying.

As soon as the prayer was over the door was kicked in. All I could see was a big, bright light and a big buckle, obviously it was the belt of the fireman, but I couldnt see him. And he said, Whosever is in here, can you come out?

ARCHIVE VIDEO: Survivor Jimmy Fitzpatrick speaks about the Stardust tragedy

Paula Toner, who was 17 at the time, managed to exit through the front door:

Outside, some people broke the glass in the toilet windows and were shouting at the people inside, who were putting their hands out, and the people outside were telling those inside to put their heads down the toilets.

There was pandemonium, and then everything just went quiet, she said.

The silence just went through everyone that was outside, the whole place just went deadly quiet, because the hands disappeared and the shouting stopped, and we knew what was basically happening inside.

Patricia O'Connor, then 16, was there with her friend 17-year-old Caroline Carey, who was pregnant at the time:

When Ms OConnor first saw the fire, it was small but "within seconds" the place went into darkness as she was enveloped by smoke. "I could barely breathe," she said.

there were drops coming from the ceiling, "like tar and oil".

It was not the fire that burned her, it was the drops. When they first fell, it was painful, but then it was not. "I cant explain it," she said. "I could just feel them all over me."

She could hear people screaming, "mammy, daddy help me. Open the doors".

Thomas Dempsey, who was 19 at the time, gave evidence of seeing a substance dropping from the ceiling once the fire started.

It looked like acid dripping from the ceiling onto the chairs and people below, like drops of rain but like acid, you could see people, it was hitting them and obviously burning them, he said.

Christine Carr, 16 at the time, described holding the shoulders of a tall friend to keep herself off the ground and from being trampled in a crush in the foyer:

It was the crush of the crowd that pulled me up further, she said.

The lights were still on and I looked behind me. Under the door smoke was coming in. The lights went off so I held my breath.

Then I had to breathe and it was like tyres. It was hot and there was substance to it. It was like ash. And I am dangling and the only thing I can move is my head  my arms and all were confined. Then I had to breathe again and then I thought: This is when I am going to die. I remember my mouth was open, my head was going back and my eyes were rolling and I remember saying: Oh mammy, daddy I am going to die, she said.

My next memory is I am outside on all fours looking at the tarmac. I am gulping air and trying to breathe.

Martina Monaghan heard people shouting: We cant get the door open.

I saw flames everywhere in the area that had been partitioned off. The lights went out and everywhere was black smoke.

I saw lumps of the ceiling coming down in balls of fire and falling on top of people, everybody was screaming, Ms Monaghan said.
The engineering programs are supported by a $1M grant from Dominion Energy.

ORANGEBURG, S.C.  South Carolina State Universitys Board of Trustees on Thursday approved four new degree programs  three in undergraduate engineering specialties and a masters degree in cybersecurity.

South Carolina State University refuses to sit still, SC State President Alexander Conyers said. I thank the Board of Trustees for responding to the workforce development needs of our industrial partners and the advancement needs of students.

As we continue to recruit across the nation, we hear from potential students who want these programs, he said. So, we are glad we are able to deliver the types of programs todays students desire and need to succeed.

Supported by a $1 million grant from Dominion Energy, the new undergraduate programs include Bachelor of Science degrees in:

Mechanical engineering.

Electrical engineering.

Computer engineering.

If approved by the state Commission on Higher Education (CHE), the additions would address workforce demand for professionals in industrial, technological sectors and business sectors and increase earning potential for SC State students.

The graduate program in cybersecurity will help mitigate the shortage of cybersecurity personnel in South Carolina, but it also has the potential to reach students anywhere in the U.S., as the curriculum would be delivered 100% online.

Mechanical and electrical engineering

The mechanical and electrical engineering programs would complete SC States shift from engineering technology to full engineering degrees  an essential transition that allows students to sit for engineering licensure exams. SC States Department of Engineering already has evolved its programs in industrial and civil engineering, while its nuclear engineering and mechatronics engineering programs always have been full engineering degrees. SC State also offers a fire protection engineering concentration within its civil engineering program.

Students already enrolled in the engineering technology programs would be eligible to complete those degrees or transfer into the full engineering programs.

Computer engineering

If approved by the CHE, the computer engineering program would be a new discipline at SC State while utilizing elements from the curricula in SC States existing Departments of Engineering and Computer Science and Mathematics.

According to a resolution approved by the Board of Trustees on Thursday, the computer engineering program is designed to provide students with breadth in engineering, the sciences, mathematics, and the humanities, as well as depth in the fields of both software and hardware disciplines appropriate for a computer engineer.

It will develop a students design and analytical skills. In combination with the co-op experience, it opens students to opportunities in engineering practice, advanced training engineering, or other professions, as well as an entry into business and administration.

Master of Science in computer science cybersecurity

With its designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education, SC State already offers a major in computer science with a concentration in cybersecurity and a minor in cybersecurity for undergraduate students. The graduate program would accelerate the cybersecurity opportunities at SC State.

The supply of cybersecurity workers in South Carolina is low, demonstrating a need to design a graduate curriculum tailored to address the national security issues and the requirements of employers in the cybersecurity field.

For additional information about SC States degree programs in the College of Science, Technology, Engineering Mathematics and Transportation (STEM-T), contact Dr. Stanley Ihekweazu at sihekwea@scsu.edu or 803-536-8860.
Up to 750 new train carriages will be ordered featuring new power outlets, space underneath seats for storage and open-plan design for passengers to feel safer

Power outlets, USB-A and USB-C, will be placed between seats to avoid passengers reaching

Carriages will be open plan so passengers feel safer with more space to move

Cantilevered seats will allow more space underneath for storage and animals

The new DART carriages from French company Alstom will be put into service in 2025. Photo: Adrian Weckler

Up to 750 new Dart carriages will have automatic wheelchair ramps and be open-plan between linked units to make people feel safer.

The new carriages, 37 of which are due to come into service next year, will also have cantilevered seats so people can store objects beneath them or make it easier to bring pets on board.

Screens in each carriage, and in stations, will show which carriages have more space available in them.

All exits from carriages will feature automatic wheelchair-friendly ramps. Photo: Adrian Weckler

A modified system for racking bicycles is also on the new trains, which were revealed to the public at this years international Transport Research Arena conference, held in Dublin for the first time.

Power outlets, USB-A and USB-C, will be placed between seats to avoid passengers reaching

The new trains will be adapted to use 840kW batteries that will enable the train to travel northwards from Malahide to Drogheda, a section of the Dart line that currently has no overhead electric cabling. When the train arrives at Drogheda, the giant batteries will take 18 minutes to recharge as another unit is swapped in for the return journey.

Cantilevered seats will allow more space underneath for storage and animals

Once overhead cabling is available on more sections of rail track, the batteries may then no longer be needed. The batteries, described by Iarnrod Eireann as an interim solution to enable a switch from diesel to electric power, are guaranteed not to fall below 70pc of range health in nine years, after which Iarnrod Eireann will consider using them as an alternative power source.

Screens will show which carriages have more space

Its a completely different train to the current one, an Iarnrod Eireann spokesperson told the Irish Independent at the demonstration.

At the moment, people often have to ring ahead if they want a ramp, the spokesperson said, referring to wheelchair and disability access to carriages.

They wont any more. Every carriage has these automated ramps which come out before the doors open. Its a game-changer.

Carriages will be open plan so passengers feel safer with more space to move

USB power outlets for phones will also now be placed between seats to avoid passengers needing to reach around other passengers or have wires trailing across laps.

Up to 750 of the new carriages within a 10-year framework have been requested by Iarnrod Eireann from French train company Alstom. While 37 of these are currently in the process of being delivered, another order of 20 is imminent within the framework agreement, which has no minimum order.

The new carriages are part of a plan to increase capacity on Irelands rail network as the population of the country continues to grow.

Today's News in 90 seconds - 18th April 2024
The jury in the Stardust inquests has reached a majority verdict, almost a year after the inquests began into the deaths of the 48 victims of the nightclub tragedy.

The verdict is to be delivered from 2pm today at the Dublin District Coroners Court.

The long-awaited inquests into the tragedy, which re-examined the circumstances relating to the deaths of 48 young people following a fire at the north Dublin nightclub in February 1981, were first ordered by the attorney general in September of 2019.

In the early hours of February 14, 1981, at the close of a Valentines Day disco dancing competition, a fire ripped through the venue in Artane, north Dublin.

Those who died were between the ages of 16 and 27. A further 89 were hospitalised and 15 of those were seriously injured.

There were more than 800 people at a disco on the night.

Survivors and families of the deceased had long campaigned for fresh inquiries into the disaster.

Dr Myra Cullinane told the jury yesterday, on its 11th day of deliberations, she would accept a majority decision.

Dr Cullinane informed the panel of seven women and five men that the law allowed her to accept a majority verdict in these circumstances, going on to explain that this was a verdict that at least seven or more of the jury agreed upon.

When the jury returned to the courtroom in the afternoon, the jury foreman told Dr Cullinane they had reached a majority verdict.

Dr Cullinane said that, because this is not a trial but rather an inquest, she wished to defer the announcement of the verdicts and findings to allow family members to have an opportunity to make arrangements either to attend court or to observe the proceedings online when they are delivered.

The inquest has been under way since April of last year, marking the longest ever held in Ireland. It has heard evidence from 373 different people.

Over the course of the inquest, jurors have heard from other patrons and staff who were in the Stardust nightclub on the night and members of the emergency services.

Families of the victims have campaigned for justice for more than four decades since the Stardust fire.

An inquest was held in 1982 but a fresh one was ordered by direction of then-attorney general Seamus Woulfe, who said the original inquest was confined to a statement of the proximate medical cause of death in respect of each of the deceased.

In a closing statement to the jury on Friday, April 12, a barrister representing some of the Stardust families said justice may yet be done for the 48 victims of the tragedy.

There is no promised land for the families of these victims, Sean Guerin SC said.

For as long as they live, they will live with their loss and their grief.

But it may be, after all this time, and when they go to their rest, they can know why their children and their sisters and brothers never came home.

Following the conclusion of all evidence, there are five verdicts the jury may consider: accidental death, death by misadventure, unlawful killing, open verdict or a narrative verdict.

The jury will assemble at 11am this morning in the Pillar Room of the Rotunda Hospital with proceedings to get under way from 2pm.
One-time camogie star avoided same action in 2021

Catriona Careys company is at the centre of an alleged mortgage scam. Photo: Dylan Vaughan

The company, which is at the centre of an alleged mortgage scam, was issued with a compulsory strike-off notice by the Companies House in the UK.

A first Gazette notice, which is a public warning that Companies House in the UK will strike a company off its register, was published on February 27.

An update published this week says this has now been suspended. It is the second time a strike-off action against Careysfort has been discontinued.

Directors have the option to object to a company being dissolved. For the action to be discontinued, cause must be shown to the contrary.

A confirmation statement  a document that limited companies must file each year containing details of its directors and shareholders  was flagged as being overdue.

In October 2021, Careysfort also faced being struck off but this was later discontinued.

A judgment for 257 (300) was registered against Careysfort Asset Estates this month by the Civil National Business Centre (CNBC).

The CNBC handles civil claims for monies owed in England and Wales. It is the second judgment filed against Careysfort in the last two years.

In June 2022, a judgment was registered for 497 (580). The details of the debts have not been disclosed, but both judgments remain outstanding.

Recent accounts filed for Careysfort said it had retained fixed assets worth 65,208 (76,189), down from 91,000 (106,338) in 2021. However, Companies House has taken the step of putting a warning note on the companys credit score.

RTE Investigates exposed how Careys company was allegedly involved in a mortgage scam that defrauded people out of hundreds of thousands of euro.

Carey is the sole director of Careysfort, which is one of multiple businesses registered in her name in England.

Her former business partner, Patrick Maher, is named as company secretary, but he claims he has resigned from the role.

Both have been under investigation in connection with the alleged scam, and files have now been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Today's News in 90 seconds - 18th April 2024

It follows a lengthy investigation by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) into the UK company.

One-time camogie star Carey (46) was arrested as part of this investigation last April and Maher, as well as another former male associate, were also arrested as part of the probe before being released.

Gardai have asked the DPP to review potential deception, theft and conspiracy to commit deception offences in the file, which was submitted in recent weeks.

Carey is currently being pursued through the courts for other debts. Pepper Finance lodged High Court proceedings over an outstanding mortgage debt last October.

The debt relates to a house she bought in the Rochfort Manor estate in Co Laois.

The Irish Independent understands Carey had failed to make any repayments on the mortgage loan account for a number of years and the level of arrears is now in excess of 370,000.
This book would count as character assassination if Theresa May had a character to assassinate

As Britain blundered its way towards Brexit, Tim Shipmans No Way Out outlines how idleness and incompetence almost undid the peace process

Anti-heros journey: Theresa May. Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Roisin Lanigan Thu 18 Apr 2024 at 03:30







Theresa May was always doomed. When she became British prime minister in May 2016, her premiership was a poisoned chalice, handed to her by David Cameron after his bet on a European referendum went drastically wrong. From the outset, her short reign  almost exactly three years  was predetermined to be dominated by Brexit, and the misfortune and misery just piled on from there. She presided over terrorist attacks in Westminster, London Bridge and the Manchester Arena, poisonings in Salisbury, the Grenfell Tower fire and a seemingly endless run of no-confidence votes.
A verdict of unlawful killing has been returned by the jury in the Stardust fire inquests for all 48 young people who died in the 1981 Dublin nightclub disaster.

The devastating blaze at the Stardust nightclub in Artane, north Dublin, broke out in the early hours of Valentines Day 1981, killing 48 and injuring more than 200, inflicting widespread psychological damage on the local community.

But why has it taken 43 years for an inquest into the 48 deaths to reach a verdict of unlawful killing?

First tribunal

Within weeks of the fire a tribunal under the chairmanship of Mr Justice Ronan Keane began investigating, without the input of witnesses too ill to attend.

It reported in June 1982, deciding the fire was started maliciously by young nightclubbers inside, despite expert witnesses having said such a scenario was only hypothetical.

It was a devastating blow for the survivors and victims families in the working-class north Dublin community in Artane and surrounding areas.

Compensation

While the owners of the club, the Butterlys, were able to claim compensation for the destroyed premises and rebuild, the families of the dead, and the injured, had to fight tooth and nail until eventually the government set up a compensation tribunal, with most only getting a few thousand pounds.

They spent decades campaigning for justice, with claims of flammable materials and poor fire safety on the premises and fire escapes blocked or chained shut.

A memorial park for the victims was created in 1993.

Coffey review

It wasnt until 2008, after coming under sustained pressure, that the then government appointed senior counsel Paul Coffey to review the original tribunal of inquiry.

In a landmark moment in 2009 he found Mr Justice Keanes conclusion was wrong, which was supported with a motion in the Dail.

However, Mr Coffey said there was no point having a fresh inquiry and the government accepted this.

In 2017, the the government appointed retired judge Pat McCartan to examine if there was new evidence, but he dismissed grounds for a new inquiry.

Petition

However, spurred by the success of the Hillsborough campaign in the UK in securing new inquests the families didnt give up.

Lynn Boylan, then an MEP, now a senator, was familiar with the European Parliaments public petitions system and began working with the families to collect 48,000 signed postcards demanding fresh inquests.

New inquests

In 2019 the attorney general directed fresh inquests be held because in the original inquests there was an insufficiency of inquiry as to how the deaths occurred.

Those inquests began in April 2023, presided over by coroner Dr Myra Cullinane, and a year later they concluded that all 48 died by unlawful killing.

The jury determined that the fire originated in and started due to an electrical fault in the hot press in the bar.

It was unable to determine when the blaze started but said it was first seen outside the building between 1.20am and 1.40am.

Jurors said the fire was first seen inside the ballroom between 1.35am and 1.40am.

The jury determined that polyurethane foam within seating, the height of the ceiling in a west alcove of the building and carpet tiles on the walls were contributory factors to the spread of the fire.

However, it said the condition of the fire extinguishers was not a contributory factor.

The jury said the lack of visibility due to black smoke, a lack of knowledge of the layout of the building, toxicity of the smoke and/or gases, the heat of the fire, failures of the emergency lighting system, lack of staff preparedness, and the speed of the spread of the fire were factors that impeded exit.

Fire exits

Also asked if any of the deceased were impeded in their ability to exit due to locked, chained or otherwise obstructed exits, the jury said "yes".

Asked if this was a contributory factor in any of the deaths, the jury also said "yes".

The jury further recommended improved reviews of building regulations following the inquest.

In majority of the cases, the medical causes of death were recorded as due to inhalation of fire fumes and heat.
After a tireless, decades-long campaign by the families of those who died, the new inquest into the deaths of the 48 young people who perished at the Stardust got underway at the Pillar Room of the Rotunda Hospital on April 25 last year.

In September 2019, the then Attorney General Seamus Woulfe SC directed that fresh inquests should be held after finding that there was an insufficiency of inquiry at the original inquests as to how the deaths of the victims occurred.

It does not appear that questions as to the cause or causes of the fire were canvassed to a sufficient degree, if indeed at all, at the original inquests," Mr Justice Woulfe noted.

In directing the fresh inquests, the Attorney General also drew analogies with the 1987 Hillsborough disaster, finding that the Stardust victims and their families were entitled to the public revelation of the facts.

The Stardust represented the largest loss of life by fire in the history of the State and remains so to this day, Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane told the jury before the hearing of evidence proper got under way.

She told the panel that the scope of the hearings would be wider than that which might apply in other inquests and would examine the broader circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The original Stardust fire inquest, which took place in March 1982, lasted just five days with the findings confined to the medical cause of death in respect of each deceased. There was no reference to the surrounding circumstances, such as the cause of the fire.

High Court Battles

Prior to the holding of the fresh inquests, former Stardust manager Eamon Butterly took a High Court challenge seeking an order prohibiting the coroner from conducting the inquests in a manner which involved an investigation or the consideration of a possible verdict of unlawful killing.

He also sought an order quashing the coroner's decision at pre-inquest hearings to refuse to rule out an unlawful killing verdict.

In November 2022, Mr Justice Charles Meenan refused Mr Butterly's application and said he was satisfied the ruling by coroner Dr Myra Cullinane - that a verdict of unlawful killing could not be ruled out - was correct in law.

The judge said he was satisfied that a jury at the inquests may bring in a verdict of unlawful killing.

However, he said such a verdict could only be available in circumstances where no person or persons is identified or identifiable as subject to censure as a result of the verdict.

Whether or not a verdict of unlawful killing should or would be left open to the jury was again front and centre after evidence at the inquests concluded.

Dr Cullinane received written and oral submissions in the absence of the jury from legal representatives of all interested parties on the matter of an unlawful killing verdict.

In oral submissions, solicitor Domhnaill OScanaill, for Mr Butterly, said that after months of detailed evidence, inquiries, investigations, questioning and cross-questioning, a point had been reached where Mr Butterly would be so identified and identifiable with such a verdict that it would be entirely unsafe to allow it to go before a jury.

He submitted that if a decision was made to exclude a verdict of unlawful killing he did not believe that it would frustrate the process or render any of the jurys findings or verdicts in any way impotent.

Grainne Larkin BL, for Dublin City Council (DCC), submitted that her client was in a very unique position as the only local authority involved. She said a finding of fact does not exist in a vacuum and would be read in tandem with the verdict.

And in that respect, I say it cant be the case that if a finding of fact is made, and that is held to be a causative issue or it caused or contributed either substantially or not to the fire, then my client would not be identifiable," she told Dr Cullinane.

Shane Murphy SC, for An Garda Siochana, questioned whether there were other verdicts, aside from unlawful killing, which would commend themselves to the parties or to the court.

He also questioned whether it was safe to proceed with the request for a verdict of unlawful killing in the context of the previous legal warnings given by the High Court and by the past assessment of these issues.

Mr Murphy asked if the risks attended upon the application of an unlawful killing verdict could undermine the full weight and purpose of the work which has taken place to date.

For the purpose of the legal arguments, he asked whether a narrative verdict was something which could "commend itself to the process of consideration in these circumstances".

Sean Guerin SC, representing a number of the families of the victims, responded to the submissions made by Mr OScanaill. He said the position of the families was that a verdict of unlawful killing could be lawfully returned.

He said that Mr OScanaills reference to the High Court judgement ignored the crucial part, namely that the hypothetical person must be identifiable as someone who is subject to censure as a result of the verdict.

Mr Guerin said the sort of simplistic analysis that the mere association of a person with a premises would cause their reputation to suffer was a process of reasoning "not founded in the language of the statute" and bore no real relation to it.

Counsel said he wanted to emphasise very forcefully that there was no way in which leaving a verdict of unlawful killing to the jury required the coroner to depart by as much as a jot or a syllable from the judgement of Mr Justice Meenan in the High Court judicial review proceedings.

Mr Guerin said that the availability of the unlawful killing verdict was a crucial issue for the families, as "if the jury is satisfied that that is how their loved ones died, they should be entitled to hear it in a verdict returned.

Dr Cullinane ultimately ruled that a verdict of unlawful killing could be left before the jury as one of a number of options available to them.

She said that she had repeatedly stressed at the inquests that no individual was on trial and there was to be no attempt to place blame or fault at the feet of any individual.

Ive on many occasions intervened where Ive felt that interested persons were straying into this territory and Ive always emphasised to the jury that this is a fact finding mission, she said.

The coroner went on to say that the High Court judgement does not go so far as to say that once a person is identified during the course of an inquest as potentially having some involvement in the deaths, that this amounts to them being identified or identifiable if the verdict of unlawful killing is returned, even if they are not named in the verdict or the findings.

The prohibition extends to the verdict, rider and findings, she said. It would be a distortion of the legislation to extend this prohibition into the evidence heard during the inquest.

Ruling that the verdict of unlawful killing could be put before the jury, Dr Cullinane said she accepted fully the position expressed on the part of both Dublin City Council (DCC) and Eamon Butterly that their clients should not be identified or identifiable by any verdict, nor should anyone, she added.

The coroner went on to say, however, that she was also acutely aware of her obligation under both the relevant section of the Coroners Act and the jurisprudence of the superior courts to investigate the circumstances of the deaths of the deceased, to record a verdict which truly reflects these circumstances and to vindicate the lives of the deceased.

Taking all of these factors together Im of the view that the verdict of unlawful killing can be safely left to the jury so long as they are very clearly directed of the findings they are permitted to make and that they are appropriately cautioned that they cannot identify any individual or individuals.

In relation to the standard of proof to be applied on any unlawful killing verdict, the coroner said both Dublin City Council (DCC) and An Garda Siochana had submitted that beyond reasonable doubt was the correct standard, while counsel for the families submitted that the standard which should be applied was the civil standard of on the balance of probability.

She said she was more in agreement with the submissions of DCC and An Garda Siochana and ruled that the standard of proof to be applied if a verdict of unlawful killing was to be returned was beyond reasonable doubt.

In conclusion, Dr Cullinane said the verdicts to be put to the jury were accidental death, misadventure, unlawful killing, a narrative verdict and an open verdict.

The families of the 48 victims of the Stardust listened intently as the coroner delivered her ruling. Many nodded in agreement as she told those present of her decision to allow the verdict of unlawful killing to be made available to the jury, while some cried and others hugged each other after the hearing concluded.

Last Minute Attempt to Remove Option of Unlawful Killing Verdict

On March 22, just days before the jury were to retire to begin considering their verdicts, lawyers for Eamon Butterly made a dramatic last-minute application to again have the verdict of unlawful killing removed from consideration.

A barrister acting for families of the victims argued that the application was an attempt "to undermine the entire inquest process itself".

Paul OHiggins SC, instructed by Mr OScannaill for Mr Butterly, accepted that the submission had come very late in the day.

Counsel said that Mr Butterly was so much in focus, in particular following the closing of the case on behalf of those arguing for a verdict of unlawful killing, that it should not be allowed.

He said it was his contention that any such verdict would be unlawful having regard to the provisions of Section 30 of the Coroners Act [that questions of civil or criminal liability shall not be considered or investigated at an inquest] and in that respect what had been proposed as the rationale for a verdict for unlawful killing failed to take into account the reality of Mr Justice Meenans judgement.

Mr OHiggins said that to arrive at a verdict of unlawful killing, the jury must consider the actions of persons - Mr Butterly in particular - who were said to have been guilty of a very high degree of negligence.

Counsel also submitted that the coroner should seek directions from the High Court under Section 62 of the Coroners Act, so fundamental are the matters which arise.

In relation to the closing speeches at the inquest, Mr OHiggins said the five addresses given by counsel representing the families had been a co-ordinated analysis of the evidence homing in primarily on Mr Butterly.

Counsel said it could not be clearer that this was directed towards associating Mr Butterly front and centre with the verdict which was being sought to be brought in.

Responding to the application made on behalf of the former Stardust manager, Sean Guerin SC contended that the submission was not only late but was out of time.

The lateness was not without significance, he said.

Counsel said the families he represents had, through their legal representatives, taken the trouble of ensuring the coroner had given a clear direction on the available verdicts having received written and oral submissions on that issue before the jury was addressed.

Precisely so that those addresses would acknowledge and be respectful of your ruling, he added.

He said all parties, including Mr Butterlys legal representatives, had adequate time to prepare for their submissions.

This is an application thats made wholly out of time, in clear breach of my clients fair procedures rights at this inquest, Mr Guerin said.

Its an attempt to undermine not just the ruling that you made, its an attempt to undermine addresses that were made to the jury in light of that ruling, its an attempt in a sense to undermine the entire inquest process itself and it shouldnt be allowed, he submitted.

After taking a number of days to consider her decision, Dr Cullinane refused the application made on behalf of Mr Butterly.

The coroner said she had received a letter from Mr OScannaill on March 15 seeking once again to have the verdict of unlawful killing removed from the jury prior to their deliberations and noted that this request was based on the closing submissions made on behalf of the families.

Firstly, in relation to the timing of this application it would appear that these submissions were not confined solely to responding to the possible effect of the closing submissions on behalf of the families, she said, adding it was clear they sought to revisit her ruling more generally with reliance being place on Section 30 of the Act and the decision of Mr Justice Meenan.

She said that although there were justifications made for the lateness of the application, those justifications were of insufficient weight to overcome the delay in bringing this second application.

Insofar as any reliance might be placed on the closing submissions on behalf of the families as altering the circumstances sufficient for me to reconsider my earlier ruling, I'm not satisfied that this is the case, said Dr Cullinane.

She said no objections had been raised at the time of the closing submissions by any party and there had been no interjection on behalf of Mr Butterly.

Nor did counsel or the solicitor for Mr Butterly seek to make any closing submissions, despite being offered the opportunity so to do, the coroner added.

She noted that Mr Butterly was represented in the proceedings at all times by his solicitor, that he engaged with the procedure set out by her in relation to the question of verdicts which should be left open to the jury, and she had received both written and oral submissions from Mr Butterlys solicitor on this issue.

It is not, in my view, appropriate for an interested person to seek to have the issue reopened where I've determined it on the basis that they have now instructed additional legal representatives who may make different or additional legal arguments that could have been made prior to my initial ruling, she stated.

The coroner went on to say that no new matters had been raised which had not previously been considered by her.

She did not accept that Section 30 had been given insufficient consideration during the course of the hearing in relation to the availability of verdicts or that it was not fully traversed in her ruling.

I relied on the jurisprudence of the superior courts which states that matters which may, in another forum, amount to questions of civil or criminal liability can nonetheless be considered in an inquest as long as the ultimate outcome does not seek to attribute blame or fault to an identified or identifiable person, she said.

In relation to the request to consider making a Section 62 application to the High Court, the coroner said she could not see the need or merit in such an approach at this juncture.

In my view, what is at issue here is not a question of law but the application of the law to the facts which were established at these inquests and Ive made a determination in that regard, she said.

I'm the arbiter of the law in these inquisitorial proceedings and I'm entitled to make a ruling on the law even where the legal issues to be determined are difficult, Dr Cullinane said.

On March 27, lawyers for Mr Butterly then made a separate application before the High Court to halt the inquest. At an Easter Vacation sitting of the court, Mr Butterly's lawyers sought permission to apply to quash the coroner's decision allowing the jury consider a verdict of unlawful killing.

The application was opposed by the victims' families and the High Court heard that Dr Cullinane said she intended to continue to charge the jury the next day as planned.

The following morning, March 28, Mr Justice Tony O'Connor refused to grant Mr Butterly permission to bring his challenge against the coroner's decision to allow the jury to consider a verdict of unlawful killing.

He also rejected the application for a stay on the inquest proceeding pending the outcome of any such challenge.

The scope of the inquest

Before the hearing of witness evidence began, Dr Cullinane outlined the scope of the inquests and defined what would be expected of the jury.

She told them that in each of the deceased cases, a finding must be made in relation to four main questions: the identity of the deceased whose inquest is being held, when the death occurred, where the death occurred and how the death occurred.

Dr Cullinane said that the north side Dublin community of Artane and its surroundings, which had such a connection to the majority of families who lost their children, had borne a particularly heavy burden of grief.

She said the loss experienced by the families and loved ones of the 48 who died had left an indelible mark on the suburb and the surrounding areas.

The majority of those who died were from Artane and its environs, although some of those who perished were from Derry, Belfast and Cavan.

Outlining their role, Dr Cullinane told the jury an inquest is a full and thorough exposition of the facts, without blame or pardon. She said their task was to hear all the evidence of the witnesses setting out the facts and to reach conclusions and record verdicts based on that evidence.

Nobody could be blamed or exonerated at an inquest and a verdict could not decide, or appear to decide, criminal or civil liability, she explained.

The inquest opened with pen portraits of the 48 victims, which painted a vivid picture of the lives of the young people who died and the effect their loss had on those left behind. This was the most emotionally charged portion of the inquest, as family members and friends of those who died delivered heartfelt accounts of their loved ones.

Dr Cullinane said she decided to commence proceedings with the pen portraits because it allowed the families to publicly commemorate those who died and to remind the jury that the 48 young people are at the heart of this inquest.

The hearing of witness evidence was grouped into separate modules, starting with the staff and management of the Stardust including doormen, waitresses, bar staff and glass washers.

This was followed by the largest group, the survivors of the Stardust fire and members of the public who were in the area on the night in question.

Next came the evidence of emergency responders including firemen, gardai and ambulance personnel who attended the scene on the night. Finally, the jury heard the evidence of expert witnesses in pathology and fire investigation.

Verdicts open to the jury

After evidence at the inquests had concluded and almost a year after the jury first sat, Dr Cullinane began summarising the evidence and charging the panel on their obligations, telling them that they were the ultimate arbiters of the facts.

Once the summary of the evidence concluded, she instructed the jury on the law as it applied to their deliberations, explaining what findings they were required to make, what findings they were entitled to make and what verdicts were available to them to be returned.

Outlining the findings that the jury had to make about each deceased, Dr Cullinane said that it was for the jury to determine that they were satisfied as to the identity of each deceased person and establish when and where the death occurred.

She said that reference should be made to the pronouncement of death, reminding the jury that some of the victims were pronounced dead at the hospital and others were pronounced dead at the scene.

Concerning how the death occurred, the coroner told the jury to make reference to the medical or pathological cause of death with regards to the evidence they had heard.

Dr Cullinane next outlined the five verdicts open to the jury. The first of these was accidental death, which relates to something happening suddenly and without warning. She said the standard of proof in this verdict is the balance of probabilities.

Death by misadventure is a similar verdict to accidental death, however there is the addition of risk factors that have contributed to the fatal outcome.

She said the jury could return this verdict if they decided that the fire broke out accidentally, but there were risk factors present that contributed to the deaths. The legal standard for this verdict is the balance of probabilities.

The next verdict was unlawful killing, which Dr Cullinane said was markedly different from the other verdicts.

She said if the jury returned this verdict, they had formed the view that the law had been broken in a serious fashion. She reminded the jury that it is not permissible in a coroners inquest that any person be held to have unlawfully killed the deceased.

She said that an inquest is not a trial and any findings of this nature would be challengeable. She said that there is a very specific test that must be applied before the jury can return this verdict.

You must find that there has been a failure by a person or persons to a very high degree to observe such a course of action as experience shows to be necessary if substantial injury to others is to be avoided, and that such failure was a substantial cause of the death, she said.

Unlike the other verdicts, Dr Cullinane said that a verdict of unlawful killing could only be returned if the jury were satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt.

She said the jury must apply the standards of 1981, and not today.

The fourth verdict available was an open verdict, which Dr Cullinane said the jury could return if they felt the facts established do not fully explain the manner in which the deaths occurred.

The final verdict available was a narrative verdict, which the coroner said may be chosen where the evidence is regarded as complex and multifactorial, with many issues being significant contributors to the cause of death. She said that the rule about not identifying any person applies here, too.

Dr Cullinane told the jury that in returning their verdicts, they could not make any comment or statement that does not assist in answering how the deceased died, nor should they say that any crime occurred.

She said that a verdict must be recorded on each of the deceased individually.

Dr Cullinane said that the jury could make recommendations aimed at preventing future similar deaths, but again these recommendations could not contain any blame or exoneration of a person.

At the conclusion of her charge, Dr Cullinane said that to sit on the Stardust jury brought with it great responsibility.

"There are no sides at an inquest. An inquest is not a trial as a verdict or a finding against any person," Dr Cullinane reminded them.
A woman is in serious condition following a collision between a car and an articulated truck in Cork this afternoon.

The collision occurred on the N28 in Carr's Hill at about 1.15pm.

The female driver of the car, aged in her 50s, was taken to Cork University Hospital where her condition is described as serious.

No other injuries were reported.

The N28 between the Shannon Road roundabout in Carrigaline and the Bloomfield Interchange in Douglas remains closed.

Local diversions are in place.

Gardai have asked members of the public not to share images and videos circulating on social media.

"An Garda Siochana is aware that there images and videos of this serious road traffic collision in circulation on social media. Out of respect for those involved, we are requesting these images are not shared, said gardai.

Garda Forensic Collision investigators have completed a technical examination of the scene.

Gardai in Togher are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this incident to contact them.

Any road users who were travelling on the N28 this afternoon between 12.45pm and 1.45pm and who may have camera footage (including dash cam) is asked to make this available to investigating Gardai.

Anyone with information in relation to the incident is asked to contact Togher Garda Station on 021 494 7120, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.

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Today's News in 90 seconds - 18th April 2024
Long-Covid can have myriad symptoms and there is no 'silver bullet'. Stock photo: PA

People with long-Covid can end up just a shell of their former selves and have to contend with being gaslit, a sufferer of the condition said yesterday.

Pamela Morrison told the Oireachtas health committee that she caught Covid when she returned to Ireland from the UK where she had been involved in Covid planning.

Ms Morrison, a member of Long Covid Advocacy Ireland, said: I am now four years on and I have never gone back to my house in London. My life is on hold and you are in limbo.

She said: It is a grief and you become a shell of your former self.

The group highlighted the majority of people who contact them have had negative experiences with HSE long-Covid clinics.

Co-founder Sarah OConnell said one person was on a waiting list for nine months but just ended up with a 15-minute consultation where the focus was on cardiac and respiratory issues.

Once those were ruled out she was passed over to occupational therapists and physiotherapists.

The clinic in University Hospital Limerick is only seeing six to eight patients a month and clinics can only operate for around two-and-a-half to four hours a week, they added.

Although brain fog and cognitive problems can be ongoing symptoms of long-Covid, there is only one neurologist in the country, in St Jamess Hospital, appointed to the care of these patients.

She said they understand there is no silver bullet for long-Covid but they feel they are not getting the level of help they should be getting.

There is a lot that can be done in terms of symptom management but patients are having to go private and spend a lot of money to get treatment.

The group estimates that some 350,000 people in Ireland could have long-Covid in some form.

HSE officials and doctors who appeared before the committee said most patients improve in time but not all.

It is not possible to tell a patient at the time of diagnosis how long they will be affected.

The problem is that there is no known reason why some people develop long-Covid after getting the virus.

Doctors said they are always looking for a chance to provide some treatment of symptoms and reduce them by some percentage and denied they were casting aspersions on the validity of patients symptoms.
Its an honest price  weve no reason to charge another 10 or 15 for B&B just because we can

One of our Fab 50 stays for 2024, Slieve Elva in Co Clare is a B&B run by a Belgian couple who came to Ireland in search of a better life balance

Kris and Ireen Claes of Slieve Elva B&B in Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare. Photo: Pol O Conghaile

Pol O Conghaile Thu 18 Apr 2024 at 03:30

Lots of Belgians have a romantic vision of opening a B&B when they are older, says Kris Claes.
Deciphering what the Iranian regimes weekend air assault on Israel means is not as difficult as most observers are making it appear. There are really only two possible scenarios  either the Islamic republics aim was not to inflict major damage on Israeli targets or its aim was but it was incapable of doing so.
ORANGEBURG, S.C.  A chance meeting at a South Carolina State University event put cybersecurity major Keshawn Burns on a path he never expected  a $181,000 scholarship and a job during and after his education.

Since I was a kid, I always said I was never joining the military, and then it just kind of happened, said Burns, who hails from Columbus, Georgia. Its how the tables flip, how God can change your desires and your heart. All of a sudden, I wanted to join the Coast Guard.

That chance meeting occurred at the SC State Career Centers annual Internship Day with U.S. Coast Guard Recruiter Edwin Colon-Melendez, who informed Burns about the Coast Guards College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (CSPI).

The Coast Guard was the last table I wanted to visit, Burns said. I wasnt the best dressed because I didnt have much at the time. I was guarding the area where people were eating so they wouldnt sneak food in and out, and (Colon-Melendez) approached me and said, I like how you look.

We just got to talking, he gave me his information, and it came down to this, he said.

On April 2 at SC States annual Honors and Awards Convocation, Colon-Melendez and other Coast Guard officers presented Burns a check for the first year of his scholarship.

Theres just a lot to take in right now, and I think if I keep putting my best foot forward, Ill be able to achieve my goals in a faster manner. Im just really blessed right now, Burns said after the presentation. Im so happy right now, not only for myself, but I can also help my kids when I have them in the future.

Those chosen for the CSPI enlist into the Coast Guard, complete basic training during the summer and receive full funding for up to two years of college. Upon receiving a bachelors degree, a CSPI graduate attends Officer Candidate School to earn a commission and start a career as a Coast Guard officer.

CSPI funding includes not only payment of tuition, books and fees, but also repayment of student loans, a full-time Coast Guard salary, housing allowance and medical benefits.

It takes a lot of pressure off, Burns said. I dont have to worry about trying to find a scholarship for this, trying to find a scholarship for that. I dont have to worry about where food is going to come from. I dont have to worry about how I will pay my bills. Im so thankful.

As a cybersecurity major, Burns was one of four SC State students who attended a national artificial intelligence (AI) conference at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts last fall.

He intends to use his education in the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard has a lot of cybersecurity fields and a lot of cybersecurity personnel teams, and I hope to join one of them to make a difference in this world, Burns said. Im not going to stop here. Im just going to keep going.

I know theres more for me to achieve, and I know Gods got more for me if I just keep going forward. If I can just keep trying, he can handle the rest, he said.

Burns became the second SC State student in as many years to earn a CSPI scholarship. At the 2023 Honors and Awards Convocation, communications major Chantelle Simpkins  now an officer trainee -- received the award. She was on hand to congratulate Burns this year.

Over the years, SC State has produced more than 25 Coast Guard officers, many of whom are in the current ranks. SC State accounts for four of an estimated 18 African American captains serving in the Coast Guard.

For more information about SC State's Cybersecurity Program, visit www.scsu.edu/academics/programs/cybersecurity.

For more information about the U.S. Coast Guards CSPI, visit GoCoastGuard.com.
Affordability is a massive issue along with supply in the housing crisis. Photo: Getty/Stock image

The grandiose pledges of building tens of thousands of homes, as touted by the current Government over recent days, falls short in addressing the underlying issue of affordability that continues to trap a generation in their parents homes.

Even if the Government was to succeed in constructing the promised homes, the affordability crisis persists, leaving many unable to break free from the shackles of high rents and unattainable property prices.

How can ordinary citizens possibly compete with the likes of vulture funds, pension funds, and seasoned landlords armed with substantial financial resources?

The harsh reality is that as long as individuals are pitted against such formidable entities, the dream of owning a home will remain out of reach for many.

It is evident that the commodification of family homes has only exacerbated the situation.

The proposed solution lies in a constitutional amendment that restricts home ownership to one property per person, aligning with the principles enshrined in Article 43.2 and the notion of serving the common good as outlined in the preamble.

It is imperative that policymakers acknowledge the urgent need for comprehensive reform to address the root causes of the housing crisis.

Thomas OConnor, Crumlin, Dublin 12

Climate change is like a religion  and its vital the atheists are converted

The debate around climate change is somewhat like that around the existence of God.

There are the believers, the non-believers and the agnostics.

There is now scientific evidence that global warming is taking place, but there is also scientific evidence of an ice age over two-and-a-half million years ago which lasted about 10,000 years.

We are also certain that carbon emissions or man-made activity had little to do with that ice melting.

Many people feel helpless around the whole climate-change debate.

Its such a vast topic that a type of futility has taken hold amongst people at large.

When a problem appears so vast that no individual action alone can fix it, a type of shrug-of-the-shoulders mentality takes hold.

There is also a huge degree of finger-pointing over who should pay the price. Rapid climate change is something that no country or even continent can solve on its own.

It has probably replaced nuclear war as a greater threat to the human race. Yet there are many very influential people in the world who believe the threat does not exist or is overblown.

If its to be treated as an emergency then we must convince the many sceptics.

Joseph Kiely, Letterkenny, Co Donegal

Surely we can spare a state adviser to figure out secret of Gibraltars success?

It looks likely the non-EU population of Gibraltar will soon be free to roam the common area at will as their land border with Spain is no longer an issue.

Meanwhile, we Irish are obliged to queue, in both directions, to have our European passports scanned and entry approved.

Millions of man and woman-hours are wasted annually trudging slowly, snakelike, towards either a few disinterested policemen or iffy scanners.

Could not one of our Governments 69 special advisers travel to The Rock and ask the question how is it done?.

The Passport Office would appreciate the vastly reduced peak demands for its expensive product should we join the Schengen Area.

Liam Pluck, Co Wicklow

If Dublin Bus was given the resources, it would derail the need for a Metro

There appears to be a determination in high circles to build a Metro system in Dublin, despite being a low-density city.

Costs are estimated to land in the 9bn to 10bn range, although everyone knows it will be at least 12bn before it is half finished. On the other hand, Dublin Bus costs 300m a year to operate.

In theory, we could double the scale of Dublin Bus operations for 36 years before we exceed the capital costs of the Metro.

One forms an impression that the Metro is favoured by people who are quite happy to get on a train but wouldnt condescend to step on a bus if ever they can help it.

Setting aside any accusations of snobbery, there may be some actions Dublin Bus could be resourced to take in order to make travelling by bus a more pleasant experience.

Frequency of buses is the obvious issue. Waiting more than 15 minutes in the rain is not optimal and is the main pipeline into the problem of overcrowding.

Also, a move that could be implemented immediately and would be inexpensive is a sustained and visible effort to brand the taking and making of phone calls on public transport as rude and inconsiderate, which it is.

Dublin Bus management must be aware by now that the kind of people who mistake a bus for their own personal phone booth are entirely impervious to the social cues of scowling faces and tuts.

Bill ORourke, Crumlin, Dublin

Outpouring of support from Irish after Sydney tragedy much appreciated

In the few days since the horrific murders in a Sydney shopping centre, Ireland has shown its remarkable humanity, because Irish heartfelt care really does extend around the world.

Irish people have contacted us at the Australian Embassy.

Irish TDs, senators and ministers, Taoiseach Simon Harris, Tanaiste Micheal Martin, opposition leader Mary Lou McDonald, embassies in Ireland and leaders of business and sport have touched us with their condolences and sympathy.

As we grieve the terrible events in Sydney, Irish love and understanding reaches out to us.

Thank you to all who have expressed their condolences or have offered prayer.

We know the murders were born of mental health complications and while we feel deeply for the families who lost loved ones, people with schizophrenia are more likely to be the victims rather than perpetrators of violence. These are the thoughts of internationally acknowledged mental health expert, professor and Irish-Australian Pat McGorry.

We do need to do more to understand mental health and to support people who suffer.

We know there were Irish nurses and doctors who cared for the wounded and distressed. We thank them for their care and hard work.

The Honourable Gary Gray, Australian Ambassador to Ireland
Former US president Donald Trump awaits the start of proceedings on the second day of jury selection at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York (Justin Lane/Pool Photo via AP)

Its a trial like no other, with a former US president at the centre. Donald Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 election. Ms Daniels says she had a sexual encounter with Mr Trump about a decade beforehand. Mr Trump has pleaded not guilty and denies an encounter took place.

As proceedings began it was announced that the foreman of the jury is an Irish emigrant to the US.

On Tuesday in Manhattan, the first six jurors for the criminal trial were chosen after lawyers grilled members of the jury pool about their social media posts, political views and personal lives to decide whether they can sit in fair judgment of the former US president

They include a jury foreman, originally from Ireland, who enjoys doing "anything outdoorsy" and watches both MSNBC and Fox News.

The trial is beginning just under 200 days before Americans cast their vote in the presidential election. As Joe Biden hits the campaign trail, Trump will be compelled to be in court for every single day of the trial.

Today on the Indo Daily, Kevin Doyle is joined by Jeff Mason, White House Correspondent for Reuters, and Molly Crane-Newman, Manhattan courts reporter with the New York Daily News, to discuss the first days of Trump's trial and what it may mean for November's election.
Supply costs for everyday goods such as mayonnaise, according to Mr Murphy, have incurred 100pc rate hikes in the wake of Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Cavan restaurant owner Fergus Murphy has said the industry is facing the biggest crisis he has ever witnessed in the wake of a new report that has shown over 200 outlets have closed their doors this year already.

A Cavan restaurateur has told of how soaring price and inflation rises has brought Irelands restaurant sector to its knees as pressure mounts on government bosses to lower VAT hospitality rates.

Fergus Murphy, who has been front and centre of Murphs Gastro Pub in Butlersbridge, Co Cavan for the past 18 years, said the pressures faced by an industry he has been a part of four almost four decades has never been greater.

Mr Murphy told of how unprecedented price hikes affecting even the most trivial of commodities has hit cafes and restaurants like never before.

Follow Independent Cavan on Facebook

I am 18 years in business and 38 years cheffing and 18 years here chef and owner, but I have never seen it as bad, he said, adding how the ongoing Ukrainian war has added to those woes.

Before the War I was paying 21.95 for a ten litre bucket of Hellmans (mayonnaise). Now it is 44. If a product goes up every year by 50c you bargain it down and you might get away with it going up by 20c.

But this went up from 22 to 44. That is one item and where does that fathom in the list of stuff that has and is still going up? Before the war I was charging 15.50 for fish and chips, now I am charging 19.50. I did the costings the other day and that dish should be 24.50 but I cannot charge 24.50, so I am taking a loss on that dish.

Supply costs for everyday goods such as mayonnaise, according to Mr Murphy, have incurred 100pc rate hikes in the wake of Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Those struggles were ones that were similarly voiced in a report commissioned by the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) this week that showed more than 200 restaurants have already closed their doors this year.

The report, which was completed by economist Jim Power, revealed how each closure results in 576,554 in gross wages being lost, as well as 115,310 in payroll taxes to the Exchequer.

Today's News in 90 seconds - 18th April 2024

According to Mr Murphy, unless government bosses step in and reduce hospitality rates from its current 13.5pc rate, more restaurants will close their doors for good.

That would be a huge thing and a lifeline, he said.

That is what I am looking for. It is only going to go down and if it doesnt happen soon and that VAT isnt changed back to what it should be and kept at nine per cent, a lot more places will close.

Unfortunately, people dont realise it is not just putting the owners and their families out of work and workers, but it is their suppliers that depend on us and the council lose their rates too.

It is bad for everyone full stop because you are not making the margin you should be making on anything anymore, he said.

You are basically breaking even and at the end of the year you dont even know you are breaking even.
Fianna Fail MEP Billy Kelleher recently visited Dunmanway with his party colleague Cllr Deirdre Kelly to meet with local organisations and businesses groups and to discuss the towns economic development.

Cork politician Mr Kelleher, who is seeking re-election to the European Parliament in June, is continuing his tradition of visiting towns and villages in Cork to hear from people on the ground about how he can support their development from a European perspective.

Mr Kelleher said he was very impressed after meeting with representatives from the Dunmanway Chamber of Commerce. Dunmanway is a town with serious potential if it gets the investment it needs. I met with the local Chamber of Commerce and I was very impressed with their plans for the future. Significant investment is needed to upgrade the towns wastewater treatment facilities. Lack of capacity is holding back the towns growth, he said.

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The MEP along with Cllr Kelly also met with West Cork IFA members during his visit to Dunmanway. Cllr Kelly also showed me around the site in the town centre that she wants the County Council to purchase and develop into a car back to help spur on the economic development of the town. Cllr Kelly and I met with West Cork IFA officials and members to discuss issues of concern. Farmers in West Cork are under pressure in the short term with inclement weather.

However in the long term, there are concerns about the future of the Nitrates Derogation and the level of new regulation that now needs to be implemented. I believe that the EU should pause the introduction of any new regulations and allow the existing ones time to be implemented and reviewed, he added.

Mr Kelleher is looking forward to visiting more towns and villages throughout Cork in the coming weeks. Really looking forward to continuing my visits to towns and villages across Cork with my local authority colleagues, concluded the Cork politician.

The European elections will be held on Friday, June 7 the same day as the local elections.

Ireland currently has 13 MEPs in the European Parliament.

The number of MEPs Ireland has in the next European Parliament however will increase to 14 after this years elections.

An additional seat has been allocated to the Midlands-North West constituency.

The current MEPs in the South constituency are Deirdre Clune (FG), Billy Kelleher (FF), Sean Kelly (FG), Grace OSullivan (Green Party) and Mick Wallace (Independents 4 Change).

Cork MEP Deirdre Clune who was first elected as an MEP in 2014 will not be running again for election.

Cork businessman John Mullins is running as the second Fine Gael candidate.

Today's News in 90 seconds - 18th April 2024
In a bid to entice more volunteers to the join the group, Tralee Red Cross this week launched a recruitment campaign and as part of this, they are offering a Free Red Cross Taster Session next month on Saturday, May 18 to prospective members.

Tralee Red Cross Chairman, Joe McDonnell, explained that the 'Taster Session' is an unusual event and will help people decide if the Red Cross is suitable for them.

''Many people are looking for an organisation where they can volunteer but they are unsure what would be right for them. We have members of all ages from all walks of life volunteering with us in various roles at present. While most people in Ireland associate the Red Cross as a First Aid organisation, we can deliver a wide range of services to the local community if we have members available to provide these services, he said.

''A recent survey of the Tralee Red Cross membership showed that 85 percent of members cited the 'feel good' factor and meeting people as their main reasons for remaining to volunteer with us'', he continued.

Speaking at the recruitment launch, the Kerry Director of First Aid Units, Michael O'Grady, revealed that the demand for its First Aid and Ambulance Service has increased over the last few years.

''Nearly every event that is being organised now wants a First Aid presence there and it can be challenging to meet that demand. First Aid with the Red Cross has always been a great way of people getting quality training and real life experiences under strict supervision. People thinking of taking up careers in the Medical, Nursing, Healthcare or Ambulance Service have always found this to be very beneficial and with helping them decide if those careers are right for them'', said Michael.

The 'Taster Session' on May 18 will run from 9.30am to 12.30pm and is open to everyone over 18 years of age.

''We hope to give attendees a broad overview of the humanitarian services we provide along with an outline of the various training programmes that will be offered to new members. We will also have some hands on practice in some of the roles'', said Joe.

''Our Community Support section enables volunteers to help in their local communities in roles such as Befriending Volunteers, Restoring Family Links, Therapeutic Handcare and Psychological First Aid but we need volunteer members''.

A limited number of places are available on the session and they are being offered on a first come-first served basis by applying on email with your name and contact number to chair.tralee@irishredcross.com where further details are also available.
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is making inquiries into the circumstances behind the tragedy.

The Heath and Safety Authority (HSA) is making inquiries into the circumstances behind a tragic accident that saw a Longford man lose his life in county Roscommon on Monday evening.

Tributes are being paid to Longford town native Elvin Vivienne Vernon Earley following the tragic incident which took place in Boyle.

The father of nine, who was originally from Farnagh, is believed to have died after sustaining a serious injury as a result of a fall from a height.

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News of the tragedy has sparked a huge outpouring of emotion and support to those closest to the former St Mels College student across various social media platforms.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - April 17th

One person described the Longford man as being an absolute gentleman, adding: Im grateful to have the privilege of knowing you and call you a friend. To say Im shocked is an understatement.

Another woman echoed those sentiments, saying the local community had been left numbed by news of the tragedy.

Elvin truly was one of a kind, she said. (He was) one of the most kindest and funniest people I've ever met. He knew how to brighten anyone's day and he will be so dearly missed.

A neighbour told of how Mr Earley was someone who played an integral part of a community he was deeply respected in.

"He was the heart and soul of Church View, a true gentleman and a wonderful father. He will be sadly missed, they wrote.

Those tributes were indicative of a flood of poignant messages of sympathy posted on RIP.ie yesterday evening and this morning as news broke of the tragedy.

Tributes are being paid to Longford native Elvin Earley after the father of nine lost his life in a tragic accident on Monday evening.

We are all truly heartbroken, read one tribute. Elvin you will be missed by so many.

Another person alluded to the father of nines goodwill and deep seated generosity.

What a gent and always an absolute laugh to be around, they wrote. A great neighbour always willing to lend a hand.

A death notice read: It's with great sadness that we announce the unexpected passing of Elvin Earley, 26 Church View, Boyle, Co Roscommon and formerly of Farnagh Estate, Longford.

Pre- deceased by his father Gerard, brother Patrick and sister Carmenzita.

Beloved son of Nora, doting dad to Adam, Kaylee, Layla, Leon, Amy, Shantell, Samantha & Jacinta.

Elvin was a devoted life partner to Vicky McDermott and a loving brother to Andrea, Vanessa, Amanda, Declan, Michael and Ivor, caring uncle to his nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, a cherished friend and neighbour and to all who knew and loved him.

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is making inquiries into the circumstances behind the tragedy.

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has confirmed its officials are aware of this incident and are making the relevant inquiries at this time.

While those efforts are continuing apace, the Irish Independent understands HSA officials are not actively investigating the incident at this juncture.

Gardai, meanwhile, have also told of how they attended the scene when the alarm was raised on Monday evening.

Gardai were alerted to a fatal workplace accident at a premises in Boyle, Co Roscommon that occurred on the evening of Monday, 15th of April 2024.

A man aged in his 40s was pronounced deceased at the scene.

His body has been removed to Roscommon University Hospital where a post-mortem examination will take place in due course.

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has been notified and attended the scene.

A file will be prepared for the Coroner. The late Mr Earley will lie in repose at his home, 26 Church View, Boyle, Co Roscommon (F52AP96) tomorrow (Thursday) from 4pm to 7pm with members of the public being reminded the house will remain private at all other times.

His removal takes place from his home on Friday at 10.30am to St. Josephs Church, Boyle arriving for Mass of the Resurrection at 11am, followed by interment in Assylinn cemetery.
The West and North West has a higher mortality rate from cancer than the rest of the country and this was unacceptable, Sligo/Leitrim TD Marian Harkin has said.

Speaking in the Dail, where she addressed the newly appointed Minister of State at the Department of Health, Colm Burke Deputy Harkin said: Minister, when people in the West and North West look at those statistics how do you think it makes them feel? How do you think it makes people who are newly diagnosed with cancer feel? How do you think it makes people feel who are in the middle of their cancer treatment or who are finishing their cancer treatment? The situation is just not acceptable and you'll have to agree it's just not right.

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The Deputy said that the National Cancer Strategy had not been properly funded for three out of the last five years, and the results were plain to be seen. When it comes to survival rates Ireland is around mid-table in the EU 27 and when it comes to western EU Member States, we have the third worst mortality rate.

According to Professor Michael Kerin, the director of the Saolta Cancer Network based in Galway, the highest incidence of cancer and the highest mortality rates from cancer are in the West and North West. Minister, Ireland is performing poorly in relation to many western European countries and the region I represent is at the bottom of the ranking in Ireland.

The National Cancer Strategy has Galway as the centre of a cancer network encompassing Sligo University Hospital, Letterkenny University Hospital, Castlebar and Portiuncula. Some progress has been made, a project lead has been appointed this week but there are glaring resource and infrastructural problems. For instance, in Galway, cancer patients are competing with patients in the emergency department for bed space, this is not acceptable.

This summer the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes is visiting Galway, Sligo and Letterkenny Hospitals to accredit these hospitals as part of the comprehensive cancer service for the West and North West.

In order to ensure the delivery of a world class cancer service in the region we need to make every possible effort to adequately fund these services immediately to attract and retain the specialized staff that we need to run those services.

We need to increase the number of beds dedicated to cancer patients and ensure multi-disciplinary teams to deliver the most accurate diagnosis and the most appropriate treatment at a location as close as possible to where the patient lives, Deputy Harkin concluded.

Today's News in 90 seconds - 18th April 2024
Taxi numbers in Sligo have declined by 10%, according to new figures from the NTA, highlighting stark regional disparities in access to essential transport. There were 230 taxis operating in the county in 2019 but in 2023 there were 207.

The figures came in response to a recent parliamentary question by Independent TD Carol Nolan. This dramatic drop in available taxis raises concerns for the country's vital hospitality industry and everyday passengers, particularly as tourist numbers are expected to surge in the coming months.

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The West has been heavily impacted by taxi shortages in recent years, with licences dropping by almost 9% in the same period, which has led to criticism of current SPSV policy by various stakeholders, particularly in hospitality and tourism.

The significant decrease in taxi availability is a crippling blow to rural Irelands hospitality sector, says Adrian Cummins, CEO of the Restaurants Association of Ireland. These businesses often rely on taxis to get customers home safely, especially after dark. With little to no public transport links in rural areas and without a vital taxi service, many people simply won't go out, further squeezing already strained rural businesses. The Government needs to take immediate action to address this issue before it cripples the entire industry entirely.

The decline in taxi numbers is attributed to a number of factors, including the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, an onerous entry system, and costly barriers for new drivers  such as outlays of up to 59,000 for a vehicle alone.

The Taxis for Ireland Coalition is calling on the NTA and the Government to take immediate action to address the shortage of taxis. They propose a 30% increase in taxi vehicles by 2027 as a step towards alleviating the impact of driver and vehicle number decrease over the past decade, coupled with Ireland's population growth.

A reliable and accessible taxi network is essential for a thriving hospitality industry and local economies, says Kieran Harte, General Manager of Uber Ireland. Taxis provide a safe and familiar option for visitors to Ireland and serve an invaluable service to people in rural and urban areas alike. We urge the Government and NTA to acknowledge the issue and take concrete steps to improve the supply of licensed, regulated taxi drivers and vehicles.

Today's News in 90 seconds - 18th April 2024
ATU Sligo and ATU St Angelas will once again open their campuses to the public as they welcome prospective students and their families to Open Day on Saturday 20th April, from 10am-1pm.

Open day is an important event in the academic calendar as its an opportunity to discover the wide range of CAO study options on offer in Sligo for 2024.

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As students make their final choices for university, they can speak with academic staff who deliver on the 180+ courses across both campuses in the areas of Business and Social Sciences, Engineering and Design; Science; Education, Home Economics; and Nursing, Health Sciences and Disability Studies. Professional services support staff will also be on hand to offer helpful advice and answer any questions relating to admissions, fees and funding, optional pathways, students support, disability and learning support, global and Erasmus+ opportunities and much more.

Student ambassadors will also provide guided campus tours to view the many facilities available to all ATU students as they embark on their exciting university journey.

A free shuttle bus service will operate between Sligo and St Angelas campuses on the day allowing visitors to experience both settings. Additional buses will tour the purpose-built student villages which surround ATU Sligos campus as well as the new Yeats Academy of Arts, Design and Architecture (YAADA) facility.

A Sligo Discount Sheet for open day guests will allow a discount of up to 15% at various coffee shops, restaurants and clothes shops in Sligo, Strandhill and Rosses Point.

For more information and to register for open day, visit atu.ie/sligoopenday

Today's News in 90 seconds - 18th April 2024
Dean Dickenson, Clive Burke, Mary Wood, Mary Burke and David Burke present funds raised at several events to John Hickey of the St Vincent's Foundation.

The family of late Wicklow fundraiser Eamon Burke carried on a long-standing tradition when they presented a magnificent 14,100 raised from their St Stephens Day swim and a bingo night to the St. Vincents Foundation.

A devout fundraiser who was a cornerstone of his community, when one-in-a-kind gentleman Eamon underwent a vital liver transplant in 2006, he wanted to give back and The Swim and the Burkes famous Christmas lights display, which brought joy to Wicklow families for over 40 years (and won the title of the best house in Ireland), were born.

Following Eamons passing in April 2023, his family have continued to fundraise in his memory, holding a hugely successful bingo night in the Arklow Bay Hotel last November and their yearly swim on St. Stephens Day.

Eamons son, David Burke, also raised 2,575 on a cycle from Wexford to Belfast in memory of well-known fundraising father Eamon, while daughter Mary raised 2,057 at her job at Rabobank through its Partnership Fund, which was presented to the RNLI at the Hurry to the Curry event.

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Not only was the whopping 14,100 total raised at last year's events a record fundraising tally for the family in a single year, but the generous outpouring of support from their community saw the total raised by them in aid of St Vincents Liver Unit jump to over 85,000.

This amazing figure could not have been achieved without the generous support of so many businesses sponsoring the bingo evening and the local community, friends and organisations who continue to back this worthy cause, Eamons daughter Mary said.

Eamon was given a second chance at life following his liver transplant in 2006, and since then, the family have had many years of fundraising, raising over 85,000 to date for St. Vincents Foundation.

The family would like to thank all those who supported these events, the local community, organisations and businesses. It would be impossible to raise funds without them all.

Thanks to the Arklow Bay Hotel, for generously giving us the room for the bingo, and also we would like to thank Dean Dickenson and Dicey OReilly for all there help on the night of the bingo.

We would also like to thank the RNLI, who come out each year to support the swim and keep everyone safe, as well as the Hoey Family in the Bridge Hotel, who every year generously feed all the swimmers after the St. Stephens Day swim.

After welcoming Eamons family to the hospital to accept the bountiful donation, a spokesperson for the St Vincents Foundation wrote: We have previously highlighted the phenomenal fundraising of Eamon and Mary Burke and their family for the Liver Unit.

We also carried a feature on Eamons death in April 2023, acknowledging the wonderful friendship he has shown to St Vincents over so many years.

Continuing the generosity that Eamon and Mary have always demonstrated, the family organised the annual St Stephen's Day Swim and, in addition, held a Bingo night in November.

Through all these efforts, they raised 14,100 for St Vincents Liver unit. This brings to almost 85,000 the cumulative sum contributed to the unit.

On a very poignant visit to the hospital, Mary and her family were photographed presenting the outcome, which was a record fundraising achievement for them in any one year, they added.

Our sincere thanks to the family and all their supporters.
Police officers secure a westbound portion of the Bay Bridge in response to a protest that blocked traffic in November 2023. A man sued San Francisco, claiming he was wrongfully arrested and detained during the protest. Benjamin Fanjoy/Special to the Chronicle

A Pleasanton man filed a lawsuit against the city of San Francisco, claiming he was wrongfully arrested during a Bay Bridge protest that blocked traffic on the week of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

In a lawsuit filed in federal court Tuesday, Masoud Barukzai said he was seeking damages and financial relief, claiming that he was not a part of the Nov. 15 protest and should never have been arrested and jailed by San Francisco police officers.

Barukzai did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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Alex Barrett-Shorter, a spokesperson for the San Francisco City Attorneys Office, said once the department has been served with the lawsuit, they would review the complaint and respond appropriately.

The city of San Francisco is named as the defendant because it employs the citys police department, the complaint states.

According to the lawsuit, Barukzai was driving over the Bay Bridge on his way to San Francisco International Airport when he encountered protesters blocking the roadway.

Protesters calling for a cease-fire in Gaza blocked traffic on the bridge near Treasure Island for four hours while President Joe Biden was visiting San Francisco during the APEC summit.

Approximately 50 people were arrested and 15 vehicles were towed, with some people abandoning their cars and tossing their keys off the bridge, according to officials.

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The lawsuit claims that California Highway Patrol officers surrounded Barukzais truck and forcibly removed him from his vehicle, restraining his hands with zip ties. The complaint alleges that officers did not explain why they arrested Barukzai, even when multiple bystanders tried to tell officers that he was not involved in the protest.
Wicklows budding astro-photographers entering this years Reach for the Stars astrophotography competition are hoping to emulate the success of two Garden County lensmen in last years competition.

The Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) astrophotography competition returns for its fourth year running, with a new Night Sky in Your Hand category added this year for a mobile phone category to encourage more people to get involved.

Launching the competition today, Dr. Eucharia Meehan, CEO and Registrar of DIAS, said: DIAS is delighted to launch the Reach for the Stars competition for 2024. We are always trying to improve and grow the competition and have made a number of updates this year that we hope will bring the competition to a new level. We now have an additional category inviting entries taken on smartphones. Cameras on phones can now take such high-quality photos that we felt it would be a great opportunity to encourage more people in Wicklow to get involved.

When the planets align. Lunar occultation of Mars. captured by Enda Kelly, from Wicklow town, was awarded the runner-up prize in the Out of This World category in last years competition. The image depicted the full moon as it conceals Mars from view by passing in front of it. It captures Mars just before it disappears behind the Moon from our perspective on Earth.

A photo entitled The Belt and the Scabbard captured by Laurynas Zubrickas from Arklow, was displayed as part of the 2023 outdoor exhibition. The image depicted the Orion constellation, which is one of the brightest and best-known constellations in the night sky.

The competition, which opened for entries this week, is seeking the best astro-photographs taken in Ireland over the period April 28 2023 to May 10 2024. It is calling for submissions under five distinct categories.

The Night Sky in Your Hand category involves images taken with only a smartphone, and without telescopes, of an astronomical scene. The Out of this World  Planetary section focuses on Images of the planets, sun and moon.. The Out of this World  Deep Sky category is for images of celestial objects that exist outside our solar system such as nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies. Back on Earth  Landscape images should depict a feature of astronomical interest as a prominent feature and elements such as nature, land or water. Images that depict a feature of astronomical interest as a prominent feature and elements such as cityscapes, buildings, houses, historical structures or monuments can be entered into the Back on Earth  Landmark category.

Entrants may submit up to two images per category to the competition. The deadline for entries is 5pm on Friday, May 10.

All entries to the competition will be screened by a shortlisting panel to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria. The shortlisted images in each category will then go forward for consideration by the judging panel and for an online public vote.
Taoiseach Simon Harris has confirmed that an extra Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO) has been allocated for Wicklow to support parents, students and schools in the county.

Announcing the allocation on Wednesday, April 17, the Taoiseach said: I am delighted to confirm that after months of campaigning some progress is finally coming Wicklows way regarding Special Education provision.

I am delighted to confirm that an additional Special Education Needs Organiser is now set to work in County Wicklow. I have been in contact with a number of parents and schools regarding the supports available for students with additional needs in the west Wicklow area especially.

I made contact with John Kearney, the Chief Executive Officer for Special Education, requesting urgent action to address the lack of supports. SENOs offer vital supports to students and families. This extra SENO will help even more families manage their childs education and ensure that they get the best start in life.

I want to ensure that these supports are made available all across County Wicklow and I will continue to tirelessly campaign for this. As always I will be sure to keep you all updated and as Taoiseach I will continue to push for extra investment in educational supports, he concluded.

It comes as the Ombudsman for Children said last week that it is promising the Taoiseach has prioritised children with the appointment of a super junior minister in special education and the establishment of a Cabinet subcommittee on children, disability and education.

Hildegarde Naughton will take on the role as Minister of State for Special Education and leave her current position as junior minister at the Department of Health.

Dr Niall Muldoon said it was his priority to ensure that every child with special education needs will have a school place this September and that adequate services for them are being provided in schools.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex after arriving at the Royal Salute Polo Challenge in Florida last week. Photo: PA Wire

Britains Prince Harry has registered himself as an American resident for the first time.

Harry put New Country/State Usually Resident as America on Companies House filings in June after having previously listed the UK as his primary home, the Sun reports.

Harry has previously admitted he is considering seeking US citizenship following his move to California.

Harry, wife Meghan and their children Archie and Lilibet currently live in a 14 million mansion in Montecito.

The Princes US visa application is currently under review by a judge after he admitted to previous drug use in his highly controversial memoir, Spare.

In the book Harry admitted to previous use of marijuana, cocaine and psychedelic mushrooms.

The Heritage Foundation launched a lawsuit to investigate whether he lied on his visa application when he moved to California.

The conservative think tank has argued that Harrys visa application should be made public to find out whether the duke declared to using drugs before entering the US in 2020.

The Heritage Foundation sued the Department of Homeland Security under the Freedom of Information Act, after claiming that Harry may have received favourable treatment when applying for his visa.

However, the Biden administration argues against the papers being released, and says that visa applicants have a right to privacy.

Lawyers are currently complying with a court order to move the case forward.

Drug use can be considered grounds to deny a US visa application, which threatens the royals immigration status.

On Monday a US ambassador said Harry would not be deported from the US, whatever the outcome of the trial.
Britain

Woman who murdered her parents and lived with their bodies for four years is jailed for life
EU to step up its sanctions on Iran as it urges Israel to show restraint

Calls to tighten economic screw on countries that supply weapons

An Iranian missile is seen during the National Army Day parade ceremony in Tehran, Iran. Photo: Reuters

Tassilo Hummel and Jan Strupczewski Thu 18 Apr 2024 at 03:30







European Union leaders gathered yesterday for talks set to include stepping up sanctions against Iran after Tehrans missile and drone attack on Israel left world powers scrambling to prevent a wider conflict in the Middle East.
LATEST | Iran in nuclear threat as US and UK announce new sanctions

Israel has yet to decide how to respond to last weeks attack

Iranian demonstrators attend an anti-Israeli gathering in front of the British embassy in Tehran this week. Photo: Reuter

Tom Watling UK Independent Thu 18 Apr 2024 at 19:59







A senior Iranian commander has issued Tehrans first nuclear threat since it launched a missile and drone attack against Israel as it looks to warn off a retaliatory assault.
Since 1963, The Independent has helped create a great community!

Since our founding in September of 1963, The Independent has been dedicated to giving Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Sunol readers the news they need to be in-the-know about what's going on in the Tri-Valley region.
Oakland police said a man shot at two alleged home invaders, killing one of them. The other is facing a murder charge for the mans death. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle

Two men were toting guns when they broke into the back door of an East Oakland home last month, looking for valuables, according to court documents.

Its unclear if they knew the residence on 102nd Street near International Boulevard was occupied, but the homeowner was there, also armed, according to police.

After an exchange of gunfire, one of the men, Charles Calloway, was dead. His alleged accomplice, David Washington, took off, only to be arrested 10 days later.

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Now Washington, 38, faces a murder charge in Calloways death, even though police dont believe he fired the fatal shot, court records show. Washington was expected to enter a plea during a hearing in Alameda County Superior Court on Friday.

His attorney, David Briggs, said that while he had not yet reviewed all of the evidence in the case, he is doubtful about the accuracy of the accounts of the shooting provided by police in court records. He declined to comment further.

The Alameda County District Attorneys Office declined to comment on the case.

The prosecution  which comes amid a broader rise in home-invasion robberies in Oakland this year  appears to be a rare case that seeks to hold Washington responsible under the theory that he provoked the homeowner to kill Calloway, legal experts said.

In the exchange of gunfire at the East Oakland home on March 15, the homeowner was shot in the foot and was hospitalized, police said. He was not charged with any crime. Under state law, homeowners are allowed to use deadly force to defend themselves against intruders if they fear for their safety, legal experts said.

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Washington was identified as a suspect using surveillance video, according to court documents. Police obtained a warrant and arrested him in San Franciscos Tenderloin neighborhood. Court documents did not specify where the video evidence came from.

In addition to the murder charge, Washington is accused of residential burglary and attempted murder following the alleged gunfight with the homeowner. He also faces a count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Court records show he was convicted of robbery in Alameda County in 2004. In December 2020, Washington was charged in Alameda County Superior Court with driving under the influence of alcohol and driving without a license. Six months later, he failed to appear at a court hearing, prompting a judge to issue a warrant for his arrest. He was arraigned last month after his arrest in the murder case, court records show.

He was being held at Santa Rita Jail without bail as of Thursday.

While Washington is not accused of fatally shooting Calloway, California criminal law affords prosecutors leeway to bring murder charges against people who did not personally kill someone.

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The felony murder rule, for example, allows prosecutors to charge defendants with murder if a death occurs during the commission or attempted commission of a felony. A new state law set stricter standards in 2019 for murder charges under the rule: Now prosecutors must show that the defendant was the actual killer, acted with the intent to kill or played a major role in the felony and acted with reckless indifference to human life.

Multiple attorneys who reviewed the allegations in Washingtons case but were not involved with it said that while the felony murder rule could apply, it appeared prosecutors were using whats known as the provocative act theory to bring a murder charge, which applies when a defendant commits an act that causes a victim of a crime to kill someone.

It is a valid, viable theory of murder, said San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe.

Wagstaffe pointed to a case in which two men held up a jewelry store in San Mateo in 1985. The store owner fatally shot one of the men, and the other was charged with murder in his accomplices death under the provocative act theory. A jury convicted the defendant, Larry Williams, who was sentenced to 28 years to life in state prison, Wagstaffe said.

Michael Cardoza, a defense attorney who previously worked as a prosecutor in Alameda County, said the prosecution must prove that the provocative act was substantial and caused the homeowner to use lethal force. A burglary alone might not warrant a conviction under the provocative act theory, but gunshots could.

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Thats up to a jury to decide, Cardoza said. Was that enough of a provocative act?

While several types of crime in Oakland are down so far this year compared with the start of 2023, robberies are up, driven largely by home invasions.

As of April 14, home-invasion robberies, which occur when residents are present, were up 119% compared with the same period last year, increasing from 16 to 35, according to the latest available police data. The city recorded 108 home-invasion robberies last year, up from 99 in 2019 and 63 in 2022.

Violent crime was up 10% this year as of April 14 compared with the same period last year, while property crimes were down  burglary decreased 47% and vehicle theft saw a drop of 10%.
Investing in Tamil Nadu: Manufacturing Outlook and Opportunities

India Briefing profiles Indias southern state of Tamil Nadu, assessing its expanding electronics manufacturing capabilities and its aim of becoming the Electric Vehicle capital of the country.

Webinar  Indias Top 5 Investment Destinations: Strengths and Opportunities for Foreign Businesses Thursday, May 16, 2024 | 12:00 PM New York / 6:00 PM Brussels Kyle Freeman, Partner at Dezan Shira & Associates, will introduce the top 5 most promising investment locations in India, providing an overview of their strategic strengths, factors driving their growth and highlight opportunities for foreign investment. Join us in this free webinar. REGISTER NOW

Tamil Nadu, one of the four southern states in India, is home to over 83 million people and has an area of 50,216 square miles (130,058 square km). Located at the southeast end of the country, it shares its borders with the states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh. The primary language spoken in the state is Tamil.

One of the most urbanized states in India, Tamil Nadus economic profile has largely been influenced by agriculture, fisheries, and forestry. In terms of the industrial landscape, sectors such as textile milling, food processing, and the production of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and electronic parts and equipment are beginning to contribute a significant portion to the state GDP.

Tracking state performance

As per a report by Indias Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Tamil Nadu holds the top position among Indian states in terms of both the quantity of factories and industrial workforce.

On April 19, 2024, it was reported that Tamil Nadu had surpassed Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh to become the top state in terms of exporting electronic goods in the fiscal year 20232024. It has been noted that the states exports increased by 78 percent between 20222023 and US$5.37 billion and US$9.56 billion.

Apart from the electronics segment, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) also have a heavy presence across a host of industries, such as coir, automobiles, food processing, textiles, footwear, and leather. The manufacturing sector is a big contributor to Tamil Nadus GDP, making up more than 40 percent of the total.

Other prominent industries with a substantial presence of MSMEs include healthcare, Information Technology (IT) & IT-enabled services (ITES), leather and textile manufacturing, auto components, electronics, and biotechnology.

Economic profile of Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is one of the leading manufacturing regions in the country, as the sector contributes around one-third to the GDP of the state. The leading industries are automobile manufacturing, textiles, agritech, and electronics parts and equipment.

Textile

Four of Tamil Nadus major cities, namelyCoimbatore, Tirupur, Salem, and Erodehave contributed to the expansion of the textile sector. While the cotton town of Coimbatore is known for its mass cotton production, Tirupur is popularly called the knit city. Tamil Nadu accounts for one-third of the textile businesses in India, with 45 percent of the spinning capacity and 10 percent of the handloom capacity.

In an effort to stop losing its competitive edge to other states in the textile manufacturing sector, the state government is offering policy incentives.

In February 2024, the Tamil Nadu government announced its decision to offer a 6 percent interest subsidy for the modernization of the spinning segment, which comes with a budget outlay of INR 5 billion (US$59 million). It is projected that the interest subsidy increase for spinning modernization will lower capital costs and motivate the spinning segment to update its outdated machinery.

Furthermore, in 2023, the special capacity subsidy for technological textiles, MMF (man made fiber) yarn made from recycled materials, MMF fabric, and apparel manufacture in Tamil Nadu was to increase from 15 percent to 25 percent. The need for technical textiles has increased significantly on a global scale since the COVID-19 epidemic, and the production of MMF and recycled products is expected to be the future growth drivers.

Key announcements for the states textile sector: Allocation of INR 1.683 billion (US$201.4 million) for Virudhunagar PM MITRA Park, which is expected to generate employment for 200,000 people.

An estimated investment of INR 8 billion (US$95.75 million) from Salem Textile Park is expected to generate jobs for 8,000 people.

Allotment of INR 250 million (US$29.9 million) to set up the Research and Business Development Fund for Technical Textiles and Manmade Fiber.

Allotment of INR 250million (US$29.9 million) for apparel clusters in Virudhunagar, Pudukottai, Kanyakumari, Silk cluster in Salem, and the yarn cluster in Namakkal

An allotment of INR 200 million (US$23.94 million) for 10 mini textile parks in the districts of Karur, Erode, and Virudhunagar is expected to attract investment and create rural jobs, especially for women in the aforesaid districts.

Manufacturing

Tamil Nadu stands out as a hub for manufacturing, hosting the largest number of factories in India, as per a recent RBI study. However, theres a noticeable uptick in the appeal of Global Capability Centers (GCCs), offshore branches of multinational corporations.

A 2023 EY report forecasts a significant surge in Indias GCC market, projecting it to grow from $45 billion to $110 billion by 2030. Tamil Nadu, with its abundant industries and skilled workforce, is poised to capitalize on this growth.

In January, this year, Saint Gobain, a French glass manufacturer, made its largest investment in Tamil Nadu this year, committing INR 3,400 crore across its various operations in the state, bringing its total investment to nearly INR 8,000 crore. This investment follows similar agreements with companies like Foxconn, Godrej, and Schwing Stetter.

The Tamil Nadu government has received investment proposals worth INR 2.97 trillion (US$35 billion) in the past two years, encompassing both the manufacturing and GCC sectors. The chief minister of state, M.K. Stalin, asserted that the proposed investments, contingent upon the outcome of the first Global Investors Meet (GIM 2024), would span a number of industries, including advanced electronics manufacturing, green energy non-leather footwear, cars and e-vehicles, defense and aerospace, data centers, global capability centers, information technology, and digital services.

According to Tamil Nadu Industries Minister TRB Rajaa, the states electronics exports in FY 20232024 reached a record-breaking US$9.56 billion. He expressed satisfaction with the sectoral performance and stated that the state is heading for yet another record high in the upcoming year.

Leading global electronics manufacturer, Apples iPhones, revealed that it will invest US$500 million in its India division to increase output. After Foxconn and Wistron, Taiwans Pegatron opened a production facility in Mahindra World City in Chennai in September 2022. The company invested over INR 11 billion (US$131.8 million) in the facility, which might result in the creation of 14,000 jobs. Pegatron is the third Apple vendor to establish a manufacturing facility in India. The largest manufacturer of mobile phone chargers in the world and a major supplier to Apple Inc., Salcomp, has also revealed intentions to invest about INR 18 billion (US$215.33 million) in its Tamil Nadu business in March 2023.

Automobile manufacturing

In January 2024, the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet (GIM) attracted significant investments from global tech, automotive, energy, and manufacturing firms, securing investment of over INR 6.6 trillion (US$79 billion), with a considerable portion earmarked for electric vehicle (EV) development.

Chennai, likened to the Detroit of Asia,, is known as a renowned automotive manufacturing hub. In recent times, several regions in the state have piqued the interest of EV manufacturers in setting up production units in the state. In 2023, Tamil Nadu accounted for 40 percent of the countrys EV production, manufacturing over 400,000 out of the one million EVs sold nationwide. Notably, the state produced a staggering 68 percent of all EV two-wheelers sold in India.

There have been a slew of new automobile investments announced in Tamil Nadu by prominent players. Vietnamese electric car manufacturer VinFast, for instance, plans to invest US$2 billion in establishing a manufacturing plant in Tamil Nadu. The construction is set to commence in 2024, with an initial investment of US$500 million for the first phase, aiming to create 3500 jobs and produce 150,000 EVs annually.

Tamil Nadus venture into the automotive sector traces back to the early 1990s, when India underwent liberalization, and private enterprises began establishing industries. Ford Motor, in collaboration with Mahindra & Mahindra, established the first car manufacturing facility near Chennai during this period. For three decades, the state has been closely associated with automobile manufacturing, attracting numerous companies to establish their operations there.

Meanwhile, Hyundai Motors has committed INR 61.8 billion (US$739 million) to bolster the EV sector in Tamil Nadu, including the establishment of a Hydrogen Valley Innovation Hub to promote green energy. Additionally, Ola Electric plans to invest INR 76 billion (US$909 billion) to construct the worlds largest EV facility spread across 2000 acres, incorporating advanced cell and EV manufacturing facilities, vendor supplier parks, and ancillary ecosystems.

At present, Indias Ather Energy, an EV two-wheeler company, operates two plants in Hosur and aims to expand further.

According to reports, the state is getting ready to bid on any and all electric vehicle manufacturing chances. Though some consider Tamil Nadu to be the nations automotive capital, the state is currently working to become known as Indias EV capital. Currently, BMW AG, Hyundai Motor, Nissan Motor, and Renault SA have production operations in Tamil Nadu.

Agro-food processing

Tamil Nadus agricultural sector benefits from its diverse agro-geoclimatic zones, supporting its prominent position in the industry. With approximately 24,000 SMEs and 1,100 medium and large enterprises involved, the state leverages its strengths: ample agricultural resources, growing demand, and excellent access to both local and global markets.

The region boasts leading production of various agricultural commodities, including rice, maize, sugarcane, mango, banana, turmeric, coconut, groundnut, cashew, tea, coffee, dairy products, eggs, and poultry, among others.

The agro-food processing sector contributes an estimated 15 percent to the states economy, with Tamil Nadu consistently surpassing 11 million metric tonnes of food grain production. It also accounts for 7.2 percent of Indias total food processing output and hosts the second-highest number of food processing units.

To further enhance the industry, Tamil Nadu is establishing eight agro-processing clusters and six mega food parks. The ambitious project was first announced in 2020.

Industrial Policy

The state launched Industrial Policy 2021 with the aim of attaining an annual growth rate of 15 percent in the industrial sector by 2025 in order to draw investments totaling INR 10 trillion (US$ 137 billion) and create work opportunities for 2 million people. The Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor (TNDIC), the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBID), and the Chennai-Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor (CKID) are the main industrial investment corridors.

The Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDCO), an industrial development agency of the Tamil Nadu government, was established in 1965. TIDCO seeks to advance medium- and large-scale companies inside the state through joint ventures and is the lead organization for the development of initiatives related to industrial corridors.

Other industrial developmental nodal agencies

State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT), Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation Limited (TIIC), and Tamil Nadu Small Industries Development Corporation Limited (TANSIDCO) are jointly developing industrial infrastructure in the state.

Key industrial infrastructure includes:

Industrial parks and land bank creation

Transport and logistics

Energy and utilities

IT infrastructure

Focus sectors Sunrise sectors Automobile and Auto Components

Chemicals

Electronic Hardware

Heavy Engineering

Leather

Textiles

Financial Services

Software Aerospace and Defense Applications

Agro & Food Processing Except Edible Oil Industries

Renewable Energy Components Manufacturing

Electronics System Design & Manufacturing

Medical Electronics, Devices and Equipment

Electric Vehicles, EV Cell & Battery Manufacturing or any Green Fuel Technology such as Hydrogen Fuel

Biotechnology

Pharmaceuticals, Bulk Drugs and Nutraceuticals

Petrochemicals and Speciality Chemicals

Footwear, Finished Leather Goods and Polyurethane Fabric

Technical Textiles Including Medical Textiles

Employment opportunities and skill development measures

In its 2024 state budget, Tamil Nadu announced that a payroll subsidy of 10 percent would be extended for new establishments that hire 500 or more women, physically challenged individuals, and transgender persons who are residents of Tamil Nadu.

Further, new projects such as the development of an IT park in Vilankurichi (Coimbatore), international skill development centers in Coimbatore and Madurai, free Wi-fi at 1000 locations in Coimbatore, Trichy, Madurai, and Salem, and a four-story plug-and-play manufacturing facility with an estimated budget of INR 370 million (US$4.4 million) are expected to generate 1500 jobs in Coimbatore city.

It may be worth noting that, according to data from the 202122 Annual Survey of Industries, out of 1.49 million registered women workers in India, 630,000, or 42 percent, were employed in factories in Tamil Nadu.

FDI in Tamil Nadu

The state allows 100 percent foreign direct investment (FDI) in over 30 sectors via automatic route. While one may not need prior approval; the state guidelines specify that the investment must be notified to the apex monetary body of the country, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), within 30 days of inward remittances or the issue of shares to non-residents.

Sector/Activity FDI Cap Agriculture Plantation Sector Mining and Exploration of metal and nonmetal ores Mining  Coal & Lignite Manufacturing Broadcasting Carriage Services ( Teleports, DTH, Cable Networks, Mobile TV, HITS) Broadcasting Content Service  Up-linking of Non-News & Current Affairs TV Channels/ Down-linking of TV Channels Airports  Greenfield Airports  Brownfield Air Transport Service  Non-Scheduled Air Transport Service  Helicopter Services/Seaplane Services Other services under Civil Aviation Sector  Ground Handling Services Other services under Civil Aviation Sector  Maintenance and Repair organizations; flying training institutes; and technical training institutions Construction Development Industrial Parks -new and existing Trading  Wholesale Trading E-commerce activities Trading  SBRT Duty Free Shops Railway Infrastructure* Asset Reconstruction Companies Credit Information Companies Intermediaries or Insurance Intermediaries White Label ATM Operations Other Financial Services Pharmaceuticals  Greenfield Petroleum & Natural Gas  Exploration activities of oil and natural gas fields 100% Petroleum refining by PSUs Infrastructure company in the securities market Insurance Pension Power Exchanges 49%

FDI incentives under state industrial policy

The Tamil Nadu Industrial Policy, 2021, also specifies provisions to avail benefits. The salient features are as follows:

Eligibility:

 SGST Reimbursement: 100 percent reimbursement of SGST paid on the sale of final products manufactured, sold, and registered within the state for a duration of 15 years.

 Fixed Capital Subsidy: Capital subsidy of up to 25 percent dispersed over a maximum period of 15 years, depending on project location and category. Large projects in category A districts (Chengalpattu , Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur) will receive a back-ended capital subsidy of INR 10 million (US$119,700).

 Flexible Capital Subsidy: Capital subsidy of up to 35 percent of Eligible Fixed Assets (EFA) for A districts, 37 percent for category B districts (Coimbatore, Erode, Karur, Krishnagiri, Namakkal, The Nilgiris , Ranipet, Salem, Tiruchirappalli, Tirupattur, Tiruppur, and Vellore), and 40 percent of EFA for category C districts (Ariyalur, Cuddalore, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Kallakurichi, Kanniyakumari, Madurai, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Perambulur, Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Sivagangai, Tenkasi, Thanjavur, Theni, Thiruvarur, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram and Virudhunagar), distributed over 2.5 times the investment period.

 Turnover Based Subsidy: Up to 2 percent of yearly turnover for mega/ultra-mega projects generating more than 2000 jobs for 10 years.

Other subsidies and benefits:

 Investment Promotion Subsidy: Up to 40 percent of EFA.

 Logistics Parks Industry Status: Logistics parks will receive industry status with relaxation on non-processing areas.

 Imported Machinery: Both new and second-hand machinery can be considered as Eligible Fixed Assets.

 Transport Subsidy: 75 percent of relocation costs of capital goods, capped at INR 100 million (US$1.97 million).

 Land Cost Subsidy: Eligible projects in SIPCOT in A & B districts will be offered land at a 10 percent concessional rate, and at a 50 percent concessional rate in C districts for land up to 20 percent of EFA.

 R&D Training Incentive: INR 10,000 (US$119.7) per person per month for a duration of 12 months.

 Standard Incentives & SGST Refund on Capital Goods: Firms with inverted tax structures will also qualify for standard incentives and SGST refund on capital goods.

Policies and schemes in Tamil Nadu to support businesses

Tamil Nadu Semiconductor and Advanced Electronics Policy 2024 Tamil Nadu Ethanol Blending Policy 2023 Special Scheme for Technical Textiles, MMF Yarn from Recycled Products, and MMF Fabric & Apparel Manufacturing (2023) Tamil Nadu City Gas Distribution Plan 2023 Tamil Nadu Logistics Policy & Integrated Logistics Plan 2023 Tamil Nadu M-Sand Policy 2023 TN Electric Vehicles Policy 2023 Tamil Nadu Aerospace & Defence Industrial Policy 2022 Tamil Nadu R&D Policy 2022 Tamil Nadu Lifesciences Promotion Policy 2022 Tamil Nadu Footwear & Leather Products Policy 2022 Tamil Nadu FinTech Policy 2021 Tamil Nadu Data Centre Policy 2021 TN Export Promotion Strategy 2021 Tamil Nadu Startup & Innovation Policy 2018-23 Tamil Nadu Electronics Hardware Policy 2020 Tamil Nadu Solar Energy Policy 2019 Tamil Nadu Electric Vehicle Policy 2019 Tamil Nadu Food Processing Policy 2018 Tamil Nadu Automobile and Auto Parts Policy 2014 Tamil Nadu Biotechnology Policy 2014 Tamil Nadu Export Strategy 2014

Ease of doing business in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu boasts quality infrastructure, connectivity, and a skilled workforce. It has also undertaken numerous steps to improve the business climate under the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) Initiative.

The Tamil Nadu Single Window Portal, launched in 2021, is viewed by many country analysts as an investment game changer. It is a one-stop portal for investors to electronically secure all business-related approvals/ licenses/ clearances/ NOCs in a time-bound, yet hassle-free manner in Tamil Nadu. This covers over 200 services covering 40+ government departments/ agencies.

Single window fee slab for large industries

S. no. Investment limits of enterprises Fee payable to the state level nodal agency Lump sum fee for all single window clearances / services (in rupees) Fee for each clearance / service offered through single window portal Pre-establishment or pre-operation stage clearance / service and incentive  upto 5 clearances / services (in Rupees) Renewal stage clearance / service or any other post-operation stage clearance / service (in Rupees) 1 Expansion of an enterprise (other than MSME) with additional investment up to INR 100 million Nil Nil Nil 2 Expansion of an enterprise (other than MSME) with additional investment of more than INR 100 million up to INR 500 million 250,000 40,000 7,000 3 Establishment or expansion of an enterprise with investment of more than INR 500 million and up to INR 1 billion. 500,000 80,000 12,000 4 Establishment or expansion of an enterprise with investment of more than INR 1 billion and up to INR 3 billion 1,000,000 160,000 22,000 5 Establishment or expansion of an enterprise with investment of more than INR 3 billion and up to INR10 billion. 1,500,000 2,40,000 32,000 6 Establishment or Expansion of an enterprise with investment above INR10 billion 2,000,000 320,000 42,000

Conclusion

Tamil Nadus government is successfully attracting FDI in key industrial sectors due to its streamlined business environment and handholding by state agencies. Major sectors like textiles and automobiles have well-established networks of MSME suppliers, including OEM and ODM players, that support top manufacturing firms. The state has revised its policies to boost investment appeal in areas where the state is losing its competitive advantage to other Indian states or foreign hubs.

A recent ambition is becoming the EV manufacturing capital of the country. The state offers lucrative policies, such as tariff reductions for EV charging stations, which may facilitate the proliferation of EV stations, thereby encouraging EV adoption. The Vietnamese EV brand VinFast has just begun setting up its factory here.

Overall, the industrial ecosystem in Tamil Nadu offers plenty of scope for foreign players to set up production plants, implement diversity hiring, explore local sourcing or JV partners, or invest in R&D aligned with Indias sustainability and technology ambitions.

(With inputs from Melissa Cyrill.)

This article was originally published April 18, 2024. It was last updated April 22, 2024.
Photo courtesy: Videograb from X

Indonesian officials Wednesday warned of tsunami waves following the eruption of Mt. Ruang, which has been occurring for days and is now at its highest level, media reports said.

Indonesia's National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure, known as BNPB, said Mt. Ruang, located in the North Sulawesi province, "experienced an explosive eruption" with a column of ash reaching more than a mile high from the peak on Tuesday before it extended even further to a mile-and-a-half a day later.

On Thursday, there was "another explosive eruption" officials said, with a cloud of black ash reaching nearly two miles high.

Thursday's eruption was "accompanied by roaring sounds and an earthquake," the officials were reported as saying.

"The eruption of Ruang volcano caused ash rain accompanied by stones and gravel and reached residential areas on the Tagulandang coast," the agency said, citing reports from the Sitaro Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency.

"Several residents were reported to have been hit by thrown gravel and rocks and have received intensive treatment."

People living in the Tagulandang Island area and within a roughly four-mile radius of the volcano eruption were asked to immediately evacuate the area.

According to the Associated Press, more than 11,000 people have now been ordered to leave.

People who reside along the coast were also warned that tsunami waves "could be triggered by the collapse of a volcanic body into the sea."
Image: Screengrab from Twitter

Tel Aviv/IBNS: At least 14 Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers and four civilians were injured as an explosive drone reportedly launched from Lebanon struck a community centre in the northern Israeli border village of Arab al-Aramshe on Wednesday (Apr 17).

Claiming their responsibility for the attack, Iran-aligned Lebanese armed group Hezbollah said the attack was carried out on a military facility in retaliation for Israeli strikes that killed its members.

Hezbollah said that it had carried out a combined attack with guided missiles and explosive drones on a new military reconnaissance command centre in Arab al-Aramshe, which is an Arab-majority village of northern Israel near the Lebanese border.

#NEW  More from the Hezbollah drone hit on the Arab israeli town of Arab Al Aramshe an hours ago pic.twitter.com/NkWqC3SBeB  UK R REPORT (@UKR_Report) April 17, 2024

The Hezbollah attack comes a day after the Israeli army's strikes in southern Lebanon, in which a Hezbollah field commander identified by the IDF as Ismail Yusaf Baz and two other members of the armed group were killed.

The IDF said 14 of its soldiers were wounded in Wednesdays drone attack and six of them were in serious condition.

The victims were taken to Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya.

Meanwhile, four civilians were also injured in the attack. However, they were moderately or lightly hurt, according to hospital reports.

Cest sur ce centre communautaire dArab Al Aramshe (Nord dIsrael) que plusieurs missiles ou drones lances par le Hezbollah ont ete tires cet apres-midi. Au moins 18 blesses (dont 14 soldats). 1 personne en urgence absolue et 4 dans un etat grave. pic.twitter.com/A3KoN8Ua9u  Chrystopher Barolin (@ChrysBarolin) April 17, 2024

Later, the Israeli military said, in response, its fighter jets had struck terrorist infrastructure of Hezbollah in eastern Lebanon, reports Al Jazeera.

According to local media reports, the border village of Arab al-Aramshe has been largely evacuated, and soldiers are stationed there and may have used the building, which came under attack, as a gathering space.
Photo courtesy: Screenshot grab from X video

Hyderabad/IBNS: A missionary school in Telangana's Mancherial district was vandalised after students were questioned over their saffron attire, triggering a massive row in the south Indian state, media reports said.

The incident happened at Blessed Mother Teresa High School in Kannepalli village, which is about 250 kilometers away from the state capital Hyderabad.

When Principal Jaimon Joseph questioned some students over their saffron attires, they replied that they were observing a 21-day ritual, Hanuman Deeksha.

The Principal then asked the particular students to bring their parents to have a talk on it.

In Telangana's Adilabad, Hindutva mob barged into Mother Teresa English Medium school, vandalized properties and assaulted the school manager after the school authorities asked some Hindu students not to attend school in religious dress. pic.twitter.com/Vba5DFCh60  Waquar Hasan (@WaqarHasan1231) April 17, 2024

The matter went out of hand after the incident went viral on social media with some claiming the Principal was opposing Hindu attire in the school.

A mob of saffron clad men then attacked the school with Jai Shri Ram slogans, leading the teachers to plead to them to stop.

Some reports claimed Principal Joseph was beaten up and forcibly applied Tilak on his forehead.

The protesters have demanded an apology from the institution.

Following complaints from the students' parents, police have registered a case against the Principal and one other on grounds of hurting religious sentiments and discrimination on the basis of religion.
Electric bikes are parked at a shopping center in San Anselmo. Lauren Segal/Special to the Chronicle

A Marin County high school district is considering restrictions for teenage commuters on overpowered electric bicycles at its campuses, as California legislators pursue an only-in-Marin pilot plan that would outlaw operation of a powerful class of e-bikes by riders under age 16.

In a presentation Tuesday before the board of the Tamalpais Union High School District, Michael Norton, chief of the Central Marin Police Authority, proposed that that starting in the fall, all students riding e-bikes to the districts high schools  Tamalpais, Redwood, Archie Williams, Tamiscal and San Andreas  be required to register their vehicles with the schools in order to park in bike racks on campus.

There may also be an education and safety requirement to the registration, for both students and parents  who additionally may be required to sign a letter stating that their children will not have access to an app or other capability that allows modification of an e-bike motor to increase its speed beyond the legal maximum of 20 mph, as dictated by the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

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Nortons action was mainly in response to Class 2 e-bikes  one of three types of motorized bicycles designated by the DMV.

Class 1 are pedal-operated with a maximum power of 750 watts in an electric motor and a maximum speed limit of 20 mph. Class-2 e-bikes add a throttle on the handle that can propel the e-bike to 20 mph before the motor shuts off. Class-3 e-bikes lack a throttle, but the motor is more powerful to reach a maximum speed of 28 mph.

There are no age restrictions for Class 1 and 2 bikes, but an operator must be 16 to ride a Class 3. No license is required to operate any of the three classes.

But Norton said some e-bike models are being marketed to kids and parents as Class 2 e-bikes when they are actually either Class 3 e-bikes or e-motorcycles, which have a power capacity beyond the maximum 750 watts and can exceed the maximum 20 mph speed for Class 2 models.

The existing e-bike laws are not being consistently enforced in Marin for several reasons, including lack of public awareness and lack of police resources, according to Norton and county bike activists. But Norton said an outreach program is underway to educate parents, and that after a grace period, existing traffic laws will be enforced against underage operators of Class 3 e-bikes and e-motorcycles, which require a drivers license with motorcycle enhancement. In order to enforce the laws, police plan to work with the school districts.

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Were not against e-bikes. They cut down on traffic. But if something is illegal we cannot look the other way, Norton told the board.

I feel bad for the parents who have spent all this money on e-bikes, he said. But  we have to enforce the vehicle code.

Nortons staff did not respond to a Chronicle request for details about how the e-bike control plans would be implemented. School board President Leslie Lundgren also did not respond to a request for comment about her position on the plan and how it would be carried out.

Tamalpais Union Superintendent Tara Taupier told the Chronicle that the program was still being worked out with law enforcement and we are not ready to share the details.

The Central Marin Police Authority covers Larkspur, Corte Madera and San Anselmo. Also at the school board meeting, and working in tandem, was a representative of the Mill Valley Police Department.

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Meanwhile at the state level, Assembly Bill 1778, sponsored by Assembly Member Damon Connolly of San Rafael, has cleared committee and is headed to the Assembly floor for action. If passed, it would allow Marin County and its towns and cities to pass resolutions to make it illegal for anyone under age 16 to operate a Class 2 e-bike.

According to Bob Mittelstaedt of the Marin County citizen group E-bike Access, the majority of e-bikes ridden to schools are sold as Class 2, but most brands are capable of going faster than the Class 2 limit of 20 mph.

This is an important safety issue, he said. Marin Countys health department reports that the accident rate for children on electric devices is nearly 10 times the rate for older age groups even though the accident rate for conventional bikes is roughly the same across all age groups.

According to the presentation by Norton, the majority of all e-bike accidents in Marin County involving injury are caused by riders between the ages of 10 and 16. These students often are not aware of traffic laws, do not wear helmets  though it is required of anyone under 18  and often ride more than two people at once, according to a police department survey.

If passed, AB1778 would be voluntary at both the Marin County and city level, meaning local governments must choose to opt in. If the Marin County Board of Supervisors were to approve it, AB1778 would govern all unincorporated areas but could not be enforced in towns and cities that reject it.

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It would require Marin County to file a comprehensive report by Jan. 1, 2028, as to its effectiveness in reducing accidents while increasing traffic safety. As a pilot program, it would be looked at for possible broadening as a statewide bill.

AB1778 represents a proactive step towards promoting the safety and responsible usage of Class 2 electric bicycles, particularly among our youth population, Connolly said in a statement. By empowering local authorities with the flexibility to implement targeted measures, we can work towards creating safer and more sustainable transportation ecosystems for all residents of Marin County.

Another Assembly bill, 2234, would create a pilot program in San Diego County with more sweeping restrictions: It would allow the county and its local governments to prohibit anyone under 12 from riding a Class 1 or Class 2 e-bike. It would also require e-bike riders who dont have a valid California drivers license to take an online safety training course and test and carry a state-issue operating license with photo while riding an e-bike.

That bill was introduced in February by Tasha Boerner, who represents the San Diego County coast. It is still moving through the committee stage.
Photo courtesy: Facebook/Rahul Gandhi/Ravi Shankar Prasad

New Delhi/IBNS: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has termed Congress top leader Rahul Gandhi 's claims that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will get maximum 150 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as his "daydreaming".

When asked by ANI, Prasad, a senior BJP leader, said the Congress won't be able to open its account in Uttar Pradesh, where Rahul and his ally Samajwadi Party (SP)'s chief Akhilesh Yadav held a joint press conference on Wednesday.

"Why are you worried if he is daydreaming? Two friends had come together earlier, no? They got only 7 seats last time. Just wait and watch. Rahul Gandhi's party will not be able to open its account in Uttar Pradesh.

"Why is he afraid of contesting from Amethi? Why are they not announcing the candidate from Rae Bareli," Prasad said.

#WATCH | On Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's "BJP will get 150 seats" remark, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad says, "Why are you worried if he is daydreaming? Two friends of UP had come together, they got 7 seats. 'Uttar Pradesh ke 2 ladke' are sitting together, you will see what will pic.twitter.com/R9coB0T1n9  ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2024

Exuding confidence in the BJP's return to power for the third consecutive term, Prasad said, "Be it Akhilesh-ji or Lalu-ji or Rahul-babu, they are not able to fathom which way the wind is blowing in the country. The country is with Narendra Modi-ji."

BJP will go upto 150 seats

Addressing a press conference with Akhilesh, Rahul on Wednesday said, "I can't predict the number of seats. In general views, I was feeling BJP was getting up to 180 seats 15-20 days earlier. Now I feel BJP can only go upto 150 seats."

"I am getting reports that our performance is getting better and there is an undercurrent for the INDIA bloc," he added.

What does ABP-C Voter predict?

The ABP-CVoter opinion poll, the last one before the Lok Sabha elections 2024, has projected a total vote share of 46.6 percent for the BJP-led NDA, with the saffron party likely to win 40.2 percent of the votes.

According to the latest opinion poll, the NDA is likely to miss its 'ab ki baar, 400 paar (This year, 400+ seats)' target but is projected to clinch a thumping victory, winning 373 out of the total 543 seats.

The BJP could win 323 seats on its own, a rise of 20 seats since the last Lok Sabha polls of 2019, and comfortably beyond the majority mark of 272, according to the survey.

Speaking in the Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed that BJP alone will be getting 370 seats while the National Democratic Front (NDA) will touch the 400-mark.
In image Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/ courtesy: wikimedia commons

Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned of attack on Israels nuclear sites and may pursue a nuclear weapon if the country strikes at Irans nuclear facilities.

The development came on Thursday, after Israeli officials promised a response to Irans unprecedented attacks on the country last week, which were a retaliation for the Israeli militarys suspected targeting of Tehrans consulate in Syria.

The nuclear facilities of the Zionist enemy have been identified and all the necessary information from all targets is at our disposal, the IRGCs Brigadier General Ahmad Haghtalab was quoted as saying by Irans semiofficial Tasnim news website.

Our fingers are on the trigger of firing strong missiles to destroy the designated targets in response to a potential attack by them, said the commander of the IRGC division that is tasked with protecting Iranian nuclear facilities.

Haghtalab also gave the most direct warning yet that it may abandon its stated policy of refraining from building a nuclear bomb.

If the fake Zionist regime wants to use the threat of attacking the nuclear centres of our country as a tool, reconsidering the doctrine and policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and deviating from previously stated considerations would be likely and imaginable, he said.

Earlier, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi has warned that Iran's attack on his country will be 'met with a response'.

He made the remarks while visiting Nevatim Airbase in Israel where four Iranian ballistic missiles hit on Saturday (April 13, 2024).

Iran wanted to harm the strategic capabilities of the State of Israel  that is something that had not happened before. We were prepared for the Iron Shield operation  preparation that brought Iran to also encounter aerial superiority, he was quoted as saying by The Times of Israel.

We are looking ahead, we are considering our steps, and this launch of so many missiles, cruise missiles, and UAVs into the territory of the State of Israel will be met with a response, he added.
Image credit: File image by US Dept. of State on Wikimedia Commons via Flickr

While responding to a journalist's question about Elon Musks question on India lacking a permanent seat at the UNSC, US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said that the United States has offered support for reforms to United Nations (UN) institutions, including the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

"The President has spoken about this before in his remarks to the UN General Assembly, and the Secretary has alluded to this as well. We certainly support reforms to the UN institution, including the Security Council, to make it reflective of the 21st-century world that we live in," Vedant Patel said.

"I don't have any specifics to offer on what those steps are, but certainly, we recognise that there is a need for reform, but I will leave it at that for now," he added.

Earlier in January, the Tesla CEO called the absence of India as a permanent member of the UNSC "absurd", and said that the current structure of the UNSC does not adequately represent the world's most populous nations and called for an overhaul.

On January 21 this year, Elon Musk, in his post on X (formerly Twitter), said, "At some point, there needs to be a revision of the UN bodies. Problem is that those with excess power dont want to give it up. India not having a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite being the most populous country on Earth, is absurd."

At some point, there needs to be a revision of the UN bodies.



Problem is that those with excess power dont want to give it up.



India not having a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite being the most populous country on Earth, is absurd.



Africa collectively should  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 21, 2024

In his post, Musk also advocated that Africa collectively should have a permanent membership in the top UN body.

India has been eyeing a permanent seat at the UNSC table for years.

Earlier in September last year, during the G20 Summit in New Delhi, US President Joe Biden supported India's bid to the UNSC.
One Piece Chapter 1112 is all set to return after weeks of hiatus. The beloved action-fantasy series has been on break since its last installment in Weekly Shonen Jump issue #17 on March 25. Fans of One Piece can now celebrate as a the manga is all set to arrive soon.



If you are also buzzing with excitement to witness Luffy and the crew's return, especially now facing formidable challenges as they gear up to confront the Five Elders while also ensuring Egghead's safe escape, here is all you need to know!

One Piece Chapter 1112 release date and time

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One Piece Chapter 1112 will release along the issue #21 of the Weekly Shonen Jump. It is scheduled to be out on Monday, April 22, at 12 am JST. The timing may vary depending on your region. According to Indian timings, it will be out at 8:30 pm.

One Piece Chapter 1112: where to read

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The upcoming chapter will be available to read free on the Viz Media website and Shueisha's MANGA Plus website. If you have paid subscription of Shueisha's Shonen Jump+ app, you can read One Piece Chapter 1112 there as well.

Also read: Demon Slayer Season 4: Release Date, Total Episodes, Where To Watch And What To Expect



One Piece Chapter 1112 spoilers: here's what to expect

As per theories doing the rounds on Reddit, here are some One Piece Chapter 1112 spoilers:

Kinemon could be seen making an important request to Yamato. Nusjuro will likely make an appearance during Bonney's fights with the Marines, and would likely defeat all Pacifistas. Despite this setback, Vegapunk's broadcast continues, piquing Mars' curiosity as he decides to investigate further.

Despite this setback, Vegapunk's broadcast continues, piquing Mars' curiosity as he decides to investigate further. Yorks would bring Mars, a bird/snake yokai, to the monitor room, which will unfortunately get destroyed. Despite this setback, Vegapunk's broadcast won't end. Mars would notice this sound and he would go after it.

Action-packed sequences will unfold as Luffy face-off against Ju Peter, a sandworm, as he would attempt to take on Warcury, a boar yokai. However, things would take an ugly turn and Luffy will end up getting hurt. Meanwhile, Bonney will engage in a fierce battle with the Marines, only to be interrupted by the unexpected arrival of Nasjuro.

In the end, Mars would reach the Punk Records, where he would make a startling revelation about Vegapunk's luck. Amidst all the chaos, Mars would discover something mysterious that will capture his attention, hinting at intriguing developments to come.

Also read: Jujutsu Kaisen Becomes World's Most Popular Anime, Have You Watched It Yet?

FAQs

1. What is the exact release date & time for One Piece Chapter 1112?

The release of One Piece Chapter 1112 is scheduled in the United States on Sunday, April 21st, at 11 AM ET / 10 AM CT / 8 AM PT.

2. Who are the key characters involved in Chapter 1112?

Key characters include Kinemon, Yamato, Nasjuro, Bonney, Luffy, Ju Peter, Warcury, York, and Mars.



What do you think of One Piece Chapter 1112 spoilers and theories? Are you excited about its release? Let us know in the comments section below.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.


Ranam Aram Thavarel OTT Release: Hailed as one of the standout thrillers of 2024, the Tamil mystery film written and directed by Sherief is all set to make its OTT debut soon. Starring Vaibhav Nandita, Swetha Tanya and Hope, the movie revolves around a crime writer who gets involved in a series of murders after the death of a nurse. Here's all you need to know about Ranam Aram Thavarel's OTT release.

Where to watch Ranam Aram Thavarel on OTT?

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The rights to stream Ranam Aram Thavarel have been bought by the OTT giant Amazon Prime Video. The Tamil thriller will soon be available to watch online.



When to watch Ranam Aram Thavarel on OTT?

The Vaibhav-starrer will be available to stream from April 19.

Also read: Premalu OTT Release: Internet Is All Hearts For Mamitha Baiju And Naslen's 'Must-Watch' Romcom



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Ranam Aram Thavarel plot:

The film revolves around the mysterious death of a nurse and a crime journalist investigating the case. During the investigation, he finds out the nurse's death has a connection to antagonistic forces, adding layers of suspense and intrigue to the narrative.

Here's how people review the film on Twitter

"Ranam Aram Thavarel good investigation Thriller by @SheriefDirector. Second half was awesome & makes us emotional. @actor_vaibhav nailed as Facial reconstruction artist. @bbsureshthatha, Thatha you did an excellent acting. A Big kudos to @Nanditasweta, I loved your acting."



"Good watch for thriller genre lovers. Awesome work and research by debutant @SheriefDirector, @actor_vaibhav neat subtle performance," said another one.



"@actor_vaibhav na performance. @SheriefDirector screenplay  1st half semma SPEED  different attempt @ArrolCorelli Bgms good, runtime is big plus. Finally #Ranam is good thriller of this year  #RanamAramThavarel all truths seek their own justice," said another user.



Produced by Madhu Nagarajan under the banner of Mithun Mithra Productions, the movie was released in theatres on 23 February 2024, where it received positive reviews from critics and became a commercial success.



Also Read: Chiranjeevi Loved 'Tillu Square' So Much He Invited Siddhu Jonnalagadda And Team To His Home



Are you excited about Ranam Aram Thavarel OTT release? Let us know in the comments section below.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Recently, filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma talked about how, while filming Yuvvraaj, AR Rahman shut down an irate Subhash Ghai because of a song that they were making. He mentioned how Subhash became upset, to which Rahman retorted that he was paying him for his name. Want to know what happened? Scroll down!

When AR Rahman Shut Down An Angry Subhash Ghai

RGV shared with Film Companion, Subhash Ghai was making a film called Yuvvraaj. Now, Yuvvraaj is Salman (Khan) and Katrina (Kaif). Rahman is notorious for delaying in giving the music. Subhash Ghai was upset about it, and at a certain point, he wrote a nasty, stinging letter to Rahman, saying, How can you delay, my dates are here, Salmans dates are here, and you are not giving the songs. Rahman responded (to him) but saying that I am in London, Ill come to Bombay (Mumbai) on my way to Chennai and well meet at Sukhvinder Singhs studio and Ill make the songs for you there.



No offense to Rahman, Sukhwinder, Subhash Ghai and RGV or anyone else involved in this.



But Jai Ho is a very mediocre song especially compared to the rest of Rahmans discography.



Im with Subhash Ghai on this one. https://t.co/NrL1s3fopA  Kakarot (@megha_sandesham) April 17, 2024

RGV added, On that day, he (Ghai) went to Sukhvinder, and Rahman was on his way from the airport, and Sukhvinder was making some tune. Subhash Ghai asked him what he was doing, and he said that Rahman called him and asked him to make a song. Subhash Ghai was so angry. He thought because he was putting pressure on Rahman, Rahman was making someone else do the song. He thought that Sukhvinder had told him this by mistake, and then Rahman came and asked Sukhvinder if he had made something. In front of Subhash Ghai only he asked him. Sukhvinder said yes, and made them listen to the tune. Rahman said he liked it and asked Subhash Ghai if he liked it.



Also read: Kaun Banega Crorepati 16 Registration 2024: All You Need To Know About Amitabh Bachchan's Show



Subhash Ghai told Rahman that he is paying him crores of rupees as his music director and he is making Sukhvinder make a tune for him.



He went on to say, You have the guts to say that in front of me? If I want Sukhvinder, Ill sign him, who are you to take my money and make Sukhvinder do the music for me?



Also read: Diljit Dosanjh Touches AR Rahman's Feet; Tears Up As Imtiaz Ali Praises Him For Amar Singh Chamkila

What happened next? Rahman said, Sir, you are paying for my name, not my music. If I am endorsing it, it becomes mine. Now you happen to be here, how do you know where I took Taal music from? How do you know whichever music My driver could have done it, maybe someone else, whatever else.



RGV claimed that in the end, Rahman sold the song"Jai Ho" from the Oscar-winning movie Slumdog Millionaireto another director.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.


Raj Kundra, businessman and husband of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, has found himself in trouble again as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized his properties worth Rs 97.79 Crore in a probe linked to a Bitcoin Ponzi scam.

Raj Kundra Properties Worth Rs 98 Crore Seized By ED

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What is a Ponzi scheme?

For the uninitiated, a Ponzi scheme is a type of investment scam where returns are paid to earlier investors using the capital provided by newer investors, rather than from legitimate profits earned by the operation of a business. The scheme leads investors to believe that profits are coming from legitimate business activities. However, in reality, they are simply being paid out of the principal investments of newer investors. As the scheme requires a constant influx of new investors to sustain itself, it eventually collapses when it becomes impossible to recruit enough new investors to pay returns to earlier ones. Named after Charles Ponzi, who became infamous for using such a scheme in the early 20th century, Ponzi schemes are illegal in most jurisdictions and can result in severe penalties for those who orchestrate them.

BCCL

Bitcoin Ponzi scam: How mastermind Amit Bhardwaj and Raj Kundra were involved

The ED was probing the case after multiple FIRs were filed by Maharashtra and Delhi Police against Variable Tech Private Limited, late Amit Bhardwaj, Ajay Bhardwaj, Vivek Bhardwaj, Simpy Bhardwaj, Mahender Bhardwaj among others when Raj Kundra's name cropped up.

Also read: Shubman Gill's Reaction On Spotting Ana De Armas' Lookalike During IPL 2024 Is Now A Viral Meme



It is said that Amit Bhardwaj was the mastermind behind the Gain Bitcoin Ponzi scheme. The accused reportedly collected Rs 6,600 Crore in Bitcoins in 2017 by deceiving his investors. He promised them a monthly return of 10 percent through Bitcoin investments. During the investigation, the ED found out that Raj Kundra had received 285 Bitcoins from Amit Bhardwaj.



BCCL

Also read: Diljit Dosanjh Touches AR Rahman's Feet; Tears Up As Imtiaz Ali Praises Him For Amar Singh Chamkila



Shubhman Gill's reaction to

The Bitcoins were supposed to be used for setting up a Bitcoin mining farm in Ukraine, but the plan fell through, leaving Raj Kundra with the Bitcoins, which are now worth over Rs 150 Crore. The attached properties comprise a residential flat in Juhu, currently under actress Shilpa Shetty's name, a residential bungalow in Pune, and equity shares owned by Raj Kundra.



For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Sandeep Reddy Vanga movies including Kabir Singh and Animal continue to make headlines years and months after their respective release. Recently, Indian civil servant and educator Vikas Divyakirti who played himself in Vikrant Massey starrer 12th Fail slammed Ranbir Kapoor-starrer movie, and now Adil Hussain who played the role of medical college dean in the Shahid Kapoor-starrrer movie said that he regrets doing the film and was embarrassed of it. The filmmaker has hit back at the veteran actor.

Sandeep Reddy Vanga hits back at Adil Hussain over Kabir Singh comment

Ur 'belief' in 30 art films didn't get as much fame to u as ur 'regret' of 1 BLOCKBUSTER film did https://t.co/BiJIV3UeyO

I regret casting u,knwing that ur greed is bigger than ur passion. NOW I'll save U from the shame by replacing Ur face with AI help Now smile properly   Sandeep Reddy Vanga (@imvangasandeep) April 18, 2024

Vanga said he regrets casting Adil

Taking a dig at the Life of Pi actor, Sandeep Reddy Vanga wrote on X, "Ur 'belief' in 30 art films didn't get as much fame to u as ur 'regret' of 1 BLOCKBUSTER film did. I regret casting u,knwing that ur greed is bigger than ur passion. NOW I'll save U from the shame by replacing Ur face with AI help Now smile properly."

Here's how people reacted to Sandeep Reddy Vanga's comment about Adil Hussain

Also Read: Making India Proud! People Go Gaga Over Adil Hussain's Performance In 'Star Trek: Discovery'

Reddit

"English Vinglish got him more fame than Kabir Singh," a user said. "Vanga has no chill, man" said another one. "Wow this is so distasteful from Vanga. Adil Hussain doesn't need any fame from Vanga. He is already an established and accomplished actor. Vanga forgot that Adil was a part of the Oscar winning Life of Pi," said another one.

Also Read: From Javed Akhtar To Kiran Rao, 5 Times Sandeep Reddy Vanga Slammed Those Criticising Animal

What did Adil Hussain say about Kabir Singh?

In an interview with AP Podcast YouTube channel, Adil Hussain had he signed the film without a narration and when he watched it he walked out after 20 minutes because of mysoginy. "That's the only film in my life that I did without reading the script, without watching the Telugu movie it was based on. And I went to see Kabir Singh in Delhi and after 20 minutes I just walked out. The only film that I have regretted doing till date is Kabir Singh because I think it is misogynist and makes me feel small as a human being," he said.

Also Read: Adil Hussain Shares Why He Thinks Quentin Tarantino Is The Most Overrated Filmmaker In History

He added, "I didn't even dare to watch Animal so I can't comment on that. I heard stories from trusted friends but unless I watch it, I can't comment. But I am a part of Kabir Singh so I went to watch it. I feel everybody has a right to make a film the way they want. I would defend his (Sandeep Reddy Vanga) freedom to make a film. But I disagree with him completely. I think a film like Kabir Singh celebrates something which is not beneficial for the society. It legitmises male misogyny and violence against anybody (does not have to be a woman). I have said it before that the only film I regret doing is Kabir Singh."

What do you think of Sandeep Reddy Vanga's response to Adil Hussain's comment about Kabir Singh? Let us know in the comments section below.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Movies Releasing This Week: With the release of many popular films like Bade Miyan, Chote Miyan, and Maidaan, April has already proven to be a lively month. Our lineup for this week makes it clear that you won't have any trouble finding anything engaging to watch at the theatres.

This week promises to be jam-packed with genres that will have something for everyone. The much-anticipated love drama Do Aur Do Pyaar, starring Vidya Balan and Pratik Gandhi, and the intriguing LSD 2: Love, Sex, Aur Dhoka 2 are all scheduled for this week.

1. Do Aur Do Pyaar

Poster Of Do Aur Do Pyar/IMDb

Genre: Drama/Romance

Cast: Sendhil Ramamurthy, Ileana D'Cruz, Vidya Balan, and Pratik Gandhi

Do Aur Do Pyaar, one of the most anticipated films of the month, features important characters played by Vidya Balan, Pratik Gandhi, Ileana D'Cruz, and Sendhil Ramamurthy. The plot is about a couple in their late 30s who are having affairs with various individuals. However, everything changes when they visit Vidya Balan's homeland, and they begin to run away from their separate relationships in order to spend more time together. The film appears to have a nice balance of drama, romance, and humour, based on the trailer. In addition, this is Shirsha Guha Thakurta's first feature film as director.

2. Civil War

Poster Of Civil War/IMDb

Genre:Action/War

Cast: Jesse Plemons, Cailee Spaeny, Wagner Moura, and Kirsten Dunst

The film, which is helmed by Alex Garland, chronicles a gang of journalists with military connections as they flee for their lives to reach Washington, DC, in time to prevent rebel forces from taking over the White House. It is set in a dystopian future America. The movie, which debuted last week in the US and the UK to much acclaim from both reviewers and viewers, is scheduled to open this week in India. This action movie stars Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, and Jesse Plemons.

Also read: Kaun Banega Crorepati 16 Registration 2024: All You Need To Know About Amitabh Bachchan's Show



3. LSD 2: Love, Sex Aur Dhoka 2

Poster Of LSD2/IMDb

Genre: Comedy/Drama/Crime

Cast: Abhinav Singh, Paritosh Tiwari, and Bonita Rajpurohit

The movie focuses on the intricacies of contemporary relationships in an era where the internet has the power to either improve or destroy a person's life. In this Dibakar Banerjee-directed follow-up, two parallel tales of love and treachery are intertwined with a quest for self-awareness. In the striking and ominous teaser, Mouni Roy, Anu Malik, and Tusshar Kapoor make cameo appearances with Paritosh Tiwari, Bonita Rajpurohit, and Abhinav Singh in key parts.

Also read: 'She Looks Cute With Baby Bump', Say Fans As Deepika Padukone Is Spotted On Singham Again Sets



4. Tenant (Telugu)

Poster Of Tenant (Telugu)/IMDb

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Cast: Satyam Rajesh and Megha Chowdhary

Recognised for his part in the horror comedy "Geethanjali Malli Vachindhi," Satyam Rajesh is about to enthral viewers with his next thriller-drama, "Tenant." At a lavish premiere event, the film's producers just debuted the official trailer, generating excitement for what looks to be an exciting cinematic experience.
World Heritage Day 2024: India's diversity, ranging from majestic mountains to serene beaches, captivates us. Yet, the nation's rich heritage is equally deserving of admiration. India boasts a rich tapestry of heritage sites beyond the well-known ones.

World Heritage Day 2024: Here are 9 offbeat heritage sites in India that are definitely worth exploring.



1. Rani ki Vav, Gujarat

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This stepwell in Patan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its intricate carvings and grand architecture.

2. Hampi, Karnataka

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While not entirely offbeat, Hampi offers more than just its famous ruins. Explore lesser-known temples, bouldering spots, and the stunning landscape.

3. Chettinad Mansions, Tamil Nadu

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Visit the heritage-rich region of Chettinad to admire the opulent mansions adorned with intricate woodwork, Belgian glass windows, and traditional architecture.

4. Bundi, Rajasthan

Pinterest

This small town is adorned with beautiful blue houses, ancient stepwells like the intricately carved Raniji ki Baori, and the majestic Bundi Palace. Mawphlang

5. Sacred Forest, Meghalaya

Pinterest

This ancient forest is sacred to the Khasi tribe and is believed to be protected by spirits. Explore the lush greenery and unique biodiversity.

6. Basgo Monastery, Ladakh

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Nestled in the rugged landscape of Ladakh, Basgo Monastery is known for its stunning murals, ancient temples, and panoramic views of the surrounding valley.

7. Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, Gujarat

Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site for its well-preserved Islamic and Hindu architectural marvels, including mosques, tombs, and temples.

Also Read: Baisakhi 2024: 6 Celebrity-Inspired Traditional Outfits Ideas To Rock The Party



8. Dholavira, Gujarat

Pinterest

This Harappan site is one of the largest and most well-preserved in India. Explore the ancient city's ruins, reservoirs, and unique water management systems.

9. Kalibangan, Rajasthan

Pinterest

Another Harappan site, Kalibangan offers a glimpse into the ancient past with its ruins, artifacts, and well-preserved structures.

These offbeat heritage sites offer a fascinating glimpse into India's diverse history, culture, and architectural marvels.

Also Read: Azerbaijan: 7 Reasons Why Indian Travellers Are Flocking To This Tourist Hotspot
San Francisco filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against the city of Oakland and its port commission Thursday over a planned name change for the Oakland International Airport to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport  a change that some say will cause confusion with San Francisco International Airport, above. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

San Francisco is suing the city of Oakland over a planned name change for the Oakland airport to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport, arguing in a federal court filing that the new moniker will cause confusion among travelers and could damage San Francisco airports reputation and bottom line.

The trademark infringement lawsuit filed Thursday asks the court to prevent Oakland airport from moving forward with its plan and seeks a ruling that the proposed name is a violation of San Francisco International Airports trademark.

The citys legal action follows a surprise March 29 announcement that Oakland was considering the renaming, which is intended to boost business at the East Bay airport by making its location clearer to travelers unfamiliar with the area.

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Oaklands proposal was swiftly condemned by government and business leaders in San Francisco and San Mateo counties. Some East Bay officials and business groups announced their support for the measure, as did several of the airlines that run flights out of the East Bay.

San Francisco officials argued the new moniker would cause confusion among travelers and could damage San Francisco airports reputation and bottom line. City Attorney David Chiu told the Oakland port commission in an April 8 letter that he would pursue legal action if it moved forward with the plan, but the body unanimously approved the new name in an April 11 vote.

Oakland seeks to boost business at its airport by making the location clearer to travelers unfamiliar with the region. Officials argued the new name is a geographic description, and as such should not be considered a trademark infringement. Oakland International Airport

The lawsuit filed Thursday makes the additional claim that Oaklands renaming could damage the travel industry for the entire region, due to confusion and chaos among travelers. Legal experts consulted before Thursdays filing thought San Francisco had a strong case on the merits.

Representatives from the Oakland airport have argued the new name is a geographic description of where the airport is, and as such should not be considered trademark infringement.

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This has nothing to do with San Francisco, said Oakland International Airport spokesperson Robert Bernardo. No one can deny the geographic fact that Oakland is located on the San Francisco Bay.

Bernardo said he doesnt think the name change will confuse travelers, who are used to major metropolitan areas having multiple airports, he said.

Its an efficient and distinctive choice for flying into the Bay Area, he said.

Other airports have experienced similar fights over their name.

In Florida, Orlando International Airport, the citys biggest, has battled with two nearby airports that also used Orlando in their names for years. The region is a major tourist destination due to its proximity to Walt Disney World and other attractions. Orlando officials cited complaints from travelers who arrived at one airport, expecting to be at another.

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The Oakland port commissions plan still has to pass an upcoming vote next month to be official, but San Franciscos lawsuit alleges the damage to SFOs brand is already being done. At least one airline is already using the new name on its website, according to the lawsuit.

The city attorneys office shared screenshots from the day after the port commissions vote that show a search for San Francisco on the booking page for Azores Airlines. The search turned up two results, San Francisco and San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport. As of Thursday morning, the site is still using the new name.

San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu, shown during a 2022 City Hall news conference, told the Oakland port commission in an April 8 letter that he would pursue legal action if it moved forward with the renaming plan. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle 2022

The citys claims in its lawsuit are standard for a trademark infringement case such as this, said Tyler Ochoa, a law professor at Santa Clara University. Ochoa expects San Francisco to ask the judge to prevent Oakland from using the new name until the lawsuit is resolved. A preliminary hearing would usually be heard within a few weeks, he said.

The judge would be asked to decide on the likely success of San Franciscos suit and whether SFO would suffer irreparable harm if the court waits. Because those questions are so similar to what the could ultimately decides in the case, the preliminary injunction ruling is likely to go in favor of the party who will ultimately win the case.

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Azores Airlines is not named in the lawsuit and would not be bound by the injunction, Ochoa said. He is not aware of any law or regulation obligating The Oakland airport to intervene with Azores. The airline could not be reached for comment.
Uday Krishna Reddy from Prakasam District of Andhra Pradesh has gotten possibly the best revenge he could have hoped for as he cleared the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam.

According to the UPSC CSE 2023 examination results announced on April 16, Reddy bagged the All India Rank (AIR) of 780.

TWITTER

Humiliated by CI in public

Reddy was a former constable with the Andhra Pradesh Police but resigned from service after being subjected to public humiliation by his senior officer.

According to Reddy who joined the Andhra Pradesh Police in 2013, he was humiliated by a Circle Inspector (CI) in 2018, in front of others, over a personal issue.

Resigned the same day

This led to him resigning on the same day, to pursue civil service.

"The CI humiliated me in front of 60 policemen. I resigned from the job the same day and started preparing for UPSC Civil Services," Reddy said.

BCCL

Not settling for IRS

And after five years, his pursuit has paid off as he bagged the 780th rank in the Civil Service exam.

With this, Reddy is eligible to be assigned to the Indian Revenue Service (IRS). But the former cop is not planning to settle for the IRS and aims to continue his studies until he qualifies for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).

UPSC Civil Service exam results

This year, a total of 1,016 candidates (664 men and 352 women) have qualified for the prestigious civil services examination and have been recommended by the UPSC for appointment to various services including IAS, IPS and IFS.

BCCL

The first spot in the 2022-23 UPSC CSE final exams was bagged by Aditya Srivastava who secured an All India Rank 1 in Indias most prestigious exam. Following Animesh Pradhan who secured the second rank. Donuru Ananya Reddy has secured the third spot. Among the top 10 rank holders, six were women.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
What is the best time to have a drink? Ideally, the should be when you feel like having one, though health experts may have a different opinion on this. If you are planning to get high, there is some good news as the Madras High Court has held that consuming alcohol during the day is not an offence.

It further noted that the State was the only provider of alcohol to the citizens through the IMFL shops run by them.

The bench of Justice N Anand Venkatesh made the observations on April 16 in a case related to the compensation awarded to a man who was involved in a road accident in 2016.

BCCL

Reduced compensation due to smell of alcohol

The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, Perambalur, had in 2022 awarded Rs 3.07 lakh to the claimant Ramesh. However, attributing 50 per cent negligence against him, the Tribunal deducted an equal number from the compensation, arguing that the doctor who had examined Ramesh had reported that he "could smell alcohol in his breath."

The Tribunal noted this as an indication Ramesh who was riding a two-wheeler, was under the influence of alcohol at the time and thus had not maintained enough distance from the truck ahead of him, resulting in the accident.

Did not assess alcohol in blood

Ramesh however, challenged the MACT order in the Madras HC which held that a person involved in a motor accident cannot be held guilty without assessing the percentage of alcohol in their blood.

BCCL

State is selling alcohol

The court also said consuming alcohol per say was not an offence. In fact, the State was the only provider of the alcohol to the citizens through the IMFL shops run by them. In view of the same, it was the sole responsibility of the State to also take care of the consequences arising out of consumption of liquor.

Assess alcohol levels in blood

The court which increased Ramesh's compensation to the original Rs 3.07 lakh also directed the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Tamil Nadu to issue a circular to all the hospitals regarding assessing alcohol levels in blood.

BCCL

"This practice shall be made mandatory since there is an increase in the number of cases where the rider of the vehicle drives the vehicle after consuming alcohol. This will help the motor accident claims preferred by such persons to be decided in a proper manner while determining the issue of negligence to be attributed in an accident," the court said.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Nike CEO John Donahoe blamed remote work for the company's lack of innovation, claiming that it is difficult to be innovative when people work from home.

Nike CEO blamed remote work for lack of innovation

In an interview with CNBC's Sara Eisen from Paris, Donahoe was asked about the company's lack of new items in its lineup, which had caused alarm among investors.

"Whats been missing is the kind of bold, disruptive innovation that Nikes known for and when we look back, the reasons are fairly straightforward," Donahoe said in a statement.

Nike CEO John Donahoe | Image: Nike

He noted that footwear companies in Vietnam were forced to close during the Covid-19 pandemic, but said that "even more importantly," Nike employees worked from home for 2.5 years.



In recent years, the concept of remote work has surged in popularity, driven by advancements in technology and changing attitudes towards traditional office environments.

(Also read: Remote Worker Asked To Pay Ex-Employer Almost Rs 3 Lakh For 'Wasting Office Time')

The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated this trend, pushing many companies to adopt remote work models out of necessity. While working from home offers numerous advantages, it also comes with its own set of challenges. Let's delve into the pros and cons of remote work.



What are the pros of working from home?

1. Flexibility: One of the most significant benefits of remote work is the flexibility it provides. Employees can often choose their own hours, allowing for a better work-life balance. This flexibility is particularly valuable for parents, caregivers, or individuals with unique scheduling needs.

Remote work provides flexibility | Image: Unsplash

2. Cost Savings: Remote work eliminates the need for commuting, saving employees both time and money. Additionally, companies can reduce overhead costs associated with maintaining office space, such as rent, utilities, and office supplies.



3. Increased Productivity: Many employees report higher levels of productivity when working remotely. With fewer distractions and the ability to create a personalized work environment, individuals often find it easier to focus on tasks and accomplish more in less time.

4. Global Talent Pool: Remote work opens up opportunities for companies to hire talent from around the world. By removing geographical barriers, organizations can access a diverse pool of skilled professionals, leading to greater innovation and creativity.

5. Reduced Environmental Impact: With fewer people commuting to and from the office, remote work contributes to a reduction in carbon emissions and traffic congestion. This aligns with sustainability goals and helps create a greener, more environmentally friendly workforce.

What are the cons of working from home?

1. Isolation and Lack of Social Interaction: Working remotely can be isolating, especially for extroverted individuals who thrive on social interactions. The absence of face-to-face communication may lead to feelings of loneliness and disconnect from colleagues.

Remote work may feel isolating | Image: Unsplash

2. Difficulty in Setting Boundaries: Without a clear separation between work and home life, remote workers may struggle to establish boundaries. This can result in longer working hours, difficulty unplugging after work, and ultimately, burnout.



3. Communication Challenges: Remote teams often rely heavily on digital communication tools, such as email, chat, and video conferencing. While these tools facilitate collaboration, they can also lead to miscommunication, misunderstandings, and a lack of clarity.

(Also read: 'Employees Working From Office Perform Better Than Work From Homes Ones,' Says Mark Zuckerberg)

4. Potential for Distractions: While remote work eliminates some workplace distractions, it introduces new ones, such as household chores, family members, or noisy neighbors. Staying focused in a home environment requires discipline and self-control.

5. Tech Issues and Connectivity Problems: Dependence on technology means that remote workers are susceptible to technical glitches, internet outages, and other connectivity issues. These disruptions can disrupt workflow and cause frustration.

What do you think about this? Tell us in the comments.



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Dubai Floods: Anand Mahindra makes headlines on a daily basis almost. His influence on the internet is something that has remained constant. Recently, his tweet on Dubai floods caused a storm on X when the former CEO of Jet Airways Sanjiv Kapoor called out the Mahindra Group chief.

What Was The Tweet That Anand Mahindra Posted?

68-year-old Mahindra, drew a comparison between Dubai and Mumbai, which Kapoor criticized as an inaccurate analogy.

Re-sharing a video of the flooded UAE city, Mahindra wrote on X, Nope. Not Mumbai. Dubai.

Dubai airport flooded in rain | Image: X

Why Did Sanjiv Kapoor Slam Mahindra For This Tweet?

Soon after, aviation veteran Sanjiv Kapoor who is currently working as an advisor for Saudi Arabias national carrier Saudia reacted to it.

Incorrect analogy. Dubai was not built for such heavy rains - rains that would flood most cities. A better analogy would be if it suddenly snowed heavily in Bombay, which was obviously not built to handle snow at all. Would people in snowy Oslo mock Bombay? Kapoor wrote in his first post.

Also Read: Govt Weighs In The Idea Of Sale Of Common Medicines At General Stores

Kapoors tweet implied that Anand Mahindra was bashing Dubai for not handling the floods properly.

Later, he retracted his statement and said that mocking was probably not the right usage.

Im glad you subsequently retracted your comment implying that I was mocking Dubai, Sanjiv.



In fact, the only purpose of my post was to highlight how atypical this weather was for Dubai.



For exampleto use your own analogyif it had ever snowed in Mumbai, I might well have https://t.co/gcyqAMkMbw  anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) April 18, 2024

Ok, upon re-reading the post, maybe it is not mocking Dubai. However, the point remains that Dubai was not built for heavy rains, no matter what the source of the rain (seeding, etc.)," he said.

"It would be impractical to build cities to handle any extreme weather scenario, however unlikely.

Anand Mahindra Reacted To Kapoors Tweets And Shared His Point Of View

Im glad you subsequently retracted your comment implying that I was mocking Dubai, Sanjiv, Mahindra wrote on X.

He clarified that his post aimed solely to emphasize the unusual nature of the story and the rainy weather in Dubai.

I recommend that its always good to pause before you punch, reflect before you react, he said.

This week, Dubai and other areas in the UAE experienced unprecedented rain and storms, leading to chaos in the bustling Middle Eastern city. Streets were flooded, disrupting daily life, prompting school closures, and companies to switch to remote work for employees.

Also Read: ITR 2024: Old Vs New Tax Regime, Which Is Better For You?




TIME magazines list of 100 most influential people of 2024 was put out recently. A total of 8 Indians have made the cut on the coveted list which features some of the biggest artists, icons, movie stars, athletes, scientists, politicians and business leaders who have left a big impact.

This list is generally divided into different categories like artists, icons, titans and the people of influence are picked across countries.

Lets check out the list of Indians that made a mark on the list.

Alia Bhatt

Instagram/AliaBhatt

The Gangubai Kathiawadi actress made her Hollywood debut recently alongside Gal Gadot in Netflix film Heart Of Stone. British film director Tom Harper in his write up for TIME, called her a formidable talent. Not many know, Bhatt holds dual citizenship of both India and the UK.



Dev Patel

X

This indian-origin actor made his very noticeable debut with Slumdog Billionaire in 2008. British actor of Indian descent Dev Patel was born in an Indian Gujarati Hindu family. He has been a part of some of the most highly-acclaimed projects. Patel recently made his directorial debut with Monkey Man this year.



Also Read: Amid Water Crisis And Heat Wave, Bengaluru Residents Reach For Beer, Break Sales Records!

Sakshi Malik

BCCL

Sakshi Malik, India's sole female wrestler to clinch an Olympic medal, emerged as a prominent figure in the battle against Brij Bhushan Singh, the Wrestling Federation of India chief, who faced allegations of sexual harassment last year. Malik declared that the fight extended beyond just female wrestlers in India; it represented a broader struggle for the silenced voices of the nation's daughters.



Satya Nadella

Satya Nadella/getty

This is the third time that Microsoft CEO and chairman Satya Nadella has made it to this list.



Nadella's leadership in the growing AI sector is evident through Microsoft's investments in OpenAI and collaboration with Mistral AI. Born in Hyderabad, Nadella obtained his bachelor's degree from the Manipal Institute of Technology in Karnataka before relocating to the United States.

Ajay Banga

Forbes

Ajay Banga, originally from Pune, has risen to the position of president of the World Bank. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen lauds Banga in her Time article, describing him as a leader equipped with the capability and determination to undertake the formidable challenge of reforming a vital institution. Banga, who graduated from St. Stephens College, Delhi with a bachelors degree in economics, obtained US citizenship in 2007.



Jigar Shah

Jigar Shah/X

Jigar Shah, Director of the US Department of Energys Loan Programs Office, is recognized by Richard Branson for spearheading one of the world's most extensive economic development initiatives. Born in India, Shah relocated to the United States at the age of one.



Asma Khan

Darjeeling Express

Asma Khan, an Indian-born British restaurateur and cookbook author, is renowned for her celebrated London restaurant, Darjeeling Express, known for its unique all-female kitchen. Praising Khan's culinary creations, Padma Lakshmi remarked in Time that her food defies expectations, setting it apart from typical restaurant fare.



Priyamvada Natarajan

Yale

Priyamvada Natarajan, a distinguished professor in the departments of astronomy and physics at Yale University, is acclaimed for her groundbreaking research in mapping dark matter and dark energy. Originally from Tamil Nadu, Natarajan received her education at Delhi Public School, RK Puram.

Also Read: UPSC Result 2024: What Is The Salary Of An IAS Officer And What Other Perks Do Civil Servants Get?
A new report has revealed that the Worlds largest consumer goods and manufacturer of baby formula, Nestle, is adding sugar to infant milk and cereal products sold in India, and other Asian, and African countries.

They found this out when a Swiss group called Public Eye and another group called IBFAN sent some Nestle baby food from Asia, Africa, and Latin America to a lab in Belgium for testing.

Regional Differences in Sugar Content

In India, where Nestle made over $250 million in sales in 2022, all of their Cerelac baby cereals have sugar added, about 3 grams in each serving on average. The investigation, made public on Wednesday, showed that Cerelac cereals for six-month-old babies sold in Germany, France, and the UK had no added sugar, but in Ethiopia, each serving had over 5 grams and in Thailand, it had 6 grams.

Nestle Could Face Trouble for Sugar In Infant Milk Sold In India, Other Asian And African Countries: Reports | Stock Image

WHO Raises Concerns

A scientist from the World Health Organization (WHO) said that it's not fair that Nestle doesn't add sugar to these products in Switzerland but does in places with fewer resources. He said it's a problem for both public health and ethics. WHO warns that giving babies sugar early in life can make them prefer sugary foods and increase the risk of obesity and other health problems.

Discrepancy with Nutrition Advice

Even though WHO said in 2022 that there should be no added sugars in baby food and asked companies to change their products, Nestle's website still says not to add sugar to baby food. But it seems like they don't follow their own advice in poorer countries.

Nestle's Response

Nestle said they've reduced the amount of added sugars in baby cereals by 11% over the past ten years and plan to reduce it more without changing the quality, safety, or taste of the products. A spokesperson for Nestle India said they've reduced added sugars by up to 30% in the past five years and are always trying to make their products better.

For the latest and more interesting financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here


A German court has ruled that robots cant work on Sundays. The ruling doesn't appear to be about granting machines a day off; instead, it's based on a religiously inspired rule introduced into the German constitution in 1919. This rule dictates that people, and consequently businesses, should abstain from working on Sundays.

German Court Mandates Sundays Off For Robots

A German court has ruled that robots working long hours in supermarkets are entitled to a day of rest, just like their human counterparts. This decision upholds a centuries-old ban on Sunday commerce.

Tegut, a regional chain currently experimenting with around 40 fully automated stores, became involved in a legal dispute after the service sector union Verdi argued that keeping these shops open could negatively impact human workers.

The highest administrative court in the state of Hesse agreed with this argument, stating that the innovative new stores, which have been operating for the last four years, should be required to close on Sundays. This ruling was based on a 1,700-year-old Christian principle of 'Sunday rest', which has been enshrined in the constitution since 1919.

Thomas Stab, a board member of Tegut, criticized the ruling

Thomas Stab, a board member of Tegut, criticized the ruling, calling it 'entirely grotesque' in an interview with the Financial Times. He argued that the stores were essentially 'walk-in vending machines'. Stab highlighted that Sundays accounted for approximately 25-30 per cent of the automated stores' weekly trade.

German Court Mandates Sundays Off For Robots | Freepik

On the other side, the Verdi union contested the success of such shops, expressing concerns that it could lead to further relaxation of Sunday trading rules. They argued that workers need the guaranteed day off to spend time with their loved ones.

Tegut, a Swiss-owned supermarket based in Fulda, operates approximately 300 conventional stores nationwide and has been exploring innovative expansion methods with its 40 'teos'.

The 'teos', named in tribute to the chain's late founder, Theo Gutberlet, function much like regular stores. Customers can browse and pay through self-checkout after presenting their ID at the entrance.

Stab noted that they observed higher rates of shoplifting without human security, but the profits outweighed the losses.

Also Read: Goodbye Chemist Visits? Govt Weighs In On The Idea Of Sale Of Common Medicines At General Stores

These 'teos' provided the brand with a workaround for Germany's stringent trading regulations, which mandate stores to close by 6:30 pm on weekdays and prohibit Sunday shopping, with a few exceptions.

Since the late 1980s, some flexibility has been introduced, allowing for variations in operating hours at certain times of the year. Regulatory powers have also been devolved to Germany's 16 states.

While train stations, airports, and petrol stations may still operate on Sundays, there is some disparity between the law and actual operating hours.

The perceived relaxation of these rules has faced opposition from unions and religious groups, who argue that Sunday should remain a day of rest.

Philip Buttner, an official at KWA, an affiliate of the Protestant Church lobbying against Sunday trading, emphasized the need for a special day each week to celebrate Christian spirituality and share experiences with loved ones.

Stefan Naas, head of the liberal FDPs parliamentary group in Hesse, argued that the current law is out of touch with reality, stating that selling basic items like milk and cream does not undermine the concept of a quiet Sunday.

Supporters of the new stores argue that their operation on Sundays could introduce competition with the limited number of petrol stations and souvenir stores allowed to open on weekends, benefiting consumers.

"More options besides kiosks and petrol stations could foster competition and reduce prices, benefiting consumers," said Jan Buchel, an economist specializing in digitization at the German Economic Institute, speaking to Fortune.

"If technological advancements enable people to purchase items individually without requiring others to work for hours, then we should explore that potential," he added.

Following the December ruling against Tegut, the government of Hesse has signaled its willingness to establish a legal exemption for automated stores.

Stefan Naas told the Financial Times that he anticipates the issue will be resolved by summer 2024, describing the law as outdated.

The ruling currently only affects the region, allowing the so-called 'vending machines' to continue operating in other German states for the time being.

Tegut has halted the expansion of its successful automated supermarkets in the state.

Also Read: Dubai Vs Mumbai Floods Tweet: Anand Mahindra Sets The Record Straight With Ex Jet Airways CEO

For the latest and more interesting financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here


Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has urged fellow European leaders to prevent the Middle East crisis from escalating into a regional conflict.

The call was made as the Greek leader arrived in Brussels for a meeting of the European Council Summit to address a string of foreign policy issues and the European

economy.

Mr. Mitsotakis expressed his deep concerns over recent developments in the Middle East in light of the latest attack on Israel. He called for a collective effort from the European Council to defuse tensions and avert the threat of a broader regional conflict.

His stance underscored the EUs bid to foster stability and peace on the international stage.

In addition to the Middle East, the Prime Minister highlighted growing unrest in Lebanon and the impact it was having on pushing rising tides of refugees to Cyprus. Mr. Mitsotakis pledged support for the islands efforts to manage the flows, emphasizing the need to also help stabilise the situation in Lebanon.

The summit also touched on relations between the EU and Turkey, with the Greek leader expressing optimism that fresh efforts by a United Nations envoy could yield results in long-standing efforts to re-unite the war-divided island of Cyprus.

   iefimerida.gr
Despite record highs, Greece is bracing for a dramatic shift in weather.

Meteorologists have forecast strong winds and heavy rainfall battering the countrys north and western regions in the coming days, leading temperatures to drop by up to 10 degrees from recent highs.

Athens is expected to be hit by a front

of heavy rain beginning Friday.

Theodoris Kolydas, Director of the National Meteorological Service, has issued a warning, mainly for the countrys west and northern regions, advising residents to be vigilant of the weather shift beginning Thursday.

Meteorologist Giannis Kallianos echoed similar warning, focusing on Friday when the worst conditions will surface for about 24 hours.

A barometric low forming near the Gulf of Genoa is projected to move eastward, impacting Italy on Thursday before sweeping across Greece from west to east on Friday.

Regions forecast to be hit the hardest include he western, central, and northern parts of the country, as well as the islands of the eastern Aegean.

Homeland security authorities said they were monitoring the situation, prepared to respond to any adverse effects from the upcoming storms.

   iefimerida.gr
The daughter of a young British woman smothered to death by her jealous husband, has officially adopted her mothers surname, a legal ruling has decided.

The move severs all ties between Caroline Crouchs surviving daughter, Lydia and her father, Babis Anagnostopoulos, serving a life sentence for suffocating his 19-year-old wife in grisly murder in 2021,

The British-trained helicopter pilot confessed to torturing and suffocating

his wife with a pillow in front of their infant daughter, after staging a fake robbery and hanging the house pet from a bannister in their home , in the residential district of Gylka Nera, northeast of Athens , the Greek

The familys lawyer confirmed the name-change after a year-long legal process. The victims parents petitioned for the change the day Mr. Anagnostopoulos was arrested, moving to protect their grand-daughter from the stigma associated with her fathers crime, the family attorney said.

David Crouch, Carolines father, had long expressed the familys desire for Lydia to grow up in the Philippines, away from the shadows of the past, bearing a name that reflects her mothers legacy than her fathers infamy.

   iefimerida.gr
Thousands more Californians will lose their home insurance this summer as two more insurers, both subsidiaries of a Japanese company, withdraw from the state. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle

Thousands more Californians will lose their home insurance this summer as two more insurers withdraw from the state.

In filings with the California Department of Insurance, Tokio Marine America Insurance Co. and Trans Pacific Insurance Co. said they would both withdraw from the homeowners and personal umbrella insurance markets in California. Both are subsidiaries of Tokio Marine Holdings Inc., a Japanese company.

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The two companies together insured 12,556 homeowner policies in California with $11.3 million in premiums, according to their filings. Tokio Marine also insured 2,732 personal umbrella policies, for liability, worth $400,000.

The companies will begin sending nonrenewal notices to customers starting July 1, according to the filings. They did not provide breakdowns of where their policies are distributed across the state.

A Tokio Marine America spokesperson said in a statement that the company is exiting the personal home insurance and liability market but would continue to provide commercial insurance.

Tokio Marine America is primarily a nationwide commercial insurer. We offer personal lines insurance only in California, representing a small percentage of the overall personal lines market, a company spokesperson said in a statement. Given the small segment of personal lines business we write and escalating costs, we cannot sustainably support personal lines coverages and do not plan to return. We remain committed to commercial lines in California  and across the country  and supporting our agents and customers with exceptional service through this transition.

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Tokio Marine America and Trans Pacific join a roster of insurers big and small that have limited or stopped doing business in California, often citing the risk of wildfires. Some, such as Allstate and State Farm, have stopped writing new policies in the state even as they continue to renew policies  though last month, State Farm announced it would not renew 30,000 homeowner policies, a small fraction of its total business in California. Farmers Direct Insurance has chosen to leave the state.

In addition to wildfires, insurers have cited a range of reasons for dropping customers, including density, which refers to either the physical closeness of homes or an insurers exposure to risk in a given area, and the risk of fires after earthquakes  a concern that harkens back to April 18, 1906.

Rates have soared for many California homeowners; others have been forced to turn to the FAIR plan, a state-created wildfire insurer of last resort, though it has sometimes been plagued by delays.

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The Nigerian Army, on Wednesday, ordered the arrest of two soldiers implicated in the theft of armoured cables at the Dangote Refinery in Lagos State.

Major Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations, while assuring transparency, stated that if the soldiers are found guilty after due process, they will face legal consequences.

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In a statement titled Alleged Involvement of Soldiers in Theft at Dangote Refinery, Nwachukwu expressed deep concern over the reported incident, emphasizing that such criminal behaviour contradicts the values and standards of the Nigerian Army.

The statement disclosed that the apprehended soldiers are currently in custody, with initial findings indicating their alleged collaboration with a civilian contractor named Mr. Smart.

Smart purportedly engaged the soldiers to retrieve armoured cables left on the refinery premises, only to abandon them when confronted by security personnel.

The statement read, The Nigerian Army is deeply concerned about the alleged involvement of two of its personnel in a reported case of theft at the Dangote Refinery in Lagos.

READ ALSO: Our Restraint To Provocation Not Sign Of Weakness  EFCC Reacts As Ododo Helps Bello Escape From Residence

This act of criminality, which was prevented by the proactive intervention of vigilant troops and private security operatives on duty at the refinery, is totally unacceptable and highly regrettable. It does not, therefore, represent the ethics and values of the NA. The two suspects have been identified and are currently under custody.

Preliminary investigation reveals that the two suspects were hired by a civilian contractor simply identified as Mr Smart, who claimed he wanted to recover some armoured cables he had left behind on the refinerys premises. Unknown to the soldiers, the said contractor, sensing trouble as they approached the security post, excused himself from the vehicle and bolted away, leaving them behind.

Onyema added that further investigation was underway to determine the extent of the soldiers involvement in the matter.

He said, Further investigations are ongoing to fully ascertain the depth of culpability of the apprehended soldiers. Additionally, the stolen cables have been recovered and are in safe custody.

The NA is working closely with the management of the Dangote Refinery to ensure a thorough investigation into this unfortunate incident.

The NA wishes to reassure the general public that appropriate disciplinary measures would be meted out to the culprits, as no act of criminality will be condoned amongst its personnel.
Suspended National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu, has withdrawn the suit challenging his removal from office.

Ayu was suspended as PDP Chairman in March 2023, after the executive members of Igyorov ward in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue, passed a vote of no confidence in him over alleged anti-party activities.

Subsequently, one Terhide Utaan, through Emmanuel Ukala, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, filed an ex parte motion marked MHC/633/2023 at a federal high court to restrain Ayu from parading himself as the National Chairman of the Party, having been suspended.

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Following his suspension, the national working committee (NWC) of the PDP appointed Umar Damagum as the acting National Chairman.

READ ALSO: Calls For Damagums Resignation As National Chairman Inappropriate  PDP Senate Caucus

Ayus notice of withdrawal is contained in suit no MHC/85/2023 dated April 15, filed at the Appeal Court in Makurdi, Benue State capital.

Take notice that the appellant in pursuant herein intends and thus hereby wholly withdraws his appeal against all the respondents filed on the 27th day of June 2023 vide notice of appeal dated the 26th day of June 2023, the document reads.

The withdrawal of the suit implies that the party can produce a substantive national chairman.

Recall that there have been calls by some party stakeholders, including members of the House of Representatives for Damagum to resign from his position.
Popular Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana SAN, has revealed that no court of law can prevent the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from prosecuting the immediate past governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, over alleged theft of N84bn from the states account.

This is coming following the declaration by the former governor that the EFCC had disobeyed a court order by attempting to arrest him to answer the charge of the alleged N84bn theft.

Recall that some officers of the commision on Wednesday, barricaded the Abuja home of Bello.

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However in a statement made available, yesterday, Falana said that the move by the EFCC was tenable as Bello had lost his immunity from arrest and prosecution.

The statement reads: By virtue of section 35(1) (c) of the Constitution, the police, anti-graft agencies, and other prosecutorial bodies cannot be prevented by a court of law from arresting a criminal suspect once there is reasonable suspicion that he or she has committed a criminal offence.

READ MORE: Alleged N84bn Fraud: EFCC Storms Yahaya Bellos House In Abuja (Pictures)

The allegation made by Ex-Governor Yahaya Bello that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has disobeyed a court order by attempting to arrest him to answer the charge of N84 billion theft is legally untenable. As a former governor, Mr. Yahaya Bello has lost his immunity from arrest and prosecution. No court can confer a life immunity on a former governor in Nigeria.

The Supreme Court had pointed out that the order of a High Court to the effect that a criminal suspect should not be arrested cannot bar a court of coordinate jurisdiction from trying him. In the case of Orji Kalu v Federal Republic of Nigeria (2016) 39 WRN 53, the Appellant challenged the EFCC for charging him before the Federal High Court in spite of the order of the High Court of Abia State restraining the anti-graft agency from violating his fundamental right to personal liberty.

In view of the foregoing, the police officers who prevented the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from arresting the suspect have committed a grave criminal offence. The Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Egbetokun should withdraw the said police officers from the private residence of Mr. Bello without any delay and have them charged for obstruction of justice.
Nancy Isime, an actress and television host, has taken to Instagram to grieve the death of actor Junior Pope.

Recall that the actor and four others died in a boat mishap on the Anam River after wrapping up a film shoot.

Nancy described how unbelievable their death seemed to her, giving her the impression that a horror film was being produced.

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READ MORE: Naira Abuse: I No Small, Money Na Water  Cubana Chief Priest Brags After Bail Granted

She wrote: Phew! Last week was tough mehn! The tragedy that hit Nollywood was something I couldnt even imagine! Felt like a horror movie

script. Hit me a little hard because I had filmed with one of the victims not too long ago.

Pardon me but I wont be calling names, going into details or posting pictures. If you dont know about the disaster, good for you. Trust me!

Its SO Sad! I however have a policy to not announce peoples tragedies. Its not my place. Especially if I barely talked about their Victories. They have families who deserve the right to tell the story how they please, if and how they want to.

Praying that God wraps his arms around their families SO tight! So tight that they feel a kind of peace that they cant even explain. I lost my mum donkey years ago and it still hurts like she just left the house yesterday, so I know asking God to take away the pain is a Lie.

My prayer is that God helps them deal with their pain in a way that it doesnt get in the way of their daily lives, and that he preserves their mental health, their hearts and their spirit. May he give them some kind of closure.

Love your loved ones a lot more Dont postpone tomorrow what you can do today. This moment is what were promised. Make Kindness the template of your Life Wishing you a truly fulfilling journey as you navigate your way through Life. I LOVE YOU.
In a shocking turn of events, sporadic gunshots were fired outside the residence of Yahaya Bello, former Governor of Kogi State, on Wednesday.

Recall that stern-looking operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) barricaded Benghazi Street in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, where the residence of the former Governor is situated, to arrest him.

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The operatives presence is not farfetched from the N84 billion fraud case against Yahaya which the anti-graft agency is currently investigating.

Information Nigeria had reported that incumbent Governor Usman Ododo, visited the embattled former Governor amidst the heavy security crackdown.

READ ALSO: EFCC Flouting Court Order To Arrest Me  Yahaya Bello Raises Alarm As Operatives Lay Siege At Residence

Ododo arrived at Bellos residence at about 2:30 pm Wednesday, alongside several security operatives and youth supporters protesting against the siege to Bellos home.

Meanwhile, hours of being unable to secure their mission, the security operatives had reinforced with backup support from the Police and Department of State Services (DSS).

Following Ododos departure, reports filtered in that Bello was in his vehicle, forcing security operatives who had been on standby for hours to open fire.

Protesters, journalists, onlookers, and passersby were said to have scampered for safety during the shootout.
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), have said that claims alleging that fuel subsidy has been returned are false.

Recall that former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, on Monday, said the Federal Government had resumed the payment of subsidy on fuel and is paying much more than before.

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Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, however challenged those making the claims to provide proof that the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, had been returned.

READ ALSO: Set Up Disciplinary Committee To Investigate Wike, Those Who Have Hijacked PDP For Selfish Gains  Clark Advises

He stressed that since President Bola Tinubu declared the end of the subsidy on petrol, the situation has remained so.

The Minister said, I dont want to delve into that issue. It is a very sensitive issue. It is better we get all the facts. As far as Im concerned, the President removed the subsidy and it remains removed till today. Anybody who is saying that subsidy is being paid, it is left for the person to bring the facts and then we will talk about them.

Asked whether the price being paid for petrol currently is determined by market forces, the minister replied, It may not be determined by market forces but let us deal with the price as it is today.

Every government has a duty to do certain things, not only in the petroleum sector but in several other sectors, to be able to cushion the effect and burden on Nigerians.
Criminals who seek to threaten Nigerias sovereignty will have a price to pay, says President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Tinubu disclosed this when he hosted leaders of Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, in Abuja, on Wednesday.

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As revealed by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Tinubu highlighted the progress made so far in safeguarding the countrys territory and sovereignty.

I am irrevocably committed to the unity of Nigeria and constitutional democracy. Constitutional democracy is reflected greatly here since we assumed office,.

What we face now is the challenge of terrorism. Security of life and property is very necessary for development. I can tell you we are achieving success. We have degraded terrorism to a level that they cannot threaten the sovereignty of Nigeria any longer.

READ ALSO: Ignore Those Agitating For Yoruba Nation  Ooni Of Ife To Nigerians

Banditry and kidnapping will be defeated. And there is no payment of ransom whatsoever. We are taking the battle to them.

We are getting results more rapidly than before. We are working hard on intelligence gathering. Those who think they can threaten the sovereignty of Nigeria will have themselves to blame. They have a price to pay. And we are not going to relent, Ngelale quoted Tinubu as saying.

While thanking the delegation led by Reuben Fasoranti, leader of Afenifere, for their prayers and support, the President assured that he would not relent in his resolve to advance Nigeria.

He added that his administration is resolute on achieving economic stability in a fair and equitable system for all Nigerians.

God bless Nigeria. God bless our unity; our diversity must bring prosperity for all for the sake of Nigeria, he said.
A mobile court in Oshodi area, in Lagos state, has sentenced a man, identified as Paul to nine months imprisonment for not using a pedestrian bridge and assaulting officer of the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps.

Disclosing this to the public, the state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, led this out via his X handle on Thursday.

READ MORE: Photos Of Thugs Caught With Plasma TVs Stolen From Ex-Bayelsa Governors Residence

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Wahab wrote: Paul was apprehended on the April 16 for not using the pedestrian bridge at Agbado Oke Odo, and in the process, he assaulted and wounded the enforcement personnel of LAGESCOfficial (KAI).

The mobile court sitting at Oshodi yesterday sentenced him to nine months imprisonment.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday, declared former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, wanted for offences relating to economic and financial crimes to the tune of N80.2billion.

The anti-graft agency announced this via X where the photograph of the ex-Governor was displayed with the inscription WANTED.

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READ ALSO: Yahaya Bello Absent As Court Adjourns Alleged Corruption Case

Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, is wanted by the EFCC for offences relating to economic and financial crimes to the tune of N80.2 Billion. Anybody with information as to his whereabouts should report immediately to the Commission or the nearest Police Station, the anti-graft agency posted.

Recall that EFCC was granted a warrant of arrest by a Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, to apprehend the embattled former Governor.

Bello was also absent from court for his arraignment earlier today.
A view of Rocky Ridge, part of an 80-acre addition to Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve in Mendocino County. Provided by Save the Redwoods Le

A Mendocino County reserve with some of the tallest trees in the world just got bigger with the addition of a unique 80-acre parcel with creek headwaters and a rocky outcropping where visitors might someday hike up to panoramic views.

Named Rocky Ridge for a craggy hill rising above dense conifer, the addition pushes out the southern edge of Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve, a 2,743-acre property in the coastal mountains west of Ukiah that once held the distinction of having the tallest known tree in the world.

Save the Redwoods League bought the land for $80,000 from the Weger family and donated the property to California State Parks. Adrianna Andreucci, land protection manager with the league, said her organization began eyeing the parcel while securing a conservation easement with the Weger family to protect nearly 4,000 acres from future subdivisions and other development.

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We quickly realized Rocky Ridge was really special and it deserved an extra layer of conservation, Andreucci said. The public needs to be able to enjoy it.

Redwood trees are seen in Mendocino Countys Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve. Provided by Save the Redoods League

Montgomery Woods is home to old growth redwoods and, even more rare, old growth Douglas fir. One of the least visited parks on the North Coast, the reserve has a 2-mile trail.

In 1999, a 367.5-foot redwood dubbed the Montgomery tree was given the title of the tallest tree in the world by Guinness World Records after Humboldt State University professor Stephen Sillett made the discovery. That title shifted to a Humboldt County redwood in 2006.

The Rocky Ridge addition is part of a long-term project of the league to build a swath of more than 11,500 acres of protected lands in and around the park, which includes critical habitat for spawning fish and tributaries that feed into the Big River.

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Bill Maslach, superintendent of California State Parks Russian River sector in Sonoma and Mendocino counties, said the state is working to expand and improve hiking opportunities in the park. He said they hope trails will someday take visitors to the views from Rocky Ridge.

Redwood trees typically grow from alluvial soils along creek bottoms, but the groves in Montgomery Woods took root in an upslope meadows, likely created by ancient tectonic shifts and mudslides.

Theres no other place like it, Maslach said.
Controversial cross-dresser Idris Okuneye, also referred to as Bobrisky, has reportedly been moved by the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) from the Ikoyi Correctional Centre to the Kirikiri Prison.

A reliable source within the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) verified to LEADERSHIP that Bobrisky was covertly moved to Kirikiri Prison over the weekend, refuting prior reports that suggested he stayed at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre.

READ MORE: Once You Leave Responsibilities For Woman, Expect Her To Cheat  Blessing CEO To Men

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Explaining the decision, the source said,

It is procedural that he is moved to Kirikiri since it is an expansive prison compared to what we have here.

He further stated that Okuneye was secretly relocated to the facility where he will serve his sentence for security purposes.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has cautioned members of the public against obstructing its operatives from carrying out their lawful duties.

The warning comes after Usman Ododo, Governor of Kogi, whisked away his predecessor, Yahaya Bello, from the anti-graft agencys siege in Abuja on Wednesday.

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Recall that stern-looking operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) barricaded Benghazi Street in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, where the residence of the former Governor is situated, to arrest him.

The operatives presence is not farfetched from the N84 billion fraud case against Yahaya which the anti-graft agency is currently investigating.

The anti-graft agency had named Bello in an amended money laundering charge filed against Alli Bello, Chief of Staff to the incumbent Governor of Kogi.

Information Nigeria had reported that incumbent Governor Usman Ododo, visited the embattled former Governor amidst the heavy security crackdown.

READ ALSO: EFCC Seige: Gunshots As Ododo Smuggles Yahaya Bello Out Of Residence

Ododo arrived at Bellos residence at about 2:30 pm Wednesday, alongside several security operatives and youth supporters protesting against the siege to Bellos home.

Following Ododos departure, reports filtered in that Bello was in his vehicle, forcing security operatives who had been on standby for hours to open fire.

Reacting to the development on Wednesday night, Dele Oyewale, EFCCs spokesperson, said the warning became necessary due to the increasing tendency of persons and groups under investigation by the commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.

The Commission wrote via X: Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years, the statement reads.

On several occasions, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order. Regrettably, such disposition is being construed as a sign of weakness.

The Commission, therefore, warns that it will henceforth not tolerate any attempt by any person or organisation to obstruct its operation as such will be met with appropriate punitive actions.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has asked the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to surrender himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The AGF, in a statement made available on Thursday, said that the EFCC should not be obstructed from carrying out its lawful duties.

He said: The bizarre drama confronting the EFCC in the course of its efforts to perform its statutory duty, with respect to the charge it filed against the erstwhile governor, has come to his notice, describing it as a matter of very grave concern.

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READ MORE: Yahaya Bello Absent As Court Adjourns Alleged Corruption Case

It is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigation into any matter regardless of status.

Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC but to honourably answer their invitation.

A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting.

A flight from the law does not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbates it.

I state unequivocally that I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC and indeed any other agency to order when there is indication of any transgression of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies but I also tenaciously hold the view that institutions of State should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.

Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.

I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism that can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday, disclosed it is considering using the military option against Yahaya Bello, former Governor of Kogi State.

Information had reported that Emeka Nwite, Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja adjourned the case against Bello; Alli Bello, Chief of Staff to Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi and one Daudu Suleiman, to April 23.

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The anti-graft agency alleged that the suspects diverted about N100 billion belonging to the State Government.

With Bello absent in the courtroom, the Kogi government said funds belonging to the state were not missing during the administration of the former governor.

EFCCs counsel, Kemi Pinhero, noted that Bellos absence from the court was a strategy.

Responding, Abdulwahab Muhammed, Bellos lawyer, said on February 9, a court issued a restraining order on the arrest and prosecution of the former governor.

He said the restraining order was appealed by the EFCC, adding that the case is still pending and therefore the arrest warrant granted against Bello on Wednesday does not stand.

The lawyer further accused the EFCC of trying to bring the judge on a collision course with the court of appeal.

Muhammed who stated that the court has no jurisdiction on the matter as the case is pending at the Court of Appeal, asked the court to vacate the arrest warrant granted against Bello because the court was misled.

According to him, it may lead to anarchy if a court of competent jurisdiction and another court of competent jurisdiction issue opposing orders.

Responding, Pinhero said if the former Governor believes he is innocent, he should appear in court to defend himself, however, if hes unwilling, measures will be taken against him.

He said section 287 of the constitution allows security agencies, including the military, to produce a person before a court, adding that nobody is above the court or the rule of law.

READ ALSO: Corruption Allegations: No Court Can Prevent EFCC From Prosecuting Yahaya Bello  Falana

Meanwhile, Mohammed disclosed that his client was in Kogi when the EFCC operatives barricaded his Abuja residence on Wednesday.

Muhammed however described the move by the EFCC to lay siege at his residence as illegal and unconstitutional.

Recall that Ododo, reportedly rescued Yahaya Bello, his predecessor, from the EFCC siege in Abuja hours after he arrived the ex-Governors residence.

Lateef Fagbemi, Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), in reaction, warned against obstructing the EFCC.

In a Thursday statement, Fagbemi said the bizarre drama confronting the EFCC as it tries to perform its statutory duty has become a matter of very grave concern for him.

He said the EFCC has the power to invite any person of interest, regardless of status, in the course of its investigation into any matter.

His words: A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting.

A flight from the law does not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbates it.

I state unequivocally that I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC and indeed any other agency to order when there is indication of any transgression of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies but I also tenaciously hold the view that institutions of State should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.

Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.

I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism that can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world.
Over the seemingly threatening messages directed at Yusuf Liman, the Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, by , a federal lawmaker, the House has expressed concerns.

Bello, a lawmaker representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency, is the first son of Nasir El-Rufai, former Governor of the State.

Recall that on Tuesday, the Kaduna House of Assembly established a committee to examine the finances of the State under the administration of the former Governor.

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The 13-member committee was tasked to investigate loans, grants and project implementation from 2015 to 2023  the period in which El-Rufai served as Governor.

Reacting in a statement on Wednesday, Suraj Bamalli, the Media Aide to the Kaduna speaker, said after the committee was established, Bello, in now-deleted posts via X, insulted the Assembly and called for a fight.

According to Bamalli, the federal lawmaker also sent insulting and subtle threat messages to the speaker via his WhatsApp account.

READ ALSO: Why Were Probing El-Rufais Expenditure, Loans  Kaduna Assembly Speaker

Shortly after the establishment of a committee to investigate financial dealings, loans, grants, and projects implementation from 2015-2023 in Kaduna State, Hon. Bello el-Rufai took to social media with two tweets, now deleted, insinuating a call to fight and disrespecting the entire legislative arm of government.

Additionally, he sent insulting and subtle threat messages to the Rt. Hon speaker of Kaduna State house of Assembly, Hon Yusuf Liman via WhatsApp.

The screenshots of these tweets and messages have been widely circulated, causing concern among the citizens of Kaduna State, the statement read.

He furthered that it is disheartening that a Federal lawmaker would resort to such behaviour and attempt to obstruct legislative duties.

The members of the Assembly took an oath to uphold the integrity of their office and ensure due diligence in their duties, regardless of any attempts at intimidation or threats.

Threats and intimidation from anyone, including federal lawmakers, will not deter the Kaduna House of Assembly from its pursuit of justice and accountability, he added.
Building applications at scale is nothing compared to building an operating system like Windows, especially when it comes to source code control. How do you manage the repository (or repositories) for such a software behemoth, with thousands of developers and testers, and with a complex build pipeline thats continuously delivering fresh code?

Microsofts history with internal source control systems is convoluted. You might think it used the now discontinued Visual SourceSafe, but that was most appropriate for local file systems and smaller projects. Instead, Microsoft used many different tools over the years, initially an internal fork of the familiar Unix Revision Control System, before standardizing on Perforce Source Depot.

Git hits a wall in Redmond

Meanwhile some parts of the business used Visual Studios Team Foundation Server, before switching to using Git as the foundation of a common engineering platform for the entire company. Team Foundation Server supported Git, and the mix of a visual tool and the command line supported lots of different use cases across Microsoft.
OpenAI, the artificial intelligence research company, has updated its Assistants API with a faster, more accurate file search tool, vector stores, and a tool choice parameter.

OpenAI announced the Assistants API update on April 17. The new file_search tool can retrieve as many as 10,000 files per assistant. It connects models with developers data to assist in building applications relevant to an organization or use case. The tool works with the new vector store objects for automated file parsing, chunking, and embedding. New token controls, tool-choice capabilities, and added support for model configuration parameters offer greater flexibility to individual use cases.

Developers can fine-tune models in the Assistants API, which also now supports streaming. Several streaming and polling helpers have been added to the Node and Python SDKs.
Across the trove of legal thrillers penned by John Grisham, the best-selling novelist and former lawyer turned Mississippi state politician keenly depicts the deceit and corruption that mar the underbelly of the U.S. legal system.

This business works on you, Grisham writes in The Firm, his 1991 chart-topping thriller that follows a Harvard law graduate  played by a hot-blooded Tom Cruise in the 1993 film of the same name  who becomes disillusioned with the Southern firm that butters up new hires to mask its sinister inner workings. When you were in law school you had some noble idea what a lawyer should be. A champion of individual rights; a defender of the Constitution; a guardian of the oppressed; an advocate for your clients principles. Then after you practice for six months you realize you were nothing but hired guns.

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The idea of a crooked system is something that Grisham, 69, has returned to across his 49 bestsellers. But as much as the novelist is inspired by the decade he spent in the courtroom, its rare for Grisham to step outside the realm of fiction.

Then Grisham found himself in Chester, the bankrupt, riverside city just south of Philadelphia.

Grisham, who lives in Virginia, visited in early April to speak with a lawyer who was involved in a 1997 murder case that has recently burst back into the headlines  and is being covered in the novelists next nonfiction book.

Dubbed the Chester Trio, three local men were all under age 20 when they were accused of murdering 70-year-old Henrietta Nickens in her apartment. They were later sentenced to essentially life in prison for a crime their legal teams have maintained they did not commit.

Years of appeals from nonprofit criminal justice groups the Innocence Project, the local Pennsylvania Innocence Project, and Centurion Ministries delivered results this spring: A Delaware County judge ruled in March that newly presented DNA evidence, pointing to an unknown male perpetrator, could lead to a different outcome in their trials.

The fate of Derrick Chappel, Morton Johnson, and Samuel Grasty lies with county prosecutors, who will choose whether to retry the case before their May bail hearing. The men are now in their 40s.

Its a story of an alleged false accusation and unscrupulous police work that Grisham said happens too often in the legal system, and one hell write about in Framed, the novelists second work of nonfiction.

The book details some of the most egregious wrongful convictions that Grisham says he has encountered, and the Chester Trio story will be one of 10 included.

Framed was written with Jim McCloskey, founder of Centurion Ministries, a nonprofit that seeks to overturn wrongful convictions, and is due out Oct. 8.

Grisham spoke to The Inquirer over the phone and by email, discussing his findings in Chester, his time as a Mississippi lawyer, and his personal revelations on criminal justice reform.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What got you interested in the Chester Trio?

Most of the stories Ive known about for a long time. But the Chester Trio is a new one, at least for me. I heard about it during a Centurion board meeting  Im on the board  and couldnt believe it. Three teenagers pulled off the street and framed for a murder that has never been solved. And given life with no parole.

What do you envision the story looking like in its finished form? Any narrative focuses?

Almost all are linear, beginning with the crime, tracking the investigations as they go off the rails, describing the illegal maneuvering, like watching a car wreck in slow motion. The reader cant believe in mistakes made by the investigators. Trial, conviction, sentencing, prison, the exoneration efforts, and, hopefully freedom.

How does the Chester Trio case compare to other wrongful conviction cases youve seen throughout your career?

Theyre all terrible. Some involve honest mistakes made by people trying to do whats right. Most, however, involve investigators who dont play by the rules, prosecutors who use lying snitches and bad forensics, and judges who tolerate shoddy legal work.

What was it like visiting Chester? Whom did you speak with, and what new information did you learn about the case?

My first and only visit was last week and was there for only a few hours. I had a good time with Guy Smith, a 50-year veteran of the courts in Chester. He was the original attorney for Morton Johnson, one of the three. Typical lawyer, he can tell stories for hours. Great stories. I hope to visit again soon and meet the three.

You mentioned that your upcoming project will focus on a handful of wrongful conviction stories. Across those cases, what have you learned about how a false accusation or unreliable witness can lead to something as severe as a life sentence  or worse?

Try this unbelievable statistic: In half of all capital cases in which the defendant was convicted and sent to death row, a lying snitch was involved. ... In the Chester Trio case, the snitch was a 15-year-[old] kid with a criminal record and a drug problem who was facing more time in jail. The police coerced him into [giving] a statement pointing the finger at Sam, Derrick, and Morton. Because of that false testimony, these three have spent the last 25 years in prison.

You helped petition the Mississippi government to remove the Confederate symbol from its flag. How do you think the Chester Trios case would have gone over in Mississippi, or another Southern jurisdiction?

Same result because racism is everywhere. ... From suspicion, investigation, arrest, bail, indictment, counsel, plea agreement, trial, jury selection, verdict, sentencing and parole, Black people are not treated the same as white. True in Pennsylvania, true in Mississippi.

The Chester Trio is a glaring case in point. The Trio are all Black. The police, prosecutors, and virtually all of the jurors were white. Would three white boys from Haverford or Villanova have been treated the same? Of course not! They would never have been suspected or questioned.
Nearly everyone Bilal Motley grew up with has asthma. All of his friends, all of his siblings wheezed as their airways constricted day to day. But this is life in Chester, Pennsylvania.

The citys childhood asthma rate is currently 27%, which is more than four times greater than the national average. Motley and others from Chester believe the cause is clear  the largest trash incinerator in America, which every day burns 3,500 tons of waste from Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York City, and Ocean City, Md., on the Chester waterfront.

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A 2019 study from the New School identified the incinerator, operated by Covanta, as one of the largest polluters in the country.

There were decisions made a long time ago to sell out my hometown  and it really pisses me off, Motley said. Even though Motley now lives in Delaware, hes never forgotten what his loved ones and Chester have experienced; his mother died of cancer when she was just 29.

Motley said it hurt when Philly mayoral primary candidate Jeff Brown dismissed Chester residents complaints at a debate last year.

 READ MORE: Jeff Brown drew criticism for his debate comments about trash. What is Phillys role in Chesters controversial incinerator?

Were a resilient people  Theres nothing I care more about than Chester, no matter where Im going in the world, he said.

He is the director of a new short documentary film about Chester and its residents fight to close the incinerator. Trash & Burn will be screened this Friday night at Cherry Street Pier as part of the Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel Universitys environmental film festival, Confluence: Earthly Films for Philadelphia. The screening begins at 7 p.m. and is free to attend, but guests must register via eventbrite.com.

The full lineup of films and events for the weekend festival can be found at ansp.org.

Trash & Burn is Motleys third documentary film, and his second on environmental justice. His first documentary, Midnight Oil, tells the story of the last days of the Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery. Motley spent 15 years working at the refinery, and the film includes footage he shot on his cell phone on the day that the complex exploded.

Fridays screenings will include both Trash & Burn and Midnight Oil, and there will be a panel discussion afterward with Motley, community organizer Shawmar Pitts of Philly Thrive, and Zulene Mayfield.

Mayfield is the central figure in Motleys latest film, because she has been Chesters most ardent environmental justice advocate for decades.

Theres nobody like Zulene on the planet. Theres no greater advocate for our city, Motley said.

Mayfield founded the Chester Residents Concerned for Quality Living group in 1992, and is still doing everything she can to make her hometown a safer place to live. In addition to her continued advocacy and protests against the incinerator, as well as other environmental threats in Chester  like a proposed liquefied natural gas plant  Mayfield also works to educate her community and develop the next generation of environmental justice leaders.

 READ MORE: For 30 years, she has fought a waste-to-energy plant in Chester City: We dont have a choice

Its an environmental assault, she said about the incinerator. Its unconscionable for somebodys mother to die at 29. Its unconscionable for me to lose a 15-year-old sister to cancer. Thats not normal. And itll never be normal and acceptable for me.

Mayfield now lives outside of Chester but still owns her waterfront home across from the incinerator. Her home, she said, now has zero market value. Though, when she hears of people asking other Chester residents why dont you leave? she dismisses it as a question not even deserving a response.

Its an environmental assault. Zulene Mayfield

Why is our solution that we have to move away from everything, everybody we love? And then what happens to the people that are still  stuck there? So is that the sacrifice zone? The suicide zone? Are those people the acceptable risk? she said.

Motley knew from the outset that his film needed to focus on Mayfield, her work and tangible environmental impacts, as opposed to centering scientific experts or taking a deep dive into pollution data.

What youre doing to see in Trash & Burn [are things like], oh my kid missed this many days of school. Everybody can feel that, he said.

Despite its dire subject matter, the 18-minute film is not an exercise in whipping up fear and dread.

Some of Motleys favorite scenes involve one of Mayfields mentees, a 14-year-old girl committed to learning about environmental justice and how to fight for it. The documentary ends with shots of community members coming together for Chesters Environmental Justice March, which is holding its fourth annual iteration this Saturday at noon in Chester.

Its a sight to behold. And that gives me hope, Motley said.
Amy Jane Cohen was photographed with her book, "Black History in the Philadelphia Landscape," at Cafe Walnut in Philadelphia. Read more

For the past two months, author Amy Jane Cohen has been lecturing about Philadelphias Black history to predominately white audiences at libraries, bookstores, and exclusive private clubs in the city and the burbs.

Black people have been [in Philadelphia] much longer than most people and have had a continuous and important presence, Cohen, a former high school African American history teacher, recently told the Northeast Philadelphia History Network. Black people have been the ones to push forward our countrys ability to live up to its ideals about equality for all.

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The crowd listened. Some nodded.

Then Cohen  who is white  took the audience back to 1957, when Northeast High School moved from Eighth and Lehigh to Cottman and Algon, then a predominately white neighborhood. Racist real estate practices and federal policies prevented Black home ownership, so virtually no Black teens could attend the state-of-the-art school. Audience members pushed back. How could Cohen suggest that by advocating for the new school and grandfathering their children into it, their parents and grandparents were participating in systemic racism?

I knew it was a risk talking about Northeast High School, Cohen said later. But I dont regret it. I think I opened some eyes.

Temple University Press released Cohens new book, Black History in the Philadelphia Landscape, in February, and she has spent the last two months lecturing about Philadelphias Black history. Shes having the hard conversations Black America begged white people to have with their brethren about the Black experience after George Floyds murder. Shes doing the work of an ally.

If you spend as much time looking at local and national Black history as I have, you understand that systemic racism is real, Cohen said. It still impacts us today.

The 205-page text is written for a general audience, but it is ideal for Philadelphia high schoolers, who are required to take a year of African American history. Cohens website features a teachers guide. Temple University Press published thousands of copies with the hope of getting the book into Philadelphia public schools as well as other schools in the Greater Philadelphia area, said Aaron M. Javsicas, Temple Press editor in chief. Philadelphia recently revised its Black history curriculum to include more local Black history, said Ismael Jimenez, director of social studies for the Philadelphia School District, and the district is in talks with Cohen about how to best use her book.

Cohen is far from the first white scholar to write about Black history. Yet in a city like Philadelphia that boasts a long pedigree of Black scholars  from W.E.B. Du Bois to Marc Lamont Hill  why is she emerging as the contemporary face of Philadelphia Black history?

That is certainly something we talked about, Javsicas said. One of the things I love about Amys book is that it makes it clear that Philadelphia history is African American history. They are not two separate things.

A focus on Philadelphia Black history

Cohen, 59, knows people are curious: Why is this middle-aged white woman so focused on Black history in Philadelphia? She was born and raised in Rittenhouse Square, attended Friends Select School, received an undergraduate degree in history from Brown, and a masters degree in history from the University of Pennsylvania.

She taught history at Abington Junior High before landing a gig teaching at Masterman in 2001. In 2005, Philadelphia passed a mandate making African American history a graduation requirement, and Cohen, who was already teaching a course in Philadelphia history that included units on the Underground Railroad and the Great Migration, volunteered to teach the course. There were no Black teachers in my department, she said. There was an audible sigh of relief when I volunteered.

Cohen said that, as a Jewish woman, she didnt have to unlearn a white supremacist narrative. She understood that America was a country that stole land from American Indians and enslaved Black people. Still, she said, there was a huge learning curve. She read Gary Nashs Forging Freedom, Du Bois The Philadelphia Negro, and the early works of 18th century Free African Society founders and religious leaders Richard Allen and Absalom Jones.

I learned very early on about Black peoples ongoing history of resistance, Cohen said. If one only has a superficial knowledge of Black history you get the impression the civil rights era was the first big organized attempt at resistance. I have been able to appreciate the full-fledged, self-actualized people Black Philadelphians are and have always been.

George Zimmerman killed Trayvon Martin in 2012. One year later  after eight years of teaching African American history  Cohen retired and started writing more about Black history. Black Lives Matter became a movement. Donald Trump became president. George Floyd was killed. Nikole Hannah-Jones groundbreaking New York Times 1619 Project suggested that American history should be taught through the lens of systemic racism. States like Florida and Texas have stopped teaching African American history curricula, calling Black American history unpatriotic.

Its a tragedy, Cohen said. But nothing will get better if we dont have the difficult conversations.

A quick, easy, nonjudgmental read

Black History in the Philadelphia Landscape is a quick, easy, and interesting read. Each of its 19 chapters looks at how events, individuals, and institutions are honored in historical markers, monuments, statues, and murals throughout the city. Black history courses through the fabric of Philadelphia, from the Cecil B. Moore Avenue street sign to the planned rededication of the Kimmel Centers Verizon Hall to Marian Anderson Hall. Several chapters include reflections from prominent Black Philadelphians like journalist Michael Coard or University of Pennsylvania chaplain Charles Howard.

The book starts in 1684 when the Isabella, the first ship carrying the enslaved docked in Philadelphia, and spans through the Black power movement of the 1970s. Some chapters, like the ones about Du Bois and Moore, read like Wikipedia entries. But others, like the story of Alain Locke, the father of the Harlem Renaissance who was born in Philadelphia, and Malcolm X, who spent some of his early years at Philly mosques, were deeper dives that taught me something new.

Cohen writes frankly about injustices Black people faced, but despite her expertise and empathy, she lacks the insight and emotion of a writer who is a descendant of slaves. Its the difference between a Black writer who wants justice for past hurts and a white writer seeking absolution.

She acknowledges the people who laid the groundwork in the book, yet she isnt from the intellectual genealogy of Black Philadelphia, Jimenez said. That limits the full gravity of what the book could mean to Philadelphia and how it is perceived. Shes writing about Black people, not for Black people.

But does the color of Cohens skin really matter if the stories are being told? Thats a hard question. Black Americans have passed our stories of injustice, heartache, and triumph for centuries and white people brushed them off. Why is it that Cohen tells those same stories to a white audience and they are willing to listen?

I know Im coming from a place of privilege, Cohen admits. And no, I dont have that visceral anger. A lot of what is getting me heard is my accessibility and my privilege.

To the publishers, this is a benefit. That palatable, nonjudgmental tone appeals to a wide range of readers. She writes for multiple audiences and has the bona fides and the background to back it up, Javsicas said.

She isnt getting rich  one rarely does when publishing with a university press. Her voice, however, is in the cultural zeitgeist. Shes becoming the academic face of Black history in Philadelphia.

Before Black History was released, Cohen used her connections to line up speaking engagements at the Acorn Club, the Franklin Inn, the Cosmopolitan Club, and bookstores and libraries in Narberth, Doylestown, Radnor, and Villanova. The rooms are always full.

Im surprised that so many of my invitations have come from places with overwhelmingly white audiences, Cohen said. But Im pleased to share this information with people who otherwise may not have gotten it.
A Waymo car was destroyed by vandals who set it on fire in Chinatown. San Francisco police say a 14-year-old boy was responsible for starting the fire. San Francisco Fire Department

San Francisco police said Wednesday that they identified a 14-year-old boy suspected of setting ablaze a Waymo robotaxi in Chinatown during Lunar New Year celebrations in February.

Prosecutors have filed charges against the teen, police said. His name was not released due to his age. The citys Juvenile Probation Department will decide whether the teen will be arrested or appear in court out of custody, officials said.

Just before 9 p.m. on Feb. 10, police responded to the 700 block of Jackson Street, where the parked, unattended, driverless vehicle was engulfed in flames.

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Officials said the car had been set ablaze by fireworks that were lit inside the car, and videos of the incident posted on social media showed vandals breaking into the cars windows with a skateboard and tagging the car.

A spokesperson for Waymo at the time said the vehicle had been operating in autonomous mode and had just dropped off a person when it was vandalized. There were no reported injuries.

Arson investigators later identified the 14-year-old boy as a suspect in the case, and police served a search warrant on his residence on March 27, police said.

Investigators located and seized evidence related to the vandalism, police said in a Wednesday statement.

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A 46-year-old man has been charged with homicide by vehicle while under the influence after he allegedly drove the wrong way on Interstate 95 in South Philadelphia and caused a crash that killed a 21-year-old woman early Sunday, police said.

The victim, Thaduba Magdalena Turay, of Folcroft, was a junior at Cheyney University and a graduate of Cardinal OHara High School in Springfield Township.

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Authorities allege that David Bonilla, of Philadelphia, was under the influence of alcohol when he drove southbound in the northbound lanes of I-95 about 2:40 a.m. Sunday when he crashed head-on into Turays vehicle near Packer Avenue and Front Street.

Bonilla, who also was charged with involuntary manslaughter and related offenses, was taken to a hospital to be treated for his injuries. He was arraigned and his bail was set at 10% of $750,000. It was unclear from court records on Wednesday whether he posted bail.

In a statement Monday, Aaron A. Walton, president of Cheyney University, informed students and staff about the loss of this bright young mind taken from us in a tragic car accident.

Turay was a biology-nursing concentration major, a Cheyney spokesperson said.

Samuel Turay, her father, said in a phone interview that she was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone. When she was 2 years old, her family came to the United States, he said.

She wanted to become a doctor because she liked helping people, and she envisioned traveling to Sierra Leone and other places in the world as a traveling doctor  anywhere she was needed, her father said.

Her father said she was active with an organization in Sierra Leone to promote education for young girls and was supporting more than 35 girls by covering school fees and the cost of supplies, such as uniforms and books.

A GoFundMe was created this week in her memory and the proceeds will benefit her organization in Sierra Leone and raise awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence.
Former Central Bucks superintendent Abram Lucabaugh, pictured next to former board president Dana Hunter during a 2022 school board meeting. Read more

Abram Lucabaugh, the former Central Bucks superintendent who abruptly resigned after Democrats swept the school board elections and who received a $700,000 payout from the outgoing Republican board, is facing new controversy over his potential appointment to lead a Berks County district.

The Oley Valley school board is considering hiring Lucabaugh as its interim superintendent, according to emails reported by the Bucks County Courier Times. Word of his consideration first appeared on social media and spurred outcry among Oley Valley community members objecting to his record in Central Bucks, where Lucabaugh backed bans on sexualized content in library books and teacher advocacy, including LGBTQ flags in classrooms.

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Lucabaugh was very divisive, Christine Ulsh, who said she had spoken with Central Bucks teachers, told the Oley Valley school board during a meeting Wednesday. Theres been a lot of inappropriate things going on, and I dont think thats what we need for Oley  regardless of price, regardless of politics.

At the start of the meeting, Oley Valley board member Aaron Keller said the board was simply interviewing candidates for interim superintendent. Those names were brought to us by the [intermediate unit].

Quite honestly, none of that should have been out in the public, Keller said.

The Courier Times reported Wednesday that Lucabaugh was one of two apparent candidates to become interim superintendent of Oley Valley, a district outside Reading with 1,500 students and three schools. (Central Bucks, one of Pennsylvanias largest districts, has more than 17,000 students and 23 schools.) The other candidate named was William McKay, a former superintendent of Governor Mifflin School District in Berks County.

According to the Courier Times, board member Candice Corle sent Lucabaugh an email on April 9 that read: I wanted to reach out to you after receiving your information from the BCIU to potentially support our school district through a transition period and potentially further. We recently received the resignation of our superintendent and we are looking for someone with your experience.

Lucabaugh  who was paid $315,000 a year in Central Bucks  requested a rate of $1,100 to $1,200 a day, according to the Courier Times, while McKay requested $1,100 a day.

In an email to the Inquirer on Thursday, McKay said that he met with Oley Valley board members last week for an interview, but after discussing the position and doing some more research, I withdrew my name as a candidate.

Oley Valley resident Rachel Winterstine told the board Wednesday that she had stumbled upon the emails about McKay and Lucabaugh through a right-to-know request she filed with the district, and then began to Google the candidates names.

With Lucabaugh, Winterstine said, she came upon news headline after news headline  noting the $1.75 million in legal fees Central Bucks paid Duane Morris under Lucabaughs tenure to investigate allegations of discrimination by the district against LGBTQ students, and Lucabaughs $700,000 separation agreement, awarded by Republicans in their last meeting before Democrats took over. The new board authorized a potential legal challenge to the agreement.

At what point did people think this guy is a good fit? Winterstine said, describing the Central Bucks board as surrounded by embarrassment and chaos.

Lucabaugh could not be immediately reached for comment.

Oley Valley board members  who did not respond to requests for comment  did not address criticism of Lucabaugh during Wednesdays meeting. But several people who spoke during public comments expressed support for the board, accusing critics of trying to create controversy for political reasons.

Other residents, however, said the Oley Valley board was creating division. They cited the boards recent vote to end a longstanding agreement with the Red Cross that had allowed the relief organization to use district buildings for temporary emergency shelter in the event of a disaster.

The Red Cross had never used the districts schools, according to the Reading Eagle, but some board members voiced concern about the organizations role in supporting migrants at the Southern border  with one accusing the Red Cross of facilitating an invasion of the United States.

Some Oley Valley board members have also been criticized for making anti-LGBTQ comments while questioning proposed protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. According to the Reading Eagle, two board members said they were concerned about the district hiring transgender teachers and said there were only two genders..
School officials learned Scott Nalick allegedly sent concerning electronic communication and social media posts directed to students, staff and parents, according to a statement from Police Chief Michael Scheer. Read more

A former South Jersey teacher has been charged with sending harassing and threatening messages to students and staff and showing up at the home of the principal of the Berlin Community School, police said.

The events began unfolding earlier in the week after Scott Nalick, 38, of Evesham, was placed on administrative leave from the public school in Berlin Borough School District, police said. He was escorted from the building by a school police resource officer on Monday, and his access to the building and school network were deactivated, police said.

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Later that day, school officials learned that Nalick allegedly sent concerning electronic communication and social media posts directed to students, staff and parents, according to a statement from Police Chief Michael Scheer and interim School Superintendent Brenda Harring. Details were not disclosed.

In posts on X, formerly Twitter, Nalick allegedly said, Now I go nuclear, according to the Courier Post, which obtained the police complaint and affidavit of probable cause. Police interpreted the post as a violent statement.

According to the newspaper, police said Nalick also posted on X that God says though [sic] shalt not kill. A person who kills another person is no longer Jewish. I am the Messiah. Gods plan.

Police said Nalick allegedly visited the home of a school staff member, identified by the newspaper as the principal. There, he allegedly harassed and verbally confronted the principal and another person.

While making extra patrols at the school Monday night, police encountered Nalick on the school grounds, the police chief said. Nalick had been advised to cease contact with Berlin Community School staff and students, police said.

Nalick was charged with cyber harassment, criminal trespass, altering government computer documents and harassment. He was ordered held in the Camden County Jail, Scheer said.

Scheer declined further comment Thursday, citing the ongoing investigation. The chief and Harring have tried to ease parents concerns in letters to the community. Scheer said extra police patrols will be assigned to the school, which enrolls about 875 students in pre-K to eighth grade. An additional school resource officer will also be added for the foreseeable future, he said.

Law enforcement has undertaken all possible investigative measures in this matter, Harring said in a message to parents. The Police Department has ensured us that resources needed will be provided.

Harring said she met with students during two assemblies and counselors were made available. She read a statement during morning announcements informing students that Nalick had resigned and that he is no longer welcome at the school.
WXPN-FM's Record Store Day release 'Homegrown Originals, Volume 2,' includes previously unreleased music from Philly acts including Low Cut Connie, Speedy Ortiz, and Moustapha Noumbissi, who is picture here recording a The Key Studio Session. Read more

For Record Store Day on Saturday, WXPN-FM (88.5) will release Home Grown Originals, Volume 2, a 10-track LP that contains previously unreleased music from 10 Philly artists with songs recorded exclusively for the radio station.

Its the second year in a row that the University of Pennsylvania radio station has gotten into the vinyl business for the music lovers holiday in which fans will line up at stores across the Philadelphia region to buy limited edition vinyl releases while supplies last.

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At 11 area independent stores in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, local music fans will find this years Homegrown supply, which will be available as a free-with-purchase item. Rules will vary depending on the store, but they general idea is: if you buy a lot of stuff, youve got a good chance of scoring the all-local LP, gratis.

The Hometown set includes songs by Low Cut Connie, Gladie, Hurry, Julia Pratt, Greg Mendez, Karlia, Speedy Ortiz, Caring Less, Moustapha Noumbissi, and Slaughter Beach, Dog.

The songs were recorded in various XPN settings, including Free at Noon concerts, the Key studio sessions, and at last years rain-soaked XPoNential Festival at Camdens Wiggins Park.

 READ MORE: This week in Philly music, Dom Flemons plays City Winery. And Taylor Swift drops Tortured Poets Department right in time for Record Store Day.

The 11 participating stores include three in Philadelphia: Repo Records on South Street, Hideaway Music in Chestnut Hill, and Main Street Music in Manayunk, where stellar power pop band Hurry is one of several bands playing Saturday afternoon.

Other Pennsylvania stores stocking the album are Siren Records in Doylestown, Newtown Book & Record Exchange in Newtown, Forever Changes in Phoenixville, Ikos Music Trade in York, A Day in the Life in Lancaster, and Compact Disc Center in Bethlehem. The New Jersey shops are Tunes in Voorhees Twp., and Sound Effects in Hackettstown.

This years Homegrown grew from six artists to 10, and from a limited edition of 300 total copies to 625. XPN local host John Vettese said in a statement: Homegrown Originals was so well-received by the music community last year that were able to do even more this year  With a variety of genres from R&B to folk to rock to pop, Homegrown Originals Volume 2 is a unique snapshot of the Southeastern PA music community from the past year.
A photograph of a wild coyote believed to still be at large in the Marple Township area. Read more

One less wily coyote is on the loose in Delaware County, and for some pet owners, that may bring a sigh of relief.

An adult coyote was caught in a trap Wednesday morning by Marple Township animal control in a wooded area behind Langford Road in Broomall.

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The coyote is believed to be likely the same one that snatched a small terrier dog from a Broomall homeowners yard last Thursday, April 11, said Township Police Chief Brandon Graeff.

It was very, very near where the dog was taken by the coyote, Graeff said.

Last Thursday, a Broomall woman was watching her daughters dog when a coyote snatched the terrier out of her Woodside Lane homes yard.

She actually saw the coyote grab the dog and run off with it, the chief said.

Graeff said a resident took a photograph of a coyote in the township about a year ago, but that animal was lighter in color than the one captured Wednesday. Its conceivable, he said, that the first coyote is still in the area.

The captured coyote is being relocated, he said.

Because coyotes have adapted to many habitats in Pennsylvania and are more active in the spring while caring for their young, police are encouraging residents to follow these precautions recommended by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
Testimony began Wednesday in the extortion trial of former labor leader John Dougherty, shown here leaving the Reading federal courthouse and talking to reporters. Read more

READING  There are few things about the 2020 job site skirmish that has landed former labor leader John Dougherty back in court on which prosecutors and defense attorneys can agree.

On Aug. 19 of that year, Greg Fiocca  Doughertys nephew and a union electrician working on the then-under-construction Live! Casino in South Philadelphia  confronted his supervisor in a dispute over pay. Dougherty took his nephews side.

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But as the two mens trial on extortion charges tied to that incident opened Wednesday in federal court, it quickly became clear that its the differences in how both sides view what occurred during that altercation that will ultimately swing the case.

Fiocca and Dougherty, the then-head of Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, stand accused of threatening the contractor overseeing the casinos electrical work after Fioccas wages were docked for poor job performance.

In prosecutors telling, Fiocca flew into a rage and vented his ire on his boss.

He starts choking him. He slaps him, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Grenell in his opening statement to the jury of six men and six women responsible for rendering a verdict in the case. He throws him over the table as hes screaming at him.

When the casinos contractor tried to fire Fiocca afterward, Grenell said, Dougherty threatened to shut down work on the project and make sure the contractor never landed a job in the city again unless he kept Fiocca on the payroll.

Defense lawyers, in their own opening salvo, dismissed that account and the idea that it amounted to extortion as complete and utter nonsense.

Fioccas behavior, while perhaps intemperate, followed months of harassment from his bosses, they said. And the pressure Dougherty exerted on them wasnt criminal, they maintained, but rather a legitimate effort to support a union member involved in a pay dispute.

The question here is, Did [Dougherty] threaten anyone? Greg Pagano, attorney for the ex-union chief, told jurors. And the answer is he did not.

Those conflicting portrayals set the contours of the trial set to play out at the federal courthouse in Reading over the next several days. Should the jury find Dougherty guilty, it could mean even more prison time for the former labor leader who is already facing sentencing on bribery and embezzlement charges next month.

But unlike Doughertys earlier trials  which played out over months, featured testimony from dozens of witnesses, and involved multiple alleged schemes of corruption and theft of union funds  the proceedings that began Wednesday should play out at a faster clip.

Prosecutors have indicated they could wrap up the case by the end of the week. And they quickly cut to the heart of the matter as they called their first witnesses to the stand.

Chris Hoeger and James Gorman, longtime Local 98 electricians who worked alongside Fiocca on the Live! Casino construction, detailed Fioccas troubled history at the job site in the months leading up to the attack.

 READ MORE: As it happened: Prosecutors describe John Dougherty's nephew as a workplace menace; defense calls extortion claim nonsense

Fiocca, whom Dougherty had appointed Local 98s union steward for the casino project, would often disappear for hours during the workday  or not show up at all.

By February 2020, Hoeger testified, hed had enough. Him not being in the right spot, him not showing up, him not working, Hoeger said. Fiocca was moved to another crew.

But a change in assignment did little to improve Fioccas attendance, said Gorman, who worked alongside him later that year wiring security cameras and lighting in the casinos parking garage.

Hes kind of frustrating, to be honest, Gorman texted his boss, after finding himself working alone several times because Fiocca was nowhere to be found.

Fioccas attorney, Rocco Cipparone Jr., maintained his client wasnt skirting work, and that the absences noted by his coworkers were prompted by union business calling him away in his role as the construction sites steward.

And both Hoeger and Gorman acknowledged Wednesday that the bosses at the casino site  including the sites primary electrical contractor Ray Palmieri and supervisor Rich Gibson  seemed to take a special interest in checking up on Fioccas whereabouts at all times.

Cipparone contended that constant scrutiny, on top of pressure Fiocca was facing as his unions primary representative at a major construction project at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, were what prompted him to snap during the eventual confrontation with Gibson.

But even before that, Gorman testified, he could tell trouble was brewing as Fioccas bosses began docking his pay over his repeated absences.

Greg would see it and he would get mad, Gorman said. This whole time  its starting to boil up. You [could] see the pressure just building in the whole situation.

On Aug. 19, it reached a fever pitch. Fiocca picked up his paycheck, saw it was short, and set off to confront Gibson.

Gibson, a Local 98 member himself, secretly taped what happened next  a recording prosecutors said theyll play for jurors later in the trial. (The defense maintains Gibsons taping of Fiocca was illegal under state laws requiring consent from all parties before a conversation can be recorded.)

Though neither Gorman nor Hoeger witnessed the altercation inside a trailer on the construction site firsthand, Hoeger said he spoke to Gibson shortly after, entering the trailer in the moments after Fiocca left.

He looked flustered. The collar of his shirt was pulled noticeably. And he was upset, Hoeger said. He told me  Greg attacked him.

Police were called but opted not to make any arrests. Later that day, several Local 98 business agents showed up at the job site while Gibson insisted Fiocca should be fired as the unions steward on the casino.

Hoeger recalled watching the union agents quietly conferring, and, after making several phone calls out of earshot, announcing that Fiocca would remain on the job.

I kind of threw my hands up, he said. I think we were all frustrated.

Prosecutors say the man on the other end of those phone calls was Dougherty, conveying the threats that now form the backbone of their case.

But as testimony is expected to resume Thursday, defense lawyers are likely to focus on what exactly the ex-union chief said.

They maintain that Dougherty and Palmieri, the casinos main electrical contractor, had known each other for years and considered each other friends. And no matter what Dougherty may have threatened in the heat of that moment, the contractor never suffered any ill effects.

In fact, Pagano told jurors during his opening statement earlier in the day, Palmieri went on to land contracts in Philadelphia worth $40 million over the next several years.

Its not a crime to help your nephew, the defense lawyer said. Its not extortion to help your nephew. And its not extortion to keep your nephew in his job.
Actor Maulik Pancholy attends the premiere of "Trishna" during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. Read more

Actor and childrens book author Maulik Pancholy was scheduled to speak against bullying at a Pennsylvania middle school next month.

But Cumberland Valley school board members canceled his appearance Monday, citing concerns about Pancholys activism and lifestyle.

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Critics say the move was homophobic  Pancholy is openly gay and came out in 2013  and have launched a petition to reinstate the event.

Who is Maulik Pancholy?

Pancholy is an award-winning actor, appearing on TV, films, and Broadway.

Some of his best-known roles include Jonathan on 30 Rock, Sanjay on Weeds, and the voice of Baljeet on the popular Disney animated series, Phineas and Ferb.

He is also a childrens book author, penning two stories about gay Indian American boys grappling with bullying and self-discovery while growing up in small Midwest towns.

In 2014, the actor was appointed by then-President Barack Obama to serve on the Presidents Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, where Pancholy cofounded a campaign to combat AAPI bullying. On his website, Pancholy describes this role  along with his involvement in several similar AAPI awareness, Pride, and anti-bullying campaigns  as activism.

He has spoken at schools about bullying and diversity, according to his website.

Another Pennsylvania school  Tohickon Middle School in Doylestown  praised his speaking engagement.

Your message of accepting and celebrating our differences is one that is sorely needed, a testimonial from the school on his website said. The assembly and Writers Workshop were both beautifully done. For the rest of the day teachers stopped me in the hallway to thank me for arranging your visit.

What was the assembly for?

Pancholy was scheduled to speak at a May 22 assembly at Mountain View Middle School in Cumberland County.

Each year, our leadership team at Mountain View Middle School schedules an author presentation as a unique educational experience for students, a school district spokesperson told Penn Live. The author often offers a keynote address, and sometimes provides opportunities for book purchases as a part of their visit.

Why was Pancholys middle school talk canceled?

At the Cumberland Valley School District board meeting Monday evening, members voted unanimously to cancel Pancholys talk, citing concerns about his activism and the LGBTQ+ characters in his books.

If you research this individual, he labels himself as an activist, longtime board member Bud Shaffner said at the meeting. He is proud of his lifestyle, and I dont think that should be imposed upon our students, at any age.

School board member Brian Drapp said at the meeting he worried that Pancholys assembly could break the districts policy about not hosting overtly political events. That rule was adopted following backlash the district faced when a high school within its district hosted Donald Trump for a 2016 rally, according to PennLive.

The school board members admitted they didnt know what Pancholys talk would be about. But Shaffner said he didnt want to run the risk.

What have school board members said?

Kelly Potteiger, who is also a member of her local chapter of the right-wing activist group Moms for Liberty, said she was concerned Pancholy would discuss his childrens books, which center LGBTQ+ characters, or his own experiences with anti-bullying and empathy and inclusion.

Again, its not discriminating against his lifestyle, thats his choice, but its him speaking about it, Potteiger said.

Jevon Ford said the fact that the event was happening during school swayed him to support canceling it, but that he would support an evening appearance where community members could decide whether they wanted to go.

Board President Greg Rausch initially dissented, saying, Im not going to sit there and discriminate against an individual because I dont know what they want to talk about, but ultimately supported the move to cancel the event.

How has the community responded?

Parents, students, and community members blasted the cancellation, calling the decision homophobic.

Brooke Ryerson, an LGBTQ+ high school sophomore who attended Mountain View Middle School, told Today.com that she viewed it as an attempt to silence queer students and the LGBTQ+ community.

Theyre sending that message that they dont want our identities in the school, Ryerson said.

Ryerson and her mother plan to attend the next school board meeting, on May 6, to speak out against the cancellation.

To have someone with Mauliks life experiences would have been inspirational for our students, said Trisha Comstock, whose two sons attend Cumberland Valley schools. It is important that we teach our children about diversity and acceptance from an early age.

Comstock launched a change.org petition in hopes of reinstating the assembly. Its collected more than 1,600 signatures so far.

Fellow Cumberland Valley schools parent Brittany Hadley wrote on the petition that she was excited when her child came home with a flier announcing the assembly and that she was deeply angered to see it called off.

Has Pancholy said anything?

Thursday evening, Pancholy put out a statement addressing his disappointment in the school boards decision and his appreciation for the community rallying around him.

When I visit schools, my activism is to let all young people know that theyre seen, Pancholy said. Thats the power of books. They build empathy. I wonder why a school board is so afraid of that?
President Joe Biden, seen here speaking in Scranton on Tuesday. Biden will be back in Philadelphia on Thursday, his fourth trip to the area this year. Read more

President Joe Biden is ending a three-day tour of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, where he hasnt been a stranger since being elected in 2020.

Biden most recent visit to the commonwealth took him from his childhood home in Scranton on Tuesday to Pittsburgh yesterday, where he signaled his willingness to crack down on China for potentially anticompetitive trade practices with aluminum and steel.

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Im not looking for a fight with China, Biden said. Im looking for competition, but fair competition.

Full details on his Thursday trip to Philadelphia have not been released, but Biden will be endorsed by several members of the Kennedy family, including Kerry Kennedy, Rory Kennedy, and former Massachusetts Rep. Joe Kennedy. Its a strong rebuke of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is running an independent campaign for president and could siphon votes away from Biden and help his Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump.

 READ MORE: Biden in Philadelphia: Live updates

I can only imagine how Donald Trumps outrageous lies and behavior would have horrified my father, Robert F. Kennedy, who proudly served as Attorney General of the United States, and honored his pledge to uphold the law and protect the country, Kerry Kennedy will say, according to prepared remarks obtained by The Inquirer. Daddy stood for equal justice, human rights and freedom from want and fear. Just as President Biden does today.

You can stream Bidens speech in Philadelphia here, courtesy of PBS:

Biden is in Pennsylvania ahead of next weeks primary election. While the presidential race is all locked up, voters will be deciding their nominees for state House and Senate seats, state attorney general, and other state row offices. These primaries will set up November matchups, which could tip the balance of power in both Harrisburg and Washington.

 READ MORE: 2024 Pennsylvania primary: A voter's guide

Bidens schedule in Philadelphia today

Biden is scheduled to depart the White House around 10:15 a.m. and arrive at Philadelphia International Airport at 11:20 a.m.

From there, hell travel to the Martin Luther King Recreation Center in North Philadelphia and deliver remarks around 12:45 p.m. The specific location has not yet been released by the White House.

After that, hes scheduled to participate in another campaign event at 1:45 p.m. before leaving Philadelphia around 3:50 p.m., according to his public calendar.

Its the fourth time Biden has traveled to the Philly area this year

Its Bidens fourth visit to the Philadelphia area in 2024 and his sixth to Pennsylvania, which included stops in Scranton and Pittsburgh this week ahead of the commonwealths Tuesday primary election.

No other place outside of Washington, D.C., and his home state of Delaware has hosted the president more frequently over the last two years. Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to the Philadelphia earlier this month to participate in a roundtable at William Cramp Elementary School, where she promoted the Biden administrations student debt relief plan.

Last year, he visited eight times, which included a tour of the Philly Shipyard, brunch at Parc after attending his granddaughters art show at the University of Pennsylvania, and the official kickoff to his reelection campaign at the Convention Center.

Here is a timeline of Bidens trips to Philadelphia this year:

 READ MORE: Trump and Biden keep coming to Pennsylvania. Heres where they have stopped this year.

Trump visited Pennsylvania last week, but is stuck in a courthouse

Last week, Trump visited Bucks County and held a rally in Lehigh County. But dont expect the former president to campaign here ahead of next weeks primary.

Trump is stuck in Manhattan, where he is on trial for falsifying business records related to hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

New York law requires defendants to be present during their trials. Trump has pleaded not guilty.

On Saturday, Trump is scheduled to hold a rally in Wilmington, N.C. at 7 p.m.

Staff writer Julia Terruso contributed to this report.
The good news in the Republican primary race for Pennsylvania attorney general is that both candidates said President Joe Biden won the 2020 election. The bad news is they tiptoed through their respective answers during a meeting with The Inquirer Editorial Board.

Before York County District Attorney Dave Sunday said Biden won, he went on about how it matters if some voters dont believe the election outcome  no matter how we got here. State Rep. Craig Williams, who represents parts of Chester and Delaware Counties, said Biden won, but added that electioneering occurred and that then-Attorney General Josh Shapiro failed to investigate every allegation of fraud.

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It is alarming that many GOP candidates who know better still struggle to repudiate Donald Trumps manufactured and repeated falsehoods regarding the 2020 election. The danger to democracy still looms and requires elected officials to put country before party. Trump, the Republican standard bearer, is already claiming if he loses in November then that outcome was rigged. But if he wins, never mind.

Given Trumps past and potential future efforts to overturn elections, the next attorney general must have the moral fortitude to defend democracy and the rule of law. Pennsylvania cannot afford an attorney general who goes wobbly in the face of Trumps intimidation tactics.

Both Sunday and Williams avoided the full MAGA rhetoric but gave cautious responses regarding Trumps role in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and his four criminal indictments. On other issues, such as addiction and mental health, both candidates seemed almost progressive.

But Sunday would not concede Trump lit the flame that sparked the insurrection. He said the former president could have done things that would have made that situation better and made it less violent.

Williams said the images he saw on TV were disgraceful and not a good look for our democracy. But he added that Trump wasnt at the U.S. Capitol during the riots, and issued a tweet urging peaceful protests.

As for Trumps four criminal indictments, Williams said the cases in Georgia and New York, especially, are more political than not, while Sunday said he wanted to see what emerged from the trials before making a judgment.

Both Sunday and Williams were critical of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasners soft-on-crime approach. But Williams, who led the House impeachment of Krasner, struck a harder line. If elected, Williams said he would investigate Krasner. Many of Krasners problems are self-inflicted, but efforts to impeach or investigate him are a costly and divisive waste of time.

Sunday called Krasners tenure a train wreck but said he would try to work with him. That is a more sensible approach for prosecutors who must avoid partisan politics.

Another divisive issue facing the next attorney general is abortion. Fortunately, Sunday and Williams avoided the extreme rhetoric of other state attorneys general who plan to prosecute those who help women travel to another state to get an abortion. Williams said he would not prosecute anyone who comes from another state and receives a legal abortion in Pennsylvania. Sunday said he would follow the law.

On many key issues, the candidates largely agree. Both support the death penalty and oppose legalizing marijuana. Both served in the military and have experience as prosecutors.

Williams, 58, graduated from Duke University and received his law degree from the University of Florida. He served in the Marines and was a federal prosecutor. His wife, Jennifer Arbittier Williams, was a longtime federal prosecutor and briefly served as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania before entering private practice.

If elected, Williams said his top priorities would be combating gun violence, fraud that targets senior citizens, and addiction largely through trauma-informed therapy.

Sunday, 48, was born in Harrisburg and spent four years in the Navy after high school. He then worked for UPS while going to college and law school at night, graduating from Pennsylvania State University in 2002 and Widener Law School in 2007.

Sunday was first elected district attorney in York County in 2017. If elected attorney general, he plans to increase access to mental health services, combat the opioid epidemic, and bolster reentry programs. During his tenure as district attorney, gun violence in York has decreased dramatically.

Overall, Sunday has the strongest track record, the most forward-thinking policy proposals, and a demeanor that suggests he is amenable to bipartisanship. The Inquirer endorses Dave Sunday in the Republican primary for attorney general.
Philly is a great music town, thats no secret. Were home to Patti LaBelle, Jill Scott, and The Roots, plus acts like Hall and Oats and Diplo got their start here. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, its also a great place to build a record collection with plenty of stores, while listening bar concepts have slowly emerged in recent years.

This city has some great record stores, says Bruce Warren, assistant general manager of programming at WXPN (and former Inquirer music writer). Repo Records, the Philadelphia Record Exchange, Brewerytown Beats  all these places have one thing in common: really passionate people that work there. Note, Brewerytown Beats has since closed its store.

Every year, Record Store Day is an opportunity to remind people that records, and record retailers, are something to be passionate about. But across the citys shops, not everyone is so passionate about Record Store Day itself.

When it was declared back in 2007, the event seemed uncontroversial  an annual quasi-holiday to encourage people to support independent record stores, launched at a time when such stores were under serious threat. It was a gentle reminder to patronize your local record store because, well, they could use the patronage. And Philly, certainly, has no dearth of shops worth patronizing.

Since then, things have become more complicated. It has grown from a day (usually a Saturday in April) to an organization that works with labels, distributors, and shops to provide exclusive releases, making it an occasion for music fans and collectors.

Its hell, says Keri Girmindl, manager of Common Beat Music in West Philly. Its like Black Friday. But much worse. Because its all record people.

Think Starbucks Red Cup Day or Blaze Pizzas $3.14 pizza for Pi Day, where a small group of employees get crushed by a wave of thousands of orders. Girmindl says smaller shops like Common Beat in Cedar Park (which throws its own annual birthday celebration with sales and freebies for regulars) cant handle the stress.

The event has also drawn criticism from collectors who say Record Store Day caters to flippers looking to score rare releases and sell them online; that special releases tend to privilege larger stores; that the pressure on the nations few remaining record-pressing plants makes it harder for smaller artists to produce and sell their albums; that it has, more generally, transformed physical music into pricey souvenirs, valuable more for their rarity than their content; and that it turns music into museum pieces, instead of living, breathing, grooving works of art.

Record Store Day lands on April 20 this year with various events including a pop-up vinyl market at the newly opened 48 Record Bar in Old City from noon to 5 p.m.  the listening bar will also have listening parties, live podcast tapings, and other events from April 18 to May 5. Score your top five RSD titles at Main Street Music with live music sets throughout the day, and find WXPNs limited-edition Homegrown Originals Volume 2 album, featuring XPN-exclusive original songs from 10 Philly-area artists, at various area record stores.

Here are some of the regions most notable shops, well worth a visit on Record Store Day, or just whenever. Because really, cant any day be Record Store Day if you, you know, visit a record store?

How we choose our best lists What makes something the best? Our recommendations are based on our reporters' deep regional knowledge and advice from local experts. We also strive to represent the geographic and cultural diversity of the city and region. Spot an error or omission? Email us at phillytips@inquirer.com

West Phillys Common Beat Music is more than just a record store. Its an all-purpose music hangout. Youll find a healthy selection of folk and country LPs, rounded out by stacks of 7-inch singles and a smattering of new releases. We dont buy a lot of new stuff, manager Keri Girmindl explains. Theres a lot of intentionality in how we source our stock. What distinguishes the store is its similarly curated selection of music instruments, amplifiers, straps, strings, and other accessories. It has an intimate, friendly, local vibe. It makes more sense to go to a record store on a regular basis, says Girmindl, as opposed to two or three times a year.

4916 Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19143,  215-726-8742,  commonbeatmusic.com,  @commonbeatmusic

 Read more: The ultimate neighborhood guide on where to eat, drink, and play in West Phillys Cedar Park

On a recent trip to Digital Underground  the wildly eclectic Queen Village shop  one young browser ambling through the racks of recent reissues by bands like Sacred Reich, Mercyful Fate, and the industrial metal dance band Combichrist, commented that their distaste for mainstream music was so profound that, if stuck in traffic without an aux cord or Bluetooth hookup, theyd never even bother to turn on the FM radio, preferring instead to sit in silence and vibe. Digital Underground caters to such listeners, with its deep trenches of metal and electro, as well as used novelty records (I spied multiple copies of a 1970 promotional tie-in record for the sitcom All in the Family) and Japanese imports of old PlayStation game soundtracks, for which there is, apparently, a market.

732 S. Fourth St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19147,  215-925-9259,  facebook.com/digitalferret,  @digitalundergroundphiladelphia

With a street-facing window display prominently featuring prop skeletons playing cards, Long in the Tooth could easily be mistaken for a magic shop  or some sort of dungeon-themed escape room. But dont be fooled! The venerable Center City hangout is a crate-diggers dream. Its the sort of place where a well-stocked new arrivals racks can stoke general excitement. Ah! A copy of Miles Davis Live-Evil! Oooh! A Posh Record compilation of 80s L.A. hardcore! Wow! A bunch more stuff that I cant afford! Where other shops seem to streamline their stock for a more, lets say, user-friendly experience, Long in the Tooth makes a virtue of its abundance. A tastefully curated selection is all well and good. But theres still a lot to be said for the pleasure of dredging out the rare gems from the stacks yourself.

2027 Sansom St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19103,  215-569-1994,  @longinthetoothrecords

Manayunk can already feel like youre stepping into its own little village, and Main Street Music is the kind of small, well-stocked record store you used to find in any town: collecting new records, pricey box sets, and a great selection of used vinyl. The shop majors in the sort of souvenir vinyl releases to entice buyers. And, manager Jamie Blood says the pandemic has birthed a whole new class of such buyers, who began building collections as a pastime in the past couple years or so.

4444 Main St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19127,  215-487-7732,  mainstreetmusicpa.com,  @mainstreetmusicpa

Is Mollys, in the Italian Market, a record store? Or is it more of a book store that also sells used records and tatty old issues of Rolling Stone? I suppose its the latter. Youre not likely to find much in the way of brand-new, thickly-pressed, souvenir vinyl here. But among the rows of old paperbacks and shelves of vintage rock rags, theres plenty of fun to be had flipping through the reasonably-priced, quickly-rotated stock of used records. Whether its a record store or a book store or some amalgam of both, I just know its exactly the kind of place built for wasting away half-an-hour, elbow-to-elbow, sifting through the stacks with other hardened admirers of old and reused things.

1010 S. Ninth St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19147,  215-923-3367,  @mollysbooksandrecords

Fishtowns hallowed Philadelphia Record Exchange excels at the sort of cluttered, controlled chaos that draws in local listeners and collectors. The stores highly eclectic selection includes a huge bin dedicated to sound tracks (everything from Jesus Christ Superstar to more curious cuts like Conan The Barbarian) and another marked, simply, Shlock. With stacks of as-yet unsorted albums piled along the aisles, the Philadelphia Record Exchange can feel a bit like the inside of a record collectors head turned manifest. Decent prices, too.

1524 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19125,  215-425-4389,  @philarecx

HBOs hit whodunit Mare of Easttown generated plenty of hype for its regional accents, and its abundance of Yuengling bottles and plentiful hoagie-based supper scenes. Less remarked upon was the Repo Records shirt sported by one of Easttowns millions of wayward, bleary-eyed teens. Celebrating more than 35 years on South Street, Repo is the rare record store that warrants its own merch (which it also sells). In addition to Repo Records T-shirts and stickers, the store also boasts an impressive collection of new and used vinyl, slanting toward classic rock. Youll also find plenty of band shirts, posters, pins, and patches. Basically, if you were to wake up one day and decide, I want to get into rock music, you could be totally kitted out at Repo. A dream for music fans, or costume designers desperate to nail those lived-in, hyper-local sartorial details.

506 South St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19147,  215-627-3775,  reporecords.com,  @reporecords

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Nestled in a historic brick building in Doylestown, Siren Records looks from the outside more like a public library than a record shop. Inside, youll find rows of new and used vinyl and plenty of CDs. Remember those? With its stock organized and subcategorized, by genre, subgenre, and artist, its easy enough to find exactly what youre looking for. They offer plenty of marked down, budget vinyl titles  a throwback to the days of building an ad hoc collection purely from dollar bin records.

25 E. State St., Doylestown, Pa. 18901,  215-348-2323,  sirenrecords.com,  @sirenrecords

South Phillys Sit & Spin is another spot catering to serious collectors: of used heavy metal vinyl, extremely rare (and, the sign warns, expensive) punk 7-inches, and assorted ephemera (think 500-piece Metallica puzzles). Sit & Spins the sort of store where youre more likely to score a rare Ice 9 single, or peruse a rack of T-shirts dedicated to Cleveland hardcore outfit Integrity, than pick up a rare RSD exclusive release of a Robert Plant live concert.

2243 S. Lambert St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19145,  267-773-8345,  sitandspinrecords.com,  @sitandspinrecords

This East Passyunk record store scours the east coast  from Virginia to Connecticut (and beyond)  for records to supply their storefront and online store. Theyll even drive to you and pay cash if you got the goods. Under the name Philadelphia Music, they offer a collection of more than 100,000 vinyls, CDs and DVDs spanning all music genres on their Discogs and eBay store pages. Drop into their South Philly storefront.

1619 East Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19148,  215-805-8001,  philadelphiamusic.net,  @beautiful_world_syndicate

At this Fishtown record store, you can try to find a Rick Rubin-produced record while eating a Rick Reuben sandwich. MilkCrate is a local record store with thousands of offerings in their collection, but also an all-day cafe and music hangout spot in Fishtown and West Philly.

400 E Girard Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19125, and 4435 Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19104,  267-909-8348,  milkcratecafe.com,  @milkcratecafe

 READ MORE: Our best Philly tips: Read our most useful stories
Carne asada tacos at Copas, a Mexican restaurant and cocktail bar on Market Street in San Francisco. The restaurant is closing on Saturday, April 20. Benjamin Fanjoy/Special to The Chronicle Chef and partner Julio Aguilera prepares food at Copas, a Mexican restaurant and cocktail bar on Market Street in San Francisco. The restaurant will close on Saturday, April 20. Benjamin Fanjoy/Special to The Chronicle

One of San Franciscos best taquerias will close this weekend.

Copas, known for its coal-grilled meats, will close on Saturday, April 20, after opening in late 2021 in the Castro. Operating the restaurant has become too expensive, spokeswoman Victoria Levi Wooley told the Chronicle, with large increases in costs like ingredients and labor. Business was good, boosted by favorable reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations, but never got to a level where it could sustain the restaurant.

Unfortunately, when you look at the numbers on a page, it just could not work no matter what we did, she said.

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According to a recent Chronicle analysis of city sales tax data, overall restaurant revenue in San Francisco was down about 20% compared to pre-pandemic figures.

Copas originally opened with both Spanish and Mexican dishes, but later simplified into a Tijuana-style taqueria. It specialized in tacos stuffed with smoky carne asada and other meats, along with Mexican entrees like tostadas and mariscos.

The switch earned plaudits from the Chronicles associate restaurant critic Cesar Hernandez, who praised chef Julio Aguilera for nailing the fundamentals of a taqueria. (The chef also offered a more elaborate tasting menu, as well as an all-you-can-eat taco option.) Hernandez included Copas in the Chronicles list of top tacos and best fish tacos, as well as among the Bay Areas 25 best restaurants overall.

Levi Wooley said the Copas brand will remain alive in some form, through catering or pop-ups, though there is nothing concrete yet. In the meantime, shes looking forward to welcoming back repeat customers in the few days ahead of the closure.

We hope to see everyone who has loved our food, Levi Wooley said.

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In remarks Wednesday in Scranton and Pittsburgh, President Joe Biden said his uncle was shot down during WWII over a region of New Guinea where cannibals had lived, an account not borne out by military records.

At the time, Biden had been honoring his uncles memory while upbraiding former President Donald Trump for calling fallen veterans suckers and losers.

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Biden said Second Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan Jr., known as Uncle Bosie, flew single-engine planes in reconnaissance flights over New Guinea for the Army Air Corps, established before the Air Force.

He got shot down in an area where there were a lot of cannibals in New Guinea at the time, Biden said. They never recovered his body.

According to a personnel profile report from the Pentagons Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the plane had not been shot down and cannibals were not mentioned.

What the report said was that on May 14, 1944, Ambrose was a passenger on an A-20 Havoc plane with a crew of three making a courier flight to an airfield in New Guinea.

Both of the planes engines failed at low altitude, and the aircrafts nose hit the water hard, according to the report. Two crew members as well as Finnegan were lost in the crash, while one crew member survived. There was no trace of the missing aircraft or the lost crew members.

President Biden is proud of his uncles service in uniform, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said Thursday. The president highlighted his uncles story as he made the case for honoring our sacred commitment  to equip those we send to war and take care of them and their families when they come home.

Chris Nicholas, a Republican political consultant based in Harrisburg, said he found it hard to understand why Team Biden would want him talking about that specific incident in his long-dead relatives past. He must know hes under constant watch because of his age. He has so many other stories to tell.

Biden has misspoken before about an uncle in the military.

During a town hall event in New Castle, Del., in December 2022, Biden recounted a story about trying to award his uncle, Frank Biden, a Purple Heart for service in WWII, according to PolitiFact, a fact-checking website.

Biden said that he attempted to give his uncle, now dead, the honor in 2008, while he was vice president, but that his uncle refused the medal out of respect for comrades who had died. Biden was elected vice president in 2008, but didnt take office until 2009. And FactCheck.org reports that Frank Biden died in 1999.

Upon investigation, PolitiFact reported, Its possible that such an event occurred under different circumstances while Biden was serving in the U.S. Senate, but PolitiFact found no evidence to corroborate the claim as described by Biden. We rate Bidens claim False.

Biden has spoken in the past about his familys military service, including that of his elder son, Beau, who died in 2015 of brain cancer, which Biden has said was linked to exposure to burn pits during his sons Iraq deployment.

During his remarks Wednesday, Biden referred to Trump and said, That man doesnt deserve to have been the commander in chief for my son, my uncle.

Bidens reference to Trumps use of pejoratives to describe war dead relates to a 2020 Atlantic article in which the former president was quoted as having called American war dead in a French cemetery losers. He also referred to 1,800 Marines as suckers for getting killed in battle.

This article contains material from the Associated Press.

Staff writer Julia Terruso contributed to this article.
Surrounded by members of the Kennedy family, President Joe Biden speaks at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center in Philadelphia on Thursday, with the Pennsylvania primary five days away. Read more

As he seeks to hold on to a delicate Democratic coalition, President Joe Biden capped off his three-day tour of Pennsylvania with a visit Thursday to Philadelphia, where he accepted the endorsements of members of the Kennedy family.

It was a prominent showing of support from the relatives of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine activist, who is mounting an independent bid that could potentially pull voters from the Democratic president.

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The event also had the dual purpose of tying Biden closely to some of the most revered figures in his partys history after a string of events in the state that have leaned heavily into the presidents personal history and connections to Pennsylvania.

The North Philadelphia event, at a recreation center named for Martin Luther King Jr., created an image that harked back to the 1960s when a political realignment saw Black voting power grow within the Democratic Party. Bidens prospects against former President Donald Trump in the crucial swing state could hinge on whether Black voters turn out in large numbers in the heavily Democratic city.

Standing side-by-side with Kennedy family members, many of whom share the same smile, also provided a chance for Biden to continue telling a personal narrative that hes spun throughout the last three days. He often says the Kennedy family, specifically Robert F. Kennedy, whose bust he keeps in the Oval Office, helped shape his decision to go into public service.

He inspired me and his passion and courage inspired my generation, Biden said in Philadelphia.

Fifteen members of the Kennedy family endorsed Biden, including Kerry Kennedy, the sister of the independent presidential candidate, who referred to the race as a two-person contest between the president and Trump. The daughter of RFK and niece of President John F. Kennedy  revered Democratic leaders who were slain in the 1960s  Kennedy directly tied the president to her fathers legacy and the larger cause of civil rights.

I can only imagine how Donald Trumps outrageous lies and behavior would have horrified my father, Robert F. Kennedy, who proudly served as attorney general of the United States, and honored his pledge to uphold the law and protect the country, Kerry Kennedy said. Daddy stood for equal justice, human rights, and freedom from want and fear. Just as President Biden does today.

Biden invoked RFKs 1968 speech in the aftermath of Kings assassination, noting that riots had broken out across the country in the wake of the civil rights leaders murder.

And then we heard a familiar voice ... Your dad, Bobby Kennedy, standing in the back of a truck in Indianapolis asking for peace, Biden recalled.

Bidens campaign events in the Philadelphia area have repeatedly centered on historical moments. He spoke near Valley Forge about fighting against tyranny, at Independence Hall about threats to democracy, and at the Constitution Center about voting rights.

Thursdays event evoked the civil rights era. During the 1960 presidential campaign, then-Sen. John F. Kennedy called Coretta Scott King to express sympathy after her husband was convicted of a probation violation for his role in an Atlanta sit-in, while his brother and campaign manager Robert made phone calls on Kings behalf.

Upon his release, King said he owed a great debt of gratitude to Senator Kennedy and his family, a public statement that helped boost crucial African American support for Kennedy in his narrow victory against Republican nominee Richard Nixon.

Black voters are poised to play a similarly crucial role in this election as former President Donald Trump and Biden head into Tuesdays Pennsylvania primary and their anticipated November rematch deadlocked in polling.

Former Philadelphia State Rep. John White Jr., whose son works on Bidens campaign, introduced the president and the Kennedys. Calling himself a son of the civil rights movement, White told a heavily African American crowd, Our democracy is in danger.

If Black Lives Matter, so do Black livelihoods, White added to loud applause.

A close contest

The event was emblematic of some of the key constituencies Biden needs to bring together, including older Democrats and Black Philadelphians.

It also had signs of his vulnerabilities. Outside, pro-Palestinian protesters, who have shown up at every event Biden held in the state this week, voiced their outrage over Bidens handling of the war in Gaza and called for a permanent cease-fire. They banged instruments and held signs that read, Stop the massacre of Palestinians, Stop the killing of children.

The Kennedy endorsements displayed the Biden campaigns concerns that Kennedy Jr.s candidacy could siphon votes from him and aid Trump. Kennedy Jr., who launched his independent campaign for the presidency in Philadelphia in October, consistently polls around 7% or 9% in statewide surveys.

Biden won the state by less than 1 percentage point in 2020, despite Trump gaining ground in Philadelphia. Attendees showed concern over the role of RFK Jr. and other third-party candidates in a tight race.

Darryl Schuler, who runs the Philly anti-violence group Put it Down, worried that Black voters, who are a powerful and sought-after voting bloc in the city, could abandon Biden in support of Kennedy. Its his past history with his family, what they stand for, Schuler said.

Its not good, he said. Not if you dont want Trump in office.

Tariem Burroughs, a 42-year-old West Philly resident, referenced the 2016 election and said that he believed Green Party candidate Jill Stein pulled votes from Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who narrowly lost Pennsylvania. He said he was worried RFK Jr. could play a similar role this election.

It would be weird if I said I wasnt, he said.

Rory Kennedy, RFKs daughter, and Joe Kennedy III, RFKs grandson and a former congressman, appeared at the endorsement event along with about a dozen other members of the Kennedy family. The Kennedys had signaled their support for Biden before the official endorsement, with a photograph at the White House on St. Patricks Day.

The Republican National Committee dismissed the familys endorsement of the president as insignificant to his race with Trump.

Its poetic that near 50-year career politician Joe Biden wants support from the original career politicians in the Kennedy family. Unfortunately for Biden, voters in this century are suffering from his failures on everything from the economy to the border, which is why hes losing to President Trump in battleground states across the country, RNC chair Michael Whatley said in a statement.

Kennedy Jr. said in a statement that he commends his family for engaging in politics, even if they have different opinions.

We are divided in our opinions but united in our love for each other, he said on X. I hold this as a possibility for America too. Can we disagree without hating our opponents? Can we restore civility and respect to public discourse? I think we can.

Following the endorsement event, Biden and members of the Kennedy family joined campaign volunteers and supporters by making calls and knocking on doors.

Before flying back to Washington (with a stop at Wawa en route), Biden told the smaller group of Philadelphia volunteers: Youre my ticket to the White House. You, Pennsylvania.

This article contains information from the Associated Press.
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Jeff Brown finished fifth in last year's Democratic primary for mayor after the ethics board sued a super PAC that supported his campaign for illegally coordinating with him. The case was later thrown out. Read more

The Philadelphia Board of Ethics on Wednesday amended its campaign finance rules in response to its failed lawsuit against For a Better Philadelphia, the outside spending group, or super PAC, that last year backed candidate Jeff Browns unsuccessful mayoral run.

The revised rules make clear that a prohibition on candidates coordinating with outside spending groups, or so-called super PACs, applies even before the candidates launch their campaigns.

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That was the key issue in the boards high-profile and ultimately unsuccessful suit against Brown, a businessman and first-time candidate, during the 2023 Democratic primary for mayor. Super PACs are allowed to raise and spend money in unlimited amounts, but are prohibited from working in coordination with candidates campaigns, which are subject to limitations on donations.

The board accused the group of illegally coordinating with Brown, who was well-known as a ShopRite proprietor before running for mayor, because he had raised money for it before entering the race in the fall of 2022. But a Philadelphia judge last year threw out the suit, saying the boards regulations did not make it clear that the prohibition on coordination applied to people who have not yet announced their candidacies.

 READ MORE: Inside the Board of Ethics case against the super PAC supporting mayoral candidate Jeff Brown

The board, a city agency responsible for enforcing Philadelphias public integrity laws, then decided to amend its regulations rather than appeal the decision, leading to Wednesdays unanimous vote to approve the rule changes.

Where conduct constituting coordination occurs before an individual is a candidate, and a resulting coordinated expenditure is made after the individual becomes a candidate, such expenditure is an in-kind contribution, the new regulations state in part.

The new rules, which only apply to city elections and not state or federal races, now go to the city Law Department for final approval, and will be posted online by the Department of Records for 10 days before taking effect.

The public interest is best served by clarifying [the boards] campaign finance regulation through the amendment process, to remove any doubt about how the coordination rules apply, J. Shane Creamer Jr., the boards executive director, said in a statement, adding that, with Wednesdays vote, the new rules will be in place well in advance of next years municipal elections.

An attorney for Brown and the super PAC did not respond to a request for comment.

When a candidate coordinates with a super PAC that is spending money to support a campaign, the super PACs expenditures are classified as in-kind contributions to the candidates campaign. That means they are subject to the citys contribution limits, which for next years elections will be $3,700 a year for individuals and $14,800 a year for organizations.

Super PACs are usually organized for the purpose of accepting large donations beyond those limits and consequently must avoid coordination  fundraising, advertising, or strategyin order to spend and raise large sums.

If coordination occurs, the super PACs expenditures will then be treated as in-kind contributions to the campaign, triggering a violation of the citys contribution limits. And if the ethics board hears about it, investigates, and finds a series of large contribution infractions, it can assess significant fines or seek to have the money paid back, which in some circumstances would effectively bankrupt the campaign.

 READ MORE: Phillys ethics board usually flies under the radar. That changed with its lawsuit against a super PAC backing Jeff Brown.

For a Better Philadelphia spent millions during the mayors race, helping Brown make a splash and become an early front-runner. But he fell in the polls following the ethics board lawsuit, which was filed in April, and other stumbles on the campaign trail and ended up finishing fifth in the May primary, which was won by now-Mayor Cherelle L. Parker.

The lawsuit centered on ambiguity in the boards regulations about when the coordination rules apply. The ethics board pointed to one part of the rules that stated that coordination can occur at any point in the 12 months before an election. Another part, seized on by For a Better Philadelphias lawyers, indicated that coordination can only occur with a candidate  meaning Brown could not have been prohibited from coordinating with the group before he entered the mayors race.

Common Pleas Court Judge Joshua Roberts in September sided with For a Better Philadelphia and threw out the lawsuit. The board initially said it would appeal the decision to Commonwealth Court but announced in December that it was dropping the case and making plans to amend the regulations instead.

The new rules make clear that the board will consider coordination to have occurred when a candidate or someone who becomes a candidate directs or donates funds to, solicits funds for, or otherwise provides funds to the [outside spending group] in the twelve months before the covered election.

For a Better Philadelphia and Brown in January sued the ethics board, arguing the agency knew its actions during the mayors race were invalid and that they were designed to damage the reputations of Brown and the groups organizer. The case is pending.
Demonstrators protesting the war in Gaza lock arms as California Highway Patrol officers reopen lanes to southbound traffic on Interstate 880 in Oakland on Monday. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle

Regarding Chronicle readers denounce protests that block Golden Gate Bridge and I-880 freeway (Letters to the Editor, SFChronicle.com, April 17):

Disruption is worth it

Having been impacted by delays many times across Bay Area transportation, I understand frustrations.

However, Im struck by the outrage over the recent protest, which seems ultimately about being inconvenienced.

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Extraordinary inconvenience is having your homeland decimated, your people (including children) killed by the thousands and trying to survive famine, all while U.S. aid by the billions is earmarked for the country attempting to annihilate your people.

To do nothing, in the face of such human rights violations, is to condone the horrific actions.

Take a moment, please, to consider your aggravations while praying for peace and justice the world over.

Pam Hefferman, Oakland

Dissent is American

The San Francisco Bay Area chapter of the National Lawyers Guild stands with all those protesting what they view as a genocidal war and repression in Gaza and Palestine.

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It is in the grand tradition of the Bay Area to stand up for human rights, here and around the world. Dissent and protest are both a right and a duty in the face of U.S. support for what is arguably genocide. Protests of this kind should never be criminalized.

Many of the protesters who were arrested are being threatened with felony charges that would have potentially lasting implications for their lives, livelihoods and families. More protests are expected during the next few days, with equivalent dangers of mass repression. These courageous activists urgently need our solidarity and legal support.

These protests come as the war in Gaza continues with U.S support, resulting in tens of thousands of Palestinians dead, injured, detained and forcibly displaced, in open defiance of a resolution from the United Nations Security Council calling for a cease-fire and decisions by the International Court of Justice that seek to hold Israel accountable, along with cases brought in U.S. courts and in courts around the world.

Camilo Perez-Bustillo, executive director, San Francisco Bay Area chapter, National Lawyers Guild

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Way to get attention

The flood of letters critical of citizens blocking freeways protesting Israels demolition of Gaza raises the question: What can a citizen do to stop their government from funding a war, especially when most agree there should be an immediate cease-fire?

Confronting the decision makers at every opportunity is one approach and a protected right of free speech. As Code Pink founder Medea Benjamin, a frequent evictee from congressional hearings, told me, We dont have high-paid lobbyists and cant afford massive political donations and therefore must speak with our bodies.

At some point, the interruption of daily life is the only alternative.

Tom Miller, Oakland

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Have a solution?

Regarding Gov. Gavin Newsom: Gaza protesters should be held to account for blocking Bay Area highways (Bay Area, SFChronicle.com, April 16): The story presents Gov. Gavin Newsoms blame of protestors uncritically, ignoring the reason they were protesting in the first place.

More than six months into Israels siege of Gaza, protesters around the world are trying to prevent the astronomical death toll from rising.

When Newsom says, I think theres a better way of expressing it than denying people the ability to get to work, someone in an emergency that cant get to their destination, he ignores two important facts.

About Opinion Guest opinions in Open Forum and Insight are produced by writers with expertise, personal experience or original insights on a subject of interest to our readers. Their views do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Chronicle editorial board, which is committed to providing a diversity of ideas to our readership. Read more about our transparency and ethics policies

Gaza residents have been prevented from working or receiving emergency care for more than half a year. Activists have employed a myriad of other tactics, from calling their representatives in Congress to passing cease-fire resolutions in their schools, unions and local governments, to economic boycotts of Israel, and yet the killing continues.

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If Newsom has a better idea about how to achieve an immediate and permanent cease-fire, he should lead the way.
We are delighted to have Peter Bailey join us as our chief underwriting officer, Hutcheon said. Peter is highly experienced, well known within the insurance industry, and will undoubtedly be a strong complement to our senior management team. We look forward to Peter's contribution as a new member of our executive leadership team and guiding the business through the next phase of growth and supporting our goal of growing to give back.
We are delighted to be partnering with Bank Australia to offer their customers the benefits of our award-winning digital experience and smart home program, Joffe said. Bank Australia's values of putting the customers at the centre of all they do and commitment to fairness and positive impact are strongly aligned with Honey's, so this strategic relationship was a natural fit for us both. We are excited for Bank Australia to be Honey's first customer-owned bank partnership and to support their leadership in the sector.
We wanted to get as close to the customer as possible and thats been one of the hallmarks of the Markel International expansion over the last few years: getting into those closer customer markets, he said. A lot of what were seeing [in Australia] wont leave the state where the client is based.
While 2023 was a positive year for many, there is still work to be done, he said. Market conditions and rates have improved significantly, however, 2023 was a quiet year for the North Atlantic hurricane season and many are forecasting a hyper-active 2024. The casualty market is also now experiencing the predicted issues created by reserving deficiency and currently rates are rising.
The report goes into detail regarding Northwestern Mutuals efforts in promoting diversity and inclusion within its workforce. The firm touts that more than one-third of the staff engage in employee resource groups, 83% of employees report that their managers are attuned to their professional aspirations, and 30% of corporate staff are people of color, marking a record high for the company.
Mike Zukerman, CSAAs interim president and chief executive, said: We recognize that addressing one audience or one area in isolation may not lead to our desired outcomes. Thats why weve started to employ a broader lens  total social impact  when looking at our imprint on our planet, our people, and the communities we serve as we progress on our journey in these spaces.
As one of the first insurance brokers to set up a power and new energy department, Willis mainly serves PV first-tier brands and is one of Munich Res largest partners in China, Yang said. In recent years, the photovoltaic industry has been developing rapidly, and Hanersun has made a lot of achievements in the domestic and international markets. We hope that through this tripartite co-operation, we can enhance the brand influence of Hanersun in the global market together.
How is the Bermuda market different to the London Market?

Hitchcock noted that the way Bermuda is structured is quite similar to the London Market, in that its easy to get around and see each other. Coming into Bermuda makes it easy to see a large number of markets in a couple of days, he said, which is a key component in making the sector so dynamic. Its also a highly creative market with markets more freely able to think outside the box or look at something new, which isnt always the case these days in London.
Lifting the lid on the expansion, Kanguro chief executive Andres Mishaan said: We recognize the need for accessible and affordable renters insurance. By leveraging our technology and customer-centric approach, were aiming to revolutionize the renters insurance market just as we did with pet insurance  easy to buy and easy to use.
Omaha National is rated A- (Excellent) by AM Best and provides its workers comp services through over 2,500 agencies. Since initiating its marketing efforts in 2017, the company has expanded to employ more than 250 individuals and is nearing an in-force premium of $200 million.
Passengers ride the narrow escalator connecting the Central Subways Union Square Station platform to the BART and Muni Powell Street stations in 2022 in San Francisco. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

BART has agreed to repair and upgrade its much-criticized elevators and escalators in order to improve access for disabled passengers under a settlement approved by a federal court Thursday.

The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed in 2017 that said disabled passengers at Bay Area Rapid Transit stations regularly encounter broken or soiled elevators, nonfunctioning escalators, broken accessible fare gates, and other barriers that bar them from access to the BART system.

In the previous 18 months, the suit said, there had been more than 2,500 elevator outages, often leaving the disabled without any way to reach the platform. And functioning elevators, the suit said, were sometimes soiled by urine and feces.

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The agreement approved by U.S. Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler, who supervised years of negotiations, requires BART, within 10 years, to fix 40 elevators that transit officials have identified as those most in need of repair. The other 32 are to be upgraded within 15 years if BART can obtain sufficient funding.

Forty escalators in downtown San Francisco are to be repaired or replaced within 10 years, and BART agreed to seek money to upgrade the rest of its escalators, with a goal of a fully operational escalator system at least 90% of the time.

The settlement promises continuous, uninterrupted escalator service in the daily commute direction during all passenger service hours, subject only to temporary and isolated escalator outages for repairs, maintenance, or inspections.

Routine escalator maintenance will not be scheduled during commute hours, and will not be done when an elevator at the same station is out of service, under terms of the settlement. If an elevator or escalator shuts down, BART said it would try to inform the public within 15 minutes.

BART also agreed to provide telephone service to connect disabled passengers to other transit vehicles, and in some cases a free shuttle bus, when they are unable to access the trains. Attorneys from Disability Rights Advocates and Legal Aid at Work will receive $825,000 for legal fees and costs, and an additional $112,500 for monitoring the settlement for the next 15 years.

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This settlement ensures that people with mobility disabilities are not excluded from the Bay Areas mass transit system and do not receive a level of service vastly inferior to nondisabled people, said Jinny Kim, a lawyer with Disability Rights Advocates.

She said BART has made improvements during the negotiations, providing elevator attendants at downtown San Francisco stations. But passengers still have not been warned when elevators and escalators shut down, and they have had to find their own ways of reaching another station or finding alternate transportation, Kim said.

I am proud of what we accomplished through this settlement and happy that BART is prioritizing the needs of the disability community, Ian Smith, a wheelchair-using passenger, said in a statement released by his lawyers.

In a statement Thursday, BART spokesperson Alicia Trost said the transit agency has been a pioneer in ensuring access to all people throughout our history. We were the first 100-percent accessible public transit system in the nation and we have reinforced our unwavering commitment to meet the needs of everyone regardless of their level of mobility. ... We will continue to work to make BART as accessible as possible for all of our riders.

The transit system has suffered substantial declines in usage and revenues since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. BART trains previously carried 440,000 passengers on an average weekday, but ridership, while increasing somewhat in the last year, is now 162,000 per weekday.

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This post is part of a series sponsored by AgentSync.

Having a criminal charge or conviction in ones background can make things more difficult for a licensed insurance producer. However, it doesnt always have to mean the end of a career, as long as you follow your states procedures for reporting the new history. Its best to start with your resident state, but dont forget to notify all states where you hold a nonresident license as well.

To help you fulfill your reporting obligations, weve created this state-by-state guide to how each state handles an already-licensed producer who needs to report new criminal charges, convictions, military convictions, or adminstrative actions. For a bit more background on the laws surrounding certain types of felonies, and how the Producer Licensing Model Act (PLMA) tries to standardize procedures across states, see Part One of this five-part series, which also covers the first 10 states (in alphabetical order).

Jump to a state

With 50 states plus the District of Columbia to cover, weve divided this topic into a series. This article covers Hawaii through Maryland, and you can click the state below to jump directly to it  including states not covered in this particular article.

Alabama | Alaska | Arkansas | Arizona | California | Colorado | | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland

How to renew my Hawaii insurance license after a criminal conviction

Hawaii Revised Statute 431:9-234.5 states that a licensed producer has 30 days to report:

Any civil or administrative action taken against them in any jurisdiction or by any governmental agency in the United States (from the date of final disposition of the matter.)

Any criminal prosecution of the licensee being taken in any jurisdiction (from the date of arraignment.)

To do this, the law specifies the licensee must submit a copy of the initial complaint or indictment and any and all other relevant legal documents. Hawaii asks producers to make these written submissions via the NIPR Attachments Warehouse  Reporting of Actions.

Once the producer has reported as required, Hawaii Revised Statute  431:9A-112, states the [insurance] commissioner may deny, place on probation, suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue or renew an insurance producers license and may levy a civil penalty for any one (or multiple) of a long list of circumstances. Most applicable to the topic of criminal background information are:

(2) Violating any law, or violating any rule, subpoena, or order of the commissioner or of another states commissioner;

(6) Having been convicted of a felony;

(9) Having an insurance producer license or its equivalent denied, placed on probation, suspended, or revoked in any other state, province, district, or territory;

Source: HI Revised Statute  431:9A-112 (2022)

To simplify, Hawaii says you might lose your insurance license if you violate any law, are convicted of a felony, or have your license denied, revoked, etc. by another jurisdiction.

This last part could have a large impact on a producer who  for example  holds a resident license in Hawaii and a nonresident license in Georgia. If this producers convicted of something thats a felony in Georgia but not Hawaii, and thus loses their Georgia license based on Georgias law, that fact alone could cause Hawaii to follow suit. However, its important to note that none of these consequences are automatic or happen without the ability for a producer to fight them.

What about misdemeanors in Hawaii?

[Pending answer from the state] Hawaiis individual insurance producer application states that an applicant may exclude from their self-reported criminal history:

Misdemeanor convictions or pending misdemeanor charges

Traffic citations

Driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI) citations

Driving without a license

Reckless driving, or driving with a suspended or revoked license.

Offenses where you were adjudicated as a delinquent in juvenile court

Since these dont need to be reported upon the initial application, its logical that a current licenseholder in Hawaii would also not have to report these particular misdemeanors to the insurance commissioner. However, were still awaiting confirmation from the Hawaii insurance commissioners office.

What about nonresident producers seeking to renew their Hawaii license after a conviction?

Hawaiis law states a licensee with no distinction between resident and nonresident licensees. Producers with nonresident Hawaii insurance licenses should follow the same procedures as outlined above.

One final note on insurance licensing and criminal convictions in Hawaii

Hawaii specifies that its not just the individual producer who can be in trouble for their criminal activity. Business entities can also have their insurance licenses revoked, suspended, etc. (just like individuals) if someone in charge knew or should have known that a licensed producer engaged in one of the (previously mentioned) long list of misconducts.

(c) The license of a business entity may be sanctioned pursuant to subsection (a) if the commissioner finds, after hearing, that any other licensee of the business entity has engaged in misconduct under subsection (a) that was known or should have been known by one or more of the entitys partners, officers, or managers acting on behalf of the entity and the violation was neither reported to the commissioner by the entity nor corrective action taken by the entity.

https://law.justia.com/codes/hawaii/2022/title-24/chapter-431/section-431-9a-112/

How to renew my Idaho insurance license after a criminal conviction

According to Idaho Statute 41-1021, a producer must report either (or both): administrative action taken against the producer by another jurisdiction; and any criminal prosecution brought against the producer by any other jurisdiction. Like all other states, Idaho requires producers with an active license to report these new actions within 30 days, either from the final disposition (for administrative actions) or from the initial pretrial hearing date (criminal prosecutions). The report will need to include a copy of the initial complaint filed, the order resulting from the hearing and any other relevant legal documents and be uploaded to the NIPR Attachments Warehouse  Reporting of Actions.

If youve got more questions about getting or keeping an insurance license with a criminal record, the Idaho Department of Insurance website has a lot of space dedicated to comprehensive coverage of reporting of actions.

What about misdemeanors in Idaho?

Idaho is one of the handful of states that specifically lists a few misdemeanors that licensed insurance producers dont need to report to the insurance commissioner. These include:

Misdemeanor traffic citations

Misdemeanor convictions involving driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI)

Driving without a license

Reckless driving

Driving with a suspended or revoked license

While this list is related to first-time applicants, we interpret the exclusions to also apply to current licensed producers who find themselves cited with one of the above.

Outside of this list, Idaho does require a producer (or applicant) to disclose misdemeanors the same as felonies, within 30 days, and with the documentation noted.

What about nonresident producers seeking to renew their Idaho license after a conviction?

Idaho law doesnt specify a difference between resident and nonresident producers. Nonresident producers with an Idaho license should follow the same reporting requirements as residents.

Specifically referring to granting a 1033 consent waiver, Idaho writes: A 1033 consent and even licensure in a home state does not guarantee license issuance in other, non-resident states. All states reserve the right to make their own determination in review of the background information. Idaho appears to take the same stance to convictions that dont require a 1033 consent. Basically, go through the process even if youre a nonresident, and Idaho will determine the outcome.

How to renew my Illinois insurance license after a criminal conviction

The Illinois insurance code states in Section 500-95 that any licensed producer convicted of a felony must report the conviction to the director of insurance within 30 days from the entry date of the judgment. The report should include a copy of the judgment, the probation or commitment order, and any other relevant documents.

These documents should be uploaded to the state using the NIPR Attachments Warehouse  Reporting of Actions. According to the Illinois insurance code, this article is scheduled to be repealed on Jan. 1, 2027. We havent been able to get a response from Illinois about what this means yet..

What about misdemeanors in Illinois?

We cant find any reference to misdemeanors in the Illinois insurance code. We recommend checking with an Illinois attorney or contacting the department of insurance for clarification if youre in the position of being convicted of a misdemeanor and questioning whether you need to report it.

What about nonresident producers seeking to renew their Illinois license after a conviction?

Illinois law makes no distinction between resident and nonresident producers. Nonresident licenseholders in Illinois should follow the same guidelines as resident producers.

How to renew my Indiana insurance license after a criminal conviction

Indianas insurance code states in IC 27-1-15.6-17 that a licensed producer has 30 days to report:

Any administrative action taken against the producer in another jurisdiction or by another governmental agency in Indiana (from the date of final disposition of the matter.)

Any criminal prosecution of the producer initiated in any jurisdiction (from the initial pretrial hearing date).

To do this, the law specifies the licensee must submit a copy of the order, consent to order, or other relevant legal documents (for administrative actions) or a copy of the initial complaint filed, the order resulting from the hearing, and any other relevant legal documents (for criminal prosecutions). Indiana uses the NIPR Attachments Warehouse  Reporting of Actions to collect these documents.

According to IC 27-1-27-7.1, the Indiana insurance commissioner may suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue or renew a producers license if the producer has been convicted of a felony. In fact, Indiana law refers to a felony conviction as a disqualifying offense, giving us the impression that any felony conviction is grounds for license revocation.

Furthermore, Indiana imposes a 10-year disqualification period on licensed insurance producers whove received a felony conviction. Only after 10 years have passed since the date of the applicants conviction or release from imprisonment, parole, or probation, whichever is later can the producer apply for their license to be reinstated.

What about misdemeanors in Indiana?

Indiana law doesnt appear to specify how to report a misdemeanor conviction, however, it clearly states that some misdemeanors are grounds for license revocation. According to IC 27-10-1-6, a misdemeanor is a disqualifying act if an element of the offense involves dishonesty, violence, or a deadly weapon. Aside from that, seems like a misdemeanor doesnt disqualify someone from keeping their insurance license.

Just like felonies, Indiana law requires license revocation for someone convicted of a disqualifying misdemeanor. Such a person can apply for license reinstatement once five years have passed since the date of the applicants conviction or release from imprisonment, parole, or probation, whichever is later.

What about nonresident producers seeking to renew their Indiana license after a conviction?

Indiana law doesnt mention resident or nonresident producers in this capacity. Nonresident producers should follow the same procedures as described.

How to renew my Iowa insurance license after a criminal conviction

Iowas insurance code states in Section 522B.16 that a licensed producer has 30 days to report:

Any administrative action taken against the producer in another jurisdiction or by another governmental agency in Iowa (from the date of final disposition of the matter).

Any criminal prosecution of the producer taken in any jurisdiction (from the initial pretrial hearing date).

To do this, the law specifies:

For administrative actions: The report shall include a copy of the order, consent to the order, and other relevant legal documents.

For criminal prosecution: The report shall include a copy of the initial complain filed, the order resulting from the hearing, and any other relevant legal documents.

Iowa uses the NIPR Attachments Warehouse  Reporting of Actions to collect these documents.

What about misdemeanors in Iowa?

Iowa law doesnt specify different reporting requirements for felonies versus misdemeanors. It simply states that licensed producers must report new criminal prosecutions to the department of insurance within 30 days. Iowa law also doesnt indicate any misdemeanors that would be exempt from its general reporting requirements.

What about nonresident producers seeking to renew their Iowa license after a conviction?

Iowa law doesnt mention resident or nonresident producers in this capacity. Nonresident producers should follow the same procedures as described.

How to renew my Kansas insurance license after a criminal conviction

According the Kansas Insurance Departments website, licensed producers (both resident and nonresident) are required to notify the Department of, within 30 days of occurrence, any regulatory actions, terminations for cause, actions taken against a license in another state, and new convictions.

To do this, the state says to email the Department at KID.licensing@ks.gov with the subject line Report of Action.

What about misdemeanors in Kansas?

Kansas doesnt distinguish between misdemeanors and other types of crimes, so any licensed producer with a new conviction should follow the same procedures for Kansas described above.

What about nonresident producers seeking to renew their Kansas license after a conviction?

The Kansas Insurance Department has a web page dedicated to nonresident producers and lists the same procedures regardless of an agents resident state.

How to renew my Kentucky insurance license after a criminal conviction

Kentuckys revised statutes, Section 304.9-467 states that a licensed producer has 30 days to report:

Any administrative action taken against the licensee in another jurisdiction or by another governmental agency in Kentucky (from the date of final disposition of the matter.)

This report must include:

A written statement identifying the type of license and explaining the circumstances of each incident;

A copy of the notice of hearing or other document that states the charges and allegations; and

A copy of the official document which demonstrates the resolution of the charges or any final judgment.

Kentucky law also says that a producer has 30 days (from the date of service) to report:

Any criminal complaint, information, or indictment in any jurisdiction.

This report must include:

A written statement explaining the circumstances of each incident;

A copy of the charging document;

A copy of the official document which demonstrates the resolution of the charges or any final judgment.

Specifically, when it comes to reporting criminal complaints, information, or indictments, if the situation hasnt been resolved within 30 days of a licensed producer receiving notice of these items, the licensee has 30 days following the resolution of the charges to submit a copy of the resolution and/or final judgment to the Kentucky insurance commissioner.

To meet these requirements, Kentucky says licensees must submit the required information to:

ATTN: Civil/Criminal Violation Reports

Agent Licensing Division

909 Leawood Drive

Frankfort, Kentucky 40601

What about misdemeanors in Kentucky?

We recommend doing your due diligence, however, Kentuckys law is clear that when it comes to new insurance license applicants, applicants can omit disclosing misdemeanor traffic offenses and juvenile offenses. One may infer that a current licensee need not report newly occurring misdemeanor traffic offenses. Aside from this one very specific type of crime, Kentucky requires license applicants and current licensees to report any criminal complaint, information, or indictment in any jurisdiction.

What about nonresident producers seeking to renew their Kentucky license after a conviction?

Kentucky law makes no distinction between resident and nonresident producers. Nonresident licenseholders in Kentucky should follow the same guidelines as resident producers.

How to renew my Louisiana insurance license after a criminal conviction

According to Louisiana Revised Statutes Section 22:1563, a licensed insurance producer has 30 days to report (to the commissioner of insurance):

Any administrative action taken against the producer in another jurisdiction or by another governmental agency in this state (from the date of the final disposition of the matter). This report shall include a copy of the order, consent to order, or other relevant legal documents.

A conviction in district court of an offense under Revised Statute 22:1554(A)(7) (from the date of a conviction).

Louisiana law also states that the insurance commissioner has the ability to place on probation, suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue, renew, or reinstate an insurance producer license (or issue a fine) to a licensed insurance producer whos convicted of  or pleads nolo contendere to  any felonyor conviction of any misdemeanor involving moral turpitude or public corruption.

Furthermore, the law states, not reporting these as required, within the 30-day time frame, makes a producer guilty of violating Louisiana Revised Statute 22:1554(A)(14).

To do this, the law specifies the licensee must submit the required documents to the NIPR Attachments Warehouse  Reporting of Actions.

What about misdemeanors in Louisiana?

While misdemeanors that dont involve moral turpitude or public corruption may not disqualify a producer from maintaining their license, Louisiana appears to require them to be reported nonetheless.

What about nonresident producers seeking to renew their Louisiana license after a conviction?

Louisiana law doesnt distinguish between resident and nonresident licensees in terms of reporting requirements. Producers with nonresident Louisiana insurance licenses should follow the procedures outlined above.

One final note on insurance licensing and criminal convictions in Louisiana

Louisiana specifies that its not just the individual producer who can be in trouble for their criminal activity. Other individuals and business entities can also have their insurance licenses revoked, suspended, etc. if someone in charge knew or should have known that a licensed producer engaged in misconduct that required them to obtain a consent waiver (but didnt get one). This appears to include a conviction of a felony, although its not clear whether the reference is to any felony or just those related to moral turpitude (requiring a 1033 consent waiver). Please consult the department of insurance if you find yourself needing firm answers.

The commissioner may place on probation, suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue, renew, or reinstate an insurance producer license, or may levy a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars for each violation occurring, up to ten thousand dollars aggregate for all violations in a calendar year per applicant or licensee, or any combination of actions, for any one or more of the following causes:

(18)(a)

A producer, without the consent of or a waiver from the commissioner, has employed or has allowed to associate with his business, in any manner, any person engaged in the business of insurance who has been convicted of a felony under the laws of this state or any other state or territory, the District of Columbia, the United States, or any foreign country.

Louisiana Revised Statute Section 22:1554. License denial, nonrenewal, or revocation

How to renew my Maine insurance license after a criminal conviction

The Maine insurance code states in Section 1420-P that a producer shall report to the superintendent any administrative action taken against the producer in another jurisdiction or by another Maine governmental agency within 30 days of the final disposition of the matter. The report is required to include a copy of the order, consent to order, or other relevant legal documents.

Maine law also states that, for criminal actions, a producer has 30 days from the initial pretrial hearing date to report to the superintendent any criminal prosecution of the producer taken in any jurisdiction. This report must contain a copy of the initial complaint filed, the order resulting from the hearing, and any other relevant legal documents.

The Maine Bureau of Insurance wants producers to submit these documents either by uploading them to the NIPR Attachments Warehouse  Reporting of Actions, or by emailing the Bureau of Insurance directly at inisurance.pfr@maine.gov.

The state of Maine doesnt say that reporting new administrative actions or criminal actions will necessarily result in losing an insurance license. However, the law says the superintendent may place on probation, suspend, revoke or refuse to issue or renew an insurance producers license or may levy a civil penalty on a licensed producer whos been convicted of crimes outlined in Maines law, Title 5, section 5301.

What about misdemeanors in Maine?

According to email correspondence with the Maine Bureau of Insurance, all criminal history and new criminal convictions and pending charges (including misdemeanors) must be reported, except for the following:

Traffic citations

Driving under the influence (DUI)

Driving while intoxicated (DWI)

Driving without a license

Driving with a suspended or revoked license

Juvenile adjudication

What about nonresident producers seeking to renew their Maine license after a conviction?

Maine law makes no specific distinction between resident and nonresident producers. Nonresident licenseholders in Maine should follow the same guidelines as resident producers.

One final note on insurance licensing and criminal convictions in Maine

Like other states, Maine doesnt ignore an insurance business that allows a producer to continue working with a criminal past without following the proper procedures to ensure the producers still in good standing.

Effect on business entity. The license of a business entity may be suspended, revoked or refused if the superintendent finds, after hearing, that an individual licensees violation was known or should have been known by one or more of the partners, officers or managers acting on behalf of the partnership or corporation and the violation was neither reported to the superintendent nor corrected.

MAINE INSURANCE CODE Chapter 16: PRODUCERS, ADJUSTERS AND CONSULTANTS

Subchapter 2-A: MAINE PRODUCER LICENSING ACT

How to renew my Maryland insurance license after a criminal conviction

Maryland insurance code section 10-126 states that The Commissioner may deny a licenseor suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew or reinstate a license if the licenseholder has (among a long list of other conditions):

Been convicted by final judgment in any state or federal court of a felony or crime involving moral turpitude;

Been denied a license or certificate in another state or has had a license or certificate suspended or revoked in another state;

Knowingly employed or knowingly continued to employ an individual acting in a fiduciary capacity whos been convicted of a felony or crime of moral turpitude within the preceding 10 years

Furthermore, the suspension, revocation, nonrenewal, etc. can apply to a licensed business entity and not just an individual producer.

Like most states, Maryland law allows the state to follow suit if a producer loses their license in a different state, which is important for producers holding nonresident licenses in states with different criteria for revocation than Maryland.

While crimes outside of those involving dishonesty and breach of trust (i.e. moral turpitude) arent necessarily disqualifying for an insurance producer license, Maryland requires licenseholders to report any new criminal record to the state within 30 days.

For administrative actions: licenseholders must make a report to the insurance commissioner within 30 days after the final disposition of the matter. The report should include a copy of the order, consent order, and any other relevant legal documents.

For criminal prosecutions: the insurance producer must report the prosecution to the commissioner within 30 days after the producers initial appearance before a court, including appearances before the following:

A judicial officer of the district court due to an arrest;

The district court in response to a summons;

The circuit court due to execution of a warrant; or

The circuit court in person or by written notice of counsel in response to a summons.

In any case, the producer must include a copy of the charging document, any order issued by a court, and any other relevant legal documents.

To report either an administrative action or criminal prosecution, Maryland insurance producers should submit the documents either by using the NIPR Attachments Warehouse  Reporting of Actions, or by emailing licensingenforcement.mia@maryland.gov.

What about misdemeanors in Maryland?

Maryland doesnt require producers to report misdemeanor violations of the Maryland Vehicle Law or the vehicle laws of other states. Aside from those specific vehicle violations, Maryland requires producers to report if theyre being prosecuted for a misdemeanor the same as a felony.

What about nonresident producers seeking to renew their Maryland license after a conviction?

Maryland treats nonresident producers the same as resident producers. Insurance producers holding a nonresident Maryland license should follow the same instructions.

What to do if you have new criminal charges or convictions

As weve made our way through the next 10 states on our list, one things become clear. Every state requires insurance producers to report new criminal activity to the insurance commissioner or department of insurance, and to do so within 30 days. Beyond that, the specifics vary.

Whether therere exceptions to the types of crimes that need to be reported, whether a producer needs to report charges or only convictions, and what the chances are that you can keep an active license after reporting any type of criminal conviction are among the variables that each state determines for itself.

We hope this guide has been helpful, but the bottom line is that if youre an insurance producer facing criminal charges or convictions, your best bet will be to consult with your attorney and your states DOI directly to make sure you fulfill any requirements. Doing nothing is guaranteed to land you in more trouble than following the states reporting requirements.

To learn more about the nuances of state-by-state insurance compliance, check out our free Compliance Library where weve done the research for you. If youre ready to make compliance streamlined and automatic at your insurance agency, carrier, MGA, or MGU, see how AgentSync can help.

Topics Fraud Louisiana Georgia Maryland Illinois Iowa Kansas Maine Hawaii Kentucky
Maryland Insurance Commissioner Kathleen A. Birrane has announced she plans to resign effective June 30 and to return to private practice at DLA Piper, the law firm where she was a partner until being appointed commissioner in May 2020.

Birrane was appointed by Gov. Larry Hogan in 2020 and confirmed by the Senate in 2021. She remained as commissioner after Gov. Wes Moore took office.

From accessing healthcare, to driving to work, to starting a business, it is critical that our insurance system runs well and that customers are treated fairly, said Gov. Moore. Commissioner Birrane is a leader in this industry not just here in Maryland, but across the country. She has led the Insurance Administration with foresight and dedication, and I thank her for her service to our state.

The Maryland Insurance Administration regulates the states $46 billion insurance industry.

During her tenure, the agency worked to improve its enforcement teams and infrastructure, the states oversight of insurers with respect to cybersecurity, and the deployment of artificial intelligence. The agency also adopted network adequacy standards and mental health parity reporting requirements that are considered the most comprehensive in the nation. Birrane received the 2024 Distinguished Service Award from the Mental Health Association of Maryland.

Birrane also worked to expand Marylands footprint on the national and international level. With respect to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, she served as a member of the Executive Committee; chairs the Innovation, Cybersecurity and Technology Committee; co-chairs the Special Committee on Race and Insurance Health Workstream; serves on the Climate and Resiliency Task Force; and chairs the Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Commission (Insurance Compact).

She is also one of two U.S. regulators who serve with the Federal Insurance Office and EIPOA on the European Union-US Insurance Dialogue within the U.S. Department of the Treasury. On an international level, Birrane chairs the Supervisory Forum of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors and serves on the Sustainable Insurance Forum, a project of the United Nations.

According to the announcement, a search is underway for the next commissioner. Interested candidates may apply here.

Topics Maryland
New York Attorney General Letitia James announced an agreement with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn to address years of reported mismanaging clergy sexual abuse cases.

According to the Office of the Attorney General, its investigation found the diocese failed to consistently comply with its own procedures for responding to sexual abuse based on the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People adopted by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2002 following media reports of widespread clergy sexual abuse.

The OAG said it also found that the dioceses policies were not adequate to guarantee the safety and protection of children as they did not ensure a prompt and thorough response to allegations of sexual abuse or misconduct or would arbitrarily apply inconsistent standards of proof when evaluating the credibility of an accusation. In certain instances, when an allegation of sexual misconduct was found to be credible, the diocese did not disclose that information to the public and failed to sufficiently monitor the accused priests or clergy, according to the OAG.

One priest admitted to the diocese he had repeatedly sexually abused minors. He was removed from all pastoral duties, but the diocese did not inform parishioners and the priest stayed on for years before agreeing to be defrocked..

In the 1990s, after learning of problems with another priests conduct, the diocese repeatedly transferred the priest from parish to parish to avoid the complaints. The priest was never monitored, nor was he removed from duty. In 2000, a nun who was the principal of a Catholic school in the diocese resigned from her position because she had witnessed the priest having inappropriate interactions with young boys and the diocese did nothing more than issue a warning. In 2006, one of the priests alleged victims accused him of more than 100 incidents of sexual abuse. Despite corroborating complaints from multiple individuals including clergy members, a nun and a victim, the diocese concluded that there was not enough evidence. The priest was allowed to continue working unmonitored for many years.

As part of the settlement, the diocese agreed to enhanced policies and procedures for mitigating risks and managing allegations of clergy sexual abuse and misconduct, including publicly posting an explanation of the complaint and investigation process. The diocese will also post online a confidential portal and telephone number for submitting complaints and will implement a whistleblower policy to protect complainants from retaliation by diocesan officials. The diocese has also committed to accelerated investigations.

The dioceses management of sexual abuse complaints and allegations will be subject to review by an independent monitor.

In October 2022, the OAG reached a settlement with the Buffalo diocese for mishandling child sexual abuse cases. Investigations into the Archdiocese of New York and the Dioceses of Albany, Ogdensburg, Rochester, Rockville Centre and Syracuse remain ongoing.

The Roman diocese of Ogdensburg in northern New York said last year that it was filing for bankruptcy protection as it faces more than 100 lawsuits alleging sexual abuse. The Albany diocese filed for bankruptcy in 2023 as it faced more than 400 sex abuse lawsuits.

Topics New York
A drought driven by the El Nino weather pattern is likely to trigger insurance payouts to four southern African countries who took out cover with an agency of the African Union.

Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique will receive payments at the end of the harvesting season, according to current projections, African Risk Capacity said in a statement.

El Nino, which brings dry and hot weather to Southern Africa, has decimated harvests of corn across the region. Zimbabwe is expected to harvest about 60% less of the regional staple this year than it did in 2023 and together with Malawi and Zambia has declared a national state of disaster.

Still, the payments are unlikely to meet regional needs as disbursements to Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe in 2022 totaled $20.9 million. This years payments are yet to be disclosed.

The agency known as ARC uses a parametric insurance model, which triggers drought compensation payments according to the impact of timing, amount and distribution of rainfall. ARC also provides cover for cyclones and river floods.

Photo: A failed corn crop caused by drought at a farm in Glendale, Zimbabwe in March.

Copyright 2024 Bloomberg.
CFC, the London-based specialist insurer, announced it has agreed to acquire Australian managing general agent, Solution Underwriting.

Financial details of the deal, which is expected to complete on April 30, 2024, were not disclosed.

CFC has been trading in Australia for more than two decades, quickly becoming the top cyber insurance provider in the region. In 2021, the business established its first Australian office with the acquisition of Insane Technologies, expanding its in-house cyber incident response capabilities in the region. With the acquisition of Solution, CFC will have five local offices and nearly 100 staff on the ground in Australia.

Headquartered in Melbourne, with offices in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, Solution is a leading specialist insurance underwriter focusing largely on financial lines insurance products. With over 14 years experience in the Australian market, Solution has a broad broker distribution network and a long history of serving small and mid-sized businesses across the country.

The team at Solution are a great fit for CFC  they bring an established footprint and an entrepreneurial, innovative culture similar to our own. We look forward to working with them to accelerate our combined Australian business, commented Louise OShea, CFC Group CEO.

In addition to its London headquarters, CFC has offices in New York, San Francisco, Austin, Brussels and Brisbane. The managing general agent employs more than 900 employees and operates in 90 countries.

Source: CFC

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Underwriting Australia
MADISON, Wis . (AP)  Wisconsin Republicans on Tuesday ignored the latest call from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers to spend $125 million to combat so-called forever chemicals, leading Evers to say he might sue over the issue.

The moves are the latest twist in the ongoing stalemate between Evers and the Legislature over the best way to combat PFAS chemicals that have polluted groundwater in communities across the state. Evers and Republicans have both said that fighting the chemicals is a priority, but they havent been able to come together on what to do about it.

Evers invoked a rarely used power and called a meeting of the Republican-led Legislatures budget committee, urging it to release the funding that was previously approved in the state budget. But Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee did not show up, with the GOP co-chairs calling Evers move blatant political game-playing.

Although no Republicans came, Evers made a previously unannounced appearance in the Capitol hearing room and joined three Democratic lawmakers in blasting the GOP inaction.

The Republicans are missing in action on this, Evers said. This is one they whiffed on, big time.

Evers said he is considering filing a lawsuit, perhaps with the Wisconsin Supreme Court, to force the committee to take action. The court is hearing arguments on Wednesday in a similar case brought by Evers against the Legislature that is related to the budget committee blocking funding for a state conservation program.

Evers said it was more important that ever for Republicans to release the funding to help communities meet the new limits on certain common types of PFAS chemicals in drinking water announced by the Environmental Protection Agency. It is the first time a nationwide limit on the chemicals has been imposed on water providers.

This makes it very, very difficult on our local officials, Evers said.

Sen. Howard Marklein and Rep. Mark Born, the Republican committee co-chairs, said in a letter delivered to Evers on Friday that although the governor can call a meeting of the budget committee, he cant actually require it to meet or take action. The committee will not meet, they said.

We are disappointed in your disregard for a co-equal branch of government, as well as the legislative process, Born and Marklein wrote to Evers.

Republican Sen. Eric Wimberger, a member of the budget committee, accused Democrats of staging a publicity stunt.

He said in a statement Tuesday that if Democrats were serious about helping PFAS victims, they would vote to overturn Evers veto of a Republican-backed bill that established a grant program for distributing the money.

Evers said in his veto message that he objected to the bill because it would limit the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources authority to hold polluters liable. But Wimberger, the bills sponsor, said Evers wants to create a slush fund for the DNR and not protect landowners not responsible for pollution from possible costly enforcement actions.

PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are man-made chemicals that dont easily break down in nature. They are found in a wide range of products, including cookware and stain-resistant clothing, and previously were often used in aviation fire-suppression foam. The chemicals, which are commonly referred to as forever chemicals because some dont degrade naturally, have been linked to health problems including low birth weight, cancer and liver disease, and have been shown to make vaccines less effective.

Municipalities across Wisconsin are struggling with PFAS contamination in groundwater, including Marinette, Madison, Wausau and the town of Campbell on French Island. The waters of Green Bay also are contaminated.

Evers also wanted the budget committee to approve the spending of $15 million in crisis-response funding for needed hospital services in western Wisconsin in the wake of hospital closures in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls. Evers signed a bill into law allowing for the spending, but the budget committee has yet to approve it.

Topics Wisconsin
McGill Hires Milne and Cabot to US Property Team



McGill and Partners, headquartered in London, appointed Duncan Milne and Cabot Lyman as partners to the firms U.S. property team.

Milne joins the firm as a partner and head of U.S. property. He brings over 16 years of industry experience, most recently serving as the Greater New York property leader at Aon.

Cabot joins McGill and Partners as partner, U.S. property, bringing a decade of experience from Aon, where she served as senior vice president and team leader in the Aon Property Practice. She previously served in research and production for The Capital Roundtable and as an international media sales planner at CNBC.

Lawrence Joins Alliant Construction Services Group

James Lawrence joined Alliant Insurance Services, headquartered in Irvine, California, as executive vice president, Alliant Specialty, in the firms construction services group. Lawrence is based in Los Angeles.

Lawrence began his insurance career in 1987 at an insurance brokerage firm where he focused on specialty and environmental contractors. He will focus on serving his client base, primarily in the construction industry, as well as nationwide business development.

Bowman Promoted to Head of Multinational for Berkshire Hathaway Specialty

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI), headquartered in Boston, promoted Amy Bowman to head of multinational. She was previously vice president of multinational.

Bowman has more than two decades of experience as an attorney and in insurance leadership. She joined BHSI in 2014 as counsel for executive & professional, healthcare and small commercial business. She later took on the roles of assistant vice president of transactional liability and assistant vice president, then vice president of multinational. She is based in Boston.

Topics Excess Surplus Alliant Property
The US Supreme Court made it easier for employees to sue over discriminatory job transfers, siding with a St. Louis police officer who says she was shifted to a different role against her will because she is female.

The justices unanimously ruled Wednesday that people suing under the main federal job-bias law dont have to show a transfer caused them a significant disadvantage. Writing for the court, Justice Elena Kagan said Congress required only that employees show some sort of harm, even if its not a major one.

To demand significance is to add words  and significant words, as it were  to the statute Congress enacted, Kagan wrote.

Federal appeals courts had been divided on the issue, with some requiring workers to show a job transfer had a significant impact beyond the discrimination itself.

The officer, Jatonya Clayborn Muldrow, was a sergeant who worked in the St. Louis Police Departments intelligence division on public-corruption and human-trafficking cases from 2008 to 2017. She said she was transferred without warning out of the intelligence division and replaced with a man.

Muldrows pay remained the same in her new position in the departments Fifth District. But she says she had to start working weekends, was given more routine assignments like patrolling and lost much of her access to high-profile people within and outside the department.

Alito and Kavanaugh

A federal appeals court threw out her lawsuit against the city, saying she hadnt shown enough of an adverse impact on her job conditions.

Kagan said Muldrows allegations met the laws injury requirements with room to spare, kicking the case back to the lower courts to consider other issues.

Although the outcome was unanimous, Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh declined to join Kagans reasoning.

Alito called the opinion unhelpful, saying he didnt understand how plaintiffs could be required to show harm but not that the impact was significant.

I have no idea what this means, and I can just imagine how this guidance will be greeted by lower court judges, he wrote.

Kavanaugh said the court should have gone further and not required any showing of harm at all.

Kagan pointed to lawsuits by a person who had been forced to work in a wind tunnel, another worker who had been moved to a night shift and a third employee whose new job meant supervising fewer people. In each case, a federal appeals court said the harm wasnt significant enough to allow a lawsuit.

Those examples illustrate how claims that failed under a significance standard should now succeed, Kagan wrote.

The Biden administration backed Muldrow in the case, while business groups backed the city.

The case is Muldrow v. City of St. Louis, 22-193.

Photo: The US Supreme Court in Washington, DC.

Copyright 2024 Bloomberg.

Topics Lawsuits Talent
Coal miners will be better protected from poisonous silica dust that has contributed to the premature deaths of thousands of mine workers from a respiratory ailment commonly known as black lung disease, the Labor Department said Tuesday as it issued a new federal rule on miners safety.

The final rule, announced by Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, cuts by half the permissible exposure limit for crystalline silica for an eight-hour shift.

Mine workers, community advocates and elected officials from Appalachian states have pushed for the stricter rule, noting that health problems have grown in recent years as miners dig through more layers of rock to gain access to coal seams when deposits closer to the surface have long been tapped. The increased drilling generates deadly silica dust and has caused severe forms of pneumoconiosis, better known as black lung disease, even among younger miners, some in their 30s and 40s.

It is unconscionable that our nations miners have worked without adequate protection from silica dust despite it being a known health hazard for decades, Su said Tuesday. Today, were making it clear that no job should be a death sentence, and every worker has the right to come home healthy and safe at the end of the day.

In Central Appalachia, an estimated one in five tenured coal miners has black lung disease. The condition reduces life expectancy by an average of 12 years and makes it a struggle to get through a phone call or play with their grandkids without losing their breath, Su said in a speech in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, where she appeared with Cecil Roberts, president of the United Mine Workers of America, and other union leaders.

For too long, we accepted this as just the way things are for people who work in mines, Su said. Theyve had to work without the same protections from silica dust that people in other industries have, even though weve known about the harms of silica dust since Frances Perkins, who was labor secretary in the 1930s and 1940s.

Pro-Worker

The election-year rule shows what it looks like to have the most pro-worker, pro-union president in history, Su said, a political comment referring to Democratic President Joe Biden.

Rebecca Shelton, director of policy at the Appalachian Citizens Law Center, which pressed for stricter rules to protect miners, said the group was reviewing the rule to ensure regulators from the Mine Safety and Health Administration accounted for comments by health professionals, attorneys and miners who have worked on the rule for years.

There are too many lives at stake to get this wrong, and well do whatever we can to ensure that this rule provides the protection that miners deserve, Shelton said.

Democratic senators from Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Virginia hailed the new rule, saying it will be essential in safeguarding miners.

Mining Association

A spokesman for the National Mining Association said the group was reviewing the rule but supports the lower limits. The mining lobby has pushed to allow use of administrative controls and personal protective equipment to meet safety standards. Unfortunately, those recommendations were not included in the final rule, said spokesman Conor Bernstein.

Vonda Robinson, whose husband, John, was diagnosed with black lung a decade ago at age 47, said shes felt hopeful as officials considered the rule changes. But she was skeptical how the rule will be enforced.

Robinson, who lives in rural Nickelsville, Virginia, near the Tennessee line, said the mine safety office does not have enough staff or resources to adequately protect workers and their families.

You can have rules, but until you back it up with enforcement, its not going to mean anything, she said in an interview. If theyre going to put out these rulings, you need to hire more people.

The White House requested a $50 million increase to the mine safety offices budget for the current year, most of which would have been for more inspectors and enforcement. Congress rejected it, keeping the budget at the 2023 level of $388 million.

Vonda Robinson said her husband struggles every day. John Robinson worked in the mines for almost three decades. Two years ago, the couple met with a physician about a lung transplant.

Until you see it and live with it, you dont understand, Vonda Robinson said. And knowing what were looking at now  miners being diagnosed at 32  theyll probably never see their children graduate or have grandchildren.

Corrective Actions

The Labor Department rule lowers the permissible exposure limit of respirable crystalline silica to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air for a full-shift exposure, calculated as an 8-hour average. If a miners exposure exceeds the limit, mine operators must take immediate corrective actions.

The rule is in line with exposure levels imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on construction and other non-mining industries. And its the standard the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was recommending as far back as 1974.

The Labor Department began studying silica and its impact on workers health nearly a century ago, but the focus on stopping exposure in the workplace largely bypassed coal miners. Instead, regulations centered on coal dust, a separate hazard created by crushing or pulverizing coal rock that also contributes to black lung.

In the decades since, silica dust has become a major problem as Appalachian miners cut through layers of sandstone to reach less accessible coal seams in mountaintop mines where coal closer to the surface has long been tapped. Silica dust is 20 times more toxic than coal dust and causes severe forms of black lung disease after even a few years of exposure.

Willingham reported from Charleston, West Virginia.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Virginia
Alphabet Inc.s Google has fired 28 employees after they were involved in protests against Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion joint contract with Amazon.com Inc. to provide the Israeli government with AI and cloud services.

The protests, which were led by the No Tech for Apartheid organization, took place Tuesday across Google offices in New York City, Seattle, and Sunnyvale, California. Protesters in New York and California staged a nearly 10-hour sit-in, with others documenting the action, including through a Twitch livestream. Nine of them were arrested Tuesday evening on trespassing charges.

Several workers involved in the protests, including those who were not directly engaged in the sit-in, received a message from the companys Employee Relations group informing them that they had been put on leave. Google told the affected employees that its keeping this matter as confidential as possible, only disclosing information on a need to know basis in an email seen by Bloomberg. On Wednesday evening, the workers were informed they were being dismissed by the company, according to a statement from Google staff with the No Tech for Apartheid campaign.

Physically impeding other employees work and preventing them from accessing our facilities is a clear violation of our policies, and completely unacceptable behavior, Google said in a statement about the protesters. After refusing multiple requests to leave the premises, law enforcement was engaged to remove them to ensure office safety. We have so far concluded individual investigations that resulted in the termination of employment for 28 employees, and will continue to investigate and take action as needed.

Google has long favored a culture of open debate, but employee activism in recent years has tested that commitment. Workers who organized a 2018 walkout over the companys handling of sexual assault allegations said Google punished them for their activism. Four other workers alleged they were fired for organizing opposition to Googles work with federal Customs and Border Protection and for other workplace advocacy.

US labor law gives employees the right to engage in collective action related to working conditions. Tech workers will likely argue that this should grant them the ability to band together to object to how the tools they create are used, said John Logan, a professor of labor at San Francisco State University.

Tech workers are not like other kinds of workers, he said. You can make an argument in this case that having some sort of say or control or ability to protest about how their work product is being used is actually a sort of key issue.

Tech companies like Google have a reputation for having more egalitarian and very cosmopolitan work cultures, but when they encountered labor activism among their own workers, they actually responded in a sort of quite draconian way, Logan added.

Two Googlers who were involved in the protest in California told Bloomberg that a group of workers gathered on the sixth floor of Googles Sunnyvale bureau, where Cloud Chief Executive Officer Thomas Kurians office is located, to show support for those who were staging the sit-in. Its unclear how Google identified participants in the protest, as only some had their badges scanned by security personnel, and some of those who were fired were outside Googles offices, according to the employees.

One worker said Google may have framed the move to initially place employees on leave as confidential to save face publicly, and argued that the protesters did not violate any company policies. The protesters left the building as soon as they were asked to and did not obstruct or disrupt others at the company, the person said.

Beyond the protest, Google has struggled with how to manage internal debate about the Middle East conflict. After the demonstration, posts on internal Google forums featured a mix of pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli sentiment, with a number of other workers saying they felt the topic was inappropriate for the workplace, a Google employee said. Moderators locked down some threads on the subject, saying prior discussions had gotten too heated, the employee added.

Despite Googles response, employees demonstrating against Project Nimbus have seen an uptick in support since the sit-in, said one of the fired workers.

Copyright 2024 Bloomberg.

Topics California
The Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin is at the center of a spat between a federal judge and U.S. prison officials over the status of prisoners there as the government seeks to close the facility. Terry Chea/Associated Press

A federal judge and U.S. prison officials are at odds over the governments plan to close the scandal-plagued womens prison in Dublin and transfer its 605 inmates across the country  many of whom, their lawyers say, are eligible for home confinement or release.

Ten days after U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers appointed an overseer, known as a special master, to monitor legal compliance by officials at the Federal Correctional Institution  the first such appointment in U.S. prison history  the Bureau of Prisons announced Monday that it would shut down the prison and relocate its prisoners by the end of the week.

Hours later, Gonzalez Rogers ordered the bureau not to transfer any inmates until it had reviewed their eligibility for release  because they had completed their sentences, were safe enough to serve the rest of their terms in home confinement or were eligible for compassionate release due to age, illness or other factors. Lawyers for the inmates say those who have been raped or harassed by prison staff should be granted compassionate release rather than kept in prison.

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In response, the Bureau of Prisons told the judge her orders were contrary to public safety and welfare and that FCI Dublin must be closed immediately.

But the courts have legal authority over the issue, and Gonzalez Rogers has presided over a civil suit by Dublin inmates and years of criminal proceedings against guards and a former warden convicted of sexually abusing prisoners. She held a closed-door hearing in her Oakland court Wednesday on when and how the prison should be closed and what should happen to its occupants.

As many as one-third of the 605 inmates may be eligible for release or home confinement, Kara Janssen, a lawyer for the prisoners, said afterward. She said she could not disclose anything that was stated at the hearing, but confirmed that the shutdown was on hold while the inmates eligibility is reviewed.

We do not oppose closure.  Maybe it should have been done a long time ago, Janssen said. But the way its being done makes it seem like the primary goal was to get out from oversight.  The Bureau of Prisons created this crisis.

Under the courts orders, she said, all decisions on inmate transfers will be reviewed by the special master, Wendy Still, and then submitted to the judge for final approval. Still is a former chief probation officer for both Alameda and San Francisco counties and has spent more than 30 years as a government consultant on prison issues in California.

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Lots of people at Dublin arent a threat to their community and should be sent home to finish their sentence on home confinement, said Emily Shapiro of California Coalition for Women Prisoners, a plaintiff in the lawsuit. She said one inmate she has visited is 81, uses a walker, has been injured by falls in an upper-story cell and would pose no danger to anyone if released.

The Bureau of Prisons has not responded to inquiries from the Chronicle about how many inmates might be eligible or suitable for release rather than a transfer to other federal prisons. Dublin is classified as a low-security prison, based on its inmates criminal records. Three other federal prisons in California, none of them low-security, have some female inmates.

Some inmates designated for transfer from Dublin were put on a bus Monday morning  Janssen said they were handed duffel bags to carry whatever they could, and told to discard the rest of their possessions  but the bus turned around and headed back to the prison after Gonzalez Rogers issued her order for further review of their eligibility for release.

The Bureau of Prisons said in a court filing that many staff members had already stopped reporting to work, and about 90% went home after Mondays announcement of the planned closure.

The government has been considering the closure of FCI Dublin for many years, the bureau said in its court filing late Tuesday. The closure is now compelled due to FCI Dublins perpetual short-staffing, aging infrastructure, and ongoing allegations of staff misconduct.

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Those allegations have resulted in criminal convictions of Ray Garcia, the prisons warden from November 2020 to July 2021, and five staff members, including prison chaplain James Highhouse, for sexually abusing inmates. Two more former guards are facing charges.

The Bureau of Prisons also said Still, the special master, has been significantly delaying the transfer process by requiring a doctor to examine every inmate scheduled for transfer in order to determine whether the inmate should instead be sent to a health care facility or released.

Provision of medical care, and transfer of inmates, are within the exclusive authority of BOP, Justice Department lawyers representing the bureau told Gonzalez Rogers. The perverse effect of the Courts transfer order  is a de facto requirement that BOP keep FCI Dublin open, which is beyond the Courts authority, the attorneys wrote.

After Wednesdays hearing, Gonzalez Rogers issued a brief order saying she had provided the Bureau of Prisons with guidance relative to the closure of the facility and transfer of inmates, including certain instructions that have been sealed for security reasons.
United Airlines will receive compensation from planemaker Boeing for financial damages incurred in the first quarter due to the grounding of 737 MAX 9 aircraft, the carrier said on Wednesday.

U.S. regulators had in January grounded some Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft for about three weeks for safety checks after a cabin panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines-operated MAX 9 jet.

The incident had forced United Airlines  a prominent Boeing BA.N customer  to temporarily suspend service on all 79 of its 737 MAX 9 aircraft, which resulted in a $200 million hit for the airline in the first quarter.

United Airlines said in a filing on Wednesday that a confidential agreement with Boeing will provide it with credit memos for future purchases to make up for the grounding damages and the rescheduling of deliveries.

A credit memo is an official written acknowledgement that money is owed back to a customer.

As of Feb. 5, 78 of the 79 737 MAX 9 aircraft operated by United Airlines had returned to service after receiving a final approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.

In response to a request for comment on Wednesday, Boeing pointed to its CFO Brian Wests remarks at a conference in March.

West had then said customer consideration is going to manifest itself in the quarter (after the grounding), in the P&L and weve got to take care of that.

Alaska Air had said earlier in April that Boeing paid about $160 million to the airline in the first quarter as initial compensation to address the hit from the grounding.

The mid-air panel blowout has undermined the reputation of Boeing, which has undergone a management shakeup and seen U.S. regulators put curbs on its production while its deliveries fell by half in March.

(Reporting by Granth Vanaik in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)

Photo: RENTON, WA Boeing 737 MAX airplanes are seen parked on Boeing property near Boeing Field on August 13, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images)

Topics Aviation Aerospace
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  North Carolina Gov. Roy Coopers orders during the COVID-19 pandemic that directed standalone bars to remain shuttered for safety while restaurants that serve alcohol got to reopen were illogical and violated the state constitution, an appeals court ruled Tuesday.

A state Court of Appeals panel declared unanimously that a trial judge erred when he rejected claims by the North Carolina Bar and Tavern Association and private bars that their constitutional rights to earn a living and for equal treatment were violated with the Democratic governors executive orders.

It was arbitrary and capricious to allow some restaurants with bars to reopen with limited capacity while the plaintiffs bars werent allowed to reopen in the same way, Court of Appeals Judge April Wood wrote in the panels opinion vacating parts of Superior Court Judge James Gales decision. The association and bars in the lawsuit were subjected to unequal treatment that was illogical and not rationally related to the governors stated goal of slowing the virus spread, Wood said.

A series of orders issued by Cooper starting in March 2020 closed all bars, including those in restaurants. Within a few months, bars had to remain closed, but restaurants and breweries could serve alcohol during certain hours. Thats when the association and over 185 entities that owned or operated private bars sued.

Coopers May 2020 order stated that bars presented greater risks of the spread of COVID-19 in part because the business model has people remaining in a confined indoor space over a sustained period. But the bar owners said they were equally capable of complying with reduced capacity, social distancing and other restrictions.

At the time of the orders, Cooper said the decision to keep bars closed was based on data and science and daily briefings from doctors and healthcare experts, according to the opinion.

Coopers state attorneys provided some news articles, a scientific study and another executive order to support the governors decisions in restricting bar operations, but according to Wood they fail to address any differences in the risk of spread of COVID-19 between the bars he allowed to reopen and Plaintiffs bars which remained closed. Court of Appeals Judges Donna Stroud and Jefferson Griffin joined in her opinion that found two constitutional violations. The judges are registered Republicans.

Later in 2020, bars could serve alcoholic drinks in outdoor seating, with time limits later added. All temporary restrictions on bars were lifted in May 2021.

Cooper spokesperson Mary Scott Winstead defended the states response to COVID-19 early in the pandemic, saying it consulted with health officials, complied with the law and saved lives and jobs.

When this action was taken almost four years ago, hospitals were overflowing, thousands of people were dying, protective equipment was in short supply and vaccines and treatments were nonexistent, Winstead said in an email. She didnt respond to a question about whether Cooper would ask the state Supreme Court to formally review the ruling.

The association celebrated the ruling, which if upheld would return the case to trial court to decide what monetary damages, if any, the state owes the bar owners.

We never asked for special treatment, only equal treatment, association President Zack Medford said in a news release. The governors decision forced many of these bars to eventually close permanently. Todays ruling makes it clear that the governor was wrong and now the state needs to make it right.

Cooper was the subject of several lawsuits challenging his COVID-19 actions early in the pandemic. The governor was largely successful in court, with judges often affirming his emergency powers. Recently, however, appeals courts have favored plaintiffs.

Last September, Wood wrote the majority opinion in another case saying that similar litigation filed by several bars and their owners could go to trial. The state Supreme Court also heard arguments in November over whether a lawsuit could continue against the states health secretary by the owners of a racetrack shuttered temporarily because it wasnt complying with gathering limits set by Cooper in 2020. The justices have yet to rule in the Ace Speedway case.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics North Carolina COVID-19
Big telecoms mergers in Europe would cut competition and distort the eurozones prized single market, the EUs competition chief Margrethe Vestager warned, in an apparent rebuttal of calls in a new EU report for more consolidation.

No evidence suggests that more concentrated national markets lead to better outcomes, Ms Vestager said at a conference in Brussels on Thursday.
Irish households and businesses can likely look forward to one more year of lower electricity bills thanks to declines in wholesale gas prices, a leading energy consultant has predicted.

In the latest quarterly outlook, Lisa Foley, principal consultant at Cornwall Insight, said the wholesale prices electricity suppliers pay power generators are expected to fall by an average of 14% through the early part of next year.

There is no direct relationship between the percentage changes in the prices paid by suppliers and the bills for end-users, but "the news is positive for both households and businesses, with the trickle-down of lower power prices potentially leading to cuts in energy bills", Ms Foley said.

For a number year after early 2025, Ms Foley said Cornwall Insight's so-called SEM Benchmark Power Price Curve predicts any further price falls paid by Irish suppliers will run at a much more gradual pace.

That is before more wind and solar renewable sources come on the grid to replace the higher costs of running the remaining coal and oil-fired generating plants across the island.

"The mild winter coupled with ample gas stocks in Europe have reduced the need for a gas injection over the summer to meet targets, meaning gas prices continue to fall," Ms Foley said.

"Despite the fall, the impact of Europe's increased reliance on liquified natural gas shipments following the sanctions on imports on Russia, are expected to keep Irish prices above historic averages," she said.

Cornwall Insight reiterated its warning that planning and other issues would likely get in the way of the Government securing its 2030 target to generate most of the electricity on the grid from renewable sources.

"While the growth in renewables does lead to a small reduction in prices from 2028-2029, the fall in prices is tapered by increasing demand and the completion of the Celtic and MaresConnect interconnectors, which results in Ireland becoming a net exporter of electricity by the early 2030s," the consultancy said in its outlook.

For the next few years, wholesale electricity prices are expected to trade between 90 per megawatt hour and 100/MWh, down from an average price of 106/MWh in the 2023-24 financial year just ended, it said.

Meanwhile, the price of wholesale European gas rose sharply for the fourth day, gaining 4% to 32.50 per megawatt hour on Thursday, as fears over the Middle East conflict persist.

Sharp rises or falls in European wholesale gas prices, if sustained, can after a delay of a few months end up in the electricity and gas bills because gas is used to generate a significant amount of electricity on the all-Ireland power grid.

Bloomberg reported that while the European winter ended with record high gas stockpiles due to relatively mild weather and weak industrial demand, recent strikes on energy infrastructure in Ukraine and escalating tensions in the Middle East have put supply risks in focus.

The continent lost most of its pipeline flows from Russia two years ago, and now relies on suppliers from across to globe to ship fuel. Moving energy supplies across international waters could become more difficult.
You know its been a difficult 12 months for farming when even one of Irelands most shrewd business brains, Michael OLeary, says hes not sure hes made any money off the land this year.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, he explains why he needs more cows, is done investing in foresty, and what he makes of the farmer protests.

With farmland spanning well over 2,000 acres, currently, OLearys pedigree herd is already up to a mighty 600 head with an additional 150-200 in the commercial herd.

However, he hopes to be able to up numbers by an additional 200 - likely a mix of both pedigree and commercial stock.

He explained that he plans to expand the farm further and hopes to erect two more sheds this summer on farmland he has recently purchased.

Im up to about 2,000 acres of land, he said, But because Ive bought more, Ive room for more cattle, but having more cattle means I need to build more sheds to house them over the winter.

At Michael O'Leary's farm, Fennor, Co. Westmeath. Photo: Bob Morrison

Alas, the problems of a billionaire landowner. Its a farm of such scale that youll soon need to ask what percentage of Westmeath OLeary is farming, but it sounds like he has already got a bad case of the Irish obsession for land and has no sign of slowing down the expansion of his empire.

Im very fortunate, but its a tiny drop in the ocean. I dont have enough, but its enough to keep me busy, he quips.

We are trying to get into a circular system whereby I have enough land to provide enough tillage to provide all the feed I need for the animals, and Im not quite at 100%, but I buy in very little meal now during the winter.

What I am also doing now is that I am not generating enough FYM [farmyard manure] to use as fertiliser, so weve been buying in slurry from pig farmers and some other beef farmers locally, but Im not quite there yet [in terms of eliminating chemical fertiliser use].

We have reduced our fertiliser on a per acre basis by around 85% in the last five years.

We are using some P and K, but we are trying to make sure we have enough FYM so that we dont have to use any.

The tillage land helps because I am not trying to drive it. Its not like I am trying to drive the tillage intensively; most of my tillage is wheat, barley and grass, used mainly for feeding stock.

Read More Seven steps to getting a grip on farm finances after a difficult spring

I am one of the very few fortunate farmers, certainly in the Midlands, that has all my cattle in under sheds but no shortage of fodder because I probably have another six months worth of fodder.

Despite the difficult start to the year, it means OLeary has been in the fortunate position of having enough to sell silage and haylage.

Its more to help out neighbours and locals. Its not something thats going to be a profit centre for us, he said. Were not in the fodder-selling business.

[The weather] is very frustrating at the moment. I have about 600-700 acres of land that I cant get out onto.

Ive got about 500 acres into winter wheat and barley and just about got away with it, so the yield will be well down on that.

"But I have about 600 acres that I am still waiting to plough and if I dont get in there in the first week or two of May, we may not get it ploughed at all this year.

I feel for farmers, particularly tillage farmers who cant even travel the whole land at the moment because its getting to the end of April/early May when you should have all your summer crop sowed, and its impossible to do at the moment.

Im not sure there is much that can be done about it, he laments. We are all at the mercy of the weather. I do think it will change, and when it does, it will change very quickly, and farmers are generally a resilient bunch.

Other than making sure there is a reasonable distribution of fodder around the country, theres not a lot any of us can do about adverse weather. Three years ago, we had a brilliant tillage season because we had phenomenal weather. You have to save money during the good years, so they will get you through bad years like this, and this is undoubtedly a bad year.

And despite being well insulated from rises in input costs, even OLeary admits it has been a difficult year for his own business.

Its been a tough year, but Im in a more circular farm system, and beef prices and Angus prices have been strong, he said.

I doubt if we have made any money in the last 12 months, but we havent lost money either. Generally, because Ive invested heavily in a farm set-up that means Im producing my own stock, we sell that stock  commercial and pedigree  and then a lot of the tillage goes to feed those animals.

If you were out there buying in feed and trying to sell those animals and youre short of fodder, its very difficult. I really feel for farmers. Farmers dont get enough support generally from the community. They get a lot of unfair criticism, particularly from the environmental loonies, who wouldnt know a cow if it jumped up and bit them. Farm policy is an area OLeary certainly feels strongly about, but is he about to jump in his tractor and join them on the front line of the farm protests?

I am fully in support of the farmers campaigns in Brussels and here in Ireland, but the one thing I would object to in Ireland is that they took the protest to Cork Airport, he said.

Cork Airport is not the problem. It needs to take place outside the Department of Agriculture or Dail Eireann. The target here should be these bullshit regulations. This year they have changed the star system here again for cattle.

Farmers led a convoy of tractors at Cork Airport in February as part of their campaign against the over-regulation of farming. Picture Dan Linehan

Theyre inventing dates on when you can spread slurry, not spread slurry and cut hedges. Farmers are the best judges of when to spread slurry and when is the best time to cut hedges, they are the custodians of the land.

They are trying to encourage people to invest in forestry, but no one will invest in forestry when you have bureaucrats and green ministers changing the rules and then not allowing you to get anything out of it. When you plant forestry, you have to be able to harvest it.

They keep changing the rules and regulations which undermines the confidence of farmers in farm policy. I wouldnt plant any forestry because I wouldnt trust this government, or any government, to allow me to harvest it in 20 years time.

Despite the grants available, I wouldnt want a penny of the grants available because they will just change the rules.

Despite his concerns about farms policy, looking forward, he believes the future for Irish farming is bright.

We will continue to produce high-quality food; we will continue to have very high standards of production; I think we will waste a lot less time and energy on some of these green campaigns, most of which will be shown for the charade that they are and we will get back to doing what Irish farming does best, which is producing high-quality Irish food at great prices, he said.

And talking about great prices OLeary is raring to go for this weekends sale, with 25 bulls, two red ones, and 20 heifers listed in the catalogue.

I think about eight or ten of them will be in calf, will either have calved down or will at the point of calving, he said.

Its probably the best group we have ever put forward for sale. We have many more autumn calvers this time, so we have a bigger range of stock.

I think what we are most excited about at the moment is the way that dairy farmers are now focusing on using pedigree Angus bulls so that they are producing premium beef calves that will qualify for the certified Angus beef programme.

And we will be telling more and more of our dairy farmer [customers] to raise the calves themselves  there is a very valuable market here. Angus prices have been very strong for the last six to 12 months and I would hope that will continue.
Hes been on a fair few movie sets in his time, but Irish actor Fra Fee was nevertheless impressed when he first set eyes on the dramatic world created by Zack Snyder for his space fantasy movies.

There among the massive sets and hundreds of people, he saw the sheer scale of the production that would provide the firepower for the first two Rebel Moon films for streaming giant Netflix.

This is as big as they get really which is so thrilling - you feel as if you're a kid going into this unbelievable playground. You dream of working in Hollywood, and this was my first time literally working in Hollywood, in LA. Some of the locations were in those desert landscapes, so hot but so visceral and alive, says the actor who uses the shorter version of his name, Francis Martin Fee.

Fee, from Killyman near Dungannon, plays his character Balisarius in his own accent, which is part of a growing trend among Irish actors. In recent weeks, weve seen Jessie Buckley go full Killarney in Wicked Little Letters, and Liam Cunningham using his Dublin brogue in the new sci-fi series 3 Body Problem. Over on Disney+, Cork star Mairead Tyers brings her lilt to her great comedic performance in the new series of Extraordinary.

It's something that I've noticed as well, says Fee. I think we're really owning our voices in a way that we never have before. Whenever I get a casting through now, most of the time I'm asked to audition in my own accent, which is just such a thrill.

I used to struggle performing in my own accent because I always wanted to distance myself, to be as far away from my own self as possible. I guess that was just the actor in me who was insecure about my own voice.

I love performing in my own voice and I think it's great to hear Irish voices on the international stage. It's certainly an exciting time to be an Irish actor, that's for sure.

Fra Fee (with beard) as Balisarius in Rebel Moon  Part Two: The Scargiver.

In Rebel Moon, Part Two: The Scargiver, audiences will be reacquainted with Fees formidable character. It's interesting because we shot these two movies back to back and out of order and it's a process that I've never quite done before in that I'm playing a character over the course of 30-ish years, says the actor.

The first flashback in Part One is him when he's abducting Cora, and that's him at his youngest that we see. Then in the present day I'm sporting this awesome-looking, full grey beard that I wouldn't be able to grow even if I tried my very best. I've got quite a long timeline and Zack was able to explain in detail to me where he's come from.

We suspect he's come from a more dispossessed planet and has managed to find his way to the upper echelons of society and this unbelievably powerful position as Regent of the universe.

There is a reason behind the vast age arc of the character, adds Fee. Snyder has plans for several other stories within the universe he has created - including a spin-off about the origins and rise of the character played by the Irishman.

I'm sporting this beard that ages me by 30 years for most of the films, and that's no accident. It's Zack's wish to tell Balisariuss story of how he got to this position of power. I would be extremely excited to do it because while I have been given an idea of what that journey is, it would be wonderful to get to play it on screen and for audiences to enjoy it.

If for no other reason, theres the start of his journey on a planet in which I suspect everyone talks like they're from County Tyrone - that's obviously a TV series that I want to watch! he laughs.

Fee has worked as an actor for several years and also studied music, establishing himself in musical theatre productions such as Dirty Dancing. He also starred on a stage production of Les Miserables, and recalls a Sam Mendes production of The Ferryman as a big turning point in his career.

The Ferryman, an Irish play by Jez Butterworth is set in County Armagh in 1981. It's a stunning play, he says. We started at the Royal Court in London, went to the West End and then were on Broadway for six months.

Aside from the friends that I met on it, telling a story from Northern Ireland at that time - although I was born in 1987, it was more my parents lived experience, but it was in my blood and it was in my in being - was just such a seminal moment and definitely was a shift in my career, because it was such a well-received play and got a lot of attention.

A scene from Rebel Moon  Part Two: The Scargiver.

Fee had been acting since he was a youngster, and says he benefited from a thriving local theatre scene when he was growing up. Although I always said I wanted to be an actor when I grew up, I'm not sure if I ever thought that I'd actually achieve it, because it was just such a dream. But my parents were unbelievably supportive.

My dad who turns 78 next next month just performed The Ferryman with our local theatre group, the Bardic Theatre group in Tyrone, and I went to see him. It was very, very special, a full-circle moment for me certainly.

Fee went on to star as Courfeyrac in the big-screen adaptation of Les Miserables and in recent years he has had a remarkable run of success, starring as the mercenary Kazi in the Disney+ series Hawkeye. On stage, he took over from Eddie Redmayne in the acclaimed revival of Cabaret in London, and recently played Edmund in a well-received production of King Lear.

Fra Fee and Sion Daniel Young in Lost Boys & Fairies, on BBC.

This year, he will film on the new Apple TV+ thriller Prime Target, while he will shortly be on our screens in a major new BBC series, playing the co-lead.

Lost Boys & Fairies we filmed in Cardiff. Its by Welsh writer Daf James and it's a semi autobiographical (story) about two men going through the adoption process, and it was the most beautiful experience shooting it with Sion Daniel Young who plays my partner, he says.

It was my first time actually playing a gay character in my whole career, which when I say that out loud seems mad. I think for that reason, it so resonated.

I don't necessarily know if I want to have kids, but to immerse myself in that possibility, imaginatively, was a really moving experience. The show is tender and emotional, funny - I really couldn't be more excited for it to go out into the world and to see how people take to it.

Fee has spoken in the past about the difficulties he experienced in coming out as a young man. Would it have been important for teenage him to see a story like this on screen? Yes. Absolutely. When I was a teenager, there was very little representation on screen of gay characters. Now to have Lost Boys & Fairies, shows like Heartstopper, the most heartwarming gorgeous story.

It would have meant the world and I know that it means so much for young queer kids at the moment because their voices are being heard and they can relate to these characters and they don't feel quite so outside of the norm.

Rebel Moon  Part Two: The Scargiver launches on Netflix on Friday, April 19
Theres a lot of old school, dont-make-a-fuss, who, me? energy about Trinny Woodall, the Trinny London founder whose life reads like a Jacqueline Wilson novel.

Born Sarah-Jane Duncanson Woodall, in 1964, in Marylebone, London, Woodall first made her mark by being sent home from school for cutting off another pupils plait.

It caused family friend and author Ronald Searle to liken her to a St Trinians schoolgirl, a quip which led to the moniker we know her as today.

In her late teens and early twenties, based in Thatcherite London, Woodall fell into drug and alcohol misuse.

It wasnt until years later, when she and partner-in-fashion Susannah Constantine became known on the London circuit as bolshy, no-nonsense fashion journalists, that everything really turned around.

I feel that every single thing we do adds to who we are, she says, in the eye of the storm shes caused with her presence in Brown Thomas Grafton Street store. Books are presented to be signed, iPhones lifted to get selfies.

So if I hadnt have been a using addict, I would never have understood how to make choices in life. And if Id never met all of those brilliant women on What Not to Wear, I never would have launched Trinny London. So I never regret anything Ive done in life, because all of its helped me to build a life on bricks, rather than quicksand.

In many ways, the show deemed both Woodall and Constantine the original fashion influencers, and though fashion is still integral to what she does, work today for Woodall centres solely around Trinny London, the breathtakingly simplistic makeup brand she launched, at 52, in 2017, which expanded to skincare in April 2022.

To finance the brands early days, Woodall sold her home and some 60,000 worth of clothing.

My daughter is livid, she smiles. Because that was 20 years worth of collecting fashion, fashion that shes seen in pictures, down the drain. Theres still a shit load of stuff, dont get me wrong, but thats neither here nor there.

Fortunately, the brand succeeded; growth exploded during the pandemic; the Trinny London team now stands at 170 and her products have reached cult status in Ireland, the UK, Australia, and the United States. (A bottle of her BFF Skin Perfector, costing 48, sells every 30 seconds  dropping mildly from 15 seconds when it originally launched).

Trinny: "Our whole thing has always been that we wanted to create products people can trust." Pic: Dan Kennedy

By prioritising realism over aspiration, Trinny London is appealing to women who feel under-represented in the beauty industry. Her products  most of which snap into place in circular pots  have been likened to a grown-up Glossier or a more affordable Westman Atelier; sitting neatly between the ludicrously expensive and shockingly cheap. (Woodall herself used to decant products into circular pots in her television days for ease, causing jealousy among friends.)

In many ways, her products evoke a friendly tone  product names include BFF De-Stress and Miracle Blur, which Woodall enthusiastically likens to spackle for the skin; other products are named for the friends of Woodalls who invested way back when  something consumers rarely associate with large, intimidating department stores.

At the heart of the Trinny London offering, too, is an online try-on and product recommendation tool, Match2Me, a metric which claims to takes the fuss out of beauty shopping.

Our whole thing has always been that we wanted to create products people can trust, she says, her eyes meeting mine. Over the years, Ive spoken to thousands of women about their appearance, and by a huge majority, makeup was what women panicked the most about; not knowing their colours; feeling intimidated by department stores, that sort of thing. Our products work on a system that makes that process easy; they range from A-E, with A being the coolest and E being the warmest. You find out what your undertones are via Match2Me, even when in-store, and you go from there. Its foolproof.

Of course, as anyone who follows her will know, products are only part of the Trinny experience. Woodall posts to her 1.3m Instagram followers multiple times a day, in various states of disarray and undress; a recent post sees her insisting she looks like cat sick. Though an undeniably glamorous woman in most facets of life, Woodall saves the times when she looks less than fresh to share with her followers.

It is, in fact, an incredible marketing strategy  as she proves how her products can entirely change a face, from exhausted to boardroom-ready.

[That side of me] comes from not worrying what people think, she smiles. I spent my teens and twenties worrying desperately about what people thought of me. But when youve been through some quite big life things, that sense of keeping up appearances is so irrelevant, she laughs.

It is more important to me to make a connection with somebody, and you dont make a connection by showing the best parts of yourself. Im always drawn to somebody where I feel theres something in there I want to get to know.
Childrens Health Ireland has rejected claims by Sinn Fein that hundreds of child chemotherapy appointments for children were cancelled last year.

It comes after Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said around 250,000 hospital appointments were cancelled last year, including 800 chemotherapy appointments for children.

Ms McDonald said there are not enough staff working in the healthcare system, and urged the Government to solve chronic overcrowding in hospitals, adding that another 3,000 hospital and community beds are needed to fill the gaps.

The Government must solve chronic overcrowding created by the Taoiseach's Government's policy

On the watch of this Government last year, 250,000 hospital appointments were cancelled. That is a record, she said.

In each case that represented a phone call to somebody who has waited with worry to be told that the care they need has now been cancelled. Some 800 chemotherapy appointments for children were cancelled.

A cancer diagnosis for a child must be utterly devastating for a family. The instinct of any parent in that situation is to go to the ends of the earth to care for their child.

A parent wants to know that the system has got ones child, that the system will catch them and has their back.

Just imagine the cancellation of a childs chemotherapy appointment. This is the cancellation of an appointment which a parent knows is a big part of ones childs fight.

The Government has to stop this happening, I say to the Taoiseach. To stop the problem of cancellations, the Government must solve chronic overcrowding created by the Taoiseachs Governments policy.

Any of us who have seen the dedication of doctors and nurses caring for cancer patients are literally blown away. They live and breathe for their patients but we need more of them.

We do not have enough healthcare staff right across the system. We need 3,000 additional hospital and community beds and well the Taoiseach knows it.

In his response, Taoiseach Simon Harris accused Ms McDonald of being disingenuous in her presentation of the figures.

These are not just my words, he added.

In the press release which Deputy McDonalds party issued this morning suggesting a large increase in the number of hospital procedures cancelled in 2023 to 2022, accompanying that press release which is on the deputys partys website, the HSE specifically said not to compare one year with the previous one because it is not comparable.

The HSE specifically said that it would not be reflective and should not be compared with 2023. It is important if we put information into the public domain that we are accurate in respect of it.

In a statement on Wednesday evening, CHI said: There are no cancellations in chemotherapy treatment.

The majority of delays/deferrals are due to patient-specific reasons and based on clinical decisions relating to the patients medical condition at the time. Patients may need to be rescheduled for a number of clinical reasons.

It said reasons for delays include that blood tests indicate that the treatment should be deferred, the child may be unwell and unable for treatment, or that treatment is no longer required.

CHI said that delays or deferrals relating to inpatient beds or staffing are rescheduled to the earliest available bed or space, which is usually between one and two days.

When the deputy talks about recruitment freezes, pauses and the like, it ignores the reality that this year the Irish health service has money to hire 2,200 additional staff

It added: Day cases may take slightly longer to be rescheduled, but are also done as soon as possible.

Mr Harris also said that 28,000 additional staff are working in the health service since the last general election in 2020.

He added: When the deputy talks about recruitment freezes, pauses and the like, it ignores the reality that this year the Irish health service has money to hire 2,200 additional staff.

Mr Harris told the Dail that cancer mortality rates have decreased by 14% for men and 13% for women.

The Taoiseach said this was better than the European average of 10% and 5% respectively.

We have a plan to eradicate cervical cancer, Mr Harris added.

Huge progress has been made, and I note the deputys support in that regard for the HPV vaccine and the like.

We can actually eradicate a cancer in this country by 2040, and the Minister for Health (Stephen Donnelly) will publish the plan as to how he intends to do that this year.
More European countries will join Ireland in recognising a Palestinian state, the Taoiseach believes.

Speaking at his first European Council meeting in Brussels since taking up the role, Simon Harris said that he had spoken with other European leaders and believes that the moment of Palestinian recognition "is coming close".

He declined to identify who those nations are  saying he would not be providing a "running list"  but said that he had spoken to a number of counterparts from across Europe and had reiterated Ireland's view that recognition of the Palestinian state would build "momentum".

"If you believe in a two-state solution, it's useful to recognise the existence of both states and Ireland believes that the time of recognition is coming closer," Mr Harris said.

"I do believe there's a number of member states in the European Union who do wish to recognise the state of Palestine. It's not for me to speak for them, but certainly I think they share our perspective that you would do that to try and create momentum towards the recognition of a two-state solution. I certainly articulated last night our concern that the two-state solution is being de-prioritised in a lot of the discourse and it's very important, very important that the European Union gets back to placing it front and centre.

"I do think the moment of recognition is getting close and I do think there are countries who would like to do it at the same time as Spain and Ireland and I think the indications are positive in that regard."

Iran

Mr Harris said that the Council, made up of the leaders of the EU's 27 member states, had made "very clear conclusions" that the European Union will put in place further restrictive measures on Iran in response to its missile attack on Israel last week. He said that those restrictive measures will be considered by the Foreign Affairs Council this weekend.

"When it came to the Middle East, we took the opportunity to call for an immediate ceasefire. I welcome language that is being used  ceasefire and not a pause  but I think that is an important point. I also made the point that we don't just need to see an increase in humanitarian aid, but also unhindered access for the humanitarian aid, and that is very clear direction from the ICJ that Israel must comply with."

On Ireland's neutrality, Mr Harris said that he expects changes to the triple lock system for deploying Irish troops to be made in the lifetime of this government, but rejected the idea that this would be a de facto scrapping of neutrality.

"This is not a move away from military neutrality in any way," he said.
The average cost for a bed for either asylum seekers or Ukrainian refugees in privately operated accommodation is nearly three times that paid for the same bed in a State-run location, it has emerged.

The Department of Integration said the average cost per night in the roughly 180 private accommodation centres around the country is 76 per night.

That compares with the 30 paid per bed per night in the State-run accommodation, which are far fewer in number.

Department of Integration secretary general Kevin McCarthy revealed the figures at Thursday's hearing before the Public Accounts Committee.

Prior to doing so, Mr McCarthy said he was reluctant to reveal the average costs due to reasons of commercial sensitivity.

Before clarifying the figures, under questioning from Sinn Feins Imelda Munster, Mr McCarthy was asked if State-run accommodation was significantly cheaper than the private variety.

He replied not really, adding the two State-run centres at Athlone and Knockalisheen, Co Clare, were probably the two best-known" of the non-privately-operated accommodations on offer.

He noted a new accommodation strategy for international protection applicants was recently agreed in order to move away from the privately-owned model, with 14,000 beds to be in place in State-owned centres by 2028.

Requests for asylum in Ireland jumped dramatically over the first three months of this year, with 5,100 applications received, more than 2,200 more than were received in the same timeframe last year.

The Knockalisheen refugee centre, Co Clare, is run by the State. Picture: David Raleigh

Mr McCarthy defended his departments performance in sourcing accommodation within hotels in rural towns, saying there were competing public interests at play.

He said the sheer scale of the pressure weve been under had driven such decisions, which most recently saw the D Hotel in Drogheda, the last hotel in the town, signed over for asylum seeker accommodation without prior notice being given to local representatives.

Were trying as best we can to be able to offer accommodation to people, he said.

When the final hotel in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, was contracted to provide asylum seeker accommodation, the Government elected to buy a second disused hotel in the locality to make up for the loss of the former.

Mr McCarthy said the loss of a final hotel to a locality is one of the new criteria being taken into account now in the sourcing of accommodation.

He acknowledged providing accommodation in rural areas without informing local residents in advance has caused substantial issues across the country, most recently in Newtownmountkennedy in Co Wicklow.

Local Sinn Fein TD for the area John Brady said the department had made liars of local representatives by denying the location in question was to be used for refugee accommodation until the last moment.

Mr McCarthy said often his department would also not be aware a site was being prepared for use while those preparations were being conducted.

He added his departments community engagement team, formed last October, operates to a standard protocol and while he could understand the frustration over how the information was being spread, it was nevertheless important that information is released in a managed way, he said.

When asked why the HSEs Baggot Street Hospital was not being used to provide accommodation to people who are instead living in tents, Mr McCarthy replied the hospital had been ruled out on cost grounds as it is a listed building.

This statement drew derision from PAC vice-chair Catherine Murphy, who noted Ryevale House in her own Kildare constituency is also a listed building, and had been converted to asylum seeker accommodation without planning permission to do so regardless.
The building at 410 Townsend St. in San Francisco has sold for a dramatic discount. Google Street View

A San Francisco office building that once served as home to startups including Zendesk and Eventbrite has sold for less than one-third of its pre-pandemic value.

The building at 410 Townsend St. in SoMa spans roughly 78,000 square feet. On Wednesday, it sold for $22 million, or roughly $282 per square foot, to New York Life Real Estate Investors and New York real estate firm Bridgeton, according to Kyle Kovac and Mike Taquino of real estate brokerage CBRE, who represented the buyers.

The sale represents a dramatic price drop from the roughly $86 million that its previous owner, Clarion Partners, paid for it in 2019.

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After struggling to address significant vacancy in the building, Clarion, also based in New York, surrendered the property to its lender in December in what is known as a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure process, a legal procedure that allows owners to voluntarily transfer properties to their lenders, relieving them from their debt and allowing them to bypass the lengthy foreclosure process.

In a statement on Wednesday, Albert Pura, senior director of transactions for New York Life, said the firm believes that the downtown office markets recovery is underway.

Were excited to invest in 410 Townsend in collaboration with Bridgeton, Pura said. Its our opinion that this is the start of the recovery for the San Francisco real estate market and 410 Townsend provides us with the opportunity to acquire a best-in-class creative brick and beam office asset well below replacement cost and where the asset traded in 2013 and 2019.

The city continues to contend with historic office vacancy  more than one-third of its downtown offices sit empty four years after the pandemic began in 2020  the fallout of a pronounced shift to remote work.

While there are plenty of deals to be had when it comes to office buildings in San Francisco, just a few have traded in recent years amid continued uncertainty about future demand.

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Recent deals include Peninsula Land and Capitals purchase in September of the vacant, 13-story 550 California St. building from Wells Fargo Bank for just $40 million.

The 22-story former home of the Union Bank at 350 California St. also sold last year to The Swig Company and SKS Real Estate Partners for $61 million, which represents a nearly 75% price drop from what it was worth prior to the pandemic.

And the 11-story building at 60 Spear St. was bought in August by a partnership between local developer Presidio Bay Ventures and a local family office for $41 million, or less than half of what it was worth when it last traded in 2014.

During better days in 2010, the Wall Street Journal described 410 Townsend as a start-up village because the four-story building served as the headquarters for companies such as Yammer and provided space to high-profile tech firms including Sony, Adobe, AOL, Stripe and Pinterest.

This clearly demonstrates the buildings appeal to both high-growth and well-established companies seeking engaging workspaces for their teams, said Bridgeton President Akash Sharma, who added that the opportunity to acquire the building without debt, at a historically attractive basis, and with move-in ready suites, was too good to pass up.

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In the ongoing discussions about Cork, various aspects of the citys infrastructure have come under the spotlight.

Little wonder. Theres a lot to discuss.

Take our road network  specifically, the works on the Dunkettle interchange which have had ... an impact since the 220 million upgrade finished last February.

A headline from this newspaper just last month? Traffic queues from East Cork into tunnel 'getting worse.

The temptation is to point to the nearest copy of The Power Broker for pointers on what happens when you add more roads and bridges to existing roads and bridges (spoiler alert: the traffic increases), but your columnist is above those petty moves.

More traffic should motivate us to eschew the private car in favour of other options, of course.

Only last December there was another headline here which bears revisiting: Revealed: Cork City's worst performing bus services led directly to such sentences as: Statistics from the National Transport Authority show that only a quarter of the citys bus services meet minimum performance standards.

Of course, if youre physically able and near enough to the city you dont need a road. You can just walk into and around the city.

Or can you?

Footpath discourse

I ask because in recent days theres been a good deal of discussion of pavements on Leeside.

Last Friday on local radio, Sinn Fein councillor for Cork South West Orla OLeary aired her concerns about the footpaths near Scoil an Spioraid Naoimh in Bishopstown, for instance.

The damage to the footpath is so bad that a large section is lifted off the ground when stepped upon. This is right outside the entrance to a primary school. Residents have seen children tripping and falling on this patch of pavement. It's unacceptable for the path to be left this way ...

"The poor state of footpaths is a big deal for families and communities throughout Cork City. It impacts directly on people's mobility where they live. I'd be particularly concerned for our elderly neighbours, our neighbours with disabilities and parents pushing buggies with young children.

Last week was a bit of a high-water mark when it comes to footpath discourse, as it happens. Similar points to Councillor OLearys were made at a city council meeting about the state of our pavements. Referring to his own experience, Fianna Fail councillor Sean Martin told the meeting: Everyone is getting it on the doors. This council should acknowledge we have a problem with footpath renewal.

At the same meeting Workers Party councillor Ted Tynan said tragedy was averted in his area recently when faulty brickwork at a pedestrian crossing caused two wheelchair users to tumble out of their chairs as a bus was approaching.

(If we go back a little further, in fact, we encounter one of those very representatives having a violent encounter with the citys pavements. Four weeks ago, on March 14, Ted Tynan reported on his own experience strolling on Wellington Road, when he tripped and fell on a section of footpath which he said was pushed up by tree roots.

I hit the ground and I damaged my spectacles, scraped my left hand and bumped my eye then off the pavement, Mr Tynan told The Echo. The North East Ward councillor said he was winded but was assisted by people who had witnessed the incident.)

Last week Labour candidate for the South East Ward Peter Horgan echoed other politicians when it came to public views on this topic, saying it was  ... raised at every door I knock on. Basic transport is walking, but so many people  be they young, old, require wheelchairs or are pushing buggies  find that the footpaths in Cork are simply crumbling away.

Funding

Last week we also got some interesting figures  or not, as the case may be. Mr Horgan shared the response received to a Parliamentary Question to the Minister for Transport which asked his Department to fund an audit of Cork citys footpaths.

That answer was no, though it was stated in PQ-ese, an obscure dialect (While my Department provides grant support for road maintenance and renewal programmes under the Regional and Local Road Grant Programme it does not have a specific grant programme for the restoration and repair of footpaths or related works; however, local authorities have the option to fund these types of works from certain road grant programmes, etc).

Mr Horgan was more succinct: The city council has indicated they could not fund an audit, and now the minister for transport has said he will not fund one either.

Mr Martin was also concise when he offered a possible solution: The council should take out a 10m loan to fund footpath renewals across the city.

This section of the report in these pages  from Eoin English  caught my eye, however.

Green Party councillor Oliver Moran said councillors allocated about 2m annually for estate roads resurfacing, but just 200,000 for footpath repairs.

In return what do we see? Between 2019 to 2023 we had nearly 5m in compensation claims for trips and falls on footpaths, and 1m in compensation claims for burst vehicle tyres from potholes. Thats the return on that investment.

Those are figures to give anyone pause, but this is also a problem which goes beyond the bottom line.

It is directly related to the attractiveness of the city, because if the footpaths and walkways of the city are substandard then that is yet another disincentive when it comes to visiting and using the city centre. Not for tourists: for locals.

One of the cliches this column is fond of is the concept of universal accessibility when it comes to urban facilities: a city which is welcoming to children, to the elderly, and to those with mobility issues is a city which is welcoming to all.

However, if city councillors are not just reporting their own unhappiness with the maintenance of our footpaths, but reporting their own injuries as a result of that lack of maintenance, then surely there is a problem here.

If all our citizens cant get around the city safely what kind of city do we have?

The councillors reporting the unhappiness of constituents with the footpaths brings us to another aspect of this problem. It shows a tangible discontent among the citizenry with the maintenance of the city.

This is something which the municipal authorities would do well to heed because it isnt a figment of the imagination. It isnt one individuals opinion, nor is it a campaign by the mischievous.

Its a hard reality being brought to the authorities attention by the representatives of the people of Cork. Those people are not satisfied with how the city is being maintained, and attention must be paid.

Anything other than full-throated cheerleading is often dismissed as negativity but there is no arguing with the facts. Something is fundamentally wrong when walking the streets of Cork is a tricky proposition because the pavement beneath your feet is not fit for purpose.
As we watch the ongoing Israeli attack on Gaza in horror, the war has taken a different turn with Israels bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus and Irans response to it on Saturday night. As the prospect of a large international conflict involving Russia and the United States looms on the horizon, it is imperative to speak up against the possible war and Israels unaccountability to international law.

During the past seven months, scholars and students all over the world have called on their institutions to take a stand in solidarity with Palestinians by demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire and by ending any collaboration with the arms industry and Israel's universities.

Ending any collaboration with Israeli universities is an important instrument to put pressure on Israel and its allies to comply with international humanitarian law and to remind our policy makers that we want academic institutions in countries where critical thinking and human rights are protected and encouraged.

University workers and students across Ireland mobilised on Wednesday for a Day of Action in solidarity with Palestine. Our demands are directed at the institutions presidents who have largely been silent while all 12 of Gazas universities have been bombed, some completely destroyed.

We want our presidents to condemn Israels mass killing of Palestinians, call for a ceasefire, offer sanctuary to Palestinian colleagues and students and support those who are already in Ireland, disinvest from institutional collaboration with Israeli institutions, and adopt ethical investment policies that exclude holdings in companies associated with the arms trade.

Staff and students at Trinity College Dublin protesting at the national day of action in solidarity with Palestine. Each hat represents students and teachers who have passed away in the Gaza war. Picture: Sam Boal/Collins Photos

Why is Israel targeted, one may ask, and not, say, Iran? Academics should always question collaborations with partners that engage in systematic human rights violations. Israels academic institutions are part and parcel of a system that structurally oppresses Palestinians  a de facto apartheid regime.

This has been denounced by numerous Palestinian, Israeli, and international human rights organisations, along with many UN experts. Yet, Israels academic institutions benefit significantly from international and European research funding schemes. Iranian universities are nearly absent from these schemes while Israeli universities have been extremely successful in obtaining funding.

As many scholars and experts have pointed out, what is taking place in Gaza today qualifies as scholasticide or educide. That is the intentional and systematic destruction of the material and immaterial infrastructures for research and education. Today, the higher education and schooling system in Gaza is devastated. So are the archives, libraries and museums.

The numbers are traumatising for anyone trying to make sense of them. More than 5,000 academics and students have been killed including 95 deans and professors and three university presidents. More than 8,000 have been injured and maimed. All universities in the Gaza Strip have been either partially or totally destroyed. Some 200 schools have been bombed, a quarter of them destroyed.

Together with hospitals and markets, which are regularly devastated by the Israeli military, schools and universities constitute the hallmarks of civilian life in Gaza. This is what Israel tries to annihilate.

Una Kealy, a lecturer in theatre, at the National Day of Action in Solidarity with Palestine event at SETU Waterford. Photo; Mary Browne

Therefore, educide or scholasticide is part and parcel of what the International Court of Justice in January defined as a plausible genocide and of what Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur for the human rights situation in the Palestinian Occupied Territories, defined as a genocide in her latest report issued in March.

As of today, not one single Israeli university has condemned the military assault on Gaza. Officially, all universities in Israel support its continuation. Additionally, they have been very proactive in punishing those brave and courageous colleagues who have expressed critical opinions.

The most famous case is Professor Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian. After expressing solidarity with Palestinians and criticising her governments line of action, she was suspended and then reinstated thanks to an international campaign in her favour. Later, she was temporarily detained and deprived of her passport  which she was given back, eventually.

Many of those who have paid a professional and personal price for their criticism of the Israeli government are asking their international colleagues to dis-invest from co-operating with institutions that systematically silence internal opposition and oppress Palestinians.

Maya Wind, the Israeli scholar and peace activist based in British Columbia, recently published the book Towers of Ivory and Steel: How Israeli Universities Deny Palestinian Freedom. In it, she retraces the origins of the education system in Israel and its complicity with the apartheid regime and the occupation of the Palestinian Territories.

Other international (Nick Riemer), Israeli (Ilan Pappe), and Ireland-based academics (Ronit Lentin, David Landy and Conor McCarthy) have demonstrated that this complicity is systematic.

It is expressed in many different forms which all together create a system that enables structural oppression and dispossession, including the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory to build campuses (as in the case of Ariel University and the Hebrew University in Mount Scopus, Jerusalem), the intimate relationship with the military sector and arms industry, and the discrimination against Palestinian students and staff.

Wind discusses the intertwining of the arms industries and the universities in detail, highlighting how STEM departments as well as the social sciences and the humanities have, in the course of the decades, complemented and imbricated their development with the weapon industry. For example, two of the largest Israeli weapon-producers, Rafael and Israeli Aerospace Industries, developed as start-ups out of the infrastructures of the Technion Institute of Haifa and the Weizmann Institute, two higher education institutes in Israel.

Staff and students at University College Cork protesting at the national day of action in solidarity with Palestine. University presidents and representatives must join the voices of the workers and the students in demanding a commitment to justice, human rights, peace and academic freedom. Picture: Larry Cummins

Also, many universities are responsible for technological advancements in the field of weapons construction, which are then proved in the field and marketed by public and private companies as battle proven, usually after military campaigns in the Gaza Strip, as shown by Israeli director Yotam Feldman in his 2014 documentary The Lab.

As the world is fast moving toward an escalation of war and the total annihilation of Palestinian lives in Gaza, it is urgent that university presidents and representatives do not remain silent. They must join the voices of the workers and the students in demanding a commitment to justice, human rights, peace and academic freedom. This includes calling out those who do not demonstrate such commitments and it also includes disinvesting from collaborations with them, until they do so. In this way, together, we can hold policy-makers and government representatives accountable.
One of the most serious issues facing the new Taoiseach is the virulent populism rearing its head across national politics in Europe and beyond. This is a real threat, and Ireland has not proved immune to it thus far. Yet we would caution populism comes in many guises, including that of penal populism.

This approach aims to appeal to a seemingly common-sense desire for more punishment, in pursuit of electoral gain. Unfortunately, it flies in the face of decades of criminological research exploring how best to prevent and reduce crime.

In setting out a criminal justice policy stall in his first speech to the Dail as Taoiseach, Simon Harris has drawn from this flavour of populism in proposing longer prison sentences for knife crime and higher minimum tariffs for life sentences.

Yet, the evidence does not suggest either policy will make society safer.

Minimum sentences

Mr Harris has suggested persons undergoing a life sentence should serve a minimum of 20, 30, or even 40 years before they are considered eligible for parole.

While this might get support from some of the more reactionary voices on the nations airwaves, research from around the world shows mandatory minimum sentences fail to reduce crime, while causing significant problems in courts and prisons.

Certainly, in Ireland, they are unnecessary given the recent overhaul of parole, not to mention Irelands ever-growing prison population.

Recently the Prison Officers Association called Irelands prison system a "ticking time bomb".

The prison population is at a record high, nearing 5,000 persons and exceeding the capacity of the prison estate by as much as 20% in some prisons.

Despite a recent governmental commitment to expanding effective forms of community justice, Mr Harris is calling for the creation of more than 600 new prison spaces.

Prison numbers are increasing for several reasons, including the use of longer sentences, the persistent use of damaging short-term sentences (less than 12 months) instead of community alternatives, more judges and court sittings, rising numbers of women being imprisoned for low level and nonviolent offences, and more people being remanded in custody prior to their conviction or sentencing.

Earlier this year, the Irish Penal Reform Trust highlighted Irelands "over-reliance" on prisons and emphasised prison expansion flies in the face of established Government policy.

Imprisonment failing to reduce crime

Relying on imprisonment to address crime in our communities has consistently failed: the evidence does not suggest either increasing sentence severity or the use of imprisonment reduces crime.

Yet, despite a recent governmental commitment to expanding effective forms of community justice, Mr Harris is calling for the creation of more than 600 new prison spaces.

The Parole Act 2019 increased from seven to 12 years the period a person with a life sentence must spend in prison before becoming eligible to engage with the parole process.

In our very recent criminal justice history, Ireland has already beefed up its restrictions on release.

In any case, the chances of being released after 12 years are effectively zero. The Parole Boards annual report shows only two people were released at all in 2022, out of 22 applications for parole received.

Over the last decade, the average time a person served prior to release on parole was 20 years  and, of course, they can be recalled to prison at any time throughout their entire life (hence, life sentence).

Ireland places fifth in a comparison of Western Europe and the United States for the number of life-sentenced prisoners per capita. This is not a ranking of which we should be proud and comes despite Ireland having a very low murder rate by European standards.

Moreover, the Parole Board already takes into account many factors, including whether the person poses a danger to the public. Adding a further minimum tariff is window dressing.

Drawing on the work of Dr Diarmuid Griffin of the University of Galway, we know the Irish life-sentenced cohort is already very high, increasing 158% from 2001 to 2017.

Ireland places fifth in a comparison of Western Europe and the United States for the number of life-sentenced prisoners per capita. This is not a ranking of which we should be proud and comes despite Ireland having a very low murder rate by European standards.

The suggested minimum tariff is a further move towards mandatory sentencing, which decades of research demonstrate is not a deterrent.

It instead negatively impacts both prison population levels and overcrowding. In 2013, the Oireachtas Subcommittee on Penal Reform recommended a "decarceration strategy" to reduce the prison population by one-third over a decade.

In 2022, the Review of Policy Options for Prison and Penal Reform indicated a policy direction towards evidence-based forms of community justice, and away from a reliance on imprisonment.

Now, despite rising prisoner numbers, politicians are again taking the easy way out by playing the "law and order" card instead of carefully following the evidence.

Knife crime

The Taoiseach also pledged increased penalties for knife crime offences. In 2021, An Garda Siochana published data on the prevalence of knife crime in Ireland, cautioning the term itself was vague and not legally defined.

Notably, incidents involving knives and knife-related hospitalisation were decreasing. Given so much knife crime involves young people carrying (not using) a knife motivated only by the fear it might be needed for self-defence, the last thing we want is for politicians to make our nations youth feel a need to take their protection into their own hands.

All the evidence suggests punitive crackdowns on knife offences, such as increased use of stop and search and longer sentences, are ineffective.

Meanwhile, legislative responses already exist in Ireland to deal with offences relating to knives. The maximum sentences are high compared with other jurisdictions, and using a knife in the commission of an offence is also considered as an aggravating factor by judges in sentencing. There is nothing stopping the judiciary from sentencing people appropriately for knife crime.

All the evidence suggests punitive crackdowns on knife offences, such as increased use of stop and search and longer sentences, are ineffective.

Fortunately, we do know what works to reduce crime and violence, both through prevention and by reducing reoffending among those who have been caught. An intelligent approach to criminal justice policy would begin with this evidence.

Smart justice is evidence-based justice Investing in housing, health, education and policies to reduce inequality will do more to address harm in our communities than the populist policies that will cause further misery and worsen the current situation.

Public health approach to crime

This is called a public health approach to crime and violence and has been adopted in Scotland and other places where politicians are serious about making society safer.

Mr Harris has repeatedly stressed he believes in evidence-based approaches to crime prevention, rehabilitation and alternatives to prison, but these policy proposals run contrary to such claims.

Government must not engage in soundbite politics that promise policies which the evidence tells us will not achieve their stated aims and may even make the situation worse. Proposals must stand up to scrutiny and be abandoned when they do not.

Lynsey Black, John F Morrison, Joe Garrihy, Rhiannon Bandiera, Megan Coghlan, Kevin H Wozniak and Etain Quigley are assistant professors at the School of Law and Criminology at Maynooth University

Claire Hamilton is professor, Ian D Marder is assistant professor and co-deputy director and Ciara Bracken-Roche is assistant professor and co-deputy director at the School of Law and Criminology at Maynooth University
Having half your heifer calves born by February 3rd! This was Michaels response when asked what the best thing was about having used sexed sorted semen for the first time last year. Its a big boost to your morale, before the calving season really gets going.

Michael Ring milks 80 cows with the help of his father Liam and mother Mary in the attractive Co. Tipperary village of Emly. His path to running the family dairy herd wasnt conventional.

He qualified as a primary school teacher and taught full time for 13 years until 2019, when he took a year off while Liam underwent surgery for a replacement knee. He never went back to full-time teaching and now juggles family life, milking cows and subbing in the local primary schools.

The local principals all have his phone number stored under favourites on their mobiles! His wife Catherine is also a full-time primary school teacher, so between them they look after their young family Caoimhe (7), Roisin (5) and Cathal (18 months).

In the past, Liam and Michael used a couple of beef bulls and bought in replacement dairy heifers. But over the last few years Michael was keen to take control of the genetics in his own herd, so making full use of his ICBF reports, he started selecting the best EBI bulls for his best cows and heifers.

They are restricted by the size of the grazing platform at home, 23 hectares, but they have two other blocks of land close to home for silage and grazing the heifers and youngstock.

Michael Ring, who milks 80 cows with the help of his father Liam and mother Mary in the attractive Co Tipperary village of Emly.

Michael was quick to point out that on all three pieces of land they have excellent handling facilities with good crushes and pens. They rear all of their calves and Liam and Mary take on this responsibility.

The non-replacement calves have a value. They sell roughly half as yearlings in the springtime and the rest as 18-month-old stores off grass.

I had been discussing the pros and cons of synchronisation and sexed semen with Michael for a couple of years, said Marie-Louise Ryan of Mulcair Veterinary.

Last year, he dipped his toe in the water and synchronised them all, but only used sexed semen on half of them and conventional on the rest. He got better success with the sexed than the conventional, but they were the better grown heifers.

As Michaels father, Liam, pointed out, they learned from this and upped their game regarding the care and feeding of all the calves. This included vaccination with Rispoval RS Pi3 IntraNasal at about 10 days of age and then in the autumn two vaccine shots against RSV, Pi3 and IBR, to reduce the risk of pneumonia at housing, which had occurred on previous years to a lesser or greater extent.

All of the heifers were weighed at housing and penned and fed accordingly.

They followed the CIDR Synch protocol to a T. Marie-Louise set the programme up and Michael and his parents then did the injections and removed the CIDRs as instructed, which involved gathering the heifers before the morning milking on 3 occasions.

Great to have a good crush and pens and to have trained them with a little feed in advance of the programme, said Michael. Easy with a little patience, a good team and good facilities. This year we have a much better bunch of maiden heifers.

"Twenty-one in total, who will all be CIDR Synched and will all be getting sexed semen. I have another 20 sexed semen straws and Im selecting 40 cows for them. The first 20 cows that are going off heat when the AI-man calls, will be served with sexed, and the rest will be getting beef semen, explained Michael. Any heifers that repeat will be served with Angus semen for the first repeat and then the bull will be turned out.

Michaels encouragement to anyone thinking about trying synchronisation and sexed semen for the first time is One you have the majority of your heifers born in the first week of the calving and secondly, you dont have to worry about what to do with Friesian bull calves!

Watch: Michael and Marie-Louise were part of a panel discussion hosted by XL Vets discussing all aspects around fertility in spring calving herds.

Rispoval RS+Pi3 IntraNasal contains modified live Bovine Pi3 virus and BRSV. For further information please contact your veterinary surgeon or Zoetis, 2nd Floor, Building 10, Cherrywood Business Park, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin D18 T3Y1. Call (01) 2569800 or visit www.zoetis.ie  Use medicines responsibly  www.apha.ie
Croatias governing conservatives convincingly won a highly contested parliamentary election on Wednesday, but according to the official vote count, they will still need support from far-right groups to stay in power.

The election followed a campaign that centred on a bitter rivalry between the countrys president and prime minister.

The ballot pitted the ruling conservative Croatian Democratic Union, or HDZ, led by prime minister Andrej Plenkovic, against an alliance of centrist and left-wing parties informally led by populist president Zoran Milanovic and his Social Democratic Party, or SDP.

Croatias governing conservatives convincingly won a highly contested parliamentary election Wednesday, but will still need support to stay in power, according to the official vote count (Darko Vojinovic/AP)

With over 90% of the ballots counted, the state electoral commission said that the HDZ won 60 seats in the 151-seat parliament. The SDP got 42 seats. The far-right Statehood Movement was third, with 14 seats, making it a kingmaker in future talks for the next government.

Starting tomorrow morning, we will start forming a new parliamentary majority in order to form our third government, Mr Plenkovic said in his victory speech.

I want to congratulate the other parties that were defeated by the HDZ.

Turnout was more than 50%  a record  hours before the polls closed.

The election was held as Croatia, a European Union and Nato member, struggles with the highest inflation rate in the eurozone, a labour shortage, illegal migration and reports of widespread corruption.

At stake in the race for Croatias 151-seat parliament was not just the Adriatic Sea countrys future domestic policies, but also the EUs unity as it grapples with the instability from Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

If the HDZ stays in power as expected, the country will continue on a pro-Western course in supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia.

Success for SDP could put it on track for victory in the European Parliament election in June and the presidential election in December.

It would shake the HDZs long dominance of politics and potentially open space for stronger pro-Russia influence in the country, akin to Hungary and Slovakia.

The HDZ has largely held office since Croatia gained independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991. The Balkan nation became the newest member of the European Union in 2013 and joined Europes passport-free travel area and the eurozone last year.

In Croatia, the president plays a largely ceremonial role, while the prime minister exerts most of the political power.
One of the most prominent figures in the far-right Alternative for Germany party has arrived in court for his trial on charges of using a Nazi slogan  months before a regional election in which he is running to become his states governor.

Bjorn Hocke, 52, is the leader of the regional branch of Alternative for Germany, or AfD, in the eastern state of Thuringia.

While never formally a national leader of AfD, the former history teacher has been consistently influential as the 11-year-old party has steadily headed further right and ousted several comparatively moderate leaders.

Protesters hold banners reading Bjorn Hocke is a Nazi outside the state court in Halle, Germany (Fabrizio Bensch/AP)

At the trial at the state court in Halle, he is charged with using symbols of unconstitutional organisations.

He is also accused of ending a speech in nearby Merseburg in May 2021 with the words Everything for Germany.

Prosecutors contend he was aware of the origin of the phrase as a slogan of the Nazis SA stormtroopers.

Using symbols of unconstitutional organisations can carry a fine or a prison sentence of up to three years.

Four court sessions have been scheduled until May 14.

Demonstrators gathered outside the court building before the trial opened, with banners including Bjorn Hocke is a Nazi and Stop AfD.

Bjorn Hocke, centre left, enters the courtroom for his trial (Fabrizio Bensch/AP)

Around 570 protesters turned out, according to police.

Hocke has led AfDs regional branch in Thuringia since 2013, the year the party was founded, and its group in the state legislature in Erfurt since it first won seats there in 2014.

He once called the Holocaust memorial in Berlin a monument of shame and called for Germany to perform a 180-degree turn in how it remembers its past.

A party tribunal in 2018 rejected a bid to have him expelled.

Hockes regional branch of AfD is now one of three that the domestic intelligence agency has under official surveillance as a proven right-wing extremist group.

AfD is particularly strong in the formerly communist east and is in first place in polls in Thuringia ahead of a state election on September 1, with recent surveys showing support of 29 to 31%.

Bjorn Hocke speaks at the special plenary session of the Thuringia state parliament in Erfurt, Germany in 2021 (Jens Meyer/AP)

It is unlikely that any other party will agree to work with Hocke and put him in the governors office, but AfDs strength has made forming governing coalitions in the state complicated.

Hocke insisted in a debate with a conservative rival last week that he wasnt aware Everything for Germany! was a Nazi slogan and claimed that many others have used it.

Everyone out there knows its an everyday saying, he said on Welt television.
Former President Donald Trump has met with Polish President Andrzej Duda in New York in the latest in a series of meetings with foreign leaders as Europe braces for the possibility of a second Trump term.

The presumptive Republican nominee hosted Mr Duda at Trump Tower, where the two discussed the war in Ukraine and Mr Dudas push to boost Nato members defence spending, according to a readout from Mr Trumps campaign.

Mr Duda, who has long expressed admiration for Mr Trump, is also a staunch supporter of Ukraine and has encouraged Washington to provide more aid to Kyiv amid Russians ongoing invasion.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump walks with Polands President Andrzej Duda at Trump Tower in New York (Stefan Jeremiah/AP)

The funding has been held up by Trump allies in Congress.

As he arrived, Mr Trump praised the Polish president, saying, Hes done a fantastic job and hes my friend.

We had four great years together, Mr Trump added. Were behind Poland all the way.

Following the almost two and a half hour meeting, Mr Duda said only that it was a friendly meeting in very nice atmosphere.

His aide, Wojciech Kolarski, also in attendance, described it as an excellent meeting of two friends who reminisced on the time when for four years they cooperated while holding presidential offices, a time that was very fruitful for Polish-US relations.

Mr Duda is the latest foreign leader to meet with Trump in the weeks since he locked up the Republican nomination.

Mr Duda, who has long expressed admiration for Mr Trump, is also a staunch supporter of Ukraine and has encouraged Washington to provide more aid to Kyiv (Stefan Jeremiah/AP)

US allies across the world were caught off guard by Mr Trumps surprise 2016 win, forcing them to scramble to build relationships with a president who often attacked long-standing treaties and alliances they valued.

Setting up meetings with him during the 2024 campaign suggests they dont want to be behind again.

Even as he goes on trial for one of the four criminal indictments against him, Mr Trump and Democratic President Joe Biden are locked in a rematch that most observers expect will be exceedingly close in November.

The visit was met with mixed reaction in Poland, where fears of Russia run high and Mr Dudas friendly relationship with Mr Trump has been a source of controversy.

Polands centrist Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a political opponent of Mr Duda, was critical of the dinner but expressed hope that Mr Duda would use it as an opportunity to raise the issue of clearly siding with the Western world, democracy and Europe in this Ukrainian-Russian conflict.
Google has fired 28 employees involved in protests over the tech companys cloud computing contract with the Israeli government, according to statements from the company and campaigners.

The workers held sit-ins at the companys offices in California and New York over Googles 1.2 billion dollar (963.1 million) contract to provide custom tools for Israelis military.
San Francisco police officials sought to reassure the public that they were promptly investigating sexual abuse claims multiple women made against Jon Jacobo. Constanza Hevia H./Special to the Chronicle 2020

San Francisco police officials on Thursday sought to reassure the public of their commitment to sexual assault victims after an explosive report this week suggested investigators fumbled a case involving an alleged serial offender.

Standing before reporters at San Francisco police headquarters on Third Street, San Francisco police Capt. Alexa OBrien said investigators take reports of sexual assault extremely seriously before outlining the procedural steps taken after a case is reported.

A pattern of abuse by one individual on three women would be investigated, OBrien said, adding that any report that police werent investigating couldn't be further from the truth. There was no delay in investigating.

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The statements came two days after the San Francisco Standard published searing accounts of three women who said they were the victims of sexual or domestic abuse by the same man, housing rights activist and former San Francisco power player Jon Jacobo.

Jacobo resigned his leadership position at the housing nonprofit TODCO just hours after the report was published, but has not been arrested or charged in connection with any of the offenses outlined in the article.

But the womens allegations reignited public scrutiny over polices treatment of sex crimes, after the women told the Standard that they felt ignored or discouraged by their interactions with officers. All three said they filed reports about Jacobo with San Francisco police.

Police officials Thursday declined to answer questions into the specifics of their investigations, including inquiries about when their criminal inquiry into Jacobo began.

San Francisco Supervisor Hillary Ronen has since called for a hearing on how sexual violence cases are handled by local law enforcement.

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Police officials earlier this week forcefully pushed back on suggestions that they had botched the cases, with Chief Bill Scott posting on X that the cases were still open and being diligently investigated.

The latest scandal comes five years after police and other city leaders pledged a series of reforms intended to transform the way San Francisco treats sex crime victims, following what was described as systemic mistreatment of rape and abuse survivors.

In 2018, a dozen women and advocates stood before a panel of San Francisco supervisors to describe how city agencies mishandled rape cases. Victims of such crimes, they said, were left feeling mistreated and discarded by those who are supposed to help.

There is a pattern of negligence and mistreatment that I consider abusive toward rape victims, Ronen said at the time. These are our city employees who are blaming victims for their own assaults, disregarding the severity of these rapes, and denying survivors their right to an objective and thorough investigation.

Representatives from San Francisco General Hospital, the police department and the district attorneys office acknowledged failings and promised to invest more in staffing and training to improve the intake, investigation and prosecution of sex assaults.

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Bloom Institute of Technology, formerly called Lambda School, will be forced to pay tens of thousands of dollars in restitution to students federal authorities say it duped with deceptive loans and fees. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

After years of private legal actions and sanctions from California authorities, a San Francisco coding boot camp and its CEO have run afoul of federal authorities, who accuse them of deceiving students and profiting from dodgy loan agreements.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ordered Bloom Institute of Technology, formerly called Lambda School, and its founder Austen Allred to cease issuing loans structured as tuition repayment plans, and to pay more than $160,000 in restitution to victims.

The agency issued the order against the company and its CEO for deceiving students about the cost of loans and making false claims about graduates hiring rates.

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Instead of charging up-front tuition, the company for years offered income-sharing agreements. That means students paid back the cost of their instruction once they were hired into tech jobs that paid a minimum amount.

But federal authorities said the company, also called BloomTech, lied about its job placement rates and charged students onerous fees on top of issuing what were essentially loans.

BloomTech did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On his X page Wednesday evening, Allred said the company had largely stopped using the income-sharing agreements as of 2021 and no longer uses them now.

We decided to settle the matter because it was clear that ongoing litigation would be extremely time consuming, incredibly expensive, and distract us from our core mission. We do so without agreeing to or denying any of the allegations in the consent order, he wrote, adding, BloomTech continues to focus on its core mission: improving the lives of students and enabling them to fulfill their economic potential. While its been frustrating, were glad to put this behind us.

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According to the CFPB, Allreds for-profit company told its students the income-sharing agreements were not loans and did not create debt, nor carry any fees, when in fact they did. A single missed payment could trigger a default.

The company still advertises an 86% job placement rate for graduates on its website. In fact those placement rates were more like 50% and sometimes as low as 30%, the agency said.

Allred tweeted that the school achieved a 100 percent job-placement rate in one of its cohorts, and later acknowledged in a private message that the sample size was just one student, the CFPB said.

Despite promising students We dont get paid until you do, the company was also selling income-share loans to outside investors to create revenue before students even began repaying, the CFPB said.

The company also failed to include legally required contractual language that would make those buyers of those loans subject to legal claims.

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Allred must pay $100,000, while the company must pay the remaining $64,000 to a victims restitution fund. The company is being ordered to stop collecting on income-share loans for graduates who the company failed to place in a tech job during the past year.

The order also eliminates the loan fees charged to students who graduated more than a year and a half ago and managed to get jobs paying $70,000 or less.

The school will also have to allow current students to withdraw without penalty. Previously, students who dropped out would have to pay back their loans on a prorated basis.

The claims brought by the CFPB very closely resemble those brought in attempted class actions and arbitration cases by the nonprofit National Student Legal Defense Network.

Many of those actions have settled out of public view, constrained by private arbitration agreements the school regularly had students sign that have continually prevented them from banding together in class actions against the company.

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The order tracks the many cases we have brought against Bloom Tech and Austen Allred over the years, said Alex Elson, vice president and co-founder of the National Student Legal Defense Network, in a text. Its great to see that their days of enticing students into predatory income share agreements are over.

Elsons group has brought cases on behalf of students who say they were duped by the promise of a well-paying job in tech after seeing Allreds job placement promises.

Many of those plaintiffs, some of whom turned to the coding boot camp in desperation after being laid off during the pandemic, said they received subpar instruction, at times from other students, and little to no job placement help.

The company was also previously fined and ordered to shut down by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education for failing to properly register as an educational institution.

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BLOOMINGTON, Ill.  Professor of Mathematics Zahia Drici was awarded the highest teaching honor at Illinois Wesleyan University on April 17 as the 2025 recipient of the Kemp Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence.

The recipient is selected by a committee of faculty and is based on nominations from colleagues. Supported by the Kemp Foundation, the award recognizes teaching spirit, passion, scholarship and service.

A member of IWUs faculty since 1995, Drici is also chair of the Mathematics Department and was Associate Dean of Curriculum from 2009-2013. She has served on numerous University committees, task forces and work groups. Her work has been published in mathematics journals and presented at conferences around the globe.

Professor of Mathematics Zahia Drici, front, is applauded by colleagues after receiving the 2025 Kemp Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence.

What an honor it is to receive this award, said Drici. Working with students on a daily basis and following their progress over the years has been such a rewarding experience. I am delighted and humbled to have my name added to the long list of distinguished colleagues who received this honor before me.

To build suspense before the 2025 recipient was announced, Interim Provost and Dean of Faculty Abbie Kerr gave hints of Dricis contributions to the academic community at IWU, describing the math professor as someone who creates a lively, collaborative experience in the classroom while instilling confidence through innovative pedagogy.

A colleague said it is rare to find her in the hall after class without students walking with her, discussing the revelations of the day, said Kerr.

An alum submitted a letter of support for Dricis nomination, stating that she had a lot of patience in explaining difficult concepts to students and I feel that she genuinely wanted students to succeed.

Another letter of support from an alumna said, Dr. Drici set an incredible example for me and other women in mathematics at IWU, always encouraging and pushing us to be our best.

Drici earned a doctorate in applied mathematics and a doctorate in electrical engineering, both from the Florida Institute of Technology. Her research interests include ordinary differential equations and dynamical systems, difference and functional equations, integral equations and electromagnetic theory and its applications.

Professor of Mathematics Zahia Drici, left, is congratulated by Professor of Hispanic Studies World Languages, Literatures and Cultures Carmela Ferradans following the Kemp award ceremony

Professor of Theatre Arts Curtis Trout, the 2024 Kemp Award recipient, was recognized by Toni Jenkins, daughter of emeritus Illinois Wesleyan trustee Parker Kemp, on behalf of the Kemp family and Kemp Foundation.

In his address Life by Design, Trout spoke to the value of handicraft and how he is constantly planning and creating a project in his mind, even in his dreams. He shed light on the careful process of completing a successful stage design, showing copies of scene sketches, set models, shots of productions on stage and drafting for set arrangements.

Theatre is a profession that aspires to hide 100% of the work necessary to achieve it from the audience, said Trout.

Trout recalled a colleague complimenting him on the beauty of a past set design for a School of Theatre Arts production. I said, Thats not my design work, thats my teaching that youre seeing, said Trout.

Trouts teaching history also includes voice instruction at the junior high and high school level, a skill he showcased by singing two songs by Aaron Copland and Moses Hogan during his presentation.

Professor of Theatre Arts Curtis Trout, the 2024 Kemp Award recipient, stands with Professor of Mathematics Zahia Drici after she was named the 2025 award recipient.

As a faculty member at Illinois Wesleyan since 1990, Trout teaches scene design and serves as co-head of the Theatre Design and Technology Program. He has accomplished more than 110 designs in scenery, lighting, costumes and sound for the University and more than 30 designs for professional venues since his appointment. Trout said his proudest achievement is that IWU design and technical graduates move fluidly into internship and staff positions with professional organizations such as Disney, the Santa Fe Opera, Williamstown Theatre Festival, The Berkshire Theatre Festival and The Glimmerglass Opera.

Also at the ceremony, retiring members of the IWU faculty were recognized: Associate Professor of English Wes Chapman, Associate Professor of Educational Studies and Writing Program Director Pennie Gray, George C. and Ella Beach Lewis Endowed Professor of Biology Given Harper, Davis U. Merwin Endowed Professor of History Gordon Horwitz, Professor of History Bob Schultz, Professor of Theatre Arts Nancy Loitz, Assistant Professor of Physical Education Dennis Martel, Professor of Business Administration Bill Walsh, Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities Scott Ferguson and Professor of Music Bill West. Coordinator of Nursing Interventions Laboratory Arleta deDianous and Ben and Susan Rhodes Endowed Professor in Peace and Social Justice and Professor of Physical Education Chris Schumacher were also acknowledged for their retirements last summer.
Nancy Tung, one of the two moderates on the committee before the election and a member of the moderate slate, is expected to be elected as chair of the committee Friday. She put forward a resolution pledging to enlist local resources in broader Democratic causes. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

For years, a powerful San Francisco political group that makes key election endorsements has operated under the radar. But political observers will probably be closely watching Fridays meeting of the Democratic County Central Committee, the first since moderates won control of it in an expensive, high-profile election in March.

San Franciscos DCCC, the little-known body governing the local Democratic Party, will decide whether to adopt policy statements that include support for hiring more police officers and building market-rate housing.

The meeting comes after a slate of moderate candidates trounced progressives in the March election, securing 18 of the 24 elected seats on the body. Previously, progressives controlled all but two of those seats on the heavy-hitting committee.

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While the statements are only broad policy pronouncements, they can also be seen as signals indicating the positions that mayoral and supervisorial candidates should adopt to secure the partys endorsement, which can come with significant financial support.

The positions they take on these issues could have an impact on who they endorse for mayor or other positions, because they are basically signaling the policy and issues that matter, said Jim Ross, a longtime local political consultant.

The group is not expected to make endorsements in the November contests until mid-June at the earliest. Its most challenging decision is shaping up to be which moderate candidate to support for mayor: Mayor London Breed, former interim Mayor and Supervisor Mark Farrell or nonprofit leader Daniel Lurie.

Political observers say that the committee could end up taking a ranked-choice voting strategy and endorsing multiple candidates to avoid splitting the moderate electorate and creating an opening for the leading progressive in the race, Supervisor Aaron Peskin.

A fifth candidate in the running, Supervisor Ahsha Safai, is also positioning himself to the left of Breed and her more moderate opponents.

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The resolutions up for a vote Friday were put forward by eight committee members elected as part of the moderate Democrats for Change slate that sought to put the local Democratic Party back on the right track on public safety, housing and education.

The resolutions call for fully staffing the police force and focusing enforcement on both violent crime and drug dealing, building both affordable and market-rate housing and supporting a public school system centered on student outcomes.

The resolutions are part of a strategy by moderate members to formally adopt the policy positions they ran on, according to Trevor Chandler, one of the new moderate members who co-authored the public safety resolution alongside Lily Ho.

These values will set the tone for the next four years, said Chandler, a candidate in the open race to succeed Supervisor Hillary Ronen representing the Mission.

The San Francisco Democratic Party had grown out of touch with what San Franciscans expected of their elected leaders, he said. We want to show on our first meeting on our first day that we take those concerns seriously.

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Nancy Tung, one of the two moderates on the committee before the election and a member of the moderate slate, is expected to be elected as chair of the committee Friday. She put forward a resolution pledging to enlist local resources in broader Democratic causes.

The party has just gotten away from its core mission, and we havent done enough to support Democrats outside of San Francisco, Tung said.

As its prospective chair, Tung said she hoped to foster a more constructive environment at the committee, which she described as divisive in the past. Last year, the committee was criticized for rejecting a moderate political group, the Westside Family Democratic Club, from joining its ranks over claims that its members were secret Republicans.

The national issues are the ones that are going to unite us, Tung said. We should really be a model of how we can run a city and engage in political discourse.

Chandler struck a similar chord.

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We are going to be drama free, Chandler said. It was toxic and uncivil.

But John Avalos, a former city supervisor and one of the remaining progressive members on the committee, pushed back on the idea that the committee was overly divisive while acknowledging that its members had their debates.

John Avalos, a former city supervisor and one of the remaining progressive members on the committee, resisted the idea that the committee was overly divisive while acknowledging that its members had their debates. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle 2022

The body is going to be political, Avalos said. Its like the war room in Dr. Strangelove  there is fighting in the war room, it wasnt like we werent collegial.

Of all the resolutions, Avalos took issue most with the proposal to declare the committee pro-housing, not because of its conclusion, but because he said the proposal was based on false arguments that echoed YIMBY talking points.

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Everyone is pro-housing, he said.

Some progressives have prioritized affordable housing over market-rate projects, prompting objections from moderates who generally support housing for all income levels. Two dueling housing measures to streamline construction and address the housing crisis failed in 2022 because of battles between moderates and progressives over which to support.

While some hope the committee will now be drama free, Avalos said the first meeting could end up becoming a train wreck. He alleged various technical violations around how the resolutions  and proposed changes to the committees bylaws  were put forward.

This showing for the first meeting is not the way to build unity for the party and it could look like a hostile takeover, he said.

In another indication of the potentially turbulent road ahead for moderates, neither Tung nor Chandler have lined up behind a particular candidate in the mayors race.

Tung said she has not taken a public position on who she will support, while Chandler said he is abstaining from endorsing a mayoral candidate to focus on his district.

Others have made up their minds on first-choice candidates, but remain undecided on who they would choose for their second-choice votes. Among those in that camp are moderates Mike Chen and Emma Heiken, who plan to support Breed as their first choice.

Its going to be a lot of conflict, Heiken said. Ive already gotten a phone call from three of the five candidates.

As for second-choice, Chen said many things are possible.

Steven Buss, co-founder of the moderate political advocacy group GrowSF, which supported the Democrats for Change slate, said he hoped the committee makes ranked-choice endorsements and supports multiple candidates for mayor.

Thats what his group is planning to do to avoid splitting the moderate vote, he said.

Its difficult for candidates to think larger than their own campaign, but  we have to put the health of the city in front of any particular candidate, Buss said.

Avalos said he has all but ruled out the possibility that the committee will endorse Peskin.
In a brief email, Tesla CEO Elon Musk assured that the company was working to remedy its mistake on severance packages. Jordan Strauss/Associated Press

Elon Musk has apologized to some Tesla employees who received incorrectly low severance packages due to a mistake in the companys recent layoffs.

In a brief email leaked to media outlets, Musk acknowledged the error and assured that the company was working to remedy it.

As we reorganize Tesla it has come to my attention that some severance packages are incorrectly low, Musk wrote. My apologies for this mistake. It is being corrected immediately.

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Earlier this week, Musk announced that Tesla, facing declining stock value and increasing competition in the electric vehicle industry, was preparing to lay off at least 10% of its global workforce to reduce costs, impacting approximately 14,000 employees based on its total 2023 head count.

The companywide memo distributed by Musk described the decision to reduce the workforce as a tough choice. He wrote, There is nothing I hate more, but it must be done.

It remains unclear which divisions of the company, headquartered in Austin, Texas, with a sizable factory in Fremont, will be most affected by the layoffs.

Tesla reported an 8.5% year-over-year decline in first-quarter deliveries, marking the first drop since 2020, when the pandemic disrupted operations. A few weeks ago, the company announced its decision to abandon plans for a more cost-effective electric vehicle and instead shift its focus to the development of robotaxis.

On Wednesday, Musk also acknowledged for the first time that deliveries of Teslas Cybertruck have been paused due to equipment issues, leading to several customers receiving delivery cancellation notices.

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There were no injuries or accidents because of this, Musk wrote in a post on his social media platform, X. We are just being very cautious.

On the same day, Tesla asked its shareholders to restore a record-breaking $56 billion compensation package for Musk in a proxy statement.

The request came after a Delaware court previously voided the package following a complaint from a heavy metal drummer with nine shares of Tesla stock who successfully argued that Musk unilaterally dictated the compensation terms and influenced the negotiations.

Teslas stock tumbled below $150 per share Thursday, giving up all the gains made over the past year, with shares sliding nearly 4% in intraday trading.

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Roland Li covers commercial real estate for the business desk, focusing on the Bay Area office and retail sectors.

He was previously a reporter at San Francisco Business Times, where he won one award from the California News Publishers Association and three from the National Association of Real Estate Editors.

He is the author of Good Luck Have Fun: The Rise of eSports," a 2016 book on the history of the competitive video game industry. Before moving to the Bay Area in 2015, he studied and worked in New York. He freelanced for the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and other local publications. His hobbies include swimming and urban photography.
By Ateqah Khaki, The Conversation and Vinita Srivastava, The Conversation | 

In this episode of Dont Call Me Resilient, we continue our conversation about forced famine and its use as a powerful tool to control people, land and resources. Starvation has, for centuries, been a part of the colonizers playbook.

We speak with two scholars to explore two historic examples: the decimation of Indigenous populations in the Plains, North America, which historian David Stannard has called the American Holocaust and in India, the 1943 famine in Bengal. According to a recent BBC story, the Bengal famine of 1943 killed more than three million people. It was one of the worst losses of civilian life on the Allied side in the Second World War. (The United Kingdom lost 450,000 lives during that same war.) [SEE INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT BELOW.]



Library and Archives Canada/C-001873. , CC BY



Although disease, environmental disasters and famine were features of life before colonialism, decades of research has shown how these occurrences were manipulated by colonial powers to prolong starvation and trigger chronic famine. In other words, starvation has been effectively used by colonial powers to control populations, acquire land and the wealth that comes with that. This colonization was accompanied by an entitlement approach and the belief that Indigenous populations are inferior to the lives of the colonizer.

According to scholars, prior to the arrival of colonialists, both populations at the heart of todays episode were thriving with healthy and wealthy communities. And although disease and famine existed before the arrival of Europeans, it cannot be denied colonial powers accelerated and even capitalized on chronic famine and the loss of life due to disease and malnutrition.

As the famous economist Amartya Sen has said, famine is a function of repression. It springs from the politics of food distribution rather than a lack of food. Imperial policies such as the Boat Denial Policy and Rice Denial Policy meant that, as curator Natasha Ginwala wrote: freshly harvested grain was set on fire, or even dumped into the river.

Joining on this episode were two experts on the North American and Bengal famines.



(University of Regina Press)



James Daschuk is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies at the University of Regina. He is the author of Clearing the Plains: Disease, Politics of Starvation and the Loss of Aboriginal Life.

We also spoke with Janam Mukherjee, an Associate Professor of History at Toronto Metropolitan University, and the author of Hungry Bengal: War, Famine and the End of Empire. Mukherjee was recently a primary historical advisor on the BBC Radio 4 series Three Million, a five-part documentary on the Bengal famine of 1943.



(Oxford University Press)



Listen and follow

You can listen to or follow Dont Call Me Resilient on Apple Podcasts (transcripts available), Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

You can read the transcript of this episode here:

THIS IS AN UNEDITED, UNCORRECTED TRANSCRIPT

Janam Mukherjee: I believe that famine defines a certain category of people. Who are beyond the pale of our humanity, who are outlined and then marked as outside of human life itself. Authoritarian regimes often resort to famine and torture.

INTRO

Vinita Srivastava: For centuries, starvation has been effectively used by colonial powers to control populations, to acquire land, and the wealth that comes with that.

This colonization was accompanied by an entitlement approach, the belief that the indigenous populations are inferior to the lives of the colonizer. So today were looking at two historic examples, the decimation of indigenous populations in North America, what has been referred to as a cultural genocide, or the American Holocaust, and the famine in Bengal, India, in 1943 under British rule.

According to a recent BBC story, the Bengal famine killed more than three million people. It was one of the worst losses of civilian life on the Allied side during the Second World War. Of course, these are two vastly different populations that were decimated by a complex set of factors. But both populations had a few things in common.

They were thriving with healthy and wealthy communities. And although disease and famine existed before the arrival of Europeans, it cannot be denied that they accelerated and even capitalized on chronic famine and the loss of life due to disease and malnutrition. In other words, as the famous economist Amartya Sen has said, chronic famine springs from the politics of food distribution rather than a lack of food.

With us today are two experts on the famines I just mentioned. James Daschuk is an associate professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies at the University of Regina. He is the author of Clearing the Plains: Disease, Politics of Starvation, and the Loss of Aboriginal Life. And Janam Mukherjee is an associate professor of history at Toronto Metropolitan University, and the author of Hungry Bengal: War, Famine, and the End of Empire.

Thank you so much both for being here.

INTERVIEW

Janam Mukherjee: Thank you, Vinita.

James Daschuk: Thank you.

Vinita Srivastava: So, todays conversation is a bit of an experiment, and something that weve been wanting to do for a long time. And that is, can we talk about the tools of colonialism as a playbook across different regions? So, lets give it a try, and lets jump into this conversation.

James, in your book, you mention a scholar who describes what happened in North America as an American Holocaust. This is a very complicated history with many different factors impacting things. But can you describe generally what this means?

James Daschuk: I think standards approach to American holocaust talk about the apocalyptic events that happened after the arrival of Europeans.

So not only was, Theyre the displacement of indigenous people, but the diseases that came with them, unbeknownst even to the Europeans themselves, it was before the days of germ theory or anything like that. So I think the arrival of Europeans and, and all the baggage, the biological baggage they brought with them brought such monumental events thats standard to use that term, like you said, an American Holocaust.

Vinita Srivastava: I remember reading in the very beginning of your book that stayed with me is that The indigenous population declined by almost 90 percent and that they were basically destroyed, as youre saying. Im wondering if we can talk a little bit about what contributed to that decline of population.

James Daschuk: Its more than biology, for sure, but I think one of the things to think about is, Indigenous people in North America and other places around the world that didnt have a long tradition of, for example, uh, domestication of animals.

We know now in the 21st century that animals are the reservoir of diseases. So because indigenous people in America didnt domesticate animals, they hadnt had the, the biological experience of passing germs or viruses between animals and humans. Europeans arrived with endemic smallpox, the people who they encountered had no biological resistance.

Theres a new interpretation that its more than just that. It was, it was the violence enacted by the Europeans, by the new arrivals. But I think those two things combined to create standards, Holocaust like situation.

Vinita Srivastava: One of the things I really liked about reading your book, James, is that every single thing is, is really sourced. You provide all of this information. Its like thousands of years, like 2000 years, and you take us through this history. And one of the most famous lines thats quoted from your book is this line that the first prime minister of Canada said, which is that were doing all we can basically to refuse food to Indians who are on the verge of starvation to reduce the expense. So first of all, hearing that quote, it might explain why we had this problem with statues of John A. Macdonald in Canada, why they were being asked to be taken down, why some of them were taken down. But can you explain a little bit more in the context of that very famous quote? Now, what was happening at that time?

James Daschuk: For sure. This wasnt me being a conspiracy theorist. This was me cutting and pasting from Hansard, the official record of the house of commons. One thing we dont tend to think about is that really provocative statement by Prime Minister Macdonald about keeping people on the verge of starvation to reduce the expense.

He was being criticized by the Liberal Party for spending too much money on food. So, there didnt seem to be too many sympathetic actors in 19th century Canadian Parliament with regard to the well being of Indigenous people. I think he was bragging that he was controlling the population, weaponizing food, and he wasnt embarrassed about it.

He was actually quite proud that he was able to control 20, 000 Indigenous people as cheaply as possible. He wasnt wasting the taxpayers money, which is a very cynical thing to say. What that did was, that food as a, as a means to control the population, ensured the, the quick construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, which is the backbone of the nation, especially here in Western Canada.

Vinita Srivastava: So he sacrificed Indigenous populations to build a train across Canada and to help settlers come into this nation, into this land.

James Daschuk: Yeah. And once you had an industrial means of bringing settlers in, they were coming in potentially by the hundreds every week. So the population here in Saskatchewan. Rose like a rocket over the decades after that, First Nations people were barred from leaving their reserves with a pass system. They were excluded from the commercial economy with a permit system that lasted until the 1960s. So that hunger, the initial hunger was institutionalized for decades.

And the abduction of children into the residential schools program, which we all know about. The hunger was institutionalized to such an extent that tuberculosis broke out almost universally in those kids. And Ian Mosby from Toronto Metropolitan has, has written that things were so institutionalized in the mid 20th century that there were nutritional experiments undertaken on residential school children by Canadian government physicians and scientists.

Vinita Srivastava: I saw that instead of feeding the children, they, or instead of feeding indigenous populations, they decided to study the impact of hunger and starvation. Janam, moving forward into a different time period, but also a different continent, Youve researched and published a book about the 1943 Bengal famine in India.

Even though theres now books published on the famine, its still a relatively unknown history that in the 1940s that more than 3 million people died in eastern India. It was one of the worst losses of civilian life on the Allied side in the Second World War. I know it is complicated, but Im wondering if you could help unpack what happened in that era.

Janam Mukherjee: I think the prevailing condition of India at the inception of World War I is colonialism. Colonialism is the most dominant force politically, societally, geopolitically, etc. So we have to see colonialism itself as a sort of authoritarian regime with resort to famine throughout the colonial period.

Famine is used throughout the colonial period as a way to subjugate the colonized population. And then in particular, the other main vector creating famine in Bengal in the 1940s is war itself. So the pressures of war, particularly on Bengal in Eastern India, once Japan takes Burma and India becomes the front of the war against the Axis powers, tremendous pressure to produce for the war effort is made in Bengal.

So theres a huge extraction of goods, uh, commodities, resources, as well as people, that puts tremendous economic pressure. And then the colonial system overlaying it. So in the name of war, theyre also claiming certain emergency powers that amount to a totalitarian state. Theyre also facing armed rebellion and active rebellion from the Bengali population in particular.

So famine is a very. Useful tool in a sort of collective punishment of Bengal and India at large. So if we see these two factors of colonialism and then empire at war as being the kind of concrete context of famine, we can expand that and look at famine around the world and see the relationship between authoritarianism, war and famine quite broadly.

And I think explains a lot of modern famines.

Vinita Srivastava: Many of us are a victim of a lot of brainwashing. You know, weve been taught certain things in school. Were talking about John A. Macdonald in the case of Canada, similar to what John A. Macdonald said. Theres a famous quote by Winston Churchill, who lays the responsibility of the famine on the too high population of Bengal.

Thats been a standard trope in the West that people in the Global South starve because theyre just simply too many people. And what youre saying, I think is something very, very different that famine across the board, almost you can point to certain factors. Im wondering if you could talk a little bit about that, like responsibility behind the famine, who was responsible for it.

Janam Mukherjee: I think famine is, is most commonly seen as a kind of by product of various systems, whether thats economic systems or environmental systems or political systems. When you have empire at war, the kind of will towards power becomes totalitarianism, as Winston Churchill famously called the war effort, a total war.

During total war, extreme measures are taken, and those extreme measures are also categorical. I believe that famine defines a certain category of people who are beyond the pale of our humanity, who are outlined and then marked as outside of human life itself. Authoritarian regimes often resort to famine and torture.

These are the most direct, biopolitical, Aspects of a structural violence on population. And I think famine has to be seen not as a consequence of certain orders of power, but its really necessary of certain power structures to delimit a population that is beyond human concern or compassion or life itself, because to starve a population is a collective act, whereas torture, for instance, is an act upon individual parties.

Famine is a collectivization of a kind of torture of populations. So you starve an entire population, which is a collective punishment, whereas torture is an individualized punishment.

Vinita Srivastava: In your book, you said, the mute complicities of an increasingly callous society at large grew more indifferent month after month and year after year.

Janam Mukherjee: So, because famine, as I say, delimits a population that is understood through public discourse to be outside of human concern. I think this is why famine is allowed to occur in the world in places like Yemen today, which has been suffering a famine situation for many years. And the concern of the world is not there.

And in kind of solidarity with the people of Yemen or the people of Sudan or the people of Afghanistan, for that matter, as well as Gaza, starvation in being seen as a consequence of certain orders of power and of war is seen as an incidental. I think it needs to be seen rather as a part and parcel of certain orders of power and authority and in relation to conflict occupation and territorial expansion, as in the case in North America.

Vinita Srivastava: James, I see you nodding your head. I wonder if you want to jump in.

James Daschuk: I think here in the Canadian West, it was, it was more of a slow burn, but Im thinking of the idea of settler colonialism. Its not an event. Its a structure. And here in Western Canada, our founding mythology of the Canadian society is that were the breadbasket of the world and were a haven for dispossessed European peoples and people came here to have a good life and that may all well be true, but that society is founded on the institutionalized structural In position of, if not outright starvation, of generational food insecurity that continues into the present.

Weve got hungry kids going to bed without supper here in Saskatchewan every single night.

Vinita Srivastava: Last week on this podcast, Hilal Elver, who is the former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, talks about the famine in Gaza. And then she talks about the lingering intergenerational impacts of starvation.

Not only are people living through it in the present day, but she talks about the impact on future generations. She talks about especially the impact on children. How three months or longer of malnutrition can impact so much in ones little body. James, you write extensively about this, the lingering effects from the North American famine. Thats one of the reasons you wrote your book. Can you tell us a little bit more about some of those lingering effects?

James Daschuk: Yeah, for sure. Well, I teach in the Faculty of Health Studies. We use as an interpretive model the social determinants of health. One thing to think about, across Canada, a former federal government cabinet minister, Jane Philpott, in 2018, said there was a 15 year life expectancy between Indigenous people and the rest of the population in Canada.

So what that means is, if youre Indigenous, you can expect to lead a shorter, sicker, hungrier life. And its really based on poverty. Theres no biological difference. What it is, is its the social forces, the structures that have kept people poor, that have created that intergenerational trauma. Think about a hundred years of a family having their children taken away from them, abducted by the authorities, sent to a place where theyre institutionally malnourished, potentially abused.

They have their language taken away from them, generation upon generation. And actually, theres a class action lawsuit. That, thats being organized for the survivors of intergenerational trauma. So not only are the, the survivors of schools going through that, the legal system, now the children of, of, of those people are, are starting the process of restitution.

You can physically see the impacts of two generations, three generations later. And I want to turn to Janam to talk a little bit about it because you, you talk about in your book, how directly tied you are personally to the Bengal famine. Its part of the reason you started your research there. Your dad lived through it. Can you tell us a little bit about your personal journey?

Janam Mukherjee: My interest in the, in the spirit of time in India, in Bengal, the 1940s is the period of my fathers childhood. He was born in 1932. I was born in the U. S. in my own childhood. I heard these stories that were very disconnected from my own reality about the things that my father had seen when he was a child, and that was aerial bombardment by the Japanese on Calcutta.

His house was very close to the docks that were bombed, and he remembered the foundation cracking, The sound of the bombs, the famine, and then the civil war between Hindus and Muslims in India at the end of colonial rule. So thats essentially what I knew of India, but famine itself in particular, I found when much later in life, I began researching it and traveling to Calcutta to do that research.

Had written a deep script in Bengali population at large. The 1943 famine was told about by parents and then grandparents and now great grandparents. It had influenced the culture of Bengal in deep ways and abiding ways in terms of aesthetics, art, food, culture, et cetera. So famine is very much with Bengali people.

I think it will remain as such in many ways. Its also a collective experience, often of populations. You see that in Ireland. You see that in Ukraine with the Holodomor famine, where, you know, it is also a cultural foundation or, or starting point and often a nationalist, uh, starting point, it triggers off resistance and collective understanding of a collective plight, uh, so famine has that boomerang effect.

Vinita Srivastava: You said it. Resistance. I have to say that since Ive been thinking about this, I just keep writing down in a piece of paper resistance and putting a big square around it. How do we start to talk about resistance?

In your book, Janam, theres a scholar that talks about How people in Bengal, quote, died without a murmur. James, in your book, you talk about the collective punishment that would happen if there was resistance, that food would be withheld for a whole week. The ration of food would be withheld on that reserve. So I do want to ask you both about if you can think about instances of resistance that you can draw from in your work and in your research about these famines. Janam I can start with you and then go to James.

Janam Mukherjee: What I really aim to detail is that the Bengal famine was resisted at every stage. You cant expect people in the last throes of starvation who are walking skeletons, who are ridden often with madness because of the condition, their physiological condition is such.

that you cant really expect resistance from already starving masses. What you see is resistance to the policies that lead to starvation. Often those policies, particularly in the context of the Bengal famine, were related to war. So the wartime efforts to appropriate rice were resisted. The efforts to collectively punish various parts of the population were resisted in the form of armed resistance often.

So these all have to be seen as part and parcel of resistance to the power structure that is exacting famine. So resistance, I think has to be seen more broadly, but it often does delineate the power structure itself. It sheds light on the power structure. It, in a sense, exposes its weakness. Because famine is often the result of a dying power structure, of a power structure in a desperate attempt to maintain its order of power.

Its often a last ditch of empire in particular. So we see famines at the end of many of the colonial states as empire is coming apart and colonialism is being ejected from the colonized world.

Vinita Srivastava: James, what do you think?

James Daschuk: I think the resistance was at a different level here in Canada. With the Indian Act, during the patriarchal system, adult male First Nations people were made wards of the state.

So they had the legal sanctions of children. So instead of having an organized campaign, as Janam just mentioned, I think the, the resistance was more at the community level, at the family level. One of the things that comes to mind is a film that a friend of mine, Floyd Favel just produced. Ashes and embers.

And in 1948, the residential school children made a plan and burned the school down. They warned all the other kids when it was time to make a break for it, and they burned the school down. And there are plenty of instances of that without the structure actually changing. And I think at the end of the Second World War, there was an inordinate amount of First Nations men that volunteered for service, probably to get out of reserve conditions, whatever it might be.

Also to, to get back to traditional warrior societies, that kind of thing. But when they came back, they were fighting in the same trenches as non Indigenous people. And they organized politically and worked very hard and ultimately successfully to gain recognition. You know, that recognition is still coming, but you know, these things take time.

I think its important to talk about resistance and all, even if its like, as you say, kind of an everyday in community resistance, its, its its very challenging to talk about what were talking about. You guys have both written books, but these are very challenging things to engage with. Im wondering, how do you both see these two very different chapters of history intersecting?

Janam Mukherjee: You know, I think the way you began, the question of territorial expansion, the question of control of populations, the role that food distribution and starvation play into those orders of colonial power. are certainly in conversation with each other and are related. I always see famine as delineating the other, the colonized other, more clearly than any other act of state.

It is to make of the colonized people, the wretched masses that the colonizer wants to understand them as. Its actually to make them physically that. And the intergenerational connection then of devitalization, of impoverishment, of the long trajectory of slow famine, that also has close similarities in the North American as well as in the Asian context.

Vinita Srivastava: James, what do you think learning about the history of this famine, starving, clearing the plains you talk about, what do you think it can teach us?

James Daschuk: Well, the stories weve heard about Canada being, you know, one of the kindest nations in the world probably isnt so true. But one thing, and this is in conversation with Janam and, and, and other scholars, is the British empire, when we were kids, when I was at the French school back in my hometown, we had that, to that map with all of the pink countries, that sort of, the sun never set.

Different manifestations of colonialism, different uses of food as a weapon, uh, it wasnt just them. You know, all different strategies. And I guess were coming together to deconstruct that myth of the British empire, the benevolence of the British empire. We have a long way to go down that trail, but there are actually scholars now trying to defend the British empire and receiving a backlash.

Im thinking of Nigel Biggar, a retired professor from Oxford, whos written a book called the Colonialism, A Moral Reckoning in an attempt basically to explain the mixed legacy of colonialism. So in one sense, the anti anti colonialists getting organized is a sign that, uh, that were doing our job.

Janam Mukherjee: Good point.

Vinita Srivastava: I want to turn to the current situation in Gaza and Im wondering if you think that theres anything to learn from these chapters of history and can we apply it to the current situation in Gaza where experts are saying famine is imminent?

James Daschuk: Im just a simple Canadianist. But on the radio, Antonio Guterres was speaking about there are truck convoys full of food, theres a fence, and there are people who are in imminent danger of starving to death.

Thats not an absence of food. That is the organizing principle Ive been looking at, that Janam been looking at, and that other scholars have been looking at.

Vinita Srivastava: That there is no lack of food, basically, that famine is a structure.

James Daschuk: Absolutely. And no matter what the geopolitical implications are, children should not be starved.

Janam Mukherjee: As is also well outlined in international law. I think all famines are very specific and as a historian, I always argue for the historical specificity and not to make too gross generalizations, but we can learn from previous famines about orders of authority, occupation, and war in particular. I would suggest that famine is not a consequence of war.

Its incidental to war. Famine is the handmaiden of war. It has been for centuries. It is part and parcel of war, no matter what legislation is made to outlaw the directed use of starvation as a weapon of war. It seems that those international laws have not worked. And famine remains part and parcel of how war is fought.

Practiced on the face of the earth. So the question of the orders of authority that war allows and the decisions made in terms of sacrificing large populations of people and subjecting them to hunger remains with us. And I think theres a lot to learn from history in that regard. And theres unfortunately a lot to be seen in the present in that regard as well.

Not just in Gaza, but also in Yemen and also in Sudan and in other parts of the earth as well. So you still have one out of two people living in India under the nutritional kind of global standards or one half of this hungry people on earth live in India. So these orders of power still exist.

Vinita Srivastava: I think they exist right in Saskatchewan, as James was saying, too, where he says children are going hungry and this just seems to be unacceptable that if its about control, then its unacceptable.

Janam Mukherjee: And its about war and its about winning. The ideology of war is in the modern age, regardless of all kind of Codes of conduct otherwise, its still what its always been. Its a brutal attack on whole populations that does not discriminate well or often between enemies and civilians. And we see that collapsing in all the wars around us. Those questions of who is the enemy and the civilian population most often becomes the enemy in relation to the opposing sides in conflict.

James Daschuk: Its really interesting to have both of us, Vinita, because in Janams case, its a conflict. In my case, its the establishment of what is thought of as a peaceful society and it can structures continue.

I dont know if they diverged food insecurity, famine, that whole continuum. In the case of my research is the structure of our province and potentially Canada.

Vinita Srivastava: I thank you both very much for taking the time to have this conversation. I appreciate your time today.

Janam Mukherjee: Thank you, Vinita, and nice to meet you, James.

James Daschuk: Thanks, Vinita.

OUTRO

Vinita Srivastava: Thats it for this episode of Dont Call Me Resilient. You heard me say at the beginning that this was a bit of an experiment from us, and I would love to know what you thought. You can reach the team at dcmr@theconversation.com, and be sure to follow us on Instagram. @dontcallmeresilientpodcast.

Dont Call Me Resilient is a production of The Conversation. This series is produced and hosted by me, Vinita Srivastava. Our associate producer is Ateqah Khaki. Our student journalist is Husein Haveliwala. Krish Dineshkumar does our sound design and mixing, and our consulting producer is Jennifer Moroz. Lisa Varano is the managing editor of The Conversation Canada, and Scott White is the CEO. Zaki Ibrahim wrote and performed the music we use on the podcast. The track is called Something in the Water.

Wed love to hear from you, including any ideas for future episodes.

Join the Conversation on Instagram, X, LinkedIn and use #DontCallMeResilient.

Resources

When Canada used hunger to clear the West (by James Daschuk, July 19, 2013)

Clearing the Plains: Disease, Politics of Starvation and the Loss of Indigenous Life (by James Daschuk, 2013)

Administering Colonial Science: Nutrition Research and Human Biomedical Experimentation in Aboriginal Communities and Residential Schools, 19421952 (in Social History by Ian Mosby, 2013)

Proposed class action seeks damages for intergenerational trauma from residential schools (CBC News)

Ashes and Embers: Stories of the Delmas Indian Residential School (by Floyd Favel)

Churchills Secret War (by Madhusree Mukerjee, 2010)

Hungry Bengal: War, Famine and the End of Empire (by Janam Mukherjee, 2015)

Three Million (The documentary podcast by the BBC)

Witnessing famine: the testimonial work of famine photographs and anti-colonial spectatorship (Journal of Visual Culture by Tanushree Ghosh, 2019)

We are about to witness in Gaza the most intense famine since the second world war (The Guardian, March 21, 2024, by Alex de Waal)

Ateqah Khaki, Associate Producer, Dont Call Me Resilient, The Conversation and Vinita Srivastava, Host + Producer, Dont Call Me Resilient, The Conversation

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Grid Metals Corp. (TSXV:GRDM) (OTCQB:MSMGF) ("Grid" or the "Company") is pleased to announce drill results from its January-March 2024 drill program at the Donner Lake Lithium Project ("Donner Lake") in southeastern Manitoba, Canada. Drilling was completed at both: (1) the Northwest Dyke ("NW") Dyke for the purposes of upgrading the near surface resource; and (2) at depth below the Main Dyke resource to test the potential for adding to the existing underground resources. The results from both dykes were in line with expectations and support the ongoing development timeline for Donner Lake. The Company is continuing study and permitting activities to position Donner Lake for higher lithium prices in the future.

Drill Highlights

The two drill holes at the Main Dyke intersected the spodumene-bearing Main Dyke approximately 125 meters beneath the previously deepest drill holes. Both holes were drilled to test the potential for extending the existing underground resources at depth. Based on these new results and the consistent nature of the Main Dyke over its ~1 km strike length, Grid Metals plans to proceed with a fully-funded summer drill program comprising ~10 additional resource extension drill holes.

All of the 12 infill drill holes at the Northwest Dyke intersected spodumene-bearing pegmatite that returned lithium grades and intersection lengths in line with previous resource delineation drill holes completed in 2022 and 2023. Highlights from the 2024 winter drilling included 7 m at 1.85% Li 2 0 and 12 m at 1.25% Li 2 O . Overall, the Company expects this drilling to enable an upgrade to the resource category at the Northwest Dyke.

and . Overall, the Company expects this drilling to enable an upgrade to the resource category at the Northwest Dyke. Drill highlights include (a complete table of results are provided in Table 1): GDL 24-01: 6.9 m at 1.28% Li 2 O starting at 467.4 m (Main Dyke extension drilling) GDL 24-03: 3.2 m at 1.56% Li 2 O starting at 422.8 m and 2.3 m at 1.50% Li 2 O starting at 428.9 m (Main Dyke extension drilling) GDL24-07: 6.7 m at 1.85% Li 2 O starting at 84.6 m (Northwest Dyke infill drilling) GDL24-09: 11.5 m at 1.25% Li 2 O starting at 101.5 m (Northwest Dyke infill drilling) GDL24-10: 7.8 m at 1.50% Li 2 O starting at 28.9 m (Northwest Dyke infill drilling) GDL24-13: 7.4 m at 1.62% Li 2 O starting at 52.3 m (Northwest Dyke infill drilling)



Project Update

The Company has now completed significant work towards a NI 43-101 compliant Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA"). The project design is based on mining at the Donner Lake Lithium Project and trucking of the material to the True North Mill in Bissett, Manitoba. The major consultants working on the PEA are Primero Engineering and Mining Plus, who are supported by Arsalan Talebzadeh, P. Eng., a consultant to the Company. Major components of the study have been substantially completed including a mine plan, capital and operating cost estimation and a number of optimization trade-off studies.

The Company is continuing optimization work including further metallurgical test work from the NW Dyke. Grid is also actively continuing with permitting initiatives to obtain an Advanced Exploration Permit for the Donner site. A comprehensive update will be provided in the coming weeks.

Other Activities

The Company is in the final stages of preparing an updated mineral resource estimate for its Makwa Mayville ("MM") Copper Nickel Project, located approximately 150 km from Winnipeg. The Project consists of the Makwa resource (which is nickel dominant) and the Mayville resource (which is copper dominant). Mayville is located immediately adjacent to the Donner Lake Lithium Project and is accessible by the same road network. Donner Lake, Makwa and Mayville are located in the traditional territory of the Sagkeeng First Nation with whom Grid signed an Exploration Agreement in April 2021.

Robin Dunbar, Chief Executive Officer of Grid Metals Corp., stated, "the current market conditions for lithium are very challenging in light of the decline in prices for lithium products in the past year. However, we have taken the initiative to continue development of the Donner Lake Lithium project and related permitting activities to take advantage of the anticipated rebound in prices expected to occur later in 2024 and into 2025. The Company plans further updates to shareholders in the coming weeks on the PEA and permitting initiatives, as well as drill results from our Falcon West Lithium Property. We remain committed to advancing Donner to become one of the next permitted lithium projects in North America."

Discussion of Drill Results

A summary of the drill results (Table 1) and a plan view location map (Figure 1) are shown below:

Table 1: Selected pegmatite intersections and weighted average lithium oxide grades for the Main and Northwest dykes, Donner Lake Lithium Project. True widths are estimated to represent between 40-80% of the reported intersection lengths.

DDH# Purpose From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Li 2 O% GDL24-01 Main Dyke Extension 467.42 474.35 6.93 1.28 including 469.00 471.00 2.00 2.11 GDL24-02 NW Dyke Infill 16.40 17.80 1.40 2.09 and 25.05 28.45 3.40 1.54 GDL24-03 Main Dyke Extension 419.65 422.80 3.15 1.56 and 428.85 431.10 2.25 1.50 GDL24-04 NW Dyke Infill 33.15 40.40 7.25 1.26 GDL24-05 NW Dyke Infill 81.20 87.50 6.30 1.50 including 81.20 83.00 1.80 1.99 GDL24-06 NW Dyke Infill 165.00 165.60 0.60 1.16 and 166.60 169.20 2.60 1.63 and 175.10 178.30 3.20 1.60 GDL24-07 NW Dyke Infill 84.60 91.33 6.73 1.85 including 85.60 87.60 2.00 2.36 and 94.05 95.45 1.40 2.02 GDL24-09 NW Dyke Infill 101.50 113.00 11.50 1.25 including 109.00 111.00 2.00 1.84 GDL24-10 NW Dyke Infill 28.92 36.75 7.83 1.50 GDL24-12 NW Dyke Infill 102.90 105.85 2.95 1.21 GDL24-13 NW Dyke Infill 52.34 59.74 7.40 1.62

Figure 1: Donner Lake Plan Map with January-March 2024 drill results

The current results relate to 14 diamond drill holes completed at the Main and Northwest dykes during the months of January, February and March 2024.

At the Main Dyke, two holes were drilled ~100 metres vertically beneath the previously deepest drill holes. Both holes intersected the Main Dyke at the expected depth and returned true widths and weighted average Li 2 O grades consistent with previously reported resource drill hole intersections. The new results suggest that there are very good prospects for adding, with appropriate deep drilling, new underground resources below the current inferred resources.

Figure 2: Main Dyke long section

A total of 12 holes and 1,332 metres were completed at the Northwest Dyke. Results for 9 of these holes were available at the time of writing and are reported here. All 12 holes intersected the spodumene-bearing NW dyke at the expected depth. The 9 holes reported here returned weighted average lithium grades over true widths in line with the results reported in the 2023 resource estimate for the Property (see Company news release dated July 18, 2023 and associated Technical Report filed on SEDAR on September 6, 2023). The new results will be used to support the conversion of existing, open pit inferred resources to the indicated category.

Figure 3: Northwest Dyke long section : Northwest Dyke long section

QAQC

The exploration program at Donner Lake is being supervised by Carey Galeschuk, P.Geo., who is an experienced lithium geologist with nearly three decades of exploration experience in the Bird River Greenstone Belt with Grid Metals, Tantalum Mining Corporation of Canada and other companies. Grid Metals applies best practice quality assurance and quality control ("QAQC") protocols on all it's exploration programs. For the Donner Lake Lithium Project drilling program, core was logged and sampled at the Company's core facility located on the Makwa Property. Generally, 1.0 metre sample lengths were used. Samples were bagged and tagged and then transported by secure carrier to the Actlabs (Thunder Bay) laboratory for sample preparation and analysis for lithium, cesium, tantalum and selected major and trace element abundances using a sodium peroxide fusion total digestion method followed by ICP-OES and ICP-MS analysis. The Company is using two lithium + rare metal certified reference materials ("CRMs") and an analytical blank for the program to monitor analytical accuracy and check for cross contamination between samples.

Mr. Galeschuk P Geo is the Qualified Person for Grid Metals Corp. who has reviewed and approved the contents of this press release with respect to NI 43-101 reporting guidelines.

About Grid Metals Corp.

Grid Metals is focused on both lithium and copper/nickel projects in the Bird River area, approximately 150 km northeast of Winnipeg Manitoba. The Donner Lake lithium project is a 75% owned property subject to a joint venture agreement. Grid has a lease agreement on the True North mill where it plans to process feed from Donner Lake. Grid also has an MOU with Tantalum Mining Corporation of Canada Limited who operates the nearby producing Tanco Mine. The Makwa Mayville copper/nickel project is a resource-stage project that is undergoing exploration and development work in the Bird River greenstone belt.

On Behalf of the Board of Grid Metals Corp.

For more information about the Company please see the Company website at www.gridmetalscorp.com or contact:

Robin Dunbar - President, CEO & Director Telephone: 416-955-4773 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Brandon Smith - Chief Development Officer - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

David Black - Investor Relations Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We seek safe harbour. This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of the Securities Act (Ontario) (together, "forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements include the Company's closing of the proposed financial transactions, sale of royalty and property interests. the overall economic potential of its properties, the availability of adequate financing and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward- looking statements to be materially different. Such factors include, among others, risks and uncertainties relating to potential political risk, uncertainty of production and capital costs estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses, physical risks inherent in mining operations, metallurgical risk, currency fluctuations, fluctuations in the price of nickel, cobalt, copper and other metals, completion of economic evaluations, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, the inability or failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis, and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis for the most recent financial period and Material Change Reports filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available at www.sedar.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

This news release does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States absent U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from U.S. registration requirements

Appendix: Specifications for diamond drill holes completed during the January-March 2024 campaign targeting the Main and Northwest dykes.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Highway 50 Gold Corp. (TSXV:HWY) ("Highway 50" or the "Company") announces that it has staked 28 unpatented claims located 10 km south of Austin, Central Nevada. The Quito North claims cover the northeast corner of the Quito Lower-plate window and encompasses 3,000 m of the northern projection of the Quito Mine mineralized structure, up to its intersection with the eastern terminus of the Jurassic aged Johnson Canyon laccolith.

The area immediately south of the laccolith is known as Bleach Cliffs. Highly elevated arsenic, antimony, and low-grade gold are known at Bleached Cliffs and have been the impetus for limited exploration in the past. Shallow drilling at this target has intersected up to 0.04 oz/ton Au in Lower-plate limestones, immediately under the Roberts Mountain Thrust. This may constitute leakage above a more substantial gold deposit. The target is outboard of a 200 m wide calc-silicate-hornsfels-skarn thermal areole that surrounds the Johnson Canyon intrusive. The southern portion of the Quito North claim group covers part of the Section 25 target area, where trenching and shallow drilling have encountered low-grade gold mineralization. The southern claim boundary of the Quito North claim group is located 1 km north of the former Quito operating open pit mine.

Management notes the marked similarity between the geology of the Cortez and Quito windows, in particular the north end of the Goldrush deposit (Dorothy) where Barrick Gold has announced the discovery of a new high-grade gold zone, and the Bleached Cliffs target.

Quito hosted significant high-grade mineralization (+1 oz/ton gold) with the pit bottoming in 0.5 oz/ton gold mineralization. The bottom of the high-grade has not been found. Numerous occurrences of ore-grade gold mineralization are present throughout the district, in both Lower- and Upper-plate lithologies. As such, Quito has pedigree and represents a strong Carlin system of district scale. To date, drilling within the district has been mostly shallow and limited to the Quito Mine area. Since the discovery of high-grade gold in 1980, the entire Quito district has been held by FMC Gold and successor companies. The latest company, Yamana Gold, was permitting a substantial exploration program prior to their takeover by Pan American Silver Corp. Subsequent to closing of that acquisition, the claims were allowed to lapse.

Highway 50 is currently digitizing and collating relevant data in its possession prior to permitting a drill program.

The scientific and technical disclosure in this news release has been approved by Gordon P. Leask, P.Eng., President and CEO of the Company, and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 (Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects).

For additional information:

John M. Leask, P.Eng.

Tel: +1 (604)681-4462

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Gordon P. Leask, P.Eng.

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About Highway 50 Gold Corp.

Highway 50 Gold Corp. is a mineral exploration stage company led by a team of experienced explorers and deal-makers. The exploration focus on its projects are a result of what management believes to be breakthroughs in the understanding of north-central Nevada's crustal architecture.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the Company's proposed plans for the exploration of the Quito North project; and the business and anticipated financial performance of the Company. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from results contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include the Company may not obtain satisfactory results from its drilling program and exploration activities, changes in metal prices, changes in the availability of funding, unanticipated changes in key management personnel and general economic conditions. Mining is an inherently risky business. Accordingly the actual events may differ martially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. When relying on forward-looking statements to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward looking statements, oral or written, made by itself or on its behalf.
Google said Wednesday that it fired 28 employees for disrupting work offices by holding protests over its contract with the Israeli government. Peter Morgan/Associated Press

Google fired 28 workers Wednesday in Sunnyvale and New York, calling their protests inside work offices completely unacceptable behavior that prevented some employees from accessing their facilities.

The tech giant said protests on Tuesday over the companys contracts with Israel disrupted several locations. The Chronicle reported that at Googles Sunnyvale offices, police arrested five workers who held a sit-in Tuesday to protest their employers cloud contract with the Israeli government.

Google said Wednesday it is continuing to investigate employee behaviors and suggested there could be more terminations.

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We have so far concluded individual investigations that resulted in the termination of employment for 28 employees, and will continue to investigate and take action as needed, the company said in a statement.

The protests were the latest demonstration against the companys $1.2 billion cloud computing contract with Israel.

These protests were part of a longstanding campaign by a group of organizations and people who largely dont work at Google, the company statement said. A small number of employee protesters entered and disrupted a few of our locations. Physically impeding other employees' work and preventing them from accessing our facilities is a clear violation of our policies, and completely unacceptable behavior.

Its not the first time there have been protests over the companys work with the Israeli government. In December, hundreds of protesters staged a die-in in front of Googles San Francisco offices. A few months before that, in August, Google workers and activists shut down a portion of Howard Street to protest in front of San Franciscos Moscone Center during the Google Cloud conference.

But on Tuesday, five employees  who were part of a group of 80 protesters who had gathered outside Googles Sunnyvale offices  sat inside the office of Thomas Kurian, the CEO of Google Cloud, and refused to leave.

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On Wednesday, the company pushed back on criticism against the cloud contact, saying the service was being used for military or intelligence.

Google Cloud supports numerous governments around the world in countries where we operate, including the Israeli government, with our generally available cloud computing services, the company said. We have been very clear that the Nimbus contract is for workloads running on our commercial cloud by Israeli government ministries, who agree to comply with our Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy. This work is not directed at highly sensitive, classified, or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services.

The protests came as Israels war with Hamas in Gaza nears seven months. In late February, the Palestinian death toll had surpassed 30,000 according to NPR, who cited Gazas health ministry. Last month, the World Health Organization sounded the alarm that famine in northern Gaza was imminent, adding that there is risk of famine throughout the whole Gaza strip.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Torq Resources Inc. (TSX-V:TORQ)(OTCQX:TRBMF) ("Torq" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the first set of results from the recently completed phase II drill program at its Santa Cecilia project, located in the prolific Maricunga belt, in the Atacama region of Chile. The program consisted of approximately 1,500 metres (m) over three diamond drill holes; two located at the Pircas Norte target and one at the Gemelos Norte target. Drill hole 24SC-DDH-003 intercepted 0.36 g/t gold (Au) and 0.078% copper (Cu) over 502 m from 98 m down hole, including a higher-grade interval of 0.69 g/t Au and 0.10% Cu over 20 m from 354 m down hole at Pircas Norte (Table 1). The drill hole ended in mineralized intrusive diorite breccia due to logistical limitations and the reported intercept remains open. These results represent a new discovery of significant gold-copper porphyry mineralization and confirm the Company's exploration thesis for the broader Santa Cecilia project. Results from drill holes 24SC-DDH004 and 24SC-DDH005 are expected in the coming weeks.

A Message from Shawn Wallace, CEO and Chair:

"We are thrilled to announce a significant gold and copper discovery at the Pircas Norte target at our flagship Santa Cecilia project located in Chile's storied Maricunga belt. This discovery, made in our first drill hole of the second phase of drilling, our third ever drill hole on the project, underscores the immense potential of the untested copper porphyry targets at Santa Cecilia, which are all located within proximity, and within the same hydrothermal alteration system, as Newmont & Barrick's Caspiche deposit, which is part of one of the largest undeveloped gold projects in the world.

"This achievement marks a pivotal moment for Torq Resources as it supports our primary exploration thesis that mineralization from the Caspiche deposit may extend onto the Santa Cecilia property. We are incredibly grateful to be the first junior exploration company to test this theory, as the project was primarily dormant for the better part of 30 years until we acquired the option for ownership. We are excited to continue our exploration efforts and unlock the full potential of Santa Cecilia, further solidifying our position as a key player in the exploration of Chile's most prolific mining belts."

Detailed Discussion:

The Santa Cecilia project is host to a 10 square kilometre (km) hydrothermal alteration footprint which contains a cluster of Au-Cu porphyry targets. The identified Au-Cu porphyry targets are mineralized either on surface or at shallow depths across approximately 4 km of strike length with very limited to no drilling completed, providing the Company with the opportunity to discover large-scale porphyry-style mineralization at or near surface through drilling (Figure 1). Norte Abierto's Caspiche porphyry gold-copper deposit, which is held in a 50/50 joint venture by Newmont and Barrick is hosted within the same broad hydrothermal alteration footprint that extends onto Santa Cecilia.

Of the three drill holes completed in the phase II drill program, two were located at the Pircas Norte target and consisted of approximately 600 m (24SC-DDH-003) and 496 m (24SC-DDH-005), respectively, and 404 m (24SC-DDH-004) was drilled at the Gemelos Norte target. The Pircas Norte and Gemelos Norte targets are located within 1 - 2 km of the Caspiche deposit. Pircas Norte has the largest footprint of observed porphyry mineralization at Santa Cecilia, measuring approximately 300 m x 400 m (Figure 2). Most of the Pircas Norte area is covered by colluvium, however selective rock samples have returned values between 0.35 g/t Au and 1.43 g/t Au, 0.09% Cu and 0.47% Cu, and irregular anomalies of up to 4 ppm Mo. The absence of epithermal indicators in the overburden suggests that Pircas Norte could host a shallow porphyry system which may be easier to access. In the southern region of Pircas Norte, the porphyry zone is in fault contact with the 600 m in diameter Pircas dacite dome system.

Drill hole 24SC-DDH-003, intersected 90.8 m of phreatomagmatic breccias, as well as the mineralized Pircas Norte porphyritic intrusive complex, which was present to the end of the hole. Besides the gold-copper-molybdenum porphyry style mineralization present in the area, the drilling has shown late-stage gold-zinc mineralization, represented by pyrite, chalcopyrite, low-iron sphalerite and galena veins.

The units intersected may be summarized as follows (Figure 3):

Phreatomagmatic breccias: associated with the Pircas dacite dome system, from surface to 90.8 m.

Quartz diorite porphyry: from 90.8 m to 226 m, an irregular interval, including quartz diorite intrusive breccia at different levels and strong local faulting. In this section, a 62 m interval stands out (102 m to 164 m) averaging 0.49 g/t Au, 0.16% Cu and 12 g/t Mo. The interval shows mainly fault breccia and a late-stage polymetallic vein.

Diorite porphyry (amphibole-biotite): from 226 m to 432 m, possibly a late intrusive phase, sparsely veined and low-grade (approximately 0.15 g/t Au, on average), including 34 m (282 m to 316 m) of fault breccia with veined porphyry clasts which returned 0.43 g/t Au and 0.082% Cu and 0.29% Zinc (Zn). Additionally, a large slab of intrusive diorite breccia from the underlying unit was intercepted, from 354 m to 374 m, and returned results of 0.69 g/t Au, 0.1% Cu and 5.6 g/t Mo over 20 m.

Intrusive diorite breccia: from 432 m to 600 m (end of hole): brecciated, densely veined diorite porphyry phase, with frequent small fragments of Paleocene basement. The average grade was 0.46 g/t Au and 0.088% Cu.

Drilling stopped in mineralization due to logistical limitations.

Table 1: Highlights of Torq's drill results from its first drill hole at the Pircas Norte target at the Santa Cecilia gold-copper project, targeting porphyry mineralization:

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au (g/t) Cu (%) Mo (ppm) 24SC-DDH-003 98 600 502 0.36 0.078 7.7 incl. 66 72 6 0.37 0.009 24.9 and 102 164 62 0.49 0.158 11.6 and 188 248 60 0.39 0.088 12.4 and 254 258 4 0.26 0.028 1.7 and 282 316 34 0.43 0.082 7.1 and 340 348 8 0.22 0.105 4.6 and 354 374 20 0.69 0.1 5.6 and 432 596 164 0.46 0.088 8.4 Main interval is selected using Au grade*thickness no less than 0.5 g/t*m with average interval grade no less than 0.1 g/t, maximum consecutive dilution 6 m; Sub-intervals are selected using Au grade*thickness no less than 1.0 g/t*m with average interval grade no less than 0.2 g/t, maximum consecutive dilution 4 m; True widths of mineralization are unknown based on current geometric understanding of the mineralized intervals

Next Steps:

The Company is expecting the assays from the remaining two drill holes in the coming weeks. Once those have been received, Torq's technical team will complete detailed geological modeling of the porphyry system to refine additional drill targets at Pircas Norte and Gemelos Norte. The Company plans to resume drilling in Q4 of this year, subject to financing.

Corporate Updates:

The Company is also announcing the resignation of Natasha Frakes, VP, Communications, as she moves on to pursue new opportunities. Ms. Frakes' last day with the Company will be April 30, 2024.

In addition, further to the Company's news release on February 28, 2024, announcing it has engaged ITG as a market maker, the Company confirms that ITG is solely using its own capital for all market-making activities.

Figure 1: Illustrates the location of the Santa Cecilia project in the Maricunga belt and in relation to the Norte Abierto joint venture, held by Newmont and Barrick, which consists of the Caspiche and Cerro Casale deposits.

Figure 2: Illustrates the Pircas Norte and Gemelos Norte targets and the location of the three drill holes in the recently completed drill program.

Figure 3: Illustrates the first drill hole (24SC-DDH-003) at the Pircas Norte target with a histogram that demonstrates the distribution of copper and gold, which is strongest in the deepest portion of the drill hole, which bottomed in mineralization.

Figure 4: Illustrates select core photos from the upper portion of 24SC-DDH-003 at the Pircas Norte target.

Figure 5: Illustrates select core photos from the lower portion of 24SC-DDH-003 from the Pircas Norte target.

Bryan Atkinson, P.Geo., is a "qualified person" within the meaning of Canadian mineral projects disclosure standards instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical disclosures in this press release.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD,

Shawn Wallace

CEO & Chair

For further information on Torq Resources, please contact Natasha Frakes, VP, Communications, at (778) 729-0500 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

About Torq Resources

Torq is a Vancouver-based copper and gold exploration company with a portfolio of premium holdings in Chile. The Company is establishing itself as a leader of new exploration in prominent mining belts, guided by responsible, respectful and sustainable practices. The Company was built by a management team with prior success in monetizing exploration assets and its specialized technical team is recognized for their extensive experience working with major mining companies, supported by robust safety standards and technical proficiency. The technical team includes Chile-based geologists with invaluable local expertise and a noteworthy track record for major discovery in the country. Torq is committed to operating at the highest standards of applicable environmental, social and governance practices in the pursuit of a landmark discovery. For more information, visit www.torqresources.com.

Santa Cecilia Drilling 2024

Analytical samples were taken by sawing PQ or HQ diameter core into equal halves on site and sent one of the halves to ALS Lab in Copiapo, Chile or La Serena, Chile for preparation and then to Santiago, Chile and Lima, Peru for analysis. All samples are assayed using 30 g nominal weight fire assay with AAS finish (Au-AA23) and multi-element using four acid digest ICP-AES/ICP-MS method (ME-MS61). QA/QC programs for 2024 core samples using internal standard samples and duplicates, lab duplicates, standards and blanks indicate good accuracy and precision in a large majority of standards assayed.

Forward Looking Information

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking information in this release are statements that relate to plans for future exploration programs, which are dependent on raising additional capital. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different (either positively or negatively) from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by some of the principal forward-looking statements. See Torq's Annual Information Form filed March 27, 2023 at www.sedar.com for disclosure of the risks and uncertainties faced in this business.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) assumes any responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 18, 2024) - Champion Electric Metals Inc. (CSE: LTHM) (OTCQB: CHELF) (FSE: 1QB0) ("Champion Electric" or the "Company") is pleased to report that it has completed its maiden exploration drill program at the Lithium Property in James Bay, Quebec (the "Property").

Champion Electric's drill program successfully completed 10 diamond drill holes totalling 2,263 metres. Drill hole EIQ24-007 intersected a span of approximately 18.8 m of spodumene-rich pegmatite, stretching from 7.30 m to 26.10 m downhole. This mineralized zone was found underneath 6 m of overburden (see Figure 1)*. Drill hole EIQ24-008 also intersected spodumene-rich pegmatite over 5.90 m from 16.15 m to 22.05 m downhole. The mineralization consists of light green coloured spodumene. The presence of spodumene was confirmed by LIBS readings**.

Figure 1: Core boxes containing spodumene-bearing pegmatite in hole EIQ24-007

2024 Maiden Exploration Drilling Highlights:

Drilling concentrated on the Western Prospect following encouraging results from initial prospecting, various geophysical surveys, and till sampling.

Integrated targeting based on multiple data sets identified a high-priority pegmatite target directly up-ice from the previously reported spodumene grains in till discovery.

The Western Prospect lies close to the Trans-Taiga Road and relatively close to neighbouring advanced projects run by Patriot Battery Metals and Winsome Resources (see Figure 3).

Two drill holes EIQ24-007 and EIQ24-008 encountered spodumene-bearing pegmatite near surface.

All the drill holes intersected a combination of mafic volcanic rocks, magnetite-rich iron formations, gabbro dikes and minor felsic porphyry dykes and tonalite. These rock types show a range in rheology contrast which is favourable for the development of dilational zones during deformation which create preferred sites for pegmatite dikes and sills.

Drilling reached an average vertical depth of 173 metres from surface.

Jonathan Buick, President and CEO, commented: "The discovery of spodumene-bearing pegmatites near the surface in our very first drilling campaign is a clear indication that our drill site selection was spot-on. These were coincident geophysical and till sampling anomalies conforming with the northeast trending host geology. The potential scale of the system is significant, as we noted pegmatites over a large part of the property, and this new blind discovery really opens up the potential targets for our next round of drilling. The drill core is being sent for processing and multielement analysis to further validate these findings. Our teams are eagerly anticipating the commencement of the next phase of drilling following the pause for the spring goose hunt later this month."

*Disclaimer: The Company cautions that visual estimates of mineral abundance should never be considered a proxy or substitute for laboratory analysis where concentrations or grades are the factor of principal economic interest. Visual estimates also potentially provide no information regarding impurities or deleterious physical properties relevant to valuations. The presence of spodumene-bearing pegmatite rock does not necessarily indicate the presence of economic concentrations of lithium, nor other constituents such as caesium, tantalum (LCT) mineralisation. Laboratory chemical analyses are required to determine the grade of mineralisation.

** Disclaimer: LIBS (Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) readings are not the same as accredited laboratory results, they are generally only used as qualitative determinations. The values obtained are not representative of the rock itself. They represent a spot sample, which may only represent a single crystal, or more specifically, a small fraction of one crystal if the rock is coarse grained. It is helpful to have recorded high lithium values in the minerals already identified as spodumene.

Figure 2: Maiden exploration drilling and latest spodumene pegmatite discovery

About the Project

The Company's lithium properties cover the northern extension of the Lac Guyer Greenstone Belt which hosts neighbouring Patriot Battery Metals' Corvette and Winsome Resources' Cancet advanced projects in the prolific James Bay region of Quebec (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Champion Electric Lithium Project location map

Qualified Person

Dr. Eric Hebert, P.Geo., Senior Geological consultant, is a member (#0842) of the Ordre des Geologues du Quebec (OGQ) and a qualified person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this press release.

About Champion Electric Metals Inc.

Champion Electric is a discovery-focused exploration company that is committed to advancing its highly prospective lithium properties in Quebec, Canada and cobalt properties in Idaho, United States. In addition, the Company owns the Baner gold project in Idaho County and the Champagne polymetallic project in Butte County near Arco.

The Company's shares trade on the CSE under the trading symbol "LTHM", on the OTCQB under the trading symbol "CHELF", and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol "1QB0". Champion Electric strives to be a responsible environmental steward, stakeholder and contributing citizen to the local communities where it operates, taking its social license seriously, employing local community members and service providers at its operations whenever possible.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF CHAMPION ELECTRIC

"Jonathan Buick"

Jonathan Buick, President and CEO

To learn more, please visit the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedarplus.ca or the Company's corporate website at www.champem.com.

For further information, please contact:

Investor Relations and Communications

Phone: (905) 688-9115

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY ANY SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION, NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY OFFER, SALE, OR SOLICITATION OF SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN THE UNITED STATES IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SALE, OR SOLICITATION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.

Cautionary Statements

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider has reviewed or accepted responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business of the Company. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by management of the Company, including closing of the Transactions and the prospectivity of the Projects for lithium. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based on are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws.



The Projects are at an early stage of exploration, and the Company cautions that the qualified persons who have reviewed and approved this news release have not verified scientific or technical information produced by third parties.
Expands Mineralized Footprint of Greater Pilar Gold  Silver System by 3x

Highlights:

1,500m by 800m Area Sampled East of Main Zone has Returned High Values of Au and Ag

700m by 600m Area Directly Related to Placer Gold Mining

No Previous Exploration in the Area; Tocvan has 100% Interest in the New Area

Placer Source Area has New Road Access

Gold Values up to 7.3 g/t Au

Silver Values up to 389 g/t Ag

CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Tocvan Ventures Corp. (the "Company") (CSE:TOC) (OTCQB:TCVNF) (FSE:TV3), is pleased to announce surface rock sample results from its 100% controlled Greater Pilar gold-silver project in the mine-friendly State of Sonora, Mexico. A first pass program of geological mapping and surface rock sampling topographically above ongoing extensive placer mining activity has begun to outline an expansive set of mineralized trends in the recently acquired area. Highlights from sampling includes 7.3 g/t Au with 177 g/t Ag; 5.5 g/t Au with 80 g/t Ag; and 1.8 g/t Au with 389 g/t Ag.

Figure 1. Summary map of recent surface sampling, expanding the known footprint of mineralization of the Greater Pilar System. The sampling has identified the source rocks for the active placer mining operations. Sampling and mapping have also outlined a significant area of veining and epithermal style alteration with elevated Au, Ag, As, Sb, Pb and Zn. The area has seen no previous systematic exploration and remains open to the east and the north. Direct extension of the Pilar Main Zone is also apparent through past sampling.

"This is an incredible discovery expanding out a significant mineralized footprint in an area with no previous exploration." commented Brodie Sutherland, CEO. "Placer activity has provided the most concrete evidence for new mineralized systems, and this is the first step in beginning to fully understand the potential size for a much larger system at Pilar. The experience we have from operating at Pilar has allowed us to move quickly to evaluate these areas. For the first pass sampling to return these results is a testament to the team and the gold-silver endowment seen across the project. This vastly expands our resource potential across the Greater Pilar property that we have 100% interest in. As we continue to delineate the new target areas, we will begin to prepare a plan to drill test the targets across the southern and northern blocks of the expansion property. Meanwhile back at the Main Zone, the drill has completed eight holes to date with samples for three of the holes already submitted to the lab. We expect the first results in early May."

Discussion of Results

Placer Source Discovery

Over the past three years placer mining by local workers have ramped up activities in the Pilar area, most notably just north of Pilar where workings now extend 3.5 kilometers up a dry creek bed. Placer miners have focused on loose unconsolidated material that can easily be extracted and screened with an excavator. Most operations consist of one excavator operator and three 20 tonne haulage trucks used to transport material to a nearby sluice box for quick gravity recovery of the gold. The placer activity has provided an obvious vectoring tool towards areas potentially shedding gold from larger source rocks. Through geological mapping and sampling above these placer activities, the Company has quickly been able to pinpoint the primary source for the placer gold. An area 800 meters by 700 meters has been identified as the source zone with the highest-grade samples collected so far adjacent to new road development and placer activities. Mineralization is described as hosted in quartz veins, silicified hydrothermal breccias and faults associated with altered andesite host rocks similar to those mapped at the Main Zone. Sample highlights include 5.5 g/t Au with 80 g/t Ag on trend with artisanal mine workings and shafts. The Company looks to further evaluate mineralization along these trends with the areas to the north and east remaining open to further gold-silver potential.

Expansion of Mineralized Footprint East of Main Zone

Further south of the newly outlined Placer Source Area mineralization continues with significant gold and silver values ranging up to 7.3 g/t Au and 389 g/t Ag. The total area evaluated in the first pass of mapping and sampling covered 800 meters by 800 meters and remains open to the east for another 1,600 meters. Mineralization is primarily associated with quartz veining and related alteration (sericite, silica and iron oxides).

Extension of Main Zone

Past surface sampling of the northern extension of the Main Zone onto the newly acquired expansion area have shown gold values above 10 g/t Au (historically no overlimit was tested) and silver values up to 645 g/t Ag (Sample 617771, collected by Tocvan in 2021). These samples indicate multiple mineralized trends extend onto the expansion area for at least another 200 to 300 meters before plunging below overburden. These trends have full road access and will be evaluated in exploration drilling planned for later in 2024.

Figure 2. Pilar Project Planview map showing the southern block made up of the Pilar Main Zone and the newly discovered placer source with additional gold-silver mineralization extending to the south. Within the northern block, a large alteration zone that spans 3.3 km by 1.5 km (North Alteration Zone) has returned high-grade gold and silver values in the first few sampling programs across the newly acquired area. The initial phase of drilling for 2024 will focus on the Pilar Main Zone in which Tocvan has 51% majority interest.

Table 1. Top results from the recent surface sampling program outlining the source for placer mining activity and expanding the known mineralized footprint of Pilar. 28 samples are highlighted below. 150 samples were collected during a first phase geological mapping and sampling program. An additional 67 samples were collected along new road cuts developed by local placer miners.

About the Pilar Property

The Pilar Gold-Silver property has returned some of the regions best drill results. Coupled with encouraging gold and silver recovery results from metallurgical test work, Pilar is primed to be a potential near-term producer. Pilar is interpreted as a structurally controlled low-sulphidation epithermal system hosted in andesite rocks. Initially three primary zones of mineralization were identified on the original property from historic surface work and drilling and are referred to as the Main Zone, North Hill and 4-T. Each trend remains open to the southeast and north and new parallel zones have been discovered. Structural features and zones of mineralization within the structures follow an overall NW-SE trend of mineralization. Mineralization extends along a 1.2-km trend, only half of that trend has been drill tested so far. The Company has now expanded its interest in the area by consolidating 22 square-kilometers of highly prospective ground where it has already made significant surface discoveries.

Pilar Drill Highlights:

2022 Phase III Diamond Drilling Highlights include (all lengths are drilled thicknesses):

116.9m @ 1.2 g/t Au, including 10.2m @ 12 g/t Au and 23 g/t Ag

108.9m @ 0.8 g/t Au, including 9.4m @ 7.6 g/t Au and 5 g/t Ag

63.4m @ 0.6 g/t Au and 11 g/t Ag, including 29.9m @ 0.9 g/t Au and 18 g/t Ag

2021 Phase II RC Drilling Highlights include (all lengths are drilled thicknesses):

39.7m @ 1.0 g/t Au, including 1.5m @ 14.6 g/t Au

47.7m @ 0.7 g/t Au including 3m @ 5.6 g/t Au and 22 g/t Ag

29m @ 0.7 g/t Au

35.1m @ 0.7 g/t Au

2020 Phase I RC Drilling Highlights include (all lengths are drilled thicknesses):

94.6m @ 1.6 g/t Au, including 9.2m @ 10.8 g/t Au and 38 g/t Ag;

41.2m @ 1.1 g/t Au, including 3.1m @ 6.0 g/t Au and 12 g/t Ag ;

24.4m @ 2.5 g/t Au and 73 g/t Ag, including 1.5m @ 33.4 g/t Au and 1,090 g/t Ag

15,000m of Historic Core & RC drilling. Highlights include:

21.0m @ 38.3 g/t Au and 38 g/t Ag

13.0m @ 9.6 g/t Au

9.0m @ 10.2 g/t Au and 46 g/t Ag

61.0m @ 0.8 g/t Au

Pilar Bulk Sample Summary:

62% Recovery of Gold Achieved Over 46-day Leaching Period

Head Grade Calculated at 1.9 g/t Au and 7 g/t Ag; Extracted Grade Calculated at 1.2 g/t Au and 3 g/t Ag

Bulk Sample Only Included Coarse Fraction of Material (+3/4" to +1/8")

Fine Fraction (-1/8") Indicates Rapid Recovery with Agitated Leach

Agitated Bottle Roll Test Returned Rapid and High Recovery Results: 80% Recovery of Gold and 94% Recovery of Silver after Rapid 24-hour Retention Time

Additional Metallurgical Studies:

Gravity Recovery with Agitated Leach Results of Five Composite Samples Returned

95 to 99% Recovery of Gold

73 to 97% Recovery of Silver

Includes the Recovery of 99% Au and 73% Ag from Drill Core Composite at 120-meter depth.

About Tocvan Ventures Corp.

Tocvan is a well-structured exploration and development company. Tocvan was created in order to take advantage of the prolonged downturn in the junior mining exploration sector, by identifying and negotiating interest in opportunities where management feels they can build upon previous success. Tocvan has approximately 43 million shares outstanding and is earning into two exciting opportunities in Sonora, Mexico. The Company has consolidated an attractive land position at its Pilar Gold-Silver Project where it holds 100% interests in over 21 square kilometers of prospective area and a majority ownership (51%) in a one square kilometer area shared with Colibri Resources. The Company also holds 100% interest in the Picacho Gold-Silver project in the Caborca Trend of northern Sonora, a trend host to some of the major gold deposits of the region. Management feels both projects represent tremendous opportunity to create shareholder value.

Quality Assurance / Quality Control

Rock samples were shipped for sample preparation to ALS Limited in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico and for analysis at the ALS laboratory in North Vancouver. The ALS Hermosillo and North Vancouver facilities are ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 certified. Gold was analyzed using 50-gram nominal weight fire assay with atomic absorption spectroscopy finish. Over limits for gold (>10 g/t), were analyzed using fire assay with a gravimetric finish. Silver and other elements were analyzed using a four-acid digestion with an ICP finish. Over limit analyses for silver (>100 g/t) were re-assayed using an ore-grade four-acid digestion with ICP-AES finish. Control samples comprising certified reference samples and blank samples were systematically inserted into the sample stream and analyzed as part of the Company's robust quality assurance / quality control protocol.

Brodie A. Sutherland, CEO for Tocvan Ventures Corp. and a qualified person ("QP") as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains "forward-looking information" which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding the use of proceeds from the Offering. Such forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words and phrases such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.

These forward-looking statements, and any assumptions upon which they are based, are made in good faith and reflect our current judgment regarding the direction of our business. Management believes that these assumptions are reasonable. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, risks related to the speculative nature of the Company's business, the Company's formative stage of development and the Company's financial position. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

For more information, please contact:

TOCVAN VENTURES CORP.

Brodie A. Sutherland, CEO

820-1130 West Pender St.

Vancouver, BC V6E 4A4

403-829-9877

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Howard Group

Jeff Walker

VP Howard Group Inc.

403-221-0915

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ROUYN-NORANDA, QC, April 18, 2024 /CNW/ - Fokus Mining Corporation ("Fokus" or the "Company") (TSXV: FKM) (OTCQB: FKMCF) (FSE: F7E1) is very pleased to welcome Mr. Luc Gervais, to its Board of Directors. This important appointment takes effect immediately.

Luc Gervais has 40 years of experience in engineering, construction and maintenance in the mining and metallurgy sectors. He has held several management positions with metallurgy producers as well as contractors and EPCM firms. He has led many studies for numerous mining companies and worked on various projects in Canada and abroad. In addition, he currently sits on the board of Mosaic Minerals and was until recently on the board of Vanstar Mining Resources. Mr. Gervais possesses a keen sense of business and holds a mining engineering degree from Laval University.

Mr. Gervais states: "I am extremely pleased to join the board of Fokus as I am a firm believer in the multi-million-ounce resource potential of the Galloway Project. This important project is located in an area that I know well, and which offers logistical support such as rail, roads, electricity, and a skilled workforce. With an initial resource estimate recently published, we look forward to increasing gold ounces as the drilling program progresses. This large property is relatively unexplored and has a potential for several more mineral discoveries."

Jean Rainville, President, and CEO of the Company commented: "I am very pleased to welcome Mr. Gervais to our Board of Directors. He has a strong investment experience in our industry and can appreciate the significant potential of the Galloway project. His know-how and understanding of our sector, his proficiency combined with his solid network will be invaluable for our development.

About Fokus

Fokus Mining Corporation is a mineral resource company actively acquiring and exploring precious metal deposits located in the province of Quebec, Canada. In implementing this major undertaking within the Canadian mining industry, we are determined to unlock the secret of the Galloway gold project.

The 100% Galloway Project covers an area of 2,865.54 hectares and is located just north of the Cadillac-Larder Lake deformation, which extends for more than 100km. Numerous gold deposits are associated with the structure and its subsidiaries. The recent work focused on the western part of the mineral claims has allowed the Company to delineate a NI 43-101 inferred resource of 1.419 million ounces of gold at a price of US$1,750 per ounce. This was published in the March 2023 press release, which includes a sensitivity table showing that at a price of US$1,960 per ounce, the inferred resource increases to 1.788 million ounces of gold.

The current work focuses on a western portion of the mineral claims where several mineral occurrences have been identified. For more information, visit our website: fokusmining.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Related Links

http://fokusmining.com/

Caution regarding forward-looking statements

Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute forward-looking information or statements. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified using words such as "anticipate", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "will have", "should", and other similar expressions. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information due to regulatory decisions, competitive factors in the industries in which the Company operates, prevailing economic conditions, changes in the Company's strategic growth plans and other factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and, accordingly, such forward-looking information should not be relied upon as such. All forward-looking information contained in this press release represents the Company's expectations as of the date hereof and is subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities legislation.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 18, 2024) - Benjamin Hill Mining Corp. (CSE: BNN) (OTCQB: BNNHF) (FSE: 5YZ0) ("BNN" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the company has prioritized the initial target areas for drill testing this spring on the Alotta project. Currently, the company is proposing to complete up to 5 drill holes for a total of 2,500 metres as part of the continuation of the fall 2023 diamond drilling program that paused in November for the winter season.

The proposed holes will focus on several high priority and undrilled tested coincident geochemical/geophysical anomalies along a four-kilometre trend. Archer Cathro and Benjamin Hill have created a preliminary drill plan for the 2024 Alotta field program, to test for porphyry-style mineralization on the property. The strategy is designed to test the best drill targets based on merit. These areas are situated in closer proximity to the core area of coincident soil and geophysical anomalies with previous rock sampling confirming the occurrence of copper and gold mineralization.

Lorne Warner, President and P.Geo for Benjamin Hill, states, "We are very optimistic that this year's drilling program will continue to or exceed last year's drill results. In 2023 we started the first ever drilling program on the property, completing two drill holes resulting in the discovery of gold, copper and molybdenum porphyry style mineralization."

Exploring Payout and Severance Zones

The two primary targets on the property are the Payout and Severance Zones, located in the west-central and east-central parts of the property. These two zones have significant surface mineralization, which comprise highly anomalous gold, copper and molybdenum values from rock and soil samples. These targets represent the areas of the property with significant (>1 g/t gold) rock values on surface.

For preliminary drilling, a total of four holes are recommended to test surface mineralization and geophysical anomalies at depth. At both targets, the first hole is designed as a shallow angle hole to test the extent of mineralization directly beneath the prospective area, while the second is steeper to test for deeper mineralization and corresponding chargeability/resistivity anomalies present in the vicinity.

Expanding Exploration to Alimony and Commission Targets

In a later drilling phase, the company has two additional drill targets to test. The Alimony Target is a significant 1200 m by 500 m molybdenum-gold soil anomaly that coincides with overlapping chargeability and resistivity anomalies. In the eastern part of the property, the Commission Target is defined by a 1500 m by 1000 m gold-copper-molybdenum soil anomaly, which corresponds to magnetic low to moderate response. A well constrained resistivity anomaly is present that coincides with strongly anomalous gold and copper soil values.

Figure #1 above outlines the high priority target areas within the Alotta property with potential gold-copper-molybdenum, porphyry style mineralization. Target areas have not been drill tested.

In November 2023 two drill holes were completed on the property which confirmed the porphyry style nature of mineralization. As announced on February 24, 2024, Hole ALT-23-01 intercepted 211.65 metres of 0.46 grams/tonne gold from the first ever diamond drill hole on the property.

Proximity to Proven Resources

The Alotta property consists of 96 mineral claims that cover approximately 1,926 hectares that is located 50 km south-east of Western Copper and Gold's (TSX: WRN) Casino deposit. The Casino deposit is one of the most economic, greenfield copper-gold mining projects in the world which is ranked as one of the top ten largest, undeveloped, copper-gold porphyry deposits in the world. Indicating strong investor support in the region, Western Copper and Gold recently announced on April 16, 2024 that they have upsized from $25 to $40 million a bought deal public offering.

Figure # 2 above provides a historical (Feb 2023) illustration of the Casino Deposit superimposed over unglaciated, anomalous copper in soil geochemistry.

About Benjamin Hill Mining Corp.

Benjamin Hill Mining Corp. is a Canadian-listed junior exploration company focused on exploring and advancing the Alotta project, a prospective porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum project located 50 km south-east of the Casino porphyry deposit in the unglaciated portion of the Dawson Range porphyry/epithermal belt in the Yukon Territory of Canada.

In addition, the Company holds a 40% interest in Aion Mining Corp., a company that is developing the fully permitted La Estrella coal project in Santander, Colombia. The project contains eight known seams of metallurgical and thermal coal.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Cole McClay", CEO Benjamin Hill Mining Corp.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain of the statements made and information contained herein may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-Looking information includes, but is not limited to, information concerning the Company's intentions with respect to the development of its mineral properties. Forward-Looking information is based on the views, opinions, intentions and estimates of management at the date the information is made, and is based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected in the forward-looking information (including the actions of other parties who have agreed to do certain things and the approval of certain regulatory bodies). Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of the Company and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws, or to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Company, its financial or operating results or its securities. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. We seek safe harbor.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 18, 2024) - Kingsmen Resources Ltd. (TSXV: KNG) (OTCQB: KNGRF) ("Kingsmen" or the "Company") is pleased to report high grade multi-element analyses from the 1.2 km long Soledad II structure/vein system on the 100% owned Las Coloradas project, located in the Central Mexican silver belt, Chihuahua Mexico. The Soledad II structure is one of three currently identified structure/vein systems on the project. Results are presented in Figure 1 and Table 1.

Highlights:

Thirty- two (32) samples were analyzed.

9 > 300 g/t silver-equivalent (AgEq)

4 > 200 g/t AgEq

3 > 100 g/t AgEq

8 > 0.58 g/t gold

Kingsmen's sampling of residual mineralization in old workings on the NW-trending Soledad II structure/vein system identified four areas of high-grade silver mineralization on the main structure (A, B, C & D) and one on a NE-trending cross structure (E). The silver values and silver equivalents overall reflect the silver-lead-zinc gold-copper composition of the mineralization. Some higher gold values occur in area B (max. 2.89 g/t Au) along with high grade silver.

The old workings on the Soledad II structure are distributed over approximately 800 meters, however, the structure is at least 1.2 km in length. The better silver grades are localized in structural intersections and flexures in all rock types. NE-trending structures are locally recognized where they host mineralization, as in area E, and where they intersect the NW-trending Soledad II structure (areas B and C). A major zone of NE-trending structures lies to the north and the NE-trending structures here are related to that trend. The mineralization likely continues at depth below the water table which is at a depth of approximately 125 meters. Blind extensions to all the mineralized structures, as well as new structures, are probable at depth.

The sizes of the old workings suggest the exploited mineralization may have been up to several meters in width. There are strong similarities/parallels with the mineralization in the underground Santa Barbara mine where vein systems vary from 3 to 6.5 km along strike and the vertical extension of the shoots have a vertical extension of up to 900 meters. The Santa Barbara mine is located 40 kilometers east of the project.

The Las Coloradas mineralization is on the southeast flank of a prominent aeromagnetic high interpreted to be a buried felsic intrusive body. The felsic intrusives associated with the Soledad and other structures are likely linked to this body and the setting is favourable for porphyry, skarn and epithermal vein mineralization.

Scott Emerson, President, commented: "The recognition of high grade gold and silver mineralization in different locales is important as it may indicate a different style of precious metal mineralization, this work will aid us in our ongoing drill targeting."

Table 1

SAMPLE_ ID Width (m) Au ppm Ag ppm Ag Eq g/t Cu ppm Pb ppm Zn ppm Area LC-200623-001 Composite 0.22 162.00 307 183.5 67200 5540 C LC-200623-002 Composite 0.40 12.70 43 9 1710 339 B LC-200623-003 Composite 0.71 352.00 584 139 55100 51500 B LC-200623-004 Composite 2.42 200.00 396 64.3 30300 354 B LC-200623-005 0.6 1.28 218.00 295 73.6 7770 5110 D LC-200623-006 Composite 0.26 32.90 59 67 2860 3050 D LC-200623-007 1.5 0.13 12.45 26 10.4 2910 90 D PRSLC-0001 0.7 0.24 497.97 498 167 0 10440 D PRSLC-0002 1 2.46 218.89 376 213 0 10690 D PRSLC-0003 0.8 0.23 85.60 98 134 0 4420 D PRSLC-0004 1 0.23 142.95 143 102 0 3280 D PRSLC-0005 1 0.27 35.70 55 58 0 2800 D PRSLC-0006 0.5 0.22 138.57 136 77 0 3160 C PRSLC-0007 1 0.01 4.80 8 49 453 870 C PRSLC-0008 0.5 2.89 481.66 595 100 0 2350 B PRSLC-0009 0.6 0.45 68.30 87 54 0 184 B PRSLC-0010 0.5 0.98 284.12 298 49 0 218 B PRSLC-0011 0.5 1.29 375.47 396 117 0 1550 B PRSLC-0012 0.7 0.37 329.82 298 70 0 2610 B PRSLC-0013 1.3 0.09 52.40 53 20 0 243 B PRSLC-0014 1.3 0.04 19.60 32 14 5770 190 B PRSLC-0023 0.6 0.13 43.00 52 47 2550 774 E PRSLC-0024 0.8 0.05 54.70 65 72 6280 1210 E PRSLC-0025 0.6 0.12 362.03 364 141 0 3880 E PRSLC-0030 1.3 0.00 1.20 2 42 185 150 A PRSLC-0031 0.5 0.02 5.90 10 36 1310 544 A PRSLC-0035 0.5 0.01 16.60 19 25 1160 1010 A PRSLC-0036 0.5 0.16 13.70 27 21 1170 954 A PRSLC-0083 0.6 0.20 45.30 163 157 7580 37330 A PRSLC-0084 0.8 0.40 638.56 768 61 80700 20360 A PRSLC-0085 0.6 0.01 2.50 57 35 595 20720 A PRSLC-0086 0.7 0.58 91.30 212 40 14330 26340 A

The silver equivalent calculation utilizes the standard equation and is based on current spot metal prices of silver $25/oz, gold $2163/oz, copper $4.04/lb, lead $$0.98/lb and zinc $1.16/lb. Recoveries are set at 100% for all metals for purposes of the silver equivalent calculation as no metallurgical test data is available. AgEq is used for illustrative purposes only and does not imply that the metals are economically recoverable.

QA/QC Program

The QA/QC program employes blanks and certified reference standard, and check sampling. Samples from separate areas were analyzed at Actlabs, Zacatecas. Sealed and tagged sample bags were transported to the laboratory where the entire sample was crushed to a nominal -2 mm, mechanically split to obtain a representative sub-sample and then pulverized to at least 95% -105 microns (m).

All samples were analyzed for gold by Fire Assay Fusion-AA finish. All samples were analyzed for silver by aqua extraction with ICP finish. Multi-element analysis was by four acid extraction with ICP-OES finish.

About Las Coloradas

The 100% owned Las Coloradas Project (8.5 km2 -3.3 sq miles) represents a consolidation of a historic mining district which covers numerous silver-gold-lead-zinc-copper mines previously exploited by ASARCO (American Smelting and Refining Company), the U.S. based subsidiary of Grupo Mexico.

Las Coloradas is in the Parral mining district of the Central Mexican Silver Belt, and is located approximately 30 kilometers southeast of the city of Hidalgo de Parral and 40 kilometers east of the San Francisco de Oro and Santa Barbara mining districts where several old major mines are located, such as La Prieta, Veta Colorada, Palmilla, Esmeralda, San Francisco del Oro and Santa Barbara. As well, new major mining projects are currently being explored in the district; Cordero (Discovery Silver Corp.), 35 kms north of Parral, and La Cigarra (Kootenay Silver Inc.), 35 kms northwest of Parral. Click here to see locator map, https://www.kingsmenresources.com/area-history

Qualified Person

Kieran Downes, Ph.D., P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure set out in this news release.

About Kingsmen Resources

In line with Kingsmen's organic-growth strategy, the Company's focus is on exploration and development, and is currently focused on district-scale exploration for high -margin metallic mineral deposits in the prolific mining districts of Parral Mexico. In addition, the company has a 1% NSR on the Los Ricos North project in Mexico operated by GoGold Resources Inc. The Company's leaders have extensive experience in the mining and financial sectors. Kingsmen is a publicly-traded company (TSXV: KNG) (OTCQB: KNGRF) and is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia.

On behalf of the Board,

"Scott Emerson"

Scott Emerson,

President & CEO

Phone: 604- 685-9316

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statement

All statements, trend analysis and other information contained in this press release about anticipated future events or results constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including, without limitation, statements regarding the completion of the acquisition of the Las Coloradas Project and receipt of regulatory approval, are forward-looking statements. Although Kingsmen believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since Kingsmen can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements, including the risks, uncertainties and other factors identified in Kingsmen's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators, and assumptions made with regard to: Kingsmen's ability to make the required payments under the definitive agreements; and Kingsmen's ability to secure the necessary regulatory approvals. Forward-looking statements are subject to business and economic risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results of operations to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Kingsmen's expectations include risks associated with the business of Kingsmen; risks related to the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions to the closing of the acquisition of the Las Coloradas Project; non-completion of the acquisition of the Las Coloradas Project; risks related to exploration and potential development of the Las Coloradas Project; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; fluctuations in commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; the need for cooperation of government agencies in the exploration and development of properties and the issuance of required permits; the need to obtain additional financing to develop properties and uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; the possibility of delay in exploration or development programs and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; and other risk factors as detailed from time to time and additional risks identified in Kingsmen's filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedarplus.ca). Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the date the statements are made. Kingsmen does not undertake any obligation to update forward looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 18, 2024) - IMPACT Silver Corp. (TSXV: IPT) (OTCQB: ISVLF) (FSE: IKL) ("IMPACT" or the "Company") is pleased to announce further results from an ongoing drill program at the Tres Amigos Zone at its recently acquired Plomosas zinc (-lead-silver) mine in northern Mexico.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Tres Amigos drill program continues to confirm the presence of high-grade mineralization in the area of the Plomosas Mine. Drill hole TASC-24-28 intersected a wide interval grading 10.22% zinc, 0.50% lead and 8 g/t silver over 8.6 metres including 14.67% zinc, 0.66% lead and 11 g/t silver over 5.5 metres and including 30.10% zinc, 0.86% lead and 14 g/t silver over 1.1 metres. Drill hole TASC-24-29 intersected 10.54% zinc, 5.48% lead and 19 g/t silver over 3.6 metres including 17.95% zinc, 10.16% lead and 32 g/t silver over 1.85 metres. Drill hole TASC-24-32 intersected a wide 11.7 metre interval averaging 4.16% zinc, 2.43% lead and 13 g/t silver including a very high-grade section grading 30.10% zinc, 18.05% lead and 84 g/t silver over 0.8 metres.

The Tres Amigos Zone remains open for expansion and drilling is continuing.

High priority targets have been identified for drilling elsewhere on the property.

TABLE 1: PLOMOSAS DRILL RESULTS - TRES AMIGOS ZONE Hole No. From (metres) To (metres) Interval (metres) Zinc (%) Lead (%) Silver (g/t) TASC_24_027 231.00 235.90 4.90 6.19 2.66 21 Including 234.80 235.90 1.10 20.90 7.96 41 TASC_24_028 247.80 256.40 8.60 10.22 0.50 8 Including 250.90 256.40 5.50 14.67 0.66 11 Including 252.40 255.00 2.60 23.61 0.79 15 Including 253.90 255.00 1.10 30.10 0.86 14 TASC_24_029 247.10 250.70 3.60 10.54 5.48 19 Including 247.10 248.95 1.85 17.95 10.16 32 TASC_24_030 279.70 281.20 1.50 7.98 0.05 5 TASC_24_031 196.00 197.00 1.00 3.09 1.96 9 TASC_24_032 220.8 232.5 11.70 4.16 2.43 13 Including 231.70 232.50 0.80 30.10 18.05 84 TASC_24_033 90.90 92.35 1.45 6.93 0.91 7

Drilled intervals are interpreted to be approximate true widths. Other holes drilled on the eastern extension of the Tres Amigos Zone mining area intersected low grades.

CEO STATEMENT

President and CEO Frederick Davidson commented, "It is very encouraging that we continue to drill high grade intersections in the Tres Amigos Zone at the Plomosas Mine. These intersections are located close to current mine workings and represent near term high grade mineralization for mining once operations are fully underway. When the near mine drilling is completed, we will next move the drill to test high priority targets beyond the immediate mine area."

PLOMOSAS MINE GEOLOGY AND MINERALIZATION

The Plomosas mine, a historic high grade zinc producer in northern Mexico (Figure 1), was recently acquired by the Company which has undertaken a surface drill program in the Tres Amigos area of the mine and has conducted an underground sampling program in stopes of the Plomosas mine which were partially exploited by the previous operator. Mineralization at the Plomosas mine occurs as zinc-rich Carbonate Replacement zones along certain horizons of the local sedimentary rock sequence. Two main mineralized horizons have provided the bulk of historic production, the Mina Vieja marble and the Juarez limestone, where structural ground preparation along these two units resulted in concentrations of zinc, lead and silver (Figure 2).

The Company initiated an exploration drill program on the Juarez limestone in the Tres Amigos area to test mineralization near workings with known mineralization from historic work. Mineralization in the Juarez limestone generally forms pods of high-grade zinc and lead at and near the contact with an overlying shale, and drill results such as reported here indicate potential for a additional high grade mineralization in this area providing impetus for further exploration.

ABOUT IMPACT SILVER

IMPACT Silver Corp. (TSXV: IPT) (OTCQB: ISVLF) (FSE: IKL) is a successful producer-explorer with two mining projects in Mexico.

Royal Mines of Zacualpan Silver-Gold District: IMPACT owns 100% of the 211 km2 Zacualpan project in central Mexico where three underground silver mines and one open pit mine feed the central 500 tpd Guadalupe processing plant. To the south, the Capire Project includes a 200 tpd processing pilot plant adjacent to an open pit silver mine with an NI 43-101 inferred mineral resource of over 4.5 million oz silver, 48 million lbs zinc and 21 million lbs lead (see IMPACT news release dated January 18, 2016 for details and QP statement). Company engineers are reviewing Capire for a potential restart of operations. Over the past 18 years, IMPACT has placed multiple zones into commercial production and produced nearly 13 million ounces of silver, generating revenues over $260 million, with no long-term debt.

Plomosas Zinc-Lead-Silver District: IMPACT has begun preliminary mining and processing operations at its 100% owned Plomosas high-grade zinc mine in northern Mexico. Exploration upside potential is exceptional where only 600m of the 6 km-long structure have seen modern exploration. This is in addition to other exploration targets on the 3,019-hectare property including untested copper-gold targets with indications of high-grade material from surface. Regionally, Plomosas lies in the same mineral belt as some of the largest carbonate replacement deposits in the world.

Quality Control/Quality Assurance

Samples reported in this news release were analyzed by ALS Group, an internationally recognized analytical services provider. Samples analyzed by ALS used a multielement ICP package for silver and base metals. Assays for base metals >1% used an overlimit ICP method. For samples with >30% Zn a wet chemical method is used. Certified Reference Materials and internal control samples are added to the sample stream at regular intervals to track accuracy of assays.

Qualified Person and NI 43-101 Disclosure

George Gorzynski, P.Eng., VP Exploration and a Director of IMPACT Silver Corp., is a "Qualified Person" within the meaning of NI 43-101 and has approved the technical information contained in this news release.

Additional information about IMPACT and its operations can be found on the Company website at www.IMPACTSilver.com. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) @IMPACT_Silver and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/impactsilver

On behalf of IMPACT Silver Corp.

"Frederick W. Davidson"

President & CEO

For more information, please contact:

Jerry Huang

CFO | Investor Relations

O: (604) 681 0172 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

C: (778) 887 6489 Direct

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.

Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements

This IMPACT News Release may contain certain "forward-looking" statements and information relating to IMPACT that is based on the beliefs of IMPACT management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to IMPACT management. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "planned", "expect", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intends", "believe", "potential", and similar expressions, or describes a "goal", or variation of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "should", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding interpretation of drill results, activity at the projects and estimated timing thereof, the potential for defining and extending the known mineralization, exploration potential on the properties, and plans for drilling and future operations at the Company's projects or plans for financing.

Such forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks and assumptions, including with respect to, without limitation, exploration and development risks, expenditure and financing requirements, title matters, operating hazards, criminal activity, metal prices, political and economic factors, competitive factors, general economic conditions, relationships with vendors and strategic partners, governmental regulation and supervision, seasonality, technological change, industry practices, pandemics and one-time events. Should any one or more risks or uncertainties materialize or change, or should any underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and forward-looking statements may vary materially from those described herein. IMPACT does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement or beliefs, opinions, projections or other factors, except as required by law.

The Company's decision to place a mine into production, expand a mine, make other production related decisions or otherwise carry out mining and processing operations, is largely based on internal non-public Company data and reports based on exploration, development and mining work by the Company's geologists and engineers. The results of this work are evident in the discovery and building of multiple mines for the Company at Zacualpan and in the track record of mineral production and financial returns of the Company since 2006. Under NI 43-101, the Company is required to disclose that it has not based its production decisions on NI 43-101 mineral resources or reserve estimates, preliminary economic assessments or feasibility studies, and historically such projects have increased uncertainty and risk of failure.

303-543 Granville Street Telephone 604 664-7707

Vancouver, BC, Canada V6C 1X8

www.impactsilver.com

X (Twitter)

LinkedIn



Figure 1: Location map of Plomosas Mine and nearby mines and infrastructure. References to nearby projects are for information purposes only and there are no assurances that Plomosas will achieve similar results.

Figure 2: Schematic cross section of Plomosas Mine mineralization.
Q1 2024 consolidated copper production of 11.2 million pounds was 36% higher than in Q1 2023.

Consolidated Q1 2024 production reaffirms annual guidance targets for all metals.

Q1 2024 consolidated copper, silver, gold, and lead production were all higher than Q1 2023 by 36%, 10%, 19%, and 10% respectively.

The Bolivar mine continued its trend of quarter-over-quarter production increases, achieving another record quarter of metal production.

The underground development below the 1120 level at Yauricocha is progressing as planned and the mine is expected to operate at full capacity by Q4 2024.

Consolidated Q1 2024 financial results will be released pre-market on Monday, May 13, 2024 with management hosting a Conference Call and Webcast on the same day at 11:00 AM ET.

(All metal prices reported are in USD)

TORONTO / Apr 18, 2024 / Business Wire / Sierra Metals Inc. (TSX:SMT | OTCQX:SMTSF) (Sierra Metals or the Company) is pleased to announce first quarter 2024 production results from its two underground mines in Latin America: the Yauricocha polymetallic mine in Peru and the copper-producing Bolivar mine in Mexico.

Ernesto Balarezo, CEO of Sierra Metals, commented, During the first quarter of 2024, the Bolivar mine achieved another record quarter, continuing its upward trend of quarterly increases in metal production. Meanwhile, we are very pleased to announce that after receipt of the permit to mine below the 1120 level on February 21, 2024, we have already initiated the development activities. We expect to reach full capacity at Yauricocha by Q4 2024, while continuing to manage every aspect of the mine to maximize production levels above the 1120 level. Additionally, I am happy to announce that we are on track to meet our annual guidance. Overall, for both operations, 2024 has gotten off to a good start with expectations of further operational improvements as the year progresses.

First Quarter 2024 Consolidated Production Results

Consolidated Production Three months ended March 31, 2024 December 31, 2023 % Var. March 31, 2023 % Var. Tonnes processed 638,916 673,846 -5% 518,162 23% Daily throughput 7,302 7,701 -5% 5,922 23% Copper production (000 lb) 11,247 12,096 -7% 8,285 36% Zinc production (000 lb) 10,132 9,629 5% 10,579 -4% Silver production (000 oz) 427 468 -9% 389 10% Gold Production (oz) 4,505 4,708 -4% 3,791 19% Lead production (000 lb) 3,049 2,481 23% 2,778 10% Copper equivalent pounds (000's)(1) 19,973 20,902 -4% 16,465 21% (1) Copper equivalent pounds were calculated using the following weighted average realized prices for Q1 2024 - $3.84/lb Cu, $1.12/lb Zn, $23.41/oz Ag, $2,069/oz Au, $0.94/lb Pb. Copper equivalent production periods ended March 2023 and December 2023 have been recalculated at the same prices for proper comparison.

Consolidated quarterly throughput during Q1 2024 was 638,916 tonnes, which is a 23% increase from the same quarter of 2023, as both mines registered increases in throughput during Q1 2024 compared to Q1 2023. When compared to Q4 2023, consolidated throughput was 5% lower.

Grades from the Bolivar Mine during Q1 2024 were higher than Q1 2023 and Q4 2023, while Yauricocha experienced declines in copper grades during Q1 2024 compared to Q4 2023, as well as decreases in grades for precious metals compared to both Q1 2023 and Q4 2023. These lower grades from the Yauricocha Mine were primarily due to the limited available ore above the 1120 level. However, the Company expects that grades will improve as the development below 1120 level progresses.

Consolidated production for all metals except zinc increased in Q1 2024 compared to Q1 2023. When compared to Q4 2023, consolidated production for copper, silver, and gold were lower by 7%, 9% and 4%, respectively.

Yauricocha Mine, Peru

Throughput from the Yauricocha Mine during Q1 2024 was 240,686 tonnes, a 10% increase over Q1 2023 due to increased access to mining areas. As compared to Q4 2023, mine throughput was lower given the natural depletion of ore zones in the upper part of the Yauricocha Mine. These volumes are expected to improve as the development below 1120 level progresses.

For Q1 2024, copper and lead grades remained aligned with Q1 2023, but gold, silver, and zinc grades were lower. Compared to Q4 2023, zinc grades were higher but copper grades decreased, attributable to the reduced output from the high-grade copper ore bodies (Pamela and Kimberly). Mining activities primarily focused on the lower-grade orebodies, such as Fortuna and Esperanza Distal, which were originally contemplated in the mine plan for the quarter.

Copper equivalent production of 8.6 million pounds for Q1 2024 was a 20% decrease from Q4 2023 as the drop in the throughput rates and lower copper, silver and gold grades impacted metal production. When compared to the same quarter of Q1 2023, copper equivalent production remained in line as increased copper and lead production were offset by the decline in zinc, gold, and silver production during Q1 2024.

A summary of production from the Yauricocha Mine is provided below:

Yauricocha Production Three months ended March 31, 2024 December 31, 2023 % Var. March 31, 2023 % Var. Tonnes processed 240,686 263,851 -9% 219,145 10% Daily throughput 2,751 3,015 -9% 2,505 10% Copper grade 0.81% 1.09% -26% 0.79% 3% Zinc grade 2.31% 2.12% 9% 2.54% -9% Silver grade (g/t) 39.95 48.29 -17% 46.45 -14% Gold Grade (g/t) 0.36 0.51 -29% 0.46 -22% Lead grade 0.72% 0.60% 20% 0.70% 3% Copper recovery 76.40% 79.75% -4% 75.70% 1% Zinc recovery 82.66% 78.08% 6% 86.18% -4% Silver recovery 72.22% 70.72% 2% 76.16% -5% Gold Recovery 17.88% 21.78% -18% 23.39% -24% Lead recovery 79.26% 70.74% 12% 81.66% -3% Copper production (000 lb) 3,288 5,036 -35% 2,895 14% Zinc production (000 lb) 10,132 9,629 5% 10,579 -4% Silver production (000 oz) 223 289 -23% 249 -10% Gold Production (oz) 503 951 -47% 754 -33% Lead production (000 lb) 3,049 2,481 23% 2,778 10% Copper equivalent pounds (000's)(1) 8,611 10,726 -20% 8,585 0% (1) Copper equivalent pounds were calculated using the following weighted average realized prices for Q1 2024 - $3.84/lb Cu, $1.12/lb Zn, $23.41/oz Ag, $2,069/oz Au, $0.94/lb Pb. Copper equivalent production periods ended March 2023 and December 2023 have been recalculated at the same prices for proper comparison.

Bolivar Mine, Mexico

Throughput from the Bolivar Mine during Q1 2024 was 398,230 tonnes, a 33% increase over Q1 2023 and a slight 3% decrease compared to Q4 2023. The increase over the same quarter of the prior year was driven by advancement in the mines development, which allowed for improved access to mineralized zones.

The improved access and mining activities in the high-grade Dulce zone drove grades higher for all metals when compared to Q1 2023 and Q4 2023. Production for copper, silver, and gold was 48%, 46% and 32% higher, respectively, when compared to Q1 2023. In comparison to Q4 2023, these increases were 13%, 14%, and 7%, respectively. The Company is dedicated to continued exploration efforts aimed at further understanding the continuation of Dulce, yielding promising results so far.

Copper equivalent production of 11.4 million pounds from the Bolivar Mine during Q1 2024 was a 44% increase over Q1 2023 and 12% increase over Q4 2023.

A summary of production for the Bolivar Mine is provided below:

Bolivar Production Three months ended March 31, 2024 December 31, 2023 % Var. March 31, 2023 % Var. Tonnes processed (t) 398,230 409,995 -3% 299,017 33% Daily throughput 4,551 4,686 -3% 3,417 33% Copper grade 0.98% 0.84% 17% 0.87% 13% Silver grade (g/t) 19.59 16.56 18% 17.39 13% Gold grade (g/t) 0.47 0.42 12% 0.45 4% Copper recovery 92.66% 92.62% 0% 94.25% -2% Silver recovery 81.46% 82.38% -1% 83.99% -3% Gold recovery 66.54% 68.39% -3% 69.47% -4% Copper production (000 lb) 7,959 7,060 13% 5,390 48% Silver production (000 oz) 204 179 14% 140 46% Gold production (oz) 4,002 3,757 7% 3,037 32% Copper equivalent pounds (000's)(1) 11,362 10,176 12% 7,880 44% (1) Copper equivalent pounds were calculated using the following weighted average realized prices for Q1 2024 - $3.84/lb Cu, $1.12/lb Zn, $23.41/oz Ag, $2,069/oz Au, $0.94/lb Pb. Copper equivalent production periods ended March 2023 and December 2023 have been recalculated at the same prices for proper comparison.

Conference Call and Webcast

Management will host a conference call and webcast to discuss Q1 2024 financial and operating results on Monday, May 13, 2024 at 11:00 AM ET. Details are as follows:

Webcast: https://services.choruscall.ca/links/sierrametals2024q1.html Dial In: Canada/US Toll Free: 1-844-763-8274 Other: 1-647-484-8814

Participants are asked to dial-in 5 to 10 minutes before the scheduled start time and ask to join the Sierra Metals First Quarter 2024 Consolidated Financial Results Call.

About Sierra Metals

Sierra Metals is a Canadian mining company focused on copper production with additional base and precious metals by-product credits at its Yauricocha Mine in Peru and Bolivar Mine in Mexico. The Company is intent on safely increasing production volume and growing mineral resources. Sierra Metals has recently had several new key discoveries and still has many more exciting brownfield exploration opportunities in Peru and Mexico that are within close proximity to the existing mines. Additionally, the Company has large land packages at each of its mines with several prospective regional targets providing longer-term exploration upside and mineral resource growth potential.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information relates to future events or the anticipated performance of Sierra and reflect management's expectations or beliefs regarding such future events and anticipated performance based on an assumed set of economic conditions and courses of action. In certain cases, statements that contain forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will allow", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative of these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements include statements with respect to the timing of the development below the 1120 level, the timing of the increase in production and the timing to operate at full capacity at Yauricocha. By its very nature forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual performance of Sierra to be materially different from any anticipated performance expressed or implied by such forward-looking information.

Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking information, including, without limitation, the risks described under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form dated March 15, 2024 for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 and other risks identified in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are available at www.sedarplus.ca.

The risk factors referred to above are not an exhaustive list of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking information. Forward-looking information includes statements about the future and is inherently uncertain, and the Company's actual achievements or other future events or conditions may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking information due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors. The Company's statements containing forward-looking information are based on the beliefs, expectations, and opinions of management on the date the statements are made, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update such forward-looking information if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, other than as required by applicable law. For the reasons set forth above, one should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.
Israel is preventing UN investigators from speaking to witnesses and victims of the October 7 Hamas attack, former UN rights chief Navi Pillay, who is chairing a three-person probe, said Tuesday.

The unprecedented Commission of Inquiry was established by the UN Human Rights Council in May 2021 to investigate alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in Israel and the Palestinian territories.

"I deplore the fact that people inside Israel who wish to speak to us are being denied that opportunity, because we cannot get access into Israel," Pillay said.

The investigation briefed diplomats at the UN in Geneva on its work and said that since October 7, it had focused on the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas.

"So far as the government of Israel is concerned, we have faced not merely a lack of cooperation but active obstruction of our efforts to receive evidence from Israeli witnesses and victims to the events that occurred in southern Israel," said Chris Sidoti, one of the three members of the inquiry.

The Gaza war began with Hamas's October 7 attack against Israel which resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures.

The militants also took about 250 hostages, of whom Israel estimates 129 remain in Gaza, including 34 who are presumed dead.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,843 people in the Palestinian territory, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.

- Appeal for witnesses -

Pillay, 82, a South African former High Court judge, said the commission was investigating alleged crimes during the Hamas attack as well as some allegedly committed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank.

Sidoti, speaking via video-link, said the investigation had found it difficult to collect evidence from large numbers of witnesses.

"I use this opportunity to appeal again both to the government of Israel to cooperate, and to victims and witnesses to the events in southern Israel to contact the commission of inquiry so that we can hear what they have experienced," he said.

Sidoti also said the investigators began collecting digital evidence early on October 7, some of which has since "disappeared from the internet".

"If it had not been collected on that day, it would not have been able to be collected," the former human rights commissioner of Australia said.

Pillay -- who served as a judge on the International Criminal Court and presided over the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda -- said the commission had shared more than 5,000 documents with the ICC in The Hague, collected between October and December 2023.

The commission is to present its first findings to the Human Rights Council in June.

In response, to the briefing, Israel said UN representatives had been to Israel to meet with victims and survivors of the Hamas attack.

In a statement to AFP, the Israeli mission said: "The 1,200 people murdered, the women and girls raped, the hostages taken into Gaza, know too well that they will never get any justice or the dignified treatment they deserve from the Commission of Inquiry and its members, who have a track record of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel statements."

In August 2022, Miloon Kothari, the third member of the commission, apologised for using the term "Jewish lobby", which sparked Israeli accusations of anti-Semitism and calls for his resignation.
Russia but not President Vladimir Putin will be invited to the French ceremony in June to mark 80 years since the World War II D-Day landings, organisers said Tuesday.

In February 2022, Putin sent troops to Ukraine, shredding ties with the West. And in 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin on the war crime accusation of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children.

In June, France marks the 80th anniversary of the 1944 Normandy landings. A host of world leaders are expected to attend, including US President Joe Biden.

"In view of the circumstances, President Putin will not be invited to take part in the commemorations of the Normandy landings," the Liberation Mission organising committee said, referring to Russia's "war of aggression" in Ukraine.

"Russia will however be invited... to honour the importance of the commitment and sacrifices of the Soviet peoples, as well as its contribution to the 1945 victory."

No other details were provided.

A representative of the Russian embassy in Paris said the mission would not comment at this stage.

There was no reaction from the Kremlin.

The announcement comes after the French authorities reached out to Russia in the aftermath of a recent Moscow attack claimed by Islamic State group, saying France was ready to step up exchanges with Moscow with the aim of fighting "terrorism".

Some in France criticised President Emmanuel Macron's government over the move, saying the Kremlin was beyond any discussion as Moscow's invasion of Ukraine stretches into its third year.

Macron has not ruled out sending ground troops to Ukraine to buttress Kyiv.

Putin attended the 70th anniversary of the landings in June 2014, despite the annexation of Crimea just months earlier.

Putin and Ukraine's then president Petro Poroshenko met on the sidelines of the ceremony, after Moscow backed a pro-Russian insurgency in eastern Ukraine.
The front page of the Oct. 7, 1940, edition of the Chronicle featured coverage of a polar bear fight at the San Francisco Zoo. The Chronicle 1940 Big Bill the polar bear fatally attacks a female polar bear at the San Francisco Zoo on the opening day of the new polar bear pit in a series of photos in the Chronicle on Oct. 7, 1940. The Chronicle 1940

San Franciscos mayor, emissaries from President Franklin D. Roosevelts administration and hundreds of local school children arrived at the San Francisco Zoo on Oct. 6, 1940, to celebrate a massive expansion.

Instead, they witnessed a scene of unforgettable carnage.

A battle to death, a battle of the kind that shatters the white silence of the Arctic ice floes, yesterday intruded upon the dedication ceremonies at the new Fleishhacker Zoo and christened the polar bear pit in blood, Chronicle reporter John Upton Terrell wrote the next day in front-page coverage.

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More than 80 years later, the story reads like war correspondence: Two polar bears engaged in a death match, while zoo staff and police scrambled to intervene. The scene went on for a half hour, leaving visitors horrified and one animal dead.

The bears enclosure was part of a $2 million Works Progress Administration infrastructure project built in the 1930s that still houses animals today. A Chronicle story this week revealed safety concerns at the zoo, including a recent incident in which a grizzly bear escaped its den and chased a keeper. But the 84-year-old space saw disaster on the very first day.

The violence was completely unexpected. The Chronicles articles leading up to the grand opening of the bear, lion and monkey enclosures  which more than doubled the zoos footprint  read like promotions. A family-friendly morning was promised, with choral groups, free food and animals frolicking in the October sun.

The exhibits largest attraction, a polar bear named Big Bill, didnt get the message.

Oct. 6, 1940: A polar bear named Big Bill killed his mate, Min, during the opening day of the polar bear and lion enclosures at the San Francisco Zoo. Keepers and police used guns and a hose to try distract the bear. This photo ran on the Chronicle front page the next day. The Chronicle 1940

As a crowd gathered around the new open-air pit, Bill took refuge in the enclosures cave. When a female bear named Min tried to join him, Bill growled a warning. But Min persisted and Bill eventually emerged, striking and grappling with the female bear, as a smaller male bear named Jerry stood to the side.

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The crowd, jamming against the railing around the pit, was delighted, Terrell wrote. Everyone thought the bears were having a pleasant Sunday romp.

But then Big Bill clawed Min on the shoulder, creating a large gash that sprayed blood and launched a battle that stretched a full 30 minutes of escalating mayhem.

Min barely had a chance to fight back.

Big Bill, who reportedly had already killed one previous mate, unleashed repeated violence, eventually locking his jaws onto Mins neck, and thrashing until the female bear was motionless. Policemen emptied their guns against the walls of the enclosure, zoo director Fred Chatton rained rocks from above the pit (they might as well have been throwing peanuts, Terrell wrote) and zookeepers fired hoses at the bear.

The roar of the fighting bears was deafening, Terrell wrote. Women spectators screamed, mens faces were immobile with shock, children watched in terror.

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Big Bill ignored them all. Once Min stopped fighting, the larger bear slowly dragged her body to the enclosures new water feature and held her head underneath for five minutes.

Finally Chatton secured an ammonia gun, firing the noxious liquid at the bear until it retreated. But it was too late for Min. The female bear was dead.

The polar bear murder dominated front-page coverage under the headline Death Duel, with eight photos of the fight running in the paper. A short story announcing the WPAs transfer of the new construction to the city  the reason journalists were invited in the first place  landed at the bottom of Page 12.

Polar Bear Uulu, pictured in 2016, was one of the oldest polar bears in captivity before she died at the San Francisco Zoo at age 36 in 2017. Gabrielle Lurie/Special to the Chronicle 2016

The Chronicle followed the next day with the headline Bill Bill is not Grieving. Mins carcass was removed, and the newspaper reported that attendants said Big Bill was not expected to be slain for his sins.

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It was nowhere near the end of problems for the WPA grottos. In the mid-1940s a lion attacked a keeper, and in 1949 a different polar bear mauled a house painter who tried to stick a sugar cube through the bars; his arm was amputated.
Peru has defended its decision before a human rights court to free ex-president Alberto Fujimori from prison after he only served part of a 25-year sentence for crimes against humanity.

Fujimori was sent to prison in 2009 over massacres committed by army death squads in 1991 and 1992 in which 25 people, including a child, were killed in supposed anti-terrorist operations.

In December, the Constitutional Court ordered him freed for humanitarian reasons, reinstating a pardon that was first granted in 2017 but revoked by the Supreme Court two years later.

The Costa Rica-based Inter-American Court of Human Rights urged authorities at the time to delay freeing Fujimori while it analyzed the court ruling, but he was released anyway.

On Tuesday, Justice Minister Eduardo Arana told reporters Peru had filed a report with the court arguing that it had acted "in strict compliance with the principles of legality and justice."

The court had requested a report in December, considering Peru may have been in contempt.

"We are respectful of the inter-American human rights system of which Peru is a part," said Arana.

However, "the Peruvian state will not allow its sovereignty to be affected by unjust or incorrect decisions," he said.
Clashes between the Sudanese army and its rival paramilitary have killed at least 25 civilians in the North Darfur town of El-Fasher, a pro-democracy lawyers committee said Tuesday.

The city and its surrounding villages have suffered several days of "arbitrary shelling and air strikes," according to the Emergency Lawyers, which have been documenting atrocities committed against civilians since fighting began a year ago between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

As the war entered its second year, the United Nations and United States have warned the breakdown of the fragile peace in El-Fasher -- the last Darfur state capital not under RSF control -- will be catastrophic for hundreds of thousands already suffering a humanitarian disaster.

El-Fasher also functions as the main humanitarian hub in the vast western region of Darfur, home to around a quarter of Sudan's 48 million people and the site of harrowing violence during this and previous conflicts.

Eyewitnesses in the nearby displacement camp of Abu Shouk reported Tuesday seeing hundreds flee the camp towards the city after clashes reached its borders.

Over the past year, Darfur residents and the UN have reported displacement centres routinely besieged and attacked by fighters.

The already-fragile health infrastructure in Darfur has nearly collapsed.

Across the country, 70 percent of health facilities are out of service, according to the UN.

"Dozens of injured have arrived to the hospital today," a medical source at El-Fasher Southern Hospital told AFP, requesting anonymity for fear of reprisal from the warring parties, who are known to target medics.

"We're suffering a severe shortage in blood and medical personnel."

Both sides have been accused of war crimes, including targeting civilians and aid workers, indiscriminate shelling of residential areas and torture.

Since it began last April 15, the war has killed many thousands, including up to 15,000 in a single West Darfur town, according to UN experts.

It has also forced over 8.5 million people from their homes. In already war-ravaged Darfur in particular, many of those have been displaced for the second or third time.
Amnesty International accused US-backed Kurdish authorities in northeastern Syria Wednesday of resorting to torture and other abuses in their detention of tens of thousands of suspected jihadists and their dependents.

The London-based watchdog said Washington too "likely" violated the human rights of detainees in Kurdish custody.

Camps and prisons run by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) still hold more than 56,000 detainees with alleged or perceived links to the Islamic State group, five years after the jihadists were ousted from their last territory in Syria.

They include jihadist suspects locked up in prisons, and wives and children of IS fighters held in the Al-Hol and Roj internment camps.

Kurdish authorities "have committed the war crimes of torture and cruel treatment, and likely committed the war crime of murder", Amnesty's secretary general, Agnes Callamard, said.

"The US government is supporting" the detention system and in some cases "is committing violations itself", an Amnesty report said, concluding that Washington "likely violated the human rights of many of those who have been within its effective control".

Al-Hol is the largest internment camp in northeastern Syria, with more than 43,000 detainees from 47 countries, many of them family members of IS fighters.

Kurdish authorities have long urged foreign governments with nationals in the camps to repatriate their citizens but Western governments have responded slowly for fear of domestic backlash.

Amnesty said some 94 percent of residents at Al-Hol and Roj were women and children, noting "no one in these camps has been charged or given the opportunity to challenge their detention before an independent judicial authority".

The camps and prisons likely hold thousands of human trafficking victims, including women and girls forcibly married to IS members, it said.

An AFP investigation at Al-Hol found residents lived in dire conditions, with evidence of child sexual abuse.

Amnesty said torture was carried out "systematically" in SDF-run prisons, including "severe beatings, stress positions, electric shocks and gender-based violence".

It said US forces had access to the detainees, noting that Washington had provided "hundreds of millions of dollars" to the SDF over the years.

A former detainee told Amnesty that US soldiers "checked on the prison, and they searched us, and all of our rooms... They could see the people who were injured from torture".

Callamard said: "The US government has played a central role in the creation and maintenance of this system... and must play a role in changing it."

She called on the US government, the Kurdish-led authorities and the United Nations to bring the "shameful" detention system "into compliance with international law".
France has appointed investigating magistrates to run a war crimes probe into the death of Franco-Irish Fox News cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski who was killed covering the war in Ukraine, a judicial source said Wednesday.

The move marks a new stage in the investigation which had previously been run by anti-terror prosecutors with a view to possibly bringing charges of causing "deliberate harm to a person protected by international law" and a "deliberate attack against a civilian who was not taking part in hostilities".

French prosecutors routinely open cases into the violent deaths of citizens overseas.

Zakrzewski, 55, died in March 2022, only weeks after Russia attacked Ukraine, in Horenka, northeast of the capital Kyiv.

Ukrainian producer Oleksandra Kuvshynova also died and Fox correspondent Benjamin Hall was wounded when their vehicle was struck by incoming fire, according to Fox News.

The French investigation aims to identify who fired at the vehicle, and under what exact circumstances.

Zakrzewski was an experienced war zone cameraman who had previously covered conflicts for the US network in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria.

France has opened 10 official probes into suspected war crimes against French nationals since Russia's invasion on February 24, 2022.

Three of them concern journalists.

Frederic Leclerc-Imhoff, working for French broadcaster BFMTV, died in May 2022 under artillery fire as he covered a humanitarian mission in eastern Ukraine.

In May 2023, AFP's video coordinator in Ukraine, Arman Soldin, was killed during a Russian attack near the town of Bakhmut which Russia seized after months of brutal battles.

The Zakrzewski case is the first to be taken over by investigating magistrates.
Russian peacekeepers have begun withdrawing from Nagorno-Karabakh following Azerbaijan's recapture of the disputed territory from Armenian separatists last year, the Kremlin said Wednesday.

Azerbaijani state media reported this week that Russian troops had begun leaving positions held as part of a Moscow-brokered 2020 ceasefire between Baku and Yerevan.

They posted videos and photos showing armoured vehicles with Russian flags purportedly driving out of the territory.

Asked on Wednesday about the reports that Russian peacekeepers had started a withdrawal, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "Yes, that's true."

He did not provide further details.

An advisor to Azerbaijan's president said the decision had been agreed between Baku and Moscow at the "highest levels."

"The process has already started. The defence ministries of Azerbaijan and Russia are carrying out the necessary measures," state media quoted Hikmet Hajiyev, President Ilham Aliyev's foreign policy advisor, as saying.

Russia had deployed a 2,000-strong peacekeeping force as part of a deal to end a bloody six-week offensive in 2020 that saw Azerbaijani forces seize swathes of Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding areas.

Last September, Baku took over the territory in a lightening one-day offensive that triggered a refugee crisis. Almost the entire local population of around 100,000 ethnic Armenians left for Armenia, fearing reprisals and repression.

The territory is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but was home to a majority Armenian population and controlled by pro-Yerevan separatists for nearly three decades.

The conflict has ruptured ties between traditional allies Russia and Armenia, with Moscow maintaining warm relations with Baku.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said recently that Yerevan has de facto suspended its participation in the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) -- a defence alliance.

He has repeatedly criticised Russia for not stepping in to support his country in the face of what he says is Azerbaijani aggression.

Yerevan has also joined the International Criminal Court (ICC), against Moscow's wishes -- a move which obligates it to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin should he visit Armenia.

Arch-foes Armenia and Azerbaijan are currently trying to broker a broader peace agreement that could see Baku gain control of yet more disputed territory.

Clashes and shootouts between troops stationed along the mountainous border are relatively common.

burs/cw
The contrast with 29 years ago is striking. On April 7, 1995, Rwanda was soaked in blood and its political elites still stunned by the killing frenzy of April-July 1994. In the space of three months, hundreds of thousands of Rwandans fell victim to the machetes, spiked clubs, grenades and bullets of their fellow citizens, often their neighbours, leaving 800,000 dead according to a UN estimate or more than a million according to a Rwandan official count made several years later. The crime committed against the Tutsis became the third legally recognized genocide in a century scarred by mass slaughter. Alongside them, thousands of Hutus who opposed the extremist forces of Hutu Power, the ideology behind the plan to exterminate their Tutsi compatriots, were also killed.

A year after the cataclysm, a government of national unity bringing together members of the victorious Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) and survivors among the Hutu opposition organized the first commemoration of the genocide. The chosen site was Mount Rebero, overlooking the capital Kigali. Most of the city's houses were still destroyed or riddled with bullets, mass graves still smelled strongly of death, everything needed rebuilding, and soldiers were patrolling or standing guard everywhere. Two million Rwandans were refugees on the borders, while several million more were internally displaced. As for the prisoners accused of genocide, they were dying by the dozen in hellish prison conditions. No justice had been done.

At Rebero, the bones of some 6,000 anonymous victims had been collected in 200 makeshift coffins. From them leaked the pungent, lingering smell of decomposing bodies, which women tried to dissipate by spraying them with perfume. Freshly dug graves awaited the coffins. Behind a simple wire, humbly dressed survivors stood holding banners denouncing the international communitys abandonment of Rwanda and demanding justice. A dozen of these wooden coffins, placed on UN plastic tarpaulins and covered like the others with cloth of the Catholic mourning colour purple, bore a name. These were people considered to have been killed because of their political commitment to opposing Hutu Power, even though some had been victims of a double punishment: they were both political opponents and Tutsi.

Left: on April 7, 1995, the coffins of Rwandan politicians assassinated for their opposition to Hutu extremism were laid to rest at Mont Rebero in Kigali. On the right, at the same memorial site, the completely rehabilitated graves of these victims, on April 13, 2024. Photos: Thierry Cruvellier

The symbol of Boniface Ngulinzira

Twenty-nine years later on April 13, 2024, Rwandan officialdom, proud of the countrys impressive rebirth, gathered at Rebero for the closing ceremony of the 30th commemoration week, under three large marquees with solid canvases pointing like thorns to the sky. The marquees stand around a memorial with impeccably tiled paths and graves amid squares of boxwood, flame trees, cactus trees, palms and eucalyptus. Twelve personalities buried in 1995 are still there, in dignified graves unrecognizable from their original rudimentary appearance. That of the most famous, Agathe Uwilingiyimana, former prime minister hated by Hutu extremists and assassinated on the morning of April 7, 1994, at the age of 40, has since been transferred to the National Heroes Memorial near the Amahoro stadium. At Rebero, long black granite walls inscribed with the names of thousands of victims enclose the gently sloping terrain of a meticulously designed memorial. In the aftermath of the genocide Rwanda's remembrance policy was still fluid, debated and plural, but for at least the last 20 years it has been solidly structured, organized around a number of carefully-maintained sites across the country and following a narrative rigorously instilled in everyone. The duty of remembrance is a central theme for the government. Four of these memorials are now listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites, a mark of recognition that would once have been scorned.

Today the government has decided to honour nine other personalities assassinated in 1994 because of their political commitment: two prefects and three mayors who famously resisted in their localities before being eliminated by the killers, an opposition party leader, a university professor who resigned from the presidential party, a militant journalist close to the RPF, and a former leading minister. They are Hutus and Tutsis and some where it is ambiguous.

As is often the case, there is a disturbing element of improvisation in the orderly, disciplined performance of Rwanda in 2024. No plaque has been prepared for the nine victims honoured. Their new graves remain unmarked. At least one family of the nine honoured victims only received their invitation a week before the ceremony. But they are all represented.

The spotlight fell at length on former minister Boniface Ngulinzira with testimony from three of his four children, who marked the ceremony by recounting their terrifying odyssey between April and July 1994. A university professor at the time of his assassination, Ngulinzira symbolizes in many ways the duty to remember affirmed at Rebero. He was a former leader of the Mouvement Democratique Republicain (MDR), a major democratic opposition party that emerged in Rwanda in 1991 and was dissolved in 2003. He was also a former foreign minister and head of the delegation of the Rwandan government -- then led by the opposition -- negotiating the Arusha Peace Accords, which were signed by his successor in August 1993. For the extremists, he was a traitor, an inyenzi (cockroach, the term used for the Tutsis at the time). His identity documents had apparently been removed from the records by his enemies, and he told the authorities to assign him the identity of their choice - Hutu or Tutsi, it didnt matter to him. He was a man who also perished because of the cowardice and abandonment of the UN forces present in Rwanda in April 1994, more specifically because of the Belgian contingent. The troops of former colonial power Belgium, which introduced ethnic labelling on identity cards, withdrew to the Ecole Technique Officielle (ETO) camp at the beginning of April before abruptly quitting Rwanda on April 11, leaving three thousand Tutsis - including the Ngulinzira family - in the hands of the militiamen who were to massacre them. This shameful page in the international communitys history has been the subject of numerous investigations and is dubbed by some the Rwandan Srebrenica.

Ngulinzira was 43 years old when he was killed fleeing the ETO, the same age as now his daughter Solange, who came to Rebero to testify. The body of the former minister, like so many others, has never been identified. But he now has a sepulchre among the people honoured.

Left: on April 7, 1995, the Rwandan journalist and politician Andre Kameya, murdered in June 1994, is buried on Mount Rebero, in Kigali, during the first commemoration of the genocide. On the right, his grave today, on the same site. Photos: Thierry Cruvellier

Dual remembrance

Analysing the memorial event in 1995, historian Remi Korman wrote, on the eve of the 20th commemoration in April 2014: The ceremony organized on the Rebero site respected the spirit of national unity: equal place was given to both categories of victims. The expression 'Itsembabwoko n'itsembatsemba' (genocide and massacres) clearly refers to the genocide committed against the Tutsis as well as the massacres of Hutus for political reasons, the two being considered indissociable.

Since then, the official line no longer includes Hutu opponents, only the genocide of the Tutsis. And yet, the 2024 ceremony seemed partly to revive this dual remembrance of the genocide perpetrators victims. Theoneste Gafaranda, Jean-Marie Vianney Gisagara, Jean-Baptiste Habyarimana, Callixte Ndagijimana, Boniface Ngulinzira, Narcisse Nyagasaza, Jean-Gualbert Rumiya, Godefroid Ruzindana, Vincent Rwabuwisi: It's because of what they did that we're honouring them, declared Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement Jean Damascene Bizimana. They decided to oppose a divisionist government that promoted genocide. May their valour remain as a light for Rwandans.
Thursdays highs will range from the lower 60s at the coast to near 80 degrees inland, about 3 to 8 degrees above normal. Baron Lynx

Another day of warm weather is on tap for the Bay Area on Thursday, but just in time for the weekend, temperatures are expected to take a slight downward turn. Unlike many recent weekends, however, the region is expected to remain dry aside from a slight chance of coastal drizzle.

An area of high pressure responsible for recent tranquil Bay Area weather will slowly loosen its grip on the Golden State on Thursday. As a result, weak winds are expected to blow off the ocean, dropping temperatures at the coast a couple of degrees, to the lower to mid-60s.

While the coast will cool down, inland areas may actually be slightly warmer Thursday due to clearer skies. Milky high clouds Wednesday kept temperatures a degree or two lower than they would have otherwise been on a clear day.

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By Friday morning, fog may encroach on San Francisco, a sign of a chillier day with highs in the lower 60s. Inland valleys should drop about 5 degrees Friday, to the lower to mid-70s. Brief drizzle is possible along the coast Friday morning, but periods of sunshine may prevail midday. A repeat day is in store Saturday, with another morning bout of coastal fog and drizzle possible.

Weather models predict patchy fog at the coast Friday morning, with a slight chance of drizzle. Baron Lynx

Along with the drop in temperatures, a gusty sea breeze will act like natural air conditioning and make it feel cooler at the coast Friday and Saturday. Westerly gusts up to 20 mph are possible Friday afternoon and evening, and up to 25 mph Saturday.

Fridays highs will be in the lower 60s at the coast and mid-70s inland, about 5 degrees lower than Thursday. Baron Lynx

Highs are expected to rebound Sunday toward the mid-60s at the coast and upper 70s to near 80 inland.

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Thursday breakdown

San Francisco: Thursday is expected to be another warmer-than-normal day in the city, but just how high temperatures climb depends on the offshore wind patterns. If onshore winds hold off, Ocean Beach could reach the upper 60s around 2 p.m., but even a light sea breeze will keep highs closer to 60. Warmth is more of a guarantee east of Twin Peaks, and the Mission District should record a 70-degree day. Overnight, patchy fog may return with lows around 50.

North Bay: After a partly cloudy Wednesday, a sunnier Thursday is expected in the North Bay. High temperatures will continue to run 5 to 10 degrees above normal inland, in the mid- to upper 70s in San Rafael, Mill Valley and throughout Wine Country. Fairfield and Vacaville are expected to reach the lower 80s. A slight cooldown is expected along the coastlines of Marin and Sonoma counties as onshore winds drop temperatures to the lower 60s. Lows will be in the upper 40s to lower 50s.

East Bay: Another warm April day is on tap for the East Bay on Thursday with more sunshine than Wednesday. Highs will range from the lower to mid-70s in Alameda, Oakland, Berkeley and Richmond to the upper 70s to lower 80s in Concord, Walnut Creek, San Ramon, Livermore and Fremont. Lows will be in the lower to mid-50s with areas of fog possible near the bay shoreline Friday morning.

Pacific Coast and Peninsula: Highs along the coast are expected to drop a couple of degrees to the lower to mid-60s, but it should still be a pleasant day in Half Moon Bay and Pacifica with mostly sunny skies and only light wind. Highs will gradually increase traveling south along the Peninsula, from the upper 60s in South San Francisco to the mid- to upper 70s in Redwood City. Lows will be around 50, with fog likely returning to the coastline overnight.

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Lee Junho will soon meet the viewers as a superhero through the exciting K-drama "Cashero."

Following the reveal, the series also shared snippets of cast's recent script reading, confirming that the production is in the works.

Lee Junho To Transform Into Superhero in Netflix's 'Cashero'

On April 18, it's finally confirmed that Lee Junho to headline "Cashero," a new Netflix series based on the famous Kakao webtoon of the same name.

"Cashero" follows the story of a regular government employee, Kang Sang Woong, who gains the superpower to become stronger the more cash he holds. He uses his newfound ability to save the world, even though it means using all the money in his bank account.

Lee Junho takes the role of Kang Sang Woong, an ordinary government employee who dreams of buying his own house. However, his ordinary life comes to an end when he inherits a superpower that is not cost-effective.

This marks Lee Junho's return to Netflix following the success of his rom-com drama "King the Land," where he starred with Girls' Generation YoonA.

Meanwhile, "A Shop for Killers" actress Kim Hye Joon is also confirmed to join the cast, and will play as Kim Min Sook, Kang Sang Woong's longtime girlfriend. She is a practical woman who is good with numbers. She is also a supportive partner who is always there for Sang Woong.

Kim Byung Chul, Kim Hyang Gi Are Lee Junho's Loyal Friends in 'Cashero'

Veteran actor Kim Byung Chul, who appeared in popular series like "SKY Castle," "Descendants of the Sun," "Goblin," and "Doctor Cha," will also be starring in the project.

He is expected to give life to The Lawyer role, an attorney with a charming ability that is activated when he drinks alcohol. He is the head of the Korean Superpower Association and is fighting against "The Association Criminals," a mysterious organization.

Kim Hyang Gi will portray the role of Bang Eun Mi, a superhero with the ability to use telekinesis, but only when she has eaten a certain amount of calories. She is a supportive and fearless friend of Kang Sang Woong and The Lawyer.

"Cashero" will be helmed by Lee Chang Min, the mind behind the series "Welcome to Waikiki" and "The Agency."

Meanwhile, collaborating with him are Lee Je In and Jeon Chan Ho, who penned JTBC's "Sisyphus: The Myth."

'Cashero's' Table Reading

As a glimpse, Netflix dropped the cast members' group photo during the drama's script reading, receiving anticipation from the viewers.

It has been said that Lee Junho's drama "Cashero" will be exclusively available on Netflix.

The release date of the series is yet to be announced.

What are you most excited about Lee Junho's new series? Share your thoughts/replies in the comments!

For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KDramaStars.

KDramaStars owns this article.

Shai San Miguel wrote this.
Kim Sae Ron's return to acting will not happen anytime soon.

On April 17, outlets mentioned that the celebrity will make a comeback through the upcoming theater play "Dongchimi." Unfortunately, the following day, she was reported to have been pulled out of the cast.

Kim Sae Ron Pulls Out from Theater Play 'Dongchimi'

According to a news outlet, the production organizers behind "Dongchimi" confirmed Kim Sae Ron's departure from the stage play.

"Kim Sae Ron has decided to pull out of the project due to health reasons."

However, some outlets speculate that the actress' controversy might be the primary reason her appearance got canceled from the show.

Other reports suggested that the negative reactions from the public were one of the reasons behind her stepping down from the role.

"Kim Sae Ron rigorously prepared to return to the stage, including visiting music theaters with her co-stars. However, when her comeback was announced, it was met with some negative public opinion, leading her to be conscious of it. In the end, she decided to exit the play."

As mentioned, the actress is set to portray the role of Jungyeon, one of the main characters in "Dongchimi."

Scheduled to premiere from May 3 to 12 in Seoul, the upcoming theater play highlights the heartwarming story of an elderly couple and three siblings.

Kim Sae Ron's Controversy

"The Great Shaman Ga Doo Shim" star was embroiled in a huge scandal in 2022 due to a drunk driving incident.

Kim Sae Ron was fired for driving under the influence after crashing into an electric transformer, causing disruption to businesses.

Despite her apology, she was criticized for her action, which led her to step down from an upcoming project.

In a handwritten letter, the controversial actress apologized to the merchants who were affected by the incident, as well as her colleagues-producers, fellow actors, and staff members for "hindering the production."

At the time, she was scheduled to headline the SBS K-drama "Trolley," but after her decision to cancel her appearance, she was replaced by rising actress Chung Soo Bin.

In addition to this, her appearance in Netflix's "Bloodhounds" was reduced to appease the discomfort of viewers.

Due to the public's outrage, Kim Sae Ron has decided to take a brief hiatus.

However, weeks before the update regarding "Dongchimi," Kim Sae Ron once again made headlines after speculation regarding her relationship with former labelmate Kim Soo Hyun emerged.

The actress' now deleted Instagram Story featured a candid photo of her and the "Queen of Tears" actor, raising speculations about their romance.

However, Kim Soo Hyun's agency immediately shut down the rumors and denied that he was in a relationship with Kim Sae Ron.

For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news, keep your tabs open here at KDramaStars.

KDramaStars owns this article

Written by Geca Flores




Thursday, April 18, 2024 - Late last year, the Director of Devki Group of Companies, Narendra Raval imported a Rolls Royce Phantom for President William Ruto.

According to a blogger identified as Kiprono, Raval imported the Sh 75 million beast to Kenya to give to the president.

The blogger said Raval imported the monster machine to thank the President for involving his companies in ongoing government projects such as the housing project and appointing him to various national bodies.

Now, in what could be termed as 'returning a hand', Narendra Raval has secured a licence to export Iron ore to Uganda worth Sh 15 billion.

A local daily reported that Uganda gave Raval the green light after amending the law that froze raw and semi-processed iron ore exports.

"These regulations apply only to Devki Group of Companies. The purpose of these regulations is to provide for the export of raw and semi-processed iron ore," the rules state.

President William Ruto is said to have played a hand in Ravals mega tender.

The Kenyan DAILY POST


Wednesday, April 17, 2024  A Brazilian woman who wheeled her uncle's dead body into her local bank and tried to take out a loan in his name, has been arrested.

The lady identified as Erika de Souza Vieira Nunes was captured on video during the incident at a bank in Rio de Janeiro. She appeared to have a corpse with her as she attempted to secure some financing for a $3,400 loan.

The video is quite eerie as she tried to force him to sign paperwork with his limp hand. She was seen talking to her dead uncle at various points, asking him if he could hear her and if he was listening, instructing him to sign even though he was clearly not talking back. The woman also attempts to hold his head straight as it constantly tilts and falls back.

Employees at the bank weren't convinced, ultimately calling in the police who arrested Erika. Authorities confirmed the victim's name was Paulo Roberto Braga, and he was dead for hours before being wheeled into the bank on Tuesday, April 16.

Erika may be charged with theft through fraud, embezzlement, as well as abuse of a corpse and cops are trying to determine how he died and if other family members were involved.




Thursday, April 18, 2024 - A victim has come forward and exposed a rogue car dealer from Mombasa identified as Dennis Wanyama, who is conning unsuspecting car buyers.

This is the message that he wrote to Cyprian Nyakundi.

Hi Nyakundi. I would like you to expose this company/car dealer claiming to operate from Mombasa by the name Nobel Trading Company Limited.

They claim to be located at Port Reitz next to Port Reitz District Hospital in Changamwe, Mombasa, on their Instagram account but they are scammers.

I was interested in buying a white Land Rover Discovery 2016 which is advertised on their page.

I traveled to Mombasa on Tuesday 15th of April 2024 together with my mechanic so that he could check on the vehicle.

However, upon reaching Port Reitz, there was no evidence of their showroom. The person claiming to be the director, Dennis Wanyama (0784 495 784) was constantly busy and he cancelled all my calls, especially after I sent him a message that I was in Port Reitz.

When my mechanic called, he answered his phone and told him they were closed and the Discovery had already been paid a deposit for. Immediately thereafter, he blocked my number.

I cant access their Instagram page.

His other numbers are 0786 334 985 and 0732 355 382.

He even started asking me for a deposit to secure the unit. They pretend to offer very good prices, but they are just conning people.





The Kenyan DAILY POST.
Thursday, April 18, 2024 - Mombasa anti-narcotics detectives have arrested a drug trafficker in Kiembeni, Bombo area of Kisauni, and recovered heroin and bhang.

The suspect, Zuher Ali Mohammed, was arrested in an early morning operation after detectives got a tip-off from a concerned member of the public.

Also seized from the suspect are his vehicle which is believed to be a proceeds of crime, Sh26,250 and USD 200, a weighing machine, packaging envelopes, and three mobile phones believed to contain data of his accomplices.

He will be arraigned at the Mombasa Law Courts on, April 18, 2024.

Zuhers arrest comes as detectives heighten the war on drugs in the Coast.

Several drug dealers have been arrested in the recent past.





The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Thursday, April 18, 2024 - Flamboyant Nairobi lawyer, Donald Kipkorir, has said Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) risks losing the respect they have been given by Kenyans if they don't revenge after four of their colleagues were beaten and frogmarched by police officers from Lodwar Police station.

The four officers reportedly stormed the station and surrounded it demanding the release of one of their colleagues who had earlier been arrested for allegedly disarming and assaulting a police officer manning a roadblock.

However, the four KDF officers were overpowered by Lodwar Police officers who beat them and frogmarched them outside their station.

Reacting to the humiliation of the KDF officers, Kipkorir said KDF must take revenge or lose the respect and honour they have been given by Kenyans.

The arrest of our KDF soldiers by Police in Turkana was an egregious act. Turkana is safe from marauding tribes of South Sudan, Uganda & Ethiopia courtesy of our KDF.

"KDF should not let this insult go unanswered. Every Army in the world always protects its honour. KDF should raze to the ground Lodwar Police Station.

"Not to revenge on this act will diminish the honour & respect of KDF, Kipkorir wrote on his X( formerly Twitter).

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Wednesday, April 17, 2024 - Detectives have raided a recruitment agency owned by flamboyant Roysambu pastor and former MP aspirant, James Wanjohi.

Wanjohi runs a recruitment agency dubbed WorthStart Agency located at Pension Towers in Nairobi Central Business District.

He has been conning jobless Kenyans with promises that he can secure them jobs abroad.

Detectives raided his agency after complaints from victims who claimed to have been scammed with fake promises of overseas jobs.

I am now being informed that WorthStart is an agency that deals with travels. They promise to take people to Canada etc and the raid is after some guy was conned and other complaints about the agency. pic.twitter.com/TjNuNcEzTp  Cyprian, Is Nyakundi (@C_NyaKundiH) April 17, 2024

One of the jobseekers was captured in a viral video weeping uncontrollably outside the agency offices after he borrowed money to pay for the agency fee, only to find out that he had been scammed.

















Wanjohi lives a flamboyant lifestyle that is funded by the millions of shillings that he defrauds desperate jobseekers.

He owns a fleet of guzzlers, among them a Mercedes Benz G Wagon.

See photos of his lavish lifestyle.

























The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Thursday, April 18,2024 - Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has admitted that there are many senior government officials and state officers who have fake academic papers.

Speaking during the Third National Wage Bill conference on Wednesday, Gachagua said his informers in River Road have given him a list of state officers who have fake degrees and certificates.

The list, Gachagua said, was handed to him by some individuals from Nairobis River Road who claimed they helped the officials obtain the certificates.

River Road has over the years been linked to the processing of counterfeit academic certificates and other documents.

He said the operatives who handed him the list had also approached him with a promise to help him secure a degree certificate.

I'm not really concerned about the issue of papers because I dont want to go the River Road route...mimi natosheka na ile kidogo niko nayo, the DP said.

I have been complaining that I'm lonely at the top because my boss has three degrees, Comptroller of State House has three yet I have one so these River Road people have been looking for me, Gachagua revealed.

They are telling me 'you are the deputy president what are you complaining about yet we have helped many people?... We have helped so and so and so'", Gachagua said.

The DP said he would submit the list of the said individuals to the President.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Wednesday, April 17, 2024  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has thanked the UK, US and allies for its support after helping Israel in defending against hundreds of missiles launched by Iran over the weekend but said Israel "will make our own decisions" on Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah.

The Israeli prime minister met with the UK and Germany's foreign ministers on Wednesday, April 17 amid threats of a "fierce and painful response" from Iran, if it retaliates to the weekend's missile strike, and the aftermath of an airstrike on Lebanon.

While he thanked "our friends for their support in defending Israel," Netanyahu said after meeting with Foreign Secretary David Cameron, "our allies have also all types of suggestions and advice".

"I appreciate it, but I want to make clear that we will make our own decisions and the state of Israel will do all that is needed to defend itself."

Speaking after his meeting, Lord Cameron repeated that Iran's attack was "appalling" but insisted that "any response should be smart and should be designed in a way that is going to limit and try to de-escalate this conflict".

"Nobody wants to see this conflict grow and spread," he added.

The UK foreign secretary also called for "the eyes of the world to switch to looking at the situation in Gaza, where Hamas have held these hostages for 193 days".

"They have been offered a good deal" to release some hostages in exchange for dozens of Palestinian prisoners, he added.

"When the world sees them not taking that deal, everyone should recognise that it is Hamas that is causing this conflict to continue."

Netanyahu's statement comes after Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi said at an annual parade ahead of National Army Day: "The smallest action against Iran's interests will definitely be met with a fierce, widespread and painful response against all its perpetrators."




Thursday, April 18, 2024 - The government has revealed plans to phase out all non-electric matatus and buses by the end of the year 2027.

Speaking at an event showcasing electric buses assembled in Kenya, Cabinet Secretary for Trade Rebecca Miano stated that the countrys plan was to reform the transport sector and set it on a compass towards sustainability.

According to the CS, Kenyas dependency on fossil fuels was hampering the development of the transport sector and the country's climate action goals.

Further, the CS noted that the country had already made strides in incentivizing the transition to electric mobility by zero-rating electric vehicle imports.

The launch showcased buses assembled by BasiGo, an e-mobility startup based in Thika. The company has already manufactured buses for notable saccos such as CitiHoppa and SuperMetro.

During the event, the company committed to delivering 1,000 buses in the next three years while creating 300 jobs in the process.

According to the company's CEO, Jit Bhattacharya, BasiGo has already set a target of assembling 20 buses per month.

This is also in line with the Ministry of Trades goals to increase the countrys GDP by 15 per cent by 2027 and 20 per cent by 2030.

CS Miano also noted that to date, electric buses in the country had already cruised more than Ksh1.5 million kilometres and transported more than 2.1 million passengers by March 2024.

The initiative is also aimed at placing Kenya on the global map in terms of leading the initiative against Climate Change.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Thursday, April 18, 2024  Kenyans may never get relief as long as President William Ruto still rules Kenya.

This is after Ruto revealed plans to squeeze an extra Sh1 trillion from the already burdened Kenyans to run his government.

Speaking during the Third National Wage Bill Conference 2024 held at Bomas of Kenya, revealed plans to increase revenue collection as part of its efforts to tame the public sector wage bill.

He pointed out that the government will raise an extra Ksh500 billion by digitising the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) services.

He added that if efforts are ramped up, the amount can rise to Ksh1 trillion.

The public wage bill comprises salaries, allowances and other benefits awarded to public sector employees for delivery of services.

"We can raise an extra Ksh500 billion if not an extra Ksh1 trillion just by digitising KRA and getting money that we are currently not getting," he stated.

The president questioned the bloating wage bill attributed to the payment of salaries to public sector employees, citing that measures need to be implemented to unlock more funds for the country's economic development.

"One million of us working are taking away Ksh1.1 trillion of the Ksh2.2 trillion we collect. The irony of this is that when we are asked to contribute 1.5 per cent for other Kenyans to earn a job, we complain," the head of state added.

"We forget that there are millions of Kenyans not earning a salary and are still being taxed. However, these Kenyans are not complaining."

Ruto maintained his stance that his administration must deliver on its promises to provide job opportunities to thousands of youth through the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

He confirmed the government's plans to reduce the current wage bill of 43 per cent of the national revenue to 35 per cent, citing that this would free more resources and opportunities for taxpayers.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Thursday, April 18,2024 - A section of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) members has threatened to demonstrate if the government continues to threaten Kisii County Governor, Simba Arati.

The members, led by the Kisii county ODM chairman, said the intimidation was hampering Aratis work.

We will protest across the county for two weeks from Friday until the governor is respected and given the freedom to serve residents, Kerosi told the press at Kisii Agricultural Training Centre yesterday.

The official said it was wrong for security officers to be visiting the governors residences, terming it unacceptable.

He appealed to President William Ruto to intervene and ensure the governor was safe to settle and work.

They want to derail the governors development agenda. I urge him to return home. We will protect him, Kerosi said.

Rogue DCI officers from Nairobi and Kisii counties have been reportedly trailing and threatening the governor.

The DCI officers are reportedly working under orders from above.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Thursday, April 18, 2024 - President William Ruto has called for the resignation of government employees who were recently exposed in the public service workforce audit.

Speaking during the 3rd National Wage Bill Conference 2024 at the Bomas of Kenya, Ruto highlighted that there were 2,000 government employees with fake certificates.

He noted that the government could no longer allow unqualified Kenyans to hold positions in government.

Ruto also opined that those listed in the report need to refund the government their salaries. He likened their actions to acquiring money through false pretense.

"Those who have earned money by using fake certificates should refund us that money. Those in government should leave and go and look for money to pay us.

"We must do what we need to do. I am ready to face the consequences. I am already called Zakayo," he stated.

According to a recent report by the Public Service Commission (PSC), over 1,000 employees in notable ministries and government institutions have forged their certificates.

It was noted that the employees were either changing their grades or forging authentic academic certificates issued by other government institutions.

PCS noted that the fake certificates were either used to secure jobs or the promotions.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Wednesday, April 17, 2024  Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine is facing another legal battle as federal agents have rolled up to his house, seizing some of his cars.

TMZ reported that Palm Beach Sheriff's Office were dispatched to Tekashi's home in Lake Worth, Florida, on Wednesday, April 17, to assist IRS agents conducting an operation there.

Tekashi was not home during the raid but eyewitnesses said the federal agents confiscated multiple items from Tekashi's house.

Several different cars of his were hauled off. The rapper is already dealing with another legal problems in Dominican Republic where he's been spending a lot of time lately.

Commenting on the raid, his attorney Lance Lazzaro said "We are assessing the situation and will issue a statement at the appropriate time."




Thursday, April 18, 2024  Kenyans can breathe a sigh of relief after the Labour Court declared an end to the doctors strike that has paralyzed the health sector in the country.

In his ruling yesterday, the Employment and Labour Relations Court Judge Byrum Ongaya ordered Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) doctors to return to work to tend to emergencies.

He ordered KMPDU to ensure doctors of different cadres are in public hospitals to handle emergencies.

The decision ends the doctors' strike that started on March 13.

The judge was informed that the government and the doctors had reached a return-to-work formula within 30 days.

Public discontent had been growing, with patients bearing the brunt of the impasse.

The Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha had told Members of Parliament that an assessment by the Ministry of Health indicated that the doctors' strike had left referral hospitals operating and only 33 per cent capacity among outpatients and a mare 25 per cent among specialist services.

The breakthrough comes as legislators on Wednesday, put Nakhumicha to task to answer why the government has yet to find a resolution to the CBA, but the CS insisted at the national level, the government has done its part, especially to meet the doctor's demands regarding the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

The heart of the dispute revolves around a 2017 CBA which the doctors claim the government has failed to honour.

Despite the government's assertion of financial constraints preventing them from meeting the doctors' demands, CS Nakhumicha indicated that discussions for a new CBA are underway.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Thursday, April 18, 2024 - President William Ruto has warned Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen of dire consequences due to road accidents in the country.

Speaking during the launch of the National Road Safety Action Plan 2024-2028 yesterday, Ruto gave Murkomen a one-year ultimatum to ensure road accidents are reduced or else he would find someone else who can do the job.

The Head of State made it clear that he would analyse the report detailing the significant drop in road carnage, failure to which Murkomen will be in trouble.

"One year from now, we will have another meeting. That one year from now you must report that the numbers are down otherwise you will be in a lot of trouble," he stated.

At the same time, the President challenged CS Murkomen to fast-track some proposals in the Safety Plan including the introduction of instant fines.

He also directed the National Police Service and the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to work together to reduce cases of road accidents.

He warned them against engaging in competition and bribery to derail the plans launched by the Cabinet Secretary.

To support the Ministry, Ruto revealed that he has secured a financial boost to expand the road network and adopt the intelligent transport system in the country which includes installing speed cameras in various parts of the country starting with Nairobi.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Thursday, April 18, 2024 - National Assembly Speaker, Moses Wetangula, has warned of disciplinary action against Members of Parliament speaking ill against the soon-to-be-opened Bunge Towers.

Speaking on the floor of the House on Wednesday, Wetangula, who also chairs the Parliamentary Service Commission, said the MPs might find themselves before the Powers and Privileges Committee for criticising the project without having sufficient information.

The Speaker, who communicated to the House that the President would be officially opening the premises on Friday, allayed any fears that the building is not ready for use and persuaded members to ignore what he called rejectionist philosophers.

The building is ready, there are six high-speed lifts all working sufficiently as any building you would find in Manhattan in the US.

"The offices are ready, the furniture has been put in place, the gym has been equipped, the kitchen and modern dining is in place, he told the legislators.

I want to assure you members that even the library we have set up for you is a digital library, you will access any book on earth.

"Youre going to be allocated personal parking, For those who want to walk straight from your office to the chamber there is a connecting channel.

Wetangula was responding to concerns by Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi on the negative publicity the opening of the building has generated, insisting that Parliament needed to clean its name on the project.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Wednesday, April 17, 2024  A Brazilian woman reportedly wheeled the corpse of an elderly man into a Rio de Janeiro bank on Tuesday, April 16, to try to get him to co-sign on a loan.

The bank customer, identified as Erika de Souza Vieira Nunes, was captured on video standing next to the deceased seated in a chair and seemingly holding up his drooping head.

The footage captured Nunes talking to the dead man, whom she addressed as her uncle, and asking him to sign financial documents that would allow her to take out a $3,400 loan.

Uncle, are you listening? You need to sign [the loan contract]. If you dont sign, theres no way, because I cant sign for you, Nunes says in the video, while pushing a pen between his limp fingers and instructing him to hold it hard.

Sign so you dont give me any more headaches, I cant take it anymore, she adds.

When a bank worker tries to point out that the mans color looks off and he appears not well, Nunes dismisses his concerns.

He is like that. He doesnt say anything, Nunes says. Uncle, do you want to go to the [hospital] again?

Bank staffers quickly called the police, who arrived and arrested Nunes.

It was later determined that the deceased, identified as 68-year-old Paulo Roberto Braga, had been dead for several hours before his trip to the bank.

She tried to pretend to get him to sign the loan. He already entered the bank dead, Police Chief Fabio Luiz told TV Globo. The main thing is to continue the investigation to identify other family members, and find out more about this loan.

Cops said they will look into the circumstances of Bragas death and will try to determine whether Nunes is actually his niece, and whether other relatives were involved in the alleged attempt to commit bank fraud.

Nunes could face charges of theft through fraud, or embezzlement, and abuse of corpse.

Watch the video below.
Theres a condition that is crippling Black and brown communities at a disproportionate rate and causing 400 amputations each day in the U.S. That may sound scary, but the most frightening part? A new consumer survey found that 70 percent of Americans have never heard of the most common vascular disease, peripheral artery disease (PAD)  PAD kills more people than three of the top cancers (breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer) combined and is the leading cause of non-trauma amputations. To say we are experiencing an amputation epidemic in this country would not be an overstatement  its a reality for far too many people, and we can work together as a clinical community to stop it.

The prevalence of PAD has become a public health crisis because more Americans experience at least one of the associated risk factors: diabetes, high blood pressure, and tobacco use. About 38 million Americans have diabetes, yet one in five people dont even know it, and these numbers are anticipated to grow. While there has been a reduction in smoking in the U.S., the numbers are still not ideal  nearly 20 percent of Black adults in the U.S. use tobacco products. Lastly, nearly half of all Americans have high blood pressure, which has been an increasing cause for alarm that many physicians are calling to address due to the associated cardiovascular risks.

In addition to the rising number of Americans experiencing risk factors, the PAD crisis can be rooted in two other problems: one, there is a lack of public education on the risks, symptoms, and diagnosis of PAD; and two, many physicians tend to overlook the commonness and severity of PAD. To turn the tide against this devastating disease, we need to rely on physicians to switch their mindset and make sure patients are aware of PAD, akin to other chronic diseases.

Switching the mindset on PAD

There is a common issue with not catching PAD early enough to avoid more progressive stages, resulting in amputation and even death. These repercussions are often preventable, creating another reason for PAD to be taken more critically by physicians and patients.

Patients who have diabetes, high blood pressure, and/or use tobacco should be screened for PAD. Almost all patients who come to primary care doctors above the age of 65 experience one or more of those risk factors. We encourage primary care doctors and other providers to have PAD at the forefront of their minds during these visits because many are beginning to see more patients turning up with amputations.

Physicians can think about PAD earlier by expanding their mindset from just evaluating the initial issue a patient may come in for to checking for PAD in patients with comorbidities. The serious consequences of PAD should justify the importance of this switch in mindset. If a person comes in with a potential PAD diagnosis, they are at high risk for heart attack and stroke. They should be immediately evaluated and treated so their overall risk of a serious cardiovascular event or death decreases. Its time the health care world should think of PAD as a killer because it is not only of the legs but also lives. Even though a patient may not be bleeding to death, theyre likely clotting to death slowly with PAD.

Importance of awareness

The lack of awareness around PAD stems from one main reason: PAD does not present as intensely as other circular and vascular diseases. When you have a heart attack or a stroke, something very acute happens  someone is calling 9-1-1, and youre rushed in an ambulance to the hospital. PAD, even though its similar in that the blood supply is diminished in the legs (vs. the brain or heart), does not present like that. PAD is a slow burn where, over time, you lose blood supply to your leg, and then suddenly, you wake up one day and have severe pain in your foot, a dead toe, or a wound thats not healing.

Physicians are educated on PAD, but that education needs to translate to public knowledge of the signs and symptoms, enabling patients to talk with their health care providers. Due to awareness campaigns in recent years, we all know that if you have severe chest pain or notice somebody with a drooping face who cant smile or speak, call 9-1-1.

However, the awareness around PAD is lacking and has not changed in decades. We need to tell patients that if they have the risk factors or they notice a cut thats not healing properly or have pain in their foot thats persistent, talk to their doctor and ask, Could it be PAD? A physician will immediately be able to feel their pulse and do a check to see whether PAD might be an issue. Increased awareness can create an impactful snowball effect. The more patients care about PAD and understand how big of an issue it is, the more providers are going to bring it up, the more the government will invest in solutions, and the more lives are saved. All parties need to bring their attention to PAD because its been disregarded for too long.

The future of PAD

The good news is that physicians are making strides to combat PAD in this country. Four leading heart and vascular societies (the Association of Black Cardiologists, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions, Society of Interventional Radiology, and Society of Vascular Surgery) formed the PAD Pulse Alliance to raise awareness and empower patients to start the conversation with their doctor. The Get a Pulse on PAD campaign aims to educate people on risk factors and potential symptoms, helping guide patients through their PAD journey.

Patients need to be aware of this devasting disease and know the risk factors and symptoms, just like that of a stroke or a heart attack. The government should step in to cover screenings, and it should be second nature for high-risk patients to be screened. Then, we can get patients to a provider earlier to get a diagnostic noninvasive test. Were not reinventing the wheel by calling for increased diligence of PAD. Weve completed similar processes and campaigns  think about the success cancer and heart attack initiatives have had over the years. Physicians have the influence and skills to prevent the growing number of PAD-related amputations and deaths and now is the time.

Anahita Dua is a vascular surgeon.
Kilkenny artists are being encouraged to apply for two-year fully funded and paid support opportunity and the closing date for applications is later this month.

Irish arts company Promenade which provides artists, producers and arts organisations with strategic and creative project support to help reach their goals and aspirations, is offering five artists or companies producing, production and artistic support, in partnership with outside experts and partners, throughout 2024 and 2025.

The opportunity is funded by the Arts Councils Creative Production Supports Scheme and is open to artists and organisations working in the areas of circus, street arts, spectacle, participatory arts & multi-disciplinary arts, including those from underrepresented backgrounds.

Each of the successful applicants will be assigned a producer who will provide several hours of support per week. This will involve mentoring and practical support tailored to each individual artist or companys needs and includes support such as project planning, partnership brokering, securing funding, tour booking and public engagement.

In addition, Promenade will pay for each artist or company to benefit from one-to-one support from outside experts in areas including operational logistics, production and technical advice, and marketing and PR support. Each artist or company will receive up to 1,750 per year in 2024 and 2025 for attending meetings with Promenade and receiving external advisory support.

Corks Circus Factory will also offer one artist a one-week shared residency during 2024 and 2025 and Corks Everyman theatre is offering three short term residencies as part of the programme in 2024/2025.

Applications from early career, emerging and under-represented artists resident in the Republic of Ireland and practising in the areas of circus, street arts and spectacle, participatory arts, outdoors arts or who produce work in the public realm including site-specific work will be prioritised.

Founder and Creative Director of Promenade, Kath Gorman, said this is a valuable opportunity for artists to access expert support.

Artists chosen will not only have dedicated producer support but access to a range of experts who can offer advice to enhance and grow artists and their projects, opening doors to new opportunities while providing fresh perspectives and support throughout. This is reflected at Promenades core as our ambition is to support artists and organisations working in these creative fields to create work that is unexpected, relevant and contemporary, impacting positively on peoples lives. We build Irish and international partnerships to create high quality and ambitious arts experiences and to work with the next generation of producers and artists, providing training and mentoring to support their career development, she added.

Artists and companies interested in applying must complete a written application form or apply with a short video. Further information about the application process can be found on promenade.ie or by emailing Ciara OMahony contact@promenade.ie

The deadline for applications is midday on Monday April 22.
A well-known Irish influencer and his partner are set to begin the next chapter of their lives in County Kilkenny.

James Kavanagh is known for being an online influencer, as well as an entrepreneur, and television presenter.

He has recently been house-hunting with his partner William Murray, but the couple discovered that their budget didn't stretch to the type of house in Dublin that they had envisaged as their dream home.

After a lot of searching, all across the country, the couple have decided to purchase a house in Graignamanagh, are are due to move before the summer, all going to plan.

Some of the pair's recent ventures include being finalists on RTE's The Taste of Success and producing their first book, The Currabinny Cookbook, which was published by Penguin in 2018.

In 2018, James Kavanagh began his television career as the co-host of Ireland's Got Talent's companion sister show Ireland's Got Mor Talent on Virgin Media Television.

The couple filmed their recent house search for the new television series, The Great Inspo Home Adventure with James Kavanagh, available on Virgin Media Player.

FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE
A proposal to move divorce and separation cases to the district courts will cause huge difficulties and injustice for families, lawyers have said.

Legal professionals who work in family law said moving these cases from the Circuit Court to the District Court risks creating a backlog that could make things worse for couples and children.

A solicitor suggested Minister for Justice Helen McEntee should go to a Dublin family law court to see how busy it already is.

Dolphin House, at this moment in time, its not fit for purpose, said Sandra McAleer, who has worked for 18 years at the Dublin District Family Court in Dolphin House for 18 years.

The meeting with Helen McEntee should take place at 10.30am any day in Dolphin House and she will see what we have to deal with on a regular basis, she added during a panel discussion held on Wednesday by the Bar of Ireland and the Family Lawyers Association.

We have judges sitting from 10.30am to 7pm, 8pm at night trying to finish the list and try and get people access, maintenance and so forth.

Adding 6,000, 7,000 back on to Dolphin House or in any district is absolutely abuse of children and abuse of the family itself. There is no room in the District Court for the Circuit Court work.

The Family Courts Bill 2022 proposes establishing a Family High Court, Family Circuit Court and Family District Court as divisions within the existing courts.

The Bill aims to create a more efficient and user-friendly family court system, and the Bar of Ireland, barristers representative group, supports the majority of provisions in the legislation.

But it opposes the proposal to hold most divorce and judicial separation cases in the Family District Court, which it said is designed to process high volume, minor offence matters including road traffic offences, statutory prosecutions and liquor licensing.

In 2022, the District Court handled 56,750 family law-related cases out of a total of 471,768, while the Circuit Court had 6,305.

The Bar of Ireland said divorce and separation can cause complicated scenarios and should not be rushed in a court with already impossibly full lists.

A survey of 286 solicitors and barristers carried out in April by the Family Lawyers Association of Ireland indicated that 79% felt insufficient time was the main challenge they faced, while 67% said it was inappropriate physical settings and 65% said delays in getting expert reports.

Asked if the District Court was an appropriate venue for separation and divorce proceedings, in addition to cohabitation disputes, 96% said no.

A spokesman for the Department of Justice said: It is important to note that these will be new Family Courts, which will have dedicated, specialist judges to deal with family cases and who will not have to deal with other civil or criminal cases.

Their work will be supported by a range of services to assist families who need to come to court. There will be extensive preparatory work in advance of the legislation coming into force to make sure the new Family Courts will work effectively.

The proposed extension of jurisdiction in judicial separation and divorce cases should be particularly helpful in uncontested cases. Giving jurisdiction to the Family District Court to rule in such matters can reduce the need for costly legal representation.

Legal professionals also criticised a measure in the Bill for separation and divorce cases where the land and family home is worth more than a million euro to be heard in the Circuit Court.

The department said this threshold was chosen to take account of the contemporary value of family homes in all areas of the State, thus mitigating against a case being excluded from consideration by the lowest possible court jurisdiction solely by virtue of the property values in any particular regional location.

Sara Phelan SC, chairwoman of the Council of the Bar of Ireland, said the limit would mean people in rural Ireland would not have the same time in court as those in Dublin.

She said this does not include the vast number of couples who, simply by reason of their circumstances, cannot afford to own property at all.

What is fair and equitable about these differentiations based on market value of land? Or the absence of ownership of land? Absolutely nothing. It is simply not fair, it is not equitable.

Caroline Counihan BL, legal supports manager for Safe Ireland, an advocacy group for victims of domestic violence, said the change would lead to increased delays, which would mean higher risks.

No matter how I look at it, and I have looked at it quite hard, I cannot see how this system is going to work for our own clients, the women and children that we support, vulnerable survivors of domestic violence.

Its going to make, I think, their lives much, much more difficult.

She said delays mean effectively, for our clients, increased risk of domestic violence deepening and taking different forms as time goes by.

She said the Circuit Court should be improved to handle these cases rather than overburden an already overburdened District Court.

She added: I have been in quite a number of rural district courts for various reasons over the course of years, and the facilities are dreadful. Theres every possibility for direct intimidation by the alleged abuser, theres terrific overcrowding, privacy is very, very difficult.

The idea that another 6,000 divorces and separation cases are going to be forked in on top of that  I cant see it working for our clients who already find it difficult to come to court to have a consultation in anything resembling privacy and security.

Keith Walsh SC, manager of Keith Walsh Solicitors, said delays would lead to huge injustices for families.

He said the district courts face around 200 cases a day and around 20% of District Court family law cases need to be dealt with on the day.

They require urgent attention because of their statutory timelines and guidance, and if they dont get met then children can be released from care back to potentially very hazardous and dangerous situations.

He said that if urgent domestic violence or childcare cases come in, there is a risk that cases will be pushed back, and extra resources would not address the problem.

Who suffers if there are delays or justice is denied? The person without the access to the children, the person without the access to the money. So with divorce and separation the more vulnerable of the two spouses in those situations is going to suffer.

Paul McCarthy SC, chairman of the Family Lawyers Association of Ireland, said the suggestion that moving these cases to the District Court would make things cheaper was not stood up by any actual analysis or evidence that Ive seen or that has been brought to my attention.

He added that if the family court system is inefficient, there will be more court dates which will lead to further costs.

So far from driving down costs, there is a very real possibility that costs will actually be increased by having inefficiencies, he said, adding that the assertion was a lazy trope which did not do service to the argument they were making on behalf of their clients.

We are talking to members of the Oireachtas and they have been listening with a very sympathetic ear, he said.

He added that the Department of Justice reached out to the association and they are due to meet in the next week.
A Dublin man who sexually assaulted his younger cousin over a four-year period has been jailed for five and a half years.

The 28-year-old was convicted of ten counts of sexual assault following a trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in March. He can't be named to protect his victim's anonymity.

The man maintains his innocence and does not accept the jury's verdict, the court was told.

The offences occurred between 2008 and 2011, when the victim was aged between six and ten years old, while the accused was then aged between 13 and 17.

This Thursday, Judge Sarah Berkeley said this was a sad and difficult case for all concerned, as it involved family members.

She said the aggravating features of the case include the victim's age and the duration of the offending.

Setting a headline sentence of eight years, the judge noted the mitigation includes that the man was a teenager at the time, his lack of previous convictions and that he has not come to recent garda attention.

She imposed a sentence of five and a half years backdated to when he entered custody.

A local garda told Tessa White BL, prosecuting, that the first incident occurred in May 2008 during a family holiday in Connacht. The girl went to the teenager's room and he put her hand on his penis, then forced her to masturbate him. He then removed her leggings and put his fingers in her vagina.

The sexual assaults primarily occurred in the home of the victim's grandmother, where the boy was living at the time. The offending included inappropriate touching, masturbation and digital penetration.

In some incidents, the sexual assaults took place in the boy's bedroom while pornography was playing.

The court heard the abuse occurred frequently and came to an end in 2011. During another family holiday in the south-east, the girl saw her cousin masturbate in a play area while no one was present. There was no physical contact at this point.

When the girl was 17, a sibling entered her bedroom and found notes she had made which said the man had molested her while on holiday in Connacht. He showed these notes to their mother, who later confronted the accused. He denied the allegations.

A complaint was made to gardai and the accused was co-operative, answering questions during interview. He was deemed unsuitable for juvenile diversion programme.

He has no previous convictions and has been in custody since his conviction.

In an impact statement read to the court, the victim said she felt at fault and blamed herself, but now understands this not not hers to carry.

Addressing the man, the victim said: You are to blame.

She said she felt dirty and unclean as a child and these feelings didn't go away. The victim said her relationship with her mother was affected as she couldn't understand why she was angry.

She said all aspects of her life had been affected and blighted by what happened and she was retraumatised by the trial process.

I'll never forgive you, she said, adding that she hoped to begin a new life with the support of her family and friends.

The garda agreed with Giollaiosa O Lideadha SC, defending, that his client has not come to recent garda attention and no allegations have been made about his behaviour towards other children when he was living at his grandmother's house.

A number of references were handed into the court on the man's behalf, including from his partner who said he has taken on a fatherly role towards her young child. One testimonial was provided by a friend who provided him with accommodation after he left his grandmother's home once the allegations came to light.

Mr O Lideadha submitted the aggravating features in this case are not at the more serious end of the scale.

He asked the court to take into account the contents of a psychological report, that his client was a teenager at the time of offending, that he had a difficult childhood and his ADHD diagnosis.

Judge Berkeley said the court accepted that the man had a difficult childhood, but expressed concern that he was permitted to watch pornography in his bedroom unsupervised, which contributed, in the court's view, to his offending.

Lots of people have trauma in their lives and don't resort to paedophilia, she said.

This Thursday, Judge Berkeley noted the victim's strength and intelligence, adding that her distress was palpable during the trial, and particularly when faced with 11 male jurors. Judge Berkeley wished the girl the best for the future.

She said the girl's family are good and decent. The judge said the court was not criticising the girl's grandmother, adding that people do not realise the risk sometimes.

She noted while the man had a difficult childhood, he was well-cared for by his extended family.

Judge Berkeley expressed concern that there was no guidance in recent legislation to assist a sentencing judge when specifying how long a convicted person should be placed on the sex offenders register, which can be up to a maximum of five years if the offence was committed when they were a juvenile.

Judge Berkeley directed the man be placed on the sex offenders register for two and a half years, noting that he has not come to recent garda attention.

Granting an application to extend legal aid for an appeal to be lodged, the judge suggested that the Court of Appeal might consider this absence of guidance for sentencing judges.
The Herald reports:

An unlicensed driver panicked and fled after she fatally struck and ran over a motorcyclist. Fatima Mohammed, 48, driving a Honda CR-V, did not stop after running over Ian Charles Johnson with both the front and rear sets of her cars wheels at a Hastingsroundabout last June. Police found her later at the house of a friend. Johnson, 73, died in Wellington Hospital almost three weeks after the crash, having suffered multiple injuries including fractures of his ribs and spine.

Accidents can happen, and we should not judge too harshly drivers, unless they are clearly reckless. But what we should be harsh on is leaving someone to die, and not stopping. When you flee the scene of a serious accident, you are saying you care more about what happens to you than the injured person.

Judge Mackintosh said a case of this type was difficult because careless driving was a charge with a lower penalty and there was no way she could impose a sentence which reflected the emotional impact on the victims. The maximum sentence for a charge of careless driving causing death was a short term of imprisonment but in such circumstances it had to be commuted to a community-based sentence. She ordered three months of community detention with a curfew to be at home from 7pm to 8am every night. She also imposed 150 hours of community work, 12 months of supervision, and ordered reparation of $15,599.

The maximum term for careless driving causing death is only three months. Bot for failing to stop, it is five years. For the latter offence, community work seems inadequate.

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By Andrew Hammond

The AUKUS security pact was originally announced by the United States, Australia and Britain amid relatively low expectations, and mixed reactions globally. Yet, it is assuming momentum with U.K. National Security Adviser Stephen Lovegrove calling it the most significant capability collaboration anywhere in the world in the past six decades.

The latest wave of interest in AUKUS has come recently with much speculation about Japans potential role in the so-called phase two of the alliance. However, the worlds third-largest economy is just one of several nations that has been mooted in the last couple of years as potential partners, including New Zealand, Canada, South Korea and possibly Singapore.

Last week, U.K. Defence Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed that consultations on future cooperation between AUKUS security pact partners and other nations will begin this year. Asian allies such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore would all bring key assets to the table, but full membership of AUKUS is not yet mooted.

Japan is planning to double its military budget, which will soon be the worlds third-largest; South Korea has a capable military that has spent decades training and preparing for potential conflict with North Korea; while Singapore has well trained, high-tech naval and air forces. Deeper relationships with these Asian nations might include more clearly defined security guarantees, enhanced training and exercises, advanced weapons systems joint procurement and stronger collaboration in the ICT frontiers of warfare, including cyber-defence.

Yet, beyond Asia, further-flung nations including Canada and New Zealand, both members of the so-called Five Eyes alliance with the United States, Australia and Britain, are also potential partners too. Take the example of Canada, which two former British Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss previously backed for AUKUS membership to strengthen the Wests collective defences."

Johnson has even said that Canada is the most obvious next candidate, in part because it had fought, often heroically, for freedom in the past. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last Monday that he had already held excellent conversations with London, Washington and Canberra over joining the AUKUS alliance.

Beyond purely military considerations, supporters of Canadas membership have pointed to the countrys huge supply of critical natural minerals. It is argued that this would allow Britain, United States and Australia to be less reliant on exports from China.

One key benefit for Canada of joining AUKUS is the need for new submarines (potentially nuclear) to protect the Canadian coastline. This is the longest Arctic coastline in the world, and under significant geopolitical scrutiny from an increasing number of nations.

The potential Canadian need for nuclear submarines relates back to the stage one founding of AUKUS in 2021 which is as a defense alliance focused on helping Australia acquire its first nuclear submarines. Building from this, the so-called next phase, second pillar of AUKUS is centered around advanced capabilities and sharing technologies in areas such as hypersonic, quantum computing and undersea.

A key challenge for collaboration, however, for Asian nations outside of AUKUS, are U.S. restrictions on sharing technological secrets. To try to combat this, Japan has said it will introduce economic security legislation to allow it to classify more information as confidential and ask employees at companies with access to it to undergo security clearance checks, and enhance cybersecurity, including a pledge to create a 20,000-strong cybersecurity force and write legislation that would allow it to engage in active cybersecurity defense aimed at eliminating potential online attacks.

The latest wave of phase two speculation concerning AUKUS underlines that, while some dismiss the importance of this deepening defense relationship, it is seen as hugely important in Washington, London and Canberra. While the three nations are separated geographically, they have deep historical ties that are being rejuvenated in the 2020s.

Take the example of the growing warmth between London and Canberra which is bringing new relevance to this longstanding partnership. This includes plans for Australia to regularly host two of the Royal Navys Offshore Patrol Vessels, in a move that's expected to lay the groundwork for future rotations of larger U.K. ships and submarines, and the possibility that U.K. military assets could be based permanently in Australia in the future. It is also possible that U.K. forces could undertake increased military training in Australia.

So while AUKUS is a new treaty, it is only the latest chapter in the long history of security and political cooperation. Take the example of the Five Eyes security alliance stemming from the remarkable intelligence relationship that the United States and Britain enjoyed in World War II which was institutionalized in the 1946 BRUSA (later UKUSA) Agreement. Canada, Australia and New Zealand, as former U.K. dominions, began representing themselves in the intelligence pact in the late 1940s and 1950s which led to developments like the 1951 ANZUS treaty.

To be sure, there have been some bumps in the road in recent years, including potential divergences over the use of Chinese 5G telecommunications technology. Australia, alongside the United States, have been the most vociferous in their opposition to such Chinese technology with both banning the Chinese-headquartered telecoms firms from supplying equipment to their 5G networks.

However, Britain, alongside other Five Eyes allies New Zealand and Canada, previously had more nuanced positions. The former government of Theresa May and indeed Johnson had considered allowing Chinese firms a limited role in building non-core parts of the nations 5G network. However, Johnson ultimately u-turned on this issue under pressure from Canberra and Washington. Had there been a big breach between Britain and Australia on this issue, intelligence sharing could have been curtailed, denting ties.

One sign of the fact that AUKUS is such a big political call for Britain in this context is the criticism from May, in her capacity as a former premier, who has questioned whether the pact means London could be enveloped in a war with Beijing over Taiwan given the longstanding U.S. security guarantees given to Taipei. This issue was fuelled by recent comments by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell. He suggested that three U.S. submarines to be supplied to Australia could be deployed against China in any conflict over Taiwan.

Taken together, the AUKUS project is therefore assuming new momentum. While expansion of the alliance may be unlikely in the immediate term, collaboration with a range of partners in the Asia-Pacific and Americas appears increasingly possible.

Andrew Hammond is an Associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics.
Angola, IN (46703)

Today

Cloudy this morning with showers during the afternoon. High 59F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 44F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Cloudy this morning with showers during the afternoon. High 61F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 44F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Label CReA Studio is set to launch "UNDER 15," a mega girl group project that will foster the youngest 5th-gen idols, ages 3 to 15 years old!

CReA Studio Audition Show 'UNDER 15' Aims to Create Youngest 5th-Gen Group

On April 17, CreA Studio announced that they would begin the production of the group in the second half of 2024, while the screening process already started this month.

CReA Studio is led by CEO Seo Hye Jin, the person behind the success of "Miss Trot" and "Mr. Trot." Seo is also the one to introduce the new genre called "K-Trot," and this time, the goal is to create an idol group through "K-Audition."

In particular, the project "UNDER 15" is an audition program in South Korea that will target youth in 70 countries.

The goal is to select members between ages 3 to 15 years old only, and they are expected to have a much younger average debut age than NewJeans, which is 16.4 years old, the current most influential girl group in the world.

Another aim of the program is to create a 5th-generation "vocal prodigy" girl group that will shake up the worlds population of 7.5 billion. They will be selected regardless of race, nationality, or genre to be active around the world.

The multinational girl group is expected to surpass NewJeans and BLACKPINK.

'UNDER 15' To Launch in 2nd Half of 2024  How Will Members Be Chosen?

Prior to their debut, the participants will have to go through the "K-Training System," the core of "K-Culture."

The Top 10 talented global teenagers who will be selected through "UNDER15" are expected to make a new history of K-pop with the members' hexagonal charms, including visuals, performance, and singing skills.

Aside from achieving the winners' dreams to become idols, CReA studio will also provide various perks to help them grow as stars, and this includes giving them support to continue music study abroad, album release, various spin-off shows and tour concert appearances.

Currently, "UNDER 15" has already begun its recruiting process, while the top 10 members will be finalized upon the launch of the audition program in the second half of 2024.

The search for the fresh gems that will unfold their growth stories through the show wasn't only held in South Korea, but also in Asia, North, South America and Europe.

CReA Studio raised anticipation by saying:

"'UNDER15' is a unique challenge and homework-like project for 'CReA Studio', which is leading the new direction of 'K-Audition.' We have no doubt that teenage global stars who have led a fresh boom in every era will be born through 'UNDER15.' Please keep an eye on the project to foster the youngest global 5th generation vocal prodigy girl group led by CReA Studio,' known as an unconventional storyteller in the K-Audition world."

READ MORE: JY Park To Produce New Girl Group With Members in Their 50s

For more K-Pop news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KpopStarz.

KpopStarz owns this article.

Written by Eunice Dela Cruz
One ILLIT member is garnering the most attention in China!

Ever since the group made their explosive debut on March 25 with "Magnetic," ILLIT has been charming audiences worldwide. With their fairy-like visuals, ethereal music, and adorable concept, the girl group is poised to be one of the most popular girl groups of the fifth generation. With high interest in the group themselves, the members are also forming their own fanbases.

And one certain member is seeing high popularity in China! Keep on reading for all the details.

ILLIT Moka Receives Explosive Reactions in China

On April 17, 2024, a post titled "This ILLIT member that's getting the best response in China right now" was uploaded to the well-known South Korean online community forum TheQoo.

There, the original poster (OP) revealed ILLIT member Moka is considered the most popular member in China as of the moment. They were able to determine this by the current ranking of Chinese fandom bulk boys. These Chinese bars rely on fan demand, so the higher the bulk buy number is, the more fans are ordering from them!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: ILLIT Becomes 1st K-pop Group In History To Enter Billboard Hot 100 With Debut Release

Moka's number of copies is at its highest, with 56,312 copies. Meanwhile, Yunah currently has the least, with 12,851 copies. Currently, the fandom purchasing share of Chinese fans is at 43%, with over 164,000 copies bought.

The current ranking of Chinese fandom bulk boys for "Super Real Me" is as follows:

Moka: 56,312 copies Wonhee: 40,348 copies Minju: 32,846 copies Iroha: 21, 361 copies Yunah: 12, 851 copies

Why is ILLIT Moka Popular in China?

Korean netizens commented that in China, idols with more cute visuals are considered popular. Additionally, their current styling suits Chinese netizens' taste, following the rise of douyin and coquette-themed brands such as Flower Knows. Additionally, it appears Moka has the type of face Chinese people like.

Chinese beauty standards idealize oval or egg-shaped faces with narrow jaws, as well as large, doe-like eyes with a high nose bridge. Moka has all of these features, so it isn't surprising that she is so well-loved in the country!

YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN: ILLIT Becomes 1st K-pop Group In History To Enter Billboard Hot 100 With Debut Release

However, others believe her fame isn't fully unrivaled, as Wonhee and Minju's sales are also rather high. Therefore, people believe these three rankings can be easily interchanged in the future.

Some comments read,

"Cute-looking kids sure are popular there."

"Their coordi looks so Chinese-style."

"It seems like Moka has the type of face China likes."

"It seems like audition programs are very popular overseas."

What do you think of the situation? Tell us in the comments below!

CHECK THIS OUT: Jeonghan, Joy Draw Mixed Reactions for Doing 'Magnetic' Challenge - But Why?

KpopStarz Owns This

Written by Alexa Lopez
HyunA shared details about her first date with her boyfriend, former HIGHLIGHT member Yong Junhyung.

HyunA and Yong Junhyung went public with their relationship in January 2024. From the moment they announced that they were a couple, they were met with backlash due to the male idol's dark past. However, that hasn't let them down, with the two often sighted together in public.

Now, the female idol has opened up more details about their relationship. Keep on reading for all the details.

HyunA Dishes on First Date With Ex-HIGHLIGHT Yong Junhyung

On April 18, 2024, the latest episode of the web show "Jo Hyun Ah's Thursday Night" was uploaded to YouTube. There, soloist HyunA made a guest appearance and dished about her current relationship.

When asked by Jo Hyun Ah about the difference in how her boyfriend first perceived her compared to her true self, HyunA confirmed that there was a major difference. She stated, "Yes, he initially thought I was sly."

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: HyunA's Brave Comeback Overshadowed by Controversial Relationship Scandal

She then recalled their first date, saying that his perception of her changed then. HyunA stated, "That perception changed after we shared a meal of seonji hangover soup on our first date."

The idol then revealed she shed tears during their first date together! The reason why? A romantic drama.

YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN: HyunA Loses 630k Instagram Followers After Dating News: 'The problem is her boyfriend...'

She stated, "We watched the drama 'My Love from the Star' together, and while we were watching, I cried." The idol then expressed her fondness for such intimate moments; she added, "I truly enjoy these small, endearing experiences."

Check out HyunA's appearance on "Jo Hyun Ah's Thursday Night" here:



What do you think of the situation?

Hyuna and Yong Junhyung's Controversial Relationship

Back on January 18, 2024, HyunA and Yong Junhyung shocked the internet by sharing a photo of them holding hands on the beach. In HyunA's post, she included an emoji of a couple and asked fans in the comment to support them and their relationship. Soon, both sides confirmed that they were dating.

CHECK THIS OUT: HyunA Spotted With Controversial Boyfriend Yong Junhyung in Thailand - Check it Out Here

Upon announcing their relationship, HyunA faced massive backlash. This is because in 2018, it was revealed that Yong Jun Hyun received videos from actor Jung Joon Young of an illegally taken explicit video. In a now-deleted statement, he stated he "participated in inappropriate conversations" about said videos. As a result, he left HIGHLIGHT and took a break from activities.

Due to HyunA's reputation as a feminist with girl anthem songs, many were understandably upset that she would date someone who participated in such acts. However, HyunA has not commented on the negativity. Her label, At AREA, stated they would take legal action against malicious comments against the artist.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: HyunA Reportedly Dating Ex-Highlight Yong Junhyung - Why Is It Controversial?

KpopStarz Owns This

Written by Alexa Lopez
Rioters loyal to President Donald Trump rally at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has scheduled its next hearing for Oct. 13, 2022, pushing the investigation back into the limelight less than three weeks before the midterm election that will determine control of Congress. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India inaugurates new Engine Assembly Line for CKD exports

Gurugram, Apr 18 (UNI) Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI), one of the countrys leading two-wheeler manufacturers, has announced a significant milestone in its journey.

The company has inaugurated a new state-of-the-art engine assembly line at its Global Resource Factory in Manesar, Gurugram (Haryana), with focus on CKD (Completely Knocked Down) exports, according to a media statement here on Thursday.

This milestone marks a significant leap forward in HMSI's commitment to innovation, efficiency, and global excellence. The new assembly line boasts a capacity of manufacturing 600 engines per day. It is equipped to produce engines for models ranging from 110cc to 300cc, catering to diverse needs and preferences of customers across the globe.



HMSIs Global Resource Factory in Manesar holds a special place in the companys legacy. Established in 2001 with Activa being the first mass production model, it was Honda's first two-wheeler manufacturing facility in the country. Over the years, it has evolved into a vital export hub, contributing significantly to India's position as a key player in the global automotive landscape.

Currently, HMSI exports to 58 markets spanning Europe, Central & Latin America, Middle East, South-East Asia, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and SAARC nations.



Speaking on the occasion, Tsutsumu Otani, Managing Director, President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India, said, "We are happy to introduce a new engine assembly line for CKD exports at our Global Resource Factory in Manesar. It is a testament to our relentless pursuit of driving technological advancements in the industry.

With this step, HMSI aims to boost its export capabilities, reaching new heights in market expansion and adherence to global quality standards.

UNI SJC CS
China will hold the first space cooperation forum with Latin American and the Caribbean countries during the upcoming Space Day of China, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced Wednesday.

The China-Latin America and the Caribbean Space Cooperation Forum, co-hosted by the CNSA, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Hubei provincial government, will be held in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, from April 24 to 26, said Lyu Bo, deputy director of the Department of System Engineering of the CNSA, at a press conference in Beijing.

The forum will include the opening ceremony, the main forum and four sub-forums concerning space infrastructure's contribution to sustainable social and economic development, deep space exploration and space science, innovative development of the space industry chain, and global governance and capacity building in outer space, he added.

Nearly 90 delegates from 24 countries and eight international organizations, including government officials as well as industry, research entities and private sector representatives, will attend the forum.

According to Lyu, a series of events, including a China Space Conference, China Space Culture and Art Forum, and a space science popularization exhibition, will be held in Wuhan to celebrate the Space Day of China, which falls on April 24.

Officials, academicians and experts from governmental entities, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, universities and space enterprises, as well as foreign guests from 50 countries and regions and international organizations, will participate in those events.

Besides the events in Wuhan, about 500 activities, such as space open day, popular science lectures, knowledge contests, exchanges and discussions, will be held across the country.

Starting in 2016, China chose April 24 as the Space Day of China to mark the launch of its first satellite "Dongfanghong-1" into space on April 24, 1970.

Zarazeno ct 18.04.2024 03:04:05 Vydano Zdroj scio.gov.cn Original english.scio.gov.cn/pressroom/2024-04/18/content_117133391.htm lang en
China's major industrial companies are optimistic about their business prospects with a continuous increase in their profits, Shan Zhongde, vice minister of industry and information technology, said on Thursday.

Private investment in the manufacturing sector grew 11.9 percent year on year during the first quarter of this year, Shan told a press conference.

According to a survey of 36,000 key manufacturing enterprises, 76 percent expect their industrial output to grow or remain flat in the second quarter of this year compared with one year earlier, he said.

At the end of February, the number of major industrial enterprises rose to 501,000, up 19,000 from the end of 2023, Shan added.

From January to February this year, major industrial enterprises nationwide realized total profits of 914.1 billion yuan (about 128.7 billion U.S. dollars), up 10.2 percent year on year, the National Bureau of Statistics said earlier this week.

Zarazeno ct 18.04.2024 10:04:03 Vydano Zdroj scio.gov.cn Original english.scio.gov.cn/pressroom/2024-04/18/content_117134465.htm lang en
Q&A on the Commission's proposal on EU-UK youth mobility

What is the Commission proposing?

The Commission has adopted a Recommendation to the Council to open negotiations with the UK, with a view to conclude an agreement on youth mobility between the EU and the UK.

The objective would be to facilitate youth exchanges, making it easier for young EU citizens to travel, work and live in the UK, with reciprocity for young UK nationals in a Member State.

Why is the Commission making this proposal?

The withdrawal of the UK from the EU has resulted in decreased mobility between the EU and the UK. This situation has particularly affected opportunities for young people.

The UK has shown interest in the issue by reaching out to a number of Member States on youth mobility.

With this proposal, the Commission seeks to address this matter of common concern in an EU-wide manner.

How does this initiative relate to the existing agreements between the EU and the UK?

The Withdrawal Agreement protects the rights of EU citizens that were residing in the UK on 31 December 2020 (if they had exercised their right to free movement under EU free movement law when it still applied) and the rights of UK nationals that were residing in a Member State at that time.

The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement does not address the mobility of people i.e., taking residence in a different country after 2020.

What would the envisaged agreement be about?

The envisaged agreement would benefit both EU and UK citizens aged between 18 to 30 years. The eligible people would be able to stay for up to 4 years in the destination country.

The envisaged agreement would set out the criteria to be fulfilled by the beneficiaries of the agreement.

Mobility would not be purpose-bound, i.e., beneficiaries should be able to undertake different activities during that period, such as studying, training, working or travelling, neither would mobility be subject to a quota system.

Would the envisaged agreement amount to reinstating free movement as it applied while the UK was a Member State?

No. The envisaged agreement would provide for limited-in-time mobility, subject to the fulfilment of conditions to be checked before the mobility can take place. The conditions should also be met during the stay. It is not about conferring to young UK nationals the benefits of the fundamental freedom of movement enjoyed by EU citizens.

At the time when the UK was a Member State, UK nationals had the right to move and reside freely within the EU. This is not reinstated.

Which are the formal conditions to be respected?

The envisaged agreement would set the general conditions for admission: e.g., valid travel document, valid comprehensive sickness insurance, proof of sufficient means of subsistence. Those conditions would have to be checked before the mobility and remain consistent during the duration of stay.

It would also set the relevant grounds for rejection of applications such as threats to public policy, public security or public health.

Fees for issuing a visa or residence permit should not be disproportionate or excessive.

The UK sponsorship scheme (or a similar scheme) would not apply to the beneficiaries of the envisaged agreement. The same holds for the so-called healthcare surcharge.

Are you addressing specific barriers for students and trainees?

The envisaged agreement would address the most important practical barriers for mobility of students and trainees.

For instance, it would aim at ensuring that EU citizens can undertake traineeships in the UK, even when those traineeships are connected to studies in the EU. It would also provide for equal treatment (i.e., non-discrimination) between EU and UK citizens in respect of higher education tuition fees.

Why are you proposing an agreement at the EU level? Why not a collection of parallel bilateral deals at the level of the Member States?

Only an EU-level approach will ensure that all Member States are treated equally in respect of mobility of young people to the UK. This is one of the key considerations of the 2018 European Council guidelines on relations with the UK.

Parallel negotiations by Member States neither guarantee that the UK would be interested in reaching an agreement with each Member State nor would they guarantee that each Member State would be treated equally.

How does the Commission's proposal relate to existing visa/residence permit paths in the EU and the UK?

The envisaged agreement would create an additional mobility path for young people. It would coexist and not replace existing paths for entry and stay (or visa/residence paths).

The EU has developed common rules on the entry and residence of certain categories of third-country nationals. These rules cover research, studies, training, voluntary service and apply to all third country nationals, including UK nationals.

The UK has different visa paths allowing, for instance, to work or study.

How does the Commission's proposal relate to the commitments and reservations in the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement to provide services?

The envisaged agreement relates to taking residence for a period of more than 90 days and the equilateral access to labour markets. The provision of services is exhaustively addressed in the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement and not within the scope of the envisaged agreement. It would not deal with the entry and temporary stay of natural persons to provide services.

How is this initiative linked to the 90 days rule for short-term travelling to the Schengen area?

The envisaged agreement would not change the rules on checks of persons entering the territory of the other Party.

For example, existing requirements for travel documents (passports), travel facilitations (specific lanes for certain nationals) and conditions for visa-free travel for short term visits to the EU and the UK (such as, for the Schengen area, the limitation of stay to 90 days in any 180-day period) are not within the scope of the proposal. These rules are set unilaterally by the EU and the UK

What are the main differences between the Commission's approach and the UK's Youth Mobility Scheme offer to some Member States?

The UK's Youth Mobility Scheme does not address the issues most frequently raised by young people in the context of mobility between the EU and the UK:

the question of equal treatment of EU students with United Kingdom nationals on issues such as tuition fees;

the difficulties to perform traineeships/internships in the United Kingdom in the context of an EU study programme;

the high costs (visa application fee, healthcare surcharge);

the absence of supporting schemes such as Erasmus+.

Furthermore, the UK's Youth Mobility Scheme is based on limited quotas that the UK adjusts depending on its outbound interests and overall migration levels.

The UK's Youth Mobility Scheme has not been offered to all EU Member States.

Why are higher education tuition fees a barrier for EU students?

As a consequence of Brexit, most EU students (unless being beneficiaries of the citizens' rights part of the Withdrawal Agreement) who wish to study in the UK are no longer entitled to home tuition fees and must pay overseas or international tuition fees.

The level of tuition fees for international students for an undergraduate degree varies between 11,400 and 38,000/year, while the average costs is estimated to be around 22,000/year.

Tuition fees in EU public universities are generally not that high for international (non-EU) students.

The envisaged agreement would provide for equal treatment of EU and UK students as regards higher education tuition fees.

Why do you say that UK visa fees are high? What's the impact of the United Kingdom's healthcare surcharge?

Visa fees in the United Kingdom are generally high: e.g., 490 for a student visa; from 719 to 1,639 for a skilled worker visa (employers also face the costs related to complying with the sponsorship system). In addition, a healthcare surcharge is requested: usually 776/year for a student visa holder and 1,035/year for a skilled worker visa holder.

The envisaged agreement would provide that visa/residence permit fees are neither disproportionate nor excessive.

It would also remove the healthcare surcharge for those falling under the scope of the agreement.

What is the issue with traineeships in the UK?

Generally, a trainee is considered a worker/employee under UK law (unless he/she falls under the volunteer category). Therefore, EU citizens can only undertake traineeships if they comply with the conditions for specific work visa paths, including the specific salary thresholds for obtaining the visa (e.g., skilled worker visa).

On the contrary, students in the UK are entitled to partake in internships for less than one year and derogate from the minimum wage rule when the internship is required by a UK-based higher education course.

According to the envisaged agreement, EU students would benefit from the same opportunity to undertake traineeships in the UK when such traineeships are required by or part of EU-based studies.

What happens to social security coverage?

The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement contains rules on social security coordination that support mobility of persons under the domestic rules of either the EU or the UK. These rules would also apply to the mobility under the envisaged agreement.

Would the envisaged agreement affect the Common Travel Area with Ireland?

The envisaged agreement would not affect Ireland's arrangements with the UK under the Common Travel Area.

Could a UK national move from one Member State to another under the proposed agreement? What would be the rules for this intra-EU mobility?

The envisaged agreement would not grant intra-EU mobility rights. The admission of a UK national by a Member State under the envisaged agreement would only be valid for that Member State. Travelling for up to 90 days within the rest of the EU would be subject to the conditions in the Schengen acquis or national legislation.

Can the UK still join EU programmes like Erasmus+ and Creative Europe?

The framework conditions for the UK to associate to EU programmes are already foreseen in the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

The current UK government has not expressed an interest in rejoining Erasmus+ or Creative Europe.

Should the UK express to associate to Erasmus+, the Commission remains open to look into this process together with our UK counterparts.

The conditions for the participation of the UK in EU programmes, such as Erasmus+, are established by Part Five of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

For more information

Press release
US returns 38 pieces of cultural relics to China, signaling enhanced cultural exchanges

New York, Apr 18 (UNI) Chinese officials received 38 pieces of cultural relics returned by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office on Wednesday.

The handover ceremony, held at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, was attended by Li Qun, deputy minister of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, along with Chinese Consul General in New York Huang Ping, and Matthew Bogdanos, chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.

In his remarks at the ceremony, Li, who is also director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, said that the renewed cooperation between China and the United States in cultural relic returns signifies mutual trust and progress in artifact repatriation efforts.
Shivamogga (Karnataka) [India], April 18 (ANI): Former Chief Minister and Central BJP Parliamentary Board member B S Yeddyurappa expressed confidence that the BJP candidate from Shivamogga Lok Sabha seat B Y Raghavendra will win by a margin of more than 3 lakh votes and BJP-JDS alliance (NDA) candidates will also win all 28 seats in the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka.

Yediyurappa said this during a massive roadshow in support of sitting MP Raghavendra attended by several leaders including JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy, former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and several other leaders of the BJP-JD(S) alliance.

Also Read | Lok Sabha Election 2024: BS Yediyurappa's Son BY Raghavendra Files Nomination From Shivamogga Seat in Karnataka (Watch Video).

Former Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai said, "The two former forces have united in the state. The power of money is nothing before this. Congress has brought a new guarantee. However, he has not contested enough seats to govern. Whether the Congress party could pass without solving enough questions for 35 marks. Vote for PM Modi to thank him for saving 130 crore lives during Covid."

Former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said "This is an anti-farmer government and a pickpocket government. I challenge Congress to first fill 2.75 lakh government posts in Karnataka. Congress government had canceled the 4,000 grant that Yeddyurappa had started under the Kisan Samman scheme."

Also Read | Karnataka Shocker: Man Laces Drinking Water With Pesticide in Mandya District; Wife, Two Children Die.

CT Ravi, former National General Secretary of BJP said, "BJP is always national a party committed to Hindutva. As soon as the Congress came to power, all those who were in the burrow came out. They shout Pakistan Zindabad in Vidhana Soudha."

BJP is going to face the election with development in mind. Even leaders of the Congress party have realized that the Congress is a sinking ship and are leaving the party and joining the BJP."

Raghavendra is contesting Lok Sabha election for the fourth time. He won in 2009, 2018 (by-election) and 2019. He also served as MLA of Shikaripur.

The BJP candidate took out a procession with his supporters from Ramanna Shreshthi Park on the day. Hundreds of party workers participated in the procession. Earlier in the day, he offered prayers at temples in the town. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kannur (Kerala), Apr 18 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday alleged certain media houses regularly abuse him for criticising the policies and ideologies of the BJP and the ruling dispensation at the Centre and were "distorting his image nationwide."

Addressing a massive election rally here, he attacked the BJP, saying it was creating disharmony in the nation and, in turn, harming millions of people in the country.

Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 1: 102 Seats, 16.63 Crore Voters, 1.87 Lakh Polling Stations for General Polls on April 19.

"I fight the BJP and the RSS. No matter what they do, I fight them every day. I have an ideological difference with them, and I get up every day and think to myself, how am I gonna disturb them today? But there is a cost to this.

"Their media channels abuse me 24 hours a day. My image is distorted across the country," Gandhi said.

Also Read | Navi Mumbai: Two Labourers Steal Six Kg of Gold and Rs 2,000 Cash After Breaking Into Flat in Nerul, Arrested.

Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting violence-hit Manipur, he said that wherever the BJP goes, "they will divide people, make people fight with each other, and create problems."

"The thing to understand is that India has never been as unfair as it is today. Wealth has never been distributed as unequally as it is today. So the next (Congress-led) government has to aggressively support poor people," Gandhi said.

He attacked Modi, alleging inaction during the COVID-19 pandemic, and said when lakhs of people were dying, the Prime Minister asked the people to clap hands.

"...And the entire media was saying how brilliant our Prime Minister is," Gandhi said, adding "because you don't understand India and because you take decisions without asking anybody, you are creating tremendous damage to this country."

Gandhi also lashed out at Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and wondered why the Left leader was targeting him while he was fighting against the BJP.

The Congress leader said he was interrogated by the ED for 55 hours, his Lok Sabha membership and his official residence were taken away. He said two chief ministers are in jail, but none of these are happening to the Kerala Chief Minister.

"Why is he (Vijayan) not being interrogated by the ED, CBI and all? Two CMs are in jail, but why is none of this happening to the Kerala CM? I have been attacking the BJP 24X7 but the chief minister is attacking me. This is a bit puzzling," Gandhi said.

"This is something the people of Kerala should think about," he said.

Gandhi also said the BJP was attempting to change the diversity of the country, whereas the Congress accepts the differences.

He said the upcoming election will probably be the first one in the country's modern history, "which is about the Constitution of India and the democratic structure of our nation."

"No political party has attempted what the BJP is trying in India today. The Constitution is the foundation of modern India. It is what gives our people equal rights and equal opportunities. And our Constitution is protected by various institutions in our country," Gandhi said.

He said the bureaucracy, judiciary, the Election Commission, the police, the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate, and other agencies are supposed to be protectors of the Constitution and the rights of Indian citizens.

"By capturing these institutions and using the ED and CBI as political weapons, the BJP is trying to change the very nature of our country. The Congress Party and the UDF accept the diversity of India. We accept the multiple languages, traditions, different histories, and expressions of all our people. The BJP wants to impose one history, one nation, and one language on the people of India," Gandhi said.

He alleged the BJP was trying to change the diversity of the country and "wasting" their time.

"First of all, it (diversity) can never be changed. You are wasting your time. But most importantly, you are also wasting the energy of the Indian people. You are creating disharmony, and this disharmony is harming millions of people," Gandhi added.

He was campaigning for KPCC president K Sudhakaran, fielded from the Kannur seat and Rajmohan Unnithan from Kasaragod constituency.

The Lok Sabha elections in Kerala will be held on April 26 and results will be declared on June 4.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Tezpur, April 18: From longstanding demands of the tea tribes to aspirations of the culturally-conscious citizens to expectations of the youth, varied issues will be at the fore when Assam's Sonitpur Lok Sabha constituency goes to polls on Friday. The BJP and Congress are expected to be locked in a straight fight, though the AAP nominee could emerge as a 'spoiler' to some extent for both sides.

The earlier Tezpur constituency was re-christened as 'Sonitpur' in the delimitation exercise carried out in the state last year, with no major changes in boundaries or demography as the number of Assembly segments also remained unchanged at nine. The BJP, which has been winning the seat since 2014, has dropped its incumbent MP Pallab Lochan Das, a tea tribe leader, and fielded sitting MLA Ranjit Dutta, who is also a former state party chief. Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 1: Direct, Triangular Contests To Decide Fate of 35 Candidates in Five Constituencies in Assam.

The Congress has put up first-timer Prem Lal Ganju, a tea tribe leader who is also a general secretary of the state unit, while Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded Rishiraj Kaundinya. Riding on the developmental works done in the last 10 years, the BJP nominee claimed he has the edge among the total eight candidates. "People's trust in us will be visible in the results when we retain the seat with a margin of 3.5-4 lakh voters," asserted Dutta, who represents Behali assembly segment within Sonitpur.

Listing measures undertaken specifically for the tea tribes, who form 25-30 per cent of voters, he said, "It is the BJP which brought the tea tribes under government beneficiary schemes. They are now getting PMAY houses, ration cards, land pattas and other benefits. The Centre has also been working on the tea tribes' demand for ST status, though it would take time, he said. Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 1: From Gaurav Gogoi in Jorhat to Sarbananda Sonowal in Dibrugarh, List of Key Candidates and Constituencies in Assam.

Dutta slammed the Congress, accusing it of not doing anything for the tea tribes or general uplift of the constituency though its MPs had represented Tezpur in the Lok Sabha since its formation till 2009, barring one term in 1977.

Congress candidate Ganju, however, alleged that the BJP has failed to keep its poll promises and 'conscious voters' will choose his party this time. He said, "The BJP had promised that the daily wage of labourers will be Rs 351, ST status will be given to tea tribes and land rights will be given. But nothing has happened."

AAP's Kaundinya claimed that people are fed up with the Congress and BJP brands of politics, and are ready to give his party a chance. He maintained that the people of Sonitpur are aware of the AAP government's schemes in Delhi and Punjab, like free electricity and healthcare facilities, and wanted such programmes here also. The tea tribes are keeping their cards under wraps, with many voicing dissatisfaction over the current BJP regime while another section appreciating the initiatives being taken for the community.

Nabajyoti Sahu, a local leader of the Assam Tea Tribes Students' Association said, "We have seen both Congress and BJP governments. None has been able to address our core problems of increased minimum daily wage, land patta and social security measures. We will be keeping all factors in mind while voting."

Paban Bawri of the All Adivasi Students Association of Assam said, "The BJP had made so many promises, but those were only half met. We will be more careful when we choose our MP this time."

Those involved with the active cultural society of the area view politics and culture as interlinked. Rabindranath Sarma, a senior citizen who is active in the cultural field of Tezpur, maintained that some good welfare measures have been taken for the people over the years, especially for the economically weaker sections, interior areas and agricultural sector, but the new government will have to equip itself to deal with emerging challenges, like climate change. The youths have their own set of expectations and will look for a development-based agenda while choosing their candidate, Rekha Kalita, a first-time voter, said.
Mumbai, April 18: The Bombay High Court has permitted a teenager, a victim of child marriage, to undergo medical termination of her 28-week pregnancy on the grounds of foetal abnormalities. A division bench of Justices P D Naik and N R Borkar in its order of April 12 also noted that the girl was HIV seropositive. A copy of the order was made available on Thursday.

The 17-year-old girl had filed a petition in HC seeking permission to get her pregnancy terminated saying scans had shown that the foetus had skeletal anomalies with the possibility of genetic abnormalities. Under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, a court nod is required to terminate a pregnancy beyond 24 weeks of gestation. Misappropriation of Funds Case: Bombay High Court Pulls Up Trial Judge for Overlooking Crucial Evidence and Convicting Postmaster for Misappropriating Rs 28,834.

The high court relied on a report submitted by the medical board of the state-run Sassoon General Hospital in Pune that recommended termination of the pregnancy as the girl is a minor and a victim of child marriage with HIV seropositive status. 'Don't Compel Us To Pass Drastic Orders': Bombay High Court Urges Maharashtra Government To Take Issue of Construction of New High Court Complex 'More Seriously'.

The board in its report said the foetus also has multiple defects. The high court said it was allowing termination of pregnancy taking into account the mental and medical situation of the girl.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, April 18: Haridwar, along with four other Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttarakhand will go to polls on April 19 in the first phase of General Elections. The constituency is set to witness a contest between Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and Congress' Virender Rawat who is the son of former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat.

Haridwar Parliamentary constituency comprises a total of 14 Assemblies. BJP had registered victory in the Haridwar seat in both the 2019 and 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Uttarakhand has traditionally witnessed a close contest between the BJP and Congress. Both parties see the state as an essential battleground for displaying and gaining supporters for their national narratives. Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 1 Polling in Uttarakhand: From Trivendra Singh Rawat in Haridwar to Ajay Tamta in Almora, List of Key Candidates and Constituencies.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP Ramesh Pokhriyal 'nishank' defeated Congress Ambrish Kumar with a huge margin of 2,58,729 votes. Pokhriyal managed to get 52.4 per cent of the total vote share. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank comfortably defeated Congress Renuka Rawat with a margin of 1,77,822 votes.

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat earlier this month said that the Opposition had run out of options other than poking holes in his party's claim. "We may not win 400 seats, as we have quoted, but will surely go up to 389, 399, or even 404 seats in the upcoming general elections," he said.

Bahujan Samajwadi Party has been a third-ranked party in the previous two Lok Sabha polls in this constituency. This time Jamil Ahmed has got the ticket to contest from the Haridwar Lok Sabha seat. BSP had earlier fielded Bhavna Pandey from the Haridwar seat however she crossed over to the Bharatiya Janata Party. In Uttarakhand, the BJP had won all the Lok Sabha seats in the elections in both the 2014 and 2019 elections. Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 1: From Jatin Prasada in Pilibhit to Imran Masood in Saharanpur, List of Key Candidates and Constituencies in Uttar Pradesh.

With 47 out of 70 assembly seats, the BJP dominated in the 2022 assembly polls, while Congress got 19 seats. BSP and Independents hold 2 seats each. The election for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases starting April 19. Nearly 97 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes in the general elections this time. The counting of the votes is scheduled for June 4.
New Delhi [India], April 18 (ANI): Maharashtra unit of the Congress has filed a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer of the state against the Shiv Sena alleging violation of the model code of conduct (MCC) and election rules by using the government properties for electoral campaignining.

The complaint submitted by Atul Londhe, chief spokesperson of Maharashtra Congress, alleged that the Shiv Sena has been unlawfully utilizing MSRTC (ST) buses for the Lok Sabha elections campaigning by putting their banners on these buses.

Also Read | Rahul Gandhi Holding Muslim League Flag in Wayanad Inciting Anti-Hindu Sentiments, Says Union Minister Pralhad Joshi.

As per the Election Commission of India, the use of government and PSUs properties is banned for electoral campaignining.

The Congress leader, in his complaint alleged that the banners put on the state government buses have a huge picture of PM Narendra Modi along with the bow and arrow symbol of the Shiv Sena and photos of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.

Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 1: Direct, Triangular Contests To Decide Fate of 35 Candidates in Five Constituencies in Assam.

Despite the ban, the ST officials have allowed the illegal use of over 1000 buses for election campaign of Shiv Sena candidate.

This act not only constitutes a clear violation of the MCC but also undermines the fairness and integrity of the electoral process, the letter said.

The Maharashtra Congress has requested the Chief Electoral Officer to cancel the candidature of all Lok Sabha candidates of Shiv Sena.

"As the Chief Spokesperson of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee, I urge you to take immediate and decisive action to address these violations. I respectfully request that you cancel the candidature of all Lok Sabha candidates of Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde and initiate appropriate disciplinary measures against the party," Atul Londhe said.

He further said that the action should also be taken against the senior officials of the Planning and Commercial department of ST corporation for violation of Model Code of Conduct and instruction of the Election Commission of India.

Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra will be held in five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13 and May 20.

The state, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the lower house of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 contested seats, while the undivided Shiv Sena secured 18 out of 23 seats.

The undivided NCP, part of the opposition alliance, contested 19 seats and won four. Following the split in the Shiva Sena 2022, Eknath Shinde faction aligned with the BJP. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Gadchiroli (Maharashtra) [India], April 18 (ANI): Fifteen thousand security personnel will be deployed in the naxal-affected Gadchiroli district for the first phase of polling tomorrow, a senior official said on Thursday.

Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police Neelotpal told ANI that elaborated security arrangements that have been made in the district to avoid any untoward situation. Surveillance is being maintained through drones in sensitive and highly sensitive areas.

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He also appealed to the villagers to come out and vote without any fear.

"We have done a lot of preparation in the last 6 months. 15,000 security personnel will be deployed for voting tomorrow. There are a total of 206 booths. 6 Mi-17 helicopters of the Indian Air Force will be present. Heli-dropping of EVMs and polling parties has been done in sensitive and highly sensitive areas. Apart from this, we have a fleet of 130 drones that will keep an eye on them from the sky," Neelotpal said.

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While there are barricades and police checkpoints at major roads, care is being taken to ensure that the public is not inconvenienced.

"We have appealed to the villagers to come out and vote without any fear and help us in making the elections peaceful and successful," he said.

Earlier, on April 14, to encourage voting among the people, police launched a public awareness campaign in the naxal-hit Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra.

Taking about the drive, Sub Inspector Govind Khating said, "The objective of this awareness campaign is to encourage the voters to fulfil their duty to keep our democracy alive. The voting which is going to take place on April 19 in the upcoming polls will be a victory for democracy. We have deployed a huge force in the area so that voting can be conducted safely and smoothly."

Elucidating the fear in the minds of the people in the Naxal stronghold, the SI said, "There is only one fear in the minds of the people that the Naxalites may launch blasts or attacks on them if they go for voting."

Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second-largest after Uttar Pradesh. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 seats it contested in alliance with the undivided Shiv Sena.

Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra will be held in five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13 and May 20. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.

The undivided NCP, part of the opposition alliance, contested 19 seats and won four. Following the split in 2022, the Shiv Sena, which had earlier formed a coalition government with the Congress and NCP, saw Eknath Shinde break away from the party with his loyalists and align with the BJP.

In the 2019 elections, the BJP emerged as the largest party with 23 seats, followed by the Shiv Sena with 18 seats. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kottayam (Kerala) [India], April 18 (ANI): Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday campaigned for the BJP candidate Anil Antony, son of senior Congress leader AK Antony, in Kottayam district of Kerala.

Anil Antony is contesting from Pathanamthitta constituency in Kerala.

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"I was surprised to hear that AK Antony, senior Congress leader and father of Anil Antony, does not want his son to win. I respect him for his honesty and integrity, but his reaction against his son has surprised me," he said.

During his speech, Rajnath praised AK Antony as an individual but attacked the Congress party for their involvement in corruption, and many of its leaders have been to jail over corruption charges.

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He attacked Congress and CPI (M) for the ties between the two parties at the national level despite rivalry in the state, "Rahul Gandhi migrated from Uttar Pradesh to Kerala. He is contesting elections from Wayanad in Kerala. He could not gather courage to contest elections from Amethi. The left parties have also fielded a candidate against him from Wayanad. Congress and Left fight against each other in Kerala but they are friends in Delhi," he said.

Singh mocked Rahul Gandhi, saying BJP has launched Mangalyaan, Chandrayan, and Adityayaan, but Congress has failed to launch its own 'Rahulyaan' for the last 20 years.

"BJP is going to launch Gaganyaan in 5 years but the launch of a young leader of the Congress Party has not happened in the last 20 years. Congress Party's 'Rahulyaan' is neither getting launched nor is it landing anywhere. Rahul has migrated from Uttar Pradesh to Kerala. Last time he had lost the election in Amethi. This time he is not able to muster the courage to contest from Amethi. But this time the people of Wayanad have also made up their minds that they will not make Rahul their Member of Parliament," he said.

All 20 constituencies in Kerala go to the polls on April 26 in the second phase of the Lok Sabha election.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, while the Congress party had won 15 seats, its allies, the Indian Union Muslim League, won two seats, the Revolutionary Socialist Party won one, and the Kerala Congress (M) won one seat. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) won one seat in Alappuzha. (ANI)

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Saran (Bihar) [India], April 18 (ANI): After a migrant labourer from Bihar was shot dead by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Rohini Acharya said that the government should provide compensation to the family of the deceased.

"A compensation should be provided by the government. We will also raise our voices for this," Rohini Acharya told reporters in Saran.

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A civilian, hailing from Bihar, was shot dead by the terrorists in the Bijbehara area of South Kashmir's Anantnag district on Wednesday evening.

According to Kashmir Police, the civilian, hailing from Bihar, identified as Raja Shah, was fired upon by the terrorists in Bijbehara.

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Taking to social media handle X, Kashmir Zone Police posted, "Terrorists fired upon and critically injured one person identified as Raju Shah, a resident of Bihar, at Jablipora Bijbehera, Anantnag. "He has been evacuated to the hospital for treatment, and the area was cordoned off soon after the incident, said police.

The police further informed, that the injured person, who was shot at by terrorists, succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

Jammu and Kashmir (J-K) Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha condemned the terror attack.

"No words are strong enough to condemn the heinous terrorist attack in Bijbehara, Anantnag, targeting Raja Shah, a resident of Bihar. I convey my heartfelt condolences to the family of the innocent civilian martyred in this cowardly attack," the Lt. Governor said in the statement.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) President Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Omar Abdullah expressed shock and sadness at the news of the civilian's death, who succumbed to grievous injuries after being shot at in Bijbehara on Wednesday.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti also offered her condolences to the civilian, who was shot dead by terrorists in Bijbehara.

"Condemn this senseless act of violence. My deepest condolences to his family" posted the PDP chief on X.

The incident took place in the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency, which is going to polls in the third phase on May 7. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi [India], April 18 (ANI): Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife, Sunita Kejriwal, will participate in the INDIA bloc's "Nyay Ulgulan Rally," to be held on April 21 in Jharkhand's Ranchi.

According to the party sources, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP MP Sanjay Singh will also participate in this rally of the INDIA bloc.

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Earlier, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) held a meeting regarding the preparations for the INDIA bloc's Nyay Ulgulan Rally.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Kalpana Soren, Congress state in-charge Ghulam Ahmed Mir, state president Rajesh Thakur, MLA Vinod Singh, MLA Satyanand Bhokta, JMM general secretary Vinod Pandey attended the meeting.

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Kalpana Soren, the wife of former Chief Minister Hemant Soren, held a meeting with party workers on April 6 to ensure the success of the Ulgulan Rally.

The rally will be held at Prabhat Tara Ground 21 to protest against the arrest of former Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

After the meeting, while speaking to the media, Kalpana Soren urged all party members to participate in large numbers in the rally and discussed ways to strengthen the alliance.

"I have appealed to all the party members to participate in large numbers in the INDIA rally. We will tell how the central government is discriminating against Jharkhand. Our honorable Hemant Ji has also been imprisoned, and they have put Delhi's Kejriwal Ji in jail as well. The discussion happened to strengthen the alliance," she said.

Earlier on Wednesday, AAP leader Sanjay Singh claimed that if the BJP were to win this election it would change the constitution of the country.

"The 2024 Lok Sabha election is the last election. This time, if by mistake Narendra Modi's government comes to power, he will change the constitution of the country. These people will end elections and reservation. They will snatch away the rights of youth, farmers and women. This fear is getting stronger every day," Sanjay Singh had said.

Elections will be held in Jharkhand in four phases: May 13, 20, 25, and June 1.

During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 12 seats in Jharkhand, with the BJP winning 11.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress got one seat each. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Tel Aviv [Israel], April 18 (ANI/TPS): Eleven people were injured when a rocket fired by Hezbollah directly hit a community center in the Bedouin village of Arab al-Aramshe in Israel's Western Galilee region on Wednesday.

Five of the victims were in critical condition, one was in medium condition and four were in light condition, The Press Service of Israel has learned. The status of one victim was not immediately available.

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While emergency responders evacuated the injured, a drone struck near the center.

The Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group claimed responsibility.

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Later in the afternoon, the Israeli Defence Forces said it struck the source of the fire and carried out retaliatory airstrikes on a Hezbollah compound in Ayta ash Shab, a Lebanese village about one km from the Israeli border.

On Tuesday, three people were injured when a drone launched by Hezbollah struck the area of Moshav Beit Hillel. Shortly afterward, the Israel Defence Forces killed a Hezbollah commander in an airstrike in the Southern Lebanese village of Ain Ebel.

Ismail Yusaf Baz was the commander of Hezbollah's coastal sector whose rank was the equivalent of a brigade commander. The IDF said Baz was involved in planning missile and anti-tank rocket fire at northern Israeli communities from Lebanon's coastal areas.

Hezbollah leaders have suggested that they will continue to fire rockets to prevent thousands of residents of northern Israel from returning to their homes. Israeli officials have been calling for Hezbollah to be disarmed and removed from Southern Lebanon in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War. (ANI/TPS)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Guayaquil [Ecuador], April 18 (ANI): Colombia has reduced its electricity exports to its neighbour Ecuador due to a drought exacerbated by the El Nino weather pattern, where an energy emergency has since been declared, Al Jazeera reported.

"Depending on its strength, El Nino can cause a range of impacts, such as increasing the risk of heavy rainfall and droughts in certain locations around the world," US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration climate scientist Michelle L'Heureux said in a statement on NOAA's website.

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Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa acknowledged the critical state of the country's energy sector during a speech in Guayaquil on Tuesday and said, "Today we took a strong decision - once again we had to - which is to declare an emergency in the country's energy sector," as per Al Jazeera

Both Colombia and Ecuador rely on hydropower plants to fulfill their energy demands. However, the ongoing drought has caused a significant decline in water levels, impacting reservoirs utilized for electricity generation.

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According to Al Jazeera, a certain minimum water flow is necessary to drive the turbines powering hydroelectric plants.

Presently, Colombia's electricity operator XM has reported reservoir levels at only 29.8 per cent of their capacity. Consequently, Colombia has initiated water rationing measures in regions such as Bogota, the capital city.

While speaking to reporters on April 15, Colombia's mining and energy minister, Andres Camacho said that the country was addressing the drought by slowing electricity exports.

"Since Easter week, we limited energy exports to Ecuador. Right now, we are not exporting any electricity," Camacho said.

Ecuador's Minister of Energy and Mines, Andrea Arrobo Pena, issued a statement on Monday addressing the "unprecedented situations" facing the country and the region.

She declared that measures, including power outages and rationing, would be implemented to mitigate the energy shortages.

"The length of the drought, the increase in climate temperatures, the lack of maintenance in the entire electrical system's infrastructure in previous years and the presence of historically low water-flow levels have caused all available management plants to be activated," her department said in a statement.

"Therefore, we make a civic call to all Ecuadorians to support efforts to reduce energy consumption during this critical week, considering that every drop of water and every unconsumed kilowatt counts as we face this reality together."

President Noboa announced on Tuesday, that he had asked Minister Arrobo Pena to resign. He also alluded to corruption and sabotage in the energy sector.

"We have initiated an investigation for sabotage in certain areas and power plants," he wrote on social media.

He pledged to apply "the full weight of the law" to any bad actors discovered during the investigation.

"The problems in Ecuador's energy sector in recent years are not due to a lack of technical proposals, but to a lack of execution and firmness in combating entrenched corruption," Noboa said.

A climate change professor at Bogota's Javeriana University, Camilo Prieto conveyed to the Associated Press news agency that this year's drought is not as severe as some experienced in the past

But, Prieto warned, energy consumption has grown in countries like Ecuador and Colombia, leaving their residents vulnerable to extreme weather patterns brought about by El Nino.

"If demand continues to grow and the energy mix in these countries is not diversified, they will continue to be vulnerable," Prieto said. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Washington, Apr 18 (PTI) A 52-year-old Indian national has pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme to defraud a US bank in connection with a USD 17 million secured line of credit, US Attorney Philip R Sellinger has announced.

Nitin Vats, a former employee of a now-defunct New Jersey-based marble and granite wholesaler, pleaded guilty before US District Judge Susan D Wigenton to one count of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, the Department of Justice (DoJ) said on Wednesday.

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According to documents, from March 2016 through March 2018, an owner and employees of Lotus Exim International Inc (LEI), including Vats, conspired to obtain from the victim bank a USD 17 million line of credit by fraudulent means.

The victim bank extended LEI the line of credit, believing it to have been secured in part by LEI's accounts receivable. In reality, the conspirators had fabricated and inflated many of the accounts receivable, ultimately leading to LEI defaulting on the line of credit, according to a DoJ press release.

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Federal prosecutors alleged that to conceal the lack of sufficient collateral, Vats created fake email addresses on behalf of LEI's customers so that other LEI employees could pose as those customers and answer the victim bank's and outside auditor's inquiries about the accounts receivable.

The scheme involved numerous fraudulent accounts receivable where the outstanding balances were either inflated or entirely fabricated. The scheme caused the victim bank losses of approximately USD 17 million, it said.

He faces a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of USD 1 million. His sentencing is scheduled for September 11.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New York [US], April 18 (ANI): Representatives from Jewish and the Uyghur communities in New York jointly discussed how the refugees of these diasporas can live their lives in the US. Jews supported Uyghur emigration to and resettlement in the United States through their synagogues.

The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity, an independent non-profit organisation from the US, organised a joint conference on Wednesday titled 'Disrupting Uyghur Genocide' in New York, the Elie Wiesel Foundation said in a statement.

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In the conference, the delegates of the World Uyghur Congress, educators, religious leaders from the Jewish community and heads of non-profit organisations from all around the world participated.

During the conference, the representatives of both communities jointly discussed how the refugees of these diasporas can live their lives in the US after fleeing from an ongoing genocide. The speakers also discussed, what both of these communities can learn from each other and how their cultures and languages can be protected from total extermination.

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Uyghur refugees are facing an unprecedented campaign of harassment and intimidation in the form of China's transnational repression, rendering Uyghur refugees as potentially the most at-risk refugee population in the world in a non-militarized context.

Mediated by Rabbi Bob Kaplan, the Executive Director of the Center for Shared Society, the first session of the conference witnessed a healthy discussion over how refugees from East Turkistan after fleeing to the US can embrace their Uyghur identity in foreign lands, how the culture, traditions, and language of the Uyghur community can be protected when China is hellbent on destroying Uyghur community from existence.

Several governments around the world, including the U.S. and Canadian governments, have recognized the perils facing Uyghur refugees escaping the genocide in East Turkistan, and are offering the prospect of resettling a significant number of Uyghur

The speakers in their statement also emphasised how current-day China is strategically suppressing the Uyghur community of East Turkistan through its strategic genocide in the area.

During her statement, Irada Kashkeri, an educator and a representative from a social organisation that helps Uyghur individuals in the US, stated that she frequently meets young Uyghur kids and young adults who feel reluctant and embarrassed to proudly represent themselves as Uyghurs.

While underscoring the reason for this, she insisted that there is still a minor reluctance on both sides, as the people in US don't know about the culture of the Uyghur community, and back in China, the Uyghur community is suppressed.

She further mentioned, "In China right now, in East Turkistan they are tearing our Uyghur culture away. They are making us afraid to say that we are Uyghur. And that is not something that we can continue here in US".

Kashkari, in her statement about helping Uyghur youngsters settle in the US also mentioned that "We want to create a future generation for whom the questions related to Uyghur identity are not uncomfortable, and our schools must be beyond just students and classes, it must be a center for generational knowledge. Where families can come together for more than just education. Our young ones understand why their parents cry because they cannot contact their relatives back home, they understand why everyone else visits their grandparents and they cannot. This impacts how they view there Uyghur identity".

Rishat Abbas President of the Global Uyghur Academy and senior advisor to the World Uyghur Congress, emphasised, "Under the Chinese regime, our people don't know about democracy. Since 2017, the world has witnessed that the Chinese Communist Party has been conducting active and ongoing genocide and has been targeting Uyghur and east Turkish people, in our homeland, East Turkistan, and this is the biggest challenge for preserving our language." (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Grand Forks, Apr 18 (AP) The lockdown has been lifted at Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota after a report of a gunshot on Wednesday afternoon sent people indoors.

Security officers completed a door-to-door sweep but did not locate a source of the sound, the base said in a social media post. No injuries were reported.

Also Read | Live News Updates Today.

The base said in an earlier post that security at the base received the report of a single gunshot near the medical clinic and base exchange around 1 p.m. The lockdown was ordered out of an abundance of caution, the statement said. The lockdown lifted about 3 1/2 hours later and "normal operations have resumed, the base said.

State Sen. Scott Meyer said he was walking out to his vehicle at about 12:45 p.m. after having lunch at the base's bowling alley, and he saw three or four squad cars with lights on at the commissary.

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While driving out, he noticed barricades in the road and two other vehicles stopped at the base's east gate. Then he heard a lockdown announcement for an active shooter over the base's loudspeakers, he said.

It keeps going across the speakers of the base, and you're like  if that doesn't make the hair on your neck stand up, it's a creepy noise, and it was every about five minutes, Meyer said.

He said he sat in his vehicle for nearly two hours, with quite a lineup at the gate. About 20 minutes after the loudspeakers last sounded, gate security came out and pulled the barricades back, Meyer said. Security personnel checked and scanned IDs as people left, and they searched vehicles, he said.

I had all my four doors of my pickup opened, my console, my glove compartment, my end gate, my toolboxes. I mean, they were doing a full search, Meyer said.

The base's website says that 2,200 people are assigned to the 319th Reconnaissance Wing. The base houses air and space operations. (AP)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Tadhg Hoey at The Millions:

Toward the end of Percival Everetts 2021 novel The Trees, about a series of murders in present-day Money, Mississippi, the small town where 13-year-old Emmet Till was brutally lynched in 1955, a list of Black Americans who died by lynching is read aloud by an academic who is researching the origins of racial violence. The list, compiled by a local mystic, is only partial, but it is long and overwhelming. It contains many victims whose names remain unknown. One of the names on the list is David Walker, along with his wife and four small children, who are nameless. Walker and his family were murdered in front of their Kentucky home on October 3, 1908, by 50 members of the racist vigilante group the Night Riders, which accused Walker of swearing at a white woman. The lynching was well-documented, but the names of Walkers wife and children are never mentioned.

After the publication of The Trees, a reader from Tennessee wrote to Everett to tell him that David Walkers wife was named Annie. Everett reflected on what this correction meant to him during his acceptance speech after winning the PEN/Jean Stein Award for his 2023 novel Dr. No.

more here.
Gilgit-Baltistan [PoK], April 18 (ANI): A senior Civil Judge has issued an arrest warrant for Khalid Khurshid Khan, the former chief minister (CM) of Gilgit-Baltistan in a fake degree case, according to ARY News.

The senior Civil Judge, Hidayat Ali, issued a bailable arrest order for the former Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister due to his repeated absences.

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In order to obtain an equivalency certificate from the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Islamabad, Khalid Khurshid--who was also the president of the Gilgit-Baltistan branch of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)--was accused of obtaining a lawyer's licence from the Gilgit-Baltistan Bar Council by submitting an affidavit and a "fictitious" law degree from the University of London, according to ARY News report.

A three-member bench of the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court rendered a decision in July 2023 regarding a petition brought up by Shahzad Agha, a member of the GB Assembly, disqualifying Khalid Khursheed Khan in a fake degree case, the report said.

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The petitioner had claimed that Khursheed ought to be disqualified in accordance with Articles 62 and 63 since his law degree was a forgery.

Although Khurshid claimed to have graduated from London with a legal degree, this could not be confirmed, according to ARY News.

Khalid Khursheed had been in office since December 2020 and is considered a close aide of PTI chairman Imran Khan. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Washington, DC [US], April 18 (ANI): Lauding the partnership with India, the United States Secretary of Defence, Lloyd Austin, has said that the deal between the two nations to produce jet weapons in collaboration is revolutionary.

Underscoring that India and the US are also co-producing an armoured vehicle, Austin said that such joint ventures will provide great capabilities.

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The landmark jet engine deal was revealed in June of last year, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic official state visit to the US. To produce fighter jet engines for the Indian Air Force, General Electric and Hindustan Aeronautics signed a memorandum of understanding.

Austin's remarks came as he testified before the Senate panel on the 2025 budget on Wednesday (local time).

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"We have a great relationship with India. We recently have enabled India to produce jet weapons in India. That is kind of revolutionary. That will provide great capabilities to them. We are also co-producing an armoured vehicle. All of these things when you add them up, are probably more than what we have seen in half of that region in a very long time," Austin told lawmakers.

He stated that all of this "promotes interoperability."

"They all promote helping increase our ability to respond to a number of different things. Again, these are meaningful things that most of us are not aware of. We have made tremendous progress, and we will continue to do so," he added.

Earlier in 2023, US General Electric (US GE) announced that it had inked an agreement with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the government's aerospace and defence manufacturing firm, to jointly manufacture engines in India to power fighter jets for the Indian Air Force.

Moreover, the Biden Administration notified the US Congress in February this year, of its intent to sell nearly 4 billion dollars worth of arms, comprising mainly of the MQ 9 B Drones armed with Hellfire missiles.

The Defence Security Cooperation Agency, which is an agency within the US Department of Defence, said in a press release that the sale helps strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship.

It added that New Delhi continues to be an "important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia region."ment includes the potential joint production of GE Aerospace's F414 engines in India. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Mohali, April 18: On Thursday, April 18, the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) class 10th exam results for 2024 will be released. Students who took the class 10 examination this year can visit the board's official website to view their results. According to the reports, the exam results will be made public today following a press conference. The Punjab board will also make available the subject-specific passing percentage and the merit list.

On the Punjab School Education Board's official website, pseb.ac.in, students can check their results once released. Applicants should keep their roll number and security code handy in order to access their respective results. CTET Exam Result 2023: CBSE Releases Central Teacher Eligibility Test Examination Results at ctet.nic.in, Get Direct Link and Know How To Download.

PSEB Class 10th Result 2024: Steps to Check Results Online

Visit the official website of PSEB at pseb.ac.in Click on the results link available on the home page Click on the 'Punjab Board 10th Result 2024' link Enter the required details and click on 'Submit' PSEB Class 10th Result 2024 will appear on the screen Download and take a print for future reference

This year, the board exam for class 10 took place in February and March. The examination started on February 13 and was concluded on March 5, 2024. The exam was placed in a single shift, from 11 am to 2:15 pm, at various exam centres across the state of Punjab. A total of 3 lakh students show up in the board exams administered by the Punjab board. UGC NET Result 2023: NTA To Declare National Eligibility Test December Examination Results Soon at ugcnet.nta.ac.in, Know How To Download.

For the class 10 Punjab Board exams in 2023, the overall pass rate was 97.56 per cent. The pass rate decreased by 97.94 per cent from the year prior. With a 99.19 per cent pass rate, Pathankot was the highest-performing district in the previous year's results, while Barnala had the lowest pass percentage.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 18, 2024 11:53 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Varanasi, April 18: A Kashi-based sculptor has crafted a replica of the idol of Ram Lalla consecrated at the Ayodhya temple. This replicated idol will be enshrined in a Hanuman temple in the Netherlands.

Before its overseas journey, the idol will be brought to Ayodhya for rituals. The EterBliss Foundation, dedicated to promoting Sanatan Dharma, commissioned this replica idol. Moreover, the Foundation intends to install replicas of Ram Lalla idols in various other European countries. Ram Lallas Idol Details: Height, Weight and Everything You Need to Know About Lord Rams Idol Placed Inside Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Rahul Mukherjee, the director of the Foundation, said: "Swami Akhand Samrat Anandji Maharaj, founder of EterBliss, is working on dispelling misconceptions about Sanatan Dharma, which he says is an eternal philosophy, not merely a religion. Swami Maharaj plans to establish Ram temples around the world. We decided to install an idol of Ram Lalla in black stone at Hanuman Temple in Amsterdam." Ram Lalla Surya Tilak: First Videos and Pics of Sun Rays Illuminating Ram Lalla Idol's Forehead on Ram Navami 2024 at Ayodhya Temple Surface.

Kashi-based sculptor, Kanhaiya Lal Sharma, who collaborated two decades ago with a European artist on a pink stone statue of Princess Diana, was selected to carve the replica.

Sharma said: The foundation contacted me after the 'pran pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, expressing their desire for a similar idol. I agreed, and we commenced work on Basant Panchami on February 24.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 18, 2024 09:41 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Guwahati, April 18: Assam is all set to witness direct and triangular contests for the first of the three-phased Lok Sabha polls in five constituencies to decide the fate of 35 candidates, including that of Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Polling will begin at 7 am and conclude at 5 pm in Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Kaziranga, Sonitpur and Lakhimpur.

A total electorate of 86,47,869, comprising 43,64,859 women who outnumber the 42,82,887 male voters, and 123 third genders, are eligible to exercise their franchise in 10,001 polling booths. Voting will be held amid tight security with 60 companies of security forces deployed across the five constituencies. Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 1: From Gaurav Gogoi in Jorhat to Sarbananda Sonowal in Dibrugarh, List of Key Candidates and Constituencies in Assam.

The BJP is contesting in all the five seats, the Congress in four and supporting the Assam Jatiya Parishad contestant in one, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in two and the All India Trinamool Congress and CPI(M) in one seat each. A direct contest is on the cards between the BJP and Congress in Jorhat, Kaziranga and Lakhimpur while in Dibrugarh and Sonitpur, there is likely to be a triangular fight among the ruling party, Congress, AJP and AAP. Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Assam Congress Nominates Uday Shankar Hazarika for Lakhimpur LS Seat.

The prestigious Dibrugarh constituency has three candidates in fray with Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal, a Rajya Sabha MP, pitted against the United Opposition Forum, Assam (UOFA) candidate Lurinjyoti Gogoi of the AJP and Aam Aadmi Party's Manoj Dhanowar. In Jorhat, four candidates are in contention, with Lok Sabha's Deputy Leader of the Opposition Gaurav Gogoi locked in a direct contest with sitting BJP MP Topon Gogoi.

Gogoi had to shift his constituency to Jorhat from Kaliabor, which has been renamed as Kaziranga following a delimitation exercise in the state last year.

In Kaziranga, BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa is locked in a direct contest with former Congress MLA Roselina Tirkey, with both candidates belonging to the tea workers' community. Kaziranga has the highest number of 11 candidates in the fray.

In Sonitpur, also renamed from the earlier Tezpur after delimitation, there are eight nominees with a triangular contest likely between BJP MLA Ranjit Dutta, Congress candidate Prem Lal Ganju and AAP's Rishiraj Kaundinya. Lakhimpur has nine contestants, prominent among them being sitting BJP MP Pradan Baruah and Uday Shankar Hazarika of the Congress.

Assam Chief Electoral Officer Anurag Goel said all arrangements have been made for conducting the polls in a free, fair, safe and peaceful manner.

Live monitoring and webcasting will be available in all the 5,509 polling stations, as per the EC's direction, he said. Out of the 10,001 polling booths in the first phase, 92 are model polling stations, 11 are People with Disability (PwD)-managed ones and 752 are female-managed booths.

A total of 40,004 polling and presiding officers will be engaged, and Ballot Units (BUs), Control Unit (CUs) and VVPATs will be put to use. Assured Minimum Facilities (AMF) like provision for drinking water, adequate furniture, waiting shed, toilet, lighting, creche for children, signage and ramps will be available at all the polling stations, officials said. Besides, arrangements like transport facility for the elderly, assistance from volunteers and provision for wheelchairs have made at the booths.
In an unusual case, a woman from Surat has filed a habeas corpus petition in the Gujarat High Court, seeking custody of her abducted daughter and stolen livestock. The petitioners advocate, A B Pandya, informed the court that the womans daughter was abducted two years ago, and her livestock, including cows, buffaloes, and hens, were stolen when goons burnt down her hut.
On 17 April Paraguays 45-member senate voted to remove recently reinstated parliamentary immunity of three senators.

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On 17 April Mexicos supreme court (SCJN) announced that it had the jurisdiction to rule on the admissibility of corruption allegations made against former SCJN president(2019-2022) and other officials.

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On 17 April Brazils Presidentmade his first official visit to Colombias capital Bogota since taking office in January last year and was hosted by his Colombian counterpart,

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The Biden administration is reinstating broad oil sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry as Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro failed to honor commitments made in Barbados last year.

The agreement aimed to facilitate free and fair elections this year and involved banning opposition candidate Maria Corina Machado from running for president.

Senior Biden administration officials announced that the Treasury Department would allow a license permitting US companies to engage with Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA to expire.

This move comes after the license was issued six months ago, last October, to encourage compliance with the Barbados agreement.

Companies now have 45 days to wind down their operations, Miami Herald reports.

A senior administration official stated that Maduro's representatives failed to fully comply with the agreement's terms, highlighting the ban on Machado and her substitute candidate, along with the arrests of opposition members.

However, the decision not to renew the license doesn't indicate a final dismissal of Venezuela's ability to hold fair elections, leaving room for future changes in policy if Maduro alters his course.

READ NEXT: Venezuela, Honduras React to Ecuador Embassy Raid

Reversal of Prior Relief

The actions on Wednesday effectively returned US policy to its pre-agreement stance, making it illegal for US companies to engage with PDVSA without specific Treasury Department licenses.

This move reflects growing frustration with Maduro's government and a call for inclusive elections and the release of political prisoners, according to AP News.

The impact of the sanctions on Venezuela's oil and gas industry remains uncertain.

While the initial relief boosted oil revenues during the six months of sanctions, experts doubt the ability to attract significant investments to revive production.

Notably, the oil sanctions do not directly affect Chevron, the last major US oil driller in Venezuela.

Biden's aides faced challenges in crafting an approach that punishes Nicolas Maduro without harming US interests.

While Venezuelan officials express readiness to weather renewed sanctions, the impact on the stability of global oil markets remains uncertain.

With the withdrawal of the license, Venezuela's crude production growth may be limited unless individual authorizations are granted.

The sanctions underscore U.S. concerns about electoral conditions in Venezuela, particularly regarding the treatment of political opponents.

Preparedness Amid Sanctions

Venezuela's oil minister expressed readiness to bear the costs of reimposed sanctions, asserting the country's ability to navigate challenges, Reuters noted.

The decision to reinstate sanctions reflects ongoing efforts to support a more democratic and prosperous Venezuela, although its impact on oil prices and migration remains to be seen.

While the reimposition of oil sanctions signals growing frustration with Maduro's government, there remains hope for democratic progress in Venezuela.

Continued engagement with all stakeholders, including Nicolas Maduro's representatives, the opposition, and civil society, is crucial for a better future for the Venezuelan people.

The Biden administration's decision to reimpose sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry underscores its commitment to promoting democracy and stability in the region.

Despite the challenges ahead, there remains optimism for progress through continued engagement and support for inclusive elections and human rights in Venezuela.

READ MORE: Bogota Implements Water Restrictions Amid Droughts

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Written by: Ross Key

WATCH: U.S. imposes sanctions on Venezuela after Maduro blocks opposition campaign - From NBC News
Kevin Jiang in Harvard Magazine:

The first signs of insufficient sleep are universally familiar. Theres tiredness and fatigue, difficulty concentrating, perhaps irritability or even tired giggles. Far fewer people have experienced the effects of prolonged sleep deprivation, including disorientation, paranoia and hallucinations. Total, prolonged sleep deprivation, however, can be fatal. While it has been reported in humans only anecdotally, a study in rats conducted by Chicago-based researchers in 1989 showed that a complete lack of sleep inevitably leads to death. Yet, despite decades of study, a central question has remained unsolved: why do animals die when they dont sleep?

Now, Harvard Medical School neuroscientists have identified an unexpected, causal link between sleep deprivation and premature death. In a study on sleep-deprived fruit flies, published in Cell on June 4, researchers found that death is always preceded by the accumulation of molecules known as reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the gut. When fruit flies were given antioxidant compounds that neutralize and clear ROS from the gut, sleep-deprived flies remained active and had normal lifespans. Additional experiments in mice confirmed that ROS accumulate in the gut when sleep is insufficient.

The findings suggest the possibility that animals can indeed survive without sleep under certain circumstances. The results open new avenues of study to understand the full consequences of insufficient sleep and may someday inform the design of approaches to counteract its detrimental effects in humans, the authors said. We took an unbiased approach and searched throughout the body for indicators of damage from sleep deprivation. We were surprised to find it was the gut that plays a key role in causing death, said senior study author Dragana Rogulja, assistant professor of neurobiology in the Blavatnik Institute at HMS. Even more surprising, we found that premature death could be prevented. Each morning, we would all gather around to look at the flies, with disbelief to be honest. What we saw is that every time we could neutralize ROS in the gut, we could rescue the flies, Rogulja said.

More here.
As many expected, the two Articles of Impeachment against Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas was quickly junked by the Senate as soon as it arrived there. The trial in the Senate ended before it began as Senators did not find any reason to impeach Mayorkas.

A divided Republican Party in the House voted to impeach Mayorkas for political reasons, as Donald Trump had wanted to have a member of the Joe Biden administration impeached so he could have more things to attack his political rival with. The impeachment itself was described to be vague, and legal experts have said it did not have much grounds.

As CNN reported, there was not much drama when the Senate threw out the two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, though the vote was mostly along party lines. Both articles of impeachment were then declared unconstitutional.

Nearly all Senate Republicans voted for the Alejandro Mayorkas impeachment to push through to trial, with Alaska Senate Republican Lisa Murkowski being the only holdout, voting "Present." However, the Democratic majority all voted "No," thus junking the impeachment.

The two junked articles of impeachment are for "willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law" and "breach of public trust," with the merits of the case being slammed as lacking substance and has been described as a "distraction from other election year messaging."

Constitutional experts have repeatedly pointed out that the Republicans' case and evidence against Mayorkas, the first Latino and immigrant to hold the job, "failed to clear that high bar" for impeachment.

Alejandro Mayorkas Impeachment 'Done for Good'

After the two articles of impeachment were junked, the Senate also voted to end the trial "sine die." According to NBC News, this means that the impeachment against the DHS secretary was done for good just less than 3 1/2 hours after it began.

READ MORE: Donald Trump Hush Money Trial: Judge Rebukes Ex-POTUS, Warns Not to Intimidate Jurors as First 7 Chosen

White House spokesperson Ian Sams reacted to the junking of the impeachment, saying, "Once and for all, the Senate has rightly voted down this baseless impeachment that even conservative legal scholars said was unconstitutional."

"President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas will continue doing their jobs to keep America safe and pursue actual solutions at the border, and Congressional Republicans should join them, instead of wasting time on baseless political stunts while killing real bipartisan border security reforms," he added.

US Department of Homeland Security Reacts to Alejandro Mayorkas Impeachment Getting Thrown Out

Soon after the impeachment was trashed for good, DHS Spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg released a statement on Wednesday, saying, "As he has done throughout more than 20 years of dedicated public service, Secretary Mayorkas will continue working every day to enforce our laws and protect our country."

"It's time for Congressional Republicans to support the Department's vital mission instead of wasting time playing political games and standing in the way of commonsense, bipartisan border reforms," she added.

It was noted that before the vote, Republicans tried running Donald Trump's infamous "Delay Delay Delay" tactic as they set up procedural hurdles, such as calling to adjourn until the end of the month, according to USA Today.

READ NEXT: Donald Trump Porn Star Hush Money Trial: What To Expect and Why Is It So Important?

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Senate kills Mayorkas impeachment trial, votes both articles 'unconstitutional' - ABC News
Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a bill enacted in 2022 that made it easier for Florida to challenge the law.

The move follows warnings from Democrats about the law's potential for chaos statewide, AP News reports.

DeSantis attributed the need for revision to what he perceives as liberal activists' abuse of the law rather than the concerns of citizens objecting to specific books.

DeSantis criticized the misuse of parental rights and curriculum transparency laws, labeling it as performative and political.

PEN America's report revealed that 72% of books removed from schools nationwide during the current school year originated from Florida.

However, the organization asserted that conservative individuals and groups, not liberal activists, were behind many challenges.

READ NEXT: DeSantis Abandons 2024 Presidential Bid, Throws Support Behind Donald Trump

Changes to Curriculum Transparency Law

The Florida book challenge law passed in 2022, allowed any state resident to challenge schoolbooks without limitations, resulting in numerous challenges and book removals across Florida.

However, the newly signed bill restricts non-parents to one challenge per month.

Ron DeSantis emphasized the need to prevent political weaponization of the law, citing objections to classic books as an example.

Critics argue that the vagueness of the law led to mass removals of books, primarily targeting LGBTQ+ themes, racial discussions, and diverse identities.

Kasey Meehan, director of Pen America's Freedom to Read program, stated, "The majority of books that we see being removed are books that talk about LBTQ+ identities, that include characters of color, that talk about race and racism, that include depictions of sexual experiences in the broadest interpretation of that understanding,"

DeSantis's legislative efforts, including the "Parental Rights in Education" and "Stop WOKE" laws, have faced criticism for their perceived targeting of certain communities and topics.

DeSantis's actions reflect a broader trend of conservative-led efforts across the country to ban books deemed objectionable, according to The Independent.

Florida's stringent laws coincide with similar measures in other states, prompting concerns about free expression and educational quality.

Ongoing Challenges to Educational Materials

Since the enactment of HB 1069 in 2023, residents have objected to numerous books, leading to their removal from school shelves.

Despite DeSantis's insistence that Florida does not ban books, CNN noted that concerns persist about the impact of the laws on educational content and free expression.

PEN America's report highlights the concerning trend of book bans targeting narratives related to race, sexual identities, and sexual content.

The lack of consistent legal definitions regarding sexually explicit material contributes to confusion and censorship in schools nationwide.

Governor Ron DeSantis's decision to narrow the Florida book challenge law reflects ongoing debates about educational content, free expression, and parental rights.

While aimed at addressing perceived abuses of the law, the changes raise questions about censorship, diversity, and the quality of education in Florida and beyond.

READ MORE: Senate Receives Impeachment Case Against Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas

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WATCH: DeSantis Promotes Law That Lets People Challenge One Book Per Month If Their Child Isn't In District - From Forbes Breaking News
The third day of the Donald Trump hush money trial has now concluded. Soon after it ended, he took to his usual whining in front of the media before he began campaigning inside a New York bodega and began whining there all over again.

He chose a bodega in Harlem, which was where a fatal stabbing happened two years ago, to criticize failures in public safety by the city's ruling Democratic Party. He then singled out Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg by name and once again accused him of being soft on crime. He then claimed that the charges Bragg made against him were partisan.

Trump continued blaming Democrats for cities being "crime-ridden," including New York where he was charged with Falsifying Business Records. He also used these claims to attack Democrats in Georgia, especially in Fulton County where he has been charged with Election Interference.

Despite Trump's claims, crime statistics in New York have been steadily going down, with crime rates being down before the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.

According to ABC News, Trump was in that Harlem, bodega at the invitation of the Bodega Association. Trump has been campaigning on crime and public safety, as well as immigration and getting revenge on his political opponents.

"This is a trial that should have never been brought. ... I should be right now in Pennsylvania, in Florida, in many other states -- North Carolina, Georgia -- campaigning," complained Trump while heading back to court.

Donald Trump Sat and Listened as Potential Jurors Said What They Really Felt About Him

Jury selection continued for the Donald Trump hush money trial in New York, potential jurors were required to say what they really thought of the former president. The testimonies of these everyday people may have gotten Donald Trump out of his echo chamber where he is showered with constant praise from his supporters.

READ MORE: Donald Trump Trial: Not Many Trump Supporters Showed Up as Ex-POTUS Made Fun of for Dozing Off During Hearing

As The Guardian pointed out, the exchanges between the potential jurors and the lawyers for both the prosecution and defense became colorful, with one prosecutor telling the jurors, "Resist the urge to flee the courtroom."

"If we were sitting at a bar, I'd be happy to tell you, but in this room what I feel about President Trump is not important or inherent to either the case you're presenting or you're defending," one potential juror said, trying to avoid disclosing his opinion of the former president. He later conceded that he is a Democrat.

Another potential juror started out by sort of complimenting Trump, saying, "He speaks his mind. Come on: what else can you say about that?" which drew a smile from the former president. However, she continued, "He says what he wants to say, I want to say some things but my mother said, 'Be nice.'"

Donald Trump Confronted With Reality That He Is Not In Charge of the Hush Money Trial

Meanwhile, Axios noted that while Trump is used to swaying the court of public opinion with his die-hard supporters, he is slowly finding out that he cannot always do as he pleases in the court of law, with his face often being marked by "frequent sullen and exasperated expressions in court seem to reflect the reality that he's not in charge anymore."

As the criminal defendant, Trump must attend every day of the trial, including jury selection. Already, he has been scolded several times by Judge Juan Merchan for trying to intimidate a potential juror.

His strongman image also took a hit as reports have noted he had been dozing off not once, but twice, as he was caught dozing off again on the second day, with many pointing out his nickname for rival Joe Biden as "Sleepy Joe" should be for himself, "Sleepy Don."

READ NEXT: Donald Trump Porn Star Hush Money Trial: What To Expect and Why Is It So Important?

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WATCH: Fed up judge WARNS Trump at trial in stunning rebuke - Brian Tyler Cohen
A boat was found adrift off the coast of Brazil, and authorities soon discovered that there were several dead bodies aboard. All of whom are suspected African migrants from Mali and Mauritania. Brazilian police are now investigating the incident and trying to find out who these possible African migrants were.

According to ABC News, the bodies were found by fishermen off Brazil's northern coastal state of Para last Saturday in the Atlantic Ocean. All nine aboard were already dead and already in an advanced state of decomposition, their bodies now in Brazilian custody.

The boat was too big for just nine people, with Brazil's Federal Police believing that the vessel could have carried at least 25 people as they also found several raincoats allegedly not belonging to the nine migrants found aboard.

"Documents and objects found near the bodies indicate that the victims were migrants from the African continent, from the region of Mauritania and Mali," the Federal Police said in a statement. Police also suggested that other nationalities could also be among those who died aboard the boat.

As for the vessel itself, it was described to be a "12-meter (39-foot) white and blue canoe-shaped boat shares the same characteristics of Mauritanian fishing boats known as pirogue." These vessels are often used by West African migrants and refugees fleeing to Spain's Canary Islands. It was suggested that Brazil may not have been the migrants' intended destination.

Boats Carrying African Migrants Often Drift to the Caribbean and Brazil

Even though the destination of these boats is the Canary Islands and not the Americas, these boats often go off course, with the trip being regarded as one of the most dangerous migration routes in the world.

READ MORE: Guatemala President Bernardo Arevalo: US Needs To Invest More to Deter Immigration

Usually, these boars that go off course are swept away by Atlantic trade winds and currents from east to west. These could lead to these migrant boats drifting in the Atlantic Ocean for months, and those aboard often die of dehydration and malnutrition. It is also not uncommon for people to jump into the ocean out of desperation.

The Associated Press launched a report that found that in 2021 alone, at least seven boats from northwest Africa had been found around Brazil and the Caribbean. All seven boats had dead bodies aboard.

Decomposing Bodies of Dead African Migrants Undergo Forensics Examinations in Brazil

As soon as the boat full of dead migrants was hauled ashore, a forensics team was dispatched to examine the scene, including the boat and the bodies aboard. The same forensics team determined that the boat likely came from West Africa and was carrying African migrants.

Meanwhile, Jose Roberto Peres, the Federal Police chief in Para state, told reporters that the estimated distance from where its passengers may have lost their way is some 4,800 kilometers, or around 3,000 miles from the Brazilian coast. He also confirmed that forensic investigations are still underway and they are still awaiting results.

READ MORE: Brazil Police Officially Open Investigation Into Jair Bolsonaro Stay at Hungarian Embassy

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Human traffickers conducting a lucrative business in Mauritania | DW Documentary - DW Documentary
NEW YORK  Twelve jurors and one alternate have been seated in Donald Trump s hush money case, quickly propelling the jury selection process forward after a morning that saw two previously sworn-in jurors dismissed  one after she expressed new doubt in her ability to be fair and impartial following the disclosure of details about her identity and the other over concerns that he may not have been truthful about whether he had ever been accused or convicted of a crime.

Lawyers in the trial now need to select five alternates to round out the panel that will decide the first-ever criminal case against a former U.S. president.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records as part of an alleged scheme to bury stories he feared could hurt his 2016 campaign.

The allegations focus on payoffs to two women, porn actor Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal, who said they had extramarital sexual encounters with Trump years earlier, as well as to a Trump Tower doorman who claimed to have a story about a child he alleged Trump had out of wedlock. Trump says none of the alleged sexual encounters occurred.

The case is the first of Trumps four indictments to reach trial.

Heres the latest:

FIRST WITNESS IN TRUMPS TRIAL UNDER WRAPS

Prosecutors declined to tell Donald Trumps legal team who the first witnesses in his hush money trial would be, complaining that he has been posting on social media about witnesses in the run-up to the trial.

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche offered to assure the court that it wouldnt happen, saying he would commit to the court and the people that President Trump will not Truth about any witness.

That he will not tweet about any witnesses? I dont think you can make that representation, Judge Juan M. Merchan said.

1 ALTERNATE JUROR SEATED

One alternate juror in Donald Trumps hush money trial late Thursday, leaving lawyers in the case to select five more and rapidly bringing the trial closer to opening statements.

The jury includes a sales professional, a software engineer, an English teacher and multiple lawyers.

ALL 12 JURORS SEATED

All 12 jurors in Donald Trumps hush money trial have been seated, quickly propelling the jury selection process forward late Thursday afternoon. Lawyers now need to select six alternates to round out the panel that will decide the first-ever criminal case against a former U.S. president.

TWO MORE JURORS SEATED IN TRUMP TRIAL

Two more jurors have been seated in Donald Trumps hush money trial, bringing the number of seated jurors back to seven.

The newly seated jurors replace two jurors who were sworn in on Tuesday, but who were both dismissed by Judge Juan M. Merchan earlier Thursday.

The first juror was excused after she expressed new doubt in her ability to be fair and impartial following the disclosure of details about her identity while the other was dismissed over concerns that some of his answers in court may have been inaccurate.

POTENTIAL JURORS WARNED ABOUT IMPLICIT BIAS

As they questioned prospective jurors in Donald Trumps hush money trial, attorneys for the former president warned them about the impacts of implicit bias.

The problem with biases is they color the way you look at the world. What you may believe and may not, Susan Necheles said. We wouldnt allow someone who has a strong dislike for a certain type of people to sit on a jury of that type of person.

Necheles was responding to remarks from two possible jurors about their opinions of Trump.

A woman from the Upper West Side had acknowledged, in response to questions, that she did have strong feelings about the former president. Yes. I disagree with most of his policies, she said.

Shortly after, another woman spoke in even stronger terms. He just seems very selfish and self-serving, so I dont really appreciate that in any public servant, she said.

Trump appeared to perk up during both comments, turning around to look in the direction of the box. Both women said it would not impact their ability to act impartially.

PROSECUTOR TELLS POSSIBLE JURORS THEYLL HAVE TO USE COMMON SENSE TO COME TO CONCLUSIONS

Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass began his questioning of the prospective jurors in Donald Trumps hush money trial much the same way he did earlier this week  acknowledging the unusual publicity surrounding the case and asking the group of 18 seated in the box whether it would impact their ability to evaluate evidence fairly.

He called first on a lifelong Manhattan resident who works in law enforcement. I could be objective, the man told him.

During subsequent questioning of an attorney who previously said shed followed the case closely and could still be impartial, the individual told Steinglass that she had since changed her mind.

Im worried that I know too much, she said. Im worried that its going to seep in, in some way, she added.

Steinglass thanked her for her candor and moved on.

Steinglass later acknowledged that no witness will say that Trump directly told them: Lets pull the wool over the American publics eye so I can get elected.

Rather, the prosecutor said, jurors would have to analyze the evidence and apply common sense to draw conclusions.

CHILLY COURTROOM AS QUESTIONING RESUMES

A chill of sorts came over the proceedings in Donald Trumps criminal case when Trump lawyer Todd Blanche asked the judge whether the temperature in the courtroom could be raised.

Manhattans main criminal courthouse is over 80 years old, and the building has many quirks.

Judge Juan M. Merchan said if they tried to raise the heat even slightly, the room would probably end up getting way too hot.

Theres no question its cold, but Id rather be a little cold than sweat, the judge said.

Still, Merchan later addressed the frigid nature of the courtroom ahead instructing prospective jurors how voir dire  the process of lawyers from both sides asking them questions  works.

I want to apologize that its chilly in here, he said, eliciting laughs. Were trying to do the best we can to control the temperature, but its one extreme or the other.

COURT BREAKS FOR LUNCH

Court proceedings in former President Donald Trumps hush money case have halted for a lunch break. Proceedings will resume at 2:15 p.m. ET.

The most recent crop of 18 potentials in the jury box, including an initial juror who was excused and replaced by another man, have now gone through the standard screening questionnaire. After lunch, they will be questioned by lawyers.

QUESTIONING OF POTENTIAL JURORS RESUMES

Legal counsel in Donald Trumps criminal trial has returned to questioning prospective jurors in the case after Judge Juan M. Merchan dismissed a second previously seated juror.

While multiple seated and prospective jurors are lawyers, another potential jury member has a good deal of experience specifically being a juror.

The longtime Manhattanite said that over the years, shes been a juror in a criminal trial and a civil insurance fraud case that both reached verdicts. She also served as an alternate juror on a malpractice case that was resolved during deliberations, she said.

The woman, who works as a paralegal, said there was no reason she couldnt serve as a juror in Trumps case, too.

MERCHAN DISMISSES A SECOND SEATED JUROR

Judge Juan M. Merchan has removed a second seated juror from Donald Trumps hush money trial after prosecutors raised concerns that the man may not have been truthful about whether he had ever been accused or convicted of a crime.

The decision came after the judge questioned the jurors alongside lawyers out of earshot of reporters. The judge later said the juror had expressed annoyance about how much information about him had been out in the public.

That echoes the concerns of another juror dismissed earlier Thursday. She said family members and friends questioned her about being a juror even though their names are being kept secret.

PROSPECTIVE JURORS GIVING VAGUER ANSWERS TO EMPLOYMENT QUESTIONS

Instead of disclosing where they work, as other potential jurors in Donald Trumps hush money case had done earlier this week, the latest group gave more generic answers on Thursday.

The shift in demeanor came after Judge Juan M. Merchan scolded the press for reporting identifiable details about the potential jurors, ordering them not to report on questions about their current and former employers and noting the answers would be redacted from court transcripts.

Theres a reason that this is an anonymous jury, Merchan had said. It kind of defeats the purpose of that when so much information is put out there that it is very easy for anyone to identify who the jurors are.

It wasnt clear if they were directly instructed to avoid giving specifics about their employers.

The first prospective juror was an attorney who mentioned having attended the Womens March and reading a book by former Manhattan prosecutor Mark Pomerantz. Pomerantz previously oversaw the investigation into the allegations at the center of the hush money case, and his book detailed his work on it.

Ive discussed the legal merits of this case with many coworkers, she added. When asked whether she could still be a fair and impartial juror despite that, she let out a deep sigh before responding, Yes.

OVER HALF OF LATEST JURY POOL EXCUSED

Fifty-seven out of the second round of 96 potential jurors in Donald Trumps hush money trial have been excused after saying they cant serve.

Some 48 people indicated Thursday morning that they could not serve fairly and impartially. An additional nine said they couldnt serve for some other reason, which they were not asked to state.

SECOND PANEL OF 96 PROSPECTIVE JURORS NOW IN COURT FOR QUESTIONING

The second wave of potential jurors in Donald Trumps criminal trial is now in court to begin the questioning phase of jury selection.

As with the first big group, the judge will explain the basics of jury service along with the case, then ask for a show of hands from any panelists who dont believe they can serve fairly and impartially. After, hell ask for a similar indication from any who dont believe they can serve for another reason.

More than half of the 96 potential jurors in the first group were dismissed after they said they couldnt be fair and impartial.

STATUS OF ANOTHER SEATED JUROR IN LIMBO

The status of a second juror seated for Donald Trumps hush money trial was in limbo Thursday after he failed to report to court to address concerns that some of his answers in court may not have been accurate.

Prosecutors found an article from the 1990s about a man with the same name as the juror being arrested for tearing down political advertisements in suburban Westchester County. The posters were on the political right, Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass said.

Steinglass also disclosed that a relative of the man may have been involved in a nonprosecution agreement in the 1990s with the Manhattan district attorneys office, which is prosecuting Trumps case.

Judge Juan M. Merchan had instructed the man to come to court at 9:15 a.m. Thursday to answer questions and verify whether the people involved were him or his relative.

Merchan noted the jurors apparent reluctance to come in and asked both sides if theyd consent to having him removed without further inquiry. Trump lawyer Todd Blanche declined, saying he wanted to first hear what the man had to say.

Under questioning earlier this week, the man had said he hadnt been convicted of a crime.

PROSECUTORS WANT TRUMP SANCTIONED FOR MORE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

Prosecutors in Donald Trumps hush money trial told Judge Juan M. Merchan on Thursday that they wanted the former president held in contempt and sanctioned for seven more posts they said violated his gag order.

Trumps new posts came after the prosecutors initially sought a $3,000 fine on Monday for three other Truth Social posts.

Prosecutor Christopher Conroy said several of the new posts involved an article that referred to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen as a serial perjurer and another from Wednesday that repeated a claim by a Fox News host that liberal activists were lying to get on the jury.

Trump lawyer Emil Bove said Cohen has been attacking President Trump in public statements, and that Trump was just replying.

Merchan had already scheduled a hearing for next week on the prosecutions request for contempt sanctions over Trumps posts.

JUDGE ORDERS JOURNALISTS NOT TO REPORT ON POTENTIAL JURORS EMPLOYERS

After dismissing a seated juror in Donald Trumps hush money trial, Judge Juan M. Merchan admonished the media for reporting details about the seated and potential jurors that could be used to identify them, ordering them not to report prospective jurors answers to questions about their current and former employers.

As evidenced by whats happened already, its become a problem, he said Thursday morning.

He also directed reporters to abide by common sense and avoid writing about the physical characteristics of the people called to serve.

We just lost what probably would have been a very good juror, the judge continued. She said she was afraid and intimidated by the press, all the press.

PREVIOUSLY SEATED JUROR EXCUSED, CITING IMPARTIALITY CONCERNS

A juror who had been selected for Donald Trumps criminal hush money trial was dismissed Thursday after she told the court shed become concerned about her ability to be impartial.

Although the jurors names are being kept confidential, the woman, a nurse, conveyed that after sleeping on it overnight she had concerns about her ability to be fair and impartial in this case, Judge Juan M. Merchan said before calling her into the room for questioning.

The woman said her family members and friends were questioning her about being a juror.

With the womans dismissal, the total number of seated jurors dropped to six. Attorneys now need to pick 12 more people to serve on the panel that will decide the former presidents criminal case.

Merchan admonished the media for reporting details about the jurors that could be used to identify them.

Theres a reason that this is an anonymous jury, Merchan said. It kind of defeats the purpose of that when so much information is put out there that it is very easy for anyone to identify who the jurors are.

The press is certainly entitled to write about anything thats said on the record because its on the record, Merchan said, but he added that hes directing reporters to abide by common sense and not do things like writing about physical characteristics of the people called to serve.
The Bethlehem Food Co-Op celebrated a milestone in the ongoing construction of what will become a community-owned grocery store in the city.

Work has moved to fitting out the interior of the market at 250 E. Broad St. The co-ops board of directors, staff and guests celebrated the next phase of construction at a ceremony last week.

The market is slated to open to shoppers in late summer 2024, the co-op said in a news release. There is no membership requirement to shop at the store, but members will receive special perks and exclusive discounts, the release said.

Boyle Construction will begin the fit-out in the coming weeks.

It is a crucial step forward in the stores mission to provide high-quality, fresh, accessible and affordable groceries sourced as locally as possible, the release said.

MORE: Ground broken for Bethlehem Food Co-op grocery store

TSA PreCheck enrollment event planned at LVIA

Lehigh Valley residents can get TSA PreCheck enrollment at Lehigh Valley International Airport to skip the lines at airports later this month.

The PreCheck program, which began at LVIA in December 2016, allows low-risk travelers to go through a special screening process to skip removing their shoes, liquids, laptops, light outerwear or belts at TSA screening lines.

Lehigh Valley International Airport from April 22-26 will host a temporary pop-up TSA PreCheck enrollment center.

Travelers need only to make an appointment online (appointments are being taken now) and complete their enrollment in-person or as a walk-in, the TSA said in a statement on Monday.

The center will be open from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. April 22-25. On April 26, hours are only 9 a.m. to noon.

For more information and to schedule an appointment, visit the PreCheck website.

MORE: Lehigh Valley air travel matches nearly 20-year high

More local headlines

Mcall.com reports demolition is now underway at a Superfund site at Route 412 and Interstate 78 in Hellertown. Champion Spark Plug Co. operated at the site until closing in 1982.

MORE: Read the full mcall.com story here.

Lehighvalleynews.com reports Hanover Township, Northampton County, supervisors have given preliminary approval to plans to build a 144-bed behavioral health hospital off West Macada Road. Lehigh Valley Health Network is affiliated with the project.

MORE: Read the full lehighvalleynews.com story here.

WFMZ.com reports part of Washington Avenue in Northampton Borough has been shut down to shoot scenes from the upcoming film Saint Nick of Bethlehem thats being directed by Bethlehem native Daniel Roebuck.

MORE: Read the full wfmz.com report here.
A prison sentence was handed down to a woman who stole bottles of vodka and rum from Lidl in Portarlington.

Natasha Tynan, 36, of Newtown Cottages, Malahide Road, Dublin 17 pleaded guilty to stealing alcohol valued at 90 from Lidl, Portarlington on April 14, 2022. She also admitted stealing 122 worth of alcohol on May 11 and 220 worth of alcohol including two bottles of vodka and three bottles of Captain Morgans rum on June 21, 2022.

Garda Shane Barry said the defendant had replied I am sorry when charged with the offences in the body of the courthouse.

Garda Barry said all of the offences were similar in nature and had occurred at the same location. The defendant had 30 previous convictions, 10 of which were for theft, he added.

Solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said his client was originally from Coolock in Dublin. He said she is on remand in prison for about a year in relation to another matter.

He said the underlying feature to the offending appeared to be alcohol. He said the woman had an egregious addiction to heroin and street tablets but she has had time to sober up now.

Mr Fitzgerald said the woman had been addicted to drugs from the age of 18 and was at the apex of her addiction around the time of the offending. He said the woman was on remand in prison awaiting sentencing in relation to an assault.

Judge Nicola Andrews sentenced the woman to one month in prison from the date of the court sitting. She granted legal aid to the defendant at the sitting of Portlaoise District Court.
Stradballys Electric Picnic Residents Committee say plans are well advanced for this year's festival.

A spokesperson said representatives from the Festival Republic had assured their committee that the event was going ahead as planned from August 16 to 18.

The spokesperson said it was the first meeting between residents and Festival Republic representatives this year. They were told the festival would return to a September date next year.

They said that we wouldnt have had a meeting with them if it wasnt going ahead, the spokesperson explained.

The group issued a statement explaining that they had a meeting in relation to the event earlier today.

We have met with representatives of Festival Republic, plans are well advanced for the festival and we are waiting on their final plan before communicating it to the community, we will keep you updated.

The committee are busy working behind the scenes organising for this year's festival. Letters will be distributed to eligible residents in the coming weeks regarding ticket signing for your area, the committee stated.

Electric Picnic organisers dismissed speculation about the staging of the festival only last week.

"Of course it's going ahead. We released the line up late April last year also," a spokesperson told the Leinster Express/Laois Live when asked about the line-up announcement last week.
The death has occurred of Cecilia Conway (nee McGee)

Nicholastown, Kilcullen, Kildare (Eircode R56 E262).

Died on April 17, 2024, in the loving care of the staff at Peamount Hospital.

Beloved wife of the late Matt.

Deeply regretted by her loving brothers in law, sisters in law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends.

May Cecilia Rest In Peace.

Reposing at her residence on Friday, April 19, from 3pm until 8pm with prayers at 7.30pm.

Removal from there on Saturday, April 20, to the Church of the Sacred Heart and St Brigid, Kilcullen, arriving for 11am funeral Mass which may be viewed on https://mcnmedia.tv/Camera/church-of-the-sacred-heart-and-st-brigid-kilcullen and burial afterwards in New Abbey Cemetery, Kilcullen.

The death has occurred of Dorothy (Dolly) Fleming (nee Hurley)

Lakelands, Naas, Kildare.

Peacefully, at Craddock House Nursing Home, Naas, surrounded by her loving family.

Beloved wife of Patrick (Paddy) and loving mam of Sandra, Ron, Mark and Kim.

Dorothy will be very sadly missed by her loving husband and children, grandchildren Alva and her husband Andy, Adam and his partner Aine, Abby, Maegen, Daisy, Georgia and Noah, great-grandchildren Jacob and Evan, daughters-in-law Jandy and Ann, son-in-law Chris, sister Phyllis, nieces, nephews, extended family, friends and neighbours.

"May her gentle soul rest in peace."

Reposing at The George Mullins Funeral Home, Kilcullen Road, Naas (Eircode W91 CD0K) on Friday, April 19, from 5pm to 7pm.

Funeral on Saturday, April 20, with Requiem Mass at 11am in The Church of The Irish Martyrs, Ballycane, followed by a private cremation.

Family flowers only please.

Donations, in lieu, to the Alzheimer Society of Ireland: https://alzheimer.ie/get-involved/become-a-friend-support-asi/donate/

The death has occurred of Joseph (Joe) Higgins

Castlebrowne, Clane, Kildare.

April 16, 2024, suddenly at Naas General Hospital.

Predeceased by his parents Joe and Mary and brother John.

Deeply regretted by his loving wife Ber, sisters Liz, Mary, Sal and Brig, brother Lar, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, relatives and friends.

Rest In Peace.

House strictly private, please.

Funeral Arrangements will be updated at a later date.

For all enquiries, please contact Oliver Reilly Funeral Directors on (045) 86 8230.

The death has occurred of Baby Finn Paul O'Rourke

Rathangan, Kildare.

Baby Finn Paul O'Rourke, treasured and cherished son of Laura and Paul, was born on April 12, 2024 and fell asleep in his Mammy's arms on April 16, 2024, under the tender care of the staff at the National Maternity Hospital.

Baby Finn was with us for just a very short time and amazed everyone by his braveness and resolute determination.

Finn will be eternally missed and forever remembered by his Parents Laura and Paul, Grandparents Brenda, Geraldine and Joe, his Godparents Alison, Joseph, Simone, Michelle, and Ciara, his little dogs Benny and Alfie, and his Great Uncle Gerard.

Finn's precious gentle spirit has gone on to be with his sister Lauri Ann in that much better place.

The meaning of Finn's name is "Blessed".

For now and forever more, we his loving parents have hearts full of blessings gifted to us by our beautiful boy Finn.

We consider ourselves blessed to have the privilege of being Finn's Mammy and Daddy.

We would like to thank the kind nurses, doctors and staff of the N.I.C.U in The National Maternity Hospital, who showed Finn such love and compassion while in their care.

We are also very grateful to Feileacain, the Laura Lynn Foundation, the palliative care team, the bereavement team, along with the chaplains of the National Maternity Hospital for all their support through this incredibly difficult journey.

Rest in Peace.

Private family service and cremation will take place on April 19 at 10.30am in The Angels Chapel of Mount Jerome, Harold's Cross.

We would also be very grateful if you could light a candle in honour of our baby boy Finn.

Donations, if desired, can be made to the above charities.
Rare Diseases Ireland (RDI) yesterday launched its 2024 Get Rare Aware campaign to bring together politicians, medical experts and people living with rare diseases, including in Kildare, to call for the urgent expansion of newborn heel prick screening services provided by the HSE. The new campaign is highlighting how babies born in Ireland are screened for only half the European average number of health conditions included in screening programmes in other European countries.

According to RDI, screening for an increased number of conditions would mean that approximately 200 babies born in Ireland each year, including babies born to people living in Kildare, could have their lives saved or have better health for life. This is because newborn screening enables doctors to diagnose babies early, and start treatment and onward care as early as possible and often before symptoms appear.

The National Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme (NNBSP), more commonly known as the heel prick test, which is part of the HSE National Childrens Screening Programme, screens for nine conditions in comparison with the European average of 18 conditions minimum.

Heel prick services, which involve taking a small sample of blood from a newborn babys heel, are provided between 72 and 120 hours after birth for the early identification of serious medical conditions and rare diseases.

Speaking at the launch of the Get Rare Aware Campaign at Government Buildings today, CEO of Rare Diseases Ireland Vicky McGrath said, For our 2024 Get Rare Aware campaign, we are calling on TDs, senators and MEPs, including in Kildare, to take urgent action to expand the number of conditions screened for under newborn heel prick test screening services in Ireland. Ireland needs a comprehensive newborn screening programme that is adequately resourced to enable expansion and ensure that babies born in Ireland, including to parents living in Kildare, are screened for at minimum the European average number of 18 conditions. Newborn screening is a programme that would benefit further from European collaboration to ensure that babies born across the EU receive equal care.

The limited services and resources available for expansion of newborn screening dramatically impacts the life of children born in Ireland, and particularly those born with a rare disease, including in Kildare. Action can be taken when health conditions tested for in newborn screening are identified early. The wellbeing of whole families will also be improved as delayed diagnosis has a significant financial and psychological impact on families.

In Ireland, babies are screened for nine diseases at birth, which is less than the numbers screened for in 75 per cent of other European countries, including Austria, Italy, Portugal and Russia which test for a minimum of 30 conditions.

Slovakia, Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Netherlands and Sweden screen newborn babies for a minimum of 20 conditions.

Among the diseases newborn babies are screened for in other European countries that are not currently part of Irelands NNBSP are sickle cell disease (SCD), a rare blood disorder that blocks blood flow and prevents normal flow of nutrients and oxygen around the body, and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare neuromuscular condition causing progressive muscle wasting and weakness leading to loss of movement. These and over 30 other conditions are included in the National Screening Advisory Committee newborn screening work programme, however, according to Ms. McGrath, inadequate resources at the HSE remains a barrier to expansion.

Only one disease  adenosine deaminase deficiency severe combined immunodeficiency (ADA-SCID)  has been added to Irelands newborn screening programme in the last five years. Two conditions were added in 2018  medium chain acyl CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MCADD) and glutaric aciduria type 1 (GA1), which were preceded by cystic fibrosis six years earlier in 2011. Up until then, for a period of 32 years (19792011), the number of diseases screened for under the NNBSP did not change.

RDI is hosting online information events broken down by the countrys six HSE Health Regions over the next three months as part of the Get Rare Aware campaign. The events will bring together politicians, medical experts and patient representatives to highlight the challenges encountered in relation to expansion of newborn heel prick test screening services provided in Ireland. The events are open to the public.

The first of the Get Rare Aware information events covers HSE Dublin and Midlands Health Region, spanning Dublin West and South-West, Laois, Longford, Offaly, Kildare, West Wicklow and Westmeath. It is taking place at 12.30pm today, Thursday, April 18.

For more information about the Get Rare Aware campaign and to register to attend the online information event for Kildare, go to www.getrareaware.ie.
A youth activist from Newbridge addressed the Seanad earlier today in relation to Traveller mental health.

James Stokes, who is Sinn Feins youngest election candidate in the upcoming local elections at just 18 years of age, called for 'the delivery of a national Traveller Mental Health Strategy without delay.'

Mr Stokes, who is also a member of the Travelling Community, told the Seanad: "Statistics paint a stark picture: 90 per cent of Travellers report widespread mental health issues in their community, with a staggering 11 per cent dying by suicide, a rate over seven times higher than the general population.

"Suicide has touched 82 per cent of Travellers, with 44 per cent experiencing it within their immediate or extended family."

He continued: "Additionally, 36 per cent of Irish people admit to avoiding interaction with Travellers, indicating a troubling level of discrimination.

"Shockingly, 97 per cent would not accept Travellers as members of their family, 80 per cent would not accept a Traveller as a friend, and 44 per cent would not want Travellers to be members of their community.

"The gravity of the situation cannot be overstated: we are in crisis right now."

Mr Stokes further said that each statistic 'represents a life cut short, a family shattered, and a community in mourning.'

He added: "It's a stark reminder of the urgent need for action.

"We cannot afford to wait idly by, hoping that the next tragedy will not touch our own doorstep.

"It is evident that successive governments have failed to address the systemic challenges faced by Travellers... This is not a matter of political rhetoric, but the grim reality of our times."

"Its time for change: a National Traveller Mental Health Strategy must be implemented now," he concluded.
A Kildare man charged with murder has appeared in court again.

Padraig Delaney, 43, whose address was given as 6 The Lane, Eustace Demesne, Naas, faces an allegation of the murder of 37 year old Shane Knott between April 3-14, at that address.

He appeared via video link at Naas District court today.

Solicitor Tim Kennelly told the court that he has secured the services of a pathologist, Professor Jack Crane, to review images from the post mortem examination of the deceased and prepare an independent report.

Read more Kildare news

Mr Kennelly said today its likely it wont be not be necessary to have an in person examination of the deceased.

Mr Kennelly also said a forensics expert arrived from the UK last night and will examine the crime scene.

He also said that a bail application will be made in the High Court next week

Judge Desmond Zaidan remanded the defendant in custody to appear again by video link May 2 . He said if the defendant secures bail in the meantime he must appear in court on that date.
Tanaiste Micheal Martin has insisted the Governments housing plan is working to provide more affordable housing.

He said that progress had been made, but that the fundamental issue was that housing demand was still greater than supply.

He was responding to questions from Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns who accused him of spin on affordable housing supply during Leaders Questions on Thursday.

She criticised the Government, saying it had not met its affordable housing targets for last year, with 499 affordable purchase and 966 cost-rental homes delivered.

Thats fewer than 1,500 affordable homes when the target was 5,500, she said.

Ms Cairns said that people who were not able to afford rent or house prices had not failed, and that it represented a Government failure and a shameful refusal to admit it.

She outlined the helplessness people felt as their life choices were limited by the high cost of housing.

The Tanaiste said that every TD knew of the challenges and difficulties in being able to afford housing, and said there is not a family in the country untouched by the crisis.

Mr Martin repeated an assertion he made previously that it was fine to criticise the Governments plan, but urged the opposition to show them a better alternative to fix the housing crisis.

He said the Housing For All plan was the most substantive plan to hit targets to build new homes, and that the highest number of homes had been commenced in March this year compared to any year since 2015 (4,900 housing starts).

Ultimately, even though weve delivered 100,000 homes since 2020, its not enough. Demand is higher than supply, which is leading to a fundamental issue leading to price increases, and huge challenges for people.

Ms Cairns responded that her party had offered housing alternatives in the form of amendments on affordable housing to the Governments planning reform bill, which she said were voted down.

She also said her party had asked for a vacant property tax with teeth.

Tanaiste, I dont know, do you think that people believe you when you come in here and just say we dont put forward any solutions, she said.

In the past few weeks alone, my colleague Cian OCallaghan has put forward 255 amendments to the planning bill. The Government has just routinely voted them down. One of them was around zoning land for affordable housing.

She outlined a variety of policies on housing the party had called for.

She accused him of spin on housing, which she said is just something people are sick of and it solidifies the feeling that this Government is just in denial, and said at the core of this crisis is affordability.

Mr Martin said that some of what Ms Cairns had suggested would reduce the supply of housing through curtailing the market.

He said that they had already curtailed bulk purchasing of homes through the planning laws.

Ms Cairns interrupted to say its not working across the Dail chamber, to which Mr Martin insisted it is working.

It is working, and the evidence is there in terms of the fact that the vast, vast majority of house purchases in the country are by citizens, he said.

Weve had the highest number of first-time buyers, the highest in years, on an ongoing basis. What does that tell you? It tells you that affordability is improving for quite a number of first-time buyers.

Weve doubled the number of affordable homes this year and we will continue to increase the direct intervention by the State.

It is not spin, Deputy.
Schools under the remit of Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB) are participating in a 'groundbreaking project'.

The initial results of the project were presented at a national Leading Inclusive Education event in Portlaoise on Tuesday, April 16 last.

'Provision Mapping', an evidence-based process to evaluate student supports, strategically cost and plan provision, allocate resources, and identify staff professional learning needs, is now underway in 140 ETBs schools across the country, including in counties Kildare and Wicklow.

Commenting on the project, Dr Johanna Fitzgerald of the ETB Ireland (ETBI) explained: "Inclusive special education is all about making the invisible visible in our schools, and provision mapping supports all students, including those with special education needs (SEN), by working with all teachers in schools to examine teaching, learning and assessment approaches that make a difference to students outcomes.

"Our initial project findings indicate that provision mapping is having a positive impact on student learning and staff understanding, awareness in schools and ETBs."

Dr Fitzgerald added: "Other findings include: most important benefits include increased school wide awareness and understanding of inclusive and special education; 95 per cent of participants surveyed indicate they wish to continue implementing the process; and additional qualitative feedback indicated that the strategic leadership nature of Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO) role needs to be formally recognised and resourced in schools to develop and embed a schoolwide approach to teaching, learning, assessment and reporting for students with additional needs in schools."

Paddy Lavelle, who is the ETBI's General Secretary, told over 150 ETB school representatives at the event on Tuesday: "We believe everyone deserves excellence in education."

"Supporting children and young people with special education needs and their families is a priority for our schools and requires wholesale investment and commitment across the education system... That is why were working hard with all our education partners to ensure that schools are resourced to provide the best possible opportunities for our students," Mr Lavelle added.

BACKGROUND

Led by Dr Fitzgerald in partnership with Mary Immaculate College, the provision mapping project was initially piloted across six schools in Limerick and Clare ETBs back in 2016.

This was followed by a national pilot across 33 schools in 2020, and is now being implemented in 140 ETB Schools across sixteen ETBs.

Research commissioned by ETBI in 2023 and conducted by Opinions has also shown that all parents consider providing for students with special education needs as highly important, ranking it third overall when asked to identify 'important aspects when choosing a school.'
The daughter of former Leitrim GAA Senior team sponsor, the late James McGovern, will join the presenting line-up of BBC Radio 4's Womans Hour, the broadcaster has announced.

Nuala McGovern, who is a familiar voice to listeners of the show, will present the programme from Monday to Wednesday each week from May 13.

The daughter of the late James and Peggy McGovern, Nuala McGovern grew up in Drumcondra in Dublin and is a graduate of UCD, where she studied English and Italian. She taught English in Italy before moving to the United States and began broadcasting as a presenter and producer for Adrian Flannelly's radio show in New York, before joining WNYC

In her 20-year career, McGovern has worked across the BBC and is one of the leading presenters on the BBC World Service. She has reported for the broadcaster from more than 30 countries and at many important events including at both the funeral of the late Queen and the coronation of the King.

McGovern said "It is a real privilege to present this extraordinary programme. Im looking forward to working with the superb Womans Hour team on the rigorous journalism expected on womens issues but also making time for escapism and fun. Im especially looking forward to getting back to the Womans Hour listeners, I have missed them."

The editor of Womans Hour, Karen Dalziel, said: "Im delighted that Nuala McGovern is joining Womans Hour. Shes an exceptional journalist who brings an astonishing range of broadcasting experience to this role. Nuala has a deep curiosity about the issues that matter to women, and the intellect and warmth to bring them to life for our listeners. Paired with the skill and effervescence of Anita Rani our audience are in for a real treat six days a week."

Nuala McGovern, second from right pictured with family members at the official opening of the James McGovern Astro Turf facility at Aughavas GAA Club last August. Also pictured are, from left, Eileen, Vera, Andy, Peggy, Gerry

McGovern; Nuala and Aidan McGovern Picture: Willie Donnellan
Percy's Party make their triumphant return to Roscommon, celebrating the 170th Anniversary of Percy French, who was born on May 1st 1854, in Clooneyquinn at Woodland Cafe, Strokestown Park.

This year marks a special milestone as enthusiasts gather once again to honour the timeless legacy of the renowned Irish songwriter, poet, and entertainer Percy French.

170 years after his birth, barely a sing-song takes place in this country that doesn't feature at least a couple of Percy French songs.

Who doesn't know the famous opening line 'Oh Mary, this London's a wonderful sight', the beautiful ballad of 'Come Back Paddy Reilly' or the rousing 'Phil the Fluter's Ball'. Perhaps not everyone can identify the composer of these famous Irish folk songs, but most will recognise the lyrics and the melodies.

Scheduled to take place on the 170th Anniversary of his birth, May 1st, 2024, this eagerly anticipated event promises a vibrant tapestry of music and community spirit, paying homage to Percy French's incomparable contributions to Ireland's cultural heritage.

Percy's Party at the Woodland Cafe, Strokestown Park, poignantly reminds us of Percy French's enduring influence, whose works continue to resonate with audiences worldwide.

French captured the essence of Irish life and folklore through his poignant lyrics, captivating melodies, and witty prose, endearing himself to generations of music fans.

Attendees will revel in the performances by the esteemed Leitrim Percy French Society.

Tish Dunleavy and Frank Cadam founded the County Leitrim Percy French Society after realising that, despite his extensive musical repertoire, French was underappreciated and underpromoted.

The society has performed in theatres all across the country, including two sell-out shows in the National Concert Hall. They also featured on the BBC's Britain's Great Railway Journeys,

This charming show will now be performed in the Woodland Cafe at Strokestown Park House to celebrate the 170th Birthday of Percy French.

The show is performed by 9 members of the County Leitrim Percy French Society in period costume, with Frank Cadam taking the role of the great man himself in a manner authentic to the spirit and arrangements in which French himself performed.

The group also dons traditional outfits from the French time to really bring the show to life.

Songs are linked with stories from Percy French's life that explain the background and inspiration behind the music, giving the show warmth and authenticity.

The show is under the direction of Tish Dunleavy as musical director and presented in a fun-loving and good-humoured way, with audience participation welcomed and encouraged along the way.

"We are thrilled to welcome back the Percy French Anniversary Celebrations to County Roscommon," said Aine Butler, Creative Communities Engagement Officer at Roscommon County Council.

"This event holds a special place in the hearts of locals and visitors alike, celebrating the enduring legacy of one of Ireland's most beloved cultural icons. We invite you to join us for an evening filled with music, merriment, and memories that will last a lifetime," she added.

This event is funded by Roscommon County Council under the Creative Ireland Programme, in collaboration with the National Famine Museum, Strokestown Park.

Tickets can be purchased for just 5 via https://strokestownpark.ie/event/percys-party-with-county-leitrim-percy-french-society/.
A Dublin man will be sentenced next month for possession of drugs and a small scissors.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Conor Kinsella (28) of Carton Court, Poppintree, Dublin 11, pleaded guilty to having drugs for sale or supply and to having an article with a blade or sharpened object on February 24, 2021, in the Aston Quay area of Dublin.

He has 68 previous convictions, the majority of which are from the District Court. He is currently serving a prison sentence but is due to be released shortly.

Garda Ciara Burke told Fiona Pekaar, BL, prosecuting, that she was on duty on the day in question when she encountered Kinsella. She said there was a smell of cannabis of him, and he was brought to Pearse Street Garda Station to be searched. During the search, gardai noted that he had something in his mouth, and some small bags of cocaine were found.

Cannabis, diamorphine, and cocaine were all found on Kinsella, with a total value of 1,057. Cash in the sum of 250 and a small pair of scissors were also found.

Gda Burke said Kinsella was interviewed and said he was homeless and had addiction issues. She said that he has not come to the garda's attention recently and noted he was charged for this offence in May 2023.

Gda Burke agreed with Patrick McCarthy, BL, defending that his client said that the drugs found on him were for his own use and not for selling.

The garda agreed with counsel that Kinsella was living on the streets and vulnerable at the time of the offence. She noted that he did not cause the gardai any difficulties and was cooperative and forthright.

Mr McCarthy handed a governors report into the court, which said Kinsella was an enhanced prisoner and is doing well in custody.

Counsel said his client had a difficult upbringing and began to dabble in recreational drugs at the age of 11. This grew to heroin use later in life, and he became homeless.

He said his client had spent ten months in rehab in Scotland, which taught him valuable skills, but on his return to Ireland and after a family disagreement, he relapsed into drug use and found himself back on the streets again.

He asked the court to consider a suspended sentence.

Judge Orla Crowe said that because there was still an outstanding report, she would adjourn sentencing for a short period of time.
LIFT Academy and Tuskegee University Join Together to Launch First-ever Tuskegee University Flight School





Leadership in Flight Training Academy (LIFT) ? a flight school committed to providing affordable training for aspiring aviation professionals of all backgrounds ? joined in partnership with Tuskegee University to establish the first-ever Tuskegee University Flight School.

Through this collaboration, students at Tuskegee University have the opportunity to enroll in a comprehensive course that includes both classroom instruction and hands-on flight training. Upon finishing the 4-year program, students acquire a bachelor's degree in Aviation Science from Tuskegee University and a private pilot license, having completed 120 credit hours.

Tuskegee University Flight School will also offer an 18-month Certificate Curriculum tailored for non-degree students. This program, requiring up to 39 credit hours, enables individuals outside of Tuskegee University to access the necessary training for a career in aviation.

"Alabama has a long history of providing critical flight training for military aviators, and historic Moton Field is the perfect location for a training center for a new generation of commercial pilots," Governor Kay Ivey said. "LIFT Academy is an ideal way to build on the legacy of the Tuskegee Airman by creating solid career opportunities for tomorrow's pilots."

"We are excited to grow our aviation community in Alabama. This expansion is possible due to Governor Ivey's strong leadership in workforce development, which is bringing significant opportunities for aviation education and training and creating new jobs throughout the state," said Matt Koscal, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, Republic Airways Holdings Inc. "By joining forces with Tuskegee University and its esteemed heritage, we are honored to enable opportunity and shape the next generation of commercial pilots."

"Tuskegee University is proud to continue a tradition that has contributed so much to the country through the courage and skills provided by the Tuskegee Airmen. A new generation of Tuskegee airmen and women will have the training they will need to serve our country through the military or as commercial pilots," said Dr. Charlotte P. Morris, President of Tuskegee University. "What pleases me most is the enthusiasm with which we see young students ready to step up today to become such an important part of history. The new partnership with LIFT and Republic will build leaders and legacies."

To kick off the partnership between the two organizations, LIFT Academy and Tuskegee University hosted a joint press conference at Moton Field Municipal Airport in Tuskegee, Alabama. The event featured keynote speakers including Alabama Governor Kay Ivey; Lawrence Haygood, Mayor of Tuskegee; Dr. Charlotte P. Morris, President of Tuskegee University; Joe Turnham, Director of the Macon County Economic Development Board; and Matt Koscal, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Republic Airways Holdings Inc. where speakers remarked on the opportunities the union of organizations presents for future generations of pilots and the aviation industry.

Continuing the goal of expanding access to opportunities in the aviation sector, LIFT Academy, founded by Republic Airways Holdings Inc., has previously established partnerships with other universities, such as Indiana Wesleyan University, Purdue University Global and Ivy Tech Community College. These collaborations integrate LIFT Academy flight training with the academic curriculum offered at the university, enabling students to pursue bachelor's and associate degrees in aviation science while also pursuing commercial pilot licenses. Upon graduation, program alumni have a clear pathway to advance from their studies to a full-time career in the skies with Republic Airways.

About LIFT Academy

Leadership In Flight Training (LIFT) Academy is a U.S.-based commercial aviation pilot training school founded by Republic Airways Holdings Inc. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, LIFT revolutionizes commercial aviation training, utilizing state-of-the-art, eco-friendly training technologies and systems to educate future aviators. Students receive instruction from experienced pilots under FAA and industry standards with the most advanced equipment and curriculum that combines flight, flight simulator, online and in-classroom training. LIFT Academy students train on a fleet of advanced new aircraft and flight simulators produced by Diamond Aircraft Industries, including the DA40 single-engine, the DA42 twin-engine aircraft and the DA20 single-engine, as well as Diamond Flight Simulation Training Devices (FSTD) built to achieve the most realistic cockpit simulation environment. LIFT offers its graduates a defined pathway to a pilot career at Republic Airways. Learn more at https://flywithlift.com/.

About Tuskegee University

Founded in 1881, Tuskegee University is a historically black university located in Tuskegee, Alabama. Known for its strong emphasis on academic excellence, research, and service, Tuskegee University offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs in fields such as science, engineering, business, and the arts. With a longstanding commitment to providing students with a quality education and preparing them for leadership roles in their respective fields, Tuskegee University continues to be a beacon of educational opportunity and cultural significance. Learn more at https://www.tuskegee.edu/.

17 april 2024 at 17:00

News published onand distributed by:
Drilling Confirms 4 km of Favourable Corridor at Lynx Gold Trend





RIMOUSKI, Quebec, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Puma Exploration Inc. (TSXV: PUMA, OTCQB: PUMXF) (the "Company" or "Puma") is thrilled to announce that its scout drilling has not only confirmed but significantly extended to the corridor that has been shown to host gold mineralization at its 100%-owned Williams Brook Gold Project in Northern New Brunswick, spanning an impressive 4 km. This significant milestone highlights the project's promising progress.



Thirty (30) short holes (Figure 1) for 2,270 metres were drilled as part of the now-completed 2024 Winter/Spring program. Of these, twenty-two (22) holes were drilled at the centre of the Tiger Gold Zone, an area where stripping last year uncovered four (4) auriferous quartz veins similar to those found at the Lynx Gold Zone ("LGZ"). Early visual inspection confirmed that the Tiger Gold Zone hosts the same geological units as the dominant gold-hosting stratigraphy at the LGZ of felsic sediments and volcanic units at shallow depths (see April 4, 2024, News Release). This significant finding prompted Puma to immediately initiate step-out drilling over an additional 2.5 km along strike to map the extent of this favourable corridor further, thereby highlighting the potential of the Williams Brook Gold Project.

Figure 1. Location of the 2024 Winter Program drilling pads and typical core intersected

Puma's scout drilling at the Cheetah Gold Zone, a previously unexplored area 3.5 km from the LGZ, has yielded significant findings. This area, which had never been drilled and only received limited surface exploration work, has been confirmed to host the same stratigraphy and structures shown to host gold (Figure 2). In addition, drilling confirmed that quartz veins, discreet quartz injections (stockwork, etc.), and hydrothermal alteration extend to at least 100 metres in depth.

Figure 2. Core from the Cheetah Gold Zone located 3.25 km northeast of the Lynx Gold Zone

This unique discovery confirms that the host geology is continuous along 4 km of the Lynx Gold Trend. Follow-up drilling and an alteration study will be instrumental in determining and understanding the different styles of gold mineralization (high-grade versus disseminated) in our geological model and further enhance Puma's discovery model as it continues to develop the Williams Brook Gold Project.

"The recent findings from our scout drill holes have significantly expanded the potential of gold mineralization, now extending to over 4 km. This confirmation underscores the potential for a substantial mineralized gold system, which should greatly interest our shareholders and potential investors. With our established DEAR strategy and recent news, we are fully financed for the 2024 exploration program. We will continue this summer to increase the stripping with additional trenching to enhance our understanding of the deposit and the interconnection between all gold zones", stated Marcel Robillard, President and CEO of Puma.

Puma's drilling process is comprehensive. The holes are logged in detail and sampled before they are sent to the laboratory for analysis. The assay results will be announced promptly upon receipt.

Ongoing Exploration

A detailed drone magnetic survey (very detailed) will be flown over 6 km of the Lynx Gold Trend, including the recently drilled 3.5 km extension. Once interpreted, the new data will help direct Puma's summer trenching and stripping program and help identify targets for its upcoming 2024 Summer/Fall drilling program.



Surface exploration will start in May, including a stripping and sampling program along the favourable 4 km corridor. This will help ensure drilling success to improve further and expand the Lynx Gold Deposit.



The 3D model of the Lynx Gold Zone mineralization, incorporating the results of the 2023 drilling at depth and along strike at the LGZ, is almost finalized. The updated model will provide Puma with additional high-grade drilling targets at the LGZ for future drilling.



Puma continues to develop and derisk the Williams Brook Gold Project. Last year, metallurgical work was undertaken to understand and mitigate any issues with gold recoveries. This past winter, a small-scale simulation was conducted on a 3-tonne bulk sample. Results are encouraging, and a comprehensive review of the completed work will be announced shortly.



To keep claims in good standing, some exploration programs will be conducted this summer away from the LGZ and the Company's primary area of focus, as well as on Puma's other properties. Details of these programs will be announced in due course.



Grant of Stock Options

Subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company has granted an aggregate of 3,750,000 incentive stock options to officers, directors, and certain consultants under its share compensation plan. The options are exercisable at C$0.11 per common share for two (2) years from the grant date.

About the Williams Brook Gold Project

Puma's flagship Williams Brook Gold Project comprises four properties covering more than 49,000 ha in Northern New Brunswick?an established and mining-friendly jurisdiction near paved roads and excellent infrastructure.

The land package is located near the Rocky Brook Millstream Fault ("RBMF"), a major regional structure formed during the Appalachian Orogeny and a significant control for gold deposition in the region.

Puma's successful exploration model returned, amongst others, 5.50 g/t gold over 50.15 m in hole WB21-02 (see Sept.15, 2021, News Release), 2.77 g/t gold over 42.80 m in hole WB 22-66 (see June 8, 2022, News Release), 2.49 g/t gold over 63.05 m in WB23-139 (see Oct. 31, 2023 News Release), 5.15 g/t gold over 23.15 m in WB23-142 and 1.24 g/t gold over 98.05 m in WB23-145 (see Nov. 16, 2023 News Release).

Since 2021, with less than C$15.0M of exploration investment, Puma has made multiple gold discoveries at the Williams Brook property and believes it hosts an extensive orogenic gold system. Puma's ongoing exploration programs are focused on building a gold camp in Northern New Brunswick, Canada.

Dr. Gregg Morrison, a leading expert on intrusion-related, porphyry and epithermal gold systems, stated: "I believe Williams Brook is part of the same family of gold systems as Fosterville and Sunday Creek in Australia and Valentine Lake in Newfoundland. These other deposits are known for their structure-controlled mineralization, metal zoning, free gold in bonanza shoots and kilometre scale depth extent. The similarities to these more comprehensively explored deposits gives real confidence to deeper drilling in the Lynx Zone and continued exploration around the feeder structures in the Williams Brook District."

Upcoming Gold Investor Events

Puma invites shareholders and interested parties to stop by the booth, attend a presentation, or schedule a meeting at the upcoming conferences to discuss the Company's recent news and proposed developments:

The Mining Investment Event of the North

Quebec City, Quebec

June 4-6, 2024

Qualified Person

Dominique Gagne, P.Geo, a consultant of Puma and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101?Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, reviewed and approved this release's technical information.

About Puma Exploration

Puma Exploration is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company with precious metals projects in New Brunswick, near Canada's Famous Bathurst Mining Camp ("BMC"). Puma has a long history in Northern New Brunswick, having worked on regional projects for over 15 years. As a first mover, the Company quickly and strategically accumulated an impressive portfolio of prospective gold landholdings in the area. Puma's successful exploration methodology combines old prospecting methods with detailed trenching and up-to-date technology such as Artificial Intelligence ("AI") to facilitate an understanding of the geology and associated mineralized systems.

Armed with geophysical surveys, geochemical data and consultants' expertise, Puma has developed a perfect low-cost exploration tool to discover gold at shallow depths and maximize drilling results.

The Company is also committed to deploying its DEAR strategy (Development. Exploration. Acquisition. and Royalties) to generate maximum value for shareholders with low share dilution.

Connect with us on Facebook / X/ LinkedIn.

Visit www.explorationpuma.com for more information or contact:

Marcel Robillard. President and CEO. (418) 750-8510;

[email protected]

Mia Boiridy. Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Development. (250) 575-3305;

[email protected]

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve several known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Puma to be materially different from actual future results and achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statements were made, except as required by law. Puma undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. The quarterly and annual reports and the documents submitted to the securities administration describe these risks and uncertainties.

Photo accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fa146115-1f69-495a-9944-37cdf5b2ffcf

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/13515570-006b-406c-8cd9-13978b595497

18 april 2024 at 08:00

News published onand distributed by:
Dundee Precious Metals Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be Held May 8, 2024





TORONTO, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dundee Precious Metals Inc. (TSX: DPM) ("DPM" or "the Company") announces its Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be held on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at 4 PM EDT via live audio webcast.



Details of the Annual Meeting of Shareholders, including link to the audio webcast are as follows:

Webcast date

and time Wednesday, May 8, 2024

4 PM EDT Webcast link https://meetnow.global/MDRZUTV Replay Archive will be available on www.dundeeprecious.com Meeting materials Available on www.dundeeprecious.com under Investor Centre

About Dundee Precious Metals Inc.

Dundee Precious Metals Inc. is a Canadian-based international gold mining company with operations and projects located in Bulgaria, Namibia, Serbia and Ecuador. The Company's purpose is to unlock resources and generate value to thrive and grow together. This overall purpose is supported by a foundation of core values, which guides how the Company conducts its business and informs a set of complementary strategic pillars and objectives related to ESG, innovation, optimizing our existing portfolio, and growth. The Company's resources are allocated in line with its strategy to ensure that DPM delivers value for all of its stakeholders. DPM's shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (symbol: DPM).

For further information please contact:

Jennifer Cameron

Director, Investor Relations

Tel: (416) 219-6177

[email protected]

18 april 2024 at 08:00

News published onand distributed by:
Hapbee Announces Closing of Private Placement





VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hapbee Technologies, Inc. (TSXV: HAPB) (OTCQB: HAPBF) (FSE: HA1) ("Hapbee" or the "Company"), the digital wellness technology company is pleased to confirm that it has completed a non-brokered private placement of units of the Company ("Units") for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of CAD$2,785,000 (the "Offering"). "This capital enables us to continue to evolve our products and to expand our market presence and manufacturing" said Yona Shtern, CEO and Executive Chairman of Hapbee.



As part of the Offering, the Company issued 50.536,363 Units at a price of CAD $0.055 per Unit (the "Offering Price"), which consisted in the issuance of 50.536,363 subordinate voting shares of the Company ("Shares") and 50.536,363 Share purchase warrants ("Warrants") with each Warrant entitling the holder thereof to acquire one Share at a price of CAD$0.11 per Share for a period of 3 years from the closing date of the Offering.

The expiry date of the Warrants will be subject to prior acceleration, at the discretion of the Company, should the volume weighted average price of the Company's listed Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"), or any other stock exchange on which the Company's Shares are then listed, is greater than CAD$0.40 for a period of 10 consecutive trading days, the whole in accordance with the terms of the Warrants. Each Share and Warrant issued (including the Shares underlying the Warrants) will be subject to a hold period of four months plus one day following the closing of the Offering (the "Hold Period") pursuant to Canadian and US securities laws.

Any net proceeds received by the Company from the Offering are intended to be used for product development, manufacturing, business development, working capital and general corporate purposes. The Offering remains subject to the review and final approval of the TSXV.

The Company is also delighted to welcome Jaylen Brown who will join Hapbee as Chief Innovation Officer and Rizwan Shah who will join as Chief Commercial Officer, both participated in the round.

The securities offered pursuant to the Offering have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or the securities laws of any state of the United States (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) (the "United States"), and may not be offered or sold within the United States, or to, or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (as defined in Rule 902(k) of Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) or a person in the United States, except in transactions exempt from registration under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities offered hereby within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons.

About Hapbee

Hapbee is a digital wellness technology company that aims to help people take control of how they sleep, perform and feel. Hapbee's digital wellness library of Blends and Routines utilizes patented ultra-low radio frequency energy (ulRFE), designed to help optimize users' sleep, productivity, recovery, and downtime. Hapbee devices and subscriptions are available for purchase at Hapbee.com and through a growing network of select distributors.

You can learn more about how Hapbee works at www.hapbee.com/science.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements included in this news release constitute forward-looking information or statements (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), including those identified by the expressions "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "should" and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Company or its management. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect current expectations regarding future results or events. This news release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and various estimates, factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. Any statements about the intended use of proceeds from the Offering are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding the Company's ability to meet its planned product marketing and development initiatives and the Company's ability to achieve its e-commerce rollout and full-scale commercial launch as anticipated.

Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, delays in design, production, manufacturing, development or releases of signal blends, collection of data from customer use, or the Company may not be able to achieve its targets as anticipated or at all; changes in legislation and regulations; increase in operating costs; equipment failures; failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations; litigation; the loss of key directors, employees, advisors or consultants and fees charged by service providers. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, but are not limited to, those described in Hapbee's annual information form dated January 27, 2021, a copy of which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances unless required by law. Readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements.

Neither TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information contact

Media Contact: Jonathan Sheeri

[email protected]

T: 1 888-841-7086

E: [email protected]

W: www.hapbee.com

18 april 2024 at 09:00

News published onand distributed by:
Cognivia Secures Strategic 15.5M? Funding to Empower Drug Development with AI-ML Solutions





Using patient personality traits to pioneer a new era in clinical research.

MONT-SAINT-GUIBERT, Belgium, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cognivia, an innovative AI company dedicated to reshaping pharmaceutical and biotech clinical research through cutting edge AI-ML algorithms, proudly announces a significant investment milestone. Vesalius Biocapital IV, SFPIM (Societe Federale de Participations et d'Investissement) and WE (Wallonie Entreprendre) have committed strategic investments to drive Cognivia's mission to "quantify the power of the mind" to optimize and accelerate drug development programs. This infusion of capital will allow Cognivia to deploy its predictive clinical trial solutions that decode the relationship between patient traits and behaviors, thus expediting the development of innovative treatments for patients globally.

Cognivia's solutions target critical areas that have historically posed significant challenges to drug development, such as the placebo response and medication adherence in clinical trials. Unlike any other, Cognivia is pioneering a quantitative understanding of patients as individuals and integrating these insights into the analysis of clinical trial data and/or optimization of patient engagement strategies. For instance, Placebelltm utilizes predictive algorithms to mitigate the negative impact of the placebo response, enhancing the study power of clinical trials, resulting in increased success rates and reduced clinical trial timelines and costs. Compl-AI predicts the risk of non-compliance and dropout of a patient at screening and during your clinical trial, helping to strengthen and personalize patient engagement strategies.

The capital raised will catalyze Cognivia's endeavors to introduce its groundbreaking solutions to the market and cement a robust presence in the United States. Through the expansion of its team and the establishment of a subsidiary in the US, Cognivia seeks to foster enhanced commercial and R&D collaborations. In the near future, we plan to fortify our network through strategic alliances, bolstering our advisory board with new members, and building out teams in both the US and EU. This strategic maneuver is in perfect alignment with Cognivia's steadfast dedication to becoming a leading partner for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, empowering them to develop efficacious treatments to address unmet patient needs.

In this latest funding round, Cognivia proudly welcomes the support of three esteemed investors: Vesalius Biocapital IV, a Luxembourg-based venture-capital fund focusing on best-in-class investments in HealthTech and biopharma; SFPIM, the Belgian Sovereign Wealth Fund, providing strategic guidance and financial support for Belgian companies; and WE, contributing to Wallonia's economic development through financing and support across various sectors.

"We are thrilled to announce Cognivia as the inaugural investment of our fund IV, which focuses on HealthTech and biopharma companies at the forefront of innovation transforming healthcare. We eagerly anticipate partnering with them throughout their commercialization and growth stages." says Olivier Houben, Partner at Vesalius Biocapital.

"Cognivia's strategic alliances with Vesalius Biocapital IV, SFPIM and WE signify a pivotal moment in our quest to transform the industry through a unique blend of decades-long industry experience and advanced AI," remarked Dominique Demolle, CEO/Co-founder of Cognivia. "With this investment and the welcomed addition of new members to our operational team and Company Board and Strategic Advisory Committee, to be announced soon, we are poised to accelerate our efforts in delivering groundbreaking approaches that empower clinicians, researchers and industries to make informed, data-driven decisions, ultimately enhancing outcomes for patients and stakeholders worldwide."

About Cognivia

Cognivia is the first and only company to combine quantification of patient psychology with artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) to improve measurement of therapeutic efficacy in clinical trials ? and beyond. Cognivia technologies predict patient behavior and treatment response in clinical trials using predictive ML powered algorithms based on a quantitative understanding of patient psychological traits, expectations and beliefs collected via our own and specific questionnaires developed toward that objective. Cognivia aims at harnessing "the power of the mind" and quantifying this unique phenomenon to improve clinical trial success rates, de-risk drug development and ultimately improve healthcare.

For further details on Cognivia and its groundbreaking AI solutions, please visit cognivia.com or follow @cognivia on LinkedIn.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Stephanie Alvarez

Marketing Director at Cognivia

[email protected]

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2082754/Cognivia_Logo.jpg

18 april 2024 at 09:00

News published onand distributed by:
Telstra Incorporated Earns Great Place to Work Certification for the Second Consecutive Year





Telstra Incorporated, the U.S.-based entity of Telstra, was recently certified for the second consecutive year as a Great Place to Work, which is recognized worldwide as a hallmark of outstanding employee experience and organizational culture.

As a result of a company-wide survey, employees overwhelmingly agreed that Telstra is a great place to work compared to a typical U.S.-based company. Achieving Great Place to Work certification two years in a row underscores Telstra's dedication to its employees' growth, well-being, and satisfaction and its focus on what matters most to its workforce.

To earn the prestigious certification, employees were asked to take a confidential survey administered by Great Place to Work covering a range of questions about how they view their work environment. Highlights from the survey include:

100 percent of employees believe people are treated fairly, regardless of their sexual orientation, race, age, or gender

91 percent of employees feel they are encouraged to balance their work life and their personal life

90 percent of employees believe management trusts people to do a good job without watching over their shoulders

90 percent of employees feel that when you join the company, you are made to feel welcome

90 percent of employees are proud to tell others they work at Telstra

90 percent of employees believe that management is approachable and easy to talk to

Beyond earning high marks for diversity and inclusion, work-life balance, management, and overall satisfaction, Telstra also received positive feedback on hybrid working, its people and culture, and health benefits. Female employees said that hybrid working has positively influenced their experience at Telstra by giving them increased flexibility, which strengthens their work-life balance.

Additionally, according to research from Great Place to Work, job seekers are 4.5 times more likely to find a great boss at a Great Place to Work certified workplace. Employees at certified workplaces are also 93 percent more likely to look forward to coming to work, and are twice as likely to be paid fairly, earn a fair share of the company's profits, and have a fair chance at promotion.

"We work for a global company, which can make work-life balance challenging," said Susanna Dressler, Human Resources Team Lead, Americas. "Our hybrid ways of working as well as our focus on work-life balance have helped improve the employee experience. At Telstra, we work hard to foster an environment where employees feel fulfilled, engaged, valued for their contributions, and proud to work here. Those ideals were certainly reflected in the survey, which will drive us even further in our commitment to supporting our employees."

In addition to providing valuable perspectives on the employee experience, Great Place to Work certification has been shown to help job seekers identify which companies genuinely offer a great company culture. Certification also gives employers a recruiting advantage by providing a globally recognized and research-backed verification of great employee experience.

"At Telstra, we believe our strength lies in our dedicated team. Being recognized as a Great Place to Work for another year is not just an honor, but a reflection of the hard work and commitment put forth by every member of our team," said Noah Drake, President, Telstra Americas. "This certification reaffirms our commitment to maintaining a dynamic work environment where we work as one, and everyone feels valued."

We are hiring! Check out Telstra's careers page to find open positions.

About Telstra

Telstra is a leading telecommunications and technology company with a proudly Australian heritage and a longstanding, growing international business. Telstra International empowers enterprise, government, carrier, and OTT customers with innovative technology solutions including data and IP networks, and network application services. These services are underpinned by our wholly owned subsea cable network?largest in Asia Pacific?and includes more than 30 cable systems spanning over 200,000 miles, with access to multiple cable landing stations and more than 2,000 points-of-presence around the world. For more information, please visit www.telstrainternational.com.

About Great Place to Work Certificationtm

Great Place to Work Certificationtm is the most definitive "employer-of-choice" recognition that companies aspire to achieve. It is the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience ? specifically, how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace. Great Place to Work Certification is recognized worldwide by employees and employers alike and is the global benchmark for identifying and recognizing outstanding employee experience. Every year, more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries apply to get Great Place to Work-Certified.

About Great Place to Work

Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Their employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting, and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a great place to work For Alltm. Learn more at greatplacetowork.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

18 april 2024 at 09:25

News published onand distributed by:
Insurity Delivers Unmatched Claims Efficiency and Integration Capabilities to Personal and Commercial Line P&C Carriers with Claims Solution





Insurity, a leading provider of cloud-based software for insurance carriers, brokers, and MGAs, has announced that its cloud-based claims solution, unmatched in its support for personal and commercial lines in the P&C industry, reaffirms Insurity's commitment to delivering a comprehensive, contemporary, and cloud-native claims solution for multiline carriers across all tiers. With over 330 customers deployed on AWS and Azure, Insurity is the largest cloud software provider for P&C insurance, a testament to its scale and expertise.

Insurity's claims solution aims to reduce the high costs traditionally associated with adapting to changing claims conditions, enabling carriers to extend their claims systems rapidly and adjust loss assignments, business rules, automated correspondence, and more in hours instead of days. This capability empowers business users to expand the system as configurations without the need for coding or database development while still retaining a base implementation.

Insurity's claims solution can also integrate with over 50 third-party services across supported lines of business for faster, lower-cost implementations. It is integrated with Insurity's AI Assistant to drive faster claims intake by as much as 75%. Insurity's claims configuration and integration flexibility represents a pivotal advancement in streamlining the insurance claims process, positioning it as a transformative development for the industry.

Sylvester Mathis, Chief Insurance Officer at Insurity, stated, "Insurity's claims solution is designed to provide insurers with the agility and efficiency needed to face the challenges of today and tomorrow within the P&C insurance industry. The solution's immediate update capability, such as responding to natural disasters, allows insurers to manage claims effectively under rapidly changing conditions. This ensures enhanced responsiveness and service, crucial for maintaining customer trust and satisfaction."

Moreover, Insurity is at the forefront of incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into claims management. Recognizing the hesitation many carriers have toward adopting AI due to budgetary and knowledge constraints, Insurity is pioneering practical examples and guidance for AI's use in the claims process, sparking excitement about the future of insurance.

"Insurity's latest enhancements to our claims solution reaffirm our role as both a technology provider and strategic advisor in the insurance sector," said Frank Heaps, VP & GM, Carrier Markets at Insurity. "By alleviating common concerns related to the claims process, offering a system that simplifies complex problems, and supporting AI capabilities, Insurity is setting new standards for what insurers can expect from their technology solutions."

To learn more about how Insurity's claims solution can benefit your organization, please contact [email protected].

About Insurity

Insurity is a leading provider of cloud-based software for insurance carriers, brokers, and MGAs. Insurity is trusted by 22 of the top 25 P&C carriers and 7 of the top 10 MGAs in the US and has over 400 cloud-based deployments. Through its best-in-class digital platform, unrivaled industry experience, and the industry's most robust analytics offerings, Insurity is uniquely positioned to deliver exceptional value, empowering customers to focus on their core businesses, optimize their operations, and provide superior policyholder experiences. Insurity is a portfolio company of GI Partners and TA Associates. For more information, visit www.insurity.com

18 april 2024 at 11:15

News published onand distributed by:
RIVERSIDE LUXURY CRUISES ANNOUNCES NEW 2025 VOYAGES ABOARD RIVERSIDE DEBUSSY, RIVERSIDE RAVEL AND RIVERSIDE MOZART





New Combination Cruises Deliver Luxurious, All-inclusive Vacations on Rhine and Rhone Rivers

DENVER, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Riverside Luxury Cruises, Europe's newest and most luxurious river cruise line, announced new 2025 voyages today. The cruise line's new year of cruises totals more than 170 departures on 52 distinct itineraries, ranging from 3 to 23 nights, aboard Riverside Debussy, Riverside Ravel and Riverside Mozart. New for Riverside in 2025 are itineraries that combine cruises aboard both Riverside Debussy and Riverside Ravel for extended vacations, ranging up to 19 nights, exploring the Rhine and Rhone rivers, respectively. Riverside Debussy will also cruise the Main and Moselle rivers and join Riverside Mozart on the picturesque Danube River. On all voyages, Riverside Debussy, Riverside Ravel and Riverside Mozart stay late or overnight in some of Europe's most captivating towns and cities, so guests can immerse in authentic cultures and the destination's social life. Throughout, guests enjoy Riverside's intuitive and personalised service from every staff and crew member for an all-inclusive and luxurious experience. Riverside Luxury Cruises new 2025 voyages are now open for bookings. For more information and to make a reservation, U.S. and Canadian travellers should contact their travel advisor; visit Riverside-Cruises.com/en; or call 1-833-305-3313. Travel Advisors can register and book their luxury clients through the brand's dedicated partner portal at www.Riverside-Cruises.com/TA.

"No other line delivers Europe like Riverside Luxury Cruises," said Jen Halboth, CEO of the luxury river line. "Our 2025 portfolio delivers more opportunities for luxury travellers to delight in the adventure of exploring new destinations, while being pampered with exceptional cuisine, high-touch service, and spa. These are all aboard Riverside's most spacious and beautiful fleet cruising the rivers of Europe."

The newly inaugurated Riverside Debussy will begin her second year of service on April 2 with a 7-night voyage during the prime of tulip-blooming season in the Dutch countryside. Guests cruise roundtrip from Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and visit Arnhem, Nijmegen, Antwerp, Gent, Middleburg, Veere, Dordrecht, and Rotterdam. Anthophiles have another chance to catch Tulip Time on the April 23 departure.

For their parts, Riverside Ravel and Riverside Mozart will commence cruising on April 10 and 17, respectively. Riverside Ravel will cruise a 3-night, Rhone sampler from Lyon to Avignon, with visits to Viviers, Tarascon and Arles, while Riverside Mozart brings guests on an Easter voyage on the Danube River from Passau, Germany, to Budapest, Hungary. Guests on this itinerary visit Ybbs, Melk, and Bratislava, Slovakia, and observe Easter Sunday in Vienna, Austria.

German Heritage on the Rhine, Main and Moselle Rivers

Riverside Debussy unveils Medieval castles; quaint and charming towns; and dramatic wine valleys along the Rhine, Main and Moselle rivers throughout the spring and summer seasons. Seven-night itineraries alternate departures from Amsterdam and Basel, Switzerland and feature some of the most historic cities, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Rhine Gorge with its highest concentration of picturesque castles, and the wine valleys of the Middle Rhine.

In mid-September, Riverside Debussy combines the Rhine and Main rivers on a 7-night voyage from Amsterdam to Nuremburg. On this voyage, guests will include a stretch of the 106-mile Main-Danube Canal in Bavaria. A return voyage in late-October brings Riverside Debussy back to Amsterdam.

Travellers can also choose shorter, 3- to 6-night voyages throughout the year that spotlight on the Netherlands, the Moselle River's wine valley or the Upper Rhine Valley. These cruises depart from Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Trier, and Basel, Switzerland.

Danube Discoveries

Riverside Mozart will cruise a variety of 3- to 7-night itineraries mostly between Passau and Budapest, and bring guests to captivating Bavarian, Austrian, Slovakian, and Hungarian cities and towns. Many of these voyages includes cruising or stopping in the Austria's historic and picturesque Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In late-May, Riverside Mozart embarks on two, 3-night segments on the Lower Danube from Budapest to the Iron Gates in Serbia. Travellers can combine the subsequent, 4-night return itinerary back to Budapest to combine all three itineraries into a 7-night roundtrip voyage and does not repeat stops.

Riverside Debussy will also cruise the Danube River in the autumn. A 7-night voyage brings guests on a special itinerary from Nuremburg to Budapest, where she then ventures to the lesser-travelled Lower Danube on four voyages of 3- and 4-night itineraries. Guests will marvel at the natural majesty of Europe's deepest and longest gorge flanked by the Carpathian Mountains and the Balkan Hills; medieval fortresses and castles from the Roman, Ottoman, and Habsburg empires; and cultures and cities once veiled behind the Iron Curtain. Departure cities also include Belgrade, Serbia, and Giurgiu, Romania. Travellers can combine these itineraries for a 15-night, Lower-Danube adventure, cruising roundtrip from Budapest, or cross Europe from the Black Sea to the North Sea on a 23-night grand voyage, departing October 7 from Giurgiu to Amsterdam.

South of France and Burgundy Sojourns

Riverside Ravel offers 4-, 5- and 7-night itineraries on France's Rhone River between Lyon and Avignon, with visits at Arles, Viviers, Tain L'Hermitage, and Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Tarascon, Port St. Louis and Vienne. Riverside Ravel also ventures up the Saone River on eight summer and autumn cruises that visit the Cote Chalonnaise and Maconnais wine regions of Burgundy. These cruises stop at Macon, with tour options to Chalon and Tournus, as well as destinations on the Rhone River. Riverside Ravel concludes her 2025 year with a 4-night itinerary, departing on November 21 from Lyon to Avignon.

Christmas Markets and Festive Getaways

In late-November, Riverside Mozart cruises 3- and 4-night Christmas Markets itineraries along the Danube, with departures from Vienna, Passau and Budapest. Travellers can choose a six-night Christmas cruise departing Vienna on December 20 and celebrate Christmas Eve in Passau, or ring in the New Year in Bratislava and enjoy New Year's Day with an overnight in Vienna on a 7-night voyage departing December 26.

Riverside Debussy also delivers bustling German Christmas Markets on a variety of 3-night itineraries that bring guests throughout Germany along the Rhine, Main and Moselle rivers. The ship concludes 2025 with a 10-night Christmas and New Year cruise from Basel to Amsterdam. Guests will observe Christmas Eve in Strasbourg and ring in the New Year with two nights in Amsterdam.

Riverside Luxury Cruises is Europe's newest and most luxurious river cruise line offering all-inclusive vacations on the Rhine, Rhone, Danube, Moselle, and Main rivers. All guests enjoy Riverside's signature intuitive and personalised service from every staff and crew member; butler service in every suite; gourmet cuisine made with high-quality, fresh ingredients a la minute; included premium wines and spirits; complimentary StarLink broadband Wi-Fi; and unlimited shore excursions to immerse in Europe's history, cultures and landmarks. The all-suites Riverside Mozart, Riverside Ravel, and newly inaugurated Riverside Debussy offer the most spacious accommodations, highest staff-to-guest ratio, and more onboard amenities than other river lines. Riverside Luxury Cruises is named Forbes' Best European River Cruise For Foodies and Cruise Critic's 2023 Editors' Pick Award Winner for Best Dining in the River Category.

SOURCE Riverside Luxury Cruises

18 april 2024 at 12:00

News published onand distributed by:
Canada brings the world together in pursuit of an ambitious global deal to end plastic pollution





GATINEAU, QC, April 18, 2024 /CNW/ - Plastic pollution is everywhere in the environment, travelling beyond national borders, posing a risk to wildlife, and damaging ecosystems. Plastic production and waste is set to triple by 2060, and up to 37 million metric tons of plastic pollution could be entering our oceans every year by 2040. This is leaving a legacy of environmental impacts for future generations. Plastic pollution costs more than $2 trillion every year, a burden that is largely held by local communities. Without new and effective control measures, and increased international cooperation, the global plastic pollution crisis will intensify.

Next week, from April 23 to April 29, Canada will welcome the world to Ottawa for the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) at the Shaw Centre to advance the development a global agreement on plastic pollution by the end of 2024. During the conference, the Canadian delegation, led by the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, will convene with international partners from around the world to help drive ambition and alignment on addressing plastic pollution.

INC-4 is the fourth negotiating session of five sessions being coordinated by the United Nations Environment Programme. INC-4 represents the penultimate moment to unite the world around a shared goal to end plastic pollution.

Canada is kicking off the session with a series of events organized in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature. On April 21, Minister Guilbeault will host a meeting of the alliance of INC host countries?Canada, Uruguay, France, Kenya, and the Republic of Korea?to discuss shared objectives in the INC process. He will then meet with several ministers and high-level representatives to continue building the political momentum for an ambitious outcome.

On April 22, coinciding with Earth Day under the theme "Planet vs. Plastics", the Minister will co-host a high-level Partnerships Day, which will include action-oriented discussions with ministers, Indigenous peoples, youth, civil society, all levels of government, and the private sector to accelerate efforts to beat plastic pollution.

Negotiation sessions will start on April 23, where countries will continue to work through the possible scope, wording, and mechanisms, including financial tools, to include in the new legally binding treaty on plastic pollution. No final agreement is anticipated at INC-4; however, it is the critical point to build the foundations for a successful conclusion to the negotiations at INC-5 in the Republic of Korea later this year.

Canada has taken many actions to address the growing global challenge of plastic pollution, including the launch of the Ocean Plastics Charter during Canada's 2018 G7 Presidency, the introduction of a domestic ban on harmful single-use plastics, the implementation of its comprehensive plan to reduce plastic waste and pollution, and its move toward a circular plastics economy. Canada is also an inaugural member of the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution, a group of more than 60 countries representing every United Nations region, with the goal to end plastic pollution by 2040 and develop an ambitious and effective global agreement.

Canada looks forward to collaborating with all nations to drive substantial progress in our united goal to end plastic pollution.

Quotes

"We have a historic opportunity to tackle the global plastics crisis at INC-4 in Canada. The rate at which we are all consuming plastics is simply unsustainable, and it is only by rallying together that we can solve it. We are taking some big steps at home to cut the amount of plastics that go into landfills and the environment, but tackling this problem can't happen without a global solution. Canadians and people around the world want to see their leaders come to INC-4 to make real progress on ending plastic pollution by 2040."

? The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Quick facts

Minister Guilbeault will also be meeting with representatives from provinces, territories, and Indigenous organizations to discuss Canada's unique challenges and opportunities to collectively tackle plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.

unique challenges and opportunities to collectively tackle plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. Throughout negotiations, Canada will reinforce the urgent need to conclude negotiations this year, reiterate the shared consensus among countries to end plastic pollution, advance progress on key aspects of the treaty, advocate for a mandate for intersessional work between negotiating sessions, and continue to be a strong voice for inclusivity in the INC process.

will reinforce the urgent need to conclude negotiations this year, reiterate the shared consensus among countries to end plastic pollution, advance progress on key aspects of the treaty, advocate for a mandate for intersessional work between negotiating sessions, and continue to be a strong voice for inclusivity in the INC process. In 2022, Canada and all other United Nations member states agreed at the resumed fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly to establish the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee with the mandate to develop a legally binding global agreement on plastic pollution by the end of 2024.

and all other United Nations member states agreed at the resumed fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly to establish the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee with the mandate to develop a legally binding global agreement on plastic pollution by the end of 2024. At the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly in February 2024 , Canada hosted a ministerial meeting and formed the INC Host Country Alliance alongside Uruguay , France , Kenya , and the Republic of Korea. Host Country Alliance members expressed their shared commitment to conclude negotiations by the end of 2024.

, hosted a ministerial meeting and formed the INC Host Country Alliance alongside , , , and the Republic of Korea. Host Country Alliance members expressed their shared commitment to conclude negotiations by the end of 2024. Canada is taking action to reduce plastic waste and pollution and help Canadians move toward a circular economy through its comprehensive Government of Canada plan. Canada is also working with provinces and territories to implement the shared Canada-Wide Strategy on Zero Plastic Waste and Action Plan that addresses the entire life cycle of plastics to keep plastic in the economy and out of the environment.

is taking action to reduce plastic waste and pollution and help Canadians move toward a circular economy through its comprehensive Government of plan. is also working with provinces and territories to implement the shared Canada-Wide Strategy on Zero Plastic Waste and Action Plan that addresses the entire life cycle of plastics to keep plastic in the economy and out of the environment. To ensure INC-4 is inclusive, equitable, and meaningful, Canada is also hosting a Plastic Action Zone at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa from April 23 to April 29 .

is also hosting a Plastic Action Zone at the National Arts Centre in from . The Plastic Action Zone offers a separate space for partners and stakeholders to share actions, innovations, and experiences to help drive ambition and prevent plastic waste and pollution throughout the life cycle of plastics. Registration for members of the public to attend events in the Plastic Action Zone is available online.

The 2024 theme for Earth Day, "Planet vs. Plastics", calls to advocate for widespread awareness on the health risk of plastics, rapidly phase out all single-use plastics, urgently push for a strong global agreement on plastic pollution, and demand an end to fast fashion.

The fifth and final planned INC session (INC-5) will take place from November 25 to December 1, 2024 , in Busan , Republic of Korea.

Associated links

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Twitter page

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Facebook page

SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada

18 april 2024 at 14:35

News published onand distributed by:
Global Public Affairs Executive Mark Elliot Joins Crowell & Moring International





WASHINGTON, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Mark T. Elliot has joined Crowell & Moring International LLC (CMI) as senior director, bringing more than three decades of experience providing strategic public affairs, communications, government affairs and trade policy advice across a range of sectors and regions.

Elliot is a trusted advisor and has developed and executed strategies to shape health care and pharmaceutical environments across international markets. At CMI, Elliot will provide strategic support to clients in influencing and advocating international policy, market access, solving complex challenges across the corporate, government, and political landscapes. He will also work closely with lawyers at Crowell & Moring, including those within the International Trade and Health Care groups.

Prior to joining CMI, Elliot was senior vice president at Albright Stonebridge Group and an executive vice president at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he led the Global Innovation Policy Center as it championed innovation and intellectual property as vital to the global economy. He led a coalition of 50+ global companies and organizations across several industry sectors including healthcare, film, music, manufacturing, technology and retail brands. Elliot also spent almost a decade at Pfizer, holding a number of positions, including senior director of international public affairs and policy.

"Mark's global experience in heavily regulated industries, ranging from healthcare to intellectual property, to international trade, and beyond, will immediately deepen and broaden our client offerings," said Geralyn Ritter, president and CEO of CMI. "With the advent of new technologies, the healthcare system has been stretched to the limit and entities at every level are struggling to keep up with the change, pay for the progress, and ensure access to innovation. Mark is the perfect person to step in and help navigate and adapt for the future."

Throughout his career, Elliot has engaged national and international leaders, testifying before U.S. House and Senate Committees, the Office of the United States Trade Representative, and the International Trade Commission. He also spent more than a decade in various positions in the Australian government.

"It is an honor and privilege to work alongside Geralyn Ritter and Joe Damond, two stellar advocates I have known for almost two decades, along with the remarkable CMI team," Elliot said. "I am excited to role my sleeves up and get to work advocating for our clients around the world."

About Crowell & Moring International LLC

Crowell & Moring International is a global government relations, public policy and public affairs firm that provides strategic business advice, market access, coalition building, stakeholder engagement, advocacy, and geopolitical analysis services to clients around the world. The team, based in Washington, D.C., Singapore and Hong Kong, includes professionals who have served at the White House, within ministries in the Asia-Pacific, in senior roles on Capitol Hill, and in key U.S. government agencies.

About Crowell & Moring LLP

Crowell & Moring is an international law firm with operations in the United States, Europe, MENA, and Asia. Drawing on significant government, business, industry and legal experience, the firm helps clients capitalize on opportunities and provides creative solutions to complex litigation and arbitration, regulatory and policy, and corporate and transactional issues. The firm is consistently recognized for its commitment to pro bono service as well as its programs and initiatives to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Media Contact:

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Crowell & Moring International

18 april 2024 at 15:30

News published onand distributed by:
Demonstration outside the parliament building in Tbilisi, Georgia, on April 17, 2024. ZURAB TSERTSVADZE / AP

Some 20,000 protesters rallied in Georgia on Wednesday, April 17, after lawmakers advanced a controversial "foreign influence" law that opponents say will undermine Tbilisi's longstanding European aspirations.

In a vote boycotted by opposition MPs, 83 lawmakers from the ruling Georgian Dream party passed the first reading of the bill, which has been criticized as mirroring a repressive Russian law on "foreign agents" used to silence dissent. That was enough for it to pass the 150-seat parliament.

In the evening, thousands of protesters blocked traffic on the main thoroughfare of the Georgian capital Tbilisi, in front of the parliament building, where hundreds of riot police were bussed in. "No to the Russian law!" shouted demonstrators after the Georgian national anthem and European Union's "Ode to Joy" were performed at the rally, the third day of mass anti-government protests. "Today is a sad day for Georgia because our government has taken another step toward Russia and away from Europe," said protester Makvala Naskidashvili. "But I am also happy because I see such unity among the youth," the 88-year-old added. "They are proud Europeans and will not let anyone spoil their European dream."

Protesters then issued an ultimatum to the authorities, demanding the withdrawal of the draft law within an hour, before marching to the prime minister's offices to demand a meeting with the head of government.

Protest rallies were also held in several cities across Georgia, including the second-largest city of Batumi, Interpress news agency reported.

'Not in line with EU values'

A former Soviet republic, Georgia has sought for years to deepen relations with the West, but the current ruling party is accused of trying to steer the Black Sea nation toward closer ties with Russia. Once seen as leading the democratic transformation of ex-Soviet countries, Georgia has in recent years been criticized for perceived democratic backsliding.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze  known for anti-Western rhetoric while insisting that he is committed to Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations  said the law would boost the financial transparency of NGOs funded by Western institutions. He then accused some of those civil groups of attempting to drag Georgia into the Ukraine war and stage a revolution.

Demonstration outside the parliament building in Tbilisi, Georgia, on April 17, 2024. GIORGI ARJEVANIDZE / AFP

"Forward, with dignity, to Europe!" he said after accusing Western leaders of opposing the law without offering arguments against it. But European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and enlargement commissioner Oliver Varhelyi called Wednesday's vote in the Georgian parliament a "very concerning development." "Final adoption of this legislation would negatively impact Georgia's progress on its EU path. This law is not in line with EU core norms and values," they said in a joint statement.

In December, the EU granted Georgia official candidate status. But it said Tbilisi would have to reform its judicial and electoral systems, reduce political polarisation, improve press freedom and curtail the power of oligarchs before membership talks could be formally launched.

President Salome Zurabishvili  who is at loggerheads with the ruling party  said the measure contradicted "the will of the population" and denounced it as "a Russian strategy of destabilization." Washington has also voiced concerns that the law would "derail Georgia from its European path."

Read more Subscribers only Georgia's ruling party to reintroduce controversial bill on 'foreign agents'

'Repressive legislation'

If adopted, the bill would require any independent NGO and media organization receiving more than 20% of funding from abroad to register as an "organization pursuing the interests of a foreign power." A similar bill targeting "foreign agents" was dropped last year after mass protests outside the parliament building in Tbilisi, during which police used tear gas and water cannons against demonstrators.

The ruling Georgian Dream party re-introduced the draft law to parliament earlier this month, in a surprise announcement ahead of crucial parliamentary elections in October, seen as a key democratic test for the Black Sea country. To become law, the bill has to pass second and third readings in parliament and to overcome a likely presidential veto. But Georgian Dream holds a commanding majority in the legislature, allowing it to pass further stages and vote down a presidential veto without the backing of any opposition MPs.

Read more Subscribers only The life of not-so-welcome Russian exiles in Georgia
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in New York City on April 17, 2024. BRENDAN MCDERMID / REUTERS

The Democratic-held US Senate rejected a Republican-led bid on Wednesday, March 17, to oust President Joe Biden's immigration chief over his handling of the southern border with Mexico. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, 64, was impeached in February by the Republican-majority House of Representatives.

Republicans are seeking to make border security a key issue in November's election and the impeachment came amid a showdown between the House and Senate over curbing a surge in illegal immigration, which hit a record 10,000 apprehensions a day at the US-Mexico border in December.

Republican lawmakers accused Mayorkas of "willful and systemic refusal" to enforce immigration law and "breach of public trust," making him the first cabinet secretary to be impeached in nearly 150 years. The move set up a trial in the Senate, where Democrats hold a 51-49 majority. But the Senate swiftly disposed of the two articles of impeachment on Wednesday, rejecting them along party lines on the grounds they were unconstitutional.

The White House welcomed the move, saying the Senate has "rightly voted down this baseless impeachment." "President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas will continue doing their jobs to keep America safe and pursue actual solutions at the border," spokesman Ian Sams said. "Congressional Republicans should join them, instead of wasting time on baseless political stunts while killing real bipartisan border security reforms."

The US president, vice president, cabinet ministers and federal judges can be impeached for treason, bribery and "other high crimes and misdemeanors." Though the unprecedented impeachment over a policy issue took place in February, it wasn't until Tuesday that House impeachment managers made the ceremonial walk to present the articles to the Senate in person.

Read more Subscribers only US border policy, a security emergency caught in a political stalemate

'Senate's integrity'

House Republicans have been accused of acting in bad faith, especially after coming out against a bipartisan deal hammered out in the Senate that would have imposed the toughest asylum and border policies in decades.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had pledged to do everything possible to quickly squelch the impeachment proceedings. "For the sake of the Senate's integrity, and to protect impeachment for those rare cases we truly need it, senators should dismiss today's charges," Schumer said earlier Wednesday on the Senate floor.

At his campaign rallies, Trump often mentions horrific murders committed by migrants, insisting the United States is in the throes of a crime wave perpetrated by people entering the country illegally. However, crime statistics from major US cities and studies conducted by outside experts do not indicate such a phenomenon. Mayorkas repeatedly rejected the allegations against him, calling them "baseless" and decrying what he called political score-settling.

The House has only ever impeached one other cabinet official  secretary of war William Belknap in 1876 and that was over serious allegations of corruption. He resigned before the proceedings could reach their conclusion.
French President Emmanuel Macron will meet Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati and army chief Joseph Aoun on Friday, April 19, in Paris, the French presidency said.

The announcement on Thursday, April 18, comes as fears have increased in recent days of a regional escalation in the war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza. Lebanon is grappling with a deep economic and political crisis.

That has been compounded by near-daily cross-border fire between Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group and neighboring Israel ever since war erupted on October 7 between Israel and Hamas, a Hezbollah ally.

Hezbollah on Thursday said two of its fighters had been killed as Israel appeared to intensify strikes on south Lebanon following an attack by the Iran-backed group that wounded 14 Israeli soldiers.

Read more Subscribers only European leaders call for more sanctions against Iran

Fears of a regional conflict have spiked in recent days after Tehran launched its first-ever direct military attack on Israel late Saturday in retaliation for an April 1 air strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus widely blamed on Israel.

Lebanon has been without a president for more than a year after ex-head of state Michel Aoun's mandate expired, with its feuding factions repeatedly failing in parliament to elect a new leader. The multi-confessional former French colony is also in the grips of an unprecedented economic crisis.

Mikati has been prime minister since 2021 but leads a caretaker government with limited powers. Joseph Aoun, no relation to the country's former president, has good relations with all sides in the country and is sometimes put forward as someone who could lead it out of political deadlock.

Macron has visited the country twice in recent years in a bid to help bring it out of crisis, but then in 2023 assigned the task to former foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Read more Subscribers only Macron, Sissi and King Abdullah II call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza
THE School of Architecture at University of Limerick (SAUL) have hosted over 160 architecture students from across the island of Ireland as part of the second Building Change student symposium.

The first-of-its-kind globally, Building Change is a national, collaborative project between all six schools of architecture in the Republic of Ireland to radically transform the professional curricula. Funded by the Higher Education Authority, the project is underpinned by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and Irelands Housing for All and Climate Action plans, to empower future graduates to meet the ongoing challenges of the housing and climate crises.

Speaking at the event, head of architecture at SAUL, Peter Carroll said: Todays event is unique in architecture education and perhaps across all higher education across the island. Were bringing together students from every school of architecture on both sides of the border to share their learnings from hands-on pilot projects, and to inform our transformation of the curricula.

Were asking students today, what areas they want to see prioritised in the curricula change and how they can mobilise to create an all-island student society or climate-led action group which will carry their skills and knowledge from our studios into practical application in their future careers.

SAUL students presented resilient design pilot projects at the event. Second year students Mariia Hnatiuk and Beth Hannon have been focusing on the sustainability of structures and materials used in housing development, considering flexibility, durability, affordability as well as the conservation and reuse of existing urban buildings.

Third year students Darragh Mitchell and Katie Byrne also presented on their ongoing research outpost on Clare Island, County Mayo, which includes projects such as how turf might be utilised as a construction material and the re-establishment of forestry in low-lying bog terrain where remnants of bog oak can be found.

Students from Technological University Dublin, South East Technological University, Atlantic Technological University, and the Cork Centre for Architecture Education (CCAE), a joint initiative of University College Cork and Munster Technological University, also presented on themes such as carbon neutral construction, embodied energy, the circular economy and design for disassembly.
A LOCAL community is moving heaven and earth to save a building that pre-dates the State and was part of the parish oratory.

Montpelier Community Centre committee is raising funds to redevelop the old school attached to the community centre.

This school has been at the heart of the community since 1898. It served as a primary school until the 1960s and later as part of the parish oratory.

However, in recent years, it has fallen into disrepair and, unfortunately, dry rot has now taken hold of this important local building. The community centre committee is urgently seeking the publics help to fund a dry rot treatment.

On this Saturday, April 20, their annual fundraiser The Triple Peak Challenge will take place and they are welcoming people to climb three local peaks with them on the day  Millennium Cross, Moylussa, and the 12 OClock Hills.

Committee chairperson, Paul Slattery, said they urgently need your help to save our community hall and the old school.

Weve lots of plans for the future and how we can open up this space to young and old but for now we need to preserve the building.

We cant wait to see lots of new and familiar faces on the day so be sure to round up your family, friends and neighbours for this community event, said Paul.

It is the perfect opportunity to find new walking routes as well as raising money for a good cause.

READ MORE: Wife of late Limerick rugby star dedicates charity hike to his memory

Attendees can choose from one, two or all three hikes so everyone is able to get involved, and all information can be found on the Montpelier OBriensbridge Community Centre Facebook Page.

Paul says if you cant make the hikes, you can still donate to the cause by going to www.gofundme.com and searching, Save Montpelier Hall  Triple Peak Challenge.

The three walks are: Millennium Cross (6km) departs 8am at Graves of the Leinster Men car park; Moylussa 532m (10km) depart 10.30 am from Ballycuggaran car park and 12 O'Clock Hills 309m (8km) leaves at 3pm, Belvoir Trailhead car park.

Music by River in Bonner's Bar, OBriens Bridge, from 9pm afterwards if hikers fancy a well-deserved thirst quencher.
THE STUDENTS' union at University of Limerick (UL) have unanimously voted no confidence in college president Prof Kerstin Mey.

It comes in the wake of revelations which showed college executives overpaid more than 5m on 20 homes in the city suburbs, as well as 1.5m extra on a former supermarket complex in the centre.

Prof Mey is currently on sick leave, with deputy president, Prof Shane Kilcommins currently doing her duties.

A number of groups linked to the university, including the UL Unite trade union and over 70 lecturers have already expressed concern at the governance issues on campus.

But it's the first time the student union, UL Student Life, have intervened amid the latest developments.

On Wednesday night, its student council, made up of more than 50 student representatives voted unanimously on a motion of no confidence in Prof Mey.

A vote of no confidence is a poll which shows a majority does not support the policy of a leader or governing body.

The student council expressed its anger and frustration at the ongoing management of finances and overall governance at the university.

In a statement, the group wrote: "Our students have demanded clarity and transparency around past financial decisions and insist on a definitive, forward-looking plan to address financial management at the university. It is imperative that this is communicated transparently to the entire university community to ensure accountability and to rebuild trust."

READ MORE: New supermarket opens in Limerick

"As a student representative body, we are deeply concerned by the current financial situation, particularly the potential impact on students. It is imperative that students are not subjected to the financial fallout through increased costs or reduced student services," the statement adds.

It also called for "prompt, transparent and fair solutions" to ensure students are not impacted by the college's financial mismanagement.

A UL spokesperson said: "UL takes these issues very seriously and is working with all stakeholders, internal and external, to chart the best way forward and to ensure the university continues to function as normal. Meantime, the Higher Education Authority has requested that University of Limericks governing authority undertake a review of specific issues in relation to the acquisition of the Rhebogue properties and in relation to general governance and culture of the university. The terms of reference for this review are expected to be finalised shortly."
SHANNON Airport and Limerick city could be linked by an around-the-clock bus service under plans unveiled by the National Transport Authority (NTA).

Currently, the Clare airport is served by routes 51 and 343 from Colbert Station. But these only operate out of the city from 5.05am until 11.20pm.

Now, this could all change, with the NTA, in partnership with Bus Eireann and TFI Local Link Limerick and Clare making a series of proposals.

As well as operating 24-hours-a-day, the 343 bus service would operate at a much higher frequency between Shannon and Limerick, with departures up to 20 minutes at peak times - and hourly during the night-time.

READ MORE: Student union expresses no confidence in University of Limerick president

The 343 currently serves the northside of the city, plus Bunratty and Shannon Town en route to the airport.

At present, both the 343 and 51 services run just once an hour between Limerick and the airport.

A new bus line, 330 will serve Ennis and Shannon Airport, via Clarecastle, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Ballinooskny, Smithstown Industrial Estate, Shannon Town and the Shannon Free Zone.

Operated by Bus Eireann, the service will run every 60 minutes all-day with extra buses at peak times. It will be operated by Bus Eireann.

On top of this, more bus services are planned for Sixmilebridge, which at the moment only gets limited service in the morning and evening peak.

Route 316 will run every two hours between the village and Shannon Airport, via Smithstown Industrial Estate, Shannon Town and the Shannon Free Zone.

Finally, new route 317 will provide a link between Jetland Shopping Centre at Ennis Road and Ennis, via Cratloe, Sixmilebridge, Kilmurry and Quin.

Operated by TFI Local Link Limerick Clare, it will run three times daily.

The public are being invited to have their say on these new routes.

For more information, please visit https://consult.nationaltransport.ie/en/consultation/route-343-amendment
Irish premier Simon Harris has said that Ireland can participate in debates about EU defence while remaining militarily neutral.

The Taoiseach said Ireland should not shirk or shy away from such debates and that there is an increased risk to all EU nations regardless of their military stance.

Speaking during his first attendance to the European Council, Mr Harris said he hoped legislative proposals to change the triple lock system would take place during the lifetime of this government.

He also emphasised that Irelands military neutrality would remain.

Whether youre a neutral state or a non-neutral state, or a military-aligned state, there are real risks in relation to our security right across the European Union, he said in Brussels on Thursday.

Those risks are apparent: we now see a war on the continent of Europe, but beyond that we see cyber attacks at an increasing level, as as one example.

Ireland intends to remain absolutely militarily neutral, but thats not in conflict with the idea of saying that we still wish to engage more in conversations about how we protect our people and our country, and how we protect member states.

So, I dont think Ireland should shirk or shy away from participating in debates whilst being very clear that we will remain militarily neutral.

Theres nothing that I see here at a European level I think Ireland should be fearful of and I think Ireland should continue to be honest participants in those conversations.

Mr Harris was asked about the triple lock system to approve Irish peacekeeping soldiers to be sent abroad.

The triple lock mechanism requires such Defence Forces operations to be approved by the Government, approved by the Irish parliaments lower house, and mandated by the United Nations.

Mr Harris said: In relation to the triple lock, the Tanaiste (Micheal Martin) has set out very clearly the Governments position in relation to this, it seems to me to be observed that we would live in a world where effectively Russia would have a veto where we can send peacekeeping troops.

So, the Tanaiste has outlined his intention to bring forward legislative proposals. Hell do that in due course and I hope thats something that can be done in the lifetime of this Government.

That is not, let me be clear, because this is distortion at home time and time again, and when I say this its going to be distortion at home time and time again by my political opponents, that is not in any manner or means a move away from military neutrality, which Ireland intends to upkeep and remain.
Day by day, theres growing pressure at the office. Do you respond to all those clientsor let AI do it? Do you attend that meetingor do you send a bot?

About 20% of employed adults said they have used OpenAIs ChatGPT for work as of February 2024, up from 8% a year ago, according to Pew Research Center. The most popular uses for AI at work are research and brainstorming, writing first-draft emails and creating visuals and presentations, according to an Adobe survey.

Productivity boosts from AI are estimated to be worth trillions of dollars over the next decade, say consultants. Many companies are encouraging their workers to embrace and learn the new tools. The industries that will benefit most are sales and marketing, customer care, software engineering and product development. For most workers, it can make your day-to-day a bit less annoying.

If youre going to use it as a work tool," said Lareina Yee, a senior partner at the consulting firm McKinsey and chair of its Technology Council, you need to think of all the ways it can change your own productivity equation."

Using AI at work could get you firedor at least in hot water. A judge last year sanctioned a lawyer who relied on fake cases generated by ChatGPT, and some companies have restricted AIs usage.

Other companies and bosses are pushing staff to do more with AI, but youll need to follow guidelines. Rule No. 1: Dont put any company data into a tool without permission. And Rule No. 2: Only use AI to do work you can easily verify, and be sure to check its work.

ChatGPT is easy to play around with. For one, version 3.5 is freethough the $20-a-month ChatGPT Plus (which includes GPT-4) delivers better results. Your company might already pay for AI tools from Google or Microsoft, so start there.

Whether youre self-employed or working at a Fortune 500 company, these are four areas where AI can help. Weve gathered the best starting phrases (aka prompts") and the neatest tricks to try in each category. (In this guide, were avoiding scenarios where AI gives advice or makes up its own information.)

Email

Coolest Trick: Summarize lengthy email threads.

Do: Add your own touches to drafts so they sound more natural.

Dont: Use vague prompts that go nowhereand dont overdo the proofreading tools.

Email is annoying, but it isnt going away. AI can make responding to messages easier.

Using a free version of Microsoft Copilot or Googles Gemini chatbots, prompt the tool to write words of encouragement, a time-off request or some other email premise. In seconds, youll get a workable, if bland, draft. Based on our tests, ChatGPT Plus delivered impressive results on the first try. The free ChatGPT did fine, but gave less detail than its subscription counterpart.

To get AI inside your email service, you or your employer has to pay. For $20 a month, Copilot Pro lets Outlook users draft, proofread and reply to emails, and summarize long email threads. If your company pays for Microsofts enterprise version, Copilot can reference files saved in your corporate cloud.

The Google One AI Premium plan, also $20 a month, integrates Google Gemini in personal Gmail accounts. Email thread summarization is coming soon, but for now, the Help Me Write feature helps you draft and tweak emails. We got better results entering prompts in the stand-alone Gemini chatbot.

For $30 a month, or $144 a year, Grammarlys premium generative-AI service can appear in most text windows on your Windows or Mac computer. You can write prompts, personalize your voice and set your preferences for later.

SAMPLE PROMPT: Write an email to my direct report, Steve, asking him to find time on my calendar to discuss the projects hell work on while Im away next week. Write in a friendly but assertive way and keep it short, no more than two paragraphs.

Presentations

Coolest Trick: Turn your notes into PowerPoints with Copilot for Microsoft 365.

Do: Include enough slide elements in PowerPoint for fun, unique layout options.

Dont: Get discouraged by bad PowerPoint imagesMicrosofts Designer is better.

Copilot Pro helps users generate, organize and understand PowerPoint presentations. While only enterprise users can feed it files to create richer presentations on the fly, Copilot Pro users can still prompt the bot to add images to slides.

Caveats: You have to add images one at a time, and you get better results if you use Microsofts stand-alone Designer to generate images, then bring them over.

Designer in PowerPoint offers unique slide layouts based on information in the presentation. If you have a list of dates on a slide, for example, Designer might suggest a timeline with those dates already inserted.

Personal account users who pay for Google Gemini can have the bot generate unique backgrounds and images within Googles Slides app. (Just dont ask for people since Google disabled that feature following backlash over its inaccurate depictions of race and ethnicity.) Users of Gemini for Google Workspace will soon be able to prompt the bot to create slides based on Gmail and Drive content, a Google spokeswoman said.

ChatGPT wont construct full presentations, but it can provide slide text based on prompts. ChatGPT Plus can create slide segments from uploaded documents. We asked it to turn a 25-page PDF file into seven slides, and it wrote text for each slide, including two suggested titles and a bullet list of key points.

SAMPLE PROMPT: Generate a watercolor image of a pink robot dancing in the rain.

Summaries

Coolest Trick: Get key points from YouTube videos without having to watch them.

Do: Ask chatbots to explain complex topics or findings in a way that you understand.

Dont: Overload the bot with long videos or files.

Wordy, boring documents? Chatbots love them. Free tools like Copilot in Microsofts Edge browser can summarize webpages, articles, PDFs or other sources you only have time to skim.

ChatGPT only allows Plus subscribers to upload files. Other AI tools such as Perplexity and Anthropics Claude let you upload a few limited-size files free. Turning on the Google Workspace extension in Gemini chat lets you refer to emails and files in Docs and Drive, so you can ask it to summarize information you already have saved there. (Beware: In our testing, it made some mistakes like making up names for people.)

Copilot, Gemini and other bots can summarize and provide timestamps for videos with transcripts. Gemini users need to turn on the YouTube extension in settings. Copilot in Edge can answer questions alongside open YouTube or Vimeo pages.

Video summarization can be hit or miss, especially when the videos are more than 30 minutes long.

SAMPLE PROMPT: List the five key points discussed in this video in a bulleted list.

Meetings

Coolest Trick: Send your bot to meetings for you.

Do: Cross-check confusing notes and ask bots about previous meetings.

Dont: Use external monitoring services in company meetings without permission.

Otter.ais OtterPilot can join meetings on Zoom or Google Meet and take notes for you, even if you cant attend. The AI generates a transcript and notes, which include a brief summary, an outline and a to-do list. Its chat function can catch you up on what you missed if you arrive late, and recall notes from previous meetings. The free version only gives you 300 transcription minutes and 20 chat queries a month. The premium starts at $17 a month.

In our test of the paid version, Otter didnt always know who said what, and it forgot names and misidentified people. You can review recorded transcripts to check on questionable points.

Zoom now has an AI Companion for paying users. It summarizes meetings and lengthy chat threads, brainstorms ideas, and organizes meeting highlights by topics. Only the host can enable these AI Companion summaries, so if youre not running the meeting, youll have to ask the host to turn it on.

For Microsoft enterprise customers, Copilot is embedded in Teams and can take notes, summarize chats and answer questions. Gemini for Google Workspace accounts with the Gemini Enterprise or AI Meetings and Messaging add-on can also take notes and summarize them during and after meetings.

If your colleagues notice you missed the meeting and sent a bot instead, your best response may be: Welcome to the future."

Write to Cordilia James at cordilia.james@wsj.com
Infosys headcount for the financial year 2024 declined by 25,994, for the first time in at least 23 years since 2001. The total headcount for the entire fiscal stood at 317,240, which is a 7.5 per cent decrease from the year-ago period. On a quarterly basis too, Infosys added 5,423 fewer employees, which is a drop for the fifth consecutive quarter.

Attrition rates have steadily declined over the past year  from 20.90% in Q4FY23 to 12.6% in the results shared on Thursday. It stood at 17.30% in the first quarter of FY24 before dipping to 14.6% in Q2FY24. Attrition stood at 12.9% for the quarter ending on December 31 last year.

Infosys projected tepid sales growth for the next 12 months, forecasting that revenue would grow between 1% and 3% on a constant-currency basis. Chief executive Salil Parekh said the macro environment had a "mixed outlook".

ALSO READ: Infosys Q4 result: Net profit jumps, attrition rate declined; top 5 highlights of Infosys Q4 earnings Infosys reported lower-than-expected fourth-quarter revenue on Thursday to clock a net profit of 7,975 crore. The Bangalore-based company saw its revenue for the quarter under review rise 1.3% YoY to 37,923 crore while the attrition rate dwindle further to 12.6% in the final quarter of FY24.

Metrics shared in a regulatory filing indicate that the company had 317,240 employees at the end of March  a 7.5% dip from 3,43,234 in FY23.

When we started, we were at 77 per cent utilisation including the trainees. The growth environment was different at that time. Our utilisation has gone up to 82% to 83%. Our attrition has also come down significantly. That is the reason for net headcount reduction, explained CFO Jayesh Sanghrajka.

ALSO READ: Infosys ADR crashes 8% on NYSE after IT major slashes FY25 revenue guidance The company also indicated that it was yet to finalise its campus hiring plans. Sanghrajka said on Thursday that hiring models had changed sigificantly in recent quarters with Infosys undertaking more than half of its hiring off campus.

We are now in a more agile model of campus hiring. We do campus hiring more than more than half the time from off campuses...fresher hiring off campuseswe will embark on that. At this point we are at 82% utilisationso we still have headroom on that. Plus attrition is very low. So we have not decided on the campus hiring numbers at this point, he added during a press conference.
For nearly a decade, workers in a warehouse in Seattles Denny Triangle neighborhood have shipped boxes of shoes, beach chairs, Marvel T-shirts and other items to online retail customers across the U.S.

The operation, called Big River Services International, sells around $1 million a year of goods through e-commerce marketplaces including eBay, Shopify, Walmart and Amazon.com under brand names such as Rapid Cascade and Svea Bliss. We are entrepreneurs, thinkers, marketers and creators," Big River says on its website. We have a passion for customers and arent afraid to experiment."

What the website doesnt say is that Big River is an arm of Amazon that surreptitiously gathers intelligence on the tech giants competitors.

Born out of a 2015 plan code named Project Curiosity," Big River uses its sales across multiple countries to obtain pricing data, logistics information and other details about rival e-commerce marketplaces, logistics operations and payments services, according to people familiar with Big River and corporate documents viewed by The Wall Street Journal. The team then shared that information with Amazon to incorporate into decisions about its own business.

Amazon is the largest U.S. e-commerce company, accounting for nearly 40% of all online goods sold in the U.S., according to research firm eMarketer. It often says that it pays little attention to competitors, instead focusing all its energies on being customer obsessed." It is currently battling antitrust charges brought last year by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and 17 states, which accused Amazon of a range of behavior that harms sellers on its marketplace, including using anti-discounting measures that punished merchants for offering lower prices elsewhere.

The story of Big River offers new insight into Amazons elaborate efforts to stay ahead of rivals. Team members attended their rivals seller conferences and met with competitors identifying themselves only as employees of Big River Services, instead of disclosing that they worked for Amazon.

They were given non-Amazon email addresses to use externallyin emails with people at Amazon, they used Amazon email addressesand took other extraordinary measures to keep the project secret. They disseminated their reports to Amazon executives using printed, numbered copies rather than email. Those who worked on the project werent even supposed to discuss the relationship internally with most teams at Amazon.

An internal crisis-management paper gave advice on what to say if discovered. The response to questions should be: We make a variety of products available to customers through a number of subsidiaries and online channels." In conversations, in the event of a leak they were told to focus on the group being formed to improve the seller experience on Amazon, and say that such research is normal, according to people familiar with the discussions.

Senior Amazon executives, including Doug Herrington, Amazons current CEO of Worldwide Amazon Stores, were regularly briefed on the Project Curiosity teams work, according to one of the people familiar with Big River.

Some aspects were more Maxwell Smart than James Bond. The Big River website contains a glaring typo, and a so-called Japanese streetwear brand that the team concocted lists a Seattle address on its contacts page. Big Rivers team members list Amazon as their employer on LinkedInpotentially blowing their cover.

The LinkedIn page of Max Kless, a former eBay executive who led Big River in Germany before moving to a senior role on the team in the U.S., says that he developed and led a research subsidiary for Amazon in Germany that prototyped and researched new experiences for Small Business sellers and developers." Kless didnt respond to requests for comment.

Benchmarking is a common practice in business. Amazon, like many other retailers, has benchmarking and customer experience teams that conduct research into the experiences of customers, including our selling partners, in order to improve their experiences working with us," an Amazon spokeswoman said. Amazon believes its rivals also carry out research on Amazon by selling on Amazons site, she said.

Focus on Walmart

Virtually all companies research their competitors, reading public documents for information, buying their products or shopping their stores. Lawyers say there is a difference between such corporate intelligence gathering of publicly available information, and what is known as corporate or industrial espionage.

Companies can get into legal trouble for actions such as hiring a rivals former employee to obtain trade secrets or hacking a rival. Misrepresenting themselves to competitors to gain proprietary information can lead to suits on trade secret misappropriation, said Elizabeth Rowe, a professor at the University of Virginia School of Law who specializes in trade secret law.

Amazon for years has had what it calls a benchmarking team that sizes up rivals to ensure the best experience for people who shop on its site. The team has placed orders on websites such as Walmart.com for delivery around the U.S. to test things such as how long it takes competitors to ship. Other companies also have teams to compare themselves to rivals.

In late 2015, Amazons benchmarking team proposed a different sort of project. The business of hosting other merchants to sell their products on Amazons platform was becoming increasingly important. So-called third-party sellers on Amazons Marketplace, which the company started in 2000, surpassed half of the companys total merchandise sales that year, and rival retailers had started similar marketplaces.

Amazon wanted to better understand and improve the experiences of those outside vendors. The team decided to create some brands to sell on Amazon to see what the pain points were for sellersand to sell items on rival marketplaces to compare the experiences, according to the people familiar with the effort.

The benchmarking team pitched Project Curiosity" to senior management and got the approval to buy inventory, use a shell company and find warehouses in the U.S., Germany, England, India and Japan so they could pose as sellers on competitors websites.

The benchmarking team reported into the chief financial officer, Brian Olsavsky, for years, but this year changed to report to Herrington, the consumer chief. Olsavsky and Herrington didnt respond to requests for comment made through Amazon.

Once launched, the focus of the project quickly started shifting to gathering information about rivals, the people said.

In the U.S., the Big River team started by scooping up merchandise from Seattle retailers holding going out of business" sales. Some of its first products were Saucony sneakers from a local retailer that was closing. The company registered for a licensing agreement with the popular Marvel superhero franchise to sell Marvel-branded items, and bought items including Tommy Bahama beach chairs from Costco to resell.

In the pitch, Project Curiosity leaders identified online marketplaces that they wanted to sell on, including Best Buy and Overstock.

The top goal was Walmart, Amazons biggest rival. But Walmart had a high bar for sellers on its marketplace, accepting only vendors who sold large volumes on other marketplaces first. Big River initially couldnt qualify to be a Walmart Marketplace seller, but it did sell on Jet.com, which Walmart acquired in 2016 and later closed in 2020. And in India, it sold on Flipkart, the giant Indian e-commerce marketplace in which Walmart owned a majority stake.

In order to meet Walmarts revenue threshold, the Big River team focused on pumping products through Amazon.com to bolster its overall revenue, some of the people said. Big Rivers goal wasnt to do massive amounts of volume on the competing platforms, but to simply get on them and gain access, they said.

The Amazon spokeswoman said that in 2023, 69% of Big River revenue worldwide was on Amazon.com.

In 2019, Big River finally got onto Walmarts website. This month, Big River had around 15 products listed on Walmart.com under the seller name Atlantic Lot, including Tommy Bahama beach chairs, cooking woks and industrial-size food containers. In 2023, Big River had more than $125,000 in revenue on Walmart.com alone, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Walmart wasnt aware that Amazon ran the seller accounts on the Walmart and Flipkart sites before the Journal told it, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Rivals logistics services

Atlantic Lot is listed as a Pro Seller"a distinction Walmart says is for top-performing Walmart Marketplace sellers." Listings show that Walmart Logistics, another Amazon rival, handles storage and shipping for it.

Amazon at the time also was building up its logistics business to store and ship items for sellers for a fee to compete with FedEx and United Parcel Service. The business has boomed over the past decade. Amazons total revenue from what it calls third-party seller services has grown nearly twelvefold since 2014 to $140 billion last year, accounting for nearly a quarter of Amazons total.

To get information about rival logistics services, the Big River team stored inventory with companies including FedEx. Other targets, according to an internal document, included UPS, DHL, Deliverr and German logistics company Linther Spedition.

FedEx in 2017 launched FedEx Fulfillment, a competitor to Fulfillment by Amazon, for offering logistics to sellers. Big River was accepted into the FedEx Fulfillment program as an early customer, and the team received early details about pricing, rate cards and other terms as a result of the partnership, according to the people. FedEx had several phone calls and email exchanges with Big River team members who represented themselves as Big River employees and didnt disclose their employment at Amazon, according to some of the people.

The team presented its findings from being part of the FedEx program to senior Amazon logistics leaders. They used the code name OnTime Inc." to refer to FedEx. Amazon made changes to its Fulfillment by Amazon service to make it more competitive with FedExs new product as a result of the information it learned from the partnership, according to one of the people.

For such meetings, the team avoided distributing presentations electronically to Amazon executives. Instead, they printed the presentations and numbered the documents. Executives could look at the reports and take notes, but at the end of the meeting, team members collected the papers to ensure that they had all copies, the people said.

Amazon took other measures to hide the connection with Big River. Staffers were instructed to use their second, non-Amazon email addresswhich had the domain @bigriverintl.comwhen emailing other platforms to avoid outing their Amazon employment.

We were encouraged to work off the grid as much as possible," said one of the former team members, about using the outside email.

Amazons internal lawyers reminded Big River team members not to disclose their connection to Amazon in their conversations with FedEx, according to an email viewed by the Journal.

Staffers, who worked in private areas of Amazon offices, were told not to discuss their work with other Amazon employees who werent cleared to know about the project. In the early days, some Big River team members had to take time away from their Amazon desk jobs to go to the warehouses to fulfill orders and pack them in boxes to send out.

When gaining access to rival seller systems, Big River members were instructed to take screenshots of competitor pricing, ad systems, cataloging and listing pages, according to the people. They werent allowed to email the screenshots to Amazon employees, but instead showed the screenshots to the Amazon employees on the Marketplace side of the business in person so they didnt create a paper trail, some of the people said. Amazon then made changes it believed improved the seller experience on its site based on the information.

The Amazon spokeswoman said the team was secretive so that it wouldnt get any special treatment as a seller on Amazon.com.

Still, there were telltales. Registration documents filed with the Washington Office of the Secretary of State for Big River Services, while not mentioning Amazon, list a management team made up of current and former Amazon employees, including lawyers. The management team lists its address as 410 Terry Ave. in Seattle, which is Amazons headquarters.

Corporate filings for Big River in the United Kingdom and other foreign countries also named officials who are senior Amazon employees and lawyers. In one U.K. disclosure, Amazon is named as owning more than 75% of the company.

Amazon officials felt confident that competitors wouldnt look up filings to see who was behind the company, some of the people said.

A Las Vegas conference

Some team members were uncomfortable with the work they were doing, according to some of the people.

Among the anxiety-inducing activities was representing themselves as employees of Big River in person while attending conferences thrown by rivals. For instance, team members attended eBays Las Vegas conference for sellers, according to some of the people. EBay describes the event as a way for sellers to meet with eBay management and learn of planned big changes coming for sellers and exclusive information."

Benchmarking-team leadership ordered up what Amazon calls a PRFAQ that would outline what to do if competitors or the press discovered the project. In the event of a leak, leadership was to say that the group was formed to improve the seller experience on Amazon.com, and that Amazon pays attention to competition but doesnt obsess" over it. They were also told to act like this was normal business behavior in the event of a leak, according to one of the people.

In 2017, Amazon formally changed the name of Project Curiosity to the Small Business Insights team to make it sound less cryptic, some of the people said.

The Big River team invented its own brands to sell on the competing sites, including Torque Challenge" and Crimson Knot."

Teams often changed the brand name once they sold out its inventory, creating new brands when they received new products.

In India, Amazon gained access to e-commerce giant Flipkart in March 2018 with the Crimson Knot brand, around the time rumors of a Walmart acquisition swirled in local media. Walmart bought a majority stake in Flipkart in May of that year.

Crimson Knot makes wooden home goods, with its websites About Us" page saying: Based in a small wood workshop in Bangalore, our dedicated team of 8 skilled craftsmen work consistently to handcraft each piece from scratch, transforming them into stunning showstoppers."

Crimson Knot still lists products on Flipkart and stores them with Flipkarts logistics services.

The endeavor wasnt designed to make money. In 2019, for instance, the Indian Big River team projected revenue of $165,000 while it expected costs of $463,000, according to an internal company document.

Each of the five countries operated a little differently to better test different programs. Globally, in total, Big River gained access to rival marketplaces including Alibaba, Etsy, Real.de, Wish and Rakuten, among many other platforms. In 2019, the team set a goal to get onto 13 additional new marketplaces, according to an internal company document.

The Amazon spokeswoman declined to comment on the number of rival websites Big River operates on.

The Japanese team went so far as to create a streetwear brand with its own website and custom-designed products. They called it Not So Ape, saying it was founded in Tokyo in 2017 and inspired by the street style we see everyday."

Not So Apewhich isnt related to an upscale Japanese streetwear brand called A Bathing Apesays on its website: Our name stems from our belief that creative expression is what truly separates us from primates." Not So Ape has Instagram and TikTok accounts, and its site continues to offer products such as $50 knit beanies and $95 hoodies.

Not So Ape is sold on Yahoo Japans marketplace, Zozotown, and uses rival payment services from Shopify, Google and Meta platforms. Its U.S. website is hosted by Shopifywhich was the target of a previous effort by Amazon, code named Project Santos," to replicate parts of its business model, the Journal has reported.

Not So Apes English-language sites terms of service says it is operated by Big River and lists a Seattle contact address of 2300 7th Ave, Ste B100, Back Entrance"a building adjacent to a main Amazon campus.

Jim Oberman contributed to this article.

Write to Dana Mattioli at dana.mattioli@wsj.com and Sarah Nassauer at Sarah.Nassauer@wsj.com
Alphabet Inc.s Google has fired 28 employees after they were involved in protests against Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion joint contract with Amazon.com Inc. to provide the Israeli government and military with AI and cloud services.

The protests, which were led by the No Tech for Apartheid organization, took place Tuesday across Google offices in New York City, Seattle, and Sunnyvale, California. Protesters in New York and California staged a nearly 10-hour sit-in, with others documenting the action, including through a Twitch livestream. Nine of them were arrested Tuesday evening on trespassing charges.

Also Read | Bajaj Auto Q4 net profit up 18% at  2,011 crore, revenue rises 30% Several workers involved in the protests, including those who were not directly engaged in the sit-in, received a message from the companys Employee Relations group informing them that they had been put on leave. Google told the affected employees that its keeping this matter as confidential as possible, only disclosing information on a need to know basis in an email seen by Bloomberg. On Wednesday evening, the workers were informed they were being dismissed by the company, according to a statement from Google staff with the No Tech for Apartheid campaign.

Also Read | Infosys ADR crashes 8% on NYSE after IT major slashes FY25 revenue growth guidance to 1-3% Physically impeding other employees work and preventing them from accessing our facilities is a clear violation of our policies, and completely unacceptable behavior, Google said in a statement about the protesters. After refusing multiple requests to leave the premises, law enforcement was engaged to remove them to ensure office safety. We have so far concluded individual investigations that resulted in the termination of employment for 28 employees, and will continue to investigate and take action as needed.The protest came a day before the Israeli government approved its five-year strategic plan to transition to the cloud under Project Nimbus and expand digital services. Israels Defense Ministry and military were listed in a government statement as partners in Project Nimbus, along with other government offices. A representative for Google said that the Nimbus contract is not directed at highly sensitive, classified, or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services.

Also Read | Air India to deploy A350 plane on Delhi-Dubai route from May 1 Google has long favored a culture of open debate, but employee activism in recent years has tested that commitment. Workers who organized a 2018 walkout over the companys handling of sexual assault allegations said Google punished them for their activism. Four other workers alleged they were fired for organizing opposition to Googles work with federal Customs and Border Protection and for other workplace advocacy.

US labor law gives employees the right to engage in collective action related to working conditions. Tech workers will likely argue that this should grant them the ability to band together to object to how the tools they create are used, said John Logan, a professor of labor at San Francisco State University.

Tech workers are not like other kinds of workers, he said. You can make an argument in this case that having some sort of say or control or ability to protest about how their work product is being used is actually a sort of key issue.

Tech companies like Google have a reputation for having more egalitarian and very cosmopolitan work cultures, but when they encountered labor activism among their own workers, they actually responded in a sort of quite draconian way, Logan added.

Also Read | Infosys Q4 result: Top 5 highlights of Infosys Q4 earnings Two Googlers who were involved in the protest in California told Bloomberg that a group of workers gathered on the sixth floor of Googles Sunnyvale bureau, where Cloud Chief Executive Officer Thomas Kurians office is located, to show support for those who were staging the sit-in. Its unclear how Google identified participants in the protest, as only some had their badges scanned by security personnel, and some of those who were fired were outside Googles offices, according to the employees.

One worker said Google may have framed the move to initially place employees on leave as confidential to save face publicly, and argued that the protesters did not violate any company policies. The protesters left the building as soon as they were asked to and did not obstruct or disrupt others at the company, the person said.

Beyond the protest, Google has struggled with how to manage internal debate about the Middle East conflict. After the demonstration, posts on internal Google forums featured a mix of pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli sentiment, with a number of other workers saying they felt the topic was inappropriate for the workplace, a Google employee said. Moderators locked down some threads on the subject, saying prior discussions had gotten too heated, the employee added.
Bengaluru: Showing up infrequently at office comes with a price, employees of Tata Consultancy Services are discovering the hard way, after receiving lower pay hikes than their colleagues who dutifully turn up at their desks.

TCS assessed office attendance, among other metrics, before rolling out annual wage hikes to over 600,000 employees earlier this week, five employees at India's largest private sector employer said. This also makes TCS potentially the first to use office check-in as one of the metrics to determine pay hikes.

Three of these employees said they had received a lower salary band compared to colleagues who attended office regularly, despite their overall performance being at par.

When giving out salary hikes, TCS clubs its staff across four salary bands. Last year, employees under Band A got pay hikes over 7%, the highest increment, while employees under Band D saw little to no change.

On Monday, TCS informed its staff how they had fared while clubbing employees under the four bands. This will be followed by each employee getting an official letter detailing the salary hike.

When I asked my manager, he asked me to wait for the increment letter and said that I could have been given a lower band because of non-compliance to RTO (return to office) norms," said the first employee.

I got a 4.1 IPF and yet got a Band C," said a second employee, referring to TCS's use of individual performance factor (IPF) during assessments. Until last year, a rating above 4 would bring the employee in Band A, leading to a pay hike of over 7%.

While the salary hike depends on our performance and is the decision of the manager, non-compliance with work-from-office norms has affected the hikes," said a second employee.

Employees have faced reduced wage hikes because of not attending office for enough days," said a third executive.

All three employees acknowledged being at the office less than three days a week.

Mint could not independently ascertain the number of employees who saw a reduced salary hike because they continued to work from home. However, a fourth executive said such employees are a minority of a minority."

An email sent to TCS seeking comment went unanswered.

To be sure, TCS's decision to use this metric was not arbitrary. A fifth executive said the company has been nudging its staff for over 15 months to return to office.

In February last year, TCS first asked employees to turn up in office at least thrice a week. In January this year, employees were told to work from the office five days a week.

The senior management, led by the CEO and COO and CHRO, have patiently tried to explain to the employees why they need to start coming to the office as it helps many understand the culture of an organization," said the fifth executive. Importantly, because of the rising cybersecurity risks, we want employees to work from secure workstations."

Earlier this year, TCS warned employees that failure to return to office by March would impact their appraisals and performance reports, according to a company's memo to its staff, Mint reported on 9 February.

Last week, TCS announced its fourth-quarter and full-year earnings, even as it ended with 6,01,546 employees at the end of March, 13,249 less than at the beginning of the last fiscal year, making it the first time in two decades the company ended with a smaller workforce.
UBS Group AG is set to slash jobs as part of its ongoing efforts to reduce its workforce following the takeover of Credit Suisse, according to a Bloomberg report citing sources.

The job cuts are anticipated to impact over a hundred roles across UBS's global investment bank, the sources said. Additionally, job losses are foreseen in the wealth management and markets sectors, as per another insider.

These cuts, unlike routine performance-based adjustments, are slated to occur in the upcoming weeks. However, the report noted that decisions regarding the timing of the layoffs are not final and subject to change.

A UBS spokeswoman did not respond to queries.

Continued Efforts to Cut Costs The emergency acquisition of Credit Suisse resulted in a substantial increase in UBS's global staff, swelling by around 45,000 to about 120,000 employees.

This impending layoff marks the latest in a series of reductions at UBS. Although CEO Sergio Ermotti hasn't specified the total number of job losses, the bank aims to achieve approximately $6 billion in staff cost savings in the upcoming years.

Following the government-brokered acquisition, UBS has displayed limited interest in Credit Suisse's investment banking division. Earlier in January, the Zurich-based bank let go of a group of senior investment bankers and also downsized its staff in the Asia private wealth and investment banking sectors.

Market Response and Regulatory Challenges UBS's shares have recently dipped amid reports of Swiss government proposals to heighten regulatory capital requirements for the bank. These reforms, if implemented, could entail a capital impact of around $20 billion, as previously indicated by a knowledgeable source.

The heightened regulatory environment coincides with UBS's involvement in the intricate integration and restructuring of Credit Suisse. Chairman Colm Kelleher cautioned in November that 2024 would be a particularly challenging year in this multi-year process, citing the legal consolidation of parent banks and major subsidiaries.
Chinas youth unemployment rate remained steady in March, in what could be seen by some as a tentative sign that the worlds second-largest economy is gradually stabilizing.

The jobless rate among Chinas 16- to 24-year-oldsexcluding those enrolled in schoolstayed at 15.3% last month, the same as in February, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday. That is broadly in line with figures earlier this week showing that overall headline unemployment stood at 5.2% in March, ticking down from the prior months 5.3%.

The jobs numbers come after China surprised markets with strong growth in the first quarter of the year as Beijing doubled down on its manufacturing drive. Despite the upbeat figure, economists warn that it isnt the time for complacency as wider activity data for March pointed to tepid consumer demand and continued distress in the property sector. A high rate of youth unemployment could exacerbate concerns about weak household spending, but Thursdays data will likely be taken with a pinch of salt after changes to how the rate is calculated make it harder to interpret.

Chinas statistics bureau suspended the release of the youth jobless rate in June last year after the figure climbed for six straight months to a record high of 21.3%. It resumed releasing the series in January this year with a new methodology that excludes young people who are still studying. That exclusion is unusual compared with how other nations, including the U.S. and European countries report employment figures, treating full-time students much the same as long as they have been looking for jobs.

Excluding students in school, unemployment among Chinas 25- to 29-year-olds rose to 7.2% in March from Februarys 6.4%, while that among the 30- to 59-year-old age group declined to 4.1% from 4.2% over the period, according to the official data.

The tweaked metrics on youth unemployment is one of several moves taken by Chinese authorities in recent years that have made it increasingly difficult for outside watchers to gauge the health of the economic powerhouse.

Last week, Chinas two main stock exchanges said they plan to stop displaying real-time data for cash flows into the countys stock market via Hong Kong, a move that would eliminate a closely watched indicator of foreign sentiment toward Chinese equities.

The Shanghai and Shenzhen bourses said the move will take effect in about a month, adding that turnover details will be published daily after market close.

Write to Singapore editors at singaporeeditors@dowjones.com
PSEB 10th Result 2024: The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) has declared the results of the Class 10 exams on Thursday.

Here is how to check your results online:

1. To check the Class 10 results for the Punjab Board, you can visit either the official website pseb.ac.in or indiaresults.com.

Also Read: PSEB 10th Result 2024 Live Updates

2. Once on the homepage, navigate to the 'Results' section and click on the link labelled Punjab Board Class 10th Result 2024.

3. Enter your roll number and date of birth in the provided fields.

4. After submitting the details, the Class 10 result for 2024 will be displayed on the screen.

5. You can then view and download the result for future reference.

In terms of achievements, Aditi from Ludhiana claimed the top spot in the matric examination in Punjab, achieving a remarkable feat with a perfect score of 100 per cent.

Alisha Sharma of Ludhiana and Karmanpreet Kaur of Amritsar secured the second position in the state, both scoring an impressive 99.23 per cent marks.

The overall pass percentage of PSEB Class 10 results is 97.24 percent.
The chip industry is recovering more slowly than expected from the inventory glut of 2023.

That was the bad news from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, the worlds largest contract chip maker, which reported first-quarter results Thursday. On a call with analysts, the company cut its forecast for overall market growth this year, excluding memory chips, to 10%, down from more than 10%" three months ago. Its U.S.-listed shares fell roughly 2% in premarket trading.

The standout reason for the downgrade was automotive chips: TSMC previously expected demand from the sector to increase this year, but now it expects a contraction instead. The company didnt give an explanation, but the most likely one is slowing growth in chip-intensive electric vehicles.

The good news for TSMC investors is that the company, despite often being seen as a chip-industry bellwether, isnt the same thing as the market. Importantly, the company maintained its forecast that its own revenue will grow by more than 20% this year in dollar terms.

Partly this is because it is a pure foundry operationTSMC only makes chips designed by othersand the foundry business has more room to recover, having suffered more in the recent slump. At the same time, the companys lead in manufacturing the most advanced chips also makes it a disproportionate beneficiary of the industrys biggest growth driver: artificial intelligence.

Nvidia uses TSMC and its Korean competitor Samsung Electronics to manufacture the expensive AI chips that the likes of Microsoft and Alphabet are buying in huge quantities to upgrade their data centers. AI-related data-center demand is very, very strong," said chief executive and chairman-in-waiting C.C. Wei, even as he cautioned about the sluggish recovery in chip purchases for smartphones, personal computers, traditional data-center servers, cars and other consumer products.

That message will come as a relief to the industry a day after Dutch lithography giant ASML, which makes the machines needed to manufacture the most advanced chips, reported weak first-quarter orders. U.S. chip stocks fell Wednesday, with Nvidia down roughly 4%.

ASML implied that TSMC itself was partly responsible for the miss and would need to increase its orders. Theres a few usual suspects absent in the order intakeFoundry indeed does come to mind in this discussion," the Dutch companys chief financial officer Roger Dassen told analysts on Wednesday.

He has a point: At $5.6 billion, TSMCs capital expenditures in the first quarter were the second-lowest since 2020. Yet the foundry maintained its guidance for capex of between $28 billion and $32 billion for the year. That implies that it will need to spend much more for the rest of the year$8.1 billion a quarter on average at the midpoint.

While the broader chip-market recovery will be slow, the foundations of the AI revolution are on track.

Write to Stephen Wilmot at stephen.wilmot@wsj.com
Bengaluru: Specialized venture funds focusing on emerging niches are rising in India, competing with larger sector-agnostic peers, in a sign of growing maturity in the countrys startup funding ecosystem.

Over the past 6-12 months, specialized funds have sprung up in sectors such as prop-tech, supply chain, media-tech, STEM and climate-tech, several executives and fund managers told Mint.

According to a Bain Capital report released this March titled India Venture Capital Report 2024, even as fund-raising slowed to $4 billion in 2023, domestic VCs stepped up, driving more than 90% of the fund-raising and, significantly, launching several thematic funds focused on emerging themes.

While sector-specific funds have existed for some time, it is only now that they are coming centre stage, as investors become more discerning and look to make targeted bets in sunrise industries to maximize returns on capital deployed.

Newer funds such as Synapses, Spyre and Cedar Capital have joined the likes of Audacity, Caret Capital, SenseAI, and Good Capital, among others, in driving this trend.

Thematic funds tend to create an ecosystem and help portfolios leverage the fund from a go-to-market perspective, so capital is differentiated and valued more by entrepreneurs and investors (LPs)," Pankaj Bansal, co-founder and managing partner at Caret Capital said, adding that many LPs use thematic funds to back innovative ideas to their own ventures and even acquire if opportunities exist.

Gurugram-based Caret Capital, a $50-million sustainability fund established in 2020, focuses on mobility, distribution and employment. Its portfolio typically comprises startups that are working on three aspects of the value chaingoods and services supply chain; human capital supply chain; and assets and infrastructure supply chain. Some of its companies include Mooofarm, which operates in the dairy supply chain sector; Xindus, which simplifies exports for SMEs; and supply chain solution provider Celcius.

What is also helping drive this trend is that the domestic pool of capital is expanding, with insurance companies, local banks, HNIs and family offices keenly investing in the space.

In the conversations I have had with investors or family offices, they are very happy to participate and cut a cheque for our fund," said Murali Krishna, a principal investor at Spyre, a Mumbai-based $50-million early-stage property-tech fund launched in 2024. He added that the firm is likely to add another $25 million to its corpus in the coming months.

Real estate is the second largest industry and is expected to be a $3-trillion industry, and it is also one of the largest employers in the country," said Murali Krishna, a principal investor at Spyre, adding that tech adoption in real estate has been minimal and this is where we see the opportunity". Builders are increasingly seeking technology to improve efficiency and profitability, Krishna said.

Then, Gurugram-based Audacity has raised a $30 million fund that invests in media technology. The large family offices who invest in us do so because they realise that they cannot avoid such a pivotal sector such as media, especially as it is the sector most disrupted by AI," Kabir Kochhar, founder & managing partner, Audacity VC. He added that generic funds that look at opportunities across different sectors will never be able to have the vast coverage and expertise of specialised funds.

For our mediatech-specific thesis, we see India as the foundry for the birth of some of the most exciting startups that scale globally. So, the addressable market expands significantly to cover the $2.5 trillion mediatech ecosystem. Our depth of focus allows us to be stage agnostic and find lucrative entry points across the investment cycle," Kochhar said.

Most recently, Synapses, a Delhi-based firm launched by a former IFC executive, launched a $125-million fund that focuses on enhancing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) opportunities.

There are never enough investment opportunities because the ones that are known get chased by investors and over-capitalised at high valuations and, hence, they are no longer investible," said Ruchira Shukla, co-founder and managing partner at Synapses. So, to create outlier returns, funds need to do the hard work to discover and cultivate proprietary opportunities."

And then there are funds such as Mumbai-based Tomorrow Capital, a $100-million VC fund that focuses on select sub-sectors within healthcare, fitness, education, home and interiors, and logistics.

Early-stage investing has become very competitive and crowded. There are more than 50 active funds out of the overall 100+ funds in the country today, several experts estimate. Ironically, at a time when the funding winter is still extant, there is a problem of plenty for early-stage founders looking to raise money, as GPs look to innovate to stay relevant.

With deepening markets in India and rise in consumption driven by a burgeoning middle class, more such sectors are expected to come about in the next few years, according to industry experts. These specialized funds also give opportunities for founders to be backed by investors who will support them with resources that align with the unique challenges and opportunities in that targeted space.

Pointing out that sectoral or thematic funds generally overperform vis-a-vis generic funds, Caret Capitals Bansal explained that $50-million funds on an average typically won't have more than 20 investments, but a thematic fund can easily have over 200 investable companies.

Funds that focus on specific sectors bring deep insights and understanding of the unique dynamics and challenges within those industries," said Ashish Bhatia, co-founder of startup mentorship platform India accelerator. This enables them to provide targeted support, strategic guidance, and valuable connections that can propel startups forward."

Bhatia added that the appetite for such funds among limited partners (LPs) within India has been on the rise and will continue on a similar trajectory but still short of bigger and mature markets like China or the US.

To be sure, specialist funds targeting niche sectors have been around for sometime. Firms like Quadria Capital and Somerset Indus Capital Partners have successfully raised multiple healthcare-focused funds over the years, as well as returned capital to their investors. Cedar Capital and Beams Fintech Fund have expanded the capital pool for fintech firms over the past few years.

Other venture capital firms such as SenseAI & Good Capital also launched specialised funds on artificial intelligence. Firms like Avaana Capital and Aavishkar Group have raised capital to invest around the climate-change thesis. Omnivore Capital has long focused on food and agritech.
When Irans missiles whizzed towards Israel on Sunday April 14th, oil markets were closed. When they opened 24 hours later, their reaction was a loud meh". Brent crude, the global benchmark, dipped below $90 a barrel. It has since hovered around that level (see chart).

View Full Image (The Economist)

Traders had expected an attack of precisely this variety: big enough to cause concern; obvious enough to be foiled. They are now betting that Israel will avoid anything too rash in response. Yet even if oil prices do not surge, they remain uncomfortably elevated and seem likely to rise higher still in the summer, when increasing demand amid tight supply will probably tip the market into deficit. A cast of decision-makersfrom central bankers to President Joe Biden, who faces re-election in Novemberis watching anxiously.

Geopolitical risk explains, in part, why oil prices have risen by a quarter since December. Brent passed $90 for the first time in nearly six months after Israel bombed Irans consulate in Damascus on April 1st. Supply disruptions are playing an even bigger role. Mexico is slashing shipments in order to produce more petrol at home. A leaky Scottish pipeline was forced to close. Turmoil in Libya is disrupting output; war in South Sudan could do the same.

Meanwhile, tougher sanctions on Russia are leaving more of its oil stranded. In March refiners in IndiaRussias second-biggest buyer since 2022said they would no longer welcome tankers owned by Sovcomflot, Russias state-owned shipping firm, for fear of Western retribution. Most of the 40-odd tankers subject to sanctions by America since October have not gone on to load Russian oil. The reimposition of sanctions on Venezuela could further dent supply. America may also decide to better police its existing embargo on Irans oil sales.

The biggest supply disruption is deliberate. It is coming from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+). In November the group pledged to slash output by 2.2m barrels a day (b/d), or 2% of global production. Most observers had expected that, with prices likely to rise throughout 2024, members would take the chance to row back on the cuts. Instead, several announced in March that they would extend them until the end of June. Russia even said it would deepen its cuts by another 471,000 b/d, reducing output to 9m b/d, from 10.8m b/d pre-war.

Last year supply growth outside the cartel more than made up for the rise in demand. This year non-OPEC output will rise againBrazil and Guyana are expected to pump record amountsbut growth will slow. Global oil stocks are already falling; they will shrink faster this summer, as holidaymakers in America take to the road.

View Full Image (The Economist)

All this is happening in the face of robust demand. Measures of manufacturing activity in America, China and Europe have surprised on the upside, leading the International Energy Agency, an official forecaster, to predict that global crude demand will rise by an average of 1.2m b/d this year, up from the 900,000 b/d it suggested in October. Others, including some big traders and OPEC itself, reckon demand growth may near or surpass 2m b/d.

Where will the oil price go next? If OPEC+ keeps its cuts unchanged, it could reach $100 within months. But that is not an outcome the cartel really wants. Many members, not least Saudi Arabia, worry that a rapid rise in the oil price could destroy demand. Dearer crude is pushing American petrol prices, already at $3.60 a gallon, closer to $4. A surge past that point could shave 200,000 b/d off petrol demand over the summer, estimates JPMorgan Chase, a bank. Thus OPEC+ may signal its intention to produce more at its next meeting. Jorge Leon, a former OPEC analyst now at Rystad Energy, a consultancy, expects crude to average $90 a barrel in the third quarter of the year and $89 in the final quarter. Futures markets are even more sanguine: buying crude for delivery in December costs around $85 a barrel.

Black cloud

Even if the tit-for-tat between Israel and Iran escalates, it is unlikely to change much. Any reduction in Irans exportsworth 1.6m b/d in Marchmight be balanced by more pumping from the rest of OPEC. In a worst-case scenario, Iran could decide to close the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that connects the Gulf to the Indian Ocean, through which 30% of the worlds seaborne oil, and nearly all of the Gulfs, must pass. Doing so would anger just about everyone in the region, and cut off Iran from its sole oil buyer: China. Perhaps Iran would opt to cause trouble in less self-harming ways, such as harassing ships in the Gulf. Yet even the tanker war" of the 1980swhen hundreds of tankers were attackedfailed to durably boost prices.

The most likely scenario, therefore, is that oil prices remain tolerable to the world economy, at somewhere in the region of $85-90 a barrel, while allowing OPEC members to earn juicy margins. Prices are unlikely to fall soon, though. And whether such a level is tolerable to American voters, who see gasoline prices advertised in big red numbers by the highway every day, is another matter entirely.

 2024, The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved.

From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com
(Bloomberg) -- A trader accused of exploiting Mango Markets rules to steal $110 million from the exchange was convicted of fraud in the first US trial involving criminal charges tied to cryptocurrency manipulation.

Federal jurors in New York on Thursday found Avraham Eisenberg, 28, guilty of commodities fraud, commodities manipulation and wire fraud for his actions on Oct. 11, 2022, when his trading boosted the price of futures contracts by 1,300% in 20 minutes. Sentencing was set for July 29.

Eisenberg, a self-described applied game theorist, traded under a false identity and drove up the price of Mangos token, MNGO, as well as contracts based on its relative value compared to a stablecoin called USDC, prosecutors said. Eisenberg then exploited a feature of the exchange that let him borrow against his holdings, withdrawing $110 million in cryptocurrencies that he had no intention of repaying, the US charged.

Prosecutors said Eisenberg pumped the price of MNGO tokens so he could pull off a fraud he planned for weeks against Mango Markets, a decentralized finance platform run by smart contracts.

He manipulated that price so he could trick the system into giving him money, Assistant US Attorney Thomas Burnett said in closing arguments on Wednesday. He planned to take the money and run.

Mango Markets, which lets people borrow, lend and trade cryptocurrencies, was overseen by a decentralized autonomous organization, or DAO. Days after his big haul, Eisenberg agreed to return $67 million in crypto in exchange for the DAO not pursuing his prosecution or freezing his remaining assets.

Fled to Israel

Eisenberg left Puerto Rico, where he was living, shortly after his Mango trades and flew to Israel. When he returned to Puerto Rico on Dec. 26, 2022, US agents arrested him. Hes been in jail ever since, after a judge ruled he posed a risk of fleeing before trial.

In his closing argument, Eisenberg attorney Brian Klein said his client executed a perfectly legal strategy that was permissible under the rules of the exchange.

Eisenberg engaged in a successful and legal trading strategy, one in which he put his own money at risk, Klein said.

He said Eisenberg wholly complied with smart contracts that controlled the decentralized finance platform, which only warned users: This is unaudited software, use it at your own risk.

Klein said Eisenberg doesnt dispute that he made a series of trades taking opposing long and short positions.

Its not illegal to take big risks, Klein argued.

But Burnett said the rules of the Mango Markets platform dont protect Eisenberg from prosecution for fraud and manipulation.

Just because something is possible doesnt make it legal, the prosecutor said.

Eisenberg didnt testify during the trial, but he played an active role in his defense, taking notes throughout the testimony and frequently suggesting questions for his lawyers to pose to witnesses.

The case is US v. Eisenberg, 23-cr-00010, US District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).

(Updates with background on case, adds sentencing date.)

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
Extending their winning streak for the ninth consecutive session, shares of Exide Industries, a leader in energy storage and management solutions, soared to yet another all-time high, reaching 481.70 per share, representing a 4.70% increase. This stellar surge in stock price has resulted in a cumulative gain of 54% over a mere nine trading sessions.

The recent surge in the stock has escalated its one-year return to 148% and its two-year return to nearly 200%. From its lows during the Covid-19 pandemic, the stock is currently trading 264% higher.

Also Read: Exide Industries shares jump over 6% after Morgan Stanley raises target price

The stock initiated its upward momentum on April 08 after the company's wholly owned subsidiary, Exide Energy Solutions, signed a non-binding MOU with Hyundai Motor Company ("Hyundai Motors") and Kia Corporation ("Kia") to explore strategic cooperation opportunities in India's EV market.

This announcement significantly boosted investor sentiment toward the company, as it is expected to generate additional revenue and enhance Exide's market presence in India's growing electric vehicle sector.

Subsequent to this development, brokerage firms have raised the stock price, which further amplified investor sentiment and propelled the stock to unprecedented levels day by day.

In a recent note, Japanese brokerage firm Nomura lifted its target price on the stock to 485 apiece from an earlier target price of 233. The brokerage continued with its 'buy' rating.

Also Read: Exide Industries EV battery pact is positive, but not without challenges

According to the brokerage, EES's partnership with Hyundai and Kia provides significant validation to EXIDEs cell development, as Hyundai and Kia are already selling EVs in the global market and plan to launch many EVs in India.

"We are now more optimistic about EXIDEs ability to win new orders from other OEMs. OEMs will need to meet 50% localization for domestic value addition (DVA) to meet PLI (production-linked incentive) norms. The PLI incentive is 15% of the companys revenue," said Nomura.

First-mover advantage According to Nomura, the company has been ahead of its peers in announcing its plan to commission its li-ion cell manufacturing plant in Bangalore, Karnataka, by FY25E in partnership with SVOLT Technology Solutions Ltd.

In the first phase of this 60 billion project, the plant will have a capacity of 6 GWh (total capacity of 12 GWh; Phase-I is expected to commence by the end of FY25E). EXIDE has already invested 20 billion in this entity.

Management commented that the total capex of Phase I will be 40 billion, and the rest will be in Phase II. It expects that 70% of total annual li-ion battery demand will come from automotive applications and the rest from industrial applications.

Nomura believes this multi-year technical collaboration with SVOLT will also benefit EXIDE in the long run. SVOLTs expertise in li-ion cell manufacturing and its existing supply chain should aid EXIDE in scaling up battery production, as per the brokerage. Thus, it believes, Exide is on track with its plan to get the first-mover advantage in the EV battery space.

Strong demand is ahead The brokerage expects EV penetration in India for 2W/4W to rise from 5%/2% in FY24F to 25%/20% by FY30F. With this, it is estimated that demand for automotive battery cells in India will rise from 12 GWH in FY25F to 90 GWH by FY30F. Industrial segment demand is estimated to rise from 25 GWH in FY25F to 50 GWH in FY30F.
In a recent report, brokerage house HDFC Securities projected that India's GDP is likely to soar, doubling from its current $3.57 trillion mark in FY24E to a substantial $7 trillion by 2030. This remarkable growth trajectory owes much to India's advantageous demographics and unwavering policy backing.

Notably, the nation is witnessing decade-long economic trends that are propelling the expansion of businesses across diverse sectors, said the brokerage. These include rising discretionary spending pools, digitisation, capex/infra investment, green energy adaptation, etc.

First, let us in detail understand the ongoing trends the brokerage has come out with:

Rising discretionary spending pool and premiumization: The middle class of the country is expected to get more populous and richer, driving demand for discretionary goods and services. From 158 mn households in 2018, the middle class is poised to grow to 300 mn by 2030, representing 78 percent of overall households, the brokerage estimated.

Formalization of the economy: Low-ticket discretionary sectors have a higher presence of unorganised players. However, consolidation is underway, led by factors such as rising affordability, technology upgradation, GST, RERA, e-way bill, internet penetration and the recently launched ONDC. This consolidation process is expected to benefit organised players across multiple sectors, noted the brokerage.

Digitization: HDFC Securities highlighted the rapid increase in internet penetration and data consumption in India, driven by falling data costs. This growth has ignited the ambitions of emerging entrepreneurs and fostered a thriving startup ecosystem, resulting in the rise of 114 unicorns so far. Policy initiatives like UPI and ONDC play crucial roles in supporting these businesses. The firm noted that modern business models, leveraging the digital India stack, will continue to gain traction and disrupt traditional industries.

Financialization of savings: HDFC observed a shift in investor behaviour driven by increasing financial literacy and a quest for higher returns with liquidity. This trend is steering investors away from traditional avenues like real estate and fixed deposits towards more intricate asset classes such as mutual funds, equities, life insurance, portfolio management services (PMS), alternative investment funds (AIF), private credit, and derivatives. Despite occasional market fluctuations, brokerage firms predict a sustained healthy growth trajectory for asset and wealth management sectors as well as market intermediaries.

Capex/infrastructure investments: HDFC observed that the central government is prioritising investment-led GDP growth in India. This strategy is evident across sectors such as defence, transportation (roads and railways), and renewable energy. Additionally, the government encourages private sector capital expenditure, given their robust balance sheets and positive long-term demand prospects.

Areas like electric vehicles, manufacturing, alternative energy, and semiconductors are anticipated to see an increase in capital expenditures. Consequently, industries like capital goods, infrastructure, and cement stand to benefit from the ongoing capital expenditure cycle.

Green energy adoption: India is on the cusp of shifting to a green energy ecosystem from a fossil fuels-dominated one. This will involve green energy capacity creation of 340 GW by 2030 at a projected expenditure budget of 20 lakh crore. Renewables (Solar, Wind), Green hydrogen and EVs are key beneficiaries, said HDFC.

Manufacturing/China plus one: As per the brokerage, India can benefit immensely as global companies aim to diversify their supply chain and manufacturing away from China due to geopolitical tensions, trade war and rising labour costs. While it is a large lucrative growth opportunity, India must compete with other Southeast Asian countries to get its share in the business of the global giants. Auto ancillaries, Chemicals, Textiles, and Electronics manufacturing remain well poised to benefit from this trend, it stated.

Stock Recommendations To benefit from the tailwinds of the above-mentioned trends, HDFC Securities has identified a list of stocks from our coverage universe that can compound their earnings consistently over the next 3-5 years while maintaining healthy return metrics and balance sheets.

The brokerage has recommended 10 stocks that are likely to witness consistent growth based on these themes. These are - SBI Life, Tata Power, Chola Investment, Voltas, Dalmia Bharat, Brigade Enterprises, MCX India, Amber Enterprises, Happiest Minds, and Neogen Chemicals.

Source: HDFC Sec

Furthermore, the brokerage has also listed seven additional ideas from the mega-cap space (Market cap> 2 lakh crore) which in its view offer secular growth stories with healthy RoEs, thereby presenting themselves as low-risk high-visibility growth compounders.

All these companies are the leaders in their sectors and best suited to take advantage of the tailwinds of the sectors. HDFC's top picks from the mega-caps category are: RIL, ICICI Bank, L&T, Maruti Suzuki, NTPC, UltraTech Cement, and Siemens.

Source: HDFC Sec
The bullish run of KPI Green Energy share price continued as it hit its 5 per cent upper circuit of 1,773.35 on BSE in morning trade on Thursday, April 18. KPI Green Energy share price opened at 1,720.55 against its previous close of 1688.95 and soon jumped 5 per cent to get locked in its upper price band on the BSE.

After hitting its 52-week high of 1,895.95 on February 26 this year, KPI Green Energy share price saw profit booking in March and fell over 12 per cent during the month.

However, the stock has seen smart gains in April so far, rising over 16 per cent, driven by a bright outlook for the renewable energy sector.

Over the past year, KPI Green Energy share price has experienced an extraordinary surge, multiplying nearly sixfold, or skyrocketing by over 456 per cent, based on its current market price of 1,773.35.

KPI Green share price hit its 52-week low of 309.15 on April 18, 2023. At the current market price, the stock is up 474 per cent from its 52-week low.

Also Read: Heady cocktail makes equities tipsy

Robust fundamentals KPI Green Energy is a midcap company which operates in the solar power generation sector. It functions as an independent power producer (IPP) under the 'Solarism' brand as well as a service provider to captive power producer (CPP) clients.

Recently, the company has ventured into the hybrid segment of renewable energy to ensure enhanced grid stability. By combining solar and wind power, the company intends to ensure efficiency and sustainability in energy generation. This approach also offers a commercially viable solution as it optimises transmission charges and maximises grid capacity utilisation.

The road ahead for KPI Green Energy looks bright due to sectoral tailwinds. As India is witnessing strong energy demand, the government is putting a strong emphasis on renewable energy solutions, in line with global efforts to shift towards sustainable energy to combat climate change.

Experts say that the growing demand for clean energy sources offers a promising opportunity for renewable energy firms like KPI Green Energy to expand their market presence and enhance revenue streams.

With growing power demand in India, solar energy has emerged as the primary source of new and sustainable power capacity additions. India's ambitious target of achieving 280 GW of solar power by 2030 further strengthens the prospects of the renewable energy sector.

As Mint reported earlier, KPI Green Energy aims to deploy a substantial 1000 MW of solar power for its clients by 2025.

Additionally, the launch of the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February, offering free electricity to beneficiaries, is expected to drive further demand for solar power generation across the nation.

What should investors do in the short term? Several technical analysts find the stock buy-worthy at the current juncture.

Milan Vaishnav, CMT, MSTA, the founder and technical analyst of Gemstone Equity Research and ChartWizard FZE, pointed out that the recent price moves in the stock have led to the formation of a symmetrical triangle on the chart. Although these are neutral formations, they tend to get resolved in the direction of the prior trend while acting as continuation patterns.

"KPI Green is in an uptrend and has been consolidating after forming a high of 1890 in February this year. A fresh entry can be made at current levels while expecting price targets of 2,000-2,050 levels. Those who are already invested may stay invested in this stock while maintaining a stop loss of 1,600," said Vaishnav.

Mandar Bhojane, An equity research analyst at Choice Broking suggests buying the stock in cash at 1,768, with a target price of 1,954/2,000, keeping a stop loss of 1,668.

Bhojane pointed out that a rounding bottom formation, accompanied by significant trading volume, has recently emerged on the daily chart of the stock, suggesting a potential upward movement towards 1,954 and 2,000. Notably, substantial support is observed near 1,668.

As per Bhojane, KPI Green is trading above key exponential moving averages (EMAs), including the 200-day EMA, indicating strong bullish momentum. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 61, signalling an upward trajectory and confirming increased buying momentum. Additionally, the Stochastic Relative Strength Index (Stoch RSI) exhibits a positive crossover, further supporting bullish sentiment.

"KPI Green presents a promising buying opportunity for those targeting a 2,000 price objective, contingent upon implementing prudent risk management measures. To manage risk effectively, setting a stop loss at 1,668 is advisable to protect against unexpected market reversals. A prudent strategy includes considering buying opportunities on market dips around 1,720," said Bhojane.

However, some technical analysts see signs of caution and recommend booking some profit.

Jigar S. Patel, Senior Manager of Equity Research at Anand Rathi Share and Stock Brokers observed while the stock's positive momentum may be enticing, it is crucial to acknowledge historical resistance levels and technical indicators that hint at a cautious outlook.

"The reference to KPI Green's peak in February 2024 around 1896 serves as a backdrop, indicating a notable resistance zone that could hinder further upward movement. Additionally, scrutiny of the daily chart highlights 1,820 as a previous top resistance level. Failure to surpass this mark could signify the formation of a double-top pattern, a bearish signal hinting at a potential reversal of the uptrend," Patel said.

Patel added that the daily RSI readings remaining below 70, underscore the need for caution, suggesting waning momentum as the stock nears historical barriers.

"It is advisable to refrain from initiating new long positions at this juncture. Investors might consider waiting for a meaningful correction before entering the stock. For those already invested, it may be prudent to contemplate booking profits within the 1,800-1,820 range, seizing potential gains before the stock encounters significant resistance," said Patel.

KPI Green shares technical chart.

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Stock market today: Indian stock market benchmarks the Sensex and the Nifty 50 continued reeling under selling pressure as they ended in negative territory for the fourth consecutive session on Thursday, April 18, amid mixed global cues.

Losses in shares of select banking heavyweights, including HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank, dragged the indices most.

However, mixed global cues amid easing crude oil prices and a fall in the US dollar capped the losses.

Major European markets, including the UK's FTSE, France's CAC 40 and Germany's DAX traded in the green when the Sensex ended.

Simmering tension between Israel and Iran remains a key concern for the markets across the globe. As Mint reported, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel will independently determine its course of action against Iran, disregarding calls for restraint from its allies.

Track Iran-Israel war live updates here

Sensex closed with a loss of 455 points, or 0.62 per cent, at 72,488.99 with only four stocks - Bharti Airtel, Power Grid, Infosys and Larsen and Toubro - in the green.

The Nifty 50 ended the day at 21,995.85, down 152 points, or 0.69 per cent, with 36 stocks losing and the remaining 14 ending higher.

The BSE Midcap index also ended lower by 0.39 per cent but the BSE Smallcap index ended with a nominal gain of 0.06 per cent.

As the market benchmarks extended losses into the fourth consecutive session, the overall market capitalisation of the firms listed on the BSE dropped to nearly 393.2 lakh crore from nearly 402.2 lakh crore on April 10, making investors poorer by about 9 lakh crore in four sessions.

Meanwhile, crude oil benchmark Brent Crude traded over 1 per cent lower near the $86 per barrel mark around 4 pm on expectations that there would be no fresh sanctions against Iranian oil.

Top Nifty gainers today Shares of Bharti Airtel (up 4.03 per cent), Power Grid (up 2.57 per cent) and Bajaj Auto (up 1.61 per cent) closed as the top gainers in the Nifty index.

Top Nifty losers today Shares of Apollo Hospitals Enterprise (down 3.71 per cent), Nestle (down 2.95 per cent) and Titan (down 2.94 per cent) ended as the top losers in the Nifty index.

Sectoral indices today All sectoral indices ended lower except for Nifty Media (up 0.77 per cent).

Nifty Healthcare (down 1.75 per cent), Oil & Gas (down 1.10 per cent) and FMCG (down 1.08 per cent) lost big.

The Nifty Bank index ended with a loss of 0.87 per cent.

Expert views on markets "Domestic benchmarks extended losses amid mixed sentiments, emerged from escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, and as hopes of US rate cuts waned. Investors are adapting to prolonged higher US interest rates due to strength in the labour market and progress in inflation so far. The broader market has also witnessed profit booking, led by the weakness in heavy-weight sectors like banking and FMCG," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services.

Technical views on Nifty 50 "Nifty continued to weaken as the index remained below the critical moving average of 21EMA. However, on the hourly chart, the index has formed a bullish harami pattern, suggesting a potential bullish reversal in the near term. Additionally, a bullish divergence is evident on the hourly chart. Looking ahead, the index might advance towards 22,200/22,300; sustained trading above 22,300 could further strengthen the market. Support is situated at 21,900," said Rupak De, Senior Technical Analyst, LKP Securities.

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Mumbai: Want to trade in derivatives? Take an exam. Also, prove your net worth is high enough to stomach the risks. That, in essence, is what a possible entry barrier to derivatives trading could look like as regulatory concerns continue to play out over the risks of retail investors trading in futures and options contracts.

Two frameworks suggested by stock exchanges to markets regulator Sebi (Securities and Exchange Board of India) for consideration by a proposed committee are understanding the product and its risks, and trading in proportion to ones net worth (measuring a persons wealth) through KYC (know your customer) norms at the brokers end.

A proposed regulatory committee comprising officials of Sebi and stock exchanges could consider these two aspects, according to four market experts aware of the matter.

Although the timeline for setting up the panel or its composition is still unclear as the country heads for Lok Sabha polls, the rise in retail and proprietary speculation across derivatives such as equities, commodities and currencies, until recently, has drawn regulatory concern.

Under the products framework, an investor should have full knowledge of the product she is trading in," said one of the people cited above on condition of anonymity. Since index options (Nifty and Bank Nifty contracts) are the most popular product among retail investors, it is proposed that they would have to clear mandatory exams on options every year to be able to trade in derivatives."

He added that under the networth criteria, the trading exposure would be based on a persons wealth.

For instance, if a retail participants networth is 10 crore, she cant take leverage up to 100 crore, which is disproportionate to her wealth."

He drew a parallel to warnings on cigarette packets as a way of informing people about the harmful effects of tobacco. Sebi mandates risk disclosures on broker contract notes and websites about the risks of derivatives trading. You go with your eyes open after seeing the disclosure pop-up, akin to a smoker smoking after seeing the warning on the pocket."

Queries to Sebi went unanswered till press time. BSE and NSE officials were not immediately available for comment.

A Sebi study in January 2023 showed that nine out of 10 individual traders in the equity F&O segment incurred losses, with active traders 50,000 on average in FY22. It also found that the number of individual traders in index and stock options went up by nearly eight and five times each in the past three years. The RBI reinforced Sebis finding in its bi-annual financial stability report.

In November, Sebi chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch cautioned small investors against taking huge bets in derivatives, adding investors should focus on long-term prospects of the equity market.

A senior executive from an asset management company said one of the committees terms of references could be to deepen the market by increasing institutional participation.

Currently, proprietary traders and retail investors hold the highest share in equities options trading as well as in currency options, which raised the RBIs hackles," the executive said. There is a need to increase hedging activity and, to this end, we could see some changes to attract institutions to hedge more. Currently, MFs, for instance, can take derivatives exposure commensurate with their underlying portfolio exposure."

A senior broking official said that the KYC done at the brokers end would be strengthened to better know the client. The details of networth, awareness, etc. would probably be added to existing details sought on income bracket levels, age, etc., he said, as regulators were concerned about the rising phenomenon of speculation among retail investors".

Indeed, the share of proprietary traders as a proportion of gross notional turnover on NSE, which commands a 91% market share in derivatives, rose to 59.6% in the 11 months of FY24 (April-February) from 52.7% in the corresponding period of the earlier fiscal.

The share of retail, however, fell over the same period to 26.3% from 27.9%. DII share was steady at 0.1% and FPI share fell to 5.9% from 7.4% over the same period. DII and FPI refer to domestic institutional investor and foreign portfolio investor, respectively.

However, another broker said the very narrative of using notional turnover presented a misleading picture".

The notional turnover of options portrays an unrealistic depiction of trading participation," said Tejas Khoday, co-founder and CEO of online discount broker Fyers. The premium turnover, on which exchange transaction charges and taxes like STT (securities transaction tax) are based, is the better way to view the derivative turnover figures, which is a fraction of the notional turnover. Albeit, premium turnover has been growing at a fast pace, it is still less than cash market volumes till date."

Notional value is the total value or worth of an asset while premium turnover is market value. In FY24, the average daily notional turnover of index options was 339 trillion while the premium turnover was just 0.6 trillion.

The average daily cash market volume was 0.53 trillion. The notional turnover is 640 times the cash turnover, but the premium turnover is just 1.1 times the cash turnover.

While banks retail loans grew at a compounded 25.5% between September 2021 and September 2023, unsecured retail lending grew by 27%. Some fears were raised that a portion of unsecured loans found their way into options trading. However, Khoday dispelled such claims.

Rather than retail participants using unsecured loans to dabble in options, its more likely that proprietary traders could have leveraged their capital by pledging their securities as collateral to trade in the derivatives segment," Khoday said, citing the fall in retail participation in FY24 from the preceding fiscal.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP)  A civilian interrogator who worked 20 years ago at the infamous Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq denied abusing detainees Thursday, and told jurors he was actually promoted for doing a good job.

Steven Stefanowicz, who worked for military contractor CACI when he was assigned to Abu Ghraib in 2003 and 2004, has long been a key figure in the abuse scandal that emerged when photos became public showing U.S. soldiers smiling as detainees were forced into shocking poses of physical and sexual humiliation.

While multiple soldiers were convicted and sentenced to prison in courts-martial for their roles at Abu Ghraib, neither Stefanowicz nor any other civilian contractor who worked at the prison has ever been charged with a crime.

Stefanowicz's testimony Wednesday and Thursday in front of a federal jury in Alexandria comes as his former employer defends itself in a civil suit brought by three Abu Ghraib survivors who allege that CACI's interrogators share responsibility for the abuse they endured.

The lawsuit, delayed by more than 15 years of legal wrangling, is the first time that Abu Ghraib detainees have been able to bring their abuse claims in front of a U.S. jury.

Jurors previously heard testimony from two retired Army generals who investigated Abu Ghraib, and both concluded that Stefanowicz had a role in the abuse of detainees, either by directing military police to soften up inmates for interrogation, by using dogs to intimidate them, and by other means of mistreatment.

The reports also concluded that Stefanowicz lied to Army investigators in 2004 when he was questioned as part of those investigations.

At trial Thursday, Stefanowicz acknowledged that he implemented a sleep management plan for a detainee he was interrogating, meaning that military police played loud music at night to prevent him from sleeping.

But Stefanowicz said the sleep deprivation plan was approved by Army officers who oversaw his work.

He said he hewed to the Army's rules for interrogations and that while he requested the ability to use dogs during interrogations, he never did because he never received approval.

During testimony that came in through a recorded deposition he gave last month, Stefanowicz said he never sought to abuse or humiliate detainees and said his duties were to extrapolate information to thwart the war on terror.

Stefanowicz said he left Abu Ghraib in 2004, after photos of detainee abuse came to light, but only because his parents were receiving death threats after his work at the prison became public.

In fact, he said he was promoted by CACI to become their site lead at Abu Ghraib.

Jurors saw emails indicating that Stefanowicz was being promoted in April 2004 from his job as interrogator and receiving a 48% pay raise, to $140,000 annually. The pay raise and promotion came three months after the Army had begun its investigation of detainee abuse and two months after Stefanowicz had been questioned by then-Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba about his conduct.

While CACI may have been pleased with Stefanowicz's work at Abu Ghraib, evidence introduced Thursday showed that CACI officials initially had serious doubts about his ability to work as an interrogator.

An email sent by CACI official Tom Howard before the company sent interrogators to Iraq described Stefanowicz as a NO-GO for filling an interrogator position.

Though he has a crafty resume he is neither trained nor qualified for the interrogator position, Howard wrote.

Stefanowicz had spent time in the Navy reserves and at the U.S. Embassy in Oman, but he acknowledged that he'd never had training as an interrogator.

When he first went to Abu Ghraib, he was initially classified as a screener who took information down about incoming inmates to decide how they should be classified.

He testified that within a day, Army personnel decided to promote him to interrogator.

Mark Billings, a contracting officer with CACI, testified Thursday that the company struggled to find qualified interrogators to fulfill its contract with the Army, which needed to rapidly increase its intelligence capabilities after the 2003 invasion and occupation of Iraq.

Billings said the Army bore the responsibility for supervising the work of Stefanowicz and other contractors. On cross-examination, though, he was shown language in the CACI's contract with the Army requiring CACI to take responsibility for supervising its own personnel.

CACI continued to present evidence in its defense Thursday, though it was thwarted to some extent by the U.S. government, which invoked the state secrets privilege over evidence CACI sought to introduce.

Multiple witnesses who served as civilian and military interrogators at Abu Ghraib were allowed to testify only by audio that distorted their voices. They were identified only as interrogator C or interrogator G and were not allowed to testify about their identity or their interrogations of certain detainees.

CACI is seeking to show that any of the abuse suffered by the three specific plaintiffs in the case came at the hands of personnel other than CACI interrogators.

U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema has expressed frustration throughout the case about the government's invocation of state secrets. Earlier in the trial, government lawyers jumped up to object to an exhibit listing a series of names identified in one of the generals' Abu Ghraib investigations, even though the names have been a public part of that report for 20 years.
Google layoffs: Alphabet Inc.s Google is laying off an undisclosed number of employees as the technology giant cracks down on costs, a company spokesperson said as reported by Reuters.

According to the Google spokesperson, the layoffs are not company-wide. The impacted staff will have the chance to seek for internal roles, the spokeswoman added. However, no details has been disclosed regarding the number of employees affected or the specific teams involved.

Also Read: Tesla layoff: Elon Musk-led EV firm's move to cut 10% global workforce to hit US, China markets hard A portion of the impacted jobs will be moved to hubs where the company is investing in i.e. in India, Chicago, Atlanta, and Dublin.

With this, it have raised concerns about the possibility of further workforce reductions as companies grapple with economic uncertainty.

"Throughout the second half of 2023 and into 2024, a number of our teams made changes to become more efficient and work better, remove layers and align their resources to their biggest product priorities," the spokesperson added as quoted by Reuters.

Also Read: Ex-Google, Amazon recruiters ask job seekers not to use LinkedIns open to work badge Citing a Business Insider report, Reuters added that employees across several of Google' teams in its real estate and finance departments have been affected. It further stated that Google's revenue cash operations, business services, and treasury departments are among the impacted finance teams.

As per the report, Ruth Porat, Google's chief financial officer, informed employees via email that part of the restructuring included expanding growth to Bangalore, Mexico City, and Dublin.

In January this year, the tech giant let go of hundreds of employees across multiple teams including engineering, hardware and assistant teams as the company ramps up investment and builds its artificial intelligence offerings. Company CEO Sundar Pichai reportedly told employees at the start of the year to expect more job cuts.
Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra had words of wisdom for ex-Jet Airways executive Sanjiv Kapoor, who reacted to the industrialist's social media post on the Dubai rains and flooding.

Mahindra's newest post on social media site X (formerly known as Twitter), came in response to Kapoor's post which said it was a wrong analogy to compare Mumbai with Dubai.

"Im glad you subsequently retracted your comment implying that I was mocking Dubai, Sanjiv. In fact, the only purpose of my post was to highlight how atypical this weather was for Dubai," Mahindra wrote.

He further used Kapoor's analogy, saying: "For exampleto use your own analogyif it had ever snowed in Mumbai, I might well have said: Nope, Not Oslo, Mumbai. For the very same purpose of highlighting how atypical this weather was for Mumbai; Not to mock Mumbai."

"I recommend that its always good to: PAUSE before you PUNCH. REFLECT before you REACT," he added.

What Had Sanjiv Kapoor Said? The former CEO of Jet Airways, Sanjiv Kapoor, called out Anand Mahindra for "incorrect analogy" after he posted on X saying Nope. Not Mumbai. Dubai". Mahindra quoted a video post showing luxury cars, vehicles and trucks submerged in water due to the Dubai floods.

Kapoor reposted that tweet, saying, Incorrect analogy. Dubai was not built for such heavy rains - rains that would flood most cities. A better analogy would be if it suddenly snowed heavily in Bombay, which was obviously not built to handle snow at all. Would people in snowy Oslo mock Bombay?"

However, in a follow-up post, he did clarify that Mahindra might not be mocking Dubai. Ok, upon re-reading the post, maybe it is not mocking Dubai. However, the point remains Dubai was not built for heavy rains, no matter what the source of the rain (seeding etc). It would be impractical to build cities to handle any extreme weather scenario, however unlikely," he said.

Dubai Flooded After Unusually Heavy Rains Unprecedented rainfall in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) brought life to a halt in Dubai. There have been intense debates on a probable cloud seeding project gone wrong among experts. Notably, this was recorded to be the heaviest downpour in the UAE since records began in 1949, as per the Dubai media office.

The state-run WAM news agency termed the rainfall as a historic weather event". The widespread rainfall observed across the UAE is attributed to various factors, including cloud seeding. The rain caused chaos for residents as water entered the citys expensive homes and underground car parks with some buildings also left without power.

Amid the floods, the government schools across UAE will remain closed till April 19. As per WAM, the Emirates School Education Foundation has decided to extend the distance education system for all government schools in the country on April 18 and 19, 2024, to ensure the safety and security of students and teaching staff. Further, the UAE government has also extended remote working for its employees till April 19.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday alleged that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal "is deliberately eating mangoes, sweets and taking sugar with tea to raise his blood sugar level". As per a Bar and Bench report, the probe agency said, "Kejriwal wants to use this as a ground for bail [on medical grounds], citing fluctuations in blood sugar level."

The ED's Special Counsel Zoheb Hossain made this submission during a hearing in a Delhi court on Thursday. The court was hearing the application moved by Kejriwal, seeking permission to consult his regular doctor through video conferencing. It was claimed that his blood sugar fluctuating, and he wants to consult his regular doctor, PTI reported.

"Arvind Kejriwal is eating high sugar content food despite having type 2 diabetes. He is consuming 'aloo poori', mango, sweets, daily. This is being done to make grounds for medical bail," the ED told the court.

Kejriwal's counsel objects Advocate Vivek Jain, who appeared for Kejriwal, objected to the ED's submission, saying that the agency "is making these allegations only for the media". He said that some toffee and other things are given to diabetics to maintain their sugar levels. Jain further informed that Kejriwal is withdrawing the application and "will file a better one" later, Bar and Bench reported.

Delhi minister Atishi Marlena alleged that Arvind Kejriwal had fallen ill and lost approximately 4.5 kg since his arrest on March 21. Addressing a press conference, the Aam Aadmi Party leader said, Arvind Kejriwal is a severe diabetes patient but he never let his health issue come as a hindrance in the service of the country. Since the BJP-ruled central government arrested him there has been a serious challenge to his health condition, his sugar level fell thrice while he was in ED custody"

However, Tihar jail later dismissed the claims about Kejriwal's weight and said it was constant at 65 kg from the day he was brought to the jail. As per reports, the prison security also saw Arvind Kejriwal keeping his devices like a sugar sensor and glucometer on his bedside table. The Delhi chief minister also kept some glucose and toffees on his table in case of a sudden drop in his sugar levels.
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Authorities in Bengaluru have announced stringent measures to maintain law and order in Karnataka's capital city during phase 2 polling for the Lok Sabha elections on April 26. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) will be enforced from 6 pm on April 24 until midnight on April 26.

Under these orders, public meetings, rallies, gatherings of more than five people, burning of effigies, possession of lethal weapons, provocative speeches, and publicly raising political slogans will be strictly prohibited in Bengaluru from April 24 to April 26.

During this time, no one will be allowed to campaign or use banners or placards within a 100-meter radius of the polling booths. According to Deccan Herald, the order also forbids carrying cell phones, cordless phones, and other electronic devices inside the same 100-meter radius, except for officials and staff who have the District Election Officer's (DEO) approval.

Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda issued the orders stating that law and order must not be compromised during weddings or other permitted processions. The order further stipulated that the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) must be upheld, and funeral processions were exceptions.

Schools, colleges, and other educational institutions located in the voting districts will also remain closed to ensure a smooth voting process in Karnataka.

Dry days Alcohol sales will be prohibited in Bengaluru from 12 am on April 26 to 12 am on April 27, which coincides with the polling dates. Additionally, alcohol sales will also be prohibited from 12 am on June 3 to 12 am on June 4, coinciding with the counting of votes. The order stated that alcohol sales would not be allowed in stores, pubs, lodging facilities, dining establishments, or taverns, while hotels and restaurants would be allowed to serve food and non-alcoholic drinks.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Thursday successfully conducted a test flight of an Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.

During the test, all subsystems performed as per expectation. The missile performance was monitored by several Range Sensors like Radar, Electro-Optical Tracking System (EOTS) and Telemetry deployed by ITR at different locations to ensure complete coverage of the flight path., the news agency ANI reported.

The flight of the missile was also monitored by IAF Su-30-Mk-I aircraft.

The missile followed the desired path using waypoint navigation and demonstrated very low altitude sea-skimming flight, the Defence Ministry said in a release.

Also Read | Raj Kundra linked to Bitcoin Ponzi scam: All you need to know This successful flight test has also established the reliable performance of the indigenous propulsion system developed by Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), Bengaluru, the release added.

Congratulating the DRDO for the successful flight-test of the ITCM, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "The successful development of indigenous long-range subsonic cruise missile powered by indigenous propulsion is a major milestone for Indian defence R&D.

Also Read | Musk admits Tesla sent incorrectly low severance package to laid off staff Secretary Department of Defence R&D and DRDO Chairman Dr Samir V Kamat congratulated the entire DRDO team on successful conduct of the ITCM launch.

The ITCM missile is also equipped with advanced avionics and software to ensure better and more reliable performance.

The missile is developed by Bengaluru-based DRDO laboratory Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) along with contributions from other laboratories and Indian industries.

Also Read | Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu accused of corruption ahead of polls Earlier on April 14, the Indian Army successfully carried out field trials of indigenously-developed man-portable anti-tank guided missile (MPATGM) weapon system, paving the way for its induction into the force's armoury.

The weapon system has been designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the officials said.

Also Read | Pension funds are pulling $325 billion from stocks The overall system consisted of the MPATGM, launchers, target acquisition device and a fire control unit.
Elon Musk in India: Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk will reportedly arrive in India on April 21 for a 48-hour visit and will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 22. However, apart from his meeting with PM Modi, not many details have been released about Musk's recent visit to India.

However, a recent report by CNBC TV-18 suggests that Musk will announce Tesla's plans to enter the Indian market after meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. An earlier report by Reuters suggested that Musk could commit to investing around $2-3 billion in India, mainly for the purpose of setting up a factory in India.

Meanwhile, a Bloomberg report had suggested that the billionaire would meet many founders of space startups, including Skyroot Aerospace, Bellatrix and Agnikul, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. In all, Musk could meet around 200 business leaders during his India visit.

Elon Musk may make some space-related announcement: The CNBC report quotes sources as saying that Musk may visit Agra with his children, but these plans haven't been finalised yet. Meanwhile, Indian government has also reportedly been in talks with Musk regarding space and broadband connectivity.

A government source told CNBC TV-18, "Multiple opportunities are being explored across the space sector, including collaboration with Indian startups and there could be an announcement by Musk regarding the space sector"

Musk could also announce the launch of Starlink, his satellite-based internet provider. Notably, Starlink was established as a wholly owned entity in India in 2021, but the company has been waiting for many government approvals since then.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday attached immovable and movable properties worth 97.79 crore belonging to Raj Kundra under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The attached properties include a residential flat in Juhu registered in Shilpa Shettys name, a residential bungalow situated in Pune, and equity shares in the name of Raj Kundra.

The ED launched an investigation based on multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) filed by both the Maharashtra Police and the Delhi Police against Variable Tech Pte Ltd and various MLM agents.

It has been alleged that they had collected huge amounts of funds in the form of Bitcoins (worth 6,600 Crore in 2017 itself) from the gullible public with the false promises of 10% per month return in the form of Bitcoins, the ED said.

The ED investigation further revealed that Raj Kundra received 285 Bitcoins from the mastermind and promoter of Gain Bitcoin ponzi scam Amit Bhardwaj for setting up a Bitcoin mining farm in Ukraine.

Bitcoins were sourced out of proceeds of crime collected by Amit Bhardwaj from gullible investors. Since the deal didnt materialize, Kundra is still in possession and enjoyment of 285 Bitcoins which are presently valued at more than Rs. 150 Crore, the ED said in an official release.

Earlier, multiple Search operations were carried out in this case and three persons--Simpy Bhardwaj, Nitin Gaur, and Nikhil Mahajan-- were arrested.

The main accused, Ajay Bhardwaj and Mahendra Bhardwaj, are still absconding, the ED informed.
Raj Kundra, businessman and Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty's husband, was back in the news on Thursday when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) attached assets worth 98 crore, including a bungalow in Pune and equity shares, as a part of a money laundering investigation.

In July 2021, Raj Kundra had been arrested by the Mumbai Police after four women complained that they had been forced to shoot pornographic content after being promised an acting job in a web series. He was released from Arthur Road jail in September 2021.

However, Raj Kundra again came under the lens of federal agencies for siphoning off investor funds through Bitcoins.

Raj Kundra Bitcoin Ponzi Scam: What is the case? The Bitcoin Ponzi scam came to the limelight after multiple FIRs had been filed by the Maharashtra and Delhi police highlighting the investors' plea after they had invested in the scheme called Gain Bitcoin in 2017.

Promoters of the Ponzi scheme Gain Bitcoin, Ajay and Mahender Bhardwaj, had promised investors a 10 per cent return per month in the form of bitcoins.

The FIRs had been filed against a company called Variable Tech Pte Ltd. The promoters of this company Amit Bhardwaj, Ajay Bhardwaj, Vivek Bhardwaj, Simpy Bhardwaj, and Mahender Bhardwaj were also named in the FIRs.

According to the police complaint, these people had collected 6,600 crore in 2017 from their investors.

The investors were reportedly paid off initially from the investments that came in from the new ones. However, the payments stopped when the Bhardwaj group could not rope in new investors.

They bought Bitcoins with the remaining money and hid them in obscure online wallets. The Enforcement Directorate alleges that the promoters hid their ill-gotten Bitcoins from the investors, thereby cheating them of their promised 10 per cent.

Raj Kundra, according to the ED, received 285 Bitcoins from the mastermind and promoter of Gain Bitcoin Ponzi scam Amit Bhardwaj for setting up a Bitcoin mining farm in Ukraine.

Raj Kundra is still in possession of 285 Bitcoins which are presently valued at more than 150 crore, the ED said.

However, Raj Kundra is not the main accused in this case.

Raj Kundra Bitcoin Ponzi Scam: Details of assets seized According to the official statement released by the investigative agency, the ED attached properties including a residential flat in Mumbai's Juhu area. This residential flat was under the name of Shilpa Shetty.

The ED also attached a bungalow in Pune registered under the name of Raj Kundra. The federal agency further attached equity shares of Raj Kundra during the money laundering investigation.
A blast occurred during a rally, which was being carried out in Saktipur area of the Murshidabad district in West Bengal on the occassion of Ram Navami on Tuesday. A woman was injured in the incident, news agency PTI reported.

The woman was taken to the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital.

"The blast happened this evening. One woman was injured in it. We are investigating the incident," the police officer told PTI.

The officer, however, did not clarify whether the blast was due to a bomb or some other reason.

Earlier in the day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appealed to the citizens "to maintain peace, prosperity and development for all". A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief for asking to maintain peace rather than given the message of peace".

Meanwhile, BJP leader Amit Malviya that last year, on Ram Navami, West Bengal witnessed large scale violence. "It was also, in parts, because Mamata Banerjee gave provocative communal speeches, just before the celebrations," he alleged.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee had for past two days alleged that the BJP will use Ram Navami festivities to engineer clashes between two groups ahead of the first phase elections on April 19 and pave the way for NIA investigation to embarrass her party cadre and cautioned the people not to fall in BJP's trap, news agency PTI reported.

Leaders of both ruling TMC and opposition (in Bengal) BJP marched along with hundreds of participants as Ram Navami processions were taken out across West Bengal on Wednesday.
The Bharatiya Janata Party blamed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday for the Ram Navami clashes in Murshidabad which left four people injured.

The saffron party's leader Suvendu Adhikari alleged that Banerjee's provocative speech led to Ram Navami processions being disrupted and attacked at various places in the state.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Adhikari wrote, The Ram Navami Processions were disrupted and attacked at various places across the State of West Bengal, due to the CM's provocative speechtheir hands have been tied due to CM's public stance on Ram Navami; a day, which according to her, Is a day for Rioting.

The West Bengal opposition leader said he has written a letter to West Bengal Governor Ananda Bose, seeking a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the Ram Navami clashes.

I have written a letter to the Hon'ble Governor; Dr. C.V. Ananda Bose, apprising him regarding the attacks on the Processions taken out on the occasion of Ram Navami on 17.04.2024 and requested him to immediately intervene in order to control the failing Law and Order Situation, as well as getting the incidents investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA)."

The BJP leader requested the Election Commission of India to take action against Banerjee. I would like to request @ECISVEEP to take action against the Chief Minister, whose provocation led to such untoward incidents.

Pertinently, the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said, If you see BJP sloganeering on April 17, it is their day of riot. She was addressing an election rally in West Bengal.

BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya also blamed Mamata Banerjee for the clashes on Ram Navami, saying her communal speeches are the reason Ram devotees have been attacked across Bengal on Wednesday.

Bengal is falling apart and Mamata Banerjee is responsible for it. Her vituperative and communal speeches are the reason Ram Bhakts have been attacked across Bengal. After widespread rioting in Murshidabad, now devotees of Shri Ram targeted in Egra, Medinipur, Malviya posted on X.
World Heritage Day, also monikered as the International Day for Monuments and Sites (IDMS), is observed on April 18 every year to honor and protect out cultural legacy. Historic structures and monuments are global treasures, hence, they need to be nurtured to last for years. On this day, many organizations, societies, governments, and individuals come together to advocate the preservation of historical sites and to increase public awareness about their significance.

World Heritage Day 2024: History The International Council for Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) created World Heritage Day, also referred to as The International Day for Monuments and Sites, in 1982. During its 22nd general meeting in 1983, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization approved the date.

Experts from a variety of disciplines, including architects, engineers, geographers, civil engineers, artists, and archaeologists, come together annually for ICOMOS. These experts work together to protect some of the most stunning locations and significant monuments for future generations.

ICOMOS has welcomed about 10,000 members from more than 150 countries since it was found. Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas and Santiniketan, two new Indian sites, were added to the list in 2023.

World Heritage Day 2024: Significance The purpose of World Heritage Day is to raise awareness among local communities about protecting our cultural heritage. People from various places and backgrounds come together and exchange knowledge about their histories and customs. In addition, ICOMOS commemorates the day by working with UNESCO all across the world, drawing tourists and history buffs to such events.

World Heritage Day 2024: Theme This year, the theme of World Heritage Day is Discover and Experience Diversity.

Top 5 heritages sites in India 1) Taj Mahal: The monument, which was built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, is entirely composed of white marble. It was constructed in honor of the emperor's beloved wife.

2) Ajanta Caves: The first and second century B.C. saw the creation of the oldest Buddhist cave structures at Ajanta. Considered masterpieces, the sculptures and paintings in Ajanta have greatly influenced artists.

3) Khajuraho: The Chandela dynasty ruled over Khajuraho between 950 and 1050 when the temples were built. Currently, there are only about 20 temples symbolizing Jainism and Hinduism that are still surviving.

4) Jaipur City: Jaipur, founded by Sawai Jai Singh II in 1727, is renowned for its distinctive urban design that draws inspiration from Vedic architecture. The pink city was constructed on level ground, but others were built on hills. Locals have managed to maintain its rich history to this day.
The Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the United States Department of State, Vedant Patel, said during a press briefing on Wednesday, April 17, that the US has offered support for reforms to United Nations institutions, including the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Earlier this year, Elon Musk made a statement regarding India's lack of a permanent seat at the UNSC, calling it absurd. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Tesla chief said, At some point, there needs to be a revision of the UN bodies. Problem is that those with excess power don't want to give it up.

In the post, Musk further said, India not having a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite being the most populous country on Earth, is absurd. Africa collectively should also have a permanent seat imo.

Also read: UN Security Council: India not having a permanent seat is..., says Elon Musk Over the SpaceX CEO's remarks, Vedant Patel said, The President has spoken about this before in his remarks to the UN General Assembly, and the Secretary has alluded to this as well.

He also expressed US support for reforms to the UN institution on behalf of the Security Council to make it more reflective of the 21st-century world. Vedant Patel added, I don't have any specifics to offer on what those steps are, but certainly, we recognise that there is a need for reform, but I will leave it at that for now.

Also read: Will India get permanent UNSC seat soon? EAM Jaishankar says 'we will have to...' Composition of United Nations Security Council The UNSC is composed of 15 member states, including five permanent members with veto power and ten non-permanent members elected for a two-year term. India's quest for a permanent seat on the Security Council gained momentum recently, with the support of the international community, as the nation seeks to represent the interests of the developing world.

Also read: India gets support from 4 out of 5 UNSC member nations for permanent seat China, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and the United States are among the five permanent members of the UNSC.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in its election manifesto (Sankalp Patra) for the Lok Sabha elections, promised to seek permanent membership for the country in the United Nations Security Council.
Indonesia witnessed a series of eruptions from Mount Ruang, a stratovolcano located in North Sulawesi Province. The eruptions occurred on Tuesday, April 16, and continued four times on Wednesday, April 17, according to Indonesias volcanology agency.

The falling debris from the volcano was hazardous as it could cause a tsunami. Meanwhile, rescue teams raced to the site on Thursday, April 18, to evacuate thousands of people.

Here are the 10 updates.

Mount Ruang's crater became active on Wednesday, April 17, erupting four times and continuing to pour lava overnight against a backdrop of lightning bolts. Also read: Mount Ruang volcano eruption: Indonesia's Outermost Region on high alert, hundreds evacuated The Indonesian government raised alerts to the highest order in a four-tiered system.

Authorities have issued tsunami warnings as a result of these eruptions.

On Thursday morning, AFP reported that the volcano in Indonesia's outermost region was still billowing a column of smoke.

Indonesia volcano eruption: Hot lava flowing out from Mount Ruang volcano during an eruption in Sitaro in Indonesia on April 17,

The intense thermal activity prompted authorities to shut the nearest airport, Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado City on Sulawesi Island, for 24 hours until April 18 evening. The airport is located more than 100 kilometres (62 miles) from the volcano. Also read: 11 hikers killed after Mount Marapi volcano erupts in Indonesia, 3 found, many still missing Authorities rushed to evacuate approximately 11,000 residents who were reported to be trapped in the area where the volcanic activity occurred, including the remote island of Tagulandang, which houses around 20,000 people.

Indonesia's Mount Ruang volcano in Sitaro, North Sulawesi spews smoke as Indonesian rescue teams race to evacuate thousands of trapped people on April 18.

Last night, people evacuated on their own but without direction due to the volcano's eruption and materials in the form of small rocks that fell, so the people scattered to find evacuation routes, AFP quoted an official from the local search and rescue agency, Jandry Paendong as saying. Also read: In pics: Indonesia's Merapi volcano erupts Tourists and residents have been warned to remain outside the six-kilometre exclusion zone from the site of the incident.

Authorities successfully evacuated over 800 people from Ruang following the first eruption on Tuesday evening, after which four more volcanic explosions took place.

A member of Basarnas talking to Sitaro residents as Indonesia's Mount Ruang volcano in North Sulawesi spews smoke in the background on April 18.

Hendra Gunawan, the head of Indonesia's volcanology agency, said, "The communities in Tagulandang island, particularly those residing near the beach, (need) to be on alert for the potential ejection of incandescent rocks, hot cloud discharges and tsunami caused by the collapse of the volcano's body into the sea." Officials informed AFP that some residents were already trying to flee in a panic.
Prince Harry, the British royal and the Duke of Sussex, officially renounced his British residency and claimed the United States as his home, as per new documents.

On Wednesday, in connection with the annual general meeting of Travalyst, which he founded in 2019, Prince Harry spoke from his Montecito home via a video link. Travalyst is a non-profit sustainable travel organisation based in London. As per annual year-end documentation about the company's returns, Harrys new details were disclosed in the filing.

Also read: Prince Harry faces legal setback ahead of likely UK visit, loses first appeal bid in police protection case The paperwork declared that Harry's new country/state was now the United States, the Daily Mail reported citing documents.

When the Prince founded the Travalyst travel organisation, the United Kingdom was registered as Harry's place of residence.

King Charles' youngest son, Prince Harry, 39, and his wife, Meghan Markle, 42, relocated to the US in 2020. The family lives in Montecito, California, with their kids Prince Archie, 4, and Princess Lilibet, 2. The Royals' move to relocate to the US was famously known as Megxit.

Also read: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle's net worth is nearly  500 crore: Where do they stand against William, Kate Middleton? Late Queen Elizabeth had presented the Duke and Duchess of Sussex with Frogmore Cottage in the UK as a wedding gift in 2018. Later, the couple was evicted from their residence, which was finally vacated in 2023. This left them with no official residence in Britain, the New York Post reported.

In a 2022 interview with Today, Prince Harry said, Home for me, now, for the time being, is in the States. And it really feels that way, as well. Weve been welcomed with open arms and have got such a great community up in Santa Barbara.

This is a major indicator that Harry has no plans to live in his native country on a permanent basis for the foreseeable future, according to the New York Post.

Also read: Prince Harry 'uncomfortable' with Meghan Markle's new business. Here's why The Duke delivered his public remarks in the video link and said, Travel and tourism rely on destinations, held together by communities, without which we have nowhere to travel to. according to the New York Post report.
Jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has accused the country's Army Chief General Asim Munir of being directly responsible for the imprisonment of his wife, Bushra Bibi.

Bushra Bibi, 49, has been convicted in a corruption case as well as in the case of an illegal marriage with Khan, 71. Currently, she is detained at their Bani Gala residence in the suburbs of Islamabad, newswire PTI reported.

Imran Khan, the founder of Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf, made allegations against the army chief during a conversation with journalists at Adiala Jail, according to a post uploaded on Khan's official X account.

General Asim Munir is directly involved in the sentence awarded to my wife, Khan said, adding that the judge who convicted her said that he was forced to make the decision.

If anything happens to my wife, I will not leave Asim Munir, I will not leave Asim Munir as long as I am alive. I will expose his unconstitutional and illegal steps, he threatened.

Khan said there was a law of the jungle in the country and all was being done by the king of the jungle. If the king of the jungle wants, all the cases of Nawaz Sharif are forgiven, and when he wants, we are punished in three cases in five days, he alleged.

Khan has been lodged at Adiala Jail since August of the previous year, while Bushra Bibi has been confined to Khan's Bani Gala residence, which has been converted into a sub-jail. She was sentenced in February in the case related to an 'un-Islamic nikah'.

Earlier this month, during a corruption case hearing at Adiala Jail, Khan informed the judge of an alleged attempt to poison his wife. He claimed that she exhibited skin and tongue marks as side effects of the alleged poisoning.

However, Bushra Bibi's personal physician conducted a medical examination and confirmed that she had not been exposed to any poisonous substance.
Signifying the power of sharing one's feelings and traumas with others, Prince William penned down a heartfelt note for a series of guides for military veterans and their loved ones.

There is no limit to processing sorrow, but sharing experience and grief empowers a person, even in the most tragic of circumstances, said the Prince of Wales while mentioning his tearful moments with Kate Middleton in his note featured in 'At Your Side' Suicide Bereavement guides for the Armed Forces community.

The guides published by Suicide Bereavement U.K. were commissioned by the National Health Service of England with Prince William's opening message.

"There is no time limit to processing grief, but Catherine and I have met many bereaved families over the years and know the power that comes from sharing experiences, even in the most tragic of circumstances," Prince William continued, referring to his wife," People quoted William's note to the guide.

Prince William began his message for both guides by applauding the Armed Forces personnel for their will, grit and determination to provide help, support and stability.

"Few of us will go through our lives without experiencing the loss of someone we love. Thankfully, suicide is rare within the Armed Forces community, but for those bereaved by suicide, this loss can be a complex and long-term experience," he continued.

He further expressed his belief that the guide will help and support people who are impacted by the 'suicide of their loved ones" to process their loss.

You are not alone: Prince William echoes wife Middleton's message used for cancer diagnosis announcement Apart from sharing his emotional experience with his wife Kate Middleton, Prince William also used her words in his message to empathise with the people who have suffered the loss of their loved ones due to suicide.
(Bloomberg) -- British police re-arrested former First Minister Nicola Sturgeons husband as part of its probe into Scottish National Party finances, a development that will put Scotlands governing party under renewed scrutiny at a critical time ahead of a UK-wide election expected this year.

Though Police Scotland did not identify Peter Murrell by name, they said in a statement that a 59-year-old man was taken into custody on Thursday morning and is being questioned by detectives. They also said he was first arrested on April 5, 2023, the date Murrell was questioned and released without charge a year ago.

Murrells arrest last year plunged the party into turmoil, coming just weeks after Sturgeon had announced she was stepping down as leader. Sturgeon herself was later arrested, before also being released without charge.

Police have been looking into whether 600,000 ($747,000) of donations for the SNP to campaign for Scottish independence may have instead been used for other purposes.

Following last years arrests, police had stayed relatively quiet on the progress of the investigation. Though Thursdays events will trigger a renewed flurry of interest in the probe, Police Scotland said it would not be commenting further.

The development comes at an awkward time for the SNP and Sturgeons successor, Humza Yousaf, who has been struggling to fend off the challenge from a resurgent Labour Party ahead of a UK-wide general election that must be held by the end of January 2025 at the latest.

Labour overtook the SNP in Scotland polling for the first time since the regions independence referendum a decade ago, a YouGov survey found last week.

The BBC and Scottish newspapers including The National and The Herald all identified Murrell in their reports of his re-arrest.

--With assistance from Simon Lee.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
(Bloomberg) -- Barry Callebaut AG is investing in cocoa farming as prices for the key chocolate ingredient soars, squeezing profits for confectioners.

The Swiss chocolatier is working with farms in Brazil and Ecuador to pilot and develop best practices in order to create a scalable and profitable high-tech model for sustainable cocoa farming, the company said in a Thursday press release.

The approach comes as a severe cocoa shortage has spurred record-high prices and put the spotlight on years of chronic underinvestment in key West African countries, which has hampered farmers ability to fend off disease and weather risks.

Read More: Chocolate Is Pricier Everywhere as Cocoa Pods Rot in West Africa

The Future Farming Initiative aims to be a catalyst for others to invest in farming and create partnerships with farmers to modernize sustainable cocoa farming at scale, the company said in a press release.

Barry Callebaut has signed an initial agreement to work with a farming business in Bahia, Brazil, to develop 5,000 hectares of land. The companys 640-hectare property in Ecuadors Cerecitas Valley will also be part of the initiative, according to the release.

Read More: Andurands Bet Shows Allure of Trading Wild Cocoa Markets

Steven Retzlaff, currently president of global cocoa, will become FFIs executive chairman and report to CEO Peter Feld. Alain Freymond will become the new president of global cocoa.

I am convinced that with FFI, we will not only bring cocoa farming to industrial levels, but we will also help make sustainable cocoa the norm, Retzlaff said in the press release.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
A year on, six people have been arrested and three more arrest warrants have been issued for suspects in a gold heist at Torontos Pearson International Airport's cargo facility in April 2023, AFP reported.

Termed as "the greatest gold heist in Canadian history" by officials, little of the stolen 6,600 gold bars worth Can$20 million ($15 million) has been recovered, it added. Further, Can$ 2.5 million in foreign banknotes was also stolen in the same heist.

Story Belongs in a Netflix Series This story is a sensational one and one which, probably, we jokingly say, belongs in a Netflix series, Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said, as per Bloomberg.

Among the suspects are two former Air Canada airport employees and a jewellery store owner - making this an "inside job", officials said. One of the accused ex-employees had at the time also given police a tour of the shipment area.

The suspects have been identified by police as men from the Toronto region, all between 25 to 54 years of age. The getaway driver also has a case against him in the United States for possession of 65 illegal firearms, as per a US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms official, the AFP report added.

Speaking to reporters in Brampton, Duraiappah said this was an inside job "carefully planned by a well-organized group of criminals."

Peel Police have seized Can$430,000, which they think came from the sale of some of the gold, and six crudely made gold bracelets worth an estimated Can$89,000. Search for the rest of the gold is still ongoing.

What Happened on April 17, 2023  Canada's biggest-ever gold heist? A Swiss bank hired Brink's Co. to transport the valuables from Zurich, Switzerland to Toronto, who in turn arranged for Air Canada to fly the valuables into the country. The gold weighing 400 kg was brought and securely offloaded at the cargo holding facility at Toronto Airport.

Detective Sergeant Mike Mavity told reporters that a man driving a truck arrived at the loading dock at 6.30 pm with a fraudulent air waybill to claim it, as per a Bloomberg report. Airway bills are used to track international shipments, and this one was a duplicate of a seafood shipment from the previous day.

When Brinks employees showed up three hours later to collect the cargo, they were told it was missing.

Nine Suspects Identified, Hunt for Three Still On The former Air Canada employee has been identified as Parmpal Sidhu (54) and was arrested and charged with theft of over C$5,000 ($3,620) and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

The other ex-employee Simran Preet Panesar (31) is facing the same charges but is yet to be arrested.

The others identified are Amit Jalota (40), Ammad Chaudhary (43), Ali Raza (37), Prasath Paramalinga (35), Archit Grover (36), Arsalan Chaudhary (42), and get-away driver Durante King-Mclean (25).

Legal Battle Rages Between Brinks Co & Air Canada Brinks Co. and Air Canada have been entangled in a legal dispute since October 2023. The former has initiated legal action against the country's largest airline, accusing it of "negligence and carelessness." Air Canada, in response, has refuted the claims.

In a statement of defence dated November 8, Air Canada denied all allegations made by Brinks in their lawsuit, asserting that it fulfilled its contractual obligations and refuting any suggestion of improper behaviour, as per an AP report.

Additionally, Air Canada contended that Brinks failed to note the value of the shipment on the waybill. It also cited the Montreal Convention, a multilateral treaty, which would limit its liability if Brinks did incur losses.

Brinks, in filings to the Federal Court seeking damages amounting to millions of dollars for breach of contract, the AP report added. The company has alleged that an "unidentified individual" gained entry to Air Canada's cargo warehouse and presented a "fraudulent" waybill shortly after an Air Canada flight from Zurich arrived at Pearson Airport. According to Brinks' statement, the warehouse staff then released 400 kilograms of gold in 24 bars and nearly $2 million in cash to the perpetrator, who subsequently absconded with the cargo.
(Bloomberg) -- Argentinas top government officials are preparing to visit China in the next few weeks as President Javier Milei ditches his aggressive rhetoric against Beijing in a bid to deepen ties with a key trade partner.

Central Bank President Santiago Bausili will be part of a large delegation visiting the Asian country in the coming weeks, according to a person with direct knowledge of the trip who asked not to be named discussing sensitive matters. Hell be preceded by Foreign Minister Diana Mondino, whose trip is scheduled for the end of April.

Mondino announced her travel plans after meeting with the Chinese ambassador to Argentina, Wang Wei, on April 8.

Details of the trips are still not finalized, but among the pressing issues in the bilateral agenda is an $18 billion currency swap between Argentinas monetary authority and the Peoples Bank of China. Argentina needs to renew this year roughly $5 billion from that line after former Economy Minister Sergio Massa used the funds largely to finance imports in 2023.

Bausili and Economy Minister Luis Caputo are in Washington for the International Monetary Funds spring meetings. They met with Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath earlier Thursday, as Argentina considers requesting fresh funds from the IMF.

Read more: Anarcho-Capitalist Milei Transforms Into a Pragmatist on China

Chinas swap is the largest source of foreign reserves in Argentinas central bank, whose debts are currently larger than its assets. Its become the biggest yuan swap line in the world, at a time when China has been using them in several countries to expand its global influence.

On the campaign trail, Milei raised questions about the future of Argentinas relations with the Asian giant if elected, calling the Chinese assassins and communists. In an April 4 interview with Bloomberg News, however, the president adopted a much more pragmatic tone, avoiding incendiary remarks and assuring he wouldnt touch the currency swaps.

They are commercial agreements between private parties, he said. We have one part in our central bank, they have their counterpart in their central bank. Therefore, thats not a problem.

Another potential point of conflict is a space station maintained by China in the Patagonia region, considered by the US as a threat to itself and its allies. But Milei, who in the past questioned the purpose of the station, said in the same interview he would negotiate with the Chinese to inspect it.

We are going to study the situation, Milei said. That also isnt a problem.

Chinese trade and investment drive large swaths of Argentinas economy, ranging from commodities and energy to banking. That remains true even after the country reined in some of its foreign investment during a market rout. China is the second-biggest buyer of Argentinas exports, behind only Brazil, and its main source of imports.

(Recasts story with context on Argentina-China relations)

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Bidens top economic aide said the administration wants to keep gas prices in current ranges this summer while sidestepping questions on whether the administration is considering a fresh release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

This is the time of year when the gasoline mix changes, and so were keeping a very close eye on gas prices at the pump and also of course some of the events in the Middle East, Lael Brainard said Thursday at the Semafor World Economy Summit in Washington.

The administration wants to make sure that those gas prices remain in current ranges as we go into the summer driving season, she added.

Brainard declined to directly answer whether the administration is considering another release from the SPR, and stayed silent on whether the US will add oil sanctions to penalties announced earlier Thursday against Iran in response to Tehrans missile and drone attack on Israel.

Earlier: US Imposes Fresh Sanctions on Iran Over Israel Drone Barrage

There are of course things that have been done in the past, and well continue to very closely monitor, make sure gas prices remain affordable for so many American families heading into the summer driving season, Brainard said, when asked about a potential SPR release.

The comments signal how gas prices are on the White Houses radar ahead of Novembers general election rematch between Biden and former Republican President Donald Trump. Polls have shown persistent voter concern about consumer prices and the economy, and a spike in gas prices threatens to hurt Biden at the polls.

The US announced fresh sanctions on Iran earlier Thursday, targeting 16 people and entities including a company that helped make engines for the type of drones used in the attack on Israel.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
The World Health Organization has voiced concern as bird flu or avian influenza continues to cross the species barrier with increasing frequency. The UN health body said on Thursday that the (H5N1) strain has become a global zoonotic animal pandemic with human victims displaying an extraordinarily high mortality rate. The current bird flu outbreak began in 2020 and has led to the deaths of tens of millions of animals.

The great concern of course is that in... infecting ducks and chickens and then increasingly mammals, that virus now evolves and develops the ability to infect humans and then critically the ability to go from human to human, said WHO chief scientist Jeremy Farrar.

CDC data indicates that the outbreak first began in early 2020 at commercial turkey farms in the US. Since then it has also affected wild birds as well as land and marine mammals. Cows and goats joined the list last month  a surprising development for experts because they were not thought susceptible to this type of influenza.

ALSO READ: H5N1 bird flu behind hundreds of dead penguins in Antarctica? Here's what Scientists' research says Over the years there have been some rare cases where bird flu viruses  primarily avian influenza A(H7N9), the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) and A(H5N6)  have affected humans.

Infected birds shed avian influenza viruses through their saliva, mucous and feces. Other animals infected with avian influenza viruses may have virus present in respiratory secretions, different organs, blood, or in other body fluids, including animal milk. Human infections with avian influenza viruses can happen when virus gets into a persons eyes, nose or mouth, or is inhaled, the CDC explains on its website.

Is H5N1 contagious between humans? There is no evidence that currently suggests the influenza A(H5N1) virus is spreading between humans. Farrar however noted that there have now been hundreds of cases where humans have been infected through contact with animals  where the mortality rate is extraordinarily high.

Between 2003 and April 1 this year, WHO reported 463 deaths from 889 human cases across 23 countries. This puts the case fatality rate at 52%.
(Bloomberg) -- Iran is prepared to de-escalate tensions with Israel provided that it agrees to stop further military moves against Tehrans interests, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said at the United Nations.

Irans legitimate defense and countermeasures have been concluded, Amirabdollahian told the UN Security Council Thursday. Israel must be compelled to stop any further military adventurism against our interests. If not, he said, Iran will give a decisive and proper response that will make Israel regret its actions.

Amirabdollahian said that Irans missile and drone attack on Israel over the weekend was limited and minimal, targeting only military bases. It was in response to an earlier Israeli strike on an Iranian consulate facility in Syria, he said. But Israeli officials have vowed to respond to the Iranian attack last weekend, even though the vast majority of incoming missiles and drones were stopped by Israel and allies including the US and UK.

Read More: Iran Says Israeli Threats May Spark Shift in Nuclear Policy

Amirabdollahian joined foreign ministers from countries including Jordan, Brazil and Spain in a high-level debate on the Middle East hours before a planned Security Council vote on Palestines bid to become a full-fledged member of the UN. Even if that measure draws support, the US is expected to veto it.

Amirabdollahians first visit to New York since the escalation of tensions with Israel has stirred angst in the US, with a Republican lawmaker calling this week for the State Department to revoke his visa. Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the Iranians movements would be strictly limited and I would not expect to see him, for example, snapping selfies on top of the Empire State Building.

Earlier: Iranian Diplomats UN Visit Stirs US Angst After Israel Attack

Earlier in the debate, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the council the Middle East is on a knife edge, saying that the region can only find lasting peace once theres a resolution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
Amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine war, US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that the US continues to urge Israel to ramp up land, air, and sea deliveries for Gaza civilians.

In a post on X, Biden said that in the 12 days following my call with Prime Minister Netanyahu, 3,000 trucks with food and supplies moved into Gaza  a daily increase of over 50% from the week prior.

Biden added, It's still not enough, saying, We continue to urge Israel to ramp up land, air, and sea deliveries for Gaza civilians.

As reported by Reuters, the Palestinian enclave's health ministry said that Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip has "killed at least 33,899 Palestinians and wounded 76,664 since Oct. 7".

"Fifty-six Palestinians have been killed and 89 injured in the past 24 hours," the ministry added in a statement.

Earlier, on Tuesday, the United Nations made a plea for $2.8 billion to offer crucial assistance to 3 million Palestinians. Emphasizing the urgency of addressing the imminent famine in Gaza, the UN highlighted the necessity for not just food but also sanitation, water, and healthcare facilities.

Israel has pulled back most of its troops from Gaza following significant military actions that caused damage to its two largest cities, Gaza City and Khan Younis. However, Israeli officials assert that the conflict is ongoing, with plans to deploy ground forces into Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza, where a large portion of the population, totalling over half of the territory's 2.3 million inhabitants, has sought shelter from the violence elsewhere.

Hamas still holds approximately 130 hostages, with an estimated quarter of them presumed dead. Despite international efforts, progress in negotiating a ceasefire and securing the release of hostages has been minimal.

An Israeli government representative said on Monday that Israel intends to cease its cooperation with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the Gaza Strip. Israel has accused the aid agency of contributing to the continuation of conflict in the region.

In January, Israel claimed that 12 out of UNRWA's 13,000 employees in Gaza were involved in an attack that occurred on October 7. These accusations from Israel prompted several donor nations to halt their funding to the agency.
(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden called it an incredible honor as he received endorsements from more than a dozen members of the Kennedy family, in a public show of force aimed at undercutting the presidential campaign of independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Biden, flanked by his rivals siblings on stage at the event in Philadelphia, spoke of the familys legacy and their impact on his own political life, calling their father  the former US senator and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy  and Martin Luther King Jr. the only two political heroes I had growing up.

I remember to keep looking and remind myself what they would do in tough calls, Biden said, referencing the busts of Kennedy and King he keeps in the Oval Office.

Kerry Kennedy, the sister of the third-party candidate, introduced Biden and was joined by fellow siblings including Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, a former Maryland lieutenant governor; filmmaker Rory Kennedy; former Congressman Joe Kennedy II, Christopher Kennedy, and Maxwell Kennedy Sr.

Kerry Kennedy said there were only two candidates with any chance of winning the presidency and focused her attacks on Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, including for spreading conspiracy theories on climate change, vaccines and voter fraud.

Hes the most anti-democratic president in American history, she said.

While she did not mention her brother by name, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has promoted conspiracy theories about vaccines, antidepressants, the connection between HIV and AIDS, and whether Wi-Fi can cause cancer.

Spoiler Threat

Polls suggest Kennedys bid could play spoiler as Biden seeks to win a reelection rematch against Trump.A March study by Ipsos found Kennedy voters were more likely to be women, independents, or dissatisfied with both major-party candidates. Bidens success among those groups helped propel him to victory over Trump in 2020.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. downplayed his familys support for his 2024 rival in a post on social media.

I hear some of my family will be endorsing President Biden today. I am pleased they are politically active  its a family tradition. We are divided in our opinions but united in our love for each other, Kennedy wrote.

Democrats and Biden allies have sought to counter Kennedy through political action committees urging voters to reject third-party candidates and legal efforts aimed at keeping him off state ballots.

Kennedys campaign said Thursday they had gained ballot access in Michigan, a crucial battleground where polls show a tight race between the major party candidates. A March Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll found Biden and Trump tied in the state.

Read More: Kennedy Taps Shanahan as Running Mate in White House Bid

Biden, just the second Roman Catholic president after John F. Kennedy, has actively courted the family, inviting more than 30 family members to a St. Patricks Day Celebration at the White House last month.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
Maldives President Mahamed Muizzu has been accused of corruption mere days before the crucial parliamentary election. A leaked report claims that the senior politician was involved in numerous financial irregularities in 2018. Opposition leaders have since called for his impeachment and sought a probe.

These reports claim irregularities in money transfers to President Muizzus personal bank account, highlighting 10 critical red flag indicators of financial misconduct. These indicators suggest involvement with politically exposed persons, embezzlement, structured transactions, and the use of corporate entities to hide fund origins, news portal Maldives Republic reported.

The political storm began after an anonymous X (nee Twitter) handle called Hassan Kurusee shared the purported documents. The leaked intelligence reports including missives prepared by the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Maldives Monetary Authority and the Maldives Police Service that link President Muizzu to corruption.

ALSO READ: India introduces port restrictions on export of essential commodities to Maldives Opposition leaders from the Maldivian Democratic Party and People's National Front have since called for a probe into the allegations. Former Vice President Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed also sought the impeachment of Muizzu and stressed the need for accountability in social media posts of his own. Ahmed also accused the President of extensive corruption in his flagship Ras Male development project and excessive public relations expenditure.

The President has however denied the allegations and insisted that the Opposition cannot show any wrongdoing on his part regardless of how far attempts to implicate him are taken.

The archipelago is slated to hold parliamentary elections on April 21  with 368 candidates in the fray for 93 seats. The results hold additional significance as it will likely termine whether the opposition parties can act against President Muizzu. The People's National Congress leader had assumed charge in November last year and faced an impeachment bid soon after taking over the top role.
North Korea has been developing poison pens and sprays as a part of their biological weapon programme, US officials have warned. The US intelligence have said that the Kim Jong Un-led country has been developing lethal bacteria and viruses to spread pandemics through bugs like anthrax and small pox.

The US officials' warning was reported by UK-based The Times in an article titled "Adherence to and Compliance with Arms Control, Nonproliferation and Disarmament Agreements and Commitments".

North Korea have remained a coenobite when it comes to foreign reporting. Most of what is known for North Korea is their reported massive nuclear artillery. However, this report has said that the North Korea has an extremely active biological weapon development programme.

The United States assesses that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has a dedicated, national level offensive BW program. The DPRK has the capability to produce biological agents for military purposes. the report posted on US State Department's website said.

The report further read that North Korea has the technical capability to produce bacteria, viruses, and toxins that could be used as biological weapons.

The report further goes on to mention sprays and poison pens which the North Korea could possibly use via biological weapon agents.

Pyongyang probably is capable of weaponising Biological Weapon agents with unconventional systems such as sprayers and poison pen injection devices. The report further mentions that North Korea may have already delpoyed checmical weapons and these could be used to covertly deliver biological weapon agents.

"The DPRK also has the capability to genetically engineer biological products with technologies such as CRISPR, which have been reported by its State Academy of Sciences and other sources," the report said.

The CRISPR mentioned in the report refers to clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats. This is a technology used to selectively edit genes, often used for developing biological weapons.

Biological weapons are used to release disease causing organisms or toxins and to harm and kill humans, animals, and trees. Agents such as anthrax can be used to cause widespread disease leading to large scale deaths.
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is promising to take over many a creative function, from generating images and crafting copy to making audio-visual advertisements. How soon will GenAI take over these creative functions of the $800 billion advertising industry? Will AI machines end the human reign over the creative world? Before answering these profound questions, we have to answer a simple question: What goes into creating effective advertising?

There are a few who think that creating an effective advertisement is as simple as putting the response you want from the consumer into the headline of your ad. So if you want someone to buy a product, advertise Buy XYZ brand" as the main message. To provide further impetus to buy that product, advertise information on its functional benefits. As the ultimate incentive, mention any price discount on offer too. But the truth is that this is not how effective advertisements are created.

A few decades ago, Jack Trout and Steve Riven, in their book Differentiate or Die: Survival in Our Era of Killer Competition, reminded businesses the importance of differentiating ones product from others in the market. But this differentiation strategy often has little to do with rational product benefits. The technology and ingredients used to make products in most categories have stayed the same for decades. For example, the ingredients of the toothpaste we use have not changed in the past few decades. Even if a product is technologically superior, very few people can actually discern such technological differences.

Brand differentiation is about generating the right emotional stimulus on behalf of a product. The question Which college do you study? in a soap advertisement, for example, could tug the heartstrings of many a young mother in India. To appreciate the persuasion impact of this simple question on the sales of a soap brand, one need to understand the importance of human behaviour insights in crafting effective advertising.

Insights are not peripheral truisms about human behaviour. That demand for a product will go down as its price goes up is not an insight. It is just a truism. Such truisms are often on top of the pile in reports on samples of consumer conversation. But to make differentiated advertisements, such elementary truisms of human behaviour do not help. Knowledge of many young mothers being ill at ease deep within as a result of insecurity brought on by post-pregnancy bodily changes, however, is an example of a behavioural insight. How much ever we churn the past sales data of Wipros Santoor soap, this insight will not be discovered. How much ever we churn consumer-conversation data, it would not emerge. An insight is a deep human need that a consumer might not even articulate in a normal conversation. For that matter, on the face of it, one might even deny such thoughts. So such insights may require deep qualitative consumer research to reveal.

Powerful insights come from a deep and creative understanding of consumer behaviour. As part of creating an advertisement for a deodorant in India, my team once had to understand whether the masturbation fantasies of Indian males differed from those in Western countries. What is the data-set that one could analyse to arrive at such an understanding?

Consumers will rarely tell the truth about such deeply personal aspects of their lives. That is when I realized that comparing the editorial content of Indian porn literature and Western porn material may provide an answer to that question. Will GenAI tools ever be this creative in their information search?

If GenAI has to take over any responsibility for brand communication from humans, it should be able to unearth unique human behaviour insights. GenAI platforms are built on Large Language Models with access to far more knowledge than a human being can ever remember. But hoping to get great human behaviour insights from an LLM would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. This is where the role of prompts in a brands GenAI strategy takes on huge importance.

In the traditional advertising industry, the creative brief was a well-thought-through document that was prepared after much research and discussions among the strategic minds both at the clients end and within its advertising agency. A creative brief contained all the important elements needed to make a good advertisement: unique human behaviour insights, brand guidelines, the key response required from the particular campaign or ad, and so on. A close understanding of this brief is what guided human creative teams in developing various creative stimuli to generate the appropriate response from the target consumer.

If GenAI is to take charge of advertising, the crucial role played by the creative brief in the traditional ad industry will have to be taken over by an effective prompt strategy. It will quickly be found that prompting cannot be a rational process managed by tech engineers. The prompt strategy would have to be developed by human behaviour and design experts tasked with getting GenAI to explore the depths of behaviour that qualitative research has not yet reached. The prompt strategy would then be the big differentiator in the brands Gen AI game-plan.

Only with a truly creative prompt strategy would GenAI have been able to come up with a line like Which college do you study? to sell more soap.
GE (formerly General Electric) recently sold its iconic 60-acre Crotonville campus, established in 1956, for $22 million. This facility, once the heart of GEs corporate culture, thrived during Jack Welch's tenure when managers yearned to network with top executives and immerse themselves in the company's culture. But following GE's recent segmentation, Crotonville's significance dwindled.

This trend is not isolated to GE. IBM sold its Armonk campus to Chinese company, HNA, some time ago. Similar dispositions are occurring across the industry. American multinational conglomerate 3M is divesting its 600-acre retreat centre in Minnesota, and Boeing seeking a buyer for its 285-acre leadership academy near St. Louis.

These moves signify a marked shift from the once-popular model of in-house corporate universities, which emerged in the early 2000s as strategies for talent development and to stem attrition of managers.

Indian companies too adopted the concept of dedicated training campuses. In 1959, the visionary J.R.D. Tata founded the Tata Management Training Centre in Pune to advance career development and instill company values. Similarly, the Infosys Leadership Institute was established in Mysuru in 2001 under N.R. Narayana Murthy's guidance to train world-class managers and leaders who would then go on to lead the company. It trains about 4,000 Infosys managers every year.

In fact, in the past, being selected for such training was an honour for employees. But times have changed.

Changing times

The relevance of these corporate academies is waning, both globally and in India. The growing use of technology, emergence of 5G, and sophisticated e-learning platforms that can facilitate such employee development at a fraction of the cost otherwise required, have reduced the necessity of maintaining such physical campuses.

Consider the case of TMTC. Moving with time, the Tata group has launched digital platform Tata Tomorrow University that offers online learning resources.

Besides, the best business schools in India and worldwide now provide short-term executive education programmes as open and customised options.

While traditional management development programmes are typically designed for a week or two, executive education courses are longer, stretching up to a few months. Today, executive education is also a major source of revenue for business schools, apart from core MBA programmes.

In almost all the major business schools in the country, from the Indian School of Business to the Indian Institute of Management-Kozhikode, thousands of managers are trained every year.

These programmes, often tailor-made for specific companies, are increasingly preferred over internal training. They are delivered in various formats, including hybrid models, and contribute significantly to the revenue of these institutions. These programmes often rank highly in global indices such as the Financial Times rankings, underscoring their quality and appeal.

Additionally, several large Indian business groups have established their own universities, such as Mahindra University in Hyderabad, OP Jindal University in Sonipat, and Shiv Nadar University in Noida. Partly philanthropic, these also act as a feeder institution of talent for their business groups.

The closures of iconic corporate campuses, while signalling the end of an era for several companies, are emblematic of a willingness to shed legacy baggage and embrace far advanced ways of leadership development and managerial training. The transformation to digital and academic alternatives paves the way for a dynamic and accessible approach to developing future leaders.
Momentum has been building to force social media companies to make their products safer for kids. But some solutions, while well intended, dont address the underlying problem: the way these apps prey on developing brains.

A report from the American Psychological Association (APA) highlights solutions that follow the science. Thats an important message because if we want to see meaningful improvements, we need to focus on whats actually causing the harm. Thats not necessarily the age of children on social mediathe focus of many policy effortsbut the products features, and how those features affect young minds.

As the APA report points out, the teen brain is still learning skills like impulse control, planning and prioritization. That makes them especially vulnerable to infinite scrolls or the pull of followers, likes and shares. And some teens are particularly susceptible to harmful content or bad actors.

The brief list of recommendations from the APA follows its social media advisory from last year, which demanded better science about how platforms like TikTok and Instagram affect kids brains. But some of the responses from policymakers and thought leaders were not always aligned with the science, says Mitch Prinstein, the APAs chief science officer. Too much of the policy focus narrowed to a simple idea: age limits.

But drawing a bright line on age is not a cure-all. Turning 13 (or for that matter, 16) does not make someone magically capable of handling the responsibilities of social media. Conversely, some children might have the maturity to navigate those platforms before they are 13.

Moreover, the age limits we already have are not working. Tweens and teens are notoriously more tech-savvy than their parents. They excel at finding workarounds to age restrictions on apps and time limits on devices.

There arent simple solutions to a complex problem," says Dave Anderson, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. Social media isnt going anywhere, and teens are going to use it. We need to tailor our solutions to the risks [identified by] the science, rather than the risks amplified by the zeitgeist," he says.

What could that look like? Prinstein offered a template for safer social media accounts that sounded pretty good to this parent of a tween. I would love to enter my childs age and have all of the guardrails automatically put into place," he says. The default would be to protect a childs data, turn off the endless scroll, disable likes, and bar certain types of sensitive content, such as things like cyberhate, explicit content or posts that encourage eating disorders. Those settings could be tweaked for more mature children. It doesnt seem like a lot to ask," he adds.

Age limits alone are too blunt a solution. Yes, policymakers have always needed to make somewhat arbitrary choices about when kids are ready for certain responsibilities, whether thats driving a car or accessing Snapchat. But some kids can benefit from access to social media. And yet solutions to its inherent faults have focused on banning access altogether or putting the onus on parents to muddle through.

As Ive written before, parents play an essential role in their childrens transition into a healthy digital life. But even the most diligent parents cannot navigate this environment alone. We need social media companies to step upnot in the form of token changes, but with substantive modifications to their platforms that address what the science shows is a problem.

Another thing that social media companies need to do: Share their data on how kids are using their platforms. Progress towards real transparency feels frustratingly slow. Earlier this year, the Center for Open Science in the US announced a partnership with Meta to facilitate certain researchers to access data that could help them better understand the relationship between social media and well-being. Thats a start, if a small one.

Companies could accelerate this research into the ways social media is used by and affecting kids. They could offer up data from experiments they have already run on how to engage teens with their products. Surely, they know a lot about which features make their products even more problematic for teens. They should disclose them and fix them.

If we focus on the easiest fixes rather than the more nuanced solutions indicated by the science, nothing will change. Social media companies only seem interested in doing just enough to keep their CEO out of the Congressional hot seat. Lawmakers seem interested only in symbolic political victories. Parents need to keep advocating for real reform. bloomberg
Didnt President Biden promise a better trade policy than his predecessor? Well, he now appears to be in a race with Donald Trump to be Protectionist in Chief. Witness his pitch for new tariffs at a campaign stop on Wednesday in Pittsburgh.

Speaking at United Steelworkers headquarterswhere else?Mr. Biden promised to crack down on Chinese imports. Chinese policies and subsidies for their domestic steel and aluminum industries means high-quality U.S. products are undercut by artificially low-priced Chinese alternatives produced with higher emissions," the White House said in a statement.

The Trump Administration tried to leverage tariffs on Chinese goods to get Beijing to reform its mercantilist policies. It didnt work. Yet now Mr. Biden is proposing to triple the 7.5% tariff under Section 301 on certain Chinese steel and aluminum imports. He also teed up a trade investigation into Chinese shipbuilding in response to a petition by the union.

While Mr. Biden has scrapped nearly every Trump policy, he has maintained most of his predecessors tariffs despite their economic harm. The Detroit Free Press reported in 2019 that Ford worker profit-sharing checks would be 10% higher if not for Mr. Trumps 25% tariffs on steel and 10% on aluminum.

An analysis by the Peterson Institute for International Economics found that each job saved" by Mr. Trumps steel tariffs cost consumers and businesses more than $900,000. Employment in iron and steel mills has fallen by about 3,000 since the Section 232 tariffs took effect in 2018.

Chinas mercantilism is a special trade problem, but Chinese steel makes up only 2% of U.S. imports and 0.6% of consumption, largely owing to Mr. Trumps tariffs and antidumping duties. Piling on more tariffs will raise costs for U.S. manufacturers that use particular grades of Chinese steel without alternatives.

In any case, neither candidate plans to limit his protectionism and industrial policy to China. Mr. Trump has proposed a 10% tariff on all imports. Mr. Biden on Wednesday reaffirmed his opposition to Nippon Steels purchase of U.S. Steel, though the Japanese company has promised to honor labor agreements and invest $1.4 billion to upgrade factories.

Mr. Biden also teed up plans on Wednesday to use tariffs to protect U.S. businesses burdened by his climate agenda. American companies must lead the future of more sustainable steel," the White House said. Its not fair that U.S. products have to compete with artificially low-priced alternatives produced with higher carbon emissions."

Steel making is energy-intensive, and Mr. Bidens green energy agenda threatens to make U.S. companies less competitive. U.S. Steel is challenging the Environmental Protection Agencys good neighbor" rule that requires it to make costly upgrades to reduce ozone in distant states. The Supreme Court is considering whether to block the rule.

Meantime, the Administration touts billions in subsidies for green" manufacturing. Last month the Energy Department awarded steelmaker Cleveland-Cliffs $575 million for two decarbonization investments" in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Cleveland-Cliffs workers are represented by the United Steelworkers and it lobbied the White House to block the Nippon Steel deal.

Cleveland-Cliffs wants to buy U.S. Steel, which it says will benefit workers. Doubtful. In February it closed a factory in West Virginia that employed 900. Tariffs and subsidies may prop up uncompetitive companies for a time, but they harm countless forgotten men.
Jerusalem: Irans weekend attack permanently altered the strategic picture in the Middle East. For 45 years the two countries engaged in a shadow war" via proxies, covert operations and clandestine missions. Now they are in open conflict. A range of previously unlikely scenarios, from a complete regional meltdown to a new Israeli-Arab alliance, have become possible.

The shadow wars great benefit to both sides was that it preserved plausible deniability. Anything that provoked a direct conflagration could have wildly unpredictable consequences. But both Iran and Israel became too successful at waging shadow war. Iran sponsors Hamas, which on Oct. 7 invaded 22 Israeli villages and murdered 1,200. This success" shifted Israel from a defensive to an offensive posture. Where the Israelis had engaged in limited surgical battles with Hamas, they now sought to defeat it completely. The Israel Defense Forces didnt simply subdue Gaza City and Khan Younis; they destroyed them.

In December, Israel extended this offensive posture to Hezbollah, Irans senior proxy in the region. After two months of low-intensity fighting, the IDF began to rout Hezbollahs forces in southern Lebanon. The two sides exchanged moderate rocket and missile fire as before, but Israeli defense sources tell me that more than 90% of Hezbollahs special Radwan fighters have fled southern Lebanon, and that Israel has destroyed almost all the groups border lookout posts.

As the war evolved, Israeli leaders grew frustrated by Irans ability to dictate events without consequences. In December, Israel killed Sayyed Reza Mousavi, a senior Iranian commander, in an airstrike near Damascus. To avoid Iranian retaliation, the IDF didnt take public credit. Rather than respond directly, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei responded covertly through terror plots to kill Jews in Asia, Europe and elsewhere. He may also have realized that losing Mousavi was a price worth paying for the harm Iran already inflicted on Israel.

On April 1, Israel moved again, killing senior Quds Force commander Mohammad Reza Zahedi with a precision strike at an Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus. This time Mr. Khamenei felt compelled to respond directly. He no longer cared to save face. He wanted blood.

Two weeks later Iran launched its attack. The barrage failed, but it wasnt meant to fail, as some say. It was intended to kill hundreds of Israelis and to destroy critical Israeli air bases. The Arrow missile-defense system performed better than anyone expected and brought down in the empty desert nearly all of the long-range munitions Iran had hoped would land in Israeli cities. The vaunted and much-discussed Iron Dome was irrelevant. The Arrow, which had barely been tested, saved the day.

Irans attack ended the shadow war. The old rules no longer apply. Israel has said it will respond, and it must if it hopes to restore deterrence. But if the response is too light, Israel risks inviting future waves of drones and ballistic missiles. Then again, if Israel attacks too aggressively, it risks greater retaliation from both Iran and Hezbollah. To date Hezbollah has used up only around 3,000 rockets and missiles out of an estimated arsenal of 150,000.

The U.S. and Israels European allies are pressing Israel not to counterstrike. President Biden considers a wider regional war to be a threat to his re-election. On the flip side, Irans attack shocked the Saudis out of their complacencythey outed" themselves publicly as having assisted Israel against Iran. Riyadh and Washington have both made noises about a grand normalization deal with Israel, and Mr. Biden may still exit the current chaos with his own deal of the century" going down the electoral home stretch.

These are unusually dangerous and potentially auspicious times. The U.S. and Israel need to play their cards perfectly.

Mr. Bob is senior military analyst for the Jerusalem Post and a co-author of Target Tehran: How Israel Is Using Sabotage, Cyberwarfare, Assassinationand Secret Diplomacyto Stop a Nuclear Iran and Create a New Middle East."
In recent weeks, the Kim regime removed dozens of roadside lights that had lined two rare inter-Korean roads built during more harmonious times, according to Seoul officials.

Kim, the 40-year-old dictator, wants to scrub anyif not allassociations his country has with its southern neighbor. Early this year, he abandoned hope for peaceful reunification and pronounced South Korea the new No. 1 enemy.

Soon after, down went the Arch of Reunification in Pyongyang. Maps shown on state media darkened out the country to the south. The opening stanza of North Koreas national anthem changed, jettisoning a lyric that referenced the geographic length of the entire Korean Peninsula.

The mass erasure of South Korea comes amid a protracted stretch of soured ties between Pyongyang and Seoul. That has left Kim with fewer novel ways to convey his displeasure.

Nearly four years ago, the Kim regime blew up an inter-Korean liaison office in the western border town of Kaesong. The two nations last fall scrapped a military accord meant to tone down hostilities. The military hotline has been severed for the past year. Pyongyang and Seoul these days are more likely to trade shell-firing drills than words.

Pyongyang hasnt halted its weapons tests, insults of South Korean officials or threats of violence. Last week, Kim said that if the South attacked, his military could deliver a death blow." Meanwhile, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol hasnt softened his tough-line stance with Pyongyang amid Kims rising aggression.

The two inter-Korean roads represented key symbols of the detente between Pyongyang and Seoul at the turn of the century. One road connected to an inter-Korean industrial park in Kaesong where North Koreans worked and generated tens of millions of dollars that flowed to the Kim regime. The other shuttled busloads of South Korean travelers to the Mount Kumgang resort. Both locales have been defunct for years.

Rooting out South Korean dramas, music and even everyday expressions in the North has been a priority for Kim, even before his reversal on reunification. But it will take a significant amount of time for Kim to eliminate even the most obvious tie-ins to the South, said Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul.

North Koreans must be quite puzzled," Park said. The regime has been indoctrinating people about unifying the two countries for seven decades."

Write to Timothy W. Martin at Timothy.Martin@wsj.com
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi has criticized the BJP for omitting the term "minorities" from its manifesto, opting instead for the term "marginalised," charging the saffron party of harbouring hatred towards minorities.

Owaisi told PTI videos that he saw the BJPs advertisement on April 17 in various newspapers. When they talk about giving loans or help to start a business from the government, it says ST and OBC. The BJP is even refusing to mention word minorities, forget about Muslims.

Owaisi said the word minorities is mentioned in the Constitution of India, "but the BJP has a great hatred for the word M.

Also Read: Lok Sabha Elections 2024: BJP's Sankalp Patra Vs Congress's Nyay Patra explained in 10 key points "They have not mentioned the word minorities. They say scholarships will be given to marginalised communities," he said.

Additionally, he asserted that Dalits and Muslims have the highest number of school dropouts, alleging that the BJP has intentionally contributed to the increase in dropout rates within the Muslim community.

The Hyderabad Lok Sabha member urged people to consider these concerns before voting for any party, claiming that there is a threat to the Constitution, rising intolerance towards minorities, and a high unemployment rate in the nation.

Lok Sabha Polls 2024 Live Updates Owaisi said the BJP might talk about making the country the third-largest economy in the world, but one has to consider the per capita income when it comes to growth.

The AIMIM had on Tuesday announced its support for Prakash Ambedkar, the head of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), who is contesting from the Akola Lok Sabha seat in Maharashtra. The AIMIM and VBA had struck an alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, but it fell apart during the Maharashtra assembly elections later that year. "We believe the leadership of Dalits should come up. I appeal to the AIMIM team from Akola to vote for Prakash Ambedkar," Owaisi said on Tuesday, as quoted by PTI.

The AIMIM president is also seeking re-election from the party's bastion of Hyderabad, where the BJP has fielded K Madhavi Latha against him.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has appealed to the people of Manipur to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to keep the state's territorial integrity intact, saying an attempt was being made to destroy the state by imbalancing its demography by infusing people from the outside.

Lok Sabha Polls 2024 Live Updates "Whatever Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the day before yesterday--to keep Manipur's territorial integrity intact. He used very meaningful words. An attempt was made to destroy Manipur by imbalancing its demography by infusing people from the outside. The Prime Minister removed the FMR (Free Movement Regime) and took the decision on fencing. That is the point that the Manipur people want to hear from the central leaders," news agency ANI quoted him as saying.

Also Read: Has Bollywood actor Aamir Khan endorsed Congress ahead of Lok Sabha Elections 2024? Here's the truth The Manipur CM furhter added, "I think what is to be done by the Central Governmenthas started, and to complete the ongoing process, people need to vote for the BJP candidate. I am requesting that people should vote for the BJP."

Also Read: Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase One: Full list of constituencies voting on April 19 Earlier on Monday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while addressing a rally in state capital Imphal, said that PM Modi's priority is to maintain peace in the state in the coming days, while asserting that no matter how much one tries the government will not allow Manipur to be divided.

Also Read: Amit Shah reveals Manipur CM N Biren Singh's big demand before PM Modi: Without inner-line permit The union home minister also flayed the Congress for its divisive politics, accusing it of not only dividing the country, but also attempting to split it into North India and South India.

The 2024 general elections will be held in India in seven phases, from April 19 to June 1, to elect the 543 members of the 18th Lok Sabha. The results will be announced on June 4. Voting in Manipur will be held on April 19 and April 26 for the Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur seats.
More aid has been entering Gaza through the south of the enclave and a newly opened crossing in the north, but relief workers said this still isnt enough to avert a looming famine.

Weeks since deadly strikes against World Central Kitchen aid workers spurred Israel into action, affordable vegetables and freshly baked bread are now available in northern Gaza for the first time in months. Israel in recent days has enabled more aid trucks to reach Gaza, has opened a crossing into the north directly from Israel and has approved more flour destined for the strip through its port of Ashdod.

President Biden, in a tense phone call in the aftermath of the April 1 World Central Kitchen attack, urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take immediate steps to address the humanitarian suffering in Gaza. Biden earlier this week said many more supplies have been moving into Gaza as a result.

In the 12 days following my call with Prime Minister Netanyahu, 3,000 trucks with food and supplies moved into Gaza," Biden said. Its still not enough. We continue to urge Israel to ramp up land, air and sea deliveries for Gaza civilians."

The United Nations, which oversees the bulk of the humanitarian response within the enclave, warns that these efforts, while welcome, dont go far enough to avert a famine in Gaza, home to 2.2 million people.

The problem is not just about food," said Andrea De Domenico, who heads the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Gaza and the West Bank. Its much bigger than simply bringing in flour and baking loaves of bread or pita. It is much more complex. There is an initial sign of good intention but they are not where they should be."

Around 185 aid trucks on average have entered Gaza from two southern crossings in the first half of April, compared with 157 in the two weeks prior, according to a U.N. tracker. The figures dont include the number of trucks that have entered Gaza through the newly opened northern crossing. The overwhelming majority of aid reaches Gaza from two crossings in the south near the town of Rafah, and often struggles to reach those who need it most further north. Before the war started, an average of 500 trucks carrying commercial goods and aid entered the strip every day.

The main bottleneck is distribution within Gaza, humanitarian workers say. The widespread destruction caused by the war, ongoing fighting in north and central Gaza, movement restrictions imposed by the Israeli military and looting by desperately hungry residents are all part of the problem. So is the lack of drivers and vehicles needed to carry the aid through the strip. Vast amounts of goods are stuck for long periods in holding areas as a result.

The humanitarian crisis is especially severe in the north, which has been effectively split from the rest of the strip since early on in the war. The Israeli military tightly controls access from south to north through checkpoints along central Gaza, allowing limited amounts of food and other essential goods and largely barring other movements.

But, in recent days, residents of northern Gaza have begun to see a change.

Nida Mdokh, 31, said cereals, fresh vegetables and other food products that were previously either unavailable or only available at exorbitant prices have started to reappear on the market.

There was a time when we had to eat animal feed mixed with white flour. I used to eat less than I needed just to save good bread for my three children," said Mdokh, who lives in Gaza City with her children and her sisters.

Rice and pasta are back, as are vegetables and fruits, even if they are still expensive," she said. She bought meat for the first time in months, paying 100 shekelsabout $26for a kilogram of frozen chicken. Today, I cooked chicken breasts with potatoes and lemons. Chicken is so expensive, but I want my children to eat healthy food."

The price for 25 kilograms of flour, sold for as much as $530 in the past, has fallen to $18, she said. One kilogram of tomatoes now costs a 10th of what it used to, or around $3.95.

A new entry point from Israel into northern Gaza, near the Israeli village of Zikim, is helping. So far it has been used four times by convoys to bring food, including a mission by private contractors escorted by the Israeli military. Overall, the Israeli military said that it coordinated access for around 340 aid trucks to the north, through various entry points, since April 12. The World Food Program, the U.N.s main food agency, in recent days was able to deliver fuel and wheat flour to two bakeries in Gaza City, enabling them to reopen. Israel has pledged to eventually help open some 20 bakeries in northern Gaza.

But only a continuous, sustained delivery of food and other goods can make a real differenceand time is running out, humanitarian workers say. The number of people facing catastrophic levels of hunger in northern Gaza already meets some of the criteria of a full-blown famine, according to estimates released last month by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, an international initiative supported by the U.N. and tasked with assessing the risk of famine around the world.

Write to Margherita Stancati at margherita.stancati@wsj.com
Senior AAP leader Atishi has accused the BJP and Enforcement Directorate of conspiring to kill Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The assertion came mere hours after the ED told a local court that the lawmaker was eating food items replete with sugar to secure medical bail. Atishi however insisted that the probe agency had lied in court.

ED lied in court about Arvind Kejriwal having tea with sugar, eating sweets in jail. He is using artificial sweetener. The BJP trying to harm his health through ED. There is a conspiracy to kill Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by stopping supply of home-cooked food to him in jail, she said.

A court had earlier permitted Kejriwal to have home cooked meals, bottled water and a supply of toffees in case his blood sugar levels dropped abruptly. He had also been provided with medical equipment to monitor his health. The Delhi CM withdrew his court application seeking virtual consultation with his doctor thrice a week for monitoring his blood sugar level and other vitals on Thursday.

ALSO READ: 'Arvind Kejriwal deliberately eating mangoes, sweets in jail to raise blood sugar level, create ground for bail': ED Atishi said that Kejriwal was consuming 54 units of insulin on a daily basis to keep his sugar levels in check. She accused the BJP of working through the ED to deteriorate the health of Arvind Kejriwal and try to stop his home-made food.

This many units of insulin are taken by those who have severe diabetes. What food you eat, and which exercise you do, all are necessary for a diabetic patient. That's the reason the court has allowed him to have home-made food, the Delhi Minister asserted.

"Kejriwal is consciously consuming items like tea with sugar, mango, banana, sweets (1 or 2 pieces), poori, aaloo sabji, etc. on regular basis, despite being a patient of diabetes mellitus type 2 and knowing very well that consumption of such items results in increase in blood sugar. This is being done to create a medical emergency to obtain sympathetic treatment from the court of law on medical grounds, the Enforcement Directorate had told the Delhi court earlier in the day.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan hit out at its INDIA bloc ally Congress and said on Thursday that the grand-old party lacks any genuine ideological or practical motivation to oppose the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party], beyond the rhetoric crafted by news-centric PR agencies. He reportedly slammed the Congress for fielding Choudhary Lal Singh from the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency in Jammu and Kashmir

Vijayan alleged that Singh had participated in a rally in support of the accused in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua in January 2018. "This clearly shows that the Congress is not taking a strong stand against the Sangh Parivar," Vijayan was quoted by PTI as saying during a press conference in this Muslim-dominated district.

CM Pinarayi Vijayan is a leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)  which is part of the INDIA bloc at the national level but rival of the Congress in Kerala.

Who is Choudhary Lal Singh? Choudhary Lal Singh hails from Kathua district. He is a former BJP leader. He had rejoined the Congress at its headquarters in Delhi last month.

Singh has been fielded from the Udhampur Parliamentary constituency of Jammu and Kashmir. He will contest against BJP candidate and Union Minister Jitendra Singh and the Democratic Progressive Azad Party has fielded GM Saroori.

Singh won the Udhampur Lok Sabha seat twice on a Congress ticket in 2004 and 2009. He switched from the Congress to the BJP in 2014 and was also a minister in the previous PDP-BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir, which collapsed in June 2018 after the national party pulled out of the alliance.

Several months before the fall of the government, Singh resigned from the BJP and floated the DSSP following an uproar over his participation in a rally in support of the accused in the rape and murder of the eight-year-old girl in Kathua in January 2018. However, he defended his participation in the rally, stating that he was there to defuse the situation, news agency PTI reported.
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has promised in its manifesto to introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) across India if it comes to power. This code would replace existing personal laws like the Hindu Marriage Act, the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act and the Christian Marriage Act with a single set of laws for all citizens.

In February, Uttarakhand became the first Indian state after Independence to approve the UCC. As it goes to polls on April 19, lets find out the key electoral issues in the state.

UCC The UCC creates common laws for marriage and inheritance applicable to all citizens, irrespective of religion, marking a significant departure as India's first such law. However, it excludes Scheduled Tribes.

Also Read: PM Modi says 'this decade belongs to Uttarakhand', outlines plans for 5G, tourism Criticism arises from stringent regulations on live-in relationships, mandating registration with potential penalties, including jail time for non-compliance. Some argue that the UCC unfairly encroaches on the religious customs of specific groups.

Religious tourism Every year, millions of pilgrims flock to Haridwar, a significant religious site, causing heavy traffic and straining local facilities, particularly during major events like the Kumbh Mela. This influx adversely affects the quality of life for locals and underscores the urgent need for improved tourism management.

Sugarcane farmers Over 1 lakh sugarcane farmers in Haridwar are grappling with delayed payments and insufficient compensation for damaged crops. Sugarcane prices in Uttarakhand are pegged to those in Uttar Pradesh.

Also Read: Uttarakhand tunnel rescue hero spends night on footpath after DDA demolishes home: This is what I get in return?' However, local farmers don't enjoy the same benefits such as subsidised electricity for irrigation. This disparity has plunged the farmers into significant financial distress.

Disaster management Floods and landslides frequently plague Uttarakhand, especially in Haridwar and the Garhwal region. Climate change exacerbates these natural disasters, leading to substantial losses to farmers and perilious conditions for residents.

Also Read: India to deploy 10,000 additional soldiers along border with China in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand The severity of the 2023 floods led to sightings of wild animals in residential areas, highlighting the pressing necessity for enhanced disaster management strategies and environmental protection policies.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised actor-turned-politician Mithun Chakraborty for joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). While speaking during a public rally in Raiganj, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief called Chakraborty a big traitor from Bengal. She accused him of "bowing his head in the RSS office just to save his son".

"During the elections, I had made Mithun Chakraborty a Rajya Sabha MP, but I didn't know that another big traitor from Bengal had bowed his head in the RSS office just to save his son," Banerjee was quoted by news agency ANI as saying.

She was quoted by the Hindustan Times as saying, If you remember his son was booked. Police had gone to the wedding to investigate. He got scared and went straight to the RSS office in Mumbai and said that he was a BJP sevak. Those who can fight, I consider only them as humans."

Mithun Chakraborty was a leader of the TMC earlier. He had switched to the BJP ahead of the 2021 West Bengal Assembly polls. His son's wedding was called off on July 8, 2018, after a team of police arrived at the wedding venue to investigate a rape case against the groom, the Times of India reported. He got married on July 10 after getting bail.

Chakraborty hits back at Banerjee Mithun Chakraborty criticised Mamata Banerjee for calling him a traitor in her public meeting in Raiganj. According to reports, he said that the growing number of BJP supporters has deeply affected the Chief Minister.

"He retorted to the CMs remarks stating that he was not a traitor but a soldier," Siliguri Times reported. Chakraborty reportedly said that he believed the CM was mentally unstable.

BJP leader and actor Mithun Chakraborty held a roadshow in West Bengals Siliguri as part of the partys campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The war of words between Mithun Chakraborty and Mamata Banerjee took place just ahead of the first phase of voting for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. Three of the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal will vote on April 19. These seats are Coochbehar SC, Alipurduars ST and Jalpaiguri.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday refuted the claims that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is putting up a brave fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying he is hesitant to contest from the BJP-ruled states.

The Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) president also alleged that Rahul Gandhi seeks refuge in minority-dominated states, PTI reported.

Azad said the Congress leader and National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah are not politicians, but spoon-fed kids who have not done anything on their own.

Why Rahul Gandhi claims to be fighting against the BJP? His actions suggest otherwise. Why he is hesitant to contest in the BJP-ruled states? Why he seek refuge in states with high minority community? the formeer J-K CM said.

His remarks came while addressing a public meeting in the Udhampur constituency as a part of Lok Sabha election campaign to support his party candidate GM Saroori.

The Congress party is reluctant to engage in direct confrontations and they have a tendency to seek out safe seats where minority populations are sizeable, Azad said while questioning the grand old party's commitment to fight against BJP on the ground.

He further accused the Congress of prefering safe seats in states like Kerala. Rahul Gandhi and Omar Abdullah, both have not made any personal sacrifices in life. They are enjoying the inherited legacy from Indira Gandhi and Sheikh Abdullah respectively, he added.

Azad recently stated that he believes at Congress is allied with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)" and it wants the saffron party to win the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

In Udhampur, voting is set for April 19, in Jammu on April 26, Anantnag-Rajouri on May 7, Srinagar on May 13, and Baramulla on May 20. This election is the first after the Supreme Court's ruling from the previous year, which supported the Parliament's decision to revoke Article 370 and divide the state into two union territories.
A gesture by Hyderabad BJP candidate Madhavi Latha during a Ram Navami Yatra stirred controversy this week, just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024. In a video that has now gone viral, Latha is seen pretending to shoot an arrow, reportedly directed at a mosque during the procession on the occasion of Ram Navami on Wednesday.

Is this Viksit Bharat, asks Owaisi Reacting to the video, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said, "People of Hyderabad had seen the BJP's intentions. They will not accept BJP-RSS' vulgar and provocative actions."

"Is this the 'Viksit Bharat' BJP is talking about? The peace of Hyderabad is greater than elections. I am confident that the people of Telangana will vote against the BJP who are against peace in the state," Owaisi said.

BJP's Madhavi apologises Meanwhile, in a post on 'X,' Madhavi said it has come to her notice that an incomplete video of her is being circulated in the media to create negativity. "I would like to clarify that it's an incomplete video and even because of such video if anyone's sentiments are hurt, then I would like to apologise as I respect all individuals," she said in the post.

On Ram Navami Shobha Yatra, Madhavi Latha had said earlier, This is a conspiracy. Aren't the Hindu-Muslim brothers one? Isn't Shri Ram Navami as important as Ramzan for them (state government)? We want every Muslim brother to celebrate Ramzan and pray at the Masjid...
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre over growing disparities in economic prosperity in the country. Addressing an election campaign rally in Kerala's Palakkad district, the senior Congress leader said "there are two Indias". One India "belongs to the billionaires, where they can fulfil all their dreams, and the other is where a large mass of Indian people live, he stated.

With the Lok Sabha elections 2024 just around the corner, he emphasises that a significant inequality has been created in our country.

There are 22 people in our country who have more wealth than 70 crore people. And there are also 70 crore people in India who earn less than 100 a day, Gandhi said.

During his speech, he also highlighted the high level of taxes paid by the poor and middle-class people. "The poor and middle class pay taxes. The poorest person in India pays the same GST [Goods and Services Tax] as Mr [Gautam] Adani The entire GST money goes into the hands of rich people," he said.

Gandhi went on to accuse Prime Minister Narendra Modi of forgiving 16 lakh crore worth of bank loans of the richest 25 Indians.

He further targeted the BJP, saying that its idea of 'One Nation, One Language, One Religion' is designed to divide India.

"The idea of the BJP is to create instability and disharmony in India, and make one Indian fight with another Indian. In the end, all they do is give away India's wealth to a few people who are close to the PM," Gandhi said.

Rahul Gandhi is contesting as a Congress candidate from his stronghold Wayanad seat in Kerala. After filing his nomination, he had promised that he would be with the people of Wayanad on all issues, including human-animal conflicts. "I was always ready to bring Wayanad's issues to the attention of nation and world," he said.
Allow me to identify who saved the people of Israel last weekend from Irans missile barrage: Ronald Reagan.

In 1983, President Reagan in a televised speech proposed what he called the Strategic Defense Initiative. Its core idea was that the U.S. would build defense systems that could shoot down nuclear-armed ballistic missiles, then expected to be fired by the Soviet Union at the U.S. mainland.

Democrats and much of the defense establishment mocked the idea, with Sen. Ted Kennedy naming it Star Wars." Sen. Joe Biden summed up the opposition in a 1986 speech to the National Press Club:

Star Wars represents a fundamental assault on the concepts, alliances and arms-control agreements that have buttressed American security for several decades, and the presidents continued adherence to it constitutes one of the most reckless and irresponsible acts in the history of modern statecraft."

By universal acclamation, the hero of last weekend was Israels missile-defense systems. The world watched in real time Saturday night as Reagans commitment to shooting down missiles protected Israels population from the more than 300 drones and ballistic and cruise missiles fired by Iran and its proxies at cities across Israel.

No nation more quickly recognized the necessity of missile defenses than Israel, a small, population-packed country that couldnt afford the conceit of some U.S. politicians, then and today, that the American landmass is somehow safe from missile attacks. Within two years of Reagans announcement, Israel signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. to develop missile defenses. The fruits of that four-decade partnership couldnt be clearer.

Though the U.S. didnt develop a space-based system, the technology has enabled an arsenal of ground-, air- and sea-based interceptors. Israelwith a capable scientific establishment dedicated to the countrys survivaldeveloped a multilayered missile-defense system. Iron Dome protects from short-range missiles of the sort fired from Lebanon by Hezbollah, which reportedly possesses more than 100,000 missiles and rockets of Iranian, Russian and Chinese origin. Davids Sling protects from short- to medium-range missiles, while the Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 systems hit missiles at high altitudes.

Reagans experience with the Strategic Defense Initiative has lessons for the U.S. today, with the unmissable irony that ardent SDI foe Joe Biden is pocketing its political benefit this week.

Among the arguments against Reagans missile-defense plan was that it would provoke a response" from the Soviets. SDIs development got bogged down in the politics of arms-control negotiations between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. Reagans critics, including a virtual media consensus, said SDI would make our own nuclear-missile arsenal less vulnerable, increasing the Soviet Unions incentive to launch a pre-emptive first strike. Reagan insisted he wasnt trying to protect missiles but the U.S. population.

If we have learned anything the past three years, it is that Mr. Biden is saturated in the dont-provoke-a-response school of foreign policy.

He says Israel should take the win" because retaliation risks provoking a wider war. Shortly after Hamass Oct. 7 attack on Israel, Mr. Biden allowed the expiration of a 2015 United Nations Security Council resolution prohibiting Iran from exporting missile and drone technology. However symbolic the resolution, the mullahs couldnt have missed Mr. Bidens stand-back approach.

From the day Russia invaded Ukraine, Mr. Biden has slow-walked sending military technology to Kyivlong-range missiles, Patriot air-defense systems, tanks, fighter jetsfor fear it would provoke Vladimir Putin.

Mr. Biden said hed provide Ukraine with whatever it takes, as long as it takes." If hed done that sooner than later, the technology-savvy Ukrainians could have avoided a frozen conflict and their support likely wouldnt be stalled by Republican opposition in the House.

The Ukraine trench-war conflict, with Mr. Putin sacrificing Russian men on a massive scale, is likely an anomaly. More relevant to the future of war is the calculation by Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that missiles will be the great equalizer, as Yemens ragtag Houthis have proved in the Red Sea.

By happenstance, the House Armed Services Committee held a hearing on U.S. missile defense Friday, hours before Iran launched its attack. The committee members, both Republicans and Democrats, had a prescient complaint, asking Pentagon officials about Americas underinvestment in its defense industrial base and why the Biden defense budget would cut some $400 million from the Missile Defense Agency. I just dont understand the rationale behind many of these cuts," Rep. Seth Moulton (D., Mass.) said. Its harder to understand this week.

Reagans missile-defense legacy does have an important advocate: Donald Trump. As president in 2019, Mr. Trump revived the U.S. missile-defense program, and he restated that commitment, citing Reagan, during this years New Hampshire primary.

Mr. Biden deserves credit for helping Israel repel Irans missiles and drones. Its clear, though, that the world has entered a new era of state-sponsored missile attacksfirst Russia into Ukraine and now Irans swarmed assault on Israel. To meet that threat, Mr. Biden would have to admit Reagan was right. That isnt going to happen.

Write henninger@wsj.com.
West Bengal Ram Navami clashes: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee Thursday blamed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for instigating violence during the Ram Navami celebrations in the state's Murshidabad district.

Violence erupted on Wednesday, April 17, following a blast near a procession in Murshidabad's Shaktipur. One woman sustained injuries in the incident.

The West Bengal CM alleged that the BJP had pre-planned the attack. She accused the saffron party of orchestrating the violence ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Everything was pre-planned. The DIG of Murshidabad was removed a day ahead of Ram Navami so that you (the BJP) can carry out violence, she said at an election rally in the Raiganj Lok Sabha constituency.

The TMC supremo also claimed that goons associated with the BJP roughed up police personnel in the district.

The BJP levelled charges against the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and claimed that she should be held to account for failing to protect Bengali Hindus.

Ram Navami was celebrated across West Bengal on Wednesday amid heavy security deployment and barring the Murshidabad incident, it passed off peacefully with leaders of both TMC and BJP taking part in the festivities with an eye on the Lok Sabha elections.

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) had planned more than 5,000 programmes across the state to celebrate Ram Navami.

Leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari took part in the Ram Navami processions in New Town near Kolkata and Uluberia in Howrah.

Processions, echoing chants of 'Jai Shri Ram' amid frenzied beating of drums, were witnessed in Bankura, Purulia, Durgapur, Asansol, Barasat, and Barrackpore.

Despite the administration's ban, participants of Ram Navami processions in Howrah and Durgapur brandished traditional arms.

Jadavpur University withdrew permission it gave to the RSS-affiliated ABVP to celebrate Ram Navami on the campus amid protests by Left-backed student organisations.
Speaker Mike Johnson is forging ahead to pass a bill to support Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, despite threats from his right rump to topple him. Hes correct on the policy merits, and he deserves support from Members of both parties given what a potential Ukrainian defeat would mean for U.S. national security.

Mr. Johnsons plan is to break the aid bill that has already passed the Senate into four partsone each on Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, and one that packages various Republican policy priorities such as seizing Russian assets. Those that pass will be packaged and sent back to the Senate. He hopes for votes on Saturday, which means Members cant complain they werent given the promised 72-hour notice to read the bills.

***

The need is urgent because Ukraines position is deteriorating. Ukrainian shortages in air defenses are letting the Russian military dominate the air for the first time in two years. Ukraines cities are at risk, and its defenses could take down only seven of 11 Russian projectiles in a recent volley at a power plant. The other four destroyed the plant.

Ukraine has lowered the conscription age to 25 from 27, and the manpower is sorely needed. But even the Ukrainians, who have demonstrated that they dont want to live under Vladimir Putins boot, will wonder about manning a front line if they lack the ammo to shoot back at the enemy.

Ukraine cannot hold the present lines now without the rapid resumption" of American help, as Fred Kagan noted in a Tuesday report at the Institute for the Study of War. Only the U.S. has the stocks to provide weapons quickly and in the numbers required. The Russians have seized an area roughly the size of Detroit since January, and a Russian breakthrough is possible by summer.

The House Republicans who are threatening to oust Mr. Johnson over Ukraine imagine that they can defeat aid and return without consequence to pounding Joe Biden about the crisis at the southern border. They are wrong, and the sad irony is that such delusions about the world are usually reserved for the progressive left.

On current trend the Kremlin will eventually win the war, and Mr. Putin wont be satisfied with Ukraines east. He wants to subdue the entire country, as he planned when he first tried to take Kyiv. He has no incentive to negotiate now that he thinks the U.S. may abandon Ukraine.

What would it mean for the Russians to control an enormous new border with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization? Mr. Putin would be in a far stronger position to invade the Baltic states, which he also views as rogue Russian provinces. And thats for starters. Those who think Mr. Putin wouldnt dare confront NATO have consistently misunderstood the Russian dictators ambitions. They are the same crowd that assured us Mr. Putin wouldnt dare go for Kyiv in 2022.

Even if Mr. Putin isnt yet ready to take on the West, NATO would still be forced to prepare for the possibilityand deter it. If Mr. Putin controls Ukraine, NATO must expect to face large Russian conventional forces along its entire border from the Black Sea to the Arctic," as Mr. Kagan puts it. The maps nearby illustrate the difference for NATO and Russian military deployments depending on who wins in Ukraine.

That threat would require an enormous change in defense posture on the European continent on par with the Cold War. More U.S. troops, jets, air-defense batteries, tanks and surveillance aircraft would be needed to harden the alliances eastern front.

Those assets wouldnt then be available to manage the Pacific threat from China, which Ukraines GOP critics claim is their priority. Dont expect Europeans to heed U.S. pleas to curb their relationships with China after the U.S. leaves a mess in their backyard. This is not a situation Donald Trump should want to inherit if he wins in November.

***

Mr. Johnson has so far been staring down the rump caucus that wants to remove him from power, and he is right to do so. They wont respect him more if he capitulates. If his plan fails, the fallback is a discharge petition that would force a floor vote on the Senate bill. That is better than abandoning Ukraine, and we hope enough Republicans would support it if their colleagues kill the other bills.

Mr. Biden, for his part, has an obligation to bring along Democrats on the aid bill, and his op-ed in these pages is welcome, albeit late in shaping the debate.

Amid all the political infighting on Capitol Hill, Republicans have a binary choice between helping Americas friends in Kyiv or abandoning them to Mr. Putins empire. The latter would be a disaster for the United States, and the GOP will own it as thoroughly as Democrats owned the collapse of Saigon in 1975.
For years, the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust was one of the few ways to bet on bitcoin without buying the cryptocurrency itself. Now, with the sector awash in lower-cost competing funds, investors are fleeing the exchange-traded fund.

GBTC, as the trust is known for its ticker symbol, remains the worlds largest bitcoin fund thanks to the recent surge in crypto prices. But its assets have shrunk by more than half from their peak in November 2021, in large part because the trust charges a 1.5% fee while bitcoin funds offered by BlackRock, Fidelity Investments and others charge next to nothing.

Investors have yanked a net $16 billion from GBTC since Jan. 11, when it converted from a trust into an ETF following U.S. approval of sales of bitcoin funds. Over the same period, the nine competing ETFs launched by mostly large asset managers have taken in nearly $29 billion.

Yet Grayscale has resisted a significant fee cut, insisting that rising bitcoin prices will continue to buoy its fortunes. Given bitcoins 43% advance this year and the currencys long history of boom-bust cycles, it isnt a bet that everyone is comfortable with.

If this pace of outflows continues without a material jump in the price of bitcoin even for another couple of months, they are in a tough spot," Steven Lubka, head of private client services at investment firm Swan Bitcoin, said of GBTC.

Michael Sonnenshein, the chief executive of Grayscale Investments, said he isnt worried about the investor exodus. He has previously defended GBTCs higher fee as warranted given what he said were its advantages relative to competitors, such as easier trading.

Over time, I do believe that as the market matures, GBTCs fee will come down," he said.

Behind the erosion of GBTCs bitcoin stash is a stark reversal of fortune. Before the mass launch in January of ETFs that hold bitcoin directlyinstead of via futures contracts, as previous products didGrayscale had a stranglehold on those who wanted to convert currencies such as the U.S. and Canadian dollar to bitcoin and vice versa in their brokerage accounts.

This privileged position at times led to unusual trading in the trust that rippled through markets. Largely because of trading by those seeking to move between fiat" and cryptocurrencies, the Grayscale trust often traded at a premium to the market price of its bitcoin holdingsa practice that, despite the funds large fees, attracted waves of speculative investors betting that it would continue.

But in 2021, the trusts typical premium to bitcoin flipped to a discount in part because of the substantial rise in the supply of GBTC shares on the market. The turnabout helped bring the demise of hedge fund Three Arrows Capital, which was incurring huge losses on one of its largest trades.

Grayscale has proposed a lower-fee version of GBTC that it would swap for a yet-to-be-determined percentage of every GBTC investors current holdings. But regulators have eight months to approve the plan, and previous bitcoin applications have often gone down to the wire.

If investors continue to redeem bitcoin from GBTC at the current pace of about 24,000 a week, Grayscale could run out of tokens long before any approvalin about 13 weeks, according to blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence. GBTC has shed assets every trading day since it converted into an ETF, while BlackRocks bitcoin ETF, the biggest of its competitors, has taken in cash for 66 straight sessions.

Sonnenshein, who is 37 years old, became Grayscales chief executive in early 2021 after founder Barry Silbert stepped back. Silbert recruited him in 2013 to help raise assets for his bitcoin fund, which had only $60 million in assets at the time. Back then, the duo would go on roadshows to pitch the fund to traditional finance professionals only to have the meetings canceled at the last minute after negative headlines about bitcoin came out, Sonnenshein recalled.

GBTC backers expect outflows to stabilize because they estimate more than half the funds remaining assets are stuck in taxable accounts. They contend investors are unlikely to sell and incur large tax bills unless they want to exit their bitcoin investments entirely.

No one is going to buy another bitcoin ETF and concurrently take a 30% tax hit on capital gains just to save 1% a year" in fees, said Ryan Selkis, a former executive at Digital Currency Group, Grayscales parent company, and chief executive of crypto-research firm Messari.

Investors in Grayscales lower-fee bitcoin fund wouldnt be forced to pay capital-gains taxes to transfer their assets, assuming it gains approval.

Another factor potentially working in Grayscales favor: The bankruptcy estates of FTX and DCGs lending unit Genesis as well as crypto exchange Gemini Trust, which collectively held 89.4 million GBTC shares, mostly sold out of their holdings in the first quarter.

The biggest parties that needed to exit GBTC have just about exited," said David Bailey, who led an activist shareholder campaign against Grayscale. I think the outflows are going to slow down a lot."

Write to Vicky Ge Huang at vicky.huang@wsj.com
As electric vehicle (EV) ownership continues to surge, Google Maps and Search are stepping up to provide assistance to EV drivers. With the rollout of new features, finding and accessing charging stations will become convenient, claims the California based tech giant.

One of the upcoming updates for Google Maps involves AI-powered summaries that offer descriptions of a charger's specific location. Drawing from the wealth of user reviews available, these summaries will guide drivers with precise directions, such as navigating through multilevel parking lots. For instance, drivers may receive instructions like "Enter the underground parking lot and follow the signs toward the exit. Just before exiting, turn right."

This enhancement is made possible by the millions of reviews posted daily on Google Maps, contributing to accurate and up-to-date information about charging stations. Reviews about chargers will now prompt users for additional details about their experience, including the type of plug used and the wait time.

In another development, Google is working on displaying nearby chargers directly on in-car maps, complete with real-time port availability and charging speed information. This update will be rolled out globally, initially targeting vehicles equipped with Google's built-in systems.

Moreover, Google Maps will now suggest the best charging locations for multi-stop trips. Whether planning a summer road trip or visiting multiple national parks, drivers will receive tailored recommendations based on their battery's charge level.

To ensure convenience during overnight stays, Google has introduced an EV filter on google.com/travel. This feature allows users to find hotels via Search that offer onsite EV charging facilities, eliminating the hassle of searching for charging stations after a long day of driving.

With these enhancements, Google Maps and Search aim to provide comprehensive support to EV owners, whether they are planning a road trip or seeking a quick charge on the go.

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Sophie is a favorite visitor to the McSorley Elementary School library in Lewiston, and shes never checked out a book.

Thats because Sophie is an 8-year-old Spinone Italiano, a wire-haired pointer dog.

She comes every week to the library and kids read to her in the quiet library as she lies down, cuddles, listens and sometimes holds the pages with her paws. Her owner, Cory Johnson, said the breed is mellow and trainable and is often used as therapy dogs in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Although Johnson said her other Spinone Italiano isnt a therapy dog, Sophie just had what it took.

Sophie has been a therapy dog for six years. She and her owner started with rehabilitation centers but now have been to hospitals, schools and the library.

Sophies visits to the Lewiston City Library caught the attention of McSorley library aide Darci Schiller, who asked Johnson to come to the school.

I thought that it would be great for kids to come in and see her, Schiller said.

Studies have been done that show the benefits of reading to dogs, which is more relaxing for the students.

She doesnt judge if they dont know the words, Schiller said.

Although Schiller would like all kids to meet Sophie, and Sophie probably wouldnt mind herself, its too many kids for one dog. So four boys in first, third, fourth and fifth grade are the ones who read to Sophie. Each session is about 15 minutes long.

One of the students is Camden Hughes, a 9-year-old fourth grader, who has been reading to Sophie for about a month and hes just about to finish his first book with her. He enjoys reading to Sophie and sometimes she cuddles up right next to him.

I just like dogs, he said.

He has four dogs at home, but they dont listen to reading like Sophie. The dogs at home and Sophie dont seem to mind sniffing one another on Hughes clothes.

When the kids first started reading to Sophie, Schiller didnt know if they would want to continue. After the first reading session she asked if they wanted Sophie to come back.
ASOTIN  A 53-year-old Clarkston woman has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old boy.

Laura B. Miller appeared Monday in Asotin County Superior Court to face charges of third-degree rape of a child and furnishing alcohol to a minor. She is represented by Pullman attorney Roger Sandberg and will make her next court appearance May 20.

According to court documents, Miller reportedly told police she was asleep in her room, and when she woke up, the boy was taking her clothes off, and they had sex. During an interview with law enforcement, she told police she felt violated, and she shouldnt have gone along with it, but he shouldnt have come in her room and started undressing her in her sleep.
The owners of a small-scale agricultural equipment manufacturer are in talks to expand at the Port of Lewiston.

Located on Thain Road in the Lewiston Orchards, Agpro is in negotiations to lease 4 acres owned by the port in North Lewiston. The land is near the city of Lewistons garbage transfer station and Northwest Fourslide, a metal parts producer relocating to Idaho from Oregon.

Port of Lewiston commissioners Wednesday unanimously approved working on lease terms for Agpro that will be brought back to them at a later date for a vote.

Agpro manufactures high-quality seed, fertilizer and chemical application equipment in a 10,000-square-foot building on 2 acres on three adjacent, separately owned lots, said Mercia Neace, vice president and an owner of Agpro.

Last year, Agpro made five to six drills, but anticipates roughly doubling that at its proposed facility partly because of the abundance of outdoor space where it completes much of its assembly, Neace said.

Its not an ideal situation, Neace said of Agpros present site. Weve completely outgrown our building.  Im not going to say its hurting business because were very resourceful. We find ways to make sure that we can get our drills built.  Its challenging to do as much of the work as we want in the small space that we have.

Agpro would construct a 16,000-square-foot building on the site its identified at the port and expects it would be ready in two to four years, Neace said.

The expansion is happening at a time when Agpro anticipates a 25% increase in sales in the next two years across all product categories such as drills, orchard machines, drill kits, sprayers and water cannons, according to a written overview Agpro supplied to the port.

Our unique drills are custom-made and work well in the Palouse area, according to the overview. Agpro is also gaining a market in the driver parts of eastern Washington with its deep furrow drill that is capable of seeding 8 (inches) deep.

The equipment has interchangeable parts to speed repairs, according to the overview.
Just cant believe it

At 91 years and counting, I just cant believe our people have gone deaf and blind at the same time, so Im writing in hope that they really havent.

Are we the people going to vote ourselves into anarchy at best, but think this wont turn into a dictatorship?

Ive been around awhile. Ive farmed, was drafted, went to Korea as an infantry soldier, served my town for 22 years in different positions, went to the University of Idaho for a while, am married for 60 years (we have three grown children, 13 grandchildren and almost nine great-grandkids), spent almost a year in the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Walla Walla and eight years going back and forth.

So yes, Ive seen and felt the good, the bad and the ugly. But I remained and I am thankful for (even though I was awarded 100% disability and still retain 60%) being a good American, a small group which was called losers by this great fool who is running for president.

Patrick H. Edens Jr.

Lewiston
This editorial was published in The News Tribune of Tacoma.



Washingtons agricultural sector faces a dire labor shortage. But thats not even the worst part.

Elected leaders have watched the crisis unfold for decades without acting. Now that the system is on the brink of collapse, Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., has proposed yet another solution. Lets hope that this time, Congress can finally get something done.

As the Tri-City Heralds Cory McCoy recently reported, the 311,000 H2A Visas granted to guest workers in 2023 is far short of the number that farmers requested and, worse, far less than the real labor demand.

About 10% of all visa holders  most of them Mexican nationals  work in Washington, accounting for about one-third of the agricultural workforce. Washingtons farm worker labor force peaked at 100,000 workers in 2018.

The H2A system is antiquated.

Designed decades ago to protect the rights of domestic workers, it has not kept pace with changes in technology and labor market realities.

Many farm owners therefore go outside the overly bureaucratic visa system and choose undocumented laborers instead. Even they struggle to fill labor needs.

Newhouses Farm Workforce Modernization Act addresses some of the most glaring inefficiencies. It would overhaul the H2A program, streamlining processes and enhancing flexibility for employers.

In return, it would require agricultural employers to use a newly upgraded E-Verify system, ensuring compliance with immigration laws while safeguarding the rights of authorized workers.

The bill outlines a pathway for agricultural workers to earn legal status through continued employment in the industry. By creating a separate category of visas with longer time frames and less restrictive renewals, the legislation aims to ensure a stable and sustainable workforce for years to come.
Details of the preparations for Edgeworthstown to host the National Famine Commemoration were outlined to councillors at the April meeting of Longford County Council.

Elected members were given an overview of the event that will be held in The Green in Edgeworthstown at the monthly meeting of the local authority.

This year's National Famine Commemoration takes place in Edgeworthstown in Longford on Sunday, May 19.

The day is a culmination of a week of events across county Longford in the run up to the official function.

The public ceremony will be broadcast on the RTE News Now channel. It provides an opportunity for the people of Longford and surrounding counties to honour the memory of those who perished or sought escape to a new life abroad during the an Gorta Mor.

When announcing details of the Edgeworthstown event Culture Minister Catherine Martin says it gives communities a chance to gather and pay their respects to the people of our nation who faced hardship and suffering.

Minister Martin noted the many charitable efforts of the Edgeworth family, and their efforts to provide assistance during the famine.

It's the first State Commemoration to take place in County Longford, and will include military honours and a wreath-laying ceremony in remembrance of the dark period of Irish history.

Also read: A first for Longford as Edgeworthstown chosen to host 2024 National Famine Commemoration

At the council meeting Longford County Librarian Martina Needham spoke of the significance of the event: We are delighted this is happening, but there is a huge amount of work, she told members, The event starts at 11:15am and the RTE coverage commences at 12:00 noon.

The keynote speaker on the day will be the Taoiseach Simon Harris. Three different committees are coordinating the event; the National Steering Committee, The Executive Committee of Longford County Council, and a local Edgeworthstown committee with members from local voluntary groups.

The committees are composed of members of The Department of Defence, the Diplomatic Corp, Department of the Taoiseach, The Department of Tourism,Culture, Art, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, members of An Garda Siochana and local authority staff.

The community committee will bring together representatives from the Tidy Town, The EDDA, The Marie Edgeworth Centre, the GAA, local National Schools and Edgeworthstown traders.

Ms Needham said it was important to include as many local representatives as possible to be a part of the day.

The 98 Hall, Ballinamuck, the Latin School in Moyne, the Workhouse in Longford town and the Hub in Abbeyshrule will all host events in the run up to the ceremony.

The ceremony at The Green will accommodate 530 guests, 300 of which are invited guests, with 200 seats for the public. The allocation of the seats has yet to be determined, but will be done online. There will be no charge for the tickets allocated under the public allotment.

The address to the gathered guests will take place in the bandstand on The Green. The ceremony will take around one and a half hours to complete.

There will be two musical performances and poet Noel Monahan has composed a bespoke Irish language poem, which will be read by three pupils from St Mary's NS.

There will be a gathering in Edgeworthstown after the official function is completed. It is anticipated that there will be 78 foreign diplomats in attendance on the day.

Ms Needham said this will be a wonderful opportunity to show the welcoming nature of Longford people: This county excels at including people and welcoming outsiders. This event is a great chance to show this.

Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council, Cllr Colm Murray, spoke of the honour attached to hosting the event: It's a huge national event, one watched by a lot of people.

The people of Edgeworthstown and the wider community will embrace this commemoration as an opportunity to remember the victims of the Famine both locally and across the country, and to recognise the role of those who strove to alleviate the devastating impact of this disaster, such as Maria Edgeworth and her family.

Cllr Paul Ross noted the work of the County Librarian: It really is a huge deal and we must acknowledge the unbelievable work Martina had done to get this across the line. It is a credit to all the work going on in the town of Edgeworthstown.

Cllr Mick Cahill described it as a marvellous opportunity for Longford and a hugely significant day.

Cllr Paraic Brady made a proposal asking: I hope that as part of the week we can have the musical manuscripts of Thomas 'Blind' Kiernan put on display in the Library. It is in a private collection in Leitrim, but it would be appropriate to have it on display for the week.
Crime

By Chris Boyle Published: April 18 2024

Budget Agreement Includes $40.2 Million for Dedicated Retail Theft Teams for New York State Police and Local Law Enforcement.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced new initiatives to crack down on organized retail theft and protect frontline retail workers that are included in the FY25 State Budget agreement. This comprehensive approach puts more power in the hands of law enforcement, prosecutors and business owners  targeting every area of vulnerability. Governor Hochuls announcement came on the heels of an agreement on the FY25 State Budget, which makes historic investments in public safety and builds on three years of progress driving down crime statewide.

I promised to fight the scourge of organized retail theft -- and in this budget, we got it done, Governor Hochul said. Sophisticated organized retail theft operations are putting frontline retail workers at risk and reselling stolen goods on online marketplaces, and we're taking new steps to end this chaos.

Governor Hochul's focus on organized retail theft comes as crime data shows a significant spike in these crimes over the past six years. Larceny offenses in New York City have spiked by 51 percent between 2017 and 2023. Robberies, grand larceny and petit larceny in New York City are up by 86 percent during that same time period.

The FY25 State Budget includes Governor Hochuls five-point plan to fight organized retail theft:

Bolstering criminal penalties for anyone who assaults a retail worker by elevating it from a misdemeanor to felony. Any person who causes physical injury to a retail worker performing their job will be subject to this new felony.

Allowing prosecutors to combine the value of stolen goods when they file larceny charges. The Budget allows retail goods from different stores to be aggregated for the purposes of reaching a higher larceny threshold when stolen under the same criminal scheme.

Making it illegal to foster the sale of stolen goods to go after third-party sellers. A person will be found guilty if they use any website or physical location to sell stolen goods.

$40.2 million for dedicated Retail Theft Teams within State Police, District Attorneys offices and local law enforcement, including 100 New York State Police personnel dedicated to fighting organized retail theft.

$5 million tax credit to help small businesses invest in added security measures such as cameras. To help alleviate the burden on small businesses for additional security measures, the Budget creates a $3,000 tax credit for any small businesses who spends the threshold amount of money on retail theft prevention measures.

Governor Hochuls commitment to fighting retail theft in the FY25 Budget builds on core strategies that have driven violent crime to historic lows. As a result of programs like the Gun Involved Violence Initiative (GIVE), which provides funding to local law enforcement in 21 counties outside of New York City, gun crimes have seen dramatic drops. Last quarter, GIVE regions had the lowest number of shootings on record, and New York City had the lowest number of shootings in any quarter since the pandemic. Since 2021, murders statewide are down 30 percent.

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, We will continue to leverage our law enforcement partnerships to further ongoing efforts to prevent thieves from targeting the hard-working citizens of New York. The State Police is fully engaged on this issue and will not tolerate individuals responsible for stealing millions of dollars in merchandise, victimizing both retailers and the public. I thank Governor Hochul for her continued support, and the New York State Police stands ready to commit the resources necessary to ensure the success of this initiative.

State Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton said, I advocated for this measure to raise the penalty of assaulting a retail worker to a felony because I understand just how important it is to protect New Yorkers from violent crimes. This provision in the budget reaffirms our dedication as legislators to protecting our small businesses and their workers across New York, who are just trying to make ends meet. I'm happy to have collaborated with Governor Hochul to ensure this measures inclusion in this budget.

Assemblymember Manny De Los Santos said, "I commend Governor Hochul for being a steadfast champion on the pervasive issue of retail theft and ensuring we protect our retail workers and the communities they serve through strong policy in the adopted budget. I took on the issue of retail theft after hearing from my local supermarkets and bodegas about their daily fight against this issue and their pleas for protection. Together, we created a proposal with practical steps to support businesses in this fight, and I feel confident these policies will have a major impact for employees and small businesses across New York City and the State."

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said, "New York City has made remarkable progress combatting violence in our communities, and I commend Governor Hochul and the Legislature for their leadership to stop retail theft and protect retail employees in this years State Budget. This legislation marks an important step in our ongoing efforts to ensure safety and security for New Yorkers and the inclusion of funding to build on successful anti-theft programs, including our trespass affidavit program to stop repeat offenders, signals a robust commitment to tackling shoplifting head-on. Working together, we are making a clear statement: our communities and the hardworking individuals who serve them deserve to operate in environments free from lawlessness and fear."

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said, We must do everything in our power to fight back against retail theft to support local businesses, their workers and shoppers. Thank you to Governor Hochul for giving us additional tools to help us combat shoplifting including increased penalties for the crime of assaulting a retail worker. Our communities thrive when local businesses thrive and we will continue to work towards creating a secure environment for merchants and residents alike.

Retail Council of New York State President and CEO Melissa OConnor said, The retail industry strongly supports each budget provision related to organized retail crime and habitual retail theft in New York State, as we have prioritized many of these initiatives for years. I want to thank Governor Kathy Hochul for listening to the challenges facing stores and employees, and leading us to a point where we will soon have new laws to effectively prevent this illegal activity. Our work on store and community safety will not stop upon enactment of this years state budget. We will continue to engage with all stakeholders to ensure a safe shopping environment for all New Yorkers.

The Business Council of New York State Inc. Executive Vice President Paul Zuber said, Retail theft has become a major concern for businesses across the state, particularly small businesses with exposed inventory, which is leaving them susceptible to such crimes. We thank the Governor for prioritizing these increased safety measures and for protecting those who provide jobs and contribute to the state and local economies.

The Partnership for New York City President and CEO Kathy Wylde said, Governor Hochul has appropriately zeroed in on stopping rampant retail theft, one of the most visible and unsettling public safety issues in cities across America. Her actions will deter both theft and injury to retail workers, which is important to restoring public confidence in the rule of law.

CAPS Founder Nelson Eusabio said, "We commend Governor Kathy Hochul for not just taking on retail theft, but for delivering for our stores, workers and customers. This state budget is a real win, and it addresses the issue of retail theft head on. Retail workers, who were deemed essential during the pandemic needed help, and we are happy that Governor Hochul and the state legislature have delivered for them."
Remembering the numerous passwords we use on a daily basis can be a real pain. Whether its logging into Amazon to order a new book, checking your online banking or settling down to watch something on Netflix, seeing the log-in box appear can make your heart sink.

Then theres the fact that each site seems to require a different length or combination of certain characters, meaning you need different ones for nearly every site or service (which, sadly, is also a good idea). How are our limited human brains supposed to store all these weird strings of letters, numbers and special characters? All I want to do is stream Star Trek: The Next Generation for the 50th time, not prove my intellectual prowess!

Password managers can help you manage all your passwords and login information across your Mac, iPhone, iPad and other Apple devices. Apple offers iCloud Keychain, but is that the best password manager for Mac and iPhone, or is there another password manager for Apple devices that would do a better job.

PROMOTION RoboForm Premium: Just $0.99/Month! Secure your passwords with RoboForm Premiumnow only $0.99/month, a massive 60% off! Exclusive to Macworld readers. Offer ends soon. Grab it today! $11.90/yr at RoboForm

These carry the burden of remembering everything for you, as you just have to create one master password, after which the app takes care of logging into all other accounts. They even make recommendations for really secure passwords, so you dont rely on the mixture of your birthday and the name of your first pet.

Having only a single login to remember? That sounds good to us.

Need some help coming up with a safe and secure password? Read our tips to make your passwords even stronger.

Updated July 2024 to add Roboform review.

How password managers work

The idea of password managers is to simplify the way you access your various accounts. Instead of having to memorize multiple complex passwords for each of the services you use you need only recall one password  or provide a fingerprint or Face ID  and the password manager will automatically fill in the required details for you. Just remember this is only as safe as the password you use to unlock access to all your passwords  so dont lock them all behind an easy-to-guess password, like your pets name.

The password managers also offer various other features. For example, they can generate random, highly secure passwords for your accounts, they can warn you if your password has been compromised, and some can advise you about existing insecure passwords and support your efforts to update them.

Obviously, security is a high priorityas the manager apps have the virtual keys to your kingdomwhich is why all of the options listed below use high-grade encryption to protect your details.

Many also feature digital wallets so your bank details can be safely stored and used to make purchases online without having to root around in your pocket or bag for the card number and expiry date.

These services dont usually come for free, but many offer trials so you can see if its the solution for you. After that youll need to pay a small monthly fee, but we think thats a price worth paying for only having to keep one password in your brain.

Do you need a password manager? Is iCloud Keychain enough?

But do you need to buy a password manager when there is one in macOS, iOS and iPadOS? Apple provides iCloud Keychain, which will generate secure passwords and enter them for you automatically, all while storing them securely.

iCloud Keychain is incredibly useful, but its a bit basic and lacks some of the features offered by other password managers.

So, if you want to stay safe without having to recall hundreds of passwords, but want more control and features than you get from Apples free offering, heres some of the best alternatives available for Mac, iPhone and iPad users.

For more ways to keep your data safe be sure to also read our Best Mac security tips article.

Best Password Managers for Mac and iPhone
Imagine it's a Sunday night - the kind of rainy Sunday you'd usually spend watching a movie and scoffing a feed with your significant other - except you're now broken up.

You're wondering what they're up to.are they sad? Have they moved on? Do they still make those yum nachos you liked so much?

You've been so good lately, muting them on Insta so you don't see their stories and you haven't stalked their TikTok for ages. Surely a little look wouldn't hurt?

Then suddenly, it hits you - 'user not found'. That's right, you've been blocked. Owch, that's gotta hurt.

You probably feel gutted about this, and you might even start to panic - social media can feel like the last way you can keep tabs on your ex, and if they've shut that door, things REALLY must be over.

It's totally understandable that you might wanna throw your phone in the toilet - but before you do, let us tell you: This is actually a good thing.

Kiwi TikToker 'Breakups with Connor' puts it pretty well when he explains that there's three really good reasons why being blocked by your ex is actually a win:

#1. It's the ultimate form of flattery - If they didn't care about you, they wouldn't have to take that step. It shows they're trying to stop thinking about you, just like you are with them.

#2. It stops you making poor decisions - you can't send a spur of the moment story reply if you're blocked, and you can't accidentally like one of their photos, exposing yourself.

#3. It speeds up the healing process - without the option to check in on your ex all the time, you're free to focus on yourself, work through your feelings without external distractions and rebuilding your own life. Maybe you can work on perfecting your own nacho recipe?

It's gonna feel a bit yucky for a while, but you'll soon find you're way happier living your own life than you are watching somebody else's, and the truth is, you probably ain't missing much over on their page.
If you're on TikTok, you know this guy.

British TikTok user Curls came through to the Mai HQ, to chat about his incredible foodtok (food TikTok) journey so far.

He's got heaps of videos trying out different kai from different parts of the world.

Nickson had to ask which culture's cuisine was Curls' favourite. After giving a big shoutout to hangi, he officially revealed that Samoan food is his favourite so far.

For someone unfamiliar with him, this is how he describes the sort of content he creates:

"I'd love to say it was anything different other than Aotearoa. But it's literally just every last nook and cranny of this country."

"I've been here for four years. And roughly 18 months ago, I thought to myself, 'okay, I've seen enough videos of the mountains of Queenstown and yeah they're obviously gorgeous of course,' they are but living down in Wellington, I spent a bit of time in Porirua for work and I thought to myself, 'hang on a minute, these places aren't being shown'."

'Thought to myself these stories aren't being told. These foods aren't being promoted in the way they should be. So I just fell in love with the place, and I guess I thought the world should know about us" Curls told the Mai Morning Crew.

From his first video blowing up to getting the hood pass, and going full-time on content creation, he's really made it!

There's no camera crew, nothing. It's just him and his $20 selfie stick - yup probably the only person who's still rocking them.

Check out the full chat above.
Manchester, VT (05254)

Today

Showers this morning, becoming a steady rain during the afternoon hours. High around 45F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Low 42F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
Boston may be known for its vibrant seafood scene and its authentic Italian food, but theres so much more to the citys culinary climate than meets the eye (or stomach).

Its not just seafood and Italian. Theres great Vietnamese, omakase, Peruvian and even bagels worth seeking out, wrote The New York Times in its list of The 25 Best Restaurants in Boston Right Now published Monday, April 15.

The list was part of the Times Where to Eat: 25 Best series which highlights staff members favorite restaurants in cities across the country. The list of the best Boston restaurants is as follows:

Bagels, sandwiches and small bites

Next time you want a bagel, consider getting one from Bagelsaurus in Porter Square, which was described as a warm circular baguette by the Times. Cuttys in Brookline Village was also praised for its spectacular sandwiches while the tasting menu at Mooncusser in Back Bay was applauded for its global eclecticism.

New American vibes

At Field & Vine in Union Square, diners can expect an unassuming menu of inventiveness with items like a tuna crudo pounded into a 12-inch LP with candied pistachios and rhubarb vinaigrette, or potatoes deep-fried into a hash-brown brick topped with house-smoked mackerel and garlic spread, the Times wrote.

The outlet also said the standout dish at Pammys in Central Square is a luscious, smoky pasta thats equal parts braised tripe and wavy mafaldine noodles, an incomparable bowl of squiggly goodness.

Asian offerings

The Eaves in Union Square, Sumiao Hunan Kitchen in Kendall Square, Banh Mi Ba Le in Dorchester, Mahaniyom in Brookline Village, O Ya in Downtown Boston, Ming Seafood Restaurant in Quincy and Yume Ga Arukara in Porter Square and Seaport were all Asian-inspired spots to make the list. Nightshade Noodle Bar in Lynn got praise for its French-Vietnamese-Southern tasting menu, featuring items like foie gras glazed with fish-sauce caramel and a grilled cardinal prawn doused with a Viet-Cajun butter of garlic and lemongrass.

Mediterranean menus

Sarma in Winter Hill was praised for its fusion of Eastern Mediterranean and southern American cuisines as seen in items like jalapeno cornbread with feta and poutine with porcini gravy, fried halloumi curds and celery-root fries. Sofra Bakery and Cafe in Cambridge was also highlighted for its blend of Turkish, Lebanese and Greek offerings. Restaurants on the list that specialized in Italian food included Via Cannuccia in Dorchester, Tonino in Jamaica Plain and Giulia in Porter Square. Additionally Toro in the South End, which focuses on Spanish cuisine, and Bar Vlaha in Brookline, a Greek restaurant, also made the list.

Seafood specialties

The NYTs top seafood spots around Boston included Belle Isle Seafood in Winthrop, Neptune Oyster in the North End and Row 34 in Fort Point and other locations. The outlet said the latters lobster rolls, while pricey, are superlative and that Neptune Oyster is as much a part of Boston as tour guides in tricorn hats and Go, Sawx! the newspaper reported.

South American and African

The beauty at Peruvian restaurant Celeste in Union Square is present in both the restaurants interior and food. The clean lines of the furniture, the room lit in cobalt blue and the restaurants neon sign all make you feel youre at a modern art exhibition doubling as a Peruvian restaurant, the Times wrote. Then the ceviche arrives in an arrangement that looks architecturally engineered. Meanwhile the beauty at Comfort Kitchen in Dorchester is shown through its zigzagging through countries and flavors from Indian, Jamaican and African.

You can see what else The New York Times had to say about each restaurant here.
(*This story and its headline were updated at 9:40 a.m. on Thursday, April 18, 2024 to more accurately describe the nature of Paragonixs SherpaPak device.)

The SherpaPak cardiac transplant device by Paragonix Technologies, Inc., a Waltham-based company. Image courtesy of Paragonix Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.Paragonix Technologies, Inc.

Once a human heart is outside the body, every second counts. And thats true no matter how carefully a transplant surgeon has laid it over ice cubes in a waiting plastic cooler, or how clean and sterile the operating room was.

Those frigid, bloodless moments in a transplant teams care can determine whether that donor heart will survive.

For as long as heart transplant has been a discipline, we have been racing against the clock, said Massachusetts General Hospitals heart transplant surgery and ventricular devices director and lead investigator, David DAlessandro.

Read more: UMass Chan unveils first lab to monitor AI use in health care simulations

But one Massachusetts biotechnology company said it might be nearing that races finish line.

Paragonix Technologies, Inc., the Waltham-based self-described pioneer in organ transplant technologies and services, announced the results on Friday of its study, which it said proves its cardiac transplant device, known as the SherpaPak, has statistically improved the survival rate of donor hearts two years after surgery, for the first time.

The company presented the evidence to back that up at the 44th major international conference focused on treatment of end-stage heart and lung disease by the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplant.

The gold standard transplant method of three plastic bags and an ice box has traditionally involved a donor organ submerged in several bags filled with saline  not unlike the core of a Russian nesting doll set  before its put in a cooler.

Though thats the accepted approach, the organs usually get cooled unevenly or too cold, are jostled and could be damaged by what they touch.

For hearts, this can result in primary graft failure, or when the donor heart cant properly do its job to pump blood in its new body, according to an article published in the journal of Heart, Lung and Vessels.

Paragonixs SherpaPak has been in operating rooms since 2018. Instead of ice, hearts are encased in a cylinder filled with a cold liquid, which is then locked in a larger, boxy container to keep the organ between 39.2 F and 46.4 F, the viable temperature range.

A rendered image of the SherpaPak, with a cutaway to show how the heart is packed inside the container. Image courtesy of Paragonix Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.Paragonix Technologies, Inc.

SherpaPak had already impressed doctors with how the donor hearts felt pliable and performed better immediately, Scott Silvestry, a lead investigator and renowned cardiac surgeon.

And as of Friday, its publicly proven to be saving lives in a game-changing breakthrough.

With evidence of superior survival 2 years after surgery, the average number of transplants required for a transplant center to see an impact on the survival of their patients is only 22 procedures, Silvestry said in a release.

We are now talking about saving lives and any given program can save 1-5 lives per year in the survival difference alone, Silvestry said.

At the conference, Paragonix discussed how it studied two groups, each of 362 heart transplant patients from across the country, to compare the two-year survival rates of SherpaPak against the conventional ice cooler.

The study showed those who received hearts that used SherpaPak had a 5% increase in survival after two years, which actually shows a 43% decrease in two-year mortality rates.

Additionally, 39% less of patients had to go on ECMO or use ventricular assistant devices, and there was a 44% decrease in severe right ventricular dysfunction. There was also a 50% decrease in severe primary graft dysfunction, and in needing the use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) within 24 hours after surgery, with a 32% MCS reduction need overall.

DAlessandro said the findings showed that hearts performed better in a SherpaPak than on ice while its blood supply was cut off before it was reconnected, whether its simply one hour or very long-distance procurements.

The Massachusetts company added these advantages are increasingly important in todays modern era of just how far a doctor will physically go for their patient to get a new heart.
Red Lobster is considering filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, according to a report.

The seafood chain is considering a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing as it looks to restructure its debt, according to a Bloomberg report citing people with knowledge of the matter.

The chain is looking to rid itself of some long-term contracts and renegotiate leases, but the company hasnt made a final decision yet, Bloomberg reported.

Chapter 11 bankruptcy provides businesses or large investors with protection from creditors while they continue operating and develop a repayment plan. Both creditors and owners must agree on a reorganization plan, which ultimately must be approved by a federal bankruptcy judge. Red Lobster would be able to continue operating during Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Red Lobster opened its first restaurant in 1968 in Florida. The chain has more than 30 restaurants In Pennsylvania, including locations in Lower Paxton and Hampden townships.

Several large chains have filed for bankruptcy in the past year including JoAnn Fabrics, Rite Aid, Christmas Tree Shops, Davids Bridal, Soft Surroundings, and Bed, Bath & Beyond. Christmas Tree Shops, Soft Surroundings, and Bed, Bath & Beyond closed. Overstock.com purchased the Bed, Bath & Beyond name and rebranded to Bed, Bath & Beyond.
Two people who were hospitalized following a crash in Framingham Wednesday night are both in critical but stable condition, the Framingham Police Department announced.

Police arrived at the area of 483 Edgell Road at around 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday for a single car crash into a telephone pole, the department said in a short statement.

Of the two people found at the crash site, one man was flown to a Boston-area hospital by a medical helicopter while one woman was driven by ambulance to a Boston-area hospital, police said.

Both individuals are in critical but stable condition, police confirmed.

The car appeared to split in half following the impact, and video from the area showed debris scattered in the road, according to WCVB-TV.

Framingham Police shut down the area after the crash, but it had since reopened as of Thursday morning.
Millions of current and former AT&T customers could see new protections in place in the weeks after a massive data breach left those customers exposed.

On March 30, AT&T announced that a dataset found on the dark web contained personal information like Social Security numbers, passcodes, names, email and mailing addresses, phone numbers and more from about 7.6 million current account holders and 65.4 million former account holders.

In the wake of the incident, AT&T said it notified affected customers whose personal information was compromised. Weeks later, it said it will offer more to those customers.

Following the breach, AT&T said it had reset passcodes and reached out to customers whose information was compromised about free identity theft and credit monitoring services. The company asked customers to keep a regular eye on their banking information and activity.

In a statement to KPRC-TV in Houston, AT&T will start offering:
After teachers in Newton made history when they walked off the job for two weeks, the longest teachers strike in decades in Massachusetts, a new poll has found a majority of residents in the state support making strikes legal.

Teachers strikes in the state are illegal, though that didnt stop teachers in Newton  and elsewhere  from striking anyway. Teachers in Andover, Malden, Brookline, Woburn and Haverhill all launched strikes of their own in recent years, though none of those strikes lasted as long as Newtons.

The poll from GBH, CommonWealth Beacon, and the MassINC Polling Group found exactly half  50% of the more than 1,000 people surveyed  supported making strikes legal. Of those surveyed, 34% opposed making strikes legal.

The poll was conducted from March 21 to March 29, with a margin of error of 3.4%.

Earlier this year, proposals in the state Legislature that would have granted teachers the right to strike legally failed to advance out of committee despite support from the Massachusetts Teachers Association, the largest teachers union in the state.

The state House and Senate bills, which have failed to move forward in prior legislative sessions, would have allowed public employees to strike after six months of unsuccessful negotiations with their employers, according to State House News Service.

During a hearing last October, union leaders from Massachusetts and beyond told lawmakers the right to strike was a badly needed tool when local bargaining units face what they believe are bad-faith negotiating tactics by school committees.

It is shameful when a school district refuses to pay a living wage to the educators working with vulnerable and high-needs students, MTA Vice President Deb McCarthy said at the time. I met women on the picket lines who were dedicating their lives to students yet were struggling to make ends meet and worrying about having a dignified retirement and felt totally unheard by their school committees or mayors until they went on strike.

One union leader said it took a strike to bring the School Committee to the bargaining table.

The school committees inaction was hurting everyone  the students, the educators and the community, Deb Gesualdo, a union leader in Malden, said in 2023. It wasnt until we went on strike that the school committee took bargaining seriously.

The walkout in Newton focused national attention on the suburban Boston school district, and raised larger questions of whether teachers in other Bay State communities might deploy walkouts as a negotiating tool, MassLive previously reported.

It shows communities that strikes are possible, but it also shows that communities do not appreciate strikes, Glenn Koocher, the executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, told MassLive.

Still, evidence suggests legalizing strikes could make them more common.

In Pennsylvania, where teachers strikes are legal, 138 such walkouts occurred between 1999 and 2018, the most in the nation, according to the Commonwealth Foundation.

In 2012, a Mother Jones tally found there had been 839 teachers strikes across the U.S. over the previous 40 years. Of those, 740 were in Pennsylvania, the magazine reported.

And, Thomas Scott, the co-executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, told GBH strikes could have an adverse impact on learning and school community.

There are a lot of implications for how it really impacts the culture of relationships, between school committee, administrators, teachers, families, parents and even their relationship with the school, he told the station. In some cases, the longer a strike occurs, those damages become even more significant.



Material from previous MassLive stories was used in this report.
The Satanic Temple is profoundly grateful to its community after receiving an outpouring of support following a bombing incident on April 8.

At about 4:14 a.m. on April 8, a man wearing all black and a tan-colored tactical vest and gloves approached The Satanic Temple in Salem and threw a pipe bomb at the main entrance, according to a news release by the U.S. Attorneys Office.

The bomb, identified as an improvised explosive device or IED, partially blew up and caused minor fire and related damages to the exterior of The Satanic Temple, which also functions as an art gallery.

A man wearing a tactical vest threw a pipe bomb at The Satanic Temple in Salem on April 8, 2024, the U.S. Attorney's Office for Massachusetts said. An Oklahoma man was arrested in connection with the incident.U.S. Attorney's Office for Massachusetts

The pipe bomb appeared to have been constructed from a section of plastic pipe covered with metal nails, which were attached to the pipe with tape, according to charging documents. The inside of the pipe was filled with a powder-like substance which investigators preliminarily determined as smokeless gunpowder.

A single human hair was reportedly found on the pipe bomb containing the DNA profile of a white Caucasian male, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

A six-page handwritten note was found in a flower bed next to where the pipe bomb was found.

On Wednesday, Sean Patrick Palmer, 49, of Perkins, Okahoma, was arrested and faces charges related to the incident, according to acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levys Office for Massachusetts.

Investigators obtained surveillance footage that reportedly identified a black Volvo sedan registered to Palmer that drove erratically in the vicinity of the temple before and after the bombing, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

They also found a photograph of Palmer, a white Caucasian male, posted to social media showing him wearing a tan-color tactical vest like the one worn by the suspect in the surveillance footage.

Charging documents also state that Palmer purchased PVC pipe on April 3 that matched the pipe used to construct the bomb from a home improvement retailer in Oklahoma.

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Salem Police Department and Federal Investigators for their tireless efforts and dedication, which led to this apprehension, The Satanic Temple wrote on Facebook.

The Satanic Temple, which opened its first official headquarters in Salem in 2016, and its members dont view Satan as an evil figure, but as one who dared question authority. The group mostly advocates for the separation of church and state and is known for attempting to get its one-ton goat-headed idol statue put next to the 10 Commandments monument on public grounds.

The Satanic Temple headquarters moved into a Victorian-style home that was once a funeral parlor. The temple has a one-ton statue of Baphomet in back.

The Satanic Temple also thanked the Salem community.

Furthermore, we wish to express our profound gratitude to the Salem community for the outpouring of support we have received during this challenging period. We deeply appreciate all who continue to stand with us as we navigate the ongoing developments in this case, it read.

Many wrote on previous Facebook posts that they were glad everyone was safe.

Glad no one was harmed, Katana Sherrow wrote. My husband and I have traveled to Salem twice now to see the Temple. Sad that people feel the need to do such things.

Sending you love and comfort. I hope no one was hurt during this time and nothing was damaged beyond repair, Danian White wrote. Im so sorry people are so hateful. Its what happens to good people trying to do good things for others. Ignorance is such a disease.

Palmer is charged with using an explosive to cause damage to a building used in interstate or foreign commerce. He is scheduled to make an initial appearance in the Western District of Oklahoma on Thursday. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

Luis Fieldman contributed to this reporting.
A new Harvard University poll of young voters out Thursday reinforces what President Joe Bidens re-election campaign knows as sure as it knows the Acela schedule between Delaware and Washington D.C.

And thats young voters, who came out big in 2020 and 2022, remain as key as ever to both Bidens, and hence, Democrats electoral fortunes, as they look to hold onto the White House, expand their margins in the U.S. Senate, and erase a narrow Republican margin in the U.S. House.

The good news for Biden in the poll of 2,010 voters aged 18 to 29 by the Institute of Politics at Harvards Kennedy School is that hes leading former President Donald Trump 45% to 37%, with 16% undecided, according to the poll.

There are some subtleties in those numbers as well. Among registered voters, Biden leads Trump 50%-37%; and among likely voters aged 30 and younger, the lead increases to 56%-37% over Trump, according to the poll.

The bad news for Biden, and thus, Democrats, is that support among young voters is a lot softer than it was in 2020, when Biden had a 23-point lead over Trump among all young adults, and a 30-point edge among likely voters aged 30 and younger.

When you factor in Green Party hopeful Jill Stein (a Harvard alumna), and independents Cornel West (a Harvard faculty member) and Robert F. Kennedy (also a grad), Bidens lead over Trump also narrows, according to the poll.

The poll, conducted from March 14 to March 21, sampled the opinions of 1,051 likely voters, the cohort most likely to turn up at the polls. The overall margin of error was 3.02%.

So whats going on? A few things.

Problem One: As is the case with older voters, sentiment about the future of the country tends to be a pretty good barometer of the mood of the younger electorate.

Pummeled by the pandemic, an uncertain economy, rising housing prices, and a spiraling cost of living, the respondents in the new Harvard poll are in a pretty sour mood.

Only 9% of young Americans believe the country is headed in the right direction, according to the poll. In spring 2020, 21% of those same voters said the nation was headed in the right direction.

Young people today have clear concerns about where our country is headed, the Harvard institutes director, Setti Warren, said in a statement. From worries about the economy, foreign policy, immigration, and climate, young people across the country are paying attention and are increasingly prepared to make their voices heard at the ballot box this November.

Problem Two: Respondents to the poll overwhelmingly support (51%) a cease-fire in Israels ongoing war with the terrorist group Hamas. And nearly a third, (32%) say they believe the response by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netayahus government was unjustified.

Biden, who has called for Israel to temper its actions in Gaza, nonetheless has faced criticism for his support of Israels prosecution of the conflict. Thats cost him support among progressives, who make up a key part of the Democratic base.

Indeed, a Politico-Morning Consult poll released earlier this week hammered that home, with around a third (33%) of Democratic voters saying they believe Biden hasnt been hard enough on Israel.

Problem Three: An enthusiasm gap. While a clear majority of respondents say they definitely plan to vote this fall, that cleaves pretty markedly along party lines.

Three-quarters of Trumps youth backers (76%) say they enthusiastically support their candidate, compared to 44% of Biden voters who say the same thing.

Again, those numbers track the mood of the nation. In a New York Times/Siena College poll released last month, Trump won the support of 97% of voters who backed him in 2020, compared to 83% of Bidens supporters.

But heres the one big thing that should worry Trump and his supporters, especially as the former presidents first criminal trial got underway in New York City this week. Three more criminal actions also are pending.

If the Republican is found guilty in any of them, Bidens lead among all young voters jumps from 8 points to 18 points; his lead among young registered voters rises from 13 points to 21 points, and his lead among young, likely voters increases from 19 points to 28 points, according to the poll.

As the Biden/Trump rematch takes shape, we see strong levels of engagement and interest in voting among young Americans, Harvard polling director John Della Volpe said in a statement.

Make no mistake, this is a different youth electorate than we saw in 2020 and 2022, and young voters are motivated by different things, Della Volpe said. Economic issues are top of mind, housing isa major concern  and the gap between young mens and young womens political preferences is pronounced.
SPRINGFIELD  Moving applicants who did not meet agreed-upon qualifications to the next stage of the superintendent search could put the School Committee in legal jeopardy, according to a legal opinion.

The opinion also questioned if two members violated the states Open Meeting Law by holding a brief email discussion about changing the screening process. The discussion was halted by a third member who warned them further debate could violate the law.
Friends and family of Eileen Monaghan  a 48-year-old Chicopee woman who prosecutors say was stabbed and killed by her boyfriend in Holyoke early Sunday morning  are sharing remembrances of the long-time public employee and girls sports coach.

Ill never understand  you were beautiful, funny, so giving, loved family more than anything else in this world. The brutal way you were taken away from all of us is a trauma no one in this family will ever truly recover from, one of her family members wrote in a Facebook post on Monday. We are devastated you are gone. I love you Eileen and wed all give absolutely anything to have you back with us.
A 35-year-old Springfield man who prosecutors say orchestrated the thefts of hundreds of catalytic converters from across New England pleaded guilty to numerous criminal charges in federal court in Boston, acting U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Joshua S. Levys office announced Wednesday.

Rafael Davila pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce, interstate transportation of stolen property, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit bank theft, and bank theft, Levys office said in a statement.

Davila is the final person to plead guilty in the case, as his six other co-defendants have already done so. Three of the six have already been sentenced. Davilas sentencing is set for July 30.
Mayo Sinn Fein TD Rose Conway-Walsh revealed that cancellations at Mayo University Hospital reached 915 last year, according to new data released to Sinn Fein by the HSE.

Teachta Conway-Walsh said: The Government is failing to tackle hospital overcrowding, which is leading to record levels of cancellations.

The figure included the cancellation of over 645 procedures, 211 inpatient surgeries and 270 outpatient consultations.

The TD said the Governments lack of a plan for overcrowding is having a direct impact on waiting lists through cancellations. She also said the Government was shifting the problem from emergency departments to waiting lists, leaving patients waiting longer for access to care.

13 years of Varadkar, Harris, and Donnelly have made the health service worse. They have decimated local health services and created a crisis in our hospitals in Mayo.

Sinn Fein has a plan for the health service to improve access, tackle hospital overcrowding, and reduce lengthy waiting lists. We would deliver 3,000 hospital and community beds to tackle overcrowding and inefficiency; end the recruitment embargo and train more health care professionals to safely staff the health service; and invest in better local health services including GP care and a pharmacy first model, she added.

Ms Conway-Walsh said her party would fast-track elective centres in order to separate unscheduled, emergency care from scheduled surgeries and procedures.

She continued: We would also invest in home support, community step-down beds in places like Belmullet, Ballina and Swinford, and diagnostic capacity so that patients can be discharged home or to a supported care setting when they are ready, and to ensure that patients experiences are not delayed by lengthy waiting lists for scans.

Simon Harris will not fix in ten months the disaster which Fine Gael have created over 13 years. Its time for a Health Minister who will stand up for people and deliver the change that the health service needs, she concluded.
A new walking trail along Mayos scenic north Atlantic coast has moved one step closer to realisation.

Councillors from the Ballina Municipal District granted Part 8 approval for a 15-kilometre walking trail which will straddle various scenic landmarks along the countys northern coast.

The Ceide Coastal Path will linking the Ceide Fields Neolithic site and the Wild Atlantic Way Signature Discovery Point at Downpatrick Head.

The construction of the trail will involve the installation of trailhead, trailhead signage, safety/way marker signage, safety fencing, gates and stiles, improvement of underfoot conditions.

Agreement has already been reached with landowners whose land will be used to construct the walkway.

A total of 27 landowners were involved in the project, which will be funded by 50,000 the Outdoor Recreation Improvement Scheme (ORIS) but will require further funding to complete.

Proposing the Part 8 for the project at the monthly meeting of Ballina Municipal District, local county councillor Jarlath Munnelly described the Part 8 approval as a huge step for the project.

I dont think it should be underestimated the importance of this step, because you look at the other part of the county [the Murrisk Greenway] and a recreational project, people are at loggerheads over it, Cllr Munnelly said.

Cllrs Michael Loftus and John OHara welcomed the approval of the project but said that toilets needed to be installed at the amenity.

Cllr Loftus called for Failte Ireland to provide funding to install toilets in the locality.

Ive always said the toilet facilities at Downpatrick Head need to be upgraded badly. For this to be a good success toilets need to be put into it, said Cllr Loftus.

Its great for me. If I want to go to the toilet all I have to do is go out in the sea when Im out diving. For the poor people at Downpatrick Head its not that easy.

Independent councillor Mark Duffy hailed the project as an example of good cooperation between landowners and the local community.

If we try and impose things on landowners and villages, thats when you get peoples backs up, whereas this is coming from the grassroots and it will be a great project, Cllr Duffy said.

The Ceide Coast Community group welcomed the approval of the walkway in social media post where they thanked local landowners for their cooperation.

Our group are extremely proud to have initiated and worked on this project for the past six years and are now looking forward to that vision becoming reality.
by Fern Siegel , April 18, 2024

Creative executive Karan Dang and UX/UI expert Shruti Dang have launched Dang, a creative consultancy targeting next-generation consumers.

Dang will focus on strategy, creative, social and AI efforts to empower brands and drive growth in an evolving digital landscape for Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences.

"Modern creative brands must navigate at the pace of culture, anchoring their brand experience around the largest growing audience: Gen Z," said Karan Dang. "Gen Z defies a singular mold. They are multi-dimensional. Rather than bombarding them with ads, we should strive to cultivate authentic relationships through experiences and formats that resonate with their lifestyle, found on social platforms, gaming realms and experiential engagements."

Dang developed its own a blueprint for marketers, a user-centric process it calls Next-Gen Centricity. It has also built a team of 100+ Next-Gen Centricity experts spanning creative, strategy and culture to produce campaigns.

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Most recently, Karan, an award-winning creative, was head of brand creative at Walmart, where his work focused on building a young, diverse customer base. Prior to joining Walmart, he led Disneys 250-person, in-house agency Yellow Shoes, creating marketing programs for Disney Parks experiences and consumer products.

During this years Super Bowl, Karan partnered with Special U.S. to lead social strategy for Uber Eats. His career started at traditional agencies, including 180LA, Deutsch LA and TBWA/Singapore.

Previously, Shruti Dang served as a project leader in UX-UI design and product development at BlackLine, a fintech company.

From social, sharable video to social commerce, new formats are constantly emerging and CMOs are tasked to stay up-to-date to connect with younger audiences," she said. "Dang can help them assess new formats for relevance and go on to implement creative, category-leading campaigns on time, at scale.
by Fern Siegel , April 18, 2024

Have you ever heard of Marmite?

An English breakfast spread made of yeast extract, its flavor is an acquired taste. But a new cross-border campaign created by adam&eveDDB London and New York calls on loyal fans in the U.K. to spread the love.

"Smugglers" illustrates the extreme lengths people go to smuggle jars into the U.S., where British expats are desperate for it.

In a recruitment campaign that has been running across OOH, social, radio and TV, Marmite is inviting people flying from London to New York to become Marmite smugglers. They can contact the brand via WhatsApp.

Phone kiosks and poster sites carry the recruitment messages in London. On radio, a distorted voice asks for volunteers. A 90-second spot highlights the lengths Marmite smugglers will go to share the product. Within the first 48 hours, Marmite received more than 500 applicants willing spread the Marmite passion.

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Laura Iliffe, brand manager at Marmite, said: By spreading the love and becoming smugglers, Marmite lovers have done a truly heroic deed for British expats.

Lena Portchmouth, marketing manager at Marmite, added: Marmite-lovers share a bond and a sense of adventure, and they will go to great lengths for each other. Im sure the limited number of Smuggler jars will be seen as a badge of honor within the Marmite community.

Adam&eveDDB's client list includes Amazon, Lucozade, CALM, PlayStation, Eurostar, H&M and Lloyds Bank.
by Colin Kirkland , April 17, 2024

TikTok, which popularized short-form video across the globe, has begun rolling out its new photo-sharing app -- a competitor to apps like Metas Instagram -- in select markets, including iOS and Android users in Canada and Australia.

The TikTok Notes experience is designed for those who would like to share and engage through photo content, the ByteDance-owned company posted on X, adding that this rollout marks the early stages of experimenting with a dedicated space for photo and text content with the app.

Listings on Apples App Store as well as the Google Play Store make clear that some of the apps features are not available on Instagram, including the ability to type headlines for images above the users photo-caption.

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The screenshots show that posts appear on the home page in two-column grids -- similar to the look of Pinterest -- with a page where users can view posts from people they follow and another For You page.

Users are also allowed to post multiple photos through a carousel post, very similar to Instagram.

In the highly competitive social-media landscape, tech companies have made big business by copying each others most successful ideas.

Meta, in particular, has gained a reputation for this strategic behavior, especially with its launch of Reels, the TikTok-ified short-form video feature, and its new video player.

Earlier this month, when TikTok first announced the new photo-sharing app, it was clear that the social media giant was taking a note from Metas playbook, copying Instagram despite the inclusion of image and text posts in TikToks original app.

No future information has been announced with regard to the future release of TikTok Notes.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, April 17, 2024

A federal appeals court has sided with mobile gaming platform Skillz in a dispute over whether it misled investors by allegedly failing to disclose information about potential weaknesses in its business.

In an opinion issued Tuesday, a panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Richard Seeborg, who dismissed the claims against Skillz last year.

The ruling grew out of a 2021 lawsuit by four Skillz shareholders who alleged in a class-action complaint that the company misled investors by failing to report information that could be perceived as negative. For instance, Skillz allegedly failing to report that download rates of top games declined in the second half of 2020 and first quarter of 2021, according to the complaint.

Skillz also allegedly touted that it could host synchronous game play, but could only handle synchronous game playing on the most basic level and lacked the technological capabilities to handle high-quality synchronous games and genres, according to the complaint.

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Seeborg ruled that the allegations in the complaint, even if true, wouldn't support a claim that Skillz made false or misleading statements.

The 9th Circuit agreed.

The federal securities laws do not create an obligation to disclose all potential kinks in a software program and the failure to disclose such kinks does not render general positive statements about the program false, the appellate judges wrote.

They added that the complaint's allegations, even if true, wouldn't prove that Skillz misled investors by failing to reveal declining downloads for top games.

The download rate for any particular game would be naturally subject to fluctuation over time, the judges wrote, adding that even if download rates dropped, aggregate downloads and revenue could still grow.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, April 18, 2024

Privacy officials overseas appeared to express disapproval of Meta's decision to require European Facebook and Instagram users to choose between accepting online ad targeting or paying subscription fees for ad-free versions of the services.

In most cases, it will not be possible for large online platforms to comply with the requirements for valid consent if they confront users only with a binary choice between consenting to processing of personal data for behavioral advertising purposes and paying a fee, the European Data Protection Board said in a non-binding opinion issued Wednesday.

The opinion comes nearly six months after Meta said it would charge residents of the European Union, European Economic Area and Switzerland monthly fees for ad-free versions of Facebook and Instagram on Android or iOS operating systems. People in those areas who didn't pay fees could continue to access the services, but only if they accepted personalized ads, Meta said in October.

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Soon after Meta launched the subscription services, the privacy group noyb alleged in a complaint filed with Austrian regulators that the company was giving users the exact opposite of a genuinely free choice.

The European Data Protection Board issued its opinion at the request of Dutch, Norwegian and German authorities, who asked the agency to weigh in on whether large platforms can lawfully implement so-called consent or pay approaches to behavioral targeting.

Europe's broad General Data Protection Regulation requires companies to have a valid basis to process residents' data. That standard allows companies to process data if people consent, but only if the consent is freely given.

The European board said in its ruling that requiring people to either consent to behavioral advertising or pay for services should not be the default way forward for controllers.

The board added that large online platforms should offer users a free equivalent alternative to accepting behavioral advertising.
by Dave Morgan , Featured Contributor, April 18, 2024

The most important and consequential thing that you as an American can do today is to write the members of your Congressional delegation (those in the U.S. House of Representatives and both of your U.S. Senators) and urge them to vote in support of the House bill that is about to come before them to provide $60 billion of new aid to Ukraine to help it repel Russian invaders.

I delivered that message this morning in a talk at the LG Client Advisory Board in Miami (an incredible event by an incredible company, by the way), where I was privileged to speak to the group on two of my favorite topics: the future of the connected TV advertising market -- and, how we can all make a difference in the world and help Ukraine.

I arrived in Florida directly from Washington, D.C., where I spent the early part of the week talking to folks on Capitol Hill trying to learn as much as I could about prospects in the House for the foreign aid bills (Ukraine, Israel & Taiwan) and what could be done to help them pass. As Ive written here before, I believe that providing this aid is essential for the United States to promote freedom, democracy and the rule of law, to maximize access to open markets and free trade, and to maintain the countrys important global leadership role.

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Yesterday, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R) announced the foreign aid bills, released their texts and put the bills on a timeline to be voted on the floor by the full House this Saturday, delaying by two days a planned week-long recess for members. Shortly after that announcement, President Joe Biden publicly endorsed the package and called for bipartisan support for its passage.

Without the military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine provided for in the bill, the chances that at some point over the next few years we will see NATO -- and American -- boots on the ground in direct confrontations with Russians and their proxies will go up dramatically.

What can you do to help?

Write Congress. Emails sent to members of Congress are incredibly powerful, much more so that most people think. Their sentiments and counts are tracked and reported internally on a daily basis, and make a big difference. Mail traffic to most Republican House members had been running negative to the Ukraine aid bill until the past few weeks, when they tide shifted and the majority of constituent mail was in support of aid.

You can find your Congress members' email addresses on their official websites, with representatives listed here and senators listed here. Your message can be simple: Identify yourself as a constituent, identify the town, city or township that you live in, ask for her or his support in favor of providing aid to Ukraine, and let them know why you care (supporting freedom, democracy, humanity, etc.).

Please do it today. It can make a real difference, and we dont have much time. Thank you.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, April 18, 2024

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would restrict the government's ability to purchase information about Americans' data -- including information about their online activity, app use and locations.

The Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act (HR 4639) specifically would require federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies to obtain a court order before buying personal information from data brokers, and also prohibit government agencies from purchasing data obtained through deception or violations of a privacy policy.

Federal agencies should not be in the business of purchasing Americans data to bypass warrant requirements -- full stop, Rep. Jerry Nadler, who co-sponsored the bill, said Wednesday on X (formerly Twitter) after the bill passed in the House by a vote of 219-199.

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The measure was first introduced in 2021 in the Senate by Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), and Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), and in the House by Reps. Jerry Nadler (D-New York) and Zoe Lofgren (D-California).

Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), who reintroduced the bill in the House last year, stated on Thursday that the bill would close the data broker loophole that allows federal agencies to purchase Americans data from big tech companies without a court order.

The self-regulatory privacy group Network Advertising Initiative supported the bill when it was first introduced.

The nonconsensual sale of consumer data for law enforcement and foreign intelligence purposes is unethical, it poses a serious privacy threat to consumers, and it ultimately threatens the viability of data-driven advertising, Leigh Freund, the group's CEO and president, stated in April of 2021.

On Wednesday, the digital rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation on Wednesday cheered news of the bill's passage.

In an era when it often seems like Congress cannot pass much-needed privacy protections, this is a victory for vulnerable populations, people who want to make sure their location data is private, and the hard-working activists and organizers who have pushed for the passage of this bill, the organization posted.
by Danielle Oster , April 18, 2024

Wings and beer are an iconic combo, so it seems fitting that a beer brand would partner with a popular series in which celebrities answer hot questions while eating hot wings.

Today, Stella Artois announced an expanded partnership with popular YouTube series Hot Ones with the AB-InBev brand named the first official beer sponsor for the show. The deal kicked off with an episode of Hot Ones featuring Stella Artois brand ambassador Ludacris being interviewed by host Sean Evans and testing his tolerance for increasingly spicy wings.

Both Stella Artois and Hot Ones thrive at the convergence of culture and sharing moments over a meal, so investing in this partnership made a lot of sense, Chris Jones, Anheuser-Busch group vice president of marketing, premium brands, said in a statement. He added the sponsorship would allow the brand to be part of the cultural conversation and reach more audiences in bars around the country, where we will continue to reinforce our reputation as one of the highest quality, sessionable beers in the market."

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The deal allows Stella Artois to reach a wide audience audience of roughly 1.5 billion YouTube viewers, according to First We Feast, the food culture-focused Buzzfeed affiliate that co-produces Hot Ones. Jones says over half of that audience (around 55%) falls within the brands target demographic, while also maintaining a presence in its priority markets.

The sponsorship marks an expansion of the brands initial partnership with Hot Ones, which began last year at First We Feasts Hot Questions Live event hosted by Sean Evans, which featured Ludacris and other celebrities taking a Hot Ones challenge and answering questions, Jones explained.

After seeing the genuine excitement around the partnership, we knew that doubling down was a no-brainer for this year, he told Marketing Daily.

The deal will include brand integration in five episodes of the series, as well as custom content. Additionally, Stella Artois and Hot Ones will partner on a series of live experiences at venues across the country.

This will culminate with a Hot Ones event in Chicago co-hosted by Stella Artois and First We Feast. The brand is being selective in sharing details about the event. According to a release, it will occur at an unspecified iconic location in the city, while featuring an an iconic Stella Artois Global Brand Ambassador and other, similarly unspecified celebrities.

One likely candidate for the role is David Beckham, who joined the brand as a global brand ambassador with a campaign kicking off last month. The brand is offering fans a chance to attend the event through a promotional sweepstakes awarding 10 grand prize winners. According to the official rules for entry, the Hot Ones Live event is scheduled for the week of July 26. That date also happens to be when the MLS Leagues Cup tournament is slated to kick off.
Highlights: Prioritize breakfast options rich in fiber, healthy fats, and essential nutrients

Choose foods like chia seeds, eggs, tofu, and leafy greens to support brain health

Incorporate anti-inflammatory ingredients like turmeric to reduce anxiety and boost energy

Begin Your Day with These Foods

Did You Know?

Eating a brain-boosting breakfast can enhance cognitive function and improve mood, setting the tone for a productive day ahead! #healthybreakfast #brainfood #medindia

Eating a brain-boosting breakfast can enhance cognitive function and improve mood, setting the tone for a productive day ahead! #healthybreakfast #brainfood #medindia

Top 5 Breakfast Choices

Chia pudding

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Chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.): A therapeutic weapon in metabolic disorders



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Scrambled Eggs or Omelet

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Egg consumption reduces the risk of depressive symptoms in the elderly: findings from a 6-year cohort study



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Tofu Scramble

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Soy and Health Update: Evaluation of the Clinical and Epidemiologic Literature



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The methylation, neurotransmitter, and antioxidant connections between folate and depression



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Milk and Turmeric

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Extractability of Curcuminoids Is Enhanced with Milk and Aqueous-Alcohol Mixtures



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Chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.): A therapeutic weapon in metabolic disorders - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36655089/) Egg consumption reduces the risk of depressive symptoms in the elderly: findings from a 6-year cohort study - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36650485/) Soy and Health Update: Evaluation of the Clinical and Epidemiologic Literature - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27886135/) The methylation, neurotransmitter, and antioxidant connections between folate and depression - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18950248/) Extractability of Curcuminoids Is Enhanced with Milk and Aqueous-Alcohol Mixtures - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35956834/)

Dr. Uma Naidoo, a psychiatrist trained at Harvard, as well as a nutrition expert and professional chef, has dedicated over 20 years to studying brain foods, which are food items known to enhance mental fitness . She notes that many popular breakfast choices are high in sugars and simple carbohydrates , leading to an initial spike and subsequent crash in blood sugar levels. Moreover, these options contribute to inflammation around the brain , resulting in brain fog and poor concentration.Naidoo, who serves as the director of Nutritional, Lifestyle, and Metabolic Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, recommends starting the day with a glass of water to combat dehydration and anxiety. She also suggests five breakfast options that not only promote overall health but also enhance mental fitness. Naidoo emphasizes that these choices are abundant in essential nutrients and functional compounds that support improved energy levels, mental clarity, and overall mental health Naidoo advocates for homemade chia seed pudding as a preferred breakfast option. She highlights its high fiber content, which nurtures healthy gut bacteria, leading to reduced inflammation in the microbiome and enhanced gut-brain connection. Additionally, chia seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids , known for their anti-inflammatory properties, which can positively impact mood, cognition, and memory ).Eggs are praised by Naidoo for their abundance of healthy fats, proteins , and vitamins essential for brain health. She notes that egg yolks are particularly rich in vitamin D and serotonin, crucial for maintaining optimal neurotransmitter balance and regulating mood (). Naidoo recommends selecting eggs from pasture-raised, cage-free chickens whenever possible to ensure the highest quality and nutrient purity.Tofu is highlighted as a versatile protein source rich in tryptophan and soy isoflavones (), both associated with reduced depression symptoms. Naidoo suggests a savory tofu scramble seasoned with turmeric, black pepper , and sea salt as an egg alternative.A nutrient-dense green smoothie comprising leafy greens like spinach , berries, clean protein powder (or silken tofu), and a source of healthy fats such as hemp seeds or almond butter is recommended by Naidoo. She underscores the importance of folate in neurotransmitter production and mood regulation, advocating for optimal folate levels for improved mental well-being ().Though not a standalone meal, Naidoo's golden milk turmeric latte is hailed as a nourishing beverage to start the day. Combining unsweetened plant milk with turmeric and a pinch of black pepper yields a potent anti-inflammatory drink () known to alleviate anxiety , enhance energy levels, and promote mental clarity throughout the day.Source-Medindia
Highlights: Environmental contaminants and psychological distress can diminish emotional well-being and lifespan happiness

Cancer diagnosis doesn't significantly reduce emotional happiness, but exposure to carcinogens can

Integrating findings into environmental policies can enhance public health and happiness

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Comparing the risks of environmental carcinogenic chemicals in Japan using the loss of happy life expectancy indicator



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Male infertility Your happiness could be influenced by unexpected factors like environmental pollutants and psychological distress. Explore how these elements shape well-being! #environamentalhealth #emotionalwellbeing #medindia

Male infertility Your happiness could be influenced by unexpected factors like environmental pollutants and psychological distress. Explore how these elements shape well-being! #environamentalhealth #emotionalwellbeing #medindia

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How the Environment Impacts Our Mood

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Environmental Carcinogens Affect Happiness and Lifespan

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Need of Environmental Policies to Help Improve Quality of Life

Comparing the risks of environmental carcinogenic chemicals in Japan using the loss of happy life expectancy indicator - (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935124005413?via%3Dihub)

If maintaining a consistently positive outlook were as simple as the adage "don't worry, be happy," navigating life's challenges would be effortless. However, myriad factors beyond our control can influence our mood, as revealed in a recent study from Osaka University, detailed in Environmental Research ().Researchers at Osaka University unveiled that environmental contaminants have an impact on our emotional well-being and lifespan . They introduced a pioneering risk assessment tool that quantifies "happy life expectancy" (HLE)  the duration of subjective emotional well-being  and "loss of happy life expectancy" (LHpLE), signifying the reduction in positive emotional experiences due to risk exposure.Lead author Michio Murakami suggests that while this tool previously evaluated psychological distress and cancer risk post-Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station incident, its application to gauge the influence of cancer or environmental carcinogens on happiness marks a novel approach.The study, incorporating surveys of Japanese individuals to gauge average happiness by age and gender, aimed to discern if cancer impacts emotional well-being . Surprisingly, findings indicated no significant decrease in emotional happiness among cancer patients, nor did cancer type, history, or stage correlate significantly with emotional happiness. However, exposure to environmental carcinogens like radon, arsenic, and fine particulate matter in the air marginally reduced HLE. Notably, psychological distress wielded a more pronounced impact, diminishing HLE by nearly a year.Lead author Murakami underscores the notable decline in HLE attributed to carcinogen exposure, highlighting the imperative for environmental policies aimed at mitigating such exposure. Integration of these insights into public health policies holds the potential to extend and enrich the quality of life for many individuals.Source-Medindia
Highlights: Male infertility may correlate with increased cancer risk in families

Proactive discussions with healthcare providers are crucial for families navigating male infertility

Further research is needed to establish and understand the link between male infertility and cancer risk

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Describing patterns of familial cancer risk in subfertile men using population pedigree data



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Male infertility might be linked to a higher risk of certain cancers in families. #health #research #medindia

Male infertility might be linked to a higher risk of certain cancers in families. #health #research #medindia

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Health Complications Associated With Male Infertility

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How common is infertility?



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Family Cancer Risks Due to Shared Genetic and Environmental Factors

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Algorithms to Assess Cancer Risk In Families

Empowering Families Dealing With Male Infertility

Describing patterns of familial cancer risk in subfertile men using population pedigree data - (https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/39/4/822/7611874) How common is infertility? - (https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/infertility/conditioninfo/common)

A recent investigation by scientists at Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah (the U) unearthed a notable correlation within families grappling with male infertility: an elevated susceptibility to certain cancers ). This revelation holds promise for tailoring cancer risk evaluations, potentially bolstering cancer prevention strategies.Male infertility affects approximately 9% of men in their reproductive years, as reported by the National Institutes of Health (). Lead investigator Joemy Ramsay, Ph.D., a researcher at Huntsman Cancer Institute and assistant professor in the Division of Urology at the U, underscores the health complications often accompanying male infertility , including cardiovascular ailments, autoimmune disorders premature mortality , chronic illnesses, and cancer. The study aimed to scrutinize whether relatives of these men faced heightened risks for such conditions.Ramsay, with expertise in public health , specializing in occupational and environmental exposures, underscores the study's significance as an initial endeavor to gauge family members' interconnected risk levels for diseases like cancer. The rationale lies in the shared genetic predispositions, environmental influences, and lifestyle factors among family members, facilitating the identification of factors influencing their cancer susceptibility. With a comprehensive assessment of general risk, researchers can delve into etiological factors contributing to specific diagnoses.Leveraging the Utah Population Database, renowned for its extensive genetic and public health data, Ramsay and her team, comprising Heidi Hanson, M.S., Ph.D., Nicola Camp, Ph.D., and Myke Madsen, scrutinized parents, siblings, offspring, and extended relatives of men diagnosed with infertility By analyzing multiple cancer types concurrently, the team devised an algorithm grouping similar traits, unveiling approximately 13 distinct patterns. These patterns were rooted in families sharing analogous multi-cancer risks, departing from the conventional approach of assessing individual cancer types.Ramsay highlights the intricate nature of cancer and subfertility, lauding this methodology for clustering families with similar profiles, facilitating the elucidation of underlying reasons for heightened risks.For families navigating male infertility, these findings may necessitate proactive discussions with healthcare providers. Ramsay underscores the importance of dialogue within families and advocating for concerns during medical consultations.While the precise link remains elusive, Ramsay stresses the significance of initiating discussions with healthcare providers and voicing apprehensions. Further research is imperative to cement the association between male infertility and cancer risk, with the ultimate goal of tailoring treatments, screenings, and preventive measures to individual needs.Source-Medindia
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Comparative effectiveness of generic and brand-name medication use: A database study of US health insurance claims



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An Absolute Need to Educate Patients and Healthcare Providers to boost the use of Generics! #Brandedproducts #Generics #medindia

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Why A Reluctance To Use Generic Products!

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Dynamics Involved in the Debate of Branded vs Generics

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Data Generated by Intelligence Report

The United States, Italy, and Japan together represented about 60% of healthcare providers who believed that patients should be able to select between branded or generic medications, while the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Germany had the lowest average at about 40%. The doctors in the US were prescribing more generic drugs as compared to doctors in Japan and five major European markets (Germany, Italy, France, the UK, and Spain).

How to Overcome the Speculations over Generics!

Briefing by healthcare providers to patients on benefits and potential drawbacks. Educating patients about the thorough chemical testing that is conducted on these products, and also briefing them on the regulatory processes, to give them the assurance on quality and safety of generic products. The regulatory agencies should introduce guidelines for using branded and generic alternatives.

Comparative effectiveness of generic and brand-name medication use: A database study of US health insurance claims- (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6415809/)

Generic drugs and Branded drugs are essentially the same, as they both have the same active ingredient.Generic drugs can provide the same therapeutic advantages as branded drugs at a reduced cost, as they do not have to undergo extensive clinical trials necessary for branded medications. Hence, generic medications are often promoted as a viable solution to control costs within healthcare systems ().Although generics are increasing in popularity, they have not yet achieved widespread use, the foremost reasons for which are concerns like product quality, reluctance by physicians to prescribe generics, and unwillingness of patients to switch to generics.Further, the topic of patients choosing between branded and generic alternatives in healthcare has been an ongoing debate, and hence, there is a lack of agreement among healthcare professionals.While some healthcare professionals emphasize that generic drugs are chemically equivalent and provide the same therapeutic benefits as their branded counterparts, others counter-argue that there could be variations in quality, manufacturing processes, or inactive ingredients that could impact their efficacy. Hence, they are reluctant to prescribe generics.On the other side, the patients too are unwilling to switch to generics, as they have doubts about the quality and efficacy, and would rather use the known branded products.The lack of clarity among healthcare providers compelled GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, to generate data from various perspectives. They used a qualitative research methodology, described by them as Thematic Intelligence.The survey conducted by GlobalData involved 295 healthcare industry professionals from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and Japan. It was conducted between January and March 2024.The main findings of the Intelligence report included the following:The Associate Project Manager in the Pharma section at GlobalData, Shiva Narayan, said, The lack of a strong opinion among physicians regarding patients choice between branded and generic drugs suggests various factors at play influencing physicians' perspectives, such as efficacy, patient preferences, and cost-effectiveness.It is imperative to encourage communication between patients and healthcare providers. The doctors must discuss the benefits and potential drawbacks of both branded and generic products with the patients.Narayana concluded by saying: Overall, promoting shared decision-making, enhancing physician education, and aligning healthcare policies with evidence-based practices can help address the lack of strong opinions among physicians regarding patient choice in medication selection. By doing so, patient outcomes can be optimized while ensuring healthcare affordability and accessibility.To increase the use of generics, the following steps need to be taken:These recommendations would help educate the masses and bring about uniformity in the practices of prescribing generics, as against branded products.Source-Medindia
A group of senators is demanding answers from the Pentagon on how its branches handle allegations of child abuse and mistreatment in the wake of Military.com's reporting that found major gaps in policy and oversight existed in at least three cases of abuse in three different states.

In a letter exclusively provided to Military.com, Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash.; Laphonza Butler, D-Calif.; Alex Padilla, D-Calif.; Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii; and Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, have asked Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to better outline what policies the Pentagon has in place to protect kids, notify parents and what relationship the military has with state agencies.

The letter, sent Thursday, is the latest in a series of steps that Congress and the Pentagon have taken to investigate the issues that were revealed by instances of abuse by day-care staff at Navy facilities at Ford Island Child Development Center near Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in California, as well as by another child at an Army center serving the U.S. Army War College in Pennsylvania.

Read Next: Better Access to Child Care for Military Families Is Aim of New Senate Proposal

Hours after Military.com published its reporting, the Pentagon's top spokesman, Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, said that the Defense Department was requesting an inspector general investigation into the matter. Then on Tuesday, lawmakers, including Murray, grilled the civilian heads of both the Army and Navy over the issues raised in the reporting.

The letter sent by the senators notes that the Pentagon "operates the largest employer-sponsored child care program in the United States" and that it takes care of around 200,000 children of both service members and Defense Department civilians. The lawmakers also stressed that child-care benefits are "crucial" for service members, both in terms of supporting families as well as helping to meet recruiting, retention and readiness goals.

Among the 10 questions posed in the letter to Austin, the senators want to know when the Pentagon is "responsible for responding to safety issues at CDCs and when are state agencies responsible?"

The Navy's policies, for example, mandate that instances of abuse by employees be reported internally to the Family Advocacy Program, or FAP, and outside the military to a state's child protective services, or CPS.

The problem, though, is that CPS officials in both California and Pennsylvania told Military.com that they don't have jurisdiction over military installations and don't handle those cases.

The letter also asks the Pentagon to answer for the problems reported by Army Capt. Jeremy Kuykendall and his wife Kate regarding their infant daughter Isabella, who experienced abuse at the child-care center at Pearl Harbor.

The Kuykendalls said their daughter was abused over the span of three days at the Ford Island day care in 2022. Video from the day care showed the 15-month-old girl being pinched, smothered and thrown up against a wall by two workers. The abuse was severe enough that several doctors later told Isabella's parents that she suffered a concussion, in addition to the other injuries.

"In the Hawaii case, NCIS [Naval Criminal Investigative Service] did not take action until seven months after the incident occurred," the letter says before asking, "why did NCIS take so long to get involved in these cases?"

On Tuesday, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro assured Murray while speaking at a Senate hearing that the sea service "actually learned those lessons and we've applied all those lessons throughout all ... child development centers from two years ago" and that, despite the "numerous policy violations" that they were aware of, training was "conducted and applied across all CDCs in the Navy and Marine Corps today."

Military.com asked Del Toro's office for more details about the remarks and for specific lessons or measures he was referring to, but a Navy spokesman said his office had nothing additional to add beyond his testimony.

Despite the assurances, the letter from the senators asks whether the Navy conducted an investigation into "the Hawaii incident to determine whether personnel, either military or civilian, failed to follow regulatory requirements," and if so, "what were the results of that investigation, and if any compliance errors or omissions were identified, what accountability actions were taken?"

It was only after more than a year of advocacy and pressure by the Kuykendalls that two of the three workers allegedly responsible for Isabella's abuse were charged in a civilian court. Two of the workers involved were also allowed to keep working for five months before one was fired and the other quit.

The family told Military.com that they weren't aware of any other accountability measures that stemmed from their case.

The letter also asks the Pentagon to elaborate on its notification policies and explain if "these policies vary from military service to military service, and if so, why?"

Ultimately, Murray and the senators from California and Hawaii urge the Pentagon "to take immediate and decisive action to address these extraordinarily concerning issues" and note that "failure to act swiftly and effectively could put more children in danger, and will undermine the trust and confidence of service members and their families in the military child care system."

Related: Report on Child Abuse at Military Day Cares Sparks Tough Questions for Navy, Army Leaders on Capitol Hill
After pandemic-related supply issues contributed to cammie shortages in the Marine Corps, the service says that the dark green uniforms are getting back on shelves.

The Marine Corps said it initially started noticing shortages in 2022 of the combat utility uniforms that left exchange stocks empty and Marines having to improvise, including issuing recruits fewer pairs of the Marine pattern, or MARPAT, woodland-camouflage sets.

Leadership in the Corps also gave commanders at the battalion level authorization to let troops wear desert pattern uniforms or flame-resistant sets, also known as FROGs, amid the shortage, a necessary departure from the Corps' typical uniformity standards. Until the shortage is expected to fully end this summer, that authorization stands, according to officials.

Read Next: Better Access to Child Care for Military Families Is Aim of New Senate Proposal

"Currently, recruits are back to a full basis of issue, and the exchanges have adequate stocks of MARPATs on the [Marine Corps Exchange] shelf," Maj. John Parry, a spokesperson for Marine Corps Installations Command, told Military.com on Thursday. "All directives pertaining to mitigating the shortfall remain in place until rescinded."

The service is prioritizing uniform stocking at recruit depots, officer candidate school and other exchanges, also known as the MCX in the Marine Corps. Marines can also place phone orders for uniforms from major Marine Corps bases, or MCBs, Parry said.

"As additional inventory becomes available over the next several months, these items will be shipped to online fulfillment centers," Parry said. "Marines that don't have access to a local MCX uniform store can call the MCB Quantico, MCB Lejeune or MCB Camp Pendleton MCX uniform store and place an order over the phone, and have it shipped to them. At this time, all orders must be pre-paid over the phone."

Military.com contacted the supplier of the uniforms, American Apparel Inc., which has been producing Marine Corps uniforms since the Gulf War, according to its CEO, Chuck Lambert. He told the publication that it wasn't just the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated supply chain pressures that contributed to the strain.

"The requirements were much higher during those times, as one would expect," Lambert said. "As we entered what many call 'peace times,' the demand for all uniforms went down considerably."

He explained that as time progressed, his business lost necessary workers and watched as other companies that made products supporting the military went out of business. After restructuring his business, it was in "good shape," but then COVID-19 hit, upending supply chains around the world.

"Our supply chain was decimated, people began to stay home and the government with the COVID subsidies paid people to stay home," he said. "We did in fact increase our wages some 20%-25% to retain as many as we could and did to some degree. But it was costly, and we lost several million dollars but hung in there."

Amid the shortage, the Marine Corps was only issuing two sets of woodland uniforms to recruits, instead of three, Parry previously told Military.com. Now, they are being issued full sets, he said. Marine leaders were also allowed to let their troops wear alternate uniforms -- until the shortage completely relents, leaders can continue choosing the uniform.

"What we cannot have is a situation where a Marine is wearing unserviceable cammies, because that looks bad for the Corps, and we can't have a situation where that Marine is being given a hard time about those unserviceable cammies," Gen. Eric Smith, the commandant of the Marine Corps, said last year about the decision to let troops wear FROGs or desert cammies.

While Marine Corps exchanges are taking orders over the phone, not all places where service members can buy uniforms are stocked.

As of publication, the Navy Exchange website said it is still "experiencing supply delays on this item," referencing the MARPAT uniform. A spokesperson for the Navy Exchange Service Command, Kristine Sturkie, said the stock levels for the uniforms are still "currently constrained and unavailable" at the Navy exchange, online or otherwise.

For Lambert, the shortage caused concern for the future, especially about sustaining a workforce to provide those services.

Hiring struggles continue today, Lambert said, despite being contracted to supply over two-thirds of the Corps' 300,000 yearly uniform requirement. If a large deployment occurs and uniforms begin flying off the shelves, it would be difficult to keep up with demand given the labor shortage, Lambert said.

"With the continued depletion of the industrial base, the wartime contingency stocks need to be moved to a much higher level and monthly requirements to be leveled out to maintain consistency in production lines," he said. "We cannot respond to shortages as quickly for we don't have the people to produce, and the spin-up time could be devastating when a large deployment happens, and inventory is pulled off the shelf in massive numbers."

Related: Marines Authorized to Wear Desert Pattern Uniform at Commanders' Discretion Amid Cammie Shortage
A top advocacy group for service members and military retirees is spending time this spring on Capitol Hill seeking to ward off any discussion of changes to Tricare for Life, to include enrollment fees for the program, which serves as a backstop to Medicare for senior retired personnel.

The Military Officers Association of America, or MOAA, has targeted Tricare for Life, the program used by retirees and military spouses 65 and older, as one of its top focus points this year in response to a Congressional Budget Office report that included program fees among the options for trimming the federal budget deficit.

The Biden administration's proposed fiscal 2025 budget does not include any changes to Tricare for Life. But the Alexandria, Virginia-based group believes this budget cycle was the right time to educate congressional offices on the importance of Tricare for Life for its users, even though it is not yet facing any changes.

Read Next: Senators Urge 'Immediate and Decisive Action' by Pentagon on Child Abuse Policies Following Report

"Absolutely, this is an unconventional issue because there are no current legislative or administration proposals to cut Tricare for Life. However, we wanted to counter the messaging that CBO put out there through their report on ideas for reducing the deficit," said Karen Ruedisueli, MOAA's director of government relations for health affairs, during an interview on Thursday.

Tricare for Life, or TFL, was created in 2001 by Congress to serve as a second payee to Medicare for older military retirees and dependent family members. Before then, retirees were able to be seen on a space-available basis at military treatment facilities, but base realignment and closure decisions, as well as military health-care system downsizing, left many without a military health-care option.

Under Tricare for Life, retirees are required to sign up for and use Medicare Part B, which requires enrollment fees based on income. TFL, which requires no fees, picks up any remaining deductibles and copayment costs.

In its Options for Reducing the Deficit 2023 to 2032 published in late 2022, CBO noted that adding enrollment fees of $575 for an individual or $1,150 for a family could reduce the deficit by $15.6 billion over the decade.

CBO also noted that introducing out-of-pocket requirements for using TFL would cut the deficit by $32.6 billion during that time period.

The TFL line items are among several hundred suggestions explored by CBO in the report to reduce the federal deficit, which exceeded $1.7 trillion in fiscal 2023.

But in the report, CBO analysts stressed that the report does not make any recommendations -- it just simply states options. "Inclusion or exclusion of any particular option does not imply an endorsement or rejection by CBO," the report stated.

Nonetheless, the MOAA wanted to focus on TFL because the concepts put forth in the report are not "unprecedented," Ruedisueli said.

"From fiscal year 2013 to fiscal year 2017, the administration budget request included five consecutive proposals for Tricare for Life enrollment fees, and the conditions that lead to those recommendations, I think, are out there to a certain extent right now," Ruedisueli said. "There's pressure on the [Defense Department] budget. There are rising military health system costs."

Roughly 200 MOAA members spent Wednesday in congressional offices speaking to staff about Tricare for Life and two legislative proposals the organization would like to see passed this year.

Those proposals include a change to troops' Basic Allowance for Housing that would cover 100% of the national average for housing costs rather than 95%, the rate determined in 2015; and passage of the Major Richard Star Act, which would allow medically retired service members to receive their entire retired pay from the DoD, as well as their disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs, without any offsets.

The Biden administration's fiscal 2025 budget request of $7.3 trillion includes $850 billion for the Department of Defense. The budget calls for a 5.2% pay raise for troops and other incentives to bolster junior service members' pay and improve quality of life.

Ruedisueli said the MOAA will continue to educate members of Congress and their staffs on the issues important to their members, especially those that affect all military retirees and career service members.

"It's almost a decade removed from the last kind of tangible threats to [Tricare for Life] benefits," Ruedisueli said. "If a proposal were to surface in the next few years, it wouldn't just be about dollars and cents. Hopefully, they will recall some of the folks that visited them and explain why this benefit is so critical."

Related: VA Secretary Swats Down Idea to Cut VA Disability Pay for Wealthier Vets
OAKLAND COUNTY, MI -- A doctor from Oakland County is expected to stand trial on eight felony charges related to an alleged $400,000 disability insurance scheme.

Attorney General Dana Nessels office announced Wednesday that Dr. Rainna Furnari Brazil, 57, of Sylvan Lake, is charged with three counts of false pretenses  $100,000 or more, two counts of false pretenses  $20,000 or more but less than $50,000, two counts of failure to file taxes and one count of insurance fraud for the alleged scheme.

Brazil is accused of collecting disability insurance payments from the Unum Life Insurance Company of America from 2017 until 2021, despite continuing to work as a physician during that time. Brazil, who is a licensed osteopathic physician, allegedly lied to the insurance company numerous times over the years denying that she was still working for compensation, when she was continuing to practice .

Insurance fraud, on as large a scale as is alleged here or in any measure, ultimately hurts other insurance customers and honest claimants, said Nessel when Brazil was arraigned in District Court last month. I am thankful for the efforts of the Department of Insurance and Financial Services for their watchful eye on these matters, and for referring this case to my office for criminal prosecution.

Brazil was bound over to the 6th Circuit Court Tuesday, but it is unclear when the trial will begin.
A new eco-friendly cement carrier for the Great Lakes is being built in the Netherlands, GCaptain.com reports.

Eureka Shipping expects delivery of the vessel in 2025, the report said. It will replace two older cement carriers.

In line with our commitment to eco-friendly principles, our new cement carrier will significantly contribute to decarbonization, said Kai Grotterud, managing director of Eureka Shipping. It will drastically cut down emissions per metric tonne of cargo carried.

The ship will have a diesel-electric propulsion system and fuel-efficient engines that can operate on biofuel, the report said. Other energy-saving measures include LED lighting and advanced cargo handling equipment. It will also be equipped to operate on shore power.
ANTRIM COUNTY, MI -- A suspect wanted in connection with a 2021 sexual assault was arraigned on multiple charges Wednesday after he was extradited from Florida earlier this week. Colton Meeker, 28, of Central Lake, Mich. appeared in 86th District Court via video conferencing where he was charged with one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of habitual offender-third.

Meeker is accused of allegedly sexually assaulting a woman who was camping with friends in September 2021. On the night of the alleged assault, troopers with the Michigan State Police were dispatched to Munson Hospital in Charlevoix for a report of a sexual assault complaint. After the victim was released from the hospital, police went with her to the scene to investigate and eventually they collected a blanket and some clothing as evidence.

Police were unable to make contact with Meeker during their investigation as they say he fled the state following the assault. In June 2023, the Antrim County Prosecutors Office authorized a warrant for Meekers arrest and on March 19, 2024 the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Meeker. He was extradited back to Michigan on April 16, where he was lodged in the Antrim County Jail.

Bond was denied in the case and Meeker is due back in court on May 1.
Update: The Michigan Department of Transportation is reporting that as 3:15 p.m. Thursday, April 18, the highway has reopened.

LENAWEE COUNTY, MI  One person was killed Thursday in a crash on U.S. 223 when the car they were riding in crashed into the back of large delivery truck coming to a stop in a construction area, police said.

Rescue crews were called at 11:41 a.m. April 18, to U.S. 223 near Herold Highway in Woodstock Township for a report of the two-vehicle crash, according to the Lenawee County Sheriffs Office. The highway was closed and as of 3 p.m. remained closed.

A 2000 International Delivery truck, driven by a 74-year-old Harrison man, was going east on U.S. 223 and was stopping in a construction area when a 1997 Mercury behind him failed to stop and crashed into the back of the truck, police said.

The front seat passenger in the Mercury, a 58-year-old Adrian man, suffered fatal injuries in the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Both the truck driver and the driver of the passenger vehicle, a 52-year-old Adrian man, were not injured in the crash. All occupants of both vehicles were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash, police said.

The next of kin has been notified, but the Adrian mans name is being withheld at this time to allow the family time to fully notify any extended family members, police said.

The Lenawee County Sheriffs Office Accident Investigation Team is still investigating the scene.

Motorists are advised to seek alternative routes during the highway closure.

The Tecumseh Police Department, Addison Fire Department, Cambridge Township Fire Department, Somerset Township Fire Department and the Michigan Department of Transportation assisted at the scene.

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CASS COUNTY, MI - In January, there will be a new sheriff in Cass County.

Sheriff Richard Behnke declined to seek a third term as the head of the countys sheriffs office, he said in an April 18 release. He has served as sheriff for eight years and a total of 37 years in the sheriffs office.
KALAMAZOO, MI -- The Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo published a list of 17 former priests, employees and volunteers who have been banned from working with children on Thursday, April 18.

The Diocese of Kalamazoo includes 59 churches and 21 Catholic schools across nine counties in Southwest Michigan.
LANSING, MI - The former Hartford police chief accused of multiple felony drug crimes pleaded guilty to at least two years in prison, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel on Thursday.

Tressa Beltran, the chief of police for the west Michigan city in November 2021, pleaded guilty on April 18 to one felony count each of intent to deliver a controlled substance and use of a computer to commit a crime, officials said.
Wings and pizza are the unsung heroes of late-night cravings that also hit the spot for lunch and dinner. And their versatility allows them to transform to fit any taste you crave.

Imagine my delight when I found a dine-in spot that offers both right in the heart of the city.

Goose Tooth Co., located in downtown Saginaw, is a taproom and tavern that boasts 24 beers on tap. Though they are currently awaiting liquor license approval, the sandwiches, salads, wings and pizzas are a good enough reason for a lunch meeting or dinner date.

Chicken Popper pizza at Goose Tooth Co. Located inside of the SVRC Marketplace, 203 S. Washington Ave., in downtown Saginaw.Bob Johnson

Lemon-pepper garlic-butter. Yes, that is a wing flavor!

Chicken and waffles. Thats a pizza!

You can craft your wildest wing or pizza dreams here.

I asked for sauced buffalo wings with lemon-pepper seasoning (not on the menu, by the way).

Wings at Goose Tooth Co. Located inside of the SVRC Marketplace, 203 S. Washington Ave., in downtown Saginaw.Bob Johnson

The bold lemon flavor hits your tastebuds first, followed by the heat from the tangy hot sauce. Refreshing and spicy.

Shout out to Robbie Ds for introducing this flavor to Saginaw!

Their menu is a pizza lovers paradise full of toppings that can be turned into sandwiches.

Bob Johnson takes a bite of pepperoni pizza from Goose Tooth Co. in Saginaw.Bob Johnson

The pepperoni pizza came hot. It was the kind of hot where the cheese starts to slide of when you lift the slice. The crust was thin and foldable with the perfect char on the ends.

Pepperoni pizza from the Goose Tooth in Saginaw.Bob Johnson

Goose Tooth: where every visit is a chance to polish your custom creation skills.

Send food suggestions to bob_johnson@mlive.com, or follow me on Facebook to suggest more foods you want me to try.

Goose Tooth Co.

Address: 203 S. Washington Ave., inside the SVRC Marketplace

Hours: Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday

Price: $10 to $40
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Analysis: Can BJP score big in Phase 1 of Lok Sabha polls?
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1/8 Security personnel being airlifted to Srinagar for election duty ahead of the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir. (PTI Photo)

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What drew MIT's investment arm to this small cap pharma company?
Hospital

Unlock this article at 1 Highlights

- Quarterly performance largely backed by improved realisations

- Medium-term triggers China plus and protectionist measures for tyre industry

- Valuations not inexpensive; but improved medium-term outlook

Highlights

Operating and financial performance remain healthy

Strategically entering fast-growing new markets

Expansion plans to support near-term growth

Trading at rich multiples

Max Healthcare (Max; CMP: Rs 818; M Cap: Rs 79,493 crore; Rating: Equal-weight) is likely to benefit from capacity expansion and the secular growth opportunities in the industry.

Max Healthcares stock fell ~13 percent in March after the Supreme Court urged the central government to rationalise the high pricing at private hospitals.

Max has the highest ARPOB in the industry. However, it
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Chinese Coast Guard vessels fire water cannons toward a Philippine resupply vessel, Unaizah May 4, on its way to a resupply mission at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, March 5, 2024.
The United States Treasury has confirmed the removal of sanction imposed in 2003 through the publication of the final rule to remove the Zimbabwe Sanctions Regulations.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (Ofac) issued the final rule to remove the Zimbabwe Sanctions Regulations from the Code of Federal Regulations yesterday.

Last month, US President Joe Biden issued an executive order repealing the first order issued in March 2003 which blocked property of several political leaders in Zimbabwe for undermining democratic processes or institutions in Zimbabwe.

Then US President George W Bush had determined that actions and policies of certain members of the Zimbabwean government and others had contributed to the breakdown of law in Zimbabwe.

The order also accused the government then led by the late President Robert Mugabe of promoting politically-motivated violence and intimidation in the country.

The order also noted that the Mugabe administration was responsible for the political and economic instability in the southern African region.

Bush said the government also constituted an unusual and extraordinary threat to the foreign policy of the United States before declaring a national emergency to deal with the threat.

The restrictions were subsequently renewed over the years until their removal this year.

In confirming, the US Treasury department said Ofac was taking this action because the national emergency on which part 541 was based was terminated by the president on March 4, 2024.

The rule is currently available for public inspection with the Federal Register and will take effect upon publication in the Federal Register on April 17, 2024, the department said.

Ofac last month designated 11 individuals, including Zimbabwes President Emmerson Mnangagwa, and three entities for their involvement in corruption or serious human rights abuse pursuant to executive order 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.

Mnangagwa last month became the first sitting head of State to be designated by the US under its Global Magnitsky Programme alongside wife Auxillia and Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga.

Others are Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri, Midlands Provincial Affairs minister Owen Ncube, Central Intelligence Organisation deputy director Walter Tapfumaneyi, businessman Obey Chimuka and tycoon Kudakwashe Tagwirei as well as his wife Sandra.

Sakunda and Fossil Group, companies that are linked to Tagwirei and Chimuka, were also put on the new list. NewsDay.

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Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has mourned four Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Officers who died on Tuesday when two vehicles were involved in a head-on collision at the 180 km peg along the Harare-Bulawayo Road.

Some passengers who were aboard both vehicles also sustained varying degrees of injuries in the accident.

In a statement, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said it is unfortunate that the Officers passed away at a time when the country is celebrating its 44th anniversary of Independence.

I have learnt with shock and sadness the tragic death of four members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and injury of other four members in a road traffic accident near Kwekwe along the Harare  Bulawayo highway on 16 April 2024, she said.

The unfortunate loss of lives and injuries occurred at a time when the country was preparing to celebrate 44 years of independence. While the nation is in a celebratory mood, your Peoples Force participates with a heavy heart and deep sorrow.

We share the grief and pain with His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Cde Dr E D Mnangagwa, the family and the nation as a whole as we mourn the departed. May our dear Lord comfort you during this difficult moment.

May the dear souls of the departed rest in eternal peace, she said.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri also wished those who are admitted in hospital a speedy recovery.

In a statement yesterday, ZDF Director of Poly, Public Relations and International Affairs, Brigadier General Augustine Chipwere said the accident occurred when a vehicle with ZDF Officers, which was headed towards Kadoma, attempted to overtake an unidentified vehicle and encroached into the oncoming vehicles lane, resulting in a head-on collision with a Mazda CX-5 which was travelling towards Kwekwe.

It is with a heavy heart that the Zimbabwe Defence Forces announces the death of a general officer, two field Officers and a non-commissioned member in a fatal road accident which occurred on April 16, 2024, Brig Gen Chipwere said.

Brigadier General Shadreck Vezha, Major Thabani Ncube, Major Mqondisi Gumbo and Sergeant Chakabaiwa were involved in a road traffic accident at the 180km peg along the Harare-Bulawayo Road about 2km from Battlefields.

According to preliminary investigations, it was established that Brigadier General Vezha attempted to overtake an unidentifaied vehicle and encroached into the oncoming vehicle lane, resulting in head-on collision with a Mazda CX-5.

Some passengers who were aboard both vehicles sustained varying degrees of injury and are currently admitted at Gweru and Kwekwe General Hospitals. Investigations surrounding the accident are underway and more information will be availed in due course.

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Related Zimbabwe Latest News
Yves here. Given that (as Lambert agrees) theres a bit of a dearth of breaking developments this week, it seemed timely to post a more general interest piece. Even though the debate over what citizenship means or ought to mean is not explicit in the US southern border debate, its well internalized. For instance, many opponents of unrestricted immigration vociferously object to new entrants getting benefits that they perceive as disproportionate to those of citizens, such as access to public schools and medical care (as in hospitals are supposed to, and generally do, treat anyone who shows up at an emergency room).

Even worse in the eyes of the critics, many object to the recent arrivals getting free housing (as they did for a while in New York City) or monetary support in the form of prepaid debit cards.

However and interestingly, these complaints are usually put in the they are freeloaders rather than the they are not citizens frame. Some classics: that recent as well as long-standing but undocumented immigrants dont (or havent much) paid taxes, yet have access to social services similar to that of citizens. Some also object that non-citizens without visas can get a drivers license in some states.

Now of course undocumented migrants do pay taxes: gas taxes, sales taxes, property taxes via their rents. Some even have payroll taxes withheld via employers re-using Social Security numbers. And they wont get any Social Security or Medicare benefits from those deductions.

Another beef is that these immigrants are criminals. No doubt some are, but the threat of deportation if caught would make the consequences of misconduct more immediate than for native-born crooks and would serve as a big disincentive. Recent research bears that theory out. From a summary of study led by Stanford economist Ran Abramitzky:

The study reveals that first-generation immigrants have not been more likely to be imprisoned than people born in the United States since 1880. Today, immigrants are 30 percent less likely to be incarcerated than are U.S.-born individuals who are white, the study finds. And when the analysis is expanded to include Black Americans  whose prison rates are higher than the general population  the likelihood of an immigrant being incarcerated is 60 percent lower than of people born in the United States.

A different set of anti-immigrant arguments are around labor and housing market effects: wage suppression and competition for rentals, particularly at the low end of the market. Again, these objections reflect the idea that a country should be in the business of preserving, or at least not lowering, the standard of living of its citizens. But now that companies are citizens, this case is not so straightforward.

Author Dr. Sotirovic discusses how the ideas of what a nation amounts to can be defined as coming out of residence (and often meeting other tests) or ethnicity. I joke that Its called Thailand because it is for Thais. Non-Thais can theoretically become citizens but I have yet to meet or even hear of one, and I have met many, most married to Thai women. The language requirement seems to be a show-stopper. Thai is extremely difficult. I have met only one farang who is fluent (and tellingly, farangs who have been here for decades marvel at him).

And the US melting pot was not often what it seemed to be:

As I suspect Aurelien would also point out, some French historians could be regarded as proto-sociologists, such as Jules Michelet and Edgar Quinet, and among other things, considered what it took to create citizens who identified with their nation. They were very concerned in the 1840s why France still had not had a durable democracy (and did not get one until the birth of the Third Republic, in 1870). Their discussion of how the Catholic Church used their influence over women, as in mothers, to thwart republican virtu, reads a lot more like sociological or anthropological than political analysis.

By Dr. Vladislav B. Sotirovic, Ex-University Professor, Vilnius, Lithuania and Research Fellow at the Center for Geostrategic Studies, Belgrade, Serbia

Citizenship as a Concept

The term citizenship is usually used either in academia or news as a synonym of nationality and national affiliation (from the Anglo-Saxon, West European perspective followed by the New World, in fact, as a synonym of state). However, citizenship as a concept is essentially a product of and used in political philosophy and jurisprudence. In practice, the majority of governments in the world concerned with giving or not giving citizenship to someone follow either the so-called:

The French model, based on the right of soil (ius soli) or

The German model, founded on the principle of right of blood (ius sanguinis).

Actually, citizenship is not part of the terminology established by sociology and anthropology as in these two academic fields of research the notion of citizenship has come up only recently, basically, with the research of Roger Brubaker, Louis Dumont, or Immanuel Todd. The notion of citizenship is particularly interesting for sociologists and anthropologists as a phenomenon that structures collective representations and social relations among individuals and groups (to have certain rights as well as certain duties).

The status of being a citizen is decided by the law. In the traditions linked to republican political features, qualifications to have or not citizenship have been linked to particular rights and duties of citizens as well as to a commitment to equality between citizens is compatible with considerable exclusivity in the qualifying conditions (Ancient Greece, Rome, and Italian republics excluded women followed by some certain classes of labor men from the concept of citizenship).

During the last decades, basically since the end of the Cold War 1.0 in 1989, there are three crucial reasons for the popularity of dealing with the issue of citizenship:

Re-establishment of national states in East-Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe;

Re-emerging the problem of the status of historical, ethnic, and territorial minorities;

The problem of immigrants condition (for instance, in West Europe).

In principle, social science is concerned with the concept of citizenship mainly as an imagined construction that is applied in social life. According to a short definition and understanding of citizenship, it is juridical status, granting a sum of rights and duties to members of a specific political entity (state). Concerning the issue of legal rights and duties, one can possess 1) citizenship (participating in state elections for the president and parliament); 2) permanent residence permission (participation in only local elections for the assembly); and 3) temporal resident permission (no electoral rights).

Historically, during the time of feudalism, for instance, full citizenship possessed only aristocracy having political rights followed by certain duties to the state. In modern times, citizenship is understood as a pillar of a modern/contemporary state resembling, in fact, loyalty to the political unity that grants citizenship (it includes above all mandatory military service/conscription to defend the motherland  a country of citizenship). Nevertheless, in the past, there was a commonly accepted notion of citizenship that is very similar to the contemporary one (like the polis in ancient Greece, republican Rome, or in Italian medieval comuni/communities).

Today, there are notions of even supranational/transnational citizenship as it was, for instance, in the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (double citizenship: of the republic and Yugoslav federation but a single passport) or the EU (double citizenship: of the national state and the EU with a single passport). Nevertheless, there were/are problems of supranational identity and transnational citizenship like in socialist Yugoslavia, USSR, or today in the EU where an overwhelming minority of inhabitants support supranational identity (of being Yugoslav, Soviet, or European) but have transnational citizenship (of Yugoslavia, USSR, or the EU).

What is very important to stress, the notion of (modern) citizenship is unlike the notion of (feudal) subjection. In other words, to possess citizenship means to be a member of a political entity having certain rights but to be a subject means being subjected to sovereignty (ruler) without rights having only heavy obligations. The notion of citizenship involves a relation of reciprocal loyalty between an impersonal institution (state) and its members (but not subjects). The notion of subjection, in fact, implies a personalized relation of obedience and submission of subjects to the sovereign. However, since the modern (anti-feudal) times, different types of rights (civil, social, political, minorityetc.) have differentiated citizenship from subjection which was historically founded on privileges (for aristocracy) and obligations (for taxpayers).

What Weberians (followers of Maximilian Karl Emil Weber, 18641920) would say is that citizenship is a typical phenomenon of legal-bureaucratic political systems. According to them, subjection belongs to traditional (feudal) and charismatic political systems and social relations. In addition, the concept of citizenship fits to institutionalized state while subjection fits to personalized state.

Rights of Citizenship

The concept of citizenship understands four rights for the citizenship holders:

Civil rights concerning individual freedoms (personal freedom, freedom of thought, and freedom of religion) and the right to fair and equal justice for all. They stemmed from the ascent of the middle class in the 18 th century;

century; In the 19 th century, political rights concerning the exercise and control of political power, to vote, and to create political parties were established;

century, political rights concerning the exercise and control of political power, to vote, and to create political parties were established; Social rights (rights ensuring a degree of welfare and safety through welfare and education services) were guaranteed in the 20 th century;

century; Cultural rights (rights to maintain and hand down to ones descendants cultural identity, ethnic affiliation, and religious background) are introduced in the 1970s.

Dealing with the concept of citizenship, the relations between citizenship, politics of recognition, and multiculturalism is essential. Citizenship is a social process that takes place under specific historical conditions. We have to keep in mind that the concept of citizenship involves both the rights and the duties.

Citizenship as a concept is in the Western world very much founded on the principle of staatsnation (ein sprache, ein nation, ein staat), a German term of French origin. This principle has characterized the old contents history from the 19th century on. According to the principle of staatsnation = each nation (ethnocultural-linguistic group) must have its state with its territory and each state must comprise one nation. According to common sense and most theoretical representations, a staatsnation is, in fact, kulturnation which is a community whose members share the same cultural traits.

The concept of kulturnation corresponds to both:

The Herderian idea of volk/people (whose main characteristic is a shared language for all its members); and to

The original French concept of nation, in which the linguistic criteria is also a major feature.

The original French concept of nation was defined in 1694 by the Academie Francaise. In essence, the German romanticist model is based on the formula of language-nation-state, while the modern French model after the 17891794 Revolution is founded on the opposite formula of state-nation-language (this formula, however, in the practice in many cases results in the assimilation and even ethnic cleansing of the minorities).

The staatsnation principle postulates the formation of politically sovereign monocultural and/or monoethnic territorial spaces. This principle is based on cultural and/or ethnic purity. From the 19th century on, i.e. since the staatsnation principle was applied in Europe, there have been repeated efforts to make the single national territories both ethnically and culturally more homogeneous. The politics of ethnocultural re-composition in the name of staatsnation principle influenced both in some cases 1) ethnic cleansing, 2) boundary revisions, 3) forced assimilation, 4) banishments, 5) planned immigration, 6) deportations, etc.

Dealing with the question of citizenship, today has to deal with minority rights and minority protection (regarding in many cases with civic state and society). Globally, human rights were accepted after 1945 while minority rights after 1989. The fact is that the national state has far too often been understood exclusively as a geographic expression. In addition, the national state is a political association of citizens who belong to it even because of their cultural traits are often disregarded.

We and the Rest

Not everyone can indiscriminately belong to a specific national state. According to Max Weber, the national state is an association partially open to the outside. In many cases, historically, there were examples of limited opening towards the others or the foreigners (like Japan up to 1867). Such a view entails the creation of institutional mechanisms of social selection that regulate affiliation and exclusion. It has to be stressed that both citizenship and nationality represent the fundamental tools that define who has the complete right to belong to a national state and who is excluded from it.

A drastic example of the policy of ethic-based citizenship can be mentioned in the case of Estonia and Latvia (to eliminate the influence on domestic politics of the local Russian minority) immediately after the dismemberment of the USSR but contrary to the case of Lithuania (in Lithuanian case just for the reason that Russian minority was not so numerous compared to Estonian and Latvian cases). In other words, in 1991 Estonia and Latvia introduced a model of citizenship following the staatsnation doctrine that tends to stamp out any form of cultural difference within its national territory. However, neighboring Lithuania after the Soviet time or Malaysia after the end of the British colonial domination in 1956, has given itself a model of multicultural citizenship, which is based upon differences amongst the countrys various ethnic components.

Specific institutions are established in order to support a strict logic of either inclusion or exclusion from the national state according to the principle of staatsnation. For instance, according to the post-Soviet constitution of Lithuania, in fact, only ethnic Lithuanians can be elected as the president of the country (The 78 paragraph: Respublikos prezidentu gali buti renkamas lietuvos pilietis pagal kilme [For the President of the Republic can be elected only Lithuanian citizen according to the origin]).

Nevertheless, these restrictive institutions are:

Naturalization;

Assimilation;

Entitled nation;



Practically, a foreigner can obtain citizenship through naturalization and assimilation. We have, however, to keep in mind that in many countries around the world double citizenship is not allowed (like in Germany or Austria). The acculturation process results in a cultural affiliation change. This is a more or less voluntary process. Usually, the foreigner has to forsake his previous citizenship. However, today, dual citizenship is becoming juridically more widespread as a more democratic option. However, it is still in major cases regarded as dangerous for the preservation of national identities (for instance, controversial debate in Germany).

Practically, in the majority of states exists the problem of the citizenship of the minorities based on the difference between the entitled nation and the rest of the population (minorities) (cases of Slovenia and Croatia). Such attitude implies a structural asymmetry and it conceals a partial exclusion and a demarcation between first and second-class citizenships with their minority rights (example of the Socialist Yugoslavia). In many cases, the citizenship is ethnocentrically oriented which raises the question of citizenship and cultural plurality. Another connected question is the relationship between citizenship and the right to difference.

To focal questions concerning citizenship:

Does citizenship have a unifying and inclusive function?

Citizenship as the expression of a harmonious political community?

From the very sociological viewpoint, citizenship must be perceived as an agonistic process with competition, tensions, conflicts, permanent negotiations, and compromises between the groups involved in the struggle for the recognition of their rights.

Final words

The concept of citizenship is in most cases understood as a research issue within the political science framework. Therefore, the usual definition of citizenship is provided in political terms as referring to the terms of membership of the nation-state which secure certain rights and privileges to those who fulfill particular obligations. Citizenship is a political concept but not developed and academically as such recognized theory. It, nevertheless, is formalizing the conditions for full participation in a certain community (in fact, a nation-state). Originally, the political definition of citizenship stresses the inclusive nature of the term (concept) as it implies that anyone within the territory of a nation-state who meets certain obligations can be included as a citizen, with corresponding rights and privileges.

Qualifications for citizenship, in fact, reflect a conception of the purposes of the political community and a view about which persons are allowed to enjoy the benefits of rights (and duties) of the political unity (state). Shortly, the concept of citizenship applied certain moral and legal rights and obligations to those who possess it. We have all the time to keep in mind that citizenship on the one hand gives certain rights but on the other hand, requires as well as certain obligations.

______

Personal disclaimer: The author writes for this publication in a private capacity which is unrepresentative of anyone or any organization except for his own personal views. Nothing written by the author should ever be conflated with the editorial views or official positions of any other media outlet or institution.
Yves here. Our Colonel Smithers, a regular commentor who is UK power politics adjacent, recommending republishing a comment by reader vao on how Israels ethnic cleansing and genocide of Gazans has many colonial antecedents. We are also hoisting a second comment of his in this thread, how Lord Balfours support of the project to establish a Jewish homeland in the Middle East has strong anti-semitic footprints.

The italics below are text from other comments in the thread to which vao is replying.

From reader vao:

Everything that Israel is doing to the Palestinians in Gaza and elsewhere throughout Israel was all pioneered in Vietnam.

Many  if not most  of what Israel is doing against Palestinians has a solid colonial tradition that predates the Vietnam war.

Thus, at the same time the USA was implementing strategic hamlets in Vietnam, the Portuguese were proceeding with a rural reorganization of their colonies, concentrating the native population in villages (aldeamentos)  enclosed with barbed wire and with a small military post in the centre (so that the locals would act as a human shield in case of attacks by the guerrila).

But neither the American nor the Portuguese had invented anything: the French had already practiced the same policy with their regrouping centres (centres de regroupement) during the Algerian war  where they ended up parking 2.5 millions natives.

And they were not the first to have done something like that: the British created the new villages during the Malayan emergency  again, concentrating people in villages enclosed with barbed wire, watchtowers manned by guards with instructions to shoot to kill.

Its been carved up into districts requiring electronic passes from one sector to another to go into Israel, to go to Jerusalem, or to go to Israel for jobs to work.

Again, a standard colonial practice.

In French colonies, the native population was assigned to districts, within which it could move freely. To travel to another district, it was necessary to get a written authorization, presenting a roadmap (where one wanted to go, when, and the route). Woe to those who, when presenting their laissez-passer, were found to be infringing its roadmap. In addition, the local population was subject to curfews.

A similar system (including curfews) existed in Belgian colonies, but it was possible to obtain a travel permit valid for a limited period (typically 2 months), renewable for a fee.

In Portuguese colonies, natives had to carry a native booklet with which they had to justify their presence in any place outside their district. It was basically a log book dated and signed by the employer or civil servant. Also curfews.

Other colonial powers also had a variety of comparable approaches for imposing the control of movement on local populations.

Even the segregation practices in occupied Palestine (roads reserved to Israelis, streets where one side is for Palestinians and the other for Israelis, settlements that Palestinians are not allowed to enter, hospitals where maternity wards are separated by ethnic background, etc) are actually inspired by colonial practices. Italians were the most extreme in that matter, followed by Portuguese, Belgians, British, Dutch, French. Apartheid itself was a colonial system in a post-colonial world  it did not invent anything that had not been already implemented in the colonial realm before (especially in Italian colonies under fascism).

Genocide? A typical colonial practice.

We could go on.

It is useful to realize that, if the zionist movement was led by, and the State of Israel created by Jews originating largely from Eastern Europe (Ben Gurion, Golda Meir, Jabotinski, Sharett, etc), the foundation and build-up of zionism was largely the work of Jews originating from Germany and the Austro-Hungarian empire (Herzl, Arthur Ruppin, Franz Oppenheimer, Davis Trietsch, Otto Warburg). And for them, the models to apply in order to build a state for the Jews were to be found in the German and French colonies.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg underlined the importance of strengthening support to Ukraine at the G7 meeting of Foreign Ministers in Capri, Italy, on Thursday (18 April 2024).

We now have encouraging signs from the US Congress that they will vote on a package for Ukraine in the coming days, said Mr Stoltenberg, welcoming the commitment and determination of NATO Allies in standing up for Ukraine. In recent weeks, Allies have stepped up support, including through the Czech-led ammunition initiative; increased military support from the Netherlands; a new aid package from Denmark, and Germanys decision to send an additional Patriot system to Ukraine.



Ninety-nine percent of the military support for Ukraine comes from NATO Allies, and it is of vital importance that NATO Allies sustain and step up their support, said the Secretary General.

Mr Stoltenberg said that NATO plans to work towards a greater role in coordinating security assistance and training for Ukraine, and stressed the importance of providing sustained and predictable financial support.

On Friday, the Secretary General will chair a virtual meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council at the level of defence ministers.
On Friday, 19 April 2024, the NATO Secretary General, Mr Jens Stoltenberg, will chair a virtual meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council (NUC) at the level of Allied Defence Ministers.

The President of Ukraine, Mr Volodymyr Zelensky, is also expected to participate virtually. After the NUC, the Secretary General will brief the media. Media advisory +/-16:30 (CEST) Press conference by the NATO Secretary General Media coverage Media representatives who are annually accredited to NATO in 2024 can cover the press conference in person at NATO Headquarters. Media without permanent accreditation who are interested in attending the press conference should email NATOAccreditations@HQ.NATO.INT The event will be streamed live on X @NATOPress and on the NATO website, broadcast live on EBU World feed and EBU News Exchange. A transcript of the Secretary Generals remarks, as well as photographs, will be on the NATO website. Video can be downloaded for free from the NATO Multimedia Portal after the event.

For more information:

Contact the NATO Press Office

Follow us on X (@NATO, @jensstoltenberg and @NATOPress)
From 19 to 26 April 2024, the NATO Deputy Secretary General, Mr Mircea Geoana, will travel to the United States of America.

On Friday 19 April, the Deputy Secretary General will travel to Washington DC, where he will attend a dinner to mark the 20th anniversary of Romanias accession to NATO.

On Monday 22 April, Mr Geoana will meet with senior U.S. Administration Officials.

On Tuesday 23 April, the Deputy Secretary General will speak at the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP). He will also meet the Deputy Secretary of State, Mr Kurt Campbell, and the Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Ms Melissa Dalton.

On Wednesday 24 April, Mr Geoana will be in Boston, Massachusetts where he will visit Mass Challenge, part of NATOs Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic. He will also address students and faculty at the Harvard Kennedy School.

On Thursday 25 April, the Deputy Secretary General will travel to Purdue, Indiana, where he will meet US Senator Todd Young, and will engage with private sector representatives and academia at Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy and Purdue University.

On Friday, 26 April, Mr Geoana will be in Chicago, Illinois. He will attend a meeting of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

Media Coverage

Transcripts of the Deputy Secretary Generals remarks will be available on the NATO website.

For more information:

Contact the NATO Press Office.

Follow us on X: @NATO, @Mircea_Geoana and @NATOPress
Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana met Argentine Defence Minister Luis Petri at NATO Headquarters on Thursday (18 April 2024) for talks on working toward a partnership between the Alliance and Argentina.

It is a great pleasure to welcome Defence Minister Petri to NATO Headquarters, said Mr Geoana. Argentina plays an important role in Latin America, and I welcome todays request to explore becoming a NATO partner. NATO works with a range of countries around the world to promote peace and stability. Closer political and practical cooperation could benefit us both.

The two leaders exchanged views on European and Latin American security challenges. The Deputy Secretary General welcomed Argentinas role in supporting Ukraine with lifesaving humanitarian assistance, including food, medicine, and support for refugees.

NATOs political dialogue with Argentina began in the early 1990s. Buenos Aires later contributed to NATOs peace support operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in Kosovo. Colombia is currently NATOs only partner country in Latin America. Any decision on a formal partnership would require consensus by all 32 Allies.
(As delivered)

Its a pleasure to be here in Capri and to meet with the G7 Foreign Ministers and also to meet them together with Foreign Minister Kuleba. We will address the situation in Ukraine. Of course, the situation on the battlefield is now difficult. The Russians are pushing along the whole frontline and they are launching waves of airstrikes against Ukrainian cities, infrastructure and against Ukrainian forces.

At the same time, I see some important encouraging signs when it comes to NATO Allies stepping up support for Ukraine. Just this week, we had the new announcements from Denmark, from the Netherlands announcing 4 billion more euros for defence for Ukraine. Then we have, of course, Germany announcing a full Patriot battery to strengthen Ukraine's air defences. This is a very advanced air defence system. And then we now have encouraging signs from the US Congress that they will vote on a package of 61 billion US dollars for Ukraine in the coming days. And if we put this together with all the other announcements that we have seen over the last weeks, I'm encouraged by the commitment, of the determination by NATO Allies to stand up for Ukraine. Ninety-nine percent of the military support for Ukraine comes from NATO Allies and it is of vital importance that NATO Allies sustain and step up their support.

We will focus today on air defence, this urgent critical need for more air defence. We're working actively on that in NATO now, ever since Foreign Minister Kuleba attended our Foreign Ministerial meeting just two weeks ago in Brussels. So we have stepped up. We have compiled data about the different air defence systems we have in NATO, focused on the Patriot systems. And we are working with Allies to ensure that they redeploy some of their systems to Ukraine  Germany had already made a decision  and also came to how to mobilise funding for financing deployments of air defence systems to Ukraine.

Then we see that there is need for more ammunition, for more deep strike capabilities, for more maintenance, repair capabilities. So there is a need now to ensure that we have a more robust and institutionalised framework around the support for Ukraine. And we're discussing how we can establish that within the NATO framework in the near future, combined with a substantial multiyear financial pledge because we need predictable, we need robust, we need long term support to Ukraine to ensure that they fill the gaps and provide more support to Ukraine.

Lastly, I will say that I look forward to the meeting today with the G7 foreign ministers and also Foreign Minister Kuleba. But tomorrow we will have a NATO-Ukraine Council meeting as convened from the NATO Headquarters in Brussels with President Zelenskyy. I spoke with him yesterday. He asked for a meeting on the NATO-Ukraine Council and well be convening tomorrow afternoon.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg

I'm ready for some question and answers.

Question

Is it possible that all the countries besides Germany will give Patriots to Ukraine?

NATO Secretary General

Yes, that's possible. We are working on that now. I cannot make any specific announcements but we are working on the possibility of more Patriot batteries to Ukraine. Were in dialogue with some specific countries. But to also highlight that the Patriot batteries are critical because they are the most advanced. They can shoot down the advanced ballistic missiles and especially hypersonic Russian missiles, the Kinzhal missiles can be downed by Patriot batteries. So definitely Patriot batteries are so important, but also other systems NASAMS, AMRAAMs, RST and many other systems are also important. So we are working with Allies also to provide more on the other systems.

Question

I mean, you mentioned that there are other, it's not only Patriots, its also SAMP/Ts. For example, is it that France and Italy might be available to give some of them SAMP/Ts? And one other question, are you aware that following today's news from Germany, that other espionage and sabotage over Russian operations might be underway against military installations in Europe?

NATO Secretary General

So we are working with Allies; this was discussed at the Foreign Minister meeting two weeks ago. We are working at NATO, with all Allies, and we are either asking them to provide the systems like for instance, Patriot or SAMP/T but also other systems, so NASAMS and many others. And those Allies who don't have air defence systems, we ask them to provide financial support.

And again just yesterday I was together with Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands and the Netherlands has announced now a new package of 4 billion euros. And Prime Minister Mark Rutte made it very clear that some of this can be used for air defence. And of course if the new US package of 61 billion US dollars is agreed within days, then of course there will also be money for air defence there.

When it comes to espionage and cyber attacks, that's something we are constantly aware of the risk. We have seen many cyberattacks. We have seen attempts to spy on NATO systems, infrastructure. So this is something we are ensuring that we have maximum vigilance and we are taking the necessary actions to prevent any vulnerabilities in our systems.

Question

Secretary General, what will be the consequences if Ukraine doesn't get the support it says it so desperately needs?

NATO Secretary General

If NATO Allies don't support Ukraine, then they will not be able to defend their country. And that's the reason why it is so important that we provide support to Ukraine. NATO Allies have provided unprecedented support to Ukraine so far. 99% of the NATO support has come from NATO Allies, but there is a need to do more. And that's exactly why we meet here, ehy we meet with President Zelenskyy tomorrow to mobilise more support. Their urgent needs now are air defence and artillery rounds.

But in the more longer term, we need a more institutionalised, more stable robust framework around our support. So we can organise and coordinate it better, and also that we have multiyear commitments to ensure that the Ukrainians can plan and to ensure that they have the necessary capabilities when they need them. Because in the long run, of course, we cannot continue to be in a situation where Russia is outgunning Ukraine in the way they do now. The Russians are shooting and shooting and Ukrainians have limited resources to shoot back. So the Ukrainians need more. That's the urgent and important message from me to all Allies.

Question

Can you exclude, sir, a Russian attack against one of the NATO countries?

NATO Secretary General

NATO is there to prevent an attack on any NATO country.

Question

Like Italy?

NATO Secretary General

We don't have any information, any indication of any imminent threat against any NATO Ally. And the reason why we don't have that is that NATO is the strongest Alliance in history. And we are able to deliver every day, in every corner of this Alliance, credible deterrence. And the purpose of NATO is actually not to fight the war. The purpose of NATO is to prevent war. And we do that by standing together, making it clear that an attack on one Ally, be it Italy or any other Ally, will be an attack on all and trigger a response for the whole Alliance.

And that's the best way to prevent war, to preserve peace. So as long as we remove any room for misunderstanding or miscalculation in Moscow, or any other potential capital, any potential adversary that we will stand together as NATO Allies, there will be no major attack against any NATO Ally. Because we represent 50% of the world's military might. We have by far the strongest military force in the world. Europe and North American standing together is preventing wars. Thank you.

Question

When we say urgent, how urgent? Is there a timeframe to act and to give the air defence they need?

NATO Secretary General

It is urgent, because every day with delays causes more death and damage in Ukraine. We should have given them more, earlier. So there is a need now, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. So the sooner the better, because delays in delivery of air defence means that more Russian missile will hit the targets in Ukraine. Delays in delivery of ammunition means that Russia will be able to push more along the front line.

So, it cant wait. Therefore I welcome the announcement this week, 4 billion more from the Netherlands, a new big package from Denmark, one extra Patriot battery which is extremely important, a very advanced of Patriot batteries from Germany; and then, based on reports from Washington, there's a possibility that there will be a vote within days on a big package as of 61 billion US dollars for Ukraine. So of course, put together this will lead to action and provide Ukraine with significant more forces.

Then of course the situation on the battlefield is difficult. It's demanding. We see that the Russians are pushing, but at the same time, we need to remember where the whole thing started. When the war started back in 2022 February, then many experts feared that Ukraine would collapse within weeks and that Russia would control Kyiv within days, in February 2022. That didnt happen.

The Ukrainians have been able to liberate 50% of the territory that Russia occupied in the beginning of the war and they have been able to open up a corridor in the Black Sea, by sinking many of the Russian ships of the Black Sea fleet and they have been able to impose heavy costs on the invading Russian Army. So the reality is that the Ukrainians have proven extremely competent, skilled, and with encouragement and determination; and combined with ammunitions and weapons from NATO Allies they can make more progress.

Question

What's your take on the lack of Ukrainian soldiers on the ground? There is a deficit of soldiers.

NATO Secretary General

Ukraine needs men and material. NATO Allies can provide material, partly by providing more support, as Allies are now doing, stepping up, as we will discuss today and also at the NATO-Ukraine Council meeting with Zelenskyy tomorrow. He will participate in our meeting virtually from Kyiv, but there is also an important platform to the NATO-Ukraine Council to consult.

Then of course when it comes to men, that's for Ukraine to provide. Ukraine has just now adopted a new law expanding their conscription age. Its not for me to go into the details, but of course I expect, I am confident that Ukraine will take the necessary decisions to mobilise the necessary number of men and then we should do our part when it comes to material.

And one more thing on material, we are providing support into Ukraine, but as important is to help Ukraine build their own defence industry. And I welcome that several NATO Allies are now working with the Ukrainians to set up factories for drones, for artillery and repair facilities inside Ukraine to help them also produce more of the weapons they need themselves.

Question

(inaudible)

NATO Secretary General

We are in favour of sanctions, but its not for NATO to decide on sanctions. Thank you so much. Always a pleasure. All the best.
Absurd first AI pageant slammed on social media

Social media users openly denounced the "first artificial intelligence (AI) pageant," claiming that the virtual contest is a sign that the world is getting worse.

The World AI Creator Awards (WAICA) sponsored by virtual model content creator Fanvue will be awarding the title of Miss AI to the winning digital model, according to the Sun. A $5,000 cash prize will be awarded to the creator behind the Miss AI, alongside promotion on Fanvue's platforms and public relations support worth more than $5,000. Second- and third-place winners will also receive an undisclosed prize, the outlet added.

Four judges  two digital models and two humans  will scrutinize the Top 10 models to be shortlisted from thousands of entries, before deciding on the Top 3. Emily Pellegrini and Aitana Lopez, two AI-generated influencers, will sit on the panel. Miss Great Britain head judge Sally-Ann Fawcett and marketing expert Andrew Bloch will be the human judges for Miss AI.

The four will examine the AI model's beauty, the creator's use of AI tools and social media clout. Winners of the Miss AI pageant will be announced on May 10 during an online awards ceremony, mirroring real-life counterparts.

However, some users excoriated the pageant, which began accepting entries on April 14. "I have a theory that we are getting dumber by the day, and this fits in perfectly," one user said. Another chimed in: "Beauty pageant for AI women? What is the world turning into?"

A third user warned about AI's influence, expressing the belief that it is a bane instead of a boon to humanity. They wrote: "Are you saying these are not real ladies? We have to be very careful of this AI thing so it doesn't become for us a curse rather than a blessing."

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Speak freely without censorship at the new decentralized, blockchain-power Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

Even Claudia Jordan, model and star of "Real Housewives of Atlanta," could not help but chime in. She blasted the absurd pageant and compared the models to photoshopped pictures.

"It's hard enough being a woman in this society  the way it is, and the scrutiny we already get," Jordan told TMZ. "Now, we have AI [increasing] the standard of beauty where they're just so perfect."

Pageant judge, sponsor defend competition

But a member of the four-person judging panel and a sponsor of the AI pageant both defended the competition. According to Fawcett, the event is taking pageanting to a new level.

"It's funny because in the past, traditional beauty queens were called fake and artificial," said Fawcett, a beauty pageant historian. She also authored the 2014 book "Misdemeanours: Beauty Queen Scandals" that touched on major controversies in the pageant world. (Related: AI-generated deepfakes are beginning to sway public opinion all over the world.)

"This takes it to a whole new level. As an added bonus, one must presume that they won't be programmed to be bad losers."

"The creator economy is an extremely exciting place to be right now," said Fanvue co-founder Will Monange. "Miss AI recognizes talent and tech, which will help to raise standards within the industry."

"It is just one award as part of a program. We share the vision for the WAICA to become the Oscars of the AI creator economy."

Head over to Robots.news for more stories about artificial intelligence.

Watch this clip from Brannon Howse's "Worldview Report" about deepfake AI becoming more convincing in its generation of digital women.

This video is from the AmazingAI channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Google apologizes for ahistorical and inaccurate Gemini AI images, but does nothing to correct its racist, anti-white programming.

Google apologizes after its AI-powered image generator Gemini kept inserting "diversity" skin color into historical image prompts.

AI takeover is INEVITABLE: Experts warn artificial intelligence will become powerful enough to control human minds, behaviors.

Google FAKES Gemini AI video to pump up its stock price.

Google's rush to win AI race has led to ETHICAL LAPSES.

Sources include:

The-Sun.com

Brighteon.com
Bill allows San Francisco residents to sue grocery stores that shutter without giving six months notice

Two progressive San Francisco legislators are advancing a bill aimed at providing recourse for residents in the city when grocery stores shutter without adequate notice

San Francisco Board of Supervisors members Dean Preston and Aaron Peskin proposed legislation requiring businesses to either secure a successor grocer or collaborate with local residents to ensure continued access to supermarket options.

Named the Grocery Protection Act, this initiative draws from a 1984 proposal that the board previously endorsed but was vetoed by then-Mayor Dianne Feinstein. It emerges amid a surge in retail theft, fueled by the city's drug and homelessness crisis, resulting in numerous businesses shutting down without sufficient notice for the communities they served.

The closure of the Whole Foods Market Street location last year underscores the urgent need for such measures, with 568 emergency calls logged over 13 months due to disruptive incidents. Preston initially floated the proposal in response to the impending closure of a Safeway supermarket in the Fillmore District. (Related: Rite Aid to close up to 500 stores in BANKRUPTCY proposal.)

Safeway's decision to sell the land for a mixed-use development prompted the Board of Supervisors' legislative push. The proposed ordinance mandates six months' notice for store closures, with exemptions for closures due to unforeseeable circumstances or natural disasters. Failure to comply could result in legal action by affected residents.

Furthermore, the bill requires grocery stores to engage in good faith negotiations with neighborhood residents and the city's Office of Economic and Workforce Development to explore viable solutions for maintaining access to essential goods.

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Speak freely without censorship at the new decentralized, blockchain-power Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

Preston emphasized the importance of community involvement in decision-making regarding essential services, emphasizing the need for transparency and planning in store closures.

Crimes are not the only reason why stores are shuttering in San Francisco

The proposed legislation comes amid the improving crime incidence in San Francisco.

Early this month, Mayor London N. Breed unveiled the latest crime statistics for San Francisco, demonstrating a sustained decrease in crime throughout February. This decline is attributed to enhanced collaboration among local, state and federal agencies.

Highlights from the crime trends in February 2024 include a 29 percent reduction in property crime and a 17 percent decrease in violent crime compared to February 2023.

These reductions are evident across various crime categories, encompassing declines in robbery, motor vehicle theft, larceny-theft (including car break-ins), and assaults. Notably, there were no reported homicides in San Francisco for February.

These trends reflect a broader reduction in crime over the past six months. Since September 1, compared to the same period in the previous year, San Francisco claims that property crime has decreased by 30 percent and violent crime has decreased by four percent.

However, businesses have other reasons to leave the City by the Bay, including the high cost of living there and the high tax rate in California.

Watch this clip from the "Timcast IRL" discussing the crime wave sweeping San Francisco and the rest of the United States.

This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Once-posh Beverly Hills now littered with CLOSED STORES amid California crime wave.

Group of Organized Retail Crime (ORC) thieves targeting luxury retail stores in California.

Major retailers cite RETAIL THEFT as justification for using AI-powered surveillance in stores.

Sources include:

NYPost.com

SF.gov

Brighteon.com
Dr. Judy Mikovits: Health agencies are hiding the cures for cancer

Renowned biomedical research scientist Dr. Judy Mikovits warns that government health agencies are hiding the cures for cancer due to greed and corruption.

Mikovits revealed this during a recent episode of the "Health Ranger Report" with Mike Adams, the Health Ranger. According to her, they discovered plants and botanicals that can cure cancers like prostate cancer. But Big Government shut them down as they were making progress with their research.

"All the patents before that and all the intellectual property made by Frank Rossetti [were discarded]. We know what they did. They fired him. They locked him in a closet in Fort Detrick, with one technician who happened to be the one from hell. They shut you down. They take it all. They give somebody else your work, they publish it as fraud," she said. Rossetti was her colleague who discovered the human T-lymphotropic virus 1, the first disease associated with human retrovirus.

Mikovits herself was suppressed because of her scientific knowledge. She lost everything she ever made, such as the $10 million from Morehouse College. She became homeless and lived on a boat for some time. And her husband was murdered. "We have proof, we have absolute proof. And that's what we're running on now."

She also recalled a time when there was a syndrome of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome called immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. "I remember very clearly what to do with your immune system. We don't make fevers. We don't get with the Interleukin-1 or IL-1 beta or the cytokine storm. We can see these things and fix it," she further stated. "If you turn that on too fast, you burn out. You have to manipulate it to hit the core pathways. We've done that over the last 15 years. We're 25 years ahead of their time."

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Use our decentralized, blockchain-based, uncensorable free speech platform at Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

Mikovits: We are being censored

Elsewhere in the show, Adams brought up how scientists have been implementing "fraudulent science innovations" that cause more harm than good. One example: biosludge.

"Think about all the hormone disruptors in the biosludge that spread on the farms. And we are living in a deliberate toxic stew but then people are still signing up to take more jabs, swallow more pharmaceuticals, grow their food but they're growing their food on human shit," he said. "Every city is dumping its raw sewage all over the farms and people are like, 'I trust the science.'" (Related: Regulators STILL allowing toxic BIOSLUDGE to be dumped all over food crops, polluting them with PFAS "forever chemicals.")

"There is no science to that," Mikovits quipped. She added that when you do statistics, there are always lies.

"Here's the science," she said pointing to all her books. "None of these books are in any library and being taught to medical students. They are being taught immunology. They're being taught consensus and propaganda. Gravity is gravity and viruses are viruses. And I know how they work. I got Ebola, and have it out very recently."

Mikovits is doing everything to let people know the truth, but it's not going to be easy. "We can't get people to hear us if we're censored," she said.

Head over to CensoredScience.com for more scientific discoveries and natural cures that are being suppressed by corrupt health agencies.

Watch the full episode of the "Health Ranger Report" with Mike Adams featuring Dr. Judy Mikovits below.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Understanding "citation sorcery" and how the scientific community commits organized FRAUD to deceive the world.

SCIENCE FRAUD: Pfizer's COVID jab "placebo" control group was given MODERNA "vaccine" instead, preprint confirms.

Los Angeles to recycle BIOSLUDGE into tap water; Angelenos will soon be drinking recycled diarrhea and urine from the tap.

Sources for this article include:

Brighteon.com

TheRealDrJudy.com
Considered the most corrupt national leader in European history, Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky endorses genocidal Israel

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Iran's missile and drone strikes against Israel on Saturday. Like the United States, he expressed devotion and support toward genocidal Israel.

Zelensky, who is not just slammed for being demanding and needy of financial aid from the United States, is also fighting corruption charges. On January 9, Zelensky's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, said an audit had uncovered corruption connected to military procurement worth 10 billion hryvnia ($262 million) in only the four months he had been in the post. His predecessor, Oleksii Reznikov, resigned in September over scandals that threatened to sap domestic and international confidence in Kyiv. These cases included the dismissal of two senior officials over allegations the ministry had inflated contracts for food supplied to troops, including eggs. In December, a defense ministry official was arrested on suspicions that he embezzled nearly $40 million in the fraudulent purchase of much-needed artillery shells for Ukraine's military. There was also outrage in August over inflated prices for an order of 233,000 jackets for $20m from Turkish firm Vector Avia that were too light and thus useless for the impending winter.

And now, Zelensky again called on the U.S. Congress to approve the vital aid package that has been blocked by Republicans for months. Ukraine's forces are facing new onslaughts from Russian troops in the east and daily attacks on cities and infrastructure from Russian missiles and drones.

Zelensky posted on X, formerly Twitter: "Iran's actions threaten the entire region and the world, just as Russia's actions threaten a larger conflict, and the obvious collaboration between the two regimes in spreading terror must face a resolute and united response from the world."

We are building the infrastructure of human freedom and empowering people to be informed, healthy and aware. Explore our decentralized, peer-to-peer, uncensorable Brighteon.io free speech platform here. Learn about our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Every purchase at HealthRangerStore.com helps fund our efforts to build and share more tools for empowering humanity with knowledge and abundance.

Meanwhile, according to Iran, the barrage was in retaliation for the "Zionist regime's numerous crimes, including the attack on the consular section of Iran's Embassy in Damascus." A presumed Israeli airstrike destroyed Iran's consulate in Damascus, Syria on April 1. The attack left seven officers of Irans elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force dead, including two high-ranking generals.

In a separate social media post on Sunday, Zelensky said: "Ukraine condemns Iran's attack on Israel." The Ukrainian head of state added that his compatriots "know very well the horror of similar attacks by Russia, which uses the same Shahid drones and Russian missiles, the same tactics of mass air strikes." In his latest statement, Zelensky accused Iran of posing a threat to the Middle East, claiming that there is "obvious collaboration" between Tehran and Moscow. (Related: Zelensky complains about the West "turning a blind eye" toward Ukraine.)

Kyiv and its Western backers have repeatedly claimed that Iran has been providing Russia with its kamikaze unmanned aerial vehicles and that Moscow has begun producing them under license. Iran admitted in November 2022 that it had supplied Moscow with a "small number" of drones a few months before Russia began its operation in Ukraine.

Responding to a call by Israel's ambassador to Russia Simona Halperin to condemn Tehrans actions, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova pointed out that Israel has never once denounced Ukrainian strikes targeting Russian civilians. On the contrary, Israeli officials have repeatedly expressed support for Kyiv, the diplomat noted, suggesting that Moscow therefore has no reason to stick up for Israel. According to the Ukrainian leader, Iranian strikes on Israel on Saturday should serve as a "wake-up call to the free world," which needs to deliver a "resolute and united response."

Reports: Iran supplies thousands of drones to Russia

Iran has supplied thousands of Shahed kamikaze drones to Russia throughout its invasion of Ukraine launched in February 2022. They have been used to exhaust Ukrainian air defenses and hit infrastructure far from the front lines.

Zelensky for months has urged Ukraine's Western allies, particularly the United States, to summon the "political will" to provide the air defenses and weaponry Ukraine needs. He commented on Saturday that Germany could supply a U.S.-made Patriot air defense system and air defense missiles to Ukraine at a "critical time." "And when Ukraine says allies cannot turn a blind eye to Russian missiles and drones, it means that it is necessary to act, and act strongly," Zelensky posted on X. Ukraine's skies, he added, were "not protected by rhetoric." "And the fact that we in Ukraine have been waiting months for a vital support package  the fact that we are still waiting for a vote in Congress  testifies to the fact that the confidence of terrorists has also been growing for months," he said.

Head over to UkraineWitness.com for stories related to the current situation in Ukraine as well as its president's state of mind.

Sources for this article include:

RT.com

Newsweek.com

JPost.com
New poll shows rising Latino support for border wall, mass deportation of illegals

A recent survey has found that former President Donald Trump's hardline stance against illegal immigration and stronger border protections is greatly contributing to his rising support among Hispanic and Latin Americans

The Axios-Ipsos Latino poll, conducted in partnership with Spanish-language, Miami-based television program "Noticias Telemundo" from March 22 to 28 among 1,012 Hispanic and Latino adults, indicates a 10-point increase in support for deportations of illegal immigrants since 2021, while support for border wall construction has seen a 12-point increase since that same year  thanks to the vocal opposition and criticism of Trump. (Related: Biden admin finally admits theres an acute and immediate need for a border wall as Democrat-run cities are OVERRUN by illegals.)

According to the survey results, 42 percent of Latino respondents support the construction of a border wall along the United States' entire border with Mexico, compared to just 30 percent at the beginning of the administration of President Joe Biden. Similarly, the proportion of Latinos supporting the deportation of all undocumented immigrants in the U.S. has risen to 38 percent, up from 28 percent in 2021.

The support for these policies among the Latino community varies by demographics.

For instance, Cuban Americans show the highest support for border wall construction at 58 percent. Conversely, Mexican immigrants and Mexican Americans displayed the lowest support at 37 percent, with Central Americans also showing a tepid endorsement at 43 percent.

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Speak freely without censorship at the new decentralized, blockchain-power Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

Chris Jackson, the senior vice president and pollster at Ipsos, stated that the survey "illustrates the incremental increase in popularity of certain immigration hardline positions" among the Latino voter demographic.

Study proves Latino support for Trump grows due to his anti-immigration stance

A recent study published in the European Political Science Review supports the claims of the Axios-Ipsos survey that Latino backing for Trump is not decreasing despite his anti-immigrant rhetoric  it is actually growing because of it.

"We propose a counterintuitive explanation for this trend. Due to the activation of dormant political dispositions, it is the very anti-immigration attitudes characterizing Trump that account for his ascendance among Latino voters. Latinos voting for Trump did so because of his anti-immigration positions and not despite those positions," the study wrote.

According to the theoretical frameworks of the study, exposure to Trump's rhetoric during the 2016 and 2020 election cycles would lead Latinos to react not merely as Mexican Americans or Puerto Rican Americans, but as a unified Latino identity. The assumption was that they would rally around immigration issues with a strong sense of solidarity.

However, reality diverged from these expectations.

Previous research showed that as the national sentiment toward illegal immigration turned hostile, some Latinos distanced themselves from immigrant communities. Even within specific subgroups of the Latino community, such as Mexican Americans, the largest subgroup, there were divisions and even conflicts regarding immigration. In essence, while ethnic solidarity among Latinos was anticipated at first glance, it turned out to be more fractured than existing theories had presumed

To put it simply, the study suggests that while the anti-immigrant stance of Trump may not be directly responsible for growing Latino support, it has nonetheless contributed to his electoral gains in certain states, including Arizona, Florida and parts of New Mexico.

Visit BorderSecurity.news for more stories regarding illegal immigration.

Watch this report about Biden's order to resume border wall construction.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

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Abandoned bag near the border wall in southern Texas yields ammo, homemade explosive device.

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Border Patrol chief: Unlawful border crossers must face SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES.

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Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

Axios.com

NYSun.com

Cambridge.org

Brighteon.com
RUSSIA DERANGEMENT SYNDROME: U.S. stupidly cuts off own supply of metals in anti-Putin move

In another lame attempt at punishing Russia for trying to neutralize the globalist threat in Ukraine, the United States and Great Britain are limiting the trade of certain key metals from Russia, including aluminum, copper and nickel.

From now on, no more of these Russian-origin metals will be imported into either the U.S. or the UK, nor will any more of these Russian-origin metals appear on global exchanges.

Starting on April 13, 2024, the leading commodity exchanges  the London Metal Exchange (LME) and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME)  banned trade in Russian-origin metals, effectively cutting off the Western supply of these metals.

In a statement, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stated that the prohibitions "continue to target the revenue Russia can earn" to fund its special military operation in Ukraine.

The U.S., Yellen added, aims to "reduce Russia's earnings while protecting our partners and allies from unwanted spillover effects."

(Related: Insurance companies left and right are adding "war exclusion" clauses to customer policies in anticipation of another world war.)

Russia teaming up with China to tackle Western aggression

In response to the move, Moscow's ambassador to the U.S. Anatoly Antonov called it an "unjustified and politicized step" that will, in time, backfire on the West, just like the earlier sanctions that ended up fortifying Russia's position of strength rather than damaging it.

Washington's latest decision to ban Russian metals was "probably based on calculations that commodity prices will not skyrocket in the U.S. itself," Antonov noted, adding that the U.S. had already reduced its own imports of Russian metals to a bare minimum.

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Speak freely without censorship at the new decentralized, blockchain-power Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

By banning Russian metals, the U.S. and the UK are "provoke[ing] imbalances on the global markets by involving its satellite states in sanctions," Antonov continued, further stating that the move itself is "illegal."

As with earlier U.S. sanctions against Russia, Moscow is already working towards sidestepping the ban while diversifying its foreign trade, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a recent visit to China.

Lavrov spoke of the "economic gaps" that will result from the "illegal policy of unilateral sanctions" during his visit. He also discussed with Wang Yi, his Chinese counterpart, plans for tackling them within the framework of BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

"Let the U.S. sanction itself into complete isolation and oblivion," one commenter wrote about this truly stupid move by Yellen and her gang.

"Russia never should have traded with the U.S. in the first place until all American bases were removed from Europe," added another.

Someone else wrote that Russia really needs to start playing hard ball at this point by working more closely with China, which sounds as if it is currently in the works, to "strangle the U.S. and the UK."

"NO more essential goods to the U.S.," this person wrote. "Sell all bonds. Take the U.S. down. Softly, softly. Reactionary. Come on."

Another emphasized that the only people being punished by the latest metals ban are the American people who no longer have the freedom to "purchase goods from the markets of their choice."

"This is price fixing by U.S. corporations via government sanctions," this commenter added. "Very typical economic fascism."

"See what happens when you let old geezers run a country: they create chaos and large-scale issues," said another. "They don't care as they will not be around for long to deal with the fallout. U.S. politicians are idiots at best. Not even useful idiots."

"The U.S. is a kleptocratic, corrupt, corporate fascist oligarchy," responded another. "The idea of democratic republic has been replaced by a very bankrupt police state."

The latest news about the West's demise can be found at Collapse.news.

Sources for this article include:

RT.com

NaturalNews.com
Automotive journalist reveals how smart technologies in modern vehicles cost you privacy and control

Automotive journalist Geoff Thompson recently delved into the implications of a software update applied to a Hyundai Kona subcompact SUV following the technological evolution of the automotive industry

In recent years, the automotive industry has undergone notable technological strides, equipping modern vehicles with features that "bolster safety and efficiency." Cars manufactured since the mid-2010s are integrated with so-called "Trojan Horse" technologies that are capable of dictating the operational parameters of vehicles, impacting auto insurance rates, monitoring driver gaze, recording in-car conversations, gathering genetic and health data, collecting other biometric data and even surveilling the sexual activities of drivers. (Related: Government developing AI-powered surveillance program that can keep an eye on people in smart cities.)

In a recent episode on the "Geoff Buys Cars" channel on YouTube, channel owner and show host Thompson discussed the implications of the software update for the Hyundai Kona. The update introduced geofencing and geotiming capabilities, enabling manufacturers to remotely impose distance and time boundaries on vehicle operation.

Geofencing, in simple terms, creates virtual boundaries around a geographical location using devices like smartphones with GPS, WiFi or cellular data to monitor entry and exit from these areas. It can also track RFID tags. These digital perimeters trigger predefined actions when a person, device or asset enters or leaves the specified area.

The technology gained popularity in the mid-2010s with the widespread use of smartphones and location-based services, allowing businesses to enhance user experiences through features like navigation, social media check-ins and retail store locators.

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Use our decentralized, blockchain-based, uncensorable free speech platform at Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

However, Thompson raised apprehensions about the potential abuse of such technology, particularly in scenarios involving government-mandated driving restrictions even though it is originally intended for lawful purposes. Speculations arose regarding the imposition of measures like climate lockdowns or urban mobility policies, further encroaching on car owners' autonomy.

Geofencing disguises privacy infringement as a convenience

Geofencing promises a personalized journey, with offers and information tailored precisely to their whereabouts among consumers. This tailored approach infuses each interaction with relevance, enhancing engagement and satisfaction. From timely reminders to the seamless preparation of one's home upon arrival, geofencing adds a layer of comfort and convenience to daily life.

However, no matter how promising, geofencing, by its very nature, relies on the constant tracking of individuals through their mobile devices and carsa fact that raises significant privacy apprehensions.

The notion of being monitored without consent evokes discomfort, prompting questions about the ethical use of location data.

Legal experts, including Susan Brenner, a law professor at the University of Dayton, suggest that law enforcement agencies have become increasingly adept at utilizing embedded technologies for eavesdropping while mitigating Fourth Amendment constraints.

Brenner argues that as society becomes more accustomed to embedded technologies, individuals may inadvertently compromise their privacy through private conversations in vehicles or other everyday settings.

"I could make an argument to the contrary, which is based on the fact that we are increasingly surrounded by embedded interactive broadcast technologies and therefore can tend to forget the fact that we may be broadcasting as we hold what we think are private conversations in a vehicle or, for that matter, other mundane settings," Brenner said. "My sense is that people take the technology so completely for granted that they forget that it has the capacity to bite back Most people are still quite naive about embedded technologies, and therefore tend to forget that it can compromise privacy."

Similarly, Neema Singh Guliani, legislative counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union, argued that laws crafted before the onset of modern technologies fail to adequately address privacy infringement.

"Fundamentally, what's happening is the technology is moving at warp speed, and there are more and more ways to get information on people, about their personal activities, but you have the law standing utterly still," Guliani said. "What's often happening the police are trying to massage laws that were written at the time, in some cases when we didnt even have the internet or the concept of a telephone, or GPS, and massage them to fit these modern technologies."

Watch this video of Brannon Howse warning about the rise of 15 minute cities that require massive surveillance apparatuses.

This video is from the Worldview Report channel on Brighteon.com.

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California thieves NOT BOTHERED at all by surveillance cameras.

FBI surveillance contractor infiltrated chatrooms, monitored skeptics of COVID jabs.

Sources include:

YourNews.com

YouTube.com

Electronics.HowStuffWorks.com

TheHackerNews.com

Brighteon.com
TrackAIPIC.com exposes Zionist politicians who take Israeli bribes

A grassroots movement is emerging to uncover the extent to which Israel via AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) and other political lobbying organizations is controlling the United States for its own benefit.

The website TrackAIPAC.com exposes members of Congress who take money from Israel in exchange for influence peddling. In other words, the following names are being bribed by Israel to represent the Zionist state rather than you and your family:

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) - $1,954,160

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) - $1,725,324

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) - $1,432,806

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) - $1,013,563

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) - $1,127,770

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) - $2,500,005

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) - $1,279,376

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) - $1,000,580

The above names include just those in the U.S. Senate who have taken in at least $1 million from AIPAC and other Israeli lobbying groups. There are many more names in the Senate you can see here who have received lesser amounts from Israel to do its bidding.

(Related: Speaking of Mitch McConnell, did you know that he wants to allow 5,000 illegal aliens per day to enter the U.S. while spending $735 million to fund their "path to citizenship?")

Left and right both serve Israel

As for the House of Representatives, there are simply too many names to count. In every state, and on both sides of the political aisle, Israel is paying politicians who supposedly represent the American people to instead serve the interests of Israel at the American people's expense.

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Use our decentralized, blockchain-based, uncensorable free speech platform at Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

We are always hearing about what a great "ally" and "friend" Israel is to the United States, but it appears from everything that is now being uncovered that Israel is more like a leech that is constantly taking and never actually giving.

Some noteworthy names in the House who are on the dole of Israel include:

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) - $618,250

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) - $840,467

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) - $823,034

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) - $293,155

Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) - $687,152

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) - $1,425,625

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) - $1,298,153

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) - $264,323

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) - $436,729

Again, this is just a small sampling of House members who take cash from AIPAC in exchange for political favors. A complete list is available at this link.

Since TrackAIPAC.com is still in the process of probing Congress for further information about how much cash each member is receiving from Israel, you will find updates on the site each day. As of this writing, the following three names were added to the list:

Rep. Kathy Manning (D-N.C.) - $550,806

Rep. Shontel Brown (D-Oh.) - $1,081,386

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tex.) - $757,869

In the 2022 election, AIPAC was one of the top spenders, meaning it had the most influence out of anyone over who got elected and what those elected have done ever since:

TrackAIPAC.com also shared a video series from The Electronic Intifada that exposes AIPAC and the Israel lobby for steering and controlling U.S. politics in Israel's favor  the first episode is available to watch below:

"AIPAC should be registered as a foreign agency," one commenter wrote.

"AIPAC should not be allowed to have any say over who gets elected in the U.S.," wrote another. "Just like Russia or China shouldn't have any say over who our representatives are. If Israel wants to lobby the U.S. government, that's what diplomats are for.

"As a British subject, I've followed the American political system for over 40 years now: Influence of lobbies and their money in politics, is the single biggest problem in America today for all your evils are merely symptomatic of this debauchery," expressed another about how deeply Israel's tentacles have slithered into U.S. politics and society at large.

The latest news about the Zionist infiltration of America's government can be found at Treason.news.

Sources for this article include:

TrackAIPAC.com

NaturalNews.com
Ukraine running out of air defense missiles, giving Russia a FREE PASS to Kyiv

Ukraine is facing a critical shortage of missiles for its Western air defense systems, with nearly all stockpiles of other air defense resources depleted or destroyed.

Julian Ropcke, a senior editor for security policy at Germany's top-selling newspaper Bild, said Kyiv no longer has access to Patriot and IRIS-T missiles necessary for its ground-to-air defense systems to counter Russian attacks.

Expressing frustration, Ropcke highlighted the stark contrast between the ample missile reserves in Germany's depots and Ukraine's dire situation, labeling Kyiv's airspace as vulnerable to Russian fighter jets. (Related: Ukraine running out of tanks as military struggles to repair machinery damaged by Russia.)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky lamented the inability of their ground troops to intercept all incoming cruise missiles during a recent Russian assault, emphasizing the urgent need for enhanced military support from NATO allies.

Zelensky urged for additional air defense systems and missiles, particularly to safeguard cities like Kharkiv from ongoing Russian attacks, which he denounced as deliberate acts of terror.

The dwindling supply of air defense resources coincides with waning enthusiasm from U.S. lawmakers for further military aid, with a $60 billion package stalled in the House of Representatives.

General Christopher Cavoli, the U.S. commander of European Command, emphasized the critical role of U.S. support in sustaining Ukraine's defense capabilities, warning of dire consequences if assistance is not provided promptly.

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Use our decentralized, blockchain-based, uncensorable free speech platform at Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

Germany to the rescue

In a related development, Zelensky announced Germany's commitment to supply a U.S.-made Patriot air defense system and missiles amid escalating tensions and increased Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

The recent bombardment of power stations and substations by Russian forces has left Kyiv urgently seeking advanced air defense capabilities.

Expressing appreciation for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's decision, Zelenskyy emphasized the critical timing of the support as Ukraine faces relentless assaults. He called on leaders of other partner states to emulate Germany's proactive stance in assisting Ukraine's defense efforts.

This latest delivery adds to the ongoing efforts to bolster Ukraine's air defense capabilities, with Germany previously supplying various armaments to aid in Ukraine's defense against Russian aggression. According to a German government summary released on April 10, two Patriot systems have already been delivered, marking this as the third such delivery from Germany.

Zelensky's call for 25 U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems highlights the magnitude of Ukraine's defense needs in the face of Russian military aggression.

Germany's shift from its traditional pacifist stance to becoming a significant military aid provider underscores the gravity of the situation and the international community's response to support Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression.

What is the Patriot system?

The MIM-104 Patriot (Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept On Target) system serves as the primary air and missile defense system for the U.S. Army.

Initially designed for anti-aircraft purposes, the latest versions of the Patriot system are capable of detecting, targeting, and tracking ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as aircraft.

Development of the Patriot system began in the early 1960s to replace the Nike Hercules and Hawk air defense missile systems.

Initially named Surface-to-Air Missile, Development (SAM-D), the program underwent testing in 1969 and 1970. In the 1970s, the Department of Defense upgraded SAM-D to include a Track-Via-Missile (TVM) guidance system. Renamed Patriot, the updated system entered full production in 1980, with the Army activating its first Patriot missile battalion in May 1982.

According to Raytheon Missiles and Defense, the company responsible for designing and manufacturing the Patriot, the system has been utilized by five nations in over 250 combat engagements since its field activation in 1982. Raytheon has delivered more than 240 Patriot systems to 17 nations.

Watch this video discussing Ukraine's mass mobilization, with half a million going to the front lines.

This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

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Sources include:

RMX.news

Aljazeera.com

HowStuffWorks.com

Brighteon.com
Failed comedian Zelensky claims that Americans are now backing Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed that Americans are now backing Russia , something he attributed to machinations by Moscow.

He put forward this claim during a candid interview with POLITICO conducted on April 9. The comedian-turned-president shed light on what he perceives as the infiltration of Russian influence both within the U.S. political arena and the global media landscape at large.

Zelensky's remarks came as a response to two Republican lawmakers  Ohio Rep. Mike Turner and Texas Rep. Mike McCaul  commenting about the delay of the approval of the $60 billion aid package for Kyiv. According to the two, "pro-Russian" propaganda has seeped into the minds of their colleagues in the House of Representatives  causing the aid package to be held up. (Related: U.S. expedites delivery of $300M in military aid to Ukraine.)

"[Moscow has distorted] the information field of the world," he said. "They have their lobbies everywhere: In the U.S., in the [European Union] countries, in Britain, in Latin America [and] in Africa. When we talk about the [U.S.] Congress, do you notice how they work with society in the United States?"

Zelensky also noted that the scale of Russian influence in the U.S. has been underestimated. He then proceeded to accuse certain Americans, particularly those affiliated with specific media groups, of amplifying pro-Moscow narratives within American media outlets.

The Ukrainian leader suggested that these individuals play a pivotal role in disseminating messages that align with Russia's agenda, thereby influencing public discourse and undermining Kyiv's interests. However, he did not name these individuals during his interview with POLITICO.

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Speak freely without censorship at the new decentralized, blockchain-power Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

Zelensky and Western allies censor Russian media

The Ukrainian president's remarks come amid heightened tensions between Russia and the West, particularly in the aftermath of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. The conflict, which began in February 2022, has been ongoing for more than two years as of writing.

Western governments have implemented stringent measures targeting Russian media outlets deemed to be under state control, resulting in the blocking or suspension of several channels, including Russia Today, in the U.S. and other Western countries.

In response to the crackdown on Russian media, Moscow has accused Western governments of stifling press freedom and infringing upon the rights of Russian journalists working abroad.

Sergey Ryabkov, Russian deputy foreign minister, criticized Washington's efforts to suppress Russian media globally. He asserted that such actions undermine fundamental principles of freedom of speech and expression.

The exchange between Zelensky and U.S. lawmakers reflects broader concerns over the influence of disinformation and propaganda in shaping public opinion and policy decisions, particularly in the context of ongoing geopolitical tensions.

It can be recalled that a year ago, Ukraine  along with seven other countries in Central and Eastern Europe  called for technology companies to combat "disinformation" on social media platforms. The letter addressed to Big Tech giants such as Mark Zuckerberg's Meta called on the implementation of "effective measures that curb the spread of misleading content and foreign interference."

"Specific steps recommended in the letter include refusing payments from sanctioned individuals, increasing algorithmic transparency and adjusting algorithms to prioritize accuracy over user engagement," Reclaim The Net mentioned. "Furthermore, [the letter exhorted] platforms [to] dedicate adequate resources to content 'moderation' and address the growing challenges posed by deepfakes and AI-generated disinfo."

"In response, Meta said it has expanded its fact-checking capabilities in Eastern Europe and implemented measures to combat alleged misinformation related to the conflict in Ukraine. The company has also restricted access to Russian state-controlled media and added labels to related posts, informing users of the source before they click or share."

Watch this video of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky lamenting how the world's attention is no longer on Ukraine.

This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

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Sources include:

InfoWars.com

ReclaimTheNet.org

Brighteon.com
Californians now ARMING themselves after Border Patrol dumps illegals on the streets

Residents of a city in California's San Diego County are now purchasing guns to defend themselves as massive numbers of illegals, some potentially violent, are released on the streets.

The New York Post elaborated on this development in an April 15 piece, zooming in on the Firearms Unlimited California gun store in the city of El Cajon. The suburb located northeast of San Diego is just 25 miles from the California sector of the U.S. border with Mexico.

Roughly 125,000 illegal aliens have been released on the streets of the San Diego area since September, which has been unsettling for the gun store's owner Cory Gautereaux. His customers, some of whom spoke with the Post, shared his worries.

"My wife and I have had home defense guns for many years," said customer Keith Carnevale, who visited with his family. "Recently though, with all the stuff that's happening south of the border and all the people coming over, my concerns have broadened."

"I don't think it's just the people that are coming over to try to find work. I think we have a lot of hostile people that are coming over with ill will, ill intent that will potentially cause chaos."

Keith's son Anthony Carnevale agreed with his father's sentiments. The younger Carnevale accompanied his father at the gun shop to buy his own firearm.

"I don't think it's just a matter of the number of undocumented people," Anthony remarked. "I think a lot of people are concerned about the state of our own government to be just allowing this and why."

Sharie Finn, another El Cajon local, meanwhile told the Post that the border issue "1,000 percent" plays a role in her decision to buy a gun. She pointed to the Glock pistol in her bag, adding: "I have that with me everywhere I go."

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Use our decentralized, blockchain-based, uncensorable free speech platform at Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

Finn and her husband Wally run the RAD Movement, an organization that helps families find their missing loved ones. Some of the families they aided have had members who were victims of illegal aliens.

Illegals now heading to California after Texas secures its border

"After Texas worked to seal off large swaths of its border with Mexico with razor wire and boots on the ground, more migrants started making their way to California," according to the Post. (Related: Texas installs RAZOR WIRE along New Mexico border to block ILLEGAL ALIENS from crossing.)

Government data obtained by CBS News found that the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) saw a daily average of 1,200 illegals crossing into the San Diego region during the week ending on Feb. 4. In contrast, some of Texas' busiest sectors averaged just hundreds of crossings during that time. Over at the Lone Star State's Del Rio area, migrant apprehensions dropped to a mere 200 a day on the week of Feb. 4  a huge drop compared to the 2,300 daily crossings reported in December.

"Migrants continue to be released onto the streets in and around San Diego because [USBP] processing centers in the region have more than twice as many as they can hold," the Post revealed, citing data recently obtained from the law enforcement agency. "The [USBP] can only hold migrants for up to 72 hours, and the challenge of processing them quickly while also conducting background checks has become overwhelming."

El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells has also acknowledged the issue that comes with illegals being released on the streets of his city. According to him, his residents don't feel safe because of the flood of border crossers.

"We see the massive amounts of violence that's happening, a lot from the immigrant situation, but a lot from the homeless situation as well," the mayor said. "People are frightened, and I do believe they're arming themselves more."

Even Gautereaux, whose gun store sees brisk business due to the influx of illegals, is likewise concerned. He told the Post that the USBP has begun busing illegals who claim asylum into the community and releasing them onto the streets.

"The problem for people that live around the gun store is the street dropoffs," said the gun store owner. "That's driven business to us."

Visit SecondAmendment.news for similar stories.

Watch this Fox News Digital short clip about migrant boat landings in the beaches of San Diego.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Border Patrol sector in Arizona STOPS POSTING UPDATES amid ongoing surge of illegals.

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2A WORKS! Gun Owners of America says horrific situation in Israel shows why Americans were afforded the right to "weapons of war"  for SELF-DEFENSE.

Sources include:

NYPost.com

Brighteon.com
Israel rewards Jordan with year-long extension of WATER AGREEMENT for helping shoot down Iranian drones

Israel has announced that it will extend a water agreement it inked with Jordan for the latter's assistance in shooting down drones and missiles fired by Iran.

During Iran's April 13 and 14 attack on Israel dubbed Operation True Promise, the Hashemite kingdom shot down Iranian projectiles breaching its airspace. This drew applause from Israel, which promptly recognized its neighbor's efforts.

Because of this, Tel Aviv is set to extend its water agreement with Amman by an additional year. Originally set for three years, the agreement involves the transfer of 100 million cubic meters of water annually from Israel to Jordan. The Hashemite kingdom had earlier requested the Jewish nation to consider extending the deal for another year amid escalating tensions between the two arising from the violence in Gaza.

This extension reflects not only Israel's gratitude for Jordan's assistance but also the strength of their bilateral relations, which extend beyond security cooperation to encompass various fields of mutual interest. It also highlights the significance of regional partnerships in addressing shared challenges and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East.

In exchange for extending the deal, Israel has allegedly asked Jordan to reduce its criticism of Israel and curb incitement against it by Jordanian officials. Additionally, Israel emphasized the importance of restoring bilateral relations to their previous state, including the return of ambassadors to Amman and Tel Aviv.

The water agreement, stemming from the 1994 peace treaty between the two nations, requires Israel to provide Jordan with 55 million cubic meters of water annually at a subsidized rate. Over the years, this allocation has been increased, with additional provisions for desalinated water. (Related: Peter Koenig: Israel wants CONTROL of water, hydrocarbons in the Middle East.)

We are building the infrastructure of human freedom and empowering people to be informed, healthy and aware. Explore our decentralized, peer-to-peer, uncensorable Brighteon.io free speech platform here. Learn about our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Every purchase at HealthRangerStore.com helps fund our efforts to build and share more tools for empowering humanity with knowledge and abundance.

However, tensions have escalated since November 2023 when Jordan announced its refusal to ratify a separate agreement involving energy cooperation. At the time, the kingdom cited Israel's actions in Gaza as a reason for the decision. This stance reflects the strain on diplomatic ties between the two countries, exacerbated by the Gaza offensive and its significant human toll.

King Abdullah II stresses that Jordan WON'T become a battleground

Meanwhile, King Abdullah II of Jordan defended his military's recent actions, asserting that the kingdom will not allow its territory to become a battleground for any conflict. The monarch emphasized that the security of the nation and the safety of its citizens are paramount.

The government of Jordan stated that it had taken defensive measures to protect its sovereignty. While this move likely garnered support from allies like the U.S., it also sparked controversy, with some accusing Jordan of prioritizing its relationship with Israel over the Palestinian cause.

However, experts like Kristian Coates Ulrichsen of Rice University's Baker Institute argue that Jordan's actions were defensive and not indicative of support for Israel. He pointed out that Iraq could have intercepted the munitions but chose not to due to political reasons.

Bahraini strategic expert Abdullah Al Junaid defended Jordan's right to protect its airspace, condemning baseless accusations of collusion with Israel. He emphasized that Iran and its proxies pose a threat to regional security.

Jordanian officials reiterated their commitment to defending their sovereignty and supporting the Palestinian cause. They affirmed that Amman would have reacted similarly to any threat to its security, regardless of its origin.

Jonathan Lord of the Center for a New American Security highlighted the complex dynamics at play, suggesting that Jordan's defense cooperation with the U.S. and Israel aligns with its broader security interests. He speculated that U.S.-made defense systems were likely used in intercepting the Iranian drones and missiles, showcasing the benefits of closer security ties with Washington.

In the aftermath of the attack, diplomatic efforts have intensified to de-escalate tensions. U.S. President Joe Biden condemned Iran's actions and reaffirmed support for Jordan's security. Diplomatic engagements between regional powers like Iraq and Jordan aim to address the escalating situation and ensure continued coordination among allies.

Watch this clip of the wreckage of an Iranian missile shot down in Jordan.

This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Israel declares major LAND GRAB in West Bank.

U.S. aggressively pushing ESCALATION in its ongoing SHADOW WAR with Iran.

The Palestinians were right all along: Netanyahu wants them completely expelled from the region.

Sources include:

InformationLiberation.com

NewArab.com

BreakingDefense.com

Brighteon.com
TIT FOR TAT: Israel vows to respond to Irans retaliatory missile and drone strikes

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has vowed to respond to Iran's retaliatory mass missile and drone barrage on the evening of April 13.

Iran launched nearly 350 drones and missiles against Israel in retaliation for Tel Aviv's April 1 airstrike on the Iranian embassy in Syria that killed several Iranian citizens, including a high ranking general within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' special forces unit, the Quds Force.

The IDF claims most of the missiles and drones were intercepted outside of Israel with the help of anti-air defenses operated by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Two Israeli airbases were struck, damaging at least one military aircraft. One Israeli civilian was injured by shrapnel, and several dozen others were treated for minor injuries.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said on Monday, April 15, that the Iranian attack was Tehran's first-ever attack on Israel launched from Iranian soil and that it "will be met with a response."

"Iran wanted to harm the strategic capabilities of the State of Israel  that is something that had not happened before," said Halevi. "We were prepared for the 'Iron Shield' operation " the name of the Israel and allied operation to intercept Iranian drones and missiles  "preparation that brought Iran to also meet our air superiority."

"Last Monday we saw what was being organized, and we think that the State of Israel is very strong and knows how to deal with it alone, but with a threat so numerous and so far away, we are always happy to have the U.S. with us," continued Halevi. "We are looking ahead, we are considering our steps, and this launch of so many missiles, cruise missiles and UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] into the territory of the State of Israel will be met with a response."

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Speak freely without censorship at the new decentralized, blockchain-power Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

Biden warns: No U.S. support for Israeli retaliatory strike against Iran

On the same day as Halevi's statement, the Israeli war cabinet convened to discuss its potential response. Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant has already informed U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin that Israel "has no choice" but to respond.

Gallant reportedly told Austin that Israel can't let ballistic missiles strike Israeli territory unanswered and that Tel Aviv can't accept an equation in which Iran responds with a direct attack every time Israel strikes Iranian targets in Syria. (Related: Iran warns of retaliation against U.S. forces in the Middle East if Biden supports Israel militarily.)

At around the same time, Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian reportedly told Israel through British Foreign Secretary David Cameron that Tehran does not want escalation, but if Israel "seeks adventure, our next response will be immediate, stronger and more extensive."

In a different statement Tehran released to the United Nations, Iran heavily emphasized how its non-lethal strike against Israel was a retaliatory measure in response to Tel Aviv's bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus, and that at this point Tehran believes this whole ordeal can be finished.

"The matter can be deemed concluded. However, should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran's response will be considerably more severe," read the statement, which highlighted how this conflict was solely between Israel and Iran and that the U.S. should avoid intervening.

The administration of President Joe Biden is reportedly of the same mind as Tehran, believing that there shouldn't be any response to Iran's strike.

Biden, through Austin, reportedly conveyed a message to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and warned him that the U.S. would not participate in any Israeli counterstrike against Iran, stressing the need to do everything possible to avoid further escalation.

"You got a win. Take the win," Biden told Netanyahu.

But at the same time, the Biden administration stressed that it is committed to supporting Israel. U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Robert Wood even went so far as to call for the UN Security Council to unequivocally condemn Iran's attack in a statement that avoided mentioning support for an Israeli retaliation.

"Let me be clear: If Iran or its proxies take actions against the United States or further action against Israel, Iran will be held responsible," he said.

The White House, through Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, is also speaking with their counterparts in the region, including in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and Jordan, stressing the need to avoid escalation and the importance of a coordinated diplomatic response.

"Strength and wisdom must be the two sides of the same coin," Blinken said in a message directed at Israel intended to pressure it against responding.

Watch this episode of the "Health Ranger Report" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, discusses how Iran's retaliatory strike on Israel was a successfully coordinated "war theater," and the real conflict between Israel and Iran has yet to occur.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

BREAKING: Israel vows to retaliate against Iran with new devastating strike (World War III).

"Genocide" Joe Biden shows devotion to Israel, sends reinforcements to fight Iran.

U.S. official claims Iran did not issue a warning before its attack on Israel  but Tehran actually did, and the mainstream media reported it.

Iran strikes Israel as region plunges into escalation cycle that could end in NUCLEAR WAR.

Simulation shows NUCLEAR HELL would be unleashed in apocalyptic Iran vs. Israel war.

Sources include:

InfoWars.com

Axios.com

HindustanTimes.com

Reuters.com

Brighteon.com
JPMorgan Chase announces it is selling 80 million customer transaction histories to third party advertisers

The largest bank in the United States based on assets quietly announced earlier this month that it has begun selling the transaction histories of around 80 million customers to third parties, which are using the information to curate targeted advertising.

JPMorgan Chase launched a subsidiary, Chase Media Solutions, that bragged about the move, claiming it will connect "Consumers with the Brands They Love." In truth, JPMorgan Chase is selling out its customers for more profit.

According to the bank, Chase Media Solutions is the vehicle through which the bank itself connects its customers with brands that want to sell them more things. Chase earns a profit for the ads while its customers get bombarded with promotions for things they probably do not need.

"As the only bank-led media platform of its kind, Chase Media Solutions combines the scale and audience of a retail media network with the exclusive advantages of Chase's first-party financial data, institutional credibility and precise targeting capabilities," the company boasted.

"Today, the bank's large consumer base and 6 million small business customers benefit from Chase's wide range of travel, dining and shopping offerings  generating unparalleled insights across consumer categories."

(Related: Last year, Dr. Joseph Mercola filed a lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase for de-banking his employees at Mercola Market.)

Selling out your customers

In 2022, Chase acquired a company called Figg that created the world's leading card-linked marketing platform. From there, Chase launched Chase Media Solutions in an effort to build out its planned two-sided commerce platform.

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Speak freely without censorship at the new decentralized, blockchain-power Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

"Our deep understanding of consumer spending across categories has driven us to reimagine what retail media networks can offer," says Rich Muhlstock, president of Chase Media Solutions.

"Like retailers, we have first-party data and a dedicated audience. But what sets us apart is the unrivaled scale and insights from our customers  having long-served as a trusted guide for their financial decisions. Chase reaches across brands, merchants and shopping verticals, providing a comprehensive view of purchase behavior; this strengthens the degree of personalization, helping brands deliver offers that stoke consumer interests."

Some of Chase's early pilot partners include Air Canada, Solo Stove, Blue Bottle and Whataburger. All of these companies have seen increasing sales and new customer growth as part of the targeted advertising scheme.

"The Chase team succeeded in creating a thoughtful, targeted offer that exceeded our expectations," commented Scott O'Leary, vice president of loyalty and product for Air Canada.

"Two distinct offer constructs drove incremental revenue and awareness for Air Canada amongst Chase's cardmember base. These tests clearly demonstrated the potential of the Chase Media Solutions channel, and we look forward to working together more in the future."

Members of the public have been shocked to learn about what Chase is doing. It is bad enough to have to deal with the banking industry's predatory usury, but to now have to be bombarded with targeted ads so America's largest bank can pad its pockets only adds fuel to the fire.

"Banksters make the Mafia look like amateurs," one commenter wrote about the banking racket.

"This is awful and should be highly illegal," wrote another. "A bank should not be able to sell customer data to tell companies what I am purchasing. That should be completely private, and that is insane."

"Isn't there some kind of privacy law against this?" asked another. "I straight up believe that targeted advertisements should be banned."

"To solve this, stop using Chase bank," said someone else. "In fact, you should never use any bank that got bailed out. Use local or credit unions."

If you can, use a smaller bank rather than JPMorgan Chase and the other corrupt big boys. Learn more at Corruption.news.

Sources for this article include:

WinePressNews.com

NaturalNews.com
Norfolk Southern agrees to $600M settlement in Ohio class-action lawsuit  but residents claim amount is INSUFFICIENT

Norfolk Southern has agreed to pay $600 million to settle a class-action lawsuit arising from a disastrous train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio back in February 2023.

The Atlanta-based railroad operator confirmed the move in an April 9 press release. It stated that the settlement "is another promise kept by Norfolk Southern to make it right for the people of East Palestine and the surrounding communities."

"The agreement is designed to provide finality and flexibility for settlement class members. Individuals and businesses will be able to use compensation from the settlement in any manner they see fit to address potential adverse impacts from the derailment," Norfolk Southern explained.

"This could include healthcare needs and medical monitoring, property restoration and diminution, and compensation for any net business loss. In addition, individuals within 10 miles of the derailment may, at their discretion, choose to receive additional compensation for any past, current, or future personal injury from the derailment." (Related: Norfolk Southern trying to BUY OFF East Palestine residents for just $1,000 to silence them forever, and block all future cancer lawsuits resulting from vinyl chloride train catastrophe.)

According to the company, the arrangement will settle all class-action claims within a 20-mile radius of the derailment if approved by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. This includes claims from residents of East Palestine and people who evacuated after the disaster, along with various other larger towns. Compensations could start to arrive by the end of the year, subject to final court approval.

We are building the infrastructure of human freedom and empowering people to be informed, healthy and aware. Explore our decentralized, peer-to-peer, uncensorable Brighteon.io free speech platform here. Learn about our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Every purchase at HealthRangerStore.com helps fund our efforts to build and share more tools for empowering humanity with knowledge and abundance.

Incidentally, the settlement does not contain or form any admission of liability, wrongdoing or fault on the part of Norfolk Southern. "More than three dozen" cars belonging to the company's freight train derailed, spilling hazardous chemicals that caught fire. Days later, officials burned the toxic vinyl chloride that was on five cars  sending thick, black plumes of smoke into the air and prompting the evacuation of some 1,500 to 2,000 residents.

Affected residents claim the $600 million settlement won't go far

More than a year after the disaster, residents still complain about respiratory issues and unexplained rashes and nosebleeds. Their biggest fear, however, is that they or their neighbors will develop cancer or other severe conditions because of the chemicals they were exposed to. They are also worried that the $600 million won't go far enough to cover future health requirements that could be enormous, but also won't amount to anything once it is distributed.

"It's not nowhere near my needs, let alone what the health effects are going to be five or 10 years down the road," said Eric Cozza, whose house was located just three blocks away from the disaster site. Forty-seven of his family members were residing within a mile of the derailment.

Cozza spent about $8,000 to pull out of town, pay his medical bills and replace his contaminated property. That amount, he lamented, drained what little savings he had.

Krissy Ferguson, another resident of East Palestine, called the settlement a "heart-wrenching day." She told the Associated Press: "I just feel like we've been victimized over and over and over again."

"We fought and we're still fighting, and contamination is still flowing down the creeks. People are still sick  and I think people that had the power to fight took an easy way out."

Other residents, Misti Allison among them, have many unanswered questions with regard to the settlement.

"What goes through my head is, after all the lawyers are paid and the legal fees are accounted for, how much funding will be provided for families? And is that going to be enough for any of these potential damages moving forward?"

Visit Disaster.news for more stories about the February 2023 East Palestine train derailment and its aftermath.

Listen to the Health Ranger Mike Adams discussing Norfolk Southern trying to buy the silence of East Palestine, Ohio residents for a measly $1,000 below.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Norfolk Southern announces safety plan for its trains weeks after East Palestine, Ohio disaster.

Following East Palestine train derailment, environmentalists push EPA to ban vinyl chloride.

Ohios Chernobyl: Pollution from East Palestine still wreaking havoc in nearby Pennsylvania.

East Palestine toxic chemical spill could affect far-off cities and suburbs.

Sources include:

APNews.com

NorfolkSouthern.MediaRoom.com

NBCNews.com

Brighteon.com
New York City posts record case number for bacterial disease

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issued a health advisory regarding the upward trend of human leptospirosis cases.

(Article by Danielle republished from WLTReport.com)

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects humans and animals. It is caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira. In humans, it can cause a wide range of symptoms, some of which may be mistaken for other diseases.

Without treatment, Leptospirosis can lead to kidney damage, meningitis (inflammation of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord), liver failure, respiratory distress, and even death, the CDC writes.

Human leptospirosis infections in NYC are largely associated with exposure to environments and materials contaminated with rat urine, the NYC Department of Health wrote.

NYC recorded 24 human leptospirosis cases in 2023  the highest number in a single year.

In 2024, 6 cases have been reported to date.

The alarming advisory comes exactly a year after New York City Mayor Eric Adams appointed Kathleen Corradi as the citys first-ever citywide director of rodent mitigation, which his office dubbed the rat czar. The appointment of Ms. Corradi as rat czar came as Mr. Adamss office announced a $3.5 million investment in an accelerated rat reduction plan, Chief Nerd wrote, citing The Epoch Times.

New York City has seen a record jump in the number of human leptospirosis, a disease caused by rat urine that can cause kidney damage, liver failure, and even death. The alarming advisory comes exactly a year after New York City Mayor Eric Adams appointed Kathleen Corradi as pic.twitter.com/d0sb1pm8dK  Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) April 14, 2024

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease that is present globally and caused by several species of a spirochete bacteria of the genus Leptospira. In NYC, the primary species is Leptospira interrorgans, serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae which is associated with the Norway rat. Infected animals excrete the bacteria in their urine, and bacteria can persist in warm, moist environments for weeks. Transmission occurs through direct contact with infectious urine or urine contaminated water, soil, or food, entering the body through open wounds or mucous membranes, the NYC Department of Health wrote.

Twenty-four people diagnosed with leptospirosis were reported in 2023. This exceeds the total number of cases reported to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health Department) in any prior year. For comparison, the average number of locally acquired cases during 2021 to 2023 was 15 per year, and 3 cases per year during 2001 to 2020, the advisory continued.

Yikes! New York City is seeing an uptick in cases of a disease largely associated with exposure to rat urine, per this @nycHealthy advisory that went out today. pic.twitter.com/iFIK8YCpze  Maya Kaufman (@mayakauf) April 12, 2024

From The Epoch Times:

While its unclear how many rats there are in New York City, research in mid-2023 from MMPC Pest Control suggests the citys rat population has grown to around 3 million. To come up with this estimate, the company said it used the same methodology used in 2014 by statistician Jonathan Auerbach, who said at the time that the citys rat population was around 2 million. New York City is home to one of the biggest populations of Norway rats, which are known to infest buildings and spread disease. Unfortunately for New Yorkers, theyre a difficult problem to solve. Rats are intelligent and resilient, enabling them to adapt to various environments. They can even learn to avoid traps and baits, the pest control firm wrote in its analysis. And in a bustling place like New York City, where theres an abundance of food (think overflowing bins, piles of trash bags on curbs, and outdoor dining establishments) as well as hiding places (subway systems, sewers, and construction zones), its no wonder theyre thriving, it added.

New York City is seeing a rise in cases of human leptospirosis, a disease caused by rat urine, which if left untreated can cause kidney failure and liver damage https://t.co/OvEImggec0  Bloomberg (@business) April 12, 2024

The disease made headlines two years ago, after several dogs were said to have possibly died from leptospirosis they might have caught at the McCarren Park dog run in Williamsburg, Gothamist noted.

Leptospirosis, transmitted by rat urine, is on the rise in NYC, health officials warn https://t.co/0iCE2Vo74F  Gothamist (@Gothamist) April 13, 2024

Gothamist reports:

According to health officials, local cases of human leptospirosis typically arise from residential or occupational exposure to rat urine, including when people handle trash bags or bins. Direct transmission between people is rare. Still, the health department advises New Yorkers to avoid places where rats may have urinated. For those who cant, or have to clean such areas, officials recommend using gloves and a solution thats one part bleach and 10 parts water, as well as washing ones hands with soap. The departments notice on Friday urged medical professionals to consider leptospirosis in any patient presenting with compatible illness, especially when there is evidence of acute renal and hepatic failure, and possibly pulmonary hemorrhage. Providers should find out if patients have recently visited tropical or subtropical areas, and run tests to rule out the disease, officials said. Leptospirosis is usually treated with antibiotics, such as doxycycline or penicillin, and treatment should begin as soon as possible after exposure, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.

View the original article here.

Read more at: WLTReport.com
Russia promises to give Iran fighter jets, air defenses if U.S. backs Israeli aggression

If the United States decides to back Israel in waging war on Iran, Russia is promising to send fighter jets and air defenses to Iran.

Since the provocation of Iran by Israel with the recent bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria, Iran responded with an air assault on Israel. Israel plans to counter-respond a second time against Iran in defiance of warnings that it needs to back off or else face a much worse attack by Iran.

With warmonger Benjamin Netanyahu at the helm, Israel is on the precipice of unleashing a full-scale regional war in the Middle East that many say it cannot win. And especially now that Russia is promising to back Iran, Israel would seal its own fate by provoking the situation any further.

"It's no longer the patron-client dynamic, where Russia holds all the leverage," commented Hanna Notte, director of the Eurasia Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies.

"The Iranians are accruing benefits from this change. The nature of their relationship has gone beyond just getting things. There's knowledge transfer, there's intangible gains."

(Related: Israel is eagerly awaiting the false messiah, also known as the Antichrist, whom the Jewish state plans to usher in with the impending sacrifice of a "perfect" GMO red heifer.)

Iran plus Russia, a mighty force

The relationship between Russia and Iran took a major step forward in 2022 when Iran agreed to help Russia with its special military operation in Ukraine. An agreement forged between the two nations allowed Iran to send thousands of battlefield drones and missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine.

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Speak freely without censorship at the new decentralized, blockchain-power Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

Russia is now ready to reciprocate this by supplying Iran with the munitions and defense tools it needs to ward off Israeli aggression in the coming days, which at this point seems to be a certainty.

Intelligence officials and weapons experts say that when Russia supplies Iran with fighter jets and air defense technologies, it will make Iran a much more powerful force in the Middle East  one that Israel will not want to mess with if it wants to avoid finding itself a primary target in World War III.

Iran demonstrated its strength even without Russia's help in its counterattack on Israel last weekend. That strength will only increase once Russia joins Iran's team in the coming days.

It is being reported that Iran is especially interested in obtaining Russia's S-400 anti-aircraft launchers, which military analysts say are able to detect and destroy stealth fighter jets operated by both Israel and the U.S.

Back in March of 2023, a Russian arms dealer invited a delegation of Iranians to tour one of its weapons factories, called NPP Start. That factory was under U.S. sanctions for supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

It was later determined following a hack that the meeting was intended as an exhibition of the "scientific and technical potential and production capabilities" of what Russia has to offer in terms of modern warfare weaponry.

That meeting, coupled with Russia's latest indication of plans to back Iran should the U.S. get involved in supporting another Israeli strike on Iran, demonstrate that Russia and Iran are becoming a major force to be reckoned with in the Middle East.

Currently, Iran's air force is considered to be outdated. It is comprised mostly of rebuilt U.S. and Soviet jets from before 1979. However, Russia is reportedly "advancing" a deal with Iran to supply the Middle Eastern nation with Su-35 fighter jets.

While there is not yet any formidable evidence to suggest that Iran has actually received any of these Russian procurements, all indications point to an impending deal that will fortify Iran's resistance against further Israeli provocation.

The Middle East is a powder keg, just like the Bible foretold. Find out more at Prophecy.news.

Sources for this article include:

DailyMail.co.uk

NaturalNews.com
First Southwest, now American: U.S. airlines seeing massive SPIKE in safety problems as planes fall apart in the skies

Safety issues are on the rise at airlines in the United States, which are increasingly seeing their airplanes fall apart in the skies without warning or apparent cause.

Many of the reported problems started with Southwest Airlines and United Airlines but have since expanded to include American Airlines, a pilot group from which says it is seeing a "significant spike" in both safety- and maintenance-related problems at the carrier.

The Allied Pilots Association (APA) reported "problematic trends" in an April 13 memo to the airline, including instances of hammers and other tools being left in airplane wheel wells, as well as an increasing number of collisions between aircraft while they are being towed across the runways.

Roughly 15,000 pilots are part of the APA, which continues to implore its members to take their time in doing their jobs and not rush due to pressure because doing so puts both crew and passengers at risk of injury or death.

(Related: Perhaps airlines in the U.S. should stop promoting anti-white "diversity" in their hiring and instead stick with hiring qualified people, whatever their skin color, to both build and fly its planes.)

Alaska, United both seeing problems as well

Another air carrier seeing problems is Alaska Airlines, which back in January had a large panel blow off the side of one of its aircraft mid-flight. United Airlines also found itself in headlines after a wheel fell off a plane after takeoff, as well as an incident in which an aircraft skidded off an airport runway.

"While United Airlines is currently under public and government scrutiny, it could just as easily be American Airlines," the APA wrote in its memo.

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Speak freely without censorship at the new decentralized, blockchain-power Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

In a statement responding to the memo, American claimed that it maintains a "robust safety program" to prevent such incidents from occurring. That program includes "a multitude of collaborative programs  and regular touchpoints  with the FAA and all of our unions, including APA, to further bolster our strong safety record and enhance our ever-evolving safety culture."

Members of the APA recently spoke with senior management at American about how to improve early assessments of possible safety risks. The initial response to that conversation "was encouraging," according to union spokesman Dennis Tajer.

"We fully intend to do everything we can to assure that American maintains strong margins of safety," Tajer added.

The problems at American continue, though, with instances of equipment being left in sterile areas where planes pull into the gates, for instance, as well as faulty paperwork documenting when damaged aircraft have to be sent to another location for repair.

Another thing APA members want the airline to improve is the operating procedure for how planes are navigated across ramps and taxiways, particularly at congested airports staffed "with inexperienced controllers and ground personnel."

The Federal Aviation Administration is said to be increasing its oversight of United as part of a broad safety review, including by postponing approval for two new routes the airline had planned to start this upcoming summer.

Boeing, a major supplier of airplanes in the U.S., is also riddled with problems these days after transitioning its build operations from unionized Washington state to non-unionized South Carolina.

There have been a number of incidents with Boeing's infamous 737 Max 9, which has had many, many problems since its launch. There are also now problems with the 787 Dreamliner, which was determined to have been built from plans riddled with manufacturing shortcuts aimed at easing production bottleneck at production plants.

America's transition to anti-white, anti-male "diversity" is wrecking just about everything that the former land of the free once held near and dear. Find out more at Collapse.news.

Sources for this article include:

MSN.com

NaturalNews.com
House Speaker Johnson to introduce 4 separate bills for foreign aid, sending nearly $90 billion to Ukraine and Israel

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) reportedly plans to introduce four separate bills for foreign aid instead of one omnibus proposal, according to a report by NTD News.

The top lawmaker at the lower chamber of Congress unveiled this four-pronged plan on April 15, ostensibly to furnish financial aid to both Israel and Ukraine and to address other geopolitical issues. The issue of funding for Israel and Ukraine has divided Republican legislators in the lower house.

According to NTD News, the four-part plan includes three separate financial assistance packages  one for Ukraine, another for Israel and another for Taiwan. The fourth bill would reportedly include a ban on Chinese video-sharing app TikTok and the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians (REPO) Act. The REPO Act would allow Washington to seize some assets belonging to Russian oligarchs to help bankroll Kyiv's war against Moscow.

At least two of Johnson's GOP colleagues put in their two cents on the proposal. Oklahoma Rep. Kevin Hearn expressed his "100 percent" support of the speaker. "This is about the Indo-Pacific, it's about Taiwan, Ukraine and Israel  and some other national security issues," he told reporters.

However, the congressman for the Sooner State won't be committing his support immediately. Hearn remarked that he would wait until he sees the actual text of the proposals before doing so.

Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs applauded Johnson for splitting the aid packages into four distinct proposals instead of merging them into one. "I like that it's separate bills," he said.

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The congressman for the Grand Canyon State also mentioned that he doesn't expect to see border security attached to the funding packages, an issue that has been a key concern for many GOP lawmakers. Incidentally, Biggs is also an opponent of additional funding for Ukraine.

MTG denounces Johnson's proposal as a "scam"

However, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene  a more vocal opponent of further funding for Kyiv  blasted the speaker's proposal. "I am firmly against the plan as it stands right now. This is such a scam and people are so done with it," she told reporters.

Greene did not say whether she would pursue an activation of her standing motion to vacate against Johnson in response to the latter's announcement. The congresswoman for the Peach State recently called on the lower house's leader to step down from his post.

"No additional details are available on either the top line costs that Johnson will pursue," NTD News pointed out. It added that details of the proposed measure to ban TikTok "are also sparse."

According to the news outlet, the four proposals come in the wake of an unprecedented direct attack launched by Iran against Israel. Tehran has claimed that the attack was in retaliation for Tel Aviv's strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria, which killed generals of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Iran's attack "prompted a new sense of urgency" among many lawmakers to pursue another aid package with Israel in mind. But Congress has struggled for months to find a path forward on foreign aid. This is because many Republicans in both chambers support Israel funding, but not for Ukraine.

"Three earlier packages to fund Israel  including one originating in the Senate and two originating in the House  have failed to advance to the president's desk due to partisan and intra-party disputes." (Related: BETRAYAL: Senate approves $95.3 billion aid package for Israel and Ukraine with nothing for U.S. border security.)

Moreover, an earlier bill passed by the GOP-controlled House with regard to TikTok would force its parent company ByteDance to divest its subsidiary or face a ban in the United States. This measure was tackled during a hearing in March, which saw Singaporean TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testify before Congress.

That bill, however, has not been taken up by the Senate. The speaker's move to attach the REPO Act to the TikTok ban is likely a ploy to prompt the upper chamber into backing the measure.

Visit BigGovernment.news for similar stories.

Watch Kentucky Rep. Rand Paul denouncing House Speaker Mike Johnson for "siding with Democrats" in this Fox News interview.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

New House Speaker Mike Johnson vows to send BILLIONS of U.S. taxpayer dollars to defend Israel while Americas own border remains undefended.

Sen. Ron Johnson and Elon Musk explain why Ukraine will lose the war in X discussion about Ukraine spending bill.

Jewish Sen. Bernie Sanders to block U.S. taxpayer funding for Israeli weapons.

Sources include:

NTD.com

Brighteon.com
Pakistan and Afghanistan's recent heavy rains resulted in over 100 deaths, according to recent weather reports. The regions have suffered from unseasonal rainfall, causing people to experience deadly flooding and flash flood risks.

Communities in low-lying areas become vulnerable to deadly flooding in the region due to heavy rounds of rain. The heavy rains can lead to the rapid rise of floodwaters, making people vulnerable to weather threats.

People in vulnerable areas are advised to stay updated on weather alerts, particularly for evacuation concerns. The heavy rains also flooded the streets of Peshawar in Pakistan, causing hazardous travel.

Weather Conditions in Pakistan and Afghanistan

The two countries are at risk of extreme weather conditions, including drought, heatwaves, and flooding rainfall. Climate change is one of the factors that exacerbates the extreme weather in the area. For instance, Afghanistan is also at risk of harsh winter conditions and cold waves. In 2023, the country suffered from a deadly earthquake, killing hundreds of people.

When the flooding rainfall unloaded in Afghanistan, the heavy rains helped trigger flooding concerns in 23 provinces in the region. It led to the injuries of 36 people and 66 deaths. The Ministry of Disaster Management announced that 600 animals died from the flooding and rainfall.

OCHA Afghanistan reported that 1,200 families and 63,000 acres of land could be affected. The agency is now assessing the overall damage of recent stormy conditions in Afghanistan, where poorer communities are mostly vulnerable.

In Pakistan, the country reeled from the heavy rain conditions in the region, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Balochistan recorded challenging weather conditions, partially damaging 1250 houses. Additionally, the country reported 170 destroyed houses.

Pakistan is vulnerable to the monsoon season from June through September, making it more vulnerable to extreme weather due to a spike in warming emissions. In a recent report, the country can experience high disaster risk due to exposure to internal conflict, quakes, coastal flooding, tropical cyclones, droughts, and heat waves.

With frequent climate extremes, effective weather prediction and preparations are crucial to saving communities from potential weather threats. The report highlights that climate change can significantly disrupt mitigation efforts in the country.

Also Read: Asia Pacific Losses US$65 Billion In Economy Due To Natural Disasters

Flooding Weather Preparedness in Pakistan and Afghanistan

The latest weather reports raised concerns about the fatalities and economic damage of extreme weather events in the regions, particularly for areas at risk of climate change. Homeowners should prepare disaster plans to stay safe from changing weather conditions.

Additionally, keeping emergency supplies is crucial for the country, especially when an evacuation happens. Small kits can come in handy when being evacuated. Homeowners should stay alert for the rapid rise of floodwaters.

Related Article: The 6 Deadliest and Most Destructive Earthquakes Since 1950

For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature World News.
The Botswana government stressed the impact of human-wildlife conflict in the region as some European countries pushed for stricter control on hunting trophies.

Human-Animal Conflict

The president of Botswana has claimed that many Europeans value elephants' lives more than those of the people who live around them, amidst tensions over prospective trophy hunting import bans.

Botswana threatened to send 30,000 elephants to the United Kingdom and Germany after both nations proposed tighter regulations on hunting trophies.

The country's president, Mokgweetsi Masisi, stated that it will help people understand human-wildlife conflict, which is one of the species' principal threats, as well as the experiences of subsistence farmers afflicted by animal crop-raiding.

The African leader said Europeans view elephants as pets, however, they value these animals compared to human life.

"Why don't you for a moment experience living with them? That's why this offer was made to yourselves to have them in Hyde Park," he said.

Masisi's remarks come amid rising tensions between anti-trophy activists in Europe and Africa and those who argue that regulated hunting is beneficial to elephant conservation in some cases: allowing tourists to kill a small number of animals for thousands of dollars can provide livelihoods for locals and prevent habitats from being converted for agriculture.

The UK government has pledged to implement a ban on the import of hunting trophies. A prohibition nearly passed last year but was defeated in the Lords after passing all Commons stages.

While trophy hunting has sparked great outrage among the British public and celebrity campaigners, employing it as part of a larger conservation strategy has been proven to benefit animals and combat poaching.

Read Also: Botswana: Mystery of Mass Elephant Die-off Solved

Europeans Invited To Africa

Masisi stated that Botswana, which has the world's largest elephant population, allows trophy hunting by democratic choice, and that European countries that advise his country on how to manage its elephant population should provide alternatives to hunting.

Human-wildlife conflict is increasing in many parts of Africa, putting some species at risk of extinction. Every year, dozens of humans are said to be killed by elephants across the continent, with hundreds more cases of crop raiding and other types of confrontation.

Siyoka Simasiku is the director of the Ngamiland Council of Nongovernmental Organizations, a conservation alliance, and has taken part in the campaign against proposed wildlife trophy import limits. He stated that authorities in Europe needed to visit southern Africa to learn firsthand how limited elephant hunting benefits Botswana.

"This has been the call of the community - to invite European countries, including the U.K., to come directly to their areas to witness what the benefits from this wildlife have actually provided them, and also to see the damages that are also brought about by wildlife within their areas in terms of crop damage, competition for water holes and loss of lives," he stressed.

Botswana currently awards roughly 300 elephant hunting licenses per year, which generates approximately $3 million in revenue for the country in addition to the other revenues generated by hunters.

Related Article: Botswana Threatened to Send 20,000 Elephants to Germany Amid Trophy Hunting Dispute
Millions of people in southern Africa are facing hunger due to a severe drought that has gripped the region. While some have pointed to climate change as the culprit, a new study suggests that El Nino, a natural weather pattern, is primarily to blame.

El Nino is a cyclical climate phenomenon that disrupts weather patterns around the world. During El Nino events, warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures develop in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. This change in ocean temperatures can lead to altered wind patterns and precipitation levels across the globe.

In the case of southern Africa, El Nino typically brings less rain to the region. This year's El Nino event has been particularly strong, leading to widespread drought conditions.

El Nino's Impact on Southern Africa

The drought has had a devastating impact on southern Africa's agricultural sector. Crops have failed, and livestock have died due to lack of water. The situation has been exacerbated by rising temperatures, which have caused more water to evaporate.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that millions of people in southern Africa are at risk of hunger. The agency is appealing for nearly $900 million in aid to help those affected by the drought.

According to a recent report by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), a consortium of organizations that monitors food security, the drought is likely to worsen in the coming months. The report warns that up to 22 million people in southern Africa could face severe food insecurity by the end of the year.

The drought has also had a significant impact on water resources in the region. Rivers and lakes have shrunk to record lows, and many communities are facing water shortages. The lack of water is also having a negative impact on sanitation and hygiene, which could lead to outbreaks of disease.

El Nino's Fingerprint in the Drought

Scientists believe that El Nino is the primary driver of the current drought in southern Africa. El Nino events are known to disrupt weather patterns in the region, leading to reduced rainfall. This year's El Nino event has been particularly strong, and it is likely to be a major factor in the severity of the drought.

However, climate change is also expected to play a role in future droughts in southern Africa. Climate change is predicted to lead to more frequent and severe El Nino events. It is also expected to cause changes in average rainfall patterns, making droughts more likely.

The current drought is a stark reminder of the vulnerability of southern Africa to climate shocks. While El Nino is a natural phenomenon, climate change is expected to make these events more frequent and severe.

Also Read: Jellyfish Disappearing in Palau Due to El Nino

A Race Against Time

Aid agencies are working to provide food and water assistance to those affected by the drought. The World Food Programme (WFP) is one of the agencies on the front lines of the relief effort. The WFP is providing food assistance to millions of people in southern Africa. The agency is also working to improve access to water and sanitation facilities.

Other agencies, such as the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), are also providing assistance. UNICEF is working to provide clean water and sanitation facilities to children and families affected by the drought. The agency is also working to prevent the spread of disease.

The scale of the crisis is immense, and more funding is needed to provide adequate relief. The WFP is appealing for nearly $900 million in aid to help those affected by the drought. Other agencies are also appealing for donations.

The drought is a complex humanitarian crisis with far-reaching consequences. It is a race against time to provide life-saving assistance to those in need.

Long-Term Solutions Needed

In addition to providing immediate relief, there is a need to invest in long-term solutions to improve southern Africa's resilience to drought. This includes measures to improve water management, develop drought-resistant crops, and diversify livelihoods.

One important measure is to improve water management. This could involve investing in irrigation systems, rainwater harvesting, and water conservation techniques. These measures would help to make better use of available water resources.

Another important measure is to develop drought-resistant crops. This would help to ensure that farmers can continue to produce food even during droughts. Scientists are already working to develop new varieties of crops that are more resistant to drought.

Finally, it is important to diversify livelihoods in southern Africa. This would help to reduce people's dependence on rain-fed agriculture. One way to do this is to promote the development of other industries, such as tourism and manufacturing.

By taking these steps, southern Africa can better prepare for future droughts and climate shocks. The current drought is a wake-up call. It is a reminder of the need to invest in building a more resilient future.

Related article: More Than 95% Chance El Nino Phenomenon Will Remain Strong Until February 2024; Experts Warn Vs. Far-Reaching Impacts
According to a PR published by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries on April 17, 2024, the company has successfully clinched the largest-ever defense export deal for a South Korean company in Latin America, involving the construction of four naval ships for Peru. The contract, valued at approximately 6,406 billion KRW (4,5 billion $), was signed with the Peruvian state-owned SIMA Shipyard.

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The 3,400-ton frigate, the 1,400-ton landing ship and the 2,200-ton offshore patrol vessel. (Picture source: HD HHI)

The ceremony took place at the Centro Naval de San Borja in Lima, attended by high-profile figures including HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Vice President Ju Won-ho, Peruvian President Dina Boluarte, Prime Minister Gustavo Lino Adrianzen Olaya, Defense Minister Walter Astudillo Chavez, Finance Minister Jose Arista Arbildo, Navy Commander Luis Jose Polar Figari, and SIMA Shipyard Director Cesar Augusto Benavides Iraola. This milestone follows approximately three weeks after HD Hyundai was selected as the preferred negotiator.

The ships, including a 3,400-ton frigate, a 2,200-ton offshore patrol vessel, and two 1,400-ton landing ships, will be built in collaboration with the SIMA Shipyard in Peru. These vessels are scheduled for delivery to the Peruvian Navy by 2030, with HD Hyundai providing design, equipment supply, and technical support while SIMA manages the construction.

This agreement not only reinforces the strategic partnership between HD Hyundai and the Peruvian government and navy for the next 15 years but also positions the company favorably for future naval contracts. Peru is expected to order an additional five frigates, three offshore patrol vessels, and two landing ships, with HD Hyundai anticipated to be the primary contractor.

Technical data

The recently secured frigate features a length of 127 meters and a width of 14.9 meters, with a maximum speed of 26.5 knots and an operational range of 6,000 nautical miles. It is equipped with anti-ship missiles and vertical launch systems, and will be fitted with an AESA radar.

The offshore patrol vessel measures 95 meters in length and 14.3 meters in width, capable of reaching a top speed of 20 knots and covering a range of 6,000 nautical miles. It can operate a medium-sized maritime operations helicopter and will incorporate a flexible Mission Module to facilitate a variety of tasks.

The landing ship, with a length of 58 meters and a width of 13.2 meters, has a top speed of 10 knots and a range of 1,500 nautical miles. It can transport more than seven large armored vehicles or over twenty 20-foot containers.
Microsoft sees governments as key drivers of this trend. In a blog post, the company said that governments want the power and scalability of the public cloud but with the control and transparency that sovereignty models promise.

Governments are obligated to meet specific requirements for varying data classifications including data governance, security controls, the privacy of citizens, data residency, sovereign protections, and compliant operations following legal regulations like the GDPR [in the case of Europe], Microsoft said.

Whos going sovereign first?

Dont expect every industry to take the leap at once. Heavily regulated sectors like government, healthcare, and utilities are the early adopters. Data residency laws and a desire to future-proof their operations in an uncertain regulatory landscape are pushing them towards sovereign solutions.

The strongest interest we are seeing are in highly regulated sectors, particularly the public sector but also the adjacent industries that are impacted by sovereignty style policies, such as utilities and healthcare who are seeking to become future-ready for anticipated changes to regulations and government policies, such as data residency requirements, Francis said.

About 48% of public sector organizations in APAC are planning to include cloud sovereignty as part of their cloud strategy in the next 12 months, said Edouard Laroche-Joubert, APAC head of Cloud Centre of Excellence at Capgemini. The move towards cloud sovereignty is driven by the need to secure sensitive data, comply with regulations, and protect organizations against cyber threats.

Potential use cases in the public sector include smart cities services which connect data infrastructure in areas such as mobility, health, administration, energy, and education, Laroche-Joubert said. In addition, chatbots can be used to provide citizens with 24/7 digital assistance for digital public administration.
Inspur has infringed numerous HPE patents and HPE has the obligation to file this lawsuit to defend HPEs leadership position resulting from its substantial R&D investments, an HPE spokesperson said. This lawsuit is part of HPEs ongoing efforts to enforce its patent rights against anyone who may infringe on those rights.

Representatives for Inspur and Aivres Systems did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.

Impact on HPE

The legal documents highlight that Inspurs alleged infringement has not only illegally utilized HPEs patented technologies but has also negatively impacted HPEs market position, business relationships, and profitability.

HPE asserts that these actions have undermined its reputation and led to significant financial losses, given the unlawful competitive advantage gained by Inspur through reduced R&D costs and expedited product development.

HPEs lawsuit is comprehensive, detailing specific instances of patent infringement and seeking a jury trial to resolve these disputes. HPE has demanded injunctive relief to prevent Inspur from continuing to sell the infringing products and monetary damages for the losses incurred due to these alleged infringements.

The outcome of this trial could potentially lead to substantial financial liabilities for Inspur and may also necessitate changes to its product lines and manufacturing processes.
Zelensky calls for more air defence support as 17 die in Russian attack on Chernihiv

U

krainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for more air defence support from Western partners after a Russian missile attack killed at least 17 people in the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv on Wednesday. There were also more than 60 injured, including several children.

"This would not have happened if Ukraine had received sufficient air defence and if the world had been determined enough to counter Russian terror," Zelensky wrote on Telegram.

The Ukrainians do not lack determination in their fight, he added.

"We need sufficient determination from our partners and sufficient support that reflects this determination," Zelensky said.

Due to a lack of air defence systems and ammunition, the Russians are now destroying many important objects in Ukraine, said Zelensky, referring to the Trypilska thermal power plant near Kiev, which is lying in ruins.

A meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council is to take place on Friday at the request of Kiev, the alliance's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced. The top NATO official was responding directly to Zelensky's plea.

NATO defence ministers and Zelensky are to take part, Stoltenberg said. Details were not announced if the meeting is to take in person or via videoconference.

Stoltenberg also stressed that supporting Ukraine was more important than alliance members meeting NATO targets for supplies of weapons and ammunition.

After months of obstruction, the Republican leader of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, said he expected a vote on further US aid for Ukraine on Saturday evening.

In the event of approval, the Senate would still have to approve the package. It is considered likely that the upper chamber, which is led by the Democrats, will support the project.

Johnson wrote to his party colleagues that he would like to see the aid for Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia, in the form of a loan. Details were initially unclear.

"The House must pass the package this week and the Senate should quickly follow. I will sign this into law immediately to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends, and we wont let Iran or Russia succeed," US President Joe Biden said in a statement on Wednesday.

Earlier, Chernihiv Governor Vyacheslav Chaus said that three missiles struck near the city centre and that civilian infrastructure was damaged.

He spoke of a terrible morning. It later became known that Russia is said to have used the Iskander mobile missile system for the attack. The range of the system is around 500 kilometres.

According to official reports, a hotel, the district hospital, the main university building and several multi-storey residential buildings were hit, and many cars also went up in flames.

A total of 16 buildings were damaged, according to Mayor Oleksandr Lomako. In most of them, windows were broken by the blast wave. However, some houses also suffered severe damage.

Rescue workers searched under the rubble for other victims of the attack. The police said there were six missing. Due to the large number of injured, the local health authorities have called on the population to donate blood.

Chernihiv is located around 150 kilometres north of Kiev, not far from the border with Russia.

When Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Chernihiv was attacked but not captured. In the past two years it has been subject to frequent Russian artillery fire and aerial assaults.

The Russian Ministry of Defence did not go into detail about the missile strike in Chernihiv in its daily situation report. It merely stated that the air and missile forces had fought Ukrainian units and military technology.

Meanwhile, Ukraine attacked several targets in Russia and on the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia with drones and missiles.

According to a report by the RBC-Ukraine news agency, one of the targets of the drones on Wednesday was an aircraft factory in Kazan.

Tupolev 22M and 160M strategic bombers are built and repaired at the plant, which is almost 1,000 kilometres from Ukrainian-held territory.

Several explosions were reportedly heard near the factory site. According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, a drone of an aircraft-like type was intercepted over the republic of Tatarstan.

Ukrainian media reported another attack which targeted a radar station near the town of Kovylkino in the republic of Mordovia, around 600 kilometres from the Ukrainian border. The Russian Ministry of Defence said this drone attack was also repelled.

Local reports said explosions were heard at a military airfield near Dzhankoi on the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

According to Ukrainian reports, two US ATACMS missiles hit the ground. A Russian S-400 air defence system, including radar equipment and several launchers, is said to have been destroyed. Several Russian soldiers were killed or injured, according to reports from Ukraine. There was no independent confirmation of this.

 Zelensky calls for more air defence support as 17 die in Russian attack on Chernihiv

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Google sacks 28 employees involved in protests over Israel govt contract

T

ech giant Google has laid off 28 employees who were involved in sit-in protests at its offices over a Google contract with the Israeli government.

The layoffs happened after nine employees were suspended and then arrested in the US earlier this week, reports The Verge.

The 28 employees who have been asked to go protested a $1.2 billion Google Cloud contract for the Israeli government.

In an internal memo to employees, the company said that behaviour like this has no place in our workplace, and we will not tolerate it.

The overwhelming majority of our employees do the right thing. If youre one of the few who are tempted to think were going to overlook conduct that violates our policies, think again, Google told the staff.

The company takes this extremely seriously, and we will continue to apply our longstanding policies to take action against disruptive behaviour -- up to and including termination.

The group behind the protests called Googles move a flagrant act of retaliation.

Google workers have the right to peacefully protest about the terms and conditions of our labour. These firings were clearly retaliatory, said the group called No Tech for Apartheid.

The company said that following an investigation, we terminated the employment of twenty-eight employees found to be involved. We will continue to investigate and take action as needed.

 Google sacks 28 employees involved in protests over Israel govt contract

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Sydney Sweeney lashes out at producer who called her 'unwatchable' in 'Anyone But You'

A

ctress Sydney Sweeney, who garnered significant acclaim for her role in 'Euphoria', slammed Hollywood producer Carol Baum after she claimed in a scathing review that Sydney "can't act" and is "not pretty".

Baum harshly attacked the 26-year-old star during an interview with New York Times film critic Janet Maslin in front of a live audience this week, reports 'Mirror.co.uk'.

The 81-year-old producer ripped apart Sydney's latest performance in the rom-com 'Anyone But You' alongside Glen Powell, claiming that the film was "unwatchable" while critiquing her acting abilities.

As per 'Mirror.co.uk', after Sydney caught wind of the harsh public criticism, she furiously slammed the producer for tearing down another hardworking woman in the industry.

A representative for Sydney told DailyMail: "How sad that a woman in a position to share her expertise and experience chooses instead to attack another woman."

She continued, "If that's what she's learned in her decades in the industry and feels is appropriate to teach to her students, that's shameful. To unjustly disparage a fellow female producer speaks volumes about Baum's character."

 Sydney Sweeney lashes out at producer who called her 'unwatchable' in 'Anyone But You'

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Vicky has 'never been so nervous' as he was shooting in front of Sam Bahadur's daughter

V

icky Kaushal has opened up about shooting the biographical war drama film 'Sam Bahadur' in front of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw's daughter, Maya, expressing his fear and nervousness.

Directed by Meghna Gulzar, Vicky portrays the first Field Marshal, Sam Manekshaw, in the movie.

Vicky, who appeared on the stage of 'The Great Indian Kapil Show', along with his brother Sunny Kaushal, shared an anecdote regarding the shoot of the movie.

The actor said: "When you get to play characters like this, the responsibility is huge. I met Sam Bahadurs daughter Maya (aged between 75-80 years) multiple times to understand how he walked and spoke. We were shooting in Delhi, and I have never been so nervous in front of the camera."

"Sam Bahadurs daughter was watching the shot behind the camera. I was scared because I knew I would not dare to ask whether I did it right or not. I just knew that if in her eyes I saw that she did not like it, then my confidence would be shattered, and more than half the film was left to be shot. But, I was very happy to see that she had tears in her eyes after watching the shot, and that boosted my confidence," he shared.

The 'URI' fame actor added: "For me, the biggest award is when a military film is approved by the military and they call out your performance."

'The Great Indian Kapil Show' streams on Netflix every Saturday at 8 p.m..

 Vicky has 'never been so nervous' as he was shooting in front of Sam Bahadur's daughter

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Dubai rains: Anand Mahindra gives life lesson to Sanjiv Kapoor

G

iving a life lesson to former Jet Airways CEO-designate Sanjiv Kapoor, who responded to Anand Mahindras post on Dubai rains, the Mahindra Group Chairman on Thursday told him that its always good to "pause before you punch, reflect before you react".

Mahindra had shared a video of roads in Dubai flooded with stagnant water on X, saying, "Nope. Not Mumbai. Dubai."

The post caught the attention of Kapoor, who reposted it and wrote, "Incorrect analogy. Dubai was not built for such heavy rains - rains that would flood most cities. A better analogy would be if it suddenly snowed heavily in Bombay, which was obviously not built to handle snow at all. Would people in snowy Oslo mock Bombay?"

However, in a subsequent post, he clarified his stance, saying maybe it is not mocking Dubai.

But, "the point remains Dubai was not built for heavy rains, no matter what the source of the rain (seeding, etc.)".

Now, Mahindra has reacted to Kapoors post, saying, "Im glad you subsequently retracted your comment implying that I was mocking Dubai, Sanjiv."

"In fact, the only purpose of my post was to highlight how atypical this weather was for Dubai," he added.

Giving an example of Kapoor's analogy, which he mentioned in his post, Mahindra said, "If it had ever snowed in Mumbai, I might well have said: 'Nope. Not Oslo. Mumbai' -- for the very same purpose of highlighting how atypical this weather was for Mumbai; not to mock Mumbai."

"I recommend that its always good to: PAUSE before you PUNCH, REFLECT before you REACT," he added.

 Dubai rains: Anand Mahindra gives life lesson to Sanjiv Kapoor

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The clinical knowledge and reasoning skills of GPT-4 are approaching the level of specialist eye doctors, a study led by the University of Cambridge has found.

GPT-4 - a 'large language model' - was tested against doctors at different stages in their careers, including unspecialized junior doctors, and trainee and expert eye doctors. Each was presented with a series of 87 patient scenarios involving a specific eye problem, and asked to give a diagnosis or advise on treatment by selecting from four options.

GPT-4 scored significantly better in the test than unspecialized junior doctors, who are comparable to general practitioners in their level of specialist eye knowledge.

GPT-4 gained similar scores to trainee and expert eye doctors - although the top performing doctors scored higher.

The researchers say that large language models aren't likely to replace healthcare professionals, but have the potential to improve healthcare as part of the clinical workflow.

They say state-of-the-art large language models like GPT-4 could be useful for providing eye-related advice, diagnosis, and management suggestions in well-controlled contexts, like triaging patients, or where access to specialist healthcare professionals is limited.

"We could realistically deploy AI in triaging patients with eye issues to decide which cases are emergencies that need to be seen by a specialist immediately, which can be seen by a GP, and which don't need treatment," said Dr Arun Thirunavukarasu, lead author of the study, which he carried out while a student at the University of Cambridge's School of Clinical Medicine

He added: "The models could follow clear algorithms already in use, and we've found that GPT-4 is as good as expert clinicians at processing eye symptoms and signs to answer more complicated questions.

"With further development, large language models could also advise GPs who are struggling to get prompt advice from eye doctors. People in the UK are waiting longer than ever for eye care.

Large volumes of clinical text are needed to help fine-tune and develop these models, and work is ongoing around the world to facilitate this.

The researchers say that their study is superior to similar, previous studies because they compared the abilities of AI to practicing doctors, rather than to sets of examination results.

"Doctors aren't revising for exams for their whole career. We wanted to see how AI fared when pitted against to the on-the-spot knowledge and abilities of practicing doctors, to provide a fair comparison," said Thirunavukarasu, who is now an Academic Foundation Doctor at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

He added: "We also need to characterise the capabilities and limitations of commercially available models, as patients may already be using them - rather than the internet - for advice."

The test included questions about a huge range of eye problems, including extreme light sensitivity, decreased vision, lesions, itchy and painful eyes, taken from a textbook used to test trainee eye doctors. This textbook is not freely available on the internet, making it unlikely that its content was included in GPT-4's training datasets.

The results are published today in the journal PLOS Digital Health.

Even taking the future use of AI into account, I think doctors will continue to be in charge of patient care. The most important thing is to empower patients to decide whether they want computer systems to be involved or not. That will be an individual decision for each patient to make." Dr. Arun Thirunavukarasu, lead author of the study

GPT-4 and GPT-3.5  or 'Generative Pre-trained Transformers' - are trained on datasets containing hundreds of billions of words from articles, books, and other internet sources. These are two examples of large language models; others in wide use include Pathways Language Model 2 (PaLM 2) and Large Language Model Meta AI 2 (LLaMA 2).

The study also tested GPT-3.5, PaLM2, and LLaMA with the same set of questions. GPT-4 gave more accurate responses than all of them.

GPT-4 powers the online chatbot ChatGPT to provide bespoke responses to human queries. In recent months, ChatGPT has attracted significant attention in medicine for attaining passing level performance in medical school examinations, and providing more accurate and empathetic messages than human doctors in response to patient queries.

The field of artificially intelligent large language models is moving very rapidly. Since the study was conducted, more advanced models have been released - which may be even closer to the level of expert eye doctors.
Opioid dependence in Scotland remains high but largely stable, according to a new University of Bristol-led analysis published in Addiction today [18 April] and by Public Health Scotland. The study is the first to estimate the number of people dependent on opioid drugs (such as heroin), and who are in or could benefit from drug treatment, among Scotland's population since 2015/2016 estimates were published.

Scotland has one of the highest rates of drug-related deaths in Europe, with the number of these more than doubling between 2011 and 2020. At 250-300 per million population in 2021-22, Scotland's rate of drug-related deaths was sixteen times higher than the average in the European Union and on par with rates in North America. As part of the response to the public health emergency in drug-related deaths, the Scottish Government-commissioned study sought to understand whether the number of people with opioid dependence among its general publication is also increasing.

To predict how many people aged 15 to 64 years old are opioid dependent, researchers from Bristol's National Institute for Health and Care Research Health Protection Research Unit (NIHR HPRU) in Behavioural Science and Evaluation applied a statistical modelling technique using data from Public Health Scotland's Scottish Public Health Drug Linkage Programme, including information on people in drug treatment called opioid agonist treatment (OAT  primarily methadone and buprenorphine) and data on opioid-related mortality and hospital admissions.

In these new estimates, researchers found the prevalence of opioid dependence in Scotland to have been relatively stable between 2014/15 to 2019/20, with 47,100 people estimated to be opioid-dependent in 2019/20  which is 1.3 per cent of the adult population aged 15-64.

While there was weak evidence of a small reduction in the total number of people with opioid dependence since 2014/15, the extent of any change was estimated to be small (-0.07 per cent or -2,000 people). There was evidence that the population of people with opioid dependence were ageing, with estimates of the number of people aged 15 to 34 years old reducing by 5,100 and the number aged 50 to 64 years old increasing by 2,800 between 2014/15 and 2019/20.

The research team also estimated that over 60 per cent of the population of people who were opioid-dependent received OAT at least once during 2019/20 and nearly 75 per cent had been in drug treatment in the last five years.

Dr Hayley Jones, Associate Professor in Medical Statistics in the Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences (PHS), lead author and developer of the method (Multi-Parameter Estimation of Prevalence) used in Scotland, said: "This is the first time that trends in the prevalence of people with opioid dependence have been produced in Scotland, showing the value of and making the most of the high-quality linked data sets that are available there.

"The method can be used to update the estimates in future, and can be applied in other countries that create comprehensive records of people in drug treatment and link these to data on drug-related harms."

Importantly, our estimates suggest the substantial increase in drug-related deaths in Scotland is not due to increases in the underlying population of people with opioid dependence but because of increases in the risk of death experienced by people with opioid dependence in Scotland." Professor Matt Hickman, co-first author and director of the NIHR HPRU at the University of Bristol

Professors Sharon Hutchinson and Andrew McAuley, co-authors and lead researchers at Glasgow Caledonian University, explained: "We showed that exposure to drug treatment in Scotland is high compared to many countries worldwide. The challenge in Scotland and rest of UK, however, is to retain people in drug treatment for longer and to determine what other interventions are required to effect change at the population level  and bring down the number of drug-related deaths."

The public health surveillance study, commissioned by the Scottish Government, is a collaboration between Public Health Scotland, the University of Bristol, and Glasgow Caledonian University.
In a recent phase I trial published in the journal Cell Reports Medicine, researchers from Belgium administered a dendritic cell (DC) vaccine targeting patient-specific neoantigens to patients with resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

They found that the vaccine was viable and led to limited toxicity and systemic T-cell responses, with 50% of patients experiencing disease recurrence during the study.

Study: Neoantigen-targeted dendritic cell vaccination in lung cancer patients induces long-lived T cells exhibiting the full differentiation spectrum. Image Credit: PhotobyTawat/Shutterstock.com

Background

NSCLC, constituting over 80% of lung cancer cases, is primarily treated with surgical resection in early stages, yet recurrence rates remain high, with highly variable 5-year survival rates.

Adjuvant chemotherapy offers modest survival benefits and often impacts the quality of life severely, emphasizing the need for more efficacious and tolerable adjuvant therapies. Recent phase 3 trials showed that immune checkpoint blockers (ICBs) benefit high-risk early-stage NSCLC, improving disease-free survival, but concerns exist over their toxicity.

Neoantigen-targeting vaccines are extensively researched across different cancer stages, showing promising outcomes by inducing robust, high-affinity T-cell responses. Trials confirm their feasibility, safety, and potential clinical benefits, alone or combined with ICBs.

DCs are highly efficient antigen-presenting cells, widely studied for cancer vaccination. However, their clinical efficacy is limited, partially due to their emphasis on tumor-associated antigens instead of mutanome-derived neoantigens.

Therefore, in the present study, researchers investigated the safety and efficacy of an autologous DC vaccine targeting neoantigens for the treatment of resected NSCLC patients.

About the study

The study recruited ten resectable NSCLC patients without specific gene mutations in stages Ia3IVb. Tumor material and peripheral blood samples were collected for whole-exome sequencing (WES) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequencing.

A neoantigen identification pipeline was developed, prioritizing clonal variants with strong predicted binding to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I allotypes and RNA expression.

Neoepitopes were selected based on their absence from the healthy human proteome and immunogenic potential. Mass spectrometry (MS)--based immuno-peptidomics, cell line engineering, and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) reactivity analyses were employed for neoantigen validation.

Six patients received intravenous administrations of messenger RNA (mRNA)-loaded monocyte-derived DCs (Neo-mDCs) and were monitored for safety and clinical activity. The median time from surgery to the first vaccination was 198 days.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients receiving Neo-mDC treatment were analyzed for CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses against neoantigen 25-mers using interferon-gamma (IFN-) staining after in vitro stimulation.

The correlation between T-cell responses and the detection of tandem protein in Neo-mDC batches was assessed. PBMCs were also analyzed to assess ex vivo T-cell frequency and differentiation phenotype.

Individual clonotypes within neoantigen-specific T-cell populations were examined through single-cell analysis of the T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire in tetramer-positive cells.

Results and discussion

Seven out of nine patients had five to six neoantigens selected for vaccination, with 056 potential neoepitopes identified per patient. Validation analyses confirmed that nine out of 33 selected neoantigens were naturally processed and presented on tumor HLA, supporting the reliability of the identification approach.

Adverse events (AEs) were mild and self-limiting, with no grade 34 AEs reported. While three patients experienced disease recurrence, three patients remained free of disease recurrence during the follow-up period.

Five out of six treated patients exhibited vaccine-induced T-cell responses, with 14 out of 33 neoantigens-inducing responses. Most responses were CD8+ T-cell-mediated and emerged after the first dose, persisting throughout treatment.

Even at low doses, Neo-mDCs primed naive T-cells and/or expanded pre-existing T-cell responses.

However, T-cell responses did not always correlate with detecting tandem protein in Neo-mDC batches. CD8+ T cell responses were highly specific for predicted neoepitopes, with no cross-reactivity observed toward wild-type epitopes. These results highlight the immunogenic potential of Neo-mDC vaccination in NSCLC patients.

Post-vaccination, tetramer-positive T-cells expanded and were found to persist for 1.5 years. Analysis revealed naive, early, and late differentiated T-cell clusters with tetramer-positive cells across these states.

These findings demonstrate the induction of diverse, long-lived neoantigen-specific T-cell responses by Neo-mDC vaccination in NSCLC patients.

Further, the T-cells induced by vaccination included effector and long-lasting cells that could persist for several years. The T-cell populations generated by the vaccine were diverse and polyclonal, consisting of multiple clonotypes that exhibited a wide range of differentiation states.

Overall, this first-in-human clinical trial provides valuable insights on using an autologous DC therapy delivering mRNA-encoded, patient-specific tumor neoantigens in NSCLC patients. However, it is limited by its small patient cohort and prolonged vaccine manufacturing time.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the study demonstrated neoantigen-targeted autologous DC vaccination's safety, feasibility, and immunogenicity in surgically resected NSCLC patients.

The findings highlight the potential of personalized immunotherapy strategies in combating NSCLC and possibly other malignancies to improve patient outcomes.
A team of Montana researchers is playing a key role in the development of a more effective vaccine against tuberculosis, an infectious disease that has killed more people than any other.

The BCG (Bacille Calmette-Guerin) vaccine, created in 1921, remains the sole TB vaccine. While it is 40% to 80% effective in young children, its efficacy is very low in adolescents and adults, leading to a worldwide push to create a more powerful vaccine.

One effort is underway at the University of Montana Center for Translational Medicine. The center specializes in improving and creating vaccines by adding what are called novel adjuvants. An adjuvant is a substance included in the vaccine, such as fat molecules or aluminum salts, that enhances the immune response, and novel adjuvants are those that have not yet been used in humans. Scientists are finding that adjuvants make for stronger, more precise, and more durable immunity than antigens, which create antibodies, would alone.

Eliciting specific responses from the immune system and deepening and broadening the response with adjuvants is known as precision vaccination. "It's not one-size-fits-all," said Ofer Levy, a professor of pediatrics at Harvard University and the head of the Precision Vaccines Program at Boston Children's Hospital. "A vaccine might work differently in a newborn versus an older adult and a middle-aged person."

The ultimate precision vaccine, said Levy, would be lifelong protection from a disease with one jab. "A single-shot protection against influenza or a single-shot protection against covid, that would be the holy grail," Levy said.

Jay Evans, the director of the University of Montana center and the chief scientific and strategy officer and a co-founder of Inimmune, a privately held biotechnology company in Missoula, said his team has been working on a TB vaccine for 15 years. The private-public partnership is developing vaccines and trying to improve existing vaccines, and he said it's still five years off before the TB vaccine might be distributed widely.

It has not gone unnoticed at the center that this state-of-the-art vaccine research and production is located in a state that passed one of the nation's most extreme anti-vaccination laws during the pandemic in 2021. The law prohibits businesses and governments from discriminating against people who aren't vaccinated against covid-19 or other diseases, effectively banning both public and private employers from requiring workers to get vaccinated against covid or any other disease. A federal judge later ruled that the law cannot be enforced in health care settings, such as hospitals and doctors' offices.

In mid-March, the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute announced it had begun the third and final phase of clinical trials for the new vaccine in seven countries. The trials should take about five years to complete. Research and production are being done in several places, including at a manufacturing facility in Hamilton owned by GSK, a giant pharmaceutical company.

Known as the forgotten pandemic, TB kills up to 1.6 million people a year, mostly in impoverished areas in Asia and Africa, despite its being both preventable and treatable. The U.S. has seen an increase in tuberculosis over the past decade, especially with the influx of migrants, and the number of cases rose by 16% from 2022 to 2023. Tuberculosis is the leading cause of death among people living with HIV, whose risk of contracting a TB infection is 20 times as great as people without HIV.

"TB is a complex pathogen that has been with human beings for ages," said Alemnew Dagnew, who heads the program for the new vaccine for the Gates Medical Research Institute. "Because it has been with human beings for many years, it has evolved and has a mechanism to escape the immune system. And the immunology of TB is not fully understood."

The University of Montana Center for Translational Medicine and Inimmune together have 80 employees who specialize in researching a range of adjuvants to understand the specifics of immune responses to different substances. "You have to tailor it like tools in a toolbox towards the pathogen you are vaccinating against," Evans said. "We have a whole library of adjuvant molecules and formulations."

Vaccines are made more precise largely by using adjuvants. There are three basic types of natural adjuvants: aluminum salts; squalene, which is made from shark liver; and some kinds of saponins, which are fat molecules. It's not fully understood how they stimulate the immune system. The center in Missoula has also created and patented a synthetic adjuvant, UM-1098, that drives a specific type of immune response and will be added to new vaccines.

One of the most promising molecules being used to juice up the immune system response to vaccines is a saponin molecule from the bark of the quillay tree, gathered in Chile from trees at least 10 years old. Such molecules were used by Novavax in its covid vaccine and by GSK in its widely used shingles vaccine, Shingrix. These molecules are also a key component in the new tuberculosis vaccine, known as the M72 vaccine.

But there is room for improvement.

"The vaccine shows 50% efficacy, which doesn't sound like much, but basically there is no effective vaccine currently, so 50% is better than what's out there," Evans said. "We're looking to take what we learned from that vaccine development with additional adjuvants to try and make it even better and move 50% to 80% or more."

By contrast, measles vaccines are 95% effective.

According to Medscape, around 15 vaccine candidates are being developed to replace the BCG vaccine, and three of them are in phase 3 clinical trials.

One approach Evans' center is researching to improve the new vaccine's efficacy is taking a piece of the bacterium that causes TB, synthesizing it, and combining it with the adjuvant QS-21, made from the quillay tree. "It stimulates the immune system in a way that is specific to TB and it drives an immune response that is even closer to what we get from natural infections," Evans said.

The University of Montana center is researching the treatment of several problems not commonly thought of as treatable with vaccines. They are entering the first phase of clinical trials for a vaccine for allergies, for instance, and first-phase trials for a cancer vaccine. And later this year, clinical trials will begin for vaccines to block the effects of opioids like heroin and fentanyl. The University of Montana received the largest grant in its history, $33 million, for anti-opioid vaccine research. It works by creating an antibody that binds with the drug in the bloodstream, which keeps it from entering the brain and creating the high.

For now, though, the eyes of health care experts around the world are on the trials for the new TB vaccines, which, if they are successful, could help save countless lives in the world's poorest places.
Zyme Communications Ltd., life science specialist PR and marketing agency, today announced the expansion of its UK headquarters with a move to larger office premises on Cambridge Innovation Park North. The new facilities accommodate Zymes continued growth following recent recruitment and an expanding network of clients.

Zyme supports a broad portfolio of clients within the life sciences, from early-stage through to large multi-nationals, focusing on working with companies that are at the cutting-edge of advancing human health. The new headquarters reflect the Companys ongoing success despite the challenging market conditions that are impacting the life science sector. With increased headcount, the larger offices provide flexible work and meeting spaces, and will enable future growth. The move also demonstrates a commitment to Zymes client base, investing in a workspace necessary to continue to provide high quality, specialist communications support to a growing list of companies spanning Europe, North America and Asia.

Newly refurbished, Cambridge Innovation Park is a leading provider of office and lab facilities in the Cambridgeshire region. Designed as a hub to support and encourage company growth, the site hosts over 50 businesses at various stages of development. Alongside the Companys facilities in Cambridge, Zyme also has offices located at Beehive Mill in Manchester.
ARIES

Ganesha says today is going to be a normal day for you. In the pursuit of excessive profit, you will miss small opportunities, due to which your profit will be less in the evening. However, you will get the opportunity to attend some social gatherings. Your child may receive a job offer from abroad, after which you can organize a party in your family. Nevertheless, some of your enemies may try to harm you today, so you will have to be careful. In the evening, you can go to a relatives house for a feast with your spouse.

Lucky Colour: Maroon

Lucky Number: 18

WATCH: Monthly Horoscope For April 2024

TAURUS

Ganesha says today will be a troublesome day for you. You may have to go on a trip suddenly after hearing some sad news. If any adverse situation arises, you will have to control it. If any member of the family is suffering from any disease, it may re-emerge today, which will keep you worried. Students will have to work hard in the examination, only then will they be able to achieve success. You have to keep your valuables safe; otherwise, there is a danger of them being stolen or lost. The decision taken in business will be profitable, but if you want to sell any of your property, the deal may result in a loss.

Lucky Colour: Violet

Lucky Number: 11

GEMINI

Ganesha says today is going to be a less fortunate day for you. If you are planning a party or picnic with your family members, it will be fulfilled. Students may have to consult their teachers for the problems they are facing in the path of higher education. Some such thoughts will come to your mind. People associated with jobs will be appreciated. Small businessmen may also get some new sources of income, but if you borrow money from someone, it can become a problem for you later, because you will find it difficult to repay it.

Lucky Colour: Pink

Lucky Number: 12

CANCER

Ganesha says today will be a special day for you, but you will have to push it away and start pursuing your pending tasks, only then will you be able to complete them. If you take the risk, take it only with the advice of an experienced person, only then you will be able to earn profit from it. You may get to hear some good news from a family member living far away, the day will be good for students who want to study abroad. Guests may arrive at your home in the evening, due to which there will be enthusiasm among the family members. You may be worried about the health of one of your friends.

Lucky Colour: Magenta

Lucky Number: 3

LEO

Ganesha says today is going to be extremely fruitful for you. You will get the desired profit in business and people who are worried about employment can also get a job, but you may have some fear in the office due to some previous work done, which will be in vain. The environment of your home and outside will be pleasant, seeing which you will be happy, but you can also go for some shopping to fulfill your daily needs. People living a love life may have some tension with their partner. In the evening, you can take your spouse out for a walk.

Lucky Colour: Lavender

Lucky Number: 3

VIRGO

Ganesha says today will be a difficult day for you from a health point of view. Some of your old diseases may resurface, due to which you will remain worried. You have to keep your valuables safe before traveling, otherwise there is a danger of them being stolen. People working in social sectors will be successful in making some new friends with their sweet words, but if your mother assigns you any work, you will have to complete it. You will try to complete your long pending work.

Lucky Colour: White

Lucky Number: 17

LIBRA

Ganesha says today will be a favorable day for you. You may desire to do some big business, in which it would be better for you to avoid making any of your relatives a partner. If any decision has to be taken regarding the future of any family member, then definitely consult the senior members of the family. If you get into an argument with your spouse, she may get angry with you. If so, try your best to convince them. Your mind will be happy after you receive your pending money. You will spend the evening having fun with the small children of your family.

Lucky Colour: Red

Lucky Number: 16

SCORPIO

Ganesha says today you will have to be careful before making any money transaction and not take any decision in haste. If employed people are thinking of doing any part-time work, they will be able to find time for it. Small businessmen will get mixed profits in their business, but they will still be happy to get it. If you have to lend money to someone, be very careful because the chances of them getting it back are very slim. If you have to go on a trip, postpone it, otherwise your financial expenses may increase due to the sudden breakdown of the vehicle.

Lucky Colour: Burgundy

Lucky Number: 10

SAGITTARIUS

Ganesha says today is indicating an increase in wealth for you. People looking for employment will get some new opportunities. The environment around you will be pleasant, seeing which you will be happy. If any worry is bothering you for a long time, that too will go away. If you do any work relying on luck, you will be successful in it. If you do property dealing, you will get huge profits, which you will be happy to get, but you will have to be alert about your responsibilities, otherwise she may get angry with you.

Lucky Colour: Cream

Lucky Number: 1

CAPRICORN

Ganesha says today will be a day full of happiness for you. If some such opportunities come your way, you may be forced to do so even if you dont want to. You should not postpone any work regarding bail etc. Today will be a mixed day in business, but you will still be successful in meeting your expenses. If there is any dispute, it would be better for you to avoid getting involved in it, otherwise it may hurt your self-respect. People who are employed should not get involved in the talks of any stranger, otherwise they can harass them and even extort some money from them. You can attend some religious events today in the evening.

Lucky Colour: Lime green

Lucky Number: 11

AQUARIUS

Ganesha says today will be a day of increase in your respect. Small businessmen will get some new sources of income in business, but those who invest in the stock market will have to be careful and avoid investing in someone elses advice. It would be better for you to spend your money by making a budget, only then you will be able to save money for the future. In the evening you may be worried about not completing any of your work. People living a love life should not do anything in haste, otherwise they may regret it later.

Lucky Colour: Yellow

Lucky Number: 7

PISCES

Ganesha says today will be beneficial for you as per your wish. Your interest in religious activities will increase. Before undertaking any big work, you will have to pay attention to your enemies, because they can try their best to hinder it. Your sweet words will please your friends both at home and in business, but you will have to be careful before interfering in the work of others, lest people consider it as your selfishness. If you have any legal dispute going on, you will get the benefits as per your wish.

Lucky Colour: Orange

Lucky Number: 5.

(The author Chirag Daruwalla is the son of Astrologer Bejan Daruwalla).
Infosys Q4 Results 2024: IT major Infosys on Thursday disclosed a net profit of Rs 7,969 crore for the fourth fiscal quarter FY 2023-24, surpassing market expectations. Additionally, Infosys announced a final dividend of Rs 20 per equity share along with a one-time dividend of Rs 8 per share.

The company posted a profit of Rs 6,128 crore in the same period a year ago, according to a regulatory filing.

The consolidated revenue of Infosys during the reported quarter increased by 1.3 per cent to Rs 37,923 crore from Rs 37,441 crore in the same quarter a year ago. The company expects a revenue growth of 1-3 per cent in constant currency for financial year 2025.

During the financial year ended March 2024, net profit increased by 8.9 per cent to Rs 26,233 crore from Rs 24,095 crore recorded in FY23. The annual income from operations increased by 4.7 cent to Rs 1,53,670 crore in fiscal year 2024 from Rs 1,46,767 crore a year ago.

Additionally, the company declared its acquisition of In-Tech Holding GmbH, a provider of engineering, research, and development (ER&D) services.

Analysts anticipated that Infosys would report modest Q4 numbers, with expectations of either a sequential decline in revenue for the second consecutive quarter or a flat performance. Moreover, analysts predicted that its guidance for FY2024-25 would also lean towards conservatism.

Infosys Q3 Results 2024

IT major Infosys in January 2024 posted a fall of 7.3 per cent year-on-year in its net profit to Rs 6,106 crore for the third quarter ended December 2023 quarter. However, its revenues during October-December 2023 rose 1.3 per cent to Rs 38,821 crore, compared with Rs 38,318 crore a year ago.

Infosys net profit had stood at Rs 6,586 crore in the corresponding quarter last year.
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)- Kanpur has come up with a no termination based on first semester performance policy to help postgraduate (PG) students cut down on stress. The policy is to be implemented from July when the session begins and is one of the major academic reforms to come into force post a recent spate of student suicides on campus.

One of the first generation IITs, the institute saw three such incidents on campus between December 19, 2023 and January 18 this year, which included two research scholars and an MTech student allegedly dying of suicide. In one of the cases, the incident occurred shortly after the student was issued a termination notice by the institute while he could not make an appeal against it in time.

According to Professor Shalabh, dean of academic affairs, IIT-Kanpur, the no-termination policy in first semester will be implemented from July this year. The institute has decided that no student will be terminated based on their academic performance (cumulative point index (CPI)) in the first semester and that they will be given another chance to qualify. This will allow students time to improve on their CPI without getting stressed about it, he said.

However, if a student performs below the mark even in the second semester, then there will be termination as per rules, he added. But, even upon termination, students have a chance to make an appeal to their faculty against the decision, and if considered appropriate, the termination is then revoked.

Protests Led to The Policy

The third suicide this January had sparked protests on campus with students demanding a slew of academic reforms including transparency in grading, evaluation twice per semester and, setting up an ombudsman panel with faculty, an external member as well as student representatives, among others.

Following the protests, an Open House with students was held by the institute where the demands were put forward formally with the latter agreeing in-principle to some of these and panels were constituted to work on the same. For these to turn into implementable reforms, a decision on each policy has to be taken by the institutes Senate, which is the highest academic decision-making body of an IIT.

A number of academic reforms are being worked upon, which will be introduced once the Senate approves of it, said a senior faculty member.

An internal survey of PG students carried out by a student body on campus last year stated that at least 80% of those pursuing research programmes faced mental health issues while 60% had at least once thought of dropping out in the entire duration of the programme.

What Students Say on The Policy

Student representatives from various welfare bodies on campus said that while several reforms were agreed upon by the institutes administration, these are yet to be implemented.

Regarding the no-termination policy, students who were already past their first semester earlier this year were also taken care of. The administration had written to different departments to repeal the termination of any students, who were under warning. The new students will get benefit of this policy from July, said a PG student on the condition of anonymity.

For any student, the PG student added, if they are terminated right after the first semester, it shatters not just their own but their familys dreams as well. It becomes a depressing state for many who being associated with an IIT have always had the habit of excelling in life from school and suddenly they are out because they couldnt work out a course in a semester. There are times when both students and mentors having taken a new project get stuck and are not able to come to the findings of research, but its the student who finally has to face the termination, the student said.

For PG students, the admissions are done in July while the result of the first semester exams is out in December.

Reforms in the Works

According to student representatives, many fundamental changes are being worked out to help improve students mental health while some of these are in the advanced stages. For bringing greater transparency in the grading system for research scholars, it is being planned that at the end of each semester, students will write a short report or a summary documenting their work and the mentors while grading will have to write their comments on why they decided on a particular grade to a student, said a research scholar.

Currently, for research programmes, the practice is that the guide will just give an S (satisfactory) or X (non-satisfactory) grade depending on the students performance.

Another reform being worked upon for PhD students is an internal review with the formation of a monitoring panel for each research scholar. The panel will have faculty members, who are experts in the field, but not from the same department. PhD students will be required to make a presentation of their work to the panel in a specific duration every six months or a year on which they will get feedback from the panel. This is the practice in many American as well as some European universities, where the funding for a research project is reviewed every semester, said another research scholar.

In India, PhD students get a fixed stipend for the entire five years duration of the course.

Stay updated with live coverage of 2024 Lok Sabha Election, Tamil Nadu Election 2024, West Bengal Election 2024, Arunachal Pradesh & Sikkim Election Phase 1 Polling on our website. Get the latest updates, polling trends, and analysis in real-time.Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website.
JAC Board Result 2024: Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) will release the Jharkhand Board 10th result today, April 19 at noon. As many as 4,21,678 students appeared in the Jharkhand Board Matriculation examination this year. Jharkhand Board 10th and 12th examinations were conducted from February 6 to 26.

Jharkhand Board 10th Result (JAC) 2024 Live Updates

Students who appeared in the matriculation examination will be able to check their results by visiting the website of Jharkhand Academic Council at jac.jharkhand.gov.in/jac/. To check the result candidates will have to enter their roll number/roll code. Apart from this, results can also be checked through SMS.

To pass the Jharkhand board exam, students in class 10 must score a minimum of 33 per cent in each subject and overall.

Jharkhand Board 10th Result 2024: How to Check Marks Online?

Step 1: Visit the official website jacresults.com.

Step 2: On the websites home page; click on the link that reads Result of Annual Secondary Examination 2024.

Step 3: A login screen will be presented to you.

Step 4: Fill in the required fields with your credentials such as roll number and click on the submit option

Step 5: A screen with your JAC 10th Result 2024 will appear.

Step 6: If needed, download the result and take a print out of the same for future records

Jharkhand Board 10th Result 2024: How to Check via SMS?

Step 1: Open your messaging application on your mobile phone.

Step 2: Create a new message and type JHA10Roll Number

Step 3: Text the message to 5676750.

Step 4: The JAC Class 10 Result 2024 will be delivered to the same phone number.

Jharkhand Board Exam 2023 was conducted between March 14 and April 3. The result was released on May 23. As many as 95.38 percent of the students passed class 10th. The overall pass percentage for 2022 was recorded at 95.60 per cent. In the case of class 12 results, 95.97 per cent of the students of the class 12th Arts stream, 88.60 percent in Commerce, and 81.45 percent in Science cleared the exam last year.
Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday asserted his confidence in BJPs win in the Lok Sabha polls 2024. Holding a mega rally in Gandhinagar, Shah told News18 that the Bharatiya Janata Party will win all 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat.

We are going to win with a huge majority. We will win all 26 seats in Gujarat. Gujarat people love Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji. We are going to win by a huge margin, Shah said while talking to News18.

Responding to the Oppositions allegations over the misuse of EVMs, the Union Home Minister said, I dont understand why they do it. When they win elections in states, the EVM works fine and when the BJP wins then there is an issue with EVM, they cant stand PMs popularity.

Amit Shah says he will win with a huge majority from #Gandhinagar. He also addresses opposition's allegations of BJP's plan to change the #Constitution and EVM manipulation@toyasingh and @payalmehta100 discuss key highlights of #Exclusive interview #LokSabhaElections2024 pic.twitter.com/i53I2EhZAK News18 (@CNNnews18) April 18, 2024

From last 10 years we have majority and we used this majority to strengthen India. We have removed Article 370, Triple Talaq, he added.

Amit Shah Holds Mega Roadshow in Gandhinagar

Union Home Minister Amit Shah embarked on a roadshow on Thursday morning in Sanand town of Gujarats Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, from where he is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate.

Shah, while standing on a specially-designed vehicle, greeted the people and BJP workers who gathered in large numbers on the route  from the APMC Chowk to Nalsarovar Chowk.

The senior BJP leader, who is seeking re-election from the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency for a second term, will file his nomination papers on Friday.
Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday said India has faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led NDA will win with a massive majority in the Lok Sabha elections, which begin with the first phase on Friday (April 19). Slamming the cowardice of the Congress, he said the opposition has no chance in front of the prime minister.

Shah said the NDA has held majority for 10 years now and has used it well to consolidate support. Weve had majority for 10 years. We have used it well  for the abrogation of Article 370, abolition of triple talaq and implementation of the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act), he said during a mega roadshow in Gujarats Gandhinagar.

He added: The BJP focused on growth and it will win with majority as the nation has complete faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Shah, who is the BJP candidate from the state capital, will be filing his nomination on Friday (April 19).

HM Amit Shah all set to file his nomination from Gandhinagar, GujaratListen to what the Home Minister has to say in an exclusive interview with CNN-News18's @payalmehta100 @akankshaswarups | #ElectionAgenda #LokSabhaElection #AmitShah #Gujarat pic.twitter.com/vYYGsQ9NEa  News18 (@CNNnews18) April 18, 2024

There was a massive show of strength by the BJP in the Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad roadshows. We will win with majority, the people of Gujarat will put all 26 seats in the state in the PMs kitty. Citizens have unbreakable trust in Modi ji, and have showered him with love and blessings, Shah told CNN-News18.

Gandhinagar has remained a BJP bastion, all the way from LK Advani to Amit Shah. The union minister, who is targeting more than 10 lakh votes, expressed confidence that he will win by a big margin. Slamming Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, he said those who cannot hold their own seats should not comment about others.

On the opposition raising the issue of EVM manipulation, he said: When they form governments [like in Tamil Nadu, Bengal and Telangana], then EVMs are working properly; but, when they lose to Modi ji, they make it an issue. People know their intentions, that they are making excuses; they dont stand a chance in front of Modi ji.

Shah was taking part in his third roadshow of the day on Thursday evening. It wound through Sabarmati, Ghatlodia, Naranpura and Vejalpur assembly segments, all part of the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat.

The Gandhinagar constituency consists of seven assembly segments  Gandhinagar North, Kalol, Sanand, Ghatlodia, Vejalpur, Naranpura and Sabarmati. The BJP had won all these seats in the last state elections.

Shah had won from Gandhinagar by more than five lakh votes in the 2019 general elections. Voting for all 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will take place in a single phase on May 7.
Hours after the alleged Ram Navami clash in Murshidabad, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury met with protests as he went to a hospital to meet the injured. The Bharatiya Janata Party supporters allegedly gheraoed the Berhampore MP and started sloganeering. A clash between BJP and Congress workers was also reported later.

I came to see those who were injured in the clash. But the BJP workers began protesting at the hospital, saying Hindus are under attack and I should answer why, Chowdhury said, adding that he will not allow riots in Murshidabad.

Riots are being triggered as a part of well-defined plan. And this BJP protest proves it. I have spoken to the Election Commission, he further said.

Several people were injured after a blast occurred during a rally, which was being carried out in Saktipur area of the Murshidabad district in West Bengal on the occasion of Ram Navami on Tuesday.

According to a report in India Today, videos from the area showed people throwing stones at the procession from their rooftops. Later, prohibitory orders under Section 144 were imposed in the area.

The police had to resort to lathi-charge and fire tear gas shells to disperse the mob, the report stated. The police said the situation had been brought under control and additional forces were rushed to the area.

Suvendu Adhikari Blames CM Mamata for Ram Navami Clashes

West Bengals leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari, meanwhile, blamed Mamata Banerjee for the clashes during Wednesdays Ram Navami processions. He sought a probe by National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the violence.

The Ram Navami Processions were disrupted and attacked at various places across the State of West Bengal, due to the CMs provocative speech which successfully incited miscreants, who were assured that the Law enforcement Agency wont act against them as their hands have been tied due to CMs public stance on Ram Navami; a day, which according to her, Is a day for Rioting, Adhikari posted on X.

The Ram Navami Processions were disrupted and attacked at various places across the State of West Bengal, due to the CM's provocative speech which successfully incited miscreants, who were assured that the Law enforcement Agency won't act against them as their hands have been pic.twitter.com/HXwJvP4Pdx Suvendu Adhikari (Modi Ka Parivar) (@SuvenduWB) April 18, 2024

The BJP leaders remark is in reference to a controversial statement made by the Bengal chief minister at a rally in Bengal. If you see them (BJP) sloganeering on (April) 17, it is their (BJPs) day of riot, Banerjee said.
Three Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal will have voting on Friday in the first phase of the elections. More than 260 companies of security forces have been deployed in the state out of which 112 companies have been placed only in Cooch Behar. Thats because poll-related violence has been a major concern in this constituency.

On Thursday, two Trinamool Congress workers were injured in an attack in the north Bengal seat. While TMC leaders blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party for the incident, the saffron outfit rejected the claim.

There are around 2,537 voting booths in the Cooch Behar constituency this time and more than 300 of these have been identified as sensitive.

On the Election Commission of Indias list, the Cooch Behar (SC) seat is at no. 1. The constituency is held by union minister of state for home affairs Nisith Pramanik of the BJP. The area has witnessed violence in past panchayat, assembly, and Lok Sabha polls. Therefore, observers say, the tension here is palpable and booth workers of various parties and election officials too are a bit anxious.

The CISF firing incident during the assembly polls at Sitalkuchi in 2021, which killed four youths and, subsequently, created a massive political dust-up bears testimony to the vulnerability to poll-related violence in this Bangladesh-bordering district.

Speaking to News18, Cooch Behars district magistrate said, All arrangements have been made and the administration will do everything for free-and-fair elections. So, via the media, I urge people to go and vote.

As many as 102 Lok Sabha seats will be going for polls in the first phase of the elections across the country on Friday.

Pramanik, the BJP candidate from the Cooch Behar seat, will face Trinamool Congress nominee Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia. The Congress has fielded Priya Roy Choudhury as its candidate, while the Forward Bloc has nominated Nitish Chandra Roy.
The visual of BS Yediyurappa and HD Kumaraswamy stepping down from a helicopter together to attend the nomination filing of the veteran BJP leaders son, BY Raghavendra, from his hometown of Karnatakas Shivamogga, sent out a strong message to the cadres of both the BJP and Congress.

We are united, and the BJP will fight all upcoming elections together with the JD(S). Deve Gowda ji and Modi ji are working together, and we will take this alliance further across India as well. I have toured most parts of Karnataka, and the people are receiving the BJP-JD(S) alliance very well. The karyakartas as well are working very hard. We will win most of the seats in Karnataka, Yediyurappa told News18 in an exclusive interview.

The five-time chief minister is among the BJPs tallest leaders in southern India and responsible for opening the saffron partys account in the south. Both the former CMs, Kumaraswamy and Yediyurappa, have joined forces with each other to contest against the ruling Congress in the state and win maximum seats.

The BJP and JD(S) had formed a coalition government in 2008, but it collapsed after 20 months when Kumaraswamy refused to let Yediyurappa take over as CM as agreed. As of now, the BJP has 25 seats, the Congress and JD(S) one each, and the Mandya seat was won by Independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh, who recently joined the BJP.

This alliance is certainly bringing in a lot of energy and enthusiasm among the party workers, who want to ensure 28 seats to the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) this time and wipe out the Congress, the leader had said earlier.

The Congress is keeping its election strategy localised by campaigning in favour of their guarantees. Yediyurappa said the guarantees will be of no help to gain seats in this election, when compared to how Prime Minister Narendra Modi will sweep the polls across the nation.

I am very confident about our win in all 28 seats. I am 100 percent happy with the way things are progressing, he said.

It was not just in 2008, but in 2018 as well when a miffed Kumaraswamy had dropped hints of forming a coalition with the BJP to oust the Congress in the event of a hung assembly. In that election, the BJP won 104 seats, the Congress 78. The JD(S) won 37 seats.

After hectic discussions, the Congress decided to back the JD(S) led by Kumaraswamy to form the government. But, within months, 18 MLAs from the JD(S) and Congress resigned and joined the BJP. This brought down the government, paving the way for BSY to become the CM again.

The JD(S), which has often been known to be the kingmaker, has supported both the BJP and Congress at different times to come to power. This time it will be different. This is an alliance for a strong developed India. The BJP and JD(S) are a formidable force, said a senior JD(S) leader.

Kumaraswamy, in an interview to News18, said both parties are comfortable and there is mutual understanding between Yediyurappa and him. We are working as one team, unitedly to ensure that Narendra Modi is made PM again, he said.
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from the Chevella Lok Sabha constituency in Telangana, is a man who wears many hats. He was a software entrepreneur in the United States who joined politics in 2013 after the former chief minister of Telangana, K Chandrashekar Rao, invited him to join the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (then Telangana Rashtra Samithi). He is one of the richest politicians in the state and is married to Sangita Reddy, MD of Apollo Hospitals.

In a conversation with News18, he speaks about the issues in his constituency, the Modi wave, and how the BJP is not a religion-based party.

Revanth Reddy said that the BJPs manifesto is a post-dated cheque drawn on a failing bank. What do you make of that statement?

The CM of a bankrupt state making this statement is quite surprising. Did he not know that the state has crossed all FRBM limits? Did he not go to Delhi with a begging bowl? Did he not ask for a Rs 9,000 crore loan over the existing limits? BJPs manifesto has a vision about where India should be in 2027. It has a direction and a plan. The Congress makes its manifestos just to win elections. They try to bribe voters by giving out freebies. We can all see that they have failed to deliver the six guarantees they promised for Telangana.

The Congress is saying that there is an understanding between the BJP and BRS in five seats where the BRS cadre is helping the BJP. Is there any such contract?

The greatest help I have been receiving at Chevella is from the Congress because their cadre is supporting me. The Congress candidate (G Ranjith Reddy) is a former BRS leader who was harassing people by colluding with the police and revenue officials. So they are now helping me to get rid of him. Also, they tried this trope of BJP-BRS secret deal in the assembly elections too just because K Kavitha was not arrested in the Delhi liquor policy scam case. Things are different now with her being in custody. The Congress spinning the same narrative repeatedly shows its desperation.

The Congress does not have a candidate to present in the Lok Sabha elections. Why are they not projecting Rahul Gandhi as the PM candidate like we do for Modi? Because they know that they will lose all votes if they do so. That is why they resort to these two strategies: promising unviable freebies and slinging mud on the opposition.

BRS leader K Kavitha said that she is being held in BJP custody and not CBI custody. Do you agree when they say the BJP is playing vendetta politics?

If BJP had the power to hold her in BJP custody, then we would have formed the government by now. These are baseless charges. Denial does not help. BRS is still suffering from a power hangover.

BRS has been saying that Revanth Reddy will soon join the BJP because he is an RSS man. Is there any such possibility?

Anything is possible in politics. Revanth Reddy was once close to us. He was in the RSS. But today, holding power is his priority. If he needs support for that, anything can happen. When he went to Modi, he received the gift of Rs 9,000-crore loan when the government was in dire straits. If this was not given, there would have been no money to pay government employees.

He calls Modi Pedda Anna (Big Brother). With his big heart, Modi helped out Revanth Reddy, but he did not do it for him. The PM did it for the people of Telangana. You never know in politics. Revanth maintains cordial relations with Modi. Its just the opposite of what KCR used to do.

BRS always had a strong base in Chevella. What is the BJP doing now to improve its chances of winning?

The reason for a strong base there is me. When I started out in the party, BRS had no MPCs, ZPCs there. I can win there because I am the man of the land. I have the Telangana sentiment behind me. Also, there is a Modi wave now. Everything that has come to the villages, whether its Rs 1 kilo rice, cheaper urea bag, MSP, etc, has come from the central government. My constituency is 55 per cent urban and 45 per cent rural, but the voting percentage is higher in rural areas. I have a strong presence in the rural areas and BJP is strong in the urban areas. Therefore, our victory is certain there. We are way ahead of others in campaigning too. We started three months ago.

What are the main issues in your constituency?

Irrigation water and crop loss are the main issues in rural areas. Rangareddy district has the highest elevation in Telangana. You cannot bring water here to cover more than 70 per cent of crops. Technically you can, but it costs you Rs 2 lakh per acre per crop. Instead of trying to bring water through Kaleshwaram or Palamuru-Rangareddy lift irrigation schemes, you give these farmers Rs 30,000 farming assistance per acre. The present Rythu Bandhu amount is not sufficient for them.

In 20 to 30 per cent of the land, water can be brought from Krishna river, but not in a circuitous way. It doesnt make sense to bring water here through pipelines that run across the state. It becomes the projects tail-end area and these areas hardly get water. We will oppose the unviable Palamuru-Rangareddy lift irrigation project. It was made in a circuitous way so that a Rs 40,000-crore project can turn into a Rs 1,40,000-crore project.

We will promote dryland agriculture. Millets have been a staple food here. People from Telangana love their jonna roti, bajra roti. But in the last 40 years, we have become rice eaters, which has put a strain on water resources. I want to change that. Modiji has been promoting millets. After the promotion, the prices of millets have shot up.

The condition of roads is pathetic in RR district. With BJP at the Centre and me here, we can work together seamlessly to improve the infrastructure. The civic infrastructure is in shambles too. The present government is spending crores on developing the Musi riverfront. It doesnt make sense as Musi has become a reservoir for sewage. This has happened because of the many lakes that dump effluents in Musi. More than half of the STPs dont work. We have to first make sure that all the existing ones are working at their full capacity. A portion of the property tax collected by the GHMC should be given to housing societies so that they can maintain STPs in their communities. Hyderabad has a few of the worst schools in the country which charge exorbitant fees. We will encourage community schools like those in the US which will provide quality and affordable schooling.

Was your phone being tapped by the previous BRS government?

Yes, both the BRS and Congress governments are tapping phones. Once there was a family wedding and my lawyer had gone to buy some jewellery. They tapped his phone, made up a narrative, and filed a case against me. In this strange case that has been going on for the last five years, the petitioners themselves have not been appearing. Similarly, they tapped our phones during the pandemic to keep a tab on our whereabouts.

How many seats will BJP win?

I am expecting more than 10 seats. Also, I will not be surprised if Hyderabad candidate Madhavi Latha defeats AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi. It will debunk the allegation that the BJP is a religion-based party. Its not a Hindu party, but a Hindutva and Hindustani party focused on nationalism (Telugu jatiyavad). This will show that even Muslims are voting for the BJP like they did in UP.
The battle for Shivamogga in Karnataka is an intense one in Lok Sabha Elections 2024. Voting will take place on the Lok Sabha seat on May 7 in the third phase. Three-time MP BY Raghavendra, who is former chief minister BS Yediyurappas son, has been brimming with confidence even though he is faced with a rebellion from his fathers close political rival KS Eshwarappa, who has filed his nomination as an Independent.

Eshwarappa, the rebel BJP leader has called out dynastic politics in the party involving Yediyurappa and his sons. When asked how he is going to counter this rebellion on the field and whether Eshwarappa was trying to settle old political scores with his father BSY, Raghavendra laughed away, saying he will respond after the elections but people will teach them a lesson. Speaking to News18 while on campaign trail, he further attacked the Independent candidate for misusing Hindutva for his personal gain.

Raghavendra feels that his work as an MP over three terms will speak in his favour and Eshwarappas candidature against him will only hurt the latters chances. The leader whose name you took in an event blessed me and said that I would win with over 5 lakh votes and even become a minister (union). But what happened within a span of two weeks? I dont know. People will give the answer in this election, said Raghavendra.

He thinks he is showing a gun at our family, but he has not realised that he has actually shown it at our high command, the incumbent MP said hitting back at Eshwarappa.

Not Parivaarwaad, Have Worked My Way Up

Raghavendra added that the allegations of parivaarwaad do not apply in his case. When Nehru was PM, his daughter later became PM, they had family members in top posts in the Congress. When Rajiv Gandhi was PM, somebody from their party was the Congress party president, the same when it came to Sonia Gandhi. When she was president, Rahul Gandhi held a top post. The decisions taken by a family for a party within their homes are called pariwarvaad. In the BJP, the high command has decided, and every member of my family has worked their way up, from being ABVP karyakartas, contesting elections from ABVP to being an MP. So can that be called family politics, he questioned.

Contesting the Lok Sabha elections for the fourth time, Raghavendra feels that this term, he has been satisfied with what he has delivered to his constituency. At one of the villages, a person asked me how come my father (BSY) is not campaigning for me when in other parties, DK Shivakumar was campaigning for his brother in Bengaluru Rural, Siddaramaiah for Mysore. I told them my father Yediyurappa and brother who is state president have 100 percent confidence in my win. Our karyakartas are our strength and they will work in this election successfully, he said.

Alliance With JDS

The BJP and the JDS are in alliance with each other in this election in Karnataka. When asked how much of coordination and cooperation the party workers of both parties are able to maintain, especially after having to have fought tooth and nail against each other in the 2023 assembly polls, the MP replied, It is a historical decision. We have seen how respected Deve Gowda has been against our party, but later in front of Modi, he said that they joined hands with the BJP against the Congress. They are working with their heart and soul, Raghavendra said.

Interestingly, Ram Mandir and Hindutva are important election issues in Shimoga, with the BJP-JDS alliance candidates asking people to vote for Hindutva pride, Ayodhya, and Modi Matomme (once again). Raghavendra, who was campaigning door to door in Bhadravathi, a seat that the BJP has never won since Independence, one that has been under the hold of the Congress and JDS, looked happy with the acceptance by voters there.

The JDS alliance has helped. People also here are impressed with the way the Ayodhya temple was built. Even though the BJP has not won from here since Independence, every house from Bhadravathi sent a brick to Ayodhya to help build the temple. Ram Mandir has had an exceptional effect on people and their trust in Modi, said the MP.

Congress is Cheating People

Seeking re-election for the fourth time from the seat has also brought in an undercurrent of anti-incumbency against Raghavendra. Congress candidate Geetha Shivrajkumar is the daughter of former Karnataka chief minister S Bangarappa and sister of sitting Karnataka minister Madhu Bangarappa. She has been campaigning on how there is a need for change. Bringing airports or developing highways, like Raghavendra claims, would not contribute to developing the village, but bringing light into the lives of rural people like her father Bangarappa does, she said. She has been campaigning on the benefits of the Congresss five guarantee schemes, but Raghavendra has called them an utter failure.

They are taking money from one hand and handing it over through the other. A villager told me how after a hard days work he sits down for a drink. He pays Rs 50 as taxes on liquor to the government. He takes a couple of drinks which is Rs 100 and in turn spends Rs 3000 a month. Siddaramaiah takes the money from the husband and gives Rs 2000 to the wife claiming it is government money. Is that not outright cheating, he asked.

As he ended his days campaign at a public function near the last village close to the Bhadra River Project dam, a multipurpose reservoir designed by Sir M Visvesvarayya and built in 1947, Raghavendra ensured he spoke of the alliance between the JDS and BJP. He called for the support of the JDS for the BJP for a new developed India under PM Modi. Deve Gowda ji and Modi ji have a vision for India, and you are going to be part of it. Will you vote for it? When you do your morning pooja and wish for the welfare of your family, will you put one more flower in the name of Modi, he appealed to the women voters among people chanting Modi and Deve Gowdas name.
Kolar is a Scheduled Caste category Parliament seat comprising Sidlaghatta, Chintamani, Srinivaspur, Mulbagal (SC), Kolar Gold Field (SC), Bangarapet (SC), Kolar, and Malur assembly segments. The current MP is S Muniswamy of BJP. The constituency will vote in the second phase on April 26 and results will be declared on June 4.

Voting Factors

Muniswamy Factor: Kolar is a semi-urban seat, which has more than 40 per cent urban population. While the Congress has been a traditionally weak player in the seat, when it comes to Lok Sabha elections, the partys performance since Independence has been remarkable. Congress has held the Kolar Lok Sabha seat from 1952 to 1984 and then from 1989 to 2019. In 2019, KH Muniyappa was unseated by the BJP when S Muniswamy won with a massive majority of 2 lakh votes. Muniswamy is particularly influential. He is regarded as a staunch proponent of Hinduism in the district and has earned the reputation of being a readily accessible representative to the people, who appreciate his work and efforts.

Kolar is a semi-urban seat, which has more than 40 per cent urban population. While the Congress has been a traditionally weak player in the seat, when it comes to Lok Sabha elections, the partys performance since Independence has been remarkable. Congress has held the Kolar Lok Sabha seat from 1952 to 1984 and then from 1989 to 2019. In 2019, KH Muniyappa was unseated by the BJP when S Muniswamy won with a massive majority of 2 lakh votes. Muniswamy is particularly influential. He is regarded as a staunch proponent of Hinduism in the district and has earned the reputation of being a readily accessible representative to the people, who appreciate his work and efforts. BJPs Chances: BJP has reportedly proposed to allocate the seat to ally JD(S) this time around. It is unclear who will be the candidate yet. JD(S) is influential in areas like Sidlaghatta, Srinivasapur and Bangarapet. It is strong in five of eight taluks, while the BJP is dominant in six taluks. Due to the higher number of Vokkaliga voters, JD(S) demanded the ticket to contest. But now it appears they are struggling to find a suitable candidate. There is a significant pro-Modi wave in the Kolar district. However, JD(S) has cornered the seat as they are seeking tickets to preserve the existence of their leaders in this region. BJP cadre may also not be too thrilled in backing a JD(S) candidate, especially considering Muniswamys popularity. How this tussle impacts the BJPs performance here remains to be seen.

BJP has reportedly proposed to allocate the seat to ally JD(S) this time around. It is unclear who will be the candidate yet. JD(S) is influential in areas like Sidlaghatta, Srinivasapur and Bangarapet. It is strong in five of eight taluks, while the BJP is dominant in six taluks. Due to the higher number of Vokkaliga voters, JD(S) demanded the ticket to contest. But now it appears they are struggling to find a suitable candidate. There is a significant pro-Modi wave in the Kolar district. However, JD(S) has cornered the seat as they are seeking tickets to preserve the existence of their leaders in this region. BJP cadre may also not be too thrilled in backing a JD(S) candidate, especially considering Muniswamys popularity. How this tussle impacts the BJPs performance here remains to be seen. Congresss Plans: KH Muniyappa, who is a minister in the state government, is likely to be fielded again in the constituency by Congress. He had held meetings with the party high command recently. The Dalit factor will be a key determinant in the election, with the Congress also banking on the image of party president Mallikarjun Kharge. As per ground reports, while Congress leads in SC/ST votes in Kolar, BJP has the upper hand among EST votes.

KH Muniyappa, who is a minister in the state government, is likely to be fielded again in the constituency by Congress. He had held meetings with the party high command recently. The Dalit factor will be a key determinant in the election, with the Congress also banking on the image of party president Mallikarjun Kharge. As per ground reports, while Congress leads in SC/ST votes in Kolar, BJP has the upper hand among EST votes. SC/ST Votes: In Lok Sabha elections, SC/ST votes are crucial. In the assembly segment in Kolar, Muslim, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribal voters make up more than half the voters, sections of whom traditionally backed the Congress. However, this equation was seemingly disrupted in the Lok Sabha polls of 2019 by BJP, as the party bagged 56 per cent votes. This suggests the BJP was able to attract a wide array of voters from castes in 2019 in the constituency, a trend it would want replicated in the coming elections.

In Lok Sabha elections, SC/ST votes are crucial. In the assembly segment in Kolar, Muslim, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribal voters make up more than half the voters, sections of whom traditionally backed the Congress. However, this equation was seemingly disrupted in the Lok Sabha polls of 2019 by BJP, as the party bagged 56 per cent votes. This suggests the BJP was able to attract a wide array of voters from castes in 2019 in the constituency, a trend it would want replicated in the coming elections. Women Voters: In the Kolar Lok Sabha constituency, there are over seven lakh female voters. Women voters have been benefiting from Union government schemes such as Garib Kalyan Yojana and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. At the same time, the Stree Shakti Sangha initiative of the state government is highly popular. Congress failure to address local development issues has increased the possibility of driving more voters to lean towards the BJP. BJP and JD(S) appear to be preparing to mount a consolidated campaign over development deadlock.

Key Constituency Issues

Water scarcity: Water scarcity is a big problem in Kolar. Kolar, Chickballapur and Bengaluru Rural districts are gifted with 5,349 natural lakes that can collectively hold 79 TMC of water. Yet, due to failed monsoons and groundwater depletion, the region is staring at droughts for successive years. Groundwater from borewells is the main source of drinking water in districts but it is not safe for drinking. According to a report released by the Department of Mines and Geology in 2012, groundwater depletion is so bad that people have been forced to dig up to 2000 feet to stumble upon water.

Water scarcity is a big problem in Kolar. Kolar, Chickballapur and Bengaluru Rural districts are gifted with 5,349 natural lakes that can collectively hold 79 TMC of water. Yet, due to failed monsoons and groundwater depletion, the region is staring at droughts for successive years. Groundwater from borewells is the main source of drinking water in districts but it is not safe for drinking. According to a report released by the Department of Mines and Geology in 2012, groundwater depletion is so bad that people have been forced to dig up to 2000 feet to stumble upon water. Milk: Milk is an integral part of life across the six assembly constituencies of Kolar  from the socioeconomics of the region to politics. There are milk cooperatives in almost every one of the nearly 3,000 villages in Kolar (and neighbouring Chikkaballapura). Although milk was never an election issue in the past, it became one last year when Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) raised a row over Amuls potential entry into Karnataka and its implications for the states dairy sector. The Kolar Chikkaballapur District Milk Producers Union (KOMUL)  an amalgamation of all the village cooperatives  is the second-largest of the 14 milk unions that are part of the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), after the Bengaluru union. KOMUL procures nearly 10 lakh litres of milk per day from the region. The issue became highly politicised in the lead-up to the Karnataka assembly elections. The debate continues to have some resonance even now.

Milk is an integral part of life across the six assembly constituencies of Kolar  from the socioeconomics of the region to politics. There are milk cooperatives in almost every one of the nearly 3,000 villages in Kolar (and neighbouring Chikkaballapura). Although milk was never an election issue in the past, it became one last year when Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) raised a row over Amuls potential entry into Karnataka and its implications for the states dairy sector. The Kolar Chikkaballapur District Milk Producers Union (KOMUL)  an amalgamation of all the village cooperatives  is the second-largest of the 14 milk unions that are part of the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), after the Bengaluru union. KOMUL procures nearly 10 lakh litres of milk per day from the region. The issue became highly politicised in the lead-up to the Karnataka assembly elections. The debate continues to have some resonance even now. Lack of Infra: Road construction and repair work in Kolar is not progressing fast enough, causing dissatisfaction among the people of the district towards the state government. State highways are in a state of disrepair though roads in rural areas have improved under the Prime Ministers Gram Sadak Yojana. The deteriorating condition of roads is seen as a failure of the Congress government as it is not providing adequate funding.

Road construction and repair work in Kolar is not progressing fast enough, causing dissatisfaction among the people of the district towards the state government. State highways are in a state of disrepair though roads in rural areas have improved under the Prime Ministers Gram Sadak Yojana. The deteriorating condition of roads is seen as a failure of the Congress government as it is not providing adequate funding. Pollution: In Kolar district, with over 30 more crushers, people are suffering due to the intensity of air pollution in crusher zones. The dominance of politicians is resulting in crushers becoming instruments of corruption, and the state government has failed to curb this. Additionally, the presence of four industrial areas in the district has led to violations of environmental regulations, with no proper control measures implemented by the Pollution Control Board. This has also upset the voters.

In Kolar district, with over 30 more crushers, people are suffering due to the intensity of air pollution in crusher zones. The dominance of politicians is resulting in crushers becoming instruments of corruption, and the state government has failed to curb this. Additionally, the presence of four industrial areas in the district has led to violations of environmental regulations, with no proper control measures implemented by the Pollution Control Board. This has also upset the voters. Crime: Crime in Kolar is another big issue. Maintaining law and order in Kolar district is a significant challenge, with over 30 murders reported in the last three months alone. While the police have been moderately successful in ensuring law enforcement, fundamental issues persist, causing distress among the local populace. Two juveniles accused of murdering a minor boy in Kolar in November 2023 were shot by the police while trying to detain them. A similar case of police shooting two people in its custody for the killing of a Congress leader came to light in October 2023. In the 15 days between the last week of October and first week of November last year, at least three murders were reported in Kolar alone. In October 2023, Kolar cybercrime police conducted raids on medical stores for allegedly selling medicines illegally and without doctors prescription. In December, Bengaluru police had also arrested a man from Kolar who issued a bomb threat to the Raj Bhavan. BJP has been asserting that the law-and-order situation in Karnataka has worsened owing to the Congress rule. In December, the party started highlighting crimes against women, and SC/ST communities. Earlier there was an incident of schoolkids belonging to the Dalit community being made to clean a septic tank in Kolar.

Voter Demographics

Total voters: 16,31,850

Male voters: 8,09,331

Female voters: 8,02,896

Caste-wise breakdown of voters (approximate):

Scheduled Caste: 4,20,867

Scheduled Tribe: 3,32,000

OBC: 3,10,000

Kuruba: 20,000

Bovi: 1,80,000

Muslim: 1,60,000

Balija: 40,000

Kshatriya: 45,000

Lingayat: 4,000

Brahmin: 2,000

Christian: 21,000

Others: 50,000

Religion-wise breakdown (Kolar district):

Hindus: 1,305,431 (84.97%)

Muslim: 199,873 (13.01%)

Christian: 26,722 (1.74%)

Jain: 2,494 (0.16%)

Sikh: 253 (0.02%)

Buddhist: 150 (0.01%)

Infrastructure Development

Commissioned in 2006, the Yaragol dam project was finally inaugurated last year. The new dam is expected to supply water from the Markandeya reservoir to Kolar, Bangarpet and Malur towns as well as 45 villages in three taluks. This will come as a big relief for voters hit by water scarcity.

In July last year, Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited (K-Ride) had proposed to extend the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP) for a total length of 452km to link the state capital with nearby cities and towns, including Kolar. Current progress on the project is not known.

Japans Marubeni Corporation had expressed its interest in setting up a high-tech industrial park in Kolar. The initial investment for the project is estimated to be Rs 2,800 crore. If it materialises, the project will generate 40,000 jobs. In all, it will add $2 billion to the economy of Karnataka.

Reports say the Civil Aviation Ministry and the state government are both pushing for the development of a greenfield airport in Kolar.

Key State Issues

Water Scarcity: The current water shortage gripping Karnataka is not a sudden phenomenon, but rather the culmination of years of neglect and mismanagement. Erratic monsoon patterns and a growing population have placed immense strain on water resources. The governments over-reliance on groundwater extraction, coupled with a lack of investment in rainwater harvesting and water conservation initiatives, has exacerbated the crisis. This issue is particularly concerning for farmers in rural areas, who depend on a steady water supply for their livelihoods.

Governance and Corruption: The Congress governments performance across various sectors will be under intense scrutiny. The water crisis is a prime example, but allegations of corruption in departments like public works and urban development will also be a major talking point. Inflated project costs, bureaucratic red tape, and stalled infrastructure projects will likely fuel public anger and erode trust in the governments ability to deliver on its promises. The BJP is likely to capitalise on this sentiment.

Unkept Promises: Unfulfilled promises like the completion of the Mekedatu project, a contentious inter-state water sharing dispute with Tamil Nadu, will be a point of contention. The projects perceived lack of progress could hurt the Congresss image, especially in water-scarce regions.

Jobs & Social Security: Additionally, issues like rising unemployment, particularly among youth, and the effectiveness of social welfare schemes like the five freebies program will be debated. BJP will do well to highlight its own economic development plans, focusing on job creation and targeted welfare initiatives.

Law and Order: The recent bomb blast in Bengaluru has shaken public confidence in the state government. This incident, coupled with concerns about rising crime rates, especially in urban areas, will put the spotlight on the governments ability to maintain law and order.

Caste and Religion: Karnataka politics has a long history of being influenced by caste equations. The BJPs pre-poll alliance with the JD(S) aims to consolidate the votes of influential communities like Lingayats and Vokkaligas. Additionally, issues like the CAA, scrapping of Muslim reservation and hijab controversy in educational institutions will play a big role. Vokkaligas and Lingayats, the two social groups which dominate JD(S) and BJP, have also objected to the caste survey report which is now with CM Siddaramaiah.

Anti-Incumbency: Both BJP and Congress are facing anti-incumbency sentiments. This was evident in the BJPs decision to bench a few sitting MPs. Congress has been less proactive. Voters are likely to be looking for fresh faces and parties offering a clear break from the status quo.

Leadership: The Siddaramaiah & DK Shivakumar duo remains popular among Congress supporters. The responsibility given to BS Yeddyurappa and his son by BJP will also be beneficial. Ground reports suggest voters are looking for candidates with a strong track record of public service, a clear connect on the ground.

National vs Regional Politics: Historically, Karnataka has voted differently in state and national elections. Ram Mandir, PMs development agenda etc will find resonance in the state when it comes to Lok Sabha elections. Voters had prioritised local issues and leadership over national party affiliations during the state polls. But there is nothing to suggest that this will continue as a trend in 2024.
A remote village in Northeasts Arunachal Pradesh, a 40-km trek, and a polling station for its sole voter. Election Commission (EC) officials on Thursday undertook a painstakingly long trek to reach Malogam village to make sure its lone voter, 44-year-old Sokhela Tayang, could exercise her right to vote and take part in the worlds biggest-ever election, the Lok Sabha poll 2024.

The poll body officials along with security personnel covered at least 40 km on foot, carrying all equipment required, to reach the village ahead of the Lok Sabha Phase 1 polling. Tayang is also the lone woman voter from the village, situated along the China border.The EC team had to drive through hilly terrains and then trek on foot to reach the 52-Malogam Poling station in 45 Hayuliang assembly constituency and Arunachal East parliament constituency. The poll officers will stay put at the station till Tayang casts her vote on Friday and will trek back along with the equipment to their base location.

Tayang is unmarried and her parents died a few years ago. She lives all by herself in the village. Theres just one hill beyond her village before the China border starts.

People in 102 constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories will cast their votes on April 19, 2024.

In Arunachal, the Arunachal Pradesh East, and Arunachal Pradesh West parliamentary constituencies are going to polls during the first phase of Lok Sabha polls on Friday.

The 60-seat hill state is also gearing up for assembly polls on Friday. With 10 candidates already declared winners uncontested, the ruling BJP in Arunachal Pradesh is set for a fight against its allies instead of the Opposition Congress.
As the country is gearing up for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections, scheduled to take place on Friday (April 19), preparations are at full swing in multiple states. According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission of India, states such as Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, among others will go to vote on Friday.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 1 Voting Live Updates

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday concluded his poll campaign in Assam and Tripura, INDIA bloc leaders Rahul Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav held a joint press conference in Ghaziabad to show support for Congress candidate Dolly Sharma.

Lok Sabha Election 2024: Phase-wise Polling Date

Phase 1- April 19

Phase 2- April 26

Phase 3- May 7

Phase 4  May 13

Phase 5  May 20

Phase 6  May 25

Phase 7  June 1

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Updates
The voting for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls covering 21 states and Union Territories started at 7 am on April 19.

Around 97 crore people will elect their representatives from 543 constituencies and as per data, a 6 per cent increase has been noted in registered voters from the 2019 general elections. Lok Sabha polls are being held in seven phases.

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to the polls:

When is Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 1 Polling Scheduled?

Polling for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections, covering 21 states and Union Territories, began at 7 am on April 19.

Which Constituencies are Voting in Phase 1?

People in 102 constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories will cast their votes on April 19, 2024.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands  Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Arunachal Pradesh  Arunachal Pradesh East, Arunachal Pradesh West

Assam  Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Kaziranga, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur

Bihar  Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, Nawada

Jammu and Kashmir  Udhampur

Chhattisgarh  Bastar

Lakshadweep  Lakshadweep

Madhya Pradesh  Chhindwara, Balaghat, Jabalpur, Mandla, Sidhi, Shahdol

Maharashtra  Chandrapur, Bhandara  Gondiya, Gadchiroli  Chimur, Ramtek, Nagpur

Manipur  Inner Manipur, Outer Manipur

Rajasthan  Ganganagar, Bikaner, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Jaipur Rural, Jaipur, Alwar, Bharatpur, Karauli-Dholpur, Dausa, Nagaur

Meghalaya  Shillong, Tura

Mizoram  Mizoram

Nagaland  Nagaland

Puducherry  Puducherry

Sikkim  Sikkim

Tamil Nadu  Tiruvallur, Chennai North, Chennai South, Chennai Central, Sriperumbudur, Kancheepuram, Arakkonam, Vellore, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai, Arani, Viluppuram, Kallakurichi, Salem, Namakkal, Erode, Tiruppur, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Pollachi, Dindigul, Karur, Tiruchirappalli, Perambalur, Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Sivaganga, Madurai, Theni, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukkudi, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari

Tripura  Tripura West

Uttarakhand  Tehri Garhwal, Garhwal, Almora, Nainital- Udhamsingh Nagar, Haridwar

West Bengal  Coochbehar, Alipurduars, Jalpaiguri

Uttar Pradesh  Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina, Moradabad, Rampur, Pilibhit.

Who are the Prominent Candidates in Phase 1?

All eyes will be on the following key candidates in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections:

Chirag Paswan (Lok Janshakti Party chief)  Jamui

Nakul Nath (son of Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath)  Chhindwara

K Annamalai (Tamil Nadu BJP chief)  Coimbatore

Tamilisai Soundararajan (former Governor of Telangana)  Chennai South

Kanimozhi Karunanidhi  Thoothukkudi

Jitin Prasada (He has been fielded by the BJP in place of Varun Gandhi)  Pilibhit

Nisith Pramanik  Coochbehar

What Security Measures are in Place for Phase 1 Polling?

Central paramilitary forces have deployed at sensitive locations in the Manipur. Superintendent of Police from Manipurs Imphal West said, We have also deployed our commando teams and police personnel. Three layers of security have been covered by the Army, CRPF and state police.

As many as 20,000 personnel, which includes the district police, the Nagaland Armed police and IR battalions, and central armed police forces, have been deployed in Nagaland where one seat will go to polls.

Nagaland DGP, Rupin Sharma said, By and large, the Lok Sabha elections in Nagaland are very peaceful. There are no major incidents which have been reported, especially the incidents about election campaigning or model code of conduct. Something will happen, keeps happening, but no major incidents have been reported. We expect that the polling will be peaceful throughout the state

Ravindra Verma, SP from MPs Sidhi said, All the preparations have almost been completed and we have received the forces that are going to be deployed in polling booths and other duties. There are approximately 2,500 police personnel who will be deployed in polling booths and other duties. Rest all the checkpoints are also active. Seizure action is being taken continuously and almost all the preparations have been completed. All the polling centres have been divided into 2 categories, general polling centres and critical polling centres. CAPFs will be deployed at all the critical polling centres and arrangements for micro observers and webcasting are also being made at all the critical polling centres.

What are the Major Political Parties Contesting in Phase 1?

The major political parties at play in the Phase 1 of the Lok Sabha polls are:

Uttar Pradesh: Bhartiya Janata Party(BJP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD).

West Bengal: Trinamool Congress (TMC), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

Tamil Nadu: DMK, AIADMK, BJP

When were Lok Sabha Election 2023 dates?

The Lok Sabha elections in 2019 were held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19.

Has a Holiday Been Declared on April 19, 2024?

The Tamil Nadu government has declared a public holiday on April 19, in view of the general elections.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has not declared a holiday for all the states going for polls on April 19.

The Home Department of Nagaland has announced a paid holiday for all employees on April 19, 2024.

Banks in cities like Aizawl, Itanagar, Jaipur, Kohima, Chennai, Agartala, Dehradun, Shillong and Nagpur will remain closed on April 19.

What Documents Are Required For Polling in Lok Sabha Election 2024?

Ahead of the polling season, there are some important details that every voter should be aware of.

A person whose name is on the electoral roll can vote in the elections.

Voter ID

Driving license

Passport

Aadhar card

PAN card

MNREGA job card

Smart card issued by RGI under NPR

Passbook with a photograph issued by a state bank or post office

Service identity cards with photographs issued to employees by central/state

govt./PSU/public limited company

Pension document with photograph

Health insurance smart cards issued under the scheme of the Ministry of Labour

Official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs, etc.

How to Caste Vote, If Someone Is First Time Voter?

On the day of voting, one should carry their Voter ID Card to the polling booth. Once there, an election official is expected to guide through the process and the voter will be given a ballot paper or directed to an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) to cast your vote.

Whether using a ballot paper or an EVM, one should follow the instructions given by the polling officials carefully.

One should remember that their vote is their voice, so they should choose wisely.

After casting vote, every voters finger will be marked with indelible ink as a sign that theyve voted. This prevents anyone from voting many times.

How to Find Your Polling Booth?

You can follow the steps given below and find your polling booth:

Visit https: electoralsearch.eci.gov.in

You will see three ways (find below) to check your polling booth

What is the Procedure to Download Your Voter Slip?

A voter slip or VIS is a document that is issued by the election commission ahead of an election in order to inform voters about necessary details.

What is The Procedure To Download Voter Slip?

To download the voter slip, follow these steps:

Open https://voters.eci.gov.in/ and login using phone number, password and

OTP (register if you are new to the website).

Click on Download E-EPIC option

Enter EPIC number (found on your Voter ID card)

Once done, E-EPIC along with the VIS will be downloaded.

Stay updated with live coverage of 2024 Lok Sabha Election, Tamil Nadu Election 2024, West Bengal Election 2024, Arunachal Pradesh & Sikkim Election Phase 1 Polling on our website. Get the latest updates, polling trends, and analysis in real-time.Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website.
The first phase of the 18th Lok Sabha elections is set to begin on April 19 (Friday). The Phase 1 polling will cover 102 constituencies spread across 21 states and Union Territories (UTs). The counting of votes will be held on June 4.

Along with the 544 Lok Sabha seats, four states, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Sikkim, will conduct their state elections concurrently. The notified timings of the poll are 7 am to 6 pm. However, it may vary according to circumstances in different constituencies.

ALSO READ: 2024 Lok Sabha Election 1st Phase Polling On April 19: Check State-wise Schedule, Key Constituencies & Candidates

Required documents

To cast his or her vote, one should carry identity proof to the polling centre. Voters can carry a voter ID card, Aadhaar card, PAN card, driving license, passport, bank/post office passbook with a photo, pension document with photograph, MNREGA job card, smart card issued by RGI under NPR, service identity cards with photographs issued to employees by central/state government/PSU/public limited company, health insurance smart cards issued under the scheme of the ministry of labour, and official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs, etc.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) had assured voters of leveraging technology to ensure a fair and transparent election process. In line with this, the commission has rolled out the Voter Help App (VHA), offering features such as checking voter registration status.

To check eligibility, one should contact the local electoral registration officer and verify his or her name on the voters list.

How to Check Your Name Online on Voter List

There are multiple avenues available for voters to verify their inclusion in the voter list. Heres a simple guide on how to check if your name is on the voter list online:

Go to the governments electoral search website using your smartphone/computer: (https://electoralsearch.eci.gov.in/).

On the website, youll find three ways to search for your name: Search by Details, Search by EPIC, and Search by Mobile.

FOR SEARCH BY DETAILS:

Step 1: Choose your State and language.

Step 2: Fill in your personal information  Name, Middle Name, Surname, Date of Birth, Age, Gender, Relatives Name, and Last Name.

Step 3: Provide your Location  District and Assembly Constituency. If youre not sure about your Assembly Constituency, you can try the other methods.

Step 4: Enter the Captcha code and click on Search.

FOR SEARCH BY EPIC:

Step 1: Select your language.

Step 2: Enter your EPIC Number and State.

Step 3: Type in the Captcha code and click on Search.

FOR SEARCH BY MOBILE:

Step 1: Choose your State and language.

Step 2: Enter your mobile number and the Captcha code.

Step 3: Click on Send OTP to receive a one-time password on your smartphone.

Step 4: Enter the OTP you received on your smartphone and click on Search.

After completing any of these methods, one should find his or her name in the voters list along with personal details, polling station information, confirmed voting date, and election official details.

The ECI regularly updates the voters list, removing names due to various reasons like change of address, incorrect information, fraudulent entries, or the death of individuals. If you encounter any issues or have queries, contact the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) or Booth Level Officer (BLO) using the provided contact details following the above steps.

Voting process:
The first round of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections will be conducted on Friday with over 16.63 crore voters eligible to exercise their right on at least 102 seats across 21 states and union territories. The Election Commission of India has made all preparations to welcome voters to the biggest festival of democracy that any nation has witnessed, the poll body said in a statement on Thursday.

As many as 18 lakh poll officials at 1.87 lakh booths will make it possible for the ECI to conduct this massive election where the fate of 1,625 candidates will be locked.

There are over 14.14 lakh registered 85+ years old and 13.89 lakh PwD voters in 102 PCs who have been provided the option to vote from the comfort of their homes. The optional Home Voting facility is already receiving tremendous appreciation and response, the ECI said.

Voting Window

The polling for phase-1 has the highest number of parliamentary constituencies. Voting begins at 7 am and ends at 6 pm, with some seats having differing end times because of the areas and regions they belong to.

As many as 35.67 lakh first-time voters registered to cast their votes and the number of those in the age group of 20-29 years stands at 3.51 crore.

The Commission considers that it is the time now for voters to act. It has with all sincerity appealed to voters to step out of their homes, go to the polling station and vote with responsibility and pride, the poll body said.

Enough Deployment for Peaceful Polling

In the statement, the poll body said that it took a slew of decisive measures for a peaceful and smooth conduct of the elections. Central forces have been deployed adequately at polling stations to secure the voting process.

Webcasting will be done in more than 50% of the polling stations along with deployment of micro observers in all polling stations. As many as 361 Observers (127 General Observers, 67 Police Observers, 167 Expenditure Observers) have already reached their constituencies days before the polls. They serve as the eyes and ears of the Commission to exercise utmost vigilance. Additionally, Special Observers have been deployed in certain states, the ECI said.

A total of 4,627 flying squads, 5,208 statistics surveillance teams, 2,028 video surveillance teams, and 1,255 video viewing teams are keeping vigil round the clock to strictly and swiftly deal with any form of inducement of voters.

Also, 1,374 inter-state and 162 international border checkposts are keeping a strict vigil on any illicit flow of liquor, drugs, cash, and freebies. In addition, strict surveillance has been kept at sea and air routes.

For easy movement of polling and security personnel, 41 helicopters, 84 special trains, and nearly one lakh vehicles have been deployed by the ECI.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday declared candidates for the Mayoral and Deputy Mayoral posts for the MCD elections to be held on April 26 in the Capital.

For the Mayoral post, the party has zeroed in on 45-year-old Mahesh Kisich. Kisich is the councillor of the Dev Nagar ward which falls in the Karol Bagh assembly constituency. For the Deputy Mayoral post, the party has nominated 35-year-old Ravinder Bhardwaj, a two-time councillor from the Aman Vihar ward which falls in Kirari constituency. Both Kisich and Bhardwaj have been associated with AAP since long.

AAP MLA and MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak said both the candidates will file their nominations on Thursday.

This time, the Mayoral and Deputy Mayoral posts are reserved for Scheduled Castes.

AAPs outgoing Mayor is Shelly Oberoi and Deputy Mayor is Aaley Mohammad Iqbal. According to sources, the names were finalised after discussions with AAP National Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is currently behind bars on charges of money laundering connected with the now-scrapped Delhi Excise policy.

The AAP has a simple majority in the 250-member House with 134 councillors, while the BJP has 104 and the Congress has nine. The electoral college comprises 250 councillors, seven Lok Sabha and three Rajya Sabha MPs and 14 MLAs nominated by the Speaker of the Delhi Assembly. The AAP has the numbers in its favour as of now.

We will fight these elections together, was AAP minister Gopal Rais response when asked if the Congress would support the Kejriwal-led party in these elections. However, there is still no word from the Congress on this. Expressing confidence of fending off any challenges from the BJP, Rai said: After the Chandigarh Mayoral polls, we have seen how the BJP can steal votes. We are ready to face all their tricks.

The MCD elections will take place at a time when the top brass of the AAP is behind bars. It is also interesting as these elections will come ahead of the 2024 general elections where the AAP and the Congress have entered into a seat-sharing agreement in Delhi. Will, as Rai said, the nine councillors of Congress support AAP candidates?

Even though Congress and AAP are contesting the Punjab elections independent of each other, they fought the Chandigarh mayoral elections together. AAP had 13 votes, Congress seven, BJP 15 and Akalis one. AAP-Congress joint candidate Kuldeep Kumar won the elections after the Supreme Court overturned results following AAP and Congress challenging the earlier result which had the BJPs Manoj Sonkar as the winner after the presiding officer declared eight votes invalid. The Mayoral elections in Chandigarh had run into a controversy after presiding officer Anil Masih was caught on camera tampering with ballots.

The BJP has also decided to field its candidates for Mayoral and Deputy Mayoral posts. Kishan Lal, councillor from ward number 62 in Shakurpur, will be the BJPs mayoral candidate and Neeta Bisht, councillor ward number 247 from Sadatpur, will contest for the deputy mayoral post. All the candidates filed their nominations on Thursday.

Last year, in April, though the BJP had fielded candidate Rekha Gupta, it had withdrawn her candidature at the last minute. In 2022, the AAP ended the 15-year uninterrupted rule of the BJP in the MCD, pushing it to the second position.

Since anti-defection laws dont apply to councillors and cross-voting is allowed, the upcoming MCD election is being seen as a litmus test for AAP unity  whether it can keep its flock together and ensure that each councillor turns up for voting.
The Congress has released 20 lists of 282 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, while the BJP has named 432 candidates in its 12 lists released as of Wednesday. The numbers analysed by News18 show that the Congress is yet to announce candidates on around 45 seats and BJP is expected to issue close to 10 additional names.

The analysis shows that on 276 seats, there will be a direct battle between the two biggest national parties in India, while additional parties may also be in the fray. These seats also include the constituencies where any of the two parties are yet to announce candidates.

Among the states where the Congress has not made any progress in candidates is Haryana. While the BJP has named all the 10 candidates, Congress is yet to name any. More names are also expected from Congress in Andhra Pradesh (12), Punjab (7), Telangana (3), Odisha (2), Uttar Pradesh (2), Bihar (6) and Himachal Pradesh (2).

BJP is expected to list more candidates from Jammu and Kashmir (3), Punjab (4), and Uttar Pradesh (2). None of the parties has listed candidates for the lone seat in Ladakh.

While the total number of candidates in the fray may reach around 330 from the Congress side by the final-phase nominations, it is important to note that never in the history of Lok Sabha polls has the Grand Old Party contested below 400 seats. The lowest so far for Congress was the 2004 election when it fielded 417 candidates. The highest number of candidates BJP fielded in the Lok Sabha polls was in 1991-92 polls  477 candidates.

The Congress is fighting on the lowest number of seats, leaving space for allies. In different states and UTs, the Grand Old Party has joined hands with other parties on a seat-sharing basis in its fight against the BJP.

Tamil Nadu

The biggest state going for polls in the first phase is Tamil Nadu with all 39 seats voting in a single day. The Congress is fighting on nine seats. On the other hand, the BJP has named 23 candidates. In 2019, Congress bagged eight seats and BJP drew zero. It was the DMK that got 24 seats in the state.

There are seven seats that will see BJP vs Congress in Tamil Nadu: Krishnagiri, Tiruvallur, Karur, Virudhunagar, Sivaganga, Tirunelveli, and Kanniyakumari. In all these seats, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) or its ally Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) is giving a fight to the two national parties.

The AIADMK, BJP and Congress are also contesting the lone Lok Sabha constituency in Puducherry with BSP also in the fight for the seat.

16 candidates each in Kerala

Both the Congress and the BJP have named 16 candidates each in Kerala and are in direct battle in 13 seats for the state going for polls in second phase.

Among the seats in focus are Wayanad from where Congress has fielded Rahul Gandhi. He will face Left candidate Annie Raja and BJPs Kerala unit president K Surendran. In Attingal, BJPs V Muraleedharan is challenging sitting MP from Congress Adoor Prakash. In Thiruvananthapuram, it is Shashi Tharoor from Congress and Rajeev Chandrasekhar from the BJP. In Alappuzha, Congress leader KC Venugopal is contesting against BJPs Sobha Surendran.

Kasaragod, Kannur, Vatakara, Kozhikode, Palakkad, Alathur, Thrissur, Ernakulam, and Pathanamthitta are the remaining seats where it is BJP vs Congress. In 2019, of the 20 seats in the state, Congress won 15. Congress-led alliance United Democratic Front bagged 19 seats in total. The remaining was bagged by CPI(M).

10 States/UTs where BJP, Congress contesting on all seats

In 10 states and UTs with 27 Lok Sabha seats, the two parties will be in a direct fight. These include single-seater Puducherry, Sikkim, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh and Mizoram.

Five seats in Uttarakhand will also see the two parties against each other. Similarly, two seats each in Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu will also see a battle between the two parties.

The biggest state that will see the two parties contesting on all the Lok Sabha seats against each other will be Chhattisgarh with 11 constituencies.

Almost all seats in Gujarat, Karnataka, MP and Rajasthan

The two parties in these four states will be in a direct battle, except a handful of seats where they have not fielded candidates, leaving the space for alliance.

In Gujarat, while BJP is fighting on all the 26 seats, Congress has named candidates on only 24 seats. In 2019, all the 26 seats in the state were bagged by the BJP.

In Karnataka, the Congress is contesting on all the 28 seats but the BJP is fighting in alliance with Janata Dal (Secular) that has fielded its candidates on three seats. In at least 25 seats in the state, the Congress and the BJP are in a direct battle. In 2019, BJP got 25 seats in the state and Congress just one.

In Madhya Pradesh, the two parties are challenging each other on 28 out of 29 seats. The BJP is contesting on all the seats but the Congress is sharing one seat with the Samajwadi Party. The BJP swept the last poll in the state as it won 28 seats and Congress managed just one.

A similar situation is also seen in Rajasthan. Of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the two parties are in a direct battle on 22 seats as the Congress is leaving three seats for allies. Congress scored zero in Rajasthan in 2019 while BJP got 24.

Uttar Pradesh: The biggest state with 80 LS Seats

Uttar Pradesh has 80 Lok sabha seats, highest among the states. While the preparations have been underway for almost all the seats, candidates for Kaiserganj and Raebareli have not been revealed by any party.

In both the seats, the BJP will contest. While in Kaiserganj it will see the fight from the Samajwadi Party, in Raebareli, the contest will be against the Congress. The SP and the Congress are fighting the Lok Sabha polls in alliance.

In Uttar Pradesh, Congress will be fighting on 17 seats and has named 15 candidates. It is yet to reveal its cards for Raebareli and Amethi. On the other hand, BJP has named 73 candidates and is yet to name its faces for Kaisarganj and Raebareli. The party is contesting the polls in alliance with Apna Dal (Soneylal) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (two seats each) and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (one seat).

In all the 17 seats where the Congress is fighting, it is directly being challenged by the BJP which won 62 seats in 2019 out of 80.

The seat in the limelight will be Varanasi where Congress has named Ajay Rai against PM Narendra Modi. In Mathura, BJP has given another chance to Hema Malini, while Congress has named Mukesh Dhangar.

Apart from these seats, the two parties will be in a direct battle in Kanpur, Saharanpur, Amroha, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Fatehpur Sikri, Maharajganj, Deoria, Bansgaon, Sitapur, Jhansi, Allahabad, Barabanki, Rae Bareli, and Amethi.

Other States, UTs

In Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP is fighting on all the five seats, although it is yet to name three candidates as of date. On two seats, there will be a direct battle between Congress and BJP as the Grand Old Party is contesting in alliance with Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, fighting on three seats. In this seat sharing, Congress has got Ladakh as well, which will go for polls on May 20.

In Delhi, AAP and Congress have joined against the BJP. The two parties are in direct battle on the three seats in the national capital.

In Andhra Pradesh, which has 25 seats, the two parties are in a direct battle on just five seats  Anakapalli, Rajahmundry, Narasapuram, Tirupati, and Rajampet. The BJP is contesting on just six seats, leaving 17 seats for Telugu Desam Party and two for Jana Sena Party.

The Congress has named 11 candidates so far and about 12 names are expected in the coming days as it is leaving one seat each for the Communist Party of India (CPI), and the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

Similarly, in Tripura, Congress is fighting in alliance with CPIM and they are contesting on one seat each. The BJP and Congress are in direct battle in one seat in Tripura.

In Assam, the BJP has named 11 candidates, leaving one each for its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United Peoples Party Liberal (UPPL). The BJP will be directly challenging the Congress on 10 seats. The Grand Old Party is fighting on 13 of 14 seats in the state.

In Bihar, the BJP is contesting on 17 seats while Congress on nine, leaving the remaining constituencies for the allied parties. The two parties are in direct battle in five seats.

In Maharashtra, with 48 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP has named 25 candidates and Congress 15. While the BJP is yet to finalise the seats in the state, as of now, the two parties are contesting against each other on 15 seats at least.

The 2024 Lok Sabha polls are critical for the two parties as BJP is aiming for a third term on one hand and on the other, the Congress is trying to regain its lost charm.
Its polarisation and caste equations, say political analysts, that will be the deciding factors in eight Lok Sabha seats of western Uttar Pradesh (UP) where voting will be held on April 19. The polls may also see the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) shedding the tag of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)s B team by denting both the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc in the region.

The BJP has claimed it will win all eight seats  Pilibhit, Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Rampur, Moradabad, Nagina, and Bijnor. But analysts say an examination of public issues, agendas, caste equations, and polarisation tells a different story. In seats like Pilibhit, Saharanpur, Kairana, and Muzaffarnagar the Samajwadi Party-led alliance seems to be in a promising position. Of these, barring Saharanpur, the BJP won the other three seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha Polls, said Shashikant Pandey, head of the department of political science, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow. Pandey said the BJP has also worked on Rampur, Moradabad, Bijnor, and Nagina  the four seats it lost in the previous polls. However, the competition is tough in these constituencies as well.

The Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party has sprung a surprise as it is fighting on a strategy to save its core voters and try to capitalise on the discontent among Thakurs and Tyagis against BJP, said Pandey.

The BSPs strategic selection of candidates across various constituencies in Uttar Pradesh underscores its nuanced approach to caste dynamics in the state, he said.

In Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddh Nagar, and Meerut, theyve fielded Rajput and Tyagi candidates. In Muzaffarnagar, the party has tapped into the Most Backward Classes (MBCs) by nominating a Prajapati candidate against the BJPs Sanjeev Balyan. In Bijnor, an influential Jat candidate challenges the Gurjar pick of the Rashtriya Lok Dal, while in Baghpat, a Gurjar candidate counters the RLDs Jat choice. Aligarh saw a surprising move with a Brahmin candidate, a BJP defector, positioned against Satish Gautam, reflecting the BSPs manoeuvre to disrupt caste equations. This calculated selection strategy extends to Mathura, where the BSP is making strategic choices in candidate selection to navigate complex caste dynamics and electoral challenges, pointed out Pandey.

In the 2019 general elections, the BJP clinched just three of the eight seats: Pilibhit, Kairana, and Muzaffarnagar. The Samajwadi Party emerged victorious in Moradabad and Rampur, while the Bahujan Samaj Party secured Saharanpur, Bijnor, and Nagina. This distribution illustrates a diverse electoral landscape in Uttar Pradesh, with different parties asserting dominance in various constituencies, observers said.

Rampur

Over the past decade, the Samajwadi Partys stronghold, led by Azam Khan, has witnessed an intense push from the BJP. In 2014, BJPs Dr Naipal Singh made history by winning the seat by over 3.58 lakh votes and a 37.5% vote share, the first non-Muslim to do so. However, in 2019, SPs Azam Khan secured a victory with over 5.59 lakh votes and a 52.7% vote share. Following Khans disqualification due to a three-year imprisonment sentence related to a 2019 hate speech case, the BJP reclaimed the seat in the 2022 bypolls. This oscillation underscores the fierce rivalry between the SP and the BJP in this crucial constituency. The SP this time has fielded Mohibullah Nadvi, the BJP has picked Ghanshyam Singh Lodhi, and the BSP has nominated Zeeshan Khan.

Moradabad

The constituency, dubbed Pital Nagri, has witnessed the pendulum swinging between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the past decade. In 2019, the SPs Dr ST Hasan secured a victory with over 6.49 lakh votes and a vote share exceeding 50%. In 2014, the BJPs Kunwer Sarvesh Kumar emerged triumphant, clinching the seat by a margin of over 4.85 lakh votes and a vote share of 43%. This fluctuation highlights the competitive dynamics between the SP and the BJP in this constituency in recent years. The SP has now fielded Ruchi Veera, the BJP has given a ticket yet again to Kunwar Sarvesh Kumar Singh, and the BSP has opted for Irfan Saifi.

Kairana

The Lok Sabha constituency in Shamli district has been a stronghold of the BJP since 2014, except for a setback in a 2018 bypoll. In 2014, BJPs Hukum Singh secured a victory here with over 5.65 lakh votes and a 50.6% vote share. However, the 2018 by-election, triggered by Singhs demise, saw RLDs Tabassum Hasan defeating the late MPs daughter Mriganka Singh, who ran under the BJP banner. Nonetheless, the BJP reclaimed the seat in the 2019 elections, with Pradeep Choudhary emerging victorious by garnering more than 5.66 lakh votes and a 50.4% vote share. The SP this time has fielded Iqra Hasan, the BJP has picked Pradeep Choudhary again, and the BSP has given its ticket to Shripal Rana.

Pilibhit

The constituency, located in the Bareilly division, has been a bastion of the BJPs Gandhis since 2014. In 2019, Varun Gandhi won the constituency with a record 7.04 lakh votes and commanded a massive vote share of 59.4%. Samajwadi Partys Hemraj Verma was a distant second with more than 4.48 lakh votes. In 2014, Varuns mother Maneka Gandhi won the seat with more than 5.46 lakh votes and secured a vote share of 52.1%, defeating Samajwadi Partys Budhsen Verma. This time, the BJP has fielded Jitin Prasada, Bhagwat Saran Gangwar is the SP candidate, and the BSP has fielded Anis Ahmed Khan.

Muzaffarnagar

The Lok Sabha constituency, with approximately 16 lakh voters, has been in the BJPs bag since 2014. In the 2019 general elections, union minister Sanjeev Balyan narrowly triumphed over late RLD chief Ajit Singh here. Balyan secured over 5.73 lakh votes and a 49.5% vote share, while Singh garnered more than 5.67 lakh votes with a vote share close to 49%. In 2014, Balyans victory was resounding, defeating BSPs Kadir Rana by a staggering margin of over 4.3 lakh votes. Balyan clinched more than 6.53 lakh votes with a commanding vote share of 59%. The SP has now fielded Harendra Singh Malik from here, the BJP has reposed faith in Sanjeev Balyan once more, while the BSP has picked Dara Singh Prajapati.

Saharanpur

The seat has changed hands many times over the years, from the Congress to Janata Dal, and others. In 2019, BSPs Haji Fazlur Rahman secured a victory here with over 5.14 lakh votes and a 41.7% vote share. He was followed by BJPs Raghav Lakhanpal, who garnered 4.91 lakh votes. This electoral trend underscores the evolving dynamics and the BSPs growing influence in the constituency, marking a departure from previous political equations. The BJP has fielded Raghav Lakhanpal again, the BSP has picked Majid Ali, while the Congress has opted for Imran Masood.

Bijnor

Over the past decade, the constituency, encompassing five assembly seats, has witnessed a transition from the BJP to the BSP. In the 2019 elections, BSPs Malook Nagar emerged victorious here, securing over 5.56 lakh votes and a 51% vote share. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, BJPs Kunwar Bhartendra Singh clinched the seat with more than 4.86 lakh votes and a vote share of 45.9%. The SP has now given a ticket to Deepak Saini, the RLD has fielded Chandan Chauhan, and the BSP has picked Chaudhary Vijendra Singh.

Nagina

In 2019, BSPs Girish Chandra won here by unseating BJPs Yashwant Singh with over 5.68 lakh votes. Singh remained a close second with more than 4 lakh votes. This contest marked a shift in the electoral dynamics of the constituency reserved for Scheduled Castes. In the 2014 general elections, Singh had triumphed here, garnering more than 3.67 lakh votes and a vote share of 39%. The BJP candidate this time is Om Kumar, the SP has nominated Manoj Kumar, while the BSP has fielded Surendra Raj Singh.
Mahua Moitra is no stranger to corporate culture. A former investment banker with JP Morgan, Moitra worked in New York and London before she made her foray into politics. As the Lok Sabha polls approach, the firebrand leader is firming up her election strategy with a team of young professionals.

Moitra has her personal war room and a call centre  both handled by a team of 6-10 people  to track every detail of her constituency.

Speaking to News18, the leader said: I believe everything should be planned and thats how things work. You may say I have got this attitude from working in the corporate sector. I have divided all the election work.

The team say Moitra is a hard taskmaster. As one enters the war room, the discipline is hard to miss. A board details all the tasks of the day  put up a social media post, call the management and gather political intelligence.

Himadri, who works in the TMC leaders team, said: We call up booth leaders and take feedback apart from putting up social media posts. She is a perfectionist and wants perfect work.

There are more than 1,800 booths in Krishnanagar, Moitras constituency. There are various phases of election campaign, just like an exam, so we plan accordingly. We also take feedback, said Moitra.

Moitra won the last elections with almost 45 per cent votes. The leader says she sets targets for her booth workers to increase their lead in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The leader said she was confident that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees work and her own effort this time would ensure an increased margin. Rubbishing several allegations by the BJP against her, Moitra said she was not bothered by the attacks as her only aim was to increase her margin of victory.
The worlds biggest election exercise begins in India on Friday, with close to a billion people eligible to vote in the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls spread over six weeks to elect 543 lawmakers as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party-led government seek a rare third consecutive five-year term at the Centre.

Polling will take place in different parts of India over seven days: April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. The votes will be counted on June 4.

The BJPs ambition to emerge as a force challenging the Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu and determination to retain its strongholds across the country is set to be put to a stern test in the polls even as the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc is facing a herculean task to dislodge the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

In Fridays opening phase, 102 constituencies in 21 states and union territories will go to polls: Arunachal Pradesh (2 seats), Assam (5), Bihar (4), Chhattisgarh (1), Madhya Pradesh (6), Maharashtra (5), Manipur (2), Meghalaya (2), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Rajasthan (12), Sikkim (1), Tamil Nadu (39), Tripura (1), Uttar Pradesh (8), Uttarakhand (5), West Bengal (3), Andaman and Nicobar (1), Jammu and Kashmir (1), Lakshadweep (1), and Puducherry (1).

Among the prominent candidates in this round are eight union ministers: Nitin Gadkari (Nagpur), Kiren Rijiju (Arunachal West), Sarbananda Sonowal (Dibrugarh), Sanjeev Baliyan (Muzaffarnagar), Jitendra Singh (Udhampur), Bhupender Yadav (Alwar), and Arjun Ram Meghwal (Bikaner). Two former chief ministersBiplab Kumar Deb (West Tripura) and Nabam Tuki (Arunachal West)are also among the contestants.

Over 16.63 crore people are eligible to vote in the first phase of the elections. Among them are 35.67 lakh first-time voters, besides 3.51 crore young voters in the age group of 20-29 years. In all, they comprise 8.4 crore men, 8.23 crore women, and 11,371 people from the third gender.

Simultaneously, assembly elections will be held in Arunachal Pradesh (60 seats) and Sikkim (32 seats).

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday urged citizens to vote, stressing the importance of participation in shaping the future of the country, and asking particularly first-time voters to seize this moment of empowerment.

Voting will begin at 7 am and end at 6 pm in most places. The Election Commission has deployed over 18 lakh personnel across 1.87 lakh polling stations.

In 2019, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) won 45 of the 102 seats up for grabs on Friday and the NDA bagged 41.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar too on Thursday appealed to people to cast their ballot and reminded them of the significance of each vote. There have been instances when one vote has mattered in a critical contest, he said.

Elections are the most beautiful expression of Indias democracy and there is nothing like voting", he said in a video message.

(With agency inputs)

Stay updated with live coverage of 2024 Lok Sabha Election, Tamil Nadu Election 2024, West Bengal Election 2024, Arunachal Pradesh & Sikkim Election Phase 1 Polling on our website. Get the latest updates, polling trends, and analysis in real-time.Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website.
The Centre has directed new Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit in the space sector under Foreign Exchange Management Rules (FEMA) to allow more players to invest in India. The move comes in the heels of Starlink CEO Elon Musks visit to India from April 21 to April 22.

The notification said, The investee entity shall be subject to sectoral guidelines as issued by Department of Space from time to time. The new rules will come into effect from April 16.

The new amended policy allows 100% FDI in FDI sector. At present, satellite manufacturing and operation, satellite data products and ground and user segment can get a 74% FDI. Beyond this, government route will be applicable.

Up to 49% FDI is allowed in the creation of spaceports for launching and receiving spacecraft through automatic routes. Beyond this, government route is applicable on these activities.

Complete 100% FDI under automatic route is permitted to manufacture components and systems/ sub-systems for satellites, ground segment and user segment.

As FDI in space is permitted through government route to date, the government has eased the rules for various sub-sectors/ activities in line with the Indian Space Policy 2023. The government in a statement said, The liberalised entry routes under the amended policy are aimed to attract potential investors to invest in Indian companies in space.

What are Elon Musks Space Plans?

Musk, who will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India, is expected to make several announcements, including the launch of Starlink and investments worth $2-$3 billion. Musk has applied for the permit to start starcom services in India. Starlink has a constellation of 4,000 low earth orbit satellites.

Musk is also expected to meet tech startups, including Skyroot Aerospace, Dhruva Space, Piersight and Digantara, Satsure, in New Delhi.

According to Moneycontrol, Musk is expected to speak to the startup founders to learn more about their innovations and offerings. Additionally, these startups are expected to present showcases of their technologies to the SpaceX chief.

Space tech startups are scheduled to meet the space regulator, the Indian Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), on April 17. During this meeting, the regulator is expected to provide further details about the meeting with Musk, the Moneycontrol report added.

Starlink, a project by SpaceX, offers high-speed internet via satellites. SpaceX offers affordable rocket launches. Musk had earlier made an attempt to launch Starlink in India in November 2022 for a GMPCS licence.

Definitions Used in Space Sector

Satellite-Manufacturing and Operation means end-to-end manufacturing and supply of satellite or payload, establishing the satellite systems, including control of in-orbit operations.

Satellite Data Products refers to the reception, generation, or dissemination of earth observation or remote sensing satellite data.

Ground Segment means the supply of satellite transmit or receive earth stations, including earth observation data receive stations, gateways, teleports, satellite Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TTC) stations, Satellite Control Centres (SCC).

User Segment means the supply of user ground terminals for communicating with the satellite, which is not covered under the ground segment.

Launch Vehicles and Associated Systems or Sub-systems is a rocket-powered vehicle used to transport a spacecraft with payloads or persons in a sub-orbital trajectory outside the Earths atmosphere.

Creation of Spaceports means a base from which spacecrafts are launched, and consists of facilities involving devices for transportation to and from outer space.

Manufacturing of components and systems comprises the manufacturing and supply of the electrical, electronic and mechanical component systems or sub-systems for satellites.
The geopolitical instability in the Middle East often leads to volatility in oil markets across the world. Any disruption in oil production or transportation in the region could lead to supply shortages, impacting prices globally. So, will a direct Israel-Iran war affect oil prices?

Middle East accounts for 30% of the global crude oil production. Among the top 10 oil-producing countries of the world, five are in Middle East. Of which, Saudi Arabia is the largest oil producer, and ranked number two, contributing over 12% of the global crude production. Iran is at the third position, with a global share of 3.3%.

Tensions between Israel and Iran have escalating after the latter launched more than 300 drones and missiles from its territory towards Israel over the weekend. However, the effect on oil markets has been muted.

Brent crude prices rose to a six-month high of $92.18 a barrel on Friday after Israels allies warned about the Irans retaliatory attack is imminent after Israel struck a building in Iranian consulate in Syrias Damascus on April 1. But after Israel evaded missile attack by Iran, analysts hope that this is just a one-off, and not the beginning of a war.

The members of Opec, the oil producing cartel, have the capacity to produce another 6 million barrels a day, according to Goldman Sachs, as quoted by The Guardian.

What If There is a War?

Reports suggest before Irans missile strike on Israel, there were limited or no consequences from the attack on Israel by Hamas last October on the energy market. Israel and Palestine are anyway not major energy producers.

But since Iran is the founding member of Opec, a war with Israel in this case would have an effect on the energy market, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

So, any direct hit to Irans oil production would lead to price rise. In 2023, Iran became the worlds second largest oil producer after US, according to IEA. It has predicted that Iran would produce 280,000 more barrels a day this year compared with last.

Any attack on oil production or export facilities in Iran would drive the price of Brent crude oil to $100, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz would lead to prices in the $120 to $130 range, said Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates, as quoted by CNBC.

Impact on Indian Workers and Nationals in Iran, Israel

Around 7 million Indians work in the Gulf countries, and send more than $90 billion in foreign exchange to India annually. In the event of the Israel-Iran war in Middle East, Indian workers would be impacted.

India has a strategic relationship with Israel and a historic one with Iran, according to senior foreign affairs analyst Umashankar Singh. He said Iran was the second-largest supplier of oil to India before sanctions were imposed on it due to its nuclear programme. India has not bought oil from Iran for the past four years but still share close relations with it.

India had issued an advisory to its citizens on Friday not to travel to Iran or Israel due to heightened tensions. It asked all Indian nationals living in those countries to observe utmost precautions for their safety.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), there are 4,000 Indian immigrants in Iran, while 18,000 Indians are working in Israel, many of them as caregivers, according to The Hindu. India has a large diaspora in Israel of around 97,467, according to the MEA.

A Hindustan Times report, however, pointed out that the advisory meant no more Indian workers will be able to travel to Israel under a government-to-government (G2G) arrangement to work in the construction sector.

The first batch of 64 Indian workers travelled to Israel on April 2 and some 6,000 more were expected to be sent during April and May to help Israels construction sector overcome a labour shortage created by the withdrawal of work permits for Palestinian workers.

Another 900 Indian construction workers travelled to Israel in recent months under business-to-business arrangements. Last week, the Indian side had urged Israeli authorities to ensure the safety of Indian nationals being sent to work in the construction sector.

Iran on Saturday captured a Portuguese-flagged cargo ship MSC Aries near the Strait of Hormuz. The Israeli-affiliated vessel has 17 Indian crew members and was en route to the port of Nhava Sheva in Mumbai. MSC Aries is now under the control of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards. The safety of the Indian crew is a big worry for India.

External affairs minister S Jaishankar held talks with his Iranian counterpart Amir Abdollahian and raised the issue. Tehran has issued that Indian representatives will soon be allowed to meet the Indian crew members of MSC Aries.
In January this year, at a security review meeting in Chhattisgarh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah told top officials of the security grid-intelligence gathering that a detailed roadmap for anti-Maoist operations must be drawn by all stakeholders with immediate effect. He gave the security grid three years to clear the remaining pockets of Chhattisgarh of Maoists.

ALSO READ | Over a Dozen Women Cadres Among 29 Maoists Killed in Massive Chhattisgarh Encounter

Four months later, the Border Security Force (BSF) developed a specific intelligence input into actionable input and killed 29 Maoists in Kanker on Tuesday. Those eliminated include Shankar Rao, who had Rs 25 lakh reward on him, and Lalitha. Preliminary assessment suggests that entire company 4 of Peoples Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) battalion 1 might have been eliminated or incapacitated. This is the highest number of Maoists killed in one operation.

What also makes the operation significant is that it was a well-coordinated action between the BSF and Chhatisgarh Polices District Reserve Guard (DRG) that ensured no casualty to the forces.

FOCUS ON INTELLIGENCE GATHERING

Intelligence gathering is a focus area now. As more camps open and forces penetrate the hitherto untouched jungles, tip-offs are also coming more frequently than before, a top official in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) told CNN-News18.

29 Maoists killed in a major anti-Naxal operation in Chhattisgarhs Kanker. News18s @Arunima24 explains why this is a huge success for security forces #Chhattishgarh #Kanker #NaxalEncounter pic.twitter.com/GCkCKejjIA News18 (@CNNnews18) April 17, 2024

Shahs directions soon translated into formation of a high-powered committee, which had State Director General of Police (DGP), Director Generals (DG) of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), BSF, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Intelligence Bureau (IB) and other officers of the anti-Maoist grid as its members. The Home Secretary reviewed the working of this committee as it laid out real-time operational targets, timelines and pinpointed responsibilities.

The coordination between the state and central forces has improved now, a CRPF official told News18. He added that regular monitoring of set targets at the level of Union Home Minister and State Chief Minister has also given fresh impetus to the anti-Maoist operations.

News18 had learnt that ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla and Director IB Tapan Deka held a second review meeting with the anti-Maoist grid, where specific discussion was held on intelligence gathering.

ALSO READ | 80 Naxalites Killed In Chhattisgarh After BJP Came To Power: Amit Shah On Kanker Encounter

Shah also stressed on the need to review all inputs shared through the multi-agency center of IB and operationalise verified inputs. Implementation of the measures yielded results in Kanker on April 16 and in Bijapur on April 2, when 13 Maoists of PLGA second company were killed.

NEW CAMPS

The central forces have set up 20 camps between December 2023 and April 2024 in the Sukma-Bijapur area. The BSF has set up three new camps in Kanker and taken over five others from the ITBP. This, officials said, has reduced operational risks for parties that often travel on foot and get targeted by improvised explosive devices (IED) and snipers. The opening of camps in Maoist territory means the distance of operations has come down significantly. We travel at least 20 kilometres less on foot now. This makes launching of operations swift and less risky, a police officer in Raipur explained.

Official assessments suggest that the Maoist domination in Bastar is now limited to a 20 km x 20 km area spanning southern Bijapur and western Sukma. Camps in hardcore areas such as Puvarti and Elmagunda have not only reduced the operational area of Maoists, but also cut off their traditional escape routes, officials said. Puvarti is the village of dreaded Maoist commander Hidma of Battalion 1.

CARROT AND STICK

While the Home Minister directed the forces to amp up the operations, the state government was also asked to fill the development gaps. The Union Home Minister stressed the need for saturation coverage of Central and State government schemes in Left Wing Extremism-affected districts and utilisation of security force camps to ensure the benefits of these schemes in villages in proximate areas. He mentioned that the MHA should be flexible both in allotment of funds as also its usage in the highly LWE-affected districts in Chhattisgarh. He also highlighted the need for proactive and sensitive handling of all local grievances related to bona fide entitlements, the MHA spokesperson said.

Directions were also given to ensure swift investigation and prosecution in Maoist-related cases. As per officials, Shah, in his review meeting, directed the State Police to fill up the remaining security gaps, ensure comprehensive investigations, closely monitor prosecution, choke finance streams and continue intelligence-led operations.

75 MAOISTS KILLED

After the Kanker encounter, the total number of Maoists killed this year is 75. In 2023, 22 Maoists were killed in the entire year. While in 2023, India lost 30 policemen during anti-Maoist operations, this year the casualty figure is only seven so far.

Specific steps have been taken to minimise casualties, a top MHA official explained. Deep penetration of camps means that staying back in the jungle at night and not risking ambush after sunset is doable. Proper sanitisation, checking for planted IEDs and mines is also enforced better now, the officer added.

ALSO READ | More Camps, Crackdown on Arms & Better Roads: Decoding 5-Point Strategy of Govt, Forces to End Red Menace

Comparative figures suggest that in 2024, the security grid could surpass the total number of Maoists killed in the past five years. In 2019, 80 Maoists were eliminated, while the 2024 numbers are likely to surpass that figure. Thirty Maoists were killed in 2022 and 46 in 2021.

While Shah has set a target of three years to eliminate Naxalism, top paramilitary officials who spoke to News18 said that 2024 itself could be a decisive year for Indias anti-Maoist operations.
The Delhi Police on Wednesday arrested a group of bikers for allegedly being engaged in reckless driving. The group of bikers were arrested by the staff of Parliament Street and Kartavya Path for driving recklessly in the New Delhi area.

According to the video shared by news agency ANI, the group of 28 were seen riding bikes dangerously in the national capital without helmets.

#WATCH | Delhi Police have arrested 28 bikers from the New Delhi area, they were seen riding bikes dangerously without helmets. During the interrogation, they revealed that they had come to the area to shoot reels. Police have registered a case and seized all the bikes: Delhi pic.twitter.com/j8SGuxFIW2 ANI (@ANI) April 17, 2024

During the interrogation, it was revealed that the group had come to the area to shoot reels for their social media platforms. Delhi Police have registered a case against them and have seized all the bikes.

It was 3.30 am and the patrolling staff spotted a group of bikers driving in rash and negligent manner. He alerted other staff on night patrol and 28 two-wheelers along with their riders were apprehended, Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla was quoted as saying.

Delhi Police have registered a case against them and have seized all the bikes.
Indian deck cadet, Ann Tessa Joseph, who was among the 17 crew members of the Israeli-linked cargo ship  MSC Aries  seized by Irans Revolutionary Guards in the Strait of Hormuz last week, has safely returned home.

With the combined efforts of Indian Mission in Tehran and Iranian government, the Indian sailor  hailing from Keralas Thrissur  landed safely at Cochin International Airport on Thursday afternoon, the Ministry of External Affairs said, adding that she was received by the Regional Passport Officer.

Indian Mission in Tehran is in constant touch with the remaining 16 Indian crew members of the container vessel. They are all in good health and in contact with their respective families in India.

MEA also noted that the Indian Mission is in contact with the Iranian authorities in ensuring the well being of the rest of the MSC Aries crew members.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took to X to hail the Indian embassy in Iran and expressed happiness over Josephs return.

#ModiKiGuarantee always delivers, at home or abroad, he added.

Great work, @India_in_Iran . Glad that Ms. Ann Tessa Joseph has reached home. #ModiKiGuarantee always delivers, at home or abroad. https://t.co/VxYMppcPZr Dr. S. Jaishankar (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DrSJaishankar) April 18, 2024

Government sources had told CNN-News18 that 17 Indian nationals were among the crew on board the Israeli-linked cargo ship that was seized by the Irans Revolutionary Guards.

MSC Aries was en route to the port of Nhava Sheva in Indias Mumbai and the expected arrival was on the night of April 15.

The seizing came amid the growing tensions between Iran and Israel after the latters alleged strike on the formers consulate in Syrias Damascus earlier this month.

In response to the seizing of the ship, Israel issued a warning to Iran and said that it would face consequences for escalating the conflict in the region.

The United States also had condemned the Iranian seizure of the British-owned ship. White House spokesperson Adrienne Watson called on Iran to release the vessel and the crew, stating, Seizing a civilian vessel without provocation is a blatant violation of international law, and an act of piracy by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

She also took to X and said, We strongly condemn the Iranian seizure of the Portuguese flagged, British-owned MSC AIRES in international waters. The crew is comprised of Indian, Filipino, Pakistani, Russian & Estonian nationals. We call on Iran to release the vessel & its international crew immediately.

MSC Aries is a Portugese-flagged container ship associated with London-based Zodiac Maritime, which is a part of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofers Zodiac Group.

The container vessel was last located off Dubai heading toward the Strait of Hormuz on April 12 and has turned off its tracking data.

Iranian authorities had confirmed that Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) commandos have taken over the vessel and are redirecting it to Iranian waters.

A container ship named MCS Aries was seized by the Sepah (Guards) Navy Special Forces by carrying out a heliborne operation near the Strait Of Hormuz. This ship has now been directed towards the territorial waters of Iran, the IRNA state news agency said citing the IRGC.
The migrant worker shot dead by terrorists in South Kashmirs Anantnag on Wednesday was targeted to refute the normalcy narrative in the Valley, top Intelligence sources have told CNN-News18.

The sources said the incident was a hybrid killing as a pistol was used to kill the non-local vendor from close range, whereas terrorists use big arms to kill from a distance.

The reason behind the killing is to create panic in the Valley during elections. They want to refute the narrative of normalcy in the Valley, they said.

The sources added that the terrorists do not want the Indian government narrative to succeed that the situation is under control in the Valley.

The Narendra Modi government has been successful in cracking down on terror and arresting the Over-Ground Worker network in the Valley. In this shrinking terror environment, they want to kill the non-locals and create panic, they added.

The sources also said more killings are being planned as the apple cultivation season is approaching.

Bihars Raja Shah, who was shot by militants at Jablipora Bijbehara village, succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday. A Telegram channel that carries propaganda from The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy outfit of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the attack. The terror organisation has termed the killing as a gift for your elections.

The targeted attack on a non-local came just two days before phase 1 of the Lok Sabha Election 2024. Earlier, on April 8, terrorists had shot and injured a non-local tourist cab driver in south Kashmirs Shopian district.

The Anantnag attack was condemned by political parties with National Conference president Farooq Abdullah asserting that such incidents will hinder peace. JKNC President Dr. Farooq Abdullah and VP @OmarAbdullah express shock and sadness at the news of Rajshah Jis death, who succumbed to grievous injuries after being shot at in Bijbehara today. They vehemently condemn the attack, emphasizing that such acts of terror hinder peace in J&K, the NC posted on X.

Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti called it a senseless act of violence. My deepest condolences to his family, she added.

BJPs Jammu and Kashmir spokesperson Altaf Thakur also condemned the killing. Such acts reflect frustration of adversaries and these acts will in no way revive election boycott politics in Kashmir. Urge police to track down the killers of this innocent man and punish them sternly, he said.

Democratic Progressive Azad Party chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad said people must stand together against such an act. Strongly condemn the tragic Bijbehara attack in which a non-local named Raja Shah of Bihar lost his life in this senseless act of violence This must end, people want peace but militants dont want peace. We must stand together against this act! Azad said on X.

Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference president Sajad Gani Lone denounced the senseless violence and said such acts of brutality have no place in a civilised society.
After Centre cracked down on popular supplement Bournvita, Nestles baby food is reportedly now in danger. A latest study has revealed that Nestle adds sugar to infant milk sold in poorer countries but not in its main markets in Europe or the UK.

A report in Times of India quoted a study by Public Eye, a Swiss investigative organisation, and IBFAN (International Baby Food Action Network). The revelation was made when samples of the companys baby food products sold in Asia, Africa and Latin America were sent to a Belgian laboratory for testing.

What Does Nestle Say on Latest Report?

Nestle reportedly did not respond to questions from Public Eye and IBFAN. But gave a general statement that it has reduced by 11 per cent the total amount of added sugars in infant cereal portfolio worldwide over the past decade and that it will further reduce the level of added sugars without compromising on quality, safety and taste.

When TOI contacted Nestle India, its spokesperson said, Over the past 5 years, Nestle India has reduced added sugars by up to 30 per cent.. in our infant cereals portfolio.

The spokesperson was further quoted: We regularly review our portfolio and continue to innovate and reformulate our products to further reduce the levels of added sugars without compromising on quality, safety and taste.

We would like to assure you that our Infant Cereal products, are manufactured to ensure the appropriate delivery of nutritional requirements such as Protein, Carbohydrates, Vitamins, Minerals, Iron etc. for early childhood. We never compromise and will never compromise on the pic.twitter.com/ue5WAma7Hf ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2024

Comparison of Sugar in Cerelac in Different Nations

According to the report, in India, where sales surpassed $250 million in 2022, all Cerelac baby cereals contain added sugar, on average nearly 3 grams per serving.

The publication, through a graphic, explained the added sugar content of the same Cerelac wheat product in different countries.

Thailand: 6 gram per portion

Ethiopia: 5.2 gram per portion

South Africa: 4 gram per portion

Pakistan: 2.7 gram per portion

India: 2.2 gram per portion

Bangladesh: 1.6 gram per portion

UK: Zero gram per portion

Germany: Zero gram per portion

France: Zero gram per portion

Note: A sugar cube or a teaspoon is roughly 4 gm.

The report further stated that interestingly, Nestles website giving advice on nutrition for babies states: It is not recommended to add sugar when preparing food for your baby, nor to offer him sugary drinks. Some leading nutrition and health experts suggest that fruit juices should not be introduced in the first year because of their relatively high natural sugar content. Avoid juice drinks or other mixed drinks, which have added sweeteners. Always check the label.

This doesnt seem to apply to its own products sold in low and middle income countries, TOI added.

The report quoted Nigel Rollins, a scientist at WHO told Public Eye and IBFAN: There is a double standard here that cant be justified. He added that the fact that Nestle doesnt add sugar to these products in Switzerland but is quite happy to do it in lower resources settings is problematic both from a public health & ethical perspective.

What Does WHO Say on Excess Consumption of Sugar?

The Public Eye and IBFAN quoted World Health Organization (WHO) as warning that exposure to sugar early in life can create a life-long preference for sugary products increasing the risk of developing obesity and other chronic illnesses.

In 2022, WHO had called for a ban on added sugars and sweeteners in food products for babies, and urged industry to be proactive and support public health goals by reformulating its products.

Amid High Sugar Content Report, Nestle India Shares Sink

Shares of Nestle India on Thursday fell up to 5.4 per cent to the days low at Rs 2,409.55 on BSE amid the revelation by Public Eye and IBFAN. Todays fall in shares of Nestle, regarded as a long-term compounding machine, was the worst single-day drop in the last 3 years.
The Supreme Court on Thursday while hearing petitions seeking 100 percent verification of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) against Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) records asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to explain the working of the EVM-VVPAT and said that there has to be sanctity in the electoral process.

This is (an) electoral process. There has to be sanctity. Let nobody have apprehension that something which is expected is not being done, the bench headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna said.

Representing one of the petitioners, Advocate Nizam Pasha said that a voter should be allowed to take the VVPAT slip after he votes and deposit it in a ballot box. Following this, Justice Khanna questioned if such a process would affect the voters privacy to which advocate Pasha replied, Voter privacy cannot be used to defeat voters rights.

On the Supreme Courts demand to explain the working of EVM-VVPAT, the poll body said that before the machines are placed at the strong room, 100 percent of the machines are checked via mock polling in the presence of representatives of all political parties.

Senior Advocate Sanjay Hegde, appearing for petitioners, said there should be a separate audit to add greater credibility to the counting process.Replying to this Advocate Prashant Bhushan cited a report on mock poll results in Kerala, where extra votes were recorded for the BJP.

The top court was hearing petitions seeking cross-verification of votes polled on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) by matching them with VVPAT paper slips. This comes a day ahead of the first phase of 2024 Lok Sabha election, which is scheduled to take place on Friday.

What is VVPAT & How It Works?

The VVPAT  Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail  is a method of providing feedback to voters using a ballotless voting system. A VVPAT is intended as an independent verification system for voting machines designed to allow voters to verify that their vote was cast correctly, to detect possible election fraud or malfunction, and to provide a means to audit the stored electronic results.

The machine contains the name of the candidate (for whom vote has been cast) and symbol of the party/individual candidate.

The VVPATs are a second line of verification and are particularly useful at the time when allegations around Electronic Voting Machines tampering arise. The machines can be accessed by the polling officials and not by the voters.
The Mancherial district police have booked a case against a school correspondent and principal for allegedly objecting to some students coming to the institution wearing Hanuman Deeksha dress in Kannepalli village about 250 km from here.

According to Dandepally police, based on a complaint by the parents of the students, a case under sections 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion or race) and 295 (A) (insulting the religious feelings) was booked against the school officials on Tuesday.

The Blessed Mother Teresa High School management told PTI on Wednesday that two days ago, the principal asked the students to bring their parents after noticing that they were wearing a saffron attire instead of a uniform.

Later, a group of people demanded an apology from the school management and some angry protestors allegedly vandalised the school windows on Tuesday, according to video footage given by the school correspondent. The protestors also allegedly demanded an apology from the correspondent, he said.
The United States on Wednesday offered support for reforms to the United Nations institutions, including the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel informed.

Responding to Tesla CEO Elon Musks statement regarding Indias lack of a permanent seat at the UNSC, Vedant Patel said, The President has spoken about this before in his remarks to the UN General Assembly and the Secretary has alluded to this as well.

We certainly support reforms to the UN institution, including the Security Council, to make it reflective of the 21st-century world that we live in. I dont have any specifics to offer on what those steps are, but certainly, we recognise that there is a need for reform, but I will leave it at that for now, he added.

Earlier in January this year, Musk called India not having a permanent seat in the UNSC as absurd and said that nations with excess power dont want to relinquish it.

At some point, there needs to be a revision of the UN bodies. The problem is that those with excess power dont want to give it up. India not having a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite being the most populous country on Earth, is absurd. Africa collectively should also have a permanent seat IMO, the Tesla CEO wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

India has been seeking a permanent seat on the Security Council for a long time now to better represent the interests of the developing world. Notably, the country has gained momentum in its demand after it received support from the international community.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) originally comprises of 15 member states, including five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms. The five permanent members have the power to veto a vote in the council.

BJP Promises Permanent Seat in UNSC

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in its election manifesto titled Sankalp Patra ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in the country has vowed to pursue permanent membership for the country in the United Nations Security Council.

We are committed to seeking permanent membership in the UN Security Council to elevate Bharats position in global decision-making, the BJP promised in its Sankalp Patra.

(With inputs from agency)
Kenya being a land of untamed beauty and unparalleled diversity, calls for travellers with promises of adventure and discovery. What truly sets Kenya apart is its remarkable wildlife and vibrant cultures, woven into its history and present-day existence. Here, visitors are granted front-row seats to natures grand spectacle. Kenya isnt just a destination; its an invitation to immerse oneself in the raw beauty of the natural world and to connect with cultures they inhabit. Amidst the wild and the wondrous, youll find moments of awe and wonder at every turn. Recommended by the travel experts at Wild Whispers, here are five places in Kenya you simply cannot afford to miss! PS: Dont forget your camera.

Masai MaraVenture into the vast plains of wildlife and adventure, here, in Masai Mara. Set against the backdrop of endless savannahs, Masai Mara is a home ground for nature lovers and safari aficionados alike. Exhilarating drives to witness the Great Migration await you, where thousands of wildebeest cross the Mara River in a dramatic display of survival. Masai Maras safari experience will surely leave a lasting impression on you. Amboseli National ParkYou have got to explore the breath-taking landscapes of Amboseli National Park, also home to big herds of elephants and the majestic silhouette of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak of Africa. Nestled in the heart of the park, your Amboseli Lodge provides a luxurious base for exploration. Book yourself a full-day drive and encounter with the giants of the savannah, unfolding against the scenery of Africas highest peak. Great LakesDiscover the Great Lakes Region, home to three stunning lakes: Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru and Lake Elementaita. Known for birdwatching and Hells Gate National Park, the sight of Lake Naivasha is the one to behold! Lake Nakuru is often famed for its pink flamingos, who are attracted by the abundance of algae. Lastly, Lake Elementaita offers serenity amidst scenic beauty and is the perfect place to stop and unwind. Each lake showcases Kenyas natural wonders and invites travellers to revel in the beauty of the Great Rift Valley. The AberdaresThe Aberdares, nestled majestically alongside Mount Kenya, tempt you with their wild scenery and diverse ecosystems. Wander through dense green forests filled with wildlife and also go trout fishing in pristine rivers. From enclosed moorlands to spectacular landscapes, The Aberdares promise an immersive wilderness experience like no other. Dont miss the opportunity to discover the untouched beauty of this region, where the Aberdares meets with the towering presence of Mount Kenya, and creates a landscape of unparalleled magnificence. Lamu IslandSettled off the northern coast of the country lies Lamu Island, a territory of history and culture. With its narrow streets and Swahili architecture, Lamu provides a sneak-peak into Kenyas unique heritage. Explore the ancient ruins of Lamu Old Town, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or lay a blanket and relax by the beaches. Lamu Island is a treat to the eyes and a timeless allure for the soul.

Kenyas is clearly a captivating destination for travellers in the lookout for adventure and natural beauty. These five places are just a glimpse into the soul of Kenya. And each destination will leave an indelible mark on your heart. So, get your bags packed and prepare to be enchanted by the wonders of Kenya!
Ranveer Singh and Kriti Sanon recently stole the spotlight as they graced a fashion show organised in Varanasi on Sunday. Hosted by Manish Malhotra, the event took place against the backdrop of the magnificent Namo Ghat in the city. Embracing the theme Benarasi Saree: A tapestry of Indian Culture & Craftsmen, the event aimed at highlighting the rich heritage of Varanasis intricate handicrafts, handlooms, with a special focus on the iconic Banarasi weaves.

Ranveer and Kriti graced the ramp as showtoppers, adorned in stunning Banarasi silk outfits. Kriti looked resplendent in a regal red Banarasi silk lehenga, while Ranveer exuded elegance with deep purple Banarasi Shikargah sherwani.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by MANISH MALHOTRA (@manishmalhotraworld)

Kritis red silk lehenga featured a half-length blouse intricately donned with gold brocade embroidery all over. It boasted a round neckline and waist-length hem with intricately printed gold patterns adorning the borders. Her A-line silhouette lehenga featured bronze-gold embroidery borders perfectly harmonising the ethnic charm. She draped her dupatta like a veil, featuring beautiful gold motifs, enhancing the overall traditional charm of the attire.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kriti (@kritisanon)

Her accessories were nothing short of ethereal beauty, as she donned gold metal bangles with white gajras as Kaleeras, a gold maang tikka and dangling earrings.

In terms of makeup, she opted for a mesmerising look with a smokey eyeshadow, softly smudged kohl-rimmed eyes, voluminous mascara-laden eyelashes, and darkened brows. Her cheekbones were expertly contoured, enhanced with a luminous highlighter and a glossy lipshade for a radiant glow. She completed the traditional look with finesse by wearing a red bindi.

Meanwhile, Ranveer Singhs ensemble showcased a Banarasi Shikargah sherwani, boasting a deep purple coloured silk kurta paired with dhoti pants. Layered over this ethnic attire was a striking Banarasi silk gold bandhgala jacket. The jacket, adorned with brocade embroidery, featured full-length sleeves, side slits, front button closures, and padded shoulders. He draped a dupatta adorned with intricate patterns, seamlessly complementing the rich elegance of the sherwani. He finished off the look with his signature rugged beard enhanced with a perfectly backswept hairdo.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by MANISH MALHOTRA (@manishmalhotraworld)

Ahead of the fashion show, Ranveer and Kriti were spotted offering prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, accompanied by Manish Malhotra. Ranveer donned a light pink kurta with pyjamas while Kriti looked radiant in a traditional golden yellow salwar kameez.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani)

Talking to ANI about his visit to Varanasi, Ranveer said, I cannot express in words the experience that I have had today. Lifelong, I have been a devotee of Lord Shiva and I have come here for the first time. Next time, I want to come here along with my mother.

Kriti expressed, I came here ten years ago for an ad shoot but had no time. However, this time, I got the opportunity to go to the Kashi Vishwanath temple. I feel blessed. There is a vibration and energy in the city.
Amid the ongoing investigation in connection to the firing incident at Bollywood actor Salman Khans residence, four teams of crime branch has been sent to New Delhi, Bihar, Gujarat and Rajasthan to probe the matter.

According to sources, the investigation revealed that Anmol Bishnoi was in direct contact with Sagar Pal and Vicky Gupta via internet calling. The two accused were paid Rs 1 lakh in advance for the shooting and were promised to receive Rs 3 lakh more after the job was done.

The accused came under police radar when they switched on their phones to talk to Bishnoi, sources reported. Meanwhile, the police are trying to find the supplier of the weapon.

The cops have issued a look-out circular against Anmol Bishnoi, who is currently in Canada.

The accused conducted a recce of Salman Khans farmhouse in Panvel. They intended to just scare him, not murder him. The statements of both families have been recorded in Bihar. Around 7 people have been called from Haryana and other states for questioning, which is ongoing, a Mumbai Crime Branch official was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Anmol Bishnoi, younger brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, came under the spotlight after he claimed responsibility for the firing outside Salman Khans recent through a Facebook post.

Notably, soon after the firing Pal and Gupta left Mumbai and headed for Bhuj, police said, adding that near Surat, they changed the SIM card of the mobile phone they were using to communicate.

To throw police off their trail, they switched off their mobile phone frequently. But the number they called was always the same, police noted during technical surveillance. Sagar Pal and Vicky Gupta were arrested on Sunday.
Netflixs latest offering, the South Korean superhero drama series Cashero, is set to elevate audience excitement to new heights. The K-drama team has unveiled a confirmed list of its stellar cast lineup, including Lee Junho, Kim Hye Joon, Kim Byung Chul and Kim Hyang Gi. Adapted from the popular webtoon of the same name by writer Lee Hoon and illustrator No Hye Ok, Cashero tells the story of Kang Sang Woong (Lee Junho), an ordinary government employee who unexpectedly gains the superpower to increase his strength based on his wealth.

Soompi reports that Kang Sang Woongs newfound ability forces him to confront a dilemma: whether to deplete his wealth to save the world.

It is being created by the renowned director Lee Chang Min, known for his work on Agency and Welcome to Waikiki, while the script is in the hands of Lee Je In and Cheon Chan Ho, the writers behind Sisyphus: The Myth.

Among its confirmed casts, Lee Junhos portrayal of Kang Sang Woong promises to be dynamic, showing the characters struggles and personal growth as he navigates the challenges of his newfound powers.

Joining him is Kim Hye Joon, known for her roles in Kingdom and Inspector Koo.

Adding to the plot is Kim Byung Chul, portraying the character of Byun Ho In, a lawyer whose superhuman abilities manifest when he drinks. Byun Ho In becomes a key figure in Kang Sang Woongs journey, suggesting a partnership to combat a mysterious organisation targeting individuals with supernatural powers.

Completing the ensemble is Kim Hyang Gi as Bang Eun Mi, a character whose powers are linked to her caloric intake. Bang Eun Mis fearless and bold personality makes her a valuable ally to Kang Sang Woong and Byun Ho In, hinting at an exciting dynamic between the trio.

With such a talented cast and an intriguing premise, the upcoming drama promises to deliver a thrilling viewing experience. Are you ready to take on this adventure with Kang Sang Woong and his superpowered allies?
Malaika Arora and son Arhaan Khan discussed marriage, sex and relationship as they engaged in a spicy conversation for a new episode of the latters vodcast, Dumb Biryani. After Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan, Malaika made a guest appearance on Arhaans vodcast, where she opened up about her ex-husband and when she is planning to get married next.

The nation wants to know when are you getting married mother? Arhaan asks Malaika, before adding, I want an exact date, a venue, a destination and to whom. To this, Malaika said, Im better off eating a mirchi. I cant answer that. I dont know have an answer to it. I think Im living my best life now.

Arhaan then asked her about what traits that he has got from his father, she likes and dislikes. Your mannerisms are just like him. Not very attractive mannerisms but they are just like him. He is a very fair and a just person in a sense that he never goes overboard about things. He is very clear about certain things and that trait you have. But at the same time, you can be extremely indecisive just like him which is my least favourite thing. You cant decide colour of your shirt or what food you want to eat.

In the last episode, actors Arbaaz and Sohail Khan spoke about their equation with Salman Khan. We are very close. When we were young, we were of course staying together. Then we started working and moved out of home. One (Salman) hasnt gotten married, but we (him and Sohail) got married and separated also and then I got remarried, he said.

Arbaaz continued, The thing is, we may not be there when were doing individual things, but we are together in crisis. Thats when people usually run away from each other, he said, adding, Salman and I might not meet often or communicate that often but if he realises I am in strife, that man isnt going to hesitate, whether its me, Sohail, or anybody else.

Arbaaz was married to Malaika Arora for 19 years before the duo parted ways in 2016. They were officially divorced in 2017. They have a son together, Arhaan. He married makeup artist Sshura Khan in December 2023 at sister Arpitas home in Mumbai. Malaika, on the other hand, is dating actor Arjun Kapoor.
Ryan Reynolds has honoured his friend and Canadian-American activist Michael J Fox for a noble achievement. Michael J Fox bagged a position in Time Magazines 100 Most Influential People on April 18, for his generous contributions to the research of Parkinsons disease. Having known him for 17 years, Ryan Reynolds highlighted his pals welcoming personality, his trait of helping others and his ability to fly after a fall. The Hollywood actor penned a heartwarming note on his social media handles, bestowing Fox with some kind words. According to reports, Time Magazine approached the Deadpool star to share his feelings about the celebrity.

Ryan Reynolds funny and emotional words read, I wrote this short blurb about Michael J Fox for the annual Time100. This man means a lot to me. And I know he means a lot to you. I know Michael J. Fox. Like, I know him pretty damn well. Hes funny. Hes warm. Hes handsome and intensely smart. He also falls a lot. Not just because he has Parkinsons. He falls a lot because hes unafraid to fly.

Ryan Reynolds continued that he had watched Michael J Fox raising the bar for purpose and passion for Parkinsons research. Itd be kinda lazy to simply characterise him as the greatest champion of Parkinsons research on the planet, wrote Reynolds before adding that Fox had helped his father and a million others suffering from the condition feel less alone.

I wrote this short blurb about Michael J Fox (@realmikefox) for the annual #Time100. This man means a lot to me. And I know he means a lot to you I know Michael J. Fox. Like, I know him pretty damn well. Hes funny. Hes warm. Hes handsome and intensely smart. He also  Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) April 17, 2024

Itd be kinda lazy to simply regard him as a movie star who shaped the lives of people all over the planet with a uniquely electric wit and self-aware charm. Hes the sum of these beautiful parts. And so many more, said Ryan Reynolds. The actor also revealed that he watched Michael J Foxs 1985 film Back To The Future with his 8-year-old daughter. Saying that the little one loved the film, Reynolds wrote, Thats enough for meand her. One more kid from one more generation sees what I saw.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ryan Reynolds (@vancityreynolds)

Calling himself lucky to call Michael J Fox his friend, Ryan Reynolds concluded the post asserting that he would teach his daughter to tell stories the way Mike tells stories. I need to teach her that its OK to fall a lot. Its the absolute best way to know youre flying.

Michael J Fox was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease in 1991, reports CNN. He was 29. In 2000, he launched the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research  an establishment engaged in finding a cure to the ailment through thorough research and therapies.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Michael J Fox (@realmikejfox)

Meanwhile, Ryan Reynolds is currently gearing up for the release of his upcoming film Deadpool & Wolverine, co-starring alongside Hugh Jackman. Directed by Shawn Levy, the action-entertainer will premiere theatrically on July 26.
A week after the firing outside the Bollywood superstars home  Galaxy Apartments  in Bandra, Salman Khans security was reviewed and upgraded on Thursday, Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar told CNN-News18.

Additionally, Phansalkar said that personnel in the security convoy will carry two automatic guns. He further said that the security audit of Khans family currently taking place.

Several reports had earlier indicated that the firing plan was hatched in the United States where Lawrence Bishnois brother Anmol Bishnoi, gave the task of selecting shooters to US-based gangster Rohit Godara. Police had said that Godara had a vast network of professional shooters across India.

Top Mumbai Police sources told News18 that gangster Lawrence Bishnois gang is behind the firing and the attack was carried out by Rohit Godara, who operates the Bishnoi gang in Rajasthan.

Confirming that the threat is linked to the Bishnoi gang, the Mumbai Police commissioner told CNN-News18, We are substantiating it with evidences. He further said that their teams have found where the weapon is and noted that some progress would take place soon, hopefully.

Notably, the weapon was disposed of in Gujarats Surat and police teams are currently at the location, trying to find the firing weapon.

The deployment of cops outside Galaxy Apartments was increased on Sunday. Khan, earlier had two PSOs, two commandos, two escort vehicles and 11 cops under the Y+ category security accorded to him. However, three cops and one PSO were added to this convoy.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde met the Bajrangi Bhaijaan actor at his residence on Tuesday. He assured Khan and his family of their safety and informed them that their security had been increased.

Police will take stringent action in the Salman Khan firing case, CM Shinde had said after the meeting.
Hours after the Enforcement Directorate seized businessman Raj Kundras properties worth Rs 97.79 crore, the businessman and his actress-wife, Shilpa Shettys lawyer has finally issued a statement. In the statement, Shilpa and Raj argued that they are ready to cooperate with the concerned authorities. They hoped for fair investigation and stated that they have full faith in the Indian judiciary system.

We shall follow the due process of law and take necessary steps as prescribed under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act to protect the liberty and property of my clients. On the face of it, there is no prima facie case made out against my clients Mr Raj Kundra and Mrs Shilpa Shetty Kundra, their statement read.

We have complete faith in the Honourable Judiciary. I believe when we make our fair representation before the Honourable Enforcement Directorate, even the investigation agencies may grant justice to us. We have faith in the fair investigation. We stand committed to cooperating with the authorities as and when required, it added.

Earlier today, the Enforcement Directorate seized Raj Kundras properties worth Rs 97.79 crore. The attached properties include a residential flat in Mumbais Juhu, in the name of his wife Shilpa Shetty. Another property is a residential bungalow in Pune and Equity shares in the name of Raj Kundra, the ED said.

The agency said in a statement that the Mumbai zonal office of ED has provisionally attached immovable and movable properties of Kundra under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. It has been alleged that Kundra along with others collected huge amounts of funds in the form of bitcoins (worth Rs 6,600 crore in 2017) from the gullible public with the false promises of 10 per cent per month return in the form of bitcoins.

ED investigation revealed that Raj Kundra received 285 bitcoins from the mastermind and promoter of Gain Bitcoin Ponzi Scam Amit Bhardwaj for setting up bitcoin mining farm in Ukraine.

The said bitcoins were sourced out of proceeds of crime collected by Amit Bhardwaj from gullible investors. Since the deal didnt materialize, Kundra is still in possession and enjoyment of 285 bitcoins which are presently valued at more than Rs 150 crore, the Enforcement Directorate statement read.
Legendary South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook and Lionsgate Television are teaming up to develop an English-language television version of Parks classic film Oldboy. Originally a manga sensation from 1996, Oldboy soared to global fame with Parks cult classic movie adaptation. The show intends to offer a fresh take on the narrative, which was partially inspired by a manga of the same name.

Although a release date has not been declared, the information is based on a public statement made by Lionsgate Television on April 17. Park Chan-wook, who helmed and co-wrote the first version of Oldboy, is returning to the project as a producer alongside his producing partner, Syd Lim.

Hollywood Reporter was informed by Park that Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing Oldboy into the world of television.

I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling.

Speaking to ComicBook.com, Scott Herbst, an executive at Lionsgate Television, stated that Park is one of the most visionary storytellers of our time and that the company is thrilled to collaborate with him to bring his cinematic masterpiece to the small screen.

This series adaptation of Oldboy will feature the raw emotional power, iconic fight scenes and visceral style that made the film a classic, Scott added.

Lionsgate Televisions executive Courtney Mock and Tara Joshi will be in charge of the Oldboy series. While a 2013 film rendition starring Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, and Samuel L. Jackson was adapted for the big screen, this new project is the first time the story has been adapted for an English-language television series.

The same-titled Japanese manga, penned by Garon Tsuchiya, was adapted into a film in 2003. It centres on Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik), a man who was apprehended and held captive for fifteen years. Unexpectedly freed, he finds out he has five days to find out why he had been imprisoned or face the repercussions.

When it was originally released, the filmone of the most captivating, unforgettable dark action films of the 2000sstarted a new trend in Korean action filmmaking. Since then, countless imitations and tributes have been made to it, especially of its gory, one-take hammer-in-a-hallway combat scene, which continues to be widely referenced by filmmakers as an inspiration for their own versions of confined-space fighting sequences.

The movie was hailed highly when it was first released and is now considered by many to be among the greatest films of the twenty-first century.

Park also produced Snowpiercer in its TV and film forms, and he directed films including The Handmaiden, Stoker and most recently Decision to Leave. In addition, he created and directed HBOs newest limited series, The Sympathiser, and directed the miniseries The Little Drummer Girl.
Actor Sydney Sweeney has responded to a Hollywood producers remarks calling her not pretty and someone who cant act. Veteran producer Carol Baum had made disparaging remarks about Sweeney, the breakout star of Euphoria and White Lotus, at an event where she had also slammed the actors hit rom-com Anyone But You.

How sad that a woman in the position to share her expertise and experience chooses instead to attack another woman. If thats what shes learned in her decades in the industry and feels is appropriate to teach to her students, thats shameful. To unjustly disparage a fellow female producer speaks volumes about Ms Baums character, Sweeneys representatives said in a statement to Variety.

Baum, known for films such as Dead Ringers, Father of the Bride and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, made the controversial comments about Sweeney during a discussion with New York Times film critic Janet Maslin in Pleasantville, New York.

Theres an actress who everybody loves now: Sydney Sweeney. I dont get Sydney Sweeney. I was watching on the plane Sydney Sweeneys movie (Anyone but You) because I wanted to watch it. I wanted to know who she is and why everybodys talking about her. I watched this unwatchable movie, sorry to people who love this romantic comedy where they hate each other, he said.

Baum, who is an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California, said she discussed Sweeneys popularity with her class as well.

I said to my class, Explain this girl to me. Shes not pretty, she cant act. Why is she so hot? Nobody had an answer. But then the question was asked, Well, if you could get your movie made because she was in it, would you do it?  Thats a very hard question to answer because we all want to get the movie made and who walks away from a green light? Nobody I know. Your job is to get the movie made. The producer, according to TMZ, has expressed regret over her comments.
Two days after the release of the trailer, the makers of Dil Dosti Dilemma dropped the first song from the Amazon Prime Series on April 18. Titled Dil Sheher, the soothing track features Anushka Sen and Kush Jotwani, evoking a sense of teenage romance. Composed by Sameer Rahat, the song has been crooned by Salman Elahi whereas Gautam Aditya stepped in to write soulful lyrics for the first track of the series.

The song offers a glimpse of the brewing romance between Anushka and Kushs character in the young adult drama. Additionally, the captivating number showcases Anushka embracing changes during her journey of new excitements and realisations. Apart from the lead duo, we can also see Revathi Pillai, and Elisha Mayor exploring the budding love and emotions. Echoing romance in its every tune, Dil Shehers catchy lyrics and vocals evoke a myriad of emotions, capturing the essence of life, love, emotions, and relationships.

Sameer Rahat, Music composer and producer of Dil Sheher, was quoted by Telly Chakkar as he spoke about the song, The music and lyrics of Dil Sheher resonate with the unforgettable moments and the myriad feelings that one goes through when theyre in love, as portrayed in the story. Crafting both the acoustic and reprised versions was as fulfilling as composing the main song. My hope is that it connects deeply with listeners and finds a place in their Dil sheher."

View this post on Instagram A post shared by prime video IN (@primevideoin)

Dil Dosti Dilemma is set to premiere on April 25 on Amazon Prime Video. The coming-of-age series boasts a talented cast that includes actors like Anushka Sen, Kush Jotwani, Tanvi Azmi, Shishir Sharma, Shruti Seth, Suhasini Mulay, Vishakha Pandey, Revathi Pillai, and Elisha Mayor in pivotal roles. Makers dropped the trailer of the film on Tuesday, amping up the excitement of the audiences to witness the adaptation of Asmaras Summer, by Andaleeb Wajid on screen.

As shown in the trailer, the series will see Asmara- a young girl from a privileged family in Bengaluru on a journey to understand the true essence of life after she ends up at Tibri Road, the middle-class neighbourhood of her maternal grandparents instead of Canada, where she aspired to be at.
Over ten years, the BJP has acquired an aura of invincibility. Between 2014 and 2024, the Narendra Modi-anchored BJP has grown into the worlds largest political party. It is also by far Indias richest. But more than that, it has handed out resounding defeats to the Opposition in both the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha contests. Not since the Rajiv Gandhi-led Congress in 1984 has a political party won such commanding majorities in the Lok Sabha. The coalition era has been relegated to a footnote in time. These statements are not mere platitudes.

Theres hard data that gives you an idea of the numeric and operational advantage the mandate has given to the BJP. In the just concluded 17th Lok Sabha, the BJP passed 221 Bills, the most since the 14th Lok Sabha. 58 per cent of the Bills were passed within two weeks of their introduction. Only 16 per cent of the total Bills introduced in the Parliament since 2019 have been referred to Standing Committees for further critical examination. Its almost as if the Opposition, excuse the pun, exists only to make up the numbers.

So enervating has been the impact of the BJPs dominance that many Opposition parties have privately conceded that the BJP is set for an easy win in 2024. The prime minister is so confident that he has announced with trademark braggadocio that he expects Iss Baar 400 paar.

Only one government in the history of democratic India has ever crossed the 400-seat barrier and that was the Rajiv Gandhi-led Congress administration, which in 1984, was riding on the Indira sympathy wave.

If the BJP is so far ahead of the competition, why  you are entitled to ask  is the party beginning its quest for a third term in office as an underdog? Indeed, the assertion is counterintuitive. But here are three reasons why the BJP begins the impending 1st phase on the back foot and why this round remains a tricky obstacle course in Modis quest for absolute dominance.

First, of all the phases, the BJP is the shakiest across the 102 constituencies in Phase 1. The BJP has only won 50 per cent of the seats up for grabs in Phase 1 in 2019. In fact, it contested only 60 seats across these 102 constituencies in 2019. Admittedly, it won 40 of the 60 contests which is a creditable conversion ratio. But even so, if it wants to get close to the 400-seat mark, it needs to win big in this phase and too on seats where it has never won.

The party is contesting 17 additional seats this time around but a majority of these are in Tamil Nadu where the BJP has only ever won one seat. If it doesnt win more seats in Tamil Nadu, it will be very difficult for the party to go beyond the 303 seats it already has in Parliament. So can the BJP pick up additional seats it has never won? This brings us to consider a second set of data points.

In this phase, there are only nine super-strong seats. That is seats won by the BJP or the Congress in all three Lok Sabha elections since 2009. Of these nine, the BJP has six  Jabalpur, Churu, Bikaner, Sidhi, Pilibhit, and Balaghat. The Congress has held the remaining three  Kaliabor, Chhindwara, and Shillong.

Beyond the strongholds, there are 21 swing seats across 102 constituencies. That is to say almost a fifth of the seats have changed hands. To be specific, the same party won these seats in 2009 and 2019 but not in 2014. These 21 seats could go either way and given that the BJP can only count six seats as bastions, it cant be sure of maintaining its conversion rate. This is why phase 1 is not only unpredictable but also puts all parties on an equal footing.

Third, even in vote share terms, the BJPs dominance isnt as absolute across this phase. According to the data, in 60 of the 102 Phase-1 seats that the BJP contested in 2019, the party secured vote shares above 50 per cent in 34 seats, 30-50 per cent in 19 seats, and below 30 per cent in seven seats.

The Congress isnt far behind. It contested 65 of the 102 seats and in these, it polled above 50 per cent votes in 10 seats. In 36 seats, it secured between 30 and 50 per cent of the votes polled. The problem for the Congress is that it has a larger share of weaker seats than the BJP. It polled only between 10 to 30 per cent of the votes in nine seats, and below 10 per cent in 10 seats. If it is able to pull in anti-incumbency votes against the BJP in these seats, it might pull off a few surprises.

The third party of significance in the phase is the DMK. Of the 24 seats that the DMK contested (all in Tamil Nadu) in 2019, it won a huge chunk  19 seats with a vote share above 50 per cent. In five others, it polled between 30 and 50 per cent of the votes. This means that the BJP will have to pull off a miracle if it has to wrest seats from the DMK.

Despite facing significant challenges in Phase 1, the BJP remains a formidable contender due to its strong organisation and leadership.
Israel this week launched two of the deadliest military strikes on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, increasing the frequency of Israeli-targeted killings on Iranian commanders. Seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were killed including Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who was a key link between the IRGC and Hezbollah.

For Iran, Israel is a cancerous tissue in the Middle East and the biggest problem facing the Muslim world. Since the formative years of the Khomenies regime, Tehran has called for the destruction of Israel. In fact, they named the IRGC Army the Quds (Jerusalem) Force, meaning liberating Jerusalem.

Syria and Iran have coalesced into an alliance since the Islamic revolution of Iran in 1979 which saw Ayatollah Khomenis regime replacing a pro-Western Shahs government in Tehran. The partnership between Damascus and Syria was strengthened when Hafez-al-Assads son Bashar-al-Ashad ascended to the throne in the 2000s. Both regimes are anti-Western and contemptuous of the US presence in the Middle East. The alliance began to develop in the context of the Iraq-Iran war in 1988. In 2004, the countries signed an agreement for strategic cooperation followed by a mutual defence pact in 2006.

Syria: Highway to Levant

Syria is a vital ally for realising Tehrans regional aspirations. Iran seeks to overhaul the regional order by replacing the US presence from the Middle East. As Tehran is unsuccessful in combating the US and Israel in a conventional war, it deploys the strategy of countering its adversaries through proxy organisations. Over the years, Tehran has developed a network of proxies across the Middle East, called axis of resistance to confront the US and Israel.

Syria has a geostrategic location in Tehrans long-standing goals. Syrian territory provides Tehran access to its proxies like Hezbollah, PIJ and Hamas, allowing Tehran to transfer money, people and weapons. Iran has tremendously invested in Syria in terms of finance and human resources, which is an indication of the fact that Irans strategy in Syria is long-term. Syria has been Irans strategic partner in deterring Israel from attacking its proxies or attacking its nuclear program.

Augmenting Assad: IRGC Quds in Syria

Tehrans strategy is to consolidate Bashar al-Assads grip on Syria and keep supporting Tehran in realising its stated goal of kicking out the US. Iran has stabilised Assads regime through its Quds forces. IRGC-QF as well as the Iranian Intelligence Service agencies have trained and advised Assads security and military services.

Iran began its military involvement in Syria in 2011 in the wake of the civil war. In 2016, Aleppo fell to the Quds Force achieving Irans immediate objective of saving Assads regime. After victory in the Battle of Aleppo, Iran began establishing permanent bases in Syria to house Quds Force personnel and foreign Shia militias under its command.

Irans strategy is to achieve a permanent military presence in Syria. So even if Assads regime falls in the wake of ongoing civil war, Tehran retains control over parts of Syria. The Iranian military facilities in Syria include general headquarters, regional command and control centres, intelligence cells, UAV battalions and runways, heavy equipment depots and other logistics facilities.

The second component of the strategy is to consolidate the pro-government Shia militias in Syria. The Quds Force has launched a campaign dubbed as Precision Project to upgrade the rockets and missile arsenals of the Shia militias, particularly Lebanese Hezbollah.

The extent of IRGC-QF involvement in Syria became clear in February 2013 when Iranian Brigadier General Hassan Shateri was assassinated in the Damascus countryside while travelling to Beirut. The presence of such a high-ranking commander inside Syria highlights Tehrans commitment to achieving its objectives in the country, as well as its potential vulnerabilities, should Assad fall.

The US military back in 2020 killed IRGC-QF Major General Qasem Soleimani in a targeted drone strike in Baghdad. Former Syrian Prime Minister Riad Hijab said in a news conference after his defection that Syria is occupied by the Iranian regime. The person who runs the country is not Bashar al-Assad but Qasem Soleimani, the head of Iranian regimes Quds Force.

Israeli Response: Campaign between the wars

On September 7, 2017, Israeli fighter jets hit a scientific research centre (in reality, an Iranian weapons facility) in the city of Masyaf in Syria, marking the next phase of the campaign between the wars (known in Hebrew as maracha bein ha-milchamot or by the acronym mabam). Israeli military activity called Operation Chess was limited to targeting Iranian facilities in Syria as well as its proxies like Hezbollah.

Typically Israel has refrained from high-value targeted killings of Iranian liaison officers alone. But several new trends indicate a strategic shift in the Israeli approach to countering Iran in Syria to secure its northern border. Israelis are now more upfront than before in the offensive against the Quds Force in Syria. Israel on December 25, 2023, killed Iranian military officer Sayyed Razi Mousavi, south of Damascus in an airstrike. At the time of his death, Mousavi was described as Irans most influential military commander in Syria. In fact, over the past six months, 18 members of the Quds Force have been killed.

The author writes on international affairs. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
Sometimes the most unexpected of people, even your loved ones may end up betraying you. That betrayal could stem from anything, including a minor rift or any other personal reason. A man from the UK offered 5,000 pounds (Rs 5.2 lakh) to anyone who would kill his father, however, he ended up doing it himself.

37-year-old Austin Duckworth killed his father, 72-year-old Stephen after beating him mercilessly. As per the Daily Star, Austin barged into his fathers home and punched him repeatedly in the head. He has been jailed for 17 years.

When his life sentence was being given by Judge Medland KC, Austin did not show up. Moreover, he declined to even enter the witness box to answer questions at the Preston Crown Court. Instead, he handed them a written statement for his defence, denying that he went to his fathers place on August 12, 2023.

More reports state that he was banned from entering his fathers property as he showed extremely violent and abusive behaviour specifically towards his father. The incident occurred on August 26, 2023, when Austin went to his fathers place to demand his walking boots and when his request was denied, he broke the door and pummelled his father in the hallway.

Later, Stephen was able to call an ambulance and was sent to a hospital, where he was found to have a devastating bleed to the brain. Succumbing to his injuries, he passed away on October 12. The cause of death was found to be blunt force trauma, as reported by Daily Star.

Judge Medland KC concluded that Austin Duckworth had all the intentions to seriously injure his father. His bizarre messages, which included the reward offer to kill his father, were an indication of poor mental health. The judge stated further that in the past 3 years, Austins behaviour was found to be unacceptable, aggressive, threatening and deeply, deeply troubling, which led to his father evicting him from their home.
The recent floods in Dubai raised many eyebrows, as the typically dry capital of the United Arab Emirates experienced an unusual amount of rainfall this week. Following heavy rains, worsened by cloud seeding, major streets were waterlogged, forcing places like the schools and airport to shut. Government officials began rescue operations to help affected areas. Amidst the chaos, social media users shared opinions regarding the possible drawbacks of cloud seeding, while some made fun of the situation. Business tycoon Anand Mahindra dropped a video on X (Formerly Twitter) showing the flooded roads of Dubai, which he jokingly compared with Mumbai. But, his perspective was criticised by former Jet Airways CEO Sanjiv Kapoor, who later clarified that Mahindras intention was not derogatory. In response, Mahindra clarified that his plan was not to mock and advised him to pause before reacting.

Reacting to Kapoors deleted X post, Mahindra wrote, Im glad you subsequently retracted your comment implying that I was mocking Dubai, Sanjiv. In fact, the only purpose of my post was to highlight how atypical this weather was for Dubai. For exampleto use your own analogyif it had ever snowed in Mumbai, I might well have said: Nope, Not Oslo, Mumbai. For the very same purpose of highlighting how atypical this weather was for Mumbai, Not to mock Mumbai. I recommend that its always good to: PAUSE before you PUNCH, REFLECT before you REACT.

Im glad you subsequently retracted your comment implying that I was mocking Dubai, Sanjiv.In fact, the only purpose of my post was to highlight how atypical this weather was for Dubai. For exampleto use your own analogyif it had ever snowed in Mumbai, I might well have https://t.co/gcyqAMkMbw  anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) April 18, 2024

A user claimed Dubai cant handle such heavy rains and suggested that development often leads to messy consequences.

Dubai.. cant handle rains! Sometimes its like what humans have created.. is a mess at the end. :)) Dilbag Koundal    (@dilbag_koundal) April 18, 2024

Another criticized X users as they simply comment for the sake of speaking, rather than offering genuine advice.

The problem in Twitter is, people comment everywhere not because they have something to say, but because they want to say something. Michael Rupam Makhal (@mrmakhal) April 18, 2024

An individual advised people to be cautioned before expressing opinions online, especially when prominent figures like Anand Mahindra are involved.

Always think before you say things online that too for a huge personality like Anand Mahindra sir Marathi Political Update (@Political__Upd) April 18, 2024

A user appreciated Anand Mahindra for being patient and even appreciated Sanjiv Kapoor for understanding his mistake.

Good thing that Sanjiv realised his mistake here but nice patience from you sir that you took your precious time to clear things out Dr.Awadhesh (@Dr_Awadhesh04) April 18, 2024

For those not aware, Sanjiv Kapoor had disapproved of Anand Mahindras comparison of the Dubai floods to Mumbais monsoon rains and called it incorrect analogy. He argued that Dubai was not designed to handle such heavy rainfall, just like Mumbai would struggle to cope with heavy snowfall. However, Kapoor clarified his perspective in the following post and acknowledged that Mahindra was not mocking Dubai. He highlighted the fact that Dubais infrastructure is not equipped to manage extreme weather conditions, regardless of their origin.
A Bengaluru-based lawyer has given a shout-out to IndiGo for its unbelievable efficiency. Ajay Rotti, just out of curiosity, checked the budget carriers flying schedule and was surprised to find out that the aircraft (he was on) started its day at 6 am. Rotti on X (formerly Twitter) shared a screenshot of the complete day schedule of the flight and said, Unbelievable efficiency. My Indigo flight from Chennai landed and parked at the International terminal. Just out of curiosity checked its schedule. The aircraft has been flying from 6 am getting ready for the 7th flight out of 8 schedules with 4 international legs! It will return to Bangalore tomorrow morning from Singapore! All of 24hrs machine is earning. Give the Devil its due!

Unbelievable efficiency. My Indigo flight from Chennai landed and parked at the International terminal. Just out of curiosity checked it's schedule. The aircraft has been flying from 6am getting ready for 7th flight out of 8 schedules with 4 international legs! It will return to pic.twitter.com/riGKFCQKh9 Ajay Rotti (@ajayrotti) April 17, 2024

In no time, the post spread like wildfire on social media.

A user commented, Amazed by human evolution and achievement when I see these machines constantly crossing oceans and thousands of miles back to back. Another person noted, One of the few companies in the country that operates with world-class efficiency. Had to break the general wisdom of not investing in airlines, and have been rewarded well for it.

While some users questioned the flights maintenance, a person wrote, I am sure they have well-trained maintenance engineers who are carrying out maintenance mid-air. Another one said, but poor maintenance and taking care of passengers  they are not switching on the AC... A user also commented, Worry about the maintenance. Read a bit about Indigo safety issues on Google Corporate maximisation till the last drop isnt always best. They outsource their maintenance and few other cost-saving ideas, I find bad for safety.

The post was shared on X on April 17 and since then, it has gathered 1.7 lakh views.
A 23-year-old YouTuber, Vikas Gowda, known for his daredevil stunts on his YouTube channel with 1.3 lakh subscribers, has been arrested and booked by Bengaluru airport police for breaching security protocols, according to a report in Times Of India. The incident occurred at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), where Vikas Gowda reportedly entered the premises with a valid ticket for Air Indias Bengaluru-Chennai flight (AI-585) on April 7 around 12.06 pm but did not board the flight. Instead, he roamed the airport premises and recorded a video to his channel.

In the video, Vikas Gowda mocked the security arrangements inside the airport, claiming that he had spent more than 24 hours in the airport without being noticed or questioned by security personnel. The video went viral, prompting the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), responsible for the airports security, to file a complaint against him for spreading false information.

Following the complaint, Gowda was arrested and released on bail. The video was taken down and an FIR has been filed against him under IPC sections 448 (Trespassing) and Sec 505 (Statements causing public mischief).

DCP North East, Laxmi Prasad told The New Indian Express, Gowda has been arrested and his phone is seized.

According to a senior police officer, Vikas Gowdas claims in the video were exaggerated and he had actually spent around six hours inside the airport before leaving. Gowda had entered the airport premises with the intention of shooting videos and had booked the cheapest flight ticket to create the false impression that he was a genuine flyer.

The senior police officer went on to state that Gowda never approached the boarding gate after finishing the security checks at 12:06 p.m. and that he had a disguised gadget on him that allowed him to unlawfully access restricted areas and start taking pictures there.

Additionally, he is heard boasting in Kannada that he could spend a whole day wandering the airport and demonstrating how easily security could be breached.

His video states that he would stay within the premises for a full day as evidence, but investigations revealed that he left within only 4-5 hours, according to the officer.

The CISF has condemned Gowdas actions, stating that there is no room for mischief or fun inside a highly sensitive area like an airport. They have pledged to take serious legal action against Gowda for his reckless behaviour.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has expressed his fascination for an ancient family of grains called millets. He also spoke about the importance of this grain and how it can help eradicate issues such as malnutrition in different parts of the world.

Bill Gates, in his recent blog, said that millets  have been around for centuries, but theyre currently experiencing a resurgenceboth for consumers who enjoy their taste and for farmers who appreciate how reliable they are to grow.

He went on to add that when Europeans first arrived in West Africa, they regarded Fonio as hungry rice because it grew so quickly that one could eat it at times when other foods werent available. Currently, many people would probably call it a superfood.

As climate change continues to make growing seasons more unpredictable, millets will become more important. Millets have many qualities farmers look for in a crop, and they could play a significant role in helping farmers adapt to a warming world. They can also help us fight malnutrition, he added.

Have a look at his post below:

Ive recently become fascinated by an ancient family of grains called millets. Heres why: https://t.co/Pq7vtwIuH1 pic.twitter.com/1eRw9ShAH0 Bill Gates (@BillGates) April 17, 2024

The 68-year-old also highlighted the importance of Fonio Millet in his blog. He stated, Fonio is just one part of a much bigger family of remarkable ancient grainsthe millets. You must have heard of finger millet. Its a staple in Uganda and several parts of Tanzania and Kenya, and its beloved in India, where it is called ragi. Or maybe youve heard of teff, a long time favourite in Ethiopia, where its used to make injera. This crop is the only grain that is rich in vitamin C.

Fonio, in particular, is like farming in easy mode. You wait until a good rain comes, lightly till the soil to loosen it up, and then scatter the seeds on the ground. Two months later, you harvest the grain. Fonio is a great source of protein, fibre, iron, zinc, and several key amino acids. Finger millet has 10 times the calcium of wheat, he continued.

He concluded his blog by asking, In a world where food security is increasingly uncertain in some parts of the world, these foods could be a game changer. Having access to a high-quality nutrition source could help more kids development stay on track. So, if millets have so much going for them, why arent they eaten everywhere?

Meanwhile, this is not the first time Bill Gates has spoken about his fascination for Millets.

Earlier this year, during his visit to India, he helped Union Minister Smriti Irani prepare millet khichdi.
In a shocking incident in Rio de Janeiro, a Brazilian woman brought the body of an elderly man to a bank in an attempt to have him cosign a loan, as reported by the New York Post. Identified as Erika de Souza Vieira Nunes, the woman was captured on video standing beside the deceased man, who was seated in a wheelchair. She was observed attempting to support his head while speaking to him.

In the footage, Nunes can be heard addressing the man, whom she calls uncle, and requesting him to sign documents for a $3,400 (approx. Rs. 2.83 lakhs) loan.

Also Read: UK Man Claims He Chatted With His Dead Wife On Tinder

Uncle, are you listening? You need to sign [the loan contract]. If you dont sign, theres no way, because I cant sign for you, she said while trying to place a pen in his hand. She also urged him to grip it firmly.

Sign so you dont give me any more headaches, I cant take it anymore, she continued. Despite a bank employee noting that the man appeared pale and unwell, Nunes disregarded the observation.

He is like that. He doesnt say anything, she remarked. She even appeared to inquire of the corpse, Uncle, do you want to go to the [hospital] again?

Heres the Viral Clip:

TW: Viewers discretion is advisable

A woman in Brazil took a deceased man to the bank in an attempt to secure a loan pic.twitter.com/abiO2evgwg More Crazy Clips (@MoreCrazyClips) April 17, 2024

Nevertheless, bank workers grew suspicious when they observed the woman speaking into the ear of the pale, lifeless body. Waste no time, they promptly alerted the authorities, leading to Nunes arrest by the police.

She tried to pretend to get him to sign the loan. He already entered the bank dead, stated Police Chief Fabio Luiz in an interview with TV Globo, Brazils largest broadcaster. The main thing is to continue the investigation to identify other family members, and find out more about this loan.

As per the New York Post report, the police declared their intention to scrutinize the circumstances surrounding Bragas demise and verify Nunes claimed relation to him. Additionally, authorities will explore the involvement of other family members in the alleged bank fraud scheme.

Also Read: Hyderabad Man Undergoes Smile Enhancement Surgery Ahead of Wedding, Dies

If found guilty, Nunes could face charges ranging from theft by deception or embezzlement to abuse of a corpse.
A shocking video of a woman, dressed in a bikini, boarding a public bus in Delhi has surfaced online. In the clip, people look shocked after seeing the woman.

The video was shared on X (formerly Twitter) with the text, Whats really happening. This clip has so far gathered over 1 million views.

What's really happening pic.twitter.com/rfjavOsWMp Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj (@DeepikaBhardwaj) April 17, 2024

Commenting on this video, an X user wrote, Unfortunate to draw social media fame like this. Havent seen this even abroad in local buses or trains. Some will have shrug or beach dress over even on beaches. Were a very confused society in need to prove our strength/identity/attention call it whatever. Empowerment done wrong.

Unfortunate to draw social media fame. Havent seen this even abroad in local buses or trains. Some will have shrug or beach dress over even on beaches. Were a very confused society in need to prove our strength/identity/attention call it whatever. Empowerment done wrong. R Archie (@archieroyal2) April 17, 2024

Another person wrote, They will do anything for a few likes and for the monetisation of their Social Media accounts. A bikini is meant for a pool not for drawing room, let alone public transport. This is cringe and disgusting!

They will do anything for a few likes and for the monetisation of their Social Media accounts.A bikini is meant for a pool not for drawing room, let alone public transport. This is cringe and disgusting!  Shahab Jafri (@ShahabJafri55) April 18, 2024

Some people also criticised Bhardwaj for sharing this video without doing due diligence about the womans state. Expressing this criticism, an X user wrote, Without blurring the video you being a woman sharing it in social media? And definitely without knowing the background story. Do you think its ethical?

Without blurring the video you being a woman sharing it in social media? And definitely without knowing the background story. Do you think its ethical? GallopRhythm (@DrSushmita07) April 18, 2024

People wanted to know the reason behind such an act.

I seriously want to know the reason why she had to do this in public conveyance ?? Geetanjali Nigam (@GeetSahayNigam) April 18, 2024

An X user remarked, I seriously want to know the reason why she had to do this in public??

Earlier this year, a video of two women fighting on a moving bus in Bengaluru made headlines. In the clip, the two passengers were seen throwing slippers at each others. Sharing the video, the X user wrote, Women slipper each other on bus in Bengaluru. A verbal argument between two women passengers on a moving BMTC bus, over sliding the window glass, took a serious turn when they started hitting each other with slippers.

The dramatic incident took palce on the routine bus journey from Majestic to Peenya.
In April 2018, German billionaire Karl-Erivan Haub vanished mysteriously while preparing for a ski race near Switzerlands Matterhorn peak. The former managing director of Tengelmann Group disappeared without a trace after he was last seen heading up the mountain alone. Despite massive search operations, involving helicopters and rescuers searching the area for six days, Haub was never found.

After three years, he was officially declared dead. However, recent reports brought a shocking twist to the tale. According to a major investigation by German broadcaster RTL, Haub is believed to be alive and is currently living in Moscow with his Russian mistress, Veronika Ermilova.

The Cologne public prosecutors office has launched an inquiry against Karl-Erivans brother Christian Haub, the current head of the Tengelmann Group, for allegedly making false statements under oath. According to senior public prosecutor Ulrich Bremer, the investigation began after a criminal complaint was filed against Christian, accusing him of providing inaccurate information in the Cologne district court in May 2021.

The complaint suggests that Haub may have reliable evidence about his missing brother and he could still be alive. However, Bremer clarified that there is currently not enough reason to challenge the official declaration of Karl-Erivans death. Christians lawyer, Mark Binz, refuted the allegations and called them incorrect information.

Reportedly, there were doubts that Karl-Erivan Haub had interacted with Veronika Ermilova days before his disappearance in 2018. Haub allegedly called Ermilova 13 times in three days. Some of these calls were lengthy, including one that lasted for over an hour, leading to speculations that he might have been planning to fake his death with the help of Moscow and Ermilova.

Now that the case is in the spotlight, as per Daily Mail, Ermilova clarified that she knew Haub and they had a business relationship. Even she hasnt heard from him since the incident. As per the portal, speaking with local media, she said, I only had a working relationship with him. I dont live with a German billionaire in Moscow, this is fake. There is no billionaire in my circle, I am married, and I have a child. The company owned by this person, they were our clients. We learned in 2018 that he disappeared in the mountains and someone in Germany is trying to say that he was found in Moscow. This has not been confirmed at all. He was officially declared dead in Germany.

Meanwhile, the investigation by RTL also uncovered Veronika Ermilovas background, who runs an event agency, organising outdoor activities. Additionally, she also has ties with Russias FSB security service.
Many heartwarming videos on the internet have the power to bring happy tears to our eyes and melt our hearts into puddles. Staying away from home and meeting your parents, siblings, nephews, nieces, and more after years is just beautiful. Many surprise reaction videos go viral on the internet that define how pure the love of family is. Just like this video of a man who travelled to India from Canada and surprises his nephew when he returns from school. The video is winning the hearts of netizens. The cute reaction of the nephew after meeting his uncle is just adorable to watch.

The clip opens to show a little boy (nephew) dressed in a uniform returned from school. The first thing he asks is, Chachu aa gye? (Has uncle arrived) The boys mother answers, Nahi, aap wait kr rhe the chachu ki. Aapne kisi ko btaya tha? (No, were you waiting for uncle? Have you shared this with anyone) Answering to mother, the little kid says, Maam ko btaya tha. (I told my teacher) In the video, the kid can be seen looking for his uncle in every room of their home. As soon as the video progresses, a man dressed in a casual outfit (Nephews uncle) surprises the little kid. The kid expresses his happiness, shouts Chachu, and hugs him tightly. Later, the man picks the kid in his arms and gives him a peck on his cheeks. This adorable will melt your heart. The video was shared on an Instagram account @nav.danish. Sharing the video, the user wrote, Did this video remind you of someone special? Tag them in the comments. The way he expressed his happiness and shouted CHACHUUUU. Melted my heart.

Also Read: Viral Video of Korean Woman Gracefully Dancing to Bajre Da Sittas Surmedani Stuns Netizens

Check the heartwarming video here:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nav & Danish || Travel & Culture (@nav.danish)

Also Read: US Student Faces Charges For Slapping And Threatening Teacher

The video was shared on Instagram two days ago and since then it has received millions of views and likes from the netizens. Several users commented with heart emoticons in the comments section of the post. I dont know why I am crying, expressed an Instagram user. Telling a child that I will be there on this time and you are present then he gains trust and that trust positively leads his life, added a second. Chachus are the best!! wrote a third. Pure love, mentioned a fourth.
Space agencies across the world including the US space exploration agency NASA have been indulging in searching out if there is any life existing on other planets besides Earth. In a significant development regarding the seeking cause, NASA has found samples of rocks on the red planet Mars that are speculated to establish the signs of life on it. However, the agency has also mentioned that they are currently unable to bring the samples to Earth for further examination.

As per the recent reports, the agency requires a hunch of money to bring the samples to Earth. While talking about NASAs ambitious Mars Sample Return mission, agency officials on Monday said that they are seeking fresh ideas from the engineers, researchers, and the private sector to bring up alternative designs to cut the cost. Through this, the agency will be able to redesign the process and bring the precious sample for further study.

According to NASAs release, the agency has spent as much as $2.4 billion (Rs 20, 005 crores) on the Perseverance mission. It landed on Mars in 2021 and collected soil and rock samples from the red planet.

As per the agencys initial plan, NASA aimed to develop a mission with the European Space Agency that would return the samples by 2040 for the experts to study the same. However, due to its design and budget, the US agency is now rethinking the schedule.

An administrator at NASA, Bill Nelson on Monday said, Mars Sample Return is one of the most complex missions NASA has ever undertaken. The bottom line is, an $11 billion (Rs 91, 888 crores) budget is too expensive, and a 2040 return date is too far away.

He added, We need to look outside the box to find a way ahead that is both affordable and returns samples in a reasonable time frame.

The agency stated that it would ask for architecture proposals from private companies that could return samples in the 2030s, with lower cost, risk, and mission complexity.

The missions success would mark the first time that any kind of samples would be brought to Earth from Mars and be studied. It will help the researchers and experts to understand the red planet better.
Researchers and scientists over the years have been braving across Antarctica amid the hottest, driest, coldest, windiest and most extreme conditions to understand the earths climate better. While multiple expeditions have been carried out in Antarctica to find the oldest ice, these have helped a lot in understanding what the climate was like thousands of years ago. As the snow in Antarctica never really melts because of the extreme cold, the ice continues to build up layer upon layer with all the air bubbles trapped inside. Scientists then measure the levels of the greenhouse gases trapped in those bubbles, allowing them to reconstruct how the climate changed in the distant past.

One such expedition was recently carried out by PhD student Austin Carter and this is how he ended up making another incredible discovery in the South Pole.

Researchers discover 2.7 million years old ice

Back in 2022, Carter along with a team of researchers headed to Alan Hills in East Antarctica to conduct a range of studies to improve the understanding of Earths climate. During this time, experts drilled into various ice cores which are cylindrically shaped ice samples within the East Antarctic Ice Sheet.

While they obviously had plenty of ground to cover in the southernmost continent, the team used radar and GPS service to identify potential sites for a closer look.

Climate researcher and COLDEX director Edward Brook while speaking about the teams expectations from the expeditions said that the goal is to extend the ice core record of climate change back as far as possible. While his expectations might be a little higher, the research team did come up with a few surprising discoveries which included some of the earths oldest ice after they dropped the camera into a deep hole in the ice.

Carter, who recorded the entire clip, said that the camera travelled down the borehole of the completed ice core and added, You are now entering the East Antarctic Ice Sheet." Originally shared on TikTok, the video was also shared on YouTube.

As the view beneath Antarctica and through history would take you on a spin, it also showed the different colour and textures of the ice which possibly dates back thousands of years.
One might see loneliness as a regular state of affairs in the urban world, but new research on the topic proves that social isolation has a negative impact on ones health. Recently an Indian Forest Service officer opened up about dealing with loneliness and shared some tips that helped him cope with it over the years. In a series of posts, IFS Himanshu Tyagi mentioned that he spent many years alone and away from home as prepared for JEE for a year, studied at an IIT for four years, and worked for six years at his previous job. He said that those suffering from loneliness should be their own close friend and find solace in activities like taking long walks in nature that will make one enjoy their own company.

He also sweared by journaling as writing ones worries and thoughts helps find clarity. Tyagi added, Give time to relationships where you can share all your worries without being judged. Your parents, siblings. A phone call is enough to solve your worries. He also suggested pursuing spirituality and wrote, Develop some mechanism to remain connected to God all the time. Express gratitude to him for everything. You wont feel lonely.

1 year JEE prep + 4 years at IIT + 6 years in my previous jobs: I was all alone, away from home, always had very few close friends, never had a girlfriend. "LONELINESS" I had a close encounter with loneliness. I grew up when I was alone. Read if you suffer from loneliness pic.twitter.com/fxtueRzKb9  Himanshu Tyagi (@Himanshutyg_ifs) April 16, 2024

This post went viral with over seven lakh views and over 5,000 likes. Commenting on it, an X user wrote, The problem is..when you are isolated for so long and you start loving your own company then it becomes hard to interact with people. You dont wanna attend family functions or parties. It even becomes harder to get married because we get so comfortable with loneliness.

The problem is..when you are isolated for so long and you start loving your own company then it becomes hard to interact with people. you don't wanna attend family functions or parties. It even become harder to get married coz weget so comfortable with the loneliness. Dr. Jehangir (@arihant_ra33896) April 16, 2024

Another wrote, I think we should have a hobby to get away from all these LONELINESS ideas. I started to devote some time to music like playing flute/harmonium & singing by myself for the last few years. Doing a job is an endless thing but something shd be for ourselves. Feel energetic & confident.

I think we shd have a hobby to get away from all these "LONELINESS" ideas. Myself started to devote smtime in music like playing flute/harmonium & singing by own for last few years. Doing a job is an endless thing but smthing shd be for ourselves. Feel energetic & confident.  RD_Sharma  (@errdconvergence) April 16, 2024

Someone equated loneliness with freedom and wrote, I call it freedom, instead of loneliness. Ive been committed as well but after a certain stage you start realising that being alone makes you much more efficient and productive, especially when you have some kind of job/ passion/ hobbies.

I call it a freedom, instead of loneliness. I've been committed as well but after a certain stage you start realising that being alone makes you much efficient and productive, and specially when you have some kind of job/ passion/ hobbies. Astik Shukla (@shu_astik) April 16, 2024

The World Health Organization (WHO) sees loneliness as a global public health concern. As per a 2023 report headed by Dr Vivek Hallegere Murthy, the United States Surgeon General, lonelinesss impact on the body is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.
We have often come across the phrase, love is blind. Recently, one such love story has been gaining attention on the internet. A man named Mart Soeson born in Estonia, Europe is 48 years old. He fell in love with 104-year-old Elfriede Riit, who happens to be his step grandmom, who lives in Australia. According to reports, Mart Soeson is a lawyer by profession. He said in a recent media interaction that he has been in a relationship with this elderly woman since 2013, after the death of his grandfather. They lived together until 2022, after which Riit was forced to move into a nursing home. According to the Daily Mail of the UK, Riit, who was also born in Estonia. She was the 2nd wife of Mart Soesons grandfather. Mart shared that their 55-year age gap is irrelevant and they should be allowed to continue their exclusive, committed long-term romance.

Mart further said, initially, they started out to bond generally; but with time, slowly, their bond started to grow stronger. Eventually, it developed into a really meaningful and loving relationship. Now there is no going back; both of them only want to enjoy their loving moments. According to reports, Mart wants to get permanent residency in Australia on the basis of their relationship, but his visa application has been cancelled.

Further, he was also not formally told the reason why that visa application was rejected. But it is believed that the Department of Home Affairs was suspicious about the legitimacy of his relationship with the woman.

Now, Marthas has taken his case to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, which he attended on Wednesday with Elfriede Riit, and three supporters to have the matter heard.

Although tSoeson also shared about his first meeting with Ms Riit, which was in early 1996. For the first time, he came to Australia to study advanced English, and it was a great moment. Ms Riit knew Mart as her late husbands grandchild and asked him to stay at her Sydney house.

He further shared that it was not love at first sight, and nothing happened overnight. But from the first meeting, they became friends, and that connection grew. Mart, after completing his course, returned to Estonia but came back to Australia on holidays in 2000 and 2007 to meet Ms Riit. During these two trips, their bond grew stronger.
We are all aware of how valuable gold is and how much sought after it is in the world. What if we tell you that there is a place in the world where gold worth a fortune is generated daily? But the most tragic part of it all is that you cannot get to it. The snow-covered continent of Antarctica, one of the most isolated places in the world, has many active volcanoes. There is one volcano spewing gold dust worth a small fortune every day.

According to a study by IFL Science, Mount Erebus, one of the continents most formidable and tallest active volcanoes, is emitting more than just smoke. The report indicates that the volcano releases pockets of gas containing solidified gold daily, with an estimated value of approximately Rs 5 lakh.

The gold particles, referred to as gold dust, measure no more than 20 micrometres in size. Throughout the day, the accumulation of these particles can amount to approximately 80 grams of gold. Additionally, scientists observed that the gold dust disperses extensively, as traces of the gold were detected in the ambient air up to 1,000 kilometres away from Mount Erebus.

Unfortunately, the gold, which is worth a fortune, cannot be collected as this area is 621 miles away from the southernmost volcanic vent on Earth. It is completely covered with snow and is at an altitude of 12,448 feet.

Antarctica is home to Mount Erebus, the southernmost active volcano on the planet and home to Earth's only long-lived lava lakes.But did you know that this volcano also erupts solid gold?  Following studies conducted in the early 1990s, it was found that Mount Erebus pic.twitter.com/7ExEGk6tdM  Cool Earth (@Cool_Blue_Dot) December 10, 2023

According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Earth Observatory, gas is continuously coming out from the icy volcano here, which apart from gold, contains many other precious metals. At times, it also emits rocks. Professor Connor Bacon at New Yorks Columbia University told Live Science that the Erebus volcano has been erupting continuously since 1972. Its peak is filled with lava, which is made up of molten materials on its surface. This is quite rare. Despite being covered with snow, this surface never freezes. However, much remains to be understood about it.
US President Joe Biden on Wednesday said that the United States was unable to recover the remains of his uncle Ambrose Finnegans who served during World War II, as there used to be a lot of cannibals in the region where his plane had crashed.

The claims made by Bidens in connection of his uncles death and possible cannibalization differs from the account published by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting agency.

The accounts claim that Finnegans plane, an A-20 Havoc headed to New Guinea on a courier flight, was forced to ditch in the ocean off the coast of the island for unknown reasons.

During his remarks at the United Steelworkers Headquarters in Pittsburgh, Biden said, And my uncle, they called him  Ambrose, they called him Bosie and he became an Army Air Corps, before the Air Force came along, he flew those single engine planes as reconnaissance over war zones.

And he got shot down in New Guinea, and they never found the body because there used to be a lot of cannibals  for real  in that part of the New Guinea, he added.

The president also told the story before departing Scranton, Pennsylvania, earlier in the day.

There was, in fact, documented cannibalism in the region in the mid-20th century.

But the DPAA entry for Finnegan says three men failed to emerge from the sinking wreck and were lost in the crash, and that an aerial search the following day found no trace of the missing aircraft or the lost crew members. An additional crew member survived the crash, per the report.

Bidens claim  that the military was ultimately unable to recover Finnegans remains  appears to be true. He is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines. During his trip to Pennsylvania earlier Wednesday, Biden visited a veterans memorial in Scranton, where he paid his respects to his uncle, who is also memorialized at the site.

President Biden is proud of his uncles service in uniform, who lost his life when the military aircraft he was on crashed in the Pacific after taking off near New Guinea, White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates told CNN Wednesday. The President highlighted his uncles story as he made the case for honoring our sacred commitmentto equip those we send to war and take care of them and their families when they come home, and as he reiterated that the last thing American veterans are is suckers or losers.

The White House did not provide additional details around Bidens claim that cannibals prevented the recovery of Finnegans remains.

Biden made the comments during portions of his remarks criticizing former President Donald Trump over a 2020 report that claimed he disparaged US service members killed in battle and chose to skip a ceremony honoring veterans.

(with agency inputs)
WASHINGTON: The U.S. and U.K. on Thursday imposed a new round of sanctions on Iran as concern grows that Tehrans unprecedented attack on Israel could fuel a wider war in the Middle East.

The sanctions were meant to hold Iran accountable for its weekend attack and to deter further such activity. But the practical impact is likely to be limited because many of the targeted companies already were subject to U.S. sanctions and the individuals singled out for new sanctions are unlikely to have assets in U.S. jurisdictions.

Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control targeted 16 people and two entities in Iran that produce engines that power the drones used in the April 13 attack on Israel. OFAC also sanctioned five firms involved in steel production and three subsidiaries of Iranian automaker Bahman Group  which is accused of materially supporting Irans military and other sanctioned groups. A representative from Bahman was not immediately available for comment.

Additionally, the U.K. is targeting several Iranian military branches and individuals involved in Irans drone and ballistic missile industries.

President Joe Biden said in a statement that he had directed U.S. Treasury to continue to impose sanctions that further degrade Irans military industries. Let it be clear to all those who enable or support Irans attacks, he said, we will not hesitate to take all necessary action to hold you accountable.

U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement that the sanctions will further limit Irans ability to destabilize the region.

In addition to Treasurys sanctions, the U.S. Commerce Department is imposing new controls to restrict Irans access to basic commercial grade microelectronics, which apply to items manufactured outside the U.S. that are produced using U.S. technology.

The actions come after U.S. officials earlier this week warned that they were readying new sanctions in response to Irans activity in the region and to prevent future attacks. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill also have been quickly pushing forward legislation that would financially punish the Islamic Republic and its leaders.

Irans attack on Israel early Sunday came in response to what it says was an Israeli strike on Irans consulate in Syria earlier this month. Israels military chief said Monday that his country will respond to the Iranian attack, while world leaders caution against retaliation, trying to avoid a spiral of violence.

European Union leaders also vowed on Wednesday to ramp up sanctions on Iran, targeting its drone and missile deliveries to proxies in Gaza, Yemen and Lebanon.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the existing EU sanctions regime would be strengthened and expanded to punish Tehran and help prevent future attacks on Israel. At the same time, he said, Israel needed to exercise restraint.

I dont want to exaggerate, but we are on the edge of a war, a regional war in the Middle East, which will be sending shockwaves to the rest of the world, and in particular to Europe, he warned. So stop it.

The U.S. has already sanctioned hundreds of entities and people in Iran  from the central bank and government officials to drone producers and money exchangers  accused of materially supporting Irans Revolutionary Guard and foreign militant groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.

And U.S. efforts to limit Irans income from oil and petroleum products span back decades.

The question remains how effective sanctions will be, and have been, in preventing Iran from ramping up its production of military equipment. American defense officials accuse Iran of supplying drones to Russia as it pursues its invasion of Ukraine, which has reached a third year.

Richard Goldberg, who served as the director for countering Iranian weapons of mass destruction at the National Security Council during the Trump administration, called the new sanctions important but unimpactful.

He said the sanctions rightly impose restrictions on entities involved in Irans manufacture of missiles and drones and reinforce some actions affecting key industries already on the books. But he said the new sanctions do not move the ball in forcing the Iranians to seriously change their calculus.

Earlier this week, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said during a press conference that the U.S. has been working to diminish Irans ability to export oil.

There may be more that we could do, she said.

__

Associated Press reporter Aamer Madhani contributed to this report.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
A high school student in the US has been charged after allegedly slapping his female teacher inside the classroom earlier this week. The video of the assault has been widely circulated on social media.

The incident happened at Parkland High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. According to the police, the male student, identified only as a minor, has been charged with two counts of misdemeanour assault on a government official and one count of communicating threats, as per New York Post report.

In the viral video, the teen student  dressed in a grey hoodie and grey pants  can be seen verbally abusing the teacher and subsequently slapping her violently. However, to much shock, the educator appeared unfazed by the assault.

Do you think that affected me anyway, the unidentified teacher calmly responded, sitting back in her chair with her legs crossed.

Even after the first blow, the teacher remained composed in the classroom. However, the student not demanded, Want me to hit you again?

I dont want it, the teacher replied before being struck again, this time from the right side, knocking the glasses off her face.

The fks wrong with you, what you gonna do, still sit in that chair cause you a b***h. Aint nobody even coming, you got slapped, said the student, hurling insults at the teacher. B***h go back to teaching, he added.

The video, captured by one of the students, also shows the atmosphere inside the classroom as other students can be heard laughing over the teacher being slapped amid the assault.

The regions school district superintendent issued a statement condemning the students behavior, as reported by WXII.

This behavior will not be tolerated. At no time is it acceptable for students to put their hands on a teacher in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, said Tricia McManus, Superintendent at Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools.

She added, My focus now is on making sure that our teacher is taken care of and has the support needed to navigate through the lasting effects of this incident.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday his country would be the one to decide whether and how to respond to Irans major air assault earlier this week, brushing off calls for restraint from close allies.

Israel has vowed to respond to Irans unprecedented attack without saying when or how, leaving the region bracing for further escalation after months of unrest linked to the ongoing war in Gaza.

Israels allies have been urging Israel since the attack to hold back on any response that could spiral. These calls were repeated on Wednesday during visits by the British and German foreign ministers.

The diplomatic pressures came as Irans president warned that even the tiniest invasion of its territory would bring a massive and harsh response. Violence meanwhile surged on Wednesday between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese militant Hezbollah group, which fired a volley of rockets and drones on northern Israel. The attack wounded at least 14 Israeli soldiers, six seriously, the army said. The military said it struck Hezbollah targets deep inside Lebanon in response.

Speaking to a meeting of his Cabinet, Netanyahu said he met Wednesday with both visiting foreign ministers and thanked them for their countries support. But he said Israel would make the call on its own on how to respond despite all sorts of suggestions and advice coming from Israels allies, some of whom  including the United States, the United Kingdom and France  helped Israel repel Irans drone and missile assault.

I want to be clear: we will make our decisions ourselves. The state of Israel will do whatever is necessary to defend itself, Netanyahu said.

Despite the tough rhetoric, Israel appears unlikely to attack Iran directly without at least the support of its top ally, the U.S. But it could resort to more covert methods such as targeting senior Iranian commanders or Iran-backed groups in other countries, or launching a cyber attack.

Its unclear how Iran would then respond, given the heightened tensions  any miscalculation by either side risks setting off a regional war.

President Joe Bidens administration on Tuesday said it would place new sanctions on Iran and has worked to coordinate a global rebuke of the attack while urging all sides to de-escalate. U.S. officials said earlier this week that Biden told Netanyahu that Washington would not participate in any offensive action against Iran.

Over the weekend, Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel in response to an apparent Israeli strike on Irans Embassy compound in Syria on April 1 that killed 12 people, including two Iranian generals.

Israel says it and its partners successfully intercepted nearly all the missiles and drones. A 7-year-old girl was wounded in the attack, which did not cause any deaths or major damage.

Israel and Iran have waged a shadow war for decades, but the strike over the weekend was the first direct Iranian military attack on Israel.

With tensions surging, Israels allies have reinforced a message of restraint. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock each appealed for calm while on separate visits to the region.

Cameron said its clear the Israelis are making a decision to act against Iran, but he hoped they would do so in a way that is smart as well as tough and also does as little as possible to escalate this conflict. He spoke after meeting with Israels President Isaac Herzog, whose office is mainly ceremonial.

Baerbock said Germany stands in full solidarity with Israel but called on it to exercise restraint.

Everyone must now act prudently and responsibly. Im not talking about giving in. Im talking about prudent restraint, which is nothing less than strength, she told reporters. Because Israel has already shown strength with its defensive victory at the weekend.

The ministers said they would push for further international sanctions on Iran.

Irans President Ebrahim Raisi warned Israel against any retaliation as he addressed an annual army parade, which had been relocated to a barracks from its usual route and was not carried live on state TV  possibly because of fears that it could be targeted.

In remarks carried by Irans official IRNA news agency, Raisi said the weekend attack was limited, and that if Iran had wanted to carry out a bigger attack, nothing would remain from the Zionist regime.

Regional tensions have soared since the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel launched by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, Palestinian militant groups supported by Iran. The attack killed some 1,200 Israelis, and the militants took around 250 hostages. Israel responded with one of the deadliest and most destructive military onslaughts in recent history, killing nearly 34,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, who do not distinguish between combatants and civilians in their count but say most of the dead are women and children.

Israel has withdrawn most of its forces from Gaza after major offensives that left its two biggest cities  Gaza City and Khan Younis  in ruins. But Israeli officials say the war is not over and that they plan to send ground forces into the southernmost Gaza city of Rafah, where more than half the territorys population of 2.3 million people have sought refuge from fighting elsewhere.

Hamas is still holding around 130 hostages, a quarter of whom are believed to be dead, and international efforts to broker a cease-fire and hostage release have made little progress.

Hezbollah, another close Iran ally, has traded fire with Israel along the border on a near-daily basis since the war began, in a low-intensity conflict that risks igniting all-out war. Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria have also launched attacks, and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have targeted international shipping in the Red Sea, portraying it as a blockade of Israel.
China voices strong dissatisfaction, opposition to U.S. Section 301 investigation

Xinhua) 08:27, April 18, 2024

BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes the United States' launch of a Section 301 investigation into China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Wednesday.

The U.S. petition is full of false accusations, according to a statement from a ministry spokesperson.

The petition misinterprets normal trade and investment activities as damaging to U.S. national security and corporate interests, and blames China for U.S. industrial issues, lacking factual basis and running counter to common sense economics, the statement said.

These accusations from the United States are entirely untenable, the spokesperson said, as China's industrial development is the result of technological innovation and the active participation of enterprises in market competition.

While accusing China of adopting so-called non-market practices, the United States has provided hundreds of billions of dollars in discriminatory subsidies to its own domestic industries, the statement noted, highlighting that several U.S. studies have shown that the U.S. shipbuilding industry lost its competitive edge years ago due to overprotection.

It said that the United States is making another mistake in launching its latest Section 301 investigation, as the World Trade Organization (WTO) has already determined that the previous U.S. administration violated WTO rules by launching similar investigations and imposing additional tariffs on Chinese goods -- actions that were also opposed by many WTO members.

China urges the United States to respect the facts and multilateral rules, immediately cease its erroneous practices, and return to the rules-based multilateral trading system, the ministry said.

China will follow the progress of the investigation closely, and take all necessary measures to resolutely defend its rights and interests, it said.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
FOUR members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) died while an unknown number of people sustained varying degrees of injuries when two vehicles were involved in a head on collision at the 180 km peg along the Harare-Bulawayo road.

In a statement, the ZDF Director of Poly, Public Relations and International Affairs, Brigadier General Augustine Chipwere, said the accident occurred on Tuesday about 2km from Battlefields in Mashonaland West Province.

He said the ZDF lost three officers and a non-commissioned member.

Brig Gen Chipwere said the accident occurred when a vehicle with ZDF officers, which was headed towards Kadoma, attempted to overtake an unidentified vehicle and encroached into the oncoming vehicle lane resulting in a head-on collision with a Mazda CX-5 which was travelling towards Kwekwe.

It is with a heavy heart that the Zimbabwe Defence Forces announces the death of a general officer, two field officers and a non-commissioned member in a fatal road accident which occurred on April 16, 2024, Brig Gen Chipwere said.

Brigadier General Shadreck Vezha, Major Thabani Ncube, Major Mqondisi Gumbo and Sergeant Chakabaiwa were involved in a road traffic accident at the 180km peg along the Harare-Bulawayo Road about 2km from Battlefields.

According to preliminary investigations, it was established that Brigadier General Vezha attempted to overtake an unidentified vehicle and encroached into the oncoming vehicle lane resulting in head-on collision with the Mazda CX-5 which was travelling towards Kwekwe.

Some passengers who were aboard both vehicles sustained varying degrees of injury and are currently admitted at Gweru and Kwekwe General Hospitals.

Investigations surrounding the accident are underway and more information will be availed in due course. Herald
A REAL estate company has lodged a complaint with the Law Society of Zimbabwe against lawyer, Mr Moses Mapanga, after he represented a complainant in a case he formerly prosecuted when he was in State service.

Root Pro Properties is alleging that Mr Mapanga successfully applied to the Harare Magistrates Court for a warrant of execution against the real estate company, which had won a High Court appeal against the conviction that led to an attachment order.

Mr Mapanga, who is now practicing with Mapfidza, Rutsito Legal Practitioners, represented Mr Sanyamuwera, a complainant in a case he formerly prosecuted.

Root Pro Properties successfully appealed to the High Court and that particular conviction was quashed on January 12, 2023.

In upholding the appeal, Justice Pisirayi Kwenda dismissed an earlier award saying the trial court had imposed an incompetent sentence.

According to the letter to the LSZ, the real estate company stated that while the appeal was still pending in the High Court, Mr Mapanga left State service and moved into private law practice where he became Mr Sanyamuweras attorney in the same matter he once prosecuted.

He then approached the Magistrates Court where he filed an application for registration of a restitution order for purposes of enforcement purportedly in terms of Section 372 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act, read the letter dated February 26, 2024.

This application was premised on the Magistrates Court judgment from the Harare Criminal Court, Harare CRB HREP 3972/20 which found the respondent guilty, ordering him to pay US$9 450 to the applicant.

This is the same judgment and order that had been quashed by the High Court a year earlier, pending appeal.

A magistrate on February 5, 2024, granted an order in favour of Mr Sanyamuwera and went on to issue a warrant of execution against Root Pro Properties and three days later, the Messenger of Court was instructed to attach the companys property.

Root Pro also wanted the Law Society to look into the magistrates decision.

But the Judicial Service Commission had already investigated and found that any claims that the magistrate acted in connivance with anyone else when issuing the order were unfounded.

If he misinterpreted the law, this could not be dealt with administratively but only through the legal route. We could not find any evidence linking Mr Ncube to the alleged connivance with Mr Mapanga to suggest abuse of office, said JSCs head of policy and legal services Ms Bianca Makwande.

In the absence of such evidence, we could not further our investigations. Herald
Indonesian authorities issued a tsunami alert Wednesday after eruptions at Ruang mountain sent ash thousands of feet high. Officials ordered more than 11,000 people to leave the area. The volcano off the northern side of Sulawesi island had at least five large eruptions in the past 24 hours, Indonesia's Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation said. Authorities raised their volcano alert to its highest level, the AP reports. At least 800 residents left the area earlier Wednesday. Authorities urged tourists and others to stay at least 3.7 miles from the 2,378-foot Ruang volcano.

Officials worry that part of the volcano could collapse into the sea and cause a tsunami as in a 1871 eruption there. Tagulandang island to the volcano's northeast is again at risk, and its residents are among those being told to evacuate. In 2018, the eruption of Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano caused a tsunami along the coasts of Sumatra and Java after parts of the mountain fell into the ocean, killing 430 people. Hendra Gunawan, the head of Indonesia's volcanology agency, said people should be on alert for "the potential ejection of rocks, hot cloud discharges, and tsunami caused by the collapse of the volcano's body into the sea," the Guardian reports.

(More volcano stories.)
Speaker Mike Johnson's four-pronged foreign aid package has become five bills, and his job could depend on what happens with the reworked legislation. On Wednesday, Johnson told his Republican caucus that the House will stay in session until it votes Saturday evening on the package with stalled aid for Israel and Ukraine as its centerpiece, the New York Times reports. Success is not certain, nor is his continued tenure in the speakership. Two of Johnson's members have threatened to file a motion to vacate, which could result in his removal, if he puts aid to Ukraine to a floor vote.

Johnson became emotional Wednesday evening when asked about his decision by a reporter, per the Washington Post. "If I operated out of fear over a motion to vacate, I would never be able to do my job," Johnson said. "I can make a selfish decision and do something that's different. But I'm doing here what I believe to be the right thing," he added. Johnson will need Democrats' support to pass the bills, and he won the backing of the most influential one. President Biden strongly endorsed the package on Wednesday. "I will sign this into law immediately to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends, and we won't let Iran or Russia succeed," Biden said.

Here's how the bills break down:

Cost : The total is $95.3 billion, per the AP, same as the Senate approved in February, though the packages aren't identical; Johnson added some provisions to appeal to GOP opponents of Ukraine aid.

: The total is $95.3 billion, per the AP, same as the Senate approved in February, though the packages aren't identical; Johnson added some provisions to appeal to GOP opponents of Ukraine aid. Ukraine : More than one-third of the $61 billion would go toward replenishing weapons and ammunition systems for the US military, Republicans said. And $13.8 billion would buy weapons from the US. Johnson's bill has $9 billion in forgivable loans; the president could set the terms or cancel the loans.

: More than one-third of the $61 billion would go toward replenishing weapons and ammunition systems for the US military, Republicans said. And $13.8 billion would buy weapons from the US. Johnson's bill has $9 billion in forgivable loans; the president could set the terms or cancel the loans. Israel : Aid to Israel and humanitarian relief to people in Gaza account for $26 billion, and $4 billion would go to restock Israel's missile defenses.

: Aid to Israel and humanitarian relief to people in Gaza account for $26 billion, and $4 billion would go to restock Israel's missile defenses. Indo-Pacific : About $8 billion is intended to deter China's aggression in the region.

: About $8 billion is intended to deter China's aggression in the region. Assorted : The fourth bill satisfied a Republican wish list of foreign policy priorities. The final wording wasn't released yet, per the AP.

: The fourth bill satisfied a Republican wish list of foreign policy priorities. The final wording wasn't released yet, per the AP. The border: The fifth piece is intended to satisfy GOP demands to strengthen security at the southern US border. It might not have worked. "Every true conservative America First patriot in the House should vote against the rule for this borrowed foreign aid bill with no border security," Rep. Bob Good, the chairman of the Freedom Caucus, posted on social media.

(More Mike Johnson stories.)
Not long after Arizona House Republicans again blocked attempts to repeal the state's controversial 1864 law banning nearly all abortions, which was just ruled enforceable by the state Supreme Court, Arizona Senate Democratswith the help of two Republicanson Wednesday managed to move forward on the possibility of a repeal bill. Republican state Sens. TJ Shope and Shawnna Bolick voted with Democrats to allow a repeal bill to be introduced, and a third Republican sided with Democrats to stop the state Senate from adjourning. No vote was taken on the bill itself, but one could be taken by May 1, the AP reports. The New York Times notes that it "could be a moot point" if House Republicans continue to block a repeal bill in that chamberwhich it seems they will.
The man accused of the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students in 2022 was nowhere near the scene of the crime when it took place, according to a new court filing from his defense team. Bryan Kohberger's lawyers put forward this alibi last year , and the new documents were filed in support of it, CNN reports. The filing indicates that Kohberger's attorneys plan to partially corroborate the alibi by bringing in a cellphone tower and radio frequency expert to testify, ABC News reports. "Mr. Kohberger was out driving in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022, as he often did to hike and run and/or see the moon and stars. He drove throughout the area south of Pullman, Washington, west of Moscow, Idaho," a lawyer for Kohberger says in the filing.

Defense lawyers have previously said their client often took long solo drives during the late-night hours, but until now had not met Idaho's law requiring a defendant to submit, in writing, "the specific place or places at which the defendant claims to have been at the time of the alleged offense and the names and addresses of the witnesses upon whom he intends to rely to establish such alibi." His defense team also notes that his phone includes many pictures taken of the night sky during these drives in the countryside. A criminal defense attorney not involved in the case, however, points out to Fox News that, per the prosecution, Kohberger's DNA was found at the crime scene and "DNA doesn't lie." (More Bryan Kohberger stories.)
More than two decades after they first got together, Ashanti and Nelly are engagedand expecting. The singer and rapper announced both pieces of news Wednesday, via Instagram and an Essence interview with Ashanti. "Motherhood is something that I have looked forward to, and sharing this with my family, fiance, and loyal fans, who have been so supportive of my career, is an amazing experience," she tells the magazine. The Instagram post also served as an ad for Proov, a diagnostic company offering at-home tests for people trying to conceive, which Ashanti and Nelly co-own.

According to an Us Weekly timeline, Ashanti, 43, and Nelly, 49, first met at a Grammys press conference back in 2003. After years of public speculation about their relationship status, Ashanti eventually revealed (in 2015) that they'd been together until 2013. Their first public reunion was in 2021, when Nelly went in for a hug (surprising Ashanti, who later said they hadn't seen each other since splitting up) while the two attended Ja Rule and Fat Joe's Verzuz battle. They performed together the following year, and were officially back together by 2023. Their baby will be Ashanti's first and Nelly's fifth; as People reports, he had children in 1994 and 1999 with ex-girlfriend Channetta Valentine, then adopted his sister's two children in 2005 after her death from leukemia. (More Nelly stories.)
Authorities have named nine men accused of carrying out the largest gold heist in Canadian history at Toronto's Pearson Airport a year ago, three of whom remain wanted. Among the suspects are two Air Canada employees, confirming the brazen heist of $15 million in gold and nearly $2 million in cash was an inside job. "This story is a sensational one, and one which probably, we jokingly say, belongs in a Netflix series," Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said during a Wednesday news conference, revealing a joint investigation with US partners at the ATF, per the CBC . He said it was a "well-organized group of criminals from both inside and outside of airport facilities that orchestrated this theft," considered the sixth-largest gold heist in world history, per City News .

The shipment, sent from Zurich to Toronto by Brink's Canada, was offloaded to an Air Canada cargo facility on April 17, 2023. Within minutes, a suspect allegedly reprinted a day-old airway bill for a shipment of seafood. Shortly thereafter, a forklift moved the shipment into a delivery truck, which was traced through the Greater Toronto Area but ultimately lost. Authorities, who've since seized pure gold bracelets, smelting pots and casts, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, believe the thieves melted down the gold to make jewelry that helped fund a gun-trafficking ring. The truck driver, identified as 25-year-old Durante King-Mclean of Brampton, Ontario, was pulled over by Pennsylvania state police in September with 65 firearms, including untraceable "ghost guns," allegedly bound for Canada.

King-Mclean remains in US custody. He allegedly received money to purchase the firearms from Prasath Paramalingam, 35, who's been charged by Peel police but is also wanted on firearms trafficking charges in the US, per the CBC. Others arrested include Amit Jalota, 40, of Oakville, Ontario; Ammad Chaudhary, 43, of Georgetown, Ontario; Toronto jewelry store owner Ali Raza, 37; and Air Canada cargo facility employee Parmpal Sidhu, 54. They're accused of theft over $5,000, conspiracy to commit an indictable offense, and other crimes. Police continue to search for Arsalan Chaudhary, 32, of Mississauga, Ontario; Archit Grover, 36, of Brampton; and Simran Preet Panesar, 31, also of Brampton. Panesar was a manager who led police on a tour of the cargo facility before resigning, per the CBC. (More Toronto stories.)
The California Attorney General has declined to file criminal charges against a Los Angeles police officer who fired a rifle at a suspect inside a clothing store in 2021, killing a 14-year-old girl in a dressing room. Officer William Dorsey Jones Jr. fired three times when police responded to a Burlington clothing store in the San Fernando Valley where 24-year-old Daniel Elena Lopez, wielding a heavy bike lock, had brutally attacked two women on Dec. 23, 2021. Elena Lopez was killed in the shooting, as was Valentina Orellana Peralta as she prayed in a dressing room with her mother.

Body camera video released in 2021 showed the officers walking through the store in a formation. Wielding a rifle, Jones pushed to the front of the pack even as other officers repeatedly said to slow down. The officers saw a woman crawling on the blood-stained floor and Elena Lopez on the other side of the aisle, according to the video footage. "Hold up! Hold up!" another officer screamed just before Jones fired three shots.
A water tower in a small Texas town overflowed in January, spilling tens of thousands of gallons into the streets. Now, Google-owned cybersecurity company Mandiant says the incident in Muleshoe may be the first hack into US water systems by Russia after infiltrators tied to one of that country's most well-known hacking groups claimed responsibility on Telegram, reports the Washington Post . The paper notes this could signify a "worrisome escalation" by Russia to go after important US infrastructure, with vulnerable water utilities as a prime target.

Muleshoe's city manager, Ramon Sanchez, tells CNN that the hackers somehow were able to log in remotely to an industrial software system that allowed them access to water tanks.

The Muleshoe tower hemorrhaged water for between 30 and 45 minutes before operators flipped it to manual mode and stopped the flooding. Mandiant chief analyst John Hultquist tells the Post that no one was hurt in Muleshoe and residents never lost access to water, with the attack apparently carried out by the infamous hacking group called Sandworm (apparently calling itself the Cyber Army of Russia Reborn in this case, or CARR). The group is believed to be linked to Russia's GRU military intelligence agency.

Hultquist says that, if confirmed, the hack appears to be expanding how Sandworm hits critical systems in various nations. Previously, the group has been accused of disrupting electrical service in Ukraine and hacking the opening ceremony at the 2018 Olympics in South Korea, among other cyberattacks. "Is GRU behind these attacks?" Hultquist asks, per the Post. "If it isn't GRU, whoever is doing this is working out of the same clubhouse. It's too close for comfort."

story continues below

CNN notes that the revelation of the Muleshoe incident perhaps makes a little clearer why US national security adviser Jake Sullivan implored state officials and water utilities last month to bolster their cybersecurity defensesa task that's been tough for many of the nation's 150,000 public water systems due to cash and staffing issues. "Suspicious activity" on networks in towns near Muleshoe was also reported after the January incident, though no other major attacks took place. "Water utilities are being abused by adversaries taking advantage of low-hanging fruitvulnerable services directly accessible from the internet," says Gus Serino, a water-sector cybersecurity expert. (More Russian hackers stories.)
The US and UK on Thursday imposed a new round of sanctions on Iran as concern grows that Tehran's unprecedented attack on Israel could fuel a wider war in the Middle East, per the AP . The US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control targeted 16 people and two entities in Iran that produce engines that power the drones used in the April 13 attack on Israel. OFAC also sanctioned five firms involved in steel production and three subsidiaries of Iranian automaker Bahman Group, which is accused of materially supporting Iran's military and other sanctioned groups. A representative from Bahman wasn't immediately available for comment. Additionally, the UK is targeting several Iranian military organizations, individuals, and entities involved in Iran's drone and ballistic missile industries.

President Biden said in a statement that he'd directed the US Treasury "to continue to impose sanctions that further degrade Iran's military industries." "Let it be clear to all those who enable or support Iran's attacks," he said. "We will not hesitate to take all necessary action to hold you accountable." In addition to Treasury's sanctions, the US Commerce Department is imposing new controls to restrict Iran's access to basic commercial-grade microelectronics, which apply to items manufactured outside the US that are produced using US technology. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill also have been quickly pushing forward legislation that would financially punish the Islamic republic and its leaders.

European Union leaders also vowed on Wednesday to ramp up sanctions on Iran, targeting its drone and missile deliveries to proxies in Gaza, Yemen, and Lebanon. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the existing EU sanctions would be strengthened and expanded to punish Tehran and help prevent future attacks on Israel. At the same time, he said, Israel needed to exercise restraint following its alleged strike on the Iran Consulate in Syria earlier this month. "I don't want to exaggerate, but we are on the edge of a war, a regional war in the Middle East, which will be sending shock waves to the rest of the world, and in particular to Europe," Borrell warned. "So stop it." (More sanctions stories.)
A Polish man has been arrested on allegations that he was trying to help Russia assassinate Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, prosecutors in Poland said Thursday. The man, identified only as Pawel K., allegedly planned to pass on security information about Poland's Rzeszow-Jasionka airport, which is near the Ukraine border and has become a hub of international aid to the nation, reports the AP . His ultimate intent was to help Russian intel services plan a Zelensky assassination, according to the office of Poland's National Prosecutor.

"This case is yet another proof that Russia is a threat not only to Ukraine and Ukrainians but also to the entire free world," said Ukraine Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin. Much is unclear about the case, however. The Kyiv Independent, for example, reports that the man was acting "on his own initiative" and that it's unclear whether he passed along any information to Russian agents. However, Atlas News cites a translated release from Polish officials that refers to the suspect as a "recruited agent." Russia's role in the matter will presumably be clarified as the case unfolds. In the meantime, the man faces up to eight years in prison on charges of working with foreign intelligence services. The airport in question is under the control of US troops. (More Russia-Ukraine war stories.)
Almost nothing stops Japan's famous high-speed bullet trains from running exactly on time - but a tiny snake slithering through a passenger carriage will do the trick, albeit for just 17 minutes.

On Tuesday, a commuter reported to station staff in Tokyo that a 40cm snake had been spotted in the carriage of a train arriving from Nagoya, according to the Central Japan Railway Company.

The train had been scheduled to depart for the city of Osaka, but was instead put out of service as a precaution. Another train had to be assigned to the route, causing a delay that, while brief by many other national railway standards, was relatively significant for Japan's relentlessly punctual service.
A woman has been arrested at a bank in Brazil after wheeling her dead uncle into a mall and trying to withdraw money from his account.

Video posted to X, formerly Twitter, shows the moment Erika de Souza, 42, tried to get her lifeless 68-year-old uncle, Paulo Roberto Braga, to sign documents at a teller's desk. Video of the shocking incident has since been removed from social media but it was shared by The Daily Mail.

She was trying to take out 17,000 reais (NZD $5491).

"I don't think this is legal. He doesn't look well. He's very pale," a teller is heard saying.

De Souza responded saying he was "like that", adding "sign so you don't give me any more headaches, I can't take it anymore".
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TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The Sixth Minor Criminal Court has sentenced four defendants of Asian nationality to a 10-day imprisonment and permanent deportation from the Kingdom of Bahrain for illegal fishing. This was announced by the Chief Prosecutor of Ministries and Public Entities. The court also ordered the confiscation of their vessel, the Banush, along with the seized catch and prohibited nets used for fishing. These nets, known as drift nets or Al-Hayali, are legally prohibited for fishing operations due to their detrimental impact on marine life and resources. The incident came to light following a report received by the Public Prosecution from the Bahrain Coast Guard indicating the arrest of the defendants aboard the ship Banush while engaged in fishing using drift nets. During the arrest, authorities seized 245 kilograms of fish from their possession. Upon interrogation by the Public Prosecution, the defendants confessed to the accusations levelled against them.

Regulations

Emphasising the importance of upholding the regulations outlined in the Law Regulating Fishing, Exploitation, and Protection of Marine Wealth, as well as relevant ministerial decisions, the Chief Prosecutor underscored the paramountity of safeguarding marine resources and wildlife.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The Labour Fund Tamkeen signed a partnership agreement with UpGradelle Cs, a French consulting cabinet focusing on digital transformations particularly in systems engineering and enterprise architecture for industrial fields, to provide Tech-Based training and international professional internship opportunities for Bahrainis at UpGradelle-AMVALOR R&D unit in France.

As part of Tamkeens Global Ready Talent programme, 10 Bahraini students from local universities will launch their engineering and ICT careers through specialized and on-thejob training.

Young Bahrainis participating in this programme will immerse themselves in Industry 4.0 innovation, tackling projects that encompass process automation, cyber-physical system design, digital twin mock-up creation, and AR/VR modeling for the aerospace, automotive, and energy sectors.

Under the expert guidance of UpGradelle and AMVALOR teams, participants will refine their skills and contribute to groundbreaking advancements in their respective fields. Tamkeen will cover the costs of the programme and expenses related to the on-thejob training period in France for the students who qualify.

Maha Abdulhameed Mofeez, Tamkeens Chief Executive stated: This collaboration bridges the gap between theoretical education and the practical application of engineering best practices, providing the trainees with the advanced skills they need to excel in international job markets. She continued: Participants will get exposure to international best practices applied within their field of expertise, expand their professional networks, and gain the required knowledge to become specialized in their fields." UpGradelle Co-founder and CEO, Nesrine Beldi Miro Padovani added: Tamkeens support offers young Bahrainis a unique opportunity to acquire new and emerging skills, allowing them stay up to date with the latest international trends in their respective fields.
ST. JACOBS, ON, April 18, 2024 /CNW/ - 60 years ago in St. Jacobs, Ontario, Walter J. Hachborn and Henry Sittler laid the groundwork for what would become Canada's largest Dealer-owned and operated home improvement retailer. Since then, Home has expanded to more than 1,000 stores operating under the Home Hardware, Home Building Centre, Home Hardware Building Centre and Home Furniture banners.

Kevin Macnab, President and CEO, Home Hardware Stores Limited. (CNW Group/Home Hardware Stores Limited) Walter J. Hachborn and Henry Sittler attend a Golden Hammer presentation. (CNW Group/Home Hardware Stores Limited)

Today, Home's strong independent Dealer network continues to provide superior home improvement experiences to customers through helpful advice, competitive prices and quality products. In every interaction, Dealers across Canada aim to improve life at home for the people in their communities.

"This milestone is a testament to over six decades of dedication and hard work by our Dealers and Team Members across the country," said Kevin Macnab, President and CEO, Home Hardware Stores Limited. "While celebrating 60 years of rich history, we're also focused on continued growth to ensure we keep delivering the exceptional customer service we're known for in communities across Canada."

Here are a few of the ways Home Hardware Stores Limited is celebrating:

Nostalgic brand campaign featuring Home's evolution over the last 60 years.

featuring Home's evolution over the last 60 years. 60 th Anniversary sale from April 25-May 8 that features 25% off BeautiTone Designer Interior & Exterior, 30% off Delta Faucets, and 60% off Mosaic Cookware & Bakeware.

from that features 25% off BeautiTone Designer Interior & Exterior, 30% off Delta Faucets, and 60% off Mosaic Cookware & Bakeware. National contest from April 25-May 22 . Customers can enter for a chance to win one of two $5000 grand prizes, or one of 50 $1,000 gift cards.

from . Customers can enter for a chance to win one of two grand prizes, or one of 50 gift cards. Scene+ 60 Bonus Points Promotion from April 25-28 where customers can earn 60 bonus points on purchases of $50 or more.

from where customers can earn 60 bonus points on purchases of or more. Social media contests starting April 26 th, such as Home Hardware Trivia and inviting Canadians to share their Home Hardware core memories for the chance to win a prize. More details can be found at @homehardware on Instagram.

And so much more!

About Home Hardware Stores Limited

Founded 60 years ago in St. Jacobs, Ontario, Home Hardware Stores Limited is proudly Canadian and the country's largest Dealer-owned and operated home improvement retailer with more than 1,000 stores operating under the Home Hardware, Home Building Centre, Home Hardware Building Centre and Home Furniture banners. The Home Hardware Dealer network improves life at home by providing superior home improvement retail experiences through helpful advice and a deep understanding of the communities they serve. Home Hardware Stores Limited is designated as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies and recognized as one of Canada's Best Employers. More information about the company is available at homehardware.ca.

SOURCE Home Hardware Stores Limited

[email protected]
One-quarter of investors currently hold sustainable investments, while half plan to invest in them in the next two years.

However, 61% continue to have concerns about trust and transparency.

Two-thirds believe that investing in the energy transition will have a positive impact on the world.

TORONTO, April 18, 2024 /CNW/ - According to Mackenzie Investments' fifth annual Earth Day Study, Canadians' interest in sustainable investments, defined as those that seek to generate both financial returns and a positive impact on one or more environmental, social or governance factors, is on the rise. However, a significant number of investors still harbour concerns about this category of investments.

The study, conducted in partnership with Pollara Strategic Insights, found:

Almost one-quarter (23 per cent) of Canadians currently engage in sustainable investing (SI), up from 20 per cent in 2023.

Close to half (45 per cent) report they are likely to add sustainable investments to their portfolios in the next two years.

However, six-in-ten Canadians (61 per cent, unchanged since 2023) continue to have concerns about greenwashing and transparency in corporate governance within the SI space, four-in-ten (43 per cent) believe that SI lacks clear guidelines or standards and an equal number feel that sustainable investments tend to deliver lower returns than traditional ones.

Only one-third (33 per cent) of those who work with an advisor have had a discussion with them about SI.

"It's encouraging to see growing interest in and adoption of sustainable investing, reflecting a shift towards aligning financial goals with environmental and social considerations," said Fate Saghir, SVP, Sustainability, Mackenzie Investments. "However, what's also clear is that our industry still has work to do to address concerns and misconceptions around greenwashing, transparency and performance. Further, given the growing popularity of sustainable investments, there's a significant opportunity for advisors to strengthen and expand relationships with clients by helping educate them on the role sustainable investments can play in portfolio construction."

Canadians see benefits and opportunities in the energy transition

The study also found that Canadian investors are generally familiar with the concept of energy transition, which focuses on shifting from traditional to low-carbon and renewable energy sources, as a way to address global warming and related nature or biodiversity loss:

Almost half (48 per cent) are likely to consider investing in companies focused on energy transition to address global warming in the next two years, while over three quarters (77 per cent) who already hold sustainable investments report they will increase investment in energy transition opportunities.

Two-thirds (69 per cent) believe that investing in the energy transition will create a better world for future generations and have a long-term positive impact on the environment (67 percent) and on our health (65 per cent).

However, only one-third (38 per cent) feel they adequately understand the size and scope of the energy transition currently taking place and the resulting investment opportunities.

"Opportunities within the energy transition will continue to grow as the world shifts toward a low-carbon future," added Ms. Saghir. "The financial industry, including investment managers and advisors, have an important role in making knowledge and education accessible. We need to get to a place where Canadians can be confident that their investment dollars will provide both returns, and a real, positive impact on our local and global world."

About Mackenzie Investments

Mackenzie Investments is a leading investment management firm with $203.7 billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2024. Mackenzie provides investment solutions and related services to more than one million retail and institutional clients through multiple distribution channels. Founded in 1967, Mackenzie is a global asset manager with offices across Canada as well as in Boston, Dublin, London, Hong Kong and Beijing. Mackenzie is a member of IGM Financial Inc. (TSX: IGM), one of Canada's premier financial services companies with approximately $252.2 billion in total assets under management and advisement as of March 31, 2024. For more information, visit mackenzieinvestments.com.

About the Pollara Study

This study was conducted with an online sample of 1500 adult Canadians between 19 and 25 March 2024. Results from a random sample of this size can be considered accurate to within 2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20. Results have been weighted by gender, age, and region, using the latest census data, to be representative of the Canadian population. Results have been compared to similar studies conducted in 2023, where applicable.

SOURCE Mackenzie Investments

Hilary Bassett, Mackenzie Investments, 416-951-7558, [email protected]; Valerie Dupuis, Mackenzie Investments (Quebec), 514-622-4843, [email protected]
TORONTO and DALLAS, April 16, 2024 /CNW/ - Perimeter Medical Imaging AI, Inc. (TSXV: PINK) (OTC: PYNKF) (FSE: 4PC) ("Perimeter" or the "Company")  a commercial-stage medical technology company  announced a newly published webinar, "Trends in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Innovators in Healthcare" featuring a fireside chat with Anantha Kancherla, former head of Meta's AI platform, and current member of Perimeter's Board, alongside Perimeter's CEO, Adrian Mendes.

Adrian Mendes, Perimeter's Chief Executive Officer stated, "The ability to use AI to make products more useful for customers is going to differentiate successful companies from those who fail. With this in mind, Perimeter has built world-class leadership on its Board, the management team, and the engineering department. This webinar showcases the depth of Perimeter's knowledge to apply machine learning models and artificial intelligence tools to our pipeline of products  both existing and still in development. Further, we have  and continue to grow  a large proprietary image data set, which allows us to truly capture the value of AI with our ability to train models in a way that is very hard for other companies to replicate."

Webinar Details

Title: Trends in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Innovators in Healthcare: Fireside Chat with Perimeter Medical Imaging AI

Host: Martin Gagel, Radius Research

Speakers:

Adrian Mendes, CEO, Perimeter Medical AI

Anantha Kancherla, VP, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, GM Motors

Link: View webinar here

Anantha Kancherla is vice president of advanced driver-assistance systems at GM Motors. Previously Anantha was Engineering Director at Meta, where he was head of its AI platform. Prior to Meta, as VP of Engineering at Lyft, Anantha led the Level5 software team responsible for building the self-driving car. Anantha previously worked on Windows at Microsoft focusing on DirectX, Graphics and UI. In his former role at Facebook, Anantha participated in pioneering the building of mobile software at scale for over a billion users all over the world. Anantha obtained a B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, and a MS degree in Computer Science from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

Adrian Mendes is Chief Executive Officer at Perimeter Medical Imaging AI, Inc. Adrian is an experienced technology executive with 25 years of experience building and scaling technology companies across many different industries. Most recently, he was Chief Operating Officer at Groq Inc, an AI hardware company, which he joined shortly after formation in 2016 and helped scale to one of the leading startups in that space. Prior to Groq, Adrian spent several years both investing in and founding technology focused companies in North America and internationally with a focus on helping them scale organizationally as well as operationally. Adrian began his career at Cypress Semiconductor where he spent 14 years leading various marketing, finance, and operations functions. Adrian graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering.

About Perimeter Medical Imaging AI, Inc.

Based in Toronto, Canada and Dallas, Texas, Perimeter Medical Imaging AI (TSX-V: PINK) (OTC: PYNKF) (FSE: 4PC) is a medical technology company driven to transform cancer surgery with ultra-high-resolution, real-time, advanced imaging tools to address areas of high unmet medical need. Available across the U.S., our FDA-cleared Perimeter S-Series OCT system provides real-time, cross-sectional visualization of excised tissues at the cellular level. The breakthrough-device-designated investigational Perimeter B-Series OCT with ImgAssist AI represents our next-generation artificial intelligence technology that is currently being evaluated in a pivotal clinical trial, with support from a grant of up to US$7.4 million awarded by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. The company's ticker symbol "PINK" is a reference to the pink ribbons used during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Perimeter B-Series OCT is limited by U.S. law to investigational use and not available for sale in the United States. Perimeter S-Series OCT has 510(k) clearance under a general indication and has not been evaluated by the U.S. FDA specifically for use in breast tissue, breast cancer, other types of cancer, margin evaluation, and reducing re-excision rates. The safety and effectiveness of these uses has not been established. For more information, please visit www.perimetermed.com/disclosures.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. In this news release, words such as "may," "would," "could," "will," "likely," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "estimate," and similar words and the negative form thereof are used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information may relate to management's future outlook and anticipated events or results and may include statements or information regarding the future financial position, business strategy and strategic goals, competitive conditions, research and development activities, projected costs and capital expenditures, research and clinical testing outcomes, taxes and plans and objectives of, or involving, Perimeter. Without limitation, information regarding expectations regarding the future competitive landscape of the AI space, expectations regarding Perimeter's business and the potential benefits of Perimeter S-Series OCT and Perimeter B-Series OCT are forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether, or the times at or by which, any particular result will be achieved. No assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking information will transpire or occur. Forward-looking information is based on information available at the time and/or management's good-faith belief with respect to future events and are subject to known or unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other unpredictable factors, many of which are beyond Perimeter's control. Such forward-looking statements reflect Perimeter's current view with respect to future events, but are inherently subject to significant medical, scientific, business, economic, competitive, political, and social uncertainties and contingencies. In making forward-looking statements, Perimeter may make various material assumptions, including but not limited to (i) the accuracy of Perimeter's financial projections; (ii) obtaining positive results from trials; (iii) obtaining necessary regulatory approvals; and (iv) general business, market, and economic conditions. Further risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, but are not limited to, those applicable to Perimeter and described in Perimeter's Management Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2023, which is available on Perimeter's SEDAR+ profile at https://www.sedarplus.ca, and could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. Perimeter does not intend, nor does Perimeter undertake any obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking information contained in this news release to reflect subsequent information, events, or circumstances or otherwise, except if required by applicable laws.

SOURCE Perimeter Medical Imaging AI, Inc.

Adrian Mendes, Chief Executive Officer, Perimeter Medical Imaging AI, Inc., Toll-free: 888-988-7465 (PINK), Email: [email protected]; Glen Akselrod, Investor Relations, Bristol Capital, Telephone: 905-326-1888 ext. 1, Email: [email protected]
The Campaign Will Fund Transformational Solutions in Digital Health

and Cutting-Edge Research for Better Tomorrows in Quebec Hospitals and Beyond

MONTREAL, April 18, 2024 /CNW/ - The Jewish General Hospital (JGH) Foundation is launching its most ambitious fundraising campaign in the hospital's 90-year history. The Tomorrows Are Made Here philanthropic campaign aims to raise $400 million over seven years to fund four areas critical to the future of healthcare:

Tomorrows Are Made Here (CNW Group/Jewish General Hospital Foundation)

The Tomorrows Are Made Here campaign is supported by the knowledge and experience of its Honorary Co-Chairs: Stephanie Azrieli, Paul Desmarais, jr., Brenda Gewurz, Lillian Vineberg-Goodman, Jonathan I. Wener, C.M and Edward Wiltzer.

"This campaign is about building the future of healthcare," said David Amiel, Chair of the JGH Foundation's Board of Directors. "Ninety-four years ago, a group of visionary donors came together to fundraise for the building of the Jewish General Hospital, which has evolved into one of the leading hospitals in the world. In the same way, funds raised during the Tomorrows Are Made Here campaign will transform how healthcare is delivered at the JGH, across the province and beyond."

Click here to learn more about Tomorrows Are Made Here campaign Cabinet Members

The JGH consistently ranks among the top hospitals in Quebec, across Canada and internationally. It is recognized as being a model for cutting-edge care by developing innovative and transformational approaches often adopted by other institutions. The JGH's Command Centre and Hospital@Home program are just two of several trailblazing Digital Health Initiatives that the Tomorrows Are Made Here campaign will support. These new approaches focus on optimizing patient care for the benefit of all  well beyond the walls of the JGH.

"This bold and ambitious fundraising campaign is about uniting people around a common cause," said Jonathan Wener, Honorary Co-Chair. "The JGH has always been at the forefront of patient care, medical research, and community-building, treating everyone who comes through the doors of the Hospital with compassion and humanity. The Tomorrows Are Made Here campaign builds on that tradition and I'm proud to be an Honorary Co-Chair, a donor and a patient at this prestigious institution."

The public launch of the Tomorrows Are Made Here campaign builds on visionary gifts which have already been received, totalling more than $180 million. This initial outpouring of remarkable generosity underscores the impact that can be achieved when communities come together.

"We are immensely grateful for the generous support of the individuals, families, foundations and organizations who have made pledges and gotten the Tomorrows Are Made Here Campaign off to a strong start," said Bram Freedman, President and CEO of the JGH Foundation. "Everyone who gives becomes part of an effort to transform the way healthcare is delivered, improve patient outcomes, and save lives."

Click here to see the list of visionary lead donors to the Tomorrows Are Made Here campaign:

$5 million +

$2 million +

$1 million +

To find out more about the Tomorrows Are Made Here Campaign, or to give, visit our website at www.tomorrowsaremadehere.ca.

ABOUT THE JEWISH GENERAL HOSPITAL

The Jewish General Hospital (JGH), repeatedly ranked by Newsweek among the top three hospitals in Quebec, among the top 10 in Canada and among the top 125 in the world, is an acute and specialized care McGill University teaching hospital. The JGH has been serving a diverse patient population irrespective of religion, language, or ethnic background since it was founded in 1934.

The Hospital is home to one of the highest number of births in Quebec with a specialization in high-risk pregnancies and neonatal care; one of the busiest and most efficient Emergency Departments in the province; the Segal Cancer Centre, which is recognized internationally for its ground-breaking cancer treatment and research achievements; and the Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, one of the largest and most influential medical research centres in Canada. The JGH is the hub institution of the regional health authority known as the CIUSSS West-Central Montreal.

ABOUT THE JEWISH GENERAL HOSPITAL FOUNDATION

Since 1969, the mission of the Jewish General Hospital Foundation has been to advance healthcare and medical research for the people of Quebec by supporting Montreal's Jewish General Hospital. The Foundation provides essential assistance to the Hospital to enhance its extraordinary patient care, further scientific discovery, and acquire innovative medical equipment. We partner with inspired community members to implement a variety of fundraising initiatives to achieve the Hospital's ambitious goals.

SOURCE Jewish General Hospital Foundation

Tim Duboyce, Massy Forget Langlois Public Relations, 514-604-9282, [email protected]; Rhonda O'Gallagher / Amanda Starnino, Jewish General Hospital Foundation, 514-708-6552 / 514-806-7078, [email protected] / [email protected]
A man was arrested Tuesday after he was accused of sexually assaulting a child in Bergen County, investigators said.

The Bergen County Prosecutors Office was contacted by the Wyckoff Police Department on March 27 about the alleged assault of the child, who is under the age of 13, in town at an undisclosed time, the office said in a release.

An investigation revealed Donato Avolio, 35, formerly of Midland Park, as a suspect and he was charged on March 28 with second-degree sexual assault, authorities said.

Avolio was ultimately located and arrested on Tuesday and taken to the Bergen County Jail, the office said.

No other information was released Wednesday.

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Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
A co-founder of the Grammy Award-winning hip hop band The Roots and a longtime educator who marched for civil rights will be among several commencement speakers addressing Rutgers University graduates in ceremonies across the state, the school announced Thursday.

Tariq Trotter  the musician known as Black Thought and co-founder of The Roots  will speak at Rutgers-Newarks commencement. Freeman A. Hrabowski III, former president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will speak at the Rutgers-New Brunswick ceremony.

They were among six commencement speakers and other honorary degree recipients announced during a Rutgers Board of Governors meeting Thursday.

Hrabowski will be awarded an honorary doctor of letters degree when he speaks to graduates at the 258th commencement of Rutgers-New Brunswick and Rutgers Health on May 12, school officials said. Trotter will speak at Rutgers-Newarks commencement ceremony on May 15 and receive an honorary doctorate of fine arts degree.

I am thrilled to welcome our esteemed commencement speakers and honorary degree recipients to celebrate our remarkable 2024 graduating class, said Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway.

Other graduation speakers were also announced Thursday:

State Secretary of Higher Education Brian Bridges will speak at the Rutgers-Camden and graduate school commencement May 14.

Wawa president Brian Schaller will deliver the keynote address on May 15 at the School of Business-Camden ceremony.

Loretta Sweet Jemmott, vice president of health and health equity at Drexel University, will speak on May 15 at the School of Nursing-Camden ceremony.

Associate Justice Fabiana Pierre-Louis of the New Jersey Supreme Court will speak to Camden graduates of Rutgers Law School May 16.

Our students have demonstrated unwavering fortitude, adaptability and commitment on their extraordinary journey to academic success. We are excited to be putting the final touches on uplifting commencement festivities that will celebrate their achievements in style, Holloway said.

Freeman A. Hrabowski III, former president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will be awarded an honorary doctor of letters degree when he addresses graduates at the 258th anniversary commencement of Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Rutgers Health on May 12, 2024.Photo courtesy of Rutgers University

Hrabowski, who is speaking at the Rutgers-New Brunswick ceremony, was born in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1950. He participated in the Childrens Crusade, in which more than a thousand children took part in a protest for civil rights that resulted in mass arrests, prompting widespread outrage.

As an educator, much of his research has focused on science and math, with am emphasis on minority participation and performance in STEM  science, technology, engineering and mathematics. He co-authored four books on that subject, Rutgers officials said.

Hrabowski was president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County from 1992 to 2022. In April 2023, the National Academy of Sciences awarded Hrabowski the Public Welfare Medal, Rutgers said.

Trotter, who is speaking at the Rutgers-Newark ceremony, is a musician, author, actor and producer. The 51-year-old co-founded The Roots  the longtime house band on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon  with Questlove more than three decades ago. He has won three Grammy Awards and three NAACP Image Awards.

Trotter was the composer, lyricist and lead actor of the 2022 Off-Broadway production Black No More, based on Harlem Renaissance writer George Schuylers novel. He appeared in Tick, Tick... Boom! and the Apollo Theaters stage adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coatess Between the World and Me. He grew up in Philadelphia and now lives in Maplewood.

Rutgers also approved an honorary doctor of letters degree to Jelani Cobb, a staff writer since 2015 at The New Yorker and dean of the Columbia Journalism School since 2022. Cobb completed his masters degree and doctorate in American history at Rutgers University in 2003, the university said.

William Best, chair of the Board of Governors and former executive director of the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority, will receive an honorary doctor of laws degree at commencement.

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Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com.
Sydney Sweeney has two Emmy nominations and her recent film grossed more than $218 million worldwide.

But Carol Baum isnt having it.

Per a report from the Daily Mail, Baum, a Hollywood producer from New Jersey, recently criticized Sweeney at a public discussion after a screening of Dead Ringers, Baums 1988 film starring Jeremy Irons, directed by David Cronenberg.

Theres an actress who everybody loves now  Sydney Sweeney, Baum told New York Times critic Janet Maslin at a post-screening talk at Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, New York. (Maslin serves as president of the film centers board.)

I dont get Sydney Sweeney, Baum reportedly said. I was watching on the plane Sydney Sweeneys movie (Anyone But You) because I wanted to watch it. I wanted to know who she is and why everybodys talking about her. I watched this unwatchable movie  sorry to people who love this movie, (this) romantic comedy where they hate each other.

Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney in "Anyone But You."Columbia Pictures

Baum, who teaches producing as an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, went on.

I said to my class, Explain this girl to me. Shes not pretty, she cant act. Why is she so hot?

Nobody had an answer, Baum said. But then the question was asked, Well, if you could get your movie made because she was in it, would you do it? I said, Well, thats a really good question ... thats a very hard question to answer because we all want to get the movie made and who walks away from a green light? Nobody I know. Your job is to get the movie made.

As a producer, Baum, a former studio vice president at Twentieth Century Fox who hails from Maplewood, worked on movies like Snow Falling on Cedars, Fly Away Home Father of the Bride, Father of the Bride Part II, I.Q. and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She was co-president of Dolly Partons Sandollar Productions.

Anyone But You, the romantic comedy Baum panned, which stars Sweeney and Glen Powell, was the one that brought in $218 million worldwide.

Sweeneys most recent film, horror movie Immaculate, for which she served as a producer, was released in March.

After Baums comments made the rounds, a representative for Sweeney, 26, hit back.

Sydney Sweeney and Jacob Elordi in "Euphoria." Sweeney received an Emmy nomination for playing Cassie Howard in the HBO show. It was one of two nominations she received in 2022. Eddy Chen | HBO

How sad that a woman in the position to share her expertise and experience chooses instead to attack another woman, they said in a statement to Variety. If thats what shes learned in her decades in the industry and feels is appropriate to teach to her students, thats shameful. To unjustly disparage a fellow female producer speaks volumes about Ms. Baums character.

TMZ reported that Baum is already expressing regret over the whole thing and wishes she never wouldve made her original comments.

Baums website includes a supportive quote from Mike White, creator and writer-director of HBOs The White Lotus. (Carol Baum was the first real producer who saw my potential as a creator. She has always been one of the most astute, wise, kind, funny and indefatigable producers in our business and working with her was a total pleasure.)

Sweeney, the actor who Baum said cant act, received a 2022 Emmy nomination for her performance as Olivia Mossbacher in the first season of The White Lotus.

The same year, she was nominated for an Emmy for playing Cassie Howard in HBOs Euphoria.

Maslin addressed Baums comments on X, formerly Twitter.

She agreed with Baums assessment of Anyone But You

It IS unwatchable, Maslin said.

Replying to a comment that Sweeney was fantastic in Euphoria and The White Lotus, she agreed with the Lotus sentiment (she hasnt seen Euphoria) and elaborated.

We brought up Anyone But You because its been the rare smash hit rom-com at a time when they arent working, Maslin said. Not because we wanted to take cheap shots at anyone.

Agree on The White Lotus. I havent seen Euphoria yet.



We brought up Anyone But You because its been the rare smash hit rom-com at a time when they arent working. Not because we wanted to take cheap shots at anyone.  Janet Maslin (@JanetMaslin) April 17, 2024

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Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup.
A former bank employee pleaded guilty Wednesday to taking over $105,000 in federal retirement benefits from a deceased customers account, U.S. Attorney Phillip R. Sellinger said Thursday.

Jorge Nova, 35, of Passaic, admitted to one count of wire fraud in federal court and faces sentencing scheduled for Oct. 18.

Nova was an employee at a commercial bank in Nutley between 2011 and April 2015. He began withdrawing money from the customers account soon after the mans death in August 2014, federal authorities said.

The Social Security Administration was never notified of the customers death and continued monthly deposits of $2,373 into the deceased customers account for over four years, authorities said.

Nova withdrew over $105,000 from the customers account using debit cards issued in the customers name, authorities said.

Nova created new accounts with a money service provider in the customers name to withdraw money from a second account associated with the customer, authorities said.

He withdrew a total of $45,000 between January 2015 and July 2016, and an additional $60,000 from the accounts between August 2016 and October 2018, authorities said.

An attorney for Nova did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X
Two high ranking Jersey City gang members were indicted on racketeering conspiracy charges for their roles in at least two shootings since 2019 and allegedly controlling a large portion of narcotics in the area, U.S. District Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said Wednesday.

Kenneth Harrigan, 27, and Darion Canary, 31, both of Jersey City were charged with racketeering conspiracy that included murder, a shooting and narcotics distribution. The two were already in federal custody on previously filed federal charges and were detained after their arraignment in Newark federal court Tuesday, authorities said.

Harrigan and Canary, also known as Kenny OGM and Goon respectively, were members of a street gang in the Wilkinson neighborhood ofJersey City and since 2019, and committed multiple acts of violence, authorities said. Officials alleged a July 2019 incident when the pair and another accomplice allegedly traveled to a rival gangs territory in Jersey City and shot multiple people, killing one.

In a separate shooting, officials said Canary, along with others went to a concert where an opposing gang member was performing in Newark on Jan. 1. They shot a rival before fleeing back to Jersey City, authorities said. Canary was living in a halfway house at the time as part of his sentencing on a related federal narcotics conviction, authorities said.

Investigators said they witnessed and documented dozens of drug transactions in the Wilkinson neighborhood during a months-long investigation, and claim that Harrigan was a primary supplier of narcotics in the area.

Harrigan and Canary along with four other associates were previously charged with drug trafficking offenses in December 2021, officials said.

Mr. Harrigan is wrongly accused of the alleged offenses, Harrigans attorney Paul Condon said on Thursday. We look forward to challenging the charges lodged against him in Court.

Canarys attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday evening.

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A 20-year-old New Jersey man was arrested and charged with manslaughter exactly one year after authorities in New York say he caused a crash that killed a U.S. Marine.

Valentino Merceda and Cyrus Silverio were speeding south on the Palisades Interstate Parkway at 9:45 p.m. on April 13, 2023 in separate BMWs near the Clarkstown exit when both tried to pass a third car, New York State Police said in a statement.

Mercada and Silverios vehicles collided when both attempted to merge into the right lane, officials said. That caused Silverios car to overturn before crashing into the third vehicle and a rock bridge abutment.

Silverio, 20, of Clifton, was pronounced dead at the scene. A Private First Class in the U.S. Marine Corps, Silverio served with Marine Aircraft Group 49 and was stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, according to an online obituary. Silverio, a 2022 graduate of Clifton High School, is survived by his parents, brother and grandparents as well as an aunt and uncle.

Merceda, 20, of Clifton, was being held at the Rockland County jail following his arrest on Saturday. Attorney information wasnt immediately available.
President Biden just moved to bring more private gun sales under regulation and make the sellers do a background check to make sure the buyer is mentally stable, a common-sense safety measure supported by 9 in 10 Americans.

Even that is too much for the NRAs boys in Washington. Senator John Cornyn, of Texas, immediately denounced Bidens modest move as a power grab!
One of three Passaic County corrections officers accused of organizing an assault on a detainee at the Passaic County Jail plead guilty Thursday to conspiring to cover up the incident, U.S. District Attorney Phillip R. Sellinger said.

Lorenzo Bowden, 39, pleaded guilty in Newark federal court Thursday to one count of conspiring to obstruct justice, Sellinger said.

Lorenzo Bowden, a correctional officer, admitted today that he helped transport a detainee to an area where there were no video cameras and stood by while other officers repeatedly hit and assaulted the handcuffed detainee who posed no threat, Sellinger said. The vast majority of law enforcement officers understand the trust placed in them by our community when they wear the badge. But when law enforcement officers abuse the trust the community places in them  when they violate the constitutional rights of the people of New Jersey, including prisoners, they will be held accountable.

The assault followed an incident on Jan. 22, 2021 when the detainee squirted a fluid mixture containing urine on one of the officers, authorities said. Bowden admitted the following day to escorting the detainee through a corridor that did not have video surveillance, known as the blind spot where two other officers assault the detainee, officials said.

The two other officers have been charged in the incident, as well. They allegedly assaulted the detainee while handcuffed, knocking him to the ground and striking him multiple times, officials said. Bowden admitted to not stepping in to stop the assault, according to authorities.

After receiving grand jury subpoenas in April 2022, the officers and others met to discuss the investigation and agreed not to cooperate and deny that the detainee was assaulted, officials said.

In October 2022, Bowden told investigators that the detainee had not been assaulted and denied having met with the other officers accused in the case, authorities said.

Bowdens attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday afternoon.

The status of the cases against the other two accused officers was not immediately clear.

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Jumilyha Lowery hasnt stopped counting the days since her brother, Jameek, stumbled into Paterson police headquarters, screaming that someone was trying to kill him.

Its been five years, three months and five days, Jumilyha said recently of the morning of Jan. 5, 2019, when Jameek burst into the police station high on drugs and in the throes of an emotional breakdown. Not a day goes by that I dont count, she said.

Earlier that morning, Jameek went to St. Josephs Hospital to seek help, according to a lawsuit filed by his family. But he was quickly discharged after he became agitated and scuffled with security.

He later arrived  barefoot  at the police station, where he did a Facebook Live video in which he screamed that the police were going to kill him. Afterward, police accompanied him in an ambulance to the hospital, attempting to restrain him as he thrashed about, the lawsuit claims. Upon arrival, he had sustained bruises to his face and was in cardiac arrest. Two days later, he died, sparking angry protests.

The autopsy conducted by the State Medical Examiner attributed the cause of death to cardiac arrest during active psychosis while under the influence of Acute N-Ethyl Pentylone, a street drug known as bath salts. The Passaic County Prosecutors Office later cleared police and medics of using excessive force.

But the results of a recently publicized independent autopsy run counter to the official story. The independent autopsy, conducted by noted forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden at the behest of Lowerys family, suggests that Jameek was killed.

Lowery was the victim of blunt force trauma to the face, jaw, arms and chest, according to the Associated Press, which obtained a copy of the Baden report and published a story on March 29. The report said Baden concluded that Jameeks death was a homicide.

The Prosecutors office is standing by its initial report.

Baden, a longtime consultant and a former medical examiner for New York City, has conducted numerous independent autopsies in high-profile cases. In recent years, hes offered opinions on the deaths of George Floyd, whose death at the hands of Minneapolis police in 2020 sparked nationwide riots and protests, and Michael Brown, the unarmed Black teenager who was fatally shot in 2014 by police in Ferguson, Missouri.

The Lowery family hired Baden in 2019 as it prepared to sue for wrongful death.

In his report on Lowery, Baden wrote that he found evidence of compressive choking, the AP reported.

Further, while the county prosecutor had said publicly that Lowery had no broken bones, Baden wrote that X-rays taken before the state autopsy revealed multiple fresh traumatic fractures of the fingers on Lowerys left hand, the AP said. Baden concluded that Lowerys death was a homicide, and not an accident, as the Passaic County Prosecutors Office has maintained.

Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia Valdes did not respond to phone messages and an email request for comment.

But in an Aug. 12, 2019 statement in which she made public the findings of the state medical examiners autopsy, Valdes said the police use of force was unrelated to Lowerys death.

The Medical Examiner determined that the ingestion of the bath salts by Mr. Lowery coupled with pre-existing medical conditions triggered an adverse reaction including multiple organ failures and cardiac arrest that ultimately led to his death, Valdes wrote. This reaction was occurring during the police and medical personnels interaction with Mr. Lowery and was independent and unrelated to any force utilized.

Valdes wrote there was no evidence that the first responders caused Lowerys death. She said the prosecutors office consulted with the state Attorney Generals Office but determined that the officers actions did not violate state use-of-force guidelines.

The overall investigation did not reveal any evidence of correlation between the actions of the responding officers or firefighters, including any force used by the officers, and Mr. Lowerys death, she said in the 2019 statement.

The Associated Press report on the Baden autopsy is a walkup to a PBS/Frontline documentary about the often-deadly consequences of police restraint scheduled to air nationally on public television stations on April 30.

The documentary concludes that Black people make up roughly 12% of the population but were victims in one-third of the fatal encounters with police. The Lowery case is featured prominently in the documentary.

The state Attorney Generals Office took command of the Paterson police department in 2023, seeking to root out corruption and restore public confidence amid numerous complaints of police brutality and wrongful deaths. In January, the department announced that 48 officers had completed training in hostage negotiation and crisis intervention, a course that teaches officers how to de-escalate a situation rather than use force to resolve it.

The AGs office declined to comment on the findings in the Baden report.

Lowery died just weeks before a change in state law took police-involved death investigations out of the hands of county prosecutors, requiring instead that the Attorney Generals Office conduct them. His death prompted protesters to storm Patersons City Hall, angry about the death of another Black man in police custody and skeptical that the prosecutors office would conduct a fair and impartial investigation. Some activists still want the Department of Justice to reopen the investigation into Jameeks death.

All this does for us is increase the need for the Department of Justice to come in and take a look at this case, said Zellie Thomas, the Paterson organizer for Black Lives Matter. You look at Jameeks face when hes doing his Facebook Live in the police station, and there are no bruises. Then he gets to the hospital, hes in cardiac arrest, and there are bruises all over his face.

As a matter of policy, the U.S. Attorneys Office does not confirm if an investigation is underway. But a spokesman said it is watching the Lowery case.

While we cannot comment on whether the [U.S. Attorneys Office] is investigating a specific matter, the office is committed to obtaining and reviewing all relevant evidence regarding potential federal civil rights crimes, said Matthew Reilly, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorneys Office in Newark.

The Lowery family hired Baden days after Jameeks death to conduct an independent autopsy. In July 2020, a lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court, accusing the hospital of medical negligence and Paterson police officers of using excessive force.

The lawsuit names Paterson police officers Michael Avila, Kyle Mucio Lucero and Kyle Wanamaker, St. Josephs University Medical Center and the City of Paterson. St. Josephs has since settled, according to an attorney assigned to the case.

The attorneys for Avila and Wanamaker declined to comment.

But Luceros attorney, Joel M. Miklacki, stood by prosecutors findings and the state medical examiners report.

This matter was independently investigated by the Passaic County Prosecutors Office, and they spoke to dozens of witnesses and reviewed hours of video tapes, Miklacki said. They generated a report of over 250 pages. They independently came to the conclusion that the officers did nothing wrong.

The case appears to be headed for trial and U.S. District Court Judge Andre S. Espinosa has set a May 30 deadline for attorneys to complete depositions of expert witnesses.

Jumilyha Lowery said the Associated Press report wasnt news to her. She said Baden read the results during a teleconference call with her, her mother and aunt five years ago.

He said it was a homicide in his eyes, she said. He said my brother died in the back of the ambulance. My brother had no pulse when he arrived at the hospital.

Jumilyha said she made a promise after he brothers death to seek justice.

This isnt about the money, she said. I want justice to be served.

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Richard Cowen may be reached at rcowen@njadvancemedia.com.
When the sneakers didnt sell, the Bibles bombed and Truth Social crashed, Donald Trump went back to basics to raise money  picking pockets.

In a letter received by Republican digital vendors this week, the Trump presidential campaign is demanding down-ballot candidates who use his name, image and likeness in fundraising appeals to fork over at least 5% of the proceeds to the campaign.

Beginning tomorrow, we ask that all candidates and committees who choose to use President Trumps name, image, and likeness split a minimum of 5% of all fundraising solicitations to Trump National Committee JFC. This includes but is not limited to sending to the house file, prospecting vendors, and advertising, Trump co-campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita wrote in the letter, which is dated April 15, according to Politico.

Any split that is higher than 5% will be seen favorably by the RNC and President Trumps campaign and is routinely reported to the highest levels of leadership within both organizations.

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In other words, kick back more than 5% and candidates are more likely to get an endorsement or personal visit from Trump on the campaign trail.

With Trump already taking control of the RNC and steering funds to pay his legal bills and other expenses, Republican analysts have warned that there wont be money for down-ballot candidates. And now Trump is squeezing them even more.

Trump officials are insisting the policy isnt being implemented because Trump lags far behind President Joe Biden in fundraising. Instead, its to discourage scammers from using Trumps name.

That, of course, is silly, because scammers arent going to be dissuaded, and Trumps campaign could sue those who violate any laws.

Bidens campaign has said that it has raised over $190 million, more than double what Trump has banked.

The letter says candidates cannot speak on behalf of President Trump, mention of the Presidents family without their consent or the consent of the campaign, or [impersonate] President Trump or his campaign.

It warns: Any vendor whose clients ignore the guidelines mentioned above will be held responsible for their clients actions, and that Repeated violations will result in the suspension of business relationships between the vendor and Trump National Committee JFC. This includes list rental agreements.

Trump, of course, is on trial in Manhattan. He has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels during the final days of the 2016 presidential election. He faces up to four years in prison if he is convicted.

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U.S. Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr., D-10th Dist., remains hospitalized more than a week after the New Jersey congressman was stricken with heart issues related to the 65-year-olds ongoing battle with diabetes.

There has been no change in the congressmans condition, a spokesman for his office said Thursday.

In an earlier statement, Paynes office said he had suffered a cardiac episode last week based on complications stemming from his diabetes.

Today, he is in stable condition at a local hospital and continues to be under doctors care. While we hope for a full recovery, we ask everyone to keep him in your prayers, said the statement.

The Newark native, whose district covers portions of Essex, Hudson, and Union counties, has been in Congress since 2012, succeeding his father, Rep. Donald Payne Sr., who died from colon cancer.

He is running unopposed for re-election in the June 4 Democratic primary.

Paynes absence from Washington, meanwhile, could have political ramifications as the House prepares to vote on a massive aid package opposed by hardline Republicans as soon as this weekend that will need Democratic support in the chamber where the GOP holds only a thin majority. That floor vote would authorize $60.8 billion to bolster Ukraine, $26.4 billion to support Israel, and billions more for Taiwan to counter China in the Indo-Pacific.

Payne has spoken openly of his struggles with diabetes, talking last year of the impact the Inflation Reduction Act had on capping the price of insulin to $35 for millions of Medicare beneficiaries.

As a diabetic and insulin user, this is medication we need to stay alive. American companies have been overcharging for insulin and profiting off the backs of diabetics for years, he said. It forces too many of them to choose between food or medicine. No American should have to make that choice.

In the past, he has noted that each year more than 7.2 million Americans discharged from the hospital are listed as having diabetes.

I am one of them, he said.

__

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Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @TedShermanSL.
A judge dismissed one of the seven jurors already selected for former President Donald Trumps New York criminal case Monday after the woman told the court that people she knew were able to identify her.

The woman told Justice Juan Merchan she worried about her ability to be fair and impartial. Merchan then directed media covering the trial to not report on jurors physical appearances and other attributes that could make then identifiable to people outside of the courtroom.

Fox News host Jesse Watters on Tuesday broadcast extensive biographical details about Juror No. 2  her neighborhood, occupation, education, marital and family status, and information about her fiance.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records as part of an alleged effort to keep salacious  and, he says, bogus  stories about his sex life from emerging during his 2016 campaign. On Monday, Trump called the case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg a scam and witch hunt.

The charges center on $130,000 in payments that Trumps company made to his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen. He paid that sum on Trumps behalf to keep porn actor Stormy Daniels from going public with her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier. Trump has denied the sexual encounter ever happened.

Fox News host Jesse Watters on Tuesday broadcast extensive biographical details about Juror No. 2 -- her neighborhood, occupation, education, marital and family status, and what industry her fiance works in.



He concluded by saying, "I'm not so sure about Juror No. 2."



He pic.twitter.com/PCMMOvnoGw  Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) April 18, 2024

Prosecutors say the payments to Cohen were falsely logged as legal fees. Prosecutors have described it as part of a scheme to bury damaging stories Trump feared could help his opponent in the 2016 race, particularly as Trumps reputation was suffering at the time from comments he had made about women.

Trump has acknowledged reimbursing Cohen for the payment and that it was designed to stop Daniels from going public about the alleged encounter. But Trump has previously said it had nothing to do with the campaign.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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A juror, who admitted she could not be impartial and was dismissed from Donald Trumps hush-money trial on Thursday, said the former president looks more yellow than orange, and he appears bored.

He looked less orange. Definitely, like, more yellow, yellow, she told MSNBC after being dismissed.  He doesnt look angry ... I think he looks bored. Like, he wants this to finish and go do his stuff.

She told MSNBC that she became a citizen in August and this was her first call to jury duty. She said other potential jurors  initially shocked when they realized they were in the Trump jury pool  understand the significance of the first criminal trial for an ex-president.

Yeah, how historic it was going to be, she said. Everybody [is] saying its a historical case and, you know, this is going to define so many things.

But at the same time, our job as a juror, right, is to be impartial ... to be unbiased. So it was yeah, it was, you know, weird, like, the whole atmosphere. Like, you know, such an important case and the same time, weird.

Two seated jurors were dismissed on Thursday. One was excused after expressing doubts about her ability to be fair and impartial and worried that her identity had been compromised.

The other was dismissed after prosecutors raised questions about the accuracy of his answers during selection process.

The dismissals on Thursday bring down to five the number of jurors seated so far.

NEW: And then there were five. Following one jurors confession that she cannot be fair and impartial, especially in light of the public attention to the trial, and Judge Merchans now having excused a second juror after confidential questioning, we only have 5 seated jurors now.  Lisa Rubin (@lawofruby) April 18, 2024

The jury selection process picked up momentum Tuesday with the selection of seven jurors. But on Thursday, Judge Juan Merchan revealed in court that one of the seven, a cancer nurse, had conveyed that after sleeping on it overnight she had concerns about her ability to be fair and impartial in this case.

And though jurors names are being kept confidential, the woman said her family members and friends questioned her about being a juror.

MORE POLITICS

Ex-Navy SEAL tells disgraced ex-Fox host Tucker Carlson where to go

GOP Gov. who ripped Trump, then came crawling back: My political career is over

OMG (Oh, my Godfather!) Ranting Trump confuses Jimmy Kimmel with legendary actor

The trial centers on a $130,000 payment that Trumps lawyer and personal fixer, Michael Cohen, made shortly before the 2016 election to porn actor Stormy Daniels to prevent her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump from becoming public in the races final days.

Prosecutors say Trump obscured the true nature of the payments in internal records when his company reimbursed Cohen, who pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2018 and is expected to be a star witness for the prosecution.

Trump has denied having a sexual encounter with Daniels, and his lawyers argue that the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses.

Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He could get up to four years in prison if convicted, though its not clear that the judge would opt to put him behind bars. Trump would almost certainly appeal any conviction.

The hush money case is one of four criminal prosecutions involving Trump as he vies to reclaim the White House, but its possible that it will be the sole case to reach trial before Novembers presidential election.

The AP contributed to this report.
Thats a wrap?

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has referred to former President Donald Trump as an asshole, once joked that he belongs in a mental institution, and campaigned like hell for Trump rival Nikki Haley. But after Haley dropped out, he was back on Team Trump.

But, he says, hes not supporting Trump because he wants to be in his good graces. It doesnt matter to him. Hes getting out of politics altogether.

From The Washington Post: Sununu has stood by his criticisms of Trump, and he assures us that hes not thinking about his seat at the table. My careers over. Im leaving, says the governor, who plans to enter the private sector after his current term ends. Im not running again. My political career  I have no political career. But as a Republican, who likes Republican policies and dislikes Democratic ones, what he really wants is Republicans occupying the seats at the top of administrative agencies  the Environmental Protection Agency, the Treasury, the Justice Department. If a Republican-led executive branch means putting Trump back in the Oval Office, well 

Sununu had said when he was campaigning for Haley that hed get behind Trump if he were the nominee. Thought it seemed odd to some given what hed said about the former president.

It wont be his party forever. Right? It just wont. At some point, Donald Trump wont be here forever, Sununu said as recently as February. Let me put it a different way: Assholes come and go. But America is here to stay.

And then there was the Gridiron Clubs spring dinner in 2022. Admittedly, the point of the event is to roast people. But Trump is notorious for enjoying being the butt of jokes (think of the infamous 2011 White House correspondents dinner).

Hes f---ing crazy! Sununu said at the event, adding, The press often will ask me if I think Donald Trump is crazy. And Ill say it this way: I dont think hes so crazy that you could put him in a mental institution. But I think if he were in one, he aint getting out!

Trump, for his part, has called Sununu a spoiled brat.

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A necessary read for the girls, gays and theys and our allies as we navigate a rapidly changing, culturally fraught, complicated country where our bodies are constantly being legislated. Sign up for Honey today!

Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common STI in the U.S. and is the biggest risk factor for developing cervical cancer, now accounting for 90% of anal and cervical cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Though its deadly effects can be prevented through early detection, barriers to testing prevent some women from screening to catch HPV before it develops into cancer. A new study by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is looking to explore how effective self-tests are, which could prove to be monumental for women between the ages of 35 and 44, who are most frequently diagnosed, according to the American Cancer Society.

The Cervical Cancer Last Mile Initiative is a public-private partnership between NCI and 24 sites around the country, including the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center (UC), who will conduct trials allowing patients to self-collect vaginal samples for HPV testing in hopes of improving cervical cancer prevention and proving that at home collections are as effective and accurate of those done at clinics.

Dr. Leeya Pinder is an associate professor in the UC College of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the local principal investigator of the trial. She says that this method is simple enough for patients to do at home and remain effective.

It really gives people the opportunity to just do a vaginal swab or a cervico-vaginal swab so that they can get tested for high-risk HPV, which is usually the driver of cervical precancer and cervical cancer, she said. What weve been trying to do over the last several years is prove that women can actually do HPV testing on their own.

Though self-collection HPV testing is not currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, similar programs have already been piloted in Latin American and European countries. In Sweden, to ensure testing was still done during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown in 2020, HPV self-testing kits were sent to women in the country between the ages of 23 and 29, who had previously been offered screening through pap smears. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 330,000 self-sampling kits were sent out in Stockholm alone, resulting in a 10% increase in testing in one year.

With the new measures against human papillomavirus (HPV), we predict that cervical cancer elimination in Sweden could happen 5 years from now. If the pandemic had not occurred, it would have been much, much slower, Professor Joakim Dillner, a cancer specialist at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden told WHO.

He explained that self-testing could cut global healthcare services time and costs tied to bringing providers into clinics to conduct tests.

The self-sampling kit is not highly specialized. Its basically the same thing as a mascara brush that a woman might use for her eyelashes, said Dillner. These are very simple, low-cost sampling kits that are part of the HPV screening test.

Vaccinations, screening encouraged but not everyone can access care

HPV vaccines have proven to be effective in the U.S., reducing cervical cancer rates in women between 20 to 24 by 11% annually from 2012 to 2019. However, vaccinations are usually only offered to pre-teens and teenagers, and not recommended past 26, as most adults by this age have already been exposed to HPV.

With over half of cervical cancer cases occurring in patients who had never been screened or were not regularly screened, intervention through HPV testing is essential to decreasing the deadly effects. The American Cancer Society estimates that 4,360 women in the U.S. will die from cervical cancer in 2024, with Black and Latina women most at risk.

While Latinas have the highest rates of getting cervical cancer, Black women have the highest mortality rates of the disease, a paradox pointed out by a 2021 KFF report, which noted that Black women also have the highest rates of pap smear testing. About 79% of Black women reported having a pap smear in the past two years, compared to 68% of white women, 66% of Latinas and 65% of Asian women.

Insurance is a major barrier to receiving preventative care, including pap tests. Women with low-incomes, BIPOC and undocumented women are more likely to be uninsured. According to KFF, 20% of Hispanic and American Indian and Alaska Native women are insured in 2022.

Pinder said that self-testing could make preventative care accessible to those facing the most barriers.

Those populations include those who sometimes struggle with substance abuse, sometimes have a history of trauma or other kinds of abuse, those that are concerned about their immigration status or actually, many things, she said. These are reaching the people who for whatever reason do not have great access to a health care provider to get their cervical cancer screening.
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Periods of rain. Low near 35F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
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A Barnstaple man is gearing up for an extraordinary journey across the Sahara Desert this November, all in the name of charity.

With the noble aim of raising funds for Devon hospitals, Reuben Jay, aged 23, is set to embark on a challenging five-day trek through rugged terrain followed by two days of volunteering on a community project.

Reuben aims to raise 2,500 ahead of his trip.

Speaking exclusively to the North Devon Gazette, Reuben explained his motivation behind the daring adventure.

I am trekking across the Sahara Desert in order to raise money for Devon hospitals, he explained.

I'm hoping it will help raise awareness for the Royal Devon Hospitals Charity and will help me raise sponsorships towards my walk.

Reuben, who has already participated in a fundraising event for the same charity, emphasised the personal significance of the cause.

"This challenge is important to me, not just because it will be a great personal achievement, but because of the charity it supports," he shared.

"My mother, partner, and several of my friends work for the NHS, so the Royal Devon Hospitals Charity, which supports NHS staff, patients, and their families, is one I feel should receive more acknowledgement and support."

The funds raised through Jay's endeavour will benefit the Royal Devon Hospitals Charity, which provides crucial support to the North Devon District Hospital, the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and 17 community hospitals.

Reuben, however, is not the only one participating in this amazing charitable challenge.

He is actually part of a 12-member team taking on the trek for the charity.

Most of the team are from North Devon, with time remaining to sign up if and join in!

Those interested in in being apart of the Royal Devon Charity Sahara Trek can sign up here: www.royaldevoncharity.org.uk/event/sahara-trek-2024/

Additionally, the charity aids the Fern Centre at NDDH, a vital facility offering free therapy, counselling, and accommodation to cancer patients and their families.

Expressing a mix of nerves and excitement, Reuben acknowledged the daunting challenge that lies ahead.

"I am both nervous and excited about what I have signed up for," he admitted.

"I'm aware that it is going to be extremely challenging, but I'm sure it will be equally as rewarding."

Detailing the logistics of the trek, Reuben revealed that apart from brief stays in Marrakech and Ouarzazate, in Morocco, the majority of the journey will be spent sleeping under the stars in the desert, fully exposed to the elements.

As Reuben prepares to embark on this remarkable adventure, he extends a heartfelt appeal for support.

"This is the second fundraising event I have taken part in for the charity, and any donations would be greatly appreciated," he emphasised.

To support Reuben, follow this link: https://rdhc.enthuse.com/pf/reuben-jay
Archivo - COMUNICADO: Infosys to Acquire Leading Engineering R&D services provider, in-tech

Archivo - COMUNICADO: Infosys to Acquire Leading Engineering R&D services provider, in-tech - INFOSYS/PR NEWSWIRE - Archivo

(Informacion remitida por la empresa firmante)

FY25 guidance - revenue growth of 1%-3% and operating margin of 20%-22%

BENGALURU, India, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Infosys (NSE: INFY) (BSE: INFY) (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, delivered $18.6 billion in FY24 revenues with a growth of 1.4% in constant currency and operating margin of 20.7%. Free Cash Flow was strong at $2,882 million, an increase of 13.7% over FY 23. Large deal TCV for FY24 was highest ever at $17.7 billion, with 52% being net new.

Q4 revenues were at $4,564 million, flat year on year and decrease of 2.2% sequentially in constant currency. Large deal TCV for the quarter was $4.5 billion, with 44% being net new. Operating margin for the quarter was 20.1%, a sequential decrease of 40 bps. Free Cash Flow was robust at $848 million.

"We delivered the highest ever large deal value in the financial year 2024. This reflects the strong trust clients have in us. Our capabilities in Generative AI continue to expand. We are working on client programs leveraging large language models with impact across software engineering, process optimization, and customer support, said Salil Parekh, CEO and MD. "I would like to thank our 317,000 employees across the world that are working to create value for our clients." he added.

Guidance for FY25:

Revenue growth of 1%-3% in constant currency

Operating margin of 20%-22%

1. Key highlights:

"Free cash flow of $848 million in Q4 was highest in the last 11 quarters driven by our relentless focus to improve working capital cycle. Consistent with the objective of giving high and predictable returns to shareholders, the Board has approved the capital allocation policy under which the company expects to return 85% over the next 5 years and progressively increase annual Dividend Per Share", said Jayesh Sanghrajka, CFO. "Operating margin expansion in the medium-term and improving cash generation continue to remain our priorities underpinned by early success in Project Maximus", he added.

2. Capital Allocation

For the Financial Year 2024, the Board recommended a final dividend of `20 per share (0.24 per ADS) and additionally a special dividend of `8 per share (0.10 per ADS*). With this, the total payout over FY20  FY 24 will be 85% of Free Cash Flow, in line with our capital allocation policy announced earlier.

The Board in its meeting held on April 18, 2024 has reviewed and approved the capital allocation policy for the next 5 years from FY25  FY29 after taking into consideration the strategic and operational cash requirements as below.

"Effective from financial year 2025, the Company expects to continue its policy of returning approximately 85% of the free cash flow cumulatively over a 5-year period through a combination of semi-annual dividends and/or share buyback/ special dividends subject to applicable laws and requisite approvals, if any."

Under this policy, the Company expects to progressively increase its annual Dividend Per Share (excluding special dividend if any).

Free cash flow is defined as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditure as per the consolidated statement of cash flows prepared under IFRS. Dividend and buyback include applicable taxes.

*USD/INR rate of `83.41

3. Update on India Income Tax Orders

During the quarter ending March 31, 2024, the Company received orders under sections 250 and 254 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, from the Income Tax Authorities in India for the assessment years, 2007-08 to 2015-16, 2017-18 and 2018-19. These orders confirmed the Company's position with respect to tax treatment of certain contentious matters. As a result, interest income (pre-tax) of $232 million was recognized and provision for income tax aggregating $63 million was reversed with a corresponding credit to the Statement of Profit and Loss. Also, upon resolution of the disputes, an amount aggregating to $196 million has been reduced from contingent liabilities.

4. Update on Financial Services Client

During Q4, we had rescoping and renegotiation of one of the large contracts in the financial services segment leading to a one-time impact of approximately 100bps in Q4. Nearly 85% of the scope of the contract continues as-is.

5. Client wins & testimonials

Infosys announced a strategic collaboration with Musgrave to help automate their IT operations by leveraging its industry leading AI and Cloud offerings, Infosys Topaz and Infosys Cobalt. Stephen Mckenna , Chief Technology Officer, Musgrave , said, "I am delighted by our recently announced collaboration with Infosys, which will enable us to leverage Infosys' expertise and resources to deliver innovative solutions to all our customers and retail partners. Musgrave has always been committed to providing our customers with the best possible service, and this collaboration is a testament to that commitment. We are confident that this collaboration will result in new and exciting products and services that will benefit all our customers."

, said, "I am delighted by our recently announced collaboration with Infosys, which will enable us to leverage Infosys' expertise and resources to deliver innovative solutions to all our customers and retail partners. Musgrave has always been committed to providing our customers with the best possible service, and this collaboration is a testament to that commitment. We are confident that this collaboration will result in new and exciting products and services that will benefit all our customers." Infosys collaborated with PROG Holdings, Inc. to bring AI-powered experiences to their customers and intelligent automation to their operations, as an integral part of PROG Holdings' ongoing cloud and AI-focused technology modernization and innovation efforts. Steve Michaels , President and CEO of PROG Holdings , said, "We look forward to working with Infosys to develop and enhance key systems that positively impact the speed to market, agility, and scalability of key PROG Holdings technologies and platforms. We expect our collaboration with Infosys will reduce friction for both our customers and retail partners, further solidifying PROG Holdings' position atop the virtual lease-to-own industry we helped create twenty-five years ago."

, said, "We look forward to working with Infosys to develop and enhance key systems that positively impact the speed to market, agility, and scalability of key PROG Holdings technologies and platforms. We expect our collaboration with Infosys will reduce friction for both our customers and retail partners, further solidifying PROG Holdings' position atop the virtual lease-to-own industry we helped create twenty-five years ago." Infosys collaborated with Pacific International Lines (PIL) to accelerate their digital transformation initiative by helping revamp PIL's existing customer portal and deploying a scalable and modern technology platform, aimed at creating a positive impact for PIL's key stakeholders across the shipping and logistics ecosystem. Lionel Patrice Chatelet, Chief Commercial Officer, Pacific International Lines (PIL) , said, "We are looking for a partner who can not only bring technology but also play an advisory role in the journey of transformation. Infosys brings together a strong combination of right capabilities as well as highly collaborative ways of working. We are delighted to collaborate with Infosys."

, said, "We are looking for a partner who can not only bring technology but also play an advisory role in the journey of transformation. Infosys brings together a strong combination of right capabilities as well as highly collaborative ways of working. We are delighted to collaborate with Infosys." Resolution Life Australasia collaborated with Infosys to virtualize its mainframe systems by enabling a seamless migration to the cloud, enhancing the overall customer experience. Peter Histon , CIO of Resolution Life Australasia , said, "Infosys brought a number of proprietary accelerators to the table as part of the virtualization which helped us to deliver the solution rapidly. But beyond that, Infosys brought in a number of different people capabilities. We took a progressive approach around migration of the underlying applications. There were two very big releases. Infosys worked with us every step of the way."

, said, "Infosys brought a number of proprietary accelerators to the table as part of the virtualization which helped us to deliver the solution rapidly. But beyond that, Infosys brought in a number of different people capabilities. We took a progressive approach around migration of the underlying applications. There were two very big releases. Infosys worked with us every step of the way." zooplus and Infosys have entered into a strategic eight- year collaboration to set up an AI-led product and technology hub in Hyderabad, India . Markus Hermanutz , Chief Information Officer, zooplus SE , said, "We are excited to have selected Infosys to set up a new AI-led hub through which we will drive our business growth ambition. With Infosys Topaz, we will achieve productivity and efficiency at scale, and attract the right talent for upcoming transformations across our e-commerce value chain."

. , said, "We are excited to have selected Infosys to set up a new AI-led hub through which we will drive our business growth ambition. With Infosys Topaz, we will achieve productivity and efficiency at scale, and attract the right talent for upcoming transformations across our e-commerce value chain." Infosys is expanding its successful collaboration with Hasbro, building on their initial achievements in the SAP S4 implementation. Together, they are advancing their relationship and strategy globally through a multi-year strategic engagement. Leveraging Infosys's expertise in AI and a proven experience led cognitive approach, Infosys is poised to support Hasbro's global business. This collaboration aims to drive operational excellence, foster innovation, and deliver superior experiences at scale for both customers and employees worldwide. Steve Zoltick , CIO & Head, Global Business Enablement, Hasbro , said, "Infosys is bringing the right talent to our collaboration allowing us to enhance our capabilities and achieve our Global Business Enablement goals".

, said, "Infosys is bringing the right talent to our collaboration allowing us to enhance our capabilities and achieve our Global Business Enablement goals". Infosys Finacle successfully implemented the Finacle Digital Lending Solution Suite in a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) mode for Regional Investment Corporation (RIC) which included the adoption of the Finacle Online Banking and Finacle Alerts Solution. Chris Rawlins , Executive Director Transformation, Regional Investment Corporation (RIC) , said, "At RIC, our mission is to nurture the growth of the Australian farm businesses through affordable loans, while also ensuring their resilience and profitability. With the Infosys Finacle Lending solution, we have a proven technology platform to support the evolving demands of our business and customers, with the agility to roll out new products and regulations as mandated by the Federal Government. The nine-month implementation by the Infosys Finacle team was delivered on schedule and we are impressed by the team's commitment to facilitate RIC in achieving a smooth transition without any disruptions to our customers."

, said, "At RIC, our mission is to nurture the growth of the Australian farm businesses through affordable loans, while also ensuring their resilience and profitability. With the Infosys Finacle Lending solution, we have a proven technology platform to support the evolving demands of our business and customers, with the agility to roll out new products and regulations as mandated by the Federal Government. The nine-month implementation by the Infosys Finacle team was delivered on schedule and we are impressed by the team's commitment to facilitate RIC in achieving a smooth transition without any disruptions to our customers." Infosys and Handlesblatt Media Group announced a strategic collaboration to support the Handelsblatt Research Institute (HRI) in making complex reports on global economic and financial topics more accessible and easily consumable for the public, by leveraging Infosys Topaz, an AI-first set of services, solutions and platforms using generative AI technologies. Dr. Jan Kleibrink , Managing Director, Handelsblatt Research Institute, said, "We are excited to collaborate with Infosys to offer cutting-edge, AI-enabled trend reports. One of the core tasks of the Handelsblatt Research Institute is to present complex economic relationships and the results of scientific analysis to a broad readership. We achieve this with texts of the highest journalistic quality and visual storytelling based on high-quality infographics. With Infosys as our AI and digital innovation partner, we now move to the next level of digital storytelling that is powered by AI."

6. Recognitions & Awards

AI and Cloud Services

Awarded ISO 42001:2023 certification for implementing an Artificial Intelligence Management System framework

Positioned as a leader in IDC MarketScape Worldwide Higher Education Cloud Professional Services Vendor Assessment

Positioned as a leader in HFS Horizons: Assuring the Generative Enterprise, 2024

Rated as a leader in ISG's Multi Public Cloud Services Provider Lens study

Rated as a leader in ISG's Intelligent Automation - Solutions and Services Provider Lens study in US and Europe

Key Digital Services

Rated as a leader in The Forrester Wave: Application Modernization And Migration Services, Q1 2024

Positioned as a leader in the Unified Communication & Collaboration (UCC) Specialist Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024 by Everest and ranked #1 in the UCC rating by Everest

Rated as a leader in Pega Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024 by Everest

Positioned as a leader in Application Transformation Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024  North America by Everest

by Everest Positioned as a leader in Application Transformation Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024  Europe by Everest

by Everest Positioned as a leader in Software Product Engineering Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024 by Everest

Rated as a leader in Talent Readiness for Next-generation IT Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2023 by Everest

Positioned as a leader in IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Blockchain Services 2024 Vendor Assessment

Rated as a leader in Cyber Resiliency NEAT 2024 by NelsonHall

Rated as a leader in Salesforce Services 2024 NEAT 2024 by NelsonHall

Rated as a leader in ShortList 2024: Custom Software Development Services by Constellation Research

Rated as a leader in ShortList 2024: Innovation Services and Engineering by Constellation Research

Rated as leader in ShortList 2024: Learning Marketplaces by Constellation Research

Rated as leader in ShortList 2024: Microsoft End-to-End Service Providers by Constellation Research

Rated as leader in ShortList 2024: QA Tools for NextGen Apps by Constellation Research

Recognized as a leader in Avasant's Retail Digital Services 2024 Radarview

Recognized as a leader in Avasant's SAP S/4HANA Services 20232024 Radarview

Rated as a leader in ISG's Environmental, Social and Governance Services (ESG) Provider Lens study in US, Europe and Global

Industry & Solutions

Positioned as a leader in Retail IT Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024 by Everest

Positioned as a leader in HFS Horizons: Manufacturing Intelligent Operations Services, 2024

Positioned as a leader in HFS Horizons: The Best Service Providers for Asset and Wealth Management

Rated as a leader in ESG Services in Banking 2024 by NelsonHall

Rated as a leader in Innovation Radar  Salesforce Related Services in Europe : The Communications & Media View by PAC, The Manufacturing View by PAC, The Energy & Utilities View by PAC, and The Financial Services View by PAC

: The Communications & Media View by PAC, The Manufacturing View by PAC, The Energy & Utilities View by PAC, and The Financial Services View by PAC Infosys Finacle along with its customers, won multiple industry awards at the Retail Banker International Asia Trailblazer Awards 2024. These include Infosys Finacle Mobile Teller awarded for Most Innovative Branch Offering; Infosys Finacle and HDFC awarded forExcellence in Mass Affluent Banking; Infosys Finacle and South Indian Bank awarded for Best CSR Initiative  Environmental Impact; Infosys Finacle and Suryoday Bank awarded for Best Core Banking System Initiative

Infosys BPM and T-Mobile won the SSON North America Impact Award 2024, in the Creative Talent Management category

Infosys BPM recognized at the ISG Digital Case Study Research and Awards 2023 with 3 STANDOUT winners: Banking and Financial Services ( India ), Communications ( Asia Pacific ), Retail (UK, Ireland , Scandinavia)

), Communications ( ), Retail (UK, , Scandinavia) Infosys BPM won the Best Workplace Diversity Award, at HR Tech Summit & Awards 2024

About Infosys

Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. Over 300,000 of our people work to amplify human potential and create the next opportunity for people, businesses and communities. We enable clients in more than 56 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer clients, as they navigate their digital transformation powered by the cloud. We enable them with an AI-powered core, empower the business with agile digital at scale and drive continuous improvement with always-on learning through the transfer of digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. We are deeply committed to being a well-governed, environmentally sustainable organization where diverse talent thrives in an inclusive workplace.

Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next.

Safe Harbor

Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, our future financial or operating performance, and the McCamish cybersecurity incident review and notification process are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding the execution of our business strategy, our ability to attract and retain personnel, our ability to effectively implement a hybrid working model, macro-economic and geo-political situations, technological innovations such as Generative AI, the complex and evolving regulatory landscape including immigration regulation changes, onerous terms and conditions in customer contracts, our ESG vision, our capital allocation policy and expectations concerning our market position, future operations, margins, profitability, liquidity, capital resources, our corporate actions including acquisitions, the findings of the ongoing review of the extent and nature of accessed or exfiltrated data in relation to the McCamish cybersecurity incident and reaction to such findings, the timing of the review and notification process, and the amount of any additional costs, including indemnities or damages / claims, resulting from the incident. Important factors that may cause actual results or outcomes to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements are discussed in more detail in our US Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law.

NOTES :

IFRS-INR Press Release: https://www.infosys.com/investors/reports-filings/quarterly-results/2023-2024/q4/documents/ifrs-inr-press-release.pdf

Fact sheet: https://www.infosys.com/investors/reports-filings/quarterly-results/2023-2024/q4/documents/fact-sheet.pdf

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TOLEDO, Ohio  A 31-year-old Hammond man drove several hours to Ohio with the intention of having a sexual encounter with a 7-year-old girl supposedly being offered up by an adult, officials said.

Instead, when Peter Clark stepped out of his silver BMW during the late morning hours of April 9 at the arranged site, he was greeted by members of the FBI's Toledo Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

Clark was taken into custody and among the items found in his vehicle was a sex toy and two bags of Skittles candy he had been told the girl liked, according to a federal charging document.

Clark, who is being held without bail at Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio and whose mugshot includes a hometown of Hammond, was charged in federal court with coercion or enticement, and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, records show.

The case against Clark began Aug. 4 when he allegedly responded to a disguised FBI post placed online at websites known to be frequented by adults with sexual interest in children, according to a charging document.

Man shot, robbed following allegations of theft, Region police say Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to call Gary Police Detective John Suttles at 219-881-1210.

"I'm m 29, but be honest not real sure what you're looking for," Clark allegedly wrote.

"Where ya from," the agent responded.

"I'm in Indiana," Clark reportedly wrote back.

Clark goes on to say he is attracted to younger girls, describes in graphic detail what he is looking for sexually and says he is interested in meeting the supposed adult and child, records show. He allegedly claimed to have had sexual contact prior with a "girl I used to sit for."

Clark reached out again to the undercover agent Jan. 8 saying, "Wouldn't mind spending the night somewhere," records show.

Portage man accused of jumping in idling car and leading cops on back-and-forth chase The woman said she left the vehicle running because she anticipated a short visit at the business.

He reached out April 1, saying there was a chance he would be in Ohio the following week, according to the charges, and sent a link from the dark web, a nude photo of a child and three photos of girls in swim suits he claims to have taken.

"There will be many skittles I promise you that," he allegedly wrote after being told the girl liked the candy.
VALPARAISO  A 62-year-old South Haven man, who was allegedly caught on a surveillance camera last fall setting a woman's house on fire as part of an ongoing pattern of harassment, was sentenced Thursday to six years behind bars, records show.

Timothy Burelison appeared before Porter Circuit Court Judge Mary DeBoer after pleading guilty to criminal counts of possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, possession of methamphetamine, attempted obstruction of justice and invasion of privacy.

DeBoer cited Burelison's criminal history, which includes 14 arrests resulting in two felony and five misdemeanor convictions, records show. Three of the offenses reportedly included possession or use of a firearm.

Prosecutors agreed to dismiss five other charges in the case, including arson, records show.

Porter County police said in October Burelison was seen pouring gasoline on the home of a woman he knows and then setting it on fire.

The woman said she later received a text message from Burelison saying, "are you having trouble sleeping?"

Hammond man seeking sex with Ohio child greeted by feds instead, records show Clark was taken into custody and among the items found in his vehicle was a sex toy and two bags of Skittles candy he had been told the girl liked, according to a federal charging document.

The incident occurred in the Pleasant Valley Manufactured Home Community in Portage Township, and the then-44-year-old woman told police she immediately suspected Burelison, who she said had been threatening her.

She said Burelison had driven by her home earlier and flashed a gun in her direction.

Another person staying at the burned house reportedly told police she had received a text message from Burelison saying, "This is a good day for you to move just saying."

Police said they viewed surveillance video footage showing Burelison carrying out the alleged arson.
Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, emerged today from talks with European diplomats resolute that his country would not bow to outside pressure in responding to the recent attack by Iran. Britains foreign secretary acknowledged after the meeting that an Israeli reprisal seemed inevitable.

It is clear that the Israelis are making a decision to act, David Cameron, the British foreign secretary, said. We hope that they do so in a way that does as little to escalate this as possible.

The British were not alone in urging Israeli restraint after Iran launched more than 300 missiles and drones at Israel over the weekend. The leaders of the U.S., Germany and other nations denounced Tehrans attack but pressed Netanyahu to avoid taking any action that could spur a wider war.

A spokesman for the State Department said today that the U.S. was pushing for a unified diplomatic response to the Iranian attack. But the spokesman added, These decisions are for Israel to make as a sovereign, democratic country.
The president of Columbia said the university had suspended 15 students. She promised that one visiting professor will never work at Columbia again.

And when she was grilled over whether she would remove another professor from his leadership position, she appeared to make a decision right there on Capitol Hill: I think I would, yes.

The president, Nemat Shafik, disclosed the disciplinary details, which are usually confidential, as part of an all-out effort on Wednesday to persuade a House committee investigating Columbia that she was taking serious action to combat a wave of antisemitism following the Israel-Hamas war.

In nearly four hours of testimony before the Republican-led Committee on Education and the Workforce, Dr. Shafik conceded that Columbia had initially been overwhelmed by an outbreak of campus protests. But she said its leaders now agreed that some had used antisemitic language and that certain contested phrases  like from the river to the sea  might warrant discipline.
One of Mayor Eric Adamss closest confidants was sued on Wednesday for the second time in a month over accusations that he harassed and retaliated against a New York Police Department sergeant he oversaw.

The confidant, Timothy Pearson, was so prone to sexually harassing women that he was secretly placed under watch to try to prevent him from being alone with female colleagues, the suit says.

The allegations, made by a retired sergeant, Michael Ferrari, in a complaint filed Wednesday in State Supreme Court in Manhattan, support similar accusations by one of Mr. Ferraris former colleagues in the unit, Roxanne Ludemann.

Ms. Ludemann filed suit against Mr. Pearson last month, alleging that he often put his hands on female colleagues and retaliated against those who complained.
European diplomats traveled to Israel on Wednesday to make one more plea for restraint in response to the aerial attack that Iran launched this weekend, but Britains foreign secretary acknowledged that an Israeli reprisal seemed inevitable.

It is clear that the Israelis are making a decision to act, the British foreign secretary, David Cameron, told the BBC, just before he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. We hope that they do so in a way that does as little to escalate this as possible.

Israels allies, including the United States, Britain and Germany, have joined other world leaders in repeatedly pressing Mr. Netanyahu to avoid taking any action that could increase tensions with Iran, which launched more than 300 missiles and drones at Israel on Saturday night, Tehrans first direct attack on Israel.

But Mr. Netanyahu, after meeting with Mr. Cameron and Germanys foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, said that Israel would do everything necessary to defend itself.

He thanked Israels allies for their support in words and support in actions in remarks before a cabinet meeting, according to his office. But, he added: They also have all kinds of suggestions and advice. I appreciate it. But I want to make it clear  we will make our own decisions.
For days, Israels closest Western allies have pleaded with the countrys wartime government not to risk igniting a wider war by responding too strongly to Irans barrage of missiles and drones last weekend. And on Wednesday, the top diplomats from Germany and Britain delivered that message in person to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.

But Mr. Netanyahu emerged from those talks resolute that his country would not bow to any outside pressure when choosing its response. He declared before a cabinet meeting that Israel would do everything necessary to defend itself and warned the allies that we will make our own decisions, according to his office.

The British foreign secretary, David Cameron, acknowledged just before meeting with the prime minister that Israel was unlikely to heed pleas to turn the other cheek.

It is clear that the Israelis are making a decision to act, Mr. Cameron told the BBC. We hope that they do so in a way that does as little to escalate this as possible.

The United States, Britain and Germany have been urging Israel to avoid making moves that could increase tension with Iran, which launched around 300 missiles and drones on Saturday night in what was believed to be its first direct attack on Israel. Most of the missiles and drones were shot down before they reached their targets  thanks in part to the assistance of the United States, Britain, France and Jordan  and the ones that got through did minimal damage.

Mr. Netanyahu thanked Israels allies for their support in words and support in actions in remarks before a cabinet meeting, according to his office. But he added: They also have all kinds of suggestions and advice. I appreciate it, but I want to make it clear  we will make our own decisions.
Willem de Kooning had never been to Italy when he traveled to Venice for an amorous rendezvous in September 1959. Things got complicated, so the Dutch-born artist made a quick trip to Rome  and was completely entranced. He immediately returned for a nearly four-month stay in the Italian capital, and was back again in the summer of 1969.

Those whirlwind jaunts are the focus of Willem de Kooning and Italy, a new exhibition that opened on Wednesday at the Gallerie dellAccademia in Venice. Its part of a rich rollout of events timed to coincide with the Venice Art Biennale  not all of which are to Venetians liking.

The Biennale, which has hosted a whos who of contemporary artists since its 1895 founding, drew a record 800,000 visitors at its previous edition in 2022. This year, 331 artists and collectives are represented in the central exhibition (curated by Adriano Pedrosa), and dozens of others are presenting work in 87 national pavilions. In parallel to the Biennale, there are dozens of exhibitions timed to coincide with it  including the de Kooning show.
Its Day 17 of Russias invasion of Ukraine. A mother hurries back to her underground shelter after a trip to a nearby store. From her shopping bag, she pulls out two ice cream cones, and watches her young son and daughter squeal in jubilation as they tear open the wrapping.

This is one of the early scenes in Civilians. Invasion, a 56-minute film having its international premiere at the Ukraine Pavilion during the Venice Biennale. Twenty-six months after the start of the war with Russia, it is one of four works being presented by Ukraine.

Made by the artists Daniil Revkovskyi and Andrii Rachynskyi, the film is a compilation of some 200 videos posted on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok in the first few months of the invasion. They show the war not as you see it on the evening news, but as you would experience it firsthand, from the inside.

You witness the moments when bombs fall on apartment buildings, blow off rooftops, crash into moving cars. You see desperate people crowd into dingy shelters. You watch footage of citizens looting in the local mall, and carting away shopping bags stuffed with goods. From a distance, you see an older woman hold up a painting of a religious icon, and, every few steps, kneel, pray and kiss the ground.
Peter Sellars wanted to know more.

He was in San Francisco a few years ago, attending a performance of The No Ones Rose, a fascinatingly idiosyncratic work of music theater that featured some of his favorite artists, from the American Modern Opera Company, and a score by the young composer Matthew Aucoin.

One section of the piece stood out: Deep Water Trawling, a setting of a poem by Jorie Graham that felt both human and not, both natural and spiritual. Most important, it seemed to have brought out something new, and special, in Aucoins writing.

After the show Sellars, who at 66 has long been a reigning opera director, asked Aucoin, What was that?
The New York Philharmonic, which has been facing an uproar since a recent magazine article detailed allegations of misconduct against two players it tried and failed to fire in 2018, said on Thursday that it was commissioning an outside investigation into its culture.

Gary Ginstling, the Philharmonics president and chief executive, said in a letter to musicians, staff members and board members that the organization had hired an outside lawyer, Katya Jestin, a managing partner of the law firm Jenner & Block, to launch an independent investigation into the culture of the New York Philharmonic in recent years.

I am empowering Katya to look at everything and to leave no stone unturned, including any new allegations as they are reported, Mr. Ginstling wrote.

The decision came after a report last week in New York magazine detailed accusations of misconduct made in 2010 against the players, the associate principal trumpet, Matthew Muckey, and the principal oboist, Liang Wang.
Sailing across the Atlantic to France in October 1776, Benjamin Franklin had 38 days to contemplate his near-impossible mission: persuading the absolute French monarchy of Louis XVI to bankroll a nascent American republic.

His democracy in the making had just declared independence from another monarchy, the British, and had done so with no gunpowder, no engineers, ships, munitions, money and no army fit to fight a war, said Stacy Schiff, the author of the 2005 book A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France and the Birth of America.

Communication with the revolutionary colonies was erratic and his authority in France tenuous, but Franklin had one significant card up his sleeve: The French hatred of the British, fortified by recurrent war. Franklin, oozing charm at 70, deploying creative ambiguity, leavening wisdom with humor, aware of French fascination with this strange new creature called an American, had the guile  as well as the ironclad patriotic conviction  to exploit this diplomatic opportunity.

This is the backdrop to a new eight-part Apple TV+ series, Franklin, that began airing this month. Based on Schiffs book and filmed in France, it stars Michael Douglas, in his first period picture, as the most worldly of Americas founders.
THE SORROW APARTMENTS, by Andrea Cohen

Contemporary poetry isnt witty. Thats not to say it isnt funny; on the contrary, it can be extremely amusing, sometimes even intentionally. But for the most part, the art form today vacillates between, on one hand, decrying social and/or personal injustices and, on the other, aiming at a kind of conspicuously literary self-portraiture. This leaves little breathing room for wit, which skates above both approaches like a water strider passing over a couple of submerged hippos.

Some might say the shortage of wit is a good thing. Wit, after all, is glancing and clever rather than weighty and moral; its potent, but at the same time, not entirely serious. Wit is what the mean rich girls deploy in the dining hall against a poor but spirited kid from the sticks, who will soon turn the tables and use her own wit to show these  anyway, its a quality you sometimes find in young adult fiction or romance novels. Surely it has at best a minor role to play in poetry?

Andrea Cohens new book is called The Sorrow Apartments. Like Cohens previous work it bounces around quite a lot, from cigarettes to Sansepolcro to ceramic fawns to lost wallets (her last book was called Everything). Cohen sticks to a conversational middle-voice that resolutely avoids poetic phrasing; I spilled my Coke is a typical remark. Her comfort zone is the one- to two-page lyric, examples of which constitute probably 90 percent of the work here. While shes not a formalist in the strict sense, Cohen has an acute ear and an easy command of technical felicities. For example, in Eavesdropping on Adam and Eve, a kind of cockeyed tour of civilization by means of its founding couple, Eve wraps herself, boa-/like, around him, the line neatly mimicking Eves motion. Its gratifyingly deft.

Image

Its more than that, too. Cohens signature maneuver is a kind of twist or flourish that shifts a poem away from the (usually sentimental) ending that seems to be coming. Here is the books last poem, Bunker, which offers a condensed version of the tactic:

What would I

think, coming

up after

my world

had evaporated?

Id wish

I were water.

This reads smoothly and movingly, but the lines get pricklier the more you look at them. What would I/think is conditional; it offers the spectacle of an I imagining a future version of itself. But then the proposed future version imagines another version: Id wish/I were And this is all phrased as a question  but to or from whom?
To understand the current confrontation between Iran and Israel, it helps to think about three recent phases of Middle East geopolitics.

Phase 1: Before Oct. 7 of last year, Iran was arguably the most isolated power in the region. The Biden administration was growing closer to Saudi Arabia, Irans biggest rival for power. Israel, Irans longtime enemy, had signed a diplomatic deal during the Trump administration with Bahrain, Morocco and the U.A.E. Iran, for its part, was financing a network of extremist groups such as Hamas and the Houthis.

Together, these developments pointed to the emergence of a broad alliance  among Arab countries, Israel, the U.S. and Western Europe  to check Iranian influence and aggression.

Phase 2: Hamass Oct. 7 attack on Israel scrambled the situation. Israels massive military response focused global attention on the plight of Palestinians  a subject that tends to isolate Israel. Arab leaders condemned Israel, while the U.S. and other countries pressured Israeli leaders to reduce suffering in Gaza and devise an end to the war.
European leaders visit Israel, seeking restraint on Iran

David Cameron, Britains foreign secretary, acknowledged that Israel seemed certain to retaliate against Iran, despite pleas for restraint from Israels allies.

It is clear that the Israelis are making a decision to act, Cameron told the BBC just before he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. We hope that they do so in a way that does as little to escalate this as possible.

Israels allies have joined other world leaders in repeatedly pressing Netanyahu to avoid taking any action that could increase tensions with Iran, which launched more than 300 missiles and drones at Israel over the weekend.

Israels war cabinet has met several times since to discuss when and how to respond, and officials are said to be considering a range of options, from a direct strike on Iran to a cyberattack or assassinations.
The clock ticks for TikTok

The push to either split TikTok from its Chinese owner, ByteDance, or ban it in the U.S. is gaining momentum thanks to a legislative maneuver by the House Speaker Mike Johnson.

The bills progress comes as The Times reveals more details about the video platforms origin story  and the central role played by the Chinese subsidiary of the trading firm of a Republican donor, Jeff Yass.

Johnson has bundled the TikTok bill into a foreign aid package. The speaker said on Wednesday that he would put up for a vote this weekend a spending measure for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan that includes a modified version of the TikTok divestment legislation.

The move may force the Senates hand: The House overwhelmingly passed the bill last month, but the Senate hasnt been in a rush to take it up.
In 2009, long before Jeff Yass became a Republican megadonor, his firm, Susquehanna International Group, invested in a Chinese real estate start-up that boasted a sophisticated search algorithm.

The company, 99Fang, promised to help buyers find their perfect homes. Behind the scenes, employees of a Chinese subsidiary of Mr. Yasss firm were so deeply involved, records show, that they conceived the idea for the company and handpicked its chief executive. They said in one email that he was not the companys real founder.

As a real estate venture, 99Fang ultimately fizzled. But it was significant, according to a lawsuit by former Susquehanna contractors, because of what it spawned. They say that 99Fangs chief executive  and the search technology  resurfaced at another Susquehanna venture: ByteDance.

ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, is now one of the worlds most highly valued start-ups, worth $225 billion, according to CB Insights, a firm that tracks venture capital. ByteDance is also at the center of a tempest on Capitol Hill, where some lawmakers see the company as a threat to American security. They are considering a bill that could break up the company. The man picked by Susquehanna to run the housing site, Zhang Yiming, became ByteDances founder.
In the early days of the Covid pandemic, a team of scientists called on the World Health Organization to acknowledge that the disease could spread through the air.

Initially, the agency rebuffed them, despite growing evidence that coronavirus-laden droplets stuck around in the air, making indoor spaces hotbeds of infection. The researchers responded with a public campaign, which helped persuade the World Health Organization to finally acknowledge, in late 2021, that Covid was airborne.

In the wake of the controversy, the agency also asked a group of advisers  including some of its scientific critics  to update its formal guidelines for classifying the ways that pathogens spread. After more than two years of discussion, that group has published a report laying out new definitions that could have significant implications for countries around the world that depend on the agency to set policies to curb the spread of disease.

The W.H.O.s previous stance was that only a handful of pathogens  those that travel in small droplets and spread across long distances, like tuberculosis  could be considered airborne. But the new report suggests broader categories that do not rely on droplet size or distance spread. Such changes were contentious because they raised the prospect that more diseases might now demand costly control measures, such as hospital isolation rooms and protective gear.
The two boys in the gauzy nostalgia piece We Grown Now are total charmers. Theyre also worryingly vulnerable, something you clock soon after the movie opens. Set in 1992, it takes place primarily in Cabrini-Green, at the time a public housing development in Chicago. There, the boys frolic and dream amid cinder block walls. Every so often, they wander outside to the concrete playground and to a jumble of old mattresses that the local kids use as cushioning. One boy likes to vault through the air and onto the mattresses; he likes to fly.

The two boys are around 10 years old, and the closest of friends. They live in the same broken-down tower building, one of several in the complex, where sometimes they hang out in an abandoned apartment. There, they like to talk and stare at the stained and cracked ceiling, conjuring up visions from it the way they might do under the sheltering dome of the sky. Malik (Blake Cameron James) turns out to be an especially dreamy child, a pint-size philosopher who lives with his loving mother (Jurnee Smollett), doting grandma (S. Epatha Merkerson) and sister (Madisyn Barnes), a typical if benign sibling thorn in his side.

For his part, Maliks best friend, the more prosaically drawn Eric (Gian Knight Ramirez), lives with his older sister (Avery Holliday) and their father (Lil Rel Howery), a kindly fount of praise and disappointment. The friendship between Eric and Malik  the child performers are dear  is one of the truest parts of the movie, and its easy to fall quickly into step with them as they wander Cabrini, head to school and one day briefly escape from their routine. Bored one day while in class, the boys jump on a train and eventually make it to the Art Institute of Chicago, where they roam its galleries, at one point pausing before Walter Ellisons striking painting Train Station, a 1935 canvas that depicts a segregated terminal.
Columbia University is no stranger to major student protests, and the uproar that unfolded at the institution on Thursday had echoes of a much bigger revolt in 1968  another time of upheaval over a war many students deeply believed was immoral.

That year, in April, in the throes of the Vietnam War, Columbia and Barnard students seized five campus buildings, took a dean hostage and shut down the university.

By April 30, a week after the protest started, university officials cracked down.

At about 2 a.m., police began clearing students from Hamilton Hall after entering the building through underground tunnels, according to the student newspaper, The Columbia Daily Spectator. Minutes later, police entered Low Library, again through tunnels, removing occupying students by force.

By 4 a.m., they had cleared all buildings, resulting in more than 700 arrests  one of the largest mass detentions in New York City history  and 148 reports of injuries, the student newspaper reported. Officers trampled protesters, hit them with nightsticks, punched and kicked them and dragged them down stairs, according to a New York Times report.
More than 100 students were arrested on Thursday after Columbia University called in the police to empty an encampment of pro-Palestinian demonstrators, fulfilling a vow to Congress by the schools president that she was prepared to punish people for unauthorized protests.

I took this extraordinary step because these are extraordinary circumstances, the president, Nemat Shafik, wrote in a campuswide email on Thursday afternoon.

The presidents decision swiftly sharpened tensions on campus, which has been battered for months by boisterous pro-Palestinian demonstrations that many Jewish people regarded as antisemitic. And it stood to become a milestone for the country, as campuses have been torn by the Israel-Hamas war and grappled with how to manage protests.

What was far less clear was whether the harsher tactics would form an updated playbook for officials struggling to calm restive campuses, or do little besides infuriate and inflame.
Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, is among several Barnard students who have been suspended for participating in a pro-Palestinian encampment at Columbia University.

The camp, which includes dozens of tents pitched on the campuss South Lawn in protest against Israeli actions in Gaza, has created a standoff between administrators and students on the Ivy League campus. Dozens of students were arrested on Thursday, after the university notified them that they would be suspended if they refused to move and the students vowed to remain in place.

Ms. Hirsi posted on social media around 11:30 a.m. on Thursday that she was one of three students suspended so far for participating in the protest, which began on Wednesday, the day the universitys president, Nemat Shafik, appeared before Congress to discuss antisemitism on campus.

At the congressional hearing, Dr. Shafik told lawmakers that she would enforce rules about unauthorized protests and antisemitism. Ms. Omar, who is on the committee that held the hearing and who did not mention that her daughter was among the pro-Palestinian protesters, was one of several Democrats who questioned Ms. Shafik about her actions toward Palestinian and Muslim students.
The judge in former President Donald J. Trumps criminal trial ordered reporters to not disclose employment information about potential jurors after he excused a woman who said she was worried about her identity becoming known.

The woman, who had been seated on the jury on Tuesday, told the judge that her friends and colleagues had warned her that she had been identified as a juror in the high-profile case. Although the judge has kept prospective jurors names private, some have disclosed their employers and other identifying information in court.

She also said that she did not believe she could be impartial.

The judge, Juan M. Merchan, promptly dismissed her.

Moments later, Justice Merchan ordered the press to not report the answer to two queries on a lengthy questionnaire for prospective jurors: Who is your current employer? and Who was your prior employer?
This article has been updated to include new information about the number of arrests at Columbia University on Thursday.

Columbias exceptionally poised president, Nemat Shafik, clearly has no intention of going down like the former heads of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania, both driven from their jobs after disastrous appearances before a congressional committee investigating campus antisemitism.

Testifying before the same panel on Wednesday, she readily agreed with Republicans premise that pro-Palestinian activism at Columbia is shot through with anti-Jewish bigotry, and explained how, under her leadership, Columbia is cracking down. Fifteen students, she said, had been suspended, and six more were on disciplinary probation. The visiting scholar Mohamed Abdou, who expressed support for Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad, will never work at Columbia again, she said, and several other members of the faculty are under investigation. If it had been up to her, she said, the stridently anti-Zionist professor Joseph Massad would never have gotten tenure. There was some confusion at the hearing about whether Massad was still chairman of an academic review committee, but if he was, Shafik pledged that he would be removed. (Columbia later confirmed that his chairmanship was scheduled to end after this semester.)

By bending over backward to be agreeable, Shafik emerged from the four-hour grilling largely unscathed. All thats been damaged is Columbias guarantee of academic freedom.
World leaders are not unaware of the nuclear industrys long history of failing to deliver on its promises or of its weakening vital signs. Yet many continue to act as if a nuclear renaissance could be around the corner, even though nuclear energys share of global electricity generation has fallen by almost half from its high of roughly 17 percent in 1996.

In search of that revival, representatives from more than 30 countries gathered in Brussels in March at a nuclear summit hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Belgian government. Thirty-four nations, including the United States and China, agreed to work to fully unlock the potential of nuclear energy, including extending the lifetimes of existing reactors, building nuclear power plants and deploying advanced reactors.

Yet even as they did so, there was an acknowledgment of the difficulty of their undertaking. Nuclear technology can play an important role in the clean energy transition, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, told summit attendees. But she added that the reality today, in most markets, is a reality of a slow but steady decline in market share for nuclear power.

The numbers underscore that downturn. Solar and wind power together began outperforming nuclear power globally in 2021, and that trend continues as nuclear staggers along. Solar alone added more than 400 gigawatts of capacity worldwide last year, two-thirds more than the previous year. Thats more than the roughly 375 gigawatts of combined capacity of the worlds 415 nuclear reactors, which remained relatively unchanged last year. At the same time, investment in energy storage technology is rapidly accelerating. In 2023, BloombergNEF reported that investors for the first time put more money into stationary energy storage than they did into nuclear.
This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email transcripts@nytimes.com with any questions. [MUSIC PLAYING]

astead herndon

In a close election, every vote matters. But in the 2020 presidential race, theres a good argument that one group mattered more than others, young voters. Youth turnout increased 11 percentage points from 2016 to 2020, and according to Pew Research, voters aged 18 to 29 preferred Biden by 24 percentage points. But this year, things seem much less straightforward. Polling data shows President Bidens approval rating has tanked among young Americans. Polls also show that he continues to be hounded by the perception that hes too old for the job. And young activists are creating a public relations nightmare for the campaign, whether its protests for more direct action on climate change or demanding a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. So in a general election match-up of familiar elderly candidates, what can we learn about a critical demographic thats often talked about, but less frequently spoken to  the kids? From The New York Times, Im Astead Herndon. This is The Run-Up. Understanding young voters can be hard to do. In a lot of polls, the sample size of younger Americans, like millennials and Gen Z, is too small to draw big conclusions. So when I heard that NextGen America, one of the countrys largest Democratic groups dedicated to young voters, was doing a new comprehensive look at the political attitudes of Americans aged 18 to 35, I knew I wanted to talk with the head of the group, Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez, about the findings. You know, we wanted to talk to you because outside of the work you all do generally, NextGen just completed a poll focused on the November election and specifically measuring the attitudes of young voters headed into it. Can you tell me about who participated in the poll, what drove you all to do it, and what were the biggest questions you were seeking for it to answer?

cristina tzintzun ramirez

Well, for us as an organization, we target young people ages 18 to 35. This is a huge generational voting block. It is a voting block that votes overwhelmingly progressive. But a lot of polls dont pick up on the nuances that exist with young people. So, for example, in any poll you see with young people, youre going to see that young people have questions and concerns with the two-party system. Youre going to see that a lot of young people see themselves as independents, even though they are overwhelmingly choosing the Democratic Party to vote for and remake the vision of the country that they want to inherit. And so this poll lets us dig in and figure out amongst those 18 to 35-year-olds, who do we need to target and focus on to get them to turn out and defeat Donald Trump and elect Joe Biden?

astead herndon

Yeah, so I mean, one, I appreciate you including 30 to 35 in the young people range.

cristina tzintzun ramirez

Youre classified in there, Astead, as a young voter.

astead herndon

Listen, thats a  we had a team discussion today about what we should take as young people to mean, but I am just going to take the NextGen definition, which includes me also. I mean, you are right that when we look at the polling sample numbers of 18 - to 35-year-olds, you dont get the nuances between them. You saying you all did this right now to know where the trouble spots are for Democrats and how you could fix them six months out from the election.

cristina tzintzun ramirez

Thats right, the trouble spots, the opportunities, where do we need to focus our resources on this big cohort to turn them out? Because Joe Biden got elected in 2020, in huge part because of young people. Now I want to remind people, Joe Biden was not the youth vote candidate of 2020. That was Bernie Sanders, the older other white guy.

astead herndon

Yes, yeah. Well, lets get into some of the top line numbers from you alls recent poll. What did the numbers say about Biden versus Trump in a two-candidate match-up versus what did they say and Biden versus Trump when you include third parties?

cristina tzintzun ramirez

I mean, I think what we saw from our poll is that young people have questions and concerns about both candidates. We saw that in a two-party match-up or a two-candidate match-up that Biden defeats Donald Trump by 12 points.

astead herndon

OK.

cristina tzintzun ramirez

If you add in third party choices, that shrinks to 9 points. And we saw that 20 percent of young people that we surveyed said they were considering voting for a third party candidate. So those 

astead herndon

OK.

cristina tzintzun ramirez

 and RFK taking the biggest chunk of that portion. And were seeing RFK spend a lot of money on TikTok and focusing and targeting young people right now.

astead herndon

OK. So with the one-on-one match-up with Biden versus Trump, Bidens ahead by 12 points. In a one-on-one versus third party match-up, you have Bidens lead among young people shrink down to 9 points. How should we understand that, especially in the context of what happened back in 2020 with the same match-up? I was looking at Pew analysis earlier today that said, if we look around the same age group cohort, Biden won that group by nearly 24 points in 2020. So what do we think is driving that 10 percent, 15 percent drop-off to the numbers were seeing now?

cristina tzintzun ramirez

Yeah, theres a lot of young people  like I said  that have concerns and questions. And to be clear, in 2020, we spent a lot of resources and time and energy reaching out to young people to convince them to vote for Joe Biden. He was underwater with young voters in 2020.

astead herndon

Certainly.

cristina tzintzun ramirez

The folks that we targeted and reached out to and talked about the difference between Biden and Trump, we were able to see major gains. So its very similar to that in 2020, but we have seen that drop-off. But when you dig in and you ask young people  especially with the youngest cohort  these are new voters. They werent around last election, and they dont remember the record of Donald Trump because they are so young.

astead herndon

But let me think back to four years ago. When we think about 2020 and I think about what young people used to say about Biden then, it was often the sense that he was too old. There was often a sense that he was maybe out of touch. Are you saying those are the same reasons that are informing maybe the soft support were seeing right now, or is it something thats transpired in those four years?

cristina tzintzun ramirez

It is. It is part that they never saw him. There is a portion of the youth electorate that is concerned about Joe Bidens age. And theyre more concerned about Joe Bidens age than Donald Trumps age. However, they are more concerned about Donald Trump as a threat to democracy in the country than they are about Joe Bidens age.

astead herndon

OK.

cristina tzintzun ramirez

So I think when you ask young people what the Biden administration has done, there is a disconnect on what theyve delivered on student debt, on climate legislation with the Inflation Reduction Act, on gun safety. And when youre able to point that out to young people and educate them, they are willing to switch their vote. And so thats where we see areas of opportunity for the Biden administration is pointing to progressive policy. The other thing you can obviously do is point to Donald Trumps age, because hes no young spring chicken himself. And as an organization that cares about progressive policy, we endorse Joe Biden because for us, it doesnt matter if Donald Trump was 50 years younger, his policies feel straight out of the 1950s for most young people.

astead herndon

So I hear what youre saying, that while there are certainly some concerns about age that were true in 2020 and true now, what youre mostly seeing is a  what youre identifying as a knowledge gap between what the Biden campaign has done in terms of tangible policy accomplishments and how thats translated to some young folks. I guess another question I would ask, though, is it does seem like a big difference between four years ago and now is there has been an outcry about the administrations policy in terms of supporting Israels actions in Gaza. And we have seen a lot of that activism driven by young people. How much did that issue come up in the poll, and should that be seen as a factor thats contributing to Bidens  at this point  smaller than expected advantage among young folks?

cristina tzintzun ramirez

Yeah, we see a huge number of young people saying they care about foreign policy in this election compared to last election. So in 2022, when you had the situation in Ukraine clearly at the forefront of foreign policy, just 4 percent of young people said that foreign policy was a top issue for them. Weve seen now 82 percent of young people 

astead herndon

82 percent?

cristina tzintzun ramirez

82 percent say they see foreign policy as an important issue. And you have close to 70 percent of young people displeased with the Biden administrations position on Gaza and Palestine and its support of the Israeli governments efforts.

astead herndon

So it is clear that in the polling that there is a, frankly, a backlash from young folks and its coming because of the administrations policy as of now. Did your poll or focus group or research show any way that, lets say, the administration was to embrace a permanent ceasefire or with the kind of new pressure that the administration is trying to put on the Israeli government. Was there any evidence that is enough or if that would speak to what some of these young folks are looking for?

cristina tzintzun ramirez

Our poll showed two things, right? It showed that theres a clear disapproval of the administrations handling. But when you get to what should be done in response, theyre divided on an alternative approach. And so that becomes the challenge for the administration. You still do have overwhelmingly Democrats and progressive young people wanting a ceasefire and restriction. You have independents amongst young people  which is a pretty significant portion  in the middle on what should be done. And so thats where I think the administration will struggle, is figuring out the pathway forward. But overwhelmingly, if the administration were to call for an overall ceasefire, I think it would help speak better to the portion of the youth electorate that is very concerned about this issue.

astead herndon

Interesting. Another thing that stuck out when I was looking at the trend lines of the poll was that it seemed as if some of these problems were super localized among 18 - to 24-year-olds, even more so than 24 to 35. What was it among this group specifically that you think was driving them to be less Biden-supportive than other cohorts?

cristina tzintzun ramirez

You know, if youre 18 years old, you were 10 years old when Donald Trump was elected. And so, you know, youre 10 years old, you probably had great parents that shielded you and didnt want you to hear the sounds of crying babies being ripped from their mothers at the border, the sight of Heather Heyer being run over by white supremacists in Charlottesville. Those were things your parents probably didnt want you to see or hear, and so you may not know of that record. A lot of young people in 2020 were driven to turn out to defeat Donald Trump and the threat that they saw he posed. And so for this cohort of younger people, they need to be educated about Donald Trump and the threat he poses to really motivate them. And thats also what we saw from our polling, is that learning who Joe Biden is and his track record on progressive policy is critical for them to learn. But more than anything, learning about Donald Trump and his positions  especially on issues like abortion  will drive this cohort to turn out and vote for Joe Biden.

astead herndon

Interesting. So the thing that most moved this cohort wasnt just saying that Joe Biden, heres some good things Joe Bidens done from the progressive lens, but even more than that was saying here are some bad things Donald Trump has done from the progressive lens.

cristina tzintzun ramirez

Yeah, here is Donald Trump. You may have just read the news and Donald Trump tried to say hes not for an abortion ban. But little did you know that he was the president that nominated the Supreme Court justices to overturn Roe and took away the right of tens of millions of women to decide what happened with their own body and their own health. And so thats an important record to talk about, especially when you talk about his attacks on abortion, civil and human rights. That is a very big motivator for this generation.

astead herndon

You know, we talked about this earlier, but beyond the candidates, are there any specific issues that matter the most to this age cohort?

cristina tzintzun ramirez

We saw within this cohort abortion being a top-motivating issue. Obviously the economy, and for us  especially on the economic question  well get questions about the Biden administrations economic positions and how young people are feeling about inflation. And its not a surprise that young people are feeling the pinch of inflation and the higher cost of living in rent and housing. This is the first generation to be worse off than their parents. They have less assets to be able to deal with, economic shifts. But, where we also have seen the Biden administration be able to improve its position with young people on the economy are their policy positions. So 88 percent of young people support labor unions now. They want a living wage instead of a minimum wage. They want equal pay for women. So the Biden administration leans on those policies that clearly distinguish them from the Republican Party. That is how Democrats and the Biden administration can win the youth vote on the economy as well.

astead herndon

Interesting. I mean, I guess I see how that works in relationship to Donald Trump. One question I have is, I remember last year, Bidens support of DNC-type people telling me that the policy accomplishments will win the day and that we would see movement in polling fronts about people when they see that the policies have set in. That hasnt really happened yet. Even when it comes to climate and things like the IRA, what is the gap between the actual actions of the administration and the fact that some of that stuff hasnt really set in for the populations theyre trying to target?

cristina tzintzun ramirez

Yeah, I think we have to understand that the ecosystem of media and information has changed rapidly  for especially young people. You know, as an organization, for example, we have never spent a penny  and nor will we ever probably unless theres a big shift, which I doubt it  on a television advertisement, for example. We have only worked with influencers and finding young people on social media. Were going to have thousands of organizers being on everything from Discord and gaming applications to even dating apps and sliding into peoples DMs. The Biden campaign, weve started to see them invest more in advertising on TikTok and working with influencers. That has to be really mobilized at a greater level because you can see the gains  literally  the gains that RFK is making right now as he starts to invest more into advertising on TikTok and reaching young people with his message. So we know from our own polling that if they reach young people with the right messages and the right messengers, theyre going to start cutting into those numbers. But they have to spend the time and money on it and do it as early as possible.

astead herndon

If Biden won 2020 driven by youth populations coming around to him, and if we through the work that you all do and the work that others have done, that those positive messages can shift those voters, why havent they happened yet?

cristina tzintzun ramirez

Well, weve only had one election since Biden was elected, which was 2022. And again, if you went back and read the paper, The New York Time, Washington Post, whatever, anything before the election of 2022, it was going to be headlines about young voters depressed, dont support Biden, unlikely to turn out, arent favorable as much as they should be to Democrats. Election happened, young people turned out in record numbers for Democrats.

astead herndon

See, you are providing a helpful reminder, which is that registering your distaste at this point is not the same as not voting. Its not the same as saying youre not going to participate at all. And there is very much a universe where young people say all the things that they dont like about the administrations foreign policy or about Bidens age. But then still, two to three weeks before the election, identify the choice that youre kind of laying out here and end up backing Democrats. I guess Im just asking, isnt that a big bet?

cristina tzintzun ramirez

Astead, it gives me heart palpitations every single election. Like, thats the reality. But I know, and our organization knows from our 10-year record of registering 1.5 million young people and targeting literally millions of young people each election and trying to turn them out to vote, that if you spend the time and money and effort connecting with young people authentically around progressive policy and then tell them about the candidate, they will turn out and vote. Donald Trump was defeated in 2020 in huge part because of young people. The red wave that was supposed to happen and was promised to happen in 2022 did not happen because of young people. We are in a moment where young people are exercising their voting power at much greater numbers. They are very politically-aware. This is also the most progressive generation in American history, and I think its fine for them to have questions, concerns and demands of the party that theyre choosing, the Democratic Party. Theyre not finished remaking the party to move it in the direction they want to see. And thats OK. But its clear they are choosing with their votes, which party theyre putting their bet on.

astead herndon

Is the party listening to them, and what is the evidence that they are?

cristina tzintzun ramirez

I think the party is listening to them. I dont think that, in my opinion and my experience, that you elect good people and they just do the right thing. I think you elect good people and then you push them to deliver on their campaign promises. I dont think the Biden administration would have canceled the level of student debt that it has had it not been for young people organizing. We dont get the Inflation Reduction Act, the single-largest investment by any country on the planet, without young people pushing and organizing. We dont get the Office of Gun Safety at the federal level without young people pushing and organizing for it. So, yes, the Biden administration has been responsive. Its passed more progressive policy than any elected official presidential official in my lifetime. And now we have to make sure that its  young people understand that we havent gotten everything we wanted, but thats OK. Thats why were going to elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to give us four more years and win even more than weve already won. So again, we dont get to all of the huge policy wins weve had for progressive policy if it were not for young people making this administration nervous.

astead herndon

Yeah. You know, you mentioned the 20 percent that said theyre interested in third parties. We started by talking about the direct Biden-Trump match-up. But I also wanted to ask you how we should view this number. Is this 20 percent just looking for another option?

cristina tzintzun ramirez

Well, we saw that nearly half of that 20 percent that wanted to vote third party was really soft, that as soon as you started talking to them about the record of either candidate, they were quick to be willing to change their vote.

astead herndon

OK.

cristina tzintzun ramirez

So for us, were going to make sure thats a huge cohort that were talking to as well, those people that are thinking of third party because they are double-haters, people that dont like either candidate. However, again, the majority of them voted for Joe Biden in 2020. So thats a real advantage for Joe Biden over Donald Trump.

astead herndon

Do you have a specific goal in mind when it comes to November? Is there a turnout target? Is there a percentage of younger voters you want to support Biden? Or is the only goal simply Bidens re-election regardless of the route to that goal?

cristina tzintzun ramirez

I mean, for us, we are working as hard as we can to make sure that were hitting that 50 percent youth voter turnout mark this election. And we want to see 60 percent of them voting for Joe Biden.

astead herndon

OK, so were saying move up that turnout a little bit and keep them about the same place when in terms the percentage of voters would be the goal that NextGen has.

cristina tzintzun ramirez

It would almost be on par for what we saw in 2020.

astead herndon

OK. Even if Biden were to win re-election, does it sound 

cristina tzintzun ramirez

I dont like this even-if. Go on.

astead herndon

I mean, listen. In the universe that Joe Biden wins the election, doesnt this still add to a growing trend of a rising generation that feels further and further away from electoral politics in the party themselves? I understand that you are an organization that has endorsed Biden, that you want Biden to win. But just separate from that, is the idea of nominating an 81-year-old president for re-election  like, with that reality, is there any chance the Democrats are doing long-term damage to their relationship with this next generation, even if he does win in November?

cristina tzintzun ramirez

I just dont see it that way. The way I see it is young people are fighting for progressive policy wins. I also think its a false reality when you bring up that perspective, given that the most popular youthful candidate is even older, which is Bernie Sanders. So to me, its about what does the Democratic Party do as an institution and as candidates do to invite and welcome young people in and understand? And I think theyre doing a much better job. If we go back even to 2018, when AOC won her race, the Democratic Party was cringing at some of the demands that young people and the progressive, youthful arm that she was bringing into the party were demanding. And now, instead, theyre sitting down with those organizations, theyre sitting down with those leaders. And we look at that, at how much the party overall has moved on economic issues. It was a wild idea to say we were going to cancel student debt. It was a wild idea to say the minimum wage should be $15 an hour. It was a wild idea to say we were going to really invest the full resources to tackle the climate crisis. Those are now center to the Democratic party, and thats because of young people. And its made our country better, in my opinion.

astead herndon

The last question I have, and then well totally let you go, is just to give a specific answer to this voter I think about all the time. There was an open discussion over Thanksgiving food in November about whether a group of younger Democrats were going to back Biden in November. And I remember one person saying that she wasnt going to vote. And then someone was trying to push her saying, you know, that just means that someone else is going to win. Youre going to have no say. And she was like, thats the point. I dont want it to be because of me, because I dont like either of those options. What would your response to that sentiment be to the person whos sick of that lesser of two evils argument?

cristina tzintzun ramirez

I mean, we know from our polling that when we talk about very fundamental rights that have gone backwards 50 years because you sat out an election or you choose not to vote, that that is what will motivate folks to understand that if you want to have the basic decision about when, where, and how you make a baby and when you make a family or what happens with your health, that your vote really matters. I think when people see the tangible difference  and thats why abortion is so clear for so many young people that are of reproductive age  that when the state and religious zealots get involved in your decisions about what you decide with your body, it makes it very clear what the consequences and circumstances are of sitting out an election.

astead herndon

Thank you so much, Christina. I really appreciate your time and for chatting with us.

cristina tzintzun ramirez

Thanks so much. Take care.

astead herndon

After the break, we talked to young voters themselves. After hearing from Christina about this new NextGen polling and the reality of President Bidens vulnerabilities with younger voters, we wanted to hear from some young people directly. So we called some people we knew were politically engaged who my colleagues had met at a climate protest in New York City back in September. [PHONE RINGING]

eloise navarro Hello? astead herndon Hello? Can you hear me? eloise navarro Yeah, sorry. Im in, Im downtown, so Im just trying to find a slightly quieter spot to hang out. astead herndon OK, No problem. Well, thank you for your time. I appreciate you picking up. I mean, can you just tell me a little bit about yourself first? Can you tell me your name, what part of the country youre from, how old are you, things like that? eloise navarro Yeah, so my name is Eloise Navarro. Or I go by Elle L., EL. Im in Portland, Oregon right now doing some local climate organizing, and I am 22 years old. astead herndon Were you too young to vote in 2020, or were you able to vote in the 2020 election? eloise navarro In the 2020 election, I did vote. I believe that was the first election I voted in. astead herndon OK, and who did you vote for in 2020? eloise navarro In 2020, I did vote for President Biden. astead herndon OK. I guess one question I have is why did you vote for Biden in 2020? And do you expect to vote for Biden again in 2024? eloise navarro I voted  I honestly voted for Biden pretty reluctantly, and I did cast a vote for him, you know, and under  the philosophy I was using at the time was, well, its not Trump. You know, we just went through four years of Trump and we cant do that again. And so I didnt feel any particular allegiance towards Biden. But at the time, I was like, well, its better than Trump. So thats what motivated me to cast my vote. And I think at that time in 2020, perhaps I had a little bit more faith in the electoral system than I do now. And so the question of would I vote for Biden again in this upcoming election is absolutely not. And I think I cant talk about Biden and his choices for climate and for social justice without mentioning Palestine and the ongoing genocide and how I have no other way to describe it besides cruel and atrocious, Bidens actions towards the international scene has been. So yeah, I can confidently say that I will not be voting for Biden nor Trump in this upcoming election because if anything, the past year or two has proved that perhaps there isnt as much of a divide between the Democratic and Republican parties that, you know, we used to think that there was. astead herndon Is this a personal conviction for you or is this something youre telling others? Like, as someone who does political activism, is it just that youre saying youll no longer vote for Joe Biden or are you encouraging others to not  other young people to not vote for Joe Biden? eloise navarro I am encouraging other folks. And I think I am certainly not the only one who is. Im sure that yall are seeing that there are active state-level campaigns to write in uncommitted or whatever makes sense for your state. astead herndon By the way, youre saying is a little different. Because uncommitted in the primary is a individual protest. Youre saying youre not going to vote for him in November when the stakes, even to your own kind of admission, are quite real. Right? eloise navarro Yeah, yeah. So I guess in that way, yeah, I feel comfortable saying that I would encourage folks not to vote. Yeah, in the November election, or to not vote for Biden. astead herndon We know that the answer to that, or the political party response to that will always be that you are foregoing a voice kind of in democracy and making Donald Trump more likely to be the winner, someone who I think per your vote in 2020 you probably think is a worse President than Joe Biden, at the minimum. So whats your response to that? eloise navarro My response is that, at this point, Biden has shown that hes not necessarily a better president than Trump, in my opinion. astead herndon OK. eloise navarro And so the reason Im saying, you know, no to Biden is because I would rather Trump win and then us probably experience very similar impacts, negative impacts that we had from the Biden administration than let his administration know that in any way I approve of what hes done or of what hes going to do. I guess the way I see it for me is not Trump versus Biden, it is people versus politics or people versus corporate entities and bad faith politicians. astead herndon Thats helpful to understand. Is it also about teaching Democrats a lesson? It feels like some of thats in there. eloise navarro Oh, absolutely. I think, you know, honestly, I dont know what happens behind closed doors with politicians. And I think perhaps there used to be a stronger divide between Republicans and Democrats. So Im not sure how other people would feel about that. But now I think its pointing out  whether they know it or not  you are the same as Republicans and you are no better than them. astead herndon You seem 100 percent confident right now. Are you 100 percent confident in your confidence? You know, like, are you definitely going to be  do you do you think youll be in the same place come November? eloise navarro I feel pretty confident. And, you know, I could see some people shifting. But really, the reason Im confident is because I am so deeply invested in community care and in community in general. And so I can be confident because I know that I have my peoples back and my people have my back. So in a way, its a little bit rebellious to say, yeah, absolutely, come November, Im not going to give in. And Im lucky to say that because of the relationships Ive formed. And I strongly encourage other folks to be more deeply rooted in community and divest a little bit from the electoral system and back into the people that are right in front of them. astead herndon Well, thank you so much, Elle. I really appreciate your time. And I really think that this kind of explanation will be helpful for folks getting in the mind of the youths, which we know is not always easy for folks to do. So thank you so much for taking some time out and chatting with us. eloise navarro Yeah. Yeah, of course. Thank you. Thank you for the good conversation. [PHONE RINGING] ellie Hello. Hello? astead herndon Hello, can you hear me? ellie Hi, yes, I can hear you. Hello. astead herndon I was looking for Ellie. ellie Yes, that is me. Hi. astead herndon Hi. Thank you so much for picking up. I appreciate you taking some time out to chat with us. Ellie, can you tell me a little bit about yourself? Can you tell me what you do, how old you are, what part of the country youre in, things like that? ellie So I am  Ill be 19 in two weeks. astead herndon Congrats. Does that make you an Aries? Im an Aries. ellie Im a Taurus, actually. astead herndon Oh, yikes. We were about to bond, but then it just ended. ellie Yeah. Yeah, so Im a first year student right now at Bryn Mawr College, which is outside of Philadelphia. Ive grown up in Pennsylvania for most of my life. astead herndon Are you someone who considers herself a Democrat or Republican, has any kind of political leaning? ellie Well, I was definitely a Democrat in the past. I would consider myself pretty politically homeless. I certainly vote for the Democrats because of the two-party system. But I  Im, I would say, economically very progressive leftist. Im also a radical feminist. So thats  in terms of a lot of social issues on feminism, that puts me kind of pretty in a different, space than a lot of people would maybe say theyre liberals. So I dont know if I would necessarily say Im really a liberal. astead herndon You know, you met our colleagues back in September last year when you were in New York for the climate march. And we were interested in talking to young people about how they were thinking about the presidential election in terms of a policy issue that was important to them, specifically climate. What were you thinking at that time when it came to President Biden and how are you thinking about your vote in November? ellie Well, I think back then I was really, you know, I cant remember if I knew this or not then, but I think at least what I remember is I was not expecting Biden to run again, actually. I was thinking that logically, you know, hes old. He was going to step down. And I was kind of, I was prepared to get hyped for primaries and try to, you know, find a reasonable candidate to try to put in office. Since then, the fact that we have now literally the same choices as back in 2020 is incredibly disheartening. I did get a ballot, a mail-in ballot for the primaries, but Im actually not sure Im even going to go through the trouble of using it, because what is the point? The incumbents running. Nobodys running against him. If I  actually, because its Pennsylvania and you cant vote as an independent in primaries, if there was any competition with the Republican primaries, I would have registered as a Republican and voted for somebody whos not Trump to try to get a different opposition to the Democrats. But that was also not a choice. So here we are. I mean, its not that Im not going to vote in November. I certainly will be voting for Biden in November, because I do think its important to choose the lesser of two evils. astead herndon When you talk to young people, your age cohort about this election, what is the overall feeling? Are they like you? Are they  maybe youre disappointed, but probably going to vote for Biden in the end? Or, are you talking to people, other people we talked to, even including at that climate march, who say theyre actually encouraging people to not back Biden in November? What wins out? ellie I think, you know, right now were not  I feel like were not quite close enough to it because theres no competition in the primaries. I dont think were really at a point where most people are talking that much about the election. I think my sense is at least the people that Im around will absolutely vote for Biden because the lesser of two evils argument. I personally have very little sympathy for the idea that some moral perfectionism, its better to just vote for nobody because in my opinion, that means that you are accepting the fact that either party may win and that you think theyre somehow equally bad, which I think is a very naive opinion. I do know that there are people who are kind of very purist and want to only vote for somebody they feel really in line with. I get the sense that that is not most people. I think most people my age in the end will be reasonable and will end up voting for Biden if that is the Democratic choice. astead herndon Well, thank you so much. I really appreciate your time and thank you so much for letting us pick your brain a little. ellie All right. Thank you so much.

astead herndon

While Ellie and Elle represent one perspective, not every young person is deeply engaged in politics. And many have priorities outside of climate change and foreign policy. In fact, when we talk to 18 to 35-year-olds who recently participated in The New York Times polling, this range was well represented. [PHONE RINGING]

kelvin This is Kelvin. astead herndon We heard interest in third party candidates. kelvin I think the only one thats really caught my eye is, I believe Cornel West has announced, apparently. astead herndon Some interest in Donald Trump. How are you thinking about this years election? And did you vote in the Republican primary this year? kelvin Not in the Republican primary. I did vote in the last election. astead herndon Mm-hmm. In 2020? kelvin Yeah. astead herndon Who did you vote for then? kelvin The Republicans. astead herndon You voted for the Republicans? I imagine that includes Donald Trump at the top of the ticket? kelvin Yep, absolutely. astead herndon You know, this was a unique time because were very likely to have these two candidates again. Are you thinking about voting for Donald Trump again? kelvin Absolutely, yeah.

astead herndon

And we heard the general sense of disappointment in both major party candidates  [PHONE RINGING]

sean Hello. astead herndon Hi. My names Astead Herndon. Im a reporter with The New York Times. I was looking for Sean. sean Yeah, thats me.

astead herndon

 even among young people who supported Bidens re-election,

sean I  you know, I got my degrees in history and political science. I worked for the government. Im very invested in politics, despite the fact that I cant really openly campaign for anyone because Im a nonpartisan government employee and I take my job very seriously. I work for the Civil Rights Division. And most concerning to me is that more voters are  more young voters are undecided. astead herndon Theyre up for grabs. sean And I think yeah, and particularly young people of color, which concerns me. If you traffic any of the internet, any of these more conservative spaces on the internet now, there is a pretty intentional targeting towards young Black voters, especially.

astead herndon

But one thing they agreed on, Biden 2024 feels different than Biden 2020.

sean I think my biggest frustration has been that the White House and the DNC have not acknowledged the problem, that they more or less kind of brush off the data. You know, I dont want to say that theyre being cavalier about it, but theyre acting like its not going to matter. And I think it is. And its also not as unexpected as they make it seem, because Trump does hold records for the number of Black and Brown voters that voted Republican over the last couple of elections. So Its not a stretch to say that hes going to gain with those voters. So, yeah, that does worry me.

astead herndon

After talking with Christina and a diverse set of young voters, there was one more thing I wanted to do, talk with someone close to the Biden campaign who could help me understand the strategy as it pertains to young people specifically. So the campaign connected me to Santiago Mayer, the 22-year-old director of Voters of Tomorrow, a left-leaning group founded in 2019 with one explicit goal  get Gen Z to vote.

astead herndon Can you introduce yourself and tell me what you do? santiago mayer Yes, hi. Im Santiago Mayer. I am the founder and executive director of Voters of Tomorrow. We are a Gen Z organization working to educate, engage and empower young voters. astead herndon You know, we talked to the leader of NextGen, a political group that has also endorsed Biden in 2024, and they had just conducted a survey of young voters and wanted to talk to you about some of that. The polling show Biden winning 18 - to 35-year-olds by only 9 percent, which is a 15 percent drop-off from where he was in 2020. And that certainly overlaps with other things weve seen in data, in polling, thats showing some drop-off between younger voters and their support of Biden right now, and specifically true among Gen Z. I guess our first question for you was, what do you think is driving this? santiago mayer Generally, when Im looking at polling, my first question is to see how the questions were asked and what the actual methodology for the polling is. I think weve seen a lot of polling over the past few months that really doesnt fully reach Gen Z. And obviously, NextGen is specializing in polling young people. So I wont disparage their polling. But what I do think is important is, it is April of 2024. The election is not for another few months. The campaign exists for a reason. And I think a lot of young people are kind of just burnt out from politics. Theyve lived with Trump administration, which was chaos every day, and they simply havent tuned in yet. And since the sort of tickets were lined up, we now know its going to be Biden v Trump. I think as we get closer to the election, were going to see that steady increase in Joe Bidens vote share amongst young voters. And I feel very confident that Joe Biden is going to win Gen Z by a resounding margin. astead herndon So, I guess, I dont really hear an answer to the question of whats driving that? I do hear answer that hes going to fix it. I guess I want to ask again, what do you think? Do you think theres any validity to the idea that young people, at this point, even if its early, are maybe less supportive of the Democratic president than they previously been? santiago mayer No, listen. I think theres  young people want to see their policies represented. And I think weve seen that through Joe Biden. I think the disconnect is really what young people, what policies young people know about. Because when we talk to young people, we see that they support a lot of the things that Joe Biden has done, but they dont simply dont know that theyve happened. They dont know about the Inflation Reduction Act being the worlds biggest investment in fighting climate change. They dont know about the bipartisan gun violence prevention bill. There are so many accomplishments that were driven by young people, and that people simply dont know about. astead herndon Is there anything in the numbers and data thats coming out now about Joe Bidens relationship to young people that has some warning signs? Is there anything in there that you would take to the campaign and say, hey, we got to do something about this? santiago mayer Listen, I think the campaign needs to talk more about how abortion is impacting young people. I think thats been an issue that has been held steady and important for young voters since Roe v Wade was overturned in 2022. And I think the campaign is starting to really realize that this is something thats very important for young people. astead herndon You know, for some of the young people we talked to, the age of both major party candidates is a real factor in their disillusionment with their options when they think about November. What is your response when you hear fellow young people say, hey, I dont want to vote for an 81-year-old for four more years? Is Bidens age turning voters of tomorrow off? santiago mayer I dont think so. I really think that when you look at Joe Biden, Donald Trump, were seeing a contrast between an old guy that overturned Roe v Wade on the right to an abortion, who denied the election, who denied climate change, who refused to take action on gun violence against another old guy who is not only insanely empathetic, but has been listening to young people on all of these issues. We were just talking about warning signs. I think theres so many more warning signs for Donald Trump  even including on age  then for Joe Biden. astead herndon You know, anecdotally, it doesnt really feel like young people love Joe Biden. And the data is telling me that young people dont really love Joe Biden. But you seem to be telling me that young people do. Do I have that right? santiago mayer I dont think young people love any politicians. I think young people are very practical and they will vote for the politician and the elected official that will deliver results for them. And in this election, that decision is very clear. It is Joe Biden. astead herndon You know, last question will be, for this episode, we talked to some climate activists who were not only not fully supportive of Biden, one person was actively organizing friends in a campaign to vote against him. You know, their central argument was that Biden has enabled a foreign policy disaster in Gaza. And frankly, they said kind of clearly, they wanted to teach Democrats a lesson when it comes to assuming that young voters would come home in November. I know that you are confident in the Biden campaign. I know that you believe that Joe Biden is a better option than Republicans. I guess Im asking, does any of you worry about the amount of anti-Biden sentiment that is at least being rhetorically spread by some young folks, by some activist groups, just looking at young folks right now? santiago mayer I think its important to remember, that the loudest voices dont represent all of us and that at the end of the day, no generation is always going to fully agree on everything. I think by and large, we have a lot of time to talk to all of these people and remind them of what we have been able to accomplish. And again, I would point back to where we were in April of 2020 and what young people were saying about Joe Biden then. And still, we had a record-high turnout with over 6 percent of young people voting for Joe Biden. astead herndon Thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate you chatting with us and laying out your perspective on these things. santiago mayer For sure. More than happy to join and always excited to talk again. astead herndon Great. Have a great day. santiago mayer Likewise. Thank you. [MUSIC PLAYING]

astead herndon

After speaking with Santiago, we also received a statement from the Biden campaign outlining its ongoing efforts to reach young people. It read, We have launched a more robust youth outreach campaign led by a dedicated youth vote team earlier than ever before that will feature campus organizers across every battleground state and has already included seven-figure advertising across social media. In other words, dont worry, Democrats, theyve got this. Thats The Run-Up for Thursday, April 18th, 2024. Now, the rundown. On Monday in lower Manhattan, Donald Trumps criminal trial began. Hes facing charges of falsifying business records in an attempt to cover up an affair with adult film actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election. As jury selection went on inside the courthouse, a small group of Trump faithful gathered in a nearby park.

archived recording Our support for Donald Trump is strong, our side is bigger than their side, and were not going anywhere. And no matter the verdict that comes out, we are not shedding our support for Donald Trump.

astead herndon

Meanwhile, on Tuesday 

archived recording (joe biden) [APPLAUSE]: Hello Scranton.

astead herndon

Joe Biden returned to his hometown, Scranton, Pennsylvania 

archived recording (joe biden) Scranton values or Mar-a-Lago values? These are the competing visions for our economy.

astead herndon

 and gave a speech drawing a sharp contrast between himself and Trump. Folks, hes coming for your money, your health care, and your Social Security. And were not going to let it happen. Were not going to. Cant let it happen. He also cracked some jokes at the former presidents expense.

archived recording (joe biden) You know, Ive already been delivering real results in a fiscally responsible way, but I not everyones feeling it. Just the other day, a defeated-looking guy came up to me and asked if I could help. He was drowning in debt. I said, Im sorry, Donald, but I cant help you.

astead herndon
Nine years ago, while recovering from a serious health crisis, the British society photographer Dafydd Jones decided to return to his archive of negatives and print a few of his old party pictures. Mr. Jones had spent three decades documenting the social scenes of British and American upper classes for The Tatler, The New York Observer and Vanity Fair under Tina Brown and Graydon Carter, but the frenetic pace of society photography had never given him time to look back on his own work.

In 2020, he published his first book of these photos, Oxford: The Last Hurrah. It was a surprise hit, prompting Mr. Jones to look back at his nights in the 1980s and 1990s, when he rubbed shoulders with Manhattans rich and powerful. These pictures of a bygone era, both glitzy and seedy, have been gathered together for the first time in a new book, New York: High Life / Low Life.

Mr. Jones spoke via video chat from his studio in East Sussex, England. The conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.
Ivy Getty, the oil heiress and model, has filed for divorce from her husband, Tobias Engel, a little over two years after the couple hosted a lavish wedding celebration at the San Francisco home of the brides grandmother Ann Getty. The themed outfits, designer dresses and starry guest list all combined for a spectacle that was breathlessly covered by the fashion press.

Heres what we know about the couples split so far.

Who is Ivy Getty?

Ivy Love Getty is the great-granddaughter of the oil tycoon J. Paul Getty and the only daughter of the musician John Gilbert Getty and the jewelry designer Alyssa Boothby. After her fathers death in 2020, Ms. Getty paid tribute in an Instagram post, calling him the coolest man to ever land on this planet.

In addition to being an heiress, Ms. Getty is also a fashion model represented by Ford Models. (She appeared on the cover of Town & Country in May 2022.) Like her grandmother, the publisher and interior designer Ann Getty, who also died in 2020, Ivy is a philanthropist. In 2022, she held a charity dinner in Venice to raise money for Ukraine. Philanthropy is the most important thing to me, she told LOfficiel, adding, Its important to stay aware of what is going on in the world.

A fashion darling, Ms. Getty attended the Met Gala in 2022 in custom Oscar de la Renta and in 2023 in Maison Margiela. She is a fashion week staple in New York, London and Paris.
When he flew to Nigeria for a business trip in late February, Tigran Gambaryan, a top compliance officer at the cryptocurrency exchange Binance, packed a small suitcase with just enough clothes for two days.

A former U.S. law enforcement agent, Mr. Gambaryan knew the trip was risky. Only a few weeks earlier, he and a group of colleagues had rushed out of Nigeria, concerned that the local authorities might detain them, five people familiar with that trip said. This time, he assured his wife, he would get in and get out.

A month and a half later, Mr. Gambaryan is being held at Kuje prison in the Nigerian capital of Abuja, a complex that has housed Islamic State militants and Boko Haram fighters.

After meeting with government officials in Abuja on Feb. 26, Mr. Gambaryan, 39, and a Binance colleague, Nadeem Anjarwalla, were abruptly escorted to a guesthouse controlled by Nigerian security officials, where they were held for nearly a month with no formal charges filed against them.
Google fired 28 workers on Wednesday after dozens of employees participated in sit-ins at the companys New York and Sunnyvale, Calif., offices to protest the companys cloud computing contract with the Israeli government.

A day earlier, nine employees were arrested on charges of trespassing at the two offices.

Physically impeding other employees work and preventing them from accessing our facilities is a clear violation of our policies, and completely unacceptable behavior, a Google spokeswoman said in a statement.

Years before the dismissals, tensions had been simmering between the companys management and some activist employees over Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion Google and Amazon deal to supply the Israeli government with cloud services, such as artificial intelligence.

That discord had deepened since the war in Gaza began in October. Google recently fired an employee who disrupted an Israeli technology conference in New York. And the company is even planning to make changes to a corporate forum because employees were bickering about the conflict.
The Biden administration will give Micron up to $6.1 billion in grants to help build its semiconductor plants in New York and Idaho, the latest multibillion dollar award aimed at ramping up the nations production of vital semiconductors.

Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, announced the grant on Thursday and said the monumental investment would help the company construct two new chip manufacturing plants in New York by the end of the decade, along with another plant under construction in Idaho.

More than a year ago, Micron announced plans to expand its manufacturing footprint in the United States. In September 2022, the company said it would build a $15 billion factory in its hometown, Boise, Idaho, the first new U.S. memory chip plant in 20 years. A month later, Micron said it would build a giant manufacturing complex near Syracuse, N.Y., pledging to start with a $20 billion project by the end of the decade and spending as much as $100 billion over the next two decades or more. The complex could eventually include up to four new manufacturing plants.

A senior Biden administration official confirmed the award and said it would help create thousands of jobs. Company officials have said the investment is expected to create roughly 50,000 jobs, including about 9,000 direct positions at its plants.
After former President Donald J. Trump was kicked off Twitter in 2021, conservative entrepreneurs rushed to promote social media alternatives tailored to him and his supporters.

There were Parler and Gab, Twitter-like sites popular among the people who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Then came Gettr, a social media app created by one of Mr. Trumps former advisers.

That crowded field has now narrowed, giving an edge to Truth Social, the platform that Mr. Trumps company owns and where he is the main attraction.
Big changes are coming to the so-called Happiest Place on Earth.

Yesterday, the Anaheim City Council unanimously approved a sweeping renovation of Disneyland that will allow the creation of new attractions, shops and restaurants within the theme park resorts existing property. Its the biggest overhaul of Disneyland since the 1990s, city officials said.

Supporting the long-term success of Disneyland, a major economic engine and the biggest employer in Anaheim, Orange Countys most populous city, ultimately translates into city revenues that help serve the residents of Anaheim, Ted White, the deputy city manager and planning director, said at the meeting. Another procedural vote by the council is required for final approval; it is scheduled to be held in May.

Under the 40-year plan, Disney has promised to invest at least $1.9 billion in the resort over the next decade. The theme parks footprint would not expand, except that Disney will buy three public streets from Anaheim for $40 million.

The project proposes building new attractions on an existing Disneyland parking lot and redesigning park space to better incorporate lodging, rides and shops. Star Wars: Galaxys Edge, which opened at Disneyland in 2019, is an example of this new kind of interactive experience, and Disney officials have floated adding Frozen, Zootopia or Peter Pan lands, similar to those in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo.
A man who impersonated a priest and called himself Father Martin to steal from churches around the United States was arrested in California this month, the authorities in Riverside County said.

The man, Malin Rostas, 45, of New York, was taken into custody on April 10 after sheriffs deputies found a vehicle matching the description of one associated with the burglaries, according to the county sheriff in Riverside, Calif.

Mr. Rostas, the driver of the black sedan, was arrested. Investigators determined that he was the man posing as Father Martin and that he had tried to steal from a church in Moreno Valley, a city about 60 miles east of Los Angeles, the sheriffs office said.

Mr. Rostas was booked at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside on an outstanding burglary warrant from Pennsylvania. Additional charges were expected to be filed for the attempted church burglary in Moreno Valley, the authorities said.
In the 1970s, leaders at the Japanese American Citizens League, one of the oldest and largest Asian American civil rights organizations, felt the prospect of reparations for their wartime incarceration was out of reach.

Many Americans knew little about how the government had imprisoned more than 120,000 people of Japanese descent, most of whom were American citizens, during World War II. Large civil rights organizations were preoccupied with the broader fight for gender and racial equality, and even other Asian American groups were reluctant to support reparations.

Then came a surprising endorsement from the American Jewish Committee. It was the start of a decades-long bond between two of the countrys most established Jewish and Japanese American civil rights groups  a relationship cherished by both of their communities.

But a new generation of Japanese Americans is now pushing to sever ties with two prominent Jewish American organizations. In a recent letter, a group of mostly young activists calling themselves Nikkei4Palestine urged the Japanese American Citizens League to take a stronger stance in support of Palestinians by calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and renouncing affiliations with Jewish groups they labeled Zionist.
A broad coalition of the Kennedy family endorsed President Biden on Thursday at a campaign rally in Philadelphia, pointedly rejecting one of their own in Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the independent candidate who many Democrats believe poses a significant threat to Mr. Bidens re-election chances.

Among the relatives of Mr. Kennedy who backed Mr. Biden were his siblings Joseph, Kerry, Rory, Kathleen, Maxwell and Christopher. Roughly a dozen Kennedys appeared at the rally, where Kerry Kennedy introduced Mr. Biden.

He has us thriving again, believing again, behaving like good neighbors again, Kerry Kennedy said of Mr. Biden as he and five of her siblings looked on from the stage. Nearly every single grandchild of Joe and Rose Kennedy supports Joe Biden. Thats right, the Kennedy family endorses Joe Biden for president.

Accepting the endorsement, Mr. Biden said that Robert F. Kennedys passion and courage inspired my generation, recounting his speech calling for peace after the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Last Monday, it was forgiving student loans. This week, it was calling for tariffs on Chinese steel. Soon, President Biden is expected to protect federal land in the Alaskan wilderness.

As his re-election campaign heats up, Mr. Biden is leaning heavily on the powers of the presidency to try to shore up his support among key constituencies  young people, union workers and environmentalists  many of whom have expressed disappointment in his handling of the issues they care about.

It is a tactic often employed by previous sitting presidents, but one that is made more urgent for Mr. Biden by polls that show lagging support among several of the groups that helped him win the White House four years ago. Campaign aides say the rapid-fire string of announcements, which will continue, demonstrate that the president hears their concerns.

It is also part of the campaigns broader strategy of trying to boil down the choice for voters to a simple one of governing versus chaos. The announcements by Mr. Biden are meant to draw a contrast with former President Donald J. Trump, who has spent most of this week sitting at the defendants table during the first of his four criminal trials.
In 2018, Kenia Flores, who is blind, voted by mail in North Carolina because she was attending college out of state. Had she been able to vote in person, she could have used an accessible machine. But voting absentee, her only option was to tell another person her choices and have them fill out her ballot. She had no way to verify what they did.

Dessa Cosma, who uses a wheelchair, arrived at her precinct in Michigan that year to find that all the voting booths were standing height. A poll worker suggested she complete her ballot on the check-in table and got annoyed when Ms. Cosma said she had a right to complete it privately. Another worker intervened and found a private space.

That night, Ms. Cosma  the executive director of Detroit Disability Power, where Ms. Flores is a voting access and election protection fellow  vented to the groups advisory committee and discovered that every one of them had a story about lack of ability to vote easily, and we all had different disabilities, she said. It made me realize, Oh wow, even more than I realized, this is a significant problem.

It has been for decades. A series of laws  including the Help America Vote Act in 2002, or HAVA, which created new standards for election administration and grant programs for states to maintain those standards  have sought to make it easier. And they have, but major gaps remain.
The House is voting on Saturday on a foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that has been stalled for months.

Similar legislation passed the Senate in February with bipartisan support, but, in order to steer around opposition from members of his own party, Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, used a convoluted plan: It broke that package down into three pieces, added a fourth bill to sweeten the deal and then allowed them to be melded back together again.

The strategy was designed to capitalize on the distinct bases of political support for the various pieces of the foreign aid package, worth $95.3 billion, without allowing opposition to any one element to defeat the whole thing. Mr. Johnson regarded it as a necessity given his vanishingly slim majority and the large number of Republicans who staunchly oppose sending aid to Ukraine.

He relied on support from Democrats not only to win passage of the funding for Kyiv, but also to prevail on a procedural vote on Friday that was needed to bring the package to the floor. Heres how Mr. Johnsons works:

An all-or-nothing procedural measure was the first vote

The first vote, and most crucial, on the package happened on Friday before the aid ever came to the floor. It was on a measure known as a rule that is usually a routine procedural step, almost always taken along party lines, laying out how the debate and voting will go. But in this case, Mr. Johnson needed Democrats to vote for it because right-wing Republicans were vehemently opposed.
Immigration officials sent dozens of Haitians back to their home country on Thursday, according to three government officials, in the first deportation flight conducted by the United States government in months to the country, which has been gripped by widespread violence.

Deportation flights are generally viewed as a way to deter migrants from crossing the southern border without authorization. The United States has been concerned about migration from Haiti after a gang takeover of its capital, Port-au-Prince, this year led to the planned resignation of the prime minister, Ariel Henry.

The deportation flight, the first since January, comes as the Biden administration continues to turn toward tougher measures at the southern border as a way to bring down the number of migrants entering the country without authorization. President Biden has faced intense scrutiny from Republicans about the border, and immigration has become a key issue in the election campaign.

In recent months, however, migrants are crossing the border at lower rates than before.

Still, the deportation flight on Thursday caught many immigrant advocacy groups by surprise. The U.S. government itself advises Americans not to visit Haiti, citing kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and poor health care infrastructure, and has previously told family members of American officials in Haiti to leave.
A former police officer who was beaten by other officers while working undercover during a protest against police violence in St. Louis in 2017 was awarded $23 million by a Missouri judge.

Luther Hall, the former officer, won the default judgment on Monday against one of his former colleagues after the defendant failed to respond to a lawsuit over the 2017 attack, court records showed.

Mr. Hall had to endure this severe beating, and while that was happening, he knew it was being administered by his colleagues who were sworn to serve and protect, Judge Joseph Whyte of the St. Louis Circuit Court said at the hearing, according to KSDK, a local news station.

Mr. Hall, who is Black, was attacked during a protest in September 2017 that was organized in response to the acquittal of Jason Stockley, a white police officer who killed a 24-year-old Black man, Anthony Lamar Smith, after a high-speed chase in 2011. The officers accused in the beating are white.
For a glimpse of where artificial intelligence is headed in election campaigns, look to India, the worlds largest democracy, as it starts heading to the polls on Friday.

An A.I.-generated version of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that has been shared on WhatsApp shows the possibilities for hyperpersonalized outreach in a country with nearly a billion voters. In the video  a demo clip whose source is unclear  Mr. Modis avatar addresses a series of voters directly, by name.
The worlds biggest election begins

Voting begins today in a multistage election in India in which hundreds of millions of people will cast ballots. The election will determine whether their countrys powerful prime minister, Narendra Modi, will stay in office for a third term.

The vote is seen as a referendum on Modis economic record and his increasingly centralized and Hindu-first vision of India. The elections run through June 1, and results are expected on June 4.

For insight, I spoke to my colleague Mujib Mashal, the South Asia bureau chief.

How likely is a victory for Modi?

Modi and his coalition, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, have a huge, solid majority. And despite an anti-incumbency ethos in Indian elections, Modi is different  his personal appeal is huge. Hes very popular. And he basically rules as one man, without having to go through regular parliamentary discussions and debates.
It started with one package, plastic-wrapped and barnacle-encrusted, discovered on a secluded beach in New South Wales, Australia, one balmy evening in December. Inside were 39 sealed packages, each containing about two pounds of cocaine, according to the police.

Then, within days, nine more packages were found across eight beaches and bays spanning a 60-mile stretch of coastline between Sydney and Newcastle. And more kept washing ashore in the following weeks and months. By mid-April, the police had collected about 560 pounds.

Some were small, individual blocks; others came in large bundles. In one instance, a lifeguard plucked a two-pound block out of the water off Bondi Beach in Sydney. In another, a fisherman found a blue barrel containing 39 two-pound blocks.

The question on everyones minds: Where had they come from?

On Thursday, the police announced a breakthrough in the case. The Australian Federal Police said at a news conference that they had arrested a 36-year-old Queensland man, whom they accused of being the ringleader of an organized crime network that had tried to smuggle the cocaine into the country.
Amsterdam has been searching for any way to rein in the number of tourists that visit the city every year.

In March of last year, the city launched an ad campaign specifically targeted at British men between 18 and 35, urging them to stay away.

In July, the Dutch capital announced it would bar cruise ships from docking in the city center.

The city has also long tried to control the crowds in its red-light district, where rowdy groups of tourists often cause disruptions to local residents. It has added stricter rules about smoking marijuana. It has banned new tourist shops. And still, the people keep coming.

Now, the city  which is as well known for its canals and 17th century art as for its legal sex industry and easy access to marijuana  has taken one more step to further restrict the explosive growth of tourists: It is banning hotels from being built.
A far-right party emerged on Thursday as a potential kingmaker in Croatia after the governing conservatives finished first in a bitterly contested parliamentary election but fell short of winning enough seats to form a new government.

The outcome of Wednesdays vote signaled a new era of messy political uncertainty in the Balkan nation, which has been dominated by one party, the Croatian Democratic Union, or HDZ, since 1991 when it declared independence from Yugoslavia.

The HDZ, led by the incumbent Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, won 61 seats in the 151-member legislature, according to the near-final official tally. That was more than all its rivals, including Rivers of Justice, a left-leaning coalition formed by President Zoran Milanovic, which won 42 seats to finish second. The far-right Homeland Movement finished third with 13 seats.

Speaking early Thursday in Zagreb, the Croatian capital, Mr. Plenkovic said his party had convincingly won but acknowledged that he would need help from rival groups to form a government and secure a third term as prime minister.
One of Germanys most prominent far-right leaders, Bjorn Hocke, stood trial on Thursday, facing charges of using banned Nazi slogans at political rallies.

The use of National Socialist slogans and symbols is a punishable crime in Germany, which, because of the legacy of Hitlers rise to power, has a far more restrictive approach to free speech compared to democracies like the United States.

Mr. Hocke heads the far-right Alternative for Germany, known by its German abbreviation, AfD, in the state of Thuringia. Both he and the state branch he leads have been classified by domestic intelligence as right-wing extremist and are under surveillance.

He is facing trial for using the slogan Everything for Germany at a speech in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, where he is being put on trial. It was the slogan of the National Socialist paramilitary group, or Storm Troopers, and was engraved on their knives.
Two men have been arrested in Germany over suspicions that they spied for Russia and were part of a plot to sabotage aid to Ukraine by trying to blow up military infrastructure on German soil, the authorities announced on Thursday.

The two men, both dual citizens of Russia and Germany, were arrested on Wednesday in Bayreuth, a city about 120 miles north of Munich, German federal prosecutors said. The arrests came as worries grow in Germany about the reach of Russian intelligence and disruption operations.

One of the men had been in contact with Russian intelligence services and had considered a U.S. military base in Germany as one of several potential targets, according to federal prosecutors based in Karlsruhe, in southwestern Germany, who oversaw the arrests.

The two men have not been formally charged. But the federal prosecutors said that the pair were suspected of working for a foreign intelligence service and, in one mans case, of illegally taking pictures of military infrastructure and of planning explosive attacks and arson.
In the past year, jihadists from Tajikistan have been involved in an unusually high number of terrorist attacks or foiled plots linked to the Islamic State.

The suspects in the storming of a concert hall near Moscow last month were Tajiks. Before that, Tajiks staged bloody assaults in Iran and Turkey, while several schemes in Europe said to involve Tajiks were thwarted.

Hundreds of men from Tajikistan  a small, impoverished country in Central Asia controlled by an authoritarian president  have joined an affiliate of the Islamic State in Afghanistan known as the Islamic State Khorasan Province, or ISIS-K, analysts say.

They point to three main reasons Tajiks are vulnerable to recruitment.

Poverty Fuels Discontent

Tajikistan ranks among the worlds poorest countries, which drives millions of workers to seek better lives elsewhere. In a country of 10 million people, a majority of working men, estimated at more than two million, toil abroad at any given time.
Peter Murrell, the husband of Scotlands former first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, was charged on Thursday in connection with embezzlement of funds from the Scottish National Party, which she once led and where he once held a senior position.

The announcement, which follows a lengthy inquiry by the Scottish police, is another blow to the party, which controls the Scottish government and campaigns for independence. The party was thrown into turmoil after Ms. Sturgeons surprise resignation last year.

After her departure as first minister, Ms. Sturgeon was also arrested as part of the investigation into her partys finances, but she was released and has not been charged.

Mr. Murrell, 59, who has been married to Ms. Sturgeon since 2010, became the S.N.P.s chief executive in 1999 and resigned from the role in February 2023.
The mother of one of the suspects in the bloody attack on a concert hall near Moscow last month wept as she talked about her son.

How, she wondered, did he go from the bumpy, dirt roads of their village in Tajikistan, in Central Asia, to sitting, bruised and battered, in a Russian courtroom accused of terrorism? Even though he spent five years in Tajik prisons as a teenager, she said he never exhibited signs of violent extremism.

We need to understand  who is recruiting young Tajiks, why do they want to highlight us as a nation of terrorists? said the mother, Muyassar Zargarova.

Many governments and terrorism experts are asking the same question.

Tajik adherents of the Islamic State  especially within its affiliate in Afghanistan known as the Islamic State Khorasan Province (I.S.K.P.), or ISIS-K  have taken increasingly high-profile roles in a string of recent terrorist attacks. Over the last year alone, Tajiks have been involved in assaults in Russia, Iran and Turkey, as well as foiled plots in Europe. ISIS-K is believed to have several thousand soldiers, with Tajiks constituting more than half, experts said.
Negotiations for a cease-fire and the release of Israeli hostages have stalled because Hamas rejected the latest proposal put forth by Israel, Qatar and Egypt, the C.I.A. director said Thursday, putting the blame for a lack of progress in talks squarely on the group that led the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

Earlier this month, William J. Burns, C.I.A. director and lead American negotiator, traveled to Cairo and pushed what he called a far-reaching proposal that Egyptian and Qatari negotiators took to Hamas. The proposal contained an offer to allow some Gazans to return to the northern part of the enclave, a key Hamas demand.

While Mr. Burns did not describe the details of that proposal, he said that so far Hamas has not accepted it.

It was a deep disappointment to get a negative reaction from Hamas, said Mr. Burns, speaking at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas. Right now, its that negative reaction that really is standing in the way of innocent civilians in Gaza getting humanitarian relief that they so desperately need.

Last Sunday, Mossad, the Israeli intelligence service, expressed regret that Hamas had rejected the proposal and argued it proved that the group was not interested in reaching a deal.

Other American officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations, have said Hamas has signaled that it does not have enough women and civilian hostages in its control to consummate the first part of the deal, which would release 40 hostages over six weeks in return for a large number of Palestinian prisoners.
The United States blocked the U.N. Security Council on Thursday from moving forward on a Palestinian bid to be recognized as a full member state at the United Nations, quashing an effort by Palestinian allies to get the world body to back the effort.

The vote was 12 in favor of the resolution and one  the United States  opposed, with abstentions from Britain and Switzerland.

The Palestinian envoy to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, had described the bid for full-member status as an effort to take our rightful place among the community of nations.

After the vote, Mr. Mansour, visibly upset, delivered a passionate address asserting the Palestinian peoples right to self-determination.
The president of the European Council announced early Thursday that new European sanctions would be imposed on Irans drone and missile programs as punishment for last weekends attack on Israel.

Its a clear signal that we want to send, the president, Charles Michel, said, emerging after midnight from a meeting of leaders of the European Unions member states in Brussels. We need to isolate Iran.

He said more details about the new sanctions would be announced in the coming days. But it was far from clear how new restrictions would curb Iran, which has spent decades finding ways to skirt Western sanctions, including illicit shipments of oil and, notably, its armaments to Russia.

Mr. Michels comments came hours after the top diplomats from Britain and Germany visited Israel to urge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to risk igniting a wider war by responding too strongly to Irans barrage of missiles and drones last weekend.
Some Democrats are fine sending defensive weapons to Israel, but want to see some limits on offensive weapons, which could be used against civilians in Gaza.

A group of left-leaning House Democrats is urging its colleagues to oppose the $26 billion aid package for Israel, hoping to maximize the number of no votes from the party and send a warning to President Biden about the depth of his political coalitions discontent over his support for Israels tactics in Gaza.

Framing the upcoming vote as a make-or-break moral choice akin to Congresss votes to authorize and fund the Iraq war, progressive leaders in the House are working to muster a sizable bloc of Democratic opposition to the aid measure, which is expected to pass on Saturday and become law in the coming days.

In the wake of those votes, people came around much, much later and said, We shouldnt have allowed that to go forward, Representative Pramila Jayapal, Democrat of Washington and the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said of the decades-ago debate over Iraq. And I think that this is that moment.

Representative Joaquin Castro, Democrat of Texas, called it a defining vote, adding, Were either going to participate in the carnage, or were not.

There is little doubt that the bill, which would send roughly $13 billion in military assistance to Israel as it continues its offensive in Gaza, will pass the House, along with money for Ukraine, Taiwan and other American allies.

But progressive Democrats estimated that 40 to 60 members of their party may oppose it on the House floor on Saturday. That would be a striking signal from Congress, where ironclad bipartisan backing for Israel has long been the norm. And it would highlight the fraught divisions the war in Gaza has sown within the Democratic Party, even as more Democrats including Mr. Biden have begun to criticize Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus approach to the conflict and urge him to better protect civilians.

The legislation would allocate $5 billion to Israels defense capabilities and $9 billion for worldwide humanitarian aid, including for civilians in Gaza. But it would not place further conditions on how Israel could use American military aid, nor block future arms transfers from the United States as an increasing number of Democrats have sought to do.

Democrats who are leading the push against the Israel aid bill said they strongly supported the Jewish state and its right to defend itself, and would vote in favor of sending military aid that supports Israels defense capabilities, such as by replenishing the Iron Dome, Davids Sling and Iron Beam defense systems. They also denounced the Oct. 7 terrorist attack by Hamas that prompted the war, and said the hostages taken by Hamas must be released.

But they argued that approving more offensive weaponry without conditions was an untenable moral and political position that would amount to an endorsement of Mr. Netanyahus prosecution of the war, including his intention to invade Rafah over the objections of the Biden administration. More than 33,000 people in Gaza have been killed since the start of the conflict, according to the health ministry there, and the population is facing a hunger crisis.

I understand the need for defensive weapons for Israel, particularly in light of the attack by Iran, said Representative Ro Khanna, Democrat of California, who ran his first campaign on an antiwar platform and helped lead efforts to end U.S. participation in the war in Yemen. But there is no justification to provide bombs and weapons to Netanyahu to continue the war in Gaza that is killing thousands of innocent Palestinian women and children.

Saturdays vote will recall a similar situation from 2007, when the speaker at the time, Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, split a piece of spending legislation to allow Democrats to register their opposition to funding the Iraq war while backing a domestic funding bill. Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana, similarly divided the foreign aid package to be considered on Saturday in order to get each element across the finish line in the face of distinct coalitions of resistance to different pieces of the bill.

In a critical test vote on Friday, the House agreed, 316 to 94, to bring up the package, with 39 Democrats  mostly progressives  joining 55 Republicans in opposition.

This is a moment for members of Congress who support a safe and secure Israel to send a message that giving Netanyahu more offensive weapons is not a path for peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians, Representative Becca Balint, Democrat of Vermont and the first Jewish member of Congress to call for a cease-fire, said in an interview. To give Netanyahu more offensive weapons at this stage, I believe, is to condone the destruction of Gaza that weve seen in the last six months. And its also a green light for an invasion of Rafah.

Representative Lloyd Doggett, a Texas Democrat who led the opposition to funding for the Iraq war in 2007, said the conversations among Democrats in Congress opposing continued U.S. backing for the war in Gaza were not unlike those that took place 17 years ago.

We may well be casting the vote on whether a much wider war takes place, and whether American weapons go that result in the death of thousands of innocent people, Mr. Doggett said.

The Democrats who oppose the aid package for Israel represent a minority of their caucus. But they see a no vote as part of a strategy to pressure Mr. Biden to condition aid and halt future offensive weapons transfers. Through many meetings, text chains and conversations with the administration, they have worked to shift the presidents approach to Israel, while underscoring the electoral risks Mr. Biden faces among voters who helped power him to the White House in 2020 and are now furious over his handling of the war.

The only way to get a course correction is for a sizable number within the Democratic caucus to say it must shift, Ms. Balint said.

Representative Dan Kildee, a Michigan Democrat who has been pressing Mr. Biden to withhold offensive weapons from Israel, said a big no vote would strengthen the presidents hand to do so.

It helps the administration to have some number of Democrats express ourselves in this way, he said.

Representative Greg Casar, Democrat of Texas, said he hoped a substantial number of Democrats opposing the bill would give the Biden administration greater leverage to influence the Israeli governments approach to the war.

I hope this vote will show the world that there is a really significant segment of the United States that doesnt want to see expanded and widening wars, he said.
These college graduates in Gaza finished training just one week before the war began. We reached out to everyone in the class WhatsApp group to see how they were doing. Its difficult to reach anybody in Gaza. Blackouts are common, and internet access is sporadic. But 34 responded. They Graduated Into Gazas War. What Happened to Them? Photo by Ahmed al Danaf

They were among Gazas most ambitious students.

The dentistry program at Al-Azhar University was very selective, and very demanding, and they had big plans. We dream a lot  more than a brain can imagine, one said.

But instead of starting new jobs, they found themselves plunged into endless days of burying the dead and fearing for the living.

The students had hired a videographer to capture their celebrations on the final day of exams, about a year before they finished their internships, in 2022. The most wonderful day in our lives, one said. That was before the Israeli assault in the Gaza Strip began.

Ahmed al Danaf

We reached members of the class of 117 students through Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. They wrote or talked to us from tents and balconies. Some even climbed on water tanks or walked long distances to grab a phone signal.

All told us they had lost loved ones. Two of their classmates were dead. And many feared they would be next.

Most of their homes lay in ruins. Many described being hungry, and losing drastic amounts of weight.

The survivors described how their loved ones were killed. The New York Times was not able to verify every attack or the circumstances of every death.

This is not the first time war has come to Gaza. Israel and the Hamas militants who made the territory their stronghold have fought repeatedly over the years, but Gaza has never seen this degree of destruction and death. Israel says that it is doing what is needed to defeat Hamas, and that it takes great efforts to protect civilians, but even its allies have begun to characterize the bombing as indiscriminate.

The graduates spoke with anger, desperation and bewilderment about how much Israels bombardment, now in its seventh month, has taken from them.

We had a lot of wars before, but this one is just different, one said. Usually it would affect people, but not people that you know. This war took everyone.

Loss came early for Madeha Alshayyah. She had fled her home in Gaza City, but her grandmother, uncles and cousins stayed behind, despite the bombs. They all died and are still under the rubble, Madeha said. Now, her sister is missing. She went to the market one day and never came back, she said. Salem Shurrab had known his best friend, Mouayad Alrayyes, since they were children. They used to meet every night at a cafe at the same table. Mouayads home was bombed while he was out, and his family was killed. He wrote to Salem that he wished he had died, too, so I dont feel the pain. Your pain is mine, Salem replied. Hours later, Salem said, Mouayad was killed by a rocket when he went to retrieve the bodies. Mirna Ismails home was destroyed, but that did not even come up in her WhatsApp groups. Now, they discuss only the urgent things, only who has been killed, she said. If someone lost his house, it is not an urgent thing now. Mirna lost two friends and a cousin. We all know someone who has been killed, she said. And we cant understand why they are killing them.

Lost Classmates

The class WhatsApp group was how most of the graduates learned that two of their classmates were dead.

On Dec. 2, Aseel Taya was at home with her family, including her father, Sofyan Taya, a prominent researcher in physics and applied mathematics, when Israeli warplanes struck, the Palestinian Ministry of Higher Education said. They were all killed.

Officially dentists  Messages have been translated.

Why Aseel? What did she do to deserve that? Mirna recalled feeling. At that time its not easy to cry, she said. You only think that this is a lie and I will see her again.

Aseel Taya (via Rasha H. Zendah)

In February came word of another classmates death.

Officially dentists  Messages have been translated.

Noor Yaghi was sheltering with her family in central Gaza when Israeli airstrikes hit their home. She was like a flower, said Asmaa Dwaima, who described her laughing and making fun of herself and us in the labs. The Feb. 22 strikes killed at least 40 people, according to local media.

Noors remains were never found, said her cousin Asil Yaghi. Her body seems to have become small pieces, she said. My heart is squeezing and my tears dont stop.

Noor Yaghi (left) and her twin sister, Aya (via Asil Yaghi)

For many of the students, the talk is of bodies and body parts.

Muhammad Abdel Jawad was visiting an injured cousin at the hospital when he heard that the residential tower where he lived with his family had been hit. He returned home to find his sisters with burns all over their bodies, he said.

His father was missing.

Two days later, Muhammad went back to the remains of his home. I found my fathers body in front of me, he said. I tried everything I could to get him out. His 16-year-old sister was also killed, he said.
Aaron Guiterman

Aaron Guiterman will rejoin Edelmans government and PA unit as head of US public affairs on April 29.

Most recently, he served as BCWs executive VP & market leader for its Washington office.

During his nine-year stint at Edelman, Guiterman was in charge of energy and industrials policy and chief innovation officer in the firms government & PA practice.

He also headed digital PA, and was group director of strategy and planning at Edelman.

Before joining Edelman, Guiterman worked at DDC Advocacy, Glover Park Group, McCann Erickson and Young & Rubicam.

Matt Harrington, COO of Edelman, said Guitermans return to EGA deepens its ability to be the trusted counselor as brands, politics and culture intersect within the beltway and beyond.

Guiterman will report to Rob Rehg, global chair, client & services, EGA.
LOCAL election candidate for Aontu, Aubrey Claffey, invites all residents of the Birr Municipal District to a public meeting to address critical issues impacting the community. The meeting, to be held on Monday, April 29th at the LOETB Centre in Banagher, will provide an opportunity for constituents to engage directly with Mr Claffey and party leader, Peadar Toibin.

The meeting will focus on a range of pressing concerns identified by constituents, including the housing crisis, healthcare, immigration, and support for farmers.

Housing Crisis: With 36 Empty Local Authority Homes in Offaly taking an average of eight months to re-let, Aontu is committed to reducing turnaround times to increase access to housing. The exorbitant rental prices are pushing many families to financial breaking points, and action is needed urgently.

Healthcare: Accessing essential healthcare has become increasingly challenging for residents of the Birr Municipal District. GPs are at capacity, with many individuals waiting several days for an appointment. The overflow has led to reliance on emergency services like Midoc, indicating a significant resource strain that must be addressed promptly.

Immigration: Aontu has been at the forefront of advocating for transparent discussions on immigration, highlighting critical issues such as the deportation order scandal and the lack of clarity surrounding the origin of asylum seekers. Aontu stands for equal treatment for all, emphasising that no one coming into the country should receive preferential treatment over Irish citizens. We believe in differentiation between those genuinely in need of assistance and those who are not, ensuring that resources are allocated fairly and responsibly.

Support for Farmers: Agriculture is a vital industry in our area, yet farmers face numerous challenges, including market fluctuations and environmental concerns. Aontu is committed to supporting and sustaining our local farming community, ensuring they have the resources and support they need to thrive. We believe in fair treatment for farmers and advocate for policies that promote their success and sustainability.

Aubrey Claffey and Peadar Toibin are eager to engage with residents and address their questions and concerns. All are welcome to attend this important event and be part of the dialogue shaping the future of our community.

It will be held on Monday, April 29th at 7.30pm in the LOETB Centre, Main Street, Banagher.
BORD na Mona will get the go-ahead for a mammoth new power station in north Offaly, a councillor predicted on Monday.

However, Cllr Liam Quinn said the 710MW gas-fired plant must not be unsightly, must have its cables underground as much as possible, and must contribute significant funding to local roads and the community.

The Rhode-based Fine Gael councillor has drafted his own submission for the project's planning application which is going straight to An Bord Pleanala through the Strategic Infrastructure Development process.

This fast-track assessment means Bord na Mona Powergen bypass Offaly County Council but along with Cllr Quinn's submission, the local authority's planners are lodging a document with An Bord Pleanala.

There is already permission for a power plant on the same site but the latest proposal is larger and its combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) and open cycle gas turbine (OCGT) will have a combined output of 710MW.

There will be an electricity grid connection and two sub stations and the entire complex will span 10 townlands (Knockdrin, Derrygreenagh, Derryarkin, Derryiron, Ballybeg, Coolcor, Barrysbrook, Clonin, Togher and Coole) on both sides of the R400 road between Rhode and Rochfortbridge.

Stressing how large the application by Bord na Mona is, Cllr Quinn told his council colleagues at a meeting on Monday: To read the application is like a phonebook.

To me this is one of the biggest infrastructure projects ever undertaken in Offaly.

The councillor said it will probably succeed, mainly because Ireland will require gas-fired stations to back up the country's growing number of renewable energy projects like wind and solar.

He said he made 10 key points in his submission and these include a call for all cabling to be underground; surveys of the R400 and L1010 roads done in advance; an upgrade for the R400 Derrygreenagh hill road; a widening of the L1010 and care taken of its very historic wall which was part of the Nesbitt estate and dates from famine relief times; and a footpath from Priory Lawns in Rhode to the GAA field, also to be provided before work starts on the power plant.

He also called for the community benefit fund be index linked; the creation of a near neighbour scheme for households within 1km of the boundary of the site; a greenway along the former narrow gauge railway line; the reinstatement of an historic lake and the reflooding of the bog as a biodiversity area, and finally, an oral hearing hosted by An Bord Pleanala to allow residents to discuss concerns.

He pointed out that the R400 is already home to some of the biggest aggregate quarries and he hopes An Bord Pleanala take note of what the council's own engineers had urged.

He described the cable route as the kernel of the problem and stressed that these would be much bigger than existing pylons. Bord na Mona say an overhead line will run for five kilometres and go through Ballybeg bog and then link with an underground cable connection 3.2km long.

The councillor noted that the council planners had asked Bord na Mona for a justification of the cable route they had chosen.

He also pointed out that cabling could be laid underground on cutaway bog.

He warned of the impact of overhead lines on the Croghan Hill landscape: To me it's going to have an awful visual impact on the area.

He said wind turbines blend into the landscape better and are clustered together. But these pylons are to me going to be a terrible eyesore on that part of the hill that comes up between Rhode and Croghan.

He described Bord na Mona's near neighbour scheme (where nearby households receive financial payments) as a goodwill scheme because unlike those associated with wind and solar farms, it is not mandatory.

The proposed scheme will run for just five years whereas best practice is 15 years. Furthermore, he said Bord na Mona were suggesting a scheme worth just 90,000, whereby the equivalent for the nearby Yellow River Wind farm, currently under construction, will be worth 595,000 over 15 years even though it will generate only one-seventh of the power.

This is going to stand out like a sore thumb. The minute you come down off the motorway at Enfield you can see Croghan Hill and all the windmills on the bog at Derrygreenagh. This is what you're going to see now, he said.

I think they're going to have to come up with a more sensitive design or certainly make the outside of the building look a little better because it's going to be very substantial and seen for miles around.

Cllr Quinn's party colleague from Edenderry, Cllr Noel Cribbin, said the project will create 650 construction jobs and up to 100 permanent jobs but the compensation fund proposed by Bord na Mona he said is a pittance.

Cllr Eamon Dooley, Fianna Fail, said councillors had previously met former Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney and put proposals to him and he hoped his successor Minister Peter Burke is aware of them.

Cllr Robert McDermott, also Fianna Fail, had queries about cash funding for the R400 and queried why the exact figure for a construction bond to be put up by Bord na Mona had not been published.

Cllr Neil Feighery, Fine Gael, said he had already written a letter to Minister Burke seeking a meeting and believed that as a Westmeath man, he would be aware of the needs of bog areas.

Ed Kelly, senior planner with the council, said the value of the bond would be determined later and also told Cllr McDermott that a figure of 90,000 for general road maintenance was being proposed by Bord na Mona.

Andrew Murray, acting director of service, said it would be six months at least before An Bord Pleanala makes its decision on the planning application.

The councillors were also told by Mr Kelly: I'm not aware of [Bord na Mona] specifying a commencement date on it.

However, he said the national lack of dispatchable power is a huge issue so he expected that if the board gives the project the go-ahead it will proceed fairly quick.

He added: This is huge. So it's not something that's going to be built all that quickly but we have a short to medium term near crisis in terms of power generation so it's kind of a national priority.

The whole complex will cover 312 hectares and Rochfortbridge will be the closest town it, 4km to the north east. A 400kv substation will be 2.6km from Croghan and 3.5km from Rhode. The site was previously home to Bord na Mona's Derrygreenagh Works.
There is a net reduction of approximately 175 Ukrainians living in State-provided accommodation every week, Taoiseach Simon Harris has said.

Following Russias invasion of Ukraine, the European Union triggered a temporary protection directive to offer assistance for those fleeing the war.

It places obligations on EU countries to give certain rights to the beneficiaries of temporary protection (BOTPs) including residence permits and access to suitable accommodation.

Ireland has granted more than 105,000 temporary protection orders since the war, and almost 72,000 BOTPs are in State-provided accommodation.

However, the average number of BOTPs leaving State accommodation now exceeds the number of temporary protection orders being granted to new arrivals.

Speaking in Brussels, Mr Harris said the latest data shows there are roughly 175 fewer Ukrainian people in State accommodation each week.

While there remains a significant demand for State-provided accommodation, the portfolio needed by the Government to support Ukrainians is therefore decreasing.

Mr Harris said the reduction allowed the Department of Integration to reconsider contracts on its overall portfolio.

Now I fully accept that thats the Ukrainian side of the challenge and there is, of course, a very significant increase that weve seen in international protection numbers.

But I do think it provides two opportunities.

One for the Department of Immigration to begin to take stock of the overall numbers of contracts and obligations it has in relation to housing in general.

And secondly, I think it does merit reflection, because we did take policy interventions recently in relation to Ukraine, reducing, for example, welfare benefits for people coming to our country anew and we have obviously seen a very significant reduction.

Mr Harris welcomed the publication of the Governments accommodation framework for international protection applicants, saying it was an acknowledgment that being wholly reliant on the private market is unsustainable.

He said: We now need to see proposals come forward very quickly, in relation to other turnkey-type opportunities that may exist in relation to international protection.

He said he expects to convene a Cabinet committee on migration within two weeks.

The average daily number of people seeking protection under the temporary directive for Ukrainians has more than halved since before the Government announced in December that it would be limiting support for new BOTPs.

The changes came into effect last month and did not apply to those who had already arrived.

Under the revised plan, Ukrainian refugees go to Designated Accommodation Centres for up to 90 days and are provided with food, laundry and integration support during this time.

They will be paid a 38.80 subsistence allowance per week and an additional 29.80 per child.

Arrivals were entitled to a jobseekers allowance of 220 per week and unlimited time in State accommodation.

Approximately half of arrivals opt for State-provided accommodation. Those who do not are entitled to the full income supports.

It is understood there are approximately 3,000 vacant beds across the accommodation system for Ukrainians but around 40 per cent of these are needed due to short-term moves of BOTPs due to compliance issues or contracts ending.

It is hoped that providers will agree to pivot approximately 500 beds for use by international protection applicants, which is separate from the temporary scheme for Ukrainians.
Home Instead, Ireland's leading home care provider, are hiring in various areas of Offaly, including Tullamore, Edenderry, Birr and more.

In a society that has long undervalued the pivotal role of caregivers, Home Instead is on a mission to redefine perceptions and elevate the status of those who dedicate themselves to the well-being of others.

This campaign is a celebration of the remarkable skills, commitment, and compassion that characterise Home Instead Caregivers.

In a world where caregiving is often seen as routine, Home Instead recognises the extraordinary contributions of family and professional caregivers.

According to recent findings by Family Carers Ireland, family caregivers alone save the state a staggering 20 billion annually.

This underscores the urgent need for increased recognition and support for those who play a vital role in our communities.

The Global Coalition on Aging's Workforce Report (2021), sponsored by Home Instead, identifies the "Image Problem" in the long-term care sector, emphasising the high level of skills, emotional intelligence, and determination required for caregiving.

Home Instead stands at the forefront of professionalising caregiving, maintaining high standards through best-in-class training and operations.

The commitment to the Caregiver experience is evident through initiatives that celebrate and support Caregivers continuously.

Home Instead Midlands, as a part of this commitment, conducts various events to acknowledge and appreciate the tireless efforts of Caregivers.

Throughout the year, Home Instead Midlands hosts events to celebrate the dedication and skills of its Caregivers.

These events go beyond recognition; they create a sense of community, providing a platform for Caregivers to share experiences and learn from each other.

Whether it's through training sessions, appreciation days, or skill-building workshops, Home Instead Midlands ensures that Caregivers feel valued and supported in their vital roles.

As we enter the Summer months, Home Instead invites individuals with a heart for caregiving to join our growing team, where your skills, compassion, and creativity can truly make a difference.

To learn more about Home Instead or explore career opportunities, visit careers.homeinstead.ie or contact 044 938 5260.

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IMF ready to support Sri Lankas discussions with bondholders

Posted by Editor on April 18, 2024 - 2:27 pm

According to Reuters, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expressed readiness to facilitate Sri Lankas ongoing negotiations with international bondholders.

The IMF plans to provide a formal evaluation once a preliminary agreement is achieved, as stated by an IMF representative on Thursday.

The spokesperson expressed optimism that an agreement aligning with the IMFs program guidelines and the official creditors Comparability of Treatment standards would soon be finalized.

This is anticipated before the second review of the program is completed. Earlier in the week, Sri Lanka disclosed that its attempts to restructure approximately $12 billion in debt with bondholders had not been successful, prompting concerns over potential delays in receiving the third tranche of its $2.9 billion IMF bailout in June.

The primary hurdle, according to the Sri Lankan government, was a discrepancy between the baseline parameters of the bondholders proposal and the conditions established in the IMF program. The IMF has urged both parties to expedite their discussions.

In its next steps, Sri Lanka intends to confer with the IMF to determine whether the latest proposals discussed with bondholders align with the terms of its bailout arrangement.

The nation defaulted on its foreign debt in May 2022, which was followed by several months of negotiations with bilateral creditors.

These efforts culminated in a provisional deal with major creditors including China, India, and the Paris Club by November last year.

The financial backdrop to these discussions is Sri Lankas severe economic downturn, described as the worst since gaining independence in 1948.

The crisis was precipitated by a dramatic depletion of the countrys foreign exchange reserves in early 2022, which severely hindered its ability to purchase critical imports such as fuel, cooking gas, and medicine.
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Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121

"The world is seemingly full of disconnected crises, but Rob Kall begs to differ. An exceptional pattern thinker, he connects a range of contemporary challenges through a framework of bottom-up solutions in a world dominated by top-down thinking. Mining extensive interviews with thought leaders and exploring an eclectic mix of leading-edge ideas, Bottom-Up describes a variety of latent and emergent characteristics of an evolutionary paradigm shift that's changing the world. Whether your focus is in business, leadership, activism, or organizations, Kall offers a practical conceptual map and toolset to engage the planetary evolution taking place all around us. If you want to make a difference and need inspiration for how to participate in this global transformation, there is plenty in this book to draw from."



Antonio Lopez, author of The Media Ecosystem
Most readers of the New York Times, not only the true believers but even those who now see it as a CIA mouthpiece, would probably agree that it was a different paper in 1971 when they published the Pentagon Papers (henceforth "PP NYT"), that "epic document," according to their own self-accolade, that exposed "the secrets and lies of the Vietnam War."

The biggest secret, however, and what I call "The Second Biggest Lie" (after the Warren Report) of that era is that President Johnson continued Kennedy's Vietnam policy, when in fact he reversed it. There should never have been any controversy about this, but thanks to the NYT and a slew of academic historians who, for the first thirty years, accepted this lie, and then, for the next thirty years, engaged in a furious but spurious debate over facts that were either known (that there was a withdrawal policy under Kennedy and that Johnson reversed it) or unknowable (what JFK's "secret intentions" were and what he would have done if he had not been assassinated), instead of facing the plain facts and their implications, as Franz Schurmann, Peter Dale Scott and Reginald Zelnick did in a perspicacious little book that appeared five years before the Pentagon Papers:

...precisely at a moment when neutralist sentiment was increasing in Saigon and elsewhere, the shift from a moderate to a militant government in Saigon was accompanied by a shift in Washington's declared policy from limited to unlimited support for the Vietnam war. It is important to recall, in this regard, the stated intention of the Kennedy administration, as announced by McNamara and Taylor from the White House on October 2, 1963, which was to withdraw most U.S. forces from South Vietnam by the end of 1965. The first public indication of a change in the U.S. intentions came in a letter from President Johnson to Duong Van Minh at New Year's, 1964, which promised "the fullest measure of support...in achieving victory." The New York Times commented, "By implication, the message erased the previous date for withdrawing the bulk of United States forces from Vietnam by the end of 1965" (NYT, January 2, 1964, p. 7).

...In retrospect, it is hard to deny that, shortly before the [January 1964] coup, the United States had made the crucial decision to reverse the policy, announced during the last days of President Kennedy's administration, of gradually withdrawing U.S. troops from South Vietnam. Was it all a coincidence that a change in leadership in Washington was followed by a change in policy, and a change in policy by a corresponding change in Saigon's government? Administration officials have never yet seen fit to defend publicly this important reversal of policy; thus they have not identified the threat that brought it about. Was it a radical increase in the strength of the opposing forces? As far as we know, none has ever been alleged. Or was it a radical decline in Saigon's will to resist, with a corresponding disposition toward the political proposals of de Gaulle and the NLF [and U Thant of the UN, for a neutral or coalition government in South Vietnam]?

One conclusion can be asserted unequivocally: The United States increased its commitment to a prolongation of the Vietnam war at a time when the drift of the Saigon junta and of public opinion was in the direction of negotiations for a neutralized Vietnam. [The Politics of Escalation in Vietnam, 1966, out of print but still accessible at archive.org. Pp. 32-34. My emphasis.]

There never should have been a question whether there was a withdrawal policy or whether it was reversed. The important question, then and now (re Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.) is why the US feels compelled to wage war everywhere on behalf of "the free world". Schurmann et al. answer this with regard to Vietnam in the words of Robert McNamara:

A more explicit official indication of reversal of policy came in the testimony of Secretary McNamara before the Armed Services Committee, on January 27, three days before the [January 1964] coup:

The survival of an independent government in South Vietnam is so important to the security of Southeast Asia and to the free world that I can conceive of no alternative other than to take all necessary measures within our capability to prevent a Communist victory. (M. Raskin and B. Fall, The Vietnam Reader, New York, 1965, p. 394). [P. 33. My emphasis.]

Substitute "South Vietnam," "Southeast Asia" and "Communist" with terms appropriate to other US wars and you have the answer that applies to all of them: in a word, US imperialism, exceptionalism, neoconservativism - take your pick.

All we need to know about JFK's withdrawal policy and LBJ's reversal of it is in the paragraphs cited above. Why, then, has there been so much fuss about it?

To answer that question we can start with the main antagonist on one side of this spurious debate, Noam Chomsky, and as it happens, with his very first political essay, "The Responsibility of Intellectuals" (1967). In a footnote to illustrate the kind of research a citizen must undertake "to confront government pronouncements with fact," Chomsky cites this same book by Schurmann et al. to make a point that he would return to many times in later work. He calls it "Orwell's problem" (cf. Knowledge of Language: Its Nature, Origin, and Use, 1986; Manufacturing Consent, 1988): Why do we know so little when there is so much information available?

"Orwell's problem" is our problem, Chomsky is saying, if we want to know the truth amidst the barrage of government and media propaganda, reinforced by an educational system that conditions us to accept what respected authorities say as true.

How many people knew, in 1966, what Schurmann et al. (and Chomsky?) knew - that LBJ reversed JFK's withdrawal policy? Yes, it was reported in the NYT (see quote). But what political impact did this "news" have? That is the crucial question, as Chomsky, of all people, has always been fully aware.

Thus I was puzzled by his reaction to what I thought was obvious - that JFK's withdrawal plan was based on the assumption (rather than the condition, as Chomsky insists) of military success. What I was saying, Chomsky wrote in a letter to me on Jan. 7, 1993 (my letters and summaries of his are here),

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A young woman dies in childbirth for lack of proper perinatal care. An elderly man can't afford meds to control his chronic conditions, so he rations them. A child is misdiagnosed in the emergency room. A patient waits months to see her doctor about a troublesome symptom.

Stories like these abound. They are shared by patients, parents, partners, good healthcare providers and others who've had enough of medical runarounds, cost issues, access problems, diagnostic and treatment errors, insufficient time with providers, and more, to contend with. Reports of major issues in healthcare by medical professionals as well as patients and politicians with a conscience are increasingly sounding alarms.

In a recent Instagram post, for example, Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) was outraged to learn that drug companies charge as little as $7.00 for an inhaler outside the U.S. while here the price gouging rises to as much as $380 depending on what type of inhaler is needed. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is among several Democratic senators, and The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, that have demanded information about asthma inhaler patents and prices from four major manufacturers accused of "manipulating the patent system."

One of the four companies was cited for charging $645 for an inhaler it sells in the UK for $49. Another company was called out for charging $286 on the U.S. market for an inhaler that costs $9.00 in Germany. According to another Instagram post in February, "Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly reported over two billion dollars in profit in the last three months of last year alone. This massive number comes from hiking prices of vital drugs for American seniors and other patients".

Dr. Ashish Jha, Dean of the School of Public Health at Brown University wrote in a Washington Post editorial in January expressing his concern that some doctors are selling their practices to private equity firms because running a medical practice has become a management nightmare. "The number of private equity firms in health care has exploded in recent years," Dr Jha lamented. "It's a trend that should have everyone's attention, from politicians to patients, because it can significantly increase costs, reduce access, and threaten patient safety."

In an article published in the New York Times in November last year, Dr. Amol Navathe, co-director of the Healthcare Transformation Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, worried that non-profit hospitals were focusing more on dollars than patients. He wrote that nonprofit hospitals are "hounding poor patients for money, cutting nursing staffing too aggressively, and giving preferential treatment to the rich." It's gotten so bad, he says, that nurses and other healthcare workers are resorting to strikes to improve workplace safety at several hospitals during an "acquisition spree" that is making healthcare less affordable.

Nursing homes and assisted living facilities are taking a hit too. According to the New York Times these profitable facilities charge $5,000 per month or more topped up by fees for such things as a blood pressure check, $50 for an injection (more for insulin), almost $100 a month for medication orders from external pharmacies, and over $300 a month for daily help with an overpriced inhaler. There can be extra charges for help in toileting, dining room fees, or a daily check in by staff.

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In the middle of negotiating a merger that would fundamentally reshape the Oregon health care landscape, Legacy Health on Wednesday announced sweeping changes in its executive suite.

Kathryn Correia, who had been on medical leave for five months, is retiring as president and CEO. George Brown, who served as Legacys top executive for a decade until he was succeeded by Correia, will return to the health systems top job no later than July 1.

Anna Loomis, Legacys chief financial officer and interim president while Correia dealt with the health issues, will be leaving Legacy for another job.

Changes of this magnitude would likely be wrenching at any time. But this reorganization comes just as Legacy and its merger partner, Oregon Health & Science University, are trying to iron out the fine points of their consolidation. Their merger plan was expected to be complete and ready for regulatory review by December. Now, officials for both systems are hoping for mid-May.

Brown declined an interview but said in a written statement he is honored for the opportunity to return to Legacy at such an important time for the organization. I have tremendous respect for all that Kathryn (Correia) has accomplished in her tenure and how well she has positioned Legacy during a very challenging time.

Brown led Legacy from 2008 to 2018. During those years, Legacy grew from six to eight hospitals, and its total workforce expanded by 40% to about 12,000.

This is an organization that I know well  and I truly believe is one of the worlds leading health systems, Brown said.

Brown is not only familiar with Legacy, hes also a known quantity to other hospital leaders and regulators. In fact, when Legacy and OHSU engaged in an earlier round of preliminary merger talks in the mid-2000s, Brown represented Legacy, according to Tim Goldfarb, a former senior OHSU executive.

Correia joined Legacy in 2018. She will stay on in an advisory role through June.

Loomis will continue on as acting CEO until Brown assumes his new  and old  role as CEO.

Charles Wilhoite, chair of Legacys board, thanked both Correia and Loomis.

In the face of a rapidly evolving health care industry, Kathryns leadership has been invaluable as our organization navigated unprecedented challenges including the COVID pandemic, Wilhoite said. I am thankful for Annas significant contributions to the organization, particularly for stepping in to guide Legacy during her time as acting CEO.

-- Jeff Manning covers business news. Reach him at jmanning@oregonian.com.

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All northbound Interstate Bridge lanes on Interstate 5 will close to vehicle traffic at 11 p.m. Saturday for inspection work.

The Oregon Department of Transportation will carry out the bridges biennial inspection from 11 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday, April 20-21. Northbound travelers will need to use the Glenn Jackson Bridge on Interstate 205 to cross into Washington during those hours.

Crews will inspect the bridges steel members as part of the analysis to make sure the structure remains sound, according to an ODOT release. This is the inspection most bridges undergo every two years. During the closure, ODOT will also build a sign bracket and replace traffic control lights over all three northbound lanes.

The sidewalk on the northbound span will also be closed but the sidewalk on the southbound span will remain open to pedestrians and bicyclists.

The Jantzen Beach on-ramp to northbound I-5 will be closed during the same hours.

Bridge to Brews events slows traffic on downtown bridges this Sunday

The Bridge to Brews race event Sunday, April 21 will route runners onto three downtown bridges during the hours of 6-11:30 a.m. Travelers should be watch carefully for lane closures, signage, and runners on travel lanes:

Hawthorne Bridge: South sidewalk closed.

Morrison Bridge: One eastbound traffic lane and the south sidewalk will close. The S.E. Water Avenue ramp from the bridge will close from 9-10:30 a.m.

Broadway Bridge: South sidewalk and one eastbound traffic closed.

Plan ahead for your commute, expect delays, and use alternate routes if possible.
Prosecutors allege a 29-year-old Hillsboro man sexually assaulted an unconscious woman for half an hour at a TriMet station in 2023, court records show.

Eduardo Guillermo Madrid-Roque faces 11 potential charges, including sexual abuse in the first degree.

Prosecutors say the victim, a 63-year-old woman, had wine on a flight to Portland that, because of prescription medication she had just begun taking, caused her intoxication level to be higher than expected.

Security-camera footage shows the woman at the Hillsboro Central Transit Center at about 8 p.m. on June 14, 2023. She sat down, appearing visibly impaired, took off her pants and then sprawled on the sidewalk, according to court documents.

She remained there, entirely incoherent, for a long period, prosecutors say. Madrid-Roque appeared on the footage at about 9:15 p.m., getting off a bus, prosecutors report in a motion for preventative detention.

After the other bus passengers left the station, Madrid-Roque assaulted the unconscious woman with his hands for about 30 minutes and masturbated in public, prosecutors allege. On three occasions, he allegedly paused the assault when other people arrived at the station.

Transit police found the victim on the sidewalk about an hour later and took her to a hospital. The next day she had no recollection of the assault, prosecutors state. Police collected DNA evidence from her clothing.

Madrid-Roque was convicted of assault in the fourth degree in both 2014 and 2016 for punching his girlfriend at the time, court documents state.

He also was separately convicted of public indecency in 2014 after being spotted masturbating in a Target parking lot, according to court documents.

Records show Madrid-Roque is in custody at the Washington County Jail.

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive; dperry@oregonian.com
The Portland Association of Teachers unnecessarily prolonged the strike that shut down schools for 11 days in November by trying to bargain over topics that the school district was not legally obligated to discuss, a complaint filed Thursday on behalf of four parents alleges.

The complaint, which seeks relief from an administrative law judge for the state Employment Labor Relations Board, asks for $100 million in damages for families around the district lost academic, social and work time due to the lengthy school closures. The complaint also asks the judge to void the contract that teachers and the district eventually agreed upon.

The suit was filed by Chicago-based firm Hughes & Suhr, which has filed similar complaints in other states where there have been educator strikes, including Illinois, New Jersey and Kentucky; a judge recently dismissed a similar lawsuit from the same firm in Massachusetts. One of the partners in the firm, Daniel Suhr, is a former policy director for former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who was nationally known for his fight against collective bargaining for teachers unions there. The local counsel is Jeff Eager, a Republican political consultant and attorney who is the former mayor of Bend.

A representative for both the Portland Association of Teachers and its umbrella union, the Oregon Education Association, said neither group would comment on the complaint.

The statute is clear: a strike is only legal when it is only over mandatory topics of bargaining, the complaint reads. Here, the union prioritized and insisted on numerous additional priorities on permissive topics of bargaining. The strike may have ended much sooner, or even never happened, had the union limited its demands to mandatory topics.

Under Oregon law, public employers must bargain with their unions on a defined set of objectives, including salaries and wages, work hours, benefits, grievance procedures and on-the-job safety issues.

The complaint alleges that the Portland Association of Teachers, though, went far beyond those boundaries during the negotiations that consumed most of the month of November, including with its protracted, front-and-center focus on class size caps.

Under Oregon law, districts are only required to bargain over class size caps at schools that receive federal funding for high poverty populations. Only about 30 of the 81 schools within Portland Public Schools do.

The Oregon Education Association has spent years trying to persuade lawmakers that class size caps should be a mandatory bargaining topic, to no avail. School districts have countered that having to standardize class sizes will impede their ability to direct extra funding and supports to schools with concentrations of high needs students.

Class size emerged as a key focus in the second week of the strike, after union members had won some concessions on planning time. When it became clear that district negotiators would not budge on class size caps, which they said would cost at least $100 million more per year, the union proposed school-level committees that would be charged with determining the course of action if class sizes exceeded targets.

Wrangling over who would be on such committees and who would have final decision making power continued over several days of negotiations, though the two sides were simultaneously bargaining over permissible topics, including compensation.

The complaint also alleges that the union prolonged the strike by negotiating on topics related to curriculum, school discipline policies, time spent on standardized testing and the use of educational aides.

The Employment Relations Board typically decides complaints between public employee unions and state or local employers, but state law allows any injured party who has been impacted by an unfair labor practice to file a complaint with the board. Lawyers for the plaintiffs said that depending on the boards decision, they may appeal the case to Oregons courts.

 Julia Silverman covers education policy and schools for The Oregonian and OregonLive. She can be reached via email at jsilverman@oregonian.com or by phone at 503-221-4305. Follow her on x.com at @jrlsilverman.
The audience in the Kridel Grand Ballroom at the Portland Art Museum was filled with students, parents and arts educators Tuesday evening to celebrate artistic innovation in Portland Public Schools and show support for the arts.

The HeART of Portland event was a collaboration between the museum and PPS, showcasing the impact of arts education funding by featuring students who have benefited from it.

The showcase featured choir, jazz, orchestra, dance and percussion performances by PPS students. An exhibition of visual art is also on display in the Marion L. Miller Gallery until April 28, presenting art from students from pre-K through 12th grade.

Students from all over Portland gathered for the "HeART of Portland" event to showcase their art and support art education and accessibility.Chiara Profenna

This is an evening for family, for educators, for students to come together and celebrate all the contributions, all the work and all the value youll see in these young people, said Sandy Husk, interim Portland schools superintendent.

Between showcase performances, 10th grade artists were honored, sharing how arts education has affected them and passing the baton to current kindergarteners whose teachers have identified them as developing artists.

Access to the arts and arts education is a civil right, said Evangeline Martin-Weber of McDaniel High School. When I create, if I feel at home, it brings me a lot of joy to express myself through art. My hope for the young artists of the future is that they can find a home in art as well.

Eddy Selivonchick, a sophomore at Cleveland High School, highlights kindergartener Laurel of Woodstock Elementary School as a developing artist.Chiara Profenna

The Marion L. Miller Gallery at the Portland Art Museum will display student art until April 28.Chiara Profenna

Ten years ago, Portland imposed the Arts Education and Access Income Tax on residents, a yearly $35 fee aimed at improving arts education for students. All Portland residents age 18 and older who earn more than $1,000 annually are required to pay. The tax helps fund the salaries of arts teachers across the city.

The last 10 years have allowed approximately 30,000 students  to engage in the arts in every school, its laid a heck of a foundation, said Dan Ryan, culture and livability commissioner for the city of Portland.

Visit the HeART of Portland Visual Art Exhibition for free on Miller Family Free Day, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 28.

 Chiara Profenna covers religion, faith and cultural connections. Reach her at 503-221-4327; cprofenna@oregonian.com or @chiara_profenna

The Oregonian/OregonLive receives support from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust to bring readers stories on religion, faith and cultural connections in Oregon. The Oregonian/OregonLive is solely responsible for all content.
Vanessa Kirby, whose roles include playing the young Princess Margaret in the Netflix series, The Crown, is heading to Portland to star in a new movie. According to Deadline, Kirby will head the cast of The Night Always Comes, which is adapted from a novel by Oregon author and musician Willy Vlautin.

The director of The Night Always Comes will be Benjamin Caron, according to Deadline. Carons resume includes directing episodes of The Crown, the Disney Plus series Andor, Sherlock, and more.

In addition to playing Princess Margaret in the first two seasons of The Crown, Kirby has also appeared in Napoleon, Mission Impossible - Fallout, Fast and Furious: Hobbs & Shaw, and Pieces of a Woman, which earned her an Oscar nomination. Kirby is also set to play Sue Storm, the Marvel superhero also known as the Invisible Woman, in an upcoming new version of The Fantastic Four.

The screenplay for The NIght Always Comes is by Sarah Conradt. The novel, Vlautins sixth, takes place over the span of two days, and focuses on a character named Lynette, a working-class woman who is desperate to raise money.

As The Oregonian/OregonLive wrote in 2021 about the book, Lynette has been grinding to save enough money to buy the house theyve rented for years  a move that would provide the family with some long-needed security. Buying the familys current house is the only way they can stay in their North Portland neighborhood, which is transforming at neck-breaking pace. But as her plan falls apart, the one thing Lynettes worked so hard to secure  home  is threatened. Vlautin explores the idea of the American dream and the impacts of gentrification, greed, and opportunism on ordinary, working class lives. The novel is at once a page-turning thriller and an insightful morality tale that examines the devastating consequences of gentrification on the working class, especially in Portland.

As Vlautin told The Oregonian/OregonLive, Lynette still believes in family and community, in her home, but all the people she meets are really greedy. Theyre all looking out for themselves, and in doing so are beating up this really cool woman. Lynettes fighting for her family, but shes also fighting for the American dream.

The Night Always Comes is just the latest of Vlautins works to be adapted to film. His first novel, The Motel Life, was made into a 2012 movie, with a cast including Emile Hirsch and Stephen Dorff. Vlautins third novel, Lean On Pete, was turned into a critically acclaimed 2017 movie that filmed in Oregon locations, and was directed by Andrew Haigh (All Of Us Strangers).

According to Deadline, The Night Always Comes is scheduled to film in Portland in May.

 Kristi Turnquist covers features and entertainment. Reach her at 503-221-8227, kturnquist@oregonian.com or @Kristiturnquist

Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe
Thank you for urging voters to register with a major party by April 30 in order to participate in choosing partisan candidates, (Editorial: Join a major party, just for the primary, April 10).

It is ironic that Oregon, which prides itself on voter convenience through automatic registration and voting by mail, disenfranchises more than one-third of registered voters in its taxpayer-funded partisan primary elections. Only 11 other states so blatantly discriminate against non-affiliated voters.
A new concessioner is officially in place at Crater Lake National Park.

The National Park Service announced Thursday that it has approved the transfer of the current concessions contract to Kansas-based hospitality company ExplorUS, ending the rocky tenure of Crater Lake Hospitality, a subsidiary of Philadelphia-based Aramark.

Aramark faces a litany of serious accusations around its management of the park since 2018, including unsafe housing conditions, environmental hazards and public health code violations. An investigation by The Oregonian/OregonLive, which analyzed 224 pages of federal reports and interviewed 15 former employees, showed years of systemic issues.

In February, after the allegations came to light, the National Park Service announced its intention to terminate the contract with Aramark at Crater Lake. Less than a month later, Aramark struck a deal with ExplorUS to take over the contract, which is set to end in 2030.

The National Park Service said the new operator will immediately take over the primary visitor services at Crater Lake, including Crater Lake Lodge, the Mazama Campground, all public dining areas, gift shops and the boat tours. In a news release, park officials said they are striving for a seamless transition of services but ask for flexibility and patience from park visitors.

We look forward to working with ExplorUS as they invest in facilities, staff training, visitor services, and other improvements to make visitors and employees experiences at Crater Lake even better, Crater Lake National Park Superintendent Craig Ackerman said in the release.

The National Park Service did not specify whether ExplorUS would be taking over the employee dormitories, the source of many complaints during Aramarks tenure, nor did the agency say whether employees would still be living in the Rim Dormitory, which received a score of zero out of five in its 2023 inspection.

Neither park officials nor ExplorUS immediately responded to requests for more information Thursday.

In a statement released in March, ExplorUS CEO Frank Pikus said the company is committed to working with the National Park Service to enhance and protect the visitor experience at Crater Lake.

According to the company, ExplorUS runs hospitality operations at more than 50 locations across the U.S., including Muir Woods in California, Acadia National Park in Maine and Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. It also operates in state parks, national forests and other outdoor recreation areas, including campgrounds in Washingtons Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

ExplorUS previously said it plans to transition all current Crater Lake Hospitality employees to its company, and intends to offer all visitor services this summer. The company also intends to honor all reservations and deposits for future stays.

Information about available park services will be posted online at nps.gov/crla.

--Jamie Hale covers travel and the outdoors and co-hosts the Peak Northwest podcast. Reach him at 503-294-4077, jhale@oregonian.com or @HaleJamesB.

Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com.
Saddle Mountain has long been one of the most popular hikes in Oregons northern Coast Range, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, but for two years it remained shuttered, leaving hikers to find other trails to climb.

On this weeks episode of Peak Northwest, a few months after the state parks big reopening, we return to the classic Coast Range adventure, mounting the saddle and taking in the panoramic views.

Those returning to Saddle Mounain will find new features, some big changes and the same beautiful scenery that made this spot so popular in the first place.

Here are some highlights from this weeks show:

Vickie talks about what drew her to Saddle Mountain this spring.

Whats new now that the park is back open?

What its like to hike to the top of Saddle Mountain.

Why this is a great trail for the beginning of spring.

Heres the full episode:

Subscribe to Peak Northwest on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

-- Jamie Hale and Vickie Connor
Two weeks before Multnomah Countys community health center leader resigned in March after less than a year in the role, the leader sent an employee a selfie of himself touching his finger to his mouth with the message, You look finger lickin good, a human resources director said.

The text was allegedly sent by Darnell DJ Rhodes, and a description of its content was released to The Oregonian/OregonLive in a public records request after Rhodes resigned from his $273,000-per-year job on March 21.

His resignation came after a tumultuous year leading the countys eight primary care health centers, seven dental clinics, seven pharmacies and nine student health centers. At the time of his hiring in April 2023, county officials hailed Rhodes as a proven leader and strategic thinker.

Last October, county officials put Rhodes on paid administrative leave. It is unclear why. County spokesperson Julie Sullivan-Springhetti on Thursday said Rhodes had been named in a earlier complaint, but she cited a provision of Oregon public records law that allows agencies to withhold documentation of any complaint that results in employee discipline.

In November, Rhodes penned an open letter to the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners and the chairperson of the Community Health Center Board that oversaw Rhodes work. In it, he said he was subjected to racial discrimination on the job and that certain county policies were unequally applied to employees of color. He also cited a few employees who resented my appointment and were actively working against me.

My hope is by bringing my concerns to you is that we can have a real discussion about the greater issue at hand  the consistent and repeated discriminatory practices of Multnomah County against Black/African-American employees, Rhodes wrote.

He returned to work in January.

On March 8, Steven Sutton, human resources director for the county health department, made a report to county officials that he had heard second-hand about the text message and selfie Rhodes had appeared to send from his office.

The unidentified recipient of the text set boundaries with DJ when she received the text, his report said. Since that time she alleges that DJ has not looked at her or spoken to her, it said.

The HR intake form also claimed that the woman reported the behavior to her supervisor, who did not escalate or report the allegation.

Thirteen days after Sutton made the report, Rhodes submitted his resignation, citing his need to prioritize his health. He declined to comment.

 Austin De Dios covers Multnomah County politics, programs and more. Reach him at 503-319-9744, adedios@oregonian.com or @AustinDeDios.

Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan Minister for Youth in the Government of National Unity, Fathallah Al-Zeni, Thursday held talks with the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, Felipe Paullier, and the Deputy Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Diene Keita, on the Libyan government's efforts to ensure that young people contribute to peace and stability in the country
After letting Windows apps like Paint and Photos languish, Microsoft has brought them back with a vengeance. And Windows Photos now has one of the better features you could ask for in any app: Generative Erase.

I like features that dont take a lot of explanation, tutorials, or anything else. They should be intuitive and just work. And you know what? Generative Erase does just that  about as well as Photoshop does, too, and for free. Microsoft is rolling it out to Windows 11 right now, and Windows 10 users should see it, too.

get windows 11 pro for free Windows 11 Pro Price When Reviewed: 69,99 Euro Best Prices Today:

Youll want to use Generative Erase if youve ever taken a photo and want to remove those one or two objects that get in the way of a perfect shot. Maybe it was a photo of the beach, with a stray dog running in the background. Maybe it was a vacation photoand your ex- snuck into the shot. Either way, Photos Generative Erase feature uses AI to interpret what you want cut out, and what it should be replaced with.

If youre a longtime user of Photos, youre probably aware that Microsoft has flirted on and off with an editing technology called Spot Fix. For me, Spot Fix has always been invaluable. You have no idea how much otherwise unseen dust and grime can make its way onto a laptop or peripheral, showing itself only after Ive taken the picture. With Spot Fix, I can encircle the bit of dust or grime, click, andboom! Its gone. Generative Erase is like the improved version of Spot Fix: It simply allows you to paint an area you want removed.

How to use Generative Erase within Microsoft Photos

To use Generative Erase within Photos, you must first launch Photos. You can type Photos in Windows Search to launch it, or right-click an image file in File Explorer and open the app via that method. Photos wont automatically save any edits you make without your permission, but you might want to make a copy of the file first, just to be safe.

When the photo file opens, youll need to then select the editing icon, which is the teeny-tiny little icon to the far left.

Mark Hachman / IDG Mark Hachman / IDG Mark Hachman / IDG

Photos offers a number of editing options, from basic crops to an AI filtering option that can be found under the Filter tab. But Generative Erase is in its own tab second from the right, marked Erase.

Mark Hachman / IDG Mark Hachman / IDG Mark Hachman / IDG

To use Generative Erase, youll need to paint the area that you want Photos to erase. Id recommend that you first toggle off the Auto Apply option. Otherwise, the erase effect will be applied every time you click and release. Thats just fine for a small edit, but if you want to fine-tune your selection youll want the extra control.

Note that you can adjust the size of the brush or circle, and choose to add or subtract the mask. Thats a fancy way of saying that you have the option to paint the area in which you want to erase, but subtracting the mask allows you to trim it down if youve gone too far. When youre ready, click Erase.

Use Generative Erase to paint over the stuff you want to remove. Use Generative Erase to paint over the stuff you want to remove. Mark Hachman / IDG Use Generative Erase to paint over the stuff you want to remove. Mark Hachman / IDG Mark Hachman / IDG

This isnt the only AI-dependent editing function within Photos; the Background tab on the far right lets you use AI to remove the background entirely, if that suits you.

Photoshop vs. Photos: Which erases unwanted objects the best?

Because I couldnt just stop there, I wanted to know whether Photos Generative Erase actually does a better job than the granddaddy of photo editors, Adobe Photoshop. I use Photoshop all the time for something Photos cant do: Generative Expand, which uses AI to add part of the photo that never existed. Its really helpful when vendors provide a narrow product shot and I need to extend the photos background to fit our image parameters.

I compared Photos Generative Erase to two Photoshop functions: the Remove tool, which is essentially Adobes version of Generative Erase; and the sort-of backwards Generative Fill option, where I used the Photoshop Magic Lasso to outline an object, then used the Generative Fill option to remove the object and fill it in with an AI-generated background. The latter isnt all that intuitive, but it works.

I used two of my own photos: a shot from the ferry to Alcatraz Island, and a very basic photo of a laptop charger and a cable snaking around it. In the first photo, I attempted to remove someone standing and partially blocking my shot of the island; in the second, I tried to erase some of the charging cable.

Mark Hachman / IDG Mark Hachman / IDG Mark Hachman / IDG

Mark Hachman / IDG Mark Hachman / IDG Mark Hachman / IDG

With Photoshop, you use the Remove tool in much the same way as Photos Generative Erase. Click J or long-press the bandage icon in the left-hand vertical nav bar to show the Remove tool. Then paint over the portion of the image to remove.

Clicking the lasso icon on the left-hand nav bar opens up the Magic Lasso. You can also paint the area to be removed, but its easier just to outline or lasso it. You should see a toolbar pop up as soon as youve lassoed the object, with a small Generative Fill button highlighted. Click it, and do not fill in the box unless you want AI to fill in the scene with something specific. Otherwise Photoshop will do all the work.

On the outdoor shot, there was simply too much going on for any of the solutions to work perfectly. In fact, the Photos Generative Erase and Photoshops Remove tool produced about the same results. But the Generative Fill option does a surprisingly good job.

Heres Microsofts effort with Photos and Generative Erase:

Microsoft Photos Generative Erase doesnt do a great job here trying to erase the man who partially blocked my shot. Microsoft Photos Generative Erase doesnt do a great job here trying to erase the man who partially blocked my shot. Mark Hachman / IDG Microsoft Photos Generative Erase doesnt do a great job here trying to erase the man who partially blocked my shot. Mark Hachman / IDG Mark Hachman / IDG

And heres what Adobe could do with it.

Note that there are undoubtedly photo-editing experts, that with time and the proper tools, could probably generate something that looked perfect to the naked eye. But I was looking for something that could solve my problem without a lot of fuss.

The left photo uses Photoshops Remove tool to try and erase the same man. On the right, I used Photoshops Generative Fill tool. The right-hand shot looks better, but there are still AI hallucinations, like the smaller tower emerging from the roof of the building.

With the simpler shot of the charger and its cables, both Photos and Photoshop got me 90 percent of the way there. If you knew that a cable existed, you could clearly see that neither Photos not Photoshop eliminated it completely. But it passes muster, at least if youre not looking for a professional solution.

Again, well use the Microsoft Windows Photos app with Generative Erase first. It looks pretty good. I may have been able to go over it a couple of times with the Erase tool to see if I could improve the edit.

Mark Hachman / IDG Mark Hachman / IDG Mark Hachman / IDG

Again, though. the Magic Lasso/Generative Fill technique proved superior. If you have an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription, using that option seems like it could be a genuinely useful way of quickly editing a photo.

Here are the two shots, again, using both techniques:

For this I used Adobe Photoshop again, using the Remove tool for the left-hand photo and the Generative Fill option for the right-hand photo.

Is Photoshop better? Depending on what tool you use within it, yes, probably. But youll pay at least $19.99 per month for Photoshop alone.

The difference, of course, is that Microsofts option is absolutely free as part of Windows. I dont know about you, but Ill take free any day of the week!
For years, AMD and especially Intel have dominated the PC industry, even after Qualcomm introduced its first Snapdragon processors for laptops. Now, Microsoft may be giving pride of place to Qualcomms Snapdragon X Elite processor with an upcoming Windows feature  and leaving AMD and Intel out in the cold.

In May, Microsoft will host its annual Build conference in Seattle. Microsoft will open that conference with a presentation from chief executive Satya Nadella to share our AI vision across hardware and software, according to Microsoft. That presentation is expected to introduce the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 5 for consumers, both featuring Qualcomms surprisingly powerful Snapdragon X Elite processor, based on the Arm architecture. Microsoft has already launched versions of both devices with Intel processors inside, for businesses.

But its the software version of Microsofts AI vision thats intriguing. Microsofts last feature update of Windows 11 may have introduced AI PCs, but Microsoft is moving more aggressively to a future where AI is more tightly integrated into the operating system. Microsoft appears to have a more formal definition of an AI PC waiting in the wings, and we know that it includes a Copilot key as well as the AI coprocessor known as an NPU.

But which NPU? Weve always assumed that Microsoft would be fairly agnostic about which processors it would allow inside AI PCs. But were seeing the first indications that certain processors might not be up to snuff.

From Microsofts Build schedule, we know that Microsoft is hosting a session on building a new AI PC feature. That feature has been said to be something called AI Explorer, probably an AI-powered version of the now-deprecated Timeline feature that could be a holistic search engine for seeking out a crucial bit of information. We dont know that the Build session is on AI Explorer, but its a pretty good guess.

Now a Twitter leaker says that they have found evidence within Windows 11 build 26100 that AI Explorer will be limited to Arm64 CPUs  and specifically Snapdragon X Elite.

Turns out Windows 11 build 26100 (purported 24H2 RTM) contains the AI Explorer requirements  baked into the OS

 ARM64 CPU

 16GiB of RAM

 225GiB system drive (total, not free space)

 Snapdragon X Elite NPU (HWID QCOM0D0A)

I guess that's one way to drive ARM64 adoption  pic.twitter.com/ZbQf4KY1BN  Albacore  (@thebookisclosed) April 18, 2024

If this is true, it would be an enormous endorsement for Qualcomm, and a rather embarrassing omission for both Intel and AMD.

Microsoft has been a staunch proponent of Windows on Arm for years now, even if Windows on Arm PC sales have been a tiny fraction of what they are from Intel and AMD. But Microsoft hasnt given up: theres yet another session on the next generation of Windows on Arm that Microsoft will present at Build.

Learn about the exciting new experiences for Arm-powered Windows this year, such as intelligent Windows apps that leverage rich capabilities of the NPU, Microsoft promises.

get windows 11 for cheap Windows 11 Pro Price When Reviewed: 69,99 Euro Best Prices Today:

Microsoft already ships an NPU-powered feature, Windows Studio Effects, on laptops that include an NPU, whether from AMD, Intel or Qualcomm. That app includes both video and audio filtering, and works pretty well. But it certainly isnt new. That certainly sounds like Microsoft has more NPU-powered experiences up its sleeve, most likely AI Explorer.

Does Microsofts decision lock out AMD and Intel from AI Explorer? Probably not. Code is code, after all, and Microsoft could either patch it in or issue an update. Intel promises three times the AI performance in the upcoming Lunar Lake chip, which Intel will obviously hustle out as quickly as it can.

What this does tell us is that Microsoft believes strongly in what Qualcomms Snapdragon X Elite can deliver  perhaps more stoutly than what Qualcomm has delivered previously. Qualcomm has already attracted an unprecedented level of PC OEM support, evidence that the hardware industry considers Qualcomms claims legit. Microsoft now appears to be on board, too.

Looks like Qualcomm, and Arm, are coming hard for both Intel and AMD. And in the AI future Microsoft envisions, Qualcomm could have a leg up.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expressed satisfaction with the countrys implementation of reforms in the cocoa and energy sectors under the Funds US$3 billion Extended Credit Facility programme.



The commendation follows the completion of the second review, which paves the way for the disbursement of an additional US$360 million, though this is dependent on the country reaching an agreement with its official bilateral creditors on an MoU consistent with the terms agreed in January 2024.



At the conclusion of a 10-day staff visit to Accra, Stephane Roudet, the IMF Mission Chief for Ghana, praised the governments efforts to restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability.



I am pleased to announce that IMF staff and the Ghanaian authorities have reached a staff-level agreement on the second review of Ghanas economic programme under the Extended Credit Facility arrangement, Mr. Roudet said in a statement.



The agreement is subject to IMF management approval and executive board consideration once financing assurances have been received from Ghanas official creditors.



The IMF Mission Chief noted that performance under the IMF-supported programme has been generally strong, with most quantitative targets met and good progress made on key structural reforms.



The authorities policies and reforms to restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability while laying the foundations for stronger and more inclusive growth are already generating positive results, he added.



Addressing the countrys challenges in the cocoa and energy sectors, Mr. Roudet said the IMF team had extensive discussions with the government and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).



We understand that the government and COCOBOD are committed to ensuring that their activities, such as quasi-fiscal activities, are being curtailed and kept within an envelope that would ensure that their finances are sustainable, Mr. Roudet reiterated.



In the energy sector, Mr. Roudet acknowledged the significant gap between electricity sales revenue and the underlying costs, noting that the programme was designed to address this shortfall.



This has been done through the implementation of tariff increases last year, significant tariff increases. And this is also being done through implementation of reforms that are really aimed at reducing commercial losses in the sector and reducing technical losses, he explained.



The Minister of Finance, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, echoed Mr. Roudets comments, stating that the progress made is an indication of the governments shared determination and commitment to return the economy back to the path of macroeconomic stability and inclusive growth.



Dr. Adam highlighted the successful achievement of the programmes key performance indicators, including six quantitative performance criteria, three indicative targets and one structural benchmark due at the end of December 2023, as well as four structural benchmarks due at the end of March 2024.



However, the minister acknowledged that more attention is needed in the energy and cocoa sectors.



For the energy sector in particular, weve discussed the possibility of ensuring that the shortfall in the sector is reduced, he said, adding that the government will conduct a sector-wide audit, strengthen the implementation of the cash waterfall mechanism and review the tariff-setting methodology to reduce discretion and increase transparency.



Regarding the cocoa sector, Dr. Adam said the government will continue to focus on cost-cutting measures at COCOBOD and rationalise the cocoa road sector to make more resources available for completing unfinished road projects.



The successful completion of the second review under the IMF programme will unlock the disbursement of the third tranche of US$360 million, subject to the IMF executive boards approval, which is expected in June 2024.



The staff-level agreement on the second review we have secured marks a significant milestone towards unlocking the disbursement of the third tranche of 360 million dollars under the program, Dr. Adam said.

Source: B&FT









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam has assured that government is pushing forward with its debt negotiations, determined to reach an agreement with its creditors that is acceptable to all parties while staying within the sustainability targets of its IMF-supported economic programme.



Ghana is aiming to cut US$ 10.5 billion from its external debt repayments and interest costs due from 2023 to 2026. It reached an agreement in principle in January to rework US$ 5.4 billion of loans with official creditors, which will need to confirm that the bondholder deal is comparable to what they offered.



In a joint press conference on the second review of the IMF-supported Post-Covid-19 Programme for Economic Growth (PC-PEG), the minister emphasised the governments commitment to securing a deal that aligns with the programmes objectives.



We are mindful about the fiscal targets and the sustainability targets because we do not want to reach a deal which falls outside the programme targets for sustainability, Dr. Adam stated, adding: This is guiding all the negotiations that we are doing with our bondholders.



The minister acknowledged the ongoing nature of the negotiations, stating that over the last two months, the government has been more aggressive in its talks with commercial creditors and Eurobond holders.



He expressed confidence that a deal could be reached but reiterated the importance of staying within the programmes parameters.



We are determined to continue to negotiate to the level where we can have a deal that is acceptable to all of us, but that also does not deviate from the programme targets for sustainability, Dr. Adam said.



Debt treatment talk derails



Nonetheless, reports by Reuters on Monday indicate that the nation failed to strike a deal with two bondholder groups to restructure US$13billion of international bonds. Talks were derailed for now amid indications from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that the deal would not fit its debt sustainability parameters, which set out how much debt it thinks a country can afford.



Ghana had been in formal talks with two groups holding its international bonds since March 16  one international group of western asset managers and hedge funds and another one including regional African banks. The regional African bondholder group had also rejected part of the proposed rework, including a PAR option to retain the original value of the bonds with a longer maturity and lower coupon.



Next step for disbursement



The successful completion of the second review of the IMF-supported programme marks a significant milestone for Ghana. According to Mr. Stephane Roudet, the IMFs Mission Chief for Ghana, the next key step is for the country to reach an agreement with its official bilateral creditors on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for debt treatment, in line with the programmes parameters.



Given Ghanas strong progress under the IMF-supported programme, the next key step for the country is to reach an agreement with its official bilateral creditors on an MoU consistent with the terms agreed in January 2024, Roudet said. We look forward to the authorities continued efforts to reach an agreement with all creditors in line with programme parameters.



The successful negotiation of the MoU with official bilateral and commercial creditors would provide the necessary financing assurances for the IMF Executive Board to consider and approve the second review of Ghanas three-year programme under the Extended Credit Facility. This would, in turn, unlock the disbursement of the third tranche of US$360million under the programme, subject to the boards favourable consideration.



As the government continues its debt restructuring efforts, the Minister for Finance reiterated the importance of maintaining the programmes sustainability targets.



We are mindful about the fiscal targets and the sustainability targets because we do not want to reach a deal which falls outside the programme targets for sustainability, Dr. Adam said.

Source: B&FT









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, Education Minister, has been lauded by many people as pioneering measures and programmes that are transforming Ghanas education system.



From STEM/TVET, a programme primarily to develop the vocational and technical skills of students with the aim of building a generation thats less dependent on government to provide them with job opportunities but rather gain entrepreneurial skills to set up their own businesses, to introducing several educational developmental projects, the Minister has earned an enormous admiration for taking major steps in revamping the education sector.



Days ago, astute Journalist, Kwesi Pratt was in awe at the infrastructure projects that have been completed with some ongoing under this sector.



I am really surprised and amazed about some of the strides which have been made in the educational sector. Im surprised; I mean when I saw some of the type of Science laboratories they have built and the quality, the numbers and so on, I was genuinely impressed. Genuinely impressed!, Kwesi Pratt praised the Education Minister and the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration.



In an interview on Peace FMs Kokrokoo show Thursday morning, Dr. Yaw Adutwum disclosed the motivation for his hard work and vision in ensuring quality education for all students.



According to him, he aspires to become the worlds best Education Minister.



I want to be the best Education Minister in the world and by inference, the best Education Minister Ghana has ever had, he said while touting his achievements.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Nigerian socialite and businessman Cubana Chief Priest has become the latest local celebrity to be charged with abusing banknotes.



The socialite, whose real name is Pascal Okechukwu, pleaded not guilty to three counts of abusing banknotes during a court appearance on Wednesday.



Authorities say he threw money into the air at various social events.



This is technically an offence as notes fall to the ground where they can be trodden on.



The practice, known as "spraying", is commonly done at Nigerian weddings and celebrations.



The money is thrown for guests to take.



On Tuesday, Nigeria's elite anti-crime agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said it was leading a drive against "all forms of naira [the currency] abuse".



The EFCC accused Okechukwu of "spraying" and tampering with 500 naira notes at events held this year in Nigeria's main city, Lagos.



After being charged at Lagos' Federal High Court, Okechukwu was given bail for 10 million naira ($8,600; 6,970).



Okechukwu, who owns a popular nightclub in Nigeria's oil-rich Delta State, addressed his five million Instagram followers after his court appearance.



Tagging his location as the federal court, he wrote: "Seeing all your messages & love I'm so humbled."



Just two weeks ago, popular internet personality Bobrisky was sentenced to six months in prison for a similar offence.



The judge said that "the act of mutilating the naira notes has become a menace, which has continued to damage the image of the country".



In February, actress Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin was also sentenced to six months in prison for spraying and stepping on new naira notes.



On Sunday, the EFCC said that several celebrities were being investigated for allegedly abusing the notes, and "many of them have made useful statements" to investigators.



The agency said 200 people across the country face prosecution, while 24 people have already been convicted.

Source: BBC









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Woodworkers of Bediako, near Mim in the Asunafo North District of the Ahafo Region are protesting against the invasion of illegal chainsaw operators in the area as their activities continue to threaten their(woodworkers) source of livelihoods.



Apart from farming and petty trading activities, the majority of them, mostly the youth, are engaged in woodworks at timber processing firms operating in the area.



However, the activities of illegal chainsaw operators, who are also into timber harvesting, continue to threaten their source of livelihoods.



One of the timber processing companies at Bediako, Supremo Wood Processing Ltd, which has employed close to one thousand town folks, risks shutting down as a result of the activities of illegal chainsaw operators.



The company is struggling to get raw materials from their legally acquired concession in the BiaTano Forest Reserve.



Mr. Francis Asare, General Manager for Supremo Wood Processing Ltd, bemoaned of persistent attacks by the illegal chainsaw operators on their workers, preventing them from accessing their concession for raw materials.



According to him, perpetrators are usually armed and ready to attack their workers at the least altercation.



Addressing the press at a protest held in the area, he said they've become helpless as their numerous appeals to security agencies, Forestry Commission officials, and other authorities have yielded no results.



During the protest, the agitated woodworkers were holding placards, accusing some individuals in the area as the kingpins behind the illegalities. Some of the placards had inscriptions that read Malik and Dickson are a threat to the Community, Supremo is under threat, Forestry Commission wake up, we need our jobs, we need military support, among others.



Mr. Francis said unemployment has reduced significantly in the area due to their presence and feared that the collapse of the company would lead to job losses and an increase in social vices.



"We are contemplating shutting down the company, which commenced operations in 2017. About one thousand employees would be affected by this decision, which will also go a long way to affect their dependents if nothing is done about the situation," he warned.



They are urging authorities to intervene and save the company from folding up.





Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Asantehene, His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has commended Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, for his sterling role in conceiving the GENSER Kumasi Pipeline Project.



Speaking at the inauguration of the pipeline in Anwomaso in Kumasi on Wednesday, 17th April, 2024, the Asantehene recounted the relentlessness with which the Minister ensured that the project came into fruition.



Some even said my son and grandson had even been bought by GENSER, however it was out of his pure love for Ghana and the Ashanti RegionI am proud of him, the King complimented the Minister.



The Asantehene used the opportunity to call for the deepening of private sector collaboration as part of efforts to ensuring massive industrialization in the country.



Delivering a speech at the event, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh said; Being credited by the company for my modest role in conceptualizing and shepherding the project, I, in all humility, also pay glowing tribute to the brilliant minds who contributed immensely to the realization of this project  notably, the Vice President of the Republic, H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, past Ministers for Energy, Technical Advisors and indeed, the dynamic team at the Ministry of Energy.



He continued; This project, I have no doubt, will rejuvenate the industrial sector of the Ashanti Region by enhancing the supply of natural gas to key stakeholders, ultimately positioning the Region as pivotal industrial hub within the overarching context of the NPP governments industrialization agenda.



Following the successful completion of this pipeline project, private and public entities including the VRA, AKSA, CENIT among others have resolved to relocate or build new power plants at Anwomaso to utilize the facility.









Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Ghana Army Headquarters has received an undisclosed consignment of Personnel Body Protective armour from the United Kingdoms Ministry of Defence through its High Commission in Ghana.



The equipment includes several boxes of bulletproof vests and helmets, gloves and other protective gear worth 260,000 British Pounds.



The gesture from the British government, Major General Bismack Kwasi Onwona, the Chief of Army Staff, said would help improve the efficiency within the Army particularly, the Special Operations Brigade.



I expect this equipment to improve the combat efficiency, particularly of our Army Special Operations Brigade Forces and the personnel of the Ghana Army generally, he said.



The gesture, he stated, formed part of the mutual support and Defence Corporation with the UKs Armed Forces aimed at enhancing the countrys security and beyond.



This donation is a further demonstration of a clear commitment of the United Kingdom to contribute to security and stability not only in the country but most especially in the sub-region, he said.



Brigadier General Barimah Brako Owusu, the Chief Staff Officer (CSO) at the Army Headquarters, stated how the defence corporation between Ghana and UK had brought positive results to the country in the form of several logistical and training support.



The items were presented on behalf of the UK government by Naval Commander Richard Walters, Defence Attache at the UK High Commission in Ghana.













Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Ministry of Railways Development, in conjunction with its agencies, the Ghana Railway Development Authority and the Ghana Railway Company Ltd, together with officials and engineers from Pesa Bydgoszcz SA, the Polish manufacturer of the Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) 001, wishes to inform the General Public of an incident that occurred today during the Site Acceptance Test (SAT) of the new DMU on the Tema-Mpakadan railway line.



At approximately 12:10 pm on Thursday, 18th April 2024, while conducting the test, an incident took place around Km 76+100. The DMU, upon approaching the curve at Km76+100, encountered a stationary vehicle stationed right across the rail track. Despite the immediate application of the emergency braking system, the train was unable to come to a complete stop before colliding with the vehicle.



It is important to note that the vehicle was unmanned, and the location where it was found is not designated as an authorized level crossing.



Thankfully, there were no injuries sustained by passengers on the train or bystanders. However, there was minor damage to the drivers cab section of the train.



The incident has been promptly reported to the Police, and investigations are currently underway to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident.



The DMU involved has been moved to the Workshop for further assessment and necessary repairs.



We assure the public that safety remains our utmost priority, and we are committed to ensuring the continued safe operation of our railway systems.



We urge all stakeholders to remain vigilant and adhere to safety protocols when operating or crossing railway tracks.



We will provide further updates as the investigation progresses.





Signed,

Ministry of Railway Development

Ghana







Your browser does not support iframes.

Source: Peacefmoline.com









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The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has announced plans to formally introduce its running mate for the upcoming 2024 general elections.



In a statement released by the party's National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, the ceremony is set for Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at the Kofi Ohene Konadu Auditorium, located at the University of Professional Studies (UPSA).



"It is slated to commence promptly at 4:00 pm, and will be graced by the NDCs Flagbearer for the 2024 General Elections, John Dramani Mahama, along with members of the Functional Executive Committee and the Council of Elders of the party. Additionally, attendees will include members of Parliament and various distinguished guests from the Diplomatic Corps, Clergy, Nananom, Women Groups, academia, Civil Society Organizations, Labour Organizations, and Creative Arts, among others," the statement said.



The NDC Running Mate, Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, will also address the nation on the NDCs vision for a progressive, inclusive, and prosperous Ghana.



She will also highlight the transformative policies proposed by the party's flagbearer for the upcoming general elections, it added.



In his statement, Sammy Gyamfi emphasized the significance of the occasion, stating that it will mark a pivotal moment in the party's preparation for the 2024 general elections.



"This event signifies an important milestone for the NDC as we officially unveil our running mate for the upcoming election. We are confident that Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang will articulate our party's vision for Ghana and garner support for our transformative agenda," he stated.



This is the second time Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has been named running mate for the NDC, pairing with John Dramani Mahama.



Below is the full statement



PRESS STATEMENT For Immediate Release: 16/04/2024 NDC TO OFFICIALLY OUT-DOOR ITS RUNNING MATE FOR THE 2024 GENERAL ELECTION The National Democratic Congress (NDC), announces for the information of its rank and file and the general public, that the party shall hold a ceremony to out-door its Running Mate for the 2024 General Election in Accra next week. The event is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 24th April, 2024 at the Kofi Ohene Konadu Auditorium at the University of Professional Studies (UPSA).



The event will commence at 4:00pm prompt, by which time all invited guests and attendees must be seated. The event will be graced by the NDCs Flag-bearer for the 2024 General Election, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, members of the Functional Executive Committee and members of the Council of Elders of the party. Also in attendance will be members of Parliament and an array of distinguished guests from the Diplomatic Corps, the Clergy, Nananom, Women Groups, academia, representatives of Civil Society Organizations, Labour Organizations, Creative Arts, among others. The Running Mate, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang will address the nation on the NDCs vision for a progressive, inclusive and prosperous Ghana, as well as the live-transforming policies of our visionary Flag-bearer for the 2024 general elections.



This address will be preceded by a number of activities, between 4:00pm and 4:55pm before the official commencement of the main program of the day at 5pm prompt.



For emphasis, all attendees to the event must be seated by 4:00pm prompt. All media houses who intend to deploy reporters to cover the event are entreated to contact the National Communication Bureau of the NDC for necessary accreditation. SIGNED. SAMMY GYAMFI ESQ. (National Communications Officer)











Source: ghanaweb.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Nana Akomea has responded to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) opposition to the renaming of the Ameri Power Plant.



President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will on Wednesday, 17th April, 2024 commission the power plant to address the energy crisis.



The plant is to improve power supply to Kumasi and its environs.



With the plant stationed in Kumasi, the government has renamed it Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Plant but this has received a backlash from the NDC.



To the NDC, the name change is to discredit their leader and former President, John Dramani Mahama, under whose regime the Ameri plants deal was finalized.



But let it be known that when Dumsor was collapsing the businesses of inhabitants of the Ashanti Region and beyond, it was John Mahamas Ameri Power plant (howsoever it is called) that was brought in to save the situation.



"This affirms the widely held view by many that indeed President Mahama took bold and decisive steps to solve Dumsor and even eight years after leaving office, it is his interventions that continue to sustain the energy sector, they argued, adding need we say that the Akufo Addo/Bawumia govt, having borrowed so much with very little to show is seeking to rebrand and take credit for most of the projects initiated by the visionary John Mahama just to create a false sense of performance.



But the STC Chief Executive, Nana Akomea has described these arguments as childish talk.



Saying if we name it Kumasi, it means we dont want us (Ghanaians) to know its John Mahamas plant is childish talk. They should stop making these utterances, he replied.



He detailed that the renaming of the Ameri Power Plant is for identification purposes just to identify the one in Kumasi.



Nana Akomea however established that in order to avoid arguments like those made by the NDC and also avoid conflicts over the naming of projects by any of the parties, NPP or NDC in the future, a rule must be set.



As a general principle this naming of national institutions as far as possible should be done by consultation for consensus. When it is by consensus, then Parliament can pass an Act to establish the name to avoid any conflicts, he stressed while speaking on Peace FMs Kokrokoo 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.

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By Kevin Fixler, The Idaho Statesman (TNS)

BOISE, Idaho  Attorneys for Bryan Kohberger met the Wednesday deadline to file their clients alibi defense in the murder case against him in the deaths of four University of Idaho students in November 2022.

In a 10-page filing near the end of the day, Kohbergers attorneys added extra details about their clients whereabouts the early morning of the knife attack.

Mr. Kohberger was out driving in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022; as he often did to hike and run and/or see the moon and stars, the alibi defense filing reads. He drove throughout the area south of Pullman, Washington, west of Moscow, Idaho, including Wawawai Park.

The document, signed by Anne Taylor, Kohbergers lead public defender, said the defense plans to call an expert witness in cell tower data to partially corroborate this alibi. The filing provided additional information surrounding Kohbergers alibi defense previously filed by his defense last year.

Kohbergers attorneys said in an August court filing that he was out on an overnight drive by himself, as had long been his habit, the morning of the students deaths.

Kohberger, 29, is accused of fatally stabbing the four University of Idaho students at an off-campus house on King Road in Moscow. The victims were seniors Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, both 21, and junior Xana Kernodle and freshman Ethan Chapin, both 20.

The four University of Idaho students stabbed to death in November, were Kaylee Goncalves, top left; Xana Kernodle, top right; Ethan Chapin, bottom left; and Madison Mogen, bottom right. (Moscow Police Department/TNS)TNS

At the time Kohberger was a graduate student of criminal justice and criminology at Washington State University in Pullman, about 9 miles west of Moscow over the state line. Police allege that he made at least 14 visits to the cell tower coverage area of the King Road house, including twice on the day of the four students deaths, according to the probable cause affidavit for Kohbergers arrest.

After a nearly seven-week manhunt, Kohberger was arrested at his parents home in eastern Pennsylvania. Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty if he is convicted by a jury.

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Michael Bagdes-Canning, 70, sits in front of the Mangia Qui restaurant in downtown Harrisburg as State Sen. Mike Regan approaches and prepares to pull Bagdes-Canning to the ground. A Dauphin County Jury convicted Bagdes-Canning of obstructing highways and disorderly conduct for blocking the entrance to the restaurant.Photo courtesy of the Pennsylvania Action on Climate
Katy Perry has a clear pick of who she wants to take her place when she leaves American Idol.

She told E! News recently that she wants Jelly Roll to be her replacement.

The 39-year-old pop star announced that she was exiting the long-running show earlier this year, and now, shes convinced Jelly Roll is the perfect choice as her successor, to sit alongside Lionel Ritchie and Luke Bryant.

I gotta say Jelly Roll was crazy when he came on the show, she said to the outlet. I was convinced at anything he said. He could run for president, he could be my pastor, I might go back to church for him. He could sell me anything.

So I love him, she said. And to have any of these guys plus Jelly on the show would be amazing. I love you, Jelly!

Perry added that, regardless of who is chosen as her successor, she ultimately wants a truth teller.

I want someone that is not afraid to tell the truth in a graceful way, the pop star said.

She announced her exit on Jimmy Kimmel Live! back in February, after the host had asked about how long she planned to be a judge on the show.

Well, you know, this fall, this September, Im going to be doing this huge music festival in Brazil called Rock in Rio. Its really exciting. Its a big deal for people all over the world, especially my Brazilian fans, she said at the time.

So I think this will probably be my last season for Idol, Perry added.

I love Idol so much. Its connected me with the heart of America. But I need to feel that pulse of my own beat, Perry said before mentioning that her exit had been kept under wraps from her fellow judges.

Hours later, Perry announced on Instagram that she was leaving the show.

Lets play two truths and a lie: 1. I beat @usher at Monopoly Deal. 2. Im headlining Rock in Rio this September. 3. This is my last season on @americanidol, she wrote.

Tune in to @Jimmy Kimmel Live to find out, she added.
Emmy Russell looks like a star in the making.

The granddaughter of country music legend Loretta Lynn has lit up the stage throughout this season of American Idol, and she made the cut into the top 14 on Monday.

But Russell had a different look when she took the stage on that show to perform her original song, Skinny.

She wore jeans with holes in the knees and kicked off her shoes and went barefoot.

The move apparently drew some criticism online  of course it did because everyone has to be negative  and, surprisingly, Russell, who has shown she can be a bit timid, took that head on in a reel that she shared to Facebook on Wednesday.

The judges have been urging her to find her voice and  well, maybe this is part of that.

Yall, I just wanted to get on here and say, Thank you, she starts the video by saying. I made top 14 on American Idol and I just wanted to get on here and say that Im really grateful.

Russell then said she got inspired to make a reel, and thats when she got into the opinions.

He who has no opinion of his own but depends on the opinions and takes of others is a slave, she read. Guys, theres so many times in my life, and Im really seeing this, its like should I sing this? Should I open my eyes when I sing? Should I wear this? Do you like this? Do you like that? Do you like  and its like when do you even ask yourself what do I like? What do I believe? God, what do you think?

Everybodys opinion is different, she continued. Its so subjective. And I noticed that a lot with Skinny. Whenever I wore my t-shirt and jeans, that started such a little comment thing that I was like, Oh my gosh. This is hilarious. I was uncomfortable the night before so I was just like lets strip it back. And it was, Oh my gosh, that outfits ugly, but the night before it was, She looks really uncomfortable, like, shes very nervous, she cant sing, shes very pitchy.

Russell then drove her point home.

Opinions just do not mean that they are true, she said. Dont be a slave to another opinion.

You can see the reel here.

Russell previously addressed with PEOPLE why she chose to perform barefoot, too.

Some of the cast was saying it feels like we should strip me back and just be Emmy, she said. I think that was the best thing I could have possibly done. I was really uncomfortable in something that I wore the other night, my little white boots, and so I was like, Guys, I have to strip it back. I dont feel like myself. And I feel like I sang better.

Russell performed her original song, Skinny, on Monday.

I just feel like Im who God made me to be when I sing that song, she told host Ryan Seacrest.

Russell also delivered an original song  Want You  on Sunday that wowed the judges and got her the votes to move on in the contest.

Its just about me wanting someone that didnt want me back, she said prior to her performance on Sunday. I really wished this person loved me like I loved them.

Russell then broke into her performance, and when she was through, Seacrest admitted that he was emotional. That prompted the question of whether Seacrest needed a hug, which brought judge Luke Bryan onto the stage to lift Seacrest up in his arms for an embrace.

Bryan joked afterward that Seacrest was the most expensive thing he ever held.

Aside from the scene that played out, the judges were, once again, impressed with Russell on Sunday.

That was so you, Bryan told Russell. I loved it because it was so real, and I think you could really feel the emotion in that. That is what your artistry is about and dont lose that. But listen, that thing that you did with that song really is your signature. It was very emotional and probably my favorite performance youve done.

Lionel Richie told her that Want You, is a hit.

First of all, before we go any further, thats a hit record, Lionel Richie said. I dont care. We can talk about the future, but that is a hit record, and my dear you are an incredible song writer. Incredible performance.
By Gillian McGoldrick, Ellie Rushing and Julia Terruso, The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS)

PHILADELPHIA  State Rep. Kevin Boyle had not yet turned himself into Philadelphia police as of Wednesday evening, a day after a warrant was issued for his arrest on charges related to violating a protection from abuse order.

As Boyle eluded arrest, his older brother, U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, said the reemergence of a mental health condition led to his brothers charges and has been a nightmare for me and our family. His warrant and absence from the Capitol in Harrisburg also caused hours of delay and partisan disagreement on the Pennsylvania House floor.

And the legal case against Boyle comes days before Tuesdays primary election, in which state Democratic leaders are backing challenger Sean Dougherty over the seven-term incumbent.

Kevins family, close friends, and several colleagues have done everything possible to get him to enter into treatment, but we have been frustrated by a system that gives little power to the loved ones of an adult with a serious mental health condition, Brendan Boyle said in his first statement about his younger brother since a public outburst in February led to Kevin Boyle losing Capitol security privileges.

Kevin Boyle faces a charge of violation of a PFA by communication, police said. Additional information was not available Wednesday, nor was it clear where he was or whether he would turn himself in.

House Republicans addressed reporters on Wednesday, arguing that while a warrant is out for his arrest, Rep. Kevin Boyle should not be eligible for proxy voting and should be put on leave.Jan Murphy

Adding to the confusion about his whereabouts, Dustin Slaughter, a spokesperson for the District Attorneys Office, incorrectly said Wednesday morning that Kevin Boyle was in custody. He later said Kevin Boyle had not surrendered to police.

The 44-year-old Democrat, who represents parts of Northeast Philadelphia, has been open about his struggles with his mental health in recent years. In 2021, he was arrested for harassment and violating a protection from abuse order filed by his then-wife, which was later expunged. His brother said in his statement that he made a full recovery with treatment and proper medication. Kevin Boyle said in a 2022 letter to constituents that he was having a psychotic episode at the time of his arrest and that his life was saved after subsequent treatment at a mental health facility.

For the following two years he was completely healthy and exhibited no symptoms whatsoever, Brendan Boyle said of his brother. He was thriving at work, won reelection overwhelmingly, and rose to become the chairman of an important state legislative committee. We genuinely believed his mental health issue was in the past.

But Kevin Boyles symptoms resumed several months ago, his brother said, and in recent weeks his mental health deteriorated further as he continued to resist treatment.

Its been painful to watch an intelligent, accomplished person with a big heart decline in such a precipitous way, Brendan Boyle added.

Kevin Boyle will still appear on Tuesdays ballot and remains a candidate for office, despite his legal troubles. The charges do not disqualify him from holding elected office, and he could still win the primary election. Dougherty, his primary opponent, is a favorite to win the race because he has House Democrats backing. The House Democratic Campaign Committee poured $72,000 into Doughertys campaign, according to campaign finance reports filed last week.

While the elder Boyle is also up for reelection this year and running unopposed in the primary, the Boyle family has shifted its focus away from next weeks election. The congressman said the family is focused on getting Kevin Boyle the medical treatment he needs to make a full recovery like he previously did.

Our hearts are with Kevin, as well as all families who are suffering because a loved one is afflicted with a mental health illness, he said.

Boyle still voting in Harrisburg despite his absence

During the last few months, Kevin Boyle has not missed a vote in Harrisburg, despite having his security privileges revoked in February. That means Democratic leaders were likely voting on his behalf via a remote voting policy implemented during the pandemic. Boyle previously denied that his security privileges were revoked.

But House Republicans argued Wednesday that while a warrant is out for his arrest, Boyle should not be eligible for proxy voting and should be put on leave. Removing him from votes could imperil Democrats narrow 102-99 majority, as 102 votes are needed to pass any legislation.

Democrats already determined hes not fit for duty, House Minority Leader Bryan Cutler said during a news conference, noting that Democrats are supporting Boyles primary challenger. They understand the severity of the issue and I think theyre taking advantage of him simply to maintain a 102 majority, and thats wrong.

The House recessed midday Wednesday while a small group of lawmakers  two Democrats and one Republican  decided whether Democrats could continue to vote on Boyles behalf while his whereabouts is unknown. They ultimately determined his voting privileges would remain in place.

Rep. Kevin Boyle, D-Philadelphia, had not yet turned himself into Philadelphia police as of Wednesday evening. Screenshot from Pa. House of Representatives website

House Majority Leader Matt Bradford, D-Montgomery, defended that decision in a statement Wednesday, calling proxy voting a long-standing practice thats complicated by a unique and sad set of circumstances.

Rep. Boyle desperately needs help, not partisan performative politics, Bradford added. Rest assured, in short order, the state House will be taking appropriate, compassionate and affirmative steps to address this matter without theater, partisanship, or delay.

Even if Boyle loses Tuesdays primary, he will remain in office until his term ends in January. Democratic leaders in Harrisburg have not called for his resignation.

State Rep. Martina White, R-Philadelphia, who also represents part of Northeast Philadelphia, said her office has taken on extra work to help constituents of Boyles 172nd District because his office has been open for appointments only for the last few months.

I get his constituents calling my office almost daily because no one is answering their phone at Kevin Boyles office, White added.

Boyle has not yet turned himself into police.

2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
One of three construction workers killed Wednesday morning in a crash in York County has been identified by his mother, who told reporters he left behind two children.

Jesse McKenzie, 24, of Hooversville, and two other as yet unidentified workers were working on a crack-sealing project when a box truck collided with a construction vehicle and then veered into them at about 3:25 a.m. near mile marker 35.5 in Fairview Township.

All three workers were employed by the Somerset-based CriLon Corp. and were working on a PennDOT contract to seal cracks.

Worker Todd Albright told WJAC he had been friends with McKenzie for over a decade and was at the scene when the crash occurred.

All I know is when I turned around the truck was on the shoulder, heading towards the crew, he said, adding that the entire episode lasted less than 3 minutes.

Police have not yet released more details about what caused the crash and whether the driver of the truck has been arrested. The coroner said the box truck hit a construction vehicle with an arrow pointing to the left lane, away from where the workers were operating on the shoulder. The 24-year-old driver of the rented box truck from Ryder then hit the workers, drove up an embankment and then veered back onto the highway, coming to a rest along the concrete median in the left lane.

McKenzies mother, Stacy Hay, told WJAC that she was informed of her sons death by his fiancee and that he died of blunt force trauma.

She said McKenzie grew up around Meyersdale in Somerset County and that she wanted him to be remembered as a devoted family member, fiance, and the father of two young children.

He was a loving father of two. He was just a fun-loving guy. He got along with everybody, she told the news station.

The accident came during National Work Zone Awareness Week, which is dedicated to encouraging drivers to slow down, not drive distracted and make safe choices at construction sites.

Our construction workers are real people who work within inches of traffic every day to make our roads safer and better for drivers. These workers deserved to come home today, The Associated Pennsylvania Constructors said in a statement. Work zones are temporary, but actions behind the wheel can last forever.

Hay said her son had no insurance. A GoFundMe has been set up by his sister to help pay for his funeral expenses and care for his daughter and son.
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and a Republican colleague have proposed a bill they say will address antisemitism on college campuses.

Casey, the senior senator from Pennsylvania, and Sen. Tim Scott, a South Carolina Republican and former presidential candidate, introduced the Antisemitism Awareness Act on Tuesday, according to a joint statement.
By William Lambers

April is the anniversary of the Allies mission to stop famine in the Netherlands at the end of World War II. Millions of Dutch civilians were saved from starvation when U.S. and British planes dropped food into the German occupied Netherlands. Operations Manna (Royal Air Force) and Chowhound (U.S. Air Force) were the code names for the food drops which began April 29, 1945. Truck convoys led by Canadian forces followed with more life-saving food. This noble humanitarian mission continued through V-E Day (May 8, 1945) when the war ended in Europe.
By Gopal Ratnam, CQ-Roll Call (TNS)

WASHINGTON  U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson late on Wednesday unveiled a modified version of the previously House-passed legislation targeting TikTok that would give Chinese owner ByteDance up to a year to divest the app, an increase from the six months given in the earlier version.

The bill, the fourth part of a package of measures released Wednesday that would also provide $95.3 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel and Indo-Pacific partners, would allow TikTok owner ByteDance 270 days from the date of enactment to divest the app.

The measure also would give the president the flexibility to offer a one-time extension of 90 days, bringing the total time available for ByteDance to nearly a year.

The previous version, which the House passed March 13 in a 352-65 vote, gave the Chinese company 180 days to divest the app or see it banned from the U.S. market. The additional time for divestiture before the app would face a ban in the United States may garner broader support in the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., didnt commit to a timeline for a floor vote on the earlier House bill. Senate Commerce Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said she was concerned the measure wouldnt survive legal scrutiny because of the six-month timeline and because it targets one company.

But Cantwell said she was concerned about the national security implications of allowing the Chinese-owned entity to continue collecting data on 170 million American users of the TikTok app.

Johnson, R-La., is expected to achieve passage of the bills, but it may be at the expense of his job, as some Republicans are threatening to remove him from the speakers post.

More:

TikTok star dies at age 36, family reveals

As states, including Pa., look to restrict TikTok, governors are still using it
On Wednesday at 6:18 p.m. a tornado watch was issued by the National Weather Service in effect until Thursday at midnight for Armstrong, Clarion, Forest, Indiana, Jefferson and Westmoreland counties.

Tornado watches and warnings: Your safety guide

When it comes to tornadoes, understanding the difference between a Tornado watch and a Tornado warning can be a matter of life and death. Let's break it down:

Tornado watch: Be prepared!

A Tornado watch is your advance warning that conditions are ripe for tornado formation.

It's your signal to review your emergency plans, ensure your supplies are in order, and identify your safe room.

While it doesn't mean a tornado is imminent, it's a heads-up that you should be ready to act quickly if a Tornado warning is issued or if you suspect a tornado is approaching.

Watches come from the Storm Prediction Center and often cover a large area, potentially spanning multiple counties or even states.

Tornado warning: Take action!

A Tornado warning signifies that a tornado has been spotted or detected by weather radar.

This is the real deal  there's an immediate threat to life and property.

Your response should be quick: seek shelter in an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows.

If you're in a mobile home, a vehicle, or caught outdoors, find the nearest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.

Warnings are issued by your local forecast office and pinpoint a much smaller area, typically the size of a city or a small county, where a tornado has been identified, either by radar or by trained spotters and law enforcement.

Knowing the difference between these two alerts is essential in staying safe during tornado season. Stay informed, have a plan, and act promptly when danger approaches.

Get ready for tornadoes

Be weather-ready:

Check the forecast regularly to see if you're at risk for tornadoes. Listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio to stay informed about tornado watches and warnings.

Sign up for alerts:

Familiarize yourself with your community's warning systems. Some places have outdoor sirens, while others rely on media and smartphone alerts for severe storm notifications.

Create a communication plan:

Have a family plan that includes an emergency meeting place and related information. If you live in a mobile home or home without a basement, identify a nearby safe building you can get to quickly, such as a church or family member.

Choose a secure shelter:

Pick a safe room within your home, such as a basement, storm cellar, or an interior room on the lowest floor without windows.

Practice your plan:

Conduct a family severe thunderstorm drill regularly so everyone knows what to do if a tornado is approaching. Make sure all members of your family know to go there when tornado warnings are issued. Don't forget pets if time allows.

Prepare your home:

Consider reinforcing your safe room for added protection. You can find plans for fortifying an interior room on the Federal Emergency Management Agency website.

Extend a helping hand:

Encourage your neighbors and loved ones to prepare for possible tornadoes. Consider taking CPR training to be of assistance in case of injuries.

Staying safe during a tornado: Quick actions to take

When a tornado strikes, taking swift action is crucial to ensuring your safety and minimizing potential harm. Follow these guidelines from the weather service:

Stay informed:

Remain vigilant and stay updated by listening to local news broadcasts or a NOAA Weather Radio for tornado watches and warnings.

At home:

If you are at home and a tornado warning is issued, make your way to the basement, a designated safe room, or an interior space away from windows. Don't forget to ensure the safety of your pets if time allows.

At work or school:

Follow your tornado drill and proceed to your tornado shelter location quickly and calmly. Stay away from windows and do not go to large open rooms such as cafeterias, gymnasiums, or auditoriums.

Outdoors:

When you are outdoors and a tornado is approaching, seek immediate refuge inside a sturdy building. Remember that sheds, storage facilities, mobile homes, and tents are not safe options. If there is sufficient time, make your way to a secure structure.

In a vehicle:

Being in a vehicle during a tornado is highly unsafe. Your best option is to drive to the nearest shelter. If reaching shelter is not possible, either stay inside your car, covering your head, or abandon the vehicle and seek refuge in a low-lying area like a ditch or ravine.

Always keep in mind that taking swift action and following established safety procedures are crucial for your well-being when a tornado threat is imminent.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.
Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen speaks in the foyer of the House of Commons before question period on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. Foreign aid groups are hailing the federal government's decision to resume spending more on humanitarian and development spending each year. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Chidwick Wins Final PokerGO U.S. Poker Open Event; Zobian Claims Overall Title

Matthew Pitt Senior Editor Copy link

Stephen Chidwick's live poker tournament earnings burst through the $57 million barrier after the British superstar took down the final event of the 2024 PokerGO U.S. Poker Open. Chidwick came out on top in the $25,200 No-Limit Hold'em event to capture the tenth PokerGO Tour title of his illustrious career.

Fifty-two buy-ins were processed, creating a $1,300,000 prize pool. The top eight finishers won a slice of that juicy pie, with David Coleman busting in eighth place on Day 1 for $52,000. This left only seven players in the hunt for the $429,000 top prize.

Event #8: $25,200 No-Limit Hold'em Results

Rank Player Country Prize 1 Stephen Chidwick United Kingdom $429,000 2 Andrew Lichenberger United States $273,000 3 Brandon Wittmeyer United States $182,000 4 Dan Smith United States $130,000 5 Cary Katz United States $104,000 6 Aram Zobian United States $78,000 7 Jesse Lonis United States $52,000 8 David Coleman United States $52,000

Chidwick entered the final table with a commanding chip lead, his 123 big blind stack dwarfing the stacks of his opponents. In a stroke of coincidence, the finalists fell in order of their final table starting stack, with the exception of sixth and seventh place.

Within minutes of the Day 2 action commencing, Jesse Lonis found himself void of chips after a clash with Chidwick did not go to plan. Lonis, who started the day sixth from seven in chips, moved all-in for seven big blinds with jack-eight of clubs from the button, and Chidwick called with the dominating king-jack in the small blind. Both players paired their jack on the turn, but it wasn't enough to save Lonis' tournament life.

For this event's results to influence the overall 2024 U.S. Poker Open leaderboard, Lonis had to finish in first place and Aram Zobian go no deeper than sixth. Lonis' demise locked in Zobian's overall title, earning him the coveted eagle trophy and a $25,000 PGT Passport.

Global Poker x U.S. Poker Open Online Series Returns April 8 Learn more

With the pressure not removed, Zobian could concentrate on rebuilding his short-stack. That rebuilding quest ended in defeat when he three-bet all-in for 12 big blinds after Chidwick had min-raised. Chidwick called with pocket tens, Zobian revealed ace-three, and the five community cards were all safe for Chidwick's holding.

Chidwick lost some momentum when Cary Katz doubled through him with kings versus queens, but the popular Brit got those chips back when his ten-nine improved to a straight flush to send Katz home in fifth place.

Dan Smith's latest deep run ended in a fourth-place finish thanks to Brandon Wittmeyer. The action folded to Wittmeyer in the small blind, and he open-shoved with ace-ten. Smith looked down at ace-nine of diamonds, and decided it was strong enough to call off his last 14.5 big blinds. Wittmeyer and Smith caught an ace on the turn, but it was Wittmeyer who also paired his kicker when a ten completed the board.

Chidwick resumed the role of executioner and sent Wittmeyer home in third. With blinds now 25,000/50,000/50,000a, Wittmeyer opened to 110,000, Chidwick three-bet to 350,000, and Wittmeyer jammed for 1,200,000. Chidwick wasted no time in calling, and his ace-king was off to the races against Wittmeyer's pocket tens. A king on the flop proved more than enough to send Wittmeyer to the cashier's desk to collect the $182,000 third place prize money.

Andrew "Lucky Chewy" Lichtenberger was the only player left standing in Chidwick's way, but he trailed Chidwick by more than two-to-one, which is not the best position to find oneself in, especially when looking across the table at a player of Chidwick's quality.

Although Lichtenberger drew first blood and then almost clawed his way level, Chidwick relieved him of all but 45,000 chips when his ace-king got there on the turn against Lichtenberger's pocket tens. Lichtenberger was all-in before the deal, and his pair of black threes lost to Chidwick's eight-four courtesy of a four on the flop. Lichtenberger banked $273,000 for his runner-up finish, while Chidwick's tenth PGT title came with $429,000 reasons to smile.

Zobian Wins U.S. Poker Open Title at a Canter

Aram Zobian

Although Lonis could have pipped Zobian to the post in the overall leaderboard, Zobian won the Player of the Series race at a canter. Zobian's victory, second, third, and sixth-place finishers earned him $613,540 in prize money, and 616 worth of points.

Zobian's points tally was 189 more than runner-up Chidwick, and 216 ahead of bronze medalist Lonis.

Rank Player Country Winnings Points 1 Aram Zobian United States $613,540 616 2 Stephen Chidwick United Kingdom $597,850 427 3 Jesse Lonis United States $421,450 400 4 Eric Afriat Canada $377,900 378 5 Joey Weissman United States $344,550 344 6 David Coleman United States $313,100 322 7 Sam Laskowitz United States $353,710 320 8 Dan Smith United States $365,200 313 9 Rodger Johnson United States $301,450 301 10 Matthew Wantman United States $268,900 269

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Trump is now demanding that Republican candidates and committees that use his name and likeness for fundraising give him at least a 5% cut of the proceeds.

Politico reported:

Beginning tomorrow, we ask that all candidates and committees who choose to use President Trumps name, image, and likeness split a minimum of 5% of all fundraising solicitations to Trump National Committee JFC. This includes but is not limited to sending to the house file, prospecting vendors, and advertising, Trump co-campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita wrote in the letter, which is dated April 15.

They add: Any split that is higher than 5% will be seen favorably by the RNC and President Trumps campaign and is routinely reported to the highest levels of leadership within both organizations.

Corporate media has been dancing around the issue, but lets call the scheme what it is.

Trump views the Republican Party as a criminal operation that he is at the top of, and like all criminal gangs the person at the top gets a cut of the action.

The ex-president isnt asking for his cut to go toward supporting other candidates. Trump wants the money to go to the joint fundraising agreement that he is using to direct a majority of the money to his super PAC to pay his legal bills.

Donald Trump is trying to get other Republicans to pay for his lawyers.

The former president has been trying to come up with a way to make Republicans pay for using his name and likeness in fundraising for years.

It would not be surprising if Trump tried to sue people who wouldnt pay

Trumps latest move is proof that the GOP is not a political party anymore. It is a gift, and Donald Trump wants his piece of the action.

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A new large sample poll of youth voters shows Biden leading Trump by double digits among registered and likely youth voters, with the Presidents lead skyrocketing if Trump is criminally convicted.

The Harvard Youth Poll found:

If the presidential election were held today, President Biden would outperform former President Trump among both registered (50% Biden, 37% Trump) and likely young voters under 30 (56% Biden, 37% Trump). When there is no voter screen (i.e., all young adults 18-29), the race narrows to single digits, 45% for President Biden, 37% for former President Trump, with 16 percent undecided.

.

A guilty verdict in any of former President Trumps trials could significantly impact the youth vote. If Trump is found guilty, we find that:

Bidens lead among all young Americans increases from 8 to 18 points;

Bidens lead among young registered voters increases from 13 to 21 points;

Bidens lead among young likely voters increases from 19 to 28 points.

The corporate media polling showing Trump leading with young voters was wrong, and it shows how far off base these corporate media funded polls have been. When Cornell West, Jill Stein, and RFK Jr. were included in the poll, President Biden still led with young voters, so there is no scenario where Donald Trump is leading with young voters.

A Trump criminal conviction will be devastating to Republican hopes in November. Elections are never over until the votes are counted, but the one consistency in all polling across all demographics is that a Trump criminal conviction appears to render him unelectable.

Donald Trump just like Truth Social stock has been over inflated.

Reality is beginning to set in for both.

Young voters arent going to vote for Donald Trump, but the Biden campaign must motivate them, and show those with concerns why the President deserves their votes in 2024.

However, there is not some youth vote migration toward Trump. If anything, the youth vote could end any hope that Trump has of returning to the White House.

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Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is telling reporters that he wants to delay the vote on aid to Ukraine for as long as possible.

Bloombergs Jack Fitzpatrick posted:

Sen. Rand Paul says he wants to drag out a vote on foreign aid as long as possible.

The longer it takes them, the better. And Ive told them that if theyre going to make us come back next week then we might as well be here the whole time.

Sen. Pauls statement is the most blatantly pro-Russia stance imaginable. Ukraine needs the aid right away. It is an emergency situation, so Paul wants to slow walk everything. This means that even if the House speeds through the bill and passes it quickly, Paul is going to use all of the procedural delay tactics at his disposal to make the Senate jump through hoops, so that aid wont get to President Bidens desk until potentially later next week.

By delaying aid, Sen. Paul is doing Putins bidding. The pro-Russia Republicans in the House and Senate are not on the side of US national security. Paul is publicly working against the security interests of the nation as an elected official who has taken an oath to defend the constitution against foreign enemies.

The bill will pass the Senate eventually, but Rand Paul plans to do all that he can to buy Putin more time.

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Last Sunday, I was asked to bring the morning sermon for a wonderful church in the country called Mt. Lebanon Methodist. I had a dream recently about delivering a message and when I awoke, I went I into my office and asked God to please not let it dissipate before I could write down as much  Read moreThe dynamic bond of love and prayer
You know how Charlestonians get when they see snow falling? That was Pickens Rep. Neal Collins the morning Tropical Storm Helene arrived at his Easley home. He stood in his garage and shot video of the rain. I woke up before my 5am alarm with unexpected excitement, he posted on social medi Read moreScoppe: 'We are being manipulated by people who don't have our best interests at heart'
MOUNT PLEASANT  The son of a South Carolina congressional candidate was arrested three months after being accused of brutally beating one of his classmates to the point the other teen suffered at least four seizures and had to be hospitalized.

Brooks Hampton Templeton, the 18-year-old son of Republican congressional candidate Catherine Templeton, allegedly returned to a house party in Mount Pleasant after the January fight and declared that he "needed to call his lawyer," according to an arrest affidavit released by Charleston County courts April 18.

Templeton is charged with first-degree assault and battery, a felony offense that carries up to 10 years in prison. Templeton's victim is not named in the affidavit but is identified as a juvenile male.

The Post and Courier has asked for a copy of the incident report from the Mount Pleasant Police Department, which the agency had not provided as of April 18 after multiple requests.

But the April 9 arrest affidavit reveals for the first time the extent of the alleged assault that took place on the night of Jan. 12 following an argument during a house party with underage drinking.

According to the affidavit sworn by a Mount Pleasant police officer, the house party happened on Haddrell Street, not far from the Shem Creek bar district. That's where witnesses claim Templeton and his fellow classmate got into a verbal argument.

According to the court document, the episode played out this way:

Templeton asked the juvenile to leave even though it was not Templeton's house; the residence belonged to the family of a mutual friend. The victim and several juvenile friends then left.

As he was walking down the front steps of the home, one of Templeton's friends  witnesses said they didn't know who it was  pulled the young man down. Then Templeton got involved. Templeton allegedly shoved his victim to "provoke an altercation" in front of the house.
Editor in Chief

Autumn Phillips is editor in chief of The Post and Courier. Over the coming year, she will take readers traveling around the world and teach them how to write about the experience. Learn more at Post and Courier Travel.
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In northern Wisconsin, New Day Advocacy Center provides shelter, counselling advocacy and supportNORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Physical safety. Protection and advocacy. A way out.These are what victims of family violence and sexual abuse urgently need, and it's what they will find atNew Day Advocacy Center (NDAC)in Ashland, Wisconsin, a small city of 8,000 on the shore of Lake Superior.Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for victim supports has been rising."In 2023, we served 294 people, which was a 15% increase over 2022," says NDAC's executive director Lyle Poppe."We're in a very rural, sparsely populated area. To have 294 victims who need support is astronomical," he adds. "It speaks to the need for these services and for education and outreach work to prevent victimization going forward." NDAC's assistance is broad,covering a range of services to keep victims safe . The non-profit offers emergency shelter, a 24-hour crisis hotline, counselling, advocacy and financial support, in addition to life-skills education and career services. They deliver education and awareness campaigns to prevent human trafficking and to help people recognize and prevent bullying, controlling and abusive behaviors.They also help their clients plan how they can get out of dangerous and unhealthy situations."A big part of our work is helping people with safety planning," Poppe says, noting the work is specific to each person and their relationship with the perpetrator. "We ask, who are safe people in your life? How can you get out of an emergency situation? What are the key markers that something is going to happen, so you know how to react to keep safe?"This work is essential and can be life-saving. He shares a sobering statistic: 96 people died of causes directly related to domestic violence in Wisconsin in 2023.To meet the urgent and rising need, NDAC has doubled its service area in 2024, expanding from two to four counties in the north of the state. They recently added a new position, an advocate who focuses on working with marginalized communities, specifically Indigenous people from three nearby tribes-Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa."We are sensitive to underserved communities," Poppe explains, noting a third of their clients are Indigenous.The support of funders is essential to the non-profit's growth.Enbridge has been supporting NDAC's mission since 2021. Last year, we contributed a $50,000Fueling Futures grantto continue to help NDAC deliver its programming to protect children and families.Safety is our top priority-in the workplace, at home, and in the community-and we are proud to support the vital work being done by NDAC.Poppe says he could share many stories of lives saved and destinies changed for the better, thanks to NDAC's services.One client summarizes the impact succinctly: "(NDAC) helped me stay alive." View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Enbridge on 3 blmedia.com Contact Info: Spokesperson: EnbridgeWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/enbridge Email: info@3 blmedia.com SOURCE: Enbridge
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LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Alicia Keys, the fifteen-time Grammy-winning songstress, was recently spotted on the stage ofThe Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallonwhile wearing an iconic leather jacket brand that has taken the fashion world by storm for generations now - Pelle Pelle. This appearance in late March 2024 marked yet another high-profile endorsement for the legendary label, which has been riding a renewed wave of celebrity support thanks to style icons like Alicia Keys and Playboi Carti.For those who immersed themselves in hip hop culture or high-street fashion during the past few decades, Pelle Pelle rings familiar as a symbol of luxurious streetwear. The brand's leather jackets are known for their opulent designs, studded with a grandeur that personifies the creativity and vibrancy of hip hop.While Alicia Keys' recent showcasing of Pelle Pelleon mainstream media signals a resurgence, this phenomenon isn't isolated to her charismatic endorsement.Playboi Cart i, before the highly anticipated drop of his fresh album, inadvertently cast another stylish spotlight on Pelle Pelle's Heritage Jackets.Amid the crescendo of Kanye West's Vultures 1 showcase, it was Carti's show-stopping look that captivated attention. His selection, a vintage-inspired Pelle Pelle jacket styled with the Soda Club emblem and luxury details, became a conversation piece and highlight of the event.The Complex Style review eloquently summed it up: "Pelle Pelle will never go out of style."With his penchant for the Heritage jacket in varying colors, Carti exemplifies the brand's timeless appeal, making elegant streetwear more accessible at $1,400 a piece from the Pelle Pelle online boutique.The Cultural Journey of Pelle PellePelle Pelle's leather jackets make frequent appearances on social media timelines, where influencers and connoisseurs alike celebrate the collection. The current offerings span a spectrum of colors and are adorned with the attention to detail that makes them worth their price tag. The option to acquire these jackets is readily available through Pelle Pelle's online presence, offering accessibility to both new and existing followers of the brand.Celebrating 46 years in the fashion domain,Pelle Pellehas remained unwavering in its dedication to providing handcrafted pieces that not only stand the test of time but also have become a staple of urban culture.Founded by Marc Buchanan in 1978 in Detroit, Pelle Pelle sprouted from an ambition to bring luxury leatherwear to the masses. It rose in prevalence through the recognition and endorsement of industry mainstays like 50 Cent and Dr. Dre, each of whom played a role in creating the brand's larger-than-life identity across the globe.From trailblazing the aesthetic landscape of hip hop attire, with jackets making cameos in music videos and red carpets, Pelle Pelle has drawn parallels with the arts due to its emphasis on high craftsmanship and attention to detail. The brand's overt commitment to quality above all else has earned Pelle Pelle a commendation. Global sourcing of the finest materials ensures each jacket not only meets but exceeds the high bar set by followers of the brand and industry alike.Yet, beyond championing the nuances of artistry in their creation, Pelle Pelle understands the dynamic shifts of fashion trends. The implications of having Alicia Keys - a figure celebrated for her music and her own nuanced grasp on fashion - wear the brand entails a reciprocated relevance and freshness. It's a gesture that indicates Pelle Pelle's stable positioning within the contemporary fashion conversation as well as its timeless appeal.The reconciliation of Pelle Pelle's historic legacywith modern-day celebrity influences like Alicia Keys and Playboi Carti directs the youth of today towards the inspirations of the past 46 years. When Alicia Keys took to the Fallon stage, she embodied this ethos-a symbol of durability and style merged with the vitality of sound and performance.The trajectory of Pelle Pelle's iconic leather jackets-from the streets of Detroit to the exclusive realms of Milan, Italy-narrates a story of relentless ambition matched with innate style. The brand perseveres because it encapsulates the essence of several factors, proving that certain designs are not confined to the age they were birthed in; they are transcendent, versatile, and incredibly dynamic.For additional information please contact: info@ pellepelle.com SOURCE: Pelle Pelle
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HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 /Amassing Investment , which simplifies complex financial research, has unveiled its AI-powered, comprehensive educational platform for retail investors and institutions around the globe. Users can now achieve clarity about the investment process by accessing quality research, including probabilistic technical analysis, macroeconomic overviews, the latest investor data, and more.Image: Leveraging AI to Streamline Trading and Investment Strategies Amassing Investmentlaunches at a time when the investment world is becoming more complex. The individual investor must navigate the market's maze of ever-changing data, a task made more difficult by the lack of accessible, practical research tools. As a result, retail investors may feel hindered when making decisions.The mission of Amassing Investment is to democratize investment knowledge by giving retail investors the opportunity to access the same level of information as institutional investors. Through its state-of-the-art platform, the company has created an online financial hub that provides retail investors with a holistic financial education. Retail investors can access digestible financial data that is sophisticated and powered by advancements in AI and machine learning.Image: Portraying the Struggles of a Retail Investor The Founder/CEO of Amassing Investment, Abdullah Siddique, states that it has long been the dream of his team to help retail investors by blending comprehensive financial education with the sophistication of AI. "At Amassing Investment, we believe everyone should enjoy easy access to traditional financial concepts and stocks research, knowledge normally held only by professionals," he says. "We are excited to eliminate that barrier by providing retail investors with our tools, which we hope will help them to confidently navigate the complex world of investments." Amassing Investment's new services and features for investors include:Free Holistic Financial Education: Covers complex financial concepts, such as investor psychology, Discounted Cash Flow (DCF), Relative Valuation, financial statement interpretation, and the intricacies of financial ratiosProbabilistic Technical Analysis: Combines analysis techniques with probabilistic methods, with the goal of empowering investors to make insightful decisions backed by statisticsComprehensive Reports: Offers detailed reports on individual stocks, sectors, and industries as well as macroeconomic overviewsAI-Powered Screener: Gives users the ability to sift through stocks to identify those that match their specific criteria setChecklist: Facilitates the systematic evaluation of investment opportunitiesAI Portfolio Builder & Manager: Crafts and oversees portfolios in alignment with individual risk appetites and investment goals"Our financial hub also provides a rich database of over 10MM reports spanning 20 years and empowers investors with tools for DCF valuation, relative valuation, industry analysis, probabilistic technical analysis, and advanced screeners," says Siddique. "We are thrilled to provide retail investors with an easy-to-use platform that answers all of their questions and does not compromise on data quality or features." Image: Infographic Detailing the Features In 2024, Amassing Investment will focus on evolving its platform even further, including launching new ML tools and deepening its content for investors. It remains committed to becoming the global leader in AI-powered stock research and financial education, being an ally for the retail investor, and providing high-quality knowledge and insights that are no longer the sole preserve of professionals.About Amassing InvestmentAmassing Investment and its platform are empowering retail investors with comprehensive financial education, advanced AI tools, and premium research. To learn more about Amassing Investment and its mission to give individual investors and institutions access to professional-level knowledge, please visit itswebsiteor contact:Abdullah Siddique , CEO ofAmassing Investmentabdullahs@ amassinginvestment.com SOURCE: Amassing Investment
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VANCOUVER, BC AND KIBBUTZ YIFAT, ISRAEL / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Beyond Oil Ltd. (CSE:BOIL)(OTCQB:BEOLF) ("Beyond Oil" or the "Company"), a food-tech innovation company extending the life of frying oil, reducing costs and waste, will host its annual general and special meeting of shareholders (the "Meeting") on Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 8:00 a.m. (Vancouver time) at the offices of Endeavor Trust Corporation, Suite 1150-777 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC. The record date for the shareholders entitled to vote at the Meeting has been set as shareholders of record as at the close of business on March 19, 2024. The notice of meeting, proxy form, voter information form and information circular ("Circular", and collectively the "Meeting Materials") are located under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com The business at the Meeting includes: setting the number of and electing directors of the Company; appointing an auditor for the ensuing year; approving the amendment to the Company's omnibus equity incentive plan; amending the deferred purchase price agreement (the "Deferred Purchase Price Agreement"); approving the extension of the expiry date of 2,683,333 warrants (the "SubcoWarrants"); and approving the extension of the expiry date of 2,241,324 warrants (the "Warrants").The Company would like to provide shareholders with the following additional information in respect of the Deferred Purchase Price Agreement and the Subco Warrants to supplement the information in the Circular.Regulatory ExemptionsThe Company has made the determination that it is in the best interest of shareholders, for the Company to adhere to a high standard of corporate governance and request minority approval in respect of the Revised DPPA Resolutions and the Subco Extension Resolutions. The Company would like to clarify that notwithstanding the foregoing the Company would nonetheless be required to obtain minority shareholder approval as is required by Canadian Securities Administrators Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions MI 61-101 ("MI 61-101"). The Company will also be relying on Section 5.5(b) of MI 61-101, an exemption from the formal valuation requirements, which exemption is available to the Company as no securities of the Company are listed or quoted on any of the prescribed exchanges.Disinterested Shareholder ApprovalAs disclosed in the Circular, at the Meeting, in order to approve each of: (a) the Subco Extension Resolutions; and (b) Revised DPPA Resolutions, such resolutions must be approved by ordinary resolution approved by a majority of the votes cast by those Shareholders present in person or represented by proxy at the Meeting who are not "related parties".The following table lists those "related parties" who will not be entitled to vote in respect of the aforementioned resolutions, their existing shareholdings, the aggregate number of Common Shares each will be entitled to received in the event of the approval of the Revised DPPA Resolutions (and then only in the future upon fulfillment of the Revised Milestones as more particularly described in the Circular) and the aggregate number of Common Shares each will be entitled to received in the event of the approval of the Subco Extension Resolutions (and then only in the future if such "related party" elects to pay the exercise price, as more particularly described in the Circular):Related PartyNumber of Common Shares Presently HeldAggregate Common Share Entitlement Upon Fulfillment of Revised MilestoneAggregate Common Shares upon Exercise of Subco WarrantsDani Itzhaki1,155,862690,02486,953Jonathan Or6,417,9265,131,868646,693Matan Or4,811,1293,848,904485,020Aviva Or4,811,1293,848,904485,020Total:17,196,04713,519,7001,703,686About Beyond Oil Ltd.Beyond Oil develops and manufactures an innovative, proprietary, and patented product designed to extend the life of frying oil while preserving the oil's quality and nutritional value. The unique product integrates into the existing filtration systems of both commercial and industrial fryers, reducing oil costs, helping create healthier food, decreasing waste, and increasing sustainability. For more information visit: www.beyondoil.co Contacts:Jonathan OrCEO and Co-founder1-647-691-9801 info@ beyondoil.co Caroline SawamotoInvestor Relations1-647-691-9801 ir@ beyondoil.co Forward Looking Statement and InformationThe Canadian Securities Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the Company and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. 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. This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the securities laws. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates" and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and are based upon management's current expectations, beliefs and projections, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain. Such expectations, beliefs and projections are expressed in good faith. However, there can be no assurance that management's expectations, beliefs and projections will be achieved, and actual results may differ materially from what is expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. In addition, we cannot assure that any patent will issued as a result of a pending patent application or, if issued, whether it will issue in a form that will be advantageous to us. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting the Company, reference is made to the Company's reports filed from time to time at www.sedar.com . Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, subsequent events or circumstances, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information except to the extent required by applicable securities laws. If the Company does update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn
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HONG KONG, CHINA / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited ("Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group", the "Group" or the "Company"; SEHK stock code: 1929), the leading Chinese jeweller built on nearly a century of trust and innovation, is proud to announce 95 years of legacy, marked by unwavering trust and exquisite craftsmanship. The Group also today announces the launch of a significant brand transformation journey.A 95-Year Legacy of Trust and Chinese CraftsmanshipAt the heart of this new era is the vision that sets the course for the Group's future: "To be the leading global jewellery brand that is a trusted lifetime partner for every generation". Today marks the beginning of the Group's exciting transformation journey that will bring to life the brand's evolution, exploring its heritage to inspire the innovations of tomorrow. With this new vision, the Group is also committed to upholding the highest standards of Chinese jewellery craftsmanship and sharing the beauty of Chinese art and culture with international audiences.Chow Tai Fook Jewellery's rich heritage and remarkable growth are a testament to the trust it has earned since 1929. From pioneering the launch of 999.9 gold products in Hong Kong and Macau in 1972, to being the first Chinese company to become a De Beers global sightholder in 1973, and expanding its global footprint to nearly 8,000 stores, the Group has solidified its leadership in the jewellery industry.As the Group embarks on its transformation journey and moves towards the 100th anniversary, its commitment remains unwavering in promoting traditional Chinese culture and unveiling the exquisite beauty of Chinese jewellery to the world, while staying focused in executing its strategy to strengthen long-term competitiveness and drive higher value growth."At Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, our main goal is to pass on the excellent craftsmanship that Chinese jewellery is known for. We are committed to keeping these high standards as we connect with and understand the needs of our customers. We take pride in our Chinese culture and apply this to inspire the designs and quality of our products. By doing so, we make sure our jewellery appeals to our customers' modern tastes while staying true to our roots," said Mr. Conroy Cheng, Vice-chairman of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group."In the face of rapidly evolving customer preferences, our strategy at Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group is not just to adapt, but to lead. As we celebrate our 95th anniversary, we are embarking on a transformative journey that will redefine our brand. We aim to harmonise traditional craftsmanship with contemporary innovation to create a brand that resonates with the aspirations of our consumers. We are paving the way towards our centennial, by sculpting our legacy into a beacon of modern jewellery and cultural resonance, ensuring that every piece that we craft is as timeless as the heritage we carry forward," said Ms. Sonia Cheng, Vice-chairman of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group.Refreshing Omni-Channels to Elevate Customer ExperienceChow Tai Fook Jewellery Group is set to revolutionise its retail presence. Over the next five years, all stores will undergo a strategic refurbishment, culminating in the celebration of the Group's 100th anniversary in 2029.The enhancement of customer experience is further embodied in the Group's launch of two stores with new image, situated in the heart of Central, Hong Kong, and Shanghai's distinguished retail district in the iconic East Nanjing Road. The store in Central, Hong Kong with a refreshed image, will launch in the third quarter of 2024 and occupy 2,880 square feet of prime retail space on Queen's Road. The new store in Shanghai will be the Group's first flagship store in Mainland China. It will span approximately 8,600 square feet over 5 stories and is expected to be revealed in early 2025. These stores will serve as twin showcases for the Group's commitment to excellence, providing customers with an unparalleled jewellery shopping experience including innovative designs.Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group is also unveiling a new consumer-facing logo that represents its enduring legacy in a modern and dynamic way. This new design captures both the rich history and commitment to a vibrant, forward-looking identity while reflecting who we are in a classic, timeless and iconic way. The Group is also launching new group and brand websites, creating an enhanced and immersive customer experience that aligns with its vision for the future. The new consumer website's improved features and streamlined design ensure a frictionless shopping experience, reflecting the Group's dedication to customer satisfaction and aligning with a forward-thinking vision for the brand.Launching a Commemorative Contemporary CollectionWith 95 years of heritage, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery has become a brand that has been by the side of many generations - witnessing countless momentous occasions between individuals, families, and lovers. To mark this momentous occasion, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group is introducing the Chow Tai Fook Rouge Collection as it celebrates the 95th anniversary. Inspired by the passionate hues of red and the auspicious symbol of good fortune, "", the Rouge Collection blends innovation and heritage with timeless designs that feature natural diamonds with a stylish touch of red. The motif also pays homage to the architectural beauty of Chinese windowsills, which further enriches the collection's deep sense of cultural authenticity. Each creation from the Rouge Collection represents tradition, craftsmanship and serendipitous moments, fusing cultural heritage and contemporary elegance to foster shared emotional bonds that transcend time and space. The new Rouge Collection showcases the brand's commitment to advancing modern jewellery aesthetics to global audiences.Renewed Sense of Purpose - Advancing our Sustainability JourneyChow Tai Fook Jewellery Group embraces its role as a responsible corporate citizen. Guided by the Group's vision to be the leading global jewellery brand that is a trusted lifetime partner for every generation, the Group is embarking on a journey to shape a sustainable future for generations to come. This September, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group will unveil targets and outline a roadmap to contribute positively to the environment and the communities in which it operates.The Group's sustainability strategy is built upon initiatives such as enhancing circularity, reducing emissions, safeguarding biodiversity, ensuring the traceability of raw materials, enhancing employee and community well-being, and leading the jewellery industry towards sustainable practices.Photography/ captionsCh
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RADNOR, PA / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP informs investors that the firm has filed a securities fraud class action lawsuit against agilon health, inc. (NYSE:AGL) ("agilon" or the "Company"). This action, captioned Hope v. agilon health, inc., et al., Case No. 1:24-cv-00305, was filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas and expanded the class period which was pled in a first-filed case in that same Court. After the Hope action was filed, another case was filed against agilon in another Court, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, which even further expanded the class period as pled in the Hope action as that case is brought on behalf of investors who purchased or acquired agilon common stock between April 15, 2021, and February 27, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period").Important Deadline Reminder: The first-filed action in the Western District of Texas issued a notice of its filing pursuant to the federal securities laws which triggered the deadline of May 20, 2024, for any investors who purchased agilon common stock to seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class. The filing of the Hope Action does not change the May 20, 2024, lead plaintiff deadline.CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR AGILON LOSSES. YOU CAN ALSO CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK OR COPY AND PASTE IN YOUR BROWSER: https://www.ktmc.com/new-cases/agilon-health-inc?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=agl&mktm=r CANNOT VIEW THIS VIDEO? PLEASE CLICK HERELEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE: MAY 20, 2024CLASS PERIOD: APRIL 15, 2021, THROUGH FEBRUARY 27, 2024CONTACT AN ATTORNEY TO DISCUSS YOUR RIGHTS:Jonathan Naji, Esq. (484) 270-1453 or Email at info@ ktmc.com DEFENDANTS' MISCONDUCTagilon is a healthcare and technology company that acts as an intermediary between physician groups that provide medical services to senior citizens and Medicare and Medicare Advantage insurers. One of agilon's key financial metrics is "medical margin," which the Company defines as medical services revenue less medical services expenses.The Class Period begins on April 15, 2021, which is the day after the Registration Statement was declared effective by the SEC and the first day agilon shares were publicly traded in connection with the IPO.Throughout the Class Period, Defendants repeatedly touted the strength of agilon's medical margin. Additionally, Defendants downplayed the significant cost pressures on the Company's medical margin and profitability. For example, on June 7, 2023, just days before other health insurers such as UnitedHealth Group Inc. and Humana Inc. reported significant increases in medical costs, Defendant Bensley, speaking at an analyst-sponsored healthcare conference, reported that Defendants "expect this year to generate somewhere around $550 million of medical margin," noting that the Company has seen "steady progress on medical margin upwards." Investors began to learn the truth about the cost pressures impacting agilon's medical margin and profitability on November 2, 2023, when the Company announced its third quarter 2023 financial results after the market closed. Critically, agilon reported a net loss of $31 million for the third quarter of 2023 and slashed its fiscal year 2023 medical margin to a range between $455 million and $470 million. Defendant Sell also assured investors that agilon's more conservative approach to guidance "should reduce the risk of negative claims development next year." On this news, the price of agilon common stock declined $3.78 per share, or more than 22% over two trading-days, from a close of $16.89 per share on November 2, 2023, to close at $13.11 per share on November 6, 2023.After several additional disclosures in November 2023, investors more fully learned the truth about the cost pressures on agilon's medical margin and profitability before the market opened on January 5, 2024, when agilon updated its fiscal year 2023 financial results and provided its initial outlook for 2024. Critically, agilon further slashed its 2023 medical margin guidance more than $100 million, to a range between $340 million and $360 million, due to "higher-than-expected medical costs." This represented a decline of more than 34% from the $550 million in medical margin it had predicted. On the related investor guidance call, Defendant Sell acknowledged that agilon "failed to recognize these elevated cost trends" and had "a data and analytics gap that led to [the Company] being late in both recognizing the magnitude and source of the utilization shifts." Defendant Sell further indicated that the increased cost trends were expected to persist through 2024. Also on January 5, 2024, Defendant Bensley announced that he would retire in 2024. On this news, the price of agilon common stock plummeted $3.45 per share, or nearly 29%, from a close of $12.08 per share on January 4, 2024, to close at $8.63 per share on January 5, 2024.Finally, on February 27, 2024, agilon disclosed that its 2023 medical margin had in fact come in at just $299 million for the year - far lower than the range of $340 million to $360 million provided just a few weeks prior. Furthermore, agilon slashed its 2024 medical margin guidance by 27%. On this news, the price of agilon common stock dropped from $6.48 per share when the market closed on February 27, 2024, to $6.04 per share on March 1, 2024, a 7% decline on abnormally heavy volume of a three-day period. In subsequent days, the price of agilon stock continued to decline, falling to a low of just $5.66 per share on March 6, 2024, more than 85% below the Class Period high.WHAT CAN I DO?agilon investors may, no later than May 20, 2024, move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff for the class, through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLPor other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP encourages agilon investors who have suffered significant losses to contact the firm directly to acquire more information.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE CASEWHO CAN BE A LEAD PLAINTIFF?A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. The lead plaintiff is usually the investor or small group of investors who have the largest financial interest and who are also adequate and typical of the proposed class of investors. The lead plaintiff selects counsel to represent the lead plaintiff and the class and these attorneys, if approved by the court, are lead or class counsel. Your
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NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / CNH Industrial (CNH) brands New Holland, Case IH, New Holland Construction, CASE Construction Equipment, CNH Capital, and Raven showcased products that shined in sustainable innovation at the 11th edition of the Safra Show in Brazil.Held from March 18th to 22nd, among the main attractions of the New Holland booth was the largest harvester manufactured in Brazil: the CR 10.90 Intellisense, which has artificial intelligence technology on board. Visitors to the show were able to get a closer look at the most complete line of products and services, such as the T8 and T9 PLM Intelligence tractors, 100% connected, and the PL 7000 planters."New Holland showed the most modern solutions aimed at digital agriculture, thinking about all profiles of farmers, from small to large, regardless of the size of the operation. Our expectation is to do great business, presenting the producer with solutions that enable them to reduce operating costs, optimize production and increase productivity," says Eduardo Kerbauy, New Holland's vice president for Latin America.Case IH took the stage as well, with a key focus on the Steiger AFS connect, but also highlighting the Farmall, Puma, the Magnum AFS Connect, the Easy Riser and Fast Riser planters, the Patriot 250 and 350 sprayers, the Axial-Flow Series 150 and Series 250 Automation grain harvesters, the IH Corn platform, and the Draper 4F grain platform.Raven was also incorporated into New Holland and Case IH's product range at Safra, with tech advancements such as the DirecSteer taking the stage, which are available for T7 range tractors with New Holland and Puma line tractors for Case IH.New Holland Construction, represented by its dealer Bamaq, was also present at the fair, showcasing the B110B backhoe loader, the E215C EVO hydraulic excavator and the pre-launch W12D wheel loader. CASE Construction Equipment also took the stage with their W20F and 621E wheel loaders. Though these products were developed for the construction market, they are able to perform multiple tasks in farming that complement the efficiency of mechanization in agribusiness.Celebrating 25 years of history in Brazil, CNH Capital was also present at the Safra Show, and was available during the event to offer expert support in choosing the best financial and insurance solutions for CNH products. Other innovations include credit consultation via QR Code and the +Capital application.Those who attended Safra also had the opportunity to participate in free courses provided by CNH."These courses are a small demonstration of what we offer to train professionals who work or want to work in the field. We have face-to-face and distance courses throughout the year for our clients and we continue with the training project in partnership with Senai and Senar de Mato Grosso", comments Eduardo Penha, Director of Marketing and Communication at Case IH for Latin America.CNH's presence at this year's Safra Show is a testament to the company's commitment to sustainable innovation for farming in Brazil, and across the globe.View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from CNH Industrial on 3 blmedia.com Contact Info:Spokesperson: CNH IndustrialWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cnh-industrialEmail: info@3 blmedia.com SOURCE: CNH Industrial
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Users Now Able to Import and Forecast Up to 40 Custom StreamsHOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / ComboCurve, a leader in energy analytics and forecasting for the oil and gas industry, today announced the release of version 36 of its software, which includes the integration of customs streams into the ComboCurve platform. This upgrade affords users limitless modeling flexibility and augments the existing forecasting and economic evaluation, further reinforcing ComboCurve as a leader in enhancing capital efficiency and operational effectiveness within the energy industry.ComboCurve Releases Version 36 With Up to 40 Custom Streams The release of V36 marks a milestone in analytics and forecasting. Users will be able to import and forecast up to 40 distinct streams, 20 at both the company and project levels, surpassing legacy software limitations. Organizations can now leverage data from non-traditional streams, from CO2 emissions to total liquids and flare meters, offering energy companies an exceptional level of detail and flexibility."Custom Streams enables our clients to perform sophisticated, granular forecasting and economic analyses on streams like helium, CO2, sulfur, and lithium," said Armand Paradis, CEO and founder of ComboCurve. "It outperforms traditional legacy solutions and is significantly easier to use than these older systems." Central to this release is the integration of custom streams with ComboCurve's Scenario Module, prioritizing streamlined revenue modeling and accurate expense estimations. This significant update boosts the platform's economic analysis capabilities, enabling users to incorporate pricing, differentials, and expenses across a broader dataset."At the heart of ComboCurve is our data, and the introduction of custom streams to our SaaS platform reaffirms our commitment to supporting the big data needs for the oil and gas enterprise," says CJ Montano, CTO of ComboCurve. "Our ability to elastically incorporate data variability, visualization, and performance at scale within already accepted workflows proves the power of the cloud and sets the tone for our future data strategy." About ComboCurveHeadquartered in Houston, ComboCurve is the fastest-growing platform in the energy industry. The company provides advanced data analysis tools and seamless integrations that enable decision-makers to make informed, data-driven strategic decisions. For more information, contact ComboCurve or follow us on LinkedIn.Contact Information:Alexandra BrasherMarketing Managera.brasher@combocurve.com 6626147722SOURCE: ComboCurveView the original press release on newswire.com
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DTCP has raised capital from new and existing institutional investors for its second-generation specialist Digital Infrastructure Fund The Fund invests in digital infrastructure including data centers, fiber networks, and mobile access sites The Fund and its associated vehicles have exceeded the total volume of its predecessor fund by eight times HAMBURG, UK / FRANKFURT, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / DTCP, an independent investment management firm focused on digital transformation, is pleased to announce that it has successfully held the final close of its Digital Infrastructure Vehicle II ("DIV II" or "the Fund"). DIV II and its associated vehicles reached the fundraising target of approximately 1.6 billion, eight times larger than the predecessor fund.The Fund has attracted capital from global investors predominantly from Europe, US, Middle East and South Korea. Several investors increased their initial commitment to the fund, underscoring their commitment to DTCP's specialist digital infrastructure strategy and its investment focus on data centers, fiber networks and mobile access sites.DTCP's value proposition is marked by its emphasis on exclusive deal access, an attractive risk/return profile, structuring capabilities aimed at mitigating downside risks, and the implementation of value creation strategies for our portfolio companies.Vicente Vento, Founder & CEO of DTCP, and a Managing Partner of DIV II, said: "We are very pleased with this result and thankful to our partners for their continued support. The calibre of investors validates our specialist investment strategy and attests to the quality of the team, the DTCP brand, and the investments made so far. Our focus for 2024 will be on investing the remaining capital and generating further value in the existing portfolio." The Fund is targeting equity investments in the range of 150 to 250 million, along with significant on-top co-investment opportunities for its investors. Early deployment momentum has been strong, and about two-thirds of the Fund are already invested, all of which have hit significant growth milestones under DTCP ownership.DIV II is classified as an Article 8+ fund in accordance with the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), aiming to have a minimum of 20% of its assets meet sustainable investment criteria. DIV II pledges to decrease its total greenhouse gas emissions and achieve carbon net-zero across its portfolio companies by the year 2040. In 2023 the Fund achieved a GRESB 5-star rating, ranking 2 nd out of 46 participating European PE infrastructure funds.Currently, the DTCP Infra team is focused on managing the portfolio and expanding the fund's holdings. Plans are underway for the next fund generation in the digital infrastructure sector, with a potential launch in 2025.ENDSDTCP Media Contact Kekst CNCDTCP@ kekstcnc.com Phone: +44 7814 930 261DTCP Investor Relations Melanie Bo ttchermelanie.boettcher@dtcp.capital Phone: +49 176 84210634SOURCE: DTCP
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The Brandies Awards Celebrate Excellence in Brand Design, Campaigns, Rebrands and Brand Management SoftwareLOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 /IntelligenceBank, the platform that empowers global marketing teams to go to market faster, maintain brand integrity across channels and maintain legal compliance, is pleased to announce open entries for the 2024 Brandies.IntelligenceBank Brandies 2024 Once again, the Brandies will celebrate the brilliant brand work produced by marketing and brand heroes worldwide. Past winners included marketing teams from Univar, The Australian Grand Prix Corporation, HealthComp, Luminis Health, Medibank, National Australia Bank and many others.Categories for the 2024 brand marketing awards series are as follows:Best Brand Campaign This category will celebrate campaigns that effectively emphasize the company's brand identity, core message or story. Competitive entries will be driven by a specific goal to improve brand equity, awareness or another result.Best Rebrand or Brand Update This brand award category will recognize excellence in either a comprehensive overhaul in identity or a significant update in market positioning, brand relevance or emotional resonance. Competitive entries will be able to tell a concise and compelling story about what prompted the decision to execute the changes and any perceived qualitative or quantitative feedback.Best Agency-Created Brand Design Design agency work is often unheralded, and this award category will herald superb brand identity design and positioning work done with clear audiences and objectives in mind.Best Brand Portal Design and Execution Brand portals are increasingly essential to helping companies ensure brand compliance across company and partner initiatives. This award category will seek out excellence in brand portal design, using evocative imagery representative of core brand identity. In addition, Brandies winners and finalists will provide evidence of outstanding UX and innovative use cases that truly enable internal and external partners.Entries can be submitted at https://intelligencebank.com/the-brandies/ "There's so much great brand work out there, yet not enough recognition," said IntelligenceBank CEO Tessa Court. "The Brandies celebrate the inspiration and the perspiration - the strategists, the ideators and the facilitators." Entries will be accepted until midnight PDT on May 31, 2024.About IntelligenceBank IntelligenceBank is the leading digital asset management, brand portal and marketing operations platform. Used by over 800,000+ users in 55 countries, IntelligenceBank employs AI and automation to ensure brands reach the market quickly, maintain brand consistency and adhere to regulatory compliance. Enterprise customers include Hyatt, Hertz, ING and KFC, with offices located in the United States, Canada and Australia.For media inquiries, please contact marketingteam@ intelligencebank.com Contact Information William TyreeChief Marketing Officermarketing@ intelligencebank.com SOURCE: IntelligenceBankView the original press release on newswire.com
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Digital bank doubles down on commitment to small businesses, meeting demand for easier access to capital and digital solutions to efficiently manage their financesNEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Grasshopper , the client-first digital bank built for the business and innovation economy, today announced the launch of a digital application for borrowers to apply directly for Small Business Administration (SBA) loans. Small business owners can now get pre-qualified for an SBA 7(a) loan in less than 10 minutes from any device using thisonline form .The launch of the digital loan application, combined with Grasshopper's industry-leading digital Innovator Business Checking account and access to exclusive perks and custom offerings, like corporate cards, accounting software, productivity and communication tools through its partner marketplace, makes it easier than ever for time-constrained small businesses to manage their business needs all in one place.This achievement coincides with a historic peak in American entrepreneurship, with theU.S. Small Business Administrationreporting that, under President Biden, Americans filed a record 16 million applications to start new businesses, and $52 billion in SBA capital supported the small business boom in 2023. The growing interest in entrepreneurship from first-time small business owners, particularly women and minority-owned businesses, is fueling the demand for diverse and efficient ways to access capital. Coupled with the increase in borrowers seeking to apply for business loans online, Grasshopper found it imperative to offer a seamless digital application to potential borrowers."As a digital bank, technology-focused experiences that meet evolving client demands are always at the forefront of our minds," saidStephanie Castagnier Dunn , Head of SBA Lending at Grasshopper Bank. "The launch of this digital application marks a significant shift from the historically traditional SBA loan application process. By leveraging this innovative approach, we're aiming to transform and modernize the SBA lending process to help small business owners achieve their funding goals sooner." Grasshopper's Preferred Lender Program (PLP) status, combined with a cutting-edge digital application, accelerates the funding process for small business borrowers by enabling faster documentation submission and verification. Backed by the Small Business Administration, Grasshopper currently offers SBA 7(a), SBA 504, and USDA business and industry loans."Serving small businesses is a core component of our mission - they are the backbone of our economy, which makes banking this sector more important than ever," said Mike Butler, President & CEO of Grasshopper Bank. "We want to see the small business ecosystem flourish, and by launching this digital application, we are making it easier to get critical funds into the hands of small business owners so their doors stay open, and they can continue delivering value to their customers." Grasshopper's client-first approach and commitment to serving small businesses across the nation has helped fortify the strength of its offerings, with the Bank reporting16% year-over-year growthin total loans and an impressive 96% year-over-year growth in total deposits. Additionally, its SBA Lending division has notably contributed to this success, reporting $72.5 million in total loan production in 2023, underscoring the Bank's pivotal role in supporting the growth and stability of small businesses.Grasshopper leveraged the strength of its fintech partnerships to successfully bring this digital application to market, working with industry-leading technology providers, includingMANTLto build the application andAlloyto serve as the decision engine. With an initial focus on the SBA's most widely used loan program, the digital application currently supports SBA 7(a) loans, with ongoing plans to expand its capabilities to include other SBA and small business loan types, catering to a broader range of small business financing needs.To learn more, and apply today, visitwww.grasshopper.bank About Grasshopper BankWith total assets of approximately $733 million, Grasshopper is a client-first digital bank serving the business and innovation economy. Grasshopper replaces the traditional one-size-fits-all approach to banking with a suite of products and services tailored to specific industries, and a passionate team of experts with deep expertise in their fields. Grasshopper's banking solutions cover small business, venture-backed companies, fintech-focused Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) and commercial API banking platforms, SBA lending, commercial real estate lending, and yacht financing. Headquartered in New York City, the bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and is an Equal Housing/Equal Opportunity Lender. For more information, visit the bank's website atwww.grasshopper.bankor follow onLinkedInandTwitter .Media Contact:Catharine RybeckCaliber Corporate Adviserscatharine@ calibercorporateadvisers.com SOURCE: Grasshopper
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Highway 50 Gold Corp. (TSXV:HWY) ("Highway 50" or the "Company") announces that it has staked 28 unpatented claims located 10 km south of Austin, Central Nevada. The Quito North claims cover the northeast corner of the Quito Lower-plate window and encompasses 3,000 m of the northern projection of the Quito Mine mineralized structure, up to its intersection with the eastern terminus of the Jurassic aged Johnson Canyon laccolith.The area immediately south of the laccolith is known as Bleach Cliffs. Highly elevated arsenic, antimony, and low-grade gold are known at Bleached Cliffs and have been the impetus for limited exploration in the past. Shallow drilling at this target has intersected up to 0.04 oz/ton Au in Lower-plate limestones, immediately under the Roberts Mountain Thrust. This may constitute leakage above a more substantial gold deposit. The target is outboard of a 200 m wide calc-silicate-hornsfels-skarn thermal areole that surrounds the Johnson Canyon intrusive. The southern portion of the Quito North claim group covers part of the Section 25 target area, where trenching and shallow drilling have encountered low-grade gold mineralization. The southern claim boundary of the Quito North claim group is located 1 km north of the former Quito operating open pit mine.Management notes the marked similarity between the geology of the Cortez and Quito windows, in particular the north end of the Goldrush deposit (Dorothy) where Barrick Gold has announced the discovery of a new high-grade gold zone, and the Bleached Cliffs target.Quito hosted significant high-grade mineralization (+1 oz/ton gold) with the pit bottoming in 0.5 oz/ton gold mineralization. The bottom of the high-grade has not been found. Numerous occurrences of ore-grade gold mineralization are present throughout the district, in both Lower- and Upper-plate lithologies. As such, Quito has pedigree and represents a strong Carlin system of district scale. To date, drilling within the district has been mostly shallow and limited to the Quito Mine area. Since the discovery of high-grade gold in 1980, the entire Quito district has been held by FMC Gold and successor companies. The latest company, Yamana Gold, was permitting a substantial exploration program prior to their takeover by Pan American Silver Corp. Subsequent to closing of that acquisition, the claims were allowed to lapse.Highway 50 is currently digitizing and collating relevant data in its possession prior to permitting a drill program.The scientific and technical disclosure in this news release has been approved by Gordon P. Leask, P.Eng., President and CEO of the Company, and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 (Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects).For additional information:John M. Leask, P. Eng.Tel: +1 (604)681-4462Email: jml@ highway50gold.com Gordon P. Leask, P. Eng.Email: gord@ highway50gold.com About Highway 50 Gold Corp.Highway 50 Gold Corp. is a mineral exploration stage company led by a team of experienced explorers and deal-makers. The exploration focus on its projects are a result of what management believes to be breakthroughs in the understanding of north-central Nevada's crustal architecture.Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.Cautionary Note This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the Company's proposed plans for the exploration of the Quito North project; and the business and anticipated financial performance of the Company. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from results contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include the Company may not obtain satisfactory results from its drilling program and exploration activities, changes in metal prices, changes in the availability of funding, unanticipated changes in key management personnel and general economic conditions. Mining is an inherently risky business. Accordingly the actual events may differ martially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. When relying on forward-looking statements to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward looking statements, oral or written, made by itself or on its behalf.SOURCE: Highway 50 Gold Corp.
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WORCESTER, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Joseph Waitkevich, a Wealth Advisor at Concord Wealth Partners and Divorce Financial Solutions, has obtained the certification of Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA). This esteemed designation is awarded by the Institute of Divorce Financial Analysts to recognize professionals with proficiency in divorce financial planning.Joseph Waitkevich Joseph has demonstrated advanced aptitude in assisting individuals and family law professionals with navigating the complexities of marital estate division. The CDFA designation applies exclusively to those who specialize in areas such as asset division and distribution, post-divorce retirement planning, and other fundamental services that are crucial to divorce settlements.As a CDFA and Certified QDRO Specialist, Joseph and his team provide comprehensive financial expertise that is designed to eliminate unintended financial mistakes within the division of the marital estate. They also assist with post-divorce strategy and financial planning throughout the divorce process and beyond.For inquiries or to learn more about Joseph's role, please contact (508) 719-8510 or adam@ concordwealthpartners.com About Concord Wealth Partners:Concord Wealth Partners (CWP) was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia. The family-operated financial advisory firm manages approximately $800 million in assets as of March 2024 and has six offices representing small businesses and families in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Northeast Tennessee, Minneapolis-Saint Paul, MN, and Greater Boston, MA.About Divorce Financial Solutions:Divorce Financial Solutions (DFS) was founded in 2010 to accommodate the financial needs of divorcing couples in Greater Boston and surrounding areas. Located in downtown Worcester, MA, DFS is comprised of a team of specialists with expertise in divorce finances who help family law professionals and divorcing couples obtain clarity during the divorce process so that they can make more well-informed financial decisions.Disclosure:The principals of Divorce Financial Solutions, LLC are also investment advisor representatives of and offer investment advisory services through Concord Wealth Partners, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Divorce Financial Solutions is not an investment advisory firm.Business Contact:Adam WaitkevichFounder & President, Divorce Financial SolutionsWealth Advisor, Concord Wealth Partners adam@ concordwealthpartners.com (508) 839-3730Contact Information:Silvia Roa-MadanChief Marketing Officermarketing@ concordwealthpartners.com (203) 769-7237 Ext. 107SOURCE: Concord Wealth PartnersView the original press release on newswire.com
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Unlocking new ad opportunities for podcasts, including news show This Matters' and true crime hit Suspicion'PITTSBURGH, PA / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Today,Liberated Syndication Inc.("Libsyn") , the leading all-in-one podcasting platform for creators and advertisers, today announced anadvertising partnership betweenLibsyn Ads , the Company's premier podcast advertising network that connects brands and agencies with podcasters, andthe Toronto Star (the Star), one of Canada's premiere multi-platform news organizations. Specifically, Libsyn will serve as the North American sales partner, augmenting the Star's sales team, to maximize ad opportunities for the Star's thriving podcast line-up.The Toronto Star boasts a highly successful roster of podcasts, including:This Matters | News Podcast It's Political with Althia Raj Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner Suspicion | True Crime Podcast Season 1: Death in a Small Town Season 2: The Billionaire Murders: The hunt for the killers of Honey and Barry Sherman Season 3: Coming soon Millennial Money Road Trip: Electric Avenues Millennial Minimalist (partner podcast) First Generation (partner podcast)"I am thrilled to announce our strategic partnership with Libsyn. By joining hands with subject matter experts in the podcast advertising space, this collaboration will amplify our sales efforts and offer even more clients the potential to reach our engaged base of podcast listeners," said Brandon Grosvenor, Chief Revenue Officer for Torstar -Toronto Star's parent company."Canadians have outpaced Americans and Australians in monthly podcast listening, drawing increasing advertiser interest. Our new partnership with the Toronto Star and their diverse shows, spanning news, true crime, business, automotive, lifestyle, and sports, offers highly tailored and valuable opportunities for advertisers eager to reach a diverse and devoted audience. With our advanced targeting and programmatic capabilities, we enable localization for the Greater Toronto Area, ensuring precise audience reach and measurable outcomes, providing advertisers with a significant advantage," said Dave Hanley, Libsyn's Chief Revenue Officer.With its growing network of hundreds of exclusive podcasts and thousands of participating shows, Libsyn's full-service advertising solution offers advertisers invaluable opportunities to access sought-after podcast advertising inventory. As the exclusive advertising partner, the Toronto Star will utilize Libsyn Ads' industry-leading offerings, including host-read and programmatic ads, enabling podcasts to enhance their host-read programs by integrating programmatic ad revenues."As we expand into Canada, focusing on advertising hubs, such as Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, is pivotal for Libsyn. The partnership with the Toronto Star is particularly significant given their legacy and their current contribution to podcasting with quality content and exceptional journalism," said Bob Kane, Libsyn's Country Manager, Canada.Libsyn Ads empowers brands to effectively target and reach a fast growing and coveted podcast audience and helps creators to monetize their audio and video content. The ad buying and management platform delivers end-to-end capabilities, streamlining the process for podcast advertisers to initiate and oversee highly targeted and measurable campaigns, while providing maximum returns for creators.For more information or to advertise on the Star's podcasts, please reach out to ad-sales@ libsyn.com About Liberated SyndicationCelebrating our 20th year in podcasting, Liberated Syndication Inc. ("Libsyn") is the leading all-in-one podcasting platform for creators and advertisers to host, distribute, monetize, amplify, and measure their audio and video content. The Company hosts more than 75,000 shows and delivers over 8 billion downloads to listeners globally. Libsyn Ads offers industry-leading podcast advertising solutions, serving as a comprehensive ad buying and management offering for creators, advertisers, and agencies to initiate and manage highly targeted campaigns across thousands of shows. Visit libsyn.comorinvestor.libsyn.com for more information on the Company and the platforms that it powers.About the Toronto StarThe Toronto Star is the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in Canada, and the winner of more than 140 National Newspaper Awards. It is known for its investigative reporting, insightful opinion writing and comprehensive coverage of local, national, and international news. It has also been making a difference in the lives of children for more than 100 years through the Toronto Star Fresh Air Fund and the Toronto Star Santa Claus Fund.# # #Media Contacts:Libsyn - Ray Yeung + Nancy Zakhary | ray@ relev8.co + nancy@ relev8.co Toronto Star - Barb Anie | banie@ thestar.ca Investor Contact:Libsyn - investor@ libsyn.com SOURCE: Liberated Syndication, Inc.
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 /Pampa Metals Corp. ("Pampa Metals" or the "Company") (CSE:PM)(FSE:FIRA)(OTCQX:PMMCF) is pleased to announce that it has issued 8,427,500 units ("Units") at a price of $0.24 per Unit, under the Non-Brokered Private Placement offering (the "Offering") detailed in an April 8, 2024 News Release, for gross proceeds of $2,022,600. Each Unit consists of one fully paid common share and a half share purchase warrant entitling the holder to acquire an additional common share at a price of $0.40 for a period of 3 years after the closing of the Offering.Units were allocated to a specialist resources fund and supportive long-term shareholders.Proceeds will fund continuing exploration at the Piuquenes Copper-Gold Porphyry Project, where the Company recently reported results from the first drillhole (refer 18 March 2024 News Release) including:422 m @ 0.48% Cu, 0.61 g/t Au, 2.9 g/t Ag (from 198 m);including 132 m @ 0.71% Cu, 0.85 g/t Au, 4.3 g/t Ag (from 220m);Including 80 m @ 0.6% Cu, 0.77 g/t Au, 3.2 g/t Ag (from 468m).The Company paid aggregate finder's fees of $75,852 and issued 316,050 finder's warrants to Canaccord Genuity Inc, Haywood Securities Inc, Raymond James Ltd and PI Financial Corp. All securities issued under the Offering are subject to a four-month hold period, in accordance with securities laws and the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange, as applicable.Grant of Incentive Stock Options and RSUs The Company has granted a total of 800,000 stock options and 650,000 restricted share units ("RSUs") to its President & CEO, Directors, CFO and three consultants. The stock options are exercisable at $0.40 until April 17, 2026 and the RSUs will vest upon the 10-day volume weighted average trading price of the common shares being equal to $0.40.ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD INVESTOR CONTACT Joseph van den Elsen | President & CEO Joseph van den Elsen | Joseph@ pampametals.com ABOUT PAMPA METALS Pampa Metals is a copper-gold exploration company listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE:PM), Frankfurt (FSE:FIR), and OTC (OTCQB:PMMCF) exchanges.In November 2023, the Company announced it had entered into an Option and Joint Venture Agreement for the acquisition of an 80% interest in the Piuquenes Copper-Gold Porphyry Project in San Juan Province, Argentina. Reported intervals of significant copper and gold mineralization at Piuquenes Central include:413.5 m@ 0.47% Cu, 0.52 g/t Au (167-580.5 m);422 m @ 0.48% Cu, 0.61 g/t Au, 2.9 g/t Ag (198 - 620m);including 132m @ 0.71% Cu, 0.85 g/t Au, 4.3 g/t Ag (220 - 352m);including 80m @ 0.6% Cu, 0.77 g/t Au, 3.2 g/t Ag (468 - 548m)558.2 m @ 0.38% Cu, 0.42 g/t Au, 2.4 g/t Ag (362-920.2 m EOH)including 130 m @ 0.81% Cu, 0.6 g/t Au, 4 g/t Ag (362-492 m)Qualified PersonTechnical information in this news release has been approved by Mario Orrego G. Mr. Orrego G. is a Geologist, a Registered Member of the Chilean Mining Commission and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Orrego G. is a consultant to the Company.Neither the CSE nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that Pampa Metals expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will" or "may" occur. These statements are subject to various risks. Although Pampa Metals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guaranteeing of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements.SOURCE: Pampa Metals Corp.
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POMPANO BEACH, FL / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / RANAEX, the newly launched cryptocurrency exchange based in the United States, is making waves in the industry with its team of seasoned developers and a groundbreaking licensing milestone. Founded by former developers from Bybit and Binance,RANAEXbrings a wealth of expertise and innovation to the table.The recent acquisition of Money Services Business (MSB) licenses marks a significant step forward for RANAEX, opening doors for investors eager to engage in cryptocurrency trading on a platform known for its reliability and security. This licensing achievement setsRANAEXapart from competitors and establishes it as a trusted player in the market.What sets RANAEX apart is its offering of perpetual futures, a service unmatched by other exchanges. This feature provides traders with unique opportunities for long-term investment strategies and hedging against market fluctuations.Ethan Carter, CEO of RANAEX, envisions a bright future for the exchange, fueled by ambitious goals and a talented team. With the upcoming Bitcoin halving event in 2024 on the horizon, Carter is determined to lead RANAEX to new heights, drawing inspiration from the rapid success of Binance during the 2020 Bitcoin halving.In an exciting development, Carter announced RANAEX's plans to release its own platform coins, promising further innovation and growth for the exchange. More details about this initiative will be unveiled in the upcoming press conference, underscoring RANAEX's commitment to pushing the boundaries of the cryptocurrency industry.As RANAEX continues to disrupt the status quo and pave the way for the future of cryptocurrency trading, investors can expect unparalleled opportunities and advancements on the horizon.Stay tuned for more updates from RANAEX as it embarks on its journey towards becoming a leading force in the global cryptocurrency market.Media InformationFor additional information and media inquiries, please contact:Name: Ethan CarterOrganization: RANAEXWebsite: https://ranaex.comWebsite:https://h5.ranaex.com/Email: support@ ranaex.com Address: 817 West Sample Road, Pompano Beach, FLORIDA 33064IG: https://www.instagram.com/ranaex_official/Twitter:https://twitter.com/RANAEX_Official DisclaimerAs a committed entity in the cryptocurrency trading space, RANAEX underscores the importance of a secure and decentralized trading environment. Nonetheless, it's crucial for investors to recognize that digital currency trading is not devoid of risks, including potential market volatility and losses. RANAEX encourages all users to undertake comprehensive research and possibly seek financial advice before engaging in investment decisions, acknowledging and understanding the inherent risks involved.SOURCE: RANAEX
This special issue featured the participation of acclaimed Chinese actor Xia Yu, who, together with a team of journalists and producers, undertook a trip through the country, issuing a testimony of his unforgettable impressions and experiences.





According to Xia Yu, "every person who visits Peru experiences a profound change. The experiences in this country are an opportunity to enrich our lives."









It is worth noting this is the first time that a leading magazine in China publishes an issue entirely dedicated to Peru.





The magazine specialized in luxury travel which has reached nearly 4 million people in China offers a vision of the various tourist destinations in Peru, highlighting its cultural heritage, the beauty of landscapes, and the warmth of its people.









Through 30 pieces of content including publications and videos distributed on high-impact platforms such as Weibo, WeChat, Toutiao and Xiaohongshu, it has been possible to capture the essence of a majestic and welcoming Peru, narrating the experiences of Xia Yu and his team in a journey that included destinations such as Lima, Cusco, and Puno.





This PromPeru initiative is part of the efforts to position Peru as a top-level tourist destination globally, seeking to capture the attention of the Chinese market one of the most important in the international tourism sector.





The trip by Xia Yu and the Voyage team reinforces the link between Peru and China, encouraging the desire to explore and experience the uniqueness of Peru's traditions and landscapes.









The coverage of this trip is an invitation for more people from the Asian Giant to visit Peru and discover for themselves the magic of the South American country.





You can see the special edition of Voyage here





About Chinese tourists





According to data from PromPeru's service Turismo In , the majority of Chinese citizens long to travel internationally again after the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 50% planning vacations abroad.





In addition, many Chinese tourists seek authentic experiences, including living like locals and connecting with nature, which matches with Peru's diverse offering and natural attractions.





This turns Chinese travelers into an important engine for tourism growth in Peru and an opportunity to strengthen cultural ties between both countries.





Editor's note: Information provided by PromPeru.




PR-Inside.com: 2024-04-18 13:02:03

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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Signal Gold Inc. ("Signal Gold" or the "Company") (TSX:SGNL)(OTCQX:SGNLF) is pleased to announce that it has completed a 1,245-line kilometre airborne magnetic and very low frequency ("VLF") electromagnetic survey over its recently expanded exploration land position immediately north of, and contiguous with, the Goldboro Project ("Goldboro", or the "Project). The Company now has geophysical and VLF data over the entirety of its exploration property package of approximately 27,200 hectares (~272 km2) of prospective exploration land in the Goldboro Gold District.In addition, the Company has completed the compilation of historic geological and exploration data from the expanded property, which included databasing and the interpretation of more than 10,000 till and soil geochemical samples, 416-line kilometers of ground geophysics, 14 diamond drill holes, 116 reverse circulation drill holes, and more than 1,500 rock samples. The preliminary analysis of the historical data along with recently completed airborne and ground geophysical surveys has led to the identification of an initial four high priority growth targets: the Stewart, Fowler, Armstrong and Hurricane targets (Exhibit A and B). The Company is initiating exploration programs this spring which will further assess these prospective areas and develop specific drill targets, with the goal of identifying new discoveries while we continue drilling the western extension of the Goldboro Deposit."We are excited with the results of the recent airborne magnetic and VLF geophysical survey and historical compilation work over our significant land position in the Goldboro Gold District, which has highlighted numerous high-quality targets for gold discovery. We now have complete airborne geophysical data for our entire land position and a critical mass of valuable data, compiled at little cost, which has allowed us to construct a robust model for regional exploration targeting. We plan on sharing further details on each of these initial high-priority targets in the coming weeks and continue to work with our significant geological database to identify further targets. Our regional exploration activity continues to demonstrate the scale and gold camp potential of the Goldboro Gold District." ~ Kevin Bullock, President and CEO, Signal Gold Inc.The Company has used historical exploration data, in conjunction with recent ground Induced-Polarization (IP) surveys, to construct a robust model for regional exploration targeting. This model has proved successful in our recent drilling west of the current Mineral Resource at the Goldboro Deposit and towards the past producing Dolliver Mountain Gold Mine*. Since 2023, the Company has conducted 3,945-line kilometres of airborne surveys which indicated numerous VLF anomalies consistent with our exploration model and associated with both the Goldboro and Lower Seal Harbour Trends, which cover a combined 51 kilometers of strike potential, including areas with little to no previous exploration work. The Company will continue to evaluate the geophysical data recently acquired to determine if there are additional high priority targets.The airborne survey was completed by Terraquest Ltd. and comprises high-resolution aeromagnetics, horizontal gradiometer and matrix digital VLF electromagnetics. The survey was flown at 100m north-south line spacing with one (1) kilometre spaced tie lines.Exhibit A: A map showing the extent of an ~ 1,245-line kilometre airborne magnetic and VLF survey over the ~7,771 hectare of newly acquired licenses, shown in pink, at the Goldboro Gold Project. This survey is in addition to a similar survey conducted over the remainder of the property in 2023.Exhibit B: A map showing the extent of airborne magnetic coverage over the entire property, including preliminary magnetic results from the recent airborne survey. Also shown are the four key exploration target areas including the Stewart, Fowler, Armstrong and Hurricane targets.*Operations began at the Dolliver Mountain Gold Mine in 1901 and the operation ceased in 1904.This news release has been reviewed and approved by Paul McNeill, P. Geo., VP Exploration with Signal Gold Inc., a "Qualified Person", under National Instrument 43-101 Standard for Disclosure for Mineral Projects.ABOUT SIGNAL GOLDSignal Gold is advancing the Goldboro Gold Project in Nova Scotia, a significant growth project subject to a positive Feasibility Study which demonstrates an approximately 11-year open pit life of mine with average gold production of 100,000 ounces per annum and an average diluted grade of 2.26 grams per tonne gold. (Please see the NI 43-101 Technical Report and Feasibility Study for the Goldboro Gold Project, Eastern Goldfields District, Nova Scotia' on January 11, 2022, for further details). On August 3, 2022, the Goldboro Project received its environmental assessment approval from the Nova Scotia Minister of Environment and Climate Change, a significant regulatory milestone, and the Company has now submitted all key permits including the Industrial Approval, Fisheries Act Authorization and Schedule 2 Amendment, and the Mining and Crown Land Leases. The Goldboro Project has significant potential for further Mineral Resource expansion, particularly towards the west along strike and at depth, and the Company has consolidated 27,200 hectares (~272 km2) of prospective exploration land in the Goldboro Gold District.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:Signal Gold Inc.Kevin Bullock President and CEO(647) 388-1842 kbullock@ signalgold.com Reseau ProMarket Inc.Dany Cenac Robert Investor Relations(514) 722-2276 x456 Dany.Cenac-Robert@ReseauProMarket.com SOURCE: Signal Gold Inc.
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 /Torq Resources Inc. (TSX-V:TORQ)(OTCQX:TRBMF) ("Torq" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the first set of results from the recently completed phase II drill program at its Santa Cecilia project, located in the prolific Maricunga belt, in the Atacama region of Chile. The program consisted of approximately 1,500 metres (m) over three diamond drill holes; two located at the Pircas Norte target and one at the Gemelos Norte target. Drill hole 24SC-DDH-003 intercepted 0.36 g/t gold (Au) and 0.078% copper (Cu) over 502 m from 98 m down hole, including a higher-grade interval of 0.69 g/t Au and 0.10% Cu over 20 m from 354 m down hole at Pircas Norte (Table 1). The drill hole ended in mineralized intrusive diorite breccia due to logistical limitations and the reported intercept remains open. These results represent a new discovery of significant gold-copper porphyry mineralization and confirm the Company's exploration thesis for the broader Santa Cecilia project. Results from drill holes 24SC-DDH004 and 24SC-DDH005 are expected in the coming weeks.A Message from Shawn Wallace, CEO and Chair:"We are thrilled to announce a significant gold and copper discovery at the Pircas Norte target at our flagship Santa Cecilia project located in Chile's storied Maricunga belt. This discovery, made in our first drill hole of the second phase of drilling, our third ever drill hole on the project, underscores the immense potential of the untested copper porphyry targets at Santa Cecilia, which are all located within proximity, and within the same hydrothermal alteration system, as Newmont & Barrick's Caspiche deposit, which is part of one of the largest undeveloped gold projects in the world."This achievement marks a pivotal moment for Torq Resources as it supports our primary exploration thesis that mineralization from the Caspiche deposit may extend onto the Santa Cecilia property. We are incredibly grateful to be the first junior exploration company to test this theory, as the project was primarily dormant for the better part of 30 years until we acquired the option for ownership. We are excited to continue our exploration efforts and unlock the full potential of Santa Cecilia, further solidifying our position as a key player in the exploration of Chile's most prolific mining belts." Detailed Discussion:The Santa Cecilia project is host to a 10 square kilometre (km) hydrothermal alteration footprint which contains a cluster of Au-Cu porphyry targets. The identified Au-Cu porphyry targets are mineralized either on surface or at shallow depths across approximately 4 km of strike length with very limited to no drilling completed, providing the Company with the opportunity to discover large-scale porphyry-style mineralization at or near surface through drilling (Figure 1). Norte Abierto's Caspiche porphyry gold-copper deposit, which is held in a 50/50 joint venture by Newmont and Barrick is hosted within the same broad hydrothermal alteration footprint that extends onto Santa Cecilia.Of the three drill holes completed in the phase II drill program, two were located at the Pircas Norte target and consisted of approximately 600 m (24SC-DDH-003) and 496 m (24SC-DDH-005), respectively, and 404 m (24SC-DDH-004) was drilled at the Gemelos Norte target. The Pircas Norte and Gemelos Norte targets are located within 1 - 2 km of the Caspiche deposit. Pircas Norte has the largest footprint of observed porphyry mineralization at Santa Cecilia, measuring approximately 300 m x 400 m (Figure 2). Most of the Pircas Norte area is covered by colluvium, however selective rock samples have returned values between 0.35 g/t Au and 1.43 g/t Au, 0.09% Cu and 0.47% Cu, and irregular anomalies of up to 4 ppm Mo. The absence of epithermal indicators in the overburden suggests that Pircas Norte could host a shallow porphyry system which may be easier to access. In the southern region of Pircas Norte, the porphyry zone is in fault contact with the 600 m in diameter Pircas dacite dome system.Drill hole 24SC-DDH-003, intersected 90.8 m of phreatomagmatic breccias, as well as the mineralized Pircas Norte porphyritic intrusive complex, which was present to the end of the hole. Besides the gold-copper-molybdenum porphyry style mineralization present in the area, the drilling has shown late-stage gold-zinc mineralization, represented by pyrite, chalcopyrite, low-iron sphalerite and galena veins.The units intersected may be summarized as follows (Figure 3):Phreatomagmatic breccias: associated with the Pircas dacite dome system, from surface to 90.8 m. Quartz diorite porphyry: from 90.8 m to 226 m, an irregular interval, including quartz diorite intrusive breccia at different levels and strong local faulting. In this section, a 62 m interval stands out (102 m to 164 m) averaging 0.49 g/t Au, 0.16% Cu and 12 g/t Mo. The interval shows mainly fault breccia and a late-stage polymetallic vein. Diorite porphyry (amphibole-biotite): from 226 m to 432 m, possibly a late intrusive phase, sparsely veined and low-grade (approximately 0.15 g/t Au, on average), including 34 m (282 m to 316 m) of fault breccia with veined porphyry clasts which returned 0.43 g/t Au and 0.082% Cu and 0.29% Zinc (Zn). Additionally, a large slab of intrusive diorite breccia from the underlying unit was intercepted, from 354 m to 374 m, and returned results of 0.69 g/t Au, 0.1% Cu and 5.6 g/t Mo over 20 m. Intrusive diorite breccia: from 432 m to 600 m (end of hole): brecciated, densely veined diorite porphyry phase, with frequent small fragments of Paleocene basement. The average grade was 0.46 g/t Au and 0.088% Cu.Drilling stopped in mineralization due to logistical limitations.Table 1: Highlights of Torq's drill results from its first drill hole at the Pircas Norte target at the Santa Cecilia gold-copper project, targeting porphyry mineralization:Hole IDFrom (m)To (m)Length (m)Au (g/t)Cu (%)Mo (ppm)24SC-DDH-003986005020.360.0787.7incl.66720.370.00924.9and102164620.490.15811.6and188248600.390.08812.4and2542580.260.0281.7and282316340.430.0827.1and3403480.220.1054.6and354374200.690.15.6and4325961640.460.0888.4Main interval is selected using Au grade*thickness no less than 0.5 g/t*m with average interval grade no less than 0.1 g/t, maximum consecutive dilution 6 m; Sub-intervals are selected using Au grade*thickness no less than 1.0 g/t*m with average interval grade no less than 0.2 g/t, maximum consecutive dilution 4 m; True widths of mineralization are unkn
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 /VICTORY BATTERY METALS CORP. (CSE:VR)(OTC PINK:VRCFF)(FWB:VR6) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an option agreement dated April 11, 2024 to acquire 100% interest in four claim groupings in the Sept Iles region of Quebec. These claims are being optioned from GLOBEX MINING ENTERPRISES INC. (GMX - Toronto Stock Exchange, G1MN - Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Berlin, Munich, Tradegate, Lang & Schwarz, LS Exchange, TTMzero, Dusseldorf and Quotrix Dusseldorf Stock Exchangesand GLBXF - OTCQX International in the US). Under terms of the agreement Victory will pay to Globex $400,000 in cash and 1,500,000 Victory shares over 3 years. In addition, Victory commits to execute a work program of a minimum of $3,000,000 on the claims over a 4-year period.The claims cover the Kachiwiss Uranium deposit with a reported historical, 1978 non-Ni 43-101, compliant, non-classified resource of 16,598,000 tonnes grading 0.016% U3O8 within a pegmatic dyke oriented NW45o. The zone, as currently defined, measures 975 metres long by 610 metres to 760 metres wide and is open. Historical metallurgical test work suggested recoveries of up to 92.9% can be achieved 1. The same report mentions the presence of thorium in the region, In addition to the Kachiwiss deposit, the option includes a large package of claims covering lake bottom sediment sample uranium anomalies farther to the north. In total, 156 mining claims make up the package with Globex retaining a 10-kilometre area of mutual interest surrounding the current claim blocks.Under the agreement, Globex also retains a 3% Gross Metal Royalty on all metals, minerals, elements or compounds including but not limited to uranium, thorium or any other marketable product from the claims. Victory may, at anytime, purchase 1% GMR from Globex for a single cash payment of $1,000,000.Mr. Mark Ireton, Victory President and CEO noted "This is the first meaningful uranium acquisition of such that will position the company in both battery metals and energy metals spaces. We at Victory Battery Metals are excited by the potential this property holds. Uranium is a proven source of clean cheap power and advanced research into thorium is emerging a primary source of power for the future Located in the mining friendly province of Quebec, the project is in a region known for its deep-water port, its excellent infrastructure, and a labor pool strongly rooted in the mining industry." Quebec Government Sigeom - Lac Kachiwiss File CGM 22J/01.001 - Oct 21/2011.Scientific and technical information contained in this press release was reviewed and approved by Mr. Rejean Girard, Quebec Geologist, P.Geo (OGQ 521) and a "qualified person" under NI 43-101.About Victory Battery Metals Corp.VICTORY BATTERY METALS CORP. (CSE: VR) is a publicly traded diversified investment corporation with mineral interests in North America. The company is also actively seeking other exploration opportunities.For further information, please contact:Mark Ireton, PresidentTelephone: +1 (236) 317 2822 or TOLL FREE 1 (855) 665-GOLD (4653)E-mail: info@ victorybatterymetals.com Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.Forward Looking StatementsCertain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions and dependence upon regulatory approvals. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws.SOURCE: Victory Battery Metals Corp.
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NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES$6.5 million financing to fund 2024 exploration programTUCSON, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 / Western Alaska Minerals (the "Company" or "WAM") (TSXV:WAM) is pleased to announce that it has entered in to an agreement with Roth Canada Inc. as co-lead agent and sole bookrunner, Canaccord Genuity Corp., as co-lead agent with Roth and Agentis Capital Markets Limited Partnership, as agent, on their own behalf and on behalf of a syndicate of agents (collectively, the "Agents"), who have agreed to sell, on a commercially reasonable efforts basis, up to 7,692,308 units of the Company ("Units") at a price of $0.65 per Unit (the "Offering Price"), for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $5 million (the "Brokered Offering"). The Brokered Offering will be conducted by way of prospectus supplement to the Company's base shelf prospectus dated November 21, 2023 (the "Prospectus Supplement"). The Company has agreed to grant the Agents an option to increase the size of the Brokered Offering by up to 15% (the "Agents' Option"), exercisable in whole or in part at any time for a period of 30 days after the closing date of the Brokered Offering.The Company is also pleased to announce that it will be conducting a non-brokered private placement of Units at the Offering Price for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $1.5 million (the "Non-Brokered Offering" and together with the Brokered Offering, the "Offering").Each Unit will be comprised of one subordinate voting share in the authorized share structure of the Company (a "Share") plus one Share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one Share (a "Warrant Share") at an exercise price of $0.90 per Warrant Share for 36 months from the date of issuance.The Units issued pursuant to the Non-Brokered Offering will not be qualified for distribution by the Prospectus Supplement and will be subject to a four month hold period.The net proceeds of the Offering will be used to fund the Company's 2024 exploration program, including step-out drilling at the LH and Warm Springs target zones that are new targets identified by the 2023-completed geophysical program, and for general corporate purposes.In consideration for the Agents' services with respect to the Brokered Offering, the Company will (i) pay the Agents a cash fee of 6% of the aggregate gross proceeds of the Brokered Offering (including the Agents' Option) and (ii) issue warrants (the "Agent Warrants") to purchase that number of Shares of the Company equal to 6% of the aggregate number of Units sold pursuant to the Brokered Offering (including the Agents' Option). Each Agent Warrant will be exercisable to acquire one Share at the Offering Price for a period of 36 months from the date of issuance.Closing of the Brokered Offering is expected to occur on or about April 26, 2024, and closing of the Non-Brokered Offering is expected to occur on or about May 3, 2024. Each closing is subject to certain customary conditions, including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals and acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange.The securities being offered have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act and may not be offered or sold in the United States, or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons or persons in the United States, absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.About WAM Our mission is to advance a mineable and scalable CRD, ultimately reshaping the mineral landscape of western Alaska and establishing a new CRD district.WAM's 100% owned claims cover 73,120 acres (114.25 square miles or 29,591 hectares), approximately 45 km east of an ocean barge-compatible section of the Yukon River. WAM's intact mineralized CRD system encompasses the (past producing) Illinois Creek gold-silver mine, the Waterpump Creek high-grade silver-lead-zinc deposit, open to the north, and the Honker gold prospect. Twenty-five kilometers northeast of the Illinois Creek CRD lies the Round Top copper and the TG North CRD prospects. All prospects were originally discovered by Anaconda Minerals Co. in the early 1980's. Since 2010, WAM, along with its precursor company, Western Alaska Copper & Gold, reassembled the Anaconda land package and has been engaged in exploring the district.Headquartered in both Alaska and Arizona, WAM brings together a team of seasoned professionals with a shared vision of pioneering new frontiers in mineral exploration. Our strategic approach is underpinned by cutting-edge technology, innovative techniques, and a deep understanding of the geological intricacies of the region.On behalf of the Company"Kit Marrs"Kit Marrs President & CEOPhone: 520-200-1667For further information please contact: Vanessa Bogaert, Director of Corporate Communications/IR at vanessa@ westernalaskaminerals.com Or visit our website at: www.westernalaskaminerals.com Forward Looking InformationThis news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connation thereof. These forward-looking statements or information relate to, among other things: the completion of the Offering; the expected closing dates of the Offering; the intended use of proceeds from the Offering; and the receipt of all necessary approvals for the completion of the Offering, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the Company will complete Offering in the timeframe and on the terms as anticipated
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The reusable, self-closing magnetic door is the most versatile door kit by ZIPWALLARLINGTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 18, 2024 /ZipWall, the leading provider of innovative dust protection solutions, proudly announces that its ZipDoor Magnetic was chosen as a Retailers' Choice Award winner at the 2024 National Hardware Show.For the past 58 years, the Retailers' Choice Awards have showcased the best, most innovative products featured at the National Hardware Show. Presented by North American Hardware Paint Association, the awards honor manufacturers for their innovation and provide insight for retailers. The Retailers' Choice Awards rely on the opinions of actual retailers who know what their colleagues need in a product to attract customers.Designed for sealing a doorway or creating a self-closing entry in a plastic barrier, the ZipDoor Magnetic is versatile and reusable. It is quick and easy to set up with ZipWall double-sided tape, specially designed not to damage the doorframe. Powerful magnets ensure the door maintains a tight seal while providing easy access to the work area. The magnetic door panel is made of high-tech fabric impervious to dust and features a clear plastic window.The ZipDoor Magnetic is ideal for both residential and commercial remodeling dust protection. Sealing a doorway up to 46"x86" takes just a minute, and creating a self-closing entry in a plastic barrier is easy too. Simply make a doorframe with duct tape and attach the magnetic door panel using ZipWall tape to your newly created doorframe."The ZipWall ZipDoor Magnetic is a huge game changer for my remodeling projects," said Concord Carpenter Robert Robillard. "Its self-closing feature with magnets provides remodelers, like myself, a flexible option for a hands-free barrier that can accommodate a variety of sizes and applications. The ZipDoor Magnetic provides an ideal dust control barrier that pays dividends on your projects." "It is very rewarding to have the ZipDoor Magnetic be recognized among the best and most innovative products at the National Hardware Show," said Jeff Whittemore, Founder and CEO of ZipWall LLC. "Customers rave about the convenience of our magnetic doors and with this new door, they can use it on their barriers and doorframes alike!"To learn more about the ZipDoor Magnetic Kit, visit zipwall.com About ZipWallZIPWALL LLC is the maker of the ZipWall Dust Barrier System, the only comprehensive dust barrier solution for construction, remodeling, and renovation. A ZipWall dust barrier can be set- up in just a few minutes without ladders or damage. ZipWall products are used by residential and commercial contractors to meet practically any dust barrier installation challenge. ZipWall pioneered the dust barrier industry 25 years ago and continues to transform the field with over 25 patents, numerous industry awards, and a steady stream of innovative products. ZipWall products are designed in the U.S. and sold all over the world. Visit zipwall.com Media Contact:Paula Slotkin, Slotkin Communications paula@ slotkincommunications.com 781-248-9696SOURCE: ZipWall
Fresh from EFCC custody after he got N10 million bail regarding his naira abuse trial, Nigerian celebrity barman Pascal Okechukwu, aka Cubana Chief Priest, has drummed support for the activities of the EFCC.

The socialite was arraigned at the Federal High Court, Lagos, before Justice Kehinde Ogundare, on Wednesday.

He pleaded not guilty to three counts of naira abuse filed against him by the anti-graft agency.

Since his arrest and trial, celebrities like Portable have publicly apologised to the EFCC for abusing the naira in the past.

On Thursday, it was widely reported that a former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, was declared wanted by the EFCC after he evaded arrest and snubbed a court hearing scheduled for his arraignment on N80 billion charges.

However, in an Instagram post on Thursday, Cubana Chief Priest posted a photo of the EFCC logo and eulogised the agency.

He remarked that the eagle in EFCCs logo symbolises the EFCCs ability to soar high and capture individuals, no matter where they hide.

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Surrender

He told Nigerians there was no need to run when EFCC invited them, as he admonished them to honour such invitations.

Making a case for the agency, he stated that they (EFCC officials) dont bite or beat; they only investigate and prosecute.

Cubana Chief Priest revealed that in EFCC cell, there is a bed, toilet, and bathroom, as well as breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served.

He wrote, The Eagle will always fly so high to catch you wherever you hide, No need to run when @officialefcc invites you, just pull up and answer them, they dont bite, they dont beat, they only investigate and prosecute.

For their cell bed dey, toilet & bathroom Dey, even breakfast, lunch & dinner is served so tell me why are you running. how long will you run.na big man location Efcc Be. For me, Its a status symbol.

Past arrest

This isnt the first time Cubana would be detained by the EFCC.

PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported that EFCC operatives apprehended him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja in April 2022.

He was detained while attempting to board a flight to Owerri, the capital of Imo State, over cases related to money laundering and tax fraud.

The socialite was in EFCC custody for days and had even spent his birthday in their custody.

However, he was released on 4 April 2022, to the cheers of his fans, followers, friends, colleagues, and lovers.

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May Nigeria never happen to you has become the unofficial heartfelt prayer and wish of the average Nigerian because we live in a country where systematic failures and (absence of) policies can either lead to an untimely death or unending frustration.

The tragic demise of Nollywood actor John Paul Odonwodo, known as Jnr Pope, has left fans and colleagues in shock and mourning. It is a classic example of a systematic failure, and what is known in local parlance is medicine after death.

Or how else do you explain why, following Jnr Popes death, the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) indefinitely suspended the production of films involving riverine areas and boat riding?

The Delta State Government also banned travelling on its waterways without putting on life jackets and ensuring other safety measures.

The Association of Movie Producers (AMP) also suspended Adanma Luke, the producer of The Other Side of Life, the ill-fated movie in which the late actor Junior Pope was supposed to appear.

While these are undoubtedly reasonable moves, they beg the question and expose the inadequacies of the governing agencies or authorities who often wait for something tragic to happen before setting up preventive measures.

Why must lives be lost before we do the right thing? And how many more need to die before the powers that be put the proper measures in place across all sectors?

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Since the tragic event, theres been much debate about the circumstances surrounding the actors death. Some suggest that more caution and common sense might have given him a fighting chance of survival.

The decisions made after the accident on 10 April seemed only to worsen matters. What should have been the first response was left until it was too late.

Theres also a fair bit of criticism towards Jnr Popes choice to accept a risky role and to travel in a local speedboat without proper safety measures.

Hours before the avoidable accident, Jnr Pope uploaded a video from the boat showing him and other crew members. In a light-hearted moment, Jnr Pope half-jokingly pleaded with the boat driver to drive carefully, noting he was the only son in his family and a father to three children. Sadly, this plea seemed to have gone unheeded, as shortly after, the devastating news of his death broke.

Although the situation around the actors death was dicey, it didnt happen instantly; there was a brief moment where hope flickered.

News circulated that Jnr Pope had survived the boat accident, sparking celebrations among fans and the community. However, this relief was tragically short-lived as later that same night, it was confirmed that the actor had indeed passed away.

This sequence of events left many wondering about the brief interlude of hope  what had happened in those critical hours that led people to think he had survived? The rollercoaster of emotions surrounding the incident points to possible confusion in the accidents immediate aftermath.

Since the incident, many have opined that if caution hadnt been thrown to the wind and common sense had been employed, perhaps the actor would have had a second shot at life. Critics have questioned spiritualisms place over common sense.

The different sides of the story

Jnr Popes tragic death has led to a whirlwind of stories, accounts, and controversies, each adding layers to the heartbreaking incident.

Stanley OnTop, a filmmaker who witnessed the tragic event, extensively used his Instagram live feature throughout the crisis. Initially, he declared that Junior Pope was deceased after drowning.

Shortly after, in another live video, while driving, Stanley announced that the actor was alive; this was after a mortician supposedly discovered signs of life. In a desperate turn, he suggested taking the actor to a local river shrine to resuscitate his spirit, a decision which later shifted as he rushed Junior Pope to St. Josephs Catholic Hospital.

Many Nigerians have faulted Stanley despite his attempts to salvage the situation, with some even calling for his arrest.

Tobechukwu Okafor, one of the movie cast members, also shared his firsthand experience of a boat accident.

Known for his phobia for water, he brought a Fanta bottle aboard as a makeshift safety measure, noting that a few on the boat wore life jackets. He claimed the boat collided with a canoe and the distracted driver threw everyone into the water. His survival was a narrow escape, as he claimed he held onto a rope connected to the shore.

Also, veteran actor and Special Assistant to the President of the AGN, Military Relations, Steve Eboh, who was part of the movies production associates, blamed T.C. Okafor for the accident.

He accused him of obstructing the boat drivers view by performing ritualistic actions. Mr Eboh defended the distribution of life jackets, stating that the main actors could have worn them if they prioritised safety over filming content.

Ms Luke, the movie producer, in her account of the tragic boat accident that claimed the lives of five crew members, including actor Junior Pope, said life jackets were available and accessible, but the crew refused to wear them because they were dirty.

The unfolding narratives raise concerns about decision-making during emergencies, the necessity of filming on the water with strict safety measures, and the broader implications for safety protocols in film production environments.

These various perspectives paint a complex picture of the tragic day Junior Pope lost his life. They provoke important questions about responsibility, preparedness, and the need for stringent safety standards, including first aid administration in Nollywood productions.

The place of common sense

Firstly, what the script entails still needs to be clarified. However, actors should be able to assess the risks associated with a role and be free to decline potentially dangerous parts.

While rejecting a script might jeopardise an actors future opportunities and relationship with producers, accepting risky roles can endanger their lives, as was tragically the case for Jnr Pope.

Nollywood should have transcended the use of mechanics in the shooting of movies. If a movie like Titanic, a 1997 movie about a sea disaster, was shot in a swimming pool, what exactly were they shooting that couldnt have been improvised?

Yes, the many water scenes, including the sinking and aftermath in the Titanic, were shot in the Belmont Olympic Pool in Long Beach, California.

Also, Hollywood and Bollywood often employ stunt artists or body doubles to ensure safety in highrisk scenes. These trained professionals usually perform iconic or potentially dangerous scenes.

Although Nollywood is developing its stunt capabilities, they are primarily used for fight scenes, not more dangerous stunts. This oversight can stem from a desire to cut costs, but it should never come at the expense of safety measures. This is a crucial area where the producer of Jnr Popes last film may have lacked judgment.

Also, uncompromising safety protocols should be established regarding the use of speed boats and filming near water. This includes mandatory life jackets for everyone on board and the presence of professional divers for water-based shoots. Despite the producers claims that life jackets were available, discrepancies in the survivors accounts like Stanleys suggest otherwise.

Post-accident, the response was chaotic and mismanaged. Videos were circulated on social media instead of providing immediate medical help. When Jnr Pope was found alive by the mortician, the instinctive reaction was to take him to a shrine rather than a hospital, showcasing a bewildering reliance on spiritualism over urgent medical care. This brings one to question the place of spiritualism in the outturn of things.

The place of spiritualism and orthodox medicine

The argument that life is inherently spiritual holds significant weight, especially in cultures deeply rooted in spiritual beliefs and practices, as is common in many African societies, including Nigeria.

However, a critical mistake occurs when such beliefs overshadow the practicalities of health-related emergencies that require orthodox medical interventions.

The interplay between spiritualism and orthodox medicine isnt inherently antagonistic. Ideally, both can coexist, with each balancing the other.

However, the dominance of spiritual beliefs over medical advice often leads to adverse outcomes. In the case of Jnr Pope, an over-reliance on spiritual healing and the underestimation of modern medical practices led to a fatal delay in receiving adequate care.

In emergencies, like in the unfortunate case of Jnr Pope, time is of absolute essence.

The initial decision to prioritise spiritual remedies reflects a broader societal challenge.

While spirituality can offer some solutions, it cannot substitute the immediate and tangible benefits of modern medical treatment, particularly in emergencies. This is not to underestimate the place of spiritualism.

The details surrounding Popes final moments and the choices made immediately after the accident reveal a deep-seated reliance on spiritual interventions over medical solutions.

Again, until we fix the nations systemic rots, the youth will continue to pray that Nigeria doesnt happen to them.

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared former Governor of Kogi State Yahaya Bello wanted.

The commission issued the public notice declaring Mr Bello wanted after he failed to appear for his arraignment on N80 billion money laundering charges scheduled to take place at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday.

The public is hereby notified that YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO (former Governor of Kogi State), whose photograph appears above is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with alleged case of Money Laundering to the tune of N80,246,470,089.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Eighty Nine Naira, Eighty Eight Kobo).

Bello, 48-year old Ebiraman, is a native of Okenne Local Government of Kogi State. His last known address is: 9, Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, an EFCCs public notice released Thursday read in part.

Earlier on Wednesday, the commission had obtained a court warrant for his arrest, but could not execute it.

The commission made futile efforts to execute the arrest warrant at his residence in Abuja on Wednesday.

The anti-graft agencys operatives which had arrived Mr Bellos residence in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, were obstructed by police personnel attached to the house.

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The stand-off which lasted about seven hours after it was suspected that the incumbent Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo had sneeked Mr Bello out of the house in his official car.

Military can be invited

Furious about Mr Bellos failure to attend court on Thursday for arraignment, EFCC prosecutor, Kemi Pinheiro, said the government would not mind inviting the military to bring him to court.

Mr Pinheiro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), leading Jibrin Okutepa, also a SAN, for the prosecution, said a bloodbath was averted on account of the anti-graft agencys professionalism in handling the stand-off between EFCC operatives who were trying to arrest Mr Bello and the police officers attached to the residence obstructing the former governors arrest.

The prosecuting lawyer clarified that while Mr Ododo enjoys immunity from prosecution, his predecessor, Mr Bello, has since lost his immunity and must be brought before the court.

Referencing section 12 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, Mr Pinheiro said, We will invite the military if need be to produce the defendant (Mr Bello) in court. Immunity does not attach to a home; it attaches to a person. We will produce the defendant in court.

But Mr Bellos lawyer, Abdulwahab Muhammed, said his client was not in breach of any court order.

Mr Muhammed, a SAN, cited an order of a High Court in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, restraining the EFCC from arresting and detaining his client.

Also, the defence lawyer argued that an appeal on the suit was pending at the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

Long running probe

EFCC is finally bringing Mr Bello to trial, accusing him of money laundering involving over N80 billion, after years of beaming searchlight on him and family members.

The commissions longtime investigations of the former governor had resulted in the N10 billion money laundering charges it instituted against his nephew, Ali Bello, and a co-defendant in 2022.

The prosecution named former Governor Bello in one of the newly introduced counts as an accomplice, but not as a defendant.

In the count, the EFCC accused Mr Bello of conspiring with Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdusalam Hudu to convert over N80 billion belonging to Kogi State to their personal use. The case, which has seen EFCC call witnesses to testify, is before Justice James Omotosho.

New case

But in what appears to be a fresh case, the EFCC filed a charge of 19 counts against Mr Bello.

The case also features the names of the same set of alleged accomplices as the old case.

The alleged offences also hover around the over N80 billion transactions alleged in the old case.

But the commission has now modified the date of the alleged offences to be February 2016, which is Mr Bellos first month in office as governor, instead of September 2015 that was stated in the old charge.

In the new case, the EFCC accused Mr Bello, his nephew, Ali Bello; Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu (said to still be at large) of conspiring to convert the total sum of N80 billion (N80, 246,470, 088.88) in February 2016.

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Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday, attended the meeting of the National Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja.

A former Vice President, Namadi Sambo, also attended the meeting held at the Bauchi State Governors Lodge in Asokoro amid tight security.

The Senate Minority leader, Abba Moro, and his counterpart from Sokoto South, Aminu Tambuwal, were also at the caucus meeting.

Others at the meeting were former caretaker chairman of the party, Ahmed Makarfi, and former governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu; former governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang and former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido.

The caucus meeting is one of those held by the PDP to make critical decisions on the leadership of the party ahead of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

The NEC meeting has been scheduled for 2 p.m. on Thursday at the partys national secretariat in Abuja.

The caucus comprises the governors and members of the National Assembly elected on the platform of the PDP, some members of the Board Of Trustees and some members of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC).

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The NWC had met earlier on Wednesday, during which a vote of confidence was passed on the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum.

The partys governors also held a meeting on Wednesday before the NEC meeting.

Atiku, Wikes first meeting

This is the first time Atiku and Mr Wike will attend a general PDP meeting together after the 2023 general elections.

It is not clear if the duo greeted each other, but former Vice-President Sambo was seated in between them when the meeting was ongoing.

Mr Wike had been at loggerheads with Atiku since the latter won the primary election and picked the former governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, as running mate for the presidential election.

All efforts by some leaders of the party to reconcile the duo were not successful, prompting Mr Wike to support Bola Tinubu, the then-presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), in the election.

The APC candidate defeated Atiku in the election.

Mr Tinubu later compensated Mr Wike with a ministerial appointment. Before his inauguration as FCT Minister on 21 August 2023, he had completed his second term as Rivers State governor on 29 May 2023.

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The Federal Government has begun sand-filling a portion of Landmark Beach Resort following a demolition notice for infringing on the right of way for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.

A video shared by Landmark on its Instagram page captioned sand filling going on at Landmark #savelandmarkbeach on Wednesday shows earth moving equipment sand filling sections of the beach.

Landmark sits along the Atlantic Ocean beachfront in Lagoss affluent Victoria Island area.

Coastal Highway

The planned infrastructure is designed to link the former capital city to Calabar, a port city near the border with Cameroon.

According to a presidential aide, Temitope Ajayi, approval for the new coastal road was given on 27 February by the federal authorities.

Mr Ajayi said on X that the super highway, when completed, will enter the world record books among iconic coastal routes like the Wild Atlantic Highway in Ireland and the Pacific Coastal Highway in the United States.

The first phase of the new 700km highway that will run through the nine coastal states is the 47.47km section beginning from Victoria Island. It has five lanes on each side of the dual carriageway and a train track in the middle.

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Some of the sections listed for demolition by the Lagos government are the Beach Resort, Kids and Bay Arena, Members Area and Lagos Beach Club.

The government said the facilities were within the right of way of the proposed road by 50 metres.

Adjustment

Business mogul and owner of Landmark Beach Resort, Paul Onwuanibe, told CNN he had acquired the land in 2007 before the plans for the coastal highway were drawn up and felt a mix of emotions after receiving the demolition order, which also urged him to file compensation claims.

To safeguard its operations, the resorts management engaged in discussions with federal and Lagos State authorities and other interest groups to propose adjusting the highways route.

They suggested rerouting the first 1.5 km out of the 700 km stretch to its original location along the undeveloped Water Corporation Road median.

We believe that with careful collaboration and consultation, a small number of other minor reroutes may be required to sustain the existing socioeconomic activity along the course of this road, the business mogul had posted on X.

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The supermarket giants are under fire as customers speak out about their stressful experiences at self-serve checkouts.

It's a scene familiar to many Aussie shoppers. You've got a trolley full of groceries but as you head to the exit ready to pay you find there are very few registers open and you're forced to choose between standing in a long line and heading to the self-serve checkouts.

This frustrating trend has seen shoppers hit out at Coles and Woolworths online calling for more staffed registers to be provided in stores.

While useful for shoppers buying only a handful of items, Aussies are increasingly annoyed at the lack of tills with employees available to help with packing their purchases, leaving only self-serve and express checkouts open.

One Coles customer said in a Facebook post he was recently forced to scan $250 worth of groceries through the self-serve checkout at the retailers Forster store on NSWs Mid North Coast. Where lifes a holiday 24/7, he headlined the post.

Commenters sympathised with the shopper, with one saying, "That's absolutely disgusting, I would of just walked out".

Coles and Woolworths customers have expressed frustration over a lack of staffed registers. Source: Getty

Woolworths did not escape criticism either, with another shopper complaining online there were not nearly enough registers open for the amount of customers in the store at Roselands in Sydneys south recently. I tried to say something to one of your team members at the service desk, but no apology (was) offered, he added.

In a direct reply to that social media post, which attracted 1,500 comments, a Woolworths spokesperson said, This doesnt sound like a pleasant experience at all, adding they had raised the issue with the store manager and hoped the customers had a better in-store visit next time.

Many in the comments backed up the man's words, saying there were often one or two registers open at their store and long lines of customers waiting to be served.

Customers say they are pushed into using self-serve checkouts

A lot of shoppers argued that the store was pushing them to use the self-serve checkouts. "Cutting back checkouts for more self-serve stations!! Im sorry but if you have a full trolley its too awkward," one said.

A Coles spokesperson said it actively encouraged and trained employees to assist customers who may need additional help. This included shoppers with prams, young children or the elderly.

A team member will always be available in the service area to help any customer who would like help with their shopping, the spokesperson added.

While staff may be circling through the checkouts, customers at both supermarkets have repeatedly expressed difficulties in accessing help when grappling with a trolley and multiple shopping bags.

Echoing the thoughts of many, one shopper said, I dont mind self-service for basket items but when you have a trolley, that isnt good. In my Woolies, there isnt enough room to put the trolley and put all your groceries on their tiny shelf. Yet no checkouts are open and (it) makes your shop more stressful.

However, another stated they go to the service desk and request staff open a checkout register if there arent any available. The extra stress when the machines have a moment isnt worth it, she added.

While self-serve registers are easy options for those with a small number of items, they are not convenient if you've done a large shop. Source: Getty

Woolworths will continue to provide staffed registers

A Woolworths spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia staffed checkouts were always an option at its stores.

We want customers to have a choice at the checkout, they said. We know some customers prefer to be served by a team member and thats why there is always that option in all of our stores.

We find that many of our customers prefer the self-serve checkouts, particularly when they are buying a handful of items.

However, we understand that some customers still look to use our manned checkouts and we will continue to provide this service at all our stores across the country.

Supermarkets have been accused of keeping registers closed, leaving customers struggling with a trolley-load of groceries. Source: Getty

Self-serve checkouts 'crucial' at busy retailers

Paul Zahra, CEO of the Australian Retailers Association, said while self-service checkouts had become more popular, supermarkets were employing more staff than ever to cater for different needs and traditional cash registers were still options at most retailers.

He said the number of self-serve checkouts compared to traditional cash registers varied between stores and were tailored to the needs of customers, while there were now other options such as online shopping, rapid grocery delivery and Direct to Boot.

"While some customers prefer to be served by a team member, self-serve checkouts have a range of benefits. They contribute to faster transaction processing, allowing retailers to serve more customers during peak hours," Zahra told Yahoo.

"This efficiency is crucial in meeting the demands of a busy retail environment, and improving overall operational productivity. Self-serve checkouts can also make shoppers more comfortable if theyre purchasing a personal item or simply dont feel like socialising," he added.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

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As the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State prepares for its governorship primaries on Saturday, seven of the 16 aspirants have raised the alarm over the printing of fake party slips.

They also faulted the recent revalidation of party membership across the state, saying that most of their supporters were yet to get their party cards revalidated.

The aspirants, who registered their displeasure and concerns in a letter to the National Chairman of the party, included Jimoh Ibrahim, Olusola Oke, Wale Akinterinwa, Diran Iyantan, Dayo Faduyile, Gbenga Edema and Jimi Odimayo.

Although they accused one of the aspirants of printing fake slips to undermine the electoral process, they did not mention any names.

We, the undersigned, are aspirants from the South senatorial district of Ondo State, who have collected forms to participate in the forthcoming Ondo State gubernatorial primary election slated for the 20 April 2024.

We have noticed some issues of concern regarding the said primary election, which, if not resolved quickly, may hinder the smooth running of the primary election and may be detrimental to a free, fair, credible and acceptable election, the letter read in part.

While commending the position of the party on revalidating the existing membership register, the group lamented that the exercise had been shrouded in secrecy, such that many party members could not have their membership cards revalidated before the committee returned to Abuja.

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The aspirants added that they had been inundated by reports that a particular aspirant had gone ahead with the massive printing of fake party slips, which he had distributed to many persons who were not members.

This aspirant intends to corrupt the integrity of the membership register on the day of the primary by making accreditation of party members impossible, as non-party members have already been recruited to flood the election venues.

This massive and pervasive production of the membership cards will certainly precipitate a situation where everyone holding membership cards, notwithstanding that their names are not on the register, will be allowed to vote without accreditation. Voting without accreditation remains illegal and unacceptable, the letter further read.

The aspirants reminded the party chairman that Section 77(2) (3) of the Electoral Act 2022 made it mandatory for all political parties to have a credible membership register, which must be submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and certified by it, not later than 30 days before the Congress.

To avoid any legal or constitutional problems, they stressed the need for the party to make accreditation of members mandatory at the election venue.

They also requested the party to ensure that every member whose name appears on the membership register already certified by INEC bccanviolencee can present their membership slip for accreditation.

It is our prayer, therefore, that the partys leadership make available to us the membership register already validly certified by the INEC as the only lawful register to be used by the party for the conduct of the primary election slated for 20/04/2024. No other register can lawfully be used for the said primary election, the letter added.

Director of media and publicity of the party in the state, Steve Otaloro, said the aspirants have a right to express their grievances but should do so in the proper manner and to the appropriate quarters.

According to him, the partys state chapter only provided logistic support to the committee that would conduct the primaries and would not be involved in the exercise.

We expect the aspirants to channel their grievances to the appropriate direction, and I believe their concerns would be addressed.

We expect that they should meet with the chairman of the committee conducting the primaries who would pay attention to their concerns, Mr Otaloro said.

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The police on Thursday brought a 30-year-old man, John Timothy, before an Iyaganku Magistrates Court, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, for alleged stealling of N1.2 million from a deceased mans bank account.

The defendant, whose address was not provided, is facing charges of conspiracy and stealing.

He, however, pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor, Olalekan Adegbite, an inspector, told the court that the defendant committed the offences between 17 May 2021 and 21 July 2021.

Mr Adegbite alleged that the defendant stole N1.2 million from the late Johnson Davids Access Bank account.

READ ALSO: Police arrest suspected serial abductor who stole children in four states

Mr Adegbite told the court that a son of the deceased, Mr Daniel David, discovered the theft.

He said that the offences contravened Sections 516 and 390(9) of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

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The Magistrate, Oluwabusayo Osho, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Osho adjourned the case until May 7 for hearing. (NAN)

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The Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Yusuf Liman, has cautioned Bello El-Rufai, the son of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, against threatening the House over its probe into his fathers eight-year administration.

Mr Liman said Bello had sent insulting and subtly threatening messages to him, as Speaker of the State House of Assembly, via WhatsApp, regarding the probe of his father.

This statement was issued by the speakers media aide, Suraj Bamalli, on Wednesday.

The House of Assembly on Tuesday established a committee to investigate financial dealings, loans, grants, and project implementation from 2015 to 2023 during Mr El-Rufais administration.

The speaker also highlighted Bello El-Rufais alleged social media activity, including two tweets insinuating a call to fight and disrespecting all members of the Assembly.

Bello El-Rufai is a member of the House of Representatives, representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency.

In response to these actions, the statement said threats and intimidation from any source, including federal lawmakers, will not deter the Assembly from its commitment to justice and accountability.

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The Assembly urged the people of Kaduna State to remain vigilant in supporting transparency, accountability, and the rule of law, emphasizing its dedication to serving the state and its citizens.

Addressing Bello El-Rufais conduct, the statement highlighted his social media posts and messages sent to the Speaker, accusing him of attempting to obstruct the lawful functions of the Assembly.

The Assembly reiterated its unwavering commitment to serving without bias and ensuring due diligence in its duties.

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A man, identified as Paul, has been sentenced to nine months in prison for assaulting an enforcement officer and failing to use the pedestrian bridge at Agbado Oke-Odo area of Lagos State.

He was sentenced by a mobile court in Oshodi for assaulting and injuring a personnel of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC).

The officer sustained an injury while trying to arrest Mr Paul for not using the pedestrian bridge.

The Commissioner, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made this known via his X handle on Thursday.

Paul was apprehended on 16 April for not using the pedestrian bridge at Agbado Oke-Odo and in the process, he assaulted and wounded the enforcement personnel of #LAGESCOfficial (KAI).

The Mobile Court sitting at Oshodi yesterday sentenced him to 9 months imprisonment, the tweet read.

Recently, the state government began a clampdown on residents who refuse to use pedestrian bridges.

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According to the commissioner on Wednesday, 138 persons were arrested at Oshodi Oke, Iyana-Ipaja, Ikeja and Ladipo axis of the state.

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The Ondo State Police Command has arrested two persons found conducting registration illegally ahead of the governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scheduled for Saturday, 20 April.

The arrest followed an outcry by some aspirants who petitioned the national secretariat of the party on Wednesday, alleging that a particular aspirant was working to compromise the process.

They also alleged that there were reports of fake registration of new members to favour a particular aspirant on Saturday.

The aspirants are Jimoh Ibrahim, Olusola Oke, Wale Akinterinwa, Diran Iyantan, Dayo Faduyile, Gbenga Edema and Jimi Odimayo.

Police Public Relations Officer, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, said a man, Mr Ariyo, was reported to be carrying out registration in his residence in Ondo City.

On Wednesday, 17 April 2024, the Police received an intel that one Mr Ariyo, a transporter in Ondo town, was registering APC party members at his residence ahead of the party primaries slated for 20 April 2024.

Police personnel from Yaba Divisional headquarters led by an Assistant Superintendent of Police visited the house and recovered the following items from the scene:

a) APC partys registration booklets

b) List of names of purported party members of Ward 7 Ondo.

c) 53 passport photographs of different individuals.

d) A jotter containing names.

e) 2 exercise books with names and phone numbers of people.

f) 2 slips of a registered form.

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Two suspects have been arrested and are assisting the Police with necessary information to apprehend others involved in this cynicism, the PPRO said in a statement.

She said the Commissioner of Police, Abayomi Oladipo, had warned political aspirants to caution their supporters against acts that could disrupt the process.

Mrs Odunlami-Omisanya noted that the command had received orders to clamp down on troublemakers, irrespective of their status.

She also assured that the police would ensure the safety of lives and property and the peaceful conduct of the party primaries on Saturday.

However, the APC in Ondo State has disowned those involved in the act, saying the materials found with the suspects were fake and did not emanate from the party secretariat.

Steve Otaloro, the Director of Publicity of the party, said the police, having arrested the culprits, should do the needful.

We have nothing to do with such acts. We expect the police to investigate the matter and bring the culprits to account for the illegalities, he said.

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The State House Press Corps (SHPC) is organising a two-day capacity-building workshop for its members in Lagos.

The membership cut across all the media organisations in the country representing the print, broadcasting and online platforms.

The workshop, in collaboration with the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), with the theme Promoting Solutions-oriented & Sustainability Journalism in a Modern Democracy will be held on Friday and Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, will deliver the keynote address.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, who is the chief Host, will deliver a speech while the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, will also deliver a goodwill message at the event.

Other speakers at the event include the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Abubakar; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Engagement, Federick Nwabufo; and the Director of UNIC, Ronald Kayanja.

The NIA boss would speak on Understanding the Interrelation between Intelligence Agencies and the Media in Shaping National Development while the Director of the International Press Centre (IPC), Lanre Arogundade, would speak on Ethical Journalism: An Insight into Deep Fakes and Fact-Checking.

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Jide Jimoh of the Lagos State University and a member of the editorial board of the Guardian newspaper will speak on Extending the Boundaries of Newsgathering and Reporting to Advance Sustainable Development in Nigeria.

The Senior Adviser on Information Integrity, Office of the Under-Secretary-General, UN Global Communications, New York, will speak on The Quest for Information Integrity in an Era of Polluted Media Ecosystem.

Kingsley Uranta, the General Manager of Channels Academy, will speak on Retooling Journalistic Practice in the Quest for Solutions to Emerging National Challenges.

The Chairperson of the SHPC, Anule Emmanuel, said the training would provide members of the elite press corps a unique opportunity to enhance their knowledge, skills and competencies.

(NAN)

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The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ganduje Ward of Kano State has petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) over an ex-parte order granted by Usman NaAbba of the Kano State High Court, upholding the suspension of the National Chairman of the APC, Umar Ganduje, as a member of the ruling party.

The petition, dated 17 April and signed by 27 members of the ward executive, is calling for the review of the ex-parte order and the investigation of the judge over potential abuse of process.

Among those who signed it are the Chairman, Ahmad Ganduje, Vice Chairman, Auwalu Roba and Secretary, Usaini Jibrin.

According to the petition obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, the excos are calling on the NJC to conduct a thorough review of the circumstances and justification behind the decision of Mr Naabba to issue such an order.

They also asked the NJC to evaluate the adherence to judicial guidelines and the Nigerian Constitution in the context of non-interference in political party affairs.

The ward leaders also called on the NJC to assess potential disciplinary measures if it is found that Hon. Justice Usman Mallam Naabba acted beyond his jurisdiction or displayed conduct unbecoming of a judicial officer.

Background

PREMIUM TIMES reported that some APC members in Ganduje ward of Dawakin-Tofa LGA of Kano State suspended the partys National Chairman, Mr Ganduje.

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The partys legal adviser in the ward, Mr Maigwanjo, alongside others, announced the suspension at a press conference in Kano on Monday.

Mr Maigwanjo said Mr Ganduje was suspended from the party to allow him to face an allegation of corruption levelled against him by the Kano State Government.

Consequently, following an ex-parte motion filed by Ibrahim Saad on behalf of two executive members of the party in the ward, the court granted an order restraining Mr Ganduje from parading himself as a party member.

Also, the court ordered Mr Ganduje to stop presiding over the affairs of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC.

But in a swift response, the State Working Committee of the APC sanctioned the Ganduje ward executives hours after the suspension was announced.

The state chairman of the party, Abdullahi Abbas, announced the suspension of the executives for six months for anti-party activities.

Mr Ganduje, while he was governor of Kano State, was caught in a viral video pocketing bundles of dollars he allegedly took from a contractor.

The former governor, a close ally of President Bola Tinubu, became the chairman of the APC through the support of the president.

Reasons for the petition

The Ganduje ward excos anchored their petition on the principle that the judiciary should not intervene in the internal affairs of a political party without clear evidence that the partys internal mechanisms, as outlined in its constitution, have been exhausted.

According to them, the APC constitution provides specific procedures for handling disputes and disciplinary actions within the party.

They noted that Article 21.1(i) clearly provides for the right to fair hearing in relation to discipline of members of the Party. The complaint was never served on H.E. Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and no invitation was issued to him to attend the purported disciplinary proceedings against him.

The excos stated that the unilateral judicial intervention by Mr Naabba preempts these internal processes and mechanisms, potentially overstepping judicial boundaries.

They added that Mr Naabba granted the Ex-parte application without recourse to the fact that we had earlier issued a joint press release which was widely published in both print and electronic media, wherein we had completely disassociated ourselves from the alleged suspension of Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and further stated that the perpetrators of the alleged suspension were non-APC members in the ward who were allegedly sponsored by the NNPP led Kano State government.

Other chairmans experiences

In the last couple of years, some national chairmen of political have lost their positions after they were suspended by their wards.

Some of them include Uche Secondus and Iyorchia Ayu of the Peoples Democratic Party (APC) both of whom were suspended by their wards in Rivers and Benue states respectively as well as Adams Oshiomhole of the APC, who suffered similar fate in his native Edo State.

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Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State on Wednesday offered scholarship up to university level to 11-year-old domestic worker, Happiness Nwafor, who was allegedly abused and brutalised by her employer.

The governor also ordered the rehabilitation of the victim.

The state Commissioner for Children, Gender and Social Development, Ngozi Enih, disclosed this while briefing journalits in Enugu, the state capital.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Miss Nwafor, who hails from Enugu

State, was allegedly molested by her madam, an Anambra based lawyer, Adachukwu Okafor, who resides in Onitsha in Anambra State.

Ms Okafor had brought her into her home in January, after contacting her parents to help her get a child who would assist her with house chores.

She had battered the little house maid with hot iron and knife, inflicting injuries on her after accusing her of touching her childs private part while bathing the child.

In a letter to the Scholarship Board, Mrs Enih said Mr Mbah had graciously approved the rehabilitation and offer of scholarship up to university level for Miss Nwafor.

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She stated that the governors action was in line with the resolution of the Enugu State House of Assembly.

Today we are here to to handover little Happiness Nwafor to the Enugu State Scholarship Board. Recall that on 1 February, a video went viral about a child that was physically abused by a lawyer in Anambra.

The little girl in question was from Enugu state and we have to rush down to Anambra to ascertain the level of injury and make sure she is healed.

I appreciate Mbah and his wife, Mrs Nkechinyere Mbah, Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra and his wife, Dr Nonyelum Soludo, for their rapid response and quick intervention and making sure that Nwafor was rescued and got the adequate medical treatment.

It shows us the type of government we are all witnessing, a government that cares for his people they have been taking care of her even as she go through rehabilitation.

I equally thank the Ministry of Gender Affairs, Anambra and Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Uju Kennedy for placing a bounty on the perpetrator who was nowhere to be found.

We all collaborated to make sure that the Okafor was arrested, Enih said.

She maintained that the Enugu State would not condone or accept any form of child abuse, in state or outside the state as it has zero to child abuse.

The commissioner added that little Miss Nwafor would be handed over to the Director in charge of Enugu State School Board for proper documentation.

Receiving the victim, Peter Nkwuo, the Head of Administration, Enugu State Scholarship and Education Loan Board, said the board would provide her with school uniform, bag, books and others as pupils in the state do not pay school fees.

He stressed that in future when she would gain admission into secondary school, the state would pay her school fees and provide her with other materials.

While thanking Anambra and Enugu State governments, the mother of the victim, Nwanneka Anioke, said Miss Nwafors father abandoned her with four kids, prompting her to give the girl out as a maid. (NAN)

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecutor said on Thursday that the government could resort to inviting the military to bring a former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, before the Federal High Court in Abuja to face trial for the N80 billion money laundering charges pending against him.

Mr Bello, who completed his tenure as Kogi State governor on 27 January, was scheduled for arraignment on 19 charges of N80 billion money laundering charges before the court on Thursday.

The arraignment was to take place before a judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Emeka Nwite.

But Mr Bello was absent, stalling the scheduled arraignment.

The judge had, on Wednesday, issued a warrant of arrest against Mr Bello, based on an ex parte application filed by the EFCC.

The anti-graft agency made futile efforts to effect his arrest at his residence in Abuja on Wednesday.

At Thursdays proceedings, EFCCs prosecuting counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, said efforts by the EFCC to arrest and serve the pending charges on Mr Bello were thwarted by the current Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, who was said to have sneaked Mr Bello away in his official vehicle.

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Mr Pinheiro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), leading Jibrin Okutepa, also a SAN, for the prosecution, said a bloodbath was averted on account of the anti-graft agencys professionalism in handling the stand-off between EFCC operatives who were trying to arrest Mr Bello and the police officers attached to the residence obstructing the former governors arrest.

The prosecuting lawyer clarified that while Mr Ododo enjoys immunity from prosecution, his predecessor, Mr Bello, has since lost his immunity and must be brought before the court.

Referencing section 12 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, Mr Pinheiro said, We will invite the military if need be to produce the defendant (Mr Bello) in court. Immunity does not attach to a home; it attaches to a person. We will produce the defendant in court.

But Mr Bellos lawyer, Abdulwahab Muhammed, said his client was not in breach of any court order.

Mr Muhammed, a SAN, cited an order of a High Court in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, restraining the EFCC from arresting and detaining his client.

Also, the defence lawyer argued that an appeal on the suit was pending at the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

He contended that Mr Nwite lacks the jurisdiction to hear and entertain the case on account of the pendency of the case at the appellate court.

Mr Muhammed declined to accept copies of the charges on behalf of Mr Bello.

Details soon

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In 12 months, one wildlife group has rescued 25 magpies that were kept as pets.

An Aussie magpie is recovering after a mans disastrous attempt to make it befriend his two pet dogs. Unable to fly away because its feathers had been clipped, the ball-shaped youngster has been named Potato by his rescuers.

He had been following the Peggy and Molly story, the rescuer revealed. He was really hoping to keep her, but the dogs were mouthing Potato because she couldn't fly. He was quite reluctant to hand her over, because hed seen the story and thought it was okay."

Potato is one of two magpies rescued last weekend. A total of 25 illegally-kept magpies have been surrendered over the last 12 months to the shelter where Potato is now recovering and learning how to be a wild bird.

It is feared the popularity of Molly the magpie could lead to more people wanting the birds as pets. Source: Peggyandmolly

Related: Magpie and dog social media account shut down

Because taking magpies from the wild is an issue that can trigger strong emotions, Yahoo has chosen not to name the shelter or its volunteers who are caring for Potato.

I don't know what makes people want to take magpies from the wild, it's bizarre, the shelter owner said. We see a lot more people trying to make magpies into pets than other native species, she said. We have six at the moment and half of those guys have clipped wings. It's really really sad to see this deliberate action to mutilate these birds so they cant escape.

Fear Peggy and Molly magpie saga could inspire copycats

The Perth shelter caring for Potato specialises in magpie rehabilitation  last year they took in 100 of the birds in need of care. It is fearful the rise in popularity of magpies, triggered by coverage of the Peggy and Molly social media accounts, could inadvertently lead to a surge in people thinking its okay to take the native birds from the wild.

Its volunteers responded to a surge in admissions after the release of the Naomi Watts film Penguin Bloom which told the true story of an injured woman rescuing a native magpie. Similarly, the Harry Potter franchise sparked a surge in owls being taken from the wild in Bali and Jakarta and sold into the domestic pet trade. The Pixar cartoon Finding Nemo also triggered a short-lived clown fish trend.

Magpies Potato (left) and Mildred (right) were rescued last weekend. Source: Supplied

Related: Beloved birds taken from another family after 'paperwork error' then KILLED

Mollys owners surrendered the bird to authorities after it was revealed theyd taken it home from a park without a licence, introduced it to their dogs, built a social media following of over two million people, sold merchandise featuring its image, and secured a book deal with Penguin Random House.

Authorities said the bird had been humanised and could not fly like a normal magpie or feed itself properly. But the couple have maintained Molly had been allowed to live as a wild bird and not kept as a pet. There is no suggestion its wings were clipped.

The story triggered an international outcry and an extraordinary intervention from Queensland Premier Steven Miles. The bird was returned to the Gold Coast couple after they agreed to encourage people to appropriately care for native wildlife and no longer profit from the bird. They did not respond to questions from Yahoo for this story.

Potato the magpie paired with Mildred

Potato was extremely thin when she was surrendered  230 grams instead of 300 grams. Its believed her wings were clipped by a neighbour who wanted to keep it as a pet, but it then fled into a yard with dogs.

Potato had her wings clipped to prevent her flying away. Source: Supplied

He kept her there for just over a day, because he said he wanted the magpie to get along with his dogs. Unfortunately, the dogs had other ideas. And it was really lucky she wasn't too badly damaged, the shelter owner said.

Potato has been paired with Mildred the magpie which was discovered by a concerned homeowner tapping at her door and refusing to fly away.

Mildred has broken tail and wing feathers, but shes not too bad  it just seems like a bit of malnutrition thats caused them to fracture where there was stress, the shelter owner said.

Who knows who was keeping her. Shes obviously got out and flown to a neighbours house. She had some mild peck wounds on her face, so we think the local magpies werent happy with her being around.

Magpie mimics child with dangerous consequences

It takes 12 months for a bird to fully moult and grow feathers strong enough to fly again. Because magpies are territorial, rescues require them to be slowly reintroduced to their release site so they arent attacked by others, a process rescuers describe as very tricky.

While they try to rehabilitate and release all birds, a small number display dangerous behaviour and need to be euthanised. Sadly if theyve been raised away from other magpies, they will often kill other birds when theyre introduced into a flock.

Magpie chicks are generally docile, but they are often surrendered after they become sexually mature and start attacking adults, children and pets. When theyre removed from their human family due to safety concerns they often become depressed.

We have magpies come in that want to play with shoes, others want to hang off their shirts because thats what theyre used to doing, the shelter owner said.

We had one come in last year where the person caring for the bird had passed away. She was very aggressive to people and other magpies. She would make these noises like a human child, and lure volunteers over to the aviary with a false sense of security. Then shed sneak up behind them and try to take out their eyes.

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The National Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has extended the tenure of Umar Damagum as the acting National Chairperson of the party.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, disclosed this on Thursday while addressing journalists after the national caucus meeting at Bauchi Governors lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.

The partys spokesperson said Mr Damagum will continue to be the acting national chairperson of the PDP until the next National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which will be communicated by the party later.

He said the decision to extend Mr Damagums tenure was to ensure reconciliation and unity of party members.

Umar Damagum will continue to be the acting national chairman of the party until the next meeting of NEC. The party considers that it is important to have more consultation on that issue Mr Ologunagba said.

Agenda

Mr Ologunagba said the focus at the NEC meeting scheduled to hold today (Thursday) by 2 p.m., at the national secretariat of the party will only focus on how to settle the rift between aggrieved members of the party.

He also said that part of the resolution at the caucus meeting was to ensure that congresses are held across states and local governments between June and August.

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The spokesperson also noted that the timeline for the constitution review committee of the party will be extended to allow them to incorporate new recommendations.

NEC meeting will not discuss any change in leaders. Rather, attention is focused on unity and reconciliation. Caucus agreed that all congresses in the states and local government should be concluded between June and August this year. Caucus agreed on the extension of the constitution review committee of the party to accept new recommendations.

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the party had earlier passed a vote of confidence on Mr Damagum but the North-central zone insisted that the position should be zoned to it to allow the zone complete the tenure of Iyorchia Ayu, who was suspended last year as national chairperson the party.

The region is relying on Section 47(6) of the PDP Constitution which provides that Where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the Party, the Executive Committee at the appropriate level shall appoint another person from the area or zone where the officer originated from to serve out the tenure.

The PDP Governors Forum had also said that the NEC would decide whether to remove or retain Mr Damagum as acting chairperson of the party.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, attended the caucus meeting on Wednesday night.

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President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Ministry of Education to formulate modalities for mobilising graduates of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) to participate in the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC).

Mr Tinubu disclosed this at the 13th Convocation Ceremony of the university in Abuja at the weekend.

In 2018, former President Muhammadu Buhari provided his assent to the amended NOUN Act which allows the university to operate like other regular Nigerian regular universities and paves way for its law graduates to attend the Nigerian Law School (NLS) and to enroll for the NYSC.

The NLS began admitting first NOUN law graduates in 2022 but they have been unable to enrol for the NYSC.

Represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Biodun Saliu, Mr Tinubu said: With the changing demographics of our great nation the government has recognised the importance of allowing NOUN graduates to participate in the NYSC scheme.

Mr Tinubu said the admission of NOUN law graduates at the Nigerian Law School is part of plans to get equal opportunities of becoming legal practitioners as their counterparts who attend other regular universities full time.

The doors of the Law School are now open to the graduates, ensuring equal opportunities for all. Any remaining concerns or uncertainties should be promptly addressed by the Federal Ministry of Education, he said.

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Importance of ODL

The President noted that the NOUN convocation ceremony signifies the pivotal role of Open and Distance Learning Education (ODL) in Nigerias educational landscape.

He added that his administration will continue to promote ODL to improve access to higher education in the country, stressing that the deployment of the ODL is a key to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

We will continue to do this in order to improve quality, access and affordabilityGovernment is, therefore, committed through the Federal Ministry of Education and the NUC to provide the enabling environment to ensure a good delivery of this mode of education in Nigeria, Mr Tinubu added.

About NOUN

The National Open University of Nigeria was initially established in 1983 as a springboard for open and distance learning in Nigeria. It was suspended by the government on 25 April 1984.

However, its resuscitation began in 2001 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to reject a bail request by Binance official, Tigran Gambaryan, who faces money laundering charges.

Mr Gambaryan, a top executive of crypto company Binance, is on remand at a prison in Abuja.

The court ordered his remand at the prison after he pleaded not guilty to the charges on 8 April.

At the resumed hearing of Mr Gambaryans bail application on Thursday, the defendants lawyer, Mark Mordi, said the EFCC was opposed to his clients bail request on the grounds that he constitutes a flight risk.

The prosecution said we are a flight risk and should not be granted bail, because the defendants colleague escaped from custody.

There is nothing incriminating my client in the proof of evidence that is attached to the charge, the defence lawyer said.

In a heated argument between Mr Mordi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and EFCCs lawyer, Ekele Iheanacho, the defence lawyer accused the anti-corruption agency of deliberately keeping Mr Gambaryan in prison pending the hearing of the bail request.

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Mr Mordi recalled that the EFCC was served with his clients motion for bail on 4 April, but that the agency only responded to the application on 15 April, outside of the statutory seven days.

On 4 April, the prosecution (EFCC) was served with my clients bail application. But the lawyer chose to file his reply on 15 and serve the process on us in 16 April.

This is wrong. This is an abuse of prosecutorial powers. The normal time for response is a week. Now, he is telling us to come back (next) Monday, Mr Mordi said while refusing to accede to Mr Iheanachos application for an adjournment.

However, the EFCC counsel said the prosecution was within time in filing its response to Mr Gambaryans bail application.

He said the anti-graft agency could not have responded to the bail application when Mr Gambaryan was challenging the courts jurisdiction.

Mr Iheanacho urged the court for an adjournment to enable him respond to fresh issues that were raised by the defence lawyer in the bail application documents.

After listening to the lawyers, the judge adjourned the suit until 22 April for the hearing of the bail application.

Background

On 28 March, the EFCC charged Mr Gambaryan alongside Binance and another of the companys top executives, Nadeem Anjarwalla.

But only Mr Gambaryan was available for arraignment before the trial judge on 8 April.

EFCC wrote in the charges that Mr Gambaryans colleague and co-defendant, Mr Anjarwalla, who escaped from lawful custody in Abuja last month, was on the run.

Mr Gambaryan pleaded not guilty to the five counts charged by the EFCC when read to him in open court on Monday.

The judge recorded a plea of not-guilty plea for Binance, based on the request by the prosecuting lawyer, Mr Iheanacho.

In the five counts, EFCC accused the three defendants of committing money laundering offences involving $35.4 million.

Meanwhile, a sister case involving the Binance executives is expected to come up before Mr Nwite on Friday, 19 April.

The suit being prosecuted by Nigerias tax agency, FIRS, borders on tax evasion allegedly perpetrated by Binance.

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has issued a directive that any parent found near any Computer-Based Test, CBT, centre during this years Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) should be arrested.

The examination body issued the directive on Wednesday during an engagement meeting with all owners of CBT centres ahead of the examination which is scheduled to commence on Friday, 19 April.

This is contained in a statement issued by JAMB and signed by its Public Communications Advisor, Fabian Benjamin. a copy of which was shared with PREMIUM TIMES.

Why arrest threat?

Mr Benjamin said the directive became necessary following the intrusive disposition of some parents during the boards previous exercises.

The statement quoted JAMBs Registrar, Is-haq Oloyede, as saying any parent who disobeys this order would not only be arrested but his ward would also be disqualified from sitting the examination.

Mr Oloyede was quoted to have said: This measure is necessary as it has been discovered over time that many of these intruding parents are facilitators of examination infractions while others have, by their actions, disrupted the boards examinations in the past.

He added that some miscreants also disguise as parents to infiltrate the centres to perpetrate all forms of infractions.

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The registrar further stated that the board has directed security operatives to work with the centres to apprehend any meddlesome parent, who come near the centres.

Candidates must be 17 years and above

Mr Oloyede also reportedly noted that going by the extant national policy on education, a candidate for the examination must have attained the age of 17 years.

The registrar said: Therefore, it is evident that these parents had not allowed their wards to pass through the classes as defined in the document, hence, the determination to follow their wards to the examination venue with the aim of compromising examination officials.

At any rate, it is clear to any discerning observer that these parents deserve to be sanctioned as they had obviously smuggled underage children into the ranks of those scheduled to sit the examination.

The board also advised candidates to jealously guard their personal details, email address, as well as their registration and phone numbers. It noted that the advice was issued against the backdrop of some candidates, who might be enticed into patronising any of those fraudulent websites out there.

Consequently, the board informed candidates that if their personal details are found with any of such sites, they would be treated as accomplices and prosecuted, the statement reads.

Exam schedules

Mr Oloyede further said all arrangements have been concluded for the conduct of the 2024 UTME, which will be held in over 700 CBT centres across the nation.

He disclosed that the board expects a seamless exercise but it has nevertheless made adequate provision to tackle any technical glitch that might occur in the course of the examination.

He, however, warned that if a session experienced any technical challenge, candidates in subsequent sessions would be allowed to sit their examination as scheduled while the candidates in the challenged session would be rescheduled for the last session for the day or the following day or even further depending on the affected centres schedules.

Candidates are to take note of this so that they will remain calm in the event of any disruption. In this wise, any candidate or parent, who disrupt any subsequent session on account of the failure of his/her session, would be disqualified outright from taking the examination, he said.

The JAMB registrar appealed to centre owners to consider the assignment as a national engagement and not as a purely profit venture. He urged them to expose the bad eggs among them.

He expressed shock over multiple intelligence showing how the CBT centres have been making efforts to compromise the boards staff especially with the offer of accommodation.

He urged the centres not to hesitate to expose any staff, who asks for such favours as the board had sufficiently paid its staff for the exercise in line with government regulations, adding that any centre which persists in doing so, might have something to hide.

The JAMB boss also informed participants at the virtual meeting that the board had deployed state-of-the-art technologies to check all manners of infractions, collaborations and other unsavoury acts that are at variance with its code of operations.

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The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says troops have in the last one week killed 192 terrorists, apprehended 341 others and rescued 62 kidnapped hostages.

It also said a total of 122 ISWAP/JAS terrorists surrendered with their families.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Edward Buba, a major general, said this at a news briefing on operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria across the country on Thursday in Abuja.

Mr Buba said the troops also recovered 211 assorted weapons and 6,288 assorted ammunition within the week.

He said the recovered items comprised 128 AK47 rifles, 26 dane guns, 1,301 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 3,260 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 1,325 live cartridges, 140 rounds of 9mm ammunition among other items.

In the North-east, Mr Buba said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai killed 71 terrorists, arrested 143 suspects and rescued 58 kidnapped hostages during the week.

He added that the air component conducted air strikes on ISWAP/JAS terrorists hideouts and logistics hub, including their food processing unit in Kolleram village, along Lake Chad.

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According to him, Battle Damage Assessment revealed that over 30 terrorists, including senior commanders; Ali Dawud, Bakura Fallujah and Mallam Ari, were neutralised as well as their logistics destroyed as result of the strike.

In the North-central, Mr Buba said the troops of Operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke neutralised 29 insurgents, arrested 53 violent extremists and rescued eight kidnapped hostages.

In the North-west, he said the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji neutralised 62 terrorists, arrested 49 terrorists and rescued 36 kidnapped hostages.

He added that troops of Operation Whirl Punch arrested 14 criminals and recovered cache of arms and ammunition as well as military accoutrements.

According to him, other items recovered are 620 parcels of substances suspected to be marijuana, 10 Yoruba Nation flags, eight mobile phones, four handheld radios, among other items.

In the South-south, Mr Buba said the troops of Operation Delta Safe had maintained momentum against activities of crude oil theft and recovered 792,660 litres of stolen crude oil and 117,070 litres of illegally refined AGO.

He added that troops discovered and destroyed 31 illegal refining sites with 99 dugout pits, 11 boats, 29 storage tanks, 192 cooking ovens and nine vehicles.

According to him, troops apprehended 27 suspected oil thieves and other violent extremists, recovering five weapons and 162 assorted ammunition.

In the South-east, the defence spokesperson said the troops of Operation UDOKA killed nine terrorists, arrested 11 violent extremists, rescued 17 kidnapped hostages and recovered weapons.

(NAN)

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Ahead of the commencement of the student loan fund in Nigeria, civil society organisations under the Coalition Against Corruption and Bad Governance (CACOBAG) have emphasised the need for accountability in the implementation of the scheme.

The group in a meeting at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) with the management of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) on Wednesday deliberated on the sustainability of the scheme and measures to ensure transparency in the management of the funds.

In his reactions, the Managing Director of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, said the scheme has been designed in a way that it would be difficult to siphon funds meant for the students.

Mr Sawyerr said Stealing from children is a taboo, adding that there are measures in place to ensure that the allocated funds for the scheme are efficiently utilised.

The founder of the Nigeria Network of NGOs, Yemisi Ransome-Kuti, noted that lack of transparency leads to corruption as she charged the NELFUND management to ensure that the funds truly serve indigent students.

Ms Ransome-Kuti added that instead of criticising the government, CSOs are now focusing their energy on scrutinising the government initiatives through engagements and collaborations.

Catalyst for development

Also speaking, the Chairperson of CACOBAG, Toyin Raheem, said the student loan is a catalyst for development that will transform the lives of beneficiaries if properly utilised.

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Mr Raheem underscored the importance of stakeholder engagement and partnerships to ensure that indigent students are not sidelined and to establish a framework for monitoring and evaluating the system.

Meanwhile, the government recently launched a mobile application that allows citizens to track the activities and performance of ministries and government agencies using their deliverables and key performance indicators.

The mobile application, which is tagged: Citizens Delivery Tracker, was unveiled by the office of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination and Head of the Central Coordination Delivery Unit (CDCU), Hadiza Usman on 8 April.

It was also suggested at the meeting the need to collaborate with the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to sensitise and orientate the students on the scheme and how to maximise the opportunity instead of seeing the loan as a national cake.

Scholarships, vocational skills

In his comments, a former accountant at Chevron, Vincent Bakare, commended the initiative but pleaded that the repayment scheme shouldnt be problematic for the students.

He noted that education is a fundamental human right and instead of the loans, scholarships would have been perfect.

Why dont we have a scholarship? Nigeria sent me to London to study many years ago, but now with the problems we have such as corruption, and looting, scholarships have disappeared in the country, he said.

Reacting to the comments, the NELFUND MD noted that there are a lot of existing federal and state government scholarships based on academic performance.

But with the student loan, people who are only interested in vocational skills can also benefit from it. It is an opportunity for all to learn something and be successful, he said.

We are empowering applicants to decide the right school and courses. The loan is open for all and we are going to ensure it is well utilised.

Ms Ransome-Kuti suggested that NELFUND should list other sources of funding like the available scholarship opportunities for students on its website.

Other clarifications

Mr Sawyerr also responded to other questions bordering on the selection of beneficiaries, requirements and repayment of the loan.

According to him, no fewer than 1.2 million young Nigerians will be selected to benefit from the first tranche of the fund.

On requirements, Mr Sawyer listed that beneficiaries would be required to provide their Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) registration numbers, National Identification Number (NIN), and Bank Verification Number (BVN), among other details, before they can apply for the loan.

He added that existing students who seek to take the loan would need to provide their matriculation details.

Speaking further, Mr Sawyerr said, repayment is expected to start two years after the completion of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Scheme.

A beneficiary can defer repayment if he has not secured a job by then. All he needs to do is to swear an affidavit to that effect and communicate same to us,  he said.

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The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has asked Yahaya Bello, a former governor of Kogi State, to turn himself in to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He said in a statement on Thursday that the EFCC has statutory powers to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigation into any matter regardless of status.

Mr Bello, who faces N80 billion money laundering charges, refused to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday where he was expected to take his plea.

Earlier on Wednesday, EFCC operatives laid siege to Mr Bellos residence in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, for several hours in a bid to arrest him.

EFCC obtained the court warrant from the Federal High Court in Abuja for Mr Bellos arrest on 17 April.

That same day, the commission made futile efforts to execute the arrest warrant at his residence in Abuja.

The anti-graft agencys operatives who arrived at Mr Bellos residence in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja in their number, were obstructed by police personnel attached to the house.

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The situation lasted about seven hours. It ended only after it was suspected that Mr Bello had sneaked away in the official vehicle of the incumbent Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo, who had suddenly emerged on the scene mid-way into the stand-off and allowed to drive through the barricade mounted by the EFCC operatives into the gated house.

AGF reacts

But in a statement later on Thursday, the AGF, Mr Fagbemi, condemned the former governors conduct of refusing to submit himself for trial.

The minister described the standoff between the EFCC and police personnel as a matter of grave concern.

He said the EFCC has statutory powers to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigation into any matter regardless of status.

Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC but to honourably answer their invitation.

A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting.

I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism that can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world.

Wanted

The EFCC declared Mr Bello wanted after Thursdays proceedings.

The commission urged members of the public with credible information about Mr Bellos whereabouts to volunteer such to the agency.

At Thursdays proceedings, EFCCs prosecuting counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, said efforts by the EFCC to arrest and serve the pending charges on Mr Bello were thwarted by the current Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, who was said to have sneaked Mr Bello away in his official vehicle.

Mr Pinheiro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), leading Jibrin Okutepa, also a SAN, for the prosecution, said a bloodbath was averted on account of the anti-graft agencys professionalism in handling the stand-off between EFCC operatives who were trying to arrest Mr Bello and the police officers attached to the residence obstructing the former governors arrest.

Court hearing

Furious about Mr Bellos failure to attend court on Thursday for arraignment, EFCC prosecutor, Kemi Pinheiro, said the government would not mind inviting the military to bring him to court.

Mr Pinheiro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), leading Jibrin Okutepa, also a SAN, for the prosecution, said a bloodbath was averted on account of the anti-graft agencys professionalism in handling the stand-off between EFCC operatives who were trying to arrest Mr Bello and the police officers attached to the residence obstructing the former governors arrest.

The prosecuting lawyer clarified that while Mr Ododo enjoys immunity from prosecution, his predecessor, Mr Bello, has since lost his immunity and must be brought before the court.

Referencing section 12 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, Mr Pinheiro said, We will invite the military if need be to produce the defendant (Mr Bello) in court. Immunity does not attach to a home; it attaches to a person. We will produce the defendant in court.

But Mr Bellos lawyer, Abdulwahab Muhammed, said his client was not in breach of any court order.

Mr Muhammed, a SAN, cited an order of a High Court in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, restraining the EFCC from arresting and detaining his client.

Also, the defence lawyer argued that an appeal on the suit was pending at the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

EFCCs move to bring Mr Bello to trial follows years of investigating him and his family members.

The commissions longtime investigations of the former governor had resulted in the N10 billion money laundering charges it instituted against his nephew, Ali Bello, and a co-defendant in 2022.

The prosecution named former Governor Bello in one of the newly introduced counts as an accomplice, but not as a defendant.

In the new case, the EFCC accused Mr Bello, his nephew, Ali Bello; Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu (said to still be at large) of conspiring to convert the total sum of N80 billion (N80, 246,470, 088.88) in February 2016.

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Four out of every ten children in Nigeria are trapped in child labour, a Nigeria Child Labour survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed.

The report, Nigeria Child Labour Survey 2022, was launched in Abuja on Thursday.

Specifically, the survey established that 39.2 per cent of Nigerian children across all age groups were in forced labour.

The report noted that child labour was endemic in the country, with children aged five to 14 years accounting for 39.7 per cent of the incidences, while those aged 15 and 17 years accounted for 37.3 per of minors in forced labour.

Overall, the survey findings reveal that 39.2 per cent of children 5 to 17 years old in Nigeria are involved in child labour  four out of every ten children. Child labour is persistent in all age groups, with 39.7 per cent of children in the 5-14 age group and 37.3 per cent in the 15-17 age group, the report stated.

The report found that the prevalence of child labour was higher in rural areas, where 44.8 per cent of children were engaged in the activity compared to 30.0 per cent in urban areas.

The report also highlighted that 62.4 per cent of children aged five to 17 years in Nigeria lived in rural areas.

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The South-East and North-East regions, the report noted, were experiencing the highest incidence of child labour, with 49.9 per cent and 49.4 per cent, respectively.

While the report highlighted community and household factors contributing to child labour, it stressed that the practice was more common in poorer households, especially where the head is less educated.

The report further indicated that nearly 94 per cent of the children were engaged in own-use production of goods, while 24.2 per cent were in employment and 11.3 per cent in unpaid trainee work.

The data emphasised that child labour puts childrens health at risk, noting that of children aged five to 17 years in child labour, 53.3 per cent had been exposed to at least one workplace hazard while 16.3 per cent have experienced a direct injury.

The NBS stressed that understanding where child labour is most prevalent is crucial for the government at all levels when planning interventions to mitigate it.

In a brief remark at the launch, the Director of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone and Liaison Office for ECOWAS, Vanessa Phala, lauded the report.

She noted that stakeholders could not ignore the urgency to act decisively to safeguard the rights and restore the childhood of the children who were trapped in child labour.

She also expressed delight that after 22 years, Nigeria will eventually be able to present the state of child labour in the country accurately and comprehensively.

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The security and welfare of the people (of Nigeria) shall be the primary purpose of government. 

while our leaders cant be questioned for urging the people to love the fatherland, were also legitimately compelled to draw their attention to what comes first in the inexorable dynamics of statehood. We must remind them that they and the people are bonded to a contract undergirded by the Constitution they swore to honour. The document telegraphically states what must be prioritised: the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.

In 1976, the military regime of Olusegun Obasanjo sought to stir the patriotic instincts of our young citizens by decreeing the National Pledge into our lives. It must be recited in all Nigerian schools, the junta said. The Generals martial mind, given to governing by fiat and force, led him through only one route to patriotism: a mental enslavement of the boys and girls through feeding on the pledge would lead, willy-nilly, to their loyalty to the state and its agents and agencies. If they voiced it out many times over the years, their impressionable minds would give way to deeds of loyalty and love for the land, even if they were under an oppressive, objectionable and off-putting government.

I challenged that position in an article published in the Daily Times of 1 October, 1976. My argument was that the government wasnt entitled to demand honour from a citizen it didnt honour. In a society of representative order, a contract was at work whose intrinsic iron-cast rules must be obeyed by both parties, I said. I took a great deal of my submissions from the classical works of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau  three faces of petty-bourgeois philosophy and Karl Marx and Friedrich Engel  the duo who finally deepened the essence of statehood and society as a treaty in which rulers exist at the pleasure of the ruled and not the other way. The state derives its authority and legitimacy from fulfilling an inviolable oath: to seek, above all other pursuits, the security and welfare of its citizens.

The state doesnt first ask the people to be loyal to it. The country, through its loving, caring and welfarist drive, would set the pace; then would follow, automatically, a citizenry ready, not only to abide by the good laws of the land, but also to be prepared to lay down their lives in defence of their leaders and the country. Leaders and agents of government, selfless ones, must first love the people, for the latter to desire to appreciatively love the former. Its very much like the Scriptural insight: We love him (God), because he first loved us. Its a binding deal between two consenting associates. Each coadjutor must throw something into the relationship. The state must not be a preying, praetorian parasite; none of the parties must be a spectator and lord of the manor either.

But in the Nigerian union, weve had a false, flawed and frosted pledge since 1976: I pledge to Nigeria my country/To be faithful, loyal and honest/To serve Nigeria with all my strength/To defend her unity, and uphold her honour and glory/So help me God. Whats the pledge asking the country to do here? Where is the place of the state in this pledge? Whats its input? Whats the state offering to deserve these sacrifices from the people? Its not giving free education and free health to all at all levels. Theres no employment for most of our people. Nor is the state giving the citizens such other basic needs as all-round security, protection for the vulnerable, and guarantees to allay our anxieties about the future, immediate or long-term.

We overthrow the Constitution when we ask a people denied their constitutionally guaranteed rights to offer their love and loyalty to the state. We can see the result of these deprivations everywhere. Millions of Nigerias school-age children are roaming the streets, raising shadow families and feeding the palates of crime godfathers. We have tens of millions of our citizens sliding into extreme poverty, a point where presidential homilies and clerical sermons would amount to gibberish.

These were concerns that crossed my mind following President Bola Tinubus charge to Nigerians as they marked the close of 2024 Ramadan. He pleaded with his compatriots to show more love to their country than they do to others. Tinubu was reported to have emphasised the need for Nigerians to prioritise the exhibition of love for their country. The president said: The resilience and sacrifice that we have shown during these months should be preserved. Be a kind and cheerful giver. We must love our country more than any other country, because that is the only one we have. We must continue to protect the integrity of our government and leadership.

Our president didnt fail in the task of exploiting the occasion to call us to loyalty and nationalism. All those in political authority do so. They seek the abiding partnership and cooperation of the people, both those who voted for them or against them. Once in power after the ballot, the government, whether a coalition or a winner-takes-all one, becomes the father-figure of all. Partisan specks and identities recede and give way for utilitarianism to take charge. They dont go the path of Muhammadu Buhari, Tinubus predecessor, who raised parochialism to scary levels with a strange sharing formula of the spoils of office  97 per cent would go to those who electorally swept him into power, with five per cent left for those who didnt.

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But while our leaders cant be questioned for urging the people to love the fatherland, were also legitimately compelled to draw their attention to what comes first in the inexorable dynamics of statehood. We must remind them that they and the people are bonded to a contract undergirded by the Constitution they swore to honour. The document telegraphically states what must be prioritised: the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.

The atmosphere is further fouled and charged with tension when those calling for patriotism and sacrifice are not promoting ascetic lifestyles required of true leadership. Nigerians dont see servant-leaders. They see government and its principals and their cronies getting richer than the people they are expected to serve selflessly.

We overthrow the Constitution when we ask a people denied their constitutionally guaranteed rights to offer their love and loyalty to the state. We can see the result of these deprivations everywhere. Millions of Nigerias school-age children are roaming the streets, raising shadow families and feeding the palates of crime godfathers. We have tens of millions of our citizens sliding into extreme poverty, a point where presidential homilies and clerical sermons would amount to gibberish. The atmosphere is further fouled and charged with tension when those calling for patriotism and sacrifice are not promoting ascetic lifestyles required of true leadership. Nigerians dont see servant-leaders. They see government and its principals and their cronies getting richer than the people they are expected to serve selflessly. They hear of the removal of fuel subsidy and the promise of gargantuan savings dropping into government coffers meant to lead to the upgrade of the living standards of the citizens. Instead, theres more hardship, worsened by a regime of death-carrying palliatives.

This isnt ideal government and governance because as John Ruskin, the English art critic and writer of the 19th Century said, The first duty of government is to see that people have food, fuel and clothes. The second, that they have means of moral and intellectual education.



These are the needs to be provided to Nigerians ahead of asking us to give our love and loyalty. To be sure, love isnt unconditional in relationships. When the governed are cherished by their governor, leaders wouldnt labour over long speeches and motivational talk and radio-TV jingles to persuade us to sacrifice for the land in moments of national crisis.

Banji Ojewale is a writer in Ota, Ogun State, Southwest Nigeria.

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There is finally an update regarding the alleged source of a series of cocaine parcels that have been washing up along Australia's east coast for months.

Daniel Wayne Roberts, 36, is accused of being the ringleader behind an attempt to import 900kg of cocaine in Australia.

He was arrested on Thursday in Brisbane's northern suburbs and had his case mentioned before Brisbane Magistrates Court on seven charges relating to the alleged importation of commercial quantities of drugs.

Australian Federal Police allege Roberts played a significant role in importing almost two tonnes of cocaine in three ventures in the past year, which have an estimated total street value of $683 million.

The Aspley man has been charged over a botched cocaine importation off Queensland's Moreton Island in November 2023 that led to bricks of the drug washing up on NSW beaches.

So far about 256kg of the alleged 900kg has been seized by NSW Police Force.

- AAP
If after 77 years, Israel would still not accept the UNs two-state solution to the problem in Palestine, preferring instead to kill over 30,000 Palestinians in pursuit of the last Hamas; if recourse to the International Criminal Court (ICC) cannot restrain Israel from the widespread carnage in Gaza; if the US, Britain and France will veto the UNs condemnation of the attack on the Iranian Embassy in spite of the significant casualties  a crime they would not accept if it had been done to them; if the US keeps showing by its conduct that might is right, then the world is not too far from another world war.

This was the question a friend of mine in his late 20s asked me when we woke up on 14 April to the news that Iran had launched over 300 drones and missiles towards Israel.

Apart from video war games, the young man has not seen any war. Nigerias civil war ended nearly two-and-a-half decades before he was born. Of course, you dont have to experience war to feel it. Theres a sense, for example, in which the more recent wars in the West African subregion or the more distant ones in Northeastern Africa or Europe tend to reach us, wherever we are.

Our televisions and phones bring the horrors of war right into our living rooms. A generation for which these smart devices have become a playground is right to be concerned that the flare-up in the Middle East could lead to something more serious.

Apart from the war in Ukraine and the underreported conflicts in South Sudan and Central Africa, no other war in recent times has riveted the world like the one in Gaza. For all the talk about the potential escalation into a wider regional conflict, it didnt seem likely that the Israeli-Palestinian war would spread beyond shadow attacks by Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies, until Israeli air strike killed seven Iranians in the Iranian Embassy in Damascus and six Syrians.

An Unusual Response

That was when the threat of escalation became real. Not even during the Yom Kippur War in 1973, did Iran, a regional power, take a direct aim at Israel the way it did in its revenge attack on 14 April. If half the drones and missiles aimed at Israel had hit their target, Israel would be reeling from a devastation worse than anything that happened on 7 October. The world might have been a different place today.

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It may be convenient to dismiss concerns about a possible outbreak of a Third World War as far-fetched, and perhaps even childish. Yet, remembering a few of the things that led to two world wars might help us not to take too much for granted.

The immediate cause of WWI, for example, was the murder in Sarajevo of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Serbian nationalist, prompting the Austro-Hungarian empire, supported by Germany, to declare war on Serbia. Russia, Serbias ally, joined. It wasnt long before Germany declared war on Russia and invaded France, drawing Britain into the war.

Of course, the murder of the Archduke may have been the tipping point, but a web of other factors also contributed, from the competition for territories and economic rivalries to militarism, and from the unstable alliances to the crisis in the Balkans. The Sarajevo murder was only the last straw.

If by the death of one man  the Archduke  the world descended into chaos, was it irrational to fear that Israels killing of 13 people, including seven Iranians in Irans embassy in Damascus and the destruction of the embassy, was sufficient to spark a wider regional conflict? Has anything really changed or the world learnt anything new 110 years after WWI?

Rules-based System

God knows just how many more straws before we reach another breaking point. We like to think that we have a rules-based system; that the world is wiser today, restrained as much by competing interests as it is by the assurance of mutual destruction.

The two world wars claimed the lives of a population nearly the size of Ethiopias 120 million and left millions more ruined forever. And yet, since the last two years we have seen, starting from the Russia-Ukraine war, traces that the world is going mad again.

If by the death of one man  the Archduke  the world descended into chaos, was it irrational to fear that Israels killing of 13 people, including seven Iranians in Irans embassy in Damascus and the destruction of the embassy, was sufficient to spark a wider regional conflict? Has anything really changed or the world learnt anything new 110 years after WWI?

Fewer Warmongers?

Some studies suggest so. One interesting study, for example, points to demographics as a good predictor of civil conflicts. The study, famously called the youth bulge, suggests a strong correlation between countries prone to civil conflicts and those with fast-growing youth populations. So, the older the population, the theory goes, the less likely its appetite for a hot war.

It suggests that in spite of the sabre-rattling in the worlds former war-mongering capitals  Washington, Berlin, London, Paris, Tokyo and Moscow  the dominance of older, wealthier populations in these countries, combined with concerns about managing their ageing populations, have reduced their appetite for war.

A few like the US, Britain and France, may press the world to the edge of a frenzy with the sort of disgraceful complicity seen in the Middle East. But just before madness finally takes over, the theory argues that the leadership in countries with older, wiser populations would dial back and make the kind of last-minute call to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that saves the world for another day.

There have also been those, like foreign affairs columnist, Jonathan Power, who argue that in spite of the Russia-Ukraine war, the war in Gaza, and the under-reported deadly conflicts in South Sudan and Yemen, the world has never been at greater peace with itself than it is.

Global institutions expected to keep the fragile balance for peace have almost all broken down, and all five veto-wielding members of the UN have gone rogue: Russia in Ukraine; China in Taiwan; and the US, Britain and France in the Middle East, and indeed anywhere else they please in pursuit of their strategic interests.

Although Ukraine is not too far from becoming a meat grinder and the death toll in Gaza has topped 32,000 (minus hundreds unaccounted for) studies suggest that, thanks to the better angels of our nature, there has been a reduction in battle deaths per 100,000 in state-based conflicts since the Second World War.

Spells of Peace

War historians say that outside the Pax Romana, and the Golden Age of Islam, the post-World War II era is probably the most peaceful time in world history.

A number of other reasons have also been given why a Third World War is improbable. Its believed that the end of colonialism, the prioritisation of human rights, the general rise in global prosperity/literacy, and particularly the establishment of the United Nations, have accounted for the longest spell of peace in human history and might yet keep the world from descending into another catastrophic war.

Maybe  and thats a big maybe. The safeguards of our sanity are already fraying at the edges and we may just have entered a violent new era.

If after 77 years, Israel would still not accept the UNs two-state solution to the problem in Palestine, preferring instead to kill over 30,000 Palestinians in pursuit of the last Hamas; if recourse to the International Criminal Court (ICC) cannot restrain Israel from the widespread carnage in Gaza; if the US, Britain and France will veto the UNs condemnation of the attack on the Iranian Embassy in spite of the significant casualties  a crime they would not accept if it had been done to them; if the US keeps showing by its conduct that might is right, then the world is not too far from another world war.

Global institutions expected to keep the fragile balance for peace have almost all broken down, and all five veto-wielding members of the UN have gone rogue: Russia in Ukraine; China in Taiwan; and the US, Britain and France in the Middle East, and indeed anywhere else they please in pursuit of their strategic interests.

To continue to ignore the impotence of and disdain for the global institutions supposed to preserve peace and still believe that nothing would happen, is foolish and dangerous.

Azu Ishiekwene is Editor-in-Chief of LEADERSHIP.

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The problem with Russian roulette is that with every time you pull the trigger and escape death, you reduce your chances of survival. The next attempt might just be the one that ends your life. In the same way, some have visited these facilities and gotten away with it in that they did not die, and their condition was managed, but the next time or the next person from your family or community using them might just be the unlucky one.

According to Dictionary.com, To play Russian roulette is to gamble foolishly on a risky or potentially ruinous business. The expression refers to a deadly game in which a participant loads a revolver with one bullet, spins the cylinder, and fires at his own head. In Nigeria, if you visit private healthcare facilities, you may well be playing Russian roulette with your life and the lives of your loved ones. This statement may not at first ring true for those with the resources or the HMO cover that includes the top private health facilities in Nigeria. It is sadly true for more than 90 per cent of Nigerians who, according to a 2021 National Health Institutes of Nigeria study by HO Shobiye et. al., have no health insurance coverage. Is anyone able to tell the difference between a Chemist and a Pharmacy in Nigeria? Excluding the top facilities (which as we have established, most Nigerians cannot access), can anyone tell the difference between a Hospital and a Clinic in Nigeria? Are all private hospitals registered and certified able to manage all conditions or are there important differences that Nigerians should note?

How do we get better health services for Nigerians? It is tempting, first, to think of the processes within a proper hospital. Appointment booking, arrival, registration, taking of vital statistics (or triage even), allocation to a doctor, consulting a doctor, tests, interpretation of results, confirmation of intervention, prescriptions, follow up sessions and so on. To improve outcomes, one might think of sophisticated timeline optimisations so that patients have less wait time, or the training of personnel to show more empathy with patients, so that they have better care experience during their hospital visits, or certification of the facility to meet standards set by The Society for Quality in Healthcare in Nigeria (SQHN) announced in April or by COHSASA (Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa) that several of our top hospitals have attained, to ensure globally acceptable practices can be guaranteed and so on. But Nigerians end up in body bags more often simply because they seek care from unapproved private health facilities and by unqualified professionals. For this reason, the Lagos State Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) has shut down many private healthcare facilities in the state.

In Lagos State, HEFAMAA advises residents to desist from patronising uncertified health facilities. But how would residents tell if they are approaching a certified facility? They urge residents to look out for HEFAMAA logos, which should be displayed publicly by certified health facilities. All states could do something similar

Lagos is only one of 36 states in Nigeria, and tales of woe reverberate across the entire country. In 2017, Ogun State government, for its part, sealed up 168 of such facilities. The question is: How many private health facilities are operating across the country without approval and how many of those with accreditation have issues with inadequate staff or unqualified personnel interfacing with patients? How many such facilities are offering services they are not equipped or accredited for and how many private practitioners are offering services they are not trained to provide? Nigerias Minister of State for Health, Dr Tunji Alausa, was recently reported to have lamented the proliferation of quacks in the health sector, suggesting these untrained people were now complicit in organ harvesting syndicates. In what sounds like a major indictment of the health regulatory framework, the minister was quoted as saying, we will be pushing for a new regulation to regulate the healthcare sector as more than 60 per cent of the nations healthcare is in the hands of the private sector without adequate supervisionYou see hospitals, laboratories, and diagnostic centres being run without anybody checking on what they are doing and these are some of the places where illegal practices like organ harvesting are taking place.

In Lagos State, HEFAMAA advises residents to desist from patronising uncertified health facilities. But how would residents tell if they are approaching a certified facility? They urge residents to look out for HEFAMAA logos, which should be displayed publicly by certified health facilities. All states could do something similar, and the Federal Ministry of Health could coordinate this to ensure standardisation of the approach, but we all know this is not foolproof. Logos can be faked. How about QR codes and bar codes that can be scanned using the now ubiquitous mobile phone to confirm from the regulators site, details of the facility being utilised? We need public vigilance and public feedback on what is happening to the healthcare facilities used by many Nigerians to reduce the incidents of needless deaths. Having a feedback system that works only makes sense if we can hold the quacks to account. Some experts say these uncertified facilities are usually set up by at least one trained professional who then hires and trains the quacks to carry out the unlicensed activities. When we catch that trained professional, are we prepared to get him or her struck off the register of professionals for all time?

As we say, shine your eye and let us start an integrity movement on this issue, gather data and evidence and enlist the help of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) in this fight against quacks in Nigerias private healthcare sector. Our Mumu don do!

Logos, QR codes and so on still only treat the first level of root-causes. The deeper root-cause is that most Nigerians cannot afford healthcare and, in their desperation, run to whomever looks able to help, even when they know the facility is unlikely to be certified (like when they rush to the local Chemist for a medical diagnosis and prescriptions) and know the person attending to them is unlikely to have been properly trained. Secondly, there is a paucity of acceptable quality private healthcare facilities, even in high brow urban centres, talk less of peri-urban and rural locations. The Minister of State openly admitted that 60 per cent of healthcare provision is by the private sector, meaning the government has only a 40 per cent coverage. What created such a gap? In Cameroon, Togo, Benin, Ghana, Chad or Niger, is it the case that the private sector dominates health care as it does in Nigeria? And if so, how do they regulate these private facilities to ensure their citizens get acceptable care? Nigerians like to one-up South Africa when they can: What is the situation in urban, peri-urban, or rural South Africa or Kenya?

The problem with Russian roulette is that with every time you pull the trigger and escape death, you reduce your chances of survival. The next attempt might just be the one that ends your life. In the same way, some have visited these facilities and gotten away with it in that they did not die, and their condition was managed, but the next time or the next person from your family or community using them might just be the unlucky one. I am my neighbour and my neighbour is me means I will show concern and do something even if I am not directly affected right now. I am sure each of us knows someone who has been a victim and even elites are not exempt. They each know of someone who went for a tummy tuck (elective cosmetic surgery) in an unlicensed, but very expensive facility, and lost their life. It could be someone close to you next time. As we say, shine your eye and let us start an integrity movement on this issue, gather data and evidence and enlist the help of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) in this fight against quacks in Nigerias private healthcare sector. Our Mumu don do!

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Soji Apampa is co-founder, The Integrity Organisation; email: soji.apampa@integritynigeria.org

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A group, the North Central APC Forum, has asked the party to return its national chairmanship to the North-central zone.

The group made the demand on Thursday during a press briefing held in Abuja.

The Chairperson of the Forum, Sale Zazzaga, who spoke on behalf of the group, said the North-central has suffered neglect from the ruling party despite its performance at the last general election.

Mr Zaggaza said the North-west, the region of the embattled National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, occupies several positions at the detriment of the North-central.

He urged the party to consider the North-central zone in light of the political happenings in the party.

Following the resignation of Abdullahi Adamu as the national chairman of the APC sometime last year, calls had been made for the retention of the office of the national chairman in the North-central in compliance with the partys constitution. Unfortunately, these calls were not heeded and the position of national chairman was taken to the North-west. As it stands today, the North-west alone holds three key positions, Mr Zaggaza said.

Background

Mr Adamu resigned as the chairperson of the APC in July 2023 after openly opposing the choices of President Bola Tinubu for the leadership of the National Assembly.

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Consequently, Mr Tinubu backed Mr Ganduje, a former Kano State Governor, as the chairperson of the party despite opposition from many who argued that the North-central should be allowed to complete Mr Adamus tenure.

Aside from the national chairperson, the North-west equally produced the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, and the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin.

The former Zonal Vice Chairperson North-West of the APC, Salihu Lukman, championed the call for the North-central, and warned the president of the possible violation of the party. Mr Gandujes appointment was, however, ratified by the National Executive Committee of the party.

But Mr Ganduje is currently in the eyes of the storm as he is battling suspension from his ward over alleged corruption.

If he loses the battle, he may be removed from office.

Tinubu must intervene

The North Central APC Forum called on President Tinubu to intervene to rectify the exclusion of the North-central and urged the president to use the chairmanship as a symbolic gesture.

READ ALSO: Another court restrains APC excos from taking further action against Ganduje

We are calling on Mr President and leader of the party, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other critical leaders and stakeholders of the party to look into the disadvantaged posture the North-central has found itself in, Mr Zaggaza said.

He added that to correct some of these anomalies, the party may kindly wish to show as a mark of goodwill towards the North-central, take a step back and look again into the provisions of the partys constitution and return the position to the North-central.

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The Federal High Court in Kano State has issued an order restraining the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ganduje Ward of Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State from taking further action against the National Chairperson of the APC, Umar Ganduje, pending the determination of a suit filed before the court by the chairperson.

The judge, A.M. Liman, gave the order in a judgment delivered in suit no. FHC/KN/CS/122/2024, filed by Mr Ganduje regarding the enforcement of his fundamental rights to fair hearing.

Mr Liman ordered that the wards legal adviser, Halidu Maigwanjo, and 13 other respondents are restrained from enforcing the suspension issued by the executive of the ward against Mr Ganduje, pending the determination of the suit.

He also ordered the court to maintain the status quo from before the 15 April event.

All the respondents, their servants, agents, or privies are hereby restrained from implementing or giving effect to the purported decision reached during the purported emergency meeting of the alleged executive members of APC Ganduje Ward, held at Ganduje Ward of Dawakin Tofa Local Government on April 15, 2024, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application for the enforcement of fundamental rights of the applicant.

In addition, the court ordered, that all the parties are hereby mandated to maintain the status quo from before the purported emergency meeting of the alleged executive members of APC Ganduje Ward and to stay all action in respect of this matter pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application.

The judge subsequently fixed 20 April for the hearing of the case.

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Background

PREMIUM TIMES reported that some APC members in Ganduje Ward of Dawakin-Tofa LGA of Kano State suspended the partys National Chairperson, Mr Ganduje.

The partys legal adviser in the ward, Halidu Maigwanjo, alongside others, announced the suspension at a press conference in Kano on Monday.

Mr Maigwanjo stated that Mr Ganduje was suspended from the party to allow him to face an allegation of corruption levelled against him by the Kano State Government.

However, in a swift response, the State Working Committee of the APC sanctioned the Ganduje Ward executives hours after the suspension was announced.

The state chairperson of the party, Abdullahi Abbas, announced the suspension of the Ganduje Ward executives for six months for anti-party activities.

Conflicting Court Orders

The order by the Federal High Court in Kano is the latest in this saga.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported the ex-parte order issued by the Kano State High Court upholding the suspension of Mr Ganduje.

Following an ex-parte motion filed by Ibrahim Saad on behalf of two executive members of the party in the ward, the High Court in Kano granted an order restraining Mr Ganduje from parading himself as a party member.

Also, the court ordered Mr Ganduje to stop presiding over the affairs of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC.

However, some loyalists of Mr Ganduje wrote a petition against the judge, Usman NaAbba, who issued the ex-parte motion. They asked the National Judicial Council (NJC) to investigate the actions of the judge.

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Nuhu Ribadu, the Nigerias National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, on Thursday said President Bola Tinubus astute approach and proactive strides in addressing the countrys security challenges is yielding positive results.

Mr Ribadu made the observation on Thursday while delivering a paper at a pre-convocation lecture of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.

He said Mr Tinubus Renewed Hope Agenda offers a comprehensive framework to tackle insecurity.

In the paper titled: Navigating the Maze: Addressing Multi-Dimensional Insecurity Challenges in Northern Nigeria, the NSA discribed the development as a stance for all inclusive government.

The agenda encompasses bolstering security forces, implementing community-based security initiatives, promoting socio-economic development and fostering inter-communal dialogue, he explained.

Mr Ribadu highlighted the agendas focus on addressing underlying issues such as poverty, unemployment, social marginalisation and ethnic tensions to foster peace and stability in Northern Nigeria.

He noted that Mr Tinubus deliberate appointment of Northerners to key security positions was aimed at involving individuals with proximity to the challenges in crafting effective solutions.

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We are not out of the woods yet, but we have made serious progress in pushing down casualty figures and depriving the miscreants access to weapons and free movement.

However, a more integrated approach that combines military, political and socio-economic strategies are entailed aligning security operations with effort.

This is to address underlying grievances, such as poverty, unemployment and marginalisation as well as enhance cross-border cooperation to address transnational threats, he said.

Mr Ribadu underscored the governments commitment to youth empowerment and education to prevent radicalisation and combat the appeal of extremist ideologies.

Highlighting the stark disparity in poverty rates between Northern and Southern Nigeria, the NSA stressed the need for targeted interventions in the North, where poverty and unemployment rates are disproportionately high.

He also raised concerns about the proliferation of illegal arms in Northern Nigeria, pointing out the need for concerted efforts to dismantle criminal networks facilitating arms trafficking.

Mr Ribadu assured Nigerians that the Tinubu-led administrations holistic framework addresses both insecurity and poverty, signaling a proactive approach to comprehensive security management.

(NAN)

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Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has constituted a seven-member committee of royal fathers in the state to proffer solutions to the feud triggered by the amendment of the state traditional rulers law.

Governor Eno inaugurated the committee during a meeting with paramount traditional rulers of the 31 local government areas in the state at the Government House in Uyo, the state capital, on Tuesday.

The chief press secretary to the governor, Ekerete Udoh, said Mr Eno urged the royal fathers to find a lasting solution to the matter.

What is the matter?

Akwa Ibom State has three major ethnic groups  Ibibio, Annang and Oro, with the office of the chairperson of the state Traditional Rulers Council to be rotated among the paramount rulers from the 31 LGAs.

The occupants of the Office of Oku Ibom Ibibio, Akwa Akuku Annang and Ahta Oro are the highest kings in Ibibio, Annang and Oro respectively.

Mr Eno, an Ibibio, had last year sent a bill to the state assembly seeking to amend the Traditional Rulers Law to upgrade the status of the traditional stools in the state to be at par with others at the national level like the Sultan of Sokoto; Obong of Calabar; Oba of Benin; and Ooni of Ife.

The bill renamed the Traditional Rulers Council in the state as The Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers with Oku Ibom Ibibio as the life Presidential General while Akwa Akuku Annang and Ahta Oron serve as Vice President I and II respectively.

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The bill further created the office of the chairman of the Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers, whose tenure is made to rotate among paramount rulers in the state.

Governor Eno assented to the bill on 22 September 2023, the eve of the 36th anniversary of states creation.

Inauguration of President General

The governor had on 23 September 2023, during the marking of the 36th anniversary of the state creation, presented staff of office to the Oku Ibom Ibibio, Solomon Etuk, as the Presidential General of the Council while the paramount ruler of Udung Uko, Bassey Edet, was inaugurated as chairperson of the council.

The ceremony was streamed live on Facebook.

It was, however, boycotted by some

paramount rulers from Annang and Oro extraction, who claimed that the new law which made Oku Ibom Ibibio as the life president general of the council has placed the people of Annang and Oro as second class and third class citizens.

Mr Eno had, in his remark before inaugurating the two traditional rulers, denied influencing the new law, arguing that the decision was taken by the royal fathers themselves. Mr Eno said the only part he played was sending the agreement made by the royal fathers to the state assembly for legislative backing.

Before I came into office, the paramount rulers of Akwa Ibom had met in a meeting. I was just a witness in that meeting and they had an agreement among themselves.

They had agreed that to enable Akwa Ibom to play a role in the national traditional rulers council there was a need to elevate the Traditional Rulers Council to be now called The Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers headed by a president general that they had for years. I didnt appoint that president general, (who) incidentally is Oku Ibom Ibibio.

Along with him, they chose a vice president general 1

I, Akuku Annang. They chose vice president general II, the Ahta Oro and then they agreed among themselves that it would represent the supreme council of traditional rulers as playing at the national level.

And they agreed in that meeting to rotate the chairmanship of the traditional rulers council of the state as it has always been. That decision was taken without my interference, he said, and challenged any traditional ruler to counter that that was not what they agreed at the meeting.

To make that possible we needed to back it up by law and then when I came into office a bill was sent to the state assembly to bring into law what they already agreed.

The governor had reiterated that he did not originate the bill nor being part, adding that the confusion was created by people who lost the election.

Dissatisfied with the new law, some royal fathers from Annang, Oro and Obolo instituted a suit against the state government, seeking a reversal of the law.

Governor Eno last October accepted the apologies of the royal fathers but urged them to withdraw the suit they instituted against the state government in court so that the matter could be resolved.

Speaking on Tuesday during the meeting at Government House, Governor Eno thanked the royal fathers for opting for an out-of-court settlement.

We wont want to meddle in this issue involving our revered traditional fathers. That is why we are setting up a seven-man committee drawn from this revered body to make recommendations concerning the mode or structure of the rotation and submit the conclusions to us, in two weeks.

We will thereafter, send the recommendations to the State House of Assembly for further considerations, Mr Eno said.

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The International Press Centre (IPC), has condemned the persistent harassment of its executive director, Lanre Arogundade, by the State Security Service (SSS).

In a statement by IPCs press freedom officer, Melody Akinjiyan, on Tuesday, the centre expressed its displeasure over the incessant abuse of power and violation of Mr Arogundades human rights.

Ms Akinjiyan noted that on 11 April, officials of the SSS accosted Mr Arogundade at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Nigeria.

The incident of Thursday April 11, while Mr. Arogundade prepared to board a late-night Air France Flight to Berlin, Germany to participate in the respective general meetings and conferences of the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) and the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) would be the umpteenth of such unwelcome development.

Arogundade is a renowned journalist, advocate for social justice and democracy, former Chairman of the Lagos State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists and former President of the National Association of Nigerian Students. We believe these roles and positions should not warrant his unending torment by the DSS, the statement read.

Recounting the encounter with the security operatives, Mr Arogundade, in a Facebook post on Monday, said, I was harassed by DSS officials for about 40 minutes because they claimed my name was still flashing on their watchlist despite the declaration two years ago by the Director General of the State Security Service, Mr. Yusuf Magaji Bichi, that my name had been removed when he met a delegation of the Nigerian chapter of the International Press Institute (IPI) led by Musikilu Mojeed.

Mr Arogundade additionally informed IPC management that the senior SSS official to whom he was referred threatened to bar him from traveling unless he produced his old passports, describing the request as bizarre and ridiculous.

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IPC maintained that the persistent harassment by the secret police violates Mr Arogundades right to freedom of movement while undermining basic democratic principles.

It called on the Director General of the SSS, and in particular officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport to desist from further harassing Mr Arogundade.

In 2022, the journalist was held for two hours after returning from The Gambia where he had gone to conduct a training programme on Conflict Sensitive Journalism. at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

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( Read 3812 Times)

Udaipur : In order to ensure the Lok Sabha General Elections 2024 are conducted impartially and transparently, Ravi Ranjan Kumar, appointed as Expenditure Observer by the Election Commission of India, visited the Information Center on Wednesday. There, he inspected the Media Certification and Monitoring Cell (MCMC) and the Paid News Cell.

The Expenditure Observer gathered information about the effective monitoring of election propaganda on print and electronic media by personnel in the cell. He also discussed the reports received daily from the Expenditure Cell.

During his visit, he also reviewed the Media Cell's integrated register. The Assistant Public Relations Officer, Vinay Sompura, provided him with information about the functioning of various branches of the cell, including electronic media monitoring, radio and FM channel monitoring, social media monitoring, and print media cell.

Ravi Ranjan instructed special monitoring of the Paid News and immediate reporting to the concerned authorities. On this occasion, all the staff of the cell, including APRO Jayesh Pandya, were present.

Inspection of Other Cells:

Krishnapal Singh Chauhan, the Expenditure Monitoring Cell in-charge, informed that Ravi Ranjan Kumar also reviewed complaints received through the C-Vigil portal and the District Control Room. He gave directions for prompt resolution of complaints and coordination with various flying squads and enforcement agencies to ensure effective action in accordance with the rules.

He also inspected the Assistant Expenditure Observer and Election Expenditure Monitoring Cell, directing them to obtain necessary information on time, maintain accounts and records properly, and keep seizure-related information up to date. During this, instructions were given to all functioning personnel in the cells to work with vigilance and coordination and to avoid any lapses.

Keywords: Expenditure Observer, Election Commission, Media Certification and Monitoring Cell, Paid News Cell, Election Propaganda, Monitoring, Complaints, Coordination.

Source :
Minister Madeleine King celebrated the achievements of the fossil fuel sector on the same day as a major Great Barrier Reef coral bleaching announcement.

Madeleine King posted a picture to X of herself and Anthony Albanese celebrating the achievements of the gas industry on the day it was announced the Great Barrier Reef was experiencing record bleaching. Source: X/AAP/WWF-Australia

UPDATED: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his resources minister have found themselves in hot water after publicly celebrating the achievements of the fossil fuel industry on the same day the Great Barrier Reef was declared to be experiencing record coral bleaching.

At the centre of the controversy is a tweet posted on Wednesday which highlighted energy company Australia Pacific LNG's (APLNG) mammoth gas exports in Queensland. The Greens later revealed the company had been fined over $18,000 for breaching Australia's national environment laws.

What did Minister King's tweet say?

As experts warned climate change was behind the bleaching, and it risked destroying the reef and the 64,000 jobs it supports, Minister Madeleine King uploaded a picture of herself next to the PM at Gladstone on X. She congratulated coal seam gas exporter APLNG which is a joint venture between Chinese oil and gas enterprise Sinopec, Origin and ConocoPhillips. Its great to be in Gladstone with Prime Minister to celebrate [APLNGs] 1000th cargo, she wrote.

Scientists and conservationists responded in anger to her tweet, with Deakin University ecologist Dr Euan Ritchie branding it "unbelievable". This could easily be seen as trolling. Temperature records are broken with monotony, The Great Barrier is suffering a horrendous bleaching event. So our political leaders post *this*, he wrote.

Related: Anger as 'great browning' spreads along 1,000km of Australian coast

Coral expert Professor Terry Hughes reposted Kings tweet, accompanied with a simple statement, Celebrating exports of methane across the remaining Great Barrier Reef. While Dr Yung En Chee from Melbourne University noted it also coincided with a Senate hearing into Australia's extinction crisis. Australia was the first country to have an animal driven to extinction by climate change.

Since taking the resources portfolio, King has been a staunch supporter of the gas industry, controversially backing Santoss plan to drill across Narrabri, despite opposition from the Gomeroi people who have lived across the region for tens of thousands of years.

LNG exporter says fossil fuel plays an 'important role'

On Thursday, APLNG issued a statement to Yahoo News defending its gas exploration.

Gas has an important role to play in the energy transition as both a partner fuel for growing renewables, and in many countries as a substitute for higher emitting fuels," the company said.

King and Albanese have also been contacted for comment.

Its great to be in Gladstone with Prime Minister @AlboMP to celebrate @APLNGs 1000th cargo.



Congratulations to Australia Pacific LNGs partners - @conocophillips @originenergy and Sinopec - & the thousands of employees who made it happen. pic.twitter.com/HAMgZ8xfpE  Madeleine King MP (@MadeleineMHKing) April 17, 2024

Perfect illustration of the @AlboMP govt's climate & environment priorities @Bowenchris @tanya_plibersek



(as the #GreatBarrierReef experiences the worst mass bleaching on record. & on a day where we had a full day of Senate hearings on Australia's extinction crisis) https://t.co/0fT1MFDQHq  yungenchee.bsky.social (@YungEnChee1) April 17, 2024

Tweet posted minutes after details of LNG exporter's $18,000 fine revealed

On Friday, the Greens criticised King for tweeting her picture just minutes after it was revealed during a Senate inquiry that APLNG had been fined $18,780 for beaching the Commonwealth's own environment protection laws.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said companies that break the law should be "punished" rather than "congratulated" by the PM for their achievements in exporting fossil fuels.

Whats the point of fining these big companies that break environmental laws if they can still get the endorsement of the Governments PR machine?," she said. "PR stunts and selfies with polluters and environmental law breakers shows that Labor can't be trusted to protect nature or the climate."

Accusing Labor of "talking out both sides of its mouth" when it comes to the environment, she called on the government to introduce tougher laws that would instead "protect nature and stop fossil fuel expansion".

Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young (left) has called on the government to implement stronger environmental protections. Source: AAP

Climate Council calls for acceleration of renewable energy

Dr Simon Bradshaw, Research Director at the Climate Council called coral bleaching a "disaster on our doorstep".

"Marine heatwaves, fuelled by climate pollution, have dealt blow after blow to the Great Barrier Reef. Were likely now witnessing the most widespread and severe mass bleaching event ever recorded," he said.

"This is a disaster at our doorstep: a direct result of collective failure to cut climate pollution fast enough. Australia can accelerate the build out of renewable energy and clean industry, and move swiftly beyond fossil fuels so that we protect the places we all love and depend on before its too late."

PM announces $485 million investment to support critical minerals

While the controversial tweet was seized upon to attack the government's record on reducing emissions, the primary purpose of the PM's visit to Queensland was to announce new investments in critical minerals to support the green energy transition.

During the Gladstone visit, Albanese announced $400 million in new loans to NSW-based Alpha HPA to help it build a high-purity alumina processing facility in Queensland. The decision is expected to create 490 jobs and help with the renewable energy transition as the metal is critical to LED lighting, semi-conductors, and lithium-ion batteries.

Australias critical minerals and rare earths are key to building renewable technologies such solar panels, batteries and wind farms, as well as defence and medical technologies, King said on Wednesday.

The investments announced today help create a new industry in Australia, supporting local jobs and economic development, and building the bedrock of a future made in Australia. The road to net zero runs through Australias resources sector.

The government also announced it had conditionally approved $185 million in loans to Renascor Resources to help it fast-track a new Siviour Graphite Project in South Australia. Its production would support the creation of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles and create over 200 jobs.

The PM linked the investment to his Australian made agenda, which will support investment in local manufacturing and the clean energy transition. We're building a future made here in Australia, powered by Queenslanders, starting right here in Gladstone, he said.

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MADRID, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Stage Front Stadium in Barcelona underwent a revolutionary transformation thanks to the collaboration between RCD Espanyol, the investment group Publimaes, and LED DREAM Group. The installation of an impressive LED screen of nearly 200 square meters on the south facade of the stadium promises to change the advertising landscape of the city.

Video Presentation of giant LED screen at Stage Front Stadium in Barcelona Stage Front Stadium in Barcelona (PRNewsfoto/Hello Think / Led Dream) Stage Front Stadium in Barcelona (PRNewsfoto/Hello Think / Led Dream)

Thanks to state-of-the-art technology and impeccable engineering, LED DREAM Group has managed to create a screen that not only offers an exceptional visual experience but also provides new business opportunities. The strategic location of the screen at one of the main entrances to the city of Barcelona makes it a highly attractive platform for major advertisers, thanks to the thousands of daily impressions.

This transparent screen, over 8 meters high and 22 meters wide, stands out for its 16mm/32mm pixel pitch technology, ensuring optimal content visibility both day and night. Its modular and lightweight structure, designed by LED DREAM Group, seamlessly integrates into the stadium facade, offering a unique opportunity for dynamic advertising in the heart of Barcelona.

The management of this innovative LED screen is handled by the company DOOH Enterprise and the agency MAIN. In addition, LED DREAM Group, through its creative content company, Channel4you, was responsible for the adaptation and management of the content for this LED screen, ensuring an exceptional visual experience.

From the conception of the project to its implementation, LED DREAM Group has demonstrated its commitment to excellence and innovation. This collaboration between RCD Espanyol, Publimaes, and LED DREAM Group marks the beginning of a new era of advertising in the city, where technology and creativity come together to offer unique experiences for both fans and advertisers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHsl_VkrmoM

About LEDDREAM Group: We are an audiovisual engineering company specializing in providing technological solutions based on LED screens, digital content creation, and dynamic digital lighting. We design, inspire, and collaborate in the creation of new digital and functional spaces tailored to any type of architecture or utilized space. As a technological partner, we provide the most innovative solutions on the market, aiming to bring spaces to life by generating memorable interactive and digital experiences that attract visitors to the shopping center. We have a virtual showroom where you can explore all our technological solutions. Reserve your space at [email protected].

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHsl_VkrmoM

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2391157/Hello_Think_Led_Dream_Stadium_Barcelona.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2391158/Hello_Think_Led_Dream_Front_Stadium_Barcelona.jpg

SOURCE Hello Think / Led Dream
NEW YORK, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global air conditioning market size is estimated to grow by USD 19.65 bn from 2023 to 2027, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 2.87% during the forecast period. APAC held the largest share of the global market in 2022, and the market in the region is estimated to witness an incremental growth of 44%.

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Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Air Conditioning Market 2023-2027

APAC is expected to play a pivotal role in propelling the global air conditioning market

Geographic Landscape:

The Air Conditioning Market is experiencing significant growth in developing nations like India, China, and Vietnam, driven by increasing disposable incomes and urbanization. Air conditioning systems, including window AC, split AC, multi-split AC, and central AC, are in high demand due to the rising preference for comfort. Technological advancements, such as Inverter and non-inverter technology, NanoeX technology, and smart technology, are transforming the market. Changing climate patterns and the need for energy-efficient solutions have led to the production of ecologically conscious goods. The market caters to various segments, including residential and commercial, with multi-brand stores, exclusive stores, and online retail outlets offering a wide range of options. Energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and user comfort are key considerations. Air filtration systems, humidity levels, and allergens/pollutants are essential features for both residential and commercial segments. The market includes Room AC (Windows, Split), Ducted AC, Ductless AC, Centralized AC (VRF, Chillers), and Direct Sales/Distribution Sales. Smartphones and user-friendly interfaces are enhancing the customer experience.

Research Analysis

The Air Conditioning Market encompasses various types of AC systems, including Smart air conditioners, Packaged air conditioners, and Room air conditioners. These AC solutions are increasingly being adopted in Residential buildings and Office buildings, as well as Retail spaces, Healthcare facilities, and Commercial spaces. With the rise of urbanization and global temperatures, the demand for ecologically conscious goods, such as those with NanoeX technology and Smart technology, is on the rise. Developing nations are also investing in air conditioning solutions to improve Indoor air quality and mitigate the effects of allergens and pollutants. The use of Recycled materials and focus on Energy efficiency are key trends in the market. User comfort is prioritized through advanced features like Air filtration systems and Humidity levels control. Both the Residential segment and Commercial segment are witnessing significant growth, with Room AC Windows and Split AC being popular choices.

Market Drivers

The global residential and commercial air conditioning market is experiencing robust growth, driven by urbanization in developing nations and the increasing demand for ecologically conscious goods. The market witnessed a downturn following the housing market collapse in 2018 but has since rebounded, with direct investments in real estate reaching USD9.6 trillion in 2019. In the residential segment, consumers prioritize energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and user comfort, leading to the popularity of smart technology, air filtration systems, and humidity control. NanoeX technology and recycled materials are also gaining traction for their eco-friendly properties. The commercial segment focuses on large-scale systems such as VRF, chillers, and centralized AC, prioritizing energy efficiency and user comfort. Product launches, innovations, mergers and acquisitions, and collaborations continue to shape the market. Online retail, direct sales, and distribution sales channels have emerged, offering consumers convenience and flexibility. Key players include manufacturers of Room AC, Split AC, Ducted AC, Ductless AC, and manual and automatic technology systems. Allergens and pollutants are significant concerns, driving the demand for advanced air filtration systems. Smartphones and user-friendly interfaces have become essential for controlling and monitoring air conditioning systems, enhancing user experience. The market is expected to continue its upward trajectory, driven by ongoing urbanization and the need for sustainable, energy-efficient solutions.

Market Overview

The Air Conditioning market encompasses a range of technologies and applications designed to provide comfort and regulate indoor environments. These systems, including split type, window type, and central air conditioning units, utilize refrigerants and compressors to cool and dehumidify air. The market is driven by increasing urbanization, rising disposable income, and growing awareness of indoor air quality. Additionally, advancements in energy efficiency and smart technology are shaping the future of the Air Conditioning market. Companies such as Carrier, Daikin, and LG Electronics dominate the landscape, offering innovative solutions to meet evolving consumer needs. The global Air Conditioning market is projected to grow at a significant rate, driven by factors such as population growth, urbanization, and government initiatives promoting energy efficiency.

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Related Reports:

Key Topics Covered:

1 Executive Summary

2 Market Landscape

3 Market Sizing

4 Historic Market Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Market Segmentation

7 Customer Landscape

8 Geographic Landscape

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10 Vendor Landscape

11 Vendor Analysis

12 Appendix

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
HERNDON, Va., April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Akima LLC, a premier provider of products and services to federal agencies, announced today that its subsidiary, Jade Creek Construction, has been awarded a $499 million design-build construction contract by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Baltimore District. The contract has a five-year period of performance.

Jade Creek Construction will support various infrastructure USACE modernization projects, including building modern facilities and enhancing U.S. waterways, to meet the Baltimore District's diverse needs.

"The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers undertakes numerous projects that offer coastal protection, flood protection, hydropower, navigable waters and ports, recreational opportunities, and water supply. These projects are vital for the country's economic growth, national security, and citizens' well-being," said Chris Jenkins, President of Akima's Construction & Security Solutions Group. "We're proud to be a strategic partner of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District and remain committed to advancing their mission."

This contract will include design-build and design-bid-build renovations and new construction projects within the USACE Baltimore District's areas of responsibility, as well as minor repairs, modifications, and alterations of existing buildings. It also includes vertical construction, mechanical, electrical, and fire protection work inside and outside buildings, HVAC and architectural finishes, concrete, plumbing, carpentry, roofing, demolition, geotechnical investigations, infrastructure projects, interior fit-up, communications, security, and force protection (AT/FP) projects.

In its work, the USACE Baltimore District regularly delivers projects aimed at safeguarding the nation, boosting the U.S. economy, and minimizing disaster risk, such as monitoring river water levels and regulating Corps-managed dams and reservoirs to reduce hazards. The USACE Baltimore District has also achieved recent environmental strides, rehoming 50,000 bees found at a demolition project site.

About Jade Creek Construction

As an SBA-certified 8(a) Alaska Native Corporation (ANC) and a wholly owned subsidiary of Akima, Jade Creek Construction proudly serves the most vital construction needs of the federal government. From building and securing modern facilities to enhancing our nation's navigable waterways, our seasoned construction professionals provide expertise in program management, safety, quality, cost containment, and scheduling. The result: high-quality solutions delivered within expedited project timelines. To learn more, visit www.jadecreekllc.com.

About Akima

Akima is a global enterprise delivering comprehensive solutions to the federal government in the core areas of information technology; facilities & ground logistics; aerospace solutions; protective services; systems engineering; mission support; furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E); and construction. As a subsidiary of NANA, an Alaska Native Corporation owned by more than 15,000 Inupiat shareholders, Akima's core mission is to enable superior outcomes for our customers' missions while simultaneously creating a long-lived asset for NANA consistent with our Inupiat values. In 2023, Akima ranked #34 on Washington Technology's Top 100 list and in the top 70 of Bloomberg Government's BGOV200 list of top federal contractors for the last three years. To learn more about Akima, visit www.akima.com.

SOURCE Akima
DRESHER, Pa., April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascensus announced today that Mary Torgerson, a 20-year leader in financial services, will join the company as its new head of Small Business Retirement on April 29.

Torgerson will report to Ascensus President Nick Good and join the Ascensus Retirement line of business leadership team. The Small Business Retirement segment serves sponsors and employers seeking savings solutions for businesses with smaller employee populations and supports Ascensus' existing CoPilot business, Individual 401(k), Multi-SEP, SIMPLE IRA, and similar plans.

"Mary Torgerson is a proven leader with a strong track record driving revenue growth, product, and business development," said Good. "She has an enviable track record of success and deep understanding of small business clients' needs. Mary is a tremendous addition to the business and to our leadership team."

Good added, "Mary arrives at a very opportune time, given news of our exciting acquisition of the Vanguard business serving Individual 401(k), Multi-SEP, and SIMPLE IRA plans. Like our own CoPilot bundled retirement solutions, these plans are at the heart of the small business retirement segment, and the acquisition dramatically enhances both our market share and momentum in this vital space."

Torgerson brings more than two decades of experience in financial services to her new role, including 16 years with Ubiquity Retirement + Savings, the San Francisco-based provider of 401(k) solutions for small businesses. She held leadership roles spanning Ubiquity's product, business development, and operations teams, most recently as Chief Revenue Officer. Beginning her professional career in business development, Torgerson led national software business development for Execupay, which provides payroll and HR solutions for small to medium-sized businesses.

She earned her bachelor's degree in marketing and business administration from Lakeland College in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

About Ascensus

Ascensus is a market-leading enabler of tax-advantaged savingsproviding technology, services, and expertise that help millions of people save for a better future.

The company is a premier savings program service provider, third-party administrator, and government savings facilitator. Its platforms, industry knowledge, and data-based insights enhance the growth and success of its partners, their clients, and savers through co-branded, private-labeled, and governmental partnerships.

Ascensus offers comprehensive qualified and nonqualified retirement plan solutions, third-party retirement plan administration, 529 education and ABLE savings program administration, corporate- and bank-owned life insurance solutions, and fiduciary and total rewards services.

The company's brands include Ascensus; Newport, an Ascensus company; and FuturePlan by Ascensus. Ascensus has more than $760 billion in assets under administration and employs more than 5,400 associates as of December 31, 2023.

For more information, visit ascensus.com and newportgroup.com.

SOURCE Ascensus
DALLAS, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. (NYSE: AHT) ("Ashford Trust" or the "Company") today announced that Rob Hays, the current President and Chief Executive Officer of Ashford Trust, will be stepping down effective June 30, 2024 after nearly 20 years of dedicated service to the Company. The Company's current Senior Vice President of Corporate Finance & Strategy, Stephen Zsigray, will succeed him at that time to become Ashford Trust's President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Hays will spend the next few months working alongside Stephen on a smooth transition before pursuing plans to work with his father on a unique business opportunity in an industry outside of real estate.

"I've had the pleasure of supporting the Company and our hospitality business for almost two decades and consider myself blessed to have guided this wonderful organization over the past four years. Were it not for this opportunity I have, I would undoubtedly be at Ashford for the rest of my career," said Rob Hays, Ashford Trust's current President and Chief Executive Officer. "I've had the privilege of working with Stephen for many years. He is an exceptional leader and a terrific successor, possessing great vision and a deep understanding of our business and the industry. Ashford Trust is well positioned for long-term success."

"We are incredibly grateful to Rob for his immense dedication and commitment to our organization," commented Monty J. Bennett, Ashford Trust's Chairman of the Board. "Although we're disappointed with his departure, we fully appreciate and respect his desire to pursue his personal plans and business endeavors." Mr. Bennett continued, "The Board is thrilled to have Stephen take on expanded responsibilities at Ashford Trust. He's played a major role in the Company's success over the last decade and is a perfect fit to be Rob's successor. I am confident that the transition to new leadership will be seamless."

Stephen Zsigray Executive Bio

Stephen Zsigray currently serves as Ashford Trust's Senior Vice President of Corporate Finance & Strategy, a position he has held since May 2020. Mr. Zsigray also heads Ashford Inc.'s cash management platform and oversees corporate hedging strategy. Since 2020, Mr. Zsigray has helped the platforms raise more than $1.2 billion in common and preferred equity, secure over $1.0 billion in new corporate and property-level debt financing and negotiated maturity extensions on over $3.0 billion in mortgage debt. Additionally, Mr. Zsigray serves as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Stirling Hotels & Resorts, a position he has held since November 2023.

Mr. Zsigray joined Ashford in 2014 as a trader and portfolio manager in Ashford's investment management division, and subsequently served as President and Chief Operating Officer of OpenKey, an Ashford-affiliated hospitality technology company that provides digital guest key and access control solutions to hotels worldwide. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Zsigray was with UBS Investment Bank in New York, where he traded and helped clients structure derivatives across equity, fixed income, and commodity markets. He began his career with Deloitte Consulting in St. Louis, where he advised Fortune 500 clients on issues related to mergers and acquisitions, business transformation, and process improvement.

Mr. Zsigray earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Saint Louis University, and graduated from Indiana University's Kelley School of Business with an MBA in Finance.

He currently serves on the Advisory Council for the North Texas Food Bank and has advised a number of non-profit organizations in the Dallas metroplex. Mr. Zsigray previously served as an Executive Board Member of the Dallas Security Traders Association.

* * * * *

Ashford Hospitality Trust is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on investing predominantly in upper upscale, full-service hotels.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements and assumptions in this press release contain or are based upon "forward-looking" information and are being made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, among others, statements about the Company's strategy and future plans. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. When we use the words "will likely result," "may," "anticipate," "estimate," "should," "expect," "believe," "intend," "could," "plan," or similar expressions, we intend to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to numerous assumptions and uncertainties, many of which are outside of Ashford Trust's control.

These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including, without limitation: our ability to raise sufficient capital to pay off our strategic debt; our ability to repay, refinance, or restructure our debt and the debt of certain of our subsidiaries; anticipated or expected purchases or sales of assets; our projected operating results; completion of any pending transactions; our understanding of our competition; market trends; projected capital expenditures; the impact of technology on our operations and business; general volatility of the capital markets and the market price of our common stock and preferred stock; availability, terms and deployment of capital; availability of qualified personnel; changes in our industry and the markets in which we operate, interest rates or the general economy; and the degree and nature of our competition. These and other risk factors are more fully discussed in Ashford Trust's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions, and expectations of our future performance taking into account all information currently known to us. These beliefs, assumptions, and expectations can change as a result of many potential events or factors, not all of which are known to us. If a change occurs, our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, plans, and other objectives may vary materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. You should carefully consider these risks when you make an investment decision concerning our securities. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company can give no assurance that these forward-looking statements will be attained or that any deviation will not occur. We are not obligated to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances, changes in expectations, or otherwise, except to the extent required by law.

SOURCE Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc.
U.S. Department of Energy awards $10 Million Grant to Develop Innovative Solutions to Mitigate Cyber Threats across the U.S.

AUBURN, Ala., April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Auburn University's McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security was awarded a $10 million Department of Energy grant in partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to create a pilot regional cybersecurity research and operations center to protect the electric power grid against cyberattacks.

The total value of the project is $12.5 million, with the additional $2.5 million coming from Auburn University and other strategic partners.

The Southeast Region Cybersecurity Collaboration Center, will bring together experts from the private sector, academia and government to share information and generate innovative real-world solutions to protect the nations power grid and other key sectors.

The center, officially named the Southeast Region Cybersecurity Collaboration Center (SERC3), will bring together experts from the private sector, academia and government to share information and generate innovative real-world solutions to protect the nation's power grid and other key sectors. It will include a mock utility command center to train participants in real-time cyber defense.

"Auburn University is proud to be at the forefront of this important field as we work against one of the greatest threats the country and the business sector will face in the future," said Steve Taylor, Auburn University's senior vice president for research and economic development. "The center will conduct critical research and provide real operational solutions to protect all of us as we address these challenges. We are thankful to Oak Ridge National Laboratory for partnering with us and Rep. Mike Rogers for his support in securing funding for this critical program."

The center will run experiments with industry partners in a research lab environment to support integration of new and existing security software and hardware into operational environments. Research labs will be established at Auburn University, housed at the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, and at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

"We are excited to work with Auburn on this important national mission," said Oak Ridge National Laboratory Director Stephen Streiffer. "We're combining our capabilities to partner with industry, develop new security technologies and transfer those technologies to industry, all while developing the workforce that will operate these enhanced systems."

Workforce and skills development will be a core role of Auburn's in this partnership.

"This project provides an exciting opportunity for our college and our students," said Mario Eden, dean of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. "Our students will get hands-on experience in a real-world environment. We have a proven track record of innovation and this project perfectly aligns with our mission to provide the best student-centered engineering experience in America and expand our engineering knowledge through research."

With an emphasis on critical infrastructure, the research will help utilities across the nation become more resilient to the increasing threat of cyberattacks.

"We know that adversaries want the ability to disrupt our energy infrastructure, which could be devastating for our communities," said Moe Khaleel, associate laboratory director for National Security Sciences at ORNL. "SERC3 will focus on establishing regional partnerships and developing science-based solutions to mitigate these threats  and keep everyone's lights on."

Puesh M. Kumar, director of the Department of Energy's Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response (CESER), praised the collaboration between organizations.

"I applaud Auburn University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory's collaborative effort to advance grid cybersecurity," Kumar said. "Everyone must come together  industry, the national laboratories, academia, as well as State and Federal governments  if we are to succeed against the growing cyber threats facing the U.S. energy sector from malicious actors and nation-states like the People's Republic of China. This partnership is a critical example of that."

Frank Cilluffo, director of the McCrary Institute, said the project is at the core of what the institute does.

"A secure and resilient grid is a national and regional imperative," Cilluffo said. "Spearheaded by James Goosby at McCrary and Tricia Schulz at Oak Ridge, we will create new research to rapidly identify, share and mitigate cybersecurity risks while we train the future workforce we need to keep us safe."

Auburn University is a nationally ranked land grant institution recognized for its commitment to world-class scholarship, interdisciplinary research with an elite, top-tier Carnegie R1 classification, life-changing outreach with Carnegie's Community Engagement designation and an undergraduate education experience second to none. Auburn is home to more than 30,000 students, and its faculty and research partners collaborate to develop and deliver meaningful scholarship, science and technology-based advancements that meet pressing regional, national and global needs. Auburn's commitment to active student engagement, professional success and public/private partnership drives a growing reputation for outreach and extension that delivers broad economic, health and societal impact.

SOURCE Auburn University-College of Engineering
SILICON VALLEY, Calif. and WASHINGTON, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston Consulting Group (BCG) today announced strategic collaborations with NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley and the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) to launch a generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) lab for science and engineering. The lab will explore the short- and long-term benefits of new GenAI technologies related to Earth science, including Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) weather data, life sciences, and engineering. These collaborations harness the talents of a unique team of leading innovators from industry (BCG), government (NASA), and academia (USRA) with decades of experience advancing the state-of-the-art in artificial intelligence.

As part of these collaborations, BCG X (the tech build and design unit of BCG), NASA, and USRA will conduct research, development, testing, and evaluation of GenAI technologies, as well as analyze the growth of responsible GenAI technologies through the use of publicly accessible datasets. They also intend to produce joint publications on technical evaluation criteria for different scenarios, use cases, and test cases as applied to the performance of various publicly available open source GenAI models.

"In this pivotal moment in time for AI, the GenAI lab represents a unique opportunity to rapidly and responsibly advance the application of AI for public good applications," said Dr. David Bell, Director of USRA's Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science.

"We have only just begun to explore the transformative power of GenAI in Earth sciences," said Christoph Schweizer, CEO of BCG. "BCG is privileged to work with NASA and USRA. Together, we are pioneering the critical research and development necessary to propel these technologies forward, ultimately benefiting global society."

Media Contacts:

Universities Space Research Association

Suraiya Farukhi

+1 443 812 6945

[email protected]

Boston Consulting Group

Eric Gregoire

+1 617 850 3783

[email protected]

About the Universities Space Research Association (USRA)

Founded in 1969, under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences at the request of the U.S. Government, the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) is a nonprofit corporation chartered to advance space-related science, technology, and engineering. USRA operates scientific institutes and facilities and conducts other major research and educational programs. An association of 120 university members, it engages the broader university community, employs in-house scientific talent, and offers innovative research, development, and project management expertise.

About USRA's Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science (RIACS)

USRA's Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science (RIACS) was founded in 1983 as an independent research institute. Since its inception, RIACS has conducted research on artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and human-computer interfaces. As documented in the Aeronautics and Space Report transmitted from President Reagan to the US Congress in 1983, NASA made the major commitment to establish RIACS at NASA Ames Research Center to be operated by USRA as part of a new computer science applications program at NASA.

About BCG X

BCG X is the tech build and design unit of BCG.

Turbocharging BCG's deep industry and functional expertise, BCG X brings together advanced tech knowledge and ambitious entrepreneurship to help organizations enable innovation at scale.

With nearly 3,000 technologists, scientists, programmers, engineers, and human-centered designers located across 80+ cities, BCG X builds and designs platforms and software to address the world's most important challenges and opportunities.

Teaming across our practices, and in close collaboration with our clients, our end-to-end global team unlocks new possibilities. Together we're creating the bold and disruptive products, services, and businesses of tomorrow.

About Boston Consulting Group

Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. BCG was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963. Today, we work closely with clients to embrace a transformational approach aimed at benefiting all stakeholdersempowering organizations to grow, build sustainable competitive advantage, and drive positive societal impact.

Our diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives that question the status quo and spark change. BCG delivers solutions through leading-edge management consulting, technology and design, and corporate and digital ventures. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organization, fueled by the goal of helping our clients thrive and enabling them to make the world a better place.

SOURCE Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
Announces $362 Million Securities Sale

First quarter loss of $20 million , ($0.47) per share

, per share Operating income of $21 million , $0.49 per share

, per share Securities sale of $362 million resulted in a $49.9 million net non-operating loss ( $0.89 per share after-tax)

resulted in a net non-operating loss ( per share after-tax) Net loan charge-offs were 18 basis points annualized

TCE ratio of 8.2% and CET1 ratio of 11.6%; tangible book value per share of $22.84

BOSTON, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: BHLB) today reported results for the first quarter of 2024. These results along with comparison periods are summarized below:

($ in millions, except per share data)

Three Months Ended





Mar. 31, 2024

Dec. 31, 2023

Mar. 31, 2023

















Net (loss) income $ ($20.2) $ (1.4) $ 27.6

Per share

(0.47)

(0.03)

0.63

Operating earnings1

20.9

20.2

27.6

Per share

0.49

0.47

0.63

















Net interest income, non FTE $ 88.1 $ 88.4 $ 97.5

Net interest income, FTE

90.1

90.4

99.4

Net interest margin, FTE

3.15 %

3.11 %

3.58 %

Non-interest income

(32.6)

(8.4)

16.6

Operating non-interest income1

17.3

16.7

16.6

















Non-interest expense $ 76.0 $ 79.0 $ 72.0

Operating non-interest expense1

72.4

75.3

72.0

Efficiency ratio1

66.3 %

67.8 %

59.5 %

















Average balances2













Loans $ 9,059 $ 8,990 $ 8,515

Deposits

9,978

9,936

9,676

















Period-end balances2













Loans

9,144

9,040

8,682

Deposits

10,368

10,633

10,068





1. See non-GAAP financial measures and reconciliation to GAAP measures beginning on page 12. 1Q24 operating non-interest

income excludes $49.9 million securities loss ($38.3 million after-tax, or $0.89 per share). Operating non-interest expense excludes

$3.6 million branch sale costs ($2.8 million after-tax, or $0.07 per share). 2. Loans and deposits include balances held for sale in branch transaction of $18 million and $149 million respectively (average),

and $58 million and $485 million (end of period).



Berkshire CEO Nitin Mhatre stated, "We had a solid start to the year, increasing operating earnings, growing loans, and maintaining solid asset quality and capital strength. In March, we announced the planned sale of ten branches which will enhance efficiency and profitability, while strengthening our focus in core New York markets. In anticipation of completing the branch sale in the third quarter, we sold lower yielding investment securities, resulting in a non-operating charge. During the quarter, we announced key hires bolstering Berkshire's commercial and private banking teams. Newsweek magazine also ranked Berkshire as one of the top 10 most trusted banks in America, recognizing our commitment to integrity, respect, and transparency as a trusted client advisor and financial partner."

CFO David Rosato added, "First quarter operating earnings were $20.9 million, increasing $744 thousand linked quarter. We sold $362 million in securities, resulting in a $49.9 million non-operating charge ($38.3 million after-tax, or $0.89 per share). Net interest margin of 3.15 percent increased 4 basis points including the benefit of the 4Q23 securities sales. Operating non-interest income increased $636 thousand linked quarter. Reflecting our focus on expense management, non-interest expense decreased $3.0 million linked quarter on a GAAP basis and $2.9 million on an operating basis. Non-operating expenses of $3.6 million ($2.8 million after-tax, or $0.07 per share) were related to the branch sale. Total shareholders' equity was not impacted by the securities sale and the common equity Tier 1 ratio remained a healthy 11.6 percent at period-end."



As of and For the Three Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2024

Dec. 31, 2023

Mar. 31, 2023 Asset Quality









Net loan charge-offs to average loans 0.18 %

0.20 %

0.32 % Non-performing loans to total loans 0.24 %

0.24 %

0.31 %











Returns









Return on average assets (0.69) %

(0.05) %

0.96 % Operating return on average assets1 0.71 %

0.68 %

0.95 % Return on tangible common equity1 (7.73) %

(0.24) %

11.96 % Operating return on tangible common equity1 8.73 %

8.90 %

11.96 %























Capital Ratios2









Tangible common equity/tangible assets1 8.2 %

8.0 %

7.9 % Tier 1 leverage 9.5 %

9.6 %

9.9 % Common equity Tier 1 11.6 %

12.0 %

12.1 % Tier 1 risk-based 11.8 %

12.3 %

12.4 % Total risk-based 14.0 %

14.4 %

14.4 %





1. See non-GAAP measures and reconciliation to GAAP beginning on page 12. All performance ratios are annualized and are based

on average balance sheet amounts, where applicable. 2. Presented as estimated for March 31, 2024 and actual for the remaining periods.

















Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: BHLB) is the parent company of Berkshire Bank, a relationship-driven, community-focused bank with $12.1 billion in assets and 96 financial centers in New England and New York. Berkshire is headquartered in Boston and offers commercial, retail, wealth, and private banking solutions.

1Q 2024 Financial Highlights

Income Statement

GAAP loss of $20.2 million , or $(0.47) per share.

Operating earnings totaled $20.9 million , or $0.49 per share.

, or per share. Net interest income totaled $88.1 million in 1Q24 compared to $88.4 million in 4Q23.

One less calendar day in 1Q24 (1% decrease in net interest income).

in 1Q24 compared to in 4Q23. Net interest margin increased 4 basis points from 4Q23 to 3.15% reflecting the benefit of securities sales and reduction of higher cost borrowings.

The earning asset yield increased 18 basis points.

The loan yield increased 7 basis points. The cost of funds increased 13 basis points.

The cost of deposits increased 18 basis points.

Provision for credit losses on loans totaled $6.0 million .

Allowance for credit losses on loans increased $2.0 million . Net loan charge-offs totaled $4.0 million . Net annualized loan charge-off ratio of 0.18%, down sequentially for last five quarters.

. Operating non-interest income totaled $17.3 million in 1Q24 excluding the $49.9 million net loss on sale of AFS securities, compared to $16.7 million in 4Q23 excluding the $25.1 million loss on sale of AFS securities.

The tax credit amortization charge included in other non-interest income decreased $1.9 million linked quarter due to a change in accounting method (with offsetting increase in income tax expense). Deposit related fee revenue decreased $176 thousand . Loan related fees increased $605 thousand primarily due to higher swap revenue. Gain on SBA loan sales decreased $683 thousand . Wealth management revenue increased $490 thousand . At March 31, 2024 , wealth assets under management were $1.5 billion . Other non-interest income increased $1.3 million .

in 1Q24 excluding the net loss on sale of AFS securities, compared to $16.7 million in 4Q23 excluding the loss on sale of AFS securities. Non-interest expense in 1Q24 totaled $76.0 million on a GAAP basis and $72.4 million on an operating basis. These measures were $79.0 million and $75.3 million in 4Q23.

Non-operating expense totaled $3.6 million in 1Q24, and was related to the pending branch sale. Compensation and benefits expense increased $640 thousand . Occupancy and equipment expense increased $145 thousand . Technology and communications expense decreased $1.4 million . Professional services expense decreased $741 thousand . Other non-interest expense decreased $1.5 million . The efficiency ratio was 66.3% for 1Q24 compared to 67.8% for 4Q23.

on a GAAP basis and on an operating basis. These measures were and in 4Q23. Income tax expense was a benefit of $6.3 million in 1Q24 and the effective tax rate was 23.8%.

Loans

Commercial real estate loans totaled $4.6 billion at March 31, 2024, a $67 million increase from December 31, 2023.

Average commercial real estate loans totaled $4.6 billion in 1Q24, an $84 million increase from 4Q23.

million increase from December 31, 2023. Commercial and industrial loans totaled $1.4 billion at March 31, 2024 , a $32 million increase from December 31, 2023 .

Average commercial and industrial loans totaled $1.4 billion in 1Q24, a $12 million decrease from 4Q23.

at , a increase from . Residential mortgage loans totaled $2.7 billion at March 31, 2024, a $4 million increase from December 31, 2023. Average residential mortgage loans totaled $2.7 billion in 1Q24, a $12 million increase from 4Q23.

Consumer loans totaled $430 million at March 31, 2024, a $57 million decrease from December 31, 2023 . Average consumer loans totaled $465 million in 1Q24, a $33 million decrease from 4Q23.

million decrease from . Loans held for sale in conjunction with the planned branch sale totaled $58 million at March 31, 2024 , and consisted primarily of consumer and residential mortgage loans. Average loans held for sale in conjunction with the planned branch sale totaled $18 million based on the March 4, 2024 branch sale agreement date.

at , and consisted primarily of consumer and residential mortgage loans. Non-performing loans to total loans was 0.24% at March 31, 2024 , unchanged from December 31, 2023 .

, unchanged from . The allowance for credit losses to total loans was 1.18% at March 31, 2024 , compared to 1.17% at December 31, 2023 .

Deposits

Non-interest bearing deposits totaled $2.3 billion at March 31, 2024 , a $207 million decrease from December 31 , 2023.

Average non-interest bearing deposits totaled $2.3 billion in 1Q24, a $140 million decrease from 4Q23.

at , a decrease from , 2023. Time deposits totaled $2.4 billion at March 31, 2024 , a $281 million decrease from December 31, 2024 .

Average time deposits totaled $2.6 billion in 1Q24, a $3 million increase from 4Q23.

at , a decrease from . Deposits held for sale in conjunction with the planned branch sale totaled $485 million at March 31, 2024 . Average deposits held for sale totaled $149 million in 1Q24 based on the March 4, 2024 sale agreement date.

at .

1Q 2024 Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Highlights

Berkshire was named one of the Most Trustworthy Companies in America 2024 by Newsweek magazine.

was named one of the 2024 by Newsweek magazine. The Company released its 2023 Sustainability Report highlighting all that Berkshire is doing to be a responsible, equitable and sustainable bank while elevating its client experience and community impact.

highlighting all that is doing to be a responsible, equitable and sustainable bank while elevating its client experience and community impact. Berkshire maintained its top quartile environmental, social and governance performance in the banking sector.

Conference Call and Investor Presentation. Berkshire will conduct a conference call/webcast at 9:00 a.m. eastern time on Thursday, April 18, 2024 to discuss results for the quarter and provide guidance about expected future results. Instructions for listening to the call may be found at the Company's website at ir.berkshirebank.com. Additional materials relating to the call may also be accessed at this website. The call will be archived at the website and will be available for an extended period of time.

Forward Looking Statements: This document contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. You can identify these statements from the use of the words "may," "will," "should," "could," "would," "plan," "potential," "estimate," "project," "believe," "intend," "anticipate," "expect," "remain," "target" and similar expressions. There are many factors that could cause actual results to differ significantly from expectations described in the forward-looking statements. For a discussion of such factors, please see Berkshire's most recent reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect our expectations only as of the date of this document. Berkshire does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements.

INVESTOR CONTACT

Kevin Conn

Investor Relations

617.641.9206

[email protected]

MEDIA CONTACT

Gary Levante

Corporate Communications

413.447.1737

[email protected]





BERKSHIRE HILLS BANCORP, INC.



SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (1)







At or for the Quarters Ended







March 31,

Dec. 31,

Sept. 30,

June 30,

March 31,









2024

2023

2023

2023

2023































NOMINAL AND PER SHARE DATA























Net (loss)/earnings per common share, diluted $ (0.47)

$ (0.03)

$ 0.45

$ 0.55

$ 0.63





Operating earnings per common share, diluted (2)(3) 0.49

0.47

0.50

0.55

0.63





Net (loss)/income, (thousands) (20,188)

(1,445)

19,545

23,861

27,637





Operating net income, (thousands) (2)(3) 20,934

20,190

21,516

23,878

27,608





Net interest income, (thousands) non FTE 88,140

88,421

90,334

92,759

97,533





Net interest income, FTE (5) 90,146

90,442

92,314

94,721

99,441





Total common shares outstanding, end of period (thousands) 43,415

43,501

43,822

44,033

44,411





Average diluted shares, (thousands) 43,028

43,101

43,347

43,532

44,036





Total book value per common share, end of period 23.26

23.27

21.70

22.11

22.42





Tangible book value per common share, end of period (2)(3) 22.84

22.82

21.23

21.60

21.89





Dividends per common share 0.18

0.18

0.18

0.18

0.18





Dividend payout ratio N/M % N/M % 40.56 % 33.47 % 28.98 %





























PERFORMANCE RATIOS (4)























Return on equity (7.93) % (0.60) % 7.91 % 9.51 % 11.31 %



Operating return on equity (2)(3) 8.23

8.36

8.71

9.51

11.30





Return on tangible common equity (2)(3) (7.73)

(0.24)

8.45

10.09

11.96





Operating return on tangible common equity (2)(3) 8.73

8.90

9.27

10.09

11.96





Return on assets (0.69)

(0.05)

0.66

0.79

0.96





Operating return on assets (2)(3) 0.71

0.68

0.73

0.79

0.95





Net interest margin, FTE (5) 3.15

3.11

3.18

3.24

3.58





Efficiency ratio (3) 66.26

67.77

65.05

63.57

59.51































FINANCIAL DATA (in millions, end of period)























Total assets

$ 12,147

$ 12,431

$ 12,140

$ 12,090

$ 12,320





Total earning assets 11,430

11,705

11,400

11,370

11,615





Total loans

9,086

9,040

8,984

8,882

8,682





Total funding liabilities 10,826

11,140

10,906

10,864

11,093





Total deposits

9,883

10,633

9,981

10,068

10,068





Loans/deposits (%) 92 % 85 % 90 % 88 % 86 %



Total accumulated other comprehensive (loss) net of tax, end of period $ (114)

$ (143)

$ (218)

$ (186)

$ (159)





Total shareholders' equity 1,010

1,012

951

973

995































ASSET QUALITY























Allowance for credit losses, (millions) $ 107

$ 105

$ 103

$ 100

$ 98





Net charge-offs, (millions) (4)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)





Net charge-offs (QTD annualized)/average loans 0.18 % 0.20 % 0.24 % 0.26 % 0.32 %



Provision (benefit)/expense, (millions) $ 6

$ 7

$ 8

$ 8

$ 9





Non-performing assets, (millions) 24

24

29

31

29





Non-performing loans/total loans 0.24 % 0.24 % 0.30 % 0.32 % 0.31 %



Allowance for credit losses/non-performing loans 500

492

386

353

363





Allowance for credit losses/total loans 1.18

1.17

1.14

1.13

1.13































CAPITAL RATIOS























Risk weighted assets, (millions)(6) $ 9,628

$ 9,552

$ 9,594

$ 9,523

$ 9,454





Common equity Tier 1 capital to risk weighted assets (6) 11.6 % 12.0 % 12.1 % 12.1 % 12.1 %



Tier 1 capital leverage ratio (6) 9.5

9.6

9.8

9.6

9.9





Tangible common shareholders' equity/tangible assets (3) 8.2

8.0

7.7

7.9

7.9



























































(1) All financial tables presented are unaudited.





















(2) Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures, including all references to operating and tangible amounts, start on page 12.















(3) Non-GAAP financial measure. Operating measurements are non-GAAP financial measures that are adjusted to exclude net non-operating charges











primarily related to acquisitions and restructuring activities. See page 13 for reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures.















(4) All performance ratios are annualized and are based on average balance sheet amounts, where applicable.



















(5) Fully taxable equivalent considers the impact of tax advantaged investment securities and loans.





















(6) Presented as projected for March 31, 2024 and actual for the remaining periods.





















BERKSHIRE HILLS BANCORP, INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

March 31, December 31, March 31, (in thousands) 2024 2023 2023 Assets





Cash and due from banks $ 111,676 $ 148,148 $ 121,589 Short-term investments 1,082,019 1,055,096 884,973 Total cash and cash equivalents 1,193,695 1,203,244 1,006,562







Trading securities, at fair value 5,909 6,142 6,584 Equity securities, at fair value 12,823 13,029 13,072 Securities available for sale, at fair value 625,857 1,022,285 1,407,271 Securities held to maturity, at amortized cost 531,820 543,351 574,606 Federal Home Loan Bank stock 20,522 22,689 44,245 Total securities 1,196,931 1,607,496 2,045,778 Less: Allowance for credit losses on investment securities (61) (68) (71) Net securities 1,196,870 1,607,428 2,045,707







Loans held for sale 6,345 2,237 1,906







Commercial real estate loans 4,593,692 4,527,012 4,231,510 Commercial and industrial loans 1,384,591 1,352,834 1,553,340 Residential mortgages 2,677,046 2,672,677 2,369,614 Consumer loans 430,424 487,163 527,503 Total loans 9,085,753 9,039,686 8,681,967 Less: Allowance for credit losses on loans (107,331) (105,357) (97,991) Net loans 8,978,422 8,934,329 8,583,976







Premises and equipment, net 57,832 68,915 78,710 Other intangible assets 18,460 19,664 23,279 Other assets 611,967 584,066 571,616 Assets held for sale 83,020 10,938 8,220 Total assets $ 12,146,611 $ 12,430,821 $ 12,319,976







Liabilities and shareholders' equity





Non-interest bearing deposits $ 2,261,794 $ 2,469,164 $ 2,650,937 NOW and other deposits 793,492 858,644 959,417 Money market deposits 3,411,672 3,565,516 3,274,630 Savings deposits 1,010,630 1,053,810 1,069,915 Time deposits 2,405,384 2,686,250 2,112,646 Total deposits 9,882,972 10,633,384 10,067,545







Federal Home Loan Bank advances 337,169 385,223 904,395 Subordinated borrowings 121,425 121,363 121,176 Total borrowings 458,594 506,586 1,025,571







Other liabilities 297,663 278,630 231,380 Liabilities held for sale 497,459 - - Total liabilities 11,136,688 11,418,600 11,324,496







Common shareholders' equity 1,009,923 1,012,221 995,480 Total shareholders' equity 1,009,923 1,012,221 995,480 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 12,146,611 $ 12,430,821 $ 12,319,976

BERKSHIRE HILLS BANCORP, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

Three Months Ended



March 31,

(in thousands, except per share data) 2024

2023

Interest income $ 152,006

$ 132,316

Interest expense 63,866

34,783

Net interest income, non FTE 88,140

97,533

Non-interest income







Deposit related fees 8,305

8,311

Loan related fees 2,663

2,469

Gain on SBA loans 1,699

2,494

Wealth management fees 2,884

2,739

Fair value adjustments on securities (115)

234

Other 1,874

359

Total non-interest income excluding sales of AFS securities 17,310

16,606

(Loss) on sale of AFS securities (49,909)

-

Total non-interest income (32,599)

16,606

Total net revenue 55,541

114,139











Provision expense for credit losses 6,000

8,999

Non-interest expense







Compensation and benefits 40,735

39,071

Occupancy and equipment 8,698

9,379

Technology 9,904

9,471

Professional services 2,676

3,277

Regulatory expenses 1,845

1,426

Amortization of intangible assets 1,205

1,205

Marketing 1,116

1,208

Merger, restructuring and other non-operating expenses 3,617

(36)

Other expenses 6,224

6,954

Total non-interest expense 76,020

71,955

Total non-interest expense excluding non-operating expenses 72,403

71,991











(Loss)/income before income taxes $ (26,479)

$ 33,185

Income tax (benefit)/expense (6,291)

5,548

Net (loss)/income $ (20,188)

$ 27,637











Basic (loss)/earnings per common share $ (0.47)

$ 0.63

Diluted (loss)/earnings per common share $ (0.47)

$ 0.63











Weighted average shares outstanding:







Basic 42,777

43,693

Diluted 43,028

44,036













BERKSHIRE HILLS BANCORP, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (5 Quarter Trend)



March 31,

Dec. 31,

Sept. 30,

June 30,

March 31,

(in thousands, except per share data)

2024

2023

2023

2023

2023

Interest income

$ 152,006

$ 150,537

$ 148,021

$ 145,425

$ 132,316

Interest expense

63,866

62,116

57,687

52,666

34,783

Net interest income, non FTE

88,140

88,421

90,334

92,759

97,533

Non-interest income





















Deposit related fees

8,305

8,481

8,792

8,571

8,311

Loan related fees

2,663

2,058

2,879

3,189

2,469

Gain on SBA loans

1,699

2,382

2,548

2,910

2,494

Wealth management fees

2,884

2,394

2,481

2,583

2,739

Fair value adjustments on securities

(115)

768

(467)

(22)

234

Other

1,874

591

1,232

(137)

359

Total non-interest income excluding sales of AFS securities

17,310

16,674

17,465

17,094

16,606

Loss on sale of AFS securities

(49,909)

(25,057)

-

-

-

Total non-interest income

(32,599)

(8,383)

17,465

17,094

16,606

Total net revenue

55,541

80,038

107,799

109,853

114,139

























Provision expense for credit losses

6,000

7,000

8,000

8,000

8,999

Non-interest expense





















Compensation and benefits

40,735

40,095

40,155

39,960

39,071

Occupancy and equipment

8,698

8,553

8,816

8,970

9,379

Technology

9,904

11,326

10,616

10,465

9,471

Professional services

2,676

3,417

2,423

2,526

3,277

Regulatory expenses

1,845

1,854

1,905

1,834

1,426

Amortization of intangible assets

1,205

1,205

1,205

1,205

1,205

Marketing

1,116

1,107

1,552

1,510

1,208

Merger, restructuring and other non-operating expenses

3,617

3,669

2,607

21

(36)

Other expenses

6,224

7,766

7,234

7,557

6,954

Total non-interest expense

76,020

78,992

76,513

74,048

71,955

Total non-interest expense excluding non-operating expenses

72,403

75,323

73,906

74,027

71,991

















































(Loss)/income before income taxes

$ (26,479)

$ (5,954)

$ 23,286

$ 27,805

$ 33,185

Income tax (benefit)/expense

(6,291)

(4,509)

3,741

3,944

5,548

Net (loss)/income

$ (20,188)

$ (1,445)

$ 19,545

$ 23,861

$ 27,637

























Diluted (loss)/earnings per common share

$ (0.47)

$ (0.03)

$ 0.45

$ 0.55

$ 0.63

























Weighted average shares outstanding:





















Basic

42,777

42,852

43,164

43,443

43,693

Diluted

43,028

43,101

43,347

43,532

44,036



























BERKSHIRE HILLS BANCORP, INC. AVERAGE BALANCES AND AVERAGE YIELDS AND COSTS

Quarters Ended

March 31, 2024

December 31, 2023

March 31, 2023





(in millions) Average

Balance Interest (1) Average

Yield/Rate



Average

Balance Interest (1) Average

Yield/Rate



Average

Balance Interest (1) Average

Yield/Rate

Assets



























Commercial real estate $ 4,553 $ 75 6.53 %

$ 4,469 $ 74 6.45 % $ 4,166 $ 61 5.88 % Commercial and industrial loans 1,355 26 7.64



1,367 26 7.60



1,527 26 6.92

Residential mortgages 2,668 29 4.15



2,656 27 4.06



2,283 21 3.70

Consumer loans 465 8 7.24



498 9 7.31



539 10 7.24

Total loans 9,041 138 6.04



8,990 136 5.97



8,515 118 5.57

Securities (2) 1,726 10 2.38



2,080 12 2.40



2,261 13 2.23

Short-term investments and loans held for sale 489 6 5.07



350 4 4.22



313 3 4.24

New York branch loans held for sale (3) 18 0 5.72



- - -



- - -

Total earning assets 11,274 154 5.44



11,420 152 5.26



11,089 134 4.85

Goodwill and other intangible assets 19







20







24





Other assets 462







422







456





Total assets $ 11,755







$ 11,862







$ 11,569



































Liabilities and shareholders' equity



























Non-interest-bearing demand deposits $ 2,348 $ - - %

$ 2,488 $ - - % $ 2,706 $ - - % NOW and other 799 3 1.37



833 3 1.38



1,456 6 1.64

Money market 3,083 25 3.25



2,995 23 3.08



2,659 10 1.59

Savings 1,038 3 0.97



1,062 2 0.90



1,047 - 0.10

Time 2,561 26 4.07



2,558 25 3.77



1,808 10 2.13

Total deposits 9,829 57 2.29



9,936 53 2.11



9,676 26 1.09

Borrowings (4) 504 7 5.52



668 9 5.45



688 9 5.06

New York branch non-interest-bearing deposits

held for sale (3) 30 - -



- - -



- - -

New York branch interest-bearing deposits

held for sale (3) 119 1 2.75



- - -



- - -

Total funding liabilities 10,482 65 2.45



10,604 62 2.32



10,364 35 1.36































Other liabilities 255







292







227





Total liabilities 10,737







10,896







10,591



































Common shareholders' equity (5) 1,018







966







978





Total shareholders' equity 1,018







966







978





Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 11,755







$ 11,862







$ 11,569





Net interest margin, FTE



3.15







3.11







3.58































Supplementary data



























Net Interest Income, non FTE 88.140







88.421







97.533





FTE income adjustment 2.006







2.021







1.908





Net Interest Income, FTE 90.146







90.442







99.441



































(1) Interest income and expense presented on a fully taxable equivalent basis. (2) Average balances for securities available-for-sale are based on amortized cost. (3) New York branch loans and deposits moved to held for sale on March 4, 2024. (4) Average balances for borrowings includes financing lease obligations which is presented under other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet. (5) Unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, are included in average equity. Prior period balances and financial metrics have been updated to reflect current presentation.

BERKSHIRE HILLS BANCORP, INC. ASSET QUALITY ANALYSIS

At or for the Quarters Ended

March 31,

Dec. 31,

Sept. 30,

June 30,

March 31,

(in thousands) 2024

2023

2023

2023

2023

NON-PERFORMING ASSETS



















Commercial real estate $ 4,762

$ 4,453

$ 5,288

$ 1,509

$ 2,546

Commercial and industrial loans 9,174

8,712

11,028

15,597

12,155

Residential mortgages 5,992

6,404

8,060

8,722

9,442

Consumer loans 1,526

1,838

2,260

2,560

2,848

Total non-performing loans 21,454

21,407

26,636

28,388

26,991

Repossessed assets 2,689

2,601

2,548

2,549

2,462

Total non-performing assets $ 24,143

$ 24,008

$ 29,184

$ 30,937

$ 29,453























Total non-performing loans/total

loans 0.24 %

0.24 %

0.30 %

0.32 %

0.31 %

Total non-performing assets/total

assets 0.20 %

0.19 %

0.24 %

0.26 %

0.24 %























PROVISION AND ALLOWANCE

FOR CREDIT LOSSES ON

LOANS

















Balance at beginning of period $ 105,357

$ 102,792

$ 100,219

$ 97,991

$ 96,270

Adoption of ASU No. 2022-02 -

-

-

-

(401)

Balance after adoption of ASU

No. 2022-02 105,357

102,792

100,219

97,991

95,869

Charged-off loans (5,636)

(6,891)

(6,744)

(7,686)

(7,936)

Recoveries on charged-off loans 1,610

2,456

1,317

1,914

1,059

Net loans charged-off (4,026)

(4,435)

(5,427)

(5,772)

(6,877)

Provision (benefit)/expense for

loan credit losses 6,000

7,000

8,000

8,000

8,999

Balance at end of period $ 107,331

$ 105,357

$ 102,792

$ 100,219

$ 97,991























Allowance for credit losses/total

loans 1.18 %

1.17 %

1.14 %

1.13 %

1.13 %

Allowance for credit losses/non-

performing loans 500 %

492 %

386 %

353 %

363 %























NET LOAN CHARGE-OFFS



















Commercial real estate $ 292

$ 316

$ 97

$ 664

$ 122

Commercial and industrial loans (1,772)

(2,309)

(3,345)

(4,146)

(5,695)

Residential mortgages 98

55

23

(143)

305

Home equity 193

83

208

126

16

Other consumer loans (2,837)

(2,580)

(2,410)

(2,273)

(1,625)

Total, net $ (4,026)

$ (4,435)

$ (5,427)

$ (5,772)

$ (6,877)























Net charge-offs (QTD

annualized)/average loans 0.18 %

0.20 %

0.24 %

0.26 %

0.32 %

Net charge-offs (YTD

annualized)/average loans 0.18 %

0.26 %

0.28 %

0.29 %

0.32 %













































DELINQUENT AND NON-

PERFORMING LOANS Balance Percent

of Total

Loans Balance Percent

of Total

Loans Balance Percent

of Total

Loans Balance Percent

of Total

Loans Balance Percent

of Total

Loans 30-89 Days delinquent $ 27,682 0.30 % $ 22,140 0.24 % $ 18,700 0.21 % $ 15,147 0.17 % $ 14,210 0.16 % 90+ Days delinquent and still

accruing 5,882 0.06 % 5,537 0.06 % 5,744 0.06 % 7,812 0.09 % 6,937 0.08 % Total accruing delinquent loans 33,564 0.36 % 27,677 0.30 % 24,444 0.27 % 22,959 0.26 % 21,147 0.24 % Non-performing loans 21,454 0.24 % 21,407 0.24 % 26,636 0.30 % 28,399 0.32 % 26,991 0.31 % Total delinquent and non-

performing loans $ 55,018 0.60 % $ 49,084 0.54 % $ 51,080 0.57 % $ 51,358 0.58 % $ 48,138 0.55 %

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES This document contains certain non-GAAP financial measures in addition to results presented in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP"). These non-GAAP measures are intended to provide the reader with additional supplemental perspectives on operating results, performance trends, and financial condition. Non-GAAP financial measures are not a substitute for GAAP measures; they should be read and used in conjunction with the Company's GAAP financial information. A reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP measures is provided below. In all cases, it should be understood that non-GAAP measures do not depict amounts that accrue directly to the benefit of shareholders. An item which management excludes when computing non-GAAP operating earnings can be of substantial importance to the Company's results for any particular quarter or year. The Company's non-GAAP operating earnings information set forth is not necessarily comparable to non- GAAP information which may be presented by other companies. Each non-GAAP measure used by the Company in this report as supplemental financial data should be considered in conjunction with the Company's GAAP financial information.



The Company utilizes the non-GAAP measure of operating earnings in evaluating operating trends, including components for operating revenue and expense. These measures exclude amounts which the Company views as unrelated to its normalized operations. These items primarily include restructuring costs. Restructuring costs generally consist of costs and losses associated with the disposition of assets and liabilities and lease terminations, including costs related to branch consolidations.



The Company also calculates operating earnings per share based on its measure of operating earnings and diluted common shares. The Company views these amounts as important to understanding its operating trends, particularly due to the impact of accounting standards related to merger and acquisition activity. Analysts also rely on these measures in estimating and evaluating the Company's performance. Adjustments in 2024 were primarily related to branch sales and loss on sale of AFS securities. Adjustments in 2023 were primarily related to branch consolidations, severance charges related to a workforce reduction, and loss on sale of AFS securities.



Management believes that the computation of non-GAAP operating earnings and operating earnings per share may facilitate the comparison of the Company to other companies in the financial services industry. The Company also adjusts certain equity related measures to exclude intangible assets due to the importance of these measures to the investment community.

BERKSHIRE HILLS BANCORP, INC. RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA



At or for the Quarters Ended





March 31,

Dec. 31,

Sept. 30,

June 30,

March 31,

(in thousands)



2024

2023

2023

2023

2023

Total non-interest income



$ (32,599)

$ (8,383)

$ 17,465

$ 17,094

$ 16,606

Adj: Loss on sale of AFS securities



49,909

25,057

-

-

-

Total operating non-interest income (1)



$ 17,310

$ 16,674

$ 17,465

$ 17,094

$ 16,606



























Total revenue (A)

$ 55,541

$ 80,038

$ 107,799

$ 109,853

$ 114,139

Adj: Loss on sale of AFS securities



49,909

25,057

-

-

-

Total operating revenue (1) (B)

$ 105,450

$ 105,095

$ 107,799

$ 109,853

$ 114,139



























Total non-interest expense (C)

$ 76,020

$ 78,992

$ 76,513

$ 74,048

$ 71,955

Adj: Merger, restructuring and other non-operating expenses



(3,617)

(3,669)

(2,607)

(21)

36

Operating non-interest expense (1) (D)

$ 72,403

$ 75,323

$ 73,906

$ 74,027

$ 71,991



























Pre-tax, pre-provision net revenue (PPNR) (A-C)

$ (20,479)

$ 1,046

$ 31,286

$ 35,805

$ 42,184

Operating pre-tax, pre-provision net revenue (PPNR) (1) (B-D)

33,047

29,772

33,893

35,826

42,148



























Net (loss)/income



$ (20,188)

$ (1,445)

$ 19,545

$ 23,861

$ 27,637

Adj: Loss on sale of AFS securities



49,909

25,057

-

-

-

Adj: Restructuring expense and other non-operating expenses



3,617

3,669

2,607

21

(36)

Adj: Income taxes (expense)/benefit



(12,404)

(7,091)

(636)

(4)

7

Total operating income (1) (E)

$ 20,934

$ 20,190

$ 21,516

$ 23,878

$ 27,608



























(in millions, except per share data)























Total average assets (F)

$ 11,755

$ 11,862

$ 11,860

$ 12,057

$ 11,569

Total average shareholders' equity (G)

1,018

966

988

1,004

978

Total average tangible shareholders' equity (1) (I)

999

946

967

981

954

Total accumulated other comprehensive (loss) net of tax, end of period



(114)

(143)

(218)

(186)

(159)

Total tangible shareholders' equity, end of period (1) (K)

991

993

930

951

972

Total tangible assets, end of period (1) (L)

12,128

12,411

12,119

12,068

12,297



























Total common shares outstanding, end of period (thousands) (M)

43,415

43,501

43,822

44,033

44,411

Average diluted shares outstanding (thousands) (N)

43,028

43,101

43,347

43,532

44,036



























Earnings per common share, diluted (1)



$ (0.47)

$ (0.03)

$ 0.45

$ 0.55

$ 0.63

Operating earnings per common share, diluted (1) (E/N)

0.49

0.47

0.50

0.55

0.63

Tangible book value per common share, end of period (1) (K/M)

22.84

22.82

21.23

21.60

21.89

Total tangible shareholders' equity/total tangible assets (1) (K/L)

8.17

8.00

7.68

7.88

7.91



























Performance ratios (2)























Return on equity



(7.93) % (0.60)

7.91 % 9.51 % 11.31 % Operating return on equity (1) (E/G)

8.23

8.36

8.71

9.51

11.30

Return on tangible common equity (1)(3)



(7.73)

(0.24)

8.45

10.09

11.96

Operating return on tangible common equity (1)(3) (E+Q)/(I)

8.73

8.90

9.27

10.09

11.96

Return on assets



(0.69)

(0.05)

0.66

0.79

0.96

Operating return on assets (1) (E/F)

0.71

0.68

0.73

0.79

0.95

Efficiency ratio (1)(6) (D-Q)/(B+O+R)

66.26

67.77

65.05

63.57

59.51





















































Supplementary data (in thousands)























Tax benefit on tax-credit investments (4) (O)

N/M

$ 2,252

$ 1,979

$ 2,735

$ 2,897

Non-interest income tax-credit investments amortization (5) (P)

N/M

(2,060)

(1,463)

(2,210)

(2,285)

Net income on tax-credit investments (O+P)

N/M

193

516

525

612

Effective tax rate



23.8 % 75.7 % 16.1 % 14.2 % 16.7 %

























Intangible amortization (Q)

$ 1,205

$ 1,205

$ 1,205

$ 1,205

$ 1,205

Fully taxable equivalent income adjustment (R)

2,006

2,021

1,980

1,962

1,908















































































(1) Non-GAAP financial measure. (2) Ratios are annualized and based on average balance sheet amounts, where applicable. Quarterly data may not sum to year-to-date data due to rounding. (3) Amortization of intangible assets is adjusted assuming a 27% marginal tax rate. (4) The tax benefit is the direct reduction to the income tax provision due to tax credit investments. (5) The non-interest income amortization is the reduction to the tax-advantaged investments and are incurred as the tax credits are generated. (6) As of January 1, 2024, the Company elected the proportional amortization method for certain tax credits eliminating the need to adjust the efficiency ratio for tax credit impacts.

SOURCE Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc.
Industry veteran has 20 years of construction experience and a growth mindset

HOUSTON, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Mike Vellano, CEO of the Vortex Companies, a leading provider of trenchless infrastructure rehabilitation products and services, announced today the promotion of B.J. Kerstiens to Senior Vice President of Services. "B.J. has extensive experience in the trenchless infrastructure rehab industry and has made significant contributions to the business's success during his time with Vortex," said Vellano. "I trust him to continue to challenge all of our Services divisions to innovate in their approach to the business and continue to strive for excellence."

B.J. Kerstiens has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Services at Vortex Companies, a global provider of trenchless infrastructure rehabilitation products and services.

Kerstiens will spend much of his time traveling to Vortex Services locations across the United States, lending strategic guidance and support. "I believe that our Services division holds immense potential for growth," said Kerstiens. "I am eager to leverage Vortex's strengthsour operational expertise, our hard-working crews, and our end-to-end commitment to excellenceto take our services offerings to the next level. We want customers to know that working with Vortex means working with the best." Kerstiens will report to Vortex veteran and company COO, Ryan Graham.

Kerstiens joined Vortex in 2019, where he served as Regional Vice President of Vortex Lining Systems, a specialty lining group within the Services division. In his new role, he will draw on over 20 years of experience in construction, 15 of them spent in the trenchless infrastructure rehabilitation industry. Kerstiens is a former Marine and holds a Bachelor of Science in Concrete Industry Management from Middle Tennessee State University. Kerstiens is based in Tennessee, where he lives with his wife, Tamara, and two children.

"B.J. understands the Vortex model inside and out," added Graham. "He brings out the best in his colleagues and has the growth mindset to identify new opportunities for improvement. I'm excited to support the professional development and advancement of a current team member, and confident we will see great things from him in this role."

About Vortex Companies

The Vortex Companies is a leading provider of advanced trenchless water and sewer technologies. Through its products and services divisions, Vortex delivers a comprehensive suite of rehabilitation products, equipment, services, and field support to the municipal, industrial, and commercial marketplaces. This includes pipe and manhole lining systems; sewer robotics; mortars; epoxies and resin materials; liners and wet out services, installation equipment; contracting services, training, and field support.

Operating globally, Vortex is focused on providing customers a broad range of industry leading, cost-effective trenchless solutions and technical expertise, best suited for their project needs. For more information, go to vortexcompanies.com.

SOURCE Vortex Companies
PORTLAND, Ore., April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Brooke Zrno Grisham has joined M Financial Group as Vice President of M Member Firm Development. Brooke is responsible for facilitating the success of M's growth objectives and overseeing all aspects of Member Firm development, including producer development through M's award-winning Magnet Program, Member Firm training, and the development of back-office support services for M firms.

Brooke Zrno Grisham

Brooke joined M following more than 24 years of successful service at New York Life, including in her most recent role as CEO of the company's Nautilus Group. The Nautilus Group is New York Life's exclusive membership-based resource accessible to an elite group of approximately 250 insurance and financial industry leaders.

"Brooke's influence at New York Life and with its contingent of exceptional producers, as well as leaders across the life insurance industry, is hard to overstate," said M Financial President & CEO Russell Bundschuh. "I anticipate her reputation for being one of the industry's leading producer developers to have a significant and positive impact on M's growth objectives. I couldn't be more pleased that she is bringing her depth of expertise and experience to the M Community."

Brooke has a bachelor's degree in business communications from the University of Texas at Dallas and holds the Chartered Financial Consultant, Chartered Life Underwriter, and Accredited Estate Planner designations.

About M Financial Group

With more than 130 Member Firms across the United States and in the United Kingdom, M Financial Group is one of the nation's leading financial services design and distribution companies. Since 1978, M Financial's network of independent insurance and executive benefit firms has served the needs of high-net-worth individuals, corporate executives, successful entrepreneurs, and Fortune 1000 companies.

For more information, please contact Walter Thayer, VP, Marketing & Events, at [email protected] or visit our website at mfin.com.

SOURCE M Financial Group
OAKLAND, Calif., April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Collegeboxes has now partnered with Northeastern University in Oakland to streamline the campus move-out process for students and faculty.

More than 350 schools nationwide  and 116 schools in California  have teamed with Collegeboxes to assist their students. A special introductory discount code is currently being offered at Northeastern Oakland to mark the end of spring classes.

Northeastern University Oakland students who sign up for summer storage services at Collegeboxes.com can use the introductory discount code NE24 through June 1 for 10% off their storage costs. There are 116 schools in California that now partner with Collegeboxes, a division of U-Haul, to assist their students during the move-in and move-out process.

Northeastern Oakland students who sign up for summer storage services at Collegeboxes.com can use the code "NE24" through June 1 for 10% off their storage costs. Orders can also be placed by calling (866) 269-4887.

Collegeboxes, a division of U-Haul, offers maximum convenience by picking up students' belongings from their dorm room at a scheduled time and placing them in a secure local U-Haul storage  or shipping those belongings to their desired location. The program offers the peace of mind from dealing with a trusted national brand while also having local teams in virtually every U.S. market.

"Collegeboxes broke records in 2023 by helping more students than any previous year," stated Dain Howell, Director of Collegeboxes. "This means a record number of students and families are looking for new and better ways to approach college move-out day. Our goal is to make college move-out a stress-free event for both parents and students. They just need to sign up, pack their things and Collegeboxes does the rest."

While 350-plus schools currently extend full-service moving benefits to their students through Collegeboxes, another 990 U.S. schools offer Collegeboxes' direct shipping service.

Full-service schools have access to school-scheduled dates for Collegeboxes specialists to assist students; pickup times from dorm rooms; loading and unloading boxes; barcoding boxes for easy tracking; reporting for students to easily follow their items; storage at secure local U-Haul facilities; and domestic and international shipping.

"Students pay by the item and Collegeboxes picks up those items, places them in storage for the summer, and delivers them back to students in the fall," Howell said. "We use customer service texting to keep parents and students informed, and they've let us know that is appreciated with their repeat business."

Collegeboxes has been moving students and storing items over the summer since 1999. Student communications go through Collegeboxes  not the school  so administrations are unburdened. Collegeboxes assumes all liability for possessions once they are in the care of the local team.

Interested in your school becoming our 117th partner institution in California? Just contact the Collegeboxes team at collegeboxes.com/contact-us .

About U-HAUL

Founded in 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers with more than 23,000 rental locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. The enhanced U-Haul app makes it easier for customers to use U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 to access trucks anytime through the self-dispatch and self-return options on their smartphones through our patented Live Verify technology. Our customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to 192,200 trucks, 138,500 trailers and 44,500 towing devices. U-Haul is the third largest self-storage operator in North America with 967,000 rentable units and 83.3 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities. U-Haul is the top retailer of propane in the U.S. and the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry. Get the U-Haul app from them App Store or Google Play .

Contact:

Yasmine Esparza

Jeff Lockridge

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 602-263-6981

Website: uhaul.com

SOURCE U-Haul
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), one of the world's largest scientific societies and publisher of the Science family of journals, will celebrate its new class of fellows in the nation's capital later this year.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), one of the world's largest general scientific societies, has elected Gladstone Senior Investigator Katie Pollard, PhD, into its new class of AAAS Fellows, a lifetime honor within the scientific community.

AAAS recognized Pollard for her "distinguished contributions to the field of computational biology and bioinformatics, particularly her discovery of human accelerated regions, and development of open-source software for gene expression, comparative genomics, and microbiomes."

In being named a lifetime AAAS Fellow, Katie Pollard receives one of the most distinctive honors within the scientific community. Shes noted by AAAS for her pioneering work in computational biology, bioinformatics, and genomics.

"This year's class embodies scientific excellence, fosters trust in science throughout the communities they serve, and leads the next generation of scientists while advancing scientific achievements," says Sudip S. Parikh, PhD, AAAS chief executive officer and executive publisher of the Science family of journals.

Pollardwho also serves as director of the Gladstone Institute of Data Science and Biotechnology, a professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at UC San Francisco, and a Chan Zuckerberg Biohub investigatorleads teams of scientists who develop statistical and computational methods to decode how genomes work, evolve, and break in disease. By analyzing massive sets of genomic and epigenomic data, Pollard and her teams have gained a greater understanding of human genetic variation, what makes humans unique compared to other species, and genomic diversity of the human microbiome.

"I'm honored to be named an AAAS Fellow, joining the ranks of some of the most noted scientists in history," Pollard says. "I'm very much aligned with the AAAS mission to advance science and serve society, which is what we're doing every day in the lab and as we collaborate with our peers."

Pollard also is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and a fellow of the California Academy of Sciences, among many other honors and awards.

In a landmark study published last year in Science, Pollard and her team analyzed how stretches of DNA called human accelerated regions (HARs) vary between humans and chimpanzees. HARs are nearly identical among all humans, but are different in all other mammals and therefore thought to confer human-specific traits. Through machine learning and lab experiments, Pollard and her team found that these human-specific structural changes in the genome may have created the right environment for HARs to evolve quickly in the human ancestor, after remaining almost the same over millions of years of mammal evolution.

Most recently, a team led by Pollard received a major grant from the Biswas Family Foundation to create the Biswas Center for Transformative Computational Cancer Biology, where scientists will fuse powerful machine learning with cutting-edge experimental technologies to help identify and prioritize new research avenues for cancer diagnosis and treatment. As with most of Pollard's work, findings will be freely shared with the scientific community to accelerate global research.

"Gladstone congratulates Katie on this major and well-deserved career achievement," says Gladstone President and Senior Investigator Deepak Srivastava, MD. "Katie's groundbreaking work in computational biology, artificial intelligence, and genomics has moved us closer to understanding the root causes of disease and how to address them. We're excited for all the discoveries yet to come."

With the addition of Pollard, Gladstone now has seven AAAS Fellows; the others are Sanders "Sandy" Williams (1992), Robert Mahley (1998), Warner Greene (2004), Jennifer Doudna (2008), Srivastava (2011), and Katerina Akassoglou (2021).

The latest class of AAAS fellows is comprised of 502 scientists, engineers, and innovators across 24 AAAS scientific disciplines, from biological sciences and chemistry to neuroscience and physics. Fellows will receive a certificate and a gold and blue rosette pin (representing science and engineering, respectively) to commemorate their election and will be celebrated in Washington, D.C., on September 21.

A tradition dating back to 1874, the AAAS Fellows program has recognized over the years notable scientists such as W.E.B DuBois, Maria Mitchell, Steven Chu, Ellen Ochoa, Irwin M. Jacobs, Alan Alda, Mae Jemison, and Ayanna Howard.

About Gladstone Institutes

Gladstone Institutes is an independent, nonprofit life science research organization that uses visionary science and technology to overcome disease. Established in 1979, it is located in the epicenter of biomedical and technological innovation, in the Mission Bay neighborhood of San Francisco. Gladstone has created a research model that disrupts how science is done, funds big ideas, and attracts the brightest minds.

Media Contact

Kelly Quigley

Gladstone Institutes

Director of Science Communications and Media Relations

[email protected]

SOURCE Gladstone Institutes
LOS ANGELES, April 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- COSRX, the go-to skincare brand among dermatologists, has set TikTok ablaze with its latest social media sensation - the #PatThePeptide TikTok challenge. Running from March 7th to the 20th, the #PatThePeptide TikTok Challenge has captured the attention of audiences nationwide including well-known dancers such as Liz Sanchez (@officiallizsanchez) and Rylee Arnold (@ryleearnold) from Dancing with the Stars. In testament to the resonance and impact of this initiative, the #COSRX hashtag amassed an incredible 4.3 billion cumulative views and the campaign's primary hashtag, #PatThePeptide, also surged past 77.9 million views. This skyrocketing success speaks volumes about the overwhelming popularity the #PatThePeptide campaign has garnered within the TikTok community.

COSRX, the go-to skincare brand among dermatologists, has set TikTok ablaze with its latest social media sensation - the #PatThePeptide TikTok challenge.

At the heart of this campaign lies COSRX's groundbreaking product, The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum. The campaign highlights the profound impact of this innovative serum, underlining its accessibility to all. Traditionally viewed as a luxury ingredient, COSRX has redefined peptides as an affordable and effective solution that caters to diverse skin types and routines. What's more, thanks to the incorporation of 6 various peptides, this serum acts to target a multitude of skin concerns ranging from skin elasticity, fine lines, pores, radiance, texture, hyperpigmentation and oil balance. Its hypoallergenic formulation also ensures it seamlessly slots into all skincare routines, complementing a range of active ingredients such as COSRX's The Retinol 0.1 Cream for wrinkles and firmness, The Niacinamide 15 Serum for acne, pores and sebum, Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence for hydration and plumping skin, and The Vitamin C 23 Serum for brightening and hyperpigmentation.

Since its launch on March 7th, over 7,500 posts featuring the #PatThePeptide filter have flooded TikTok, demonstrating widespread enthusiasm and engagement from users. The challenge's success can be attributed to its simple yet playful concept, encouraging users to share unique and entertaining content. The filter, designed to explain the easy, and simple nature of incorporating peptides into one's routine, encourages users to "pat the peptide" as the first step in their routine to take advantage of the formulations efficacy boosting nature to elevate skincare results. This user-friendly approach has resulted in a significant increase in users engaging with the filter, making the benefits of peptides more accessible and enjoyable.

Within just one week of the challenge's launch, the demand for COSRX's peptide serum soared, resulting in it being sold-out across all sales platforms including COSRX TikTok Shop US, COSRX.com, Amazon US, and Ulta.

"We are thrilled to witness the immense enthusiasm and passion generated by the #PatThePeptide TikTok challenge," said a COSRX representative. "The accessibility and simplicity of incorporating peptides into skincare routines have resonated deeply with our audience, translating into increased product adoption and engagement."

The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum is currently available for purchase on COSRX TikTok Shop US, COSRX.com, Amazon US, and Ulta.

About COSRX

With its powerful yet affordable skincare solutions, COSRX has quickly become one of America's favorite skincare brands. Using a minimal number of highly effective natural extracts in concentrated doses, COSRX products deliver visible results by treating the skin with only the essentials it needs and nothing it doesn't. Find its best-selling skincare solutions at retailers nationwide, including Amazon, ULTA, JCPenney, Target and Dermstore.

SOURCE COSRX
Keynote speakers for the event included Johnson City Mayor Dr. Todd Fowler, and Vice President of Operations for LBA Hospitality, Scott Reid. The hotel's deep-rooted connections to the community were highlighted by support from the Johnson City Chamber of Commerce and underscored by General Manager Steven Bales' active role on the Board of Directors with Visit Johnson City.

Guests were treated to an array of refreshments, exclusive tours showcasing the hotel renovations, and a champagne toast commemorating this new chapter for the hotel.

"This renovation showcases LBA's commitment to delivering exceptional hospitality experiences, adapting to the dynamic preferences of our guests, and bolstering the local economy," stated Farrah Adams, Chief Operating Officer of LBA Hospitality. "The significant investment by Flynn Properties, Inc. in revitalizing the hotel is more than an upgradeit's a catalyst for fostering community connections and supporting growth in Johnson City."

First opened in 2009, Courtyard Johnson City is owned by Flynn Properties and managed by LBA Hospitality. The rejuvenated three-story hotel features 90 guest rooms and suites with amenities including a Bistro and bar, sparkling outdoor pool, and cozy fire pit. Following the extensive refresh, the hotel boasts a modern, inviting atmosphere, where each space has been thoughtfully enhanced to provide guests with comfort and convenience.

For further information about Courtyard by Marriott Johnson City or to book a stay, please visit www.marriott.com/trijc or contact the hotel at 423-262-0275.

About LBA Hospitality

Established in 1973, LBA Hospitality is one of the leading hotel management, development, and consulting companies in the US. With an extensive portfolio of award-winning hotels in the East, Southeast, and Southwest, LBA Hospitality is a recognized leader in developing and operating the most respected brands under Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Best Western, and InterContinental Hotel Group franchise licenses. For more than five decades, LBA Hospitality has continued to set a higher standard in hotel development, management, and guest satisfaction, resulting in sustained, profitable growth for owners. For more information, visit www.lbahospitality.com.

About Flynn Properties, Inc.

Flynn Properties Inc. has substantial experience in commercial and hospitality real estate investment. Founded in 1994 and based in San Francisco, CA, Flynn Properties has owned in excess of 3 million square feet of tech-oriented office buildings on the West Coast. In addition to 114 premium-branded select service and extended stay hotels, Flynn Properties' hospitality investments also include the luxury resorts Esperanza and the Chileno Bay Resort, both located in Los Cabos, Mexico, the Carneros Resort and Solage, both located in the Napa Valley, the Hotel Madeline in Telluride, and the Huntington Hotel in San Francisco. Its affiliate, Flynn Group, is the largest franchise operator in the world, owning and operating more than 2,600 restaurants and fitness clubs in 44 states and Australia, generating $4.6 billion in sales and employing more than 75,000 people.

Press Contact:

Melanie Shammout

LBA Hospitality [email protected]

SOURCE LBA Hospitality
In this unpredictable weather, it's essential to ensure that your vehicle's battery is in optimal condition.

CHICAGO, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Although spring is officially here, weather in North America remains erratic with late-season snow, continued rain, then sunshine and warm days all occurring across the country. In this unpredictable weather, it's essential to ensure that your vehicle's battery is in optimal condition. CTEK, a global leader in battery management solutions, offers valuable tips to help drivers maintain their batteries and avoid unexpected breakdowns during the changing seasons.

CTEK Offers Tips For Spring Weather Car Battery Maintenance

"With the arrival of spring, it's important for drivers to pay attention to their vehicle's battery health," said Bobbie DuMelle, President CTEK North America. "By following these simple maintenance tips, drivers can ensure that their batteries are ready to perform reliably in changing weather conditions."

Inspect Your Battery: Start by visually inspecting your battery for any signs of corrosion, leaks, or damage. Clean the terminals and connections if necessary and tighten any loose connections to ensure a secure fit.

Check Battery Voltage: Use a digital battery tester or multimeter to check the voltage of your battery. A fully charged battery should read around 12.6 volts. If the voltage is significantly lower, it may indicate that the battery needs to be charged or replaced.

Monitor Fluid Levels: If you have a traditional flooded lead-acid battery, check the electrolyte levels regularly and top up with distilled water if necessary. Be cautious when handling battery acid and wear appropriate protective gear.

Protect Against Corrosion: Apply a battery terminal protectant or corrosion inhibitor to prevent corrosion buildup on the terminals and connections. This will help ensure a reliable electrical connection and extend the life of your battery.

Consider a Battery Maintainer: For vehicles that are not driven frequently, such as classic cars or seasonal vehicles, consider using a battery maintainer to keep the battery fully charged and in good condition. The CTEK MXS 5.0 features capabilities for improved charging in all weather. The MXS 5.0 is the perfect charger for the user with multiple vehicle types and higher demand battery charging and maintenance requirements. The MXS 5.0 offers features such as a special reconditioning function that restores stratified and deeply discharged batteries, unique maintenance charging, and the charging of demanding AGM. The charger has a built-in temperature sensor and is splash and dustproof, designed to protect vehicle electronics and non-sparking, reverse polarity protected, and short-circuit proof, and offers a unique eight-step approach to battery care.

Charge Regularly: Spring weather can be unpredictable, with temperature fluctuations that can affect battery performance. To prevent battery drain, especially if your vehicle is parked for extended periods, consider using a battery maintainer like the MXS 5.0 to maintain optimal charge levels.

Be Prepared for Emergencies: Keep a product like the CTEK CS FREE in your vehicle in case of emergencies. The CS FREE is the ultimate all-in-one solution to quickly power up dead batteries safely, without risk of damaging your battery or vehicle electronics. Additionally, the CS FREE doubles as a high-tech power bank, allowing you to charge your USB-devices, whenever they need it, ensuring you are always connected on the go.

For more information on battery maintenance and management solutions, visit

www.smartercharger.com.

About CTEK

Established in Dalarna, Sweden , CTEK is the leading global brand in vehicle charging solutions.

, CTEK is the leading global brand in vehicle charging solutions. CTEK offers products ranging from 12V and 24V battery chargers to charging solutions for electrical vehicles. CTEK's E-mobility solutions range from individual EV chargers to larger corporate and commercial installations with multiple charging stations, that require load balancing and integrate seamlessly with monitoring and payment equipment.

CTEK's products are sold via a carefully selected network of global distributors and retailers: as original equipment; supplied to more than 50 of the world's leading vehicle manufacturers; and through charge point operators, property owners and other organizations/individuals providing EV charging infrastructure.

CTEK takes pride in its unique culture based on a passion for innovation and a deep commitment to supporting the transition to a greener mobility, by adhering to industry leading ESG standards.

Press Contact:

Michelle Suzuki

310-444-7115

SOURCE CTEK
FRISCO, Texas, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Texas Center for Student Supports (TCSS) has chosen DialCare as an approved vendor for the Texas Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) under the category entitled "Software that Supports Students & Schools in Mental & Behavioral Health & Well-being." DialCare is one of five vendors selected and the only Texas-based company.

The Stronger Connections Grant is a federal initiative that aims to help schools establish safe, healthy and supportive learning opportunities and environments. Started through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), SCGs are disbursed by State Educational Agencies to their high-need school districts, including those that have high rates of poverty, bullying, violence and deficiencies in mental health staffing. Under the grant program, The Texas Education Agency (TEA) received over $93 million to support the ongoing needs of the Texas students, educators, families and communities.

"DialCare is proud to be a resource for recipients of the Texas Stronger Connections Grant," DialCare senior vice president Becca Bean said. "With the prevalence of mental health conditions among our youth and the critical need for early intervention, virtual care can be a transformative investment toward students' well-being inside and outside the classroom."

Recipients of the Texas SCG can now use funding to implement Dialogue, DialCare's virtual student counseling program. Designed as a resource for middle and high school students to seek a safe, secure and private means of accessing care, Dialogue virtually connects students with mental health professionals via phone or video chat for assistance with a multitude of behavioral health conditions. Dialogue services are available nationwide from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. across all time zones seven days a week and at no cost to students or their families.

"The Dialogue program was created to be a resource for schools that lack the funds and staff necessary to support their students' mental health," DialCare Chief Operations Officer Jeremy Hedrick said. "As these deserving districts are getting the financial support needed, Dialogue's services provide additional support needed for their staff. By giving students the ability to virtually connect with professionals about their mental health, we aim to alleviate the burden on counselors, teachers and administrators so they can focus on academic needs."

"DialCare is thrilled for the opportunity to serve students in our home state through the Texas Stronger Connections Grant," DialCare Chief Executive Officer Stewart Sweda said. "While others in the virtual care industry have seemingly struggled to maintain momentum post-pandemic, DialCare only continues to grow and expand the verticals in which we offer our solutions."

Beyond the Dialogue program, DialCare also offers several other telehealth solutions including Physician Access, Mental Wellness, Teledentistry and Virtual Vet. DialCare's telehealth programs are available to organizations of any size or industry, employees of any status, brokers, benefits consultants and individual consumers nationwide.

About DialCare

DialCare is an innovative industry leader committed to providing affordable access to virtual care to help people improve their overall health and well-being. Across a robust suite of virtual health services, DialCare offers seven comprehensive, high-demand telehealth solutions, including a Physician Access program that provides 24/7/365 access to non-emergency care from a national network of U.S.-based, fully credentialed physicians and virtual primary care for long-term care of chronic conditions with dedicated physicians; a Mental Wellness program that provides virtual counseling and psychiatry with licensed mental health professionals for mental and behavioral health care; a Teledentistry program for 24/7/365 access to consultations with licensed dentists via video or phone chat; and a Virtual Vet program that provides 24/7/365 access to guidance and information from licensed veterinary professionals. DialCare is available nationally to consumers and organizations of any size or industry. DialCare's virtual care solutions are available as standalone products or as part of a bundled offering. For more information on DialCare, please visit DialCare.com.

Contact:

Jamie Saunders

Vice President of Marketing and Communications

DialCare

Email: jamies@careington.com

Phone: (800) 441-0380 ext. 2902

SOURCE DialCare
NEW YORK, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global dimethyl ether market market size is estimated to grow by USD 8326.35 mn from 2023 to 2027, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 14.44% during the forecast period. APAC held the largest share of the global market in 2022, and the market in the region is estimated to witness an incremental growth of 87%.

To understand more about this market- Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes!

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Dimethyl Ether Market Market 2023-2027

Major Players in the Market

Numerous companies are capitalizing on this growing trend by implementing strategic measures such as alliances, partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions. Among the notable players in the cheese based snacks market are:

Aerosolex, Akzo Nobel NV, Grillo Werke AG, Haldor Topsoes Alle1, JGC Holdings Corp., Linde Plc, LyondellBasell Industries NV, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Co. Inc., Nouryon Chemicals Holding BV, Oberon Fuels Inc., PCC Rokita SA, S and P Global Inc., Shell International B.V., The Chemours Co., thyssenkrupp AG, Toyo Engineering Corp., Zagros Petrochemical Co.

Analyst Review

The Dimethyl Ether (DME) market is a significant segment in the integrated gas and new energies industry. DME, also known as methoxymethane, is derived from various raw materials such as Natural Gas, Coal, and Biomass. It is a colorless and odorless gas with a low boiling point, making it an ideal transportation fuel and aerosol propellant. DME has a low sulfur content, making it a preferred choice over traditional fuels in the petrochemical industry. It is also used as an LPG blending component in the downstream sector. The Dimethyl Ether market is expanding as it is considered a clean-burning fuel with no poisonous gas emissions. Energy sources like LNG are also used in the production of DME. The market for DME is expected to grow as it is used in various applications, including as a solvent and in the production of methanol.

Key Market Drivers

The Dimethyl Ether (DME) market is gaining momentum as an eco-friendly energy source, addressing the global concern of pollution and hazardous emissions. With stringent environmental regulations, the automotive industry and vehicle sector are shifting towards cleaner alternatives, making DME a profitable choice. The DME industry's growth is driven by its application in enhanced oil recovery, LPG blending, and as a transportation fuel. This competitive market is witnessing growth strategies such as innovations, mergers and acquisitions, collaborations, and partnerships. Coal-based ethanol and natural gas are significant raw materials for DME production. The industry's expansion includes new energies like LNG and Methoxy methane. Government regulations are crucial in promoting the use of DME as a cleaner alternative to traditional fuels. DME's versatility extends to aerosol propellant and downstream applications in integrated gas and new energies. As the market continues to evolve, DME's role in reducing greenhouse gases, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, particulate matter, and carbon monoxide emissions will remain a key focus.

Challenges and Opportunities

The Dimethyl Ether (DME) market is experiencing challenges due to the increasing popularity of electric vehicles and the shift towards cleaner energy sources. DME, a colorless and odorless gas with a low boiling point, is used as a solvent, fuel, and in enhanced oil recovery. It is less harmful than methanol and does not produce poisonous gases during combustion. However, its sulfur content can be a concern, particularly in the automotive industry and vehicle sector. Geographically, the DME market is influenced by government regulations aimed at reducing environmental pollution and hazardous emissions. The market is competitive, with growth strategies including mergers and acquisitions, collaborations and partnerships, and innovations. The petrochemical industry is a significant consumer of DME, using it for pressure and storage purposes. Despite its clean burning property, the use of DME is being hindered by the rising adoption of electric vehicles and increasing LPG imports. The market is also influenced by energy sources, with coal-based ethanol being a potential alternative. Sulfur content remains a challenge, with stricter environmental regulations limiting its use. Overall, the DME market faces a complex landscape, requiring careful consideration of geopolitical, regulatory, and technological factors.

The Dimethyl Ether (DME) industry is experiencing significant growth in emerging economies, including India, Indonesia, Brazil, and China. DME, also known as methoxymethane, is derived from various raw materials such as natural gas, coal, and biomass. It is a versatile compound with applications as a transportation fuel, aerosol propellant, and LPG blending agent. In the downstream sector, DME is used as an integrated gas in new energies, LNG, and as a solvent for various purposes. DME is a clean-burning fuel with no poisonous gas emissions, making it an attractive alternative to traditional energy sources. Its colorless and odorless property, low boiling point, and high energy content make it an ideal substitute for LPG in power generation and transportation. With increasing population and automotive adoption, the demand for DME is expected to rise. The DME market is subject to environmental regulations due to its potential sulfur content. Geographically, the petrochemical industry is a significant consumer of DME. The industry's shift towards cleaner energy sources and the growing focus on reducing reliance on petrochemicals is driving the DME market's profitability. The competitive market is witnessing growth strategies such as innovations, mergers and acquisitions, and collaborations and partnerships. The coal-based ethanol production is also gaining traction as a sustainable alternative to traditional fossil fuels. Despite the challenges, the DME market's future looks promising, with potential applications in enhanced oil recovery and the automotive industry.

To understand more about this market- Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes!

Market Overview

The Dimethyl Ether (DME) market is a significant segment in the energy industry, driven by its use as a clean-burning fuel and a feedstock for the production of other chemicals. Ethylene, industry, methanol, and synthesis gas are integral components in the DME production process. The raw materials for DME production are natural gas and methanol. The market for DME is growing, with major players including Downtream, Markets, Inc., and Shell. The demand for DME is increasing due to its use as a transportation fuel, particularly in the European Union and China. The LPG and Blending companies are major consumers of DME. The market is also driven by the growing demand for cleaner fuels and the increasing use of DME as a feedstock in the production of other chemicals. The future of the DME market looks promising, with potential applications in the aviation industry and as a replacement for diesel fuel in heavy-duty vehicles. The market is expected to grow at a significant rate, driven by these factors and the increasing awareness of the environmental benefits of using DME as a fuel.

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
Sixteen Fully Interactive Dinosaur Sculptures Illustrate STEAM Principles in this Amazing Blend of Science, Art and Innovation

DEARBORN, Mich., April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Henry Ford presents Dinosaurs in Motion from June 9 to September 8 in Henery Ford Museum of American Innovation. Dinosaurs in Motion is a new, interactive, engaging STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics) exhibition that is truly for visitors of all ages. This exhibition engages and educates by using 16 magnificent, fully interactive, recycled life-size metal dinosaur sculptures inspired by actual fossils.

Dinosaurs in Motion exhibition at The Henry Ford.

Dinosaurs in Motion is an amazing blend of science, art and innovation. The life-sized metal sculptures captivate visitors while their exposed mechanics illustrate science and technology principles in a fun and engaging way. The exhibition weaves the science, art and innovation themes throughout and touches on each of these educational topics at each sculpture. The art portions highlight sketching, drawing, and sculpting; the science segments explore kinetics, biomechanics, and robotics; and the innovation areas encourage observing and experimenting.

The exhibition's narrative is reinforced with experiential learning, as every dinosaur is available for visitors to touch and move. Visitors will have the unique ability to manipulate dinosaurs via lever and pulley systems, as well as with remote controls, offering large-scale dinosaur interaction unprecedented in a museum setting. Additionally, visitors will be able to test out their own artistic creativity and newfound technological inspiration with hands-on activities at the Innovation Stations, where they can create a variety of art and science projects of their own.

The moving, human element to the exhibition lies in the story of the artist, John Payne, who truly is the heart of Dinosaurs in Motion. Through video and interactives, visitors will walk away with Payne's inspiring message: "If you can dream it, you can do it." The exhibition is one that inspires guests to learn, discover and create!

"Dinosaurs in Motion is the most unique dinosaur exhibition touring right now. No other exhibition using the dinosaur brand offers this level of interactivity in the areas of STEAM," said Tom Zaller, CEO and President of Imagine Exhibitions. "We are excited to present these incredible works of art in a tactile way that really speaks to the most important educational topics in our culture."

For updates on hours, tickets and more, visit thf.org or follow The Henry Ford on social media @thehenryford. The Henry Ford is a proud official partner of Museums for All, a signature access program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services to encourage lifelong museum going habits.

About The Henry Ford

Located in Dearborn, Michigan, The Henry Ford is a globally recognized destination that fosters inspiration and learning from hands-on encounters with artifacts representing the most comprehensive collection anywhere focusing on innovation, ingenuity, and resourcefulness. Its unique venues include Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Benson Ford Research Center, Giant Screen Experience and Henry Ford Academy, a public charter high school. The Henry Ford inspires every individual to unlock their potential and help shape a better future through a variety of channels, including its online presence thehenryford.org, its Emmy-winning national television series, The Henry Ford's Innovation Nation, and The Henry Ford's Invention Convention Worldwide, a global K-12 invention education curricular program that teaches students problem-solving, entrepreneurship, and creativity skills. With the support of a growing community of affiliates and supporters, The Henry Ford is the home of RTX Invention Convention U.S. Nationals, Invention Convention Americas and Invention Convention Michigan.

About Imagine Exhibitions

Imagine Exhibitions is currently producing over 40 unique exhibitions globally in museums, science centers, zoos, integrated resorts, and non-traditional venues, with millions of people around the world visiting our exhibitions each year. In addition to developing successful traveling exhibitions, Imagine Exhibitions designs, opens, and operates permanent installations and venues, and consults on building, expanding, and directing museums and attractions. With decades of diverse experience in the museum and entertainment industries, Imagine Exhibitions consistently develops exhibitions that educate and excite while exceeding attendance goals. For more information, visit www.ImagineExhibitions.com or find us on Facebook.

SOURCE The Henry Ford
LOS ANGELES, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Distinguished geochemist, space scientist, and Director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Dr. Laurie Leshin will be honored as the 2024 Woman of the Year by THE MUSES of the California Science Center Foundation. The annual luncheon, which will take place on Thursday, April 25, 2024 at the Jonathan Town Club in Los Angeles, honors women who are leaders and trailblazers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), business, or academia.

Distinguished geochemist, space scientist, and Director of NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Dr. Laurie Leshin will be honored as the 2024 Woman of the Year by THE MUSES of the California Science Center Foundation on Thursday, April 25, 2024 at the Jonathan Town Club in Los Angeles.

Dr. Leshin is also a pioneer  the first woman to serve as the Director of JPL in its 87-year history, a role that includes serving as Vice President and Bren Professor of Geochemistry and Planetary Science at Caltech, which manages JPL for NASA. At JPL, Dr. Leshin oversees Earth and space science research, space technology development and more than 40 active space missions in Earth science, astrophysics, and planetary science to help humanity better understand Earth's changing climate, expand knowledge about our solar system and beyond. With a career including leadership roles in academia, senior management at NASA, and presidential appointments, she continues to be a member of NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover science team.

Dr. Leshin graduated with a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Arizona State University, and master's and doctoral degrees in geochemistry from Caltech. She is a recipient of NASA's Outstanding Leadership Medal and Distinguished Public Service Medal, and of the Meteoritical Society's Nier Prize, awarded for outstanding research in meteoritics or planetary science by a scientist under the age of 35. The International Astronomical Union recognized her contributions to planetary science with the naming of asteroid 4922 Leshin.

The annual Woman of the Year luncheon is the major fundraiser that allows THE MUSES to support youth education programs of the California Science Center. Proceeds help to fund educational programming for children from underserved communities who are historically underrepresented in STEM fields, including scholarships to Hands-On Science Camp, Young Curators after-school enrichment programs, and Community Teen internship opportunities at the Science Center.

Tickets to the Woman of the Year luncheon are $180 each, with sponsorships of tables for 10 beginning at $1,800. To RSVP and obtain tickets, or for further information, please contact Michelle Conrad at 323-465-1261 or [email protected]

About THE MUSES

Like the mythological figures for which they are named, THE MUSES strive to be patrons of learning to stimulate innovation in science education. Over six decades after the group was established in 1962, their membership and spirit of commitment continues to grow. Today, THE MUSES encourage public goodwill and provide financial assistance for youth education programs of the California Science Center, contributing to the Science Center's role as a world-class learning institution for children, families, students, and educators.

More information about THE MUSES and the luncheon is available at: https://californiasciencecenter.org/volunteer/the-muses

About the California Science Center

The California Science Center is a dynamic destination where children, families, and people of all ages can explore the wonders of science through hands-on exhibits, live demonstrations, innovative programs, and awe-inspiring large-format movies. The California Science Center and IMAX Theater are located in historic Exposition Park just west of the Harbor (110) Freeway at 700 Exposition Park Drive. The Science Center is open daily from 10:00 a.m.  5:00 p.m. General admission to the Science Center is free; daily parking at Exposition Park is $15.

Media Contact: Kristina Kurasz Cutting

(213) 744-7446 | [email protected]

SOURCE California Science Center Foundation
ATLANTA, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Clark Atlanta University's HBCU Executive Leadership Institute (HBCU ELI) proudly announced that Executive Director and 18th President of Bennett College, Dr. Phyllis Worthy Dawkins, was selected to receive the Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) 2024 'Arch of Triumph Award.'

Dr. Phyllis Worthy Dawkins, HBCU Executive Leadership Institute Executive Director, To Receive the Johnson C. Smith 2024 Arch of Triumph Award

The awardees will be honored on Saturday, April 6, 2024 at JCSU's 13th Annual Gala inside the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, NC. The event is one of many celebrating the Inauguration of JCSU's 15th President, Dr. Valerie Kinloch, who is also an HBCU ELI Inaugural Presidential Fellow.

The JCSU community annually honors those who have positively impacted their community, the University and the gala's overarching mission. Noted as the University's marquee community event, the gala also benefits the JCSU Fund, which empowers the University to provide innovative and challenging academic programs, as well as critical financial support for its students.

Dr. Dawkins served as the 18th President of Bennett College. Under her leadership, Bennett went through a dramatic transformation, including significant annual enrollment and retention increases. The college also gained national attention and praise because of Dawkins' efforts to lead a successful bipartisan legislative effort. The legislation that Dawkins' spearheaded with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) enabled Bennett and other Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to receive deferments on payments to the HBCU Capital Finance Loan Program. These efforts eventually led to a $1 billion dollar loan forgiveness for all HBCUs. Since Dawkins departure, Bennett has used the resulting $9.2 million from the 'Stand With Bennett' 60-day campaign, the deferment, and loan forgiveness to stabilize financially.

"I'm grateful to my family at JCSU for this esteemed recognition and the opportunity to celebrate one of our inaugural ELI fellows, Dr. Valeria Kinloch," said Dr. Phyllis Worthy Dawkins, Executive Director of the HBCU Executive Leadership program and former President of Bennett College. "This is a full circle moment and affirms our commitment at HBCU ELI and the work we do to identify and cultivate the next generation of HBCU Leaders."

"Dr. Dawkins' contribution to HBCU ELI cannot be overstated. Before equity and inclusion became institutional buzzwords, she was dedicated to increasing leadership and diversity within higher education. She truly embodies CAU's core values," said Dr. George T. French, Jr., President, Clark Atlanta University. "We applaud her unwavering support of HBCUs and making the Executive Leadership Institute a flagship initiative."

The HBCU Executive Leadership Institute endeavors to bolster the readiness of future HBCU presidents and executive leaders. Through the development of a performance-based program, it seeks to actively involve aspiring leaders in authentic HBCU contexts, fostering a learning environment where proficiency can be honed and demonstrated in real-time scenarios.

Now in its fourth year, HBCU ELI has held a pivotal role in cultivating the next generation of leaders within HBCUs. Nearly 100 Fellows have completed the program's robust curriculum and received micro-credentials.

The need for increased funding at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) is underscored by statistics from the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). According to UNCF, despite enrolling only 8% of all African American students in higher education, HBCUs graduate 17% of all African American students earning bachelor's degrees. However, HBCUs receive only about 3% of philanthropic contributions to higher education, highlighting a critical funding gap that affects their ability to provide quality education and leadership development.

For more information about the HBCU Executive Leadership Institute at Clark Atlanta University, please click here.

About The HBCU Executive Leadership Institute

The HBCU Executive Leadership Institute at Clark Atlanta University (HBCU ELI) equips high-potential leaders with tools and strategies that support the education and business goals of more than 100 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Through HBCU ELI's comprehensive curriculum, mentorship opportunities, and hands-on experiences, the institute prepares Fellows to take on executive roles and drive positive change within the HBCU community. In addition to granting thousands of degrees each year, HBCUs also boast illustrious alumni like Martin Luther King, Jr., Oprah Winfrey, and Vice President Kamala Harris, among others. For program updates and to apply for the inaugural cohort, visit hbcueli.com. Join the conversation on social media @hbcueli; #hbcueli.

Media Contacts:

Lalohni Campbell, [email protected]

Press Contact: Lalohni Campbell, 404-593-7145, https://hbcueli.com/

SOURCE The HBCU Executive Leadership Institute
WASHINGTON, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- EARTHDAY.ORG , the global force behind Earth Day, is partnering with the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA), the leading trade group representing the entire out of home (OOH) advertising industry, for the sixth year in a row! OAAA and their membership are supporting the launch of a national (OOH) campaign to help shine a light on the dangers of plastics to human health.

EARTHDAY.ORG, the global force behind Earth Day, is partnering with the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) on a campaign created with Extra Credit Projects.

The EARTHDAY.ORG Theme for 2024 is PLANET VS PLASTICS and has been driving home the message that plastics are not inert. Research is finding that plastics break down into tiny fragments called microplastics, which leach out toxic plastic chemicals. They are both associated with a wide range of human health issues from Alzheimer's to strokes to male infertility to obesity.

"Plastics in one form or another have contaminated our soil, our air and our water," said Kathleen Rogers, the President of EARTHDAY.ORG. "Plastics are in our food chain and by default, inside all of us, and we are inhaling them in from the air we breathe. It's important that the public knows this  and that we bring this crucial issue to the forefront of consumers' minds."

Babies seem the most at risk with evidence microplastics can interrupt maternal-fetal communication and potentially damage DNA . Reports have linked microplastics to autism and other endocrine disruption issues which can amongst other things manifest as early onset puberty , as well as association with some cancers , including in the prostate gland of fetuses .

"Helping to drive awareness around this important and widespread issue is what out of home is made for  delivering larger-than-life impact and engagement with the masses. These are big problems to solve, and we need to harness big, bold storytelling to help solve them," said Anna Bager, President and CEO, OAAA.

Media partners can download the creative here.

"This incredible campaign devised by our friends at the creative agency Extra Credit Projects and supported by OAAA, is about alerting the public to the dangers of plastics and their additive chemicals. It is forthright because EARTHDAY.ORG believes that the plastic industry doesn't give a fork about the planet," said Tom Cosgrove, Chief Creative and Content Officer for EARTHDAY.ORG.

To help generate even more awareness, share pictures of our creative, tag EARTHDAY.ORG, OAAA , and use the hashtag #PlanetvsPlastics .

About EARTHDAY.ORG: EARTHDAY.ORG's founders created and organized the very first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. Since then, EARTHDAY.ORG has mobilized over 1 billion people annually on Earth Day, and every other day, to protect the planet. EARTHDAY.ORG's mission is to diversify, educate, and activate the environmental movement worldwide. EARTHDAY.ORG is the world's largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 150,000 partners in nearly 192 countries to build environmental democracy. Learn more at EARTHDAY.ORG . It's not a day, it's a movement.

For Media Inquiries: On how plastic harms human health & loads more.

Sarah Davies, [email protected] , +1 240 463 1341

About OAAA

The Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) is the national trade association for the entire out of home (OOH) advertising industry. OAAA represents over 800 members, including leading media companies, advertisers, agencies, ad-tech providers, and suppliers. OOH media includes billboards, street furniture, transit, place-based media, and digital formats (DOOH) across every sector of the channel. OAAA is the unifying voice for the industry, the authoritative thought leader, and the passionate advocate for advancing OOH advertising in the United States. The legislative unit of OAAA advocates for the responsible growth of OOH with federal, state, and local governments. OAAA-member media companies donate over $500 million annually in public service advertising. Founded in 1891, OAAA is headquartered in Washington, DC, with offices in New York City. To learn more, visit oaaa.org.

For Media Inquiries: On OOH's role in this campaign and OAAA's partnership with EARTHDAY - Christine Galetto, [email protected]

SOURCE EARTHDAY.ORG
WASHINGTON, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Eleanor Crook Foundation (ECF) and CRI Foundation have made a $1.5 million investment with Action Against Hunger to accelerate local adaptation and country-led uptake of the new global malnutrition guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO). Implementation of the newly updated WHO guidelines has the potential to dramatically reduce global child deaths through the application of updated evidence on the prevention and treatment of child wasting, the deadliest form of malnutrition. CRI Foundation is a co-investor in the partnership with Action Against Hunger, sharing a commitment to translate the guidelines into action and save lives. Their investment will support partnerships for countries in Africa.

Through a multi-country approach, Action Against Hunger will work with the leadership of governments in the Central African Republic, Republic of Cote d'Ivoire, Mauritania, Tanzania, and the Lao People's Democratic Republic to expedite the adoption of the new WHO guidelines at the national level. Additional countries are being confirmed and may be added to this initiative in the coming months. Action Against Hunger will facilitate a consultative approach aligned with each government's priorities and processes, and engage with each country's network of partners, including UN agencies, to update national wasting policies. This work began at the start of the year and will continue throughout 2024.

Dr. Phonesavanh, Director General of the Laos Ministry of Health, Centre of Nutrition, said: "This is a timely opportunity, as our current National Guidelines [were] written six years ago and our direct users have had several comments on the need to update [them] and align with the global standards. This will be a significant and helpful change in our service delivery as we continue to provide the best lifesaving care for our children, considering the ever-changing clinical practice around the world. We are grateful for the Eleanor Crook Foundation and Action Against Hunger for taking this much needed initiative and the support from our development partners."

In Tanzania, Dr. Ntuli Kapologwe, Director of Preventive Services, stated: "The project is very well aligned to the National priorities, and it is very important to include all small and big nutrition stakeholders during the guidelines review process."

The WHO released the guideline update on the Prevention and Management of Wasting and Nutrition Oedema in 2023. A decade had passed since the last issuance of WHO wasting guidelines. During that time, transformative research on the prevention and treatment of wasting was conducted, significantly advancing the evidence base to more effectively address this pervasive global problem. ECF highlights the most striking recommendations in a blog post here .

The guidelines arrived at a crucial moment; 45 million children around the world are currently estimated to suffer from wasting, and the crisis has deepened in recent years due to the effects of climate change, conflict, and global economic volatility. ECF, along with others, contributed funding for the guideline development process; funders did not participate in any decisions related to WHO's process or recommendations.

The WHO guidelines inspired great interest from government stakeholders around the world, and in response, ECF issued a call for expressions of interest to expedite adoption in interested countries. Action Against Hunger is well positioned to undertake this work, as their staff have extensive experience in conducting evaluations of national wasting programs and assisting national governments in reviewing and updating their processes for treating child wasting.

"The creation of the new WHO Wasting Guidelines is a significant milestone for those in the nutrition space and presents a unique opportunity to holistically prevent and treat wasting through the adoption of evidence-based practices," said Tobias Stillman, Director, Technical Services, Action Against Hunger-USA. "It's critical that key implementers, like Action Against Hunger, seize this moment to push for rapid uptake of the new guidelines to save lives, and we are grateful for our partners ECF and the CRI Foundation who share this sense of urgency."

"The updated WHO guidelines offer new possibilities for delivering life-saving wasting treatment and prevention more effectively and efficiently, once operationalized," said Will Moore, CEO of ECF. "ECF is thrilled to partner with Action Against Hunger, working under the leadership of national governments, to put action behind these improved malnutrition treatment procedures. Now is the time to scale up these revised approaches  because the sooner we put new policies into place, the more children's lives will be saved today and in generations to come."

About the Eleanor Crook Foundation (ECF) :

The Eleanor Crook Foundation is a growing U.S. philanthropy fighting to end global malnutrition through research, policy analysis, and advocacy.

About Action Against Hunger :

For 45 years, Action Against Hunger has led the global movement to end hunger, for everyone, for good. Action Against Hunger innovates solutions, advocates for change, and reaches 28 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs.

About CRI Foundation :

CRI is a private foundation with the mission of improving the lives of the world's ultra poor.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Eleanor Crook Foundation

Nyequai Harte, Associate Director of Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE The Eleanor Crook Foundation
BATON ROUGE, La., April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Envoc has been recognized as a 2024 Louisiana Growth Leader by Louisiana Economic Development (LED) for its exceptional contributions to the local community and state. This prestigious accolade was announced at the seventh annual Spotlight Louisiana event held on April 11th, 2024 at the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center. As an Honored Leader, Envoc will join an elite group of Louisiana businesses in the LED Growth Network.

Calvin Fabre, Founder and CEO of Envoc with Anne Villa, Deputy Secretary, LED

"This recognition is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the entire Envoc team," said Calvin Fabre, CEO of Envoc. "Our mission is to create a better reality for our clients and communities through a relentless commitment to innovation and creativity. As a past user of LED small business programs and a beneficiary of the Louisiana Digital Interactive Media and Software program, Envoc has reached new heights without selling our corporate soul to outside investors. We are proud to call Louisiana home and are honored to receive the 2024 Growth Leader award."

The Louisiana Growth Leaders selection process involves a statewide panel of economic development professionals who assess companies based on criteria such as growth, strategy, innovation, philanthropy, leadership, and company culture. Envoc's commitment to these qualities has significantly influenced its selection as a 2024 Louisiana Growth Leader.

"These are different kinds of businesses from different parts of the state, but they share one thing in common: they have all gone above and beyond, both as business owners and community leaders," Gov. Jeff Landry said. "I congratulate our honorees and encourage everyone to learn more about the impact these business leaders are having on our economy. They are role models for our future economic success."

"One of my top priorities as LED Secretary is to ensure we are shining a spotlight on the many assets Louisiana has as well as our business success stories," LED Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois said. "This dynamic group is a true representation of the outstanding products and services our great state has to offer. Tonight's awardees collectively generated more than $72 million in sales in 2022 to external markets beyond Louisiana, representing immense new wealth creation and opportunity for our state."

Detailed information about Envoc and other honorees can be found in the Louisiana's Entrepreneurial Engine (2024) publication, showcasing the businesses driving economic growth and innovation in the state.

About the LED Growth Network:



Launched in 2017, the LED Growth Network provides continued access to strategic business resources and growth opportunities including peer-to-peer learning, strategic information, leadership development, mentorship and more. The Network is constantly growing both in terms of new companies and additional resources designed to accelerate growth. The Network currently consists of about 700 companies that represent more than 22,700 full time equivalent employees and generate over $4.2 billion in annual sales. For more information, contact Christopher Cassagne at 225-342-5882 or email [email protected].

About Envoc

Envoc is a software design and development company based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. With a mission to create a better reality for its clients, employees, and community, Envoc masters complex software solutions for web and mobile applications, ensuring seamless design, development, and launch for public and corporate clients. Recognized as a top workplace and a leader in the industry, Envoc is committed to driving innovation and delivering exceptional value to its clients. For more information, contact Michael Lipe at 832-271-9485 or email at [email protected].

SOURCE Envoc
HEIDELBERG, Germany, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The European Wellness Biomedical Group (EWBG), in collaboration with the European Wellness Academy (EWA), the Baden Research Lab, and Heidelberg University, has announced substantial advances in Down Syndrome research, revealing new neuroanatomical insights that open the way for novel care methods.

This groundbreaking study, conducted by pioneers in bioregenerative medicine and education, uses modern MRI methods to demonstrate a link between cognitive ability and brain volume changes in people with Down Syndrome. These findings suggest that early intervention techniques enhance the quality of life for individuals afflicted.

EWBG, known for its groundbreaking work in stem cell therapy, has been at the forefront of this study, working closely with Heidelberg University. This collaboration demonstrates a shared commitment to transforming the care and treatment of Down Syndrome and associated diseases via cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs.

Prof. Dr Mike Chan, a crucial contributor in the study, emphasised the importance of bioregenerative medicine in this research. "Our findings represent a major step forward in understanding Down Syndrome," stated Prof. Dr Mike Chan. "Through applying stem cell therapy and other advanced treatments, we envision a future where tailored-care can significantly improve outcomes for these individuals."

The European Wellness Academy is critical in offering advanced training for healthcare professionals participating in this research, ensuring that the most recent advancements in bioregenerative medicine are incorporated into clinical practices. Meanwhile, Baden concentrates on creating a conducive research environment while Heidelberg University grows as a global leader in stem cell research and immunology, advancing the study's goals.

This joint project is a watershed moment in Down Syndrome research, setting a new standard for tackling and treating complicated neurological illnesses. By leveraging the potential of bioregenerative medicine, the partners engaged are making tremendous progress toward a future in which tailored and effective care for Down Syndrome is not only a possibility, but a reality.

CONTACT: EW Group Media Team, [email protected]

SOURCE EWBG
TEMPE, Ariz., April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is written by Dr. Steven Gonzales, Chancellor, Maricopa Community Colleges, a member of the American Association of Community Colleges.

Dr. Steven Gonzales, chancellor of Maricopa Community Colleges

For millions of Americans, community colleges have long been the entry point to higher education, bridging the gap between high school and the workforce or transferring to a university or college. Community colleges exemplify flexibility and practicality, offering a la carte workforce development training, professional certificates, associate degrees, transfer programs and now bachelor's degrees at some community colleges.

Integrating bachelor's degree programs within community colleges provides students with more choices, increases educational attainment, aligns curriculum with local workforce needs, and ensures a more inclusive path to higher education for everyone.

Community colleges remain synonymous with affordability and provide students with accessible and attainable solutions to achieve their post-secondary education goals. According to NerdWalllet , the total student loan debt is $1.74 trillion, leaving millions of Americans drowning in debt whether or not they graduate with a degree. As tuition continues to soar across our nation at four-year public and private universities and colleges, we must work together to ensure that access to higher education remains diverse, inclusive, equitable and, most importantly, affordable.

With less than half of the states across our nation allowing some, but not all, community colleges to offer bachelor's degree programs, as educators, we must continue to have open dialogue and meaningful conversations with changemakers centered around providing additional cost-effective learning opportunities that can significantly ease student loan debt for students and provide greater access to underserved students.

One solution to America's student loan crisis is allowing more community colleges the ability to offer affordable baccalaureate degrees in high-demand professions.

As chancellor of the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD), with 10 colleges and 31 satellite locations, I am proud to share that we have seen an overwhelming response with 2,713 students enrolled in our inaugural bachelor's degree programs that launched in Fall 2023. Many of the seven programs are at or hitting their target enrollment goals.

In the coming years, we will continue to develop innovative offerings that address critical workforce needs, including Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing later this fall and Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Business Administration-Accounting and Business Administration-Management in 2025.

A highly enticing draw to our bachelor's degree programs is the tuition cost of $145.50 per credit hour for 300-and 400-level courses. Our tuition is one-third of the cost of attending one of the three public universities in Arizona.

Most importantly, Maricopa Community Colleges accept the top 100% of all students who apply. By pursuing a bachelor's degree at a Maricopa Community College, students can take advantage of low or possibly no student loan debt when they graduate. In addition to affordability, community college bachelor's degrees offer students benefits such as smaller class sizes with more direct instruction and the opportunity to complete their bachelor's degree with the same exceptional faculty that they began their education with.

I know each state's law regarding the bachelor's degree programs community colleges can offer is different. According to Arizona law, community colleges offering bachelor's degrees must demonstrate both a workforce need and student demand  while also not unnecessarily duplicating programs already offered by traditional universities in our county. Therefore, we have strategically developed our programs to provide a more detailed focus and fill targeted needs to alleviate Arizona's workforce shortages in critical, high-demand industries.

In recent years, the Grand Canyon State has seen significant declines in professionals entering into healthcare, information technology, K-12 education and public safety. Workforce shortages across these essential sectors strain our communities and leave Arizona employers struggling to find and hire qualified employees. As Arizona continues to prioritize filling critical high-demand professions, MCCCD is bridging the gap by providing students with viable choices and high-quality education at an affordable cost.

Community colleges have proven that academic excellence and innovation are not exclusive to traditional four-year institutions. If more states embrace the community college baccalaureate degree model, a bachelor's degree can be within reach for millions of Americans, especially first-generation college students, students of color, and the unique population of those with some college, and no credential.

The impact of community college bachelor's degrees reaches far beyond individual attainment. In Arizona alone, increasing college enrollment by 20% has the potential to create more than $5 billion in economic gains for the state each year. As we look ahead, it's clear that expanding community college baccalaureate programs is a strategic investment in our students, the growing workforce, and economic vitality.

Uniquely American, community colleges serve more than 10 million students annually, providing critical access to higher education in academic and workforce development. As the voice of the nation's community colleges, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), delivers educational and economic opportunity for more than 10 million diverse students in search of the American Dream. Uniquely dedicated to access and success for all students, AACC's member colleges provide an on-ramp to degree attainment, skilled careers, and family-supporting wages. Located in Washington, D.C., AACC advocates for these not-for-profit, public-serving institutions to ensure they have the resources and support to increase economic mobility for all. https://www.aacc.nche.edu/

SOURCE American Association of Community Colleges
Joseph A. Vail Asylum Law Workshop is on April 19

HOUSTON, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Immigration lawyers and advocates will discuss gender and family asylum claims in the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, along with Texas and U.S. border policies, during this year's Joseph A. Vail Asylum Law Workshop on Friday, April 19.

"We look forward to these important conversations with experts about tricky developments in asylum eligibility and blockades to the system itself," said J. Anna Cabot, Immigration Clinic Director at UHLC.

The virtual workshop, hosted by the University of Houston Law Center Immigration Clinic, will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central time.

Workshop presenters include:

Rehan Alimohammad , Professor of Practice at the University of Houston Law Center and Partner at Wong Fleming

, Professor of Practice at the Law Center and Partner at Wong Fleming J. Anna Cabot , Clinical Associate Professor and Immigration Clinic Director at the University of Houston Law Center

, Clinical Associate Professor and Immigration Clinic Director at the Law Center Samantha Del Bosque, Supervising Attorney at the Tahirih Justice Center

Anne Dutton, Staff Attorney at the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies

Kristin Etter, Director of Policy and Legal Services at the Texas Immigration Law Council

Daniel I. Morales , Associate Professor of Law and Dwight Olds Chair at the University of Houston Law Center

, Associate Professor of Law and Dwight Olds Chair at the Law Center Victoria Neilson, Supervising Attorney at the National Immigration Project

Robert Painter , Managing Attorney at American Gateways

The Joseph A. Vail Asylum Workshop is held annually in memory of the University of Houston Law Center Immigration Clinic's founder. Since the clinic's inception in 1999, it has become one of the largest in the nation, handling asylum applications for victims of torture, domestic violence, human trafficking and other immigration-related matters.

Participating attorneys will earn 2.5 hours of Texas Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credits.

Click here to register for the workshop.

Click here for more event information.

University of Houston Law Center media contacts: Carrie Anna Criado, UH Law Center Assistant Dean of Communications and Marketing, 713-743-2184, [email protected]; Bonnie Buffaloe, Communications Manager, 713-743-9137, [email protected].

About the University of Houston Law Center

The University of Houston Law Center (UHLC) is a dynamic, top-tier law school located in the nation's 4th largest city. UHLC's Health Law, Intellectual Property Law, and Part-time programs rank in the U.S. News Top 10. It awards Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees, through its academic branch, the College of Law. The Law Center is more than just a law school. It is a powerful hub of intellectual activity with more than 12 centers and institutes that fuel its educational mission and national reputation. UHLC is fully accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools.

About the University of Houston

The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university recognized with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter for excellence in undergraduate education. UH serves the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. Located in the nation's fourth-largest city and one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse regions in the country, UH is a federally designated Hispanic- and Asian-American-Serving institution with an enrollment of more than 47,000 students.

SOURCE University of Houston Law Center
CHICAGO, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael McKee, CEO of Blue Ridge Area Food Bank was awarded the 2024 John van Hengel Fellowship by Feeding America during the organization's annual conference this week. Seven network members and affiliates were also recognized for their outstanding work, including: Arizona Food Bank Network, Facing Hunger Foodbank, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, God's Pantry Food Bank, Northern Illinois Food Bank, and Ohio Association of Foodbanks.

2024 John van Hengel Fellowship

The award honors the ideals of the late John van Hengel, who developed the concept of food banking in the 1960s. It recognizes an executive of a partner food bank for excellence in leadership, local impact and national influence, and entrepreneurial spirit in the area of hunger relief.

Michael McKee has served the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank (BRAFB) as CEO for more than 10 years and has worked in food banking for nearly 30 years. At BRAFB, McKee has developed a guest-centric approach to the identification of critical needs, including broader financial stability support and increased access to culturally familiar foods. That approach led BRAFB to pursue strategic goals to eliminate disparities in access to nutritious food, improve the health of neighbors, support household financial stability, and maintain a strong and sustainable food bank. Michael has also served as board chair for the Federation of Virginia Food Banks for three separate terms over 10 years, championing the needs of neighbors, partners, and the food bank itself.

"Michael exemplifies the values of the Jon van Hengel Fellowship Award through his foresight, stewardship and commitment to mission," said Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America. "Michael leads with a servant's heart, with passion and with vision. His work is grounded in his fervent belief that everyone should have enough to eat. Of particular note has been his work on nutrition and health and a long-term approach to benefits outreach and referral services. This innovative work provides a powerful template for the network. Congratulations, Michael, and thank you for all you do."

Network Celebrations

Arizona Food Bank Network is recognized for its work in forming a task force to explore how to save more of the millions of pounds of fresh produce that was going to waste throughout the state and at the border. These diverse stakeholders overcame differences to align on a common vision and today the 16 members of the Southwest Produce Coop, coordinated by the Arizona Food Bank Network, facilitate access to 40-50 million pounds of donated food each year  most of which is produce that reaches the tables of neighbors from Arizona to Kansas . The Coop has grown to also packaging bulk product, repacking previously rejected loads into mixed produce boxes, and piloting a job training program.





is recognized for its work in forming a task force to explore how to save more of the millions of pounds of fresh produce that was going to waste throughout the state and at the border. These diverse stakeholders overcame differences to align on a common vision and today the 16 members of the Southwest Produce Coop, coordinated by the Arizona Food Bank Network, facilitate access to 40-50 million pounds of donated food each year  most of which is produce that reaches the tables of neighbors from to . The Coop has grown to also packaging bulk product, repacking previously rejected loads into mixed produce boxes, and piloting a job training program. Facing Hunger Foodbank of Huntington, WV , and God's Pantry Food Bank of Lexington, KY , are recognized for joining forces to convene officials from both states and USDA regions. For decades, residents in rural Kentucky had to travel over 30 miles for emergency food assistance despite the fact there were five food pantries stocked with USDA food only minutes away across the border in West Virginia . Differences in federally approved State Plans and USDA regional boundaries were barriers to access. After months of deliberations, they aligned on a common vision to eradicate hunger in rural Appalachia. They reached an agreement to raise the TEFAP income eligibility threshold in Kentucky to match West Virginia's and both plans now allow residents of both states access to USDA food no matter where they live or work.





of and , are recognized for joining forces to convene officials from both states and USDA regions. For decades, residents in rural had to travel over 30 miles for emergency food assistance despite the fact there were five food pantries stocked with USDA food only minutes away across the border in . Differences in federally approved State Plans and USDA regional boundaries were barriers to access. After months of deliberations, they aligned on a common vision to eradicate hunger in rural Appalachia. They reached an agreement to raise the TEFAP income eligibility threshold in to match and both plans now allow residents of both states access to USDA food no matter where they live or work. Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin is recognized for launching the Food Leaders Lab initiative to create a pathway for residents to identify solutions to hunger and use their voice to advocate for their ideas to come to fruition in their community. The food bank supports each participant's vision by offering leadership development, communication, and advocacy trainings opportunities. Ambassadors then collaborate with elected officials, business leaders and government agencies to tackle urgent challenges. As a result, leaders with lived experience have presented at national conferences, started businesses, entered public office, and formed a supportive community for peers.





is recognized for launching the Food Leaders Lab initiative to create a pathway for residents to identify solutions to hunger and use their voice to advocate for their ideas to come to fruition in their community. The food bank supports each participant's vision by offering leadership development, communication, and advocacy trainings opportunities. Ambassadors then collaborate with elected officials, business leaders and government agencies to tackle urgent challenges. As a result, leaders with lived experience have presented at national conferences, started businesses, entered public office, and formed a supportive community for peers. Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina is recognized for developing the organization's first ever equity statement. This deliberate, inclusive process included feedback loops and culminated with a team retreat to ensure the Food Bank's public commitment to equity fully reflected the diverse perspectives of their staff. Today, the Food Bank is working towards ensuring that equity is measured by all teams across the organization and is embedded in practices including elevating neighbor voice, hiring, food sourcing, community engagement, linguistic diversity, partner agency relationships, and more.





is recognized for developing the organization's first ever equity statement. This deliberate, inclusive process included feedback loops and culminated with a team retreat to ensure the Food Bank's public commitment to equity fully reflected the diverse perspectives of their staff. Today, the Food Bank is working towards ensuring that equity is measured by all teams across the organization and is embedded in practices including elevating neighbor voice, hiring, food sourcing, community engagement, linguistic diversity, partner agency relationships, and more. Northern Illinois Food Bank is recognized for co-designing a pilot with agency partners, investing in their capacity, and engaging them in a peer learning cohort, Northern Illinois Food Bank and partners have launched a convenient online ordering system called Order Ahead. Neighbors can now privately choose from a menu of products and select the times and place of pick up from the privacy of their phones. With support from Northern Illinois Food Bank, this local network of agencies has been able to significantly enhance neighbors' experience of food assistance in their communities. In fact, 39% of the neighbors now ordering from agencies have not sought their services before.





is recognized for co-designing a pilot with agency partners, investing in their capacity, and engaging them in a peer learning cohort, Northern Illinois Food Bank and partners have launched a convenient online ordering system called Order Ahead. Neighbors can now privately choose from a menu of products and select the times and place of pick up from the privacy of their phones. With support from Northern Illinois Food Bank, this local network of agencies has been able to significantly enhance neighbors' experience of food assistance in their communities. In fact, 39% of the neighbors now ordering from agencies have not sought their services before. Ohio Association of Foodbanks is recognized for its pioneering approach to healthy food access by embracing the potential of a USDA program that incentivizes purchases from local producers for hunger relief activities. The partner state association worked diligently to foster trusting relationships among food banks and over 100 local farmers, most of whom were historically underserved by federal programs. Through direct dialogues, the state association helped partners agree on a unified aim of a resilient local supply chain with a pipeline for smaller growers. This approach balanced equitable prices and the scale needed to reach more people facing hunger.

"Through collaborative and innovative solutions, these recipients have shown what is possible when we leverage our voices toward a shared vision," said Babineaux-Fontenot. "This honor is earned by each person connected to the workespecially neighbors who lend their expertise to solutions, as well as staff, volunteers, donors and partners. From pioneering approaches to healthy food access, to creating new communications channels for neighbor advocacy, to partnerships that rescue millions of pounds of fresh produce, these food banks have demonstrated the impact we can have when we work together."

Feeding America's mission is to advance change in America by ensuring equitable access to nutritious food for all. Feeding America is a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 agency partners, including food pantries and meal programs, that provide food assistance to millions of people each year.

Contact

Emily James

Feeding America

About Feeding America

Feeding America is committed to an America where no one is hungry. We support tens of millions of people who experience food insecurity to get the food and resources they say they need to thrive as part of a nationwide network of food banks, statewide food bank associations, food pantries and meal programs. We also invest in innovative solutions to increase equitable access to nutritious food, advocate for legislation that improves food security and work to address factors that impact food security, such as health, cost of living and employment.

We partner with people experiencing food insecurity, policymakers, organizations, and supporters, united with them in a movement to end hunger. Visit www.FeedingAmerica.org to learn more.

SOURCE Feeding America
The fast-growing platform of innovative home service brands continues to expand with integration of the leading yard greeting franchise

SPRINGVILLE, Utah, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Five Star Franchising , an innovative, growing platform of home service brands, announces the acquisition of Card My Yard, the premier yard greeting franchise for all occasions and one of Entrepreneur and Franchise Business Review's top franchise brands.

Five Star Franchising, an innovative, growing platform of home service brands, continues to expand with the acquisition of Card My Yard, the premier yard greeting franchise for all occasions.

"This acquisition is a major step in our journey at Five Star Franchising," said Scott Abbott, CEO and co-founder of Five Star Franchising. "We're committed to building a comprehensive portfolio of home service brands. Card My Yard is the leader in the fast-growing yard greeting vertical. They're adding value to our platform and opening unique new opportunities for growth."

Card My Yard was founded in 2014 when two mothers, Amy Arnold and Jessica Stanley, decided to create a family-owned, family-friendly business that would bring smiles and celebrations to yards everywhere. Together with their husbands, Josh Arnold and James Stanley, the pair built Card My Yard, which has grown from an Austin, Texas, backyard to over 500 franchise locations across the country. With purpose-built proprietary technology, the company empowers franchisees to deliver seamless customer experience and grow their business.

Since it began franchising in 2017, Card My Yard has experienced explosive growth and consistent industry recognition, including honors by Franchise Business Review as one of the top 200 franchises in 2023 and 2024 and ranking on Entrepreneur's annual Franchise 500 list for four consecutive years. The brand was honored in 2023 by Franchise Business Review as a top franchise for innovation, veterans, culture and women. Card My Yard proudly supports a franchise community which is more than 80% female-owned.

"We're thrilled to be joining Five Star Franchising and be part of the tremendous growth and evolution of this exciting platform," said Josh Arnold, co-founder and brand president of Card My Yard. "Small business ownership has been at the heart of our business since its inception. We were able to follow our dreams and provide a good living for our families and offer that same opportunity to hundreds of others. Five Star's expertise in franchising will help us accelerate new development and drive growth at each of our 500-plus franchise locations."

As a leading innovator in the home service franchise industry, Five Star Franchising now has more than 1,400 franchise locations throughout North America. A franchisee-first approach and proven franchise systems ensure each Five Star brand is a top performer in technology, marketing, branding and people.

For more information about Five Star Franchising and its platform of home service brands, visit Five Star Franchising .

For more information about Card My Yard, visit Card My Yard .

About Card My Yard

Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, Card My Yard is the leader in the rapidly growing celebratory yard greetings industry, boasting over 5 00 locations across 46 states. Committed to spreading joy within communities and collaborating with local organizations to commemorate special occasions, Card My Yard is dedicated to making every moment memorable. Leveraging a purpose-built, proprietary technology platform, the company ensures a seamless customer ordering experience while empowering franchisees to efficiently manage their businesses. Card My Yard has been consistently recognized as a top franchise by Franchise Business Review and Entrepreneur, including a No. 4 ranking on Entrepreneur's list of Top New & Emerging Franchises in 2022. For further details, visit www.cardmyyard.com .

About Five Star Franchising

Five Star Franchising is an innovative, growing platform of home service brands with more than 1,400 total locations throughout North America. Franchise owners across Five Star's brands, including Five Star Bath Solutions, Gotcha Covered, Bio-One, Mosquito Shield, 1-800-Packouts, and Card My Yard enjoy a robust support network and access to industry-leading tools such as ProNexis, the 24/7 sales support solution tailored for home service businesses, and Five Star Marketing Services, Five Star Franchising's elite marketing engine. Five Star Franchising's commitment to core values  Driven, Real, Innovative, Vital, and Enthusiastic (DRIVE)  ensures its brands are category leaders and empowers franchise owners to maximize profitable growth and secure their financial destiny. Five Star Franchising is consistently recognized as one of the most successful companies in Utah, ranking among the fastest-growing businesses in the state on the MountainWest Capital Network Utah 100, the Utah Valley BusinessQ UV50 and the Utah Business Fast 50 lists. For more information, visit fivestarfranchising.com .

MEDIA CONTACT:

Heather Ripley

Ripley PR

(865) 977-1973

[email protected]

SOURCE Five Star Franchising
Beijing (Gasgoo)- On April 18, Changan Auto saw the 1.7 millionth vehicle from the Eado series rolling off the production line.

Photo credit: Changan Auto

As a classic sedan in the history of China's automotive industry, Eado, in-house developed by Changan Auto, has undergone three-generation iterations over that past 12 years, earning the trust of 1.7 million users with its outstanding R&D capabilities and evolving product quality.

Debuting globally at the Frankfurt Motor Show on September 13, 2011, the first-generation Eado was designed by the Changan Automobile Design Center Europe in Turin, Italy, hitting the market officially on March 27, 2012, in Hangzhou.

The second-generation Eado was launched in January 2018, followed by the introduction of the Eado PLUS in December 2019. The 2022 Eado PLUS further elevated its product competitiveness and cost-effectiveness with smart features like intelligent voice assistant, automatic parking, and auto air conditioning, enhancing driving convenience and comfort.

In March 2024, commemorating Changan's 40th anniversary, the third-generation Eado hit the market with the quality reputation of its predecessors, boasting advantages like a spacious body, panoramic sunroof, two large smart displays, AI assistant, and more. With features like concealed door handles, 540 HD panoramic camera, and hands-free trunk release as standard across the lineup, the new Eado offers fresh design, enhanced powertrain, smart technologies, and premium quality.
CHICAGO, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Flame Retardant Market for Engineering Resins Market by Type (Brominated, Phosphorous), Application (Polyamide, ABS, PET & PBT, PC/ABS Blends), End-use Industries (Electrical & Electronics, Automotive & Transportation) & Region - Global Forecast to 2029", size is USD 2.0 billion in 2024 to USD 2.9 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 7.6% from 2024 to 2029.

Flame retardant for engineering resins Flame retardants for engineering resins are used to enhance the fire resistance of materials such as ABS, PET & PBT, PC/ABS Blends, polycarbonate, polyamide, and others. They are added to reduce the flammability of these resins and meet safety regulations in various industries, including automotive & transportation, electrical & electronics, and other end-use industries. With ever increasing demands in the industry, flame retardant for engineering resins continue to evolve and become more innovative to meet these demands.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Flame Retardant Market for Engineering Resins Market"

423  Tables

58  Figures

346  Pages

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=31577769

"Brominated flame retardants segment was the largest type in flame retardant market for engineering resins in 2023, in terms of value."

Brominated flame retardants are estimated to be the largest type in the flame retardant for engineering resins market in 2024 due to their high effectiveness in reducing flammability and their wide availability. Despite growing concerns over their environmental and health impacts, they continue to dominate the market owing to their proven efficacy and relatively lower cost compared to alternatives. Additionally, their established usage in various industries and regulatory compliance contribute to their continued prominence in the market.

"Polyamide segment is estimated to be the fastest-growing application for flame retardant market for engineering resins during the forecast period 2024 to 2029."

The Polyamide segment is forecasted to be the fastest-growing application in the flame retardant for engineering resins market from 2024 to 2029 due to several factors. Firstly, the increasing demand for lightweight and durable materials in the automotive and electrical industries drives the adoption of Polyamide-based engineering resins. Secondly, stringent safety regulations and the need for fire-resistant materials in these applications propel the demand for flame retardant additives in polyamide formulations, contribute to its rapid growth trajectory in the flame retardant engineering resins market during this period.

Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=31577769

"Automotive and transportation segment is estimated to be the fastest-growing end-use industry for flame retardant market for engineering resins during the forecast period 2024 to 2029."

The automotive and transportation sector is expected to experience the highest growth rate in the flame retardant for engineering resins market between 2024 and 2029. This growth is driven by increasing demand for lightweight materials in vehicles to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. Additionally, stringent safety regulations mandating fire resistance in automotive components contribute to the rising need for flame retardant additives in engineering resins. Furthermore, ongoing innovation in engineering resin formulations tailored for automotive applications further accelerates growth in this sector.

"North America was the largest region for the flame retardant market for engineering resins in 2023, in terms of value."

North America emerged as the leading region in the flame retardant for engineering resins market, primarily driven by several factors. This includes the region's strong manufacturing infrastructure and technological advancements, which facilitate the production of top-notch flame-retardant engineering resins. Moreover, stringent safety regulations across key industries like automotive, electronics, and construction propel the demand for flame-retardant materials. Additionally, North America's market dominance is reinforced by the presence of major industry players and well-established distribution networks.

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Market Players

The key market players identified in the flame retardant for engineering resins market report are Albemarle Corporation (US), LANXESS AG (Germany), BASF SE (Germany), Israel Chemicals Ltd. (Israel), Huber Engineered Materials (US), Clariant AG (Switzerland), DuPont De Nemours, Inc. (US), Nabaltec AG (Germany), Italmatch Chemicals S.p.A (Italy), RTP Company (US), and Chemische Fabrik Budenheim KG (Germany) and others.

Browse Adjacent Market: Specialty Chemicals Market Research Reports

Related Reports:

Plastic Additives Market - Global Forecast to 2028

Plastic Antioxidants Market - Global Forecast to 2025

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Nation's Leading Conference for Latina Women in Tech Will Feature Keynote Presentations

from Mexican Actress Karla Souza and Latina Tech Visionary Joanna Pena-Bickley

SAN FRANCISCO, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Latinas in Tech Summit, the nation's largest tech event for Latinas, will bring Latina leaders in tech together to discuss challenges, opportunities, and future growth. In its eighth annual edition, the gathering includes two components  an in-person session on Thursday, May 16, 2024, at The Palace of Fine Arts of San Francisco and a separate online session with virtual-specific programming on Friday, May 17, 2024.

The two-day conference will showcase a lineup of more than 80 speakers and is anticipated to attract over 1,500 attendees. Keynote speakers will be Karla Souza, an International Emmy Award-winning Mexican actress with a thriving career in Hollywood, and Joanna Pena-Bickley, a pioneer in A.I.-aided generative design and one of the lead team members responsible for creating Alexa.

Latinas in Tech Summit 2024, the nation's largest tech event for Latinas, will take place May 16-17 online and in person in San Francisco. Post this

Presented under the theme "Her Tech, Her Future," this year's summit is dedicated to empowering Latinas in the tech industry by providing them with valuable insights, resources, and opportunities. The summit will feature three tracks: the "Jefa" track, tailored for Latina tech leaders or those aspiring to leadership roles; the technical track, concentrating on resume development and career-building strategies; and the AI track, focusing on the latest advancements in AI.

"One of the main objectives of our annual summits is to fully immerse Latinas in the forefront of the latest industry advancements. This year's summit has a deep emphasis on AI because of its potential to impact the career trajectories of the many women working in tech fields," said Rocio van Nierop, Chief Executive Officer for Latinas in Tech. "Nearly 60 percent of our members identify as being in the early phases of their careers, and we strive to give them access to information and resources that will help them make strides in tech fields."

During the summit, $60,000 in funds will be awarded to three Latina-led startups. The fourth annual Latinas in Tech Startup Competition is aimed at discovering, supporting, and amplifying tech startups with at least one Latina co-founder. Awards include non-dilutive cash prizes of $30K, $20K, and $10K to the top three winners.

"Latinas run more than 2 million businesses but receive less than 2 percent of all venture capital funds. Only about 28 percent of Latina founders are able to secure any type of funding through traditional channels," van Nierop said. "Even with minimal support, McKinsey reports that Latinas are the fastest-growing cohort of entrepreneurs. Our goal with the startup competition is to change the narrative, showcasing the innovative capabilities of Latinas and how they can ignite growth when provided with funding and support for their businesses."

Outstanding Latina tech leaders, entrepreneurs, and companies will also be recognized through the LiT Awards . These awards honor individuals and organizations making notable contributions to the tech industry and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. This year's award categories include Latina of the Year, Company of the Year, ERG (Employee Resource Group) of the Year, and Latina Entrepreneur of the Year.

The Latinas in Tech Summit is proudly sponsored by Comcast, Deloitte, Pinterest, and Salesforce at the Creator level, among others, all contributing to the success of this groundbreaking event. Discover our diverse range of sponsors, spanning various tier levels, on the LiT Summit website .

Finally, Latinas in Tech will present its 2023 Annual Report, which summarizes the results of a member survey conducted in early 2024. The report underscores growth gaps, opportunities, and considerations for creating more inclusive organizations, highlighting the persistent underrepresentation of skilled Latinas in decision-making positions. The 2022 Latinas In Tech Annual Report can be found here .

About Latinas in Tech Summit: Since 2017, Latinas in Tech has hosted an annual conference to bring together influential Latinas working in technology. At the Latinas in Tech Summit, over 1,500 Latina tech professionals, ERG leaders, and allies will unite and tap into a powerful network for landing tech jobs and growing a tech career. For more information, visit https://latinasintechsummit.org.

About Latinas in Tech: Latinas in Tech (LiT) is a non-profit with humble origins. What started out as two friends in need of career support is now a multinational community of over 18,000 registered members of 26 different nationalities with a presence in seven countries. We seek to reshape the tech industry so that Latinas are not only well-represented but also thriving in the ecosystem as decision-makers. For more information, visit www.latinasintech.org.

REGISTRATION, CONFERENCE AGENDA INFORMATION

To register online, obtain agenda information, or more information about Latinas in Tech Summit 2024, please visit https://latinasintechsummit.org.

MEDIA REGISTRATION

Latinas in Tech Summit welcomes media employed by accredited news organizations to apply for media credentials to cover the event or request media interviews. Please email event organizers at [email protected] with the subject lines Press Tickets or Interview Request based on your media needs.

SOURCE Latinas in Tech
Launch celebration introduces Glen-Gery's architect collaboration program

WYOMISSING, Pa., April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Glen-Gery Corporation , a premier brick manufacturer that is part of Brickworks North America, is pleased to launch the first U.S. exclusive edition of Materiality, a publication that explores the use of bricks in contemporary architecture. Materiality is intended to provoke discussion and interest among architects and designers, professionals and students, and the general reader.

Glen-Gery Launches First U.S. Exclusive Edition of Materiality Showcasing Contemporary University Architecture Post this Glen-Gery Corporation, a premier brick manufacturer that is part of Brickworks North America, is pleased to launch the first U.S. exclusive edition of Materiality, a publication that explores the use of bricks in contemporary architecture. Materiality is intended to provoke discussion and interest among architects and designers, professionals and students, and the general reader.

This year's edition, Materiality: Brick in contemporary university architecture, highlights how architects and designers are using brick in campus and community architectural projects across the United States. As with previous volumes, this latest publication offers case studies, illustrated technical essays, and rich photographs and drawings that provide a high-level view of how the architect and designer imagined and executed their project.

"In an era where architectural trends and materials come and go, brick's enduring beauty, versatility and resilience stand out as a cornerstone in shaping structures that transcend time and inspire generations," says Tim Leese, director of marketing for Brickworks North America. "Within its pages, Materiality: Brick in contemporary university architecture vividly illustrates this belief, showcasing the most exceptional architectural projects and designs from universities across the U.S."

Many projects within Materiality feature bricks made by Glen-Gery and showcase the technical nature of how bricks are artfully used and incorporated into outstanding building designs:

Zeppos Residential College at Vanderbilt University : A monumental 260,000-square-foot residential building with a collegiate gothic-style structure. Through the use of limestone details, patterned brick and a warm palette of interior materials, the building scale is humanizing and creates a series of public and private spaces, bringing comfort and familiarity to residents.





A monumental 260,000-square-foot residential building with a collegiate gothic-style structure. Through the use of limestone details, patterned brick and a warm palette of interior materials, the building scale is humanizing and creates a series of public and private spaces, bringing comfort and familiarity to residents. The Iribe Center of Computer Science and Engineering at University of Maryland : Peeling back the layers of this building project, the two-part structure showcases the intricacies of the non-structural application of brick. Through the use of parametric modeling, an abstract pattern was translated into a system of brick that creates the illusion of movement along the interior walls.





Peeling back the layers of this building project, the two-part structure showcases the intricacies of the non-structural application of brick. Through the use of parametric modeling, an abstract pattern was translated into a system of brick that creates the illusion of movement along the interior walls. The Institute for Data Science at University of Rochester : As the signature focus of the University's strategic plan, the 61,000-square-foot research institute's design treats each brick as a digital 'pixel' of information. Shadows from the projecting bricks activate the facades, creating dynamic, textural surfaces that communicate natural environment data across the days and seasons.

To celebrate the debut of Materiality, Glen-Gery will host a launch event at its global flagship Brickworks Design Studio in New York City on April 18, 2024. The exclusive event will include a discussion, "Shapes to the X Degree," featuring several architects from across the U.S. The speakers, whose firms and projects are featured in Materiality, will discuss how unique architectural shapes and details can be achieved through the use of masonry.

The launch celebration will also mark the introduction of Glen-Gery's inaugural architect collaboration program. Event attendees, including architects, designers and students, can enter for a chance to receive a one-of-a-kind collaboration opportunity with Glen-Gery to become an honorary member of its R&D Team. The chosen recipients of the program will have the chance to visit the company's Mid-Atlantic factory in Pennsylvania where they will work with Glen-Gery to create a unique brick shape of their own design. This customized brick can then serve as the centerpiece for conceptual building project renderings or sketches.

"The latest edition of Materiality showcases the multifaceted role of brick beyond its function as a mere building block. Rather, it can become a catalyst for spaces that nurture creativity and enhance learning experiences. Introducing our first-ever architect collaboration program alongside the launch of Materiality underscores Glen-Gery's commitment to educating and empowering the next generation of architects and designers," said Leese.

To request a complimentary hard copy of Materiality, visit www.glengery.com/materiality .

ABOUT GLEN-GERY

Headquartered in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, Glen-Gery Corporation is one of the largest brick manufacturers in North America. Since 1890, Glen-Gery has built a reputation for its superior service and high-quality building products that meet both innovative design challenges and demanding construction specifications. Through technology advancements and product innovations, Glen-Gery offers a diverse, premium product portfolio of more than 400 brick products that caters to the high-style needs of today's architects, designers and homeowners. Operating as part of Brickworks North America, Glen-Gery has eight brick manufacturing facilities, 26 company-owned Supply Centers and three Design Studios, including Philadelphia, Baltimore and the global flagship location in New York City. www.glengery.com

MEDIA CONTACT

Stacey Bollinger

[email protected]

cell: 443-789-7153

SOURCE Glen-Gery
A recent report by Future Market Insights suggests the kids' eyewear market is poised for significant growth, fueled by rising demand for specialty eyewear, the convenience of e-commerce in emerging markets, and growing parental interest in customization and eye health awareness. Subscription models and smart eyewear with advanced features are emerging trends that will further propel the market forward, with companies that cater to regional preferences and embrace innovation standing to gain a competitive edge.

NEWARK, Del., April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global kids' eyewear market will reach a valuation of US$ 37.7 billion in 2024, attributed to factors such as increasing adoption of specialty eyewear. The trend is set to create new opportunities for the market, leading to a projected CAGR of 7.4% between 2024 and 2034, and reaching a total valuation of approximately US$ 77.0 billion by 2034.

Download the Sample PDF report to explore key market insights and trends: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-19506

The growth of e-commerce in emerging markets presents significant opportunities for companies to reach a wider audience of parents looking for quality eyewear options for their children. Online platforms can offer greater accessibility and convenience, particularly in regions with limited access to physical retail stores.

Parents are increasingly seeking customizable and personalized options for eyewear of their children, including frame styles, colors, and even prescription lens designs. Companies offering customization services can capitalize on this trend to differentiate themselves in the market.

Investing in educational initiatives and awareness campaigns about the importance of eye health and regular vision screenings for children can help stimulate demand for kids' eyewear. Eyewear companies, by educating parents and caregivers, can position themselves as advocates for the vision health and gain consumer trust of the children.

Cultural preferences and regional trends play a significant role in shaping the demand for kids' eyewear. Companies that understand and cater to the unique preferences of different cultural and regional markets can effectively tailor their products and marketing strategies to drive sales.

Subscription and rental models for kids' eyewear are gaining popularity, offering parents a cost effective and convenient way to access a variety of eyewear options for their children. Companies adopting these models can capitalize on recurring revenue streams and customer loyalty.

Advancements in technology are leading to the integration of smart features into eyewear, such as augmented reality displays, activity tracking, and interactive learning applications.

Report Scope

Attribute Details Estimated Market Size in 2024 US$ 37.7 billion Projected Market Valuation in 2034 US$ 77.0 billion Value-based CAGR 2024 to 2034 7.4 % Forecast Period 2024 to 2034 Historical Data Available for 2019 to 2023 Market Analysis Value in US$ billion Key Market Segments Covered By Type: Prescription Glasses

Non Prescription Glasses By Material Type: Plastic

Metal

Others By Sales Channel: Direct Sales

Hypermarkets/Supermarkets

Specialty Stores (Optical Stores)

Franchise Outlets

Hospitals/Clinics

Online By Region: North America

Latin America

Western Europe

Eastern Europe

South Asia and Pacific

East Asia

The Middle East and Africa Key Countries Profiled The United States

Canada

Brazil

Mexico

Germany

France

France

Spain Italy

Russia

Poland

Czech Republic

Romania

India

Bangladesh

Australia New Zealand

China

Japan

South Korea

GCC countries

South Africa

Israel Key Coverage in the Kids' Eyewear Industry Report Kids' eyewear trends

Children's eyewear market analysis

Pediatric eyewear industry insights

Youth eyewear market dynamics

Kid-friendly eyeglasses trends

Adult Eyewear Market

Teen Eyewear Market

Sports Eyewear Market

Key Takeaways from the Market Study

Global kids' eyewear market was valued at US$ 35.2 billion in 2023.

in 2023. From 2019 to 2023, the market demand expanded at a CAGR of 6.8%.

The market in India to expand at a CAGR of 10.3% through 2034.

to expand at a CAGR of 10.3% through 2034. By type, the prescription segment to account for a share of 63.0% in 2024.

The market in China will expand at a CAGR of 9.5% through 2034.

will expand at a CAGR of 9.5% through 2034. In terms of material type, the plastic segment to account for a share of 53.0% in 2024.

"Companies embracing these technologies can offer innovative eyewear solutions that appeal to tech savvy parents and children," says Sneha Varghese (Senior Consultant, Consumer Products & Goods at Future Market Insights, Inc.).

Competitive Landscape

Prominent players in the kids' eyewear market are Miraflex, Zenni Optical, Jonas Paul Eyewear, JCPenney Optical, Nano Vista, Rudy Project, SwissFlex Kids, Oakley Youth, Ray-Ban Junior, Marchon NYC Kids, Nike Kids Vision, Flexible Eyeglasses, Pepper's Eyeware Kids, Progear Eyeguard, and Tomato Glasses, among others.

Company Portfolio

Jonas Paul Eyewear focuses on providing fashionable and durable eyewear specifically designed for children. Their frames are crafted with lightweight materials and feature flexible hinges for added comfort and durability.

JCPenney Optical offers a diverse range of kids' eyewear options, including frames from popular brands as well as their own exclusive collections. Their selection includes styles suitable for various ages and preferences, with options for both prescription glasses and sunglasses.

Purchase now and gain full access to the Kids' Eyewear Industry report, featuring comprehensive Market Forecast, Company Share Analysis, Competition Intelligence, DROT Analysis, Market Dynamics and Challenges, and Strategic Growth Initiatives.

More Valuable Insights Available

Future Market Insights offers an unbiased analysis of the global kids' eyewear market, providing historical data for 2019 to 2023 and forecast statistics from 2024 to 2034.

To understand opportunities in the Kids' Eyewear market, the market is segmented on the basis of type (prescription glasses and non-prescription glasses), material type (plastic, metal, others), and sales channel (direct sales, hypermarkets/supermarkets, specialty stores (optical stores), franchise outlets, hospitals/clinics, online), across seven major regions (North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, South Asia & Pacific, East Asia, and the Middle East & Africa).

About the Consumer Product Division at Future Market Insights

The consumer product team at Future Market Insights offers expert analysis, time efficient research, and strategic recommendations with the objective to provide authentic insights and accurate results to help clients worldwide. With a repertoire of over 100+ reports and 1 Billion+ data points, the team has been analyzing the market lucidly in 50+ countries for over a decade. The team provides a brief analysis on key trends including competitive landscape, profit margin, and research development efforts.

About the Author:

Sneha Varghese (Senior Consultant, Consumer Products & Goods) has 6+ years of experience in the market research and consulting industry. She has worked on 200+ research assignments pertaining to Consumer Retail Goods.

Her work is primarily focused on facilitating strategic decisions, planning and managing cross-functional business operations, technology projects, and driving successful implementations. She has helped create insightful, relevant analysis of Food & Beverage market reports and studies that include consumer market, retail, and manufacturer research perspective. She has also been involved in several bulletins in food magazines and journals.

Explore FMI's Extensive Coverage in the Consumer Products Domain:

About Future Market Insights (FMI)

Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting service provider, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in Dubai and has delivery centers in the UK, the U.S., and India. FMI's latest market research reports and industry analysis help businesses navigate challenges and make critical decisions with confidence and clarity amidst breakneck competition. Our customized and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. A team of expert-led analysts at FMI continuously tracks emerging trends and events in a broad range of industries to ensure that our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.

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SOURCE Future Market Insights
Globally, the growing burden of chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, the rising incidence of ESRD globally are anticipated to accelerate the demand for renal care, further propelling the adoption of hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis products and services. Moreover, the rising advancements in dialysis machines, development of biocompatible dialysis membranes, dialysis fluid, and portable & home based dialysis equipment are likely to fuel the market growth. Moreover, the increasing investments for new product development and growing adoption of home dialysis modality owing to its advantages over in center dialysis treatment modality are expected to support the hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis market growth during the forecast period.

Download an Illustrative overview: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=1279

Browse in-depth TOC on "Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Market"

150 - Tables

65 - Figures

350 - Pages

Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Market Scope:

Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2024 $92.0 billion Estimated Value by 2029 $126.2 billion Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 6.5% Market Size Available for 20222029 Forecast Period 20242029 Forecast Units Value (USD Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered Product and Services, Disease Indication, End user, and Region Geographies Covered North America (US & Canada), Europe (Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Spain, and RoE), APAC (Japan, China, Australia, South Korea India, and the RoAPAC), LATAM (Brazil, Mexico, and RoLATAM), and MEA (GCC Countries, RoMEA) Report Highlights Updated financial information / product portfolio of players Key Market Opportunities High growth potential of emerging markets Key Market Drivers Rising prevalence of chronic kidney disease globally

Vascular complication associated with dialysis procedures and lack of well established reimbursement and coverage for dialysis in many economic countries, reducing the affordability of dialysis treatment among patients with kidney diseases are likely to hamper the growth of hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis market.

The hemodialysis services segment, by hemodialysis products and services, is expected to register the largest market share of the global hemodialysis market in 2023.

The hemodialysis market is segmented based on product and service. Hemodialysis products include hemodialysis machines and hemodialysis consumables & supplies, whereas hemodialysis services include in-center services and home services. The hemodialysis services segment is anticipated to grow at significant rate during the forecast period. This is attributed to the increasing utilization of in-center and home hemodialysis services among ESRD patients and the rising number of hemodialysis services providers with strong focus on expanding their hemodialysis services. In March 20254, DaVita Inc., a hemodialysis service provider announced the expansion of its international operation across Latin America.

"The APAC market, by region, to register highest growth rate in the forecast period."

On the basis of region, the hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Latin America, Middle East & Africa. The Asia-Pacific market is likely to witness significant market growth. This is attributed to the rise in geriatric patient population, increasing cases of chronic kidney diseases, moreover, improving healthcare infrastructure and the implementation of supportive government initiatives to increase the accessibility of dialysis services in many APAC countries such as India and China. The geographical expansion of key players, and emergence of many local players in the region are likely to support growth of the hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis market in Asia Pacific.

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Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Market Dynamics:

Drivers:

Rising prevalence of chronic kidney disease globally

Restraints:

Complications linked with dialysis procedures

Opportunities:

High growth potential of emerging markets

Challenge:

Product Recall

Key Market Players of Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Industry:

As of 2023, prominent players in the patient monitoring market are Medtronic (Ireland), Nihon Kohden Corporation (Japan), Mindray Medical International Ltd. (China), GE Healthcare (US), Abbott Laboratories (US) and Boston Scientific Corporation (US), among others.

A breakdown of the primary participants referred to for this report is provided below:

By Company Type: Tier 125%, Tier 230%, and Tier 3 45%

By Designation: C-level26%, Director-level30%, and Others44%

By Region: North America40%, Europe31%, Asia Pacific20%, Latin America6%, and the Middle East & Africa3%

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Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Market - Key Benefits of Buying the Report:

The report will enable established firms as well as entrants/smaller firms to gauge the pulse of the market, which, in turn, would help them to garner a larger market share. Firms purchasing the report could use one or a combination of the below-mentioned strategies for strengthening their market presence.

This report provides insights on the following pointers:

Analysis of Key divers (increasing number of ESRD patients, technological advancement in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis equipment, growing prevalence of diabetes and hypertension), restraints (high cost of hemodialysis treatment, reimbursement concerns in emerging countries, complication associated with dialysis procedure), Opportunities (emerging markets, gradual shift towards home hemodialysis), Challenge (Product recall)

Market Penetration: Comprehensive information on the product portfolios offered by the top players in the hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis market

Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights on the upcoming trends, R&D activities, and product launches in the hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis market

Market Development: Comprehensive information on lucrative emerging regions

Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new products, growing geographies, and recent developments in the hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis market

Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of market segments, growth strategies, revenue analysis, and products of the leading market players.

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SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
NEW YORK, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global herbal cosmetics market size is estimated to grow by USD 34.64 bn from 2023 to 2027, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 6.83% during the forecast period. The herbal cosmetics market thrives on online distribution channels, providing a vast selection of brands and products. Third-party marketplaces enable consumers to compare and provide feedback on personal care items, including herbal cosmetics. The rise of online shopping portals and smartphone usage facilitates sales of herbal cosmetics through pure-play e-retailers, company portals, and other online retailers. Keywords: Traditional remedies, Middle class, Skincare, Organic solutions, Essential oils, Face masks, Body scrubs, Botanical heritage, Quality ingredients, Local suppliers, Luxury, Sustainability, Exports, Ayurvedic products, Chemical alternatives, Herbal beauty, Consumers, Beauty companies, Herbal compounds, Skin issues, UV rays, Pollution, Social media, Beauty blogs, Animal cruelty, Skin tone, Organic products.

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Herbal Cosmetics Market 2023-2027

To understand more about this market- Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes!

Innovation Sparks Market Growth:

The herbal cosmetics market is experiencing significant growth, driven by the popularity of traditional remedies and the rising demand for skincare solutions among the middle class. Consumers seek organic skincare solutions infused with essential oils, face masks, and body scrubs, embracing botanical heritage for improved skin health. Quality ingredients sourced from local suppliers ensure luxury and sophistication, while sustainability initiatives resonate with eco-conscious buyers. Exports of herbal beauty products, including Ayurvedic offerings, have expanded globally, offering chemical-based alternatives a formidable challenge. Beauty companies innovate with herbal compounds to address skin issues such as acne, hair problems, UV rays, and pollution. Social media and beauty blogs amplify consumer voices, advocating for animal cruelty-free practices and promoting skin tone diversity. Organic products continue to gain traction, reflecting a commitment to health and wellness.

Addressing Challenges:

The herbal cosmetics market is experiencing significant growth, driven by consumer preferences for natural ingredients such as Lavender and Chamomile flowers. This sector is rooted in ancient practices like Ayurveda and is gaining traction in the ecommerce industry. However, high production costs, due to the use of high-quality raw materials and labor, make these products less accessible to lower and middle-class consumers. Synthetic chemicals are absent in herbal formulations, making them desirable for those seeking cruelty-free alternatives. Influencers and celebrities are promoting these products on social media platforms, increasing demand. Research and development is crucial for creating effective herbal skincare solutions, including moisturizers, cleansers, and serums, tailored to various skin types and concerns, such as aging and sensitivity. Regulations and compliance are essential for ensuring product quality, efficacy, and shelf life. Natural ingredients, which are sustainable and eco-friendly, are becoming increasingly important in the context of climate change and environmental degradation. Geopolitical instability can impact production costs and standardized regulations, necessitating quality control measures. The market dynamics of herbal cosmetics are influenced by wellness trends, sustainability, and cultural heritage. This multicultural population seeks holistic wellness solutions, and herbal cosmetics offer simplicity and tailored solutions. Skincare routines are becoming more personalized, with herbal products catering to diverse needs.

To understand more about this market- Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes!

Analyst Review

The Herbal Cosmetics Market is experiencing significant growth as consumers increasingly seek out natural and organic alternatives to traditional beauty products. Herbal products, derived from Herbal compounds such as Lavender and Chamomile flowers, are gaining popularity for their ability to address various Skin issues, including Acne and UV ray damage. Beauty companies are responding to this trend by investing in Research and development of Herbal formulations, which are then distributed through Retail channels, Online platforms, and Specialty stores. Social media and Beauty blogs have played a crucial role in raising awareness about the benefits of Herbal cosmetics and promoting brands that prioritize Animal cruelty-free practices. Influencers and Celebrities have also contributed to the market's growth by endorsing Herbal products on Social media platforms. However, the Ecommerce industry's rise has led to an increase in the availability of Synthetic chemical-laden products masquerading as Herbal. Therefore, it is essential for consumers to be vigilant and educate themselves about the authenticity of Herbal cosmetics and the importance of supporting companies that adhere to Ayurvedic principles and ethical business practices.

Market Overview

The Herbal Cosmetics Market is a significant segment in the beauty industry, utilizing natural and organic products for various personal care needs. Herbal Producers and Beauty Companies manufacture and sell herbal cosmetics, such as herbal lotions, creams, and tonics. Consumers seek these products for their claimed health benefits and gentle effects on the skin. Herbal cosmetics contain ingredients like chamomile, lavender, and aloe vera, which are known for their soothing and nourishing properties. Skincare and personal care brands often source these ingredients from farms and producers, ensuring sustainability and ethical production. The market is expanding, with a growing number of consumers preferring natural alternatives to synthetic cosmetics. The regulatory environment is also supportive, with many countries implementing regulations to ensure the safety and quality of herbal cosmetics. Overall, the Herbal Cosmetics Market is a thriving industry that caters to consumers' increasing demand for natural and effective personal care solutions.

To understand more about this market- Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes!

Key Companies:

Herbal Cosmetics Market is fragmented ; the companies are competing with competitors and are trying to get greater market share. The market is growing, and the chances of new entrants cannot be overlooked. The major companies have well-established economies of scale and market presence and generally rely on positioning technological advances, and the price of the products. Herbal Cosmetics Market report includes information on the product launches, sustainability, and prospects of leading vendors including Alna Vedic, APCOS NATURALS PVT. Ltd., Ayur Herbals, Group Fourteen holdings Pty Ltd., HCP Wellness, Herbline, Himalaya Global Holdings Ltd., Jovees Herbal Care India Ltd., Khadi Natural, LOreal SA, Lotus Herbals Pvt. Ltd., MyChelle Dermaceuticals LLC, Patanjali Ayurved Ltd., The Hain Celestial Group Inc., The Procter and Gamble Co., Vaadi Herbals Pvt. Ltd., WALA Stiftung, Weleda Group, Yves Rocher Amerique du Nord Inc., Emami Ltd.

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

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Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
Acquisition demonstrates Infosys' commitment to the automotive ecosystem and strengthens its footprint across Europe

BENGALURU, India and MUNICH, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Infosys (NSE: INFY) (BSE: INFY) (NYSE: INFY) a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, today announced a definitive agreement to acquire in-tech, a leading Engineering R&D services provider focused on German automotive industry. This strategic investment further strengthens Infosys' Engineering R&D capabilities and reaffirms its continued commitment to global clients to navigate their digital engineering journey.

Headquartered in Germany, in-tech, is one of the fastest growing Engineering R&D services providers that shapes digitization in the automotive, rail transport and smart industry sectors. in-tech develops solutions in e-mobility, connected and autonomous driving, electric vehicles (EV's), off-road vehicles and railroad. in-tech offerings include system design, methodical consulting, advanced electronics platform development and validation of automotive specific software and hardware systems, infotainment, and experience validation.

in-tech brings to Infosys, marquee German original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) deep client relationships, and an extensive industry expertise with a multidisciplinary team of 2200 people across locations in Germany, Austria, China, UK, and nearshore locations in Czech Republic, Romania, Spain, and India.

Dinesh Rao, EVP & Co-Delivery Head, Infosys, said, "Infosys continues to strengthen its Engineering R&D leadership with decades of experience in digital engineering. Together with in-tech, Infosys Topaz, an AI-first set of services, solutions and platforms,and recently acquired InSemi' semiconductor's expertise, we have successfully created deeper capabilities for the next phase of automotive innovation in the arena of software defined vehicles. We are excited to welcome in-tech and its leadership team into the Infosys family."

Jasmeet Singh, EVP and Global Head of Manufacturing, Infosys, said, "The automotive industry today is going through a pivotal change, with connected, autonomous, and electric vehicles, and most importantly software-defined vehicles. Electronics and software will drive value for next generation vehicles. Infosys' leadership with comprehensive offerings serving global auto OEMs, tier-one, and e-mobility start-ups, coupled with in-tech' engineering prowess presents a differentiated value to our clients bringing high quality innovative products to market faster."

Tobias Wagner, in-tech CEO, said, "Over the past 22 years, we have created an impressive company history, characterized by organic growth, strategic acquisitions and high profitability. This strategic partnership with Infosys represents a decisive turning point for us: It opens up unprecedented growth opportunities, and also adds tremendous value to our offering for our clients. Together we now cover the entire end-to-end process, a step that is crucial to fully meet our customers' needs. With access to more talent and expertise, we gain incredible strength and scale in our delivery capability, enabling us to successfully implement even more ambitious projects."

in-tech Founder and Board Member, Christian Wagner, added, "When choosing Infosys, it was important to us that not only the business goals but also the corporate cultures harmonize. I am thrilled that Infosys and in-tech are not only on the same wavelength in terms of innovation and technology, but that we also share the same values - be it our passion for sustainability or our desire to create a work environment where everyone feels valued. This cultural fit amplifies my belief that we will achieve extraordinary success together."

The acquisition is expected to close during the first half of fiscal 2025, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

About in-tech

in-tech shapes digitalization in the automotive industry, rail transport and industry. The company develops solutions for the automotive, eMobility, transport systems and smart industry sectors. The developers and engineers at in-tech work, for example, on topics such as autonomous driving, electromobility, digital rail or smart industrial production.

The company was founded in 2002 and has been consistently growing ever since. in-tech currently employs around 2200 people at locations in Germany, Austria, China, the UK, the Czech Republic, Spain, Romania and India. The company shines as an excellent employer with an outstanding corporate culture: the company has already received several awards for its good working atmosphere, internal team spirit and excellent work-life balance. For more information please visit www.in-tech.com

About Infosys

Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. Over 300,000 of our people work to amplify human potential and create the next opportunity for people, businesses and communities. We enable clients in more than 56 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer clients, as they navigate their digital transformation powered by cloud and AI. We enable them with an AI-first core, empower the business with agile digital at scale and drive continuous improvement with always-on learning through the transfer of digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. We are deeply committed to being a well-governed, environmentally sustainable organization where diverse talent thrives in an inclusive workplace.

Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next.

Safe Harbor

Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, or our future financial or operating performance, are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding the execution of our business strategy, our ability to attract and retain personnel, our transition to hybrid work model, economic uncertainties, technological innovations such as Generative AI, the complex and evolving regulatory landscape including immigration regulation changes, our ESG vision, our capital allocation policy and expectations concerning our market position, future operations, margins, profitability, liquidity, capital resources, our corporate actions including acquisitions, and cybersecurity matters. Important factors that may cause actual results or outcomes to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements are discussed in more detail in our US Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/633365/Infosys_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Infosys
TURKU, Finland, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The expert for charging solutions InterControl Oy and the manufacturer of electric snowmobiles Aurora Powertrains Oy are presenting the first bidirectional charging for snowmobiles. The both companies from Finland were at Nordic EV Summit in Oslo in April 2024 with this truly electrifying solution for the mobile environment.

"Electric snowmobiles are entering the market with a significant speed. eSled Aurora is not producing any CO2- or other emissions, it is odourless and quiet and do not disturb other people in the nature. Stable and agile behaviour in driving is also appreciated by the drivers, all smiling during their test drives," states Matti Autioniemi, CEO of Aurora Powertrains Oy.

The economic efficiency in an electric snowmobile is on a class of it's own. On the track eSled usage of electricity is on the level of only 21 kWh in 100 km (even under the cost of 2) added with minimalistic service fees.

"We want our electric snowmobile to be the absolute frontrunner in the field. Together with InterControl Latinki 11 DC -charger our eSled Aurora offers the vehicle to grid technology (V2G) as the first in the world," tells Mr. Autioniemi.

"This real functional V2G -solution transfers eSled to a energy storage with the possibility to manage the electricity in the battery pack optimally. For example the cheap electricity from the stock exchange or the solar power are taking care of "filling the tank" and you can decide to use it from there according to your needs, every day of the year!" thrilled Mr. Autioniemi continues.

In addition to the enormous decline in CO2-emissions and savings V2G is offering other new opportunities to snowmobile operators. For example the ski resorts, experience travel entrepreneurs and the institutions in public domain may use their fleet of eSled as a part of their emergency power solutions for the electric grid. In this way the snowmobiles are also in use during the off-season earning euros, not only collecting dust, highlights Matti Autioniemi.

"The cooperation with Aurora Powertrains has opened new possibilities to use our V2G -charging solution. The open-minded and determined way forward according to the new standards has enabled to build a working 15118-20 bidirectional charging process, which uses the central charging components in both eSled and Latinki 11 in our production from different manufacturers. This is the reason why we emphasize especially the importance of the compatible solutions, in order to everybody being able to build solutions to this new V2G environment."

"We would like to thank especially our strategic partner, Ambibox GmbH, for enabling and developing these solutions," states the CEO of InterControl Oy, Ilkka Ilola and stresses the importance to have next the car manufacturers to come together and taking the next step to enable the common development of V2G environment.

Additional information

Aurora Powertrains Oy

Ismo Makinen, brand manager, partner

+358 400 313 003, [email protected]

InterControl Oy

Timo Kulkki, sales and product manager

+358 45 7881 5922, [email protected]

Attachments

Image1 : Aurora Powertrains Oy's electric snowmobile

Image2 : InterControl Oy's bidirectional V2G DC charger

Image3 : eSled and Latinki11 presented at the Nordic EV Summit, Oslo 2024

Aurora Powertrains Ltd develops and manufactures eSled electric snowmobiles as well as battery systems based on their own battery modules. The battery system is modular and offers high performance. APT's systems are used by manufacturers of electric boats, small machinery, and tracked vehicles, among others. The company was founded in 2017. The product development unit is located in Rovaniemi, and the production facility is in Mikkeli.

InterControl Oy is a company founded in 2011 that offers charging and energy solutions in Finland, Nordic and Baltic countries. InterControl is part of the ITR Group, whose work community has around 40 people and the office is located in Turku, Finland.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/intercontrol-oy/r/snowmobiles-now-in-use-365-days-in-a-year,c3963863

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/23126/3963863/2742617.pdf Press release (PDF) https://news.cision.com/intercontrol-oy/i/aurora-powertrains-esled,c3290694 Aurora Powertrains eSled https://news.cision.com/intercontrol-oy/i/intercontrol-latinki11,c3290696 InterControl Latinki11 https://news.cision.com/intercontrol-oy/i/esled-ja-latinki11-nordic-ev-summit,c3290695 eSled ja Latinki11 Nordic EV Summit
BOGOTA, Colombia, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of Miami Tech Month, the city of Miami is hosting a variety of events, welcoming venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and technology innovators from around the globe. During this week, the city hosted Startup OLE, one of Europe's largest tech-startup ecosystem events; VC Latam Summit, which brings together key investors and venture capital firms from Latin America; and eMerge Americas, a major annual two-day tech conference that gathers more than 20,000 attendees.

Since the pandemic, numerous US investors have relocated to Miami, transforming it into a crucial hub linking Latin American and US investors. This fosters exploration of growth opportunities in startups and innovative companies, capitalizing on Miami's skilled bilingual workforce and innovative culture.

The capital of Colombia is an epicenter of entrepreneurship

The capital of Colombia is emerging as a leading destination for venture capital investment. The city ranks third in venture investment activity in Latin America, preceded only by Sao Paulo and Mexico City. Its entrepreneurial ecosystem is constantly evolving and is recognized as the third Emerging Tech Ecosystem by Dealroom and the third most prominent entrepreneurial ecosystem in Latin America according to StartupBlink.

In Colombia, over 1,300 startups are rapidly growing, driven by increased internet and technology access and support from leading accelerators like Techstars and Y Combinator, interest from global investment funds, and a growing entrepreneurial culture.

"Colombia shines with resilient entrepreneurs and increasing venture capital investments, establishing itself as a highly competitive regional entrepreneurship ecosystem. In 2023, Colombian entrepreneurs raised approximately USD 647 million through various mechanisms such as venture capital funds, angel investors, accelerators, family offices, and corporations," noted Isabella Munoz, Executive Director of Invest in Bogota." The Corporation plays a pivotal role in promoting the city during this significant week for startups in Miami.

The city leads the venture capital ecosystem in Colombia. It is home to the highest number of financing rounds (88 rounds) and capital raised in the country, accounting for 75% of the national totalUSD 486 million, according to the latest report by Invest in Bogota for 2023.

US venture capital funds have considerable experience investing in Colombian startups, particularly those based in Bogota. In 2019, Softbank made history with a USD 1 billion investment in Rappi, the largest single investment in a Latin American tech startup. Other notable investors include Tiger Global Management, Quona Capital, and 8VC, among others.

#MiamiTech

www.investinbogota.org

SOURCE Invest in Bogota
NEW YORK, April 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- With technological advancements evolving at a rapid pace, the IT training market size is set for remarkable growth, projected to surge at a CAGR of 7.03% between 2023 and 2028. The market size is estimated to increase by a staggering USD 12.93 billion during this period.

Learn about additional key drivers, trends, and challenges available with Technavio. Read a Free Sample PDF Report Now

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global IT Training Market 2024-2028

Partnerships, Acquisitions, and E-Learning Fuel Market Expansion

The expansion of partnerships and acquisitions, coupled with heightened adoption of e-learning within organizations, are key drivers propelling market growth. As businesses strive to stay ahead in a competitive environment, the demand for proficient individuals in emerging technologies has escalated significantly. The IT training market encompasses a wide spectrum of topics, ranging from application development and programming to cybersecurity and big data education.

Segmentation Insights

The market segmentation offers a comprehensive outlook, covering services such as infrastructure, development, database, security, and more. End-users include corporate, schools, colleges, and others, with geographic regions spanning North America, APAC, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and South America.

Infrastructure Segment Leading the Charge

The infrastructure segment emerges as a frontrunner in market growth, attributed to the surging demand for skilled professionals in cloud computing and networking technologies. With organizations increasingly adopting cloud and edge computing, certified professionals in technologies like AWS, Oracle Cloud, CompTIA A+, Network+, and VMware are in high demand, driving the segment's growth.

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Corporate Sector Spearheading Market Growth

The corporate sector makes a significant contribution to market expansion, focusing on providing industry-specific training to employees. From programming language training to project management and certifications like CISSP, CCNA, and AWS, corporate entities are investing heavily in upskilling their workforce to ensure operational efficiency and competitiveness.

North America Dominates Market Landscape

North America leads the global market, contributing 37% to its growth during the forecast period. The region's robust technological infrastructure, coupled with the presence of major technology companies and a high demand for skilled professionals, fuels market expansion. Strategic collaborations, coupled with a focus on developing and introducing new training offerings, further drive growth in the region.

Trends Driving Market Dynamics

Virtual training options are gaining traction, offering flexible and tailored learning experiences to IT professionals worldwide. Strategic alliances and acquisitions among market players are fostering innovation and meeting evolving workforce needs. Additionally, the integration of analytics in training programs is enhancing the overall learning experience, driving market growth.

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Challenges Ahead

Continuous change in IT training modules poses a significant challenge, necessitating frequent updates to incorporate emerging technologies. The dynamic nature of the IT industry, with advancements in AI, ML, blockchain, and more, requires vendors to stay abreast of industry trends, increasing operational costs.

Key Market Players

Leading companies in the IT training market include Amazon.com Inc., Apple Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., and others. These players employ various strategies, such as partnerships, mergers, acquisitions, and product/service launches, to enhance their market presence and cater to evolving industry demands.

Analyst Review

The Information Technology (IT) Training Market is experiencing a seismic shift driven by rapid technological advancement and the ever-expanding digital landscape. As businesses across various sectors increasingly rely on IT systems and applications, the demand for a skilled IT workforce equipped with cutting-edge knowledge has never been higher.

In response to this demand, employee skill development has become paramount. Traditional IT domains are being infused with innovative technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), transforming the way businesses operate. Data analytics is emerging as a critical component, enabling data-driven decision-making and enhancing employee performance and productivity.

To keep pace with these developments, learning formats have evolved significantly. Online courses, workshops, and cyber security training have become increasingly popular, providing flexible and accessible avenues for skill enhancement. Regulatory compliance requirements, particularly in the realm of information security and network security, have further emphasized the importance of threat detection, risk management, and compliance.

Database and big data training are integral parts of IT education, covering data modeling, database administration, and the utilization of big data tools and technologies. Data-driven decision-making has emerged as a cornerstone of modern business strategies, necessitating proficiency in data analytics and database management.

Software development, Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud computing are among the key areas of focus in IT training programs. In-person classes, virtual classrooms, and self-paced learning modules cater to diverse learning preferences, while training providers offer a range of options including webinars and e-learning platforms.

Reskilling and job transitions are becoming increasingly common as professionals adapt to the evolving IT landscape. Coding bootcamps, cybersecurity certification courses, and data science training are in high demand, reflecting the need for specialized skills.

Ethical hacking and secure coding are essential components of cybersecurity skills training, addressing the growing threat of cyber attacks. Soft skills such as communication and teamwork are also emphasized, recognizing the importance of interpersonal abilities in the IT domain.

The Global IT training market is dynamic and competitive, driven by the need for lifelong learning and continuous skill development. Accessibility to online training is improving, making it easier for individuals to acquire new skills regardless of their location or schedule.

In conclusion, the IT training market is evolving rapidly to meet the demands of an increasingly digital world. With technology driving innovation across industries, the importance of a skilled IT workforce cannot be overstated, making ongoing training and education essential for success in the ever-changing landscape of information technology.

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Market Overview

The Information Technology (IT) Training Market is witnessing a surge in demand as organizations recognize the critical importance of upskilling their workforce in IT systems and applications. With rapid advancements in AI and ML, coupled with the growing significance of data analytics, businesses are investing heavily in employee skill development to stay competitive in the digital landscape. Training programs now encompass not only traditional IT skills but also focus on emerging technological innovations like AI and ML. As the demand for AI and ML expertise rises, so does the need for comprehensive IT training solutions. The IT training market is poised for substantial growth as companies prioritize equipping their workforce with the necessary skills to navigate and leverage the ever-evolving digital landscape effectively.

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About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com

SOURCE Technavio
Beijing (Gasgoo)- On April 17, Cherys EXEED brand officially released renderings of its first electric MPV, the E08. The new model was crafted by EXEED's European and Shanghai design teams and is scheduled to debut at the Auto China 2024 in Beijing next week.

Photo credit: EXEED

Steve Eum, Vice President and General Manager of Design at Chery, expressed that the E08 seamlessly integrates tradition with modernity, technology with art, to create a charming Fusion Luxury concept, offering a blend of family and business-friendly features with ultimate elegance in the driving experience.

Photo credit: EXEED

The E08 continues the EXEED design language of "Wind Aesthetics" while advancing it further. From the renderings, the E08 adopts a One Box integrated design concept with smooth and natural body lines, simple and pure surfaces, achieving a super-low drag coefficient for lower energy consumption, extended range, and enhanced comfort.

Photo credit: EXEED

The front design is inspired by EXEED's Cyber Butterfly design theme. The grille design draws inspiration from chandeliers, showcasing a fusion of modern technological innovation and traditional craftsmanship.

The front and rear L-shaped lights are the highlights of the E08, inspired by wind tunnel experiments, presenting a "Wings of the Wind" lighting effect when illuminated.

Photo credit: EXEED

The wheel design is inspired by Eastern symmetrical aesthetics, with two squares overlapping to form eight corners, symbolizing a stable and smooth ride and smart mobility in all directions.

Additionally, the E08s ultra-wide door opening feature allows direct access to the third row, maximizing convenience for passengers entering and exiting.
WASHINGTON, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Arfiya Eri, a member of Japan's House of Representatives, has joined the United States-Japan Foundation Board of Trustees.

Eri's historic candidacy in the April 2023 parliamentary election drew worldwide attention. A Japanese national of Uyghur and Uzbek descent, she is the first Uyghur woman to be elected to any legislature in any nation, according to the World Uyghur Congress. At 35 years old, she is currently the youngest woman in Japan's parliament, where the average age is 55 and only 10% of the House of Representatives is female.

In 2023, Time magazine named Eri one of its 100 next-generation global leaders.

Before entering Japanese politics, Eri spent extensive time in the U.S., working at the United Nations in New York after earning her bachelor's and master's degrees at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service in Washington, DC. She is fluent in Japanese, English, and Uyghur, and speaks four other languages in varying degrees of fluency: Chinese, Uzbek, Turkish, and Arabic.

Eri is a fellow in the Foundation's US-Japan Leadership Program, joining the network in 2018.

"Arfiya is an inspiring symbol, a pioneer, for a new generation of Japanese leadership," said USJF board Chair Lawrence K. Fish. "More than that, she is an energetic, creative thinker about the future of Japanese society, about U.S.-Japan relations, and the role that organizations such as ours can play in helping shape a better future for both countries. We look forward to working with her as we chart our new path for greater impact on both sides of the Pacific."

"I am truly honored and humbled to join the USJF Board, and look forward to learning from all colleagues, as well as contributing to its ever more important work in strengthening US-Japan relations across sectors and industries," said Eri. "The alliance of our two countries  two of the strongest democratic economies in the world  has never been more vital against the backdrop of shrinking space globally for human rights, civil rights, and democracy, as well as evident and pressing threats to rule-based international order. I also look forward to working with the Board to further enhance its efforts on diversity, inclusion, and representation across its programs on both sides of the Pacific."

Born in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, Eri became a Japanese citizen at the age of 10, in 1999. Her family temporarily moved to China for her father's work, and she graduated from the American school in Guangzhou.

After earning her MA in Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies, Eri joined the Bank of Japan, where she worked from 2012-2016. She served at the UN from 2016 through 2022, before returning to Japan to run for political office.

Eri represents the 5th District of Chiba Prefecture, which includes the cities of Urayasu and Ichikawa, just outside Tokyo.

In addition to Chair Fish, Eri joins on the USJF board: Vice Chair Tak Niinami, Wendy Cutler, Richard E. Dyck, Colleen Hanabusa, James M. Kondo, Craig M. Mullaney, Richard J. Samuels, Keiko Tashiro, Donna Tanoue, and Takeshi Ueshima.

The United States-Japan Foundation was started in 1980 with a mission of improving relations between the two countries. It has since given out more than $100 million in grants and oversees the US-Japan Leadership Program with a network of 500 fellows from the two countries.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE United States-Japan Foundation
The Leader in Hands-Free Footwear Unveils a New Look Ahead of Their National Retail Expansion

SALT LAKE CITY, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Kizik, the industry leader in hands-free footwear innovation, debuts a new brand platform with its national introduction of its brand promise, "Motion Is Magic," The integrated campaign unlocks the power and potential of Kizik's category-creating, hands-free technology, inviting consumers to enter a life of frictionless freedom where they can experience the limitless possibilities of a life in motion. This widely resonant proposition will guide Kizik's continued growth into retail, wholesale, and international markets, culminating this April with a limited-time NYC experiential pop-up that features the launch of five new silhouettes.

The new brand platform and marketing campaign were created in partnership with award-winning creative agency Yard NYC., who created Kizik's new branding look, feel and tone from its logo to packaging and advertising. Compelling new creative will begin rolling out across the brand's website, social, and other digital and brick-and-mortar channels. The campaign will also have omnichannel distribution across out of home, connected TV, linear digital display, traditional & streaming, and paid social. The campaign was shot in Barcelona. The images from the campaign tell a story and invite consumers to connect and engage in a world that inspires adventure, where Motion is Magic.

Kizik will bring its big, bold, frictionless world to life through its first-ever New York City experiential retail popup in conjunction with MG2. When customers enter the store, they're taken on an immersive journey that brings the campaign to life through interactive visual installations that react to movement. The exhibit illustrates how every stride with Kizik, whether it takes you across the street or across the world, can inspire magic. The popup opens on April 19th and runs through April 21st at 127 Greene Street in Soho.

"Our customers have consistently shared their astonishment at how effortlessly our step-in technology integrates into their lives, magically allowing them to live their life in an elevated state of flow," said Monte Deere, CEO of Kizik. "This feedback illuminated a larger realization: our innovation goes far beyond the convenience and functional benefit of not tying shoe laces; it unlocks a new way of living."

Encompassing everything from product design and positioning to branding, marketing, retail experience, customer service, and company culture, Motion Is Magic will act as a catalyst for Kizik's next and most ambitious phase of growth. Kizik will continue to expand its influence and reach new consumers in 2024 by forging a national brick-and-mortar roll-out, entering into new wholesale partnerships, and expanding into international markets.

"We are rapidly growing as a brand both on our owned retail channels and through our wholesale partnerships. This year we will bring Kizik to over 500 wholesale locations alongside six of our own stores, projecting for 15 stores total by the end of 2025," said Monte Deere, CEO of Kizik. "We've also signed with our first international partner to bring Kizik to the UK, with plans to continue our brand expansion internationally."

In tandem with the ongoing retail and wholesale expansion, Kizik will continue to introduce new silhouettes including the Brisbane, Oslo, Sonoma, Sydney and London, all named after iconic cities as a nod to the wanderlust the brand plans to inspire. The new designs merge the function and efficiency essential to the brand with a renewed emphasis on current style trends, drawing inspiration from around the globe.

For more information, visit kizik.com.

About Kizik

Based in Lindon, Utah, Kizik is the industry's leading hands-free footwear brand, boasting more than 200 pending and granted patents. Powered by relentless innovation, Kizik is a catalyst that opens a big, bold, frictionless world that gives its customers freedom to go, see, do and exploreto find magic in motion. Offering stylish silhouettes for men, women, and kids, Kizik's hands-free footwear truly is for everyone. To learn more, visit kizik.com and follow @wearkizik.

Contact:

Danielle Prager

[email protected]

407-620-5516

SOURCE Kizik
BEIJING, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Kuke Music Holdings Limited ("Kuke" or the "Company") (NYSE: KUKE), the leading classical music service platform in China, is pleased to announce its official strategic partnership with the China National Youth Palace Association. The collaboration aims to jointly organize a series of events, including the "2024 National Youth Palace Choral Online Event," choral conducting and music teacher training courses, and the Youth Palace Choral Arts Summer Camp, all dedicated to providing high-quality music and arts education services to the youth.

As the organizer and sponsor of this series of events, Kuke will provide online platforms and technical support, including the development of a customized choral platform system for the events, offering features such as choral works upload, platform management, scoring, and interactive functions amongst the event participants. In addition, Kuke will utilize its resources of music education experts and copyrighted content to provide online critiques and organize and host the "Youth Palace Choral Cloud" series of live online master classes.

Mr. Yu He, CEO of Kuke Music Holdings Limited, stated: "We are honored to collaborate with the China National Youth Palace Association and contribute our resources to the music and arts education of young people. We believe that through this partnership, we can better serve the community of young classical music enthusiasts, help them enhance their musical proficiency, broaden their horizons, and improve their artistic expression and cultivation. This would also allow us to further demonstrate and deliver on the Company's commitment to social responsibility."

About Kuke Music Holding Limited

Kuke is a leading classical music service platform in China encompassing the entire value chain from content provision to music learning services. By collaborating with its strategic global business partner Naxos, the largest independent classical music content provider in the world, the foundation of Kuke's extensive classical music content library is its unparalleled access to more than 900 top-tier labels and record companies. Leveraging its market leadership in international copyrighted classical music content, Kuke provides highly scalable classical music licensing services to various online music platforms, and classical music subscription services to over 800 universities, libraries, and other institutions across China. In addition, it has hosted Beijing Music Festival ("BMF"), the most renowned music festival in China, for 24 consecutive years. Through KUKEY, the Company's proprietary smart music learning solutions, Kuke aims to democratize music learning via technological innovation, bring fascinating music content and professional music techniques to more students, and continuously improve the efficiency and penetration of music learning in China. For more information about Kuke, please visit https://ir.kuke.com/

Forward-looking Statements

This announcement contains forward looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "aims," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "confident," "potential," "continue" or other similar expressions. Statements that are not historical facts, including but not limited to statements about Kuke's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including those in Kuke's registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Kuke's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Kuke undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

SOURCE Kuke Music Holding Limited
MONTREAL, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - LGI Healthcare Solutions, a Canadian leader in healthcare IT, is proud to announce its new strategic partnership with Cegid, a leader in cloud business management solutions for professionals in Human Resources. This collaboration delivers a fully integrated payroll, scheduling, and talent management solution for a comprehensive end-to-end user experience.

Cegrid logo (CNW Group/LGI Healthcare Solutions)

This partnership brings together the strength of LGI's payroll and scheduling solution with Cegid's advanced talent management capabilities to deliver a solution tailored to meet the stringent requirements of healthcare facilities. The integration will streamline processes, improve efficiency, and empower users to make more informed decisions.

"At LGI we're always striving to provide our customers with innovative solutions that exceed their expectations," said Michel Desgagne, President and CEO of LGI Healthcare Solutions. "This collaboration represents a significant step forward in our commitment to delivering value to our customers. Together, we're unlocking new possibilities and providing users with the tools they need to succeed in today's competitive market."

"This partnership with LGI isn't just about integration; it's about bringing innovation together" said Marc-Andre Nataf, CEO of Cegid North America. "In a very tense and challenging environment for healthcare professionals, our ambition is to provide technologies to help organizations rethink work experience in a sector where, more than ever, HR challenges are strategic."

About LGI Healthcare Solutions

For over 40 years, LGI Healthcare Solutions has distinguished itself through a rich and diversified solutions portfolio. We help improve the performance of healthcare facilities and the experience of their staff and patients. We serve thousands of facilities across Canada, the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and France.

About Cegid

Cegid is a leader in cloud business management solutions for finance (cash-flow, tax, ERP), human resources (payroll, talent management), CPAs, retail and entrepreneurial sectors. With a solid full cloud business model, Cegid provides long-term commitment to its customers, superior and distinctive experiences and helps companies of all sizes accelerate their digital business transformation, locally and worldwide.

SOURCE LGI Healthcare Solutions
LONDON, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hakluyt, the global strategic advisory firm for businesses and investors, has appointed Lord William Hague as chair of its international advisory board. Lord Hague will succeed Niall FitzGerald KBE, the former CEO and chairman of Unilever, who has led the advisory board since 2014.

Lord William Hague

Lord Hague began his career at McKinsey & Co, and was then elected a Member of Parliament in the UK in 1989. He was an MP for 26 years, during which time he served as Leader of the Conservative Party, Foreign Secretary, and Leader of the House of Commons. He retired from the government in 2015, and was appointed to the House of Lords. Since then, he has had a number of roles in business, including as a senior adviser to Citigroup, and he was appointed chair of the Royal Foundation in 2020. He is also the author of critically acclaimed biographies of William Pitt the Younger and William Wilberforce, and he has a weekly column in The Times newspaper.

Hakluyt's international advisory board includes senior leaders from the worlds of business, government and academia, who support the firm's global connectivity and expertise.

Lord Hague said: "It's an incredibly exciting time to be joining Hakluyt. The firm is growing at pace, and advising senior business leaders around the world on their most critical and complex challenges. I very much look forward to working with the impressive Hakluyt team, and with my fellow advisory board members, to support the business's continued expansion."

Niall FitzGerald KBE commented: "Chairing Hakluyt's international advisory board for the last decade has been immensely enjoyable and stimulating. What the firm has achieved during this time is extraordinary, and testament to the quality of Hakluyt's people and advice. I am delighted to have played a part in that journey, and to have worked with many wonderful and inspiring fellow members of the advisory board. I wish William Hague all the very best as the new chair, and I know it will be enjoyable and fun."

Varun Chandra, Hakluyt's managing partner, added: "It is a great honour to welcome Lord Hague as chair of our advisory board. His commercial acumen and experience of operating at the highest levels of politics, including as foreign secretary, will be immensely valuable as we continue to expand globally, and I know that the perspective he brings to many of the issues on which we advise our clients will be fascinating.

"I would also like to say a heartfelt 'thank you' to Niall on behalf of everyone at Hakluyt. His impact on our firm, culturally and commercially, has been immeasurable  he has been an outstanding source of advice, support and challenge throughout his long association with us. He has brought characteristic brilliance, wisdom and humour to his role with our advisory board, and it has been a personal privilege to work alongside him and benefit from his mentorship. Everyone at the firm feels incredibly fortunate that Niall has given us so much of his time and energy, and we're delighted that he will continue as a member of our advisory board under Lord Hague's leadership."

Lord Hague's appointment is effective from 1 May 2024.

Notes to editors

Hakluyt is a strategic advisory firm that works with corporate leaders and investors around the world on their most important commercial issues.

The full membership of Hakluyt's international advisory board can be found here .

For more information on the firm, please visit www.hakluytandco.com

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2390115/William_Hague.jpg

SOURCE Hakluyt
Lucas Bols USA has finalized a national agreement with The Muff Liquor Company to distribute award-winning spirits. Post this

The Muff Liquor Company was founded in 2017 with the launch of their first product in February 2018 by Laura Bonner and her business partner, Tom Russell. The company continues the tradition of Bonner's Granda, Philip McClenaghan, who crafted spirits from the potatoes he farmed in Inishowen, County Donegal, Ireland, with premium, potato-based vodka and gin and a five-part blend whiskey. All three products have received industry accolades and the brand attracted the attention of celebrity investors Russell Crowe, Ed Sheeran, Jimmy Carr and Ronan Keating. Laura and her team are continuing her family's distilling legacy in the neighboring, eponymous village of Muff, where they will be opening a Brand Home later this year.

The Irish spirits perfectly complement the Lucas Bols Company portfolio, which consists of more than twenty global brands across a range of spirits, including liqueurs, tequila, genevers, gin, ready to drink, and non-alcoholic spirits in the US market. With an official launch date of October 2024, Lucas Bols USA will work with the executive team of The Muff Liquor Company to establish and distribute the brand in the US with a comprehensive sales and marketing strategy, also leveraging the involvement of its celebrity investors.

Brett Dunne, Managing Director Lucas Bols USA: "We are thrilled to partner with The Muff Liquor Company. Their portfolio of award-winning, Irish spirits is a perfect fit with our cocktail strategy and, though a young brand, their rich history pairs perfectly with the Lucas Bols Company's 450 year legacy. We are eager to further expand their success with our proven on and off-premise capabilities. With an exciting roster of celebrity investors and industry accolades, Muff should bring a strong retail presence and clout that our team looks forward to furthering in key US markets."

Laura Bonner, CEO and co-founder of The Muff Liquor Company: "I am thrilled to see The Muff Liquor Company expanding to the US market with the talent and experience of the Lucas Bols Company. We share an entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to heritage that has been woven into The Muff Liquor company story since Granda introduced me to poitin many moons ago. We are so incredibly proud of what The Muff Liquor Company has achieved in just six years, and we cannot wait to see what lies ahead in our newfound partnership with the Lucas Bols Company."

Media Contact: Stefany Elliott, The Same Paige

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 404.803.0752

ABOUT THE LUCAS BOLS COMPANY

The Lucas Bols Company is a leading global cocktail and spirits player in the worldwide cocktail market and one of the oldest Dutch companies still active. Lucas Bols' mission is to create great cocktail experiences around the globe. The Lucas Bols Company is active in over 110 countries worldwide with a portfolio of three global cocktail brands and more than 20 international and regional liqueurs and spirits.Bols, The World's First Cocktail Brand, includes the number-one liqueur range globally (not including the US).

Lucas Bols is also the world's largest player in the genever segment, and our portfolio of cocktail brands includes Passoa, the number one passion fruit liqueur, and the ultra-premium Tequila Partida brand.

Through the House of Bols Cocktail & Genever Experience and the Bols Cocktail Academy, Lucas Bols showcases and inspires and educates bartenders and consumers a-like. With almost 450 years of experience in the art of distilling and blending spirits and cocktails combined with the creative spirit of Amsterdam, we truly are 'Masters of Taste'. Lucas Bols has been listed on Euronext Amsterdam (BOLS) since 4 February 2015.

ABOUT THE MUFF LIQUOR COMPANY

The Muff Liquor Company is an Award-winning premium spirit's company that hails from the village of Muff Co. Donegal on the Inishowen peninsula, Ireland. The Muff Liquor Company was founded in 2017 by Donegal native Laura Bonner, who was inspired by her grandfather Philip McClenaghan's passion to create wonderful spirits.

The Muff Liquor Company's current portfolio consists of the award-winning Irish Potato Gin, Irish Potato Vodka, and Irish Peated Whiskey.

SOURCE Lucas Bols
CHICAGO, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Arizton's latest research report, the Malaysia data center market is growing at a CAGR of 13.92% during the forecast period.

To Know More, Download the Free Sample Report:

https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/malaysia-data-center-market-size-analysis

Malaysia Data Center Market Research Report by Arizton

Malaysia Data Center Market Report Scope

Report Attributes Details Market Size (Investment) USD 3.97 Billion (2029) Market Size (Area) 883 Thousand Sq. Feet (2029) Market Size (Power Capacity) 163 MW (2029) CAGR Investment (2023-2029) 13.92 % Colocation Market Size (Revenue) USD 1.23 Billion (2029) Historic Year 2020-2022 Base Year 2023 Forecast Year 2024-2029

Over the next few years, Malaysia is poised to witness significant growth in data center investments, driven by the influx of operators like AirTrunk, Equinix, Princeton Digital Group, and other leading companies. Key hubs like Cyberjaya, Kuala Lumpur, and Johor Bahru are expected to see heightened activity, hosting most of the country's data centers.

The wholesale colocation sector is projected to experience a revenue surge fueled by major cloud players like Microsoft, Google, and AWS. These companies have unveiled plans to establish dedicated cloud regions within Malaysia, with expected timelines for deployment within the next one to two years. This trend underscores Malaysia's growing importance as a regional hub for data infrastructure and cloud services.

Malaysia is among the top expensive markets globally for developing data centers. Malaysia's data center construction cost in 2023 stood at about $8.5-$10 million per MW, making it the costliest market in the APAC region after Singapore and Jakarta.

Investment Opportunities in the Malaysia Data Center Market

In November 2023 , ST Telemedia Global Data Centres announced its plans to develop a new data center campus in Johor . The construction of the first building is likely to begin soon and become operational by 2025. The company formed a joint venture with Basis Bay to develop a new data center campus with two buildings, Cyberjaya DC.2 and STT Kuala Lumpur 1 in Cyberjaya, Selangor .

, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres announced its plans to develop a new data center campus in . The construction of the first building is likely to begin soon and become operational by 2025. The company formed a joint venture with Basis Bay to develop a new data center campus with two buildings, Cyberjaya DC.2 and STT Kuala Lumpur 1 in Cyberjaya, . In October 2023 , EDGNEX Data Centres by DAMAC announced its plans to enter the APAC market for the first time; the company is considering a facility in Cyberjaya, Selangor . The expected investment can cross the $52 million mark.

, EDGNEX Data Centres by DAMAC announced its plans to enter the APAC market for the first time; the company is considering a facility in Cyberjaya, . The expected investment can cross the mark. In October 2023 , Infinaxis Data Centre Holdings, the joint venture between Gaw Capital Partners and A3 Capital, announced the construction of its first data center facility in Cyberjaya. The facility will have 10 data halls and will likely be operational by Q2 2025.

, Infinaxis Data Centre Holdings, the joint venture between Gaw Capital Partners and A3 Capital, announced the construction of its first data center facility in Cyberjaya. The facility will have 10 data halls and will likely be operational by Q2 2025. In September 2023 , EdgeConneX announced its plans to expand its footprint in Malaysia with the development of three data centers sites across Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur , and Cyberjaya. The company plans to develop data centers in partnership with Cyberview.

To Know More, Download the Free Sample Report:

https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/malaysia-data-center-market-size-analysis

Market Trends

According to IRENA, in 2022, hydroenergy accounted for around 69% of the renewable energy capacity in Malaysia , followed by solar energy, which contributed about 21%, along with a 10% contribution by bioenergy.

, followed by solar energy, which contributed about 21%, along with a 10% contribution by bioenergy. Malaysia aims to achieve the target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. To make this goal a reality, WWF-Malaysia is partnering with Boston Consulting Group to develop an independent joint study on the country's optimal net zero pathway.

aims to achieve the target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. To make this goal a reality, WWF-Malaysia is partnering with Boston Consulting Group to develop an independent joint study on the country's optimal net zero pathway. The government of Malaysia has established a green tariff scheme to support its carbon-neutrality target. Under the scheme, subscribers can get electricity from solar or hydro sources instead of fossil fuel sources.

Mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and partnerships are key strategies employed by operators to expand their portfolios and global footprint. For example:

In December 2023 , Chindata Group merged with BCPE Chivalry Merger Sub, a wholly owned subsidiary of BCPE Chivalry Bidco, completing its transition to a private company from a public one.

, Chindata Group merged with BCPE Chivalry Merger Sub, a wholly owned subsidiary of BCPE Chivalry Bidco, completing its transition to a private company from a public one. November 2023 saw ST Telemedia Global Data Centres, in a joint venture with Basis Bay, announcing plans to develop a new data center campus with two buildings in Cyberjaya, Selangor .

saw ST Telemedia Global Data Centres, in a joint venture with Basis Bay, announcing plans to develop a new data center campus with two buildings in Cyberjaya, . A3 Capital and Gaw Capital Partners formed a joint venture in February 2023 to establish Infinaxis Data Centre Holdings to develop and operate data centers across Malaysia and Southeast Asia .

to establish Infinaxis Data Centre Holdings to develop and operate data centers across and . MN Holdings, an engineering services and solutions company, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in April 2023 with Shanghai DC-Science, outlining an investment of approximately $600 million to develop a data center site at the Sedenak Tech Park, Johor .

Why Should You Buy This Research?

Market size is available regarding investment, area, power capacity, and Malaysia colocation market revenue.

colocation market revenue. An assessment of the data center investment in Malaysia by colocation, hyperscale, and enterprise operators.

by colocation, hyperscale, and enterprise operators. Investments in the area (square feet) and power capacity (MW) across cities in the country.

A detailed study of the existing Malaysia data center market landscape, an in-depth market analysis, and insightful predictions about market size during the forecast period.

data center market landscape, an in-depth market analysis, and insightful predictions about market size during the forecast period. Snapshot of existing and upcoming third-party data center facilities in Malaysia

Facilities Covered (Existing): 34



Facilities Identified (Upcoming): 33



Coverage: 9 Locations



Existing vs. Upcoming (Area)



Existing vs. Upcoming (IT Load Capacity)

Data Center Colocation Market in Malaysia

Colocation Market Revenue & Forecast (2023-2029)



Wholesale vs. Retail Colocation Revenue (2023-2029)



Retail Colocation Pricing



Wholesale Colocation Pricing

The Malaysia data center market investments are classified into IT, power, cooling, and general construction services with sizing and forecast.

data center market investments are classified into IT, power, cooling, and general construction services with sizing and forecast. A comprehensive analysis of the latest trends, growth rate, potential opportunities, growth restraints, and prospects for the industry.

Business overview and product offerings of prominent IT infrastructure providers, construction contractors, support infrastructure providers, and investors operating in the industry.

A transparent research methodology and the analysis of the demand and supply aspects of the industry.

Buy this Research @ https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/malaysia-data-center-market-size-analysis

Post-Purchase Benefit

1hr of free analyst discussion

10% off on customization

The Report Includes the Investment in the Following Areas:

IT Infrastructure

Servers



Storage Systems



Network Infrastructure

Electrical Infrastructure

UPS Systems



Generators



Switches & Switchgears



PDUs



Other Electrical Infrastructure

Mechanical Infrastructure

Cooling Systems



Rack Cabinets



Other Mechanical Infrastructure

Cooling Systems

CRAC and CRAH



Chillers



Cooling Tower and Dry Coolers



Other Cooling Units

General Construction

Core & Shell Development



Installation & Commissioning Services



Building & Engineering Design



Fire Detection & Suppression Systems



Physical Security



Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM)

Tier Standard

Tier I & Tier II



Tier III



Tier IV

Geography

Selangor



Johor



Other States

Vendor Landscape

IT Infrastructure Providers

Cisco Systems

Dell Technologies

Fujitsu

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Huawei Technologies

IBM

Inspur

Lenovo

NetApp

Data Center Construction Contractors & Sub-Contractors

Advance Power Engineering

Asima Architects

AVO Technology

B-Global Tech

CTC-Global

CSF Group

Cyclect Group

DSCO Group

Gamuda

GCM Technologies

HSS Engineers

ISG

Kienta Engineering Construction

LSK Engineering

MES Group

M+W Group (Exyte)

MN Holdings

Nakano

NTT FACILITIES

Powerware Systems

S5 Engineering

Shaw Architect

Sunway Construction Group

Unique Central

Support Infrastructure Providers

ABB

Caterpillar

Cummins

Eaton

Fuji Electric

HITEC Power Protection

KOHLER Power

Legrand

Mitsubishi Electric

Narada Power Source

Piller Power Systems

Rittal

Rolls-Royce

Schneider Electric

Siemens

Socomec

STULZ

Trane

Vertiv

Data Center Investors

Bridge Data Centres

Edge Centres

GDS Services

IRIX (PP TELECOMMUNICATION)

Keppel Data Centres

NTT DATA

Open DC

TM One

Vantage Data Centers

YTL Data Center Holdings

New Entrants

AirTrunk

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

EdgeConneX

Equinix

FutureData (Cyclect Group + TSG Group)

Google

i-Berhad

Infinaxis Data Centre Holdings

MN Holdings + Shanghai DC-Science

Microsoft

NEXTDC

Princeton Digital Group

Regal Orion

Singtel

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres

Yondr

To Know More, Download the Free Sample Report:

https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/malaysia-data-center-market-size-analysis

Key Questions Answered in the Report:

What factors are driving the Malaysian data center industry?

How big is the Malaysia data center market?

How many MW of power capacity will be added across Malaysia during 2024 to 2029?

What is the growth rate of the Malaysia data center market?

Which states are included in the Malaysia data center market report?

Get the Detailed TOC @ https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/malaysia-data-center-market-size-analysis

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Australia Data Center Market - Investment Analysis & Growth Opportunities 20232028

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SOURCE Arizton Advisory & Intelligence
Melting Point Solutions has grown to become a trusted player in the lower middle market for secondary LP sales. After advising on over $8 billion of secondary transactions for over 200 discrete clients in the past decade, Melting Point remains bullish about the prospects for the secondary market in LP interests for the foreseeable future.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Melting Point Solutions, a boutique secondary market advisory firm, has released a report, Ten Years  Reflections, Review and Prognosis, to mark the 10-year anniversary of its founding. The report can be found HERE.

Since its inception in April 2014, Melting Point has advised on the secondary market sale of over 1,400 interests in alternative investment funds for over 200 discrete clients, many of them on a repeat basis. With a singular focus on secondary market advisory, Melting Point is focused on LP-led liquidity solutions. With its auction-based price discovery process, Melting Point has designed its price-maximizing approach to be as frictionless as possible to its clients. As a result, Melting Point has grown to become a dominant player in the lower middle market for secondary LP sales.

Raphael Haas, Founder and CEO, said, "Much has changed in the secondary market over the last decade and through our continual process improvement, a conflict-free business model aligned completely with our clients, and a culture of excellence, we have advised on over $8 billion of transactions since inception. While our average transaction size is now nearly 7 times larger than it was in 2014, we do not deviate from our objective of achieving the best outcome for our clients, regardless of size or type. We are grateful to have been entrusted by so many owners and managers of portfolios of LP interests."

Jose Dios, Managing Director & Head of the New York Office added, "The secondary market demand for most LP interests has never been more robust and, with a particular focus on the lower and middle market, Melting Point provides an efficient and price-maximizing access point for sellers of all sizes."

About Melting Point Solutions:

With offices in San Francisco and New York, Melting Point Solutions is a secondary market advisory firm that provides anonymous, efficient, and transparent liquidity solutions for owners and managers of interests in alternative investment funds. Melting Point is led by a senior team with collectively over 100 years of private markets experience. To learn more about Melting Point, please visit www.MeltingPointSolutions.com.

All securities transactions undertaken by Melting Point are conducted solely through Kidron Capital Securities LLC, Member FINRA, SIPC. Melting Point Solutions personnel are registered representatives of Kidron Capital.

SOURCE Melting Point Solutions
As part of the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center Research Consortium, Thomas Jefferson University and Drexel University have partnered to transform breakthrough research into life-changing cancer treatments

PHILADELPHIA, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Jefferson announced that its Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center (SKCC) has earned a National Cancer Institute (NCI) "Comprehensive" Cancer Center designation, the highest recognition awarded by the NCI.

This recognition places SKCC among an elite group of only 57 cancer centers nationwide, providing exceptional and personalized cancer care and superior outcomes, fueled by a robust clinical research program.

This recognition places SKCC among an elite group of 57 cancer centers nationwide, providing exceptional cancer care. Post this NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center Badge

"We at Jefferson have always known that the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center is among the best of the best. Now it's official, with an important new designation that's shared with less than two percent of the nation's cancer centers," said Joseph G. Cacchione, MD, CEO, Jefferson. "I couldn't be prouder of the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center team, and now our patients will be treated at one of just 57 elite cancer centers in the country with this notable distinction."

This designation is a testament to Jefferson's work to save lives by developing, testing, and applying innovative approaches to improve cancer clinical outcomes. The Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center has been recognized for its leadership and resources, in addition to demonstrating an added depth and breadth of basic science, clinical research, and population science.

The prestigious NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center designation is granted competitively to institutions characterized by the highest level of scientific excellence in cancer research and the ability to translate scientific discoveries into novel treatments. NCI Comprehensive Cancer Centers are also responsible for educating the public, training future healthcare professionals, and providing outreach to underserved populations. Comprehensive cancer centers address the cancer burden unique to the communities they serve through tailored research programs and community outreach.

"Many people have been responsible for the success of the cancer center to this day. The Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center's staff has worked tirelessly for years to make the comprehensive status a reality. We are the heart and soul of cancer care in Philadelphia and the communities we serve, and while this is an immense honor, it is also a tremendous responsibility. Comprehensiveness translates our commitment to cancer prevention, expertise, and leadership in delivering uncompromising care and breakthrough cancer research until every cancer is cured. We celebrate this milestone with our clinicians, support staff, patients, and their loved ones." said Andrew Chapman, DO, FACP, EVP Cancer Research and Oncology Services, and Director, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Jefferson Health.

As the federal government's principal cancer research and training agency, the NCI awards designations based on excellence in cancer treatment, diagnosis, and prevention. Jefferson received an initial NCI Designation in 1996.

"The NCI Comprehensive designation is an important milestone in our commitment to reducing the cancer burden not only in Philadelphia, but across the United States and globally," said Dr. Susan C. Aldridge, Interim President, Thomas Jefferson University. "It is the culmination of Jefferson's continued dedication to research, education and patient care. As partners in the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center Research Consortium, Jefferson, along with Drexel University, is focused on transforming breakthrough research into life-changing cancer treatment.

Every five years, a peer review process occurs to assess the extent to which the center has promoted or is likely to promote excellence in research that may reduce the incidence, morbidity, and mortality attributable to cancer among persons within its service area and beyond. Reviewers evaluate how well the center's leadership, organization, and processes for development and evaluation facilitate scientific productivity, strengthen the institution's research capabilities, and enable its investigators to take advantage of scientific opportunities beyond what would have likely occurred at the institution without the Cancer Center Support Grants (CCSGs.) These grants predominantly support the research mission of the center.

"This prestigious designation recognizes our Center's excellence in cancer prevention, patient care and clinical research. It also elevates our entire health system's capabilities to deliver cutting-edge care and innovative solutions to our patients right here in our community," added Baligh R. Yehia, MD, MPP, MSc, FACP, President, Jefferson Health.

Serving more than 8,900 patients annually, the matrixed consortium cancer center provides the most advanced, research-based care by building upon the unique expertise, resources and capabilities of two highly regarded Philadelphia-based institutions, Thomas Jefferson University and Drexel University.

"Drexel University and Thomas Jefferson University share a research-driven mission to make an impact In the Philadelphia region and beyond. The partnership between our storied institutions allows us to optimize our respective research strengths and focus on the specific needs of the diverse communities across Southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey," said John A. Fry, President, Drexel University. "This designation is a great win for the region, as it will strengthen the impact of scientific discovery across the consortium."

The Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center offers advanced treatment plans, access to a wide breadth of clinical trials, and comprehensive supportive services for patients throughout the region via its advanced care hubs in Philadelphia, South Jersey, and Montgomery and Bucks counties. Patients can access local resources, backed by the NCI-designated academic medical center in Center City Philadelphia.

Enhancing the Patient Experience

Oncology patients will receive cancer care at the Honickman Center, Jefferson's new state-of-the-art outpatient care center, which opened its doors to patients on April 15. The Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center is on the 12th, 14th and 15th floors, where patients will be surrounded by a calming environment with open sunlit spaces and a breathtaking view of the Philadelphia skyline. Fifty-eight infusion chairs offering privacy, recliners with massage features, comfortable spaces for family members, and carefully selected artwork in key areas are all part of the healing experience and patient-centric care.

Generous Gift

In recognition of this prestigious NCI designation, philanthropists Caroline and Sidney Kimmel will generously match every dollar raised for the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center Innovation Fund, up to $250,000, as part of Jefferson's annual Giving Day . Mr. and Mrs. Kimmel have been extremely generous benefactors to Jefferson, having given more than $200 million over the years including: providing cornerstone funding to establish the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center in 1995, as well as transformational support for research into the prevention of cardiovascular disease, and Jefferson's largest-ever gift of $110 million to name the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in 2014. With this latest NCI comprehensiveness designation, the Kimmels are the only family to have two comprehensive cancer centers in the country named after them.

About Jefferson

Nationally ranked, Jefferson, which is principally located in the greater Philadelphia region and southern New Jersey, is reimagining health care and higher education to create unparalleled value. Jefferson is more than 42,000 people strong, dedicated to providing the highest-quality, compassionate clinical care for patients; making our communities healthier and stronger; preparing tomorrow's professional leaders for 21st-century careers; and creating new knowledge through basic/programmatic, clinical and applied research. Thomas Jefferson University , home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson College of Nursing, and the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce, dates back to 1824 and today comprises 10 colleges and three schools offering 200+ undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 8,300 students. Jefferson Health , nationally ranked as one of the top healthcare systems in the country and the largest provider in the Philadelphia area, serves patients through millions of encounters each year at 17 hospitals and more than 160 outpatient and urgent care locations throughout the region. Jefferson Health Plans is a not-for-profit managed health care organization providing a broad range of health coverage options in Pennsylvania and New Jersey for more than 35 years.

SOURCE Jefferson
COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting next week, the Network of National Library of Medicine and Columbus Metropolitan Library in Columbus, OH will host the All of Us Journey. This traveling educational exhibit brings the National Institutes of Health's All of Us Research Program to communities across the United States. The Journey features interactive activities, videos, games, quizzes, and moreall designed to demonstrate the power of participation in health research. Interested attendees will learn how they can help shape the future of health for themselves, their families, and their communities for generations to come. Attendees will also have the opportunity to register for the All of Us Research Program during their visit.

WHAT:

Columbus, OH is one stop on the All of Us Journey's national tour. The public is invited to attend and learn how they can help change the future of health as participants in the All of Us Research Program.

WHEN and WHERE:

Tuesday, April 23 to Friday, April 26, 2024

10am-4pm

Columbus Metropolitan Library: Karl Road Branch

5590 Karl Road

Columbus, OH 43229

See the full list of events here.

The All of Us Research Program, led by the National Institutes of Health, aims to recruit at least one million participants that reflect the diversity of the United States. All of Us will help researchers understand more about why people get sick or stay healthy. To learn more about the All of Us Research Program and upcoming events, visit https://www.joinallofus.org/ .

About the All of Us Journey

All of Us is a registered service mark of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). The Journey is managed by Montage Marketing Group in collaboration with Scripps Research Translational Institute, and funded by the National Institutes of Health award OT2OD035580 .

For more information contact:

Jennifer Reyes, Outreach Engagement Manager

Phone: (301) 260-5270

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Montage Marketing Group
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Wuhan NIO Energy Co., Ltd. ("NIO Energy") and SAIC General Motors Sales Co., Ltd. ("SAIC-GM") have forged a partnership for interconnected charging network services, according to a press release SAIC GM issued via its WeChat account on April 18.

Photo credit: SAIC-GM

This collaboration will enable SAIC-GM vehicles to access NIO's extensive network of charging stations, which are conveniently located in areas with high traffic such as expressways, commercial districts, office parks, residential areas, tourist attractions, and hotels. Owners of new energy vehicles under SAIC-GM's Cadillac and Buick brands will soon be able to locate NIO charging stations, view their status and pricing, and manage payments directly through their brand-specific mobile apps, thereby enhancing the charging experience with more accessible and efficient services.

Up until now, NIO has established a network of 3,767 charging stations with 21,912 charging piles across China, making it the automobile brand with the most extensive number of charging facilities nationwide. NIO has also built 364 supercharging stations with 1,422 charging piles on expressways, leading Chinese automakers by the volume of charging infrastructures in expressway rest areas.

NIO's charging facilities have been open to all new energy vehicles since their inception, with more than 80% of the electricity used by non-NIO vehicle brands.

SAIC-GM has been expanding cooperation with partners in charging to meet the diverse needs of new energy vehicle owners. This includes collaborations with leading charging operators and automotive manufacturers to provide a comprehensive, high-quality charging network across various scenarios including airports, shopping centers, tourist spots, and service areas on expressways.

Additionally, GM's Ultium Airport Charging Service Center is now operational at seven domestic airports, including Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, Beijing Daxing Airport, Shanghai Pudong Airport, Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport, Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, Shenzhen Bao'an Airport, and Chengdu Tianfu Airport. As of now, the nationwide charging terminal cooperation has exceeded 600,000 points, with nearly 100% coverage in prefecture-level cities across the country. Following its initial cooperation with Tesla China last year, SAIC-GM has now expanded its partnership to include NIO's public charging stations.
NEW YORK, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global natural and organic personal care product market size is estimated to grow by USD 10555.87 mn from 2023 to 2027, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of almost 9.24% during the forecast period. The global organic personal care market faces challenges due to high product costs. Factors include short shelf life, expensive natural ingredients, packaging, and advertising. Millennials prefer natural skincare, but high prices limit access. Keywords: Dryness, Dullness, Online, Beauty, Skincare, BHA, Parabens, Phthalates, Herbal, Refresh Botanical, Skincare, Oral care, Hypermarket, Chemicals, Allergies, Organic, Social media, Expert bloggers, Celebrities. Natural ingredients vs synthetic chemicals, plant extracts vs coal tar, user comments vs expert endorsements. High costs impact market growth.

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Natural and Organic Personal Care Product Market 2023-2027

To understand more about this market- Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes!

The Product segment emerges as the fastest-growing segment in the natural and organic personal care product market

The Natural and Organic Personal Care Product Market continues to grow, with consumers increasingly seeking out brands that prioritize organic ingredients and shun synthetic chemicals. Allergies to synthetic cosmetics have driven this trend, leading to the popularity of organic skincare products made from plant extracts. In the digital domain, social media marketing plays a significant role in reaching consumers. Advertisers and marketing practitioners leverage user comments, product reviews, and recommendations from expert bloggers and celebrity endorsements to promote their brands. However, transparency is key, with consumers demanding clean label ingredients and airless packaging to ensure the purity of their personal care products. Haircare concerns, such as anti-dandruff prevention and scalp problems, are also addressed through natural oils like pomegranate, camellia, jojoba, argan, and grape seed. The e-Commerce sector and online retailing have further expanded market reach, with digital marketing strategies targeting consumer preferences. Despite these advancements, some natural and organic personal care products may still contain controversial ingredients like propylene glycol and formaldehyde, necessitating ongoing consumer education and advocacy.

The global market for natural and organic personal care products experienced significant growth in North America, with the US and Canada leading the charge. Consumers in this region demonstrated a strong preference for clean label ingredients and organic beauty offerings. Key players, such as Burt's Bees, catered to this demand with products like Milk and Honey Body Lotions, made from natural ingredients like pomegranate, camellia, jojoba, argan, and grape seed oils. Airless packaging, e-commerce, and online retailing facilitated easy access to these products. Digital marketing, social media, and product reviews played crucial roles in reaching millennial consumers. However, challenges persisted with the presence of synthetic chemicals, such as BHA, parabens, phthalates, coal tar, and herbal ingredients in some products. Organic skincare and oral care products, made from plant extracts, continued to gain popularity as alternatives. Marketing practitioners employed digital marketing strategies to engage consumers in the digital domain.

Commenting on the market trends, a Senior Analyst of Technavio, stated," The natural and organic personal care market prioritizes eco-friendly packaging, such as biodegradable, compostable, or recycled materials. Brands like Juicy Chemistry, Mamaearth, WOW Skin Science, and Forest Essentials innovate with refillable containers and ocean plastic packaging. Sustainability is a key differentiator, appealing to eco-conscious consumers. Keywords: personal care products, clean label, organic beauty, consumer goods, airless packaging, e-commerce, digital marketing, natural oils, pomegranate, camellia, Jojoba, argan, grape seed. Sustainable packaging reduces environmental impact, aligning with broader trends in responsible consumption."

To understand more about this market- Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes!

Analyst Review

The Natural and Organic Personal Care Product Market is experiencing significant growth in the Consumer Products sector, driven by the increasing demand for clean label ingredients and Organic Beauty. This trend is particularly prominent in the eCommerce space, where Online Purchasing Platforms cater to the needs of consumers seeking Skin Irritation relief, Dryness, and Dullness solutions. Brands are focusing on using Natural Ingredients, such as Pomegranate, Camellia, Jojoba, Argan, Grape Seed oils, and Plant Extracts, to create Organic Skincare Products that are free from Synthetic Chemicals and Allergens. Airless Packaging is also gaining popularity to ensure the preservation of these precious ingredients. Digital Marketing and Social Media play a crucial role in reaching out to consumers and building brand awareness. Brands are leveraging these channels to showcase their commitment to using only Natural and Organic ingredients, thereby fostering trust and loyalty among their customer base. In conclusion, the Natural and Organic Personal Care Product Market is a thriving segment in the Consumer Products industry, driven by the consumer's preference for clean label ingredients, Organic Beauty, and a desire for healthier and more sustainable options.

Market Overview

The Natural and Organic Personal Care Product market is experiencing significant growth, with consumers increasingly seeking products free from synthetic chemicals and harsh ingredients. Companies like COMMERCE, Inc. and BHA produce a range of personal care products, including soaps, lotions, and cosmetics. These products are made with natural and organic ingredients such as Skin, Olive oil, and Herbal extracts. Consumers value the health benefits and environmental sustainability of these products. Markets like Europe and North America are leading the way in this trend, with regulations requiring clear labeling and certification for natural and organic products. Companies must adhere to strict production processes and sourcing standards to meet consumer demands for authenticity and transparency. The market is expected to continue growing, driven by consumer preferences for healthier and more sustainable options.

To understand more about this market- Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes!

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --

Dodge vehicle owners can now pair maximum vehicle protection with maximum performance thrills. The new Dodge Complete Performance Package complements the vehicle factory powertrain warranty with coverage of more than 5,000 critical components and includes a day of high-performance driving instruction for vehicle owners at Radford Racing School, the Official High Performance Driving School of Dodge//SRT.

New Dodge Complete Performance Package complements vehicle factory powertrain warranty with coverage of more than 5,000 critical components

Six-year/75,000-mile package, part of the Mopar Vehicle Protection Plan program, offers coverage of critical components, such as engine, driveline, brakes, transmission and more

In additional to vehicle protection, Dodge Complete Performance Package includes instruction at Radford Racing School, the official high-performance driving school of Dodge//SRT

Offer represents the first performance package from Mopar Vehicle Protection to incorporate a performance driving school program

One-day experience at Radford Racing School puts owners behind the wheel of Dodge//SRT vehicles to hone their skills in driving exercises, including team slalom, autocross and hot laps

Additional Dodge Complete Performance Package benefits include coverage of lube, oil and filter services, replacement of most wear/tear components and roadside assistance

Full details on Dodge Complete Performance Package, including pricing and vehicle eligibility information, available at www.mvpdodgesrt.com

Dodge vehicle owners can now pair maximum vehicle protection with maximum performance thrills. The new Dodge Complete Performance Package complements the vehicle factory powertrain warranty with coverage of more than 5,000 critical components and includes a day of high-performance driving instruction for vehicle owners at Radford Racing School, the official high-performance driving school of Dodge//SRT.

Part of the Mopar Vehicle Protection Plan program, the Dodge Complete Performance Package delivers a six-year/75,000-mile package that offers protection for critical vehicle components, such as the engine, transmission, suspension, brakes, driveline, electrical and thousands of additional components.

The Dodge Complete Performance Package also includes coverage of lube, oil and filter services, tire rotations, coverage of factory-recommended scheduled maintenance, replacement of most wear/tear components, including worn tire replacement and roadside assistance.

The new package not only delivers vehicle protection coverage, but also provides owners with important training to hone their driving skills at Radford Racing School, located in Chandler, Arizona. The one-day driving experience at Radford, valued at $1,500, features exercises, such as team slalom, autocross and hot laps, with drivers behind the wheel of school-provided Dodge//SRT vehicles. The package represents the first performance package offered by Mopar Vehicle Protection to incorporate a performance driving school session.

The Dodge Complete Performance Package provides coverage of more than 5,000 critical vehicle components, including:

Air conditioning

Anti-lock brakes

Body mechanisms

Brakes

Driveline

Electrical

Engine

Full mechanical

Instrumentation

Manual interior mechanisms

Safety and security

Steering

Suspension

Transmission

Additional benefits of the Dodge Complete Performance Package include:

Brake pads

Clutch assembly

Full repair or replacement coverage for all four tires/wheels damaged due to road hazard conditions

Interior rips and tears

Oil changes for life of contract

Paintless dent repair

Rotors

Squeak and rattle repair

Tire rotations

Wheel alignments

Wheel repair (up to $7,500 /year)

/year) Windshield glass replacement

Wiper blades

Worn tire replacements (up to two), including stems, mounting/balancing and labor charges

For compete information on pricing, eligible vehicles and details on the Dodge Complete Performance Package, visit www.mvpdodgesrt.com.

Radford Racing School

Radford Racing School, the official high-performance driving school of Dodge//SRT, is a premier performance driving and racing training center offering world-class experiences.

Located in Chandler, Arizona, the school offers more than 80 performance vehicles, sedans, SUVs, Ligier JS F4 single seaters and gas-powered go karts. Radford Racing School includes state-of-the-art facilities and event space for private parties and corporate meetings. For more information, visit radfordracingschool.com.

Dodge//SRT

For more than 100 years, the Dodge brand has carried on the spirit of brothers John and Horace Dodge. Their influence continues today as Dodge shifts into high gear with a lineup that delivers unrivaled performance in each of the segments in which the brand competes while moving forward to a future that includes electrified muscle in the form of the next-generation, all-new Dodge Charger.

The next-generation Dodge Charger electrifies a legend, with the Charger retaining its title as the world's quickest and most powerful muscle car led by the all-new, all-electric 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack. The all-new Dodge Charger will also offer performance choices via multi-energy powertrain options including the 550-horsepower Dodge Charger SIXPACK H.O., powered by the 3.0L Twin Turbo Hurricane High Output engine.

Dodge also keeps its foot on the gas as a pure performance brand with the 710-horsepower Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, the most powerful SUV ever, and best-in-class standard performance in the compact utility vehicle segment with the Dodge Hornet.

Dodge is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellantis.com.

Follow Dodge//SRT and company news and video on:

Company blog: http://blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Media website: http://media.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Dodge brand: www.dodge.com

Direct Connection: www.DCPerformance.com

DodgeGarage: www.dodgegarage.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dodge

Instagram: www.instagram.com/dodgeofficial

Twitter: www.twitter.com/dodge and @StellantisNA

YouTube: www.youtube.com/dodge, https://www.youtube.com/StellantisNA

SOURCE Stellantis
"We are thrilled to expand our portfolio with this collection of brands, including Nue Vodka," said Anthony Moniello (Co-CEO of Next Century Spirits). "Our ambition is to become a trusted, long-term spirits partner with a diverse portfolio and the recent acquisition of SSW brand assets allows us to diversify our business and accelerate our timeline." These brands join NCS's fast growing portfolio that includes Bear Fight American Single Malt Whiskey, Numbskull Cool Mint & Chocolate Flavored Whiskey, Creek Water American Whiskey, and the ready-to-drink Caddy Cocktails.

The largest brand in the transaction, Nue Vodka, has established itself as a fast-growing, impact brand in the vodka space, providing consumers with the best of both worlds when it comes to quality and value. In 2023, Nue Vodka finished as the fastest growing vodka brand amongst the top 10 mid-tier priced vodkas.* Nue Vodka also is the Official Premium Vodka of the 2023 World Series Champion Texas Rangers and is embedded in culture across the US.

"We're excited to expand the Next Century Spirits portfolio to meet the demands of consumers," said Rob Mason (Co-CEO of Next Century Spirits). "Southwest Spirits portfolio is a fantastic collection of young brands that fits key consumer trends and gets us into the vodka, gin, and bourbon categories in a big way."

"These are exciting times for Next Century Spirits as we continue our journey to build the next multinational spirits company," said Matthew Bronfman, who is NCS's Executive Chairman of the Board. "A truly momentous day for our team." As a member of the esteemed Bronfman family who owned the famed Seagram Company up until 2000, Matthew Bronfman is deeply knowledgeable about the spirits industry and aims to grow NCS into a power in the total beverage alcohol space.

For more information about Next Century Spirits please visit www.nextcenturyspirits.com or follow them on Instagram or Facebook .

*Source: Nielsen Total USXAOC + LIQUOR + CONV/Time: Latest 52 Weeks ending 1/27/24; Mid-Tier Pricing $19.99-$21.99 (1.75L)

About Next Century Spirits

Next Century Spirits (NCS), headquartered in Zebulon, North Carolina, is a full-service distilled spirits and marketing company. NCS specializes in the creation and processing of distilled spirits for private label, bulk and NCS-owned brands. Next Century Spirits owned brands have won numerous industry awards and the company was recognized as the 2021 North Carolina Distillery of the Year. Bear Fight American Single Malt Whiskey, an NCS-owned brand, is considered one of the top American Whiskies in the world according to New York International Spirits Competition (NYISC) and won a Double Gold & Best in Category Award which was cited in Forbes magazine. The expression also won Best in Category for a single malt under 12 years old at the World Whiskies Awards. NCS products are available to ship to customers across the globe.

NCS Brand Group focuses on the marketing and distribution of its owned brands which include Numbskull, a cool mint chocolate chip flavored whiskey, Bear Fight American Single Malt Whiskey, Creek Water American Whiskey, Caddy Clubhouse Cocktails, Numbskull Flavored Whiskey, and Truthteller 1893 Whiskey.

The transaction involves the acquisition by NCS of the brand assets of SSW only and not the purchase of Southwest Spirits & Wine LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and SSW will continue as a separate entity from NCS.

SOURCE Next Century Spirits
Annual donations from generous partners support all facets of lifesaving mission

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Red Cross depends on the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors to deliver its lifesaving mission. Helping the organization stay ready for emergencies throughout the year are some of the most generous corporate partners supporting the full Red Cross mission through Where It's Needed Most (WINM).

These companies, along with countless other donors powering all areas of the mission, help people in times of crisis by supporting the most urgent humanitarian needs. Donors to our full mission  and their employees and customers  pledge annual financial donations to ensure the Red Cross is resourced to quickly provide help and hope in times of dire need.

The flexibility provided by these partners, who trust the Red Cross to apply their donation where the need is greatest, has become increasingly vital. Every day, people face emergencies of all sizes  from life-threatening blood shortages, to more frequent and intense disasters like wildfires and floods, to the unique challenges faced by military families, to a person in need of lifesaving CPR provided by a trained bystander.

More than 20,000 people are helped every day by the Red Cross. Whether it's collecting lifesaving blood, supporting a family displaced by a home fire or providing emergency communications to a deployed service member, greatest-needs donors help fuel the Red Cross response in times of crisis. This critical aid wouldn't be possible without annual gifts to Where It's Needed Most.

"We are truly grateful for donors who count on us to steward their gifts where the need is greatest, whether that's disaster relief, lifesaving blood, critical services for military families and veterans, training like CPR and water safety or international aid," said Anne McKeough, chief development officer of the American Red Cross. "We rely on their generosity and trust to help us deliver our lifesaving mission every day."

The Red Cross thanks these valued corporate partners who donate at least $250,000 annually to support the mission  including Circle K and EG America  for their generous contributions.

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds, and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members, and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org , or follow us on social media.

SOURCE American Red Cross
Fundraising Includes New Strategic Investment by Bristol Myers Squibb along with Continued Support from Existing Investors including Canaan and Brandon Capital

Proceeds to be Used to Advance Lead Candidate, PTT-4256, into the Clinic and Expand Leadership Team to Align with Pathios' Transition into a Clinical-Stage Company

OXFORD, England, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pathios Therapeutics Limited ("Pathios"), a biotech company focused on the development of first-in-class therapies for cancer, today announced that the company has raised $25 million in the first close of a Series B financing. The financing consists of a new strategic investment from Bristol Myers Squibb, as well as support from existing investors including Canaan and Brandon Capital. Proceeds from the raise will be used to support the continued development of Pathios' unique approach to cancer immunotherapy focused on the inhibition of GPR65, a novel target that has been genetically associated with a range of immunologically-mediated diseases. As part of these efforts, the company expects to advance PTT-4256, its lead internally discovered, oral, highly potent, and selective small molecule inhibitor of GPR65, into human clinical trials in advanced solid cancers by the end of 2024. Additionally, Pathios will leverage the proceeds from the financing to expand its team, including executive leadership, to align with its continued evolution into a clinical-stage company.

"The support of a syndicate comprised of premier life science investors Canaan and Brandon Capital and a global leader in oncology in Bristol Myers Squibb adds both capital and expertise as we look to generate clinical evidence to support our conviction that GPR65 inhibition will open the door to an entirely new approach to immunotherapy," said Tom McCarthy Ph.D., co-founder and executive chair of Pathios. "It is particularly gratifying to know that our investors share our belief not only in the foundational science we are pursuing but also the significant range of potential therapeutic applications for the platform, both broadly across the field of cancer and into other immunologically mediated diseases. We are eager to leverage the proceeds from this raise to continue our work and successfully advance PTT-4256 into the clinic later this year."

Pathios is pursuing a novel immuno-oncology approach to the treatment of cancer focused on counteracting the immunosuppressive polarization of immune cells, including tumor associated macrophages (TAMs), that is triggered by an acidic tumor microenvironment (TME). It does so by attacking a ubiquitous cancer immune evasion pathway through the targeting of GPR65, an acid sensing G protein-coupled receptor that has been shown to foster immunosuppressive polarization of immune cells. GPR65 is exclusively expressed on immune cells and is associated with driving the immunosuppressive immune cell phenotype in the TME that prevents immune-mediated killing of cancer cells. Pathios' internal human genetic analysis demonstrates that reductions in GPR65 function are associated with significantly improved survival across a range of solid tumor types, positioning it as a unique immuno-oncology target for therapeutic intervention. Furthermore, there are strong genetic associations between GPR65 activity and a variety of other immunologically-mediated diseases, offering the opportunity to expand its research and development into other high-value therapeutic areas with significant unmet need.

"Our belief in the anti-tumor potential of our GPR65 inhibition platform is built upon two key pillars: the extensive validation of the target through human genetic analysis and the ubiquitous and fundamentally causal role that GPR65 plays in human cancer biology by creating a TME that is immunologically-favourable to tumor growth," said Stuart Hughes, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Pathios. "This funding will now enable us to evaluate our scientific hypothesis in the clinic, providing the opportunity to illuminate the activity of this novel target in humans for the first time. While our initial clinical study will have all the hallmarks of a first-in-human trial, it will also feature a biomarker-rich design that allows for the measurement of clinical target engagement."

Preclinical data on PTT-4256 presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2023 demonstrated that the compound possesses excellent drug-like properties and impressive monotherapy anti-tumor activity. Importantly, PTT-4256 was shown to be highly effective in counteracting the effects of low pH (i.e. high acidity) that polarize human and mouse macrophages toward an immunosuppressive state. This PTT-4256-induced relief of immune suppression was associated with dose-dependent increases in a range of pro-inflammatory genes that are consistent with an anti-tumor immune response, evidence of an infiltration of T cells and natural killer (NK) cells into the TME, and prevention of the activation of immunosuppressive cytokines. Together, this activity led to impressive monotherapy efficacy for PTT-4256 in syngeneic mouse cancer models following oral dosing.

About Acidity in the Tumor Microenvironment

The acidic tumor microenvironment, inherent to many cancers, causes a profound immunosuppression of infiltrating immune cells. This environment disarms the anti-cancer immune response and negates the effectiveness of current immunotherapies. This is particularly evident in TAMs, where acidity is sensed by the cell-surface receptor GPR65, leading to an induction of the transcriptional repressor ICER (inducible cAMP early repressor) and the widespread suppression of a host of pro-inflammatory mediators and anti-tumorigenic genes.

About Pathios Therapeutics

Launched in 2017, Pathios is a drug discovery and development company focused on translating innovative science into new medicines. Pathios was founded by a team of experienced biotech and pharmaceutical industry professionals, entrepreneurs, and clinicians. The company is focused on developing small molecule inhibitors of the pH-sensing G protein-coupled receptor GPR65 to counteract the GPR65 mediated immunosuppressive polarization of immune cells, including tumor associated macrophages, that is triggered by an acidic tumour microenvironment present in most cancers. To date, Pathios has raised a total of US$58M including support from the leading venture capital firms, Canaan Partners and Brandon Capital, as well as a strategic investment from Bristol Myers Squibb. Pathios is headquartered at the Innovation Centre on Milton Park, a key science precinct south of Oxford, UK where together with Grey Wolf Therapeutics and ThirtyFiveBio it is part of the unique M:M Bio drug discovery and development ecosystem.

For more information, please visit www.pathios.com.

Contacts:

Pathios Therapeutics

Tom McCarthy, Executive Chair & Stuart Hughes, Chief Executive Officer/Chief Scientific Officer

+44 1235 644 960

[email protected]

Vida Strategic Partners (on behalf of Pathios Therapeutics)

Tim Brons

+1 646 319 8981

[email protected]

SOURCE Pathios Therapeutics
BLOMBERG, Germany, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- At a recent press conference, CEO Frank Stuhrenberg took a look back at the company's 100th anniversary celebrations in 2023 and its sustained growth during this time. Looking ahead to 2024, he spoke about revenue growth and the planned investments for international site development.

Phoenix Contact on course for long-term growth

"Last year was very special for us. Together, we have achieved a great deal throughout the 100-year history of our company, and have remained true to the values and culture of our family business despite our growth and development," states Frank Stuhrenberg. Numerous events were held around the world to celebrate this anniversary together with all employees. However, the focus was also on the future: In 2023, Phoenix Contact hired 199 young people  the highest number of trainees and dual students in the company's history. "Training is a high priority for us, and always has been," emphasizes Stuhrenberg. Projects for the future were also initiated worldwide in order to further promote sustainability. Phoenix Contact was awarded Ecovadis Gold Status in 2023 for its wide-ranging measures. The company is thus among the top five percent of companies in the electronics industry. The use of bio-based materials and the restructuring of transport routes and methods, for example, contribute to the company's Product Environmental Footprint.

A consolidation of growth became apparent over the course of 2023, with incoming orders declining due to high material inventories. This trend affected all major markets. Stuhrenberg emphasized the following point: "If we look at the last four years from 2020 to 2023, we have been able to achieve an average growth of 9.2 percent. This represents a growth of one billion euros over this period. It also means that our markets as well as our products and solutions for electrification and automation are the areas where we expect to see further investment in the future." In 2023, Phoenix Contact recorded a five percent fall in revenue to 3.4 billion euros. The company invested 300 million euros in buildings, machines, and digitalization.

Stuhrenberg does not expect a further decline in revenue for 2024. Since the beginning of the year, there have been signs of recovery, with incoming orders picking up, especially for terminal blocks. "We will continue our investments at the Blomberg site. We are planning to complete the extension to the existing logistics building for 2028." Phoenix Contact is investing a total of around 100 million euros in the fully automated logistics building that will provide an additional storage volume of 200,000 m. Further investments are being made in Building 60, the energy-positive production building at the end of Flachsmarktstrae that is soon to be occupied by 400 employees. The investments for this project total 35 million euros.

Investments

For 2024, the company is planning to invest in the development of sites in Turkey and Mexico in particular. "From an international perspective, we will position our production even more broadly in order to shorten delivery routes for our products and solutions and therefore reduce possible disruptions in the supply chains," explains Stuhrenberg. In Turkey, Phoenix Contact will take over full control of the production joint venture Acel and will develop an 8,000 m production site for up to 500 employees. In Queretaro, Mexico, a new building is currently being constructed for electronics and electromechanical production with up to 700 employees, representing an investment of 50 million euros by 2030.

Hannover Messe

"For us, the Hannover Messe continues to be a central and important event that enables us to engage with our customers from all over the world and present our new products to them," says Stuhrenberg, emphasizing the importance of the trade fair. "In addition, we are taking advantage of its proximity to our locations in Blomberg and Bad Pyrmont to give our 600 international guests an impression of our vision of the All Electric Society." With this in mind, the family-owned company is once again presenting new products at the trade fair that will drive forward the electrification of society. In particular, these include a controller for building automation, which, in its control cabinet format, can also be used in a domestic electrical distribution board. This can be used to control light, ventilation, and heating. A plug-in display facilitates commissioning and maintenance. In addition, various states of inputs and outputs, such as those for light control, can also be detected.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2391228/Phoenix_Contact.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2280983/4657839/Phoenix_Contact_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Phoenix Contact
MENLO PARK, Calif., April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Robert Half Inc. (NYSE: RHI) today announced it expects to release first-quarter 2024 earnings results on Thursday, April 25, at approximately 4:05 p.m. EDT. Robert Half management will conduct a conference call at 5 p.m. EDT on April 25, following the release. The dial-in number is 888-394-8218 (+1-323-994-2093 outside the United States and Canada). It is recommended that participants dial in 15 minutes before the call begins. The confirmation code to access the call is 8109583 .

A recording of this call will be available for audio replay beginning at approximately 8 p.m. EDT on April 25 and ending after 12 months. To access the replay, visit https://www.webcasts.com/RobertHalfQ12024. The conference call also will be archived in audio format on the company's website at roberthalf.com.

About Robert Half

Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized talent solutions and business consulting firm, connecting highly skilled job seekers with rewarding opportunities at great companies. We offer contract talent and permanent placement solutions in the fields of finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, and administrative and customer support, and we also provide executive search services. Robert Half is the parent company of Protiviti, a global consulting firm that delivers internal audit, risk, business and technology consulting solutions. In the past 12 months, Robert Half, including Protiviti, has been named by Fortune as one of the World's Most Admired Companies and 100 Best Companies to Work For, as well as a Forbes Best Employer for Diversity. Robert Half has talent solutions and consulting operations in over 400 locations worldwide.

SOURCE Robert Half
In its 18th year, program supports teacher candidates during their clinical practice experience

TUSTIN, Calif., April 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, the largest credit union serving school employees and their families, served as a sponsor for Cal Poly Pomona's 18th annual Partners in Education (PIE) Fellowship Awards Ceremony on Feb. 8 , where 28 Cal Poly education students received fellowships of up to $4,000 to support their clinical practice experience. During the event, Josh Smith, vice president, school and community relations, at SchoolsFirst FCU, joined other supporters and university faculty and staff to honor the students selected.

Cal Poly Pomona Partners in Education (PIE) is a coalition of academic and community leaders dedicated to advocating for quality education and educational development at Cal Poly Pomona and surrounding communities. Each year, PIE provides fellowships of up to $4,000 each to support students during their clinical practice experience, a very important component of the credential program requiring students to work full-time in classrooms. Over the past 17 years, PIE has awarded more than 250 fellowships, totaling over $1 million to Cal Poly Pomona teacher candidates.

"This unique scholarship program provides financial assistance to help aspiring educators complete their credential program at Cal Poly Pomona," said Smith of SchoolsFirst FCU. "It's an honor to support Cal Poly Pomona Partners in Education and future educators in the surrounding community."

About SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union:

SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union is the fifth largest credit union in the country and has been recognized by Forbes as the number one credit union in California. Serving school employees and their families, the organization is dedicated to delivering World-Class Personal Service and improving the financial lives of its Members. Today they serve more than 1.3 million Members with a full range of financial products and services. SchoolsFirst FCU was founded in 1934, when 126 school employees pooled $1,200 and established a Member-owned cooperative to help improve each other's lives. In 2022, the Credit Union reported nearly $28 billion in assets and remains the largest credit union in California. For more information about SchoolsFirst FCU, visit schoolsfirstfcu.org.

Insured by NCUA.

SOURCE SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union
Seabourn is the first cruise line to appoint Traditional Owners as godparents of a ship. The naming of Wunambal Gaambera Traditional Owners as godparents of Seabourn Pursuit serves as a symbolic gesture of stewardship and responsibility toward the environment and the communities that Seabourn visits, as well as Seabourn's commitment to sustainable tourism. The naming ceremony will take place on Seabourn Pursuit's June 22-July 2, 2024 voyage in the Kimberley region of Australia.

"We believe no one can give a better blessing to our ship than the communities we visit. We truly believe in the transformative power of travel, and when we visit local communities, we are able to both celebrate their culture and drive positive sustainable change in the places they call home," said Natalya Leahy, president of Seabourn. "When we set out to name the godparent for Seabourn Pursuit, we knew we wanted to do something that celebrates this special moment for the ship and also allows us to drive long-term sustainable positive change in line with the values Seabourn and our guests stand for."

The Wunambal Gaambera people are the Traditional Owners of a region in the Kimberley that includes the sea country of Ngula Jar Island (Vansittart Bay) and Yirinni (Hunter River), and the freshwater country of Ngauwudu (Mitchell Plateau).

Christening the ship is a symbolic event that bestows blessings upon everyone who will ever sail on board. The godparents bring good luck and protection to the vessel with this maritime tradition. Godparent to the Wunambal Gaambera people can be described as garrangarru which is a word used to describe a mother or listener. Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation (WGAC), its country and people, embody ideal ambassadors or godparents for Seabourn Pursuit. Their rich cultural history and deep connection to the land and sea, alongside their established sustainable tourism initiatives along the Kimberley Coast, make them a natural fit for Seabourn Pursuit's inaugural season in Western Australia.

Representatives from the Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation will be at Ngula Jar Island on the Uunguu Coast to welcome Seabourn Pursuit guests and to participate in the inaugural dedication ceremony on June 29, 2024.

A Lasting Partnership: Investing in Sustainable Tourism

As part of this appointment with the Wunambal Gaambera Traditional Owners, Seabourn will make a donation to assist Wunambal Gaambera to develop a self-sustaining industry, producing authentic works of art and craft by Wunambal Gaambera artists to sell. In addition, Seabourn will also supply the Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation with pearl shells and various art supplies and polishing materials to foster sustainable, commercial arts and craft initiatives year-round for Wunambal Gaambera artists and craft producers.

Seabourn intends to work alongside Wunambal Gaambera Traditional Owners as they share their unique Uunguu Experience  the sharing of their Wanjina Wunggurr culture through welcome and smoking ceremonies; rock art tours; junba song and dance; and art and stories from the Uunguu Rangers looking after and keeping the country healthy.

"We, the Wunambal Gaambera people, have a communal need and responsibility to look after and prosper from our country. Seabourn's contributions will assist us to be on country, look after and keep our land and sea country healthy, strengthen our Wanjina Wunggurr culture, and create economic opportunities for our people," said Catherine Goonack, Chairperson of the Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation. "It is important we are looking after our country in the way of our Wanjina Wunggurr law. We are happy when we and our future generations are living and working on our healthy Wunambal Gaambera Country. We appreciate Seabourn's support to us in these efforts and look forward to sharing our unique Uunguu Experience with Seabourn and their guests as the garrangarru or Godparents of the Seabourn Pursuit."

Seabourn's monetary contribution, along with funding already received from the State Tourism Authority, Tourism Western Australia, will contribute to Wunambal Gaambera's development of tourism facilities and products for Traditional Owners to live on their country during the dry season when tourism operators can access the vast coastline of the Kimberley region. Seabourn congratulates Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation's implementation of their Uunguu Visitor Management Plan to reconnect with their country, to manage visitor access and take leadership in the tourism industry, and to engage with water-based visitors who arrive on their land, thus participating in the value chain that operators like Seabourn offer. Ngula Jar Island will be featured on all Seabourn itineraries in the Kimberley, ensuring consistent visitation to Wunambal Gaambera Country.

"This is a wonderful collaboration of Wunambal Gaambera and Seabourn that is augmented by Tourism Western Australia, demonstrating our shared values and the promise of greater opportunities for Traditional Owners in the Kimberley region. We are proud to support Wunambal Gaambera's Ngula Jar Island development as we strive to position Western Australia as the leading Australian destination for authentic Aboriginal experiences," said Carolyn Turnbull, Managing Director of Tourism Western Australia. "We know visitors to Western Australia  the Dream State  are seeking immersive Indigenous experiences and the work we are supporting on Ngula Jar Island will enable this to happen. The ongoing visitation fueled by premium cruise tourism operators, like Seabourn, provides the necessary market to make this initiative successful and sustainable."

Seabourn's newest ultra-luxury, purpose-built expedition ship, Seabourn Pursuit, is an intimate ship with private, yacht-like atmosphere, featuring 132 luxuriously appointed ocean-front veranda suites  taking ultra-luxury travelers further, deeper, and closer to the most coveted and remote destinations in the world. Led by a world-class 24-person Expedition Team to deliver immersive experiences throughout the entire journey, each voyage offers exclusive experiences such as curated shore excursions, cultural tours, guided Zodiac cruises, hikes, nature walks, snorkeling and scuba diving.

Further information on Seabourn Pursuit, suites and public spaces of the ship can be found here. For more details about Seabourn, or to explore the worldwide selection of Seabourn cruising options, contact a professional travel advisor, call Seabourn at 1-800-929-9391, or visit www.seabourn.com.

About Seabourn:

Seabourn represents the pinnacle of ultra-luxury ocean and expedition travel and operates a suite of seven modern ships. The all-inclusive, boutique ships offer all-suite accommodations with oceanfront views; award-winning dining; complimentary premium spirits and fine wines available at all times; renowned service provided by an industry-leading crew; a relaxed, sociable atmosphere that makes guests feel at home; a pedigree in expedition travel through the Ventures by Seabourn program and two new ultra-luxury purpose-built expedition ships, including Seabourn Venture that launched in 2022 and Seabourn Pursuit in 2023. Seabourn takes travelers to every continent on the globe, visiting more than 400 ports including marquee cities and lesser-known ports and hideaways. Guests of Seabourn experience extraordinary offerings and programs, including partnerships with leading entertainers, dining, personal health and wellbeing, and engaging speakers.

Seabourn is a brand of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL andNYSE: CUK).

For additional information about WGAC, please visit:

Find Seabourn on Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , YouTube and Pinterest .

IMAGES HERE

VIEW VIDEO HERE

SOURCE Seabourn
SAN FRANCISCO, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sojern, the leading travel marketing platform, is excited to announce the latest members of its esteemed 2024 Destinations Advisory Board. This board, composed of influential leaders in North America, has expanded with exceptional new members and convened in New York City yesterday.

Marking the first-ever 2024 meeting in NYC, Janette Roush, EVP of Marketing & Digital at New York City Tourism + Conventions, shared, "We are pleased to host and gather influential leaders for insightful dialogues, valuable exchanges, and progressive growth to meet the evolving demands of destinations. For several years, we have collaborated with Sojern as our digital marketing partner for both international and domestic strategies. With the advancements in AI shaping the travel landscape, we believe it's a prime opportunity to convene with fellow thought leaders. Together, we can delve into market analysis and mutually enhance our knowledge."

As Sojern continues to invest in destination solutions, these experts will collaborate and learn from each other to address unique needs and pave the way for the future. The 2024 board of advisors is comprised of forward-thinking destination leaders with decades of tourism experience and a wealth of knowledge. The advisors include:

Sojern has been a reliable partner for destination marketing organizations (DMOs), providing cutting-edge solutions to boost visitation and highlight the economic benefits of digital marketing programs. Leveraging travel data from a vast network of global partners, including flight and hotel bookings, Sojern empowers destination customers with unparalleled traveler insights, multichannel scalability, and customized co-op strategies . Sojern also reaches diverse audiences with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, sustainability, and meetings and event planners.

"It is such an honor and privilege to spend time with some of the most forward thinking DMO marketers on the planet. Their collective voice helps to drive our decisions on how to productize our business. This influence extends from the insights we offer to developing distinct market segments (DEI, Meetings & Conventions, Sustainability), to exploring emerging platforms like social media, CTV, and SEM," said Richard Black, Global Vice President of Destinations at Sojern. "It is up to us to build opportunities that make every dollar count which ultimately shapes the stories our clients are telling about us."

To learn more about how Sojern collaborates with destination marketers, please visit: www.sojern.com/destinations .

About Sojern

Sojern is a leading travel marketing platform designed to boost growth and profitability for the travel industry. The Sojern Travel Marketing Platform is a set of easy-to-use software and services that delivers unrivaled traveler insight, intelligent audiences, multichannel activation and optimization, and a connected guest experienceall in one place. More than 10,000 travel marketers rely on our platform annually to find, attract, convert and engage travelers. Founded in 2007, Sojern is headquartered in San Francisco, California with teams in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific.

SOURCE Sojern
Tesla started sending out severance information to laid-off employees overnight. Karol Serewis/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images; Chelsea Jia Feng/BI

Tesla has begun sending severance information to laid-off staff.

Five former workers told Business Insider the severance offer included two months' pay and health insurance.

On Sunday, Elon Musk told Tesla staff he was cutting more than 10% of the company's workforce.

Tesla has started sending out severance information to laid-off employees.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk told staff the electric-car maker was slashing more than 10% of its workforce on Sunday night, according to an internal memo viewed by Business Insider. In the individual layoff notices to impacted workers that were sent in the hours after Musk's companywide email, Tesla told workers they'd receive their severance information "within 48 hours," according to emails viewed by BI.

ADVERTISEMENT

The emails, which were sent to the workers' personal email accounts, notified staff they had been terminated effective immediately. The workers were also cut out of Tesla's internal systems around the same time, several former workers said.

The carmaker appears to be offering workers two months of severance  meaning the workers are set to be paid through June 14, as five former workers told BI. The severance packages didn't appear to be weighted based on the length of time workers had been with Tesla, as workers with anywhere from a few months to several years of experience at Tesla received the same number of weeks paid out, the five sources told BI.

Under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, companies that have more than 100 workers are required to provide 60 days of notice before a large-scale layoff. But Tesla's severance offer could address any potential penalties if it were found to have violated the WARN Act, which says laid-off employees can be entitled to up to 60 days of pay and benefits if not given proper advanced notice.

Tesla is also offering to pay the cost of COBRA health insurance for two months for workers who had coverage through the company, according to a severance-package offer viewed by BI.

Story continues

In order to receive the severance pay, laid-off workers must sign the contract being offered, which prohibits them from participating in any lawsuit or mass arbitration against the company, sharing any of the company's trade secrets, or publicly defaming Tesla. These types of clauses are relatively standard for severance agreements.

Tesla said the severance agreement must be signed within five business days of its receipt, and workers would receive their severance pay 45 days after their termination date, according to a severance agreement viewed by BI.

While the severance information appears to have started going out overnight, several Tesla workers who were impacted by the layoffs told BI they had yet to receive severance information as of Wednesday morning.

The severance agreement didn't include any information regarding equity awards or unused PTO. An exit email that was sent to laid-off employees on Tuesday said Tesla workers had "either 30 days or 3 months (or both)" from their termination date to exercise their vested stock options, and staff would have their PTO that they'd accrued leading up to their termination date paid out in their final paycheck.

A spokesperson for Tesla didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Do you work for Tesla or have a tip? Reach out to the reporter via a non-work email and device at gkay@businessinsider.com

Read the original article on Business Insider
Spiro Unveils Initiatives, Commitments for a Greener Future in the Event Industry

LAS VEGAS, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In an industry first, leading global brand experience agency Spiro announced its latest initiative to champion sustainability within the events industry. Starting in Q3, the agency will offer complimentary sustainability reporting to eligible clients, bolstering its vision, leadership and support for environmental responsibility.

"This initiative is a part of our broader vision to not only lead by example but also empower our industry towards sustainable transformation," says Jeff Stelmach, Spiro's Global President. "Sustainability isn't a buzzword for us; it's woven into the fabric of our ethos. We believe that the impact of our work should echo beyond the immediate awe and engagement it generates."

The agency's sustainability commitment, guided by its dedicated Green Team, aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, in line with the NetZero Carbon Pledge, and a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, resonating with the Paris Agreement. By establishing science-based milestones, Spiro is aligning its commitments with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Science-Based Targets initiative.

In addition to striving for net-zero targets, Spiro seeks to educate and inspire the industry towards a sustainable future. Through targeted KPIs and a comprehensive measurement framework, the agency is able to equip clients to articulate their sustainability stories in ways that deeply resonate with their audiences & confront environmental challenges head-on.

As one of the first collectives within the events industry to obtain certification to ISO 20121 standard, Spiro has deepened its sustainability commitment through certifications and recognitions including ISO 45001 and ISO 14001; ESSA Safety & Sustainability Platinum Award; and EcoVadis Shareable Sustainability Bronze Rating.

The agency further strengthens its vision as a member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) and ESSA's Sustainability Committee, as well as registering more than 70 Sustainable & Safety affiliates.

"We're not just creating events and experienceswe're planting the seeds for a greener future," says Paul Ormbsy, Spiro's Global Head of Health, Safety and Sustainability. "It's about taking deliberate actions to ensure that while we're leading the industry towards innovation and engagement, we're also safeguarding our environment for generations to come."

About Spiro

Spiro (sp-eye-roh) is a strategically-led, creatively-driven, industry-leading global brand experience agency. We exist to cultivate purposeful connection. We specialize in delivering the world's most powerful bonds between brands & their business and consumer audiences. We work with some of the world's most recognized brands, to design events and experiences intended to sway & stay customer preference. We strive to understand drivers & engagement motivators, design to those behaviors, and ultimately position brands as priority in the hearts & minds of their most important audiences. Come. Experience Brand Gravity, the uniquely Spiro bond between brand & customer. To learn more, visit ThisIsSpiro.com.

MEDIA CONTACT

Jenn Joseph

The Encore Agency

602-329-8040

[email protected]

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2389024/Graphic_Spiro_PressRelease_1280x960_For_PRNewswire.jpg

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NOVI, Mich., April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Stoneridge, Inc. (NYSE: SRI) will webcast its first-quarter 2024 earnings conference call live on Thursday, May 2, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. ET with president and chief executive officer, Jim Zizelman, and chief financial officer, Matt Horvath.

The webcast can be accessed on the Webcasts & Presentations page of the Investors section of the Company's website, www.stoneridge.com.

Stoneridge, Inc., headquartered in Novi, Michigan, is a global designer and manufacturer of highly engineered electrical and electronic systems, components and modules for the automotive, commercial, off-highway and agricultural vehicle markets. Additional information about Stoneridge can be found at www.stoneridge.com.

SOURCE Stoneridge, Inc.
KANNAPOLIS, N.C., April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Targeting a Solution is an insightful and impactful fireside discussion dedicated to ending Veteran suicide that will have its next iteration on April 20th, 2024, in Kannapolis, NC hosted by The Independence Fund. The panel will feature four-term Congresswoman, 2020 presidential candidate, and combat Veteran Tulsi Gabbard, former MMA fighter, Green Beret and entrepreneur Tim Kennedy, and podcaster, Veteran, and thought leader Dan Hollaway.

Targeting a Solution Panel and Fireside Chat: An Effort To Prevent Veteran Suicide. Saturday April 20th at

On average, 17 Veterans died by suicide per day in 2023. The Independence Fund, a Charlotte, NC-based Veteran non-profit, is committed to facing the Veteran suicide epidemic head-on. As a national Veteran Service Organization, The Independence Fund has developed multiple programs dedicated to the physical and mental health of Veterans.

"Targeting a Solution is about returning purpose and meaning to a generation of warfighters who answered the call when America needed them," said Dan Hollaway, Veteran, panelist, and podcaster. "It is my sincere pleasure to be part of this special event to spread awareness and action on a critical issue plaguing the Veteran community."

The Targeting a Solution panel is taking place over the weekend dedicated to honoring the Fourth annual celebration of the statewide holiday, Wounded Heroes Day. Wounded Heroes Day was signed into law on April 24th, 2021, in honor of SGT Michael Verardo, who survived catastrophic injuries in Afghanistan on April 24th, 2010. Wounded Heroes Day honors SGT Verardo and all wounded Veterans across North Carolina for their immeasurable sacrifice.

"Michael's injury on April 24th, 2010, changed life for my family forever, and this state-recognized day is a meaningful way we can honor the sacrifices of so many of our local friends and neighbors who have experienced the same," says Sarah Verardo, CEO of The Independence Fund and wife of SGT Michael Verardo. "Being able to continue the conversation about the Veteran suicide epidemic and work together toward our common goal with the strong voices of Tim Kennedy, Tulsi Gabbard, and Dan Hollaway helps us do that, which gives the weekend even more meaning."

Tickets to attend the panel and other events of the weekend honoring Wounded Heroes Day can be reserved at WoundedHeroesDay.org.

ABOUT THE INDEPENDENCE FUND:

Founded in 2007, The Independence Fund (501c3) is committed to serving United States Veterans by providing innovative programs and services to support the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual independence of servicemembers, combat Veterans, their Caregivers, families, and those Allies who served in combat alongside American troops, through innovative mobility and adaptive technologies and therapies for combat Veterans; suicide prevention; caregiver and family support; and Veteran advocacy with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, other government agencies, federal and state legislators, and other partners.

Media contact:

[email protected]

SOURCE The Independence Fund
A Texas Cattle Rancher and owner of a cattle ranch destroyed due to the Smokehouse Creek Fire has filed a multi-billion dollar class action lawsuit in federal court in Amarillo, Texas.

HOUSTON, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Potts Law Firm filed the lawsuit on behalf of Donnie Parker, the owner of Spring Creek Ranch in Skellytown, Texas, on Thursday in Amarillo Division of the United States District Court for the Northern Division of Texas. The lawsuit arises out of the Smokehouse Creek Fire which started on February 26, 2024 and destroyed over 1,000,0000 acres of rangelands where 85% of the state's cattle are located. The lawsuit is against the corporate defendants Xcel Energy Services, Inc., Southwestern Public Service Company and Osmose Utilities Services, Inc. The lawsuit claims that the three defendants negligently failed to maintain and repair a defective utility pole which started the fire that burned for nearly three weeks and has been called the worst wildfire in the state's history.

The lawsuit seeks to recover property losses for all owners of ranches negatively impacted by the fire including their loss of grasslands, damage and death to wildlife, loss of fencing, loss of cattle, and loss of physical structures.

Derek Potts, lead attorney for Mr. Parker and Spring Creek Ranch said in a statement: "All of the ranchers in the panhandle whose land was burned are likely looking at years for their properties and cattle businesses to recover from this horrific event that could have been easily prevented. We have brought this lawsuit on their behalves and are seeking speedy and fair compensation for them all from the Court."

The lawsuit is, Donnie Parker d/b/a Spring Creek Ranch, Individually and on Behalf of Others Similarly Situated v Excel Energy Services, Inc., et al., Case No.: 2:24-cv-00078-Z.

SOURCE Potts Law Firm
PORTLAND, Ore., April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Climate Trust (TCT), Oregon-based nonprofit leader in carbon offset project finance and development, has recently partnered with Burnett County, Wisconsin to develop a carbon project including 95,000 acres of forestland that has been entered into the Improved Forest Management on Non-Federal U.S. Forestlands Initiative with American Carbon Registry (ACR). This represents over 85% of the county's total forestland.

The partnership between TCT and Burnett County is based on a 20-year contract, with the goal of optimizing and sustaining the forest's utility including the production of forest products, recreational opportunities, wildlife, watershed protection, stabilization of stream flow, and most recently, carbon.

"This partnership with The Climate Trust brings together two organizations that are ardently focused on the highest and best use of our forest production areas in the County. We are excited for this project and how it will benefit our community over the next 20 years."  County Board Chairman, Donald Taylor.

Enrollment into a carbon project is fully consistent with the County's Forest Comprehensive Land Use Plan. "The mission of the Burnett County Forest and Park Department is to provide part of the base for satisfying the ecological and socioeconomic needs of Burnett Countyto manage, conserve and protect our resources and facilities in a safe, sustainable condition for present and future generations."  Forest Administrator, Jake Nichols

Burnett County's forestland has a checkered history having experienced fires and failed farms. Through investment and management by the county with assistance from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the lands have recovered and matured into productive forests. A carbon project protects the significance of the forest's health, and its benefits to the community. The local community is dependent on the forest to generate timber revenues to offset local taxes and fund a portion of the local county government. Carbon revenue will help diversify existing forest-based revenues, providing additional certainty and assistance with county budgeting for the next two decades.

The sustainability of the project's benefits is furthered by the 40-year commitment required by ACR for Burnett County to enter into the protocol. ACR is a leading global carbon crediting program operating in regulated and voluntary carbon markets. With TCT leading the improved forest management methodology, the calculation of the project's carbon benefit will be measurable and transparent, and will ensure a meaningful impact for Burnett County.

"Partnering with The Climate Trust furthers the County's vision of stewardship by utilizing our forest asset for future revenue and supporting climate mitigation efforts, all while maintaining existing management practices and uses for the taxpayers of Burnett County."  County Administrator, Nate Ehalt

Founded in 1997, TCT is focused on climate impact using carbon markets. TCT promotes healthy ecosystems and resilient communities by scaling nature-based solutions and mobilizing markets to solve ecological issues with project development and financing.

TCT is excited to work alongside Burnett County and looks forward to our long-term partnership.

Jeremy Koslowski, Director, Forest Carbon Partnerships, 503-238-1915 x403, [email protected]

SOURCE The Climate Trust
Communication follows an exhaustive investigation into the genocide of Armenians in Armenian territory under the unlawful occupation of Azerbaijan

Intent to commit genocide unequivocally proven by statements made by President Aliyev and Azerbaijan's Parliament

It is the first genocide where the intent is expressed by a parliament that aims to remove the entire Armenian population from their lands calling it " Western Azerbaijan "

Armenian women were sexually mutilated, killed, and filmed for social media to terrorize and produce mental harm to the entire Armenian population, another form of genocide

THE HAGUE, Netherlands, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ) is petitioning the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open a preliminary examination into the ongoing genocide being perpetrated by Azerbaijan's armed forces against ethnic Armenians in Armenian territory under the unlawful occupation of Azerbaijan since May 12, 2021. The submission includes access to testimonial evidence gathered and recorded by the CFTJ that corroborates the alleged policy of genocide being planned, instigated, and implemented by President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, including their Parliament.

Center for Truth and Justice

The petition outlines a vast array of atrocities carried out by the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan under the leadership of President Aliyev: forcible displacement of at least 7000 civilians, murder of civilians, enforced disappearance of at least 2000 civilians and prisoners of war (PoWs), arbitrary detention, sexual violence, at least 350 documented cases of torture and extrajudicial executions of ethnic Armenian PoWs.

The petition by the US-based NGO, which is dedicated to documenting war crimes in the South Caucasus, asks the ICC for a preliminary examination to evaluate whether there is a reasonable basis for a formal investigation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and others accused of planning, inciting, ordering, and executing a state policy of genocide against Armenians.

This is the first case of any entity lodging a case at the ICC for genocide of Armenians, and it comes days before the April 24 annual commemoration of the World War I-era genocide in which Ottomans killed 1.5 million Armenians.

"This is an emotionally heavy moment, as we never considered that a second genocide against our people would occur within our lifetime," said Armenian-descended Gassia Apkarian, a Superior Court judge in Orange County and CFTJ advisor. "The ICC should send a clear message that there will be no impunity for such crimes and those responsible for genocide will be held accountable."

The filing details a deliberate Azerbaijani strategy to eradicate ethnic Armenians, both in attacks on sovereign Armenian territory and in actions against the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh (also known as Artsakh), which was blockaded by Azerbaijan from Dec. 2022 until an attack in Sept. 23 which caused the population of 150,000 to flee to Armenia. In all cases, Azerbaijan used advanced weaponry to target civilian populations.

That blockade was described as a genocide attempt in an Aug. 2023 report by Luis Moreno Ocampo , the former ICC chief prosecutor  a position since backed by the International Court of Justice in its preliminary orders, as well as other leading global experts and jurists. The resulting exodus last fall was one of the largest genocide in recent history.

"Sadly, the world community has largely ignored this war crime, a clear case of genocide under Article 2(c) of the Genocide Convention, so it is time for the international legal system to address this breakdown of the world order," Ocampo said of the filing.

Beyond Aliyev, the filing personally targets Azerbaijani Minister of Defense Zakir Hasanov and Chief of General Staff Karim Valiyev for their role in the alleged state policy of genocide  including forcibly removing Armenians from occupied territories, systematically killing civilians and prisoners of war, and engaging in hate speech that dehumanizes Armenians.

Aliyev's public statements, glorifying the removal and destruction of Armenians, further demonstrate genocidal intent, the petition argues. Aliyev has openly referred to Armenians as "rats" and "dogs," as "devils" and "barbarians" and a "virus"  and several years ago declared that they "have neither conscience nor morality. They do not even have a brain." Aliyev himself said as top officials in Baku celebrated the forced displacement of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh.

Moreover, since May 2021, Azerbaijan's armed forces have engaged in an unlawful military campaign aimed at annexing approximately 200 square kilometers of Armenian sovereign territory. In Armenias provinces of Gegarkunik, Syunik, Vayots Dzor, Tavoush and Ararat.

The dossier of evidence gathered by the CFTJ contains over 530 testimonies from representatives of victims and from witnesses detailing atrocities, war crimes, and genocide. There is evidence of widespread atrocities committed against ethnic Armenian women, including mutilation and sexual violence, as part of a systematic campaign to terrorize and subjugate in order to destroy the Armenian population. Over 1500 items of open-source evidence reflecting intention to commit genocide back the claim. The research and interviews were carried out by 121 trained lawyers and law students in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Present at the Hague will be Lala Abgaryan, whose sister Gayane was killed in 2022 by Azerbaijani soldiers, suffering extensive abuse and mutilations that were then recorded and glorified online. She took in the orphaned children and gave extensive testimony, and will be available to the media.

The CFTJ 's investigation reveals that stickers depicting tortured Armenian women were downloaded by approximately 20,000 Azerbaijani users within even a five-day period.

ABOUT THE CFTJ:

CFTJ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, established in November 2020 in response to the Nagorno-Karabakh war. We are a group of lawyers overseeing the collection of firsthand testimonial evidence from war survivors via in-depth, recorded interviews. We run a law clinic in Yerevan, Armenia, which is the first of its kind. Through our clinic, we train law students and young lawyers to interview survivors of the war and record their testimonies. To date, we have conducted hundreds of interviews and trained over 100 current or future lawyers. By being a permanent home for the testimonials, CFTJ serves as a resource to academic and legal practitioners who seek to use the evidence for purposes of education and/or legal action.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Maggie Arutyunyan at 1(818)749-8185

SOURCE Center for Truth and Justice
Presented by Newsweek, America's Best Fertility Clinics 2024 ranks the top 125 fertility clinics nationwide based on surveys, quality metrics, accreditation data, and patient satisfaction

HOUSTON, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Prelude Network (Prelude), the largest provider of comprehensive fertility services and clinics across North America, announces today ten of its clinics have been named an America's Best Fertility Clinic in 2024.

America's Best Fertility Clinics 2024

Presented by Newsweek, the America's Best Fertility Clinics 2024 ranking lists the top 125 fertility clinics as defined by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). With global researcher Statista, over 3,000 physicians and other fertility medicine professionals were surveyed, including reproductive endocrinologists, infertility specialists, obstetricians/gynecologists working in and referring patients to fertility clinics, as well as other medical professionals (e.g., registered nurses, laboratory assistants) and fertility clinic administrators/managers working in fertility clinics, to assess confidence in their assessment of the fertility clinics, which was used to determine individual weights for the recommendations.

Those Prelude clinics recognized with the America's Best Fertility Clinics 2024 award include Aspire Fertility Austin (Texas); Aspire Fertility Dallas (Texas); Aspire Fertility San Antonio (Texas); Aspire Houston Fertility Institute (Texas); Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago (Illinois); IVFMD (Florida); The Reproductive Medicine Group (Florida); NYU Langone Fertility Center (New York); Pacific Fertility Center (California), and Reproductive Biology Associates (Georgia).

Other criteria that for America's Best Fertility Clinics 2024 award include:

Quality Metrics : Assisted Reproductive Technology metrics with a focus on indicators relevant to fertility clinics published by CDC were analyzed.





: Assisted Reproductive Technology metrics with a focus on indicators relevant to fertility clinics published by CDC were analyzed. Accreditation Data: Provided by The Joint Commission (JCI), College of American Pathologists (CAP), Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM).





Provided by The Joint Commission (JCI), College of American Pathologists (CAP), Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM). Patient Satisfaction: Data based on Google reviews was included.

"Inception Fertility congratulates each clinic within The Prelude Network for its outstanding achievements that have led to this recognition and so many others," says TJ Farnsworth, Founder and CEO of Inception Fertility, parent company to Prelude. "It is the mission of every clinic within our network to provide comprehensive services that rely on the latest science and technologies in reproductive medicine that complement our approach to personalized, compassionate care, and these awards are just one result of those efforts."

About The Prelude Network

The Prelude Network (Prelude), the fastest-growing network of fertility clinics and largest provider of comprehensive fertility services in North America, is the clinic network of Inception Fertility  a family of fertility brands that touches every part of the fertility journey, including diagnostics and treatment to financial accessibility.

Each clinic, as part of Prelude, is committed to delivering the highest level of personalized fertility care by the nation's leading reproductive endocrinologists, embryologists and practitioners by focusing on an excellence in science, medicine and the patient experience. The growing Prelude Network has more than 90 total locations nationwide, offering a wide range of fertility services including egg freezing, IVF, genetic testing, LGBTQ+ fertility options, and egg/embryo storage, among others.

Those clinics within Prelude include Aspire Fertility Austin (Texas); Aspire Fertility Dallas (Texas); Aspire Fertility McAllen (Texas); Aspire Fertility San Antonio (Texas); Aspire Houston Fertility Institute (Texas); Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago (Illinois); Center for Reproductive Medicine (Florida); Indiana Fertility Institute (Indiana); IVFMD (Florida); Main Line Fertility (Pennsylvania); NYU Langone Fertility Center (New York); NYU Langone RSNY (New York); Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine (Canada); Pacific Fertility Center (California); Regional Fertility Program (Canada); Reproductive Biology Associates (Georgia); Tennessee Fertility Institute (Tennessee), and The Reproductive Medicine Group (Florida).

About Inception Fertility

Inception Fertility (Inception) is a family of fertility brands committed to helping patients build their own families. Built by patients for patients, Inception's purpose is to achieve the highest bar in experience, science and medicine in an effort to enhance each patient's experience and achieve better outcomes.

Inception's medical experts are leading pioneers in fertility care. Our doctors are some of the first to use breakthrough assisted reproductive technologies (ART)  including in vitro fertilization (IVF), preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) and fertility preservation services  and they continue to lead the industry by building on these technologies by through development, research and thought leadership.

Through its growing family of national organizations  which includes The Prelude Network, the fastest-growing network of fertility clinics and largest provider of comprehensive fertility services in North America; Pathways Fertility, clinics that provide affordable, individualized and high quality care; MyEggBank, one of the largest frozen donor egg banks in North America; BUNDL Fertility, a multi-cycle fertility service bundling program; HavenCryo, a long-term reproductive preservation and storage solution provider and NutraBloom, a premium lifestyle brand with expertly formulated supplements to support individuals' health and wellness goals for preconception  Inception is working to deliver on its promise to push the envelope of what is possible for exceeding patient expectations.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Mia Humphreys

239-297-6592

[email protected]

SOURCE The Prelude Network
Awardees include 13 nonprofits in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, and Oklahoma

STRONGSVILLE, Ohio, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Union Home Mortgage Foundation, the charitable arm of Union Home Mortgage whose mission is to equip families with the tools and resources needed to achieve economic self-sufficiency, has announced its grant recipients for the first quarter of 2024. The Foundation awarded grants to 13 nonprofits from across the country totaling $52,000.

In this round of funding, the Foundation provided support to organizations within its operational footprint that are making a tangible impact in their communities through the advancement of financial literacy and housing access.

"At Union Home Mortgage, we deeply value the positive impact that nonprofit organizations have on our communities, and we know it's critical to support their work in creating a culture of equity and support for those they serve," said Bill Cosgrove, CEO of Union Home Mortgage. "We believe in creating access to a bright economic future, and that's why we partner with so many incredible organizations across the country. This quarter, we are supporting several new organizations as well, and we're excited to work with them in achieving their goals."

"Our mission to create economic self-sufficiency for as many families as possible is reflected in the organizations we collaborate with, and that's no different as we start 2024," said Ashley Ali, Director of Corporate Communications. "These organizations are pivotal forces in their communities, and we're proud to support those efforts."

Since its inception in 2015, the Foundation has distributed more than $1 million in financial support to nonprofits in over 15 states. For more information on the Union Home Mortgage Foundation, visit www.uhmfoundation.org , or email [email protected] .

The first quarter grant recipients are:

Orlando, Florida

Mustard Seed of Central FL: $2,500 to cover services for 32 families to have all basic household necessities to make their house a home. Families qualify for these services through a home visit with a case manager. Once a referral is complete, the family sets an appointment, brings a truck to the facility, and selects all needed pieces of furniture for their home.

Atlanta, Georgia

Gateway Center 24/7 Inc.: $2,500 in support of connecting individuals and families experiencing homelessness with comprehensive supportive services and community resources. Gateway Center empowers guests to overcome adversity, eliminate barriers, achieve self-sufficiency, and transition to a home of their own. Gateway Center will provide holistic supportive services to assist individuals experiencing homelessness, serve individuals participating in short-term residential shelter programs, assist individuals in obtaining income and developing financial literacy skills, provide healthcare services and improve individuals' mental health, and secure positive housing placements for some participants.

Roswell, Georgia

Drake House Inc.: $2,000 in support of Drake House's mission to empower women and their children experiencing homelessness to achieve economic independence and long-term stability. This funding will go toward Drake House's transitional housing and emergency housing units. By offering a comprehensive range of services and support, Drake House enables families to remain in their community, preserve intact family units, improve employment, develop financial stability, and ultimately, transition families to stable housing.

Arlington Heights, Illinois

Shelter, Inc.: $2,500 in support of Shelter's Emergency Group Homes, Jennings Group Home for Girls and Buckholz Group Home for Boys. These emergency housing facilities provide safe shelter, basic needs like clothing, personalized hygiene supplies, free healthcare screenings, counseling services, and tools to foster healing, empowerment, and the development of coping skills to overcome trauma. These homes are for youth ages 11-17 who are without shelter due to having run away, having been locked out, or having experiences with abuse, neglect, sexual exploitation, or other family crises such as homelessness, illness, or domestic violence.

Libertyville, IL

Lake County Haven: $2,500 in support of Lake County Haven's life-saving transitional shelter, housing, and supportive services to women and children who are homeless and in crisis. Lake County Haven offers two shelter locations as well as single family homes divided into seven housing units. Women, children and families in crises are offered one-on-one case management, counseling, and psychoeducational groups that helps them identify and learn to manage the root causes of their homelessness.

Valparaiso, Indiana

Housing Opportunities Inc.: $5,000 toward operation of the Resource Center, which serves individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness and is open 6 days per week year-round. The Resource Center provides a safe place during the day where clients can take care of basic needs (showering, laundering, cooking, or resting). Computers and Wi-Fi are also available to the clients. Each person or family that enters the resource center is assigned to a Housing Advocate, that works with them to identify, develop, and achieve goals related to solving their housing crisis. This funding will also help Housing Opportunities Inc. in tracking exits from the Resource Center.

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit Land Bank: $2,500 toward helping property owners complete compliance requirements for their homes. The Detroit Land Bank monitors and supports property owners as they complete rehab requirements of the purchase agreements of their homes. When property owners cannot meet these requirements, they are at risk of their property being reconveyed to the Detroit Land Bank. This funding will enable the Detroit Land Bank to help property owners complete these requirements, directly impacting the community they reside in as well.

St. Louis, Missouri

LOVEtheLOU: $2,500 to support the Hope House, which is dedicated to assisting youth and young adults who are experiencing homelessness, displacement, temporary housing instability, and housing transition in the journey to becoming self-sufficient. Hope House will provide housing and services to youth/young adults who are 18-25 years old. They will also provide wraparound services such as life and soft development skills, basic budgeting and financial literacy, job preparedness, career development, job training and employment assistance. LOVEtheLOU's desire is to teach youth to be self-sufficient young adults who are able to approach life's challenges with a renewed mindset that they can conquer anything.

Kansas City, Missouri

Hillcrest Ministries of Mid-America Inc.: $2,500 toward the care of homeless children, youth, and families in Greater Kansas City (Missouri and Kansas) through financial literacy, education, housing, and case management services provided to homeless households. Metro-wide, Hillcrest serves an estimated 1,000 individuals annually. Unlike many organizations whose focus is one-time or emergency care, Hillcrest focuses on moving residents from homelessness to self-sufficiency by addressing total life situations within a 90-day time frame or up to 24 months for homeless teens and young adults, ages 16 to 24.

Akron, Ohio

Habitat for Humanity of Summit County: $15,000 in support of Habitat for Humanity of Summit County's affordable housing programming. Specifically, grant funds will support the implementation of the affiliate's New Home Construction and Preserve a Home programs during the 2024-25 fiscal year.

Cleveland, Ohio

Minds Matter: $5,000 in support of Minds Matter's Senior College Readiness programming, which aims to ensure seniors enter college with the information and resources needed to gain independence, succeed in both college and career, and gain a stable economic future. In the second semester of their senior year, Minds Matter provides college readiness programming to students, with core components of the program being healthy relationships, career readiness and financial literacy.

Smart Development Inc.: $5,000 in support of the Community First Program, which encompasses education, workforce connection, social services such as basic needs and food, and civic engagement with comprehensive case management. Their services include homebuyer education and counseling, community revitalization, free minor-home repairs to low-income refugee and seniors, free culturally relevant halal and kosher food boxes to combat food insecurity, and case management with added language assistance in Arabic, Somali, Farsi and Sudanese, aiding clients in increasing their economic and social mobility through financial education, job placement and workforce readiness.

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Eden Village of Tulsa: $2,500 toward the construction of housing for chronically homeless people in the Tulsa metro area. Eden Village of Tulsa will transform the lives of dozens of formerly homeless individuals in the Tulsa area who would otherwise be unable to find security or healing, be productive in community, or find purpose and dignity. Eden Village of Tulsa Phase I will be composed of 63 single-bedroom tiny homes which are fixed units, as well as a community center, a small farm, a barn, greenhouses, a woodshop, and green space. This model is based on Eden Village of Springfield, MO, leading to twelve cities around the U.S. (including Tulsa, Okla.) developing their own versions of this community-based model. All 63 tiny homes are projected to be constructed and vacancies filled by January 1, 2025.

About the Union Home Mortgage Foundation

The Union Home Mortgage Foundation was established in 2015 as the charitable arm of independent mortgage banking company Union Home Mortgage Corp (UHM). The Foundation's mission is to equip individuals and families with the tools and resources to achieve economic self-sufficiency, specifically through financial literacy, and housing. The Foundation has awarded over $1 million since its inception toward these programs to help guide families on a pathway towards responsible homeownership. Union Home Mortgage Corp. is a high-growth, full-service retail, wholesale, and consumer direct lender with over 150 branches across the U.S. and an annual lending volume over $5 billion per year. To learn more about Union Home Mortgage and its efforts in the community, please visit www.uhm.com and www.uhmfoundation.org.

SOURCE Union Home Mortgage
HyAxiom's PureCell M400 Units Charged With Helping the University Diversify Their Power Sources and Reduce Electrical Grid Load

WEST HARTFORD, Conn., April 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of the University of Hartford's sustainability program, the school has partnered with HyAxiom, a leading global fuel cell and hydrogen solutions provider, to install four stationary fuel cells on the southeastern side of the campus.

"We at the University of Hartford are thrilled to see the completion of this exciting project that will result in positive environmental impacts to our campus, surrounding neighborhoods and communities," says University of Hartford Acting President Stephen Mulready. "While we anticipate significant savings in energy costs over the months and years to come, what the fuel cell means in terms of our future sustainability goals is even more exciting," he says.

"We are pleased to partner with the University of Hartford to offer the campus a reliable, sustainable energy solution," says David Alonso, Chief Commercial Officer at HyAxiom. "These power plants will generate clean, affordable energy to the campus," he says.

The power plants are HyAxiom's flagship product, the PureCell M400, a proprietary phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC)that produces clean energy and heat with a significantly reduced carbon footprint when compared to conventional power plants and can easily be converted to use hydrogen as a fuel. Commissioned in 2020 and recognized globally, the 50 MW (114 units) Daesan hydrogen fuel cell plant in Korea is the world's first and only commercial stationary power plant running solely on hydrogen.

The University's fuel cell units are expected to generate 1.8 MW and will significantly reduce the load on the electrical grid that serves the campus as well as lower the chances of brownouts during times of peak electricity demand. The University also has the option of utilizing the heat byproduct from the units for the nearby East Hall in the future.

With the ability to adjust its power output as demand for electricity fluctuates throughout the day--known as load-following-- HyAxiom's fuel cells have fast become a resilient source of energy mitigating energy capacity and reliability challenges, The low emissions from these fuel cells help to advance air quality and green house gas targets while fitting into existing electrical architecture.

The University of Hartford is embracing the clean energy educational opportunities the fuel cells provide. This summer, students will be able to visit the site to learn more about the alternative energy source and how it relates to the campus sustainability efforts.

This recent fuel cell installation joins the fleet of HyAxiom units operating on campuses throughout Connecticut and the nation as schools look to diversify their energy sources, reduce grid loads increase on-site reliability, and embrace decarbonization. HyAxiom also has fuel cells operating at the University of Connecticut, Western Connecticut State University, Eastern Connecticut State University and Mission College, California.

To learn more about the University of Hartford, please visit hartford.edu.

To learn more about HyAxiom fuel cell and hydrogen solutions, please visit hyaxiom.com.

This project is owned and operated by DESA Service LLC, a subsidiary of Doosan Energy Solutions America Inc.

About the University of Hartford

Spread across seven dynamic schools and colleges, the University of Hartford has been guiding the purpose and passion of students for over six decades. On our 350-acre campus alongside Connecticut's capital city, approximately 4,100 undergraduate and 1,800 graduate students representing 48 states and 51 countries come together for a common purpose: to collaborate across different disciplines, diversify perspectives, and broaden worldviews. We're a four-year private university focused on advancing the public good through meaningful connections within our communities. Our unique approach to comprehensive education gives us the critical perspectives that lead to impact change, regionally and beyond. With degree programs spanning the arts, humanities, business, engineering and technology, education, and health professions, we focus on doing the work that matters.

About HyAxiom, Inc.

Based in Connecticut, HyAxiom, Inc. is a leading global fuel cell and hydrogen solutions provider enabling reliable, cost-competitive and carbon-free energy sources for industrial and commercial uses. Building upon decades of experience in fuel cell development, HyAxiom's mission is to accelerate a sustainable energy future by delivering a full spectrum of hydrogen solutions including fuel cells for both stationary and mobility applications as well as electrolyzers for hydrogen production.

As a core technology provider, HyAxiom is a key pillar in the Doosan Group's hydrogen vision. HyAxiom's flagship product, the PureCell M400, is based on proprietary phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC) technology The world's first and largest hydrogen-fueled stationary fuel cell power plant (50 MW), which entered commercial service in 2020 in Korea, is powered by the PureCell M400.

Media Contacts:

Matthew Besterman

Director of Public and Media Relations

University of Hartford

Email: [email protected]

Mobile: 845-313-2334

Linda M. Colon

Marketing Communications Manager

HyAxiom, Inc.

Email: [email protected]

Mobile: 860-338-8781

SOURCE HyAxiom, Inc.
NEW YORK, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In today's fast-paced business environment, making informed decisions about marketing strategies is essential for success. Quantzig, a leading provider of analytics solutions, unveils a comprehensive blog post highlighting the top 10 success stories of marketing mix modeling (MMM) to help businesses determine its necessity in their marketing arsenal.

Titled "Unlocking the Power of Marketing Mix Modeling: Top 10 Success Stories That Will Help You Decide If You Really Need It," the blog post offers valuable insights gleaned from real-world applications of MMM across various industries. From boosting sales to optimizing marketing spend, these success stories showcase the transformative potential of MMM in driving business growth and profitability, with Quantzig's expertise highlighted throughout.

Increasing Marketing Effectiveness: Explore how companies across industries have leveraged MMM to enhance the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns, resulting in improved brand awareness, customer engagement, and ultimately, higher sales. Optimizing Marketing Spend: Discover how MMM has enabled organizations to optimize their marketing spend by identifying the most impactful channels and allocating resources strategically, leading to significant cost savings and improved ROI. Enhancing Productivity and Efficiency: Learn how MMM has streamlined marketing processes, enabling teams to work more efficiently and focus their efforts on activities that deliver the greatest return, ultimately driving operational excellence. Gaining Actionable Insights: Delve into how MMM has empowered businesses with actionable insights into consumer behavior, market dynamics, and competitive trends, enabling them to make data-driven decisions that drive business success. Driving Innovation: See how MMM has fueled innovation by providing organizations with a deeper understanding of market trends and consumer preferences, inspiring the development of new products, services, and marketing strategies. Improving Forecasting Accuracy: Explore how MMM has enhanced forecasting accuracy, enabling organizations to anticipate market changes, adapt their strategies accordingly, and stay ahead of the competition. Maximizing Marketing ROI: Learn how MMM has enabled organizations to maximize their marketing ROI by identifying and capitalizing on opportunities for growth, while minimizing wastage and inefficiencies. Strengthening Competitive Advantage: Discover how MMM has helped organizations gain a competitive edge by enabling them to better understand their market position, capitalize on strengths, and address weaknesses effectively. Enhancing Customer Satisfaction: See how MMM has contributed to enhanced customer satisfaction by enabling organizations to deliver more personalized and relevant marketing messages, products, and services. Driving Long-term Growth: Explore how MMM has played a pivotal role in driving long-term growth and sustainability for organizations by providing them with the insights and strategies needed to adapt to changing market conditions and evolving consumer preferences.

To read the full blog post and gain valuable insights into the power of marketing mix modeling, visit Quantzig's website.

About Quantzig:

Quantzig is a leading provider of analytics solutions, empowering organizations to harness the power of data to drive growth, enhance decision-making, and achieve tangible business outcomes. With expertise spanning a wide range of industries and domains, Quantzig helps organizations unlock actionable insights and unleash their full potential.

For media inquiries or to schedule an interview, please contact:

Quantzig

US: +1 630 538 7144

Canada: +1 647 800 8550

UK: +44 208 629 1455

India: +91 806 191 4606

Website: www.quantzig.com

SOURCE Quantzig
AB 3080 would require sites with more than one-third material harmful to minors to scan government IDs or otherwise verify the identity of the user. The bill, introduced by Modesto Asm. Juan Alanis (R), was originally drafted by the socially conservative Citizens for Renewing America and supported by religious groups including the California Catholic Conference and California Baptists for Biblical Values.

In Boden's testimony before the committee, she explained the multitude of technological, constitutional and privacy-related issues inherent in online age-verification. Still, proponents of the bill came out in force, including the Age Verification Providers Association, Exodus Cry and Concerned Women for America, who all testified in favor. The bill passed out of committee and will next be heard by the Judiciary Committee.

This is a terribly flawed bill that never should have advanced out of committee, especially not one focused on consumer privacy, Boden said. If were going to defeat these dangerous, unconstitutional bills, were going to need to be there to make sure all of our voices are heard. We have a strong base in this state, and we need all Californians to reach out to their legislators to let them know the issues with AB 3080.

Those who want to speak out against age-verification in California can do so here.
Two brands unite to propel equity forward through events, editorial collaboration and leadership development.

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in rankings and consumer advice, and the Global Black Economic Forum (GBEF), an international enterprise designed to advance economic freedom and opportunity across the Black Diaspora and other marginalized groups, announced a partnership to advance equity and economic opportunity.

The partnership was developed to curate opportunities for leaders from all industries and professions to build scalable and sustainable solutions for creating economic opportunity for all. U.S. News and GBEF's partnership will include events, editorial content and communications, and leadership development.

"Spotlighting the state of equity in our society is one of U.S. News' core values. As part of this critical work, we are identifying partners to help deliver solutions  and this collaboration with GBEF represents the next stage of growth for U.S. News as it relates to this important initiative," said Bill Holiber, U.S. News' vice chairman and president. "GBEF is doing impactful work, and we look forward to a long and fruitful partnership as we support and amplify each other's efforts to create a world characterized by economic freedom for everyone."

To kick off the partnership, GBEF's Alphonso David will lead a panel discussion with business leaders and state and federal lawmakers  "A Roadmap to Create Economic Opportunity for All"  at U.S. News' 2024 State of Equity in America forum, June 5 in Washington D.C. The exclusive, invitation-only event will convene government officials, education leaders, health care executives and other luminaries to examine the cross-sector strategies and multidimensional action needed to create a more just society for all.

"This partnership with U.S. News underscores our dedication to broadening our influence to further equity and economic opportunity. As a sister company of ESSENCE, a legacy Black-owned media brand, the Global Black Economic Forum understands the critical role of media in maintaining trusted channels for public information dissemination. That's why we do not take this partnership lightly. Two legacy brands partnering on events, editorial collaborations, and leadership development are an opportunity for us to work alongside organizations who strive for a future that advances equity and economic opportunity," said Global Black Economic Forum President and CEO Alphonso David.

As a continuation of the conversation from the 2024 State of Equity in America event, U.S. News will participate in the GBEF Business Summit & Public Convention at the 2024 ESSENCE Festival of Culture, July 5-7 in New Orleans. U.S. News data journalists will present exclusive insights from its equity-oriented coverage as well as its Best States and Healthiest Communities data journalism projects, with 2024 editions slated for release this spring and summer, respectively. The presentation will be followed by a roundtable discussion on how business leaders, policymakers, and leaders can and should use data-informed decision-making to drive solutions that advance equity.

About U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives and communities. A multifaceted digital media company with Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, News, Real Estate, Careers and 360 Reviews platforms, U.S. News provides rankings, independent reporting, data journalism, consumer advice and U.S. News Live events. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

About Global Black Economic Forum

The Global Black Economic Forum is an international enterprise focused on advancing the economic interests of the Black Diaspora and other marginalized groups through global summits, workplace training and leadership development, policy advocacy and litigation, and thought leadership. A sister company of ESSENCE , the Global Black Economic Forum is one of the most anticipated stages at the ESSENCE Festival of Culture, the largest gathering of Black people in the United States, garnering nearly 3 million digital views on the event weekend alone and holding 7 of the top 10 most viewed programming from over 20 unique festival experiences.

SOURCE U.S. News & World Report, L.P.
CHICAGO, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global VSaaS market is expected to be valued at USD 5.0 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 10.7 billion by 2029; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.1% from 2024 to 2029 according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The scalability and flexibility offered by VSaaS solutions enable businesses to expand their surveillance systems as needed, making it an attractive option for organizations of all sizes and industries seeking to enhance security and operational efficiency.

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=773

Browse in-depth TOC on "VSaaS Market"

199  Tables

60  Figures

232  Pages

VSaaS Market Report Scope:

Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2024 $ 5.0 billion Estimated Value by 2029 $ 10.7 billion Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 16.1% Market Size Available for 20202029 Forecast Period 20242029 Forecast Units Value (USD Million/Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered By Type, Feature, AI Visual Analysis, Vertical & Region Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of World Key Market Challenge Lack of knowledge regarding benefits of VSaaS services pose a major challenge Key Market Opportunities Increasing use of smart devices Key Market Drivers Increasing demand for real-time surveillance data

The VSaaS market for hybrid type will hold the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The VSaaS market for hybrid services is experiencing notable growth due to its ability to offer a flexible and customizable approach to video surveillance. Hybrid services combine the benefits of cloud-based and on-premises solutions, allowing businesses to leverage local infrastructure for high-resolution video storage and cloud services for remote access, scalability, and redundancy. This hybrid model addresses businesses' diverse needs and preferences, particularly those with stringent security requirements or limited bandwidth availability. Additionally, hybrid VSaaS solutions offer seamless integration with existing surveillance infrastructure, allowing businesses to modernize their systems gradually while maximizing the value of their investments in legacy equipment.

VSaaS market for AI-enabled VSaaS to hold the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The VSaaS market for AI-enabled VSaaS is experiencing rapid growth due to the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on video surveillance capabilities. AI-powered VSaaS offers advanced features such as real-time object detection, facial recognition, and behavior analysis, enabling businesses to enhance security, optimize operations, and extract valuable insights from video data. Integrating AI algorithms allows for more accurate and efficient detection of threats and anomalies, reducing false alarms and enabling proactive responses to security incidents.

VSaaS market for object detection & recognition AI visual analysis to hold the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The VSaaS market for object detection and recognition is experiencing significant growth due to its ability to enhance security, operational efficiency, and customer experience across various industries. Object detection and recognition technologies leverage advanced algorithms, such as deep learning and computer vision, to accurately identify and classify objects in real-time video streams. This enables businesses to detect and respond to security threats more effectively, whether identifying unauthorized individuals, detecting intrusions, or recognizing suspicious behavior.

VSaaS market for infrastructure vertical to hold the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The VSaaS market for the infrastructure vertical is experiencing notable growth due to several key factors. Firstly, infrastructure assets such as transportation networks, utilities, and critical facilities require robust surveillance solutions to ensure safety, security, and operational efficiency. VSaaS offers infrastructure operators the ability to remotely monitor and manage vast and often remote or hard-to-reach areas, improving incident response times and reducing operational costs. Additionally, as governments and organizations worldwide invest in modernizing and expanding infrastructure, there is a growing emphasis on incorporating smart technologies, including video surveillance, to enhance resilience and sustainability.

Inquiry Before Buying: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=773

VSaaS market for Asia Pacific to hold the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The growth of the VSaaS industry in the Asia Pacific region is particularly pronounced due to several key factors. Firstly, the region's rapid urbanization and economic development have increased security and surveillance infrastructure investments across various industries. Additionally, the widespread adoption of digital technologies, coupled with advancements in cloud computing and internet connectivity, has made VSaaS more accessible and cost-effective for businesses of all sizes. Furthermore, rising concerns about safety, security, and regulatory compliance drive demand for modern surveillance solutions, including VSaaS, to address evolving security threats and operational challenges.

Key Players

The VSaaS Companies includes significant Tier I and II players like ADT (US), Johnson Controls (Ireland), Axis Communication AB (Sweden), Motorola Solutions, Inc. (US), Securitas AB (Sweden), and others. These players have a strong market presence for VSaaS across various North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and RoW countries.

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About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's best management consulting firms by Forbes, as per their recent report.

MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. We have the widest lens on emerging technologies, making us proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients.

Earlier this year, we made a formal transformation into one of America's best management consulting firms as per a survey conducted by Forbes.

The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing.

Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we work with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies - helping them stay relevant in a disruptive ecosystem. Our insights and strategies are molded by our industry experts, cutting-edge AI-powered Market Intelligence Cloud, and years of research. The KnowledgeStore (our Market Intelligence Cloud) integrates our research, facilitates an analysis of interconnections through a set of applications, helping clients look at the entire ecosystem and understand the revenue shifts happening in their industry.

To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

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Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/

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SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
NEW YORK, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global web hosting services market size is estimated to grow by USD 87.14 bn from 2023-2027, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 14.13% during the forecast period. The e-commerce industry's growth is driven by mobile devices, cost-effective data plans, and internet penetration. Keywords: infrastructure, security, technical support, company/customer data, network protection, small businesses, payments, website hosting, modern technologies (AI, IIoT, Cloud, AR & VR), virus attacks, firewall technology, automated messages, hosting types (shared, colocation, dedicated), enterprises, individuals, organizations, startups, internet, cloud-based solutions, public/private/hybrid cloud, intranet websites, e-commerce businesses, mobile applications. Web hosting services cater to the infrastructure needs of e-commerce businesses and individuals, ensuring secure data, technical support, and advanced technologies.

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Web Hosting Services Market 2023-2027

For more insights on the historic (2017 - 2021) and forecast market size- Request a sample report

Web Hosting Services Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2022 Historic period 2017 - 2021 Forecast period 2023-2027 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 14.13% Market growth 2023-2027 USD 87.14 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 13.36 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa, and South America Performing market contribution North America at 35% Key countries US, China, Japan, Germany, and UK Key companies profiled Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., Alphabet Inc., Amazon Web Services Inc., Equinix Inc., GoDaddy Inc., GreenGeeks LLC., Hetzner Online GmbH, Liquid Web LLC, Newfold Digital Inc., Ocom B.V., OVH Groupe SA, Phoenix Web Development, Rackspace Technology Inc., Shinjiru Technology Sdn Bhd, SiteGround Hosting Ltd., Techfly Solutions, United Internet AG, WPEngine Inc., INMOTION HOSTING Inc., and Hostinger International Ltd.

Segment Overview

This web hosting services market report extensively covers market segmentation by Service (Shared hosting, Dedicated hosting, VPS hosting, Website builder) Deployment (Public, Private, Hybrid) Geography (North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa, South America)

Market segmentation by Service

The Web Hosting Services Market encompasses various hosting solutions, including shared, colocation, and dedicated hosting, catering to the needs of individuals, small businesses, startups, organizations, and enterprises. Infrastructure in this market refers to technologically advanced, secure solutions that ensure the protection of company and customer data. Security measures include firewall technology, network protection, and AI-driven threat detection to safeguard against virus attacks. Technical support is a crucial aspect, providing assistance with payments, website hosting, and modern technologies such as Cloud, AI, IIoT, AR & VR. Shared hosting offers cost-effectiveness through distributed operating costs, while private and hybrid cloud solutions cater to the unique requirements of larger entities. Intranet websites and e-commerce businesses benefit from cloud-based solutions, with public and private cloud offerings ensuring scalability and customization. Regardless of the hosting type, companies prioritize security, reliability, and customer service, with automated messages and 24/7 technical support ensuring seamless operations. Infrastructure, security, and technical support are essential components of the web hosting services market, enabling businesses and individuals to effectively manage and grow their online presence.

Geography Overview

The Web Hosting Services Market in North America is experiencing significant growth, driven by the proliferation of enterprises, organizations, startup companies, and individuals utilizing the internet for business and personal use. Shared hosting, colocation hosting, and dedicated hosting solutions cater to various needs. E-commerce businesses, MSMEs, and mobile applications are key adopters, benefiting from cost-effective cloud-based solutions, including public, private, and hybrid cloud. Intranet websites, IoT, and modern technologies like AI, IIoT, Cloud, AR & VR, further expand the market's scope. Customer experience, digitalization trends, and online platforms influence operations and the need for a robust digital presence. Infrastructure, security, technical support, and network protection are essential considerations for website owners, ensuring the protection of company and customer data. The market continues to evolve, adapting to consumer behavior and the increasing importance of e-commerce solutions.

Insights on the market contribution of various segments including country and region wise, historic (2017 - 2021) and forecast market size- Download a Sample Report

The web hosting market leverages AI for enhanced security, performance, and self-repairing systems. Shared, colocation, dedicated hosting, enterprises, individuals, startups, e-commerce businesses, and mobile applications benefit from AI's threat detection and predictive analytics. Cloud-based solutions, including public, private, and hybrid clouds, intranet websites, and IoT, also utilize AI for network protection and customer experience improvement. AI, cloud, and IIoT technologies drive digitalization trends in web hosting operations and infrastructure, ensuring optimal website performance and consumer behavior analysis.

The cloud hosting market faces challenges from data privacy and security concerns, as numerous devices connect through the Internet. Critical data accessed via cloud networks requires secure connections. Hacking, including BEC and malware attacks, targets high-level executives and improperly implemented security protocols. Keywords: MSMEs, customer experience, internet facilities, IoT, server, dedicated server hosting, website owners, digitalization trend, e-commerce solutions, infrastructure, security, technical support, company data, customer data, network protection, advanced infrastructure, small businesses, payments, web hosting, modern technologies, AI, IIoT, Cloud, AR & VR, virus attacks, firewall technology, automated messages. The market growth involves providing secure, technologically advanced infrastructure for website hosting and e-commerce solutions, ensuring network protection and customer data privacy.

Insights on Market Drivers, trends, & Challenges, historic period(2017 - 2021) and forecast period(2023-2027)- Request a sample report!

Research Analysis

The Web Hosting Services Market caters to the needs of Individuals, Organizations, Startup companies, and Enterprises, providing various hosting solutions such as Shared hosting, Colocation hosting, Dedicated hosting, and Cloud hosting. These services enable website owners to make their presence felt on the Internet, enhancing customer experience through quicker internet facilities and modern technologies like AI and IIoT. Modern businesses, including MSMEs, leverage hosting services to support IoT, server infrastructure, and consumer behaviour analysis. Dedicated server hosting offers enhanced security and control, while cloud hosting ensures scalability and flexibility. Firewall technology and Automated messages add an extra layer of security against Virus attacks. Web Hosting Services Market continues to evolve, incorporating advancements like AR & VR, ensuring businesses stay competitive in the digital landscape.

Market Research Overview

The Colocation and Cloud hosting markets have experienced significant growth in recent years, with Enterprises and businesses seeking efficient and secure solutions for their hosting needs. The Web hosting services market comprises various offerings, including Compute Services, Network Services, and Storage Services. These solutions enable businesses to pay only for the resources they use, providing cost savings and flexibility. The use of technologies like SAN and NAS for data storage, as well as server virtualization, contributes to the efficiency and scalability of these services. Additionally, the integration of advanced security measures, such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems, ensures the protection of critical data. Overall, the Web hosting services market offers businesses a reliable, flexible, and cost-effective solution for their hosting requirements.

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
HOUSTON, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Western Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE: WES) ("WES" or the "Partnership") announced that the board of directors of its general partner declared a quarterly cash distribution ("Base Distribution") of $0.8750 per unit for the first quarter of 2024, or $3.50 on an annualized basis, which is 52-percent higher than the prior quarter's distribution and in-line with WES's previously announced expectations. WES's first-quarter 2024 Base Distribution is payable on May 15, 2024, to unitholders of record at the close of business on May 1, 2024.

The Partnership plans to report its first-quarter 2024 results after market close on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. Management will host a conference call on Thursday, May 9, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. Central (2:00 p.m. Eastern) to discuss the Partnership's quarterly results. Participants are encouraged to dial into the conference call ten to fifteen minutes before the scheduled start time to avoid any delays entering the call. The full text of the release announcing the results will be available on the Partnership's website at www.westernmidstream.com.

First-Quarter 2024 Results

Thursday, May 9, 2024

1:00 p.m. Central (2:00 p.m. Eastern)

Dial-in number: 800-836-8184

International dial-in number: 646-357-8785

To participate in WES's scheduled first-quarter 2024 earnings call, please refer to the above-listed dial-in information. To access the live audio webcast of the conference call, please visit the investor relations section of the Partnership's website at www.westernmidstream.com. A replay of the conference call will also be available on the website following the call.

ABOUT WESTERN MIDSTREAM

Western Midstream Partners, LP ("WES") is a master limited partnership formed to develop, acquire, own, and operate midstream assets. With midstream assets located in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, WES is engaged in the business of gathering, compressing, treating, processing, and transporting natural gas; gathering, stabilizing, and transporting condensate, natural-gas liquids, and crude oil; and gathering and disposing of produced water for its customers. In its capacity as a natural-gas processor, WES also buys and sells natural gas, natural-gas liquids, and condensate on behalf of itself and its customers under certain gas processing contracts. A substantial majority of WES's cash flows are protected from direct exposure to commodity price volatility through fee-based contracts.

For more information about WES, please visit www.westernmidstream.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements. WES and its general partner believe that their expectations are based on reasonable assumptions. No assurance, however, can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the projections, anticipated results or other expectations expressed in this news release. These factors include our ability to meet distribution expectations and financial guidance; our ability to safely and efficiently operate WES's assets; the supply of, demand for, and price of oil, natural gas, NGLs, and related products or services; the successful closing of the divestitures announced February 21, 2024; our ability to meet projected in-service dates for capital-growth projects; construction costs or capital expenditures exceeding estimated or budgeted costs or expenditures; and the other factors described in the "Risk Factors" section of WES's most-recent Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and other public filings and press releases. WES undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Note regarding Non-United States Investors: This release is intended to be a qualified notice under Treasury Regulation Sections 1.1446-4(b) and 1.1446(f)-4. Brokers and nominees should treat one hundred percent (100.0%) of Western Midstream Partners, LP's distributions to non-U.S. investors as being attributable to income that is effectively connected with a United States trade or business. Accordingly, Western Midstream Partners, LP's distributions to non-U.S. investors are subject to federal income tax withholding at the highest applicable effective tax rate. Furthermore, one hundred percent (100.0%) of Western Midstream Partners, LP's distributions to non-U.S. investors is in excess of cumulative net income for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.1446(f)-4(c)(iii). Brokers and nominees are treated as withholding agents responsible for withholding on distributions received by them on behalf of non-U.S. investors. The CUSIP number of Western Midstream Partners, LP's common units is 958669 103.

WESTERN MIDSTREAM CONTACTS

Daniel Jenkins

Director, Investor Relations

[email protected]

866-512-3523

Rhianna Disch

Manager, Investor Relations

[email protected]

866-512-3523

SOURCE Western Midstream Partners, LP
BATTLE CREEK, Mich., April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- WK Kellogg Co (NYSE: KLG) announced today that it will host a conference call on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. EDT, to discuss the company's financial results for the first quarter of 2024 and provide an operational update, including indications regarding the performance and outlook of the business. The conference call will be a live audio webcast available at investor.wkkellogg.com.

At approximately 8:00 a.m. EDT on that day the company will release final operating results and the following documents on the company's website (investor.wkkellogg.com): press release, financial tables, any required non-GAAP reconciliations, and presentation slides. A question-and-answer session with analysts will follow the company's prepared remarks. Participation by the press and public in the Q&A will be in listen-only mode.

A rebroadcast will be available later that day, and up for at least 90 days thereafter at investor.wkkellogg.com.

About WK Kellogg Co

At WK Kellogg Co, we bring our best to everyone, every day through our trusted foods and brands. Our journey began in 1894, when our founder W.K. Kellogg reimagined the future of food with the creation of Corn Flakes, changing breakfast forever. Since then, we have embraced the same spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship in everything we do, channeling our founder's passion and commitment to creating high quality and delicious products while fostering communities. Our iconic brand portfolio includes Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, Rice Krispies, Froot Loops, Kashi, Special K, Kellogg's Raisin Bran, and Bear Naked. With a presence in the majority of households across North America, our brands play a key role in enhancing the lives of millions of consumers every day, promoting a strong sense of physical, emotional and societal wellbeing. Our beloved brand characters, including Tony the Tiger and Toucan Sam, represent our deep connections with the consumers and communities we serve. For more information, visit www.wkkellogg.com .

SOURCE WK Kellogg Co
NEW YORK, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global wood pellets market size is estimated to grow by USD 5283.83 mn from 2023 to 2027, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 7.84% during the forecast period. Europe held the largest share of the global market in 2022, and the market in the region is estimated to witness an incremental growth of 73%.

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Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Wood Pellets Market 2023-2027

Major Players in the Market

Numerous companies are capitalizing on this growing trend by implementing strategic measures such as alliances, partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions. Among the notable players in the cheese based snacks market are:

AS Graanul Invest, Binderholz GmbH, Bio Eneco, BioPower Sustainable Energy Corp., CT Pellet, Drax Group Plc, ECARE, Energy Pellets of America LLC, Enviva Inc., Highland Pellets LLC, JP Green Fuels Pvt. Ltd., Land Energy Girvan Ltd., Laxmi Subhi Sales Corp., Lignetics Inc., Pfeifer Holding GmbH, PREMIUM PELLETS s.r.o, PRODESA, proPellets Austria, SNOW ENTITIES Inc., VIRIDIS ENERGY INC.

Analyst Review

The Wood Pellets Market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing demand for renewable energy sources and the shift towards carbon-neutral industrial processes. Fossil fuels, such as natural gas, are being replaced by wood biomass, including wood pellets, in power boilers. Co-firing of biomass with fossil fuels in paper and sawmills is also becoming common practice. Private landowners, loggers, and wood dealers are key contributors to the wood pellets market, providing feedstock sources such as lumber production residuals, mill residuals, and sawmill residues. Wood waste and agricultural residue are also valuable feedstock sources. Wood pellets are produced from various types of woody feedstock, including eucalyptus and fire-damaged trees. The renewable energy sector is driving the demand for wood pellets, which can be used to generate electricity and heat. Transportation costs are a significant factor in the wood pellets market, as the pellets need to be transported from the production sites to the end-users. However, the environmental benefits of using wood pellets as a renewable energy source outweigh the transportation costs. Chlorine is used in the production of some wood pellets, which can be a concern for some consumers due to its potential environmental impact. However, advancements in technology are being made to produce chlorine-free wood pellets.

Key Market Drivers

The industrial sector is transitioning towards low-carbon energy sources to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Wood pellets, derived from biomass, have gained popularity as a sustainable alternative to coal in industries. Wood pellet boilers, equipped with self-cleaning systems, are increasingly used in place of traditional coal-fired boilers. Agencies such as the EPA and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change encourage this shift through regulations and grants. In 2021, Enviva Pellets Waycross produced over 1 million metric tons of wood pellets. Cell line development and feedstock sources, including forest residues, mountain pine beetle-infested trees, and fire-damaged trees, contribute to the production. Biomass boilers, including those using Eucalyptus wood pellets, emit less chlorine compared to coal-fired boilers. The implementation of compliances with international agreements like the Kyoto Protocol and the European Union's Emissions Trading System has accelerated the adoption of renewable energy sources, such as solar photovoltaic, wind energy, and biomass power generation. Natural gas and fossil fuels, major contributors to global warming, face increasing competition. Wood biomass, sourced from private landowners, loggers, mill residuals, and paper and sawmills, is transported to pellet production facilities and shipping firms for distribution. Heating and power generation applications in the residential segment are significant markets for wood pellets. The shift towards biomass power generation is expected to continue, reducing carbon emissions from energy production and contributing to the global effort against climate change.

Challenges and Opportunities

The commercial segment of the wood pellets market is growing due to the increasing demand for renewable energy and the adoption of biomass boilers. However, challenges persist, particularly in urban areas where space is limited for fuel storage. CO2 emissions are a concern, with Drax power station's Drax Biomass division leading the way in emission control through co-firing and biomass boiler grants. Renewable energy sector players are focusing on feedstock sources such as agricultural residue, wood waste, and sawmill residues to ensure carbon neutrality. Self-cleaning systems and biomass boiler regulations are key considerations for industrial installations. In 2020, Enviva Pellets Waycross produced over 1 million metric tons of pellets. The renewable energy sector is also exploring solar photovoltaic and wind energy as complementary sources. Law enforcement agencies are implementing compliances to ensure proper feedstock sourcing and carbon emissions reduction. The International Energy Agency emphasizes the importance of natural gas as a transition fuel, but biomass and hydrocarbons face challenges from chlorine emissions and deforestation concerns. Wood pellets derived from mountain pine beetle-infested trees and fire-damaged trees are gaining popularity as sustainable feedstock. Eucalyptus wood pellets are also an emerging option. Biomass boilers must meet stringent design, construction, operation, and maintenance standards to ensure efficiency and minimize greenhouse gas emissions.

The global shift towards renewable energy sources and reducing CO2 emissions is leading to a decline in the use of fossil fuels, particularly coal, for power generation. China's cancellation of 103 coal power plants represents a loss of 120 GW in installed capacity, creating an opportunity for alternative energy sources like wood pellets. Lumber production, wood biomass, and mill residuals are key feedstock sources for wood pellets. Private landowners, loggers, and paper and sawmills contribute to the supply chain. Transportation costs and shipping firms play a crucial role in delivering pellets to heating and power generation applications. Wood pellets are used in residential and commercial heating applications and biomass power generation. Drax Power Station, a significant player in the biomass power sector, uses Drax Biomass for co-firing and has achieved brand recognition. Agricultural residue, wood waste, and sawmill residues are essential woody feedstock. Biomass power generation is carbon neutral and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Industrial sector adoption of wood pellet boilers and self-cleaning systems is increasing. Biomass boiler grants and government initiatives support the implementation of compliances. Metric tons of pellets are produced by companies like Enviva Pellets Waycross, and cell line development continues to improve pellet quality. Renewable energy sector growth includes solar photovoltaic and wind energy. Natural gas prices and the implementation of compliances impact the wood pellet market. Law enforcement agencies monitor illegal logging and ensure sustainable practices.

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Market Overview

The Wood Pellets Market is experiencing significant growth due to increasing demand for renewable energy sources and the shift towards sustainable heating solutions. The global market for wood pellets is projected to expand at a robust pace, driven by factors such as government initiatives to reduce carbon emissions and the availability of abundant raw materials. Major players in the market include Carbon Energy, Bioenergy Europe, and Drax Group. These companies are investing in research and development to improve pellet production efficiency and reduce costs. Additionally, the use of advanced technologies like torrefaction and hydrothermal carbonization is gaining popularity to enhance pellet durability and energy density. The market is segmented by application, end-user, and region. Residential and commercial heating are the major applications, while industrial processes and power generation are other significant end-users. Europe and North America dominate the market, but Asia Pacific is expected to witness the fastest growth due to rising demand from countries like China and India.

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
Recognized for Innovative Trip Cancellation Group Quoting Tool

CARMEL, Ind., April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- WorldTrips, a part of the Tokio Marine HCC group of companies, has won a Gold award in the Sales Distinction of the Year  Computer Software category in the 18th Annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service.



The awards are presented by the Stevie Awards, which organizes several of the world's leading business awards shows including the prestigious American Business Awards and International Business Awards.

WorldTrips was recognized for its recently developed Trip Cancellation Group Quoting Tool designed to support "Group Insurance" plans effectively. This tool offers unparalleled flexibility, allowing WorldTrips-certified Travel Advisors to add travelers to the group until the aggregate trip cost reaches $500,000, and to modify individual trip details up until the day before departure. The inclusion of a pre-existing medical condition waiver and bulk upload features are indicative of the tool's comprehensive and user-friendly design.

Since launching Trip Cancellation products in the U.S. market in 2021, WorldTrips has utilized advanced technology to streamline the sales process, enhancing service delivery to Travel Advisors. The company has now expanded its market presence through innovations such as customized quoting solutions and agent self-service tools, which are unparalleled in the industry.

Noteworthy features of the new tool include:

A "Get Group Quote" button for easy initiation of group quotes.

Direct quote delivery to customers for seamless group enrollment.

Individual payment options, with WorldTrips now absorbing credit card fees on behalf of travel advisors.

The tool also facilitates automatic reissuance of policy documents whenever changes occur, ensuring that each traveler receives their personalized insurance document according to their state of residence. This reduces the administrative burden on travel advisors and group travel organizers.

With these enhancements, WorldTrips is setting a new benchmark for flexibility and convenience in the group travel insurance market, demonstrating its commitment to excellence and innovation. These initiatives not only enhance the user experience but also position WorldTrips as a leader in the Group insurance sector.

"Such tools not only benefit the workflow of the agents but also enhance the overall customer experience, making group insurance transactions smoother and more user-friendly," says WorldTrips President and CEO Mark Carney. "WorldTrips is beyond thrilled to be recognized with this prestigious customer service award. It is a testament to our team's unwavering dedication and hard work in ensuring that every client's experience is nothing short of exceptional."

Details about the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service and the list of Finalists in all categories are available at www.StevieAwards.com/Sales.

About The Stevie Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in nine programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, and the new Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at www.StevieAwards.com.

Sponsors of the 18th annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service include Sales Partnerships, Inc., Support Services Group, Inc, and ValueSelling Associates, Inc.

About WorldTrips

WorldTrips, based in Carmel, Indiana, is a full-service organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of travel medical and trip protection insurance products designed to address the insurance needs of travelers worldwide. WorldTrips is a member of the Tokio Marine HCC group of companies. WorldTrips' Atlas Journey trip protection insurance products are underwritten by Tokio Marine HCC's U.S. Specialty Insurance Company (USSIC). USSIC is a Texas-domiciled insurance company operating on an admitted basis throughout the United States. For more information about WorldTrips, please visit WorldTrips.com.

WorldTrips Insurance Services CA License Number 0G39705.

Media Contact:

[email protected]

SOURCE WorldTrips
Global aid organization's aliyah (immigration to Israel) effort continues despite rise in global conflict

JERUSALEM, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- To mark Yom HaAliyah (Aliyah Day) 2024, an Israeli holiday which begins this year on the night of April 17, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship) is honoring its impact in helping Jews from around the world return to their homeland, Israel.

In 2023, The Fellowship helped more than 4,000 people make aliyah (immigrate to Israel) from 35 countries around the world. Since its founding more than 40 years ago, The Fellowship has helped more than 770,000 Jews make aliyah from 50 different countries.

Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews welcomes a flight of new olim to Israel. (IFCJ/Avishag Shaar-Yashuv)

"One of the great points of pride for The Fellowship is helping fulfill biblical prophecy by bringing Jews home from 'the four corners of the earth,'" said Yael Eckstein, the organization's President and CEO.

Aliyah is a cornerstone of the state of Israel, and is often a life-changing decision for Jews especially as they look to flee from the drastic rise in global anti-Semitism since the attacks of October 7. In the final two months of 2023 alone, over 2,600 Jewish people immigrated to Israel.

"The fact that they want to make this journey even during a time of war in Israel shows how vital aliyah is. Many olim (immigrants) tell us that it's the fulfillment of a lifelong dream," Eckstein added.

Aliyah is a key pillar of the more than 2 million people the Fellowship helps annually. The organization supports olim both before and after their arrival in the Holy Land. In addition to arranging "freedom flights," The Fellowship also provides klitah (resettlement) support to new olim, helping with immigration paperwork, food assistance, education and job training, and more.

"The heartwarming stories of Jews from around the world stepping off the plane and feeling an overwhelming sense of safety, of new beginning, of belonging, are countless," Eckstein said. "Being able to help people start a new chapter of their lives in their biblical homeland is just one way The Fellowship's work brings much-needed light into the world in these dark times."

About the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews

For more than 40 years, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship) has been the leading non-profit building bridges between Christians and Jews, blessing Israel and the Jewish people around the world with humanitarian care and lifesaving aid. Each year, the Fellowship helps over 1 million people living in poverty, provides security to 1 million people and helps thousands make aliyah back to their homeland, Israel. To learn more about the Fellowship's work, visit www.ifcj.org.

About Yael Eckstein

As President and CEO of The Fellowship, Yael Eckstein oversees all programs and serves as the international spokesperson for the organization. With over a decade of non-profit experience in multiple roles, Yael has the rare distinction of being a woman leading one of the world's largest religious charitable organizations. In 2021, she launched her podcast, Nourish Your Biblical Roots, in which she shares spiritual insights and lessons from the Torah, and invites leading Christian and Jewish thought leaders to discuss Jewish-Christian relations and Israel's significance on the world stage. She is the 2023 recipient of the Jerusalem Post's Humanitarian Award, and in 2020, 2021 and 2023, was named to the publication's list of 50 Most Influential Jews. Born and raised outside of Chicago, Yael is based in Israel with her husband and their four children.

Media Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE International Fellowship of Christians and Jews
Certified drivers and new candidates are welcome at April 23 event

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Zum will host a hiring event for school bus drivers on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Residence Inn (45 Berkshire Ct., Wyomissing, PA 19610).

Zum is hiring 120 school bus drivers and attendants to serve the families of Reading Public Schools beginning in the 2024-25 school year. Existing school bus drivers as well as anyone considering a new career are encouraged to attend.

Zum will host a hiring event for school bus drivers on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Residence Inn (45 Berkshire Ct., Wyomissing, PA 19610).

Zum offers higher wages, guaranteed hours and modern benefits for all drivers and staff, as well as top-of-the-line air-conditioned buses, equipment and technology to enhance safety and comfort for students and drivers and make drivers' day-to-day jobs easier and more enjoyable. Advanced training and certification programs include extensive ongoing training in transporting students with diverse needs and disabilities.

"As we prepare for the coming school year, we're excited to expand our team of drivers and staff in Reading," said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO at Zum. "We deeply value bus drivers, who are the center of what we do at Zum. We look forward to meeting everyone at this event and, in the fall, ensuring all students have access to safe, reliable and equitable student transportation."

Zum is known for alleviating school bus driver shortages and is a "Great Places to Work" certified company. Anyone interested in driving or who knows someone interested that cannot attend one of Zum's hiring events can apply here .

Zum manages and operates student transportation in Massachusetts, Maryland, California, Washington, Texas, Illinois, and Tennessee with significant operations launching this year in Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Connecticut. To learn more about how Zum is working with thousands of schools across the nation to deliver safe, reliable and modern student transportation, please visit Zum's website .

About Zum:

Zum has modernized student transportation, the nation's largest mass transit system, and developed sustainable ways to charge the grid. Zum's robust operations and integrated end-to-end cloud-based platform provides a modern student transportation service for school districts purpose-built around the needs of kids and the expectations of modern families. Zum provides one seamless, real-time interface for parents, drivers, schools, districts, administrators, and operators to transport children safely and with increased visibility and personalized care. Always investing in the wellbeing of communities, Zum is also the only carbon neutral student transportation provider in the nation with plans to go Net Zero with its transition to EV electric buses. Zum is available nationwide, serving more than 4,000 schools across the U.S. Learn more at www.ridezum.com .

CONTACT:

Jenny Mayfield, Vice President of Communications - [email protected]

SOURCE Zum
Centralized distribution platform seamlessly connects cyber insurers with distribution partners

MILWAUKEE, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading insurtech provider, Zywave, today announced the launch of Cyber Quoting, the latest addition to its comprehensive portfolio of quoting and proposal solutions. The centralized quoting platform brings together global cyber insurers and U.S. distributors, connecting them through a simplified, transparent data collection process that provides key insights into coverage submission and selection.

"As cyber losses continue to rise, cyber insurance has become a critical component of risk mitigation plans for the majority of businesseslarge and small," said Eric Rentsch, Zywave's Chief Product Officer. "While cyber insurance is in high demand, securing the appropriate coverages still can be a challenge."

"Tedious, time-consuming data collection is one of the biggest pain points for cyber insurance brokers and their clients," Rentsch added. "To make the process easier for all parties, Zywave's Cyber Quoting solution collects input through a straightforward, standardized questionnaire, resulting in less guesswork and greater efficiency across the insurance distribution chain."

Both cyber insurers and distributors will benefit from the new quoting platform with expanded market access and a broader selection of coverage available. Connecting through Cyber Quoting can help accelerate distribution, enabling insurers and distributors to develop new cyber insurance products, adapt to market changes, and stay ahead of emerging risks.

A seamless experience through Cyber Quoting allows insurers to accurately present quotes faster and distributors to provide more personalized services and options to their clients, ultimately increasing overall satisfaction. Zywave already has a strong core of cyber insurers and policies available on the quoting platform, including prominent carriers Axis, At-Bay, Coalition, and Cowbell, and are preparing for the imminent addition of industry leaders Tokio Marine, Killara Cyber, and CFC.

"Expanding our distribution network through Cyber Quoting with Zywave allows our programs to be available to an expansive network of distributors," said Rick Welsh, CEO of Killara Cyber. "These partners can now experience the simplicity of finding, binding and issuing leading cyber insurance coverage for their clients in a streamlined and easy-to-use platform."

With the addition of Cyber Quoting, Zywave continues to expand its industry-leading offering of quoting solutions. As the largest digital enabler of quoting solutions on the market, Zywave's connected platform is improving communication and maximizing efficiency for customers on both sides of the market, for all lines of business.

For more information on Zywave, visit www.zywave.com.

About Zywave

Zywave leads the insurtech industry, fueling business growth for its partners with cloud-based sales management, client delivery, content and analytics solutions. Zywave's all-in-one platform provides customizable, user-friendly options that enable insurance professionals to build a unique solution to fit their specific growth goalstheir own Modern RevOps Machine. More than 18,000 carriers, agencies and brokerages worldwideincluding all of the top 100 U.S. insurance brokeragesuse Zywave solutions to enhance client services, achieve business growth and promote greater health, wellness, risk management and safety. Additional information can be found at www.zywave.com.

Press contacts:

April Larsen

[email protected]

+1 414-918-0547

Caitlin Haynes

[email protected]

+44 (0) 203 131 2474

+44 (0) 7568 572367

SOURCE Zywave
CHATSWORTH, Calif.Adult industry trade group the Free Speech Coalition (FSC) will host a special briefing next Wednesday on the impact of derisking practices across the financial services industry.

Panelists will address the ways in which derisking impacts their ability to build and operate businesses, earn income and survive in a world increasingly dominated by digital transactions. This webinar is intended for adult industry members, Congressional staff, regulators, financial services professionals and other stakeholders.

The webinar comes on the one year anniversary of the FSCs report, Financial Discrimination and the Adult Industry, which detailed the extent of financial discrimination affecting adult related businesses and workers. More than 60 percent of adult workers have lost a bank account or financial tool due to their association with the industry, 40 percent in the past year alone.

Since the release of the report, FSC has met with over 40 Congressional offices, as well as regulators, compliance officers and anti-trafficking organizations. National and international outlets have covered the fight to stop financial discrimination, including the New York Times, Forbes, Wired, Boston Globe, The Street, Slate and hundreds of other publications.

Over the past year, weve examined both the problem and potential cures, FSC executive director Alison Boden said. This panel will allow us to engage the issue with a broader audience, present possible solutions and answer questions. We look forward to this incredibly important discussion.

The webinar, titled "Derisking: Examining Its Impact on the Adult Inudstry's Access to Banking Services," will take place April 24 at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT. It will be moderated by FSC director of public affairs Mike Stabile, and feature the following panelists:

Alison Boden, Executive Director, Free Speech Coalition

Allie Eve Knox, Adult performer and business owner

Jessica Goedtel, Financial Advisor, Pavilion Financial

Aaron Kahler, Anti-Human Trafficking Intelligence Initiative

Pierre Whatley, Principal, FS Vector

To register, go to tinyurl.com/FSCregister.
All models were at least 18 years old at the time of their performance. 18 U.S.C. 2257 Record-Keeping Requirements Compliance Statement.
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
Washington, April 18 : The US Senate has voted along party lines to adjourn the impeachment trial of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, ending the Republican-driven efforts to take down the Joe Biden administration's top border security official.

By a vote of 51-49, the upper chamber on Wednesday adjourned the impeachment trial after the two articles against Mayorkas fell on constitutional points of order, as Democrats argued they did not rise to the level of "high crimes and misdemeanours", Xinhua news agency reported.

Following the adjournment, Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who will step down in November, criticized the precedent set, saying it is not a proud day for the Senate.

In February, the Republican-held House of Representatives narrowly voted to impeach Mayorkas, making him the first cabinet member to be impeached in nearly 150 years.

Mayorkas was impeached for "willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law" in enforcing border policy and for breaching public trust.

Republicans blame the influx of immigrants on "dereliction of duty" by Mayorkas and say that the Homeland Security Secretary needs to step down because of it. They have frequently berated Mayorkas at hearings the House Homeland Security Committee has held on the border crisis since last year.

Both the Department of Homeland Security and congressional Democrats, however, have dismissed the endeavours to impeach Mayorkas as politically driven manoeuvres.

Calling the impeachment effort "bad politics and bad policy," Tom McClintock, one of the three House Republicans who voted against the impeachment, stressed earlier that House Republicans were attempting to overstep boundaries by advocating for Mayorkas' removal from office for implementing President Joe Biden's border policies.

House Representative Ken Buck from Colorado, who also voted against the impeachment, recently announced his departure, telling CNN it was the "worst year of the nine years and three months that I've been in Congress."
Lucknow, April 18 : Two student groups clashed over "loud music" during Ram Navami celebrations at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University in Lucknow on Wednesday.

Following the clash, students gheraoed Vice-Chancellor (V-C) Sanjay Kumar's residence in the night.

Eyewitnesses said a tussle between two groups over playing "loud" music during the Ram Navami celebrations, led to the clash.

Students from one of the groups alleged that they were beaten up by security personnel for objecting to the loud music being played without permission on the campus. Thereafter, students went to gherao the V-C's residence.

They claimed that the university administration had given no permission for the religious programme, yet the music system was played on the campus.

When contacted, BBAU officials said there was a "tiff" between the two groups over DJ. They, however, denied that security guards beat up students.
Kiev, April 18 : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for more air defence support from Western partners after a Russian missile attack killed at least 17 people in the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv on Wednesday. There were also more than 60 injured, including several children.

"This would not have happened if Ukraine had received sufficient air defence and if the world had been determined enough to counter Russian terror," Zelensky wrote on Telegram.

The Ukrainians do not lack determination in their fight, he added.

"We need sufficient determination from our partners and sufficient support that reflects this determination," Zelensky said.

Due to a lack of air defence systems and ammunition, the Russians are now destroying many important objects in Ukraine, said Zelensky, referring to the Trypilska thermal power plant near Kiev, which is lying in ruins.

A meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council is to take place on Friday at the request of Kiev, the alliance's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced. The top NATO official was responding directly to Zelensky's plea.

NATO defence ministers and Zelensky are to take part, Stoltenberg said. Details were not announced if the meeting is to take in person or via videoconference.

Stoltenberg also stressed that supporting Ukraine was more important than alliance members meeting NATO targets for supplies of weapons and ammunition.

After months of obstruction, the Republican leader of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, said he expected a vote on further US aid for Ukraine on Saturday evening.

In the event of approval, the Senate would still have to approve the package. It is considered likely that the upper chamber, which is led by the Democrats, will support the project.

Johnson wrote to his party colleagues that he would like to see the aid for Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia, in the form of a loan. Details were initially unclear.

"The House must pass the package this week and the Senate should quickly follow. I will sign this into law immediately to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends, and we wonat let Iran or Russia succeed," US President Joe Biden said in a statement on Wednesday.

Earlier, Chernihiv Governor Vyacheslav Chaus said that three missiles struck near the city centre and that civilian infrastructure was damaged.

He spoke of a terrible morning. It later became known that Russia is said to have used the Iskander mobile missile system for the attack. The range of the system is around 500 kilometres.

According to official reports, a hotel, the district hospital, the main university building and several multi-storey residential buildings were hit, and many cars also went up in flames.

A total of 16 buildings were damaged, according to Mayor Oleksandr Lomako. In most of them, windows were broken by the blast wave. However, some houses also suffered severe damage.

Rescue workers searched under the rubble for other victims of the attack. The police said there were six missing. Due to the large number of injured, the local health authorities have called on the population to donate blood.

Chernihiv is located around 150 kilometres north of Kiev, not far from the border with Russia.

When Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Chernihiv was attacked but not captured. In the past two years it has been subject to frequent Russian artillery fire and aerial assaults.

The Russian Ministry of Defence did not go into detail about the missile strike in Chernihiv in its daily situation report. It merely stated that the air and missile forces had fought Ukrainian units and military technology.

Meanwhile, Ukraine attacked several targets in Russia and on the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia with drones and missiles.

According to a report by the RBC-Ukraine news agency, one of the targets of the drones on Wednesday was an aircraft factory in Kazan.

Tupolev 22M and 160M strategic bombers are built and repaired at the plant, which is almost 1,000 kilometres from Ukrainian-held territory.

Several explosions were reportedly heard near the factory site. According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, a drone of an aircraft-like type was intercepted over the republic of Tatarstan.

Ukrainian media reported another attack which targeted a radar station near the town of Kovylkino in the republic of Mordovia, around 600 kilometres from the Ukrainian border. The Russian Ministry of Defence said this drone attack was also repelled.

Local reports said explosions were heard at a military airfield near Dzhankoi on the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

According to Ukrainian reports, two US ATACMS missiles hit the ground. A Russian S-400 air defence system, including radar equipment and several launchers, is said to have been destroyed. Several Russian soldiers were killed or injured, according to reports from Ukraine. There was no independent confirmation of this.

--IANS/DPA

sha/
EU flags are seen outside the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium, Jan. 6, 2023.(Xinhua/Zheng Huansong/IANS). Image Source: IANS News

Brussels, April 18 : European Union leaders agreed late on Wednesday on new sanctions targeting Iran for the direct attack on Israel.

The EU has decided "to put in place sanctions against Iran", European Council President Charles Michel told reporters in the early hours of Thursday morning after the first day of a two-day summit.

"The idea is to target the companies that are needed for the drones, for the missiles," he said. Further details are to be finalized, he added.

"The European Union will take further restrictive measures against Iran, notably in relation to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missiles," the EU leaders' statement said.

The EU summit on Wednesday and Thursday was originally meant to focus on the bloc's economy and its competitiveness. But rising tensions in the Middle East pushed the economic discussion into the second day's agenda.

EU leaders appealed for calm as Israel weighed a response to the drone and missile attack from Iran on Saturday.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged Israel not to retaliate against Iran with a "massive attack of its own" on his arrival.

Scholz called on Israel to now use the successful defence against Iran's missile and drone attack "to strengthen its own position in the entire region." On this basis, "a corresponding military response would certainly not be appropriate," he said.

Iran said the drone and missile attacks were retaliation for the killing of high-ranking Iranian officers in a missile strike on Iran's embassy in Syria at the start of the month.

Sanctions may be imposed through a regime set up after Iran began supporting the Russian war on Ukraine by supplying Moscow with drones.

These sanctions banned the export of components used for the construction and production of unmanned aerial vehicles to Iran, and may be expanded to make it harder for Iran to produce missiles.

Calls from Israel to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the elite unit of the Iranian armed forces, as a terrorist organization are more difficult to meet.

The IRGC would first have to be prosecuted by a national authority for terrorist activities under EU law to prompt this sanction. Scholz said however a recent court ruling in the EU, concerning the activities of the IRGC, is being examined by EU officials.

This could open the way to a terrorist designation for the IRGC, Scholz said. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said his country would support sanctions on the IRGC.

As well as the Middle East, EU leaders also discussed Ukraine's need for air defence weapons with the country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who joined the meeting by video call.

In his address to EU leaders, Zelensky called for greater support against Russian air assaults.

He drew a comparison between the support Israel received where US, French, and British jets helped shoot down Iranian drones and missiles and the help, or lack thereof, that Ukraine receives against Russian bombardment.

"Here in Ukraine, in our part of Europe, unfortunately, we do not have the level of defence that we all saw in the Middle East a few days ago," he said. "Our Ukrainian sky and the sky of our neighbours deserve the same security," he added.

The EU leaders' statement "underlines the need to urgently provide air defence to Ukraine and to speed up and intensify the delivery of all the necessary military assistance, including artillery ammunition and missiles".

Germany has already delivered two Patriot surface-to-air missile systems to Ukraine and will deliver one more, Scholz said.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the Netherlands and Denmark are working together to provide F16 fighter jets.

"We know that we have to do more than we have been doing so far to support Ukraine now. This applies in particular to all the air defence capabilities that are required," Scholz said.

--IANS/DPA

sha/
Lucknow, April 18 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hold a campaign blitzkrieg comprising several rallies and roadshows in western Uttar Pradesh in the coming days.

The Prime Minister has already addressed three rallies in Meerut, Saharanpur and Pilibhit.

He is set to address at least four more rallies and a roadshow beginning April 19 from Amroha, a constituency due for polls in the second phase on April 26.

Amroha is among the 16 Lok Sabha seats that the BJP had lost in 2019.

A senior party functionary said, "Each rally of PM Modi has the capacity to influence results in not just that constituency but in adjoining regions, too, and that is why his rallies are planned in a way to maximise the reach."

Rallies of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, too, are in great demand.

The BJP leader said, "It is difficult to accommodate all as there is a huge demand for PM Modi rallies from all 80 Lok Sabha seats. But he has to look after the entire country and that is why the attempt is to maximise the reach by arranging those rallies in a manner that benefits several candidates."

The sitting Amroha BSP MP Kunwar Danish Ali, who had won the seat in 2019 when BSP-SP-RLD had teamed up against the BJP, is now contesting the polls as the Congress candidate.

The Congress has a pre-poll pact with the Samajwadi Party for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

PM Modi's rally in Amroha will back BJP candidate Kanwar Singh Tanwar, who had won the seat in 2014. The day after PM Modi's election event, Rahul Gandhi-Akhilesh Yadav will hold a joint rally in Amroha.

"The influence of the PM Modi's rally could be assessed from the fact that after his rally, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati too are scheduled to address rallies to counter PM Modi's impact," a senior BJP leader said.

After Amroha, PM Modi is again expected to be back with rallies for the Hathras and Aligarh Lok Sabha seats on April 22.

The BJP won both seats in 2019 and they have a substantial Dalit and minority population. The BJP has changed its sitting MP Rajveer Singh Diler in Hathras, while in Aligarh, it has retained its sitting MP Satish Gautam.

This is likely to be followed by PM Modi's rally for party candidates in Agra and the adjoining Fatehpur Sikri Lok Sabha seats on April 25.

Both Agra and Fatehpur Sikri are set for a three-cornered contest. Agra has a substantial population of Jatavs -- the Dalit subcaste to which BSP chief Mayawati belongs.

It is also referred to as the "Dalit capital" due to the substantial presence of the community. Fatehpur Sikri has a substantial population of Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

In Agra, BJP candidate S.P. Singh Baghel is a sitting MP and a Union minister too. In Fatehpur Sikri, the sitting MP is Raj Kumar Chahar.

Another rally of PM Modi is expected for BJP candidates in Bareilly, Aonla and Shahjahanpur on April 25. This is set to be followed by a roadshow in Bareilly on April 26.

In Bareilly, the BJP has changed its formidable sitting OBC MP and former Union Minister Santosh Gangwar, who had won eight times, including six consecutive terms.

The BJP, not wanting to take a chance, has also planned PM Modi's roadshow here as well. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also held a rally there.
New Delhi, April 18 : Tech giant Google has laid off 28 employees who were involved in sit-in protests at its offices over a Google contract with the Israeli government.

The layoffs happened after nine employees were suspended and then arrested in the US earlier this week, reports The Verge.

The 28 employees who have been asked to go protested a $1.2 billion Google Cloud contract for the Israeli government.

In an internal memo to employees, the company said that behaviour like this "has no place in our workplace, and we will not tolerate it."

"The overwhelming majority of our employees do the right thing. If you're one of the few who are tempted to think we're going to overlook conduct that violates our policies, think again," Google told the staff.

"The company takes this extremely seriously, and we will continue to apply our longstanding policies to take action against disruptive behaviour -- up to and including termination."

The group behind the protests called Google's move a "flagrant act of retaliation."

"Google workers have the right to peacefully protest about the terms and conditions of our labour. These firings were clearly retaliatory," said the group called "No Tech for Apartheid."

The company said that following an investigation, "we terminated the employment of twenty-eight employees found to be involved. We will continue to investigate and take action as needed."
Seoul, April 18 : Hyundai Motor, Mercedes-Benz Korea, and two other carmakers will recall over 11,000 vehicles due to faulty components, the transport ministry here said on Thursday.

The four companies, including Stellantis Korea and Man Truck & Bus Korea, are voluntarily recalling a total of 11,159 units of 23 different models, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport said in a statement.

The problems that prompted the recall included poor welding of seats in 6,468 units of Santa Fe and Santa Fe hybrid models.

Some 760 units of the company's Grandeur sedans were found to have software errors in their dashboards as well, reports Yonhap news agency.

Another problem was the poor durability of fuel pump components in some 2,400 units of Mercedes-Benz's 11 models, including the S500 4MATIC sedan.

Stellantis' Peugeot e-2008 electric vehicle is also subject to corrective action due to software errors in the electronic control units.

For Man Truck, 308 units of its TGX tractor model will be recalled due to defective bolt fastening in the trailer coupling mechanism.
Washington, April 18 : The chief of US space agency NASA has told lawmakers in Washington that China is using civilian programmes to hide military objectives in space.

"China has made extraordinary strides [in space] especially in the last 10 years, but they are very, very secretive," Bill Nelson told the appropriations committee of the US House of Representatives as he testified on the US space agency's 2025 budget request.

"We believe that a lot of their so-called civilian space programme is a military programme. And I think, in effect, we are in a race."

Nelson also stressed that it was "incumbent on us" get to the moon, first as he warned: "my concern is if China got there first and suddenly said 'ok this is our territory, you stay out'."

The NASA chief said that the US was not going to lose its "global edge" in space, "but you got to be realistic that China is really throwing a lot of money at it and they've got a lot of room in their budget to grow."

"I think that we just better not let down our guard," Nelson added.

The NASA chief said he hoped "the Chinese space programme would come to its senses and understand that civilian space is for peaceful uses," but added: "We have not seen that demonstrated by China."

With the Artemis programme NASA wants to put humans on the moon again after more than 50 years. The moon landing mission Artemis 3 was recently postponed to September 2026.

The long-term goal of Artemis is to establish a permanent lunar base as a foundation for missions to Mars.

--IANS/DPA

int/svn
New Delhi, April 18 : As the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS) commemorates its 75th year of enriching Singapore's cultural landscape, the much-anticipated SIFAS Festival of Arts, continues to captivate audiences till May 1, 2024, in Singapore.

The celebration by SIFAS is jointly organised with SIFAS Productions Limited (SPL) and will feature enthralling performances by leading Indian classical artistes Ranjani and Gayatri (RaGa Sisters), Jayateerth Mevundi, Abhishek Raghuram and dance drama by Kalakshetra Foundation in collaboration with SIFAS.

Established in 1949, SIFAS has been a cornerstone of Indian cultural heritage in Singapore, fostering art and cultural appreciation through its diverse disciplines.

2024 marks SIFAS' Diamond Jubilee, a significant milestone for the non-profit organisation committed to nurturing talent and promoting Indian fine arts in the region. As Singapore transitions into a global arts hub, SIFAS continues to uphold its mission of preserving and promoting Indian cultural heritage while embracing multiculturalism.

The SIFAS Festival of Arts 2024, an iconic event in SIFAS' cultural calendar, celebrates the institution's legacy as the heart and hub of Indian arts in Singapore. Themed 'Virasata: Celebrating a Timeless Legacy of Arts,' this year's festival also serves as a curtain-raiser to SIFAS' 75th anniversary celebrations that will extend throughout the year.

With over 75 programmes of classical Indian music, dance, and visual arts, the festival promises a mesmerising journey through the rich tapestry of Indian arts. From traditional Kathak and Bharatanatyam performances and soul-stirring renditions of Hindustani and Carnatic vocals and instrumentals to a visual arts exhibition and arts and craft workshops, the festival showcases the depth and diversity of Indian cultural heritage.

"We are thrilled to present the SIFAS Festival of Arts as a tribute to SIFAS' illustrious journey over the past 75 years," said K V Rao, President, SIFAS. "This festival not only celebrates our heritage but also embraces the future of Indian arts, showcasing the talents of both emerging artists and iconic maestros."

"The 75th Anniversary milestone is being celebrated with SIFAS collaborating with organisations as well as leaders in the arts industry, both locally and globally, especially from India," said Menaka Gopalan, Executive Director, SIFAS. "We have also made a conscious effort with our outreach towards different communities, including the underrepresented, to promote arts and mental well-being."

Scheduled at the SIFAS Stage and Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay, the festival promises an unforgettable experience for art enthusiasts of all ages. Through its immersive programmes and vibrant performances, the SIFAS Festival of Arts 2024 invites audiences to celebrate the enduring legacy of Indian arts and culture in Singapore. Air India is the official carrier for the SIFAS Festival of Arts, enhancing the cultural journey for attendees from around the world.

In addition to the milestone anniversary, SIFAS also celebrates 20 years of the SIFAS Festival of Arts this year. The SIFAS Festival of Arts has been an eminent platform for showcasing the best in Indian fine arts in Singapore. Evolving with each year since 2003, they have collaborated with Esplanade since 2005 to bring both internationally renowned and emerging local talent to the forefront. This year, the festival marks two decades of cultural brilliance and community engagement. Through the festival, a year-long celebration from May 19, 2024, to May 19, 2025, and a series of events and activities, SIFAS aims to underscore its enduring legacy and its vision for the future of Indian fine arts in Singapore.

IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in
Kolkata, April 18 : The Leader of Opposition (LOP) in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Thursday morning, informed that he has written a letter to West Bengal Governor C. V. Ananda Bose, and complained about the scattered events of violence in two pockets of the state since Wednesday evening, during the processions of Ram Navami.

The LOP has accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of provoking such instances of violence.

"I have written a letter to the Governor apprising him regarding the attacks on the Processions taken out on the occasion of Ram Navami on Wednesday, and requested him to immediately intervene in order to control the failing law and order situation, as well as getting the incidents investigated by the National Investigation Agency," the LOP said.

In the letter to the Governor, a copy of which is available with IANS, the LOP claimed that on Wednesday, violence broke out at Shaktipur in the Beldanga area of Murshidabad following pelting of stones and hurling of bombs on a Ram Navami procession, resulting in injuries of some persons.

"Similar incident has taken place at Egra, in East Midnapore district and already, five participants in the rally have been severely injured and are receiving treatment at Egra Super Speciality Hospital," the letter read.

In the letter, he has also accused the police personnel present there of remaining inactive and not taking action against the attackers.

However, as of now, neither there had been any reaction from the district administration of Murshidabad and East Midnapore nor from the ruling Trinamool Congress on the events of violence alleged by the LOP.
Kolkata, April 18 : The fate of as many as 37 candidates, including that of a Union Minister, will be sealed on Friday in the first phase of elections in three Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal.

Of the three constituencies, Cooch Behar will be under special focus not only because the Union Minister is seeking re-election from there but also because of the sensitivity of the constituency as regards records of poll-related violence.

BJP has sitting MPs from all the three Lok Sabha constituencies -- Cooch Behar Behar, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar.

At Cooch Behar, BJP has re-nominated Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nisith Pramanik. His closest contestants are Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia of Trinamool Congress, who is also a sitting party legislator and All India Forward Blocas Nitish Chandra Roy.

The constituency will have 112 companies, the maximum deployment, of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) on Friday.

At Jalpaiguri, BJP has re-nominated its sitting Lok Sabha member Jayanta Kumar Roy, who is pitted against Trinamool Congressas sitting MLA Nirmal Chandra Roy and CPI(M)as youth leader Debraj Barman. Jalpaiguri will have the deployment of 75 companies of CAPF.

At Alipurduar, BJP replaced its sitting Lok Sabha member with Manoj Tigga, who besides being a sitting party MLA is also the chief whip of BJPas legislative party in West Bengal Assembly. Trinamool Congress has fielded its sitting Rajya Sabha member Parkash Chik Baraik. Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP)as Mili Oraon is also in the poll fray. A total of 63 companies of CAPF have been deployed at Alipurduar for Friday.

Besides 250 companies of CAPF, a total of 10,000 personnel which includes those from state armed police forces, have also been deployed by the Election Commission (ECI) for these three Lok Sabha constituencies.

As per the records of the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, the total number of polling booths in the three Lok Sabha constituencies combined is 5,814, out of which 1,862 have been earmarked as sensitive booths.

The polling will start at 7 a.m and continue till 6 6.m.
Seoul, April 18 : South Korea will open an annual meeting of its top envoys abroad next week with a focus on strengthening its diplomacy amid geopolitical challenges, the foreign ministry said on Thursday.

A total of 182 ambassadors, consuls general and other heads of diplomatic missions in foreign countries will join the five-day gathering, set for April 22-26, Yonhap news agency reported.

The upcoming meeting will address the ministry's three main tasks for this year: strong security diplomacy, diplomacy based on economics and livelihoods and multilateral diplomacy as a global pivotal state.

The heads of the mission will discuss ways to realise the diplomatic initiatives amid a period of geopolitical transition, including intensifying strategic rivalry between the United States and China, growing North Korean nuclear threats and the prolonged wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the ministry's spokesperson, Lim Soo-suk, told a regular press briefing.

They will also discuss efforts to make each overseas diplomatic mission a center for exports and winning contracts for projects, and to discover ways to support the youth, Lim added.

Chung Jae-ho, South Korean ambassador to China who is currently being investigated over an alleged power abuse against a staff member, will attend the meeting, according to a foreign ministry official.

Chung is accused of verbally harassing and treating the embassy official in an arrogant and authoritarian manner, a practice called "gapjil" in Korean.

No one will be attending as envoy to Australia on behalf of Lee Jong-sup, the ministry official added.

Lee, a former defense minister, resigned as ambassador to Australia late last month amid mounting criticism over his appointment over allegations that he exerted influence on a military investigation into last year's death of a young Marine.
Whether a resolution professional can be subject to prosecution under the PC Act, SC seeks CBIs response. Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, April 18 : The Supreme Court on Thursday orally asked the Election Commission (EC) to look into media reports suggesting that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) erroneously registered votes in favour of the BJP during mock polling in Kerala's Kasaragod.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta asked senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing EC, to look into the issue raised by advocate Prashant Bhushan.

Amid the ongoing hearing on pleas seeking directions to the poll body to tally every vote cast through EVMs with Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips, Bhushan drew the attention of the apex court towards a news article published on Tuesday where agents of Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) candidates in Kerala alleged that BJP's lotus was getting extra votes during the commissioning of the machines for the polling.

At this, Justice Khanna told ECI's counsel: "Mr. (Maninder) Singh, please check this up."

The top court is hearing the public interest litigations (PILs) seeking a direction to the EC to mandatorily cross-verify the votes cast in EVMs with VVPAT as opposed to the current practice of counting VVPAT slips of five randomly selected polling stations in each assembly constituency.
Srinagar, April 18 : Senior Gujjar and Bakarwal leader Mian Altaf Ahmad on Thursday filed nomination papers for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat.

Accompanied by former Chief Minister and NC vice president, Omar Abdullah, party leaders and scores of supporters, Mian Altaf filed papers at the district development commissioneras office in Anantnag who is the returning officer for the constituency.

Former Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti is also filing her papers from this constituency on Thursday.

J&K Apni Party headed by Syed Altaf Bukhari is fielding Zafar Iqbal Manhas from this seat while former Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad of Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) has now decided not to fight elections from this constituency.

BJP has so far not announced its candidates for any of the three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir nor has the party announced its support to any candidate in this constituency so far.

Congress is supporting the NC in all three Lok Sabha seats in the Valley as the NC has supported Congress candidates for the two Lok Sabha seats in the Jammu division.
New Delhi, April 18 : Global PC shipments grew around 3 per cent (year-on-year) in the first quarter (Q1) this year after eight consecutive quarters of declines due to demand slowdown and inventory correction, a report showed on Thursday.

According to the latest data from Counterpoint Research, the full year will see 3 per cent YoY growth, "largely driven by AI PC momentum, shipment recovery across different sectors, and a fresh replacement cycle."

In the first quarter, Lenovo's PC shipments were up 8 per cent and the company managed to reclaim its 24 per cent share in the market, compared to 23 per cent in Q1 2023.

HP and Dell, with market shares of 21 per cent and 16 per cent, respectively, remained flat.

Apple's shipment performance was also resilient, with the 2 per cent growth supported by M3 base models, the report mentioned.

"We believe the shipment and deployment of generative AI laptops will accelerate in 2025-2026, along with emerging generative AI functions and use cases, supported by chip vendors' new processor platforms," senior analyst William Li said.

Manufacturers are expected to start promoting AI PCs as their main products in the second half of this year as semiconductor companies prepare to launch high-end chips.
New Delhi, April 18 : Global tech-enabled consulting company Uniqus Consultech, on Thursday, said that it has raised $10 million in Series B funding led by Nexus Ventures with participation from Sorin Investments.

The funding will be used for the next phase of Uniqusa growth, which will be fuelled by the scaling-up of existing solutions, the launch of adjacent service offerings and geographical markets, and continued investments in technology, the company said.

"The current round of funding will enable us to expand our solutions portfolio, explore new markets, and further accelerate our growth plans," Jamil Khatri, co-founder and CEO of Uniqus, said.

In just over a year of launch, Uniqus has experienced significant growth. The company now has offices in eight cities across the US, India, and the Middle East, with a team of over 350 highly skilled professionals led by 40 partners and directors. They serve more than 150 clients.

During this period, Uniqus has also launched an AI Assistant for financial reporting and ESG, as well as a tech platform for ESG data management and reporting.

"The company's unique cloud delivery model coupled with proprietary technology is a game-changer for clients. Uniqus leverages both, technology and people to deliver a holistic and compelling value proposition for clients," said Anup Gupta from Nexus Ventures.
Suva, April 18 : Nearly eight per cent, or around 80,000 Fijians, have left the island nation in the last 18 months, with many having significant technical training and experience, said Fiji's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Biman Prasad on Thursday.

Prasad added that the skill loss is a major concern for employers and investors, adding that even the Finance Ministry has lost nearly a quarter of its professional staff as well, reported Fiji Broadcasting Corporation.

However, he said people cannot be blamed for seeking out better lives and looking for more secure health and better educational opportunities for their children, Xinhua news agency reported.

Prasad added that they continue to work on streamlining the processes in the regulatory agencies.

The work is challenging and time-consuming, and the government is burdened with regulatory processes that are decades old, he said.

According to Prasad, the Fijian government has its own skill shortages across the board, which is hampering the delivery of urgent public capital investment.
Mumbai, April 18 : Oscar-nominated actress Lily Gladstone's performance in the streaming series 'Under the Bridge' has been receiving great response.

Mumbai, April 18 (IANS) Oscar-nominated actress Lily Gladstoneas performance in the streaming series aUnder the Bridgea has been receiving great response.

The actress portrays a cop in the miniseries, which is based on the brutal murder of Indian-origin girl Reena Virk.

Indian-origin actress Vritika Gupta essays the role of Reena in the series. Virk, who was murdered by her own friends and strangers, was born in Saanich, British Columbia, Canada, and died at the age of 14.

As a teenager, she struggled to fit in and was bullied from elementary school all the way to high school. She was self-conscious about her looks, and her strict religious parents, who converted from Hinduism to the Jehovah's Witness religion, made things even more difficult for her.

On November 14, 1997, Reena, who struggled with FOMO almost three decades ago after it became a popular slang, was lured in by the promise of friendship for a gathering. Little did she know that what awaited her on the other side would be a horrific turn of events.

As Reena, portrayed by Vritika in 'Under The Bridge,' arrived at the designated place, her 'friends' were allegedly drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana. She was swarmed by a group of six teenagers called the Shoreline Six. They first bullied her, with one of the girls stubbing out a cigarette on Virk's forehead. She was later kicked and punched, sustaining several burn marks on her skin. It is also claimed that the attackers tried to set her hair on fire.

However, Virk somehow managed to bail out and started walking away to her house when she was intercepted by two people from the group. One girl from this pair knocked her head on a tree, after which she fell unconscious. She was then dragged by them below a bridge, where they continued to beat her before drowning her in the water.

The news of the murder unravelled a week after the incident, and attracted significant media coverage. Virkas murder at the hands of teenagers is considered a watershed moment in Canadaas social history, as it caused a widespread moral panic over teenage girl violence in Canadian society.

The case, which escalated to anational tragedya, saw the conviction of six teenagers for their participation in the homicide. As brutal as the murder was, the motive behind the same is said to be Reenaas involvement in spreading rumours about one of the girls from the Shoreline Six after she got her hands on the girlas phonebook.

The stubbing of a cigarette on Virkas forehead snowballed into a murder with the involvement of a loner teenager who became the prime accused in the case.

Reenaas brutal murder at the hands of a group of teens prompted people across the country to take a closer look at growing violence and bullying amongst young Canadians.
New Delhi, April 18 : Union Minister Rajnath Singh, while campaigning for BJP in Kerala's Kottayam district on Thursday, took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and said that 'Rahulyaan' is neither getting launched nor finding a suitable landing.

Addressing a big public gathering, Rajnath said that the BJP-led government is preparing to launch Gaganyaan and Adityayaan is already headed towards the Sun, but sadly, Congress is finding it hard to launch its "youth leader."

"Young leader of Congress is not getting launched despite several attempts. Congress party's 'Rahulyaan' is neither getting launched nor landing anywhere," Rajnath said, in a jibe at the party and Gandhi scion.

Rajnath's scathing criticism of the Congress leader comes on the back of the party's ignominious performances in last two general elections (2014 and 2019). Despite projecting Rahul as its top leader, the party failed to mount any challenge to BJP, and is seen lagging behind in the ongoing campaign.

Rajnath also hurled "migration" charge at Rahul over the party's delay and reluctance in launching its candidate from Amethi Lok Sabha constituency, a pocket borough of Gandhi family until 2019.

He said that the party is not able to muster the courage to announce its Amethi nominee, fearing another setback in 2024.

"Rahul Gandhi migrated from Uttar Pradesh to Kerala. Last time, he lost the elections from Lok Sabha constituency. This time, he is not able to gather the courage to fight elections from its bastion," he said.

He further said that Rahul won't find it "easy" in Wayanad either as people have made up their minds not to elect him as their Member of Parliament this time.

As per insiders, Congress is in dilemma over launching its candidates from Amethi and Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituencies. Rahul won Amethi seat thrice in 2004, 2009 and 2014 elections, but lost it in 2019 against Smriti Irani, with latter earning the tag of the "giant slayer."

The party is also uncertain about finalising its candidate for Rae Bareli constituency. Sonia Gandhi represented it many times but after she moved to Rajya Sabha, the party is yet to zero in on a "suitable" candidate.

Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha election in Kottayam is expected to have a triangular contest between two Congress factions and Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS).
Mumbai, April 18 : Vicky Kaushal has opened up about shooting the biographical war drama film 'Sam Bahadur' in front of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw's daughter, Maya, expressing his fear and nervousness.

Directed by Meghna Gulzar, Vicky portrays the first Field Marshal, Sam Manekshaw, in the movie.

Vicky, who appeared on the stage of 'The Great Indian Kapil Show', along with his brother Sunny Kaushal, shared an anecdote regarding the shoot of the movie.

The actor said: "When you get to play characters like this, the responsibility is huge. I met Sam Bahaduras daughter Maya (aged between 75-80 years) multiple times to understand how he walked and spoke. We were shooting in Delhi, and I have never been so nervous in front of the camera."

"Sam Bahaduras daughter was watching the shot behind the camera. I was scared because I knew I would not dare to ask whether I did it right or not. I just knew that if in her eyes I saw that she did not like it, then my confidence would be shattered, and more than half the film was left to be shot. But, I was very happy to see that she had tears in her eyes after watching the shot, and that boosted my confidence," he shared.

The 'URI' fame actor added: "For me, the biggest award is when a military film is approved by the military and they call out your performance."

'The Great Indian Kapil Show' streams on Netflix every Saturday at 8 p.m..
Islamabad, April 18 : One of the many adventures in the Pakistan-India series of conflicts 'Operation Koh Paima', also known as the Kargil operation -- that was hailed as a success story by its architect and Pakistani military dictator Late General (retd) Pervez Musharraf -- is now being labelled as a "strategic blunder" and a "political disaster" by a majority of experts, including former military officers who were serving during the 1999 operation.

"The plan was a blunder and a massive failure. It not only turned out to be a disaster, it also violated the Lahore Summit agreement between India and Pakistan. Also, because the Pakistan Army denied its involvement, even refused to accept the dead bodies of its own soldiers who were later buried by the Indian Armed forces, turned out to be more embarrassing and attracted more dishonour to the institution," says Colonel (retd) Ashfaq Hussain.

The Kargil conflict happened during May and July 1999. It was a decision, undertaken by some top military heads, who initiated the operation without even taking their own Prime Minister at the time, Nawaz Sharif in confidence.

The main target of the operation was to cut off the link between Kashmir and Ladakh, block the National Highway-1 and force the Indian forces to compromise their positions from the Siachen glacier. The military minds were of the view that the operation would force India to retreat and come to table talks for resolving the Kashmir dispute on Islamabad's terms.

"On one side, Pakistan was faced with international pressure and on the other side, the plan failed miserably as China did not act as per Islamabad's assumptions. Our then Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz got a cold shoulder from China along with all others because Islamabad's version that it was not its Army but the Kashmir freedom fighters at Kargil, was a story not bought by anyone," Hussain added.

At the time, General Musharraf was leading the operation while his team included Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Aziz Khan, Commander 10 Corps Lt. General Mahmood Ahmed, and Forces Commander Northern Areas Major General Javed Hassan.

While the plan to execute the Kargil operation was the brainchild of a few military heads, the overall plan was bound to fail as it was based on wrong assumptions which were kept in hiding even from the Pakistani Prime Minister along with the country's Chiefs of Air Force and Navy.

Keeping in view that the normal practice of both Indian and Pakistani forces was to leave their posts at high altitude during the extreme weather conditions of winter snow and reoccupy them at spring, Pakistani forces and their proxies reoccupied the forward positions before the Indians and took control of the strategic heights of Kargil, Drass and Batalik.

The Indian forces then launched 'Operation Vijay' to retake their strategic posts. As the battle between the two sides gained heat, the Pakistani side took advantage of the higher peaks and responded to Indian artillery fire.

"We had the advantage of the higher peak position. We could spot them from the height and counter fire on them more effectively," said Colonel Retd. Ashfaq Hussain, author of the book 'Witness to Blunder' that details his first-hand experience of the time, sitting as an officer in the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in Rawalpindi.

The plan on Pakistan's side, limited to the few military minds, was that its occupation of the high peaks at Kargil would force the Indian forces away from Siachen and the international community would intervene during the early stage to normalise the situation, leaving Pakistan with gains along the LoC (Line of Control).

Nawaz Sharif, the then Prime Minister who claimed he was completely unaware of the Kargil plan at the start, seemed to act in a way that hinted otherwise. It seemed that he was aware of the plan but had no idea on the serious consequences of the stunt.

Sharif may have been of the view that if the Kargil operation goes as planned, then he would own up to it standing tall as the victor of Kashmir. But because of his limited information on the actual plan and lack of assessment on the counter-offensive strategy adopted by India, Sharif preferred to maintain being naive and unknown to the developments.

It was by the end of June that Kargil operation was established as a disastrous failure, with the US President Bill Clinton demanding Pakistan to immediately withdraw its forces from the Indian side of the LoC.

"Kargil adventure was a blunder. It was a much bigger blunder than the surrender of 1971," says Colonel (retd) Ashfaq Hussain.
New Delhi, April 18 : Two women with advanced breast cancer have successfully undergone robotic mastectomy, a unique procedure to preserve full breast and nipple sensation, said doctors here on Thursday.

The two cases -- a 27-year-old woman and another in her late 50s -- are one of the first cases in India where the robot-assisted functional breast preservation surgery (RAFBPS), which is a minimally invasive surgical technique performed using Da-Vinci Robot, has been done, said doctors at CK Birla Hospital, Delhi.

"One of the first in India where robot-assisted functional breast preservation surgery with Latissimus flap reconstruction has been conducted, this surgery offers more precise visualisation and smaller incisions," said Dr Mandeep Singh Malhotra, Director of Surgical Oncology at the hospital.

"In these types of surgeries, a robot is used to enter the breast from the armpit to remove tissue and reconstruct the breast, preserving the breast skin as well as nipple, if possible, thus preserving the breast sensation," he added.

The 27-year-old woman came to the hospital with a breast lump, a few months after her baby was born. Due to her denial and masking of symptoms associated with changes in the breast during pregnancy and lactation, the cancer progressed to an advanced stage.

The woman was administered neo-adjuvant chemotherapy, which allows for optimal removal of residual tumour, along with targeted medicine and she responded exceptionally well to this systemic treatment.

The patient underwent RAFBPS without complications and experienced a swift recovery.

The woman in her late 50s was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer but the cancer was multifocal, that is, she had three breast lumps. RAFBPS utilised robotic arms to remove the cancerous tissue and simultaneously harvest tissue from the back to reconstruct the breast; with a single lateral mammary incision.

"This procedure provides remarkably natural-looking outcomes while preserving full breast sensation. By retaining the original breast skin and nipple, the breast sensation remains intact, hence the breast looks as well as feels like the original breast and the robot makes this surgery simpler with better aesthetics," Dr Mandeep said.

"Loss of breast is morbid for women of any age and should be equally evaluated for the option of breast preservation," he said.

Further, the doctor recommended the procedure to women with early-stage breast cancer, "without the involvement of overlying skin/nipple and those women who have responded very well to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy/systemic therapy."
Mumbai, April 18 : Kriti Sanon on Thursday shared some 'divine' images along with Ranveer Singh from ace fashion designer Manish Malhotra's recent fashion show at Namo Ghat in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

The show, which was held on April 14, saw the two actors celebrating Indian craftsmanship as they donned traditional wear.

Offering a glimpse into the show, Kriti took to Instagram and posted a series of pictures, showcasing the 'Bareilly Ki Barfi' actress in a red lehenga.

The red choli adorned with silver-coloured flower motifs, paired with an orange and golden-bordered lehenga and dupatta, accentuated her look. She elegantly styled the dupatta on her head.

Complementing the ensemble with a subtle makeup look, highlighted by a red bindi, Kriti accessorised with a silver maang tika, matching earrings, and bangles adorned with gajra.

On the other hand, Ranveer donned a brown and golden sherwani.

The duo is giving striking poses for the cameras, as they shoot with the picturesque backdrop of the Namo Ghat.

Kriti captioned the post: "Soaked in our heritage... Surrounded by divinity... At Namo Ghat, Kashi."

Meanwhile, on the work front, Kriti is basking on the success of her film aCrewa, which also stars Kareena Kapoor Khan and Tabu.

She next has 'Do Patti' in her kitty.

Ranveer will reprise his role of Simmba in the upcoming Rohit Shetty directorial aSingham Again'. The film also stars his wife, Deepika Padukone, along with Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, and Kareena Kapoor Khan.

Ranveer has 'Don 3' in the pipeline.
Hubballi : , April 18 (IANS) Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal, and Mines, Pralhad Joshi, asserted on Thursday that Rahul Gandhi's act of holding the flag of Muslim League in Wayanad is inciting anti-Hindu sentiments.

Addressing reporters, Joshi stated that during his nomination paper submission in Wayanad, Rahul Gandhi held the flag of the Muslim League instead of the Congress party's flag.

Joshi alleged that the Muslim League had called for a 'direct action day' against Hindus, advocating violence such as killing Hindus and raping Hindu women. By aligning himself with the Muslim League, which supports subversive activities, and contesting elections, Rahul Gandhi is directly contributing to the escalation of anti-Hindu incidents, Joshi stated.

"Rahul Gandhi bears direct responsibility for the anti-Hindu acts occurring in Karnataka. Incidents such as attacks on Hindus for chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' are facilitated by the Congress party," he alleged.

Joshi slammed Congress for appeasement of Muslims, which he claims has led to incidents like the chanting of pro-Pakistan slogans in Vidhana Soudha, attacks on individuals for reciting Hanuman Chalisa and raising Jai Shri Ram slogans. He asserted that these incidents demonstrate the Congress party's anti-Hindu stance.

Joshi further claimed that states governed by Congress are supportive of terrorist activities. He further urged the public to remain vigilant and awake to this reality.
Mumbai, April 18 : The MahaYuti partners on Thursday put up a massive show of strength at a rally in Pune at the timing of the filing of nomination by NCP nominee from Baramati Sunetra Pawar.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar also filed his nomination as the substitute from the Baramati constituency.

NCP sources said it has been done as a precautionary move. After Sunetra Pawar's nomination is accepted, Ajit Pawar's nomination will be rejected during scrutiny. The late date for filing of nomination for Baramati is April 19 while the polling is slated for May 7.

The BJP nominee from Pune, Muralidhar Mohol, who was present at the rally, did not file his nomination as the polling for Pune seat is slated for May 13.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in his speech claimed it is time for a change in Baramati as people of the constituency have decided that.

"This battle is historic, it is not personal. It is a battle for development and against dynastic politics. The transformation in Baramati is certain," said CM Shinde at the rally. He announced that "Ab Ki Baar Sunetra tai Pawar".

CM Shinde took a swipe at NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar, saying after Prime Minister Narendra Modi left his finger, the latter transformed the country.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that he learned politics by holding the finger of Sharad Pawar. But after leaving Sharad Pawar's finger, PM Modi transformed the country," he said taking a dig at Sharad Pawar.

CM Shinde further said that Ajit Pawar also left his uncle and his finger. The chief minister also expressed confidence that Sunetra Pawar and Ajit Pawar will not rest until Baramati is transformed.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that no one will be able to stop the sister-in-law (Sunetra Pawar is sister-in-law of Supriya Sule) in Baramati. He urged the MahaYuti workers to ramp up outreach to voters.

"Now we just have to go door-to-door in Baramati, reach out to the people and bring them to the polling booths. I believe that the sister-in-law (Sunetra Pawar) will go to Delhi. With your blessings, history will be made and Sunetra Pawar will go to Delhi as an MP," he said.

In his speech, Ajit Pawar asserted that the present election is a fight between PM Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

"The party workers should not be complacent but work hard so that PM Modi secures a third term at the Centre," he said.
Hyderabad, April 18 : Poland's Charge d' affaires to India, Sebastian Domzalski, visited Polmor Steel factory in Telangana's Medak district on Thursday.

Accompanied by the Consul General of Poland, Aleksander Danda, Economic Counsellor at the Embassy of Poland, PaweA Mokrzycki and Polmor Managing Director KVR Subba Rao, he visited the factory at Automotive Park, in Kallakal and Muppireddypalli industrial area in Medak district.

The delegation went around both the existing plant and the new facility currently under construction.

Polmor Steel is a leading manufacturer of critical components for railway companies and is set to embark on a significant expansion initiative in Telangana, promising to create more employment opportunities in the region.

Expressing his delight at witnessing the progress of a Polish company in India, Domzalski commended Polmor Steel's commitment to growth and job creation. He highlighted the company's alignment with the Union Government's 'Make in India' initiative and extended his best wishes for its continued success.

Subba Rao shared insights into the company's expansion strategy. "As several European companies establish their presence in India, Polmor Steel is proud to contribute to this trend by expanding its operations. With plans to acquire an additional 3 acres for expansion and inject 2.5 million euros in capital, we aim to create employment opportunities for an additional 100 individuals," he said.

More than 30 employees of Polmor Steel are now working in Parent company in Poland. This is allowing our people to work in Europe and learn and develop and enhance their skills to deliver European standard products, he said.

Acknowledging the support received from various stakeholders, including the state government of Telangana and Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC), Subba Rao expressed gratitude to the Ambassador, Consul General, and Economic Counsellor for their visit and encouragement.
Kolkata, April 18 : Much before the announcement of the Lok Sabha poll schedule on March 16, the Diamond Harbour constituency in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district was the most talked about seat in the state. And it continues to remain so with polling scheduled on June 1, the last day of the seven-phase elections starting Friday.

The main reason for the public curiosity about this seat is its two-term sitting MP and Trinamool Congress General Secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who has been renominated this time as well.

Diamond Harbour was in the news since the beginning of the year after Nawsad Siddique, the lone All India Secular Front (AISF) representative in the West Bengal Assembly, expressed his desire to contest the seat, which has a substantial number of minority voters.

Given that Siddique is a popular face among the minority population in the state, a perception was formed that if he contests, Siddique could give a tough fight to Abhishek Banerjee. However, that possibility fizzled out after the AISF fielded Majnu Laskar from Diamond Harbour.

Interestingly, the BJP announced its candidate for the seat quite a few days after naming its nominees for the 41 other Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. On Tuesday, the party announced Abhijit Das, popular as Bobby, as the BJP candidate from Diamond Harbour. The delayed nomination seems to be part BJP's strategy considering Bobbyas long association with Diamond Harbour.

Besides contesting against Abhishek Banerjee from Diamond Harbour in 2014, Bobby was the BJPas organisational district president for quite some time. He also has the experience of working as the co-convener of the partyas state election management team.

The CPI-M has fielded its young face and student leader Pratik Ur Rahaman, who has been associated with Diamond Harbour since his college days as a leader of the party's student wing, the SFI.

Rahaman is focussing more on door-to-door campaigns, raising issues of corruption, particularly the multi-crore cash-for-school jobs case in the state.

Going by recent electoral history, including the 2021 Assembly elections, Diamond Harbour has been a Trinamool stronghold since 2009, when veteran politician late Somen Mitra won from here on a TMC ticket, ending decades of CPI-M domination.

In 2019, Abhishek Banerjee was re-elected by a margin of over 3.20 lakh votes. In the 2021 Assembly elections, the Trinamool swept all seven seats under the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency.

A booth-wise analysis shows that the consolidation of minority votes in favour of Trinamool in both 2019 and 2021 led to landslide victories for the ruling party.

However, with the AISF candidate in the race now and the CPI-M fielding a strong candidate, both representing the minority community, it needs to be seen how far the Trinamool gains from the consolidation of minority votes this time.

Diamond Harbour was traditionally a red bastion from 1967 to 2009, handing the CPI-M 13 victories in a row.

The constituency has given the Lok Sabha some of the most respected Parliamentarians such as Jyotirmoy Basu, Amal Dutta, and Samik Lahiri.

However, the equation changed in 2009 when Somen Mitra won, and the trend continued since then with Abhishek Banerjee scripting back-to-back victories in 2014 and 2019, and the Trinamool sweeping the Assembly polls.
Rishab Shetty shares pictures from his meet-up with Mohanlal. Image Source: IANS News

Mumbai, April 18 : Kannada star Rishab Shetty, who scooped praise for his rooted film 'Kantara', met the Malayalam superstar Mohanlal recently.

The actor took to his Instagram on Thursday, and shared pictures from his meet-up with the Malayalam cinema legend.

In the photos, Rishab, accompanied by his wife Pragathi Shetty, is seen posing with Mohanlal, all three smiling for the camera.

He wrote in the caption: "An honour and a pleasure to meet the legendary @mohanlal sir."

Mohanlal wore a grey shirt paired with a mundu, while the 'Kantara' director-actor opted for a white shirt, complemented by a plain white mundu. Pragathi was spotted in a pink suit.

The pictures of Rishab and Mohanlal drew the attention of the fans and the audience.

Netizens took to the comments section and praised both actors.

One user wrote: "The complete actor, mohanlal lalettan."

A second user wrote: "Thanks Rishabh. We look forward seeing him performing under your direction too, love from Keralam (sic)."

A third wrote, "G.O.A.T.".

Meanwhile, Rishab is currently focused on the prequel, 'Kantara: Chapter 1'. The film, produced by Hombale Films, is currently in production. He is also in discussions for a project with Bollywood director Ashutosh Gowariker.
Beirut, April 18 : Two Hezbollah fighters and one civilian were killed, and three civilians were wounded on Thursday at dawn in a series of Israeli air strikes on villages in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese military and medical sources.

Lebanese military sources, who spoke anonymously, said that Israeli drones and warplanes carried out six airstrikes on the southeast village of Khiam and three raids on the southeast village of Kafr Kila, resulting in human casualties and material damage, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah indicated that its fighters attacked Israeli sites in the occupied Shebaa Farms, al-Motella, and al-Malikiyah sites, and the Gesher Haziv.

The military sources added they monitored the launching of about 40 surface-to-surface missiles from Lebanon into northern Israel at dawn, and Israeli Iron Dome missiles responded to some of them.

Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border escalated on October 8, 2023, following a barrage of rockets launched by the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah toward Israel in solidarity with Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7. Israel then retaliated by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.

The confrontations between Hezbollah and Israel have killed 426 people on the Lebanese side, including 271 Hezbollah members and 76 civilians, according to Lebanese security sources.
New Delhi, April 18 : Deck cadet Ann Tessa Joseph, one of the 17 Indian crew members on board a cargo ship seized by Iran, returned home on Thursday with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar insisting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guarantee works not just within the country but also outside.

Joseph, who is from Kerala's Thrissur, landed safely at the Cochin International Airport on Thursday afternoon and was received by the Regional Passport Officer.

Insisting that her return was made possible due to the concerted efforts made by the Indian Mission in Tehran and the Iranian Government, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that it remains in touch with the authorities in the Iranian capital to ensure the well-being and safe return of remaining crew members of seized container vessel MSC Aries.

"Indian Mission in Tehran remains seized of the matter and is in touch with the remaining 16 Indian crew members of the container vessel. The crew members are in good health and in contact with their family members in India. It is also in touch with the Iranian authorities in ensuring the well-being of the remaining crew members of MSC Aries," the MEA said in a statement.

External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar had spoken to his Iranian counterpart Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian on the matter, earlier this week.

@Great work, @India_in_Iran. Glad that Ms. Ann Tessa Joseph has reached home. #ModiKiGuarantee always delivers, at home or abroad," Jaishankar posted on X after Joseph's return on Thursday.
Bengaluru, April 18 : Senior BJP leader and the Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka on Thursday alleged that under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's rule Hindus in Karnataka were living in fear.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Ashoka said "The Congress government is encouraging terrorist activities in Karnataka. The government led by CM Siddaramaiah had brought down the Hanuman flag. Hindus are living in fear under the rule of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and gang."

He warned that if the Goonda Act is not enforced against those attacking individuals for chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' and if sedition charges are not filed, the BJP will take to the streets.

Following an incident where three youths were assaulted by a gang for chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' slogans on Wednesday, the BJP leader said, "I am cautioning the police department regarding this matter. We will set a deadline and commence protests from tomorrow after consulting state party president B.Y. Vijayendra."

Ashoka accused the Congress government of supporting terrorist activities in Karnataka. He alleged that instead of curbing thuggery, the Congress was giving tacit approval. He said that in the Congress rule, chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' has become a criminal act, thereby disregarding the interests of the Hindu majority.

Ashoka said that the accused in the attack on the youths "are likely to be released after being fed biryani, without being charged under the Goonda Act and with no sedition charges".

He said that the statement made by Congress MP D.K. Suresh, brother of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, about dividing the country has emboldened fundamentalists in Karnataka.

Meanwhile, BJP workers protested outside the Vidyaranyapura police station demanding the imposition of the Goonda Act and sedition charges against the accused.

Ashoka also criticised the Congress government for hastily concluding that the Bengaluru cafe blast was due to business rivalry. He claimed that this government's tenure would be short-lived, as people have developed a strong aversion to it.
New Delhi/Chennai, April 19 : The baby-food brands sold by global giant Nestle in India contain high levels of added sugar, unlike the same products in the UK, Germany Switzerland, and other developed nations, revealed an investigation by Swiss organisation Public Eye and the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), sparking concern in the country at the violation of health guidelines.

The Indian government is reportedly looking into the issue of sugar being added to baby food.

Meanwhile, the share price of Nestle India Ltd went down in the bourses on Thursday following the study.

At the BSE, on Thursday, Nestle India's shares opened at Rs 2,539 (Wednesday closing price Rs 2,547.15) and went down to close at Rs.2,462.75.

Findings showed that in India, all Cerelac baby products contain an average of nearly 3 grams of sugar per serving. The same product is being sold with no added sugar in Germany and the UK, while in Ethiopia and Thailand, it contains nearly 6 grams, the study said.

The report said that Nestle adds sugar to infant milk and cereal products in several countries which is a violation of international guidelines aimed at preventing obesity and chronic diseases. Violations were found only in Asian, African, and Latin American countries.

However, a Nestle India Ltd spokesperson said the company has reduced the total amount of added sugars in its infant cereals portfolio by 30 per cent over the past five years and it continues to "review" and "reformulate" products to reduce them further. "We believe in the nutritional quality of our products for early childhood and prioritise using high-quality ingredients."

On Wednesday, the leading UK paper The Guardian reported that the Swiss food giant adds sugar and honey to infant milk and cereal products sold in "poorer countries". It cited data from Public Eye and IBFAN that examined Nestle baby food brands sold in these markets. Public Eye examined 115 products sold in Nestle's main markets in Africa, Asia and Latin America across two key brands -- Cerelac and Nodi.

In India, all Cerelac baby cereal products examined by Public Eye contained added sugar -- on average nearly 3 gm per serving.

"Almost all the Cerelac infant cereals examined contain added sugar -- nearly 4 grams per serving on average, equal to roughly a sugar cube -- although they are targeted at babies from six months of age. The highest amount -- 7.3 grams per serving -- was detected in a product sold in the Philippines," the report said.

WHO expert Nigel Rollins was cited in media reports as saying that "this is a double standard that cannot be justified."
New Delhi, April 18 : London-based consumer tech brand Nothing on Thursday launched two new wireless earbuds -- Ear and Ear (a) in India, with ChatGPT integration to enhance overall user experience.

Ear and Ear (a) are priced at Rs 11,999 and Rs 7,999, respectively. Ear (a) will be available for purchase starting April 22 while Ear will be available starting April 29 across online and offline channels.

Ear features a transparent earbud design, while Ear (a) takes a new direction with a fresh bubble design and yellow colour.

"By integrating ChatGPT with Nothing earbuds, including the new Ear and Ear (a), and with Nothing OS (operating system), we've taken our first steps towards change, and there's more to come," Carl Pei, CEO and Co-Founder of Nothing, said in a statement.

The company said that it has integrated Nothing earbuds and its OS with ChatGPT to offer users instant access to knowledge directly from the devices they use most.

With this integration, users with the latest Nothing OS and ChatGPT installed on their Nothing phones will be able to pinch-to-speak to the AI tool directly from their earbuds, including the newly launched Ear and Ear (a).

According to the company, Ear can last up to 40.5 hours after a full charge with the charging case or 8.5 hours of non-stop playback. The earbuds also support wireless charging at 2.5 watts.

On the other hand, Ear (a) users can get up to 42.5 hours of music playback after a full charge with the charging case, the company added.
Chandigarh, April 18 : Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Thursday expressed disapproval over BJP's Ludhiana candidate Ravneet Bittu claiming the Congress never respected former chief minister Beant Singh, who was killed in a bomb blast in Chandigarh in 1995.

Warring questioned the use of Beant Singh's image in the BJP's election propaganda by Bittu, a rebel Congress MP.

The PPCC chief told the media here, "Beant Singh epitomized national leadership and commanded admiration nationwide. Revered as a symbol of peace, his sacrifices resonate across the nation. However, the use of his image for political gain by his grandson (Bittu), now aligned with the BJP, is regrettable and disrespects the sacrifices of Beant Singh."

Warring added, "Bittu's defection to the BJP has already cast a shadow over Beant Singh's legacy, and his actions continue to tarnish the distinguished memory of the former chief minister. Such actions are likely to dishearten the spirit of Beant Singh. The Congress has always kept Beant Singh in high regard, claims by Bittu about his statue being removed from Congress Bhavan Chandigarh are all false. We respect our leaders and martyrs, unlike Bittu who has disrespected his own grandfather."

"It's imperative to refrain from exploiting the legacy of his grandfather for political advantage, and Bittu should understand it. The people of Punjab recognize and reject such tactics. The valour of our martyrs demands reverence, and any attempt to undermine it will not find favour with the public," he added.
New Delhi, April 18 : Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hardly win 12-15 Parliamentary seats in the southern states in the Lok Sabha polls.

Speaking at a rally while campaigning for Congress leader Adoor Prakash in Kerala's Attingal, Revanth Reddy said that the grand old party will win all 20 LS seats in Kerala, while it will bag at least 14 out of 17 LS seats in Telangana.

On the BJP expressing confidence of crossing 400 seats, Revanth Reddy said even BRS president and former Telangana chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao while campaigning for last year's Assembly polls had claimed that he would win 100 seats but could bag only 39 seats.

Revanth Reddy said that "similarly, the BJP is trying to confuse people, but people are intelligent and they are going to teach a lesson to the party".

KCR has recently said that the Congress government in Telangana will not last more than a year "as nobody knows who will join the BJP and when".

"We don't know, the Chief Minister (Revanth Reddy) himself may jump to the BJP," he said.

KCR said while they want the Congress government to complete its five-year term, considering the recent developments, he doubts if it will last more than a year.

He also said that all surveys showed that the Congress would not get more than two Lok Sabha seats in Telangana.
Xem them

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Chennai, April 18 : The DMK leadership has instructed its cadres to be extra cautious in four Lok Sabha constituencies where the BJP-led NDA is reported to enjoy an edge.

As per state police intelligence, the NDA has an advantage in the Dharmapuri, Theni, Tirunelveli, and Vellore Lok Sabha seats.

While in Dharmpuri and Theni, the NDA candidates are from PMK (Sowmiya Anbumani) and the AMMK (T.T.V. Dhinakaran), respectively, BJP legislature party leader Nainar Nagendran is in the fray from Tirunelveli in south Tamil Nadu, and New Justice Party leader A.C. Shanumgam is contesting on a BJP ticket from Vellore.

Sources in the DMK told IANS that the party President and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has directed party General Secretary and state Water Resources Minister S. Duraimurugan to be in touch with the lower-level functionaries of the party in these four constituencies.

Duraimuruganas son, Kathir Anand, is contesting from the Vellore Lok Sabha seat.

The DMK leadership, according to information, also has its eye on the Coimbatore, Kanniyakumari, Virudhunagar, and Nilgiris seats, where the BJP candidates are state President K. Annamalai, former Union minister, Pon Radhakrishnan, filmstar-turned-politician Raadhika Sarathkumar and Union Minister L. Murugan, respectively.

With hours only remaining for the polls, the local workers of the DMK are visiting all the homes in the four constituencies where the state police intelligence has given an edge to the BJP and NDA, and in the latter four seats also, the DMK is not taking any chance and is meeting the voters one last time.

Talking to IANS, Duraimurugan said: "This is a routine for the DMK. We are a cadre party and know our strengths and weaknesses, and in some constituencies, we are taking some extra caution. However, we are expecting a sweep and win all the 39 seats of Tamil Nadu and one seat of Puducherry."
New Delhi, April 18 : The 16 remaining Indian crew members on board a cargo ship seized by Iran have not been detained and are allowed to leave the country easily, Iran's Ambassador to India, Iraj Elahi, said on Thursday.

"The 16 Indian crew members on board the cargo ship have not been detained and are free to leave the country easily," Elahi told NDTV over the phone on Thursday.

The Iranian Ambassador's comment came a few hours after deck cadet Ann Tessa Joseph, one of the 17 Indian crew members on board vessel MSC Aries, landed safely at the Cochin International Airport.

Joseph, who is from Kerala's Thrissur, was received by the Regional Passport Officer at the airport.

Commenting on the development, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who had spoken to his Iranian counterpart Amir Abdollahian on the matter earlier this week, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guarantee works not just within the country, but outside as well.

"@Great work, @India_in_Iran. Glad that Ms. Ann Tessa Joseph has reached home. #ModiKiGuarantee always delivers, at home or abroad," Jaishankar posted on X after Joseph's return.

Insisting that her return was made possible due to the concerted efforts made by the Indian Mission in Tehran and the Iranian government, the Ministry of External Affairs said that it remains in touch with the authorities in the Iranian capital to ensure the well-being and safe return of the remaining crew members of the seized container vessel MSC Aries.

"The Indian Mission in Tehran remains seized of the matter and is in touch with the remaining 16 Indian crew members of the container vessel. The crew members are in good health and in touch with their family members in India. The Indian Mission is also in touch with the Iranian authorities in ensuring the well-being of the remaining crew members of MSC Aries," the MEA said in a statement.
Bengaluru, April 18 : The Karnataka Police on Friday arrested four Bangladeshi nationals, who had entered into the country and stayed illegally in the outskirts of Bengaluru city, the police said.

According to the police, the accused were staying in Bengaluru for a long time and forged documents to show that they were Indian citizens.

The accused had managed to obtain a passport by producing fake documents.

While acting on a tip-off, the police conducted raids and arrested all the four Bangladeshi nationals.

The police have seized an Aadhaar card, caste certificate, ration card, Ayushman card, labour card and voter identity card from the accused persons.

A case has been registered with the Sadduguntepalya police station in the outskirts of Bengaluru city.

The police said that they will bust the network which helped all the accused receive government documents.

More details are yet to emerge regarding the incident.
Mumbai, April 18 : As the campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections is gathering momentum, the MahaYuti partners have stepped up their attack on NCP SP chief Sharad Pawar saying that he is responsible for the present political situation in Maharashtra.

Shiv Sena leader and school education minister Deepak Kesarkar at the MahaYutias joint press conference here on Thursday claimed that Pawar senior made several attempts to finish the Shiv Sena.

"Senior leader Sharad Pawar consistently made many attempts to finish the Shiv Sena. On the contrary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP tried to maintain the alliance with the Shiv Sena. However, since Uddhav Thackeray has fallen into Pawar's trap, he is making false allegations against PM Modi in a bid to gain sympathy," alleged Kesarkar who was accompanied by NCP minister Anil Patil and BJP legislator Prasad Lad.

Kesarkar said that the Shiv Sainiks, who are loyal to Balasaheb Thackeray's thoughts, should not fall prey to Pawar's delusions.

He stated that Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray have made many baseless allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party during the Lok Sabha election campaign.

"Shiv Sainiks, who are loyal to Balasaheb Thackerayas thoughts, must know the facts. It is well known that Sharad Pawar split the Shiv Sena when Balasaheb Thackeray was still alive. After 2014, Pawar tried to see how a militant organization like Shiv Sena could be finished," he noted.

Seeing that no party got a majority on its own in the 2014 assembly elections , Pawar unilaterally announced his support to the Bharatiya Janata Party in a bid to reduce the Shiv Senaas bargaining power. It was also due to his desire that the BJP and Shiv Sena should not come together again, said Kesarkar.

aaIn 2017, the BJP and the NCP held several meetings with micro planning about sharing the ministerial berths between the two parties. When the proposal was sent to Modi for his approval, he strongly conveyed that the alliance with Shiv Sena should continue. However, Pawar at that time had informed the BJP leadership that if Shiv Sena was with it, the NCP would not go with the BJP. The NCP will associate with the BJP if it breaks the alliance with the Shiv Sena,aa said Kesarkar.

He added that Pawar wanted to go with the BJP in 2019 as well. But as those negotiations failed, he formed the government with the support of Uddhav Thackeray and the Congress.

"As Pawar believed that the NCP will not grow unless the Shiv Sena is finished, he always played the politics of dragging Shiv Sena's feet. Now this same Pawar has started a propaganda against the BJP for political selfishness," he claimed.
Chennai, April 18 : The Tamil Nadu Police has given a clean chit to Isha Foundation, Coimbatore in a case related to six of its volunteers going missing, noting that five of them who had left the centre due to personal reasons have returned.

The police made the submission before a division bench of Justices M.S. Ramesh and Sunder Mohan of the Madras High Court on a habeas corpus petition filed by C. Thirumalai of Kulasekarapatti in Tirunelveli district, stating his brother C. Ganesan had been missing since March this year.

The petitioner said that his brother was a volunteer at the yoga centre and on March 2, he received a phone call from the centre inquiring whether his brother had come home and realised that something had gone wrong.

After this, the yoga centre's administrator Dinesh lodged a complaint with the Alandurai police on March 5 and a missing person case was registered.

Since his brother could not be traced out even after the registration of the FIR, the petitioner moved the writ of habeas corpus.

Additional Public Prosecutor E. Raj Thilak on Thursday told the court that so far 36 persons, including some of the employees and volunteers in Isha Yoga Centre, had been questioned, but the police required some more time to file a status report in the case.

He said that five more volunteers were found to be missing at that time but most of them had returned to the centre and were found to have gone away due to personal reasons.

"Even in the present habeas corpus petition, the volunteer concerned has no other family member but the petitioner who is his brother. If some time is given, we will expedite the steps to trace him out and file a status report," the APP told the court.

The court, after taking note of the APPas statements, directed the High Court registry to list the case under the caption aFor Dismissala on June 7. The court also took note of the fact that the counsel for the petitioner was also not present.
Koppal : , April 18 (IANS) Union Minister of State (MoS) for Chemicals and Fertilisers Bhagwanth Khuba, Dingaleshwara Swamiji and Priyanka Jarkiholi, among others, filed their nominations on Thursday for the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka.

Union Minister Khuba filed his nomination from the Bidar Lok Sabha seat, seeking re-election for the third consecutive time.

During a procession to file his nomination, Union Minister Khuba had to rush into the District Commissioner's office as the deadline was at 3 p.m.

As Union Minister Khuba hurried into the District Commissioner's office, BJP MLAs Sharanu Salagar, Avinash Jadhav and Siddu Patil also had to rush behind him to reach the office within the specified time.

Union Minister Khuba is pitted against Congress candidate Sagar Khandre, the son of Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre.

Priyanka Jarkiholi, the daughter of Karnataka Public Works Department Minister Satish Jarkiholi, filed her nomination for the Chikkodi Lok Sabha seat.

"I am happy to be the first granddaughter in the family to contest an election. I am confident that people will vote for me. I also have the blessings of all senior leaders," Priyanka said.

Karnataka Minister Satish Jarkiholi expressed confidence but refrained from predicting the victory margin for her daughter.

Priyanka is contesting against BJP's Annasaheb Jolle on the Chikkodi Lok Sabha seat.

Prominent Lingayat seer Dingaleshwara Swamiji filed his nomination as an independent candidate from the Dharwad Lok Sabha seat where he is pitted against BJP candidate and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and Congress candidate Vinod Asuti.

Dingaleshwara Swamiji arrived at the District Commissioner's office without many supporters and a procession.

"I have submitted my nomination. I have been troubled by the people whom I have been criticising. This is a fight to preserve the heritage of Karnataka," he said.

"This is a battle of dharma. Those who have been elected four times have removed the photos of Basavanna, Ambedkar and Maharishi Valmiki from their offices. Removing them from power is the objective of the people," he added.
Islamabad, April 18 : Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has revealed that he has started internal consultations with the country's business community on the revival of trade activities with India.

The latest statement from the Foreign Minister is an extension of his previous statement in which he expressed the desire to re-open trade with India.

Dar, while speaking with mediapersons at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, said that the business community of the country had expressed its willingness to reopen trade routes with India.

He said that trade of general commodities and medicine is already being done through different routes, including Dubai, which increases the cost of trade and business.

He added that his earlier statements in which he expressed his aspiration to reopen trade routes and trade with India were based on the strong recommendations and demands of the business community.

The Minister said that he is working on a plan that includes having discussions and approval from the relevant quarters.

The Foreign Minister's statement comes at a time when his own party colleague and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had said that there was zero possibility for trade with India due to the ongoing Kashmir dispute.

Experts say that while Dar's statement is heartening, it still remains uncertain if it would sail through approvals from the military establishment and the other relevant ministries, including the Cabinet that has maintained a rigid position on matters related to India.

"Pakistan's official position is that it will not have any talks with India on trade until the issue of Kashmir is not given top priority. Keeping this in view, I do not think that re-opening of trade would be a very easy step to take for Pakistan," said senior political analyst Adnan Shauqat.

"Ishaq Dar has had a fair share of criticism from all sides when he gave such a statement after taking over as Foreign Minister. Secondly, consultation with the business community may just be far easier than trying to present the same to the Cabinet and especially the military establishment for approval," he added.

Islamabad-based senior journalist Kamran Yousaf said that the concerns of the business community are justifiable because the cost of trade with India through the Wagah-Attari border would be far much cheaper than routing it through Dubai.

"The business community is right to demand the reopening of the India-Pakistan trade route through Wagah because it is cheaper than using a third country like Dubai for trade of basic commodities," he added.

"However, we have to keep it in mind that, according to Dar, it is just an initial phase of consultation being done with the business community and there is a lot more to be done before getting any tangible outcome. Secondly, India is in a phase of elections at the moment and until that is over, there would be no clarity on the issue," he said.
New Delhi, April 18 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday had a hearty talk with the villagers of Spiti in Himachal Pradesh, which got connected to the rest of the country via telecom network for the first time.

The Gue village in Lahaul and Spiti district got mobile connectivity for the first time on Thursday. The occasion was marked by PM Modi dialing the villagers of Gue with whom he had a heart-warming conversation.

Elated and ecstatic over their 'new-found connectivity', the villagers expressed their gratitude to PM Modi, saying, "Thank you for connecting us to the world."

A couple of villagers said their happiness knew no bounds when they learnt about mobile towers reaching their village.

A video of the conversation between PM Modi and the villagers of Spiti went viral soon after it landed on social media.

During the conversation, PM Modi also briefed them about the geographical challenges in bringing this project to fruition.

The villagers also invited PM Modi to pay a visit to their region, saying, "We will heartily welcome him."

Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, the BJP candidate from the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency in Himachal Pradesh, posted on X, "Earlier, Spiti residents had to travel 8 km to speak on phone, but now with mobile towers installed in the village, it is a new dawn for them."
Panaji, April 18 : Goa BJP Chief Sadanand Tanavade on Thursday said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will address a public meeting on April 24 in the coastal state.

While addressing a press conference, Tanavade added that the BJP's poll campaign is going well in the state and the top party leaders are all set to visit Goa in the coming days.

"Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Goa on April 24 and other leaders will also follow," he said.

Union Minister of State for Tourism and North Goa candidate Shripad Naik as well as BJP's South Goa candidate and industrialist Pallavi Dempo on Tuesday filed their nomination for the Lok Sabha seats.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to address a public meeting in South Goa, from where BJP has fielded a woman candidate.

The coastal state will go to poll on May 7 in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections for two seats, North and South Goa.
Maha Congress MLA Praniti Shinde rules out joining BJP, says party 'is in my blood'. Image Source: IANS News

Solapur : , April 18 (IANS) Amid a massive show of strength despite the blistering summer heat, the Maha Vikas Aghadi's (MVA) Congress MLA, Praniti Sushilkumar Shinde, filed her nomination for the Solapur (SC) Lok Sabha constituency on Thursday.

Shinde (43) was accompanied by her father Sushilkumar Shinde, the ex-Union Home Minister and former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, her family members, state Congress President Nana Patole, and other senior leaders of the MVA allies, including the Shiv Sena (UBT), Nationalist Congress Party (SP), Samajwadi Party, CPI, CPI-M, and AAP, among others.

Addressing the gathering, Patole hit out at the BJP-led Central government, accusing it of "pushing the country into decline for the past 10 years".

"Narendra Modi failed to fulfil the promises he made to the people Instead, he leads a corrupt regime as corruption-accused leaders from all parties are now in the BJP. In contrast, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi communicated directly with the masses to understand their pains and problems through the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in the past couple of years," Patole said.

Patole also slammed the state government for spoiling the culture of Maharashtra through the bull-dozer tactics of demolishing people's homes, as he appealed to the voters to unseat the BJP.

"The BJP has become a major hurdle in the development of the city or for solving the people's genuine problems. Now it's time to push it aside in the coming Lok Sabha elections," he said.

Veteran CPI-M leader Narsayya Adam attacked the BJP for attempting to grab credit for the redevelopment of the sprawling Ray Nagar Colony in Solapur.

Stating that the major housing scheme on which he worked for decades was initiated in 2013 by senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Adam claimed the BJP is now trying to tout it as its own creation.
Kolkata, April 18 : The report of the voice sample test of Sujay Krishna Bhadra, a prime accused in the multi-crore cash-for-school jobs case in West Bengal, finally reached the office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) here on Thursday evening.

Sources said the report came from the office of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in Delhi. However, the contents of the report are not known yet.

The ED officials had previously secured some audio clips from Bhadraas cellphone, wherein he was allegedly heard asking someone to clear all the data from his two mobile phones. To match Bhadraas voice with the audio clips, the central agency got his voice sampling test conducted at an ESI Hospital in Kolkata in January this year.

The findings were then sent to the CSFL in Delhi for preparing a final report. However, questions were raised in the political circles of the state over the delay in the submission of the report.

Now it is to be seen whether Bhadra's voice samples matched with the voice clippings found on his phone.
Chennai, April 18 : The Election Commission of India on Thursday told the Madras High Court that it would take further action on the seizure of Rs 3.99 crore from three passengers of a train bound for Tirunelveli from Chennai's Tambaram railway station.

ECI counsel Niranjan Rajagopalan told the court that the poll panel would take action after the police completed its investigation and filed a final report.

Chief Justice Sanjay V. Gangapurwala and Justice J. Sathya Narayana Prasad also recorded the submission of ECI counsel that as the amount of money, seized from Tambaram railway station on April 7, was very large, the Income Tax Department too had been intimated about it.

Subsequently, the judges disposed of a writ petition filed by C.M. Raghavan, an independent candidate in the Tirunelveli Parliamentary constituency, who has alleged that the money belonged to BJP candidate Nainar Nagendran and therefore, he must be disqualified.

The petitioner also sought the disqualification of the Congress candidate Robert Bruce as an amount of Rs 28.5 lakh had been seized from DMKas Tirunelveli East district secretaryas office on April 4.

The petitioner told the court that the money was meant to bribe voters and added that he had given a representation to the ECI to disqualify the Congress candidate since his party is an ally of the DMK.

The petitioneras counsel A. Immanuel told the court that the election laws provide for the disqualification of legislators who are elected through corrupt means and therefore, a direction must be issued to the ECI to take necessary action on the basis of the investigation into the seizures.

The counsel also sought the court fix a time limit for the ECI to take action on the basis of the representation made by the writ petitioner. However, the Chief Justice said it might not be appropriate to fix a time limit since the ECI would have to wait for the completion of the police investigation.
New Delhi, April 18 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached movable properties in the form of shares worth Rs 81.03 crore owned by SEL Textiles Limited, a Ludhiana-based company, in connection with a bank fraud case.

The shares include 36,92,930 'preference shares' of Rythm Textiles and Apparel Park Limited, and 40,41,000 equity shares of Silverline Corporation Limited.

Both these companies are controlled by Neeraj Saluja, one of the accused in the case who was arrested by the ED on January 18. Saluja is currently under judicial custody.

The financial probe agency had initiated the investigation based on an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following a complaint filed by the Central Bank of India against SEL Textiles and its directors alleging cheating and illegal diversion of loan amount to the tune of Rs 1530.39 crore.

"The ED investigation revealed that SEL Textiles and its directors had generated proceeds of crime by fraudulently diverting a part of a loan amount availed from a consortium of banks to its related entities Rythm Textiles and Apparels Park Limited and Silverline Corporation Limited in violation of the terms and conditions of the loan availed," the ED said in a statement on Thursday.

Earlier, provisional attachment of assets valued at Rs 829 crore, including land and machinery as well as plants and buildings located at four locations in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan was undertaken, which has been confirmed by the adjudicating authority for the PMLA.
Mumbai, April 18 : Hours after his nomination from Maharashtra's Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Parliamentary constituency was announced, Union Minister Narayan Rane on Thursday said that he will be contesting the Lok Sabha polls over the issue of development.

"I will approach voters with the mission of 'Ab ki Baar 400 Paar' and also with the BJP's resolve to make the country developed, self-reliant, and speed up the overall development process of the country," he said in his first reaction.

The Union Minister faces a contest against Shiv Sena (UBT) nominee and sitting MP Vinayak Raut.

Narayan Rane visited Varavade village and had the holy 'darshan' of Bhairavnath.

"We first visit the village deity for any work to be successful. Therefore, I sought the blessings of the village deity, Bhairavanath. I knew that I would get the nomination, and therefore, I had started campaigning in advance," he said.

Narayan Rane expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other leaders of MahaYuti after getting nominated.

Meanwhile, Industries Minister and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant said that his brother Kiran Samant has opted out of the fray to not create a rift in the MahaYuti.

He also said that he and his brother and the Shiv Sena will work hard for Narayan Rane's victory from Ratnagiri Sindhudurg constituency.

"The people of Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg are with the Mahayuti. As the decision has been taken on Narayan Rane's nomination, the Shiv Sena functionaries will work for him," he said.
Kohima, April 18 : A day before polling for Nagaland's sole Lok Sabha seat, a Naga group on Thursday called an indefinite shutdown in the entire eastern part of the state from Thursday evening while the Eastern Nagaland Peoples' Organisation (ENPO) has urged the 20 legislators from the area to remain indoors on polling day to "prevent any untoward incidents".

While the Election Commission has made all-out efforts for Friday's polling, the shutdown call by the Eastern Nagaland Public Emergency group and the "abstention call" by the ENPO and its associate organisations, which have been demanding a separate administration or state comprising six backward districts since 2010, is likely to affected polling in the six districts of eastern Nagaland, comprising 20 of the 60 Assembly seats.

However, the Eastern Nagaland Public Emergency has exempted the government officials on election duty, officials of the district administrations and other emergency services from the purview of the shutdown.

The ENPO urged the 20 MLAs of eastern Nagaland to remain "indoors" on Friday.

In a joint statement, signed by all 32 office bearers and President R. Tsapikiu Sangtam, said that the appeal

is being made on behalf of the entire people of eastern Nagaland, seeking their understanding and support regarding "a matter of utmost importance to our community".

"In all sincerity and in good faith, we wish to remind our esteemed Eastern Nagaland Legislatorsa Union (ENLU) members that our intention is to avoid any misunderstandings or unnecessary confrontations on polling day," it said.

Sangtam earlier said that the people of eastern Nagaland are unhappy with the indifferent attitude of the governments and the treatment meted out to them by both the Central and state governments and "had chosen to express their dissatisfaction at the highest level".

The agitating ENPO, in support of its demand, has imposed a "public emergency" since March 8, affecting normal activities.

It has dismissed separate appeals from the state government, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton, and his BJP, a partner of the United Democratic Alliance government, and the ENLU to participate in the elections.

Of Nagalandas 16 districts, seven backward tribes -- Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Phom, Tikhir, Sangtam, and Yimkhiung -- live in the six eastern districts of Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator, and Tuensang.

The ENPO and its associated organisations had also given a call to boycott last yearas Assembly polls (February 27) but later withdrew it following an assurance from Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
New Delhi, April 18 : AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and Delhi ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj and Gopal Rai reached the residence of AAP legislator Amantuallah Khan on Thursday evening amid reports about his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case involving the Delhi Waqf Board.

Khan had reached the ED office for questioning at 11 a.m. on Thursday. However, his arrest is not officially confirmed yet.

Talking to reporters outside Khan's residence in the Okhla area, Singh alleged that the BJP wants to destroy AAP.

"This matter has persisted since 2016. The Supreme Court has informed the ED that it possesses 50 statements, but lacks evidence. Despite this, news reports are claiming that Amantuallah Khan has been arrested. It's a baseless case, as the ED lacks proof," said Singh.

"AAP stands in solidarity with the affected family. We will provide a comprehensive briefing on Friday once we receive some official information," said Singh.

Bharadwaj said there is no mention of any cash transaction in this case.

"If there's no money laundering, what's the issue? Sanjay Singh was jailed for six months... Amanatullah Khan might face arrest on similar grounds. They will arrest Khan to prevent him from campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls," Bharadwaj said.

Alleging that the ED and the BJP are the same entities, Gopal Rai said, "The BJP seems to be anxious anticipating a strong response from the nation in the Lok Sabha polls. There is no mention of money laundering in the Waqf Board case so far. The BJP is trying to hamper the opposition's campaign efforts."

Before reaching Khan's residence, Singh tweeted: "Modi Government is fully engaged in Operation Lotus. Ministers and MLAs are being arrested by lodging fake cases against them. Preparations are being made by the ED to arrest @KhanAmanatullah by fabricating a baseless case against him. The dictatorship will end soon. I am going to meet his family."

To recall, the Supreme Court had in April refused to grant any relief to Khan after voicing its displeasure over the AAP MLA skipping ED summonses.

"Repeated summons were issued but you did not appear. That's wrong. How can we condone that," an SC bench had told Khan's advocate.
Bhubaneswar, April 19 : The filing of nominations started in Odisha on Thursday with gazette notification being issued for the fourth phase of polling scheduled to be held on May 13.

Simultaneous polls will be held in 28 Assembly segments under four Parliamentary constituencies of the state on May 13.

The Parliamentary constituencies of the state where elections will be held in the fourth phase include Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Berhampur and Koraput.

A meeting of the representatives of all the recognized political parties was held at the office of Odisha Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Thursday.

Speaking to mediapersons, CEO Nikunja Bihari Dhal said that the last date for nomination for fourth phase will end on April 25.

The candidates can withdraw their nominations by April 29.

Dhal stated that as many as 62,84,649 voters are expected to cast their votes in the said four Lok Sabha constituencies.

Interestingly, the number of female voters is more than the male electors in the said four Lok Sabha constituencies.

The four constituencies have 31,87,771 female and 30,96,243 male and 635 transgender electors.

Voting will be held in 7,289 polling stations in the four Lok Sabha seats on May 13.
New Delhi, April 18 : Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena on Thursday directed the DG Prisons to submit a comprehensive report within 24 hours after AAP leader Atishi alleged that jailed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's sugar level has risen significantly after the Tihar Jail authorities failed to provide him with insulin despite repeated requests.

The Delhi Chief Minister is in judicial custody till April 23 for his alleged involvement in the excise policy case.

"VK Saxena @LtGovDelhi has expressed grave concern over reports based on statements by Ministers & AAP leaders alleging non-provision of insulin to CM Arvind Kejriwal who is in jail & the purported 'conspiracies' against him," the L-G office tweeted on Thursday night.

"L-G Saxena has asked the DG Prisons to submit a factual and comprehensive report in the matter within 24 hours. Although prisons as a transferred subject comes directly & totally under the AAP government, the L-G has assured that no laxity with regard to the CM's health will be tolerated," the tweet added.

The development came after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday said in a Delhi court that Arvind Kejriwal is deliberately eating mangoes and other high-carb food to raise his blood sugar level to build a case for bail.

The assertions made by the ED were refuted by Delhi Minister and AAP leader Atishi, who accused the agency of misrepresentation.

Addressing a press conference, Atishi said the ED has misled the court by saying Kejriwal is consuming sweetened tea, sweets, and bananas.

"Sugar patients are always advised to keep chocolates, toffees, or bananas with them for any emergency situation," Atishi said.

She also claimed that Kejriwal's sugar level has gone up significantly as the Tihar Jail authorities have failed to provide him with insulin despite repeated requests.

"His sugar level has increased by more than 300 for the last several days. Kejriwal has been asking repeatedly for his insulin, which the jail authorities are not providing," she claimed.
New Delhi, April 19 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a provisional attachment order (PAO) regarding movable and immovable properties, including a villa at Aambey Valley, various residential and business premises in Mumbai, land parcels in Raigarh district, and FDs valued at Rs 113.5 crore, linked to a builder named Lalit Tekchandani and his associates under the PMLA in a case of cheating prospective homebuyers.

The agency has already frozen/seized investments in shares, mutual funds, and fixed deposits worth Rs 43 crore in this case.

The ED initiated the investigation based on two FIRs registered by the police in Maharashtra.

The FIRs alleged that Supreme Construction & Developer Pvt Ltd, a company represented by Tekchandani and others, collected huge funds from prospective homebuyers in a housing project at Taloja in Navi Mumbai.

"The probe revealed that Supreme Construction collected funds amounting to more than Rs 400 crore from more than 1,700 homebuyers in a housing project at Taloja. Delays in the project left these homebuyers in the lurch without flats or refunds," an ED statement said on Thursday.

Tekchandani was arrested by the ED on March 18 under the provisions of the PMLA. He is presently under judicial custody.

"His interrogation revealed that the funds received from the homebuyers were laundered by the builder for personal gains and creation of assets in various names, including family members," the ED statement said.

Tekchandani allegedly alienated the properties of Supreme Construction despite his exit from the ownership and directorship of the company with the assistance of the other accused persons.
Bengaluru : BJP candidate PC Mohan take out a road show before filing his nomination for upcoming Lok Sabha Elections. Image Source: IANS News

Bengaluru, April 19 : Former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa said on Thursday that the candidates of the BJP and JD-S are going to win all 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Addressing a gathering in Shivamogga, Yediyurappa targeted the Congress, saying the grand old party is a sinking ship.

"There is no single leader in that party who can match the stature of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"In Karnataka, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and PM Modi have joined hands. In view of this, the win in all 28 Parliamentary seats is certain. The Congress is not yet ready to name any candidate for the post of the Prime Minister," he said.

In an oblique reference to rebel BJP leader K.S. Eshwarappa who is contesting as an Independent candidate, Yediyurappa appealed to the people to teach a lesson to him in such a manner that in future no leader from the party would dare to rebel against the leadership.

"Such a defeat should be handed over to them," he said without taking any name.

The veteran BJP leader also said that his son B.Y. Raghavendra -- contesting from the Shivamogga Lok Sabha seat -- would win with a margin of more than 3 lakh votes.
Giant panda Fu Bao eats food at Everland theme park in Yongin, South Korea, March 3, 2024. Fu Bao is scheduled to return to China in April. Photo: Xinhua



By Bi Mengying

It has been two weeks since the international giant panda celebrity Fu Bao arrived in Chengdu in Southwest China's Sichuan Province by a chartered flight from South Korea. The chubby princess continues holding the attention of people in both countries.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has received 10 petitions filed by citizens asking to bring Fu Bao back to South Korea. The suggestions include having the city government funding rental of Fu Bao from China, the Korea Times reported Monday.

"I ask the city government to enable citizens and Chinese tourists to see Fu Bao at the Seoul Grand Park to share friendship," a citizen surnamed Kim wrote on the Sangsangdaero Seoul website, an online platform for citizens to make suggestions to the city government.

Born on July 20, 2020, Fu Bao was the first panda in South Korea to be born through natural breeding. Under the terms of the giant panda research cooperation program, all giant pandas born overseas should be returned to China before turning 4 years old. Giant pandas usually enter maturity and become sexually mature around this age.

During Fu Bao's time in South Korea, she gained massive popularity, gradually evolving into a symbol of friendship between the two countries. Chinese netizens loved following Fu Bao's life overseas and expressed appreciation for the good care she received.

Along with Fu Bao, Fu Bao's breeder in South Korea, Kang Cheol-won, who was affectionately given the nickname "Panda Grandpa" by Fu Bao fans, has gained huge popularity in China as well.

To welcome Fu Bao home, large screens in Chengdu, Chongqing, and Beijing were lit up. These large screen advertisements were purchased by Fu Bao fans from both China and South Korea. In order to help Fu Bao re-adapt to life in his ancestral hometown Sichuan, during the one-month quarantine period, two Chinese keepers will remain on call along with Kang, who accompanied the giant panda on her flight from South Korea to China. The seamless cooperation between Chinese and South Korean zookeepers in ensuring Fu Bao's safe transfer back to China speaks volumes about the effective communication and understanding between the two countries.

Across Chinese social media platforms such as Sina Weibo, under the topic of "giant panda Fu Bao," netizens' enthusiasm for sharing posts and discussions remains high. While Chinese fans are eager waiting for Fu Bao to make her public debut in the country, many also noted that Fu Bao fans in South Korea needn't worry. Fu Bao is China's national treasure, and there are also many people in China who love her.

Among some top-rated comments, Chinese netizens noted that Fu Bao surely will not forget her "grandpas," or breeders, in South Korea. And Fu Bao fans can rest assured that Chinese breeders will take good care of the panda as well. Some netizens are also inviting her South Korean fans to visit her in China after the quarantine ends.

As the first panda in South Korea to be born through natural breeding, Fu Bao is more than just a zoological milestone. She has transformed into a symbol of the friendship and cooperation between China and South Korea. Moreover, Fu Bao has become a bridge linking the people of the two nations through more people-to-people exchanges and cultural tourism.

As Fu Bao adapts to her new home in the lush greenery of Sichuan, we see not just the journey of a panda but the bridging of two cultures. Her legacy, and that of her caregivers from both countries, will continue to inspire and remind us of the ties that bind us together.




Hyderabad, April 19 : AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday questioned the silence of the police and the Election Commission over the alleged provocative gesture made by the BJP candidate from the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency, Madhavai Latha, towards a mosque during a procession taken out on Ram Navami on Wednesday.

The Hyderabad MP wanted to know what the Police Commissioner, Election Commission, Chief Electoral Officer, and District Election Officer were doing.

Owaisi reacted strongly when mediapersons sought his reaction to a purported video showing Madhavi Latha pretending to shoot an arrow at a mosque during a Ram Navami Shoba Yatra.

"Why don't you ask the Election Commission, CEO, and the Police Commissioner? Am I the Kotwal of Hyderabad," he asked journalists.

"Can't the Election Commission see this? Had I done the same, suo moto action would have followed," Owaisi said.
Hyderabad, April 18 : A total of 42 nominations were filed on the first day in Telangana for next month's Lok Sabha elections.

The election process was set in motion on Thursday with the Election Commission of India issuing notification for the polling in all 17 Lok Sabha constituencies scheduled to be held on May 13.

As the day was considered auspicious, some prominent candidates filed their nominations on the very first day. The highest number of nominations (eight) were received in Malkajgiri constituency.

However, no nominations were filed on the first day in Hyderabad and Secunderabad constituencies.

BJP national Vice President D.K. Aruna filed the nomination from Mahabubnagar while former minister Eatala Rajender, also of the BJP, filed the nomination from Malkajgiri. Another BJP leader and former MLA M. Raghunandan Rao filed his papers for the Medak constituency. Congress partyas Neelam Madhu also filed his nomination for the same seat.

In Nagarkurnool, senior Congress leader Mallu Ravi, the brother of Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, submitted his papers to the returning officer. BJPas S. Saidi Reddy filed his nomination from Nalgonda while in Zahirabad Suresh Kumar Shetkar filed the papers on the very first day.

No nomination was filed in the Secunderabad Cantonment Assembly segment, where the by-election is scheduled on the same day.

April 25 is the last date for filing of nominations. The scrutiny of nominations will be taken up on April 26 while the last date for withdrawal of candidatures is April 29.
Gurugram, April 19 : A retired soldier was shot dead in Gurugram's Khandsa village on Thursday and his kin beat up the assailant, killing him, police said.

Police said that they had taken possession of both bodies and started investigations

According to the police, the incident took place at around 2.40 p.m. as Sunil Fauji, 55, had left his plot in Khandsa village and Dinesh alias Tinu, 34, started firing at him.

Fauji tried to escape the spot but was unable to do so as he had suffered bullet injuries. He was taken to the hospital, where he died during treatment.

His relative Sohit, who was with him, attacked Dinesh with an iron rod and killed him on the spot, police said.

ACP, Crime, Varun Dahiya said that around 3 to 4 rounds of bullets were fired at Fauji and it seemed old enmity could be a reason behind the incident. It was also said that the duo had argued over an issue late on Wednesday night.

"The retired soldier died due to gunshot wounds while Dinesh died due to iron rod injuries. A detailed investigation into the matter is on," he said.
Hyderabad, April 19 : Former Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao anticipates political turbulence in the state after next month's Lok Sabha elections.

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) President also claimed that the future belongs to the BRS in Telangana.

He was addressing a meeting of the party's Lok Sabha candidates, MLAs, MLCs, and other leaders at the party headquarters here.

He told the party leaders that people are fed up with the misrule of the Congress within a very short span of time.

He claimed that some Congress leaders are in touch with him who told him that it's the BJP that is calling the shots.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, also said that the BRS leaders who joined the Congress are regretting their decision now.

Claiming that the BJP attempted to buy MLAs when BRS had 104 legislators, he said, "Will they spare the Congress which has just 64 MLAs?"

He also urged the BRS leaders to work for the victory of all the party candidates in the Lok Sabha polls.

"Telangana's long-standing commitment to safeguarding the rights of its people remains steadfast, echoing from the days of the Telangana movement to the present. The BRS emerged as the sole advocate of this cause, with its MPs poised to amplify the voice of Telangana in the corridors of Delhi," he said.

KCR also highlighted the critical issues plaguing Telangana, including concerns surrounding irrigation, drinking water, and electricity.

He vehemently criticised the inefficiency of the incumbent Congress government, questioning the sudden emergence of infrastructure problems.

KCR went on to attribute these issues to the Congress' disregard for the welfare of the people and the peasantry, driven by a culture of negligence.

KCR also admonished the Congress government for its 'inability' to implement the previous grain procurement policies, resulting in severe repercussions for the farmers.

KCR also voiced concerns over the BJP's alleged conspiracy to divert the Godavari river water away from Telangana, emphasising that such actions go against the the state's interests.
New Delhi, April 19 : AAP legislator Amanatullah Khan left the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in the national capital post-midnight on Friday after over 13 hours of questioning in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi Waqf Board, sources said.

This comes days after the Supreme Court refused to entertain his plea seeking anticipatory bail.

"The AAP MLA had arrived at the ED office at 11 a.m. on Thursday after he was directed by the Supreme Court to join the probe," said the sources.

The Supreme Court, in its April 15 order where it refused any relief to Khan, had voiced its displeasure over the MLA skipping ED summonses.

"Repeated summons were issued and you did not appear. That's wrong. How can we condone that?" the bench told his advocate.

The sources said that Khan was allowed to leave after questioning, however, he can be summoned again to join the probe.

Earlier, the ED had moved the Rouse Avenue Court against the AAP MLA for non-compliance with its summons alleging that Khan, previously a witness, later became an accused in the case, is evading investigation.
Cut-paper artist Nikki McClure emphasizes the natural world in her picture books, including Old Wood Boat and You Are Not Too Late, which she often stages near her Puget Sound home of Olympia, Wash. McClures latest, Something About the Sky (Candlewick), pairs her with another coastal explorer and one of the foremothers of the environmental movement, Rachel Carson (19071964). The nonfiction bookan informational account of cloudsrepresents several years of the artists visual experimentation, plus archival sleuthing and permissions wrangling by Candlewicks creative team.

Between general-audience titles including The Sea Around Us (1955) and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Silent Spring (1962), Carson encouraged caregivers to nurture childrens love of nature. Something About the Sky started with a script that Carson wrote about clouds for the educational television program Omnibus. (The episode aired on March 11, 1956, just a few months before she published her essay Help Your Child to Wonder, which became her posthumous book The Sense of Wonder.) More than 60 years later, editors at Orion magazine found publicly available quotations from Carsons seldom-seen script and invited McClure to illustrate them for Orions spring 2021 issue.

Pandemic lockdowns were in place when McClure began creating the Orion illustrations, so the artist used natural materials that she had on hand. She departed from her customary black-paper cutouts in favor of hand-tinted paper more suggestive of clouds, and she used rice paste to hold the layers in place. Orion let me totally push myself, experiment, and take off the rail that Ive been on with the black paper cutouts, McClure said. Thats where the painted paper technique came from.

Although a uniform approach has served her wellher customary approach is to sketch, transfer her drawing to black paper, then carve it outshe wondered how do you make a cloud if you only have a piece of black paper. If you cut it out to make the white cloud, you can poke your finger right throughtheres nothing there. A cloud, which is an accumulation of water vapor and other particles, has solidity and weight. For images of a stormy seashore, a blue sky full of the clouds known as mares tails, or a sunset, she needed more variation.

Using sumi ink and indigo, McClure created grainy gray or blue tints to spread across Japanese washi paper with a wide brush. The charcoal-gray ink is plant-based, with soot from camphor, so it has this amazing smell, she said. She inspected each finished sheet of tinted paperit was like a conversation with the materialsto see which areas resembled the stratus, cirrus, and cumulus clouds Carson described. Each spread developed from improvisation: It was free jazz, McClure said.

After Copyright Clouds Pass, Clear Skies Forecast

McClure wanted to develop her Orion project into a picture book, and she learned that a fuller draft of Carsons TV script was in the collection of Yale Universitys Beinecke Library. She proposed the project to her editor, Susan Van Metre, executive editorial director of Candlewick Presss Walker Books US imprint. When Nikki began talking about this project, about all kinds of clouds, I could see that it would be a good one for children or anyone with a sense of wonder, Van Metre said. Nikkis rich knowledge and appreciation for the natural world always stirs a childhood excitement in me for being outdoors, rain or shinewith rain often being the more thrilling option for its messiness.

While McClure worked in solitude in the Pacific Northwest, Van Metre did the same on the East Coast. The book was very much a pandemic project, Van Metre said. My memories of working on it are inextricably bound to ones of lonely days in a Midtown office with no one but the builders of a hotel going up next door for company. Although restrictions meant she couldnt travel, Van Metre got in touch with Beinecke Library service assistant Dolores Colon, who located a draft of Carsons script in the archive.

It was not the final draft, however, Van Metre said. An edited version had been prepared for Omnibus back in 1956, so Van Metre had to contact Broad Reach Media, which holds the rights to Omnibus transcripts. This was actually the trickiest part of the endeavor, as both Broad Reach and Rachel Carsons estate believed they held the copyright, she said. For Broad Reach to provide the final wording, I had to ask Frances Collins, who managed the estate [she has since died] to dig out paperwork from the 1950s establishing their rights and then get Broad Reach to acknowledge the validity of their claim.

Van Metre called the discovery process a lesson in changing copyright law and rights reversion, and the differences in ownership expectation between works intended for television vs. books. Luckily, Rachels original agent, Marie Rodell, had protected Rachels rights to the script and after some rather fraught conversationsNikki was already well into creating the artwe were finally able to clear up the rights tangle and secure Rachels final draft.

With the script in place, Van Metre spoke with McClure and art director Nancy Brennan about how to make images that moved from the local to the global and back again. Its very much about the journey of waterits travels around the world abetted by airand we wanted to show what that looked like from both a human, kids-eye view and a birds-eye view. (Brennan even has a cameo in Something About the Sky: shes the woman holding a rescued cat on a page about storms and the wild fury of floods.)

McClure was thrilled with the more complete script. It was so much richer than what I had read in the public excerpts, she said. I still did abridge, so its not completely raw, but it better represents Carsons scientific yet accessible nature writing. And because she couldnt speak to Carson, I put pictures of her up in the studio, McClure said. As she played with layouts and completed each new phase, shed turn to the photos and ask, What do you think of this? Sixty-eight years after Omnibuss program, and with an assist from McClure and Candlewick, Carson is sharing Something About the Sky.

Something About the Sky by Rachel Carson, illus. by Nikki McClure. Candlewick Studio, $19.99 Mar. ISBN 978-1-5362-2870-0
On April 11, an estimated 1,800 virtual attendees tuned in for a Childrens Book Changemakers program, livestreamed on Zoom by the Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators Impact and Legacy Fund. The ILF, which supports SCBWIs charitable activities and administers special programs, spotlighted young anti-censorship activists from the National Coalition Against Censorship and other organizations, and hosted brief conversations with established authors and advocates including Barbara Kingsolver, Lois Lowry, and entertainer Goldie Hawn.

SCBWI co-founder and ILF managing director Lin Oliver emceed the event. ILF is the charitable and social justice arm of the SCBWI, Oliver told listeners. Our mission is to help make change in the world through childrens books and to enable creators of childrens bookswriters, illustrators, publishersto express themselves and create the change that they are passionate about.

The event began with a talk by Cameron Samuels, a Brandeis University undergraduate who as a high school student founded Students Engaged in Advancing Texas, known as SEAT for demanding a seat at the table of policymaking. Samuels recalled how the students, who were not yet old enough to vote, distributed hundreds of banned books, published op-eds in the press, and introduced state legislation. We filed legal action with the ACLU to dismantle a discriminatory internet filter [at school]. We brought together students to defy the norms and created [an activist] norm for students to engage throughout the state.

Samuels examples were a warmup for appearances by NCAC leaders and teen activists who spoke about the freedom to read. NCAC executive director Lee Rowland joined the call to inform SCBWI listeners how the NCACs youth programs are engaged with and helping support the next generation of folks who will keep us free. [They] will be the readers that carry your values and the values of free expression in practice to the next generation and hopefully save us all.

NCAC Youth Free Expression director Christine Emeran then introduced video presentations on banned books from three student advocates, followed by a panel in which three more high school students from Nashville, Houston, and central Pennsylvania talked with novelist Lois Lowry about the dangers of censorship.

Lowry told the students that her often-controversial fiction, notably The Giver, addresses the chilling effects of oppressive systems, but her platform as a citizen reaches a more targeted audience. When I have attempted to address censorship or challenges [in my community], I go and do my little thing or I write a letter to the newspaper, Lowry told students, but the ones who really make a difference are the people of your age. When kids speak up, when a kid goes to a school board meeting, its so much more impressive than when an author goes to a school board meeting or sends a letter in.

Hawn participated due to her interest in supporting young peoples mental health through her foundation, MindUp. She said she started the foundation in 2002 with a goal to promote well-being: what I wanted was for children actually to feel happier, to be more optimistic, more positive, more joyful in the classroom. Her interest developed into a curriculum combining mindfulness and brain science, intended to give young people greater agency in managing their emotions and anxieties, problem solving, and conflict resolution. She and Oliver said they are co-creating a Kindness Club book series on these principles, to be published by Penguin Workshop.

The program included awards for youth books that address justice and advocacy. The Russell Freedman Award for Nonfiction for a Better World was given to Dashka Slaters Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed (FSG).

Author-illustrator Karen Winnick announced the inaugural winners of a new prize she founded, the Charlotte and Wilbur Award for Compassion for Animals. Named in honor of Charlottes Webs characters with the blessing of author E.B. Whites estate, the awards amplify books about kindness toward animals. Katherine Pryor won for her picture book Home Is Calling: The Journey of the Monarch Butterfly, illustrated by Ellie Petersen (WorthyKids), and Roland Smith won for his middle grade series adventure, The Wildes: The Vaquita (Sleeping Bear). An honor award went to Liz Garton Scanlons Full Moon Pups, illustrated by Chuck Groenink (Putnam). Winners receive cash awards and a chance to produce and distribute a video school visit.

In addition, Winnick declared that the Charlotte and Wilbur committee had created a special citation of excellence to honor Barbara Kingsolver and her daughter Lily Kingsolvers Coyotes Wild Home, illustrated by Paul Mirocha (Gryphon). The Kingsolvers joined the Changemakers event to talk about how books promote empathy. Barbara Kingsolver called Coyotes Wild Home an opportunity to break down the barrier between humans and non-humans and the perception that predatory animals are enemies and villains. Even childrens literature is suffused with a hatred and a fear of predators, the big bad wolf, the bad bear. We wanted to write a book that gives predators good PR.

The Childrens Book Changemakers program, delivered to an audience interested in writing and illustrating for young people, shed light on how teens and their allies are taking action, notably for youth mental health and freedom of expression. A video of the event is available to watch here.
The North Dakota EMS Association is calling on lawmakers to implement a new program under the Department of Health and Human Services to help prevent gaps in ambulance services across the state.

Adam Parker, co-chair of the associations advocacy committee, brought the proposal before the Legislatures Health Services Committee last month, the North Dakota Monitor reported.

Many North Dakota ambulance services are in a pinch due to recruitment and retention issues, among other factors, according to the EMS Association. North Dakota could lose as many as 30 providers over the next decade, Parker told the committee at a previous meeting.

Under North Dakota law, when an ambulance service closes, the nearest neighboring service is required to take on the shuttered providers response area, Park said. This mandate isnt backed by any funding, so remaining providers dont get any additional financial support to help them deal with the extra service calls.

Emergency service providers sometimes shut down with very little or no prior notice. One ambulance service recently told Health and Human Services that it feared it could shutter within days because it had several staff members quit, according to Parker.

The EMS Association says more regulatory action from HHS could help identify and assist struggling ambulance services before sudden closures occur.

Under the proposed legislation, that might mean working out a plan to help the provider stay open.

When a closure cannot be avoided, HHS would help the ambulance service close in a way thats less disruptive to its community and neighboring emergency service providers.

The goal would be that those closures are controlled closures, Parker said. Theyre planned -- theyre not on a spur-of-the-moment decision.

Health Services Committee Chair Sen. Kristin Roers, R-Fargo, said the legislation could be a lifeline for ambulance services on their last legs.

I would imagine that, even though we dont all love having someone come in and kind of take over, at that moment, any help is good help, she said.

Under the proposed legislation, the agency would be tasked with contacting ambulance services and local governments in the area the providers serve in the following circumstances:

When a service isnt following state or federal laws or regulations -- say, if its missing service calls or not responding as quickly as its supposed to.

When a service shows a substantial likelihood of failure.

When a service indicates it intends to close or change its licensure level, which dictates the kinds of EMS assistance it can administer to a community.

HHS would put the ambulance services and local governments on notice about any laws the agency believes theyre violating, as well any resources available to assist them, Parker said.

Under the proposed program, an ambulance service contacted by the agency would then have to respond with a plan to address the issues at hand.

That could include requesting a waiver from HHS to temporarily or permanently set aside certain service requirements.

For instance, all ambulance services in North Dakota are required by law to operate 24/7. If the service doesnt have enough people to staff a full week, it could request a waiver from the state to only be available Monday through Friday.

Our hope is that we dont have to have those waivers, but really, what the legislation does is just try to free up the options and the flexibility because we cant predict whats going to happen in every single area, Parker said.

If the ambulance service does not adequately respond to the states outreach, doesnt make meaningful progress correcting issues identified by HHS or indicates it cannot adequately respond to emergency calls, the agency would classify it as a distressed provider.

The service would also earn this designation if it is expected to close or change its licensure level in less than 60 days.

Once an ambulance service is officially considered distressed, the department would take more involved regulatory action. The department would appoint a coordinator to develop a plan for resolving the issues in the ambulance services response area, as well as a contingency plan.

In the meantime, the coordinator would be required to make sure that the area still receives adequate EMS services.

They have ambulances that theyve purchased, they have staff that they can potentially put people in that area for that short period of time, Parker said, referring to HHS.

The plan would ultimately have to go before the department and the local community for approval.

Parker said the EMS Association doesnt yet have any specifics about how the program would be paid for, but its general position is that the ambulance service and the community it serves should foot the bill.

If not, the problem that I would see is that, what is the incentive for them to develop a plan? he said during the meeting.

How would HHS figure out when an ambulance service is on the verge of failure?

Thats a separate issue, Parker said. Its difficult to tell when providers need assistance because a lot of factors that could be used to determine whether one is struggling -- like when a service misses an emergency call -- are not reported to regulatory authorities.

Parker said he would support changing state law to require ambulance services to notify the state any time a provider does not respond to a service call.

An ambulance service just not responding to a call should never happen, Parker said.

Roers said since the proposal is relatively new, she hasnt had time to gauge how people feel about it.

So far, I have not heard any negative feedback, Roers said. But that might just mean that people are unaware.

Tim Wiedrich, chief of the HHS Health Response and Licensure Section, said at the meeting that agency leaders had yet to review the proposed legislation.

The committee directed Legislative Council to prepare a draft of the bill for consideration at its next meeting in September.
Its better to be the United States enemy than its friend. Foreign officials tell me this is their perception under the Biden Administration, which has a strange habit of appeasing our adversaries while holding our allies to impossible standards. Its bad foreign policy, plain and simple. Moreover, its encouraging chaos in our region.

Just look at whats happening in the Dominican Republic. The Caribbean nation is facing extraordinary migratory pressure from neighboring Haiti, which has all but collapsed into anarchy. President Luis Abinader has made it clear he will protect Dominican sovereignty by enforcing deportations. Yet the Biden Administration, influenced by radical left-wing groups like Amnesty International, is pushing him to accept three million Haitians at any moment.

This is unfair to the D.R., which is a developing nation with limited resources, and which is already bearing significant burdens on Haitis behalf. Anyone who doubts this should consider the fact that more than a third of all births in the D.R. are currently to Haitian citizens.

But encouraging illegal mass migration is also unfair to our country. The Biden Administration seems unaware that many Haitians view the D.R. as a stepping stone to Puerto Ricoand that a well-established smuggling ring to facilitate that journey already exists. Because our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico have their own fiscal constraints, illegal migrants that reach the U.S. territory would likely move on to the continental United States.

Like most Americans, I recognize that what is happening in Haiti is horrible and tragic. The breakdown of law and order, the displacement of more than 300,000 people, and the need of roughly five million for some form of aidall of these are matters of grave concern. This is why I support the international peacekeeping mission that Kenya proposes to lead once Haiti has established a provisional government. In addition, I have reintroduced legislation to preserve U.S. trade benefits for Haitian manufacturers, which could prove a lifeline to legitimate Haitian businesses in this time of crisis.

But, like most Americans, I also recognize that no country should experience illegal mass migrationnot the D.R., and not the United States. Illegal mass migration does no good for the nation people are migrating from. When all able-bodied, law-abiding citizens leave their homeland, there is no one left to defend it from criminals and tyrantsand no one left to provide for the vulnerable who remain there. On a more fundamental level, though, I cannot support illegal mass migration because the job of elected officials is to protect their citizens first, not anyone elses.

This is why I have asked the U.S. State Department to prioritize U.S. citizens trapped in Haiti, as well as their adopted Haitian children. Moreover, its why we cannot allow Haitian citizens to surge across our borders. As U.S. Senator Rick Scott and I noted in a recent letter to President Biden, Haiti is rife with gangs, and jailbreaks have allegedly released thousands of dangerous criminals. This means illegal mass migration from Haiti would put Americans at risk.

Since President Biden took office, more than eight million people have crossed our insecure southern border, and 90,000 have immigrated from Afghanistan un-vetted. The resultant threats to our national securityfrom the rise of Tren de Aragua to the infiltration of Islamist terroristsare severe and out of control. The tragedy in Haiti is great, but its no excuse for letting these threats increase.
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Two North Dakota funds that support agriculture-related businesses are providing a total of more than $1 million in grants to 10 projects, including one in the capital city, according to the state Agriculture Department.

Bismarck-based Two Track Malting LLC is getting $100,000 through the state Agricultural Diversification and Development Fund for equipment to expand operations to meet a growing demand for craft malt for breweries and distilleries.

Another company in the region, Square Butte Farm near Center, was awarded $110,000 to assist with installation of hoop buildings for cattle finishing.

The ADD fund is administered by the Agriculture Department and state-owned Bank of North Dakota to support new or expanding value-added-agriculture businesses. Four other projects are getting funding: a bulk pasta company in Grand Forks, a potato business in that city and one in Buxton, and an Esmond meat processor.

Separately, the Agricultural Products and Utilization Commission is funding four projects. APUC gives grants to developers of North Dakota farm-related products. The money typically is used for research, marketing, farm diversification, agriculture tourism and technology.

Getting money are a biofuel project near Grand Forks, a farm drone business in that city, a grain business in Max and the state Agriculture Department, which will use its funding to help North Dakota companies promote products at trade shows.

The groups overseeing the two funds will hold their next grant application hearings in late May in Fargo.

More information and a full list of the recent grants are on the department's website, at www.ndda.nd.gov.
Grove: Can't go along with amendments to latest bill
The outside of Kilwins, a chocolate, fudge and ice cream shop, taken on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Athens, Georgia. Kilwins is coming to Athens in the spring of 2024 and will be located at 283 E. Broad St. (Photo/Katie Hughes)
With US-based electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla scouting for a suitable location for its foray in India, Rajasthan has joined the fray with a host of offers to woo the Elon Musk-led company. Other challengers include Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra.

Photograph: Jason Lee/Reuters

Sources privy to the development said that an initial meeting between the senior executives of Tesla and the government of Rajasthan, which was held last week, turned out to be quite positive.

Tesla would now carry out a survey and is expected to share the survey details with the states investment promotion department soon.

On its part, Rajasthan has already marked a couple of land parcels and conveyed it to the EV major.

The Bureau of Investment Promotion is learnt to have suggested the Bhiwadi industrial town as the location to Tesla.

Among the various industrial zones in and around Bhiwadi, we feel the Salarpur or Khushkhera Industrial area would be most compatible to the needs of the company.

"The area was designed to become an auto hub and already has a presence of auto majors, ancillary industries.

"These zones are very well connected to the Delhi-Jaipur expressway and have seamless infrastructure support, said an official requesting anonymity.

These two zones are part of the upcoming Phase-II of the industrial area of Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation Ltd (RIICO). This includes Tapukara, Khushkhera, Karoli and Salapur.

Honda already has a 400-acre facility in the Tapurana zone.

Apart from this, sources said, the investment promotion bureau is sweetening the deal for Tesla and will customise the offerings.

Usually the land is e-auctioned in these zones.

"But we can allot as well if there is a big-ticket investment.

"Also, we are competing with states which are industrial majors, we are pitching our benefits against their drawbacks, said the source cited above.

Officials said the landlocked state will pitch its proximity with the national capital region, the seamless connectivity with Delhi and Mumbai through road and rail, cheap labour cost, and huge land banks.

The state government is also planning to add the proposed airport near Bhiwadi and a railway cargo terminal.

The hustle among the states comes close on the heels of the visit of Elon Musk, CEO, Tesla to India and his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to global reports.

A Tesla team from the US is reported to be scouting for potential sites for the companys planned $2-3 billion electric vehicle plant in India.

The news about Teslas plan to set up a plant in India comes after the Centres decision to cut import taxes on some EVs for companies that pledge at least $500 million (Rs 4,150 crore) in investment and a manufacturing plant within three years.
With farm Acts out of the picture, the government may look at reforming the input side of the agriculture sector  regulations and rules that govern seeds, fertilisers and plant chemicals.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Sources said such a blueprint, which is aimed at making the life of farmers easier, with quicker approvals but not compromising on quality, is in the works as part of the 100-day agenda of Modi 3.0. Also, ways to administer fertiliser subsidy more effectively and cutting down on leakages and diversions to build on the success of neem-coated urea are being thought of.

Few years back, a proposal was mooted in some quarters to conduct a pilot in a few districts of the country on a modified version of the direct benefit transfer (DBT) that would establish some sort of linkage between land holding and the nutrients consumption.

Currently, the version of DBT in place involves farmers purchasing their fertilisers through point of sale (POS) devices after undergoing Aadhaar authentication.

This ensures that the identity of the person, who purchases fertiliser bags, is well established.

However, there is no restriction on the number of bags that each farmer can purchase.

This sometimes leads to excess usage and chances of misuse.

In case of seeds and plant chemicals, sources said lots of reforms are urgently needed as the regulatory and approval process in India takes a long time.

This is because it involves multiple layers.

They said the government could look at creating a favourable policy environment for the agrochemicals sector.

This would facilitate an increase in agrochemical exports and position India as an attractive destination for foreign investments.

It would also safeguard the interests of small and regional players operating in the industry.

The current process for registration of a new agrochemical molecule in India is often perceived as time-consuming, costly, and a complex procedure by the industry.

Only a few large multinational companies and leading domestic players can afford to invest in research and development (R&D) to develop new molecules and get them registered for manufacture and sale.

As a result, only around 280 molecules and 800 formulations (including combinations) are registered in India.

Compared to India, this number is double in the European Union (EU) and triple in Japan.

The industry wants reforms in the Central Insecticides Laboratory (CIL) as well to cut down on pending lists and time taken for clearance of new applications.

One of the major challenges faced by Indian agricultural exporters is the stringent rules related to pesticide residues in regions like the EU.

Registering molecules deemed safe by major importers to abide by maximum residue limit (MRL) norms is a policy change that may boost agricultural exports in the longer term.

"MRL testing infrastructure may also be improved to provide increased access to testing at lower costs, a senior industry player said.

Also, the problem of spurious seeds and the need for proper regulations to check their proliferation could form part of the possible reforms.

CIL facilities, infrastructure and manpower need to be upgraded.

"Industry has offered to support the government to review and develop infrastructure and capability building.

"The industry has also offered to collaborate for sharing best practices for capacity building in CIL, Kalyan Goswami, director general, Agro Chem Federation of India (ACFI), told Business Standard.
Debt-saddled telecom operator Vodafone Idea Ltd's Rs 18,000 crore follow-on offering (FPO) opened to a modest response on Thursday with just 26 per cent of shares on offer being sought by investors.

IMAGE: Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy Ketut Subiyanto/Pexels.com

Of the 1,260 crore shares on offer, 331.24 crore was subscribed on Thursday, according to information on the BSE.

Qualified institutional buyers picked up 61 per cent of their 360 crore shares reserved for them while non-institutional investors sought 28 per cent out of 270 crore shares earmarked for them.

Response from retail investors, who have been offered the biggest chunk, was muted with just 6 per cent of 630 crore shares being picked up.

Shares are being offered in a price band of Rs 10-11 apiece, lower than Rs 13.20 closing price of the share on the BSE on Thursday.

Vodafone Idea sold shares worth Rs 5,400 crore to institutional investors in the first phase earlier this week.

Investment firms GQG and Fidelity picked up most of the shares during the anchor book allocation.

The FPO, the largest ever, is to close on April 22.

Prior to this, the largest FPO in the Indian market was a Rs 15,000 crore share-sale by YES Bank in 2020.

The fundraise would give the ailing telco the firepower to improve its positioning in the Indian telecom market, where it currently trails larger rivals such as Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, by a wide margin.

The funds will also help Vodafone Idea shore up finances for the much-delayed 5G rollout and strengthening 4G services, and payment of vendor dues.

The company had previously said it plans to raise Rs 45,000 crore, via equity and debt, to help expand its 4G network and roll out 5G services.

Of the total FPO proceeds, the company plans to use Rs 12,750 crore for purchase of equipment for the expansion of its network infrastructure by setting up new 4G sites; expanding the capacity of existing 4G sites and for setting up new 5G sites, as per the share sale prospectus.

It will spend Rs 5,720 crore of the Rs 12,750 crore earmarked for network expansion, on setting up its 5G network.

Another Rs 2,175.31 crore will be ustilised for making deferred payments for spectrum.

The rest of the FPO proceeds will be used by the company towards various general corporate purposes such as funding working capital requirements.
The latest flashpoint in West Asia has derailed Indias preliminary plans to resume crude oil imports from Iran, officials said.

Photograph: Raheb Homavandi/Reuters

In January, officials of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas had told Business Standard that the government had been studying proposals for the same, given that India was trying to expand sources of imports.

We are always monitoring the situation when it comes to crude flows.

"There had been proposals to resume crude oil imports from Iran.

"But given the current state of affairs, that plan has now been put aside, a petroleum ministry official said on Monday.

India has so far refrained from purchasing crude oil from any country facing global sanctions.

The government considered importing Venezuelan oil once the US lifted sanctions on the South American nation.

The issue may have been discussed during recent bilateral meetings during External Affairs Minister S Jaishankars visit to Iran in January.

New partnerships

One of the motivations behind the move was that shipments from Iran would be better shielded from regional instability.

Shipments from Iran take place through the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, where the Houthi militias have limited presence, an official said.

Given that the Houthis are also allies of the Iranian regime, they were also not expected to go against trade deemed important by Tehran.

After more than a year of securing major shipments of Russian crude, India is increasingly looking to re-establish supplies from its traditional partners in West Asia.

As of January, Iraq and Saudi Arabia were the second and third-largest sources of crude for India according to official data.

The plan to test whether imports from Iran can begin was part of this larger effort, another official said.

Yet, imports from Russia have increasingly faced tighter restrictions, due to the US imposing fresh sanctions against Russias prominent tanker group, Sovcomflot, in February, and facing growing challenges in processing payments.

The discounts received by India had also come down to their lowest since the invasion of Ukraine in late-2023 to $3-4 per barrel.

Bypassing sanctions

Iran was the third-largest source of crude oil supplier for India till 2018-19, when imports had topped at $12.1 billion.

In June 2019, the US Presidential administration under Donald Trump placed fresh sanctions on the country due to its nuclear programme.

With Washington removing an exception for countries like India to source oil from Iran, the trade was cut off from accessing US dollars.

As a result, Iran went from becoming the ninth largest crude oil exporter in 2018 to the 71st as of 2021, OPEC figures show.

While Indian refiners are yet to negotiate spot purchases from the country, Iranian crude is increasingly being offered by traders under the garb of Malaysian oil, Business Standard has earlier reported.

Crude oil currently makes up a staggering per cent of Iranian exports, according to the Atlas of Economic Complexity, a repository of trade data maintained by Harvard University.

In the absence of buyers, an increasing share of Iranian crude has diverted towards China, feeding nearly 10 per cent of Chinas gigantic crude requirements, Reuters has reported.

Casting a shadow
With the rush of growth after the pandemic slowing down, many leaders are moving to firms that may be smaller but are growing much faster and have the headroom to grow.

IMAGE: A couple of months after Wipro CEO Thierry Delaporte took questions from the media, as Wipro Chief Financial Officer Aparna Iyer looked on, during a media interaction announcing the company's quarterly results in Bengaluru, January 12, 2024, he was stepped down. Photograph: Reuters

About 4,500 leaders in the Indian information technology services sector switched jobs at least once in the past 12 months.

These individuals hold leadership positions, including those in the C-suite, directors, vice-presidents and assistant VPs, and heads of businesses and functions.

The movements represent 4.5 per cent of the total leadership cadre in the IT services sector in India, according to data from Xpheno, a specialised staffing firm.

While it is challenging to analyse the last time the IT industry saw such movement in senior leadership (individuals with over 15 to 20 years of experience), the current churn has left companies scrambling for talent.

Some of the headline-grabbing exits came from two companies, Infosys and Wipro.

In 2023 alone, over 30 senior executives were hired from Wipro and Infosys to join Tech Mahindra (TechM) and Cognizant.

"You have to see the current leadership churn in light of two significant developments that have occurred in the industry. Two large IT services firms have had new CEOs in the past year or so, and they are restructuring, hiring, or changing their leadership teams. Some churn can be attributed to these two new CEO appointments," said Kamal Karanth, co-founder of Xpheno.

This is evident in the number of people who have joined these firms. Between January and December 2023, Infosys saw nine senior exits.

This includes the resignation of Ravi Kumar, who joined Cognizant as CEO, and Mohit Joshi, who is now at the helm of Mumbai-headquartered Tech Mahindra.

Some of the other prominent names include Infosys CFO Nilanjan Roy and chief human resources officer Richard Lobo, among others.

Since Kumar has taken over Cognizant, he has hired over 20 senior executives to join at the level of executive VPs (EVPs) and senior VPs (SVPs).

According to media reports, over four EVPs and over 20 SVPs have been hired by Kumar.

The situation has been similar with TechM as well. Joshi has hired people from Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, and Wipro.

Pareekh Jain, IT outsourcing advisor and founder of Pareekh Consulting, attributes this move to the broader macro conditions as well.

"The environment has been somewhat tough, so the writing has been on the wall for many. With below-average performance, senior talent is looking for better opportunities," he added.

Jain also states that being a business unit head and a CEO is different.

With the rush of growth after the pandemic slowing down, many leaders are moving to firms that may be smaller but are growing much faster and have the headroom to grow.

And finally, especially in the case of chief financial officers, managing just margins without any real growth is setting in fatigue.

Karanth further added that the headwinds haven't settled for IT companies; globally, their majority markets are still soft, and many are undergoing restructuring or some amount of transition.

"Some of the leaders are affected by the changes inflicted by these, whose roles have diminished and hence have quit," he added.

The other element that is working in favour of senior leaders is the global capacity centres' (GCCs') growth.

According to Xpheno, over 92 per cent of these movements were lateral movements within the IT services cohort. The remaining 8 per cent either moved to GCCs or product companies.

"Every year, at least 50 GCCs enter India and on average will need 10 to 12 senior leaders. A significant number of these senior leaders are hired from large IT services bellwethers," added Karanth.

Karanth believes that this leadership movement may take another six months to settle down. The good part is that these inter-company talent transitions are within the IT industry.

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) from Mauritius may face higher scrutiny after the amendment in the India-Mauritius tax treaty introduced a principle purpose test (PPT) to prevent treaty abuse by taxpayers.

The Mauritius government had in February decided to amend the double taxation avoidance agreement (DTAA) with India to align with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Developments proposal on base erosion and profit shifting.

Although the agreement between India and Mauritius was signed on March 7, the protocol of the amendment was made public for the first time on Wednesday, said legal experts.

The norms are yet to be notified by the Indian government, after which they will take effect.

Under PPT, taxpayers will be able to avail of the benefits under the agreement only when they can establish that the benefit is in accordance with the relevant provisions, including substance requirements.

Substance refers to the basic requirements mandated for the fund on employees, offices, turnover, expenses, etc., to operate in a specific country.

Even if one of the principal reasons for choosing Mauritius is tax benefit, then treaty benefit can be denied...

"Some taxpayers could therefore find it difficult to argue that of all the reasons why they chose Mauritius, obtaining a tax advantage was not one of them, said Rajesh Gandhi, a partner at Deloitte.

Circular 789, which has been upheld by the Supreme Court, conclusively sets out that a tax residency certificate is adequate proof of tax residency to claim benefits under the India-Mauritius tax treaty.

"However, the introduction of PPT may now imply the necessity for a closer scrutiny of the commercial substance and rationale while claiming relief under the treaty, said Arijit Ghosh, member, international tax at Nishith Desai Associates.

According to data from the National Securities Depository, Mauritius ranks fourth in the list of countries with the highest assets under custody (AUC) in India after the US, Singapore, and Luxembourg.

The total AUC for Mauritius is Rs 4.18 trillion, and the total number of FPIs registered in the jurisdiction is over 600.

However, legal experts are divided on whether investments and capital gains before 2017 will be grandfathered or given exemption from tax implications after the new amendment.

Unlike the grandfathering of pre-2017 investments under General Anti-Avoidance Rule, the protocol does not contain any such exemption, and therefore past investments can be scrutinised subject to tax reassessment conditions, said Gandhi.

The PPT clause itself also includes an exception to the rule for when the benefit is in line with the objects and purposes, and to this extent, treaty benefits should continue to apply for grandfathered shares, said Ghosh.

Rubal Bansal Maini, partner, Luthra and Luthra Law Offices India, also shares the same opinion.

The benefits that may have been derived from any item of income under the said DTAA may now be given to the taxpayers when they fulfil the PPT.

"The amendment vide the protocol dated March 7, 2024, will not apply to the capital gains on shares acquired before the grandfathering period, i.e., April 2017, she said.

Industry experts are of the opinion that wider scrutiny of FPIs may push for migration or registration in the International Financial Services Centre (GIFT IFSC) in India.

In view of the increased tax scrutiny, coupled with the fact that global tax policies are getting more stringent by the day on tax avoidance, FPIs are expanding their presence in the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City to benefit from lower costs and mitigate operational challenges in infamous jurisdictions like Singapore and Mauritius as the IFSCs are loaded with beneficial tax treatments, said S R Patnaik, partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas.
...Even if it means less democracy, so that their everyday problems get solved? argues R Jagannathan.

IMAGE: Bharatiya Janata Party leader Narendra D Modi addresses an election meeting in support of Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the BJP candidate from Thiruvananthapuram, at Attingal, April 15, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

The Gothenburg-based V-Dem institute has again ruffled feathers in India by categorising India as 'one of the worst autocratisers' in the world.

Every succeeding year since 2018, when V-Dem first called India an 'electoral autocracy', the verbiage in its annual reports has only gotten worse.

It is not my purpose here to question the V-Dem methodology and point out its obvious problems.

But there is always going to be a tension between freedom and authority because all States -- whether democratic or authoritarian or somewhere in between -- need the power to do whatever they want to do.

Power is the crucial element that legitimises the State.

Every major democracy (or autocracy) is in a category of one for the simple reason that the starting and current conditions are different for almost everybody.

Whether a country will be more autocratic or more democratic at any point of time depends a lot on its core culture, its degree of diversity, economic conditions, demographic trends, and internal and external threat perceptions.

A country that wants quick, radical change will tend to be less democratic because big change needs more concentration of power.

In his famous work Open Society and its Enemies, philosopher Karl Popper refers to three paradoxes -- the 'paradox of democracy', the 'paradox of freedom', and the 'paradox of tolerance'.

The first paradox, of democracy, relates to the fact that in a free society, people may sometimes elect autocrats.

The second paradox relates to the problem that unlimited freedom could facilitate rule by the strong over the weak, the majority over the minority, and hence there must be restraints on the freedoms enjoyed by the powerful.

As for the paradox of tolerance, Popper famously noted in the end-notes to his book: 'If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them.'

The question we must ask is this: If some people have to decide what constitutes intolerance, and where the 'tolerant' will draw the line (limit the democratic rights and freedoms of those they deem intolerant), democracy and autocracy are two sides of the same coin.

Democracy can be sustained only by some monopolies of power vested in some institutions deemed important.

One obvious example is the extraordinary powers invested in the judiciary, which in most countries is not just protected from libel and contempt, but is effectively accountable to none.

Another is the bureaucracy. No country can run without an administrative service, but this group can become an unaccountable power unto itself.

Consider how many unions fought for and got the right to go back to the old pension scheme.

Citizens willy-nilly agree to give governments greater powers whenever threats (real or perceived) from violent non-state actors (aka 'terrorists') are deemed to be very high.

After 9/11, the US enacted its so-called Patriot Act, which gives Uncle Sam huge powers of surveillance to prevent terrorism on US soil.

These powers have been used to legitimise assassinations on foreign soil.

In Denmark, after widespread Islamist threats to some publications that published cartoons of the Prophet, the country has legislated banning 'inappropriate treatment of religious books'.

Among other things, the Koran cannot be burnt in a country that once thought of itself as the bastion of free speech.

In contrast, we in India can burn the Manu Smriti any number of times in public and still be deemed to be autocratic.

On the converse side, India's Model Code of Conduct during elections would be considered a negative for free speech anywhere else, but we think this 'electoral autocratisation' is healthy for our democracy.

More recently, Ireland and other European countries (and also Scotland) are planning to (or have already legislated) laws to prevent 'hate speech', and Britain has widened the definition of 'extremism' to include 'the promotion or advancement of an ideology based on violence, hatred or intolerance' that could impact other people's rights, including those that 'undermine, overturn or replace the UK's system of liberal parliamentary democracy and democratic rights'.

The new definition, prompted by public calls for the annihilation of Jews, could potentially have a chilling effect on free speech since it could be used to stifle voices critical of Israel's actions or even some policies of the government that support Israel.

Then, of course, we have threats to democratic freedoms from the private sector.

Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X, and even e-mail services like Gmail have huge power to censor and regulate free speech.

We saw this in January 2021, when they collectively deplatformed a sitting US president, apparently because Donald J Trump instigated riots on Capitol Hill.

Today, the same 'democracy', aided by the 'liberal' media, is using every trick in the legal book, and some outside it, to prevent Mr Trump from contesting the November presidential elections.

All these manoeuvres may seem justified if you think Mr Trump is the next Hitler, but why would a future establishment not use the same powers to prevent a genuine critic from being elected?

In India, as we face another contentious election, there is a tendency to make over-the-top accusations against the government in power because many people consider its re-election a certainty.

But are we more authoritarian just because Narendra Modi is in power, or is our Constitution designed to tilt in favour of centralisation of power?

Wasn't Article 19(2), which puts strong restraints on free speech, hard-coded into the Constitution even before it was brought into force?

Also, how much of the cribbing against Mr Modi's 'fascism' is actually a rant against making the State more competent in combating crime, tax evasion, and fraud?

Is more State effectiveness seen as more authoritarian when earlier the expectation was that the powerful will always manage to evade the law?

While the Opposition is right to point out the selective nature of tax and enforcement actions against their leaders, this does not automatically imply that the actions themselves are wrong.

We all know that the law works better for those with the money to litigate than for those with limited resources, but we then blame the system, not the law itself.

We need better checks on how the law is used.

There is no perfect democracy anywhere. All democracies must be humble enough to accept that they are works in progress.

The only good democracy is one which has the ability to constantly reinvent itself.

That, unfortunately, is not the case with any country anywhere today where complex problems -- excess immigration, terrorism, inequality, climate change, et al -- remain unsolved precisely because democracies seem incapable of finding the consensus needed to move ahead.

Is it any wonder many voters seem to prefer strong leaders, even if it means less democracy, so that their everyday problems get solved?

R Jagannathan is editorial director, Swarajya magazine

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
Apart from partly meeting the resentment which may have built among 80th PMA officers, the appointments would seem to be based on sound professional considerations, notes Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at R&AW, India's external intelligence agency.

IMAGE: Pakistan's army chief General Syed Asim Munir.

Acting speedily and firmly at last, Pakistan's army chief, General Syed Asim Munir has posted Lieutenant General Muhd Asim Malik, 12 Baloch regiment, sword of honour (topper/senior most) from the 80th Pakistan Military Academy (PMA), Kakul Long Course as the new corps commander, I Corps, Mangla.

Lieutenant General Asim, who previously served as adjutant general at General Headquarters (GHQ), is from the Awan tribe and hails from Shahpur, near Sargodha.

He is the son of Lieutenant General Ghulam Mohd Malik (retd), who served in the same regiment and later became corps commander, X Corps, Rawalpindi.

He had been promoted as lieutenant general almost a year before his batchmates, in October 2021, during General Qamar Javed Bajwa's tenure as army chief, when holding the post of vice chief of General Staff at GHQ.

By that yardstick, his four years as lieutenant general would end before General Asim Munir's date of retirement (November 2025).

Major General Omar Ahmed Bokhari, 22 Baloch regiment, also a sword of honour from the 84th PMA Long Course, currently vice chief of General Staff at GHQ, has been promoted to three star rank and has been appointed the new adjutant general.

Previously, he had held the prestigious assignment of Commandant, PMA, Kakul.

Apart from partly meeting the resentment which may have built among 80th PMA officers, both these appointments would seem to be based on sound professional considerations.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
'The people of Tamil Nadu, in particular Chennai, know about the double standards of the BJP. Nothing will work for them here.'

IMAGE: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian campaigns in T Nagar, part of her Chennai South parliamentary constituency. Photograph: Kind courtesy Thamizhachi Thangapandian/Instagram

Dr Thamizhachi Thangapandian aka Sumathy, 61, is a poet, author, lyricist, orator and politician.

She is the current MP from Chennai South and has been renominated from Tamil Nadu's most high profile constituency.

Of the four main candidates in this constituency three have 'Tamil' in their name.

There is Tamizhachi, there is Tamilisai and there is Tamil Selvi.

You can hear the drums far away but approaching rapidly.

Very soon an open goods van appears with a band loaded on it. They play loud music, emphasis on the loud and not on the music.

This van is followed by an open jeep where photographers and videographers jostle for space, in spite of the shaky journey they keep their cameras focused on the candidate Thamizhachi who travels on top of a vehicle flanked by a Tamil Nadu minister and other important people from this constituency.

She greets people with folded hands, occasionally waving out to supporters who she recognises. The streets are dressed up in DMK's red and black, with flags, flowers and balloons.

One of her team members is live streaming her campaign trail on Facebook so you don't have to be waiting in the hot sun to see her.

She is a well-informed orator, her speeches are well researched and she speaks fluently and with self-confidence. After all she was a professor at Queen Mary's College before her foray into politics.

She wants to see the questions before the interview, and when she answers it is in a calm, measured tone.

She looks fresh and not tired at all, one would not believe that she had been in the sun campaigning for the past three hours, just before the interview.

"The people of Tamil Nadu are very rational people. They have their own way of voting for the assembly and parliamentary elections," Dr Thangapandian tells Rediff.com Senior Contributor A Ganesh Nadar.

IMAGE: Dr Thangapandian with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam President M K Stalin at the Annal Ambedkar Memorial Hall in Chennai, April 14, 2024. Photograph: Kind courtesy Thamizhachi Thangapandian/Instagram

Teacher, writer, politician, which role do you enjoy the most?

Always a teacher, once a teacher always a teacher, but writing is the crux with which my life moves on.

Politics is something different, it gives you a chance to serve the public.

Being in the place where policy is made and decisions are made to serve the public is very good.

I enjoy all three, but teaching is my passion.

When did you enter politics and did you add Thamizhachi to your original name Sumathy when you entered politics?

I was born in a political family and I have been a DMK member all my life.

I entered active politics in 2007 when in our party state conference I was given the honour of hoisting the flag by Doctor Kalaignar (M Karunanidhi) and our present chief minister (M K Stalin).

After that I resigned my job as professor at Queen Mary's College and became a full-time politician.

I write under the name Thamizhachi and my first book came out with that name.

Kalaignar endorsed this name when he introduced me as Thamizhachi at that state conference I mentioned earlier. Since then, I have been known as Thamizhachi.

What have you done in your constituency in the last five years?

Most of my major promises I was able to deliver. When I became the MP of this constituency the major problem was the Perungudi dump yard.

My repeated pleas in Parliament did not work, but when the DMK came to power in 2021 the work was cleared and 99% of the work is done.

The rejuvenation of the Pallikaranai marsh has been taken up by our honourable chief minister who is reclaiming wet land in 100 marshes and Pallikaranai is a priority in that list.

Through NABARD a proposal was sent to the Green Environment Network in Geneva and Rs 200 crores has been earmarked for the project.

Rejuvenating the Velachery lake was also one of my major projects.

There was no funding from the Union government or from the (earlier) AIADMK government here.

Only after the DMK came to power in the latest budget Rs 20 crores (Rs 200 million) has been earmarked for this.

IMAGE: Dr Thangapandian with Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin. Photograph: Kind courtesy Thamizhachi Thangapandian/Instagram

What have you done in Parliament in the past five years? I have heard your speeches on the finance bill, women's reservation bill. You also asked more than 200 questions. Have you ever interacted directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi?

I have asked 282 questions. We get a chance during Parliament intervention to ask questions, both starred and unstarred.

Starred you get a chance to speak in Parliament and unstarred you get a written reply.

I have asked numerous questions to both the home minister and prime minister on various occasions, but the problem is you can ask only if your questions are chosen.

You are on the parliamentary board of NIFT and the ministry of cultural tourism. What work does this entail?

This membership comes in turn in Parliament.

There are meetings that we attend and we offer suggestions there.

I was also a member in the committees for social justice, and women's empowerment.

I am a member of the standing committee for information and technology for five years.

Did you feel helpless in Parliament as the government has a brute majority?

Helpless is not the word I would say, but sometimes it is very frustrating.

Draconian laws were brought in through ordinances, were brought in without discussion.

It was frustrating because this is not democracy.

For the first time in the history of Parliament there was no deputy speaker.

140 parliamentarians were dismissed, it has never happened at any time in our country, even members who were not present in the House were dismissed.

Parliament was a big farce.

I am the top performing MP from Tamil Nadu by the fact that I introduced eight private member bills.

You are on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. How much time do you spend on social media?

It is either in the afternoon or late night. Evenings I like to spend with my family.

One of the ways I keep in touch with my constituency is through social media.

They message me through my inbox. I have to respond as that is the way you can keep in touch with them.

I spend four to five hours daily on social media.

IMAGE: Thamizhachi Thangapandian campaigns in the Chennai South parliamentary constituency. Photograph: Kind courtesy Thamizhachi Thangapandian/Instagram

Are you always available to your constituents? How many of them do you know personally? Does everyone have your number? Do you answer all calls?

I keep in touch with my constituency at all times.

People can come and meet me at home or my office in Adyar at any time.

Even if I am not there, I have two interns in my office and home at all time except Sunday.

They take down the complaint and phone number of whoever comes to meet me and I call them later.

I sent the complaints to the relevant department like the municipal corporation or the electricity department.

For my social media interactions I have a separate Excel chart to show the complaints and I deal with them as needed.

Even today after I ended the campaign a lady Kangavalli came and met me. She thanked me for the thousand rupees she receives from the state government every month.

What sort of complaints come to you from your voters?

Generally it is about infrastructure, Storm water drains are being constructed and roads are dug up.

After the construction is over and there is delay in relaying the road they tell me.

Sometimes it is about transformers, other times about pattas (land deeds).

I refer the problem to our MLAs, councillors or relevant government departments.

Has anyone from your constituency called you for a police case?

Yes! They do call me as my husband Chandrasekhar is a retired IPS officer.

If it is within my purview and it is within the rules, then I will help them. If not, no!

Does it give you confidence that all the MLAs in Chennai city are from the DMK and one is from your ally, the Congress, or do you feel that people vote differently in Parliament elections?

The people of Tamil Nadu are very rational.

They have their own way of voting for the assembly and parliamentary elections. But this time we are confident as the chief minister's Dravidian model of governance is based on social justice.

The free bus travel for women, the Rs 1,000 grant to women heads of families.

The Puthumai Penn Thittam is a success. When a student does well in the 12th standard exams, to help them with higher studies the government deposits one thousand rupees in their account every month. This will help them to study further.

IMAGE: Dr Thamizhachi Thangapandian speaks in the Lok Sabha during the Budget Session of Parliament. Photograph: Sansad TV/ANI Photo

Who do you think will come second in your constituency?

I am not looking at that. I am concentrating on my victory margin.

The pre-poll surveys say that it will be the AIADMK.

Will the Bharatiya Janata Party blitz with Narendra Modi visiting Tamil Nadu 13 times have any effect?

It will have no effect. Not even an iota! When South Tamil Nadu and Chennai were reeling in floods he did not bother to visit. But when a cyclone struck Gujarat he immediately took a tour of the cyclone struck areas in a helicopter and sanctioned a thousand crores on the spot.

Chief Minister M K Stalin had asked for Rs 38,000 crores (Rs 380 billion). A delegation of MPs led by our floor leader T R Baalu met them and asked for flood relief, but it fell on deaf ears.

The people of Tamil Nadu, in particular Chennai, know about this. They know about the double standards of the BJP. Nothing will work for them here.

For language development see the amount given for Sanskrit and the paltry amount given for Tamil.

What are your future plans for your constituency?

People when I meet them have told me that they need foot over bridges with escalators and sidewalks on OMR and ECR.

There is also a request for a railway line to Cuddalore from Perungudi through the East Coast Road.

People want to remove toll gates that are existing for more than 10 years.

For most of these I have already raised my voice through parliamentary interventions. But nothing has been done.

But this time with a change in government I think all our pleas will be listened to and our dreams will be fulfilled.

You have your own MPLAD fund of Rs 25 crores over five years?

Every year we get Rs 5 crores. This is a very important point.

I became a member of Parliament on June 19, 2019, and on March 20, 2020, Covid lockdown began.

The second half after June 19, 2019, 2020-2021, 2021-2022 all the funds were taken for the PM Cares fund for which there is no audit. Rs 12 crores (Rs 120 million) were initially taken for the PM Cares fund.

After our repeated pleas and request they gave us Rs 7 crores (Rs 70 million).

We lost two years there, but we did get funds for the next three years. I have totally spent my Rs 22 crores (Rs 220 million) in my constituency for anganwadis, indoor stadiums, schools, smart classrooms, and community halls.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
'The Congress is trying to reinvent itself -- the caste census demand, OBC emphasis, the anti-corporate thrust, especially on Adani etc -- all this is not standard Congress strategy.'

IMAGE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at the Kisan Nyay Mahapanchayat in Sasaram in Bihar. Photograph: ANI Photo

The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation is an independent Left force. It has 12 MLAs in the Bihar assembly and is contesting three Lok Sabha seats in the state as part of the INDIA alliance.

The CPI M-L has been around for 50 years, but boycotted elections till the mid-1980s. "Asserting the right to vote and using the election to continue the struggle made more sense than staying away from it," explains Dipankar Bhattachrya, general secretary of the party since 1998.

"On the first day of the 1989 Lok Sabha poll when the landless poor of Bhojpur cast their vote, the price they paid was a massacre. 22 people were gunned down after the polling was over," recalls Bhattacharya, an alumnus of the Indian Statistical Institute in Kolkata.

The party then known as the Indian People's Front won the seat from Arrah. In the 1990 Bihar assembly election, it won 7 seats and finished second in 14, but went on to be eclipsed by the rise of Lalu Yadav in the 1990s.

In 2020, the Left joined hands with Lalu's Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress for the Bihar assembly election. The CPI M-L supported the Mahagatbandhan government, which was in power from August 2022 to January 2024, from outside.

"The Congress is negotiating the toughest of times and weakest of positions electorally," Bhattacharya tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih and Nikhil Lakshman at the CPI M-L office in Patna on a sultry morning.

Part 2 of a multi-part interview:

Did the Congress drag its feet initially on the INDIA alliance because it thought it would win the three assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan?

The assembly elections could have had better results and better managed had there been an INDIA input. INDIA was not factored in at all. It was built and put aside.

The Congress is in transition. It is trying to reinvent itself -- the caste census demand, OBC emphasis, the anti-corporate thrust, especially on Adani etc -- all this is not standard Congress strategy.

People are worried that in its manifestos for the assembly election, they talked about the old pension scheme, but have dropped it from their 2024 manifesto for which P Chidambaram had a convoluted explanation.

The Congress is negotiating the toughest of times and weakest of positions electorally. Whether this was the only way to respond or the best strategy to employ, only time will tell.

Have you interacted with Rahul Gandhi? Is he genuinely left of centre or is it just posturing?

I have met him in meetings and separately as well. I won't call it posturing. I won't even call him left of centre. He is evolving. In some way he has the old Nehruvian philosophy. In some moments he seems like a combination of Nehru, Gandhi and Ambedkar. Like Ambedkar, he talks of social equality.

Is he genuine?

It is not for me to say, he appears to be giving it his best.

What strategy do you think the BJP will deploy in Bihar?

The BJP is using Nitish Kumar in Bihar. Nitish had left the BJP because he thought that his days in the NDA were numbered because the BJP had used him and his survival instincts demanded that he change.

It was a shock that he returned (to the NDA) because he was the chief minister anyway, but if you look at the alliance it tells you that the BJP has been very careful not to ruffle any feathers in Bihar.

They may have some plans beyond the 2024 Lok Sabha election because like UP, the BJP would like to have its own government and the Bihar version of bulldozer raj.

They would like to find a Yogi Adityanath kind of person in Bihar, not donning the saffron robe, but espousing that kind of hardline politics.

Photograph: Nikhil Lakshman/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Dipankar Bhattacharya, General Secretary, Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist Liberation, at the party office in Patna.

But the BJP is probably willing to wait and being very careful just now. They used Chirag Paswan in the assembly election to downsize Nitish Kumar and now they have brought Chirag back.

They have also put forward Jitan Ram Manjhi, so the BJP has been careful about its allies in Bihar.

In many other states, the BJP does not care about other allies, but Bihar is a state they are careful about keeping the alliance intact.

Secondly, the BJP talks about development, but basically it use a combination of communal polarisation along with cobbling an alternate social coalition against the dominant social force.

For example in Haryana, it is against the Jats, in UP against the Yadavs -- they attack the Muslim Yadav coalition both from the M and Y end.

Communal polarisation is a defining feature of the BJP, but at the same time and equally, its defining feature is attracting an alternative coalition which includes Dalits, extremely backward castes, non Yadavs -- it uses communal polarisation, social engineering, alliance building plus Modi.

IMAGE: Bharatiya Janata Party leader Narendra D Modi and Janata Dal-United President Nitish Kumar at an election meeting in Nawada, April 7, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

What impact have the prime minister's election meetings had in Bihar?

I didn't see them having that kind of an impact. Modi and BJP will leave no stone unturned. They are an election machine. He will be addressing many rallies like he did in Bengal in 2021 which didn't have that kind of impact, similarly in Delhi they had no success.

In 2020, when we were contesting, J P Nadda, Amit Shah and said everything against us -- 'Tukde-tukde gang' and 'urban Naxals', but it didn't work.

Modi will attempt his level best.

The BJP has centered its 2024 campaign on 'Modi ki guarantee'. What impact will this along with the construction of tjhe Ram temple in Ayodhya have in this election?

The Ram temple is a matter of faith and has made people happy, but I don't see it having that kind of impact, even in North India. It is not an issue that will make people forget everything else and bring Modi back to power.

Had that been the case, then the BJP would not have been trying so many tricks like using the ED, CBI, even the Bharat Ratna for electoral gain.

The desperation seen in the BJP tells me that even they are aware that the Ram card has its limits. They have used Ram over so many elections. Probably, even Ram is not free from the law of diminishing returns.

As far as 'Modi ki guarantee' -- people have realised that he has not delivered on his promises. He had talked about doubling farmers' income and universal housing by 2022. He is not talking about that anymore and is now taking you to 2047. He is shifting the goalpost.
'I don't know whether on voting day there will be intimidation from some militant groups to vote for a particular person and then force them from voting for another in the stronghold of the candidate which does not favour them, or, force them not to come out for voting.'

'Anything is possible.'

Photograph: ANI Photo

Dr Lorho S Pfoze of the Naga People's Front is the sitting Lok Sabha MP from Outer Manipur (reserved for Scheduled Tribes).

The NPF has replaced Dr Pfoze by Kachui Timothy Zimik who will be engaged in a direct contest with Congress MLA Alfred K Arthur in Outer Manipur.

On April 13, after 40 days of calm, two Kuki-Zomi tribals belonging to the Kangpokpi district were killed. Gory videos of these killings have gone viral showing how the dead bodies were disfigured and dragged by the killers.

Dr Pfoze discusses his concerns and fears with Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com about the two-phase election in Manipur for two seats -- the other one is Inner Manipur -- amid the shadow of violence that has engulfed the valley since May 3, 2023.

What's the political situation in Manipur today as it heads for a Lok Sabha election?

It's a very peculiar situation in the sense that people are not as normal as they were during the 2019 Lok Sabha election. They always come out to vote for the ruling dispensation. This time I think they are not happy with whatever is going on.

There's lot of confusion. They really don't know who to vote for. They don't like to vote for the NPF (the Naga People's Front) because of our official alliance with the BJP. The BJP over the past few months -- almost a year now -- has caused a lot of displeasure among the public.

The Congress also had its own share of contributing to all this public ire over many, many years before, when they were also ruling. Now, when the election has come again they (Manipuris

That is what I have been told by innumerable Manipur people. So let us see. Voting day is not too far off.

IMAGE: Voters queue in Senapati, March 5, 2022, during the second phase of the Manipur assembly elections. Photograph: ANI Photo

When is the voting day in Manipur for the Lok Sabha seats?

Today, the situation is so peculiar that in one parliamentary constituency -- Outer Manipur (dominated by the Kuki-Zo tribals; the Meitei dominated inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat votes on April 19) -- elections will be held in two phases: On April 19 and April 26.

I'm told by the commission (Election Commission of India) that this is the only constituency which is supposed to vote in two different phases. So that's very peculiar.

What does this tell you about the law and order situation in Manipur?

In the Kuki-dominated areas as well as in those areas which are dominated by many different tribes and ethnicities, there will be lot of tension on election day. I will not really know whether there will be violence on the day of election, but there will be a lot of confusion.

People may not turn out in good numbers just out of fear. Because of the law and order situation the Kukis have decided not to participate; the ITLF (the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum) has already asked the Kukis to not contest the election.

Yet, they may participate in the voting. They are debating in their mind whether they should boycott this one (Lok Sabha election). Whether they will vote or boycott it is for all of us to see.

The third option the people here are mulling is to vote for NOTA (none of the above, option available on EVMs) in huge numbers.

They may vote, but who they vote for is something that we need to see

Given this situation -- and you must be seeing it first hand on the ground -- how peaceful and fair will be the elections to the two Lok Sabha seats in Manipur?

I don't know whether on voting day there will be intimidation from some militant groups to vote for a particular person and then force them from voting for another in the stronghold of the candidate which does not favour them, or, force them not to come out for voting. Anything is possible.

We really don't know what will happen on April 19. We only have to wait and see.

IMAGE: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh inspects the situation in the hills adjoining Bishnupur-Churachandpur, July 2, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

What kind of security arrangements are in place on the ground to handle such situations?

I'm not really particularly sure about the number of paramilitary forces that are deployed here, but if you were here you would know that there is huge deployment. But how effective these paramilitary forces will prove in containing violence or intimidation will depend on who leads them (from the state administration).

These people (the paramilitary forces) are not local people; whether they'll be absolutely aware of what is happening in and outside the polling areas, it's something that we need to observe.

It is not going to be very easy for paramilitary forces to handle the situation on the ground.

For this the observers -- and I don't know how many such observers will be here -- may not be sufficient. But election observers (from the ECI) need to be doing justice. If they observe things which are not correct, then they must take actions accordingly.

Otherwise they just allow things to happen on the ground and that will definitely lead to wrong results being projected.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently claimed that it was his intervention that helped resolved the Manipur situation. Do you agree?

As far as the people of Manipur know, during the days when violence was at its peak in the valley (the valley has been engulfed in bouts of ethnic violence between the majority Meiteis and Kuki-Zo tribals since May 2023), they have not seen the prime minister being involved.

Maybe he might have been taking stock of the situation through agencies. I have no idea.

But the prime minister hasn't made a single statement about what is happening in Manipur yet. Do the people of Manipur feel let down?

I think the voters will tell.

We are told that in the days ahead Amit Shah may visit us again. Let us see the outcome.

Why aren't you contesting the elections?

This time the party preferred to give the ticket to somebody else.
'When you weigh anti-incumbency against the Centre against anti-incumbency against the state, anti-incumbency against the Centre will triumph as this is a parliamentary election.'

IMAGE: Bharatiya Janata Party leader Narendra D Modi holds a roadshow with Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai in support of the party's Chennai South candidate Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, Chennai, April 9, 2024. All photographs: ANI Photo

With the elections hotting up more than the summer heat, Tamil Nadu is seeing four different candidates wooing them, not counting the independents in the fray.

But the joker in the pack is the Bharatiya Janata Party who, under its state chief Kuppuswamy Annamalai, is making a high-decibel attempt to wrest the state from Dravidian parties' domination lasting over 50 years.

"BJP may come second in 10 seats," Dr Sumanth Raman, the well-known commentator on Tamil Nadu politics, tells Rediff.com Senior Contributor A Ganesh Nadar.

The BJP is making an all-out dash to win big in Tamil Nadu this time. Realistically speaking, how many seats can they expect?

I am not sure about them winning any seats. One or two, but even that is doubtful.

What is their biggest strength, what is their biggest weakness?

Their biggest strength is the effort they are putting in, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting so many times, and the party organisation working full time.

Their biggest weakness is they don't have a large enough base at the grassroots level, at the booth level.

Secondly, they are out of tune with the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu.

Katchatheevu, etc... do such issues still have electoral traction in Tamil Nadu?

They have absolutely no traction with the people and this election. Katchatheevu or Sengol or any such topics.

How much of an incremental value will Modi's forays into Tamil Nadu have?

It must have some value as they must have done local research to see what effect he has.

He has come 12 or 13 times this year. He will have some impact, how much we will have to wait and see.

K Annamalai has been explosive since his appointment. What does the future hold for him?

He started very well when he was first appointed president. He has squandered it with some of his latest statements.

The DMK led front, The AIADMK led front, the BJP led front and the NTK. How much percentage of the vote would you give them today?

DMK 40% to 45%

AIADMK 28% to 30%

BJP 13% to 17%

NTK 5% to 7%.

I feel the NTK will be squeezed out.

You recently tweeted that many non-performing MPs will get elected by being in the right place at the right time. Could you care to elaborate?

I am not going to take names, but in both the DMK and the Congress there are non-performing MPs.

They don't live in their constituencies and they haven't done any significant work there.

Yet they will get elected because they are in the DMK and Congress at this time.

The recent Rs 4 crore cash seizure in Tambaram, with fingers pointing at the BJP candidate... What do you think of the episode?

It is a sad fact that cash distribution is happening all over the state. Only an inquiry will show whose money it was.

Elections in Tamil Nadu are always between the DMK and the AIADMK, but Annamalai believes differently, that the BJP has arrived. False confidence, or based on reality?

I think some of it is bravado. They might come in second in 10 seats.

Their vote share will be in double digits for sure.

For the first time, Annamalai and three of his predecessors as Tamil Nadu BJP presidents are in the electoral fray. Does it signify anything?

They have asked all senior leaders to contest. They asked a sitting governor Tamilisai to resign and contest.

L Murugan is already a Rajya Sabha member. but he is contesting. They have brought out their heavy ammunition.

The swing voters in Tamil Nadu have a strong incentive in cash for votes. How will this play out as both Dravidian parties and the BJP have lots of money?

They will take money from all and split the votes in the family.

For example, if a family has six votes and both the Dravidian parties have given them money, each will get three votes.

The AIADMK was routed last time in the company of the BJP. This time they are going on their own. Will the minorities buy into them?

The minorities will not desert the DMK not in large numbers. Maybe a few will vote for the AIADMK.



IMAGE: Dr Sumanth Raman.

Photograph: Kind courtesy Sumanth Raman/X

Edappadi K Palaniswami made the astounding statement that the BJP tried to break up the AIADMK, did they? Why did it fail, then?

In the latter part of the OPS (O Panneerselvam)-EPS saga, the BJP supported OPS. They were trying to crush EPS with OPS.

Is there a chance of the DMK jumping ship in case the INDIA alliance doesn't do well, but the DMK does very well? After all they have been part of the BJP government in the past.

There is a possibility as there are no permanent friends or enemies in politics.

At this point of time, I don't see this happening. But you cannot rule it out. Depends on how many ministries they are offered.

The DMK also knows that this will make it very difficult for them in the 2026 assembly elections.

IMAGE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and DMK President M K Stalin at an election meeting in Coimbatore, April 12, 2024.

Will Stalin be able to overcome the anti-incumbency against his party and government?

There is bigger anti-incumbency against Narendra Modi.

When you weigh anti-incumbency against the Centre against anti-incumbency against the state, anti-incumbency against the Centre will triumph as this is a parliamentary election.

If the present political formulations continue, how do you see the Tamil Nadu assembly elections fanning out?

In this election, the INDIA alliance will do well.

The AIADMK has a very good chance in the 2026 assembly elections as there is lots of anti-incumbency against the DMK government.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
Underscoring the importance of voter satisfaction and trust in the electoral system, the Supreme Court on Thursday told petitioners who sought its direction to go back to using ballot papers not to suspect the efficacy of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and appreciate if the Election Commission does good work.

IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: Ajay Verma/Reuters

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta, which reserved its verdict on a batch of pleas seeking complete cross-verification of votes cast using EVMs with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), said over suspicion of everything is a problem.

The VVPAT is an independent vote verification system which enables electors to see whether their votes have been cast correctly.

The bench made the remarks when advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for petitioner NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), sought reversal of the poll panel's 2017 decision to replace the transparent glass on VVPAT machines with an opaque glass through which a voter can see the slip only when the light is on for seven seconds.

"I understand it is the election eve. At least the bulb which glows for seven seconds should be allowed to glow continuously after the button is pressed in the EVM," Bhushan pleaded.

The bench, which interacted for nearly an hour with senior deputy election commissioner Nitesh Kumar Vyas to understand the functioning of EVMs, told Bhushan that voter satisfaction and trust are at the core of the electoral process.

"Mr. Bhushan, now you are going too far. This is too much. Whether it's transparent or translucent glass on a VVPAT machine or the glowing of a bulb, ultimately it is the voter's satisfaction and trust (that matters). The bulb only helps you see better, that's all," the bench said.

It said, "Everything cannot be suspected. You (Bhushan) cannot be critical of everything. If they (the EC) have done something good, you have to appreciate it. You don't have to be critical of everything."

Bhushan said he was not casting any aspersion on the poll panel but possibility for improvement exists.

Justice Khanna told him, "Agree. But if they have improved things within four corners of law, then it is fine. Bulb or no bulb, how does it matter? If an explanation is given, then you must appreciate it. Over-suspicion of everything is a problem. A voter has to satisfy himself, that's all. They gave the explanation for the improvement, you heard them and everyone heard them."

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was in the courtroom, said as an officer of the court he is submitting that these efforts by petitioners, of doubting the efficacy of EVMs, on the eve of election has an impact on voter percentage.

"By these efforts the vote percentage gets affected. People may think that something is wrong. Democratic choice of voter is being made into a joke despite repeated rebukes to them (petitioners) by this court. I have asked my side to be ready for planted news reports and articles. Every time there is an important hearing, planted news reports and articles comes up," Mehta said.

The bench asked him to leave it at that and clarified that the ADR petition was filed last year and it was the court's fault that it could not be heard.

"Yes, some new petitions have come now but the one in which Mr Bhushan is appearing was filed long back. We have learnt to deal with comments on social media and people have freedom to post their opinion on social media," Justice Khanna told Mehta.

During the nearly day-long hearing, the bench posed several questions to the Election Commission official and said, "There seems to be some gap between what is available in public domain and what should be available in public domain. That needs to be bridged."

Emphasising that voter's trust has to be maintained and protected, the bench said the integrity of the entire electoral process must be ensured

On the prayer of the petitioners that paper ballots should be used instead of EVMs, the bench said, "Paper ballots have huge drawbacks and we don't want to think about it. Instead, we were thinking of using barcodes for political parties in future but that would be a humongous task."

Senior advocate Santosh Paul, appearing for one of the petitioners, said several developed countries have gone back to using ballot papers in elections.

"The Indian system is working well and voting percentage is increasing in every election which shows people are having faith in the system. We all know what used to happen with ballot papers," the bench said referring to rigging and booth capturing during elections in the past.

Senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the poll panel, said EVMs are standalone machines and cannot be tampered with but possibility of human error cannot be ruled out.

Underscoring that the electoral process has to have sanctity, Justice Datta told Singh, "You have to allay the apprehensions, both in the court and outside the court. Let nobody have the apprehension that something which is expected is not being done."

On April 16, the top court had deprecated criticism of EVMs and calls for reverting to ballot papers, saying the electoral process in India is a "humongous task" and attempts should not be made to "bring down the system".

The seven-phase Lok Sabha polls begin on April 19.

The ADR has sought matching the count in EVMs with votes that have been verifiably "recorded as cast" and to ensure that the voter is able to verify through VVPAT slip that his vote, as recorded on the paper slip, has been "counted as recorded".
The Bombay high court on Thursday directed the Narcotics Control Bureau to submit the material collected by it in the preliminary inquiry initiated against its former Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede over alleged irregularities found in two cases probed by him.

IMAGE: IRS officer, Sameer Wankhede takes part in a cleanliness drive on the occasion of International Coastal Cleanup Day, in Bandra, Mumbai, September 16, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Manjusha Deshpande also sought to know from the agency what the complaints were against Wankhede and who were the complainants, on the basis of which the inquiry was initiated.

Wankhede, a 2008-batch Indian Revenue Service officer, had filed a petition in the high court, challenging the notices issued to him on the NCB's preliminary inquiry over alleged irregularities in a drugs case related to actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death.

Wankhede on Thursday submitted a rejoinder affidavit to the court through his counsel Rajiv Chavan, claiming that he has been facing multiple cases after he arrested actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan in the drugs-on-cruise case.

He also alleged that former Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik also held a grudge against him as he had arrested Malik's son-in-law Sameer Khan in a drugs case.

On Thursday, the bench, after perusing the plea copy, noted that Wankhede had approached the Central Administrative Tribunal, too, against the notices issued to him by the NCB.

The court queried if there was overlapping of reliefs sought by Wankhede.

"We cannot have simultaneous proceedings. When the notices are sub-judice before the CAT, how can you come to the Bombay high court," the court said.

Chavan claimed that the plea in CAT pertained to notices issued in another inquiry initiated by the NCB.

The court asked for a chart containing all proceedings filed by Wankhede in all forums for clarity.

The bench will hear the matter further on April 23.

The NCB initiated the preliminary inquiry against Wankhede in connection with the drugs case pertaining to Rajput's death and another case of arrest of a Nigerian national for drugs possession, probed by Wankhede, after it received complaints of irregularities during the investigation into them.

After Rajput allegedly committed suicide at his residence in Mumbai in June 2020, the NCB initiated a probe of alleged drug use in the film industry.

The agency later filed a case of alleged possession, consumption and financing of drugs against Rajput's girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik and 33 others.

From November 2023 to March 2024, the NCB issued eight notices to Wankhede, directing him to appear before the agency's Deputy Director General Sanjay Singh, who is heading the preliminary inquiry.

Wankhede in his petition claimed he was being targeted and the inquiry was an "act of vengeance".

Wankhede, a 2008-batch IRS officer of the Customs and Indirect Taxes cadre, was also booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation in May last year on the charges of extortion and bribery for allegedly seeking Rs 25 crore to not frame actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan in a case of drug bust on a cruise ship.

The Enforcement Directorate also later lodged a money laundering case against him.

Wankhede had moved the high court against both the cases and was granted interim protection from any coercive action.
The BSP leader won the Bijnor Lok Sabha seat in 1989, her first electoral triumph.

Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh will vote in the first phase on April 19.

The history of the Bijnor Lok Sabha constituency is intertwined with the rise of the Bahujan Samaj Party and its party chief Mayawati.

In 2019, Malook Nagar won the seat for the BSP 30 years after Mayawati debuted in the Lok Sabha from the constituency in 1989.

However, two interesting Lok Sabha bypolls had preceded Mayawati's 1989 success from Bijnor.

In 1985, a bypoll was held for the Bijnor seat after the passing away of Congress MP Girdhari Lal. The Congress fielded debutante Meira Kumar, who had quit the Indian Foreign Service to follow her father, former deputy prime minister and the most prominent Scheduled Caste leader, Jagjivan Ram, in politics.

Kumar struggled to beat the Lok Dal's Ram Vilas Paswan, at the time a two-term former MP from Bihar's Hajipur, by less than 6,000 votes.

Mayawati, who could not contest on her party's symbol as the BSP was still unrecognised, trailed at number three, but gnawed into the Congress support base, securing 61,000 votes. Paswan and Mayawati punctured Kumar's ambitions of becoming Jagjivan Ram's legatee in UP.

Two years later, in 1987, the Congress's Ram Singh won in a Lok Sabha bypoll from the Haridwar seat. Mayawati was the runner-up, losing by nearly 14,000 votes. Paswan was pushed to number four. More embarrassingly, he forfeited his deposit and ambitions to emerge a leader of UP's Dalits.

In 1991, Mayawati lost from Bijnor to a BJP candidate. She also lost from Bulandshahr and Haridwar. However, the BSP was part of the coalition government in Lucknow two years later, and Mayawati became the state's chief minister in 1995.

The BSP's rise in UP contributed to the Congress's decline in India's most populous state.

For the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP has left the seat for its ally, the Rashtriya Lok Dal, to contest in a three-cornered fight against the Samajwadi Party and BSP.
IMAGE: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader M K Stalin at a roadshow organised in support of Kalanidhi Veeraswamy, the DMK candidate from the Chennai North constituency, at Kolathur in Chennai, April 16, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Polling for the first phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections commences on Friday, April 19, 2024, with 102 seats out of 543 seats going to the polls.

Phase I: Touch And Go Seats

Accoding to data available from the Election Commission of India, 8 seats in the first phase had a victory margin of less than 2 per cent in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Of this, the Chidamabram seat in Tamil Nadu was won by Thol Thirumavalavan belonging to the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi party defeating All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate M Chandrakasi by a margin of mere 0.28 per cent votes.

The Saharanpur seat in Uttar Pradesh was won by Bahujan Samaj Party candidate Haji Fazlur Rehman defeating Raghav Lakhanpal of Bharatiya Janata Party by a margin of 1.82 per cent votes.

The Election Commission data shows 16.63 crore (166.3 million) voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the first phase on Friday.

Of this, 8.40 crore (84 million) voters are male voters while 8.23 crore (82.3 million) voters are female voters and the third gender number stands at 11,371.

The Bahujan Samaj Party led by Mayawati has fielded the maximum number of 86 candidates in the first phase followed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (77) and the Congress (56).

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
The sole woman crew member of an Israel-linked container vessel seized by Iran's military, Ann Tessa Joseph, who was released by Iranian authorities and arrived in Kochi, on Thursday expressed gratitude to all, including the Indian authorities who facilitated her release.

IMAGE: Ann Tessa Joseph (left), the woman cadet who was among the 17 Indians onboard container vessel MSC Aries seized by Iran, being welcomed at the airport in Kochi, Kerala, April 18, 2024. Photograph: Courtesy MEA India on X

Joseph said while she was scared when the ship was seized, none of the 25 crew members were mistreated by the Iranian authorities who also made arrangements for the sailors to communicate with their respective families.

"We cannot say that we were imprisoned. We were with them. We were not treated cruelly and food was not an issue," she said while speaking to reporters after reaching her home in this southern Kerala district.

Joseph said the 16 remaining Indians, including three from Kerala, would also be released soon according to what she was told by the Indian consulate.

"I was released early probably as I was the only woman onboard the ship," she said.

She said that everyone onboard the ship was aware of the tensions between Israel and Iran, but never expected that such a thing would happen to them.

"It was totally unexpected. They (Iranian authorities) gave several reasons for seizing the ship," she said.

Joseph further said her quick release was thanks to the direct intervention by the external affairs ministry.

"Not just them, there are many whom I did not see or know, but who worked for my release. I would like to thank them all," she said.

Joseph, who had joined the ship as a crew member only nine months ago, said she was not deterred by this unfortunate experience.

"I took up this job because I desired to work in this field. Worked a lot to achieve it. This was my first ship. Therefore, I will not be giving it up because of this experience." she told reporters.

Earlier, after receiving Joseph at Cochin International Airport, her father Biju Abraham said that his daughter's prayer is for the release of others, including those from Kerala who remain on the ship, to be made possible.

"She said that she was able to return home so soon because of the hard work of the Government of India and other agencies. Thanks to everyone. The role played by the media in this matter is also highly appreciated," Abraham told PTI while travelling to their residence in Kodungoor, Kottayam district, with his daughter.

The family, based in Thrissur, had relocated to Kodungoor last week and Joseph was on her way to visit their new home when the Iranian army seized the ship.

Earlier in the day, the ministry of external affairs said that Joseph was released on Thursday following "concerted efforts" by the Indian mission in Tehran and the Iranian government.

"With the concerted efforts of the Indian mission in Tehran and the Iranian government, Indian deck cadet Ann Tessa Joseph from Thrissur, Kerala, who was among the Indian crew members of container vessel MSC Aries, has landed safely at Cochin international airport today afternoon," the MEA said in a statement.

As many as 17 Indians, including Keralite Joseph, were part of the 25-member crew of the ship.

The MEA said the Indian side is in touch with Iranian authorities to ensure the release of the remaining 16 Indian crew members of the vessel 'MSC Aries'
The Bharatiya Janata Party's ambition to emerge as a force challenging Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu and determination to retain its strongholds across the country will be put to a stern test on Friday when the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections kick off.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a roadshow with Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai (right) in support of party South Chennai candidate Tamilisai Soundararajan (left) ahead of Lok Sabha polls, in Chennai, April 9, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

If a lot is at stake for the ruling party in the 102 constituencies going to the polls as Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks a stronger majority, the challenge is even bigger for the Opposition INDIA bloc, whose several constituents are in a battle of survival and hope for a rebound after facing reverses in the 2014 and 2019 elections.

Among the 21 states and Union Territories where these seats are spread, Tamil Nadu has emerged as a riveting battleground thanks to the BJP's high-octane push to open up its traditionally bipolar polity amid the main opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's continued struggle since J Jayalalithaa's death.

Elections in all the 39 seats in the state, where the BJP drew a blank in 2019, will be held on Friday.

Modi has led the saffron charge, frequenting the state for long before the polls were announced and holding several rallies and road shows since then.

The BJP, which has allied with a few smaller parties, has sought to upend the state's conventional politics, which has so far been indifferent to Hindutva politics, by taking the ruling DMK head-on for its alleged insult of Sanatan Dharma besides involvement in corruption.

The prime minister has visited many temples in the run-up to the elections, especially in the days ahead of the Ram temple consecration ceremony in January.

He has deftly mixed this with his championing of Tamil culture and pride to counter the Dravidian criticism of the BJP as a party pushing north Indian values in the state.

Chief Minister MK Stalin has dismissed all the buzz around the BJP as propaganda, while terming the fight against the national party as a battle for democracy's survival in the country.

Political strategist Prashant Kishor has, however, predicted a big rise in the BJP's vote share in the state, while the party's state president K Annamalai, who quit the IPS to join politics and has energised its campaign, has claimed that its seats will be in double digits.

It is also one state where the BJP has invested heavily in its regional leadership represented by Annamalai, who is himself contesting from Coimbatore.

The poll outcome in the state on June 4, when the nationwide counting of all seats will be done, will have wide repercussions.

If Tamil Nadu is a test of BJP's ambitions and appeal in newer territories, more conventional calculations are in play in other regions in the first phase.

The BJP had won 39 of these 102 seats in 2019, with the ruling alliance bagging all 12, five and three of them in Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and West Bengal respectively. Its existing allies hold seven of them.

Among other major states, eight seats in Uttar Pradesh, six in Madhya Pradesh, five each in Maharashtra and Assam, and four in Bihar will face the election on Friday.

Disaffection among a section of Jats in Rajasthan combined with rebellion by some leaders who were either in the BJP or its ally, have made the NDA's task of retaining the state's all 25 seats challenging, political watchers said.

Among the 12 seats in the fray in Rajasthan on Friday, the saffron party is facing a tough fight in seats like Churu, where incumbent MP Rahul Kaswan is the Congress candidate after the BJP dropped him, and Nagaur, where its former ally and current MP Hanuman Beniwal has joined hands with the Congress.

Union minister Bhupender Yadav is making his Lok Sabha election debut from Alwar.

In Maharashtra, Union minister Nitin Gadkari's Nagpur seat goes to the polls in the first phase.

The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi's constituents Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party have faced splits with the recognised official versions of the two parties now being BJP's allies, even though their main faces Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar respectively remain in the rival camp.

Poll watchers will be looking at how the changed equations play out in the western state where assembly polls are due later this year.

Union minister Jitendra Singh's Udhampur constituency, Kiren Rijiju's Arunachal West, and Congress leader Kamal Nath's pocket borough Chhindwara, where his son Nakul Nath in again in fray, are among the seats in the first phase.

One Lok Sabha seat and some parts of another seat in the ethnic violence-hit Manipur, besides several seats across the North East states are also in the fray.

Though the BJP has inflicted a crushing defeat on its rivals in Uttar Pradesh in 2019, five of its eight seats facing polls in the first phase were won by the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samajwadi Party, who were then allies and are fighting separately now.

The BJP is looking to make gains this time round in these western Uttar Pradesh seats following its alliance with the Jayant Singh-led RLD while the Samajwadi Party and the Congress have joined hands to take on them.
'He had to change them because he recognises that even with his popularity....could lead to a problem. So, democracy has this way of offering corrections and telling the ruling party or the prime minister that you need to take some steps to compensate for excesses'

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a mace during a public meeting in Agartala. Photograph: ANI Photo

India appears to be transitioning from a Congress-dominated system to one controlled by the Bharatiya Janata Party but it is yet to be seen whether the party can penetrate South India or not, an eminent American expert has said, as he joined a debate whether overwhelming power to a single entity can be a concern for the health of democracy.

Ashley J Tellis, the Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs and a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment think-tank, observed that the ruling party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as per latest opinion poll trends, seems to be headed for a third consecutive term.

If the opinion polls are correct, Prime Minister Modi will be elected likely with a comfortable enough majority to dominate politics for another five years, Tellis said at a panel discussion on India in Modi's Third Term on Wednesday.

Alyssa Ayres, dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs and professor of history and international affairs at George Washington University, and Ashok Malik, a partner at The Asia Group and Chair of its New Delhi-based subsidiary were the two other panellists.

For the longest time, India was very comfortable with what was called the Congress system. Congress was hegemonic in politics for many decades. It appears like we might be transitioning now to a BJP system and a BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) hegemony," Tellis said.

"We will have to wait and see what the results bring with respect to South India in particular, ..the party can penetrate south, he said.

But if we are on the cusp of a transition to a BJP system, do we have reasons to be concerned about the health of Indian democracy? I don't mean that it simply concerns minorities, so on and so forth, though that is commonplace. But the question of a party that has overwhelming power at the centre, that has an extraordinary mandate vis-a-vis the civil society, other arms of government, the press and so on and so forth. What is the status when you think about Indian democracy for five years?" Tellis asked.

Malik said as an Indian he must confess that he is disappointed that India has never had a stable two-party system.

When Congress dominated, other parties, including the BJP were inconsequential. The BJP surged from 2014 onwards, and the Congress has become a very small body today.

As someone committed to Indian democracy as an Indian citizen, irrespective of which party I vote for, this is disappointing. One would like to see a competition. It keeps governments on their toes, he said.

Having said that, it's not just an opposition party that keeps the government or ruling party system (in check) there are other characters," he said.

Malik said Modi is not just popular in India today, he is extremely popular.

"He is the most popular prime minister I have seen in my lifetime, perhaps Nehru in the early 50s or something (to) compare. Yet even he has had to change 101 of his incumbent 303 MPs, he said.

He had to change them because he recognises that even with his popularity....could lead to a problem. So, democracy has this way of offering corrections and telling the ruling party or the prime minister that you need to take some steps to compensate for excesses. So, I'm reasonably confident that the country as pluralistic and religious India will continue to retain that internal sense of debate and compensation argument, Malik said.

Ayres said for some Americans and parts of the US government and US civil society organisations, it's the question of how India conceptualises itself, how it keeps or maintains space for its minorities, freedom of expression, what does that look like, can you disagree publicly?

I mean the kinds of concerns that you see people raising should be concerns for Indian citizens. If you criticise the liberal party, are there repercussions? These are the kinds of concerns that you hear in the United States, she said.
The proportion of postal votes polled in the general elections has gradually risen since 2009.

IMAGE: An elderly woman voter shows her ink-marked finger after casting her vote through a postal ballot for the Lok Sabha elections at her residence, in Agartala, April 10, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

The number of postal ballots cast has been rising in recent Lok Sabha elections.

The latest state elections show a higher share of postal ballots, according to an analysis of Election Commission of India data.

Close to 3 million voters cast their ballots by post in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, which accounted for 0.5 per cent of the total votes polled.

The proportion of postal votes polled in the general elections has gradually risen since 2009, when fewer than 1 million postal votes were cast.

The share at the time was 0.2 per cent. Some of the increase is attributed to electronic postal voting.

A government statement noted that voter turnout was 60.14 per cent using the new system in 2019. Service voter turnout in 2014 was only around 4 per cent.

About three-fourths of these postal ballots came from just 11 states. Over 11 per cent of postal ballots were cast from Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, followed by 10.3 per cent from Andhra Pradesh.

In comparison, 9.7 per cent of the postal ballots were cast from Maharashtra, followed by Tamil Nadu at 8.3 per cent, Rajasthan at 7.9 per cent, and Gujarat at 7 per cent.

Meanwhile, between 3 per cent and 6 per cent of the total postal ballots came from Bihar, West Bengal, Karnataka, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Kerala.

As many as 1.7 million postal votes were cast in the nine states that had their Assembly elections in 2023, accounting for about 1 per cent of the total number of votes cast.

However, in some states like Tripura, the share of the postal ballot was at 3 per cent, followed by Mizoram at 2.5 per cent, Nagaland at 2.1 per cent, and Meghalaya at 2 per cent.

Postal voting in Karnataka, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh was less than 1 per cent.

The postal ballot is available to only a select category of voters.

Voters belonging to the armed forces, those on election duty, those under preventive detention, absentee voters, mediapersons covering elections, and those in essential services can mail in their votes if they are unable to physically cast their vote at the polling station.

The Indian election process utilises electronically transmitted postal ballots for this purpose.

Postal ballot voting is already underway for the first phase of the 2024 LS elections.

The Election Commission has extended the option of the postal ballot to senior citizens aged above 85 years and for persons with disabilities, for the first time this year.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
The humans have selective amnesia about the significance of forests, the Supreme Court said on Thursday while advocating the need for a change in approach towards natural resources from anthropocentric to ecocentric.

IMAGE: A view of the Supreme Court of India. Photograph: ANI Photo

The court made the observations in its verdict by which it not only set aside the Telangana high court judgement declaring 106.34 acre forest land in Warangal district as private but slammed it for graciously gifting it to a private person who could not prove his title.

It also came down heavily on state officials for abdicating their duty to protect forest land.

A bench of justices MM Sundresh and S V N Bhatti said, Human beings indulge themselves in selective amnesia when it comes to fathom the significance of forests. It is the forests which give life to the Earth by replacing carbon dioxide with oxygen, thereby providing a hospitable environment for the steady growth of diverse life forms.

It said it was the spirit of the forest which moved the earth, and the history of humankind would to be understood through the prism of the environment, the forest in particular.

Despite forests providing "unblemished, selfless and motherly service", people continued to destroy them, while remaining unmindful of the fact that they were inadvertently destroying themselves, the bench said.

Underlining that protection of forests was in the interest of humans, the top court said vulnerable sections of society would be most affected by their depletion.

There is a crying need for a change in our approach. Man being an enlightened species, is expected to act as a trustee of the Earth. He has to ensure the preservation of the ecosystem and to continuously endeavour towards the protection of air, water and land, the Supreme Court said.

It said the time has come for humans to live sustainably and respect the rights of rivers, lakes, beaches, estuaries, ridges, trees, mountains, seas and air.

The need of the hour is to transform from an anthropocentric approach to an ecocentric approach which will encompass a wider perspective in the interest of the environment, the apex court said.

Underscoring the economic implications of forests, it said, Wealth of a country has to be seen not only from the perspective of mere revenue, augmented through its industries and business activities. Rather, it has to be seen by giving due importance to its natural wealth which actually contributes much more than the other factors."

The top court said a country with excess forest cover would be in a position to sell its surplus carbon credit to the one in deficit and that a difference of one and half degrees Celsius in temperature saves the global economy tens of trillions of dollars.
Two men arrested for firing outside Bollywood superstar Salman Khan's residence in Mumbai had conducted a survey of his farm house at Panvel in adjoining Raigad district four days before the shooting incident, police said on Thursday.

IMAGE: The two accused, Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal, arrested by Gujarat police in connection with the Salman Khan house shooting case being brought to the Mumbai crime branch, April 15, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Prima facie, the duo's main objective behind firing outside Khan's residence in Galaxy Apartments in upscale Bandra on early Sunday morning was to create "terror", a police official said, citing investigation conducted so far into the sensational incident.

During their custodial interrogation, the accused, Vicky Gupta (24) and Sagar Pal (21), told Mumbai Crime Branch officials that they had conducted a recce of Aprita Farms, Khan's sprawling farm house at Panvel, four days before opening fire outside his residence in Mumbai on April 14, he said.

The 58-year-old actor frequently visits the farm house, located around 60km from Mumbai, the official said.

As part of their evidence gathering exercise, police were examining CCTV cameras installed at the gate of the farm house and nearby areas. The duo, hailing from Bihar, had rented a house almost 10km away from the property in the Harigram area of Panvel, he said.

Both the accused, apprehended by a Mumbai Crime Branch team from Bhuj in Kutch district of adjoining Gujarat within 48 hours of the firing incident, have admitted to their involvement in the offence, said the official.

Police have received important information about the conspiracy angle in the episode and they were verifying details and corroborating them with evidence gathered so far, he said.

The weapon, a pistol, used in the firing was delivered to Gupta and Pal at their rented home by two persons almost 25 days before the incident, he said.

Prima facie it seems the primary aim of the firing was to create "terror" and that is why the duo, who were on a motorbike, chose early hours to execute their plan, noted the official.

Vicky Gupta and Pal had received payment in cash by their handlers for executing the task assigned to them, but their bank accounts were also being examined, he informed.

Pal, who had fired five rounds outside Khan's residence from a moving motorbike, had undergone training in firing at his native village in Bihar's West Champaran district sometime after mid-March before arriving in Mumbai in the first week of April, said the official.

The Mumbai police have detained 19-year-old Sonu Gupta, younger brother of Vicky Gupta, from Chandigarh and his possible role in the crime is being investigated, he said.

Sonu Gupta is among various persons who are being questioned, the official said.

Vicky Gupta's residence in West Champaran district has been searched by a Crime Branch team which also questioned his parents and another brother, he said.

Police were also making enquiries with Pal's family members, the official said.

During investigation, it also came to light that a Facebook account with the name of Anmol Bishnoi, younger brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, was created from abroad three hours before the firing (which took place around 5am Indian time), he said.

A post claiming responsibility for the firing was uploaded on the same Facebook account, the official informed.

He said the IP (Internet Protocol) address of the post was traced to Portugal and it is suspected the message was uploaded using VPN (virtual private network), a tool which allows a user to remotely access a private network for purposes of privacy and security.

During interrogation, the police tried to find out how the duo came into contact with Anmol Bishnoi and joined his gang, the official said.

So far, Anmol Bishnoi has not been named as an accused in the case, but his prima facie role is visible in the crime, he said.

Vicky Gupta and Pal were nabbed from a village in Kutch district on late Monday night and produced the next day before a Mumbai court which sent them to police custody till April 25.
BRATTLEBORO  Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility is starting its ongoing speaker series this year with a talk about the importance of the arts in the economy.

"This is a series we started in 2022, so we're in our third year now," said Roxanne Vought, executive director of VBSR. "We do four of these a year, so this is the first and we're so pleased to be kicking the series off in Brattleboro."

"VBSR's People. Planet. Prosperity. Speaker Series: The Economic and Social Impact of the Arts in Vermont" will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at The Stone Church in Brattleboro with free admission. Vought said each discussion in the series focuses on a different theme and digs into a topic related to the organization's "vision of a just, thriving, and transformative economy that works for all people and the planet."

VBSR's stated mission is to "leverage the power of business for positive social and environmental impact."

"It might be hard to draw a short line between that vision and the social impact of the arts, but clearly, a thriving economy needs to take into account cultural and community centers," Vought said. "Part of what brings people together is the arts. And while being brought together, they're having experiences that are bringing them new awareness and new understanding."

When the Americans for the Arts Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 Study came out in October, VBSR started thinking about when and where to have a conversation about the results.

The national study found that Vermont's arts sector generated about $158.6 million in economic activity during 2022, with arts and culture organizations spending $103.2 million and $55.4 million coming in from event-related expenditures by their audiences. About 2,712 jobs were supported by the activity, providing $112.8 million in personal income to residents and $34.8 million in tax revenue to local, state and federal governments.

Vought called the figures "significant in a small state like ours."

"We've been waiting for this study on the arts," she said. "It seemed like a great time to highlight the leadership and activity going on in the Brattleboro area."

Communities have "different cultural and natural assets," Vought said.

"Clearly, Brattleboro has sort of a concentration of individuals and organizations who are interested in leveraging the arts for community building and expansiveness of thinking, so new awareness, new understanding," she said. "And it has some of the infrastructure that includes community support."

Event panelists will include Robin Johnson, owner of The Stone Church and member of the National Independent Venue Association, Danny Lichtenfeld, executive director of Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, and Kate Trzaskos, executive director of Downtown Brattleboro Alliance. Susan Evans McClure, executive director for the Vermont Arts Council, also will participate in the talk.

McClure described arts and culture as "the third largest sector of Vermonts economy after retail and construction," which creates almost $1.2 billion of the state's gross domestic product.

Her group partnered with the Paramount Theatre in Rutland and Burlington City Arts to administer the studys field research in 2022 and 2023 through surveys. A total of 120 nonprofit organizations in Vermont collected data, according to vermontartscouncil.org/programs/aep6.

McClure estimated 25 percent of attendees to Vermonts nonprofit arts and culture events are nonlocal, meaning they travel from outside of the county to attend an event. Of those nonlocal audiences, she said, 80 percent of them are travelling just to attend the arts and culture event.

"Those nonlocal audiences are spending, on average, almost $52 on top of the price of their ticket," she said. "Local audiences spend, on average, $29 on top of the price of their ticket."

Additionally, McClure said, "the arts in Vermont help us connect with our communities and with each other in profound and meaningful ways."

Trzaskos said she believes she was asked to be a panelist "to speak to Brattleboro being not only a business hub but really a cultural hub."

"I think that we really are the arts and culture center in Southern Vermont, and we have such world-class arts and culture institutions that really support me saying that," she said, citing the Brattleboro Jazz Center, Brattleboro Music Center, BMAC, The Stone Church, New England Center for Circus Arts, Retreat Farm and more. "I think there's a real special quality to the creative economy in Brattleboro and so it attracts people from all different backgrounds, and really, there's something happening every night of the week."

When people attend local events, Trzaskos believes they're likely to visit a restaurant or bar or shop while they're here. She expressed enthusiasm for the Burlington-based VBSR coming to Southern Vermont to host a discussion.

"I'm hoping this is a trend," she said, as Brattleboro recently hosted a Vermont Womentrepreneurs event.

She also noted art and cultural organizations could use support not just from attending events, but by volunteering or joining a board of directors.

Tom Bodett, founder and president of HatchSpace, said he's honored to be part of the event. He was asked to be moderator and plans to speak about programs and partnerships as they fit into the broader discussion, including how HatchSpace has grown over the past five years and learned how to best serve the community.

"Weve evolved from an open-shop makerspace model to a mature, member-supported education and social equity partner in Vermont, with exclusive women-plus woodworking classes, BIPOC Affinity nights, youth programming with the Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro, Vermont Works for Women, and our new pilot program to provide woodworking workshops for people in recovery and returning citizens," he said. "It turns out woodworking is not just useful and fun, but good for you, too."

Bodett also would like to describe "the community of maker places" being built at the High Street & Green facility that his company owns and HatchSpace shares with the Wheelhouse Clay Center, First Proof Press, Vermont Center for Photography and more than 16 private studio spaces.

"Experiences for area residents and visitors in downtown Brattleboro can benefit every downtown business," he said. "Give them a reason to be here, and theyll show up."

Vought said the arts sector creates "great jobs."

"There are vendor contracts that the organizations that are hosting the events and activities are engaging in," she said. "They drive spending to nearby businesses related to the events and activities, and they drive tourism. A lot of that spending is on local businesses. That all gets us to a thriving economy."

Sponsors for the VBSR event include Austin Design Cooperative, Chroma Technology, Food Connects, The Richards Group and Trust Company of Vermont.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. High 47F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Rain. Low 43F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
The US laboratory Primeau Forensic, commissioned by Bivol to analyze  scandalous recording of a voice similar to that of Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, is ready with its report. It concludes that the recording has not been manipulated or tampered with. The comparison of the voice from the recording with the voice of Borisov from another recording gave a result of 20.3 points i.e. there is moderate support that the voice in each of the two recordings belongs to the same person. The expert analysis was commissioned by Bivol and paid by readers through online fundraising.

The recording was sent to several media outlets, including Bivol, by an anonymous person on June 12, 2020. It is laced with profanities and confessions of drastic abuse of power.

Bivol received the 6.5-minute recording by e-mail in a file called BoykoUnplugged.m4a. It was provided to Primeau Forensic along with a recording of a statement of Boyko Borisov to journalists after the European Council in Brussels on June 28, 2018.

The experts were asked to pre-authenticate the audio file entitled BoykoUnplugged.m4a to determine whether it had been edited or altered in any way, and to compare the male voice present in this recording with the male voice present in the other audio file for which it is certain that it is Borisovs.

The expert has examined any deviations from the general rule of continuity and has sought evidence of secondary noise or changes in the noise floor that would indicate such deviations. None were found.

After the Preliminary Audio Authentication and Analysis, no signs of manipulation or tampering were detected. In order to perform further analysis, we need to know the make and model of the equipment that was used to create the recording, expert Edward Primeau wrote in the conclusion.

Primeau is one of the leading US experts in audio and video authentication, working with US law enforcement. He analyzed the recordings that leaked two years ago between President Donald Trump and his former attorney Michael Cohen.

Borisov or not?

There is moderate support that the voice in each of the two recordings belongs to the same person, according to the results of the expertise. In the report, Primeau also explains the test methodology, which is scientifically based on the publications of Aitken et al. 2011 and Aitken & Taroni from 2004. According to this methodology, if the Likelihood Ration is from 0 to 1, then the voices are more likely to be from different people, while with a Likelihood Ratio above 1, the compared voices are more likely to be from the same person. When the Ratio is 50, there is almost certain support that the compared voice samples came from the same person. Therefore, a Likelihood Radio of 20.3 gives a moderate support that the voice in the recording BoykoUnplugged.m4a is that of Borisov.

The Prime Minister Borisov, himself, came up with several conflicting and confusing explanations about the recording, first claiming that it was imitation by an impostor, then talked about a deep fake to finally assert that it was him but his words had been mounted from various recorded public statements he had made.

The expert analysis, however, firmly refutes the above as it concludes that no signs of manipulation or tampering were detected.

It also became clear a few days ago that another laboratory, Beryl Audio Forensics Laboratory, had reached similar conclusions after analyzing the recording from June 12. The analysis was commissioned by Bulgarian MEP Elena Yoncheva, whom the PM threatens to burn in the recording. Yoncheva told Bulgarian media that this laboratory works with the US Department of Justice and the FBI and its expertise is used in US courts. The Beryl Audio Forensics Labs report is 34 pages long and also concludes that there are no signs of manipulations in the recording and that the voice is that of Borisov.

The investigation in Bulgaria is led by bad apple Betsova

The Bulgarian Prosecutors Office launched an investigation into the recordings and into the leaked to the media photos of Borisov, showing him sleeping in his bedroom with a handgun on his nightstand and photos of the same bedroom displaying the nightstand drawer filled with wads of EUR 500 banknotes and gold bars. One of the prosecutors in th case is Boryana Betsova.

The Sofia City Prosecutors Office launched the investigation in mid-June 2020. It requested from several media copies of the files received from the anonymous sender. Bivol provided both the recording BoykoUnplugged.m4a and the photos.

Bivol recalls that it was Boryana Betsov who refused to investigate controversial lawmaker and media mogul Delyan Peevski and former banker Tsvetan Vassilev on a report by activist from the Protest Network, prompting French Ambassador in Sofia Xavier Lapeyre de Cabanes to write on Twitter Boryana Betsova, what apple is she?. Earlier, the Ambassador used the term bad apple to describe Judge Rumyana Chenalova, who allowed a raider attack on the French company Belvedere.

Betsova was also the supervising prosecutor in an investigation against the former Minister of Investment Ivan Danov for illegally receiving unemployment benefits in France. She refused to open an investigation and the statute of limitations on the case expired just before the Sofia Appellate Prosecutors Office announced that it had found evidence that the former Minister had committed a crime.

There are grounds for a European investigation into the recording

Betsovas presence does not give much hope that investigation into the recordings and the photos of Borisovs bedroom will be objective and thorough and that it will lead to legal charges despite the strong evidence of abuse of power and interference in the work of independent institutions.

However, the Belgian police will also conduct an investigation because MEP Yoncheva has complained about the threats to burn her and has provided the recording and the expert report she commissioned.

In addition, the civil association BOETS (Fighter) submitted a claim to the office of Laura Kovesi, the first European Public Prosecutor, because Borisov talks in the recording about interfering in the investigation into the financed by the European Union guesthouses and in particular in the case of the guesthouse of former Deputy Minister Alexander Manolev, which was exposed by Bivol.

Manolev will burn, he will be charged today or tomorrow and we will ruin him. I warned him, Borisov is heard saying in the recording. This warning is essentially sabotaging the work of the allegedly independent Bulgarian judiciary all while revealing details from an investigation that is supposed to be classified. Since the guesthouse case involves abuse of European funds, the European Public Prosecutors Office has the authority to investigate it.

***

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Former lawmaker Kong Saphea wants to return from Canada to visit his elderly parents.

A former opposition party lawmaker now living in Canada has asked Prime Minister Hun Manet to intervene in his case and ask prosecutors to drop criminal charges so that he can return to Cambodia to visit his ailing parents.

Hun Manet responded to Kong Sapheas plea on Thursday, saying on Facebook that he would work on a solution.

The prime minister also posted an image of a letter sent by Kong Saphea in February in which the former lawmaker expressed regret for his past actions against the government.

For Kong Saphea. Ive received your apology letter, Hun Manet wrote. I welcome you. I will manage according to our procedures so that you can return to Cambodia. I do hope that I will have an opportunity to meet and talk in the future.

Kong Saphea was among a group of 60 officials and activists from the Cambodia National Rescue Party, or CNRP, who were sentenced to prison in 2022 after they were found guilty of plotting to overthrow the government.

The charges were widely condemned as politically motivated, and Cambodias judiciary continues to be criticized for its lack of independence.

In 2017, the CNRP was dissolved by Cambodias Supreme Court in a decision that paved the way for the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party, or CPP, to win all 125 seats in the 2018 election.

Kong Saphea moved to Canada before the 2022 conviction. His letter in February was addressed to Hun Manet and former Prime Minister Hun Sen and requested a pardon from King Norodom Sihamoni for the 2022 conviction.

Im not defecting to the CPP, but I wrote the statement requesting a pardon because I want to get a chance to take care of my elderly parents in Cambodia, he wrote in an email to Radio Free Asia on Thursday.

Hun Manet took over as prime minister in August, after his father  Hun Sen  stepped down after decades in power.

Translated by Yun Samean. Edited by Matt Reed.
American soldiers participate in a firing exercise with Philippine troops at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija province, north of Manila, April 13, 2023.

China has slammed an annual Philippine-U.S. joint military exercise scheduled to begin next week, warning against maritime provocations.

More than 16,000 Filipino and U.S. troops are expected to take part in the joint exercise Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder), now in its 39th year but which for the first time will be conducted outside the Philippines territorial waters.

The territorial sea, measured 12 nautical miles from the shore, is where a coastal state has sovereignty and exclusive jurisdiction not only to the sea, but also to the airspace.

The U.S. Embassy in Manila calls this years exercise from April 22 to May 18 our most expansive Balikatan yet.

It said in a statement that the drills will include territorial defense and targeting simulated enemy forces in Luzon and Palawan, the areas facing Taiwan and the South China Sea.

Two countries  Australia and France  are sending troops to participate in Balikatan 2024 while 14 countries will attend as observers.

Philippine troops fire a howitzer system during joint military exercise Balikatan at Capas, Tarlac province, northern Philippines on April 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)





Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a press briefing in Beijing that Manila needs to be fully aware that when countries outside the region are brought into the South China Sea to flex muscles and stoke confrontation, tensions could get worse and the region will only become less stable.

The exercise is an act of handing over the Philippines security to outside forces, Lin said, adding that it will only lead to greater insecurity and turn oneself into someone elses chess piece.

The spokesman urged the countries involved in Balikatan 2024 to stop stoking confrontation in the South China Sea and said that China will continue to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

Not targeting any country

Filipino officials on Thursday responded to Chinas statement saying Balikatan exercises are not directed towards any specific country.

This long standing initiative, spanning several years, is aimed at enhancing cooperation, fostering training opportunities, and strengthening regional stability, Col. Francel Margareth Padillat, spokesperson for the Philippine armed forces, told BenarNews, an online news service affiliated with Radio Free Asia.

Balikatan 2024 is also aimed at testing the Philippines new defense strategy in order to protect the countrys interests in the South China Sea.

Past Balikatan exercises have been carried out inside military camps in northern Philippines and this years drills and locations indicate a shift in Manilas defense priorities.

Col. Michael Logico, the Philippine Balikatan spokesman, said Balikatan 2024 will be conducted in accordance with the new Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept, with focus on external security challenges, especially in the maritime domain.

Chinese Coast Guard vessels fire water cannons towards a Philippine resupply vessel on its way to a resupply mission at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, March 5, 2024. (Reuters/Adrian Portugal)





Vessels from the Philippines and China have been confronting each other near some of the disputed islands in the part of South China Sea under Manilas jurisdiction, called the West Philippine Sea by Filipinos.

The Philippine coast guard said its ships have been harassed and fired at with water cannons by the Chinese coast guard.

A U.N. arbitral tribunal in 2016 ruled in favor of the Philippines and rejected all Chinas claims in the South China Sea but Beijing refused to accept the verdict.

Jason Gutierrez contributed to this report from Manila

Edited by Mike Firn and Elaine Chan.








Those arrested range from 15 to 90 years old, the government says.

On May 11, 2022, Cardinal Joseph Zen, who was 90 years old at the time, was taken into custody by the police at a monastery in Chai Wan. Later that night, he was released on bail and left the Western District Police Station. The picture shows him waving to people when leaving the Western District Police Station.

Hong Kong has arrested 291 people for endangering national security in the near four years since the citys first national security law took effect. They range from 15 to 90 years old, according to the Hong Kong Security Bureau.

The data revealed come as the bureau was asked by lawmakers about the authorities expenditure used to explain to the public the legislation for the second national security law, commonly known as Article 23, which was passed last month.

While the government didnt disclose the expenditure, it stated in its written response to the Legislative Council (LegCo) that smear campaigns against the legislation are still occurring and the Response and Refutation Team therefore will continue to operate.

LegCo is holding a special Finance Committee meeting this week to review government expenditure in 2024/25.

In its response, the security bureau said that as of March 8, its hotline had received more than 700,000 reports related to national security. In addition, as of December last year, among the 10,279 people arrested in connection with the 2019 anti-extradition related movement, 35 people were wanted by the court for failing to attend court hearings and 26 people released on bail failed to report to the police.

90-year-old Cardinal and 15-year-old student arrested

Until March 8, among the 291 arrested, 218 were men and 73 women, between 15 and 90 years old. More than 170 people and five companies have been prosecuted, and 112 people have been convicted and sentenced or are awaiting sentencing.

The oldest arrested was 90-year-old Cardinal Joseph Zen, the former Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Hong Kong, while the youngest was a 15-year-old secondary school student.

In May 2022, the National Security Division of the Hong Kong Police arrested five trustees of the defunct 612 Humanitarian Support Fund, including the then 90-year-old Cardinal Zen, on suspicion of violating the collusion with foreign forces rule under the National Security Law.

Less than a year earlier in September 2021, the same division arrested seven members of the organization Light City People, charging them with conspiracy to commit terrorist activities. The then 15-year-old student, among this group, pleaded guilty and was imprisoned for six years.

The governments written document did not disclose the conviction rate of cases involving the national security law, but past reports show that the conviction rate of cases after trial is 100%, and the maximum sentence is nine years in jail.

Translated by RFA staff. Edited by Mike Firn.
Beijings joint call with Jakarta for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza will boost its influence in Southeast Asia, one analyst said.

Indonesian Defense Minister and President-elect Prabowo Subianto greets Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi before their meeting in Jakarta, April 18, 2024.

Chinas top diplomat met the outgoing Indonesian president and his successor in Jakarta on Thursday, as Beijing deepened its engagement with future leader Prabowo Subianto, amid a competition for regional influence with the United States.

The meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was part of a joint commitment to advance the partnership between the two countries, said Prabowo, who visited Beijing in early April after his landslide win in the February general election.

It is a great honor for me to welcome him [Wang] today. Thank you for the kind reception I received in Beijing a few weeks ago, Prabowo said, according to an Indonesian defense ministry statement.

Chinese President Xi Jinping had invited Prabowo to visit, and the latter accepting the invitation raised eyebrows in Indonesia because no president-elect had made a foreign visit such as this one without being sworn in. China is Indonesias largest trading partner.

Wang, too, mentioned Prabowos Beijing trip, according to the same statement.

We really appreciate and welcome Defense Minister Prabowos visit to China, he said.

We are committed to continuing to increase bilateral cooperation with Indonesia, both in the defense sector and other fields such as economic, social and cultural.

Wang is scheduled to go to East Nusa Tenggara province on Friday to attend the China-Indonesia High-Level Dialogue Cooperation Mechanism, a process to support more effective bilateral cooperation. His Jakarta stop was the first of a six-day tour that also includes Cambodia and Papua New Guinea.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (left) and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi attend a press conference after their meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta, April 18, 2024. (Eko Siswono Toyudho/ BenarNews)

Prabowo and Wang discussed cooperation in the defense industry and sector, with potential measures such as educational and training collaboration, as well as joint exercises, said Brig. Gen. Edwin Adrian Sumantha, spokesman at the Indonesian defense ministry.

In fact, the ministry statement said that China is Indonesias close partner and has had close bilateral relations, especially in the defense sector, for a long time.

Of course, China has also invested billions of U.S. dollars in infrastructure projects in Indonesia, including as part of Beijings Belt and Road Initiative  the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train, which began commercial operations in October 2023, is one such BRI project.

The two countries have drawn closer during outgoing President Joko Jokowi Widodos two terms, and Beijing would like that to continue as the U.S. tries to catch up with Chinas gargantuan influence in Southeast Asia, analysts have said.

Indonesia, China call for ceasefire in Gaza

Both Indonesia and China shared the same position on Israels devastating attacks on Gaza, said Wangs Indonesian counterpart, Retno Marsudi.

Israels air and ground strikes have killed more than 33,000 Palestinians following the Oct. 7 attack on the Jewish state by Palestinian militant group Hamas, which killed around 1,100 Israelis.

We  have the same view regarding the importance of a ceasefire in Gaza and resolving the Palestinian problem fairly through two state solutions, Retno told reporters in a joint press conference after meeting with Wang.

Indonesia will support full Palestinian membership in the U.N. Middle East stability will not be realized without resolving the Palestinian issue.

For his part, Wang slammed Washington for repeatedly vetoing resolutions calling for Israel to end the attacks on the Palestinian territory it occupies.

The conflict in Gaza has lasted for half a year and caused a rare humanitarian tragedy in the 21st century, Wang told the media at the same press conference, according to the Associated Press.

The United Nations Security Council responded to the call of the international community and continued to review the resolution draft on the cease-fire in Gaza, but it was repeatedly vetoed by the United States.

The conflict in the Middle East offered a strategic opportunity for China to further expand its influence in Southeast Asia, said Muhamad Arif, a lecturer in international relations at the University of Indonesia.

China is trying to strengthen its position as a key player in the region, Arief told BenarNews.

China could present an alternative approach to the conflict in Gaza, he said, which may find approval in Southeast Asias largest country, Indonesia, and other Mulism-majority states in the region, such as Malaysia and Brunei.

BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated online news organization.
UNICEF had requested a sanctions exemption to bring cold chain equipment into the country.

The United Nations Security Council votes during a meeting at U.N. headquarters on Sept. 11, 2017.

The U.N. Security Council Sanctions Committee on North Korea approved a request from UNICEF for a sanctions exemption so that vaccine storage equipment could be transported into North Korea, U.N. documents showed.

UNICEF sent a letter to the committee on March 11 saying the cold chain equipment, which includes refrigeration units used to store vaccines, was critical to the successful distribution of vaccines to women and children in North Korea.

The U.N. has imposed economic sanctions on North Korea since 2006 in an effort to defund the country's nuclear program. Humanitarian organizations like UNICEF must apply for exemptions to these sanctions in order to legally transport goods into North Korea.

The committee approved all of UNICEFs requests on March 20 under the stipulation that all necessary equipment be delivered in a single shipment to expedite the customs clearance process.

The committee also requested that UNICEF staff remain on-site in North Korea to monitor the distribution and use of the equipment.

The cold chain technology, manufactured in France, is estimated to have a total value of $85,000.

Dr. David Hong, who visited North Korea seven times between 2015-2019 to volunteer at Pyongyang Okryu Children's Hospital, emphasized the importance of the equipment to public health in North Korea.

North Korean children dance during an event to start a campaign to give Vitamin A supplements and deworming pills to children at a nursery school in Pyongyang, North Korea, May 20, 2013 in a UNICEF and North Korean government campaign to assist 1.7 million children across the country. (David Guttenfelder/AP)





"Their ability to produce and store vaccines has been limited by these cold chain components, so thinking about the future and other possible outbreaks, this is probably pretty essential, he told RFA.

It's an interesting support component because there's some instability in their power grid.

Its not reaching the right people

It is not yet clear whether UNICEF will be granted entry into North Korea to deliver and distribute the equipment.

UNICEF told RFA in February that its staff members have been unable to enter North Korea since the country closed its borders in 2020 to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The organization announced in its annual report released in February that it was unable to provide a comprehensive assessment of the health situation facing women and children in North Korea due to the absence of international staff on the ground.

Human rights experts have raised concerns about North Koreas decision to open its borders to Russian tourists while continuing to deny entry to international aid organizations.

Robert R. King, former Special Envoy for Human Rights in North Korea, criticized Pyongyangs border policies in a statement at the U.S. State Department on Feb. 23.

The people who are coming for tourism are spending a little bit of money, but its not reaching the right people  the people that really need assistance from humanitarian organizations, he said.

Responding to questions from RFA about the aid delivery, Simon Ingram, a spokesman from the UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office, was unable to confirm exactly when international aid workers would be able to enter North Korea.

We continue to urge our government partners in DPR Korea to facilitate the earliest possible return of our international staff, he said.

The reopening of the border and the return of UNICEFs full team to DPR Korea will be critical to ensuring more essential support can be provided in 2024 and programmes can be scaled up as necessary to meet the needs of children and women, he said, using an acronym to refer to North Korea.

However, he did reaffirm that UNICEF would be delivering the equipment within 12 months of the approval date.

Translated by Claire S. Lee. Edited by Claire McCrea and Malcolm Foster.
Hundreds of soldiers were injured, according to the Karen National Union.

An armed ethnic group intercepted a junta convoy near the Thai-Myanmar border on Thursday, according to an announcement from rebel forces.

The Karen National Liberation Army, an armed branch of the Karen National Union, along with other allied groups, captured the last remaining junta Infantry Battalion 275 near a border town in Myanmars Kayin state on Wednesday.

In response, the junta launched state-level offensive Operation Aung Zeya to capture Myawaddy city, according to a Karen National Union statement released Thursday.

Karen National Liberation Army joint forces destroyed military vehicles, including an armored vehicle, while junta troops were marching enroute to Myawaddy, it continued. According to the Karen National Union, more than 100 junta troops were injured and killed, and the group was stopped at Dawna Hills, a mountain range extending through Kayin state.

Radio Free Asia reached out to a Karen National Union spokesperson by phone today to learn more about the retaliation, but he did not respond.

On high alert

A Myawaddy resident who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons told RFA that the Karen army had warned some villages about junta airstrikes, which began on Tuesday evening.

The villages near Infantry Battalion 275 have been ordered to be evacuated by the Karen National Union due to air raids, he said. On April 18, people are telling each other to evacuate starting from today.

Civilians are waiting to go to Thailand through the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge, while other Myawaddy residents are monitoring the situation, he said, adding that everyone is worried.

Another resident in the border city said the non-aligned Karen National Army, formerly the junta-aligned Border Guard Force, are patrolling the streets and warning the residents to be prepared to evacuate quickly if heavy fighting breaks out.

Junta forces fired with heavy weapons and bombarded villages along their marching route during their offensive, causing civilian casualties and property damage, the Karen National Unions statement said.

The junta has not released any information on the attack. RFA called junta spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun for more information, but he did not pick up the phone.

Since April 5, the Karen National Liberation Army and joint forces have captured the junta camps 355, 356 and 357 in Kayin states Thin Gan Nyi Naung town, in addition to Falu camp and Kyaik Don Byu Har hill camp and others around Myawaddy city.

Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Kiana Duncan and Mike Firn.
Her transfer this week to house arrest was a positive step, the Thai Foreign Ministry said.

Former State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, and former President Win Myint during a court appearance in Naypyidaw, May 24, 2021.

The Thai Foreign Ministry urged Myanmars military junta to release Aung San Suu Kyi in a statement that also welcomed this weeks move of the former de facto leader to house arrest.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate was transferred out of Naypyidaw Prison under tight security on Tuesday. It was believed that the 78-year-old had been held in solitary confinement at the prison in the capital. Her new location was unclear.

Former President Win Myint was also moved to house arrest on Tuesday in central Myanmars Bago region.

The transfers were a positive step in responding to the concerns of the international community, Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara said in a statement on Wednesday.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military overthrew an elected government in February 2021.

The military junta has ignored a five-point consensus it agreed to with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in April 2021, which included a call for a ceasefire and dialogue between all parties in Myanmar.

The Thai Government calls for further positive steps in this direction leading to their immediate full release in order to advance the implementation of the ASEAN five-points consensus, Parnpree said in the statement.

Parnpree visited the Myanmar border on April 12 just after the army lost control of the major border town of Myawaddy.

The takeover by anti-junta forces sent thousands of people toward the border and caused neighboring Thailands armed forces to deploy soldiers alongside Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridges, which regulate both people and goods and connect Myawaddy to Thailands Mae Sot.

Parnpree urged the junta to refrain from further violence in the region. He said that people fleeing the fighting would be allowed into Thailand on a strictly humanitarian basis.

On Thursday, ASEANs foreign ministers said they were deeply concerned over the recent escalation of conflicts in Myawaddy and in Myanmars Rakhine state, where the ethnic rebel Arakan Army has captured eight townships since ending a year-long ceasefire in November.

We call on all parties to take urgent steps towards mitigating the impact of conflicts on the civilians, including creating a safe and conducive environment to ensure the timely and safe delivery of humanitarian assistance, the ministers said in a statement.

Translated by Aung Naing. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has approved the bill, advancing it to the Senate floor.

Sikyong Penpa Tsering greets participants during an event to mark the anniversary of Dali Lamas Congressional Gold Medal reception at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, Oct. 17, 2023.

The leader of Tibets government-in-exile on Wednesday said he was hopeful that a U.S. bill urging China to resolve issues related to Tibet through dialogue with the Dalai Lama or Tibetan leaders would be approved by the Senate.

The Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act, also known as the Resolve Tibet Act, was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on Feb. 15.

The bill, which also empowers the State Department to counter disinformation on Tibet,

was unanimously approved by the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday, advancing the bill to the Senate floor.

Fortunately, His Holiness the Dalai Lamas support has garnered bipartisan backing for the Tibetan cause, Sikyong Penpa Tsering, the democratically elected leader of the Central Tibetan Administration, told RFA in an interview in Washington.

We are optimistic that this bill will soon be enacted into law, he said. We hope and aim for passage [of the bill in the Senate] before the U.S. elections in November.

Currently, we have progressed about 75% towards the goal, added Tsering, who earlier this week met with key lawmakers, including Rep. Jim McGovern, a Democrat from Massachusetts, one of those who introduced the legislation.

Sikyong Penpa Tsering meets with Sen. Ben Cardin, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in Washington, DC, April 15, 2024. (Office of Tibet, Washington, DC)

Others involved in drafting the bipartisan bill include Rep. Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican who is chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Sen. Todd Young, a Republican from Indiana, and Sen. Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat.

Bills highlights

The Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, fled Tibet into exile in India in the midst of a failed 1959 uprising against rule by China, which invaded the independent Himalayan country in 1950.

Since then, Beijing has sought to legitimize Chinese rule through the suppression of dissent and policies undermining Tibetan culture and language.

The bill calls for a resumption in negotiations between Chinese officials and the Dalai Lama or his representatives. Since 2010, no formal dialogue has happened and Chinese officials continue to make unreasonable demands of the Dalai Lama as a condition for further dialogue.

It also urges China to recognize the rights of Tibetans whose status needs to be negotiated according to international law, Sen. Ben Cardin, a Democrat from Maryland and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Radio Free Asia.

The bill states that claims made by Chinese officials and by the Chinese Communist Party that Tibet has been a part of China since ancient times are historically inaccurate.

It also challenges Chinas claim that Tibet is restricted to the Tibetan Autonomous Region, and says Tibet includes the Tibetan-populated regions of Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, in addition to the TAR.

Sikyong Penpa Tsering (2nd from L), Richard Gere (R), chairman of the International Campaign for Tibet, and Tenchoe Gyatso (R), the organization's president, meet with Rep. Young Kim (2nd from R), a Republican from California, in Washington, DC, April 16, 2024. (Office of Tibet, Washington, DC)

Under Chinese President Xi Jinping, China has used harsh tactics to promote party ideology over local traditions, cultures and religious practices.

In the Tibet Autonomous Region and the southwestern Chinese provinces where many Tibetans live, that has meant prohibiting photographs of the Dalai Lama, pressuring monks to denounce the spiritual leader, restricting communications with people outside of the area, and forcing Tibetan children to attend colonial boarding schools.

Raise pressure

The bill now heads to the Senate, and can take one of two directions  a shortcut that may result in a likely Senate approval before June, or the standard route, which may extend into late July, said Tsering.

I think that the foundational support and the bipartisan support that we have, it will put us on an excellent path, going forward, in the passage of this bill through the Senate, Sen. Jeff Merkley, a co-sponsor of the bill, told RFA after the Senate committees vote.

Tencho Gyatso, president of the International Campaign for Tibet, and American actor Richard Gere, the organizations chair, accompanied Tsering to the meetings with key lawmakers.

The Senate committees vote shows that Congress is making it a priority to resolve Chinas brutal occupation of Tibet through dialogue, Gyatso said.

China needs to get back to negotiations with Tibetan leaders, and this bill will raise the diplomatic pressure on China significantly, she added.

In his interview with RFA, Tsering expressed concern about the impact of Chinas assimilation policies, particularly on Chinas increasing restrictions on linguistic and cultural rights in Tibet and its use of the boarding schools where rights groups have said Tibetan children are forcefully separated from their families and learn from Chinese-language curriculum.

If this trend persists over the next decade, it will pose a significant challenge, transforming Tibetans into Chinese, he said.

Concerns about this policy are high among Tibetans from Tibet, he added. We are closely monitoring and analyzing its implications.

Additional reporting by Nordhey Dolma and Yeshi Tashi for RFA Tibetan. Edited by Tenzin Pema for RFA Tibetan and by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster.
Experts say the measure could presage another major crackdown in Xinjiang.

A TikTok logo is seen through broken glass in this illustration made on March 20, 2024.

Authorities in Xinjiang have banned Uyghurs from using social media apps including Chinese-owned TikTok and tools to circumvent censorship, according to a video released from Chinese police, in what experts say could be the beginning of another major crackdown on the regions 11 million mostly Muslim Uyghurs.

A video notice about the ban was released April 8 by the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, a state-run economic and paramilitary organization also known as Bingtuan that has played a key role in suppressing the Uyghurs.

Violators face arrest, a fine of 15,000 yuan, or US$2,100, and a 40-point deduction under Chinas social credit system, which affects peoples access to credit and business opportunities, according to the video.

In addition to TikTok, people are forbidden from downloading and using X, formerly Twitter, and YouTube, and buying and selling on the cryptocurrency platform Bitcoin, it said.

The announcement suggests a significant likelihood of another round of mass oppression by China,said Ilshat Hassan Kokbore, vice chairman of the executive committee of the World Uyghur Congress.

The main gate of a Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps building in Manas County, northwestern China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, April 17, 2021. (Charlie Qi via Wikipedia)

Bingtuan police also warned against using virtual private networks, or VPNs, or server accelerator cards, which get around Chinas Great Firewall of government internet censorship.

Authorities are also broadcasting the warning against using foreign websites and apps across radio stations, televisions and social media platforms in Xinjiang, said a foreign businessman who works in the region, but declined to be named for fear of retribution.

Chinese police are conducting impromptu checks of phones in Uyghur homes and hotels, leading to abductions, he said.

Pivotal role in oppression

Bingtuan police and armed security forces participated in the mass arrests and detentions of Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities in internment camps and prisons that began around 2017, which the United States and some Western parliaments have labeled a genocide.

A December 2023 report by the Uyghur Human Rights Project on the police surveillance structure in Xinjiang identifies the Peoples Armed Police and the Bingtuan as the primary perpetrators of the Chinese Communist Partys genocide against the Uyghurs.

The latest ban came after a special meeting recently convened by Xinjiangs Communist Party Committee, which stressed the need for strictly maintaining secrecy related to Xinjiang.

Sophie Richardson, former director of China affairs at Human Rights Watch, said the new ban could indicate the failure of Chinese policies in Xinjiang.

If the Chinese government really thought its policies were working well in the region, these kinds of threats and constraints simply wouldnt exist, she said.

Surveillance apps

The new cyber restrictions are nothing new in Xinjiang.

By 2016, Chinese police had forced people in the region to install government surveillance apps on their cellphones and computers.

The following year, the Chinese government began a large-scale arrest operation based on WeChat activity records of Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic groups.

People visit the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps booth during the 2021 China International Fair for Trade in Services, or CIFTIS, in Beijing, Sept. 4, 2021. (Florence Lo/Reuters)

According to news reports, China has amassed comprehensive information on Uyghurs in a large database and can monitor and track them around the clock.

Geoffrey Cain, a senior research fellow and policy director of the Tech Integrity Project and author of the book The Perfect Police State, said crackdowns always start with apps, but he added that the CCP itself has mastered the use of apps to collect data on Chinas entire population.

They learned to do it with the use of concentration camps, and to put people in those concentration camps they used mass data gathering from their apps, he told RFA.

Chinese public security authorities have required Uyghurs with personal computers and smartphones to install anti-fraud spyware on devices.

Ilshat Hassan Kokbore in July 2019. (VOA)

Now if someone tries to download foreign social media apps such as X or to use a VPN, the software immediately alerts police, who have the authority to freeze users bank accounts and terminate their phone service, Cain said.

Forcing people in Xinjiang and the rest of China to install spy apps shows that Chinese authorities are worried about political stability and they want to create a total security state by seeing every persons thinking, every persons ideology, he said.

Denying the Uyghur genocide

Kokbore pointed out that Chinese government officials widely use social media platforms such as TikTok, X and Facebook to deny the Uyghur genocide.

China is putting efforts to conceal the ethnic genocide in the Uyghur region by tightly controlling information and punishing Uyghurs arbitrarily, he said.

Kokbore also noted the presence of X accounts with Uyghur profile photos that promote the Chinese governments narrative of Uyghurs living happy lives under Chinese policies. Chinese reporters then use such platforms to conceal the atrocities.

Some U.S. lawmakers and government officials have determined that TikTok, a subsidiary of Chinese company ByteDance, poses a threat to U.S. national security.

The U.S. House of Representatives on March 13 passed legislation that will ban TikTok in the United States unless its parent company can find a buyer for it. To become law, the bill must clear the Senate, where other efforts to ban the short-video app have stalled.

Translated by RFA Uyghur. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster.
Elisha Wiesel delivers a speech during the dedication ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral for the cathedral's new stone carving of Holocaust survivor and Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel in Washington, DC, Oct. 12, 2021.

UPDATED at 1:56 P.M. ET on 04-19-2024

The hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs subjected by China to detention, forced labor and cultural erasure underscores the urgency for global action, panelists said at a two-day interfaith conference on disrupting Uyghur genocide organized by The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity that wrapped up Thursday.

Survivors, experts, religious leaders and activists participated in panels to discuss the situation of the Uyghurs and called on governments to promote pro-Uyghur policies and to pressure businesses that profit from Uyghur forced labor, said a notice about the conference on the foundations website.

An estimated 1.8 million mostly Muslim Uyghurs and other Turkic ethnic groups have passed through re-education camps in Xinjiang, in China's far northwest, as part of a larger effort by Beijing to wipe out Uyghur culture and religion. Some of the detainees have been subjected to torture, rape and psychological abuse.



These actions and policies, the United States and other Western governments say, amount to genocide and crimes and against humanity against the 11 million Uyghur people.

China denies the human rights abuses and says the camps were vocational training centers and have since been closed. Restrictions placed on Uyghurs are to counter religious extremism and terrorism, according to Beijing.

Western diplomats have raised the Uyghur genocide issue directly and forcefully with Chinese officials, Ellen Germain, special envoy for Holocaust issues at the U.S. State Department and a panel speaker, told Radio Free Asia.

Additionally, the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act of 2021 and the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act of 2018, require the U.S. government, State Department and Department of Homeland Security, among others, to take action that will impose consequences on those who commit genocide or other atrocities, she said.

We recognize that its never enough for those who are suffering, Germain said.

We are not afraid

The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity, named for the Holocaust survivor, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, writer and human rights activist who died in 2016, has thrown its support behind raising awareness of the Uyghur genocide through protests, op-eds, funding and events such as conferences.

Elie Wiesel poses with his wife Marion and son Elisha in New York, Oct. 14, 1986. (Richard Drew/AP)

In 2023, the foundation awarded grants amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars to three Uyghur groups dedicated to Uyghur rights advocacy and education amid ongoing repression against the ethnic group by Chinese authorities.

Were not afraid of the Chinese Communist Party because they are in the wrong, and what they are doing is intolerable, said his son, Elisha Wiesel, the foundations chairman.

And if we can help to get the world to see that, to get the American public in particular to see that, thats part of our role, and we need to do it in serving my fathers memory, he said.

Forced sterilizations of detained Uyghur women, the destruction of thousands of mosques throughout Xinjiang, and the assignment of Han Chinese civil servants to stay in the homes of Uyghur families are other ways the Chinese government has sought to wipe out the Uyghurs and their culture.

That is a genocidal activity to suppress the birth rate of a people, to change their buildings and remove their character, to forcibly remove their traditions by inserting people into the family life to prevent certain traditions from being followed, Wiesel said.

Two major challenges

The foundation faces two major challenges in trying to raise awareness about the Uyghur genocide, Wiesel said.

The first is the Chinese governments information blackout policy, making it nearly impossible for Uyghur families living in Xinjiang to communicate with relatives overseas or for the press to get first-hand information on whats happening there.

If the Western free press doesnt have access to the atrocity, it cant report it, Wiesel said. And then, its almost as though it doesnt happen.

The second is that it is difficult to get celebrities to draw attention to the genocide because China is a major market for U.S. and Western movies and goods, such as sneakers.

So, all of a sudden [China] has dollars and cents to impact celebrities, which makes it much harder now that their bottom line is at stake, Wiesel said. Its much harder to activate them.

Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster.

The story was updated to say that the "re-education" camps were part of a larger effort to wipe of Uyghur culture and religion.
Scores of Vietnamese have been jailed for their support of the US-based organization.

The trial of 12 people accused of belonging to the Provisional National Government of Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City on August 22, 2018.

More than 60 people in Vietnam have been given long prison sentences for being members of the so-called Provisional National Government of Vietnam, since it was classified as a terrorist organization by the Ministry of Public Security in 2018.

The U.S.-based group was founded in 1991 by soldiers and refugees that had been loyal to the South Vietnamese government prior to the countrys unification under communist rule in 1975.

But two lawyers who were called to defend the accused told Radio Free Asia they believe Provisional National Government followers were duped by promises that were never honored or tricked by Vietnamese security agents posing as members of the organization.

Most of the people sentenced were charged with activities aimed at overthrowing the people's government.

Some prosecutions have been in double figures, such as the case of 16 people convicted of planting gasoline bombs at Ho Chi Minh Citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport in 2017; the 12 people sentenced to prison in 2018 on charges of propaganda, inciting protests, seducing, manipulating, and enrolling members in the organization; and the 12 people convicted in 2022 on charges of conducting a referendum to elect Dao Minh Quan as president of the Third Republic of Vietnam.

Lawyer Nguyen Van Mieng defended Tran Thi Ngoc Xuan, who was prosecuted in 2022 for activities aimed at overthrowing the people's government, playing a leading role in the referendum, and writing and distributing a Provisional Constitution, Constitution of the Third Republic and Brief Biography of Prime Minister Dao Minh Quan.

He said she told him she supported Quan because she was dissatisfied with the communist regime and wanted a change.

So when someone they think is their savior appears, they cling to them. Specifically, the Dao Minh Quan organization always promised them they would receive land and houses. And if anyone is passionate about power, it said they would be appointed provincial governor or colonel or lieutenant colonel in a new apparatus called the Third Republic.

For poor people, this is a savior. When someone promises them land and houses and asks them to sign a petition supporting Dao Minh Quan to return to his country to become prime minister, they are ready to sign. They feel that signing the paper won't cost them anything, the lawyer said.

But I have never seen anyone following Dao Minh Quan and receiving any benefits.

Nguyen James Han, an American citizen who is a member of California-based Provisional National Government of Vietnam stands trial before a court in Ho Chi Minh city on August 22, 2018. (Vietnam News Agency/AFP)





Another lawyer Dang Dinh Manh said he was called to help a number of clients, but at the last minute was unable to defend them because authorities told them they werent allowed a lawyer. He said Dao Minh Quan and his supporters told these people the U.S. government was about to install them in power in Vietnam and anyone who joined the government would be rewarded with stable jobs and high salaries.

They call on people to vote online to elect Dao Minh Quan as president in order to be recognized as a person of merit to Dao Minh Quan's government. When the Dao Minh Quan government returns to Vietnam to govern, they say it will repay the favor.

Because participants in the Provisional National Government of Vietnam often come from small provinces or remote areas, they have little awareness of politics, and understanding of Vietnamese organizations, Manh said.

He said Vietnamese authorities set traps to arrest people who are likely to join the Provisional National Government and regularly monitor the Dao Minh Quan YouTube channels.

Whenever they detect channel viewers leaving emoticons or comments, they immediately approach them with virtual nicknames that match the names of people in the Dao Minh Quan organization.

The security officer claiming to be from the Dao Minh Quan organization invites them to join the organization.

When there is enough evidence and the whereabouts of the gullible people is determined, the security officer organizes their arrest.

In these cases, people were arrested because of security traps, but they never had actual contact with the Dao Minh Quan organization.

Translated by RFA Vietnamese. Edited by Mike Firn and Elaine Chan.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said during a visit to Berlin on October 11 that it was important that Ukraine's allies do not decrease their assistance next year as he met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Zelenskiy has been on a whirlwind tour of major European capitals meant to win backing for his "victory plan" aimed at ending the war with Russia.

His main goal in his visits to London, Paris, Rome, and Berlin, his final stop, was to press for additional military and financial aid as Kyiv faces difficult months ahead in its fight to stop a slow but continuous Russian advance in the east.

In Berlin, Zelenskiy thanked Germany for its backing and said that "it is very important for us that this assistance does not decrease next year."

He said he would present Scholz with his plan for winning the war, repeating his hope that the conflict would end no later than next year.

"Ukraine more than anyone else in the world wants a fair and speedy end to this war," Zelenskiy said.

After his stops in London, Paris, and Rome on October 10, Zelenskiy said on X that he had "outlined the details" of his proposed "victory plan" to defeat Russian forces during his meetings with the leaders of Britain, France, and Italy.

He added that he and the other leaders agreed to work on the plan together but gave no details on what it says.

Scholz said he and the Ukrainian leader agreed on the need for a peace conference that includes Russia, but that peace "can only be brought about on the basis of international law."

"We will not accept a peace dictated by Russia," Scholz said.

Scholz also announced a 1.4 billion-euro ($1.53 billion) military aid package for Ukraine from Germany with partner countries Belgium, Denmark, and Norway, saying it includes more air defense, tanks, combat drones, and artillery and sends a clear message to Russian President Vladimir Putin that "playing for time will not work" and vowing "not let up in our support for Ukraine."

During a 35-minute meeting with Pope Francis on October 11, Zelenskiy sought the Vatican's help in securing the return of adults and children taken prisoner by Russia, he said on X, formerly Twitter.

"The issue of bringing our people home from captivity was the main focus of my meeting with Pope Francis," he said.



Zelenskiy gave Francis an oil painting called the Bucha Massacre, depicting the mass killings of civilians by Russian troops in the Ukrainian city in 2022.

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.

Zelenskiy's arrival in Berlin comes after an October 12 summit of the Ramstein group of Ukraine's main backers was canceled at short notice when U.S. officials, including President Joe Biden, abandoned their travel plans as the southern U.S. states braced for Hurricane Milton.



The White House said in a statement that Biden spoke to Scholz on October 10 and noted "his intention to continue our strong collaboration on geopolitical priorities, including supporting Ukraines defense against Russian aggression."

The United States has been Ukraine's main backer and by far the main contributor in terms of financial and military aid, but a victory by Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump in the election could cast doubt about Washington's continued support for Kyiv.



Zelenskiy's diplomatic efforts are taking place as Russia continues to keep up the pressure on Ukraine's cities.

As Zelenskiy arrived in Berlin, the number of civilians killed in a Russian missile strike on Odesa on October 11 rose to nine, including a teenage girl, and Russian troops struck the city of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine.

"A two-story building where civilians lived and worked was destroyed," Odesa Governor Oleh Kiper said on Telegram.

Odesa, Ukraine's main hub for grain exports, has been repeatedly struck by Russian forces since the start of the war.

Kharkiv regional Governor Oleh Synyehubov said there were no injuries in one strike but an inspection following another missile strike on the Derhachiv community of Kharkiv was ongoing.

Outside Kharkiv, a 38-year-old man was killed by a Russian drone strike on the village of Kozacha Lopan, the region's military administration reported.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the capital was targeted by Russian drones early on October 11. The military administration of the Ukrainian capital later reported on Telegram that all the attacking drones had been shot down, without specifying a number.

On the battlefield, outmanned and outgunned Ukrainian forces were fighting Russian troops inside the strategic city of Toretsk in the eastern region of Donetsk after abandoning Vuhledar, another strategic hub in the region, last week.

Over the past 24 hours, Russian forces carried out fresh attacks near Vremivka, Kharkiv, Kupyansk, and Siversk, the General Staff of Ukraine's military reported on October 11.

Separately, the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said at least 208 civilians were killed and 1,220 injured in Ukraine in September. That made it the month with the highest number of civilian casualties in 2024, the mission said.

The organization said that 46 percent of the dead were over the age of 60. In addition, nine children were killed and 76 were injured in September.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP
The modern battlefield has been transformed by drones in the air and on the high seas, and now both Russia and Kyiv appear to be on the cusp of deploying large numbers of ground drones onto Ukrainian soil.

A recent video captures the degree to which unmanned vehicles are transforming the modern battlefield. The clip shows two tracked Russian ground drones armed with grenade launchers being destroyed by Ukrainian aerial drones, all of which is captured by a reconnaissance drone hovering nearby. The drone-on-drone destruction is one of several visuals released in recent weeks featuring unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). Other clips feature a ground drone firing volleys of tracer bullets at a Russian position, and a wheeled kamikaze drone trundling a massive explosive device across open ground before detonating under a bridge in Russian-held territory.

Nataliia Kushnerska, the head of Brave1, a Ukrainian government organization that helps to steer private inventions toward adoption by the country's military, told RFE/RL her organization had "made the development of ground robots one of its top priorities to catch up with other unmanned systems." Brave1, she says, has had more than 200 UGV designs submitted to their platform, and has tested 50 so far.

Ground drones were first used in combat by the U.S.S.R. during its invasion of Finland in 1939. The Soviet "teletanks" were conventional tanks equipped with a radio control system. The vehicles were limited by the human controllers needing to steer the vehicle and aim its weapons from a distance without the aid of modern video feeds. Soviet teletanks were reportedly last used in combat in 1942 during World War II. Also during the war, the German military built a kamikaze ground drone dubbed the Goliath. The bumper-car-sized vehicle was loaded with explosives and controlled through a wire that trailed behind as the Goliath made its way toward enemy positions. Thousands of the "demolition drones" were produced, but they proved slow and cumbersome and were easily stopped by gunfire.

Since World War II, multiple attempts have been made to revive the concept of the combat ground drone, with limited success. Russia's Uran-9 unmanned tank was used in combat during Syria's civil war in 2018 but reportedly fared so poorly that an officer noted the system was at least a decade away from being ready for battle. The vehicle has not yet been deployed in Ukraine. Michael Boyle, an associate professor at Rutgers University and author of a book on drone warfare, told RFE/RL there are several reasons combat ground drones have been slow to develop. "The first is terrain," he said. While aerial drones can generally fly as freely as birds and marine drones also move through a relatively unconstrained element, ground drones "need to be able to move rapidly over uneven surfaces to complete their task and do so under fire in contested regions," Boyle says. Obstacles as simple as a ditch, or coils of barbed wire that a soldier could easily hop over, present an impassable barrier for many ground drones.

Another key factor is cost. "Developing a ground vehicle that can operate over uneven terrain remotely, and be integrated with other military units, is expensive," Boyle said. While kamikaze aerial drones costing a few hundred dollars are routinely sent on one-way missions, ground drones large and advanced enough to navigate pockmarked battlefields "are generally not disposable in the same way," Boyle said. The drone expert added that "communications infrastructure with [ground drones] must be especially secure, at least for now while they remain so expensive, and that presents its own barrier to entry."
One year ago, Hamas -- the U.S.- and EU-designated Palestinian terrorist group that controls the Gaza Strip -- carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel, the deadliest in the countrys history.

In response, Israel launched an aerial bombardment and ground invasion of the Palestinian enclave to destroy Hamas and rescue the 251 hostages taken by the group.

Israel has expanded its war in recent weeks by invading Lebanon and launching air strikes targeting Hezbollah, the armed group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon.

RFE/RL spoke to Lior Yohanani, manager of quantitative research at the Israel Democracy Institute, a Jerusalem-based independent research center, which on October 7 released a wide-ranging survey of Israeli public opinion after one year of war.

RFE/RL: Can you explain what your study found as to how Israelis view the past year since Hamas's October 7 attack?



Lior Yohanani: Well, I think Israelis still don't see October 7 as an event that's over. Sure, the actual horrific events of that day ended, but Israelis are still living with the consequences.

There are two main aspects to this. First, since October 7, Israel has been in this multifront war that doesn't seem to have an end in sight. And then, of course, there is the issue of the hostages still being held in Gaza. So, we're seeing a sharp drop in people's sense of personal security. Almost three quarters of the public feel less safe compared to before October 7, and that's despite a year of war and some significant military achievements. On the flip side, we're also seeing that most people say their lives have returned to normal when it comes to things like work, media consumption, and family and social gatherings.

Another thing we're noticing is that the Israeli public is giving pretty low marks to all the political and military leaders for the performance since October 7. For example, almost two-thirds of Israelis are rating Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu's performance since then as poor or not good.

RFE/RL: How has Israel's involvement in a two-front conflict, in both Gaza and Lebanon, as well as a confrontation with Iran affected public opinion among Israelis?



Yohanani: It's tough to answer that question, because we're at the point where things could go in a few different directions. In the last few weeks, we've seen a major escalation in the conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon, and just last week, Iran launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel, which Israel is expected to respond to. In a survey we just did recently, we asked whether Israeli society and the military could handle fighting on two or more fronts for an extended period of time, and the results were pretty striking. Over 70 percent believe that yes, both Israeli society and the military can handle that kind of prolonged fighting. So, while the situation is complex and evolving, there seems to be a strong sense of resilience and capability among Israelis, even in the face of these multiple threats. But of course, public opinion could shift depending on how events unfold in the coming weeks or months.



RFE/RL: Is there support for Netanyahus response to October 7? Is there debate in Israeli society, as well as political circles, over Netanyahus strategic choices?



Yohanani: First of all, it's important to say that the Israeli public has largely supported significant military operation against Hamas in Gaza. That said, the Israeli discourse around the October 7 events, the ongoing war, and especially toward Prime Minister Netanyahu, is very polarized between right-wing supporters on the one hand and left and center supporters on the other.

People are hoping for a future where Israel can exist without constant threats, rather than expecting a harmonious relationship with its neighbors in the near-term."

So, on the left and the center, there is a high level of distrust and suspicion toward Netanyahu and his government. For instance, Netanyahu's apparent reluctance to pursue a deal for returning the hostages in exchange for ending the fighting in Gaza is seen by large parts of the public, even on the right, as resulting from Netanyahu's dependence on far-right, ultranationalist members of his government who refuse any compromise or ceasefire.

Now for a long time, Netanyahu and his ministers argued that only significant military force would lead Hamas to compromise and release the hostages. Now, with military attention and resources shifting to the north, people are asking, where is this massive military force that was supposed to bring the hostages home?

One question we have asked several times since October 7 in our polls is what should be the main goal in Gaza: Dismantling Hamas or bringing back the hostages? And as time goes on, public opinion is increasingly supporting the return of hostages. In our current survey, 62 percent saw bringing the bringing back the hostages as Israel's main goal, while only 29 percent pointed to dismantling Hamas as the primary objective.

RFE/RL: How do ordinary Israelis see the question of the remaining hostages amid the continued protests by the hostages' families?



Yohanani: As I mentioned before, most of the public supports a deal to release the hostages, even if it means ending the war and withdrawing the military forces from Gaza. There's this widespread feeling that we've left the hostages behind, and that's really hitting at our sense of solidarity, which is a deep and fundamental value, I think, in Jewish history in general and in Israel society in particular.

At the same time, the campaign run by the Hostages And Missing Families Forum has become very politicized. Many right-wing supporters see it as weakening Israel. As time goes on, we're seeing more and more harassment of protesters who support bringing the hostages back. There are cases of passersby cursing, even hitting and throwing eggs, at hostages' families. In our latest survey, we asked about the effectiveness of the protests and actions taken by the hostages' families.

Despite most of the public feeling empathetic toward the hostage issue, only less than a third think these actions are actually helping to advance a deal for the hostages' release, while almost 40 percent think they're actually hurting the cause. So, you've got this complex situation where people want the hostages back, but there is disagreement and some backlash about how to make that happen.

RFE/RL: Can you explain the reasons behind the apparent contradiction in views regarding prioritizing a negotiated return of the hostages, or destroying Hamas?

Yohanani: You're right to point out that apparent contradiction. Let me break it down a bit. As I mentioned earlier, a clear majority of the public sees a deal to release the hostages as the main goal. But there is a big gap between political camps on this issue. In the center and left, about 80 percent support the deal for the hostages' release, while the opinions on the right are evenly split. So, for most of the left and center, the fighting in Gaza has run its course. They feel most military objectives have been achieved, and Hamas's military power has been significantly weakened. From their perspective, continuing the fight now only puts the hostages at greater risk.

It's important to know that about half of the right-wing also shares this view of prioritizing the hostages' release, but the other half of those on the far-right thinks dismantling Hamas is more important.

Why? For a couple of reasons.

First, there's a security stance that Hamas must be wiped out and not allowed to recover. There is also a very strong sentiment of revenge, with minimal consideration for the cost, whether it's the lives of the hostages, soldiers, let alone innocent civilians in Gaza. Another significant component openly discussed in religious nationalist circles is the return of Jewish settlement to the Gaza Strip after Israel evacuated Jewish settlements from there in 2005.

RFE/RL: Is there public confidence that Israel will ultimately be able to remove the threat of Hamas and Hezbollah and come out of this conflict with greater prospects for a peaceful and stable near-term future?



Yohanani: Right now, the Israeli public isn't showing a lot of optimism. In our current survey, when we asked people if they're optimistic or pessimistic about Israel's future, we found more pessimists, 48 percent, than optimists, 45 percent.

I also think it's important to note that a peaceful future, as you put it, or peace in general, isn't really a common concept in the current Israeli discourse. I would say the hope of Israelis is that the military actions against Hezbollah and Iran will lead to a situation where Israel's existence isn't in question, and that Israeli military superiority will prevent events like October 7 from happening again. So, it's less about peace in the traditional sense, and more about security and deterrence. People are hoping for a future where Israel can exist without constant threats, rather than expecting a harmonious relationship with its neighbors in the near-term.
4 Protesters hold up signs that say, "Yes to Europe" and "No to Russian law" on April 16.



The controversial law would require media and nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) that receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad to register and report their activities to the authorities.






James Cox

The Defence Forces' "historically low" numbers of 7,500 are a reflection of the slow pace of implementing recommended reforms, according to the general secretary of the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (Raco).

In his speech at Fine Gael's ard fheis earlier this month, Taoiseach Simon Harris highlighted defence, saying neutrality was no excuse for complacency.

However, Ireland's vulnerability has been continually highlighted by security experts in recent times.

In late 2022, the Commission on the Defence Forces made a series of recommendations to address the capability, staffing and structural gaps in Irelands armed forces.

The Commission reported, and identified three separate Levels of Ambition (LOA). The Government decided to opt for LOA 2.

This includes a net increase in the permanent Defence Force establishment of some 2,000 personnel, bringing the total to approximately 11,500, to provide for a range of recommendations made including double crewing of naval ships, creation of a separate training establishment, increasing staff resources for a number of units and providing the resources required to undertake the necessary human resources and command and control structural reforms.

Raco general secretary Conor King told BreakingNews.ie: "The Government chose LOA 2 in the knowledge that, according to the Commission, this would not deliver the capability required to develop full spectrum defence capabilities on a par with other sovereign European countries.

"Shortly after the publication of the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces in February 2022, war returned to Europe for the first time in three decades, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But our plan remained unchanged. Rather, the organisation has failed to reverse the trend of exits, and strength has fallen to a historically low 7,500 personnel. Instead of immediately securing LOA 2, and moving to LOA 3 (provision of a credible defence, on a par with comparator countries), we have deteriorated further."

Mr King pointed out that despite the commitment to increase defence spending, Ireland spending is one of the lowest in Europe.

Ireland still spends, and appears set to continue to spend, the lowest amount on defence in the entire European Union.

"It has been reported that the annual defence budget increased to 1.21 billion in 2022 and 1.23 billion in 2024, with an annual capital spend of 176 million in each year. Although this has been hailed as a record capital spend provided to defence, it is coming from a very low base, and Ireland still spends, and appears set to continue to spend, the lowest amount on defence in the entire European Union."

He added: "In terms of defence capability, the glaring gaps identified by the Commission have yet to be closed two years after the report, so one would have to believe that the state remains vulnerable. Our geographical location is no longer an excuse to neglect investment in defence and security."

On the implementation of the Commission's recommendations, Mr King said there had been positives, including an increase to Naval Service patrol duty allowance, the extension of private healthcare arrangements for enlisted personnel, and the delivery of a new fixed wing military transport aircraft (expected in mid-2025).

Cadets during the commissioning ceremony of the 99th cadet class at the Defence Forces Training Centre in Curragh, Co Kildare, April 17th. Photo: PA Images

However, there have still been delays.

For example, the Naval Service allowance was "only delivered after the Naval Service was reduced almost to a point of failure, with just one ship currently operational due to a lack of crew".

He added: "Additional key recommendations that are close to delivery and that can make a real difference to retention of Defence Forces personnel are the removal of blanket exclusion from the Organisation of Working Time Act, and the enactment of primary legislation to give effect to associate membership of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, and to restore oversight to the Defence Forces, which was removed by the Department of Defence in 2018."

He said that the Working Time Directive should be "urgently negotiated between management and representative associations".

"A failure to provide adequate rest and compensatory time off to military personnel has significantly impacted their home-life and the ability of many to sustain a career in the Defence Forces, and for far too long, members time has been treated as an infinite resource, without consideration of work-life balance.

Work-life balance

"The fact that our organisation has never even recorded working time, in contravention of EU law, and still does not, denies Defence Forces members access to benefits such as overtime which are available to other public sector employees, thereby depriving the organisation of a fundamental retention tool. It is essential that the Directive is implemented urgently, where it can be a game changer for morale, work-life balance and retention."

While positive changes are being seen, Mr King stressed the need to fully implement LOA 2, and move towards the third level of recommendations from the Commission.

Soldiers carrying a Javelin missile system during a Deployment Mission Readiness Exercise for the 123rd Infantry Battalion at Coolmooney Camp in Glen of Imaal, Co Wicklow.

"Personnel acknowledge that there is much important work being done to implement the recommendations of the Commission and are starting to see some green shoots of recovery. Nevertheless, recent geopolitical developments mean that we have no time whatsoever to waste in fully implementing the Commission recommendations and moving without delay towards LOA 3. The most important key performance indicator, and measure of whether employment policies and conditions of service are attractive and effective, is the strength of the organisation.

"Since the Commission reported in February 2022, Defence Forces strength has fallen by a further 1,000 personnel, to its current low of approximately 7,500 all ranks. This suggests that not all members have bought into the transformation effort, and this will require listening to employee voice to ensure buy-in, rather than sidelining it."
Heineken Ireland has announced it's increasing the cost of its beers.

The company will add six cent per pint to the price of a draught beer from early June.

It says it's impossible for it to continue to absorb production price increases.

The company owns brands like Birra Moretti, Orchard Thieves and Tiger.

Heinekens announcement comes in the wake of similar move by Diageo, which last month announced a 6 cent increase in the price of a pint of Guinness, Carlsberg and Smithwick. Guinness 0.0 was lifted by nine cents.

According to the Central Statistics Office, the average price of a pint of stout in licensed premises last November was 5.64, up 48 cents in the year, while lager cost 6.07, up 50 cents year on year, but prices vary depending on the establishment.
Taxi numbers in County Roscommon have declined by over 19%, according to new figures from the NTA.

The figures came in response to a recent parliamentary question by Independent TD Carol Nolan. This drop in available taxis has raised concern across the county.

According to the figures there were 108 taxi licences in County Roscommon in 2019, 94 in 2022 and 87 in 2023.

The West has been heavily impacted by taxi shortages in recent years, falling by almost 9%, which has led to criticism of current SPSV policy by various stakeholders, particularly in hospitality and tourism.

The significant decrease in taxi availability is a crippling blow to rural Irelands hospitality sector, says Adrian Cummins, CEO of the Restaurants Association of Ireland. These businesses often rely on taxis to get customers home safely, especially after dark. With little to no public transport links in rural areas and without a vital taxi service, many people simply won't go out, further squeezing already strained rural businesses. The Government needs to take immediate action to address this issue before it cripples the entire industry entirely.

The decline in taxi numbers is attributed to a number of factors, including the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, an onerous entry system, and costly barriers for new drivers  such as outlays of up to 59,000 for a vehicle alone.

The Taxis for Ireland Coalition is calling on the NTA and the Government to take immediate action to address the shortage of taxis. They propose a 30% increase in taxi vehicles by 2027 as a step towards alleviating the impact of driver and vehicle number decrease over the past decade, coupled with Ireland's population growth.

A reliable and accessible taxi network is essential for a thriving hospitality industry and local economies, says Kieran Harte, General Manager of Uber Ireland. Taxis provide a safe and familiar option for visitors to Ireland and serve an invaluable service to people in rural and urban areas alike. We urge the Government and NTA to acknowledge the issue and take concrete steps to improve the supply of licensed, regulated taxi drivers and vehicles.

The Taxis for Ireland Coalition is calling for the removal of the WAV requirement for newly registered SPSVs and a re-assessment of the SPSV Driver Entry Tests geography-based knowledge requirements. The removal of the WAV requirement but the continuation of the WAV grant would mean a larger pool of taxis to choose from, meaning that people that do not need a WAV will not be booking one unnecessarily. The Coalition states that these measures would alleviate the current burdens facing prospective new drivers and would increase overall supply into the market.
April 18, 2024

A roundup of domestic and international news

NEWSFLASH

Newsroom, 18.04.2024, 13:55

Summit  President Klaus Iohannis said that he wanted to solve as quickly as possible the problems that the Romanian citizens still have at the airports of some European countries, despite the fact that Romania entered Schengen with air borders. The statement was made before the European summit in Brussels, where a report requested by the Council mentions the need for the total integration of Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen Area, as a measure that will boost the single market. The Councils agenda includes the situation in Ukraine, a country that needs more military aid and is facing problems in the energy infrastructure, following the Russian bombings. The European leaders will also discuss the tense situation in the Middle East, generated by the crisis in Gaza and the tensions between Israel and Iran.

Eurobarometer  Romania is among the top countries in the European Union where the voting intention in this years European Parliament elections has increased. According to the most recent Eurobarometer survey, the voting intention reached 74%, after it increased by 19% compared to the elections five years ago. The data show that Romanians continue to have a positive image of the European Parliament. A little more than half of Romanians say that for them personally it is important to vote in the European elections, 40% say that the vote has an average importance, while only 5% say that the election has low importance for them. At the same time, Romanians are more optimistic than the EU average that their standard of living will increase in the next five years, and equally more optimistic than the EU average that the state of the countrys economy will be better in a years time.

Abu Dhabi  The Romanian Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, is paying a working visit to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday and Friday. An important objective of this visit is the consolidation of the economic component, with an emphasis on attracting Emirati investments. The Prime Minister is to meet with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, with other senior Emirati officials, with representatives of relevant companies in the United Arab Emirates, as well as with members of the Romanian community there. The agenda of the visit also includes a plenary meeting of the delegations, during which there will be an exchange of bilateral documents in areas of common interest. The PM Ciolacu stated that he wanted to strengthen cooperation relations with the United Arab Emirates, from a political and economic perspective. Romania continues to attract Emirati investors in the air infrastructure, the modernization and expansion of Otopeni Airport being a viable project of our collaboration, said Marcel Ciolacu. He added that projects in the fields of digitization, energy and agriculture also correspond to Romanias interests. In the first part of his tour in the Persian Gulf area, Marcel Ciolacu had discussions, on Wednesday, in Qatar, on economic topics. He stated that he wanted Romania to become the entry gate of this states investments in the European Union.

Strike  The employees trade union of the National Office of the Trade Register (SAONRC) goes on a Japanese-style strike on Thursday, across Romania, requesting the Romanian Government to take urgent actions to increase salaries by 15%. According to trade unionists, the National Office of the Trade Register is the public institution with the lowest salary level in the judiciary. The union accuses salary inequities and discrimination of the Office employees compared to other categories of employees in the justice domain. The Japanese-style strike will last until April 22. Between April 23-25, rallies will take place at the national level in all counties, and on April 26 a rally will take place at the headquarters of the Justice Ministry. As of August, the collective labor conflict will be started, announced the National Office of the Trade Register trade unionists. (LS)
April 18, 2024 UPDATE

A look at the latest local and international news

Newsflash

Newsroom, 18.04.2024, 20:17

REPATRIATION A group made up of 20 children and two teachers who were blocked by the latest heavy rainfalls in Dubai are to be repatriated on Friday on board of the plane, which also carried Romanias Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu to the region. We recall that a Romanian delegation headed by Ciolacu is presently visiting the region. Romanias Foreign Minister, Luminita Odobescu, says that the Romanian Foreign Ministry is making efforts to repatriate all the Romanians affected by the storms and flooding affecting the Emirates. According to her, a group of compatriots have already been brought to Romania, whereas a second one is still in Dubai but is keeping in touch both with the ministrys representatives and with the air carrier. Referring to the situation of the group of children, members of a traditional music ensemble, the head of the Romanian diplomacy says they have been brought to Adbu Dhabi with support from Romanias General Consulate and will leave for Bucharest tomorrow.

SCHENGEN The European Commissioner for Home Affairs Yilva Johansson has voiced hope that a certain date will be set this year for Romania and Bulgarias fully-fledged accession to the Schengen zone as proposed by the European Commission. While in Bulgarian capital Sofia, the EU official held talks with both the Bulgarian Interior Minister, Kalin Stoyanov, and the Romanian one, Catalin Predoiu. In late March, Romania and Bulgaria joined Europes border-free area only with their air and maritime borders. Controls are still being carried out at the land borders.

ABU DHABI The Romanian Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, is paying a working visit to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday and Friday. An important objective of this visit is the consolidation of the economic component, with an emphasis on attracting Emirati investments. The Prime Minister is to meet with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, with other senior Emirati officials, with representatives of relevant companies in the United Arab Emirates, as well as with members of the Romanian community there. The agenda of the visit also includes a plenary meeting of the delegations, during which there will be an exchange of bilateral documents in areas of common interest. The PM Ciolacu stated that he wanted to strengthen cooperation relations with the United Arab Emirates, from a political and economic perspective. Romania continues to attract Emirati investors in the air infrastructure, the modernization and expansion of Otopeni Airport being a viable project of our collaboration, said Marcel Ciolacu. He added that projects in the fields of digitization, energy and agriculture also correspond to Romanias interests. In the first part of his tour in the Persian Gulf area, Marcel Ciolacu had discussions, on Wednesday, in Qatar, on economic topics. He stated that he wanted Romania to become the entry gate of this states investments in the European Union.

SUMMIT President Klaus Iohannis said that he wanted to solve as quickly as possible the problems that the Romanian citizens still have at the airports of some European countries, despite the fact that Romania entered Schengen with air borders. The statement was made before the European summit in Brussels, where a report requested by the Council mentions the need for the total integration of Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen Area, as a measure that will boost the single market. The Councils agenda includes the situation in Ukraine, a country that needs more military aid and is facing problems in the energy infrastructure, following the Russian bombings. The European leaders will also discuss the tense situation in the Middle East, generated by the crisis in Gaza and the tensions between Israel and Iran.

(bill)
Economic cooperation between Romania and Qatar

The Prime Minister of Romania, Marcel Ciolacu, has held talks with the Qatari authorities about major investments in infrastructure, energy, agriculture and other economic sectors.

Marcel Ciolacu and H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani (Photo credits: gov.ro)

Leyla Cheamil and Radio Romania International, 18.04.2024, 13:57

Romania can be the door to Qatars investment in the European Union, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said in Doha, on Wednesday, during talks with his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.

The Romanian Prime Minister underlined that the two states have the capacity to build an in-depth partnership that might acquire strategic values. According to the Prime Minister, the bilateral partnership with Qatar should be extremely pragmatic and built around concrete economic projects and investments. Marcel Ciolacu explained this is the reason why he was accompanied by several ministers in his cabinet, holders of portfolios from strategic areas of mutual interest, such as transport, energy, economy, agriculture and digitalization.

Several bilateral cooperation documents were signed during the working visit to Doha, with the value of the projects presented by the Romanian officials exceeding 15 billion Euros.

In their turn, the Qatari authorities stated their interest in getting Bucharests support to promote their priorities in relation to the European Union.

One of the Romanian government delegations objectives is the Black Sea Port of Constanta (in South-Eastern Romania), that offers multiple logistical opportunities and which will certainly play an important role when the reconstruction of Ukraine begins.

Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu: Our priority is the Port of Constanta, which has become the most important distribution hub at the Black Sea, for Central and Eastern Europe. We will also discuss the possibility of developing other infrastructure projects, including ways to increase the capacity of the Timisoara International Airport, to finance the construction of the Comarnic  Brasov highway and upgrade the Predeal-Brasov railway. We are talking about mature projects that can be carried out through public-private partnership.

In another move, the Romanian Prime Minister mentioned the opportunity created by the new natural gas exploitation works in the Black Sea and emphasized the Romanian specialists expertise in the field. According to Marcel Ciolacu, these are elements that can facilitate the involvement of prominent Romanian relevant companies in programs designed to develop the oil output, through advanced methods of hydrocarbon recovery from mature or hard-to-reach deposits in Qatar.

As far as agriculture is concerned, talks focused particularly on ways to facilitate the export of Romanian produce to Qatar, under mutually beneficial terms.

On this occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the two states regarding cooperation in the field of veterinary quarantine, the import and export of living stock and poultry, not affected by epidemics and contagious diseases.

Prime Minister Ciolacu also underlined that Romania has a competitive advantage in such fields as real estate, tourism, IT and cyber security, the defense industry and mineral waters. All these, the Prime Minister pointed out, offer opportunities for direct Qatari investments in the Romanian economy and pave the way for the development of an in-depth bilateral partnership.
Eurobarometer ahead of the European elections

The Romanians' voting intention ahead of the European Parliament elections in June has increased considerably as compared to five years ago.

EP and local elections in Romania on June 9 (Photo credits: AEP)

Daniela Budu and Radio Romania International, 18.04.2024, 13:59

Romania recorded the second largest increase in the voting intention in this years European elections compared to 2019, after the Czech Republic, standing at 74%, which is by 19% more than in the latest elections five years ago, according to a Eurobarometer report made public on Wednesday. Nevertheless, Romania is not part of the first third of EU states in terms of number of people who plan to cast their vote in the European elections scheduled for June. Asked whether they would vote in the European elections if the polls were to take place next week, almost three-quarters of Romanians said they would probably vote and only 6% said they probably wouldnt vote. Almost half of Romanians continue to have a totally positive image of the European Parliament, just like last autumn, although the share of people who have a negative image has increased to 19%.

At the same time, more than half of Romanians would like the European Parliament to play a more important role in the future, a share similar to the EU average, while 37% would like the institution to play a less important role. Moreover, over a half of Romanians say that, for them personally, it is important to vote in the European elections, 40% say that the vote has a medium importance, while 5% say that the election is not that important.

More important for Romanians is the vote in the national elections, about which 63% say it is highly important, one third that it is of medium importance and only 3% that it is of low importance. Romanians also believe that the main themes that should be discussed in the European election campaign are the support for the economy and for the creation of new jobs, public health and also the fight against poverty and social exclusion.

Asked what values the European Parliament should defend, as a priority in the next five years, the Romanians placed first democracy, respect for national identities, culture and traditions in the member states and solidarity between the EU member states and its regions. 45% of Romanians believe that things are heading in the right direction in the EU, well above the European average, while 41% say that things are heading in the wrong direction (the EU average is 49%).

Only 34% of Romanians believe that, in general, things are going in the right direction in the country, while 57% say that things are going in a wrong direction. However, Romanians are more optimistic than the EU average that their living standard will increase in the next five years and less pessimistic about their living standard decreasing during this period. Also, Romanians are more optimistic than the EU average that the countrys economy will be better in a year, but they are at the same level in terms of confidence in the future of the EU. Finally, according to the Eurobarometer, most Romanians believe that their country has benefited from joining the EU, while 30% do not believe that. We remind you that in Romania, the European parliamentary elections will take place on the same day with the local ones, on June 9.
Lazard (LAZ), a financial advisory and asset management firm, announced Thursday that it has signed a partnership agreement with European venture capital firm Elaia Partners for the creation of a new Paris-based asset management company, Lazard Elaia Capital or LEC.

As part of the strategic partnership, Lazard has acquired a minority stake in Elaia Partners. The agreement provides the option for Lazard to purchase up to 100% ownership over time.

The partnership remains subject to regulatory approval and AMF registration.

The companies expect the new company focused on investment in companies will support them at all stages of their development, from seed to their listing on public .

The deal follows the announcement on December 2023 of exclusive negotiations between Lazard and Elaia Partners.

The new LEC will be 75%-owned by Lazard and 25%-owned by Elaia Partners. It will be led by Xavier Lazarus, co-founder and Managing Partner of Elaia Partners, alongside a newly hired investment team.

An initial fund focusing on Europe is currently planned to be launched by 2025, subject to regulatory approval.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Apax Global Alpha Limited (APAX.L), an investment company on Thursday said Apax XI Fund in which AGA is a limited partner, reached a definitive agreement to buy Zellis Group, a payroll and HR software solutions provider.

Apax intends to invest approximately 36 million euros in Zellis Group on a look-through basis.

U.K.-headquartered Zellis Group is a provider of payroll and HR software solutions to customers in the UK and Ireland. The Company's Zellis and Moorepay businesses are market-leading HR and payroll partners to businesses across the UK and Ireland, with the company serving approximately one third of the FTSE 100 companies.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
At the ninth Our Ocean Conference held in Greece, the United States has announced more than $508 million to protect the oceans by advancing marine protected areas, maritime security, the sustainable blue and sustainable fisheries, supporting ocean solutions to the climate crisis, and combating marine pollution.

To create and support sustainable blue economies, the United States announced $8.5 million for the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation to collaborate with the Atlantic community on Atlantic Ocean observation, marine spatial planning, scientific capacity building, and sustainable blue economy development, subject to Congressional notification.

To address the ocean-climate nexus, the United States announced publication of its National Ocean Acidification Action Plan.

$100,000 will be earmarked to support implementation of the International Maritime Organization Greenhouse Gas Strategy in developing countries, in particular small island developing states and least-developed countries.

The U.S. Government has pledged $1 million, subject to Congressional notification and completion of domestic procedures, to facilitate Green Shipping Corridors in developing countries.

The United States announced a total of $667,500 to advance marine science and sustainable living marine resource management in international fisheries and marine science organizations.

More than $18.4 million will be spent to expand scientific collaborations in support of conservation of marine biodiversity.

To enhance maritime security, the United States announced the execution of 80 mobile training team missions valued at $3.8 million in support of maritime security capacity building for 1,300 international personnel in 24 countries.

The United States announced plans to support and participate in five international exercises to strengthen oil spill response preparedness globally.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
On Thursday, the World Health Organization (WHO) published a comprehensive report titled "Global Technical Consultation Report on Proposed Terminology for Pathogens that Transmit through the Air," after conducting a global technical consultation from major CDCs on the transmission of airborne pathogens.

The consultation, which took place in multiple stages between 2021 and 2023, highlighted the need for uniform terminology during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report presents updated consistent terminology for pathogens responsible for respiratory infections like COVID-19, influenza, measles, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), tuberculosis, and others.

The WHO said it had been agreed that all pathogen particles transmitted through the air, regardless of size, should be referred to as "infectious respiratory particles," or IRPs. The distinction between airborne transmission or inhalation, and direct deposition which is when particles settle on another person's exposed areas, was also maintained.

This agreed-upon terminology for airborne pathogen transmission is expected to pave the way for new research agendas and the execution of public interventions to detect, communicate, and respond to both existing and emerging pathogens.

WHO Chief Scientist Jeremy Farrar stressed that the widespread adoption of the new terminology within the scientific community would enhance collaboration and cross-disciplinary understanding. The report is a significant milestone in the global effort to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and other respiratory infections that pose a threat to public health.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Health News
New Honda CKD Engine Assembly Line  Manufacturing Milestones: From Activa to Advanced Engines

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India has inaugurated a new CKD Engine Assembly Line at its Global Resource Factory in Manesar, Gurugram, Haryana. The facility is key to Hondas commitment to technological innovation, quality manufacturing, and its prominent position in the Indian two-wheeler market. Situated in Manesar, the new assembly line has ample capacity, capable of manufacturing up to 600 engines daily. Systems are designed to cater to a broad spectrum of models, from 110cc to 300cc. This facility demonstrates Hondas versatility in addressing diverse market demands and adapting to evolving consumer preferences.

Established in 2001, the Global Resource Factory was Hondas pioneering venture into two-wheeler manufacturing in India. Since then, it has evolved into a vital export hub, catering to 58 markets worldwide. This growth trajectory caters to Hondas pursuit of global excellence, and its significant contribution to the automotive landscape.

Commitment to Quality: Ensuring Excellence in Every Engine

The new CKD Engine Assembly Line incorporates advanced technologies to ensure quality, efficiency, and precision. It utilises DC tools for critical torquing and features a vision camera inspection system for thorough quality checks. Complete traceability of parts and processes is ensured, enhancing transparency and accountability throughout the production process.

The assembly line includes a dedicated exhaust collection line and an acoustic chamber for engine sound inspection. A necessity to maintain high-quality standards. Automation plays a crucial role in enhancing efficiency and accuracy in the new assembly line. Systems such as the flywheel assembly automation and automatic piston parts verification streamline the assembly process. Reducing manual errors and ensuring consistent quality across all engine components.

Over Two Decades of Hondas Quality Manufacturing in Manesar

A small parts interlocking unit is implemented to minimise errors and ensure seamless ops. This proven approach to production is focused on error-free processes and a non-negotiable need to maintain standards in excellence in manufacturing.

Reflecting Hondas history in Manesar, Activa was the first mass-produced model launched from the Global Resource Factory. This milestone marked the beginning of Hondas journey towards technological advancements and innovation in the Indian market. With the introduction of the new CKD Engine Assembly Line, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India aims to strengthen its export capabilities and expand its market reach. Aligned to the companys broader goals of market expansion, innovation, and delivering high-quality products.

Boosting Export Capabilities: Otani on Hondas Manufacturing Future

Leveraging advanced technologies and focusing on quality assurance is essential to business success. Hondas new CKD Engine Assembly Line at the Global Resource Factory in Manesar represents the ethos of advancement in manufacturing capabilities. A prerequisite for Hondas leadership in the automotive industry.

Tsutsumu Otani, Managing Director, President and CEO, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India, said, We are happy to introduce a new engine assembly line for CKD exports at our Global Resource Factory in Manesar. It is a testament to our relentless pursuit of driving technological advancements in the industry. With this step, HMSI aims to boost its export capabilities, reaching new heights in market expansion and adherence to global quality standards.
Dear Mediator:

Our neighborhood has a longstanding problem with a property owner who repairs cars all night long, with lots of banging noises and people coming and going. Our street is not zoned for an auto repair shop. Our Neighborhood Watch group has complained repeatedly to police, city staff and elected officials. They all say the same thing: He has been cited, he has agreed to clean up his property, and they will monitor the situation. But instead of cleaning up, he keeps adding more cars to his lawn and along our street.

Outraged in El Cajon

Dear Outraged:

In a perfect metropolis, agencies that enforce city codes would have enough resources and tenacity to pursue justice relentlessly, and violators would face swift consequences.

In the real world of modern cities, code enforcement units are underfunded and overburdened, and the imposition of penalties involves herculean administrative work. Knowing that, offenders can keep on offending with rueful promises of compliance they never intend to keep.

The resulting cat-and-mouse game  the sluggish municipal cat never quite catching the wily scofflaw mouse  puts too many neighborhoods in a state of siege.

Our community mediators are well-versed in these standoffs. One of the resolution strategies they offer is based on the Safe Streets Now initiative, a model that could give your group a new path forward.

Launched in California in 1990, Safe Streets Now empowers citizens to carry out their own nuisance abatement measures through civil courts. The program began as a response to illegal drug activity in residential communities, but it quickly expanded to cover boisterous party houses, incessantly barking dogs and industrial activities that pose environmental risks.

Such public scourges are addressed by California Civil Codes 3479 and 3480, which rule out anything which is injurious to health  so as to interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property and which affects at the same time an entire community or neighborhood.

The last phrase is pivotal. An individual who lives next to a house-from-hell faces a lonely uphill battle. Several neighbors with such a house in their midst can join forces.

Your group has already completed the first two of the four steps in the Safe Streets Now playbook. You have documentation of the infractions (and you should continue building that record of notes and photos), and you have carried out notification of authorities, who in turn have notified the violator.

Steps three and four are negotiation and litigation via San Diego Countys small claims court, which allows individuals to seek up to $10,000 in civil damages. Given how long this problem of environmental toxins and disruptive noise has lasted, your group might consider pursuing both steps simultaneously.

The key to the success of Safe Streets Now has been neighbors filing consolidated small claims cases that put defendants at risk of substantial civil judgments. The threat of financial ruin, especially where evidence of wrongdoing is clear, can move people from intransigence to compliance.

These are the legal options available to your group. Now lets consider the human dimensions of the problem.

A person who persists in operating an illegal business in the face of imminent reprisals is suffering from one of two afflictions: delusion that he can somehow evade justice or desperation because he sees no other course.

Either way, this man could use assistance. Offer to help him scout alternative sites for fixing cars by drawing on your groups collective resources. That could provide the stimulus he needs to get his business on a viable footing.

His personal difficulties are not relevant under the law. But engaging him in an effort to surmount those difficulties would be an act of neighborly kindness. Such an exchange would help you understand his situation, and youll need that when you enter mediation and work with him on achieving resolution.

Steven P. Dinkin is a professional mediator who has served as president of the San-Diego based National Conflict Resolution Center since 2003.

Do you have a conflict that needs a resolution? Please share your story with The Mediator via email at mediatethis@ncrconline.com. All submissions will be kept anonymous.
A passerby rescued two children from a burning residence late Wednesday afternoon in South Wales, South Wales Fire Chief Marty O'Connor reported on Facebook.

Chief O'Connor said the rescuer stopped at the scene of the fire in the 1100 block of Olean Road near Blakeley Road, learned that children were trapped inside, entered via a garage and pulled the children to safety.

All three received emergency treatment at the scene, O'Connor said. They all sustained smoke inhalation and the children suffered burns.

The children were taken by ambulance to Oishei Children's Hospital in Buffalo. The rescuer was transported to Erie County Medical Center.

The South Wales Fire Company found heavy smoke and fire from the first floor rear garage when they responded to a call at 5:30 p.m. reporting the blaze. O'Connor said the fire was under control by 6 p.m.

The East Aurora Fire Department assisted South Wales volunteers at the scene. Cause of the blaze is being determined by the Erie County Sheriff's Fire Investigation Unit.

- Dale Anderson
Danielle Atkinson

Marygrove Early Education Center in Detroit.

"People talked about how they actually love parenting  parenting is not the stressor. It's to have to go to work sick or to leave their babies in the hospital." Danielle Atkinson

482 Forward

We the People

Michigan Liberation

Restaurant Opportunities Centers of Michigan

MOSES
Arun Ross Supplied Supplied Supplied Supplied Supplied Supplied Supplied

With artificial intelligence continuing to expand, along with growing uncertainty about how it will impact the future, academic institutions stand at the forefront of advancing AI technology. In Michigan, professors at Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, and Wayne State University, are not only driving AI advancements through research and educational initiatives, but are also shaping its responsible implementation across various industries.



The University of Michigan (U-M) in Ann Arbor has an AI Lab, which serves as a hub for collaboration, bringing together faculty and students to tackle AI-related challenges in areas such as image processing, natural language processing, and machine learning.



In academia, we really have the freedom to explore the variety of directions that are driven by AI, so we can do research that will pay off down the line maybe in a 10-year, 20-year horizon as opposed to the very short term, says U-M Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, Micha Derezinski.



Derezinskis personal research focuses on reducing the computational costs associated with training AI models to make advancements accessible to more people while supporting the next generation of data science algorithms.



Only those with enough resources can actually build models [to advance AI], he says. My research essentially is focused on designing algorithms for doing this data processing that is required under the hood of training the machinery models so that hopefully we can train a better ChatGPT with reduced resources.



At Detroits Wayne State University, Professor Hengguang Li, Chair of the Department of Mathematics, pioneers AI research aimed at solving complex mathematical equations.



There is tremendous potential using artificial intelligence algorithms to solve some of the most difficult equations, Li says. We develop AI to solve those equations because there's no existing model.



His research seeks to develop AI algorithms tailored to solve equations unattainable through traditional numerical methods, bridging the gap between theoretical AI advancements and real-world applications.



In 2022, Wayne State received a donation for a campus-wide initiative to promote programs in data science and artificial intelligence. For this, the Math Department collaborates with the schools of engineering, business, and medicine to build up partnerships with students and faculty across campus.



When it comes to academia, Li feels that AI will play a very important role in higher education for grading, assessment of a student's performance, and more. While he utilizes the benefits of AI, he also recognizes the risks, including academic misconduct of students with the availability of chatbot platforms.



There are a lot of discussions on campus, but for now, people are still exploring different types of solutions to that, Li says. It is very challenging and there are a lot of risks to higher education in that way.



He feels that while AI can be helpful, its widespread availability should urge people to think more about the value of education.



The perspective of people in terms of forward education will be different, Li adds. I think that's the challenge and also the opportunity for university leaders: how to embrace the change, especially from AI, and how to implement policies and adapt to the right technology to really improve what we do in higher education.



In East Lansing, Professor Arun Ross at Michigan State University uses AI to develop a curriculum to help college students succeed, especially since students of unique backgrounds have different learning styles and needs.



We are trying to use AI tools to develop scenarios where we make some assumptions about the geographical area where the [learning] is happening or the background of the student, Ross says. We are able to use AI tools [to create] customizable tutorials, which the students can then utilize to better understand certain concepts.



However, Ross also acknowledges that AI can be harmful if someone relies on it completely and doesnt take into account context or other factors, such as incorrect responses and biases.



AI tools are trained using data, sometimes historical data, and historical data can exhibit some biases, which have to be eliminated so that the resulting AI tool is not exhibiting those biases, Ross says.



So, the work being done does not only include developing powerful AI tools, but also creating techniques to validate the data produced by AI.



Were trying to see how synthetic data generation can benefit our students both in terms of teaching concepts but also in terms of them being able to utilize it for some of their deliverables, Ross says.



The educational role of universities is fostering AI literacy among students and end-users, he adds. By developing curricula and raising awareness about the potential risks and benefits of AI, universities have a crucial part to play in shaping responsible AI usage.



Universities play a significant role in being able to educate individuals, companies, and other enterprises, about both the benefits as well as the harmful effects of AI, so that balanced decisions can be made, Ross says. As much as we develop AI technology, as much as we utilize AI technology, it is also important that we educate society about both the pros and cons of AI.




Investors' focus on Thursday will be on a barrage of economic indicators in the U.S..

At 1230 BST the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia will release its regional factory index for the month of April.

In parallel, the Department of Labor will publish its closely-followed weekly unemployment claims data.

Those data points will be followed at 1400 BST by the latest existing home sales figures.

Multiple Fed speakers are also expected to take to the podium throughout the course of the day.

No major economic releases are scheduled in the U.K..

Thursday 18 April

INTERIMS

Pod Point Group Holdings

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Redcentric

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

DFS Furniture, Kier Group, Nippon Active Value Fund

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

JpMorgan China Growth & Income , M Winkworth, TwentyFour Select Monthly Income Fund Limited

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Current Account (EU) (09:00)

Existing Home Sales (US) (15:00)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

Philadelphia Fed Index (US) (13:30)

FINALS

Devolver Digital, Inc. (DI) Reg S Cat 3/144A, HydrogenOne Capital Growth, Keystone Law Group , LBG Media

EGMS

Jyske Bank A/S

AGMS

Aquis Exchange , Harmony Energy Income Trust, Jarvis Securities, Leeds Building Society 13 3/8% Bearing Shares, SEGRO, Team Internet Group , Thorpe (F.W.)

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

AJ Bell, Dunelm Group, Hays, Rentokil Initial, SEGRO

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Rio Tinto

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

AIREA, Antofagasta, Arbuthnot Banking Group, BAE Systems, Baillie Gifford Shin Nippon, Bridgepoint Group (Reg S) , Capital Limited (DI), Costain Group, Croda International, Dowlais Group, Drax Group, Fresnillo, Hvivo, JPMorgan American Inv Trust, JPMorgan US Smaller Co. Inv Tst, Jupiter Fund Management , London Stock Exchange Group, Maven Income & Growth 4 VCT, Merchants Trust, Old Mutual Limited NPV (DI), Quilter, Rathbones Group, Rotork, Serco Group, STV Group, Thungela Resources Limited NPV (DI), Uniphar (CDI), Unite Group, Vanquis Banking Group 20, Vesuvius, Weir Group

Q1

Centamin (DI)
Deliveroo has reported a positive first-quarter performance in an update on Thursday, as it returned to order growth, alongside a notable increase in gross transaction value (GTV).

The company saw 6% year-on-year growth in GTV in constant currency, coupled with a 2% increase in orders compared to the prior year.

GTV per order meanwhile saw a 4% uptick in constant currency.

Deliveroo said its UK and Ireland (UKI) market continued to show resilience, with 6% year-on-year GTV growth, maintaining its momentum from the prior quarter.

Despite a flat performance in orders, the company said it was in line with overall market growth, navigating a stable yet uncertain consumer environment.

Internationally, Deliveroo saw GTV growth accelerate, reaching 6% year-on-year in constant currency.

That improvement was particularly notable in markets like France, the UAE and Hong Kong, while Italy maintained a strong performance.

Despite ongoing investments in consumer value proposition (CVP), Deliveroo said its revenue take rate remained stable sequentially.

The company reported 2% group revenue growth in constant currency, with a decrease in revenue take rate year-on-year but remaining flat compared to the previous quarter.

Deliveroo also announced the start of an EBT share purchase programme of up to 30m.

The firm maintained its guidance for the 2024 financial year, anticipating GTV growth in the range of 5% to 9% in constant currency, adjusted EBITDA in the range of 110m to 130m, and positive free cash flow for the full year.

I am pleased with the start we have made to this year, building on the strong progress in 2023, said founder and chief executive officer Will Shu.

The team has been relentlessly focussed on delivering service and value for money, helping drive a return to order growth and continued growth in GTV.

We made particularly strong progress in International markets during the quarter, with notable improvements in France, UAE and Hong Kong, and continued strength in Italy.

Shu said that in the UK and Ireland the consumer environment remained stable but uncertain, but said the firms commitment to offering fair prices and a flawless consumer experience was building strong foundations for the future and would continue to differentiate the business.

I'm excited about building the best consumer experience possible and am confident in our ability to drive profitable growth and sustainable cash generation.

At 0900 BST, shares in Deliveroo were up 7.67% at 130.5p.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.
Norway's sovereign wealth fund said it would vote in favour of a proposal letting UK bank NatWest buy back more of its stock from the British government.

NatWest is asking investors to support a resolution at its annual meeting on April 23 to buy up to 15% of its total stock from the government over a 12-month period, up from a previous ceiling of 5%.

The government, which bailed out the lender at the height of the 2007-9 financial crisis caused by malfeasance in the industry globally, recently reduced its stake in NatWest to below 30%, making it no longer a controlling shareholder. Most taxpayer stakes in UK banks have been sold off at a loss.

Having held 84% of the lender at one stage, the government is gradually offloading its holding in NatWest, including through a planned sale of stock to the public as early as June, and has said it wants to exit completely by 2026.

Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), which operates the Norwegian fund - itself the world's biggest at $1.6trln - is one of NatWests biggest investors, with a 3.23% stake.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com
Sedans and SUVs have their merits, appealing to different drivers with diverse needs. Hyundai offers popular models in each category - the graceful Verna sedan and the capable Creta SUV. Looking at factors like pricing, fuel efficiency, space, and performance, we'll contrast these two feature-packed vehicles to help highlight the differences between Hyundai's sedan and SUV offerings. Whether you prioritise comfort, practicality, or style, one of these thoughtfully designed cars may be a great fit.

Prices

The on-road Hyundai Verna and Hyundai Creta price in India are as follows:

Hyundai Verna

Entry-Level Variant

Verna 1.5 EX base version is priced at around Rs 12.68 lakhs.

Mid-Range Variants

1.5 SX, SX IVT, SX Turbo, and SX Turbo DCT models cost between Rs 14.99 lakhs to Rs 17.8 lakhs

Top-End Variant

High-spec 1.5 SX(O) Turbo DCT carries a max price tag of Rs 20.02 lakhs.

The Verna is available only with powerful and responsive petrol engines across all variants.

Hyundai Creta

Entry-Level Variant

The most affordable entry point into the Creta range is the 1.5 Liter E base variant, which costs Rs 12.97 lakh.

Mid-Range Variants

The mid-range trims span popular options like the 1.5 Liter E diesel, 1.5 Liter S, S(O), SX, SX Tech, and SX(O) priced from Rs 15.11 lakh to Rs 20.17 lakh.

Top-End Variant

At the premium end, the 1.5 Liter SX(O) Automatic Diesel variant has a price tag of Rs 23.86 lakh.

Hyundai offers customers the choice of responsive petrol engines and fuel-efficient diesel motor options across the Creta variant portfolio.

Seating Capacity

Both the Creta compact SUV and Verna sedan stick to standard 5-seater configurations suited for typical small families or couples rather than going 7 or 8 seats.

Mileage

As per ARAI certification tests, the Verna and Creta deliver the following mileage figures:

Verna Petrol Manual - 25.00 Km/l

Verna Petrol AMT - 25.00 Km/l

Creta Petrol Manual - 17.40 Km/l

Creta Petrol AMT - 17.70 Km/l

Creta Diesel Manual- 21.80 Km/l

Creta Diesel AMT- 19.10 Km/l

When it comes to fuel efficiency, the Verna emerges as the clear winner. Both its petrol manual and automatic versions deliver an impressive 25 kilometres per litre, which grants Verna owners significant bragging rights on mileage dominance.

Engine Specifications

Mentioned below are the technical information of the engines powering the Verna and Creta:

Verna

The Verna gives you two engines to choose from.

Engine 1: 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine

This one has good power - it can produce almost 160 horsepower. When you hit the accelerator, you will feel a strong push in your back as the engine delivers its power. This engine is best for people who enjoy a quick, sporty drive.

Engine 2: 1.5-litre normal petrol engine

This engine focuses more on fuel economy and smoothness rather than high power. It produces around 113 horsepowerdecent enough for regular city driving. You won't get the same thrust as the turbo engine, but you'll save more money on fuel instead. This engine is best for people who want affordability and efficiency.

Creta

The Hyundai Creta now comes with three engine choices to pick from.

Engine 1: 1.5-litre diesel motor

This engine makes 114 horsepower and 250 nm of twisting power, also called torque. It allows the Creta diesel to have good pulling power and drivability.

Engine 2: 1.5-litre turbo petrol motor

This one uses a small turbocharger to produce 158 horsepower and 253 nm torque, making even more power than diesel, helping the Creta feel quick and responsive to drive.

Engine 3: 1.5-litre petrol engine without a turbo

This engine puts out 113 horsepower and 144 nm of torque. While less powerful than the other two, it focuses more on fuel efficiency and smoothness than pure power.

Features & Safety Equipment

Hyundai Verna

Hill-start assist control (HAC)

Six airbags

Vehicle stability management (VSM)

Rear camera with dynamic guidelines

Electric parking brake (EPB)

Emergency stop signal (ESS)

Powered driver seat

Heated and ventilated seats

ADAS

8-speaker Bose sound system

Hyundai Creta

LED High mounted stop lamp (HMSL)

Six airbags

Electronic parking brake with auto hold

Tyre pressure monitoring system: Highline

Hill-start assist control

Electronic stability control & vehicle stability management

Automatic headlamps

Emergency stop signal

Front parking sensors

The Verna and Creta pack cool gadgets for comfort - touchscreens, auto climate control, and keyless entry. For safety, they get 6 airbags, ABS, and rear sensors. The ride is smooth, with features that make driving relaxed. Overall, Hyundai filled both cars with practical tech that protects you and makes daily use convenient.

Conclusion

Hyundai makes great cars like the Verna and Creta. Both are excellent options, depending on what you want. The Verna sedan could be for you if you care about fuel economy and looks. The engines perform well or save you money on fuel - you pick.

On the other hand, the Creta SUV has more cabin space and higher ground clearance, so it's perfect if you need room for passengers and gear or want to go off-roading sometimes. Diesel engines are available, too, if that's your thing. Both cars have solid features and the latest technology inside, so make a choice based on your priorities. You can also talk to advisors from ACKO Drive to help you make the best purchase decision. ACKO Drive is one of Indias leading online car-selling platforms, where you can check reviews of your shortlisted car and even buy your dream car.

Visit ACKO Drive today.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Carolyn Jamate, 54, of St. George, is a lifelong lover of animals and the outdoors. Having grown up in Grasmere, where opossum, raccoons, snakes and other wildlife were regular inhabitants of her familys backyard, she was always willing to nurture animals.

I have memories of my family using a trap to help relocate the animals to High Rock [Park] when our neighborhood was being developed back in the 1980s, and they were losing their habitat, said Jamate.

You could say I come from a family of animal lovers, she said, noting she majored in journalism at New York University, which allowed her to research and write about a wide variety of topics, including animals.

Upon graduating, Jamate worked in corporate marketing, which enabled her to learn about planning, strategy and project management. But she never lost sight of her love for pets.

While working in the corporate world, I always focused on my love of animals, rescuing them directly off the street at times, volunteering at rescues and donating whenever possible, Jamate added.

Before returning to the borough, she had a Facebook encounter that resulted in her first petsitting gig for two Rhodesian Ridgebacks in 2022 in Saranac Lake, N.Y.

Carolyn Jamate loves the outdoors. (Courtesy of Carolyn Jamate)(Courtesy of @gregorx)

I loved it [pet sitting] so much that I wanted to figure out a way to continue, she said.

Upon returning to Staten Island after formerly living in California and Washington for seven and a half years, Jamate wanted to escape the stress of the corporate world, and recapture all the elements she loved about the borough -- including her love of animals.

After my return, I worked a series of consultant jobs in Manhattan, but no longer found them fulfilling and was really grateful to fall into pet sitting and dog walking, which is more closely aligned to my values and what I consider important in life, said Jamate, who had been a senior communications consultant for Wells Fargo in Manhattan.

With that in mind, she decided to launch Happy Paws, Happy Tails in February, 2024 in Staten Island.

I have never looked back since then. I have had pretty much back-to-back pet sits since, for both dogs and cats, said Jamate. I witnessed first-hand the peace of mind it gives pet parents to have someone capable and loving to dote on their pets while theyre gone. I saw it was a win-win.

SERVICES OFFERED

Happy Paws, Happy Tails offers dog walking and pet sitting, both overnight stays and drop-ins. Jamate meets with pet parents to make sure she is a good fit to care for their dog or cat.

She also offers pet sitting for senior dogs, who may need medication or extra care, as well as puppies, who can be a handful.

I also hope to offer wedding attendant services in the future, where you are basically a pet chaperone. I think its an amazing idea to include your pet in your special day, said Jamate.

She provides care in the pets home because this is often the most comfortable for the cat or dog, said Jamate.

Carolyn Jamate said she is certified in pet sitting, has received a pet first aid certification and has consistently received 5-star ratings from pet parents. (Courtesy of @gregorx)(Courtesy of @gregorx)

CERTIFIED AS A PROFESSIONAL

I think of myself as a favorite auntie coming over to take care of precious pets. There are many people who refer to themselves as pet sitters or dog walkers, but being a professional usually means you have insurance and certifications, said Jamate.

She said she is certified in pet sitting, has received a pet first aid certification and has consistently received 5-star ratings from pet parent clients.

As a pet professional, theres so much you can focus on to continuously increase your skills, such as training, safety, equipment and so forth, said Jamate.

Since launching the business, she has found that many pet parents book their pet sitter on the same day they purchase their flights or vacation plans.

Carolyn Jamate cherishes every moment she spends caring for pets whether thats snuggling up on the couch, going on a walk or teaching them something new, she said.Courtesy of Carolyn Jamate

A TRUE LOVE FOR PETS

Jamate believes she was born harboring a love of canines and cats.

My family didnt have a dog until I was around 11 years old. It took years of hounding them before they finally gave in to having a dog. Our first rescue dog, Juno, a Black Lab, came right off the streets and was in bad shape, she recalled. He needed a whole lot of veterinary treatment, but the gratitude, love and devotion we received in return was immeasurable.

Carolyn Jamete recently opened Happy Paws Happy Tails. She believes she was born harboring a love of canines and cats. (Courtesy of @swimmer1)(Courtesy of @swimmer1)

In fact, Jamate cherishes every moment she spends caring for pets whether thats snuggling up on the couch, going on a walk or teaching them something new, she said.

HAPPY PAWS HAPPY TAILS AT A GLANCE

Website: happypawshappytails.com

Facebook: Happy Paws Happy Tails

Instagram: @happypawshappytails_si

New Businesses in Focus is a weekly column that relates the stories of new Staten Island businesses owners.

If you have a new business on Staten Island, e-mail porpora@siadvance.com.

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Every March, in the New York corporate executive offices of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a division of U.S. Department of Homeland Security at John F. Kennedy International Airport, a ceremonial program unfolds as a way to commemorate Women in History Month.

A recent ceremonial program that unfolded to a packed house with the music of bagpipers in the background was hosted as a way to mark International Womens Day.

This year, at the end of March, Elissa Montanti, founder and director of the not-for-profit Global Medical Relief Fund, was recognized for her work helping resource-less children, many of whom are victims of war, disasters or other catastrophic events  both on the local level and throughout the world.

And thankfully, staffers from U.S. Customs and Border Protection oversee and facilitate their entry into the United States.

From the left are Frank Russo, Sal Ingrassia and Elissa Montanti. (Courtesy/U.S. Customs and Border Protection)Staten Island Advance

Montanti, an Arrochar resident, was named a 2011 Advance Woman of Achievement in honor of the life-changing work she accomplished through the organization.

The most recent award was presented by Sal Ingrassia, port director at JFK International Airport, and Frank Russo, director of field operations, who happens to call Princes Bay home.

Russo oversees operations for Customs and Border Protection at both John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.

Russo described Montanti as a pioneer in her field and, the most altruistic and humble woman of our generation, who graced us with her presence and vision. With her words and her story, she inspired all the women and men in attendance at our event.

In accepting the award, Montanti would speak about the early days of the Global Medical Relief Fund, and the adversity she was forced to endure.

Elissa Montanti addresses the crowd after receiving her award. (Courtesy/U.S. Customs and Border Protection)Staten Island Advance

I was a one-women operation and was approached by two men belonging to a prestigious club, she said. They said they wanted to take over, because they thought I couldnt do it alone and without them. I was alone for 14 years, but after I was featured on CBS 60 Minutes, who followed me for four months during that same year, the charity became recognized and I was able to hire two women.

Montanti, who was humbled to be recognized by CBP/Homeland Security, spoke of the outstanding staff at U.S. Customs and Border Protection: They are the truest testament of honor. I am graced to have their unwavering support and compassion for my charitys children and my lifes mission. God protect them as they protect the United States of America.

Elissa Montanti speaks while a proud Kenan Malkic looks on. (Courtesy/U.S. Customs and Border Protection)Staten Island Advance

Montanti would then reference American activist Rosa Parks, who wouldnt give up her seat on a bus to a white man during the civil rights movement. She was strong in her convictions, said Montanti. And she succeeded.

Montanti would go on to deliver a quote by Margaret Mead that she oftentimes applies to villages of volunteers, doctors, hospitals students, teachers and soldiers  just everyday good people who have helped and continue to help the Global Medical Relief Fund.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed individuals can change the world. In fact, its the only thing that ever has.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  The FDNY was called to Port Richmond after a gas line was struck in the area on Wednesday.

According to the FDNY, the incident occurred at around 12:45 p.m. at a home on John Street between Richmond Terrace and Eaton Place.

A spokesman for National Grid told the Advance/SILive.com that an outside contractor damaged a gas main during construction and that a National Grid crew responded alongside the FDNY to secure the location and ensure it was safe.

National Grid crews were able to complete repairs and restore service for the single customer affected and service has been fully restored, the spokesman said.

A 71-year-old resident, who requested her name not be published, told the Advance/SILive.com that John Street typically has multiple double-parked cars  some of which she claims are missing license plates or have paper plates  which make driving up and down the dead end street difficult. That situation was exacerbated by the emergency response vehicles, she said.

It was a real fiasco here today, she said. We have a difficult time getting up the block on a normal day, and as a senior with several medical conditions, were afraid that emergency vehicles might not be able to get up the street in time.

No injuries were reported, the spokesman said.
BALLSTON SPA, N.Y.  A man was sentenced Wednesday to 47 years to life in prison for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl who went missing from a state park in upstate New York last year.

Craig N. Ross Jr. pleaded guilty in February to taking the girl in September from a campground at Moreau Lake State Park, a rural area about 35 miles (60 kilometers) north of Albany. The disappearance sparked a 48-hour-search that ended when she was found alive at a camper Ross was staying in.

Because of you, I cant sleep at night, the girl, who was not present, said in a statement read in court by Saratoga County Assistant District Attorney Jennifer L. Buckley. I was imprisoned for two and a half days, and now you will be imprisoned for 47 years.

Judge James A. Murphy III also issued a protective order for the girl so that Ross cannot contact her in person or through mail.

Ross, 47, was shackled when he entered the courtroom and appeared to show little emotion throughout the sentencing. He declined to speak.

The little girl had been riding on a bike path with friends at the campground near her home on the evening of Sept. 30 when she went to take one last lap of the path on her own and didnt return.

More than 100 people searched for her. A break in the case came when law enforcement guarding the girls home saw someone place a ransom note in its mailbox.

Police eventually matched fingerprints on the note to Ross, who was in the database because of a 1999 drunk driving case. State police and an FBI SWAT team then descended on the camper, where the child was found in a cabinet.

Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen told reporters she was happy with the sentence following the hearing.

The family heard this defendant say that hes guilty of this crime. He admitted he did it, and those who would had to have been called upon to testify were spared having to relive that trauma, she said.

Ross, who had previously been scheduled to stand trial this month, was sentenced to a minimum of 25 years to life in prison for the kidnapping charge and 22 years to life for predatory sexual assault of a child, with the sentences to be served consecutively.
NEW YORK, N.Y.  One of seven jurors in the Manhattan criminal trial of former President Donald Trump said Thursday that she no longer felt she could remain as an impartial juror in the trial related to hush money payments to pornstar Stormy Daniels.

Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan dismissed the juror because of her concerns about her identity getting out in the press, limiting her confidence that she could remain impartial in the historic first criminal trial of a former president.

I definitely have concerns now, she said. I had friends, family and colleagues push things to my phone questioning my identity as a juror.

Neither Trumps nor District Attorney Alvin Braggs sides objected to the judges ruling that the juror be dismissed, and Merchan slammed members of the media for putting descriptors out about potential jurors.

Merchan has sought to maintain a strict level of anonymity for the potential jurors and those ultimately selected to serve on the jury.

Jury selection has been based largely on a 42-piece questionnaire each perspective juror answers in front of the judge, the two parties and members of the media. Merchan said Thursday that members of the press would no longer be able to report on potential jurors employment history.

Braggs office also identified possible discrepancies in the answers provided by another juror that had been selected for the panel.

Lead prosecutor Joshua Steinglass said they found a person with the same name who had been arrested in Westchester in the 1990s for tearing down conservative political posters, and information that the jurors wife had been involved in a corruption probe from the Manhattan District Attorneys office in the 1990s.

The juror did not bring up those issues when providing his answers to the questionnaire despite a section related to jurors criminal history and that of their spouses.

Merchan did not dismiss the juror Thursday morning because Trumps lawyers said they would like to hear from him first. The judge had asked the juror to arrive at 9:15 a.m., but he had not arrived by 10:15 a.m.

With that jurors status pending, six jurors have been selected for the trial, but six still need to be added to the panel along with about six alternate jurors.

TEMPERS FLARE

Tempers briefly flared Tuesday when Merchan admonished Trump for an outburst during jury selection.

Merchan said he heard Trump muttering and gesturing towards a juror that his attorney, Todd Blanche, sought to remove from the jury pool in the first criminal case brought against a former U.S. president.

I will not have any juror intimidated in this courtroom, Merchan said, instructing Blanche to get his client under control.

As cause for his challenge, Blanche took issue with two social media posts from around the same time that Trump lost the 2020 election to President Jospeh Biden.

According to Blanche and Merchan, the posts showed videos of people celebrating near the jury pool members Upper West Side residence. Members of the media were not able to independently view the post.

The judge accepted the potential jurors explanation that the videos were related to the healthcare hero celebrations of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but Trumps team ultimately chose to remove the juror from the pool using a peremptory challenge.

In total, Blanche raised four challenges for cause against potential members of the jury over social media activity perceived to be anti-Trump, and Merchan agreed with two of those challenges.

Trumps team and prosecutors from the office of District Attorney Alvin Bragg, led by attorney Joshua Steinglass, also used a series of peremptory challenges, which dont require cause, to remove several potential jurors from the pool.

TRUMPS POSTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

The former president took to his social media network, Truth Social, Wednesday, to criticize the number of peremptory charges allowed under state law.

I thought STRIKES were supposed to be unlimited when we were picking our jury? I was then told we only had 10, not nearly enough when we were purposely given the 2nd Worst Venue in the Country, Trump wrote. Dont worry, we have the First Worst also, as the Witch Hunt continues! ELECTION INTERFERENCE!

CIVIL & CRIMINAL CASES PENDING

In addition to his Manhattan trial, Trump has a series of civil and criminal cases pending across the country, including in Miami, Fulton County, Ga., and Washington D.C.

Braggs office charged Trump last year with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, which carries a maximum sentence of four years in jail, according to the state court system.

All this is related to the alleged 2006 affair the former president had with Daniels, and a 2016 hush money payment Cohen made to her in the lead-up to that years election.

Cohen, who is a convicted felon and key witness in Braggs case, has said that he made the $130,000 payment to Daniels on Trumps behalf, and was subsequently repaid by the former presidents family business, the Trump Organization.

In an effort to conceal the payments, the Trump Organization allegedly falsified business records, a scheme Cohen has said the former president knew about.

TRUTH SOCIAL POSTS SUBJECT OF UPCOMING HEARING

The former presidents social media activity and whether it violates a Merchan gag order will be the subject of a Tuesday hearing in the Manhattan case.

On Thursday, Braggs office asked to bring in additional Truth Social posts as evidence for that hearing, a request Merchan granted.

One of those posts targeted Cohen, which Trumps attorneys said was related to the former presidents political speech. Another was a posting of comments from Fox News host Jesse Watters who said that the court was catching undercover liberal activists lying to the judge in order to get on the Trump Jury.

Prosecutors are asking for $1,000 fines for each of the posts, the removal of those posts, and explicit instruction against continued violation of the gag order from Merchan to Trump.
A 35-year-old pregnant woman was airlifted from a Disney Fantasy cruise ship by the U.S. Coast Guard on Monday in the Atlantic Ocean.

The woman, a U.S. citizen, was experiencing unknown health complications and requested a higher level of care than what was available on the ship.

Thats when a helicopter was dispatched from Miami to meet with the ship, located 180 miles northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.
Dont miss the TV adaption of Fallout, the new Prime Video series that premiered on Wednesday, April 10  a day early in fact,  rather than on April 11  in more than 240 countries and territories around the world.

According to the Amazon website, the series is based on the popular video game Fallout, which is set 200 years after the apocalypse.

The website further describes Fallout as a story that follows a community of people living in luxury fallout shelters.

But in time the group of individuals are forced to return to the radioactive surroundings their ancestors left behind. And theyre shocked to discover the incredibly complex, weird, and highly corrupt and even violent universe that awaits them.

Many may recall that back in July 2022 the Advance/SILive.com ran a story alerting readers that Fallout was filmed in part at the former ShopRite supermarket in New Dorp where workers were busy transforming the spot into the Super Duper Mart from the apocalyptic game series.

Fans and other spectators could be seen standing at a chain link fence viewing and taking photos of the developing set, including what was described as damaged, boarded-up market and vintage cars that look like theyve been blasted by atomic bombs.

HOW TO WATCH FALLOUT

The show is exclusively available on Amazon. Prime Video is one of the many benefits included with Prime membership.

Prime members can login and immediately start watching the show -- but if youre not currently signed up for Prime, you can still stream for free via a free 30-day trial.

GET AMAZONS 30-DAY FREE PRIME TRIAL >>

TAKE A LITTLE SNEAK PEEK

THE CAST

FYI: Fallout cast members include Ellen Purnell who plays Lucy, an optimistic Vault Dweller with an all-American positive spirit. But her tranquil peaceful nature changes quickly when people begin to harm her loved ones.

Aaron Moten plays Maximus, a young soldier who hides his tragic past. The website adds, Maximus serves in a militaristic faction called Brotherhood of Steel. He believes in the nobility of the Brotherhoods mission and seeks to bring justice, aw and order to the Wasteland. Whats more, he will do anything to carry out Brotherhoods goals.

Walton Goggins plays The Ghoul. The Ghoul survives the wasteland as a Bounty Hunter. He is sensible, though ruthless and time and tries his hardest to hide his mysterious past.

Kyle MacLachlan plays Overseer Hank  the overseer of Vault 33 and Lucys dad, a man whos anxious to change the world  for the better.

CX404 will be featured in the series as a companion who seeks to navigate the post-apocalyptic world. And its been said dog-loving fans of the Fallout game will be thrilled to see this character throughout the series.

BEHIND THE SCENES

The series hails from Kilter Films and executive producers are Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy. Nolan directed the first three episodes. Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner serve as executive producers, writers, and co-showrunners.

Athena Wickham of Kilter Films also executive produces along with Todd Howard for Bethesda Game Studios and James Altman for Bethesda Softworks.

Amazon MGM Studios and Kilter Films produce in association with Bethesda Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Those longing for a return to recent summer-like temperatures will need to rein in their hopes, as the latest forecast indicates a stretch of mild weather through the end of the month.

On Monday, temperatures climbed to a high of 82 degrees on Staten Island, according to the Advance/SILive.com weather station. These sweat-inducing temperatures made for a scene more customary of the end of June.

Compare that with Thursdays noon temperature of 46 degrees, as reported by the Advance/SILive.com weather station, and the picture appears quite different.

Keep the umbrella close today! 



Pesky drizzle and light rain plague the region into the afternoon. With the rain and cloud cover, temperatures struggle to climb out of the 40s. #NYwx #CTwx #NJwx pic.twitter.com/etzb6NSl1N  NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) April 18, 2024

For some, these brisk temperatures are a spring delight and they care not for the sweltering heat of July. Others cant wait for the onset of summer and will seize every opportunity given to bask in the warmth.

Those identifying with the latter group may need to wait a few weeks before we reach temperatures exceeding the 70s.

TEMPERATURES IN THE WEEKS AHEAD

As far as the week of April 14 goes, Thursday marks the low point in conditions, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bob Larson.

Today (Thursday) seems to be the basement, Larson said. This is where we seem to bottom out. I dont see any days quite as chilly as what we are enduring today coming down the road here the next several days.

Although Thursday and Friday hold clouds and rain, as indicated by AccuWeather, Larson foresees a jump in temperatures on Saturday that will land the high in the upper 60s.

From there, temperatures are knocked back down a few notches with highs resting in the lower 60s. While Mondays high of 82 could make you think otherwise, the start of next week is near seasonable.

The historic average high temperature right now is mid-60s, Larson said. So, were clearly below that today (Thursday), might be a few notches above it Saturday, and then pretty close to, or maybe a degree or two below-average from like Sunday through Tuesday.

As a cold front progresses through the region, temperatures will trend cooler in the latter half of the week ahead, Larson reports. Temperature highs for that period are expected to rest around 60 degrees.

Its the tail-end of the month, the week of April 28, that Larson expects to see temperatures breach the 70 degree threshold. Despite this, New York City residents should not anticipate anything resembling Mondays high of 82 for some time, Larson says.

Spring can be a frustrating time of year because we often get teased with a warm day or two or three, and then we have these setbacks, Larson said. Its just the way it goes. The road to late spring and summer and the road to warmth is never a straight, continuous line. There are many detours along the way and a lot of setbacks; and this is clearly one of those setbacks that were seeing right now.
The manufacturer of Glad garbage bags faces potentially millions of dollars in penalties after the consumer and competition watchdog launched legal action in the Federal Court, accusing it of falsely claiming certain bags were made partly from recycled ocean plastic.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has alleged Clorox Australia breached consumer laws when it falsely claimed its Glad Kitchen Tidy Bags and Garbage Bags were made from 50 per cent recycled ocean plastic collected from an ocean or sea.

The packaging was updated between March 2022 and November 2022 to include the headline made using 50% ocean-bound plastic. Credit: ACCC

The bags were instead partly made from plastic that was collected in Indonesia  up to 50 kilometres from a shoreline  and not from the ocean or sea as the packaging had claimed.

We allege that the headline ocean plastic statements and wave imagery on the Glad bag packaging, and the use of blue-coloured bags, created the impression that these Glad bags were made from plastic waste collected from the ocean or sea, when this was not the case, ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said.
SOCIETY

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness Jonathan Haidt

Allen Lane, $36.99

Around 2007, two significant events occurred. First, the rise of the smartphone and social media. Within a few years, iPhones and Android phones became ubiquitous, and platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter exploded into popularity. The second development was a noticeable decline in youth mental health. Across advanced countries, rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide worsened, especially among girls.

Is there a connection between these two developments? In The Anxious Generation, New York University social psychologist Jonathan Haidt makes the strongest case yet that smartphones and social media are doing massive harm to the mental wellbeing of young people. Like Jean Twenges iGen and Netflixs The Social Dilemma, this is an urgent call to action, from a writer who regards social media as more akin to tobacco than fairy floss.

Jonathan Haidts book argues that smartphones and social media are doing massive harm to the mental wellbeing of young people. Credit:

Whats the evidence? Over the past 15 or so years, the use of smartphones and social media has skyrocketed. The average young American receives 192 social media notifications daily. Nearly half of US teens say they are online almost constantly. Device use has displaced in-person activities. Young US teens are increasingly unlikely to have a part-time job or a driving licence.
At this years Fantastic Film Festival, the highlight of the program isnt a premiere. Its three decades old.

Metal Skin is a forgotten action thriller from 1994 from Geoffrey Wright (acclaimed director of Romper Stomper) with a young cast led by Aden Young, Ben Mendelsohn, Tara Morice and Nadine Garner drawn into a wild world of drag racing, sex and satanism in Melbournes western suburbs. Its the 90s Australian genre film you didnt realise you were missing, finally re-released and restored to its former glory.

Metal Skin is the 90s Australian genre film you didnt realise you were missing.

Written and developed at the same time as Romper Stomper, its something of a companion piece to that film. Romper Stomper, with its brooding lead turn from Russell Crowe, brutal violence and controversial depiction of skinhead culture, became a cultural phenomenon. Two years later, Metal Skin was released to solid reviews but underperformed commercially. Today, it is all but forgotten.

Theres many reasons for that, says Wright. Unless a film does exceptionally well at the box office, people dont discuss it. It fades from the Australian psyche.
The speaker is Ed Skrein as Admiral Atticus Noble, the jackbooted villain of Zack Snyders overblown space opera, Rebel Moon, set in a galaxy far, far away, which is definitely not the same one that supplies the backdrop for Star Wars. Although Snyder reportedly pitched a similar project as an authorised Star Wars spin-off a decade ago.

When I deliver her to Belisarius and her body is displayed in the rotunda of the Senate, I shall bare my chest, and it will stand as a symbol that it is I who brought to justice the Scargiver. If you think actors have it easy, try saying that lot out loud.

As seasoned Rebelheads will recall, the admiral was slain in the previous feature-length instalment of the saga, which premiered on Netflix last year. But after a stint in a rejuvenation chamber, he returns more sneeringly psychotic than ever, bent on revenge on the warrior heroine, Kora (Sofia Boutella), a former ally who has turned against the Imperium, Snyders equivalent to the Galactic Empire.

To call this a blatant rip-off would be accurate but not especially damning. After all, just about any modern fantasy blockbuster could be described as a mishmash of familiar elements  and this could equally be said of the original 1977 Star Wars, conceived as a homage to the pulp science fiction tradition dating back to the 1930s or earlier.

Still, theres no doubt the storytelling here is on autopilot. Most of the first Rebel Moon was spent watching Kara recruit allies one by one, in the manner of The Seven Samurai  the same formula Snyder always seems to fall back on these days, whether hes making a superhero movie (Justice League) or a heist caper with zombies (Army of the Dead).

Elise Duffy as Milius and Staz Nair as Tarak in Rebel Moon  Part Two: The Scargiver. Credit: Netflix

With the full team now assembled, little remains but to await the final showdown on the farming moon of Veldt, with Kora as de facto leader, the crafty General Titus (Djimon Hounsou) taking charge of strategy, and Snyder displaying his unwavering love of low-angle shots and slow motion.
Though ostensibly on the same side during the trial, relations between the parties have deteriorated badly. In his 324-page judgment, Justice Michael Lee noted that as the trial went on, the more it became evident as to how Ms Wilkinson seeks to distinguish her role from the role of others within Network Ten as to the investigation and publication of The Project program. Or, to put it in the more colloquial terms used by a Ten insider: She threw us under the bus. Theres just no way she can come back after that. The Ten insider points to Wilkinsons differing accounts of her role in the Higgins story, saying during the trial that her role was simply to read the pre-prepared script, yet at other times claiming personal responsibility for the story, including when she won the Logie and again outside court this week. Nine, which owns this masthead, is not really an option either. Wilkinson and the network parted company in 2017 over a bitter and very public pay dispute.

It was reported at the time that Wilkinson had been offered a deal worth $1.8 million a year to stay with Today, but she wanted $2 million, the same as her co-host, Karl Stefanovic. Hugh Marks, who was then chief executive of Nine, later claimed Wilkinson had in fact been seeking $2.3 million in exchange for giving up a range of commercial deals outside of Nine. Loading Its pretty rare for someone to come back to a commercial network after leaving like that, says a Nine insider, who was not authorised to speak on the record. But she is a very good broadcaster, is popular with viewers, and is good at what she does, so I definitely think theres still a place for her on television. Seven, where Wilkinson worked before joining Nine, is a very remote possibility, though unlikely given its role in backing the Lehrmann version of events on its Spotlight program. That means the most obvious spot for Wilkinson on free-to-air might be the ABC, says one Nine source, though they added it might not be able to afford her. The ABC declined to comment for this story.

Any role with a public broadcaster would come with a vastly reduced pay package. Indeed, given the changed economics of free-to-air broadcasting generally since Wilkinson moved to Ten in 2017, no commercial broadcaster would stump up that sort of coin either. But cash is not the only motivator for someone as used to the public eye as Wilkinson. I dont think the money will matter to her. Its more the profile that she wants, says agent and promoter Max Markson. She wants to be back in business, so the moneys not going to be an issue. Lisa Wilkinson and Brittany Higgins. Any reputational damage Wilkinson may have suffered  including from Justice Lees remarks that some of her behaviour in reporting the Higgins rape allegations (which he found, on the balance of probability, to be true) fell short of the standard of reasonableness  is unlikely to linger, says Markson. Time is a great healer, and shes a great talent, he says. This whole saga will fade away in the next six months. Shes really famous and she will be again. Its a great gift.

Realistically, if Wilkinson is to have any chance of earning the sort of money she did in the past, it may come from a patchwork of deals  perhaps some work with the ABC, a contract to write a book about the saga (a sequel, of sorts, to her 2021 memoir, which covered the pay dispute with Nine), a column. But perhaps the most promising line could be afforded by podcasting and digital media. In some respects, she has, through this story, positioned herself more as an advocate than as a traditional journalist, says one broadcast executive, who was not authorised to speak on the record. Theres quite possibly a lucrative and productive space for her there. Wilkinson certainly wouldnt be the first person to move out from under the umbrella of a traditional media organisation to establish a direct-to-consumer platform. The likes of former Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson, one-time tabloid newspaper editor Piers Morgan, and former Australian magazine publisher Mia Freedman have all enjoyed success in doing so. And with local broadcasters Southern Cross Austereo and ARN busily building podcast networks (LiSTNR and iHeartRadio respectively), not to mention Spotifys ambitions in the market, the appeal of an experienced media performer who specialises in interviews and has a reputation as an advocate for women is not hard to imagine.
The bishop stabbed during his livestreamed sermon at the Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Sydneys west says hes doing fine and has forgiven his attacker as he urged his followers to act in peace.

Meanwhile, the first man arrested over the riots that took place following the stabbing attack in Wakeley has been granted strict bail, after a court heard he kicked police cars and footage of his alleged actions were posted to his Instagram account.

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was preaching in the church on Monday night as a 16-year-old allegedly advanced down the aisle and stabbed him multiple times.

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was attacked during a service on Monday night.

The frenzied attack left the teen with a finger cut off, sustained during the act of stabbing, Premier Chris Minns said, while police and ambulance officers were trapped inside the church for hours as hundreds rioted outside.
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 There are many people with psychiatric disease in our community today (Knife attack on mother led to mentally ill man finding help, April 17). The only 100 per cent safe strategy is to keep people in hospital forever, but, apart from forensic psychiatry, that is unfair to the person and requires resources we do not have. So a decision sometime has to be taken to discharge a person, often before all symptoms are gone. Any discharge is risky. Psychiatrists gamble each time they discharge someone. People then go under the care of an under-staffed and stressed community psychiatry service. They are often still unwell. They might still have delusions or hear voices continually. We underfund both our inpatient and community psychiatric services. We get what we have asked for each time the gamble fails. It will happen again. Peter Baume, Mosman Eleven years ago Marina Solar was stabbed by her son, who lives with schizophrenia. Credit: Rhett Wyman Today is my first day back at work at Bondi Junction. I see a community coming together to show respect, support, care and love. A community grieving together, standing together and comforting each other. There will be those who walk past their favourite shops and are triggered with trauma. Today we are in this together. We will find strength encouraging each other. Its okay for us to shed tears and some will still struggle with fears. We are here to help each other. Its beautiful to see people hug each other and stand together in the presence among these beautiful flowers. This shows me we are a strong caring community. This street I walked on over a thousand times, from today will never be the same. Thank you for those lovely flowers; your respect has shown me something greater. It has given me strength to start a new day today, with courage, and knowing we are surrounded by amazing people. I want to be grateful for life. Love those special people in your life; never take them for granted. Goodbye to those precious souls. Let there be peace among those they left. I am thinking of their loved ones today. For those still recovering in hospital, let us all believe they will make it through. Never give up on hope. My heart is with you. Emma Zamparutti, Kingsgrove Chris Minns decision to provide $18 million to the NSW Coroner to investigate the Bondi Junction tragedy might be politically expedient but it is a waste of money. Ten years ago, a similar event occurred after the Lindt Cafe siege. There were major investigations into its causation and yet a similar tragedy has occurred. The common theme between the two tragedies is mental illness. While the Lindt Cafe perpetrators mental illness was known to the police through bad behaviour, not so was Joel Cauchis. He, if you like, went over the edge without detection. The premier is trying to protect the public safety when it is not his job  it is the job of law enforcement agencies. They do their best but clearly they cant detect or protect everyone, especially by somehow keeping an eye on everyone with a mental illness. It is mission impossible. We all know that mental health services are hugely underfunded. Even with funding, many suffering from mental health issues dont seek treatment or fail to take medication. Perhaps the premier could be persuaded to simply accept that such tragedies will occur from time to time and no amount of public examination and expenditure will stop it. Why not give the $18 million as a permanent expenditure to provide better health outcomes to many? John Rome, Mt Lawley (WA) As we reel from the tragedy of last weekend, I wonder whether a look towards New Zealand and its handling of the shocking mosque attacks in Christchurch may be in order. The name of the perpetrator is never mentioned. I have some compassion towards the man who committed the horrendous acts in Bondi. He too was a victim of his mental illness. But it worries me that posthumous fame may be an attraction to others who have untreated illnesses. And is it not unreasonable to consider the pain of the parents in hearing his name constantly repeated in all media outlets, for they are also victims. Janie Page, Balmain Faiths rally round with respect in hours of need I have led and participated in many interfaith gatherings and services of worship, together with clergy and faith leaders from a wide variety of traditions (Letters, April 18). Without exception these occasions are imbued with respect, joy and appreciation of one another and with gratitude for the opportunity to be together. They include honest curiosity and a genuine desire to learn from the insights of others in ways that dont threaten, but rather enrich, our understanding of our own faith traditions. The common thread is invariably care for our fellow human beings and a desire to make our broader society and local communities more harmonious, safe and inclusive environments where all people can thrive. Sadly, there will always be some whose beliefs are closed to the ways of others, who maintain an Im right and youre wrong and never the twain shall meet approach. We must not let this often violent element dominate the narrative, lest we lose sight of all there is to share and celebrate. Meredith Williams, Baulkham Hills

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If only all the religions of this world could recognise that their holiest texts were written by men, not by God, by men. Neil Armfield, Patonga A picture CAN be worth a thousand words. Thank you, Cathy Wilcox. Your depiction of all the reverend gentlemen in yesterdays cartoon explains everything. Graham Tucker, Kiama Interfaith dialogue Credit: Cathy Wilcox The superb Cathy Wilcox cartoon raises two important questions: why are the 14 faith leaders all male and how can they all be right? Grant Heaton, Port Macquarie If there is a God, her name is Wilcox. Joy Nason, Mona Vale Yet again Cathy Wilcox hits the proverbial nail on the head. A group of archaically clad men proclaim their divisive religious slogans, speaking at once, many studiously avoiding eye contact. A woman, dressed for practical daily tasks, peers around the door and voices the one question which has any hope of producing unity. Leone Toker, Port Macquarie Did anyone notice that in the interfaith dialogue cartoon by the wonderful Cathy Wilcox, all the participants were men? The only woman there was the tea lady offering a dose of calm and sanity to the occasion. Says it all, really. Levane Abdoolcader, Padstow Heights

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Well done, Cathy Wilcox. Your religious cartoon cleverly hides a glaring omission from our religious clergy. Among the pious talking heads, the only woman in the collective is the tea lady. Brilliant. Greg Horan, Wentworth Point Religion is the problem. Education is the answer. Ted Hemmens, Cromer My God is better than your God? Christopher Hitchens had it right: religion poisons everything. William Forbes, Medowie Fat bikes should be regulated These are motorcycles (Are we waiting until someone is killed before we ban the illegal fat bike?, April 18). They should be regulated as such and insured. If national standards cant be agreed to, then NSW should take lead and change their classification. The other states will follow when Josh rides into NSW and immediately gets arrested and his bike impounded. But even as the law stands now, why arent the police arresting the riders who are not on private property? David Neilson, Araluen (NT) As a motorcyclist, I totally agree with your opinion piece about fat bikes. I was required to pass a licence test and now pay registration and CTP and have to wear a helmet. The speed limit on footpaths is 10 km/h. Police should be instructed to confiscate any fat bike being ridden on a footpath exceeding that speed. Bob Roobottom, Taree

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Defending Dad I am the eldest of the five Helfgott siblings and was very upset to read the headline (We all suffered: Louise and David Helfgotts complicated upbringing, April 13). You quote David as saying, I think we all suffered under Dad. I always felt loved by my father and I certainly did not suffer under him. In your article you have focused on Davids statement about Dad being a woeful father but this is not the full truth. In fact, David himself has in the past referred to our father as a super human being. My sister Louise was quoted as saying that Dad felt he was losing control. Anyone who gives the situation even a little bit of thought would clearly see Dads actions were those of a loving, responsible parent who was justifiably concerned that his young son, with major mental health issues, would suffer considerably on his own and so far away from all family and support.

Margaret Helfgott, Western Australia Louise and David Helfgott. Even though Im much younger, Ive often had to be the big sister, Louise says. Credit: Simon Schluter Keep it light Project homes built in new subdivisions have long been described as nothing more than glorified tents (Homes billed as seven-star comfort turn out to be closer to a tent, April 18). Regardless of the legislated energy efficiency requirements (Basix) these homes do not satisfy our climate extremes, which results in excessive electricity bills. One initiative the government could implement is to ban dark roofing. Light-coloured rooftops are not encouraged by the NSW government and it has refused to upgrade the building sustainability standards to adopt this approach. Its no coincidence European countries are dominated by buildings with light-coloured roofs and white walls. John Nelson, Mudgee Energy and effort The deplorable, but not unexpected, extensive coral bleaching can only be attributed to global warming from increased greenhouse gas emissions (Unprecedented reef damage caused by marine heatwave, April 18). While federal Labors reduction targets are achievable and almost adequate, these efforts must be matched worldwide. In this context, it is ironic that, in the hinterland of the Great Barrier Reef, vast quantities of coal are mined that are destined to generate carbon dioxide emissions once exported. How unfortunate that our nation is not instead benefiting from facilitating the transition to renewable energy to other countries presently dependent upon our fossil fuels. It would represent a win in many respects, including for our struggling coral reef. Roger Epps, Armidale

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Watching the Great Barrier Reef turn into a drab graveyard breaks my heart. That, if we breach two degrees of global heating, my children and all future generations will never experience the majesty and beauty that the reef offers is devastating. As is the prospect of losing the 64,000 jobs that rely on the reef, and the economic boost it provides. Failing to urgently overhaul the weak and ineffective Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act that currently ignores the impact of the climate pollution causing the reefs demise, will be a stain on Labors reputation. The environment and future generations need governments to step up now, before it is too late. Amy Hiller, Kew (Vic) Third word problem I like the take Peter FitzSimons gives us on the batter/batsman issue (Batters or batsman? Crickets new lingo is not a hill to die on, April 18). But what has the ICC done about that field position known as Third Man? I have noticed some commentators now refer to it simply as

Third but I am not sure whether that is a requirement of the International Cricket Council. John Lees, Castlecrag Rental problems There is a bed-and-breakfast near me that is owned and managed by a retired couple (Letters, April 16). The only reason they do not have a long-term tenant in it is because the annual land tax is more than any long-term rental agreement would provide. The annual land tax is $30,000 a year, which is much more than any current long-term rental amount in this town would cover, let alone the other costs of council rates, insurance etc. The government is quick to complain about the lack of long-term available rentals, but is itself the root cause of why there are not as many on the market. David Sayers, Gwandalan Real names, please The regulation of social media would be easier if the correct name and contact of the person commenting was displayed (Fines for lies posted on attacks, April 18). Getting rid of social media anonymity would not be censorship as it would simply require the users of a service to self-censor. You dont walk down the street naked; you dont start screaming or playing a trombone in a restaurant. So if you make public comments, you dont hide behind an alias. Exceptional circumstances aside, if you cant put your name to a statement then its not worth making. Yes, yes, I know, the platforms profits would dive. So theres the choice: lose big bucks or enable the promotion of lies, half-truths, victimhood and revenge. Susan Connelly, Lakemba

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A teenager charged with stabbing a bishop in a church in Sydneys west has a long history of behaviour consistent with mental health issues, a court has heard, as police allege he travelled up to an hour and a half in his quest to carry out the alleged terrorism offence.

The 16-year-old is accused of stabbing Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel six times as the leader of Wakeleys Christ The Good Shepherd Church delivered a livestreamed sermon on Monday.

The 16-year-old accused of carrying out a terrorist attack at a church in western Sydney.

The incident at the conservative Assyrian church was quickly declared a terrorist attack by police, who on Tuesday seized electronic devices from the teenagers home.

Police on Thursday afternoon interviewed the accused attacker in hospital, where he was charged with a Commonwealth terrorism offence.
The boys mother took issue with the police force decision early on Tuesday morning to designate the attack a terrorist incident. She felt they shouldve waited to interview the boy, to talk to her or access his devices or computer, to listen to his behavioural stories, Islamic community leader Dr Jamal Rifi, who is close with a member of the boys family, said. Counterterrorism officers came to the familys suburban home the next day, Rifi said, and the boys mother made her feelings known before handing his devices and computer to investigators. The family fled the home after being accompanied to the car by police and have not returned. The boy, who was expelled from school, according to two people close to the family, had been seeing school counsellors since he started high school.

Loading He had also seen two private female psychologists to no effect, and had recently begun seeing a male psychologist who had told his mother he might have anger management or behavioural problems. The teenager, who had just turned 16, had in the few weeks before the stabbing begun praying at a mosque, where his father regularly performed his religious duties. The boy had only recently started coming  he never used to come to our place of worship, said a man who also prays there and who spoke on the condition of anonymity. His dad is a nice man. He just comes, prays and leaves, prays and leaves. But the kid, he didnt come before, maybe [he started] only a few weeks before [the attack]. He is not a member of the place, he is not always attending, he just came.

Everyone is upset, saying whats wrong, what happened. No one knows the kid; everyone knows the dad. When we talk, we say the dad is so nice, what happened? The teenager was on a good-behaviour bond at the time of the alleged attack after being charged with being armed with intent to commit an indictable offence, stalking/intimidation and damaging/destroying property over an incident at a railway station in November. A heavy police presence at the scene of the Wakeley stabbing on Tuesday morning. Credit: Wolter Peeters The armed with intent charge was dropped in January because the boy himself did not have a knife, but rather was in the company of someone who did, Rifi said. The boys parents are facing a series of questions about what led their son to allegedly attack the religious leader.
The Walker Corporation has withdrawn its application to build Toondah Harbour on the Cleveland foreshore, ending a decade-long fight to protect international wetlands.

Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek last week said she planned to reject the project on environmental grounds, but gave the company 10 days to consider its bid.

An artists impression of a small part of the Walker Groups planned Toondah Harbour development, which includes up to 3600 units and a 400-berth marina. Credit: The Walker Group

The Walker Corporation was expected to scale back the project, which originally extended into Moreton Bay, but on Thursday announced it would withdraw altogether.

We have been overwhelmed by calls and messages of support over the past week from the Redlands community as well as local, state and federal political and community leaders, who understand how critical this project is to the regions future, the company said in a statement.

We respect the ministers opinion that she does not believe the project in its current form provides the protections for the environment and we need the appropriate amount of time to understand and address those concerns, to satisfy the governments reasonable, high environmental standards.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size The story of Brisbane Arcade is a story of resistance. How else could you describe the old-world shopping arcade, the oldest in the city, wedged between Queen Street Mall and Adelaide Street in the CBD? A century on, Brisbane Arcade evokes the prestige of a bygone retail era. Credit: Courtney Kruk The surrounding retail precincts have endured decades of change, some expanding to luxurious new heights, others losing their lustre. But how Brisbane Arcade, which celebrates its 100th anniversary on Friday, April 19, has resisted the trends of the 21st century is something of a mystery. The building, reminiscent of a less-complicated era with its green awnings, stained-glass windows and wooden shopfronts, endears itself to shoppers. Theres a lot of nostalgia connected to that little shopping mall, says QUT professor and retail expert Gary Mortimer.

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If you compare it to other shopping centres, like Uptown when it was the Myer Centre, it had that nostalgia for people who had been to Tops when they were kids and that connection to simpler times. I imagine thats whats happened with Brisbane Arcade. Girls Love Pearls owner Mark Seddon poses in front of his brag wall. Im having fun and making a nice living, thats all I want to do. Credit: Courtney Kruk Peering down from the Gallery Level, Girls Love Pearls owner Mark Seddon describes it as an oasis in the city. Its a nice little getaway. You can sort of just stop and breathe, he says. Seddon has worked in the jewellery trade since he left school nearly 40 years ago. He was restringing pearls for the previous owner when they asked if he knew anyone who might want to buy the business. I said, yeah, me. That was in 2008. With pearls proving as enduringly popular as the mall, Seddon has no plans to leave.

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Ive thought about franchising and expanding, but I dont really want to, he says, widening his grin. Im having fun and making a nice living, thats all I want to do. The arcades longevity is as much a testament to its uniqueness as its loyal shoppers. Irma J. Smith owner Bronwyn Smith (right) has been coming to Brisbane Arcade since she was two-years-old. Credit: Courtney Kruk I have my beautiful, regular clientele, but I keep getting new clients all the time, says Bronwyn Smith. Once someone becomes a client with me, theyre with me all their life. She is impossible to miss. Dressed in a pale pink beret, green silk ensemble and multicoloured patchwork blazer, shes pressed into an armchair chatting with a friend when I walk into The Irma J. Smith House of Fashion. Irma was my mother, she says, pointing to the shops old-school logo. Weve been here 30 years in this shop, but Ive been coming here since I was two years old.

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Loading The large rolls of silk lining the store are analogous to a life spent surrounded by beautiful garments. I grew up in that world. I was always sewing. I was always artistic and even as a child, colour was my big thing. Smith had been running the store with her sister Marabeth until her passing a few years ago. Even through her own struggles  she had breast cancer 15 months ago  Smith has remained faithful to the shop and her customers. I worked the whole way through [treatment]. I had a hard time but I didnt let it do it to me, if you know what I mean. This is my passion, this is my life. I love what I do.

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There is something inimitable about the people who work in the arcade; their pride, warmth and dedication. Its undoubtedly part of the malls survival, and one doesnt have to wander far to find another example. Stretching the basement level of Brisbane Arcade is Keri Craig Emporium, a bazaar of history fronted by Peter and Dianne Craig. Weve been in the arcade since 1977, 47 years, Dianne says. Youll find Dianne and Peter Craig in Keri Craig Emporium most days. Credit: Courtney Kruk In a crisp pink shirt and tropical tie, Peter explains their many storefronts over the years  weve had about 10 different situations in the arcade  before converging to the refurbished lower level. The head trustee John Moore rang one night and said that they had redone the basement area and asked if we would take the whole lot over. We decided it was too much, but we did it anyway, he laughs.

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Residents have already been moved out of the Carlton towers and the government plans to award a contract this year to demolish them, along with three towers in North Melbourne and Flemington where 1200 public tenants live. It argues that the towers, which are 50 to 70 years old, have aged beyond their useful life and have major problems, including with the sewerage system at the Carlton flats. In October, Homes Victoria chief executive Simon Newport described the Carlton towers as uninhabitable and an eyesore, adding that they need to come down quickly. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and her predecessor, Daniel Andrews. Credit: Gus McCubbing But McIntyre, who visited the Carlton estate with The Age this week, disagreed. I think its an absolute disgrace that they would demolish it, to be honest, he said.

McIntyre was working with building firm Clements Langford in the 1960s when it won the contract to build one tower at Carlton. Loading We built the tower using a standard reinforced concrete frame, sheeted in brick, McIntyre said. Well, the Housing Commission were so pleased with the thing, they said, Wed like you to do another one beside it. This week McIntyre surveyed the Carlton towers from outside and said he couldnt see a single crack. The exterior of the building hasnt deteriorated, he said. The frame is perfectly good. The exterior walls are perfectly good.

McIntyre  a friend and student of architectural doyen Robin Boyd and the designer of celebrated projects including Melbournes 1956 Olympic Games pool  said that building interiors tended to wear out over the decades but could be refitted and apartments reconfigured. I cant understand why they want to demolish them, he said. I mean, if you wanted to replace them, youd probably do the same construction, the same thing. Youd build a tower with reinforced concrete sheeted with brick or some equivalent material like the brick. Clearance of slums in Fitzroy in 1971. Credit: The Age The state government has described the high-rise redevelopment as the largest urban renewal project in Australias history, eventually housing three times as many residents over the next 30 years in a mix of social and private housing  but detail is scant.

The state opposition and Greens have slammed the government for failing to provide evidence to justify the demolition plan and for announcing it before consulting the thousands of residents of the towers. A government spokeswoman said the redevelopment would boost social housing by at least 10 per cent  delivering modern, fit-for-purpose housing that every Victorian can be proud to call a home. Brian Howe  a respected Victorian Labor elder, one-time federal housing minister and former deputy prime minister in the Hawke and Keating governments said he was shocked by Andrews September announcement. Paul Keating and Brian Howe at the first cabinet meeting of Keatings government in December 1991. Credit: Peter Morris You had the premier announcing, not just that therell be some redevelopment, but that the high rise effectively would be eliminated. I thought that was quite extraordinary, he said.

Public policy should always be based on proper investigation, and on something like this you would expect a process of public consultation right from the start. Loading But there appears to have been no proper investigation, and definitely no consultation. Howe  who as a Methodist minister in Fitzroy in the 1960s when so-called slum clearances paved the way for the public housing towers  criticised the effective privatisation of public land by the Labor government. He said he was concerned that ultimately the redevelopment would reduce the amount of public housing in the inner-city close to jobs and services  which is already dramatically insufficient.

If the towers can be saved, they should be, he said. Loading The National Trust has welcomed heritage consideration for the towers, with national chair Lachlan Molesworth noting such protection had been granted to social housing interstate and internationally. Heritage is not just about large mansions and grand public buildings, he said. It is also about preserving examples of buildings and places which are an important part of our social history and fabric. Melbourne University professor of urban planning David Nichols said the towers meant a huge amount to Melbourne.
All this is worth remembering in this galling week, defined as it was by two stabbings that make you shudder. One in a shopping centre in Bondi Junction , and one in a church in the Sydney suburb of Wakeley . One causing mass fatalities, and one causing serious injuries. One police have designated an act of terrorism, and one not.

Political assassinations were not new, but this was different because the point wasnt to kill Alexander personally. The aim wasnt to replace a bad tsar with a better one. It was to abolish tsars altogether, to start a revolution. It was to use terror as a political tool by performing this violence for everyone to see. This was, in the anarchists famous phrase, propaganda by deed.

The terrorists in question were Russian anarchists in the late 19th century, who most historians say set modern terrorism in motion when they killed Tsar Alexander II by bombing in 1881. By calling it terrorism, they wanted to convey that their violence was strategic and served a grand cause.

It might be hard to believe, but terrorist began as a term of pride: a label terrorists gave themselves to legitimise and explain their violence, to distinguish themselves from garden variety criminals and thugs.

That differential treatment has caused much consternation in two main circles, each of which sees double standards at play. First, among domestic violence campaigners enraged that an attack of the Bondi Junction stabbings brutality, which police acknowledge was specifically targeting women, is not declared terrorism. And second, among some Muslim community groups who suspect that a Muslim perpetrator will be deemed a terrorist, and a non-Muslim one wont even if theyre doing the same thing.

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Theres good reason to raise such objections. At the same time, I think they are straightforwardly incorrect. Thats because they tend to work backwards. They dont start with a definition of terrorism and then consider whether the facts of each case fit within it. They start with a sense of injustice, with a set of social and political criticisms and commitments, and use them to decide what should count as terrorism. Here, they reveal a certain truth: that terrorism has become such a loaded term in our culture that it inflames passions in a way other violence does not. But they do so by stretching the term beyond what is analytically convincing.

So, definitions. While there are endless varying definitions of terrorism  one academic effort managed to gather 260  the anarchist example of 19th century Russia captures two main features on which there is broad scholarly agreement. First, that terrorisms violence must be in the service of a political cause. Second, that it seeks to inspire fear beyond its immediate victims, and in an audience watching on. In this way, we can begin to see how terrorism is distinct from other violent crime, and even hate crime.

The Port Arthur massacre was an act of mass violence, but it was not terrorism because it lacked a political cause. A racist who comes across a black man in a park and proceeds to assault him is almost certainly guilty of a hate crime. But his crime is unlikely to be deemed terrorism if the violence isnt intended for an audience. However, the Ku Klux Klan is a terrorist group because it launched violent campaigns of racial intimidation seeking particular political outcomes.
We are travelling with two children, seven and 11, to France and Italy over three weeks, starting and ending in Paris. We would like to spend most of our time in the countryside but where to go? And do we travel by train or plane? D. Adams, Bondi, NSW

Street scene in Saint-Remy-de-Provence  a great base for exploring the French countryside. Credit: iStock

Train travel is preferable to flying, but the only practical way to experience many of the treasures of rural France and Italy is by getting behind the wheel. Without a vehicle youll be confined to larger towns and cities.

An alternative is to base yourself in places that are easy to reach by train and take guided tours but with young children thats a big ask. From Paris you might take the train south to Avignon then another train to Saint-Remy-de-Provence, a gorgeous town with heaps of character and a perfect base for exploring one of the prettiest corners of France.

Next stop, Antibes, from where you can explore Frances Mediterranean coast, followed by a few nights in Milan. Head north just a short distance to Lake Como and spend three nights at least, and somewhere between Lenno and Tremezzina, perhaps Villa Mirabella, would be ideal. From there its easy to get around on the lake ferries. If youre driving, head for Tirano, on the border between Italy and Switzerland, abandon your car for the day and take the train over the Swiss Alps to St Moritz. It only takes 2 hours each way and its a cracker of a ride, an engineering marvel as well as a scenic wonder, past glaciers, through forests and down the lovely Engadin Valley.
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 Australians of a certain age may recall the story of Graham Staines, a Christian missionary murdered alongside his young sons, Philip and Timothy, by Hindu extremists in the remote eastern lands of India. Staines had been living for decades in what is now the state of Odisha, caring for leprosy patients and the poor with the Missionary Society of Mayurbhanj, a Baptist group with origins in Queensland. On January 22, 1999, Staines and the boys were on a road trip to a camp and had stopped to sleep for the night outside a church in the village of Manoharpur. A mob torched their vehicle. Graham and Gladys Staines with their children Philip (left), Timothy and Esther in 1998. Credit: AP It was figured Staines had been forcing tribal villagers to convert to Christianity  a spiritual offence against the exclusionary movement of Hindutva, which holds Hinduism as inseparable from the very idea of Indian nationhood and purity. A subsequent Indian inquiry found Staines had done no such thing. While still at-large afterwards, mob leader Dara Singh murdered a Christian priest and rallied another group in cutting off the arms and setting fire to a Muslim trader, who died. Singh and others are serving life-sentences in jail. The attacks were of the militant extreme. But religious violence in India is not uncommon. Even in softer forms, Hindutva foments the marginalisation of minorities  particularly the countrys 200-plus million Muslims  and jars with its secular Constitution.

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It is also the foundational philosophy of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Close to a billion Indians are eligible to vote in a seven-phase national election beginning on Friday, April 19, and ending on June 1. It will be the largest democratic exercise in the history of civilisation. Modis BJP has been in power for the last decade, having captured nationalists and the vast voting bloc of the Hindu north. Despite a mixed economic record and a widening rich-poor divide, it has presided over a period of collective growth, modernisation and international influence. Modi and his public relations juggernaut, presenting the prime minister as humble yet deity-like saviour, have enmeshed his brand with the nations rise. Among the ardent, criticism is a form of blasphemy. Sydney experienced Modimania firsthand in May last year during a prime ministerial visit. Narendra Modi on stage with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Sydney in May last year. Credit: James Brickwood The last time I saw someone on this stage was Bruce Springsteen, and he did not get the welcome that Prime Minister Modi has got, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese proclaimed to the diaspora at Qudos Bank Arena.

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Prime Minister Modi is the Boss! University of Melbourne lecturer Dr Pradeep Taneja says Modi has won over many of the poor by helping them open bank accounts and by repackaging subsidy schemes. Cooking gas, for example, used to be discounted at the retail counter. Loading What happens now is that now you pay the full market price, but then within 24 hours the government subsidy goes directly into your bank account  so you can actually see cash going in, Taneja says. Theres a lot of these schemes that appeal to people in north India, particularly in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, which together have nearly 125 seats [in parliament]  and where there is a lot of poverty. Deeper than this, writes Professor Ramachandra Guhu in Foreign Affairs, Modis supporters proudly boast that India has rediscovered and reaffirmed its Hindu civilisational roots, leading to a successful decolonising of the mind  a truer independence than even the freedom movement led by Mahatma Gandhi achieved. The prime ministers speeches are peppered with claims that India is on the cusp of leading the world.

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Aiding the BJP is a weakened opposition coalition called the Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance  anything to manufacture the acronym INDIA. The main partner is the Indian National Congress Party, led by political scion Rahul Gandhi (no relation to Mahatma). It has run the country for much of its independence, and carries a stink from its time in government immediately before the BJP. As for Gandhi, the ANUs Dr Stuti Bhatnagar says he has long been dogged by a narrative, played by the BJP, of owing his status to his powerful family rather than merit. Indias opposition Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi. Credit: AP But the Modi reign has been marked by an erosion of democratic norms, observers say. Some established media organisations have been cowed into fawning coverage, or bought by BJP business allies like billionaire Gautam Adani (he of Queensland coal mine fame). Journalists airing unfavourable angles have been menaced by the party or institutions of state. Modis populist government has jailed dissenting voices, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and has been accused of freezing the cash of the already on-the-nose opposition. Polls suggest it will easily win a third term.

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The Staines murders have not been forgotten in India, particularly among the people of Odisha. They gather each January 22 to honour the family and Grahams lifes work. According to local media reports, this year, the 25th anniversary, was especially large. As the villagers assembled in Manoharpur, Modi was some 1000 kilometres away in the city of Ayodhya reclaiming a holy site and pushing a Hindutva version of India into new era free of colonial baggage and lingering national timidity. The consecration of the still-unfinished grand temple to Ram, a long-held and once impossible-seeming Hindu ambition, was the holiest of moments, Modi told the heaving crowd. Religious Hindus believe Ram was born here. While the January 22 date may have been coincidental, Modis sermon, laced with Hindu epithets and supplications, carried an explicit message for Indias religious minorities. Narendra Modis inauguration of a controversial Hindu temple was seen as the unofficial start of his re-election campaign. Credit: AP This temple  is the manifestation of Bharats [Indias] vision, philosophy and insight, he said. It is a temple of national consciousness in the form of Lord Ram. Ram is the faith of Bharat. Ram is the foundation of Bharat. Ram is the thought of Bharat. Ram is the constitution of Bharat.

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London: The husband of Scotlands former first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has been charged by police after he was arrested amid an investigation into the Scottish National Partys funding and finances.

Police said Peter Murrell, the former SNP chief executive, was charged on Thursday in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the party.

Then-Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon poses for the media with husband Peter Murrell, outside polling station in Glasgow, Scotland in 2019. Credit: AP

He was taken into custody at 9.13am and was charged more than nine hours later, at 6.35pm, after questioning by Police Scotland detectives investigating the long-running saga.

Sturgeon, who dramatically quit public life in March last year after eight years as party leader and first minister of Scotlands semi-autonomous government, was herself detained in June but later released as part of Operation Branchform, an investigation into the SNPs finances.
Julian Assange has always polarised opinion. Now, his long-running saga to avoid extradition to the US has triggered a renewed sense of pity over his plight.

US politics and law seem at cross purposes over how to deal with the Australian publisher of leaked documents.

Stella Assange, wife of Julian Assange, speaks beside a poster of her husband at Londons Royal Courts of Justice in February. Credit: AP

Only last week US President Joe Biden raised expectations when he said he was considering Australias request for his administration to end the pursuit of Assange. Then, this week, Assanges bid to avoid being taken to America suffered a setback when lawyers for the US provided the assurances about his treatment  including that he will not face the death penalty  demanded by the London court where the Australian is challenging his extradition.

On May 20, lawyers for the US and Assange will return to the Royal Courts of Justice, on The Strand, to continue making representations, before a final decision is made.
TikTok stops working in Kyrgyzstan after ban proposals



Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2024



Kyrgyzstan appears to have blocked TikTok after the Central Asian country's security services called to restrict the social media app to "protect children".

When AFP journalists in the country tried to access TikTok on Thursday, a message read: "Unable to load, please try again."

Owned by Chinese group ByteDance, TikTok has faced a global backlash from politicians and regulators over issues ranging from the mental health effects of the app on children to the data it allegedly scoops up from users.

Kyrgyzstan's digital ministry said on Tuesday it had "informed telecommunications operators of the need to limit access to TikTok, based on a decision by the security services."

Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National Security, known as the GKNB, is a successor to the Soviet-era KGB secret police and headed by the powerful Kamchybek Tashiev.

The digital ministry said ByteDance had "failed to comply" with legal requirements outlined in a law to protect the "mental, physical, spiritual and moral development of children."

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) expressed "concern" over the decision earlier this week.

"RSF calls on the government to lift this arbitrary blocking and define a clear legal framework to regulate platforms," the pressure group said in a post on X on Wednesday following local media reports that a ban was imminent.

Bishkek has been mounting an escalating campaign to bring independent media and civil society closer under state control.

Kyrgyzstan, which borders China and has close economic ties with Beijing, had previously been an outlier in Central Asia as a relatively free space for information, compared to its ultra-closed neighbours.

But in recent months authorities have arrested several journalists, suspended independent media outlets and passed a "foreign agents" law designed to silence dissenters.

TikTok is also in the spotlight over its data policies in the United States and European Union amid fears over connections to the Chinese state.
UK aims to boost economic defences against security risks



London, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2024



Britain must strengthen its defences against economic security risks amplified by globalisation, especially those emanating from China, Iran and Russia, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden warned Thursday.

Businesses and universities are "vulnerable" because of the opening up of the global economy, Dowden said in a speech to the Chatham House international affairs think-tank in London.

"We must be clear-eyed that one of the great strengths of our system is its openness, but that also brings vulnerabilities," he said.

The UK's open economy was being "targeted by state-based actors and their proxies", he warned.

"Covid and Russia's war in Ukraine both laid bare the interconnectedness of global supply chains and the extent to which they can be exploited: Russia driving up the price of gas; Chinese acts of economic coercion."

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Conservative government intends to strengthen existing rules to potentially block foreign investment in industries deemed to be strategic or important to national security, such as new technologies, semiconductors and vital mineral resources.

"We need to tighten our controls over the routes by which the UK plugs into the global economy -- but in a way that allows investment and trade to flow as freely as possible," Dowden added.

"When it comes to exports, we must ensure that the goods and technologies we sell overseas are not being used to harm our own national interest, or in a way that runs counter to our values," Dowden said.

He called for the government to "fine tune" its National Security and Investment Act (NSI) in order to "stay ahead of threats, while remaining as pro-business as possible".

Britain's NSI Act has already been used to block several attempts by Chinese groups to purchase UK semiconductor manufacturers.

Britain in 2020 ordered the removal of Chinese telecoms company Huawei from its 5G network, citing risks to national security.

University leaders, meanwhile, will be briefed by Britain's security services after a government review concluded that the institutions were being "targeted" by hostile states, particularly China.
NASA chief warns of Chinese military presence in space



Washington, April 17 (AFP) Apr 17, 2024



China is bolstering its space capabilities and is using its civilian program to mask its military objectives, the head of the US space agency NASA said Wednesday, warning that Washington must remain vigilant.

"China has made extraordinary strides especially in the last 10 years, but they are very, very secretive," NASA administrator Bill Nelson told lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

"We believe that a lot of their so-called civilian space program is a military program. And I think, in effect, we are in a race," Nelson added.

He said he hoped Beijing would "come to its senses and understand that civilian space is for peaceful uses," but added: "We have not seen that demonstrated by China."

Nelson's comment came as he testified before the House appropriations committee on NASA's budget for fiscal 2025.

He said the United States should land on the Moon again before China does, as both nations pursue lunar missions, but he expressed concern that were Beijing to arrive first, it could say: "'Okay, this is our territory, you stay out.'"

The United States is planning to put astronauts back on the Moon in 2026 with its Artemis 3 mission. China says it hopes to send humans to the moon by 2030.

Nelson said he was confident the United States would not lose its "global edge" in space exploration.

"But you got to be realistic," he added. "China has really thrown a lot of money at it and they've got a lot of room in their budget to grow.

"I think that we just better not let down our guard," Nelson said.
China's Wang meets Indonesia's Jokowi, president-elect Prabowo



Jakarta, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2024



China's top diplomat met Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his successor Prabowo Subianto on Thursday as Beijing seeks to boost its regional influence.

The meetings come after Prabowo visited Beijing this month where Chinese President Xi Jinping praised relations with Jakarta, laying out a vision for regional peace as tensions rise between Beijing and other Southeast Asian neighbours -- including the Philippines over the disputed South China Sea.

Indonesian defence minister Prabowo stormed to a first-round majority victory in Indonesia's presidential election in February. He has voiced support for developing closer ties with Beijing.

China's Wang Yi also met Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi earlier on Thursday before visiting Widodo, more popularly known as Jokowi, at the presidential palace and then Prabowo at the defence ministry.

Retno said Jokowi and Wang expressed their desire for regional peace and stability, and repeated calls for a de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.

"Mr. President emphasised no one would like to see any escalation," she told reporters after the meeting.

"China's and Indonesia's position are the same on this issue and Mr. President also conveyed his belief that China would also use its influence to prevent escalation."



- 'Brighter future' -



Prabowo's media team issued a statement after talks with Wang that said the pair discussed potential joint military drills, before later revising the statement to remove any mention of that subject.

Indonesia's defence ministry issued a separate statement noting the two sides discussed training cooperation and joint exercises, without specifying details.

Indonesia is a key member of the Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN. Some members like the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam have claims in the South China Sea that conflict with Beijing's own claims there.

"It is a great honour for me to welcome him (Wang) today. Thank you for the great reception, I was welcomed in Beijing a few weeks ago," Prabowo said in the later statement.

Wang, quoted in the same later statement, thanked Prabowo for the meeting and congratulated him on his election win.

"I believe Your Excellency would carry out the difficult task to help build Indonesia towards development and the rise of the nation, and open a brighter future under Your Excellency's leadership," Wang was quoted as saying.

Beijing's top diplomat will chair a session of the China-Indonesia High-level Dialogue Cooperation Mechanism on Friday before travelling to Cambodia and Papua New Guinea.

China is one of the biggest sources of foreign direct investment in Indonesia and has poured billions of dollars into projects in the archipelago nation.

Indonesia's foreign policy is typically neutral and Jakarta walks a delicate diplomatic tightrope in its relations between Beijing and Washington, who are chafing over trade, Ukraine, the Middle East, Taiwan and the South China Sea.

Chinese companies have ploughed money into the extraction of Indonesian natural resources in recent years, particularly the nickel sector where Beijing's spending has stoked unrest over pay and working conditions.

Jakarta inaugurated Southeast Asia's first high-speed rail line last year, also a multibillion-dollar project backed by Beijing.
German economy minister makes surprise visit to Kyiv



Frankfurt, Germany, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2024



German Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck unexpectedly arrived in Kyiv Thursday to discuss post-war reconstruction and show support after Russian attacks on key Ukrainian infrastructure.

"This visit comes at a time when Ukraine needs all the support it can get in its fight for freedom," Habeck told reporters in the Ukrainian capital.

"And it is a fight for freedom, that's the important thing that the world, Europe and Germany mustn't forget," he said, adding that Ukraine was "fighting for the values that define Europe".

Germany at the weekend announced it was sending an additional Patriot air defence system to Ukraine after pleas from Kyiv for its Western backers to urgently help foil Russian attacks.

Ukraine has said it is running out of weaponry to counter Russian missiles and drones as Moscow ramps up attacks on energy infrastructure.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday urged fellow EU leaders to follow Berlin's lead and send more air defence systems to Ukraine.

In an interview with Focus magazine, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said the German military was doing a lot to deliver weapons to Ukraine, giving the example of the extra Patriot system.

"We must increase deliveries directly from industry as well," he said.

He defended Scholz over his refusal to send Kyiv long-range Taurus missiles -- which Berlin fears could strike deep inside Russia -- saying that the chancellor has "initiated enormous support for Ukraine".

"One thing is certain: We are the world's second largest supporter of Ukraine, the largest in Europe, and by a clear margin," he said.

"We supply what Ukraine needs most urgently."

Habeck, who was accompanied by a business delegation in Ukraine, will hold talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

He will also meet with Ukrainian officials to discuss emergency aid and business ties as well as preparations for the annual Ukraine Recovery Conference to be held in Berlin in June, the German economy ministry said.

"Comprehensive support for Ukraine also includes support for a resilient energy supply and reconstruction. Private sector investment is crucial for this to succeed," Habeck was quoted as saying in a ministry statement.

The World Bank has estimated the total cost of Ukraine's reconstruction, more than two years since the start of the war, is at least $486 billion.
Iran warns Israel against attacking nuclear sites



Tehran, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2024



A senior Revolutionary Guards general threatened on Thursday to target Israel's "nuclear facilities" if it strikes Iranian atomic sites, state media reported, anticipating retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented weekend attack.

Israel's military chief has vowed a response to the Iranian aerial attack, which was mostly intercepted, while world leaders have urged de-escalation.

Violence involving Iran-aligned groups across the Middle East has soared since the start of the Israel-Hamas war with the Tehran-backed Palestinian militant group's October 7 attack.

Tehran's first direct attack on Israel, launched late Saturday, was in retaliation for an April 1 air strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus that killed seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including two generals.

Israeli officials have not said when or where the country would retaliate, but Ahmad Haghtalab, the Guards' head of nuclear protection and security, said Iran would "definitely" reciprocate any attack on nuclear sites.

"If the Zionist regime (Israel) wants to take action against our nuclear centres and facilities, it will definitely and surely face our reaction," the official news agency IRNA quoted Haghtalab as saying.

"For the counterattack, the nuclear facilities of the (Israeli) regime will be targeted and operated upon with advanced weaponry."

His warning came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel reserves "the right to protect itself" following the Iranian attack with hundreds of drones and missiles.

Haghtalab said "the threat" of an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities could lead Tehran "to revise and deviate from the declared nuclear policies and considerations", without elaborating.

The Islamic republic, which has always insisted its nuclear programme is peaceful and denies seeking an atomic bomb, has accused arch foe Israel of sabotage attacks on its facilities and assassinations of nuclear scientists in recent years.



- 'Hands on the trigger' -



Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in 2019 that Iran could have developed nuclear weapons but would not do so because Islam forbids their use.

US and other Western officials have said that the continued expansion of Iran's nuclear programme suggests military aims.

In 2018 the United States unilaterally withdrew from a landmark deal meant to curb Iran's nuclear activities while providing some relief from crippling Western sanctions.

But Iran has since gradually reduced its commitment to the terms imposed by the 2015 accord, and diplomatic efforts to revive it have long stalled as some sanctions have been re-imposed.

The majority of Iran's known nuclear sites, including the uranium enrichment plants at Natanz and Fordo, are located in the country's centre.

Iran's only nuclear power plant is located in the southern port city of Bushehr.

According to Haghtalab, Iran has "identified" Israeli nuclear centres and holds "necessary information of all targets".

Israel is widely known to have nuclear weapons but has never admitted so.

"Hands are on the trigger to fire powerful missiles for the total destruction of determined targets," the Iranian general said.

On Monday, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, said Iran had closed its nuclear facilities "for security reasons" on the day of its attack on Israel.

Amirali Hajizadeh, commander of the Revolutionary Guards' aerospace unit that led the attack on Israel, said on Thursday that Iran had only used "old weapons and minimal power" for it.

"At this stage, we have not used" ballistic missiles, he said, arguing Iran has "overcome the maximum capacity" of Israel and its allies "with minimal power".
Ukraine has 'critical need' for air defence: NATO chief



Capri, Italy, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2024



NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday that Ukraine had an "urgent, critical need for more air defence", at a G7 foreign ministers' meeting on the Italian island of Capri.

While NATO allies had made "encouraging" recent commitments on military support, he said: "We should have given them more earlier."

He was speaking to reporters ahead of a working session on Ukraine, also attended by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

Ukraine has struggled on the battlefield for months, outgunned and outnumbered by Russian forces amid a shortage of Western military aid.

Stoltenberg said there had been "important, encouraging signs" of new military support from NATO allies, including the scheduling of a US Congressional vote this weekend on a long-stalled $61-billion-euro package of aid.

"It's of vital importance that NATO allies sustain and step up their support. We will focus today on air defence. There's an urgent, critical need for more air defence," Stoltenberg said.
Kenya military helicopter crashes with defence chief on board: police



Nairobi, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2024



A Kenyan military helicopter carrying top brass including the defence chief crashed on Thursday, police said.

President William Ruto convened an urgent urgent meeting of the National Security Council, his office announced after news of the crash emerged.

Defence forces chief General Francis Omondi Ogolla was among those on board the helicopter that went down in Elgeyo Marakwet county, about 400 kilometres (250 miles) northwest of the capital Nairobi, a senior police officer told AFP.

"The helicopter burst into flames after crashing and it had more than 10 senior commanders on board including General Ogolla," the officer said.

"They were in the area on a security mission because there are KDF (Kenya Defence Forces) soldiers deployed in the region," he said.

There has been no official comment on casualties.

"President William Ruto has convened an urgent meeting of the National Security Council at State House Nairobi this evening following a Kenya Defence Forces' helicopter crash this afternoon in Elgeyo-Marakwet County," State House spokesman Hussein Mohamed said in a statement.

Ogolla, 61, was appointed Chief of the Defence Forces by Ruto in April last year after a stint as deputy.

Ruto told journalists last May that he appointed Ogolla despite him being among those who tried to overturn his narrow election win against opposition leader Raila Odinga in 2022.

"When I looked at his CV, he was the best person to be (a) general," Ruto said, adding his decision went against the wishes of many people.

A trained fighter pilot, Ogolla joined the KDF in April 1984, rising through the ranks to command the Kenyan Air Force in 2018, a post he held for three years.
Biden's cannibals story leaves White House in the lurch



Washington, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2024



Joe Biden raised eyebrows when he hinted that cannibals on the island of New Guinea may have eaten his uncle's body after he was shot down during World War II.

And the White House and official records indicated Thursday that -- as with many a family legend -- the facts may indeed be a bit different.

Biden paid tribute to his uncle, 2nd Lieutenant Ambrose J. Finnegan, after visiting a war memorial during a campaign trip to the president's hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania on Wednesday.

The 81-year-old president, who was aged one when his uncle died in 1944, reached out to touch Finnegan's name which was engraved on the monument.

"He got shot down in New Guinea, and they never found the body because there used to be a lot of cannibals, for real, in that part of New Guinea," Biden later told an audience of steel workers in Pittsburgh.

Biden also repeated the story to reporters, adding that "he got shot down in an area where there were a lot of cannibals in New Guinea" and that the US government had recovered parts of the downed plane.

The problem?

His account of his uncle's death, and his possible cannibalization, differs from US defense records.

The official Defense POW/MIA Accounting agency said that Ambrose Finnegan's plane was headed to New Guinea on a courier flight and was "forced to ditch in the ocean" off the island's coast "for unknown reasons."

The aircraft hit the water hard and three crew members failed to emerge from the sinking wreck, while one survived and was rescued by a passing barge, it said on its website.

"An aerial search the next day found no trace of the missing aircraft or the lost crew members," it said.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed that Ambrose Finnegan "lost his life when the military aircraft he was on crashed in the Pacific after taking off near New Guinea", not over land.

But she defended Biden, saying it had been "incredibly emotional and important" to the president to be able to honor his uncle at the memorial.

Biden "highlighted his uncle's story" to show support for veterans and draw a contrast with election rival Donald Trump, who reportedly disparaged military members killed in war as "losers" and "suckers" while president, she said.

The issue is personal to Biden, whose elder son Beau was a veteran of the Iraq war and whose death from brain cancer the president attributes to military "burn pits" used to incinerate waste.

Historically, cannibalism has been reported Papua New Guinea, the Pacific nation that occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, off the northern coast of Australia.
G7 hears calls for 'critical' Ukraine aid



Capri, Italy, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2024



NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told a G7 meeting Thursday that Ukraine had an "urgent, critical need for more air defence", as Kyiv's foreign minister pressed allies for more Patriot systems.

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven developed nations, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, are gathering on the Italian island of Capri from Wednesday to Friday.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba joined counterparts from Italy, the UK, the US, Japan, Canada, France and Germany for a working session dedicated to the conflict on Thursday.

Kuleba called for other countries to follow Germany, which at the weekend said it was sending an additional Patriot air defence system to Kyiv.

"We will work here at the ministerial (meeting) to make other allies deliver air-defence systems to Ukraine, because it's of fundamental importance," Kuleba told reporters ahead of the session.

Ukraine has said it is running out of weaponry to shoot down Russian missiles and drones as Moscow has ramped up its attacks on infrastructure across the country.

Stoltenberg said there had been "important, encouraging signs" of new support from NATO allies, including the scheduling of a US Congressional vote this weekend on a long-stalled $61-billion-euro package of aid.

"It's of vital importance that NATO allies sustain and step up their support... There's an urgent, critical need for more air defence," Stoltenberg said.

Earlier, Blinken stressed the need for the US Congress to agree the new aid.

"At this moment, it is urgent that all of the friends and supporters of Ukraine maximise their efforts to provide... Ukraine with what it needs to continue to effectively defend itself against the Russian aggression," Blinken said.

Kubela said the help would "literally, without exaggeration, help save Ukrainians from Russian missile slaughter".

"This is a matter of death and life."

After the day's talks, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani -- whose country holds the rotating G7 presidency this year -- said allies had confirmed "our maximum commitment" to Kyiv.

He confirmed ministers discussed the potential use of Russian assets frozen after the February 2022 invasion to help Ukraine.

"We are evaluating (the idea) in principle, we are also in favour of using the seized assets, but we need the legal basis to do so," Tajani said.

British Foreign Minister David Cameron called earlier in Capri for "creative" way of using the assets, saying it was "important we try and get agreement" on how.

There have been mounting calls in Washington and Europe to set up a fund for Ukraine using billions of dollars in Russian bank accounts, investments and other assets frozen by the West after the invasion.

The EU froze some 200 billion euros of Russian central bank assets held in the bloc as part of sanctions on Moscow.
Iraq inks energy deals on premier's US visit



Baghdad, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2024



Iraq has signed several memoranda of understanding in the energy sector during Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani's visit to the United States, with Baghdad unveiling Thursday plans to boost electricity production.

Sudani met US President Joe Biden Monday and on Wednesday oversaw the signing of a series of agreements, including one aimed at rehabilitating power plants and optimising the use of gas currently being flared at oil fields, his office said.

Iraq's power plants are currently highly dependent on gas imported from Iran, which provides about a third of its neighbour's energy needs. But Tehran has often cut supplies, exacerbating regular power outages.

The agreements signed Wednesday include a memorandum of understanding with US firm General Electric, which Electricity Minister Ziad Fadel said would "ensure the maintenance and modernisation of Iraq's electricity sector over a period of five years".

Eighteen power plants with a total production capacity of 7,500 megawatts are included in the project, which would also enable "the supply of an additional 3,000 MW to the national grid", the minister said in a post on X.

Authorities say daily national production of at least 32,000 MW is needed to avoid rolling blackouts. Last year, Iraq hit the 26,000 MW mark for the first time.

Despite its vast oil wealth, Iraq struggles to provide enough electricity to its 43 million people after decades of conflict and sanctions, as well as rampant corruption and crumbling infrastructure.

Power outages, which sometimes trigger angry protests, are particularly severe in the summer when temperatures regularly hit 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) and demand for refrigeration and air-conditioning surges.

Prime Minister Sudani has repeatedly stressed the need for Iraq to diversify energy sources to ease the chronic outages.

In late March, Baghdad announced a power line would bring electricity from neighbouring Jordan. A similar initiative would connect southern Iraq to Kuwait, importing about 500 MW during a first phase that Baghdad's electricity ministry says will begin in late 2024.

tgg/ami/kir








As with the animated version, this story is centered on the Avatar - Aang (Gordon Cormier) not Ong- who as a boy was frozen in ice for 100 years while the Airbenders were wiped out by the Fire Nation during the comet. Learning that you are the hope for the world, to keep it in balance is a lot for any person, never mind a 12 year old boy; so we can forgive him for running away.





Gordon Cormier as Avatar Aang, Netflix 2024 All Rights Reserved



This pressure as well as feeling that he was the reason his people were wiped out - not being there to help them - weighs on Aang throughout the entire season. This baggage leads to some great emotional scenes from Gordon who must relate to his character as being such a young lead of a very popular series. Even with all this baggage, Aang is all heart and cares for every living creature with the gentleness and curiousness of a child who is technically a hundred year old man. Even with some goofiness only a child can bring, the tone of the show is much more mature than the animated series. A lot of that matureness comes from the rest of the ensemble.





If Aang is the moral compass of the show then Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu) and Uncle Iroh (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) relationship is the heart of the series. Having been charged with finding the Avatar and bringing him back to the Fire Lord (Daniel Dae Kim) these two embark on a journey together that pulls at your heart strings. Uncle Iroh is constantly trying to teach the tortured Prince life lessons. Zukos struggle of his good heart battling with his need to be loved by his evil father is very eloquently displayed. Dallas Liu knows how to go from tender to rage and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee gives a masterclass.





Dallas Liu as Prince Zuko, Netflix 2024 All Rights Reserved

Back at the Fire Nation, Daniel Dae Kim as the Fire Lord and Elizabeth Yus psychotic Azula play well off each other. The change of bringing these two characters in a lot sooner than in the animated series made sense within this adaptation. There was no need to have the shadow of these characters hanging over the heroes; lets just get to the villains and show us why we should be scared of them. We were shown just that in what was arguably the most intense scene of the series when Fire Lord Ozai burns Zuko and gives him his iconic scar. This makes Zuko and Irohs father/son relationship so deep and layered.





Team Avatar (Ian Ousley as Sokka and Kiawentiio as Katara), who was the heart of the animated show, played well off each other. The actors had great chemistry and embodied their characters very well. They all look exactly like their cartoon counterparts- kudos to the casting department. Sokka brings the comedy to the show and Katara unfortunately can go either way in some scenes. While her bending scenes are great, her emotional scenes could use some work.





Kiawentiio as Katara, Netflix 2024 All Rights Reserved

However, another standout performance was that of Ken Leung as Commander Zhao. His ruthlessness and ambition was his downfall and Ken Leung played it just so that you truly could not stand his character. He was charming and annoying at the same time. He gave the character a little humanity which is hard to do with a villain. His final moments when we got to see his character do some fire bending was satisfying.





Speaking of bending, the set design, costumes and special effects should not go unmentioned - top notch. While the show had many highs, not everything was great. The pacing felt a bit rushed at times due to the low episode count and some popular characters did not work. Bumi and Roku are the two characters that need some changes going into the next seasons. Aang not practicing the other bending disciplines was a weird choice. Changes to the story such as Aang having to be in a previous Avatars temple to speak to them was a change that so far did not impact the integrity of the story.





Overall the series is well done; we get the cabbages man, a great looking Apa and the emotion that is needed in this story. With a change of showrunners for the next two seasons the future of this series is uncertain. There is a chance the new showrunners will take into account fan feedback but whether that will work or not remains to be seen. One thing that is certain is that fans will be watching.





What did you think of Avatar the Last Airbender? What changes do you want to see for the next season? Leave a comment and lets chat on Twitter, @lovesprina!

If you are looking for a word for word retelling of the animated version ofin this live action adaptation from Netflix then this show is not for you. This version works because it focuses heavily on the emotional relationships between the characters and helps expand on what the animated show touched on. While the show is not perfect, it is definitely better than other versions we have seen - looking at you M. Night Shyamalan.
The entire ethos of the establishment is to be aggressively undivisive, which is just what the country (well, the whole world) needs right now. Knowledge is Power, the sign says, and guess what? It turns out that unfashionably standing up to your core belief  that traditional British values can be a vector for achievement and unity in our multi-ethnic rainbow classrooms  turns out to be powerful too. For this week, Katharine Birbalsingh, aka Britains strictest head teacher, won a historic victory in the High Court. This came just a year after a girl in Year 9 knelt to pray in the playground on her blazer, and was stopped from doing so (parents and pupils all knew this was against the rules). Then the school banned prayer rituals.
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Speaking at the G7 foreign ministers meeting in Italy, he told broadcasters: Irans behaviour is unacceptable and its right that countries come together here at the G7 and make those points, not just because of what Iran has been doing, but also as a message to Israel, that we want to play our part in having a co-ordinated strategy that deals with Irans aggression.
He said: Its a whole Government effort, we will do whatever we need to do to make sure that the will of Parliament, which has been pretty clear as far as the elected Chamber has been concerned...we will do whatever we need to do to make sure that we can get these flights off, whether they are charter flights or any other type of flights.
The SNPs finances are at the heart of a police investigation (PA)

This took place just over a year since the police search of his home near Glasgow.

On the morning of April 18 2024, Mr Murrell was re-arrested by police and questioned by detectives.

He said the inquiry has been one of the most difficult times for the SNP and that he must work hard to rebuild trust.

Speaking to a BBC Radio 4 podcast, Mr Yousaf said the police investigation into SNP finances has clearly affected the public perception of the party.

 January 2024  Investigation has affected how public views party: Yousaf

He said the party would regroup and come back stronger..

Following the SNPs defeat in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election, Humza Yousaf said the investigation into the partys finances  along with the reckless actions of recalled MP Margaret Ferrier  played a part in the result.

So the sooner this investigation is concluded, the better for everyone involved.

He said: Our action and our investigation is in the interests of everybody involved because it will clarify facts and deal with evidence and facts as opposed to rumour and innuendo.

The outgoing chief constable spoke to the BBC in August 2023, saying police are duty bound to investigate matters reported to them.

 August 2023  Further comments from Sir Iain Livingstone

Sir Iain said he would not put an absolute timeframe on the length of the investigation but that it would be proportionate and timeous.

He confirmed the police investigation, known as Operation Branchform, had moved beyond what some of the initial reports were, saying this is not uncommon in financial inquiries.

Police Scotland Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone gave an interview shortly before he was to step down from his role.

 July 2023  Sir Iain Livingstone says probe has moved beyond initial reports

Upon returning to Holyrood, she said: The thing that sustains me right now is the certainty that I have done nothing wrong.

Like the other party figures, she was released without charge pending further investigation.

She voluntarily arranged with Police Scotland to be questioned as part of the investigation into the partys finances, a spokesman said.

Former first minister and SNP leader Ms Sturgeon was arrested on June 11.

The party was subsequently able to file accounts before a crucial deadline which could have seen the Westminster group miss out on 1.2 million worth of funding.

The party appointed the AMS Accountant Group on May 3 2023, after its previous auditor, Johnston Carmichael, stood down in September 2022.

 May 2023  SNP appoints new auditor

The 44-year-old MP, who represents Cumbernauld, Kirkintilloch and Kilsyth, admitted it would be a difficult and challenging time for the party.

Stuart McDonald was appointed as the SNPs new treasurer on April 22 after Mr Beattie stood down with immediate effect following his arrest.

His role was to oversee the partys finances.

On April 18, party treasurer Mr Beattie was arrested and interviewed by police.

On April 9, a luxury camper van, thought to be worth about 110,000, was seized by police investigating the partys finances.

He was released without charge, pending further investigation, the same day.

There was a large police presence around his home in Glasgow as well as the SNPs headquarters in Edinburgh.

Mr Murrell was arrested on the morning of Wednesday April 5.

Membership numbers had dropped by about 30,000 in the past year, something the party previously denied.

It came during a row over the partys membership numbers, which also led to media chief Murray Foote stepping down.

Amid the SNP leadership contest to replace Ms Sturgeon, Mr Murrell announced he was stepping down as the partys chief executive  a role he had held for more than 20 years.

During her Bute House press conference, she was asked if she expected to be interviewed in relation to the investigation. She said she did not.

She said this was not in relation to short-term pressures but because she knew in her head and heart that the time was right to go.

Ms Sturgeon stunned the political world by suddenly announcing her resignation on February 15.

Ms Sturgeon said: The resources that he lent the party were resources that belonged to him.

The party said this was to help with a cash flow issue after the election that year.

In December, it emerged that Mr Murrell had loaned the party 100,000 in June 2021.

The money was earmarked through internal processes, he said, though the accounts did not officially record a separate sum.

He said that 666,953 had been raised up to the end of 2021, with a total of 51,760 expenditure applied to this income.

In a section of the accounts, Mr Beattie discussed money raised by the referendum-related appeals since 2017.

As the partys annual accounts were published, treasurer Mr Beattie acknowledged there had been concern about transparency over independence-related appeals that had raised more than 600,000.

The party said all sums raised for independence campaigning will be spent on independence campaigning.

Earlier, the police said they were assessing a fraud allegation relating to 600,000 of funds to determine if an investigation is required.

This followed allegations that 600,000 raised for campaigning towards Scottish independence was diverted elsewhere.

Police Scotland confirmed they were investigating after seven complaints were made around donations to the SNP.

Joanna Cherry, a vocal, internal critic of the partys leadership, also resigned from her role on the National Executive Committee (NEC).

Senior figures in the party, including Ms Sturgeon, later disputed his assessment.

Douglas Chapman resigned from his role as treasurer, saying he had not been given enough information to do his job.

An investigation into the partys funding and finances has been ongoing since July 2021.

Ms Sturgeon, the former SNP leader and first minister, was arrested as part of the investigation in June last year  she was released without charge the same day.

The arrest comes just over a year after Police Scotland officers searched the couples home and erected a blue tent outside the property, as well as carrying out searches at the SNPs Edinburgh HQ.

Mr Murrell, 59, was taken into custody and questioned by detectives.

On Thursday, Nicola Sturgeons husband Peter Murrell was re-arrested as part of the police investigation into the SNPs finances.

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She says she tried to steer the team away from prejudice and blame to focusing on tackling criminal people-smuggling gangs, but she claims my management team were onboard for the racist ultra hostility which a boomerang (no returns) police would involve, and they saw me as an unwelcome visitor to their taskforce.
There needs to be conversations with the Secretary of State about the British governments stake in this project, because it is vital for this place and theres huge damage that could be done to the reputation of this place if this is not delivered, he said.
Speaking afterwards she said: I was at home at 8.30 last night and I thought I had to do something this is a chance to give a card directly to the palace officials. I didnt think Id be able to give the cards to William.
When the sun shines on a little pocket of the Dorset coast, it turns the sea beneath it a pretty shade of blue. Thats the inspiration behind F&Bs Lulworth Blue. Calming, coastal, a serene dream; you could describe COAT's Lie-In hue as the same.

The seaside shade means it's made for sprucing up bathrooms and bedrooms in an appropriate finish, but try it in the hall or lounge for an unexpected yet refreshing burst of colour - especially if you do the ceilings too. COAT's colour has a hint of grey in the mix, adding drama.
Alan Dershowitz, one of the top lawyers who represented Simpson at his murder trial, told NBC News: I'm upset that he died. "I got to know him fairly well during the trial. It was one of the most divisive trials in American history along racial lines. He'll always be remembered for the Bronco chase, for the glove, and for the moment of acquittal."
European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said on Thursday in Sofia that two days previously she proposed that the European Council this year set a date for lifting controls at land borders for Romania and Bulgaria.

Romania's Minister of Internal Affairs Catalin Predoiu and European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson attended a meeting in Sofia with Bulgarian Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov regarding Romania and Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen area.

The suggestion will be discussed at the incoming European Council in June, the European Commissioner said, adding that these two countries, Bulgaria and Romania, are actually better prepared to comply with all Schengen requirements than some of the other member states.

She added that both Bulgaria and Romania are ahead of some of the other member states in terms of implementation, thanks to all the efforts made at the external borders, showing that she is very motivated to see the latest decision to lift land border controls under her tenure as European commissioner.

Predoiu said that both Romania and Bulgaria are ready to lift land border controls.

"We are prepared to do it. We implemented the successful decision taken in 2023. We took the necessary measures to secure our borders and European borders, to tackle illegal migration, tackle transborder organised crime. And it's true, we are here to celebrate an important result obtained last year. But we are also here to organize our efforts to continue our work for the benefit of our citizens in 2024 until we will achieve the finalisation of this important European project, which is the extension of the Schengen acquis to all the borders for Romania and Bulgaria," Predoiu said.

He mentioned that all measures were discussed in detail to integrate the efforts of Romanian police at the internal border to combat organized crime, to fight illegal migration.

"I am sure that together with Commissioner Johansson, with the rest of our EU member states we will achieve our goals this year. Thank you very much, and I'm looking forward to working with you," Predoiu said.
Energy Policy Group (EPG) and WWF-Romania (World Wildlife Fund) have launched the RENewLand project, which proposes a model for an intersectoral and multidisciplinary approach to designate areas suitable for accelerating wind and solar energy in Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary.

"With the adoption of the new Energy Law in 2023, Romania has simplified the authorisation procedures for wind and solar energy projects. The European Union has allocated non-reimbursable financial support to Romania to help implement key measures and investments in REPowerEU. Romania's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (Component 16) provides the creation of a legal framework for the use of non-productive/degraded land in state ownership as acceleration areas for renewable energy investments for green energy production and the creation of a single national register of acceleration areas. However, the revised National Energy and Climate Change Plan provides insufficient measures to achieve the objectives assumed at the European level," reads a press release EPG issued on Thursday.

According to the quoted source, through the RENewLand project, a set of principles and a methodology for the identification and designation of areas for the acceleration of onshore solar and wind renewable energy to be tested in pilot areas in Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary are mentioned.

"In addition to the technical part, we will also carry out communication activities addressed to the scientific and energy community as well as to the general public, so as to contribute to a better understanding of the subject of renewable energy and its impact on the environment and human activities. The project has already started with two Round Tables at which experts in the area of renewable energy, spatial planning, climate and biodiversity protection have identified a number of challenges and risks related to the accelerated development of renewable energy in Romania. All participants were interested in proper planning to reduce the gap between legislative ambitions and the implementation of renewable energy investments in accelerating areas for a sustainable energy future," the project initiators underline.

To support the green transition, the European Union has adopted amendments to the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) that establish obligations at member state level to map the potential of all renewable sources (by 21 May 2025) and designate (by 21 February 2026) acceleration zones for renewable energy investments.

The RENewLand project runs from 1 November 2023 to 31 December 2025 and is implemented by the Energy Policy Group Romania, the Centre for Energy Research in Hungary, and the WWF offices in Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria.
Hidroelectrica and Masdar have agreed to expand the scope of the joint venture company (JVC) to be established, so that it includes the implementation of on-shore and floating solar photovoltaic projects, as well as the implementation of storage systems of energy in batteries, under conditions of technological exclusivity, for a period of three years.

"As regards the exclusive collaboration, it can be extended for an additional period of three more years, under the conditions in which the joint venture has proposed, during the first three-year period, for the approval of the Board, for the FID phase, cumulative investments of 2,000 of MW (greenfield or brownfield projects) and the parties agreed to the terms of extending the exclusivity for a new period. The parties also agreed that through the JVC they can explore business opportunities in other technologies as well (onshore and off-shore wind) or in other geographical areas (outside Romania, for example), decisions in this sense to be taken on a case-by-case basis. The document is signed subject to obtaining subsequent internal approvals from both companies, Hidroelectrica and Masdar, on the final text of the Shareholder Agreement (SHA), which will also include these proposals", informs a press release from Hidroelectrica sent to AGERPRES on Thursday.

Last March, the company signed an agreement with Masdar for the development of renewable energy projects in Romania. Controlled by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (TAQA) and Mubadala Investment Company, Masdar is one of the world leaders in developing and investing in renewable energy projects.

A delegation of Hidroelectrica, led by Karoly Borbely, president of the company's Board, is participating in the working visit to the United Arab Emirates, which takes place between April 17-19, 2024. This trip is part of the second stage of the tour in the Gulf states, which is carried out by Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu between April 16-19, 2024.

"The visit to the United Arab Emirates represents an extremely important opportunity for the promotion of economic cooperation and investments between the two countries. The signing of the extension of last year's agreement with Masdar demonstrates our common commitment to promote sustainability and the diversification of the energy source in Romania.We are determined to continue and strengthen the collaboration with Masdar for the development of renewable energy projects in our country. At this moment, we are focusing on finalizing the negotiations for the Shareholder Agreement (SHA) for the joint venture that will be established by the two partners, Hidroelectrica and Masdar, in equal shares. We aim that the first investment made by the new company should be a pilot project for the installation of floating photovoltaic panels on seven reservoirs on the Middle and Lower Olt River," said Karoly Borbely .
Romania's Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Thursday that the expansion and upgrading of Otopeni Airport, port and railway infrastructure, investments in green energy and food processing are strategic objectives of a trade partnership with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Developing joint strategic projects between Romania and the United Arab Emirates was the guideline of the economic meetings that Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu had on a recent working visit to Abu Dhabi, according to the Romanian Government.

Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu had meetings with ADQ Al Dahra management; Khaldoon al Mubarak, CEO of Mubadala; IHC/Abu Dhabi Ports representatives and Sultan Al Jaber, ADNOC CEO, Masdar President and President of the COP28 World Climate Action Summit. He voiced Romania's interest in keeping up high levels of bilateral relations and in drawing Emirati investments, underscoring the importance of the third sitting of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Commission, which will take place in Bucharest in the near future.

The prime minister said that in terms of projects in energy, infrastructure, agriculture, food processing, and ICT, Emirati companies can have a substantial contribution to the development of major investments in Romania.

"The expansion and upgrading of Otopeni Airport, port and railway infrastructure, investments in green energy and food processing are the strategic objectives of the commercial partnership with the United Arab Emirates."

The prime minister said that professional associations and chambers of commerce and industry from both countries have an important role in promoting and supporting bilateral co-operation and exchanges of experience.

"The Romanian prime minister mentioned that his visit will also lead to the increasing the presence of Romanian companies on the UAE market. At the same time, both parties showed interest in setting up a Romania-UAE sovereign investment fund. Energy co-operation was one of the subjects tackled at these meetings, given that Romania still has an important component of using conventional energy, which offers opportunities for co-operation in the fields of oil products and natural gas, but is also undergoing the transition to a green economy, in line with EU climate commitments. Therefore, significant investments are encouraged in areas such as renewable energy and improving energy efficiency, but also in developing new energy storage capacities in order to balance the energy system in Romania," the Romanian Government says in a press statement.

Another area tackled at the meetings was the development of bilateral trade, focusing on agri-food products and ICT, as these goods are offering insufficiently tapped opportunities.

In terms of transport, besides the strategic importance of the Constanta Port, Romania offers co-operation and development opportunities for its railway and road networks. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu also mentioned eight projects proposed by Romania under the Three Seas Initiative (3I), which are at various stages of implementation, and which may be interesting for expert transport, energy and digital infrastructure investors.
On Monday, St. Louis Circuit Judge Joseph Whyte awarded nearly $23.5 million to former police officer Luther Hall, who was beaten by colleagues while working undercover during a protest in 2017.

The incident occurred during a time of great tension on the streets of St. Louis. That afternoon, former St. Louis police officer, Jason Stockley, was acquitted of the December 20, 2011, fatal shooting of Anthony Lamar Smith. Stockley left the department in 2013 and wasnt charged with first degree manslaughter until 2016 after then-Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce cited unspecified new evidence.

After the acquittal on September 17, 2017, police, who expected large groups of protesters, prepared a heavy response. Roughly 200 officers from the Civil Disobedience Team were dispatched to handle protesters. It was only the first of many protests that spanned the city and county that year.

Police clashed with protesters downtown, arresting more than 120 people. Hall, who is Black, and officer Louis Naes, who is white, were embedded undercover among the marchers. Both were arrested. Naes told investigators that while his arrest was routine, officers dressed in heavy armor, beat the f**k out of (Hall)like Rodney King.

The Rev. Darryl Gray, then community liaison for the Ethical Society of Police-a police association which represents primarily Black officers-recalled how the organization immediately called on the department to investigate the assault.

It didnt matter that he was a police officer, Gray said, all they saw was his color.

A year later, 2018, four St. Louis police officers were indicted on federal charges claiming that three of them beat an undercover colleague during protests and, according to federal prosecutors, all four then covered it up.Prosecutors alleged that the officers, Dustin Boone, Randy Hays, and Christopher Myers threw, kicked, and beat Hall with batons while he was compliant and not posing a physical threat to anyone.

The indictment also claimed that several of the officers exchanged messages that expressed disdain for protesters and excitement about using unjustified force against them and going undetected while doing so.

In one Sept. 15, 2017, text message, Myers wrote, lets whoop some ass.Prosecutors also presented messages from Hays saying; going rogue does feel good and Boone replying: its gonna be a lot of fun beating the hell out of these (expletive) once the sun goes down and nobody can tell us apart!!!!

The officers faced charges of depriving Hall of his constitutional rights and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Another officer, Bailey Colletta, was accused of lying to a federal grand jury investigating the incident.Not only did she deny encountering Hall the night of his arrest, but Colletta lied when she said he was brought to the ground very gently.

Police sources initially said Hall only suffered a bloody lip during the arrest, but Halls injuries were much more extensive. The kick to his face damaged his jaw to the point where he could not eat and wound up losing about 20 pounds while in recovery. Hall testified that he also sustained an injury to his tailbone and had to have surgery to repair two herniated discs in his neck and one in his back.

After learning that Hall was an undercover officer, prosecutors maintained that the three male officers lied about the arrest, claiming Hall resisted and was not compliant. The indictment said the officers also tried to contact Hall to dissuade him from pursuing disciplinary or legal action.

Boone was eventually sentenced to 366 days in prison, Myers received a years probation and Colletta was sentenced to three years probation and two consecutive weekends in prison for lying to a grand jury about what she saw during the assault.

Hall sued three of his former colleagues Hays, Boone, and Myersfor their roles in the attack. By that time, two of his former officers, Hays and Colletta had pleaded guilty. Officer Steven Korte, who Hays testified kicked Hall in the face, was acquitted of the charges against him.

Hall was awarded a $5 million settlement from the city.

On Monday, Judge Whyte awarded Hall $10 million in punitive damages, $11 million for past and future physical and emotional pain and almost $2 million for lost wages. He additionally awarded Hall more than $213,000 for lost delayed retirement and insurance benefits and health insurance benefits, as well as about $366,000 for past and future medical expenses.

In response to the settlement, Lynette Petruska, Halls lawyer said: Luther is grateful that Judge Whyte took his brutal assault by fellow officers and its life-changing consequences more seriously than the City of St. Louis and the St. Louis police department did.

Rev. Gray was pleasantly surprised by Halls multi-million-dollar award.

When youre dealing with this Blue Wall of Silence, the Police Bill of Rights (state legislation passed in 2021 that gives officers special legal protections, closes files to police misconduct and allows courts to block major cuts in police budgets) and Qualified Immunity (protects police from individual liability unless he/she violated a clearly established constitutional right), it is so difficult to hold police officers accountable, Gray said, adding: It is almost impossible because the bar is set so high.

Police were accused of a long list of injustices employed during the 2017 protests. One of which, according to ArchCity Defenders-a legal advocacy group-was a controversial, dangerous, and illegal tactic known as kettling where police arrested anyone in the vicinity of the demonstrations regardless of whether they committed any crimes. Those arrested, according to ArchCity, included members of the military who lived in the neighborhood, members of the media, and at least one unhoused individual.

Last year, the city agreed to pay nearly seven dozen people who accused St. Louis police of violating their rights during the downtown protests in 2017, nearly $5 million.

Gray worries that police and city officials still havent learned from costly settlements related to aggressive actions and the violation of protesters rights.

Unfortunately, this happened to Luther (Hall) but its not uncommon, Gray said. Thats what weve been trying to say, hoping that police will acknowledge that the complaints and concerns weve raised over the years have been genuine.

Now that its been affirmed through the courts, it vindicates what the activist community has been crying out for all these years: accountability.

Sylvester Brown Jr. is the Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow.
Considering men only represent 2.5% of preschool and kindergarten teachers and 21.5% of elementary and middle school teachers in America, an email to the St. Louis American praising the accomplishments of two Black educators at Normandy Early Learning Center deserved attention and follow-up.

LeDominique Rhodes, who described herself as a parent within the Normandy Schools Collaborative for over a decade, wrote to say she witnessed firsthand the remarkable transformation taking place at the Normandy Early Childhood Center.

Rhodes highlighted the leadership of the schools principal and assistant principal, Dr. Lanor Payne, and Aman Lado respectively for the centers remarkable success and improvements in its culture, climate, and academic performance.

In the face of numerous challenges, the Normandy Early Learning Center has undergone a truly inspiring transformation under their visionary leadership, Rhodes said. Their campus has the highest student and staff attendance in the district, the largest academic achievement gains and 100% certified staff. At the beginning of the school year, only 9% of kindergartners were reading [at] grade level. Now, an impressive 65% are reading on or above grade level.

The center is a collaborative that works in association with the Normandy School District. Normandy Early Learning Center opened in August of 2019, a year before the pandemic disrupted classrooms in Missouri and throughout the country.

With COVID-19 and building construction behind schedule, this was a very difficult process, Crystal Hunter, director of early learning at the center, told the American in 2020, adding: However, we have a great team who all worked very hard to achieve this recognition.

The center received its Missouri license five months ahead of its scheduled 2021 date. According to Public School Review, which provides data analysis of all public schools in the country, the school serves 310 (prekindergarten and kindergarten) students; has a student/teacher ratio of 11:1 (lower than the Missouri state level of 13:1) and has a 99% minority student body enrollment (also higher than the states average of 31%).

A 2020 Columbia University study titled Exploring the Relationships Between Black Boys and Black Male Teachers in Early Childhood Education, found that Black male teachers perceived their relationships with Black boys in early childhood classrooms as an empowering force. Respondents said they help Black boys see their individual potential and future success in life; and added that they (Black male educators) showcase affection that is often not expressed towards Black boys in early childhood due to implicit biases, by utilizing verbal praise, loving gestures, and body language.

Payne agrees with the Universitys assessment, adding that his staff of three other Black educators (assistant principal, teacher, and a teachers assistant) work to the centers advantage.

A lot of our students come from single-parent households. Their fathers are either not in their lives or they dont have positive male role models. So, honestly, it helps us because, when it comes to dealing with kids with misbehavior (issues) some of our students respond better to our male staff than would do with our female staff.

We just wear many hats here. I tell people that Im not only a principal; Im a father, an uncle, a pastor, a counselor, a nurse(laughs), you know, we deal with it all.

In response to Rhodes compliment about the impressive 65% of students who read at or above grade level, Payne credited his staff, parents and the all-hands-on-deck atmosphere employed at Normandy Early Learning Center.

We really focus on and drill down on data. We look at what our students are doing well and the areas theyre lacking in then come up with intervention plans to enhance their reading and math skills. Its not just on the teachers. We also have parental involvement here; our parents are really invested in their kids education. Our families do their part at home when it comes to homework and going over certain skills their child hasnt mastered at home as well.

In her letter, Rhodes said Payne and his staff [have]created a space where students feel empowered to express their voices and make choices about their education.

Payne stressed that there is no culturally based formula that helped achieve that goal.

Honestly, you just have to take on a mentality of educating the whole child and getting out of that mentality where all students learn the same, because they dont, Payne said.

The big factor with educating kids of color is to keep them engaged and keep them involved. You cant expect them to just sit down, listen to you and just do their work. You must have engaging lessons and engaging activities that keep them interested and on task. Its the same be it a Black, brown, or white student. You must be very smart and strategic about differentiating your instructions to make sure you are meeting the needs of all the learners in your classroom.

Like Rhodes, Payne also praised his assistant principal, Aman Lado. The educator that staff and students call Mr. Aman, is a former U.S. marine who served seven years and a tour of combat duty during Operation Desert Storm.

What I really love about Mr. Aman is that he has a heart and passion for the kids as well. Hes always positive and pleasant with the kids and families. Hes not a yeller or a screamer; hes a nurturer who has the students best interest at heart, Payne said.

And he doesnt give up on kids. He always tries to find the third way to make a student or a teacher successful. He just makes my job a lot easier.

Payne, whos been head of the center for only a year, isnt satisfied with reaching an improved benchmark of students who read at or above grade level. Hes confident that the upcoming final assessment will show students scores will be within the 80-to-85% range. Still, he insists, some children-who may have had academic improvement-will be repeating kindergarten because they have not met their end-of-the-year individual growth plans.

I tell people, first grade is the hardest grade to teach, because thats where all the big skills are introduced. I dont believe in sending kids to the next grade if theyre not ready. So, I have five students who will be repeating kindergarten, and their parents are on board with that as well.

Academic success, Payne insists, is not solely based on improved math or reading scores.

I know a lot of parents want their kids to read (well) at the end of the school year, but, for me, a good year means a student successfully grew academically. I always tell my staff, As long as we have growth, thats what Im most concerned with.

Sylvester Brown Jr. is the Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow.
JEFFERSON CITY  Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft released an anti-crime plan Thursday that includes hiring 1,000 new law enforcement personnel and placing the St. Louis Police Department under state control.

I will launch an initiative to hire 1,000 more officers, dispatchers, deputies, and other law enforcement personnel to make sure we have the people we need to keep our communities safe, Ashcroft, a Republican running for governor this year, said in a news release.

Later Thursday, Ashcroft announced the St. Louis Ethical Society of Police, an organization representing primarily Black St. Louis police officers, was endorsing him for governor.

The Ethical Society of Police is endorsing Jay Ashcroft for Missouri Governor because he has committed to bringing ESOPs voice to the table, so we can advocate for our members, our citizens and officers throughout the state, the ESOP Board said in a statement, according to an Ashcroft campaign news release.

To us, this endorsement is about people over politics. We will never agree on every issue with any candidate or elected official, but we agree with Jay Ashcroft on the urgency of police reform and the cost of inaction to the real people who are impacted every day.

Like Ashcroft, ESOP has voiced support for a state takeover of the St. Louis Police Department. In October, the Post-Dispatch published an joint opinion piece by Donny Walters, ESOPs president, and Ashcroft, making a case for state control.

It means a great deal to me to receive the endorsement of the Ethical Society of Police. These men and women represent every facet of public safety here in St. Louis and are an important voice in how we police moving forward, Ashcroft said in a statement Thursday.

The St. Louis Police Officers Association, a union representing St. Louis police, had previously endorsed Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, in the governors race.

Its time for the citizens of this state to feel safe and for the criminals to be scared, Ashcroft said Thursday in a 3-minute video posted to social media site X on Thursday. Its time for us to re-fund the police and invest in our communities.

In addition to the state takeover and law enforcement recruitment efforts, another element of Ashcrofts crime plan includes truth in sentencing.

I will make sure we enforce the laws on the books and ensure convicted criminals serve a meaningful portion of their sentence, Ashcroft said.

Ashcroft also emphasizes reentry programs in his plan, calls for more investments in mental health facilities, and for providing education to individuals who are incarcerated.

The most controversial element of Ashcrofts plan could be the move to return the city police to state control. An effort to do so died in the Legislature last year, and is again languishing this year.

Missouri voters in 2012 voted to place the city police department under local control.

Critics of the recent plans to put the city department under state control point to the fact that Kansas Citys department is also under state control and that Kansas City also grapples with high crime.

Major Republican candidates running against Ashcroft in the Republican gubernatorial primary include Kehoe and state Sen. Bill Eigel, R-Weldon Spring.

High-profile Democrats running include House Minority Leader Crystal Quade and Springfield businessman Mike Hamra.

Updated at 4 p.m.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that Charles has been found safe.

ST. CHARLES COUNTY  Police on Wednesday evening said they found the missing teenager whose car was found abandoned just north of downtown St. Louis.

The teen was reported missing by his family Tuesday night. Police announced just after 7 p.m. Wednesday he was found safe and reunited with his family.

St. Louis police officers found him in the city while on patrol, St. Charles County police Cpl. Barry Bayles said.

The teen had last been seen by a teacher around 4:45 p.m. Tuesday leaving Liberty Church in O'Fallon, Missouri. He had gone home earlier in the day to grab some of his schoolwork, police said, and returned to the church for class.

His mother tried to contact him on his cell phone and became worried when she couldn't. She told police she used OnStar to locate his vehicle in the 1500 block of North 13th Street in the city's Old North St. Louis neighborhood near downtown.

She asked St. Louis police officers to check on the car, and they found it abandoned at about 10 p.m. Tuesday, police said. It was parked in a shopping strip parking lot.
BELLEFONTAINE NEIGHBORS  Two newly elected board members here could help decide a stalemate Thursday over who to hire to become the citys next top cop.

Mayor Dinah Tatman wants to appoint Philip Lukens, a former Alliance, Nebraska, chief and longtime officer in Colorado. But the Board of Aldermen has voted twice already against him.

The dispute is the latest between the mayor and an aldermanic majority in this north St. Louis County suburb of about 10,450 residents. Thomas and three other aldermen on the seven-member board have declared no confidence in Tatman, accusing her of making decisions without their input. Tatman has said the group is unnecessarily trying obstruct her administration.

But two new members, Wesley Gillespie and Michael Wiese, will be sworn in at the 7:30 p.m. meeting Thursday. Both won election April 2 to open seats on the board.

Tatman said she plans to ask the newly constituted board to appoint Lukens, as early as the meeting Thursday.

Lukens, a 27-year police veteran, was chief in Alliance, a city of about 8,000 residents, from December of 2020 to September 2023. He was previously an officer and commander in Lafayette, Erie and Louisville, all in Colorado, and also at the University of Colorado-Boulder. He holds a bachelors degree in criminal justice from Colorado Technical University.

He would replace former chief Jeremy Ihler, who retired in October after 26 years with the department, the last seven as chief.

Lukens is also one of four finalists for police chief in Webster Groves, to replace longtime chief Dale Curtis, who retired in December.

Police officers, some aldermen and residents all picked Lukens from two finalists out of 10 candidates for the job, Tatman said.

Aldermanic President James Thomas, who has voted against Lukens, said residents have called for the citys next chief to be someone with strong local ties, who better reflects the community in Bellefontaine Neighbors, a majority-Black suburb. Lukens is white.

They would like to see a diverse police department and a department that represents them, Thomas said.

Thomas said he wants the city to restart its search or appoint one of the finalists with stronger local ties.

Lukens, in an interview, said he understood the concerns raised by aldermen but would prioritize input from residents.

At the end of the day, I feel like I bring a perspective that will really help the community build a strong relationship with the police department, build greater transparency and implement new programs to serve the community, Lukens said.

Aldermen previously voted 4-2 against appointing Lukens at meetings Feb. 15 and March 21. Lynette VonSeggern was absent from both meetings.

Theresa Hester and Peg Warnusz voted for Lukens, praising his qualifications and work experience.

Thomas, Alease Dailes, Alicia Smith, and Regina Harmon-Ward voted against appointing Lukens.

Wiese and Gillespie, the two new councilmen, did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

Wiese, a former aldermen, succeeds VonSeggern, who did not run for reelection.

Gillespie will fill a seat vacated by Tatman when she was elected mayor in April of 2023.
JEFFERSON CITY  The scandal-plagued speaker of the Missouri House Thursday stormed out of the first press conference hes held since a scathing report was released about him obstructing an ethics investigation into his administration.

Rep. Dean Plocher, a Des Peres Republican, told reporters he would only discuss legislative matters and not the results of the seven-month investigation that has hovered over his final year as speaker.

Following opening remarks about the passage of a major education bill, the first question asked of Plocher was about the probe.

Listen fellas, this isnt about me. This is about 6.1 million Missourians and our children, our educational system today. Any other questions? Plocher said.

The next question also was about the ethics probe.

Im shutting this down. You guys dont get it, Plocher said as he retreated from the House Lounge into his adjoining suite of offices.

The ongoing silent treatment came after the bipartisan House Ethics Committee voted to reject a report Monday that called for Plocher to receive a letter of reproval for his actions in attempting to persuade House leaders to purchase a software system without going through normal bidding procedures.

While the report outlined how he also collected taxpayer reimbursements for travel costs, the panel recommended the lowest level of punishment following hours of deliberations behind closed doors.

Plocher earlier told the Post-Dispatch that he was disappointed in how long the probe took to complete.

The chairwoman of the committee, however, said Plocher was to blame for the slow pace of work.

Rather than the Speaker recusing himself entirely from this process so the committee could do its work in an efficient manner, individuals working on his behalf delayed, obstructed, and attacked the process at every turn, said Rep. Hannah Kelly, R-Mountain View, in a social media post.

Kelly also accused Plocher of threatening witnesses and creating a culture of fear and retaliation.

It breaks my heart to think our institution could be a place where victims will be harassed rather than protected, where whistleblowers will be vilified, and where the truth will be something that is locked in the darkness rather than brought into the light of day, Kelly wrote.

While Kelly said the probe is complete, the speakers top attorney signaled Thursday that the seven-month investigation is not officially done.

General Counsel Hampton Williams, who was hired after Plochers previous lawyer resigned, said the investigation remains active before the Committee until an affirmative act by the majority of committee members can dispose of the matter.

Plocher, who is running to be Missouris next secretary of state, was asked if he would replace Kelly as chairwoman in order to force the committee to comply with Williams interpretation, but he would not answer.

Plocher currently leads his seven Republican opponents by a wide margin in the fundraising race for the secretary of state post.

Plocher reported more than $1.3 million between his campaign account and allied political action committee; the competitor closest to his dollar amount was state Sen. Denny Hoskins, R-Warrensburg, who had nearly $255,000 on hand.

Other Republicans running include state Rep. Adam Schwadron, state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, Valentina Gomez, Greene County Clerk Shane Schoeller, Jamie Corley and Mike Carter.
Let me raise a small voice in support of the Arizona Supreme Courts recent ruling reasserting a ban on abortions in that state. I would suggest, strange as it may seem, that we begin by celebrating their call.

It is always healthful in a democracy to revisit certain earlier decisions. Its a way to assess how much progress our society has made. The ruling is clearly narrow, even parochial, but it is a good, even educational, reminder of how the citizens of that early territory thought about things.

Like the early church, that government was concerned with numbers: An expanding population would ensure its eventual arrival as a state. But now, a century and a half later, as we celebrate how far we have come from that parochial perspective, we also need to be sure that such progress now gets confirmed, not abandoned.

Jamie Spencer

Des Peres
As a nation, we should ask ourselves what are we doing to form the more perfect union that our Founding Fathers envisioned. After reading the op-ed "An unexpected source offers advice for fixing Congress (April 11 print edition), I cant help but blame the people of the United States for the problems in our government.

We have the right to vote but many do not exercise this right. We have public education for all but many students waste the opportunities through disruptive behavior and drop out.

There is a lot of attention being paid to former president Donald Trump and his followers and his violent rhetoric. According to the op-ed, Republican staffers are experiencing direct insulting or threatening messages (Democrats 68%, Republicans 83%). Both Republicans and Democrats surveyed were identified civility as very important (Republicans 85%, and Democrats 70%).

Too much attention is given to Trumps messages  and, surprisingly, it appears many in the Democratic Party's base are also quick to resort to abandoning civility. Both sides need to embrace civility and learn to agree to disagree.

Just last month while in Japan I saw a sign at a childrens play and educational venue that noted there is no single correct solution to any problem. We can embrace our differences and solve our problems together with civility.

Sean Quinn

St. Louis
Swiss Steel Holding AG / Key word(s): Miscellaneous

Swiss Steel Holding AG successfully completes share offering in the context of its capital increase with gross proceeds of EUR 300 million



18-Apr-2024 / 18:00 CET/CEST

Release of an ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



Lucerne, April 18, 2024  Swiss Steel Holding AG today announces that a total of 3,101,000,000 new registered shares were placed in connection with its capital increase, of which 1,067,992,920 new shares were subscribed for by existing shareholders (including BigPoint Holding AG) in the rights offering and 2,033,007,080 new shares were subscribed for by BigPoint Holding AG in the bookbuilding process (Share Placement). The offer price was CHF 0.0925 per new share. Swiss Steel Holding AG will raise gross proceeds of EUR 300 million from the capital increase. The net proceeds of approximately EUR 294 million will be used to strengthen Swiss Steels capital and liquidity and to reduce its indebtedness in order to allow it to shift its focus on fully re-entering the market, in particular against the backdrop of an expected improving economy. As a result of the capital increase and the nominal value reduction from CHF 0.15 to CHF 0.08 per share, the share capital of Swiss Steel Holding AG is expected to increase from CHF 458,828,620.65 to CHF 492,788,597.68. BigPoint Holding AG has exercised all of its subscription rights in the rights offering and has been allocated an additional 2,033,007,080 shares in the Share Placement. As a result, BigPoint Holding AG is expected to hold approximately 66.6% of Swiss Steel Holding AGs share capital and voting rights upon completion of the offering. In order for exercises of rights or purchases of shares in the Share Placement to be valid, the payment of the aggregate offer price must be received by 12:00 noon CEST on April 22, 2024. The listing on SIX Swiss Exchange, first trading day and delivery of the new shares is expected to be on April 25, 2024. For further information:



For media queries:

Anina Berger, anina.berger@swisssteelgroup.com, +41 (0)41 581 4121



For Analyst/investor inquiries:

Burkhard Wagner, burkhard.wagner@swisssteelgroup.com, +41 (0)41 581 4180





Media Release (PDF) About Swiss Steel Group Swiss Steel Group with headquarters in Lucerne (Switzerland) is one of the worlds leading producers of special steel long products. Thanks to the exclusive use of steel scrap in electric arc furnaces, the Group is one of the most relevant companies in Europe in the circular economy and is among the market leaders in the field of sustainably produced steel - Green Steel. Swiss Steel Group has its own production and distribution entities in over 30 countries and, through its strong local presence, offers a wide range of individual solutions in the fields of engineering steel, stainless steel, and tool steel. Swiss Steel Group is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and generated a revenue of around EUR 3.2 billion in 2023 with approximately 8,800 employees. Forward-looking statements This document is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of offers to purchase or subscribe for shares. This document is not a prospectus within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act and not a prospectus under any other applicable laws. Copies of this document may not be sent to, distributed in or sent from jurisdictions in which this is barred or prohibited by law. The information contained herein shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any jurisdiction. The offer and listing of any securities will be made solely by means of, and on the basis of, a prospectus which is to be approved by the competent review body and published. This document constitutes advertising in accordance with article 68 of the Swiss Financial Services Act. Such advertisements are communications to investors aiming to draw their attention to financial instruments. Any investment decisions with respect to any securities should not be made based on this advertisement. A decision to invest in securities of Swiss Steel Holding AG should be based exclusively on the prospectus published by Swiss Steel Holding AG (the "Company") for such purpose. Copies of such prospectus (and any supplements thereto) are available free of charge from UBS AG (email: swiss-prospectus@ubs.com). In addition, copies of such issue and listing prospectus (and any supplements thereto) are available free of charge in Switzerland from Swiss Steel Holding AG, Landenbergstrasse 11, 6005 Lucerne, Switzerland (email: ir@swisssteelgroup.com). This document is not for publication or distribution in the United States of America (including its territories and possessions, any State of the United States and the District of Columbia), Canada, Japan or Australia or any other jurisdiction into which the same would be unlawful. This document does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe for or purchase any securities in such countries or in any other jurisdiction into which the same would be unlawful. In particular, the document and the information contained herein should not be distributed or otherwise transmitted into the United States of America or to publications with a general circulation in the United States of America. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or the laws of any state and may not be offered or sold in the United States of America absent registration under or an exemption from registration under the Securities Act. There will be no public offering of the securities in the United States of America. The information contained herein does not constitute an offer of securities to the public in the United Kingdom. No prospectus offering securities to the public will be published in the United Kingdom. In the United Kingdom this document is only directed at persons who (i) are qualified investors and who are also (ii) investment professionals falling within article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "FSMA Order"); (iii) persons falling within Articles 49(2)(a) to (d), "high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, etc." of the FSMA Order and (iv) persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 may otherwise be lawfully communicated or caused to be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). The securities are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. In any member state of the European Economic Area (each a "Relevant State") this document is only addressed to qualified investors in that Relevant State within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation. This publication may contain specific forward-looking statements, e.g. statements including terms like "believe", "assume", "expect", "forecast", "project", "may", "could", "might", "will" or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may result in a substantial divergence between the actual results, financial situation, development or performance of Swiss Steel Holding AG and those explicitly or implicitly presumed in these statements. Against the background of these uncertainties, readers should not rely on forward-looking statements. Swiss Steel Holding AG assumes no responsibility to up-date forward-looking statements or to adapt them to future events or developments. Except as required by applicable law, Swiss Steel Holding AG has no intention or obligation to update, keep updated or revise this publication or any parts thereof (including any forward-looking statement) following the date hereof. Neither the manager nor any of its subsidiary undertakings, affiliates or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, advisers, agents, alliance partners or any other entity or person accepts any responsibility or liability whatsoever for, or makes any representation, warranty or undertaking, express or implied, as to the truth, accuracy, completeness or fairness of the information or opinions in this announcement (or whether any information has been omitted from the announcement) or any other information relating to the group, its subsidiaries or associated companies, whether written, oral or in a visual or electronic form, and howsoever transmitted or made available or for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith. Accordingly, the manager and the other foregoing persons disclaim, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, all and any liability, whether arising in tort or contract or that they might otherwise be found to have in respect of this announcement and/or any such statement.

News Source: Swiss Steel Holding AG

News Source: Swiss Steel Holding AG

End of Inside Information
April 18, 2024: The US Navy now has a shortage of air and space defense missiles, especially the SM-6 missiles that can be used against aircraft, ballistic missiles, other ships, and even low earth orbit satellites. These missiles were used at a high rate during the recent actions in the Red Sea to prevent Iran-backed Yemen Shia rebels from hitting commercial ships with Iranian missiles. SM-6 missiles were used to intercept the Iranian missiles fired at ships.

The U.S. Navy has a lot of SM-6 missiles in storage/launch VLS (Vertical Launch System) cells on American destroyers and cruisers. Each of the 85 U.S. Navy destroyers and cruisers has between 96 and 122 VLS cells, each usually containing an SM-2, 3 or 6 anti-aircraft missile. These cells can also contain Rolling Airframe missiles as well as Tomahawk land attack missiles, or anti-submarine or electronic warfare missiles. Four Sea Sparrow anti-aircraft missiles can be carried and launched from a single VLS cell.

The primary VLS missile is the SM-6. Each one is 6.6 meters long and half a meter in diameter. The missile weighs 1.5 tons with a warhead containing 64 kg of explosives. SM-6s have been used to intercept ballistic missiles as well as aircraft. The SM-6 can also be used against ships and low-earth-orbit satellites. Until recently the navy purchased, for $4 million each, 125 SM-6 missiles a year and had a stockpile of 600 to be used as reloads for VLS cells emptied by test firing or use against attackers. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in early 2022 SM-6 production has increased

The US and allies navies use nearly 10,000 VLS cells on their warships. In wartime many of these cells would be emptied as missiles were fired at enemy targets. Currently VLS cells can only be reloaded when the ship is dockside.

While the U.S. Navy is using few of its VLS cell missiles against hostiles, its a different story in Ukraine, where the U.S. and its NATO allies have supplied Ukraine with nearly a thousand Patriot missiles to deal with Russian missile attacks and a few Russian warplanes. Four of the smaller PAC-3 missiles can be stored and launched from one launch tube that would usually carry one full size PAC-2 anti-aircraft missile. Ukraine wants more Patriot missiles and support equipment. The United States and European NATO countries are sending all they have.

One reason for this urgency and generosity is that Ukraine has developed some new ways to use Patriot missiles more efficiently and effectively. In early 2023 Ukraine received two Patriot batteries plus some reloads. Another battery is supposed to arrive by the end of the year. Soon after Ukraine received the first Patriot batteries, they managed to destroy two Russian jet fighters and three helicopters that were carrying out bombing attacks on Ukrainian targets in the north, near the border with Russias Bryansk province. This happened so quickly that Russia decided to cease launching airstrikes from bases in this region. The main reason for this was the unexpectedly effective Ukrainian use of their Patriot systems. The Ukrainians had developed some new techniques to do this. For example, Ukrainian Patriot system operators have developed methods for reliably and consistently using Patriot against several different Russian ballistic missile systems. These methods have stopped dozens of Russian ballistic and high-speed cruise missiles sent to attack the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, as well as other targets in Ukraine.

Ukrainians were not the first Patriot users to come up with novel ways to use the system. Patriot has proved to be very configurable and able to deal with many new situations the Patriot System designers never expected. That sort of thing has kept Patriots in service for over three decades.

Patriot has been in service since 1984 and experienced its first sustained combat in 1990, when it was used against Iraqi SCUD ballistic missiles fired at Israel and Saudi Arabia. Its success rate, 40 to 70 percent, was mediocre at best. That was largely due to the improvised modifications Iraqis made to their SCUDs to extend their range. As a result, the SCUDs tended to fall apart during the terminal (speeding down towards the target) flight phase which created unintended countermeasures. Some of the larger pieces of these modified SCUDs, like additional fuel tanks, broke away and were seen by Patriot radar as the actual missile warhead section. In some cases, non-warhead portions, like the fuel tanks carrying very toxic fuel, of the SCUD came down on military or civilian personnel on the ground. Subsequent upgrades to Patriot increased accuracy against deliberate or accidental countermeasures.

Patriot has been used against UAVs but firing a missile costing over three million dollars at homemade UAVs, as Israeli forces did a few times, isnt healthy for the economy so Israel developed cheaper solutions for UAVs.

Although initially designed to be used against manned aircraft, the Patriot did not face this threat very often and it wasnt until 2014 when Patriot downed one. An Israeli Patriot shot down a Syrian Su-24 fighter-bomber. While Patriot was originally designed for use against aircraft, most of what it has shot down have been ballistic missiles, either SCUDs or more recent Iranian and Russian designs. The UAE sent a battery to Yemen where it successfully defended major military bases from Iranian ballistic missile attacks. Arab Patriot users have developed a lot of missile crews with combat experience and that has helped attract capable recruits to air defense work, which is usually seen as less prestigious than traditional service with ground, air, and naval combat units. During 2023 Patriot systems began operating in Ukraine, with the usual spectacular results. This was especially the case with the Ukrainians, who tended to find additional uses for many of the weapons they received from NATO countries.

Since 1970 over 10,000 Patriot missiles and 1,500 launchers have been produced. After decades of service, some were updated while others were scrapped. Patriot missiles can, with regular upgrades and refurbishment, remain in use for over 40 years. A growing number of Patriot missiles are doing just that, but many are still fired each year for training and testing. Most Patriot batteries are equipped with both longer-range GEM-T missiles for aircraft and shorter-range PAC-3 MSE ones for ballistic missiles or, if necessary, aircraft. The PAC 2 is older, cheaper, and designed to intercept manned aircraft at ranges up to 160 kilometers, while the PAC 3 is the newest and about twice as expensive at over $4 million. The Patriot system, with continued upgrades, will likely remain in production until the 2040s, though it badly needs a mobile replacement for various reasons such as attack by swarms of cheap UAVs, plus that the precise location of Patriot radars can be easily determined from orbit. Demand for Patriot missiles in Ukraine means that nearly all the older Patriot missiles are being used and the manufacturer is working overtime to produce more missiles.

Each Patriot battery is manned by about a hundred troops and contains a radar plus four or more launchers. The launcher is designed to use both the smaller PAC 3 missile as well as the original and larger PAC 2 anti-aircraft version. A Patriot launcher can hold sixteen PAC 3 missiles versus four PAC 2s. A PAC 2 missile weighs about a ton while a PAC 3 weighs about a third of that. The PAC 3 has a shorter range that was originally 20 kilometers, but the latest version can do 35 kilometers. The larger PAC-2 can reach 160 kilometers.

NATO countries are being asked to send all the Patriot missiles they can. The NATO countries are also sending their Patriot experts in order to learn about the novel methods Ukrainians have developed. It did not take long to train Ukrainian crews. Ukraine points out that it will take a lot less time for Ukrainians to master Patriot operation because it is wartime and time is of the essence. That proved to be the case. Ukrainians were also impressed with the reliability, accuracy, and flexibility of the Patriot missiles. Having been in service for forty years, Patriot has evolved into a very capable anti-missile missile that can also take down any warplanes foolish enough to come within Patriot missile range of 160 kilometers.


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Aquinas Catholic Schools in David City hosted its 26th Annual Gold Rush Fundraiser on April 6. The theme for this year's event was "Battle of the Bands," which added an exciting twist to the already unique fundraiser.

The night featured two live bands, starting with The Leo Lonnie Orchestra. Members included Aquinas Catholic freshman Sylvia Piitz and her father Lonnie Piitz The orchestra brought the magic of polkas, waltzes, and big band music to life.

The Pink Kadillac Band, hailing from Omaha, then took the stage and rocked the crowd with their energetic performance of various cover songs. It was an unforgettable evening filled with music, community support, and charitable giving, a news release said.

This was the first year that we have had a live cover band at the end of the event. Seeing how much fun all ages of our crowd were having was the best feeling. It makes the whole night worth it to see the fun and to have a great success on the fundraising side as well, Michaela Moravec, Gold Rush coordinator, said.

Last weekend was a great night for Aquinas Catholic Schools as we held our 26th Gold Rush. I want to thank the Planning and Steering committees for their hard work to make this fundraiser even possible. Once again the community has shown its dedication to Catholic education and our students. It also was just a great night of fun getting the community together to celebrate the great work being done at our schools. I cannot thank this community enough as they continue to sacrifice to make Aquinas possible, Father Michael Ventre, CAO of Aquinas Catholic Schools, said.

This event began with Mass, followed by a silent auction and a prime rib dinner. The highlight of the night was the live auction, conducted by Moravec Auction Company. The winners of the bus raffle are: Jake Ruth, who won $5,000; Jessica Romshek, who won $2,500; Patrice Wiegard and Travis Trojan, who both won $1,000; and Linus Meysenburg, who won $500.

Gold Rush proved the generosity and spirit of the Aquinas Catholic Schools community, pushing donations toward $400,000.

Next years Gold Rush, Wrestle Mania, will be on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Humans have a penchant for looking far ahead. Ask a room of kids what they want to be when they grow up, and youll quickly discover just how creative we can be when it comes to envisioning our future. Along the same lines, if you ask members of a community about their dreams for their hometown, youll leave with a long list.

The tricky thing about the future, though, is that it hasnt happened yet. Even with the most meticulous planning, events undoubtedly unfold in ways we cant quite foretell. But if the unexpected is to be expected, we have ways to prepare.

At Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF), we believe an unrestricted endowment is one of the best tools to prepare your hometown for whatever lies beyond the horizon. Consider it like a retirement account that generates investment income for your community year after year. That unrestricted part is key  it means it isnt designated for any specific use or project, making it a source of funding for whatever dreams residents can imagine. Because the principal remains untouched, it grows with every gift  and so does the annual payout. The volunteers overseeing an unrestricted endowment account (known as a fund advisory committee in the NCF network) have the freedom to spend the funds in ways that they determine will fulfill its mission. That flexibility allows hometowns to maximize their community-building efforts.

Unrestricted endowments held by NCF community-based affiliated funds (CBAFs) now total $67 million, double the total five years ago. Today, 50 CBAFs have payout of at least $10,000 per year  a milestone at which affiliated funds can really be catalysts for growth. Sixteen CBAFs now have payout of at least $50,000 per year. Throughout our network, affiliated funds use their payout for a variety of purposes, whether its starting something new, saving something important, or adapting to the future  often all the above.

For places like Boone County, that means investing in early childhood education and after-school learning. In Diller, theyve created a Youth Serviceship Camp aimed at developing future leaders and inviting them to give back. Every year, dozens of NCF communities host paid college interns who return to their hometowns for the summer with fresh eyes and big ambitions.

Others are focused on adults and seniors. Nebraska Citys CBAF has long supported non-traditional scholarships. Brown County has made a multi-year commitment to help fund its local nursing home. Perkins County is supporting English language learners who are new to the area.

Many NCF communities are investing in the unique assets that define their place. Butler County made significant investments in the Bone Creek Agrarian Art Museum. Red Cloud is supporting heritage tourism related to Willa Cather. Valley County is nurturing a thriving local arts community. Columbus supported a state-of-the-art childrens museum that will draw visitors from miles around to the City of Power and Progress.

In some cases, affiliated funds have relied on their unrestricted endowments to assist in times of need. Calamus Area Community Fund (CACF), benefiting Garfield and Loup counties, prioritized lasting impact and forward-thinking grantmaking with a $100,000 pledge to help rebuild storm-damaged infrastructure at Nebraskas Big Rodeo in Burwell. The event is a massive tourism draw and an essential economic development driver for the region every year. To make the pledge, CACF used its 2024 unrestricted endowment payout, along with other sources of funding. Volunteers with the Keith County Foundation Fund utilized their endowment payout to prevent their communities from losing dedicated emergency medical services. By granting money toward vehicles for a new county-operated service, they helped play an important role in keeping their neighbors safe.

We are at an opportune moment in time to build unrestricted endowments across Greater Nebraska. Nebraska Community Foundations 2021 Transfer of Wealth Study, an update of similar studies in 2001 and 2011, found that $950 billion will change hands between generations through the next 50 years. In just a decade, the number is still staggering  $100 billion. If Nebraskans allotted in their estate plans even 5% of that $100 billion for their hometowns, it would mean $5 billion reinvested in Greater Nebraska. Just imagine what our communities could achieve with that level of generosity.

Thats the impetus behind the Five to Thrive campaign. An unrestricted endowment is an ideal home for that 5%, as it will remain in a community for years to come and, alongside other gifts, help generate ever-increasing annual earnings. Those earnings become our hometowns dream capital.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to bettering our hometowns, but an unrestricted endowment is an all-purpose funding source. Further, its a statement about your belief in your communitys future. By giving to your local unrestricted endowment, youre telling your neighbors, friends and family that you have faith that your hometown will continue to be a place future generations of Nebraskans want to call home.
U.S. returns 38 pieces of cultural objects to China

Xinhua) 08:39, April 18, 2024

China's Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration Li Qun (2nd R) and Matthew Bogdanos (2nd L), chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, sign documents at a handover ceremony of returned Chinese cultural objects at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

NEW YORK, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday.

At a handover ceremony at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office handed over the cultural objects to a delegation from China's National Cultural Heritage Administration.

China and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding that aims to prevent the illegal importation of Chinese cultural artifacts into the United States in January 2009. Its validity has been extended for the third time, starting from January 14 this year.

Returned Chinese cultural objects are seen at a handover ceremony at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Returned Chinese cultural objects are seen at a handover ceremony at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

China's Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration Li Qun (R) shakes hands with Matthew Bogdanos, chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, at a handover ceremony of returned Chinese cultural objects at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Staff members check the condition of returned Chinese cultural objects at a handover ceremony at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

China's Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration Li Qun (2nd R) and Matthew Bogdanos (2nd L), chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, sign documents at a handover ceremony of returned Chinese cultural objects at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

China's Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration Li Qun (R) and Matthew Bogdanos, chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, attend a handover ceremony of returned Chinese cultural objects at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Staff members check the condition of returned Chinese cultural objects at a handover ceremony at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
Working a job to support their family was the number one reason students dropped out of the Carlisle High School Class of 2022, Carlisle Area School District administrators say.

Sixteen of the 36 dropouts from the 2021-22 four-year cohort left school for full-time employment compared to three students who left because they disliked school and two students who left for academic reasons.

A cohort is a class of students who attend the same high school and are considered to have entered the ninth grade in the same year. Each cohort is defined and referred to by their expected graduation year.

The state Department of Education requires school districts to classify each dropout by a code, said Stephanie Douglas, director of digital learning for the Carlisle Area School District.

Of the 36 dropouts, eight students were classified as no shows, meaning they missed more than 10 school days, and seven students were classified as dropping out for other reasons.

District administrators presented this data to the school board during a recent education committee meeting. The goal was to report the trends and to detail the interventions at work to maximize the high school graduation rate.

The Carlisle Class of 2022 had a graduation rate of 85.6% compared to a state average that year of 87%. Of the 380 students in that cohort, 325 received their diplomas, 36 were dropouts and 19 were classified as continuing students, meaning they were either enrolled in special education or had been retained to try to earn the necessary credits to graduate.

The graduation rate for the Carlisle Class of 2020 was about 87.7%, despite the disruption caused by the COVID-19 shutdown that year.

The following school year, 2020-21, saw Carlisle and other districts use a hybrid schedule where students rotated between on-line instruction and days spent in the classroom.

The Carlisle Class of 2021 had a graduation rate of 88.3%. By spring 2021, most of the Class of 2022 were high school juniors. They were finishing up their second year of education impacted by the pandemic.

A lot of our families were struggling at that time, High School Principal Patricia Buffington said. I was the 11th grade principal. I remember having a lot of those conversations. It was a hard struggle.

The economic hardships felt by families in the wake of COVID-19 was a contributing factor to the number of dropouts among the Carlisle Class of 2022, Associate Principal Jason Beals said. Several students have said to us Hey, I can go work. I can make more money than my family can right now.

The overwhelming threat to graduation for us is the warehouses, Beals said. They are well paying jobs. If youre 18 and drive a forklift, within six months, you get a four to six dollar pay raise. Thats real money for some of those kids. They get to the junior year. Their hope to graduate in four years is not happening. I can now work. Thats a huge driver.

Twenty of the 36 dropouts were from families described as economically disadvantaged. Of those, eight students left school to work, six were no shows, five left for other reasons and one left for academics.

Sixteen dropouts left Carlisle High School in their junior year. Five left as freshmen, eight were sophomores and seven were seniors, according to statistics compiled by the district.

There was another significant change during that time, Beals said. The state increased the age at which a student can withdraw. It went from 16 to 18. So that junior class was the last year that the state allowed for a 16- or 17-year-old to sign out from school prior to the age of compulsory education.

The district also compiled statistics on the race and gender of the dropouts. Twenty-one of the 36 were white students, seven were Hispanic, four were Black, three were mixed race and one was Asian. Two-thirds of the dropouts were male.

Board member Rick Coplen asked what school district programs are in place to help families improve their economic situation.

Beals said the district has a social worker who can connect families to support services at the county and borough level. In recent years, the district hired an at-risk counselor tasked specifically with helping families that are dealing with housing instability and homelessness, he said.

There have been cases where the district has been contacted by families who lost their electricity or heat due to economic hardships, Beals said.

Its not always about us trying to help them with whats going on, Buffington said. Its giving them ideas of where to reach out. The resources that we have are not just for our students, its also for our families.

The district has programs down to the elementary school level to identify and address academic warning signs that could impact whether a student would drop out.

Those include reading support, outreach events, community partnerships, summer learning, credit recovery, afterschool tutoring and a night school for high school students who work during the day.

Procedures are in place in a last-ditch effort to persuade a student to stay through graduation. Once a withdraw request is made, a meeting is scheduled between the student, the family, the grade-level principal, and a school counselor to discuss the reasons the student wants to withdraw.

Options are suggested to keep the student engaged, including a move to a hybrid or virtual schedule or a night school/work-based learning program. The district shares information on how students can earn a GED.

The district plans to implement better methods to track and analyze student withdrawals. There are also efforts underway to expand mentor programs and better prepare students for the transition from eighth to ninth grade.
A student in the fitness track of the Armys Future Soldier Preparatory Course works on deadlifts during a training session in June 2023 at Fort Jackson, S.C. The fitness track of the course educates students on the Armys Holistic Health and Fitness System to help them lose body fat in order to meet the Armys enlistment standards. (U.S. Army)

WASHINGTON  The Army is on pace to meet its recruiting goal for this year but remains challenged in growing back its end strength after years of shortfalls, the Army secretary said Thursday.

The service is expected to hit its enlistment goal of 55,000 recruits for fiscal 2024 and enlist another 5,000 through a delayed entry program, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

We still have six months left to go in the fiscal year so the [Army chief of staff] and I dont want to be overconfident but right now we are on a very good pace, she said. We are doing considerably better this year.

The traditionally difficult recruiting months of February and March were very good, she said, and boded well for the future.

Still, the Army has had to lower its expectations in the face of a recruiting crisis that has affected nearly the entire military. The service last year set a recruiting goal of 65,000 and slashed it significantly for this year after recruitment fell short by nearly 10,000 soldiers.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., confronted Wormuth over the shrinking enlistment targets, accusing the Army of moving the goal posts to achieve a more favorable recruiting outcome.

Its improving because youre throwing a dart at the wall and then drawing the bullseye around it, he said. You dont think that is a little suspicious, that youre simply trying to avoid negative headlines once again for your failure to meet basic recruiting goals?

Wormuth said the Army looks at whats possible and sets goals that are achievable. She stressed the services current end strength has met all the demands of the militarys combatant commands.

Im not focused on headlines, she said. What Im doing is doing everything possible to help the Army improve its recruiting and thats what were doing.

The service has found success with its Future Soldier Prep Course, a program that gives lower-performing recruits fitness and academic instruction to help them meet military standards and go on to basic training. Almost 18,000 young people have graduated from the course  a 95% success rate, Wormuth said.

The Army is also reorganizing its recruiting force under a single three-star commander and creating professional job classifications for enlisted soldiers and warrant officers who specialize in recruiting.

The first cohort of warrant officers will be going out in the field to recruit in the summer, Wormuth said.

We are fundamentally transforming our recruiting enterprise to better compete in the 21st century job market, she said.

The Armys long-term goal is to increase its authorized end strength from 445,000 active-duty soldiers now to 470,000 by fiscal 2029. The service is structured for a force of about 494,000 but shed soldiers amid an ongoing transition from counterinsurgency missions to large-scale combat operations.

Wormuth said the Army will leverage data to help its recruiters better pinpoint potential candidates and is exploring how to break into the college market.

The [Army] chief and I are both committed to growing back our end strength, Wormuth said.

She added the Army will need help from lawmakers to boost the appeal of military service as public trust in government institutions declines. More than 80% of todays Army recruits come from military families, Wormuth said.

Thats wonderful in many ways but its also a little concerning, she said. We cant rely on just military families to give their kids to the Army so the more all of you can talk about the value of service, that will help us.
A street at Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, was renamed April 18, 2024, for Maj. Brian Mescall, a Massachusetts soldier killed in Afghanistan in 2009. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)

HOHENFELS, Germany  A street once named for the commander of the Confederacy on a U.S. Army training range in Bavaria was renamed this week for a Massachusetts soldier killed in Afghanistan more than a decade ago.

Lee Loop, a main road that runs adjacent to the post exchange store and chapel at the Hohenfels Training Area, was renamed Maj. Brian Mescall Street on Thursday during an icy, wet ceremony attended by friends and family.

The renaming was part of a congressionally mandated order by the Pentagon last year to redesignate U.S. military bases, ships and streets around the world that were named for Confederate figures.

Mescall, 33, of Hopkinton, Mass., was stationed at the U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria training area with 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, when he and two fellow soldiers were killed Jan. 9, 2009, by a roadside bomb that detonated near their vehicle in Jaldak, Afghanistan.

Then-Capt. Brian Mescall, of the 342nd Military Transition Team, standing, teaches a map-reading class to Iraqi army soldiers in Mosul on Feb. 13, 2006. (Dennis Gravelle/U.S. Army)

Col. Christopher Danbeck, deputy director of the Armys Installation Management CommandEurope and a friend of Mescalls, traveled from Wiesbaden to attend.

I know Brian would be embarrassed as anything for all the attention hes been given, Danbeck told the audience during prepared remarks. Whats really awesome is youre replacing a traitor with a hero.

Mescall was one of 7,085 U.S. service members, including 5,477 killed in hostile action, who have died since 2001 during operations collectively referred to as the Global War on Terror, according to Defense Department statistics.

Mescall graduated from Exeter High School in New Hampshire in 1993 before moving to Massachusetts with his family, base spokesman Bryan Gatchell wrote in a statement. He attended The Citadel in South Carolina and graduated in 1997 with a history degree.

Mescall came to Hohenfels following tours in South Korea and Iraq, Gatchell said. He was killed alongside Spc. Jason Parsons, 24, of Lenoir, N.C., and Spc. Joseph Hernandez, 24, of Hammond, Ind.

He left behind a wife, Chiun, and a son, Nathan, according to news reports following his death.

An honor guard marches during a street renaming ceremony for Army Maj. Brian Mescall at Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes) Col. Kevin Poole, left, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria, and Col. Christopher Danbeck, deputy director of the Armys Installation Management Command  Europe, celebrate the renaming of a street at Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, in honor of their friend Maj. Brian Mescall during a ceremony at the base. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes) Family and friends of Army Maj. Brian Mescall attend a ceremony at Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, on Thursday, April 18, 2024, during which a street on base was renamed for Mescall, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2009. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes) Solders attached to 7th Army Training Command attend a street renaming ceremony for Army Maj. Brian Mescall at Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)

The street bearing Mescalls name intersects with General Patton Drive on Camp Nainhof. It was previously named for Gen. Robert E. Lee, who led the Southern army in rebellion against the United States.

Approximately 620,000 soldiers died in the Civil War, according to the National Park Service, which maintains battlefield sites.

At Thursdays ceremony, Mescall, an avid cyclist, was remembered for being a hard-charging but compassionate leader and a man excited about being a father to his young son.

The renaming was spearheaded by former The Citadel classmates Lt. Col. Thomas Frohnhoefer, director of the exercise control group at Hohenfels, and Col. Kevin Poole, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria commander, the men recalled.

Its nice to know that I played a very small part in honoring the memory of Major Mescall and that his memory will exist in perpetuity here at Hohenfels, Poole said after the ceremony. Brian was a great guy.
A Charlottesville private equity firm manager has been arrested after a pair of late February altercations that allegedly injured his girlfriend.

Thomas Allen Carver, a 56-year-old Albemarle County resident and founder of Charlottesville-based Harren Equity Partners, has been charged with felony strangulation as well as assault and battery.

She said the forensic nurse advised that there were [broken] blood vessels and visible signs of injury to her windpipe, an Albemarle County police detective wrote in his criminal complaint.

Nathalie Grace Marcano told an investigator that she and Carver were arguing inside a vehicle when he tossed her phone out of the window, struck her face and pulled her hair, according to the complaint. The complaint also alleges that Marcano scratched Carvers face during the struggle. Things got even more heated when the two arrived at Carvers Ivy-area residence, the complaint alleges.

He admitted that he did push Nathalie to the ground and rip open her blouse while she was attempting to collect her belongings, the investigator wrote. Carver grabbed her by the neck and choked her, making it difficult to breathe and speak.

A graduate of the University of Virginia, where he earned degrees from both the McIntire School of Commerce as well as the Darden School of Business, Carver founded Harren in 2000.

According to a recent prospectus, Harren focuses on profitable firms grossing $20 million to $200 million. The document indicates that a Harren investment fund will typically take a controlling interest in an expanding firm, and then Harren principals will insert themselves into management to bolster both the top and the bottom lines.

Harrens approach centers on operational excellence and insightful strategic analysis, rather than financial engineering, according to that prospectus.

While some years are dry, Carver may earn up to $50 million in deal-laden years, according to his jail bail sheet.

Mr. Carver is active with the University of Virginia, lecturing at both the undergraduate and graduate business schools, according to his Harren biography.

However, UVa spokeswoman Bethanie Glover told The Daily Progress that Carver is not currently employed at the university nor is he teaching any courses there.

After interviewing both the suspect and his alleged victim, police arrested Carver shortly after midnight on Feb. 22 on an assault and battery charge. An arrest warrant on a felony strangulation charge was issued four days later, but that arrest did not occur until six weeks after that, on April 8, at the Richmond International Airport.

In his Harren biography, Carver notes that he is an instrument-rated private pilot, assertions confirmed by the Federal Aviation Administration. While Carver owns a property in Albemarle County, he has informed a local magistrate that his main residence is actually in Florida, and his FAA certification lists him with a Fort Lauderdale address.

The night of Feb. 22 began peacefully at Public Fish & Oyster, a popular Charlottesville seafood restaurant on West Main Street, Marcano testified in court. But that peace started to crumble after the couple walked to another restaurant down the street, Mexican eatery Continental Divide, she said. Marcano alleged that they each had a cocktail and shared a bottle of sparkling wine over dinner and that Carver continued with a margarita at Continental Divide and then sipped from an in-car wine tumbler.

The allegations about the tumultuous night were aired Tuesday in Albemarle County General District Court, where Marcano was seeking a protective order. While Carvers lawyer challenged that request, Marcanos lawyer introduced seven photographs illustrating she had sustained injuries the night of Feb. 22.

I thought he was going to beat the crap out of me or kill me, Marcano testified.

The photographs showed wounds to Marcanos neck, face, hand, wrist and mouth. Additionally, her lawyer submitted a photo of her blouse showing ripped-out buttons.

He grabbed my blouse, Marcano testified. He pushed me down.

On cross-examination, Marcano conceded that that she did not divulge her claim about getting choked when first interviewed by police.

I was in complete shock, she testified. I did share as much as I was processing.

Subsequent testing at UVa Medical Center, including a CT scan, showed visible injuries including windpipe damage.

I tried to yell and scream, but I could not, Marcano testified.

Her allegation bolstered the strangulation charge, which is a Class 6 felony in Virginia and can carry a prison term as long as 5 years.

Tuesdays hearing was solely to determine whether a judge should issue a protective order and not part of Carvers criminal trial.

Marcanos lawyer urged the judge to issue the order.

The testimony of Ms. Marcano has not been contradicted, argued Rebekah Luttrell, a victim advocacy attorney for Central Virginia Legal Aid Society. In fact, it has been corroborated. She is still in fear of him.

While Carvers lawyer, Andre Hakes, called a niece of Marcanos as a witness to share some details from what she knew of that evening, Hakes made no argument opposing a restraining order during the two-hour hearing.

Its appropriate for the court to issue a protective order, said Judge Matthew Quatrara, ordering Carver to cease contact and remain at least 250 feet away from Marcano for the next two years without exception.

Local legal expert David Heilberg, who was in court for the judges ruling, said that while such a lengthy hearing isnt typical for obtaining a protective order, it can provide the defense with substantial testimony that it may later try to impeach at trial. Moreover, he noted that Virginians targeted in a protective order may not possess any firearms.

People dont like to have their firearm rights suspended, Heilberg told The Daily Progress.

Briefly held without bail at Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail on the strangulation charge, Carver was released on a personal recognizance bond, according to court records. While he declined comment after Tuesdays hearing, a spokesman emailed The Daily Progress afterward.

We intend to vigorously litigate these allegations in court, he said.

Carver is appealing the judges ruling on the protective order. He must return to court May 23 to address the criminal charges.
The USNS 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo, shown in March 31, 2014, in Australia, had to return to Florida following an engine room fire last Thursday. The Navy transport ship was carrying equipment for building a temporary humanitarian aid corridor in Gaza. (Scott Reel/U.S. Marine Corps)

A Navy ship carrying supplies and equipment for construction of a humanitarian corridor off the coast of Gaza has returned to the U.S. after an engine room fire, leaving behind questions over whether the project will be completed on schedule.

USNS 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo, a Military Sealift Command roll-on/roll-off ship, arrived in Jacksonville, Fla., under its own power on one engine Tuesday, the Navy said in a statement Thursday.

The service did not say what equipment or supplies the ship was carrying when the fire broke out in the engine room April 11 while it was traveling to the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

There were no injuries and crew members put out the fire using portable extinguishers, according to the statement.

The Navy didnt say how, or if, return of the ship to the U.S. would impact the scheduled operational date of a floating dock and 1,800-foot-long causeway needed to deliver 2 million meals daily into Gaza.

The Defense Department and U.S. Central Command referred Stars and Stripes questions about the status of the Joint Over-the-Shore project to the Navy.

The Pentagon has stated repeatedly that the project will be operational by the end of this month or early May.

Cargo offloaded from the Navy-built dock would be ferried to the causeway, which would extend to the Gaza shore. No U.S. service members would be on the ground in Gaza, and security would be provided by Israel, according to the DOD.

The department is working with the U.S. Agency for International Development and other groups to finalize the details on how the food would be received and distributed, a job complicated by the killing of seven humanitarian workers in an Israeli airstrike in April.

Earlier this month, just two of the eight ships carrying supplies and equipment to build the dock and causeway had entered the Mediterranean.

But on Monday, USAV General Frank Besson, which entered the sea April 3, was in port in Crete along with two other Army ships, USNI News reported the same day. Naval Support Activity Souda Bay is located on the island.

A fourth Army ship was transiting west of the island, while a fifth, USAV Wilson Wharf, was in the eastern Atlantic Ocean off the coast of north Africa, according to the USNI report.

MV Roy P. Benavidez, assigned to the Military Sealift Command, also was near Crete on Monday. USNS 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez was transiting the Mediterranean off the coast of north Africa, USNI said.

An investigation into the cause of the fire aboard 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo, along with an assessment of the ship, was ongoing, the Navy said.
Technicians work on an unconnected transmission tower. (Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg)

The U.S. Navy has turned to experimental technology to protect remote but critical networks against Chinese hackers, signing a contract with a small mobile carrier to provide cybersecurity for telecommunication companies based on the island of Guam.

Guam, a U.S. territory located 1,600 miles east of Manila, has become an increasingly important military and strategic hub as concerns ratchet up that China might take military action to enforce its claim to the self-ruled island of Taiwan. Critical infrastructure organizations in Guam and elsewhere in the U.S. have been targeted by a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group known as Volt Typhoon, Microsoft Corp. said last year.

Among the networks were some in the telecommunications sector in Guam, Tom Burt, the head of Microsofts customer security and trust team, told the New York Times last year. The Chinese government has denied the allegations.

The Navy said it signed a contract for a pilot project with mobile carrier Cape that is valued at just over $800,000.

Cape, which describes itself as a privacy first mobile carrier, will design, install and test a software-only cellular network for Naval Base Guam to help service members stay connected in a secure manner. Depending on the results, the contract may be expanded to other locations in the Indo-Pacific, the Navy said.

Capes system uses a combination of advanced encryption, secure protocols and novel obfuscation techniques to prevent hackers from exploiting cellular networks or users, said John Doyle, chief executive officer and founder.

Representatives for the telecommunications companies working in Guam  GTA TeleGuam, IT&E and NTT Docomo  didnt respond to requests for comment.

Cape, founded in 2022 by former Palantir Technologies Inc. and Anduril Industries Inc. engineers, just closed its Series B funding, raising $61 million from investors including Andreessen Horowitz and A*, Doyle said.

Capes team is already on Guam, working with the three telecommunications companies whose subscribers include military personnel, said Doyle, a former Special Forces sergeant who headed Palantirs national security business before leaving to create Cape.

We will deploy software that safeguards sensitive, personal data and keeps it from ever touching the underlying networks beyond their physical infrastructure, he told Bloomberg. It solves hard problems on Guam immediately. But its also the template for what I really want to build  private, secure and resilient communications beyond the Pacific theater for everyone.

Volt Typhoon, which has been active since mid-2021, intended to perform espionage and maintain access without being detected for as long as possible, according to Microsoft.

With assistance from Katrina Manson.
The Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Bremerton, Wash. The Navy said Thursday, April 17, 2024, that its four shipyards would get a C+ if graded on their ability to repair ships damaged in a sustained military conflict. (U.S. Navy)

Outdated public shipyards would get a low grade for the ability to repair warships damaged in a major conflict, a top Navy official said Wednesday.

Nickolas Guertin, the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development, and acquisition, told the House Armed Services Committees subpanel on seapower and projection forces that the 20-year, $21 billion project to modernize and expand the four Navy shipyards in Hawaii, Washington, Maine and Virginia would increase repair capacity.

Rep. Donald Norcross, D-N.J., asked for a letter grade of current ability in the event of war.

To be perfectly frank, I am not sure I would give us a great grade, Guertin said.

Norcross pressed for a more concise answer.

Its back to elementary school, Norcross said. C, D, F  where would you put us?

C+, Guertin said.

The exchange about shipyards was part of a hearing marked by bipartisan discontent over the direction of the proposed $257.6 billion Navy and Marine Corps budget for fiscal 2025.

A plan to delay ship and submarine building to spend more on addressing overall supply chain and contractor workforce needs has drawn some rebukes from Republican and Democratic lawmakers during recent hearings in the House and Senate.

The tone of Wednesdays hearing was set in the opening remarks by Rep. Trent Kelly, R-Miss., the subpanels chairman, who chastised the plan approved by President Joe Biden.

This presidents budget request sends the wrong signal, seeking to divest 19 ships, including 10 that havent reached their expected service life, and purchasing only six, he said. A diminished Navy emboldens Beijing and undermines Americas position as the global maritime leader.

Guertins opening remarks were framed by action in the Red Sea from last weekend when the destroyers USS Carney and USS Arleigh Burke reportedly destroyed 81 drones and missiles fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen at U.S. Navy and commercial ships.

The Department of Navy remains focused on the pacing challenge of managing strategic competition with the Peoples Republic of China, Russias illegal war of invasion of Ukraine, Houthi strikes of the Red Sea, and Iranian aggression toward our allies, he said.

Guertin said the Navys budget priorities builds and sustains the right mix of capabilities.

But Republicans and Democrats took turns expressing objections. No one endorsed the spending plan.

Lawmakers also criticized the cut of Virginia-class submarine purchases from two to one, a delay of procuring a fifth Ford-class aircraft carrier from 2028 to 2030 and de-icing capabilities on the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor transport, the stability of procurement of amphibious assault ships that carry Marine units, and across-the-board delays in shipbuilding of new carriers, submarines, frigates and other ships.

The USS Gerald R. Ford transits the Strait of Gibraltor on Jan. 5, 2024. Some in Congress are critical of Navy plans to delay procurement of a fifth Ford-class carrier until 2030. (U.S. Navy )

Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., said he understood the forces buffeting the Navy and other Pentagon budgets due to congressionally imposed budget constraints.

The [Defense Department] is faced with tough choices and is robbing Peter to pay Paul, as they attempt to modernize, maintain readiness, and improve quality of life on a 1% defense budget increase, he said.

Alford asked Vice Adm. James Pitts, deputy chief of naval operations, about warfighting requirements and capabilities and whether cutting the Navy in the short term was the right approach.

Are 293 total ships enough to meet all the demands of the Navy at a time when we must deter great powers and keep sea lanes open while under attacks from terrorists such as the Houthis in the Red Sea? he asked.

Pitts pointed to the Navys official Battle Force Ship Assessment and Requirements Report.

We need 381 ships, Pitts said. So the answer to the question is, no, we dont have enough at 293.

Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., called on the Congress to push for an outside commission to examine the Navys long-range plans. The commission has already been authorized but has yet to be compiled.

Theres a reason we do commissions from time to time  its when, quite frankly, Congress is exasperated, he said. Weve had a series of choose your own adventure 30-year shipbuilding plans, weve had revelations about delays, weve had the 45-day review, constantly changing numbers. It just feels like more needs to be done to map out the future of the Navy.

Gallagher pointed to the Constellation-class frigates being built at a Wisconsin shipyard by an American unit of Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri S.p.A. The 2020 contract was awarded for what was touted as a variation of a European-designed frigate already in service with Italy and France

Originally slated to be delivered in 2026, a Navy report earlier this month put the delay in delivering the lead ship in the class at up to 36 months.

The Constellation design shared about 85% commonality with the original Italian frame design, Gallagher said. Indeed, that was part of the reason that Fincantieri won the award. The idea was to leverage proven design. But the alterations have brought that commonality down to under 15%. Can you just explain to us how something like that happens and what can be done to fix it?

Guertin said the Constellation-class is planned to be a real workhorse in the future and that changes in power, internal design, and other aspects were necessary.

We had to look at that through the lens of what it was going to be  a U.S. Navy fighting ship, he said.

When Guertin termed the alterations minimal, Gallagher was skeptical.

A minimal amount of change is an over 70% change, from the Navys perspective? the congressman asked.

Guertin said the alterations were to the needs of the United States Navy.

Gallagher broke off the verbal engagement but expressed dissatisfaction with Guertins answer.

OK, this is obviously going to be an issue were going to have to continue to tackle, he said.

Kelly ended the hearing by suggesting that Congress wants to adjust the Navy budget when it comes time to start amending and voting on the fiscal 2025 National Defense Authorization Act.

I think we have the greatest shipbuilders and repairs and maintainers in the world, but we have to send them the right signal all the time, Kelly said. We have to give them predictable schedules of both repair and building. We cant send them mixed signals. And we cant tell them to pause or put on the brakes or take a strategic pause.
The miniature movie theater inside the new USO center aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan is pictured on April 17, 2024. (Jennessa Davey/Stars and Stripes)

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan  Sailors aboard the USS Ronald Reagan gathered deep inside the aircraft carrier on Wednesday to celebrate the opening of the U.S. 7th Fleets first shipboard USO center.

Located in the Nancy Reagan Library and adjacent to the ships religious ministry department, the center features a lounge, video game center, internet cafe, an updated library and a miniature movie theater.

What this is doing is increasing the sailors quality of life aboard the ship, Scott Maskery, USOs regional vice president for the Indo-Pacific, told Stars and Stripes before the ceremony. This is something for the sailors, by the sailors, at the request of the U.S. Navy along with the USO.

The USS Ronald Reagan's skipper, Capt. Daryle Cardone, and USO Regional Vice President Scott Maskery cut a ribbon to open a USO center aboard the aircraft carrier at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, April 17, 2024. (Jennessa Davey/Stars and Stripes)

The center features a distinct Southwestern theme, meant to emulate the style of Rancho del Cielo, Ronald Reagans ranch near Santa Barbara, Calif.

The library features cowboy hats, pottery and a bearskin rug. In the theater, posters of modern and classic western movies, such as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and Django Unchained, adorn the walls.

Being able to socialize, read, enjoy movies or play video games in a place that doesnt look like the rest of the ship is critical for sailors who might be at sea for months at a time, said the Ronald Reagans skipper, Capt. Daryle Cardone.

I think it is crucial not only to our readiness, but to our health and wellness as people, he said during the ceremony.

An open space aboard the carrier is also rare and a real treat for sailors, Ronald Reagan spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Phil Chitty told Stars and Stripes before the ceremony.

Renovations began in February for the center, said Marcie Smith West, senior regional operations manager for USO. The USO paid for the project, first proposed in summer 2023, primarily through project-specific donations, she told Stars and Stripes during the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

USO officials at the ceremony said they did not have the cost of the renovations available Wednesday.

Entirely operated by volunteers, the center is expected to be open approximately 20 hours every day while the carrier is at sea to provide services for every shift, Chitty said.

While in port, the center will have limited hours, yet to be determined, he added.

This is the first USO center aboard a ship in the 7th Fleet, Chitty said. Its definitely a milestone.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Mikayla Green, a religious program specialist aboard the Ronald Reagan, is one of the first to volunteer to staff the center, but she also plans to use the space herself, during her off time.

Theres plenty of stuff to do here, Green, of McKinney, Texas, said after the ceremony. I dont have a PlayStation or an Xbox, so Ill definitely be using those.

The USO has ship-based centers on three other carriers  USS George Washington, USS George H.W. Bush and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower  and one on the amphibious command ship USS Mount Whitney, Maskery said.

The center was opened just months before the Ronald Reagans expected relocation from Japan to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Wash.

However, the USO center aboard the George Washington, the Ronald Reagans replacement, will ensure a feeling of continuity for any sailors who transfer to the new carrier, Chitty said.
C-54 Spirit of Freedom in-flight during a training mission near Warsaw, Indiana in August 2014. The aircraft was damaged by a tornado at the Low Country Airport in Walterboro, S.C., in April 2020. (Greg Morehead/U.S. Air Force)

(Tribune News Service)  Behind the Aviator Brewing Company, amid the trucks and rows of empty beer kegs, sits an airplane cut in half, its nose and tail sections placed side by side.

The plane is a Douglas C-54, introduced during World War II to carry cargo for the U.S. military. This particular C-54 played a supporting role in the Berlin Airlift, when American and British planes ferried food and fuel to sections of the German capital for more than a year after the Soviet Union blocked land access to the city in 1948.

Tim Chopp was still flying the plane as late as 2019. Chopp is founder and president of The Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation, and for more than two decades he took the C-54, dubbed Spirit of Freedom, to air shows, telling the story of the airlift.

Chopp has only seen pictures of the plane in pieces.

Oh, my heart broke seeing it all cut up like that, he said by phone from his home in New Jersey. I mean all the hours I flew that airplane. Did so many nice things with it during that time, flying all over the country. So to see that happen to it, it was awful.

And yet, there really wasnt any choice, Chopp says. And now hes looking forward to the next chapter of the planes life as a showpiece in Aviator Brewings new brewery, restaurant and bar complex now under construction in downtown Fuquay-Varina, N.C.

Historic plane damaged beyond repair

Chopp would still be flying Spirit of Freedom had it not been damaged by a tornado at the Low Country Airport in Walterboro, S.C., in April 2020. The plane had been taken to the airport for some electronics work, then left parked as the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic canceled air shows.

The tornado picked up the plane and flew it backward 170 yards into a hangar. A steel beam cut through the left wing, while the hangar door took a chunk out of the right. The bottom of the fuselage was sliced open, and the flight control system was badly damaged.

The wing damage was so severe that there was no instructions on how to repair that much damage, Chopp said. As one guy said, The best way to repair this is to build a Douglas Aircraft factory first and then build it. 

The Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation set out to find another C-54. It found one in Florida and has been working to restore the plane and turn it into a new Spirit of Freedom flying museum that the original was all those years.

Meanwhile, the damaged plane sat at Low Country Airport. Unable to find a buyer, Chopp said, it appeared the foundation would have to scrap it.

Thats where Mark Doble comes in.

Shipping a big plane to Fuquay-Varina

Doble is founder and CEO of Aviator Brewing. As the theme of his business implies, hes passionate about flying and aviation history. Doble says he heard about the damaged C-54 through aviation circles and thought it might be a good addition for the new brewery and restaurant complex.

It just popped up, he said. And when we heard about it, were like, Oh, theyre probably going to want a ton of money. And then logistics and expenses, and were like, Oh, we probably cant do it. 

But Chopp was getting desperate. Selling it for scrap was going to end up costing him $25,000 in labor and transportation costs. So he offered it to Doble for $2,500.

Mark saved me $25,000 by buying it from me for $2,500, he said.

There was still the challenge of hauling the plane 240 miles from Walterboro to Fuquay-Varina. A C-54 is more than 93 feet long, with a wingspan of more than 117 feet. The only solution was to cut the plane into pieces.

Doble and Kenny Agnor, Aviators head of brewery operations, did the work themselves. They cut the fuselage in half so it could be loaded onto two flatbed trucks. They also cut the wings in half. The ends of the wings slid easily inside the plane, but the sections closest to the fuselage wouldnt fit.

It was just too wide and large, Doble said. It would have taken two more trucks. It would have doubled our cost. So we left it, and they scrapped it.

The plane, in two sections on two trucks, departed Walterboro in April 2023, more than three years after the tornado.

The Berlin Airlift foundation kept parts of the airplane to help it restore and maintain its replacement, including tires, brakes, propellers and three of the engines. The cockpit has been stripped, and parts of the wings and tail fins remain stacked inside the front section of the plane.

As bad as the tornado damage was, Agnor says, it looks more tragic now because we had to take it apart.

Plane will continue its educational mission

Lifting and trucking the pieces from South Carolina cost about $8,000, Doble said. He plans to build a concrete cradle for the plane and reassemble it, so people can go inside. Aviator will also need to build frames for the missing wing sections, so people will see just how big the C-54 is.

Doble hopes to have the plane in place when the new brewery, restaurant and bar complex opens early next year.

Doble has asked Chopp to be there for the grand opening and to speak about the C-54 and the Berlin Airlift. Chopp has provided all of the planes flight logs going back to the 1940s and will help with the educational materials that Aviator Brewing will display in and around it.

Which is why Chopp considers the Spirit of Freedoms move to Fuquay-Varina a good ending for its long flying career.

I think its something we can be proud of, he said. It will be continuing its educational purpose by doing what its doing with Mark. Whoever looks at it and reads the information will be getting educated about what the airlift was all about. Thats what we do.

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Gen. Michael Langley, who oversees U.S. military activity in Africa, arrives for a Senate hearing in 2022. (Bill OLeary/The Washington Post)

A senior U.S. Air Force leader deployed in Niger is raising an alarm over the Biden administrations reluctance to heed an eviction notice from the military junta that last year overthrew the West African nations democratically elected government.

The airman, in a private whistleblower complaint to Congress obtained by The Washington Post, accused top officials at the U.S. Embassy in Nigers capital of Niamey of having intentionally suppressed intelligence as they seek to maintain the facade of a great country-to-country relationship. The embassys actions, the whistleblower wrote, have potential implications for U.S. relations with other African nations and the safety of our personnel in the region.

The State Department and Defense Department rejected the claims of negligence, saying the United States is making a final push to maintain a U.S. military presence in post-coup Niger, though they acknowledge that talks are difficult and may fail to produce an agreement.

The whistleblower complaint was transmitted to Capitol Hill before U.S. officials met Wednesday with Nigers prime minister. Follow-up discussions with other senior Nigerien officials were scheduled for next week  talks that may seal the fate of Washingtons relationship with what had been its chief security partner in a region beset by violence from groups linked to the Islamic State and al-Qaeda.

Theres a very narrow path here to finding an accommodation that addresses their interests and concerns and our interests and concerns, said a senior State Department official, who like some others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the Biden administrations diplomatic efforts. It may not work, but the fat lady hasnt sung yet.

The whistleblowers allegations highlight the difficulties for the United States in operating in a region of Africa that is increasingly unstable. In 2017, four American soldiers were killed after being ambushed on a mission in Niger, which military investigators blamed on poor training, planning and other institutional failures.

For years, the Pentagon has deployed a mix of mostly Air Force and Army personnel to Niger to support a mission scrutinizing militant groups in the region. Until the coup, the arrangement included drones flying in counterterrorism operations from a base the United States built and U.S. and Nigerien troops partnering on some patrols.

Nigers military junta last month declared the U.S. military presence there illegal and said that it was ending all accords, effective immediately. That announcement followed tense meetings with top officials from the State Department and the Pentagon, whom Nigerien leaders accused of attempting to dictate that the West African nation have no relationship with Iran, Russia or other U.S. adversaries.

In the complaint, directed to Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and other lawmakers, the whistleblower takes aim at Ambassador Kathleen FitzGibbon and Air Force Col. Nora J. Nelson-Richter, the defense attache posted there, accusing both of jeopardizing the safety of 1,100 American military personnel who are being held hostage in Niger while a diplomatic resolution remains elusive.

Officials at the U.S. Embassy referred questions to the State Department in Washington, which denied the whistleblowers claims. A spokesperson for Johnsons office declined to comment, saying they dont discuss possible constituent correspondence.

The complaint reveals new details about the status of U.S. forces in Niger and the restrictions on their ability to swap out personnel. After the coup, the whistleblower wrote, service members were told to sit and hold on their bases, leaving them unable either to carry out their counterterrorism mission or return to the United States after their six-month deployment reached its scheduled conclusion.

They failed to be transparent with U.S. service members deployed to this country, the airman wrote of the embassys top officials, adding that while they gave a pretense that things were being worked,  required permissions to fly U.S. military aircraft in Nigerien airspace were purposely not being approved by the countrys military government as a political bargaining chip to entice the U.S. government back to negotiate their withdrawal.

Reached by phone, the whistleblower declined to comment, citing a fear of professional reprisal and safety concerns. The Post verified the individuals name, rank and assignment, but generally does not identify whistleblowers who make protected communications to Congress.

Senior U.S. officials said they sympathized with concerns posed by personnel who have been unable to carry out their duties since last summers coup, but they rejected the whistleblowers claim that embassy leaders had suppressed intelligence or put U.S. troops at risk.

No one is suppressing any information. Were seeing the good, the bad, and the ugly. Its feeding into the deliberative process, the senior State Department official said. To this person, it might be slow.

Gen. Michael Langley, who oversees U.S. military activity in Africa, confirmed in a statement to The Post that some diplomatic clearances for military flights recently have been denied, extending the deployments of U.S. troops in some cases. Senior leaders in his headquarters, he said, are working closely with the State Department and other organizations to make sure that U.S. forces deployed in Niger have what they need.

While the Defense Department paused numerous activities in Niger following the coup in July, Langley said, we greatly value and appreciate the U.S. forces deployed to the region, who continue to enable the [Defense Department] to monitor for potential threats throughout the Sahel in order to protect U.S. personnel, assets and interests, including the welfare of our partners.

A U.S. defense official said that some units have rotated in and out of Niger since the coup, while other deployments have been extended.

But this is not uncommon, the defense official said, particularly in distant locations.

When asked during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Tuesday about the halting of flights into Niger, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy A. George said he was aware it was an issue.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who said at the hearing that hes spoken to a half-dozen U.S. personnel serving in Niger, criticized George and his civilian counterpart, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth, for not taking the situation more seriously.

We have Army soldiers right now in Niger who arent getting their troop rotations, who arent getting their medicine, who arent getting their supplies, who arent getting their mail, and the two senior people in the United States Army are sitting before me and its like, hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil,  said Gaetz.

Gaetz accused government officials of delaying the inevitable departure of U.S. forces from Niger to spare the Biden administration the embarrassment of having to close facilities that cost the United States hundreds of millions of dollars to build only recently  a charge officials denied.

U.S. officials have said they are examining the possibility of having a similar mission run from another West African country, but no specifics have been disclosed.

The whistleblower is deployed at Air Base 101 in Niamey. For months following the coup, senior Pentagon officials have said that U.S. troops are consolidating from the base in Niamey to another installation, Air Base 201, outside the Nigerien city of Agadez. U.S. troops are still in both locations, with the majority at 201, defense officials said.

The facility outside Agadez was conceived in 2013 and completed in 2019, according to a Defense Department inspector general report published in 2020 that cited the project for mismanagement and cost overruns. The base cost at least $100 million to build, the report said, underscoring the long-term investment the Pentagon made in Niger.

The fate of the U.S. military presence has been uncertain since Nigerien military officers ousted the countrys president, Mohamed Bazoum, last summer.

The United States paused its security cooperation with Niger, limiting U.S. activities  including unarmed drone flights  to protection of American personnel. The Sahel region, including neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso, has become a global hot spot for Islamic extremism in recent years, and Niger saw such attacks spike dramatically following the coup.

Efforts by top American officials to convince Niger to get back on a democratic pathway so that U.S. assistance could resume have appeared to make little headway. Bazoum remains detained, and no timeline has been set for elections, despite repeated requests from American officials.

Then last month, a U.S. delegation visited Niamey. It included Langley, Molly Phee, the State Departments top official for African affairs, and Celeste Wallander, the Pentagons assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs.

In a statement read on live television in mid-March, junta spokesman Amadou Abdramane accused that American delegation of condescension and emphasized Nigers right to choose its own partners. The junta has not publicly changed its position since then.

Last week, at least 100 Russian military instructors arrived in Niamey, marking an escalation of Nigers security relationship with Moscow that analysts said could make it difficult, if not impossible, for the United States to continue its own security cooperation. Reports on Nigerien state television said that the Russian instructors would be providing training and equipment  specifically an air defense system  to Niger.

Among Nigeriens, there has been a growing sense of resentment toward the American presence since the juntas announcement last month, an issue that Langley, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing last month, attributed in part to Russian disinformation.

This past weekend, hundreds of protesters gathered in Niamey in what was a largely peaceful demonstration, chanting and waving signs as they called on the American troops to leave.

Chason reported from Dakar, Senegal.
A German air force Typhoon fighter is displayed for an open-base event at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin in August 2022. (Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes)

Four European countries will deploy air forces to the Indo-Pacific this summer to train alongside the United States and other nations.

Pacific Skies, a series of exercises between mid-June and mid-August, will involve 1,800 airmen and aircraft from Germany, France, Spain and the United Kingdom, Germanys air force said in a news release Tuesday.

Those airmen will train alongside forces from the U.S., Australia, Japan and India, according to the release.

By participating in Pacific Skies 24, we as Europeans are showing presence in a part of the world that is of great importance to all of us, Lt. Gen. Ingo Gerhartz, chief of the German air force, said in the statement.

The Pacific training is happening at a time when European forces are focused closer to home in the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The U.K., France and Germany sent 13 Typhoon and Rafale fighters, seven tanker/cargo planes and more than 350 airmen to the Indo-Pacific later that year to participate in drills, including Pitch Black. The biennial training included more than 100 aircraft from 17 nations in Australias Northern Territory.

Aircraft participating in Pacific Skies will join Pitch Black again and fly over Hawaii during the multinational Rim of the Pacific exercise in late July, according to the German statement.

Pacific Skies kicks off with the Low Level Training exercise in Alaska, June 17-29, before moving to Arctic Fender, also in Alaska, July 8-18. Then its Nippon Skies with Japan and Tarang Shakti with India in Aug. 7-14.

The statement did not provide a date or location for the training with Japan or a location for the training with India.

Germany will send 12 Tornado multirole combat jets, eight Eurofighters, four A400M Atlas transport planes and four light utility helicopters to the drills, the statement said. Spain will send four Eurofighters and two A400Ms, and France will send four Rafale fighters, three A400Ms and three multirole A330 tankers.

The exercises will see the participants practice low-level flights, air attacks, air defense, and air refueling, the statement said. Through joint training, the partners will increase their operational capability and prove that in an emergency they will be able to enforce the principles of a rules-based international order.

Pacific Air Forces did not immediately respond to emailed questions about the training on Thursday.

The training is designed to show that the air forces can operate in everything from tropical to arctic conditions across long distances in coordination with non-NATO partners and India, said Paul Buchanan, an American security expert based in New Zealand.

The idea is those who train together fight better together regardless of who the enemy may be, he told Stars and Stripes in an email Thursday.

The involvement of European aircraft in the Indo-Pacific exercises boosts deterrence, said Ralph Cossa, a retired U.S. Air Force officer and former president of the Pacific Forum think tank in Hawaii.

Even if the odds are low, they would deploy in a Taiwan contingency, he said by email Wednesday. The possibility that they would has to be factored into Chinese strategic thinking.

European aircraft could also be important gap fillers in South Korea, if the U.S. Air Force had to redeploy from bases in the peninsula in a Taiwan contingency, Cossa said.

NATO statements now include the phrase Peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, he said.

An exercise presence puts credibility behind those words, Cossa said.
The yellow circle shows the location of 110-pound unexploded shell from World War II discovered in Onna Village, Okinawa, March 12, 2024. (Onna Village)

ONNA VILLAGE, Okinawa  Japanese authorities on Thursday night planned to remove an unexploded, 110-pound shell recently discovered at a construction site in Onna Village.

A detail from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force was scheduled to remove the ordnance, believed to be left over from World War II.

The shell was discovered March 12 by a private contractor sweeping the site for magnetic signatures, a spokesman for Onna Villages General Affairs Division told Stars and Stripes by phone Thursday.

Eight members of the 101st Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit were assigned to remove the shell, a spokesman for the Ground Self-Defense Force 15th Brigade said by phone Thursday. The unit will deactivate the bomb by removing its fuse.

Part of the Route 58 bypass will be closed during the operation, which was expected to start at 6:45 p.m. and last about two hours, the village spokesman said.

Onna Village is a popular resort destination where many prominent hotel chains occupy the shoreline. None of the hotels will be affected by the operation.

Approximately 10,000 tons of ordnance were dropped on Okinawa during the Battle of Okinawa and nearly 2,000 tons remain undiscovered, according to the prefectures General Bureau website. Crews disposed of 14.7 tons between April 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023.
Patrick McNamara spent three months under a shadow, but it took less than three minutes for it to clear last Friday, when a Charlottesville judge dropped the criminal charge against him.

Whats next for the 37-year-old technology executive formerly accused of groping a woman on the citys riverside Rivanna Trail? Will he sue?

If theres an opportunity, well have to look into it, McNamara told The Daily Progress. Theres been no accountability.

Standing outside Charlottesville General District Court beside his lawyer, McNamara seemed relieved by the case dismissal but also unsatisfied. His lawyer, Rhonda Quagliana, explained why.

The main development that never came was an apology, Quagliana told The Daily Progress. Somebody stepping up and saying, You know what, we want to be accountable.

Quagliana said that the prosecutors motion to dismiss the assault charge was inadequate.

There is no longer proof beyond a reasonable doubt to support this prosecution, was the closest the motion came to agreeing with Quagliana that the alleged victim had misidentified the perpetrator, reported to be a tall, White man wearing a puffy, white jacket who grabbed her buttocks while she was out for a run on the trail Jan. 12.

The criminal charge came undone after Quagliana hired a private investigator to canvas the neighborhood and found that Cosner Brothers Body Shop, which sits just off the trail, had sent surveillance footage to police in late January.

Turned over to the defense April 9, the video evidence shows McNamara clad in a dark hoodie and walking past the victim a few minutes before the attack. The videos also show another man, a tall, White man wearing a puffy, white jacket walking from the direction of the reported attack minutes after it is said to have occurred.

There was nothing in this file, not a police report, not a scintilla of evidence, that would have put us on notice that these exonerating videos existed, Quagliana said.

Sitting on exculpatory videos isnt all that troubles the lawyer. She contends that the misidentification occurred because police let amateurs do their sleuthing.

As the prosecutor conceded in the dismissal motion, a friend of the victim snapped a photograph of McNamara on one of his regular walks, and then the victim made the identification after seeing that image.

Any single image is suggestive  a terrible procedure, legal expert David Heilberg told The Daily Progress.

Such a procedure might violate the Model Policy on Eyewitness Identification, published by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, which urges showing a victim an array of photos.

There was no attempt to bring what happened within the best practices, said Heilberg. Police should follow a double-blind procedure.

The Daily Progress reached out to Charlottesville Police Chief Michael Kochis, who declined to comment. He did, however, promise there would be an internal investigation.

Its going to take a little bit of time, he said. Typically, we get them done within 45 days.

Judge Matthew Quatrara, who signed McNamaras arrest warrant, told The Daily Progress that he does not provide comment outside the courtroom.

Eyewitness identifications are inherently unreliable, said Heilberg. Theyre the main reason why we have wrongful convictions.

Heilberg pointed to statistics showing that nearly three quarters of wrongful convictions undone by DNA testing involved a misidentification.

Yet Heilberg isnt confident that a lawsuit in this case will ever reach a jury, because Virginia public officials are typically protected by the concept of sovereign immunity. That means that McNamara might have to demonstrate a willful act or some gross negligence, and not just simple negligence.

A jury might be sympathetic if you can get the case there, said Heilberg, suggesting that a lawsuit could be tossed by a judge.

McNamara contends that the questionably obtained misidentification was the sole evidence against him.

Im speechless that that is allowed, he said.

And he said that a jury might be interested to hear about the eviction process launched against him, about the anguish of seeing his image carried by a city press release trumpeting his arrest and about his Boston-based employer putting him on leave before trial.

There was no presumption of innocence, he said. Everyones standing behind lawyers.

McNamara, by contrast, spoke out to various media outlets throughout the ordeal, a risky strategy for any suspect because he locked himself into his alibi. His outspoken approach sometimes put him at odds with own lawyer, whose billings, he said, exceed $12,000.

What hes really owed is an apology and some accountability for this, said Quagliana. If this can happen to him, it can happen to any of us. And this community deserves better than that.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, right, attend a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting on Capri Island, April 18, 2024. (Gregorio Borgia/Pool/AFP/Getty Images/TNS) ()

(Tribune News Service)  As Ukraines ammunition stocks dwindle some of the countrys biggest allies are expressing growing concern that it may not be able to defend itself for much longer against Russias invasion. Group of Seven foreign ministers gathering on the Italian island of Capri will call for stronger support.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, speaking to reporters Thursday before meeting with her G-7 counterparts, said Ukraine needs more air defense urgently. The ferry ride here was stormy and was perhaps also a sign of how stormy our times are.

Ukraine is struggling to fend off military pressure from Russia in the face of a lack of ammunition and with a $61 billion U.S. aid package stuck in Congress. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been calling for more air defense systems to be sent to Ukraine as Kremlin troops exploit the countrys weakness in that arena in order to step up missile attacks on power stations, electricity grids and residential areas across the country.

Western countries, Japan, Canada, the U.S., Europe, have to take quicker decisions in order to support Ukraine more because we cannot afford Putins victory, the EUs foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said at the G-7. Concrete decisions have to be taken in order to send Ukraine more air defense otherwise the electricity system of Ukraine will be destroyed, and no country can fight without electricity.

The G-7 ministers will agree to step up shipments of military equipment to Kyiv and will reaffirm their unwavering determination to support Ukraine as it defends itself, according to a draft statement from the meeting seen by Bloomberg.

We express our resolve in particular to bolster Ukraines air defense capabilities as this is the best way to save lives and protect critical infrastructure, according to the draft, which could still change. We will also work with partners toward this end.

Elsewhere in Europe, at a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels, some were voicing impatience at what they saw as a widening gulf between rhetoric and action. If all the words that were said in the last years here in Brussels about common defense could be changed into bullets and rocket launchers, posted Polands Prime Minister Donald Tusk to the social media site X, Europe would have become the strongest power in the world.

Three Russian missiles hit close to the center of Chernihiv on Wednesday, killing at least 18 people and leaving more than 77 wounded. While Vladimir Putins forces regularly shell the surrounding region that borders on Russia, missile barrages against the provincial capital, about 79 miles north of Kyiv, have been rare.

Officials expressed optimism on the news that U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson would move ahead with new assistance for Ukraine, which has long been held up by Congress. The plan is an attempt to break a six-month-long Republican blockade of aid that has left Ukraine increasingly vulnerable to Russian assaults.

In these stormy times, its a hopeful sign that there are now signals from the U.S., from the Republicans, that support for Ukraine can be continued intensively, Baerbock said.

Zelenskyy has for months urged partners to replenish the depleting stocks of munitions his country needs to repel attacks from Russia, which now outguns it on the battlefield 10-to-one. NATO defense ministers will meet virtually with Zelenskyy on Friday at the Ukrainian presidents request to discuss protecting Ukraines airspace and supplying badly needed systems.

Germany, which pledged to donate an additional Patriot system after Ukrainian officials renewed their pleas for more equipment, launched an appeal to collect Patriots for Ukraine and other air defense systems, including Samp/Ts, Nasams, Hawks and Iris-Ts.

In a letter sent to NATO allies this week and seen by Bloomberg, Baerbock and German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that recent Russian attacks on vital energy infrastructure have caused greater destruction than in the winter of 2022. Given the situation that Ukraine is faced with, they are a matter of great urgency, they said of the aid.

Ukraines foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba, who was also present at the G-7 meeting, called on American lawmakers to support the supplemental that will literally without exaggeration help save Ukrainians from Russian missile slaughter.

The same issue was also being discussed at the meeting in Brussels, where the mood was equally dire.

The situation is very, very grave and we have to send them what they ask for, which is ammunition and air defense, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas told reporters at the summit on Thursday. We just cant afford that Ukraine is losing the war or the whole security situation in Europe is in grave danger.

With assistance from Piotr Skolimowski.

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Area residents show support for McConnell Air Force Base airmen during a Veterans Day parade Nov. 11, 2023, in Wichita, Kan. A new Gallup poll reveals a decline in Americans confidence in their military. (William Lunn/U.S. Air Force)

Americans confidence in their military has hit a nearly 20-year low, knocking the United States out of its usual top position among Group of Seven countries when it comes to positive sentiment toward the armed forces, a new poll found.

With a confidence rating of 81% of those polled in 2023, the U.S. now stands behind France and the United Kingdom, according to a Gallup survey released Wednesday. Drops in public confidence also were seen in other U.S. government institutions, such as the judiciary.

For the first time in almost two decades of polling, the United States now lags behind most of the other leading industrialized nations in the G7 across a range of Gallup indicators, the pollster said in a statement.

Americans confidence in their military has stood out among the G-7 since the survey topic was launched in 2006, according to Gallup, which did not specify when the poll was conducted, how many people were surveyed or what the margin of error was.

But France now holds the top spot, at 86%, with the U.K. close behind at 83%. Germany was at the bottom of the G-7 pack, with only 60% having confidence in the countrys military.

While Germanys low standing is likely connected to the intense criticism Berlin has faced over the years for failing to invest sufficiently in its military, the United States spends more on military matters than any nation in the world.

The Gallup poll did not indicate what could be behind Americans drop in confidence. However, in recent years the military has found itself a target in hot-button culture war issues.

Right-wing politicians and pundits have taken frequent aim at the Pentagon, accusing it of embracing woke identity issues such as transgender-friendly policies and prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Various military leaders have pushed back on accusations that emphasizing diversity equates to going soft.

Last year, the Armys top civilian leader, Christine Wormuth, described the service as a ready Army, not a woke Army.
(Tribune News Service)  A 20-year-old New Jersey man was arrested and charged with manslaughter exactly one year after authorities in New York say he caused a crash that killed a U.S. Marine.

Valentino Merceda and Cyrus Silverio were speeding south on the Palisades Interstate Parkway at 9:45 p.m. on April 13, 2023, in separate BMWs near the Clarkstown exit when both tried to pass a third car, New York State Police said in a statement.

Mercada and Silverios vehicles collided when both attempted to merge into the right lane, officials said. That caused Silverios car to overturn before crashing into the third vehicle and a rock bridge abutment.

Silverio, 20, of Clifton, was pronounced dead at the scene. A private first class in the U.S. Marine Corps, Silverio served with Marine Aircraft Group 49 and was stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, according to an online obituary. Silverio, a 2022 graduate of Clifton High School, is survived by his parents, brother and grandparents as well as an aunt and uncle.

Merceda, 20, of Clifton, was being held at the Rockland County jail following his arrest on Saturday. Attorney information wasnt immediately available.

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A parent escorts her son to his classroom at the Lakehurst Child Development Center on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., March 18, 2024. (Jewaun Victor/U.S. Air Force)

WASHINGTON  A persistent deficit of affordable and available early child care for military families could be improved under a new bill that seeks to establish partnerships between the military and civilian child care providers.

The legislation proposes the creation of a five-year pilot program to begin in 2026 that would task the Defense Department with entering into 12 partnerships with private and public child care centers on or near military installations to expand the number of child care options for service members.

The bill also would allow the military to partner with the volunteer program AmeriCorps to place volunteers in eligible child care centers as the nation struggles with child care worker shortages and military families grapple with additional obstacles.

Right now, too many military families ... face unique challenges in accessing high-quality, affordable child care due to frequent moves and new school enrollments for their children, said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., the bills co-sponsor.

The pilot program proposal, which is also co-sponsored by Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, would leverage resources from the Department of Defense to train child care providers, increase available child care slots in communities across the country and provide new career development opportunities, Shaheen said.

Each of the services would be obligated to enter into at least one partnership, according to the bill.

The legislation is the latest attempt by lawmakers to address an issue that senior military leaders contend is a primary concern for recruitment and retainment.

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy James Honea told the House Appropriations Committee last month that the ability to secure and afford adequate child care is one of the top stressors for sailors and their families. It also inhibits employment opportunities for military spouses, he said.

One-third of active-duty spouses said they cannot find child care that works for their employment needs, according to a 2023 survey by Blue Star Families, a nonprofit founded by military spouses.

The bill proposed by Shaheen and Ernst would encourage the Defense Department to recruit and offer training and certification to military spouses who are interested in becoming child care providers.

The lack of an eligible and willing workforce is particularly acute in places where military bases are competing for workers with child care providers operating in local communities, Honea said.

Many of our child development centers are  unable to reach full capacity due to those staff shortages, he said.

Some families have been able to find relief through a fee assistance pilot program that helps cover costs for in-home child care such as nannies. Expanding the limited-capacity program, called Child Care in Your Home, to more families and locations would make an immediate impact, Honea said.

We are finding great success with fee assistance pilots, he said.

For now, the pilot program is available in regions with the highest demand and longest waitlists for child care, including the Washington, D.C., area and parts of California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Nevada, North Carolina, Texas and Washington.

The nontraditional schedules of military families present a unique challenge for securing dependable child care, Chief Master Sgt. John Bentivegna of the Space Force said during testimony to lawmakers last month.

Child care access challenges are compounded by the complexity of shift work, where guardians can struggle to find child care outside of normal business hours and on weekends, he said.

Congress this year allocated $336 million for child care centers, including the construction of six new facilities. But building projects alone cannot solve the shortage of people willing to work in child care, Honea said.

It is critical that we continue to look at all available options to tackle these shortfalls, he said.
In reply to the charge, Mr Dooley said: I shouldnt be here Im an innocent man.

Daniel Dooley (centre, wearing a white shirt) being taken away from Listowel District Court by Gardai

A 42-year-old Tralee man has been charged with the murder of Thomas Dooley at Rath Graveyard, Rathass, Tralee, on October 5, 2022.

Daniel Dooley of An Carraigin, Connolly Park, Tralee, appeared before Listowel District Court today, Thursday, April 18, on the murder charge.

Detective Garda John Gilmartin told the court that he arrested the man at Sarsfield Heights, Wilton, Cork, today at 7.01am and conveyed him to Tralee Garda Station, where he was charged at 9.10am.

In reply to the charge, Mr Dooley said: I shouldnt be here Im an innocent man.

The late Thomas Dooley pictured with his wife Siobhan

Mr Dooley is represented by solicitor Pat Mann. Sgt Stephen OBrien said the state was seeking to have Mr Dooley remanded in custody to Tralee District Court on April 24 for the book of evidence, which may be ready.

Judge Philip OLeary adjourned the case to that date for preparation of the book of evidence.

Mr Dooley will appear via video link if the book of evidence is not ready. Sgt OBrien said he would inform Mr Mann if the book was ready.

Mr Mann sought legal aid for Mr Dooley, who is a widower and a father of three, and he is on disability. This legal aid was granted.

Judge Philip OLeary said he had no jurisdiction over bail in this matter. Mr Mann said there will be a High Court application for bail.

He also sought medical attention for Mr Dooley, who he said suffered an injury recently.

The Judge made an order that he receive this.
The victims daughter, Sandra McGibney-Peen, said the truck driver might be innocent but she complained her family would never know for sure because the garda investigation had not been conducted in a reasonable time.

Garda Michael Cleary pictured leaving the Dublin District Coroner's Court after giving evidence at the inquest into the death of Margaret McGibney, who died on 9 th March 2021.Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

The daughter of an elderly pedestrian who died a month after being struck by a heavy goods vehicle near her home in Dublin has sharply criticised the Garda investigation into the collision.

A sitting of Dublin District Coroners Court heard that Margaret McGibney (75) from Drimnagh died at St Jamess Hospital on March 9, 2021 as a result of a number of medical complications.

The inquest into the death of Ms McGibney, who was known as Margie, heard she had been brought to the hospital following an incident at a traffic lights at Drimnagh Avenue, Drimnagh on February 11, 2021.

A commercial truck driver, Ion Donici, told the hearing that he had no idea that he was involved in a collision until he had been shown CCTV footage of the incident by gardai.

Delivery driver, Ion Donici pictured leaving the Dublin District Coroner's Court. Photo: Collins

Mr Donici, a Romanian national, said he had not seen or felt the victim hitting his truck.

I was not aware I collided with anyone, said Mr Donici.

He explained he would have stopped his vehicle and sought help if he knew someone had been injured at the time.

The victims daughter, Sandra McGibney-Peen, said the truck driver might be innocent but she complained her family would never know for sure because the garda investigation had not been conducted in a reasonable time.

The coroner, Clare Keane, observed that she was unable to verify a claim made by Ms McGibneys daughter that it had been stated at a preliminary hearing of the inquest that the garda investigation had been sub-optimal.

The inquest heard a forensic examination of Mr Donicis truck conducted on March 12, 2021  the day after the driver had been identified as being involved in the collision with Ms McGibney  found no defects with the vehicle apart from a broken horn.

Garda Michael Cleary told the hearing that he was alerted to the incident on Drimnagh Road just before midday on February 11, 2021 but was unable to attend the scene immediately because he was involved in investigating a cash-in-transit robbery.

Garda Michael Cleary pictured leaving the Dublin District Coroner's Court after giving evidence at the inquest into the death of Margaret McGibney, who died on 9 th March 2021.Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Garda Cleary said there was nobody at the location when he arrived at around 1.10pm so he spoke to Ms McGibney while she was on a trolley at St Jamess Hospital.

Although he intended to return to the hospital the following day to take a full statement from the injured woman, he explained he was unable to because the patient had been isolated due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The witness said he had obtained CCTV footage from the Black Forge pub near the scene of the collision which showed the victim crossing the road near a junction while Mr Donicis truck was stopped at traffic lights.

Garda Cleary said the vehicle appeared to start moving just as Ms McGibney was gesticulating upwards towards the lorry driver as she was about to pass in front of his truck.

He said the victim almost got across the road but the footage did not show exactly what happened.

Garda Cleary said Ms McGibney appeared to break into a brisk walk or jog when she saw the traffic lights changing.

In reply to questions from the coroner, Garda Cleary said every garda resource would have been given to the incident if it had been a fatal collision.

However, he said it was not clear at the time if Ms McGibney had fallen or been struck by the truck.

Garda Cleary apologised to the victims daughter for the criticisms she had of the garda investigation but said he was dealing with a sequence of events as they happened.

The garda explained that he had never taken a witness statement by videolink, as suggested by Ms McGibney-Peen, as they had to be signed.

However, he expressed regret that a family liaison officer had not been appointed earlier.

Ms McGibney-Peen told the hearing that gardai had only been able to establish the identity of the truck driver because she had suggested businesses which might have CCTV footage.

She told the coroner that she chased gardai twice a week for updates about their investigation into the collision.

Nothing was done in a timely fashion, she complained.

Ms McGibney-Peen who attended the inquest by videolink from her home in Britain, criticised the fact that the story of gardai appeared to keep changing.

She said it had been very upsetting and incredibly hurtful to be told that nobody had assisted her mother following the collision only to be subsequently informed that lots of people had helped her including someone who had brought her a chair.

Ms McGibney-Peen said it seemed like she had to become a nuisance to get answers from the gardai about what had happened to her mother.

The inquest heard Ms McGibney had suffered multiple fractures including a broken pelvis as a result of the incident.

A consultant orthopaedic surgeon at St Jamess Hospital, John McKenna, said Ms McGibney also contracted Covid-19 and a clot on her lung while in hospital.

Ms McGibney-Peen said her mother must have got Covid-19 from hospital staff who were in her isolation ward.

Dr Keane said a post-mortem had concluded that the fractures to the deceaseds body were not fatal on their own but that the hospital stay had made her more vulnerable.

The coroner said the cause of death was a form of pneumonia against a background of multiple fractures due to a road traffic collision.

She said an enlarged ventricle of Ms McGibneys heart was a contributory factor, while the Covid-19 infection had probably caused the problems with her lungs.

Dr Keane recorded a narrative verdict to reflect the complex issues in the case.

Ms McGibney-Peen, who had formally identified her mothers body remotely due to the pandemic, said it had been the most difficult thing to see her mother dying on her own.

Alluding to the Garda investigation which she referred to the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission, she observed: There was no need for any of that upset to be added to.

They seriously dropped the ball, she added.
Thomas Tom Dooley (43) from Hazelwood Drive, Killarney, died after he was attacked by a group of men at Rathass Cemetery in Tralee on October 5, 2022

A man in his 40s has been charged as part of an ongoing investigation into the graveyard killing of a Kerry man.

Gardai investigating the fatal assault in Rathass Cemetery, Tralee, Kerry on Wednesday, October 5 2022, arrested the man today, Thursday, April 18.

He is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a Garda station in Co Kerry.

He has been charged and will appear before a special sitting of Listowel District Court this morning, at 10.30am.

This is the sixth person to be charged in connection with this fatal assault, gardai said.

Thomas Tom Dooley (43) from Hazelwood Drive, Killarney, died after he was attacked by a group of men at Rathass Cemetery in Tralee on October 5, 2022 shortly after he, his wife and four of his seven children had attended the funeral of a close family friend.

Mr Dooleys wife Siobhan also suffered serious injuries in the course of the attack.

Tom Dooley was treated at the scene in the graveyard by paramedics before being rushed by ambulance the short distance to University Hospital Kerry where he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.
Sherry, 26, was attacked after carrying out a gun attack on Jason Hennessy Sr, 48, inside Browne's Steakhouse in Blanchardstown.

A MAN has been charged with the murder of Tristan Sherry who was killed after fatally shooting another man in a Dublin restaurant on Christmas Eve.

Sherry, 26, was attacked after carrying out a gun attack on Jason Hennessy Sr, 48, inside Browne's Steakhouse in Blanchardstown.

Wayne Deegan, 26, accused initially of attacking Mr Sherry, violent disorder and producing a knife as a weapon, had been refused bail in January.

He appeared again at Cloverhill District Court today.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) directed Detective Garda Sean Kelly to charge Mr Deegan with murder.

Judge John O'Leary heard that the accused was charged at the courthouse "and in answer to that charge, he made no reply".

Detective Garda Kelly said the DPP had directed trial on indictment.

The three original alleged offences were withdrawn.

The District Court does not have jurisdiction to consider bail in murder cases, which requires an application before the High Court.

Judge O'Leary remanded him in custody to appear again next Thursday.

Tristan Sherry

Mr Deegan, who has yet to indicate a plea, did not address the court.

The accused, who has been on disability benefits, was granted legal aid following an application from defence solicitor Elaine Martin.

The DPP must complete a book of evidence and serve it on him prior to granting a return for trial order sending him forward to the Central Criminal Court.

Father of one Sherry was attacked after opening fire inside Browne's Steakhouse on the night of Saturday, December 24.

Jason Hennessy Sr was shot in the neck and upper body while having a meal with family and friends. Mr Hennessy, from Corduff in west Dublin, was rushed to hospital, but his condition deteriorated, and he passed away on January 4, resulting in gardai commencing a separate murder investigation.

At a previous bail hearing on Mr Deegan's original set of charges, the court was told he claimed he acted in self-defence.

During Garda bail objections it was alleged that Mr Deegan was with a group in the restaurant when two gunmen entered and opened fire on a male.

One fled, but the other, Mr Sherry, was "grabbed" and suffered injuries. The court heard a firearm was picked up by another male, and there was a "sustained attack" on Mr Sherry on the ground for five minutes.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Co-defendants David Amah, 18, of Hazel Grove, Portrane Road, Donabate, Dublin, Michael Andrecut, 22, with an address at Sheephill Avenue in Dublin 15, and a 17-year-old boy who cannot be named because he is a minor, were previously charged with murdering Sherry and remain in custody.

Another youth and two other men are also before the courts on related charges, including assault, violent disorder and production of a weapon during the incident.

One of the co-defendants, Brandon Hennessy, 20, of Sheephill Avenue, Dublin 15, is a son of Jason Hennessy Sr. A court has heard he allegedly "retaliated" after his father was fatally injured.
The trial heard that Murtagh had beaten Ms Lott (30) so badly that she was completely unrecognisable and left her with grotesque injuries from which she never recovered.

Daniel Murtagh, who beat his former partner Nadine Lott to the point where she was "completely unrecognisable", leaving her with "extreme and grotesque" injuries from which she never recovered, has withdrawn his bid to overturn his murder conviction.

Murtagh's case was listed for a two-hour hearing today at the three-judge court Court of Appeal but his barrister, Michael Bowman SC, applied for leave to withdraw the conviction appeal, which presiding judge Mr Justice John Edwards said the court would grant.

Murtagh, who was 34 when he was sentenced in October 2021 to the mandatory life sentence for the murder of his former partner, Ms Lott, in Arklow, Co Wicklow, in December 2019, did not appear at the Court of Appeal today and was not required to do so.

No submissions of any grounds of appeal were opened at the brief hearing this morning.

Murtagh had pleaded not guilty to Ms Lotts murder but was found guilty by a unanimous jury who deliberated at the Central Criminal Court over two days before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath.

The trial heard that Murtagh had beaten Ms Lott (30) so badly that she was completely unrecognisable and left her with grotesque injuries from which she never recovered. The jury rejected Murtaghs defence that he was too intoxicated to have formed the intent to murder Ms Lott.

His counsel had sought a manslaughter verdict in the case, arguing that the bloodbath would never have happened but for the drink and drugs Murtagh had consumed on the night.

The accused told gardai that before assaulting Ms Lott he smoked a joint, took two pills and drank a shoulder of Captain Morgan rum straight. He also said he had been on methadone for the previous three months.

Killer Daniel Murtagh

Mr Justice Michael MacGrath had told the jury to decide whether the prosecution had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that despite the accuseds intoxication he had formed the intent to kill or cause serious injury to Nadine.

Instead, the jury accepted the States case that Ms Lotts death was a case of murder and nothing short of murder.

Prosecution counsel John OKelly SC argued there was no defence of intoxication and that Murtagh had the clearest intent when he inflicted the most dreadful blunt trauma injuries to the beauty therapist.

Just look at what the accused didnt do and what he never tried to do, he never raised a hand to get Nadine any kind of help, he said.

Murtagh of Melrose Grove, Bawnogue, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Ms Lott at her apartment in St Marys Court, Arklow. The attack happened on December 14, 2019. Ms Lott never regained consciousness and died on December 17, 2019, in St Vincents Hospital in Dublin.

An eyewitness, Ms Lotts neighbour, told the trial that Murtagh made a growling noise and was vicious with rage as he inflicted blows on his ex-partner in her living room like a wild animal.

Amela Kulenovic found the defendant in a crouched position on top of Ms Lott with his hands around her neck and shoulders. She said he was going ape on his former partner and was totally out of control.

Ms Lotts mother, Claire Lott, told the court that she found her daughter on her back in her kitchen gurgling and gasping for air.

I couldnt recognise her face, I couldnt recognise it was Nadine, she said.

Evidence was also given that a garda who phoned ambulance control informed them that Ms Lott had been beaten to a pulp.

Garda Linda Butler said the left side of Ms Lotts face was extremely and grotesquely swollen and when she placed her fingers inside the patients mouth to clear her airways, she noticed some teeth were missing.

A paramedic who attended to the mother-of-one in her home testified that the scene he witnessed in Ms Lotts house would haunt him for the rest of his career and was one of the most horrendous he had ever walked into.

An intensive care nurse at the hospital described Ms Lott as completely unrecognisable and said she had never seen anybody so badly injured.

Her mum brought in a photo of her [Nadine] and everyone kept saying who is that and I said: thats her, Leah Grant said.

The trial heard Ms Lott died after suffering traumatic head, neck and chest injuries and her brain was swollen following the sustained and violent attack.

Chief State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan noted that the blunt force injuries were caused by hands, fists or feet and that the use of a blunt weapon could not be ruled out. The court heard there were 64 individual injuries observed all over Ms Lotts body which could not be accounted for through medical intervention.

Murtagh received a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment on October 4, 2021.

The trial heard that around two weeks before Murtagh killed Ms Lott, she told him not to threaten her and that nothing is ever going to happen between us again, I want to make that clear.

When Murtagh was later arrested and placed in a patrol car on the morning of the attack, the accused told the officer it was a domestic but that he really loved Ms Lott.

Answer me this, is she still alive? Tell me is she still alive? he asked gardai.

In his first interview with gardai, Murtagh said he was intoxicated at the time of the assault and he could not remember anything.

In a subsequent interview, he said he had given her a soft slap, before telling gardai he had obviously hit her a few slaps. It was the first time he had ever hit her, he said.

I had no intention to ever hurt her, he said.

Murtagh later told detectives that he gave Ms Lott six or seven hard digs but did not go to town on her. However, he eventually said he was pounding Ms Lott with his hands and punching like mad. He told gardai that if he had wanted to kill her, he would have.

Demonstrating to gardai how he delivered punches as the beautician lay on the ground, the defendant said he had boxed for years and his knuckles were well-conditioned.

However, it was not until his fourth and final interview that he explained that he had held a charger for a tyre pump in his hand for solidity and had wrapped the wire around his knuckles as he beat Ms Lott. He also accepted he might have used the cigarette-type charger in a hammer action on the helpless woman.

Murtagh fled the apartment after the attack, driving away in his Volvo car. At about 7am the same morning, some 31km away from Ms Lotts apartment, Murtagh crashed his car into a ditch in Laragh.

Murtagh told a motorist who stopped to help him that he had killed my wife because she was with my friend.
In 2001, I became involved in what was even then a story of injustice, neglect and abject frustration.

More than 40 years after the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, the families of the 48 victims have finally been told how they died.

Having heard evidence and testimony from 373 witnesses over the 90 days of what has been the longest inquest held in Ireland to date, a verdict of unlawful killing has been handed down by the foreman of the 12-person jury.

It has been a long, difficult and sometimes seemingly impossible battle for the truth fought over a decades-long struggle by the families.

In 2001, I became involved in what was even then a story of injustice, neglect and abject frustration.

As a new reporter on the Northside People newspaper my brief included covering the Stardust Victims Committee and their ongoing campaign for justice.

At a gathering for what was then the 20th anniversary of the fire, I heard the horrific stories from the families of their lost loved ones and the struggle to have their voices heard.

After attending the anniversary, my tape recorder and note book were filled with the anguished words of the parents, siblings and other relatives of some of the 48 who had been killed.

The Stardust

On the drive back home from what was a harrowing evening, I remarked to Darren Kinsella, the Northside People photographer at the time, how a 600-word article could never fully capture what we had just heard.

Then write a book, he suggested, and that was the genesis of They Never Came Home  The Stardust Story  which was written with co-author Tony McCullagh, group editor of the Northside People, and published later that year.

We sat down with many of the families who had lost people in the fire, who were all aged from just 16 to 27-years-of-age, and told the sad tale of a miscarriage of justice.

We documented how those who had escaped the fire that engulfed the nightclub in the early hours of that fateful Valentine's Day suffered horrific, disfiguring injuries while hundreds of others would bear the emotional scars of loss and grief for the remainder of their lives.

We detailed how even though the original Tribunal, which sat in the immediate aftermath of the disaster found the owners of the ill-fated disco complex had acted with "reckless disregard" for the safety of its patrons, no charges were ever brought against them.

In fact, they went on to win substantial damages for the loss of the 'Stardust' complex, we wrote.

In the book we asked the many questions the fire had raised: What caused the flames to spread so rapidly? Were fire exits chained or locked? Why were there steel bars on the windows of the toilets? How were the owners able to get away with breaches of fire regulations and building bye-laws despite numerous inspections of the 'Stardust' by Dublin Corporation?

When the book was eventually published later that year, the spotlight once again turned on the plight of the Stardust families and their ongoing crusade.

Cover of the book

There appeared to be some momentum building behind their ongoing efforts to have a new inquest held to examine the cause of the fire but as the months and years went by and stalemate set in, I began to doubt the families would ever see this day.

But for the determination of people like Antoinette Keegan and her courageous mum, the late Christine, and others like them, they may never have

The families had never believed the Tribunal had gone far enough and in particular how the original finding of "probable" arson had pointed an erroneous finger of blame at someone who was there that night.

This suggestion that the fire was started deliberately was not struck from the Dail record until 2009 after an independent examination concluded there was no such evidence to support it.

At the time, Paul Coffey SC, who chaired the examination, said the principal finding of the 1982 tribunal was a mere hypothetical explanation for the probable cause of the fire.

The previous July Mr Coffey had been asked by the Government to examine the case made by the Stardust Victims Committee that a new inquiry should be held into the cause and source of the blaze.

Mr Coffey noted that the original tribunals finding, pointing to probable arson, had provoked anger and indignation among the survivors and the bereaved who perceive it to cast suspicion of criminal wrongdoing over all who attended the Stardust on the night of the fire.

While it was no small victory for the families, it was only the continuation of the long battle which has only now, 43 years, two months and four days later, reached its conclusion at Dublin coroners court.
Saunders along with his wife Tammy challenged a High Court decision made in October 2022 to have the property at Hazelbury declared the proceeds of crime.

Stefan Saunders lost a Court of Appeal attempt to overturn a previous decision to have his Clonee house declared the proceeds of crime.

INFAMOUS robbery gang leader Stefan Saunders is taking his battle with the Criminal Assets Bureau to the Supreme Court in a bid to keep his home.

Earlier this year he lost a Court of Appeal attempt to overturn a previous decision to have his Clonee house declared the proceeds of crime.

When the case against him and his wife Tammy was called at the High Court today it was heard he is now going to the top court in the land.

Saunders along with his wife Tammy challenged a High Court decision made in October 2022 to have the property at Hazelbury declared the proceeds of crime.

Wife Tammy Saunders previously seen out shopping in a flashy BMW X5 in Blanchardstown

However the Court of Appeal found against them in the case in which they claimed the judge had erred in fact and law in his determination.

It was argued he took into consideration evidence in relation to an allegation of criminality for which Stefan has not been tried in court.

They also said the judge was wrong to find that there was no risk of injustice to the Saunders who had already been investigated previously by CAB over property transactions.

But the three-judge Court of Appeal, found the Saunders had not made out the case for saying the High Court erred on any of the grounds and dismissed the appeal.

It was previously heard in the High Court the couple had gone on a spending spree after the 2.5m Brinks Allied security van robbery in Artane, Dublin, in 2005, according to CAB.

This included a six-week luxury holiday in Orlando with extended family, the purchase of a the Clonee house for 360,000, a 125,000 refurbishment and extension of the house and a 768,000 shortfall in declared income.

In 2018 Saunders was jailed for seven-and-a-half years after gardai foiled a cash-in-transit armed robbery in 2016.

Stefan Saunders, until his arrest in 2016, was regarded as one of the most prolific bank robbers in the country and became the target of a huge garda operation against his gang.

Stefan Saunders

An affidavit from an investigating officer described the Saunders Organised Crime Gang as being involved in the Brinks Allied cash-in-transit robbery in 2005 .

He was also investigated and tried over a 2010 tiger kidnapping but a judge ordered his acquittal in that case.

In 2016, he was then caught red-handed in the act of robbing an ATM in Co Meath for which he got a 10-year sentence, which he has since served.

The Sunday World previously revealed how just five months before that attempted robbery Saunders was stopped by UK police at Heathrow Airport, who suspected him of watching a cash-in-transit flight to Dublin.
Brandon Highfield (23) was in transit through the State when sniffer dogs indicated the presence of drugs in his luggage

A man has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison after he was caught with over half a million euro worth of cannabis at Dublin Airport.

Brandon Highfield (23), with an address in Wolverhampton in the UK, was in transit through the State when sniffer dogs indicated the presence of drugs in his luggage.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Highfield had arrived in Dublin from New York and was waiting to catch a connecting flight to Manchester when he was detected.

He pleaded guilty to importing almost 27 kilos of cannabis valued at 538,760 and possessing the same for sale or supply on November 11, 2023, at Terminal Two in Dublin Airport.

Passing sentence today, Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Highfield had been transporting the drugs for third parties and that some level of coercion had been applied.

Judge Nolan said Highfield was slightly vulnerable, had no record of conviction and was unlikely to reoffend.

He's a young man who made a very bad judgement, said Judge Nolan, imposing a four-and-a-half year sentence backdated to last November.

Stock image

Garda Anthony Boyle told Emmet Nolan BL, prosecuting, that Highfield had been due to depart on his flight for Manchester when drug dogs indicated something untoward in his two large suitcases.

He was arrested and told gardai he had a debt and had been prevailed upon by others to transport these drugs with a view to discharging part of the debt.

Highfield is not a man of any significant assets or wealth, the court heard.

Garnett Orange SC, defending Highfield, said his client had absolutely no connection with this State and had no intention of staying here.

Gda Boyle agreed with counsel that there was a code on both suitcases and that Highfield was unable to open it as someone else had sealed the bags.

The court heard that Highfield was instructed to travel from the UK to New York where he had spent two days, mainly in the vicinity of Times Square.

Mr Orange says there was a lack of detail surrounding the debt owed by his client, who had been stabbed by somebody from a particular group and was then under the impression that he owed a debt.

Gda Boyle agreed that Highfield came across as a slightly vulnerable person who led a very quiet life.

He lives at home with his mother and spent his time playing Xbox, counsel said.

The court heard that Highfield's mother and two sisters were present in court and had expressed genuine worry and concern for him.

He pleaded very early and was sent forward to the Circuit Court on signed pleas from the District Court.

Highfield is doing well in custody and cooperated from the moment he was spoken to by customs officials, the court heard.

Judge Nolan acknowledged that Highfield's stay in prison will be lonely for him as a foreign national, and that he will receive little or no visits.
I really thanked God that it was a blow to the head and six stitches, because it could have been a knife

South Americans in Limerick are being told to lie about where they come from after an alleged race attack on a Brazilian man in the city.

Brazilian native Roberto Leonardo Goncalves Jnr and his brother were attacked by an unidentified man in a violent incident that saw Roberto sent to hospital and his brothers e-scooter broken.

According to the 33-year-old Brazilian man, he and his brother were approached by a man who asked them where they were from. When the brothers answered we are from Brazil, Roberto says, the man produced a weapon and attacked them.

Roberto told the Limerick Post that he received a blow to his head which left a large open wound above his left eye, which had to be stitched at University Hospital Limerick.

Roberto Gomes dos Santos Jnr is still recovering from the attack by the unidentified man. Photo: Courtesy of Roberto Gomes dos Santos Jnr .

I really thanked God that it was a blow to the head and six stitches, because it could have been a knife and I lost my life. I don't think it would change anything for the man who did it, Roberto told the Limerick Post following the attack.

I think if he had a knife at that moment, I wouldn't be here today to tell you this.

Following the attack, South Americans living in Limerick are using social media to share the advice: Dont stop to talk to anyone and if someone asks you where youre from, lie.

The incident took place in the area of the Bloodmill Road and Childers Road at around 10.30pm last Saturday night.

Roberto says he had been walking home from finishing his shift at work when the attacker set upon him and his brother.

My brother and I were approached by a man who asked us where we are from and after my brother replied that we are from Brazil, he simply pulled out a bat from his pants and hit me in the head, he said.

After that blow to the head, my forehead started gushing blood and I could only run.

The Brazilian victim said that the attack has left him temporarily unable to work.

Roberto Gomes dos Santos Jnr suffered a large gash above his left eye in the unprovoked attack. Photo: Courtesy of Roberto Gomes dos Santos Jnr .

Roberto, originally from Rio de Janeiro, first arrived in Limerick to study English shortly after Christmas Day in 2021. He is numbered among Limericks large South American community, whose members have expressed fear following the attack.

It was the first trip of my life. I had never left Brazil before, he said.

I was about to leave. I was just trying to save some money to return to Brazil, but now after that I'm scared of staying here. My plans to leave in June will probably be brought forward.

My family and friends in Brazil are worried about all this.

When asked about the seemingly racially-motivated attack, a Garda representative said that Gardai are investigating an assault on a man in his 30s that occurred at approximately 10.30pm on Saturday 13th April, 2024, on the Bloodmill Road in Limerick City.

The spokesman added that investigations are ongoing.

Robertos terrifying encounter comes as further unconnected attacks on migrants in Limerick, also believed to be Brazilian, have been circulated in video footage online in the past number of days.

Roberto Gomes dos Santos Jnr was victim to a violent, racially motivated attack in Limerick City, where he has lived since Christmas 2021. Photo: Courtesy of Roberto Gomes dos Santos Jnr .

The footage shows a man assaulting two unidentified men in two separate incidents on Little Catherine Street and Cruises Street in the city. It was posted to the TikTok platform with the caption #prank.

In the wake of these attacks, members of Limericks South American community have been rallying around one another and sharing advice in online forums.

The advice is dont stop to talk to anyone and dont say or lie if someone asks where youre from.

Limericks South American community have expressed huge concern in the days since the attack, with one resident telling local newspaper the Limerick Post she has been deeply troubled by the recent surge in racist and xenophobic attacks targeting Latinos in our community.

As someone who works night shifts in pubs, the fear of going to and from work has become overwhelming.

When asked for comment on the attacks recorded in the social media videos, a Garda spokesman said I cannot, at this time, locate any reported incident matching these details.

When asked if Gardai have any safety advice for the concerned migrant community in Limerick who have been rocked by the attacks, the Garda spokesperson said advice on personal security can be found on the Garda website.
What has it been like a year on from those dramatic events and what has the veteran criminal being doing since he tasted freedom?

Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch leaving court after his acquittal last year. Photo: Mark Condren

Its a year to the day that Gerry The Monk Hutch walked free from the Special Criminal Court after he was found not guilty of the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel.

So what has it been like a year on from those dramatic events and what has the veteran criminal being doing since he tasted freedom?

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about The Monk and the day his chips came in.

MORE EPISODES 
Charlottesville Reading Series will present poet Raisa Tolchinsky, a University of Virginia master of fine arts alumna, and fiction writer and UVa professor Kevin Moffett at 7 p.m. Friday at New Dominion Bookshop.

Tolchinsky is the author of the poetry collection Glass Jaw, which won the Lexi Rudnitsky First Book Prize. A student at Harvard Divinity School, she was the 2022-2023 George Bennett Writer-in-Residence at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. She also trained as an amateur boxer.

Moffett, who teaches in the creative writing program at UVa, is the author of two story collections and the Silent History, a narrative app for mobile devices. He also wrote a pair of scripted podcasts, Sandra and The Final Chapters of Richard Brown Winters, for Gimlet Media.

The bookstore staff recommend arriving early to get the best seating. Learn more about the series at readingseries.org.

New Dominion Bookshop will present a book reading and signing with Rita Mae Brown at 4 p.m. Saturday. Brown will be reading from her new Mrs. Murphy mystery, Feline Fatale, which is being released by Bantam.

Browns latest mystery in the popular series of collaborations with feline coauthor Sneaky Pie Brown follows Crozet character Mary Minor Harry Harristeen as she heads to Richmond to show support for a friend in the House of Delegates. When a page serving the delegates dies under mysterious circumstances, Harry seeks answers with the help of feline sidekicks Mrs. Murphy and Pewter and canine pals Tee Tucker the corgi and Pirate the Irish greyhound.

The bookshop staff recommends arriving early to get the best seating. Find details at ndbookshop.com or call (434) 295-2552.

Jefferson-Madison Regional Library will present the following events in the coming week:

 10 a.m. Thursday at Central Library: Ballerinas will lead an interactive dance class and storytime exploring Snow White to children ages 2 to 6 and their caregivers. The program is part of Charlottesville Ballets educational and outreach programming in partnership with the Tom Tom Festival.

 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Northside Library: Next Step: Writing Workshop gives writers a chance to network and build skills. For details, email mstokes@jmrl.org or call (434) 973-7893, Ext. 4.

 7 p.m. Thursday at Greene County Library: All Booked Up Nonfiction Book Chat is a new way for fans of nonfiction to chat every other month. Register ahead of time to learn how to get a copy of Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. The selection meeting to determine the books for the rest of the year also will take place, so bring suggestions.

 All day Friday at Louisa County Library: The library will be closed Friday for branch staff training day.

 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Central Library: Perfecting Your Pets: Storytime & Therapy Dogs, presented in partnership with the Tom Tom Festival, offers stories with a JMRL librarian, a craft station and time with Green Dogs Unleashed representatives and some of their dogs. The program is designed for young children and others who are less acquainted with dogs.

 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Central Library: The Heckin Good Doggos role-playing game for adults 18 and older will give people a chance to play dog characters who protect their humans from squirrels and other threats. Registration is required, and all experience levels are welcome.

 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Central Library: The 2023 documentary Undivide Us will be screened as part of the Better Together Film Festival during the National Week of Conversation. A moderated discussion will follow.

 1 p.m. Sunday at Central Library: A Community Read event celebrating Womens History Month and Earth Day will explore this years Community Read selection,  All We Can Save: Truth, Courage and Solutions for the Climate Crisis. Copies are available for free at all JMRL branches while supplies last. Reservations are requested.

 All day Monday at Scottsville Library: Earth Day Rocks!, an event for children teens and adults, gives visitors a chance to decorate keepsake rocks in honor of Earth Day. There also will be time to take self-guided nature walks on the library grounds.

 2 p.m. Monday at Northside Library: Paint a Candle, for ages 16 and older, gives participants time to decorate candles using modern technologies and patterns. Space is limited. Register online at www.jmrl.org or call (434) 973-7893, Ext. 4.

 6:30 p.m. Monday at Crozet Library: Birding for Beginners, for ages 14 and older, is led by Callan Bentley of the Piedmont Virginia Bird Club. Learn how to identify birds wherever you go. Register to get reminders about the event.

 2 p.m. Tuesday at Greene County Library: Drop-In Device Help offers visitors time to get questions answered about operative a new phone or laptop. Check in at the front desk to get one-on-one help.

To learn about JMRL programs for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, go to https://jmrl.org/kids.

Shenandoah National Park has chosen a Charlottesville writer for its 2024 Artist-in-Residence program.

Jo Clark has been selected as Augusts artist and will be in the park from Aug. 5 to 26. Clark has a bachelor of arts degree in creative writing and medieval and Renaissance literature from the University of Virginia and is a master of fine arts candidate at Syracuse University, where she teaches undergraduate writing and works for the Salt Hill Journal.

The Artist-in-Residence program will welcome cellist, composer and multidisciplinary artist Lia Pikus in May; painter Megan Evans in July; documentary and contemplative photographer Susan Patrice in September; and songwriter and filmmaker Aimee Bobruk in October.
A French winemaker and his Irish wife, made this elegant white and called it Solas, meaning light in Irish

Now that the stretch in the evening is official, here are a few summery wines and cocktails, recommended in the hope that we lose the permanent rain clouds and can finally welcome summer!

2022 Solas Viognier

2022 Solas Viognier, 10

If the aim of a range of wine is to create something intrinsically light, then what should it be called?

Well, if you are a French winemaker and you collaborate with your Irish wife, then you might call it Solas, meaning light as Gaelige or in Old French solaz meaning joy and pleasure; the perfect name for a wine with an Irish/French connection.

This Laurent Miguel Viognier is ideal for summer drinking. A lovely, elegant example of what the Viognier grape is capable of, it has lots of floral aromas and is dry with lovely flavours of apricot and peach. This wine was made to go with garlic prawns. Available from Dunnes Stores.

B 5.5% Black Tower Rose

B 5.5% Black Tower Rose, 5

B 5.5% by Black Tower Rose is a low calorie, low alcohol choice for those watching their alcohol intake this summer. With tons of red summer berry flavours, this ABV is only 5.5%, half that of a standard glass of Rose.

The calories are lower too, 55 calories per 125ml glass. Serve chilled and enjoy with spicy Asian style cuisine such as Thai curry. Available from Tesco, Dunnes, Costcutter, Carry Out, and Supervalu.

Lidl have this brand new Rose from Argentina on their shelves this spring. Because it is from Argentina and made from their most popular red grape, the colour is more concentrated.

This dry Rose has lots of red summer fruit aromas and cherry fruit flavours balanced by a lovely fresh acidity. Ideal for drinking when the weather is warmer. Serve this with South American empanadas  savoury pastry filled with minced beef, chorizo sausage, onions, paprika and cayenne pepper.

Aldi Passionfruit Martini Ready to Drink

Aldi Passionfruit Martini Ready to Drink, 1.49

Aldi have just launched their range of premium award-winning spirits, delicious liqueurs, and ready-to-drink cocktails for summer. Their Passionfruit Martini comes in a 250ml can and has an ABV of 4%.

Whether you are festival-bound this summer or fancy a sundowner at home, this fruity treat is worth a try. Serve on ice and garnish with fresh fruit for a summertime treat.

See jeansmullen.com
Dealing with the public has not been as positive an experience as hed imagined

Luas Inspector Kabir Alade outside Leinster House before attending the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications. (Pic Sam Boal/Collins Photos)

When Kabir Alade decided to apply for a job as a Luas inspector he wanted a change, but he also wanted to work with the public. The economy was in recession and he had had enough of the tech industry, after a period working for IBM.

Dealing with the public has not been as positive an experience as hed imagined.

His worst experience was on a day when he was going about his usual routine of getting on a tram carriage and asking passengers to show they had valid tickets.

An older man started shouting as the tram moved swiftly along the tracks near the Four Courts.

I asked for his ticket, and he had no ticket, he said. He shouted about the KKK.

He said, Im going to sort you out and emphasised. Im talking to you. . Lucky for me, there was a lady there who got involved and said You cant say stuff like that. Thats ridiculous to say.

My colleague ran into a garda station and they arrested the guy.

He says he hasnt heard anything about it since then.

The father-of-two was born in Lagos in Nigeria and has been living in Ireland for 25 years . He might endure racial abuse four or five times a day some days. You cant be ringing the controller every minute," he said. They have to make sure the tram gets to its destination.

Anti-social behaviour has been going on a long time and we cant get enough gardai to deal with the situation. Its getting worse. A few days ago we had a few lads climbing on the back of the tram and they were trying to get on and vandalise it, about 10 or 12 of them, near the canal.

" They were moving from one place to another. Thats how scary it is. And the passengers are scared. They are looking at us like we have to do something. We cant get involved or we could end up badly hurt. I believe its getting absolutely crazy now.

There are a lot on junkies on the trams. One time, two of them were smoking and when I told them to get off they said you f**king n****r. They just profile you. If you dont sound like youre Irish, they profile you. I find that very exhausting.

"The company is doing its best. We get training and we try to remove ourselves from these situations. If they move from one tram, they might be on the next tram. You dont want to get involved in a serious mess.

He's sticking with the job as he needs to put food on the table and pay the bills.

It would send a message if there was punishment. I think its high time to get a transport police.

He was among a delegation that included Siptu officials, who attended the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications yesterday.

The issue of drug use by passengers has got worse in the last 12 months, according to a Siptu survey. Nearly three quarters of those surveyed said they witnessed drug use at work and reported incidents of racist harassment at work.

Labour transport spokesperson Duncan Smith called for immediate action to address the safety concerns of transport workers across the country.
The N28 between the Shannon Road roundabout in Carrigaline and the Bloomfield Interchange in Douglas remains closed.

A woman is in a serious condition in hospital following a crash between a car and an articulated truck in Cork this afternoon.

The collision occurred on the N28 at Carr's Hill at about 1.15pm.

The female driver of the car, aged in her 50s, was rushed to Cork University Hospital where her condition is described as serious.

No other injuries were reported.

The N28 between the Shannon Road roundabout in Carrigaline and the Bloomfield Interchange in Douglas remains closed.

Local diversions are in place.

Gardai have asked members of the public not to share images and videos circulating on social media.

"An Garda Siochana is aware that there images and videos of this serious road traffic collision in circulation on social media. Out of respect for those involved, we are requesting these images are not shared, said gardai.

Garda Forensic Collision investigators have completed a technical examination of the scene.

Gardai in Togher are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this incident to contact them.

Any road users who were travelling on the N28 this afternoon between 12.45pm and 1.45pm and who may have camera footage (including dash cam) is asked to make this available to investigating gardai.

Anyone with information in relation to the incident is asked to contact Togher Garda Station on 021 494 7120, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station.
As he was approached and escorted from the room, he continued shouting: You are a criminal, Ms von der Leyen

The Irishman is escorted from the room after his outburst

An Irishman was escorted from a high-profile meeting in Brussels yesterday after he attempted to arrest Ursula von der Leyen for aiding genocide in Gaza.

A speech by the European Commission President had just got underway at the European Defense and Security Summit when she was abruptly interrupted by the journalist and author David Cronin who stood up and shouted accusations at her.

"Mrs von der Leyen, this is a citizen's arrest, Cronin declared. You are charged with aiding genocide in Gaza.

The Irishman is escorted from the room after his outburst

Cronin, an associate editor of The Electronic Intifada, a website focused on Palestine is a prominent voice on the Israel-Palestine issue.

He continued to berate Ms von der Leyen, before he was ushered out of the meeting.

"You have expressed total support for Israel at the beginning of this genocide, he shouted. The blood of Palestinian children is on your hands.

As he was approached and escorted from the room, he continued shouting: You are a criminal, Ms von der Leyen.

You should be at the Hague. You should not be here. You should not be looking for a second term. You are war -- you are a criminal.

He then yelled Free Palestine, free Palestine, in a clip posted online before it cut out.

Von der Leyen showed no reaction as she was interrupted before calmly thanking her hosts for the invitation.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's a pleasure to be here," she said, before delivering a wide-ranging speech about the need for Europe to strengthen its security and defence as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The man later identified himself as David Cronin, an associate editor at The Electronic Intifada, a Chicago-based publication that covers the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from a Palestinian perspective.

In a follow-up post on the publications website, Cronin explained why he attempted to put Ursula von der Leyen under citizens arrest for aiding the Gaza genocide.

My attempt was made as the European Commissions president began her speech to a conference on strengthening the weapons industry, he wrote.

He claims that while the EU regards the prevention of genocide as an integral part of its foreign policy, Von der Leyen reneged on that commitment when she visited top-level Israeli figures in the early stages of the Gaza genocide.

The journalist and author David Cronin

He adds: It must not be forgotten that von der Leyen publicly gave her full backing to Israel soon after its leading politicians had displayed a clear genocidal intent.

By doing so, she bought valuable time for Israel. It could inflict massive destruction on Gaza, without facing any serious international pressure to stop.

Cronins outburst has been picked up by media organisations around the world that have reported how this is not the first time he has engaged in such action.

Previously, he targeted former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and former Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman in similar incidents.
Now with gratitude, hope, loads of joy & a sprinkling of courage lets find out whats next?!

Paul Mescals mum has said she is blessed beyond words as she shared some positive news on her battle with cancer.

Dearbhla Mescal was diagnosed with a form of bone marrow cancer called multiple myeloma in 2022.

Since then she has been documenting her treatment on social media and alongside photos taken over the last year, the actors 55-year-old mum posted in her latest update how she cannot believe where I am.

Its been a moment. 365 days of moments to be exact, she wrote.

This day last year I came home from the most incredible Berkitt Ward at St James Hospital following my stem cell transplant. I continue on my journey with the amazing team in Unit 6 at The Beacon Hospital.

I am blessed beyond words. I cannot believe where I am, where Ive been & most excitingly where I am going. My immune system is on the up & my energy is climbing.

I am so thankful to all those who mind, hold, love & care for me. You are my forever people.

Now with gratitude, hope, loads of joy & a sprinkling of courage lets find out whats next?! she added.

Dearbhlas diagnosis was revealed in January 2023, after eldest son Paul landed his first Oscar nomination in the Best Actor category for his role in Aftersun.

Just after the Oscar nominations were announced, Pauls sister Nell revealed on Twitter: My mum got a haircut today in prep for her chemotherapy and then Paul got nominated for an Oscar life is so crazy.

Paul later paid tribute to his mum that April as he accepted the Best Actor award at the Olivier Awards for his stage performance as Stanley in A Streetcar Named Desire.

In his acceptance speech, Paul thanked his parents and wished his mum well.

I hope you get better, he said.

In May, Dearbhla announced that her career with the gardai had officially come to an end.

She shared a number of pictures to mark the occasion, including from her graduation day when she was just 20 years old.

My life has another change today I retire from An Garda Siochana after 30yrs. I was 20 when I joined and I retire at 54 a whole lifetime, she wrote.

At the time Dearbhla gave her followers an update about her cancer battle and explained how she was due to go for an MRI.

"So Ive just finished in the hospital, Ive to go for an MRI. Date to be confirmed, but thats okay, she said.

"Bloods done, all still really good numbers so very, very happy about that part and well get to the root of the pain but its so wonderful to be cared for by this amazing team."

Dearbhla later let her followers know she was back home again, and that she was less worried about her unexplained pain.

Im home and feeling less anxious. I know we will get to the root of it, which is really good. I've made my sandwich, Ive lit the fire, I can see my roses and my birds and my tree and this is me.

"Im now going to settle and I hope for all of you that need to be heard that you get heard, that would be my hope for us all  that our voices are heard and if your voice cant be heard that there is somebody advocating for you to be heard. I think that is really important."

In February of this year the Normal People star opened up about processing his mums cancer diagnosis when shooting his latest film All of Us Strangers alongside Andrew Scott.

He was discussing the films themes of grief and losing parents in an interview with Australian journalist Thuy Ong when he was asked if the actors had personal experiences that informed your performances while working on the movie.

Its out in the world now and my mums doing great, but at the time that we were filming it, I found out that my mum had become quite sick, Paul explained.

Its so interesting now, looking back. I wasnt able to process it at the time, but my body was processing it in kind of real time.

Like in the scene where Andrew talks about the death of his mother, I was just going to work thinking it was fine and I was just going to get through it.

Grief is an amazing thing because it has nothing to do with your head. Its a physical thing. In my head, I was like, Im fine, Im fine, and Andrew was, as you would expect, utterly generous with all of that.

But something that Ive learned about grief is that its a physical thing and you can say that youre fine in your head, but it has to manifest itself some way.

Andrew added: The body keeps the score. I think thats so brilliant. You can say whatever you want but your body will tell you the truth.

Last summer, Pauls mum praised her family for supporting her throughout her cancer battle, with kids Paul, Donnacha, and Nell getting special shoutouts.

She wrote: "Of course I have days of concern, of what ifs & then I remember I am human & move on! My kids help me keep it real. I am still mum. Cancer is second place & although it sits at the table it is quiet & has no voice. Feeling connected really helps on the hard days.

"I am lucky those hard days are few & far between. I work hard at staying positive, part of that is accepting this new guest. I dont want to hide from it but my life is too important not to be actually lived.

"My joy seeking keeps me feeling blessed. Everyday my eyes are constantly seeking a magic moment to add to my treasure trove of joys. I never in my wildest dreams believed that my 28 days of finding joys; which I started so many years ago would become a way of life & that way of life would help me through this past 365 days.

"I was gifted this past year & as naff as that sounds, I mean every word. Every life lesson I experienced brought me to a new way of thinking, feeling & being. Am I a better person? I am not sure but I most definitely want to be."
Plans are progressing for Youth Offender Military Academies as the Government works on ways to reduce youth crime.

Tauranga has seen numerous ram raids in Bayfair Shopping Centre, let alone in the CBD, Papamoa and Matua, all done by youths, says Tauranga MP Sam Uffindell.

Sam says the academies, delivered by Oranga Tamariki, will be a tool used for the most serious of youth crimes.

Youth Justice Residences and Homes deputy chief executive Tusha Penny says Oranga Tamariki is responding to the Governments directive to make steps towards strengthening its response to serious youth offending.

Alongside strengthening our prevention work, Oranga Tamariki is working toward the creation of the new Young Serious Offender designation.

Work to design a pilot of the military-style academy is well under way with partner agencies and we recognise the Governments desire to have this up and running this year.

Oranga Tamariki is aiming to work alongside providers and the community to deliver the programme with the outcome of helping young people choose an alternative pathway to crime.

Youth Offender Military Academies: What does this mean for Tauranga and the BOP?

Sam says the National-led government is focused on restoring law and order.

Tauranga MP Sam Uffindell. File Photo.

People in Tauranga and across the Bay of Plenty deserve to feel safe in their own homes, businesses and communities.

Our government is cracking down on youth offending to reduce future offending.

We are committed to creating more tools to respond to the most serious and persistent young offenders, which includes the establishment of military-style academies and the creation of a new Young Serious Offender designation.

Sam says Oranga Tamariki will be leading and delivering the programme.

Under the previous Government, violent crime, retail crime, and youth offending spiralled out of control.

We have seen this in Tauranga with numerous ram raids in Bayfair during daytime shopping hours, with youths brazenly using axes and hammers to smash into Michael Hill Jewellers, terrifying staff and families.

Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford and I have conducted numerous welfare calls on businesses ram-raided across Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty.

Weve seen it from Bayfair to the CBD, from Papamoa to Matua; its been occurring across almost every suburb of Tauranga.

We also hear numerous reports of anti-social behaviour by youths in the CBD and on the bus network, and we commend the excellent work TCCs Paul Mason has done in helping identify repeat youth offenders and making the city a safer place.

However, Sam says there is still more work to do.

Youth Offender Military Academies are just one tool in the toolbox, he says.

We are also backing our police and cracking down on gangs, which often exploit youth and have them carry out crimes on their behalf.

We have set an ambitious target by 2030 of a 15 per cent reduction in the total number of children and young people with serious and persistent offending behaviour.

Likewise, we are focused on reducing violent crime and have set a target of 20,000 fewer people who are victims of an assault, robbery, or sexual assault.

He says there are a lot of community providers out there doing excellent work with youth, such as the Graeme Dingle Foundation.

Where we see community solutions that work we will back them up to deliver within their local communities.

Ultimately we need to get our kids back to school, which is why we have set a target of 80 per cent of students being present for more than 90 per cent of the term.

This will help enable students to be at curriculum level, and weve set a target of 80 per cent of Year 8 students at or above the expected curriculum level for their age in reading, writing and maths by December 2030.

Students who are at school and engaged in learning are a lot less likely to be absent and engaged in the type of anti-social youth behaviour our community is being subjected to.

We are ambitious for the youth of Tauranga and New Zealand.
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.

Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that gets in the way of doing business and getting things done," says Penk.

The current earthquake-prone building system was put in place in 2017, requiring buildings considered to be earthquake-prone to be remediated before set dates with nearly 500 deadlines set to expire over the next four years.

Councils and building owners have told me that many buildings will not meet their deadlines due to the high costs involved, further complicated by cumbersome heritage rules and ownership structures."

The minister says without change, a significant number of buildings could sit empty which would have a devastating impact on the economy in cities such as Wellington and provincial towns across New Zealand.

While there is already a review scheduled for 2027, the Government has decided to bring this forward to provide greater certainty and this work will begin immediately. Terms of reference will be agreed by Cabinet next month," says Penk.

The review will be extensive and consider the appropriate risk settings to protect safety while ensuring the rules are workable to support businesses, increase economic activity and create jobs. The review will also look at the way overseas jurisdictions manage earthquake risk."

He says while this review is underway, all current remediation deadlines will be extended by four years.

However, I encourage building owners to use this time to continue to make improvements to their buildings, particularly due to the positive impacts that remediation has for insurance and their ability to get tenants.

As part of this work the Government welcomes input from councils in major cities and provincial towns, and the views of the insurance and banking sectors.

Cutting red tape is part of the Governments plan to rebuild the economy so we can lower the cost of living, lift incomes, and provide the public services that Kiwis deserve.

Cabinet will agree to the reviews terms of reference in May 2024. The extension to deadlines will apply from April 2 2024 but will not apply to buildings that have already passed their deadline.

These changes will require an amendment to the Building Act 2004 with the intention that this bill be passed before the end of 2024.

For more information on the Earthquake-prone Building system deadline changes click here: Building Performance website.
Tauranga city commissioners have called on the Government to change the law to allow for a hybrid governance arrangement with four commissioners and five councillors - instead of a fully elected council - after this years election.

Kiri Gillespie investigates their reasons, what the minister thinks and why a former mayor believes the move was unethical and truly disturbing.

Taurangas commission have sought a law change to have the city governed by a mix of commissioners and councillors in what one former mayor describes as a truly disturbing move against democracy.

The Bay of Plenty Times can reveal Tauranga City Councils commission, now in the final months of its term ahead of Julys election, wrote to Local Government Minister Simeon Brown late last year about the hybrid model.

It asked for the council to be governed by four commissioners  one of them a chairperson  and five elected councillors, followed by either a return to a fully-elected council in October 2025, or for a mayor to be elected then, and a full election in 2028.

It referenced a council-commissioned report that recommended the 60/40 split to keep the commissioners institutional knowledge while avoiding the significant risks of an abrupt return to full democracy.

The council said the independent report cost $32,817 plus GST.

The report and the commissions December 19 letter were released to the Bay of Plenty Times under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act.

It's not the first attempt by the commission  appointed in 2021 and made up of chairwoman Anne Tolley, Bill Wasley, Shadrach Rolleston, and Stephen Selwood  to extend central Governments intervention in the council.

Last April it asked then-Local Government Minister and Labour MP Kieran McAnulty for a Crown observer to be appointed post-election, which he declined.

Tolley told the Bay of Plenty Times in February the commission was considering making the same recommendation about a Crown observer to the local government minister.

She said this week she did not mention the December request then as she was not asked about any previous recommendations on other models and the minister never responded to the request, which required a law change.

The commission wrote to the minister again on Friday confirming its recommendation was for a Crown observer.

The stakes are incredibly high

In the December letter, the commission said considerable progress had been achieved but there were 13 key risk areas requiring proactive leadership for success and the benefit of the city.

The commissions letter emphasised that the stakes are incredibly high.

The very future of our city as the regions economic powerhouse, and as a great place to live, work, learn and play, will depend upon the council being led by a high-functioning governance team.

Tauranga City commissioners: L-R Shadrach Rolleston, Bill Wasley, Stephen Selwood, Anne Tolley. Photos / File.

The letter quoted the report by consultancy firm Martin Jenkins stating a sudden transition to a fully elected council posed significant risks.

Such a move could jeopardise the hard-earned momentum in advancing critical infrastructural projects initiated to address historical underinvestment  [and] undermine the confidence of strategic partners, investors and stakeholders.

The report stated it was vital new governance arrangements were carefully tailored to propel the city and region forward with assurance and unwavering direction.

It found immediately reverting to full democracy could result in similar governance issues to those that led to commissioners being appointed after the council was sacked.

Recently former councillors have explicitly declared their intentions to be re-elected so that they can reverse decisions made by the commissioners, the report said.

Public declarations like this align with the observations made by the Review and Observer Team in their report, where they noted the lack of personal acceptance of the role that individual elected members have.

There is genuine concern that history may repeat itself, the report stated.

It could also dent confidence of key funders and private sector entities and lead to reduced investments in the city.

Truly disturbing

Former Tauranga mayor Greg Brownless told the Bay of Plenty Times he believed it was disingenuous that Tolley did not refer to the December letter when interviewed in February.

Brownless was mayor from 2016 to 2019 and said he was still undecided whether he would run in the elections this year.

He said in a statement it was his opinion the commission seemed to have gone behind the backs of Tauranga residents to try to extend their term.

In his opinion, it was truly disturbing the commission appeared to have worked against democracy again.

He also did not agree with the commissioning of the report. In his view, it was an unethical use of ratepayer money in another desperate attempt to cling to power and prolong their highly paid jobs.

The commission was paid more than $921,000 in total for the four members part-time work and expenses between July 2022 and June 2023.

Tauranga elected member remuneration is currently set at $172,918 for the mayor plus a pool of $1,198,246 to be split between the 10 other members.

Voters must learn from mistakes

Urban Task Force chairman Scott Adams said the property organisation supported the appointment of a Crown observer, who would have no authority over an elected council but would regularly report back to the Government.

He said the task force was concerned for the city and it was critical voters learn from mistakes and vote in the right people.

We cant go relitigating the works that have already been done, he said.

Scott Adams, Urban Task Force chairman and managing director of Carrus at Panorama Towers on Hamilton Street in Tauranga. Photo / Alex Cairns.

We all know too well the damage that can occur from poor [governance]. We need people who know and have strategic governance ability and business acumen, Adams said.

You have to run a city like a business. It has to be focussed on growth. If you dont grow, you die.

Tolley responds

Tolley said it was part of the commissions role to explore options for a successful transition to an elected council.

In order to do this, we needed to be in a position where we could provide relevant, up-to-date information to the Local Government Minister on our current work programme and the risks associated with overseeing its delivery, together with an understanding of the various options and models available that have been used previously in situations like ours, such as Kaipara District Council and Environment Canterbury.

It commissioned the report to get independent advice, and it was the commissioners responsibility to report that advice to Brown to consider.

Tauranga City Council commission chairwoman Anne Tolley. Photo / Alex Cairns.

She said the commission still believed it was appropriate and responsible to advise Brown of actions that could be taken to safeguard the interests of the people of Tauranga.

A formal letter was sent to the minister on Friday, confirming our recommendation that the minister consider appointing a Crown observer to support the new council elected in July.

Tolley said she had been very open in other media interviews advocating for hybrid models.

Earlier this month, Tolley told Mike Hosking she preferred a hybrid model as democracy sometimes fails.

She told the Bay of Plenty Times last week she would finish her term on the commission overseas.

For more local politics news and views, listen to On the Tiles, the Heralds politics podcast.

Minister of Local Governments decision

Asked about the December letter, Brown said he considered the commissions recommendations and acknowledged there are high-risk projects but they were not enough to justify his intervention.

He was looking forward to seeing democracy return to Tauranga.

Local elections are the primary mechanism for communities to exercise their democratic rights and elect their representatives.

Councils were not able to entrench decisions and the commission had the same powers and responsibilities as elected members.

Brown said he would send his response to the commission in due course.

The Bay of Plenty Times has sought his view on the Crown observer recommendation.

-Bay of Plenty Times.
One Tauranga hospitality worker reportedly got a black eye after a customer threw a large ceramic mug at her face.

This is just among some of the assaults hospitality staff are battling, according to Whipped Baker Cafe owner, Frances Cooper.

Frances says a lady came into the cafe at the Historic Village and was served her coffee by staff.

There's obviously been a communication breakdown or something. [The customer] thought that she had been ripped off a dollar for her coffee.

Frances says her cafe manager was calmly trying to handle the situation.

The lady was just not having it and she said: Nope, we're going to deal with this right now, and she apparently turned around, and threw the hot Americano in [our managers] face, followed by the cup.

It wasnt even a takeaway cup. It was a ceramic cup.

Frances says the lady then grabbed her child and ran out of the cafe. Then Francess husband, Aaron Cooper quickly arrived and tried to find the lady, but had no luck.

We haven't been able to find her. Weve got her on camera, so we'll know what she looks like if she comes back into the village.

We just want kindness

After the incident, Frances says the manager who had been struck in the face was inconsolable.

She was so upset.

She says other customers were about when this happened, and her team was gobsmacked.

I just don't know what's going on with people these days. We just want kindness. We just want respect. We're doing a job that we love to do. I'm incredibly proud of my staff and the way that they carry themselves. They work bloody hard.

Yet, this is not the only incident of her staff experiencing abuse, says Frances.

Frances says in their Maungatapu bakery, a sizable, male customer came in and absolutely abused my 16-year-old daughter behind the counter and threw donuts at her.

This was apparently due to the donut prices. When she got abused, she ended up coming out the back just absolutely beside herself and like dry retching.

Covid and costs

Frances says since Covid-19, people seem to be much more intolerant and feel they have the right to do whatever they want. They think they can go in, abuse staff and be impatient.

She says customers also get frustrated over the prices of cafe food and drinks.

In hospitality we have to put our prices up because every year the wages go up, and every year it seems like products go up.

We've got people coming in and they're really pissed off because we're putting our prices up, but at the end of the day, if we don't put our prices up, we can't make money.

Frances at her Maungatapu bakery.

SunLive reached out to Hospitality New Zealand  a membership organisation that advocates for people in the industry  to see how many reports of verbal of physical abuse they have had from our region this year.

Hospitality New Zealand regional manager Luke van Veen says the organisation hasnt received any reports of physical or verbal abuse from Bay of Plenty hospitality staff recently.

If any of our members do experience this kind of behaviour though, wed encourage them to let us know so we can advocate for measures to ensure the safety and well-being of workers in the industry, says Luke.

If staff are abused, they can call on the support of their management, and if needed, the Police to address the situation."

No charges

The staff member who was assaulted with the coffee cup does not want to go the police, Frances says. Despite the incident and receiving a black eye, the manager has continued working as normal.

Frances says instances such as these make staff more on edge.

It makes my husband want to put up a plastic screen in front of the counter to protect the girls, but then what does that look like?

We don't want people to feel uncomfortable when they come through the door, but there's a small minority of people that think it's their right to lay their hands on people.
Update 4.44 pm, a police spokesperson says the person has been located safe and well.

Original report:

Rescue efforts are underway after a person has become lost in the bush off Whataroa Rd at 3:21 pm, says a police spokesperson.

Whataroa Road can be located off State Highway 36 at the turn-off to TECT Park in Ngawaro, Bay of Plenty.

Google Maps Screenshot.

Enquiries are ongoing.

SunLive will provide an update when more information is provided.

At the scene?

Phone 0800SUNLIVE or email newsroom@thesun.co.nz
Theres a timeless quip among Jews: If two of us are discussing a topic, expect to hear three opinions.

This doesnt mean we arent of one mind on the survival of Israel. It means there are multiple views on how to ensure that.

That debate  along with related issues of Jewish identity, Jewish life, Jewish intellect, Jewish faith  is at full boil at a venue where diversity of opinion is supposed to be the rule, though some, particularly on the right, believe that its been crushed by left-leaning intellectual intolerance: the University of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson, an exemplar of free speech as foundational to democracy.

The election in Virginia nearly 2 years ago of a nationally ambitious, religiously conservative Republican governor  paired with the war in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, now six months on  mean that criticism of Israel over its conduct in this brutal conflict in which 1,100 Jews and 33,000 Palestinians have been killed is increasingly interpreted as antisemitism or an invitation, thereto.

At the University of Virginia, Jews are arguing over the many sides of this issue. Two Jews, three opinions? In this instance, it might be more. Its part of the larger feud at Mr. Jeffersons Academical Village over supposed woke-ism that erupted after the deadly siege of Charlottesville in 2017 by white nationalists, latter-day Confederates and torch-carrying antisemites.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin, burnishing his credentials as the culture warrior Republicans expect their presidential prospects to be, depicts the university as a hotbed of liberal orthodoxy. Through his public utterances, policy dictates and appointments to its oversight board of like-minded individuals  some of them headline machines with long histories of controversy  Youngkin aims to yank UVa to the right.

And soon.

Whether its UVa or Virginia Military Institute, another tax-supported four-year school beset by bitter differences over race and culture, post-George Floyd, or any of the other dozen Virginia public colleges and universities, Youngkin  come July 1, the start of the new spending cycle  will have installed on all of their governing boards majorities of trustees who presumably share his conservative agenda.

If only temporarily  and hastened by the Gaza war and, more recently, the duel between Israel and Iran following the formers attack on the latters embassy in Syria  the shoving match at UVa over diversity, equity and inclusion is taking a back seat to claims by conservatives that the university is turning a blind eye to alleged antisemitism.

Whether thats true depends on who you ask. And this calls attention to generational, religious, cultural and intellectual differences among Jews  differences that should make clear what is often overlooked or subordinated to a convenient but not necessarily informed generalization: Jews are averse to monolithism.

Consider the reaction to the fraught give-and-take early last month over antisemitism between Robert Hardie, head of the UVa Board of Visitors and appointed to that governing panel by two Democratic governors, and Bert Ellis, a Youngkin pick briefly blocked from the board by the General Assemblys Democratic majority and who has been outspoken on hot-button topics at the school since his days as an undergraduate in the 1970s.

To a Jewish students group at UVa, an important fact  that, in the organizations view, antisemitism is not rampant at the school  is overwhelmed by fury. To the parent of a Jewish student, more people should be furious because an important fact  that, in her view, antisemitism is rampant at the school  is being ignored.

In an April 3 letter to the board  first reported Tuesday by the student news site, the Cavalier Daily  the five students who oversee Hillel, the largest Jewish organization on Grounds, said that concerns about antisemitism at the university had been needlessly politicized. It is estimated that Jewish undergraduate and graduate students account for 1,400 of the schools total enrollment of just under 22,000.

We believe the overwhelming majority of students, faculty and staff at the university do not act with malicious intent nor hatred towards Jewish people, the students said.

We acknowledge that antisemitism is a top concern at UVA, especially among parents, although it is not as widespread as some outside of the university community believe. It saddens us to see concerted efforts to exploit Jewish students as pawns for political agendas. Such efforts threaten the safety and well-being of Jewish students.

There have been instances where we do believe that students and faculty have acted with ignorance and hate. We are of the opinion that this is a small but vocal contingent of the university community.

Small, maybe.

But to UVa parent Julie Pearl, a big problem, nonetheless.

The Northern Virginian wrote the Board of Visitors that hostility toward Jewish students is common and that the university has been slow to respond. Pearl, whose letter was reported on the website of the Jefferson Council  an organization launched as a conservative counterweight to what it regards as liberal overreach at UVa  offered an inventory of perceived offenses, including physical and verbal abuse of Jewish students and fear of bullying.

Ellis wanted the board to discuss in public antisemitism at the university. He pegged the concern to a call by students, in an advisory referendum in February, that UVas investment arm shed from the schools nearly $14 billion endowment holdings, as the ballot question put it, companies engaging in or profiting from the State of Israels apartheid regime and acute violence against Palestinians.

To Ellis, the vote  condemned by Attorney General Jason Miyares, a possible Republican gubernatorial candidate in 2025, as giving comfort to Hamas terrorists  was a put-up job by groups identified by federal agencies as antisemitic. He did not elaborate.

Hardie, according to a video posted on YouTube by the Jefferson Council, told Ellis that concerns over antisemitism would be discussed in secret because they touched on student safety and potential litigation. After the brief, crisp exchange, the board voted to go into closed session.

Ellis is a hugely successful broadcast investor from Atlanta. He appears to have inherited a dogged certainty on politics and policy from his late father, Urchie, a storied railroad lobbyist. Urchie Ellis later was a tireless critic of Richmond government who pressed for municipal accountability in frequent appearances before City Council and published letters in The Times-Dispatch.

Hardie, also a UVa alum, runs with his wife, Molly, luxury hotels in Virginia and Tennessee. Both are five-figure donors to U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanbergers bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. By business, family and marriage, the Hardies have a keen appreciation for the intersection of politics and public higher education. Molly Hardie is the daughter of Bill Goodwin of Richmond, the billionaire investor, high-dollar Republican donor and former UVa rector.

Since the Ellis-Hardie dust-up, tensions have only escalated. Spotted around the university: a box truck emblazoned with a neon sign branding Hardie unfit to head the board and demanding that he resign for refusing to address antisemitism there. Its not been determined whos responsible for that rolling billboard.

To Pearl, the Board of Visitors seems more interested in its status than that of Jewish students. In her letter she said, How does the billboard incident directed at you merit outrage, an immediate statement of condemnation, and investigative action  while the ongoing harassment and intimidation faced by Jewish students receive no such response?

Pearl may get one  more to the point, the one she wants  when Youngkin completes his takeover of the UVa board.
An Air New Zealand passenger suffered a badly broken leg just 30 minutes into a seven-hour international flight after the plane hit turbulence when he was returning from the toilet.

German-born couple Niko and Sasha, who have been living in Bali for 13 years, boarded flight NZ65 from Denpasar to Auckland on Tuesday night, having planned a three-and-a-half-week trip in New Zealand.

But just 30 minutes into the flight, their holiday drastically changed.

After the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners seatbelt light was switched off, 47-year-old Niko went to the toilet. While he was on his way back to his seat, the plane encountered turbulence and dropped, he says.

A friend who was waiting to pick Niko up from Auckland Airport told the Herald his friend suffered a fractured tibia and fibula in the incident.

His leg pretty much snapped in half, the friend says.

He says Niko described the turbulence as severe and that the pilot later came out of the cockpit and apologised to passengers.

Niko, however, endured excruciating pain for the next six and a half hours while the plane continued its route to Auckland.

There was a doctor onboard the flight but only Panadol was available to be administered, the friend says.

Crew asked some passengers to move from their seats so he was able to lie down for the remainder.

When the plane landed, paramedics were waiting at the international terminal to treat Niko.

A Hato Hone St John spokesperson confirmed it had attended an incident at the airport at about 5.40am on Wednesday after a passenger suffered a turbulence-related injury.

One person with moderate injuries was treated and transported to Middlemore Hospital, the spokesperson says.

Air New Zealand also confirmed the incident occurred when the plane encountered clear air turbulence, described as sudden, severe turbulence occurring in cloudless regions that pilots are unable to see, causing violent buffeting of an aircraft.

Chief operational integrity and safety officer Captain David Morgan says one passenger sustained an injury on flight NZ65 from Bali to Auckland on Thursday.

They were attended to by a doctor onboard the aircraft. No other passenger injuries were reported to our crew.

David says in the event of a medical incident aboard an international service, crew would contact Flightcare Global, Air New Zealands international medical support, who provide advice and recommendations based on the information they receive.

Depending on the situation, crew may put a call out to see whether there is a doctor onboard. If there is a doctor available who can support the passenger, our crew will take guidance from them in conjunction with Flightcare Global.

David added that if it was operationally viable, an aircraft would divert if Flightcare Global is sufficiently concerned about the individuals immediate welfare and determines further medical attention is required immediately.

They will also consider factors like the level of medical care likely available to the individual in the possible diversion locations and whether it is in the individuals best interest to continue to the intended destination, David says.

The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is our number one priority. Our crew are trained to respond to medical emergencies and always prioritise the wellbeing of the customers onboard the aircraft.

A Counties Manukau DHB spokesperson says Niko remained in a stable condition in Middlemore Hospital and was awaiting surgery. He had been waiting for surgery since he arrived at the hospital.

The incident comes just over a month after a technical problem caused strong movement onboard Chilean airline Latams flight LA800 from Sydney to Auckland, prompting a major emergency response to Auckland International Airport.

St John crews treated about 50 patients, with one patient in a serious condition and the remainder in a moderate to minor condition.

A passenger on the Latam flight, Priscilla Waller-Subritzky, told the Herald she was watching a movie when the plane lost altitude and a number of passengers and crew were thrown into the roof of the plane.

Another passenger told the Herald he had never experienced anything like it in 15 years of flying.

The plane dipped so dramatically into a nosedive for a couple of seconds and around 30 people hit the ceiling hard, he says.

Video sent to the Herald showed multiple distressed passengers holding their heads after the incident.

It was discovered that on flight LA800, which was also a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, the pilots screen went blank and he momentarily lost control of the plane. An internal investigation was launched.

A lawyer contacted by people injured in the Latam Airlines mid-air plunge says some had been offered a few thousand dollars, much less than what they could be entitled to.

Carter Capner Law director Peter Carter says some passengers could be in line for unlimited compensation if the airline is found to be negligent.

Peter says under the Montreal 1999 Convention an airline is liable for up to A$260,000 ($279,000) for proven losses like medical expenses, loss of amenities of life and income loss for proven bodily injury.

This could be unlimited if the airline was found to be negligent.

Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He has worked for the Herald since 2022.

Benjamin Plummer, NZ Herald
The weather has been mostly fine across New Zealand, but a burst of rain is being forecast on Saturday, before a large area of high pressure brings another run of settled weather as we move into next week.

A cold front approaches the south of the South Island on Friday, says the latest update from the MetService.

Blustery northwesterly winds precede the arrival of rain in the south and west, however, by the end of the day the front weakens leaving areas north of Christchurch mostly dry.

For the North Island, passing showers are possible in most areas, with Horowhenua, Wellington and the east coast looking to remain dry.

A low pressure system approaching from the Tasman Sea is forecast to bring rain to a large portion of the North Island, leaving most of the South Island remaining dry on Saturday.

The weather models have different ideas about the extent and intensity of the incoming rain, so keep an eye on the forecast for Saturday if you are making outdoors plans, says MetService meteorologist Lewis Ferris.

Areas north of Taranaki to Napier are most likely to see rain on Saturday with the potential for some heavy falls in the mix.

The further south, the less likely rain becomes, but there is risk the wet weather will reach as far south as Wellington and the top of the South Island.

On Sunday, the low pressure system moves away to the east which means clearer weather across the country.

However, southerlies and showers are possible around Hawkes Bay and Gisborne, while westerly winds bring showers to the south and west of the South Island.

As we enter the new working week high pressure moves in across the country, forecast to bring a settled run of weather.

While this will be a good chance for parents to get the kids outdoors, theres potential the weather will turn as we head towards ANZAC Day.

Image: MetService.
Who was Jessie? Acquaintance? Confidante? Love interest?

No-one knows  nearly eighty years after a WW2 soldier and the mononymous Jessie exchanged letters, she remains just that. A Christian name in a war diary.

Its beautiful, says Katikati Museum volunteer Pauline McCowan who transcribed a whole year of the soldiers 1940 war diary. He was writing to this mystery woman and we still dont know who she is.

Sunday, June 2, 1940: Very hot. Wrote a letter to Jessie all afternoon.

But tantalisingly, we dont know what he wrote.

The soldier wrote often, in pencil and strong, flowing, cursive. Said something of the mans style. He would often mention writing home to Jessie and his mother. So Pauline tallied it up. Jesse got many more letters than anyone else.

Sunday, January 9, 1940: Wrote to Jessie. Posted air mail.

And so on, every few days. But no, no clues as to who she was, says Pauline. We dont even know if she was in New Zealand. Neither does his family. Not to this day.

Sunday, May 12, 1940: Wrote to Jessie between air raids. There was obviously a chemistry, but was there passion, romance. The emotionally detached diary entries offers the reader nothing.

Venture down Katikatis Main Road to the War Memorial Hall and we learn more of the lovelorn soldier.

In Memoriam  the plaque at the Katikati War Memorial Hall.

Cunningham, Victor; Holmes, Norman; Johnston, Maurice. All sons of Katikati, fallen WW2 heroes, names on a plaque. Manson, Smeaton; Marsh, Allan H.; Mountier, Russell.

Aah, there he is. The letter writer.

Walford, Russell Freeland, Lt or Lieutenant.

The last of 12 Katikati names on the WW2 memorial panel. Lieutenant Russell Walford, service number 1024, 20th Armoured Regiment. Died December 16, 1943, in the battle for Orsogna during the Italian campaign. Just 29-years-old.

His tank had been knocked out while retreating from a position that had come under German fire. Its understood he was lying with other injured in a church yard when they were again caught in a maelstrom of German tank fire, anti-tank gun fire and flame throwers.

One surviving tank gunner recalled it being the worst experience of his life. Thirteen tanks went in, nine were shot up, several of the boys killed. It was his, the gunners, first taste of action. I wasnt afraid so much, but sad. Fellows Id been talking to a week earlier, you know, stiff and dead. Never see home again.

Russell Walfords 1940 diary.

Lieutenant Russell Walford now lies in a groomed plot, 1X.D.20, at the Sangro River War Cemetery in Chieti, central southern Italy. The son of Katikati is now a son of Italy too.

He was a nice man, concludes Pauline McCowan, the Katikati Museum volunteer. He talked about having a good time with his mates. He enjoyed sing-songs, he loved dancing, he was respectful, called his parents mother and father. He was also a very good looking man. And by the time she finished transcribing his diary Pauline she felt completely in love with him.

It was such a beautiful and privileged task. He just sounded like a really decent bloke.

Friday, October 11: Received parcel of socks and hankies from Jessie. Just what I wanted.

Much of the diary is the daily mundanities - manoeuvres in the desert, a dental appointment, a debilitating bout of gippo tummy and a more sobering moment  a funeral for the first man of the regiment to pass away.

Thursday, December 12: Train load of Italians (prisoners) passing throu (sic).Poor looking lot. Received air mail from Jessie.

No mention of the horror, the blood and gore stories from the front line. Although he did write excitedly about seeing his first air raid over Cairo.

Saturday, June 12: Antiaircraft guns opened up. Vivid flashes through the sky. Fair bit of noise while it lasted. But the very next day he went to the movies to see Gracie Fields in Shipyard Sally, and then the following day surfing and great fun catching dangerous and venomous Death Adder snakes, large lizards and spiders with their bayonets.

Were back on Katikatis Main Street and its just gone midday. The clock tower right outside the Katikati War Memorial Hall tells reads 12.02 to be exact. I check it against my phone  its bang on time. Excellent! Lieutenant Russell Freeland Walford, 20th Armoured Division, would approve. The clock raised in his honour at the grand cost to his family of 100 is ticking with military precision.

But its not just a clock, not just a monument  its a symbol of time, mortality and the passage of life. The passage of one specific and special life, lest we forget Russell Freeland Walford.

The soldiers diary and medals are now in the keeping of Western Bay Museum in Katikati.

The soldier who didnt come home: Lieutenant Russell Freeland Walford.
Sydney Sweeney attends the 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton on March 14, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic via Getty Images)Getty Images
Syracuse, N.Y. -- All Onondaga County and Syracuse city buildings will fly flags half-staff in honor of two law enforcement officers killed during a shootout Sunday night in Salina, according to city officials.

Mayor Ben Walsh and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon directed the flags be lowered Wednesday following the death of sheriffs Lt. Michael Hoosock and Syracuse police Officer Michael Jensen. The flags will remain half-staff until the burial of both officers.

We grieve for the families of Officer Jensen and Lt. Hoosock, Walsh said. We also stand with the members of the Syracuse police department, the Onondaga County Sheriffs Office and all those who work in law enforcement.

What seemed like a routine traffic stop Sunday is what led to the death of both officers. Around 7 p.m. in the citys Tipp Hill neighborhood, officers tried to pull over a car, but the driver refused and sped off.

Police took the plate number, which led them to a home on Darien Drive. There, police saw ammunition in the back of the car, Syracuse Police Chief Joseph Cecile said. And then, from inside the home, they heard the sound of a gun being readied to fire, he said.

Hoosock took cover behind a maple tree in the back yard of the neighboring house, according to Onondaga County Sheriff Toby Shelley. The suspected killer, Christopher R. Murphy, 33, fired at Hoosock from the back deck of his house with a Springfield AR-15, a military-style assault weapon, killing him there, Shelley said.

Murphy ran to the front of the house and fired at Jensen, killing him. Murphy died after being fired upon by police officers at the scene.

These heroes lost their lives doing what they loved - serving and protecting our community, McMahon said.

Calling hours will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Nicholas J. Bush Funeral Home at 7751 Merrick Road, Rome. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. John the Baptist Church at 210 E. Dominick Street in Rome. He will be buried in St. Johns Cemetery.

A funeral for Hoosock will be held at the State Fair Expo Center at 11 a.m. Monday. Its being held at the expo center due to the number of people expected. The center can hold 4,000 people. Hoosocks calling hours will be private.
Syracuse, N.Y.  The shooter who killed two Central New York police officers used different parts he obtained to build his own illegal assault weapon, according to the Onondaga County DA.

Christopher R. Murphy opened fire Sunday night, killing Onondaga County Sheriffs Lt. Michael Hoosock and Syracuse Police Officer Michael Jensen. Murphy was shot dead by officers.

The gun Murphy used was a Springfield AR-15, said Tom Newton, a spokesperson for the Onondaga Sheriffs Office.

The gun was a cannibalized assortment of parts, District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said Thursday.

If Murphy had purchased an AR-15 in New York state he would have needed a semi-automatic permit as well as a background check when buying the gun, according to a New York state website on gun rules.

By making the gun out of parts, he avoided the permit, Fitzpatrick said.

Murphy purchased a lower barrel receiver legally in 2019, Fitzpatrick said. He still would have had a background check, he said.

Then he added more parts including a protruding pistol grip, which made the gun illegal in New York state, Fitzpatrick said.

He probably procured the additional parts online, Fitzpatrick said. Murphy did not need any permits to build the gun, he said.

The gun did not have a fixed magazine, also making it illegal, Newton said.

The magazine added was a banana clip or banana magazine that held 40 rounds, he said. In New York, the legal limit for magazines is 10 rounds.

The gun did have a serial number, meaning that it was traceable and not a ghost gun he said.

AR-15s are legal to purchase in New York if they have a fixed magazine and if they do not include certain military characteristics including a protruding pistol grip, folding stock, and other parts, according to the site.

Reputable gun dealers in other states will not sell parts and guns that are illegal to people in New York.

However, some companies have continued to sell illegal guns and parts. One company was banned by the New York Attorney General in March from shipping untraceable parts into New York.

A second AR-15 rifle was found in the Darien Drive home, Sheriff Toby Shelley said. Its possible it belonged to Murphys father, he said.

There were two gun cabinets in the home  one in Murphys room and one in his fathers, Shelley said. It was unclear whether the AR-15 was legally owned. Deputies are continuing to investigate.

Murphy is not the first shooter to modify their gun.

Payton S. Gendron opened fire at a Tops Market in Buffalo in May 2022 with a gun that was modified, according to NBC News. Gendron allegedly wrote in an online diary about modifying the gun using YouTube videos, NBC reported.

8 1 / 8 Police investigate 4945 Darien Drive where Syracuse officers were killed in shootout

Staff writer Rylee Kirk covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, photo, question or comment? Reach her at 315-396-5961, on Twitter @kirk_rylee, or rkirk@syracuse.com.
Guitar legend Dickey Betts, who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, Ramblin Man, has died. He was 80.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer died at his home in Osprey, Florida, David Spero, Betts manager of 20 years, confirmed. Betts had been battling cancer for more than a year and had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Spero said; in 2018, he canceled a New York State Fair concert due to a mild stroke.

He was surrounded by his whole family and he passed peacefully. They didnt think he was in any pain, Spero said by phone.

Betts shared lead guitar duties with Duane Allman in the original Allman Brothers Band to help give the group its distinctive sound and create a new genre  Southern rock. Acts ranging from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Kid Rock were influenced by the Allmans music, which combined the blues, country, R&B and jazz with 60s rock.

Founded in 1969, the Allmans were a pioneering jam band, trampling the traditional notion of three-minute pop songs by performing lengthy compositions in concert and on record. The band was also notable as a biracial group from the Deep South.

Duane Allman died in a motorcycle accident in 1971, and founding member Berry Oakley was killed in a motorcycle crash a year later. That left Betts and Allmans younger brother Gregg as the bands leaders, but they frequently clashed, and substance abuse caused further dysfunction. The band broke up at least twice before reforming, and has had more than a dozen lineups.

The Allman Brothers Band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and earned a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award in 2012. Betts left the group for good in 2000, and also played solo and with his own band Great Southern, which included his son, guitarist Duane Betts.

Forrest Richard Betts was born Dec. 12, 1943, and was raised in the Bradenton, Florida, area, near the highway 41 he sang about in Ramblin Man. His family had lived in the area since the mid-19th century.

Betts grew up listening to country, bluegrass and Western swing, and played the ukulele and banjo before focusing on the electric guitar because it impressed girls. At 16 he left home for his first road trip, joining the circus to play in a band.

He returned home, and with bassist Oakley joined a group that became the Jacksonville, Florida-based band Second Coming. One night in 1969 Betts and Oakley jammed with Duane Allman, already a successful session musician, and his younger brother, and together they formed the Allman Brothers Band.

The group moved to Macon, Georgia, and released a self-titled debut album in 1969. A year later came the album Idlewild South, highlighted by Betts instrumental composition In Memory of Elizabeth Reed, which soon became a concert staple.

The 1971 double album At Fillmore East, now considered among the greatest live albums of the classic rock era, was the Allmans commercial breakthrough and cemented their performing reputation by showcasing the unique guitar interplay between Allman and Betts. Their styles contrasted, with Allman playing bluesy slide guitar, while Betts solos and singing tugged the band toward country. When layered in harmony, their playing was especially distinctive.

The group also had two drummers  Jaimoe Johanson, who is Black, and Butch Trucks.

Duane Allman died four days after Fillmore was certified as a gold record, but the band carried on and crowds continued to grow. The 1973 album Brothers and Sisters rose to No. 1 on the charts and featured Ramblin Man, with Betts singing the lead and bringing twang to the Top 40. The song reached No. 2 on the singles charts and was kept out of the No. 1 spot by Half Breed by Cher, who later married Gregg Allman.

The soaring sound of Betts guitar on Ramblin Man reverberated in neighborhood bars around the country for decades, and the song underscored his knack for melodic hooks. Ramblin Man was the Allmans only Top Ten hit, but Betts catchy 7-minute instrumental composition Jessica, recorded in 1972, became an FM radio staple.

Betts also wrote or co-wrote some of the bands other best-loved songs, including Blue Sky and Southbound. In later years the group remained a successful touring act with Betts and Warren Haynes on guitar. Gregg Allman and Butch Trucks died in 2017.

After leaving the Allmans for good, Betts continued to play with his own group and lived in the Bradenton area with his wife, Donna.
Join NY Cannabis Insider for its next industry meetup in Buffalo on May 14, 2024. Tickets available now.

This guest column was written by Cortland Deputy Mayor Wayne Schutt II. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of NY Cannabis Insider.

Dear Office of General Services Commissioner Jeanette Moy:

I am writing to you as the deputy mayor of the city of Cortland.

As deputy mayor, I was ecstatic to hear you are doing a top-down review of organizational structure, processes, and systems with a focus on improving OCM license processing times and application-to-opening timeframes for new cannabis retailers and businesses.

Like most other municipalities in New York State, the Cortland region has a number of illicit smoke shops.

Commissioner Moy, the first thing you can do after your 30-day audit is to simply issue licenses to all the New Yorkers who have their own locations. Opening up more dispensaries is the best solution to suffocate the thousands of illicit cannabis shops across New York State.

Also, cities like Cortland can use the funds from cannabis sales tax to redevelop their communities.

It has been over three years since the cannabis plant was legalized for adult-use. The licensing process has been more complex than necessary. As an elected leader of my city, I urge you to do the right thing and license LakeHouse Cannabis Dispensary location immediately.

Since adult-use cannabis was legalized in New York State, two brothers from the Cortland area have put blood, sweat and tears into a dispensary which is directly off Interstate 81s exit 11.

These two New Yorkers rehabilitated a vacant building that was an eyesore for the city of Cortland in Riverside Plaza, which gets a regular stream of visitors going north and south on Interstate 81. This effort cost them over $1 million.

These two men have always wanted to continue the tradition of developing a family-owned business located in their hometown region. They have a plan to employ and empower our neighbors. They have had extensive talks on how they will give back to our community from the proceeds of this endeavor. As they have waited for a license, they have traveled the state and met almost everyone in the cannabis community.

These brothers did not seek state funding. They used their own resources to develop their dream. These boys have a passion for the cannabis plant. Yet up to this point, they feel like their dreams have been cast aside by the Office of Cannabis Management.

Cortland is a cannabis desert since it does not, and never has had, an adult-use or medical cannabis dispensary.

The LakeHouse Cannabis group has assured the city they will have tight security at their location. They have the support of our community which is eager to see them open.

They have done everything by the book, unlike others. They have regularly lobbied the state regulators.

All they need is a license.

Sincerely,

City of Cortland Deputy Mayor Wayne Schutt II
Liverpool, N.Y.  Ophelias Place, a nonprofit agency that has provided support services for women and girls with eating disorders and body image issues for 22 years, is closing down at the end of this month.

Messages posted on Facebook by the officials at the nonprofit indicate it is having financial difficulty.
North Syracuse, N.Y.  Several hundred mourners sang songs, said prayers and lit candles Wednesday evening at a prayer service for Onondaga County Sheriffs Lt. Michael Hoosock, who was ambushed and killed Sunday by a man with a semi-automatic assault rifle.

Many mourners left in tears after the half-hour service at St. Rose of Lima Church in North Syracuse.

Just five days ago, Hoosock attended the first communion of his eldest child at the same church, the Rev. Christopher Celentano said in an interview before the service. Two days later, Hoosock, 37, and Syracuse Police Officer Michael Jensen, 29, died in a hail of gunfire from assailant Christopher R. Murphy, 33, who also died in the shootout.

Hoosocks widow and their three children attended the packed service Wednesday, along with his parents and other relatives.

This community loves you, Celentano said from the altar, addressing them. Then he turned to address the entire church.

When were in trouble, we dial 911, the priest said. When things are dark, we wait for those first responders to bring the light. And thats what Michael did. Hes always responded to the call. Our hearts break.

Photos of Onondaga County Sheriffs Lt. Michael Hoosock on the altar at St. Rose of Lima Church during a candlelight prayer service Wednesday.. (Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com)dnett@syracuse.com

Hoosock, known to many as Hootch, was a veteran firefighter and paramedic in addition to his police work. He had volunteered as a firefighter since he was a teenager, and most recently served as a battalion chief at the Moyers Corners Fire Department. He also worked part-time as a paramedic at the Manlius Fire Department.

Firefighters and police officers from a variety of agencies were among those who sat shoulder to shoulder during the service.

As hundreds of candles were lit, Celentano urged those in attendance to be the light in the darkness in this world.

The service concluded with a prayer.

We humbly ask you to comfort your servants in their grief, and to receive Michael in the arms of your mercy, Celentano said. You alone are the Holy One. You are mercy itself. By dying you unlock the gates of life for those who believe in you.

The church posted a video of the service on its Facebook page.

Calling hours for Hoosock will be private. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Monday in the Expo Center at the New York State Fairgrounds.

Staff writer Tim Knauss can be reached at: email | Twitter | 315-470-3023.
To the Editor:

New York lawmakers are busy in Albany with budget discussions on how to improve the way New York state funds local school districts. However, parents in our community know that these discussions will have little impact on our kids learning.

The Syracuse City School District now spends approximately $21,707 per student, while only 3% of our eighth graders can do math at grade level in 2022. More or less funding for our local schools wont offer the change we need to see in our childrens education.

In 2021, 348 students in the eighth grade took the New York state math assessment. How many scored level 3 or 4  which means they are proficient? Zero students. Most (80%) students tested Level 1, meaning they were below proficient standards for their grade and demonstrate limited knowledge, skills, and practices.

What has been more frustrating is that when parents like me talk to our New York Assembly members and state senators, they immediately tell us how much more money they have helped bring to our public schools. But they seem unaware that while the funding has arrived, everything has stayed the same regarding outcomes for our kids.

New York education funding has consistently increased over the past decade while enrollment in public schools has decreased, but we have yet to see any results in learning outcomes. Our local public schools continue to spend more per student without being able to change how our kids are learning math, so why should we pay attention to the state budget discussions?

We need to see fundamental change in our public schools, and it should not be just more money. We have tried that strategy over the past decade, and it has failed. What is Syracuse City School Districts plan to change how our kids learn to do basic calculations? Parents like me want to know. Our entire city should demand a better solution from our elected officials and school district staff.

Holly Grant

Syracuse
Thank you for reading!

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Dr. Paul Sansone, of Syracuse, practices Palliative Medicine at St. Josephs Hospital in Syracuse.

As another legislative session begins, I would like to voice firm opposition to the legalization of physician-assisted suicide (PAS). As a physician practicing hospice and palliative medicine in New York state, and previously in New Hampshire and Vermont, I speak with confidence that PAS should remain illegal for the betterment of all citizens.

Death and dying is a sacred journey. In offering their presence and support, family and friends unite with their dying loved one and share in the process. Bonds of love are expanded. The hurts of past relationships become open to healing and reconciliation. People of faith have the opportunity for meaningful spiritual preparation for death.

Proponents have cleverly used language as an effective tool in garnering support for PAS, employing phrases such as medical aid in dying and death with dignity. Such terms are designed to assuage moral anxieties and convey an aura of peace and serenity. My experience in Vermont, where PAS is legal, speaks otherwise. For those who follow through with taking their own lives, this aspect of a unifying and communal experience of death is disrupted.

Advocates of PAS have also attempted to reassure us about the safeguards for this practice, claiming that only those with a terminal illness and can make the decision with complete autonomy would be eligible. Also, PAS supporters contend that this will not lead to the legalization of euthanasia. Experience elsewhere argues against such false promises of reassurance. In Canada and many countries in Europe, where PAS was approved in a similarly limited way, the restrictions on who can access it and the safeguards in place to prevent elder abuse have been gradually lifted. In many of those places, the elderly, those with dementia, developmental disabilities and people experiencing depression can all be candidates for this form of treatment.

In my experience, the effects of legalizing PAS extend beyond the strictly lawful aspects by permeating society with a subtle and pervasive attitude that erodes of the value of human life.

The mentality that takes root challenges the traditional belief in the inherent dignity of the human person, made in the image and likeness of our Creator, and fashioned in an intimate and inseparable unity of body and soul.

The death-on-demand approach dismisses the truth of the inherent dignity of the human person, regardless of ones physical and psychological capacity, and replaces it with the concept of efficiency, functionality and usefulness. A person is no longer viewed for simply who they are, but for what they have, can do and produce. There arises an overemphasis on quality of life and productive efficiency; the lives of the impaired are increasingly looked upon as having no value. The message for the most vulnerable populations, especially the elderly, those with dementia and persons with disabilities, is that theirs is a life no longer worth living.

Another argument frequently proposed by advocates of PAS is the avoidance of intolerable pain and suffering. As a physician in palliative medicine, I can confidently attest to the ability to markedly reduce physical pain and suffering in almost all situations. If someone is experiencing intolerable pain and suffering, then the issue is a lack of access to adequate palliative and hospice care, and not the inability to get relief.

The truth about why people go through with PAS where it is legal is, in fact, not at all related to avoiding profound pain and suffering. It is, in reality, all about exercising personal autonomy. The data from Oregon, where PAS has been legal for over 20 years, show clearly that the overwhelming reason people seek to end their lives by PAS is related to autonomy (91% of the time), and declining ability to engage in enjoyable activities (90%). Much less common is intolerable suffering, or fear of future suffering (27%).

The exercise of personal autonomy regarding choices in health care is obviously very important; I welcome and support the practice of people having more choice regarding their health care. That said, there is a limit to personal autonomy. The concept that a person has the right to end his life by ingestion of a lethal dose of medication is absurd, and violates the fundamental precepts of the natural moral law. Among these are upholding the dignity of every human person, showing respect for inviolable and inalienable human rights, and promotion of the common good for all.

Just like people, states have the right to make bad decisions. New York need not be one of them. Do not allow physician-assisted suicide to become legal in our state. I strongly encourage the leadership and citizens of the Empire State to continue with the sound moral judgement and guidance that provides the foundation for authentic freedom and flourishing for all people.

Opposing view: Terminal diseases dont care about suffering they cause, so people must (Guest Opinion by Virgie Townsend)
Syracuse, N.Y.  Take any seat you want this weekend at Evas European Sweets in Solvay, just not the table for two next to the front door. Thats reserved. For Michael Hoosock and Michael Jensen.

On a normal night, Onondaga County sheriffs Lt. Hoosock and Syracuse patrolman Jensen might stop into the Polish restaurant for a post-shift bite and a beer, like so many law enforcement officers in Onondaga County.

But they cant be here, said Allison Perkins, a manager at Evas. But they will be in spirit.

Hoosock and Jensen were gunned down on Sunday night by a man with a semiautomatic assault rifle.

Perkins, like some other restaurant workers in the area, is doing what she can to support the families of the fallen officers. A friend who worked with Hoosock reached out to her on Tuesday to see if Evas would help the families of the fallen officers.

On Thursday, Perkins and owner Eva Zaczynski started preparing the small table next to the front door. On Friday and Saturday this weekend, it will be covered with white linen to symbolize the purity of the motives when answering a call for service. A Bible will be open to Psalm 91, representing the strength of faith in a higher power. Two 10-ounce beer glass will be inverted, representing their inability to share the toast.

Allison Perkins and Eva Zaczynski prepared a table for the two fallen officers at Eva's in Solvay. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)(Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)

A donation box will allow patrons to purchase a drink for the table. They can either drink it themselves or give it to someone else.

Its just the right thing to do, Zaczynski said.

All proceeds from the purchased drinks and donations will be donated to the Hoosock and Jensen families.

Meanwhile, over at the Wildcat Pizza Pub in Camillus, owner Dan Thome had his kitchen make extra pizzas and wings to deliver to South State Street at dinnertime. Police and sheriffs deputies were gathering to complete their reports from Sundays traffic stop that led to the subsequent shootout.

That wont be easy, reliving those chaotic minutes, and putting it to paper, Thome said. Hopefully a good meal will help them through a tough day at work.

At Brooklyn Pickle a few miles away on West Genesee Street, workers were collecting any extra money from customers to pay for lunches for law enforcement officer. Thats pretty cool, said Bud Loura, a restaurant consultant and supplier.

On Tuesday night, several law enforcement officers and firefighters who had rushed to Upstate University Hospital on Sunday, gathered at Asils Pub in Camillus to decompress. Owners Andy and Lisa Petrus poured two draft beers and set them on a table reserved for Hoosock and Jensen.

The Petruses opened a bar tab for those in mourning and left it open without saying a word.

The owners at Asil's Pub set a table aside for two law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. (Provided photo)Provided photograph

Charlie Miller finds the best in food, drink and fun across Central New York. Contact him at (315) 382-1984, or by email at cmiller@syracuse.com. You can also find him under @HoosierCuse on Twitter and on Instagram. Sign up for his free weekly Where Syracuse Eats newsletter here.
Mgdoodler BHPian

Join Date: Aug 2022 Location: Mumbai Posts: 37 Thanked: 314 Times

Re: Blue Rocket Travels - Mumbai to Kolkata and Back Day 2 02/12/2023 Saturday



Started the day at 7:30 AM. The hotel had provided a complimentary packed breakfast and that was a life saver later in the day. A quick stop at the Zero Mile marker to mark my visit to Nagpur and another stop to fill some fuel and we were off on our adventure of the day.



Roads from Nagpur towards Kolkata are in expansion mode at least in Maharashtra. It means loads of diversions, traffic jams and careful driving. Crossed into Chhattisgarh and the roads transformed. Four laned divided good surface roads all the way. Heavy vehicle traffic sticks to the right lane by the median and left lane is left free for all fast moving and not so fast moving traffic.



Due to diversions and traffic jams until Chhattisgarh, fearing further delays I had not stopped or taken a break and snacked on the packed breakfast while waiting for jams to clear and dint stop until Durg, where I filled fuel at a Jio fuel pump at the lowest price in the entire trip. This fuel pump was manned by women and had clean washrooms. Bio break done got back on the road to proceed towards Raipur and Sambalpur. Roads post Raipur are again good and it is possible to maintain speeds of 80-90 Kmph for most. Stopped at Kesariya Dhaba about 40 Km after Raipur for a quick lunch of Dal fry and Roti. Scooted from there just after 3 pm and reached Sambalpur around 6 :30 pm. The roads within Sambalpur are terrible.



Checked in to my stay for the night at Regenta Central. Located near the railway station, its a decent place with secure parking and a good restaurant.

Rested a bit and then left for some shopping and walk around the market. Purchased some Sambalpuri sarees and fabrics.

Returned to the hotel for a nice dinner of chicken curry and roti. Food was good.

Was exhausted after the day and slept early.

Today covered 565 Kms in 11.30 hrs.





Blue At Zero Mile Nagpur





Day 3 03/12/2023 Sunday



I had planned this day to be an easy day with local sightseeing around Sambalpur and then night stay at Keonjhar. This was done as I wanted to reach Kolkata by 4th afternoon before my family reached.



The exhaustion of the past two days had caught up and today was a slightly slower start. Left hotel at 8:30 am driving towards the ancient temple at Huma.



The drive after leaving Sambalpur was beautiful on a two lane undivided road crossing villages and fields. The temple is built on a leaning rock which is not visible. Being Sunday there were many student groups on school and college excursion. As is often the case, this temple is infested by langoors who terrorise visitors and raid the offerings. The garbhagriha was peaceful and for those few minutes while I was the only person there I felt at peace. Although the temple has a river flowing at the back where a lot of people visit to see the fishes, I gave it a miss due to the crowds. Gave thanks and left quickly.



Next stop planned was Hirakud dam which was on the opposite side. Followed google sir and combine that with some road closures, I was promptly directed to some of the narrowest streets and a dead end. The dead end left me on a part of the Ring Road which was closed due to its proximity to the Samleshwari temple, which is undergoing beautification and expansion. This dead end was also now converted into a ad hoc weekly market with the lovely colourful woven baskets and other articles being on display, along with many other daily use articles and vegetables on sale.



This is where I met a lady police officer directing traffic who was very intrigued by a woman who was driving solo from Mumbai to Kolkata. Was a great interaction and she shared her contact nos with a promise to help me incase of any issue during my stay in Orissa. Very kind of her.

She helped me with the directions and also insisted that I visit Samleshwari Devi and seek her blessing.



The temple was on the way to my next destination so a stop was must. Parked near the temple and walked in for a visit. Samlai as she is better known was kind to me and after a good darshan I had my first meal of the day, halwa prasad.



I returned back to the hotel as checkout time was nearing and packed all my belongings and left towards Hirakud.



Gandhi Minar is where you can take the cable car to the top for viewing the dam or you can drive up to the Minar and then walk up the stair way to the Minar and viewing deck. To drive up you need to buy a ticket  Rs 50/- for Car and 25/- per person.



I parked just before the barricade and walked up to the ticket office where a gentleman was making a note of the car no and issuing tickets. My turn came and I gave my car no, on hearing MH no he looked up and then asked how many people, I replied 1. He looked up again and looked at me and then gave me a smile that lit up his entire face. It was a beautiful moment that I will savour for a very long time.



I drove up the narrow road and with some difficulty parked at the entrance. Walked up the stairs and reached the viewing platform. And what a view it was almost the entire length of the dam was visible. Spending a few minutes here I walked up to the viewing tower and climbed up to the rotating deck which was a great experience. Snacked on Masala muri and walked down to my car.



Drove down the hill and stopped for a few minutes to set the destination for Panth Niwas, Keonjhar my stay for the night.



The road to Keonjhar is part of the Mumbai Kolkata NH. The roads are 4 laned divided for most parts. The parts that pass through the jungle areas are 2 lane undivided. in some places expansion is going on so there are potholes and diversions. The 4 laned portions have good road surface and trucks / heavy vehicles mostly stick to the right lane leaving left open for cars , 2 wheelers and 3 wheelers. with good visibility again it is possible to maintain the speed limit.



The best part of this day was driving the last 1 hour or so when you are traveling through Kanjipani ghats that are 4 laned divided and good surface. This was for me the driving highlight of the day.



Also since yesterday I was driving through elephant country and had crossed many boards cautioning to look out for elephants crossing. Didnt meet any elephants crossing and thanked my luck.



Reached Keonjhar Panth Niwas by 6 pm as the light faded for the day. I was allocated a room on the ground floor. While the location is good, the place needs maintenance and repair. The Manager was short staffed and it being a weekend the place was full. Realising that I had not had a proper meal since morning I requested for chicken pakora. Went to my room freshened up and returned to the dining area to find that it would take some time. I waited sipping on a thumps up and reading a murder mystery. My food arrived after another 30 mins.

Walked around the compound for some time. Had a light dinner of Dal, Rice and Aloo Bhaja and retired early.



Keonjhar also had the lowest night temperature of trip until now.







On our way to Huma





Hirakud Dam from the Viewing Deck





Masala Muri





Day 4 04/12/2023 Monday



Today was the day. Plan was to reach Kolkata as quickly as possible. Google maps estimated time was 8 hours.



Left just before 7 am from the hotel. The plan was to reach Kolkata before my family reached and meet them at the hotel. Drove non stop for 2 hrs plus. Stopped at a small non descript dhaba after sighting what looked like a clean washroom, which it was.



Had an aloo paratha. A revelation ... in these parts paratha is fried and served with a small portion of Dal, Pyaz and Achar. A large paratha priced at Rs 50/- filled me up for a long time.



Roads entering WB were not the best with a lot of work going on. Where the roads were okay there were barricades particularly while crossing towns, which just made the drive troublesome. This was only in WB. Had thought of stopping at Kolaghat to try the famous Sher E Punjab but was not hungry and the way the road is unless you plan you will bypass the joint. Crossed the Kolaghat Bridge and felt a little sense of achievement. Entered Kolkata in the middle of a Monday afternoon, via Howrah, Santragachi and Vidyasagar Setu reaching my hotel at Park Street by 2 pm. Traffic not withstanding that drive over Vidyasagar Setu really brought home the fact that I had driven Mumbai Kolkata solo and reached within the timing without any adverse events.



Checked in and rested for a while. Checked with family, their flight was delayed due to the storm system in Bay of Bengal. I had some time in my hand and was to meet with the taxi company we had arranged with for local travel with Kolkata and a weekend trip that rest of my family was taking to Sunderbans after the festivities. Looking at all my options I took the metro from Park Street to Baranagar station and then a share auto to my meeting. Our taxi provider had waiting the Innova and S cross that were to go to collect my family from the airport as their flight was delayed. After checking the vehicles and paying a small advance, I had planned to take an auto to Dakshineshwar. Since the cars were anyway waiting, I was offered a drop to the temple.



No mobiles or electronic items are allowed inside the temple, there are lockers and you can leave them comfortably. I was able to meet with Ma and give thanks after a wait of little over 20 mins. I didnt have a long wait maybe due to the time I had arrived. The sky changed colour as I waited and day changed into evening.



I took the metro back to Park Street and waited for rest of my family to arrive. Dinner that night was at Trincas and the food was to every ones taste. I must thank the staff at the Trincas for they catered to all our requirements with a smile and we were very comfortable.



Aloo Paratha Breakfast





Dakshineshwar Evening





Day 5 05/12/2023 Tuesday



I was awake early and before everyone else. Not wanting to lose any time around 6:30 am, I left for a walk intending to see the Hoogly at Kolkata. Starting from Park Street, crossing the park, passing by the various football clubs which lined the Indira Gandhi Road, crossing Eden Gardens and sighting Mohun Bagan club, I reached Babu Ghat where there were many buses by private operators unloading long distance passengers arriving into Kolkata from various destinations. I then crossed the road and walked along foot path looking for an entry into the promenade which arrived at Judges Ghat. Spent some time looking at the Howrah bridge, the buildings lining the opposite bank and the ships anchored in the river. It was quiet and soothing. I turned back after spending some time here and found a yellow Amby cab to take me back.

We had earmarked the day for some sightseeing around park street area and spent time at Victoria Memorial and Princep Ghat before returning to Trincas for a late lunch.

The rest of the evening was spent with extended family at the hotel where the barat was put up.





Eden Gardens





Howrah Bridge from Judges Ghat





Day 6/7 06/12/2023-07/12//2023



Days were spent with family as the festivities began and ended the next night after all the wedding rituals were done. We all had a great time with good company and good food. Started the day at 7:30 AM. The hotel had provided a complimentary packed breakfast and that was a life saver later in the day. A quick stop at the Zero Mile marker to mark my visit to Nagpur and another stop to fill some fuel and we were off on our adventure of the day.Roads from Nagpur towards Kolkata are in expansion mode at least in Maharashtra. It means loads of diversions, traffic jams and careful driving. Crossed into Chhattisgarh and the roads transformed. Four laned divided good surface roads all the way. Heavy vehicle traffic sticks to the right lane by the median and left lane is left free for all fast moving and not so fast moving traffic.Due to diversions and traffic jams until Chhattisgarh, fearing further delays I had not stopped or taken a break and snacked on the packed breakfast while waiting for jams to clear and dint stop until Durg, where I filled fuel at a Jio fuel pump at the lowest price in the entire trip. This fuel pump was manned by women and had clean washrooms. Bio break done got back on the road to proceed towards Raipur and Sambalpur. Roads post Raipur are again good and it is possible to maintain speeds of 80-90 Kmph for most. Stopped at Kesariya Dhaba about 40 Km after Raipur for a quick lunch of Dal fry and Roti. Scooted from there just after 3 pm and reached Sambalpur around 6 :30 pm. The roads within Sambalpur are terrible.Checked in to my stay for the night at Regenta Central. Located near the railway station, its a decent place with secure parking and a good restaurant.Rested a bit and then left for some shopping and walk around the market. Purchased some Sambalpuri sarees and fabrics.Returned to the hotel for a nice dinner of chicken curry and roti. Food was good.Was exhausted after the day and slept early.Today covered 565 Kms in 11.30 hrs.Blue At Zero Mile NagpurI had planned this day to be an easy day with local sightseeing around Sambalpur and then night stay at Keonjhar. This was done as I wanted to reach Kolkata by 4th afternoon before my family reached.The exhaustion of the past two days had caught up and today was a slightly slower start. Left hotel at 8:30 am driving towards the ancient temple at Huma.The drive after leaving Sambalpur was beautiful on a two lane undivided road crossing villages and fields. The temple is built on a leaning rock which is not visible. Being Sunday there were many student groups on school and college excursion. As is often the case, this temple is infested by langoors who terrorise visitors and raid the offerings. The garbhagriha was peaceful and for those few minutes while I was the only person there I felt at peace. Although the temple has a river flowing at the back where a lot of people visit to see the fishes, I gave it a miss due to the crowds. Gave thanks and left quickly.Next stop planned was Hirakud dam which was on the opposite side. Followed google sir and combine that with some road closures, I was promptly directed to some of the narrowest streets and a dead end. The dead end left me on a part of the Ring Road which was closed due to its proximity to the Samleshwari temple, which is undergoing beautification and expansion. This dead end was also now converted into a ad hoc weekly market with the lovely colourful woven baskets and other articles being on display, along with many other daily use articles and vegetables on sale.This is where I met a lady police officer directing traffic who was very intrigued by a woman who was driving solo from Mumbai to Kolkata. Was a great interaction and she shared her contact nos with a promise to help me incase of any issue during my stay in Orissa. Very kind of her.She helped me with the directions and also insisted that I visit Samleshwari Devi and seek her blessing.The temple was on the way to my next destination so a stop was must. Parked near the temple and walked in for a visit. Samlai as she is better known was kind to me and after a good darshan I had my first meal of the day, halwa prasad.I returned back to the hotel as checkout time was nearing and packed all my belongings and left towards Hirakud.Gandhi Minar is where you can take the cable car to the top for viewing the dam or you can drive up to the Minar and then walk up the stair way to the Minar and viewing deck. To drive up you need to buy a ticket  Rs 50/- for Car and 25/- per person.I parked just before the barricade and walked up to the ticket office where a gentleman was making a note of the car no and issuing tickets. My turn came and I gave my car no, on hearing MH no he looked up and then asked how many people, I replied 1. He looked up again and looked at me and then gave me a smile that lit up his entire face. It was a beautiful moment that I will savour for a very long time.I drove up the narrow road and with some difficulty parked at the entrance. Walked up the stairs and reached the viewing platform. And what a view it was almost the entire length of the dam was visible. Spending a few minutes here I walked up to the viewing tower and climbed up to the rotating deck which was a great experience. Snacked on Masala muri and walked down to my car.Drove down the hill and stopped for a few minutes to set the destination for Panth Niwas, Keonjhar my stay for the night.The road to Keonjhar is part of the Mumbai Kolkata NH. The roads are 4 laned divided for most parts. The parts that pass through the jungle areas are 2 lane undivided. in some places expansion is going on so there are potholes and diversions. The 4 laned portions have good road surface and trucks / heavy vehicles mostly stick to the right lane leaving left open for cars , 2 wheelers and 3 wheelers. with good visibility again it is possible to maintain the speed limit.The best part of this day was driving the last 1 hour or so when you are traveling through Kanjipani ghats that are 4 laned divided and good surface. This was for me the driving highlight of the day.Also since yesterday I was driving through elephant country and had crossed many boards cautioning to look out for elephants crossing. Didnt meet any elephants crossing and thanked my luck.Reached Keonjhar Panth Niwas by 6 pm as the light faded for the day. I was allocated a room on the ground floor. While the location is good, the place needs maintenance and repair. The Manager was short staffed and it being a weekend the place was full. Realising that I had not had a proper meal since morning I requested for chicken pakora. Went to my room freshened up and returned to the dining area to find that it would take some time. I waited sipping on a thumps up and reading a murder mystery. My food arrived after another 30 mins.Walked around the compound for some time. Had a light dinner of Dal, Rice and Aloo Bhaja and retired early.Keonjhar also had the lowest night temperature of trip until now.On our way to HumaHirakud Dam from the Viewing DeckMasala MuriToday was the day. Plan was to reach Kolkata as quickly as possible. Google maps estimated time was 8 hours.Left just before 7 am from the hotel. The plan was to reach Kolkata before my family reached and meet them at the hotel. Drove non stop for 2 hrs plus. Stopped at a small non descript dhaba after sighting what looked like a clean washroom, which it was.Had an aloo paratha. A revelation ... in these parts paratha is fried and served with a small portion of Dal, Pyaz and Achar. A large paratha priced at Rs 50/- filled me up for a long time.Roads entering WB were not the best with a lot of work going on. Where the roads were okay there were barricades particularly while crossing towns, which just made the drive troublesome. This was only in WB. Had thought of stopping at Kolaghat to try the famous Sher E Punjab but was not hungry and the way the road is unless you plan you will bypass the joint. Crossed the Kolaghat Bridge and felt a little sense of achievement. Entered Kolkata in the middle of a Monday afternoon, via Howrah, Santragachi and Vidyasagar Setu reaching my hotel at Park Street by 2 pm. Traffic not withstanding that drive over Vidyasagar Setu really brought home the fact that I had driven Mumbai Kolkata solo and reached within the timing without any adverse events.Checked in and rested for a while. Checked with family, their flight was delayed due to the storm system in Bay of Bengal. I had some time in my hand and was to meet with the taxi company we had arranged with for local travel with Kolkata and a weekend trip that rest of my family was taking to Sunderbans after the festivities. Looking at all my options I took the metro from Park Street to Baranagar station and then a share auto to my meeting. Our taxi provider had waiting the Innova and S cross that were to go to collect my family from the airport as their flight was delayed. After checking the vehicles and paying a small advance, I had planned to take an auto to Dakshineshwar. Since the cars were anyway waiting, I was offered a drop to the temple.No mobiles or electronic items are allowed inside the temple, there are lockers and you can leave them comfortably. I was able to meet with Ma and give thanks after a wait of little over 20 mins. I didnt have a long wait maybe due to the time I had arrived. The sky changed colour as I waited and day changed into evening.I took the metro back to Park Street and waited for rest of my family to arrive. Dinner that night was at Trincas and the food was to every ones taste. I must thank the staff at the Trincas for they catered to all our requirements with a smile and we were very comfortable.Aloo Paratha BreakfastDakshineshwar EveningI was awake early and before everyone else. Not wanting to lose any time around 6:30 am, I left for a walk intending to see the Hoogly at Kolkata. Starting from Park Street, crossing the park, passing by the various football clubs which lined the Indira Gandhi Road, crossing Eden Gardens and sighting Mohun Bagan club, I reached Babu Ghat where there were many buses by private operators unloading long distance passengers arriving into Kolkata from various destinations. I then crossed the road and walked along foot path looking for an entry into the promenade which arrived at Judges Ghat. Spent some time looking at the Howrah bridge, the buildings lining the opposite bank and the ships anchored in the river. It was quiet and soothing. I turned back after spending some time here and found a yellow Amby cab to take me back.We had earmarked the day for some sightseeing around park street area and spent time at Victoria Memorial and Princep Ghat before returning to Trincas for a late lunch.The rest of the evening was spent with extended family at the hotel where the barat was put up.Eden GardensHowrah Bridge from Judges GhatDays were spent with family as the festivities began and ended the next night after all the wedding rituals were done. We all had a great time with good company and good food. Last edited by Rehaan : 18th April 2024 at 10:19 . Reason: Adding some formatting :)
In brief: Russia is believed to have carried out its first attack on a US water system following an incident in a small Texas town. Sandworm, which has ties with Vladimir Putin's government, is suspected of a hack that caused a water tower to overflow.

In January, a resident in the small town of Muleshoe, north Texas, noticed that a water tower was overflowing. Tens of thousands of gallons of water flowed into the streets and drains in what the authorities determined was due to the water supply control system being hacked.

The Washington Post reports that the hackers posted a video on Telegram of the town's water-control systems and a nearby town being manipulated, showing how they hacked it and reset the controls. The attackers called themselves the Cyber Army of Russia Reborn (CARR).

"We're starting another raid on the USA," the video caption reads in Russian.

Muleshoe's city manager, Ramon Sanchez, said the hackers brute-forced the password for the system's control system interface, which was run by a vendor. The password hadn't been changed in more than a decade. At least two other towns in the area that were subjected to attempted hacks used the same vendor.

Google-owned cybersecurity company Mandiant said that the Russian government-backed group Sandworm was likely behind the attack. The group, suspected to be part of Russia's GRU spy agency, has been supporting Russia's military campaign in Ukraine. Sandworm has disrupted the country's energy grid at least three times (even before Russia invaded the country), hacked the Olympic Games in South Korea in 2018, ran spear phishing campaigns aimed at disrupting the 2017 French elections, and launched the notorious NotPetya ransomware that caused global chaos in 2017.

Mandiant says that social media accounts were created on YouTube for CARR using servers associated with Sandworm. It also observed CARR posting data stolen from the Ukrainian government by Sandworm hackers.

The US charged six Russian intelligence officers believed to be part of Sandworm in 2020 over various crimes, including the creation of NetPetya and disrupting the 2016 US presidential elections.

This isn't the only attack on a US water facility by a foreign adversary. There was a cyberattack on a Pennsylvania water plant in November that US officials blamed on Iran. It took advantage of a default manufacturer password on certain operational technology that had not been changed.

The incidents have led to calls from national security adviser Jake Sullivan for the country's 150,000 public water systems to boost their defenses against hacks.

Masthead: Nils Huenerfuerst
In brief: Russia is once again running online campaigns in an attempt to manipulate the presidential elections in the US, albeit at a slower pace than what we saw during previous elections. Microsoft writes that the country is mostly trying to undermine support for Ukraine and NATO among US audiences.

Russia's US election influence campaign has picked up the pace over the last two months, writes Microsoft, but the less contested primary season means it hasn't been as intense as in 2016 and 2020.

Russia's primary focus in its campaign is spreading support for its war in Ukraine through disinformation, reducing support for NATO, and causing infighting within the US, using traditional and social media and a mix of covert and overt campaigns.

Microsoft writes that Russian-affiliated group Storm-1516 pushes an anti-Ukraine message by creating a video of someone presenting as a whistleblower or citizen journalist spreading a Russian-positive narrative about the war. The video is then covered by a seemingly unaffiliated global network of covertly managed websites, including DC Weekly and The Intel Drop, before being amplified by Russian expats, officials, and fellow travellers. US audiences then repeat and repost the disinformation, likely unaware of its source.

Another group highlighted by Microsoft is Star Blizzard, aka Cold River. It focuses on Western think tanks, and while it still has no connection to the 2024 elections, its focus on US political figures may be the first in a series of hacking campaigns designed to drive Kremlin-favored outcomes heading into November.

There have been a lot of concerns over foreign adversaries using advanced AI to influence US elections. Microsoft said that the widespread use of deepfaked videos has so far not been observed, but AI-enhanced and AI audio fake content is likely to have more success.

Microsoft writes that AI-enhanced content is more influential than fully AI-generated content, AI audio more impactful than AI video, and fake content purporting to come from a private setting such as a phone call is more effective than fake content from a public setting. The company adds that impersonations of lesser-known people work better than impersonations of well-known individuals such as world leaders.

We've already seen examples of faked audio being used to influence people. A 39-second robocall went out to voters in New Hampshire in January telling them not to vote in the Democratic primary election, but to "save their votes" for the November presidential election. The voice handing out this advice was an AI-generated model that sounded almost exactly like Joe Biden. It led to the FCC making AI-generated robocalls illegal and Biden calling for a ban on AI voice impersonations.

It's not just Russia looking to disrupt and influence the US elections using AI. Microsoft warned earlier this month that Chinese campaigns have continued to refine AI-generated or AI-enhanced content, creating videos, memes, and audio, among others, to create social media posts focusing on politically divisive topics.

In February, 20 major companies, including Amazon, Google, Meta, and X, signed an agreement pledging to root out deepfake and generative AI content designed to influence or interfere with citizens' democratic right to vote.
A hot potato: Big tech companies have been prominently promoting chatbots, machine learning technology, and large language models as the next major advancements in the industry for years to come. Microsoft appears to be constructing an extremely costly supercomputer for this purpose, while Google aims to increase its investment to surpass the competition.

According to Demis Hassabis, the child prodigy who founded DeepMind, Google is likely to invest more than $100 billion in AI technology and applications in the near future. DeepMind is a British-American research laboratory that has been working on AI since 2010. Google acquired the company in 2014.

Hassabis made this investment projection while speaking at a TED conference in Vancouver. When asked about Stargate, the AI supercomputer reportedly being built by Microsoft and OpenAI with a $100 billion budget, Hassabis couldn't provide specific numbers. However, he suggested that Google would likely invest more than Microsoft's alleged Stargate budget "over time."

How Google will allocate this substantial sum to advance AI remains uncertain, though a significant portion may go towards hardware development. +

Google recently introduced Axion, a new Arm-based chip tailored to enhance performance for AI training and cloud-based services, while consuming significantly less power than current system-on-chip products and AI accelerators.

Hassabis began his career as a level designer and programmer of video game AI algorithms, collaborating with Peter Molyneux on titles such as Syndicate (1993), Theme Park (1994), Black & White (2001), and others. He later founded his own development studios, Elixir, to create games featuring significant AI elements, such as Republic: The Revolution and Evil Genius. Eventually, he decided to leave game development behind and return to academia to focus on AI research.

The primary goal of DeepMind was to develop increasingly complex machine learning algorithms to "solve intelligence," aiming to provide insights that could help realize the elusive dream of artificial general intelligence (AGI). Hassabis chose to partner with Google because AGI development requires substantial computing power and financial resources. However, OpenAI quickly gained attention, overshadowing DeepMind and Google's ambitious endeavors.

Despite being in operation for over a decade, DeepMind has yet to produce an AI-based product capable of rivaling ChatGPT's success. Currently, the company is focused on enhancing AI's capacity to acquire skills through social learning, which could significantly enhance the intelligence of machine learning algorithms.
What just happened? It's not just the US where TikTok is facing problems. The European Commission has given the company 24 hours to provide a risk assessment of a new service that rewards people for watching videos. There are concerns that it could lead to children becoming addicted to the platform.

TikTok Lite launched in France and Spain this month after being available in Asia for several years. As the name suggests, it has a smaller install size than the standard version of the app and requires less data usage. It's also designed mostly for watching videos  users cannot create or upload their own content.

TikTok Lite also has a feature called Task & Reward Lite that offers prizes such as Amazon vouchers, PayPal gift cards, and TikTok's in-app Coins currency used to tip people on the platform. Users must perform tasks to earn the rewards, including watching videos, liking content, inviting friends, or following accounts.

The European Commission said TikTok should have carried out a risk assessment before launching the app in the EU, and it now wants "more details."

The Commission is concerned about the rewards feature's impact on the protection of minors and the mental health of users, particularly in relation to addictive behavior. The Commission also wants information about what measures TikTok has put in place to mitigate these systemic risks.

Thierry Breton, European commissioner for internal markets, asked of TikTok Lite, "Is social media 'lite' as addictive and toxic as cigarettes 'light'?"

Is social media "lite" as addictive and toxic as cigarettes "light"?



We have just sent a request for information regarding the launch of #TikTokLite.



We will spare no effort to protect minors under the #DSA. pic.twitter.com/3oC0Msm28J  Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) April 17, 2024

TikTok must provide the risk assessment for TikTok Lite within 24 hours and the other requested information by 26 April, 2024. The Commission notes that it can impose fines for incorrect, incomplete, or misleading information in response to a request for information.

The commission opened a formal investigation into TikTok in February to assess whether it may have breached the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) in areas linked to the protection of minors, advertising transparency, data access for researchers, and the risk management of addictive design and harmful content.

Social media firms in the US are facing hundreds of lawsuits accusing them of being responsible for the harms they allegedly cause children, especially when it comes to addiction. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently won a dismissal in dozens of these suits seeking to hold him personally liable.
The European Union has taken a firm stance on child safety concerns raised by ByteDance's popular social media platform TikTok, requesting a thorough risk assessment for the newly launched TikTok Lite application, Reuters reports.

TikTok Lite, which was released this month in France and Spain, features a "Task and Reward Lite" program that allows users over the age of 18 to earn points for engaging in various app activities such as watching videos, liking content, following creators, and inviting friends.

New Regulation to Safeguard Young Users

Under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which came into effect earlier this year, the European Commission has intensified its scrutiny of online platforms, aiming to ensure compliance with stringent regulations aimed at protecting users, particularly minors, from harmful content and addictive behaviors.

The DSA authorizes the Commission to impose fines of up to 6% of a company's global annual turnover for violations.

EU Questions Bytedance Over TikTok Lite Launch

In response to mounting concerns over the potential impact of TikTok Lite on child safety and users' mental health, the EU industry chief Thierry Breton has issued a directive requiring ByteDance to furnish a comprehensive risk assessment within 24 hours.

This assessment must address the potential risks posed by the "Task and Reward Lite" program, particularly its implications for addictive behavior and the protection of minors.

Furthermore, the Commission has requested additional information from ByteDance regarding the measures implemented to mitigate systemic risks associated with TikTok Lite.

This photograph taken on April 11, 2024, in Paris, shows the logo of the Chinese social network application TikTok Lite.

Read Also : Geographically Skewed AI Investments in England Risks Regional Inequality, Claims Study

These measures are crucial for addressing broader concerns regarding the platform's impact on users' mental health and ensuring compliance with regulatory frameworks.

The demand for a risk assessment and enhanced transparency measures follows the initiation of a formal probe into TikTok's practices under the DSA earlier this year.

The investigation, launched by the European Commission in February, encompasses a range of issues, including child safety, advertising transparency, data accessibility for researchers, and the management of addictive design and harmful content.

What's Next?

In light of these developments, TikTok finds itself under increasing scrutiny, alongside other online platforms subject to the provisions of the DSA. The European Commission's proactive approach reflects its commitment to upholding stringent standards for online safety and accountability, setting a precedent for regulatory action in the digital sphere.

Earlier this year, TikTok spoke out against an EU fee aimed at enforcing a content moderation law, mirroring a recent move by Facebook's parent company Meta.

TikTok has challenged the methodology used to calculate certain fees. The platform expressed particular dissatisfaction with the use of third-party estimates for its monthly active user numbers.

ByteDance faces mounting pressure to address the Commission's concerns and demonstrate its commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of TikTok's user base.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.
The NASA PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission uses the Near Space Network of the space agency, and its first transmission showed how this mode of communication helps improve the overall process. Moving forward, PACE will enjoy using the Near Space Network, which will also demonstrate how it could benefit future missions of the agency.

NASA faced massive challenges, particularly disruptions and other forms of delay that are common for space operations.

NASA PACE Shared Data to Earth via Near Space Network

NASA said that the PACE mission demonstrated its first time to "phone home," starting to deliver operational data for researchers to study the planet. This was through the data-storing technology from the NASA Near Space Network, which was recently given two massive enhancements that PACE demonstrated and is meant to expand communications from future missions.

When received from PACE, the data is encoded and then sent back to Earth via radio waves through the Near Space and Deep Space Networks.

However, these kinds of transmissions can be delayed, but thanks to its DTN (Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking), it can safely store the data and forward it once it is possible. The Near Space Network can support communications up to 1.2 million miles from the Earth.

PACE is 250 miles above the planet.

How NASA's Near Space Network Will Improve Missions

DTN is the future of space communications, providing robust protection of data that could be lost due to a disruption -Kevin Coggins, deputy associate administrator for NASA's Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program

Apart from the DTN, NASA's partnership with Kongsberg Satellite Services in Norway brought four new antennas for the network and PACE. PACE can downlink science data 12 to 15 times a day, sending over a total of 2.5 terabytes of data per day.

NASA's Cosmic Communications Development

Communications and network connections are significantly important in space missions, as this ensures that the mission moves forward and continues its operations. Recently, NASA tested the new Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) project, which would apply to faraway missions like the Psyche Asteroid mission and the future Mars landing venture.

Instead of radio-based communications, which NASA has long used, it announced last year that it is switching towards a laser-based form of communication, one that it believes would help improve the connections for the ISS. This follows the project that NASA launched in 2021 after the launch of the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD).

The PACE mission spacecraft is further away from the Earth, and its distance is certainly a far one that impedes clear and fast transmission. Still, thanks to NASA's technology, delivering daily loads of data is possible. The first operational data from PACE gave the scientists much more information about the planet, with the Near Space Network proving to be a key part of the agency.
A massive new development for Donald Trump's Truth Social is changing the platform's landscape now, and it is becoming a 'woke' social media claims reports.

It is widely known as a social media platform that supports far-right ideologies and ideals, where extreme opinions are welcome and get support, with recent changes helping it evolve for the better.

Moreover, it is now adopting the famed ideology known as the DEI, with its Board and people behind the scenes looking to change the platform towards new beginnings.

Donald Trump's Truth Social is Now 'Woke'

Being 'woke' means not turning the other cheek, acknowledging the many injustices and problems in the world, and doing something about them to reduce the practice, which is where Trump's Truth Social is headed now.

As revealed by the platform's Corporate Governance Guidelines (via MeidasTouch), the social media reiterated the importance of diversity and inclusion within the company via an entire section.

Additionally, the Board believes in and supports equal opportunity in employment to all persons and strongly encourages management to embrace the unique contributions an employee or candidate can bring to the Company and its culture in terms of their education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, nationality, color, religion, veteran's status, disability, and other life experiences. The Company does not tolerate sexual or other unlawful harassment or discrimination by any employee, volunteer, vendor, contractor, consultant, customer, or visitor.

Truth Social is Now Committed to DEI

However, this still centers on the company's stand and commitment to the DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) ideology, with the guidelines not detailing if it would be applied to the app's Community Guidelines.

That being said, this is a massive step for the platform that was notorious for promoting far-right beliefs, centering on 'free speech' promotion.

The Notorious Truth Social

Truth Social was former President of the United States Donald Trump's redemption after he was kicked off major social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (now X) for his alleged influence behind the January 6 Capitol riot. The platform was touted as a "Free speech" social media, but several critics and an NYU analyst regarded it as a "disaster."

It is also known for employing censor bots to make the platform 'family-friendly,' partnering with Hive to deliver this advanced content moderation.

Amidst the platform's fame among Trump supporters and far-right believers, it still faced financial and legal troubles during its run, and there are also issues with its technological development.

For many years, Trump's Truth Social had its fair share of supporters, but the company had to jump ship towards a merger with DWAC, which led to the platform going public.

With this newfound direction, massive developments were applied and improved more of the platform. It is now updating its Corporate Governance Guidelines, which stand with diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Uber will now officially look into the account that led driver Loletha Hall killed after she was directed to an Ohio home where 81-year-old Wiliam J. Brock shot the woman to death, erroneously thinking she was part of an online scam.

According to an Uber representative, Loletha Hall's shooting murder on March 25 is "a horrific tragedy," and that account has now been banned. Concerning Hall's death, Brock was charged on Monday with murder, felonious assault, and kidnapping.

According to the two felony murder counts, Brock killed Hall by conducting or attempting to commit felonious assault or kidnapping, respectively, as an underlying crime.

He was accused not only with three charges of murder but also of kidnapping and felonious assault. He is charged with five counts total.

(Photo: Tom Def from Unsplash) An interconnected chain of false shooter reports is disrupting US schools and law enforcers.

On March 25, Brock allegedly shot Hall many times outside his South Charleston residence, as per the criminal complaint. Hall passed away after being brought to a nearby hospital.

Before the incident, Brock informed the police that he had received threatening calls from a male caller who claimed to be a relative of his and tried to extract money from him.

The caller also threatened Brock and his family. Sources indicate that Brock shot 61-year-old Hall many times when she arrived at his home in her Uber.

As per an earlier report, Hall had no idea Brock had received scam calls. When she got to the house and got out of her car, Brock pointed a gun at her and demanded to know who was making the threats. He also took Hall's cell phone away and stopped her from leaving the area.

Read Also: Hong Kong Police Bust Massive Online Scam Ring, Arrest 1,121 in $2.2 Billion Syndicate Operation

Tragic Shooting Incident

After Hall attempted to run, Brock shot her once, then twice more while they were conversing. Brock fired the third shot during the altercation, but not before suffering a minor head injury, which prompted him to call 911.

According to the Clark County Sheriff's Office, police saw no actual threat from Hall throughout the interaction; hence, Brock was taken into custody and prosecuted.

Uber has previously offered its condolences for the unfortunate event and emphasized that Loletha's family will always have its support during this trying period. Uber also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the investigation and confirmed its cooperation with law enforcement in the statement.

Scams Targeting Older People

The scam calls concerning Brock are another incident based on a study conducted last November. According to a survey by the nonprofit organization Re-engage and the University of Portsmouth, two out of three older people have fallen victim to scams in the previous year. This has led to increased anxiety, sadness, and, in some severe cases, suicidal ideation.

The study, which includes 1,177 participants, is among the largest of its type and provides insight into the widespread problem of con artists preying on the elderly.

About 20% of individuals polled said they were the target of weekly scam attempts, and 40% said they were approached illegally monthly. These scams primarily use telephone techniques, such as text-based, landline, and mobile approaches.

Related Article: Multinational Firm Loses $25M in Elaborate Deepfake Scam Impersonating CEO and CFO

(Photo: Tech Times)
A new feature is coming to Google Messages: 'Selfie GIFs,' which will help users create a custom moving image to send to friends, family, or contacts on the platform.

Creating a selfie GIF would record a three-second clip from the sender, one that would end automatically as the time elapsed. Users would only be given a chance to record, restart, or end the creative process.

This new feature is not yet generally available, but it offers an intuitively creative way of engaging people to send media to their contacts.

Google Messages to Bring 'Selfie GIFs'

There is now a support article dedicated to 'Selfie GIFs,' the latest feature yet to arrive on Google Messages. This feature is meant to improve the instant messaging platform's experiences.

According to 9to5Google, the feature is not yet available in either the beta or stable releases of the app, but it is expected to arrive soon, considering it already has a dedicated support article.

The Selfie GIFs would allow users to create moving media with no audio and send it to friends or contacts on the platform. The maximum time limit would be three seconds only for the GIF.

Recording a GIF would be found alongside the Suggested action prompts, part of the text field box where users would compose messages, send photos, use Bard, and more.

Send New GIFs to Contacts and MORE

The Selfie GIFs a user makes would also automatically save on their device by default, meaning they may also use it to send on other platforms, not only Google Messages.

However, this would not be part of the recently added custom camera on the app.

Users need to long-press the camera icon in the text box to launch Selfie GIFs and start creating their new content.

Google Messages Features

Last November 2023, Google claimed that it reached over one billion users who enjoy RCS's benefits with the Google Messages app, centering on its renowned messaging service and interconnectivity for all.

With this, the company also introduced new features to Google Messages, including Photomoji with Google's AI, Voice Moods, Screen Effects, Custom Bubbles, and more.

Earlier this year, Google delivered its renowned AI chatbot, Bard, to the Messages app, which was meant to replace its long-time Allo Assistant on the platform.

Initially, the generative AI chatbot was offered through the beta testing program, offering a tool to create new messages from user prompts or simply have someone to talk to while using the app.

It is known that Google Messages has long campaigned for RCS, which is best known for its pressure against Apple to adopt the technology for their iMessage and replace the SMS and MMS.

That said, Google has been regularly updating the Messages app to add more features, including the upcoming Selfie GIFs, which allow users to create their own media and share it with the world.
LinkedIn is exploring a fresh avenue to bolster its earnings by introducing a Premium Company Page subscription, signaling a strategic initiative to diversify its revenue sources.

The introduction of AI-powered content creation tools simplifies the content creation process for businesses and ensures a consistent and professional tone across their profiles.

LinkedIn's AI-Powered Content Creation Initiative

LinkedIn is quietly experimenting with a new way to generate revenue by offering a Premium Company Page subscription, marking a strategic move to expand its revenue streams. By targeting small and medium-sized businesses, the platform aims to offer tailored solutions that enhance their online presence and engagement with users.

The inclusion of AI-assisted content creation not only streamlines the process for businesses but also ensures a consistent and professional tone across their profiles.

Moreover, the tools provided with the subscription, such as those for increasing follower counts, demonstrate LinkedIn's commitment to helping companies grow their networks and reach a wider audience.

This initiative aligns with LinkedIn's broader strategy of becoming more than just a professional networking platform but also a valuable resource for businesses looking to market themselves effectively.

However, as with any new feature or service, there may be concerns about the potential cost and effectiveness of AI-generated content compared to human-written material.

Given LinkedIn's history of data privacy issues and its scrutiny regarding user data collection, users may be apprehensive about how their information will be utilized within this new subscription model.

LinkedIn currently finds itself in a favorable position. With significant shifts occurring on other social media platforms and search engines, where algorithms influence user discoveries and misinformation spreads widely, LinkedIn aims to establish itself as a secure platform.

LinkedIn seeks to become the go-to platform for professionals and prosumers seeking a reliable social profile. About six days ago, LinkedIn introduced details about its new Premium Company Page, albeit quietly.

Suzi Owens, senior director of communications at LinkedIn, explained that the company is always exploring new ways to enhance customer experience and assist businesses in achieving their business goals.

This service is designed to help these businesses attract customers, build credibility, and stand out to their audience.

Expanding Range of Premium Offerings

Pricing for premium company pages is not immediately disclosed, but it appears admins of eligible pages can see it. Fees start at $99.99 per month per Page, reducing to $839.88 per Page for an annual subscription.

This is part of LinkedIn's strategy to offer a range of premium options for organizations on the platform.

This new premium company page joins LinkedIn's expanding range of premium offerings tailored for organizations on the platform. It aligns with the diverse usage and pricing tiers already available for individuals and recruiters using LinkedIn.

LinkedIn continues integrating AI assistance into its platform, with AI writing support being the latest addition. This initiative builds on efforts started last year, leveraging Microsoft's collaboration with OpenAI.
The Biden administration has finalized a deal to offer Micron Technology $6.1 billion in governmental assistance. This funding aims to facilitate the production of advanced memory computer chips in facilities.

A view of a building where US semiconductor giant Micron is facilities are located in Shanghai on May 22, 2023. US semiconductor giant Micron has failed a national security review, China's cybersecurity watchdog said on May 21, telling operators of "critical information infrastructure" to stop buying its products. (Photo: HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images)

Schumer's Push for Micron Funding

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's efforts to secure $6.1 billion in government support for Micron Technology represent a significant boost for the manufacturing sector, particularly in New York and Idaho, as reported by the Associated Press.

The investment aims to bolster the production of advanced memory computer chips, addressing the growing demand for semiconductor technology.

Schumer's personal involvement in courting Micron underscores the importance of this initiative, highlighting its potential to create jobs and stimulate economic growth in the region.

With plans to establish four chip factories near Syracuse, the project is poised to become a cornerstone of technological innovation, positioning the United States as a leader in semiconductor manufacturing.

Drawing a parallel to the boldness of the 1825 project linking the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, this comparison highlights the potential economic and national security implications in an era dominated by digital technologies.

Expansion Plans After Receiving Support from the Government

With government backing, Micron intends to inject $100 billion into upstate New York over the next 20 years. This investment is projected to create approximately 9,000 permanent positions and generate 40,000 jobs in construction. Additionally, Micron has revealed its intention to construct a $15 billion memory chip facility in its home base of Boise, Idaho.

The initiative's funding comes from the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, which was designed to offer government assistance for the establishment and expansion of facilities by leading chip manufacturers like Intel, TSMC, Samsung, and GlobalFoundries.

With $52 billion allocated, the law aims to bolster the domestic semiconductor sector, mitigating the risk of chip shortages that could adversely impact the U.S. economy and national security, particularly amidst the pandemic.

Under the Democratic administration's guidance, there is a targeted objective for 20% of the world's advanced chip production to occur within the United States. As part of this strategy, the flow of chips to China has been restricted.

A high-ranking official within the Biden administration, preferring anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the discussion, verified the agreement with Micron ahead of its official announcement.

President Joe Biden emphasized the crucial role of computer chips, which power many applications, from military weaponry to artificial intelligence to everyday household appliances like refrigerators.

Biden contrasted his approach with that of his predecessor, Republican Donald Trump, highlighting differences in strategies aimed at boosting the chip sector and limiting China's chip access.

On the other hand, Trump has claimed that his imposition of tariffs on China made the nation wary of him as he sought to protect American manufacturing jobs. Biden has maintained these tariffs and suggested potential expansions.

Both leaders have presented their approaches to China and trade as robust, with Trump boasting about his administration's actions during a recent rally in Pennsylvania.
Turkish YouTuber Ruhi Cenet's channel has been targeted by hackers once more, leaving his 8.65 million subscribers uncertain. The hackers attempted to take control of Cenet's educational channel and transform it into one focused on cryptocurrency.

My name is Ruhi Cenet. I am an independent documentary filmmaker. I go to unique places unknown to many and discover them with a different approach. (Photo: Discover With Ruhi Cenet YouTube Channel)

Targeted by Hackers (Again)

All Turkish YouTuber Ruhi Cenet's channel videos have been deleted, rendering it completely empty. Cenet took to Instagram to inform his followers about the incident, cautioning them against believing any fake broadcasts from the compromised channel.

The channel underwent a name change during the recent hack, and all its content was wiped out. This isn't the first time the channel has been targeted; it faced a previous hack, but the content was restored. The channel's name and banner seem to be back to normal. However, the hacker's identity remains unknown.

Known for its educational content in Turkey, Cenet's channel faced hackers attempting to transform it into a cryptocurrency-focused platform. Cenet reported a loss of approximately 300,000 subscribers due to the incident.

Moreover, the hackers tried to initiate a livestream titled "Response to SEC's $2 Billion Fine! XRP Price Prediction" to attract viewers, especially those interested in cryptocurrency investment. Sadly, this is a frequent ordeal experienced by many others in the online community.

During the initial theft of Cenet's YouTube account, the channel's name was altered to "Ripple." Alongside the name change, all videos were wiped out. Cenet faced backlash after his remarks following the incident reportedly stirred negative reactions from many users.

Just a few days back, Cenet shared that he had regained control of his account, but unfortunately, it seems to have been short-lived, as his channel has been hacked once more. The reason behind this recurring issue remains unclear.

Cenet's roots trace back to his childhood spent in Manisa and Bandrma, Turkey. After completing his university studies in India in 2007, he returned to Turkey in 2011.

Upon his homecoming, he created video content for YouTube, launching his channel, "Ruhi Cenet Videolar" (Ruhi Cenet Videos), on September 19, 2012.

As one of Turkey's most prominent YouTubers, Cenet is renowned for his educational and documentary content, establishing himself as an independent producer.

In August 2019, he tied the knot with Cansu Gizem Cenet, and the couple now has two children. As of January 2022, Cenet delivers content in six languages: English, German, Italian, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Similar Experience

In 2018, another prominent cryptocurrency YouTuber faced a major setback when his channel was hacked during a live stream with his audience.

After realizing the hacking incident, Ian Balina abruptly ended the live stream during an ICO review.

Realizing the breach, he swiftly ended the stream, expressing urgency to sign back into his Google spreadsheet. The hack lost $2 million worth of cryptocurrency from Balina's Etherscan wallets.

He took to Twitter to voice his frustration and sought assistance from his followers, dubbing them his "Crypto Family," to identify the perpetrators.
Baidu, the company behind 'Ernie Bot,' the Chinese counterpart of ChatGPT and the most popular chatbot in the nation, has unveiled its newest AI tools.

These tools allow users to create their chatbots with little to no coding knowledge, as reported by CNBC.

Baidu's recently released AI tools allow non-programmers to develop generative AI-powered chatbots for particular uses.

These chatbots can then be integrated into websites, Baidu search engine results, or other online portals. This isn't the same as GPTs, a related tool that OpenAI introduced earlier this year; those specially designed chatbots are housed inside the ChatGPT interface.

(Photo: JADE GAO/AFP via Getty Images) The company logo is displayed at Baidu's headquarters in Beijing on September 6, 2022.

Similar to several of Google's cloud and AI services, the basic Baidu tools are typically free to try up to a specific use limit.

The most recent version of ChatGPT, which can be used for computer programs, is available for a monthly subscription from OpenAI. Although it lacks access to the specially designed GPTs, the previous ChatGPT 3.5 variant is still free to use.

This week, Baidu showcased several use cases that were aimed at consumers, including travel and the production of content like picture books and meeting planners.

The business departments of Baidu showcased in a demonstration hall how the AI technologies may be combined with virtual characters doing live streams or driving search engine traffic to an interactive buying guide powered by AI.

Read Also: Does Baidu's Ernie AI Chatbot Have a Connection to Chinese Military Research? Here's What the Company Says

Baidu's Other AI Ventures

According to Qiu, American consumers are currently more interested in AI products than Chinese consumers.

However, he acknowledged that there is still an opportunity for development in terms of gaining users' trust in AI helpers and persuading them to make a purchase.

Baidu also reportedly unveiled three new iterations of its Ernie AI model, dubbed "Speed," "Lite," and "Tiny," which programmers can choose to use in different ways depending on the task's complexity.

200 Million Ernie Bot Users

The tech giant also revealed that Baidu's "Ernie Bot" has amassed 200 million users recently, almost doubling its user base from over 100 million in December of last year.

Because of its impressive user base, the AI chatbot remains China's most popular AI chatbot.

During a conference in Shenzhen on Tuesday, Robin Li, the CEO of the massive Chinese internet company, revealed the new achievement. The chatbot was made available to the public eight months ago.

When the user base surpassed 100 million in December, the company released that data for the first time. Li claims that 200 million requests for Ernie Bot's application programming interface (API) are made daily, indicating that users have requested that the chatbot carry out tasks that frequently.

Li claims that the chatbot currently has 85,000 business clients. Ernie Bot created domestically and resembling ChatGPT, was the first of eight AI chatbots allowed by China when it was unveiled in the nation in March of last year. But it wasn't authorized for general distribution until August.

Related Article: Apple Chooses Baidu's AI for iPhone 16 in China: Report

(Photo: Tech Times)
Roman's eyes are being prepared for the cosmos!



Engineers at L3Harris Technologies in Rochester, New York, have completed a crucial phase in the assembly of NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. They have successfully integrated all ten mirrors, collectively forming the Imaging Optics Assembly (IOA).



This accomplishment marks an essential step forward in the telescope's development, bringing it closer to unraveling the mysteries of the galaxy by capturing images in deep space.

The Pre-Launch First Light

Joshua Abel, the lead systems engineer for the Roman Space Optical Telescope Assembly at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, expressed satisfaction with this progress. He noted that it represents a significant milestone in the telescope's journey toward completion.



"This is the pre-launch first light, our first time seeing through the entire telescope. We're excited to enter the next phase of the project!" Abel said in a statement.



Prior to this achievement, each of Roman's mirrors underwent individual testing. However, this was the first time they were evaluated collectively as part of the IOA.



The engineers ensured that light would pass through all the optics precisely, a critical requirement for producing clear images of space once the telescope is operational.



Bente Eegholm, an optical engineer working on Roman's Optical Telescope Assembly at Goddard, emphasized the importance of aligning all ten telescope mirrors to optimize imaging quality.



Eegholm highlighted the rigorous month-long alignment process, during which the engineers iterated to bring test images into sharper focus. This process culminated in permanently locking the mirrors in place, with three remaining movable to allow fine-tuning of the alignment in space.





Upcoming Vibration and Acoustic Tests

The successful integration of the IOA sets the stage for upcoming vibration and acoustic tests, where engineers will assess the assembly's resilience to the rigors of launch.



Subsequent examinations will subject the IOA to vacuum conditions and extreme temperatures, simulating the harsh environment of space to ensure its performance under such conditions.



Scott Smith, Roman telescope manager at Goddard, praised the joint effort between L3Harris and NASA, acknowledging the precision and excellence demonstrated by the technicians and engineers throughout the optical test.



"The joint team from L3Harris and NASA has fully achieved the goals of the test," said Scott Smith. "The technicians and engineers have executed a successful optical test with precision and excellence while maintaining their commitments to schedule."



The full Optical Telescope Assembly, with the IOA as a central element, is anticipated to be finished and transported to Goddard this autumn.




French researchers found that combining an allergy medicine and a blood pressure treatment may reduce severe alcoholism patients' daily alcohol intake.



The study, led by Henri-Jean Aubin of the Universite Paris-Saclay in Villejuif, examines the effects of cyproheptadine and prazosin on alcohol use disorder.

Promising Results

Aubin's team found that cyproheptadine and prazosin target brain cell receptors connected to impulsive behavior and cravings, making them viable alcoholism treatments, as reported by US News & Word Report. Current drugs are only "limited-to-moderate" effective, therefore more therapeutic choices are needed.



The recent study included 154 people with severe alcoholism, defined as drinking 60 grams or 40 grams per day for men and 40 grams for women. Participants were given a placebo, "low dose" prazosin-cyproheptadine, and "high dose" combo. They got assistance and instruction on medication therapy and alcohol reduction during the 12-week trial.



The research focused on reducing alcohol consumption rather than abstinence. Results indicated that the two-drug regimen reduced alcohol intake more than placebo, with the higher dose group showing a greater drop. The high-dose prazosin/cyproheptadine combo reduced alcohol intake by 23.6 grams per day.



Those who consumed more alcohol were also tested with the combo. The high-dose combination reduced alcohol consumption by about 30 grams daily.



Researchers said the medications were "well tolerated." This study suggests that prazosin and cyproheptadine should be examined in phase 3 studies to enhance severe alcoholism therapy.



According to the CDC, alcohol abuse increases the risk of accidents, chronic illnesses such as liver and heart disease, malignancies, and poor pregnancy outcomes.

Read also:

In this file photo taken on August 26, 2011 a man drinks beer in background of a glass of beer in a Moscow's outdoor pub.

US is Facing Drug Shortage Crisis

In light of the promising treatment using commond drugs against alcoholism, the US is facing the challenge of a severe drug shortage crisis. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHSP) and the University of Utah Drug Information Service report record-high shortages of essential drugs.



ASHSP and the University of Utah's first quarter 2024 medication shortage report shows a record 323 pharmaceuticals in short supply. Over 320 shortages occurred in 2014, Supply chain interruptions and client demand spikes caused these shortages, as earlier reported by TechTimes.



ASHSP CEO Paul Abramowitz urged the government to promptly address the matter as he worries about hospital budgets and staffing preventing these steps from being implemented.

He stressed the urgency of federal-level measures to address drug shortage causes to protect public health and assure access to important pharmaceuticals for all Americans.



In response, the US Department of Health and Human Services has recommended hospital-drug producer partnerships to increase market transparency and supply chains to avert medicine shortages.
Huawei's Pura 70 series, with its sophisticated camera technology and stylish designs, made a big splash in the smartphone market on Thursday.

The Shenzhen-based company's Pura series highlight sophisticated cameras and stylish look, different from the Huwawei Mate series' focus on business use.

Huawei's Mate 60 series, heralded by Chinese state media as a success against US sanctions last year, competed with Western tech titans with an advanced Chinese processor.

According to CNA, the Huawei Pura 70 series, rebranded as simply "P," includes the 70, 70 Plus, 70 Pro, and 70 Ultra, beginning at 5,499 yuan (US$760). Pro and Ultra were released on launch day; however, Plus and basic models will be released on April 22.

Huawei's latest Pura 70 series phone is displayed at a store in Shanghai on April 18, 2024.

Selling Like Hotcake

In the first minute of sales, Huawei's online shop sold out of Pro and Ultra models. Hundreds of enthusiastic buyers lined up at Huawei flagship stores in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, exhibiting high demand.

Huawei officials warned customers in line that heavy demand might delay device purchases. Customers in a flagship store in Shanghai were compelled to unbox and register their gadgets in-store, possibly to prevent resale at high rates.

After the Huawei Mate 60 Pro launched in August, Huawei saw a 64% year-on-year rise in smartphone sales in the first six weeks of 2024, according to Counterpoint. In contrast, Apple's iPhone sales in China fell 24%.

Counterpoint senior analyst Ivan Lam anticipates 60 million Huawei P70 series shipments this year, boosting Huawei's smartphone sales. He predicts strong first sales and channel supply issues, but less than the Mate 60 launch.

Huawei's Kirin 9000S processor, apparently made by SMIC, shows China's technical growth despite US export prohibitions on chip-making. The chip's appearance shows China's resiliency despite semiconductor manufacturing cuts.

Read Also : Former TikTok Employees Expose Social Media Platform's Alleged Ties to China and Data Sharing

Huawei Beats Apple in China Amid US Sanctions

Huawei's newest phones rival Apple, China's strongest foreign smartphone brand. Counterpoint Research said that Apple iPhone sales fell 24% in the first six weeks of 2024, while Huawei smartphone shipments in China surged 64%, per CNBC.

Huawei Technologies earned more last year, despite US fines, per a previous TechTimes report. The Chinese IT giant attributes its success to its cloud and digital businesses.

People try Huawei's latest Pura 70 series phone at a store in Shanghai on April 18, 2024.

Huawei's recent Shenzhen financial report showed a net profit of 87 billion yuan ($12 billion). Strong sales and product improvements fueled this rise. The Chinese tech giant's sales rose nearly 10% to 704.2 billion yuan ($97.4 billion).

Huawei's rotating chairman, Ken Hu, said the company's financial results met expectations and "managed to grow." Huawei made money by selling other businesses in addition to its main activity.

Huawei's earnings rise coincides with rising US-China technology and security worries since US firms are barred from doing business with Huawei because of punitive penalties. Semiconductors, software, and Google services have limited Huawei's device options.

Notably, Huawei has shifted its focus to cloud computing and digital transformation solutions for numerous industries to address these issues. Its cloud computing segment generated 55.3 billion yuan ($7.7 billion) in 2023, up 22%.

Despite US restrictions on Huawei's consumer segment, smartphone sales climbed 17.3% in 2023. Advanced CPUs from Chinese semiconductor maker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation powered the Huawei Mate 60 smartphone series.
Millions of Americans recently reported losing access to vital 911 emergency services, resulting in delays in reaching authorities during critical situations.

The outage, which occurred overnight last Wednesday, impacted users in parts of Nebraska, Texas, and Nevada, as well as all of South Dakota, lasting approximately two hours.

Major Outage Left 911 Services in 4 States Unreachable for Hours

In South Dakota, authorities announced the statewide outage at 9 pm local time, advising residents of Rapid City and Pennington County to utilize alternative hotlines for dispatch and first responder communication.

However, by 11 pm local time, the South Dakota Highway Patrol confirmed the restoration of services. "Our emergency system is fully operational and ready to respond promptly to any situation. Your safety is our top priority," the highway patrol tweeted.

Las Vegas, Nevada, also experienced disruptions, with dispatchers noting malfunctioning phone lines despite incoming calls being registered, authorities said on X. Officials in Las Vegas reported that they manually returned every missed call during the outage, ensuring no communications were overlooked.

Read Also : Sharp Rise in Misdialed 911 Calls in Ottawa Prompts Police to Ask Android Phone Users to Turn off Emergency SOS Feature

Firefighters are seen after an intervention at night in the Manhattan borough of New York on February 4, 2024.

What Caused the 911 Outage Affecting Users from 4 States?

The cause of the outage varied across affected regions. In Texas, the City of Del Rio Police Department attributed the issue to a "major cellular carrier outage," specifically mentioning T-Mobile.

"If you cannot reach 911 via your mobile, please use a landline or another carrier. We are actively monitoring the situation and will provide further updates as they become available," the department announced on Facebook.

Juan Hernandez, the department's communications supervisor, clarified that the problem lay with T-Mobile's coverage rather than an internal 911 system failure (via NBC News).

Similarly, Nebraska's Chase County Sheriff's Office disclosed that 911 services were unavailable statewide, except for T-Mobile users, with landlines maintaining connectivity. The outage in Douglas County, Nebraska, was linked to a fiber cut, according to Lumen, a global communications services provider.

The AT&T, while confirming its network's normal operation, acknowledged an issue with another carrier's network potentially affecting 911 calls. The company reiterated that the disruption was unrelated to FirstNet, the nationwide broadband network for public safety, overseen by the First Responder Network Authority.

This outage echoes a recent incident less than two months ago, where AT&T experienced widespread disruptions across multiple states, impacting some 911 calls for hours. The carrier attributed the earlier incident to a procedural error.

The authorities continue to investigate the recent outage to prevent future disruptions and ensure the reliability of emergency communication systems. The residents are encouraged to remain vigilant and familiarize themselves with alternative emergency contacts during such events.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.
Meta Platforms has unveiled its latest artificial intelligence (AI) offering with the launch of the Llama 3-powered Meta AI Assistant.

Meta Platforms, already known for its flagship products Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, released early versions of Llama 3, its latest large language model, alongside an image generator capable of updating pictures in real-time.

Like AI rivals OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, Meta's new offering comes with its standalone website.

What's New with Meta AI?

Expanding its reach beyond the US, Meta AI is set to debut in over a dozen markets, including Australia, Canada, Singapore, Nigeria, and Pakistan. However, the company faces challenges in Europe, where stringent privacy regulations necessitate careful navigation.

Users can access Meta AI in feeds, chats, search, and more across Meta's app ecosystem "to get things done and access real-time information."

As for more specific use cases, Meta says users can "ask Meta AI to recommend a restaurant with sunset views and vegan options," "to find concerts," and even "explain how hereditary traits work."

Meta Platforms unveils Meta AI Assistant powered by Llama 3, expanding globally with real-time image generation and strategic partnerships to challenge AI rivals.

Addressing concerns about model quality, Meta emphasized its use of high-quality and synthetic data to train Llama 3, aiming to mitigate issues encountered with previous iterations.

Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's CEO, underscored the significance of Llama 3's capabilities, revealing that the largest version of the model boasts 400 billion parameters and scores 85 MMLU, a metric used to gauge AI model performance. The rollout includes smaller versions with 8 billion and 70 billion parameters, further enhancing Meta AI's capabilities.

"We're upgrading Meta AI with our new state-of-the-art Llama 3 AI model, which we're open sourcing. With this new model, we believe Meta AI is now the most intelligent AI assistant that you can freely use," Zuckerberg said in a Facebook post.





Most Intelligent AI

Zuckerberg expressed confidence in Meta AI's potential, positioning it as the "most intelligent AI assistant" available for free use. He encouraged user feedback on Meta AI's new features, emphasizing the company's commitment to innovation and user satisfaction.

Meta AI's features include real-time image generation, sharper image quality, and seamless integration across Meta's platforms. The introduction of unique creation features, such as animated photos and playback videos, enhances user experience and creativity.

In a move to bolster Meta AI's capabilities, the company announced strategic partnerships with Essilor Luxoticca and Google. The former will see Meta AI integrated into Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, enabling real-time object identification, while the latter will provide real-time search results to supplement Meta AI's responses.

The initiative comes amidst Meta's concerted push to challenge OpenAI's dominance in generative AI technology. In a bid to catch up, the company has undergone significant restructuring, including overhauling computing infrastructure and consolidating research and product teams.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.
A repaving project on the Highway 99E off-ramp to northbound Interstate 5 began Thursday, April 18.

Crews will be working between 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. for about a week, according to a news release from the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Expect the OR 99E off-ramp to northbound I-5 to close for about two nights, the release states, as well as a signed detour using Knox Butte Road, Century Drive Northeast to get on northbound I-5.

The work is weather dependent and the schedule may change. ODOT suggests visting TripCheck.com for the most up to date information on road closures and traffic impacts.

It won't be the only night closure in town. Other construction in the Albany area includes the Highway 20 Ellsworth Street Bridge. ODOT asks that the public expect construction noise and delays, according to a news release.

The work involves raising the beam supports, which have suffered damage over the years by tall trucks passing under  and sometimes colliding with  them. The project will increase the vertical clearance from 14 feet and 11 inches to 16 feet, ODOT spokesperson Mindy McCartt said

The Ellsworth Street Bridge will be closed nightly from 8 p.m. Sunday, April 21, to 6 a.m. Friday, April 26. Southbound traffic will detour onto the Lyon Bridge, according to the release, which asks for caution as both directions of traffic will share the bridge.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by becoming a subscriber today.
Dubai roads, airport reel from floods after record rains



Dubai, April 17 (AFP) Apr 17, 2024



Dubai's giant highways were clogged by flooding and its major airport was in chaos as the Middle East financial centre remained gridlocked on Wednesday, a day after the heaviest rains on record.

Tailbacks snaked along waterlogged, six-lane expressways after up to 259.5 millimetres (10.2 inches) of rain, the most since records began 75 years ago, fell on the desert United Arab Emirates on Tuesday.

At least one person was killed, a 70-year-old man who was swept away in his car in Ras Al-Khaimah, one of the oil-rich country's seven emirates, police said.

Power outages were reported around Dubai, which was dotted with flooded areas and submerged and abandoned cars. One road tunnel near the airport was flooded to its roof, and some residential villas were thigh-deep in water.

Similar scenes were visible around the Gulf state including in Sharjah, neighbouring Dubai, where residents waded through main streets and paddled around on makeshift boats.

As sunny skies returned on Wednesday, a day after torrential downpours and rolling black clouds, stories emerged of residents stuck in cars and offices overnight.

"It was one of the most horrific situations I had ever experienced," said one Dubai resident in his 30s, who did not want to give his name, after his 15-minute commute turned into a 12-hour ordeal on flooded roads.

"I knew that if my car broke down, it would sink and I would drown with it."

Schools will remain closed in Dubai until next week, authorities said, underscoring the difficulty of the clean-up.



- 'Chaos' -



In an unusual direct intervention, President Sheikh Mohamed bin Nayan ordered "authorities to quickly work on studying the condition of infrastructure throughout the UAE and to limit the damage caused", official media said.

Sheikh Mohamed also gave orders for affected families to be transferred to safe locations, said a statement carried by the WAM news agency.

Meanwhile, operations slowed to a crawl at Dubai airport, the world's busiest by international traffic, as staff were unable to arrive with roads flooded and most public transport suspended.

With nearly every flight repeatedly delayed, passengers were told to stay away "unless absolutely necessary", Dubai Airports said. Emirates, Dubai's flagship airline, cancelled all check-ins.

At a connections desk, a large crowd formed, clapping and whistling in protest at the lack of information.

"They are completely lost, it's complete chaos -- no information, nothing," fumed one passenger, who did not want to be named, after a 12-hour wait.

Scores of flights were also delayed, cancelled and diverted during Tuesday's torrential rain, when planes were recorded taxiing through deep water.

The storms hit the UAE and Bahrain overnight Monday and on Tuesday after previously lashing Oman, where 19 people were killed including children.

Maryam Al Shehhi, senior weather forecaster at the UAE's National Center of Meteorology, denied a report that the UAE had carried out cloud seeding -- spraying chemicals to increase rainfall.

"We did not use cloud seeding because (the storm) was already strong," Shehhi told AFP.

Climatologist Friederike Otto, a specialist in assessing the role of climate change on extreme weather events, said it was "misleading" to focus on cloud seeding.

"The heaviest rainfall in Dubai for 75 years didn't happen because of cloud seeding," he said.

"When we talk about heavy rainfall, we need to talk about climate change. Focusing on cloud seeding is misleading."

th-am-saa/dcp
Scotland abandons ambitious climate pledge



London, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2024



Scotland's government said Thursday it would abandon its target to reduce carbon emissions by 75 percent by 2030 after the UK's climate change advisory committee described it as "beyond credible".

The announcement was greeted with outrage by environmental groups.

The UK Climate Change Committee (CCC) last month sharply criticised Scotland for repeatedly failing to achieve its climate targets.

The required acceleration in emissions reduction in Scotland was now "beyond what is credible", due to inadequate efforts in areas including home heating, transport, farming and nature restoration, it said.

Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf vowed that the country would still meet its target of reaching net zero by 2045.

"The CCC were always clear with us that the 2030 target was a stretch target," he told Scottish lawmakers.

"But what doesn't change, and what won't change, is that end destination of 2045."

Greenpeace UK's political campaigner, Ami McCarthy, attacked the Scottish government's decision.

Legislating to reduce Scotland's climate ambition after the planet's hottest-ever recorded 12-month period was like "striking a match in a petrol station", he said.

The initial target had been entirely achievable when set five years ago, he argued: the problem was the Scottish government's failure to deliver the necessary policies.

Oxfam said any decision by Scottish ministers to re-write Scotland's climate rulebook would be "an acute global embarrassment".

Thursday's decision is just the latest setback for the ruling Scottish National Party (SNP).

It has been hit by internal squabbling, resignations and according to opinion polls a fall in support ahead of a general election in the UK this year.

The SNP, which advocates for Scottish independence from the UK, remains ahead on general election voting intentions, with a lead of seven points over Labour, according the polling agency Ipsos.

But that is down from a 12-point lead in May 2023 and a 10-point lead in November 2023.

Scotland hosted the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow in 2021.

srg/jwp/jj




Mining giant BHP is ramping up its copper output as fresh sanctions on the movement of the key energy-transition mineral out of Russia squeeze existing supply.

Copper volumes increased by 10 per cent from BHPs newly merged South Australia operations, while its mines in Chile improved grades and hit production records in the third quarter, BHP chief executive Mike Henry said in an update on Thursday.

A worker taps into the copper stream at BHPs Olympic Dam north of Adelaide. Credit: Bloomberg

BHP established a lucrative copper province in South Australia when it took over Oz Minerals last year.

We remain on track to meet copper, iron ore and energy coal production for the year, Henry said.
Rejection letters have a bad reputation. Because they are unwelcome, and sometimes quite crushing, theres an understandable urge to catalogue extracts from the more ridiculous ones and point to them as evidence of how catastrophically wrong publishers can be.

And theres plenty to ridicule. To Sylvia Plath: But there certainly isnt enough genuine talent for us to take notice. To Ernest Hemingway: It would be extremely rotten taste, to say nothing of being horribly cruel, should we want to publish it. To J.G. Ballard: The author of this book is beyond psychiatric help.

When Toni Morrison was an editor with Random House her rejection letters tended to be long, with generous suggestions. Credit: Alamy

T.S. Eliot wrote quite a nice letter to George Orwell, rejecting Animal Farm because what was needed (someone might argue) was not more communism but more public-spirited pigs. The letter was appreciative at any rate than the US publisher Dial Press, which argued it was impossible to sell animal stories in the USA.

Now we have a glimpse into the rejection letters of an editor who was frank, fair and often very encouraging  and went on to become a literary giant herself.
The President 

Ros Packer Theatre, until May 19

There is a certain theatre in the fastidious laying out of a dress uniform, from hat to shoes and everything in between, by a diligent housekeeper. There is theatre, too, in the opening of a bottle of champagne by a uniformed attendant. And there is a great deal of theatre in a state funeral.

Olwen Fouere as the First Lady and Hugo Weaving as the titular president. Credit: Daniel Boud

Then there are words. Words pouring out in strangely repetitive, sometimes enigmatic, but always mesmerising diatribes.

The Sydney Theatre Company and Gate Theatre production of Thomas Bernhards deeply, darkly, difficult The President moves at one of two paces: either with precise, deliberate moves from a silent lackey or in grandiose, almost Beckettian monologues from the two main characters, the president of an unnamed middle-European state, and his wife.
As a teenager, often down to my last few dollars between paydays from Coles, I could always rely on a cheap packet of incense from my local hippie shop whenever I needed some retail therapy.

These impulse purchases  not to be confused with the deodorant spray, Impulse, which formed a permanent aerosol haze over my school  of nag champa have left many of us with a limited view of what incense can be like. But, believe it or not, its experiencing a rebirth as a luxury item.

Designer and incense purveyor Corey Ashford. Credit: Eddie Jim

While luxury home scents once mainly focused on candles and mists at the pricier end, incense is mounting a pretty stiff challenge for the title of most improved interior fragrance, thanks in part to creatives  and captains of cool  such as Corey Ashford and Yasmin Sewell, and retailers such as Mecca and Adore Beauty.

Even supermodel Kate Moss is jumping on the trend, as she announced last week that incense would be added to her growing Cosmoss beauty and wellness brand, which launched 18 months ago. And where Moss goes, well, everyone follows.
The alleged Australian ringleader of an international organised crime gang has been arrested following a 12-month investigation into a botched cocaine import which has seen blocks of the drugs washing up on NSW beaches.

Since December, tightly wrapped bricks of cocaine, ranging from 1 kilogram to 39 kilograms, have been found at beaches along the NSW coast. The latest discoveries were just two weeks ago at Freshwater Beach and Curl Curl Beach.

A black bag containing 39 bricks of cocaine was discovered at Newcastles Ocean Baths on Boxing Day. Credit: NSW Police

The Australian Federal Police now allege the failed import of 900 kilograms of cocaine was organised by Daniel Wayne John Roberts, 36, from Aspley in Brisbanes north.

In November, police believe Roberts coordinated the drugs to be dropped from an international cargo ship into waters off Brisbane. However, at the time the cocaine was offloaded into the ocean, there were very adverse weather conditions.
Development giant Walker Corporation has withdrawn its application to build Toondah Harbour on the Cleveland foreshore, ending a decade-long fight to protect international wetlands.

Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek last week said she planned to reject the project on environmental grounds, but gave the company 10 days to consider its bid.

The Walker Groups plan, as of June 2018, for Clevelands Toondah Harbour, which has been rejected because it is built over 38 hectares of protected wetlands.

Walker was expected to scale back the project, which originally extended into Moreton Bay, but on Thursday announced it would withdraw altogether.

We have been overwhelmed by calls and messages of support over the past week from the Redlands community as well as local, state and federal political and community leaders, who understand how critical this project is to the regions future, the company said in a statement.
And? That autocracy continued because people went along with it; everybody co-operated or collaborated. Or they said, I dont much like this, but I havent known any different and Im doing okay. The number of people who put their head above the parapet was very small and they were either brave or naive  its very hard to know which. We all like to think that if we were living in an autocratic regime, wed fight back. The Roman Empire suggests most of us wouldnt.

To what extent can studying ancient history illuminate modern-day politics? No, I dont think that it does, although its tempting to draw parallels. When Trump was president, journalists were always ringing me up [asking], Which Roman emperor is Trump most like? Thats very hard because Trump isnt like a Roman emperor. I was recently writing a book on Roman emperors [Emperor of Rome] and, when I came to the end, I thought, What have I learnt here?

Each week, Benjamin Law asks public figures to discuss the subjects were told to keep private by getting them to roll a die. The numbers they land on are the topics theyre given. This week, he talks to Mary Beard. The Professor Emerita of Classics at Cambridge, 69, is a British TV host and author. Her books, including Pompeii and Women & Power, have been published in more than 30 languages. Her latest is Emperor of Rome.

Loading

Your book Emperor of Rome has come out at the same time as a hilarious social media trend that suggests heterosexual men think about the Roman Empire a lot. What accounts for this? [Laughs] That TikTok trend hit almost the week that Emperor of Rome was published and I thought, Oh, gosh, my publishers have been brilliant. Theyve done the most fantastic PR job here! Then I realised it wasnt them! But I came to the conclusion that, in some ways, the Roman world was a kind of safe space where men could still be macho if they wanted. Its an empire where  in the West, at least  you can still say, Yes, I think about it. You couldnt go back to 20th-century fascist regimes, but thinking about the Roman Empire gives you that sort of space. But I also want my books to say, Its all right to think of yourself as an emperor, but also try to think about yourself as the slave cleaning the baths, or the foot soldier who got terribly injured, or the guy working down the mines. When we think back in history, it tends to give us an excuse to aggrandise our own positions, to be the glamorous people. Sorry, mate, most of us wouldnt have been glamorous.

DEATH



What losses in life have impacted you the most? Well, this is entirely unoriginal, but its your mum and dad. Its that feeling of loss, but also  and this is much more selfish  youre grieving for yourself as much as you are for the people whove gone. You think, Its me next. It was scary, but there was also a strange sense of liberation: Im free to die now.



Thats such an interesting perspective  I hadnt thought of before. Did that realisation catch you off guard? Yes, it did. There are generational responsibilities. When you talk to anybody whos lost a child, you know how awful that is. The duty of the child is to stay alive, but youre now released from the obligation to live.
THE FORUM More to it than China

While news about our defence policy and that spending will rise to a staggering $100 billion per year makes front page news, (The Age,18/4), there is barely a whisper to be heard about what underpins our national security in a broader sense.

It is time to broaden the debate about our security with a more a comprehensive picture.

For a start, we need to boost funding for our diplomatic service, and wake up to the fact that climate change also threatens our security, as well as our well-being.

Vennie Stuart, Balwyn Think planet first

Defence spending is set to soar to $100 billion a year within a decade while the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), say the earth is heading towards two degrees warming, which as we know is already having a deadly impact in many parts of the world, including Australia.

Surely, it is sheer madness to be spending so much on defence and neglecting to prioritise the rapidly changing climate, which is likely to be more catastrophe with the possibility of a dead earth.

We need leadership to stop talking up war, and work towards coming together for a sustainable earth: if not, perhaps one day there will be nuclear powered submarines roaming the world but with no place to berth.

Judith Morrison, Nunawading

Sanctions no use

Absolutely nothing positive would be achieved if the Australian government were to take Marc Purcells ill-considered advice. (Opinion, 18/4). Sanctions would not result in any increase in the aid he claims the people of Gaza so desperately need.

Moreover, whatever sanctions Australia might choose to impose would have little to no effect on the Israeli economy, and would most likely have no impact on the course of action Israel chooses to take.

But what they would definitely achieve is to further exacerbate the sense of embattlement that the Jewish community in this country is feeling right now.

Ivan Glynn, Vermont Food trucks vital

After reading Marc Purcells cogent analysis of Israels insidious and deliberate policy of engineered famine on the people of Gaza, (Opinion, 18/2), I was so overwhelmed I had to walk around the block four times.

In my dispirited state I pondered what could be done to provide immediate food aid for the people of Gaza, given the obvious refusal of Israel to effectively and totally lift the blockade.

Surely, if there is any humanity left in this world some action could be taken to confront Israels conscious and methodical paradigm of starvation.

No nation that respects and values human rights can sit by and allow this to continue.

If the Albanese ALP government is on the side of humanity it would confront this diabolical situation by demanding and organising, with other like-minded nations, that all waiting food aid trucks gain entry to Gaza. Sanctions are important and necessary, but in a time of famine are not instant enough. To stop the starvation of the people the trucks must go in now and our government must stringently force the issue post-haste.

Michael Naismith, Clifton Hill

Liberal empathy

It has been found that a former employee of the Liberal Party was raped in the office of her employer. You would think that the employer would show some empathy, perhaps apologise and reach out to their former employee with some support. But no, the Liberal Party demands an apology from the victim of the rape, and one of them is suing the said victim.

This would seem to be a gross distortion of who was wronged in this affair and shows a total lack of proportion and compassion.

Graeme Gardner, Reservoir Justice prevails

The lesson of the Lehrmann and Higgins case is that the worst people to investigate and judge a rape case is the media and politicians.

As imperfect as the police and judicial system is, it certainly does a better job than the media and politicians.

We now have a number of people in the media and politics, as well as the individuals, involved whose lives have been tainted with negative flow-on impacts.

Bruce Hart, Bittern Green Wedge

The recently released Green Wedge Action Plan is supposed to fulfil the Labor governments 2018 election pledge to tighten controls to better protect Melbournes green wedges and peri-urban farmland. (The Age, 13/4).

But the action plan has precious little action.

There is nothing to limit urban uses like schools, places of worship and secondary dwellings white-anting the green wedges. More flexibility for farmgate sales potentially allows corner stores at farm gates.

The governments erosion of green wedge land for industrial uses, such as the rail stabling and maintenance yard for the Suburban Rail Loop on sandbelt parkland in Heatherton and the Big Battery on striped legless lizard habitat in Melton is not exemplary, especially when appropriately zoned industrial land is nearby. Death by 1000 cuts is still a threat.

Green wedge protection will still be left to local residents, community groups and sometimes councils fighting unequal battles in VCAT against cashed-up developers with kings counsels and expensive expert witnesses. This will become even harder if residents rights to be notified and to object to applications for urban uses such as child care centres, telecommunications towers and major developments in green wedge areas are not restored, or worse, are further eroded.

Kahn Franke, Nillumbik Pliberseks warning

Its rare for an advertisement to be a highlight of the days paper, but thats the case with The Australia Institutes open letter to Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek (Australias Environment Laws must stop new fossil fuel projects, 18/4). Its a concise and compelling statement of the urgent steps that must be taken to protect the planet from the ravages of global warming. Coupled with the report on the increasing pressure on oil and gas giant Woodside to do more to curb carbon emissions (Top UK fund targets Goyder at Woodside over climate, 18/4), it made heartening reading.

The unholy alliance between the government and the fossil fuel industry must be annulled.

Tom Knowles, Parkville Parental parking

Caulfield Grammar parents are complaining about Stonnington Councils efforts to control traffic congestion caused by parents in motor vehicles dropping their kids off at school (Parents absolutely livid after Glen Iris school parking restricted, 18/4).

But as a September 2023 article in The Age showed, banning parking around schools is popular. The morning and afternoon influx of motor vehicles around schools is damaging kids health and compromising their safety.

We are also space constrained, so councils have to encourage space-efficient modes of transport. People choosing to travel in their own huge metal box should be the lowest priority.

Good on Stonnington Council for this small step towards a safer, more sustainable world.

Andrea Bunting, Brunswick

Walk to school

A simple solution to the Caulfield Grammar parking issue is to roll out the Walking School Bus program. Students walk safely to school with volunteer bus drivers. It is a great initiative with benefits for the students health and the environment.

Liz Harrison, East Geelong Walk and talk to school

As a 70-year-old grandparent who frequently walks my grandchildren to school, I relish the time spent chatting about the day to come or the one thats been, meeting their friends, climbing trees without any screen time or after-school activities to interrupt. We are all busy, but factoring in a little time for this precious interaction is priceless.

Marian Allison, Northcote Livid of Hawthorn

Im also livid. Able-bodied, older boys being driven to a school well serviced by public transport causes gridlock for residents twice a day in my area.

In the 25 years we have lived here, the school traffic and the sense of entitlement felt by many of the drivers has increased exponentially. Well done Stonnington Council.

Belinda Burke, Hawthorn Mistakes gladly made

Hey, Bella Westaway (I made mistakes at university, just not enough of them, 18/4), I loved your article. It got me nostalgic about my time at uni in the 80s, and yes I did an arts degree.

Mistakes I made  not hanging out at Johnnys Green Room more often when it had cheap wine and pool tables. Not going to more uni union events, particularly when great bands like INXS, Cold Chisel and the Divinyls were top billing.

Going on exchange wasnt a thing back then, and I probably wouldnt have done that given I lived at home all my degree, which was another mistake. I mean, should a uni student be grounded when they forget to let their parents know they will be staying out late?

But I did spend many a day lolling about on the lawn in the sun, somehow not managing to get to my 2pm philosophy lecture.

Youre right, Bella, the best conversations happened on the lawn rather than in dark lecture theatres, delivered by well-meaning father-like figures who had thought about the deep stuff for decades before us. At least I never got grounded for skipping lectures.

Trish Thompson, Northcote AND ANOTHER THING

Credit: Illustration: Matt Golding Bleached reef

Fly all the flags at half-mast. Light up the Opera House with brilliantly coloured coral. Hang our heads in shame. The reef is dying on our watch.

Lynn Frankes, Kew Richard Marles, if you currently cant protect our North West Shelf from a single, rickety old fishing boat, were gonna need a bigger boat.

David Cayzer, Clifton Hill Furthermore

Tired of murder, rape, terrorism, war, coral bleach and Trump. There must be a better planet out there.

Margaret Skeen, Point Lonsdale Where is the wisdom of Solomon when you need it? We need blue-helmeted UN boots on the ground to feed the starving and stop the rockets.

Greg Curtin, Nunawading

Jim Chalmers is about to claim Paul Keatings title as the worlds best treasurer.

George Reed, Wheelers Hill Congested parking problems in front of private schools: it does give you a certain perspective on life (Parents absolutely livid after Glen Iris school parking restricted, 18/4).

Peter Baddeley, Portland Parents need to lobby the government for funding to provide a private parking lot inside school grounds.

Wendy Logan, Croydon North Caulfield Grammar receives more public money than most public schools, so perhaps it could use some for a drop-off zone within its expansive grounds.

Kethly Fallon, Apollo Bay If China is such a military threat, why are we sending them the raw materials and energy for their war machine?

John Mosig, Kew
The departure of Daniel Andrews and a rare reprieve from leadership speculation granted to John Pesutto has done little to quell broader leadership chatter on Spring Street.

With the two major parties in a rare moment of stability, the focus has now turned to the Greens and the Nationals, and who will take over when the current leadership teams move on.

Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam. Credit: Wayne Taylor

Such succession planning, when a popular leader is still in the job, is talked about in hushed tones as potential candidates try to remain loyal while simultaneously positioning themselves for the job.

Speculation about who will lead the Victorian Greens became reality a fortnight ago when the partys current leader, Samantha Ratnam, announced she would contest the Greens preselection for the federal seat of Wills.
Large families are common in the enclave, where nearly half the population is under 18 and the fertility rate is high at 3.38 births per woman, according to the Palestinian Bureau of Statistics. In Australia, the fertility rate is 1.63 births per woman, according to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Despite Gazas poverty, couples facing infertility pursued IVF, some selling TVs and jewellery to pay the fees, Ghalayini said. No time to celebrate At least nine clinics in Gaza performed IVF, where eggs are collected from a womans ovaries and fertilised by sperm in a lab. The fertilised eggs, called embryos, are often frozen until the optimal time for transfer to a womans uterus. Most frozen embryos in Gaza were stored at the Al Basma centre.

In September, Jaafarawi became pregnant, her first successful IVF attempt. I did not even have time to celebrate the news, she said. Two days before her first scheduled ultrasound scan, Hamas launched the October 7 attack on Israel, killing 1200 people and taking 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Loading Israel vowed to destroy Hamas and launched an all-out assault that has since killed more than 33,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.

Jaafarawi worried: How would I complete my pregnancy? What would happen to me and what would happen to the ones inside my womb? Her ultrasound never happened and Ghalayini closed his clinic, where five of Jaafarawis embryos were stored. As the Israeli attacks intensified, Mohammed Ajjour, Al Basmas chief embryologist, started to worry about liquid nitrogen levels in the five specimen tanks. Top-ups were needed every month or so to keep the temperature below minus 180 degrees in each tank, which operate independently of electricity. Tubes of specimens lie inside a broken fridge inside Al Basma IVF Centre, Gazas largest fertility clinic. Credit: Reuters After the war began, Ajjour managed to procure one delivery of liquid nitrogen, but Israel cut electricity and fuel to Gaza, and most suppliers closed.

At the end of October, Israeli tanks rolled into Gaza and soldiers closed in on the streets around the IVF centre. It became too dangerous for Ajjour to check the tanks. Jaafarawi knew she should rest to keep her fragile pregnancy safe, but hazards were everywhere: she climbed six flights of stairs to her apartment because the elevator stopped working; a bomb levelled the building next door and blasted out windows in her flat; food and water became scarce. Instead of resting, she worried. I got very scared and there were signs that I would lose [the pregnancy], she said. Jaafarawi bled a little bit after she and her husband left home and moved south to Khan Younis. The bleeding subsided, but her fear did not. Palestinians inspect the rubble of destroyed buildings after an Israeli airstrike on a Rafah refugee camp on Wednesday. Palestinian medics said several residents, including children, were killed. Credit: AP

Thousands of potential lives destroyed They crossed into Egypt on November 12 and in Cairo, her first ultrasound showed she was pregnant with twins and they were alive. After a few days, she experienced painful cramps, bleeding and a sudden shift in her belly. She made it to hospital, but the miscarriage had already begun. The sounds of me screaming and crying at the hospital are still [echoing] in my ears, she said. The pain of loss has not stopped.

Whatever you imagine or I tell you about how hard the IVF journey is, only those who have gone through it know what its really like, she said. Jaafarawi wanted to return to the war zone, retrieve her frozen embryos and attempt IVF again. Loading But it was soon too late. Ghalayini said a single Israeli shell struck the corner of the centre, blowing up the ground-floor embryology lab. He does not know if the attack specifically targeted the lab or not.

All these lives were killed or taken away: 5000 lives in one shell, he said. In April, the embryology lab was still strewn with broken masonry, blown-up lab supplies and, amid the rubble, the liquid nitrogen tanks, according to a Reuters-commissioned journalist who visited the site. The lids were open and, still visible at the bottom of one of the tanks, a basket was filled with tiny colour-coded straws containing the ruined microscopic embryos. With Dawoud Abu Alkas in Gaza

Reuters
Washington: A full jury has been selected for Donald Trumps hush money trial, despite the case suffering an initial setback when one juror was dismissed over fears she could be identified and another was dropped amid suspicions he misled the court.

After being plunged into disarray on the third day of the trial, a panel of 12 New Yorkers were finally selected shortly in the afternoon, marking a pivotal moment in the first-ever trial of an American president.

Former president Donald Trump awaits the start of proceedings on the third day of his trial. Credit: Bloomberg

Unless any further hiccups arise, the group will be tasked with deciding whether Trump is guilty of falsifying business records before the 2016 election to cover up an affair with adult film star Stormy Daniels.

The affair took place in 2006 shortly after his wife Melania had given birth to their son. But it presented a political threat 10 years later when Daniels had sought to sell the story while Trump was running for president against Democrat rival Hillary Clinton.
The law takes aim at consumer-level brain technologies. Unlike sensitive patient data obtained from medical devices in clinical settings, which are protected by federal health law, the data surrounding consumer neurotechnologies go largely unregulated, Genser said. That loophole means that companies can harvest vast troves of highly sensitive brain data, sometimes for an unspecified number of years, and share or sell the information to third parties. Shijing Zhou, research lab manager at the Brain Electrophysiology Lab, wears a geodesic head web device that does high-definition EEG collection. The company is also working on an experimental electrode cap that helps with deep sleep. Credit: The Washington Post/Leah Nash Supporters of the bill expressed their concern that neural data could be used to decode a persons thoughts and feelings or to learn sensitive facts about an individuals mental health, such as whether someone has epilepsy. Weve never seen anything with this power before  to identify, codify people and bias against people based on their brain waves and other neural information, said Sean Pauzauskie, a member of the board of directors of the Colorado Medical Society, who first brought the issue to Kipps attention. Pauzauskie was recently hired by the Neurorights Foundation as medical director. The new law extends to biological and neural data the same protections granted under the Colorado Privacy Act to fingerprints, facial images and other sensitive, biometric data.

Among other protections, consumers have the right to access, delete and correct their data, as well as to opt out of the sale or use of the data for targeted advertising. Companies, in turn, face strict regulations regarding how they handle such data and must disclose the kinds of data they collect and their plans for it. Individuals ought to be able to control where that information  that personally identifiable and maybe even personally predictive information  goes, Baisley said. Experts say that the neurotechnology industry is poised to expand as major tech companies like Meta, Apple and Snapchat become involved. Loading Its moving quickly, but its about to grow exponentially, said Nita Farahany, a professor of law and philosophy at Duke University.

From 2019 to 2020, investments in neurotechnology companies rose about 60 per cent globally, and in 2021 they amounted to about $US30 billion ($47 billion), according to one market analysis. The industry drew attention in January, when Elon Musk announced on the social media platform X that a brain-computer interface manufactured by Neuralink, one of his companies, had been implanted in a person for the first time. The patient demonstrated how he could now control a mouse solely with his thoughts and play online chess. While eerily dystopian, some brain technologies have led to breakthrough treatments. In 2022, a completely paralysed man was able to communicate using a computer simply by imagining his eyes moving. And last year, scientists translated the brain activity of a paralysed woman and conveyed her speech and facial expressions through an avatar on a computer screen. Loading The things that people can do with this technology are great, Kipp said. But we just think that there should be some guardrails in place for people who arent intending to have their thoughts read and their biological data used. That is already happening, according to a 100-page report published this week by the Neurorights Foundation. The report analysed 30 consumer neurotechnology companies to see how their privacy policies and user agreements squared with international privacy standards.

It found that only one company restricted access to a persons neural data in a meaningful way and that almost two-thirds could, under certain circumstances, share data with third parties. Two companies implied that they already sold such data. The need to protect neural data is not a tomorrow problem  its a today problem, said Genser, who was among the authors of the report. Loading The Colorado bill is the first of its kind to be signed into law in the United States, but Minnesota and California are pushing for similar legislation. On Tuesday, Californias Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously passed a bill that defines neural data as sensitive personal information. Several countries, including Chile, Brazil, Spain, Mexico and Uruguay, have either already enshrined protections on brain-related data in their state-level or national Constitutions or taken steps towards doing so.

In the long run, Genser said, we would like to see global standards developed, for instance by extending existing international human rights treaties to protect neural data. In the US, proponents of the new Colorado law hope it will establish a precedent for other states and even create momentum for federal legislation. But the law has limitations, experts noted, and might apply only to consumer neurotechnology companies that are gathering neural data specifically to determine a persons identity, as the new law specifies. Most of these companies collect neural data for other reasons, such as for inferring what a person might be thinking or feeling, Farahany said. Youre not going to worry about this Colorado bill if youre any of those companies right now because none of them are using them for identification purposes, she added. A researcher wears an electrode skull cap used to help heroin addicts. It measures their reaction as they are shown a variety of images on a TV screen. Credit: Neil Bennett But Genser said the Colorado Privacy Act protected any data that qualifies as personal. Given that consumers must supply their names to purchase a product and agree to company privacy policies, this use falls under personal data, he said.

Given that previously neural data from consumers wasnt protected at all under the Colorado Privacy Act, Genser wrote in an email, to now have it labelled sensitive personal information with equivalent protections as biometric data is a major step forward. In a parallel Colorado bill, the American Civil Liberties Union and other human-rights organisations are pressing for more stringent policies surrounding collection, retention, storage and use of all biometric data, whether for identification purposes or not. If the bill passes, its legal implications would apply to neural data. Big tech companies played a role in shaping the new law, arguing that it was overly broad and risked harming their ability to collect data not strictly related to brain activity. TechNet, a policy network representing companies such as Apple, Meta and Open AI, successfully pushed to include language focusing the law on regulating brain data used to identify individuals. But the group failed to remove language governing data generated by an individuals body or bodily functions. We felt like this could be very broad to a number of things that all of our members do, said Ruthie Barko, executive director of TechNet for Colorado and the central United States.
CM releases Ashish Dubeys Drishti Patra for polls





Staff Reporter

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, during his short visit to the city on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress. Addressing a press conference, he said when the people of North India rejected Rahul Baba, then he fled to the South, but now the people of South will drive him out. This trend will continue because the Congress has only ruled the country and now the public understands that such parties should never be brought into power. The Chief Minister also released BJP candidates Drishti Patra for Lok Sabha elections. Taking a dig at the Congress, Yadav said the Congress did not participate in the consecration ceremony of Lord Ramlalla in Ayodhya. Every Hindu feels offended by this behaviour of the Congress. People of the country have decided to give BJP a clear mandate once again. The CM said history witness that whether its about Article 370 or appeasement, terrorism, or the proliferation of Naxalism and gruesome massacres, the people of India will never forgive Congress for these issues.

Thats why voters are sidelining Congress and taking BJP to victory once again. CM Yadav said the Congress, which ruled Madhya Pradesh for nearly 50 years, gave the state only pits, darkness, poverty and hunger. There were no roads, no electricity and no water in the State. Since 2003, the BJP governments have changed the direction and condition of the state. Today, with the formation of a double-engine government at the center and in the state, the mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas Aur Sabka Prayas is being realised. Now Madhya Pradesh is at the forefront in
Combating Naxalism





By E V Murli

The clash between security forces and Maoist insurgents near Binagunda-Koragutta jungles in Chhattisgarh, resulting in the killing of twenty-nine Maoists, underscores the persistent challenge of Naxalism to Indias internal security. Despite concerted efforts by the government, Naxalism continues to impede the developmental track of vast swathes of the country, particularly in the infested states. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have reiterated the governments unwavering commitment to root out this menace, signalling a renewed vigour in tackling this longstanding issue. Over the years, anti-Naxal operations have intensified, yielding tangible results. Security camps have been established in affected districts, accompanied by proactive security measures to thwart Naxal activities effectively. The recent surge in surrenders, with over 150 Maoists laying down arms in the past three months, showcases a shift in momentum against the insurgency. Government schemes such as Lon Varattu, a ghar wapsi scheme have incentivized surrenders, offering Maoists a chance to reintegrate into mainstream society.

However, beyond security operations, a holistic approach is imperative. The establishment of security camps not only bolsters security but also serves as a ray of hope for distressed villagers, offering humanitarian aid and promoting a sense of security in conflict-ridden regions. This multifaceted approach aims not only to suppress Naxal violence but also to address the grievances that fuel it, promoting development and peace hand in hand. As summer approach, so does the Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC) by Left-wing insurgents, historically marked by heightened attacks on security forces. The recent encounters, resulting in significant Maoist casualties, emphasize the need for sustained vigilance and strategic planning to counter such offensives effectively. The central and state governments are united in their resolve to extend development to Naxal-affected areas, recognizing that progress is the most potent antidote to insurgency. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has reaffirmed his governments commitment to eradicating the Naxal menace while expressing willingness to engage in dialogue without preconditions.

However, the response from Naxalites, marked by scepticism and imposition of conditions, highlights the complexities inherent in finding a lasting solution to this conflict. Naxalism transcends ideology, morphing into a tool for extortion and violence that undermines the fabric of civil society. While grievances must be addressed through dialogue, resorting to arms and terror tactics is antithetical to democratic principles. The governments invitation for talks show up its willingness to engage in a constructive dialogue, yet the onus lies on Naxal groups to reciprocate in good faith. Beyond the immediate security concerns, Naxalism poses a formidable barrier to development, fostering corruption and perpetuating an atmosphere of fear and hostility. In a democracy, dissent is legitimate, but violence and bloodshed only serve to obstruct progress and deepen societal divisions. It is incumbent upon all stakeholders to prioritize peace and development over discord and conflict. The recent encounters and surrenders signify a turning point in the fight against Naxalism. While security operations play a crucial role, a comprehensive strategy encompassing development initiatives and dialogue is essential for lasting peace. The governments commitment, coupled with the resilience of security forces, offers hope for a brighter, more prosperous future for Naxal-affected regions, where the echoes of gunfire will get replaced by the hum of progress and harmony
Devotees offer prayers on occasion of Ram Navami across country





NEW DELHI,

DEVOTEES offered prayers and sought blessings from Lord Ram on the occasion of Ram Navami all across the country on Wednesday. A huge number of devotees arrived at the Hanuman temple in Bihars Patna on the occasion of Ram Navami. Mantras were chanted by priests and bhajans (devotional songs) were played on the temple premises. Devotees also thronged to Hanuman Garhi temple in Ayodhya on the occasion of Ram Navami to offer prayers. Special puja and havan were performed at Kodana Rama Swamy Temple in Bengaluru on the occasion of Ram Navami. People also thronged to Mata Vaishno Devi Temple in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir, on the occasion of Ram Navami. Devotees were seen standing in the long queue and waiting patiently for their chance to offer prayers at the Mansa Devi temple in Haryanas Panchkula on the occasion of Ram Navami.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished the people saying that there was a feeling of unparalled joy in Ayodhya as this would be the first Ram Navami after the Pran Pratishtha of the Temple. This is the first Ram Navami when our Ram Lalla has been enthroned in the grand Ram temple of Ayodhya. Today, Ayodhya is in unparalleled joy in this celebration of Rama Navami. After waiting for 5 centuries, today we have the privilege of celebrating this Rama Navami in Ayodhya in this manner. This is the reward of so many years of hard penance and sacrifice by the countrymen, PM Modi posted on X.

Extending his wishes to the countrymen on the occasion of Ram Navami, the Prime Minister said that the memories of the Pran Pratistha ceremony in Ayodhya still pulsate in his mind with the same energy. Best wishes to my family members across the country on the occasion of Lord Shri Rams birth anniversary, Ram Navami! On this auspicious occasion, my heart is overwhelmed and fulfilled. It is the supreme grace of Shri Ram that this year, along with millions of my countrymen, I became a witness to the Pran-Pratishtha in Ayodhya. The memories of that moment in Avadhpuri still pulsate in my mind with the same energy, he wrote on X. Devotees started flocking to the ghats at night. Darshan started at Ram Temple at 3:30 am.
Kanker encounter Dealt huge blow to Maoistssupply network: Bastar IG





The Hitavada State Bureau Kanker/Raipur,

Total 15 women Naxals were among the 29 leftist insurgents, also including top guerrilla cadres, gunned down by the security forces in Chhotebetiya area of Kanker district on Tuesday  the deadliest-ever blow from which rebels would not be able recuperate for some considerable period of time. For, this statement of confidence beamed from the facial expression of Bastar Range Inspector General of Police, Sunderraj P, who during a press conference on Wednesday noon, affirmed that the Kankers encounter happens to be the highest toll of red rebels, ever inflicted upon them in annals of anti-insurgency operations in Chhattisgarh. All 29 dead bodies of the Maoist cadres including that of 15 female cadres, which were recovered after the Kalpar-Binagonda encounter, have been brought to the Kanker District Headquarters.

The procedure regarding identification of dead bodies, Naxal profile verification, inquest etc have been initiated by Kanker Police, said IGP Sunderraj, during the media interaction, also attended by Kanker DIG K L Dhruw, BSF DIG V M Bala and Kanker SP Indira Kalyan Elesela. However, IGP Sunderraj, clarified that the police have so far been able to identify only 9 out 29 slain outlaws, including the high ranking leader of the banned outfit namely Shankar Rao, who was Divisional Commander and member of North Bastar Division Committee (NBDC). Rao carried a reward of Rs 25 lakh on his head.

In addition to this, other top women Naxals have been identified as Lalitha, Madhvi, Ramshila and Rajitha, all four NBDC members, wherein Rajitha also happened to be wife of Shankar Rao. Besides, three more senior cadres of Prathapur Area Committee, including a female, have also been identified as Jugni alias Malthi; Shuklal and Sirkanth. Another female guerrilla, Rupi, killed in the encounter, has been identified as Commander of Medki Local Organisation Squad (LOS) of the banned organisation, he detailed. IGP Sunderraj further revealed that a joint search team comprising of Kanker DRG and BSF were launched for searching operations in the Chhotebetiya PS limit area in Kanker district, following specific intelligence input regarding presence of senior Maoist cadres of North Bastar Division Committee of DKSZC Maoist formations.

After the encounter, the area was searched and 29 Naxal dead bodies, including 15 female Naxal cadres along with one AK 47 rifle, two INSAS rifle, one SLR rifle, one Carbine, three .303 rifles, two 9 mm pistol, two .315 calibre rifle, eight muzzle loading rifle, and huge quantities of arms ammunitions recovered from the spot, he said while detailing the post-ops seizure. IGP Sunderraj also confirmed that Inspector Ramesh Chandra Chowdhury from BSFs 94th Battalion and Kanker DRG Constable Suryakant Srimali, who were injured in the encounter are recovering well in a Raipur-based private hospital. I wish to congratulate the DRG and BSF personnel for an effective operation against the banned and illegal Maoist formation, who were active along the North Bastar-Maad area and involved numerous violent and destructive incidents in the region.

The persistent and aggressive stance of the security forces has yielded continued success, said an elated Bastar Range IG, adding further that the pace of ongoing operations are crucial, especially as outlaws tend to regroup in the plains during the summer. Meanwhile, knowledgeable sources, also averred that the Bastar Range IGP Sunderraj along with DIG BSF V M Bala, DIG Kanker Range K L Dhruv, SP Kanker Indira Kalyan Elesela, and Commandant of BSFs 94th Battalion Raghvendra Singh, also held a de-briefing session with the valiant troopers and availed first hand information regarding the chronology of the successful operation. From the onset of 2024, so far more than 79 Maoists have been killed and their bodies have been recovered from various parts of Bastar Range Police, in addition to huge cache of weapons including 2-LMG , 03 AK 47, 01 SLR, 02 INSAS, four 303 rifles, three 9MM Pistol and ammunitions, the sources added.
Make all-out effort to ensure max voting: Rajan





Staff Reporter

Voters awareness activities must be intensified. All essential measures must be taken to ensure that voters exercise their franchise so that maximum voting takes place. The objective is to ensure that voting percentage in the Lok Sabha elections is more than that in the recent Assembly elections. Chief Electoral Officer Anupam Rajan gave these instructions to all the Collectors and District Election Officers, District Nodal Officers of SVEEP and Commissioners of all Municipal Corporations of the state through video conferencing. He said that to increase the voting percentage, attractive activities which can automatically motivate eligible citizens to vote must be organised. He said that all the collectors should make polling stations voter friendly. All appropriate arrangements should be made in the polling station so that voters coming to the polling station to vote do not face any kind of inconvenience. Shade, cold water, medicine, ORS packets should be available in the polling booth. All arrangements should be made so that the polling party or anyone else in need of medical assistance can get immediate treatment. Paramedical staff should remain present along with sector officers.

He also instructed all the collectors and district election officers to ensure that voters do not have to wait in long queues to cast their vote. For this, they can also appoint additional employees in polling stations. Try to ensure that voters cast their votes in the shortest possible time. He said that all the collectors should thoroughly inspect all types of warehouses and storage centers in their area and see whether any kind of illegal material or objectionable item is stored there. For this, they should further strengthen their information and monitoring system. Chief Electoral Officer Anupam Rajan said that all the Collectors and District Election Officers should ensure to strictly follow the SOP (protocols) prescribed by the Election Commission of India for the necessary activities to be carried out 72 hours, 48 ??hours and 24 hours before voting and remove all shortcomings.

He asked all the collectors to take strict preventive action against criminal elements. Notices should be served immediately and also information about such action should be provided through the media. The results of restrictive actions should also be visible. Zilabadar action should be taken against anti social elements and they must be monitored also. He said that in order to inform the voters about their polling station, all the collectors and district election officers should distribute voter slips and voter guides as soon as possible. Also invite voters to come to the polling station in different ways. Get the EVM commissioned properly. Maintain complete transparency in every election work and try to ensure that political parties or candidates or their representatives are present during every election process.
Naxals kill another BJP leader





Our Correspondent

NARAYANPUR,

IN a tragic turn of events, suspected Naxalites struck again in the insurgency-hit Narayanpur district, claiming the life of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker late Tuesday night. The victim, identified as Panchamdas Manikpuri, Deputy Sarpanch of village Panchayat Dandvan, fell prey to assailants wielding sharp weapons in a brutal attack that has sent shockwaves through the region, just days ahead of the first phase of Lok Sabha General Elections in Bastar. According to police sources, the assailants stormed into Manikpuris residence under the limits of Pharasgaon police station, abducted him, and subsequently murdered him in a deserted area nearby. The assailants, believed to be Naxalites, swiftly fled the scene, leaving behind local residents engulfed in fear and sorrow.

Allegations against Manikpuri surfaced posthumously, as banners and pamphlets purportedly from the Naxalites accused him of anti-people activities, corruption, and collaboration with police. Moreover, threats against other political figures, including Congress leader Amit Bhadra and Sarpanch Bissel Nag, were ominously issued in the same propaganda materials (pamphlets and banners). Narayanpur SP Prabhat Kumar disclosed that a joint effort involving police forces and the District Reserve Guard (DRG) has been launched to track down the perpetrators, who remain at large.
NEED TO STOP NETANYAHU





THE risk of catastrophic war in the Middle East is real. Western Governments , including Britains, calling on Israel not to spark such a war have the means to force it to comply and must be made to use them. Israel is to blame for the escalation that saw Iran launch 300 drones against it over the weekend. Israels bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damascus, which killed 11, was a direct attack on Iranian territory under international law. It was a lawless act which the British Government has yet to condemn. It was also a middle finger raised to Israels allies in the US-led bloc, since Washington has urged Israel to avoid action likely to turn its genocidal assault on Gaza into a wider regional war. Indeed, it is hard to interpret other than as a deliberate bid to provoke such a war. Israels motivation for such recklessness has nothing to do with any alleged Iranian threat. Not one life was lost in Irans retaliatory action to the destruction of its consulate, making Foreign Secretary David Camerons attempt to portray it as disproportionate absurd. Cameron says the story would have been very different had the drones not been shot down, by Israel but also by the United States, Britain and France: but that only underlines the layers of protection provided to Israel by its international backers (in stark contrast to their refusal to do anything to protect the people of Gaza).

That combines with its own effective defence system  and, as many analysts have pointed out, Iran choosing a form of retaliation that gave hours notice and guaranteed almost all its drones would be shot down. That was the act of a country which cannot allow the flattening of its consulate and killing of its citizens to pass unremarked (a point Cameron struggled to answer when challenged by Sky News Kay Burley) but is also concerned to avoid a wider war. That is not to portray Irans theocratic regime as motivated by humanitarian or anti-imperialist concerns, but to recognise the reality that there is only one country in the region currently trying to set it on fire  and that country is Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu is not having a good war but is even more frightened of peace. Six months in, Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children  but it has not militarily defeated Hamas. The bloodbath has outraged almost the whole UN, seen even the US, fearing for its ability to maintain its traditional Middle Eastern alliances, decline to veto a ceasefire resolution, and derailed the normalisation of Israels relations with Arab states, a diplomatic priority of recent years.

Hardly any hostages have been rescued, and opposition to a war clearly not being fought with their return or even survival in mind has brought together thousands of Israeli citizens on the streets, protesting for a deal to see them returned and for elections. Those elections would likely see Netanyahu ousted, and quite possibly imprisoned given ongoing legal action against him. His only argument to postpone them is that elections cannot take place when the country is at war: expressed, now, in efforts being made to widen that war whatever the consequences. Britain and the US, which have armed Israel to the teeth, can stop doing so. An end to the flow of arms would stop the Israeli war machine in its tracks: an avowal that we recognise its attempts to start a war with Iran and will not support it in any such conflict would force it to draw back. British political leaders already have blood on their hands for facilitating Israels genocide in Gaza and its everadvancing land grab in theWest Bank. Their guilt would be all the greater if they facilitate its pursuit of a wider Middle East war. We need an arms embargo  now. (IPA)
A matter of weeks after operator WOM Chile filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US, the Colombian unit seems to be having difficulties of its own.

The BNamericas news service reports that this week the Colombian unit of WOM has followed in the footsteps of its counterpart in Chile and filed for bankruptcy protection  this time with the local companies regulator  to pay its debts.

The reason this became necessary appears to involve complying with commitments made to the government and suppliers. However, its notable that the company suggested late in 2023 it had "guaranteed" financing sources for this and future years.

A press release quoting Ramiro Lafarga, the companys CEO in Colombia, say that the companys main shareholder, together with Deutsche Bank, were looking at ways to achieve the required financing and ensure its sustainability. Lafarga also insisted that this was a business for the future.

At the same time, however, the company pointed to the challenges of a highly competitive, capital-intensive sector with declining ARPU.

As with WOM Chile, the suggestion is that bankruptcy protection is the route that will guarantee the continuity of the operation. Indeed, the company has stressed that it will continue to operate normally during this restructuring process so that the more 6.4 million users who depend on its services will not be affected.

However, local news service El Colombiano quotes legal expert Billy Escobar from the Superintendent's Office, which oversees commercial companies, who says that the company needs an injection of close to 40 billion pesos (about US$10.3 milllion) to save its operations and continue to meet its demand.

There are also the related questions of how, among other issues, it will meet the coverage obligations of the 5G tender, deal with its reported losses in 2021 and 2022 (2023 figures dont seem to be available) and, as Lafarga told BNamericas in January, invest hundreds of millions of dollars in the coming years in Colombia.
Ram Lallas first Surya Tilak on Ram Navami





AYODHYA,

THE Surya tilak of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya was done at noon on Wednesday on the occasion of Ram Navami using an elaborate mechanism involving mirrors and lenses by which sunbeams were directed on the forehead of Ram idol. This is the first Ram Navami since the consecration of the Ram idol at the new temple, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 22 this year. Prakash Gupta, spokesperson of the temple told PTI, The Surya tilak was done for around 4-5 minutes when the Sun rays were directly focused on the forehead of the Ram Lalla idol. The temple administration prevented the devotees from entering the sanctum sanctorum at the time of the Surya tilak to avoid overcrowding, Gupta said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi saw the Surya tilak during his election campaign. In a post on X, the Prime Minister wrote, After my Nalbari (Assam) rally, I watched the Surya Tilak on Ram Lalla. Like crores of Indians, this is a very emotional moment for me. The grand Ram Navami in Ayodhya is historic. May this Surya tilak bring energy to our lives and may it inspire our nation to scale new heights and glory. He also shared pictures of him watching the Surya tilak on an electronic device.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also shared a video of the Surya tilak on his official handle on X and wrote, The grand Surya tilak adorned on the forehead of Suryakul Bhushan Shri Ram Lalla is today illuminating the entire nation with its eternal glory. Jai Jai Shri Ram!. Dr DP Kanungo, Chief Scientist at CSIR-CBRI, Roorkee, told PTI, As planned, Surya Tilak of Ram Lalla was executed at 12:00 pm. The devotees waiting outside the sanctum sanctorum hailed slogans of Lord Ram while the priests conducted aarti inside. As per an official statement, a crown made of sustainable precious gemstones was adorned by the idol of Ram Lalla on the occasion. The crown was made by Apple Green Diamond, a firm that specialises in recrystallised gems. District officials said thousands of devotees began queuing at the temple even before the break of dawn to offer prayers. Special arrangements were made to accommodate them.

In consultation with the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bangalore, the CSIR-CBRI, Roorkee team developed a mechanism for 19 years to steer the sunlight from the third floor of the temple to the garbha griha. According to a senior scientist of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee, the planned tilak size was 58 mm. The exact period of tilak on the forehead centre was about three to three-and-a-half minutes, with two minutes of full illumination. A detailed design to bring sunlight to the garbha griha was developed by CBRI, with the IIA providing consultancy for the optical design. The system was tested by the scientists on Tuesday. Dr S K Panigrahi, a scientist at CSIR-CBRI Roorkee, who was also associated with the project said that the basic objective of the Surya tilak project is to focus on the tilak on the forehead of Shri Ram idol on every Shri Ram Navami day. Under the project, sunlight will be brought on the forehead of Lord Ram at noon on Shri Ram Navami in the Chaitra month every year.
Perus Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) has published a draft decree in line with the Regulation of the Law for the Promotion of a Connected Peru, passed in June last year, in which it lays out a number of proposals, notably the partial phasing out of public telephones.

Thats not a big surprise. The countrys population uses public telephones less and less, so the government wants to move towards internet connectivity, for which there is greater demand.

Therefore operators may over time be relieved of their obligation to provide public telephony and instead have to offer broadband internet, specifically in rural areas or areas with a defined social need, both of which will be determined by government.

Online resource DPL News says that at least 55% of public telephones in the country are barely used, according to data from the ministry. Phones targeted for replacement will have an average traffic of less than three minutes a day during the past year.

Details are not too clear at the moment, but the idea seems to be that operators will be asked to propose to MTC new approaches that promote the reduction of the internet access gap, expand voice and broadband services, and whose implementation, operation and maintenance costs are equal to those of public telephony. Once these proposals are agreed, operators will be obliged to put them into effect. As its not clear whats in it for the operators themselves, it will be interesting to see what they come up with.

A number of other points relating to up-to-date information about population and guaranteed minimum speed obligations for fixed and mobile broadband connections are also put forward in the proposals, which will be open for public consultation until the end of April.
GLOBALink | Exhibitors from BRI participating countries seek business opportunities at Hainan expo Pub Date:24-04-18 09:13 Source:Xinhua The ongoing China International Consumer Products Expo draws over 4,000 brands from 71 countries and regions, including countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Produced by Xinhua Global Service Editor:Zheng Chen

Related News GLOBALink | China's gigantic telescope det... Xinhua Commentary: Green cooperation holds... Across China: Global exhibitors seek oppor... China's power use up 7.4 pct in March
A number of news outlets are reporting plans by digital infrastructure company Equinix to build a $130m data centre in Santiago, Chile. This will be the company's fifth Chilean facility.

Although it hasnt yet been formally announced by Equinix, there has been an environmental impact declaration filed for the construction of its fifth Chilean facility, which will be known as ST5.

On the basis of this we know that ST5 will be located in Pudahuel, a commune (small administrative area) in Santiago Province that houses Santiagos international airport.

ST5 will comprise 16 data rooms and office space over two floors spanning 24,420 square metres. The facility will be set on a gross land area of 42,400 square metres.

ST5 will feature 16 emergency generator sets with 3,500 kVA and one 900kVA for the office module. It will also include a 38-hour fuel tank.

Construction of ST5 is expected to begin in May 2025; the first phase is due to be completed in April 2027.

According to the Data Centre Dynamics website, the company already has four data centres in Chile, three of which it acquired from Chilean operator Entel and one of which, ST2, recently began a US$46 million expansion scheduled for completion in early 2025.

Equinix is a major data centre player across Latin America operating a reported 85 facilities in Brazil, Columbia, Mexico and Peru.
Bryan Kohberger, the suspect in the Moscow college student homicides, has now been jailed in Idaho for 469 days following his December 2022 arrest.

For each day that passes as he awaits his anticipated murder trial, the public costs shouldered by Idaho taxpayers climb.

Financial records obtained by the Idaho Statesman through public records requests across a dozen public entities detail the taxpayer dollars already spent on the Kohberger case.

The total includes costs for the nationwide law enforcement investigation and ensuing legal proceedings so far. It also accounts for the daily rate to hold Kohberger in custody at the county jail while he awaits trial.

The amount of money spent on the high-profile murder case already exceeds $3.6 million, the Statesman investigation found.

The cost of Kohbergers prosecution is heightened, financial studies have shown and legal experts told the Statesman, because the state plans to pursue the death penalty if a jury convicts him.

Judge John Judge of Idahos 2nd Judicial District in Latah County, who is overseeing the case, said at a hearing earlier this month that he was mindful of the public costs for the extended pretrial process.

If we have to have hearings on every single thing, weve got a long ways to go, he said. And its a lot of time, its a lot of work, its a lot of money, and it just makes everything more difficult.

Still, the Kohberger case appears to be bringing exceptional expenses to the state. For comparison, the combined costs for the murder cases against Chad and Lori Vallow Daybell were roughly the same amount  about $3.6 million  but over three years time, East Idaho News reported in March 2023.

Kohberger, 29, a graduate student at nearby Washington State University at the time, is accused of stabbing four University of Idaho students to death at an off-campus home on King Road in Moscow. He is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary.

A Latah County grand jury unanimously indicted him on the five charges in May 2023. The victims were seniors Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, both 21, junior Xana Kernodle and freshman Ethan Chapin, both 20.

The three women rented the home with two other female housemates who went unharmed in the November 2022 fatal attack, while Chapin was Kernodles boyfriend and stayed over for the night, police said.

STATE POLICE INVOICES ID GENETIC TESTING LAB

Police costs to land on Kohberger as the suspected killer after a nearly seven-week manhunt were at least $740,000, the Statesmans analysis found, most of which covered payroll for the cadre of Idaho State Police officers.

That sum also includes an overtime bill of 600 hours for the Moscow Police Department, which led the homicide investigation, and the use of a private firm to secure the King Road property while it was still an active crime scene.

That total included any police investigative work on the homicides, ISP spokesperson Aaron Snell, who relocated to Moscow to assist with public communications for most of the investigation, told the Statesman by phone.

Its any expense that supports the work, the majority of which were indeed the travel and the forensics services  the testing, he said.

Those expenses exclude any costs to the FBI, which assisted with the case. As a matter of policy, the federal agency does not comment on how it pursues specific cases, including the associated costs, FBI regional spokesperson Sandra Barker said in an email to the Statesman.

Since 2021, the state has had a contract with Othram, a private lab in Texas, for forensic genetic testing services. Othram has helped Idaho solve three cold cases in that time and is assisting on other active cases, Matthew Gamette, ISPs forensic lab services director, said in an email to the Statesman.

Law enforcement and prosecutors have never identified Othram by name for work on the Kohberger case, including investigative genetic genealogy, or IGG. But records the Statesman obtained revealed that Othram billed ISP $5,000 in November 2022 for the rushed service, which entailed submitting crime scene DNA to publicly accessible ancestry websites to develop suspect leads.

The FBI eventually took over the advanced police technique that has run into constitutional rights questions.

Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson acknowledged six months after Kohbergers arrest that IGG was employed to initially lead detectives to him as the suspect. Police made no mention of IGG in the probable cause affidavit for Kohbergers arrest.

Another invoice record detailed the costs of the autopsies. Latah County Coroner Cathy Mabbutt had the Spokane County Medical Examiners Officer conduct the examinations of the four victims, including toxicology.

The four autopsies were considered complex because they required more time than a standard case, Mabbutt said in an email to the Statesman, and the total cost came to $9,600, according to an invoice dated three weeks after their deaths.

Early into the investigation, Gov. Brad Little pledged up to $1 million in emergency funds to backfill costs to ISP and the city police force for each agencys dedication of expanded resources to the high-profile homicide case.

Total reimbursements reached about $435,000 from the governors fund, between ISP and Moscow police, said Emily Callihan, Littles spokesperson.

UI TAKES BRUNT OF COSTS

UI has taken on the greatest known financial burden to date from the quadruple-homicide. The university has spent more than $1.6 million on direct impacts from the deaths of the four students, university spokesperson Jodi Walker told the Statesman.

The vast majority of those costs  about $1.4 million  related to an expansion of security throughout the Moscow campus and surrounding area. The total included $241,500 to cover charges for ISP to patrol the college community for six weeks immediately following the homicides and for room and board for its officers over that time.

That money also is included in the total police cost for the case. UI also paid nearly $780,000 to a pair of private security firms to help with a revised campus security plan and patrol the area, including the King Road house. The university spent another $393,000 to increase its own campus security, an expense report showed.

The Idaho Legislature appropriated $1 million in additional funds to UI to help defray the unexpected security costs. The remaining expenses were paid for through the universitys reserve funds, Walker said.

This did not cover all our expenses but was certainly appreciated, she told the Statesman.

Once police released the King Road property back to its owner, it was donated to the university. The school took ownership on Feb. 24, 2023, Walker said, which in turn placed the houses ongoing 24/7 security costs on the university.

While neither prosecutors nor Kohbergers defense took issue with the house being demolished once their investigations were finished, some of the four victims families wanted it to remain standing until after the trial.

They raised concerns about jurors who may ask to visit for a more complete understanding of the attack or any possible evidence that may not have been found and still could be later.

With remediation work, including fencing to secure the King Road property and transfer of the title, plus the private security costs of several hundreds of dollars per day, UI spent about $346,000 on the house before it was torn down in late December. According to an invoice, the total included nearly $14,000 paid to Moscow-based Germer Construction to demolish the house.

While the documented financial toll of dealing with a capital crime such as this is incredibly high, there are other costs as well, such as the emotional toll on our employees who worked countless hours to support students and keep our university as strong as possible through this tragedy, UI President Scott Green said in a statement to the Statesman. While we know it most changed the lives of the families of the victims, it also touched and changed every employee and student at our university on that fateful day.

Over the Idaho state line in Pullman, where Kohberger lived in graduate student housing at the time, Washington State did not track costs tied to UI student homicides, university spokesperson Phil Weiler said in an email to the Statesman. WSU campus police had limited expenses for overtime, including helping serve search warrants, he said, but no additional costs were logged from officers heightened presence around campus.
Despite the ups and downs of running a small business it gives you all the reasons to smile in the shape of freedom, time, and choice.

The decision to close a small business is never easy. However, before making the final call, consider exploring a few strategic pivots that could breathe new life into the thing you worked so hard to build in the first place.

Supercharge your marketing crusades with the might of a superhero

Sometimes, it can be as simple as not enough people knowing about your business. Reinvigorate your marketing efforts by focusing on low-cost, high-impact strategies. Utilise social media platforms to engage with your audience, after all, when done right, theyre free. As of April 2024, there are 4.95 billion people use social media worldwide, with this figure continuing to grow on the daily. When done right, imagine if you could capture 0.0001% of that audience? That number is 4,950. Could you service this number if that was the number of clients wanting to buy from you?

Optimise your website for Search Engine Optimisation to increase visibility and consider email marketing to reach your warm audience (your database) to keep your customers informed and engaged. 99% of people Google you before they pick up the phone, so make it worth their while. Will they know exactly who you are, the problem you solve and the transformation you provide as soon as they land on you?

Dont forget the power of word-of-mouth; encourage your satisfied customers to spread the word. When your community catches wind of their favourite product or service in need of some extra love, you will be surprised what the power of people can deploy.

Reassess and shift your current business model

Take a hard look at your current business model and ask yourself what could be changed or improved. Is there a demand in your market that youre not yet catering to? Could you shift your focus to online sales or offer virtual services? A slight shift doesnt have to be monumental; sometimes, even a small adjustment in your product line, service delivery method, or target audience can open new revenue streams.

Explore partnership and collaboration opportunities

Look for opportunities to collaborate with other businesses in your community or industry. Strategic alliances and partnerships can and will open new customer bases, reduce costs through shared resources, and even spark innovative ideas. Whether its co-hosting an event, offering bundled promotions, or simply referring customers to each other, strategic collaborations can provide a much-needed boost on your revenue and therefore profit but will also start to create the building blocks for your positive mindset to get back to where it was when you started your business.

Ask for feedback and act on it

Reach out to your past customers and existing ones for feedback. This is always going to be hard, however its important to understand why they choose your business and what could be improved. This insight is invaluable and can guide you in making meaningful changes that enhance your customers loyalty to you and how satisfied they are with what you have to offer. Knowledge is power and by implementing customer suggestions, this not only improves your business but also strengthens customer relationships by showing them their opinions matter and you value each and every one of them.

Hayley Osborne, Digital Marketing Expert, www.hayleyosborne.com

Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The semiconductor sector in Vietnam faces talent challenges, with engineers scoring significantly lower in equipment maintenance and innovation compared to their Chinese and South Korean peers, insiders have said.

Chung Won Soek, general director of South Korea's Hana Micron Vina, a company specializing in manufacturing and processing integrated circuit boards for mobile phones and smart devices that has two factories located in Bac Giang and Bac Ninh provinces in northern Vietnam, said that although the Vietnamese workforce in this sector is young, their standards and competitiveness are weaker than those of South Korea and China.

"For example, in terms of job proficiency, if a Vietnamese worker can operate the equipment 18 times on average, a Chinese worker can do so 40 times and it would be 60 times for a South Korean."

The company's Bac Giang facility can produce 100 million semiconductor chips per year, employing more than 1,600 workers, with plans to increase this to 1,900 by the end of the year.

However, senior staff still make up a low percentage, with skilled workers accounting for 39%, equipment engineers about 23%, and process engineers about 29%, requiring significant training time to master the processes, Chung told a seminar held on Tuesday in Bac Giang.

General director Chung Won Soek of Hana Micron Vina company in Bac Giang Province at a seminar on April 16, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Hong Chieu

When comparing the ability to maintain and repair faulty equipment, Vietnamese engineers scored 30 points, while China scored 70 and South Korea 90, Chung said.

The work experience and tenure with the company of Vietnamese workers are also much less, he added.

Chung described the situation as "understandable," noting that Vietnam's semiconductor industry is relatively new. He believes that with enhanced training and development, Vietnam can achieve parity with South Korea and China.

To supply the workforce, the company is currently cooperating with colleges to offer training courses.

Students in the program are directly taught by engineers from Hana Micron Vina at their schools and then take internship programs at the company. Those who pass two internships will be chosen to work at the company.

With the program, Chung hopes to find high-quality personnel for the semiconductor industry.

Since the end of 2022, the company has organized two internships for nearly 120 students and has so far hired over 60 of them.

Nguyen Xuan Ngoc, Deputy Director of Bac Giangs Management Board of Industrial Zones, said there is still a lack of formal workforce in this field.

"Those working in this field were previously trained for other industries, such as automation, electronic engineering, electronic equipment, information technology, mechanical engineering, and chemical technology," Ngoc said. "As a result, companies have had to train their employees from scratch."

People who have been trained for a few months can perform basic tasks but still need the supervision of managers and technical experts.

"It typically takes at least a year for them to become proficient and work independently. Therefore, schools should closely align their training courses with market and business needs," Ngoc added.

He promised that the management board will act as a bridge between businesses and schools to build a system and provide information on market needs and trends.

Made-in-Vietnam integrated circuit products on display at an event in HCMC in October 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Luu Quy

Yet the sector is also short of trainers and lecturers.

Vo Xuan Hoai, deputy director of the National Innovation Center, believes that infrastructure and high-tech equipment for training require significant investment from the government, institutions, and businesses. The coordination between schools and businesses with regular training programs is not yet consistent and does not meet international standards.

"We need more policies to encourage engineering students to enter the semiconductor field," Hoai said, suggesting that Bac Giang improve the capacity of universities, allocate budgets for short-term practical training projects or postgraduate studies.

Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung said last September that the semiconductor industry would need 10,000 engineers every year by 2030, but the current rate is less than 20% of the target.

The number of engineers has only been growing by around 500 a year, according to a report by the Vietnam Microchip Community.
Behind Indias Manipur conflict : A tale of drugs, armed groups and politics

|

Angana Chakrabarti (associate member of The Reporters Collective)

Contd from previous issue

The Kuki political leaders accused the Chief Minister of communalising the State and targeting their community by supporting new Meitei armed groups.

These were the same MLAs who, with the overt support of the Kuki armed groups, had backed Chief Minister Singh in 2022.

They are part and parcel of tribal politics. If someone wants to fight elections, you need to have their blessing. After the candidates they sponsor get elected, they [the armed groups] get different contracts [from the Government], said a political observer in the State who declined to be named because of concerns for his safety.

As the ethnic conflict intensifies, both rebel groups and political leaders from the Kuki community, who once allied with the Meitei Chief Minister, are now visibly distancing themselves.

Unlike the 2019 general elections when it fielded a Kuki-Zo, this time the BJP does not have a candidate for the Outer Manipur seat, which covers the hill districts. But in its campaign for the Inner Manipur (valley) seat, it says its focus is on saving the indigenous people of Manipur by fencing the Indo-Myanmar border, ending the Free Movement Regime, the identification of illegal immigrants, among other issues that have played into the conflict so far.

Demand for a separate State

Despite holding Biren Singh responsible for the ethnic conflict, Kuki leaders within the BJP have not yet resigned either from his Cabinet or the party.

During this period, various Kuki-Zo civil society groups have emerged as prominent advocates for their communitys rights and demands. One of the key demands these groups have consistently rallied around since the onset of the conflict is the establishment of a separate administration, cleaved out of Manipur. This proposition was initially put forth by 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs, seven of whom belong to the BJP.

Unfortunately, they [the Centre] have been trying to play it down and my reading is that they have been trying or are really buying into Biren [Singh]s narrative, said a Kuki-Zo legislator who didnt wish to be named.

When asked if they planned to resign from the party, the MLA said, If today I resign from the BJP, the party  will disqualify me from the Assembly, he said, adding, The majoritarian Government is interested in making most or some of the BJPs members resign and conduct a by-election.

Considering the anger against the Meitei community, and particularly against Biren Singh, it seems impossible for a candidate endorsed by the State Chief Minister to win a by-election in the Kuki-dominated hills.

But the MLA hinted otherwise. Our people being tribals, if there is a by-election they will have a field day splitting people along party lines. That is what they wanted and that has been how politics has been played in India.

In the upcoming elections, no Kuki-Zo candidates are contesting. All the candidates in the fray for the Outer Manipur seat are Naga with the BJP backing the Naga Peoples Front candidate.

The layers of Manipur politics, the linkages between the political elite and their interests across ethnic divides, defy a simpler image of a clash between two communities.

Gun-toting men, young and old, now sit and guard their villages from the neighbouring Kuki and Meitei villages. Every few days, there are headlines on gunfire exchanges and deaths.

According to a retired police officer, who is familiar with intelligence gathering in Indias North Eastern States, this kind of low-grade violence is more dangerous.

These are indications that people are being recruited and trained, he said. Asked what this conflict would spell for the illicit drug trade, he said, In times of instability, trans-shipment and running becomes more active.

The Meiteis cant go to the hills, and the Kukis cant come to the valley. But the drugs can still go everywhere, said Jogesh of the 3.5 Collective.

Angana Chakrabarti is an associate member of The Reporters Collective.

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LS election with a difference Responsibility of choice

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Not that people expect a miracle but it is heartening to see so many taking a keen interest in the election debates and discussions that have been hogging the limelight, especially in the face of the ongoing clash between the Meiteis and the Kukis. Even as voters in 47 Assembly segments gear up to exercise their franchise rights on April 19, one hopes the interest shown in the debates and discussions gets reflected in the choice of the button which the voter decides to press. As far as memory can take one back, this is perhaps the first time that the Lok Sabha election has evoked so much interests amongst the voters and significant to note too that this interest has come along with the tacit and overt admission that voting comes along with its share of respon- sibility. To many, voting this time would mean coming around to the idea of Manipur, an idea in the existence of a geo-political reality understood as Manipur. And even as this is being penned down, there could be some voters who could still be studying the antecedents of the different candidates, the ideology of the political party on which ticket they have entered the election ring, how they have addressed the different issues dogging Manipur and yes study the Manipur of post May 3, 2023. As noted on more than one occasion, the outcome of the election could mean a sort of a referendum on the BJP led Government at Imphal on how it has dealt with the ongoing conflict, how Delhi has responded to the unfolding situation and this is precisely the reason why the Big 2-the BJP and Congress-have left no stone unturned in trading charges and counter charges. Debates one may call it, but it is these debates which have given life to the days running into April 19 and in more than one way, the debates and discussion should give people more than a fair idea on the prevailing situation. The canvassing and campaigning which Manipur has witnessed in the run up to the election would have also given the people more than a fair idea of which candidate is best placed to carry the story of Manipur to Parliament and outside the Lok Sabha. In short how the story of Manipur is told to the rest of the country and to the rest of the world. This part is important for remember Manipur fails to register in the consciousness of quite a large number of people outside the North East region and this is something which should weigh in on the minds of everyone when they go out to vote. This is also the perfect opportunity for Manipur to usher in a new culture of electioneering and demonstrate that the people have it in them to elect the candidate who can speak and act on their behalf in a manner befitting the bill of an elected leader.

Even as the readers/subscribers go through this commentary, let it not be forgotten that the 2024 Lok Sabha election is the best time to usher in a new political culture and demonstrate that muscle and money power would have no place in the choice they make at the hustings. This opportunity should not be allowed to go waste for remember in choosing the candidate of ones choice one is handing over the responsibility of the people and the place for the next five years. This is no laughing matter and why should My next five years be frittered away without much of a thought ? Let Manipur demonstrate that the lesson learnt in the last 11 months is put to good use and the first chapter to show that lessons have been learnt is to demonstrate this while exercising their franchise rights. That the elected Lok Sabha MP represents the people and the land and not only the party on which ticket he is elected is a point that should not be forgotten. The people will have to decide whether to send someone who can present the case of Manipur effectively on the floor of the Lok Sabha or continue to be satisfied with sending just an MP who can at best be just another member in a House of 545 MPs. It is also important that people look beyond the 5 years office of the elected MP but see who is best placed to chart a way for others to follow so that the interests of Manipur is right up there on the chart. Manipur deserves a man who can hold the attention of the Lok Sabha and the rest of the country and herein lies the importance of ones choice.
The goals of the United States in the Middle East include the security of Israel, a de-escalation of the conflict between Israel and Iran, a return of the hostages seized by Hamas in their terrorist attack on Israel October 7, and a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, so that humanitarian assistance can flow more freely to the suffering people in Gaza.



The last goals  the return of the hostages and a ceasefire allowing for a much-needed increase of humanitarian aid to Gaza  seem tragically distant after Hamas once again refused to agree to a proposal hammered out by U.S., Egyptian, and Qatari mediators.



At a press briefing, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller called Hamas the impediment to the deal, despite the fact, he observed, that it would achieve much of the things that [Hamas leaders] have publicly claimed in repeated statements that they are trying to achieve.



Spokesperson Miller said the newest proposal that went from the United States and Egypt and Qatar to Israel to Hamas was incredibly significant. He noted too that Israel moved in a significant way in submitting that proposal, but Hamas rejected it.



If they did accept it, it would allow for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza of at least six weeks that would benefit the Palestinian people they claim to represent. It would allow us to continue the improvements on the delivery of humanitarian assistance that we have seen over the past week. And those improvements have been significant and are ongoing, but if you didnt have active, ongoing hostilities, the UN and other partners could do even more to get humanitarian assistance in. And the bottom line is Hamas needs to take that deal and they need to explain to the world and to the Palestinian people why they arent taking it, because it is the Hamas  it is Hamas right now that is the barrier and the obstacle to a ceasefire in Gaza.



Secretary of State Antony Blinken has repeatedly said that true security for Israel and the Palestinians must include a pathway for an independent Palestinian state. But as the Secretary said earlier this year at Davos, The problem is getting from here to there. And of course, it requires very difficult, challenging decisions.



As it stands now, Hamas, with yet another rejection of a ceasefire proposal, is showing it is not interested in making those decisions.
Saima Khan, a resident of Ward 78 in Mominpur has emerged successful obtaining 165 rank in the prestigious Union Public Service Examination examinations.

She cleared the examination in her fourth attempt.

Having done most of her education from Kolkata, Saima shifted to Mumbai after completing her Class VIII from St Pauls Boarding and Day School in Kidderpore as her father, Seraj Ahmed Khan wanted to transfer his business there. However, after two years, the family returned to Kolkata and Saima was admitted to Ashok Hall Girls Higher Secondary School for plus-two levels and then to St Xaviers College. During her graduation, she took up sociology honours and it was then when for the first time she aspired to do something in the public services field. I was associated with an NGO. While interacting with the people at the ground level, I realized that I wanted to do something for them if it was small, said Saima. For doing such things, I needed some institutional authority and it was then, I decided to clear the UPSC, said Saima, who was a student at the Educrat IAS Academy and later joined the institute guiding other aspirants for sometime after clearing her prelims.

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Talking about her journey till the results, Saima explained how she resisted social media or even social life during her preparatory period. I would not go out to the relatives or attend marriage parties for four to five years. The only social activity that I had was meeting my childhood friends in about a month or so. I had no fixed duration of studying everyday but would spend as much time as I could on studies, said the Kidderpore resident.

Elucidating on the challenges faced, she recalled, Failure was the biggest challenge. After failing to clear in the three attempts, I felt like giving up almost every day but I had no plan B for my career. All my dreams were around UPSC and I knew, if there could be something, it had to be this.

Advising the aspirants of UPSC, she said, Be honest about yourself. If you are studying for five hours, make it a quality time rather than just a quantity time. Be consistent and focus on your preparations without bothering too much about the results.
Ahead of Lok Sabha polls, gunshots were fired at Bakchara in Gaighata of North 24 Parganas, last night by unidentified miscreants.

The incident occurred late Tuesday night. According to police sources, the gunfire was a result of an old dispute, and no political connection has been found yet. Tension is prevailing in the area following the gunfire. Locals reported that a few days ago, there was a commotion in the area relating to an old dispute. While the situation seemed to calm down then, it escalated again on Tuesday night.

Eyewitnesses claim that several individuals were seen roaming around the area in an intimidating manner on Tuesday night. Suddenly, they attacked a youth named Sunny. He was beaten up and thrown onto the road. Locals intervened to stop the assault. At that moment, a miscreant named Gautam and three others fired from guns. Chaos ensued and in the commotion, the miscreants managed to flee. In protest, locals blocked the road. Eventually, the situation was defused by the police.

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According to police sources, Gautam, one of the accused of firing the shots, has been arrested. A bullet shell has been recovered from the scene. Police are making efforts to apprehend those involved in the incident. Meanwhile, before the start of Lok Sabha election, violence also erupted in Duttapukur of North 24-Parganas. In the Kotra gram panchayat area, three BJP supporters were allegedly assaulted, prompting BJP candidate Swapan Majumdar to file a complaint at the police station. He alleged that three BJP supporters were assaulted under the leadership of the Trinamul Congress block president and Trinamul panchayat members. The Trinamul countered, claiming that female Trinamul workers were attacked while campaigning for the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme in the village. They were allegedly forced to wear vermillion marks, which led to a clash with locals at that time.
The people of three parliamentary constituencies  Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri will exercise their franchise in the first phase of 18th Lok Sabha polls amid tight security on 19 April, following deployment of adequate Central forces.

Cooch Behar, the area became the heart of the Kamata Kingdom in the 12th century, during the British Raj it was ruled by the Koch dynasty until 1949, is highly sensitive politically compared to two other LS seats in northern north Bengal.

Political clashes between the BJP and the TMC is a common feature in Cooch Behar. Union minister Nisith Pramanik and state North Bengal development minister Udayan Guha do not hesitate to chase each other to keep control over Dinhata Assembly segment. Cooch Behar people had witnessed the death of five persons in central police firing at a polling station of Sitalkuchi Assembly segment during Assembly elections in 2021.

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When chief minister Mamata Banerjee has recently asked Mr Guha to keep his head cool to take on the BJP on poll day, Mr Pramanik has requested the Election Commission to keep a close watch on Mr Guhas movement.

Today, TMC activists staged agitation in front of Dinhata police station after the BJP supporters allegedly attacked them.

The three LS seats were under the control of the Trinamul Congress since 2014 general elections. In 2019, the BJP bagged all three seats. Now, the Trinamul Congress is trying hard to recover these seats and the BJP candidates have formulated strategies to retain the three.

Since 1977, Forward Bloc candidates have been elected from Cooch Behar. In 2014, TMC candidate Renuka Sinha was elected. The BJP had fielded a rebel TMC leader, Nisith Pramanik and bagged the LS seat in 2019. Mr Pramanik, who became a Union minister of state for home affairs later, is contesting against the TMC candidate Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia, an MLA from Sitai in Cooch Behar. Significantly, both Forward Bloc and Congress candidates are contesting here due to a lack of political understanding.

Alipurduar Lok Sabha constituency, comprising over 80 per cent of its total population belong to Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe and various ethnic groups like Rajbanshi, Rabha, Metch, Santhals, Madaysia, Bodo, Toto and Oraon in the tea belt, was under the control of Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) since 1977.

In 2014, the TMC bagged the Alipurduar Lok Sabha seat by fielding a RSP leader Dasrath Tirkey. Mr Tirkey secured 36.69 per cent votes against the RSP candidate Manohar Tirkey, who managed 23.19 percent votes. Significantly, the BJP candidate Birendra Bara (Oraon) managed 22.83 per cent votes.

The BJP bagged the seat in 2019 by fielding a trader union from the tea belt John Barla, who secured 54.36 per cent votes against Mr Tirkey, who obtained 36.69 per cent votes.

Significantly, the BJP has dropped Mr Barla, though he was Union minister of state for minority affairs and fielded Manoj Tigga, who was elected as an MLA from Madarihat in Alipurduar twice.

Party had appointed Mr Tigga, who is also Chief Whip in state Assembly, as Alipurduar district party president and projected him to retain the seat.

TMC has nominated Rajya Sabha Member Prakash Baraik to take on Mr Tigga.

The Jalpaiguri LS constituency shares international borders with Bhutan and Bangladesh and neighbouring districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Cooch Behar and Alipurduar. A sizable population of Jalpaiguri resides in tea plantations where the backbone of the trade industry of this district is tea-timber-tourism.

Since 1980, the CPM traditionally kept control over the Jalpaiguri LS seat till 2009. But the TMC bagged the seat in 2014 by fielding Bijoy Chandra Barman. Mr Barman obtained 32.31 per cent votes against the CPMs sitting MP Mahendra Kumar Roy, who managed 27.76 per cent votes. On the other hand, the BJP candidate Satyalal Sarkar secured 14.47 per cent.

But the BJP finally bagged the Jalpaiguri LS constituency by fielding a doctor from North Bengal Medical College and Hospital Dr Jayanta Kumar Roy, who secured 50.63 per cent votes, in 2019. Sitting MP Mr Barman managed 38.37 per cent votes.

The BJP at the last moment fielded Dr Roy against the TMC candidate Dr Nirmal Chandra Roy, a retired professor, who was elected as an MLA from Dhupguri, which was under the control of saffron party in a bypoll in Jalpaiguri, a few months back.

The Prime Minister visited twice in this region and campaigned for his three BJP candidates. TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee visited thrice and her party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also visited several times to garner votes.
To prevent any unpleasant incidents in the city during Ram Navami celebrations ahead of the Lok Sabha election, police headquarters at Lalbazar were on high alert.

Kolkata Police had instructed all police stations to monitor religious places with CCTV cameras.

A senior official of the city police said that a total of 2,500 police personnel, which include personnel from the armed police forces, have been deployed on the streets to maintain law and order situation for the day.

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At the same time, one unit of the Heavy Radio Flying Squad (HRFS) has been deployed before each of the police stations, who will rush to any spot of trouble or tension near its location instantly and take control of the situation.

Similar precautions, sources said, are being adopted in areas under the three police commiserates adjacent to Kolkata namely Bidhannagar, Howrah and Barrackpore.

On the occasion of Ram Navami, Governor C V Anand Bose today visited a temple at Doighat in Watgunge area. He also participated in a puja.

On the occasion of Ram Navami, different political parties held rallies in the city and outskirts. In Jadavpur, Trinamul Congress candidate Saayoni Ghosh took out a rally. Even the state government had declared a state holiday today. In Howrah, both TMC and BJP had joined Ram Navami celebrations at Mahavir Chowk. The Calcutta High Court had permitted a procession from Shrirampur and Howrah for Ram Navami on Monday.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee issued a statement in the morning urging the people of the state to maintain peace on the occasion of Ram Navami. Greetings to all on the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami. I appeal to maintain peace, prosperity and development for all, her statement read.

Mamata Banerjee yesterday had expressed concerns about potential unrest on Ram Navami. On the other hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had accused the Trinamul Congress of changing their stance on Ram Navami for electoral gains during his campaigning on Tuesday. Ahead of the first phase of elections on 19 April in the state, the Election Commission of India has already issued special instructions to the DIGs and ADGs of the state police to ensure no unrest on the day. Based on past incidents, Kolkata Police has decided to instal additional CCTV cameras in all religious and sensitive areas to monitor them effectively.

Currently, the status of CCTV cameras installed in religious places in the city is being checked by respective police stations. They are also seeking information from the OCs about the need for additional CCTV surveillance.

The office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, as per the instructions of the Election Commission, is also keeping a close watch on the development over Ram Navami processions this year.

The CEO, West Bengal Ariz Aftab has himself confirmed that there will be special security arrangements this year. It is learnt that the sensitive pockets in the state have been identified and special security arrangements have been deployed there.
With active participation from the ruling Trinamul Congress and its rival BJP, in separate programmes, Ram Navami was celebrated across the state peacefully till Wednesday evening.

No untoward incident was reported though the chief minister Mamata Banerjee for the past couple of days have been apprehending that the BJP would use Ram Navami festivities to engineer clashes between two groups ahead of the first phase elections on 19 April in three Lok Sabha (LS) constituencies, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri.

Leaders of both ruling TMC and opposition saffron party marched along with hundreds of participants as Ram Navami processions were brought out across the city and districts in the state today.

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Miss Banerjee greeted the people of the state on the occasion of Ram Navami and appealed to them to maintain peace and harmony. She also prayed for their prosperity and development.

Greetings to all on the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami. I appeal to maintain peace, prosperity and development for all, the chief minister posted on X handle.

Following the directive of the Calcutta High Court, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) brought out a colourful procession of about 200 VHP workers in the Shibpur area in Howrah amidst tight security arrangements around 4pm. The procession, which started from the IIEST, Shibpur reached Ramkrishnapur Ghat through Kazipara and Mullickphatak along the G T Road.

Violence had erupted in the area in 2023 during the Ram Navami procession organized by the VHP.

Suvendu Adhikari, BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state legislative Assembly participated in a procession in the New Town area in the city while state food processing and horticulture minister Arup Roy along with his partys outgoing MP Prasun Banerjee, who is also a contestant in Howrah LS constituency, marched with a procession in northern part of Howrah town.

Trinamul Congress candidate from Jadavpur constituency also took part in a procession in Howrah.

Dipak Adhikari alias Dev, Trinamul Congress candidate in Ghatal parliamentary seat, also participated in a Ram Navami procession in his area and was found chanting Jai Shri Ram slogan which is usually a benchmark for the saffron camp.

In Barrackpore, BJP candidate Arjun Singh, who left the TMC after being overlooked as candidate by the Mamata Banerjee-led party, led another Ram Navami procession.

Similar processions with youths chanting Jai Shri Ram, and holding saffron flags and replicas of swords amid frenzied beating of drums were witnessed in Bankura, Purulia, Durgapur, Asansol and elsewhere in the state.

Despite the administration forbidding display of arms in public, swords were displayed during Ram Navami processions in Howrah, Birbhum and Burdwan districts.

BJP Bardhaman candidate Dilip Ghosh also flaunted a sword at the Ram Navami procession in Durgapur.

Trinamul Congress outgoing MP from Birbhum Satabdi Roy, who is seeking re-election, also led a Ram Navami celebration in her constituency.

Some political observers in the city felt that the ruling Trinamul Congress leaders active participation in different programmes in connection with Ram Navami festivals in Kolkata and districts is significant ahead of the LS polls in the state.

The saffron party usually organizes Ram Navami festivities every year across the country. This time, the ruling party and its leaders were found marching along with Ram Navami processions in the city and districts. Trinamul Congress wants to woo Hindu voters as much as possible, one of the observers said.

Mamata Banerjee after becoming chief minister in Bengal in 2011 has given political space to the BJP in the state. The two parties have been doing politics of division in terms of religion since then in our state. This is a very dangerous trend for people of Bengal but no one will allow this politics of division, said Sujan Chakraborty, a CPM central committee member.
Signaling a positive roadmap for the Indian banks, S&P Global has recently said the Indian banks have been among the best-performing lenders among peers in Asia as three Indian lenders made it to the list of top 50 banks by assets in the Asia-Pacific region in 2023, up from two in 2022.

As per the data, the aggregate assets of the lenders rose sharply by 50.5% y/y to $1.51 trillion in 2023.

In the list, State Bank of India is at the 20th position, HDFC Bank at 33 and ICICI Bank at 48th spot.

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A large part of the increase was due to the merger of HDFC Bank Ltd. with its parent Housing Development Finance Corp. Ltd. in July 2022. HDFC Banks assets jumped 51.3% to $466.35 billion after the merger, propelling the bank up 13 places to 33 in the top 50 ranking.

In the top four spots on the list were mainland China-headquartered lenders and total six are there in the top 10.

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd. remained the biggest bank in the region and in the world at the end of 2023, with Agricultural Bank of China Ltd. moving ahead of China Construction Bank Corp. into second spot on the regional list. Bank of China Ltd. rounded out the top four.

The big four Chinese banks expanded their assets 10.2% year on year (yoy) to $21.91 trillion in 2023, with Agricultural Bank showing the biggest growth at 14.3% yoy.

Further, the banks in Japan and South Korea suffered the biggest declines in the annual ranking. The combined assets of Japanese lenders fell 2.5% yoy in 2023 to $10.53 trillion, and South Korean banks had a 0.9% yoy decline to $2.66 trillion.

As per the data, the aggregate assets of three Singaporean banks rose 3.7% yoy to $1.40 trillion. In terms of ranking, DBS Group Holdings Ltd. and United Overseas Bank Ltd. moved up in the list, while Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. Ltd. fell three places to 37.

Notably, the RBI data has said the credit growth in India, currently the worlds fastest-growing major economy, stood at 15.6% as of Dec. 29, 2023, versus 14.9% a year ago.

The Indian government expected the economy to grow at 7.6% in the financial year that ended March 2024, following an 8.4% GDP growth in the October-to-December quarter.
Hyundai Motor, Mercedes-Benz Korea, and two other carmakers will recall over 11,000 vehicles due to faulty components, the transport ministry here said on Thursday.

The four companies, including Stellantis Korea and Man Truck & Bus Korea, are voluntarily recalling a total of 11,159 units of 23 different models, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport said in a statement.

The problems that prompted the recall included poor welding of seats in 6,468 units of Santa Fe and Santa Fe hybrid models.

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Some 760 units of the companys Grandeur sedans were found to have software errors in their dashboards as well, reports Yonhap news agency.

Another problem was the poor durability of fuel pump components in some 2,400 units of Mercedes-Benzs 11 models, including the S500 4MATIC sedan.

Stellantis Peugeot e-2008 electric vehicle is also subject to corrective action due to software errors in the electronic control units.

For Man Truck, 308 units of its TGX tractor model will be recalled due to defective bolt fastening in the trailer coupling mechanism.
The Delhi BJP Yuva Morcha on Thursday welcomed Raj Lakshmi, popularly known as Bullet Rani, at the party headquarters here.

Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, she had commenced her journey on February 12 by her Royal Enfield Bullet bike from Tamil Nadus Madurai with the resolve of Vote for Modi and covered a distance of 21,000 kilometers across 15 states, concluding her journey by reaching Delhi on the 65th day today.

Addressing a press conference, Bullet Rani said the journey started with the slogan Vote for Modi, Vote for Nation has concluded today, and the welcome given by Delhi BJP has relieved the fatigue of the 21,000-kilometer journey.

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She said the future of the country is secure in the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and appealed to all voters to come out of their homes and vote for the Prime Minister for a bright future of the country.

Raj Lakshmi expressed confidence that Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term.

She said according to her personal calculation, the BJP will get more than 40 Lok Sabha seats in South India.
Fourteen times since last September, Russia has called a meeting of the United Nations Security Council to try to shift the blame of its aggression against Ukraine to that selfsame neighbor. It is attempting to change the narrative of February 24, 2022 by trying to portray Ukraine as the aggressor in a war that was initiated by the Russian Federation; intimating that the inherent right to self-defense, does not apply to Ukraine, or by extension, to any small country; and that Ukraine is not entitled to receive assistance from its allies as it desperately tries to protect its citizens and its territory.



Let us be clear: the Russian Federation is not the victim in Vladimir Putins unprovoked war on Ukraine.



We listen closely to Russias words, said Ambassador John Kelley, U.S. Political Minister Counselor at the UN. But let us also look at its actions.



Russia is committing aggression against a sovereign UN Member State, he said.



Russia continues to ruthlessly attack Ukraine in pursuit of territorial conquest.



But even as it castigated Ukraines allies for supplying it with the means to defend itself, Russia solicits and receives war materiel from UN-banned sources.



Since last December, Russian forces have used DPRK-supplied ballistic missiles to strike Ukraine nearly a dozen times, firing upwards of 40 DPRK ballistic missiles.



Since last September, Russia has procured over 11,000 shipping containers of munitions and munitions-related materiel from the DPRK, in violation of the UN arms embargo on the DPRK.



Finally, Russia also continues to deepen its military relationship with Iran, including through its continued acquisition of armed Iranian [Unmanned Aerial Vehicles] used to target Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure, said Ambassador Kelley.



We continue to be concerned about reports Russia seeks to procure ballistic missiles from Iran. Such an acquisition would represent a significant escalation in Irans support for Russias war of aggression.



The international community has overwhelmingly condemned Russian aggression against Ukraine. As Ive said before, Russia can end this war today, said Ambassador Kelley.



The United States remains committed to providing Ukraine what it needs to defend itself.



We once again call for Russia to immediately withdraw its forces from Ukraines territory within its internationally recognized borders and stop its unlawful procurement of DPRK-origin materiel.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Thursday, accused the SP, BSP, and Congress of following a Danga (riot) Policy, and said the policy of the NDA Government was that of development, in sharp contrast to the Oppositions policy.

Speaking at a public gathering in Secunderabad, Bulandshahr, the chief minister said, The BJP stands for faith, security, and prosperity. Under the governance of the SP, BSP, and Congress, the state frequently saw curfews lasting for months. However, now there are no curfews in the state. These parties were known for stirring unrest through riots. They adopted a riot policy, while we prioritize development policy.

The chief minister urged the public to vote for Dr. Mahesh Sharma, MP and the BJP candidate for Gautam Buddha Nagar. Many leaders of the Samajwadi Party also joined the BJP on the occasion.

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Highlighting the transformation in India, Yogi Adityanath said, We are now in a New India. Those who remember the 2014 elections can attest to the conditions of the country back then. They should inform the new generation and first-time voters about the prevailing discontent and mistrust during that period.

He further remarked, Terrorism, Naxalism, and separatism were on the rise across the nation. Corruption was rampant in all sectors. The youth were disheartened, and farmers were driven to suicide.

The chief minister highlighted the significant changes India has witnessed in the past decade, pointing out that various challenging issues such as tackling Naxalism and terrorism have been successfully addressed and resolved.

He attributed these problems to the Congress governance, stating that the entire country, including Jammu, was once plagued by terrorism. Daily explosions claimed innocent lives, leaving families shattered. Yet, the Congress remained a passive spectator, shying away from uttering a word against terrorism, he remarked. He contrasted the situation with todays when the present government has revoked Article 370.

CM Yogi Adityanath pointed to the development of Asias largest airport in Jewar as a testament to progress. He mentioned that Secunderabad and Jewar will reap substantial benefits from this project.

He also emphasised the strengthening of the national and state economies. Plans are underway for a rapid rail system and the expansion of the metro network. Additionally, with the Dadri junction being a part of the dedicated freight corridor, the countrys largest logistics center is set to be established there. This development is expected to generate hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Outlining the governments development initiatives, he stated, In Uttar Pradesh, if someone falls ill and he does not have an Ayushman card, MPs, MLAs, and the affected individual can write a letter, and the funds will be directly deposited into their account. The government ensures that families are not financially burdened by medical expenses.

The CM said that by solving the problems of builder-buyers in Noida, Greater Noida, and Yamuna Authority, the cases pending for years are being closed and the buyers are being given rights.

He emphasised that previously, some individuals prioritized family interests over national welfare. He framed this election as a choice between the swarth ka parivar (vested interests) vs Modi ka parivar (Modi family) representing Indias 140 crore people. He criticized the SP, BSP, and Congress for their narrow focus on family interests. He also noted the improved environment for secure investment.

After 500 years, Ram Lalla celebrated his janmotsav at his birthplace. Many witnessed the unique tilak ceremony of Suryavanshi Ram, where the rays of Lord Surya adorned him, he remarked.

CM Yogi attributed Indias prosperity to Narendra Modis leadership and urged voters to re-elect him as prime minister and Dr. Mahesh Sharma as MP for a third term. He commended their commitment to not obstructing any development projects, emphasizing that they consistently prioritize unhindered progress. He praised them for fulfilling their roles as dedicated and responsible representatives.

He further said, Noida is poised to become one of the most developed regions in the country. Gautam Buddha Nagar is setting the benchmark for a developed India, distinguishing itself from other districts. The presence of both an MP and MLA, along with the double-engine government, is benefiting Noida immensely.

CM Yogi emphasised that while many might resort to caste and regional politics during the elections, voters should prioritise nationalistic and developmental agendas. He urged voters to choose a government that embodies these principles, emphasising that only the BJP can provide such leadership. He encouraged people to vote regardless of the weather conditions and suggested aiming for 50 per cent voter turnout in the first three hours to ensure maximum participation.
The narration of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Katha being organised at Patanjali University on the ocassion of Chaitra Navratri, Ram Navami, and the 30th Sannyas Diwas of Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev, concluded on Thursday.

On the ocassion, Ramdev and his associate Acharya Balkrishna extended their best wishes to all the countrymen on the occasion of Ram Navami and, paid homage to the great Maratha king.

The katha was narrated by Swami Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj.

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On the occasion of the conclusion of Shivaji Maharaj katha, Swami Govind Dev Giri said that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj embodies all the virtues of the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Se

After a thousand years of slavery, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was the first person who awakened the pride of India, envisioned the unity of all of India. His perspective was that all our pilgrimages should be liberated, and the pride of Hinduism should awaken within us all, he said.

He thanked Baba Ramdev and the Patanjali family for organizing the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj katha and said that we are proud that the foundation of this Hindavi Swaraj was laid by Ramdev from Patanjali Yogapeeth.

In the program, Ramdev said that the purpose of this saga is that the valor, courage, and immense perseverance that Shivaji Maharaj showed awakened the feeling of nationalism in the hearts of the youth for the protection of the cow-mother and the construction of an undivided India.

Such great personalities wake up the Sanatan Dharma within us and liberate this country from the slavery of education, diseases, economic, and sensual slavery. Along with the slavery of education imposed by Macaulay in 1835, we were also liberated from the slavery of diseases, pleasures, and economic and sensual enjoyment, Ramdev said.

On this Ram Navami, Ramdev said, our resolution is that Ram Rajya comes in this nation and the values, ideals, and standards of Ram Rajya are established worldwide.

Ram Rajya will come through the excellence of our conduct. Ram is the purity of our conduct, the divine power, and the worshiped deity. We are the offspring of Ram-Krishna and the sages. Ram is an ideal father, son, ruler, and ascetic.

In view of the first phase of voting for the Lok Sabha elections on Friday, Ramdev urges voters to vote in the interest of the nation.

Vote 100% in the interest of the nation and vote for people connected to the roots of Sanatan Dharma. Choose a government that gives importance to heritage, development, culture, and prosperity. On one hand, we move forward with our culture, and on the other hand, if we choose a government capable of making this country the worlds largest economic and social power, then the dreams of all Indians will be fulfilled, he added.
The wave of Prime Minister Modis popularity, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths stern dealing with the law & order situation and the euphoria over the Ram temple has started overriding the caste equations in Uttar Pradesh.

The state has always witnessed the caste factor come into play whenever elections are to be held, but now it is the popularity of PM Modi and CM Yogi Adityananth that is overtaking all other issues.

In the first phase of elections in western UP, where normally the voting pattern of Muslims and Dalits decides the fate of candidates, this time there is a palpable difference because all that seems to be working is the Modi and Yogi factor.

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The performance of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidates in this phase will also decide the partys future.

The BSP has tweaked its strategy when it fielded candidates from castes who, otherwise, are believed to be the core voters of the BJP but apparently, candidates are unable to wean away these votes from the BJPs bag.

For example, in 2014, Muzaffarnagar was won by BJPs Sanjeev Baliyan by a low margin of 6,400 votes, and Meerut was won by BJPs Rajendra Agrawal by a margin of around 4,700 votes.

In Muzaffarnagar, where the Muslims form around 30 per cent of the electorate, the BSP has fielded Dara Singh Prajapati, an OBC hoping to corner the votes of his community as well as the partys traditional Dalit community.

However, the BJP has gained ground in both these constituencies and caste factors have receded into the background.

Prime Minister Narendra Modis rally in Meerut and Yogi Adityanaths rally in Muzaffarnagar has turned the tide completely in BJPs favour.

In Meerut, the BSP has Deovrat Tyagi, a Brahmin against BJPs Arun Govil, who played Lord Rama in the serial Ramayana. The BSP nominee is eyeing the support of around 50,000 Tyagi voters in Meerut, apart from Dalit and Muslim votes, but sources claim that upper castes and Dalits are preparing to vote for BJP this time.

In an interesting development, this time, the Muslim mood towards the BJP has also softened to an extent and even Dalits are veering towards BJP after being disillusioned by Mayawatis indecision.

Observers believe that, unlike Assembly elections, the Muslim voters will be more tactful this time. They will not blindly choose between the BSP and the SP-Congress alliance but will weigh the benefits they have received from the BJP governments at the centre and state.

Haji Ikhlaq, a trader in Meerut, says, The BJP is no longer untouchable for us. We have received the benefits of their welfare schemes and there is no reason why we will not vote for them. Muslims are breaking the earlier mindset and the change will be visible in these elections.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and 2017 Assembly elections, the minority voters supported candidates of both SP and BSP leading to the division of votes. The BJP got the maximum number of 71 Lok Sabha in 2014 and 312 Assembly seats in 2022.

In 2022, the minority vote consolidated towards the Samajwadi Party, but it could not cross the 112-seat mark.

It is only the Jatavs among Dalits in the west UP region who are likely to remain loyal to Mayawati.

In Saharanpur, BJPs Raghav Lakhan Pal, a Brahmin is pitted against Congress-SP alliance candidate Imran Masood and BSPs Majid Ali, one of the richest candidates in the fray.

Imran Masood is facing a tough challenge from BSP, which could make it easier for BJP to sail through to victory.

In Meerut, SP candidate and former mayor Sunita Verma, a Jatav, is likely to draw support from the voters of her caste which will dent BSPs base.

In Nagina (SC), Azad Samaj Party chief Chandra Shekhar Azad is likely to make some dent in BSPs vote bank.

If Chandra Shekhar dents BSP, the victory run for BJP will be much easier, said a local leader.

BJPs Kunwar Sarvesh Singh, in Moradabad, could find it easier to reach the victory post as BSPs Israr Saifi is locked in a crucial battle of Muslims and Dalit votes with SPs Ruchi Veera.

However, in Pilibhit, BSP is not a major factor.

In Pilibhit, Lodh Rajputs or Lodhs would be the deciding factor. It is the vote from this community which will decide who will have the last laugh  BJPs Jitin Prasada or SPs Bhagwat Saran Gangwar.

Jitin Prasada, meanwhile, is riding high on the Modi wave and the rallies by the Prime Minister and Yogi Adityanath have strengthened his position in the past week.

In Rampur, a lot will depend on how enthusiastic the voters are on the day of voting. There is a clear division of Muslim votes after SP leader Mohd Azam Khan refused to accept the partys official candidate Muhibullah Nadwi. His supporters are throwing their weight behind Zeeshan Khan of BSP.

The BJP candidate Ghanshyam Lodhi stands safe in his position.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, spoke to the residents of Giu village in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh after the village got connected with mobile network for the first time earlier on the day.

Mr Modi had a good chat with the villagers, asking them how they managed their communications with other areas earlier. The villagers told him they did not believe they were getting mobile connectivity, till they really got it.

The villagers invited him to spend another Diwali with them. The prime minister said people would wonder why he goes up 15,000 feet high to visit their village.

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The villagers told him earlier they had to travel eight kilometers to reach the nearest telephone. Mr Modi said it was hilly area and it could take a lot of their time in travelling. The villagers said it could really mean a whole day to do the exercise.

The prime minister said when his government came to office in 2014 there was no electricity in many villages. His government had provided electricity to all villages in the country. Now, he said the government was taking the mobile network to all villages. I do not want any left village or area left out, he said.

What they did in case there was an emergency, the PM said. He asked about the temperatures also. The villagers said the temperature was minus five these days, although it could go up a little during the day.

They said the area got heavy rains sometimes, and lot of soil and stones came down on agriculture land. In 2010, 17 hectares of land was buried under the debris. The prime minister said now the villagers can use mobile phones to seek help.

He asked about Dharchula. They said their village was in the Spiti block in the Lahaul-Kinnaur area.

Mr Modi said his governments priority has been ease of living and now in its third term, his government will focus on quality of life, and this would benefit remote areas, poor people in the lowest rung of the society and middle classes.

He asked a teacher how mobiles could benefit his work. There are lots of things online. The teacher said the mobiles give latest information, concrete information and videos. Children have not seen these videos. With their help, children can be taught many things, he said.

The PM said he had worked in Lahaul-Spiti during his organizational work days and recalled his old contacts, and foods available those days.

I am familiar with the difficult circumstances of living in your area. The Har ghar jal abhiyaan was undertaken in Lahaul Spiti. He said there is lot of scope for womens handicrafts for which the government will support womens self help groups. The products can have a good market.

The villagers thanked the PM. He said he had visited them earlier on Diwali. He said, I never told anybody about it. I got a big welcome. The villagers were happy and thanked him for linking their village with the rest of the world.

The PM said sometimes a small step can lead to a big change. Today is one such day. Todays development will push Digital India further. For the first time, mobile network has come to Giu.

Mr Modi said geographical conditions of the area were difficult for extending the mobile network. He said he learnt on one of his visits that many people did not know there what was a mobile phone. There was no connectivity, when I learnt, I decided to work, PM said.

What was the first reaction in the villagers when they heard about mobile connectivity, PM asked. They said people were highly excited; they did not believe it was happening. You visited this place and things moved fast thereafter; the Army was helpful, they said.

Now, you can talk to your relations staying away, the PM said. India has really cheap data, he said. Mr Modi said earlier governments treated the border villages as last villages but his government recognized them as the countrys first villages. The government had started a vibrant village programme also.

The villagers said, Our village is part of that programme. This will help tourism. They told Mr Modi Come next Diwali also. You have come twice on Diwali earlier, come another Diwali, they said.
BRS supremo and former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday lashed out at the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asserting that there is no valid case against his daughter Kalvakuntla Kavitha, who has been arrested in connection with the Delhi liquor scam.

He predicted that his party would win 8 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and could emerge as the winner in three more constituencies. Rao, popularly known as KCR, also claimed that there will be a political change in the state after the Lok Sabha elections which will prove advantageous for his party.

KCR addressed his party leaders in BRS headquarters where he also distributed the B forms among the candidates along with a cheque for Rs 95 lakh to cover election expenses. The BRS has been battling an exodus of leaders as both the Congress and the BJP have been poaching leaders from its camp.

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Citing internal surveys, Rao claimed that his party would win 8 LS seats, with potential victories in three more constituencies. According to sources, he also pointed out that the BJP had tried to dislodge his government when the BRS had 104 MLAs, wondering why would it keep quiet when the Congress government had only 64 MLAs.

He criticised Prime Minister Modi, alleging that Kavithas arrest was a sign of political vendetta since they had tried to arrest BL Santosh for trying to bribe his MLAs. A number of ruling party leaders were apparently in touch with him with as many as 20 MLAs keen to desert the Congress.

Outlining the strategy for the Lok Sabha elections, Rao asked his party leaders to harp on the discontent among the people against the Congress. Rao will hold roadshows in 2-3 Assembly segments and address street-corner meetings in the evenings while meeting the farmers during morning hours. He will also attend huge public meetings at Warangal, Khammam, and Mahabubnagar.
The Thiruvananthapuram Vigilance Court, on Thursday, rejected a petition seeking a vigilance probe into the allegations that Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan took a bribe of Rs 150 crore to sabotage the Silver Line project.

Kawadiar native and LDF activist Hafiz filed the petition based on allegations made by PV Anwar MLA in the Assembly. The petitioner sought a vigilance inquiry against VD Satheesan based on the allegations raised by PV Anwar in the Assembly.

Rejecting the petition, the court said the petitioner failed to produce proof to substantiate the allegations stated in his petition.

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CPI-M-backed Independent MLA PV Anvar accused the Opposition leader in the Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan of receiving Rs 150 crore from inter-state IT firms to sabotage Keralas Silverline (K-Rail) semi-high-speed rail corridor.

The Nilambur MLA told the Kerala Assembly that the said companies were concerned about the SilverLine boost enabling Kerala to emerge as a major IT player in the country. If the table this turned in favour of Kerala, the investments and infrastructure built in other states by these firms will become useless. Thus they wanted to sabotage the K-Rail project to stall Keralas rise in the IT sector.

Anvar alleged that after container trucks carrying Rs 50 crore each reached Thrissur, ambulances were used to take them to the Congress leaders friends.
With the Election Commission issuing notification for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections, candidates in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana began submitting their nomination papers on Thursday. Polling will be held in both the states on 13 May.

While BJP candidate DK Aruna submitted her nomination papers from Mahabubnagar in the presence of the partys Rajya Sabha MP, Dr K Laxman, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri participated in a meeting ahead of filing of nomination by Etela Rajender, the BJP candidate from Malkajgiri.

It is not only the largest constituency but also a mini India. Your candidate is both popular and experienced as he has served as a minister for seven years. I commend his work during Covid. I hope you will ensure his victory to enable him to utilise his experience in Delhi, Puri said.

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BJPs another key contestant G Kishan Reddy, who is also the partys Telangana unit president and lone minister from the Telugu state, will file his nomination from Secunderabad on Friday.

The Congress candidate from Nagarkurnool, Mallu Ravi, filed his first set of nomination papers on Thursday. His rival from the BJP, Bharat Prasad, too filed his papers earlier in the day.

In Andhra Pradesh too, candidates began filing their nomination papers on Thursday. TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh filed his nomination papers from Mangalagiri. A large number of TDP, JSP, and BJP activists were present on the occasion.

Similarly, the BJP candidate from Vijayawada West, YS Sujana Chowdary, led a huge rally ahead of filing his nomination papers. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will file his nomination papers on 22 April at Pulivendula in Kadapa district.

Nominations will be accepted until 25 April in both the Telugu states. The submitted nomination papers will be scrutinised on 26 April. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is 29 April. While Telangana will see contests for 17 Lok Sabha seats, polling will be simultaneously held in 25 Lok Sabha seats and 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh.
The Pauri Garhwal Lok Sabha constituency of Uttarakhand has become the battleground for a keenly contested election with a multitude of poll issues surfacing in the hill state.

While the Centres Agniveer Scheme has occupied the center stage with its Gujarat connect, the killing of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari, Joshimath hill town subsidence, and Ram Temple in Ayodhya are the key issues for the voters.

Here, Congress candidate Ganesh Godiyal is missing no opportunity to convince the people that had the Indian Army been Gujarati peoples interest for employment, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would never have brought in Agniveer Scheme.

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Godiyal mentioned the Gujarat connection at every election meeting he addressed it with the message that Modi and Shah make decisions only with a focus on Gujarat. The Congress candidate had been reaching out to the voters with the message that Agniveer would render a large section of Pauri youths jobless.

Its significant to note that the armed forces are a major source of employment for Uttarakhand youths with the largest number of recruits coming from Pauri.

The Congress candidate has also been raising the death of Ankita Bhandari allegedly by Pulkit Arya, son of a BJP leader and a resort owner, and his two associates, as a major poll issue. He carried out a door-to-door campaign in the constituency demanding that the BJP should reveal the name of the VIP for whom the accused men wanted Ankita to provide extra services the day she went missing in 2022.

Its the Ankita killing that led Ashutosh Negi, an activist, to contest the elections as an independent candidate from Pauri. He single-handedly led a campaign for a CBI probe into the murder case. Following this, he was arrested by the Uttarakhand Police and jailed under SC ST Act.

The Ankita issue has made inroads into the vote bank of the ruling party to the extent that a sizeable section of Pauris population is likely to vote keeping this issue in mind.

Apart from this, migration from the hills, unemployment and disaster management are being raised prominently by Ganesh Godiyal.

While Godiyal had been on the offensive on the Ankita Bhandari issue, BJP national media in charge and party candidate Anil Baluni is confident of emerging as the ultimate winner with the Modi Magic on his side and works done by the Pushkar Singh Dhami Government in Uttarakhand.

Baluni, a first-timer, countered the Ankita issue saying, We all were shocked over Ankitas death. She was our daughter. Now, the matter is in the court and is being probed. The law is taking its course and the deceased will get justice.

Baluni also sought votes for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya after 500 years and the Vibrant Village Scheme of the Centers that aims to reverse migration or return the migrated population to the hills.

Another key issue here is Joshimath land subsidence which took prominence a year ago. The town located on the banks of river Alaknanda, the gateway to the Badrinath shrine, is still bearing the brunt of the catastrophe leaving thousands homeless.

Nearly 500 dwellings in the town were rendered unfit to live and all the families there were shifted to other locations by the local administration.

Since the affected people have not been given alternate accommodation by the state government, they are forced to boycott the polls. The people of the Joshimath are also angry that Baluni and other party leaders didnt visit them during the disaster.

Pauri is a focus area for the BJPs Central leadership. Baluni is considered close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. The constituency witnessed almost all the big faces of the BJP, including Modi, Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Smriti Irani, and a battery of other leaders, seeking votes for him.

The main battle in the Pauri Garhwal Lok Sabha seat is between the Congress and the BJP even though BSPs Bhim Singh Bisht and an independent, Ashutosh Singh Negi, are other prominent candidates in the fray. The BJP has been winning the seat for the last two consecutive parliamentary elections, in 2014 and 2019.

Sitting MP and former CM Tirath Singh Rawat won in 2019 with 68.25 per cent votes defeating Congress candidate and former CM BC Khanduris son Manish Khanduri by more than three lakh votes. Manish Khanduri recently joined the BJP.

In 2014, BJPs BC Khanduri defeated Congress candidate Harak Singh Rawat by 1.85 lakh votes. Khanduri polled 59.48 per cent of votes and Rawat 32.43 per cent. Prior to that, the Congress nominee, now a BJP cabinet minister in the state, Satpal Maharaj, won Pauri Garhwal by nearly 17,000 votes against BJPs Tej Pal Singh Rawat with 40.88 per cent votes while Satpal Maharaj polled 44.12 per cent.

Polling in all five Lok Sabha seats of Uttarakhand will be held on Friday in the first phase of voting. Contest in four other constituencies, Tehri Garhwal, Haridwar, Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar, and Almora are directly between Congress and the BJP candidates.
Ahead of the single-phase Lok Sabha polling in Gujarat on May 7, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday held mega roadshows in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel accompanied Mr Shah in the Ahmedabad roadshow from Sardar Patel Chowk to K K Nagar.

The roadshows saw a sea of people and party workers walking along Mr Amit Shahs open-roofed vehicle. While his vehicle received a huge flower shower from supporters, flowers were showered on the public from his vehicle too.

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Mr Shah greeted people standing on both sides of the road to get a glimpse of the BJP leader. In the Gandhinagar roadshow, Mr Shah accepted a turban offered by his supporters and wore it. In Kalol, the roadshow was greeted by a huge crowd.

Slogans of Jai Shree Ram  and Bharat Mata ki Jai  were also raised in the roadshow. One roadshow commenced at APMC Circle and ended at Nalsarovar Chowk. The Home Minister will file his nomination for the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat on Friday.

The Congress has pitted Sonal Patel from the Gandhinagar seat against Mr Shah, who is eyeing a second consecutive term. All 26 seats of Gujarat go to the polls in a single phase on 7 May.

One of the key seats for the BJP is Ahmedabad West. It is currently represented by BJP leader Kirit Premjibhai Solanki. This constituency came into existence after the delimitation in 2008.

From Ahmedabad East constituency, the BJP has fielded Hasmukh Patel. The BJP whitewashed the Congress in the 2019 and 2014 general elections by winning all 26 constituencies in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Under Mr Shahs leadership, the Union Home Ministry followed a firm stand on protecting the country and citizens from threats of terrorism and naxalism. There was a zero tolerance policy on terrorism.

The government enacted Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita to ensure security as well as justice delivery for citizens. The government enacted the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and will implement it to confer citizenship to all eligible persons.
Battle lines are clearly drawn between the ruling NDA and the Opposition INDIA bloc as the worlds largest electoral exercise gets underway on Friday with the first phase of voting in the 18th Lok Sabha elections in 102 constituencies spread over 21 states and Union territories.

The voting is scheduled to commence at 7 am across 1.87 lakh polling stations, manned by more than 18 lakh polling officials, amid tight security to avert any untoward incident. The voting will culminate at 6 pm.

More than 16.63 crore voters will decide the fate of 1,625 candidates, including 134 women candidates. The eligible voters include 8.4 crore men, 8.23 crore women, and 11,371 third-gender electors. The number of first-time voters is 35.67 lakh.

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Of the 102 Lok Sabha seats going to polls in the first phase, 39 are from Tamil Nadu, 12 from Rajasthan, eight from Uttar Pradesh, six from Madhya Pradesh, and four are from Bihar.

The northeastern states that will go to polls in the first phase include Assam with five seats; Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Meghalaya with two seats each; and Tripura, Mizoram, Sikkim, and Nagaland with one seat each.

The prominent BJP candidates in the fray include Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Sarbananda Sonowal, Kiren Rijiu, Jitendra Singh; Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai; and Uttar Pradesh minister Jitin Prasada. Gadkari is contesting from Maharashtras Nagpur, Sonowal from Assams Dibrugarh, Rijiju from Arunachal Pradeshs West, Singh from Jammu and Kashmirs Udhampur, Prasada from Pilibhit and Annamalai from Coimbatore seats.

The heavyweights from Congress who are contesting the polls in this phase include its deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, and Nakul Nath, son of former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath. The party fielded Gogoi from the Jorhat parliamentary seat in Assam and Nakul from Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh.

Other prominent candidates in the poll fray include former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi. He is contesting as a Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S) candidate from Bihars Gaya.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission said it has taken a slew of decisive measures for peaceful and smooth conduct of the election. Central forces have been deployed adequately at polling stations to secure the polling process. Webcasting will be done in more than 50 per cent of the polling stations along with deployment of micro observers in all polling stations, it said.

The poll panel informed that 361 observers (127 general observers, 67 police observers, and 167 expenditure observers) had already reached their respective constituencies days before the polls. Additionally, special observers have been deployed in certain states.

A total of 4,627 flying squads, 5,208 statistics surveillance teams, 2,028 video surveillance teams, and 1,255 video viewing teams are keeping round-the-clock surveillance to deal with any form of inducement of voters strictly and swiftly, it added.

Assembly elections will be held simultaneously in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim on Friday.
A little over 70 years ago, the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed, setting North and South Korea down two vastly different paths, observed U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield on a recent visit to the Demilitarized Zone dividing North and South Korea.



It is a world in which, just miles to the south, we see democracy and prosperity; and just miles to the north, repression and isolation, a world in which true peace and coexistence remain beyond reach, said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield. That is, without question, due to the DPRKs escalatory rhetoric, misguided decision-making, destabilizing actions  actions that endanger the peace and security of the region, and beyond it.



The United States harbors no hostile intent toward the DPRK, said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield. We have repeatedly asked Pyongyang to reject provocation, and embrace dialogue. We have held the doors open for meaningful diplomacy. And we remain open to dialogue. . . .Because our goal, ultimately, is to achieve a peaceful and stable peninsula, and a peaceful and stable world.



The United States is grateful to the 28,500 soldiers standing shoulder to shoulder with troops from the Republic of Korea and multilateral forces in service to that goal, said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield.



President Biden has said that America will lead not merely by the example of our power but by the power of our example.



That commitment is what separates us, and partners like the Republic of Korea, from those that oppose their people, reject multilateralism, and endanger international peace and security, who measure their might by their munitions, and try to proliferate their way into power, said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield. And so, as we link arms with allies in the fight for nonproliferation, human rights, and democracy, we also reaffirm that the only  only way to achieve these ends is through diplomacy.



With the Republic of Korea and Japan now by its side, the United States will continue to work in the UN Security Council to hold responsible those threatening the nonproliferation regime. That includes Russia and China as both countries continue to use their positions in the Security Council to shield the DPRK from accountability.



We urge Russia and China to reverse course, said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield. And, once again, to urge Pyongyang to choose diplomacy and come to the negotiating table. . . .to ensure the next seven decades are more peaceful than the last.
The escalation of tensions between Israel and Iran in West Asia has once again brought the region to the brink of conflict. The exchange of hostilities, marked by Irans large-scale but ultimately futile drone and missile attack on Israel, underscores the precarious balance of power in the region and the complex web of alliances and interests at play. In the aftermath of Irans attack, which saw Israel successfully intercepting the majority of incoming projectiles with a remarkable 99 per cent accuracy rate, the situation remains tense and uncertain.

While the immediate desire of most parties is to avoid an all-out regional war, the possibility of further escalation looms large. For Israel, the challenge lies in balancing the imperative to defend itself against external threats with the need to avoid actions that could trigger a wider conflict. The temptation to retaliate against Irans aggression may be strong, but the risks of such a move are substantial. A full-blown conflict with Iran could have devastating consequences not only for Israel but for the entire region, with the potential to draw in other actors and destabilise already fragile states.

At the same time, Irans motivations and calculations must be carefully considered. The timing and scale of Irans attack suggest a calculated effort to assert its military capabilities and influence in the region. Yet Iran also risks overplaying its hand, inviting a response that could undermine its strategic objectives and further isolate it on the world stage. In navigating this delicate geopolitical landscape, the role of external actors, particularly the United States, is crucial.

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President Joe Bidens call for restraint reflects Americas desire to prevent a dangerous escalation that could entangle US forces in yet another conflict in West Asia. By urging Israel to take the win and exercise restraint in its response to Irans attack, the Biden administration is signalling its commitment to de-escalation and stability in the region. However, the path to resolution remains fraught with challenges. The complex web of regional rivalries, historical grievances, and competing interests makes finding a lasting solution to the Israel-Iran conflict a daunting task. Yet the stakes could not be higher, and the consequences of failure are too grave to ignore.

Furthermore, as regional and international stakeholders grapple with the aftermath of this latest escalation, there is a pressing need for renewed efforts to address the underlying grievances and conflicts that fuel tensions in West Asia. Sustainable peace and stability can only be achieved through meaningful dialogue, confidence-building measures, and a commitment to address the legitimate concerns and aspirations of all parties involved. In the face of uncertainty and volatility, the imperative for diplomacy and conflict resolution has never been more urgent. The road ahead may be long and uncertain, but the need for concerted international efforts to address the root causes of conflict and promote peace and stability in the region has never been more urgent.
It can rightfully be termed an assembly of Gods and Goddesses, a parliament of divinity. Under the picturesque rotunda of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) in Mumbai, sculptures of ancient gods and goddesses of Greece and Rome, Egypt and Assyria have come together, along with a spectrum of Indian gods and deities in a unique global exhibition. Zeus, the patriarch of Greek Gods, has made his sombre presence felt with Apollo and Dionysos, his equally powerful children.

From the divine heights of Mount Olympus in Greece, Zeus enforces order and stability, in many ways, becoming the most powerful GraecoRoman God. At the centre of the rotunda is Yajna Varaha, a monumental terracotta sculpture, depicting the boar incarnation of Lord Vishnu saving Earth in the form of Bhudevi, while paying homage to Goddess Saraswati. It was sculpted around a thousand years ago in Vidisha, an area now an indistinguishable dot in the vastness of Madhya Bharat. Aphrodite, stunning in marble, is the scene-stealer with demure looks and a sublime striking pose that has besotted billions of hearts. Ancient Sculptures: India Egypt Assyria Greece Rome is not merely an exhibition, said Dr Sabyasachi Mukherjee, director general of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS), it is a unique international and educational initiative by CSMVS with the aim to bring great works of art from other cultures to Mumbai.

On World Heritage Day, we laud the sharing of human heritage history designed to deepen, enrich the study of world history in Indian schools and universities. Endorsed by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, the omnibus Ancient World Project is organised to coincide with commemoration of 75 years of Indian Independence. In our globalised, increasingly digitalized world, these historic objects of art provide deeper understanding of our shared ancient past, going back at least three thousand long eventful years. The exhibition titled, Ancient Sculptures: India Egypt Assyria Greece Rome, carries names of countries without punctuation, as if it were one stream, an axis of historical time spanning geographies, joining continents, oceans, and seas together.

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We see Ancient Sculptures as a unique and important educational endeavour providing our Indian audiences and children ~ in particular the high percentage of young who may never have the opportunity to travel and experience the art and culture of other parts of the world ~ with new ways of viewing their own culture as a result of seeing it in relation to other societies and geographies, said Dr Mukherjee, adding, Local, national and international outreach has been intended and that it might introduce new ways of approaching information and learning that have the potential of being introduced into our own school and university curriculum.

It is a historical fact that India was in contact with West Asia three thousand years ago, and later with cultures of Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Trade developed, people engaged with each other, exchanging commodities, knowledge, skills and most importantly ideas. The core idea, as Dr Mukherjee explained, is to understand and present Indias position in the ancient world. To make Ancient Sculptures, the first presentation of Ancient World Project a reality, it required transcontinental endeavours bringing together longstanding partners ~ CSMVS, The J. Paul Getty Museum, and British Museum, and for the first time, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, along with museums from India ~ National Museum, New Delhi; Bihar Museum, Patna; and Directorate of Archaeology, Archives and Museums, Government of Madhya Pradesh, to showcase magnificent works of art from the ancient world.

The project is part of Gettys Sharing Collections effort, which aims to promote a truly global understanding of the ancient world. Neil MacGregor, advisor to the Getty on the Sharing Collections project, and celebrated scholar-head of British Museum and National Gallery in London, said, These are new partnerships for the ancient world. In the exquisitely-produced exhibition catalogue, he wrote, Sculptures gathered in the rotunda of CSMVS Museum come from many different cultures and tell many different stories. But they come together for one common purpose: they aim to allow visitors, especially students, not just to admire and enjoy great works of art but to think afresh about the complex links between India and the rest of the world over more than three thousand years ago.

What resonates are key ideas of emerging global understanding of antiquity as a common inheritance, to be preserved, researched, shared and enjoyed as widely as possible across the world. Scholars, researchers, teachers across the world are looking anew at the ancient world and finding inter-connectedness between civilizations and cultures. Call it connected histories or shared histories, new narratives are being developed, with new perspectives on history, culture, and its impact on modern lives.

Students at school and university undergraduates study the narrative of Indian civilization; in every part of their country they are surrounded by monuments and works of art which exemplify great achievements of their culture, but they have no opportunity to see in the original any of the artefacts which might demonstrate how those other cultures thought about the world, and how they gave their ideas physical form and aesthetic expression, said MacGregor, adding, Indias museums are rich treasure houses but they have few objects from the ancient world which come from outside the sub-continent.

Travel is possible only for a small segment; they lack the opportunity to see how great civilizations of India take their place in the wider narrative of humanity; and it is almost impossible for them to understand how much India has given to the world. That is what this partnership of museums seeks to change. Curators across the four museums, revealed MacGregor, found themselves posing questions: Did the waters of the Nile, for example, like those of the Ganges, provide spiritual renewal for ancient Egyptians as well as food? How would anybody know that the statue of a naked man or woman, with no obvious defining attributes, must represent a God? Why do Greek gods need to wear sandals? Why do they so often not look at their devotees?

That is the power of global co-curation, the understanding that objects in different places take on new meanings and provoke unexpected conversations. Wrote the CSMVS curatorial team, These outstanding sculptures are presented with the aim to explore three themes that are crucial to shaping ancient cultures and are still perceptible in society today: role of nature in our lives; the divine form; and ideas and paradigms of beauty.

For the curators its a great learning experience as Ancient Sculptures unfolds stories of deities from ancient Egypt that were venerated and kept appeased, lest their wrath be incurred; there are divine sculptures from Greek and Roman temples and public squares that were an important part of daily life; there are semi-divine beings from the walls of Assyrian palaces seen alongside manifestations of the sacred from the Indian sculptural tradition. Questions the curators are posing are equally fascinating: Why are most of the Greek sculptures depicted in the nude? Why did the Greeks and Romans give so much importance to a trained and perfect body? Was Egyptian philosophy only about death and afterlife? Why did ancient cultures often give animal forms to their sacred sculptures? What were the different ideals of beauty in different ancient cultures?

What was the Indian philosophy behind sculpting the divine? How did geography impact the early cultures and shape their beliefs and art? Echoing MacGregor and Mukherjee, the curators concern is that in an increasingly interconnected digital world, where geographic and political boundaries are seemingly blurring, the Indian public, a majority of who are under the age of 30, are consuming ideas and histories from the far corners of the world, often forming impressions through popular media, digital images, video content and text.

Through this presentation we want publics to see and engage with historic objects of art to gain a deeper understanding of our shared ancient past, they said. Dr Mukherjee shared a comment from an earlier visitors book which spurred the Ancient Sculptures project. It said, Exquisite curation, equally impressive research process, the efforts to state this timely message about not simply understanding the past in order to reconsider our present and future, but acknowledging how chronology, time and space are wonderfully complicated. The more we see and look and give into our curiosities, that is unknown, what is uncomfortable ~ this is the idea.

This beautifully crafted thought-provoking reaction helped to imagine the current international project which was envisaged during the pandemic. The pandemic did not stop us in our creative thinking process and the strong desire to do something together, he said. World Heritage Day is an appropriate moment in time to acknowledge that Ancient Sculptures is as much about our ancient past as it is about our present and the future.

(The writer is an authorresearcher on history and heritage issues and a former deputy curator of Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya)
If you think you can compensate for your nights sleep during the daytime you may be wrong, said Dr. Sudhir Kumar, a Hyderabad-based neurologist on Wednesday.

Dr Sudhir, a neurologist at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, in a post on X.com, said that daytime sleep is not aligned with the bodys clock and also increases the risk of dementia and other psychiatric disorders.

Daytime sleep is lighter, since it is not aligned with the circadian clock, and hence fails to fulfill the homeostatic function of sleep, the doctor said.

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This fact is supported by numerous studies of night shift workers, who as a group are predisposed to stress, obesity, cognitive deficits, and an elevated risk of neurodegenerative diseases, he added.

This is because the glymphatic system, which is known to clear the brain of protein waste products, is most active during sleep. Hence when sleep loss occurs, the glymphatic system faces failure, raising the risk of dementia, explained the doctor.

Glymphatic failure as the common pathway of dementia. Suppression or failure of the glymphatic system results in accumulation of abnormal proteins in various parts of the brain, leading to many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimers disease (AD), Dr Sudhir said.

Besides poor sleep quality, age, sedentary lifestyle, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, sleep apnoea, circadian misalignment, substance abuse, and depression are factors that suppress or result in failure of the glymphatic system.

Good sleepers live longer, weigh less, have a reduced incidence of psychiatric disorders, and remain cognitively intact longer, the neurologist said.

Habitually sleeping well at night could result in better cognitive function and reduce the risk of dementia and psychiatric disorders, he added.
South Korea will open an annual meeting of its top envoys abroad next week with a focus on strengthening its diplomacy amid geopolitical challenges, the foreign ministry said on Thursday.

A total of 182 ambassadors, consuls general and other heads of diplomatic missions in foreign countries will join the five-day gathering, set for April 22-26, Yonhap news agency reported.

The upcoming meeting will address the ministrys three main tasks for this year: strong security diplomacy, diplomacy based on economics and livelihoods and multilateral diplomacy as a global pivotal state.

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The heads of the mission will discuss ways to realise the diplomatic initiatives amid a period of geopolitical transition, including intensifying strategic rivalry between the United States and China, growing North Korean nuclear threats and the prolonged wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the ministrys spokesperson, Lim Soo-suk, told a regular press briefing.

They will also discuss efforts to make each overseas diplomatic mission a center for exports and winning contracts for projects, and to discover ways to support the youth, Lim added.

Chung Jae-ho, South Korean ambassador to China who is currently being investigated over an alleged power abuse against a staff member, will attend the meeting, according to a foreign ministry official.

Chung is accused of verbally harassing and treating the embassy official in an arrogant and authoritarian manner, a practice called gapjil in Korean.

No one will be attending as envoy to Australia on behalf of Lee Jong-sup, the ministry official added.

Lee, a former defense minister, resigned as ambassador to Australia late last month amid mounting criticism over his appointment over allegations that he exerted influence on a military investigation into last years death of a young Marine.
Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Bezdetko Gennady Stepanovich offers incense to commemorate President Ho Chi Minh. (Photo: baonghean.vn)

The delegation included Mr. Bezdetko Gennady Stepanovich, Russian Ambassador to Vietnam; Mr. Kabanov Oleg Vladimirovich, Vice Chairman of the Ulyanovsk provincial government; and Mr. Anton Viktorovich Golubev, Counselor of the Russian Embassy in Vietnam.

At the Kim Lien Special National Relic, in a sacred atmosphere, the delegation offered flowers and incense to commemorate and express their respect to the heroic spirit of President Ho Chi Minh - the great leader of the Party and people of Vietnam.

President Ho Chi Minh devoted his entire life to the cause of national liberation of the Vietnamese people, striving tirelessly for peace and progress worldwide. He was honored by UNESCO as a national liberation hero - an outstanding cultural celebrity.

The cooperative relationship between Nghe An province and the Russian Federation, especially with twinned Ulyanovsk province - V. I. Lenin's hometown, has been sustained over the years and increasingly developing in many areas, from economy - trade to tourism, culture and sports.

In particular, the President Ho Chi Minh Monument and Square in Ulyanovsk province and the V. I. Lenin Monument in Vinh city, Nghe An province will become symbols of the good and increasingly sustainable relationship between V. I. Lenin's hometown and President Ho Chi Minh's hometown.

The delegation of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Vietnam and the Ulyanovsk provincial government also visited President Ho Chi Minh's paternal hometown and listened to tour guides introducing the great leader's family, life and revolutionary career./.


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Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 17: India's agrarian landscape has long been the backbone of its economy, providing sustenance to a vast population and contributing significantly to its GDP. With a strong emphasis on sustainable and efficient farming practices, agronomy investments have emerged as a pertinent choice for investors looking to align their financial goals with responsible and impactful initiatives. In this context, Hedonova , a global alternate investment firm, has strategically positioned itself to tap into the potential of India's agricultural sector while promoting sustainability and responsible investing.

India's Agricultural Strength:

India's agricultural sector is a powerhouse, accounting for a significant share of the nation's employment and economic output. With diverse climatic conditions and fertile lands, the country is a major producer of a variety of crops, ranging from staples like rice and wheat to cash crops like cotton and sugarcane. The agricultural sector's resilience has been particularly evident during challenging times and economic uncertainty, demonstrating its importance in providing food security and economic stability.



Agronomy Investments as a Strategic Choice:

Hedonova recognizes the intrinsic value of agronomy investments in India, acknowledging the sector's growth potential and its crucial role in the country's economic development. Agronomy, as a scientific field that focuses on soil management and crop production, aligns perfectly with Hedonova's commitment to offering a fund that accounts for sustainable and efficient farming practices. By investing in agronomy, Hedonova aims to not only generate returns for its investors but also contribute to the overall well-being of the environment and local communities.



Sustainable Farming Practices:

One of the key strategies employed by Hedonova in its agronomy investments is the promotion of sustainable farming practices. This includes the adoption of precision agriculture techniques, conservation tillage methods, and the integration of modern technologies such as smart irrigation systems. By supporting farmers who prioritize environmental stewardship, Hedonova ensures that its investments contribute to long-term agricultural resilience and minimize the ecological footprint of farming activities.



Responsible Investing and Hedonova's Commitment:

Hedonova's approach to agronomy investments goes beyond financial gains. The firm is committed to responsible investing, considering environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in its decision-making process. This commitment extends to its engagements with Indian farmers and agricultural enterprises, emphasizing fair labor practices, community development, and environmental sustainability. By fostering responsible and ethical business practices, Hedonova aims to create a positive impact on both the financial and social aspects of the Indian agricultural sector.



Empowering Indian Investors:

Hedonova's agronomy investment strategies offer Indian investors a unique opportunity to contribute directly to the growth and sustainability of their country's agricultural sector. Through their investments, individuals can support farmers adopting modern and eco-friendly practices, ultimately fostering a more resilient and productive agricultural landscape. This aligns with the broader trend of conscientious investing, where investors seek to make a positive impact while securing their financial future.

As India's agricultural sector continues to evolve, agronomy investments stand out as a strategic and impactful choice for investors. Hedonova's commitment to responsible investing, coupled with its focus on sustainable farming practices, positions the firm as a key player in driving positive change within the Indian agricultural landscape. By aligning financial goals with the growth and well-being of the agricultural sector, Hedonova offers investors a unique avenue to participate in the country's economic development while promoting sustainability and responsible business practices.
Immediate Cipro is an advanced trading platform that can help you with crypto trading by making the trading process seamless and profitable. The trading bot is developed by integrating advanced technologies that offer traders the assistance that could help them make smart trading decisions. In this Immediate Cipro review, we will investigate whether the trading system works as the team that developed it claims.

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This Immediate Cipro review will analyze how the trading system works to deliver trading assistance, whether it is safe to use, what are its main features, the advantages of using it, and various other aspects. Therefore, read till the end to learn everything about Immediate Cipro.

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Trading Platform Name Immediate Cipro Type Crypto Trading Bot Version AI Version Immediate Cipro AI Assets Supported Supports many cryptocurrencies and other digital assets like CFDs, stocks, etc. Minimum Deposit $250 Payout Time Within 24 hours Platform Cost None Withdrawal Fees No withdrawal charges Pros Designed for all levels of traders

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Requires just a minimum deposit of $250 Cons In some places like the United States, France, Iran, Israel, and Cyprus, Immediate Cipro might not be available due to restrictions imposed by authorities Payment Options Supports different payment methods that are safe and secure Operating Systems Compatible with all operating systems Verification Required Yes Customer Support 24/7 Official Website Click Here

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The Immediate Cipro trading system was developed for traders of all levels of experience including the ones who are new to crypto trading. The trading system has a portfolio management system that keeps an account of all transactions that you do on trading and also allows you to trade multiple currencies at the same time. Immediate Cipro is an easy-to-use trading platform that works quite efficiently for all people who want to improve their trading experience.

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Google is planning to lay off more employees in Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Middle East following its announcement of restructuring plans to cut costs, according to reports.



A Google spokesperson said the layoffs are not company-wide and the affected staff could apply for internal roles, according to Reuters. A fraction of the impacted roles will move to Bengaluru and other cities like Dublin, Atlanta and Chicago.

"Throughout the second half of 2023 and into 2024, a number of our teams made changes to become more efficient and work better, remove layers and align their resources to their biggest product priorities," Reuters quoted the spokesperson as saying.

The affected teams of the California tech major include real estate department as well as treasury, business services and revenue cash operations, according to Business Insider. The restructuring plan reportedly includes expanding operations in Bengaluru, Mexico City and Dublin.

The move comes months after CEO Sundar Pichai told Google staffers that more job cuts are expected. In January, hundreds of employees lost jobs in engineering, hardware and assistant teams.
The Rs 18,000 crore follow-on public offer (FPO) of telecom company Vodafone Idea kicked off on Thursday. As of 3.30 PM, the issue was subscribed just 0.18 times (18 per cent), consolidated bid details from stock exchanges showed. While the qualified institutional buyers' (QIB) portion was subscribed 0.42 times, non-institutional investors subscribed 0.14 times and retail individual investors' portion was subscribed 0.05 times. The issue closes on Monday, April 22.



The company has lost millions of customers in recent years, made losses, has huge debt, and has had to be bailed out by the government by converting dues to equity two years ago. In this backdrop, the share sale is crucial for it to strengthen its balance sheet and get the much-needed funds to compete with larger and stronger rivalsBharti Airtel and Reliance Jio.



This FPO is the largest by any company in India and has already garnered strong interest from institutional investors. Vodafone Idea secured Rs 5,400 crore from anchor investors, which included some of the large global entities like GQG Partners, UBS Funds Management, Citigroup and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. Several domestic mutual funds and insurance companies like HDFC MF, SBI General Insurance, Quant Mutual Fund among others too picked up Vodafone Idea's shares in the anchor round.



The FPO is priced at Rs 10-11 a share, which is a 17-29 per cent discount to the share's closing price on Tuesday. On Thursday, the stock was up 3.25 per cent at Rs 13.34 on the BSE.



Vodafone and Aditya Birla Group-owned Idea Cellular had merged in 2018, creating the country's largest telecom operator at that time with 408 million customers. The company has now slipped to the third position with 215.2 million subscribers at the end of December 2023 as it has lagged behind its rivals in network expansion and enhancement. In contrast, Reliance Jio now leads the market with 470.9 million subscribers and Airtel has 397 million.



Speaking with reporters earlier this week, Vodafone Idea's chief executive Akshaya Moondra said the company would start rolling out 5G in six to nine months following the fundraising and plans to cover 40 per cent of its revenue coverage over the next 24-30 months. Apart from the FPO, the company is also raising Rs 2,075 crore from promoters and it is also in discussions with banks to raise additional funds. The fundraising should help the company meet capex requirements for three years, Moondra told a daily separately.



But, Jio and Airtel have had 5G services across the country for more than a year already and that has led a lot of customers switching over to these services.



Another challenge VI has is almost 42 per cent of its customers are still not on 4G. So, its average revenue per user (ARPU) is also among the lowest of the three private players. In the December quarter, its ARPU was at Rs 145 per month, up from Rs 135 a year ago. In comparison, Airtel had an ARPU of Rs 208, while Jio's ARPU stood at Rs 181.7.



As such, India has among the lowest ARPUs in the world and there is a need for fares to go up, industry executives have long said. VI's ARPU will also get a boost by upgrading subscribers from 2G to 4G. A sizeable chunk of the funds that the company is raising will go towards expanding its network infrastructure and enhancing 4G coverage. Retaining customers and adding more will be a key challenge though for the company.



While this capital injection is expected to bolster VI's immediate outlook, substantial market share gains vis-a-vis peers are not on the horizon, said analysts at Ventura Securities.



VI also faces a huge debt problem. Moondra has pointed out that the bank debt is less than Rs 4,500 crore. But, it also has over Rs 2 lakh crore in government payments to make over the next 17-18 years.



Already in 2022, VI converted the interest related to spectrum auction installments and adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues into equity. The government has a 33 per cent stake, making it the largest shareholder in the company.



CLSA analyst Deepti Chaturvedi observed that VI faces a financial crunch in 2025-26 when annual spectrum and AGR payments of $4 billion will fall due, unless the government converts debt principal to equity at the end of the moratorium.



However, there are concerns over any potential significant equity dilution resulting from the conversion of government dues. "Such a scenario could limit meaningful upside for VI's minority shareholders," the Ventura analysts added.



"VI has experienced a decline of approximately 19 per cent in market share post merger, attributed to inadequate network investment. Efforts are underway to rectify this by bridging the network coverage gap in 4G, aiming to mitigate some market share losses. Significant disparities in 5G coverage compared to larger competitors are expected to persist," said the analysts.



CLSA's Chaturvedi also noted that falling subscriber numbers added risks to the brokerage's forecasts.



"A continued delay to its 5G rollout could trigger further subscriber share consolidation as Reliance Jio and Bharti continue to rapidly ramp up 5G," she said.



Picking up stakes via anchor allotment, large investors may have bet on VI to turn around. Will retail and other investors take the leap of faith in the company and fully invest will have to be watched out for over the next few days.
Kids whose parents lie to them are more likely to lie to their parents, even if parents tell only innocent white lies, according to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology.

To find out how parental lies can influence their child's behaviour, researchers in Singapore examined 564 parents and their children aged 11 to 12 years. Researchers focused on both instrumental and white lies, two types of parenting lies common across different cultures. Instrumental lies are false threats or promises, often told to encourage behavioural changes: "If you continue to misbehave, I will call the police" or "If you finish your homework, I will take you to Disneyland." White lies are told to instil positive emotions in children, such as complimenting a child for a job well done, even though that is not true.

Both parents and kids answered questions about their lying behaviour and how often they thought they were lied to. The more children were told instrumental lies, the more likely they were to lie to their parents, irrespective of whether the children knew they were being lied to.

Instrumental lies may teach children that such lies are effective to achieve a certain purpose and encourage them to lie as well. Also, since instrumental lies are often coercive in nature, they may strain parent-child relationships and increase the likelihood of children lying to their parents. White lies, however, promoted lying behaviour in children only if they knew they were being lied to.

Given that parents are role models and educators to their children, parents' lying behaviours could indirectly encourage children how to lie. These findings should make parents pause when it comes to parenting by lying, even if the lies they tell their children may be interpreted as benign," the study said.
Gangubai Kathiawadi Actor Alia Bhatt has made it to TIME magazine's list of 100 Most Influential People of 2024. Actor Dev Patel and wrestling champion Sakshi Malik have made it to the list too. Other Indians who have been featured include Microsoft Satya Nadella, Jigar Shah, Professor of Astronomy and Professor of Physics at Yale University Priyamvada Natarajan and Indian-origin restaurateur Asma Khan.



Producer and writer Tom Harper, who directed Bhatt in Heart of Stone, described Alia as a formidable talent. Alias superpower is her ability to mix movie-star magnetism with authenticity and sensitivity. As an actor she is luminous, and as a person she brings the grounded assurance and creativity that make a truly international star, he said.

Actor Daniel Kaluuya wrote about Monkey Man director Dev Patel, His humanity shines through every time he graces the screen, leaving you no choice but to root for him even when his character is doing something foul; his presence makes you understand where hes coming from. With a career that always elevates, his latest performance in Monkey Man is my favourite. Giving us a fierce, soulful empathy, a channelled rage, shades of him we have yet to seeknowing he was so into martial arts during Skins, hes brought it all together. Monkey Man is his moment, and an incredible directorial debut, he wrote.

About wrestler Sakshi Malik, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Nisha Pahuja wrote, What began as a small, targeted protest to demand decisive government action in favour of the wrestlers ballooned instead into a yearlong battle unprecedented in Indian sport, drawing support from across the country and attention from across the world.

Hollywood celebrities featured in the list include Taraji P Henson and America Ferrera, known for her most recent role in Barbie. Wife of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who recently died in prison, Yula Navalnaya was featured on the list too.
Sunetra Pawar, the Mahayuti alliance candidate for Baramati Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra, will file her nomination on Thursday. Sunetra, wife of NCP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, offered prayers at Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati temple in Pune ahead of filing her papers.

"Today is a big day for me. I am going to file my nomination today. So we came here, offered prayers and took blessings," Sunetra, the NCP candidate, told reporters. She will face her sister-in-law and NCP (SP) candidate Supriya Sule in Baramati.



Ajit Pawar, who accompanied his wife to the temple, told reporters that he prayed for Mahayuti candidates. "I have prayed to Lord Bappa that when PM Modi will be elected for the third time, there should be a major contribution from Maharashtra and that maximum Mahayuti candidates should get elected," Pawar added.



He said Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will try to be present whenever the Mahayuti candidates file papers. "We have called everyone to be present today but there is nothing like 'Shakti Pradarshan," Pawar said on reports of NCP processions ahead of the filing.



Fadnavis has already arrived in Pune to take part in the nomination filing for the Baramati, Sangli and Satara seats. He expressed confidence that they would win all three seats. BJP will win the Madha seat too where sitting MP of the saffron party, Ranjitsinh Naik Nimbalkar is pitted against NCP (SP) candidate Dhairysheel Mohite Patil, he claimed.



Besides Sunetra, Sule is also expected to file papers today. Both factions of the NCP will be taking out processions during nomination. Besides Sule, her party's Shirur candidate Dr Amol Kolhe and the Congress and Pune Lok Sabha constituency candidate Ravindra Dhangekar will also file their papers.



Prashant Jagtap, NCP (SP) Pune city unit president, said after filing nominations, there will be a joint rally where party president Sharad Pawar, state unit president Jayant Patil and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut would be present.


by Xinhua writer Wu Yan BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- When touring a China-Germany hydrogen technology cooperation project in Chongqing Municipality during his three-day official visit to China, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz tried out the assembly of the hydrogen power module and gave a thumbs-up to a staff nearby afterward. He was impressed by the bilateral cooperation in hydrogen technology, which offers a glimpse of the broad collaboration between China and Germany in green energy. Almost in tandem with the conclusion of Scholz's visit to China -- his longest bilateral visit anywhere since taking office in 2021 -- U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Tuesday once again hyped up the protectionist rhetoric regarding "Chinese overcapacity." Rather than viewing China as a threat, recognizing its contributions to the advancement of clean energy technologies opens the door to fruitful partnerships and collective efforts toward a sustainable future. The close cooperation between China and Germany can be promising. Both China and Germany are the world's major manufacturing powerhouses. The two have also heavily invested in developing electric vehicles. Despite potential competition, Beijing and Berlin advocate for close cooperation rather than protectionism. This choice reflects their understanding that cooperation based on their complementary strengths fosters innovation, benefiting both sides and the global transition to sustainable transportation. China's strengths include its massive manufacturing capacity, technical innovation and significant investment in renewable energy infrastructure. As a leading global provider of solar panels, wind turbines and lithium batteries, China has shown an impressive ability to increase sustainable energy production while lowering costs. On the other hand, Germany is renowned for its engineering prowess, research and development capabilities, and commitment to environmental sustainability. German companies are also leaders in advanced technologies for energy storage, grid integration and energy efficiency. The joint efforts by both sides can provide momentum for green development and the global energy transition by transcending geopolitical tensions and a zero-sum mentality. During his visit to China, Scholz argued that the European market must be open to Chinese cars, while calling for fair competition. Recently, the German auto industry has also openly opposed imposing punitive tariffs by the European Union on electric vehicles imported from China, citing economic interdependencies as a significant factor. According to Allianz, an international financial services provider, Germany's share of critical components sourced in China had risen to 22 percent of imports from 6 percent over the past 18 years. Meanwhile, a survey by the Ifo Institute found that fewer than 40 percent of German companies wanted to reduce their reliance on intermediate goods from China compared with 50 percent two years ago. Despite all the talk of "de-risking," Europe remains closely connected to China, and China still relies on many goods manufactured in Europe. The mutual reliance is a natural result of economic globalization and not a risk. The biggest risk facing the world is non-cooperation. By confirming their agreement to work together toward the shared goal of sustainability, Beijing and Berlin can demonstrate the transformative potential in pushing forward sustainable development, and inspire more countries around the world to follow.
China's Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration Li Qun (2nd R) and Matthew Bogdanos (2nd L), chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, sign documents at a handover ceremony of returned Chinese cultural objects at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

NEW YORK, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday.

At a handover ceremony at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office handed over the cultural objects to a delegation from China's National Cultural Heritage Administration.

China and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding that aims to prevent the illegal importation of Chinese cultural artifacts into the United States in January 2009. Its validity has been extended for the third time, starting from January 14 this year.

Returned Chinese cultural objects are seen at a handover ceremony at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Returned Chinese cultural objects are seen at a handover ceremony at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

China's Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration Li Qun (R) shakes hands with Matthew Bogdanos, chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, at a handover ceremony of returned Chinese cultural objects at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Staff members check the condition of returned Chinese cultural objects at a handover ceremony at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

China's Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration Li Qun (2nd R) and Matthew Bogdanos (2nd L), chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, sign documents at a handover ceremony of returned Chinese cultural objects at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

China's Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration Li Qun (R) and Matthew Bogdanos, chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, attend a handover ceremony of returned Chinese cultural objects at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Staff members check the condition of returned Chinese cultural objects at a handover ceremony at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the United States, on April 17, 2024. The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Editor: WXL
The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday attached assets worth Rs 98 crore of actor Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra in the bitcoin ponzi scam case. The attached assets include the actors bungalow in Juhu

The ED in a statement said it has attached assets worth Rs 98 crore, including a bungalow in Pune and equity shares, of the couple as part of a money laundering investigation pertaining to cheating of investor funds through the use of bitcoins.

The attached properties include a residential flat in Juhu (Mumbai) presently in the name of Shetty and a residential bungalow in Pune and equity shares in the name of Kundra, the federal agency said in a statement. A provisional attachment order has been issued under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to attach these properties worth Rs 97.79 crore, it said.

ED, Mumbai has provisionally attached immovable and movable properties worth Rs 97.79 crore belonging to Ripu Sudan Kundra aka Raj Kundra under the provisions of PMLA, 2002. The attached properties include a residential flat situated in Juhu presently in the name of Smt. Shilpa Shetty, residential bungalow situated in Pune and equity shares in the name of Raj Kundra, the central agency tweeted.

The money laundering case stems from FIRs of the Maharashtra Police and Delhi Police against a company named Variable Tech, Late Amit Bhardwaj, Ajay Bhardwaj, Vivek Bhardwaj, Simpy Bhardwaj, Mahender Bhardwaj and number of agents, where it was alleged that they had collected huge amounts of funds in the form of Bitcoins (worth Rs 6,600 crore in 2017) from gullible public with the false promises of 10 per cent per month return in the form of Bitcoins. The promoters cheated the investors and have been concealing the ill-gotten Bitcoins in obscure online wallets, the ED alleged.

Kundra, it claimed, received 285 Bitcoins from the mastermind and promoter of the Gain Bitcoin Ponzi scam Amit Bhardwaj for setting up bitcoin mining farm in Ukraine. Kundra is still in possession of 285 Bitcoins which are presently valued at more than Rs 150 crore, the ED said.

According to police, Ajay Bhardwaj and Mahendra Bhardwaj, the main accused in the case are still on the run. ED arrested a Dubai-based businessman Nikhil Mahajan in January this year in connection with the case. Mahajan allegedly promoted the ponzi scam among investors in Dubai and collected 40 bitcoins.

-with inputs from agencies
My voter identity card got burnt along with my house last year. Ill be exercising my voting right as a displaced person for the first time in my own country, says Poornima Laishram, 38, who fled Moreh on May 3 last year after Manipur simmered in violence and internally displaced persons swelled in numbers. Can you give me back my dignity? she demands an answer as the country gets busy with its biggest political event  the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The first phase of voting begins on April 19 and as Manipur goes to vote what makes these Lok Sabha elections unusual is that for the first time, the country has set up special polling stations for internally displaced people, whose hearts and minds have been charred by violence in the last one year.

Poornimas loss is bigger than the burning down of her house, voter ID card and other personal documents, her kids school books or even her husbands small shop in Moreh.

Her pride is hurt and as she prepares to reaffirm her faith in the democratic system by casting her vote, she expects the state to rise to the occasion. I have lost everything, but I will cast my vote because I am still thinking for my country. My country is my home. Poornimas fortitude brings tears to the women surrounding her as she explains her struggle to rise above personal losses to invoke the conscience of the state to give back the dignity she deserves as an Indian citizen.

Today, her name is slapped on a piece of paper carrying a list of internally displaced people stuck on a dirty wall in a ramshackle building that houses 82 such persons, mostly women and children, in the relief camp at Wangkhei in Imphal.

Chatting with women and giving them a pep talk consumes her day, but nights are heavy as she shivers thinking about the future of her family. Even the poor have dignity. But to be living as a displaced person in your own country is the biggest nightmare, says Poornima.

Poornima Laishram from Moreh will go to a special polling station to cast her vote, though she lost her voter card during the ethnic conflict | Salil Bera

Poornima is among thousands of internally displaced persons who will be visiting one of the 94 special polling stations (29 in inner Manipur and 65 in outer Manipur) set up across the state by the Election Commission for the first time.

18th Lok Sabha elections-2024, special polling station, is written boldly on white papers in community halls, schools, colleges, hostels and shelter homes crisscrossing the state where only the internally displaced persons will be casting their votes.

The reason for this unique arrangement is the complete divide between the Hill districts and Valley where the Kuki-zo and Meitis are unable to travel to either side presently due to security concerns. Therefore, the displaced persons living in relief camps on both sides are unable to cast their votes in their villages. There are nearly 300 relief camps for internally displaced persons across Manipur.

The school teachers and government employees manning these polling stations admit that they feel for these voters. I have been doing election duties for the last 7-8 years. But I have not experienced this before. There are 260 voters registered here as internally displaced persons. We have to see whether they will come out to cast their votes or not, said N. Chasam, 57, at the Khuyathong community hall in Imphal, manning one of the four special polling stations for inner Manipur parliamentary constituency.

The other half of the community hall is being readied for internally displaced persons who will be casting their vote for the outer Manipur parliamentary constituency. Ramananda, the presiding officer here tells THE WEEK that 154 internally displaced persons are registered at this particular special polling station.

Most of the special polling stations are within walking distance from the relief camps but the displaced people are not sure how they will reach the booths to cast their votes.

But clearly, this is the last of their worries.

On the eve of the biggest dance of democracy, there is no relief on their faces as they sit behind broken doors and windows staring at an uncertain future.

I want to go back to my village but I dont know when that will happen, says Muktabali from Serou village in Kakching who is living as an internally displaced person in Imphal. Her voter identity card is intact but her records were updated to register as an internally displaced person to allow her to cast her vote. Pre-occupied with her daily struggle with a four-year-old and a jobless husband in the relief camp, she is unsure if she wants to cast her vote.

We dont want mere assurances. Can somebody tell us, will there be peace? Her question defines the elections this season.
As the public campaign for the first phase of elections ended, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday wrote personalised letters to all BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidates contesting in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections, where he told the candidates and the voters how this election "was not ordinary" one.

The letters, an initiative of the BJP to ensure dissemination of the Prime Minister's message across constituencies, were written in Hindi and respective regional languages.



Tamil Nadu BJP chief and Coimbatore candidate Annamalai was one of the recipients of the letter. The Prime Minister hailed Annamalai's decision to transition from a prestigious job to dedicated public service.



"I congratulate you on your decision to leave a prestigious job and commit to serving the people directly. You have been truly instrumental in fortifying the BJP's grassroots presence across Tamil Nadu, championing critical issues, including law enforcement, governance, and youth empowerment. Coimbatore stands to gain immensely from your committed leadership," the letter shared by BJP sources read.



"In the last 10 years, the quality of life of every section of society has improved, with many of these troubles removed. Yet, a lot more is still to be done and this election will be decisive in our mission to ensure a better life for everyone," he said.



The message was more or less the same in the letters to other NDA candidates too.



Modi also hit out at the Congress rule, stating "Families across India, especially the senior members, would remember the difficulties they had gone through in the five-six decades of the Congress' rule."



"This election is an opportunity to connect our present with a bright future. Every vote that the BJP gets will go towards forming a stable government and impart momentum in our journey to become a developed nation by 2047," he added.



"In the last 10 years, the quality of life of every section of society has improved, with many of these troubles removed. Yet, a lot more is still to be done and this election will be decisive in our mission to ensure a better life for everyone."



To BJP workers, the Prime Minister said the election was an opportunity to connect our present with a bright future. "Every vote that the BJP gets will go towards forming a stable government and impart momentum in our journey to become a developed nation by 2047. At this crucial time, I also urge you and all other workers to make full use of the last few hours of the election campaign," the letter further read.



The Prime Minister also appealed to the voters to take care of their health in the wake of the summer heat. "But this election is extremely important for the future of our nation. Therefore, I appeal to the voters to cast their votes early in the morning, before the heat sets in. As a candidate of the BJP, I urge you to convey my assurance to each voter that every moment of my time is dedicated to the welfare of my fellow citizens. I send you my wishes for your victory in the election," the PM added.



The Prime Minister's letter to Anil Baluni, BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Uttarakhand's Pauri Garhwal, was also widely shared. The Prime Minister was seen praising Baluni's hard work as a BJP leader and said he has raised development issues of Uttarakhand strongly as a Rajya Sabha member.



As many as 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories will go to the polls on April 19 in the first of the seven-phase elections.


Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, comparing Indias successful space launches in recent years to Congress leader Rahul Gandhis political career, took a dig at the latter and said, Rahulyaan has neither been launched nor has it landed anywhere.



Campaigning for Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Anil Antony in Pathanamthitta, Kerala, the defence minister said while various space programmes and projects were being launched in the country, "the launching of Congress' young leader has not happened for the last 20 years". "The Congress party's 'Rahulyaan' has neither been launched nor has it landed anywhere," he said.

Singh said Rahul Gandhi is not contesting from the Amethi seat fearing defeat. He does not have the courage to stand from there this time, he said. The defence minister added Gandhi migrated to Kerala after his defeat in Amethi. However, I have heard that the people of Wayanad have decided not to make him their MP.

The defence minister praised his predecessor Congress stalwart A.K. Antony and called him a disciplined and principled person whose honesty and integrity cannot be questioned. However, the former minister should bless his son for victory in this election, Singh said.

"I know he is a principled person and I understand his compulsions. It is difficult for him to support Anil Antony. However, I would like to tell him that Anil is his son. You may not vote for him (Anil) or canvass votes for him, but you are his father so I would like to request that your blessings should be with him," Singh said.

The Lok Sabha elections in Kerala will be held on April 26 and the results will be declared on June 4.

-with PTI inputs.
The Supreme Court has asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to verify allegations made by advocate Prashant Bhushan that four EVMs were recording one extra vote for BJP during a mock poll held in Kasaragod, Kerala.

The directive was issued by a bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta while considering a report regarding the EVM issue during the hearing of the pleas seeking complete cross-verification of votes cast through EVMs with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), reported Live Law.



The SC, in its oral directive, said the electoral process has to have a sanctity. "Let nobody have apprehension that something which is expected is not being done," the bench told ECI.



Bhushan cited a report that appeared in Manorama Online about the complaints raised during mock polls conducted on the EVMs in the Kasargod constituency in Kerala. As per the report, both the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) gave complaints to the District Collector that at least four electronic voting machines (EVM) erroneously registered extra votes in favour of the BJP.



The top court also demanded the ECI explain the working of EVM-VVPAT. To this, the poll body said that before the machines are placed in the strong room, all machines are checked via mock polling in the presence of representatives of all political parties.



During the hearing Advocate Nizham Pasha, appearing for one of the petitioners, said a voter should be allowed to take the VVPAT slip after he votes and deposit it in a ballot box. On Justice Khanna's question whether it would affect voter's privacy, Pasha replied, "Voter privacy cannot be used to defeat voter's rights."



On Tuesday, the top court had raised doubts about the petitioner's arguments regarding the feasibility of the physical counting of votes given the large population of India.



Bhushan had contended the need to go back to election via ballot paper instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Justice Sanjiv Khanna said, "We are in our 60s. We all know what happened when there were ballot papers; you may have, but we have not forgotten."



The apex court also rejected the arguments of Bhushan, appearing for the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), about how most European countries that had opted for voting through EVMs have returned to paper ballots.


West Bengal Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari wrote to West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose on Thursday, urging him to intervene and visit places where riots occurred during Ram Navami celebrations in the state.



Adhikari alleged, The Ram Navami Processions were disrupted and attacked at various places across the State of West Bengal, due to the CM's provocative speech which successfully incited miscreants, who were assured that the Law enforcement Agency won't act against them as their hands have been tied due to CM's public stance on Ram Navami; a day, which according to her, Is a day for Rioting.

Sharing his letter to the governor along with a video of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Adhikari tweeted, I have written a letter to the Honourable Governor Dr. C.V. Ananda Bose, apprising him regarding the attacks on the processions taken out on the occasion of Ram Navami and requested him to immediately intervene in order to control the failing Law and Order Situation, as well as getting the incidents investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). He added, I would like to request @ECISVEEP to take action against the Chief Minister, whose provocation led to such untoward incidents.

A woman was injured in a blast that happened at a Ram Navami rally on Tuesday evening at Saktipur in Murshidabad district of West Bengal. The woman was taken to the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital.

In a controversial speech recently, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, If you see them (BJP) sloganeering on (April) 17, it is their (BJP's) day of riot, PTI reported.
A 23-year-old Youtuber was arrested for allegedly entering the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, recording a video and later falsely claiming that he spent an entire day there, police said on Thursday.

Vikas Gowda, a resident of Yelahanka in Bengaluru, entered the airport with a ticket of Chennai-bound Air India flight on April 7 at around 12pm, they said. According to the police, he did not board the flight "deliberately" and, instead, was roaming around the airport recording a video on his mobile phone.

On April 12, he uploaded the alleged video on his YouTube channel, which has nearly 1.13 lakh subscribers, falsely claiming that he had spent an entire day at the airport and had ventured into many areas of the airport premises hoodwinking security. The alleged video was later on deleted by him.

"He entered the airport and cleared the security check at Terminal-2 of the Kempegowda International Airport and headed towards the boarding lounge. But instead of boarding the plane, he was roaming around in the airport premises and spent nearly six hours at the airport," a senior police officer said.

After recording the video, he left the airport claiming to the security personnel that he had missed his flight. Since he had a valid ticket and boarding pass, the security personnel did not suspect him, he said. Preliminary investigation said he did it for publicity and also his claims in the alleged video were an exaggeration, he added.

The matter came to the notice of the airport security personnel on April 15 and, based on the complaint of a Central Industrial Security Force official, a case was registered against Gowda under Sections 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief) and 448 (house trespass) of the Indian Penal Code, and he was arrested, the officer said. Gowda was later released on bail, police said.
Six people have been arrested after a yearlong investigation into what is being touted as Canada's biggest gold heist. Three more people are facing charges in the case.



According to Peel Regional Police, an estimated 6,600 gold bars weighing 419 kg worth over 20 million Canadian dollars and foreign currency worth 2.5 million Canadian dollars were stolen from Torontos Pearson International Airport's Air Canada facility on April 17, 2023. The gold bars were ordered from a refinery in Zurich, Switzerland.

A truck driver came to the cargo facility with an airway bill for seafood that was picked up the previous day.

Air Canada employee Parmpal Sidhu, 54, from Brampton; jewellery store owner Ali Raza, 37, from Toronto; Amit Jalota, 40, a Oakville; Ammad Chaudhary, 43, from Georgetown; and Prasath Paramalingam, 35, from Brampton are among the arrested. The accused were released on bail and will be produced in court on a later date.

The trucker, Durante King-Mclean, 25, from Brampton, is in US custody on firearms and trafficking charges.

Police are looking for former Air Canada manager Simran Preet Panesar, 31, from Brampton, who reportedly gave police a tour of the cargo facility after the heist. Others under radar include Archit Grover, 36, from Brampton and Arsalan Chaudhary, 42, from Mississauga.

This story is a sensational one and which probably, we jokingly say, belongs in a Netflix series, Peel Regional Chief Nishan Duraiappah told reporters on Wednesday.

Police have recovered 312,000 Canadian dollars worth of cash out of the more than 20 million Canadian dollars. They have also seized smelting pots, casts and moulds used to change the composition of gold bars. Police suspect that the rest of the gold was melted down and the profits from the gold was used to purchase illegal firearms.
A day after heavy rains brought life to a standstill in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the country's weather office has snubbed reports that it was cloud seeding that caused excessive rains. Cloud seeding is a process in which chemicals are implanted into clouds to increase rainfall in an environment where water scarcity is a concern.

Not a single cloud seeding flight was done during the period that the unstable weather situation lasted in the country, Dr Habib Ahmed, a senior meteorologist at the National Center of Meteorology (NCM) told Gulf News.



The NCM issued an alert last Thursday warning of a period of unstable weather, rainfall, strong winds, dust storms, thunderstorms, and hail across the country. The alert said that rain-bearing clouds starting from the western parts of the country, would move over the entire country, starting Sunday, causing rainfall of different intensities. "The weather situation has been very strong in the entire region, Dr Habib said.



He added that there was very deep low pressure from the Southwest and Oman, moving into our country. "At the same time, there was a deep low-pressure situation in the upper layer of the atmosphere over the UAE. There was also humid air moving from the Arabian Sea towards the UAE and Oman, since Sunday. This is what caused the unstable weather in the country," he added.



Meanwhile, other experts too rubbished reports that cloud seeding had caused the predicament in the Emirate. They believe the rainfall was likely due to a normal weather system that was exacerbated by climate change, reported Reuters.



Friederike Otto, a senior lecturer in climate science at Imperial College London, said rainfall was becoming much heavier around the world as the climate warms because a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture.



"It was misleading to talk about cloud seeding as the cause of the heavy rainfall," she said."Cloud seeding can't create clouds from nothing. It



encourages water that is already in the sky to condense faster and drop water in certain places. So first, you need moisture. Without it, there'd be no clouds," she said.

But the effects of global warming cannot be ignored. "Global warming has resulted in "extraordinarily" warm water in the seas around Dubai, where there is also very warm air above," Mark Howden, Director at the Australian National University's Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions told Reuters.



"This increases both potential evaporation rates and the capacity of the atmosphere to hold that water, allowing bigger dumps of rainfall such as what we have just seen in Dubai."



Flights cancelled



The rains disrupted flights from India to Dubai after the airport was flooded. Air India, which operates 72 weekly flights from various cities to Dubai, and IndiGo cancelled their services on Wednesday.



Besides Air India, Air India Express, Vistara, IndiGo and SpiceJet also operate flights from various Indian cities to Dubai, which is also home to a large number of Indian diaspora.



An Air India spokesperson said due to the impact of adverse weather in Dubai, it had to cancel flights to and from the Gulf nation on Tuesday and Wednesday. "We are doing our best to get affected passengers on their way as soon as possible by re-accommodating them on flights in the next few days.



"We are also offering a one-time date change waiver to passengers with valid tickets on 16 and 17 April, allowing them to reschedule their flights to future dates within the validity of the tickets," the spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday.



An official said 10 flights from the Delhi airport to Dubai were cancelled on Wednesday. Also, nine flights that were to arrive from Dubai to the national capital were cancelled.



In a post on X on Wednesday, IndiGo said all flights to and from Dubai stand cancelled due to operational challenges caused by bad weather and road conditions. SpiceJet, in a post on X, said flights to and from Dubai are affected due to adverse weather conditions in Dubai.


Maldives high court on Thursday overturned the conviction of former president Abdulla Yameen. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison on graft and money laundering charges.

A three-judge bench in the archipelago nation held Yameen's 2022 trial as unfair and ordered the lower court to restart the criminal proceedings.

"The lower court ruling was not fair," judge Hassan Shafeeu said.

Yameen was convicted in December 2022 of corruption and money laundering over kickbacks from a private company while he was president. The bench ruled that due to the actions of the lower court during the trial, Yameen was unable to exercise his rights. Last year, due to the conviction, Yameen was unable to contest the September presidential elections.

The verdict of the court came ahead of Sunday's parliamentary elections, in which Yameen is fielding candidates from a political party he formed while he was serving.

Yameen's Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) was part of the opposition coalition that launched the India Out campaign seeking to exploit anti-India sentiments.
Zhao Wei, the China Communications Construction Corporation Uganda representative, addresses the opening ceremony of the "Seagull Talent Training Project" in the central district of Wakiso, Uganda, April 16, 2024. China Communications Construction Corporation (CCCC) on Tuesday started a two-week training program for local foremen and engineers in Uganda's central district of Wakiso.

According to the CCCC, the "Seagull Talent Training Project" is organized with the support of Wuhan City Polytechnic in central China's Hubei Province, which provides trainers who will pass on their knowledge and skills to the 32 trainees. (Photo by John Tugume/Xinhua)

WAKISO, Uganda, April 17 (Xinhua) -- China Communications Construction Corporation (CCCC) on Tuesday started a two-week training program for local foremen and engineers in Uganda's central district of Wakiso.

According to the CCCC, the "Seagull Talent Training Project" is organized with the support of Wuhan City Polytechnic in central China's Hubei Province, which provides trainers who will pass on their knowledge and skills to the 32 trainees.

Fan Xuecheng, minister counselor at the Chinese embassy, said vocational education helps people to use their skills and talents to develop their country, which has been critical in China's development.

China is ready to share its experience with African countries, Fan told an opening ceremony for the training program.

"Vocational training and cultural exchange constitute a major part of China-Uganda people-to-people exchanges," he said. "We have to join hands to ensure sustainable development and provide Ugandan young people with a positive perspective."

Esther Anyakun, Ugandan state minister for labor, employment and industrial relations, said the occupational training program is critical in the development of the country, unlocking the potential of individuals.

Winfred Naluyinda, assistant commissioner at the Ugandan Ministry of Works and Transport, said the training is timely as the country undertakes various construction projects.

Zhao Wei, the CCCC Uganda representative, said since entering the Ugandan market in 1996, the company has successfully delivered dozens of projects, involving thousands of local employees, ranging from human resources specialists, environmental assessment engineers, and safety engineers to site supervisors and machine operators.

These local talents are valuable assets to the company, Zhao said.

According to the student handbook, the training program will cover engineering drawing, construction machinery, and Chinese language courses, among others. 

A trainee reads pamphlets about the "Seagull Talent Training Project" during the opening ceremony of the project at the central district of Wakiso, Uganda, April 16, 2024. China Communications Construction Corporation (CCCC) on Tuesday started a two-week training program for local foremen and engineers in Uganda's central district of Wakiso.

According to the CCCC, the "Seagull Talent Training Project" is organized with the support of Wuhan City Polytechnic in central China's Hubei Province, which provides trainers who will pass on their knowledge and skills to the 32 trainees. (Photo by John Tugume/Xinhua)

Esther Anyakun, Ugandan state minister for labor, employment and industrial relations, addresses the opening ceremony of the "Seagull Talent Training Project" in the central district of Wakiso, Uganda, April 16, 2024. China Communications Construction Corporation (CCCC) on Tuesday started a two-week training program for local foremen and engineers in Uganda's central district of Wakiso.

According to the CCCC, the "Seagull Talent Training Project" is organized with the support of Wuhan City Polytechnic in central China's Hubei Province, which provides trainers who will pass on their knowledge and skills to the 32 trainees. (Photo by John Tugume/Xinhua)

Editor: JYZ
After the heavy downpour, operations at Dubai International Airport are set to resume fully within 24 hours. After Tuesday's deluge, the airport struggled to clear the backlog of flights as many roads were flooded.

Dubai Airport Chief Operating Officer Majed Al Joker said that the airport will return to its full operational capacity within 24 hours. "Once operations are back to normal, we will assess the damages and would be able to give a figure for the size of losses," Al Joker told Al Arabiya TV in a televised interview.

He also added that the main runway was unaffected by the heavy rains. Only the taxiways were affected, he said.

The latest rains were the heaviest experienced by the UAE in the last 75 years. The Tuesday rains brought the country to a standstill and caused significant damage.

Flooded roads created chaos, and traffic jams. Even office spaces and homes were flooded making it difficult for people to stay in. Many reported leaks at their homes as well.

In Dubai's streets, some vehicles, including buses, could be seen almost entirely submerged in water. Long queues formed at petrol stations. Dubai airport had yet to resume normal operation after the storm flooded taxiways, forcing flight diversions, delays and cancellations. The airport is expected to reach around 60-70 per cent by the end of Thursday, said Al Joker.

Meanwhile, passengers stranded at the airport struggled to get food as they could not access the nearby roads due to flooding and overcrowding.

"It's horrific, we are squashed in like animals- it is dangerous and inhumane," Anne Wing, a UK tourist was quoted by BBC. "Passengers were shouting and rioting at the connection desk, there were no staff to be seen," she added.

On Wednesday, about 300 flights were cancelled and hundreds more were delayed.

President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said in a statement he had ordered authorities to assess the damage and provide support to families impacted by the storm. Dubai's Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum wrote on X that the safety of citizens, residents and visitors was the utmost priority."

"At a meeting with government officials in Dubai, we set directives to prepare comprehensive plans in response to natural crises such as the unexpected current weather conditions," he said.

The flash flood has killed around 20 people in Oman and one in the UAE so far.
MUMBAI, India , April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NMIMS Pravin Dalal School of Entrepreneurship & Family Business Management (PDSE&FBM) hosted a momentous convocation 2024 ceremony to honour its graduating students of MBA (E&FB), MBA (Entrepreneurship), BBA (E&FB) and BBMM program on Saturday, 13 April 2024. The prestigious event took place at the Mukesh Patel Auditorium at the NMIMS campus.



The convocation ceremony sparkled with the presence of a distinguished alumna as the Chief Guest, Ms. Avani Davda, CEO of Reliance Premium Jewellery. The event was presided over by Shalin Divatia, representing the Honourable Chancellor, SVKM's NMIMS. The auditorium was adorned with faculty, staff, students, and their proud parents, creating a magnificent spectacle.



Dr. Ramesh Bhat, Vice Chancellor of NMIMS, Dr. Meena Chintamaneni, Pro Vice Chancellor, Dr. Ashish Daptardar, Additional Registrar, and Prof. Seema Mahajan, Director of PDSE&FBM, joined the dais alongside the chief guest. Representing the graduates were the Programme Chairpersons of PDSE&FBM: Dr. Beena Nair (MBA E&FB), Dr. Kalika Bansal (MBA Entrepreneurship), Dr. Aarti Patki (BBA E&FB), and Prof. Mehek Kapoor (BBMM).



An air of enthusiasm was palpable at the venue and augured new and positive beginnings for the graduating students.



To set a celebratory tone for the ceremony, a lively Police Band led a magnificent procession of students and council members which was followed by a lamp-lighting ceremony and Saraswati Vandana. This set a spiritual tone to the solemn ceremony.



The mission of the Pravin Dalal School of Entrepreneurship & Family Business Management is to provide support and empowerment to family-owned businesses and enable them to thrive alongside professional organisations. With more than two decades of experience in family business and entrepreneurship management, the school is well-equipped to understand and cater to the evolving needs of Indian family-run businesses in their growth journey.



Meanwhile, the academic year 2023-2024 was one of several milestones for NMIMS PDSE&FBM. It prioritised the overall development of the students by curating innovative learning experiences for them. A comprehensive orientation, updated modules and guest sessions (including 25 eminent experts) exposed students to national and international businesses and helped them hone their practical skills.



This was further solidified by the Peer Group Learning Programme. A total of 79 graduates gained B2B and B2C experience across industries while students' social impact was made evident through 11 NGO partnerships. This year also marked significant accomplishments in research and project completion, with students demonstrating remarkable acumen in areas such as management, marketing, and international immersion.



Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Ramesh Bhat said, "Today marks the culmination of a significant milestone in your life, but it also signals the start of a fresh and exciting chapter with infinite possibilities and boundless opportunities. As you embark on this journey, the NMIMS family extends best wishes hoping that each of you feels pride and contentment in everything you do. I want to highlight some points to the parents regarding the students' successful learning journey at NMIMS. We have focused on a rigorous curriculum and the students have completed it including all the hurdles that came their way. This is to prepare them to face any challenges they may face in the future. Their study material teaches them decision-making, and understanding the context of a situation while contemporary thinking aided with advanced technology helps them in creating value propositions in family business. We focus on critical thinking training which helps them to weigh different perspectives to effectively solve a problem. We place importance on imparting communication skills to help our students present their ideas for negotiations successfully and translate them into reality. Lastly, we teach them about collaborative processes to foster teamwork. I want to thank all the family members today for contributing to the students' success."



On the occasion of the convocation, Prof. Seema Mahajan, Director of PDSE&FBM, said, "I am delighted to extend my heartfelt congratulations to every one of you on this momentous occasion. Our school is young and therefore dynamic. We have tried to rewrite the saga of family businesses by creating cross-border narratives that would give a facelift to the Indian economy. We at PDSE are out to create change stories based on industry readiness and the involvement of our stakeholders, our students. As you move to the professional world, armed with the knowledge and skills acquired here, I have every confidence, that you will make a significant impact in the field of business and entrepreneurship."



The Chief Guest, Ms. Avani Davda, in her inspiring address, said, "Family-owned businesses play a significant role in India's economy, contributing over 79% of the total GDP. This trend is not unique to India, but is seen worldwide, where 90% of businesses create jobs and promote an entrepreneurial spirit. If you are taking over your family business, I encourage you to make wise decisions with a combination of ambition and humility. Do not hesitate to show vulnerability, as it can be a strength, and remember that credibility is key."



To conclude the grand ceremony, Dr. Ashish Daptardar, gave a Vote of Thanks and requested the Nominee of the Honourable Chancellor to declare Convocation 24 closed.



About Pravin Dalal School of Entrepreneurship & Family Business Management



NMIMS Pravin Dalal School of Entrepreneurship & Family Business Management has continuously worked to fortify the SME sector in India. Today we have over 6000 alumni who are names to reckon with in this sector. Many of them have started their ventures and triumphed. The school's motto is to provide intellectual capital to those with accessible sources of capital so that family business is professionalized and commands the respect it deserves.



(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR

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MUMBAI, India, April 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- DOMS Industries Limited (DOMS), one of India's largest stationery and art products company, is thrilled to launch the great online engagement  'DOMS Art League'  an initiative aimed at nurturing the creative spirit that resides within each young mind and redefining their connection with Art. The Company is proud to launch the DOMS Art League through its exclusive website www.domsartleague.com.



This launch also coincides with World Art Day, which is celebrated on April 15 every year to also mark the birthday anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci, one of the world's greatest artists.



Displaying DOMS' consistent commitment to celebrating creativity, diversity, and innovation, DOMS Art League will act as a platform to instil a passion for Art among children from all areas of life. The online contest is available to all students of the country studying in grades Pre-Primary through the 12th standard. Children who wish to participate can submit their artwork digitally via the website. The DOMS Art League will announce a new topic for the contest every month, and hence encourage children to develop passion for art and even master it with the tutorials. There is no participation fee for the contest and an eminent Jury will ultimately decide the winners.



The jury panel consists of Mr. Jay Salian, a famous artist from Mumbai, is an acclaimed Indian artist who showcases his talent through captivating monochromatic pencil drawings and vibrant color pencil creations. His skillful portrayal of emotions and mastery of light effects on faces create a magnetic allure, establishing a strong connection between viewers and his evocative art.



Ms. Veena Karki, Head of Department Visual Art, Shiv Nadar School in Gurgaon is a distinguished artist with an MFA from Delhi's College of Art (2003) and a BFA (1999), showcases her talent through acclaimed solo exhibitions like 'A Woman's Dream' series at Triveni Gallery. Award-winning, she actively contributes to art education through workshops, camps, and seminars, establishing herself as a prominent creative force.



Mr. Venkatesh Desai, a famous Visual Artist & Art Educator from Bangalore uses his artworks as a language to articulate his indescribable ideas about human life, and thus interprets his observations on canvas. In his paintings he emphasizes on earthen hues, chorus lines, dispersed surfaces, and opaque pigment or planes. His works display spaces that suddenly disrupt forming a well textured background. His engrossing abstracts are enough to feast your eyes with moderate colors and textures.



Ms. Tanima Bhattacharya, famous painter from Kolkata embarked on her creative journey in the city linked to Buddha's Enlightenment. With a Fine Art Diploma from Gaya College and additional studies in Kolkata, she uniquely captures her homeland's essence in Wash, Watercolor, and Acrylic, offering a distinct Indian touch.



With their wide expertise in art and education, the eminent jury will elevate the competition's legitimacy. Their knowledge offers unrivalled evaluation and serves as a benchmark for creative excellence and educational standards.



Mr. Santosh Raveshia, Managing Director, DOMS Industries Limited, commented, "Our primary objective at DOMS Art League is to foster a national movement that promotes each child's unique abilities and viewpoints. DOMS believes that by encouraging creativity and self-expression, we can prepare the next generation to be courageous innovators and advocates for diversity. Through the DOMS Art League, we strive to instil in every child a sense of delight and wonder, igniting a lifetime love of art."



Excited on this initiative, Mr. Saumitra Prasad, Chief Marketing Officer, DOMS Industries Limited, said, "Art plays a vital role in nurturing children's holistic growth, and at DOMS, we are dedicated to realizing our brand's promise of 'Every Ambition Needs Preparation' through initiatives like the Doms Art League."



DOMS aspires to create a society in which every child, regardless of background or ability level, is able to express itself through art. DOMS Art League aims to inspire a lifelong love of art by giving equitable opportunities for participation and appreciation.



About DOMS Industries Limited: DOMS Industries Limited is one of India's largest stationery and art products company. The company designs, develops, manufactures and sells a wide range of well-designed, quality stationery and art products, categorised into seven categories that include, scholastic stationery, scholastic art material, paper stationery, kits and combos, office supplies, hobby and craft and fine art products.



The Company's products are primarily sold under the flagship brand 'DOMS', as well as through other brands/sub-brands, like C3, Amariz and FixyFix. The Company's multi-channel distribution network is spread domestically across 28 states and UTs of India as well as in 45 countries globally covering the US, Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe and Middle East.



The Company's keen focus on research and development (R&D), product engineering, backward integrated manufacturing operations, large and diverse product portfolio has enabled DOMS to become the fastest growing stationery and art material products company in India in terms of revenue over the past few years. With a focus on excellence and a commitment to consumer satisfaction, the Company has now become a trusted name in the global market. The Company's long legacy is based on its commitment to quality, dependability and redefining the industry's future.



(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR

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~Culinary Culture and The Leela Palace New Delhi to host Osteria Francescana's pop-up once again in the capital, after its first successful culinary showcase, with two special dinners on 19th and 20th April 2024~



MUMBAI, India, April 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Culinary enthusiasts and connoisseurs are in for a treat as the world's greatest chef, Massimo Bottura, gears up to bring Osteria Francescana, twice rated as The World's Best Restaurant by The World's 50 Best to New Delhi for a second consecutive year in a row and after its first successful culinary showcase, last year. The Leela Palace New Delhi, Culinary Culture, and the culinary mastermind himself have come together to create an unparalleled partnership whereby on April 19 and 20, 2024, Chef Bottura will reproduce the magic of his Three Michelin Star restaurant from Modena, Italy, at The Leela Palace New Delhi.







Massimo Bottura, the culinary maestro and passionate philanthropist, has received international praise for his dedication to social and environmental problems. Bottura, a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and founder of the non-profit group 'Food for Soul,' pushes for sustainability and food waste reduction, mirroring The Leela's eco-conscious approach and shared passion.



Under Chef Massimo Bottura's guidance, Osteria Francescana, has captured worldwide palates with its unique approach to Italian food, consistently being featured amongst the world's best restaurant. Bottura's culinary expertise offers a sensory voyage unlike any other, with iconic dishes such as 'Oops I Dropped the Lemon Tart,' 'The Crunchy Part of the Lasagne,' and 'Psychedelic Cod Not Flame Grilled' which will be present on the special menus offered. Bottura will also host an invite-only interactive session in advance of the dinners, in which he will speak with Vir Sanghvi, India's foremost food virtuoso in this private gathering.



Speaking on this unique culinary collaboration, Mr. Anupam Dasgupta, Area Vice President (North)  The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts and General Manager, The Leela Palace New Delhi said, "Food has always functioned as a link between different nations, cultures, and people. At The Leela, we are devoted to including meaningful experiences that align with our guests' interests and passions. We are happy to work with Culinary Culture to bring Chef Massimo to our city of Delhi, and it is our privilege and honour to host him once more at The Leela Palace New Delhi. We look forward to the beautiful epicurean joy and experience that Chef Massimo will curate for the pop-up dinners. Excited to witness and be part of the new level of innovation that Chef Massimo will be bringing to the table."



Raaj Sanghvi, CEO, Culinary Culture added, "It's truly an honour to welcome Massimo and his team back to India for the third consecutive year and second time at The Leela Palace, New Delhi. Massimo Bottura transcends the role of a chef; he serves as a global inspiration, leveraging his influence to bring about positive changes worldwide. His genuine appreciation for India's culture and cuisine is evident and each visit provides us with invaluable learning opportunities. At Culinary Culture, our mission is to introduce the world's finest to India, and we are grateful to our partners The Leela Hotels and Diageo who have made this possible".



Chef Massimo Bottura, speaking with anticipation about his return to India, expressed, "Namaste, India! I am delighted to return to your beautiful country. In New Delhi, we are working with Culinary Culture and The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts to provide two spectacular meals with my most iconic dishes! I love India- the food and the people and can't wait to be back and give you all a big Italian hug!"



New Delhi was fortunate to have the spectacular rendition of Osteria Francescana last year and once again lucky guests can experience the genius of the world's greatest chef, this year.



Seats for this unique dining experience are limited, guests are encouraged to make their reservations as soon as possible. The wonderful evenings with Chef Massimo Bottura at The Leela Palace New Delhi on April 19th and 20th, 2024, will cost INR 55,555 plus taxes per person.



About The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts



Headquartered in Mumbai, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts is owned by a Brookfield Asset Management-sponsored private real estate fund and operates twelve award-winning properties in major cities and leisure destinations across India. These include the flagship hotel in the capital city of New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Udaipur, Jaipur, Gurugram, East Delhi, Mumbai, Gandhinagar and now Kovalam and Ashtamudi in Kerala. The Leela celebrates each hotel through its unique location, art, culture and cuisine with thoughtful services, celebratory rituals, and immersive experiences. The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts was voted the World's Best Hotel Brand twice in a row by Travel + Leisure, USA, World's Best Awards Survey, 2020 and 2021. In 2023, the brand has once again been featured in the top 3 World's Best Hotel Brands. An epitome of true Indian luxury hospitality, The Leela is committed to providing guests with unforgettable stays in settings that capture the essence of India. The brand has a marketing alliance with US-based Preferred Hotels & Resorts and is a member of the Global Hotel Alliance.



For more information, please visit our website www.theleela.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.



About Culinary Culture



Founded in 2019 by Sameer Sain, Co-founder and CEO of the Everstone Group and Vir Sanghvi, India's leading food authority, Culinary Culture is a movement that encompasses all aspects of the food space in India. It is the country's only authoritative, independent rating organisation, awarding stars to restaurants (Ultimate Restaurants Ratings). It also recognises and rewards India's best chefs (FoodSuperstars) and street food artists (StreetFoodSuperstars). It organises global culinary exchanges, bringing the world's greatest chefs such as Massimo Bottura, Mauro Colagreco, Julien Royer amongst others to cook in India and sending Indian chefs to cook at the best restaurants in the world.

Instagram: @CulinaryCultureCo

Website: www.culinaryculture.co



Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2388706/ChefMassimoBottura.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2388707/Signaturedishes.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1441809/TheLeela_Logo.jpg



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GURUGRAM, India, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In a move poised to create Top 10 fastest growing AI & Cloud consulting firms in the US, AiRo Digital Labs (AiRo), a well-known Chicago based provider of transformative AI and Cloud solutions, today announced the strategic acquisition of Cloudaction, a prominent cloud solutions provider with significant capabilities in Salesforce, ServiceNow, BMC suite, Microsoft Azure and many other advanced skills in the Cloud and AI space. This acquisition reaffirms AiRo position at the forefront of AI & cloud management, bringing together hundreds of Cloudaction employees globally within AiRo's Cloud practice.







Since its founding 6 years ago in the suburbs of Chicago, AiRo has literally bootstrapped its way to become a global tech company and a pioneer in of the AI@scale revolution enabling businesses to adopt AI, Voice, Computer Vision, Automation, Data, Cloud, CyberSecurity and other emerging technologies. AiRo has received multiple awards from Forbes, Inc5000, Crain's Chicago, HFS and most recently Great Place to Work certification



The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AiRo, Dev Singh said, "This strategic move marks a new chapter in the amazing growth journey of AiRo and positions us as a leading force in AI & Cloud consulting space." Samir Kumar, Co-founder and President of Cloudaction, echoed the sentiment, "Joining forces with AiRo creates a supercharged AI & Cloud consulting powerhouse".



About AiRo Digital Labs



AiRo Digital Labs, a Forbes and Inc. 5000 listed, Chicago-based global technology services provider, is a trusted partner for companies seeking transformative AI and Cloud solutions. Leveraging our deep expertise, extensive industry knowledge, and global reach, we deliver a comprehensive suite of services across Strategy, Technology, Operations, and more, fostering an environment of shared success and creating tangible value for our clients, employees, shareholders, partners, and communities.



About Cloudaction



Cloudaction is a leading cloud solutions provider with a comprehensive suite of services and it's own IP and platform, offering businesses a comprehensive suite of tools to manage, optimize, and secure their cloud infrastructure. Cloudaction's platform empowers businesses to gain control, save costs, and ensure compliance.



Contact:



Sayak Das

sayak.das@airodigitallabs.com



Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2390823/AiRoCloudaction.jpg

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2390824/AiroDigitalLabsLogo.jpg



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Maharashtra, India - April 18, 2024 - Airbots Aerospace, a pioneering Indian agri-tech startup, is proud to announce the successful achievement of DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) type certification for its ground-breaking Surya Shakti 15L Drone. This certification marks a significant milestone in the company's journey towards revolutionizing agricultural spraying practices in India.



The Surya Shakti 15L Drone sets a new standard in agricultural drone technology, offering farmers unparalleled efficiency, precision, and safety in pesticide and nutrient application at an affordable price point. The Surya Shakti 15L Drone boasts a 15-litre tank capacity, extended flight time of up to 24 minutes, capability to cover over 3 acres in a single charge, seamless 4G/LTE connectivity for real-time monitoring, smart charging for efficient battery management, and built-in obstacle avoidance features for enhanced safety.



Speaking about the achievement, Vishal Kapadia, CEO, Airbots Aerospace said, "Obtaining DGCA type certification for the Surya Shakti 15L Drone is a testament to our relentless dedication to delivering top-notch agricultural solutions to Indian farmers. We believe in empowering farmers with the tools they need to maximize yields while minimizing environmental impact, and this certification brings us one step closer to realizing that vision. As we celebrate this significant milestone, Airbots is excited to collaborate with partners who share our vision of transforming agriculture through innovation and sustainable practices. Together, we can further empower farmers, enhance food security, and create a brighter future for agriculture in India."



Aligning with the government's initiatives to modernize agriculture and empower rural communities, Airbots Aerospace's Surya Shakti 15L Drone perfectly complements the recently approved Central Sector Namo Drone Didi Scheme for providing Drones to Women Self Help Groups (SHGs). The scheme, with an outlay of Rs. 1261 Crore for the period from 2024-25 to 2025-26, aims to empower 15,000 selected Women SHGs by providing them with drones for agricultural purposes. The Surya Shakti 15L Drone, with its advanced technology and farmer-centric design, aligns seamlessly with the objectives of this scheme, enabling SHGs to enhance their capabilities, generate additional income, and contribute to the advancement of the agriculture sector.



About Airbots Aerospace: Airbots Aerospace, founded in 2022, has emerged as a leading provider of agriculture solutions, with a strong emphasis on precision farming techniques. Through drone-based spraying, crop health monitoring, disease identification, soil analysis, and more, the company has successfully serviced over 20,000 acres across a diverse range of crops, including paddy, soybean, moong, cotton, sugarcane, oranges, and beyond.



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New Delhi, Apr 18 (PTI) UK-based Vesuvius Group on Thursday said it will increase its investment capex in India to Rs 1,000 crore, its Chief Executive Patrick Andre said Thursday.

He made the remarks while inaugurating a mould flux manufacturing plant in Visakhapatnam, the company said in a statement.

"Given our compelling growth in India and basis our investment pipeline, we envisage surpassing our earlier stated investment plans of Rs 500 crore to reach close to Rs 1,000 crore outlay over the next few years," Andre was quoted as saying in the statement.

Vesuvius has been making significant investments in India by expanding the capacity of its existing manufacturing plants as well as setting up three new greenfield manufacturing plants, which will create an additional capacity of 2,50,000 tonnes per annum.

The flux manufacturing plant is first of the three new manufacturing plants expected to be operational in 2024.

Mould flux is a critical component used in continuous casting process at steel plants.

"India has always been a strategic market for the group. Our investment in manufacturing capabilities in India will further enhance our competitive position in the country," Vesuvius India Ltd Chairman Biswadip Gupta said.
New Delhi, Apr 18 (PTI) Debt-saddled telecom operator Vodafone Idea Ltd's Rs 18,000 crore follow-on offering (FPO) opened to a modest response on Thursday with just 26 per cent of shares on offer being sought by investors.

Of the 1,260 crore shares on offer, 331.24 crore was subscribed on Thursday, according to information on the BSE.

Qualified institutional buyers picked up 61 per cent of their 360 crore shares reserved for them while non-institutional investors sought 28 per cent out of 270 crore shares earmarked for them.

Response from retail investors, who have been offered the biggest chunk, was muted with just 6 per cent of 630 crore shares being picked up.

Shares are being offered in a price band of Rs 10-11 apiece, lower than Rs 13.20 closing price of the share on the BSE on Thursday.

Vodafone Idea sold shares worth Rs 5,400 crore to institutional investors in the first phase earlier this week. Investment firms GQG and Fidelity picked up most of the shares during the anchor book allocation.

The FPO, the largest ever, is to close on April 22.

Prior to this, the largest FPO in the Indian market was a Rs 15,000 crore share-sale by YES Bank in 2020.

The fundraise would give the ailing telco the firepower to improve its positioning in the Indian telecom market, where it currently trails larger rivals such as Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, by a wide margin.

The funds will also help Vodafone Idea shore up finances for the much-delayed 5G rollout and strengthening 4G services, and payment of vendor dues.

The company had previously said it plans to raise Rs 45,000 crore, via equity and debt, to help expand its 4G network and roll out 5G services.

Of the total FPO proceeds, the company plans to use Rs 12,750 crore for purchase of equipment for the expansion of its network infrastructure by setting up new 4G sites; expanding the capacity of existing 4G sites and for setting up new 5G sites, as per the share sale prospectus.

It will spend Rs 5,720 crore of the Rs 12,750 crore earmarked for network expansion, on setting up its 5G network.

Another Rs 2,175.31 crore will be ustilised for making deferred payments for spectrum.

The rest of the FPO proceeds will be used by the company towards various general corporate purposes such as funding working capital requirements.
New Delhi, Apr 18 (PTI) Actor Naila Grewal, one of the four leads in "Ishq Vishk Rebound", says their version of the movie will tell a relatable story about modern relationships while retaining the "essence" of what made "Ishq Vishk" stand out.

The 2003 college romance drama made stars out of Shahid Kapoor and Amrita Rao, and Grewal is hopeful that the new movie will speak to the youth in a similar manner.

"When the first 'Ishq Vishk' came out, it was such a cult film. Everyone gravitated towards it. Firstly, it was that 'chocolate boy' image of Shahid Kapoor that we all fell in love with. And then the songs, dance sequences and the essence of college romance, all of it was so fun and exciting," the actor told PTI in an interview.

"Being able to bring this charm back but with a new twist of modernity (is what the new film is about). What couples and youngsters are going through in relationships in today's age has changed. We are bringing all of this into this film and I hope people will gravitate towards our version," she said about the movie that also features Pashmina Roshan, Rohit Sharaf and Jibraan Khan.

Grewal is currently basking in the success of Netflix comedy series "Maamla Legal Hai", which has been renewed for a second season by the streamer.

In the show, headlined by Ravi Kishan, she plays the role of Ananya Shroff, a Harvard educated lawyer who finds herself befuddled by the ground realities of the Indian judicial system.

The popularity of "Maamla Legal Hai" has been humbling, said the Delhi-born actor, who studied at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) before branching out as an actor.

"I honestly feel very humbled and ecstatic at the same time. People have watched it four-five times and I feel the show has the capacity of constantly being watched on repeat. That means it has made a special place in people's hearts. It provides the message but it doesn't do it in a very preachy way. I think it fills all the right boxes," she added.

Grewal said she found her character in the legal comedy to be similar to who she is as a person and she found it easy to get into the headspace of the character.

"It helped me make Ananya more human. I didn't want her to come as someone who is looking down on all these people because she is coming from this hoity-toity world. She had to look like she was here to make a difference. I tried to bring those elements from myself into the character."

Grewal made her acting debut back in 2015 with Imtiaz Ali's 'Tamasha' which featured Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor in the lead. Calling it a "turning point", the actor said despite her involvement with dancing and theatre, she did not see herself on the screen before Ali's film.

"I never thought that I would be a film actor, that I would be in front of the camera but I always knew that being in front of an audience really fascinated me. The love for that started when I was four or five and the idea of performing arts as something that I wanted to do full time grew with age... Once I went on set of 'Tamasha,' I realised that maybe this is something I want to explore."

On being asked about the roles and genres she wants to explore, Grewal said she wants to explore all kind of roles, whether they are similar to her or completely opposite of who she is as a person.

"I look forward to playing all shapes, shades and styles of characters."
Washington, Apr 18 (PTI) A 52-year-old Indian national has pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme to defraud a US bank in connection with a USD 17 million secured line of credit, US Attorney Philip R Sellinger has announced.

Nitin Vats, a former employee of a now-defunct New Jersey-based marble and granite wholesaler, pleaded guilty before US District Judge Susan D Wigenton to one count of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, the Department of Justice (DoJ) said on Wednesday.

According to documents, from March 2016 through March 2018, an owner and employees of Lotus Exim International Inc (LEI), including Vats, conspired to obtain from the victim bank a USD 17 million line of credit by fraudulent means.

The victim bank extended LEI the line of credit, believing it to have been secured in part by LEIs accounts receivable. In reality, the conspirators had fabricated and inflated many of the accounts receivable, ultimately leading to LEI defaulting on the line of credit, according to a DoJ press release.

Federal prosecutors alleged that to conceal the lack of sufficient collateral, Vats created fake email addresses on behalf of LEIs customers so that other LEI employees could pose as those customers and answer the victim banks and outside auditors inquiries about the accounts receivable.

The scheme involved numerous fraudulent accounts receivable where the outstanding balances were either inflated or entirely fabricated. The scheme caused the victim bank losses of approximately USD 17 million, it said.

He faces a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of USD 1 million. His sentencing is scheduled for September 11.
On April 17, 2024, Christoph L. Wild, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and Deputy CEO of Dr. Wild & Co., a renowned Swiss brand specializing in oral care products, engaged in an exclusive interview with Guangming Online at the 4th China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) in Haikou, the capital city of south China's Hainan Province. During this interview, Wild shared the story of how his company entered into the Chinese market, why they valued the Chinese market, his first impressions of Haikou, his views on Hainan's free trade port, and his personal experience at the CICPE.

Dr. Wild & Co. entered the Chinese market more than a decade ago, partnering up with local company Zhejiang Vanmax Technology Co. Wild remarks the company's journey in China as a story with a lot of success. He describes the conditions of the Chinese population both gaining awareness of oral care and being appreciative of high-quality imports being the perfect opportunity for the Swiss company to enter into China, which created a win-win situation for both the brand and the people it sought to reach in China.

Since this year's CICPE focuses on business-to-consumer (B2C) interactions, Wild expresses that the expo provided great opportunity for consumer interactions, allowing the company to reach out to more Chinese customers to help them gain awareness of the oral care products provided by Dr. Wild & Co. Wild believes that more business growth will take place in Hainan with its construction of a free trade port, which will expand import and export opportunities, and help facilitate the development of Hainan Province.

With China's welcoming market and vast business opportunities, Wild is positive that other Swiss brands will also have a great future in China, and be able to sustain long-term success. The journey of Dr. Wild & Co. in China illuminates the country's embrace of high-quality imports, unveiling abundant market prospects and heralding a bright future for global enterprises seeking entry.

Editor: JYZ
Washington, Apr 18 (PTI) India appears to be transitioning from a Congress-dominated system to one controlled by the BJP but it is yet to be seen whether the party can penetrate South India or not, an eminent American expert has said, as he joined a debate whether overwhelming power to a single entity can be a concern for the health of democracy.

Ashley J Tellis, the Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs and a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment think-tank, observed that the ruling party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as per latest opinion poll trends, seems to be headed for a third consecutive term.

If the opinion polls are correct, Prime Minister Modi will be elected likely with a comfortable enough majority to dominate politics for another five years, Tellis said at a panel discussion on India in Modis Third Term on Wednesday.

Alyssa Ayres, dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs and professor of history and international affairs at George Washington University, and Ashok Malik, a partner at The Asia Group and Chair of its New Delhi-based subsidiary were the two other panellists.

For the longest time, India was very comfortable with what was called the Congress system. Congress was hegemonic in politics for many decades. It appears like we might be transitioning now to a BJP system and a BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) hegemony," Tellis said.

"We will have to wait and see what the results bring with respect to South India in particular, ..the party can penetrate south, he said.

But if we are on the cusp of a transition to a BJP system, do we have reasons to be concerned about the health of Indian democracy? I don't mean that it simply concerns minorities, so on and so forth, though that is commonplace. But the question of a party that has overwhelming power at the centre, that has an extraordinary mandate vis-a-vis the civil society, other arms of government, the press and so on and so forth. What is the status when you think about Indian democracy for five years?" Tellis asked.

Malik said as an Indian he must confess that he is disappointed that India has never had a stable two-party system.

When Congress dominated, other parties, including the BJP were inconsequential. The BJP surged from 2014 onwards, and the Congress has become a very small body today.

As someone committed to Indian democracy as an Indian citizen, irrespective of which party I vote for, this is disappointing. One would like to see a competition. It keeps governments on their toes, he said.

Having said that, it's not just an opposition party that keeps the government or ruling party system (in check) there are other characters," he said.

Malik said Modi is not just popular in India today, he is extremely popular.

"He is the most popular prime minister I have seen in my lifetime, perhaps Nehru in the early 50s or something (to) compare. Yet even he has had to change 101 of his incumbent 303 MPs, he said.

He had to change them because he recognises that even with his popularity....could lead to a problem. So, democracy has this way of offering corrections and telling the ruling party or the prime minister that you need to take some steps to compensate for excesses. So, I'm reasonably confident that the country as pluralistic and religious India will continue to retain that internal sense of debate and compensation argument, Malik said.

Ayres said for some Americans and parts of the US government and US civil society organisations, it's the question of how India conceptualises itself, how it keeps or maintains space for its minorities, freedom of expression, what does that look like, can you disagree publicly?

I mean the kinds of concerns that you see people raising should be concerns for Indian citizens. If you criticise the liberal party, are there repercussions? These are the kinds of concerns that you hear in the United States, she said.
Peshawar, Apr 18 (PTI) Four government officials on duty and a girl child were killed when unknown gunmen opened fire at a government vehicle in the restive northwest province of Pakistan on Thursday, police said.

The officials from the Customs Intelligence were on routine duty on Quetta Road in Dera Ismail Khan district in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province when unknown armed gunmen opened fire at their vehicle, killing the four officials, they said.

A girl child passing by the area was killed in the firing while one person was injured.

The killers fled from the scene before police from Draban Police Station rushed to the area.

Chief Minister of the province Ali Amin Gandapur strongly condemned the attack and directed the police to arrest the attackers.

On Wednesday, Pakistani security forces killed seven terrorists trying to infiltrate the country's border with Afghanistan in the same province.

There has been an uptick in terror incidents across Pakistan, especially in the restive KPK province over the last two years since the Taliban-led dispensation took over the control of Afghanistan.

Pakistan has consistently asked the Taliban-led interim Afghan government to ensure effective border management on their side of the border and deny the use of Afghan soil by terrorists for perpetrating acts of terrorism against Pakistan.
Jerusalem, Apr 18 (PTI) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would decide whether and how to respond to Iran's major air assault earlier this week, brushing off calls for restraint from close allies.

Israel has vowed to respond to Iran's unprecedented attack, leaving the region bracing for further escalation after months of fighting in Gaza. Israel's allies have been urging Israel to hold back on any response to the attack that could spiral.

The diplomatic pressure came as Iran's president warned that even the tiniest invasion of its territory would bring a massive and harsh response.

Over the weekend, Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel after an apparent Israeli strike killed two Iranian generals. Israel and Iran have waged a long shadow war, but the strike was Iran's first direct military attack on Israel. Israel says it and its partners intercepted nearly all the missiles and drones.

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi warned Israel against any retaliation as he addressed an annual army parade, which was moved from its usual route and not broadcast live on state TV  possibly to avoid being targeted. In remarks carried by Iran's official IRNA news agency, Raisi said the weekend attack was limited, and that if Iran had wanted to carry out a bigger attack, nothing would remain from the Zionist regime.

Regional tensions have increased since the start of the latest Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, when Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two militant groups backed by Iran, carried out a cross-border attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped 250 others. Israel responded with an offensive in Gaza that has caused widespread devastation and killed more than 33,800 people, according to local health officials.



Here is the latest:



US AND 47 OTHER COUNTRIES CONDEMN IRANIAN ATTACK ON ISRAEL



United Nations  The United States and 47 other countries issued a statement unequivocally condemning attacks on Israel by Iran and its militant partners.

The statement issued Wednesday night calls their dangerous and destabilizing actions an escalation that poses a grave threat to international peace and security.

The Iranian attack on Saturday marked the first time Tehran has launched a direct military assault on Israel. Israeli authorities said Iran lunched more than 300 drones and missiles, 99% of which were intercepted by air defenses in tandem with the U.S., Britain, France and Jordan.

The attack took place less than two weeks after a suspected Israeli strike in Syria killed two Iranian generals in an Iranian consulate building in Damascus.

The 48 mainly Western countries also condemned the fact that the ballistic and cruise missiles and attack drones violated the airspace of several regional states, putting at risk the lives of innocent people in those countries, and appeared to traverse airspace near the holy sites in Jerusalem.

The countries also condemned Iran's seizure of a Portuguese-flagged commercial ship near the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday and called for the immediate release of the ship and its crew.

We welcome the efforts to avert a further immediate escalation of violence in the region following the successful coordinated efforts to defend against Iran's attack, the statement said. We call on all regional parties to take steps to avert further escalation of the situation.



UNRWA HEAD SAYS ISRAEL IS TRYING TO END ITS OPERATIONS IN GAZA



United Nations  The head of the U.N. agency helping Palestinian refugees is accusing Israel of trying to end its operations in Gaza and the West Bank.

Philippe Lazzarini is urging the U.N. Security Council to safeguard his agency's critical role as the relief agency for Palestinians.

Lazzarini told the council Wednesday that Israel has banned the agency from delivering aid to Gaza. International experts have warned that faminine is imminent in the northern part of the territory.

Since the war began, Lazzarini said, 178 personnel from the agency known as UNRWA have been killed. More than 160 of the agency's premises, which were mostly used to shelter Palestinians, have been damaged or destroyed, killing more than 400 people.

We demand an independent investigation and accountability for the blatant disregard for the protected status of humanitarian workers, operations, and facilities under international law, UNRWA's commissioner general said.

Israel has alleged that 12 of UNRWA's thousands of workers participated in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel that sparked the war. Lazzarini pledged to implement recommendations and strengthen safeguards to ensure UNRWA's neutrality.



QATAR SAYS IT'S RETHINKING ITS MEDIATOR ROLE



Doha,  Qatar's prime minister said Wednesday the country is reevaluating its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas.

Qatar has been a key intermediary throughout the war in Gaza. It, along with the U.S. and Egypt, was instrumental in helping negotiate a brief halt to the fighting in November that led to the release of dozens of hostages.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdurrahman Al Thani said there had been an abuse of Qatar's mediation for narrow political interests.

He did not name one side in his remarks. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticized Qatar and recently threatened to shutter Qatar-owned broadcaster Al Jazeera.

Top Hamas leaders live in exile in Qatar, which is seen as one of the only parties with influence over the militant group.

Al Thani said there were limits to the role of mediator and to the ability to which we can contribute to these negotiations in a constructive manner.

Mediators have been trying to push Hamas and Israel toward a cease-fire deal, but the sides remain far apart on key terms.



UN SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES `MAXIMUM RESTRAINT'



United Nations  U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is reiterating his call for maximum restraint between Israel and Iran.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters Wednesday that rhetoric in the Middle East is becoming "increasingly dangerous. Dujarric said the world and the region cannot afford another open conflict.

The comments follow the Israeli prime minister's vow to respond to Tehran's first direct attack against his country and the Iranian's president's warning of a massive response if Israel does.



UN SECURITY COUNCIL TO VOTE ON PALESTINIAN STATE



United Nations  The U.N. Security Council is scheduled to vote this week on a resolution that would give a green light for a Palestinian state to join the United Nations as a full member, a move opposed by the United States.

The vote was scheduled for Friday afternoon. But Arab nations are pressing for a vote Thursday, when the council is holding a ministerial meeting on the Palestinian Authority's request for full U.N. membership.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivered the application in 2011. That bid failed because the Palestinians did not get the required minimum support of nine of the Security Council's 15 members.

In early April, after years of failed on-and-off peace talks, the Palestinians turned to the United Nations again to fulfill their dream of an independent state, sending a letter to the Security Council that was supported by 140 countries.

The United States, Israel's closest ally, had promised to veto any resolution endorsing Palestinian membership.

U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood reiterated the longstanding position last week: The issue of full Palestinian membership is a decision that should be negotiated between Israel and the Palestinians.

Israel says such steps are an attempt to sidestep the negotiating process. Israel's current right-wing government is dominated by hard-liners who oppose Palestinian statehood.



ISRAEL'S AIR FORCE REVIEWS ITS DEFENSE OF IRAN'S ATTACK



Sderot, -- An Israeli military official says the air force is preparing for future attacks from Iran.

The official said Wednesday that the air force has been reviewing its successful defense against Iran's missile attack over the weekend as it makes adjustments for potential additional fighting.

Israel has promised to respond against Iran, raising the possibility of a full-blown war, with Lebanon's well-armed Hezbollah militant group almost certainly joining the fold.

Hezbollah, which has been locked in daily tit-for-tat fighting with Israel through the six-month Gaza war, is believed to have well over 100,000 rockets and missiles in its arsenal. Combined with Iran's weapons, that could pose a major test for Israel's air defense systems.

We are preparing ourselves for the next time, debriefing the mission and seeing how could we prepare ourselves for the for the next attack, said Brig. Gen. Doron Gavish, the former commander of Israel's air defense who is now serving in reserves. He spoke to reporters at a military base in southern Israel.

Iran says its strike was a response to an alleged Israeli airstrike that killed two Iranian generals in Syria on April 1.

Israel says 99% of the more than 300 missiles and drones that Iran lauched were intercepted. It was assisted a coalition of international partners and the fact that Iran telegraphed its attack ahead of time.



ISRAEL SAYS IT ARRESTED AND KILLED MILITANTS IN BEIT HANOUN



Jerusalem  The Israeli military said Wednesday that it arrested and killed militants in an operation in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun over the past week.

The announcement comes after Palestinians said troops conducted raids there and forced displaced people to leave their shelters.

The military said it was a focused operation meant to remove militants from a civilian area. It did not say how many people were killed or arrested.

It said it targeted two facilities used as schools after intelligence pointed to militants from Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The military said forces told civilians to leave the building before raiding it.

Palestinians had reported heavy bombardment of Beit Hanoun. Witnesses said many people had been interrogated and some adults were detained and taken to unknown locations.

Palestinians have said the forces have left the town. The military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether the operation was over.

It was the latest in a series of Israeli raids in northern Gaza.



14 WOUNDED IN HEZBOLLAH ATTACK ON NORTHERN ISRAEL





Jerusalem  A drone and rocket attack by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah on a border town in Israel's north wounded 14 soldiers, Israel's military says.

Wednesday's strike hit a community center in the town of Arab al-Aramshe where soldiers were sleeping, the military said. Six soldiers were seriously wounded, two were moderately wounded and six were lightly wounded.

Hezbollah has said it targeted a military facility on the border to avenge the killing of a number of its fighters, including a commander, in Israeli strikes the previous day.

The Israeli military said its fighter jets responded by striking the areas from where the projectiles were fired, without elaborating on the location. It also said its fighters struck other Hezbollah military compounds in Naqoura and Yarine in south Lebanon.

Israel's rescue service Magen David Adom said earlier that at least 13 people were wounded, without disclosing their identities.

Hezbollah, which is sponsored by Iran, has exchanged fire with Israeli forces on a near-daily basis since the start of the war in Gaza.





ITALY WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO ANY UN PEACEKEEPING IN GAZA



Italy's foreign minister says Rome would be willing to contribute troops to any possible U.N. peacekeeping force for Gaza, even though no such proposal is currently on the table and Israel has rejected the idea.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani suggested a U.N. force under Arab command could help provide security if Israel and the Palestinians make headway on an eventual two-state solution. He said the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Lebanon could be the model.

If there is the solution and for a short time we need the presence of the United Nations under Arab control, we are ready for sending Italian soldiers, Tajani said ahead of a Group of Seven foreign ministers meeting in Capri.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out a foreign peacekeeping force in Gaza after the war, saying only Israel is capable of keeping the territory demilitarized.



GERMANY STANDS IN FULL SOLIDARITY' WITH ISRAEL





Tel Aviv  German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Wednesday expressed her country's full solidarity with Israel in the face of Iran's attack on the weekend.

She vowed consequences for Iran and said the European Union was working on imposing on further sanctions.

We will not tolerate this. We stand in full solidarity with Israel, she told reporters. Iran and its proxies such as Hezbollah or the Houthis must not be allowed to add fuel to the fire.

Baerbock called on Israel to exercise restraint in its reaction to Iran's attack in order to avoid a further escalation of the conflict.

Everyone must now act prudently and responsibly. I'm not talking about giving in. I'm talking about prudent restraint, which is nothing less than strength, the German minister said. Because Israel has already shown strength with its defensive victory at the weekend.

The minister also called for the release of the Israeli hostages in Gaza and demanded more humanitarian aid for Gaza's civilian population.



ARROW 3 MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM USED SUCCESSFULLY, MAKER SAYS



Jerusalem  The Arrow 3 missile defense system, designed to intercept long-range ballistic missiles, was deployed successfully against a missile salvo for the first time over the weekend to repel the Iranian attack on Israel, the system's maker said Wednesday.

Speaking to The Associated Press, Boaz Levy, chief executive of state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries, the primary builder of the Arrow system, said that the system has been operational for decades, but was used Saturday for the very first time against ballistic missiles in a salvo scenario, intercepting high-flying munitions inside and outside the atmosphere.

Of about 300 drones and missiles launched by Iran into Israeli airspace Saturday night, the military says that 99% were intercepted by Israel's multilayered air defense system, wounding only one person  a young girl.

There is no hermetic seal. no system can give you an hermetic seal. But we did succeed to have 99% of success, said Levy.

The Arrow's success Saturday night in defending Israel is likely to please Germany, which recently signed a contract with Israel and the United States to procure Arrow 3. When operational, the system could protect much of Europe from long-range ballistic missiles.



UK FOREIGN SECRETARY DAVID CAMERON IN ISRAEL FOR MEETINGS



Jerusalem  U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron says it's clear the Israelis are making a decision to act against Iran, but he hopes it will do so in a way that is smart as well as tough and also does as little as possible to escalate this conflict.

Cameron landed in Israel on Wednesday for meetings with senior Israeli and Palestinian officials.

He said his main aim was to focus back the eyes of the world back on the hostage situation and urged Hamas to agree to a temporary cease-fire agreement.

Cameron told broadcasters that the real need is to refocus back on Hamas, back on the hostages, back on getting the aid in, back on getting a pause in the conflict in Gaza.

Cameron is due to travel from the Middle East to a meeting of Group of Seven foreign ministers in Italy. He said he wanted the group of wealthy industrialized nations to show a united front and impose coordinated sanctions on Iran in response to its malign activity in the region.

They need to be given a clear and unequivocal message by the G7 and I hope that will happen at the weekend, Cameron said.



RIGHTS GROUP SAYS ISRAELI FORCES JOINED OR FAILED TO STOP SETTLER ATTACKS ON PALESTINIANS



Jerusalem  Human Rights Watch says Israeli forces either took part in or failed to stop settler attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank that displaced hundreds of people from several Bedouin communities last fall.

Settler violence surged after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that triggered the war in Gaza, leading to the complete uprooting of at least seven Palestinian Bedouin communities and displacement from several others, according to the New York-based rights group.

Settlers launched another wave of attacks late last week after a 14-year-old Israeli boy was killed in what Israeli authorities say was a militant attack. The United Nations' human rights office on Tuesday called on Israeli security forces to immediately end their active participation in and support for settler attacks on Palestinians.

The Human Rights Watch report released Wednesday focused on the earlier rash of violence. The rights group says Israeli settlers assaulted Palestinians, stole their belongings and livestock and threatened to kill them if they did not leave permanently. The settlers also destroyed homes and schools.

The military didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.



IRAN THREATENS MASSIVE' RESPONSE IF ISRAEL LAUNCHES TINIEST INVASION'



Tehran  Iran's president has warned that the tiniest invasion by Israel would bring a massive and harsh response, as the region braces for potential Israeli retaliation after Iran's attack over the weekend.

President Ebrahim Raisi spoke Wednesday at an annual army parade that was relocated to a barracks north of the capital, Tehran, from its usual venue on a highway in the city's southern outskirts. Iranian authorities gave no explanation for its relocation, and state TV did not broadcast it live, as it has in previous years.

Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel over the weekend in response to an apparent Israeli strike on Iran's embassy compound in Syria on April 1 that killed 12 people, including two Iranian generals.

Israel, with help from the United States, the United Kingdom, neighboring Jordan and other nations, successfully intercepted nearly all the missiles and drones.

Israel has vowed to respond, without saying when or how, while its allies have urged all sides to avoid further escalation.

Raisi said Saturday's attack was a limited one, and that if Iran had wanted to carry out a bigger attack, nothing would remain from the Zionist regime. His remarks were carried by the official IRNA news agency. (AP)

NSA

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Washington, Apr 18 (PTI) The US supports much-needed reform of the United Nations, including the Security Council, to make it reflective of the 21st-century world, a senior Biden administration official has said, amidst growing calls for inclusion of India as the permanent member of the powerful organ of the world body.

State Department's Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel's remarks came as he responded to a question about billionaire tech magnate Elon Musk's assertion that there is no meaning in having the UN without Indias permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

He said President Joe Biden has spoken about this (the need for reforms) before in his remarks to the UN General Assembly.

"We certainly support reforms to the UN institution, including the Security Council, to make it reflective of the 21st-century world that we live in. I dont have any specifics to offer on what those steps are, but certainly, we recognise that there is a need for reform," Patel said during a press briefing on Wednesday.

Earlier this year, Tesla CEO Musk advocated for India's inclusion in the United Nations Security Council.

Musk had said that the current structure of the UN does not adequately represent the world's most populous nations.

At some point, there needs to be a revision of the UN bodies," he had said.

"The problem is that those with excess power dont want to give it up. India not having a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite being the most populous country on Earth, is absurd, Musk, 52, had said.

Musk is expected to visit India later this month and is likely to announce the company's investment plans in the country.

India has been at the forefront of years-long efforts to reform the Security Council, saying it rightly deserves a place as a permanent member at the UN high table, which in its current form does not represent the geo-political realities of the 21st Century.

Currently, the UNSC has five permanent members - China, France, Russia, the UK and the US. Only a permanent member has the power to veto any substantive resolution.

Last month, India presented a detailed model on behalf of the G4 nations of Brazil, Germany, Japan and itself for Security Council reform. The G4 model proposes that the Security Councils membership increase from the current 15 to 25-26, by adding by adding six permanent and four or five non-permanent members.
Ottawa, Apr 18 (PTI) At least two Indian-origin men are among six persons arrested in connection with a brazen multimillion-dollar gold heist at Torontos main airport last year, the biggest gold theft in Canada's history.

The Canadian authorities also issued warrants for three more persons in the case, Peel Regional Police (PRP) said.

On April 17, 2023, an air cargo container carrying more than 22 million Canadian dollars worth of gold bars and foreign currency was stolen from a secure storage facility using fake paperwork, police say. The gold and currency had just arrived on an Air Canada flight from Zurich, Switzerland.

At least two former Air Canada employees allegedly helped in the audacious theft, police say. One is now in custody and an arrest warrant has been issued for the other.

Two persons of Indian origin--Parmpal Sidhu, 54, and Amit Jalota, 40, both from Ontario, were arrested on Wednesday along with Ammad Chaudhary, 43, Ali Raza, 37, and Prasath Paramalingam, 35.

Durante King-Mclean, a 25-year-old man from Brampton is currently in custody in the United States on firearms trafficking-related charges, and investigators have been in touch with him and his legal counsel.

The arrests were announced after a lengthy probe into the crime reported last year.

Sidhu during the time of the crime was working with Air Canada.

Besides, the police have issued Canada-wide warrants for Simran Preet Panesar, 31, from Brampton, who was also an Air Canada employee at the time of the theft; Archit Grover, 36, from Brampton and Arsalan Chaudhary, a 42-year-old man from Mississauga, the report said.

Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick confirmed Sidhu and Panesar's employment with the national flag carrier.

"One left the company prior to the arrests announced today and the second has been suspended," he said. "As this is now before the courts, we are limited in our ability to comment further."

Lead investigator Det.-Sgt. Mike Mavity called the daring theft from an Air Canada cargo facility the single-largest gold heist in Canadian history. He said two men who worked for the airline were instrumental in pulling it off, CBC News reported.

"They needed people inside Air Canada to facilitate this theft," Mavity said.

"On April 17, 2023, at 3:56 p.m. a flight landed at Pearson International Airport from Zurich, Switzerland, with a cargo containing 6,600 bars of .9999% pure gold, weighing 400 kilogrammes, valued at over 20 million dollars and CAD 2.5 million worth in foreign currency. Shortly after landing, it was offloaded and transported to a separate location on Airport property," Peel police said in a statement.

On April 18, the cargo was reported missing to Peel Regional Police.

"Peel Regional Police immediately started the investigation, which has crossed borders, and we have been working collaboratively with the Philadelphia Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)," the statement said.

Peel Regional Police and ATF have made significant progress in the investigation. ATF has arrested one individual in the United States who had 65 illegal firearms in his possession, two of which had been modified to have fully automatic capabilities. Five of the 65 handguns are known as ghost guns, meaning that they were not serialized and, therefore, are untraceable.

"Peel Regional Police (PRP) investigators also seized one kilogramme of gold worth approximately $89,000.00, believed to be from the theft, smelting equipment, and approximately $434,000 Canadian currency," the statement said.

PRP has identified and charged or issued warrants for nine individuals with over 19 charges.

Our investigators and entire service recognized the heightened interest and impact this incident had in our community. We immediately deployed the necessary resources to address and ensure arrests are made in this complex and multi-faceted investigation that crossed international borders. I commend the incredible work done by our investigators, the ATF, other law enforcement partners, and our community for working together to identify and arrest those responsible for this brazen crime. Nishan Duraiappah, Peel Regional Police Chief.

"This investigation remains a priority for Peel Regional Police. The cross-jurisdictional boundaries will not hinder our ability to charge and arrest those responsible. We are working closely with national and international law enforcement partners to arrest those responsible and hold them accountable," Duraiappah, said.
Islamabad, Apr 18 (PTI) The Pakistan Army has constituted a high-level inquiry committee headed by a major general to look into the allegations against Lt-Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed that he as the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) director-general misused his authority, according to a media report on Thursday.

The inquiry has been ordered according to the orders of the Supreme Court and in the light of the directives of the Ministry of Defence, The Express Tribune newspaper reported.

This is the first formal inquiry ordered against Gen Faiz, who resigned in November 2022, four months before his retirement.

Faiz served as the Director-General Counter Intelligence in the ISI and later headed the same spy agency. His name surfaced in many controversies, including the Faizabad Dharna case.

Three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif named him and former army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa as the main characters behind his removal through a Supreme Court order.

While Faiz was given a clean chit in the Faizabad Dharna case by an inquiry commission, the army decided to investigate him months after an owner of a housing society accused him of illegally raiding his residence and stealing valuables.

Sources said the Pakistan Army has decided to investigate all the cases through a high-level institutional inquiry, furthering its accountability process.

A high-level inquiry committee has been constituted under a major general, which will look at every aspect related to this matter in detail, sources said.

There is a strict and highly transparent system of self-accountability in the Pakistan Army and by promoting this system, all such allegations are investigated with great seriousness and those responsible are also given severe punishment so that the self-accountability of the Pakistan Army is maintained.

On November 8, 2023, Moeez Ahmed Khan, the owner of Top City, filed a petition in the Supreme Court in which he accused Faiz of misusing his authority.

The petition stated that on May 12, 2017, at the behest of Gen Faiz, ISI officials raided his Top City office and house.

During the raid, valuables, including gold, diamonds and money, were seized from the house by ISI officials, the petitioner alleged.

The petition also stated that Sardar Najaf, the brother of Faiz, also contacted him to resolve the issue later.

The petition also claimed that Gen Faiz later personally met him to resolve the issue and assured him that some of the items, which had been taken away by the ISI officials during the raid, would be returned.

However, 4.67 kgs of gold and cash werent returned to him.

The petitioner also alleged that the ISI officials extorted Pakistani Rs 4 crore cash from him.

Considering the sensitivity of the matter and given these serious allegations, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, which included Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, Justice Attar Minullah and Justice Aminuddin, heard the case.

The Supreme Court observed that this was a very serious matter and the serious nature of allegations may damage the image of the entire institution, therefore the matter cannot be ignored.

The Supreme Court asked the attorney general to look into the matter and discuss it with the relevant authorities.

The attorney general assured the apex court that full cooperation would be given to the matter and action would be taken according to law, the report said.
Washington, Apr 18 (AP) The US and UK on Thursday imposed a new round of sanctions on Iran as concern grows that Tehran's unprecedented attack on Israel could fuel a wider war in the Middle East.

Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control targeted 16 people and two entities in Iran that produce engines that power the drones used in the April 13 attack on Israel. Additionally, the UK is targeting several Iranian military organizations, individuals and entities involved in Iran's drone and ballistic missile industries.

We will continue to deploy our sanctions authority to counter Iran with further actions in the days and weeks ahead," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.

The action comes after US officials earlier this week warned that they were readying new sanctions in response to Iran's activity in the region and to prevent future attacks. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill also have been quickly pushing forward legislation that would financially punish the Islamic Republic and its leaders.

Iran's attack on Israel early Sunday came in response to what it says was an Israeli strike on Iran's consulate in Syria earlier this month. Israel's military chief said Monday that his country will respond to the Iranian attack, while world leaders caution against retaliation, trying to avoid a spiral of violence.

European Union leaders also vowed on Wednesday to ramp up sanctions on Iran, targeting its drone and missile deliveries to proxies in Gaza, Yemen and Lebanon.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the existing EU sanctions regime would be strengthened and expanded to punish Tehran and help prevent future attacks on Israel. At the same time, he said, Israel needed to exercise restraint.

I don't want to exaggerate, but we are on the edge of a war, a regional war in the Middle East, which will be sending shockwaves to the rest of the world, and in particular to Europe, he warned. So stop it. (AP) SCY

SCY
Islamabad, Apr 18 (PTI) Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Imran Khan on Thursday said that Saudi Arabia had no role in the regime change operation that led to his ouster in 2022, according to the head of his party-backed Sunni Ittehad Council.

Khan, 71, was removed from power in April 2022 and he immediately blamed a US-led conspiracy as responsible for his downfall.

However, his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party came under pressure when party leader Sher Afzal Marwat during a private TV interview on Tuesday suggested that Saudi Arabia, alongside the US, played a part in the ouster of Khan.

His statement coincided with a high-profile visit from Saudi Arabia, led by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan. The timing of Marwats claim landed the party in a soup, as it had already been blamed for working against investment in Pakistan.

Though the PTI had distanced itself from the views expressed by Marwat, Khan had to step in to control the damage. His statement was conveyed by party leaders who met him in Rawalpindis Adiala Jail where he has been incarcerated since Sept last year.

According to Sahibzada Hamid Raza, the head of PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), Khan during the meeting stated that Saudi Arabia was not involved in the regime change.

Earlier, the PTI had said that Marwats statement did not reflect the party's strategy or stance in any manner.

Khan had uneasy relations with the Kingdom and he was forced to drop a plan to attend a meeting of Muslim leaders in Malaysia in 2019 after Saudi Arabia showed displeasure at the conference due to the impression that it was an effort to forge an alliance to challenge its leadership role in the Muslim world.
Washington, Apr 18 (PTI) Indian-American attorney and activist Kiran Ahuja has announced that she will step down as the Director of the Office of Personnel Management next month.

"Serving in the Biden-Harris administration, and in support of the 2.2 million federal workers who dedicate themselves to the American people, has been the honour of my life, Ahuja said in a statement on Tuesday.

Confirmed by the Senate in June 2021, Ahuja, 52, was the first Indian-American to serve in this top position in the US government. She has more than two decades of public service and nonprofit/philanthropic sector leadership experience. Before joining the White House, she served as the CEO of Philanthropy Northwest, a regional network of philanthropic institutions.

From my time as a civil rights lawyer in the Department of Justice, to my years as OPMs chief of staff, Ive seen the power that public service has to change lives, rebuild communities and make our nation stronger. We have accomplished so much these last three years at OPM, but I am most proud of the friendships and bonds we built together in public service, Ahuja said, as she announced her leaving her role as OPM director in the next several weeks.

Ahuja, who took up this job in June 2021, has become the longest-serving OPM director since 2015.

Kiran leaves an incredible legacy as a strong and indefatigable champion of the 2.2 million public servants in the federal workforce, said OPM Deputy Director Rob Shriver.

Under Kirans leadership, OPM has bounced back stronger than ever and partnered with agencies across government to better serve the American people. Kiran represents the very best of the Biden-Harris Administration, and I am honoured to call her a dear colleague and friend, he said.

As the lead human resource official in the Biden-Harris administration, Ahuja led efforts for nearly three years to recruit, retain, and honour more than 2.2 million federal employees. Under her leadership, OPM positioned the federal government as a model employer, helped thousands of talented individuals join government service, and reinforced the agencys role as a strategic partner for federal agencies.

Ahuja led efforts to empower federal agencies to bring the best and brightest talent into government; ensure every federal job is a good job; reset relationships with national union partners; uphold and protect the countrys 140-year history of a nonpartisan, merit-based civil service; and renew the governments commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
Washington, Apr 18 (PTI) The India-US deal to jointly produce fighter jet engines for the Indian Air Force is revolutionary, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told lawmakers on Wednesday.

The landmark deal was announced last June during the historic Official State Visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US. The General Electric signed a memorandum of understanding with Hindustan Aeronautics to make fighter jet engines for the IAF.

Austin told the House Appropriations Subcommittee that the United States has a great relationship with India.

We recently have enabled India to produce a jet weapon, a jet engine in India. And that's kind of revolutionary. That will provide a great capability to them. We are also co-producing an armoured vehicle with India," he said.

"So, all of these things, when you add them up, are probably more than we have seen happen in that region in a very, very long time, Austin said.
Gwalior, Apr 18 (PTI) A 55-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly strangling her 4-day-old granddaughter last month as she was born with deformities, police in Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh said on Thursday.

The child was born on March 23, Lashkar area City Superintendent of Police (CSP) Ashok Singh Jadaun told PTI.

"After we received a complaint from the child's mother following the child's death four days after she was born, we began a probe and sent the body for post mortem. We got the report today and it indicated strangulation as the cause of death," the CSP said.

"On the basis of this report and our probe, we arrested the child's paternal grandmother. She has been charged with murder," Jadaun said.
Kolkata, Apr 18 (PTI) Former railway minister Mukul Roy was on Thursday admitted to a Kolkata-based hospital after doctors found his health condition feeble, an official of the medical institution said.

The senior Trinamool Congress leader, who has been suffering from neurological ailments, was found to be not eating food properly.

"Roy's health condition is very feeble as he was not eating food properly. He was not keeping well and doctors visiting him prescribed hospitalisation. He was brought to the hospital from his Kachrapara residence," he said.

One of the founding members of the Trinamool Congress, Roy had joined the BJP in 2017 and had won from Krishnanagar Uttar constituency in the 2021 assembly polls on a ticket of the saffron party, before returning to the ruling party in the state.
Ramgarh (Jharkhand), April 18 (PTI) The bodyguard of Barkagaon MLA Amba Prasad and few others sustained injuries in clashes that took place between Ajsu Party and Congress supporters during Ram Navami celebrations in Jharkhand's Ramgarh district on Thursday.

The Congress legislator alleged that Ajsu Party supporters humiliated her and attacked her bodyguard and supporters. She claimed that BJP and Ajsu Party members politicised the religious event.

"They even snatched the mike from my hand. My bodyguard sustained injuries and has been referred to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi," she claimed.

Conversely, Ajsu Party district president Dilip Dangi claimed that Amba Prasad and her supporters attempted to politicise the programme.

Sub-divisional police officer Birendra Kumar Ram confirmed receipt of a written complaint from Prasad, stating that investigations are ongoing, with no arrests made thus far.

The officer-in-charge of Barkakana outpost police station provided security to Prasad following the clash, with an FIR filed against some people for attacking the MLA and her bodyguard.
Patna (Bihar), Apr 18 (PTI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday condoled the death of a migrant worker from the state who fell victim to a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district the previous day.

In a statement, the Chief Minister's Office said, "The CM has expressed his deep sorrow over the killing of Raja Shah, a migrant worker from the state's Banka district, in an attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district. My heartfelt condolences to their family".

Talking to reporters here, Bihar Deputy Chief Ministers, Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, also condemned the incident.

Shah was shot dead by terrorists from point-blank range at Jablipora in Anantpur district's Bijbehara area on Wednesday night.
Aizawl, Apr 18 (PTI) Mizoram Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati urged people to exercise their franchise in elections to the lone Lok Sabha seat on Friday.

Calling elections a "festival of democracy", he appealed to the people, especially first-time voters, to participate in it.

He expressed hope that Mizoram will witness a good turnout on Friday.

"Mizoram has a high literacy rate as compared to other states. People are aware of their rights and responsibilities. I hope people will come out in large numbers and participate in the voting process," Kambhampati said on Thursday.

Mizoram had registered a 63.13 per cent voter turnout in the last Lok Sabha polls in 2019, which was lower than the national average of 67 per cent.

The highest voter turnout in Lok Sabha polls was recorded in the 1996 general elections at 73.41 per cent, followed by 69.56 per cent in 1998.

In the state assembly polls held in November last year, more than 82 per cent of electors cast their votes.
New Delhi, Apr 18 (PTI) At least 80 Naxals have been killed and more than 125 arrested while 150 have surrendered in this year so far in Chhattisgarh, where 29 ultras were gunned down two days ago in a fierce encounter with security forces, officials said on Thursday.

Left Wing Extremism-related violence has declined in the country by 52 per cent and the number of deaths by 69 per cent from 6,035 to 1,868 in 2014-23 compared to 2004-14, according to Union home ministry data.

Since the formation of the Vishnu Deo Sai government in Chhattisgarh in December 2023, pro-active operations have been carried out and, as a result, at least 80 Naxals have been eliminated and more than 125 arrested while 150 have surrendered since January, an official said.

Late last year, following a detailed review of the security situation in Naxal-affected states, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had directed security forcers to carry out operations against Maoists pro-actively.

Shah's direction led to the formation of a high-powered committee, the members of which included director generals of police, director generals of the Central Reserve Police Force, the Border Security Forces , the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and the Intelligence Bureau, and other officials of the anti-Maoist grid.

The result of the pro-active action against Naxals is now visible on the ground, the official said.

On Tuesday, security personnel gunned down 29 Naxalites, including some senior members, in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district in the biggest ever encounter in the state.

This was the highest number of fatalities suffered by Maoists in a single encounter in the history of the state's fight against Left Wing Extremism (LWE).

Three security personnel suffered injuries in the fierce gun-battle that also led to a large quantity of weapons being seized.

Security forces started setting up camps in Maoist-dominated areas since 2014. More than 250 such camps were set up after 2019, ending the security vacuum.

According to home ministry data, LWE incidents have reduced from 14,862 to 7,128 in 2004-14 compared to 2014-23.

The number of deaths of security personnel due to Left Wing Extremism has declined by 72 per cent from 1,750 in 2004-14 to 485 during 2014-23, while the number of civilian deaths has declined by 68 per cent from 4,285 to 1,383.

The number of districts with incidents of violence was 96 in 2010. This declined by 53 per cent to 45 in 2022. Along with this, the number of police stations reporting violence decreased from 465 in 2010 to 176 in 2022.

In the last five years, more than 5,000 post offices were set up in 90 districts that have Maoist presence or where the ultras were present.

As many as 1,298 banks branches were opened and 1,348 ATMs made operational in the 30 most-affected districts, officials said.

A total of 4,885 mobile towers were constructed at a cost of Rs 2,690 crore in Naxal-hit areas and 9,356 km roads constructed at a cost of Rs 10,718 crore.

The officials said 121 Eklavya residential schools, 43 ITIs and 38 skill development centres were setup to engage the local youth.
New Delhi, Apr 18 (PTI) Generations to come of the Tikait family will remain committed to the farmers' movement in India, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait said, as he remembered the legacy of his father Mahendra Singh Tikait.

In an interview with PTI, Tikait also reminisced about his days in the Delhi Police as a constable and on seeing law enforcement from both sides.

Son of prominent farmer leader and Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) co-founder late Mahendra Singh Tikait, Rakesh Tikait is a spokesperson of the outfit, which his brother Naresh Tikait heads now.

Asked about his family's name becoming synonymous with the farmers' movement in India, and if he expected the future generations to walk the same path, the BKU leader said, "We have always said that for generations to come, anyone who is born in the Tikait family, will have to participate in the farmers' movement."

"This is not a recent thing which started with Tikait Sahab or in 1988. We have a history of 1200 years. And it will go on for generations," he said.

According to the website of the BKU, the hereditary title of Tikait was apparently conferred on this family by the seventh-century emperor Harshavardhan.

Asked if he tells his grandchildren stories about the Boat Club protest of 1988, Rakesh Tikait said those stories are "trending" these days.

"They learn everything. All this is trending now. When one grows in that atmosphere, they learn everything," he said.

Remembering his early days, Tikait said he did his BA (Bachelor of Arts), but did not complete his MA (Master of Arts). He also said he served as a constable in the Delhi Police between 1988-1995.

"I was a constable in Delhi Police... I was posted in the bomb squad," he said.

Tikait said he joined the police as he wanted to undergo physical training. Besides, his initial inclination was towards joining the military and undergoing commando training.

"I wanted to go to the military and undergo commando training. I did not get through the military, but I got through Delhi police recruitment. The Delhi Police training was good. We were trained at Moradabad, and then I was posted in the bomb squad," he said.

Tikait said he has served in the areas of Central Delhi, and once also found country made bombs at a farmhouse in Delhi.

"We once found country bombs at a farmhouse in Najafgarh. I said we should burst these crackers," he said.

He also recalled that during his days in the police, he would not participate on the stage in protests, but did the background work.

Asked if he quit the police force on his father's insistence, he said his father never asked him to leave.

"I had learned what I had to learn," he said.

The farmer leader, who led the Ghazipur border protest during the 2020-21 farmers' protests against the now repealed three farm laws, was asked to compare between his experience as a police personnel and as a protester. "Police do not decide anything on their own. One should perform their duty honestly, wherever they are posted. What is the policy of the ruling dispensation matters. The officials do as they are told," he said.

Rakesh Tikait is one of the prominent leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a collective of farmers' organisations which led the 2020-21 protests against the farm laws and has continued to hold protests across the country since then demanding legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops among other things. He had led the Ghazipur border protests, where farmers from western Uttar Pradesh had been stationed for over a year.

In 1988, his father Mahendra Singh Tikait organised BKU rally at Delhi's Boat Club lawns when nearly five lakh farmers from western Uttar Pradesh camped at the entire stretch from Vijay Chowk to India Gate for over a week, and compelled the then Rajiv Gandhi government to accept a 35-point charter of demands which included raising of prices for sugarcane and the waiving of electricity bills for farmers.

In 2018 as well, the BKU had led a march to Delhi. Thousands of farmers had headed towards the national capital on October 2 to demand unconditional farm loan waivers, fixed MSP and the implementation of Swaminathan Committee Report.

The farmers were stopped at the border but were allowed to enter the city the following morning. Subsequently, the farmers had marched to former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh's memorial Kisan Ghat.
New Delhi, Apr 18 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke to residents of Giu village in Himachal Pradesh's Spiti after the area was connected to the mobile network for the first time.

In a more than 13-minute telephonic conversation with them, Modi spoke about his visit to the border region during Diwali and asserted that connecting the village with the mobile network will quicken the 'Digital India' campaign.

The government is now prioritising linking all places with the communication technology after meeting success with the electrification exercise, the prime minister said, noting that when he came to power more than 18,000 villages lacked electricity.

A villager told him that they could not believe it for a moment when they were told that the area will be connected to the mobile network and their happiness knew know no bounds when it finally happened.

They had to earlier travel for around eight kilometres to use their mobile-phones, he said.

Modi highlighted his government's efforts to boost development in border areas under the 'Vibrant Village Programme (VVP)', saying the earlier dispensations left these regions to their fate.

In his third term, he will focus on people's quality of life after prioritising their ease of living so far and this will immensely benefit remote regions, the poor and the middle class, Modi said.

The region will also benefit a lot from the 'One District One Product' programme, he added.
Lucknow, Apr 18 (PTI) Congress leader Abhay Dubey on Thursday challenged BJP MP from Amethi, Smriti Irani to give five examples of work done by her in the constituency and said even a small Congress worker can defeat her in the polls.

"It seems that Smritiji is in a state of panic. Had she worked there, she would not have been afraid. The Congress had written a saga of development in Amethi," Dubey, the Congress' national spokesperson, told PTI Videos.

He then challenged her to give five examples of work done by her in Amethi.

Dubey, who was here, said, "We got factories of the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), ordnance factory, Rail Neer, and hospitals constructed."

The plastic waste management plant which is being talked about consists of two rooms and it does not even have an electric connection, he further alleged.

"The people of Amethi do not even want to keep you Smritiji in their smriti (memory). Even a small worker, if contests from there will defeat you," he said responding to Irani's dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi that he has "changed his colours" and will go there after April 26.

While the BJP has announced Irani as the party candidate from Amethi, the Congress is yet to name its nominee.

Amethi will vote in the fifth phase on May 20.

Gandhi had defeated Irani in Amethi in 2014 but lost to her in the 2019 general elections.

To a question regarding an attack on three people in Bengaluru for allegedly raising 'Jai Shree Ram' slogans, he said Lord Ram will give sadbuddhi (good sense) to the BJP.

"Ramji had given up power and went into the jungles for 14 years to uphold the 'vachan' (promise) but taking his (Ram's) name, the BJP breaks its promises every day and enjoys power," he said.

Dubey said that at the time of voting, people will fix accountability on the basis of the work done and not on the statements issued.

On the issue of electoral bonds, he said, "The RBI in May 2017, and the Election Commission (EC) in September 2017, wrote telling (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji not to bring electoral bonds scheme as it will lead to more shell companies and black money but they did not listen to anyone as they had to do 'chanda do dhandha lo'."

They have been "exposed" by the Supreme Court's decision and the BJP is "nervous" over this, Dubey said.

He also said alleged the EC is not giving time to the Congress for a meeting and its transparency is at stake. "It is a constitutional body, they have to think of upkeeping its transparency," he added.
New Delhi, Apr 18 (PTI) The country's drug regulator has released draft guidelines on good distribution practices to curb the introduction of spurious, adulterated and sub-standard pharmaceutical products in the market.

The draft guidance document issued by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) is in line with the WHO Technical Report Series (TRS) on good storage and distribution practices for such products.

The guidelines will be applicable to all persons and outlets involved in any aspect of storage and distribution of pharmaceutical products from the premises of the manufacturer to the person dispensing the products to a patient or his or her agent.

"Not of standard quality and spurious products are a significant threat to public health and safety. Consequently, it is essential to protect the supply chain against the penetration of such products," reads the draft 'Guidelines on Good Distribution Practices for Pharmaceutical Products'.

It sets out steps to assist stakeholders in fulfilling their responsibilities in different stages within the supply chain to avoid the introduction of sub-standard products in market.

The draft has recommended the inclusion of self-inspections by a designated, competent person in an independent and detailed way in the 'quality system'.

All pharmaceutical product distributors shall establish and maintain 'quality system', it said, adding a responsible person shall be appointed by the management for each distribution site with defined authority and responsibility to ensuring the 'quality system' is implemented and maintained.

The guidelines said deviations from the established procedures shall be documented and investigated. Appropriate corrective and preventive action (CAPA) shall be taken to correct deviations and prevent them, the guidelines said.

The document stated if a produced is needed to be recalled, it shall be segregated during transit and clearly labelled as recalled products. Where segregation in transit is not possible, such goods shall be securely packaged, clearly labelled and be accompanied by appropriate documentation.

All customers and competent authorities of all countries to which a given pharmaceutical product may have been distributed shall be informed promptly of any intention to recall the product, the draft document stated.

The returned products shall be destroyed in accordance with international, national and local requirements and with due consideration to protection of the environment unless it is certain that their quality is satisfactory, after they have been critically assessed in accordance with a written and authorized procedure, the document said.

Records for the dispatch of products should include a description of the products including name, dosage form and strength (if applicable), quantity, assigned batch number and expiry date, among other details.

It shall be ensured that records of dispatch contain enough information to enable traceability of the pharmaceutical product, the draft guidelines said.
Patna, Apr 18 (PTI) The ruling BJP-led NDA in Bihar attacked RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav after a section of the crowd in his public meeting hurled abuses against Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswans mother.

In a purported video that went viral, some people present at the meeting in Jamui were seen using foul language against her.

Yadav said he would have taken a stop if he knew what a few individuals from the crowd spoke.

Senior BJP leader and in-charge of Bihar, Vinod Tawde, posted on X: The way abusive words were used for NDA ally Paswan's mother in Tejashwi Yadav's rally is extremely condemnable. What is even more shameful is that Tejashwi did not stop them even though he was on the stage.

Accusing the RJD of stooping to low-level politics, he alleged that the opposition INDIA bloc never respected women.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary also condemned the incident.

This has exposed the mindset of RJD leadersThe incident happened in front of Tejashwi Yadav. The matter will be examined by the authorities concerned and strict action will be taken against the culprits, Chaudhary said.

Paswan told reporters that for him, there is no difference between Yadavs mother and his.

If I were at his place, I would have given a reply. I dont think any family man would take this abuse. It is high time now that we start respecting women, he said.

The RJD leader said he did not know what those people in the crowd were saying.

Yadav said, Had I known about it, I would have definitely stopped them. Who would be so stupid to permit such behaviour at election rallies?

We too have been the target of abuses at many gatherings of our opponents, he claimed.
Morigaon (Assam), Apr 18 (PTI) Two temporary election campaign offices of Congress candidate and sitting MP Pradyut Bordoloi were allegedly damaged by unidentified persons in Assam's Morigaon district, officials said on Thursday.

A police case was registered in connection with the incident.

According to an official, some miscreants ransacked election campaign offices of the Nagaon Lok Sabha candidate at Baghjap near Jagiroad and Jagi Bhakatgaon on Wednesday night.

"Security forces, along with a magistrate, went to the spots to assess the situation. Later, a case was registered at Jagiroad Police Station and a probe launched," an official of Morigaon district administration told PTI.

Bordoloi's team has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India and sought an enquiry into the incident.

Sharing the pictures of the damaged offices, Bordoloi alleged that it was the handiwork of the ruling BJP.

"Our Congress mandal offices within Jagiroad constituency suffered vandalism and destruction. This act exemplifies the extent to which the BJP is willing to go out of desperation, though regrettably, it comes as no surprise," he said in a series of posts on X.

Despite BJP's efforts, resilient Congress workers stand firm, undeterred and determined to forge ahead, the Lok Sabha MP said.

Voting in Nagaon will take place in the second phase on April 26.
Mandla (MP), Apr 18 (PTI) A government employee engaged in election work died of a cardiac arrest in the Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh on Thursday, a senior official said.



Maniram Kanvre, aged about 40, was heading for Bicchiya in Mandla (ST) Lok Sabha constituency after collecting election-related material from a polytechnic college when he suffered a cardiac arrest, he said.

Kanvre, who was associated with the tribal department, was rushed to the district hospital in Mandla but doctors declared him dead, he said.

Terming the death unfortunate, Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Anupam Rajan told reporters in Bhopal that an assistance of Rs 15 lakh has been sanctioned for his kin. Kanvre died after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest, he said.



We have also instructed officials from the tribal department in Mandla to initiate the process for granting a job to Kanvres wife on compassionate grounds, Rajan said.

The Mandla (ST) seat will go to polls on Friday in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections.
Anantnag (JK), Apr 18 (PTI) National Conference leader Mian Altaf Ahmad on

Thursday filed nomination papers for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat as the candidate of the opposition INDIA bloc.

Accompanied by NC vice president Omar Abdullah and Congress General Secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Ahmad filed the nomination papers before Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, Syed Fakhruddin, who is the returning officer of the constituency.

Talking to reporters after filing nomination papers, Abdullah said he was hopeful that Ahmad, the influential Gujjar leader from Kangan in central Kashmir, will emerge victorious.

"On behalf of the INDIA bloc, National Conference candidate Mian Altaf Ahmad has submitted his nomination papers to the DC (returning officer). We are hopeful that Mian sahib will emerge victorious. On behalf of NC president Farooq Abdullah, we are very thankful to G A Mir who came here from Delhi especially for this," the NC vice president said.

Reacting to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement on destruction caused by gun culture in Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah said the National Conference has been the worst victim of violence.

"We know very well where the gun culture came from. No party has been a bigger victim of this gun culture than the National Conference. We have lost more than 4,000 senior workers, party office bearers and former legislators," he added.

On former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad withdrawing from the contest in Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, Abdullah said he knew about it beforehand.

"We knew that he would not contest. He did not contest from his Doda seat, why would he contest from Anantnag. Now his party has fielded a new candidate. How much support they have among the people you will come to know in near future," he said.

On the BJP not fielding any candidates on the three seats in the valley, Abdullah said, "There are still 24 hours left. Who knows they might just do it!"

Senior Congress leader Mir said he was confident of a sweep for INDIA bloc candidates in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Jammu and Kashmir will not be divided into several parties. It is a direct contest between INDIA bloc and NDA. There is no scope for third, four or fifth parties this time. The people of Jammu and Kashmir are mature enough politically," Mir told reporters.

Mir expressed confidence that Congress candidates will win both the Lok Sabha seats in Jammu region.

"We can see both the Jammu seats going to Congress because people of Jammu are much angrier with BJP than we had anticipated in Kashmir. They (BJP) have done nothing on the ground. Their central ministers, who were representing the constituency, have not shown their face to the people in the past five years," he said.

He also said that PDP president Mehbooba Mufti contesting the polls was not a setback for the INDIA bloc.

"It is not a setback. It was understood from the outset that the constituent parties of INDIA bloc will field candidates from seats which they had won respectively in 2019 polls. We know that valley seats were won by NC last time. Common sense says NC will have influence in these seats.

"Efforts were made to accommodate others but it was to be decided between NC and PDP. If this seat had been with Congress, we might have been willing to sacrifice it to accommodate the PDP like we did in many other states. The two parties could not agree on this...therefore, Mian Altaf will be the candidate from the INDIA alliance," he added.

Mir charged that the BJP has tried to use some religious issue or the other in every election so that it does not have to answer for its governance.

"This is the first election in India in which BJP has not succeeded in diversionary tactics to deviate from the real issues facing the nation. This might be their last ditch effort to give a (saffron) colour but Bharat has decided that 2024 polls will not see a BJP or Modi government. June 4 has been decided as the expiry date of all guarantees that they are giving. People will vote for the guarantees of INDIA bloc and Rahul Gandhi," he said.
New Delhi, Apr 18 (PTI) Leaders of the Congress and other INDIA bloc constituents are resorting to politics of "abuse and intimidation", the BJP said on Thursday and urged the Election Commission to take suo motu cognisance of their recent remarks and act against them.

Shehzad Poonawalla, the party's national spokesperson, said during a press conference at the BJP headquarters that Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Nazrul Islam recently "openly" threatened to "bury" Prime Minister Narendra Modi "400 feet below".

"Nazrul Islam, a leader of the JMM and the 'INDI Alliance', has insulted the country's 'jana shakti (people's power)' by threatening to kill and bury the prime minister, who has been elected by the people of the country," Poonawalla said.

The JMM leader's remark shows the "mindset" of the opposition's INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc, he charged.

"The Election Commission should take suo motu cognisance of Nazrul Islam's remarks and take action against him immediately," the BJP leader said.

"This politics of abuse, insult and intimidation is not a coincidence but a well thought out plan (of the opposition). Two days ago, a Congress candidate had talked about killing Modi by saying that he would come (win the election) and Modi would die," Poonawalla charged.

Islam on Wednesday apologised for making a derogatory statement against Modi and said his remark was not intended to hurt anyone.

"During a political speech, I was speaking against the prime minister's claim of winning 400 seats. I intended to say that they (BJP-led NDA) would not get 400 seats and they would be out of power," the JMM leader said in a video statement.

The BJP's Jharkhand unit on Tuesday demanded a high-level probe and the arrest of Islam for his remarks against Modi.

Taking on the Congress, Poonawalla alleged that Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar recently threatened residents of a housing society that they would not get water supply if they did not vote for his brother DK Suresh.

Earlier, Karnataka Minister D Sudhakar had "threatened" that a special grant of Rs 25 crore would not be provided if the people did not vote for the Congress candidate, Poonawalla alleged.

"Will people be threatened like this? DK Shivakumar gave an open threat. It's a clear violation of the model code of conduct, Representation of the People Act," the BJP leader said and added, "The Election Commission should take suo motu cognisance of it and take the strictest action against DK Shivakumar and the other Karnataka minister."

The BJP's Karnataka unit on Monday filed a complaint with the Election Commission against Sudhakar for alleged violation of the model code of conduct for his comment during a speech at the Nayakanahatti village of Chitradurga district, promising a special grant of Rs 25 crore from the chief minister.
Mathura, Apr 17 (PTI) Actress-turned-politician Hema Malini, contesting the Lok Sabha election from Mathura as a BJP candidate for the third time, said Wednesday that she considers herself as a "gopi" of Lord Krishna.

"I joined politics neither for name nor for fame. I also did not join politics for any materialistic gain," the Mathura MP told reporters here.

Calling herself "Gopi of Krishna", Hema Malini said since Lord Krishna loves the "Brijwasis", she thought that he will shower his blessings on her only if she serves them sincerely.

"And I am accordingly serving the Brijwasis," she said.

She expressed her gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda for giving her the opportunity to serve the Brijwasis for the third time from Mathura.

She said the development of 'Braj 84 Kos Parikrama', lying in a miserable condition, will be her first priority.

"Efforts will be made to turn Braj 84 Kos Parikrama soothing, alluring and fascinating for the tourists," Hema Malini, two-term MP from Mathura, said.

She said Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari was kind enough to consider her request and he sanctioned Rs 5,000 crore for the renovation of Braj 84 Kos Parikrama.

"As the DPR (detailed project report) for it has been prepared for Rs 11,000 crore, I will get the rest of the amount sanctioned for an ideal infrastructure so that it provides the needed facilities to the pilgrims and turns attractive and mesmerising for the international tourists," she said.

Tourism will open the gates for employment to the locals, she said.

Her second priority will be to work towards cleaning the Yamuna river, she said.

Hema Malini claimed to have raised a question in Parliament about the pollution of the Ganga and the Yamuna rivers even before the Namami Gange project was launched.

She said ever since Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath Yogi has taken interest in the Namami Gange project, the Ganga water has turned transparent and pollution-free at Prayagraj. But the Delhi government did not take interest in solving the pollution problem of the Yamuna river and the holy river remains polluted in Mathura, she alleged.

According to the Mathura MP, without cleaning the Yamuna in Delhi and Haryana, the dream of a clean Yamuna in Mathura can not be translated into reality.

At present, the Yamunotri water is used by Delhi and Haryana and drain water of both the states is discharged into the Yamuna, Hema Malini said, adding that she will make every effort for a clean Yamuna.

Expressing her gratitude to Yogi, she said he formed the UP Braj Tirth Vikas Parishad at her behest when his attention was drawn towards the need for the development of Mathura. It included Sant Gram (a village for the saints) in Vrindavan, renovation of kunds, Raskhan Samadhi, Sur (Surdas') Sadhana Sthali at Parasauli and Govardhan Parikrama.

Much work including renovation of Raskhan Samadhi, Sur Sadhana Sthali and Govardhan Parikrama has been accomplished. Though work on other projects is in progress, it is on a slow speed due to encroachments, she said.

Hema Malini thanked Yogi also for the declaration of Vrindavan, Barsana, Nandgaon, Govardhan, Gokul, Mathura and Baldeo as "teerth sthals" (pilgrimages) on her request.

Her other priorities will be elevated broad gauge rail line between Mathura junction, connecting the holy city of Vrindavan with Aligarh, construction of a double line rail track between Mathura and Kasganj, replacing hard potable water with the Ganga river water and opening a central university that ultimately will pave the way for youths to succeed in the competitive examinations.
Sambhal (UP), Apr 18 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Thursday said the BJP talks about crossing the 400-seat mark in the Lok Sabha elections for goals like implementing the Uniform Civil Code and hoisting the tricolour in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

He attacked opposition parties and said the SP, BSP and Congress will not be able to open their accounts in the state.

Addressing a rally in Behjoi after nomination of BJP candidate Parmeshwar Lal Saini, Maurya said, "The BJP talks of getting over 400 seats for 'one nation, one election', for hoisting the tricolour in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and common civil code."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that the NDA will get more than 400 seats and the BJP will win at least 370 seats in the Lok Sabha elections.

Maurya alleged the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) "abused" Prime Minister Modi. "The people of the state will give their reply with their votes," he said.

He said that both the SP and Congress "are in ICU and they need oxygen".

"In 2024 also, they will face defeat. The accounts of the SP, BSP and Congress will not open in the state," he added.

Voting will be held in Sambhal on May 10 in the third phase.
New Delhi, Apr 18 (PTI) Coming down heavily on Telangana officials for "abdicating" their duty to protect forest land, the Supreme Court on Thursday not only set aside the high court verdict declaring 106.34 acre forest land in Warangal district as private but criticised the HC for graciously gifting it to a private person who could not prove his title.

The top court also said there is a crying need for a change in the approach towards forests.

"The need of the hour is to transform from an anthropocentric (believing humans are most important) approach to eco-centric approach which will encompass a wider perspective in the interest of the environment.

A right to enjoy cannot be restricted to any specific group, and so also to human beings. The time has come for mankind to live sustainably and respect the rights of rivers, lakes, beaches, estuaries, ridges, trees, mountains, seas and air. It is imperative to do so as there is always a constant threat to forests due to the ever increasing population, it observed.

The verdict came while allowing the appeal of the Telangana government against the high courts judgement on a review plea of legal representatives of a man named Mohd Abdul Qasim, who has died.

The high court had reversed its own findings while deciding the review plea and held that the parcel of land in question was not forest land and declared the legal representatives of the late Qasim as owners.

We have already recorded the facts in detail. It is a classic case where the officials of the state (Telangana) who are expected to protect and preserve the forests in discharge of their public duties clearly abdicated their role.

We are at a loss to understand as to how the High Court could interfere by placing reliance upon evidence produced after the decree, at the instance of a party which succeeded along with the contesting defendant, particularly in the light of the finding that the land is forest land which has become part of reserved forest, said the bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and S V N Bhatti.

Government officials fought in the trial court and the high court to buttress the states point that the land in question was forest land. However, few officials later abdicated their duties leading to the impugned judgment of the high court that too in the review jurisdiction, the apex court said.

Setting aside the high court verdict, Justice Sundresh, in the 60-page judgement, held it did not stand legal scrutiny as it is ridden with both factual and legal errors.

The top court also dealt in detail with the limited jurisdiction of courts while entertaining review pleas, saying evidence cannot be re-appreciated and only the errors apparent on the face of records can be rectified under it.

The High Court on the earlier occasion had given a clear finding that even at the time of declaration under the AP Land Revenue Act, these lands were not shown as private lands by the defendant, among other factual findings.

It is indeed very strange that the High Court which is expected to act within the statutory limitation went beyond and graciously gifted the forest land to a private person who could not prove his title..., the top court said.

The judgement said the high court showed utmost interest and benevolence in allowing the review plea by setting aside the well merited judgment in the appeal by replacing its views in all material aspects. It also imposed a cost of Rs 5 lakh each on the state government and other parties including the respondents and ordered that the monies be paid to the National Legal Services Authority within a period of two months, the top court said.

The apex court said in the judgement that the state government was free to inquire into the lapses committed by the officers in filing collusive affidavits before the competent court, and recover the same from those officers who are responsible for facilitating and filing incorrect affidavits in the ongoing proceedings.


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Google employees, who staged a sit-in at the California office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian for over eight hours to demand the companys cessation of business ties with Israel, were arrested late on Tuesday.

The employees live-streamed their protest on Twitch under the tag notech4apartheid. The footage depicted them being given the option to leave voluntarily before being apprehended by law enforcement for refusal.

During the stream, a representative approached the protesters to inform them of their administrative leave status and requested their departure. Its getting late, he mentioned. I wanted to ask you to cooperate. Youve been placed on admin leave, and wed appreciate it if you voluntarily [leave]. Its been a while. Can you do that for us?

Upon his mention of involving law enforcement, the employees acknowledged understanding. Shortly thereafter, police entered the office and detained them, cutting off the live stream.

The protests were announced via internal emails to employees, outlining a series of demands. These demands included Google terminating its $1.2 billion contract with Israel for Project Nimbus, a cloud-computing initiative of the Israeli government. They also called for Google to halt all dealings with the Israeli government and military, address the alleged mistreatment of Palestinian and Muslim employees, and confront the perceived health and safety issues among workers concerned about their labor indirectly supporting what they termed a genocide.

Reports indicate instances of anti-Semitism within Googles workforce. In February, The Daily Wire detailed internal incidents, such as anti-Semitic graffiti found within Google offices and a Jewish employee being assaulted by anti-Israel protesters on campus. Additionally, it reported on a group of employees attempting to disrupt an International Womens Day event to criticize Israel.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Despite the ongoing war and challenging circumstances, the Ukrainian Jewish community is determined to celebrate Pesach with dignity and joy, with the Federation of Jewish Communities in Ukraine (FJCU) working tirelessly to ensure that Jewish families across the country can properly observe Yom Tov.

At the FJCUs logistics center in Dnipro, employees and volunteers have been packing 45,000 packages with handmade and machine-made matzahs, wine, grape juice, and other essential items for the Seder. The packages also include a Ukrainian-translated Haggadah and information about the Yom Tov and its Minhagim.

The Federation has made a conscious effort to support Ukrainian Jewish factories and businesses, including the Tefaret Matzot bakery in Dnipro, which was hit by a Russian drone last year.

Public events will be held in 41 cities across Ukraine, where approximately 20,000 Jews are expected to participate in Sedorim. For the first time, Jewish soldiers on the front lines will also be able to celebrate, thanks to the efforts of Rabbi Yaakov Siniakov, who has been working with chaplains to provide them with the necessary resources.

Rabbi Mayer Stambler, Chairman of the FJCU, expressed his determination to celebrate Pesach with freedom and joy, despite the ongoing war. We will not let the war dampen our spirits. We will celebrate Pesach with as much real freedom as possible, and we pray that next year we will be celebrating in Yerushalayim.
Numerous House Democrats in Washington, D.C. declined to condemn the burning of the American flag and chanting of Death to America when questioned by a reporter this week. The questions came in response to a recent pro-Palestinian demonstration on the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City, where protesters were seen burning American flags and chanting anti-American slogans.

When asked if she supported such protests, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) refused to answer or even acknowledge the reporter. Similarly, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) claimed she was not aware of the reports and would need to check for them myself.

Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), who recently lost the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in California, also declined to comment. Her staffer repeatedly interrupted the reporter, saying they needed to move on to the next event. When pressed about whether she was okay with people burning the American flag and chanting Death to America, Porter remained silent.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday his country would be the one to decide whether and how to respond to Irans major air assault earlier this week, brushing off calls for restraint from close allies.

Israel has vowed to respond to Irans unprecedented attack without saying when or how, leaving the region bracing for further escalation after months of unrest linked to the ongoing war in Gaza.

Israels allies have been urging Israel since the attack to hold back on any response that could spiral. These calls were repeated on Wednesday during visits by the British and German foreign ministers.

The diplomatic pressures came as Irans president warned that even the tiniest invasion of its territory would bring a massive and harsh response. Violence meanwhile surged on Wednesday between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese militant Hezbollah group, which fired a volley of rockets and drones on northern Israel. The attack wounded at least 14 Israeli soldiers, six seriously, the army said. The military said it struck Hezbollah targets deep inside Lebanon in response.

Speaking to a meeting of his Cabinet, Netanyahu said he met Wednesday with both visiting foreign ministers and thanked them for their countries support. But he said Israel would make the call on its own on how to respond despite all sorts of suggestions and advice coming from Israels allies, some of whom  including the United States, the United Kingdom and France  helped Israel repel Irans drone and missile assault.

I want to be clear: we will make our decisions ourselves. The state of Israel will do whatever is necessary to defend itself, Netanyahu said.

Despite the tough rhetoric, Israel appears unlikely to attack Iran directly without at least the support of its top ally, the U.S. But it could resort to more covert methods such as targeting senior Iranian commanders or Iran-backed groups in other countries, or launching a cyber attack.

Its unclear how Iran would then respond, given the heightened tensions  any miscalculation by either side risks setting off a regional war.

President Joe Bidens administration on Tuesday said it would place new sanctions on Iran and has worked to coordinate a global rebuke of the attack while urging all sides to de-escalate. U.S. officials said earlier this week that Biden told Netanyahu that Washington would not participate in any offensive action against Iran.

Over the weekend, Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel in response to an apparent Israeli strike on Irans Embassy compound in Syria on April 1 that killed 12 people, including two Iranian generals.

Israel says it and its partners successfully intercepted nearly all the missiles and drones. A 7-year-old girl was wounded in the attack, which did not cause any deaths or major damage.

Israel and Iran have waged a shadow war for decades, but the strike over the weekend was the first direct Iranian military attack on Israel.

With tensions surging, Israels allies have reinforced a message of restraint. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock each appealed for calm while on separate visits to the region.

Cameron said its clear the Israelis are making a decision to act against Iran, but he hoped they would do so in a way that is smart as well as tough and also does as little as possible to escalate this conflict. He spoke after meeting with Israels President Isaac Herzog, whose office is mainly ceremonial.

Baerbock said Germany stands in full solidarity with Israel but called on it to exercise restraint.

Everyone must now act prudently and responsibly. Im not talking about giving in. Im talking about prudent restraint, which is nothing less than strength, she told reporters. Because Israel has already shown strength with its defensive victory at the weekend.

The ministers said they would push for further international sanctions on Iran.

Irans President Ebrahim Raisi warned Israel against any retaliation as he addressed an annual army parade, which had been relocated to a barracks from its usual route and was not carried live on state TV  possibly because of fears that it could be targeted.

In remarks carried by Irans official IRNA news agency, Raisi said the weekend attack was limited, and that if Iran had wanted to carry out a bigger attack, nothing would remain from the Zionist regime.

(AP)
The Biden administration on Wednesday reimposed crushing oil sanctions on Venezuela, admonishing President Nicolas Maduros attempts to consolidate his rule just six months after the U.S. eased restrictions in a bid to support now fading hopes for a democratic opening in the OPEC nation.

A senior U.S. official, discussing the decision with reporters, said any U.S. company investing in Venezuela would have 45 days to wind down operations to avoid adding uncertainty to global energy markets. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss U.S. policy deliberations.

In October, the U.S. granted Maduros government relief from sanctions on its state-run oil, gas and mining sectors after it agreed to work with members of the opposition to hold a free and competitive presidential election this year.

While Maduro went on to schedule an election for July and invite international observers to monitor voting, his inner circle has used the ruling partys total control over Venezuelas institutions to undermine the agreement. Actions include blocking his main rival, ex lawmaker Maria Corina Machado, from registering her candidacy or that of a designated alternative. Numerous government critics have also been jailed over the past six months, including several of Machados aides.

Wednesdays actions essentially return U.S. policy to what it was prior to the agreement hammered out in the Caribbean island of Barbados, making it illegal for U.S. companies to do business with state-run oil producer Petroleos de Venezuela S.A., better known as PDVSA, without a specific license from the U.S. Treasury Department.

We again call on Maduro to allow all candidates and parties to participate in the electoral process and release all political prisoners without restrictions or delay, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said. We will continue to support Venezuelans aspirations for a more democratic, stable, and prosperous Venezuela.

Venezuelan authorities angrily dismissed the diplomatic rebuke, saying it fulfilled its commitments made in Barbados and accusing Washington of betraying a promise to lift all sanctions it said was made during secret negotiations between the two countries.

The gringos think they can threaten Venezuela, said Maduro in a televised event. Theres no sanction, no threat, that today can damage our efforts to build a new productive economic model because we no longer depend on anyone in the world, just our own work.

Its unclear what impact the snapback would have on Venezuelas long floundering oil and gas industry  or whether it will pressure Maduro to offer a more level electoral playing field.

The initial reprieve was issued for only six months. Experts say thats not nearly enough time to attract the major capital investments required to revive long stagnant production in Venezuela, which sits atop the worlds largest proven oil reserves.

However, by allowing Venezuela to send oil directly, instead of going through shady middlemen who charge a hefty fee, Maduros government was able to boost oil revenues and raise badly needed cash during the six months of U.S. sanctions relief.

Additionally, the stiffening of sanctions doesnt directly impact Chevron, the last major U.S. oil driller in Venezuela, which was allowed to boost shipments thanks to a license it was issued in 2022 amid concerns that Russias invasion of Ukraine would disrupt global energy supplies.

The true test of the administrations seriousness about Venezuela is Chevron, said Elliott Abrams, who served as the Trump administrations special envoy to the crisis in Venezuela. Leaving that license in place suggests the administration cares more about keeping oil prices down until the election, and about Chevrons profits, than about U.S. national security interests and freedom in Venezuela.

While signaling its growing frustration with Maduro, the Biden administration is unlikely to return to the failed maximum pressure campaign tried during the Trump administration, which only strengthened the leftist leaders hand, experts said.

It became impossible for the White House to pretend that the Maduro government in any way was complying  or even intended to comply  with the implicit deal in the partial lifting of sanctions, said Christopher Sabatini, a research fellow at the Chatham House in London. To have ignored that would have made the U.S. look weak and undermined the its credibility in leveraging sanctions not just on Venezuela but elsewhere.

Opinion polls show most Venezuelans would eagerly boot Maduro from office if given half a chance. Numerous regional leaders, including the leftist presidents of Colombia and Brazil, have joined the U.S. in criticizing the Maduro governments failure to abide by its commitments and allow a competitive election.

(AP)
One of the most prominent figures in the far-right Alternative for Germany party went on trial Thursday on charges of using a Nazi slogan, months before a regional election in which he plans to run to become his states governor.

Bjorn Hocke, 52, is the leader of the regional branch of Alternative for Germany, or AfD, in the eastern state of Thuringia and a powerful figure on the partys hard right.

While never formally a national leader of AfD, the former history teacher has been consistently influential as the 11-year-old party steadily headed further right and ousted several comparatively moderate leaders.

At the trial at the state court in Halle, he is charged with using symbols of unconstitutional organizations. He is accused of ending a speech in nearby Merseburg in May 2021 with the words Everything for Germany!

Prosecutors contend he was aware of the origin of the phrase as a slogan of the Nazis SA stormtroopers, but Hocke argued that it is an everyday saying.

Using symbols of unconstitutional organizations can carry a fine or a prison sentence of up to three years. Four court sessions have been scheduled through May 14.

Demonstrators gathered outside the court building before the trial opened, with banners including Bjorn Hocke is a Nazi and Stop AfD! About 570 protesters turned out, according to police.

The court last week added a second count of using the same phrase to the Halle trial, but decided shortly before proceedings started to try that separately because Hockes defense lawyers recently changed, German news agency dpa reported. In that case, prosecutors allege that he repeated the offense at a party event in Gera last December, in certain knowledge that using the slogan is a criminal offense.

They say that Hocke said Everything for  and encouraged the audience to shout Germany!

There are no formal pleas in the German legal system, and defendants arent obliged to respond to the charges. Hockes defense team said after the indictment was read Thursday that he would respond and answer questions from prosecutors at a later point.

Hocke insisted in a debate with a conservative rival last week that he wasnt aware Everything for Germany! was a Nazi slogan and claimed that many others have used it. Everyone out there knows its an everyday saying, he said on Welt television.

Hocke has led AfDs regional branch in Thuringia since 2013, the year the party was founded, and its group in the state legislature in Erfurt since it first won seats there in 2014.

He once called the Holocaust memorial in Berlin a monument of shame and called for Germany to perform a 180-degree turn in how it remembers its past. A party tribunal in 2018 rejected a bid to have him expelled.

Hockes regional branch of AfD is now one of three that the domestic intelligence agency has under official surveillance as a proven right-wing extremist group.

Wolfgang Schroeder, a political science professor at the Berlin Social Science Center, said Hocke has become an increasingly important figure in AfD and the front man of a radicalization project in the party. He said that people vote for the party in part out of protest, in part out of conviction.

AfD is particularly strong in the formerly communist east and is in first place in polls in Thuringia before a state election on Sept. 1, with recent surveys showing support of 29-to-31%.

Its unlikely that any other party will agree to work with Hocke and put him in the governors office, but AfDs strength has made forming governing coalitions in the state enormously complicated.

Hocke also faces a second trial, for which dates havent yet been set, on charges of incitement related to a 2022 post on Telegram about a crime in the western city of Ludwigshafen.

(AP)
A lawsuit filed by Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas and victims of terror attacks in Israel alleges that the Biden administration has unlawfully provided $1.5 billion in aid to organizations in Gaza and the West Bank that support Hamas and other terrorist groups.

The lawsuit claims that President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have known for years that the aid is providing material support for Hamas tunnels, rockets, and other terror infrastructure.

The lawsuit alleges that the funding violates the Taylor Force Act, which prohibits U.S. aid from going to the Palestinian Authority if it is used to fund terrorism. The complaint claims that the funding has allowed the Palestinian Authority to use its own assets to fund terrorism.

The lawsuit includes new emails obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests that allegedly reveal the administrations attempts to undermine Israel.

A federal judge denied a motion by the Biden administration to dismiss the case in October, two days after Hamas terrorists killed an estimated 1,200 people, including 33 Americans.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Irans president has warned that the tiniest invasion by Israel would bring a massive and harsh response, as the region braces for potential Israeli retaliation after Irans attack over the weekend.

President Ebrahim Raisi spoke Wednesday at an annual army parade that was relocated to a barracks north of the capital, Tehran, from its usual venue on a highway in the citys southern outskirts. Iranian authorities gave no explanation for its relocation, and state television didnt broadcast it live, as it has in previous years.

Raisis threats against Israel were nothing new but the change of location was apparently due to fear of an Israeli attack. An Al Jazeera journalist in Iran reported: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi spoke two hours ago but his words were not broadcast live. What we saw in the last few minutes is a filmed update of the Presidents speech. The event was previously held outside the mausoleum of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in Tehran. But due to security concerns, it was moved this year to a military base east of the capital.

Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel over the weekend in an unprecedented attack  the first direct attack on Israel from Iranian territory.

Israel, with help from the United States, the United Kingdom, neighboring Jordan and other nations, successfully intercepted nearly all the missiles and drones.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem & AP)
A video of innocent Gazan civilians enjoying themselves at the beach in the city of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip went viral on Wednesday.

The footage caused widespread outrage among Israelis, who said that while the Israeli hostages are dying in enemy captivity, the starving residents of the Gaza Strip are frolicking on the beach.

Others noted that the video shows that Gazans are freely returning to their homes in the Gaza Strip following the withdrawal of IDF troops.

MK Zeev Elkin said: Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Gallant and Minister Gantz, if this is how youre conducting the war in Gaza, its not surprising that Hamas doesnt feel pressured to agree to a hostage release deal and Iran directly attacks Israel with hundreds of missiles.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
Shas chairman Aryeh Deri has accused Minister of War Benny Gantz of obstructing any potential agreements regarding the enlistment of Yeshiva Bochrim into the IDF.

In an interview with the Shas-affiliated HaDerech newspaper, Deri criticized Gantz for proposing legislation that he claims would undermine the Torah world, asserting that such a law stands no chance of passing. He expressed disappointment with Defense Minister Gallant for aligning himself with Gantz and conditioning support for legislation on Gantzs approval, stating that reaching agreements with Gantz seems unfeasible.

Deri lamented the current state of affairs, particularly amid the ongoing war, and admitted that a solution to the impasse is currently elusive.

Gantz, on the other hand, has rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus proposal to regulate the enlistment of yeshiva students, deeming it insufficient. Instead, he advocates for a broader military service plan encompassing both Arabs and Chareidim.

Speaking at a conference organized by Israel Hayom, Gantz emphasized the need for a comprehensive service plan and dismissed the notion of a political compromise that would preserve exemptions for yeshiva students, citing concerns for Israeli security.

Last week, Shas distanced itself from Interior Minister Moshe Arbel after he suggested that there was no longer a moral justification for exempting Chareidi men not studying in yeshivas from army service.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Lebanons interior minister alleged Wednesday that the mysterious abduction and killing of a Hezbollah-linked Lebanese currency exchanger in a villa on the edge of a quiet mountain resort town earlier this month was likely the work of Israeli operatives.

The killing of Mohammad Srour, 57, who was sanctioned by the U.S., was like something out of an international spy thriller. Pistols equipped with silencers and gloves were found in a bucket of water and chemicals at the scene, apparently intended to remove fingerprints and other evidence, Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi said in an interview with The Associated Press. Thousand of dollars in cash were left scattered around Srours body, as if to dispel any speculation that robbery was the motive.

Lebanese security agencies have suspicion or accusations that Mossad was behind this operation, Mawlawi said, referring to the Israeli spy agency. The way the crime was carried out led to this suspicion.

He provided no specific evidence for his allegations. Mawlawi said the investigation is still ongoing and once its over the results will be made public and referred to judicial authorities.

The Israeli prime ministers office, which oversees Mossad, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The suspicion by Lebanons security agencies that the crime could be the work of Israeli agents comes at a time when Lebanons southern border region has been rocked by ongoing clashes between terrorists of the Hamas-allied Hezbollah group and Israeli troops.

The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Srour in 2019 over his alleged money transfers from Iran through Hezbollah to Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Mohammad Srours activity in money exchange is known, as are the transfers of money from which side to which side, Mawlawi said.

Srours killing earlier this month, came as U.S. and Israeli officials have been trying to crack down on transfers of funds to Hamas. The push has intensified following the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that triggered the devastating war in Gaza and its ripple effects around the region.

Last month, a senior U.S. Treasury official visiting Beirut pressed Lebanese authorities to prevent funds from being funneled to Hamas through the tiny country. Jesse Baker, deputy assistant secretary of the Treasury for Asia and the Middle East in the Office of Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes, met with top Lebanese political and financial officials.

Israels military said it has killed a number of money exchangers in Gaza for allegedly funding Hamas.

Srours killing was clearly planned in advance. Three Lebanese judicial officials familiar with the investigation told the AP that a man posing as a customer had contacted Srour from abroad and asked him to deliver a cash transfer to a woman in the mountain resort of Beit Meri.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, said Srour first went with his nephew and left after handing the woman the money. He was contacted by the same person with another request a day after his first visit, the officials said. This time he went alone, after which his family lost contact with him.

Mawlawi said the cell phone the woman used to contact Srour was only activated to contact him.

He said the perpetrators had first tried to rent an apartment in Beiruts southeastern suburb of Hazmieh, a detail that has not been previously reported, but later cancelled, apparently because they did not find (the apartment) suitable to carry out the operation.

Mawlawi said the killers then shifted to the quiet town of Beit Meri, famous for its posh homes with red-brick roofs, sprawling forest and Roman-era archaeological site, where they rented a three-story villa on the edge of the town using fake Lebanese identity cards. The countrys General Security Directorate is looking into the identities of people who entered and left the country around the period of the killing, he said.

Srour went missing on April 3 in Beit Meri, and his body was found a week later in the villa. Mawlawi said investigators found a large number of bullet wounds in different parts of his body, including his arms and legs. He was reportedly handcuffed.

The villa is located on a quiet side street lush with trees.

We did not hear anything, said Christian Francis who lives across the street from the villa where Srour was killed. He added that most people have dogs in the highly secured area where municipal police have a checkpoint nearby and the Lebanese army has a post few hundred meters (yards) away.

Beit Meris mayor, Roy Abou Chedid, told the AP that the apartment was rented in late February to an unknown person for one year for $48,000. He added that the family that owns the villa did not register the rental contract at the municipality but had paid its municipal taxes on time in November.

The operation was carried out in a way that is more than professional, Abou Chedid said, adding that the neighbors did not suspect anything and it took security agencies some time to locate which house Srours body was in.

A Hezbollah spokesperson declined to comment on the killing citing the ongoing investigation. The spokesperson refused to say whether Srour was a Hezbollah member but said that he worked in the past for the al-Qard al-Hasan Association, the financial arm of the Iran-backed group.

Israel has a long history of targeted killings in Lebanon, including drone strikes that have killed high-ranking Hezbollah commanders over the past six months. At least 260 Hezbollah members have been killed by Israel in that period.

The U.S. has accused Srour of transferring tens of millions of dollars annually from Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to Hamas military wing, the Qassam Brigades, alleging that starting in 2014, Srour was identified as in charge of all money transfers from the IRGC to the Qassam Brigades.

Srours family members have not given media interviews since his body was found but said in a televised statement that all his financial transactions were transparent and he simply worked in currency exchange. They urged security agencies to swiftly find the perpetrators.

During Srours funeral in his hometown of Labweh in northeast Lebanon, a Hezbollah flag was flown over his coffin and scores of men and women chanted death to America and death to Israel as they marched toward the cemetery.

(AP)
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu iced pre-approved plans for retaliation against Irans recent missile attack following a phone call with US President Joe Biden, according to a report by Kan public broadcaster.

The report reveals that the Israeli cabinet had already greenlit a range of potential responses to the Iranian attack, which were set to be carried out immediately after the incident. However, Netanyahus conversation with Biden appears to have led to a change of heart, with a senior source saying, The response wont be what was planned any longer, diplomatic sensitivities won out There will be a response, but it seems it will be different from what was planned.

The comments suggest a weaker response than initially intended, according to Kan. Western diplomats, speaking anonymously, confirmed to Kan that Israel is still expected to respond, but the nature of the response remains unclear.

Meanwhile, there are divisions within the Israeli leadership and military brass on how to proceed. While most support a robust response, Shas leader Aryeh Deri has publicly spoken out against escalating the situation.

Brig. Gen. Doron Gavish, former commander of Israels air defense, has said that the air force is preparing for potential future attacks from Iran, which has threatened immediate retaliation if Israel responds. Gavish, now serving in reserves, said the air force is reviewing its successful defense against Irans missile attack and making adjustments for potential additional fighting.

We are preparing ourselves for the next time, debriefing the mission and seeing how we could prepare ourselves for the next attack, Gavish said from a military base in southern Israel.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Speaker Mike Johnson has unveiled a long-awaited package of bills that will provide military aid to Ukraine and Israel, replenish U.S. weapons systems and give humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza.

The package totals $95.3 billion in spending, which matches the total that the Senate passed in mid-February. But there are also a few differences with the Senate bill designed to win over some House conservatives.

Heres a look at what is in the bills that Johnson hopes to pass by this weekend.

UKRAINE

The aid to support Ukraine totals about $61 billion. Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee said that more than a third of that amount would be dedicated to replenishing weapons and ammunition systems for the U.S. military.

The overall amount of money provided to Ukraine for the purchase of weapons from the U.S. is roughly the same in the House and Senate bills  $13.8 billion.

The main difference between the two packages is that the House bill provides more than $9 billion in economic assistance to Ukraine in the form of forgivable loans. The Senate bill included no such provision seeking repayment.

The president would be authorized to set the terms of the loan to Ukraine and also be given the power to cancel it. Congress could override the cancellation but would have to generate enough votes to override a veto, a high bar considering how the two chambers are so evenly divided.

Johnson, as he seeks GOP support for the package, noted that former President Donald Trump has endorsed a loan concept.

He also noted that the House package includes a requirement for the Biden administration to provide a plan and a strategy to Congress for what it seeks to achieve in Ukraine. The plan would be required within 45 days of the bill being signed into law. House Republicans frequently complain that they have yet to see a strategy from Biden for winning the war.

The bill said the report from the administration must be a multiyear plan that spells out specific and achievable objectives. It also asked for an estimate of the resources required to achieve the U.S. objectives and a description of the national security implications if the objectives are not met.

ISRAEL

Aid in the legislation to support Israel and provide humanitarian relief to citizens of Gaza comes to more than $26 billion. The amount of money dedicated to replenishing Israels missile defense systems totals about $4 billion in the House and Senate bills. An additional $2.4 billion for current U.S. military operations in the regions is also the same in both bills.

Some conservatives have been critical of the aid for Gaza. At the end of the day, though, Johnson risked losing critical Democratic support for the package if Republicans had excluded it. The humanitarian assistance comes to more than $9 billion for Gaza, where millions of Palestinians face starvation, lack of clean water and disease outbreaks.

INDO-PACIFIC

The investments to counter China and ensure a strong deterrence in the region come to about $8 billion. The overall amount of money and the investments in the two bills is about the same with a quarter of funds used to replenish weapons and ammunition systems that had been provided to Taiwan.

(AP)
US officials told ABC News that Israel is not expected to carry out a retaliatory attack against Iran until after Pesach.

The officials added that Israel twice prepared retaliatory strikes against Iran this week but ultimately postponed them.

Kan News reported that following the Iranian attack overnight on Motzei Shabbos, Israels war cabinet approved the launch of an immediate massive retaliatory strike against Iran. However after US President Joe Biden called Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and pushed him not to retaliate, the plan was called off.

Meanwhile, senior Iranian officials are living in fear, with some in hiding in underground facilities and other protective areas.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Wednesday warned that the tiniest invasion by Israel would bring a massive and harsh response.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
The Biden administration has agreed to approve Israels plan for a ground operation in Rafah in exchange for a promise from Israel that it will not carry out a large-scale retaliatory strike against Iran, an Egyptian senior official told the Qatari news site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed on Thursday.

The report was confirmed by a Western diplomat.

According to the report, Egyptian forces are on high alert in the northern Sinai along the Gazan border in order to thwart a flood of Gazans from entering the country when the Rafah operation takes place.

The senior official said that an Israeli attack against Iran is not realistic if the US is opposed to it, considering that US forces played a key part in thwarting the attack.

He added that the IDF carried out strikes overnight Wednesday in several areas next to the Egyptian-Gazan border, and said that Egyptian security officials were informed of the strikes prior to their execution.

The Guardian reported that the IDF is already preparing for its attack on Rafah, transferring a large number of tanks and armored personnel carriers into Gaza. The IDF also confirmed earlier this week that it purchased 40,000 tents to prepare for the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of civilians from Rafah.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
Congresswoman Kathy Manning excoriated Columbia President Nemat Shafik for the rampant antisemitism at her university at a congressional hearing on Wednesday and chastised her for the fact that a professor who rationalizes the murder of Jews is still part of the universitys faculty.

Are there any professors in your Middle East department who believe Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish state? Manning asked.

Believe it or not, Shafik couldnt answer that question.

Shafik hemmed and hawed when asked by Rep. Lisa McClain if Columbia defines mobs of people chanting From the river to the sea and Long live the Intifada as antisemitic  even after McClain explained how numerous Jews were murdered in Israel during the last Intifada, including an alumnus of Columbia University.

Shafik refused to give a clear answer, saying its a difficult issue because some people perceive it as antisemitic and others dont. McClain then turned to David Schizer, the head of Columbias task force against antisemitism, and posed the question to him and he responded in the affirmative, forcing Shafik to admit she agrees with him.

According to Canary Mission, an organization that exposes hatred and antisemitism on college campuses, Columbia is rife with antisemitism  Canary Mission has profiled no less than 68! Columbia professors for their antisemitism, support for terrorism, and denial of Israels right to exist.

Watch Shafik stutter when Rep. Jim Banks confronted her about antisemitic practices at the university:

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
A relative of an Israeli hostage with US citizenship being held in Gaza told NBC News that Israeli security has shown Americans who have traveled to Israel and met with Israels security forces that they know where many of the hostages are but that the captives are constantly being moved.

Every day they are there, we also know that they could die of starvation, illness, injury or murder, the relative said.

According to the report, the Biden administration assumes that five hostages with US citizenship are still alive. However, since it has more precise intelligence on the locations and conditions of some hostages than others, it cannot be sure that the assumption is true.

Hamas is also assumed to be holding the bodies of several more Americans who were killed on October 7th or shortly afterward.

During ceasefire talks, Hamas could not confirm that it could locate 40 living hostages who are women, children, elderly or ill  a horrifying fact that held up negotiations.

Aviva Siegel, who spent 51 days as a hostage in Gaza and whose husband Keith, of North Carolina, is still in captivity, said that her ordeal was a terrifying nightmare.

For 186 days I was there, she told NBC last week. I was treated like Im nothing. I didnt have any human rights. We werent allowed to talk. We werent allowed to even stand.

They used to starve us and eat in front of us. They used to drink water, and we begged them for water. They used to sometimes bring us just a little bit of water and say thats the water until tomorrow at 5 oclock. So we used to have one sip every couple of hours, each of us.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
The Behshad, a vessel registered as a commercial cargo ship with a Tehran-based company sanctioned by the US Treasury for alleged ties to the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, has recently returned to port, raising concerns of a potential Israeli strike.

Having been stationed in the Red Sea since 2021, the Behshads presence in the region has drawn attention, particularly after Iran removed another suspected spy base, the Saviz, from the area. The Saviz had reportedly suffered damage in an attack attributed to Israel, amidst a broader shadow war involving ship attacks in the region.

Previously, Iran described the Saviz as being involved in anti-piracy efforts in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. In March, Tehran issued warnings to the US against targeting either ship.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
By Rifki Orzech

Chazal say we were redeemed in the merit of nashim tzidkaniyos: Miriam and Yocheved, as well as all the women of Am Yisrael who birthed children, even when they were experiencing slavery and despair. Three millennia later, Israeli women are facing the choice of bringing life into a world overshadowed by a war, and holding their homefront island together, alone.

EFRAT will be there to support a womans decision to welcome new life despite her circumstances, and we will see a soul born for each we have lost.

Years ago, EFRAT identified that Israeli women might see another child as a financial burden she could not possibly take on. This led to EFRAT devising a case management system of moral support, counseling, and financial assistance. The latter, an initial package of crib, stroller, bathtub, infant seat, layette, is followed by monthly deliveries of diapers, wipes, infant formula, and, where necessary, staple food items for the whole family. This strategy has facilitated the births of over 86,000 Jewish babies in the last 47 years.

Great Leaders Inspire Leadership and Mission

EFRAT founder Dr. Eli Schussheim, ztl, took a leaf from Miriams book, speaking up for those without a voice  Israels unborn babies. The doctor took his mantra all over the world: Money should never be the reason for ending life!

This passion and his great love for the Jewish people inspired others, as well. One of those was Rabbi Baruj Garzon, Rabbi of Madrid, and the first chief rabbi of Spain since the Spanish Inquisition. In the wake of Dr. Schussheims 2008 visit to Madrid, Rav Garzon mobilized Spanish communities nationwide to fundraise for EFRAT.

Rabbi Garzons volunteers worked tirelessly to rally Spanish Jews to the cause, translating EFRATs promotional material into Spanish and organizing one-on-one fundraising encounters. Rav Garzon looks back fondly; every year, their efforts would generate a generous sum, which they considered their way of supporting Israel from within. Rav Garzon subsequently made aliyah to Raanana in 2018, where he now leads a community of Spanish expatriates. He continues to visit Madrid, repeating his own mantra that it is our zechus to support EFRATs beneficiaries.

EFRATs volunteers are continuing their holy work to prioritize resilience by meeting the needs of any woman who chooses our age-old response of Am Yisrael Chai.

For more information contact us at [email protected] and visit www.cribefrat.org
This week, motoring groups have called for the current - and next - government to take further action on smart motorways by reintroducing hard shoulders where they've been removed.

Pleas from both the RAC and AA on Monday were made a year to the date Rishi Sunak announced the cancellation of 14 future planned smart motorway projects, citing financial pressures and a lack of public confidence in the roads following a number of high-profile deaths.

However, the Prime Minister on 15 April 2023 stopped short of scrapping the 400 miles of smart motorway already put in place - including stretches without a hard shoulder.

Exclusive analysis conducted for This is Money by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart identifies how much of England's busy motorway network currently doesn't have a hard shoulder either at any time or when there is heavy congestion.

How many miles of motorway in England currently doesn't have a hard shoulder? IAM RoadSmart has crunched the numbers for us to confirm, as motoring groups call on the Prime Minister to reinstate hard shoulders on stretches without without one

How many miles of England's motorways don't have a hard shoulder?

Analysis of official data by IAM RoadSmart shows that almost 250 miles (249.5) of our motorway network is currently All Lane Running (ALR) and therefore without a hard shoulder.

This is based on the latest smart motorways stocktake report published by National Highways which provided information about live schemes as of 2021.

This shows that 193 miles of smart motorway were ALR at the time.

However, IAM RoadSmart's estimates that projects completed in 2022 and 2023 have seen another 56 miles without a hard shoulder.

This includes the 14 mile section of M4 between junctions 3 and 8/9 and the 15 miles of M27 between junction 4 and 11, both of which opened in 2022.

The following year, 23 miles of the M1 between junction 13 and 16 were completed, as was a four mile stretch on the M56 between junction 6 and 8.

Your browser does not support iframes.

As such, this means that 13 per cent of the nation's 1,916 miles of motorway network has no hard shoulder at any time.

Motoring groups have called on ministers to reinstate the hard shoulder at ALR sections by converting them to Dynamic Hard Shoulder (DHS) schemes.

This type of smart motorway involves opening the hard shoulder as a running lane to traffic only at busy periods to ease congestion.

On these stretches a solid white line differentiates the hard shoulder from the normal carriageway. Overhead signs on gantries indicate whether or not the hard shoulder is open to traffic.

When the hard shoulder is in place, as red 'X' is displayed on gantries (while it will show a speed limit sign if being used as an active lane).

The hard shoulder can be reinstated at any time by displaying a red X on the gantry above.

Currently, IAM RoadSmart says there are 62.6 miles of DHS smart motorway.

This means that during times of heavy congestion, up to 16.3 per cent of England's entire motorway network could be operating without a hard shoulder.

This chart shows how much of the hard shoulder has been removed from England's motorway network in the last decade or so

IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy Nicholas Lyes said: 'Despite the Government cancelling the construction of new all-lane running smart motorways, around 250 miles of Englands existing motorway network has no hard shoulder whatsoever and almost a quarter is a smart motorway of some sort of configuration.

'Many drivers strongly dislike of the idea of removing the hard shoulder because of the risks associated with breaking down in a live lane.

'The question the Government now needs to consider is whether to reinstate a hard shoulder on existing sections.

'Arguably this could in the form of a part-time running lane to help with traffic flow at peak times.'

National Highways, the government-owned company charged with operating, maintaining and improving motorways and major A roads in England, published a report in December that showed that smart motorways without a hard shoulder were three times more dangerous to break down on than those with an emergency lane

RAC and AA call for hard shoulders to be reinstated on existing smart motorways

The first stretch of ALR smart motorway  using the hard shoulder as a permanent live traffic lane  opened on the M25 in Hertfordshire ten years ago.

ALR is one of three different types of smart motorway and the most controversial.

It is the only one that deletes the hard shoulder entirely in an aim to increase traffic capacity at a lower cost than widening roads.

There have been long-standing safety concerns about ALR smart motorways after a number of fatal incidents in which vehicles stopped in live lanes and were hit from behind.

All Lane Running (ALR) is one of three different types of smart motorway and the most controversial. It is the only one that deletes the hard shoulder entirely in an aim to increase traffic capacity at a lower cost than widening roads

ALR smart motorways have emergency refuge areas that are often too spread apart for drivers to reach when they breakdown

RAC head of policy Simon Williams describes the ALR scheme as a 'distinctly unpopular type of motorway' that remain in place across '200-plus miles' of the existing network.

'While heralded as a cost-effective way of increasing capacity on some of our busier roads, a colossal amount of public money has since gone into trying to make them safer  for instance by installing radar-based technology to detect stricken vehicles more quickly, plus the creation of additional emergency refuge areas,' Williams explained.

'This cash needn't have been spent had the Government not taken the decision to plough on with building all-lane running motorways, regardless of concerns expressed by drivers, the RAC and even the Transport Committee.

'However, the ultimate question remains: will the motoring public ever be entirely comfortable driving on the 200-plus miles of motorway where the hard shoulder has been permanently removed?'

Overhead gantry signs on smart motorways tell motorists which lanes they can and cannot use and what the speed limit is

Williams went on to say a motorway hard shoulder is 'far safer' than being left stranded in a live lane waiting for the 'red X closed lane' sign to be switched on at overhead gantries and hoping other drivers to do the right thing and move across to another active lane.

'We continue to believe that the Government should either convert existing all-lane-running smart motorways to 'dynamic' ones, where the hard shoulder is only opened to traffic during busy periods, or repaint the white line and reintroduce a permanent hard shoulder on these roads,' the RAC spokesman added.

'In either case, queue-busting technology, such as variable speed limits, could remain to help ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible.'

All three types of smart motorway use variable speed limits to respond to busy periods of traffic, roadworks and incidents that have taken place ahead but it is only all lane running smart motorways that permanently delete the hard shoulder

National Highways, the government-owned company charged with operating, maintaining and improving motorways and major A roads in England, published a report in December that showed that smart motorways without a hard shoulder were three times more dangerous to break down on than those with an emergency lane.

The study also showed that the rate of 'killed and serious injury' (KSI) incidents during breakdowns on smart motorways with no permanent hard shoulder has increased by 10 per cent.

KSI tragedies increased for three out of five schemes since having their hard shoulder removed.

These were the M1 junctions 39 to 42, M25 junctions 5 to 7 and M6 junctions 11A to 13.

And drivers are well aware of these dangers.

In a recent poll of almost 12,000 AA members, four in five (81 per cent) motorists said they want smart motorways scrapped as part of the next Government's motoring manifesto.
Arrivals at Washingtons Dulles airport are greeted with a large poster above the escalators declaring: US Steel and Nippon Steel stronger together.

But the proposed $15billion (12billion) deal between two of the largest producers of the strategic metal is in abeyance because of White House concerns.

If only Britain had the same recognition of the danger of indebted overseas take-overs of infrastructure in which the public has an interest.

If so, there might be no crisis at Thames Water, nor would there be bloated landing charges at Heathrow.

Royal Mail investors will doubtless be delighted that the siege of Britains five-centuries-old postal delivery service by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky has materialised as a full-scale offer.

Rich pickings: The collapse of 'snail mail' volumes, together with stubborn unions, have undermined profits and confidence at Royal Mail

The Royal Mail board, chaired by Keith Williams, is not, for the moment, taking the bait.

It is bad enough that almost every UK company which once boasted British in its name, such as the British Airports Authority and Associated British Ports, has ended up in overseas hands.

As if the monarchy didnt have enough problems at present, it looks as if the Royal title and stamps with the Kings head are now up for grabs too.

Royal Mail is not a success story.

The collapse of snail mail volumes, together with stubborn unions, have undermined profits and confidence.

Recently, a way forward with new leadership has been put in place by prioritising urgent letters. It should be given a chance.

One suspects that Kretinsky may be more interested in the profitable Continental GLS logistics concern than last-mile delivery in the UK.

However, cutting off the Royal Mail from GLS delivery expertise would be an error.

The board and the Government must resist an assault on the Royal Mail in the national interest.

Extreme privilege

In wartime, all bets are off when it comes to Government borrowing and debt. That is how much of the Western world found itself lumbered with hard-to-sustain borrowing and surging national debt.

The combination of the pandemic, rapidly followed by Russias war on Ukraine, added substantially to borrowing and debt hung over from the great financial crisis.

The last thing the UK and other G7 economies need is another conflict.

Budgets are already swollen and an election year in the US and Britain makes talk of higher taxes or budget cuts verboten.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) lives in something of a political vacuum, which means it can breathe fire about the risks of not tackling a fiscal mess.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is among the victims of this, even though his two reductions in national insurance contributions are as nothing compared to the 35billion or so being raised by freezing tax allowances.

The IMF does have a point. Fiscal buffers, or the safety net in national budgets, have been eroded. President Biden has been spending as if there is no tomorrow.

Investments being made by subsidising semi-conductor and climate change policies may pay off in the longer term by improving productivity and the USs trade balance, but they do raise the possibility of a credit crunch.

The IMF projects that, in five years, Americas debts will be at 108 per cent of national output. The Bill Clinton-era Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin has warned that this is dangerous.

In comparison, the UKs projected debt-to-output ratio, using IMF data, at 98 per cent towards the end of the decade, doesnt look so alarming.

The US has the benefit of running the worlds reserve currency. So an attack on the US budget also undermines the safety of the worlds second- and third-largest economies, China and Japan, which hold large amounts of dollar bonds in reserves.

Britain doesnt have the same luxury. It should not be diverted from infrastructure investment or growth generated by wealth-creating tax cuts.

Waiting game

A favourite complaint of well-heeled anti-Brexiteers is immigration queues at European airports. If they want a real nightmare, visit Washington DC.

Non-US attendees at the IMF-World Bank sessions have faced three-hour entry delays.

Brits heading off for the Continent this summer should thank their lucky stars.
Hedge funds are betting against Britains listed utilities after a cash crisis at Thames Water highlighted soaring debt levels across the industry.

New York firm Millennium has taken a short position on supplier United Utilities, which has been accused of dumping sewage in the Lake District.

While Arrowstreet, based in Boston, has disclosed a short position on Pennon Group, which owns South West Water and Bristol Water.

Meanwhile, the debt of Southern Water and Yorkshire Water has also been targeted, according to a Bloomberg report. It comes as Thames Water scrambles to finalise a fresh rescue plan.

Britains biggest water firm, which serves millions of households in London and the South East, is set to publish a five-year spending plan tomorrow.

Sewage scandal: Comedian Steve Coogan (pictured), the creator of Alan Partridge, joined protestors outside United Utilities' Lake District offices this week

The plans could include taking on extra debt, according to reports.

The firm, which already has an 18billion debt pile, plunged into crisis this month when shareholders refused to hand over 500million amid a row with regulator Ofwat.

Thames wanted to hike customers bills by 40 per cent to fund an 18.7billion investment plan but Ofwat blocked the rise.

Taxpayers could foot the bill if the Government is forced to bail out Thames, which is facing administration if it cannot raise fresh funds by the end of next year.

Parent company Kemble has defaulted on a 400million loan and warned it will miss a repayment deadline on another 190million loan this month.

Elsewhere, United Utilities is embroiled in a scandal after being accused of dumping sewage in Lake Windermere. Campaigners say the beauty spots water has turned green with toxic levels of algae.

Comedian Steve Coogan, the creator of Alan Partridge, joined protesters outside its Lake District offices this week.

Activists have hit out at the companys decision to pay record dividends.

United said it shares the concerns about the overflow operations and the impact on local water courses. Were already investing to tackle this problem.

United was the worst water firm for sewage spills last year, partly due to its large number of storm overflow outlets  with a total of 97,537 last year.

Spills lasted for a total of 650,014 hours, up from 425,491 the previous year.
Takeaway giant Deliveroo saw orders rebound in the first quarter thanks to strong overseas growth.

The London-based food delivery company's online purchases increased by 2 per cent year-on-year to 73.5 million in the first three months of 2024.

UK and Ireland orders flatlined at 39.7 million amid continued cost-of-living pressures, but rose by 4 per cent to 33.7 million throughout the rest of the world.

Growth: Food delivery giant Deliveroo revealed its online purchases increased by 2 per cent year-on-year to 73.5 million in the first three months of 2024

Deliveroo's gross transaction value - the total worth of orders processed on its platform - expanded by 6 per cent at constant currency levels to 1.83billion.

Internationally, GTV growth was driven by solid performances in France, Italy, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates.

Deliveroo has upheld its guidance for GTV to rise by 5 to 9 per cent this year, while adjusted earnings before nasties are forecast to come in at 110million to 130million.

Will Shu, founder and chief executive of Deliveroo, said the consumer backdrop in the UK and Ireland 'remains stable but uncertain', yet the company's 'commitment to offering fair prices and a flawless consumer experience is building strong foundations for the future'.

Deliveroo shares were 4.7 per cent higher at 126.9p on Thursday morning, although they remain nearly two-thirds below their initial public offering price of 390p.

The group was listed on the London Stock Exchange in March 2021 amid a surge in trade caused by the enforced closure of hospitality venues, which encouraged far more people to order meals online.

Yet Deliveroo has struggled to become profitable, partly because it has built up enormous marketing, technology, and staff costs while going for breakneck growth.

Deliveroo's sales have also slowed as people have returned to eating out more regularly at pubs and restaurants.

Its results come a day after Just Eat Takeaway said its orders declined by 5 per cent during the first quarter following weaker trade in North America, where it operates Grubhub.

Earlier in the week, Just Eat announced it would exit New Zealand due to the country representing a small share of its overall business.
Shares of Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO  Get Free Report) were down 0.3% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $117.18 and last traded at $117.41. Approximately 1,076,892 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 75% from the average daily volume of 4,319,425 shares. The stock had previously closed at $117.77.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have weighed in on the company. StockNews.com downgraded Novo Nordisk A/S from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an overweight rating and set a $160.00 target price on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research report on Monday, September 16th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reduced their price target on Novo Nordisk A/S from $170.00 to $160.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Novo Nordisk A/S presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $145.17.

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Check Out Our Latest Report on Novo Nordisk A/S

Novo Nordisk A/S Stock Up 0.7 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 0.94 and a quick ratio of 0.75. The stock has a market cap of $528.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 0.42. The firms 50-day moving average is $129.84 and its 200 day moving average is $132.16.

Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 7th. The company reported $0.65 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.71 by ($0.06). The firm had revenue of $9.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.91 billion. Novo Nordisk A/S had a return on equity of 87.43% and a net margin of 34.86%. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Novo Nordisk A/S will post 3.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Novo Nordisk A/S Cuts Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which was paid on Monday, August 26th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 16th were paid a $0.5126 dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 16th. Novo Nordisk A/Ss dividend payout ratio is currently 24.83%.

Institutional Trading of Novo Nordisk A/S

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of NVO. Fermata Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 4.1% in the third quarter. Fermata Advisors LLC now owns 3,847 shares of the companys stock worth $458,000 after acquiring an additional 152 shares in the last quarter. JGP Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Novo Nordisk A/S by 18.6% in the third quarter. JGP Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,805 shares of the companys stock valued at $334,000 after purchasing an additional 439 shares during the period. Castle Rock Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 1.6% in the third quarter. Castle Rock Wealth Management LLC now owns 17,287 shares of the companys stock worth $2,043,000 after buying an additional 264 shares during the period. Guild Investment Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 5.4% in the third quarter. Guild Investment Management Inc. now owns 25,762 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,067,000 after buying an additional 1,312 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Independence Bank of Kentucky grew its stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 192.7% in the third quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky now owns 11,490 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,368,000 after buying an additional 7,565 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 11.54% of the companys stock.

About Novo Nordisk A/S

(Get Free Report)

Novo Nordisk A/S, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research and development, manufacture, and distribution of pharmaceutical products in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, North America, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Diabetes and Obesity Care, and Rare Disease.

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HAIKOU, April 17 (Xinhua) -- At the ongoing fourth China International Consumer Products Expo in south China's Hainan Province, Turkish businessman Ramazan Tuzen welcomed a large crowd of visitors at his booth. This is his third consecutive participation at this Hainan expo, and he has brought various Turkish products to the event. These products include cosmetics, ceramic handicrafts and home textiles, some of which are being displayed at the expo for the first time. "The ceramic handicrafts are made by hand, and these are cultural items from Turkiye. They are very popular here," Tuzen said, adding that almost all of his products were well received by the visitors. Having run a business for 15 years, Tuzen saw big potential in the Chinese consumer market, and he expected to find more opportunities in China to expand his business. "We want to have some local partners and distributors, and that's the reason we are here at the expo," he said, adding that Turkiye is a romantic country and their goods, with characteristic cultural elements, are quite popular at the expo. Besides looking for business cooperation opportunities, Tuzen also wants to promote the culture of his country. This expo serves as a good opportunity for Turkish people to promote their own culture, according to Tuzen. Ireland, meanwhile, is the guest country of honor at this year's expo, with a total of 29 Irish companies and official institutions participating in the event. At the Irish pavilion, certified green food has won the hearts of visitors -- with many people lining up to try these products. Conor O'Sullivan, China Manager of Irish Food Board, said that with Chinese consumers paying increasing attention to environmental sustainability in terms of their daily food consumption, Ireland is a perfect match because it has established a verified sustainability program for its food industry. "This makes Irish products really fit into this new demand for sustainable green products in the Chinese market," O'Sullivan said. Valery Zagorsky, manager of the KvinFood Canned Meat Manufacturer from Belarus, is a new presence at the expo. The company produces canned meat and currently exports canned beef to China. "The biggest feature of our products is that they are all natural. Chinese consumers are paying more and more attention to healthy food and this is a huge opportunity for us," he said. "The expo is a wonderful event, which provides us with an excellent platform to communicate with Chinese merchants," Zagorsky added, noting that there is no doubt that China is one of the company's most important markets. The expo, which lasts from April 13 to 18, is China's only national-level exhibition featuring consumer products and is also the largest consumer expo in the entire Asia-Pacific region. Themed "Share Open Opportunities, Co-create a Better Life," this year's edition of the expo has the biggest scale to date, attracting over 4,000 brands from 71 countries and regions, with an indoor exhibition area of 128,000 square meters.
Heineken has informed publicans that it plans to increase the price it charges for its draught beer products this summer.

The price increase by the brewer will see around 6 cent added to the price of a pint across the company's range of drinks in June. This range includes Heineken, Heineken 0.0, Coors, Tiger, Birra Moretti, Murphys, Orchard Thieves, Cute Hoor and Lagunitas IPA.

"A list price increase of 3pc (6 cent per pint) will apply to our draught product range and will come into effect on the 4th June 2024," a spokesperson for Heineken said.

"Despite our ongoing efforts to increase productivity and reduce costs, it is impossible for us to absorb all of the increased costs that we have been faced with, and therefore we need to adjust our pricing," they added.

The latest price increase follows a similar move from Diageo last month. The cost of a pint rose again from April 15, affecting Diageos full range including Guinness as well as Hop House 13, Harp, Rockshore and Smithwicks.

In response to the announcement by Diageo, the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) expressed deep concern over the timing and magnitude of the increase, highlighting the severe impact it will have on the already struggling pub trade.

VFI CEO, Pat Crotty, said: "The announcement by Diageo is not just disappointing, its a critical hit to an industry on the brink. Publicans have been navigating a storm of rising costs, including the increase in minimum wage, additional mandatory sick days and the impending pension auto-enrolment scheme. This latest price hike is a blow they cannot afford".

According to the VFI, the cumulative effect of these financial pressures threatens the viability of the trade. Mr Crotty added: "The government must come forward with support measures for the trade as the Increased Cost of Doing Business grant, while welcome, is not an adequate response. The VFI is calling for further supports to include a reduction in excise, a return to the 9% VAT rate for pubs serving food and a reduction in employers PRSI. Publicans cant be expected to take all these hits without meaningful support".
This post is probably the very best teachable moment for life-long learners throughout the heartland discourse . . .

MONEY ALWAYS GETS THE LAST WORD!!!

This week's proof of this truism . . .

The Kansas Board of Regents revised policy language that currently emphasizes multiculturism and diversity on campus by adding language barring universities from requiring statements pledging allegiance to, support for or opposition to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in applications for admission, hiring or promotion  without setting any penalties for violations. Board members voiced no opposition during a meeting livestreamed from Fort Hays State University in western Kansas.



Regents Chairman Jon Rolph called the change our good faith effort in trying to listen to the Legislature and said discussions about it began last summer.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Kansas' higher ed board adopts an anti-DEI policy after pressure from GOP legislators The board overseeing higher education in Kansas has banned state universities from requiring prospective students, potential hires and staffers seeking promotion to disclose their views on diversity initiatives.

Kansas lawmakers dangle $36 million for public universities to secure anti-DEI commitments * Kansas Reflector If Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed an anti-DEI bill, six public universities in Kansas would lose $36 million the Legislature tied to implementation of a DEI law.

Developing . . .
Ask around, from Eastside to Westside . . . Your mileage won't vary by much . . .

OVERALL KANSAS CITY REACTS NEGATIVELY TO MAYOR Q'S MIGRANT WELCOME WAGON!!!

We're judging by thousands of social media reactions we've seen, comments on this blog and the overwhelmingly negative feedback we've seen toward that Mayor on this issue via his heavily locked down socials . . . Also, notice that progressive media aren't investing much time in defending the move.

Generally, the thinking is that Mayor Q is working to bolster his D.C. credentials in order to jump aboard the Team Biden bandwagon given that he's termed out.



From the conservative perspective . . . Negative sentiments hit 10 earlier today.

Here's the best sampling that DOES NOT go as far as some of the "spicier" online commentary:



Can I use the word crazy? - @LtGovMikeKehoe to @PeteMundo this morning after Kansas City confirms it will begin welcoming illegal immigrants from New York City and Denver. #moleg FULL interview: Mike Kehoe, Missouri Lt. Governor | 4-17-24

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Mayor Lucas welcomes migrants to Kansas City to work KC's mayor said he has a message for migrants looking for work, "you're welcome here," and it's garnering some support and criticism.

Kansas City mayor says he's welcoming migrants from New York City to fill jobs Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Quinton Lucas says immigrants who have been shipped to New York City are welcome to move to Kansas City to find jobs.

Mayor Lucas invites New York City migrants to work in Kansas City, per report "We need a lot more employees," Lucas told Bloomberg. "If there are people who are willing and ready to work, then I believe that there could be a place for them."
Context . . .

In this history of this bloggy dump we've only called one local politico "corrupt"  That was former Mayor Funky and we'll do the same if any other elected official allows their spouse to prance around the office barefoot.

Back to the Golden Ghetto . . .

KANSAS CITY STAR NEWS HEADLINE REPORTING JOCO SHERIFF "LIED" IS A BIG DEAL BEYOND ELECTION POLITICS!!!

Why???

News headlines aren't supposed to offer a subjective appraisal. That's for op/ed . . . Which is actually more powerful and persuasive when done properly.



However . . .

For years The Star has denied mixing editorial and reporting.

But here we are . . .

There is no official action against the Sheriff or any formal charge that he has "lied" about his investigations. The accusation that he "lied" is merely part of a tense election campaign but reported via the headline as fact.



We're not defending the guy . . . TKC has no stake in the outcome of the JoCo Sheriff's contest.

Actually, we kinda think the Sheriff was bullied into staking his campaign on election interference when, in fact, rising property crime around burgeoning mega-apartment-complexes (i.e. housing projects) is what's moving the dial amongst most astute JoCo voters.



However . . .

What's important for us is that we're seeing the Kansas City Star abandon every one of its "journalistic" principals that haven't served to increase subscriptions or advertising.

And so, here are the basics of their report . . .



Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden is continuing a long-running elections investigation that has produced no criminal charges.



As we stand here today, we had a search warrant in hand and had talked with the district attorney and we were working on getting the documents needed when they decided in a hurry to destroy the records, (Sheriff) Hayden, who is running for reelection, said at the event at Johnson County Republican Party headquarters, according to reporting by the Shawnee Mission Post. But Melody Webb, a spokeswoman with the Johnson County District Attorneys Office, said the office is unaware of any search warrant being submitted to a judge for review.



Thats despite Hayden having roughly three months to do so, after county officials in late November warned him they would move forward with the ballot destruction to comply with state law. The countys top attorney shortly after asked Hayden if he planned to obtain a warrant.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
Honolulu officials have announced the removal of the Haiku Stairs, a famous but off-limits hiking spot in Oahu, Hawaii. The decision comes as a response to the continued illegal access by tourists and the disturbances caused to local residents.

The removal will start at the end of April and is expected to last six months, costing about $2.5 million.

Honolulu to Remove Haiku Stairs

The Haiku Stairs, known as the Stairway to Heaven, were built by the US Navy during World War II. Despite being closed to the public in 1987, the stairs have attracted hikers, mostly driven by social media exposure. This has led to various problems for the community nearby and increased liability risks for the city.

CNN reported that Mayor Rick Blangiardi emphasized that the decision to remove the stairs was not taken lightly. It aims to respect the local community and the natural environment. The project also seeks to improve the quality of life for those living near the stairs and to ensure public safety.

Council member Esther Kiaaina noted that the decision was influenced by the need to address the illegal trespassing that has plagued the area for decades. Removing the stairs will help restore peace in the neighborhood and reduce the city's legal risks.

The removal of the Haiku Stairs is a significant step for Honolulu, balancing the preservation of its natural beauty with the rights and peace of local residents. It also marks an end to a long-standing issue of public access to a historically significant but problematic location.

Related Article

Is Hiking in Haiku Stairs Illegal?

The Haiku Stairs in Oahu, Hawaii, known as the "Stairway to Heaven," offers stunning views that attract hikers worldwide. However, climbing these 3,922 steps is illegal and can lead to hefty fines or jail time.

The trail was built by the U.S. Navy in 1942 and has been off-limits since 1987 due to safety concerns. Despite this, adventurers continue to visit, risking deterioration and dangerous conditions on the steep, muddy ridges.

The hike, which can take 4-7 hours depending on conditions and the hiker's experience, is not just physically challenging but also legally risky.

As shared by Oahu Hike, local police enforce the law strictly, with trespassers facing possible fines of $1,000 or more. Furthermore, the stairs are in poor condition, with some parts unstable and liable to break.

For those determined to experience the top of the ridge legally, the Moanalua Middle Ridge Trail provides a safer, legal alternative.

The travel blog suggests that this 9-mile round trip starts at Moanalua Valley Park and is suitable only for experienced hikers. It does not use the Haiku Stairs for ascent but reaches the same viewpoint, allowing for safe and legal enjoyment of the scenery.

Local residents urge visitors to respect the neighborhood by keeping noise down, avoiding littering, and not trespassing on private property. This approach helps preserve the peace in the community and the natural beauty of the area surrounding the Haiku Stairs.
British Airways has introduced a new option for its Executive Club members to book flights for as low as 1 plus Avios points. This update is available for all flights and provides more flexibility for passengers when planning trips.

British Airways Offers Flights Starting at 1 Plus Avios

In the past, using Avios points to help pay for a trip allowed customers to save money, but the amount of discount depended on many factors. Now, British Airways is making it possible to pay just 1 and use Avios points for the rest. This change makes it easier for travelers to use their points and reduces the cost of flights significantly.

Avios part payment is different from booking a reward seat, which is a seat sold at a fixed Avios price and available only in limited numbers.

According to Breaking Travel News, the new plan allows members to use their Avios on any seat, giving them more choices. This means travelers can choose any flight and seat type, using their Avios points to lower the cash portion of their ticket price.

Colm Lacy, the Chief Commercial Officer of British Airways, explained that the update was a response to feedback from club members. Many travelers prefer to pay the least amount of cash possible, and the new Avios plan meets this need by offering more flexibility.

Last year, British Airways also introduced Avios payments for holiday packages, starting from 1 plus points. Travelers using Avios to pay for flights will still earn Avios and Tier Points, which can lead to more travel benefits.

This part payment option is also available for flights operated by American Airlines between the UK and North America, as well as on flights shared with selected partner airlines.

Enhances Avios Rewards Program

British Airways has revamped its Avios rewards system, aiming to make it easier and more beneficial for its Executive Club members to use their points. Avios, the currency for British Airways' loyalty program, can now be used not just for flights but also for car rentals, hotels, and more.

Avios are primarily earned through credit cards and can be bought directly. Users have the flexibility to transfer points between different airlines such as Iberia and Aer Lingus, which also use Avios. This helps travelers find more value, especially with frequent transfer bonuses that increase their points' worth.

When it comes to using Avios, British Airways offers a variety of options.

One Mile at a Time shared that members can redeem their points for flights across British Airways' extensive network and its oneworld alliance partners. The program is based on the distance traveled, making short trips particularly economical.

However, long-haul flights might not offer the same value due to higher surcharges.

Additionally, the program allows members to pool points within household accounts, although this restricts redeeming points for people outside the household. Despite the versatility of the Avios system, using points for hotels and car rentals typically yields less value compared to flights.
The father of the man killed by police on Friday says his son needed help for a mental illne
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide has visited Odesa and Chisinau, where he announced the allocation of an additional NOK 70 million ($6.4 million) in humanitarian aid to Moldova and Ukrainian refugees.

That's according to the Norwegian foreign minister's post on the social media platform X and a statement on the website of the Norwegian government, Ukrinform reports.

"Governor Oleh Kiper showed me a residential building in Odesa completely destroyed by an Iranian-made Shaheed drone in a Russian attack, killing 12 people, including a baby. Norway contributes to reconstruction in Ukraine through the Nansen Support Program," Eide said.

Photo: X / Espen Barth Eide

After Odesa, the minister visited Chisinau, where he emphasized the need to support about 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, as well as Moldovan families who host them.

Photo: Norway MFA

According to a press release posted on the government's website, Norway's humanitarian aid is designed both to provide relief in the acute phase and to help Ukrainian refugees and Moldovans facing economic hardship to thrive in the future.

Norwegian civilian support will also be used to help to build up the Moldovan state and develop effective, robust social institutions in the long term.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide visited Kyiv on April 15. Together with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba, they discussed Norway's assistance in obtaining Patriot air defense systems from other countries and support for Ukraine's power grid.
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Published April 18, 2024

CAPTION:One of the ULM MLS Bowl teams won first place at the annual bi-state meeting in Biloxi, Miss. (L-R) Emily Holloway, Diona Garcia, Dylan Anderson (captain), Allison Dozier, Hannah Hudnall Photo Credit: Czen Tripathi

MONROE, LA  ULM Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) faculty and students attended the 2024 American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) of Louisiana and Mississippi Bi-State Annual Meeting in Biloxi, Miss. on March 25  27, 2024. Twenty-five MLS students represented ULM at the conference.

Kayleigh Watson, an MLS student from Harrisonburg, La., said, This was my first Bi-State Meeting, and I absolutely loved it! The meeting allowed us to meet fellow students pursuing the MLS field and put our knowledge to the test through the student bowl competitions. Everyone was supportive of each other. I am excited for what next year will bring!

Four ULM MLS student bowl teams practiced for weeks to perfect their MLS knowledge, with one team taking first place in the competition. The members of the 1st place team are Dylan Andersen (captain), Allison Dozier, Diona Garcia, Emily Holloway and Hannah Hudnall.

During the meeting, two ULM MLS students were elected as officers for the Louisiana Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (LSCLS): Jacinth Ervin  Ascending Professional Chair, and Lakayja Dupree  Ascending Professional Secretary. These two students will have the opportunity to attend the ASCLS Joint Annual Meeting (JAM) in Pittsburgh, Penn., this summer, and, in their positions, will work to promote and support the MLS profession.

Two ULM MLS students received honors during the awards ceremony. Joanna King received the Keys to the Future award and Surya Mulmi won the Betty Lynne Theriot Memorial Scholarship.

Emilea Haddox, ULM MLS Assistant Professor and Clinical Coordinator, was awarded the LSCLS 2024 Educator of the Year Award. Ms. Haddox was nominated by several of the ULM MLS students for this prestigious honor.

Jessica Lasiter, ULM MLS Program Director, stated, Our graduates are passionate about healthcare and the medical laboratory. Seeing many of the ULM MLS alumni represent their professional organization at the state, regional, and national level proves the impact our MLS Program has on our students.

Student attendance at the conference was made possible by a $3,000 scholarship given by the ULM Student Enhancement Activity Fee Committee.

A medical laboratory scientist is a health care employee who performs tests on samples from patients to assess the presence or absence of diseases. They play a crucial role in the diagnosis, allowing doctors to identify the causes of the patients symptoms for more accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.

The ULM Medical Laboratory Science Program is currently accepting applications for the 2024-2025 academic year. 100% of ULM MLS graduates are employed within three months of graduation. Learn more about the program and apply at www.ulm.edu/mls.

CAPTION: Twenty-five MLS students and several faculty members attended the bi-state meeting in Biloxi, Miss. Photo credit: Czen Tripathi
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 19. Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, President of COP29 Mukhtar Babayev met in Washington with the head of the European Investment Bank Nadia Calvino, the COP29 says on its X page, Trend reports.

According to the information, the meeting took place on the sidelines of the 11th meeting of the Coalition of Finance Ministers on Climate Action as part of the spring meeting held by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group.

The publication says the European Investment Bank and other multilateral development banks have a critical role in unlocking climate finance at greater multiples - making it more affordable and more accessible.

The decision to host COP29 in Azerbaijan was officially announced in Dubai on December 11.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. The Cabinet of Ministers, under the leadership of PM Ali Asadov, held a meeting on the implementation of measures arising from the decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on March 7, 2024, on stimulating the use of vehicles with electric motors, Trend reports.

The Prime Minister opened the meeting and gave an update on the decree's provisions, their implementation status, and future assignments. Minister of Digital Development and Transportation Rashad Nabiyev and Deputy Energy Minister Samir Valiyev made reports.

The meeting discussed the issues of expanding the scope of application of vehicles with electric motors and charging points, creating necessary infrastructure in this sphere, improving normative legal acts to attract business entities to these works, and other necessary issues.

Following the results of the meeting, instructions were given to the relevant structures, considering the proposals put forward.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Florida Atlantic University (FAU) finds itself at a critical juncture as it restarts its search for a new president after a tumultuous journey marred by controversy and political entanglements.

The original search, initiated in January 2023, came to an abrupt halt amid allegations of board missteps and violations of state laws. Now, with a fresh start in mind, FAU's Board of Trustees is embarking on a renewed quest for leadership, hoping to steer the university towards stability and excellence.

The Missteps of the Past

The first attempt to find FAU's next president was fraught with challenges from the outset. The use of a straw poll by search committee members to anonymously rank candidates led to allegations of violating the state Sunshine Law. Additionally, claims surfaced that political influences may have played a role in derailing the process, particularly surrounding the alleged assurance given to GOP lawmaker Randy Fine by Governor Ron DeSantis that he was a frontrunner for the position.

These alleged anomalies, coupled with internal divisions within the board, ultimately led to the suspension of the search in July, leaving FAU without a permanent president for an extended period. The resignation of former FAU Board Chair Brad Levine further underscored the turmoil surrounding the failed search, highlighting the need for a reset.

FAU Presidential Search 2.0

The recent meeting of FAU's Board of Trustees, under the leadership of new chair Piero Bussani, marked the official relaunch of the presidential search. Bussani acknowledged the past challenges and emphasized the importance of moving forward with unity and purpose. Addressing internal divisions and the need to focus on university achievements, Bussani called for a fresh start, urging the board to leave behind the negativity of the past.

With guidance from the Florida Board of Governors, FAU aims to hire a search firm by June and begin the search process in earnest. The university is optimistic about naming a new president by the end of the year or shortly thereafter, signaling a renewed commitment to finding the right leader to guide FAU into its next chapter.

Presidential Hiring Trends in Florida

FAU's renewed search comes amidst a broader trend in Florida where Republican lawmakers are increasingly stepping into top leadership roles within the state's higher education institutions. This trend, exemplified by recent appointments such as Ray Rodrigues as chancellor of the State University System of Florida and Ben Sasse as president of the University of Florida, raises questions about the intersection of politics and academia in the state.

While some argue that these appointments bring valuable perspectives and experience to the table, others express concerns about the potential politicization of higher education leadership. Critics point to instances where political considerations appeared to influence hiring decisions, such as the failed presidential search at South Florida State College, where a Republican state lawmaker with no higher education experience was ultimately appointed as president.

As FAU embarks on its renewed quest for a new president, the university stands at a crossroads. The search represents more than just filling a vacant position; it is about setting a course for the future and reaffirming FAU's commitment to excellence in higher education. With the lessons learned from past missteps and a clear vision for the future, FAU is poised to find a leader who will guide the university towards continued success and distinction.
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has recently approved a bill permitting students at public universities in the state to choose not to allocate their student activity fees to particular student organizations.

The bill, introduced by Republican representative Alexander Kolodin, was motivated by a desire to give Jewish students the option to avoid funding pro-Palestinian student groups. While the bill is seen as a win for some student groups, it has sparked concerns about free speech and access to campus resources.

Opt-Out Provision Sparks Debate

Under the new law, students at Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University can choose not to contribute $35 and $23, respectively, per semester toward student organizations. However, at the University of Arizona, where club funding is not sourced from student fees but from the institution's bookstore, the law will not have any direct impact.

Proponents of the bill argue that it protects students' rights to support only organizations they align with. Representative Kolodin emphasized the importance of respecting students' beliefs and values, particularly in cases where their fees might fund groups with opposing views.

READ MORE : Arizona Governor Calls For Urgent Meeting Amidst Financial Dispute Between Faculty And Regents

Critics Raise Concerns

Critics, however, worry about the broader implications of the law. Rowan Imran, a Palestinian-American activist working with pro-Palestinian student groups in Arizona, expressed concerns that the law could limit free speech on campus. Imran argued that the opt-out provision could create a situation where free speech becomes a privilege for those who can afford it, rather than a fundamental right for all students.

The law also raises questions about the potential for discrimination. Some worry that allowing students to opt out of funding certain groups based on their beliefs could lead to the marginalization of minority or less popular viewpoints on campus. Critics argue that universities should be places where diverse opinions are encouraged and supported, not silenced or financially stifled.

Implications for Student Organizations

The new law has prompted student organizations to reconsider their funding models and outreach strategies. Some groups may face financial challenges if a significant number of students choose to opt out of funding them. This could lead to a more competitive environment for funding, where only the most popular or well-funded organizations are able to thrive.

On the other hand, some student groups see an opportunity to engage more directly with students and demonstrate the value of their work. By focusing on building strong connections with their members and the broader campus community, these groups hope to weather the changes brought about by the new law.

Arizona's new law allowing students to opt out of funding certain student organizations has ignited a debate about free speech, access to campus resources, and the role of universities in supporting diverse viewpoints. Supporters view it as a win for student autonomy, while detractors caution against possible discrimination and the sidelining of minority perspectives. As the law takes effect, students and organizations across Arizona's public universities are grappling with the implications and working to adapt to the changing landscape of campus life.
The Biden administration is moving forward with its ambitious plan to provide debt relief for millions of Americans burdened by student loans. Following a preview of the initiative, the Education Department has now published proposed regulations that pave the way for debt forgiveness.

This significant step signals the administration's commitment to addressing the challenges faced by borrowers and promoting economic opportunity.

Proposed Regulations Open for Public Comment

Today, the Education Department unveiled the proposed regulations that will facilitate debt relief through the Federal Register. These rules are now open to public comment for the next 30 days, allowing stakeholders to provide feedback and insights. Following the comment period, Department staff will carefully review and respond to each comment before issuing a final rule. Officials aim to finalize the rule and commence debt forgiveness by fall, demonstrating a sense of urgency in addressing the student debt crisis.

READ MORE : Biden Proposes $84 Billion Student Loan Forgiveness Plan For 26 Million Borrowers

Background and Context of the Biden Plan

The Biden administration's plan for student debt relief has been in the works since the summer, following a setback when the Supreme Court struck down an earlier attempt at mass loan forgiveness. Undeterred by this challenge, the administration has crafted a new relief plan, outlined in the proposed regulations, which it believes will withstand legal scrutiny. The proposed plan is estimated to cost $147 billion over the span of 10 years, emphasizing the administration's commitment to providing meaningful relief to borrowers.

Focus on Social Mobility and Economic Prosperity

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona underscored the broader significance of student loan forgiveness beyond immediate financial relief. He emphasized that the Biden-Harris Administration is dedicated to rectifying a broken higher education system and promoting social mobility and economic prosperity. According to Cardona, student loan forgiveness is not just about relieving the burden on current borrowers but also about creating an America that upholds its highest ideals of fairness and opportunity for all.

Key Provisions of the Proposed Regulations

The regulations published this week outline the criteria under which the secretary of education can waive repayment of a borrower's loan. Those eligible for relief include individuals who owe more than their initial loan amount due to accrued interest and those who have been diligently repaying their loans for at least two decades.

Specifically, the Department is proposing to forgive up to $20,000 in interest for borrowers with federal student loans. Furthermore, borrowers earning less than $120,000 annually and enrolled in an income-driven repayment plan-approximately 23 million Americans-would have their entire interest canceled. This targeted approach aims to provide relief to those most in need while ensuring equitable access to debt relief programs.

The Biden administration's unveiling of proposed regulations for student debt relief marks a significant milestone in its efforts to address the student debt crisis. By inviting public comment and outlining clear criteria for debt forgiveness, the administration is demonstrating transparency and accountability in its approach. As the proposed regulations undergo review and refinement, millions of borrowers eagerly await the prospect of meaningful relief from the burden of student loans, signaling a new chapter in the quest for economic justice and opportunity.
WAKISO, Uganda, April 17 (Xinhua) -- China Communications Construction Corporation (CCCC) on Tuesday started a two-week training program for local foremen and engineers in Uganda's central district of Wakiso.

According to the CCCC, the "Seagull Talent Training Project" is organized with the support of Wuhan City Polytechnic in central China's Hubei Province, which provides trainers who will pass on their knowledge and skills to the 32 trainees.

Fan Xuecheng, minister counselor at the Chinese embassy, said vocational education helps people to use their skills and talents to develop their country, which has been critical in China's development.

China is ready to share its experience with African countries, Fan told an opening ceremony for the training program.

"Vocational training and cultural exchange constitute a major part of China-Uganda people-to-people exchanges," he said. "We have to join hands to ensure sustainable development and provide Ugandan young people with a positive perspective."

Esther Anyakun, Ugandan state minister for labor, employment and industrial relations, said the occupational training program is critical in the development of the country, unlocking the potential of individuals.

Winfred Naluyinda, assistant commissioner at the Ugandan Ministry of Works and Transport, said the training is timely as the country undertakes various construction projects.

Zhao Wei, the CCCC Uganda representative, said since entering the Ugandan market in 1996, the company has successfully delivered dozens of projects, involving thousands of local employees, ranging from human resources specialists, environmental assessment engineers, and safety engineers to site supervisors and machine operators.

These local talents are valuable assets to the company, Zhao said.

According to the student handbook, the training program will cover engineering drawing, construction machinery, and Chinese language courses, among others.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Azerbaijans decisive actions reduced conflicts in the CICA (Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia) region, CICA Secretary General Kairat Sarybay said at a briefing held at the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Azerbaijan, Trend reports.

"Azerbaijan has unique experience in conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction," he emphasized.

In addition, Sarybay mentioned that the upcoming meeting of the CICA ministers is planned to be held in Baku this autumn.

"The CICA is developing dynamically; it is in demand and has great potential. Azerbaijan's chairmanship in the CICA will be very effective. Azerbaijan has successfully chaired many organizations," he said.

According to him, the country also has its own national interests, which are identical to the interests of all CICA participating states.

As Sarybay noted, Azerbaijan was among the first supporters of the establishment of the CICA, as well as one of the 15 countries that adopted the first CICA document.

"Azerbaijan's chairmanship will allow further development of the initiative that was put forward 30 years ago by Kazakhstan," he added.

To note, Azerbaijan was elected as the CICA Chairperson for 20242026 by the CICA Council of Foreign Ministers on March 19, 2024, due to March 14 recommendations made at the meeting of the Committee of Senior Officials of the CICA.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
In a recent policy change approved by Kansas' higher education board, state universities are now prohibited from mandating disclosure of views on diversity initiatives for prospective students, potential hires, and staff seeking promotion.

This shift reflects a broader national debate surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in academic institutions. Let's delve into this issue with a closer look at the implications, reactions, and potential ramifications of such policy changes.

The Policy Shift: Understanding the Dynamics

The Kansas Board of Regents' decision to amend policy language highlights a significant departure from previous practices. By explicitly barring universities from necessitating statements on allegiance to or opposition against DEI initiatives in application processes, the board aims to align with legislative directives and address concerns raised by Republican lawmakers. This move underscores the evolving landscape of DEI discourse within educational institutions, with Kansas joining a cohort of states grappling with similar policy shifts.

Chairman Jon Rolph emphasizes the board's commitment to fostering student success while responding to legislative mandates. Despite the absence of penalties for policy violations, this amendment underscores a broader ideological struggle between political forces and academic institutions regarding the role of DEI initiatives in shaping campus culture. The absence of explicit enforcement mechanisms raises questions about the practical implications of the revised policy and its potential impact on university practices.

READ MORE : More Than 50 Kansas Colleges Waive Application Fees, Aiming To Boost Accessibility And Diversity

Political Pressures and Academic Autonomy: A Delicate Balance

The intersection of politics and academia becomes increasingly pronounced in debates surrounding DEI initiatives. Republican-controlled legislatures in various states, including Kansas, have sought to curtail perceived ideological biases in university settings by imposing restrictions on DEI-related practices. Proponents argue that such measures safeguard intellectual diversity and prevent the imposition of a singular ideological framework on campus communities. However, critics view these actions as encroachments on academic autonomy and attempts to stifle efforts aimed at fostering inclusive environments.

The case of Kansas exemplifies this tension, with policymakers wielding legislative authority to influence institutional policies. The inclusion of potential fines for policy violations underscores the punitive measures accompanying these legislative efforts. While proponents assert the need to uphold transparency and accountability in university practices, detractors caution against the politicization of academic discourse and its implications for intellectual freedom.

Debunking Misconceptions: The Role of DEI Initiatives in Higher Education

Amidst the political rhetoric surrounding DEI initiatives, it is crucial to debunk misconceptions and elucidate their significance within higher education. Contrary to portrayals of DEI statements as ideological litmus tests, proponents emphasize their role in promoting equitable access, fostering diverse perspectives, and cultivating inclusive campus environments. The American Psychological Association's framework underscores the transformative potential of DEI initiatives in advancing social justice and dismantling systemic barriers.

Paulette Granberry Russell, president of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, emphasizes the intended purpose of DEI statements as a means to assess alignment with institutional values and promote diversity-conscious practices. Moreover, the broader scope of DEI initiatives extends beyond ideological considerations to encompass efforts addressing socioeconomic disparities, accessibility, and support services for marginalized communities.

Kansas' policy shift regarding DEI initiatives reflects broader ideological divides shaping higher education discourse nationwide. As universities navigate the evolving landscape of diversity policies, it becomes imperative to uphold principles of academic autonomy, inclusivity, and equitable access. By fostering constructive dialogue and informed decision-making, stakeholders can strive towards creating vibrant, inclusive learning environments that reflect the diverse tapestry of human experiences.
Creative chemistry: supporting the fight against drug manufacture in Southeast Asia and the Pacific

Bangkok (Thailand), 18 April 2024  In Southeast Asia and the Pacific, a growing amount of chemicals continue to find their way into the hands of organized crime groups, which are turning to creative chemistry and the use of so-called designer precursors. To address this, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) together with the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) is strengthening the capacities of competent authorities in the region.



Innovative and mobile criminal networks have proven effective in their ability to circumvent regulatory controls, enabling them to divert, traffic and manufacture massive quantities of chemicals in the region.



A recent training held in Bangkok by UNODC and INCB set to improve awareness, understanding and use of electronic tools and reporting mechanisms for precursor control to prevent the diversion of chemicals into illicit markets. These tools include the Precursor Export Notification Online (PEN Online), PEN Online Light, and the Precursors Incident Communication System (PICS). Tailored to the specific needs and challenges of the region, the training was part of ongoing efforts to strengthen capabilities to combat both chemical diversion and illicit drug manufacture.

Participants at a recent training on addressing illicit drug manufacture and preventing chemical diversion held in Bangkok from 26 to 28 March 2024. (Photo: UNODC/ROSEAP)

Communication, coordination and active monitoring between competent authorities is fundamental to reaching the goal of effective precursor control, said Reiner Pungs, UNODC Drugs and Precursor Programme Manager for Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Transnational organized crime groups operating in the Asia-Pacific region have proven highly innovative, and recent trends point to a growing use of non-controlled chemicals and creative chemistry, making it vital for cooperation at both the national and regional levels to go beyond traditionally controlled substances.



Together with INCB, UNODCs regional precursor programme supports countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacific in understanding and prioritizing precursor chemical control, and in taking the necessary steps to address diversion of and trafficking in precursor chemicals into illicit drug manufacture.



I enjoyed the practical nature of the course and the discussion with participants from other countries, which has allowed us to quickly grasp the knowledge, understand the national and regional situations, and build relationships with other experts of the region, said one of the participants.



The joint training, which is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, showcased the different tools that can be leveraged to improve monitoring of chemicals, materials, and equipment that may be used in illicit drug manufacture, with a specific focus on both chemicals internationally controlled under the 1988 Convention as well as various non-controlled chemicals that have also been encountered as their substitutes and that have been included on the International Special Surveillance List (ISSL).



The part that I valued most in this training was the one related to the PEN Online and PEN Online Light. These online systems can facilitate much needed communication and timely exchanges of information, ultimately providing a key tool through which to help control and ultimately stop the diversion of precursor and essential chemicals into the illicit manufacture, another participant added.

The training set to improve awareness, understanding and use of electronic tools and reporting mechanisms for precursor control. Bangkok, 26-28 March 2024. (Photo: UNODC/ROSEAP)

Not only about chemicals



Chemicals that are used for illicit drug manufacturing often move across borders and might be diverted from licit industries. Monitoring exports and imports of certain chemicals is one of the ways to disrupt illicit drug manufacture.



But it is not the only way. With illicit drug manufacturers becoming increasingly sophisticated, authorities are focusing on monitoring the equipment these use, such as glassware or pill-pressing machines.



Since most of the equipment, and many of the chemicals, involved in illicit drug manufacture are also used by a wide range of licit industries, cooperation with these industries and the sharing of information on suspicious activities is vital, said Antonio Mazzitelli, Chief of the Precursors Control Section of the INCB secretariat.



Course participants were also given information on PICS, a tool that allows law enforcement authorities to exchange information about precursor trafficking incidents, and on estimates of Annual Legitimate Requirements, which offer an indication of the legitimate volume of certain chemicals imported by licit industries.



I look forward to returning to my country with some of this new information and resume working closely with my colleagues, law enforcers, and regional partners on these important issues, another participant said. The information shared over the past days has shifted my perspective on how to improve cooperation with them as well as others in the precursor chemicals industry.



During the three-day training, INCB held bilateral discussions to address country-specific issues. The focus was on the importance of awareness concerning increasing flows of a variety of scheduled chemicals and non-controlled chemicals through the region. The main synthetic drugs that affect the region are amphetamine-type stimulants  methamphetamine, amphetamine, and ecstasy  which are also one of the most trafficked group of drugs in the world.



Competent authorities attending the training came from Cambodia, China, Fiji, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Thailand, and Viet Nam. Similar training by UNODC will take place in key locations this year to address precursor chemical challenges in the region.



Learn more about UNODCs work in Southeast Asia and the Pacific here.
April 18 2024

7N Architects has become the latest practice to transition to an employee ownership structure as it looks to secure its long-term future.

The switch has seen founding director Ewan Anderson transfer 100% of his shareholding to an Employee Ownership Trust which will govern the business on behalf of all 24 staff.

In tandem with this move, which follows a similar recent announcement by Keppie Design, the practice has expanded its leadership team with Ben Watson and Craig Tait serving alongside Anderson as directors.

Anderson said: This announcement gives us an opportunity to look forward to a bright future, which has been created from everyones hard work and talents, and one where all employees will collectively benefit from the teams continued success.

Founded 15 years ago 7N emphasises placemaking in their approach to key projects such as their Lerwick masterplan, Jordanhill Park and West Town.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Iran's Ambassador in Pakistan Dr. Reza Amiri Moghadam on Thursday proposed transforming the Pakistan-Iran border into a 'commercial gateway" in a bid to strengthen trade ties between the two countries

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Apr, 2024) Iran's Ambassador in Pakistan Dr. Reza Amiri Moghadam on Thursday proposed transforming the Pakistan-Iran border into a 'commercial gateway" in a bid to strengthen trade ties between the two countries.

Ambassador Moghadam suggested expanding border markets and opening new crossing points to facilitate trade.

Talking to a private news channel, he expressed optimism about furthering Pak-Iran bilateral cooperation across various sectors.

He said strides had been made in enhancing economic, commercial, and cultural ties between the two nations.

Ambassador Moghadam said that although Pakistan-Iran relations witnessed an improvement in recent years, there remained a significant untapped potential for deeper collaboration.

He underscored the need to elevate the trade volume between the two countries from the current $2.

8 billion to a target range of $10 to $25 billion.

Anticipating the upcoming visit of the Iranian President to Pakistan, he expressed hope that it would pave the way for overcoming obstacles hindering bilateral relations.

He said the Pak-Iran Gas Pipeline project held mutual benefits for both countries, expressing hope that ongoing negotiations would bring positive results towards the completion of the project.

He lauded Pakistan's vocal denouncement of the recent attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria, viewing it as a tangible expression of solidarity between the two nations.

On Palestine issue, he stressed the collective responsibility of the Muslim Ummah.

He urged the Muslim-majority countries to actively contribute towards resolving the longstanding plight of the Palestinian people.

C:shk/P:shk/L:ahn/W:ahn/R:ahn/shm
(@FahadShabbir)

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said that he would personally monitor the Saudi investment projects and warned against any laxity due to red tape or outdated procedures

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Apr, 2024) Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said that he would personally monitor the Saudi investment projects and warned against any laxity due to red tape or outdated procedures.

The prime minister, chairing a meeting to review the matters related to the recent high-powered Saudi delegation and Saudi investment in different sectors, thanked Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for sending a high-level Saudi delegation that would usher new era of Saudi investment in Pakistan, trade partnership as well as business ties.

He lauded the relevant federal ministers, Special Investment Facilitation Council and relevant senior officers for their efforts for converting the Saudi delegation's visit into a mutually beneficial partnership.

The prime minister instructed the authorities concerned to engage world-class experts to execute the foreign investment projects and called for capacity building of the ministries to achieve the desired results.

He asked the board of Investment, SIFC and relevant ministries to devise a mechanism to ensure execution of the projects agreed with the Saudi delegation.

He told the expected visit of a delegation of prominent Saudi businessmen to Pakistan was welcoming and that further investment opportunities would also be explored during his visit to Saudi Arabia to attend the World Economic Forum to be held in the Kingdom.

He said both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoyed cordial brotherly ties and the Kingdom always supported Pakistan in every hour of need.

Prime Minister Shehbaz thanked the Saudi King and Crown Prince for their keen interest in promoting cooperation and partnership with Pakistan.

He reiterated his government's resolve to take all possible measures aimed at the country's progress and prosperity.

The meeting was briefed about the Saudi delegation's interest and offer for different projects as both sides had discussed investment prospects in the fields of mining, agriculture, energy, information technology and infrastructural development.

Both sides had also deliberated on making Pakistan part of global supply chain and value chain which was highly appreciated Pakistan's preparedness in this regard.

The participants of the meeting viewed that the visit of delegations from friendly nations to explore investment opportunities was welcoming and termed it as the success of the current government on the diplomatic front.

The prime minister directed all the concerned ministries and departments to also pay special attention to

the government-to-government agreements and business-to-business projects and in this regard the local business community should be taken in confidence.

The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Jam Kamal Khan, Ahad Khan Cheema, Ataullah Tarar, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Ahsan Iqbal, Salik Hussain Chaudhry, Sardar Awais Khan Leghari, Abdul Aleem Khan, Dr Musadik Malik, Minister of State Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Muhammad Jehanzeb Khan, members of National Assembly Bilal Azhar Kayani and Rumina Khursheed Alam, Coordinator of the prime minister Rana Ehsan Afzal and other relevant authorities.
Pittsburgh, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Apr, 2024) US President Joe Biden called Wednesday for a hike in steel tariffs on China, accusing it of cheating as he courted blue-collar voters on an election campaign trip to the battleground state of Pennsylvania.

Biden accused Beijing of xenophobia too in a speech to union members in Pittsburgh that also sought to contrast his defense of workers' rights with the record of his rival Donald Trump.

"They're not competing, they're cheating. They're cheating and we've seen the damage here in America," the 81-year-old Biden said to cheers at the headquarters of the United Steelworkers union.

The Democrat said Chinese steel companies "don't need to worry about making a profit because the Chinese government is subsidizing them so heavily."

Biden said he had called for the US Trade Representative to triple the tariff rates for Chinese steel and aluminum if Beijing was confirmed to be using anti-competitive practices.

"They're xenophobic," he added. "They've got real problems. I'm not looking for a fight with China, I'm looking for competition -- but fair competition."

Biden has taken an increasingly protectionist stance as he competes with Trump for the votes of blue-collar workers in America's industrial heartland in November's election.

Beijing reacted furiously after Washington said it was also launching a probe into Chinese shipbuilding following a complaint by unions, including United Steelworkers.

But Biden insisted there would be "no trade war" with China and insisted his tariffs would not hurt his ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The two leaders have tried to smooth tense ties in recent months, meeting in California last year and speaking on the phone recently.

Biden was on the second day of a three-day swing through Pennsylvania, which he narrowly won over Trump in 2020 and has paid more campaign visits to than any other state in 2024.

The Pittsburgh stop was also designed to put a seal on his union ties, after United Steelworkers officially endorsed him for the election.

Biden recently opposed a bid by Japan's Nippon Steel to take over the Pittsburgh-based firm US Steel in a further attempt to woo the union.

On Wednesday he said "I promise" to keep the iconic company American-owned.

He also took aim at Trump, saying his predecessor "never lifted a finger" to stop China siphoning off US jobs, and saying his rival's plans for across-the-board tariffs on all countries would hurt Americans.

On the first day of the trip on Monday, he stopped by his childhood home in Scranton while again taking aim at Trump as an elitist billionaire, as the tycoon languished in a New York courtroom as part of his hush money trial.

Biden mocked him on Wednesday, saying Trump was "busy right now."

Despite huge differences with Trump on everything from tax to abortion, Biden's trade policies have increasingly echoed elements of his rival's "America First" approach.

But unlike Trump, Biden has invested huge amounts in infrastructure and green projects since taking office, hoping that it will bring manufacturing and production of key goods like steel back to the United States.

The Biden administration views China's practices as a barrier to that.

China accounts for about half of global steel production while exporting the metal at a significantly lower cost than US steel prices, a senior US official told reporters.

Beijing said it firmly opposes the shipbuilding probe announced Wednesday, calling it "full of false accusations, misinterpreting normal trade and investment activities as harming US national security and corporate interests and blaming China for its industrial problems."

The trade tensions come against a backdrop of wider stresses between the world's two biggest economies.

China was also angered when Biden hosted the leaders of Japan and the Philippines last week in a concerted front against China's increasing assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific region.
(@FahadShabbir)

Croatian parties scrambled to form a ruling coalition Thursday, a day after an election in which the ruling conservative party won the most seats but not a parliamentary majority

Zagreb, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Apr, 2024) Croatian parties scrambled to form a ruling coalition Thursday, a day after an election in which the ruling conservative party won the most seats but not a parliamentary majority.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic's Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) won 61 seats in the 151-member assembly, near-complete results showed.

A centre-left coalition led by the Social Democrats (SDP) won 42. It was followed by the nationalist right-wing Homeland Movement party with 14 seats.

An ultra-conservative party and a green-left one won 11 and 10 seats each.

It will be known "very soon with whom we will form a new majority in the parliament", Plenkovic, 54, said Thursday on Facebook.

"We are continuing the talks today."

But SDP leader Pedja Grbin said earlier the party will also try to cobble together a majority, although their task appears more difficult.

Analysts say that the HDZ has the most comfortable position to gather a majority of 76 MPs while the right-wingers could be key.

"The Homeland Movement (DP) is the most likely kingmaker while the talks will be tough and uncertain at least in the first phase," political analyst Zarko Puhovski told AFP -- a view shared by most of his peers.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told a G7 meeting Thursday that Ukraine had an "urgent, critical need for more air defence", as Kyiv's foreign minister pressed allies for more Patriot systems

Capri, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Apr, 2024) NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told a G7 meeting Thursday that Ukraine had an "urgent, critical need for more air defence", as Kyiv's foreign minister pressed allies for more Patriot systems.

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven developed nations, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, are gathering on the Italian island of Capri from Wednesday to Friday.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba joined counterparts from Italy, the UK, the US, Japan, Canada, France and Germany for a working session dedicated to the conflict on Thursday.

Kuleba called for other countries to follow Germany, which at the weekend said it was sending an additional Patriot air defence system to Kyiv.

"We will work here at the ministerial (meeting) to make other allies deliver air-defence systems to Ukraine, because it's of fundamental importance," Kuleba told reporters ahead of the session.

Ukraine has said it is running out of weaponry to shoot down Russian missiles and drones as Moscow has ramped up its attacks on infrastructure across the country.

Stoltenberg said there had been "important, encouraging signs" of new support from NATO allies, including the scheduling of a US Congressional vote this weekend on a long-stalled $61-billion-euro package of aid.

"It's of vital importance that NATO allies sustain and step up their support... There's an urgent, critical need for more air defence," Stoltenberg said.

Earlier, Blinken stressed the need for the US Congress to agree the new aid.

"At this moment, it is urgent that all of the friends and supporters of Ukraine maximise their efforts to provide... Ukraine with what it needs to continue to effectively defend itself against the Russian aggression," Blinken said.

Kubela said the help would "literally, without exaggeration, help save Ukrainians from Russian missile slaughter".

"This is a matter of death and life."

After the day's talks, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani -- whose country holds the rotating G7 presidency this year -- said allies had confirmed "our maximum commitment" to Kyiv.

He confirmed ministers discussed the potential use of Russian assets frozen after the February 2022 invasion to help Ukraine.

"We are evaluating (the idea) in principle, we are also in favour of using the seized assets, but we need the legal basis to do so," Tajani said.

British Foreign Minister David Cameron called earlier in Capri for "creative" way of using the assets, saying it was "important we try and get agreement" on how.

There have been mounting calls in Washington and Europe to set up a fund for Ukraine using billions of dollars in Russian bank accounts, investments and other assets frozen by the West after the invasion.

The EU froze some 200 billion euros of Russian central bank assets held in the bloc as part of sanctions on Moscow.
(@FahadShabbir)

Male, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Apr, 2024) Jailed former Maldives president Abdulla Yameen was freed Thursday after the High Court overturned his conviction and 11-year prison sentence, days out from keenly contested parliamentary elections.

A three-judge bench in the small but strategically located Indian Ocean archipelago nation held that Yameen's 2022 trial on graft and money-laundering charges during the tenure of a pro-Indian government was unfair and ordered a retrial.

"The lower court ruling was not fair," judge Hassan Shafeeu said while reading out a lengthy decision that was broadcast live.

The decision came ahead of parliamentary elections on Sunday, in which the pro-China Yameen is fielding candidates from a political party he formed while serving his sentence.

Yameen was convicted on two charges after a court found he accepted a bribe to grant a lease on a small islet for tourism development while he was in power between 2013 and 2018.

Thursday's ruling set that verdict aside. Yameen's co-accused Yusuf Naeem, a businessman who was said to have paid the alleged bribe of $1 million, was also freed.

Yameen, 64, was held at the high-security Maafushi prison but was transferred to house arrest the day after his ally, Mohamed Muizzu, won presidential elections last September.

While in office Yameen had borrowed heavily and built thousands of apartments and other infrastructure in the nation of 1,192 coral islands scattered some 800 kilometres (500 miles) across the equator.

The Maldives is located along the main east-west international shipping routes and the nation has emerged as a geopolitical hotspot as regional powers India and China compete for influence.

Political observers believe that no party in the country can win an outright majority in Sunday's elections and Muizzu may be forced to work with a coalition.

- China card -

Muizzu has followed in Yameen's footsteps by strengthening ties with China at the expense of traditional benefactor India.

He awarded a string of infrastructure contracts to Chinese state-owned companies last Sunday.

That included a $225 million deal for the Dongfang Electric Corporation to build three fish-processing plants and an airport upgrade by another firm.

An aide to Muizzu told AFP he was keen to ensure a parliamentary majority to press ahead with his ambitious infrastructure projects without being stalled by a hostile legislature.

However, he may have to work with smaller parties in the event of a hung parliament.

Yameen himself is not contesting Sunday's vote but is fielding a considerable number of candidates who could end up joining a coalition with Muizzu's party, sources close to both sides said.

Yameen was unable to contest last year's presidential election because of the criminal conviction but he supported Muizzu, who came to power promising to free Yameen.

Muizzu had also pledged to get rid of some 89 Indian troops deployed in the Maldives to operate three aircraft gifted by New Delhi.

The soldiers are due to complete their withdrawal by May 15.

aj/gle/pbt
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Kyiv, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Apr, 2024) Russian shelling killed one person in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region on Thursday, authorities said, as Moscow ramps up its assault to capture the war-battered region.

Outgunned and outmanned on the battlefield, Kyiv has ceded ground to Russian forces since late last year, evacuating civilians from frontline areas amid an uptick in attacks.

In Selydove, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the front, "one person died and a private home was destroyed" during Russian bombardment, regional head Vadim Filashkin said on Telegram.

"In total, the Russians fired 17 times at settlements in the Donetsk region over a day.

127 people were evacuated from the frontline, including 13 children," he added.

Two people were injured in the nearby town of Krasnogorivka, while in Ukraine's southern Kherson region, officials said Russian shelling wounded at least 16.

The shelling came as Russia said it had thwarted Ukrainian attacks on border territories, downing 20 drones and two ballistic missiles, most over its western Belgorod region.

The defence ministry said it had neutralised 20 drones -- 16 of which were downed -- and two Tochka-U missiles as well as five balloons aimed at deflecting the attention of air defence systems.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. The US strongly supports the efforts made by Azerbaijan and Armenia to reach peace, Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesman of the US State Department said during a briefing, Trend reports.

"We strongly support efforts by Armenia and Azerbaijan to reach a durable and dignified peace, and we stand ready to continue to help facilitate this process," he said.

Previously, the US State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller noted that the US is happy to play whatever role it can to facilitate a dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

"When the Secretary has communicated with the leaders of both Armenia and Azerbaijan, he has made clear that there needs to be a dialogue between the two parties," he pointed out.

Earlier, on January 4, 2024, Armenia forwarded its version of the peace treaty text to Azerbaijan. In February, Azerbaijan provided additional proposals for the peace treaty to Armenia. The negotiations on the peace treaty text are underway directly between Baku and Yerevan.
New York, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Apr, 2024) Donald Trump's unprecedented criminal trial resumes Thursday in New York with the judge seeking to complete jury selection and kick off arguments in the politically explosive case early next week.

Moving the United States into uncharted waters, it is the first criminal trial of a former US president, one who is also battling to retake the White House in November.

Trump is facing allegations he falsified business records to cover up an embarrassing affair with a porn star to shield his 2016 presidential campaign from last-minute upheaval.

It is just the first of several criminal trials looming for the Republican White House hopeful, including one over his unprecedented efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election he lost to Joe Biden.

With such high stakes, there had been speculation jury selection could take weeks as Judge Juan Merchan and lawyers on both sides sift through the possibilities from a pool of people.

To convict Trump, the jury must render a unanimous verdict. Even one dissenting voice would see him walk free.

But the process has moved faster than expected. Eighteen jurors are needed -- 12 plus six alternates. Seven had already been sworn in when court was adjourned on Tuesday.

Merchan ended that day saying he was hopeful opening arguments could begin as early as Monday.

Trump, forced to sit silently inside the courtroom each day as those who will sit in judgment on him are assembled, has railed against the process.

Merchan has already admonished him for muttering and gesturing at prospective jurors, warning: "I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom."

And Trump posted on his Truth Social platform Wednesday that he "thought STRIKES were supposed to be 'unlimited' when we were picking our jury? I was then told we only had 10, not nearly enough."

The claim is inaccurate -- Trump's team is entitled to 10 peremptory strikes, meaning they can remove candidates from the jury pool without explanation. Prosecutors get the same number.

The former president has also chafed against Merchan's order that he be in court daily.

"I should be right now in Pennsylvania and Florida -- in many other states, North Carolina, Georgia -- campaigning," the 77-year-old said in angry remarks outside court. He called Merchan "Trump-hating."

Merchan has warned Trump against repeating his frequent past attempts to turn hearings into impromptu campaign appearances with outbursts at witnesses and staff, as well as tirades on social media.
Small-business owners can learn about Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) opportunities at the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) during a half-day virtual workshop Thursday, April 25.

Jim Greenwood will lead the discussion during a Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network webinar titled DOD SBIR/STTR Phase I Proposal Development from 8:30 a.m.-noon. The Wyoming SBDC Network is partnering with Manufacturing Works for this workshop. To register, go here. Registration is free.

The Wyoming SBDC Network offers business expertise to help Wyoming residents think about, launch, grow, reinvent or exit their business. The Wyoming SBDC Network is hosted by the University of Wyoming with state funds from the Wyoming Business Council and funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Greenwood will provide helpful tips and a recommended process for developing a competitive Phase I proposal. While material is relevant to all SBIR/STTR agencies, the DOD will be emphasized.

Sean Schaub, account and project manager at Manufacturing Works, will discuss how local Manufacturing Extension Partnerships (MEPs) can help small businesses with cybersecurity, product design and development, supplier scouting and more throughout the life of a business.

Greenwood, co-owner of Greenwood Consulting Group Inc., is a nationally recognized trainer and proposal reviewer for the SBIR and STTR programs. He has taught SBIR/STTR workshops in 48 states, plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., offering training through local and regional economic development groups, universities, federal laboratories, SBDCs and MEPs.

Small-business owners also will have the opportunity to meet with Greenwood one-on-one for strategy sessions during the afternoon. Preference for scheduling with Greenwood will be given to Wyoming small businesses. For one-on-one scheduling, email Kelly Haigler Cornish, Wyoming SBIR/STTR Initiative manager, at haigler@uwyo.edu.

For more information, call Maureen Johnson, marketing, communication and database manager for the Wyoming SBDC Network, at (307) 343-0925 or email mjohn125@uwyo.edu.
David Fay

David Fay, a professor in the University of Wyoming Department of Molecular Biology, recently chaired a blue-ribbon advisory panel for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The panel provided advice about how the NIH funds grant proposals.

The NIHs Center for Scientific Review creates Evaluating Panel Quality in Review (ENQUIRE) panels to ensure that the NIH continues to identify and support high-impact, cutting-edge research. ENQUIRE panels for specific subject areas are assembled about once every eight years. Fay was asked to chair a panel last month that examined the organization of study sections in the areas of developmental and regenerative biology.

The NIH is continually trying to update the panels that review grants, Fay says. This is done, in part, because science changes, fields grow and contract, and new areas are always emerging. So, definitions of topic areas that were relevant 10 years ago might not make as much sense today.

The NIH looks for committee chairs with a strong background in grant review and leadership experience. Fay has served on dozens of study sections over the years and has reviewed several hundred grants during his career. He was instrumental in the creation of the UW Molecular and Cellular Life Sciences Ph.D. program and served as its director for a decade.

Fay also has served as associate director of Wyoming INBRE (IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence), a program project grant that is funded by the NIH. INBRE aims to help Wyoming build infrastructure for biomedical research and education. As associate director of INBRE, Fay works to support faculty, Ph.D. students and undergraduates in furthering their research goals.

Additionally, Fay is a productive scientist whose own research has been supported by competitive external grants since joining UW 23 years ago. He uses the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, a nonparasitic roundworm, to investigate the function of genes common to humans and nematodes.

Fays research provides new avenues for examining human health problems. His current research on nematode genes has helped establish more information on how certain genes implicated in cancer are functioning. In some cases, studying nematode genes also may help identify new strategies to combat nematodes that parasitize humans, livestock and crops.

With a distinguished career marked by many significant contributions to developmental and cell biology, Dr. Fay embodies the ideal qualities of a panel chair: deep scientific knowledge, a proven track record of insightful review and a commitment to fostering scientific innovation, says Jay Gatlin, head of the UW Department of Molecular Biology.

About the University of Wyoming College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources

UWs College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources is a beacon of academic excellence in agricultural and natural resource education. Committed to providing a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach, the college prepares students to address real-world challenges. With renowned faculty guiding cutting-edge research and hands-on experiences, graduates are equipped with the skills to contribute significantly to agriculture, life sciences and the preservation of natural resources.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. The US State Department has clarified the issue of providing military support to Armenia, Trend reports.

The press service of the US State Department responded to a local media inquiry in connection with a photo of a document published in the press reflecting the issues of providing Armenia with extensive military support at the trilateral US-European Union-Armenia meeting held in Brussels on April 5.

This document is pure disinformation; security issues were not on the agenda. We would like to direct you to the joint press release we put out along with the EU and Armenia following the April 5 trilateral meeting in Brussels.

The Brussels meeting with the EU and Armenia focused solely on Armenias economic resilience as it works to diversify its trade partnerships, address humanitarian needs, and support for Armenias ongoing reforms, including in areas such as democracy and rule of law, the press service of the State Department stated in response to the inquiry.

To note, a photo of one of the documents related to the US-European Union-Armenia trilateral meeting held in Brussels was circulated in the media yesterday. As evident from the photo that has caused widespread concern in Azerbaijani society, contrary to previous statements regarding the trilateral meeting, the document reflects extensive military support from both the United States and the European Union for Armenia.

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From her home in Cairo, Etemad Abu Tahoun watches with terror as -- hour by hour -- the television news relays the devastation wrought on Gaza.

Her only son, 23-year-old Momen, is trapped in the Palestinian territory. A brief, broken video call confirms he is still alive  before the signal cuts off.

She is trying to crowdfund enough money to pay for her sons escape.

"I will help him to escape from the killing," she said. "And his presence will be my support as I navigate the challenges that lie ahead."

But escaping Gaza isnt easy. Egypt has closed the Rafah crossing to most Palestinians, fearing an exodus of refugees.

Since the Israel-Hamas war broke out in October, Egypt has permitted just a single travel agency, called Hala, to operate cross-border journeys from Gaza into Egypt  what it terms a "coordination."

The firm is based in the office of its parent company, Organi, in Cairo.

Its fees have reportedly risen 14-fold from the pre-war price, to $5,000 per adult and half that for children. Thats far beyond the means of most Palestinians  especially those who have lost their homes and livelihoods in the war.

Mohammed Raed, a Palestinian medical student based in Cairo, is crowdfunding to pay for six displaced family members to escape a refugee camp in Gaza.

"If I want to continue my studies here and succeed in my life, I want to see it [that satisfaction] in the faces and eyes of my family. If they're not here with me, all my efforts, all the things I do, it's all in vain," he said.

Hala did not respond to VOA requests for comment.

The agency now accounts for 40% of all crossings from Gaza into Egypt, according to the Cairo-based Arab Organization for Human Rights. Organization director Alaa Shalaby said accusations of profiteering are an attempt to divert attention from Israels actions  and praises Egypts effort to send aid into Gaza.

"We commend the admirable efforts of this community and country, grappling with their own economic difficulties, for providing significant support," Shalaby said.

Despite protests in Cairo calling for a change of policy, the Egyptian government says it has no plans to open the Rafah crossing with Gaza.

Hamada Elrasam contributed to this report.
Transcript:

The Inside Story: Mideast Tensions

Episode 140 - April 18, 2024

Show Open:

Unidentified Narrator:

This week on the Inside Story...

The Israel Hamas conflict expands its scope as Iran missiles and drones are intercepted, and the Israeli Cabinet debates its response.

In Nigeria, ten years after hundreds of girls were kidnapped by Boko Haram extremists the fate of 82 remains unknown, and kidnappings continue.

And history is made in New York City as former President Donald Trump sits for the first of four criminal trials scheduled to begin during his campaign for the US Presidency.

Now... On the Inside Story: Mideast Tensions.

The Inside Story:

CARLA BABB, VOA Correspondent:

Welcome to The Inside Story. Im Carla Babb.

World leaders are calling for restraint after Iran and its proxies launched more than 300 missiles and drones toward Israel on April 13 and 14. Western officials say the attack was an Iranian failure as it failed to cause significant injuries or damage.

The attack came less than two weeks after an Israeli strike in Syria killed 13 people, including at least three senior Iranian commanders. VOAs Arash Arabasadi has more.

ARASH ARABASADI, VOA Correspondent:

A barrage of objects streaks across the night sky from Bethlehem in the West Bank amid drone and missile attacks from Iran toward Israel.

The Israeli military says the Islamic Republic launched more than 300 such projectiles but said it, with help from the U.S. and partners shot down 99-percent of them.

Iran has warned it would hit Israel in retaliation after a suspected Israeli airstrike earlier this month destroyed the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, killing 12 including two top Iranian generals.

U.S. President Joe Biden issued a statement on X, formerly Twitter, confirming U.S. involvement in the operation and reaffirming what he calls Americas ironclad commitment to the security of Israel.

His presumptive opponent for the 2024 presidential election, former President Donald Trump, took to his social media platform to say without evidence the attack would never have happened if he were president.

By all accounts, the damage inside Israel was minimal. Something Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian describes as deliberate.

At a recent news conference in Tehran, he said Iran communicated the attack to the White House and regional neighbors in what he called a legitimate defense and punishment of the Israeli regime.

But by Sunday morning, Biden administration officials took a victory lap for the coordinated defense against Irans barrage.

John Kirby, White House National Security Spokesman:

Truly a successful night due to a lot of skill (and) a lot of professionalism and a lot of coordination across the board. Israel succeeded in defending itself, and the United States certainly made good on our commitment to help them do that.

ARASH ARABASADI:

U.S. lawmakers supporting Israels self-defense rejected the idea of a broadening regional conflict that would include American soldiers.

Rep. Mike Turner, Republican:

I dont think at this point that the United States should be involved in military action directly at Iran, but I do believe if this administration fails to step up to the plate and understand that we have an escalating conflict and make it clear to Iran that there are red lines. And that the United States will defend Israel and will not allow Iran to become a weapon state and that we will be in a broader conflict, and we will have less options.

ARASH ARABASADI:

Video from Iran after the attack shows people celebrating in Tehran, waving both Iranian and Palestinian flags as their countrys leadership vows ongoing solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

Arash Arabasadi, VOA News.

CARLA BABB:

Heres how officials say the attack unfolded.

Between April 13 and April 14 Iran and its proxies launched more than 150 drones and about 150 missiles from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen toward Israel over the span of several hours.

Israels Iron Dome air defense system staved off missile attacks. Jordanian aircraft shot down drones coming through its skies as U.S. forces shot down more than 80 of those drones and 6 missiles. The U.K. and France also shot down an unspecified number of aerial threats. Saudi Arabia and the UAE provided intel to the coalition.

Officials say none of the drones survived this defense and only about 5 missiles made it through, causing little damage, so little damage that there is some pressure from inside and outside Israel suggesting no response to the attack is necessary and could prolong attempts to get Israeli hostages home.

But many Israelis say something must be done to preserve the idea that Israel always responds.

Linda Gradstein reports.

LINDA GRADSTEIN, VOA Correspondent:

Irans attack, with hundreds of missiles fired simultaneously, was unprecedented.

So was the international cooperation to intercept them, with the U.S., Jordan, and Britain working together.

As the international community urges restraint, some in Israel say the Jewish state must respond.

Yossi Kuperwasser, Former Military Intelligence Official:

I think we cannot leave this open file without some retaliation, but the kind of retaliation is going to be measured in the sense that Israel doesnt want to lead to a regional war.

LINDA GRADSTEIN:

Israeli media reports say two former chiefs of staff in the war cabinet, Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, wanted to strike back at Iran while the Iranian attack was under way, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said no.

Other Israeli intelligence analysts say the damage was limited and Israel can choose not to respond further.

Sima Shine, Analyst on Iran:

Im sure Israel will be able in the future to retaliate in Iran in a different way. We have a lot of capabilities and I think it will be more devastating for the Iranians if Israel succeeded, and Israel has to contribute to that in order that it will work, change the architecture of the Middle East, in a way that it will be understood that Iran is with its proxies, but all the others are actually cooperating against Iran and its proxies.

LINDA GRADSTEIN:

Irans attack came as Israel is under growing international criticism for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza that has left hundreds of thousands of Palestinians facing famine.

The U.S. has been pushing Israel to accept a cease-fire that would lead to freedom for the remaining 133 Israeli hostages that Hamas militants took hostage in October, although its not clear how many are still alive.

There is concern in Israel that retaliating against Iran could lead to even more pressure on Israel to withdraw from Gaza before it has reached its goals.

Linda Gradstein, VOA News, Jerusalem.

CARLA BABB:

Amidst the Iranian Israeli back and forth, the Iraqi Prime Minister was in the US this week for talks with US President Biden.

The country, so long a focus of US policy in the Middle East now finds itself stuck in the middle, both geographically and diplomatically in the long-running conflict between Iran and Israel.

Anita Powell reports.

ANITA POWELL, VOA White House Correspondent:



Iraqs leader already had lots of ground to cover with President Joe Biden before this weekends stunning Iranian attack on Israel raised fears of a wider regional war.

Even though the U.S. is describing the aerial assault as a failure, Iraqs leader acknowledged that the conflict between Israel and Hamas is of major concern in the region.

Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Prime Minister of Iraq:

We are actually very eager about stopping this war, which claimed the lives of thousands of civilians, women and children. And we encourage all the efforts about stopping the expansion of the area of conflict.

ANITA POWELL:

The two nations have a delicate relationship after decades of U.S. military involvement in Iraq. U.S. anti-aircraft assets in northern Iraq were used to shoot down some of the Iranian missiles.

Biden said Iraq  a longtime adversary of Iran  has a role to play in maintaining peace.

President Joe Biden:

Simply put, our partnership is pivotal for our nations, for the Middle East, and I believe, for the world.

ANITA POWELL:

Earlier Monday, al-Sudanis deputy met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and both hailed the regional cooperation that thwarted the attack and urged de-escalation.

Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State:

I think what this weekend demonstrated is that Israel did not have to and does not have to defend itself alone when it is the victim of an aggression, the victim of an attack. In the 36 hours since, we have been coordinating a diplomatic response to seek to prevent escalation. Strength and wisdom need to be sent to the same sides, the different sides of the same coin.

Muhammad Ali Tamim, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister:

We call on all parties for self-restraint and respect the rules and also international norms that we set.

ANITA POWELL:

Mondays high-profile Washington meetings come right after this stunning attack, so no major bilateral moves were announced  but analysts say there are things Iraqi leadership can do.

Daniel Byman, Center for Strategic and International Studies:

Iraq needs to make its preference for reduced escalation clear. And that's both talking to the Iranians, but also talking to other Arab states and talking to the United States that this is negative from Iraq's point of view, and that it wants all the powers to take responsible action to try to reduce escalation.

ANITA POWELL:

As Israel mulls its response, regional actors are not sitting still. On Monday, Iraqs president met with the king of Jordan. According to Jordans royal court, they spoke about the dangers of this conflict escalating further.

Anita Powell, VOA News, the White House.

CARLA BABB:

The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting on that attack, where UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the aerial assault and called for a de-escalation of the conflict.

Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary General:

The Middle East is on the brink. The people of the region are confronting a real danger of a devastating full-scale conflict. Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate. Now is the time for maximum restraint. I strongly condemn the serious escalation represented by the largescale attack launched on Israel by the Islamic Republic of Iran this evening. I call for an immediate cessation of these hostilities.

We have a shared responsibility to secure an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, the unconditional release of all hostages, and the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid. We have a shared responsibility to stop violence in the occupied West Bank, deescalate the situation along the Blue Line, and re-establish safe navigation in the Red Sea. We have a shared responsibility to work for peace. Regional  and indeed global -- peace and security are being undermined by the hour. Neither the region nor the world can afford more war.

CARLA BABB:

U.S. presidential candidates Joe Biden and Donald Trump are both supporting Israel in the war in Gaza and in its hostilities with Iran. VOA correspondent Scott Stearns reports on how events in the Middle East are shaping U.S. politics.

SCOTT STEARNS, VOA correspondent:

Irans attack on Israel and Americas role in the Middle East as issues in this U.S. presidential campaign are a contest over which candidate backs Israel most.

As incumbent, President Joe Biden oversaw the U.S. response to the attack and reaffirmed U.S. support for Israel in a meeting with the Iraqi prime minister.

President Joe Biden:

The United States is committed to Israel's security. We're committed to a cease-fire that will bring the hostages home and prevent the conflict from spreading beyond what it already has. We're also committed to the security of our personnel and partners in the region, including Iraq.

SCOTT STEARNS:

Politically, Biden is facing competing calls to do more to help secure the release of hostages held by Hamas and to get tougher with Israel over its attacks in Gaza.

His opponent, Donald Trump, says none of the violence in the Middle East would have happened if he were still president.

Donald Trump:

I want to say, God bless the people of Israel. They're under attack right now. That's, that's because we show great weakness. This would not happen. The weakness that we've shown is unbelievable. And it would not have happened if we were in office. You know that they know that. Everybody knows that.

SCOTT STEARNS:

The Trump campaign is working to portray Biden as weak on Israel on Trumps social media platform and through Republican lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House:

Joe Biden has transformed into an anti-Israel president. There's really no other way to characterize it. He's more concerned, seemingly, with placating the antisemitism in his base than standing with our historic and vitally important ally.

SCOTT STEARNS:

In the Midwestern state of Michigan, voter Carol Plisner says Biden needs to keep up his support for Israel.

Carol Plisner, Michigan Voter:

I think initially, President Biden's response to the situation was helpful, and it was supportive. I think as time has gone on, that has become more questionable. And I think that the United States needs to have a stance that is deeply protective of democracy across the world, and that means deeply respective, deeply respectful, respectful of Israel.

SCOTT STEARNS:

Bidens support for Israel in Gaza is reason to oppose him, says Michigan voter Mohamed Mawri.

Mohamed Mawri, Michigan Voter:

He's complicit in a catastrophe that's happening thousands of miles away. People think that it's not hurting us, but it is. We're aiding it with our money.

SCOTT STEARNS:

Polling by Pew Research last month showed deep divides on the issue, with about 20 percent of U.S. voters saying Biden is striking the right balance, another 20 percent saying he is favoring Israel, and 16 percent saying he is favoring Palestinians. The largest group in that poll was not sure how well Biden is handling the issue.

Scott Stearns, VOA News.

CARLA BABB:

We head now to Africa, where ten years ago, the Islamist terror group Boko Haram abducted hundreds of schoolgirls were abducted. Many escaped or gained freedom through negotiations, but the fate of 82 girls hangs on the hope of reviving a once-vibrant advocacy group. The Bring Back Our Girls, or BBOG group, dominated global headlines after the 2014 abduction. In the decade since the raid, mass abductions have become frequent, and activists have grown weary. Timothy Obiezu reports from Abuja.

TIMOTHY OBIEZU, VOA Correspondent:

This public park was once a symbol of hope and resilience, but now it holds memories of a struggle to save 82 schoolgirls still in captivity from the 276 kidnapped by Boko haram on April 14, 2014, from Chibok secondary school.

One of them is Nkeki Mutahs niece.

Nkeki Mutah, Relative of Chibok Girl:

Every day in the morning, in the afternoon, we feel pain because of the absence of our niece. We heard that some of them are dead and that is what we're advocating for. If the government can be kind enough to tell us or release the names of those that are dead so we can forget about it.

TIMOTHY OBIEZU:

Days following the kidnappings, activists coalesced and started the Bring Back Our Girls or BBOG movement, demanding their rescue.

Back then, the group met here daily, and their campaign sparked global outrage. But not anymore.

Allen Manasseh, Chibok Community Spokesperson:

There is fatigue in the struggle. When the bring back our girls started... was gaining traction globally, there were lots of responses from even foreign governments ready to support Nigeria.

TIMOTHY OBIEZU:

So far, 194 girls have returned, either by escaping or they were freed through government negotiations.

But the threat of mass kidnapping remains. Amnesty International says Nigeria has recorded 17 cases in which at least 1,700 children were seized from school since Chibok.

Recent attacks have been perpetrated by armed gangs known as bandits. The gangs often demand huge ransoms to free their captives.

Nigerian authorities say they have not forgotten those in captivity.

Gen. Christopher Musa, Nigeria Defense Chief:

If we were using the conventional methods of fighting, we wouldve entered all the communities and flattened everything to start all over, but we cant do that because we know there are non-state actors holding other people against their will, we have to be very deliberate. There are instances when weve gone for attack but because civilians were there... we call off the strike.

TIMOTHY OBIEZU:

Families and BBOG activists disagree. They say authorities have not shown the political will to address the problem.

On Sunday, they remembered the girls on the 10th year anniversary of their abduction.

Florence Ozor, BBOG Leader:

Unfortunately, the Chibok girls abduction was the beginning of countless abductions that has led to a thriving abduction industry in our nation since the government has refused to bring the abductors of our Chibok girls to justice.

Allen Manasseh, Chibok Community Spokesperson:

Sadly, you could see people that are supposed to take the necessary action especially the security agencies providing excuses that the children have been taken to a difficult terrain to be [able to] access. If the terrorists can access a difficult terrain. why cannot our security forces?

TIMOTHY OBIEZU:

Until the girls are freed, many like Mutah will be waiting for some sense of closure.

Timothy Obiezu, VOA news Abuja, Nigeria.

CARLA BABB:

A private high school in California is providing scholarships to three refugee students from Ukraine and Afghanistan. VOAs Genia Dulot has the story of an American educator who has opened her home to two of them as they complete their studies.

GENIA DULOT, VOA Correspondent:

High school student Yeva Cherkasova-Shekera was studying in Kiev when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

Yeva Cherkasova-Shekera, Ukrainian Student:

I would never think that I would really experience war, all these bombs, which I really witnessed.

GENIA DULOT:

When the women in her family fled to Poland, she reached out to High Bluff Academy here in San Diego, California, and got a full scholarship.

Yeva Cherkasova-Shekera, Ukrainian Student:

After all these inhumane things, coming here and seeing that people here want to embrace me with their hearts, and all the kindness they give me, I think this is the biggest thing to always remember - there always should be faith for better.

GENIA DULOT:



School founder Jill Duoto sent the teen airline tickets and is paying for her education here.

Jill Duoto, High Bluff Academy Founder:

Ive always wanted to help. There are so many people in need  where do you start? Ive always donated money to charity, but you dont get the same sense of satisfaction just writing a check to an organization, and you never see where it goes. You never interact with the people that youre helping. And so this has been really rewarding experience for me.

GENIA DULOT:

About one-third of the students here are international. Mohammad and Aqila Mohammadi are siblings who escaped to Pakistan with their family following the 2021 Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Duoto helped the students get visas and brought them to Southern California.





Aqila Mohammadi, Afghan Student:

For me, Jill is just, I feel like more than a mother. She did a really amazing thing for us, and she is doing really amazing things for us. Without her, we were lost. If she wasnt here with us, we wouldnt be here sitting here right now.

GENIA DULOT:



When Duoto couldnt find host families for the brother and sister, she took them into her home herself. She also helped guide studies that will have all three of the students graduating from high school this year. For college, Aqila Mohammadi wants to major in biology. Cherkasova-Shekera plans to study marketing. Mohammad Mohammadi says he wants to be an electrical engineer.

Mohammad Mohammadi, Afghan Student:

I do want to major in computer science and engineering. I really want to fill the gaps in my education from Afghanistan, especially in mathematics, and improve my English.

GENIA DULOT:

Duoto is also collaborating with a learning center in Afghanistan to help Afghan girls complete their studies online and receive high school diplomas from High Bluff Academy so they can apply to universities abroad.

Genia Dulot, VOA News, San Diego, California.

CARLA BABB:

Now our weekly look at the US Presidential election. We head to a New York City courtroom for a historic first... a criminal trial of a former US President finally got underway this week. The trial is the first of four different criminal trials scheduled during the ramp up to the November elections. Aron Ranen has more.

ARON RANEN, VOA Correspondent:

Donald Trump is forced to leave the presidential campaign trail and take a seat in the courtroom yet again. The former president faces criminal charges related to a $130,000 payment from his attorney Michael Cohen to a former porn star Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 election.

The prosecutors argue the payment was made to silence her about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump, who was married at the time. He is accused of falsely categorizing these payments as legal expenses in his financial reports.

Alvin Bragg, New York City District Attorney:

Under New York State law it is a felony to falsify business records with intent to defraud, and an intent to conceal another crime. That is exactly what this case is about  34 false statements made to cover up other crimes. These are felony crimes in New York State. No matter who you are.

ARON RANEN:

Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and claims this is a politically motivated case.

Donald Trump, Republican Presidential Candidate:

It's a shame. It's a shame what's happening to our country. This is election interference. They are doing things that have never been done in this country before.

ARON RANEN:

Trump's return to the courtroom has stirred fresh debate among New Yorkers, with opinions sharply divided on the upcoming trial.

Shaina Jones Magrone, New York City Resident:

President Trump is a citizen just like everyone else, or a resident, just like everyone else in the United States he's subject to the same laws and responsibilities as we all are.

Ruben Borukhov, New York City Resident:

Actually, nobody else would have been charged. It's only Trump that's getting charged for something that never happened.

ARON RANEN

Former New York City prosecutor Bernarda Villalona says Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records.

Bernarda Villalona, Former Prosecutor:

He faces a maximum of four years in jail per count. But also, there's no mandatory minimums. Will he go to jail here in New York State? I highly doubt it, that even with going to trial that a judge would sentence him to jail.

ARON RANEN:

New York University law professor Richard Pildes says this trial is historic.

Richard Pildes, New York University:

It's certainly unprecedented in American history for a former president to be criminally prosecuted. There have been prosecutions, successful criminal prosecutions in some countries of former prime ministers. So, it's not unprecedented in a kind of a global perspective. But certainly in the United States, we've never been in a situation like this before.

ARON RANEN:

As the former President mounts his defense against these charges, observers watch and await the outcome.

Aron Ranen, VOA News, New York City.

CARLA BABB:

Thank you for joining us on The Inside Story.

Stay up to date with all the latest news at VOANews.com.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at VOA News.

Follow me on Twitter at CARLABABBVOA

Catch up on past episodes at our free streaming service, VOA Plus.

For all of those behind the scenes who brought you todays show, Im Carla Babb.

Well see you next week for The Inside Story.

####
A survey released Thursday revealed that over the past seven months, nearly 250,000 children have returned to Afghanistan from neighboring Pakistan with almost nothing, and they urgently need food, shelter and access to education.

The study by Save the Children said that more than 520,000 Afghans have returned home since September 2023 after Pakistan asked all undocumented foreigners to leave the country or face deportation. Nearly half of all the returnees are children.

Despite attending school in Pakistan, 65% of the children now back in Afghanistan are not enrolled in school. The majority, 85%, told the surveyors they did not have the necessary documents to register and enroll in school.

The survey did not say how many girls were among the children questioned as they also have to deal with the Taliban governments ban on teenage girls education beyond the sixth grade.

'Crisis levels of hunger'

The study found that 99% of the families that returned and the communities hosting them in Afghanistan do not have sufficient food to last one to two months.

About three-quarters of returnees and families in host communities reduced portion sizes or restricted the food consumption of adults so small children could eat on at least two days in the previous week, said Save the Children in its study.

According to the findings of the survey, almost 40% of returnees and host families had to borrow food or depend on relatives and friends at least three days a week. Out of the number of respondents in total, 13% of returnees and 9% of host families had to rely on others for food every day.

It highlighted the dire conditions facing returnees in Afghanistan, where almost 8 million children are facing crisis levels of hunger due to years of conflict and multiple recent natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and ongoing drought.

'Already overstretched resources'

The United Nations estimates that close to 16 million Afghans in the country face severe food insecurity at crisis and emergency levels.

Families are returning to Afghanistan with virtually nothing, said Arshad Malik, country director for Save the Children. The return of so many people is creating an additional strain on already overstretched resources, he said.

Malik said that the crisis-hit country is struggling to cope with the pressure of displacement. In addition to the returns from Pakistan, he added nearly 600,000 Afghans arrived from neighboring Iran last year. Afghanistan is also now home to the second largest number of internally displaced people in the world  or roughly 1 in 7 people.

He noted that many undocumented Afghan children were born in Pakistan, and Afghanistan is not the place they call home.

No basic necessities

A 15-year-old girl living with her grandfather after returning with her mother and three siblings told the surveyors that the family sold everything before leaving Pakistan. Her name was not mentioned to protect her identity.

We need shelter, living essentials, winter clothing, shoes, blankets, food and medicine. Afghanistan is very cold for us, and it is challenging because we do not have winter clothing, said the girl.

The survey showed that nearly one in six families lives in tents and most returnees have little or no means of supporting themselves, with nearly half of them saying there were no jobs available in Afghanistan.

Economic and humanitarian conditions have deteriorated in the country since the fundamentalist Taliban returned to power nearly three years ago. They have imposed sweeping restrictions on womens access to education, employment, and public life.

The curbs on womens rights and other controversial policies have deterred the international community from formally recognizing the Taliban government and resuming much-needed development assistance to Afghanistan. Humanitarian aid is still being provided to the country through the U.N. and other foreign non-governmental organizations.
For years, Qari Wazir Mohammad and his six siblings received assistance from the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, or SCA, enabling all seven of them to read Braille and perform daily tasks such as cooking and cleaning.

All born blind in a remote village of war-torn Ghazni province, the four brothers and three sisters faced extreme poverty and a lack of support for their disabilities.

Last year, the Taliban directed the SCA to halt humanitarian activities, including support programs for the disabled.

Taliban officials issued the order in protest of an Iraqi Christian refugee who burned a copy of the Quran in Sweden. That refugee, Salwan Momika, has since reportedly left Sweden, but the ban remains in place, depriving tens of thousands of disabled Afghans of the SCAs critical assistance services.

We have clarified our status as an independent NGO and our condemnation of the events in Sweden that led to our suspension, Andreas Stefansson, secretary general of the SCA, told VOA in written comments.

The SCA

With a $40 million budget for 2023, the SCA, which remained active throughout several cycles of armed conflict in Afghanistan over the past four decades, had 7,000 local and 15 international staff servicing vulnerable communities nationwide.

Many of our staff are the sole breadwinners of large extended families, said Stefansson, adding that one-third of SCA employees were female.

Despite being forced to suspend its operations for nearly a year, the organization has continued paying salaries of many of its local employees.

Taliban restrictions

Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban have relentlessly restricted the work of local and international aid agencies in Afghanistan.

Last year, the Taliban's ban on Afghan women working for aid agencies led several international NGOs to temporarily suspend operations in protest.

Other restrictions have also been reported.

Humanitarian organizations in Afghanistan reported 1,775 incidents of bureaucratic and administrative impediments and restrictions imposed on their work in 2023, according to the United Nations.

The restrictions come amid an environment of prevalent need.

An estimated 23.7 million people  more than half of the population  will require humanitarian assistance in 2024, the U.N. secretary-general said in a report last month.

The situation in Afghanistan is expected to deteriorate further as Pakistan sends hundreds of thousands of refugees home. More than 3 million Afghans are still in Pakistan, facing forced return to a country already grappling with poverty and the aftermath of war.

Isolated under Taliban rule, Afghanistan has suffered significant reductions in donor funding.

Last year, the U.N.-led humanitarian appeal received about half of its needed $3.2 billion. As of April, this years appeal has received 7% of its needed funds.

Stefansson says his organization has been in dialogue with Taliban authorities to lift the ban.

Taliban officials have not commented on when or if the SCA's operations in Afghanistan might resume.

We implore leaders of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to allow the Swedish committee to resume its activities, said Qari Wazir Mohmmad of Ghazni. Without their assistance, our lives are destroyed.
Guitar legend Dickey Betts, who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, "Ramblin' Man," has died. He was 80.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer died at his home in Osprey, Florida. David Spero, Betts' manager of 20 years, confirmed Betts death and said he had been battling cancer for more than a year. He also had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Spero said.

"He was surrounded by his whole family and he passed peacefully. They didn't think he was in any pain," Spero said by phone.

Betts shared lead guitar duties with Duane Allman in the original Allman Brothers Band to help give the group its distinctive sound and create a new genre  Southern rock. Acts ranging from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Kid Rock were influenced by the Allmans' music, which combined the blues, country, R&B and jazz with '60s rock.

Founded in 1969, the Allmans were a pioneering jam band, trampling the traditional notion of three-minute pop songs by performing lengthy compositions in concert and on record. The band was also notable as a biracial group from the Deep South.

Duane Allman died in a motorcycle accident in 1971, and founding member Berry Oakley was killed in a motorcycle crash a year later. That left Betts and Allman's younger brother Gregg as the band's leaders, but they frequently clashed, and substance abuse caused further dysfunction. The band broke up at least twice before reforming and has had more than a dozen lineups.

The Allman Brothers Band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and earned a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award in 2012. Betts left the group for good in 2000, and also played solo and with his own band Great Southern, which included his son, guitarist Duane Betts.

Forrest Richard Betts was born Dec. 12, 1943, and was raised in the Bradenton, Florida, area, near the highway 41 he sang about in "Ramblin' Man." His family had lived in area since the mid-19th century.

Betts grew up listening to country, bluegrass and Western swing, and played the ukulele and banjo before focusing on the electric guitar because it impressed girls. At 16 he left home for his first road trip, joining the circus to play in a band.

He returned home, and with bassist Oakley joined a group that became the Jacksonville, Florida-based band Second Coming. One night in 1969 Betts and Oakley jammed with Duane Allman, already a successful session musician, and his younger brother, and together they formed the Allman Brothers Band.

The group moved to Macon, Georgia, and released a self-titled debut album in 1969.

The 1971 double album "At Fillmore East," now considered among the greatest live albums of the classic rock era, was the Allmans' commercial breakthrough and cemented their performing reputation by showcasing the unique guitar interplay between Allman and Betts.

The group also had two drummers  "Jaimoe" Johanson and Butch Trucks.

Duane Allman died four days after "Fillmore" was certified as a gold record, but the band carried on and crowds continued to grow. The 1973 album "Brothers and Sisters" rose to No. 1 on the charts and featured "Ramblin' Man," with Betts singing the lead and bringing twang to the Top 40.

Betts also wrote or co-wrote some of the band's other best-loved songs, including "Blue Sky" and "Southbound." In later years the group remained a successful touring act with Betts and Warren Haynes on guitar. Gregg Allman and Butch Trucks died in 2017.

After leaving the Allmans for good, Betts continued to play with his own group and lived in the Bradenton area with his wife, Donna.
Nigeria has been Africas largest or second-largest oil exporter for years, but relies heavily on imports to meet local energy needs. The government is trying to change that, saying the countrys four moribund oil refineries will be revived and put back in operation.

This week, authorities also announced a new policy that oil producers must sell a share of their crude oil to local refiners before they are permitted to export crude.

Nigerias petroleum regulatory commission announced the new Domestic Crude Oil Supply Obligation (DCSO) during a meeting with industry players. It's part of an amendment to Nigerias Petroleum Industry Act of 2021.

Under the policy, Nigerian oil producers are allowed to export crude only after meeting their supply obligations to local refiners.

The measure will take effect in the second half of the year, but it does not specify what quantity of crude must be supplied to local refineries.

Authorities said the objectives of the guideline are to bolster Nigerias refining capacity, improve the oil industry and earn foreign exchange.

Public affairs analyst Jaye Gaskiya said it was the right move. "In the current situation globally, this is actually going to turn out much more beneficial to both the producers and refiners in the country," Gaskiya said. "Essentially this is designed to ease the problem of supply to the local refineries so that they don't become redundant. The second thing is that it is also designed in such a manner to ease the pressure on the naira," which is the currency of Nigeria.

According to the regulations, payments for crude to domestic refiners can be made in dollars, naira or a combination of both.

Nigeria relies heavily on imports to meet the populations energy needs. Analysts say refining crude oil locally could reverse this trend.

But oil and gas analyst Toyin Akinosho said he had concerns.

"In principle, I do not have a problem with it, but we need to be very careful about the foreign exchange implications and also the volumes that are going out," he said. "My challenge has always been, if you are overzealous about certain regulations, you can burn your fingers. In an era of very low forex [currency trading] and this being the major avenue for inflow into the country, you have to find a way of managing it."

The new measure includes penalties for oil producers who divert crude oil or refiners who fail to meet payment obligations.

But Gaskiya said there were some loose strings to the rule.

"The regulation says it is on the basis of willing buyer and willing seller, and that's quite tricky," Gaskiya said. "A situation where you have the suppliers, for instance, being unwilling, what are you then going to do as the regulator? So those are the things that the regulator needs to be on the lookout for."

The refineries in Nigeria, including the latest one built by Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, will have a combined processing capacity of 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day when rehabilitated.

While experts have doubts the new guidelines will be effective, authorities are optimistic Nigeria is getting closer to its goal of having a self-sufficient energy sector.
A coalition of churches in Botswana has voiced its opposition to parliament's latest effort to amend the constitution to include gay rights.

Botswanas minister for state president, Kabo Morwaeng, introduced a constitutional amendment bill for the first reading Wednesday. Among proposed amendments is the inclusion of a clause that would protect and prohibit the discrimination of intersex persons and persons with a disability.

However, churches are opposed to the move promoting gay rights.

Abraham Kedisang is a pastor at the Apostolic Faith Mission, a church that issued a statement denouncing the effort to amend the constitution.

"As the AFM Botswana, we express our grave concerns regarding the tabling and ultimate debate by parliament of these proposed amendments without the benefit of the people's engagement and contribution, Kedisang said. These provisions portend grave threat for our Christian way of life, our democracy and, indeed, our republic as we have known it over the many decades.

Botswanas High Court decriminalized same-sex relations in 2019, after a legal challenge. In July 2023, the government proposed a bill to incorporate gay rights into the constitution, but hundreds of opponents protested the development.

Kedisang said the church is right to challenge the proposed changes, despite the courts 2019 pronouncement.

The disturbing provision in the constitution [Amendment] bill 2024, No. 4 of 2024, which threatens to destroy the cardinal structure of family life at the heart of Botswana's cherished Christian way of life, through the bringing of intersex legal provision that seeks to change the binary male and female structure of our society established and enacted by the almighty God, Kedisang said.

Lesbians, Gay and Bisexuals of Botswana (LEGABIBO) supported the court challenge in 2019. The groups chief executive, Thato Moruti, says the constitutional amendments are about protecting human rights and are not a religious issue.

The nation must separate religious beliefs from human rights matters, Moruti said. This issue of decriminalization is a human rights matter, it is not a religious matter. It is an issue that is concerned with reducing systematic disadvantages on other people, especially the LGBTQI persons.

The government filed a challenge against the 2019 judgment, but the Court of Appeal upheld the initial ruling in 2021.

Moruti said members of the National Assembly have a duty to protect disadvantaged communities.

As international beacon of democracy, it is very important that as Botswana, we must recognize that this democracy also includes minority groups such as the LGBTQI community. It is important for legislators to remember that their democratic oath is to protect those who are unable to speak for themselves, including members of the LGBTQI community, Moruti said.

Before the Botswana courts decriminalized homosexuality, the offense was punishable by up to seven years in jail.

Homosexuality remains illegal in most African countries, with some, like Uganda, imposing stiff penalties, including the death sentence.
Burkina Fasos military junta has expelled three French diplomats for subversive activities, according to a government statement Thursday.

The diplomats, two of whom are political advisers, were given 48 hours to leave and no additional details were shared about the alleged subversive activities.

The French foreign ministry responded in a statement, saying it rejects the unfounded accusations made by the Burkina Faso authorities against our staff.

Burkina Fasos relationship with its former colonizer has steadily deteriorated since junta leaders severed military ties with Paris in 2023, ousting hundreds of French troops within a month.

More than 60 years after Burkina Fasos independence, French remains an official language and France has maintained strong economic and humanitarian aid ties with its former colony. As the Islamic extremist insurgency has deepened, however, anti-French sentiment has spiked due in part to the unabating violence.

Other Western nations are seeing ties with Burkina Faso diminish if they criticize the military government. The junta is instead aligning itself with countries like Mali and Niger, also led by military juntas, and moving to improve ties with Russia and China.

Some information for this report was provided by Agence France-Presse, Reuters and the Associated Press.
The head of the embattled U.N. agency that assists Palestinian refugees said Wednesday that as famine is taking hold across Gaza, the agency is facing an Israeli campaign to push it out of the occupied Palestinian territories and prevent it from carrying out its humanitarian mission.

"In Gaza, the government of Israel seeks to end UNRWA's activities," Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told the U.N. Security Council. "The agency's requests to deliver aid to the north are repeatedly denied. Our staff are barred from coordination meetings between Israel and humanitarian actors."

He also accused Israel of targeting UNRWA staff and premises, saying that 178 staff have been killed, and that more than 160 UNWRA premises, mostly used as shelters, have been damaged or destroyed, killing more than 400 people since the war started in October.

Lazzarini said Israeli security forces have also detained UNRWA staff, who have described mistreatment and torture in detention.

"We demand an independent investigation and accountability for the blatant disregard for the protected status of humanitarian workers, operations and facilities under international law," Lazzarini told the council. "To do otherwise would set a dangerous precedent and compromise humanitarian work around the world."

Israeli criticism

Israeli officials have criticized UNRWA for years, alleging that Hamas uses its schools for terrorist activities and promotes an anti-Israel curriculum. After the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel, the rhetoric intensified.

Lazzarini said Israeli allegations against UNRWA are politically motivated because Israel wants to end the refugee status of millions of Palestinians.

"Accusations that UNRWA deliberately perpetrates refugee status are false and dishonest," he said. "The agency exists because a political solution does not."

He said dismantling the agency would in the short term deepen the humanitarian crisis and speed the onset of famine, and in the long-term, hurt reconstruction of Gaza.

In January, Israel alleged that 12 UNRWA staffers were involved in Hamas' deadly Oct. 7 attacks. The staffers were immediately fired, and an internal investigation was launched. But in the aftermath, 16 donors, including top contributor the United States, suspended contributions totaling around $450 million.

Since then, several donors have resumed funding, but the U.S. Congress has frozen further contributions until at least March 2025. Lazzarini said the agency currently has funding to cover operations through June.

"The time has come to defund UNRWA," Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan told the council. He accused the Palestinians of having "hijacked" and "weaponized" the agency shortly after its creation in 1949.

"UNRWA's goal is not aid or real education," Erdan said. "In practice, UNRWA is creating a sea of Palestinian 'refugees'  millions of them  indoctrinated to believe Israel belongs to them. And the end goal is to use these so-called refugees and their libelous 'right of return'  a right that doesn't exist  to flood Israel and destroy the Jewish state."

Since 1948, U.N. resolutions have called on Israel to facilitate the return of Palestinian refugees and provide compensation for their loss of land and property.

Jordan requested Wednesday's meeting. Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said with 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza facing hunger and famine, UNRWA is needed more than ever.

"The suffering is beyond words," Safadi said. "Only one agency has the knowledge, the ability and the infrastructure to help ease it. It is UNRWA, the backbone of humanitarian efforts in Gaza, and Israel wants to break it. Do not allow it to do so."

While Washington has suspended its funding, it says UNRWA is still necessary.

"We recognize UNRWA's indispensable role in distributing humanitarian assistance and maintaining continuity of care in Gaza, and we urge UNRWA's continued humanitarian access in Gaza and the lifting of onerous restrictions on its work," U.S. envoy Robert Wood said.

"The United States is gravely concerned about the dire food insecurity and the very real risk of imminent famine. UNRWA is critical to averting this."

He urged UNRWA to implement reforms and strengthen its management and oversight.

The General Assembly established the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA, in 1949 to assist some 700,000 Palestinian refugees displaced in the aftermath of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War that broke out after Israel became a state in May that year.

Today, it operates not just in the Gaza Strip and West Bank but also in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, where there are large Palestinian refugee communities. Nearly 6 million Palestinians are eligible for UNRWA services, which include education and health care.
Right-wing politicians in Europe called for an end to Western support for Ukraine in its war against Russian invaders, as hundreds of people gathered in Brussels this week for the European National Conservatism Conference, which ended Wednesday.

An effort by the Brussels mayor to shut down the conference on security grounds prompted accusations of an assault on the right to free speech.

Orban speech

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban topped the list of speakers at the event. In his sights were familiar foes: the European Union, immigration and multiculturalism.

I think that nations have the right to decide about their own future. So, if somebody would like to make an attempt to create a mixed society, a Christian-based with Muslim community, and as a liberal thing that the outcome will be something good  do it, it is your fate, your future  but dont force us to do so, Orban told the conference. We think that mixture of two civilizations will not result in good things.

Ukraine aid

Just hours before attending a special meeting of EU heads of state at the nearby European Council, the Hungarian leader criticized Western support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian invaders and said his country would maintain ties with Moscow.

Ukraine is now just the protectorate of the West. So, without getting the money and weapons from the European Union and United States, Ukraine as a state would cease to exist, he said Wednesday, largely echoing Kremlin talking points. So, it is not a sovereign state anymore.

Right-wing playbook

Orban has become the figurehead leader of the European right, according to Georgios Samaras, a political analyst and expert on the European far right at Kings College London.

Viktor Orban can be perhaps the one strongman that unites the far right  as right-wing forces and central right-wing forces follow his lead because he's highly successful in pushing an authoritarian practice and authoritarian regime in his own country. I believe that the far right is right now trying to use the same playbook, Samaras told VOA.

The far-right danger is here, Samaras added. But it was always here and now it's openly normalized by the elites who are willing to collaborate with those political actors and entities in order to govern and probably abuse democratic institutions.

EU elections

Despite widespread criticism from both European and American allies, Orban denies undermining democratic institutions in Hungary.

The conservative conference was staged ahead of European Parliament elections scheduled in June. This is the consolidation of different manifestos into one. And usually when these conferences take place, they're trying to agree on ideological pledges for the next few years, Samaras said.

Police action

The conference was almost cancelled when Belgian police blocked access to the venue Tuesday after Mayor Emir Kir issued an order to shut it down over public security concerns.

An emergency court ruling on Tuesday evening, however, overturned the mayors order. Nigel Farage, a former member of the European parliament and campaigner for Britains EU exit who was speaking at the conference, said the mayors actions were an example of what they labelled left-wing cancel culture.

We can see that legally held opinions from people who are going to win national elections is no longer acceptable here, in Brussels, the home of globalism, because if you don't agree with ever closer union, you must be a bad dude, Farage told reporters Tuesday.

The effort to close the conference was criticized by politicians from across the political spectrum, including Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, who described the move as unacceptable.

Polls suggest center-right and far-right parties are set to gain seats at the June European elections. An EU survey published this week suggests that Russias invasion of Ukraine, and European defense and security, are high on the list of voter priorities.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Armenia is solely given the role of a tool with which the West wishes to spark a fire in the South Caucasus, Spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said at a briefing, Trend reports.

"The intentions of Washington and Brussels are clear: they aim to sever all connections between Russia and Armenia, spanning both security and economic domains and weaken the mechanisms of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Western nations are actively seeking to sow discord among the closest neighbors in the South Caucasus, utilizing Armenia merely as a tool to incite further conflict, in line with the US and EU's agenda to ignite broader tensions," she said.

"Should the document indeed propose the substitution of Russian border guards with specialists from the US-EU-NATO coalition, the amplification of American and EU subversive operations along Armenia's borders with Azerbaijan and Iran, and the redirection of Armenia's vital infrastructure and energy network, it would not come as a surprise. There has been a noticeable effort by US and EU representatives to influence Armenia with such concepts," Zakharova emphasized, commenting on the document between the EU, the US, and Armenia adopted during the Brussels meeting.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, alongside EU High Representative and Vice President Josep Borrell, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, USAID chief Samantha Power, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan convened in Brussels on April 5.

One of the outcomes of the meeting was the announcement that the EU would propose Armenia's Resilience and Growth Plan for 2024-2027, with a budget allocation of 270 million euro.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Right-wing politicians, academics and campaigners from across Europe gathered in Brussels this week for a two-day National Conservatism Conference that organizers said was aimed at preserving the nation-state in Europe. As Henry Ridgwell reports, an effort by the Brussels mayor to shut down the conference prompted accusations of an assault on the right to free speech.
The Group of Seven on Thursday reaffirmed its support for Ukraine's defense, addressing both its urgent short-term financing needs and long-term reconstruction. Germany will host a Ukraine recovery conference in Berlin this year, while Italy will host the conference in 2025.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba at a bilateral meeting on the margins of G7 foreign ministers talks in Capri, Italy, that the United States is committed to helping Kyiv defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity against Russias aggression, including the recent attacks on Ukraines energy infrastructure.

Recent attacks on Ukraines Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant have raised concerns about the potential for a major nuclear accident.

Blinken also underlined the urgency of U.S. congressional action on aid for Ukraine.

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives is expected to hold its much-anticipated vote on aid for Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific as early as Saturday.

"In these turbulent times, it is a hopeful sign that there are now signals from the Republicans in the U.S. that support for Ukraine can be continued intensively," German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said during a news conference.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and Kuleba later participated in the G7 foreign ministers session focusing on supporting Ukraine.

Stoltenberg said the alliance is actively working to provide additional air defense systems soon.

In Washington, the G7 finance ministers wrapped up talks on the margins of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group spring meetings earlier this week.

In a statement, G7 finance ministers said they are working with the European Union to provide stable, predictable and sustainable financial support covering a portion of Ukraines financing needs until 2027, including through support for investment and access to finance.

We reiterate our commitment to support Ukraines long-term recovery and reconstruction needs, which the World Bank currently estimates to amount to almost USD 486 billion over 10 years, the finance ministers said in the statement.

Some information for this report came from Reuters.
Georgia's parliament gave initial approval on Wednesday to a bill on "foreign agents" that the European Union said risked blocking the country's path to membership and triggered protests for a third straight night.

The fate of the bill is widely seen as a test of whether Georgia, 33 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, intends to pursue a path of integration with the West or move closer toward Russia.

Critics compare the bill to a law that Russia has used extensively to crack down on dissent.

As many as 10,000 opponents of the bill gathered outside the parliament, sitting atop cars and buildings  a day after police used pepper spray to clear protesters away from part of the building.

Several thousand protesters moved over to the government building, heavily guarded by police, to demand a meeting with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, the bill's principal backer.

Some demonstrators, many wearing helmets and masks, scuffled with police outside the building.

Eighty-three of 150 deputies voted in favor, while opposition MPs boycotted the vote. The bill must pass two more readings before becoming law.

It would require organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as agents of foreign influence.

Soon after the vote, the EU said in a statement, "This is a very concerning development, and the final adoption of this legislation would negatively impact Georgia's progress on its EU path. This law is not in line with EU core norms and values."

It said the proposed legislation "would limit the capacity of civil society and media organizations to operate freely, could limit freedom of expression and unfairly stigmatize organizations that deliver benefits to the citizens of Georgia."

The EU urged Georgia to "refrain from adopting legislation that can compromise Georgia's EU path." The United States and Britain have also urged Georgia not to pass the bill.

The prime minister, in comments quoted by the Interpressnews, said Western politicians had not produced a single valid argument against the bill, and their statements would not prompt the government to change its mind.

President Salome Zourabichvili, whose role is mostly ceremonial, said she would veto the law if it was passed. But parliament has the power to override her veto.

The ruling Georgian Dream Party, which has faced accusations of authoritarianism and excessive closeness to Russia, says the bill is necessary to promote transparency and combat "pseudo-liberal values" imposed by foreigners.

Protesters call bill 'Russian'

The Interior Ministry said two people were detained at the latest protest. On Tuesday, 11 were detained, and one police officer was injured in altercations.

Protesters who denounced the bill as the "Russian law" appeared undaunted.

"It is very hard to predict any scenario, because the government is unpredictable, unreliable, untruthful, sarcastic and cynical," said activist Paata Sabelashvili. "People here are just flowing and flowing and flowing like rivers."

Parliament passed the law on first reading in a rowdy session during which four opposition lawmakers were removed from the chamber amid shouts of "No to the Russian law" and "Traitors."

Russia is viewed with deep suspicion by many in the South Caucasus country of 3.7 million people, which in 2008 lost a brief war with Moscow over the Moscow-backed breakaway territory of South Ossetia.

Russia defends legislation as 'normal'

Russia said on Wednesday it had nothing to do with the law and defended it as a "normal practice." Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said it was being used by outside actors to stoke anti-Russian sentiment.

The bill was initially introduced in March 2023. but was shelved after two nights of violent protests and has increased divisions in a deeply polarized Georgia.

A coalition of opposition groups, civil society, celebrities and the president have rallied to oppose it.
The colorful graffiti sprinkled across this mountain town offers one clue about some political sentiments here.

"Liberty for Stefanu Ori," is plastered on one peeling wall, referring to a Corsican militant arrested last month. Another pays tribute to nationalist Yvan Colonna, killed in jail where he was serving time for the assassination of a top French official.

Still others offer the shorthand call  AFF  for French to leave the island.

Perched on a hill of rugged northern Corsica, Corte is the undisputed cultural and political heart of this French Mediterranean island, which has long fought for greater self-rule from Paris. Today, some some are hopeful that could happen following an agreement last month to insert language in France's constitution recognizing "an autonomous status" for Corsica.

Top Corsican official Gilles Simeoni called the March agreement  since approved by Corsica's legislature  a "decisive step," but cautioned it was just a beginning.

The measure still needs to be approved by both France's lower house and Senate, where right-wing lawmakers fiercely oppose it. Even if the measure is approved, it is unclear just how much of a difference it will make.

"It's a step, not necessarily a big one," said Andre Fazi, a political scientist at the University of Corte. "it could end up making no real change, with the central power retaining the final say when it comes to Corsican national assembly decisions."

"What is clear is nobody is thrilled about this reform," he added of the mixed reaction. "Those who support a strong French state will be against this reform. Those who support Corsican independence will say it doesn't go far enough."

Even some Corsicans, fiercely proud of their identity, are worried about giving local authorities too much say on some matters.

"I am for Corsican autonomy, but I have real questions about the competence of those managing Corsica today," said Dominique, a Corsican retiree and former senior French public servant. He declined to give his last name because of the sensitive topic. "If they can't manage basic things like garbage, why give them more power?"

Paoli's legacy

The fleeting years when Corsican did have self rule  more than two centuries ago  are cemented in Corte's history. Dominating a central town square is the statue of 18th century independence leader Pascal Paoli. A key figure in first ousting Genoa then briefly France from the island, Paoli oversaw a quasi-independent Corsican state between 1755-59, with its capital in Corte. He went into exile twice, in England, where he died in 1807.

By that time, Corsica was firmly back in France's orbit, under the rule of another Corsican  Napoleon Bonaparte.

At Corte's Pascal Paoli University, a few minutes' walk from Paoli's statue, graduate student Andrea Nanglard said she is not interested in politics, but supports more autonomy for the island.

"I consider myself more Corsican than French," said Nanglard, who was born on the French continent but moved to Corsica as a teenager, and speaks the Corsican language. "But I'm not sure if greater autonomy would really change things."

Another Corsican student, Julien Preziose, also backs inserting a Corsican autonomy reference in the French constitution.

"I think it's important to fight for the Corsican identity, because otherwise it could disappear," said Preziose, who is studying ancient Corsican history and archeology. "But it's not like we think about being Corsican all the time. It's when we leave Corsica, when that happens."

In the 19th and 20th centuries, many Corsicans did leave in search of work. Some headed to the Americas; others to French colonies or the mainland. Today, some are coming back to retire, and a few to rediscover their roots. New schools have opened teaching the Corsican language to youngsters.

But among Corsica's 350,000 residents, many are also French retirees from the mainland. Foreign tourists are similarly flooding in, lured by the island's beauty. Their arrival has notched up real estate prices and stirred tensions.

"Corsicans are no longer speaking Corsican, they're losing their roots, their history," said Dominique, the retired public servant. In the village where he now lives, he said, young people can no longer afford to buy property. "Corsicans are forced to sell their land because they can no longer make ends meet."

Growing divide

Calls for independence resurfaced in the 1970s, with the creation of the National Liberation Front of Corsica, or FLNC, which among other separatist fighters, staged attacks against symbols of French governance. The most spectacular, attributed to Corsican nationalist Yvan Colonna, was the 1998 assassination of French prefect Claude Erignac, the island's top French state official. Although the FLNC, for one, formally laid down its arms in 2014, the nationalist movement remains active  especially in Corte. Corsican crime families are also anchored into the landscape.

While nationalist bombings and other attacks have largely ended, tensions still simmer. The 2022 killing by a fellow prisoner of Colonna, serving a life sentence over Erignac's killing, sparked protests and rioting in Corte and elsewhere on the island.

Meanwhile, Fazi, the political scientist, believes the fracture between Corsicans and mainland French has grown bigger in recent years. Common memories that bound the two populations a few decades ago  military service, World War II or serving in former French colonies  have now faded.

"There are a lot of Corsican youth today who don't feel themselves to be at all French," he said. "And there's been a lot of immigration to Corsica by people who do feel themselves to be French. And that kind of psychological rupture between the two could be a worry for the state."

Even so, France's highly centralized government has loosened up modestly in recent years, including granting Corsica greater political say through a series of small steps. In 2015, Corsican nationalists came to power in regional elections for the first time. The island's legislature is today dominated by autonomists, like Simeoni, who want more local powers but not a full split with France.

If France's parliament greenlights this new autonomy measure, the island's registered voters  both Corsican and French  also will have their say, said President Emmanuel Macron. The majority of both groups, said analyst Fazi, would likely support the measure  one key element bringing the two groups together.

"Autonomy has become mainstream  it's not subversive like it was 40 years ago," he said. Still, Fazi added, if the autonomy measure amounts to little more than constitutional language with no substance, Corsica could see new tensions.

"The more the reform is timid, the more it could reinforce the contestation" against the French state, he said. "We may not see a big resurgence of attacks, but more and more violent protests."
A senior Revolutionary Guards general threatened on Thursday to target Israel's "nuclear facilities" if it strikes Irans sites, state media reported, anticipating retaliation for Tehran's weekend attack.

Israel has vowed a response to the Iranian aerial attack, which was mostly intercepted. World leaders have urged de-escalation.

Violence involving Iran-aligned groups across the Middle East has soared since the start of the Israel-Hamas war with the Tehran-backed Palestinian militant group's October 7 attack.

Tehran's first direct attack on Israel, launched late Saturday, was in retaliation for an April 1 airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus that killed seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including two generals.

Israeli officials have not said when or where the country would retaliate, but Ahmad Haghtalab, the Guards' head of nuclear protection and security, said Iran would reciprocate any attack on nuclear sites.

"If the Zionist regime [Israel wants to take action against our nuclear centers and facilities, it will definitely and surely face our reaction," the official news agency IRNA quoted Haghtalab as saying.

"For the counterattack, the nuclear facilities of the [Israeli] regime will be targeted and operated upon with advanced weaponry."

His warning came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel reserves "the right to protect itself" following the Iranian attack with hundreds of drones and missiles.

Haghtalab said the threat of an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities could lead Tehran "to revise and deviate from the declared nuclear policies and considerations," without elaborating.

The Islamic republic, which has always insisted its nuclear program is peaceful and denies seeking an atomic bomb, has accused archenemy Israel of sabotage attacks on its facilities and assassinations of nuclear scientists in recent years.

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in 2019 that Iran could have developed nuclear weapons but would not do so because Islam forbids their use.

U.S. and other Western officials have said that the continued expansion of Iran's nuclear program suggests military aims.

In 2018 the United States unilaterally withdrew from a landmark deal meant to curb Iran's nuclear activities while providing some relief from crippling Western sanctions.

Since then, Iran has gradually reduced its commitment to the terms imposed by the 2015 accord, and diplomatic efforts to revive it have long stalled as some sanctions have been re-imposed.

The majority of Iran's known nuclear sites, including the uranium enrichment plants at Natanz and Fordo, are located in the country's center.

Iran's only nuclear power plant is located in the southern port city of Bushehr.

According to Haghtalab, Iran has identified Israeli nuclear centers and holds "necessary information of all targets."

Israel is widely known to have nuclear weapons but has never admitted so.
Israel's military said Thursday it conducted airstrikes throughout the Gaza Strip targeting Hamas fighters and infrastructure along with aerial strikes that killed two Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon.

The Lebanon strikes were the latest in cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that has raised concerns about the spread of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

Agence France-Presse cited Hezbollah saying two of its fighters were killed in an Israeli strike in Kfar Kila.

Israel said 14 of its soldiers were injured Wednesday in a Hezbollah attack on northern Israel.

The White House said U.S. and Israeli officials on Thursday discussed American concerns over Israel's planned military operations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which Israel agreed to consider.

"The two sides agreed on the shared objective to see Hamas defeated in Rafah," the White House said in a statement. "U.S. participants expressed concerns with various courses of action in Rafah, and Israeli participants agreed to take these concerns into account."

Earlier this week, the World Food Program sent two convoys into Gaza, delivering 374 metric tons of wheat flour, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the United Nations secretary-general, told reporters on Thursday.

"The agency warns that the only way to halt famine is through daily deliveries of food supplies. This requires conditions that allow humanitarian staff and supplies to move freely  and the people in need to access assistance safely," Dujarric said.

But U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday said that Israel's commitments to improve aid access in Gaza have had "limited and sometimes nil" impact.

On Thursday evening, the United States cast a veto at the Security Council to block the United Nations from recognizing a Palestinian state. The United Kingdom and Switzerland abstained, and the remaining 12 council members voted yes.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Wednesday during a visit to South Korea that the United States does not see the resolution as part of the path to achieving a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Close to 34,000 killed

Gaza is on the brink of famine, numerous agencies have reported, but the U.S. and Israel say access to aid has improved this month. Food trucks entered Gaza's Ashdod Port for the first time since Israel approved its opening for aid shipments, the Israeli military said Wednesday.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says Israeli military actions have killed nearly 34,000 Palestinians since the war began. The ministry says two-thirds of those killed are women and children.

Israel launched its offensive in response to the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people, according to Israeli figures. Militants also took about 250 people hostage. In November, more than 100 hostages were released as part of a four-day pause in the fighting. Israel says about 130 hostages remain in captivity, but one-quarter of them are dead. Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., U.K., EU and others.

Qatar reconsiders mediator role

Qatar is rethinking its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, its prime minister said Wednesday during a news conference with his Turkish counterpart in Doha.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said, without elaborating, that its mediation had been abused.

"At this point right now, we are reevaluating our role as mediators and how the parties are engaged with this mediation," he said.

Al Thani said there were "limits" to what Qatar can do as a mediator, though top leaders of Hamas live in exile in the country.

Qatar, Egypt and the United States have been involved in talks to secure a halt in fighting that would include the release of some hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza and the freeing of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
In response to growing campaign violence, Chad's transitional president, General Mahamat Idriss Deby, has ordered his military to arrest angry civilians and make sure peace reigns in the run-up to the May 6 presidential election and afterwards. Opposition and civil society groups, which have called for a boycott of the vote, which they dismiss as a sham, acknowledge that some civilians have attacked members of the Debys campaign team.

Chad's transitional president, General Mahamat Idriss Deby, says he will not allow anyone to disrupt the central African countrys May 6 presidential election. Deby is running as the candidate of the Patriotic Salvation Movement, or MPS, Chad's former ruling party, against nine challengers.

He told state TV on Wednesday that government troops have been quelling confrontations between his supporters and opposition followers in towns and villages across the country since the presidential campaign was launched on April 14.

Deby said that when he took power three years ago, he vowed to maintain peace and order until he hands power to a democratically elected president. He said he has asked Chad's military to be on alert because he will not allow people he describes as inexperienced and power-hungry to create chaos in Chad. He said the military will ensure that peace reigns in Chad before, during and after the May 6 vote.

Chad's transitional government claims that some opposition leaders began calling for violence after about 1,000 civil society groups and 200 opposition parties publicly declared their support for Deby. He said that among those promoting violence are opposition figures whom Chads Constitutional Council barred from running for president.

Among those barred from running was Djimet Clemen Bagaou, a former army colonel who is president of the Democratic Party of Chadian People or PDPT. The Constitutional Council said the birth certificate that Bagaou presented in registering as a candidate had irregularities but did not explain further.

Bagaou said some of his supporters, including members of civil society groups, have had daily confrontations with followers of Deby and troops in several towns and villages.

Bagaou claims Deby asked Chad's military to attack his supporters and civil society members who have called for a boycott of the May 6 vote. He dismissed the election as fake, accusing Deby of doing everything possible to maintain his familys grip on power, including harassing and arresting civilians who do not support his plans. Bagaou said scores of opposition and civil society members are ready to prevent the election from taking place.

Bagaou spoke via a messaging app from Chad's capital N'djamena. He did not say how his supporters and civil society groups plan to stop the election from happening.

Chad's military government insists that government troops deployed to maintain peace are not harassing civilians, as the opposition and civil society groups claim.

Still, it acknowledges that some arrests have been made in what officials say is part of an effort to assure a peaceful election.

Two other fierce opponents of military rule who were barred by the Constitutional Council from running for president are Nassour Ibrahim Neguy Koursami and Rakhis Ahmat Saleh. They accuse Deby of using government troops to crack down on his opponents in a bid to remain in power after Chads transitional period ends in August. They claim he is also using state resources, including government vehicles and officials, for his election campaign.

Yaya Dillo Djerou, who was the leader of the opposition Socialist Party Without Borders and a cousin of Deby, was killed in March in the capital N'Djamena by troops who surrounded the partys headquarters.

Opposition supporters say Dillo may have been killed because he was planning to challenge the general at the polls. Chad's government denies the accusation, saying there was an exchange of gunfire when Dillo resisted his arrest.

While some opposition members are calling for an election boycott, Deby's challengers say they are counting on Chads election commission, the National Agency for Elections Management, or ANGE, to ensure a free, transparent and credible vote.

Ahmed Bartchiret is ANGE's president.

He said the May 6 presidential election is a barometer of Chad's young democracy and that his agency must prove to the world that it respects people's democratic choices. Bartchiret said all the candidates in the presidential race should know that ANGE is committed to having a fair and transparent election.

Deby headed a military junta that seized power in Chad immediately after his father, Mahamat Idriss Deby, who had ruled the country for 30 years, was killed by rebels.

The younger Deby initially promised an 18-month transitional period, but later appointed himself as the head of a transitional government.

The May 6 presidential election is meant to be part of Chads transition back to democracy. Provisional results are expected on July 7.

Deby said he will respect the voting results and hand over power if he is defeated.
Kenyas military chief was among nine people killed in a helicopter crash Thursday, according to Kenyan President William Ruto.

General Francis Ogolla, Kenyas chief of defense forces, was in the helicopter with 11 other military personnel. Two people survived the crash and are hospitalized.

Shortly after takeoff, the helicopter went down in Kenyas Rift Valley, in the countrys west, and burst into flames, local media reported.

Ruto called the incident a tragic moment during a news conference.

Our motherland has lost one of her most valiant generals, Ruto said. The demise of General Ogolla is a painful loss to me.

Earlier, Ruto had convened an urgent meeting of the Kenyan security council.

Ogolla joined the Kenya Defense Forces in 1984, where he trained as a fighter pilot with the United States Air Force and as an instructor pilot at the Kenya Air Force, according to a Defense Ministry profile.

Ogolla ended up heading the Kenyan air force before rising to deputy military chief.

Ruto promoted Ogolla to lead the military last year. At the time, Ruto accused Ogolla of taking part in an attempt to overturn the 2022 presidential election results, but said he was the most qualified person for the job.

Some information is from Reuters.
Pakistan announced Thursday that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will pay a three-day official visit to Islamabad, starting April 22, as the neighboring countries seek to mend relations after an unprecedented exchange of antiterror missile strikes on each others territory.

He is coming. We welcome them, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told reporters in the Pakistani capital. The visit is on the card for April 22nd, 23rd and 24th. We are obviously making full preparations for it.

Dar rejected the idea that Iran's recent military standoff with Israel could lead to Islamabad and Tehran postponing Raisi's visit.

This visit had been planned for weeks and months before the incident occurred, Dar stated.

The announcement comes a day after representatives to the United Nations of nearly 50 countries, including the United States, jointly condemned Irans missile and drone attacks against Israel over the weekend.

We note that Irans escalatory attack is the latest in a pattern of dangerous and destabilizing actions by Iran and its militant partners that pose a grave threat to international peace and security, the statement said.

Washington, the European Union, and the G7 group of industrialized nations all announced plans to consider fresh sanctions on Tehran, an action aimed at supporting Israel while persuading it against further escalation.

The Iranian attack involving some 350 drones and missiles was a response to Israels suspected strike on Irans consulate in Syria on April 1. Tehran said the strike killed killing two Iranian generals and five other officers of its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

On Tuesday, Dar addressed a joint news conference with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud in Islamabad, where they jointly urged an immediate cease-fire in Gaza but refrained from calling out Iran for launching the attack on Israel.

Pakistan and Iran share a 900-kilometer border. The countries accuse each other of not doing enough to prevent militants from sheltering on their respective soils and launching cross-border terrorist attacks.

In January, Iranian security forces launched missile strikes against what they said were anti-Iran militant hideouts in the southwestern Pakistani border province of Baluchistan. Islamabad condemned Iran's violation of its territorial integrity and retaliated with strikes on bases of anti-Pakistan militants operating from Iranian soil.

The strikes fueled concerns about a larger conflict between the two Muslim countries and of wider regional instability after Hamas launched a terror attack on Israel on October 7.

Tehran and Islamabad swiftly undertook diplomatic efforts to ease the bilateral tensions and pledged to respect each others sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Pakistan and Iran recently renewed their pledges to build a long-planned multi-billion-dollar pipeline linking the two countries to import Iranian natural gas.

While Tehran says it has completed construction of 900 kilometers of the pipeline on its side of the border, construction has not started on the Pakistani side because Islamabad fears it would invite U.S. sanctions for importing energy from Iran.



VOA Pakistan Bureau Chief Sarah Zaman contributed to this story.
A new report by a team of Tibet-focused cybersecurity analysts details how hackers with links to the Chinese government are using cyber espionage tactics to target members of the Tibetan government-in-exile and the office of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

Spyware-as-a-Service," which was released Thursday, uses information from an enormous data leak in February from Chinese cybersecurity firm I-Soon. According to the report, hackers have been targeting the mobile phones of officials from the Central Tibetan Administration, or CTA, since 2018 and the large amount of information Chinese hackers have collected could pose significant security risks to them and those in their social networks.

That targeting, represents a significant shift in the tactics used by threat actors, signaling an adaptation to modern communication methods and an understanding of the increasing reliance on mobile devices for both personal and professional activities, the report said. Tibet-focused research network Turquoise Roof published the report.

The February data dump was a treasure trove of information about Chinas cyber espionage and other activities. Leaked documents revealed that private firm I-Soon's clients include the Chinese police, Chinas Ministry of Public Security, and the Peoples Liberation Army. The leaked information also detailed tools and tactics used by the organization and connections among hacking groups in China.

'Tip of an iceberg'

These new findings provide a glimpse into the sprawling cyber espionage apparatus that China has used to target ethnic minorities over the last few decades, says Greg Walton, senior investigator at U.K.-based security consulting firm Secdev Group.

While the revelation is only the tip of an iceberg, its a very revealing one, said Walton, who is the reports author.

The findings help us learn more about the opaque system [that the Chinese authorities] have been using to target the West, he told VOA by phone.

One leaked white paper described in the report focused on how I-Soon used compromised e-mail inboxes of exiled Tibetan authorities to demonstrate how their system can satisfy the demand of Chinas intelligence agencies to mine through substantial volumes of intercepted email data.

The platform is engineered to facilitate investigations into an individuals interpersonal network and to intricately map the social networks of targeted individuals, the report wrote.

Walton said the white paper offers rare insight into the capabilities of the Chinese party-state.

[Since] we know that I-Soon has been selling their services to Chinese intelligence agencies, including the public security bureau in Tibet, we make the point in the report that the harvested social network analysis from the exiles inboxes could be sold to the authorities in Tibet, he told VOA.

In his view, Chinese authorities could incorporate the web of personal and professional connections identified from the compromised e-mail inboxes of exiled Tibetan officials into the big data policing platform that they use to crack down on the local community in Tibet.

The platform is instrumental in a campaign that criminalizes even moderate cultural, religious expressions, language rights advocacy and surfaces links to exile Tibetan networks, Walton said.

In response to the reports findings, the Chinese Embassy in Washington said Beijing has always firmly opposed and cracked down on all forms of cyber hacking according to law.

The accusation from the report is a complete reversal of black and white, Liu Pengyu, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy, told VOA in a written response.

A long history of threats from Chinese cyber espionage

The CTA and the Tibetan diaspora community have been targets of Chinese cyber espionage for more than a decade. In 2008, an extensive cyber operation called GhostNet, which is connected to a specialized division of the Peoples Liberation Army, caused serious problems across the Tibetan community.

Between November 2018 and May 2019, some senior members of Tibetan groups received malicious links in tailored WhatsApp text exchanges with operators disguised as NGO workers and other fake personas, according to research conducted by the University of Torontos Citizen Lab.

According to Turquoise Roofs report, the escalation of cyber operations against the CTA by Chinas military and intelligence services is in step with the exiled Tibetan governments increased investment in its digital presence and reliance on digital systems for interacting with the diaspora community.

Some Tibetan organizations have been conducting training to enhance their resilience against Chinese cyberattacks.

The Tibet Action Institute provides tech assistance to exiled Tibetan organizations and they often teach us about the security measures we can adopt to prevent our accounts or digital devices from being hacked, Ngawang Lungtok, a researcher at the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, told VOA by phone.

The CTA has also been focusing on upgrading its technical capacity and offering orientations to all Tibetan officials in recent years.

The Tibetan Computer Resource Center offers training and workshops regularly, Tenzin Lekshay, the spokesperson of the CTA, told VOA in a written response.

Walton adds that the CTA even sent people to the United States for specialized training.

The CTA has some good people trained in the U.S. and is now in the position to help tackle risks extended from Chinese cyberattacks, he said.

The report says the I-Soon leak offers significant insight into the Chinese authorities use of AI-driven surveillance systems to enforce political controls within and beyond its border. It also showcases Beijings efforts to refine its espionage capabilities by using novel intelligence tactics against vulnerable populations like the Tibetans before global deployment.

Considering the impact of cyber espionage on the Tibetans, Walton said he believes investing in the protection of vulnerable populations from digital transnational repression is an example of aligning traditional security with human rights advocacy.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Armenia is solely given the role of a tool with which the West wishes to spark a fire in the South Caucasus, Spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said at a weekly briefing, Trend reports.

"It is obvious that in Washington and Brussels, the goal is to disrupt all ties between Russia and Armenia, both in security and in the economy, and to undermine the mechanisms of the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization] and the EAEU [Eurasian Economic Union].

Western countries seek to sow discord among close neighbors in the South Caucasus, with Armenia being relegated to the role of merely a tool through which the US and the EU plan to ignite a new large-scale conflict.

We would not be surprised if it turns out that the document provides for the replacement of Russian border guards with specialists from the US, EU, and NATO, the expansion of subversive activities by Americans and the EU on Armenia's borders against Azerbaijan and Iran, as well as the reorientation of Armenia's critically important infrastructure and energy system.

Indeed, representatives of the US and the European Union actively instilled these ideas in Yerevan," emphasized Zakharova, commenting on the document adopted during the Brussels meeting between the EU, US, and Armenia.

To note, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU High Representative and Vice President Josep Borrell, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, USAID chief Samantha Power, and Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan met in Brussels on April 5.

As a result of the meeting, it was announced that the EU will put forward Armenia's Sustainability and Growth Plan for 20242027, worth 270 million euro.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
U.S. intelligence and security agencies are trying to prepare election officials for a wave of new attacks aiming to destroy voter confidence in November's presidential election, just as a series of reports warn some familiar adversaries are starting to ramp up their efforts.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), along with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the FBI, issued a new warning on Wednesday that "the usual suspects"  Russia, China and Iran  are looking for ways to stoke tensions and divide American voters.

All three countries, the guidance said, are "leveraging influence operations exploiting perceived sociopolitical divisions to undermine confidence in U.S. democratic institutions."

The new guidance warned that the three countries are using fake online accounts and various proxies, including state-sponsored media organizations, to spread disinformation and sow doubt.

It also cautioned that Russia, China and Iran are using real people, including social media influencers, "to wittingly or unwittingly promote their narratives."

"The elections process is the golden thread of American democracy, which is why our foreign adversaries deliberately target our elections infrastructure with their influence operations," CISA senior adviser Cait Conley said in a statement to reporters. "CISA is committed to doing its part to ensure these [state and local] officials  and the American public  don't have to fight this battle alone."

Agency warns of new tactics

The latest guidance, posted on CISA's website, warns that in addition to resorting to familiar tactics, Russia, China and Iran are likely to employ new tricks to try to confuse U.S. voters and erode confidence in the election process.

One such technique is voice cloning  using a fake recording of a public official or figure to try to cause confusion. The agencies cited an example from last year's election in the Slovak Republic, when a fake recording of a key party leader purported to show him discussing how to rig the vote.

The guidance also warned that Iran could try to employ "hack and leak" cyberattacks in the U.S., using lessons learned from similar operations against Israel in recent months.

And it said Russia and China have separately sought to spark alarm among voters by spreading fake documents alleging to show evidence of security incidents impacting physical buildings or computer systems.

China denied the allegations.

"China has always adhered to noninterference in other countries' internal affairs," Liu Pengyu, the spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said in an email to VOA.

"Speculating or accusing China of using social media to interfere in the U.S. politics is completely groundless and malicious," Liu added.

VOA also contacted representatives for the Russian and Iranian governments, who have yet to respond.

For now, CISA, ODNI and the FBI are advising U.S. election officials that they can try to mitigate the impact of election meddling attempts by creating trusted portals for information, such as official U.S. government websites, and by proactively debunking false information.

But the challenge is likely to grow.

Russia already interfering, says Microsoft

Tech giant Microsoft warned on Wednesday it is seeing signs that Russia, at least, is already ramping up its election interference efforts.

"The usual Russian election influence actors kicked into gear over the last 45 days," according to a report by Microsoft's Threat Analysis Center.

The Russian effort so far, the report said, "employs a mix of themes from 2020 with a renewed focus on undermining U.S. support for Ukraine."

Microsoft further warned that Russia, China and Iran have "leveraged some form of generative AI [artificial intelligence] to create content since last summer."

"We anticipate that election influence campaigns will include fakes  some will be deep, most shallow  and the simplest manipulations, not the most complex employment of AI, will likely be the pieces of content that have the most impact," the report added.

At the same time, there is concern about domestic extremists impacting the presidential election.

"There is a serious risk of extremist violence," the Council on Foreign Relations wrote in a report issued Wednesday.

"While the risk of far-right election-related violence is greater, the possibility of far-left extremist violence cannot be dismissed," it said, pointing to the possibility of attacks on pre-election political events or gatherings, on polling places during Election Day, and against election offices in the days following the election.

Such warnings are consistent with those issued by U.S. officials in recent months.

"Some DVEs [domestic violent extremists], particularly those motivated by conspiracy theories and anti-government or partisan grievances, may seek to disrupt electoral processes," the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned in a threat assessment issued this past September.

"Violence or threats could be directed at government officials, voters, and electionsrelated personnel and infrastructure, including polling places, ballot drop box locations, voter registration sites, campaign events, political party offices and vote-counting sites," it said.
NATO is working to send more air defense systems to Ukraine, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday, noting that Ukraine had an "urgent, critical need for more air defense."

"We have compiled data about the different air defense systems we have in NATO and focused on the Patriot systems. And we are working with allies to ensure that they redeploy some of their systems to Ukraine," Stoltenberg said.

He made the comments to reporters at a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Italy, which Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also attended.

A meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council is set to take place Friday, Stoltenberg said, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to participate virtually.

"I am encouraged by the commitment and the determination by NATO allies to stand up for Ukraine," Stoltenberg said. He added that there were encouraging signs that the U.S. Congress might vote this weekend on an aid package for Ukraine worth $60.84 billion.

"It's of vital importance that NATO allies sustain and step up their support. We will focus today on air defense. There's an urgent, critical need for more air defense," Stoltenberg said.

Ukraine's military said Thursday it shot down all 13 aerial drones launched by Russia in overnight attacks, while Russia's military reported destroying 20 Ukrainian drones.

The Ukrainian air force said its air defenses intercepted drones over the Dnipropetrovsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kherson, Khmelnytskyi, Poltava, Ternopil and Vinnytsia regions.

In a Telegram post, Serhiy Lysak, the regional governor in Dnipropetrovsk, reported damage to two homes, but no injuries.

Ivano-Frankivsk's governor, Svitlana Onyshchuk, said on Telegram that falling debris from the downed drones started multiple fires.

The bulk of Ukraine's aerial attack focused on the Belgorod region along the border between the two countries.

The Russian Defense Ministry said it destroyed 16 drones and two missiles over Belgorod, where the regional governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, reported damage to a home and one person injured.

Russian air defenses also shot down three drones over the Rostov region and one more over Voronezh, the Defense Ministry said.

Vasily Golubev, the governor of Rostov, said falling debris damaged an industrial building and injured one person.

G7 meetings

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba said Thursday that pushing allies to provide Ukraine with more air defenses was his only focus in talks with foreign ministers from the Group of Seven leading industrial nations in Italy.

Speaking before a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Kuleba said getting deliveries of air defense aid is "of fundamental importance."

Blinken said the talks are happening at a "critical time for Ukraine" and that supporters need to provide Ukraine with "what it needs to continue to effectively defend itself against this Russian aggression."

"If [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is allowed to proceed with impunity, we know he won't stop at Ukraine, and we can safely predict that his aggression will continue," Blinken said. "Other would-be aggressors around the world will take note and unleash their own aggressions, and we will have a world of conflict, not a world of peace and security."

The U.S. State Department said Blinken would also raise U.S. concerns about China's support for Russia's defense industry.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters Tuesday that over the past months, the United States has observed materials being transferred from China to Russia, which is using the materials to rebuild its defense industrial base and produce arms that are showing up on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
The United States warned China on Wednesday against helping Russia in its war on Ukraine and said it is "prepared to take further steps as necessary." In Italy, foreign ministers from the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations gathered to reaffirm their support for Ukraine's defense.

"We believe that the PRC is supporting Russia's war effort and is doing so by helping ramp up its defense production," State Department principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters during a briefing in Washington.

"Specifically," he said, "the PRC is providing Russia with significant quantities of machine tools, microelectronics, optics, UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones] and cruise missile technology, and nitrocellulose, which Russia uses to make propellants for weapons."

Patel said the United States believes these materials "are filling critical gaps in Russia's defense production cycle" and helping to revitalize Russia's defense industrial base.

"China's support is actively enabling Russia's war in Ukraine, and it poses a significant threat to European security," he added. "We've sanctioned relevant firms in the PRC and are prepared to take further steps as necessary."

Blinken, G7 leaders talk

In Capri, Italy, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is holding talks this week with foreign ministers from the other G7 countries  Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom  as well as representatives from the European Union. Topics include Ukraine support, the Middle East crisis, Haitian instability and global partnerships.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Wednesday said the G7 ministers would discuss how to get more air defense to Ukraine as Kyiv faces increasing pressure from Russia.

"We and our partners around the world must now be just as resolute in our defense against Russian terror from the air," Baerbock said in a statement.

Blinken will later visit China, where he is expected to bring up Washington's concerns about China's support for Russia's defense industrial base.

On the margins of the G7 meeting Wednesday, Blinken and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani signed a memorandum of understanding to counter the manipulation of information by other countries.

Blinken said the two nations are collaborating on "all of the most critical issues," including aiding Ukraine in defending itself against Russian aggression, addressing challenges in the Middle East and sharing approaches to challenges posed by China.

Beijing rejected what Chinese officials described as Washington's "smear."

"China regulates the export of dual-use articles in accordance with laws and regulations. Relevant countries should not smear or attack the normal relations between China and Russia and should not harm the legitimate rights and interests of China and Chinese companies," Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said during a briefing.

China continues supporting Russia

After Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's visit to Beijing last week, Chinese officials said China would "continue to support Russia in pursuing development and revitalization under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin."

They said the two nations "have committed themselves to lasting friendship" and a deepened comprehensive strategic partnership.

Russian missile kills at least 17

In Washington, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. The two discussed the U.S. Commerce Department's work with partners to coordinate export controls and restrict sales of advanced technologies to Russia.

Deputy U.S. Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said G7 finance leaders have been working toward a plan to unlock the value of frozen Russian sovereign assets to aid Ukraine in the near term. But he noted the talks are still a work in progress.

In Ukraine, officials said earlier Wednesday that a Russian missile attack hit the northern city of Chernihiv, killing at least 17 people and injuring 61 others.

Denise Brown, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine, condemned the latest wave of strikes. She also emphasized that under international humanitarian law, civilians and hospitals must be protected.

In Chernihiv, aid workers provided on-the-ground support to those affected by the strikes, including psychosocial and legal assistance. Their efforts complement the work of first responders and rescue services.

Some information for this report came from Reuters.
The whereabouts of two Ukrainian journalists held by Russia have been unknown for several months, a press freedom group said Wednesday.

Heorhiy Levchenko and Anatasiya Glukhovska were detained in August 2023 by officers with the Russian Federal Security Service, but their arrests were not made public until October 2023 when Russian state media reported on the jailings.

About eight months since the journalists arrests, their whereabouts remain unknown, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, or CPJ.

The New York-based press freedom group called for Russian authorities to immediately release the reporters.

Journalists Heorhiy Levchenko and Anatasiya Glukhovksa have been held incommunicado by Russian occupying forces in Ukraine for almost eight months, simply for being journalists, Gulnoza Said, CPJs Europe and Central Asia program coordinator, said in a statement.

Russian authorities must immediately release them, drop all charges against them, and stop their illegal prosecution of Ukrainian nationals in occupied territories, she added.

Levchenko is being investigated for alleged terrorism, but its unclear what charges  if any  Glukhovska is facing.

Levchenko and Glukhovska are among several journalists detained in Russia-occupied Ukrainian territories. The whereabouts of at least three others are also unknown, according to the CPJ.

The Washington embassies of Ukraine and Russia did not immediately reply to VOAs emails requesting comment.
Hours after she escaped the Columbine High School shooting, 14-year-old Missy Mendo slept between her parents in bed, still wearing the shoes she had on when she fled her math class. She wanted to be ready to run.

Twenty-five years later, and with Mendo now a mother herself, the trauma from that horrific day remains close on her heels.

It caught up to her when 60 people were shot dead in 2017 at a country music festival in Las Vegas, a city she had visited a lot while working in the casino industry. Then again in 2022, when 19 students and two teachers were shot and killed in Uvalde, Texas.

Mendo had been filling out her daughter's pre-kindergarten application when news of the elementary school shooting broke. She read a few lines of a news story about Uvalde, then put her head down and cried.

"It felt like nothing changed," she recalls thinking.

In the quarter-century since two gunmen at Columbine shot and killed 12 fellow students and a teacher in suburban Denver  an attack that played out on live television and ushered in the modern era of school shootings  the traumas of that day have continued to shadow Mendo and others who were there.

Some needed years to view themselves as Columbine survivors since they were not physically wounded. Yet things like fireworks could still trigger disturbing memories. The aftershocks  often unacknowledged in the years before mental health struggles were more widely recognized  led to some survivors suffering insomnia, dropping out of school, or disengaging from their spouses or families.

Survivors and other members of the community plan to attend a candlelight vigil on the steps of the state's capitol Friday night, the eve of the shooting's anniversary.

April is particularly hard for Mendo, 39, whose "brain turns to mashed potatoes" each year. She shows up at dentist appointments early, misplaces her keys, forgets to close the refrigerator door.

She leans on therapy and the understanding of an expanding group of shooting survivors she has met through The Rebels Project, a support group founded by other Columbine survivors following a 2012 shooting when a gunman killed 12 people at a movie theater in the nearby suburb of Aurora. Mendo started seeing a therapist after her child's first birthday, at the urging of fellow survivor moms.

After she broke down over Uvalde, Mendo, a single parent, said she talked to her mom, took a walk to get some fresh air, then finished her daughter's pre-kindergarten application.

"Was I afraid of her going into the public school system? Absolutely," Mendo said of her daughter. "I wanted her to have as normal of a life as possible."

Researchers who've studied the long-term effects of gun violence in schools have quantified protracted struggles among survivors, including long-term academic effects like absenteeism and reduced college enrollment, and lower earnings later in life.

"Just counting lives lost is kind of an incorrect way to capture the full cost of these tragedies," said Maya Rossin-Slater, an associate professor in the Stanford University School of Medicine's Department of Health Policy.

Mass killings have recurred with numbing frequency in the years since Columbine, with almost 600 attacks in which four or more people have died, not including the perpetrator, since 2006, according to data compiled by The Associated Press.

More than 80% of the 3,045 victims in those attacks were killed by a firearm.

Nationwide hundreds of thousands of people have been exposed to school shootings that are often not mass-casualty events but still traumatic, Rossin-Slater said. The impacts can last a lifetime, she added, resulting in "kind of a persistent, reduced potential" for survivors.

Those who were present at Columbine say the years since have given them time to learn more about what happened to them and how to cope with it.

Heather Martin, now 42, was a Columbine senior in 1999. In college, she began crying during a fire drill, realizing later that a fire alarm had gone off for three hours when she and 60 other students hid in a barricaded office during the high school shooting. She couldn't return to that class and was marked absent each time, and says she failed it after refusing to write a final paper on school violence, despite telling her professor of her experience at Columbine.

It took 10 years for her to see herself as a survivor, after she was invited back with the rest of the class of 1999 for an anniversary event. She saw fellow classmates having similar struggles and almost immediately decided to go back to college to become a teacher.

Martin, a co-founder of The Rebels Project, named after Columbine's mascot, said 25 years has given her time to struggle and figure out how to work out of those struggles.

"I just know myself so well now and know how I respond to things and what might activate me and how I can bounce back and be OK. And most importantly I think I can recognize when I am not OK and when I do need to seek help," she said.

Kiki Leyba, a first-year teacher at Columbine in 1999, was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder soon after the shooting. He felt a strong sense of commitment to return to the school, where he threw himself into his work. But he continued to have panic attacks.

To help him cope, he had sleeping pills and some Xanax for anxiety, Leyba said. One therapist recommended chamomile tea.

Things got harder for him after the 2002 graduation of Mendo's class, the last cohort of students who lived through the shooting since they had been through so much together.

By 2005, after years of not taking care of himself and suffering from lack of sleep, Leyba said he would often check out from family life, sleeping in on the weekends and turning into a "blob on the couch." Finally, his wife Kallie enrolled him in a one-week trauma treatment program, arranging for him to take the time off from work without telling him.

"Thankfully that really gave me a kind of a foothold ... to do the work to climb out of that," said Leyba, who said breathing exercises, journaling, meditation and anti-depressants have helped him.

Like Mendo and Martin, he has traveled around the country to work with survivors of shootings.

"That worst day has transformed into something I can offer to others," said Leyba, who is in Washington, D.C. this week meeting with officials about gun violence and promoting a new film about his trauma journey.

Mendo still lives in the area, and her 5-year-old daughter attends school near Columbine. When her daughter's school locked down last year as police swarmed the neighborhood during a hostage situation, Mendo recalled worrying things like: What if my child is in danger? What if there is another school shooting like Columbine?

When Mendo picked up her daughter, she seemed a little scared, and she hugged her mom a little tighter. Mendo breathed deeply to stay calm, a technique she had learned in therapy, and put on a brave face.

"If I was putting down some fear, she would pick it up," she said. "I didn't want that for her."
A gold mine in Zimbabwe has turned its former dumpsite into a solar station, generating all the energy it needs for operations at the mine and releasing excess energy into the national grid. Located in Zimbabwes southwestern Bubi district, some 500 kilometers from the capital, the project has drawn praise from environmentalists. Columbus Mavhunga has more.
Ukrainian officials said Wednesday a deadly Russian missile attack hit the northern city of Chernihiv, killing at least 17 people and injuring 61 others.

Vyacheslav Chaus, the regional governor, said several missiles struck near the center of the city.

There are victims among civilians and many injured, Chaus said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued condolences for the victims on social media and reiterated his call for allies to provide Ukraine with aid to defend itself from Russias missile and drone attacks.

This would not have happened if Ukraine had received a sufficient number of air defense systems and if the world's determination to counter Russian terror had been sufficient, Zelenskyy said. Terrorists can only destroy lives if they first intimidate those who can stop terror and save lives. Determination matters. Support matters.

Zelenskyy said in his nightly address Tuesday that he would request a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council to discuss the protection of the skies, the supply of anti-aircraft warfare, relevant systems and missiles.

Zelenskyy has in recent days drawn comparisons to the multinational effort to defend Israel from an Iranian drone and missile attack.

In his Tuesday address he cited comments by officials from other countries who drew distinctions between the conflicts. Zelenskyy said the Iranian-made Shahed drones are the same, as are the human lives involved.

Russias defense ministry reported Wednesday destroying a Ukrainian drone over the Mordovia region, and another drone over Tatarstan.

G7 talks

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is joining his counterparts from the Group of Seven leading industrial nations for talks in Italy, where the State Department said he will discuss U.S. concerns about Chinas support for Russias defense industrial base.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters on Tuesday that over the past months, the United States has observed materials being transferred from China to Russia. Russia is using the materials to rebuild its defense industrial base and produce arms that are showing up on the battlefield in Ukraine.

"We are incredibly concerned about that," Miller said.

The United States has long communicated its concerns to China about any actions that could support Russia's war in Ukraine, U.S. officials say. This includes not only direct military support but also steps taken by Chinese companies to reconstitute Russia's defense industrial base.

"The secretary does plan to travel to China in the coming weeks," Miller added. "That is an issue that he would be expected to raise."

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. A memorandum of cooperation has been signed between the Milli Majlis (Parliament) of Azerbaijan and the Congress of New Caledonia, Trend reports.

On behalf of the Azerbaijani Parliament, the memorandum was signed by Sahiba Gafarova, and on behalf of the Congress of New Caledonia by Roch Wamytan.

As per the document, the Azerbaijani Parliament acknowledges the right of the people of New Caledonia to self-determination and pledges to update the international community on this matter.

Furthermore, as stated in the memorandum, the parties will strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation to foster goodwill between the peoples of Azerbaijan and New Caledonia. The parties will also work to develop long-term relationships between commissions, committees, and legislative bodies, as well as arrange reciprocal visits by parliamentary delegations to enable the exchange of information and experience in parliamentary and foreign affairs.

A special group of MPs will be formed to improve cooperation between the parliaments. This group will share insights into legislative preparation and enactment, as well as inter-parliamentary initiatives. They will aggressively pursue, discuss, and advance various routes of cooperation between Azerbaijan and New Caledonia on the world parliamentary arena. This includes providing legal and other relevant information, encouraging the exchange of experiences, and working to improve international cooperation between the two institutions.



The paper further states that regular meetings would be held to carry out the objectives of the collaboration partnership.

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Stop us if youve heard this one before: An alcoholic trans bodywork therapist, a gay near divorce in agonizing back pain, and a half-Moroccan 19-year-old male model in a leg cast walk into a party house. Thats the setup for this clip from Theda Hammels directorial debut, Stress Positions. In this scene exclusively shared with Vulture, Hammels character, Karla, is visiting her friend Terry Goon (a perfectly bedraggled John Early) and his nephew and houseguest, Bahlul (Qaher Harhash), at the height of summer 2020s pandemic lockdowns.

Much of the movies comedy is kinetic and physical, a farce full of moving parts set on every floor of the dilapidated brownstone: poppers gas masks repurposed for COVID safety, an obnoxious doorbell that keeps summoning Terry to limp-waddle to and fro, a couple of deeply consequential pratfalls, and a Chekhovs Theragun. The rest of the humor is talky, a merciless boardwalk caricature of the ways self-involved queer Brooklyn millennials vacillate between half-baked social justice and mild edgelord-ism. The film uses lockdown  the physical and mental isolation of it  as an exacerbating force on those already existing anti-social and oblivious tendencies, like a magnifying glass training a sunbeam on some gay ants.

This scene is one of the talky ones, illustrating that great online generational divide: remembering 9/11. Specifically, recounting to Bahlul how former anti-theist Terry used to tell Karla in college that she looked like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Terrys defense? You did, and I didnt know you were a woman. Real classy, Terry Goon. Stress Positions premieres in New York this Friday and will be released by Neon nationwide on April 26.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. The removal of Russian peacekeepers is the inevitable result of Azerbaijan's policy, political analyst Azer Garayev told Trend.

According to him, we've once again witnessed the Azerbaijani state's determination and President Ilham Aliyev's pursued policy, showcasing a consistent display of precision and strategic calculation in recent years.

The analyst noted that the withdrawal of peacekeepers from the territory of Azerbaijan is not occasional.

"It is worth noting that Azerbaijan's relations with Russia are currently at a high level, and the withdrawal of peacekeepers from our nation reflects the status of bilateral relations. Following the end of the conflict, Russia saw the futility of keeping its forces here. The absence of the military factor in our interactions provides the path for greater cooperation.

The Second Karabakh War and subsequent localized anti-terrorism efforts have led to Azerbaijan fully reclaiming its sovereignty. These developments were integral components of Azerbaijan's meticulously planned policy," he said.

The political analyst mentioned that when signing the trilateral statement on November 10, it was President Ilham Aliyev who insisted on the clause on the temporary deployment of peacekeepers until 2025.

"Back then, we heard pessimistic voices claiming that 'Russian peacekeepers will remain indefinitely,' and so forth. However, today we've seen once more that the President of Azerbaijan knows precisely how and when to act. The peacekeepers are already departing from Azerbaijan, well before the expected timeline of 2025. This development is wholly aligned with the interests of the Azerbaijani people. Consequently, those who prematurely predicted events have made a significant error," he emphasized.

Garayev also added that some circles demonstrate double standards on this matter.

"Instead of embracing the resolution of the conflict and the withdrawal of peacekeepers from Azerbaijani territory, certain Western circles view the matter negatively. This reaction is not unexpected, given the vested interests of certain forces in perpetuating instability in the South Caucasus and their varied methods to achieve their objectives. Their inability to exert pressure on Azerbaijan is a source of frustration for them. Such forces lack genuine interest in fostering enduring peace in the region and instead prioritize their geopolitical agendas.

Azerbaijan, consistently prioritizing the interests of its people, maintains an independent policy and refrains from serving any external geopolitical aims. The withdrawal of peacekeepers from Azerbaijani territory is a natural consequence of Azerbaijan's policy, leaving no lingering uncertainties," he concluded.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. A delegation of the New Caledonian Congress headed by the chairman of the Committee on Infrastructure, Spatial Planning, Sustainable Development, Energy, Transport, and Communication Naisseline Omayra visited the office of Baku Initiative Group, Trend reports.

Abbas Abbasov, executive director of the Baku Initiative Group, informed the delegation on the structure's activities, objectives, and future plans.



During the talk, members of the New Caledonia delegation expressed gratitude to the Azerbaijani government for creating conditions to facilitate the exchange of views between representatives from the two nations.



The meeting saw an exchange of opinions on topics of mutual interest.

At the meeting's conclusion, the delegation presented a memorable souvenir to the Baku Initiative Group's office.

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Cassation court clarifies reports about fascist salute after January ruling.

Italy's top court on Wednesday said that a fascist salute may be a crime even if performed during a commemorative event, in contrast to reports following a ruling earlier this year.

The Cassation Court has clarified that a number of factors must be considered when evaluating whether the stiff-armed salute constitutes a crime, and that making the so-called saluto romano during a commemoration does not automatically "neutralise" the offence, state broadcaster RAI News reports.

These factors include the setting and its "symbolic value" and the degree to which the location it is linked - or not - to the Fascist era, the number of participants, the "insistent repitition" of the gesture and the "danger of emulation".

The court's clarifation comes after it ruled in January that the fascist salute could be considered a crime only "under certain conditions", including if performed in circumstances that risk a "concrete danger" of reviving the banned Fascist party.

In such cases, the court ruled that judges can apply the 1952 Scelba Law against "apology for fascism" and attempting to restore Mussolini's Fascist party.

The court ruled that the fascist salute could also be considered a crime if it posed a risk to public order under the 1993 Mancino Law which permits the prosecution of those involved in racial, ethnic and religious discrimination and the incitement of hate crime.

In making its ruling, the court ordered a second appeals trial in the case of eight neo-fascist militants who made the salute during a 2016 event in Milan to commemorate the 1975 killing of fellow militant Sergio Ramelli.

The January ruling was initially interpreted as meaning that the salute is not a criminal offence if performed at events such as a rally in Rome in January to commemorate the killing of three neo-fascist youths in the Italian capital in 1978.

The Acca Larenzia event takes place every January however this year it sparked outrage after viral video footage of hundreds of men performing the fascist salute made news headlines around the world.

The event took place outside the former headquarters of the neo-fascist Movimento Sociale Italiano (MSI), a percursor to the right-wing Fratelli d'Italia party led by Italy's prime minister Giorgia Meloni.

Photo Il Fatto Quotidiano
Dining chat: A waiter gave our anniversary bubbly to the table next to us. What should we have done?
Tesla will ask shareholders to vote again on the same $US56 billion ($87 billion) compensation package for chief executive officer Elon Musk that was voided by a Delaware court early this year.

In its proxy filing issued overnight, Tesla also said it would call a vote on moving the companys state of incorporation to Texas from Delaware. The carmaker will convene its annual meeting on June 13.

Teslas board is asking shareholders to back its pay package for Elon Musk. Credit: Bloomberg

Tesla chair Robyn Denholm criticised the Delaware Chancery Courts January decision, writing in the proxy that it amounted to second-guessing shareholders who had approved Musks performance-based award in 2018. Chief Judge Kathaleen St. J. McCormick described the companys directors as supine servants of an overweening master and said they hadnt looked out for the best interests of investors.

Because the Delaware Court second-guessed your decision, Elon has not been paid for any of his work for Tesla for the past six years that has helped to generate significant growth and stockholder value, Denholm wrote to investors.
Does the media company that backed war criminal Ben Roberts-Smith to the hilt, while allegedly paying for rapist Bruce Lehrmanns sex workers and cocaine, have a workplace cultural problem?

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If so, it wasnt a question Seven West Media board member Ryan Stokes, son of the networks decaying overlord Kerry Stokes, and managing director of parent company Seven Group Holdings, was prepared to answer.

Ryan Stokes was spotted emerging from Daddys Darling Point mansion on Wednesday morning, a day before the boards first meeting since we learnt of the scandalous lengths Sevens Spotlight went to to secure an interview with Lehrmann.

Asked whether recent evidence at the Lehrmann defamation trial represented an ongoing cultural problem for Seven, Stokes jr gave a silent, knowing smile, before being whisked away in a silver BMW M5 (they retail for about $250,000).
The curtain has risen on Australias entry to the 60th Venice Biennale  a vast hand-drawn chalked family tree stretching back 65,000 years before colonial settlement.

Artist Archie Moore records 2400 generations of ancestors  drawing on intensive research into his English, Scottish and Indigenous heritage  across walls and the ceiling of the cube-like structure of the Australian Pavilion.

Artist Archie Moore and curator Ellie Buttrose at the Australian Pavilion. Credit: Andrea Rossetti

Moore is only the second solo First Nations artist to stage a work at the biennale regarded by some as the Olympics of the international art world.

The reimagined genealogical chart sprawls 60 metres and was intensively researched for the biennale, which opens on Saturday and runs until November 24.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 19. Azerbaijani Parliament is hosting a conference devoted to the theme "New Caledonia: history, modern challenges, and the expected future", Trend reports.

A delegation headed by the chairwoman of the Committee on Infrastructure, Territorial Planning, Sustainable Development, Energy, Transportation, and Communication of the Congress of New Caledonia, Naisseline Omayra, as well as deputies of the Azerbaijani Parliament, are taking part in the meeting.

The moderator of the event, Chairman of the Azerbaijani Parliament's Human Rights Committee Zahid Oruj, spoke about the importance of the upcoming discussions at the conference. Emphasizing that our country has been at the head of the modern anti-colonial movement in recent years, the Committee Chairman noted that after Azerbaijan's brilliant victory in the II Karabakh War, France took a manifestly unfair stance towards our country, which exposes its nefarious imperialist policy covered by various diplomatic and political moves. The attempts of official Paris, which has been waging a campaign against our country, to settle in the South Caucasus and use Armenia as a tool, stem from the essence of its policy. However, the head of the Azerbaijani state resolutely opposed the neo-imperialist policy. The Baku Initiative Group, established for this purpose, is a demonstration of the political will of our state.

The Chairperson of the New Caledonia Congress Committee on Infrastructure, Spatial Planning, Sustainable Development, Energy, Transport, and Communications, Chairperson of the Agriculture Agency, Naisseline Omayra, spoke about the imperialist policy of France, which currently rules the island of New Caledonia as its colony, about the violation of the rights of the indigenous Kanak people, their struggle for freedom, and described the difficulties they face. She noted that France does not fulfill its commitments and tries to limit the rights of the indigenous population by interfering in the Constitution and electoral legislation. Naisseline Omayra expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan for supporting the liberation struggle in New Caledonia. She said the memorandum of cooperation signed between our parliaments will open new doors for New Caledonia in many fields.

Chairman of the Azerbaijani Parliament's Committee on International Relations and Inter-Parliamentary Ties Samad Seyidov emphasized that France's unjust stance towards Azerbaijan, colonial policy towards states such as New Caledonia, and imperialist policy contradict the principles of democracy and the rule of human rights.

The Executive Director of Baku Initiative Group, Abbas Abbasov, talked about Azerbaijan's promotion of the decolonization process in the international arena, support for the just struggle of people suffering from colonialism, informed about the activities of the group, and measures taken to combat colonialism.

Other speeches expressed their opinion on France's new colonial policy, its enslavement of peoples, plundering of their natural resources, and other issues.

Members of the New Caledonia parliamentary delegation expressed gratitude for Azerbaijan's consistent support of their just struggle for justice and freedom, as well as for organizing the conference in our country.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
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Review Eating outMount Lawley What does the suburban Italian restaurant of tomorrow look (and taste) like? Head to Beaufort Street and see for yourself A mix of familiar and new-fangled, casual and celebratory, Threecoins & Sons is a blueprint for the more modern neighbourhood family restaurant. Max Veenhuyzen April 19, 2024 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share

1 / 6 Sauteed mussels with Calabrian chilli and garlic focaccia. Simone Citrani 2 / 6 Toasted seaweed linguine with cuttlefish and confit tomato. Simone Citrani 3 / 6 The shopfront in Mount Lawley. Simone Citrani 4 / 6 What an Italian eatery should be. Simone Citrani 5 / 6 Tiramisu. Simone Citrani 6 / 6 Pannacotta. Simone Citrani Previous Slide Next Slide Good Food hat 15 / 20 How we score Italian$$$$ Its a shame that new restaurants rarely get the chance to evolve nowadays. It doesnt matter if you want to point the finger at social media pressures, increased competition or the urgent need for operators to start making money right away to help recoup the costs associated with blown fit-out budgets and opening delays (seemingly par-for-course these days): the key takeaway here is that hospitality venues are operating under an unspoken one-strike-and-youre-out rule. If your restaurant  or bar or cafe  doesnt come out of the box fully formed and doesnt hit a home run immediately, customers arent likely to come back.

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Such lofty expectations arent just unfair from a customer demand perspective  could you imagine being given a full performance review after one week at a new job?  they also affect diversity. The fewer people that are willing to take risks and try new stuff, the more cynical, trend-driven, CTRL-C, CTRL-V venues and menus well see around Perth. Pork cotoletta with braised cabbage and hot mustard. Simone Citrani But while pushing envelopes requires gumption, equally important is the presence of open-minded customers that are willing to hold space for ambitious operators to try, fall and pick themselves up. A lot of time passes between being thenew kid on the block and being recognised as a stalwart thats been faithfully serving your community for decades. One of the stages a venue might experience between opening day and attaining legend status is the makeover. You cant really undergo a makeover if youre too new but if you leave that restaurant mid-life crisis too long, youre just going to alienate the people around you. An innings around the decade mark seems about right, or at least it does in the life story of Threecoins & Sons, a neighbourhood Italian restaurant on Beaufort Street that (re)opened in October. Previously, the restaurant was known simply as Three Coins: an honest and earnest Italian restaurant named after the Trequattrini (three coins in Italian) family that moved into the space in 2014. Locals fell fast for Three Coins and its comforting trifecta of handmade pasta, wood-fired pizza and BYO: all things one looks for when casting the role of neighbourhood Italian eatery. (What theyre churning out here  is good, reasonable, honest, feel-good fare made with well-sourced produce and lots of love, wrote Gail Williams in her 2015 Three

Coins review.)

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Keeping a busy, six-day-a-week neighbourhood restaurant running is no mean feat and after nine years of service, the time came for a hardware upgrade. One reason for this, naturally, was wear and tear. Another, however, was updating the Three Coins experience: a decision, I suspect, that might have been inspired by the Trequattrinis and adopted son Chris Caravella opening spin-off wine bar Testun up the road. (Caravella and Frank Trequattrini share head chef duties between both venues.) Whereas Three Coins was all about comforting Italian cooking, Testuns free-wheeling menu frequently kidnapped la vera cucina and took it to places it had never been before. Think charcoal-grilled snapper with a Korean-inspired gochujang vodka sauce, or raw beef sharpened by Chinese chilli oil and a Siamese-style pickled mango salad. Not that the Trequattrinis were planning anything so drastic with the mothership. Instead, Three Coins transformation into Threecoins & Sons was more renovation than knockdown-rebuild. Deeply stained timber chairs and glossy red, brown and white tiles maintain the familiar, trattoria-esque vibe. Its a Tuesday night and I spy babies in high chairs and multi-generational family get-togethers. Magnetic restaurant manager Katia Taschetti leads the warm, exuberant floor team by example and joins her charges in taking orders, bringing

things to the table and snapping group shots on smartphones. How a Perth chef turned a love of barbecue into one of the planets best open-fire dining restaurants In other words, while the setting might have changed, the spirit of Threecoins survived the makeover intact. One thing that did go, though, was the BYO. While I dont know how the drinks lists sharply priced vino  including big-value house wines available by the glass, half-litre and litre  has gone down with regulars, in the context of other restaurant wine lists, the mark-ups are super reasonable both in terms of by-the-glass and by-the-bottle options.

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But if dinner was cause for celebration, theres fancy bottles on offer too. (And vermouth for before the meal, plus bracing amari for afters.) While the pizzas were another casualty of the reboot, theyve been replaced with another equally charismatic Italian flatbread. Perth, meet pinsa, a crisp and puffy Roman bread served here in eight, mostly traditional-leaning toppings. A verdant broccoli puree overlaid with anchovies and a blob of cut-it-yourself La Delizia burrata ($25) makes a fine bread course for two or a light dinner for one. The kitchen also flexes its baking chops with charry garlic focaccia ($10): slices of airy focaccia branded with hash marks from the char-grill and generously anointed with the good stuff. A friendly place for families. Simone Citrani Youll want some of the foc to maximise the joy youll get from the startingly good chilli mussels ($26), or as its spruiked on the menu: sauteed mussels, chickpeas, Calabrese chilli. The molluscs are plump, nutty chickpeas and tiny mopheads of sauteed onions provide texture, and the fermented chilli might be the best thing thats happened to seafood since the invention of mayonnaise.

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Dont you dare let a drop of broth find its way back to the kitchen. The cuttlefish linguine ($32; one of the six pastas on the winter menu) is another

masterclass in pescatarian thrills, the cuttlefish is cut into tender dainty curls and teamed with confit tomatoes before being tossed through a toothsome linguine (extruded in house) thats been turbo-charged with toasted nori powder. Other menu highlights: whereas most arancini is so often a second chance at love for leftover rice, the golden, softball-sized specimens here ($9) are no afterthought. Flavours change according to the kitchens whims but pasta remakes seem to be a recurring theme. I am properly crushing on Threecoins & Sons and wish it was my local neighbourhood Italian restaurant. In November I was thrilled by a pasta al norma remake. This month, it was an arancino heavy with tender risotto rice bound by Bolognese ragu that made me swoon.

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Very good bone-in pork cotoletta ($36) is the latest addition to the line-up of usual main course suspects of beef, fish, chicken and lamb. Brined for succulence and armoured in a blend of Italian and Japanese breadcrumbs and Parmesan, the pork simultaneously evokes memory of excellent tempura and Sunday dinner with nonna. A small hillock of cabbage braised in Peroni beer offers a sharp counterpoint to the porks richness while the accompanying hot mustard is best approached with caution. Of course theres a tiramisu ($16) among the two-item dessert list, although the (admittedly delicious) double-decker of coffee-soaked sponge and mascarpone dusted with finely grated chocolate feels more cakey than creamy decadence. The earl grey pannacotta ($14) however, polls much higher on the all-important dessert lushness scale, although Id probably love it more if it was paired with something a little less sweet than the limoncello syrup its served with. But all in all, a sugary dessert is a minor gripe in the scheme of things. I am properly crushing on Threecoins & Sons and wish it was my local neighbourhood Italian restaurant. 14 / 20 Review East meets west at this suburban bowls club  with delicious, wallet-friendly results Granted, its menu prices might not be rock-bottom cheap  lets be honest, cheese plus something tomato based slathered on pasta is almost always delicious and is something most places can turn out at an accessible buy-in-but the cooking overdelivers at this price point.

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Mid-range, accessible dining seems to be the citys flavour du jour with operators scrambling to open places that (increasingly cash-conscious) eaters might visit more than once a year. As far as a blueprint for what an Italian version of this ideal might look like, its hard to go past Threecoins & Sons. Then again, the restaurants modus operandi  cook good food, serve it with a smile and charge a fair price for it  isnt exactly rocket science. Yet at a time when so much dining seems to be based on chasing trends, maybe getting back to and focusing on hospitality basics is the most radical thing chefs and restaurateurs can do? The low-down Vibe: A more modern neighbourhood Italian family restaurant. Go-to dish: Bolognese arancino, sauteed mussels with Calabrian chilli. Drinks: A well-priced assortment of Italianate drinks for every stage of the night. Cost: about $140 for two, excluding drinks.
Casinos are generally places where punters lose money. For two glorious weeks in the middle of last year, customers of The Star casino in Sydney  along with their friends, relations and acquaintances  pulled out fistfuls of cash from the only sure bet in town.

Four ticket in, cash out machines had malfunctioned, and word got around. They came in their dozens: criminals, gambling addicts, even a few homeless people. By the time the casino noticed anything was amiss, $3.2 million had walked out the door.

Thanh Lan Les gambling addiction relapsed after she took advantage of the free cash being churned out by a machine at the Star. Credit: Steven Siewert

Ticket in, cash out, or TICO, machines are ATM-style kiosks that convert a players winnings into cash by reading the barcode on a voucher that the player has obtained from his or her poker machine.

They are a known money-laundering risk because they can legitimise dirty cash without players needing to engage in human interaction. Casinos mitigate this risk by programming the machines only to accept tickets with winnings of up to $2000. For greater amounts, people need to visit a cashier.
Episodes can last anywhere from a few hours to many months, and manifest differently. My state of psychosis, when I was in one, was that I thought everyone was out to hurt me, Solnordal says. There are many different reasons why someone might be in a state of psychosis. While it may be a symptom of a mental illness such as schizophrenia, bipolar, or post-traumatic stress disorder, it can also happen to people who will never be diagnosed with a disorder but may be struggling with issues such as sleep deprivation, drug and alcohol use, or the side effects of some prescription medications. What is schizophrenia? Where psychosis is one symptom of a broad range of conditions, schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder that can only be confirmed by a psychiatrist once other factors have been ruled out. It affects about 1 per cent of the global population, and about 2.4 in every 1000 people in Australia. Its exact cause is unknown, but it is probably influenced by a range of genetic, neurological and environmental factors.

Professor Ian Hickie, a psychiatrist and co-director at the University of Sydneys Brain and Mind Centre, says two stages of development are crucial for determining a persons risk of developing schizophrenia. The first is in early development, when complications (a virus, for example) during pregnancy and early childhood can interfere with the normal maturation of the brain. These developmental issues may manifest in the later stages of the brains development, during puberty or early adulthood. This is a particularly vulnerable time for those with neurodevelopmental issues or a family history of schizophrenia. Exposure to trauma during this time can precipitate psychosis and schizophrenia, as can drug use  a number of studies in Australia and abroad have found the use of cannabis and psychoactive substances, in particular, is associated with an earlier onset of psychotic illness. There are things that increase the probability, but its assumed thats against the background of either a genetic predisposition or unusual brain development as a child, Hickie says.

Solnordal started using marijuana in his teens as a way of dealing with a traumatic childhood which included institutional sexual abuse. It was the only way I could deal with it, he says. Years later, bullying by a colleague tipped him into a mental breakdown which eventually led to his diagnosis. How is it diagnosed? Theres no one laboratory test to diagnose schizophrenia. Diagnosis is typically based on the persistent presence of key symptoms (hallucinations, delusions and disorganised speech) over at least six months. A psychiatrist must be satisfied the symptoms arent caused by another condition. It took a while for Solnordal to find the right balance of medication, but he was back at work in 18 months (a result which surprised his doctors at the time). He has kept up his medication ever since, but says not everyone is in the position to be able to afford to maintain regular contact with a psychiatrist when treatment is $400 an hour.

Schizophrenia is more common in men, who are typically diagnosed in their late teens or early 20s when symptoms first appear. Stella Dracos was 42 when she was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Women tend to be diagnosed later. Stella Dracos, from Melbourne, avoided drugs and was always careful around alcohol after her mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of 33. When Dracos turned 42, the stress of a marriage breakdown and the side effects of prescription medication sent her into a spiral. She started having delusions about spies bugging her house and doctors poisoning her food in hospital. It was like I was living in a horror film, an absolute living nightmare, she recalls. Dracos tried to take her own life twice, had a seizure and was placed in a coma, but that still was not enough to let her doctors in on what was happening in her mind. It was only when she thought the police were coming to arrest her that she went to her GP and spilled everything.

I still do cry about it because I worry about my childrens future, with a mother and a grandmother with the illness. How is it treated, and what happens when it isnt? Schizophrenia is treated with a combination of antipsychotic medication, psychological therapies and support programs that help people maintain social contact, physical health, work and accommodation. Treatment can change throughout a persons life, but schizophrenia is a lifelong condition. The longest Solnordal has gone without medication is four days, by the end of which his thinking had become disordered, making him question his reality. I can fall into a psychosis if I dont take my medication, he says. The thing is, none of that psychosis is making me violent, none of that psychosis is making me think negative things. Its making me afraid.

Solnordal says understanding of complex mental health issues has improved in the past 20 years, and has reduced the barriers for young people to seek help. But he worries old stereotypes resurface, particularly in media coverage, when someone with a schizophrenia diagnosis commits a horrific act. Its like five steps forward and two steps back, he says. Rates of violent crime and homicide are higher among people with schizophrenia, but still rare, and often combined with other mental health issues and risk factors such as substance use and homelessness. The chances of stranger homicide are even rarer  about one per 14 million population per year, or one in NSW every two years. Loading People with schizophrenia are more likely to be the target of violence, says Dr Anna Ross, a mental illness stigma researcher at the University of Melbourne. A 2013 review found people with severe mental illnesses were between two and 16 times more likely to be victims of violent crime compared with the general population. Despite the overall homicide rate dropping in NSW, a 2022 study found homicides involving people in psychosis had not.
A city council in Western Australias south has voted to ban wire trace fishing at a popular tourist destination over concerns the practice, often used for shark fishing, was putting the community at risk.

Fisheries Minister Don Punch banned wire trace within 800 metres of the shore along Perths metropolitan coastline in 2023.

The council voted to ban wire trace, mainly used for shark fishing, along the popular tourist spot.

Advocate Lisa Hills said while it had been a great start, the majority of the states coast including major tourism destinations were still not protected.

She attended a Busselton council meeting on Wednesday night, giving an impassioned speech on why the practice should also be banned along the Busselton Jetty.
As a result of the inconclusive criminal trial, Mr Lehrmann remains a man who has not been convicted of any offence, but he has now been found, by the civil standard of proof, to have engaged in a great wrong, Lee wrote. It follows Ms Higgins has been proven to be a victim of sexual assault. Lisa Wilkinson and Brittany Higgins. Lee accepted the most important evidence from Higgins. He found she was raped. She was raped in a ministers suite, a short walk from the prime ministers office, in one of the most secure buildings in the country. Now that this has been established as fact in a civil trial, it is very hard to dismiss the need for Commonwealth responsibility and legal liability. Yes, Lee demolished the claims of a political cover-up. He found serious fault with Network Ten, the respondent in Lehrmanns defamation claim, for putting so much weight on the cover-up idea in the interview with Higgins on The Project in 2021. But even though the respondents have legally justified their imputation of rape, this does not mean their conduct was justified in any broader or colloquial sense, Lee said. The contemporaneous documents and the broadcast itself demonstrate the allegation of rape was the minor theme, and the allegation of cover-up was the major motif.

That last sentence will be disputed for years. Was the cover-up really the major motif? Political sympathies shape the answer for so many. The Coalition sees the cover-up claim as a travesty  a conspiracy, even  that sought to destroy Morrison and his government. Labor saw it as a legitimate line of questioning. Loading There was undoubtedly a political motive in the way the news broke that day in early 2021. Lee cited evidence showing that Higgins boyfriend, David Sharaz, told Network Ten he had a Labor friend, Katy Gallagher, who would keep the issue running after The Project aired the interview. Gallagher was a senior Labor leader in the Senate at the time and is now finance minister. She admitted last year she knew about the claims a few days before the broadcast  a point I wrote about at the time. Years later, Reynolds expresses deep frustration about those Labor tactics: How on earth was Labor allowed to go on for so long politically exploiting a sensitive matter that was clearly going to be the subject of a police investigation and a possible prosecution? (Reynolds has taken defamation action against Higgins and Sharaz over comments on social media.) But Lee did not call this a conspiracy. He said the claims created a brume of confusion and he criticised the journalism, but he did not make a finding about coordination and intent  for instance, a conspiracy to extract money from a government.

In fact, Lee acknowledged the concern about systemic issues in Parliament House. His conclusion was that this may have merited some fact-based critique, but not the misconceived conjecture in the reporting. Loading The Lee judgment is the foundation for a new assessment. It is clear that Reynolds did not engage in a cover-up and was constrained in what she could do. Brown encouraged Higgins to go to police. The minister and adviser took advice from the Department of Finance about what to do. They sacked Lehrmann. Higgins kept her job and was later promoted to a different office. It was the gap in the response that troubled me most when the story broke in 2019, and that gap is still there. Key people were told of a credible claim of a terrible sexual assault, yet this did not galvanise the insiders to make a systemic change to protect women. Morrison later admitted a regret: that Reynolds did not go to him with some anonymised reference about what took place. There is some blame-shifting here, but also a real question about why nobody warned, without naming names, about an incident that showed there was a toxic element in the culture of Parliament House. (Morrison said this in parliament on February 25, 2021.)

When did the government act? Only when Higgins went public. Remember the context. Two Liberal advisers, Chelsey Potter and Dhanya Mani, told this newspaper in July 2019 they were subject to sexual harassment. Their accounts were met with complacency. When the Liberals released a code of conduct six months later, Liberal women declared it too weak. The Sex Discrimination Commissioner called for reform on harassment in the Respect@Work report in January 2020, only for the Morrison government to wait more than a year to respond. Credit: Sydney Morning Herald Questions about the governments actions were justified and necessary once Higgins had given her account to Samantha Maiden at news.com.au and Lisa Wilkinson at The Project. For all the arguments about the media and the cover-up claim, the most important finding in the Lee judgment is that Network Ten won on a truth defence. Higgins was raped. The journalists revealed that truth. Lee described Lehrmann as a cad  an old, but perfect word for his behaviour. Yet some observers have invested so heavily in this case, lining up against Higgins, that they seem intent on launching a new campaign over the $2.4 million settlement.

There are calls for the payment to be examined by the National Anti-Corruption Commission, the grounds for that investigation look weak. Former NSW Supreme Court Judge Anthony Whealy says the NACC would have to consider the facts completely afresh  it could not simply adopt Lees findings. As well, the NACC would not have the jurisdiction to examine Higgins and her statements. It could look into government officials and ministers, but not Higgins. The payment is significant, but so is the pain. The amount was based on a calculation about years of lost income and more limited career options. It assumed the financial loss would stretch over 40 years. (And the final payment was lower after lawyers fees and tax.) It is worth repeating that the compensation claim was about the assault and did not rely on the idea of a cover-up. One of Higgins claims was that the Commonwealth should compensate her under Section 106 of the Sex Discrimination Act  a key section about the vicarious liability of an employer. When former David Jones marketing executive Kristy Fraser-Kirk made a sexual assault claim under the same law in 2010, she reportedly settled after a payment of $850,000 from David Jones. That is $1.1 million in todays money. That case was not about rape. We can all have a different opinion about putting a price on pain, but the judgment from Michael Lee should end the pursuit of Brittany Higgins.
A seven-star energy-efficient home built today is designed based on outdated weather data, and as the climate warms, will only provide the comfort of a tent by 2070, new modelling from an environmental advocacy group warns.

Home buyers could be locking themselves into paying more to heat and cool their homes than they would if the designs were up to date.

An aerial view of a housing estate in Aintree, in Melbournes rapidly growing western fringe. Credit: Eddie Jim

All new homes must meet minimum standards for energy efficiency, measuring how much energy is needed to heat and cool them, known as the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS).

But the scheme uses weather data from 1990-2015, as of its most recent update two years ago, which is already out of date, new research by advocacy organisation Sweltering Cities and sustainability not-for-profit Renew found. The years since were some of the hottest on record.
London: British actor Hugh Grant has settled a lawsuit against the publisher of Rupert Murdochs tabloid newspaper The Sun, while the lawyer for Prince Harry said the royal could also be forced to agree to a deal.

Grant, alongside King Charles son and others, was suing News Group Newspapers for alleged widespread unlawful information gathering, including landline tapping, burglary and blagging (gaining through fakery) confidential information about him.

Hugh Grant will receive an enormous sum. Credit: AP

His case was one of several which were eligible to go to trial at Londons High Court in January, but the actor said he had reluctantly settled with NGN because he could be left with a multimillion-pound legal bill if he rejected their offer now, even if he later won the lawsuit.

News Group are claiming they are entirely innocent of the things I had accused the Sun of doing, Grant posted on X on Wednesday. As is common with entirely innocent people, they are offering me an enormous sum of money to keep this matter out of court.
HEFEI, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Total import and export value of goods in east China's Anhui Province grew by 8.6 percent year on year to 189.08 billion yuan (about 26.6 billion U.S. dollars) in the first quarter of 2024, hitting a record high, official data showed Wednesday.

From January to March, the province's exports grew by 9.8 percent year on year to 126.06 billion yuan, while imports rose by 6.4 percent to 63.02 billion yuan, according to Hefei Customs.

During this period, Anhui's trade with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative reached 95.41 billion yuan, marking a 7.7 percent increase and accounting for 50.5 percent of its total trade value. Trade with the European Union and the United States accounted for a combined share of 24.2 percent of the total.

In terms of export items, electric manned vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and liquid crystal displays saw significant growth, reaching 1.73 billion yuan, 3.17 billion yuan and 2.4 billion yuan, respectively, representing respective year-on-year surges of 70.3 percent, 9.8 percent and 46.4 percent.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. We express our gratitude to Azerbaijan for supporting our struggle against colonialism and for independence, chairwoman of the Committee on Infrastructure, Territorial Planning, Sustainable Development, Energy, Transportation, and Communication of the Congress of New Caledonia, Naisseline Omayra said, Trend reports.

She made a remark during the conference in the Azerbaijani Parliament on the theme "New Caledonia: history, modern challenges, and the expected future".

She noted that the results of the referendum in Caledonia were falsified.

"We demanded a review of the results of the referendum held in Caledonia. This referendum steals the rights of the people," the head of the committee said.

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The World Customs Organization (WCO), under the framework of the EU-WCO Programme for the Harmonized System in Africa (HS-Africa Programme), funded by the European Union, held a National Workshop on the modernisation of the Laboratory of Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) from 9 to 12 April 2024. The Workshop was attended by 20 Customs Officers, including Senior Management, from URA involved in Customs Laboratory and Harmonized System classification matters. The workshop is part of the technical support provided to URA to enhance its laboratory infrastructure and meet international standards in their efforts to establish a Regional Customs Laboratory.

During the opening of the Workshop, the Commissioners of Customs and of Tax Investigation thanked the representative from the WCO Secretariat for facilitating the discussions on the modernisation of URAs Laboratory. In their remarks, they referred to the importance of a well performing Laboratory for the correct collection of Customs duties and for the uniform classification of commodities in the national Customs tariff as well as for the protection of the society and environment. The possibility of becoming in the future a WCO Regional Customs Laboratory was also discussed in detail.

Participants were informed of the structure and functions of several WCO Regional Customs Laboratories. The facilitator explained in detail the activities of the Customs Laboratory European Network (CLEN) and the possibilities that the instruments developed by CLEN might offer to the URA. Discussions focused on the WCO Customs Laboratory Guide, sampling procedures, security and safety issues, as well as laboratory information management systems (LIMS).

The workshop was also an opportunity for participants to deepen their knowledge of the relevant technical standards with regard to the infrastructure, instruments and staff of a Customs laboratory as well as classification of chemicals in the HS. The activity included a visit of the expert to the existing facilities of the Sciences Laboratory of URA, a well performing standard laboratory serving not only Customs but also other units of URA.

In their closing remarks, Mr. Charles Katabi, Manager of the Laboratory and Mr. Julius Nwasire, on behalf of the Tax Investigation Commissioner, thanked the WCO and the European Union for the support and collaboration in this area of Customs work, and confirmed their Administrations interest in becoming part of the WCO Regional Customs Laboratories programme.

For further information, please contact wcoHSAfrica@wcoomd.org
From 15 to 18 April, 2024, the World Customs Organization (WCO), in partnership with the EU P2P, the US Department of States Export Control and Related Border Security Programme (EXBS), the US Department of Energys Nonproliferation Export Control Programme (INECP) and Singapore Customs, convened two back-to-back events focused on enhancing strategic trade controls in Free Trade Zones (FTZ).

The first event on Strategic Trade Management in FTZ was a high-level multistakeholder engagement bringing together over 60 participants and observers from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. The delegates represented licensing authorities, various governmental agencies overseeing FTZ and Customs administrations.

The primary objective was to raise awareness of the global security threats within FTZs and underscore the significance of robust strategic trade management practices within Free Trade Zones (FTZs) across Southeast Asia. A specific focus was made on clarifying the notion of the so-called extraterritoriality of FTZ, as highlighted in the WCO Research Paper 47.

The second workshop, organized by the WCO, addressed the implementation of strategic trade controls by Customs administrations in FTZs across the ASEAN region. Building on the insights of the high-level workshop, the second event provided a comprehensive overview of Customs policies and practices across the region. Dialogue among ASEAN Customs administrations facilitated the identification of existing gaps in Customs controls and paved the way for collaborative efforts to address them. The outcomes of this engagement will inform the development of roadmap documents tailored to each Customs administration, outlining measures to enhance strategic trade security within FTZs.

During this week in Singapore, the two events underscored the commitment of the international community to strengthen strategic trade controls and safeguard the integrity of Free Trade Zones. By fostering dialogue and collaboration, the WCO and its partners are actively contributing to the global peace and security agenda in line with the WCO Punta Cana Resolution.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. We must fight colonialism, Senate member of New Caledonia Maurice Vimian said, Trend reports.

He made a remark during the conference in the Azerbaijani Parliament on the theme "New Caledonia: history, modern challenges, and the expected future".

"Azerbaijan has extended its assistance to us. We express our gratitude to Azerbaijan," he said.

Vimian noted that various negotiations are underway with France nowadays.

"It is interfering in the activities of our institutions. France continues to pursue such a policy that even today, the Kanak people are very poorly represented in administrative positions. France will continue the policies of the past; it will impede us, but we will also continue our struggle," he said.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. France is trying to erase the culture of the Kanak people and make them dependent on itself, an employee of the Senate Secretariat and expert on New Caledonia, historian Jean Yves Poedy said, Trend reports.

He made the remark at a scientific conference devoted to the theme "New Caledonia: history, modern challenges, and the expected future", hosted by the Azerbaijani parliament.

The expert mentioned that the culture of the Kanak people dates back 3,000 years.

"France should not interfere in the lives of the Kanak people. It's trying to create Western culture there, but this won't happen," Poedy added.

To note, a delegation headed by the chairwoman of the Committee on Infrastructure, Territorial Planning, Sustainable Development, Energy, Transportation, and Communication of the Congress of New Caledonia, Naisseline Omayra, as well as Azerbaijani MPs, are taking part in the conference.

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Alfa Romeo has revealed the new Milano in Milan, the city where Alfa Romeo was founded in 1910, writes Trish Whelan.

The new compact car brings the brand sportiness back into the largest segment in the European car market.

Milano is proposed "as a cool and unique offering, combining captivating style with the most advanced technology in terms of comfort, connectivity, and driving dynamics".

A hybrid option Ibrida is available in a 136hp 48-V hybrid VGT and is available in a front-wheel drive and a Q4 all-wheel drive variant with automated rear-wheel drive axle management, a first in the segment. It provides urban driving using electric mode more than 50% of the time.

A full EV Electric, comes in two power variants with 156hp and a range of up to 410km WLTP, as well as the sportier 240hp Veloce, the epitome of Alfa Romeos sporting DNA. Charging the batteries from 10 to 80% takes under 30 minutes using a 100-kw DC fast charging station.

The new A/R Milano will arrive here later this year. Prices and specs will be announced closer to launch.
IKEA Ireland is today opening its state-of-the-art distribution centre in Rathcoole in Dublin, marking a significant milestone in the company's expansion within Ireland.

This new facility, employing over 200 people, follows investments in six plan and order points, upgrades to the Ballymun store, and an innovative collaboration with Tesco Ireland on affordable collection service, all to bring IKEA closer to customers across the country.

The new distribution centre will result in IKEAs business in Ireland having one of the shortest delivery times in Europe. Before now, IKEA deliveries to Irish consumers required dispatch from the UK.

With the inauguration of this new multi-million-euro facility in Ireland, delivery times will reduce to just three days. This strategic move not only brings IKEA products closer to its Irish customers but also significantly improves product availability throughout Ireland.

The vast distribution centre is over 27,000 square metres, has a storage capacity of 20,000 cubic metres  equal to over 258,000 flatpack BILLY bookcases or double the size of Croke Park pitch  and is capable of housing up to 9,000 different product lines, spanning across almost every product in the IKEA range.

IKEA expects the distribution centre to be making more than 300,000 deliveries in the first year of operation, with that figure almost doubling to nearly 600,000 within five years. Eventually the plan is to be able to deliver up to three million items a year from the centre.

Jakob Bertilsson, Country Customer Fulfilment Manager, IKEA Ireland and UK, said the opening of Irelands first IKEA distribution centre will greatly benefit their customers through faster and more reliable deliveries.

It marks a key step in our ambitious expansion plans across Ireland. We remain committed to  and are continually investing in  the future of our physical store in Dublin, but we want people to enjoy the IKEA experience no matter where they choose to engage with us, whether through our full-size store, plan and order points, or online," he added.

Mr Bertilsson said this new distribution centre will greatly enable this, by increasing availability of our products and reducing lead times.

Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Emer Higgins TD, stated IKEAs new distribution centre in Rathcoole will provide a boost for the local economy, creating 120 new jobs.

"It is also positive news for its customers, significantly reducing IKEAs delivery times and enhancing accessibility for its Irish customers," she said. "This state-of-the-art facility is also a testament of IKEAs unwavering commitment to sustainability. This building is one of the most energy efficient logistic facilities in Ireland and will support IKEAs transition to 100% zero emission deliveries by August 2025."

Minister Higgins stated there is no doubt IKEAs dedication to "become climate positive sets a commendable standard for the entire retail industry.

IKEA said this new distribution centre also underscores their commitment to sustainability.

The building is one of the most sustainable and energy-efficient logistics facilities in Ireland. It has a Building Energy Rating (BER) of A2 and includes features like rainwater harvesting and roof-based solar panels.

IKEA is also transitioning to exclusive zero emission home deliveries, which together with locating the distribution centre closer to its customers, will result in significant reduction in CO2 emissions and more sustainable deliveries.

From today, customers with Dublin Eircodes will receive their home deliveries in zero-emission vehicles. IKEA has committed to ensuring all deliveries to customers across Ireland will be exclusively in zero-emission vehicles by August 2025.

As the first step to advance towards this goal, 17 electric vans will deliver IKEA goods across the country, with the number of zero emissions vehicles doubling by August 2025. As of now, two zero emission vehicles will be based in Cork, two in Athlone, four at the Ballymun store, and nine at the new distribution centre. These 17 zero emission vans will replace diesel delivery vehicles, resulting in an estimated annual saving of 283,000 litres of diesel, equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 750 tonnes per year[i].

To support the transition to zero emission deliveries, IKEA has established an extensive electric vehicle charging network at the distribution centre, comprising of three rapid charge points for quick top-ups and 20 overnight charging points for full recharges.

IKEAs 8MW wind farm near Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim, will also support the retailers transition to zero-emission deliveries and use of 100% renewable energy to power the distribution centre and IKEAs flagship store in Ballymun, Dublin. It is projected that the wind farm produces about twice the amount of electricity required by the new distribution centre and the Ballymun store.

Furthermore, to secure even more renewable energy for the future, Ingka Investments, the investment arm of the company, has invested in a 10GW offshore wind project portfolio in Ireland and UK.

Marsha Smith, Deputy CEO of IKEA Ireland and UK said the opening of this new distribution centre not only demonstrates IKEAs desire to become more accessible to our customers in Ireland, but also their commitment to sustainability and innovation.

IKEA is committed to the Paris Agreement and to helping limit the global temperature rise to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels," she said. "By transitioning to zero emission deliveries and having an energy efficient distribution centre, we are playing our part in protecting the planet, and taking another significant step in our journey to becoming a climate positive business."

The logistics facility and delivery service are operated by support of logistics firm and longstanding IKEA service providers, Wincanton and XPO Logistics.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Gross violation of other nations' rights by France is unacceptable, Azerbaijani Parliament's Chair Sahiba Gafarova said at a meeting with a delegation headed by the Chairwoman of the Committee on Infrastructure, Territorial Planning, Sustainable Development, Energy, Transportation, and Communication of the Congress of New Caledonia Naisseline Omayra, Trend reports.

She made the remark, commenting on the results of a referendum held in New Caledonia without the participation of more than half the population.

Gafarova reminded that the head of the Azerbaijani state called neo-colonialism a shameful legacy of the past.

According to her, one of the countries continuing this legacy is France.

The parliament's head emphasized that instead of apologizing for illegal activities in the past in its colonies, for the crimes committed, France continues its colonial policy in a new form and with new methods, does not respect the aspirations of the peoples in its overseas territories for freedom, and tries by all means to suppress their rights.

The policy of neocolonialism is based on racism and xenophobia, she added.

The New Caledonian delegation is on a visit to Azerbaijan.

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Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

Partly sunny and rather mild; a few scattered showers are possible, but mainly in the Poconos and along and north of the I-80 corridor..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy with a few showers; many only get a couple hundredths of an inch at most but a bit more in the Poconos and points north...maybe as much as a quarter of an inch.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. France is pursuing a policy aimed at undermining stability in the South Caucasus, said a member of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) of Azerbaijan Sahiba Gafarova, Trend reports.

She made the statement during a meeting with a delegation headed by the chairwoman of the Committee on Infrastructure, Territorial Planning, Sustainable Development, Energy, Transportation, and Communication of the Congress of New Caledonia, Naisseline Omayra.

Gafarova pointed out that France, known for its ineffectiveness as a member of the Minsk Group during the nearly 30-year Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani territories, is presently pursuing a policy aimed at destabilizing peace efforts and stability in the South Caucasus. France is exacerbating tensions in the region, launching a smear campaign against Azerbaijan, and actively confronting the country on various international platforms.

It was underscored that, as emphasized by the Azerbaijani head of state, Azerbaijan is an independent and resilient nation, impervious to external pressure. Azerbaijan's policy is solely directed toward fostering peace, cooperation, and combating injustice.

The Azerbaijani MP highlighted that members of the Azerbaijani parliament strongly denounce France's hypocritical policy.

To note, a delegation headed by the chairwoman of the Committee on Infrastructure, Territorial Planning, Sustainable Development, Energy, Transportation, and Communication of the Congress of New Caledonia, Naisseline Omayra, as well as Azerbaijani MPs, is taking part in the conference.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. France seeks to fulfill its colonial policy by amending the constitution, chairwoman of the Committee on Infrastructure, Territorial Planning, Sustainable Development, Energy, Transportation, and Communication of the Congress of New Caledonia, Naisseline Omayra said during a conference in Milli Majlis (the Parliament) of Azerbaijan, Trend reports.

She highlighted that France is trying to prevent a third referendum among the New Caledonian people.

"France is attempting to impose its colonial strategy through legal means, intending to extend voting rights to 30,000 citizens from overseas to influence the outcomes," she added.

To note, a delegation headed by the chairwoman of the Committee on Infrastructure, Territorial Planning, Sustainable Development, Energy, Transportation, and Communication of the Congress of New Caledonia, Naisseline Omayra, as well as Azerbaijani MPs, is taking part in the conference.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Anar Akhundov has been appointed Deputy Minister of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Trend reports.

The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a corresponding decree.

Akhundov was born in 1975. He graduated from the Azerbaijan State Economic University in 1996, specializing in economics.

He started his labor activity at the Baku Interbank Currency Exchange and also worked in several commercial banks.

In 19992004, he worked in the State Committee on Securities under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan as a chief specialist, head of section, and head of department.

Akhundov was Head and Chairman of the Board of the Stock Market Development Department of the Baku Stock Exchange in 20042006 and Executive Director of the Azerbaijan Investment Company in 20062009.

He served as Deputy Chairman of the Board of Bank Standart CJSC from 2009 through 2014.

In 20142022, he held the position of Head of Department at the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

He was appointed a member of the Supervisory Board of the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) by the decree of the Head of State in 2022.

He is married, and he has two children.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. In accordance with the training plan approved by the Minister of Defense for 2024, the Azerbaijan Air Forces aircraft conducted training flights, Trend reports via the Defense Ministry.

First, the military personnel were informed about safety rules. Following a medical examination of the military pilots, practical flights were performed.

According to the scenario, Su-25ML and Su-25 aircraft completed takeoff and landing chores, as well as practiced tough pilotage and combat maneuvers at various altitudes during the day along assigned routes.



The tasks assigned during the training flights to improve the military pilots' combat training were completed professionally.

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Empowering the next generation of female leaders

The STEM MentHER programme held its annual induction for Grade 12 learners in pursuit of careers in STEM fields.

The STEM MentHer program, with the support of National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Sciences (NITheCS) and the Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Science (CoE-MaSS), recently organized induction events at several prestigious universities across South Africa. These events aim to encourage more female Grade 12 learners to pursue careers in STEM-related fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) by guiding and inspiring them to enter these realms of study.



The induction event, hosted at Wits University, signified the start of an empowering journey for young women in STEM. Dr. Cerene Rathilal, the founder of the programme, warmly welcomed female students from various backgrounds, marking the commencement of the dynamic year-long mentorship program. It is so nice to see how far the STEM programme has come, and to know that this idea that came from my experiences as a female in the STEM resulted in the birth of STEM MentHER, said Rathilal



The keynote speaker of the event was Dr. Farhahna Allie, from the Biochemistry department, lecturing in Molecular Plant Pathology at the University of Johannesburg. Allie was part of the programme as a mentor during its inception in 2022.

It is such an honour to speak to you about a topic that is incredibly important to me, which is the transformative power of mentorship. We cannot underestimate the impact that strong mentors can have on an individuals life and career trajectory. When navigating challenges or pursuing ambitious goals, they shine a light on the path forward, said Allie

Allie continues, My very first mentor was my mother, who instilled in me an insatiable curiosity about the world and how thing work. This happened to be a full circle moment for Allie as she is now a mentor to others.





During the induction, participants were introduced to the programmes objectives, structure and their mentors for the year. Female academics and postgraduate students, serving as mentors, shared their experiences and insights, inspiring the attendees to envision themselves as future leaders in STEM-related fields.

The programme will offer tailored mentorship, providing guidance and support to the deserving Grade 12 female students. Through this initiative, participants gain access to specialized programmes designed to enhance their understanding of STEM subjects and career opportunities. Moreover, they have the chance to serve as role models for future generations of girls, nurturing a supportive community of budding STEM professionals.
M360 Eurasia 2024 returns to Baku, bringing together industry leaders to drive regional transformation

Azercell is pleased to announce its sponsorship of GSMA M360 Eurasia 2024, set to take place in Baku on May 15-16. The event will be hosted with the support of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

This year M360 Eurasia will again convene in Azerbaijan executives from leading mobile and vertical sectors, as well as regulatory figures across the region to explore how the mobile industry can foster the power of digital through partnerships, thus paving the way for sustainable innovation and continuous progress.

Zarina Zeynalova, CEO of Azercell, said: The rapid transition from a process- to a data-driven world presents unparalleled opportunities for reinvention and growth. As Azerbaijan's leading mobile operator, we recognize our crucial role in shaping the country's digital ecosystem. Therefore, Azercell is honored to host this prestigious event in Baku, which we believe will serve as a platform for discussions and collaboration opportunities for better future.

The first day's agenda will focus on unlocking the power of digital and accelerating the ongoing digital transformation in CIS countries and the neighboring regions. Key topics of discussion will include the Role of Generative AI and Digital DNA among others. The second day's agenda will kick off with a focus on commitment to the ESG agenda, further steering the world toward a greener, safer and more connected future. Anticipating COP29, the event will spotlight the critical convergence of digitalization and climate action, followed by industry leaders discussing Next-Generation Networks and exploring comprehensive approaches to cybersecurity across the digital value chain.

Considering the previous edition's impressive attendance from 29 countries and territories, consisting of 30% senior decision-makers and 45% non-telco attendees, the event is on track to attract a similar audience.

Registration for the event to be held 15th and 16th May at JW Mariott Absheron Baku, is now open on the GSMA M360 Eurasia Registration Page.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Employees of the Azerbaijani Interior Ministry's Main Directorate for Combating Drugs have carried out another operation to suppress the illicit trafficking of drugs, the ministry told Trend.

During the operation, Faig Gezalov, a resident of Masalli district, was detained in Hajigabul district with about 12 kilograms of marijuana.

Gezalov said that he received the drugs through an Iranian citizen whom he met on social networks. He was instructed to leave the drugs at various places in the capital in exchange for cash.

Following this incident, criminal proceedings have been initiated, and a court decision has resulted in his detention. An investigation is underway.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
China's next manned mission, the Shenzhou XVIII, is scheduled to be launched in coming days to transport three astronauts to the Tiangong space station, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

The Shenzhou XVIII crew spacecraft and its carrier, a Long March 2F rocket, were moved to the service tower on Wednesday at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China's Gobi Desert, the agency said in a brief news release, adding that the spacecraft and the rocket will undergo final checks in the next few days.

The Shenzhou XVIII will become China's 13th manned spaceflight and the first crewed mission to visit Tiangong this year.

The crew members, whose names have yet to be disclosed, will take over the massive orbital outpost from their peers in the Shenzhou XVII  mission commander Senior Colonel Tang Hongbo and crew members Lieutenant Colonel Jiang Xinlin and Lieutenant Colonel Tang Shengjie  who arrived on Oct 26. By the end of April, the Shenzhou XVII team will have stayed in orbit for six months.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. The leading telecommunications company will offer internship opportunities to five students.

Azercell is pleased to announce its participation in ADA University's Employability Week. The event serves as a platform for connecting students and companies and promoting career exploration and skill development. Employability Week provides invaluable opportunities for students to engage with industry professionals and gain insights into various sectors. Azercell's participation in this initiative reflects the company's commitment to developing talent and contributing to developing future professionals.

The seminars conducted by Azercell during Employability Week will cover a range of topics, including insights into the telecommunications sector, the role of emotional intelligence, mastering interview skills, upskilling for success and work ethics, entrepreneurship and innovation in telecommunications, the importance of personal branding, and digital networking.

As a result of final assessments and interviews, Azercell will select five outstanding students from ADA University as winners and offer them internship opportunities during the summer term. These internships will provide students with practical experience and exposure to the telecommunications industry.

"We are excited to participate in ADA Employability Week and contribute to the career development of students," said Dilara Huseynova, Director of Human Capital Management at Azercell. "By sharing our expertise and offering internship opportunities, we want to empower the next generation of professionals and help them succeed in the job market.

Each year, dozens of scholarship holders complete internships in the development program. At Azercell young fellows develop skills in the telecommunications sector and gain valuable experience that will help them in future careers.
This photo taken on April 12, 2024 shows the opening ceremony of the water-splashing festival in Mangshi City, Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province. [Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao]

KUNMING, April 17 (Xinhua)  When Cambodian student Tim Chivorn immersed himself in the just-concluded water-splashing festival in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, he was delighted to find the festive traditions there to be similar to those in his hometown.

"The enthusiasm of Yunnan people makes me feel warm, and it reminded me of my hometown when I splashed water here," said Chivorn.

The water-splashing festival is regarded as one of the most important festivals of ethnic groups in southwest China. During the festival, water is considered an auspicious symbol and people splash water on one another, thereby wishing happiness and good fortune. In Southeast Asia, many countries celebrate this kind of water festival. It is known as the Khmer New Year in Cambodia, while it is called the Songkran Festival in Thailand.

Recently, the water-splashing festival in China's Yunnan and the Songkran Festival in Thailand attracted large numbers of foreign visitors, and celebrating such water festivals abroad has become a new trend for tourists from various countries and regions.

According to the border checkpoint in Kunming, capital of Yunnan, Kunming Port handled about 57,000 inbound and outbound passengers during the water-splashing festival  a massive year-on-year increase of 298.8 percent.

"I have been to Xishuangbanna many times, but this is the first time I have come to celebrate the water-splashing festival. I feel very happy to enjoy these splendid activities," said Jaruwan Udomsap, a Thai who has lived in China for more than 10 years.

She did not return to Thailand this year, choosing instead to spend the water festival in China's Xishuangbanna, which is full of ethnic and cultural diversity, according to Udomsap.

This year's water-splashing festival was held from April 13 to 15 in Xishuangbanna, and featured various cultural activities each day, such as releasing sky lanterns, traditional dance performances and so on. On the last day of the festival, locals dressed in ethnic costumes celebrated the festival by splashing water on each other.

Udomsap said that in Thailand, people start splashing water on each other from the first day of the water festival and the water-splashing activities usually last three days and serve as a celebration of the arrival of the Thai New Year.

Tourists and local people celebrate the water-splashing festival at a square in Mangshi City, Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, April 12, 2024. [Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao]

"Although the names of the festivals are different in the two countries, the expectation of good fortune and happiness is the same," Udomsap added. She plans to spend the next water-splashing festival in Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan.

Since the mutual visa-free agreement between China and Thailand came into effect, the level of tourism between these two countries has increased significantly. During the water-splashing festival in Yunnan, over 5,000 Thai tourists entered China via Kunming Port, making Thailand the biggest source of inbound tourists during the period. Meanwhile, nearly 10,000 Chinese tourists departed from Kunming to Thailand during the first three days of the Songkran Festival.

Liang Kaiting, a Chinese student in Bangkok, Thailand, was pleasantly surprised to find that there were many Chinese tourists on the streets of Bangkok when she and her classmates experienced the Songkran Festival.

"We have met a lot of Chinese people, and we could feel the joy in the air together," Liang said. She participated in the water-splashing activities for two days, and it was very common for her to come across Chinese tourists who had traveled to Thailand especially for this festival.

Taking advantage of various festivals, China's tourism market is showing continuous and growing vigor.

According to the Mohan checkpoint on China's border with Laos in Yunnan, China-Laos Railway trains were packed with Chinese passengers who traveled to celebrate the water festivals in Laos and Thailand, while many foreign passengers from Laos and Thailand also took the trains to experience the water-splashing festival in China.

Each international passenger train offers 350 seats for cross-border travel, and the recent capacity rate has exceeded 90 percent. Foreign tourist numbers increased 88.97 percent compared with the same period last year, with Thai tourists accounting for nearly 40 percent of total foreign visitors, local railway authorities in Mohan revealed.

To meet increased travel demand, Chinese and Lao railway authorities on April 13 launched one more pair of trains to boost the China-Laos Railway international passenger service. Thanks to the high level of service on offer, passengers can complete the round trip between Xishuangbanna and Luang Prabang of Laos within one day, which greatly improved the convenience of cross-border tourism during the recent water festivals.

The huge flow of tourists drawn by the water festival helped fuel the consumption market in Yunnan. Zhao Jun, the owner of a restaurant in the city of Mangshi of Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, said that during the water-splashing festival, her restaurant had received more than 200 tables of diners each day.

According to local authorities in Mangshi, from April 11 to 14, the city welcomed a total of 282,800 tourists, generating tourism revenue topping 297 million yuan (about 41.8 million U.S. dollars).

"The Dai costumes in Xishuangbanna are so beautiful, while the water-splashing festival there is so much fun," commented Udomsap's Thai friends on social media after she posted photos of this year's exotic water festival experience. Her friends are also attracted by the local ethnic charms and hope to come to China next year for the water-splashing festival, Udomsap added.

(Source: Xinhua)
This file photo taken on Sept. 21, 2010 shows Zhao Xinling (1st R) speaking during a care event for children with autism at the "Loving Home for Children" Special Education and Rehabilitation Center in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province. [Xinhua/Li Jingya]

GUIYANG, April 2 (Xinhua)  Zhao Xinling likes to tell her son, whom she affectionately calls Hao Hao, one particular story: At bedtime, a little hare asks a big hare to guess how much he loves him, and the little hare says, "I love you all the way to the moon."

"I tell my son, 'Mom loves you, from here to the stars,'" said Zhao. "Although I have been teaching him how to say 'mom' every day, he is still unable to say the word. He is now 24 years old."

Like many parents of children with autism, Zhao, 64, has faced challenges and worked hard to help her son since he was diagnosed with severe autism at a very young age.

She is the founder and principal of the "Loving Home for Children" Special Education and Rehabilitation Center in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province. It is the first autism rehabilitation training institution in the province, and Zhao is also a teacher there.

Over the years, she has provided support to more than 7,000 children with autism. She has witnessed the autistic community flourish  from being underrecognized to being increasingly understood and accepted  and she has seen how the community is gaining more support from broader society.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by varying degrees of impairment in communication skills and social interactions. Children with autism are sometimes called "children of the stars" in China, as society often perceives them as lonely and they can exhibit unconventional emotional reactions, language abilities or social skills.

This year's World Autism Awareness Day falls on Tuesday. A report on autism education showed that in 2019, there were more than 10 million people with an autism spectrum disorder in China, among whom about 2 million were children aged under 12.

Seeking Help

Hao Hao, born in 2000, lost his language abilities suddenly when he was 22 months old. Autism was underrecognized in Guizhou at the time, and Zhao had to seek help for her son in other parts of the country.

In 2002, Hao Hao was diagnosed with autism. "Then, I was very confused and didn't know how to provide support for my son, or how to educate and provide rehabilitation training for him," Zhao said.

To gain a better understanding of autism and learn about rehabilitation for autistic children, she visited rehabilitation institutions, hospitals and schools in cities such as Beijing and Guangzhou.

"During that time, I met with parents of autistic children from across the country and realized that many families were under enormous pressure," she said.

While seeking medical treatment for her son, Zhao met Guan Fuqin, a doctor at the Guiyang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital. Guan, now in her 90s, was among the first in Guizhou Province to provide autism diagnosis services for children.

"Guan advised me to establish an institution in Guizhou where children with autism could learn locally, and where their parents could help one another. She would act as a volunteer, offering support from a medical point of view," Zhao said.

Guan has been providing voluntary diagnosis and treatment services for children at the center for 20 years, as well as lectures and training for teachers and parents, Zhao noted.

In 2003, the "Loving Home for Children" Special Education and Rehabilitation Center was established, becoming the first rehabilitation and training institution in Guizhou to serve children with autism and other developmental disorders. In 2016, the center began providing services to adults with autism.

"The earlier the children with autism receive professional rehabilitation training, the better they will integrate into society in the future," Zhao said, noting that children aged zero to six who receive training at the center are entitled to government subsidies.

Offering Hope

A mother in Guizhou's Yuqing County, who has chosen to be referred to by her surname, Peng, has a six-year-old daughter with autism. Her daughter was diagnosed at the age of four and has been receiving rehabilitation training at the center for more than two years.

"My daughter has become more talkative and cheerful, and is able to take care of herself to some extent. The government subsidy reduces the financial burden on my family and gives me the motivation to stick to it," Peng said.

Over the decades, China's autism rehabilitation training system has been improving constantly. In Guizhou, an early screening system for autism has been gradually established, and an increasing number of autism rehabilitation training services have been provided by institutions such as disabled persons' federations, hospitals and non-governmental organizations.

In 2006, Zhao began trying her hand at integrated education. She remembers that during a visit to a regular primary school to plant flowers and other greenery with the students there, she had asked the children which plant they thought was the most beautiful.

"The children said that this one is beautiful, and that one is also beautiful," she said. "I wanted to plant a seed in their hearts  life is diverse and every unique life deserves to be respected."

"In the past, we wanted autistic children to improve themselves and fit into the lifestyles of neurotypical people. However, through integrated education, neurotypical children can learn to understand, accept and care for autistic children. These two-way efforts can make the lives of autistic children easier, and the families behind them happier," she said.

In 2022, the center moved to a four-story building on a new campus, with the local government providing rent subsidies and many people donating items such as office supplies, computers, tables and chairs.

Currently, some 300 people with autism are receiving services at the center every day. It has carried out integrated education practices with over 20 kindergartens, primary schools and high schools in Guiyang over the years, and more than 2,000 autistic children have been enrolled in regular schools.

"Although there are still many challenges ahead that need to be solved, I am confident about the future," Zhao said. "The parents of autistic children also need to emerge from their loneliness and take care that they don't close themselves off. We need to view autism positively, accept it, and enjoy the different life it offers."

Children with autism receive rehabilitation training at the "Loving Home for Children" Special Education and Rehabilitation Center in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 27, 2024. [Xinhua/Wu Siyang]

(Source: Xinhua)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 19. Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, President of COP29 Mukhtar Babayev met in Washington with former US Secretary of State John Kerry during the 11th meeting of the Coalition of Finance Ministers on Climate Action as part of the spring meeting held by the IMF and the World Bank Group, the COP-29 says on its X page, Trend reports.

It is reported that the meeting discussed issues of preparation for COP29, issues of joint cooperation in ensuring a livable planet for years and generations to come.
Number of Welsh 18-year-olds enrolling at Wrexham University down 5 per cent this year

This article is old - Published: Thursday, Apr 18th, 2024

Concerns have been raised in the Senedd over the decrease in Welsh student enrolment at Wrexham University.

Vale of Clwyd representative Gareth Davies MS asked on Tuesday, I would like to call for a statement from the new Cabinet Secretary for Education on the decrease in 18-year-olds enrolling in Welsh universities. I had the pleasure of visiting Wrexham University during recess and meeting with the vice-chancellor, Maria Hinfelaar, who informed me that enrolment of international students is increasing, which is great, but the number of Welsh 18-year-olds enrolling at Wrexham University is down 5 per cent this year.

There was also a dip across Wales between 2021 and 2022, with the percentage of Welsh 18-year-olds that were accepted for a place at university in Wales also dipping from 33.7 per cent to 32.4 per cent.

He added, Obviously, this is concerning for North Wales, as international students are more likely to leave after gaining their qualifications, and we need to retain these skills in north Wales. Wrexham University is a huge asset for my constituency, as their excellent medical training facilities are a magnet for training regional talent, which will ease staffing pressure on emergency services and the Glan Clwyd Hospital.

Im aware that the Welsh Government has schemes to retain students in north Wales after graduation, but what is the Cabinet Secretary doing to ensure that there are incentives available for young people to choose a university in Wales when they are considering their options after A-levels?

Jane Hutt MS, who is the new Trefnydd, replied, It is really important that we value, as you have done today, our universities in Wales, and Wrexham University in particular, in terms of your constituencyhuge assets, as are all our higher education institutions across Wales. Of course, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, now, will very shortly be meeting with our universities, not only in terms of all of the vice-chancellors, Universities Wales, but recognising that this has been an issue thats come forward in recent days and weeks as a challenge. And there are many reasons for those challenges, and some of those are a responsibility for the UK Government.

I would say that, in terms of the recognition of our universities, and the role that they play, not only in terms of education and lifelong learning, but also in terms of their economy, their local communities and progression for education, they are hugely valued, and, of course, supported by our very generous student support system as well. So, Im sure the Cabinet Secretary will be following up those points youve made.
North Wales Minister role branded as tokenistic by Plaid Cymru MS

This article is old - Published: Thursday, Apr 18th, 2024

The need for a dedicated Welsh Government minister for north Wales has been called into question after the role was labelled as tokenistic.

First Minister Vaughan Gething announced he had decided to keep the post created by his predecessor Mark Drakeford after becoming Welsh Labour leader last month.

Clwyd South MS Ken Skates was given the renamed title of Cabinet Secretary for North Wales, as well as taking on responsibility for transport in Mr Gethings new cabinet.

However, Plaid Cymrus Llyr Grufydd has challenged whether it should exist, claiming ministers should represent the whole of Wales.

He raised the issue during Mr Gethings debut First Ministers Questions session, which was held in the Senedd on Tuesday (16 April).

Mr Grufydd, who represents north Wales in the Welsh Parliament, said: On the continuation of the role of a minister for north Wales, this could clearly be seen by some as being tokenistic.

After all, where is your minister for mid Wales, west Wales, or elsewhere?

Surely every minister in your government should be a minister for north Wales.

In fact, isnt your need for a minister for north Wales a statement in itself that those other ministers, potentially, havent been representing the whole of Wales maybe as they should?

Mr Skates took on the north Wales portfolio for the second time after Mr Gething announced his cabinet last month.

He initially had oversight of regional issues when the role was first created in 2018, but returned to the backbenches following the 2021 Senedd election citing personal reasons.

Wrexhams Lesley Griffiths then served in the position until March this year when she became Cabinet Secretary for Culture and Social Justice.

During his leadership campaign, Mr Gething promised to give the north Wales minister more powers and to create an office in the area.

The First Minister reaffirmed his commitment to strengthen the role during yesterdays session.

Responding to Mr Gruffydds comments, he said: I dont agree with that at all. I actually think that stakeholders across north Wales welcome the creation of a minister for north Wales and look forward to Ken Skates continuing the work that Lesley Griffiths has already done previously.

I look forward to working with Ken and ministers across my government, to make sure that we do deliver for the whole country.

On the challenge of a minister for north Wales, it was a recognition that some stakeholders do think that there is a challenge in making sure that the whole government acts for the whole country.

We are deliberately looking to do that, to reach out, to make sure that people can see clearly someone who holds the ring for the government around north Wales.

By Liam Randall  BBC Local Democracy Reporter
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Uzbekistan's economy is expected to slow down, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) says, Trend reports.

The bank's forecast suggests that this slowdown will be visible, particularly in the services and agriculture sectors. Rising prices of goods and services are the main reason behind it, potentially putting a cap on domestic spending.

In 2024, the country's GDP growth is predicted to decrease to 5.5 percent. However, there's a small improvement expected in 2025, with GDP growth rising slightly to 5.6 percent. This uptick is mainly because of growth in the industry sector, the ADB explained.

Looking at different sectors, the service industry's growth is expected to slow down to 5.5 percent in both 2024 and 2025. This is because there might be less demand for things like food services and accommodation.

Similarly, agriculture growth is projected to slow to 3.5 percent in both years. The main reason for this is the expected shortage of water for growing crops like cotton and wheat.

Construction is also expected to see slower growth, around 6 percent in both 2024 and 2025. According to the ADB, this is because there might be less building of houses and infrastructure projects happening.

However, the industry growth is expected to stay strong at 6 percent in 2024 and increase to 6.3 percent in 2025, fueled by growing international interest in food and textiles and a rising demand domestically for mining and quarrying.
Eighty years after the end of the Nazi dictatorship, the ruling class in Germany is shedding its democratic mask. The suppression of the Palestine Congress in Berlin is reminiscent of the darkest times in German history.

Last Friday, 900 police stormed the peaceful gathering and arrested numerous participants, including Jewish opponents of Israels genocide in Gaza. Approximately 2,500 police officers were mobilized in total, and they have since been brutalizing protesters demonstrating against the dispersal of the Congress.

German police arresting Jewish Voice for Peace spokesperson Udi Raz, April 12, 2024. [Photo: @AliAbunimah]

The World Socialist Web Site and the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party, SGP) condemn the German states crackdownwhich is redolent of outright dictatorships and fascist regimeson the Palestine Congress in the strongest terms. It is not only directed against the congress and its supporters, but aims to suppress all social and political opposition. Under conditions in which the ruling class is again relying on militarism and war and is planning massive attacks on the working class, protests are not allowed.

The organizers of the Palestine Congress and their lawyers were willing to abide by all police restrictions. A statement from the lawyers collective, which worked closely with the organizers of the congress, showed that there were already several rounds of safety talks between organizers and the police in advance, which further restricted the congress. Nevertheless, it was brutally dissolved in the end. Even its most prominent participants were treated like criminals.

For example, the Federal Ministry of the Interior imposed a ban on the former Greek Minister of Finance and chairman of the pan-European party DiEM25, Yanis Varoufakis. The ban also includes an entry and online access ban. In other words, although a few years ago Berlin was still working closely with Varoufakis to impose the European Unions austerity dictates on the Greek working class, he is now no longer allowed to express himself politically in Germany, because he criticises the mass murder of Palestinians.

Another well-known person blacklisted by the federal government at short notice is the physician and rector of the University of Glasgow, Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah. After the Federal Police also issued him with an entry ban, he was detained upon arrival at Berlin Airport, subjected to an hours-long interrogation and then sent back to London by plane.

Abu Sittah worked in the Gaza Strip during the first six weeks of the war in the Shifa and Ahli hospitals, which were repeatedly attacked by the Israeli army. He testified about his terrible experiences at the International Court of Justice, where Germany has been charged with complicity in genocide, and also gave a harrowing interview to German news magazine Der Spiegel. Now, as an eyewitness to the mass murder, he was forbidden from reporting on the events in Gaza at the congress.

The crackdown against the Palestine Congress is the culmination of a veritable police terror campaign carried out against all opposition since the beginning of Israels genocide. In Berlin and other major German cities, entire districts with large Palestinian and Arab populations are under siege. Anyone who wears a Palestinian scarf or in any way expresses their opposition to the government and the genocide it supports must expect to be stopped and arrested by the police.

Applying the same arbitrariness and brutality, the cultural and educational sector is being scoured and whipped into line. Exhibitions by Palestinian artists and opponents of the genocide have been cancelled, cultural institutions such as the Oyoun in Berlin have lost their funding, and teaching appointments, prizes and awards have been withdrawn. Anyone who expresses criticism as an artist, scientist or journalist first loses their job, then is branded an antisemite in a public smear campaign and destroyed by the media.

No one should be intimidated by this filthy campaign. It is the height of provocation when the German ruling class, of all people, invokes the Holocaust to justify another genocide and to criminalize any opposition to it. This also applies to Jewish opponents of genocide. Already in the run-up to the congress, the bank account of the Jewish Voice for a Just Peace, where donations for the event were collected, was frozen. When the police stormed the congress, a leading member of the organisation, Udi Raz, was arrested.

The crackdown was supported by all parties in the Bundestag (federal parliament). Social Democratic Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser praised the brutal actions of the police. It was right and necessary that the Berlin police crack down on the so-called Palestine Congress, she wrote on the social media platform X.

A cross-party Alliance against Anti-Semitic Terrorism, which includes leading representatives of the governing Social Democrats, Green and Free Democrats, and the opposition Christian Democrats and Left Party in Berlin, like a large part of the media, waged a vicious smear campaign even before the congress began and called for its banning. The participants were concerned with spreading anti-Semitic hatred and Berlin should not become the centre of terrorist glorification, they wrote in a statement.

The established politicians and the propagandists in the media can shout until they are blue in the face, this will not change reality. The filthy narrative of the fight against antisemitism and terrorism is increasingly being exposed. It is nothing more than a cover under which the ruling class returns to its roots: fascism and war.

It is not the oppressed Palestinians and the millions of people around the world who stand in solidarity with them and protest against the genocide that promote antisemitism, but the imperialist powers and, above all, the ruling class of Germany. The very narrative that collectively associates Jewish people with the genocidal policies of the far-right Netanyahu regime is thoroughly antisemitic.

In addition, the same parties, politicians and journalists who are now shouting antisemitism have no problem courting the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and openly glorifying fascist forces in Ukraine in the NATO war against Russia. They also defended the right-wing extremist Humboldt University Professor Jorg Baberowski after he declared that Hitler was not vicious and did not want to know about the extermination of the Jews.

The ruling class is not concerned with the fate of the Jews. As in Ukraine and Russia, German imperialism is also pursuing geostrategic and economic interests in the Middle East, relying on genocide and war. The government is currently working feverishly to, in the words of Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, make Germany fit for war again. Domestically, as in the past, this requires the militarisation of society as a whole and the establishment of a dictatorship.

As early as 2017, Germanys secret service, the Verfassungsschutz (Office for the Protection of the Constitution), under the leadership of right-wing extremist President Hans-Georg Maassen, placed the SGP under intelligence surveillance. And this on the exclusive grounds that the SGP advocates a socialist programme, criticises capitalism, militarism and nationalism, and opposes the established parties and the trade unions. The SGP filed a lawsuit against this and warned even then:

The secret services attack on the SGP is a fundamental assault on democratic rights. It is a component of government policy that is increasingly based on authoritarian forms of rule and the reliance on right-wing extremist forces so as to enforce militarist policies, the strengthening of the repressive state apparatus and attacks on social spending, and to suppress all opposition that emerges. It recalls the Weimar Republic, when the intelligence agencies, judiciary, and police ruthlessly persecuted socialists and pacifists while strengthening the Nazis.

This is the reality. And the suppression of the Palestine Congress is another serious warning. It underlines how aggressive the ruling class is and that, as in the Third Reich, it will stop at nothing to enforce its policy of war and dictatorship. At the same time, their Gestapo-like methods will only act to further fuel popular opposition. According to a recent survey, just 18 percent consider Israels actions in Gaza to be justified, while 69 percent oppose them.

The SGP bases itself on this opposition, which is part of a much broader radicalisation of the working class and the development of the international class struggle. It will use the European election campaign, together with its sister parties in the International Committee of the Fourth International, to promote the building of an independent mass movement against genocide, war and dictatorshipand their root cause, capitalism. Our election statement declares:

Millions of people around the world have demonstrated against the genocide in Gaza in recent weeks, despite the propaganda from the politicians and the media, and have indicated how strong and globally networked the working class is today. This movement must be expanded and armed with a socialist perspective. We demand:  An immediate end to the siege of Gaza and the complete demobilization of the Israeli army!  The holding of Netanyahu, Biden, Scholz and all other war criminals accountable for their war crimes!  The fight to unite Palestinian and Israeli workers in the struggle for a common secular and socialist state!
On April 6, the president of the Brazilian Supreme Court (STF), justice Luis Roberto Barroso, participated in the annual Brazil Conference in greater Boston promoted by Harvard and MIT students. Hosting the countrys authorities and multi-millionaires, the conferences affluent organizers themselves proudly dub it the Brazilian Davos forum.

After participating in a panel with Harvards star professor Steven Levitsky on populism, democracy and the role of constitutional courts, Barroso delivered a press conference in which he described the role of the Brazilian military in the last 35 years as exemplary. The Brazilian justice criticized those who warn of the militarys involvement in the coup attempt promoted by the fascistic former president Jair Bolsonaro, stating that he doesnt take part in this process of denigration of the armed forces, on the contrary.

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]

After admitting, with an understatement, that for some moments in the last years there has been a political involvement that is undesirable and incompatible with the Constitution on the part of the military, Barroso concluded by reassuring the press that this has been overcome and in life we must learn to turn the page.

Barroso was speaking less than a week after the 60th anniversary of the bloody March 31, 1964 coup, in which the Brazilian military, backed by the US, overthrew elected president Joao Goulart of the Brazilian Labor Party (PTB), inaugurating a 21-year dictatorship that murdered and tortured thousands. His declarations echoed those of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, of the Workers Party (PT), who ordered the cancellation of any ceremonies in memory of the coup, declaring that the country must know how to move history forward, [instead of] always dwelling on it, always dwelling on it.

As justice Barroso spoke in Cambridge, the Brazilian Federal Police (PF) continued its investigation of at least 18 high-ranking active duty or retired officers, including former commanders of the armed forces, for aiding Bolsonaro to prepare a coup detat after his defeat in the 2022 Brazilian elections. The plot culminated in the January 8, 2023 fascist assault on the government headquarters in the capital Brasilia.

Barrosos and Lulas attempts to cover up for the militarys role in coup attempts, whether 60 years ago or under Bolsonaros administration, reveal the rot of Brazils bourgeois rule as a whole. Thus, Bolsonaro and his clique are to be presented as isolated from the military as an institution which, according to them, plays a strictly constitutional role.

Seeking to counteract the destabilizing effect of Bolsonaros coup attempt while keeping his collaborators in Congress, the military and leading business circles, in June, the Brazilian electoral authority decided to suspend his political rights for eight yearsor two presidential electoral cycles. Bolsonaro was found guilty of abusing his presidential powers for electoral gain by summoning foreign ambassadors in July 2022 to present his baseless claims that the Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) was preparing to rig the October elections.

In a major escalation of the crisis, on March 15, the STF declassified sworn testimony by the former commanders of the Army, Gen. Marco Antonio Freire Gomes, and of the Air Force, Carlos de Almeida Baptista, Jr. Both former commanders have recognized that the military chiefs were presented with the so-called coup minutes, i.e., a draft document establishing a state of siege by the military and the extension of Bolsonaros rule. They have also declared that the Navy commander, Adm. Almir Garnier, offered his forces to carry out the coup.

In the latest in a series of sworn testimony, Bolsonaros main aide, Col. Mauro Cid, declared that the former presidents chief-of-staff and running mate in the 2022 elections, Gen. Walter Braga Netto, had asked the Liberal Party for financial resources to illegally deploy Army special forces in support of the demonstrations by Bolsonaros fascist supporters. The PF investigation had already pointed to the participation of such special forcesthe so-called kids pretosin the January 8 assault on Brasilia. The new revelations about Braga Netto provide the first direct link between Bolsonaros clique and the January 8 assault.

Braga Netto has also recently been implicated in the case of the 2018 murder of Rio de Janeiro city councilor Marielle Franco, of the pseudo-left Socialism and Freedom Party (PSOL). On March 24 the PF arrested two well-known Rio de Janeiros politicians and the citys former police chief, deputy Rivaldo Barbosa, as the masterminds of the execution. Barbosa was directly appointed as police chief by Braga Netto, who was then the head of the unprecedented military federal intervention in Rio, which took control of the states security forces. Barbosas nomination came against the advice of the states intelligence organs, which had identified credible links between him and the so-called militias, gangs chiefly composed of former police officers.

The rapid development of the political crisis has left the Brazilian authorities treading on thin ice. On April 11, the Attorney Generals Office (PGR) decided not to press charges against Bolsonaro for his holing up at the Hungarian embassy in Brasilia between February 12 and 14, only four days after he surrendered his passport to the PF. The police saw the stay as a possible prelude to a request for political asylum and sought to charge Bolsonaro with obstruction of justicewhich would implicate Hungarian diplomatic staff as well.

On April 6, the cases against Bolsonaro also drew the intervention of the far-right billionaire Elon Musk, who started a series of posts on his X/Twitter pointing to the so-called Twitter Files, making public and criticizing as authoritarian and against the Brazilian Constitution court orders to block Brazilian far-right accounts on the social media. The orders were directly connected to the investigations against Bolsonaro led by STF justice Alexandre de Moraes, who was personally named as a dictator by Musk.

Musks action prompted Moraes to include him in an investigation that formally began to counter online threats to authorities made by the far right but remains classified by the STF. Bolsonaro immediately endorsed Musks revelations and his lawyers are reportedly looking for a way to use Musks accusations of abuse as part of Bolsonaros defense in court.
Nine Google employees were arrested on Tuesday night in New York and California for occupying the companys corporate offices to protest an advanced technology services contract with the Israeli government and military.

The protesting workers entered the Google offices in New York City and Sunnyvale, California at approximately 2:00 p.m. Eastern to demand the company end its work on Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion cloud computing platform that provides the Zionist regime with services including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

The workers hung a banner in the New York City office that said, Google Worker Sit-In Against Project Nimbus. No Tech for Genocide. Other workers rallied outside both occupied buildings.

According to a report by The Verge, after nearly eight hours of the sit-in by four workers who remained in the common area of the 10th floor of Googles offices in Chelsea, New York City police arrived with someone who appeared to be a company representative. After telling the workers that they had been placed on administrative leave and their access to the building had been revoked, the man said, Were asking you to leave again for the last time.

The arrests, which were live-streamed on Twitch by protesters, took place after a police officer said, Listen, well let you walk out the door right nowits a non-issue if youre willing to go. If not, youre going to be arrested for trespassing. The officers then asked the protesters to turn around and put their hands behind their backs to be handcuffed.

At the Sunnyvale campus, the protesters occupied the office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian. The arrests in California, captured on video, were carried out in a similar manner when someone who appears to be a security guard asked the protesters to leave voluntarily. When they refused, police officers came in and arrested the five workers.

Speaking to The Verge, Billy Van Der Laar, a Sunnyvale-based software engineer, said, We did not come to Google to work on technology that kills. By engaging in this contract leadership has betrayed our trust, our AI Principles, and our humanity.

The Project Nimbus contract between Google and Amazon and the state of Israel was announced in 2021. The Israeli Finance Ministry said at the time that the software contract provides, the government, the defense establishment, and others with an all-encompassing cloud solution. Google and Amazon beat out Microsoft, Oracle and IBM to win the services agreement which will establish local cloud sites that will keep information within Israels borders under strict security guidelines, according to a report by Reuters on April 21, 2021.

Terms of the contract also state that Google and Amazon are forbidden from boycotting the agreement. The Times of Israel reported that the terms of the agreement bar the companies from denying services to particular government entities.

This did not stop Google Cloud external communications manager Anna Kowalczyk from issuing a statement saying Project Nimbus is not related to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). We have been very clear that the Nimbus contract is for workloads running on our commercial cloud by Israeli government ministries, who agree to comply with our Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy. This work is not directed at highly sensitive, classified, or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services, Kowalczyk said.

However, an exclusive report in Time on Friday, based on a company document, detailed Googles cloud computing services partnership with the Zionist military. The report states, The Israeli Ministry of Defense, according to the document, has its own landing zone into Google Clouda secure entry point to Google-provided computing infrastructure, which would allow the ministry to store and process data, and access AI services.

The Time report goes on, The ministry sought consulting assistance from Google to expand its Google Cloud access, seeking to allow multiple units to access automation technologies, according to a draft contract dated March 27, 2024. The contract shows Google billing the Israeli Ministry of Defense over $1 million for the consulting service.

The movement of tech workers against providing advanced software services to Israel has intensified during the US-backed genocide against Palestinians over the past six months. In March, Google fired software engineer Eddie Hatfield for publicly protesting Project Nimbus during Mind the Tech, an annual Israeli tech conference in New York, and interrupting a speech by Google Israels managing director.

At the conference, Hatfield said, Im a Google Cloud software engineer, and I refuse to build technology that powers genocide, apartheid, or surveillance. Project Nimbus puts Palestinian community members in danger.

According to Time, Vidana Abdel Khalek, a UK-based trust-and-safety-policy employee, resigned in protest after Hatfield was fired.

On March 4, more than 600 other Google employees signed a petition opposing the companys sponsorship of the conference. The petition is addressed to Google parent company Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai and has the headline, Stop profiting off of Israeli apartheid and violence against Palestinians.

The petition states, By providing cloud technology to ... Israel, Google is enabling the oppression of the Palestinian people. For example, Project Nimbus will likely expand the data capacity of the Israeli Land Authority (ILA), a government agency that uses discriminatory policies to expand segregated Jewish settlements while trapping Palestinians in densely populated areas and limiting the growth of their communities.

Reports are emerging that Israel has been using AI tools for mass targeting of civilians since the beginning of its ethnic cleansing campaign in Gaza. In an investigative report by +972 Magazine and Local Call, which is based on interviews with six Israeli intelligence officers who were involved in the use of AI in Gaza, civilian homes have been targeted with little human review by a system called Lavender.

The report says, during the first weeks of the war, the army almost completely relied on Lavender, which clocked as many as 37,000 Palestinians as suspected militantsand their homesfor possible air strikes. One source said that human personnel often served only as a rubber stamp for the machines decisions, and that the individuals were targeted at night while their whole families were present in their homes.

In another automated system called Wheres Daddy?, targeted individuals were tracked and bombing strikes were carried out after they had entered the family residence. One of the intelligence officers said the IDF was not interested in killing their targets only when they were in a military building or engaged in a military activity. On the contrary, the IDF bombed them in homes without hesitation, as a first option. Its much easier to bomb a familys home. The system is built to look for them in these situations.

Another AI system called The Gospel, is used by the IDF to determine which targets the Israeli Air Force would bomb. The system automatically provides a targeting recommendation to a human analyst, who then decides whether to pass it along to soldiers in the field, according to a report by National Public Radio.

Tal Mimran, a lecturer at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, who has worked for the Israeli government on targeting during previous military operations, told NPR that The Gospel is much more efficient than humans. Mimran said a group of 20 officers might produce 50-100 targets in a year. By comparison, he thinks The Gospel can suggest around 200 targets within 10-12 days or 50 times faster than military personnel.
The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) condemns the attacks on opponents of the genocide in Gaza among students and faculty that are now underway across the United States. We demand that all faculty, students and organizations that have been terminated, expelled or suspended be immediately reinstated. The broadest possible support must be mobilized among youth and in the working class to fight for this demand.

President of Columbia University Nemat Shafik testifies before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce hearing on "Columbia in Crisis: Columbia University's Response to Antisemitism" on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. [AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib]

Over the past month, universities across the US, including Vanderbilt University in Tennessee and Columbia University in New York City, have arrested, expelled and suspended students for participating in pro-Palestine demonstrations. Faculty have been terminated or placed on leave, including at Columbia University and John Jay College in New York City. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott has issued an executive order demanding that the state university system establish appropriate punishments, including expulsion from the institution for students who oppose the genocide.

On Tuesday, Asna Tabassum, a valedictorian at the University of Southern California, was effectively banned from delivering her planned commencement speech by the university administration after she had voiced opposition to the genocide on her Instagram.

This campaign to censor, intimidate and silence opponents of the genocide is now to be stepped up. A congressional hearing on Wednesday was dedicated primarily to pressuring the administration of Columbia University, which has taken a lead in the attack on democratic rights on campuses, to carry out a full purge of pro-Palestinian faculty and students.

As in previous congressional hearings targeting elite universities, far-right Republicans like Elise Stefanik, an adherent of the antisemitic and white supremacist Great Replacement Theory, and Jim Banks, an open defender of the fascist coup attempt of January 6 and ally of the antisemite Marjorie Taylor Greene, were allowed to lead the charge. Most speakers prefaced their remarks by restating the lie that opposition to Zionism constitutes antisemitism. This lie now serves as the main ideological basis for the criminalization of any opposition to fascism, imperialism and capitalism.

Congressman Tim Walberg, who has called for Israel to annihilate Gaza with nuclear weapons, insisted that the university discipline Joseph Massad, a tenured Columbia University professor of Arab politics. Columbia President Nemat Shafik, a former leading official of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Bank of England, responded that Massad was being investigateda fact that the professor had never been informed about until the hearing. When confronted on the universitys hiring of Mohamed Abdou as a visiting professor, Shafik chillingly responded, He will never work at Columbia again.

Stefanik and other representatives of Congress named several other faculty members, calling for them to be terminated and for Columbia to revise its hiring procedures. One congressman described a faculty member who opposed the genocide as lowlife. Congressman Joe Wilson (Republican-South Carolina) called for censorship of faculty and students who hold that capitalism is a system of economic oppression.

The representatives of Columbia Universitys administration, which included a former Goldman Sachs executive, a former leading CNN, ABC and NBC journalist, and a member of the right-wing Federalist Society of lawyers, bent over backwards to try to prove to Congress that they were worthy allies in the attack on free speech.

Shafik declared that the university was in regular contact with the NYPD and the FBI and that further disciplinary actions would be taken against dissenting students and faculty.

The university has already suspended the Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace and has all but banned demonstrations on its campus. As the hearing was being held, the New York City Police Department had barricaded the entrance to Columbias campus, where students had initiated a protest camp on the lawn to demand an end to the genocide.

NYPD barricade and guard the main entrance to Columbia University on April 17, 2024

The hearing made clear that the goal of the US ruling class is nothing less than a purge of the faculty and student body at universities, in order to completely subordinate higher education to the war machine. Everyone who dares voice opposition to US foreign policy is to be thrown out, blacklisted and made the public target of attacks by Zionists and far-right elements.

Such attacks are already taking place. At Columbia University, student protesters had to be hospitalized after being attacked with chemical weapons by former IDF (Israel Defense Forces) soldiers on campus. In the past two weeks alone, two Muslim youth were attacked on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin, and a member of UC Berkeleys law faculty physically assaulted a Muslim student protester.

In an open incitement of vigilante violence against protesters, on Tuesday, far-right Republican Tom Cotton encouraged people who get stuck behind the pro-Hamas mobs blocking traffic to take matters into your own hands. Its time to put an end to this nonsense.

The Democratic Party is fully complicit in this campaign. The policy of the Biden administration has been to close ranks with far-right Republicans for a united front to wage war both abroad and at home. While it works closely with Republicans to abolish free speech on campuses, the Democratic Party relies on the trade union bureaucracies to stifle any independent expression of working class opposition to the attack on democratic and social rights, as well as to war and the Gaza genocide.

Both are part of the same strategy: From the standpoint of the ruling class, the suppression of the class struggle and political opposition at home is the most important precondition for the waging of war abroad.

In this strategy, the Biden administration receives critical support from left Democrats. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has emerged as the main fundraiser for the reelection campaign of Genocide Joe, while remaining silent on the purge of faculty and students. Similarly, Jacobin, the flagship journal of the Democratic Socialists of America, maintained silence on the witchhunt on the campuses for months before legitimizing the far-right campaign that led to the ouster of Claudine Gay as president of Harvard University.

This attack on democratic rights is international in scope. On Friday, police in Berlin, Germany raided a Palestine Congress event. Prominent academics and politicians, including the former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, were banned from entering Germany and even speaking to German audiences online. After two world wars and the Holocaust, German imperialism, like the US, France and Britain, is now providing critical funds and weapons for Israels genocide in Gaza.

Underlying the escalating attack on free speech internationally by all sections of the ruling class is the broadening and intensification of an emerging world war. Over the past week, the US and the European imperialist powers have moved closer than ever to direct conflict with Iran in the Middle East. In Europe, NATO is discussing the deployment of troops to Ukraine, where its proxy forces of the Ukrainian army are facing a disastrous situation in the war against Russia. The two theaters of war are intrinsically linked: Both are part of a new imperialist redivision of the world, which is targeting not only Russia and Iran, but also China.

With its frantic campaign to stifle any opposition to the genocide in Gaza, the ruling class is seeking to preempt the emergence and prepare the violent suppression of an even wider and more powerful mass movement against war and against capitalism. It is keenly aware that the protests against the Gaza genocide are only a harbinger of such a movement. This is why it is waging once again what the American Trotskyist leader James P. Cannon described during the McCarthyism of the early 1950s as a psychological war against free thought and dissenting opinion on a scale that goes far beyond its legal suppression.

But everything indicates that the ruling class is already losing this psychological war. The very fact that the protesters have remained defiant in the face of a frontal assault by the state is symptomatic of a far broader process of radicalization: In the eyes of millions, the capitalist system, and especially US imperialism, which has long functioned as its principal bulwark, have lost all historical, political and moral legitimacy.

But no matter how committed and brave they are, young people on their own cannot stop the genocide, fight against imperialism or overthrow the capitalist system. In fact, the experience of the protests over the past half-year shows that a new political and social orientation is urgently needed.

So far, the protests have been dominated by middle-class nationalist forces such as the neo-Stalinist Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) and tendencies like Socialist Alternative that are oriented toward the presidential election campaign of the professional opportunist and pragmatist Cornel West.

These tendencies seek to promote the illusion that pressure from below on the Biden administration and the Democratic Party can force the ruling class to change course. This perspective is a dead end. The bitter lesson of the anti-war movements of the pastbe it against the war in Vietnam or the Iraq Waris that any movement that is subordinated to the Democratic Party and limited to the framework of middle-class protest politics will inevitably collapse and be manipulated by the bourgeoisie.

But the 20th century also holds another lesson: The October Revolution of 1917 in Russia, which brought the beginning of the end of World War I, and the entire history of the Trotskyist movement demonstrate that the fight to defend democratic rights and the fight against war can only succeed if they are rooted in an independent movement of the working class. This is why the IYSSE insists that a new, socialist anti-war movement must be built, with a clear orientation to the program and theory of revolutionary Marxism and the mobilization of the international working class as the principal revolutionary force in society.
Within hours of a stabbing at a Sydney church on Monday night, New South Wales (NSW) Police declared the incident an act of terrorism, activating far-reaching police powers. They did so, despite professing to know little about the attacker, and under conditions where other acts of politically motivated violence have not received a prompt designation.

New South Wales police outside Assyrian orthodox church in the western Sydney suburb of Wakeley, where Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, 53, was stabbed on April 15, 2024. [AP Photo/Mark Baker]

The attack occurred at the Christ The Good Shepherd Church in the south-western Sydney suburb of Wakeley. As Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was delivering a sermon, a member of the audience leapt up and attacked him with a knife. Emmanuel was injured, requiring surgery, as was another clergyman. The sermon was being broadcast online before a large audience and footage of the attack was distributed widely on social media.

There were also disturbing scenes following the stabbing. A crowd of dozens grew to hundreds. Young men besieged the church building, where police were holding the alleged attacker, demanding that he be brought outside and chanting an eye for an eye.

Rocks were pelted at the police, while paramedics were trapped inside the church for up to three hours. The alleged stabber lost at least one finger, with unconfirmed allegations that it was chopped off by members of the mob.

The declaration that the incident was being investigated as a terrorist attack was made in the early hours of Tuesday morning, and approved by the NSW Labor governments Police Minister Yasmin Catley at 1:44 am. On Tuesday, the attack was the subject of media conferences involving not only NSW Labor Premier Chris Minns, but also Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Mike Burgess, director-general of ASIO, the domestic spy agency.

In other words, there was an extremely rapid decision to elevate what had occurred into a major national and even international incident.

Under draconian anti-terror legislation, defining an incident as a terrorist act triggers extraordinary police powers that override basic civil liberties. These include rights to stop and search a person, their possessions, vehicle or premises without a warrant, as well as provisions for the use of force.

In defending the terror designation, Minns asserted that it was not performative. Instead, he indicated the deliberate aim was to activate the police powers: Were not trying to judge one crime over another with this particular designation. The reason its required is particular changes to the legislation to enhance police powers.

The details made public thus far, however, do not indicate why those powers are so urgently required.

In the first instance, there is the age of the alleged perpetrator. He was only 16 years old, and police have already stated they believe he was acting alone. The attack was crude, with the teenager allegedly using some sort of flick knife that he does not appear to have even opened properly.

NSW Police have stated the boy was known to them, but not well known. It has since emerged that he has had several brushes with authorities and the law over petty offences, including carrying a knife at school and at a train station during an altercation with other youths. There is no indication at this stage that these incidents were of a political or religious nature.

Then there is the issue of the timing. On Saturday afternoon, a man went on a rampage in Sydneys Bondi Junction Westfield shopping centre, stabbing more than a dozen members of the public, six of them fatally. The proximity of the two incidents could indicate that the Westfield massacre, and its extensive news coverage, inspired or contributed to the Wakeley church attack.

Already on Sunday, i.e., before the stabbing of the bishop, it had been revealed that the perpetrator of the Bondi massacre was a homeless schizophrenic man, whose actions were most likely the result of a mental health episode.

The primary basis for the terrorism designation in the Wakeley attack appears to be statements made by the boy. In video after the stabbing and as he was being detained, the youth stated that he would not have carried out the attack, but for statements made by Emmanuel critical of his religion, believed to be Islam.

While that may point to a religious motivation, it does not rule out other possibilities, including mental illness.

The response to previous incidents has been very different, with authorities on some occasions exceedingly reluctant to issue a terrorism designation.

In January this year, an improvised explosive device was placed on the car of a Sydney man, accompanied by a note demanding that he remove a Palestinian flag from his home. There were no national press conferences or terrorism designations, and the police, together with the corporate media, were at pains to point out that the device was not built in such a way that it could have been exploded.

When a man was arrested in March over the bomb, there was hardly any coverage and no statements from politicians. Despite the seemingly clear-cut political motivation behind his actions, he has not been charged with terrorism offences, but with relatively minor crimes including stalking and trespassing.

So whether an incident is deemed a terrorism offence or not is essentially a political decision.

The bogus war on terror, launched to justify the US-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, was also a war on democratic rights. Alongside justifying the criminal military operations abroad, it was used to vilify Muslims and incite racism. Almost all of the high-profile terrorism cases of the past two decades have involved extensive police entrapment, convictions for loose talk or both.

A particularly egregious example was revealed in February with the belated release of a transcript from a Melbourne Childrens Court. The documents exposed the entrapment of a vulnerable 13-year-old boy by Australian Federal Police, their Victorian state counterparts and the intelligence agencies.

Parents of the boy had approached the police in 2021, concerned that their autistic son had an unhealthy fixation on the Islamic State terror group. The police responded by deploying undercover agents to feed the boys obsession and encourage his radicalisation, before fitting him up on terrorism charges.

The release of the transcript was part of an official damage-control operation, which included limited criticisms of the entrapment. It nevertheless underscored the way in which key state authorities have at times actively encouraged terrorist ideologies and offences for political purposes, including to justify further police powers and to inflame divisions among ordinary people.

That is perhaps the most striking aspect of the response to the Wakeley incident. Albanese, Minns and other government leaders have called for calm and have insisted on the importance of social cohesion. But the breakneck speed with which they declared it a terror attack was only ever going to do the opposite, creating an atmosphere of panic and increasing the likelihood of communal conflicts.

That is in line with what governments have done over the past six months. As they have supported Israels genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza, they have slandered the mass opposition as antisemitic and at times threatened to outlaw it. Politically and ideologically, they have cynically sought to reframe hostility to Israels imperialist-sponsored mass murder as a religiously grounded conflict between Jews and Muslims, knowing full well that this will only incite racism.

Such an atmosphere is conducive to provocations, and is almost guaranteed to agitate unstable and disoriented individuals, raising the danger of violent incidents.

The cultivation of this hothouse environment has been accompanied by major attacks on democratic rights. Minns, who rushed to activate sweeping police powers, was threatening to ban all protests in defence of the Palestinians less than six months ago.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Azerbaijan and Russia's Tatarstan have discussed investment projects in industrial zones, Trend reports.

According to the Azerbaijan Economic Zones Development Agency (EZDA), a meeting was held with a delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Republic of Tatarstan, Oleg Korobchenko.

Additionally, it is noted that the chairman of the board of EZDA, Seymur Adgozalov, briefed the delegation on the industrial zones run by the agency and the favorable investment opportunities created here for entrepreneurs. Tatarstan businessmen were invited to take advantage of business opportunities created in the industrial zones.

Besides, the meeting discussed investment projects in industrial zones and prospects for cooperation between the Agency for Development of Economic Zones and the Khimgrad Technopolis of Tatarstan.

To note, the Agency for Development of Economic Zones was established as a state legal entity based on "Sumgayit Chemical Industrial Park" LLC by Decree No. 1257 of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, "On Measures to Improve Management of Industrial Parks, Industrial Districts, and Agro-Parks," dated January 22, 2021.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
President Donald Trump shakes hands with Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito at the White House in Washington, July 23, 2019. [AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster]

Based on their questioning and comments during oral arguments Tuesday, five of the most right-wing Supreme Court justices signaled their intention to rule that the participants in the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 cannot be charged with obstructing an official proceeding, a serious felony that carries a penalty up to 20 years in prison.

The January 6 assault, carried out by a mob of far-right thugs and fascistic groups gathered around Donald Trump, was aimed at preventing the joint session of Congress from certifying Joe Bidens electoral victory, as part of Trumps attempted coup in defiance of the outcome of the election.

The far-right justices, who themselves sympathize with the January 6 coup attempt, engaged in tortured verbal gymnastics on Tuesday in an effort to shield insurrectionists from the plain meaning of the federal statute that criminalizes the unlawful obstruction of official proceedings, including the counting of votes by Congress. These same justices, when it suits their right-wing agenda, present themselves as strict constructionists who strenuously adhere to the plain text and meaning of laws.

The most striking moment during the proceedings came when far-right Justice Samuel Alito demanded to know whether the same law being invoked against the January 6 insurrectionists could be used to prosecute pro-Palestinian protestors who blocked the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and disrupted traffic. He asked, Would that be a violation of this provision if it delayed an official proceeding?

On its face, Alitos question, echoing far-right talking points from the Trump milieu, is absurd and provocative. There is no equivalence between a non-violent anti-genocide demonstration disrupting vehicle trafficas protests have commonly done going back to the Civil Rights struggles and earlierand a far-right violent coup attempt aimed at overthrowing the election and establishing a presidential dictatorship.

But this quip from Alito was pitched not to the lawyers in the courtroom, but to the leftward-moving population, against whom it was an implicit threat, and simultaneously to a far-right audience within the state and the financial elite, to whom it was a pledge.

Aside from participants in the fascist mob, the conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election, which Biden won by seven million votes and a substantial margin in the Electoral College, involved dozens of Trump administration officials and Republican members of Congress, high-level members of the military and police apparatus, and dozens of others outside government, most of whom have not been arrested or charged.

There is a farcical and illegitimate character to the very notion of the Supreme Court presiding over the case of a January 6 insurrection, given that the Supreme Court is itself implicated in the coup attempt.

Emails demonstrate that for weeks following the 2020 election, Virginia Ginni Thomas, the wife of the arch-reactionary Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomaswho has himself accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of vacations and other bribes from far-right Republican billionairescoordinated with Trumps chief of staff, Mark Meadows, to secure judicial ratification of Trumps coup detat in the event that the January 6, 2021 electoral vote count was derailed by the fascist mob. In this manner, Thomas was to reprise his role in the Supreme Courts ruling to halt the counting of votes in Florida in 2000 and thereby steal the presidential election for George W. Bush.

The conspiracy to install Trump as dictator on January 6 nearly succeeded. But the response of the Democrats and the Biden administration has been to rehabilitate the Republican Party and the far right as part of their efforts to achieve bipartisan unity, particularly in support of imperialist war plans in Ukraine and the Middle East, and against China. To date, only some 1,250 insurrectionists have been arrested and charged. Roughly 10 percent are alleged to have used weapons or caused serious injuries to police at the US Capitol.

Criminal charges have ranged from misdemeanor unlawful entry and disorderly conduct to sedition. Over 700 insurrectionists have pleaded guilty and another 150 have been convicted after trials. Sentences have ranged from probation to multiple years in prison. Most sentences have been slightly below federal guidelines.

The formal decision in Tuesdays case, expected before the end of June, could vacate the sentences of about fifty insurrectionists, including the infamous QAnon shaman Jacob Chansley, and affect pending prosecutions against more than 100 others, including Donald Trump himself. There are multiple offenses involved in the convictions and prosecutions, however, so the immediate impact of a favorable ruling on the insurrectionists themselves remains to be seen.

Politically, however, such a ruling would have broad and reactionary repercussions, encouraging fascistic forces and further undermining democratic rights.

Tuesdays argument concerned the case against Joseph Fischer, a police officer for North Cornwall Township, population 9,500, which is located about 90 miles west of Philadelphia. Fischer was charged with seven criminal counts based on his entering the Capitol at about 3:30 on the afternoon of January 6, after texting to a colleague: Take democratic congress to the gallows ... Cant vote if they cant breathe  lol.

Joseph Fischer [Photo: US Department of Justice ]

Fischer texted his police chief to post my bail  It might get violent, adding he and his fellow insurrectionists would storm the capital [sic] and drag all the democrates [sic] into the street and have a mob trial. Fischer made a cellphone video inside the Capitol Rotunda in which he urged his fellow rioters to charge, and then crashed into a police line.

The most serious of the seven charges against Fischer alleges that he violated Title 18 of the United States Code  1512(c)(2). The law dates from 2002, when Congress realized that no federal law penalized the deliberate destruction of records compiled by Enron, the energy swindler, which had been subpoenaed for investigation.

Section 1512(c)(1) penalizes anyone who alters, destroys, mutilates, or conceals a record, document, or other object ... with the intent to impair the objects integrity or availability for use in an official proceeding. Subsection (2) penalizes anyone who otherwise obstructs, influences, or impedes any official proceeding.

Fourteen District of Columbia judges have upheld Section 1512(c)(2) obstruction charges against January 6 defendants. Breaking ranks, however, District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee and former law clerk for Clarence Thomas, dismissed the obstruction charge against Fischer, purportedly finding that due to the circumstances under which the law was enacted, the law applies only to evidence tampering and destruction.

The District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals reversed, 2-1, holding that the statute is unambiguous, and therefore Subsection (2) applies to all forms of corrupt obstruction of an official proceeding, which includes swarming the Capitol in a mob to prevent the tabulation of Electoral College votes.

Circuit Judge Gregory Katsas, another former Thomas law clerk and Trump appointee, dissented. In a passage more reminiscent of Lewis Carroll than William Blackstone, Katsas wrote that the term otherwise, as used between the two subsections of Section 1512(c), does not mean in a manner different from, but rather in a manner similar to.

Thus, according to Katsas, because storming the Capitol and assaulting police officers to stop the counting of electoral votes is not similar to corporate con artists destroying their records, Fischer cannot be charged under Subsection (2) for obstruction.

There is nothing unusual about prosecutors applying statutory definitions of crimes to encompass novel circumstances beyond the original purpose of a law. It is unusual, however, to watch so-called law-and-order judges contort the English language, giving words their opposite meaning, to frustrate prosecutors. Yet that is precisely what happened at Tuesdays argument, as the January 6 sympathizers on the bench did their utmost to bend the law in favor of one of the shock troops of the January 6 mob.

Thomas, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, sympathized openly with Fischers argument that otherwise in the context of this statute did not distinguish the general prohibition of obstruction in Subsection (2) from the specific prohibition against falsifying or destroying documents in Subsection (1).

The right-wing justices reading of otherwise so as to limit Section 1512(c)(2) to obstruction based on evidence tampering renders an absurd result that essentially tears the statute out of the United States Criminal Code.

The position of the sixth right-wing justice, Amy Coney Barrett, was less clear, but her vote is not required for a majority.

At least two of the three so-called liberal justices spoke clearly in favor of charging insurrectionists with violating Section 1512(c)(2). Elena Kagan told Fischers lawyer that Subsection (2) does not say otherwise spoils evidence,  it says otherwise obstructs a proceeding.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, in response to the suggestion that Section 1512(c)(2) had never been used to prosecute someone for physically interfering with an official proceeding, responded, Weve never had a situation before ... like this with people attempting to stop a proceeding violently. So Im not sure what a lack of history proves.

US Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, in response to a hypothetical by Alito that suggested that under the prosecution theory people in the Supreme Court gallery who stood up and yelled support for one side or the other, delaying an argument for five minutes, could be sentenced to 20 years in prison, said that would be fundamentally different ... than if they had stormed into this courtroom, overrun the Supreme Court police, required the Justices and other participants to flee for their safety, and done so with clear evidence of intent to obstruct.

In a recent Supreme Court filing in the presidential immunity case set to be argued next week, Special Counsel Jack Smith argued that the obstruction charges against Trump would still be valid because of the phony electoral certificates prepared for the joint session of Congress, and Trump has also been charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to interfere with constitutional rights, including the right to vote.
The Middle East stands on the brink of a wider war following Irans retaliation against Israel for the attack on its consulate in Damascus on April 1 that killed seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC), including three top generals.

The howls of condemnation of Iran from Israel, the US and their allies stand in stark contrast to their tacit support for Israels act of war and blatant violation of international law. The air strike not only violated Syrian sovereignty, as Israel has done repeatedly, but also constituted an attack on Iranian soil, as embassies are regarded by international convention.

Iranian demonstrators chant slogans during an anti-Israeli gathering in front of the British Embassy in Tehran, Iran, early Sunday, April 14, 2024. [AP Photo/Vahid Salemi]

The April 1 attack was not the first. Israel has been deliberately goading Iran into retaliation through a series of targeted strikes. In the past six months, while waging its genocidal war on Palestinians in Gaza, Israeli air strikes have killed at least 18 IRGC members, including key figures in Iranian relations in the Middle East. These include General Sayyed Razi Mousavi, who was regarded as Irans top commander in Syria.

Tehran has repeatedly declared that it does not want war in the Middle East. Its retaliation on Saturday was calibrated more to assuage public anger at home, than to inflict serious damage on the Israeli airbase that it targeted. The ability of the militaries of Israel, the US, Britain, France and other countries to shoot down virtually all of the missiles and drones launched by Iran stems above all from the fact that Tehran telegraphed details of its plans to several Middle Eastern governments knowing the information would be passed on to Washington.

Having established a pretext, Israel will undoubtedly strike back. Israeli chief of staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi said as much on Monday and the Israeli war cabinet has been in virtually constant session since Saturday. When and how will be determined by a multitude of political and tactical considerations and is the subject of widespread speculation in the Western media and think tanks.

What is not in doubt is that one of the prime targets of the fascistic Israeli regime is Irans nuclear program and its capacity to build nuclear weapons if it chooses to do so. It is an open secret that Israel has an arsenal of nuclear bombs, variously estimated at between 100 and 400, along with sophisticated delivery systems. It will stop at nothing to maintain its monopoly of nuclear arms in the Middle East, especially over Iran.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly declared that Israel will not permit Iran to develop a nuclear arsenal and is an open advocate of using military means to achieve that end. As such, Netanayahu has been a bitter opponent of the deal struck in 2015 between the major powers and Tehran, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which imposed severe limits on Irans nuclear program in exchange for an easing of crippling sanctions imposed by the UN, US and EU. Trump unilaterally abandoned the JCPOA and Bidens claims to resurrect the deal have foundered on his refusal to offer the slightest concession to Iran.

In an interview a year ago with CNNs Fareed Zakaria, Netanyahu poured scorn on the nuclear deal with Iran, declaring it would have paved their way with gold towards achieving Tehrans objectives. He then stated:

If you want to stop Iran from becoming military nuclear power, the only way that you can stop them is with a credible military threat. This is what worked against Saddam Husseins nuclear weapon program in Iraq. That was done by us. This is what worked against Bashar al-Assads nuclear military plans in Syria. That was done by us.

The references to Iraq and Syria make absolutely clear that what Netanyahu means by threat is a military attack. On June 7, 1981, Israeli war planes bombed and partially destroyed Iraqs Osirak nuclear research reactor, killing 10 Iraqi soldiers and a French engineer. On September 2007, Israeli F-16 fighters bombed the partially completed al-Kubar nuclear facility near Deir ez-Zor in Syria.

The Israeli regime has now openly stated its determination to end Irans nuclear programs and that military strikes are the only means for achieving that end. It has already been engaged in a criminal war of assassination and sabotage inside Iran aimed at interrupting and slowing Irans progress.

Speaking to CNN, Netanyahu obliquely referred to Israels covert activities, saying that Iran lags behind its original plans because of efforts that we made, which are many folds, some in the operational side, some in the economic and the political side we were able to slow them down. But not able to stop them completely.

There is a long list of murders, bombings and cyber-attacks inside Iran, never publicly acknowledged by Israel, but almost certainly carried out either directly by Mossad or its proxiessome in collaboration or by the US. To cite just a couple:

In November 2020, a team of assassins ambushed and killed Irans top nuclear physicist Moshen Fakhrizadeh in a brutal attack in Tehran in broad daylight. His car was raked by automatic weapons fire and a pickup truck loaded with explosives was blown up next to it. A year later, the New York Times, based on inside sources, acknowledged the murder was carried out by Israel and reveled in its ability in methodically picking off Iranian nuclear experts. Five had been killed to that point in targeted Israeli assassinations since 2007, and another wounded.

Of the many cyber-attacks on Iran, one of the most damaging involved the infection of 30,000 computers across at least 14 facilities with the Stuxnet virus in 2010. Initially uncovered at Irans nuclear power plant at Bushehr, it spread, including to Irans Natanz uranium enrichment facility, where, according to one estimate, it destroyed as many as 1,000 of the 9,000 centrifuges by causing them to spin out of control. Two years later, a detailed article in the New York Times reported the US and Israel were responsible for the sabotage.

Israel certainly has the stated determination to halt Irans nuclear programs and the means of carrying out a reckless and inflammatory attack on Irans nuclear facilities. To do so, however, would be tantamount to a declaration of war that would likely rapidly spiral out of control. To inflict permanent damage, a massive strike would be required as Irans nuclear facilities are far more extensive than those of Iraq or Syria, and the most sensitive are buried deep underground.

While for political and tactical reasons Israel may decide to hold back at least in the short term, it is widely understood that the possibility of an attack exists. On Monday, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi expressed concerns that Israel would strike Iranian nuclear plants where its inspectors were working. Grossi said Iran closed its nuclear facilities on Sunday over security considerations and that, while they reopened on Monday, he kept IAEA inspectors away until we see that the situation is completely calm.

Whatever Israels immediate response to Irans retaliatory strikes on Saturday, it will not be cosmetic. Having goaded Iran into striking back, and knowing that it has the rock solid support of US imperialism and its allies, it is likely that Israel will exploit the situation to inflict a serious blow against Iran or its regional alliesfurther escalating the widening regional conflict.
The efforts of the World Health Organization to develop a global approach to preparing for and preventing future pandemics have suffered a setback at the hands of wealthy nations. What began as a weak and insufficient pandemic agreement was subsequently watered down even further in recent negotiations. But this was still not enough to appease global corporations and the nations that do their bidding.

In a desperate move to reach some agreement versus none, the World Health Organization announced on March 28 that its member states agreed to resume negotiations on the pandemic agreement on April 29. A new version of the agreement textto be further negotiated at that timeis expected by April 18.

Despite launching the process to create the agreement in December 2021, with a target date for adoption at the World Health Assembly in May 2024, negotiations have stalled. As reported by the World Socialist Web Site, efforts intensified two months ago to pressure nations to reach agreement on key points. The just-approved resumption of negotiations represents the failure of those efforts, as the extension was not previously planned.

The negotiations are being overseen by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB). The ninth meeting of the INB (INB9) began on March 18 and ended March 28 without reaching resolution of the remaining issues. Therefore the INB approved a resumption of its ninth meeting, to begin on April 29 and end on May 10.

Since the World Health Assembly is scheduled to commence on May 27, concluding negotiations successfully by May 10 would essentially be finishing in the final seconds after two-and-a-half years of talks.

The concern over the inability to reach agreement on schedule was articulated by INB co-chair Roland Driece, who said:

Governments said clearly we cannot fail to reach an agreement at the next World Health Assembly to make the world healthier, fairer and safer from pandemics. We are at the finishing line and we are committed to maximizing the remaining negotiations to reach the result the entire world needs.

The WHO released a Revised draft of the negotiating text of the WHO Pandemic Agreement dated March 13, 2024. The prior version was entitled Proposal for negotiating text of the WHO Pandemic Agreement and dated October 30, 2023.

World Health Organization Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (center) declaring the coronavirus pandemic a Public Health emergency of International Concern in March 2020. [Photo: Fabrice Coffrini]

The changes made from the Proposal to the Revised draftwhich reflect the outcomes of negotiations thus farare not marked explicitly. A detailed, side-by-side comparison, however, reveals significant changes too numerous to review comprehensively here.

A summary of some key changes to the binding clauses of the agreement, based on known points of contention among the negotiators, follows.

First, instead of committing to improvements in disease surveillance both within and across nations, now parties only should do so.

Second, a clause was struck entirely that required the parties to recognize the impact of environmental, climatic, social, anthropogenic and economic factors on the risk of pandemics and commit to taking them into consideration in pandemic preparedness. This is despite the well-known relationship between climate change and a significantly increased risk of pandemics.

Third, a clause committing to follow ethical practices on the international recruitment of healthcare personnel, to avoid draining crucial human resources from resource-poor nations to wealthy nations in the event of a pandemic, was removed. As documented in Nature, such poaching of healthcare workers exacerbated pre-existing workforce shortages in poor nations and consequently further hindered their pandemic response.

Fourth, multiple clauses on international collaboration in the prioritization, direction, and conduct of scientific research for pandemic preparedness were struck. Included in these clauses was one that envisioned a prominent role for the WHO in setting research goals and priorities.

Fifth, a clause was edited that required parties to develop national policies to mandate provisions in government-funded research and development agreements for the development of pandemic-related products that promote timely and equitable global access to such products during public health emergencies of international concern and pandemics and to publish relevant terms of government-funded research and development agreements promoting equitable and timely access to such products during a pandemic emergency.

Instead, parties now must only publish whatever terms exist in these agreements and in the intellectual-property licensing agreements arising out of the research. Gone is the requirement to include specific clauses in the agreements that promote timely and equitable global access to products. These changes are clearly driven by corporations for whom maximizing profit from workers intellectual property outweighs protecting the publics health.

Sixth, instead of being required to facilitate the transfer of relevant technology, know-how, and licences pooled in relevant mechanisms, now parties only must encourage the global corporations who receive significant public financing to grant royalty-free licenses to other manufacturers in developing countries. And even then, such grants are subject to any existing licensing restrictions.

Such encouragement has a proven track record of failure. To date during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it resulted in only one highly-restricted waiver approved by the World Trade Organization. The requirements of that waiver posed an insurmountable barrier and thus it proved ineffective. As noted by a report recently issued by the US International Trade Commission, no country made use of it by September 2023. Now, opponents of even that ineffectual waiver cite its designed-for failure as a reason not to extend it, or implement new waivers, in ongoing debates.

Even before INB9 negotiations ended in March, an editorial in The Lancet published March 2 pilloried the agreement, calling it shameful and unjust. It said:

The INB might be doing its best, but ultimately it is the politicians of G7 countries who must put aside vested industry interests and finally understand that in a pandemic it is not possible to protect only your own citizens: the health of one depends on the health of all.

A subsequent piece under Published Correspondence in The Lancet on March 31, referring to the March 13 Revised draft, noted:

A new phrase has also crept into this draft, subject to national laws, appearing six times. With this provision, parties can opt out of key reporting obligations if they consider the required information to be confidential or private.

Nevertheless, even this wholesale watering down of the already toothless pandemic agreement is not enough for US-led imperialism. The negotiations starting April 29 will continue to focus on weakening the provisions on intellectual property, the sharing of information and resources, and the requirements for government spending on strengthening healthcare systems and disease surveillance.

The result, as individuals close to the negotiating parties note, will most likely be a bare-bones agreement of essentials, with further hashing out of the contentious provisions likely to occur under the first one to two years of meetings of the Conference of Parties created by the agreement.

The WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made emotional appeals to the parties, saying:

Let the spirit of Genevathe spirit of cooperation, mutual respect, and shared responsibilityguide your deliberations as you work towards finalizing the agreement by the set deadline in May this year.

However, the ruling class has already demonstrated its imperviousness to such appeals by demanding and receiving concessions on behalf of pharmaceutical corporations. Further gutting of the agreement is certain to ensue in the continuation of negotiations later this month and into May.

Future pandemics can be prevented, prepared for, and responded to only on a global, cooperative basis. Pathogens do not respect national borders, and the fractured response to the COVID-19 pandemic under capitalism is responsible for millions of deaths and the failure to end it.

The pandemic agreement is an attempt to increase global coordination towards the levels necessary to prevent, prepare for, and respond to future pandemics. However, capitalism is successfully subordinating the agreementand by extension the survival of humanity in a future pandemicto its profit interests, thereby rendering an already insufficient agreement wholly ineffective.

If an agreement in principle is reached at the resumption of INB9 and subsequently adopted by the World Health Assembly in May, it will be a ghost of its former self and impotent in the face of the growing threat of pandemics induced by the imperialist destruction of habitats and acceleration of global climate change.

The lesson for the working class is that corporate private ownership and the capitalist nation-state system are incapable of protecting humanity against future pandemics. Future appeals such as those of Dr. Ghebreyesus to capitalist governments beholden to profit interests are fruitless. Instead, the working class must fight the capitalist system based on a political program expressing its class interests, and advance policies that prioritize humanitys survival and health worldwide.
From Left, Boeing Quality Engineer Sam Salehpour; Ed Pierson, Executive Director of The Foundation for Aviation Safety and a Former Boeing Engineer; Joe Jacobsen, Aerospace Engineer and Technical Advisor to the Foundation for Aviation Safety and a former FAA Engineer; and Shawn Pruchnicki, Ph.D, Professional Practice Assistant Professor for Integrated Systems Engineering at The Ohio State University, are sworn in before they testify at a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs - Subcommittee on Investigations hearing to examine Boeing's broken safety culture on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Washington. [AP Photo/Kevin Wolf]

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee held a hearing on Wednesday with Boeing quality engineer and whistleblower Sam Salehpour. The topic was ongoing and serious safety and quality issues surrounding the Boeing 777 Triple Seven and 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

Salehpour highlighted production issues in connection with 98.7 percent of 787 Dreamliners, where Boeing did not fill tiny gaps, shims, between different parts of the fuselage. Repeated pressurization of the aircraft, which occurs on every commercial flight and allows humans to survive inside the plane at altitudes where the air is too thin to breathe, creates weak points that risk the body of the plane simply falling apart mid-flight, killing everyone on board.

Salehpour, who has been an engineer for 40 years, pointed out that while Boeings PR team likes to call [shims] the width of a human hair, even gaps that small when you are operating at 35,000 feet  can be a matter of life and death.

He continued, In a rush to address bottlenecks in production, Boeing hid problems, pushing pieces together with excessive force to make it appear that the gaps dont exist.

This may, he continued, result in premature fatigue failure. Effectively they are putting out defective airplanes.

After he raised these concerns internally, Boeing management moved Salehpour to the 777 program. There, he also witnessed numerous safety violations and improper methods of fitting parts together, including literally jumping on pieces of the airplane to get them to align.

The subcommittee also heard from several other expert witnesses on the lack of internal quality standards and profit-driven culture within Boeing. The witnesses included Joe Jacobson, a technical adviser to the Foundation for Aviation Safety and former FAA engineer; Ed Pierson, executive director of the Foundation for Aviation Safety and a former Boeing manager; and Shawn Pruchnicki, a professor at Ohio State University and integrated systems engineer.

Jacobson, in particular, is noted for highlighting over many years Boeings practice of trying to maximize profits at the expense of safety. In his opening statement, he said that in his prior position at the FAA he should have been informed by Boeing about the deadly MCAS system, which was the immediate cause of Boeing 737 Max 8 jetliner crashes in October 2018 and March 2019, which killed a combined total of 346 passengers and crew.

Pierson, another Boeing whistleblower, became well-known in 2019 after he testified that he warned senior company management in the summer of 2018 that deteriorating factory conditions at the Renton, Washington Boeing 737 production facility would ultimately create a catastrophic failure, the first of which happened only months later.

To this day, no Boeing executive has been tried for murder or held accountable in any way for these preventable deaths.

The comments from Salehpour and all those who testified highlight both the ongoing dangers of flying on board Boeing aircraft and the fact that, despite all the claims by Boeing to the contrary, there has never been any shift from the aerospace giants drive for corporate profits at the expense of human lives.

It is also clear that a critical part of Boeings internal culture is direct retaliation against internal complaints. Salehpour testified that I was told to shut up, I was sidelined, I received physical threats. He continued, My boss said, I would have killed someone who said what you said in a meeting.

Salehpour also presented photos of his car tire, which he said his mechanic told him had a nail jammed into it. While he told the subcommittee he had no proof of Boeings involvement, he testified the he believed it happened at work.

He was, however, uncowed. He told the committee, We are the eyes and ears of the public. Thats how I see our job.

He continued, After the threats and after all this, it really scares me, but I am at peace. If something happens to me, I am at peace because I feel like by coming forward, I will be saving a lot of lives.

Salehpours testimony raises further questions about the suspicious death of Boeing whistleblower John Barnett. Barnett was slated to give a third day of testimony in a civil suit against Boeing when he was found dead in a hotel parking lot in Charleston, South Carolina on March 9. The suit was brought by Barnett and accused Boeing of forcing him out of the company in 2017 after he raised multiple serious concerns about the safety of the 787 Dreamliner.

While the county coroner declared that the death was a self-inflicted gunshot wound, news coverage afterwards revealed that Barnett told a family friend, If anything happens to me, its not suicide.

More recently, Barnetts mother Vicky Stokes told CBS News, I think if this hadnt gone on so long, Id still have my son. My sons would still have their brother, and we wouldnt be sitting here. She went on to say that she held Boeing responsible for her sons death.

That none of the senators raised the death of Barnett and the highly suspicious circumstances surrounding it is in line with the near-total blackout by the media of the supposed suicide of the whistleblower.

The corporate giant Boeing sits at the heart of American imperialism, both as a major exporter and a supplier of US war materiel, including equipment used by Israel in its genocide against Gaza. There is every reason to believe that the mafia-like actions described by Salehpour are standard practice by Boeingenabled by the two big business parties, Congress, federal regulators, the corporate media and the courtsto protect its interests and those of US capitalism as a whole.
Indians will go to the polls this Friday in more than 100 Lok Sabha constituencies, including all 39 in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, in the first phase of a seven-phase national election. Voting will conclude on June 1, with the results of the elections to the 543-member Lok Sabha, the lower and more powerful chamber of Indias bicameral parliament, to be tabulated on June 4.

The elections highlight the urgency of the working class blazing a new political path in opposition to the entire bourgeois political establishment, including the Stalinist parliamentary parties and their affiliated trade unions, which for decades have suppressed the class struggle.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi displays the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) symbol, lotus, during a road show while campaigning for national elections, in Chennai, India, Tuesday, April 9, 2024 [AP Photo/AP Photo]

Opinion polls indicate that the far-right, Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its National Democratic Alliance will secure a third successive five-year term.

The Congress Party, till recently the Indian bourgeoisies preferred party of national government, heads a ramshackle opposition electoral bloc of more than 30 partiesknown as the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, or INDIA.

The Congress leaders and their allies, including the Stalinists, are claiming that the only means of preventing Modi and the Hindu supremacist BJP from destroying democracy is to elect an INDIA alliance government. Far from representing a democratic bulwark, an INDIA government would be a right-wing capitalist regime, one that would come into headlong conflict with Indias workers and toilers as it pressed forward with the Indian ruling class agenda of pro-investor reform and the anti-China Indo-US Global Strategic Partnership.

The BJP government enjoys strong support from Indian big business, including Mukesh Amabani and Gautam Ambani, respectively Asias first and second richest people, and from the corporate media. They view the Modi government as their best means to accelerate privatization, gut what remains of labour and environmental regulations and implement other anti-worker measures in the face of mass popular opposition, and to pursue their great-power ambitions on the world stage.

During its 10 years in office, the Modi government has taken on an ever more pronounced authoritarian character. It engages in continuous communalist incitement, with the aim of mobilizing its fascist activist base, diverting mounting social anger and frustration along reactionary lines, and splitting the working class. It has become ever more brazen in flouting democratic norms, largely bypassing parliament, stripping predominantly Muslim Jammu and Kashmir of its semi-autonomous status through a 2019 constitutional coup, and jailing left-wing political opponents on trumped up terrorism charges. In January, placing one historic crime atop another, it made a national spectacle out of Modis inauguration of a Hindu nationalist temple on the site of the former Babri Masjid, a 16th century mosque that was razed by BJP-incited Hindu fanatics three decades ago in defiance of the express orders of the Indian Supreme Court.

The BJP election campaign revolves around the promotion of Modiwho first came to national prominence due to his role in inciting and presiding over the 2002 anti-Muslim Gujarat pogromas a combination Hindu strongman and pious devotee of the mythical Hindu god Lord Ram.

Indias jobs crisis

When not flaying the opposition parties as corrupt, anti-national and Muslim appeasers, Modi, his chief henchman, Home Minister Amit Shah, and their minions boast on the campaign trail about Indias world-beating economic growth and increased stature in world affairs.

Much of this is nationalist tub-thumping. In recent years, Indias growth has largely been driven by unsustainable, deficit-financed state infrastructure spending rather than private investment. While in purchasing power parity terms, India is now the worlds third largest economy, it remains in many respects backward, with globally integrated manufacturing, IT, bio-engineering and other modern sectors existing alongside a huge informal economy based on petty production and long-antiquated technology.

In so far as Indias economy has experienced substantial growth over the past decade of BJP rule and the 33 years since the Indian bourgeoisie repudiated its failed post-independence state-led development strategy in favour of full integration into the US-led world capitalist order, its fruits have been almost entirely monopolized by the ruling elite and their upper-middle class hangers on. Social inequality in contemporary India is more extreme than at the height of British colonial rule over South Asia. In 2022-23 the top 1 percent of the population gorged on 22.6 percent of all the income Indians earned and held 40.1 percent of all the wealth. With the bottom 50 percent earning just 15 percent of Indias income and having a wealth-share of just 6.4 percent, the vast majority of Indians live in poverty and with the fear that any misfortune (loss of a job, illness in the family, etc.) will throw them into an economic abyss. As it is, hundreds of millions of Indians suffer from malnutrition and wasting due to extreme poverty.

In recent years, the problem of jobless growth, first identified in the previous decade, has only become more acute. According to the Centre for Monitoring of Indian Economy, Indias youth unemployment rate in 2023 was 45.5 percent.

A further indication of Indias jobless crisis is the rise in the portion of the workforce engaged in agriculture. Many of the tens of millions of migrant workers who fled Indias cities after the Modi government without any warning left them to fend for themselves at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, never returned, although agricultural incomes are largely stagnant. In sharp contrast with what would be expected under conditions of rapid capitalist growth in a developing country, the percentage of the workforce engaged in agriculture has risen by more than 3.5 percent over the last five years, from 42.5 percent in 2018-19 to 45.8 percent in 2022-23.

A satrap for US imperialism as its prepares for war with China

As for Modi and the BJPs claims about India having an increased stature on the global stage, they attest to nothing so much as the utterly reactionary role that New Delhi is playing in world geopolitics. Building on the Indo-US alliance forged by its Congress Party-led predecessor, the BJP government has transformed India into a frontline state in US imperialisms reckless, all-sided military-strategic offensive against China. This includes working with Washington to counter Chinese influence across Asia, Africa and the Indian Ocean region; integrating India into an expanding web of bilateral, trilateral and quadrilateral military-security ties with the US and its most important Asia Pacific allies, Japan and Australia; making India a hub of US arms production; and drawing up plans at Washingtons demand as to how Indias military would assist the US in the event of a US-China war.

In keeping with Indias new stature, including its hopes to expand Indian commercial and geopolitical ties in the Middle East on US imperialist coattails, New Delhi has joined Washington and the other western powers in supporting the genocidal war that Israel is mounting against the Palestinians. Only after months of slaughter did the Modi government vote for a meaningless ceasefire motion at the UN.

There are numerous indices of mass social discontent within the working class and rural poor. These include numerous protracted strike struggles, such as the 2022-23 Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation workers strike.

For all their declamations about the strength of the BJPs popular support, Modi, Shah and the BJP are clearly terrified at the prospect of a sudden eruption of mass opposition. Hence, their mobilization of tens of thousands of security forces and use of police state methods to prevent farmers from marching on Delhi in February and March.

Their awareness of their dependence on money, muscle, a pliant media, and rabid communalism and other forms of demagogy and manipulation to maintain their political dominance is also why the BJP is so relentless in using every means at its disposal against its bourgeois political opponents. A case in point is the fate of Arvind Kejriwal. The Chief Minister of Delhi and principal leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP, Common Mans Party) one of the INDIA alliances major partners, Kejriwal has been jailed on politically manipulated corruption charges since March 21.

The INDIA alliance: a right-wing trap for the working class

The opposition parties share the Modi governments fear of Indias toiling people and their hostility to its democratic and social aspirations.

When in office, whether at the national or state level, all of the parties that comprise the INDIA allianceincluding the Stalinist Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM, and its smaller, older sister party, the Communist Party of India, or CPIhave implemented pro-investor policies. And similarly, they have all connived in Indias embrace of Washington and in making the anti-China Indo-US alliance the cornerstone of Indias foreign policy.

The Congress Party, which has been dynastically led by the Nehru-Gandhi family for generations, has gone from electoral debacle to electoral debacle since it fell from national office in 2014. In coming to power, the BJP was able to exploit popular anger over Congress-big business corruption. But even more importantly, it benefited from anger over rising joblessness, economic insecurity and social inequality and the manifest failure of the Congress claim that it could give neo-liberal reform a human face.

The INDIA alliance is making a calibrated appeal to popular anger, particularly over the jobs crisis, with its member parties making various pledges to prioritize job creation and boost wages (There is no INDIA alliance platform.)

Given the right-wing record of INDIAs constituent parties it would not be surprising if these appeals fail to gain popular traction.

They are in fact entirely fraudulent and manifestly so. Take the Congress Party manifesto. It couples pledges to end the contracting out of jobs in the public sector and at government-owned enterprises (PSUs), rescind the BJPs right-wing labor reform, and ensure farmers obtain a minimum support price for their crops with a series of promises aimed at securing big business support. These include restoring a healthy, fearless and trustworthy climate for business by eliminating excessive BJP controls; raising military spending; and ending Modis supposed policy of ceding to Chinese pressure along their disputed border.

No less phony is the INDIA alliances claims to defend secularism. The Congress Party has adapted to and connived with the Hindu right for decades, leading even a section of the media to dub its policies as Hindutva-lite. But it is the presence of the Shiv Sena (UBT), a fascistic, avowedly pro-Hindutva-ite and erstwhile BJP ally, among the core group of parties that founded and led the INDIA alliance that most succinctly puts the lie to its claims to be a secular bulwark.

The Stalinist CPM and CPI, along with the Maoist Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, play the key role in the attempt to give the reactionary INDIA alliance a progressive face. For decades, the Stalinists and their Left Front have suppressed the class struggle and harnessed the working class to the big business Congress Party and a host of right-wing caste-ist and ethno-communal parties. The result is that the BJP and its Hindu fascist allies are stronger than ever.

Under conditions of global capitalist crisis, the only viable strategy to defend the democratic rights of working people is one based on the class struggle and Trotskys strategy and program of permanent revolution. Indian workers must unite their struggles and, in opposition to all the political representatives of the bourgeoisie, rally the rural toilers behind them in the fight for a workers government and the socialist reorganization of the Indian and world economy in conjunction with workers around the world.
UK Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer last week declared for the third time that he would, in office, authorise the firing of nuclear missiles.

A conversation between Starmer and ITV News Political Correspondent Harry Hortonas Starmer was visiting the BAE Systems shipyard where Britains nuclear-armed submarines are builtwas chilling. Horton asked, If Britain was under attack would you be prepared to push the nuclear button even it means potentially killing millions of people?

Starmer replied, The deterrent only works if there is a preparedness to use itso that is a clear answer to your question.

Sir Keir Starmer during his visit to BAE Systems nuclear submarine factory in Barrow, April 12, 2024 [Photo by Keir Starmer?flickr / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

With the Conservative government mired in crisis and hated by millions, Labour is expected to win the general election later this year. Starmers statement is an essential element of Labours pitch to the ruling class that it can be trusted with office, under conditions in which Britain is embroiled in major military conflicts all over the globe.

Significantly, Starmers first public confirmation that he would authorise nuclear strikes took place on February 10, 2022. Asked by the BBC whether he would be willing to use nuclear weapons, he replied, Of course. This was just 14 days before Russias invasion of Ukraine. In January this year, while in Estonia, Starmer answered yes to the same question.

Starmer has since then boasted that Labour is the party of NATO, as he has enthusiastically backed every global crime of British imperialism, from the bloody slaughter in Ukraine, to supporting Israels genocide in Gaza and advanced plans for war against Iran and China.

Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer (lower right) mounts a tank during his visit to British armed forces deployed at the Tapa NATO Enhanced Forward Presence operating base in Estonia, December 21, 2023 [Photo by Keir Starmer/Flickr / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

The Labour leader is one of three senior political figuresincluding two prime ministerswho have publicly declared over the last decade that they would take actions meaning the end of civilisation.

That they were asked if they would do so was the response of Britains ruling class to the election of Starmers predecessor as Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, when he hesitated to pledge to launching a nuclear strike.

After winning a general election, a prime minister is privately briefed in Downing Street by a leading military figure and then told to write instructions in a letter to each of the four nuclear-armed submarine commanders, based on the scenario that Britain has been hit by a nuclear bomb and the prime minister is dead. The letters of last resort instruct the commanders on whether and when to use nuclear weapons. Since Britain obtained nuclear weapons, following the decision of the Atlee Labour government in 1947, every prime minister has signed these letters.

The destructive power of Britains arsenal is staggering. Each of the four Trident submarines carries 40 nuclear warheads, each with an explosive yield of 100 kilotonsat least six to eight times more destructive than the 15-kiloton bomb dropped on Hiroshima by the US at the end of World War II. Each warhead can obliterate up to one million people.

The UK's first nuclear test, Operation Hurricane, in Australia in 1952 [Photo: Crown Copyright]

Corbyn is a lifelong member of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and was chairman of the Stop the War Coalition when he took the leadership of Labour on a massive mandate against war and austerity in September 2015.

Within three weeks of taking office Corbyn was asked, at Labours annual conference in Brighton, if he would use nuclear weapons if elected prime minister. He replied no and stated his opposition to renewing the Trident nuclear programme.

This set into motion a ferocious campaign by the Blairitesbacked by the Conservative government, intelligence agencies and the militarywhich resulted, in the space of five years, in Corbyns removal as Labour leader and expulsion from the parliamentary party.

Even before his Brighton statement, a senior serving British general told the Sunday Times, on September 20, 2017, that if Corbyn came to power there would effectively be a mutiny You would see a major break in convention with senior generals directly and publicly challenging Corbyn over vital important policy decisions such as Trident, pulling out of Nato and any plans to emasculate and shrink the size of the armed forces. The Army just wouldnt stand for it.

On July 18, 2016, after taking the Conservative Party leadership five days earlier and signing her own letters of last resort, Prime Minister Theresa May was asked in Parliament by the Scottish National Partys George Kerevan, Is she [May] personally prepared to authorise a nuclear strike that could kill 100,000 innocent men, women and children?

May replied, Yes, and denounced the suggestion that we could have a nuclear deterrent but not actually be willing to use it, which seemed to come from the Labour Front Bench.

During the campaign for the June 2017 general election, the first question asked by BBC journalist Andrew Marr during an interrogation of Corbyn was what would he write in the letters of last resort. You have to say fire or dont fire. Corbyn took a major step in his ongoing capitulation before his Blairite opponents by fudging the issue, saying his strict instruction would be to follow orders when given.

By this time Corbyn had already abandoned everything he professed to personally believe regarding membership of NATO and the renewal of Trident. His 2017 election manifesto reaffirmed Labours commitment to NATO and promised that Corbyn would be spending at least 2% of GDP on defence

A draft of the manifesto dated May 11 had stated, Any prime minister should be extremely cautious about ordering the use of weapons of mass destruction which would result in the indiscriminate killing of millions of innocent civilians. This was deleted from the final manifesto published five days later.

The 2017 election was narrowly won by May. Corbyn remained Labour leader until being routed by the Tories next leader Boris Johnson in the 2019 general election. As part of the war drive of the imperialist powers against Russia, Corbyns 2019 Labour manifesto had implied that the Johnson government was in the pocket of Russian President Putin and attacked him for refusing to publish the report into possible foreign interference by Russia in UK democracy.

Jeremy Corbyn (left) and Sir Keir Starmer at an event during the 2019 General Election when Corbyn was party leader and Starmer his Shadow Brexit Secretary [AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File]

Johnson fell from office three years later thanks to the murderous policies he pursued during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and was briefly replaced by Liz Truss as prime minister. When Truss was asked during a Tory leadership husting in August 2022 if she would launch nuclear missiles that would mean global annihilation, she replied, Im ready to do that.

That all those auditioning for office before the ruling elite must now affirm their readiness to kill millions and destroy the planet is a stark warning. No matter who is prime minister and which party they lead, the working class in Britain, like workers internationally, confronts a single party of war. There is no lesser-evil because there is nothing fundamentally to choose between them.

In the UK, the Socialist Equality Party will stand candidates in the upcoming general election rejecting any vote for Labour and its candidates and insisting on the building of a new anti-imperialist and revolutionary leadership to mobilise a mass socialist movement of the working class against war.

In Germany our comrades are fielding a slate of candidates in this summers European elections fighting for the same political turn, and the SEP in the United States is fielding Joseph Kishore as its presidential candidate against the would-be Fuhrer Donald Trump and Genocide Joe Biden. All these campaigns address the essential task of building the Fourth International, led by the International Committee, to lead the world working class in the overthrow of capitalism.
Students have taken a courageous stand. But their actions anticipate an even more powerful movement in the working class. The issues they have raised cannot be resolved on the campuses, but rather in the factories, warehouses, railroads and docks.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Bashkir Scientific Research Center for Beekeeping and Apitherapy (BSRC) has sent the first trial batch of 1,170 kg of honey to Azerbaijan, Trend reports.

According to the data, the contract to supply products to Azerbaijan was signed this February, but the customer was not specified.

"Three types of Bashkir honey were chosen for export: linden, sunflower, and flower honey. Before obtaining Russian Agricultural Supervision's permission to export the products, the honey samples were subjected to laboratory tests. Delivery of honey to the customer in Azerbaijan will be carried out by road transport," the information says.

Minister of Foreign Economic Relations and Congress Activities of the Republic of Bashkortostan Margarita Bolycheva emphasized that the structure of exports to Azerbaijan is quite diverse.

She mentioned that at the end of 2023, about one-third of supplies from Bashkortostan to Azerbaijan were metals and metal products. In addition, the structure of exports to Azerbaijan also includes fuel and energy goods, chemical industry products, wood, pulp, and paper products, machine-building products, and food products.

"For January-February of the current year, we note the growth of mutual trade turnover between the Republic of Bashkortostan and Azerbaijan by 1.4 percent compared to the same period last year. We see prospects in increasing supplies of chemical and oil and gas industry products, mineral fertilizers, and aluminum," Bolycheva added.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Azerbaijan and Austria have discussed the possibilities of joint industrial project realization, Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov said on X, Trend reports.

"During the meeting with Andreas Reichhardt, Austrias Deputy Minister of Finance, and Gunter Grabher, the founder and CEO of Grabher Group GmbH," we exchanged views on the inclusive business climate in our country, potential avenues for cooperation, and opportunities for implementing joint industrial projects," the publication reads.

To note, last year, during a meeting between representatives from the Economic Zones Development Agency of Azerbaijan and an Austrian delegation led by Gunter Grabher, the founder and CEO of Grabher Group GmbH," discussions were held regarding the potential establishment of a processing products enterprise within industrial zones. These products would utilize polypropylene produced by SOCAR Polymer LLC, a resident of Sumgayit Chemical Industrial Park.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Variety has been granted exclusive access to the trailer (below) for Portuguese director Miguel Gomes Grand Tour, which will have its world premiere in Cannes Film Festivals Competition section. Variety can also exclusively reveal that that distribution on Grand Tour will be handled in France by Tandem, and in Italy by Lucky Red, and that Gomes next film will be Savagery.

Grand Tour kicks off in 1917 in Burma. It centers on Edward, a civil servant for the British Empire, who runs away from his fiancee Molly the day she arrives to get married. During his travels, however, panic gives way to melancholy. Contemplating the emptiness of his existence, the cowardly Edward wonders what has become of Molly Determined to get married and amused by Edwards move, Molly follows his trail on this Asian grand tour.

More from Variety

The film stars Goncalo Waddington and Crista Alfaiate, and the cast also includes Claudio da Silva and Lang Khe Tran. It is being sold by The Match Factory.

Grand Tour is produced by Uma Pedra No Sapato (Portugal) in co-production with Vivo Film (Italy), Shellac Sud (France) and Cinema Defacto (France), in association with The Match Factory (Germany), Rediance (China) and Creatps Inc. (Japan), and with the participation of ZDF/ARTE and RTP.

Crista Alfaiate stars as Molly in Grand Tour.

Gomes was previously in Cannes in 2015 with Arabian Nights and in 2021 with The Tsugua Diaries. His 2012 film Tabu played at the Berlinale.

Speaking to Variety, the films producer Filipa Reis explains how the project came together.

It was over dinner with Reis that Gomes first presented his idea for the film, in which narrative sequences shot in a studio would be intercut with footage of contemporary Asia. The idea was I dont know very appealing and charming, says Reis, who was a co-producer on The Tsugua Diaries. Gomes then asked her to produce it.

The plan was for Gomes to take a small documentary-style crew to seven Asian countries  Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, Japan and China  shooting in 16mm so that we could build this archive and then to write the script according to what was found, Reis says.

Grand Tour incorporates contemporary footage shot in Asia by Miguel Gomes.

They started pre-production in 2019, and Gomes then commenced his own grand tour of Asia, beginning in 2020. The shoot was interrupted by COVID, just as they were about to travel by boat to Shanghai, and then a local crew finished the shoot in China at the start of 2022, with Gomes directing remotely from Portugal. Gomes then completed the script and Reis submitted applications for funding in Portugal, Italy and France, as well as from the Eurimages program.

Once those funds were in place, Gomes shot the narrative sequences in studios in Portugal and Italy in early 2023.

Reis says it was a challenge to do the Asia trip without a script, adding its not as its meant to be in the industry, but it was also very appealing. She adds that it required a risk to be taken to shoot the archive footage before applying to the production funds.

Asked how working with Gomes compares with working other directors, she says: Hes very unique. And I think to work with him, you really have to be very confident about what hes doing, because it can be a proposal thats a bit outside the box compared with the way you are used to doing things, and the way the funds and the industry thinks things are supposed to be done.

During the studio shoot they had links to some rough edit archive footage, so that when you read the script, you could understand at least how [the narrative footage] crossed over with the archive, she says. The narrative sequences are in Portuguese, except for one character who speaks in French. The archive footage is in the language of the country that the crew were shooting in.

Although the story takes place in Asia during a time of imperial rule in many countries colonialism isnt the theme, Reis says, in contrast to Tabu. I would say that its something new. Of course, Tabu is a great film, but I think this one will be surprising, she says, enigmatically.

As to the tone of Grand Tour, Reis says that it contains both comedy and tragedy, but it is also melancholic, and it is courageous. She adds: I think it has a lot of emotional elements for us to make a connection with it.

Crista Alfaiate and Lang Khe Tran in Grand Tour.

The film was finished in October, and shown to Cannes in November. A world premiere at Cannes was always Plan A, Reis says, adding: I feel as a producer that its where the film is supposed to be, and where Miguel is supposed to be.

At present no preview screenings are planned, although that may change, and Gomes isnt doing press interviews before the world premiere. We would like it if the film was discovered by everyone at the same time, Reis says. Im a bit anxious to see how it will be received, and we are very curious about that. So it would be nice if we could make a surprise and share our enthusiasm and our surprise with the audience.

Reis says that her next project as a producer will be Gomes Brazilian-set film Savagery, which will be co-produced by Tatiana Leite in Brazil. Further details about the project will be released at a later date.

Gomes had been developing Savagery prior to shooting Grand Tour, but put it on ice due to the pandemic and the difficult environment for filmmakers in Brazil during the rule of former president Jair Bolsonaro. We think that with the new government in Brazil, and with this selection [in Cannes] of Grand Tour now is the moment for us to go forward with it, she says.





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Unlike some other Housewives, Garcelle Beauvais has prospects outside of Bravo. If the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star were to be let go, shed have plenty of other opportunities.

Garcelles acting chops landed her on the big screen more than once, in films like Coming to America and Spider-Man: Homecoming. In recent years, however, the small screen has been her bread and butter.

The Beverly Hills Housewife killed it on Lifetime in 2023 with her starring role in Black Girl Missing. Garcelle did so well, in fact, that Lifetime has decided it wont end with just one movie.

Garcelle to star in two sequels and Terry McMillian film

Photo Credit: Ryan West

On April 18, Lifetime confirmed that it would continue working with Garcelle. Not only that, but Garcelle would be working as an actor and a producer. As per the press announcement, Garcelle will star in and executive produce continuations to the Black Girl Missing film. On top of that, Beauvais and Lifetime will work with novelist Terry McMillian to bring more stories to the screen.

Garcelle shared her excitement about the ongoing partnership. I am so excited and grateful to continue my relationship with Lifetime, she shared, because they immediately understood the importance of creating this now franchise with the Black Girl Missing movies. Having a network that stands by you and supports your mission gives me hope in humanity.

She continued, In addition to executive producing, I am thrilled to be starring in the Terry McMillan Presents movie because I can so deeply relate to being a woman who has to make hard decisions for matters of the heart. The McMillian film will feature Garcelle as a caretaker for her elderly aunt. Her trip to South Carolina takes an unexpected turn when she meets and hits it off with a man 20 years younger than her.

As for the Black Girl Missing sequels, fans can expect continued commentary on the systemic inequalities where missing girls and women of color are ignored.

For those who want more Garcelle right away, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is streaming on Peacock.

TELL US  HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT GARCELLES UPCOMING LIFETIME PROJECTS?

The post Garcelle Beauvais Earns Extra Lifetime Executive Producer Roles appeared first on Reality Tea.
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 28: In this Sport Gives Back Awards/ITV handout Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex appears at the Sport Gives Back Awards 2024 via a pre-recorded video at Cadogan Hall on February 28, 2024 in London, England. The Sport Gives Back Awards will be broadcast on ITV on Sunday, March 24th. (Photo by Handout/Sport Gives Back Awards via Getty Images)

Prince Harry is no longer recognizing the United Kingdom as his primary residence, according to new documents obtained this week by The Daily Mail.

The Duke of Sussex had until recently identified his home country as his main residence, despite moving to the U.S. in 2020 to establish a full-time home in California with his wife, Meghan Markle. The couple live in Southern California with their two young children, Prince Archie, 4, and Princess Lilibet, 2.

Harry, 39, now identifies the U.S. as his New Country/State Usually Resident, updated documents released by Companies House and shared by the British tabloid show.

Royal watchers have speculated about whether Harry and Meghan will return to the U.K. and establish a new home there ever since they stepped back as senior royals four years ago. Though the prince has expressed an interest in returning home, he said late last year that he would need to ensure that his family had police protection while on U.K. soil before doing so.

Related: The British Government Won't Allow Prince Harry to Personally Pay for Police Protection While Visiting the UK

Since they are no longer working royals, the duke and duchess dont have the personal security that other members of the royal family are granted. Though Harry has argued for the necessity of that protection in court, his appeals to reclaim those security measures for his family have so far been rejected.

The U.K. is my home. The U.K. is central to the heritage of my children and a place I want them to feel at home as much as where they live at the moment in the United States, Harry said in a December 2023 statement. "That cannot happen if there is no possibility to keep them safe when they are on U.K. soil.

When asked earlier this year about the possibility of pursuing American citizenship, Harry told Good Morning America that he had considered the idea. Though he said becoming a U.S. citizen had crossed my mind, the prince said that doing so was not a high priority for him as of mid-February.

Next: Internet Cant Get Over Prince Harrys Reaction to Meghan Markle Kissing a Friend
Prince Harry officially listed the United States as his primary residence more than four years after stepping down from his royal duties and leaving the United Kingdom in 2020.

Filings published by Companies House, a branch of the British government that maintains the register of businesses, on Monday, April 15, shows that Harry, 39, listed his new country of residence as the United States. The date of change was noted as June 29, 2023, after his home was previously recorded as the United Kingdom, according to The Daily Mail.

The filing follows pressure on President Joe Biden after campaigners called for Harrys visa application to be made public when a U.S. ambassador asserted that the sitting president would not deport the prince.

The comment was sparked after former president Donald Trump said if he were reelected, he would treat Harry like any other citizen who broke the law. Harrys visa application is currently under review after admitting to drug use in his 2023 memoir, Spare.

Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped away from their royal duties in 2020, telling their followers they were seeking a new life via their Sussex Royal Instagram page.

After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. We intend to step back as senior members of the Royal family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty the Queen, they wrote on January 8, 2020, noting they would split their time between the U.K. and North America. The couple had spent six weeks living outside Vancouver, Canada, before making the announcement.

Queen Elizabeth rejected the couples half-in, half-out plan for royal life during the Sandringham Summit and they were given a one-year period of transition to change their minds.

Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working members of the Royal family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family, the queen said in a statement on January 13, 2020.

In the year that followed, Harry and Meghan, 42, moved to Montecito, California, and began paying their own security team in the U.S. The couple did not return to their royal duties after the one-year transition period and were no longer allowed to use the HRH styling, although they were not formally stripped of the titles.

The division between the royal families allegedly started in November 2018. At the time, a reporter claimed Harry was upset with his older brother, Prince William, for not being welcoming to his wife. Harry discussed the dynamic with his sibling at length in his memoir, where he accused William, 41, of physically assaulting him during an argument over the Suits actress in 2019. The dad of two explained he got into the fight with his brother after William called Meghan difficult, rude and abrasive.

Harry and Meghans relationship with William continues to be strained, with them most recently being blindsided by the news of Princess Kate Middletons cancer diagnosis in March. The prince had just visited London in February to see his father, King Charles III, who had also revealed he had been treated for cancer.

At the time, he knew Kate had been in surgery, but Harry had no idea how bad it was, a source exclusively told In Touch on April 4. However, thats allegedly how the princess wanted it as he simply cant be trusted with news this sensitive, the insider stated.
KOEN VAN WEEL/ANP/AFP/Getty Images

Some royal aficionados noticed that the queen was forced to sit while greeting the guests, but theres a valid reason why. According to El Mundo (via Hello! magazine ), Queen Letizia is suffering from chronic metatarsalgia, a condition that affects the nerves in her feet.

This week, Queen Letizia of Spain attended a state banquet at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam.

Markle was wearing the Love Like a Mother T-shirt ($60), along with a pair of Frame jeans.

Meghan Markle appeared in a photoshoot for Alliance of Moms, a campaign thats promoting Love Like a Mother T-shirts in honor of Mothers Day. The organization shared a slideshow of photos on social media, featuring the Duchess of Sussex wearing the branded tee with friends.

traceeellisross/instagram

Markle has gifted her friends with a special jam from her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. A few of her celebrity acquaintancesincluding Tracee Ellis Ross and Mindy Kalingposted photos on their Instagram Stories of the gift they received from the Duchess of Sussex.

Mike Egerton/PA Images/Getty Images

Zara Tindall (Princess Annes daughter) was seen at Cheltenham Racecourse with her husband, Mike. The royal wore a deep green jacket, which featured double-breasted buttons and a belted waist.

During Prince Williams latest outing, the royal was approached by a volunteer who gave him two get well cards for Kate Middleton and King Charles. Prince William responded, Thank you very much, thats kind.
Dr. Jennifer Ashton is exiting ABC News, where she serves as a co-host on GMA3.

Ashton will depart the network at the end of June after 13 years in order to expand her womens wellness company, Ajenda, which tackles the challenges of menopause health and weight management.

More from TVLine

In addition to her duties on GMA3: What You Need to Know, Ashton is also ABCs chief health and medical correspondent.

Ready for some more recent newsy nuggets? Well

* A celebrity season of The Traitors UK is in the works, according to Deadline, with a premiere slated for next year on the BBC.

* The cult classic sketch comedy series The Whitest Kids U Know will make its free streaming debut when it lands on Shout! TV Wednesday, May 1.

* The Late Show With Stephen Colbert will air live from Chicagos Auditorium Theatre during this years Democratic National Convention, taking place Aug. 19-22 in the Windy City.

* HBO has released a trailer for the comedy special Nikki Glaser: Someday Youll Die, premiering Saturday May 11 at 10/9c:

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Venice Biennale 2024: far too many dead artists, and not enough panache

Someone needs to say it: this hasnt been a vintage year for the Venice Biennale. Foreigners Everywhere, the 60th edition of its international exhibition, arranged across the Central Pavilion in the Giardini and the cavernous Arsenale, may have a witty title, in the context of a city that profits so relentlessly from tourism. Yet it proves a disappointment, with far too many dead artists (isnt the biennale supposed to be about contemporary art?), and not enough panache.

Its Brazilian curator, Adriano Pedrosa, celebrates artists from the Global South, along with other foreigners or outsiders including queer and indigenous artists as well as the self-taught. Tellingly, though, he came up with that title years ago, and his vision now feels stale. Western museums have been recalibrating themselves along these lines for at least a decade; several of Pedrosas discoveries  Saloua Raouda Choucair, Wifredo Lam, Fahrelnissa Zeid  have had solo exhibitions at the Tate.

Massimiliano Gionis brilliant 2013 biennale, The Encyclopedic Palace, also took outsider art as its theme, and articulated a lot of Pedrosas concerns with greater eloquence and flair; textiles are a motif, says Pedrosa, but theyve been done to death in shows elsewhere. Where are the new ideas?

Moreover, Pedrosa champions too much pedestrian historical work for reasons of inclusivity rather than aesthetic merit: a salon-hung room of mediocre portraits is particularly feeble. The result is tired, not inspired, and unintentionally patronising  even awkwardly anthropological  in tone.

The presentations inside the national pavilions fare better. Drama 1882, by Egypts Wael Shawky, is a powerful eight-part operatic film about the nationalist Urabi revolution that precipitated the British bombardment of Alexandria; it is, in a sense, a kind of keening, minor-keyed counterpart to Lin-Manuel Mirandas hit musical Hamilton, performed in classical Arabic, with a sorrowful score and insidious atmosphere, and mesmerising, perpetually undulating choreography, suggesting the shadowy give-and-take of diplomacy and treacherous intrigue. Tackling todays de-rigueur topic of colonial history (see also: this years on-point Nigerian and Beninese pavilions), but with stylised, plangent grace, it left me in bits, and, by the second preview day, was deservedly attracting long queues.

The Spanish pavilion at the Giardini during the 60th Biennale - Stefano Mazzola/Getty Images

By comparison, Gulsun Karamustafa, representing Turkey, has been overlooked, but her commanding sculptures of mass-produced plastic moulds for concrete Corinthian columns ingeniously hollow out an ancient symbol of Western civilisation, and are similarly wise and poised.

Canadas pavilion (commissioned by the National Gallery of Canada) is transformed, both inside and out, by thousands of strands of blue-glass seed beads (or trinkets, as European traders called them) once used as currency; alluding to transoceanic trade, Kapwani Kiwangas installation has a subtle, whispering and rustling, understated beauty.

Inside Polands pavilion, an audio-visual installation by the Ukrainian Open Group collective presents survivors of the Russia-Ukraine conflict imitating the whines of missiles and detonations, to heart-breaking effect. Their wails and thumps  to which viewers are invited to, as it were, sing along, as if participating in a vicious round of karaoke  sound like children innocently playing war games.

Jeffrey Gibson: the space in which to place me at the Venice Biennale - Toniolo/AGF/Shutterstock

Various festive and feel-good, if somewhat frivolous, offerings counteract the tragedy  including Julien Creuzets colourful suspended sculptures, like coral reefs or intricate dream-catchers, which, accompanied by a subwoofer soundtrack, turn the French pavilion into a sort of chic, subaquatic party.

Otherwise, I look forward to encountering more of Japanese Yuko Mohris frisky kinetic sculptures involving plastic tubes and pieces of fruit, like strange experiments in a mad scientists laboratory; likewise, Icelands Hildigunnur Birgisdottir, whose blink-and-youd-miss-it conceptual takedown of Western consumerism is original and smart.

Elsewhere, among the collateral events and exhibitions coinciding with the biennale, Yu Hong and Berlinde de Bruyckere both offer memorable installations within Venetian churches; the latters ghoulish grey archangels, shrouded in animal skins, haunt Andrea Palladios San Giorgio Maggiore like Death Eaters.

The Brazil pavilion at the Giardini during the 60th Venice Biennale - Stefano Mazzola/Getty Images

There are deaths-heads aplenty, too, across the lagoon, in a show of black-and-white photography by the American Peter Hujar, whose 1976 book, Portraits in Life and Death, juxtaposed the mummified denizens of Palermos catacombs (framed to appear like puppets in some macabre drama) with his own avant-garde friends, whom he often captured lounging around in bed, as if engaging the viewer in pillow talk.

The Peggy Guggenheim Collections exhibition about the modern French scenester and polymath Jean Cocteau is breezy and entertaining, with much curly-haired smut amid the classicism, even if I didnt buy its revisionist thesis that this opium-addicted dabblers Picasso-lite drawings should be taken seriously.

And, while Pedrosa, in the main exhibition, finds room for only 10 artists born in the United States, there are several noteworthy shows devoted to colossi associated with mid-century America, including that self-proclaimed sign-painter Robert Indiana, whose crisp work strangely suits the corporate vibe inside the Procuratie Vecchie on St Marks Square.

Willem de Kooning and Italy at the Gallerie dell'Accademia - Roberto Serra - Iguana Press/Getty Images

At the Fondazione Cini, 96-year-old Alex Katz presents three recent series of paintings, including several vast, glowing prairies, animated by flickering, twitching blades of grass, and a suite of hurtling and dynamic, nigh-on-abstract vistas of ominously black oceanic water specked with foam and spray, like midnight snowfall  the antithesis of hackneyed, evanescent visions of the Venetian lagoon.

And, at the Gallerie dellAccademia, Willem de Kooning and Italy is an immaculately curated, dazzling tour de force, with satisfying bronze sculptures that appear as squidgy as mozzarella, paintings of carpaccio-coloured, spread-eagled figures, and gelato-coloured abstract canvases of phenomenal power that bespeak a sort of rapturous, holiday abandonment. Buon appetito!

Details: labiennale.org

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These are the 25 best restaurants in the Boston area right now, according to a new list

The New York Times this week published its list of the 25 best restaurants in Boston and nearby communities.

The Times Kevin Pang, Priya Krishna, and Brian Gallagher have been highlighting their favorite restaurants in cities across the United States in their Where to Eat series.

They recently named their favorite spots across the Boston area, including seafood, Italian, Vietnamese, and Peruvian eateries, among an array of other cuisines.

Pang, Krishna, and Gallagher noted in their list, As always, we pay for all of our meals and dont accept free items.

The top 25 restaurants were named as follows:

Bagelsaurus, Porter Square, Cambridge: Bagels

Fresh from the oven, they bear a chewy and crackly crust with an airy, open interior, like a warm circular baguette, Pang wrote of the bagels.

Banh Mi Ba Le, Dorchester, Boston: Vietnamese, sandwiches

At Banh Mi Ba Le, the sheer quantity of Vietnamese groceries, pastries, dessert drinks, noodle salads, and hot prepared foods is an overwhelming sight, Pang wrote of the eatery.

Reopened as of Monday and the place is beautiful. Come check it out  Posted by Banh Mi Ba Le on Sunday, October 23, 2022

Bar Vlaha, Brookline: Greek

This is Greek cooking with more rustic intentions, with red wine, beef cheeks, and prunes marrying for hours inside clay pots, Pang wrote of the eatery.

Belle Isle Seafood, Winthrop: Seafood

Belle Isle Seafood  essentially a waterfront warehouse with views of arriving flights at Logan International Airport  has clearly battered and deep-fried many tons of haddock, scallops and onion rings, Pang wrote of the eatery.

The dinner of all dinners! Fried seafood combo with lobster meat! Where are you eating today? Dont forget first Friday of lent! Posted by Belle Isle Seafood on Friday, February 28, 2020

Celeste, Union Square, Somerville: Peruvian

They say that first, you eat with your eyes. Even before a single dish hits the table at Celeste, the surrounding visuals prime you with expectations, Pang wrote of the eatery.

Comfort Kitchen, Dorchester, Boston: African Diaspora

Here, the owners Biplaw Rai, who is from Nepal, and Kwasi Kwaa, from Ghana, want to illustrate just how connected food traditions are, through ingredients that have traveled across continents, either through forced migration or trade routes, Krishna wrote of the eatery.

Cuttys, Brookline Village, Brookline: Sandwiches

Most sandwiches fall into that midzone of expectations, somewhere between acceptable and halfway decent. To stumble upon a spectacular sandwich is rare, which makes Cuttys a unicorn, Pang wrote of the eatery.

Field & Vine, Union Square, Somerville: New American

Field & Vine reveals itself as a restaurant in an industrial space slowly being reclaimed by nature. Wisteria and grapevines twist into a sculptural bramble that hangs overhead, as if about to swallow the exposed ductwork, and everywhere there is greenery and candlelight, Pang wrote of the eatery.

Giulia, Porter Square, Cambridge: Italian

Giulia, known for its exceptional handmade pastas, can claim four dishes beloved by the Boston dining cognoscenti: the wild boar pappardelle, bucatini allamatriciana, warm semolina cakes, and pistachio gelato, Pang wrote of the eatery.

Mahaniyom, Brookline Village, Brookline: Thai

What makes Thai cooking alluring is that its sweet-sour-salty-spicy elements are so often pushed thrillingly up the dial. When those assertive flavors are parceled out onto small plates and spread over many courses  as they are at Mahaniyom  a meal turns Technicolor, Pang wrote of the eatery.

Mooncusser, Back Bay, Boston: Tasting menu

How many tasting-menu restaurants would serve a straight-up grilled cheese sandwich? Mooncusser does, and its playful, unexpected moves like this that make its multicourse dinners far less daunting, Pang wrote of the eatery.

Ming Seafood Restaurant, Quincy: Cantonese, dim sum

A rule of thumb for dim sum restaurants: Bigger is often better. For in-the-know customers, crowds waiting for tables in a large banquet hall is a validating sight, and an expansive menu demonstrates a kitchens confidence. Ming Seafood Restaurant is big in all those ways, Pang wrote of the eatery.

Neptune Oyster, North End, Boston: Seafood

Neptune is among the highest versions of the oyster-bar form  pressed-tin ceilings, a marble bar, iced beds of bivalves and crab claws  but it is also more, Gallagher wrote of the eatery.

Nightshade Noodle Bar, Lynn: French Vietnamese

Post-lockdown, the chef Rachel Miller zigged when most others zagged: She guessed that guests yearning for adventurous cooking would be receptive to a French-Vietnamese-Southern tasting menu. Her gamble paid off, Pang wrote of the eatery.

O Ya, Downtown Boston, Omakase sushi

Like all great omakases, a night at O Ya is more than the sum of its parts: Its the crescendos and countermelodies that weave between courses, Pang wrote of the eatery.

Pammys, Central Square, Cambridge: New American

Pammys was misinterpreted as the funky Italian spot between Harvard and Central Squares. But Pammys is no one-hit wonder. Heres a restaurant where a starter plate is bread baked with flour milled in the kitchen each morning, Pang wrote of the eatery.

Row 34, Fort Point (also other locations), Boston: Seafood

It smokes, cures and pates a variety of seafoods, it makes saltine crackers in-house, and lobsters  caught by the chef Jeremy Sewalls cousin and his son  land on plates within 48 hours of leaving the ocean, Pang wrote of the eatery.

Sarma, Winter Hill, Somerville: Mediterranean, Global

If youd like to label the chef Cassie Piumas cooking as Mediterranean fusion, fine, but it sells short how well her cross-cultural mash-up at Sarma often works,

Sofra Bakery and Cafe, Cambridge: Turkish, Lebanese and Greek

Come early and order everything. Thats the appropriate way to experience Sofra, whose menu tours Turkey, Lebanon, and Greece, and whose flavor combinations are singular, Krishna wrote of the eatery.

Sumiao Hunan Kitchen, Kendall Square, Cambridge: Hunanese

From the outside looking in, you might think a place with this vibey coastal aesthetic would serve crab cakes and flatbread, but the restaurants adherence to traditional Hunanese cooking is without compromise, Pang wrote of the eatery.

The Eaves, Union Square, Somerville: Vietnamese

There are several remarkable things about the Eaves, beginning with the location. Shoehorned inside a 550-square-foot storage closet at Bow Market, the space was seductively transformed by the owners, Vincenzo Le and Duong Huynh, Pang wrote of the eatery.

Tonino, Jamaica Plain, Boston: Italian

The pasta- and pizza-focused menu put together by the chef and owner, Luke Fetbroth, is taut and efficient. His best trait seems to be taking a handful of ingredients and doing as little to them as possible, Pang wrote of the eatery.

Toro, South End, Boston: Spanish

The Ken Oringer restaurant universe stretches from Japanese to Italian to wine bars, but his South End tapas joint Toro  20 years on  may be the most beloved, Pang wrote of the eatery.

Via Cannuccia, Dorchester, Boston: Roman

Named for the street where he grew up, Via Cannuccia might be the closest Boston gets to a true Roman trattoria. The lengths to which Mr. Quaresima goes to showcase his corner of Italy are impressive, Pang wrote of the eatery.

Yume Ga Arukara, Porter Square, Cambridge: Udon

Yume Ga Arukara makes just one thing and makes it well: udon, the thick Japanese wheat flour noodles, Pang wrote of the eatery.

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Since its debut in 1998, Beautyworld Japan Tokyo has grown exponentially with the trade event expanding to other cities in Japan. There are more exhibitors, categories and opportunities to learn as well as see the latest industry trends.

Here, Julia Uherek, vice president of consumer goods fairs at Messe Frankfurt, shares details about the event and how it differs from others in the market.

More from WWD

WWD: Who attends Beautyworld Japan Tokyo? And what are some of the categories presented?

Julia Uherek: Beautyworld Japan Tokyo welcomes decision makers from beauty and hair salons, wellness and spa institutions as well as salons, hotels and retail businesses from all areas of the beauty and wellness industry, mainly coming from Japan  one of the biggest beauty markets worldwide. The key product categories presented are aesthetics, cosmetics, hair, nail, eyelash, female care, skin care, and beauty equipment for professional salons.

WWD: And what can they expect to experience there?

J.U.: Its Japans largest beauty trade fair with around 800 exhibitors from 10 countries and regions presenting the latest beauty trends for each product category. Visitors come to the show not only to look for new products and services but also to improve professional techniques and knowledge regarding business trends and management skills. In addition, both exhibitors and visitors can expect to expand their businesses and grow their network.

Julia Uherek

WWD: How does Beautyworld Japan Tokyo differ from other venues? What sets it apart?

J.U.: Beautyworld Japan Tokyo is the leading beauty event in terms of both venue size and number of visitors. Since its premiere in 1998 it has expanded its reach with sister events taking place not only in Tokyo, but in Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagoya as well. Each event additionally serves the respective regional markets in the country.

WWD: What are some of the beauty trends occurring in the region? Why is it one to watch?

J.U.: In the show, visitors can find a wide variety of made-in-Japan products that have a reputation for good quality worldwide. In addition, amidst a rise of societal interest regarding various issues in womens life stages, the word femtech has been gradually spreading throughout Japan.

The fairs Fem more zone provides products and services for womens health and features the latest market trends and developments in the female care and femtech market. Furthermore, inner-beauty products such as enzyme drinks, supplements, tasty health foods and products specific to womens well-being are also collecting attention.

WWD: When and where are the other Beautyworld trade shows in Japan and elsewhere?

J.U.: Further shows in the Beautyworld worldwide network include:

Beautyworld Japan Nagoya, July 29-31, 2024, Portmesse Nagoya, Japan

Beautyworld Japan Osaka, Oct. 21-23, 2024, INTEX Osaka, Japan

Beautyworld Middle East, Oct. 28-30, 2024, Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, UAE

Beautyworld Central Asia licensed to LLC BMC-LLP, Nov. 21-23, 2024, Central Asian Expo (CAEx), Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Beautyworld Japan Fukuoka, Feb. 3-5, 2025, Marine Messe Fukuoka, Japan

Beautyworld Saudi Arabia licensed to 1st Arabia Tradeshows & Conferences, April 21 to 23, 2025, Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Centre, Saudi Arabia

Best of WWD
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. The Czech Republic and Azerbaijan can cooperate in construction of small hydroelectric power plants, a source in the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic told Trend.

"To focus on cooperation between the Czech Republic and Azerbaijan in the respective areas, several key measures and mechanisms are being explored. The signing of the Czech-Azerbaijani Agreement on Cooperation in Energy has laid the groundwork for future collaboration. The inaugural meeting of the Joint Working Group in March 2023 serves as a suitable platform for further developing this cooperation. Joint seminars, conferences, and forums facilitate networking between business entities in the energy sector, providing opportunities for training and developmental programs," said the source.

The source went on to add that the Czech Republic is prepared to share its expertise and technologies in renewable energy, including bioenergy and waste utilization.

"Collaboration may involve the construction of small hydroelectric power plants and support for Azerbaijan's State Program on the use of alternative and renewable energy sources. Prospective cooperation in developing hydrogen and green ammonia production and usage, together with the exchange of experiences in crafting hydrogen strategies, provides further space for our collaboration. We will have an opportunity to address the main measures that would help us do so at the Baku Energy Week in June this year," noted the source,

The source said cooperation between the Czech Republic and Azerbaijan in the energy sector is developing positively, with both countries focusing on strengthening cooperation in renewable energy sources and low-carbon technologies.

"Their shared interest in diversifying energy supplies and developing new projects in the energy sector underlines the importance of this bilateral cooperation for energy security and sustainable development. The Czech Republic's support for the import of oil and gas from Azerbaijan reflects strategic efforts to diversify supply routes and sources. In addition, both parties are interested in innovation and technological progress, including cooperation in areas such as hydrogen and green ammonia," added the source.

Azerbaijan's total installed capacity of renewable energy sources currently stands at 1,688 MW, or 20.3 percent of the country's total power grid capacity.

Azerbaijan has intensified its renewable energy activities, adding 363 MW, including through solar energy (230 MW Garadagh NPP) and hydropower. The country is moving towards the goal of achieving a 30 percent share of renewable energy in the energy balance by 2027.

The latest report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) showed an impressive build-up of 3,870 GW of renewable energy in the global energy mix, of which 1,454 GW is in China.

Azerbaijan produced 2.116 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity (almost 10 percent of the total electricity generation) through renewable energy in 2023.

Follow the author on X: @Lyaman_Zeyn
ONTARIO  Did someone say ButterBurgers and frozen custard? And lets not overlook the cheese curds.

Members of the Richland Area Chamber-Economic Development celebrated the official opening of Culvers at 1364 Lexington-Springmill Road Wednesday as did dozens of people who packed the new eatery at 11 a.m. on opening day.

Doc Stumbo, who came to participate in the ribbon cutting, said his Culver's Double Deluxe was delicious as he and Jeff Parton of Richland Bank stayed after the festivities for lunch, enjoying milkshakes and cheese curds.

"I think I'm going to need more napkins," Parton said.

Chanse Meylan, owner of the new Culver's in Ontario, cuts the ribbon Wednesday mornig outside the newest burger spot in the area.

Ontario Mayor Randy Hutchinson said he is a big fan of the menu items, taking several varieties of custards to go for the office.

Owner Chanse Meylan, originally from Bay City, Michigan, introduced his wife, Allie, and their toddler, Grayson, to reporters as he explained he is very particular in the restaurant sites he chooses.

"When I was looking for where I was going to build the next Culver's restaurant, Ontario seemed to be the best choice, the community and everyone I've worked with so far have been nothing short of incredible," Meylan said.

He said Ontario and Richland County reminded him of his hometown, where Culver's is right across the street from Meijer's, and Menard's is right around the corner, which kind of made it seem like home.

"I originally started in insurance," he said.

He said he really liked working in teams and he had a good friend working at Culver's and after spending time with him working with really big teams, he said he enjoyed the impact a person could have with employees.

"We're really in the people business, so I happen to sell ButterBurgers and custard," he said after the ribbon cutting.

The staff at Culver's effort to keep up with demand during the lunch rush Wednesday morning.

He said the restaurant is known for its ButterBurgers and fresh frozen custard. Everything is made fresh, cooked to order. He said there are no warming drawers.

A resident of Findlay, the new owner said he has a team of 75 employees at the new store.

Meylan said Culver's is community-oriented and has events for groups such as Future Farmers of America on site, giving a percentage of sales to groups.

He said Culver's gets involved in programs such as Kids for Character where he gives out awards to teachers or administrators to pass out for perfect attendance or best on the bus.

"We also do custard donations if you're having some kind of event at the school like a read-a-thon that we can donate a bunch of custard," he said.

Culver's is headquartered in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. The closest Culver's restaurants to Mansfield include Medina and Powell.

In 1984, Craig and Lea Culver, along with Craig Culvers parents George and Ruth, opened the first Culver's in the familys hometown of Sauk City, Wisconsin, according to the website. The company has more than 900 restaurants in 26 states.

The restaurant with to-go window is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

lwhitmir@gannett.com

419-521-7223

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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: New Culver's restaurant opens on busy Ontario OH retail thoroughfare
Chef Solomon Johnson Shared the Most Underrated Way to Cook with Cannabisand It Uses a Tool You Probably Have

Plus his tips for not getting too high during an infused meal and how hes breaking down cannabis stereotypes in the Black community.

Nicco Page

Curious about how to incorporate cannabis into your favorite dishes? EatingWell spoke with Chef Solomon Swoop Johnson, owner of pan-African restaurant The Bussdown, which has locations in Oakland, California, and Washington, D.C. The winner of the first season of Chopped 420, a Chopped spinoff featuring cannabis-infused food, Johnson is celebrated for his creativity of infusing THC into his dishes and recognized as one of the top cannabis chefs in the industry.

Johnson talked with EatingWell to spill behind-the-scenes tidbits about what he ate while filming the show during the pandemicjust like the rest of us, he turned to his comfort foods. We chatted about his favorite weed cuisine plus how hes advocating for the Black community in this exclusive interview.

EatingWell: What are the best ways to start cooking with cannabis?

Johnson: The best recipes to start with are vegetable-based dishes like salads. No cooking or heat is required, just the cannabis-infused oils. There are so many ready-to-use products for cannabis consumers, including infused olive oil and chili oil. The dosage is clear and accurately depicted on the packaging, making the experience safe, fun and easy.

EatingWell: What are the most underrated ways to cook with cannabis?

Johnson: Using the flower raw is so undervalued. Just a microplane grater and a nice nug of flower can set off a pizza or pasta. Im a puristcannabis is perfect the way it is. Some consumers favor a flavorless food product, so the less weed you taste the better the food. Call me old-school but I want to taste my weed.

Related: 9 Reasons You Should Have a Microplane Zester in Your Kitchen, According to Our Test Kitchen

EatingWell: Do you have any tips for hosting an infused meal? How do you not get too high?

Johnson: Its important to dose safely. Always remember, less is more. Keep your guests informed. Never feed anyone food they dont know is infused. Keep the water cups full. Infuse with CBD as well to help balance out the psychoactive effects of THC.

EatingWell: What are your favorite cannabis food pairings?

Johnson: My all-time favorite is fried chicken and medicated hot honey. I love infusing condiments so as soon as hot honey hit the scene I jumped in the lab and medicated a batch for personal use.

EatingWell: What are your hopes for the future of cannabis dining?

Johnson: For cannabis dining to be celebrated for its benefits to body, mind and soul. I hope that cannabis dining will evolve in a way that serves both its loyal, longtime fans and new, curious consumers by serving delicious, unforgettable food.

EatingWell: How are you breaking down cannabis stereotypes in the Black community?

Johnson: Cannabis has been used as a tool to persuade the public to associate African Americans with drug use and criminalization to facilitate mass incarceration and community disruption. My role as a Black man, business owner and cannabis user is to chip away at that deep-seated structural racism. Im a successful entrepreneur and cannabis user. Serving people at cannabis-infused events like Cannescape (an overnight dining experience in California) is the best way for me to change the narrative in a meaningful way.

Too many African American people are imprisoned for nonviolent drug offenses, and receive harsh sentences and convictions based on racist stereotypes. We need to establish federal and state expungement of criminal records as well as invest in and support our BIPOC communities.

EatingWell: If you don't feel like cooking, what pantry staples do you turn to to make a quick and easy dinner?

Johnson: I always have good olive oil, aged balsamic, pasta and fresh herbs at home. Pasta is my all-time favorite comfort food. So its always available in abundance in my kitchen.

Related: 14 Pasta Dinners You Can Make with Pantry Ingredients

EatingWell: Did you have a go-to snack when filming Chopped 420 that helped keep you energized?

Johnson: When I was on set during Chopped, it was in the middle of the pandemic and social distancing was being practiced. I had to stay in my hotel room if I wasnt on set and leaned on room service. I always went for chicken fingers and fries because Im still a kid at heartwith extra BBQ sauce.

EatingWell: What are your go-to shoes for long days on your feet in the kitchen?

Johnson: Birkenstocksopen-toed on my way to the kitchen and then I transition to a clog.



Read the original article on Eating Well.
Food preserves the story of the Iraqi Jews, a story of starting over.

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

My grandmothers kitchen was on the Upper East Side, but it tasted of Iraq.

As Ama brushed butter onto sheets of phyllo dough, shed share stories of her girlhood in Baghdad. Wed swim in the Tigris with water buffalo, shed say with delight at my amazement, each layer of pastry unfurling more memories. To escape the summer heat, wed sleep on the flat rooftops in the cool night air. Shed yell to my grandfather in the living room in Arabic, give my dad instructions in French, and speak politely to my measured Methodist mother in English, but to me, she spoke loving words that needed no translation; shed call me ayuni (my eyes) and qalbi (my heart). Ill never know my Amas verdant, cosmopolitan Baghdad, in the region my ancestors called home for 2,500 years. But in her kitchen, I could taste it.

The food of the Iraqi Jews tells our story. Mhasha is about community. The project of coring vegetables, stuffing them with herbed rice, and stewing them in tangy tamarind is made quick by many hands. Tebit is a distinctly Jewish dish. Traditionally made to feed dozens of family members on the Sabbath, the spiced chicken and rice are placed in the oven on Friday night and cooked overnight on low through Saturday. Whole eggs are placed on the top to bake for a Sabbath breakfast, and the rice is still warm by dinner. Kubba Patata, lamb-stuffed potato patties redolent with curry powder, recalls the centuries of successful trade between Baghdad and the Indian cities of Kolkata and Mumbai. Baklava is the sweet made for massive family weddings  a celebration calls for shelling hundreds of pistachios.

To me, the spirit of the Iraqi Jews comes most alive in the simplest of dishes, like Bamia, okra stewed in sweet-and-sour tomato sauce. Where other cultures have mother sauces, we have lemon and sugar. Intense yet balanced, bamia gets its flavor from a combination of the two  a combination that expresses the history of the Iraqi Jews, both its sweetness and its bitterness.

Related: 33 Middle Eastern Recipes Featuring Feta, Phyllo, and Fragrant Spices

The story of the Iraqi Jews is a tale of two exiles: the first, when Nebuchadnezzar II destroyed the First Temple in Jerusalem around 587 B.C., and the second, beginning after World War II, when the Jews were expelled from Iraq. The Jews who traveled to Babylon as captives and exiles began the community that would thrive for centuries as Babylonian, Mesopotamian, or Mizrahi Jews. By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept ... How can we sing the Lords song in a foreign land? asks the writer of Psalm 137. For more than 2,500 years, the Iraqi Jews did just that in the city known since the eighth century as Baghdad.

Baghdads Jewish community prospered in business, trade, and government, most notably under the Ottoman Empire. The Sassoons, my grandfathers family, were among the most influential, establishing global trade routes between India, China, and Britain. With the fall of the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century, everything changed. As my grandfather Abdallah Simon writes in his memoir, Vintage Years, The establishment of an independent state of Iraq following World War I effectively marked the beginning of the end for Iraqi Jews. The fact that they are virtually non-existent in Iraq today is a sad footnote after over two millennia of thriving. Fueled by rising Arab nationalism and Nazi propaganda, hundreds of Baghdadi Jews were massacred in June 1941 in a multiday pogrom called the Farhud; homes were pillaged and communities ravaged.

My grandfather became a lieutenant in the Iraqi army soon after and was able to travel to Rio de Janeiro by way of Tehran, Cairo, and Lisbon, where he took a boat to Philadelphia, securing one of the 150 U.S. visas available to Iraqis that year. In 1948, my grandmother attempted to flee over the Zagros Mountains in the north of Iraq by dressing as a nun; she was caught but eventually escaped later that year hiding under a sheet in the back of a family car on a drive into Iran. A small number of Jews (including Doris Zilkha, who developed the recipes that follow) lived there into the 1970s, when they were pushed out as Saddam Hussein came to power in 1979. Today, the Jewish population of Baghdad can probably be counted on the fingers of one hand.

Related: The Jewish American Bakery Renaissance Is in Full Swing

Those who made safe passage planted new roots in places like Israel, London, Montreal, and New York. My grandfather joined the wine business, founding Chateau & Estate, a fine wine importer later acquired by Seagram. My childhood memories include tastes of his French wines paired with my grandmothers Iraqi food served on green-and-white-painted Perrier-Jouet plates. On the most special occasions, he would open bottles of Perrier-Jouets Belle Epoque or Chateau Lafite Rothschild. At Shabbat dinners, he would say the kiddush over glasses of Trimbach Pinot Gris.

How can we sing the Lords song in a foreign land? The question still resounds. Cooking is like singing. Its a way of remembering, safeguarding, and celebrating; its a form of praise. For many diasporic communities, its a way of connecting. Cooking, eating, and sharing Iraqi Jewish food, now without my grandparents, who have been gone for over a decade, has helped me imagine a place I never knew, but a place that is a part of me. Ill never know their Baghdad, but I can taste it.



Mhasha (Sweet-and-Sour Stuffed Vegetables)

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Vegetables stuffed with herbed rice are tucked into a Dutch oven and baked in a tangy tomato-tamarind sauce. This dish takes time to put together, but nothing is difficult to do, and several components lend themselves to advance prep.



Get the Recipe

Tebit (Chicken Baked in Rice)

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

A whole chicken cooks in a bed of tomatoey, tender, spiced rice in this one-pot Iraqi Jewish dish. Tebit is often made for Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, because it can be prepped and cooked the night before. To serve, the pot is flipped over to release the rice, which caramelizes on the bottom and along the edges, creating a crunchy and dramatic crust.



Get the Recipe

Kubba Patata (Lamb-Stuffed Potato Patties)

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Kubba patata (fried potato patties) are a satisfying snack. A filling of curry-spiced lamb, pine nuts, and raisins makes these bites especially rich and comforting.



Get the Recipe

Bamia (Okra Stewed in Tomato Sauce)

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Bamia means okra in Arabic, and in this side dish, the vegetable is stewed in a savory tomato sauce. The variety of okra indigenous to Iraq is petite compared to most grown commercially in the U.S., so to make this dish, look for tiny frozen okra pods at Middle Eastern markets; they hold their shape well and release very little liquid.



Get the Recipe

Iraqi Baklava

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

This recipe differs from Greek and Mediterranean styles of baklava, where honey is used to saturate the pastry. Iraqi baklava is soaked and flavored instead with a homemade light sugar syrup thats subtly flavored with rosewater and lemon juice for a sweet, floral, and slightly tangy finish to the nutty pastry.



Get the Recipe

Honoring a Heritage



Cook



Oded Halahmy left Baghdad in 1951 and worked as a multimedia sculptor between New York and Jaffa, Israel. He remembers Iraq mostly through his art, but in 2022, he published a cookbook titled Iraqi Cooking: Exile Is Home, which includes his own recipes for dishes like kibbeh and cheese-filled sambusak. Daisy Iny, a distant cousin of my grandmother, published the first Iraqi cookbook made for U.S. home cooks called The Best of Baghdad Cooking with Treats from Teheran in 1976. While few copies remain (you can sometimes find them on Amazon), the book has served as a touchstone for myself and other Iraqi Jewish cooks, and it is well worth snapping up if you find a copy.

Learn



Edited by Tamar Morad, Dennis Shasha, and Robert Shasha, Iraqs Last Jews: Stories of Daily Life, Upheaval, and Escape from Modern Babylon is a book of oral histories of the last generation of Jews who lived in and escaped from Iraq. The stories are poignant, personal, and brave but chronicle the everyday, too  like how a mother would shop for a group of 30 at the market or how families preserved dates in summer. Mizrahi Jews are from all around the Middle East and North Africa. Follow Ciara Shalomes Instagram account @themizrahistory for oral histories of Mizrahi Jews from Iraq, Egypt, Yemen, Tunisia, and beyond.

Grow



The Iraqi Seed Collective is a global organization that seeks to preserve Iraqi heritage through the genetic legacy of crops by saving and sharing heirloom seeds of Iraqi produce varieties. The thing about seeds is that you can eat and share the fruit and save more seeds as you grow, says Ali Ruxin, a founding member. In the context of our history, theres something so hopeful about seeds. Follow @iraqiseedcollective on Instagram, and join the collective to learn more about growing plump fava beans, tender okra, and fragrant melons.

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Read the original article on Food & Wine.
Crosswalks near Cliff, Main streets will look like books. What to know about the project

New crosswalks by Otis Library represent the citys first taste of Tactical Urban Design.

The four colorful crosswalks will be added to the area near Main Street and Cliff Street. They will look like books on a shelf as an homage to the Otis Library, and include a tribute to local author Lottie B. Scotts book Deep South, Deep North: A Familys Journey.

Developed as a part of the Chelsea Harbor/Downtown Mobility Study, the new sidewalks will be finished in June, Global City Norwich Director Bobbie Braboy.

These new crosswalks are temporary, but the city will use them to gather feedback for a permanent change.

A plan for new crosswalks for Main Street in Norwich near Cliff Street. There is also a bump-out area by Reliance Health's building and a parklet spot by G.O.A.T.S.

This project will help address whats been identified as the four core problems of downtown Norwich, which are cleanliness, lighting, signage and accessibility, Braboy said.

While there are plans to improve the crosswalk at Courthouse Square, it was thought best to tackle the Cliff Street area first, Director of Planning and Neighborhood Services Deanna Rhodes said.

What is the area by the Norwich library and what is happening on Main Street

A parklet area will be added by the library and there will also be a bumpout to change the angle of cars stop at the intersection of Cliff and Main streets, according to the Envision Norwich 360 website.

Its a piece of art; it's usable art, Rhodes said.

Parklets are small fenced areas on the street with tables and chairs. There are already a few parklets around downtown, including by Foundry 66.

Bumpouts have already been implemented in Greenville, with the flags painted on Central Avenue. It reduces the distance pedestrians walk in the street, while the art gives community pride, Rhodes said.

The project aims to improve pedestrian and traffic safety, enhance visuals, provide additional outdoor space, and highlight a valuable community asset, the Envision Norwich 360 website states.

The city will also try a wayfinding sign, Rhodes said.

What is tactical urbanism?

This project is a demonstration of the tactical urban design concept, so it can help communities and authorities to visualize the potential of spaces, the Envision Norwich 360 website states.

Tactical Urbanism focuses on small, temporary changes, and gathering feedback, from the bottom up, for larger changes. The small changes tend to be low-cost and are flexible based on whats needed, the Envision Norwich 360 website states.

Intersection of Cliff Street and Main Street in Norwich.

All changes under tactical urbanism are meant to improve conditions for pedestrians and cyclists. The results are meant to be safer, more accessible and people-friendly, according to the Envision Norwich 360 website.

Policy may be changed to allow for, or in response to, these changes. All feedback, data and observations should be collected to determine effectiveness and future plans, the Envision Norwich 360 website states.

Why do city planners and community development leaders like the project

Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments Regional Planner Nicole Haggerty is confident things will work. As someone who lives in Norwich and has helped in this effort, the effort marks change, she said.

Downtown is going to look great, she said.

The project should also be a spark of creativity for downtown, and help change its perception Norwich Community Development Corporation Community Development Specialist Lucas Kaiser said.

Hopefully it starts a domino effect, he said.

How Norwich residents can provide feedback on the redesigns

The next meeting on the crosswalk project will be virtual on Tuesday, April 30 at 5 p.m. The link will be on the project page on the Envision Norwich 360 website, Braboy said.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: New colorful crosswalks in Norwich: Its part of tactical urban design
OAK HARBOR - Friends of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge will offer its West Sister Island Sunset Birding Cruise fundraising event 6:30-9 p.m. May 4.

It is designed to bring together nature enthusiasts and conservation supporters for an evening amidst the serene beauty of Lake Erie.

Birding event takes guests to West Sister Island refuge

Launching from Port Clinton, guests on the Jet Express charter will have the opportunity to see one of Lake Erie's bird sanctuaries, West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge. The 82-acre island is closed to public access to protect the largest nesting colony of wading birds in the U.S. Great Lakes.

Tall hackberry trees provide nesting sites for great blue herons, great egrets, black-crowned night-herons, double-crested cormorants and more.

West Sister Island Sunset Birding Cruise fundraising event will be held 6:30-9 p.m. May 4

The evening on the water not only promises views of the island but also supports the Friends of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, a 501(c)3 nonprofit established in 1997. It supports the conservation mission of Ohios only national wildlife refuge complex by acquiring land, engaging the community and enhancing public access.

"The West Sister Island Sunset Birding Cruise is more than just an event; it's a testament to the community's commitment to conservation and the wildlife diversity that can be found in our own backyard," said Aimee Arent, Friends Executive Director. "We are proud to host an experience that not only delights and educates but also contributes significantly to the refuge's conservation efforts. We invite everyone to join us for this enjoyable evening on the water.

Cruise to include birding experts

Guests will enjoy hors-oeuvres and commentary from experts including Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Manager Jason Lewis and Ohio Department of Natural Resources biologist Dave Sherman. Additionally, several raffles, including a 50/50, will be held.

For ticket information and reservations, visit www.friendsofottawanwr.org, visit The Rookery Nature Store at 14000 W. Ohio 2, Oak Harbor, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday or contact the Friends of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge at 419-707-7756.

The News-Messenger/News Herald

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Proceeds from cruise benefit National Wildlife Refuge in Ottawa County
Anyone going to Las Vegas has seen the offramp for Zzyxx and perhaps had fun pronouncing the roads name.

Zzz-eye-zix, one traveler may say to the other.

Gesundheit could be the response.

And that same traveler may have wondered just what was out there. In my novel, "Operation Scorpion," the protagonist spent some interesting moments at the Desert Studies Center located on Zzyzx Road, just off Interstate 15.

- Soon to be completed lobby entrance to the Field Station Joshua Tree, as seen on March 7, 2024.

This column is not about the studies center (which was closed to the public for Covid, but is now taking reservations), nor is it about my novel (available where books are sold, of course), but instead, it is about another field station which I had the pleasure of visiting recently.

A field station is "a place where researchers can conduct scientific work, and they can be a touchstone for public discourse on scientific issues."

And who does not like a good touchstone?

Recently, I was invited to Joshua Tree to visit the AutoCamp, operated by AutoCamp Hospitality Group, which I wrote about in a previous column. As I was there, the Public Relations Manager, July Zaleski, asked if I would like to visit the company's new field station.

Well, I have dinner arrangements with my lovely wife, Laureen, I said. If its out of state, I should call and cancel.

July shook her head. Its 15 minutes down the road.

Field Station Joshua Tree, located near Joshua Tree National Park, is described in the AutoCamp Hospitality Groups literature as a place "designed as the ultimate experience from affordable accommodations to easy exploration. Field Station offers several room types, on-site guides, turnkey outdoor equipment rentals, retail, educational programming, Do-It-Yourself guided experiences, and an espresso cafe."

Since it had been a long day already, a nice jolt of espresso might do the trick.

Now, youll have to use your imagination since the Field Station Joshua Tree will not open for a month or so. But we are taking reservations for May now, though, July said. And it has been nearly totally remodeled.

There went my espresso, but soon, we were to check out this unique accommodation for desert adventurers visiting Joshua Tree National Park or other parts of the amazing Mojave Desert.

I hitched a ride with Taylor Davis, Vice-President of Brand Marketing, and off we were on State Route 62, or, as the locals prefer, 29 Palms Highway.

It was a rather informative drive to this new facility that was not entirely completed.

It turns out that the company was the brainchild of Neil Dipaola in 2013. An avid outdoor enthusiast and conservationist, Dipaola had a dream to share with all like-minded individuals.

We need a place where like-minded individuals can go, enjoy wonderful accommodations, experience beautiful natural locations, easily converse with fellow adventurers, and of course, we must have an espresso bar, Dipaola may have said - then again, he may not have, and I just made it up.

That sounds like a great place to kick up ones heels while on vacation.

Thus, the AutoCamp brand was born and proved a good idea.

In a short span of years, the AutoCamp has grown to nine Airstream AutoCamps and two Field Stations - one in Moab, Utah, and the second in Yucca Valley.

His brand was so unique, inspiring, and well-accepted that the company has been featured in Oprah Magazine, Vogue, the Travel Channel, Bloomberg, and even in the renowned column Beyers Byways.

I had to.

So what makes a converted motel into a Field Station? I asked Taylor.

Its not just a remodeled motel, she replied. But a whole new experience our guests will receive when they get there. It is a place where travelers will meet other travelers and talk to each other about what they have witnessed during their activities.

I would be the judge of that.

Turns out, Taylor was correct.

Back in the 1960s, a small motel was built for folks visiting the national park. Soon, there were so many visitors that the motel added on and on, giving the place a rather eclectic appearance. When we arrived, I wandered the property and immediately felt I had stepped back in time.

The original lobby and section of rooms connected to it had rock roofs, definitely 1960s, and I expected to see Dean Martin stumble out of the glass doors of the bar as he headed unsteadily toward the pool.

And speaking of the pool, centrally located within the complex's guest rooms, it is extremely large and inviting, with views of the Yucca Valley and mountains bordering the national park.

We imagine our guests sitting by the pool during the hotter parts of the year and not just enjoying the water but talking with fellow guests about what they did during the day and perhaps making new lifelong friends, Taylor said.

In my experience of camping, there are many times that conversations would occur with fellow campers about this or that. Most of the time, it was interesting, valuable, and worthwhile - especially regarding the local foliage.

Dont squat over there, some valuable advice may be offered. Ground is full of poison ivy.

The remodel, or as the company calls it, upcycled and renovated version of the old Travelodge Motel, is very impressive.

It is modeled after the Scandinavian Industrial Design concept, otherwise known as the ScanDustrial. I have no idea what that means, but as I wandered through some of the completed guest rooms, it started to become clearer.

Each guest room is very large, whether it houses a Queen bed, King bed, or a room full of bunkbeds. There is ample space for each guest to store a lot of gear within the safety of their quartersmany of which also have individual bicycle racks in them. The bathrooms are roomy and beautifully tiled, giving a very upscale feel to the entire complex.

Besides a door leading to the parking lot, each room has a door leading to impressively landscaped common areas, including sitting benches, pergolas, a huge firepit, the pool area, and winding rocking paths lined with the local plants.

An inviting addition will be multiple plug-ins for travelers who use vans for their travels and thus do not need an actual room. The price of the van spot includes full usage privileges of the property, including laundry facilities.

The goal is to invite our guests to spend as much time outside in a beautiful setting after a full day of adventure, July told me.

It did not take much imagination to envision the completed Field Station, and I suspected that the local community would be thrilled to have such a new concept of hospitality in the neighborhood.

As we retransition an old property into our plans, Taylor said, we contact local charities and donate furniture, light fixtures, and anything that may be of use to the people in the community. We dont just fill up the local landfill.

The concept is to minimize the human footprint by installing LED lighting throughout, thus minimizing electricity usage.

One of the most intriguing concepts is the remodeled lobby of the Field Station. Im sure the company calls it something else more in line for outdoor adventurers, and if I was told, I forgot.

Jared Pearce, Senior Director of Retail and Foods/Beverages, showed up and explained that the lobby would serve many purposes for the station.

Future onsite restaurant for guests and locals to enjoy, as seen on March 7, 2024. No reason to go out after a day of adventure to search for a meal.

We want the local community to feel at home here, as well as our guests, he said. There will be a full espresso bar and plenty of parking for the locals to stop by and enjoy the various food items available. One side of the room will be well-stocked with outdoor equipment, available for rent or purchase from outstanding vendors.

The lobby will have climbing ropes, hiking sticks, water bottles, knapsacks, and a variety of outdoor gear, along with maps of the National Park and surrounding areas.

Jared continued, Well have a desk, similar to a concierge, where guests can arrange tours, no matter the size of the parties involved. We have great local tour companies that have agreed to work with us to ensure a persons stay here is more than memorable but with a desire to return many times. And, of course, there will be a free water bottle-filling machine here, too.

Of course, one cant wander the Mojave Desert without being hydratedthat was my PSA for this column.

My tour was over, and even though the construction was not completed - my imagination filled in the rest, and I knew that this new Field Station would serve the community and travelers well.

John can be reached at beyersbyways@gmail.com

Information

https://www.fieldstation.com/joshua-tree-coming-soon

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Visiting Joshua Tree National Park? Make AutoCamp your homebase
(FORT CARSON, Colo.)  On Wednesday, April 17, Fort Carson announced that it will be hosting the free annual Spring Flea Market & Festival on April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Iron Horse Park to celebrate the spring season and the Month of the Military Child.

The event will feature local vendors and activities for everyone, including free face painting, food trucks, and bounce houses for the kids.

The Grant Library will conduct its Summer Reading Program registration and Army Community Service will provide giveaways during the event, which is open to the Fort Carson community and all Department of Defense ID card holders.

County, state, and federal civilian concealed-carry permits are not recognized or valid on Fort Carson. All weapons brought onto the installation must be registered with the provost marshals office at building 2700 in accordance with U.S. Army and Fort Carson regulations. Only law enforcement personnel in the performance of official duties may possess a concealed weapon on Fort Carson.

Despite the Colorado amendment legalizing recreational marijuana, the use or possession of marijuana on a federal installation constitutes a violation of federal law and is prohibited at this event.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
Holland floral designer has boxes of awards, and met the Queen of Denmark

HOLLAND  Hollands Southshore Village sits a short trek from the heart of downtown. It's a hidden gem, with a stretch of quaint small businesses selling flowers and coffee and pizza.

But theres one gentleman working in Southshore Village that could be considered a hidden gem himself.

His name is Craig Montanye and he works as a floral designer at Pats European Fresh Flower Market.

While its a career he officially started over 45 years ago, Montanye's love of flowers goes back to his childhood in Nebraska. It was there he began to learn and develop an eye for flowers and design.

Craig Montanye has worked in the floral industry for over 45 years.

As he grew older, he decided to study radiology  but it never took off. Instead, he went on a backpacking trip with friends before getting a job at a shoe store. Then, he got a part-time gig delivering flowers.

And that was it, I was hooked, he said. I was a delivery guy, but then they wanted me to start designing.

Shortly after, he entered a flower design competition that hed go on to win. He entered another, then another, winning each one.

Flower design is an art and Im really interested in the art and architecture and design of flowers, he said.

Montanye took floriculture classes at the University of Nebraska and others along the way.

I just studied and learned, he said. Back then, there were no online classes ... so I read a lot of books on design, design theory and history of design.

Montanye was nominated to be a member of the Nebraska Academy of Floral Designers, inducted in 1985. The next year, he was voted Designer of the Year in the state.

Montanye would eventually leave Nebraska, moving to Indianapolis in 1992 to work for a large floral company. The company wanted him to become a master designer.

After months of studying, he earned the recognition. He was also inducted into the American Institute of Floral Design, an organization with members from around the world.

His career eventually led him to Holland, as he looked to simplify his life and slow down. He started working at Pats in 2011 and has been there ever since.

Flowers are arranged in a vase at Pat's European Fresh Flower Market.

He's had some unique opportunities over the years. He met the Queen of Denmark, designed the floral display for the stage at the victory banquet of the Indianapolis 500, and decorated the main altar for the Saint Cecilia Cathedral Flower Festival in Omaha.

While he remains humble, the truth is, he has boxes of awards in his basement.

Subscribe: Get all your breaking news and unlimited access to our local coverage

In the future, he hopes to continue to learn and teach those around him.

"It's always a learning experience."

 Contact reporter Austin Metz at ametz@hollandsentinel.com.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Holland floral designer has boxes of awards, and met the Queen of Denmark
Licking Heights high school students pose for a photo outside the Louvre in Paris with art teacher MaryJo Jones. Students spent their spring break exploring art and architecture in France and Spain.

Licking Heights teachers pride themselves on providing students with innovative and fulfilling learning experiences in the classroom and beyond, but for several high school teachers, this method even includes going international.

For spring break, teachers MaryJo Jones and Bethany Good  in partnership with EF Tours, an educational trip provider for middle and high schools  took their students on a week-long trip outside the United States. Art teacher Jones led students through a tour of France and Spain, while science teacher Good and students explored Belize in Central America.

Jones trip focused primarily on the Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain and how the natural border blends the two countries cultures in architecture, art, food and more. Students visited the plazas and cathedrals of cities like Paris, Barcelona, Biarritz, San Sebastian and Pamplona.

Jones described her life-changing trip as the highlight of her career and one of the greatest experiences of her life. She commended her students for their willingness to push themselves as they experienced different cultures and for maintaining a growth mindset so they could learn from each moment spent abroad.

"It was a dream come true and we were in a fairy tale for 10 days. I knew the trip was going to be an amazing learning experience for us all, but the impact it had on all of us, every time we got off the bus every day, we stood shocked in amazement," she said "The smiles never stopped, even when climbing mountains, and the students lived their lives to the fullest."

For Good, her students trek through Central Americas "eco-frontier" included plenty of visits to ancient ruins, lush jungles, and the sparkling Caribbean coastline. Students spent time exploring nature and biodiversity and taking guided tours of Mayan ruins with local guides.

Good said she enjoyed watching her students get out of their comfort zone as they experienced leaving the country for the first time.

"I was so grateful to have the opportunity to lead a group of students to Belize for spring break. It was great to watch them zipline, snorkel and cave tube for the first time," she said. "The best thing that happened on the trip was getting to see the students develop new friendships with students from other schools around the United States who were also on the tour with us."

EF Tours are education-focused tours specifically designed for the needs of students and teachers. Trips include experiential and hands-on learning opportunities that match student interests and enhance classroom learning standards.

Licking Heights has partnered with EF Tours for several years to provide students with affordable international travel options, with options starting when they are in middle school. Upcoming trips in 2025 include Japan, Iceland, Great Britain, Greece, Germany and more.

Information submitted by Licking Heights Local Schools.

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Licking Heights High School students spend spring break abroad
What North Jersey marijuana dispensaries are doing for 4/20 deals

Several North Jersey dispensaries are planning celebrations and deals this weekend as the calendar turns to the biggest day of the year for marijuana enthusiasts.

Shops throughout the region are advertising promotions to mark 4/20 Saturday, the unofficial holiday of smokers throughout the world. Some are holding events on the day, and others have offered deals leading up to the weekend to give customers more opportunities to save on their purchases.

The day in honor of cannabis consumption is believed to have originated among a group of California high school students in 1971. The students would often meet at 4:20 p.m. at a designated spot on school grounds to smoke, resulting in the designation of April 20 as the annual date.

It's the first 4/20, the unofficial holiday for marijuana enthusiasts, since marijuana was legalized in New Jersey. People gather at the state house in Trenton on Tuesday April 20, 2021 to celebrate as well as protest NJ laws that prohibit people from growing marijuana at home.

Below is a list of North Jersey businesses marking 4/20, along with summaries of the deals:

Ascend Wellness

The Rochelle Park store, one of three Ascend Wellness locations in New Jersey, along with Montclair and Fort Lee, is hosting a special 4/20 celebration at 4:20 p.m. Saturday. The event will feature food, music and a chance to win prizes, with the first 420 customers getting mini doughnuts from the Glazed & Confused food truck.

All Ascend stores are participating in "Cannapalooza" throughout April, with exclusive deals, specials and merchandise available all month.

WHERE: 174 Route 17 north, Rochelle Park.

WHEN: Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit letsascend.com/locations/new-jersey/rochelle-park.

Holistic Re-Leaf

The Morris County dispensary that opened last month near the Rockaway Townsquare mall is offering exclusive deals from Friday to Sunday, with more than $6,000 in giveaways on its largest variety of items to date. Customers will receive 25% off the entire menu and a 1-cent pre-roll with every purchase.

WHERE: 321 Mount Hope Ave., Rockaway.

WHEN: Open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 973-453-6645 or visit holisticreleafnj.com.

Cannabis Clubhouse

Sussex County's first legal dispensary, which opened in January in Sussex Borough, is in the midst of a weeklong celebration of 4/20, with various discounts at the store through Sunday. Saturday's deals for customers include 20% off their entire purchase all day along, with free sandwiches, drinks and dessert from 3 to 6 p.m.

WHERE: 70-72 E. Main St., Sussex.

WHEN: Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 862-351-6021 or visit cannabisclubhousenj.com/events.

RISE Dispensaries

The national cannabis company, which has locations in Paterson, Paramus and Bloomfield, is implementing a "420 Buyers Club" this year to commemorate early marijuana advocates who paved the way for the drug's legalization. Customers can join the club to enjoy special deals on vapes, edibles and other RISE products.

Customers inside Rise Dispensary in Bloomfield, NJ

The group's name is derived from the San Francisco Buyers Club, the first place to sell cannabis legally in the U.S. It opened in 1992.

"Without the original Buyers Club, RISE wouldn't exist," the company said on its website.

WHERE: 196 Third Ave., Paterson; 145 Route 4, Paramus; 26-48 Bloomfield Ave., Bloomfield.

WHEN: Hours vary by location.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit risecannabis.com/dispensary-locations/new-jersey.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Best 4/20 deals offered by NJ marijuana dispensaries
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Azerbaijan's Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov discussed potential projects for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) during a meeting in Abu Dhabi with Grzegorz Zielinski, director of the EBRD's European Energy Group, the statement of Azerbaijan's Energy Ministry said, Trend reports.

"The meeting discussed priority areas of cooperation with the EBRD in the energy sector, in particular the possibility of the bank's support of the Energy Efficiency Fund in Azerbaijan and the implementation of pilot projects in the field of energy efficiency," the statement noted.

The discussions were also held on the creation of the Azerbaijan (Nakhchivan)-Turkiye-Europe energy line, projects of the green energy corridor Caspian-Black Sea-Europe, the connection of 1 GW of solar-wind power plants to the network, as well as cooperation issues related to the modernization of the energy system.

"During the conversation, the sides also assessed the situation with the preparation of a draft law on modernization in the power sector within the framework of the joint project with the EBRD Support to the Energy Regulatory Agency. The parties also discussed the action plan for the energy sector within the framework of the upcoming COP29," the statement of the Ministry of Energy emphasized.

Additionally, it was highlighted that Azerbaijan's transition to green energy is aided by collaboration with the EBRD on enhancing the potential of renewable energy sources, a low-carbon economy, and the financing of Garadagh HPP.

Besides, the current status of cooperation on low-carbon solutions in the power sector was discussed.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
This Passover has a 'bitter taste,' says Los Angeles-based activist as Hamas hostage crisis continues

This Passover has a 'bitter taste,' says Los Angeles-based activist as Hamas hostage crisis continues

This year, with dozens of hostages remaining in captivity in Gaza, the Jewish holiday of Passover has an especially poignant meaning, activist and actress Noa Tishby told Fox News Digital.

Tishby is a New York Times bestselling author as well and Israel's former Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism and Delegitimization. She is based in Los Angeles.

Passover, said Tishby, is "the holiday of Jewish national liberation."

This year, it begins on the evening of Monday, April 22.

JEWISH GROUP FOR PASSOVER INTRODUCES 'TEN PLAGUES OF ANTISEMITISM' IN ITS HAGGADAH THIS YEAR

As detailed in the Book of Exodus, "more than 3,000 years ago, the bodies and souls of our Hebrew ancestors were oppressed by the pharaohs of Egypt," she said.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

The Jewish people were led out of Egypt by Moses, and were led to the "Promised Land" of Israel.

This Passover, author and activist Noa Tishby wants people to follow the lead of Moses  and demand that Hamas free all remaining captives.

In the modern era, "Jewish tradition instructs us to view this suffering and redemption as if we experienced it ourselves at our annual festive  and instructive  meal and gathering, the Seder, when we recount the Exodus from Egypt," said Tishby.

But in 2024, the celebration of Passover has a much different tone.

TENNESSEE PROFESSOR REVEALS STORY OF HER LATE HUSBAND, A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR, AMID TODAY'S ANTISEMITISM

"Next week, at millions of homes in America, our Seders will be bittersweet, as our hearts are in the terror tunnels beneath Gaza where our fellow Jews are being violated and tortured daily," she said.

Passover is the annual commemoration of Moses leading the Jewish people out of slavery in Egypt.

Discussing the situation in the Middle East "isn't a comfortable conversation," said Tishby  something that Moses, the "Passover hero" was all too familiar with, she said.

Moses "actually begged God not to choose him to plead for his enslaved brethren," she said, noting that in Exodus 4:10 he said, "Behold, they will not believe me, for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue."

JEWISH HOLIDAY OF PURIM MAY HAVE ECHOES IN AMERICAN HISTORY, SAYS NEW YORK RABBI

God, in reply, tells Moses that he is the right person for the job and to "go unto Pharaoh and tell him, Let my people go," said Tishby.

As a proud Jewish woman, Tishby said she "doesn't have a choice" when it comes to raising awareness of the plight of the hostages.

"My heart is bleeding for them," she said.

She added that "according to both the United Nations and the released hostages," those who are still being held captive are subject to daily rape and abuse.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

"Theres a reason why the Jewish holiday of freedom has a bitter taste this year, and no, its not the bitter herbs," said Tishby.

It is impossible to rest, she said, "while our friends and family languish in virtual slavery."

This Passover, as Moses went to Pharaoh to demand the freedom of the Jewish people in Egypt, people should "go to your elected officials and demand that they tell Hamas, Let my people go," she said.

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.





Original article source: This Passover has a 'bitter taste,' says Los Angeles-based activist as Hamas hostage crisis continues
Passover begins Monday, April 22, as members of the Jewish faith gather to commemorate the Israelites' freedom from slavery by God in Egypt.

In honor of the holiday, June Hersh, a New York-based author, is offering a brisket recipe from her book titled, "Food, Hope & Resilience: Authentic Recipes and Remarkable Stories from Holocaust Survivors."

The dish was originally owned by Judith Ginsburg, a Holocaust survivor who shared it with Hersh.

JEWISH GROUP FOR PASSOVER INTRODUCES 'TEN PLAGUES OF ANTISEMITISM' IN ITS HAGGADAH THIS YEAR

"Born in Lida, Poland, Judith was first ghettoized, then escaped a march to fight alongside Russian partisans in the woods," Hersh said of Ginsburg, who died in 2021.

"After a short time, she joined the Bielski Brigade of partisans depicted in the acclaimed film, 'Defiance.' These partisans saved over 1,200 Jews and survived deep in the woods of Poland until they were liberated."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

"This recipe reflects her Ashkenazi style of cooking and is a straightforward, savory brisket to be enjoyed anytime," Hersh added.

"It has special significance at Passover, a holiday that celebrates freedom and renewal."

NEW YORK CITY CORNED BEEF SANDWICHES TELL SALTY TALE OF AMERICAN IMMIGRANT SUCCESS

For this recipe, Hersh points out that you can use any cut of brisket  but do consider the second cut, which includes the top fatty layer of mouth-watering goodness.

"Youll trim it before serving, but that extra layer assures a juicy brisket," she said.

Makes 8 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Judith Ginsburg's Ashkenazi-style brisket recipe can be enjoyed this Passover season with loved ones. Along with her personal story, Ginsburg's recipe was published in June Hersh's Nov. 2023 book titled, "Food, Hope & Resilience: Authentic Recipes and Remarkable Stories from Holocaust Survivors" (The History Press).

For the brisket

1 (5-to-6 pound) brisket (2nd cut preferred, 1st cut/flat can be used)

Kosher salt and pepper

2 tablespoons of paprika

2 tablespoons of garlic powder

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1 pound of carrots (about 5-6), peeled and cut into chunks

6 medium onions (about 2 pounds), cut into large chunks

8-10 cloves of garlic (look for heavy closed bulbs), coarsely chopped

Place your chopped carrots, onions and garlic in a covered roasting pan filled with half a cup of water.

For the sauce

1 (14.5-ounce) can of condensed tomato soup

1 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Rub the brisket generously with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Place it in a covered roasting pan with the carrots, onions, garlic and  cup of water. Cover and roast until fork tender, about 4 hours, checking on the brisket every hour to see if additional water is needed to prevent the meat from scorching. When the meat is done, remove it from the roasting pan and thinly slice it against the grain. To make the sauce, stir into the pan  cup of water, the can of soup, ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar. Place the brisket slices back into the sauce. You can heat the sliced beef and sauce and serve at once, or let the brisket soak up the big flavors overnight in the fridge. It will be worth the wait.

Celebrate Passover with this delicious recipe that was created by Judith Ginsburg of Troy, New York. She was "the sole survivor of a large family murdered in the Holocaust," according to her obituary, which was posted online following her death in 2021. Ginsburg was married for 60 years. She had four children, 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

This original recipe was shared with Fox News Digital courtesy of author June Hersh (junehersh.com), and the dish's creator, the late Judith Ginsburg.

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle .





Original article source: Passover brisket: Holocaust survivor's recipe holds 'special significance' amid Jewish holiday
Winding a borrowed Dodge Ram down the gravel roads of Licking County, Harrison and I kicked stones over the challenging beginning to our Ohio turkey hunt.

Half-lost and desperate for lunch, we stumbled upon the Wooden Nickel Tavern in Frazeysburg, which proved the ideal oasis in which to pound a fried bluegill basket and forget our mission for a moment.

Our early-May misfortune began the first morning with a pre-set ground blind having vanished without immediate explanation. Worse, the gobblers had also disappeared without obvious cause. So, we drove 40 minutes to a bucolic valley meadow where multiple longbeards were expected to be harbored.

The afternoon wore on as I listened to a fellow mow a lawn the next hill over, joking hed shock-gobble a bird by striking a rock with the blade before one responded to our calls. The following morning, a troupe of jakes strutted into the decoys, but the gobblers pitched across a creek onto other property.

Guide Steve Zinn and Harrison with his Ohio gobbler.

While Ohio is well-known to trophy whitetail hunters, its gobbler scene remains relatively low-key. According to the Department of Natural Resources, Ohios flock was extirpated before reintroduction efforts began in the 1950s. By 1966, a hunting season was established with a resulting harvest of 12 birds. In 2000, turkey hunting was opened in all 88 counties, and the hunting remains strong.

When seeking these opportunities, look east. Most productive lands, including the popular Wayne National Forest, are in eastern Ohio, where agriculture, grasslands and the undulating woodlands contribute to ideal turkey habitat. Numerous outfitters in this area can be researched online, with three-day bookings a bargain compared to turkey hunts in other states.

Hunting: FWC's new 'special' alligator permit adds 8 weeks to hunt, allows hunting in more zones

For our trip, I booked with Brushy Fork Outfitters, with access to prime properties across multiple counties. Our guide, Steve Zinn, as flummoxed by the early obstacles as we were, was professional and relentless in his efforts, which soon paid off.

After lunch and with a food-induced attitude adjustment, we plopped in a creek bottom meandering around two steep hills. An hour passed, and while half-asleep in skunk cabbage at the sound of the gurgling brook and the cool breeze, Steve announced wed scale the hill toward a blind at the top.

Agriculture, grasslands, and woodland hills contribute to ideal turkey habitat.

Halfway there, a tom gobbled. With Harrison on the trigger, we slowly ascended, calling until the gobbler strutted and drummed into view. He made a perfect shot, collecting his first Mountain Gobbler.

Freshwater fishing: Size might be down a bit, but bass are still smashing lines in Polk

The final day would already be shortened by our departing flight, but a storm was sweeping across the Midwest that gifted us less than two hours to hunt. We sat along a plowed cornfield, the low light of dawn melding into the oncoming gloom, content that Harrison had bagged his bird, but suddenly attentive as a gobble broke close to our left. My shot rang mere moments before the rain chased us to the trucks.

Ian Nance, hunting columnist for Lakeland

No matter where you travel, circumstances change fast in the turkey game. But among all of the places turkeys call home, Ohio is certainly worth a closer look.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Of all the places turkeys call home, don't overlook Ohio | Hunting
It is a turbulent time in the Bike industry currently. Slowing demand and an oversupply coupled with economic uncertainty have many companies in a bad spot.

On April 17, 2024, the Finnish brand Pole Bicycles filed for bankruptcy. See CEO Leo Kokkonens announcement below.

Leo Kokkonen recorded this announcement to be published by EMTB Youtuber Rob Hancill, with whom Leo has a close personal relationship.

Kokkonen said that despite good growth for Pole, supply chain issues led to the company becoming insolvent requiring the brand to file for Bankruptcy.

In the video, Kokkonen said that the brand was for sale. Though they had a lead on a buyer the brand could not get it done. You can learn more about the bankruptcy here.

Pole Bankruptcy Filing Maksukyvyttomyysrekisteri

Pole is a brand that was founded by Leo himself. They are known for their unique-looking CNC-milled frames with radical geometry numbers. See below the release video of the unprecedented bike the Machine to get an idea of Pole's style.

Since then, Pole has not been afraid to produce unique-looking bikes, both acoustic and electric.

We at BIKE hope Wish Leo and Pole the best on their quest to find a buyer.

Don't miss another headline from Bike Mag! Subscribe to our newsletter and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of bike riding.

We're always on the lookout for amusing, interesting, and engaging bike-related videos to feature on our channels. Whether you're a professional rider or just an amateur, we want to see your best footage and help you share it with the world. Submit your video for a chance to be featured on Bike Mag and our social channels. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch high-quality bike videos.
Queen Letizia of Spain Shines in Diamond Loop Tiara and Royal Blue Gown for The Netherlands State Banquet

Queen Letizia of Spain continued to showcase her proclivity for sleek, sophisticated fashion statements during her visit to the Netherlands. The royal joined her husband, King Felipe of Spain, and Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands for a state banquet at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam on April 17.

For the formal occasion, Queen Letizia wore a dazzling royal blue silk gown by The 2nd Skin Co. The gown featured a crew neckline and long sleeves with bow detailing at the ends of the cuffs. The layered skirt of the dress also featured pockets. Queen Letizia opted to add a blue belt to the waist of her gown, as well.

More from WWD

Queen Letizia at the state banquet at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on April 17.

As for her accessories, the royal wore a diamond loop tiara and traditional yellow sash with a pearl broach. Queen Letizia also wore another pendant near her waist. She completed the look with sparkling statement earrings.

Throughout her visit to The Netherlands, Queen Letizia has showcased a style sensibility that can only be described as effortlessly elegant. Among the royals looks for her visit, Queen Letizia opted for power dressing styles.

Top from left: Dutch Princess Margriet, Dutch Crown Princess Amalia and Dutch Princess Beatrix. Bottom from left: Spanish Queen Letizia, Spanish King Felipe, Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Dutch Queen Maxima at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on April 17.

She wore her iteration of the power suit with a crepe jacket in black by Boss with matching trousers and black heels by Massimo Dutti for her departure from Spain to the Netherlands on Tuesday.

Upon arrival, Queen Letizia attended an event at the NH Collection Amsterdam Barbizon Palace Hotel, for which she wore a liquid-fabric maxiskirt by Boss and sling-back heels by Carolina Herrera.

Queen Maxima of The Netherlands, King Felipe of Spain, King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands and Queen Letizia of Spain at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on April 17.

Rounding out the royals first few looks of her trip, Queen Letizia fashioned a tweed dress by Moises Nieto, another slingback heel by Carolina Herrera and accessorized with a statement hat that complemented the tone of her shoes.

Over the years, Queen Letizias style has gone through an evolution. But one element that remains is the royals styling of classic silhouettes and refined sartorial statements.

Click the gallery below to see Queen Letizias style evolution.

queen letizia photos, style before and after fashion

Launch Gallery: Queen Letizia's Style Through the Years: The Best Looks So Far [PHOTOS]

Best of WWD
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands Dons Gianvito Rossi Pumps and Queen Letizia of Spain Pops in Hot Pink Slingbacks for Lab6 Event

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Footwear News may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands was photographed wearing a pair of Gianvito Rossi pointed-toe pumps while attending an event at the Lab6 facility in Amsterdam. Spotted alongside Queen Letizia of Spain, the two partook in the visit to learn more about the lauded center that supports mental health for young people, continuing their recent trend of wearing timeless elevated shoes for special occasions.

More from Footwear News

A closer look at the shoes. Getty Images

This isnt the first time Queen Maxima has chosen monochromatic pumps as her go-to for royal events. Earlier this month, she attended the launch of Amsterdam Stagepact MBO at Capital C wearing all-leather deep navy blue pointed-toe heels that were estimated to have a slim 3-inch stiletto heel.

Queen Maxima of The Netherlands and Queen Letizia of Spain visit Lab6. Getty Images

On Wednesday, Maxima and Letizia were spotted coordinating in pumps at a ceremony welcoming the Spanish royals at the Royal Palace of Amsterdam. For the event, Queen Maxima donned a pair of red leather Gianvito Rossi signature stiletto pumps with an estimated 4-inch heel. Queen Letizia was seen in a pair of Carolina Herrera slingback pumps with beige leather uppers and a mid-sized stiletto heel.

Queen Maxima of The Netherlands and Queen Letizia in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Getty Images

About the shoes

A closer look at the Gianvito Rossi signature pumps.

$725

Buy Now at nordstrom

For the Lab6 appearance in Amsterdam, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands sported a pair of Gianvito Rossi pointed-toe pumps. Considered to be a defining style of the brand, the shoes were constructed with fine leather material and splashed in a neutral color. A slim stiletto heel measuring 4 inches completed the look as the finisher. The Gianvito Rossi signature pumps come in a variety of colors including black, white and chestnut. Pricing tends to range between $500 and $800 depending on where youre purchasing from. Queen Letizia was seen wearing a pair of hot pink slingback pumps similar to the ones she wore on Wednesday.

About Gianvito Rossi

Founded in 2006 during Milan Fashion Week by Gianvito Rossi, son of iconic Italian shoe designer Sergio Rossi, the essence of the Gianvito Rossi brand is one that centers on the importance of Italian craftsmanship and innovation merged together. Aimed with the goal of enhancing the female figure while giving wearers an elevated sense of confidence through their perfect proportions and elongated silhouettes, what you get in return are fun silhouettes made with the utmost care, quality and craftsmanship.

Best of Footwear News

Sign up for FN's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Restaurants in Miami and Miami Beach named best spots for fried chicken in the U.S.

Two Miami-area restaurants were just named among the best fried chicken spots in the country.

Eat This, Not That, part of a media franchise that covers food, health, dining and recipes, recently ranked the top 25 fried chicken restaurants in the U.S., and Le Chick Miami in Wynwood and Yardbird Southern Table & Bar in Miami Beach made the list.

At no. 6 is Wynwoods trendy Le Chick, which opened in 2018 and was inspired by Rotisserie Amsterdam, a Dutch restaurant famous for its rotisserie chicken, burgers and a cocktail bar.

Le Chick was praised for its upscale take on everybodys favorite Southern fare.

Known for using only the freshest, highest-quality ingredients, Le Chick serves fried chicken dishes with an elevated edge, the story says. For example, theres a fried chicken dish drizzled with spicy maple syrup, house-made ranch dressing, and roasted honey mustard, and theres a sandwich piled high with butter lettuce, house pickles, and Swiss cheese on a soft brioche bun.

This Miami chefs Indian restaurant is a hit in Kendall. Now its coming to Wynwood, too

Fried chicken at Le Chick in Miamis Wynwood neighborhood.

Ashley James, director of events and communications for Le Chick, says what makes the chicken stand out is how its prepared  especially the crispiness of the breading.

What makes it so great is that we brine it in-house in buttermilk for 24 hours and use really fresh, locally sourced ingredients, she said.

Wynwood has changed a lot since Le Chick opened in a building that once was a shoe warehouse. The restaurant, which also uses products from neighboring businesses like Zak the Baker and Panther Coffee, started out making chicken and burgers but has expanded its menu and cocktail offerings, James said. Le Chick has just started a new program called Midweek Mixology on the third Wednesday of each month, at which guests can try different spirits and learn to make new cocktails.

Weve come a long way, she said We have a wood-fired grill now, so we serve wood-fired dishes that are more elevated. We host more experiences, catering and private events. We have a beautiful outdoor lounge area. Its a really beautiful venue, a perfect spot in the heart of Wynwood.

Yardbird Southern Table & Bar in Miami Beach.

The other South Florida spot on the list was another upscale Southern restaurant, Yardbird Southern Table & Bar in Miami Beach. Famous for its swinging Mason jar lights and casual-meets-polished atmosphere, the restaurant was founded in Miami in 2011 by restaurateur John Kunkel and now has locations in Las Vegas; Dallas; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles; Chicago; Denver; and Singapore.

With more than 6,200 Yelp reviews and a 4.4-star rating for its Miami location, Yardbird, ranked no. 20, is the definition of a top-tier fried chicken restaurant, Eat This, Not That writes. One of its standout dishes is Lewellyns fine fried chicken, featuring half a bird flavored with honey hot sauce. Another must-have menu item is the chicken and waffles special, made with honey hot sauce, a Vermont sharp cheddar cheese waffle, and bourbon maple syrup.

The best spot for chicken in the U.S., according to Eat This, Not That is Roscoes House of Chicken and Waffles founded in Hollywood, California by Harlem native Herb Hudson in 1975. With seven locations around Los Angeles, the restaurant has been a favorite for celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Stevie Wonder and former president Barack Obama.

Chicken and waffles at Yardbird Table & Bar in Miami Beach.

If you go

Le Chick: 310 NW 24th St., Miami; www.lechickmiami.com; 786-216-7086,

Yardbird Southern Table & Bar: 1600 Lenox Ave., Miami Beach; www.runchickenrun.com; 305-538-5220

After 26 years, this Miami Beach restaurant with the best cakes in America is closed


"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."



Stockholm is Europes self-assured big sister. Shes not as big or flashy as Paris or Milan, but she doesnt need to be. She knows exactly who she isa city of stately architecture and heady institutions (hello, Karolinska Institute and Nobel Prize!) with a commanding sense of Swedish style, perpetually on trend yet never trendy. She thrives on her water-laced geography, her busy ferries connecting this Baltic port city to the archipelagic wonderland for which Stockholm is dubbed Venice of the North. Mostly, though, Stockholm possesses a graceful Nordic nonchalance that is warm and enchanting. Shes Ingrid Bergmanenigmatic, beguiling, gorgeousbut as a city.

For museum lovers, Stockholm is heaven, with more than 50 museums and cultural institutions for all tastes, from the Viking Museum to the Swedish Museum of Natural History, to the ABBA museum, or if youre a shopper, well, make haste to Bibliotekstan, a pedestrian-friendly haven of haute couture. From the elevated hipster cocktail-and-cuisine scene in Sodermalm to Michelin-rated chefs in Ostermalm, the city is a sure palate pleaser, just save room for sweetsthe licorice here is next level. To help you make the most of 72 hours in Scandinavias cultural capital, heres our curated guide for where to stay, explore, shop, eat and indulge in Stockholm.

Thursday Morning

We love a hotel thats a destination unto itself, and for 150 years, The Grand Hotel Stockholm has been exactly thatunquestionably grand and THE place to stay for tourists, royalty and visiting politicians, rockstars, Nobel winners and movie stars. It opened in 1874 as Scandinavias first international luxury hotel, and has offered its signature high-touch hospitality every day since.

The hotel offers 70 spacious suites, including nine designed by Scandinavian notables including Susanne Josephson and Martin Brudnizki, but the standard rooms are beautifully comfortable too, and service across the board is five star. Honestly, given its century and a half of Stockholm history, you can absorb much of the citys flavor without ever leaving the hotel, but with the best shopping, sight-seeing and dining all in easy walking distance, why not venture out?

Murat Taner - Getty Images

Thursday Afternoon

Drop your bags then stroll across the bridge to Gamla Stan, where the Vikings first set up shop in 1000 CE. Today Old Town is Europes best preserved medieval city center, thanks to the small island becoming the Baltic shipping and trading hub in the 13th century, and home of the Royal Palace and Royal Chapel. Wander around its enchanting warren of narrow cobbled streets and 16th-century buildings in hues of ochre, rust and weathered green.

Not surprisingly, theres excellent antiquingBrinken Antik has a lovely collection of silver, bronze candelabras, plus carved wood toysand a plethora of gift shops and local craft stores (fabulous yarn/wool at Makeri14), especially along Vasterlanggatan. Up your IQ with a quick stop at the Nobel Museum, then reward your hard-working brain with licorice tastings at Lakritsroten.

Laurie Noble - Getty Images

Friday Evening

Before leaving Gamla Stan, savor an apothecary-esque cocktail at the Pharmarium, then head back to the Grand Hotel for a traditional Swedish smorgasbord dinneran elaborate spread of all things pickled herring and smoked fish, boiled potatoes, fresh salads, and traditional meatballs and sweets, at Veranda.

Evidently theres a science to how one smorgasbords, and thankfully your server will guide you through, including the traditional shot of Aquavit with lager chaser, which we highly recommend.

Courtesy of Grand Hotel

Friday Morning

Grab breakfast at the hotel's Veranda restaurant, which will fortify you for a morning of museum-going. Before heading out, ask the concierge if you can peek into the hotels regal, Versailles-inspired Hall of Mirrors, site of numerous galas and the first 29 Nobel Ceremonies.

Walk 20 minutes down the Strandvagen to Djurgarden, where you can get carried away by museum after museumthe Viking Museum, the Spritmuseum (hello Absolut and spirits galore!), the Nordiska Museet, to name just a few. But if youre a mere mortal and need to pace yourself, start with ABBA The Museum, because Mama Mia, youre in Sweden. Even if youre not a die-hard ABBA fan, youll enjoy learning how these four Swedes took the rock world by storm 50 years ago, winning the 1974 Eurovision award with their breakout hit, Waterloo. Its interactive, informative, and a blast. Warning, take the museums tagline to heart: Walk in. Dance out.

Next, dance on over to the Vasa Museum, where you can time travel from 1970s-era rock stadiums to a 17th-century maritime marvel, and one of the worlds most remarkable discovery stories. Imagine a four-story tall, massive wooden shipthink Titanic, circa 1628that sank on its maiden voyage right in Stockholm harbor, and sat 100 feet underwater for 333 years. Now here it is, fully restored, including its elaborate carvings. Truly, you have to see it (and smell that old wood smell) to believe it.

For lunch, walk back down the Strandvagen toward Ostermalms Saluhall, Stockholms historic farmers' market and food hall, where you can find a bit of everything, from healthy wraps and juices to decadent seafood entrees, to smrrebrd, pizza and confectionaries.

Franz Marc Frei - Getty Images

Friday Afternoon

Now its time for serious Scandi design indulgence, which means one thing: Svenskt Tenn. This mecca for Swedish home interiors is chock-full of furniture, fabrics, jewelry, home accessories and more, so plan to spend some time here, especially if youre a fan of color. The legacy of design pioneers Estrid Ericson and Josef Frank remains vivid as you wander the two-story showroom where tabletop arrangements, classic Frank textile designs and bold new patterns entice. Before you leave, enjoy fika (Swedish custom of sweet treat and warm drink) at the Cafe Svenskt Tenn, in honor of Ericson, a tea aficionado.

Be sure to return to the hotel in plenty of time to cap your afternoon off with the full Nordic sauna and cold plunge experience in the Grand Hotels luxurious spa.

Courtesy of Grand Hotel

Friday Evening

Begin your evening with cocktails at the hotel's Cadier Bar, where bar manager Anton Windmars imaginative menu, created anew each year, distills the essence of Swedens unparalleled natural beauty (archipelago, Northern Lights, meadow flowers) into drink. Everything here is art, from the original watercolors accompanying each concoction, to the custom-created sculptural glassware designed for each drink, to the bars see-and-be-seen ambiance.

Then options include checking out whats on offer at the stunning Kungliga Operan, Stockholms performing arts center, a few steps away from the hotel, or enjoying the intrepid culinary offerings at Ekstedt, home of award-winning wood-fired cuisine. If you prefer something more casual, Olli is a spunky neighborhood restaurant equally beloved for its playlists and satisfying Northern Italian food.

bluejayphoto - Getty Images

Saturday Morning

Today its back over to Ostermalm and neighboring Norrmalm (both a 15-minute walk) for the ultimate Scandinavian shopping experience. First stop, Acne Studios, where youll find tastemaker Jonny Johansson latest mens and womens ready-to-wear styles in a showroom that was formerly a bank where a robbery/hostage crisis in 1973 gave rise to the term Stockholm syndrome.

Nearby, Rodebjers flagship studio offers playfully eccentric fashion for the woman who wants to get on with her life while still looking and feeling good, according to designer Carin Rodebjer. All Blues is a must for artisanal jewelry with distinctly Swedish clean lines and shapes. Toteme, along Bibliosteksgatan, is sublimely sleek and chic, while Houdini, another Swedish brand, is a go-to for activewear (especially if its cold!).

To refuel after all that high fashion, how bout down-to-earth hot dogs at the famed Stockholm Hot Dog Stand? Alternatively, Restaurant Hantverket has a well-rounded menu for a more upscale midday meal. Or if you power through past lunch and can hold out until the delightful Tyge & Sessil opens at 4 p.m., treat yourself to wine and small plates from celebrity chef Niklas Ekstedt (especially if you didnt go to Ekstedt for Friday dinner).

Johner Images - Getty Images

Saturday Afternoon

If youre up for another 30-minute stroll, walk back through Gamla Stan, or take the ferry from the hotels waterfront to the near shore of Sodermalm, where along the water and looking back to the Grand Hotel, the Fotografiska is Stockholms ode to contemporary photography.

Rotating exhibits feature world-class fine art photography from the likes of Cindy Sherman and Kary Lasch (on view through April 2024). The museum feels like an expansive, edgy galleryeasy to maneuver, with artwork presented in informative, engaging context. Save time for the gift shop, which has great gifts and souvenirs at good prices.

 Marco Bottigelli - Getty Images

Saturday Evening

For your final night, indulge in either of Michelin-starred chef Mathias Dahlgrens restaurants, Matbaren or Seafood Gastro, both culinary destinations in and of themselves yet conveniently located within the Grand Hotel. Matbaren offers a seasonal seafood-forward menu in a modern, casual bistro atmosphere, while Seafood Gastro is a multi-course tasting experience centered around aquatic ingredients, that will, frankly, blow you away.

The custom-crafted plateware from Norways Odd Standard is as much a delicacy as the dishes themselves. Add wine pairings and youll have an evening beyond compare, not to mention a new-found appreciation for Swedens shining culinary moment.

Courtesy of Grand Hotel

Sunday Morning

After so much shopping, eating, and museum-going, spend your last hours in Stockholm taking in the nearby parks and green spaces, including the Kungstradgarden, also known as Kungsan or Stockholms central park. Watch ice skaters if you visit in the winter, or enjoy coffee at an outdoor cafe on warmer days.

The citys slightly off-the-beaten path green oasis, Skeppsholmen, is a small islet just to the east of the hotel, where you can meander around the perimeter and take in incredible views of Gamla Stan and Strandvagen across the water. If youve got the stamina for one more museum, the contemporary art at Moderna Museet is certainly worth seeing.

Dag Sundberg - Getty Images

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Last year, ultrarunner Tyler Andrews of the U.S. went to Nepal and discovered a promising arena for speed records. This spring, he plans to speed up the difficult Pumori, then Lhotse, with partner Chris Fisher. If they have time and energy, theyll try Makalu at the end.

We spoke to Andrews and Fisher before they headed to Base Camp.

Tyler Andrews after his record Ultra Everest run. Photo: Chris Fisher

Record Everest run

After a fruitful running trip to Chiles Atacama Desert, Andrews and Fisher flew to Nepal. Shortly after arriving, Andrews started by winning the Ultra Everest Race. It was 70km, with 3,800m of elevation gain and loss. Andrews explained that this is one of many FKT-style races around the world that you can run any time within a period of two or three weeks.

At the end of the period, times are compared and the winner is announced, he said. I did the run on the last day of the established period and ended up victorious.

It was a test for Andrews, who had not run such a long distance this year.

Andrews chose to race in the dark. He set off at 7 pm and finished at 8 am the following morning.

I wanted to work on performing in colder temperatures and navigating in the dark, said Andrews. But it was also great because at this time of the year, the trails to Everest are pretty crowded. During the night I was on my own, without big groups of tourists or yaks.

Tyler Andrews runs near Dingboche, with the South Face of Lhotse behind. Photo: Chris Fisher

Currently, Andrews and Fisher are acclimatizing on lesser peaks, waiting for the routes on Pumori and Lhotse to be ready. The route through the Khumbu Icefall has suffered several delays, and sherpas have yet to fix the route on Pumori.

The two peaks face one another, so that the runners, based at Everest Base Camp, can alternate rotations up and down Pumori or Lhotse-Everest, depending on conditions.

The route on Pumori should be ready by the end of April, Fisher said.

Climbing on their own

Last year, a sherpa on oxygen accompanied Andrews. This time, the two athletes will climb independently.

We teamed up and had a great season in Atacama, including some FKTs  Ojos del Salado in 2 hours, 22 minutes! said Andrews. Also, Chris is more of an alpinist than I am, with better technical skills, so thats a great asset.

Although both are skyrunners, they will work as a team rather than as competitors.

Perhaps, if we go to Makalu, we might split up and run individually. But for the time being, were a team, said Andrews.

Fisher noted that these mountains are so demanding that the focus is merely to achieve the goal safely.

Go fast, dont die, is our motto, says Fisher.

Chris Fisher runs up on Orizaba in Mexico. Photo: Chris Fisher/Instagram

The athletes will climb in one push and use no supplementary oxygen. Hard, Its gonna be hard! said Fisher.

Andrews in front of Ojos del Salado. Photo: Tyler Andrews/Instagram

It should be okay up to Camp 3 since we should be acclimatized by then, Fisher said. Luckily, we also have good training through long days at altitude, after we did the Tres Cruces traverse in Atacama, which involved 18.5 hours linking three peaks. We were over 6,000m most of the time.

Fisher also ran all of Colorados 14,000ers last winter and did many 20-hour ski tours. Check the video below about the speed traverse of Tres Cruces:

Previous records

In mountaineering, the FKT trend is relatively new, so it is hard to say who is currently the fastest on Pumori and Lhotse. It varies, depending on logistics, style, and departure point.

However, Fisher mentioned that Dawa Steven of Asian Trekking took 30 hours to do Pumori (with a rest in a higher camp) from Everest Base Camp. We have asked Lucien Boucansaud how long he took to solo Pumori last fall.

Andrews on the run. Photo: Chris Fisher

As for Lhotse, Fisher cited a legendary climber as the current speed record holder. In 1996, Anatoly Boukreev of Kazakhstan climbed the peak in 20 hours and 45 minutes. And he did it two days after summiting Everest without O2! Fisher pointed out.

Andrews and Fisher are considering trying Makalu but are not as committed to it as to the first two. That would be the cherry on top of the cake, said Fisher. He said they would attempt it only if everything prior went well and they were still feeling strong.

The post U.S. Ultrarunners Aim For FKTs on Pumori and Lhotse appeared first on Explorersweb.


ST. LOUIS  Today, over 1,200 middle and high school students from across the United States are gathering in St. Louis for the National Career Development Conference. The event is being held at the Marriott in downtown St. Louis.

Participants will compete in various disciplines, including public speaking, career preparation, and financial literacy. The conference also provides a unique opportunity for students to engage with industry leaders from major companies such as Boeing, Microsoft, Regions Bank, and HCA Healthcare.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov will visit the US at the invitation of UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis, the press release of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Energy said, Trend reports.

"Parviz Shahbazov will take part in thematic discussions on 'Closing the Energy Affordability Gap and Transition to Carbon-Free Energy Systems' organized within the framework of the UN General Assembly's 'Sustainable Development Week' in New York on April 19," the information noted.

The event is expected to discuss issues such as energy affordability, decarbonization, and the promotion of investments in renewable energy.

"The Minister plans to hold several bilateral meetings as well," the press release emphasized.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  A man was shot and killed Wednesday night at an apartment complex in Andrews in Georgetown County, authorities said.

The shooting happened at the Arbor Place apartments, and the man was pronounced dead at Tidelands Georgetown Hospital, according to the Georgetown County Sheriffs Office. The mans name will be released after family members are notified.

No additional information was immediately available. Anyone with information is asked to call 843-546-5102.

Count on News13 for updates.

* * *

Dennis Bright is a Digital Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on, Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  A Minnesota family is mourning the loss of a 1-year-old boy who fell from a window at a hotel in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Madden Hein fell from a third-story window over the weekend. He was transported to a local hospital, but ultimately succumbed to his injuries, according to a GoFundMe post.

It is with heavy hearts to say that our sweet baby boy Madden gained his angel wings late on April 15th, Maddens mother Kathryn Hein wrote on Facebook. We miss him so much and we are having a hard time processing this all.

Girl killed, 10 other people injured in Chicago shooting

A spokesman for the Sioux Falls police told Nexstars KELO that the investigation is ongoing, but currently points to a tragic accident.

On Wednesday, around 250 people gathered in Sioux Falls for a walk to honor Madden. That morning, a crowd also gathered in front of the Sanford Childrens Hospital for a ceremony in his honor, many of then driving from Minnesota to attend.

I thought it was important to be here for the Hein family, said one friend of the family.

A crowd gathers to support the family of Madden Hein, who died after falling from the window of a South Dakota hotel on Saturday. (KELO)

Stephen Condon, the mayor of Lakefield, Minnesota, said he was proud of his towns efforts to support the Heins.

The whole town stepped forward to help Alex and Kathryn and its a good feeling knowing that our town is the way it is to help people go through this very, very tough time, said Condon.

On Facebook, Kathryn Hein said Maddens organs would be donated.

His organs are going to help so many other people, she wrote. Our little boy is a real life superhero.

We wont give up: 5 months after girl found unconscious in dorm, community calls for change

For those attending, there was some comfort in knowing Maddens death is giving others the gift of life.

Its a horrible loss for them and everybody in our small community, and Im just glad that he was able to save so many other lives as well, one attendee told KELO.

Madden is survived by his parents and older sister. Kathryn Hein is also expecting another child, the GoFundMe page indicates.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
KENTWOOD, Mich. (WOOD)  After a 20-year-old man was found dead in a parked car in Kentwood, authorities are seeking information from the community.

Silent Observer announced Thursday it would pay up to $10,000 for information leading to the person responsible for the death of Martin Martinez-Ramirez. Friends and family raised the money to help encourage tips and find answers.

Man found shot, killed in vehicle in Kentwood

Police say Martinez-Ramirez, of Grand Rapids, was shot and killed. Kentwood officers found him Jan. 27 in a parked car on Wing Avenue near 60th Street.

An undated courtesy photo of Martin Martinez-Ramirez.

He was remembered by family as truly an angel who helped everyone, whether he knew them or didnt.

Family mourns man found shot dead in Kentwood

If you know anything, youre asked to contact the Kentwood Police Department at 616.698.6580 or submit an anonymous through Silent Observer at 616.774.2345.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
More than a dozen House Democrats voted against a resolution condemning Iran's airstrikes on Israel Thursday.

The resolution, which also affirms U.S. support for Israel responding to the attack however it deems necessary, overwhelmingly passed 404 to 14. Just one House Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., voted against the bill.

Fox News Digital reached out to Massie for comment.

Massie was joined by 13 Democrats, including "Squad" member Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.; Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.; Cori Bush, D-Mo.; Ilhan Omar, D-Minn.; Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y.; and Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass. Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., was also among those opposing the bill.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., the No. 3 House GOP leader, tore into the Democrats who voted against condemning Iran in a statement to Fox News Digital after the vote.

'NOTHING WOULD REMAIN': IRAN'S PRESIDENT VOWS TO COMPLETELY DESTROY ISRAEL IF IT LAUNCHES TINIEST INVASION

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

From left to right, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Cori Bush, D-Mo., Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., were among those to vote against the Iran condemnation resolution.

"House Democrats' hatred for Israel runs so deep they would rather defend terrorists than support our strongest ally in the Middle East. Vote after vote, the Democrat Party continues to cement their position as the pro-terrorist party," Emmer said.

Iran fired a barrage of rockets at Israel over the weekend, 99% of which were intercepted, in retaliation for an Israeli attack on an Iranian diplomatic facility in Syria. It was a marked escalation of tensions in the region as the first attack on Israel directly from Iranian soil.

The 13 progressives who voted against the measure are among a growing faction of the Democratic Party who are critical of the U.S.'s strong ties to Israel, particularly in the wake of Israel's invasion of Gaza.

WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCES NEW SANCTIONS ON IRAN FOLLOWING ATTACK AGAINST ISRAEL: 'THE PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE'

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., blasted the Democrats who voted against the bill.

Israel's war on Hamas began after militants from the pro-Palestinian terror group invaded southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 and killed more than 1,000 people. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians, has said over 30,000 Palestinians have died in the months since.

House Republicans have seized on the Democratic divides over Israel, distancing themselves from that fight by standing firm with the long-standing relationship. In response to the Iran attack, House GOP leadership lined up 17 bills for a vote this week affirming U.S. support for Israel and against Iran.

BIDEN SILENT AFTER BEING PRESSED ABOUT IRANIAN STRIKE AGAINST ISRAEL: 'WHAT NOW?'

Objects are seen in the sky above Jerusalem after Iran launched drones and missiles toward Israel on April 14, 2024.

Ocasio-Cortez criticized that effort earlier this week in a statement, saying "Following last weekends unprecedented response by Iran to Israels attack on its consulate, the Republican Majority is explicitly leveraging a series of bills to further escalate tensions in the Middle East."

"This is a blatant attempt to distract from their own incompetence. The country and the world need real leadership from the House of Representatives in this moment, not resolutions designed purposefully to increase the likelihood of a deadly regional war or worse. I will oppose any cynical effort to further inflame tensions, destroy a path to peace in the region, and further divide the American people," she said.





Original article source: 13 Dems vote against resolution condemning Iran after Israel strike
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  A 14-year-old boy was charged in connection with a Waymo car that was set on fire in February in San Francisco, the San Francisco Police Department said. The boy has not yet been arrested.

The car was set ablaze on Feb. 10, during San Franciscos Lunar New Year celebration in Chinatown. At about 9 p.m., a crowd surrounded the car on the 700 block of Jackson Street before someone threw fireworks inside and lit them, witnesses said.

East Bay schools respond to bomb threats Wednesday morning

The car was unoccupied when it was set on fire. There were no injuries.

An SFPD investigation identified the 14-year-old suspect. A search warrant was served at his home on March 27, and evidence related to the vandalism was seized, SFPD said. Authorities will not identify the suspect due to his age.

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins filed charges, but the Juvenile Probation Department will decide whether the boy will be arrested or go to court out of custody.

In addition to the fire, the car had its windows broken and was vandalized by graffiti. A witness told KRON4 that the confused car drove into the middle of the Lunar New Year celebration, which bothered the crowd.

It was a dangerous and destructive act of vandalism. Chinatown is one of the densest neighborhoods in San Francisco, and any fire could explode and spread among tightly-packed buildings to endanger lives, homes, and businesses, San Francisco Mayor London Breed wrote about the fire.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
SUGARLOAF TWP., LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  Officials from the district attorneys office say 140 birds were seized from a Luzerne County home during an investigation into the possible breeding and fighting of roosters.

First Assistant District Attorney Tony Ross told 28/22 News on Thursday, April 11, a collaborative effort between multiple agencies served a warrant at a home in the 400 block of Sugarloaf Heights Road in Sugarloaf Township to investigate a possible rooster gamecock breeding/fighting facility.

Man found guilty of South Scranton stabbing

Officials said once on the scene, two people were detained for questioning and the SPCA seized around 140 birds, both fighting roosters and hens.

At this time, Ross said no arrests have been made. The investigation at the Sugarloaf Township home involved multiple agencies including the district attorneys office, SPCA of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania State Game Commission, and the Sugarloaf Police Department.

The investigation is ongoing.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.
COALINGA, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  The person who was killed following a shooting in Coalinga on Tuesday was named by the victims family on Wednesday.

According to the Fresno County Sheriffs Office, the homicide took place around 9 p.m. on the 200 block of E. Houston Street in Coalinga.

1 person shot in Del Rey, investigation underway

In an interview with the family on Wednesday, the victim of the shooting was named as 16-year-old Julian Andrade. The victims sister says she found out about the deadly shooting in a video call from her brother.

Hes telling me, screaming that something happened, that they are shooting, and that my brother is dead, said Claudia Barquero. He turns the camera and I see my brother just lying there in a puddle of blood.

Claudia says she got to the house as fast as she could from her home in Fresno. She arrived to find the window into her brothers room with bullet holes in it.

Claudia says her brother was playing video games when the shooting took place. She says those responsible walked up to the window and shot Julian multiple times.

You dont expect this happening in the comfort of your own home, especially if youre just playing video games. You know, who would have thought that?

Julians family wants anyone who knows anything about the shooting to come forward.

If youre so tough to get behind a gun, come on, pay the price, said Claudia Barquero. We just want justice. He was a 16-year-old boy that didnt deserve this.

Julian Andradas 17th birthday was going to be on April 29. Claudia Barquero says her brother was someone who liked to be around family.

He liked to play with his nieces and nephews and joke around. He was my annoying little brother, she said. He was young. He was just a goofball and very loving and caring.

Julian Andradas desk left as it was when he was shot and killed.

The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for funeral expenses.

Detectives with the Fresno County Sheriffs Office say they do not see this as being a random act and it is possibly gang-related. It is unknown how the suspect arrived and fled, but since the suspect could have been on for, in a vehicle, or on a bicycle, anyone with cameras in the areas of Houston, Lousiana, and Barker Streets, or who might have more information regarding this case, is encouraged to contact Detective Jesse Gloria at 559-600-8217.

The victims identity has not been officially released by the Fresno County Coroners Office. No arrests following the homicide have been announced at this time.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  An adult and child are dead, and four others were injured after a bus stop crash involving a wrong-way driver in the east Las Vegas valley, according to police.

It happened Wednesday after 7:30 p.m. in the 3600 block of Boulder Highway near Sahara Avenue.

Police told 8 News Now the driver of a white four-door sedan was seen traveling in the southbound lane going north in the wrong direction on Boulder Highway from Karen Avenue when it hit five people at the bus stop.

The victims had yet to be identified Monday morning, but more information was released on them and their injuries.

42-year-old man, fatal injuries

14-year-old boy, fatal injuries

41-year-old woman, critical injuries

8-year-old boy, serious injuries

11-year-old girl, serious injuries

All of the injured are from Las Vegas, according to police. Those deaths represent the 49th and 50th traffic-related fatalities in LVMPD jurisdiction in 2024.

The driver, identified as Cynthia Phelps, 64, of Las Vegas, was taken to an area hospital for minor injuries and displayed signs of impairment. Phelps was arrested on DUI-related charges, police said.

The crash took place minutes after a 911 outage was reported across the Las Vegas valley.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
2 More Endangered Ferrets Have Been Cloned from Critter Frozen in the 1980s

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced the births of Noreen and Antonia

Kika Tuff/Revive & Restore Noreen, the black-footed ferret clone

Over three years after a black-footed ferret became the first-ever endangered U.S. species to be cloned, two new black-footed ferret clones have been born.

On April 17, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the births of Noreen and Antonia, two ferrets from the National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center in Colorado and at the Smithsonians National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute in Virginia, respectively.

CBS News reports that Noreen and Antonia were born in May, citing a Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman, who said via email that "science takes time and does not happen instantaneously."



The ferrets, who "continue to reach expected developmental and behavioral milestones," were born using the same genetic material as the first clone, Elizabeth Ann, who was born on Dec. 10, 2020. As previously reported, Elizabeth Ann was born from the frozen cells of Willa, a black-footed ferret who died over 30 years ago.

Willa's cell samples were sent from the Wyoming Game & Fish Department to the San Diego Zoo Global's Frozen Zoo in 1988.

Related: Elizabeth Ann the Black-Footed Ferret Is the First-Ever Cloned Endangered U.S. Species

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute Antonia, the black-footed ferret clone

The service notes that, alongside research partners, it will "proceed with breeding efforts for Noreen and Antonia once they reach reproductive maturity later this year." As for Elizabeth Ann, the first-born clone is healthy and has been "exhibiting typical adult ferret behavior," per the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Noreen and Antonia's births come after efforts to breed Elizabeth Ann failed, due to a condition called hydrometra, in which her uterine horn fills with fluid.

Eventually breeding the two youngest members of the bunch in Noreen and Antonia may "significantly increase the species genetic diversity," per the service, and potentially develop resistance to diseases.

Critical species recovery partners and scientists at Revive & Restore, ViaGen Pets & Equine, Smithsonians National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums  along with the Fish & Wildlife Service itself  helped bring together the latest scientific advancement of cloning the endangered species, per a release.

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

One of the rarest land mammals in North America who were once thought to be extinct, a small population of black-footed ferrets was discovered in 1981 in Wyoming.

Now, as the service notes, all living black-footed ferrets (not including the three clones) are descendants of the last seven wild black-footed ferrets. Willa was part of the population of seven.

Genetic studies found that the 1988 tissue samples later collected from Willa "possessed three times more unique variations than the living population," as previously noted.



For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.
M360 Eurasia returns to Baku, Azerbaijan for the second year, inviting leaders from the mobile industry and vertical sectors, and senior policymakers, to accelerate regional transformation

M360 Eurasia, hosted by the GSMA and with Host Sponsor Azercell, will return to Baku from 15-16 May 2024 at the JW Marriott Absheron Baku Hotel.

M360 Eurasia convenes executives from leading corporations in mobile and vertical sectors, as well as key political and regulatory figures from the region. The previous edition saw attendance from 29 countries and territories, consisting of 30% senior decision-makers and 45% non-telco attendees. This year's event will explore how the mobile industry can forge partnerships across industries to prepare for the AI revolution.

The agenda will be aimed at accelerating the ongoing digital transformation of CIS countries and the neighbouring regions, with key topics of discussion including the Digitalisation of Everything, Next-Generation Networks and the Role of Generative AI.

Recently announced speakers include:

Zarina Zeynalova, CEO of Azercell

Jana Krimpe, CEO & Founder, B.EST Solutions

Evgeny Nastradin, CEO of Beeline Kazakhstan

John Giusti, Chief Regulatory Officer, GSMA

Lara Dewar, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA

Dr. Emin Islam Tatli, CISO of Turkcell

Petr Dvorak, CEO for Partner Markets, Vodafone Group

M360 Eurasia is hosted with the support of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Host Sponsor, Azercell. Attendees and members of the media can register for their digital event pass here.

The GSMAs Chief Regulatory Officer, John Giusti, said: As industry and society across Eurasia transform at an unprecedented pace, our connected ecosystem needs a place to explore the latest technologies, identify opportunities and meet with those shaping the digital economy for the region. M360 Eurasia is that place and Baku provides the perfect venue for regional businesses to explore global opportunities, or for global companies to expand across Eurasia.

M360 series: Regional focus, global impact

Presented by the GSMA, M360 is a series of global events that unify the regional mobile ecosystem. The events aim to discover, develop and deliver innovation that serves as the foundation for positive business environments and societal change. The subsequent M360 event will be M360 LATAM, hosted in Mexico City from 5-6 June 2024. We invite you to find out more about the GSMA by clicking here.
A 2-year-old boy who died in 2022 consumed a combination of drugs that could have killed an adult, Pennsylvania authorities say.

Now, four adults designated as the caregivers for the toddler have been arrested and charged in the boys death, Somerset County District Attorney Molly Metzgar announced in a Wednesday, April 17, news release.

Jeremy Chaney, Lauren Livengood, Linda Pape and Rusty Koval are charged with endangering the welfare of a child, involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment of another person, the district attorney said. Koval also faces drug possession and tampering charges.

Livengood and Chaney were the childs parents, while Pape was his grandmother and a known drug user, WJAC reported, citing affidavits. Koval had reportedly been staying at the residence where the boy lived.

Their charges stem from the death of the Milford Township child, who was taken to a hospital in 2022 when he was unresponsive, Metzgar said.

He died 15 minutes after being taken to the emergency room, WTAJ reported.

Autopsy and toxicology results showed the boy died from multiple drug intoxication after ingesting fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and xylazine, according to the district attorney.

This dangerous combination of deadly drugs is unimaginable and could have easily killed an adult, let alone a two-year-old child, Metzgar said in the news release.

Livengood told police she believed her son drank the contents of a water bottle, which she said was contaminated with drugs, according to the affidavit obtained by WTAJ. Livengood said she saw signs the boy was overdosing before she took him to the hospital.

The four adults were the caregivers of the child, according to the prosecutor, who said they violated their duty of care to the child by having knowledge of ongoing drug activity within the home.

Somerset County is about an 80-mile drive southeast from Pittsburgh.

4-year-old dies of suspected heroin overdose, Missouri police say. Mom is charged

Mom was high at hospital as her baby died of fentanyl poisoning, Florida police say

Parents gave baby meth after she was badly burned, Texas cops say. Outright torture
A 17-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy deprived of parental care have been brought back to the territory controlled by Ukraine.

Source: Oleksandr Prokudin, Head of Kherson Oblast Military Administration, on Facebook

Quote: "Now they are safe, receiving the necessary medical and psychological assistance.

This operation, like many others, was preceded by the hard work of the Save Ukraine NGO, oblast guardianship offices and child welfare authorities and services."

Details: Prokudin thanked everyone who made every effort to ensure that, for example, 61 children have been rescued from Russian occupation since the beginning of 2024 alone.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  As warmer weather and sunny skies return to Middle Tennessee, so too does an insect that is not only thought of as a nuisance but is considered one of the worlds deadliest animals.

Mosquitoes typically begin emerging across the United States in May after hibernating over the colder months. However, as overall temperatures rise across the nation, pest control companies like Terminix say mosquitoes are starting to emerge sooner and for longer periods.

West Nile virus presence widespread throughout Davidson County, Health Department says

Some places naturally have a higher mosquito population than others due to environmental factors like moisture and humidity. A study conducted by Terminix identified the top 50 mosquito infested cities in the U.S., and two of them are in Tennessee.

Memphis was ranked as the 13th worst city for mosquitoes in the nation and Nashville was only a few spots behind as the 16th most mosquito infested city. The list was generated using service data from over 300 of Terminixs branches located across the country.

The cities that ranked higher on the list were where residents used the highest number of mosquito control services in 2023. Based on that data, the top five worst cities for mosquitoes were Los Angeles, New York City, Dallas, Atlanta and Philadelphia.

Also ranking above Memphis and Nashville were several large metropolitan areas in Florida, including Tampa, Orlando and Miami. At the bottom of the list were Birmingham, Ft. Myers, Baton Rouge, Waco, Seattle and Tallahassee.

West Nile virus detected in mosquitoes captured in Southeast Nashville

Those looking to avoid mosquitoes as much as possible should consider a move to Maine, Idaho, Iowa, Nevada or Nebraska as the study found these states have the least mosquitoes.

Not only are mosquitoes annoying, but they can also pose risks to peoples health and safety since they carry diseases like West Nile virus and Zika virus. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), cases of West Nile virus reported in the U.S. tripled from 2020 to 2021.

Nashville dealt with its own spread of the virus last year, with West Nile detected in nearly 75% of mosquito traps placed around Davidson County by August. A spokesperson for the Metro Public Health Department said that number was higher than previous years.

Part of the reason may have been an especially rainy summer. However, no human cases were reported in the city. According to the health department, the last positive human case in Nashville was reported around 2019.

Study: Mosquito season getting longer

The EPAs data set indicates that cases of West Nile virus in the U.S. have varied widely from year to year, with no obvious long-term trends. Human infections are fairly uncommon, but the disease can cause symptoms such as a fever, headache, aches, fatigue and vomiting.

Some patients also experience more severe damage to their central nervous system, causing encephalitis, meningitis and occasionally death. In rare cases, the disease may also result in neurological issues, according to the CDC.

Residents can take steps to protect themselves by reducing or eliminating all standing water in their yards, cutting back overgrown vegetation and making sure their windows and doors have screens.

According to Dr. Sydney Crawley, Principal Vector Scientist for Terminix, mosquitoes can breed in as little as one tablespoon of water so draining all forms of standing water is imperative to mosquito control.

Gutters and yard adornments like fountains, birdbaths and flowerpots are all common mosquito breeding sites.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

Limiting time outdoors at dusk and night when mosquitoes are most present in Davidson County can also help prevent bites, in addition to wearing mosquito repellent and long sleeve shirts, pants and socks.

According to Crawley, dark colors are typically more attractive to mosquitoes, making lighter colored clothing ideal. Its also important to note that some repellents work best on skin, while others work better when applied directly to clothing.

To find out more information about mosquito control in Davidson County, call 615-340-5660. More information can also be found by clicking here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
As if there werent enough plot twists in Donald Trumps legal saga, this weeks jury selection has produced one more: At least two lawyers will sit on his jury.

That could be good news for the former president, according to some experts on juror behavior, especially if Trumps defense team plans to mount technical legal arguments to try to win an acquittal.

Lawyers are called for jury duty like anyone else, but they rarely serve as jurors, and its totally uncommon to see two or more lawyers on a single jury, said trial consultant Charli Morris.

But of the seven jurors selected for Trumps hush money trial so far, one is a civil litigator at a large white-shoe law firm, and another is a corporate lawyer at a firm focused on start-ups and venture capital. Five more jurors, plus about six alternates, will be selected in the coming days.

Typically, prosecutors and defense lawyers alike try to keep lawyers off juries, fearing heightened scrutiny from members of their own profession. But in a Manhattan jury pool that is largely seen as unfavorable to the former president, Trumps legal team might see a silver lining in having lawyers on the jury.

Theyre not emotional thinkers, said Galina Davidoff, a Chicago-based trial consultant. The profession requires them to do analysis, and emotional thinkers get more easily swayed by the side that goes first, that tells a good story.



Theres no question that Manhattan prosecutors will tell a story that captures jurors attention  a tale featuring a porn star, a former Playboy bunny, a tabloid publisher and the most famous person on earth. Trumps defense team may be hoping that lawyers will be more receptive than laypeople to a focus on legal arguments and technical issues.

Im sure the team is going to have a story to tell in defense of Donald Trump, said Betty Dunkum, a Florida-based trial consultant. But if the story is going to involve a lot of technical issues, and possibly legal issues involving the jury instructions and things like that, then you might want someone whos going to take a more highly technical view of the case.

Indeed, in the lead-up to the trial, Trumps surrogates sought to portray the charges  34 felony counts of falsifying business documents  as technical bookkeeping violations with no discernible victim. Its a stark contrast to the prosecutions narrative, which frames the case as a scheme to perpetrate election interference by covering up a sex scandal in the final weeks of the 2016 campaign.

Of course, not all lawyers fit the mold described by Davidoff and Dunkum. But as Trump himself recently acknowledged, jury selection is a game of luck, in which lawyers for both sides try to assess the predilections of strangers based on a few questions in court and some quick research into their backgrounds.

In run-of-the-mill cases, both prosecutors and defense teams often weed out fellow lawyers from the jury pool  or even prospective jurors with lawyers in their families. A common worry is that people with legal expertise will do their own legal analysis, rather than following the judges instructions.

One of the lawyers on Trumps jury, the civil litigator, signaled during jury selection that he was well aware of that concern.

Im a litigator, he said, so I take the law seriously, and I take judges instructions very seriously.



Apparently that was good enough for Trumps team and Manhattan prosecutors. On Tuesday, both sides used several of their peremptory strikes  which allow them to exclude some prospective jurors without providing a reason  but did not strike either the civil litigator or the corporate lawyer.

Though lawyers on juries are held to the same standards as anyone else  a vow to consider only the evidence they see in the courtroom, and to follow the instructions given by the judge  their presence on other criminal juries has caused headaches. Thats because their fellow jurors often view them as experts on the proceedings and follow their lead.

I typically dont leave lawyers on a panel unless Im one thousand percent confident that they would lean toward my client, because they will have such a strong leadership position in a jury, Dunkum said.

For example, a juror who sat on the trial of several members of the far-right Oath Keepers organization who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, revealed that a lawyer on the panel helped lead deliberations and even summarized the judges complicated instructions at the end of the case. Defense lawyers for several of those convicted groused about the dynamic but had little recourse after the verdict.

Lawyers  or aspiring ones  can also plant landmines by misinstructing their fellow jurors.

In one widely publicized episode from the 1980s, a juror about to enter law school helped persuade colleagues on a Washington federal court jury to return a $2 million defamation verdict against The Washington Post over an article suggesting nepotism by the then-president of Mobil Oil, William Tavoulareas.

After the verdict, the American Lawyer magazine reported that the foreperson of the jury had managed to convince several fellow jurors that the Post had a legal duty to prove its story true, even though the judge had instructed the jurors that the legal burden was actually on Tavoulareas to prove the story false.

The judge later overturned the verdict, and a federal appeals court eventually upheld that decision, effectively ending the case.

Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney contributed to this report.
EAST FLATBUSH, N.Y. (PIX11)  Flatbush Veterinary Clinic, a non-profit organization dedicated to tackling feline overpopulation, is caring for at least 20 cats discovered living in a cramped and unsanitary Brooklyn basement.

This shocking discovery underscores a major issue in the borough: too many cats and not enough access to affordable veterinary care.

Where has Sherita gone? A fabulous Brooklyn icon erased

We simply cannot rescue or adopt our way out of this problem, says Will Zweigart, Executive Director of Flatbush Cats.

Zweigart blames the crisis on the lack of affordable spaying and neutering options. All of those cats in the basement came from just a few cats who were living in the building who did not have access to veterinary care because they had not been spayed or neutered. A few cats became more than 20 in just a couple months, he explains.

Flatbush Cats opened the Flatbush Veterinary Clinic specifically to address this concern. The clinic offers affordable spaying/neutering and other veterinary services to the community.

Weve been doing rescue for about eight years, but this is a decades long crisis in New York City, says Zweigart. He believes that increasing funding for accessible vet care is the solution.

Nonprofit seeks help to feed over 1,000 families this Passover

Brooklyn Councilman Justin Brannan who is also the finance chair agrees. Solving our citys overcrowded animal shelter crisis requires upstream solutions and that begins with increasing access to affordable veterinary care, he told PIX 11 News. Flatbush Veterinary Clinic are offering services for much less, he continues, Now we must take their model and scale it. We can no longer rely on the kindness of peoples hearts to end the cat overpopulation crisis  the City of New York must subsidize it.

Despite the grim situation, Flatbush Cats remains committed to their mission: empowering pet wellness through affordable vet care, says Will Zweigart. We know that pets deserve a good, comfortable indoor life and we believe that this is the highest impact way that we can make that happen.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
200 acres of forestland by Lake Monomonac in Winchendon bought by trusts: What's next

After a year of partnership, North County Land Trust and Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust finally bought 249 acres of forestland in Winchendon around Lake Monomonac.

The two regional land conservation organizations raised $675,000 to buy the land as well as cover the cost of community outreach, surveying, and future improvements to recreational trails.

Lake Monomonac is a man-made lake that stretches into Rindge, New Hampshire. The long, skinny lake branches out to the Millers River watershed in Winchendon.

"We feel like we're in a big race to protect our forests and farmlands. So it's great to have such a good partner in North County to work with together to meet this need," Emma Ellsworth, Mount Grace Land Conservation executive director, said. "This is critical for climate mitigations, to keep our water pure and drinkable, for our wildlife and biodiversity."

Annae Wilkins, executive director of North County Land Trust, said the Lake Monomonac land conservation project was a real community effort to save the hundreds of acres from developers.

Ellsworth said threats to open space across the state have increased rapidly as more land is used for new and solar development. She said organizations like hers have experienced a lot of pressure to move faster to protect more land in the North Central Mass region as more developers are looking out West.

More than a year ago, the two land conservation organizations estimated that they would need over $700,000 but were able to purchase it for less money.

How will the land be protected from development?

The land conservation trusts are establishing a land conservation restriction, a permanent deed restriction completed through the Registry of Deeds. The restriction is a strategy non-profits use to protect conservation areas from developers. A land conservation restriction identifies the significant ecological features of the land and how it benefits the public from preserving the land's natural state.

Anna Wilkins, NCLT executive director, said they decided that the MGLCT would be the organization that would hold the deed.

Land Warriors Capital Company bought and then sold the land

This land conservation project was not Mount Grace Land Conservation's first attempt to buy hundreds of forestland acres around Lake Monomonac. Wilkins said about 10 years ago, MGLCT was outbid by the previous owner of the Land Warriors Captiol Company. She said, at that time, the business was known as the Automobile Credit Rehabilitation Company, and the 350 acres of forestland were valued at $1.3 million.

In 2023, Land Warriors Capital Company put the land up for sale for $885,000. In February, NCLT purchased 71 acres from Land Warriors Capital Company for $260,000, and a Lake Monomonac resident purchased the remaining 280 acres for $625,000.

The two conservation land organizations negotiated with the resident that he would hold onto 178 acres of the land and sell it to the organizations at a bargain price of $267,000.

In January 2024, NCLT became owners of 249 acres and sold 65 acres to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife for $84,000. The remaining 184 acres of forestland will be used as a conservation area with a small four-spot gravel parking lot, marked trails with trailheads, an information kiosk, and benches.

Ellsworth said the Mass Division of Fisheries and Wildlife plans to build a boat launch deck on the acreage they bought, extending the Winchendon Springs Wildlife Management Area.

How did they raise the money?

"What's really unique about this project is it was almost entirely funded by private money," she said. "We worked with private foundations and the community around the lake to fund the project."

Winchendon Spring Lake Association and several residents of Lake Mononomac are in full support of the North County Land Trust land conservation project.

Seven private charitable foundations awarded grants to the two land conservation organizations, which they put toward the fundraiser goal. Wilkins said the Winchendon Spring Lake Association and the Monomonac Lake Property Owners Association also contributed significantly to the project efforts.

"It was a real community project because a lot of Winchendon people cared about this area, and they recognized how special it was not only for wildlife but for the community," she said.

The Town of Winchendon was not eligible for state grants because it had no up-to-date recreation and open space plan.

When can people start hiking around Lake Monomonac?

Lake Monomonac is open for recreational purposes. Ellsworth said locals have established unofficial trails in the area and have used them for many years, but NCLT plans to clean up the trails and improve the recreational experience.

Wilkins said they plan to complete the small gravel parking lot and a marked main trail by June. She said most of the trails need a lot of clearing to make them accessible to hikers, so volunteers are crucial.

The next volunteer work days to clean up the trails at Monomonac Hill are Saturday, May 18, at 9:30 a.m. and Tuesday, June 11, at 4:30 p.m. Snacks, water refills, and tools are provided. Wilkins said they encourage people to bring tools if they have any. To volunteer, please register through the organization's website.

The NCLT plans to host a ribbon-cutting ceremony in August to officially mark the grand opening of the Monomonac Hill Conservation Area.

This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Winchendon forestland near Lake Monomonac bought by conservation trusts
(Canva image)

Echoing arguments similar to those used by the conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court striking down affirmative action, Republican attorneys general from 23 states petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week to stop taking race into account when regulating pollution.



The petition, authored by the office of Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, was filed Tuesday with the EPA. It is only a request, but it highlights stiff opposition from conservative states to the Biden Administrations signature environmental justice policies, which include hundreds of millions of dollars for environmental justice projects.

The push could lead to a change in EPA policy if Donald Trump  whose administration was poised to gut the civil-rights law in the final days of his presidency  retakes power in January.

In the United States, deadly pollution is disproportionately concentrated in poor and minority neighborhoods. The petition asks the agency to stop taking the disparate impact of this pollution into account when regulating it, altering how the agency enforces Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Title VI bars recipients of federal funds from engaging in discrimination.



After the act was passed, the EPA wrote rules that allowed it to take into account the disparate impact that pollution might have on a minority group. Those rules were rarely enforced before Biden took office.

Andre Segura, vice president of litigation at Earthjustice, called the petition outrageous and called on the EPA to swifty reject it.

The fact is, many of the states that have signed the petition have historically allowed these harmful facilities to be placed in predominantly Black and brown communities, without regard for the health and safety of residents, Segura said. These decades-old Title VI regulations are critical tools for the federal government to use to ensure that funding is not used to perpetuate this toxic legacy.

The petition claims that the law requires states to engage in racial engineering.

The EPAs regulations gravely depart from the original understanding of Title VI and compel States to unconstitutionally discriminate against their citizens by incorporating disparate-impact liability, the petitioners wrote.

Citing pending litigation, the EPA declined to comment.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan embraces Robert Taylor, head of Concerned Citizens of St. John the Baptist Parish

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, left, embraces Robert Taylor, head of Concerned Citizens of St. John the Baptist Parish. Regan was in LaPlace on April 6, 2023, to announce proposed regulations for chemical plants. (Greg LaRose/Louisiana Illuminator)

But EPA Administrator Michael Regan told attendees of the Society of Environmental Journalists national conference on April 5 that the agency would push to ensure that the civil-rights law can be applied in environmental cases.

Well continue to evaluate what tools we have in that Title VI space, Regan said. We are remaining vigilant and as creative as possible in terms of using our statutory and legal authority to protect every person in this country.



The petition has its roots in an aborted 2022 attempt by the EPA to investigate how the state of Louisiana enforced its pollution regulations.

After uncovering information that regulators in that state had not done enough to inform the public about the risk of cancer-causing chemicals coming from the Denka chloroprene plant in LaPlace, the EPA sued the plant.

But then the state of Louisiana sued the EPA  and won.

The Denka plant is the only U.S. facility that produces chloroprene, a key component of wetsuits. It is located in a majority-Black ZIP code in southern Louisiana that is part of the industry-heavy region dubbed Cancer Alley.

To be sure, if a decision maker has to consider race to decide, it has indeed participated in racism, U.S. District Judge James Cain wrote in his Jan. 24 decision. Pollution does not discriminate.



Cains ruling barred the EPA from doing any Title VI enforcement in environmental cases in the state.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, a Republican, is not one of the 23 signatories to the petition. We have our own thing going on, press secretary Lester Duhe said. We cant join every party.

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Floodlight is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates the powerful interests stalling climate action.

The post 23 states ask EPA to halt civil rights rules regulating pollution appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
DENVER (KDVR)  The list of Sean Graves injuries is long.

I was grazed up top on the shoulder, shot across the abdomen, and then obviously the one that took my legs out was the last one, number six, and that actually spun around through a backpack, Graves told FOX31.

But the more lasting pain has come from guilt.

I blamed myself for Dan. And I was doing that for a while there, Graves said.

Impact of Columbine teen killed 25 years ago on display at California school

He was with his friend, Danny Rohrbough, and another friend that morning in 1999. They wanted Rohrbough to go outside the school with them.

Dan didnt want to go with Lance and I. And I pretty much begged him. Somehow I convinced him, you need to go with us, he said.

Sean Graves

That weighed on me a lot

When they soon heard the sound of gunshots coming from the parking lot, most students thought it was a senior prank, probably involving paintball guns. In reality, it was two student gunmen who would eventually kill 12 Columbine students and a teacher. Rohrbough was among those killed.

I essentially asked him to die. And that weighed on me a lot, Graves said.

Hes since come to the realization it was not his fault.

And then I realized I wasnt behind the trigger. I wasnt the jerk who did it. You know, I asked his family for forgiveness. And I received it, he said.

That forgiveness is part of the healing thats happened over the last 25 years. Theres been physical healing, too. Hes undergone about 50 surgeries. He lost feeling from the waist down after the shooting and was left in a wheelchair for three years. But he vowed to walk across the graduation stage his senior year at Columbine. And he did.

Every day is another gift from God

These days, he said, life is much better.

Im good. You know, a lot of changes. Some small, some big, but all positive, Graves said.

Just turned 40 years old in October. Its insane. Especially when my daughter is pointing out all the gray hair  you need a haircut, I can see all the gray hair, he joked.

25 years after Columbine, new heartbreaks challenge victims family

Aging is a gift, considering his life was nearly cut short. Now he tries to spend every day in a way that honors Rohrbough and the others killed 25 years ago at Columbine.

Am I doing everything I can to live my life to honor him? To my fullest? And the answer to that is, Im living. And every day is another gift from God, Graves said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
Google has fired 28 of its employees for being involved in a protest against the company's contract with the Israeli government.

The company conducted an investigation and determined that nearly 30 employees had made their "co-workers feel threatened" by the protests in New York and California.

Google Employees Protest Against Contract With Israeli Government

Canva Stock Images

Employees protested in response to the $1.3 billion contract, Project Nimbus, between Amazon and the Israeli government for AI and cloud services.

Protestors shouted I am a Google Cloud software engineer, and I refuse to build technology that powers genocide, apartheid, or surveillance. No tech for apartheid!

A recent Time Magazine report claims some Google employees were not happy with the company's possibility of aiding Israel in its war in Gaza. CBS reports the No Tech for Apartheid protests were peaceful, but nine individuals were arrested.

"Google workers have the right to peacefully protest about terms and conditions of our labor. These firings were clearly retaliatory," No Tech said in a statement.

Google's Vice President Says The Protests Made 'Co-Workers Feel Threatened'

Canva Stock Images

Chris Rackow, Google's vice president for global security, sent a company-wide email following the protests that read: "Their behavior was unacceptable, extremely disruptive, and made co-workers feel threatened."

A Google spokesperson told CBS: "Physically impeding other employees' work and preventing them from accessing our facilities is a clear violation of our policies, and completely unacceptable behavior. After refusing multiple requests to leave the premises, law enforcement was engaged to remove them to ensure office safety."

Another spokesperson told TIME: We have been very clear that the Nimbus contract is for workloads running on our commercial platform by Israeli government ministries such as finance, healthcare, transportation, and education. Our work is not directed at highly sensitive or classified military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services.

An Amazon spokesperson said the company is focused on making the benefits of our world-leading cloud technology available to all our customers, wherever they are located."

Google Employee Speaks Out After Being Fired From The Company

Canva Stock Images

23-year-old software engineer Eddie Hatfield spoke to the magazine, claiming that "his act of protest was the culmination of an internal effort."

I was told by my manager that I can't let these concerns affect my work, he told TIME. Which is kind of ironic, because I see it as part of my work. I'm trying to ensure that the users of my work are safe. How can I work on what I'm being told to do, if I don't think it's safe?

He was fired three days after the protest. This employee disrupted a coworker who was giving a presentation  interfering with an official company-sponsored event, the Google spokesperson told the magazine of Hatfield's firing. This behavior is not okay, regardless of the issue, and the employee was terminated for violating our policies.

Google Says It Supports 'Numerous Governments' Around The World

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A Google spokesperson claims "Google Cloud supports numerous governments around the world in countries where we operate, including the Israeli government, with our generally available cloud computing services."

They added, "This work is not directed at highly sensitive, classified or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services."

Zelda Montes, a YouTube software engineer, said, Were not going to stop. I can say definitively that this is not something that is just going to die down. Its only going to grow stronger.

Protestors Shut Down The Golden Gate Bridge

MEGA

This news comes days after protestors took over the Golden Gate Bridge on Tax Day. Several individuals were seen blocking all lanes and holding up signs that read "Stop the world for Gaza" and "End the siege on Gaza now."

That same day, another protest supporting Palestine closed roads leading to O'Hare Airport, Chicago, leaving many travelers having to exit their vehicles and walk through traffic with their luggage to catch their flights.

The group behind the protest, Chicago Dissenters, released a statement in an Instagram post. "On this Tax Day, when millions are paying taxes which fund the ongoing U.S. and Israeli bombardment of Gaza, protestors seek to take dramatic action," the group stated.

They added, "O'Hare International Airport is one of the largest in the country, and there will be NO business as usual while Palestinians suffer at the hands of American-funded bombing by Israel."
(KRON)  Google announced Tuesday that 28 employees were let go due to ceasefire protests at company facilities. The 10-hour sit-ins took place at offices in Sunnyvale, California, and New York on Tuesday.

According to Google, the protests were largely put on by people who do not work for Google, but some employees joined in. Google called the actions a clear violation of our policies, and completely unacceptable behavior, as some employees work was disrupted.

Google did not specify how many of the 28 employees worked in each location.

Google layoffs to impact unspecified number of employees, according to reports

The protest was organized by the No Tech for Apartheid campaign, which claims that Google and Amazon are leading the worlds first AI powered genocide by allowing Israel to access its technology, organizers said.

This flagrant act of retaliation is a clear indication that Google values its $1.2 billion contract with the genocidal Israeli government and military more than its own workersthe ones who create real value for executives and shareholders, No Tech for Apartheid said.

About 80 people participated in the protest, the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety said. The Washington Post reported that protesters went inside the office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian.

Sunnyvale DPS arrived at the offices at 10:30 a.m. to monitor the situation. Police said that by 12:45 p.m. all but five protesters had left. Just before 6:30 p.m., police entered the building to arrest the five remaining protesters.

The protest was part of a string of protests that happened across the Bay Area this week. Thirty-eight people were arrested on Monday for blocking off the Golden Gate Bridge and an interstate in Oakland.

The terminations are in addition to another round of layoffs that Google is planning to do, according to multiple reports.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
(KRON)  Google announced Tuesday that 28 employees were let go due to ceasefire protests that happened Tuesday at company facilities, Google confirmed to KRON4. The 10-hour sit-ins took place at offices in Sunnyvale and New York.

According to Google, the protests were largely put on by people who do not work for Google, but some employees joined in. Google called the actions a clear violation of our policies, and completely unacceptable behavior, as some employees work was disrupted.

Google did not specify how many of the 28 employees worked in the Bay Area.

Google layoffs to impact unspecified number of employees, according to reports

The protest was organized by the No Tech for Apartheid campaign, which claims that Google and Amazon are leading the worlds first AI powered genocide by allowing Israel to access its technology, organizers said.

This flagrant act of retaliation is a clear indication that Google values its $1.2 billion contract with the genocidal Israeli government and military more than its own workersthe ones who create real value for executives and shareholders, No Tech for Apartheid said.

About 80 people participated in the protest, the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety said. The Washington Post reported that protesters went inside the office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian.

Sunnyvale DPS arrived at the offices at 10:30 a.m. to monitor the situation. Police said that by 12:45 p.m. all but five protesters had left. Just before 6:30 p.m., police entered the building to arrest the five remaining protesters.

The protest was part of a string of protests that happened across the Bay Area this week. Thirty-eight people were arrested on Monday for blocking off the Golden Gate Bridge and highways in Oakland.

The terminations are in addition to another round of layoffs that Google is planning to do, according to multiple reports.

Read Googles full statement on the protests and related layoffs below:

These protests were part of a longstanding campaign by a group of organizations and people who largely dont work at Google. A small number of employee protesters entered and disrupted a few of our locations. Physically impeding other employees work and preventing them from accessing our facilities is a clear violation of our policies, and completely unacceptable behavior. After refusing multiple requests to leave the premises, law enforcement was engaged to remove them to ensure office safety. We have so far concluded individual investigations that resulted in the termination of employment for 28 employees, and will continue to investigate and take action as needed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
A second student has been arrested after a teen brought a loaded gun to a Forsyth County middle school earlier this week, according to the sheriffs office.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Deputies said a 14-year-old student brought a gun to Little Mill Middle School on Tuesday. That student, who was not identified, was arrested after school police found a loaded 9mm pistol in the students waistband.

TRENDING STORIES:

On Thursday, deputies announced that a second student was also arrested. Deputies said the student knew the original student had the gun and even recorded video of the student and the gun. That student later posted the video to social media, which caused additional chaos and fear among students and parents.

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Deputies said the video was taken during the school day and not reported to school officials or SROs. The additional student has been charged with making terroristic threats, which is a misdemeanor, and has been removed from the school.

Deputies said no additional charges are expected.

Deputies said the gun the original student brought to school was secured in a locked storage container by the students parents but was secretly accessed.

I am grateful that a brave student came forward to report this firearm on campus, they are the heroes of this story, and this is how we keep our school safe. On the other side of this, those that did not report it, such as this 2nd juvenile who even posted it to social media, will be held accountable for their actions. As we wind down the school year, parents please talk to your students about good decisions, about the consequences of stupid decisions and the vital importance of see something, say something to avoid a tragedy here in Forsyth. It takes all of us to keep our Schools safe, said Sheriff Freeman.

Parents shared video with Channel 2 Action News that appeared to be a student showing off a loaded gun.

Its unclear what charges the initial student arrested is facing.
3 arrested in connection with the first Columbus homicide of 2024, police say

Three people have been arrested in connection with the death of a man that was the first homicide of 2024 in Columbus, according to police.

Terrell Thomas, 20, was arrested in Atlanta in connection with the death of 39-year-old William Brown. Cameron Davis, 18, and Jquan Williams, 19, also were arrested in Columbus in connection with Browns death, according to police.

The shooting occurred on the afternoon of Jan. 8 in the 2300 block of Fort Benning Road, according to previous Ledger-Enquirer reporting.

Brown was pronounced dead at 6:51 p.m. at a local hospital after suffering multiple gunshot wounds, according to Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan.

No other details were immediately available, including what led police to the suspects.
Three firefighters with the Charlotte Fire Department have been hospitalized following a two-alarm house fire that was intentionally set Thursday morning in north Charlotte.

The department responded to a structure fire around 2:45 a.m. on Grimes Street and had to call for more support due to the size of the fire.

Firefighters said it took 60 minutes to get the fire under control.

ALSO READ: Home kitchen catches fire, displaces resident and pet in southwest Charlotte

A mayday was also transmitted before one firefighter had to be rescued from the home. Three family members and a dog were also able to escape due to working smoke alarms.

Mayday is one of those events that we do train on. We teach our officers what situation you are to call a mayday, Chief Reginald Johnson explained.

Overall, three firefighters were ultimately transported to an area hospital due to injuries sustained while battling the fire.

Thursday afternoon, the Charlotte Fire Department said investigators determined the fire was intentionally set.

ALSO READ: Reserve ladder truck catches fire at Concord Fire Station

Neighbors like Patricia Equsie-Wilson said they were awoken by firefighters responding to the scene.

I called my next-door neighbor to ask her to come and look out. And I called my other neighbors, Wilson said.

Wilson said she was glad no one was hurt after such a large fire.

I saw the firefighters, and I saw the fire across the street. It was just horrible, she explained.

No suspect has been identified yet in connection with the fire.

On Thursday afternoon, Channel 9 learned the three firefighters had been released from the hospital and were recovering at home, fire officials have not reported on their condition.

VIDEO: Firefighters investigating cause of 3-alarm fire at business in southwest Charlotte








30 indicted in massive gang, drug trafficking case in Richmond County

RICHMOND COUNTY, Ga. (WJBF)  30 individuals are facing federal gang and drug trafficking charges in Richmond County after a massive multi-agency investigation across the CSRA.

The 30 suspects are facing 333 charges overall for a variety of alleged crimes including drug trafficking and possession, aggravated assault, and armed robbery. Officials state that the suspects are associated with a street gang known as Trap Money (TRVPMONEYY). The indictment alleges that Trap Money was formed in Richmond County in 2020 by 24-year-old Davion Heath of Grovetown.

The case, known as Operation No Loyalty, began in February 2022 and spans more than 8 counties in the state of Georgia.

As part of Operation No Loyalty, our law enforcement partners have recovered more than 60 firearms, and weve seized over 16 pounds of fentanyl, which is enough fentanyl to kill 3 and a half million people, said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr.

Investigators also recovered 16 kilograms of Cocaine, 278 pounds of Marijuana, 2 pounds of Methamphetamine, nine vehicles, two homes and $492,733.

The operation started when law enforcement began to investigate a rival gang, Loyalty Over Everything, after the shooting death of 8-year-old Arbrie Anthony in Augusta in 2022.

This is entirely unacceptable and it has to stop now. Since creating our gang unit in July 2022, weve secured more than 30 convictions and have indicted 135 individuals across the state, and most importantly weve secured justice for families who have lost a child, a sibling, a parent or a partner due to gang violence, said AG Carr.

The dismantlement of the criminal street gang was successful due to the participation of multiple state, local, and federal law enforcement prosecuting officers, many communities in this area, and across the state of Georgia, are safer because of this operation, said Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree.

8 alleged members of the Trap Money gang are still wanted. If you have any information, contact the authorities.

The 30 suspects are each charged with at least one count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.

You can read the full list of those charged and their charges below:

Desmond Demmons (aka Dez), 31, of Hephzibah:

1 count of Conspiracy to Commit Murder

1 count of Trafficking in Fentanyl

1 count of Trafficking in Methamphetamine

1 count of Trafficking in Marijuana

1 count of Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute

1 count of Sale of Marijuana

1 count of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

2 counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

1 count of Theft by Receiving Stolen Property

4 counts of Illegal Use of a Communication Facility

22 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

2 counts of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Earl Overton

Earl Overton (aka BJ Blazin), 30, of Augusta:

1 count of Conspiracy to Commit Murder

1 count of Aggravated Assault

1 count of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

5 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Clifford Jones

Clifford Jones (aka Cliff), 22, of Augusta:

3 counts of Aggravated Assault on a Peace Officer

1 count of Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute

1 count of Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute

2 counts of Possession of a Schedule I Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute (Psilocybin and THC Gummies)

4 counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

1 count of Interference with Government Property

8 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Devin Allen-Glover

Devin Allen-Glover (aka Rambo), 22, of Augusta:

3 counts of Aggravated Assault

1 count of Possession of an Illegal Weapon

3 counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

7 counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Probationer Under Conditional Discharge

1 count of Criminal Damage to Property in the First Degree

2 counts of Theft by Receiving Stolen Property

1 count of Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Police Officer

1 count of Possession of Contraband by an Inmate

14 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

2 counts of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Dmond Jackson

Dmond Jackson (aka Mond), 29, of Augusta:

6 counts of Armed Robbery

6 counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

3 counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

1 count of Theft by Receiving Stolen Property

1 count of Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Police Officer

10 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

2 counts of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Malik Taylor

Malik Taylor (aka Rich Regardless), 32, of Hephzibah:

1 count of Trafficking in Fentanyl

1 count of Trafficking in Methamphetamine

1 count of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute

1 count of Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute

2 counts of Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute

2 counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

2 counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

12 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Lecadrick Collier

Lecadrick Collier (aka Kilo), 23, and currently incarcerated at Jenkins Correctional Facility:

1 count of Trafficking in Fentanyl

1 count of Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute

1 count of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

1 count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

6 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Jmar Wilson

Jmar Wilson (aka Kussy), 23, of Augusta:

1 count of Trafficking in Fentanyl

1 count of Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute

1 count of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

4 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Darius Miller

Darius Miller, 34, of Hephzibah:

1 count of Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute

1 count of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute

1 count of Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute

1 count of Possession of Oxycodone with Intent to Distribute

1 count of Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute

1 count of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

1 count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

6 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Joshua Demmons

Joshua Demmons, 29, of Augusta:

1 count of Possession of Fentanyl

1 count of Possession of Cocaine

1 count of Possession of an Illegal Weapon

1 count of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

1 count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

4 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Larry Mims

Larry Mims (aka Kodak or Bear), 35, of Hephzibah:

1 count of Trafficking in Cocaine

1 count of Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute

1 count of Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute

1 count of Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute (Oxycodone)

4 counts of Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance (Oxycodone, Amphetamine, and Dextroamphetamine)

1 count of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

1 count of Possession of a Firearm by a First Offender Probationer

1 count of Attempted Removal of a Weapon from a Public Official

2 counts of Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Police Officer

10 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Traeon Perry

Traeon Perry (aka Klutch or TJ), 22, of Augusta:

1 count of Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute

2 counts of Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute

2 counts of Possession of a Schedule I Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute (Psilocybin and THC Gummies)

3 counts of Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance (Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, and Percocet)

2 counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

1 count of Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Police Officer

8 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Dominick Ryans

Dominick Ryans (aka Domo), 33, of Augusta:

1 count of Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute

1 count of Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance (Oxycodone)

1 count of Possession of a Schedule IV Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute (Alprazolam)

2 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Ricardo McBride

Ricardo McBride (aka Cardo), 25, of Augusta:

1 count of Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute

1 count of Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute

1 count of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

1 count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

6 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Antonio Bush, 31, of Augusta:

1 count of Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute

1 count of Possession of Methamphetamine

1 count of Theft by Receiving Stolen Property

5 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Joshua McDaniel (aka JB), 39, of Martinez:

1 count of Conspiracy to Commit Trafficking in Cocaine

1 count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

4 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

2 counts of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Ellis McDaniel

Ellis McDaniel (aka Mac), 42, of Augusta:

3 counts of Sale of Cocaine

3 counts of Illegal Use of a Communication Facility

6 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

2 counts of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Ionas Doggett

Ionas Doggett (aka Plug), 21, of Augusta:

1 count of Trafficking in Marijuana

2 counts of Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute

2 counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

1 count of Possession of a Firearm by a First Offender Probationer

1 count of Theft by Receiving Stolen Property

1 count of Identity Fraud

13 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Jalen Landers (aka Hect G), 22, of Augusta:

1 count of Trafficking in Marijuana

1 count of Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute

2 counts of Sale of Marijuana

2 counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

2 counts of Possession of a Firearm by a First Offender Probationer

1 count of Crossing Guard Line with Contraband

2 counts of Illegal Use of a Communication Facility

1 count of Identity Fraud

18 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Tillson McCray (aka Tip), 30, of Augusta:

1 count of Trafficking in Marijuana

1 count of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

1 count of Theft by Receiving Stolen Property

5 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Dezmund Mainor

Dezmund Mainor (aka Donk), 24, of Augusta:

1 count of Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute

1 count of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

1 count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

6 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Bryson McCray

Bryson McCray (aka Bman), 24, of Augusta:

1 count of Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute

1 count of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

4 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Eddie Reese

Eddie Reese (aka Stro), 30, of Augusta:

1 count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

2 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Davion Heath (aka Vdough or TRVPMONEYY Vdough), 24, of Grovetown:

2 counts of Illegal Use of a Communication Facility

6 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

2 counts of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Myles Thomas (aka Mr. Infinity), 21, of Grovetown:

1 count of Illegal Use of a Communication Facility

2 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

James Davis

James Davis (aka Dolla or Man Man), 24, of Augusta:

2 counts of Illegal Use of a Communication Facility

2 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Saraina Lewis

Saraina Lewis, 36, of Augusta:

1 count of Theft by Conversion

2 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Shequitta Lewis

Shequitta Lewis, 33, of Augusta:

1 count of Theft by Conversion

2 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Chase Russaw

Chase Russaw (aka Wakeo), 25, of Augusta:

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Janessa Freeman (aka Nessa), 28, of Augusta:

1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

A copy of the indictment can be found here.

The investigation was led by the Richmond County Sheriffs Office Gang Unit, Narcotics Division, and Criminal Intelligence Division. The following law enforcement agencies are reported to have assisted in the investigation: Attorney Generals Gang Prosecution Unit, the FBIs Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the GBI, the ATF, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Georgia Department of Public Safety, Georgia Department of Corrections, Burke County Sheriffs Office, Columbia County Sheriffs Office, Gwinnett County Sheriffs Office, Wilkes County Sheriffs Office, Grovetown Police Department, Augusta Judicial Circuit District Attorneys Office, and the United States Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Georgia.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF.
After studying in Japan, Xian Jie Lee moved to a village called Ryujinmura in the mountains.

He rented a farmhouse and renovated it to live in then purchased the house next door to list on Airbnb.

The guesthouse now rents for $250 a night and he offers tours to his visitors for $40 to $270.

Singaporean Xian Jie Lee, 34, moved to Japan in 2012 to study political science. He loved the country so much that he decided to stay, and he started a desk job at an IT company.

Within a few months, Lee realized he was unfulfilled and quit to start a tour guide company with a friend called Craft Tabby. While running that in Kyoto, Lee met 68-year-old tea master Shu at a tea festival.

Shu served Lee some wild tea he'd picked in the Wakayama mountains and Lee was amazed by how good it tasted. "It was so full of energy," Lee told Business Insider.

Shu suggested Lee visit Wayakama. When he visited, Lee was blown away by the forests of cedar trees, waterfalls, and steep hillsides that were draped with mist. When the pandemic struck, Lee knew exactly where he wanted to go.

Lee picking tea leaves. Xian Jie Lee

Shu told Lee that he could rent a farmhouse in a village called Ryujinmura. He would need to renovate it himself to live in it, but Lee knew the cost of the rent and renovation would be similar to what he paid to rent his apartment in Kyoto.

In December 2020, Lee moved and became one of the youngest residents in the village.

Renovating the rental

Lee loved the farmhouse with its thatched roof and sliding wooden doors, but he soon learned the renovation would be more challenging than he first thought. "I removed the tatami (traditional straw floor covering) in the inner room and fell through the floor," Lee said.

As Shu grew up in the area, he knew of a carpenter who'd once worked with his father. The carpenter was delighted that Lee wanted to return the farmhouse to its former glory, so while he said he'd charge for his son's labor, he worked for free.

The carpenters helped demolish and remove the old wood and redo the entire floor. Lee lived in the irori (hearth room) for three weeks while the wooden floors were installed. Then he switched rooms.

It was Lee's home, but it became a community project

Shu introduced Lee to the local charcoal maker, who provided charcoal for his fire, and the paper maker, who made all the traditional washi from paper mulberry bushes for the shoji screens.

Once the house was finished, Lee continued to clear the overgrown land. He replanted the rice fields, cleared the tea bushes of weeds, and started to grow crops.

While the neighbors shared tips on how to grow the crops, Lee still had a few learning curves. Holes in his fence allowed wild deer to help themselves to the heirloom rice plants, and when they put the pipes together to feed the rice fields with mountain water, trapped air in the pipes meant the water didn't flow through so he had to hike up the steep hillside to resolve it.

Lee was a fast learner, and some of his neighbors asked if he could also manage their rice fields. Lee's friends from Singapore would often visit to help. He also started posting on YouTube, and some people who watched the videos volunteered to help him, too.

Lee with Lance Yeo, a volunteer. Xian Jie Lee

Creating a new life and business in the mountains

Lee thought he'd split his time between the mountains and Kyoto. "I started liking this place more and more and these days, I seldom return to Kyoto," Lee said.

He knew that if he were going to stay, he'd need to expand the tour business. "I thought that if I had a guesthouse, I could run tours from here," Lee said.

The owner of the empty 120-year-old farmhouse next door to Lee's rental agreed to sell it to Lee and two of his friends. The second house also needed repair, and it cost $25,000 in total.

The guesthouse at the beginning of renovations. Xian Jie Lee

Since they intended to use it as a guesthouse for up to five people, they decided to install a wooden floor rather than tatami mats. Lee paid a craftsman to create handmade shoji screens for the Airbnb home.

Lee and his guests both enjoy unique experiences

The exterior of the guest house. Xian Jie Lee

While renovating the guesthouse, Lee turned his own home into a cafe three days a week to earn extra income. He served dishes to people driving by. "It was quite tough because I was dealing with the renovations and planting rice while running the cafe," Lee said.

When Lee listed the farmhouse on Airbnb in August 2023, he closed the cafe, but then reopened it and now serves food once again to visitors.

Guests renting the two-bedroom guesthouse for $250 a night can meet the resident goats and Ryujin chickens, borrow a paddleboard, or swim down the Hidakagawa River in front of the farmhouse.

The interior. Xian Jie Lee

Lee also offers tours to his guests priced from $40 to $270 where you can hike to six secluded waterfalls, take a traditional washi paper-making class, or participate in a tea-making workshop.

One of the beds. Xian Jie Lee

Lee has also been able to participate in unique experiences himself. He and some of the volunteers were recently invited to take part in the lion dance at the local harvest festival. "We didn't know what we were doing, but the neighbors helped show us what to do," Lee said.

The villagers were thrilled they'd taken part. "The most surprising thing for me was how open everyone was to have us involved," Lee said. "Then also when they told us how happy it made them."

Correction: April 25, 2024  Lee lived in the hearth room for three weeks during renovations, not three months. He has also reopened the cafe.

Read the original article on Business Insider
FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE.KGPE)  A seven-week-old puppy was rescued in Fresno County after falling down an 80-foot-long pipe on Wednesday, according to the Fresno County Fire Department.

Cal Fire reports that they responded to a call in northern Fresno County where they learned the puppy had fallen 80 feet down an abandoned six-inch well pipe.

Firefighters say they consulted with the Fresno Humane Society and ultimately saved the injured pup. Multiple tools were used, including a telescoping rescue camera.

Fresno County Fire says Humane Society staff transported the puppy to a vet for evaluation.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
8 out of 10 fire hydrants in Tijuana need replacement, fire chief says

SAN DIEGO (Border Report)  More than 80 percent of fire hydrants in Tijuana have been vandalized, dont work or are obsolete, according to Rafael Carrillo Venegas, the citys fire department director.

He says there are 3,200 hydrants around the city and most need to be replaced or dont work properly.

We have not been able to generate a good repair or replacement program for the hydrants, Carrillo Venegas said, adding that some of the hydrants have been waiting for service for 15 years.

Thats not our responsibility, we can try to maintain them as a department, but repairs or replacement is the responsibility of the public services department, but they dont seem to make any progress.

Carrillo Venegas says hydrants that dont work or are in bad shape hinder their operations during emergencies.

Often we come across hydrants that dont work, now we have to go looking for hydrants in other neighborhoods, he said. Consider the time and distance and delays this causes when putting out fires.

The director said many hydrants are broken by vandals who are looking for precious metals.

Visit the BorderReport.com homepage for the latest exclusive stories and breaking news about issues along the U.S.-Mexico border

Some contain copper, and once people find out, they extract the metal and start vandalizing other hydrants in the same area, now we have to replace them.

Carrillo Venegas said another problem is lack of water or low pressure in hydrants something the public services department also needs to address.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
The first U.N. World Food Program aid trucks since the opening of Israel's Ashdod port to international humanitarian aid shipments crossed into the Gaza strip, the Israeli military said. File Photo courtesy Israel Defense Forces

April 18 (UPI) -- The first U.N. World Food Program trucks since the opening of Israel's Ashdod port to international humanitarian aid shipments crossed into the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military said.

The eight trucks loaded with flour drove in via Israel's Kerem Shalom checkpoint at the southeastern tip of the strip adjacent to the border with Egypt on Wednesday afternoon after undergoing rigorous security checks at the Mediterranean Sea coast port 55 miles away to the north, Israel Defense Forces said in a post on X.

The operation was conducted in cooperation with the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, a Defense Ministry unit that liaises on civilian initiatives involving the government and the IDF and international organizations, diplomats and the Palestinian Authority, which said Ashdod-Kerem Shalom was not only an additional route to get humanitarian aid to where it was needed but an additional inspection point that would ramp up Israel's aid throughput capacity even further.

"This is part of the new phase of Israel's humanitarian campaign. There is no limit to the amount of humanitarian aid we are willing to facilitate because we know our war is with Hamas and not with the people of Gaza," a COGAT spokesman said on X.

The WFP deliveries came a day after EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell accused Israel of being slow to deliver on pledges to boost the amount of aid getting into Gaza amid warnings of looming famine and a deadly IDF airstrike on a World Central Kitchen aid convoy killing seven of the U.S. non-profit's workers.

The IDF announced the first food aid convoy to use the new route Friday, two days after Defense Minister Yoav Gallant approved the plan, but did not specify how many trucks had crossed into Gaza nor the aid agency to which they belonged.

The route is the second of two new crossings established in response to an intervention by U.S. President Joe Biden following the April 1 WCK incident, for which Israel has blamed human error and apologized.

A further three convoys have entered Gaza since via the Erez northern crossing point Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, 25 trucks in all carrying around 404 metric tons of food parcels and wheat flour, WFP said in a post on X.

WFP said the aid for nearly 80,000 people was the first to get into the north of the strip via the new crossing which Israel opened April 5

"So far in April, 392 trucks carrying food have entered Gaza. This is nearly the same rate as March, but half that compared to January. The only way to halt famine is through regular and sustained access and a humanitarian cease-fire," the organization said.

Biden also said that more still needed to be done.

"In the 12 days following my call with Prime Minister Netanyahu, 3,000 trucks with food and supplies moved into Gaza -- a daily increase of over 50% from the week prior. It's still not enough," he said Wednesday in a post on X.

"We continue to urge Israel to ramp up land, air, and sea deliveries for Gaza civilians."
$80 million verdict for three workers fired for taking off the record time off in California

Three former workers in a Northern California office of the Zurich American Insurance Co. who were fired after taking off-the-record paid time off were awarded more than $80 million in damages by a Sacramento jury Thursday, Sacramento attorney Lawrance Bohm announced.

The case stemmed from a lawsuit originally filed in 2018 that went to trial after Zurich American declined settlement offers starting at $150,000 for each of the three plaintiffs who worked at the insurers Gold River offices, Bohm said in an interview.

Im jubilant, Bohm said. It is shocking for an American-based insurance company that provides coverage to 90 percent of the Fortune 500 to have made a zero-dollar offer... This is vindication.

Zurich American spokeswoman Robyn Ziegler said in an email response to The Sacramento Bee that the company does not comment on litigation, So I have no comment to offer you.

Wednesdays verdict included damages for economic harm, reputational damages and $25 million in punitive damages for each of the employees  Melinda Brantley, Nicholas Lardie and Daniel Koos  who were part of Zurich Americans workers compensation division, Bohm spokesman Daniel Harary said in announcing the $80,252,412 verdict details.

Bohms spokesman said the three plaintiffs were fired in December 2017 after they followed a supervisors policy of taking off the record time off as an incentive for hard work.

The days off were called Omen days, referring to then-Assistant Vice President Chris Omen, court papers say.

Omen offered free paid time off (PTO) based on performance, court papers say. Employees in Omens department referred to the free paid time off as Omen Days.

Omens free paid time off was used to reward employees who were performing at a high level or reached certain goals. The free paid time off rewards did not require any requests or entries in the official PTO system.

If an employee used paid time off approved by Omen, the employee was instructed not to use any of Zurichs official paid time off. On most occasions. Omen instructed the employee to take a day off or delete the time off requests in the system and stated that its on me, indicating that the employee earned the free paid time off.

The entire Rancho Cordova branch was aware of and benefited from this unofficial rewards program.

The three were fired days before Christmas 2017 after a brief investigation by the company, Bohm said.

Zurich American argued in court filings that the employees were fired after time theft that resulted in the three being paid a total of more than $100,000 over two years.

Theft is not justified simply because your boss told you to do it, the company argued. Plaintiffs are three former managers at Zurich insurance company who were discovered to have under reported paid time off (PTO) at work.

They admitted to engaging in this activity and explained it away by saying that their supervisor told them to do so.

Bohm said Zurich American maliciously defamed three very good people from our Sacramento community, and that his clients did not want to be involved in a lawsuit.

Bohm initially offered to settle the case for $150,000 for each plaintiff but was rebuffed, he said. In 2021, he tried again, offering to settle for $500,000 each but was turned down. Finally, before trial began in Sacramento Superior Court last month, he offered to settle for $2 million per plaintiff but was told no, he said.

Zurich has had years to prevent this and do right, Bohm said, adding that company supervisors spent 71 minutes investigating the allegations against the employees before firing them.

For a company that prides itself on fairness, thats frightening, he said. Thousands of us in California have claims being handled by Zurich.

If this is the way it treats its employees what does that mean about what we can expect from them when we need them?
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 18. Kazakhstan's QazaqGaz (a national company) and Chevron have discussed prospects for cooperation in the gas industry, Trend reports.

According to QazaqGaz, discussions took place between the head of the Kazakh national company Sanzhar Zharkeshov and Derek Magness, Managing Director of the Eurasian division of Chevron.

Zharkeshov noted that expanding cooperation with a strategic partner is important for QazaqGaz, including for the development of the gas industry in Kazakhstan and meeting domestic gas needs.

Meanwhile, in 2022, Chevron, through its subsidiary Chevron Munaigas Inc., and QazaqGaz signed a Memorandum of Understanding. It sets out issues of cooperation on energy security and energy transition, as well as projects in the fields of exploration, production, and gas processing.

Furthermore, Kazakhstan produced 58.838 million cubic meters of natural gas in 2023, which is 10.5 percent more than in 2022. During the year, the fields produced 34.548 million cubic meters of associated petroleum gas.
I-85 widening work closing road by famous Peachoid in SC. Will it still be accessible?

Have no fear. The giant water tower known as the Peachoid in Gaffney will still be accessible from Interstate 85 during highway construction when most of the access road is closed.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation has announced it will close Peachoid Road in Cherokee County beginning Tuesday for two months but the roadside attraction will still be accessible from exit 90.

That is the southern entrance to Peachoid Road; Exit 92 will be closed to all but local traffic, said Hannah Robinson, spokeswoman for the transportation department.

The Peachoid has long been a peculiarity for motorists and others since it was built in 1981, but it took a cameo appearance on the Kevin Spacey series House of Cards to bring it notoriety nationwide.

In one episode, Spaceys character returns to Gaffney after a teenager texts a joke about the towers resemblance to a rear end and crashes her car.

The 135-foot tower looked more like that part of the human body before it was painted, but the jokes remain.

Also known as The Peach and The Moon over Gaffney, the water tower design was selected due to Cherokee Countys role in peach farming. Once, it produced more peaches than the entire state of Georgia, which is known as the Peach State.

Despite the decrease in peach farms, Gaffney remains the home of the South Carolina Peach Festival.

Robinson said the detour route around Peachoid Road will go along Chesnee Highway (SC 11) and Whelchel Road. She said Peachoid Road is a frontage to I-85 and a small section needs a retaining wall due to a minor shift in alignment.

The Peachoid was commissioned by the Gaffney Board of Public Works, which in 2018 encircled it with a 6-foot tall chain-link fence to stop people from carving their initials into it and performing other acts of vandalism.
By Abinaya V

(Reuters) -Emergency services on the 911 telephone call line were restored late on Wednesday in parts of the United States, officials said, following a widespread outage across all of South Dakota and in parts of Nebraska, Nevada and Texas.

Officials in South Dakota, Nevada and Las Vegas said 911 services had been restored, but without identifying the cause of the failure.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission said in a post on X on Thursday that it was aware of reports of outages and that it was investigating.

The Department of Homeland Security has warned of increased risks of cyber attacks on 911 services as they have migrated to digital systems based on Internet Protocol standards.

Several cyberattacks targeting 911 systems have taken down the services in recent years, one of which, in 2017, paralyzed 911 centers in more than a dozen states.

The department of public safety in South Dakota, police in Las Vegas, the Nebraska county of Douglas and the Texas city of Del Rio had all reported 911 outages on Wednesday evening.

Del Rio police said the outage stemmed from an issue with a major cellular carrier, rather than civic systems.

Later, the Las Vegas police said their 911 service had been restored, with everyone who called during the outage having been called back and given assistance. Nevada police also said services were back up in the southern part of the state.

Authorities had also asked people not to call 911 as a test.

Requests for comment from the transportation department's office of emergency medical services, where the national 911 program is housed, were not immediately returned, nor were those sent to the Federal Communications Commission.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency also did not respond to requests for comment.

(Reporting by Abinaya Vijayaraghavan in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Brad Brooks in Longmont, Colorado; Additional reporting by Mrinmay Dey, Niluptal Timsina and Devika Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Michael Perry and Clarence Fernandez)
Residents of four states experienced 911 outages on Wednesday, impacting emergency calls in parts of Nevada, Nebraska, Texas and the entire state of South Dakota.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said Wednesday night that 911 calls from landlines were not working and instructed residents to use mobile devices to dial. The service was restored after two hours.

All of the individuals who called during the outage have been called back and provided assistance, the police said on social media platform X. Non-emergency calls are also working.

A few counties in Nebraska faced outages.

Buffalo County Sheriffs Office told residents to dial nonemergency numbers. Dundy County Sheriffs Office instructed people to use the administrative line, later updating that both landline and cellular 911 services were back on. Douglas County said there was a partial statewide outage of 911 calls. They provided an alternative number as some users heard a fast busy signal when calling.

The outages came during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, which highlights the important work being done by emergency telecommunication teams across the country.

An estimated 240 million are made to 911 each year, according to the National Emergency Number Association.

Del Rio Police Department in Texas said it was aware of the outages late Wednesday.

This issue is with the carrier and not the City of Del Rio systems, it said on Facebook. Our emergency services remain operational.

The South Dakota Department of Public Safety said the outage impacted residents throughout the state. They said that texting 911 was still operational in most locations.

County sheriff offices and local police could still be reached on their nonemergency lines.

A few hours later, the South Dakota Highway Patrol said service had been restored.

The Federal Communications Commission said on X it was aware of the outages and is investigating the matter.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Officials in Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota and Texas recommended that people use alternative methods in order to reach emergency operators while systems were down

Getty A person dialing 911 (stock photo)

Widespread 911 outages were reported across four states on Wednesday, April 17, according to officials.

Several parts of Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota and Texas lost access to emergency services in the evening, prompting authorities to ask the public to use alternative methods of reaching operators until service was restored hours later.

The South Dakota Department of Public Safety (DPS) announced on social media on Wednesday at around 10:40 p.m. CT that there had been a 911 service interruption throughout the state and that efforts were underway to resolve the issue.

Until then, the South Dakota DPS recommended that people text 9-1-1 instead. If that was not an option, they also recommended that citizens reach out to their local police and county sheriff offices emergency services using their non-emergency line.

Related: Dad Risks Life to Rescue Neighbor from Pennsylvania House Fire  and It Was All Caught on Video

About two hours later, the South Dakota DPS shared that service was restored to its 911 system and that it was fully operational and ready to respond promptly to any situation.

Other major cities, like Las Vegas, also were hit with an outage. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department shared on social media that around 7 p.m. PT there was a 911 outage that impacted outreach to emergency services.

The police department recommended that people still dial 911 on their cellphones so that emergency services could see the number and call people back. At the time, they noted they had no estimate for service restoration.

At around 10 p.m. PT, the police department shared that their 911 and non-emergency calls were once again working, and noted that all the people who had called the 911 emergency line had been responded to and received assistance.

Henderson, Nev., which is located just southeast of Las Vegas, also had a 911 outage, prompting the Henderson Police Department to ask people to text 911 and use Rapid SOS in the meantime.

Related: Frenchman Who Helped Fend Off Sydney Mall Attacker Is Offered Australian Citizenship Months Before Visa Expires

The police department in the City of Del Rio, Texas also shared on social media that there was a service outage impacting 911 calls at around 9 p.m. CT. However, the police noted that the outage was with a major cellular carrier affecting the ability to reach 911.

The department added, "This issue is with the carrier and not the City of Del Rio systems. Our emergency services remain operational. Though, they did not say which provider was down.

During the outage, the police said that those who were unable to reach 911 on their cellphones should use a landline or another carrier.

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.

There was also a 911 outage in Douglas County, Nebraska, according to KMTV. Officials said, per the outlet, that instead of being patched through to emergency services, callers will instead hear a fast busy signal after dialing 911. Officials recommended calling the Douglas County dispatcher line.

Authorities in the different states did not say what may have caused the 911 outages.



For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  The Abilene Police Department (APD) arrested a local father, accusing him of Child Endangerment after officers responded to a report of young children playing in a roadway without supervision.

APD selects 15-year Abilene officer Joel Harris to serve as 3rd assistant chief of police

Kristopher Haddad was booked into the Taylor County Jail Wednesday on three counts of second degree felony Abandon/ Endanger Child Imminent Danger of Bodily Injury.

Police told KTAB/KRBC young children were found playing in the roadway and called Child Protective Services to assist. It is unclear which roadway it was where the children were found.

Abilene police arrest Mississippi man in connection to local construction workers hit-&-run

After some time, officers located Haddad and arrested him. At the time of this report, Kristopher Haddad was still being held in the Taylor County Jail on $120,000 in bonds.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com.
By Ted Hesson

GOLDEN VALLEY, Arizona (Reuters) - A restrictive abortion ban revived in Arizona is providing a new opening for Democrats in the runup to the Nov. 5 election and putting Republicans in a tricky political bind as they try to win over moderates in the battleground state.

U.S. Representative Ruben Gallego, the leading Democratic candidate in a closely watched U.S. Senate race, has criticized Republican former President Donald Trump for paving the way for the Arizona Supreme Court last week to reinstate a near-total abortion ban based on an 1864 law written during the U.S. Civil War and when women lacked the right to vote.

The top Republican candidate in the race, former television newscaster Kari Lake, once praised the 1864 law, a stance Gallego highlighted in a new digital ad this week. Lake has since reversed her position and has spoken with Arizona lawmakers about overturning it, an adviser said.

Lake did not address abortion during her speech, however, and instead focused on Democratic President Joe Biden's handling of border security and other Republican priorities on Saturday outside a restaurant in Golden Valley, Arizona, in the state's staunchly conservative northwest corner.

Roughly 100 people gathered to hear Lake speak at Great American Pizza and Subs, an establishment that greets visitors outside with a mural promoting Trump's re-election campaign and inside with Trump-themed art and patriotic decor. A local group raffled off an assault rifle beforehand.

Lake blasted Biden's approach to border security as record numbers of migrants have been caught crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally during his presidency. She ripped Gallego for calling Trump's border wall "stupid" in 2017.

"My first act as U.S. senator will be to write a short piece of legislation that fully funds the border wall and expedites the construction immediately," Lake said to cheers.

Arizona is a swing state that could play a decisive role in the presidential race, as well as control of the U.S. Senate. Strategists in both parties said the ruling outlawing nearly all abortions would push moderate voters in Arizona toward Democrats, while also mobilizing young voters, women and voters of color.

Democratic efforts in the Arizona legislature on Wednesday to overturn the ban, which would take effect within 60 days, were blocked by Republicans.

Immigration is a top issue for voters and particularly animating for Republicans, Reuters/Ipsos polling shows. The issue could be especially relevant in Arizona, a border state where crossings have risen in the past year. Polls in recent months found Gallego with a slight edge against Lake.

State data shows 35% of Arizona voters are registered Republicans, 29% Democrats and 36% independent and other parties.

Lake ran through familiar themes - blaming the news media for opposition to Trump and hitting Biden for gas and food prices. She criticized "fake news media," singling out a Reuters journalist who appeared to be the only reporter in the crowd. One attendee suggested such reporters be charged with treason and arrested.

When asked about the state's abortion ban after her remarks, Lake told Reuters states should be able to decide their abortion laws, potentially leaving it available in some places.

"I'm pro-life and I'm not going to apologize that I want to save babies and help women," she said.

Robert Hall, the Trump-supporting owner of the restaurant where the event took place, backs conservative causes, including gun rights, and had a 9 mm pistol on his hip. When it comes to abortion, he said it should be legal but rare, adding he still plans to vote for Lake if she wins the Republican nomination.

"I personally believe that it's a woman's choice," he said. "That's between her and the Lord."

'TRUMP DID THIS'

Following the April 9 court decision reviving the 160-year-old abortion ban, the Biden campaign and Arizona Democrats raced to hammer Trump for opening the door to the ruling.

Trump appointed three conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices who in 2022 helped overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide.

Trump, like Lake, has tried to distance himself from the Arizona ruling, saying the court went too far.

Vice President Kamala Harris flew from Washington, D.C., to Tucson, on Friday to emphasize the Biden campaign's message blaming Trump. Gallego, a Latino and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who fought in Iraq, joined her on Air Force 2 and criticized Lake's earlier endorsement of the ban.

"Trump did this and Kari Lake was cheerleading the whole way," he said, speaking to reporters on the flight. "It doesn't matter what happens from now on. The voters are just not going to trust her."

Gallego said his internal campaign polling showed Latino voters, and younger Latinos especially, were concerned about abortion rights.

A third of Arizona residents are Hispanic, according to U.S. Census data, above the national average, and the community's median age is 27 - a decade younger than the median for Arizonans overall.

Jennifer Contreras, a 33-year-old school administrator in Tucson, told Reuters that she strongly opposes Trump's agenda, including the moves that led to Arizona's abortion ban.

Contreras, a queer woman born in Tucson to Mexican parents, said she planned to vote for Biden and Gallego even though they are not as progressive as she would prefer. She said her family members would follow her lead because they looked to her for guidance.

"If I vote, 10 other people vote the same way I do," she said.

While migrant arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border have been steady in recent months, the figures remain higher than under previous administrations. A spike in crossings could potentially elevate the issue, putting more pressure on Gallego.

Gallego has blamed Trump for fueling Republican opposition to a bipartisan U.S. Senate bill that aimed to step up border security.

"Donald Trump killed the border bill and Donald Trump killed our abortion protections," Gallego said on Friday aboard Air Force 2. "And these are the two things that are going to cost them in the election in Arizona."

At a remote stretch of the border near Sasabe, Arizona, on Sunday, Reuters encountered three dozen migrants from Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, India, Bangladesh and Albania. Gail Kocourek, a volunteer with the humanitarian group Tucson Samaritans, offered them water and food as they trekked along the border wall.

(Reporting by Ted Hesson in Golden Valley, Arizona; Editing by Mica Rosenberg, Mary Milliken and Aurora Ellis)
Advocates, legislators, and pregnant workers rally on Capitol Hill in support of The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act on Dec. 1, 2022 in Washington, D.C. The amendment was included in the federal spending bill signed by President Joe Biden at the end of the year. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for A Better Balance)

Rules on how employers can comply with a federal law that provides protections for pregnant workers are set to take effect in roughly two months.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission provided clarity to employers and employees about the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) on Monday. Under the statute, employers with 15 or more workers must grant pregnant workers requests for accommodations, as long as the changes dont pose undue hardship on the employer.

Congress passed the PWFA in December 2022, and the law took effect in June 2023. But the EEOC allowed considerable time for public comment on proposed rules.

Roughly 100,000 comments were submitted to the commission, including about 54,000 urging the agency to exclude abortion from the definition of pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, and some 40,000 supporting the inclusion of abortion.

Ultimately, the commission decided to include abortion as a condition for which workers can seek accommodations, such as time off. The decision was based on the plain text of the measure, according to a 400-page document explaining PWFA guidance. The rules will be published in the Federal Register on Friday, but they dont take effect until 60 days later.

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act is a win for workers, families, and our economy. It gives pregnant workers clear access to reasonable accommodations that will allow them to keep doing their jobs safely and effectively, free from discrimination and retaliation, said Charlotte Burrows, the EEOC chair, in a statement.

Under the law, pregnant workers and prospective employees should be allowed: water breaks, food breaks, restroom breaks, a stool to sit on while working, time off for doctors appointments, temporary reassignments and remote work, for example. Americans with jobs can also ask for accommodations when theyre recovering from abortion, lactation, infertility treatments, miscarriages and stillbirths.

Organizations that support gender equality in the workplace celebrated the rules finalization.

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act is a life-changing protection for pregnant and postpartum workers nationwide, ensuring they arent forced off the job or denied the accommodations they need for their health, said Dina Bakst, co-president of A Better Balance, in a statement. Baksts group has pushed for the legislations passage for more than a decade.

States Newsroom economy reporter Casey Quinlan previously reported that the law was crafted to address gaps in the civil rights measures, such as the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which prohibits discrimination against pregnant employees but requires someone to find a colleague who was given similar accommodations for comparison. A 2022 poll found that 1 in 5 mothers have experienced pregnancy discrimination at work.

This is an important moment for pregnant workers, those with pregnancy difficulties or complications, and those who are considering having a baby, said Jocelyn Frye, president of the National Partnership for Women and Families.

Frye said the rules will strengthen protections for millions of workers, in spite of recent extreme partisan attempts to overturn this bipartisan law. Abortion rights opponents criticized the determination that abortion counts as a pregnancy-related condition.

Adding this controversial provision into the PWFA is wrong. Period, said U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, a North Carolina Republican, in a statement this week. Abortion is not a medical condition related to pregnancy; it is the opposite. Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative law firm, said in August that the inclusion of abortion as a reasonable accommodation was federal overreach.

The law has also been subject to litigation. A federal judge recently blocked the enforcement of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act in Texas after Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton sued President Joe Bidens administration over its passage and other provisions in a 2022 $1.7 trillion spending package. Paxton argued that the act was unconstitutional because it was passed by proxy votes, Texas Tribune reported.

Adam Cyr, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Justice, declined to comment Wednesday on whether the agency will appeal the decision to the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Texas: Wont let you have an abortion but also wont do anything to help you have a safe and healthy pregnancy, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, a Pennsylvania Democrat, said in a statement to the Pennsylvania Capital-Star in February after the ruling. Casey co-sponsored the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and first introduced the bill in 2012.

The post Abortion included in pregnant workers protections law appeared first on Michigan Advance.
Accused drug dealer charged after authorities allegedly seize $33K, 43 lbs of fentanyl and more

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  A man who lives in Murray has been charged with drug crimes after agents reportedly seized more than 43 pounds of fentanyl pills, other narcotics and a large amount of cash, according to the Department of Justice.

Elder Alberto Ahumada-Castro, 29, is charged with four different counts  including possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, possession of heroin with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

READ NEXT: Utah couple arrested, indicted after allegedly defrauding customers out of more than $600K

According to the DOJ, Ahumada-Castro is a foreign national living in Murray, Utah. The District Attorneys Office said federal agents suspected him of distributing drugs throughout the Salt Lake Valley.

A man has been charged after officials found illegal drugs and a large amount of cash. When they executed the warrant, officials reportedly found 2800 blue M-30 fentanyl pills, about $33,000 and a larger amount of fentanyl pills that weighed 43 pounds and four ounces. (Drug Enforcement Agency)

On April 10, officers saw Ahumada-Castro staying at a motel in Murray and obtained a search warrant for both his car and his motel room.

When they executed the warrant, officials reportedly found 2,800 blue M-30 fentanyl pills, about $33,000 and a larger amount of fentanyl pills that weighed 43 pounds and four ounces. The pills that were found field tested positive for fentanyl and Ahumada-Castro was arrested.

Prior court documents claimed Ahumada-Castro possessed other substances  including cocaine, meth and heroin  with the intent to distribute them in Utah.

Both the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case.

After he was arrested, Ahumada-Castro was taken to the DEA office in Salt Lake City, where documents revealed that he admitted to knowing he had drugs in the hotel room.

Ahumada-Castro is scheduled to appear in court on April 22, and the case will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Holtan.

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.
A new agreement between the Pentagon and State Department will ease some restrictions for federally employed military spouses who want to take their careers with them when moving overseas.

The memo, signed during a White House ceremony Wednesday by Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks and Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma, strengthens the Domestic Employees Teleworking Overseas (DETO) program for military spouses.

We are enabling federally employed military spouses to work remotely from where their service member is stationed overseas and continue their professions with as little disruption as possible, Hicks said at the ceremony alongside First Lady Jill Biden.

That matters for military spouses who want to continue down their chosen career path. It matters for the economic well-being of our military families. It matters for our ability to retain valuable talent and expertise in the federal work force, and it matters for our national security, Hicks said.

All federal employees are prohibited from teleworking overseas without approval from their agency and the State Department. But a number of military spouses who have moved overseas on permanent change-of-station orders have been denied the ability to continue to work for a federal agency overseas under the DETO program, or have seen those agreements rescinded  costing tens of thousands of dollars in lost wages.

Some spouses previously told Military Times that military families were told to foot the bill for security requirements for federal telework overseas, sometimes costing upwards of $10,000.

Under the new agreement, DOD and State Department officials will work together to facilitate approval of telework arrangements for federal employees who are married to military and civilian DOD employees, and who plan to work remotely from their military-managed residences while overseas.

According to the White House and DOD, the State Department will now accept DODs safety and security standards, eliminating State Department inspections of military housing and shortening the time it takes to get a telework agreement approved. DOD already requires its overseas housing offices to inspect prospective residences outside of an installation to determine whether they are suitable for living.

DOD will also ensure that all required security or safety upgrades are covered by existing housing allowances, easing the burden on military families.

In addition, DOD will provide a range of security services normally carried out by regional security officers at U.S. embassies and consulates, such as emergency planning, evacuation assistance and initial incident response for serious incidents. This will also help streamline the residential safety and security screening requirements.

Julie Humphreys, an Army veteran and spouse, praised Jill Biden and the Joining Forces staff as key advocates for workplace flexibility in support of policies that enable spouses to continue to work with the federal government through telework.

This ensures military spouses like me dont have to sacrifice their careers to keep families together, Humphreys said.

Humphreys works as an attorney adviser for the State Department in Stuttgart, Germany under a telework agreement. She has been employed by State since 2013.

Biden said Humphreys has fought for many spouses on this issue, helping them navigate the DETO process as an expert and an advocate.

Since helping found Joining Forces a decade ago to support military families, Biden said, she has talked to many spouses about their struggles with employment amid the challenges of military life.

The pacts enactment comes nearly a year after President Joe Biden in June 2023 signed an executive order aimed at allowing military spouses who work for the federal government to transfer their jobs overseas.

With todays agreement, we are making that a reality, Jill Biden said. It is common sense and long overdue.

But the work doesnt end with this agreement, the First Lady said. While military spouses may not wear a uniform, she said, You serve our country also. And it is our responsibility to serve you.

It isnt just a moral obligation, but a national security imperative, she said.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 18. SpaceX may expand Starlink technologies in Kazakhstan, Trend reports.

This topic was discussed during a meeting between Bagdat Mussin, Minister of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan, and Rebecca Hunter, Starlink Global Licensing and Market Activation Director at SpaceX.

The parties also discussed issues of equipping rural schools with broadband Internet and developing digital projects.

To date, 447 rural schools are provided with Internet using Starlink technology, and after installing terminals, the average Internet speed in schools reaches 200 Mbit/s.

The Starlink Internet network is available to users in 47 countries, including North America, Europe, the Far East, and Australia. According to the Pentagon, the services of these satellites are also actively used by the American military.

It was previously reported that Transtelecom plans to build five base stations for Starlink in Kazakhstan. They should be located in Astana, Almaty, Aktau, Uralsk, and Kyzylorda.
Rep. Mike Levin  one of Californias few vulnerable Democratic House members  called for a change in Israeli leadership on Thursday.

It appears to me that new leaders are needed, Levin said to a small group of reporters, adding that he thinks the current leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are not ultimately leading to a more peaceful outcome in the region.

Levin is endorsed by the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, an influential pro-Israel group that has launched campaigns across the country to unseat elected officials calling for a permanent cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. Levin is also the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committees only listed vulnerable frontliner from California.

AIPAC declined to comment on Levin's remarks.

The moderate Democrat represents a district in San Diego and Orange counties. He won election to a third term in 2022 with 52.6 percent of the vote. In 2024, he will face Republican Matt Gunderson, who has previously attacked Levin for not wholeheartedly backing Israel. And the National Republican Congressional Committee has blasted Levin on the issue.

Levins comments come after Iran launched a missile attack on Israel over the weekend  and as he faces pressure from protesters in his district to call for an immediate and permanent cease-fire.



Back in March, Levin called for a temporary cease-fire to allow humanitarian aid to get into Gaza, which he called imperative alongside providing military funds to Israel to defend itself against Hamas. He has supported a cease-fire in conjunction with the release of Israeli hostages.

"We need a leader in Israel who is committed to a two-state solution, Levin said on Thursday. On the other side, Hamas cannot stay in power.

More Democrats have started to drift from their previous steadfast backing of Israel. Most notably, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer faced backlash after criticizing Netanyahus handling of the war in Gaza and calling for new elections to replace the prime minister.

But Levin separated himself from Schumers remarks, which he said could discourage current Israeli leaders ability to call for a fair election. It needs to be the decision of the Israeli people, he said.
Air-raid warning spreads across Ukraine: Explosions in Dnipro

Ukrainian authorities have issued an air-raid warning in the country's northern, eastern, southern and central oblasts. Media report explosions in the city of Dnipro.

Source: alerts.in.ua; Ukraine's Air Force on Telegram; Suspilne

Quote Air Force: "Attention! A threat of the use of ballistic missiles from the east! A missile threat in Kyiv and Chernihiv oblasts!"

Details: As of 10:40 (Kyiv time), air-raid warning has been issued in 12 out of Ukraine's 24 oblasts.

Suspilne reports that explosions have been heard in Dnipro.

Updated: The all-clear was given at 11:09 in Kyiv and Chernihiv Oblasts.

"Attention! Missile attack from the east continues! Stay in shelters!", the Air Force reported.

The all-clear was given at 12:35. The air-raid warning was in effect for more than 2 hours.

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Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, discusses a supplemental appropriation for the 2024 Education Trust Fund budget in the Alabama House of Representatives on April 16, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)

Representatives of education groups were divided Wednesday over a bill that creates guidelines for students exclusion from classrooms.

SB 157, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, is a Teachers Bill of Rights that establishes specific reasons a child can be excluded from a classroom, including disorderly conduct; threats to a teacher or staffer or willful disobedience. The legislation outlines a process to take a child out of a classroom with punishments that can go up to transfers to an alternative school. The bill also provides a readmission and appeals process.



It will authorize teachers to exclude disruptive students under certain circumstances, said Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, who carried the bill in committee.

The House Education Policy Committee did not vote on the legislation on Wednesday. The Senate approved the bill on April 5.



An amendment was also discussed at the meeting, which among other changes would require that a teacher first follow an approved classroom management plan and limit disciplinary decisions for a student removed twice in a semester to a principal.



Several states have increased punishments for disruptive students since the end of the pandemic.

The debate over the bill revolved around actions teachers could take versus local school board autonomy. Proponents of the bill said that disruptive students were an issue for classrooms and contributed to the teacher shortage.

Kristy Shaw, a first grade teacher, said that a student who was repeatedly disruptive in her classroom impacted the learning of other students.

Valuable instructional time was lost, she said.

Allison King, government relations manager for the Alabama Education Association, told a story about a teacher who was physically injured in the classroom by a young student. She said administrators took no action, leading to the teachers resignation.

I could give you dozens of stories just like this one, she said.

Other members of the education community said that the issues around student discipline would be better addressed locally.

Ryan Hollingsworth, executive director of School Superintendents of Alabama, said that many of his concerns were addressed in the amendment. But he said the legislation could interfere with codes of conduct that he said should be handled locally.

I probably dont have the authority, but I would love to move the bill to place this bill in a subcommittee, he said.

Randy Smalley, a member of the Tuscaloosa County School Board and a district director for the Alabama Association of School Boards, said the bill disregards local disciplinary procedures. He also said the bill conflicted with pending student due process bills that AASB supports.

With this process that we have in play as our school policy, we have not had one parent come and argue in non-support of what the recommendation of expulsion or suspension is, he said.

Vic Wilson, executive director of Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools, said that his wife left the classroom over discipline issues, so he asked her permission to speak against the bill. He said that what King spoke of was terrible but should have been handled locally.

Those administrators failed, he said.

He said he wants to make sure that teachers can teach, but he doesnt want it to come from state legislation. He also took issue what he called a a two-strikes policy in the bill.



If a student is excluded from the classroom twice in one semester, then to return, the principle, teacher and, if possible, parent or guardian will have a meeting; the teacher and principal agree on a course of discipline; and the parent or guardian must be informed.

The bill also outlines the path for further infractions. The amendment would make the change of only the principal setting a course of disciplinary action.

Garrett took issue with looking at the bill as two-strikes, which requires being removed from the classroom twice. He said that currently the policies are more reactive than proactive.

Chair Terri Collins, R-Decatur, said that they would not be voting Wednesday due to the changes.

The bill needs two legislative days to pass the House. There are seven days left in the 2024 legislative session.

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The post At an Alabama House committee meeting, a divide over a student exclusion bill appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, speaks during a debate on a bill aimed at preserving in vitro fertilization services in Alabama in the Alabama House of Representatives at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama on Feb. 29, 2024. The House approved a bill providing criminal and civil immunity to IVF providers, following an Alabama Supreme Court ruling that caused many programs to close their doors. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)

Alabamians sentenced to death by a judge who rejected a jurys recommendation of a life sentence will remain on death row for now.

The House Judiciary Committee Wednesday rejected HB 27, sponsored by Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, which would have retroactively applied a 2017 law that ended judicial override.

The vote was 9-4, with all Republicans present for the meeting voting against the measure and all four Democrats voting for it.

I think, to a certain degree, it is an honest philosophical difference in the purpose of sentencing, capital punishment, and how people are sentenced to death in Alabama, England said to reporters following the meeting.

The Alabama Legislature in 2017 passed legislation sponsored by former Sen. Dick Brewbaker, R-Pike Road, that barred judges from sentencing a person to death for capital murder if the jury recommended life without the possibility of parole.

England proposed legislation that same year that would have not only prohibited judicial override, like the bill proposed by Brewbaker, but also made it retroactive. Englands 2017 bill would have also required unanimous jury verdicts to impose the death penalty. Alabama currently requires 10 of 12 jurors to impose capital punishment.

Englands bill did not pass.

Since then, England has filed legislation seeking to restore the two elements that were left out of his original proposal. Former Alabama Govs. Robert Bentley, a Republican, and Don Siegelman, a Democrat, both voiced support for HB 27 in a statement to al.com.

The legislation would apply to 33 people currently sentenced to death. As of February, there were 169 people  164 men and five women  on Alabamas death row, according to the Alabama Department of Corrections.

Opposition fell into two camps, with many unwilling to review the cases to challenge what the court believed is an appropriate punishment.

The law that was in effect at that time allowed for judicial override, and these judges, in their discretion, overrode, said Rep. Jim Hill, R-Odenville, chair of the Judiciary Committee. Consequently, it is very difficult for me to second guess, or in effect, override, that which the judge overrode.

Others said those sentenced to death deserved it.

Remember the impact on the victim and their families, said Rep. Jerry Starnes, R-Prattville as he read out three murder cases that involved robbery or sexual assault.

England then told members he sympathized with the victims and that he has experience with losing people to violence.

As an attorney, I have a keen respect for the process, the procedure of law, he said. Even if I dont like the result, I have to respect it.

But England also noted that in judicial override sentences, the jury heard exactly what the circumstances of those incidents were, and they decided those individuals deserved life without parole.

The jury that convicted Kenneth Eugene Smith, executed by nitrogen gas earlier this year for his role in the 1988 murder-for-hire of Elizabeth Sennett, originally recommended he be sentenced to life without parole. The trial judge imposed the death penalty.

I dont think it is any secret I am not a fan of the death penalty, and if this law had been in effect, if judicial override was illegal in Alabama, Alabama would not have been the first state to gas someone to death, England said.

England said that, without accusing Hill, a former judge, that judgeships are political positions. He noted that it was politically popular for some judges to sentence someone to death because it became, I am not soft on crime.

Despite the loss, England said he will continue to propose legislation to address those who remain on death row because of judicial override.

I am going to keep pushing that rock up the hill, he said.

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The post Alabama House Judiciary Committee rejects bill making judicial override ban retroactive appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Thousands of Alabama Mercedes-Benz workers will vote in May to determine if they want United Auto Workers (UAW) union representation.

The election is set for May 13-17 and will be held in person in Vance, Ala. The National Labor Relations Board, which will administer the vote, will count the ballots on May 17.

The vote comes as around 4,300 workers at the Volkswagen factory in Chattanooga, Tenn., are voting this week on union representation, the results of which are expected Friday.

The development is part of UAWs push to unionize workers at auto manufacturing factories in Southern states.

Workers at our plant are ready for this moment, said Jeremy Kimbrell, a Mercedes worker at the Alabama plant. We are ready to vote yes because we are ready to win our fair share. We are going to end the Alabama discount and replace it with what our state actually needs. Workers sticking together and sticking by our community.

Mercedes-Benz said the company supports the vote.

MBUSI fully respects our Team Members choice whether to unionize and we look forward to participating in the election process to ensure every Team Member has a chance to cast their own secret-ballot vote, as well as having access to the information necessary to make an informed choice, a Mercedes-Benz spokesperson said in a statement to The Hill.

UAW secured pay hikes last year after striking against the former Big Three automakers. The union reached an agreement with Ford, General Motors and Stellantis in late October, a product of six weeks of strikes.

Earlier this week, six Southern state governors warned workers that by joining the UAW, they are risking their job security and the values we live by.

As Governors, we have a responsibility to our constituents to speak up when we see special interests looking to come into our state and threaten our jobs and the values we live by, Republican Govs. Bill Lee (Tenn.), Kay Ivey (Ala.), Brian Kemp (Ga.), Tate Reeves (Miss.), Henry McMaster (S.C.) and Greg Abbott (Texas) wrote.

Updated at 5:28 pm EST.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
An Albany, New York, police officer was shot early Wednesday after attempting to pull over a vehicle before he returned fire, killing the driver, authorities said.

Police Chief Eric Hawkins said the officer had witnessed a speeding vehicle just before 12:30 a.m. A short pursuit ensued, and the driver refused to stop, Hawkins said. A short time later, the officer saw the vehicle parked along a road.

The officer, footage from his body-worn camera reveals, approached the vehicle. When he was about 5 feet away, the driver emerged from the car and "immediately" started firing at the officer, striking him in the upper thigh.

The officer immediately returned fire, striking the suspect, Hawkins said.

Both the officer and the suspect were transported to Albany Medical Center Hospital. The suspect was pronounced deceased at 1:13 a.m. The officer underwent surgery and was later reported as alert and conscious.

Police Chief Eric Hawkins shows the officer's body-worn camera footage of his encounter with the suspect.

"We just experienced one of an officer's worst nightmares, and that is being ambushed performing a routine part of their duties," he said.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Hawkins said he looked at footage from the officer's body-worn camera. "There's no other way to describe this, but an ambush," he said. "This officer was doing exactly what he was supposed to be doing."

SUBURBAN ST. LOUIS OFFICER FATALLY SHOOTS 18-YEAR-OLD WHO KILLED MAN AT GAS STATION

The footage, released by Albany police, shows the officer approaching a vehicle with its driver-side door open when a man emerges from behind the car with his arm raised and pointed at the officer. Two loud bangs are heard, and the officer begins to run away, making pained noises before saying "shots fired" as the video cuts off.

Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said at the news conference that there are indications that the man "is somebody with a troubled history, not necessarily a criminal history."

She said she was grateful that she was able to speak to the officer.

"This was not what he expected to happen today during his shift," she said.

The Albany Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digitals request for comment.

The names of the officer and the suspect have not been released.





Original article source: Albany, New York, police officer shot in ambush during traffic stop attempt; suspect dead: officials
Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute will host its fifth monthly cancer screening of 2024 on Saturday, May 4, at AHN West Penn Hospitals Mellon Pavilion, Suite 322, 4800 Friendship Avenue in Pittsburghs Bloomfield neighborhood.

The event is open to both AHN and non-AHN patients. Registration for the event is now open and closes on April 26, or until all appointments are filled. Reservations must be made by calling 412-359-6665.

Screenings for the following cancers will be available: breast cancer (for ages 40+), cervical cancer (ages 21-65), colorectal cancers (age 45+), head and neck cancers (age 18+), lung cancer (ages 50-77 with a history of smoking), prostate cancer (ages 45+), and skin cancer (ages 18+).

In 2023, the cancer screening event at West Penn drew 98 participants who received a total of 202 screenings. Of those screenings, 158 yielded normal results while 44 were flagged as abnormal. Patients who receive abnormal test results are advised to undergo further investigational testing.

The AHN Cancer Institute has been offering free, one-stop comprehensive cancer screenings since 2014. Because of the programs success and the ongoing need for early detection, three years ago the program was expanded to offer monthly screenings on Saturdays across Western Pennsylvania.

AHN also holds weekday comprehensive cancer screening clinics for insured patients at Jefferson Hospital (Tuesdays) and Forbes Hospital (Wednesdays). Patients can call 412-325-9015 to schedule an appointment for the Jefferson and Forbes weekly screenings.

Following the West Penn event, a screening will be held on June 8 at Premier Medical Associates in Monroeville. For more information, click here.

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A year after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced 34 felony charges against Donald Trump, the former president's trial is about to begin. Yet people are still arguing about how to describe the case. This debate is not merely rhetorical. It reflects the disconnect between the counts that Trump faces, all of which allege falsification of business records, and the essence of his crime as Bragg sees it, which is hiding negative information from voters.

"Although it has long been referred to as the 'hush money' case," says CNN legal analyst Norman Eisen, "that is wrong. We should call it an 'election interference' trial going forward."

The reason people call it a "hush money case," of course, is that it would not exist but for the $130,000 that Trump lawyer Michael Cohen paid porn star Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 presidential election to keep her from talking about her alleged affair with Trump. But Eisen, who served as co-counsel to the House Judiciary Committee during Trump's first impeachment, joins Bragg in arguing that the significance of the case transcends those tawdry details.

"We allege falsification of business records to the end of keeping information away from the electorate," Bragg said in a January interview with NY1. "It's an election interference case." That sounds important, and it calls to mind the federal charges based on Trump's audacious attempts to remain in office after he lost the 2020 presidential election. But this characterization, which Bragg started emphasizing after Special Counsel Jack Smith unveiled the federal indictment last August, is hard to take seriously.

"As this office has done time and time again, we today uphold our solemn responsibility to ensure that everyone stands equal before the law," Bragg said when he announced the New York indictment in April 2023. "No amount of money and no amount of power changes that enduring principle." Underlining that point, Bragg added: "These are felony crimes in New York. No matter who you are. We cannot normalize serious criminal conduct."

Bragg was on firm ground in arguing that felonies are felonies. But why was this "serious criminal conduct"? Bragg's explanation was underwhelming: "True and accurate business records are important everywhere, to be sure. They are all the more important in Manhattan, the financial center of the world."

In addition to that eye-glazing gloss, Bragg presented the seed of his "election interference" argument. "We allege Donald Trump and his associates repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal damaging information and unlawful activity from American voters," he said.

Mary McCord, executive director of the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown University Law Center, echoes that take in a recent New York Times discussion of the case. "The falsification of business records seems rock-solid based on the documentary evidence," she says. "The question for the jurors will be Trump's knowledge and intent." McCord thinks "it's a very winnable case for the D.A." because prosecutors "will give the jurors plenty of evidence" that Trump's motive in falsifying business records was "to prevent information damaging to candidate Trump from becoming public just weeks before the 2016 election."

If you read the indictment and the accompanying statement of facts, you will notice a glaring chronological problem with that account: The criminal conduct that Bragg alleges all happened after the 2016 election. Since Trump was already president, ensuring that outcome could not have been his motive.

Beginning in February 2017, the indictment says, Trump reimbursed Cohen for the hush money with a series of checks, which he disguised as payment for legal services. The indictment counts each of those checks, along with each of the corresponding invoices and ledger entries, as a distinct violation of a state law that makes falsification of business records "with intent to defraud" a misdemeanor.

Since all of this happened after Trump was elected, it is clearly not true that the allegedly phony records "conceal[ed] damaging informationfrom American voters" in 2016 or that the "falsification of business records" was aimed at "keeping information away from the electorate," thereby helping Trump defeat Hillary Clinton. Eisen concedes this temporal difficulty:

Election interference skeptics contend the charges here are for document falsification by the Trump organization in 2017, after the 2016 election concluded, to hide what happened the year before from being revealed. How can we call this an election interference trial, they ask, if the election was already over when the 34 alleged document falsification crimes occurred?

Those skeptics, Eisen says, overlook the fact that "the payment to Daniels was itself allegedly illegal under federal and state law" and "was plainly intended to influence the 2016 election." Although Cohen "was limited by law to $2,700 in contributions to the campaign," Eisen writes, "he transferred $130,000 to benefit the campaign, allegedly at Trump's direction. That is why Cohen pleaded guilty to federal campaign finance violations (in addition to other offenses), for which he was incarcerated. And no one can seriously dispute that the reason he and Trump allegedly hatched the scheme was to deprive voters of information that could have changed the outcome of an extremely close election."

Eisen glosses over the difficulty of distinguishing between personal and campaign expenditures in this context, which is crucial in proving a violation of federal campaign finance regulations. That difficulty helps explain why the Justice Department never prosecuted Trump for allegedly directing Cohen to make an excessive campaign contribution. Contrary to what Eisen says, there is a serious dispute about whether Trump "knowingly and willfully" violated federal election law.

In any case, it is too late to prosecute that alleged crime. And even if it weren't, Bragg would have no authority to enforce federal law.

Falsification of business records can be treated as a felony only if the defendant's "intent to defraud includes an intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof." Bragg has mentioned a violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act as one possible candidate for "another crime." But it is plausible that Trump did not think paying off Daniels was illegal. If so, it is hard to see how his falsification of business records could have been aimed at concealing "another crime," even assuming that phrase includes violations of federal law, which also is not clear.

The legality of the hush payment is uncertain because it turns on whether Trump was trying to promote his election or trying to avoid personal embarrassment and spare his wife's feelings. The same ambiguity poses a challenge for Bragg in trying to convict Trump of felonies rather than misdemeanors: Did he falsify business records to cover up another crime or simply to keep his wife in the dark?

As Bragg sees it, Trump "corrupt[ed] a presidential election" by hiding information that voters might have deemed relevant in choosing between him and Clinton. But there is nothing inherently illegal about that: If Trump had persuaded Daniels to keep her mouth shut simply by asking nicely, the result would have been the same. Bragg's "election interference" narrative, insofar as it makes legal sense at all, requires showing that Trump not only tried to prevent a scandal but committed one or more crimes toward that end.

"People want the hush money case to be the big case that can take down Trump because it may be the only one that goes to trial before the election," UCLA election law expert Richard Hasen, one of the "skeptics" to whom Eisen alludes, writes in the Los Angeles Times. But "the charges are so minor I don't expect they will shake up the presidential race."

Hasen rejects Bragg's "election interference" framing. "Failing to report a campaign payment is a small potatoes campaign-finance crime," he says. "Willfully not reporting expenses to cover up an affair isn't 'interfering' with an election along the lines of trying to get a secretary of state to falsify vote totals, or trying to get a state legislature to falsely declare there was fraud in the state and submit alternative slates of electors. We can draw a fairly bright line between attempting to change vote totals to flip a presidential election and failing to disclose embarrassing information on a government form."

Although "I certainly understand the impulse of Trump opponents to label this case as one of election interference," Hasen adds, "any voters who look beneath the surface are sure to be underwhelmed. Calling it election interference actually cheapens the term and undermines the deadly serious charges in the real election interference cases."

The post Alvin Bragg's 'Election Interference' Narrative Is Nonsensical appeared first on Reason.com.
'It was amazing.' NY state troopers help deliver baby in Lowe's parking lot

Two state troopers recently helped a woman give birth to a baby girl in a Lowe's parking lot.

Romulus residents Dave and Ashley Finnemore were on their way to the hospital Monday morning but, according to Gerald Clingerman, a new grandfather once again, his son-in-law and daughter pulled over in a Lowes parking lot in Seneca County because she didnt think she could wait until the hospital to deliver her baby.

Clingerman, Wayne Countys Democratic elections commissioner, said they called 911 and two troopers in the area, along with a Border City firefighter, rushed over to help.

It happened so fast, Clingerman said. Im just happy that everyone is well. Theres no complications.

Two New York state troopers Alexander Mullen and Joseph Vinci helped Ashley Finnemore give birth to her daughter on Monday, April 15, 2024, in a Lowe's parking lot.

North Seneca Ambulance also showed up in the Lowes parking lot to transport the newborn and her mother to the hospital, according to the state troopers release.

On Wednesday, Border City firefighter Rebecca Weber was "on cloud nine" remembering her encounter with the Finnemores at Lowe's.

Weber was putting her children on the school bus around 7:45 a.m. Monday when her pager went off, alerting her to a woman in active labor at Lowes. It was a three- to five-minute drive away.

I rushed my kids on the bus, she said. I got in my car. I got to Lowes. As soon as I got there, I could hear her screaming. I followed the sound.

She saw Troopers Joseph Vinci and Alexander Mullen, identified herself and tried to help Finnemore slow down her breathing. Weber, Vinci and Mullen soon were greeting a newborn girl.

All I can say is within two minutes of being there that beautiful baby was born at 7:52, Weber said. It was just an experience of a lifetime seeing a little tiny human take their first breath of life. It was amazing. Im on cloud nine.

Vinci and Mullen were not available for comment on Wednesday, but they both have big grins in a picture of them with the new parents and their child at the hospital.

Clingerman said his daughter and new granddaughter were heading home on Wednesday.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: NY state troopers help deliver baby in Lowe's parking lot
AUSTIN (KXAN)  Theres no such thing as an empty field for Matt McCaw and John Davis.

As they walk through a portion of the Louis Rene Barrera Indiangrass Wildlife Sanctuary in east Austin documenting new growth, they see history and discovery.

McCaw and Davis are some of the sanctuarys guardians. Theyre with the Austin Parks and Recreation Department, which is responsible for managing the nearly 300 acres that make up the preserve.

Matt McCaw and John Davis with the Austin Parks and Recreation Department walk through the Louis Rene Barrera Indiangrass Wildlife Sanctuary in East Austin.

The management purpose is restoration and conservation of Blackland Prairie, which was the historic vegetation community in this area before European settlement, said McCaw, whos an environmental conservation program manager with Austin Parks and Recreation.

It is work the men believe passes their passion on to others.

Austin Code busy with illegal dumping as trash piles up outside wildlife sanctuary

People come to preserves to have their senses put back in tune again and be in tune with nature, said Davis, a conservation outreach coordinator for the preserves system with Austin Parks and Recreation.

But a sour note lingers just outside the sanctuary: illegal dumping.

A big pile of trash, from household goods to furniture and construction material, sits outside the sanctuary on Blue Bluff Road. Items are also discarded on other parts of Blue Bluff and nearby roads.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

The trash is not just an eyesore, but dangerous to wildlife and the environment, Davis said.

If you look around in this trash, youll see cans of paint, polyurethane. Youll see dirty diapers, all kinds of contaminants come in this kind of waste pile, Davis said. These chemicals can make their way into the soil and then ultimately find their way into our drinking water.

KXAN first reported the illegal dumping on roads east of Lake Walter E. Long earlier this month after avid cyclist Doug Ballew contacted KXAN frustrated over the trash along his route.

Its just something that we always talk about on our rides and how bad it is, Ballew said at the time.

Days after our story aired, city cleanup crews started picking up other peoples discarded junk, everything from cans to couches to bags of coconuts.

City crews clean up illegally dumped trash along Lindell Lane in East Austin (KXAN Photo/Richie Bowes)

Included in the trash collected, bags of coconuts (KXAN Photo/Richie Bowes)

City crews plan to clean three roads east of Lake Walter E. Long that Austin Code considers hot spots for dumping (KXAN Photo/Richie Bowes)

City records show Austin got nearly 3500 complaints of illegal dumping since the start of last year (KXAN Photo/Richie Bowes)

Heavy equipment picks up everything from furniture to construction materials along Lindell Lane in East Austin (KXAN Photo/Richie Bowes)

Austin Code told KXAN Investigator Mike Rush it had been investigating dumping in the area before Ballew complained to KXAN, and the work was already scheduled on Lindell Lane, Blue Bluff and Bloor Roads.

Theyre all frequent dumping spots, according to Austin Code.

Man, thats great progress. I cant wait to get back out there and see it, said Ballew upon hearing of the cleanup.

According to Austin city records, dumping citywide is far-reaching and frequent, with 3,423 reports to 311 of dumping throughout Austin since the start of 2023.

While the issue will never go away, Ballew believes the cleanup is a step in the right direction.

It also addresses a matter very personal to McCaw and Davis.

We dedicate our lives to trying to manage habitat so we have good, clean habitat for people to enjoy and clean water and its really frustrating when we see things like this happen, Davis said.

KXAN Investigates requested records from the City of Austin showing how much the cleanup on those three streets costs. Well update this article when we hear back.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, April 18. Kyrgyzstan Railways, a state enterprise, generated a net profit of 2.628 billion soms ($29.415 million) from transportation services in 2023, Trend reports.

The business claims that this figure has doubled since 2022. During the reporting period, tax payments totaling 754.331 million soms ($8.442 million) were sent to the country's republican budget, exceeding the 2022 level by 213.842 million soms. The figure for 2022 was 540.489 million soms ($6.049 million).

Furthermore, 515.661 million soms ($5.771 million) were sent to the Social Fund in 2023, representing a 41.878 million soms ($468,696) increase over the previous year's transfer of 473.783 million soms.

Furthermore, in 2023, a state-owned firm moved 9.367 million tons of freight and 247,000 people.

According to the State Statistical Committee of Kyrgyzstan, the volume of goods transported by all modes of transport in Kyrgyzstan amounted to 51.033 million tons in 2023, increasing by 6.8 million tons, or 15.3 percent, compared to 2022.

Passenger transportation by all modes of transport in Kyrgyzstan amounted to 574.708 million people in 2023, which is an increase of 9 percent compared to 2022.

Kyrgyz Railway runs approximately 320 kilometers of single track lines (for a total track length of 428 kilometers). After the Soviet Union disbanded, Kyrgyz Railways acquired 2,500 freight vehicles, 450 passenger carriages, and 50 locomotives from the Soviet railways. However, the 1998 financial crisis significantly curtailed expenditure on trains. The current rail network is based on the legacy from the former Soviet Union, and so has a broad gauge of 1,520 mm.
(Bloomberg) --

Most Read from Bloomberg

In his six years as Mexicos president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador gave his countrys military two important jobs: build infrastructure works to supercharge the economy and rein in violent crime.

By the end of his presidency, he will have accomplished only one  and left the other worse than ever.

AMLO, as the president is known, has used Mexicos armed forces to build airports, construct a nearly 1,000-mile long railroad through the Mayan jungle, and create a state-owned airline. Those initiatives are likely to burnish his economic legacy as he prepares to leave office following this Junes presidential election.

Yet Lopez Obrador will leave another legacy as well. His administration has presided over the bloodiest term in the nations recent history, with more than 170,000 homicides since he took office in 2018 through February. That is a 26% increase from the 135,345 murders during the term of his predecessor, Enrique Pena Nieto. And it has happened despite the combined budgets of the armed forces  the Ministries of Defense, Navy and the National Guard  being boosted by 150%.

This government had the largest legal tools, institutional backup and budget than any other administration, and all the numbers are the worst, said independent Senator Emilio Alvarez Icaza. Were seeing the worst numbers in homicides, in disappeared, in femicide. So the question is, what did they do?

Nearly all of the extra funds AMLOs administration provided to the military were directed to refashioning the armed forces into a construction behemoth, according to an analysis by Bloomberg News and Presupuesta Policy Consulting SA. This is the most in-depth assessment of the militarys resources and spending priorities to date. Meanwhile, as heists, kidnappings and extortions proliferated, the budget to train and deploy soldiers remained practically unchanged in real terms.

A separate public security ministry  which finances certain civilian-run public security efforts including the federal prison system  spent nearly 55% less during Lopez Obradors administration than Pena Nietos, and roughly 12% less than during Calderons term. The ministry receives funding for the National Guard, which Bloomberg did not include in this calculation since it is operated by the military.

While the president is flanked by top brass from Mexicos Defense Ministry and Navy at various ribbon cuttings, cartels have been left to effectively run pockets of Mexican society. They charge locals for everything from Wi-Fi connections to water usage and even the right to have a party. Since the start of this years presidential election season on March 1, nearly 400 people connected to politics have been threatened or kidnapped, according to Mexico City-based consultancy Integralia. At least 24 have been murdered.

All of that has made public safety a top issue for voters. One recent poll said 46% feel security has gotten worse during AMLOs term, and 74% think the government is very corrupt. Its also ratcheted up tensions with the US, where migration across its southern border with Mexico and the influx of fentanyl-laced drugs are top issues in the presidential race between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

That leaves Mexicos next president  be it AMLOs protege and overwhelming favorite Claudia Sheinbaum or opposition candidate Xochitl Galvez  with limited options for reining in the militarys spending and reach, at least in the short term. In 2022, AMLO changed the constitution to allow the military to handle public security until at least 2028.

He made it really hard for the next administration to walk everything back unless they have a wide majority in congress, said Lisa Sanchez, head of Mexico Unido Contra la Delincuencia, a think tank that published a report called The Business of Militarization. Their economic and political empowerment carries other risks  theyre a much more powerful force than they used to be.

The Presidents office and the Defense Ministry did not respond to a request for comment on this article. Theres talk that the army and the navy are involved in everything, Lopez Obrador said during one of his regular morning press conferences in January. Its not about militarizing the country. Its about relying on two institutions that are pillars of the Mexican nation and that have helped us deliver in our responsibility to govern.

In an interview, Arturo Zaldivar, the former head of the Supreme Court who is now helping Sheinbaum design her security strategy, said that the armed forces have always been loyal in Mexico, but as far as infrastructure-building goes, wed maybe have to re-calculate the role these institutions have. It was important for them to intervene, and well have to see if theres reason for them to stay.

On Friday, during Acapulcos Banking Convention, Sheinbaum said she did believe the National Guard  whose members can be seen patrolling Mexico Citys subways and beaches all over the country  should remain under the Secretary of Defense while existing separate from the army. However, she said she hasnt yet determined whether several state-owned companies will remain under the armed forces jurisdiction or be placed in civilian hands.

Whoever wins, Xochitl or Claudia, is going to face a lot of problems in ruling this country, said Maria Elena Morera, activist and head of Causa en Comun AC, a nonprofit that studies security and other issues. With the military, they have so much power now  maybe they can reach an agreement thats good for them. But its going to be hard to take away all those businesses, and they were the ones who really insisted in handling the countrys security.

The Public Budget

The program had a very official-sounding name: National Security Government Infrastructure Projects. But rather than funding infrastructure works that serve the public like a train line or new airport, the investment program funds upgrades and expansions of the military's footprint.

During AMLOs administration, the Defense Ministry used the funding to build new air and military bases and remodeled and expanded military hospitals, according to Bloombergs analysis of military spending. It also modified a ranch to include an equine reproduction center, added a cargo elevator for a gym at its headquarters in Lomas de Sotelo in Mexico City and built a diving center in Cozumel, among other projects.

Whats also notable is that the military ultimately spent 288% more for the program than the 35.4 billion pesos, or about $2.1 billion, that Congress originally approved from 2019 to 2022. That meant the military infrastructure program accounted for 22% of the Defense Ministrys annual budget, a leap from the 1% to 3% that was typically allocated during the Calderon and Pena Nieto years.

The Navys National Security Government Infrastructure Projects program, meanwhile, now only accounts for 1.5% of its ministrys overall budget. Thats less than the 2.5% during the Calderon years and the 4.3% during the Pena Nieto era.

The Defense ministry was able to spend more than was allotted for such projects through whats known as an amendment  a tool that lets a ministry change the budget without Congresss approval, as is the case in many other countries. Congress is only informed about amendments in rare circumstances where the changes exceed 5% of a given governmental branchs budget, according to Aura Martinez, an information coordinator at the Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency.

Defense has been an avid user of amendments, spending 27% more than Congress approved from 2019 to 2022, according to the analysis.

Wed never seen so many spending mechanisms made available to the armed forces as were seeing now, Sanchez said. Defenses overspending equals all of the Labor Ministrys annual budget.

While hes spending more on the military, Lopez Obradors priorities have differed from those of his predecessors. Historically, Mexican presidents have devoted nearly 50% of the Defense administrations budget to training, recruiting and deploying soldiers, and buying weapons. Under Lopez Obradors administration, that share of the budget, in real terms, will have fallen to 17%.

Instead, 51% of the Defense and Navys combined budgets of 331 billion pesos in 2024 was earmarked for infrastructure projects.

Nearly half of the 259 billion pesos that Defense got this year will be used to finish the third of the Maya Train line its in charge of building. The railway is designed to ferry passengers between tourism hotspots like Cancun and Merida, and to hotels the military is building and operating deep in the Mayan jungle.

Another chunk will go to operating the new state-owned airline as well as managing airports near Mexico City and Tulum.

Much of the militarys business operations are housed under a government-run company called Grupo Aeroportuario, Ferroviario, de Servicios Auxiliares y Conexos, Olmeca-Maya-Mexica SA  better known as Gafsacomm. AMLO created the conglomerate in 2022 to oversee most government-built infrastructure projects and handed over its operation to the Defense Ministry. Its budget this year of 15 billion pesos will help it operate 12 airports, five hotels, three natural parks, two trains, a museum and the Mexicana airline.

Hardly anyone expects the airports or the airline to turn a profit in the near future. While the groups losses will be covered by public coffers, it will get to keep any profit it does make and redirect it to the militarys pension system.

The trend is that increasingly, the armed forces are going to have different money-making streams, said Sanchez. And thats dangerous because youre giving more money to an armed corporation that has a legitimate use of power and 400,000 soldiers.

Lopez Obrador sees the projects as a way to develop the economy of traditionally poor parts of the country, which will create more employment and lead to better conditions, ultimately improving public safety. And the military has to be in charge of it all because, in the presidents view, its able to rise above the corruption that plagues civilian agencies handling funds for major projects. The military can deliver at a fraction of the cost of a private company and in a much shorter time, he says.

The Shadow Budget

There are several other, less transparent ways that Mexicos armed forces receive funds to oversee infrastructure works.

The Defense and Navy control trusts in which they or other entities can deposit money without being required to disclose where the funds came from or how theyre being used. At the end of 2023, trusts administrated by the military held 81 billion pesos, compared with 7 billion pesos at the end of Pena Nietos government in 2018, according to nonprofit Mexico Evalua.

Given the lack of disclosure, theres no way to know how much of the money in the trusts is accounted for in the budget.

The exorbitant sum of it all and the risk of double counting are exactly why they should tell us whats in there, said Sanchez.

Then there are contracts. Between 2019 and 2022, the Defense Ministry received an additional 191 billion pesos through agreements with other federal ministries for public projects including the Maya Train, according to the nonprofit Mexican Institute of Competitiveness, known as IMCO.

Contracts are rarely made public and increasingly difficult to track, given Lopez Obradors near dismantling of transparency watchdog, the National Institute for Access to Public Information and Data Protection. IMCO obtained the information through government information requests and legal challenges.

Were facing an opacity monster, said Paula Villasenor, the former head of IMCOs Effective Government division. Its incredibly hard to know how much money and contracts they have.

Sara Velazquez, the lead author of a report called National Inventory of the Militarized, said the military receives money from so many sources that its nearly impossible to trace all of it.

I think even they dont know how much money they get every year, she said.

Record Murders

Mexicos official crime statistics are known to be far from exact. The countrys cifra negra, or the estimated share of crimes that go unreported, reached 92% in 2022, according to statistics agency Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Geografia. Homicides, though slightly down from the first few years of Lopez Obradors administration, are on track to end up the highest ever in a presidential term. The Secretariado Ejecutivo del Sistema Nacional de Seguridad Publica (SESNSP), which is separate from Inegi, has counted 170,959 homicides with intent since AMLO took office through February of this year.

The president has acknowledged that homicides have surpassed those in previous administrations, but he casts blame on the violent country he inherited. Homicides fell 7% between 2021 and 2022, and dropped 4% between 2022 and 2023, which Lopez Obrador said was a direct reflection of his security strategy.

Its crazy to think that what we used to consider a violent year was one with 20,000 victims of homicide with intent, said Lilian Chapa, a public-policy analyst who served as an adviser to SESNSP. The registry counted 29,705 homicides with intent in 2023.

National Guard Does It All

Last year, security consultant Manuel Garza witnessed the biggest heist he had seen in two decades. A shipment of mainly electronic goods worth nearly 17 million pesos was traveling along the highway from the port of Veracruz through the central state of Puebla. The person monitoring it on a screen suddenly saw the dot freeze.

An alert was raised when the dot hadnt moved in over 40 minutes, said Garza, who is being identified using a pseudonym to protect him from retaliation. When the companys private car came to check the scene, the trucks security team of two armed guards were nowhere to be found.

The National Guard showed up 30 minutes later. When the trucks driver called from the neighboring state of Hidalgo, he said he and the two guards had been tied up. But the National Guard didnt take down the witnesses statements. For that, the security company had to go to the local prosecutors office. They got back nothing else from the heist.

The episode is emblematic of how the military has frequently taken a halfhearted approach to law-enforcement responsibilities it inherited when the Mexican government did away with the Federal Police in 2019.

The National Guard had a total headcount of about 104,000 at the end of 2022. That includes 17,419 members drawn from the disbanded Federal Police and 1,050 new recruits. However, the majority of the force is made up of soldiers and marines on loan from the Defense and Navy. The troops were given new uniforms and armbands, but little to no training on how to do police work.

That has led to plummeting arrests as many National Guard members prefer to turn a blind eye to whatever crime is happening before them than go through the motions of properly arresting a suspect and filing the report correctly, according to Chapa, the public-policy analyst. Seizures of illegal drugs and weapons have plummeted as a result.

Guillermo Montes, who also asked to use a pseudonym, was one of the marines transferred to the National Guard. He saw many of his fellow guardsmen make mistakes when they intervened at the scene of a crime because they had no idea how to track down robbers or respond to 911 calls.

One of the hardest things to do, he recalled, was present evidence in front of a judge. Often, their cases were dismissed on procedural grounds, since they hadnt been fully trained on the protocols of filling out police reports.

The armed forces are not trained to be police, he said. We followed in order to help, but we were lacking many of the things that the police know.

Lopez Obrador didnt always back such broad use of the armed forces. He had been vocal about sending the military back to its barracks since losing the 2006 presidential election against Calderon, who had the armed forces take to the streets to fight cartels. That resulted in more than 103,000 homicides during his administration.

We cant solve the countrys insecurity and violence with the army, Lopez Obrador said in a video dated 2010. We cant use the military to make up for the civilian governments shortcomings. Its important we dont give the army excessive faculties  we cant accept a militarist government.

But it didnt take long for him to change his mind. In regular meetings during his transition into office, the Defense Ministrys top brass laid out how corrupt the Federal Police was and how the military was the only institution worthy of his trust, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The Federal Police were plagued by reports of abuse of power, torture and corruption. Last year, Genaro Garcia Luna, who had been in charge of Mexicos battle to root out illegal narcotics and vanquish drug kingpins, was convicted by a federal jury in New York of helping Sinaloa cartel members import and distribute drugs in the US. His defense has requested a new trial.

Though AMLO initially presented the National Guard as a civilian force, its effectively operated by the Defense Ministry, and its budget is routinely transferred to the military. In August 2022, Lopez Obrador issued a decree to place the guard under the Defense Ministry.

In April 2023, Mexicos top court said that decree was unconstitutional, and gave the government until Jan. 1, 2024 to return the operation of the guard to the civilian ministry.

AMLO has said he would abide by the courts order, but in February, he sent a new proposal to Congress to officially move the National Guard to Defense. Congress has yet to pass it.

Were living in two worlds, said Ernesto Lopez Portillo, former member of Mexico Citys Human Rights Commission and head of Universidad Iberoamericanas Citizen Security program. The world of the constitution that says public security is a civilian matter and the world of reality, where the National Guard is, under every indicator that we have, strictly military.

Money and Power

Sheinbaum has said she intends to consolidate the National Guard, and following AMLOs footsteps, that it should operate under the Defense Ministry.

Meanwhile, Galvez has said the military has been asked to do too many things unrelated to their core mission.

They shouldnt be building trains, patrolling parks or handing out books, she said at an event in Campeche in March. A large part of the country is in the hands of criminals these days, we need the military to return to its national security activities.

Mexicos militarization isnt exclusive to the federal government, according Causa en Comun's Morera. Military and Navy officials now oversee public-security ministries in 17 of the countrys 32 states. Sixteen of those states are ruled by AMLOs Morena party.

For whoever wins Mexicos presidential election on June 2, the key question will be how to deal with an empowered, enlarged and wealthy military that has taken over hundreds of tasks that used to be in the hands of civilians  and that has more revenue streams than ever  while reining in the record-breaking number of homicides.

Theyve overused a perverse blanket called national security, said Senator Alvarez Icaza. Now the dilemma is, how do we take away all the money and power that Lopez Obrador gave them?

--With assistance from Maya Averbuch, Rafael Gayol and Michael O'Boyle.

(Updates in 14th paragraph with comments Sheinbaum made during Acapulcos Banking Convention on April 19.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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Another air defence system will be in Ukraine soon  IRIS-T manufacturer

Helmut Rauch, the head of the arms company Diehl Defence, which produces IRIS-T SLM air defence systems, announced the delivery of another system to Ukraine in a few weeks.

Source: Helmut Rauch in an interview for Bild; European Pravda

Rauch arrived in Kyiv together with a group of entrepreneurs who accompanied Robert Habeck, the vice-chancellor of Germany.

"Three of our systems are already in Ukraine, and more will be delivered this year. The next one is only a few weeks away," Helmut Rauch said.

The supply of air defene systems to Ukraine is now a key topic in Kyiv's conversations with its allies.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on the G7 countries to follow the example of Germany and make a decision on the supply of additional air defence systems as soon as possible.

On 13 April, Germany announced the urgent transfer of a Patriot anti-aircraft missile system to Ukraine.

German foreign and defence ministers, in a letter to dozens of countries, announced a global initiative on the search for additional air defence equipment for Ukraine.

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NEW YORK  One of six people involved in a straw donor scheme related to the 2021 campaign of Mayor Eric Adams pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiring to make illegal campaign donations.

Under the terms of the agreement Shamsuddin Riza, who owns a construction company and runs in Harlem political circles, will be sentenced to three years probation, and agreed not to organize any political fundraising events for those three years.

While the ultimate aim of the scheme was unclear, Riza, a construction contractor, told another of the accused he wanted Adams to ensure work on a specific Brooklyn hospital project once the election was over.

"FYI ! This is the one I want , Safety , Drywall , and Security [sic], Riza wrote in an email, according to the complaint. One project but we all can eat ! Please show to him before Event it will start when he's in office."

Riza, along with two other defendants, has donated to several prominent political figures in the neighborhood over the years.

Thursday's deal was hashed out between Riza and the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who brought charges against six people over the summer alleging they steered tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars to the mayors campaign in the form of public matching funds. One was a longtime acquaintance and former NYPD colleague of Adams.

The mayor said he and his campaign werent aware of any straw donor scheme during his 2021 bid for office. Neither Adams, nor anybody working for him, have been accused of wrongdoing in this case. A representative for his campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new guilty plea.

Rizas plea marks the fourth person charged in the scheme to strike a deal with prosecutors.



And it comes as Adams and his close associates face a cascade of legal and ethical troubles. Just this week, one of his top advisers was accused of sexual harassment in a new lawsuit and federal prosecutors have raided the homes of three of his aides.

Riza and his company, United Construction Brothers Services, also pleaded guilty to falsifying business records by acting as a pass-through for a white-owned company to get work as a minority-owned business.

In the indictment unsealed by Bragg in July, Riza and the five others were accused of conspiring to reimburse contributors to the mayors 2021 campaign. Known in election parlance as straw donors, the scheme allegedly took advantage of the citys public financing program, which multiplied a portion of each donation eight-fold.

Over a series of telephone conversations monitored by Manhattan prosecutors, Riza and the co-defendants allegedly demonstrated a detailed knowledge of campaign finance rules and how to evade limits on individual donations by routing additional money through other donors who would then be reimbursed.

He is also related through marriage to Dwayne Montgomery, a fellow co-defendant who pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in February.

Montgomery is a former NYPD colleague of Adams. The mayors team has previously brushed off the relationship, explaining that Montgomery was just one of many former law-enforcement colleagues who wanted to help Adams become mayor. But public records show Montgomery met with Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks in February 2022.

Two more defendants in the case, Ronald Peek and Millicent Redick, pleaded not guilty at their arraignment in July, and are separately due back in court later this month.

In a separate case, Chinese billionaire Hui Qin pleaded guilty to federal charges in March to making straw donations to Adams campaign. The mayor has also denied any wrongdoing in that case, and hasnt been charged.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated the plea status of Ronald Peek and Millicent Redick.
Anti-Israel agitators were caught on video lighting flares outside a Columbia University "occupation," as the president of the prestigious New York institution testified before Congress on antisemitism spikes.

The New York City Police Department said at least four people were arrested early Thursday morning in connection to the ongoing protest at Columbia University, PIX 11 reported.

Video shared online also showed demonstrators clad in Palestinian flags and other garb shouting through microphones, "We want justice, you say how," with the response being "stop bombing Gaza now," "stop arming Israel," and "end the occupation now."

Demonstrators set up what they deemed "the Gaza Solidarity Encampment" on campus the day Columbia University President Dr. Nemat "Minouche" Shafik testified before the House Education and the Workforce Committee in Washington, D.C., about the scourge of antisemitism seen after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in southern Israel.

STEFANIK SLAMS COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 'ARROGANCE,' 'INCONSISTENT TESTIMONY': 'RECKONING OF ACCOUNTABILITY'

Anti-Israel protesters chanted and demonstrated on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at Columbia University.

At one point, progressive "Squad" member Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., attempted to argue that there have been no "anti-Jewish protests" on campus, only those that are either "pro-war" or "anti-war." However, House GOP Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., challenged Shafik's earlier testimony, getting the university president to concede that, indeed, the campus demonstrations where protesters shouted chants including "F the Jews," "Death to Jews," "F Israel," "No place," "Death to the Zionist state," and "Jews out" were indeed "anti-Jewish."

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HOUSE REPUBLICANS GRILL COLUMBIA PRESIDENT OVER EMPLOYMENT OF PROF WHO CALLED OCT 7 HAMAS ATTACK AWESOME

Anti-Israel protesters took over the main lawn on Columbia University's campus in New York City on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.

House Republicans also grilled Columbia leadership over tenured professor, Joseph Massad, who celebrated the Oct. 7 attacks and Hamas' slaughter of nearly 1,200 Jews as "awesome," "astonishing," "astounding" and "incredible." Shafik later confirmed Massad is under investigation for the antisemitic remarks, though he maintains his employment at the school.

Hundreds of protesters swarmed Columbia University's South Lawn while Shafik testified Wednesday, demanding "divestment" from Israel, according to the student newspaper, the Columbia Spectator.

"The presence of tents on South Lawn is a safety concern and a violation of university policies," a university spokesperson wrote in a statement to the Spectator. "We are informing the students they are in violation of university policies and for their own safety and for the operation of the university they need to leave."

The student paper reported that the anti-Israel protesters were given paper notices from the university informing them around 7 p.m. that they should "immediately cease your participation in this encampment and leave the campus."

The university notice told protesters to "disperse by 11:00 a.m." or "they would face sanctions."

The congressional hearing also featured discussion over consequences for students carrying out antisemitic demonstrations. The school suspended several students over an unsanctioned event that featured a speaker with known ties to a terrorist group, but lawmakers noted at Wednesday's hearing that those same students came back to campus and protested again anyway.





Original article source: Anti-Israel agitators light flares outside Columbia University 'occupation'
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  An audit was completed in April to determine if the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality was taking proper steps to meet its goals for becoming an anti-racist organization, per the agency expectation issued by Gov. Tina Kotek in January 2023.

Citing the Center for the Study of Social Policy, the audit defines anti-racism as: The active process of identifying and challenging racism, by changing systems, organizational structures, policies and practices, and attitudes to redistribute power in an equitable manner.

This report does not assess whether or not DEQ is a racist agency, the Oregon Secretary of State Audits Division stated in the report. In the course of our work, we learned the agency planned to use its strategic plan to assist in its goal of becoming an anti-racist organization in alignment with the Governors expectations. This effort also aligns with the objectives of the 2021 State of Oregon DEI Action Plan.

This Jan. 11, 2018, file photo, shows the state Capitol in Salem, Oregon. (AP Photo/Andrew Selsky, File)

Mayoral hopeful Rene Gonzalez proposes tougher enforcement of camping ban

The audit, which was conducted by the consultant firm BerryDunn and Engage to Change LLC, lists several issues that may prevent the DEQ from achieving its anti-racism goals. These issues include difficulty recruiting and retaining black, indigenous and other employees of color.

DEQ is working to enhance staff support, and agency leadership has stated the agency goal is to become an anti-racist organization, the report reads. These efforts also align with the objectives of the 2021 State of Oregon DEI Action Plan. However, due to the ongoing and iterative nature of anti-racism work, this may take several years to achieve.

Ethics Commission reviewing complaints regarding Oregons First Spouse

The report states that the DEQ continues to work toward developing an agency-wide strategic plan in line with anti-racist principles and is following guidelines set by Kotek and the Department of Administrative Services.

BerryDunn and Engage to Change LLC included the following workplace issues with the DEQ in its audit:

 A lack of transparency and accountability within the agency, particularly around staff and management relationships and the chain of command.

 Perfectionism, identified in one example as an overreliance on quantifiable data and excluding anecdotal evidence.

 Defensiveness

 Lack of support for employees of color and protecting bad actor employees close to retirement.

 Isolation through the siloing of the agency, which inhibits trust building and cultivates a sense of us vs them.

According to [the consulting firm] DEQ is not unique, and meaningful change takes time, the report reads. This assessment is also a snapshot of where the agency stands now and is subject to change. Without performing similar assessments across other agencies, it is very difficult to determine where DEQ stands in relation to Oregon state agencies generally. Neither this audit nor [the consulting firm] attempted to make such a determination.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
Oklahoma schools boss Ryan Walters kicked off his talk at a state university on Wednesday night by calling on people to never back down to a woke mob.

But less than 15 minutes later, Walters seemed to do just that as hecklers in the audience shouted over his remarks.

The Republican firebrandwho has likened the state teachers union to a terrorist organization, advocated for taxpayer-funded religious schools, and appointed the far-right Libs of TikTok creator to a state library media advisory committeewaved goodbye before organizers of the Oklahoma State University event escorted him away.

Who do you work for? one person yelled.

Another agitator fumed that Walters was a power-hungry fascist before crying, Nex Benedicts blood is on your hands!

The protester was referring to the 16-year-old non-binary student who died after being beaten by classmates in Owasso. Advocates say Nex had been bullied and harassed for a year before this heartbreaking episode, and that Walters anti-equality rhetoric has created a hostile environment for LGBTQ kids like Nex.

As The Daily Beast reported, Walters posted transphobic sentiment on X the same afternoon that authorities said Nex died by suicide.

People attend a candlelight vigil for 16-year-old nonbinary student Nex Benedict in February in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. J Pat Carter

NBC affiliate Oklahoma News 4 captured Wednesdays protests, as did a conservative activist who livestreamed the event, which was hosted by the universitys Turning Point USA (TPUSA) chapter.

The national conservative group didnt return messages, but Walters used his X platform to rail against the rabble-rousers, claiming radicalized LGBTQ-plus groups were working to silence him and stop conservatives from attending his speech.

You heard them yelling, screaming, yelling profanities, threatening me during the speech, Walters said, adding that this was just one stop on a college campus tour.

These leftists want to go on and tell you on these college campuses that America is an evil country, Walters continued. Its not a country to be proud of. They want to tell you there is no god. They want to tell you theres 27 genders.

For all you leftist woke liberals who couldnt hear me - my message is clear. pic.twitter.com/B0nx2hmsng  Superintendent Ryan Walters (@RyanWaltersSupt) April 18, 2024

But Bella Farrow, a lead organizer of the protests outside the building and in the lecture hall, told The Daily Beast that her group was a student-run nonpartisan effort.

A junior at OSU, Farrow pointed out that Walters was previously scheduled to speak on campus with TPUSA a few weeks ago but canceled a day or two ahead of time. Back then, Farrow and others had heavily promoted a protest against him.

It came right off the heels of a lot of news about Nex Benedicts death, Farrow said. His rhetoric specifically, we believe, contributed to negative attitudes about LGBTQ people.  So it felt disrespectful, at the very least tone deaf to bring him right after that.

The students also take issue with his failure to retain staffmore than 130 education department employees have resigned, including the legal staff and his Christian conservative supportersand his use of public funds to pay for his out-of-state media appearances. They underscored one recent poll from Change Research that revealed 55 percent of Oklahomans disapprove of the job hes doing.

Its not only his position on like LGBT issues, but also his failure as an elected official to do his duties, Farrow said. Hes the State Superintendent of Education, but he seems to prioritize his ideology over actually serving the people of Oklahoma.

Indeed, Walters has raised his national profile as a culture warrior, traveling across the country to speak at conservative conventions and meeting with a Fox News booking agent.

Oklahoma Schools Boss Starts Anti-Trans Shitfight With Chasten Buttigieg

On Wednesday morning, a TUPSA college field rep sent an email to students who RSVPd to what was advertised as a town hall. But the message noted that Ryan will be giving a 20 to 30-minute speech with questions at the end if time permits.

So thats not a town hall and pretty undemocratic for it to be presented that way, Farrow told The Daily Beast, adding that TPUSA instead had certain people ask prepared questions.

We extensively prepared to have a dialogue, but he was unwilling to hear us out, she said.

That changed protesters' original plans, which included asking researched questions about Ryans policies. They werent planning on staging any disruption until they learned the town hall was actually just a right-wing lecture.

We have questions about the way that he is operating as state superintendent, because that is taxpayer dollars from all of us, she said.

According to News 4, more than 100 people showed up to the lecture hall to see Walters, who doesnt often engage in Q&As with the general public.

Walking back and forth across the room, Walters told TPUSA supporters of the activists, You conservatives scare them so bad, they are so scared to hear from you that they will shout you down. They will scream hysterically.

Conservatives, this is what winning looks like, added Walters, 38, a former high school history teacher whos aligned himself with far-right causes including the extremist group Moms for Liberty since taking office in 2023.

Despite the clamor, Walters took an opportunity to spew his us-versus-them discourse.

The woke mob, they dont care about the state, they dont care about our kids, they dont care about the future of the country. They only want power and anarchy.

Soon, more audience members began chanting Where is your budget? Where is your staff?

I fire bureaucrats and cut budgets! Walters said with a thumbs up.

Things quieted down for a few softball questions. One person asked about Walters plans for the future of Oklahoma education. He answered that 117 public schools were removed from the F list, referring to state report cards, and in between jeers, he crowed that he was protecting parents rights and school choice.

A student in the front row asked for his advice on entering politics. Be true to what you believe, Walters said, adding that Oklahomans are not radical leftists and instead some of the best people in the country.

Some Oklahomans want you gone! someone interjected.

When another student asked how to ensure the future prosperity of the country, Walters said, We need President Trump in the White House and other conservative politicians in Congress.

Farrow said her group spoke to a non-student organizer with TPUSA afterward and asked why they changed the format of the event. She claims the representative shared that they didnt want Walters to field any questions from demonstrators.

He showed up 15 minutes late, talked for 15 minutes, answered about three to five questions from only Turning Point people and then left 20 minutes early, Farrow said. It just seems like it was more of a PR stunt than actually representing the people that he is supposed to represent.

Walters claims of being shut down by woke crybabies who dont want to hear conservative views completely obscures the fact that the event was changed at the last moment because they didnt want to hear from us, Farrow told The Daily Beast, adding that her protest organizers included conservatives.

From Farrows perspective, Walters goal is more to be a right-wing figurehead than an efficacious state superintendent.

Oklahoma Kids in Peril as Anti-Woke Official Rages Online: Parents

Last week, one of Walters high-level executives spoke out about why she resigned from his administration in October, telling News 4 shes worried about the future of the states education system.

Walters hired Pamela Smith-Gordon, a former teacher and school district superintendent, to be the states program manager of grant development and compliance.

Smith-Gordon said she could never get a meeting with Walters, so she tried visiting his officeonly to find an armed guard blocking the way.

His hall to his office is behind locked doors with an armed guard. You were not allowed to go down his hall, much less enter his office, Smith-Gordon said. Now, there were a select few that were graced with his presence. But department heads were not.

She said being unable to ask Walters questions and access certain department software led to the state losing a couple of million dollars in federal grants for safety and mental health programs in schools.

These students were not being served, she told News 4, adding that someone who had [Walters] ear told her to stop contacting him and that he was too busy.

I do know that he was on TV often, many times when I needed to get in touch with himhe was traveling, Smith-Gordon said. It just wasnt a good situation. I dont know of any other person that can actually get paid for a job and never be there.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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AUSTIN (KXAN)  The Austin Police Department is investigating a shooting reported in east Austin on Wednesday.

APD said the shooting happened around 9 p.m. at Bartholomew Park near East 51st Street and Berkman Drive.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

Police said when officers arrived, they found a man inside a vehicle with a gunshot wound to his abdomen.

The man was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

APD said no one was taken into custody, but believe there is no threat to the public.

Police ask anyone who may have information to call Crime Stoppers at 512-472 -TIPS (512-472-8477) or the APD Homicide Unit Tip Line 512-974-TIPS (512-974-8477).

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  The Michigan Court of Appeals has thrown out the criminal case against a Kent County election worker who was accused of taking voter information in the August 2022 election, ruling that his actions did not violate the letter of Michigan law.

In a 10-page decision issued Thursday, appeals court Judges Mark Boonstra, Kathleen Feeney and Adrienne Young ordered a lower court to quash James Holkeboers bindover.

Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker indicated he would appeal the ruling, and the county clerk said she was deeply troubled by it.

Becker filed charges against Holkeboer, of Caledonia, in September 2022, alleging he falsified election records when he inserted a personal USB drive into an electronic poll book at a Gaines Township precinct in August 2022 and copied voter data. In November of that year, Kent County District Court Judge Sara Smolenski decided there was enough evidence to send the case on to trial. Holkeboer appealed.

The trial court found that inserting ones own flash drive into an election laptop and downloading a copy of the voter roll amounts to removing and/or secreting election records. We disagree, the appeals court ruling reads in part.

It is not in dispute that Holkeboer used a personal USB drive to download voter information. He admits he did it so he could compare it against a version that he would obtain from the clerk via an open records request and look for discrepancies.

Testimony: Poll worker admitted to using USB drive to get voter data

What was in question is whether he broke the law. The appeals courts ruling boiled down to a debate of semantics: whether Holkeboer technically removed or secreted the information. The court decided he did not because his actions did not damage or erase the original voter roll or make it unavailable to the clerk. The judges agreed with Holkeboers argument that he merely copied the information.

(T)his statute does not criminalize merely copying of information when that act does not permanently remove or alter that information, the ruling said.

And, the court pointed out, Holkeboers actions did not affect the outcome of the election.

We find that his conduct, while improper, did not violate the law, the ruling read in part.

The ruling adds that the Legislature has not substantively updated the law in question since it was enacted in 1954, though it could have done so to cover situations that might arise as election management became digital.

Becker, the prosecutor, was skeptical of the courts reasoning.

It seems a bit troubling, heading into a major presidential election, that an election worker can take information from an election computer and not be in violation of the law, Becker said in a statement to News 8 Thursday. I think this is an important issue that needs further review.

Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons was also extremely disappoint(ed) by the ruling, she said in a statement.

Im deeply troubled the Court of Appeals did not see fit to hold accountable an individual who knowingly and secretly entered a personal flash drive into our election equipment, and without authorization obtained information for his own purposes, beyond the bounds of his duty as an election worker, the clerks statement said. Our citizens deserve to have faith in their elections and in those who work them, and this breach of public trust must be addressed.

She said she was looking forward to Beckers appeal.

We will continue to do everything possible to keep Kent Countys elections secure, transparent, fair, and accurate, she said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
These are the reasons why we are against the traffic of mens-body, as followeth: Is there any that would be done or handled at this manner? viz., to be sold or made a slave for all the time of his life? How fearful and faint-hearted are many at sea, when they see a strange vessel, being afraid it should be a Turk, and they should be taken, and sold for slaves into Turkey. Now, what is this better done, than Turks do? Yea, rather it is worse for them, which say they are Christians; for we hear that the most part of such negroes are brought hither against their will and consent, and that many of them are stolen. Now, though they are black, we cannot conceive there is more liberty to have them slaves, as it is to have other white ones.

There is a saying, that we should do to all men like as we will be done ourselves; making no difference of what generation, descent, or color they are. And those who steal or rob men, and those who buy or purchase them, are they not all alike? Here is liberty of conscience, which is right and reasonable; here ought to be likewise liberty of the body, except of evil-doers, which is another case. But to bring men hither, or to rob and sell them against their will, we stand against. In Europe there are many oppressed for conscience sake; and here there are those oppressed which are of a black color.

And we, who know that men must not commit adultery, some do commit adultery in others, separating wives from their husbands, and giving them to others: and some sell the children of these poor creatures to other men. Ah! do consider well this thing, you who do it, if you would be done at this manner and if it is done according to Christianity! You surpass Holland and Germany in this thing. This makes an ill report in all those countries of Europe, where they hear of [it], that the Quakers do here handle men as they handle there the cattle. And for that reason some have no mind or inclination to come hither.

And who shall maintain this your cause, or plead for it? Truly, we cannot do so, except you shall inform us better hereof, viz.: that Christians have liberty to practice these things. Pray, what thing in the world can be done worse towards us, than if men should rob or steal us away, and sell us for slaves to strange countries; separating husbands from their wives and children.

Being now this is not done in the manner we would be done at; therefore, we contradict, and are against this traffic of men-body. And we who profess that it is not lawful to steal, must, likewise, avoid to purchase such things as are stolen, but rather help to stop this robbing and stealing, if possible. And such men ought to be delivered out of the hands of the robbers, and set free as in Europe. Then is Pennsylvania to have a good report, instead, it hath now a bad one, for this sake, in other countries; Especially whereas the Europeans are desirous to know in what manner the Quakers do rule in their province; and most of them do look upon us with an envious eye. But if this is done well, what shall we say is done evil?

If once these slaves (which they say are so wicked and stubborn men,) should join themselves, fight for their freedom, and handle their masters and mistresses, as they did handle them before; will these masters and mistresses take the sword at hand and war against these poor slaves, like, as we are able to believe, some will not refuse to do? Or, have these poor negroes not as much right to fight for their freedom, as you have to keep them slaves?

Now consider well this thing, if it is good or bad. And in case you find it to be good to handle these blacks in that manner, we desire and require you hereby lovingly, that you may inform us herein, which at this time never was done, viz., that Christians have such a liberty to do so. To the end we shall be satisfied on this point, and satisfy likewise our good friends and acquaintances in our native country, to whom it is a terror, or fearful thing, that men should be handled so in Pennsylvania.

This is from our meeting at Germantown, held the 18th of the 2d month, 1688, to be delivered to the monthly meeting at Richard Worrells.

Garret Henderich,

Derick op de Graeff,

Francis Daniel Pastorius,

Abram op de Graeff.
Arizona ranks among worst for FAFSA completion. Gov. Katie Hobbs wants to change that

After a rocky launch to this years new FAFSA application, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs announced Wednesday that $500,000 will go toward helping more students access college aid.

Only around 23% of high school seniors have completed the application required to unlock thousands in potential financial aid. Over the last three years, Arizonans have missed out on $300 million in Pell Grant money by not applying, according to Hobbs.

The funding comes from the Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools federal funding and will be distributed by the Arizona Board of Regents, the body overseeing the states public university system. It will be invested in statewide resources guiding students and their families through the federal aid application.

FAFSA has helped millions of families, and for many can be the final piece that makes their childs dream of attending college a reality, Hobbs said in a Wednesday release.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application is critical for recieving scholarships and grants. But many low-income students need encouragement and help to fill it out.

Arizona this year falls at the bottom of the FAFSA completion rankings, sitting at 49th nationally. Last year, the state landed in the same exact spot  even though completion was higher.

Julie Sainz, the director of FAFSA and College Access Initiatives with the board, said Arizona saw a 5% increase in completion last year. But with the numerous delays and glitches happening under the U.S. Department of Education, that growth could be stunted.

We made great progress last year, Sainz said in a board meeting earlier this month. "And then this happened."

In that same meeting, officials pointed out the states previous lack of funding for FAFSA completion. Culture also plays a role, Sainz said, noting many first-time college students in the state who might get less support than their peers.

Some of the issues with this years FAFSA hit the state harder than others. One glitch stopped many students with parents who immigrated to the U.S. from applying. While officials said the issue was resolved in March, numerous students are still hitting similar glitches, Sainz said.

Earlier this month, Hobbs declared April Finish Line to the FAFSA month in an effort to put more attention on the low FAFSA completion. Since this years application was delayed by several months and experienced more issues than normal, officials are anticipating their work will continue into the summer months. This will require more community engagement as many students rely on help from their schools.

Several scholarship deadlines have been extended to accommodate students, including the Arizona Promise Program, which offers financial assistance for residents whose Pell Grants or other scholarships dont cover all educational costs. That deadline is now May 1.

Resources for FAFSA completion are available on the boards College Ready AZ website. Enrolled and incoming Arizona college students can also attend university drop-ins hosted weekly.

As a state, we must make every effort to support our students as they navigate the FAFSA and embark on their education journeys, Board Chair Cecilia Mata said in a statement.

Helen Rummel covers higher education for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at hrummel@azcentral.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @helenrummel.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona FAFSA applications: Hobbs dedicates $500K to boost completion
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  A legal challenge to a law preventing abortion is being opposed by a 23-state coalition led by Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin.

Griffin was the lead signator with attorneys general from 22 states in filing an amicus brief supporting the West Virginia abortion prohibition. The prohibition includes exclusions for victims of rape, incest, fatal fetal anomalies or where the mothers life is at risk.

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin releases opinion on audit looking into governors $19,000 lectern purchase

The law was being challenged by drug maker GenBioPro, which argues that the approval of its product Mifepristone by the Food and Drug Administration means access to it can not be restricted by West Virginia law. The challenge was dismissed in federal court and is now being appealed by GenBioPro.

Griffin said his support came from the recent Dobbs decision and the nature of the FDA approval.

Two years ago, the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade and returned the authority to regulate or prohibit abortion to the States, Griffin said. The Food and Drug Administrations flawed approval of an abortion drug doesnt change that, and thats why I led 22 states in filing an amicus brief arguing that FDA approval of an abortion drug doesnt override West Virginias state law prohibiting abortions.

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin warns about scammers posing as bank officials

Griffin had earlier led a multistate brief supporting West Virginias law for GenBioPros initial filing before the lower court dismissed it.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
Rep. Denise Garner, D-Fayetteville (center), expresses concerns about Arkansas' grant fund for pregnancy resource centers at the Joint Budget Committee's Special Language subcommittee meeting on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Screenshot courtesy of Arkansas Legislature)

An Arkansas legislative panel on Thursday approved the doubling of a taxpayer-funded grant to support pregnancy resource centers, which are often religiously affiliated and discourage abortion while encouraging birth.

Republican leaders statewide have held up pregnancy resource centers as critical since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022 and Arkansas subsequently outlawed abortion, with a narrow exception if the pregnant persons life is at risk.

Arkansas has provided financial support to the centers, sometimes called crisis pregnancy centers, since 2022. Adoption agencies and maternity care homes are also eligible for the grant, which totaled $1 million per year in 2022 and 2023.

Special Language SB64

Senate Bill 64 would increase the grant fund to $2 million for fiscal year 2025, which starts July 1. Sen. John Payton, R-Wilburn, is sponsoring the bill so that more eligible centers can receive funds, he told both the Joint Budget Committee on Wednesday and its Special Language subcommittee on Thursday.

Twenty-three centers received funds from the first year of the grant between September 2022 and January 2023. All but two applied for the grant again in late 2023 and received funds this January, along with six new applicants. About $27,000 remained in the 2023 grant fund after the distributions to the 27 grantees.

There are more than 50 crisis pregnancy centers in Arkansas, according to Arkansas Right to Life.

Some lawmakers have said that they see these facilities as tools to help reduce infant, child and maternal mortality in the state. Arkansas has the nations highest maternal mortality rate and the third highest infant mortality rate, according to the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement.

On both Wednesday and Thursday, Democratic lawmakers questioned whether pregnancy resource centers can address maternal mortality and whether they provide qualified health care.

The presence and use of ultrasound machines at these centers can mislead pregnant clients, said Rep. Nicole Clowney, D-Fayetteville, on Wednesday.

They will think that they have gotten prenatal care and gone to the doctor, and then [they] will not seek further prenatal care, she said.

Payton said in response that he hoped any support during pregnancy would reduce maternal mortality.

The Joint Budget Committee voted to suspend the rule requiring a 24-hour wait between hearings of the bill in order for the Special Language subcommittee to take it up Thursday. Clowney said she was not certain the bill merited a suspension of the rules.

Uses of the grant money

Rep. Denise Garner, a Fayetteville Democrat and retired nurse practitioner, echoed Clowneys concerns about the potentially misleading aspects of pregnancy resource centers Thursday.

If were going to give the money [to these centers], then lets figure out what happens to the money and what happens to those women and make sure that theyre seeing someone who is licensed, Garner said. Im all for supporting the mom and trying to take care of the baby. I think what theyre doing is admirable, but I dont think it takes the place of certified health care.

Payton rejected Garners request to add language to the bill that would allow the state to track whether the grantees clients visit doctors for prenatal care.

Im not going to tell a lady that comes looking for a pack of diapers for her newborn that before she can get them, she has to jump through certain hoops and submit herself to government tracking to make sure that shes going to other healthcare providers, Payton said. That is the most anti-freedom way I can imagine.

Sen. Clarke Tucker, D-Little Rock, asked Payton if pregnancy resource centers encourage their clients to seek care from physicians.

The ones Im familiar with do, Payton said.

The only grant recipient so far in Paytons district is Alpha Centers in Batesville, which received $26,800 in January 2023 and did not apply for the second year of the grant.

The Special Language subcommittee approved SB 64 on a voice vote. Tucker and Garner voted no, and Tucker said he still had concerns about how pregnancy resource centers spend the grant money.

Over the past two years, the centers have used the money for digital and physical advertising, as well as baby supplies, rent and utilities, part-time or full-time staff salaries, and birthing and parenting classes, among other things, according to their applications sent to the state Department of Finance and Administration.

Several applicants requested funds for targeted digital advertising campaigns aimed at people whose online behavior indicates they are facing unplanned pregnancies.

SB 64 will return to the Joint Budget Committee for approval in order to be sent to the Senate floor for consideration.

Special Language SB19

Earlier in Thursdays Special Language meeting, the panel approved the addition of a section to a Department of Human Services appropriation bill that would require officials to transfer postpartum Arkansas Medicaid enrollees into any available Medicaid eligibility category before their current eligibility ends eight weeks after giving birth.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders ordered the creation of this policy in an executive order last month launching a campaign aimed at improving maternal health in Arkansas. The order created a committee tasked with increasing access to quality maternal health services as well as improving education; maternal health before, during and after pregnancy; and statewide coordination for maternal health data and reporting.

The order also launched a pilot program in five counties with high rates of pregnant Arkansans receiving no maternal health care: Crittenden, Garland, Phillips, Polk and Scott.

Sanders order came after she was criticized for saying she didnt believe expanding Medicaid postpartum coverage from 60 days to 12 months was necessary.

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The post Arkansas lawmakers advance proposal to double state-funded pregnancy resource center grant appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
Arnault Says He Hopes Tensions With China on Luxury Quiet Down

(Bloomberg) -- Billionaire Bernard Arnault said he hopes a planned visit to France next month by Chinas Xi Jinping will help smooth trade relations between Paris and Beijing.

Most Read from Bloomberg

I hope the economic tensions will quiet down and that we can continue a solid economic collaboration with China, Arnault, the chief executive officer of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, told reporters after Thursdays annual general meeting in Paris.

The comments follow Chinas decision to launch a probe into alleged dumping practices by Cognac makers from the European Union. In January, LVMH, the owner of Hennessy Cognac, said it was working with the country on that probe.

That move by China came after France was the main backer of an investigation the EU opened last year into Chinese electric vehicle subsidies.

Bloomberg News also reported last year that European cosmetics makers were alarmed over Chinese demands regarding their trade secrets. LVMH owns perfume and makeup brands such as Christian Dior, Guerlain and Fenty Beauty by Rihanna.

Arnaults hopes for a quick resolution to the trade spats may be disappointed, as the EU is considering several new investigations into China. The bloc is looking into whether Beijing provided illegal support for windparks on the continent, has brought subsidy probes into solar and railway firms, and will shortly launch an inquiry into Chinas procurement of medical devices.

Arnault, the worlds wealthiest person, said he believes China will manage to reboot its economy amid soft consumer demand.

Earlier this week, LVMH said first quarter organic revenue fell 6% in Asia, excluding Japan, a region which contributes a third of total revenue for the group.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Rinks

Ascension St. Vincent's has named new leaders for two of its four Jacksonville-area hospitals. Kevin Rinks is now president and CEO of St. Vincents Southside, and Bryan Walrath is president and CEO of St. Vincents Clay County.

Rinks and Walrath are longtime health care professionals and have already assumed their new duties.

Both oversee day-to-day operations at their respective hospitals, focusing on "advancing patient access to specialty care in the region, bolstering the quality of the patient and associate experience at each hospital and strengthening ties with stakeholders in each community," according to Ascension.

The Catholic health care system's facilities are among the Jacksonville area's 10 full-service hospitals. The system also operates 90 other health care facilities and employs about 5,300 people.

Who is the new president and CEO of Ascension Southside?

Rinks relocated from St. Vincents Clay County, where he had been president and CEO beginning in 2020. He is now leading St. Vincent's Southside, formerly St. Luke's Hospital, which became part of the Ascension system in 2008. He succeeded James Machado, who went on to head St. Vincent's hospital St. Johns County but has since left the company.

Rinks' career in health care began in 2006. He held top administrative positions at Mercy Hospital in Oklahoma City; Regional Hospital of Jackson in Jackson, Tenn.; High Point Health Systems in Gallatin, Tenn.; and other facilities in Georgia, Florida and Virginia, according to his LinkedIn page.

Ascension CEOs: Gratitude to Florida legislators for investing in health care in 2024

He received a bachelors degree in business administration, finance and economics from the University of Tennessee at Martin and a masters degree in health services administration from Strayer University.

"Im thrilled to have the opportunity to lead this team and further the mission of St. Vincents Southside," Rinks said. "We will continue to put our patients first and provide unparalleled care for those in our community who need it most."

The hospital is at 4201 Belfort Road.

Who is the new president and CEO of St. Vincent's Clay?

Walrath

Walrath has about 25 years of leadership experience, including about 20 years of military service, and replaces Rinks. He led operations for multiple U.S. Army medical facilities. Previously he was president and CEO of Sacred Heart Emerald Coast, St. Vincents sister health system, from 2022 until this year.

He has a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering and master's degrees in building construction and architectural engineering, both from Georgia Tech.

Since St. Vincents Clay opened in Middleburg in 2013, the hospital's "dedication to its community has been evident," Walrath said. "I look forward to leading this nationally recognized hospital, in service of best fitting the needs of our neighbors who need care."

The hospital is at 1670 St. Vincent's Way, off Branan Field Road.

Healthgrades: How did Jacksonville-area hospitals fare in latest patient safety grades?

Who leads the other Jacksonville-area St. Vincent's hospitals?

President and CEO of St. Vincent's Riverside is Scott Kashman, while St. Vincent's St. Johns County has Cory Darling in the top office. The St. Johns facility is the system's newest, opening in 2022.

bcravey@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4109

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Ascension St. Vincent's hospitals in Jacksonville and Clay get new CEOs
ASHEVILLE - A 100% affordable housing development has been approved for 2236 U.S. 70 in Swannanoa. The development will dedicate all of its units to housing those above the age of 55.

The new development, named "The Lofts at Swannanoa," is a 52-unit affordable housing development proposed by the Vance County-based developer WDT Development. The developer had previously worked on other senior affordable housing projects like "The Villas at Swannanoa," which is located across the street from the site of the new development.

The Lofts at Swannanoa, a senior affordable housing development, was approved during the April 17 Board of Adjustment meeting.

All 52 of the new development's units will be offered to those who are 55 and older. About half of the units will be offered to those who are U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development housing choice voucher holders, according to planning documents.

The development was approved 6-1 during the April 17 Buncombe County Board of Adjustment meeting. Board member Damien Vacaflor cast the sole vote against the project. Vacaflor had concerns about parking, as the development requests a 30% decrease in parking from Buncombe County standards.

Approximately 18 of the units are expected to be offered at 80% area median income, or $52,350 for one person in the Asheville metropolitan statistical area, according to 2024 estimates from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The units are guaranteed to be affordable for 30 years, Drake said.

"We need all the affordable housing we should get our hands on," said WDT Development's Stephen Drake, "especially for seniors."

The project is expected to cost nearly $15 million, according to an April 16 Buncombe County affordable housing subcommittee presentation.

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The rest of the units will be offered to those earning between 60% and 30% AMI. Currently, HUD estimates 50% AMI for the Asheville Metropolitan Area is $32,700.

The Lofts at Swannanoa has also applied for a $379,787 loan from the Affordable Housing Services Program. The Buncombe County Commissioners Affordable Housing Subcommittee is expected to make recommendations on the applications during an April 23 Affordable Housing Committee meeting.

Along with the Villas at Swannanoa and the Mountain Housing Opportunities developed East Haven Apartments, the new the Lofts at Swannanoa will be the third affordable housing complex near Franklin Road and US 70 in Swannanoa.

The Buncombe County Board of Adjustment approved "The Lofts at Swannanoa" during an April 17 special meeting.

Application for standing approved,

One application for legal standing against the development was submitted by Mitchell Penley, a neighboring landowner. Those who may suffer damages from the development can apply for legal standing during a Board of Adjustment meeting.

After being granted standing, Penley pointed to long-term sewer system problems in the area. He believes more issues will come as the developer "adds more impermeable surface" to the area, as Franklin Road, adjacent to the development, already floods after a hard rain. Penley also raised worries about increased crime and traffic.

Edmund Mascitelli, a local property owner, spoke as a witness during the April 17 Board of Adjustment meeting. Mascitelli described leaving his property near The Lofts at Swannanoa site as "playing chicken."

Edmund Mascitelli, a local property owner, spoke as a witness on the worries of traffic, describing traffic near the Lofts at Swannanoa site a bit like "playing chicken."

Drake committed to addressing the issues regarding stormwater runoff, which he said had been taken into consideration by WDT Development's engineers. Drake also said that in his experience senior affordable housing developments have less traffic.

"We're gonna be there for 30 years. We do want to treat people with respect and do the right thing," Drake said during the meeting.

The new project in Swannanoa applied for a competitive 9% Low-Income Housing $1.3 million Tax Credit through the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, Drake said.

More: Asheville musicians' Haw Creek homes face demolition; say artists 'getting squeezed out'

More: Buncombe affordable housing projects could cost $79M, raising questions about funding

Will Hofmann is the Growth and Development Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Got a tip? Email him at WHofmann@citizentimes.com. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: New 100% affordable senior housing development approved for Swannanoa
Following the first day of the European summit, President of the European Council Charles Michel has stated that assistance to Ukraine is not a matter of months, but of days and weeks.

Source: Ukrinform news agency, citing Michels press statement 1 and press statement 2

Quote: "This is not a question of months, its a question of days and weeks. Its very important that we deliver on our promises.

I can reassure you that all the stakeholders, all the actors, are doing everything possible to speed up, to make more efforts.

In a very short period of time we have increased our defence capabilities in terms of manufacturing, production and manufacturing capacities. But this is not enough. We need to do more, point one, and we are looking, if it is possible, also to use more of the stocks that are available, especially in the field of the air defence systems."

Details: Michel noted that during the meeting, EU leaders once again demonstrated unity, particularly in supporting Ukraine. As always, they had the opportunity to hear an address from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Quote: "Two points are extremely important.

First point: we don't need so many words, as they (the Ukrainians  ed.) need more military equipment. We had a very good discussion and we understand that member states, especially those with some capacities, some capabilities, they know, they understand it is very important to provide [Ukraine] with more air defence systems, more ammunition."

Details: The second important conclusion after the discussion regarding Ukraine, in Michel's opinion, is the support for the Ukrainian Peace Formula, especially ahead of the peace conference scheduled to take place in Switzerland this June.

Quote: "This [meeting] is something which is good, and we want to engage with the international community, with all the countries across the world, especially the Global South, and we intend to coordinate, from a special point of view, so that the EU, together with other partners across the world, can participate in this meeting that is supposed to take place in Switzerland."

"We are extremely determined to support Ukraine. We do not underestimate the challenges on the ground for the Ukrainians and we know we have responsibilities to act.

I would also like to insist that Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked us to do our best to try to convince the United States to provide more support, including the financial support that the Ukrainians are waiting for."

Background:

On 17 April, the European Council began a two-day meeting in Brussels. The main topics were EU competitiveness issues and the development of the European economy.

On the first day of the meeting, EU leaders dedicated their discussions to addressing the most acute international issues, including the developments in Ukraine and the Middle East.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the heads of states and governments via teleconference.

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Atlantic City, New Jersey, Mayor Marty Small on Thursday said he remains committed to his family and city residents, three days after prosecutors charged him and his wife with physically abusing their teenage daughter.

The 50-year-old Democrat, who has served as mayor since 2019, said the explosive allegations made public over the past few days will not interfere with his work.

Weve all seen news accounts of whats going on with myself personally, he said Thursday morning at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. Its just that: personal, he added.

Small and his wife, Atlantic City Public Schools Superintendent LaQuetta Small, are accused of physically and emotionally abusing their 16-year-old daughter on several occasions between 2023 and January 2024.

Shortly after authorities raided their home on March 28, Small held a press conference to clarify that the raid was connected to a private family matter and not to any type of scandal involving financial misconduct, corruption, drugs or guns.

He also shut down reports he had assaulted his daughter when she was pregnant with twins, calling it anegregious rumor.

Earlier this week, the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office announced it had filed charges of endangering the welfare of a child against both parents.

Their lawyer, Ed Jacobs, said in a statement Tuesday that Mayor Small and Superintendent LaQuetta Small are completely innocent of any wrongdoing and will ultimately be vindicated.

Smalls comment on Thursday, which happened when he was speaking at the East Coast Gaming Congress, marked the first time the mayor publicly addressed the criminal charges the Smalls are facing.

His current legal turmoil should not change his capacity to lead the city, he said.

I pledge to each and every one of you, it doesnt change my commitment, number one, to my family, and it doesnt change my commitment here to the great city of Atlantic City, Small added.

_____
Atlantic City mayor, wife accused of beating daughter were secretly filmed by teens boyfriend they disapproved of: court docs

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr.'s daughter's boyfriend provided video and photo evidence of his alleged abuse, according to an affidavit.

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. and his wife were allegedly filmed beating their teenage daughter by her boyfriend  whom the parents had disapproved of, it was revealed Wednesday.

Small, 50, and his 47-year-old wife, LaQuetta, the head of Atlantic City schools, were filmed over a video chat while allegedly berating and choking their child, according to charging documents obtained by The Post.

The mother and father were charged Monday with endangering the welfare of a child.

The pair have been accused of verbal and physical abuse beginning in December 2023, including allegations they beat the 16-year-old unconscious with a broom, hit her with a belt and punched her in the mouth, according to an affidavit.

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. and his wife are accused of beating their 16-year-old daughter. Tanya Breen / USA TODAY NETWORK

Much of the physical and verbal abuse was secretly caught on camera by the girls boyfriend  whom her parents disapproved of and demanded she stop seeing.

The boyfriend also provided a cache of photos she had sent him showing her injuries, the docs said.

The unnamed boyfriend told investigators he witnessed over video chat in December 2023 how Marty Small screamed at her and was physically abusive specifically by choking her.

One video clip, which appeared to be a screen recording, captured an incident around Jan. 3 that showed Small berating his daughter as she whispered to her boyfriend on a video chat that she was scared.

Dont make me hurt you, the father threatens in the video.

Thats all you do. Thats all you do anyway, his daughter responded.

The argument continued moments later with the daughter saying, Stop pushing me.

Im telling you, youre going to do harm to yourself if you get in my space again, Small says back.

Small Sr. and his wife have denied the allegations. CBS

Sit down. Ill smack that weave out ya head, he says moments later.

I dont care where I push you at  Im going to earth-slam her down the steps, the mayor yelled. Come past this me [sic] and Im gonna grab you by the head and throw you on the ground. Nothing is gonna happen to me!

In another recorded incident on Jan 7, the girl was filmed asking her mother to get off her neck and said she had punched her in the mouth, according to the affidavit.

Who you telling to get off of you, girl! You dont run me. You dont run me. And Im gonna touch you whenever I wanna touch you, LaQuetta Small said.

The mayors daughters boyfriend provided video recordings that allegedly show her parents abuse.

LaQuetta Small was also accused of dragging the teen by the hair and beating her with a belt on her shoulders after her boyfriend dropped food off at their house, according to the affidavit.

The mayors daughter told investigators that on Jan. 13, her father threw her in a shower, slammed her and choked her.

He then hit her in the head with a broom, knocking her out, she said.

The girls boyfriend said she later showed him on video chat the bent broom handle he had allegedly used to beat her. He provided several images of the girls injuries all over her body including swelling, scratches, bruising and hair loss.

The charges came to light during a mental health training day at Atlantic City High School when the teenager discreetly told staff that she was suffering from abuse and wished to see a counselor.

Smalls family joined him at a press conference on April 1 after his home was raided by authorities. AP

A school employee pulled her out of class later the same day and they spoke in the hallway for over two hours, when she described the incident with the broom.

The teen added that she had previously told ACHS Principal Constance Days-Chapman, who said she would report the alleged abuse to the Department of Child Protection & Permanency (DCP&P).

When a therapist contacted LaQuetta Small, she said her daughter had been sneaking around with a boyfriend they didnt like after they told her to stop seeing him, causing tension in the house.

Small and his wife denied the allegations in an interview with DCP&P officials and said their daughter had made it up because she was mad at them for taking her phone away.

Small and his wife are facing several charges, including child endangerment. AP

The mayors home was searched on March 28, and on April 1, his wife and their daughter attended an Atlantic City news conference in which the mayor said he has nothing to hide.

During the search, detectives found a handwritten letter dated Dec. 21, 2023, in the daughters closet in which the girl threatened to run away from home.

Honestly, Im going for peace, I keep disappointing you all, Im just going to go. Must hate me for not being perfect, she wrote. Getting called dumb, crazy, mental and sick hurts but thats okay, I guess Im the biggest disappointment for defending myself.

In addition to the child endangerment charges, Marty Small is charged with third-degree terrorist threats and third-degree aggravated assault.

He and his wife have also been slapped with a disorderly persons simple assault charge.
Attorneys for Bryan Kohberger met the Wednesday deadline to file their clients alibi defense in the murder case against him in the deaths of four University of Idaho students in November 2022.

In a 10-page filing near the end of the day, Kohbergers attorneys added extra details about where their client said he was at the time of the early morning knife attack at an off-campus house in Moscow.

Mr. Kohberger was out driving in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022; as he often did to hike and run and/or see the moon and stars, the alibi defense filing reads. He drove throughout the area south of Pullman, Washington, west of Moscow, Idaho, including Wawawai (County) Park.

Kohberger moved to Pullman in June 2022 to attend graduate school at Washington State University, according to the filing. In July, after he explored many areas of the Palouse as an avid runner and hiker, the park on Wawawai Road nestled 18 miles southwest of Pullman in Colton, Washington, became a favorite location.

Kohbergers running and hiking decreased on account of his busy class and work schedule once the fall semester started, according to the document signed by Anne Taylor, Kohbergers lead public defender. But his nighttime drives increased, she added.

Data from Kohbergers cellphone, including photographs of the night sky taken on several different late evenings and early mornings  including in November  backs his alibi, Wednesdays filing said.

This is supported by data from Mr. Kohbergers phone showing him in the countryside late at night and/or in the early morning on several occasions, Taylor wrote.

In addition, Kohbergers cellphone data will show that he did not travel east on Washington Route 270, otherwise known as the Moscow-Pullman highway, in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, the filing said. Therefore, the white sedan police allege was captured on video on the state highway near the corner of Airport Road at the Washington-Idaho state line could not have been Kohbergers 2015 Hyundai Elantra, the defense argued.

Kohberger, 29, is accused of fatally stabbing the four U of I students between 4 and 4:25 a.m. at a King Road house in Moscow  a three-story structure demolished late last year. The victims were seniors Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, both 21, and junior Xana Kernodle and freshman Ethan Chapin, both 20.

At the time, Kohberger was a graduate student of criminal justice and criminology at WSU in Pullman, about 9 miles west of Moscow over the state line. Police allege that he made at least 14 visits to the cell tower coverage area of the King Road house  including twice on the day of the four students deaths  according to the probable cause affidavit for Kohbergers arrest.

After a nearly seven-week manhunt, Kohberger was taken into custody in eastern Pennsylvania at his parents home while visiting them during winter break from school. A Latah County grand jury unanimously indicted him in May 2023 on four counts of first-degree murder and a felony burglary charge.

Defense plans to call cellphone data expert to testify

Wednesdays court filing provided additional information surrounding Kohbergers alibi defense submitted by his attorneys last year. In an August court filing, the defense said that Kohberger was out on an overnight drive by himself, as had long been his habit, the morning of the students deaths.

That prior alibi filing came after prosecutors demanded that Kohbergers attorneys issue the defense a month earlier. In their initial response, the defense team said it was still investigating and preparing his case.

Wednesdays filing said the defense plans to call an Arizona-based cell tower data expert named Sy Ray to testify and partially corroborate their clients alibi. The defense continues to wait on the state for unspecified evidence through the legal process known as discovery to offer greater basis for the alibi, Taylor wrote.

If not disclosed, Mr. Rays testimony will also reveal that critical exculpatory evidence, further corroborating Mr. Kohbergers alibi, was either not preserved or has been withheld, Taylors filing said.

A date has not been set for Kohbergers capital murder trial. Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty if he is convicted by a jury.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, April 18. Construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway was addressed by the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Akylbek Japarov, during meetings with the leadership of the World Bank Group in Washington, Trend reports.

According to the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, this transportation project, along with the construction of the Kambarata-1 hydropower plant (HPP), was the main topic of discussion at the meetings. The underlying theme of all the discussed issues during the event was the further strengthening of strategic relations between the WB and Kyrgyzstan.

Japarov addressed these topics during a meeting with Kristalina Georgieva, Vice President of the WB for Digital Development, where presentations on the digital support of the Kambarata-1 HPP and other energy projects were showcased.

Moreover, discussions between Japarov and Charles Cormier, the WB's Regional Director for Infrastructure, focused on the application of digital technologies in the energy sector as well as the details of cooperation within the implementation of the Kambarata-1 HPP project.

During the meeting with Juergen Voegele, Vice President of the WB for Sustainable Development, issues related to promoting sustainable and equitable economic growth in the country were addressed.

A delegation led by Chairman Japarov is currently in Washington to participate in the spring meetings of the boards of governors of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group.

Additionally, within the framework of the meetings, Kyrgyzstan and the WB have agreed to develop a financial cooperation model within the framework of the construction of Kambarata-1 HPP.

The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, a planned 454-kilometer rail line, is intended to connect China's and Uzbekistan's railways through Kyrgyzstan's territory and further link up with the European railway network through Turkmenistan, Iran, and Turkiye.
Augusta operation ends with seizure of 15 lbs. of fentanyl  enough to kill 3.5M people, AG says

Attorney General Chris Carr announced during a press conference Tuesday morning that the Richmond County Sheriff's Office and other local agencies seized hundreds of pounds of drugs during a two-year gang operation called, "Operation No Loyalty."

On April 16, the AG's Gang Prosecution Unit secured the indictment of 30 individuals involved in a local criminal street gang known as "Trap Money," according to Carr. The individuals are facing charges including aggravated assault, armed robbery, theft, illegal gun sales and the possession and distribution of drugs.

The indictment alleges a pattern of criminal activity that took place over the past two years, starting in February 2022 and spanning least eight Georgia counties, including: Richmond, Columbia, Jefferson, Burke and McDuffie counties.

The 30 people indicted are facing a total of 333 charges, according to Carr.

Gang-related paraphernalia seized during Operation No Loyalty sits out on a table for a press conference at the Richmond County Sheriff's Office South Precinct on Thursday, April 18, 2024.

He noted a few specific crimes tied to the gang, including:

An incident on Aug. 30, 2023, where two of the defendants allegedly conspired to murder another person.

An incident on April 15, 2022, where one of the defendants allegedly fired into a home occupied by multiple people.

An incident on Oct. 4, 2023, where one of the defendants allegedly shot at two deputies and an investigator while they were performing official duties.

An incident on April 10, 2024, where one of the defendants allegedly committed armed robbery.

Sheriff Richard Roundtree said the agency identified 30 to 40 active members of the Trap Money Gang and executed 43 residential search warrants.

Arrest photographs from Operation No Loyalty sit on an easel for a press conference at the Richmond County Sheriff's Office South Precinct on Thursday, April 18, 2024.

Investigators seized the following:

More than 35 pounds of cocaine

More than 15 pounds of fentanyl

Two pounds of methamphetamine

278 pounds of marijuana

64 guns

Nine cars

Two houses

Nearly half a million dollars in U.S. currency

Guns seized during Operation No Loyalty sits out on a table for a press conference at the Richmond County Sheriff's Office South Precinct on Thursday, April 18, 2024.

Carr said 15 pounds of fentanyl is enough to kill 3.5 million people.

"Our ultimate goal is to dismantle the criminal street gangs by pursuing those who are directing and engaging in persistent acts of violence," he said. "Our indictment includes additional gang charges for one of the defendants who we allege is the leader of Trap Money. We've also indicted several individuals who we believe to be Trap Money's primary source of heavy narcotics."

The case stems from an investigation into a rival criminal street gang known as "Loyalty Over Everything," and it's alleged ties to the January 2022 shooting death of 8-year-old Arbrie Anthony, according to Carr.

FILE - 8-year-old Arbrie Anthony was shot and killed while playing outside her home on Third Avenue the night of Jan. 8, 2022.

Arbrie Anthony death: Father of 8-year-old Arbrie Anthony, killed in 2022 shooting, sues City of Augusta

Since Anthony's death, Carr said the rivalry between Trap Money and Loyalty Over Everything is believed to have resulted in the loss of at least four other lives and one drive by shooting, among other serious crimes.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey, Georgia Department of Public Safety Commissioner Col. Billy Hitchens, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other local, state and federal law enforcement partners were in attendance at the press conference.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Drug investigation in Augusta ends with seizure of 15 lbs. of fentanyl
Though the submarine portion of the AUKUS trilateral alliance will take decades to fully come to fruition, development of the advanced technology under the agreement is in full swing, as Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. seek quick wins for their fleets, officials said.

Pillar 2 of the agreement focuses on advanced tech the nations can develop and field together. There are eight working groups focused on cyber, quantum, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, hypersonics, undersea warfare, information sharing, and innovation, each with a list of ideas to quickly test and push to operators.

Leaders told Defense News how this process is playing out in the undersea warfare working group and how they aim to bring new capabilities to the three navies as soon as this year.

Dan Packer, the AUKUS director for the Commander of Naval Submarine Forces who also serves as the U.S. lead for the undersea warfare working group, said April 4 that the group has four lines of effort: a torpedo tube launch and recover capability for a small unmanned underwater vehicle; subsea and seabed warfare capabilities; artificial intelligence; and torpedoes and platform defense.

An Iver3-580 Autonomous Underwater Vehicle is put on display at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Sept. 6, 2017. (Cpl. Jesus Sepulveda Torres/US Marine Corps)

On the small UUV effort, the U.S. Navy on its own in 2023 conducted successful demonstrations: one called Yellow Moray on the West Coast using HIIs Remus UUV; and another called Rat Trap on the East Coast using an L3Harris-made UUV.

L3Harris Integrated Mission Systems president Jon Rambeau told Defense News in March that his team had started with experiments in an office using a hula hoop with flashlights attached, to understand how sensors perceive light and sound. They moved from the office to a lab and eventually into the ocean, with a rig tethered to a barge that allowed the companys Iver autonomous underwater vehicle to, by trial and error, learn to find its way into a small box that was stationary and then, eventually, moving through the water.

Torpedo tube launch

Rambeau said the UUV hardware is inherently capable of going in and out of the torpedo tube, but theres a software and machine learning challenge to help the UUV learn to navigate various water conditions and safely find its way back into the submarines torpedo tube.

Virginia-class attack submarines can silently shoot torpedoes from their launch tubes without giving away their location. If submarines can also fill their tubes with small UUVs, theyd gain the ability to stealthily expand their reach and surveil a larger area around the boat.

During a panel discussion at the Navy Leagues annual Sea Air Space conference on April 8, U.K. Royal Navy Second Sea Lord Vice Adm. Martin Connell told Defense News that his country, too, would accelerate its work on developing this capability. He said the U.K. plans to test it on an Astute-class attack submarine this year, and then based on what worked for the U.K. and the U.S., theyd determine how to scale up the capability.

Packer said this effort will make UUV operations ubiquitous on any submarine. Today, it takes a drydock shelter. It takes divers. It takes a whole host of Rube Goldberg kinds of things. Once I get torpedo tube launch and recovery, its just like launching a torpedo, but they welcome him back in.

He added that the team agreed not to integrate this capability onto Australias Collins-class conventionally powered submarines now, but Australia will gain this capability when it buys the first American Virginia-class attack submarine in 2032.

Commander Sean Heaton of the U.K. Royal Navy presents the capabilities used on board HMS Tamar during the Integrated Battle Problem 23.3 exercise near Sydney, Australia. The exercise tested a range of autonomous systems operating from the Royal Australian Navy's Mine Hunter Coastal HMAS Gascoyne, Undersea Support Vessel ADV Guidance and the UK's Off-Shore Patrol Vessel HMS Tamar. (LSIS David Cox/Royal Australian Navy)

On subsea and seabed warfare, Packer said all three countries have an obligation to defend their critical undersea infrastructure. He noted the U.K. and Australia had developed ships that could host unmanned systems that can scan the seabed and ensure undersea cables havent been tampered with, for example.

Connell said during the panel the British and Australian navies conducted an exercise together in Australia involving seabed warfare. This effort took just six months from concept to trial, he said, adding he hopes the team can continue to develop even greater expeditionary capability through this line of effort.

Packer said a next step would be collectively developing effectors for these seabed warfare unmanned underwater vehicles  what are the hammers, the saws, the screwdrivers that I need to develop for these UUVs to get effects on the seabed floor, including sensors.

A P-8A Poseidon assigned to Patrol Squadron (VP) 46 takes off from the runway at Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella, Italy, Jan. 17, 2024. (MC2 Jacquelin Frost/US Navy)

The primary artificial intelligence effort today involves the three nations P-8 anti-submarine warfare airplanes, though it will eventually expand to the submarines themselves.

Packer said the nations created the first secure collaborative development environment, such that they can all contribute terabytes of data collected from P-8 sensors. The alliance, using vendors from all three countries industrial bases, is working now to create an artificial intelligence tool that can identify all the biological sources of sounds the P-8s pick up  everything from whales to shrimp  and eliminate those noises from the picture operators see. This will allow operators to focus on man-made sounds and better identify potential enemy submarines.

Packer said the Navy never had the processing power to do something like this before. Now that the secure cloud environment exists, the three countries are moving out as fast as they can to train their AI tools to detect adversaries from that data  beyond the level of the human operator to do so.

For now, the collaboration is focused on P-8s, since foreign military sales cases already exist with the U.K. and Australia to facilitate this collaboration.

Connell, without specifying the nature of the AI tool, said the U.K would put an application on its P-8s this year to enhance their onboard acoustic performance.

Packer noted the U.S. is independently using this capability on an attack submarine today using U.S.-only vendors and algorithms, but the AUKUS team plans to eventually share the full automatic target recognition tool with all three countries planes, submarines and surface combatants once the right authorities are in place.

Sailors assigned to the U.S. Navy submarine Minnesota prepare an MK 48 torpedo at the Haakonsvern Naval Base in Bergen, Norway, in 2019. (Chief MC Travis Simmons/U.S. Navy)

And finally, Packer said the fourth line of effort is looking at the collective inventory of torpedoes and considering how to create more capability and capacity. Both the U.S. and U.K. stopped building torpedoes decades ago, and the U.S. around 2016 began trying to restart its industrial base manufacturing capability.

The issue is that none of us have sufficient ordnance-, torpedo-building capability, Packer said, but the group is looking at options to modernize British torpedoes and share in-development American long-range torpedoes with the allies  potentially through an arrangement that involves a multinational industrial base.

Vice Adm. Rob Gaucher, the commander of U.S. Naval Submarine Forces, said during the panel discussion that these AUKUS undersea warfare lines of effort closely match his modernization priorities for his own submarine fleet.

Pursuing these aims as part of a coalition, he said, strengthens all three navies.

The more we do it, and the faster we do it, and the more we get it in the hands of the operators, the better. And then having three sets of operators to do it makes it even better, Gaucher said.
Aung San Suu Kyi used as human shield to protect junta from drone attacks

Aung San Suu Kyi has been moved from prison to house arrest as a health measure, according to Myanmar's ruling junta - Aung Shine Oo/AP

Aung San Suu Kyi, the detained former leader of Myanmar is being used as a human shield to protect the ruling junta from drone attacks, her son has claimed.

Ms Suu Kyi was this week moved from prison to house arrest. The army said the change was to protect her and other elderly prisoners from the hot weather. It was not clear where exactly she had been moved to.

However, her son Kim Aris, who lives in London, claimed that the real reason was for the junta to protect itself from a surge in rebel attacks.

I think they have their own reasons for moving her, namely that theyd like to use her as a human shield or a bargaining chip, he told Reuters.

It could be against armed drones which are being used to try to remove this military tyranny by a brave opposition, he said in a separate interview with The Independent.

Linn Thant, a representative of the opposition National Unity Government  an alliance of anti-junta groups  has echoed Mr Ariss concerns.

There is a real risk that the junta will strategically position [Ms Suu Kyi] and the president at key military installations, thereby exposing them to potential targeting by the revolutionary forces, Mr Thant said in a statement.

Kim Aris, who lives in London, claimed the ruling junta had moved his mother to protect itself from a surge in rebel attacks - Suzanne Plunkett/REUTERS

Ms Suu Kyi has been detained by the Myanmar military since it overthrew her government in a 2021 coup.

Since then a junta crackdown on protests in the wake of the coup has sparked a grass-roots rebellion and re-ignited conflict with some ethnic armies.

A nationwide armed resistance movement is increasingly coordinating attacks with established ethnic rebel groups to challenge the military.

The army has suffered a string of defeats, most notably the loss of vast portions of territory in northern Shan State to the Brotherhood Alliance, three ethnic armies that now control much of the border with China.

World leaders and pro-democracy activists have repeatedly called for Ms Suu Kyis release. She faces 27 years in prison for crimes ranging from treason and bribery to violations of the telecommunications law. She denies all the charges.

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Rep. Austin Smith, R-Surprise, on the floor of the Arizona House of Representatives on April 17, 2024. Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror

Republican state Rep. Austin Smith has dropped his reelection bid after being accused of personally forging more than 100 petition signatures to get on the 2024 ballot.

And hes facing a possible criminal investigation into his signatures after state elections officials forwarded his petition signatures to the Arizona Attorney Generals Office.

Smith is first-term representative from Surprise, a member of Arizonas far-right Arizona Freedom Caucus and a top official at Turning Point Action, the campaign arm of the far-right Turning Point USA, which is aimed at young Republicans and run by Charlie Kirk.

Ironically, Smith is also a member of the Houses Municipal Oversight and Elections Committee, where he decried unproven election fraud in Maricopa County, and has even made jokes accusing county officials of mail-in ballot signature fraud on social media.

Signature verification in Maricopa County is a joke, Smith wrote on Twitter in May 2023.

But Smiths own petition to get on the July 30 Republican primary ballot was filled with more than 100 signatures, along with corresponding addresses, that obviously look like they were all written by the same person. And two of his supposed petition signers told the court, in statements submitted along with a lawsuit challenging his nominating petitions, that they never signed the petition.

Smith announced that he was dropping out of the race on Thursday, just days after the signature challenge was filed by Democratic precinct committeeman Jim Ashurst.

In the announcement, Smith called the allegations against him ludicrous and accused Democrats of creating a coordinated attack against him with press releases and social media posts about the legal challenge to his candidacy.

If they could convince a judge that any one signature was forged, all of my signatures would be invalidated and I would get kicked off the ballot, Smith wrote. And as per Arizona law, I would also be banned from seeking office for five years.

Smith took no accountability for the allegedly fraudulent signatures and said that he didnt want to spend tens of thousands defending himself in the civil elections challenge  as well as a possible criminal case for forgery  because he didnt want that to impact his new wife.

We have our plans and aspirations, and none of them involve starting out tens of thousands of dollars in debt as a once of being involved in public service, he wrote.

But Republican Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer Tweeted on Thursday that, if the signatures were valid, the county would put out a report saying so, costing Smith nothing.

Smith went on to say that, when he runs for office in the future, hell exclusively use the online petition signature system, so that no one can make up any stories.

But while Smith was excoriated by the Arizona Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, they were not the only ones who went after him for his alleged behavior.

Maricopa County Supervisor Clint Hickman, a Republican, called Smith out in a Thursday statement, saying he should resign his seat in the House of Representatives immediately and calling for an investigation into Smiths signatures.

An investigation will reveal the truth, but this episode tells us something about those who have spread falsehoods with such ease since the 2020 Election, Hickman wrote. They cant comprehend that most Americans and Arizonans are honest people. They accuse others of dishonesty so easily because they have no qualms about lying to win a political race or a business deal. Well, I will always tell people the truth and Austin Smith should leave public service now."

Smith was one of the many Arizona Republicans who claimed that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from former President Donald Trump and says on his campaign site that he was involved in the partisan audit of the race, which never uncovered any fraud.

What happened on November 3rd, 2020 in Maricopa County continues to be a national disgrace and embarrassment, Smith wrote on his website. Not only that, Austin believes it was criminal and will fight every day in the State Legislature to hold those responsible to account.

The Arizona Secretary of State, Democrat Adrian Fontes, has already forwarded the allegations of forgery and fraud against Smith to the Attorney Generals Office, along with 12 other election petition signature cases.

Shortly after Smith announced he was dropping out of the race, the ADLCC criticized him for his decision not to defend his actions in court.

Arizona voters deserve the same accountability, transparency, and elections integrity that Smith has long claimed to champion, Democratic Sen. Priya Sundareshan, co-chair of the ADLCC said in a statement.

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The post Austin Smith drops reelection campaign amid accusations of petition signature fraud appeared first on Arizona Mirror.
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand  Australia simultaneously unveiled two pivotal documents on April 17  its inaugural National Defence Strategy and the 2024 Integrated Investment Program  with a promise that defense spending will reach AU$765 billion (U.S. $491 billion) over the next decade.

In line with that trajectory, the government projected the 2033-2034 annual defense budget would surpass AU$100 billion, equating to 2.4% of gross domestic product.

The defense strategy is meant to provide the overarching rationale for Australias integrated, focused force, while the investment plan spells out ways to pay for specific objectives.

The inaugural National Defence Strategy sets out a clear and priority-driven approach to protecting against threats to Australia and our interests, Defence Minister Richard Marles said at the document launch event in Canberra. China was notably prominent among those threats.

An Australian defense expert warned there cannot be anymore lag in implementing the strategys pointers.

We actually need to be putting them [the documents] into service now. We cant wait another two or three years for that, Bec Shrimpton, director of the defense strategy and national security program at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute think tank, told Defense News.

Shrimpton found the strategy document slightly underwhelming in its articulation of concepts already described in previous policy papers. Im not seeing a lot added, she said.

Marles said Australias activity should focus unambiguously on the Asia-Pacific region, especially to protect trade routes. We simply have to make the difficult decision to keep the vast bulk of our effort in our region.

Compared with the broad-brush goals of the defense strategy, the accompanying investment plan provides more meat, according to Shrimpton. It actually starts to fill in a genuine picture of what the future force is going to look like and what its going to do.

For example, the government plans to steer 38% of funds to maritime capabilities, 22% to enterprise and enabling programs  including infrastructure and information technology  16% to land, 14% to air, 7% to cyberspace and 3% to space.

About AU$76 billion will go to undersea warfare by 2034, including AU$53 billion to AU$63 billion focused on nuclear-powered submarines and associated infrastructure. Some of those investments are already appearing on the books, as Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy announced April 18 that the Navy would adopt Andurils Ghost Shark long-range autonomous underwater vessel.

Up to AU$69 billion will be spent on surface ships over the next decade, eventually giving the service 26. However, hull numbers will dip to a nadir of nine in a few years time.

With an influx of AU$44 billion over 10 years, the Australian Army will continue transforming to a littoral and expeditionary force akin to the U.S. Marine Corps.

Approximately AU$18 billion will go to integrated air and missile defense, but there is no investment pegged in long-range, ground-based air defense systems like the Patriot or Terminal High Altitude Area Defense systems to defend against ballistic missiles. Counter-drone systems are also listed, an area in which the Australian Defence Force lacks capabilities.

The Air Force will receive AU$33 billion over the coming decade. It will keep investing in MQ-28A Ghost Bat drones, but its original plan to obtain 100 F-35A fighter jets is capped at 72.

Thus, Conroy said, weve decided to keep the [F/A-18] Super Hornets in service for two reasons. One, theyre doing great work. Secondly, the Joint Strike Fighter is even more capable than we initially thought. So we can delay the replacement of the Super Hornet which frees up funding to invest in more longrange missiles, for example.

Regarding space, Australia will continue developing a satellite communications network and spend funds on the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability. The plan mentions measures to enhance [the Department of] Defences space control capability to deny attempts to interfere with, or attack Australias use of the space domain.

This could prove critical in the face of Chinas counter-space capabilities.

Marles vowed that defense spending, compared to earlier allocations, would increase by AU$50.3 billion in the next decade.

However, Shrimpton pointed out that 11% of this amount will be allocated in the coming four years. In other words, approximately 90% of the spending increase will not come to fruition until the late 2020s.

So were accepting an element of risk, the analyst said, adding that the quick fielding of promising technology should play a more prominent role as a hedge against near-term underfunding.

Many commentators see the period from now till the end of this decade as carrying the highest risk of Chinese aggression, but where the Australian Defence Force has significant weaknesses.

What are we cutting, canceling, divesting and re-scoping? A lot of the story of this investment plan and this strategy is going to sit in what were not doing, Shrimpton said. That picture is not fully clear yet.
WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD)  A woman was found dead after a fire broke out at a house in Wyoming early Thursday.

She was identified as 42-year-old Sara Martin, the only person who lived in the home.

It happened on Collingwood Avenue SW near Lee Street. By the time firefighters were called around 4:45 a.m., the fire had already spread to a significant portion of the home, a release from the Wyoming Police Department said. Surveillance video from a neighbor viewed by News 8 showed flames rising from the roof.

Firefighters started putting water on the house and went in to search for victims. Wyoming Fire Department Chief Dennis Van Tassell said no one was found during a primary search of the home, but Martins body was found in the upper level during a secondary search after the fire was knocked down.

Later Thursday morning, News 8 saw an upper window blown out, damage to the roof and charred debris on the ground. Van Tassell said the window had been broken by a firefighters as a ventilation technique while extinguishing the flames. The house was surrounded by yellow crime scene tape. There was a fire truck, fire marshal and three police cruisers parked in front. Michigan State Police brought in a dog to search the scene.

Investigators say theyre still working to learn what caused the the fire and whether or not foul play was involved.

When asked if police had reason to believe the fire was suspicious, Capt. Timothy Pols with the Wyoming Police Department said, at this point, no.  A death investigation such as this is serious and we want to be able to rule out foul play and thats just part of the routine investigation.

Police asked for anyone with information to reach out to Wyoming detectives at 616.530.7300 or Silent Observer at 616.774.2345.

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Van Tassell said firefighters found one working smoke detector in the home. He recommended all residents install working smoke detectors in every bedroom and on every level of a house.

The Wyoming Fire Department can assist you in placing fire alarms where they need to be placed, he added.

Editors note: A previous version of this article misspelled Sara Martins first name based on the spelling provided by Wyoming police. It has been corrected based on information from family.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
Average cost for child care in Ohio is more than $11K for an infant. How can state help?

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine gives his 2024 State of the State address in the Ohio House chambers at the Ohio Statehouse on April 10.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced two new initiatives to improve access to child care last week in his State of the State address.

Legislators and experts think the initiatives will help, but say Ohio has more to do to expand access.

The average cost of child care is unaffordable for many families in Ohio. Policy Matters Ohio, a nonprofit research institute, released a report on child care accessibility in March that found the average annual cost of child care at a center for a family with one infant is $11,438.

For child care to be considered affordable, it has to cost 7% or less of a family's annual income, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Researchers found that expenses would have to be below $4,700 a year to be considered affordable based on the median household income in Ohio.

Researchers found that at current rates, an Ohio family would have to make $250,385 a year for child care for an infant and a toddler at the average center to be considered affordable.

Kathryn Poe, who co-authored the report, said people don't realize the impact child care expenses have on Ohioans in all economic classes.

"Often we still talk about it as giving child care assistance to just the poorest folks and only that. It can't be that way in order for this program to actually be successful and reach people. It has to be accessible for people who are solidly in the middle class in Ohio," they said.

Poe and co-author Alissa Smith found there's been a decline in the number of children benefiting from publicly funded child care, from 172,585 children in 2019 to 143,888 in 2021, the most recent data available.

They also found a decline in the number of child care workers by nearly 36% between 2017 and 2022, which experts say is in part because of low wages.

Kara Wente, director of the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, said at an Ohio Chamber of Commerce event on Tuesday that the average wage for a child care worker was $11.92 in 2019. That increased to $14.84 by the end of last year.

"You don't hear us celebrating that increase, because that's obviously not where anyone needs it to be. But at least we're starting to see the trend move in the right direction, which is reassuring," Wente said,

What did DeWine propose in the State of the State?

During his State of the State address last week, DeWine proposed a new child care voucher program for families that make up to 200% of the federal poverty level, which would be $60,000 for a family of four. The governor said the program will provide support for 8,000 children in Ohio.

Currently, only families that earn up to 145% of the federal poverty level are eligible for publicly funded child care, which would be a family of four with an income of up to $45,240.

DeWine also announced the state will allocate $85 million in federal funding to upgrade and expand child care facilities.

Two and three year olds play, watched over by Aliya Ponder, at Little Incredibles in Columbus.

How much will the initiatives help?

Wente praised the governor for increasing eligibility from 130% to 145% of the federal poverty level during his time in office and said the voucher program will be a "pretty big deal" for the 8,000 children who benefit but that it's not enough.

"It doesn't put us in line with the other states. And the governor truly wants this to be the best place to raise a family and we know child care is a key component to that," she said.

Policy Matters Ohio researchers recommended expanding eligibility to up to 300% of the federal poverty level, which would assist Ohioans with a median household income of $65,720.

Wente said the voucher program will give the state more data for future policy decisions, as the data following the pandemic has. She said about 70% of the applications denied in 2020 were for families that met the requirements in that they were working or in school but were over the income threshold to qualify.

"That's really where we get to those families that are making those critical decisions around 'Do I continue to work? Or is today the day that one of us decides to stay home because we can't afford it?' Those are the families we're hoping to serve and support through this childcare voucher program," Wente said.

Alissa Smith with Policy Matters Ohio said while the voucher program is a step in the right direction, publicly funded child care needs a long-term change. She said what the state learns from the capacity grants about who's applying and where the money is needed will help.

How much will the child care vouchers cost?

Poe said any policy solution for making child care more accessible has to involve more funding.

"There's not an aspect of this issue that wouldn't be better with more money," Poe said.

The USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau requested cost estimates for the publicly funded child care currently and the new voucher program from the Ohio Department of Children and Youth but did not receive a response before publication.

What will lawmakers do?

Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima, said after the governor's address he was pleased to hear DeWine talk about increasing access and that the conversation needs to focus on increasing capacity as there are fewer child care centers in Ohio now than there were a decade ago.

Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood, said if the Republican majority in the legislature could raise the eligibility threshold for school vouchers to 450% of the federal poverty level, the legislature should increase the eligibility for families receiving child care.

Rep. Andrea White, R-Kettering, and Rep. Bill Roemer, R-Richfield, introduced a bill to establish child care grant programs in the Ohio House of Representatives on April 10. The bill would allocate $10 million to the Department of Children and Youth to administer grants of up to $750,000 to increase child care availability.

What happens next?

New federal rules regarding child care take effect on April 30, although Ohio can request a two-year waiver for time to comply.

The new rules will require state agencies to pay providers based on enrollment rather than attendance, which would give providers more stability.

The rules will also require that copayments for families receiving publicly funded child care can be no more than 7% of the family's income.

Erin Glynn is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Child care is unaffordable in Ohio. Will Gov. DeWine's proposal help?
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  A Ballinger High School student has earned a $2,500 scholarship to attend Family, Career and Community Leaders of Americas 2024 National Leadership Conference.

The student, Eva Burrell, was one of the over 140 students nationwide who applied for a Travel and Attendance Access Scholarship. Only 17 recipients were selected to receive the scholarship. Burrell was also the only student from Texas to receive the scholarship during the 2024 awarding window, according to Ballinger High School FCCLA adviser Kinsley Lester.

The scholarship was established in 2022 as a way to provide life-changing opportunities for student members and their chapter advisers to attend NLC, according to FCCLA. Scholarship recipients are chosen by FCCLAs Inclusion, Access, Equity, and Diversity Committee based on several criteria, including financial need, academic merit, community engagement and school/FCCLA involvement, as per the FCCLA website.

This is an exciting opportunity, Burrell said.

This years National Leadership Conference will be held in Seattle, Washington, from June 29 to July 3. There, FCCLA students can  network with members and advisers from across the nation, attend leadership workshops, participate in Competitive Events, explore career pathways, and learn from industry experts, according to FCCLA.

Evas selection for this prestigious award is a testament to their outstanding achievements and potential, and FCCLA is honored to have such a talented and dedicated member represent the organization at NLC this summer, FCCLA said. FCCLA congratulates Eva Burrell on this achievement and looks forward to watching them thrive in the future.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com.
A sign supporting LGBTQ+ kids appears in the office of House Democratic leadership on March 5, 2024, at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

On March 27, the Kansas Legislature passed Senate Bill 233, which would prohibit the provision of gender-affirming health care to transgender and nonbinary youths across the state. Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed this bill April 12. A vote to override the veto is expected to occur when Kansas lawmakers return from their adjournment for the final weeks of the session. If SB 233 is signed into law, Kansas will join 24 other U.S. states that have passed similar legislation.

I have been researching the social aspects of transgender medicine in the United States and globally as a sociologist for seven years. Specifically, I study how knowledge in gender-affirming health care is produced and put into practice. Over the past four years, Ive watched the flurry of proposed and enacted bans on this care across the U.S. with increasing concern. My dismay stems from the misrepresentation of scientific evidence supporting gender-affirming health care, as well as the harms that I anticipate restrictions on care will cause.

Proponents of bans on gender-affirming health care for people under the age of 18 often argue that there is inadequate scientific evidence for this care. Many of the criticisms center on the lack of randomized control trials (RCTs), which are considered to be the gold standard of evidence in medicine. However, these criticisms overlook that RCTs are not ethically feasible in many areas of medicine (not just gender-affirming health care), and that other forms of evidence can and should be evaluated to assess the risks and benefits of various interventions.

Puberty blockers offer a poignant example of this issue. Many transgender and nonbinary youths seek these medications, typically provided as a gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnHRa), because they pause the onset of puberty. These effects are reversible: Youths may choose to stop and go through endogenous puberty. Alternatively, youths may choose to begin gender-affirming hormone therapy once they have reached the recommended age.

Because there are no RCTs of puberty blockers for transgender youths, proponents of bills such as SB 233 have portrayed them as experimental treatments. This depiction of puberty blockers falsely implies that there is no scientific evidence available to evaluate the benefits and risks of these medications. Contrary to this picture, the prescription of GnHRa has been an accepted treatment for cisgender youths diagnosed with central precocious puberty for several decades. Absent RCTs, rigorous medical and social scientific research has shown the benefits of delaying puberty for transgender youths, including alleviation of gender dysphoria and decreased suicidal ideation or attempts.

Supporters of restrictions on gender-affirming health care for youths have also expressed concerns that clinicians may be pressuring youths into medical transition. This fear was stoked when an ex-employee of a St. Louis clinic providing care to transgender youths claimed that clinicians had been making inappropriate referrals. Many of the testimonies submitted in favor of SB 233 referenced news media accounts of this story.

These testimonies neglect to mention two important points. First, youths who were patients at the clinic and their families directly contradicted these claims. Second, an internal investigation completed by Washington University found no substantiation for those allegations.

In the years I have spent interviewing clinicians and patients, observing transgender health conferences, and analyzing medical publications, I have seen no justification for the concern that clinicians are pressuring youths to transition medically. On the contrary, the clinicians I spoke with tended to emphasize that decisions to begin medical transition at any age require careful and individualized consideration by patients and their providers. The trans adults I interviewed who had sought care before the age of 18 generally recounted a widespread reluctance to prescribe puberty blockers among clinicians they had visited, let alone hormone therapy or gender-affirming surgeries.

Social science and medical research has consistently shown that transgender and nonbinary people face high rates of stigma and discrimination in health care compared with the general population. Transgender and nonbinary youths experienced significant difficulties accessing care even before U.S. states began restricting its provision, and bans on gender-affirming health care are expected to worsen health outcomes in this community.

My expertise in this field leads me to conclude that similar policies could cause irreparable harm to Kansass transgender and nonbinary youths. Kansas lawmakers need to recognize the scientific evidence demonstrating the benefits of gender-affirming health care.

Alyssa Lynne-Joseph is an assistant professor of sociology at Wichita State University. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.

The post Ban on gender-affirming care for Kansas kids misrepresents evidence, likely to cause harm appeared first on Kansas Reflector.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, April 18. The Ministry of Energy of Kyrgyzstan and the Korea Water Resources Development Corporation (K-Water) have signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Trend reports.

According to the Ministry of Energy of Kyrgyzstan, the objective of the memorandum is to provide a framework for cooperation and promote advancements in the exploration and development of international projects aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions using renewable energy sources.

It was noted that this represents a major advancement in cooperative efforts to address environmental issues.

K-Water, established in 1967, is a state agency responsible for the comprehensive development of water resources and providing water for both domestic and industrial purposes in South Korea. The agency's activities encompass the construction, operation, and management of integrated water resource projects, as well as projects related to renewable energy.

According to Kyrgyzstan's State Statistical Committee, the country generated over 3.434 billion kWh of electricity from January through February 2024, which is an 8.2 percent decrease compared to the same months in 2023.
Barb Berman had a heart for Rockford and its people

Barb Berman retired as the executive director of the local chapter of the Arthritis Foundation, but how most people know her is through her 30+ years of volunteering.

In her retirement, Berman worked with dozens of nonprofits and was probably more busy then than when she had a day job.

She volunteered with the former Rock Valley Heritage Kiwanis Club Key Club, the Ethnic Heritage Museum, Rockford Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors, Rockford Network of Professional Women, Red Shoe Run, 911 Board, Beccas Closet, Greenwich Village Art Fair, Lifescape Senior Recognition Breakfast and more. And she served on dozens of committees.

Berman died April 14 surrounded by family. She was 89.

More: A champion for ethnic distinctions

Barb Berman

James Patterson, senior program director at the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, said Berman was instrumental in the formation of the Foundation's In Youth We Trust program, a youth philanthropy program involving high school students making decisions on grant applications submitted from other youth. The program teaches the students leadership skills and how to debate in a respectful fashion.

"She worked as much as I did because she loved it so much," he said. "She had a heart for children."

David Ruffin of the Ethnic Heritage Museum said Berman was instrumental in the museum purchasing the neighboring Graham-Ginestra House and in making the museum campus what it is today.

""She was a real go-getter," he said. "She will be truly missed."

Dick and Barb Berman are the guest of honor in 2021 at the Ethnic Heritage Museum where the gazebo on the museum grounds was dedicated to them for their decades of support.

The gazebo on the museum property was dedicated in 2021 to Barb and her husband, Dick Berman, in recognition of their decades of support.

In 2010, Berman was named the Rockford Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year, the chambers most prestigious award given to those who have made significant contributions to the community through business and philanthropy.

Berman's daughter, Diane Fitzgerald of Rockford, called her mother "a champion for all in the Rockford community."

"Rockford is a very caring community," Berman said in a 2014 interview with the Rockford Register Star. "I have volunteered for almost every nonprofit and am amazed at the involvement and generosity of the people in Rockford."

A celebration of life will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 11, at Rockford Country Club.

Chris Green is a Rockford Register Star general assignment reporter. He can be reached at 815-987-1241, via email at cgreen@rrstar.com and X @chrisfgreen.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Longtime community volunteer, Rockford's Barb Berman dies at 89
BATH, N.Y. (WETM)  The Village of Bath will soon be making updates to its natural gas infrastructure after more than $9 million was granted to the village by the federal government.

In a release from Congressman Nick Langworthys Office, the Village of Bath will get $9,377,000 in federal grant funding to replace natural gas pipelines in the area.

The funds are part of the U.S. Department of Transportations Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure and Safety Modernization Grant Program.

Tax hike proposal to avoid job cuts in Corning-Painted Post School District

A chunk of $9,288,000 will go toward a pipeline construction project that will replace 11.9 miles of natural gas piping in Bath. The remaining $89,000 will go toward equipment designed to detect methane.

Mayor Michael Sweet spoke about being an advocate for protecting ratepayers and promoting American energy and natural gas in the southern tier.

These funds are critical to advancing and re-investing in our infrastructure, so we can continue delivering safe, reliable, and affordable natural gas to homes and businesses across our community, Sweet said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com.
Martine Croxall, 55, last presented on the BBC News channel in March 2023 - BBC News/PA

Martine Croxall, the BBC news anchor, is suing the corporation for age and sex discrimination after spending nearly a year off air.

The 55-year-old, who was previously taken off air after gleefully reacting to news Boris Johnson had pulled out of the Tory leadership race in 2022, last presented on the BBC News channel in March 2023.

Croxall and other colleagues were told to reapply for a small pool of chief presenter roles after it was announced that the corporations home and world news channels would be merged in April 2023.

She was one of five female presenters, all aged in their late 40s or 50s, who missed out. They were left without roles, although remained on full pay.

The others were Geeta Guru-Murthy, Annita McVeigh, Kasia Madera and Karin Giannone.

Guru-Murthy and McVeigh recently returned to work after other vacancies opened up.

Croxalls case is listed at a central London employment tribunal on May 1, where she is suing for age discrimination, sex discrimination and equal pay.

It will be the highest-profile BBC tribunal since Samira Ahmed successfully sued the corporation over gender pay in 2020.

The presenters chosen for the coveted chief presenter roles were two men - Matthew Amroliwala and Christian Fraser - and three women: Yalda Hakim, 40, Maryam Moshiri, 46, and Lucy Hockings, 49.

Hakim has since defected to Sky News.

(From left to right) Kasia Madera, Geeta Guru-Murthy, Annita McVeigh, Karin Giannone and Martine Croxall - Twitter

Not a good situation

When the merger was announced, 18 presenters were required to apply for the five roles. Some quit rather than face the humiliating process, including Joanna Gosling.

According to Deadline, the five women who lost out challenged the BBCs recruitment process via an internal complaints procedure, alleging that the broadcaster already had a preferred list of presenters in mind.

The BBC said the chief presenters were recruited via a competitive interview process in accordance with BBC HR procedures.

Tim Davie, the BBC director-general, told a parliamentary select committee last month that the corporation was working towards a fair resolution for the women.

It is not a good situation where you are paying people [who are off air] and we are trying to get it resolved as fast as possible. I recognise that it has been going on for some time, he said.

Paul Royall, head of the BBC News channel, was asked at a recent Media Society event how paying the women to be on the bench represented value for money for licence fee payers.

He replied that for any business there is a transition phase, a transition cost that has to be part of the wider project.

The BBC declined to comment.

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Liliane Landor was previously head of foreign news at Channel 4, but spent the majority of her career at the BBC

The head of the BBC World Service has quit as she cited deep concerns about the broadcasters future amid sweeping cuts.

Liliane Landor, senior controller of BBC News International Services and BBC World Service director, said she will step down in July after three years in the role.

In a note to staff, Ms Landor said she was deeply concerned about the operational capability of the World Service if additional cuts continue to weaken it further.

The BBC announced major cuts to the World Service in 2022 that has led to hundreds of job losses and the closure of foreign language radio services including BBC Arabic and BBC Persian.

Ms Landor warned of immense pressures facing the World Service and the BBC more broadly.

She wrote: The organisation is operating in a tight and ever restrictive financial environment and over the past two years we have faced tough choices resulting in cuts which have incrementally impacted our global reach and the breadth of our services.

While the executive praised journalists for adapting to the cutbacks, she warned that the World Services output in English and 42 languages needed to be protected.

Ms Landor added: It must be able to retain its distinctive universal voice regardless of how deeply it integrates into the wider BBC News framework.

And it needs to continue to be a genuine international public service capable of reaching people and parts of the world in need of trusted news and information.

Ms Landor was previously head of foreign news at Channel 4, but has spent the majority of her career at the BBC after beginning at the French Service.

Deborah Turness, chief executive of BBC News, said: In a polarised world where truth is under attack, Liliane has led our BBC World Service teams with real courage.

She has been a global ambassador for our powerful and important journalism, and has worked with great skill to modernise World Service output to reach digital audiences. Liliane is a person of great integrity and I will miss her wisdom very much.

The comments have sparked fears of further cuts, with one BBC manager describing the situation as really grim.

A BBC spokesman said there were no specific plans for further cuts but said cost savings were an ongoing situation at the public service broadcaster.

The BBC has already announced cuts to services including Newsnight as part of a wider effort to plug a 500m black hole in its finances following a two-year freeze to the licence fee.

Director general Tim Davie last month said the corporation was now trying to find a further 200m in savings as he announced plans to overhaul its digital services.

The BBC is also racing to prepare for a future without the licence fee after the Government launched a review into its future funding model.

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 Rhode Island man arrested for drunken driving had an illegal Glock 17 pistol on the floor of his vehicle while refusing to obey officers, police said Thursday.

Eliezer Melero, 27, of Providence, Rhode Island, was charged with drunk driving, failure to submit to police, resisting arrest, and unlawful possession of a high-capacity firearm and ammunition while intoxicated and unlicensed. Police said Melero has a previous charge for firearm possession in Rhode Island.

On Sunday, at around 3 a.m., officers saw a vehicle traveling erratically and then stop on Norwell Street, police said. Melero, later identified as the driver, also had a female passenger with him.

Officers immediately detected signs of intoxication as Melero refused repeated commands to produce his license and exit the vehicle, police said.

There was a brief struggle, and officers noticed a Glock 17 pistol near Meleros feet inside the vehicle, police said. Melero had no license for the pistol, which also had no serial number.

Melero was taken into custody, and the firearm was secured. Police said Melero was taken to the police station, where he was found to have a blood alcohol level of .16, which is twice the legal limit.

Anyone with information on this case may remain anonymous and may call New Bedford Police 508-99-CRIME, or they may leave information on the police department website.

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
From left, Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, author of the High-Level Report on the future of the Single Market Enrico Letta and Finland's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo speak during a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

BRUSSELS (AP)  The leaders of Belgium and the Czech Republic are warning their European Union partners to take urgent action to prevent Russian interference in Junes Europe-wide elections, after the two countries intelligence services uncovered evidence of attempts to bribe EU lawmakers.

We simply cannot allow Russia to get away with such a blatant attack on our democratic institutions and principles, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and his Czech counterpart Peter Fiala said in a letter, as EU leaders held a summit in Brussels on Thursday.

We must arm ourselves against this, both at national and European level, they wrote.

Last week, with campaigning for the June 6-9 starting to gather momentum, De Croo said that Belgiums intelligence service has confirmed the existence of a network trying to undermine European support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.

The Czech government has imposed sanctions on a number of people after a pro-Russian influence operation was uncovered there. They are alleged to have approached members of the European Parliament and offered them money to promote Russian propaganda.

U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a hidden campaign to influence the 2016 race in favor of Donald Trump over Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton, with Russian operatives hacking Democratic emails and facilitating their release in the run-up to the election.

More recently, they concluded that Putin had authorized influence operations in the 2020 election aimed at denigrating Joe Biden, boosting Trump, undermining confidence in the vote and exacerbating social divisions in the U.S. Trump and Putin have dismissed such findings.

Asked which politicians might have been bribed in Europe, De Croo said: I dont want to be in a position where I have information about political opponents. If that were the case, it would not be a good thing. That could undermine the credibility of everything our security services are doing.

There is someone who is trying to influence, and there are people who allow themselves to be influenced, and when there is money involved, we must be able to take action, he said at the summit, which is the last such meeting planned before the elections.

De Croo said that while the money had changed hands outside of Belgium, the political influence was happening in his country. Belgium currently holds the EUs rotating presidency and is home to the blocs institutions as well as the headquarters of NATO.

He and Fiala want their partners to beef up the mandate of Europes anti-fraud agency and the EU public prosecutors office. De Croo warned that this could take time and pointed out that not all the blocs member countries have signed up to the prosecutors' office.

We cant wait until after the elections to take action when we know that the results might be influenced, De Croo said.

During the summit, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola warned that Russias attempts to skew narratives and strengthen pro-Kremlin sentiments  through disinformation are not anymore just a threat, but a possibility that we must be ready to counter.

Elections to the EUs assembly are held across the 27 member countries every five years. They involve a series of national polls to choose around 720 members. Many voters use the elections to cast protest ballots against their own national governments.

Members of the EU parliament, the blocs only democratically elected institution, shape and decide on new laws that influence the lives of around 420 million people living in Europe, ranging from economic affairs to the fight against poverty, tackling climate change and boosting security.

Last month, Latvias state security service started criminal proceedings against 73-year-old Latvian EU lawmaker Tatjana Zdanoka over alleged Russian ties. Reports in Russian, Nordic and Baltic news sites alleged that she had been an agent for the Russian Federal Security Service since at least 2004.

EU nations have poured billions of euros into Ukraine, along with significant amounts of weaponry and ammunition. Theyve also slapped sanctions on top Russian officials, including Putin, banks, companies and the energy sector since the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

But as the war has dragged on, with Russian troops appearing now to hold a slim advantage, that support has become increasingly difficult to sustain. Hungary, Putins closest European supporter, has held up the delivery of funds to Ukraine and is demanding that peace talks be held.
German Minister for Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock gives a statement at the meeting of the G7 foreign ministers. Britta Pedersen/dpa

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has summoned the Russian ambassador following the arrest of two Russian-German nationals on suspicion of espionage and planning attacks in Germany.

The Foreign Office confirmed the summons. However, it was initially unknown when exactly the appointment would take place.

The police on Wednesday had arrested two men in Bavaria on suspicion of spying for Russia and scouting out possible targets for attacks in Germany.

Prosecutors said the actions were intended in particular to undermine the military support provided by Germany to Ukraine.
A day after the U.S. Senate dismissed articles of impeachment against him, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas delivered remarks to Cuban Americans at the White House on Thursday afternoon at an event at which U.S. officials also discussed Cuba policy and migration.

The event, organized by the Office of Public Engagement and advertised as Cuban Day at the White House, was meant to recognize the contributions of the Cuban-American community to the United States and highlight the Biden-Harris administrations commitment to Latino communities, according to the invitation.

Mayorkas, a Cuban American and the first Hispanic to lead Homeland Security, spoke after a panel on Cuba policy and migration management and another one on the economic accomplishments of the Biden administration. On Wednesday, the Senate swiftly voted to dismiss two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, killing a House Republican effort to remove him from the Cabinet for his handling of immigration at the U.S-Mexico border.

Navy Secretary Carlos del Toro, who is also Cuban American, delivered remarks ahead of Mayorkas, according to the agenda provided by the White House. Jose Javier Rodriguez, a former Florida state lawmaker confirmed last month as an assistant secretary of the Department of Labor, almost three years after being nominated, delivered opening remarks.

Renowned Cuban pianist Chucho Valdes performed at the end of the event.

The White House gathering follows the latest bilateral talks about migration between American and Cuban officials in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. After heightened tensions over recent protests against the islands government, which Cuba blamed on the U.S., Cuban Vice Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, who led the Cuban delegation, struck a more conciliatory tone and told CBS News that his government was open to accepting more deportation flights from the United States.

Currently, Cossio said Cuba is receiving one deportation flight per month, but he suggested that number was decided by the U.S. side and that Cuban authorities have previously said they were willing to accept more.

A State Department spokesperson said that Cuban authorities have accepted a regular schedule of removal flights since the Migration Talks in April 2023. We are pleased to see these flights return to a more regular cadence.

The official said that in addition to discussing the implementation of the current migration accords between the two countries, U.S. and Cuban officials also met Wednesday in Washington to discuss topics of bilateral interest on international law enforcement matters.

Ensuring safe, orderly, humane, and regular migration between Cuba and the United States remains a primary interest of the United States, consistent with our interest in fostering family reunification, and promoting greater respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba, the spokesperson said. Increased law enforcement cooperation enables the United States to better protect the American people and national security and to facilitate bringing criminals to justice.

Cuban officials also asked for relief from U.S. economic sanctions, according to a statement by the Cuban Foreign Ministry. The government is nearly bankrupt. It was recently unable to pay for shipments of oil and food that were aboard ships already in Cuban waters, officials revealed on state television. The Cuban government blames the U.S. embargo for the situation, but for years has been unable to reform its socialist economy, which is centrally planned and bogged down by bureaucratic restrictions and mismanagement.

Still, the White House event was not expected to deliver news on Cuba policy. An effort by the Biden administration to issue new regulations to support the emerging private sector on the island has stalled after Florida Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart objected, hinting that aid to Ukraine may be in jeopardy if the administration moves forward.

Diaz-Balart, a Cuban American who sits on the House subcommittee on appropriations that decides over the State Department budget, is a staunch supporter of sanctions against the Cuban government. He recently included a provision in the 2024 federal budget prohibiting using funds destined for democracy promotion in Cuba for activities in support of the private sector.

The Herald has learned that the administration is not using such funds for activities to promote an entrepreneurial class in Cuba, raising questions about how effective the budget provision would be in blocking the Biden administrations efforts.

Cuba has also rejected calls to release hundreds of political prisoners, a stumbling block in the diplomatic relationship with the United States.
The Biden campaign has a straightforward strategy for navigating former President Donald Trumps time in the courthouse. Theyre gonna stay the hell out of the way.

President Joe Biden made a rare quip at Trumps expense during a speech Wednesday in Pennsylvania, but aides and advisers have gone to great lengths to say virtually nothing about the trial in New York, deflecting repeated requests to weigh in on his 34 felony counts.

They didnt even take the bait when the former president appeared to doze off on the opening day of proceedings into the legality of hush money payments he made to a porn star.

Instead, they used the moment to pivot to abortion.

Wake Up Donald: After Stormy Abortion Ban Coverage, Trump Poll Memo Attempts to Hush Panic," read the memo Bidens campaign sent out late in the day.

The presidents remark to the United Steelworkers Headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was relatively mild. Under my predecessor, whos a little busy right now, Pennsylvania lost 275,000 jobs, Biden said during the speech.



Such restraint is owed to a variety of factors, chief among them Bidens insistence that his campaign not interfere in the case and a belief that it would be strategically wise not to crowd the stage where their general election opponent is floundering.

"Look, Donald Trump and his team are going to have to speak to his legal issues, the campaigns communications director, Michael Tyler, said on a press call Monday. No matter where Donald Trump is, whether it's in Mar-a-Lago or a courtroom or anywhere else  he will be focused on himself, his toxic agenda, his campaign of revenge and retribution. That's going to be a continuation of the contrast the American people have been able to see since this campaign began."



Most Democrats, both in New York and nationally, have been holding back from attacking Trump over the trials specifically. But while they understand why the president and his aides are hoping to stay far away from the cases, they are worried that the muted approach amounts to a real gamble with such a close race.

I do think I would like to see them a little more in the forefront or at least addressing it, a senior 2020 Biden campaign official said. Given where we are, we've got to take some risks. And I do think even if it's not going to be President Biden, I think some of the surrogates should address it directly. I'll be honest, I have a feeling that the closer we get to Election Day, they will.



That doesnt mean the Biden team will go silent over the subsequent weeks. Mondays attempt to tie the Trump trial to the issue of abortion is a preview of the weeks ahead, though the pivots may not all require references to Stormy Daniels. Allies of the White House want to use the spectacle of Trump in court to subtly further their case that the ex-president is chaotic and unfit for office.

Democrats have long been torn about the degree to which they should restrain themselves when tackling Trump and his legal troubles. Some in the party have argued that the issue is central to the election, and critical to win over voters who may have forgotten about the chaos of the Trump years.

It is a sad day for the American people when they have to watch our twice-impeached, serially indicted former president begin one of many criminal trials, said former Rep. Mondaire Jones, who is running for office again this cycle. Frankly, its an embarrassment that he is the Republican nominee for president.

But Biden himself has stayed largely mum on the twists and turns of his opponents trials, sensitive to the perception that he may be interfering in Department of Justice affairs. His posture has been adopted by his aides, even as some of them have described being frustrated by it.



The president believes in the norms. The rest of us might be like, Sir, it's a different time, said a Biden 2020 alum and White House official who was granted anonymity to discuss private deliberations. But it only takes one utterance from Joe Biden for the weaponization of government bullshit to become more of a reality. How is Joe Biden weaponizing the government against his political ally? If I were weaponizing the government against my foe, you would hear me talk about it. And so they right now don't have it.

Aside from the remark in Pennsylvania, Biden himself has almost never publicly discussed Trumps trials. On Monday, he simply shook his head when asked if he was watching the case play out on the first day of jury selection.

Privately, the president has mused to confidants that he views the court proceedings as an example of the deranged hold that Trump has on his party. He is mystified that so many Republicans support someone who could soon face a criminal conviction, according to Biden officials familiar with internal strategy but not authorized to discuss it publicly.

Democrats, for the most part, believe the spectacle of Trumps trial will, by itself, hurt the former president, especially with independents and suburban women. And they argue there will be more than enough coverage of the criminal cases even without them nudging.

[The case] has a life of its own, said veteran Democratic operative James Carville who has been publicly at odds with his party at times. There's a constant supply of logs that are put on that fire, you don't need to add anymore.

Only those living under a rock have not heard about President Trumps 91 felony charges, said Eric Schultz, a longtime spokesperson for former President Barack Obama. While President Biden would never do anything to jeopardize the 91 felony charges against his opponent, he has rightly talked about the acute threat Donald Trump poses to democracy.

Its not just national Democrats happy to watch it all play out. New York City Democrats have no plans for rallies, or political responses.

Mayor Eric Adams  whose supporters have also grumbled about political prosecution regarding an ongoing federal investigation into corruption allegations tied to his campaign  has scarcely talked about the case, except to say the NYPD is prepared from a security standpoint.

He made a brief appearance outside the courthouse Tuesday, but only to note that he actually reduced the police presence, given the relative lack of action. He didnt tee off on Trump, just saying its a fair city thatll give him a fair trial.

The rest of the citys political class was even more muted. Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, a progressive, self-described activist/elected official, said he didnt know of any plans for a response.

I think the trial in and of itself, the fact that he has to come and face a courtroom on this, is just huge for a person that just never has had to, he said. But, he added, I'm OG now. The youngsters might be doing something.

Jonathan Lemire contributed to this report.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, April 18. Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Akylbek Japarov, highlighted the country's potential in the field of green energy during a meeting with Marcus Berndt, Acting Managing Director of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Trend reports.

According to the cabinet, Japarov made these remarks on the sidelines of the spring meetings of the boards of governors of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group in Washington.

"Kyrgyzstan is extremely interested in cooperation in the field of clean energy. Currently, Kyrgyzstan utilizes only about 13 percent of its hydroelectric potential. Meanwhile, the most ambitious and flagship project in the energy sector is the construction of the Kambarata-1 hydropower plant with a capacity of 1,860 megawatts," he said.

Japarov emphasized that the EIB is one of the leading international financial partners of Kyrgyzstan and underscored the interest in strengthening cooperation in the energy sector.

Since beginning operations in Kyrgyzstan in 2014, the EIB has supported projects in key sectors of the Kyrgyz economy, including agriculture, fisheries, forestry, solid waste management, water and sewage infrastructure, and energy.

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Kyrgyzstan's renewable energy capacity reached 3,210 MW in 2023.
Biden claims uncle vanished after crashing in area of New Guinea with cannibals; military has different story

Biden claims uncle vanished after crashing in area of New Guinea with cannibals; military has different story

President Biden made a stop in Pittsburgh on Wednesday where he told members of the United Steelworkers Union that his uncle vanished in an area of New Guinea that was populated with cannibals, after his plane crashed during World War II.

Biden told the steelworkers that after D-Day, his mothers four brothers volunteered to join the military. One of those uncles, he said, was Ambrose Finnegan, who went by the nickname Bozey.

"He was a hell of an athlete, they tell me, when he was a kid," Biden said, adding that he was in the Army air corps, which was in place before the Air Force came along. "He flew those single-engine planes as reconnaissance over war zones, and he got shot down in New Guinea. They never found the body because there used to be, there were a lot of cannibals, for real, in that part of New Guinea."

The president spoke with reporters earlier in the day before boarding Air Force One and heading out to Pittsburgh.

BIDEN'S BOGUS COLLEGE CLAIM IS JUST LATEST IN DECADES-LONG PATTERN OF EMBELLISHMENT

He told reporters he wanted to see how his uncle was memorialized in a World War II memorial for those who lost their lives in the war.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

"When D-Day occurred, the next day, on Monday, all four of my mothers brothers went down and volunteered to join the military," Biden said. "Ambrose Finnegan, we called him Uncle Bozey, he was shot down. He was Army Air Corps before there was an Air Force.

"They never recovered his body, but the government went back when I went down there, and they checked and found some parts of the plane," he added.

TRUMP RIPS BIDEN ON KEY ISSUE IMPACTING VOTERS AFTER DAMAGING REPORT: TOTALLY LOST CONTROL

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has a different record of what happened to Bidens uncle.

The site said on May 14, 1944, an airplane carrying a crew of three and one passenger, identified as Finnegan, left Momote Airfield on Los Negros Island for a courier flight to New Guinea.

"For unknown reasons, this plane was forced to ditch in the ocean off the north coast of New Guinea," the report reads. "Both engines failed at low altitude, and the aircrafts nose hit the water hard."

BIDEN ADMIN FACING LEGAL CHALLENGES AFTER DECLARING WAR ON CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

The report also said three men failed to emerge from the sinking wreck and were lost in the crash, while one crew member survived and was rescued by a barge. Finnegan has not been associated with any of the remains recovered from the area after the war and is still not accounted for, according to the report.

Biden is no stranger to making questionable claims. Earlier this week, he claimed he was the "first" person in his family to "go to college," while speaking in Wisconsin.

"I, like an awful lot of people in this audience, was the first in my family to go to college," Biden told the crowd. However, less than two years ago, during a speech in Pennsylvania, Biden told an audience his grandfather played college football. In the statement, he said his "Grandfather Finnegan" was an "all-American football player" in Santa Clara.

REPUBLICAN STATE SUES BIDEN ADMIN OVER ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ACTIONS: 'DYSTOPIAN NIGHTMARE'

President Biden has been caught embellishing stories for decades.

Years before, when he ran for president in 1987, Biden exaggerated his academic record by bragging he graduated "in the top half" of his class while berating a reporter on the campaign trail.

"I think I have a much higher IQ than you do, I suspect," Biden told the reporter in New Hampshire at the time. "I went to law school on a full academic scholarship, the only one in my class to have a full academic scholarship.

"In the first year of law school, I decided I didn't want to be in law school and ended up in the bottom two-thirds of my class," he said. "And then I decided to stay, went back to law school and, in fact, ended up in the top half of my class."

He later admitted that he graduated 76th in a class of 85.

"I did not graduate in the top half of my class at law school, and my recollection of this was inaccurate," he told The New York Times.

"I graduated from the University of Delaware with a double major in history and political science," he said. "My reference to degrees at the Claremont event was intended to refer to these majors. I said 'three' and should have said 'two.'"

According to Reuters, many residents of President Biden's childhood home of Scranton, Pennsylvania do not want him to run again.

The outlet pointed out Biden received a single bachelor's degree in history and political science.

Since then, Biden has told numerous stories that have also been deemed exaggerations. Mainstream outlets, including The Washington Post, have even called him out on them, including the publication's top fact-checker, Glenn Kessler.

Some stories Kessler addressed include Biden's claim he and his father saw two men in suits kissing each other in public when he was a teenager, that he was arrested for trying to see Nelson Mandela in South Africa and how, as vice president, he arranged for his uncle to be presented a Purple Heart that he was owed and never received. The uncle died in 1999, long before Biden was vice president.

Biden also repeated a false claim last year about his house burning down in his attempt to relate to those who lost their homes to wildfires ravaging Maui.

"I dont want to compare difficulties, but we have a little sense, Jill and I, of what it was like to lose a home," Biden said. "Years ago, now, 15 years, I was in Washington doing Meet the Press' Lightning struck at home on a little lake outside the home, not a lake, a big pond. It hit the wire and came up underneath our home, into the  air condition ducts.

"To make a long story short, I almost lost my wife, my '67 Corvette and my cat," the president added.

A 2004 report from The Associated Press, archived by LexisNexis, said lightning struck the Bidens home and started a "small fire that was contained to the kitchen." The report said firefighters got the blaze under control in 20 minutes and that they were able to keep the flames from spreading beyond the kitchen.

Fox News Digitals Jessica Chasmar, Gabriel Hayes, Joseph A. Wulfsohn, Joe Schoffstall and Cameron Cawthorne contributed to this report.





Original article source: Biden claims uncle vanished after crashing in area of New Guinea with cannibals; military has different story
Biden, in counter to RFK Jr., gets endorsement of other Kennedy family members

President Joe Biden wrapped up a three-day Pennsylvania campaign swing in Philadelphia on Thursday with an endorsement by 15 members of the politically famous Kennedy family -- a counter to the political threat from RFK Jr.

Kerry Kennedy, a daughter of former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, joined Biden along with some of her relatives and said another Donald Trump presidency would "horrify" her father.

"We can say today, with no less urgency, that our rights and freedoms are once again in peril," Kerry Kennedy said during one of Biden's campaign events in Philadelphia. "That is why we all need to come together in a campaign that should unite not only Democrats but all Americans, including Republicans and independents, who believe in what Lincoln called the better angels of our nature."

"I'm joined here today with my sisters Kathleen and Rory, with Joe and Chris and Max -- and with my hero, President Joe Biden," Kerry Kennedy said.

"We are here because we feel obliged to do all that we can. We cannot stand aside. In this election, no American can stand aside. We must vote," Kerry Kennedy said.

Referring to Biden and Trump, she continued, "In 2024, there are only two candidates with any chance of winning the presidency. We know them well."

She along with several of her family members have denounced her brother Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s bid for president. The independent candidate, who officially launched his presidential bid last fall, is famously known for espousing conspiracy theories about the efficacy of vaccines.

PHOTO: Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a campaign event to announce his pick for a running mate at the Henry J. Kaiser Event Center on March 26, 2024 in Oakland, Calif. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images, FILE)

Biden on Thursday seemed to relish the joint appearance with members of the Kennedy clan.

"I tell you what, man: This is a bit of a dream for me. I mean it sincerely," he said after being introduced by Kerry Kennedy.

Addressing supporters, he went on to say, "You're my ticket to the White House. You, Pennsylvania. No, it's not hyperbole. You're the ticket to the White House."

The Kennedy endorsement comes as no real surprise.

Although he is the fourth Kennedy to run for president, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the only one to have broken from the Democratic Party. Many of his relatives, like Kerry Kennedy, argue that not only is his run an "embarrassment" but that it could swing a close race in Trump's come November.

"I think, you know, this is the most important election of my lifetime," Kerry Kennedy told ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos on "Good Morning America" earlier on Thursday, listing Trump's dictator remarks, his boasting of the overturning of Roe v. Wade and more as worrisome.

"The list goes on and on and on," she said. "We must elect President Biden, and that's where our energy has to be."

Kerry Kennedy also said on "Good Morning America" that "nobody competes for the President Biden when it comes to carrying on the legacies of John Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and Ted Kennedy."

MORE: RFK Jr. says he has ruled out Libertarian run for president

"I've listened to him, I know him, I have no idea why anyone thinks he should be president," Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of John F. Kennedy, said about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a video on Instagram last summer. "What I do know is his candidacy is an embarrassment."

Rory Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s sister, told ABC's "GMA" a couple of weeks ago that she was "concerned" voting for her brother would "take votes away from Biden and lead to a Trump election."

PHOTO: President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event in Philadelphia, on April 18, 2024. (Matt Rourke/AP)

Realistically the candidate, who is currently polling at 7%, according to 538's average, has a long shot path to getting into the White House.

Although his campaign has claimed he has enough signatures to appear on the ballots of nine states, including the battlegrounds of North Carolina and Nevada, only Michigan and Utah has confirmed that he has qualified, with his campaign partnering with a little-known political party, the Natural Law Party, in order to get access in Michigan.

But in a race that is expected to see small margin wins, any votes siphoned away from the Biden could theoretically help lead to another Trump presidency.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has rebuffed that concern, describing his White House bid as unique from either Biden or Trump.

PHOTO: President Biden calls for tripling tariffs on Chinese steel imports while speaking at the United Steel Workers Headquarters in Pittsburgh, April 17, 2024. (Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA via Shutterstock)

Biden, who has a close friendship with the Kennedy family, has steered away from commenting on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s bid -- but in a show of force against the candidate, the Democratic National Committee has hired a communications team to try and undercut his legitimacy with their voters.

It has also filed a federal complaint alleging Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s super PAC is working too closely with his campaign. Tony Lyons, co-chair of American Values 2024, has denied the accusations.

On a call with reporters in March, DNC surrogates called him "dangerous" and a "spoiler."

"A vote for Joe Biden is a vote to save our democracy and our decency. It is a vote for what my father called for, in his own presidential announcement in 1968," Kerry Kennedy is expected to say at Thursday's announcement. "Our right to the moral leadership of this planet."

On Thursday morning, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. responded to the news of his family's appearance with Biden.

"I hear some of my family will be endorsing President Biden today. I am pleased they are politically active -- it's a family tradition," he said in a statement. "We are divided in our opinions but united in our love for each other."

He said, as he has before, that other relatives are on his side.

"My campaign, which many of my family members are working on and supportive of, is about healing America -- healing our economy, our chronic disease crisis, our middle class, our environment, and our standing in the world as a peaceful nation," he said. "But this will only happen if we heal our national conversation, and move from rage and fear into love and respect."

Biden, in counter to RFK Jr., gets endorsement of other Kennedy family members originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden called it an incredible honor as he received endorsements from more than a dozen members of the Kennedy family, in a public show of force aimed at undercutting the presidential campaign of independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Biden, flanked by his rivals siblings on stage at the event in Philadelphia, spoke of the familys legacy and their impact on his own political life, calling their father  the former US senator and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy  and Martin Luther King Jr. the only two political heroes I had growing up.

I remember to keep looking and remind myself what they would do in tough calls, Biden said, referencing the busts of Kennedy and King he keeps in the Oval Office.

Kerry Kennedy, the sister of the third-party candidate, introduced Biden and was joined by fellow siblings including Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, a former Maryland lieutenant governor; filmmaker Rory Kennedy; former Congressman Joe Kennedy II, Christopher Kennedy, and Maxwell Kennedy Sr.

Kerry Kennedy said there were only two candidates with any chance of winning the presidency and focused her attacks on Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, including for spreading conspiracy theories on climate change, vaccines and voter fraud.

Hes the most anti-democratic president in American history, she said.

While she did not mention her brother by name, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has promoted conspiracy theories about vaccines, antidepressants, the connection between HIV and AIDS, and whether Wi-Fi can cause cancer.

Spoiler Threat

Polls suggest Kennedys bid could play spoiler as Biden seeks to win a reelection rematch against Trump.A March study by Ipsos found Kennedy voters were more likely to be women, independents, or dissatisfied with both major-party candidates. Bidens success among those groups helped propel him to victory over Trump in 2020.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. downplayed his familys support for his 2024 rival in a post on social media.

I hear some of my family will be endorsing President Biden today. I am pleased they are politically active  its a family tradition. We are divided in our opinions but united in our love for each other, Kennedy wrote.

Democrats and Biden allies have sought to counter Kennedy through political action committees urging voters to reject third-party candidates and legal efforts aimed at keeping him off state ballots.

Kennedys campaign said Thursday they had gained ballot access in Michigan, a crucial battleground where polls show a tight race between the major party candidates. A March Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll found Biden and Trump tied in the state.

Read More: Kennedy Taps Shanahan as Running Mate in White House Bid

Biden, just the second Roman Catholic president after John F. Kennedy, has actively courted the family, inviting more than 30 family members to a St. Patricks Day Celebration at the White House last month.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Is Biden right that you dont need a college degree to make $110,000 in the semiconductor field?

President Joe Biden speaks at an event about canceling student debt, at the Madison Area Technical College Truax campus on April 8 in Madison, Wis. He also talked about the promise of the semiconductors field.

Statement: Speaking of semiconductor industry jobs, "Know what the average salary is? $110,000. You don't need a college degree."

In an effort to promote the U.S. semiconductor industry, President Joe Biden has often described it as a high-paying field.

During an April 8 speech at Madison Area Technical College in Madison, Wis., he attached a dollar figure to it.

"Know what the average salary is?" Biden said. "$110,000. You don't need a college degree."

Amid a global semiconductor shortage, Biden in 2022 signed the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act to help spur production and make the U.S. more competitive with China. In recent years, Chinas government has stepped up its own support of the semiconductors industry, making it the U.S. chief rival in this area.

Semiconductors, sometimes referred to as integrated circuits or microchips, are "the brains of modern electronics," the Semiconductor Industry Association says, and they're found in laptops, cellphones, smartwatches and tablets. They are often made from silicon and are used in medical devices, computing, defense, transportation, clean energy, artificial intelligence and advanced wireless networks, the association says.

But Bidens take on the industrys salary and the level of educational attainment is inaccurate. Data shows that those with no college degree typically earn less than $110,000 in the semiconductors field.

The industry in 2020 employed about 277,000 people in 49 states in design, manufacture, testing and research and development roles, according to a 2021 report by the Semiconductor Industry Association and Oxford Economics. The report described the average industry salary as around $170,000, based on data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

We asked the White House for more information about the figure Biden cited but received no response.

Biden has made similar statements before. In his 2023 State of the Union address, speaking specifically about Intel Corp. He said its new Columbus, Ohio, factory would create jobs that pay an average of $130,000 a year, many of which do not require a college degree.

When Time asked Bidens team about that figure, a senior administration official said it came from an "aggregate" of all jobs in the industry, ranging from those that require training certificates to those that require two- or four-year degrees.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announces a major grant at the Samsung semiconductor plant in Taylor on Monday.

Gary Burtless, a senior fellow and economist at the Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C., think tank, said he could not speak to whether the $110,000 figure Biden used was accurate but said its possible it includes all associated temporary construction jobs.

The 2021 semiconductor industry report said federal funding was expected to spur the creation of about 6,200 temporary construction jobs over five years. Median annual income for construction jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, starts at about $45,890 for laborers and goes up to $103,310 for managers.

The industry and Oxford analysis found that about 20% of people employed in the semiconductor industry have not attended college, 15% have some college experience, 9% have an associate degree and 56% have a bachelors or graduate degree.

And although the report said that "workers consistently earn more than the U.S. average at all education attainment levels," the report indicates that to earn the amount Biden claims, workers need an undergraduate or graduate degree.

The report outlined the maximum a worker could earn based on education level.

Across all semiconductor industry jobs, people with a high school education or less could expect to earn a bit more than $40,000 a year on average. Employees with "some" college could earn up to $60,000 a year, and those with an associate degree could earn up to $70,000.

To achieve the $110,000 or higher that Biden described, employees need undergraduate or graduate degrees, the report said. People with undergraduate degrees can expect to make up to $120,000 and those with graduate degrees up to $160,000.

That said, the report also noted that, even when accounting for educational attainment, people make more money in the semiconductor field than in other fields.

We also looked at the salaries listed in 2024 industry job postings. We found that a college degree is typically required for a salary in the $110,000 range.

A few of the job postings we found as of April 12 are:

Micron Technology: This Boise, Idaho-headquartered producer of computer memory and computer data storage on April 12 had an open position for an associate general counsel for trade compliance that requires a juris doctor, or law degree, and five to 10 years of experience. The salary range is $146,000 to $274,000.

Micron Technology also advertised for a principal interface design engineer, which requires at least a bachelor of science in electrical engineering and 10 years of experience. The salary range was $165,000 to $280,000.

Qualcomm: A San Diego-based semiconductor company, Qualcomm had an open position for a senior administrative assistant that doesnt necessarily require a degree, and it pays between $25.06 and $37.58 an hour. This would mean a maximum salary of about $78,000 a year if working 40 hours a week.

GlobalFoundries: Headquartered in Malta, New York, GlobalFoundries advertised for an administrative assistant position that required at least a high school diploma or equivalent. The pay was listed at $31.99 per hour to $47.99 per hour. That would make the maximum annual salary around $100,000 if the hours were full-time.

An open executive administrator position with an expected salary of $46,100 to $82,300 said it required "higher education or specialized training or certification."

The company was also looking for an associate technician in its apprenticeship program. The post carried an expected salary of $31,300 to $54,000, and applicants must have "a high school education or equivalent" or a "high school tech center education."

Intel Corp.: Headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., Intel in 2022 announced an investment of $20 billion in Ohio to build two new plants, for which it anticipated an average annual salary of $135,000. But this figure included all jobs, including those that require no college degree to those that require advanced degrees.

PolitiFact reached out to Micron, Qualcomm, GlobalFoundries and Intel but received no replies.

PolitiFact's ruling

Biden said the "average salary" for semiconductor industry jobs is "$110,000. You don't need a college degree."

A 2021 report said the average industry salary is around $170,000. But other data in that same analysis showed that people who have less than a bachelors degree were unlikely to make more than $70,000.

People with no more than a high school diploma can expect to earn a bit more than $40,000 per year. People with "some" college could earn up to $60,000 a year, and those with an associate degree could increase that to $70,000.

The statement contains an element of truth  the average salary in the field is even higher than he said  but it ignores critical facts about the educational attainment needed to reach that level of pay. We rate it Mostly False.

Our sources

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Semiconductor industry employees need college degrees to earn six figures
Biden makes unions and steel the focus of his first 2024 visit to Pittsburgh

President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event on March 08, 2024 in Wallingford, Pennsylvania. One day after Biden delivered his last State of the Union address before the November general election, the president held the event to highlight his administration's achievements and vision going into the next eight months of campaigning. | Spencer Platt/Getty Images

PITTSBURGH  President Joe Biden came to the Steel City for the second leg of a three-city trip across Pennsylvania on Wednesday and did two things that bode well for his chances of winning Allegheny County in the general election. First, he reiterated his pledge to oppose the $14.9 billion sale of U.S. Steel to Japan-based Nippon Steel.

Second, he picked up an order at Sheetz.

As he entered the lobby of the U.S. Steelworkers headquarters, he was greeted by a small gathering of union workers. One woman shouted, Lets keep U.S. Steel in America!

Biden responded, Guaranteed. He then headed up to a larger gathering of union workers, where he was joined by Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato, Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and United Steelworkers president David McCall.

Biden thanked the union workers for their support, and for sending him to the White House.

The bottom line, all kidding aside, Im president of the United States because of you guys, he said. And as I said earlier, Im proud to be the most pro-union president in American history. Biden added he was a union guy from belt buckle to shoe sole.

The United Steelworkers recently endorsed Biden for re-election, and he received the endorsement of the United Autoworkers in January. Hes believed to be the first president ever to walk a picket line, when he joined striking UAW workers in Michigan last September.

On Wednesday, Biden called for raising the 7.5% tariff on Chinese steel and aluminum imports by nearly triple, and said his administration will apply new pressure on Mexico to prevent China from shipping metals to the U.S. through its ports. In addition, the office of U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai launched an investigation Wednesday into the Chinese shipbuilding industry, which comes in response to a March petition from the U.S. Steelworkers and other unions.

For too long, the Chinese government has poured state money into Chinese steel companies, Biden said in Pittsburgh. Theyre not competing, theyre cheating. Former President Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee for president, said in a statement Wednesday that American workers had no better friend than him.

Americas newfound prosperity is undeniable, unprecedented, and unmatched anywhere in the world. America achieved this stunning turnaround not by making minor changes to a handful of policies, but by adopting a whole new approach centered entirely on the wellbeing of the American worker, Trump said. Every decision we make  on taxes, trade, regulation, energy, immigration, education, and more  is focused on improving the lives of everyday Americans.

Trump has also previously criticized the proposed sale of U.S. Steel.

During his speech Wednesday, Biden thanked several Pennsylvania politicians, folks who had my back and had to stay back in Washington. I couldnt be here today without Representative Summer Lee, Chris Deluzio, and Senator Bobby Casey, whos one of my closest friends. And John Fetterman. I want to stay on his side no matter what, Biden added with a chuckle.

President Joe Biden meets with construction workers at Pittsburgh International Airport April 17, 2024 (Capital-Star photo by Kim Lyons)

The Lee shoutout was particularly notable, as Lees primary opponent Bhavini Patel has accused Lee of not standing with the president often enough on issues, and anti-Lee campaign ads have often questioned whether shes a good Democrat.

Deluzio issued a statement Wednesday praising Bidens moves on tariffs, calling them a bold stand for American steel and steelworkers, and will help American steel hold its own against Communist Chinas rampant violation of trade rules and laws.

Lee also praised the tariffs announcement, calling it an important step to level the playing field and protect our regions good-paying, union jobs.

Buttressing its support of steel and steelworkers, the Biden campaign launched a new Pennsylvania-focused ad campaign on Wednesday featuring JoJo Burgess, a steelworker, a veteran, and mayor of Washington, Pa.

You tell me an investment that the previous administration made that is even close to what Joe Biden has done, Burgess said in the 90-second spot. Donald Trump has shown through his history that workers mean nothing to him right now. We have the most pro-American worker president in office that weve ever had in this countrys history.

Two groups of protesters filled the sidewalk across from the USW building, one chanting ceasefire now, and another chanting Bidenomics has got to go.

After a lengthy handshake line at USW headquarters, Bidens motorcade headed west toward the airport, but made a brief stop at a Sheetz convenience store in Moon Township, where he picked up a large order of mostly turkey subs, according to the manager, and posed for photos with the workers who said they had about 10 minutes notice the president would pick up the order himself.

The Sheetz stop may endear Biden to residents of Western Pennsylvania but could prove problematic in the eastern part of the state, where rival Wawa has a stronghold. Wawa announced Wednesday it was expanding into central Pennsylvania, planning 40 new stores by 2030.

After the Sheetz stop, Biden headed to see the construction site of Pittsburgh International Airports $1.5 billion new terminal, meeting with the construction workers. The project has received several rounds of grant funding from Bidens bipartisan infrastructure program, and is scheduled to open in 2025.

Wednesday was Bidens first trip to western Pennsylvania in 2024. He started the day in his childhood hometown of Scranton, where he spoke Tuesday about the economy and his tax plan. He wraps up his jaunt through Pennsylvania on Thursday with a visit to Philadelphia.

While Biden campaigns in the most important battleground state, Trump is in New York, where he is standing trial on hush money charges. The trial recessed Tuesday after selecting seven jurors, but will resume Thursday morning.

The latest Pennsylvania polling shows Biden and Trump running neck and neck. The Cook Political Report, a national ratings outlet, ranks Pennsylvania as one of the six toss-up states this cycle. Its 19 electoral votes are the most of any other state in that category.

The Keystone States primary election is April 23.

Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kim Lyons for questions: info@penncapital-star.com. Follow Pennsylvania Capital-Star on Facebook and Twitter.

The post Biden makes unions and steel the focus of his first 2024 visit to Pittsburgh appeared first on Michigan Advance.
President Joe Biden on Wednesday mischaracterized the circumstances of his uncle's death during World War II as he lambasted former President Donald Trump's comments about the military.

"He got shot down in New Guinea, and they never found the body because there used to be  there were a lot of cannibals, for real, in that part of New Guinea," Biden said during his remarks invoking his uncle Ambrose J. Finnegan.

However, U.S. military records about Finnegan's death do not mention the aircraft's being shot or discuss cannibalism.

"For unknown reasons, this plane was forced to ditch in the ocean off the north coast of New Guinea," the records say. "Both engines failed at low altitude, and the aircrafts nose hit the water hard."

The three men who were killed in the crash were not found, the records say.

White House spokesman Andrew Bates did not directly address the apparent misstatement. He noted in a statement to NBC News that Biden was "proud of his uncles service in uniform, who lost his life when the military aircraft he was on crashed in the Pacific after taking off near New Guinea."

"The President highlighted his uncles story as he made the case for honoring our sacred commitment ... to equip those we send to war and take care of them and their families when they come home, and as he reiterated that the last thing American veterans are is suckers or losers, Bates added.

During his remarks, Biden drew a contrast between the military service of his family and Trump's inflammatory rhetoric about military members, such as Trump's calling fallen soldiers "suckers" and "losers," according to a report in The Atlantic. Trump denied making those remarks.

"'Suckers' and 'losers.' That man doesnt deserve to have been the commander in chief for my son, my uncle," Biden said during his speech.

Biden also frequently talks about his son Beau Biden, who served in the Delaware Army National Guard and was deployed to Iraq. His son died in 2015 after a battle with brain cancer. Biden has previously misstated that he lost his son "in Iraq," though his son died in the U.S. after he returned home from military service. Biden also apparently mischaracterized the war record of another uncle of his when he spoke erroneously of trying to present a Purple Heart to his uncle Frank, according to FactCheck.org.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
President Joe Biden is joined by members of the Kennedy family during a campaign event in Philadelphia, April 18, 2024.(Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA  Standing alongside several members of the Kennedy family, President Joe Biden celebrated their support for his campaign on Thursday, a rebuke of their relative, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who continues his campaign as an independent candidate for president.

What an incredible honor, Biden said at the beginning of a 10-minute speech at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center. I dont want to become emotional, but what an incredible honor to have the support of the Kennedy family.

Biden is the second Irish Catholic to serve as president and has often cited President John F. Kennedy and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy as the inspiration for his career in public service.

Biden said on Thursday when he sits behind the resolute desk, where Kennedy once sat, he looks at the busts of Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., another hero of his, and thinks what they would do in difficult situations.

Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, lauded Biden as a champion for all the rights and freedoms that my father and uncle stood for, on Thursday.

Thats why nearly every single grandchild of Joe and Rose Kennedy supports Joe Biden, Kennedy said.

She said that Biden has spent his career running into the flames for Americans, adding that the rights of Americans were on the line in the election.

I can only imagine how Donald Trumps outrageous lies and behavior would have horrified my father, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who proudly served as the Attorney General of the United States and honored his pledge to uphold the law and protect the country, Kennedy said in Philadelphia. Daddy stood for equal justice for human rights and freedom from want and fear, just as President Biden does today.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. responded to the news of the Kennedy familys Biden endorsement in a social media post Thursday, saying he was pleased they are politically active  its a family tradition. We are divided in our opinions but united in our love for each other.

I hear some of my family will be endorsing President Biden today. I am pleased they are politically active  its a family tradition. We are divided in our opinions but united in our love for each other. I hold this as a possibility for America too. Can we disagree without  Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) April 18, 2024

In October, Kennedy launched his independent campaign for president in Philadelphia.

Kerry Kennedy took a not-so-subtle jab at the chances of her brothers presidential campaign on Thursday.

In 2024, there are only two candidates with any chance of winning the presidency, Kerry Kennedy said, referring to Biden and former President Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee.

Biden spoke about the role that the assassinations of his political heroes, Kennedy and King, had on him and the country. The country now faces another inflection point, he added.

The 2024 election is about two fundamentally different visions for America, Biden said. Donald Trumps vision is one of anger, hate, revenge, and retribution.

I have a very different view of America, Biden added. One of hope and optimism like I hope all of you do.

Karoline Leavitt, national press secretary for the Trump campaign said in a statement emailed to the Capital-Star that Biden was floundering in his home state of Pennsylvania. Between higher gas prices, surging crime, and failed Democrat policies crushing families at every corner, its no wonder that Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth are increasingly rejecting the failed Biden agenda and supporting President Trump.

Before Bidens arrival, protesters were one street away from the venue in North Philadelphia chanting blood on your hands. One person was escorted from inside the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center an hour before Bidens speech, claiming he had a right to be there.

Following his brief remarks, Biden and former U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass.) met with campaign volunteers and later made a stop at a nearby Wawa with Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, before heading back to the airport.

The Philadelphia stop wraps up Bidens week in the Keystone State. He kicked off the three-day visit Tuesday with a speech in his childhood hometown of Scranton, and made his first appearance of the year in western Pennsylvania on Wednesday, rallying with United Steelworkers and making a pit stop at Sheetz.

The four previous visits from Biden in Pennsylvania in 2024 were in the southeast. Its a densely populated region of the commonwealth where Democrats hold a significant voter registration advantage over Republicans and where Biden outpaced Trump in 2020.

State Rep. Tarik Khan (D-Philadelphia) told the Capital-Star in an interview on Thursday that the decision between Biden and Trump is one of freedom vs tyranny, and said abortion access is a topic he hears often amongst constituents for the upcoming election.

Our last president had appointed three Supreme Court justices that have worked to take away the right for a woman to make her own abortion decisions, Khan said.

The issues of democracy, abortion, and the economy are themes that Biden has driven home in multiple appearances in the Keystone State. On Jan. 5, Biden delivered a passionate address in the Philadelphia suburbs arguing that democracy is what the 2024 election is all about.

On March 8, one day after his State of the Union address, he returned to the Philadelphia suburbs and continued to emphasize his administrations commitment to protecting abortion access. During Tuesdays visit in Scranton, he touted his administrations economic record and blasted tax reform legislation passed during Trumps administration.

As Biden finished his pre-primary election campaign swing in Pennsylvania, Trump was in New York, as his hush money trial continues. Trump made his fourth visit of the year to Pennsylvania April 13, when he attended a fundraiser in Bucks County and a rally in the Lehigh Valley.

Widespread polling shows Biden and Trump in a close race for Pennsylvanias 19 electoral votes, with Kennedy a possible spoiler for either candidate. A Franklin & Marshall College poll conducted March 20-31 shows Biden leading Trump by 10 points, although that margin drops down to 2 points when third-party candidates, including Kennedy, are an option.

State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D-Philadelphia) said on Thursday he is confident that Biden will carry the state again, but isnt focusing on the polls, even if Biden is leading.

You get up every single day in a campaign, you build a coalition, Kenyatta said. Today, you saw most of the Kennedy family, with a notable exception, endorsing the president, laying out the record of success that he has, and thats what you have to do.

Multiple national ratings outlets, including the Cook Political Report, describe the presidential race in Pennsylvania as a toss-up.

The Pennsylvania primary election is April 23.

This story was updated throughout with new details April 18, 2024 at 5 p.m., and again at 8:28 p.m. with a statement from the Trump campaign.

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The post Biden receives Kennedy family endorsement in Philadelphia appeared first on Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
President Joe Biden speaks at the United Steel Workers Headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pa., as part of a three-day trip across Pennsylvania on Wednesday. Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI.

April 17 (UPI) -- President Joe Biden on Wednesday said he does not want conflict with China, but fair competition as he seeks to level the economic playing field with the Asian nation, while hinting his administration would prevent the acquisition of U.S. Steel by a Japanese company.

Speaking before union members at the United Steelworkers Headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pa., Biden accused China of overproducing steel that it then dumps on the global markets at low prices, to the detriment of the United States.

Biden called it "cheating," stating that between 2000 and 2010 when Chinese steel began entering the market, it cost 14,000 steel and iron workers their jobs, which the president promised would not happen under his watch.

The president said he sent a delegation to Mexico to speak with its president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, to stop China from sending steel into the United States by concealing it through its southern neighbor.

He also said U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai is investigating China's trade practices on steel and aluminum as well as in the shipbuilding industry, and if his allegations are confirmed, his administration will impose triple tariffs on the Chinese steel and aluminum, a measure the White House announced earlier Wednesday.

Mayor Ed Gainey greets members of the audience at the United Steel Workers Headquarters before the arrival of President Joe Biden in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Wednesday. Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI

"And if the Chinese government is doing that and the unfair tactics to undermine free and fair trade competition in the shipping industry, I will take action," he said, adding the actions will protect American workers and ensure fair competition.

"I'm not looking for a fight with China. I'm looking for competition, but fair competition."

Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato speaks before the arrival of President Joe Biden at the United Steel Workers Headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Wednesday. Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI

Biden administration officials told reporters earlier this week via teleconference that the president is committed to ensuring that American infrastructure and industries, from clean energy to electric vehicles, will be made by American workers.

"The president understands we must invest in American manufacturing, but we also have to protect those investments and those workers form unfair exports associated with China's industrial overcapacity," National Economic Advisor Lael Brainard said Tuesday.

President Joe Biden promises that U.S. Steel will remain an American company at the United Steel Workers Headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pa., as part of a three-day trip across Pennsylvania on Wednesday. Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI.

The announcement comes as presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has pledged to impose tariffs on 60% of Chinese imports if re-elected.

The former president, whose administration took a strong stance with China, has seemingly doubled down on this foreign policy and has criticized Biden of being "weak" on Beijing.

Seemingly in response, Biden lambasted Trump's tariff plan, saying it would "badly hurt American consumers" and cost the average U.S. family $1,500 a year.

He also boasted the U.S. gross domestic product is up while its trade deficit with China is at its lowest level in more than a decade -- all while his administration is taking actions to protect U.S. advanced technology from ending up in Beijing and standing up for peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.

"For all this tough talk on China, it never occurred to my predecessor to do any of that," he said.

Biden also promised that U.S. Steel would remain an American company.

Nippon Steel, Japan's largest steelmaker, announced late last year that it will purchase U.S. Steel for $14.9 billion. The deal would make the U.S. company a wholly owned subsidiary of the Japanese firm, with U.S. Steel retaining its name and Pittsburgh headquarters.

Biden suggested Wednesday that his administration would prevent the merger.

"U.S. Steel has been an iconic American company for more than a century. And it should remain a totally American company," he said to cheers from the crowd. "That's going to happen. I promise you."

Biden is in Pittsburgh as part of a three-day trip through Pennsylvania that kicked off Tuesday in his hometown of Scranton and will end Thursday in Philadelphia.
Biden slaps new sanctions on Iran after attack on Israel

President Joe Biden on Thursday announced a fresh round of economic sanctions on Iran in response to its missile attack on Israel as the White House seeks to defuse a broader military conflict in the Middle East.

The new package of penalties is aimed at disrupting Irans production of drones that were used in the attack. They also target Irans steel industry and automotive companies that supply the countrys military.

In a statement, Biden said the sanctions were a response to one of the largest missile and drone attacks the world has ever seen against Israel.

Ive directed my team, including the Department of the Treasury, to continue to impose sanctions that further degrade Irans military industries, Biden said.

The U.K. also imposed new sanctions on Iran in coordination with the U.S. Biden said other allies and partners have or will issue additional sanctions and measures to restrict Irans destabilizing military programs.



In the U.S., the sanctions come as Congress is debating additional ways to financially punish Iran for its attack on Israel. The Republican-led House this week passed a series of sanctions bills, including a bipartisan measure that would target Chinas purchase of Iranian oil.

The Treasury Department said the latest sanctions target 16 people and two companies that enable Irans production of unmanned aerial vehicles, including the manufacturers of engines that power the type of drones used in last weekends attack against Israel.

The sanctions also include five companies that provide materials to Irans steel industry, which the Treasury Department said generates billions of dollars each year for the country.

In addition, the Biden administration said it was imposing new export controls aimed at restricting Irans ability to obtain commercial grade microelectronics.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the administration was taking swift and decisive action to respond to Irans unprecedented attack on Israel.

Were using Treasurys economic tools to degrade and disrupt key aspects of Irans malign activity, including its UAV program and the revenue the regime generates to support its terrorism, Yellen said in a statement.

Iran last weekend launched more than 300 missiles and drones at Israel in retaliation for a deadly Israeli airstrike on Irans consulate in Syria. Israel, along with the U.S. and other countries, shot down the vast majority of the missiles and drones, averting widespread damage.

Israel is weighing a counterstrike on Iran. The Biden administration and other world leaders are hoping to convince Israel to choose a limited response to avoid a spiraling armed conflict in the region.
Biden suggests his uncle was eaten by cannibals after being shot down during WWII

Joe Biden has made the surprising suggestion that his uncle may have been eaten by cannibals after being shot down during World War II.

While speaking to reporters during a visit to Pennsylvania on Wednesday, the president referenced his uncle 2nd Lt Ambrose J Finnegan Jr, who he said had flown reconnaissance flights over New Guinea during the war.

Mr Biden used the anecdote in an attempt to draw a contrast with reports that Donald Trump, while president, had called fallen service members suckers and losers. However he seemed to get several details of his family history wrong.

Ambrose Finnegan, we called him Uncle Bosie, he was shot down, he was in the air corps before there was an air force. He flew single engine planes in reconnaissance flights over New Guinea, he volunteered because someone couldnt make it, he said, speaking following a visit to a war memorial in his hometown of Scranton.

Joe Biden visited a war memorial during a visit to Scranton, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday (AFP via Getty Images)

He got shot down in an area where there were a lot of cannibals in New Guinea at the time. They never recovered his body but the government went back when I went down there and checked and found parts of the plane.

The US governments record of missing service members does not attribute Finnegans death to hostile action or indicate cannibals were a factor.

According to the records Finnegan died on 14 May 1944, while riding as a passenger on an Army Air Forces plane that, for unknown reasons, was forced to ditch in the Pacific Ocean off the northern coast of New Guinea.

Both engines failed at low altitude, and the aircrafts nose hit the water hard, the agency states in its listing of Finnegan. Three men failed to emerge from the sinking wreck and were lost in the crash.

Lt Ambrose Finnegan, Jr  or, Uncle Bosie  was MIA in the Second World War (Supplied)

[Finnegan] has not been associated with any remains recovered from the area after the war and is still unaccounted-for.

Mr Biden, who was born in 1942 and was a toddler at the time of his uncles death, told reporters that his family had a tradition of saying three Hail Marys at the gravesite of family members. The presidents elder son, Beau, died in 2015 of brain cancer, something the president has stated he believes was linked to his sons deployment in Iraq and his exposure to so-called burn pits.

Referring to Mr Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, Mr Biden continued: What I was thinking about when I was standing there was when Trump refused to go up to the memorial for veterans in Paris and he said they were a bunch of suckers and losers.

That man doesnt deserve to have been the commander in chief for my son, my uncle.

Some former Trump officials have claimed the then-president used the disparaging terms to describe fallen service members and did not want to travel in 2018 to a cemetery for American war dead in France. Mr Trump previously denied the allegation, saying, What animal would say such a thing?

According to the Associated Press, White House spokesman Andrew Bates did not address the discrepancy between the agencys records and Mr Bidens account when he issued a statement on the matter.

President Biden is proud of his uncles service in uniform, Mr Bates said, adding that Finnegan lost his life when the military aircraft he was on crashed in the Pacific after taking off near New Guinea.

He added that the president had highlighted his uncles story as he made the case for honouring our sacred commitment ... to equip those we send to war and take care of them and their families when they come home, and as he reiterated that the last thing American veterans are is suckers or losers.
How big was hail from severe storms in central Ohio?

How big was hail from severe storms in central Ohio?

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  Hail of varying sizes pelted central Ohio during severe storms, which rose to tornado warnings at some points Wednesday evening.

Photos and videos captured from Hilliard to Gahanna showed hail falling around 5:30 p.m. in the Columbus metropolitan area. At the NBC4 studios, hail appeared to be the size of ping pong balls. When it progressed to the Gahanna area, the balls of ice appeared closer to the size of pennies.

Semi-truck driver gets trailer stuck under north Columbus bridge overpass

Hail fell on the NBC4 studios on April 17, 2024, that appeared to be the size of ping pong balls. (NBC4 Photo/Joe Clark)

Hail fell in Gahanna, Ohio on April 17, 2024 that appeared to be around the size of pennies. (NBC4 Photo/Brian Hofmann)

Hail fell in Gahanna, Ohio on April 17, 2024. (NBC4 Photo/Brian Hofmann)

The Ohio Department of Transportation had to close a ramp from State Route 161 to Interstate 270 South for a few hours due to flooding from the storm.

Flooding has closed the State Route 161 East ramp onto Interstate 270 South after storms blew through central Ohio Wednesday. (ODOT)

Bucyrus police reported damage from a confirmed rotation, which included structures, powerlines and trees. On East Charles Street, a large tree toppled over, taking down powerlines with it. Other areas of the city showed similar damage.

Wednesdays severe storms brought down several trees in Bucyrus, Crawford County. (NBC4)

Wednesdays severe storms brought down several trees in Bucyrus, Crawford County. (NBC4)

Wednesdays severe storms brought down several trees in Bucyrus, Crawford County. (NBC4)

Wednesdays severe storms brought down several trees in Bucyrus, Crawford County. (NBC4)

Wednesdays severe storms brought down several trees in Bucyrus, Crawford County. (NBC4)

Wednesdays severe storms brought down several trees in Bucyrus, Crawford County. (NBC4)

Wednesdays severe storms brought down several trees in Bucyrus, Crawford County. (NBC4)

There were also reports of downed wires in Fallsbury and Granville townships in Licking County.

Stay updated on continuing coverage of severe storms in central Ohio with Storm Team 4. View an updated forecast here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
The bill would direct the Iowa Board of Education to draft new educational standards for social studies classes in grades 1 through 12. (Photo by Dan Forer/GettyImages)

Iowa House lawmakers sent a bill to Gov. Kim Reynolds Wednesday that would add requirements for instruction in social studies classes related to the history of the U.S. and western civilization.

House File 2545 would require the Iowa Department of Education director to conduct a review and make recommendations on the states curriculum and content standards. The Senate amended and passed the legislation Tuesday evening to include components of a previous House proposal on social studies curriculum requirements.

The bill would direct the Iowa Board of Education to review and make changes to the states social studies core curriculum standards by Dec. 31, 2025. The standards would require that Iowa students in grades 1 through 12 receive instruction on important events and influential people in the history of western civilization, the U.S. and the state of Iowa. Classes would also be required to cover the structure and role of U.S. and state government, how it differs from other forms of government and the crimes against humanity that have occurred under communist regimes since 1917.

Rep. Skyler Wheeler, R-Hull, said the Senate amendment was a majorly scaled down version of what the House passed previously. He said he would prefer the bill be a lot more prescriptive than it is right now, saying that many students are not receiving instruction on subjects from the Korean War to the more recent War on Terror.

He also said this lack of instruction on American history and the Founding Fathers is what has led to recent movements like calls to tear down statutes of people like Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson, primary author of the Declaration of Independence, spoke and wrote in opposition to slavery and the transatlantic slave trade throughout his life, while being a slaveowner himself.

The problem in this country is we have people that want to tear down statues of our founding fathers, which tells me that theyre not getting, I would say, the full view of history, Wheeler said. Theyre being taught the history, but there is some sort of a specific push being made, to tear down a statue of Thomas Jefferson. If you knew the whole history of Thomas Jefferson, yeah, he had problems. But also that same guy, in his original draft and integration, attacked the King of England for the transatlantic slave trade.

Democrats in both the House and Senate said the legislation was putting too large of an emphasis on white American and European history and cultures, potentially preventing students from learning from more diverse perspectives. Democrats including Rep. Molly Buck, D-Ankeny, also criticized the bill as being overly restrictive of what content is covered in social studies and history courses.

Buck argued that while the bill does allow teachers to cover topics that are not highlighted in the bill, having a list of subjects that must be included through new state standards could functionally prevent teachers from going over other material they see as important, as classroom time would be overwhelmingly taken up by required topics.

She also said having an extensive list of requirements could prevent teachers from helping their students seriously engage with and appreciate the topics being discussed.

Advocating for civics education that might prioritize rote learning over a deeper understanding of civic engagement and responsibility, I guess, is what really concerns me, she said. I dont really feel like an approach that talks about rote learning or memorization prepares our children for the realities of participating in modern and diverse and complex engagement in our society.

Buck, a 4th grade teacher, as well as several other Democrats with backgrounds in education, urged their Republican colleagues to leave educational standards and requirements to those in the field.

Rep. Steve Holt, R-Denison, said he respects education professionals but he does not believe professionals should be the only ones who weigh in on American history. He also said he supports the required coverage of specific events and people being included in the legislation, saying that outlining subjects that social studies classes must cover is needed for Iowa students to gain a full understanding of American history.

I just kind of think that rote memorization gets a bad rap these days, Holt said. Certainly not the only thing we should be teaching, but it certainly needs to be a part of learning. Because I think without knowing certain facts, regardless of whatever the area might be, history or something else, I dont know how citizens to make informed decisions.

The House passed the bill 57-36. It goes next to the governors desk to be signed into law.

The post Bill on history, social studies class requirements clears Legislature appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
(Bloomberg) -- Some of the richest people in South Korea may be among the biggest losers from elections last week that all but ended a proposal to cut one of the highest inheritance tax rates in the developed world.

Most Read from Bloomberg

President Yoon Suk Yeol had been looking to reduce the levy, a move that requires parliamentary approval, but his conservative People Power Party suffered a stinging blow in the vote that saw it lose seats in the body. Meanwhile, the main opposition bloc increased the size of its majority and is looking to have wealthy individuals and sprawling conglomerates  known as chaebol in the country  pay more in taxes.

Read more: Big Loss Turns Pro-Business Yoon Into Lame Duck in South Korea

South Koreas regular maximum inheritance levy of as much as 50% is the second-highest among members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, after 55% in Japan, and can go as high as 60% in the case of inheritance from a person listed as the top shareholder. The rate is meant to prevent families, such as those behind the chaebol that dominate the corporate landscape, from passing down the bulk of their fortunes and maintaining what critics contend is a disproportionate influence over the economy.

The expectations of investors for inheritance tax reform have been set back due to the opposition partys victory in the election, said Mok Daekyun, chief investment officer at the activist fund KCGI Asset Management.

Many investors support the idea of inheritance tax reduction, Mok said, adding one of the main reasons for the so-called Korea discount on stock valuations is the heavy tax burden that chaebol cannot avoid.

Heading into the election, Yoon floated the idea of easing the estate tax, saying the current rate could make listed companies reluctant to boost their share prices since it would mean a bigger bill when the stakes are handed down in a generational change. Yoon had not mentioned any specific figure for where he wanted to set the rate.

Read more: Koreas Plan to Boost Valuations Underwhelms With Scant Details

But he offered some clues last month about levels he thought could work, mentioning the example of Germany. He pointed out the country has a maximum rate of 30% and offers exemptions if certain thresholds are met with items such as employment, which could reduce the rate to effectively zero. As a result, today Germany has become a country with one of the worlds largest hidden champions and century-old companies, Yoon said at an event to mark Commerce and Industry Day. Critics contend the German tax rules could help entrench income inequality.

The presidents remarks on the tax have been welcomed by business lobby groups but they brought a backlash from the main opposition Democratic Party.

Lee Gae-ho, the partys top policymaker, said he was shocked by Yoons comments, adding the president was representing the interests of the ultra-rich and trying to fool ordinary citizens.

When given a choice between Yoons pro-investor policies and the Democratic Partys push to increase taxes on chaebol and the wealthy, voters mostly went with the opposition. The DP bloc left with 175 seats in the 300-seat unicameral parliament known as the National Assembly, while the PPP bloc was at 108.

Samsung Heirs

South Koreas inheritance tax rate, which was set 24 years ago, has been in the spotlight after a hefty succession tax bill was levied on the heirs of the countrys largest chaebol conglomerate Samsung Group when Chairman Lee Kun-hee died in 2020.

The levy was more than 12 trillion won ($8.7 billion). The value of the companys flagship Samsung Electronics Co. represents about 23% of the main stock market and shares went down by about 1% to 2% whenever the wife and two daughters offloaded stakes to pay the tax under a five-year plan. Their sales through block trades sent ripples through the broader bourse and foreign exchange markets.

At another chaebol, the Koo family behind LG had filed a lawsuit disputing the way the government calculated an inheritance tax bill of more than $700 million and was seeking to recoup a portion of it. A local court this month dismissed the suit.

If theres any reform, it may not come until at least 2027, when South Koreans head to the polls to elect a new president. Until then, the government will remain divided.

The idea of cutting inheritance tax may lose momentum after the oppositions landslide victory in the election, said Park Sangin, a professor at Seoul National Universitys Graduate School of Public Administration. It wont be easy for the opposition bloc to agree to an easing of the inheritance tax as it criticized tax cuts for the wealthy during the election campaign.

The heavy tax rate can also be a burden on the heirs of entrepreneurs. The family of Kim Jung-ju, the late billionaire founder of online game developer Nexon Co., transferred some of its ownership in its parent, NXC Corp., to pay part of its massive inheritance tax bill, leaving the South Korean government as the second-largest NXC shareholder. Kims family has faced a levy of some 6 trillion won, local media has reported, though an NXC representative declined to comment on the exact amount, citing family matters.

Read more: Nexon Heirs Pay Inheritance Tax With Shares Worth Billions

High inheritance tax reduces the incentive for entrepreneurs to continue growing their companies. It weakens entrepreneurship and has a negative impact on employment and investment in national economy, Lim Dong-won, a research fellow at the Korea Economic Research Institute, said. Excessive inheritance taxes can cause entrepreneurs to consider selling their companies or even going out of business.

--With assistance from Jenny Lee.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
FILE - Rep. Garret Graves, R-La., speaks at a news conference after the House passed the debt ceiling bill, May 31, 2023, at the Capitol in Washington. Louisiana Sen. Cleo Fields, who served in Congress in the 1990s and is currently a state senator, has declared his candidacy for a new majority-Black congressional district created in January by the Legislature. The new map greatly alters the district currently represented by Graves. Opponents of the new map are challenging it in federal court, calling it a "racial gerrymander." (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Politics and race are both factors in a pending court challenge of Louisiana's new congressional maps. How much weight each carries is a major question before three federal judges whose ruling could affect the balance of power in the next Congress.

At issue is a congressional map that was approved this year with the backing of the state's new governor, Jeff Landry  to the consternation of at least some of his fellow Republicans.

The map creates a new mostly Black congressional district in Louisiana, at the expense of a white Republican incumbent, Rep. Garret Graves, who backed another Republican in the governor's election last fall. Given voting patterns in Louisiana, a mostly Black district would be more likely to send a Democrat to Congress.

Twelve self-described non-African American voters argued in a lawsuit that the new mostly Black district constitutes illegal textbook racial gerrymandering.

Not so, argue the new map's backers. Politics, they argue, was the major influence in drawing the new district boundary lines. They say the new map protects most incumbents and draws together Black populations in a way that will comply with the federal Voting Rights Act, giving Louisiana, which is roughly one-third Black, a second majority Black district among six.

They also pointed to Republican backers of the plan, who said during legislative debates in January that they wanted to safeguard four GOP-held House districts, including those of House Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise.

That the new map put Graves in political peril by placing him in the new mostly Black district is further evidence race wasn't the sole motivating factor, the map's backers said in briefs and in testimony last week at a hearing in Shreveport.

We all know that one of the main reasons it was drawn the way it was, was because Gov. Jeff Landry wants to get rid of Congressman Graves, state Rep. Mandie Landry, a New Orleans Democrat who testified at the hearing, said in a social media post. Landry is no relation to the governor.

State Sen. Cleo Fields, a Black Democrat from the Baton Rouge area who served in Congress in the 1990s, has already declared his candidacy in the newly configured district.

Whatever the three judges decide will likely be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. It's unclear when the judges will rule, but time is growing short. State election officials say they need to know the configuration of the districts by May 15 to prepare for the fall elections.

The controversy in Louisiana, as in other states, arose because new government district boundary lines are redrawn by legislatures every 10 years to account for population shifts reflected in census data. Louisianas Republican-dominated Legislature drew a new map in 2022 that, despite some boundary shifts, was favorable to all six current incumbents: five white Republicans and a Black Democrat. Then-Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, vetoed the map but the majority-Republican Legislature overrode the veto, leading to a court challenge filed in Baton Rouge.

In June 2022, Baton Rouge-based U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick issued an injunction against the map, saying challengers would likely win their suit claiming it violated the Voting Rights Act. As the case was appealed, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an unexpected ruling in June that favored Black voters in a congressional redistricting case in Alabama.

Dick sided with challengers who said the 2022 map packed a significant number of voters in one district  District 2 which stretches from New Orleans to the Baton Rouge area  while cracking the remaining Black population by apportioning it to other mostly white districts.

In November, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals gave the state a January deadline for drawing a new congressional district. Landry, who was the state's attorney general when he was elected to succeed the term-limited Edwards, called a special session to redraw the map, saying the Legislature should do it rather than a federal judge.

The new map does not resemble the sample maps that supporters of a new majority Black district had suggested earlier, which would have created a new district largely covering the northeastern part of the state.

The new mostly Black district crosses the state diagonally, linking Shreveport in the northwest to parts of the Baton Rouge area in the southeast. And while its backers hail the creation of a new majority Black district, the plaintiffs say it results in explicit, racial segregation of voters.

The judges hearing the case are U.S. District Judges David Joseph and Robert Summerhays, both nominated to the court by former President Donald Trump; and Judge Carl Stewart of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, nominated by former Democratic President Bill Clinton.

The judges have given no indication when they will rule. We're going to have to know soon, Mandie Landry said, citing the upcoming elections.
Black environmental organizations are calling out the environmental racism that has ostracized BIPOC from the conversations surrounding environmental sustainability and change. These groups advocate for individuals disproportionately impacted by environmental concerns, including pollution, climate change, lack of access to clean water and food insecurity.

The civil rights movement saw the birth of vocal activism regarding inequalities in access to basic human rights. In 1982, one of the first environmental protests was held in Warren County, NC. According to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, the towns Black residents held a sit-in strike against the development of a landfill built to bury soil contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyl, a toxic industrial waste. The sit-in led to 500 arrests, but it sparked a wave of national attention and exposed how communities of color are dismissed regarding environmental health and safety.

In 2020, Yale conducted a survey proving Black and Hispanic communities cared more about pressing environmental issues than others. Their survey found that 69% of Hispanics/Latinos and 57% of Black Americans showed more concern regarding global warming compared to only 49% of white people. The research also showed that white people were more doubtful about these issues.

Over 30 years after the Warren County sit-in, Black environmentalists and groups still advocate for unrepresented communities and people. Here are some you should know.

Hip Hop Caucus

Generation Green

The National Black Environmental Network

Outdoor Afro

Justice Outside

The NAACP Center for Environmental & Climate Justice

View this post on Instagram A post shared by NAACP (@naacp)
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 10: US President Joe Biden speaks at the Pride Month celebration on the South Lawn of the White House on June 10, 2023 in Washington, DC. Thousands of people came to the white house to celebrate pride month with a performance by singer Betty Who. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

The Black and LGBTQ communities are both critical parts of the Biden-Harris coalition that played an important role in the presidents victory in 2020 and will be pivotal to victory this November, said Florida state Sen. Shevrin Jones.

Election poll data and turnout trends of Black voters and voters who identify as LGBTQ+ signal the significant sway the two groups could play in the outcome of the 2024 presidential contest.

Black LGBTQ+ voters, who stand at the intersection of these two influential voting blocs, could be critical for President Joe Bidens reelection.

The Black and LGBTQ communities are both critical parts of the Biden-Harris coalition that played an important role in the presidents victory in 2020 and will be pivotal to victory this November, said Florida state Sen. Shevrin Jones, a member of the Biden-Harris 2024 national advisory board, and Floridas first openly gay Black lawmaker.

In addition to more Black Americans voting in 2020 than in any other presidential election since President Barack Obamas reelection in 2012, voters who identified as LGBTQ+ in 2020, an increasingly growing population (at least 20 million), surged to its highest level (7% of the electorate) in U.S. history. President Biden won 92% of Black voters and 73% of LGBTQ+ voters in 2020.

That is not an insignificant number when the election was decided by tens of thousands of votes in just a handful of states, Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who also sits on the Biden-Harris campaigns national board of advisers, told theGrio.

Understanding the crucial impact Black and LGBTQ+ voters could make in this years election, the Biden-Harris 2024 campaign got an early start by investing millions of dollars in ads targeting Black voters. Recently, the campaign launched OUT for Biden, a national organizing and engagement program to mobilize LGBTQ+ voters.

Sen. Kamala Harris greets the crowd at the annual Pride Parade at Civic Center on Sunday, June 30, 2019, in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Gabrielle Lurie/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

To date, several LGBTQ+ organizations have endorsed President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for a second term, including those led by Black LGBTQ+ leaders like Kelley Robinson, president of Human Rights Campaign, the nations largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization.

We get that when they come after reproductive rights, when they come after DEI, when they come after LGBTQ+ issues, it is an attempt to undermine the progress that we have made in this country, Robinson told theGrio. Not only over the last 10 years or 20 years but over the last 400 years.

Pointing to battleground states like Texas, Georgia, and Florida which are comprised of some of the nations largest Black populations and the highest surge in LGBTQ+ voters, the social justice advocate added, Black LGBTQ+ voters get that better than any other community. We are a huge voting bloc.

The TIMEs Most Influential People of 2024 honoree said HRCs PAC endorsed Biden and Harris because the contrast is clear between them and the presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

The Biden-Harris administration has been the most pro-equality administration in U.S. history, said Robinson, who noted President Bidens signing of the Respect for Marriage Act  which enshrined same-sex marriage in federal statute for the first time in U.S. history  and the administrations expansion of discrimination protections.

By contrast, she said, Trump has led some of the most anti-LGBTQ+ efforts in American history, including enforcing a military trans ban. Robinson also expressed dismay at Trumps campaign promise to back the hateful ban on trans people getting health care access, [and] promising to defund hospitals and criminalize doctors for providing medical care.

Kelley Robinson, President of the Human Rights Campaign, speaks during the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner at the Washington Convention Center on Oct. 14, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

According to polling, Black and LGBTQ+ voters overwhelmingly favor Biden over Trump. A March 2024 poll conducted by GLAAD found that 68% of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer voters prefer Biden compared to 15% who prefer Trump. Similarly, a New York Times/Sienna poll conducted in April showed that 69% of Black voters support Biden compared to 16% who support Trump. An additional 15% remained undecided.

Though support for the president and vice president among Black and LGBTQ voters eclipses those in support of Trump, the Biden-Harris reelection campaign is working to widen that gap through its mobilization efforts like OUT for Biden and its ad blitz directly speaking to Black voters.

Robinson said the rest of the work in mobilizing Black and LGBTQ+ voters rests on organizations like HRC.

We have a responsibility to be out there bridging the gap for both letting them know that we see the things that matter to them most in their communities, she said. And sharing how this Biden-Harris administration is  pushing forward laws and policies that are going to make a difference.

Earl Fowlkes, president and CEO of the Center For Black Equity, a Black LGBTQ+ social justice organization that also endorsed the Biden-Harris campaign, said he personally speaks to voters, including his own younger nieces and nephews who are of voting age who have come to [him] with some concerns.

Ive been able to speak to them about  how important that when you compare it to the opposition, there is no comparison, Fowlkes told theGrio. Unfortunately, people are not getting the detailed information. Theyre getting snippets of stuff through social media  theyve drawn the conclusion based on a lack of evidence.

The longtime political organizer said it is his job to provide the evidence to voters about the Biden-Harris record, including canceling $147 billion in student loans, a record low Black unemployment, and the rebuilding of Americas infrastructure, including bridges, highways, and roads.

[Biden] is not getting credit for those things. So we have to remind people of how bad things were during the last administration, said Fowlkes. If we dont reelect the president and the vice president, were going to be fighting battles that we thought we had already fought and won.

President Joe Biden delivers the 2023 State of the Union address with Vice President Kamala Harris behind him. (Photo by Jacquelyn Martin-Pool/Getty Images)

Kenyatta, who is Pennsylvanias first openly gay lawmaker of color, said seeing precedents 50 years old overturned like Roe v. Wade has certainly not left him and others feeling secure about other precedents like Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court that made same-sex marriage a constitutional right.

The 33-year-old state lawmaker, who chairs President Bidens advisory commission on advancing educational equity and economic opportunity for Black Americans, said Black and LGBTQ+ people have been on the receiving end of bullying by leaders like Trump.

In lieu of being able to solve real problems for real people, Donald Trump has demonized folks, said Kenyatta. Joe Biden, on the other hand, has been an outspoken, unapologetic supporter of all Americans, irrespective of their sexual orientation.

He also noted key Black LGBTQ+ appointments within the Biden-Harris administration and presidential campaign, including him, Sen. Jones and White House Press Secretary Karine-Jean-Pierre.

The elected and grassroots leaders told theGrio that every day until Election Day will be critical to ensuring that Americans, particularly Black and LGBTQ+ voters, understand the stakes in this years election on Nov. 5.

It will take all hands on deck, said Jones. The contrast could not be more stark between President Biden, who has worked to bring down costs, create good, family-sustaining jobs, and keep our families safe  and Donald Trump whos dead set on ripping away Americans freedoms, gutting Social Security and Medicare, and undoing the progress made in the last four years.

Fowlkes, who argued that get-out-the-vote campaigns and urging voters to vote early are going to make the difference, said, The Black LGBTQ population once again is gonna step up to the plate and knock it out.

Recommended Stories

The post Black LGBTQ+ voters could make the difference for Biden in 2024 election appeared first on TheGrio.
Public lands in the Montana Mountains provide access to the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge in northwest Nevada. (Bureau of Land Management photo)

The Bureau of Land Management will publish a final rule soon allowing the nations public lands to be leased for environmental protection, a Thursday news release from the Interior Department said.

The rule, which both proponents and detractors say marks a shift in the agencys focus toward conservation, directs land managers at the agency to identify landscapes in need of restoration and to create plans to fill those needs.

It also creates two new types of leases focused on protecting natural areas. The BLM already leases parcels of land for extractive industries including energy development, mining and livestock grazing.

The rule is likely to set off a conflict in Congress, where Republicans immediately on Thursday renewed their criticism of President Joe Bidens conservation policies.

In a deviation from the March 2023 draft rule that proposed a new category of conservation leases, the final rule will allow two new types of leases: restoration and mitigation.

Restoration leases will be a tool for investment in the health of our public lands an agency fact sheet reads. Lessees would be empowered to work to restore lands, including those impacted by other uses.

Similarly, mitigation leases would be a tool to offset the impacts of other BLM land uses. The agency said an example could be a solar power company that has a facility on BLM land may receive a mitigation lease to restore nearby habitat to mitigate the impact of its development.

The rule is in line with BLMs multiple-use mandate that requires balancing energy development, mining, recreation and other uses on the nations public lands, the agency said.

As stewards of Americas public lands, the Interior Department takes seriously our role in helping bolster landscape resilience in the face of worsening climate impacts, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement.

Todays final rule helps restore balance to our public lands as we continue using the best-available science to restore habitats, guide strategic and responsible development, and sustain our public lands for generations to come.

BLM released a 178-page preliminary version of the rule Thursday, saying a substantially similar version would be published as a final rule in the coming days.

Congressional fight ahead

The rule has met with polarized reaction since the draft proposal was released in March 2023.

Reaction to the final rule from across the political spectrum began arriving within minutes of the announcement Thursday.

Conservation groups and environmental advocates cheered the rule for prioritizing conservation, while Republicans worried it would restrict other types of uses on public lands.

The Mountain Pact, a coalition of local leaders from Western states, released a statement praising the rule.

The BLMs Public Lands Rule highlights the need for the agency to work with local communities to focus on the conservation of land, water, and wildlife to ensure communities can protect future access to federal public lands while combating the growing impacts of climate change, Patrice Horstman, the chair of the Coconino County, Arizona, Board of Supervisors, said in the statement.

David Willms, associate vice president for public lands at the National Wildlife Federation, said in a written statement the rule gives BLM new tools to restore and conserve degraded lands, while supporting robust local economies. The rule will help the agency identify intact landscapes that wildlife depend on for survival, which will ensure that they thrive for decades to come.

Democrats in Congress also applauded the measure.

Colorados Diana DeGette, the ranking member on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Climate, called the move a significant accomplishment for land conservation and wildlife protection.

I am proud that BLM and the Biden Administration are continuing to lead in defending our natural world, she said in a statement.

Pledge to repeal

But Republicans including Nort Dakota Sen. John Hoeven pledged to undo it.

U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D. (Provided)

Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the top Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, promised he and Hoeven would challenge the rule with a resolution under the Congressional Review Act. The law allows lawmakers to try to repeal executive branch rulemaking.

Congress has mandated that taxpayer-owned lands be available for grazing, energy production, recreation and other uses, which is particularly important in North Dakota and other western states that depend on access to federal lands, Hoeven said in a statement. The Biden administrations public lands rule would lock away federal lands in direct conflict with the longstanding multiple use law, which is why Senator Barrasso and I will introduce legislation to stop this onerous rule.

The closely divided U.S. Senate has approved Congressional Review Act resolutions on environmental and agricultural issues in which rural-state Democrats or those in tough reelection races, such as centrist West Virginian Joe Manchin III, Ohios Sherrod Brown or Jon Tester of Montana, align with Republicans.

Republicans on the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee approved a bill, sponsored by Utah Republican John Curtis, last year to block the rule from taking effect. The legislation has not received a vote from the full House.

This rule from the Biden Administration undermines the very people who rely on our federal lands for ranching, grazing, recreation, and beyond, Curtis said in a Thursday release.

House Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman of Arkansas said Thursday he would do everything in (his) power to get Curtis bill through the House.

The post BLM to finalize rule allowing federal leases targeted at protection of natural areas appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
Owyhee Canyonlands in southeast Oregon as seen by a drone.

The Bureau of Land Management manages more than 267,000 acres of public land in the Owyhee River Wilderness. (Courtesy of the Center for Western Priorities)

The Bureau of Land Management will publish a final rule soon allowing the nations public lands to be leased for environmental protection, a Thursday news release from the Interior Department said.

The rule, which both proponents and detractors say marks a shift in the agencys focus toward conservation, directs land managers at the agency to identify landscapes in need of restoration and to create plans to fill those needs.

It also creates two new types of leases focused on protecting natural areas. The BLM already leases parcels of land for extractive industries including energy development, mining and livestock grazing.

The rule is likely to set off a conflict in Congress, where Republicans immediately on Thursday renewed their criticism of President Joe Bidens conservation policies.

In a deviation from the March 2023 draft rule that proposed a new category of conservation leases, the final rule will allow two new types of leases: restoration and mitigation.

Restoration leases will be a tool for investment in the health of our public lands an agency fact sheet reads. Lessees would be empowered to work to restore lands, including those impacted by other uses.

Similarly, mitigation leases would be a tool to offset the impacts of other BLM land uses. The agency said an example could be a solar power company that has a facility on BLM land may receive a mitigation lease to restore nearby habitat to mitigate the impact of its development.

The rule is in line with BLMs multiple-use mandate that requires balancing energy development, mining, recreation and other uses on the nations public lands, the agency said.

As stewards of Americas public lands, the Interior Department takes seriously our role in helping bolster landscape resilience in the face of worsening climate impacts, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement.

Todays final rule helps restore balance to our public lands as we continue using the best-available science to restore habitats, guide strategic and responsible development, and sustain our public lands for generations to come.

BLM released a 178-page preliminary version of the rule Thursday, saying a substantially similar version would be published as a final rule in the coming days.

Congressional fight ahead

The rule has met with polarized reaction since the draft proposal was released in March 2023.

Reaction to the final rule from across the political spectrum began arriving within minutes of the announcement Thursday.

Conservation groups and environmental advocates cheered the rule for prioritizing conservation, while Republicans worried it would restrict other types of uses on public lands.

The Mountain Pact, a coalition of local leaders from Western states, released a statement praising the rule.

The BLMs Public Lands Rule highlights the need for the agency to work with local communities to focus on the conservation of land, water, and wildlife to ensure communities can protect future access to federal public lands while combating the growing impacts of climate change, Patrice Horstman, the chair of the Coconino County, Arizona, Board of Supervisors, said in the statement.

David Willms, associate vice president for public lands at the National Wildlife Federation, said in a written statement the rule gives BLM new tools to restore and conserve degraded lands, while supporting robust local economies. The rule will help the agency identify intact landscapes that wildlife depend on for survival, which will ensure that they thrive for decades to come.

Democrats in Congress also applauded the measure.

Colorados Diana DeGette, the ranking member on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Climate, called the move a significant accomplishment for land conservation and wildlife protection.

I am proud that BLM and the Biden Administration are continuing to lead in defending our natural world, she said in a statement.

Pledge to repeal

But Republicans pledged to undo it.

Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the top Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, promised he and North Dakotas senior Republican senator would challenge the rule with a resolution under the Congressional Review Act. The law allows lawmakers to try to repeal executive branch rulemaking.

The people of Wyoming depend on access to public lands for their livelihoods  including energy and mineral production, grazing, and recreation, Barrasso said in a statement With this rule, President Biden is allowing federal bureaucrats to destroy our way of life. Senator John Hoeven and I will introduce a Congressional Review Act resolution to repeal this outrageous rule.

The closely divided U.S. Senate has approved Congressional Review Act resolutions on environmental and agricultural issues in which rural-state Democrats or those in tough reelection races, such as centrist West Virginian Joe Manchin III, Ohios Sherrod Brown or Jon Tester of Montana, align with Republicans.

Republicans on the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee approved a bill, sponsored by Utah Republican John Curtis, last year to block the rule from taking effect. The legislation has not received a vote from the full House.

This rule from the Biden Administration undermines the very people who rely on our federal lands for ranching, grazing, recreation, and beyond, Curtis said in a Thursday release.

House Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman of Arkansas said Thursday he would do everything in (his) power to get Curtis bill through the House.

The post BLM to finalize rule allowing federal leases targeted at protection of natural areas appeared first on Oregon Capital Chronicle.
Iran reiterates commitment to IAEA cooperation

Xinhua) 08:54, April 18, 2024

TEHRAN, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Iran's nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami reaffirmed on Wednesday the country's commitment to nuclear activities that align with its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Addressing the IAEA's concerns over "ambiguities" in Iran's nuclear program, Eslami underscored Iran's adherence to the safeguards agreement and the Non-Proliferation Treaty, reported the Iranian Students' News Agency.

Eslami highlighted the presence of 120 IAEA-accredited inspectors monitoring Iran's nuclear program, with some stationed in Iran and others conducting regular or surprise visits to the nuclear sites.

At a UN briefing in New York, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi remarked that Iran's enriched uranium stockpile, while at extremely high levels, does not equate to the possession of a nuclear weapon.

However, he noted the significant accumulation of nuclear material at levels nearly equivalent to weapons-grade, sparking international scrutiny.

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed by Iran and world powers in July 2015, aimed to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions. However, the U.S. withdrew from the agreement in May 2018, reinstating sanctions and prompting Iran to scale back some of its nuclear commitments.

Efforts to revive the JCPOA commenced in April 2021 in Vienna, but despite multiple rounds of negotiations, no substantial progress has been reported since the last talks in August 2022.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, April 18. Kyrgyzstan's Cabinet of Ministers and Google have signed a memorandum of understanding outlining further cooperation in education transformation, Trend reports.

According to the cabinet, the memorandum aims to implement advanced educational practices under the "Altyn Qazyk" ("Polar Star") program in Kyrgyzstan, which focuses on modernizing and digitizing the educational process in schools countrywide.

"We take pride in being the first country in the region to collaborate with Google Education and apply cutting-edge practices in schools across Kyrgyzstan, aiding our teachers and students in acquiring the latest knowledge," said the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Akylbek Japarov, during a meeting with Google's Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy, Mark Isakowitz.

Japarov emphasized that Kyrgyzstan's collaboration with Google in education should be just the first step. Kyrgyzstan is also working on cloud resource development, improving the efficiency of government services, and developing artificial intelligence programs.

In turn, Isakowitz noted Google's commitment to human capital development in Kyrgyzstan and expressed a desire to support these efforts.

Japarov also announced the upcoming launch of a pilot project: a Google school based in one of Bishkek's urban schools, fully integrating Google tools for education.
Russian diesel exports have continued to decrease amid Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries across the country, Bloomberg reported on April 18, citing data from the analytics firm Kpler.

According to Kpler, Russia exported around 740,000 barrels of crude per day in the 10 days leading up to April 13, a 25% decrease from the same period the previous four years.

In recent 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 reportedly successfully hit in multiple regions deep inside Russian territory as of March 17.

Ukraine also attacked one of Russia's largest oil refineries on April 2 in the city of Nizhnekamsk in Tatarstan, over 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from Ukraine's border.

The strikes have prompted criticism from U.S. officials, who have made it clear the U.S. does not support Ukraine's targeting of oil refineries, citing fears that it could threaten the global energy market.

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.
BLOOMSBURG, COLUMBIA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  Bloomsburg University spoke on Wednesday to students, residents, and parents alike, about a non-sanctioned event, Block Party.

According to Bloomsburg PD, this weekend, April 19-21, a non-sanctioned event known as Block Party, will be happening in Bloomsburg.

The Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg and the Towns of Bloomsburgs will be implementing the following safety initiatives to increase safety and security during the Block Party:

Residence Hall Visitation Restrictions  Bloomsburg University will temporarily restrict overnight guests in the residence halls to one visitor per student from 1:00 p.m. on Friday, April 19, through 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 21. A professional security firm will help manage guest registrations and increase front door security. Regular desk and visitation hours return at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 21. Parking for these guests will be provided at the rear of the Andruss Library in the student parking portion of the parking lot.

Parking Restrictions  CU-Bloomsburg will prohibit all parking at the Lightstreet Road parking lot and the ATM parking lot. Parking on campus will be restricted to persons attending events on campus. Additionally, temporary parking restrictions will be in effect at the First Street (Green) parking lot to permit holders only from noon Friday, April 19, through noon Sunday, April 21.



The Town of Bloomsburg Police, along with Bloomsburg University Police, law enforcement partners from municipal and state law enforcement agencies, code enforcement, and Bloomsburg Fire Department/ EMS, will work together to maximize visibility throughout the weekend to make sure order is maintained and all calls for service are responded to.

$4,000 reward for information on New Philadelphia double homicide

The Town of Bloomsburg and CU-Bloomsburg also ask all participants to keep the following in mind:

A large police contingency of uniformed and plainclothes officers will be present this weekend.

Town and University Police will have a zero-tolerance policy for all violations occurring this weekend. The University will be notified of all arrests, and university students will be subject to discipline for violations under CUs Student Code of Conduct.

The Town of Bloomsburg requires permits for social gatherings of 150 or more individuals. Students can be held responsible for the ordinance and crime code violations occurring on property they lease or control.

Students are reminded that a brief moment of indiscretion can have a significant and lasting impact on employment opportunities.

University students charged with violations during the weekend, on- or off-campus, will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct for appropriate disciplinary action. Students are also reminded that Pennsylvanias Medical Amnesty Law provides for immunity from prosecution for underage drinking when an individual seeks medical attention for another person under many circumstances.

This law was enacted to ensure fear of prosecution for underage drinking does not discourage people from seeking help for themselves or others in medical distress.

The Town of Bloomsburg and the University are committed to maintaining a safe, welcoming environment for residents, students, and visitors to our town alike. We are one community and call upon student leaders to encourage responsible behavior, not only on this weekend but at all times.

For more informaiton on Bloomburgs Block Party visit the Colubmbia County CRIMEWATCH website.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.
A captain is accused of falling off his boat while leading a 30-person tour because he was drunk, Florida authorities said.

The 53-year-old man is charged with misdemeanor boating under the influence.

His attorney information is not available in Pinellas County case records.

The captains co-workers told officers he showed up to work on April 12 stumbling, with food on his face, according to an arrest affidavit from the Clearwater Police Department.

He was working a tour for the companys fun boat ice cream cruise when he fell overboard at around 2 p.m., officers said.

Multiple citizens made comments stating that the captain ... was impaired to the point where he fell off the boat, police wrote in the affidavit.

He appeared unsteady and didnt perform well on a field sobriety test, officers said. His blood alcohol level was .118 and .115, which exceeds the legal limit of .08, according to the report.

Officers said he has previously been convicted of similar charges of driving under the influence or while impaired in Michigan and Arizona.

McClatchy News reached out to the boat tour company for comment but did not immediately receive a response April 18.

Clearwater is part of the Tampa Bay area on the west coast of Florida.

Accused drunk driver flees law for 15 years overseas  until trip to Florida, cops say

Accused drunk driver evading police plunges into ocean with 3 in pickup, CA cops say

Seven found clinging to capsized boat in chilly California bay, rescuers say

Missing anglers boat found far off North Carolina  with no one aboard, officials say
Rep. Sue Chew, Idahos longest-serving Democratic lawmaker, died Wednesday surrounded by friends after a battle with cancer, according to a news release from Idaho House and Senate Democrats.

Chew, 66, represented Legislative District 17 encompassing Southwest Boise and was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in late 2023.

She announced in June that she would not seek reelection after her ninth term expires this year. She stepped away from the Capitol this legislative session as she battled pancreatic cancer from the hospital, where she had been receiving chemotherapy and was admitted to intensive care. Substitutes served in her place.

Gov. Brad Little ordered American and state of Idaho flags to be flown at half-staff in Chews honor until sunset Friday, a news release said.

Flags across Idaho will fly at half-staff in memory of Rep. Sue Chew. For 18 years, Sue served her constituents in Boise with passion and dedication. She will be deeply missed by her community, colleagues, and many loved ones.  Brad Little (@GovernorLittle) April 18, 2024

Chew, a pharmacist who was born in Oakland, California, was first elected to represent the Boise Bench nearly two decades ago. She has since served nine consecutive terms and was well-known for her door-knocking campaigns.

Chew was raised in California, where her father was one of the first lawyers of Chinese descent, according to a House resolution honoring her this year. She grew up speaking English and Cantonese, the Associated Press reported.

She studied biology at the University of California, Berkeley, and earned a doctorate of pharmacy degree from the University of California, San Francisco. She initially moved to Boise for a geriatric medicine residency at the Boise Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She later worked for Saint Alphonsus Health System and served in leadership roles at various state and local womens organizations.

During her time in office, she advocated for reform on indigent health care and disability rights and was involved in the Add the Words campaign, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity as classes protected against discrimination in state law. She previously told the Idaho Statesman she helped pass a 2018 update to the states good Samaritan law, which gives legal protections to someone who reports a drug overdose.

House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, praised her legacy.

Im so grateful to have known and served with Rep. Chew, Rubel said. She was motivated by pure love and a desire to help those who most needed an advocate. People who otherwise felt they had no voice in the corridors of power knew they had a voice in Sue.

House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, with Rep. Sue Chew, right, at the Idaho Capitol this month. The House passed a resolution honoring Chew, who died on Wednesday.

Champion of the underdog: Boise Democrat battles cancer while substitute serves in House

Longtime Boise Democrat will be done with the Idaho Capitol. What happens to her seat?
(Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, Harper Collins, Andrews McMeel Publishing)

A new trend is emerging in book banning: School officials are pulling works about sexual violence from library shelves, often by labeling them obscene. Thats the finding of a report released Tuesday by freedom of expression advocacy group PEN America.

Nineteen percent of banned books during the 2021-2023 school years included passages about sexual assault, the report found. Whats more, school officials are banning books at a faster pace. PEN recorded 4,349 book bans in 23 states and 52 public school districts during the first half of the current school year. That figure tops the 3,362 books banned during the entire previous school year.

Originally published by The 19th

Kasey Meehan, director of PEN Americas Freedom to Read program, said that after noticing a pattern of policymakers generalizing broadly to label books sexually explicit, the organization decided to investigate.

When we dug a little bit deeper, what stood out to us was, Oh, wow, these are stories about violence against women, she said. These are stories told from female survivors.

Banning books because they describe sexual violence raises concerns that survivors will be deprived of the chance to read literature that reflects their experiences, ultimately increasing their feelings of alienation instead of aiding with their recovery. About 27% of 17-year-old girls and 5% of 17-year-old boys say they have experienced sexual abuse  figures that range from 23 to 62% for LGBTQ+ youth.

Roughly half of individuals who contact the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) for help are minors, said Scott Berkowitz, president and founder of the nonprofit that works to combat sexual violence and to support survivors.

This is something thats already very much a part of their lives, Berkowitz said. Pretending that sexual violence is just an adult topic might make some people feel better, but kids know the truth.

He added that banning books about sexual assault plays into the common misconception that such acts are about sex when theyre really about violence.

In states all over the country  from Idaho to Pennsylvania  books with sexual violence have been banned on the grounds that theyre pornographic, disgusting or obscene, according to the report. Literature targeted for their passages on sexual assault include Amy Reeds The Nowhere Girls, kidnap victim Jaycee Dugards memoir, A Stolen Life, Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Tale, Toni Morrisons The Bluest Eye and Rupi Kaurs poetry collections. Even works on consent havent been spared, with one Kentucky school district briefly banning the book Defining Sexual Consent, a decision that faced pushback from parents.

We want to be teaching kids about consent so that they can interact in social situations and know warning signs and things to look for and help protect their friends, Berkowitz said. The last thing we want to be doing is hiding this information from kids. Keeping information from kids is going to actually make things harder for them. Its going to make them more ashamed to talk about something that happened to them and less aware that there are lots of other people that it also happens to.

Many survivors blame themselves, but when they realize how common sexual violence is, they piece together that the abuse they suffered had nothing to do with them and everything to do with the perpetrator who decided to harm them, he said.

Censoring books because they reference sexual assault also disproportionately impacts women and nonbinary writers, groups more likely to engage with this subject matter. In Idahos West Ada School District, women authored nine out of the 11 books school officials banned in the fall, and more than half of the works discussed sexual and other forms of violence against women, PEN found. One of those books, The Nowhere Girls, Meehan said, is about teenage girls who are resisting sexist culture in their school and resisting sexual abuse of women.

Niki Scheppers, the communications chief for the West Ada School District, told The 19th in a statement that the books West Ada removed arent childrens literature but represent works of a more explicit nature. She also said, In the careful curation of knowledge, the decision to remove certain books from our library shelves is not made lightly. It is a deliberate choice aimed at fostering an environment that encourages diverse perspectives while ensuring the protection of our students.

Since First Amendment protections do not cover obscenity, categorizing reading materials as such makes it easier to remove them from school libraries. Theres just one problem: The works targeted dont meet the legal threshold for obscenity, according to PEN. The group referenced the Supreme Courts 1973 ruling in Miller v. California which characterized obscene materials as being totally devoid of serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value.

To skirt this definition, states and school districts have increasingly introduced new terms or manipulat[ed] other existing statutes, according to PEN. Sometimes, terms such as sexually explicit, sexually relevant or sexual conduct are used to justify removing books, but these phrases dont have a standard legal meaning, causing confusion among school personnel about which books should be permitted or prohibited. Floridas HB 1069 singles out any book that depicts or describes sexual conduct. Enacted last year, it has led to the ouster of books such as Melissa Marrs Ink Exchange from school libraries. Marrs book, however, does not detail the rape that figures heavily in the storyline.

Florida leads the nation in book banning cases, with 3,135 bans across 11 school districts from July 2021 to December 2023, the PEN America report found. Escambia County Public Schools, the district with the most censorship in the country, enacted more than 1,600 of those bans. Wisconsin came in second, imposing 481 bans in three districts. There, the Elkhorn Area School District alone barred 444 books based on the complaints of one parent, according to PEN. With 142 bans in three districts, Iowa came in third, followed by Texas (141 bans), Kentucky (106 bans) and Virginia (100 bans).

PEN America points to the website Book Looks as a driving force of book bans. Started in 2022 by a former member of Moms for Liberty, a national group focused on parents rights in schools, the website ranks books based on their content about gender identity, sexual orientation, race relations, profane language and violence. Supporters of censorship have used the site to challenge books in school districts nationwide. A Maryland Moms for Liberty chapter used the site to suggest the removal of more than 50 books in Carroll County schools, PEN found. Of these books, 96% contained sexual references and 36% mentioned rape.

We are well aware that allowing students to read and learn about sexual violence doesnt cause more violence, Meehan said. In fact, research has shown us that the opposite is true, that students who learn about rape and rape culture can actively work to help prevent it.

In Brevard County, Florida, school officials in June imposed an eight-year ban on three works by the poet Kaur that reference sexual violence: Milk and Honey, The Sun and Her Flowers and Home Body. She responded to the development by stating on X, Banning books about sexual assault is not going to stop sexual assault from happening. Lawmakers are taking away tools that help students feel seen and thats what breaks my heart.

Meehan said that giving young people access to books about a wide range of topics, including sexual violence, helps to improve their sexual health, just as providing them with comprehensive sexuality education does. Like Kaur, she also acknowledged a grim truth: Rape and harm against young people and young girls is not being censored away in the real world. So why would we censor it from our libraries?

The post Books about sexual assault arent pornographic. Schools are banning them as obscene anyway. appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Protesting Polish farmers have temporarily renewed the blockade of trucks at the Korczowa-Krakovets and Medyka-Shehyni crossings on the Ukrainian border, Ukraine's Border Guard Service said on April 18.

The farmers began blocking trucks at several border crossings in February in protest of Ukrainian agricultural imports and the EU's Green Deal. Despite ongoing negotiations between Kyiv and Warsaw, no satisfactory resolution has been achieved so far.

The protesters are expected to block trucks heading to Ukraine via Korczowa-Krakovets until the morning of April 20 and cargo vehicles going through Medyka-Shehyni in both directions until early April 19.

As of the morning of April 18, the Border Guard Service recorded 1,500 trucks waiting in line on the Polish territory.

The ongoing blockade has led to deteriorating relations between Kyiv and Warsaw. Protestors spilled Ukrainian grain on several occasions, sparking outrage in Ukraine.

Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal arrived in Poland on March 28 to meet with his Polish counterpart, Donald Tusk, and discuss agricultural trade between the two countries.

The two officials agreed to search for "mutually satisfactory solutions," such as a verification and control system for trade in agricultural goods.

Earlier this month, Poland and Ukraine established a Council for Cooperation to deal with bilateral Polish-Ukrainian relations and aid Ukraine's reconstruction.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, on April 18, urged member states to supply Ukraine with their anti-missile systems to strengthen its air defense, Reuters reported.

"We have Patriots, we have anti-missile systems. We have to take them (out) from our barracks where they are just in case and send them to Ukraine where the war is raging," Borrell told reporters after a Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers meeting on the island of Capri.

As Moscow intensifies its attacks on Ukraine this spring, the shortage of air defense systems in Ukrainian cities and villages is being felt more acutely.

Russia's recent strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure destroyed several thermal power plants across the country, including the Trypillia plant, the main electricity supplier to Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Cherkasy oblasts.

Borrell stressed that the shortage of air defense systems could destroy Ukraine's entire electricity system.

EU's top diplomat also said that Europe must stop relying only on the U.S. for aid provision to Ukraine, reminding that a $95 billion foreign aid bill, including around $61 billion in assistance for Kyiv, remains stalled in Congress.

Borrell expressed confidence that the EU members will provide Ukraine with additional air defense systems, but he said it must happen "quickly."

President Volodymyr Zelensky said in early April that Ukraine needed 25 Patriot air defense systems to cover the country's skies from Russian attacks and intercept ballistic missiles.

After Kyiv ramped up the calls on allies to receive more air defense systems, Germany launched a new initiative to secure more critically needed air defenses for Ukraine, the Tagesschau outlet reported, citing spokespeople of Germany's defense and foreign ministries.

Read also: Johnson sets date on Ukraine aid vote, unveils its content

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
BOSTON - The FAA is investigating a close call involving a JetBlue flight bound for Boston Thursday morning. The JetBlue flight was forced to abort takeoff due to another aircraft attempting to cross the runway at Washington Reagan National Airport.



At 7:41 a.m., the FAA said an air traffic controller told the pilot of Southwest Flight 2937 bound for Orlando to cross Runway 4.



At the same time, JetBlue Flight 1554 to Logan Airport was cleared for takeoff from the same runway. An air traffic controller yelled at both pilots to stop immediately.

The planes ended up about 300 feet from each other. No injuries were reported.

Flight data shows the Southwest flight, a Boeing 737-Max 8, never made it to the actual runway. The JetBlue flight, an Embraer 190, made it to 35 miles per hour.

The JetBlue aircraft was inspected before taking off for Boston several hours later.

The FAA is now probing how two planes were green lit to cross paths.



"Obviously the left hand was not talking to the right hand," CBS News travel editor Peter Greenberg said. He says close calls like this happen almost every day, but points out a lapse in communication unique to this case.

"What has to be investigated though is what were two controllers doing, controlling two separate flights at the same airport," Greenberg said. "That is the interesting thing and that's what they are going to have to look at."

Southwest and JetBlue are working with federal officials as the incident is investigated.

Protesters gather outside Columbia University after its president testifies about antisemitism

Israeli missile hits Iran, U.S. officials confirm

Dubai struggles to recover from record flooding event
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  This week on Inside Utah Politics, Utahs Senate race and the Great Salt Lake come into focus.

We continue our series on Utahs U.S. Senate candidates. Former Utah Speaker of the House Brad Wilson discusses his campaign. He explains why he believes his time as a state lawmaker makes him an ideal candidate for the U.S. Senate. He also makes clear his positions on border security, housing affordability, and water conservation.

We speak with Marcelle Shoop, Executive Director of the Great Salt Lake Water Enhancement Trust. ( Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Trust (gslwatertrust.org))The group, comprised of stakeholders from industry, government and the non-profit sector, released a five-year strategy on saving the Great Salt Lake. We explore the aims of the plan, what it requires and what the group is asking of the Legislature.

Our correspondents in Washington D.C. brings us up to speed on a bill aimed at the popular social media app TikTok. The bill, passed by the House, would require the apps Chinese parent company to sell the American version of the app or face a nationwide ban. The measure has bipartisan support, but its fate in the Senate is unclear.

Housing issues also come into focus the week. With home prices increasingly keeping buyers out of the market, new federal legislation could give many buyers up to $20,000 toward a down payment. But as we find out, the bill is running into opposition.

On Inside Utah Politics, we aim for civil and informative conversations that help voters understand their choices on the ballot and the issues they face.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
At 9.52am on Saturday March 24 1945, Brigadier James Hill found himself floating down onto a clearing in the heavily wooded area of Hamminkeln, on the eastern side of the River Rhine. Hill was one of 2,200 paratroopers in his Third Brigade and among 14,000 airborne troops being landed that day. In all, the immense sky armada included 540 Dakota transport planes and 1,300 gliders  a huge demonstration of force. For Hill, who had been an early recruit in Britains airborne forces, Operation Varsity, as it was known, was a world away in terms of skill, technique and planning from the first primitive drop into battle hed undertaken back in North Africa two-and-a-half years earlier.

It was also spectacularly successful, because this time the airborne troops were landed on time, in the right place, and were able to fulfil their mission of destroying most of the enemys artillery so that it could not impede the main attack across the river. Some 4,000 German troops were captured, 1,000 killed and wounded and more than 90 guns taken. As Brigadier Hill later commented, Varsity had taken advantage of lessons learned from the four previous operations. As Saul David notes at the end of this fascinating and absorbing book, Britains airborne force had left the best until last, and in 1945 had reached its zenith.

Despite this, the Sixth Airborne Division that took part in the Rhine operation lost 1,344 troops  killed, wounded and missing  which amounted to 27 per cent. This rather underlined just how dangerous it was to be part of the Red Devils, as the British airborne forces became known, and as David charts their long, often deeply flawed and tragic journey through the war, the casualties were many and often needlessly squandered too.

Created as an intended force of 5,000, they were formed at Churchills urging in the summer of 1940 along with the Commandos and Special Operations Executive. The Prime Minister, like many others, had been rather dazzled by the dash and flair of the German airborne forces in the Blitzkrieg assaults, but, as with others, was guilty of seeing only the advantages rather than the many constraints and difficulties of mounting operations from the sky. All paratroopers were volunteers, while glider troops were transferred from ground operations but had the choice not to take up the extra pay and transfer if they chose. It meant that all those who wore the maroon beret knew they were part of something special and were, for the most part, eager to prove their mettle.

Unfortunately, what is also clear from Sky Warriors, Saul Davids history of Britains wartime airborne forces, is that very often these highly motivated men were badly let down at the higher level of command. Hubris and arrogance often clouded judgement. General George Hoppy Hopkinson, for example, was so messianic about glider-borne troops that he insisted they play a key part in the invasion of Sicily, even though the glider pilots leading the troops into battle were doing so at night with woefully insufficient training and mostly in American gliders with which they were unfamiliar. Half of the 137 sent landed in the sea, while others came down miles from where they were supposed to.

Incredibly, the Ponte Grande Bridge south of Syracuse, their target, was still taken intact, initially captured by the men of the only glider to successfully reach the target. The subsequent paratrooper drop at Primosole Bridge a few days later was also a fiasco. On D-Day, the men of Sixth Airborne were also dropped at night and widely scattered, while at Arnhem, a few months later, the daylight drop was finally a success but the planning and generalship was poor. On every occasion, the men battled heroically and often achieved far more than could have been expected given the mayhem and handicaps around them.

No specific British aircraft was ever developed for airborne operations. The arm grew very swiftly, and although lessons were learned they were very often not the right ones. Incredibly, and unlike their US counterparts, British paratroopers were dropped with only one parachute, not two, because of the need to economise. Legends have grown up around the Red Devils and as David points out, they regarded themselves as elite troops, yet what also emerges from this compelling tale of organic evolution and frequent recklessness is the indomitable and pioneering spirit of the men involved and how often their courage and daring was badly squandered by those further up the chain.

It is very much the mens characters that form the beating heart of the book  eccentrics, mavericks, ridiculously brave but also very human too. My darling boy, wrote one mother to her paratrooper son, Captain Alan Clements, we heard on the wireless last night that you are in action. You can guess our thoughts are with you every moment of the day. Moments such as this remind the reader that for all the mythologising, the Red Devils were mostly young men, as vulnerable as any other soldier. Yet what they achieved, as David makes clear in this hugely entertaining book, was remarkable.

Sky Warriors is published by William Collins at 25. To order your copy for 19.99, call 0808 196 6794 or visit Telegraph Books

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.
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, April 18. Tajikistan and Uzbekistan discussed cooperation in the industrial sector, Trend reports.

According to Tajikistans Ministry of Industry and New Technologies, the issue was addressed during a meeting between Sherali Kabir, Minister of Industry and New Technologies of Tajikistan, and Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan.

The sides explored avenues for expanding bilateral cooperation in the industrial field. They also expressed readiness to implement joint projects across various industrial sectors, conduct business meetings, and support the activities of representatives from the private sectors of both countries.

According to Tajikistan's National Statistical Agency, industrial production in Tajikistan in 2023, including that of private entrepreneurs, totaled 46.815 billion somoni ($4.279 billion), which is a 12 percent increase compared to 2022 at comparable prices.

Tajikistan's ongoing industrialization strategy for 20222026, named the "Years of Industrial Development", aims to increase industrial output by 2.5 times within five years. The strategy sets a target of reaching 95 billion somoni ($9.3 billion) by 2026, compared to 39 billion somoni ($3.7 billion) in 2021, and includes plans to establish over 870 new industrial enterprises.
Britain has announced travel bans and asset freezes against senior Iranian missile commanders who launched attacks against Israel.

A total of 13 individuals and entities, including the leadership of Irans armed forces and the countrys defence minister, have been sanctioned in the latest action taken by the Government.

Israel Blog

Iran threatens to build nuclear bomb

Read more

Lord Cameron, the Foreign Secretary, announced the action during the G7 summit in Italy, which he said showed our unequivocal condemnation of Irans attack on a sovereign state.

Individuals sanctioned, including defence minister Brig Gen Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, will be subject to a travel ban and asset freezes.

Among the entities sanctioned is the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy, one of Irans two naval forces, and the Khatemolanbia Central Headquarters, responsible for operational command of the nations armed forces.

The new sanctions came less than a week after the UK joined the US and France in helping Israel shoot down some of the 350 drones, missiles and rockets fired by Iran on Saturday.

The US has also announced its own wave of sanctions against 16 individuals and two entities, particularly targeting Irans unarmed aerial vehicle production.

US president Joe Biden said in a statement that their sanctions regime targeted leaders and entities connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Irans defence ministry, and the Iranian governments missile and drone programme that enabled this brazen assault.

Rishi Sunak said: Today, we have sanctioned the ringleaders of the Iranian military and forces responsible for the weekends attack.

These sanctions  announced with the US  show we unequivocally condemn this behaviour, and they will further limit Irans ability to destabilise the region.

Israeli soldiers fly a drone near the Israel-Gaza border as threats of war with iran continue to escalate - Amir Cohen/REUTERS

On Tuesday, Mr Sunak held a telephone call with Israels prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, telling him that the G7 was coordinating a diplomatic response.

However, he warned Mr Netanyahu that a significant escalation was in no ones interest and would only deepen insecurity in the Middle East.

The UK has already sanctioned several Iranians along with the IRGC, but the Government has come under increasing pressure to go a step further and proscribe the organisation as a terrorist group.

On Monday, Lord Cameron argued that proscription would jeopardise diplomatic ties with Tehran and threaten a key back channel for communicating with the regime.

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It is all very well for Britain to take the lead in calling for G7 countries to tighten the sanctions regime against Iran in retaliation for its drone and missile assault on Israel at the weekend. But the Governments pleas for more robust action would carry far greater weight if it was prepared to address Irans malevolent activities closer to home.

Britain already has a number of sanctions in place against Tehran, the majority of them imposed to limit Irans efforts to acquire nuclear weapons. Further measures were applied in January against senior members of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) after the security services uncovered a plot to kill two dissident Iranian journalists on British soil.

Now, in the wake of Irans failed attempt to attack Israel with a barrage of lethal drones and missiles, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron is leading calls for the G7 to adopt new coordinated sanctions.

Speaking ahead of the summit of G7 foreign ministers in Italy, Cameron argued that Tehran must be given a clear and unequivocal message over its continuing support for terrorist groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah and Yemens Houthi rebels. Theres more that we can do to show a united front, he insisted.

And yet, when it comes to doing more to restrict the ability of the IRGC and its supporters to operate in the UK, the Government appears strangely reluctant to act.

One of the more obvious actions it could take, for example, would be to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organisation, just as it has done with both Hamas and Hezbollah. Moreover, apart from operating a sophisticated network of terror groups throughout the Middle East, the intelligence and security services now have clear evidence that the IRGC and its allies have been conducting illegal operations on British soil, primarily aimed at silencing Iranian dissidents and critics.

Last year, security officials revealed that they had foiled 15 plots by Iran to either kidnap or kill British or UK-based individuals who were deemed to be enemies of the regime. More recently a prominent presenter working for an opposition Iranian television channel was stabbed outside his London home, presumably in an attempt to silence him.

If Britain was really serious about sending Iran an unequivocal message, then the evidence it has acquired of the IRGCs involvement in conducting nefarious activities on British soil should, at the very least, persuade the Government to designate the group as a terrorist organisation.

This is, after all, the action taken by the US back in 2019 after the Trump administration finally became exasperated by the organisations involvement in committing acts of terrorism across the Middle East.

Even so, despite the tangible threat that the IRGC poses to our national security, the Government remains opposed to denouncing the groups terrorist operations, even though there are powerful voices at the Home Office, such as Security Minister Tom Tugendhat, who contend that such action is necessary. Rishi Sunak, however, is thought to be against proscribing the IRGC on the grounds that it could ultimately lead to the cessation of diplomatic relations with Tehran at a critical time.

Despite Irans overt hostility towards the UK, Britain still manages to maintain an ambassadorial-level diplomatic presence at its historic embassy compound in the Iranian capital, one that Foreign Office mandarins insist is essential to keeping communication channels open to the ayatollahs. Washington, which cut diplomatic ties with Tehran in 1980 after the IRGC stormed the US Embassy and held US citizens hostage for 444 days, is also said to support Britains continued diplomatic presence in Iran.

There comes a point, though, when the blatantly hostile activities of a state-backed body like the IRGC outweigh diplomatic concerns, especially when the organisations direct involvement in the attack on Israel is taken into consideration.

The IRGC is far more than a militant group dedicated to keeping the ayatollahs in power by brutally suppressing the democratic aspirations of the Iranian people. It dominates Irans entire political, military and economic infrastructure, so much so that IRGC officials are said to directly control at least 50 per cent of the Iranian economy, including lucrative oil smuggling operations.

By continuing to maintain relations with the Iranian regime, the UK is, de facto, bestowing a degree of legitimacy on the IRGC that will only encourage it to continue with its terrorist activities, safe in the knowledge that countries like Britain are reluctant to hold it to account.

Failure, moreover, to designate the IRGC as terrorists also serves to encourage other pro-Iranian activists operating in the UK that they, too, can act with impunity, such as using UK banks, as was recently revealed, to covertly move money around the world as part of a vast sanctions-evasion scheme devised by the IRGC.

If Britain, as the Government contends, is really serious about toughening sanctions against Iran, then designating the IRGC a terrorist organisation would certainly be a good place to start.

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April 18 (UPI) -- An estranged British couple found their 21-year marriage unexpectedly ended when a lawn firm's clerical error finalized their divorce.

The couple, identified only as Mr. and Mrs. Williams, separated in 2023 and were in the process of working out the financial details of their marriage's impending end when they accidentally became divorced as a result of a mistake by the wife's representatives at London law firm Vardags.

The firm, headed by self-proclaimed "diva of divorce" Ayesha Vardag, explained the couple's divorce was the result of a clerical error.

Vardag said the lawyers were working on another client's divorce when they opened the Williams' case file by mistake and applied for a final divorce order.

Lawyers discovered the mistake two days later and Vardags asked the High Court to nullify the Williams' divorce, but Andrew McFarlane, the president of the Family Division, rejected the appeal.

"There is a strong public policy interest in respecting the certainty and finality that flows from a final divorce order and maintaining the status quo that it has established," the judge said in his decision.

Vardag said she strongly disagrees with McFarlane's decision.

"The courts shouldn't change people's marital status based on a slip on an online portal. Whether the person makes the slip themselves or their lawyer does. It goes against the principle of intention which suffuses our law," she told the Law Society Gazette.

Julian Ribet, whose firm, Ribet Myles, represents Mr. Williams, supported the judge's decision.

"The wife's solicitors hoped that the order would be treated as an administrative error and deemed never to have existed," Ribet said. "We objected on the basis that the divorce had been properly applied for, and was therefore effective, notwithstanding the fact that the wife's solicitors had in fact applied on behalf of the wrong client."
British parliament votes to ban smoking for all people born after 2009

British parliament votes to ban smoking for all people born after 2009

The British parliament has voted to outlaw smoking for future generations.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, introduced and championed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, is set to ban smoking for anyone born after 2009.

It overwhelmingly passed a vote in the House of Commons with 383 votes to 67 on

CONSERVATIVES' ATTEMPT TO REPEAL HATE SPEECH LAW THAT MADE SCOTLAND AN 'INTERNATIONAL MOCKERY' FAILS

The U.K. Parliament's House of Commons has voted overwhelmingly in favor of banning all nicotine products for individuals born after 2009.

Government officials have boasted that the bill will produce the U.K.'s first-ever "smoke-free generation."

There is still several steps to officially passing the bill into law, including a debate and vote in the upper chamber of the U.K. parliament, the House of Lords.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

The Conservative Party has seen internal tensions over the smoking ban, which many Tory leaders have claimed is a misstep.

UK LAWMAKER 'MANIPULATED' INTO GIVING PERSONAL NUMBERS OF COLLEAGUES IN SEXTING BLACKMAIL SCAM

178 Conservative members of parliament voted for the bill with 57 voting against and 106 not recording a vote.

"When the party of Winston Churchill wants to ban cigars, donnez-moi un break [give me a break] as they say in Quebec, it's just mad," former Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last week at a conference in Canada.

Fellow ex-prime minister Liz Truess echoed Johnson's concerns, saying the goal of legislating the personal decisions of grown men and women was misguided.

A protester in Parliament Square holds a placard referencing the 57 Tories who voted against the smoking ban.

"It is very important that until people have decision-making capability while they are growing up that we protect them," Truess said. "But I think the whole idea that we can protect adults from themselves is hugely problematic."

Supporters of the ban claim that the addictive nature of nicotine products takes away an individual's freedom to make a free decision about consuming them.





Original article source: British parliament votes to ban smoking for all people born after 2009
In summer 2017, a delegation of visitors from the United Arab Emirates flew into the Berkshire town of Reading.

They had not come for a sightseeing tour, but to discover how scientists at the university were progressing with the small matter of controlling the weather.

Earlier that year, the University of Reading had been awarded a $1.5 million share of a $5 million fund allocated by the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science.

Now, members of the UAE programme had arrived to observe the initial results of a project designed, quite literally, to make it rain.

While most Britons would prefer scientists to work on stopping it from pouring, drier parts of the world  the UAE included  understandably have other goals.

Accordingly, the five-strong team at Readings Department of Meteorology have been investigating how spraying electric charge into clouds could induce rain in regions that experience very little rainfall.

The idea of effectively playing God to influence the weather is not a new one. Already in the UAE and elsewhere, older cloud seeding technology is being employed  a practice that involves manipulating existing clouds to help precipitate more rainfall.

Generally, it involves spreading fine particles, such as silver iodide, salt or dry ice, into the clouds to help water vapour condense and turn into rain.

The scheme being developed by the Reading scientists involves using drones to release electric charge into clouds. Dry regions such as in the Middle East and North Africa could benefit, the university says.

If it sounds like science fiction, earlier iterations have in fact been around since the 1940s, with the UAE employing cloud seeding extensively since the early 2000s.

But this week, as record floods bring chaos to Dubai, the practice has been thrust into the spotlight. If cloud seeding was being used to create rain in the UAE, then could it have been the cause of the rare downpour in Dubai that saw a years worth of rain fall in a single day?

The short answer was no, it almost certainly could not have been. The UAE does have an operational cloud seeding programme to enhance the rainfall in this arid part of the world, said Prof Maarten Ambaum, a Reading University meteorologist.

However, there is no technology in existence that can create or even severely modify this kind of rainfall event. No cloud seeding operations had taken place in the area recently, he added, and there would have been no benefit in seeding clouds that were predicted to produce substantial rain regardless.

The [weather] system was identified in our global model, which doesnt include any inputs on weather modifications,

says Grahame Madge, a Met Office climate spokesman.

So the system at least was naturally occurring. In the usually arid Gulf State, where the mercury can rise to 50C in summer, planes regularly undertake cloud seeding. They reportedly use salt material components.

The Reading scientists, led by Prof Giles Harrison, have meanwhile been developing a different technique, in which an electric charge is applied to make droplets stick to each other and so quickly grow large enough to fall as rain. Harrison, a bespectacled atmospheric physics expert, harbours a long-standing fascination with natural science  and an enthusiasm for testing new ideas.

The technology he and his team have developed has been tested not in the deserts of the Gulf states, but in the rather greener English countryside. In 2020, at the universitys farm in Sonning, Berkshire, a first experiment was carried out by Harrisons team, alongside mechanical and electrical engineers from the University of Bath, in which charge was released into fog using electric emitters.

The following year, further tests were performed at Bottom Barn Farm near Castle Cary in Somerset. Here, above a verdant landscape rarely troubled by drought, unmanned aerial vehicles with specially developed charge emitters that could release positive or negative ions on demand were launched into another foggy sky.

It was, wrote Readings Dr Keri Nicoll afterwards, an important first step in determining whether charging cloud droplets might be helpful in aiding rainfall in water-stressed parts of the world.

The test flights demonstrated that the fogs droplet size could be altered by charging, which ultimately means that it may be possible to use charge to influence cloud drops and thus rainfall, wrote Nicoll.

She told The National, a UAE newspaper: What were doing here is something thats completely different. We are using very small aircraft, which means that things are actually much more cost effective, and were simply charging up whats already there.

The promise behind charging droplets, or particles, was that the technique might well work alongside the existing cloud-seeding operation, making it more efficient at producing rainfall, she said.

A ground engineer restocking one of the UAE's National Center of Meteorology cloud-seeding planes with new hygroscopic salt flares - Andrea DiCenzo/Getty Images

Some 2.3 billion people live in water-stressed countries globally, according to the United Nations, while 3.2 billion live in agricultural areas with high water shortages or scarcity.

The Reading scientists hope that research into the properties of clouds and rainfall could eventually help prevent conflict over water in such places and provide enough water for a growing world population.

The Reading scientists have also carried out fieldwork studying desert rainfall and effects of sea breezes in the Gulf, and sent specially instrumented weather balloons through the fogs of Abu Dhabi.

The technology they have developed has yet to be deployed operationally. But, says Ambaum of its potential future benefits: Any small improvement to the amount of rain in arid regions will be of value.

In the UAE, it is hoped that the innovation could help the state grow its own crops and produce fresh water.

There is a caveat, though. Note, Ambaum says, that if there are no clouds, then you cannot have cloud seeding. That excludes quite a lot of arid regions of the world.

While the scientific consensus is that the cloud seeding already in use in the UAE would not have caused the floods, are there other risks associated with the practice? Ambaum suggests not.

It occurs on small space scales (the size of individual convective clouds) and short time scales (about an hour or so, the time for cloud microphysical effects to take place). Any interventions are therefore very limited in space or time, he says.

This is not weather modification. We cannot change the evolution or intensity of weather systems It is also not climate engineering: any effects are limited in time and space.

The materials used for cloud seeding have very low concentrations, moreover, and cause no adverse health effects, he adds.

The electric charge used in the teams research does not distribute any material into the environment at all, and as the drones used to release the charge are battery-operated, no pollution is created from propelling the aircraft. The charge released dissipates naturally.

This means Harrison and his team have developed a more environmentally-friendly method of weather modification, which could in principle operate automatically from multiple sites, says the university.

As for what did cause the flooding in Dubai, it seems the answer might be a more familiar one.

When we talk about heavy rainfall, we need to talk about climate change, said Dr Friederike Otto, senior lecturer in climate science at Imperial College London.

If humans continue to burn oil, gas and coal, the climate will continue to warm, rainfall will continue to get heavier and people will continue to lose their lives in floods.

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THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11)  Dozens of Bronx leaders, advocates, and residents donned denim and took to the steps of Borough Hall Wednesday for The Bronx Denim Day march, raising awareness for sexual assault.

The concept of Denim Day stems from an overturned rape conviction in Italy, where justices reasoned that the victims tight jeans required her help to remove, thereby implying consent.

Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark was among the days speakers, advocating for a hospital-based, state-accredited rape crisis center. The borough does not currently have one, but accounts for roughly 25% of all rape cases in the city so far in 2024, according to NYPD statistics.

More Bronx News

We have to be there for them [survivors] months and years following the attack, and thats what rape crisis centers do, said Clark.

Clark spoke with PIX11 News last week after she sent a letter to New York City Health + Hospitals, highlighting the need for a rape crisis center. Her cause is now gaining traction.

This wasnt on my radar until, actually, I saw the report, said Bronx Council Member Althea Stevens.

Stevens said it was only after watching PIX11s story that she learned her borough did not have one.

This is something that I will definitely bring back to the Bronx delegation to see how do we support this, what does this look like, said Stevens.

Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, whose office hosted the Denim Day march, supports Clarks efforts and is ready to bring leaders to the table to determine the next steps.

Identifying a location and coming up with an estimate of what it would cost to build out an actual center, visiting others in Manhattan and Brooklyn and Queens and seeing what the existing facilities look like and then modeling it off of what we need in the Bronx, said Gibson.

Man survives shooting after bullet hits his wallet on Long Island: police

The Bronx currently has one rape crisis center that is located at the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center. There are roughly 150 people on the waitlist for therapy relating to sexual abuse and domestic violence.

Were technically not really turning anybody away, but we do have to do a lot of external referrals, said Yadirys Batista, Community Coordinator at the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center. The need is very high, and were not able to support everybody.

If you or someone you know needs help, the National Sexual Assault Hotline is available 24 hours a day: 1-800-656-4673

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11)  Police are searching for a man who raped a 25-year-old female in her home in May 2023, authorities said Wednesday.

The suspect forced his way into the victims home located in the vicinity of East 161st Street and Grand Concourse at around 7:30 a.m. on May 27, according to the NYPD.

Man sought in attempted rape of 15-year-old girl in NYC apartment

He then struck the victim multiple times in the face and forced her to engage in sexual intercourse, police said.

He then fled with the victims phone, according to authorities.

Police released a photo of the suspect, who authorities identified as 31-year-old Malik Crocker who also goes by the nickname Bread.

Police describe Crocker as a 510 male with long black dread locks.

Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Bryan Kohberger - Credit: Ted S. Warren-Pool/Getty Images

The legal team for Bryan Kohberger, the suspect accused of the murder of four University of Idaho students, has doubled down on their claim that the 28-year-old was out driving alone at the time of the murders  and now say they have an expert who can prove it.

Kohberger was arrested in December 2022 as the sole suspect in the stabbing deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20  four University of Idaho students who were killed in their off-campus apartment on Nov. 13, 2022. Kohberger, who was a graduate student at Washington State University at the time of the murders, was linked to the crime by DNA found on a knife sheath. In May 2023, he was indicted by a grand jury on charges of murder. His legal team, helmed by public defender Anne C. Taylor, has alluded in the past that Kohberger had an alibi. Now, according to a notice request filed Wednesday, Kohbergers legal team has officially claimed the suspect was out driving to see the stars, and phone data can prove his whereabouts.

More from Rolling Stone

After the school year began, Mr. Kohberger was busy with classes and work at Washington State University and his running and hiking decreased but did not stop. Instead, his nighttime drives increased. This is supported by data from Mr. Kohbergers phone showing him in the countryside late at night and/or in the early morning on several occasions, the filing reads. The phone data includes numerous photographs taken on several different late evenings and early mornings, including in November, depicting the night sky.

The alibi filing adds that in the early morning hours on the day of the murders, Kohberger was out to hike and run and/or see the moon and stars, a path they claim cell tower data expert Sy Ray will partially corroborate in his testimony.

The filing of Kohbergers alibi is one of the first steps in the long legal process the Idaho suspect will go through before his day in court. In August 2023, Kohberger waived his right to a speedy trial to allow his legal team more time to prepare. In December 2023, Kohbergers defense team was allowed to access the house where the murders took place and collect potential evidence. The house was then demolished to aid community healing, according to University President Scott Green.

It is the grim reminder of the heinous act that took place there, Green said. While we appreciate the emotional connection some family members of the victims may have to this house, it is time for its removal and to allow the collective healing of our community to continue.

Kohbergers trial date has still not been set. Last year, state prosecutors announced they would be seeking the death penalty.

Best of Rolling Stone
Lawyers for murder suspect Bryan Kohberger claim in a new court filing that cellphone tower and radio frequency data prove he was out for a late-night drive and miles away when four University of Idaho students were violently stabbed inside their off-campus home in 2022.

Kohberger, once a criminology Ph.D. candidate at Washington State, is accused of killing Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. All four students were found fatally stabbed inside a Moscow home, not far from the University of Idaho campus, on Nov. 13, 2022.

Mr. Kohberger was out driving in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022, as he often did to hike and run and/or see the moon and stars, Kohbergers lead attorney, Anne Taylor, said in documents obtained by ABC News. He drove throughout the area south of Pullman, Washington, west of Moscow, Idaho, including Wawawai Park.

Pullman is about 10 miles west of Moscow, while Wawawai Park is a 40-minute drive from the site of the quadruple murder.

When Kohberger first moved to the area in June 2022, his avid love for running and hiking inspired him to drive around and explore his new surroundings, his legal team said. As the school year progressed, however, Kohberger got busier, so, he started driving a lot more at night instead of taking a hike or going out for a run.

Taylor added that his alibi is supported by data from Mr. Kohbergers phone showing him in the countryside late at night and/or in the early morning on several occasions. They also cited numerous pictures from several different late evenings and early mornings, including in November, depicting the night sky.

Whats more, the defense has an expert witness in cellphone data who will testify that cell towers showed Kohbergers mobile device was south of Pullman, Washington, and west of Moscow, Idaho, on November 13, 2022; that Bryan Kohbergers mobile device did not travel east on the Moscow-Pullman Highway in the early morning hours of November 13th, and thus could not be the vehicle captured on video along the Moscow-Pullman highway near Floyds Cannabis shop, according to the court documents, filed in response to the states demand for alibi information.

Kohberger was arrested at his parents Pennsylvania home in December 2022, shortly after making the cross-country drive to celebrate the holidays with his family. Investigators have said they relied in part on cellphone data as well as surveillance video of a vehicle seen in the area of the King Road house the night of the killings. Authorities also alleged they recovered Kohbergers DNA from the sheath of a knife found at the crime scene.

A trial date has not yet been set.

_____
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, April 18. A total of 28 documents were signed, following the visit of President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Tajikistan, Trend reports.

According to the Tajik president's press service, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a union treaty between the countries.

Additionally, six agreements on cooperation between the executive bodies of Tajikistan's Khatlon and Sugd regions with Uzbekistan's Khorazm, Fergana, Syrdarya, Namangan, and Andijan regions were signed following the high-level negotiations.

It was noted that agreements, protocols, memoranda, roadmaps, and cooperation programs were signed during the visit, regulating the development and expansion of cooperation in important and priority areas for both sides.

Meanwhile, during a meeting between Mirziyoyev and Rahmon, it was emphasized that Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have the potential to increase bilateral trade to $2 billion. It was highlighted that the new package of signed bilateral documents, including the union treaty, will significantly strengthen the legal framework of cooperation.
The Bryn Du Commission, in partnership with the Licking County Community Center (LCCC) for 60+ Adults, is holding a groundbreaking ceremony for Phase I of the restoration and renovation of the large historic horse barn on the Bryn Du Mansion estate.

The ceremony will take place at 1 p.m. on May 1 in front of the barn at the Bryn Du estate, located at 537 Jones Road in Granville.

Members of the public are invited to join the Bryn Du Commission and the LCCC for the groundbreaking ceremony, marks a significant milestone in the transformation of the historic barn into a vibrant community space.

Phase I of the renovation project will see the transformation of the barn's first floor into a permanent home for the LCCC. The renovated space will provide offices, a kitchen, and multipurpose spaces for educational, cultural and social programs.

The Bryn Du estate, managed by the Bryn Du Commission, has long been dedicated to historic preservation and providing facilities for the cultural, recreational and educational benefit of the community.

"We believe the barn is the perfect place to grow the Licking County Community Center for 60+ Adults," said Athena Koehler, executive director of the Bryn Du Commission, via a news release. "Just as Bryn Du offers space for youth activities, weddings, and various life moments, it's fitting that individuals of all ages can enjoy the estate, no matter their age."

The Bryn Du Commission is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization charged with maintaining the mansion as a long-term asset for the community that will provide a place for cultural, recreational and educational activities for people of all ages.

The renovation project is being undertaken by Robertson Construction Services, Inc., with architectural expertise provided by Northpoint Ohio Architecture LLC.

The first floor renovation is only the beginning of the barn's transformation. In a second phase, the barn's second floor will be renovated into a large multipurpose space. The commission is seeking donors to support Phase II. Donations of all levels are welcomed, with opportunities for donors to have spaces within the barn named in their honor or to be recognized on brick pavers. Donations can be made through the Bryn Du Mansion website at bryndu.com.

For more information about the groundbreaking ceremony or to inquire about donation opportunities, please contact 740-587-7053 or info@bryndu.com.

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Bryn Du, LCCC breaking ground on historic barn renovation
Ricky Nguyen, left, and his wife Lisa fill up their gas tank at the newly opened Buc-ees Travel Center in Johnstown, Colorado on March 18, 2024. Established in 1982, Buc-ees has expanded to 34 stores in Texas and 14 others across different states. The Johnstown outlet marks Buc-ees debut in Colorado. - Photo: RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post (Getty Images)

Buc-ees, Wawa, Sheetz  these are the legendary gas-and-go outfits that have gathered cult-like followings in their regions. They involve gas pumps and decent food--the perfect mix for both road trips and every day running around. Out here in Michigan however, we have no such temple to Americas twin gods of gasoline and food consumption. A billboard along I-96 in western Michigan could be a tantalizing sign of things to come.

The big gas station even possibly maybe coming to Michigan is big news, from the Detroit Free Press:

An intriguing billboard has captured the attention of drivers along Interstate 96 in west Michigan. The sign, bearing the mascot and logo of the Buc-ees chain of convenience stores, reads only 444 miles causing many people to wonder. Well do the math for you. From Lowell, Michigan, traveling 444 miles will bring you to Richmond, Kentucky, which is the nearest Buc-ees location. But is the popular business, with its cult-like following, teasing us about a future Michigan location? Some are speculating that the billboard is an elusive way to put the state on notice of an impending Buc-ees. I hope it means they are planning a store in Michigan, one Facebook commenter posted.



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Four hundred and forty four miles away. Thats quite a trek just for some beaver-adorned sweat pants, BBQ sandwiches and 10 gallons of unleaded. But if youre heading down there anyway, at least youll have something to look forward to along the way. Buc-ees is so well-loved that a scientist named a 15 million year old Beaver species after the gas station.

Oh sure, you can get some amazing soul food or shawarma from gas stations mostly in the Detroit area, but theres nothing like a reliable, state-wide chain serving fuel for both your car and tummy in equal measure. And certainly nothing like Buc-ees, which tend to be the size of a big box grocery store featuring dozens of fuel pumps. The largest gas station in the world happens to be a Buc-ees in Sevierville, Tennessee  a mere 530 miles from Detroit.

Story continues

Naturally, the appearance of this billboard set off a flurry of supportive social media posts wondering if the advertisement was meant to prime Michigan residents for a Buc-ees of our very own. The gas station is making in-roads in the Midwest, with stores announced for Huber Heights, Ohio and DeForest, Wisconsin, which would cut down on the miles Michigan residents have to travel for a Buc-ees fix by half. Not much else is known about the midwest stores, unfortunately.

If Bucc-ees doesnt hop to it the chain may miss out on becoming the Mittens favorite gas station, as Sheetz is planning to open a store in the Detroit Metro region later this year.

For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
CIA Director William Burns offered a stark warning to lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Thursday: If you dont approve aid to Ukraine now, Kyiv could lose the war by the end of the year.

Speaking at an event at the George W. Bush Presidential Center, Burns urged lawmakers to pass the supplemental that would dedicate billions to Ukraines war efforts.

With the boost that would come from military assistance, both practically and psychologically, Ukrainians are entirely capable of holding their own through 2024 and puncturing Putins arrogant view that time is on his side, he said.

But if that doesnt make it through Congress, the picture is a lot more dire, he continued. There is a very real risk that the Ukrainians could lose on the battlefield by the end of 2024, or at least put Putin in a position where he could essentially dictate the terms of a political settlement.



Its perhaps the strongest warning from a senior administration official yet regarding the war, coming as officials in Kyiv warn that a looming Russian offensive in the summer  which would see massive waves of troops invading Ukraine  could overwhelm Kyivs struggling soldiers.

Burns remarks come a day after House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled his highly-anticipated foreign aid package, which hangs in the balance as the speaker tries to secure the votes needed to tee up floor debate.

On Wednesday, Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. C.Q. Brown told lawmakers that Ukraines hard-fought gains can be lost without our support, while Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also warned that if the supplemental is delayed, allies and partners will question whether or not  we are a reliable partner.

President Joe Biden also said he strongly supports the bills released by Johnson. For months, the administration has said lawmakers inability to pass Ukraine aid is a major reason Kyivs is struggling on the battlefield.

Supporting Ukraine right now is about more than the war with Russia, Burns argued during the event.

Its also about Xi Jinping in China, his ambitions, and our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, he said. This is really a question of whether or not our adversaries understand our reliability and determination and whether our allies and partners understand that as well.

Connor OBrien contributed to this report.
Once her doctor recommended sinus surgery, and insurance confirmed prior authorization wasn't needed, Christine Knirk focused on getting the procedure and getting better.

The outpatient operation happened just over a year ago and has brought the medical relief Knirk sought.

But getting the procedure paid for by insurance has created months of aggravation for the 65-year-old Burnsville resident.

Knirk's story is a window into the continuing  and perhaps growing  tension between health insurers and health care providers over coverage denials. Denials without a clear reason can be maddening for patients who are often left feeling helpless. It also highlights the lack of comprehensive public data on how often and why denials happen.

"We've always been frustrated with the lack of transparency ... trying to figure out what are the types of services that are being denied and what are the reasons," said Kaye Pestaina, a vice president at the California-based health policy group KFF.

In August, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey  the insurer for Knirk's employer-sponsored health plan  told her after the procedure was done that it would not cover most surgery costs. The insurer had determined the procedure was not medically necessary.

Knirk began the appeal process the next month, but hit a low point in late March when she received a letter from her health care provider, Park Nicollet, relaying that she was responsible for more than $30,000.

Working on the appeal was confusing and plagued by miscommunication, Knirk said. She spent decades working in customer service, addressing concerns over the phone for a manufacturer, until her recent retirement. Her experience trying to get clear support from the health care companies was jarring.

"I come from the school of customer service where you take the call, you take the issue and you follow it through resolution," Knirk said. "Nobody seems to want to do that. ... I'm stuck in the middle."

In early April, the Star Tribune contacted both Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield and Park Nicollet with questions about the billing dispute. Just over a week later, the insurer said it was paying the bill with no additional financial responsibility for Knirk.

The problem, according to Horizon Blue Cross, was that Park Nicollet initially sought prior authorization for the wrong procedure. That requested surgery didn't need advance approval. However, it was required for the treatment Knirk actually received in March 2023. This was a "misstep by Park Nicollet," the insurer said, that delayed the usual process to confirm coverage ahead of time.

"Delays in obtaining additional medical records necessary for this after-the-fact review resulted in the subsequent appeal remaining open until those records were located and reviewed," the insurer said in a statement to the Star Tribune. "The claim has been approved and was processed for payment."

Bloomington-based HealthPartners, which runs Park Nicollet, disputed this explanation, saying: "We were never denied for a coding or authorization error." The real problem, HealthPartners said, was a significant delay in the appeals process due to what it called a "clerical error" at Blue Cross.

"We remained in contact with BCBS and Christine until BCBS found the misfiled appeal in December," the health system said in a statement to the Star Tribune. "We shared timely clinical information with BCBS to support the medical need for her procedure."

The Data on Denials

For decades, there have been disputes between health insurers and health care providers over claims denied due to findings on the medical necessity.

Yet experts say there's still a lack of comprehensive public data on the frequency of medical necessity denials vs. other reasons, particularly when it comes to employer-sponsored coverage.

This week, the consulting firm Kodiak Solutions presented data to the American Hospital Association showing initial denials from health insurers have increased significantly in recent years, growing from 1.2% in 2020 to 1.7% in 2023. The report noted increases across several different types of insurance, particularly for inpatient care.

AHIP, the national trade group for insurers, didn't comment on these numbers, but said such figures can be misleading when studies don't specify how many claims were studied or provide context on why denials occurred.

Insurers can deny claims when health care providers don't provide supporting clinical documentation to justify payment in a timely manner, said Robert Traynham, executive vice president of public affairs at AHIP. Payment might be denied to address fraud, waste and abuse, such as when there are duplicate requests, he said.

And some denials are paired with approvals of alternate therapies that better fit clinical guidelines. That can happen, for example, if a health insurer approves a four-day hospital stay when seven days were requested.

"Denials may be triggered because requested services are inconsistent with the latest clinical guidelines and evidence-based medicine, thereby putting patient-safety and good clinical outcomes at risk," Traynham said in a statement.

Health care providers, however, say it's clear that they're running into more trouble with health insurance denials, including those stemming from technicalities or paperwork issues that should be much easier to resolve.

With medical-necessity denials, insurers sometimes refer to internal guidelines that vary from national standards set by professional groups, argued Terrence Cunningham, director for administrative simplification policy at the American Hospital Association. Another problem, Cunningham said, is that insurer policies vary from one another and are frequently updated, making it hard to comply with all the rules.

"There's been a lot of talk over the last couple of years about surprise bills and what happens when people go out-of-network," said Molly Smith, the group vice president for public policy at the American Hospital Association. "Probably the bigger surprises are when people have insurance, and they're going in-network ... and then their coverage fails them. We really think this is an area for increased oversight."

In a statement, AHIP countered that hospitals seem to think "it's perfectly fine to charge and demand extreme prices for medical services without any consideration about the impact of those prices on consumers' premiums or their cost-sharing."

'So gummed up'

Park Nicollet was an in-network provider for Knirk's health plan. The insurance limited out-of-pocket spending for covered expenses to less than $4,000, so Knirk was shocked when Park Nicollet's letter in March said she was responsible for $32,449.52.

Knirk said the letter was also frustrating because it said she hadn't asked Park Nicollet to file an appeal on her behalf. A notebook  with records of the 32 phone calls she completed over seven months trying to get the matter resolved  says otherwise.

Park Nicollet told her in September she would have to lead the appeal, Knirk said, and then later filed its own appeal  duplicating work to assemble medical records she would have been happy to avoid.

HealthPartners says there was an "unfortunate" misunderstanding on the appeal process, and added in a statement: "We're committed to partnering with our patients to help them navigate insurance coverage."

Knirk said she also received confusing messages from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield on what constituted a "first-level" and "second-level" appeal in her case. In February, when she spoke with the insurer for a status update, Knirk was dismayed to hear from a customer service representative that the appeal had been sitting in a queue, not yet activated.

Without responding to all of Knirk's specific concerns, the insurer said in a statement: "This is an important reminder that patients deserve and need providers and health insurers to work together fulfilling our individual and collective responsibilities to make health care work the way we all want."

Knirk is happy to now to be out from under the threat of a huge medical bill. But she's sharing her story to warn consumers about how things can go wrong  and implores others to push insurers and health care providers to do better.

"I still think: 'Why weren't Blue Cross Blue Shield and Park Nicollet more in communication on this?'" she said. "This whole appeals system is so complicated. I don't know why things have gotten so gummed up."
Busiest year ever for Las Vegas airport, but where does it rank worldwide?

LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Harry Reid International Airport was ranked as the fifth-busiest airport in the world in 2023, according to a new survey released by Airports Council International (ACI).

That is, if were talking about takeoffs and landings. The ACI report, released on Monday in Montreal, provided a variety of rankings: aircraft movements (takeoffs and landings), passengers, international passengers and cargo.

In terms of total passengers, Las Vegas was ranked No. 12 in the world. And thats the stat thats generally accepted in ordering the busiest airports.

So how is it that Las Vegas is so much higher on the list of takeoffs and landings? The reason is fairly simple. Recall what happened the week the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix lit up the Strip. There were reports that airplane parking was maxed out. Social media posts by jet-setters complained that their pilots had to drop them off and then fly elsewhere to park.

Joe Rajchel, Public Information Administrator at Reid Airport and the Clark County Department of Aviation, said Las Vegas is unique because of the variety of operations. In 2023, Las Vegas climbed from No. 8 to No. 5, with 611,806 takeoffs and landings. Thats a 5.3% increase over 2022, and a 10.6% increase compared to 2019, the last full year before the pandemic.

And F1 isnt the only attraction that brings private planes to Las Vegas.

Add to that: Helicopter tour operators working on the west side of the airport provide a steady stream of activity.

Those private planes and tour helicopters produce a lot of takeoffs and landings, but they dont add as much to the passenger counts. We reached out to Signature Aviation and Atlantic Aviation, but neither company has replied to our inquiries.

Harry Reid International Airport established a new high for passenger traffic in 2023, a record 57.6 million passengers  a 9.4% increase over 2022.

The list of the worlds busiest airports and the number of passengers:

Atlanta, USA (ATL): 104,653,451 Dubai, UAE (DXB): 86,994,365 Dallas/Fort Worth, USA (DFW): 81,755,538 London, UK (LHR): 79,183,364 Tokyo, Japan (HND): 78,719,302 Denver, USA (DEN): 77,837,917 Istanbul, Turkey (IST): 76,027,321 Los Angeles, USA (LAX): 75,050,875 Chicago, USA (ORD): 73,894,226 New Delhi, India (DEL): 72,214,841

Las Vegas came in at No. 12 on the list.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Raul Urena, the first out transgender mayor of Calexico, speaks with farmworkers who teased her for wearing a dress. Urena contends transphobia was a factor in the city's recall campaign. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

Voters in Calexico have resoundingly ousted the first out transgender member of the City Council and her council ally after a bitter recall campaign rife with accusations of transphobia and political cronyism in the struggling city on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Nearly 74% of voters in the April 16 special election supported the recall of City Councilmember Raul Urena, according to early results released by the Imperial County registrar of voters Wednesday night. Urena, who uses all pronouns but prefers "she," publicly came out as transgender after taking office, becoming a target for harassment online and in person.

Nearly 73% of voters supported the recall of Councilmember Gilberto Manzanarez, another outspoken young progressive.

Roughly 77% of ballots received had been tallied by early Thursday, said Linsey Dale, the registrar of voters.

Both Urena, 26, and Manzanarez, 30, said they believe the recall campaign  which thrust the almost entirely Latino city of 38,000 into Americas culture wars over gender identity  was largely motivated by transphobia. Recall organizers said that their campaign was rooted in concerns about rising homeless numbers and lagging economic development, and that Urena's personal life and sexuality were not factors.

After the election, Urena said she remained "hopeful and optimistic, even with these results."

"We will not give up on social justice in the Imperial Valley," Urena said. "We're not going anywhere."

Calexico City Councilmember Gilberto Manzanarez says recall organizers unfairly blamed him and political ally Raul Urena for downtown blight that preceded their tenure. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

At a City Council meeting Wednesday night, Manzanarez said the city's political old guard, some of whom were leaders in the recall movement, unfairly blamed the young council members for problems  such as the deteriorating downtown and understaffed police, fire and public works departments  that existed years before Manzanarez and Urena were elected.

"It's very easy to point to downtown and make sure that people understand that it's not OK. How long has it been that way? Did it start being that way in 2022? Absolutely not," said Manzanarez, who was elected in November 2022.

Maritza Hurtado, a leader of the recall campaign and former mayor, declined to comment on the results.

Read more: A California border town's first transgender mayor faces recall. Is gender the reason?

In a previous interview with The Times, Hurtado, a member of the City Council from 2010 to 2018, called Urena and Manzanarez "toxic" left-wing activists. She said they dismissed downtown merchants' concerns about crime, public drug use and rampant homeless encampments, focusing instead on what recall proponents saw as more frivolous projects, such as installing charging stations for electric vehicles that most people in town cannot afford.

Hurtado, 58, said Urena used gender "as a card this whole time," dismissing people with legitimate political grievances as transphobic and racist.

Turnout for the special election  which cost Calexico more than $128,000  was about 23%, with an estimated 4,933 votes cast. Dale said that number could fluctuate, with additional ballots arriving by mail in coming days.

"Imperial County, unfortunately, and I hate to say this, we're generally at the bottom end of the state when it comes to turnout," Dale said. During the March 5 presidential primary, she noted, 22% of registered Imperial County voters cast ballots, the lowest turnout in California.

Still, she said, the Calexico special election "was very passionate on both sides, and I feel that it encouraged a lot of voters to come out who might not have done so before."

Maritza Hurtado, a local businesswoman and former mayor of Calexico, helped lead the effort to recall two young progressives on the City Council. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

When they first came into office, Urena and Manzanarez were hailed as young changemakers in Calexico, an impoverished town separated from the sprawling city of Mexicali, Mexico, by a steel border fence.

Urena was first elected in 2020, at age 23, with 70% of the vote. In 2023, she held the rotating one-year title of mayor.

Urena was ushered in to finish the term of David Romero, a council member who went to federal prison after taking bribes in exchange for providing a guaranteed city permit for a cannabis business. Another then-council member, Rosie Fernandez, had pleaded guilty earlier that year to driving under the influence; she was sentenced to probation and had to install a court-ordered alcohol-detection device in her vehicle. She later lost her bid for reelection.

In October 2022, state auditors released a scathing audit that said Calexico had been in the midst of a "financial crisis" for a decade and was at high risk for potential waste, fraud and mismanagement. Previous city councils, the audit said, approved budgets based on unreliable financial data, and the municipality overspent, pushing its general fund into a deficit from fiscal years 2014-15 through 2018-19.

Urena was reelected in November 2022, a month after the audit was released. She and Manzanarez were the top vote-getters in an at-large contest for two seats.

Soon after, Urena publicly came out as gender-fluid and transgender and started wearing dresses and makeup in official appearances. Urena and Manzanarez were handed recall papers the following May.

Recall proponents cited a visible rise in homeless encampments in Calexico's downtown as a major concern. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

Manzanarez and Urena regularly clashed with other council members and citizens, especially when they criticized the police. They and another council ally, Gloria Romo, often spoke during public meetings in Spanish without translation  infuriating some prominent recall supporters, who called it exclusionary.

In January, Hurtado served Romo with intent-to-recall papers, a signature-gathering effort still underway.

The ouster of Urena and Manzanarez will leave two of the council's five seats empty. At Wednesday's meeting, City Atty. Carlos Campos said the two seats will be vacated once the City Council certifies the results. The council then will have 60 days to decide whether to fill the seats through special election or appointment.

Urena said she and Manzanarez watched together as the first batch of election results came in Tuesday night. They had "a great party," she said, even though it quickly became clear they would lose.

"I did not stop dancing," Urena said. "Nothing gets through my happiness."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
(KRON)  A California man is facing up to 20 years in prison after he stabbed three lambs and a pig at a high school in Monterey County, prosecutors said.

The farm animals had been raised since birth by Gonzales High School students who were part of a 4-H program. Two lambs were killed, while a third lamb and a pig recovered from stab wounds.

Prosecutors said the incident happened around 2:30 a.m. on Feb. 18, 2023 when Jesse Marquez, 31, of Gonzales, rode his bicycle to the high school.

He approached the barn area and stabbed multiple animals belonging to the students. He held down each animal  (and) repeatedly stabbed them eight to ten times in the head and neck with such force their skulls were broken in multiple places, the Monterey County District Attorneys Office wrote.

The Gonzales High School 4-H Clubs slain and injured animals were found six hours later. After police officers tracked down Marquez, he refused to comply with officers orders and threatened to commit violence towards an officer who booked him into jail, prosecutors said.

This week, Marquez was found guilty of felony animal abuse, felony resisting a police officer, and felony burglary.

Chihuahua rescued from under Round Table Pizza will be available for adoption

Marquez will face up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 4 by Judge Jennifer OKeefe. The convictions constitute four strike offenses under Californias three strikes law, which directs that the defendant will face life behind bars if he commits another strike.

The DAs Office said any cases of suspected animal abuse or neglect should be reported to its office at 831-755-5070, or a local police department.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, April 18. Tajikistan and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) engaged in discussions regarding the development of modern digital financial services, Trend reports.

According to the National Bank of Tajikistan, the topic was deliberated during a meeting between Tajikistan's delegation, including the First Deputy Prime Minister of Tajikistan, Hokim Kholiqzoda, and IFC Managing Director Makhtar Diop, along with IFC Regional Vice President Hela Cheikhrouhou. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the spring meetings of the boards of governors of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group in Washington.

Throughout the negotiations, the parties discussed direct lending and investments in the commercial and private sectors, green financing, and meeting climate change mitigation targets.



Technical support to improve corporate governance in the banking sector, consumer rights protection, and legal changes in the sector were all discussed.



Highlighting the existing relations between the two institutions, it was said that the IFC will continue to support the implementation of Tajikistan's prioritized reforms.

Moreover, on the sidelines of the spring meetings, Hokim Kholiqzoda, Tajikistans Finance Minister Faiziddin Qahhorzoda, and Economic Adviser to the President Negmatullo Hikmatullozoda met to discuss the partnership supporting economic policies and promoting inclusive growth with the Managing Director of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva.
California group pushing Prop. 47 changes says it has 900,000 signatures to qualify for ballot

A California group pushing an initiative to change portions of Proposition 47 says it has collected enough signatures to qualify its plan to increase penalties for some drug and theft crimes for the November ballot.

Californians for Safer Communities on Thursday plans to announce it has collected more than 900,000 signatures in favor of putting the Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act before voters, said Becky Warren, a spokeswoman for the group.

The group will now submit the signatures to county elections officials to begin the certification process, she said. They need a total of 546,651 signatures to qualify for the ballot.

The groups ballot measure aims to make changes to Proposition 47, an initiative voters approved in 2014. It loosened penalties for some crimes involving drugs or theft and set a $950 threshold for misdemeanor shoplifting.

Previously, prosecutors frequently treated shoplifting-like crimes as misdemeanors, according to the Legislative Analysts Office. However, they could also have charged them as burglary, a wobbler, meaning it could have been a felony or a misdemeanor. Proposition 47 made shoplifting property under $950 only a misdemeanor.

Californians for Safer Communities claims the measure has had unintended consequences and blames Proposition 47 for increases in retail theft and addiction treatment challenges.

Viral online videos of smash-and-grab robberies have drawn public concern about the measure, even though many of the crimes shown could likely be prosecuted as felonies if they involve use of force or theft of expensive items.

Public Policy Institute of California data from 2022 showed the rate of shoplifting incidents was 8% lower that year than it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The National Retail Federations 2023 report said its 2022 countrywide shrink rate  losses caused by external theft, employee stealing and systemic errors  was 1.6%, up from 1.4% in 2021, but in line with shrink rates seen in 2020 and 2019.

Among other provisions, Californians for Safer Communities ballot measure would make repeated theft a felony, even for those who steal less than $950, if they have at least two theft-related convictions. It would also allow prosecutors to aggregate the value of items from multiple thefts to exceed the $950 felony threshold.

To address fentanyl use, the initiative would add it to a list of drugs illegal to possess by someone with a firearm and create more penalties for dealers who sell substances that kill or seriously injure people.

Ballot measure opponents say increased penalties for theft and drug crimes do not deter would-be criminals and would only put more people behind bars.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, and Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, have said they are against Proposition 47 changes that would require voter approval.

Rivas on April 9 announced a package of Assembly retail theft bills with strategies that mirror some of those in the ballot measure, including theft aggregations.

But initiative proponents continue to insist seeking voter approval is necessary to make the changes they are seeking.

Because of the way Proposition 47 was written, we believe that voter approval is required for any new enforcement or accountability enhancements, Warren said in a statement after Rivas announcement earlier in the month.
In 2022, state Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara announced he would force companies to offer discounts to people who take specific steps to protect their homes from wildfires.

It was part of an effort, he said at the time, to reward the hard work that California consumers do to make their properties, families and communities safer.

Many homeowners will qualify, but their financial reward? Not much.

A year and a half later, the mandate has not led to significant savings for many Californians or provided a strong cash incentive to do the work, according to records and interviews.

Discounts proposed by some of the largest insurers in the state have yet to go into effect. But based on what companies have put forward, the cost of qualifying for them will dwarf the savings for many homeowners.

People can spend hundreds or thousands of dollars protecting their homes against wildfires because they were told if they did that they would get lower insurance premiums, said Harvey Rosenfield, the founder of Consumer Watchdog, an advocacy organization. But so far, that has turned out to be a heads, insurance companies win, tails, insurance companies lose, deal.

Take Farmers, which was Californias second largest home insurer in 2022, the most recent year available, according to the Department of Insurance.

The company estimated the average policyholder in an area with a high fire risk would save about $42 to $75 a year for taking the specific mitigation steps, according to a document obtained by The Sacramento Bee.

Thats a drop in the bucket, said Hans Shillinger, who lives near Nevada City. Shillinger said he pays about $7,200 a year for his home insurance with Farmers.

Homeowner Hans Shillinger carries a trunk as he clears trees on his property near Nevada City last month. In the background are storage tanks of water to help fight future fires around his house.

Whats more, the company wants Shillinger and other policyholders to pay for an inspection to determine what, if any, discounts they are eligible for, another document shows. The company said the evaluations would need to be renewed every three years. It costs $125 to apply for the review.

That means the savings could roughly equal what a homeowner has to pay to even qualify for the discount.

Farmers argued homeowners must have a vested interest in taking the necessary wildfire mitigation actions for their property, in a filing with the state.

If the company was to pay for the inspection, it added, people could request one without having actually done the work and hope for the best. In this scenario, the overall inspection costs could get out of control for an insurer.

The department told Farmers that it, and not policyholders, should pay for the cost of an inspection used to determine eligibility for the mandatory discounts. The companys proposal is still under review.

Michael Soller, a department spokesman, said the discounts send a clear message about the need for wildfire safety and provide direction on what steps to take. He encouraged homeowners to check with their insurers to see what they are eligible for.

Beyond paying less, he added, people who protect their homes could be saving their properties and lives during a future fire.

Ophir Hill volunteer firefighter Brian Harms works with a chainsaw to clear fuel from alongside Highway 174 while fighting the River Fire in Nevada County in 2021.

This is long overdue and this is a really important first step.

The department plans to track how the discounts are used, he said, and could add additional ones in the future.

We expect this to have an impact on day one but also for years to come.

Small discounts, expensive work

The mandate Lara began enforcing in October of 2022 established a list of actions insurers must now honor.

They include community measures, such as joining a group of residents that together take steps to reduce fire risks. And individual ones, such as clearing vegetation from specific areas around a home.

The rules dont set a minimum price or percentage for what a person can save.

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara speaks at a press conference at the state Capitol in September.

Insurance company representatives say the discount requirement overemphasizes individual mitigation steps. Instead, they argue, homeowners should be rewarded for doing all of them, because that will more effectively protect a home.

In response, major companies have proposed a varied set of discounts, according to records reviewed by The Bee.

State Farm was Californias largest property insurer in 2022. It is planning to offer a 4.2% combined discount for completing 10 separate home and property actions.

That includes 0.1% reductions each for having multi-paned windows and for not having any flammable structures within 30 feet of a home. If a policyholder has a certain roof, they can receive a 2% break  the largest discount for an individual mitigation measure provided by the company, which sells insurance in the state through a subsidiary.

Sevag Sarkissian, a company spokesman, said in an email the new discounts go into effect in September and, in general, apply to a policyholders total premium. Homeowners are eligible for greater savings if their properties pass the inspection also mentioned in Farmers proposal. State Farm policyholders are expected to pay for the evaluation.

Placerville resident Sue Rodman, 77, has taken steps that appear to qualify her for discounts from the company. She recently spent around $3,000 to have fire-resistant screens added to her home, she said, a measure that could save her 0.1%.

Rodmans house has been insured by State Farm since 1989 and her policy costs roughly $1,770 a year. That means adding the screens could reduce her bill by less than $2 annually.

That job was on top of roughly $1,000 she pays to clear vegetation and do other mitigation work on her property every year, she said.

To her, it isnt about saving money. She wants her home to be able to survive a wildfire.

What theyre offering does not make financial sense, said Rodman, who raised her deductible to try and keep her rates lower. The discounts dont come up to nearly the cost of doing the work.

Sarkissian responded: While we hope customers find the new discounts worth the effort, it is important to remember that the most important benefit of meeting the required guidelines is helping our customers prevent or limit damage to their home.

Shillinger, the Farmers policyholder in Nevada County, hopes his property will also make it through a fire.

Homeowner Hans Shillinger works to clear trees from his property last month near Nevada City. The state is requiring companies provide discounts for property insurance, if the property owners can show they have mitigated for wildfire risk.

On a recent day, he brought down several trees near his home with his brother, son, cousin, nephew and a longtime friend on the 10-acre lot. Over the last 15 years, Shillinger, 60, estimates hes devoted thousands of hours of manual labor to try and make the property more fire resistant. That includes clearing hundreds of trees.

He loves the solitude and the beauty of his surroundings, but also recognizes it comes with an increased risk. He believes he would qualify for discounts from Farmers, once they are approved, and has taken other measures to try and protect his home: adding sprinklers to his roof and two 2,600-gallon water storage tanks nearby. He is also part of a community fire safety organization.

Shillinger, however, has concerns that go beyond potential savings. He is bracing for the year when the company decides not to renew his coverage.

Ian Blue stacks trees cut down last month near the Nevada County home of his father Hans Shillinger.

Farmers is one of several insurers that have limited business in the state in recent years, leaving homeowners with fewer options and higher prices.

Offering me a couple hundred bucks off for a policy I may not be able to renew is just silly.

Luis Sahagun, a Farmers media relations director, said in an emailed statement that the companys discounts reflect our proposed approach to recognizing homeowner efforts to reduce wildfire risk.

Individual homeowners should certainly make their own determination about whether investing in any risk mitigation measures makes sense to them, Sahagun added, however, we do believe there are significant benefits to the individual homeowner and to the larger community when people reduce risk.

Uncertainty over what companies will accept

Amy Bach, the executive director of United Policyholders, a consumer advocacy organization, is encouraged that the state now has a list of mitigation work companies must recognize.

Things are moving in the right direction, she said, while also acknowledging that some of the proposed discounts were puny.

What were asking people to do is very painful. Its not just the money that were asking them to spend. It is basically uglifying where they live.

The California FAIR Plan  the state-created insurer of last resort  started offering mitigation discounts in August. Its price reductions are more robust than several other large coverage providers.

A homeowner could receive up to 23.05% off.

Getting the full amount hasnt been easy for everyone. Angel Ball, 63, said she applied for the plans discounts in September.

She and her husband live in Strawberry, a small unincorporated community in El Dorado County near the Sierra-at-Tahoe ski resort. Over the last few years, they have spent about $4,000 to trim and cut down trees and clear vegetation near their house, Ball estimated. Theyre currently paying about $1,050 a month for home insurance.

After several months of no response from the FAIR Plan, Ball said she filed a complaint with the insurance department. In February, the FAIR Plan responded to her and said her home was eligible for the community fire safety discount. Yet the insurer was not going to offer savings for structural or property protections.

A burned fireplace is all that remains of a home near Sierra-at-Tahoe ski resort in the Eldorado National Forest after the Caldor Fire passed through the area along Highway 50 in 2021.

In a letter, the FAIR Plan said the area around Balls house was not cleared well enough. It also said the home did not have the proper amount of non-flammable material on its outside walls.

The plan requires homeowners to complete several steps to be eligible for discounts.

Soller, the department spokesman, said the agency did not want to hold up approval of the FAIR plans cost savings. It expects the insurer will eventually provide a discount for each of the steps, he said.

Ball said she attended a two-day Cal Fire training on evaluating properties for how well they are cleared around a home. She also is the chair of a community fire safety organization. She appealed the plans decision in early March, she said, and is awaiting a response.

I think theyre making it difficult on people, she said. I shouldnt have to appeal to find out exactly what I have to fix to get the discount.

Diane Gees mind is also filled with unknowns.

Gee, 54, and her husband are building a home just outside of Placerville with the goal of retiring there. They want to live in a more rural area after spending decades in Sacramento County.

The couple is trying to build it in a way that will allow them to qualify for the discounts. Although Gee has looked over the measures the department is requiring that companies accept, she doesnt feel certain about what insurers will ultimately reward.

Every bit helps, Gee said, but she has a greater concern: Whether they will even be able to afford to live in their new home in the future.

If the insurance rates have increased 200%, she said, is 2% or 10% really going to help that much?
California lawmakers recently voted down a bill requiring school boards to ban books with harmful material from libraries and classrooms, legislation that would have given parents the ability to sue those that did not comply.

The Senate Education Committee on Wednesday did not advance Senate Bill 1435 from Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, R-Yucaipa. Bill opponents called it an overreach in what the law is and a form of censorship.

SB 1435 would apply to preschools, transitional kindergartens, kindergartens and grades one through eight. It would require school boards to ban books with content considered harmful under California Penal Code 313, which prohibits the material from being distributed to children.

During an exchange with Ochoa Bogh, Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, D-Los Angeles, said she does not need the states guidance to tell me how I feel about what my children are doing.

I dont need the states guidance to do that, she said. So that is why Im opposing this bill.

Penal Code 313 defines content as harmful if it depicts or describes in a patently offensive way sexual conduct and which, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors.

It would require school boards to adopt this standard for books and would allow parents, guardians and school district residents to sue in civil court after the governing board of the school districts refusal to remove any harmful matter requested of it, according to the Education Committee staff report.

The discussion comes as California parents rights activists push school districts to adopt gender notification policies, which would require staff and teachers to inform parents about a change in a students name or gender pronoun. Some have also protested LGBTQ student clubs, saying schools were hiding them from parents.

Conservative states around the country have also recently passed laws penalizing school librarians for providing harmful books to students.

Ochoa Bogh and said the bill is necessary because as this material becomes more readily available through social media, movies, books and other digital mediums the state Legislature has been slow to provide the necessary oversight.

As a result, these materials have slowly crept into our schools, she said.

Erin Friday of Our Duty, an anti-transgender organization, testified in favor of SB 1435, reading lines she considered sexually explicit from books she said are available in middle schools.

If you dont vote yes on this bill, you will be on record that you believe that children should be exposed to the type of harmful matter that I just presented, Friday said. There can be no other interpretation.

ACLU California Action, the California Teachers Association, Equality California and other groups opposed the bill. Seth Bramble of the California Teachers Association said it opens the door to removing books from our schools simply because some individuals dont like the views in those books.

This bill is about taking books out of our school libraries, said Bramble, who testified against the bill. The proposal seeks to fuel fear and distrust in our public school libraries and in our public education system, disrupting the work that teachers do to try and grow the next generation of inventors.

Lawmakers expressed concerns about the legal liability the bill would create for districts, as well as the subjective nature of the harmful material test.

Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, D-Los Angeles, said parents and school district residents already have the opportunities and systems and structured environments for parents to have this conversation with their school district.

This bill proposes to go around that, Smallwood-Cuevas said.

Committee Chair Josh Newman, D-Fullerton, questioned whether the books Friday discussed are the exception and asked whether they justify a new rule.

I commend you for instigating this conversation today, and for your work prior to it, Newman said. Im going to abstain on the bill, simply because I do believe that there are more problems generated here than the prospective solution.
California school safety officers murder trial ends in mistrial after jury fails to reach verdict in shooting of 18-year-old

A mistrial has been declared more than two years after a former California school safety officer was charged with murder for fatally shooting an 18-year-old woman as she tried to flee a physical altercation, after the jury failed to reach a verdict, officials said Tuesday.

Eddie Gonzalez was patrolling an area near Millikan High School in Long Beach on September 27, 2021, when he noticed a fight between Manuela Rodriguez, 18, and a 15-year-old girl, the police said. As Rodriguez and two others attempted to flee the scene in a nearby vehicle, the school safety officer allegedly fired his handgun at the sedan, striking Rodriguez, who was in the front passenger seat, police said.

Rodriguez was taken to a hospital and died from her injuries approximately a week later, the Los Angeles County District Attorneys office said. She left behind a 5-month-old son. Gonzalez was soon fired for violating the districts use-of-force policy and charged with murder a month after the shooting.

Seven of the jurors wanted to convict Gonzalez on the murder charge, while five jurors wanted to convict him on a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter, the Los Angeles County District Attorneys office told CNN Tuesday.

To return a verdict on voluntary manslaughter, the jury had to first find the defendant not guilty of the greater offense of murder, a spokesperson for the office said.

A jury viewed the evidence and did not convict, so it is time to move on from the case, Gonzalezs attorney Michael D. Schwartz said.

Its been 2.5 years since the incident, the civil case was settled, he said. Were hopeful that Mr. Gascon will let everyone move on.

Rodriguezs family in 2023 had reached a $13 million settlement agreement with the Long Beach Unified School District in their civil case. The Long Beach Unified School District had said the agreement was not an admission of liability.

I dont know how to go on, how Im here, how to move on without my baby girl. She meant everything to me, her mother Manuela Sahagun said at the time. All I want is justice  justice for my baby girl.

The district attorneys office will review the case and determine how to move forward, District Attorney George Gascon said in a statement.

We respect the hard work that the jury put in while attempting to reach a verdict in this case, Gascon said. While we are disappointed that the jury did not reach a verdict, we will carefully review the proceedings and consider our options moving forward. Our commitment to seeking justice for the victim and their family remains steadfast.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
More than three decades after Erin Brockovich recognized that hexavalent chromium was making residents of Hinkley, Calif., sick, state water regulators on Wednesday approved the nations first standard to limit the toxins presence in drinking water.

The California State Water Control Board voted to adopt a maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 micrograms per liter  or 10 parts per billion  of hexavalent chromium in drinking water.

Hexavalent chromium  known more commonly as chromium-6  came under the public eye in the 1990s, after Brockovich discovered that it was contaminating drinking water and making people sick in the San Bernardino County town in Central Californias Mojave Desert.

While working as a legal aid, Brockovich uncovered records that helped her identify a community contamination source: chromium-6 released by a Pacific Gas and Electric Company gas compressor. PG&E settled with residents for $333 million, but the state took years to move forward with regulatory action.

When the State Water Board first proposed the 10 parts per billion MCL two years ago, Brockovich told The Hill that this threshold was insufficient, expressing her frustration that nothings changed in 30 years.

Environmental advocates have long slammed the MCL as coming nowhere near a public health goal set by Californias Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment in 2011. That target was 500 times lower than the MCL and represented a one in one million lifetime cancer risk as accepted by physicians.

The Water Board has failed the people of California, Tasha Stoiber, a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group, said in a statement.

Chromium-6 is a known carcinogen  even at exceptionally low levels, Stoiber continued. It has no place in drinking water. Yet tens of millions of Californians ingest this toxic chemical every day.

Industry and business representatives likewise expressed their disapproval of the MCL, but for opposite reasons.

A joint statement from the American Chemistry Council, the California Chamber of Commerce and other manufacturing and technology groups described the MCL as based on outdated science that will undermine state and local water affordability.

Setting the MCL for hexavalent chromium at 10 ppb will have significant impacts on affected water providers and rate payers, including making water less affordable in economically disadvantaged communities, the statement said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
California woman dies in fall down 140-foot cliff while hiking with husband, toddler in Arizona

California woman dies in fall down 140-foot cliff while hiking with husband, toddler in Arizona

A California woman fell 140 feet off a cliff to her death Monday morning while hiking with her husband and 1-year-old child on a mountain in Arizona, authorities said.

Zaynab Joseph, 40, was found seriously injured on Bear Mountain in Sedona after a group of hikers heard yelling and stopped to investigate, the Yavapai County Sheriffs Office said.

The group called 911 while one hiker went down an embankment to reach Joseph. While she was still breathing when the hiker arrived at her side, the sheriffs office said she died a short time later.

Josephs husband and toddler were flown off the mountain while rangers and search and rescue volunteers recovered her body.

CALIFORNIA COLLEGE ENGINEERING STUDENT DIES AT BIG SUR WATERFALL IN TRAGIC ACCIDENT: PASSION FOR ADVENTURE

Investigators have interviewed multiple hikers coming off the mountain, but the sheriffs office said the incident is still under investigation.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

A spokesperson for the sheriff's office told Fox News Digital Thursday there were no updates, though more information will be shared as soon as it is available.

The trail to the summit of Bear Mountain is about 2.3 miles.

Joseph and her family are from California and were renting an Airbnb in Sedona, according to authorities. Friends and family paid tribute to the mother of three on Facebook.

BODY OF MISSING EXPERIENCED CALIFORNIA HIKER FOUND AT BASE OF WATERFALL AFTER DAYS OF SEARCH: POLICE

The trail includes a steep and rocky section of switchbacks, the U.S. Forest Service says.

"She had a heart of gold and was very dear to all of us," Farwa Zaidi wrote. "No words can describe the pain our families are going through, especially her husband and three young children."

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Bear Mountain Trail is described as a "strenuous hike" and is "mostly unshaded, steep and difficult in places," according to the U.S. Forest Service. The trail climbs over 1,800 feet in elevation over the 2.3-mile trek to the top of the mountain.





Original article source: California woman dies in fall down 140-foot cliff while hiking with husband, toddler in Arizona
NEW YOKR  A legislative package boosting New York City in its battle against the estimated 2,500 unlicensed cannabis shops operating citywide has been secured in state budget negotiations, lawmakers said Wednesday.

The plan to fight illegal cannabis stores, one of the most closely watched policy elements in the state budget, would deploy a mix of tools. It would allow the city to use its Police Department to shutter illicit shops; empower the state to revoke tobacco, liquor and lottery licenses from unlicensed cannabis sellers; and establish new fines for retailers that violate padlock orders.

The package integrates blueprints proposed by legislators and Gov. Hochul. It represents a wide-ranging response by Albany to a problem that has often been laid at the Capitols doorstep: The rapid spread of unlicensed cannabis shops in the city, which has been spurred in part by the states sluggish system for licensing legal sellers.

Based on government data, there could be 60 illegal cannabis stores for every legal retailer in the city. Many of the unlicensed shops target children and attract crime, according to officials.

Were sending a clear message that there will be zero tolerance for those who choose to break the law and endanger the well being of all New Yorkers, said Assemblyman John Zaccaro Jr., a Bronx Democrat who proposed the plan to revoke tobacco and liquor licenses from illicit pot shops.

Mayor Eric Adams has made cannabis enforcement provisions one his primary requests from Albany in the state budget. Negotiations on the budget have dragged more than two weeks past an April 1 deadline as Hochul and lawmakers have haggled on housing and education policy.

Hochul, a centrist Democrat, delivered an address Monday outlining a framework for a $237 billion budget deal. In her speech, she vowed the package would ensure that both the state and localities will have the power to padlock the doors of illicit cannabis vendors.

This is going to take some time, the governor acknowledged. They wont disappear overnight, but eventually New Yorkers will see the change theyve been waiting for in their communities.

The mechanisms for the crackdown emerged Wednesday, as lawmakers engaged in internal talks about the plan. The program is also intended to provide due process for shops that are padlocked, ensuring those businesses receive swift hearings if they appeal.

Legislative text in the budget will allow landlords to more easily evict stores that sell cannabis without a license, and will penalize landlords who knowingly fail to address violating shops, Zaccaro said.

Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, a Queens Democrat who has pushed to enhance the citys power to shutter the unlicensed stores, said in a statement that the budget would mark a huge victory for public safety, common sense and the health of our children.

New York City will finally have the authority to shutter illegal smoke shops immediately, and utilize the full force of the NYPD to get the job done, she added.

State lawmakers are set to start passing budget legislation on Thursday, said Mike Whyland, a spokesman for the Assemblys Democratic majority. But some issues  including a possible extension of mayoral control of schools in New York City  remained unsettled late Wednesday.

_____
Joe Biden touches his uncle's name on the war memorial in Scranton, Pennsylvania - Alex Brandon/AP

Joe Bidens talent for embellishment is legendary.

The US presidents fondness for tall tales has seen him variously claim, then walk back, anecdotes about his house burning down and even being arrested while trying to visit an imprisoned Nelson Mandela.

But Mr Bidens propensity for exaggeration took on new heights this week when he implied his lieutenant uncle may have been eaten by cannibals in what is now Papua New Guinea during the Second World War.

He flew single-engine planes, reconnaissance flights over New Guinea, Mr Biden said of his maternal uncle, 2nd Lieutenant Ambrose J Finnegan.

He had volunteered because someone couldnt make it. He got shot down in an area where there were a lot of cannibals in New Guinea at the time.

They never recovered his body. But the government went back, when I went down there, and they checked and found some parts of the plane and the like.

In fact, official war records dispute all of Mr Bidens assertions about his uncles fate during the flight on May 14, 1944.

Lt Finnegan was not flying the plane, nor was it shot down.

Moreover, investigators found no evidence he emerged from the wreckage, let alone encountered cannibals or indeed any other inhabitants in the Pacific islands.

For unknown reasons this plane was forced to ditch in the ocean off the north coast of New Guinea, according to records held by the Pentagons Prisoners of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) Accounting Agency.

A report on the missing A-20 Havoc was filed to the US war department on May 17, 1944, according to the National Archives, which collates historical US government documents.

It registers three crew and one passenger, identified as Lieutenant Finnegan, on board.

The aircraft departed Momote Airfield on Los Negros Island and was en route to Nadzab Airfield, New Guinea, the record states.

Both engines failed at low altitude, and the aircrafts nose hit the water hard.

Far from being on a reconnaissance mission, as Mr Biden suggested, his late uncle Lt Finnegan was on a courier flight.

There were two other fatalities: the pilot, 1st Lieutenant Harold R Prince; and technical Sergeant Ashford H Cardwell, who was the gunner on the flight.

All three men failed to emerge from the sinking wreck and were lost in the crash, the official record states. A fourth, an engineer, survived and was rescued by a passing barge.

An aerial search the next day found no trace of the missing aircraft or the lost crew members, the POW/MIA agency said.

Lt Finnegan, it added, has not been associated with any remains recovered and remains unaccounted for.

Ambrose Finnegan died flying over the Pacific Ocean in 1944

Mr Bidens version of how his late uncle met his end may have been inspired by the infamous tale of a Rockefeller heir who vanished in the same region.

Michael Rockefeller, the 23-year-old Harvard graduate and son of New York governor Nelson Rockefeller, vanished in western New Guinea in 1961 while on a trip to collect wooden carvings of the Asmat people for a museum.

His boat capsized on the way, and he was reported to have swum towards the shore.

His disappearance captivated the worlds media, and later led a researcher to claim in a book that Rockefeller made it to shore and was eaten during a ritual by the Asmat.

Andrew Bates, the White House deputy press secretary, said the president was proud of his uncles service in uniform, but did not address the discrepancy between his and the Pentagons version of events.

Mr Bidens press team are often asked to clarify some of the presidents anecdotes, such as when he claimed while meeting with hurricane victims that his Delaware home burnt down with my wife in it. In fact, contemporary news reports state the fire caused no injuries and was contained to one room.

A US air force A-20 Havoc, the type of aircraft flown by Lt Finnegan

Mr Biden also claimed multiple times during the 2020 campaign that he was arrested in South Africa for trying to see Mandela, who at the time was being held as a political prisoner on Robben Island, off the coast of Cape Town.

Following press scrutiny, Mr Biden amended his story to say he was stopped at the airport while traveling with a Congressional delegation, an account disputed by others on the trip.

Mr Bidens recall of facts was severely criticised by a special counsel investigation into his handling of classified documents in February, which characterised him as an elderly man with a poor memory.

The 81-year-old president was in his birthplace of Scranton as part of a three-day 2024 campaign tour in the critical state of Pennsylvania, and told supporters he had stopped by the citys war memorial during his visit.

I wanted to see where Uncle Bosie, Ambrose J Finnegan, where his name was etched, the president said.

He drew a contrast with Donald Trump, who was reported to have referred to slain US soldiers as suckers and losers during his first term, a claim he denied.

Mr Biden said: As I was doing that today, I was reminded of what my opponent said.

Suckers and losers. That man doesnt deserve to have been the commander-in-chief for my son, my uncle.

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.
Theres been a lot of obfuscation and fancy jargon over University of Kentucky President Eli Capiloutos plan to dissolve the UK University Senate, so lets call this situation what it is: A massive, paradigm-shifting power grab that could complete UKs transition from an academic institution to a corporate degree mill.

First, lets stop the nonsense narrative that the UK Board of Trustees is leading this charge.

The board has never had a thought in its collective head that wasnt put there by Capilouto. Before those folks start to protest, tell me the last time anyone significantly argued  or even discussed  an issue without a unanimous rubber stamping of Capiloutos will. Remember those secret meetings they used to have to make sure everyone was on board before a public meeting? I do.

Capilouto wants UK to be more nimble, as though a school of 34,000 undergraduates could ever move quickly. He believes the University Senate, made up mostly of faculty, but also some staff and students, moves too slowly because of byzantine rules around admissions, graduation and course creation. Only the Board of Trustees can be responsible for educational policy, he says, despite the sad fact that most of the trustees are high-dollar political donors turned appointees whose experience of higher ed is that they went to college.

Capiloutos idea is to dissolve the senate and create three separate senates, made up of faculty, staff and students, who will advise him and his top leadership. None of the three will have any power over policy, therefore we can only assume that such advising will end up where most advisory groups end up: Exactly nowhere.

For more advising into the ether, he will also create a Presidents Council, another advisory board made up of four students, four staff and four faculty.

Only one member of the Board of Trustees, faculty trustee Hollie Swanson, has spoken up against this plan, so its clear to see the skids are already greased. Nonetheless, its worth saying the entire Board of Trustees should adamantly reject this plan.

First of all, there is the gaslit show trial process that Capilouto used to get here; a multinational consulting company, Deloitte, was already on campus doing God knows what (I say that because UK has consistently turned down our papers open records requests for what Deloitte was doing for UK.) So they pivoted, as consultants like to say, and started interviewing people here and there on campus about the University Senate. (Deloitte interviewed 55 people in all, but UK officials have refused to say who these people were or what they do.)

Strangely, however, Deloitte neglected to interview the actual chair of the Senate Council or use any data from them for their recommendations.

Shockingly, the consultants conclusions agreed exactly with the people paying their bills.

Then there are the deeper arguments.

The point of shared governance between administration and faculty in academia is that faculty  generally better educated than the administrators who lead them  spend the most time with students and have unique perspectives on courses and programming they need. They are well aware of the needs of their students and the needs of Kentucky.

Take, for example, recent changes at UKs College of Engineering, which recently started Kentuckys first Aerospace Engineering program, and a new Engineering Technology program in partnership with Kentucky Community and Technical College System.

Both programs meet a growing workforce need, both were possible due to the expertise of UK faculty, and both were strengthened through meaningful engagement with both faculty and administrators, wrote engineering faculty Greg Erhardt and Tim Taylor.

As researchers, professors understand where a field is heading and adapt their educational activities accordingly. Sometimes entirely new jobs emerge from our labs. It is a ground-up process that cannot be replicated by a top-down view.

Shared governance also allows a checks and balance system absent most big corporations, which is why the corporate leaders in academia oppose it. Top officials cannot simply make it easier to get in to college or make it easier to leave. Such policy changes must be reviewed and approved through a well-thought out process which balances work and responsibility.

A University Senate is a check on absolute administrative power that provides balance across the university.

The University Senate process may indeed be too cumbersome or have too many rules. That is easy to change. Eliminate some rules and regulations; speed up the timelines by which the body must act. If the Staff Senate doesnt have enough authority, give it more. Ditto for student government. This can be fixed; it doesnt have to be razed.

In the various national articles about this debacle, writers have made it clear that dissolving university senates would not put UK more in line with their SEC peers (is that who we aspire to these days?) but is instead a transfer of responsibility that leaves almost total power with one person: President Capilouto.

Compromise on this problem is still possible, and should happen before relations between administration and faculty devolve still further. Capilouto and the faculty should listen to the words of Mike Nietzel, a former UK faculty member who also served as a dean and the provost.

Did I ever find the university senate to be cumbersome and frustrating? he wrote in an article in Forbes Magazine. Yes, several times. Were its rules too elaborate? Probably so. Did it ever slow down actions that I and others wanted to move more quickly? Again, yes. Could its regulations be simplified? Most surely.

But heres what else I learned, and that I hope the leadership of the university will appreciate. The senate operated in good faith, it insisted on sound data for its decisions, its typically rigorous reviews often strengthened initially weak proposals, it contributed multidisciplinary expertise on curricular changes, it helped build institution-wide relationships, and it provided a layer of insulation against outside attacks and political meddling that college administrators often find hard to deflect on their own.

Be careful UK  thats a lot to give up.

It certainly is. UK is the state flagship, our states top-of-the-line institution, but neither top faculty nor top students will want to come to a school perceived as a diploma mill.

In this case, Capilouto has the sole power to fix this situation ... before its too late.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Turkmenistan is set to receive a grant of $3.321 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund to support the Catalyzing the Nature-Positive Transformation of the Agricultural Sector in Turkmenistan towards Enhanced Resilience to Climate Change project, a source at the GEF told Trend.

According to the GEF, this project aims to fortify the resilience of land and water systems in Lebap province while promoting sustainable farming practices to address the challenges posed by climate change and environmental degradation.

The goal is to create a farming environment capable of withstanding climate shocks, ensuring food security, and contributing to global initiatives like Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) and Integrated Water Management (IWM), while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Employing a holistic approach that prioritizes the management of both land and water resources, the project closely aligns with Turkmenistan's objectives for sustainable development, climate action, and biodiversity conservation. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of community involvement, particularly the empowerment of women, to ensure equitable benefits for all stakeholders.

In addition to this initiative, Turkmenistan also plays a pivotal role in the regional GEF project titled Strengthening Integrated Water Management in the Amu Darya, Zarafshon, and Panj River Basins, which involves Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The GEF grant allocated to the participating countries for this project amounts to $5.354 million.

Furthermore, Turkmenistan is also a part of the Coordinated Approach for Land Restoration in Vulnerable Ecosystems of Central Asia, with a GEF grant to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan amounting to $1.784 million.

GEF is a coalition aimed at combating biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution while fostering the health of both land and ocean ecosystems. Through its financial support, the GEF empowers developing nations to tackle intricate environmental issues and make strides towards global sustainability objectives.
Captivating mansion for sale in the middle of the Arizona desert has  a beach? See it

A more than fabulous mansion has landed on the real estate market in sunny Sedona, Arizona, and comes with a few amenities that are, well, extra rare in this part of the world.

Backyard Russ Lyon Sothebys International Realty

The desert beauty, which is named Eagle Mountain Ranch and lists for $16.5 million, is the citys best kept secret and was built sparing no expense, the listing on Russ Lyon Sothebys International Realty said.

Foyer Russ Lyon Sothebys International Realty

Most likely because the 57-plus acre ranch has a load of rich  and rare  amenities, including a vineyard nestled near the primary house and a party area along the creek that runs through the property, listing agent Tod Christensen told Mansion Global.

Living room Russ Lyon Sothebys International Realty

Along the creek shore are abundant swimming holes, fishing spots and even your own beach, Christensen said. There is also an outbuilding, fire pit and volleyball area, the listing notes.

Bar Russ Lyon Sothebys International Realty

Then, of course, theres the three-bedroom, four-bathroom Tuscan-style villa that steals the show with 3,700 square feet and a load of high-end features, including:

Bar

Primary suite coffee bar

Jacuzzi tub

Dining room with wine racks

Primary suite Russ Lyon Sothebys International Realty

Theres also two guest homes on the estate, a bar, gated motor court, oversized car garage and two storage buildings.

Patio Russ Lyon Sothebys International Realty

Be one with nature in this pristine environment that abounds with local wildlife while sparing no modern comforts, the listing says.

Swimming pool Russ Lyon Sothebys International Realty

Feel the ancient serenity that the Native Americans felt when they inhabited this valley, their footprints are still visible in the petroglyphs that can be found just a short distance from the property. 

Pond Russ Lyon Sothebys International Realty

Sedona is about a 115-mile drive northeast of Phoenix.

Exterior Russ Lyon Sothebys International Realty

Legendary estate  with 60 rooms  heads to auction in California. Oh boy, is it cool

Tiny 384-square-foot home lists in California  for $1.7 million. Whats the deal?
CARTHAGE, Mo.  The Carthage City Council takes no action to move forward with impeachment proceedings against Mayor Dan Rife and the termination of City Administrator Greg Dagnan.

Tonights meeting was the third in eight days since the new council was sworn in.

More than 80 people were in the room.

Following the presentation of a letter signed by 69 city employees in support of Rife and Dagnan  seven city employees spoke, voicing their support for the two men, and asking the council to find a way forward.

However, shortly after the public comment period, Councilwoman Tiffany Cossey renewed efforts to impeach the mayor.

That action  as well as the hiring of three separate attorneys to offer an opinion on whether the council can fire Dagnan  was tabled.

Rife has offered to allow Mayor Pro Tem Alan Snow to sign any contracts with a law firm selected to handle the impeachment process. He says its an effort to keep things above board.

Well, the impeachment process will go on and if Im not satisfied with the end result, then theres an appeal process, and well continue, said Maor Rife.

We did ask Cossey for an interview after the meeting. She declined.

Council is expected to take both matters up again at its next meeting  which is next Tuesday, April 23.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com.
The case for ditching your real-estate agent when buying a home is gaining momentum

This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.

You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here.

Almost Friday! The complicated relationship between professional sports and legal gambling just took another twist. The NBA issued a lifetime ban to Jontay Porter for leaking info to known sports bettors. But it might ultimately be a good thing for the NBA .

In today's big story, we're looking at one person's argument for why you don't need a real-estate agent when buying a home.

What's on deck:

Markets: A recession is being held off thanks to three key reasons, according to one economist .

Tech: Searching for something on Google might lead you to Reddit. Here's why .

Business: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been royally bad for business .

But first, no agent, no problem.

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here.

The big story

DIY homebuying

Sebastian Konig for BI

Buying a house is the biggest purchase most people make, so it makes sense to hire an expert to help with the process.

So, about that

One recent homebuyer's brief experience working with a real-estate agent left him feeling way better off doing it himself . And he doesn't see why everyone else can't do the same.

"If you're thinking about buying a home, ask yourself the following three questions: Do you have an internet connection? Do you have at least a seventh-grade reading level? Do you like saving money? If you answer yes to all three, you're in fantastic shape to be your own agent," writes Albert Fox Cahn.

Albert details how much of what his real-estate agent told him was what he'd already figured out. Most of the listings his agent "found" were homes Albert had already seen online, sometimes weeks earlier. The agent also tried to push him into a bidding war that got uncomfortably high.

He eventually found a place without a real-estate agent. Better yet: he saved $50,000 since the seller had baked his agent's commission into the price.

twomeows/Getty Images; Jenny Chang-Rodriguez/BI

Now, before you fire up the hate mail, I understand Albert's experience isn't representative of all real-estate agents.

But there's a legitimate case for more people to follow in Albert's footsteps. That's thanks to a recent settlement focused on agent commissions.

In short, buyers and sellers could be responsible for paying their agents separately. Previously, sellers typically paid out both agents with a chunk of the final sale price, usually around 5-6%.

(Business Insider's James Rodriquez has done a fantastic job covering this whole saga, including how the settlement could upend the future of homebuying .)

So, with real estate where it is  expensive and mind-numbingly frustrating  you could see why buyers might be willing to cut ties with agents to save some cash.

It all speaks to a broader DIY debate that plays out in industries. Take personal finance. Financial advisors are a market worth trillions of dollars. Yet some say you're better off avoiding advisors and their fees and sticking your money in low-fee index funds.

Sometimes, though, people are willing to "pay for peace."

Airbnb upended the hotel industry when it entered the scene. Why pay for a pricey, small hotel room when you could rent an entire house or apartment, often at a lower price?

But it wasn't long before annoying checkout chores and exorbitant fees sent some people running back to hotels .

3 things in markets

Peter Zelei Images/Getty Images

What's holding off a recession? Economist David Rosenberg, who has a pessimistic view on the market's future, has some ideas for what's stopping a downturn . Government spending has boosted manufacturing facility construction and debt was refinanced when rates were still historically low. Seth Klarman sounds off. The billionaire founder of the hedge fund Baupost shared his perspective on the impact of AI on society while speaking at a Harvard Business School event . He also sees credit and real-estate opportunities due to interest-rate increases and pandemic knock-on effects. The US freight recession seems to be getting worse. Shares in J.B. Hunt, which is seen as a bellwether for the industry, tumbled 8% Wednesday after a first-quarter earnings report that fell short of Wall Street's expectations . The broader freight market has been toiling through an extensive slowdown since the pandemic years, driven by weak sales and an overload of trucks.

3 things in tech

Rebecca Zisser/BI

Reddit is taking over Google Search results. If you've noticed way more Reddit posts when you search on Google, you're not alone: Google's shift to promoting more human sites has led to a surge in traffic to Reddit . The change, however, is already being exploited by spammers. TikTok Shop is better at keeping customers than Temu and Shein. You might be annoyed by all those TikTok Shop videos on your feed, but it appears they're working. New data shows TikTok outpaced its rivals regarding repeat purchases , and was only beaten by Amazon. More layoffs at Google. The tech giant is cutting some jobs in its finance and real estate teams , two current employees told BI. Some roles are also being relocated to other offices in the US and abroad where Google is putting more investment, including India, Dublin, and Atlanta.

3 things in business

Eddie Mulholland/Pool via AP; Alyssa Powell/BI

In other news

What's happening today

Today's earnings: Netflix, Blackstone, Alaska Air, and other companies are reporting .

The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Hallam Bullock, senior editor, in London. George Glover, reporter, in London. Grace Lett, associate editor, in Chicago. Laine Napoli, associate audience producer, in New York.

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CDC warns of Salmonella contamination in Trader Joes product in Illinois

ILLINOIS  The CDC has recalled an organic basil brand sold exclusively at Trader Joes in 29 states, including Illinois.

According to the CDC, the Infinite Herbs brand of organic basil. 2.5 oz, with a clamshell-style containers has caused 12 illnesses, one hospitalization but no deaths.

The item is sold in 29 states and Washington DC, including Illinois.

The CDC recommends that the public checks their home for the contaminated basil, to throw it away or return it, wash items and services it may have touched, and call your health provider if you have any of these severe Salmonella symptoms:

Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102 degrees

DIarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving

Bloody diarrhea

So much vommitting that you cannot keep liquids down

Signs of dehydration

For more information, visit: Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Fresh Basil | CDC

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
Expert will testify Bryan Kohbergers cell phone was outside of Moscow on the night of the Idaho murders, defense says

Bryan Kohberger, who is accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022, was out driving west of Moscow, Idaho, the night of the slayings, his attorney says, and the defense plans to offer a cell phone tower and radio frequency expert to partially corroborate this account, a court document supporting an alibi defense filed Wednesday shows.

Kohberger was driving south of Pullman, Washington, and west of Moscow, Idaho, as he often did to hike and run and/or see the moon and stars, his attorney says in the document. The two towns are about 10 miles apart.

More information on Kohbergers location will be shared after prosecutors provide discovery evidence previously requested, the document says.

Due to a wide-ranging gag order, prosecutors, defense lawyers, and attorneys for victims families and witnesses are prohibited from saying anything publicly, aside from what is already in the public record.

The filing is the latest turn in the high-profile case against Kohberger, who is accused of fatally stabbing four Idaho college students early on November 13, 2022. A not guilty plea was entered last May on his behalf, and his attorneys have indicated he intends to present an alibi as part of his defense.

Kohbergers public defenders several times have pointed to their clients purported penchant for taking long drives alone late at night. In an August filing, they wrote of the night of the killings, Mr. Kohberger is not claiming to be at a specific location at a specific time.

Still, Wednesdays filing outlining Kohbergers alibi had been anticipated for months: Idaho law requires a defendant to submit in writing the specific place or places at which the defendant claims to have been at the time of the alleged offense and the names and addresses of the witnesses upon whom he intends to rely to establish such alibi.

The judge in Kohbergers case repeatedly extended the submission date, most recently setting the Wednesday deadline during a hearing in late February.

Kohberger, 29, faces four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary in the killings of Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20, at a home just off the universitys main campus in Moscow.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

CNNs Dakin Andone contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
BOISE, Idaho (ABC4)  Chad Daybell was back in the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho on Thursday, facing charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, insurance fraud and grand theft in connection to the deaths of his wife, Tammy Daybell, JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan.

WHAT TO KNOW: A complete timeline for the Daybell, Vallow murders

FBI Forensic Accountant Michael Douglass returned to the stand to continue his testimony in to the financial accounts for those related to the case. A summary of his previous testimony can be found here.

Finances continued

Douglass indicated that Tylee Ryan had a Venmo account that was associated with her own bank account. She had frequently used Venmo to send money to her older brother, Colby Ryan, though Douglass testified she only sent $170 over four transactions.

Douglass said there was still activity on Tylees Venmo account after she had died, where her account had sent 29 payments totaling $5,940.

While being questioned by defense attorney John Prior, Douglass said there was no indication that Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow were sharing accounts. In fact, Lori was already in line to receive a life insurance payout from the death of Joseph Ryan before she had met Chad. Prior asked Douglass if he noticed anything that would show Chad was interested in Loris money, which Douglass said there was none.

However, Douglass later told prosecutors that transactions supported that Chad and Lori had started living with one another in Hawaii.

To further his argument that Chad was not financially motivated, Prior asked Douglass about Tammy Daybells life insurance policy. Prior said Tammy had a life insurance policy from 2002, which didnt come as a surprise to Douglass. That policy was increased shortly after Tammy began work as a school librarian around 2015.

Spirits, rebirth, and Chad and Loris first meetings

Melanie Gibb, one of Loris close friends, took the stand after Douglass stepped down and gave prosecutors testimony about when Chad and Lori first met  at a conference in St. George in 2018 where the two seemed to connect.

They communicated a lot and were very interested in communicating about the things they were learning and talking about. It seemed to be very friendly, Gibb said. They seemed to be attracted to each other. That caught my attention.

Gibb told prosecutor Lindsey Blake that she knew Lori and Chad were both married to Charles Vallow and Tammy Daybell, respectively, at the time of their meeting. Gibb said Lori and Chad continued to talk throughout the conference and at a second conference held in Arizona in November 2018. According to Gibb, Lori and Chad frequently discussed past lives and that the two had been married in a previous life.

[Lori] said [she and Chad] were going to be resealed like they had been in previous lives together, Gibb testified, adding Lori said the two had gone to a temple about a month after meeting each other to be resealed.

Gibb said Lori would frequently turn to Chad for advice after meeting him. Through Chad, Gibb said Lori learned about many things including the concept of light and dark contracts and spiritual possession. The first person Lori mentioned was possessed by a dark spirit was Charles Vallow, Gibb said.

Lori reportedly had a dream that Charles and JJ died in a car crash while the two were away in Texas. Gibb said it was shortly after this dream that Lori claimed Charles body was inhabited by an evil spirit named Ned Snider, information Gibb said Lori got from Chad.

Gibb participated in several castings to remove the evil spirits which, according to Chad and Lori, were often successful. Though on each success another spirit would reportedly enter the body and another casting would have to be done. Gibb said there were three such castings done for Charles Vallow and other castings done for Brandon Boudreaux and Tammy Daybell.

Blake asked Gibb about Charles death, to which Gibb said she had been staying with Lori in July 2019. One morning she was kicked out by Lori, who reportedly told her that Charles was coming back from Texas to kill her. Four days after Charles was killed on July 11, 2019, Gibb said she spoke to Lori and her brother Alex Cox about the incident.

She told me that [Charles] came from Texas and that they were arguing. He put his cell phone in the car and she grabbed it and ran into the house. He was really upset with her, Gibb said. They were standing in the kitchen and he was yelling at her. Tylee had a bat and was trying to protect her mom or herself. Charles and Alex got into a physical fight and Alex went to get his gun to protect himself.

Gibb recounted that Alex had a similar story. She testified that Lori didnt show any signs of sadness or grief at the loss of her husband but Alex seemed doubtful and unsure of himself. A while later, Gibb said Lori and Chad were together, seeming very excited while talking about future plans together.

Lori told Gibb that she and Chad really loved each other and had been together through multiple lives. Lori also reportedly admitted to Gibb that she and Chad had been physically intimate together multiple times, even while being married to Charles and Tammy. Lori said she would get affirmation with Jesus to ensure its OK.

JJs disappearance

Gibb said she had visited Loris house in Idaho for a conference around September 2019. She said she stayed at Loris for the weekend and that Alex Cox, Chad Daybell and her then-boyfriend David Warrick would frequently come and stay at Loris home.

Lori and Chad reportedly were very intimate with each other over that weekend both in the apartment and out in public.

They seemed to be a couple that was close and loved each other, said Gibb. There was affection and hugging. I saw her kiss him on the cheek. They were singing together [and] maybe a little dancing.

During her stay, Tylee was not present but JJ Vallow was there. Gibb said JJ had his own room but JJ would often sleep in a corner of Loris room where she had set up a space for him. The last night Gibb saw JJ, she said Alex had gone to put him to bed but not in his room. Gibb said she assumed JJ had been put to sleep in his space in Loris room because that weekend David was staying in his room.

That night David had woken up in panic with a really bad dream, prompting Gibb to reach out to Chad and Lori for a prayer and blessing. She said she tried to call and text Chad and Lori but neither would answer. When she went to their room, the door was locked and no one answered. Prosecutor Lindsey Blake asked Gibb if she ever saw JJ again, which Gibb said she never did.

Lori later told Gibb that JJ was acting out more and she became troubled that JJ had been taken over and was possessed. Lori told Gibb that JJ was going to be taken to his grandmother, Kay Woodcock. Gibb said she believed Kay had picked up JJ at the Salt Lake City Airport and was in her care. That was until she received a phone call from Chad.

Gibb said Chad warned the Rexburg Police Department was going to call her asking about JJ. She said Chad sounded nervous, warning her not to pick up the phone and answer the call. When Gibb asked why the Rexburg Police would be calling her, Chad told her that Lori claimed JJ was with Gibb.

Gibb testified that she initially complied with Lori and Chads request and avoided speaking with the police. She did eventually talk to police with an attorney present before later confessing that JJ was never with her.

Gibb confronts Chad and Lori

The Thanksgiving after JJs disappearance, Gibb and David began asking questions. They called Chad and Lori asking about where JJ was but they would not answer. Gibb spoke with Alex Cox a day or two later and told him her concerns. When she asked Alex if she wanted to know where JJ was, Alex said she didnt.

On Dec. 8, 2019, Gibb called Chad and Lori and confronted them about her concerns. Prosecutors played a recording of that phone call in the courtroom, which starts sweet and cordial before turning heated and confrontational. Gibb asked again where JJ was only for Chad to reply, If you knew where JJ was, that puts you in danger.

Chad and Lori continue saying JJ was happy and safe and somewhere no one would be able to find him. At one point in the call, Lori said she didnt know why Gibb was being controversial with her saying she loved Gibb. Gibb rejected Lori saying, If you really loved me, you would not have told the police I had JJ with me.

Gibb told both Chad and Lori that she had a weird feeling in her stomach after Tammy died and then Charles died. Gibb said she had never been at peace with everything that was happening around the two.

The call grew into an argument where Chad and Lori told Gibb she was being influenced by dark forces, which Gibb denied saying Lori was being deceived. At one point, Gibb asked if they could understand her concerns only for Chad to say yes from an outsiders perspective and Lori saying Gibb should know better with everything she knows.

Shortly after the call, the court room took a lunch recess and will return at 1 p.m. MT.

Afternoon session

After returning from lunch, Melanie Gibb was back on the stand as Lindsey Blake continued her questioning.

Blake asked Gibb about the recording played before the lunch break, where Chad made comments that Tammy was going to die. Gibb said when Tammy died in Oct. 2019, she reached out to Lori, who seemed like she already knew of the death.

Gibb said that sometime before Tammys death Lori told her that Tammy was supposed to continue her mission on the other side of the veil, and that Tammy would be okay with Lori and Chad being together.

Gibb said she heard Tammy referred to as dark either at the end of September or early October 2019, fairly close to her actual death. She said Chad would be the person who labeled people as dark.

Gibb said that at some point, Lori told her that Tammy was becoming suspicious of her and Chad, but Gibb couldnt remember when this was said.

Blake asks Gibb if the teachings of light and dark evolve. Gibb said yes, and explained people who were dark became referred to as zombies, and said that other teachings evolved as well.

Blake asked Gibb if Lori ever showed any doubt in the teachings. Gibb responded by saying Lori mentioned once or twice, If Chad is Satan, he sure is a good one. Gibb said this indicated to her that Lori had some doubts.

Gibb said when she asked Alex Cox if he 100% believed if zombies were true, he said he 100% believed it.

Cross-examination from Prior

Prior began his cross-examination of Melanie Gibb by asking her about when she first met Chad. Gibb said summer 2017 at a Preparing a People Conference, to which Prior asked her to explain more about these conferences.

It had multiple levels, some people shared conferences about science, some shared about the Book of Mormon and the evidence of the Native Americans, some people shared their visions, some people talked about ancient scripture information, some people talked about stars, it was a variety of subjects, Gibb said.

Prior asked Gibb about her idea of premonitions and visions, she explained that to her a vision is like someone seeing something in their sleep, but experiencing it as if its real, and premonitions are more like a gut feeling something will happen.

Prior asked Gibb if her husband has the gift of dreams and visions, to which she said yes. At one point, she believed that Chad would have dreams and visions.

Gibb said that before Chad met Lori, he brought up at some of these conferences that his wife Tammy would have a short life. Gibb said she first heard of this revelation he made around 2017-2018.

Prior further questioned Gibb about some of the teachings  such as vibrations and the concept of calling people light or dark, which she said are inconsistent with the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Prior also asked Gibb about prior conversations Gibb had with a detective, where she said she doesnt have the best memory in the world, and sometimes has difficulty getting facts and dates and times right, she said that is correct.

He asked her about texts exchanged between her and prosecutor Rob Wood. Gibb said that their conversations were frequent in the beginning for a short time. He asked her if it would surprise her to learn that between May and November 2020, she and Wood exchanged text messages over 340 times. Gibb responded by saying its possible but shes not sure, and that communications were more often in the beginning.

Prior asked if any time during her communication with Wood if she said she needed to protect a person or organization in order to testify. Gibb said her intentions were not to protect anything, just to share what she knew.

Prior then read a text Gibb sent to Wood, which said Keith, the guy from Dateline, and I want to make sure the church is protected. He has done a good job so far. Thats why I feel comfortable talking with him.

Prior asked why these messages were sent to Wood, who is prosecuting Chad. She responded that she felt comfortable talking to Wood to let him know what she was up to.

Prior then went through the timeline of when Gibb met Lori, and several moves she had in Arizona and Hawaii. He asked Gibb to clarify how often she spoke Lori. She said at one point they communicated daily, but it lessened as Lori was moving around.

Prior asked Gibb about her relationship with Tylee, to which she said they had no relationship.

Wood pointed out that Gibb often said Lori would tell her about what Chad said, rather than hearing from Chad directly.

He also said in the tape played earlier in the day, Loris responses sounded singular, citing examples such as I had to move her somewhere else when Lori talked about Tylee and I will do whatever the Lord needs me to. Prior noted that Lori did not speak in we terms during this conversation.

He asked Gibb about the day that she saw Alex Cox carrying JJ Vallow. Gibb said she didnt witness where he took him, but he wasnt in JJ or Tylees room. Prior asked more about the nightmare David had that night.

Following that night, Gibb said she left at 9:30 that morning, to which Prior asked if she asked about JJ before she left. She said it was possible but she doesnt remember what she said.

Prior told Gibb her memory was clear when discussing zombies and dark and light.

Court adjourned at 3:15 p.m. and is planned to continue tomorrow, Friday, April 19.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
The US risks losing its military presence in another African country as the government of Chad sent a letter threatening to end a critical security agreement, according to four US sources, a move that threatens to cede more US influence in the region to Russia.

In a letter sent to the US defense attache last week, Chadian officials threatened to cancel the Status of Forces Agreement, or SOFA, which determines the rules and conditions under which US military personnel can operate in the country. While the letter did not directly order the US military to leave Chad, the officials told CNN that it said all US forces would have to leave the French base in NDjamena.

The letter specifically mentioned the US Special Operations Task Force (SOTF) at the base, an important hub for US Special Operations Forces in the region, two of the sources said. But the task force is not the only contingent of US military personnel at the base, as all US service members in Chad are located in NDjamena.

Instead, the letter was from the Chief of Air Staff of Chad, Idriss Amine, the intelligence sources said, an unusual way to transfer such a significant message. The letter was typed in French, one of Chads official languages, and written on Amines official letterhead.

The letter was not sent through official diplomatic channels, according to one of the officials, which is the standard way to handle these issues. The two sources cautioned that letter could be a negotiation tactic by the government of Chad to get a new agreement that better favors their interests.

The exact number of US troops in the country is not clear but one US official said there are fewer than 100 troops there.

CNN has asked Chads government for comment.

The move comes just a month after the military government of neighboring Niger ended its agreement with the US military that allowed American personnel to operate in the country.

One of the sources told CNN that the leadership in Chad is following the example set by Niger, attempting to use an opportunity to extract more concessions from the US. But the official said Chads threat to terminate the SOFA agreement blindsided US officials.

The move comes at a critical time for US interests in Africa, as American officials have warned that Russian influence is expanding across the continent.

In Niger, a senior airman filed a formal whistleblower complaint, warning that the US ambassador to Niger and the defense attache had intentionally suppressed intelligence in an attempt to maintain a facade of a great country-to-country relationship.

The complaint alleges that the approximately 1,100 US troops in Niger are being held hostage since no new troops can come in to replace those currently deployed. It is clear that the country of Niger does not want a permanent military presence in their country and they have informed us that we need to leave, the airman wrote.

The Washington Post first reported on the whistleblower complaint.

In a statement to CNN, Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, head of US Africa Command, said some diplomatic clearances for military flights have recently been denied or not responded to, which has forced extended deployments in some cases.

US Africa Command senior leaders continue to work closely with the State Department and others to ensure US forces deployed to Niger have the support and services they need, Langley said. A US military official said AFRICOM remains committed to conducting intelligence activities, and that the Defense Department and AFRICOM are informed daily of the situation on the ground in Niger.

CNN has reached out to the State Department for comment.

The complaint comes as the Nigerien state broadcaster announced one week ago that Russia had delivered military equipment, including the latest generation of air defense systems, to Niger.

Langley, told the Senate Armed Services Committee in March that Russia is trying to take over central Africa as well as the Sahel at an accelerated pace.

(A) number of countries are at the tipping point of actually being captured by the Russian Federation as they are spreading some of their false narratives across Libya and from a strategic answer piece, access and influence across the whole Maghreb, Langley said. That is NATOs southern flank. We need to be able to have  maintain access and influence across the Mahgreb, from Morocco all the way to Libya.

In a separate hearing with the House Armed Services Committee last month, Langley said Central African countries were in a dilemma, needing developmental assistance from countries like Russia and China but balancing those needs against risks to national sovereignty.

In this region, the stakes are high, Langley said.

Langley visited Chad in January this year alongside AFRICOMs senior enlisted advisor, Sgt. Maj. Michael Woods. While in the country, Langley met with Chadian military leaders including Gen. Abakar Abdelkerim Daoud, Chads Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, according to an AFRICOM press release at the time.

Langley said in the release that AFRICOM remains dedicated to building enduring partnerships with Chad and other African nations.

This story has been updated with additional reporting.

CNNs Jake Tapper contributed reporting.

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U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, left, and Democrat Lucas Kunce (phots by Drew Angerer/Getty Images and Madeline Carter/Missouri Independent).

With one seat in Congress up for grabs, an incumbent facing a serious challenge and a former publisher and media personality taking on a long-time officeholder, this years federal elections in Missouri promise an interesting summer and fall.

Add to that the U.S. Senate race, where both likely fall contenders have more money already than almost every other candidate running statewide.

In the 3rd Congressional District, where Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer is not seeking re-election, and the 1st District, where Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Cori Bush is being challenged by St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell, the key battle will be the Aug. 6 primary.

Both districts were drawn by lawmakers to be safe seats for the party in power.

In the 2nd Congressional District, solidly Republican rural counties were added by lawmakers to shore up the GOPs chances to keep it. Republican U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner and Democratic candidate Ray Hartmann, founder of the Riverfront Times, are the likely nominees for a fall match-up.

In the Senate race, Lucas Kunce, who lost a 2022 Democratic primary in the contest ultimately won by Republican Eric Schmitt, is hoping to unseat U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, a Republican hoping to secure a second term.

Campaign disclosure reports that were due Monday at the Federal Election Commission are the first indication of which contenders are ready to run full-scale campaigns. And for Hawley and Bush, their challengers managed to outraise them in the first quarter of the year. Hawleys campaign committee took in $1.9 million between January and April, about $600,000 more than his expenses and leaving his cash on hand on March 31 to $5.4 million. Kunces campaign raised $2.3 million, spent $1.2 million and reported $3.3 million in the bank.

More than $1 million of the amount reported by Hawleys campaign was a transfer from the Hawley Victory Committee, a joint fundraising PAC that raised a total of $1.5 million in the quarter.

In a news release about his fundraising, Kunce said he feels momentum behind his campaign because he has regularly raised more than Hawley over the past year.

Since last year, weve built a worker-led, people-powered, record-breaking coalition to win this race and take this U.S. Senate back for everyday people in Missouri, Kunce said in his release.

To get to the fall election, Kunce must defeat three primary opponents, including state Sen. Karla May of St. Louis, who reported raising $9,136 in the first quarter and $6,304 in the bank.

The other two primary candidates are December Harmon of Columbia and Mita Biswas of St. Louis. Harmon reported raising $344 in the quarter and had $1,969 on hand.

In the 1st District, which includes St. Louis and much of St. Louis County, Bell entered the race to unseat Bush after flirting with a bid for U.S. Senate. Bell, elected to his current post in 2018, raised $960,000 in the first quarter of the year, outpacing Bush and amassing a big lead in cash on hand.

After filing for re-election, Congresswoman Cori Bush speaks to reporters about her campaign (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).

Bush, who is seeking her third term, raised $495,000 in the quarter. She reported $215,000 in the bank, compared to $1.1 million for Bell.

Bush and Bell are both in office because of successful primary challenges to incumbents. Bell defeated long-time prosecutor Bob McCulloch in 2018, while Bush defeated U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay in the 2020 Democratic primary.

Bush easily defeated state Sen. Steve Roberts in the 2022 primary on her way to winning a second term.

The 3rd District, which runs through all or part of 16 counties from the Lake of the Ozarks to the Mississippi River, is the only Missouri congressional seat certain to change hands this year. There is an eight candidate GOP primary, but only three of the candidates  former state Sens. Bob Onder and Kurt Schaefer and state Rep. Justin Hicks  filed disclosure reports with the FEC.

That means the other candidates have raised minimal amounts and have no report due.

On the strength of a $500,000 personal donation, Onder has a big early fundraising lead. His campaign took in $700,000 during the quarter, spent $6,677 and reported $693,000 on hand.

Schaefer raised $118,000, spent $7,063 and reported $110,765.

Hicks, a first-term lawmaker, raised about $45,000, spent $3,462 and had $41,865 remaining at the end of the quarter.

Other candidates in the Republican primary are Arnie C. AC Arn Dienoff of OFallon, a perennial candidate; Chad Bicknell of OFallon, who lost a primary to Luetkemeyer in 2018; Kyle Bone of DeSoto, who lost a 2018 primary for a Missouri House seat; Brandon Wilkinson of Fenton, who lost to Luetkemeyer in the 2020 and 2022 GOP primaries; and Bruce A. Bowman, a Jefferson City businessman.

Ray Hartmann, left, is planning to run for the Democratic nomination to take on Republican U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, right. (Getty Images).

Two Democrats, Bethany Mann of Wentzville and Andrew Daly of Fulton have also filed, as has Libertarian Jordan Rowden of Vienna.

In the 2nd District, Hartmann entered the race in mid-March and raised $23,253 by the end of the month. After spending about $3,316, he had $19,937 on hand.

Wagner, who is seeking her seventh term, raised $428,000 and had $2.8 million in the bank at the end of the quarter.

The post Challengers outraise incumbents in Missouri races for Senate, 1st Congressional District appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Chancellor: Moscow used spy in attempt to undermine democracy in Austria

Moscow attempted to undermine the democratic political process in Austria using a Russian spy and a political party he was associated with, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on April 18.

Nehammer said Austria's intelligence agencies had evidence of the operation, and the "very serious allegations" would be "vigorously investigated."

While Nehammer did not name the alleged spy or the party he was associated with, last month, former Austrian intelligence officer Egisto Ott was arrested on suspicions of espionage following a collaborative investigation published by The Insider and Der Spiegel.

The investigation alleged that Ott had used his position to unlawfully obtain official information, which he then passed to Jan Marsalek, currently a fugitive and the former COO of the German payment company Wirecard.

The information was then suspected of being shared with Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB).

At the time, Nehammer said Russian spy networks "threaten our country by infiltrating or instrumentalizing political parties and networks."

Speaking on April 18, the chancellor said Russian attempts to undermine Austrian democracy "have no chance."

Austria will hold two elections this year  the European Parliament elections on June 9 and legislative elections by autumn.

Read also: Austria urges strengthened security in aftermath of spying scandal

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
ST. CLAIR COUNTY, Ill.  A Belleville, Illinois, man was charged earlier this week in connection with a fatal shooting this past weekend.

According to a Belleville Police Department spokesperson, officers were sent to a home in the first block of Ben Louis Drive, just south of Highway 161, for a domestic disturbance just after 11 p.m. on April 14.

Officers found a woman and man inside the residence. The woman, identified as Megan Born, 36, had been shot once and was unconscious. Officers and EMS were unable to revive the victim and she was pronounced dead at 3 a.m. on Monday, April 15.

The man, identified as Demario Bush, 35, was taken into custody.

On Tuesday, the St. Clair County States Attorneys Office charged Bush with one count of murder/intent to kill and one count of being a felon in possession/use of a firearm while on parole. Bush will be transferred to St. Clair County Jail.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, April 18. Turkmenistan and Pakistan have explored the possibility of accelerating the implementation of TAPI and TAP projects, Trend reports.

According to an official source, the issue was discussed during a meeting between the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and the newly appointed Ambassador of Pakistan to Ashgabat Ahsan Wagan.

During the meeting, the parties reviewed the possibilities of increasing the pace of construction of the transnational Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, as well as laying power transmission lines and fiber-optic communication along the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) route.

In this regard, Berdimuhamedov noted that the implementation of these large-scale projects will give a powerful impetus to the socio-economic development of the region.

Furthermore, the parties exchanged views on a wide range of issues of long-term productive cooperation in various sectors of the economy, primarily in the fuel and energy sector, transport and communications.

Special emphasis was placed on trade and economic ties with great prospects, taking into account the increased mutual interest and complementarity of the national economies of the two countries, which have impressive potential.

It is expected that the TAPI gas pipeline will annually transport 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas along an 1800-kilometer route from Turkmen Galkynysh, the second largest gas field in the world, to the Indian city of Fazilka, located near the border of India with Pakistan.

The TAP project is a large-scale infrastructural and economic initiative aimed at establishing links between the participating countries of the project in order to ensure energy and communication integration, as well as stimulate economic growth and development in the region.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Charlotte the stingray, who garnered attention earlier this year for her unaccountable pregnancy, has died, a North Carolina aquarium shared.

Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO posted on Facebook June 30 that the stingray died earlier in the day after continuing treatment with her medical care team and specialist.

We are continuing to work with her medical care team and research specialist. The Team ECCO family appreciates your continued love and support while we navigate this great loss, the post continued.

The Hendersonville, North Carolina, aquarium noted that it will remain temporarily closed following the stingray's death.

In February, the sea life center gained attention and skepticism when it announced that the female stingray became pregnant despite the absence of a male mate.

In April, the aquariums executive director, Brenda Ramer, told TODAY.com that she believed Charlotte became pregnant through parthenogenesis.

For months, the updates surrounding Charlottes pregnancy sparked uncertainty regarding the initial announcement.

The aquarium then announced in June that Charlotte was no longer pregnant, following news that she had a reproductive disease, per a statement to TODAY.com. News of Charlotte's death comes less than a month later.

What happened with Charlotte's pregnancy?

In the June announcement, the Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO shared that Charlotte was no longer pregnant and had a reproductive disease that medical experts would review.

Charlotte is stable and continues to show no decrease in appetite or activity, the statement read.

The Medical Experts are reviewing additional ultrasounds and testing that have been collected and sent out for recommendations for treatment options, and we will collaborate on a medical care plan for Charlotte based on the entire medical file and options available to her. Additionally, after consulting with the Medical team, the most cautious course of action is to temporarily remain closed to ensure the safety and medical care of Charlotte and all our animals at Team ECCO Aquarium. We will provide updates as we have them and appreciate your support and understanding."

Concerns regarding Charlotte's pregnancy were again raised after the aquarium revealed that she developed a rare reproductive disease that has negatively impacted her reproductive system in a statement posted to Facebook on May 30.

We regret the delay of updates regarding Charlotte. This time was necessary to gather data and analyze lab and testing results, the Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCOs May statement began.

Our priority is to focus on Charlottes health and wellbeing. We will work with and be guided by veterinarians and specialists to better understand this disease and the treatment options for Charlotte. While the research of this disease is limited, we hope that Charlottes case and medical treatment will positively contribute to science and be of benefit to other rays in the future.

We regret the delay of updates regarding Charlotte. This time was necessary to gather data and analyze lab and testing... Posted by Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO on Thursday, May 30, 2024

The statement ended with a thank you to the public for its ongoing support and asked for respect for the stingray and her care team as it continues to navigate this unexpected news and work to determine the best path forward.

Representatives for the aquarium did not respond to TODAY.com's request for comment at the time.

Who is Charlotte the stingray?

Charlotte the stingray lived at Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO for eight years. In February, the aquarium revealed its round stingray was pregnant  despite never interacting with a male stingray. The announcement left followers baffled as to how this could have happened and when these miraculous babies were going to appear. In April, Ramer told TODAY.com that even her understanding of the pregnancy had narrowed since she first announced the news.

According to Ramer, the fish was adopted from a private home outside the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, and was estimated to be between 12 and 16 years old.

Charlotte, a round stingray. (Aquarium and Shark Lab by Team ECCO / AP)

Despite Charlotte never encountering a male round stingray after arriving at the aquarium, a February livestream of an ultrasound at the aquarium showed that Charlotte was pregnant.

We found out that Charlotte is expecting, and its a really strange and unique phenomenon, Ramer explained during the livestream ultrasound. Shes carrying somewhere between three and four pups.

Users were quick to express their fascination about how exactly the stingray became pregnant. One theory Ramer presented early on is that she was impregnated by sharks who shared her tank at one point.

Im sorry, she may have mated with a shark? one viewer commented on the livestream.

I had no idea it was possible for a shark to impregnate a stingray, another wrote.

Months after the pregnancy announcement, some users began to grow wary of the likelihood of her pregnancy.

How exactly did Charlotte the stingray get pregnant?

In the aquarium's February announcement of Charlotte's pregnancy, Ramer offered two possibilities for her status  the first one being the shark theory.

Benjamin M. Perlman, who has a doctorate in biology and is a lecturer at California State University  Long Beachs Department of Biological Sciences, researches and studies stingrays. Speaking to TODAY.com in April, he said that cross-species mating and reproduction aren't possible in this case.

He explained that the morphology of the male shark wont necessarily fit with the morphology of the female round stingray.

Ramer told TODAY.com in April that she had come to believe Charlotte became pregnant through parthenogenesis.

Britannica defines parthenogenesis as a reproductive strategy in which a female can develop and produce offspring without fertilization.

In a typical pregnancy, a female's eggs are fertilized by a male's sperm. According to Perlman, in parthenogenesis, instead of male sperm, another cell from the female combines with the egg. This cell carries the additional DNA needed, and it's from the female herself.

So you have a complete set of DNA, but not from the female and the male. Its from the female and that same female, he explained, adding that the result is an offspring that essentially becomes a mild clone version of its parent.

Perlman said that in order to know for sure if Charlotte's pregnancy was a case of parthenogenesis, we would have had to wait for her to give birth in order for DNA samples to confirm anything.

Youll be able to see if there was any presence of sperm, you know, from some male counterpart or if it was just from the female, he explained.

When did Charlotte the stingray get pregnant?

Kinsley Boyette, an assistant director of the Aquarium and Shark Lab by Team ECCO, told TODAY.com in April that staff learned Charlotte developed eggs in December after they began to notice changes in her body and behavior.

She definitely got much rounder, Boyette explained, adding that while humans carry their progeny in their stomachs, stingrays carry theirs in their backs. We noticed that she couldnt completely bury herself underneath the sand, and that is what moved us to perform the ultrasound.

Boyette said that it was during the ultrasound they discovered she was pregnant.

We sent the data to our colleagues, and they are the ones that helped us confirm her (pregnancy results), she explained.

Ramer noted that because she and her staff were unaware of how long Charlottes eggs had been inside of her prior to the ultrasound, they weren't sure when the suspected parthenogenetic process could have started.

What did the aquarium have to say about the skepticism around Charlotte's pregnancy?

We look at it as a once-in-a-lifetime gift, Ramer said in an April interview. And I think thats how people should look at it. Its a gift and were trying to share the experience in the wonder of the oceanic world.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Disgarded vapes in a Lidl recycling bin in London on May 4, 2023 - Peter Dazeley/Getty

Children addicted to vaping should be given nicotine patches or gum to help them break their addiction, public health officials have said.

A report by Public Health Wales (PHW)  one of the organisations that makes up NHS Wales  said vaping should be seen as a dependency issue, with young people needing support to quit.

The report found that children felt pressure to fit in and look cool, with vape dealers across social groups.

The public health bodys incident response group (IRG) has made a series of recommendations, including that young people with dependency issues be given access to nicotine replacement therapies such as chewing gum, skin patches, or inhalators.

Other recommendations include restrictions on vape visibility, appeal and availability to young people, such as a ban on colourful packaging.

Rishi Sunak has already announced plans to ban disposable vapes across the UK.

However, the Westminster Government is not thought to be considering any moves to encourage the use of nicotine patches or gum by children.

Bigger risk remains smoking

Anti-smoking group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) said some children could benefit from such moves. Deputy chief executive Hazel Cheesman said: It is likely that some teenagers who are vaping are addicted to nicotine and could benefit from using patches and gums as an alternative.

Addiction is not desirable at any age and certainly not in childhood.

However, it must be remembered that the much bigger risk to health remains smoking.

Health services must prioritise helping children and parents who smoke to quit.

Chris Emmerson, a public health consultant for PHW, said there is a clear consensus view that the rise in youth vaping must be addressed with urgency if it is to be tackled quickly and effectively.

He said: These best practices provide a comprehensive framework for supporting young vapers in Wales.

By implementing these practices, we can better address the complex needs of children and young people struggling with vaping dependency.

Nicotine replacement therapies, which are already offered to people aged over 12 who are smoking, is one tool that could help children and young people out of their dependency on vaping in tandem with other support mechanisms.

Desire to look cool

The report said that access to vapes was relatively convenient for children, which are often sourced from older siblings and family members, shops and online stores.

It said: Vaping was most frequently observed in visible (although sometimes secluded) social settings.

This environment seemed to contribute to feelings of peer pressure. Participants described a strong desire to fit in and look cool and found it difficult to refuse offers to share devices.

The report recommends that vapes should be denormalised and not permitted in spaces intended for children.

It says the advertising and display of vapes should be restricted, with only plain, unbranded packaging.

It also calls for a ban on disposable vapes and restrictions on flavour names.

Reduce availability of vapes

A Welsh Government spokesman said: We are very concerned by the rise in youth vaping and welcome the investigation undertaken by the IRG on vaping amongst children and young people in Wales. We will consider its recommendations carefully.

We are working with the other UK Governments to tackle youth vaping by reducing the appeal and availability of vapes to children through the UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

The UK Government has already announced plans to ban disposable vapes in England by April 2025, with a new tax on vaping being implemented in October 2026.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: We have always been clear children should never vape.

We are banning disposable vapes and our Tobacco and Vapes Bill includes powers to limit flavours, packaging and displays of vapes to reduce the appeal to children.

A form of nicotine replacement therapy is already licenced in England for use in children over the age of 12  and we continue to build the evidence on the most effective interventions to help vapers quit.

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 preliminary report from Chiles aviation authority on the LATAM Airlines plane that plunged mid-air on March 11 says that the captains seat experienced an involuntary movement forward midflight.

LATAM Flight 800 was flying from Australia to New Zealand when the Boeing 787 Dreamliner descended 400 feet, and the cause of the sudden plunge is yet to be determined, according to the report.

It says crews that worked on the plane during and before the flight have been interviewed, including maintenance personnel that verified the condition of the captains seat.

Authorities are also studying any history related to the seats inside the planes cockpit.

A source close to the investigation told CNN that both the black box and the seat that the report says shifted during the flight are currently in Chile but will eventually be sent to the United States.

The black box will be handed over to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and the captains seat will be inspected by the FAA and Boeing, the report said.

The sudden drop injured 50 people.

Days after the incident, Boeing sent an advisory to airlines that operate the Boeing 787 Dreamliner recommending they inspect cockpit seat switches on the planes. It has sent a similar notice to airlines in 2017.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
BEIJING (Reuters) - China's foreign ministry on Thursday welcomed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to China as tensions rise between the two countries over global trade, regional conflicts and the Russia-Ukraine war.

Blinken will depart on April 23 for a four-day trip to China, where he will meet with senior Chinese officials amid heightening tensions, including over China's alignment with Russia and aggressive moves against the Philippines in the South China Sea, Politico reported.

Blinken is also expected to raise U.S. concerns that Beijing is helping Russia build up its defense industry to fight the war in Ukraine.

"China welcomes Secretary of State Blinken to visit China in the next few days," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, at a regular press briefing.

Blinken is visiting the world's second-largest economy to help smooth over recent strains, most notably after U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday called for sharply higher tariffs on Chinese metal products.

"As a matter of principle, we have consistently demanded the United States earnestly respect the principles of fair competition, respect WTO rules, and immediately stop the trade protectionist measures aimed at China," Lin said.

Biden aides said the U.S. president was proposing raising to 25% tariffs imposed by his predecessor Donald Trump on certain Chinese steel and aluminum products. The proposed higher tariff rate would apply to more than $1 billion worth of steel and aluminum products, a U.S. official said.

"China will take all necessary measures to protect its own legitimate rights and interests," Lin said.

(Reporting by Eduardo Baptista; Writing by Bernard Orr; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Tom Hogue)
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, right, walks with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi during their bilateral meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Willy Kurniawan/Pool Photo via AP)

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attacked the United States for earlier blocking United Nations resolutions calling for a cease-fire in Gaza after a meeting with his counterpart in Indonesia.

The Chinese and Indonesian foreign ministers reiterated their countries' calls for an immediate and lasting cease-fire in Gaza after a meeting in Jakarta on Thursday, condemning the humanitarian costs of Israel's ongoing war against Hamas.

The U.S., together with Egypt and Qatar, brokered a brief cease-fire earlier in the war that included some swaps of hostages taken by Hamas and other militant groups in return for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and has sought to bring about a new deal.

But the U.S. vetoed a number of proposed U.N. Security Council cease-fire resolutions because they didnt tie the calls directly to the release of Israel hostages or condemn Hamas attack that prompted the war before allowing a resolution to a pass with an abstention in late March.

The meeting took place on the second day of a six-day tour during which Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will also visit Papua New Guinea and Cambodia.

Indonesia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi told reporters that the two countries share the same view about the importance of a cease-fire and of resolving the Palestinian problem through a two-state solution.

Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, has long been a strong supporter of the Palestinians and does not recognize Israel.

I am sure that China would use its influence to prevent escalation, Marsudi said, adding that China and Indonesia "would also fully support Palestines membership in the U.N.

Wang blamed the United States for holding up cease-fire resolutions at the U.N.

The conflict in Gaza has lasted for half a year and caused a rare humanitarian tragedy in the 21st century. The United Nations Security Council responded to the call of the international community and continued to review the resolution draft on the cease-fire in Gaza, but it was repeatedly vetoed by the United States, Wang told reporters.

American officials have argued that the cease-fire and hostage releases are linked, while Russia, China and many other council members favored unconditional calls for a cease-fire. China and Russia also vetoed one U.S.-backed cease-fire resolution, saying it was not strong enough.

Referring to the resolution that was approved by the Security Council in March, Wang said: This time, the U.S. did not dare to stand in opposition to international morality and chose to abstain. However, the U.S. claimed that this resolution was not binding," Wang said. In the eyes of the United States, international law seems to be a tool that can be used whenever it finds useful and discarded if it does not want to use it.

The two ministers also discussed their countries' economic relationship and the South China Sea.

China is Indonesias largest trading partner, with the trade volume reaching more than $127 billion. China is also one of Indonesia's largest foreign investors, with investment flows of more than $7.4 billion in 2023.

Later Thursday, Wang also met Indonesian President Joko Widodo and president-elect Prabowo Subianto, who is currently defense minister.
China's newest aircraft carrier was spotted with aircraft mock-ups hinting at what its future air wing could look like

New images posted to social media show China's third and newest aircraft carrier hosting aircraft mock-ups.

It's a notable step before the Fujian's upcoming sea trials, showing what its future air wing might look like.

The Fujian is a large, modern ship expected to be a major upgrade to China's naval capabilities.

China's newest aircraft carrier appears to be sporting mock-ups of warplanes, according to new images posted to social media by a long-time China watcher.

It's a major step for the Fujian, as the People's Liberation Army Navy looks to put its largest, most advanced carrier through sea trials and push it closer to being ready for operations.

Images of the Fujian, also identified as Type 003, docked in Shanghai were posted on X this week. On Tuesday, Andreas Rupprecht, a China aviation observer and researcher, also shared the images, discussing their significance. The Fujian's mock-ups were first reported by The War Zone.

After a slightly longer pause with only blurry images, here is a new recent update showing the PLANS-18 Fujian at Shanghai with the painted deck markings and all the aircraft mock-ups (KJ-600, J-15 & J-35). pic.twitter.com/XWmpq1KkPL  @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) April 16, 2024

Closer examination of the flight deck revealed that the Fujian is currently hosting five mock-ups: a KJ-600 airborne early warning and control aircraft, two fourth-generation J-15 carrier-based fighters, a fifth-generation J-35 fighter that is still in some stage of development, and a JL-10J advanced jet trainer and light combat aircraft.

Thanks to @QwaSkkn2447 I missed, that there is not only the KJ-600, J-15 & J-35 but altogether 5 mock-ups including a second J-15 and the JL-10J. pic.twitter.com/cLIQim5iKO  @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) April 16, 2024

The mock-ups appear to simulate where the aircraft would be on the carrier's deck. The pictures also show the Fujian's catapult system, designed to launch aircraft much like the US Navy's aircraft carriers. The Fujian is China's first carrier to feature this technology, as previous carriers have launched aircraft with ski jumps, upward ramps at the end of the deck. China's two other carriers, the Liaoning and Shandong, both feature ski jumps.

Back in January, Chinese state media showed aerial footage of the Fujian featuring three catapult tracks and an aircraft mock-up. Catapult launch systems are much more effective than ski jumps, easing the strain of takeoff on the aircraft and allowing for the launch of larger fixed-wing planes with heavier payloads and more fuel.

The Chinese carrier relies on conventional power, as opposed to nuclear like US carriers, and steam turbines, but the ship's catapults are electromagnetic, like those on the US Navy's new Ford-class aircraft carriers.

The Fujian's catapults are a notable jump in technology. The Department of Defense said in 2019 in its annual China military power report that the carrier's "design will enable it to support additional fighter aircraft, fixed-wing early-warning aircraft, and more rapid flight operations."

Before the carrier's launch, experts said that the ship would "significantly upgrade China's naval capabilities." These features allow the Chinese navy to tap the full potential of the heavy J-15, and launch assets like early warning planes for greater situational awareness in combat.

CHINESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER, JIANGNAN SHIPYARDS, CHINA, JUNE 18, 2022: Maxar satellite imagery close up view of CV 18 Fujian Aircraft Carrier, Shanghai, China. Satellite image (c) 2022 Maxar Technologies

The new images of the Fujian come as the aircraft carrier, the Chinese PLAN's third and by far most advanced, is expected to head out on its first sea trials this year. Previous satellite images have documented extensive progress on the Fujian.

The Fujian is a major improvement in naval capability for China. Named after China's closest province to Taiwan, the carrier officially launched in June 2022. It began construction in 2018. It is still a conventionally powered carrier, but observers suspect the PLAN will develop nuclear-powered carriers in the future.

Take a close look at China's third aircraft carrier #Fujian, which was launched in Shanghai on Friday. pic.twitter.com/1dlSzAd9Mv  Global Times (@globaltimesnews) June 17, 2022

The Fujian is larger than its predecessors  likely the size of the US' old Kitty Hawk-class carriers, Matthew P. Funaiole, Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., and Brian Hart wrote for the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in June 2021.

"When the Type 003 eventually enters service, it will be a formidable addition to China's navy and allow it to more effectively project power into the Indian and Pacific Oceans," they said at the time.

Read the original article on Business Insider
CIA Director Bill Burns on Thursday said Ukraine could lose the war by the end of 2024 without more funding from the U.S., delivering his most specific comments yet on a possible defeat as Kyiv struggles against a much larger Russian army.

With the boost that would come from military assistance both practically and psychologically  Ukrainians are entirely capable of holding their own through 2024 and puncturing Putins arrogant view that time is on his side, Burns said Thursday during an event at the George W. Bush Presidential Center, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Burns argued there is a huge amount at stake for not only Ukraine, but wider European security and that of U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific.

Without supplemental assistance, this picture is a lot more dire, and there is a very real risk that the Ukrainians could lose on the battlefield by the end of 2024. Or at least put Putin in a position where he could essentially dictate the terms of a political settlement, he continued.

Burns has previously warned that without Congress passing any supplemental aid for Ukraine, the embattled nation would struggle against Russian forces. Other Biden administration officials have also warned that Ukraine faces a grim future without more U.S. help, but have yet to place a specific timeline on a potential Ukrainian defeat.

Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, press secretary for the Pentagon, said Thursday that the U.S. was focused on getting Ukraine the assistance it needs, when asked about the CIA directors comments.

What were focused on right now is ensuring that we can get Ukraine the assistance that it needs, Ryder told reporters. The Ukrainians have demonstrated their resilience and their courage under fire. We have no reason to think thats going to change. But we also understand the dire situation there right now.

Pressure has mounted on Congress in recent months to pass additional funding for Ukraine to fend off Russias invasion. Sharp divisions among lawmakers have stalled aid from passing for more than a year, with mostly far-right lawmakers expressing concern about continuing to fund Ukraine.

In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) unveiled a series of foreign aid bills this week that would include funding for Ukraine, Israel, allies in the Indo-Pacific and other national security priorities. Votes on separate portions of the package are expected by this weekend.

The bills follow months of delays after Johnson rejected the Senates $95 billion foreign aid bill, which would have provided about $60 billion in aid to Ukraine. Several Republicans have lambasted further aid for Ukraine, arguing U.S. funding should go toward domestic issues, including the countrys southern border.

Congress has not passed a Ukraine aid package since the end of 2022, and all available funds dried up around the end of 2023, leaving Kyiv in a perilous position with depleting air defenses and artillery, both crucial in the war.

Russia is now advancing on the battlefield across eastern Ukraine, taking the town of Avdiivka in February and threatening now to seize Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region, which could provide Russian forces a path toward bigger cities.

The Institute for the Study of War also assessed this week that Russia is gaining the initiative on the battlefield because of the delayed U.S. aid and predicted that without any more assistance, the Ukrainians could lose significant ground this year and in 2025.

Burns on Thursday said how Congress chooses to act will send a larger message to the U.S.s adversaries and allies.

This is really a question of whether or not our adversaries understand our reliability and determination and whether our allies and partners [understand] that as well, he said. So the consequences are enormous right now for what the House of Representatives is considering.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, April 18. Uzbekistan and Tajikistan plan to increase the volume of trade turnover to $2 billion, including by expanding the range of mutual supplies and launching border trade zones as soon as possible, Trend reports.

According to the Uzbek president's office, the matter was discussed during a meeting in Dushanbe between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan and President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan.



The parties agreed that the volume of commercial turnover has increased 40 times in recent years, while the number of joint ventures has increased 15 times.



Both parties focused on developing political dialogue, improving commercial and economic cooperation, expanding interregional relations, and fostering cultural and humanitarian interchange.



Furthermore, the presidents of the two nations agreed to continue constructive collaboration within regional and international frameworks in order to promote interests and secure long-term development in Central Asia.

They emphasized that the signing of the historic Treaty on Allied Relations symbolizes the transition to a qualitatively new stage in Uzbek-Tajik relations.

Both parties discussed a portfolio of new cooperation projects and trade contracts in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, energy, mining, agricultural, textile, and pharmaceutical industries.

The sides also outlined plans for the implementation of cooperation projects. The countries will utilize the potential of the joint investment company for this purpose.

At the end of the meeting, the President of Uzbekistan invited Tajikistan's President to visit the country.
CIA director warns Ukraine could lose war with Russia by the end of the year unless US sends more aid

CIA Director Bill Burns on Thursday warned that unless US sends more military support, Ukraine could lose the war against Russia by the end of the year.

His comments mark one of the starkest warnings to date from the Biden administration on the stakes in Ukraine as Congress debates whether to approve a long-delayed aid package to Kyiv.

Just a month ago, Burns had warned in testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee that if Congress did not move to authorize additional support  long hampered by conservative opposition in the House of Representatives  Ukraine is likely to lose ground and probably significant ground in 2024.

But on Thursday during an appearance at the George W. Bush Center, he warned that Ukraine could be forced to capitulate entirely.

With the boost that would come from military assistance, both practically and psychologically, I think the Ukrainians are entirely capable of holding their own through 2024, Burns said.

Without supplemental assistance, the picture is a lot more dire, he continued. There is a very real risk that the Ukrainians could lose on the battlefield by the end of 2024, or at least put Putin in a position where he could dictate the terms of a political settlement.

The warning comes as the Biden administration is trying to seize an unexpected political opportunity on Capitol Hill to push the House to pass the long-stalled aid package. The legislation also includes aid for Israel, and as a result, House Speaker Mike Johnson has been under pressure to move the package after the Iranian attack on Israel over the weekend. In an effort to satisfy divided factions of the GOP, some of whom support and some of whom oppose aid for Ukraine, he has split the legislation into separate bills and the Ukraine aid portion is expected to come up for a vote on Saturday night.

Burns on Thursday did not detail further how he defined lose, and one source familiar with Western intelligence noted to CNN that if the package doesnt pass, officials still believe Russia is unlikely to overrun Ukraine from coast to coast.

But Russia could retake significant additional territory then effectively freeze the battlelines in place in a de facto ceasefire, similar to what happened after Moscow annexed the Ukrainian territory of Crimea in 2014. That would still be deemed a loss.

Burns detailed the dire need for basic ammunition that Ukraine faces on the battlefield. He recounted that two brigades  2,000-plus man units  had 15 artillery rounds per day and a grand total of 42 mortar rounds, respectively.

They were overwhelmed, and it wasnt for lack of bravery or determination on their part, and my worry is that were going to see more Avdiivkas in the future without supplemental assistance, Burns said, referring to a Ukrainian city recently lost to Russian advances.

Ukraines shortage of ammunition and military equipment resulting from the US and its allies struggle to resupply the countrys military has had an increasingly dire effect on the battlefield, CNN has previously reported.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
CLEVELAND (WJW)  The FOX 8 I-Team has uncovered more details about a shooting inside a City of Cleveland Public Works garage.

A 911 call showed a witness saying a man had been shot and a woman had a gun.

The shooting left a streets department supervisor seriously hurt and a woman taken into custody.

Where NWS will survey for tornadoes following storms

It happened before dawn at a service garage on East 65th Street. Its a big garage that crews use for heavy equipment involved in snow plowing, patching potholes and more.

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Weve learned the supervisor was shot twice and sent to the hospital.

Multiple sources say a woman walked into the garage, then opened fire. Police said they took a woman into custody.

On Friday, the Fox 8 I-Team learned that there are no charges yet on the suspect, but she is being held under investigation for the shooting, robbery and tampering with evidence.

A union leader with Laborers Local 860 spoke out.

Our prayers are with the family and himself, and we hope for a speedy recovery to get back to work. But, it is tragic, Bobby Mendel said. Its bothersome that our members are vulnerable. All city employees. Anyone, at any given time, can walk up into a city garage and do something like this.

I-Team: RTA did not know driver was wanted before bus crash

Weve learned the suspect and victim knew each other, but police have not said what led to the shooting.

EMS took the victim to the emergency room in serious condition, but he is expected to recover.

We will update this story with any charges against the suspect.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
Editor's note: City Hall Insider is a roundup of items on which the Austin City Council is voting, other local government news and an inside look at the reporting process.

This story was updated after the Austin City Council voted.

I was recently thinking about one of the first stories I was assigned in journalism school. It was nearing July 4 weekend, and my new editor told me I was going to write about gas prices.

Determined to impress her, I spent a ridiculous amount of time crafting a lede I was very proud of. Something to the tune of: Fireworks aren't the only thing skyrocketing this weekend. Gas prices are expected to reach their highest July 4 weekend rates since 2014. (It's terrible, I know.)

It's safe to say my editor did not feel as strongly about the lede as I did and immediately replaced it with something much more straightforward, and she was 100% correct in doing so. That same editor, who grew to become one of my closest mentors, taught me that sometimes less is more.

Sometimes you don't need an extra-wordy sentence or a snappy lede; you just need to show why and how something will impact people.

I thought a lot about that this week coming out of the city's financial forecast meeting. There was so much data, so many numbers that to an onlooker could make no sense whatsoever, and I could feel a reader's eyes glaze over trying to take in all the information.

So, rather than try to explain the specific ins and outs of the precarious financial situation the city is likely to be in over the next few years, I tried my best to paint the bigger picture of the issue and what this could mean for Austin residents.

I'll also break down some of the other big ticket items the Austin City Council has voted on.

Let's get into it.

Austin has a money problem

The bottom line is: Money is going to get tight for the city over the next few years.

Sales tax revenue is falling short of projections after a post-social distancing spending surge; a state-imposed property tax rate cap hinders the city's ability to adopt an annual rate 3.5% greater that the previous year without voter approval; and one-time federal funding such as American Rescue Plan Act dollars will dry up over the next few years.

The city is looking at a structural imbalance in its general fund budget, which means its expenses are projected to exceed revenue.

General fund expenses cover everything from employee salary and benefit increases  which city staff members on Tuesday projected would be a large cost driver  to money for several departments such as police and fire.

For the current fiscal year, which began Oct. 1 and will end Sept. 30, the city estimates it will receive $1.4 billion in general fund revenue but come in $3.8 million below what was projected. While this isn't ideal, it is a small fraction of a growing deficit officials are projecting over the next five years.

Austin's projected general fund deficit.

The city's general fund deficit will increase fourfold from next year's budget to fiscal year 2028-29, coming in at $59.9 million in the red that year, according to city staff projections.

Property taxes are critical for the general fund, expected to account for 47.2% of its revenue this fiscal year, according to city projections. Sales taxes come in second, estimated at 26.6% of general fund revenue this year.

While the city will look for cost-cutting and revenue-generating measures in the short term, Kerri Lang with the city's financial office said Tuesday that there will probably need to be further conversations with the City Council about periodic tax rate elections, which would allow the city to adopt rates higher than the state limit and could help offset costs if approved.

All of these changes will rest on the shoulders of Austin's next city manager, who will start in early May, just a few months before the City Council will vote on next fiscal year's budget.

Marshalling Yard extension

The council voted Thursday to extend operations of the Marshalling Yard, a warehouse the city converted into a homeless shelter last year.

It was initially slated to be open only until July 1, but the City Council approved a $500,000 contract to extend that to March 2025. The shelter is owned by the city and operated by the nonprofit Endeavors.

The city initially asked for $1 million to keep the shelter in operation. That number was cut back by an amendment filed by District 5 Council Member Ryan Alter.

David Gray, the city's homeless strategy officer, said he thinks $500,000 is the floor for keeping the shelter open through the agreed upon date and said he supported the amendment.

While discussing the item, some council members said they would like to see a plan for replacement sheltering before the city begins the process of closing the shelter.

Alter's amendment also directs the city manager to provide a ramp-down plan and regular updates to the Public Health Committee.

In February, residents of the Marshalling Yard voiced concerns about the shelter's living conditions, complaining about a lack of nutritious meals and an unsanitary state.

Gray, after that meeting in February, said he took those concerns seriously but disputed claims of uncleanliness.

In March, the city announced it was partnering with the Central Texas Food Bank to provide healthier meals.

Airport expansion project funding

The council approved a $162 million design-build contract with JE Dunn Construction Co. for a new central utility plant facility to support the expansion of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

Read More: Austin airport kicks off construction of $164 million, 3-gate expansion

"It will utilize current efficiency technology, equipment, and operational processes to provide reliable, redundant, and resilient service for the existing and future cooling and heating loads," city documents state.

The current heating and cooling plant is not big enough to meet the expected load that will come with the expansion, and equipment cannot be added to the current building, according to city documents.

My colleague, American-Statesman transportation reporter Chase Rogers, will have more on this soon.

More time for speakers at council meetings?

If I had to guess, I'd say Bill Bunch is probably having a good week.

Bunch, the executive director of the Save Our Springs Alliance and a frequent speaker at City Council meetings, has had judges take his side in two lawsuits against the city within a matter of days.

The first lawsuit, on which Bunch was one of the attorneys, put the brakes on Austin's plan to use up to $354 million in tax revenue for infrastructure projects in the redevelopment of the South Central Waterfront area.

Read More: Judge halts Austin's plan to use tax revenue for Lady Bird Lake redevelopment

The second lawsuit, at least on Thursday, gave speakers at the City Council meeting more time to share their thoughts on items up for vote.

Bunch had filed a lawsuit against the council and the city claiming that the Texas Open Meetings Act was being violated because members of the public were not being given enough time to speak on agenda items.

Travis County District Judge Madeleine Connor granted a temporary restraining order for Thursday's meeting, and speakers had three minutes apiece to testify about each agenda item on which they had signed up to speak. No speakers maxed out the time, but several spoke longer than usual.

A hearing to extend the order is expected to be next Thursday, according to a news release from the SOS Alliance.

If you've made it this far, thank you for following along! I hope you'll continue reading "City Hall Insider," published the day of every Austin City Council meeting, which is usually biweekly. In the meantime, I will continue my coverage of local government and politics. To share additional tips or insight, email me at emccarthy@statesman.com. You can also find me on X, formerly Twitter, @byEllaMcCarthy.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin, Texas: budget deficit, Marshalling Yard extension and more
City jobs without a college degree in Fresno. Heres a few and where you can find them

The City of Fresno is hiring in positions that could provide valuable experience for a future teaching career, just one of the job openings we found that doesnt require a college degree.

Another position posted by the city could lead to a lucrative career as an air conditioning technician at union-level wages.

Getting a good job and career doesnt have to mean going to a four-year college. There are also apprenticeship opportunities in Fresno that could lead to a lucrative career as a plumber or electrician.

Take a look at the some open city positions we found here.

Position: Services Aide for PARCS Sports

Department: Play and Active Recreation Department

Salary: $19.50 and hour

Requirements: Two years of study at an institution of higher education (48 units), or documentation of participation in the No Child Left Behind compliance act.

Job description: Provide Instruction students from kindergarten to eighth grade in physical education activities, supervise snack time, provide homework support and help with rule enforcement.

Application deadline: June 30 by going to www.fresno.gov/jobs.

Position: Air Conditioning Mechanic

Department: Citywide

Salary: In line with membership in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 100.

Requirements: Completion of a state recognized accredited air conditioning/refrigeration mechanic apprenticeship program and one year of a journey-level experience maintaining and repairing commercial and/or industrial refrigeration, heating, or a combination of education and additional work experience

Application deadline: Jobs are open until filled or a sufficient number of applications have been received. Go to www.fresno.gov/jobs.
Lebanon Cemetery, in North York, became the first Civil War Trails site in York, according to a news release provided by Melissa Beaverson of Explore York. The multi-state Civil War Trails program offers more than 1,500 sites for travelers, enabling them to stand in the footsteps of historic events and people.

The Friends of Lebanon Cemetery and the Lebanon Cemetery Company unveiled the marker during a dedication of headstones for five veterans on April 13. The groups worked with the National Cemetery Association and local office of Veterans Affairs.

More than 100 visitors and volunteers were present for the Military Headstone Dedication.

Joseph Richburg, Operations Manager for Lebanon Cemetery, reads the new Civil War Trails sign which recounts the story of Reverend Jesse S. Cowles and helps visitors find the other graves of African American Civil War veterans.

Samantha Dorm, adviser for the Friends of Lebanon Cemetery, said, The Cemetery's inclusion in the Civil War Trails program not only honors the memory of those laid to rest here, but also serves as a gathering place of inspiration and learning for current and future generations.

The new marker was made possible thanks to a partnership between the Friends of Lebanon Cemetery, Explore York, and Civil War Trails, Inc. The Friends provided a wealth of information to help create the new interpretive sign now located just inside the cemetery gates off on North George Street. A grant offered by Explore York covered the initial costs. Explore York will also cover the annual membership fee associated with the Civil War Trails program. This ensures ongoing sign maintenance and promotion of the program, Beaverson said.

The Civil War Trails program has been expanding its footprint into Pennsylvania, the sixth state to join the initiative. There are 12 new sites under development in York County, but this is the first to be added in the city. Were thrilled to have this program in York County, Beaverson added.

More photos at Lebanon Cemetery: Honoring once lost Black veterans (2022)

Jamaal Lampkin, left, and Director Daniel Devine from the National Cemetery Administration, a division of the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs stands with the sign after the unveiling.

Lebanon Cemetery, located at 1412 N. George St., is administered by the Lebanon Cemetery Company. Together with The Friends, they work to honor the early African American community members from York County.

To find out more about Lebanon Cemetery, visit friendsoflebanoncemetery.com For more information about Civil War Trails , visit CivilWarTrails.org.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Civil War Trails site unveiled in North York PA at Lebanon Cemetery
PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA)  A boat tour captain was arrested after he fell overboard while impaired with 30 people onboard, according to an affidavit.

John Beckwith, 53, of Tarpon Springs was the captain of the Fun Boat Ice Cream Boat on the afternoon of Friday, April 12.

5 dead cats, 28 animals seized from Lakeland home, woman charged: PCSO

Employees working on the tour boat said Beckwith arrived to work stumbling, with food all over his face. Witnesses said he was so drunk that he fell off the boat.

The affidavit said the boat was carrying 30 people attending the boat tour.

Clearwater police responded to the incident and had Beckwith do a field sobriety test. Beckwiths alcohol breath sample came back as .118 and .115, around double the legal blood alcohol content level.

The documents show that he has a history of operating vehicles while impaired, as he has a 2004 conviction out of Michigan for operating while impaired in a vehicle and a 2018 conviction out of Arizona for an unknown disposition for extreme DUI.

Beckwith was arrested and charged with boating under the influence on a $500 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on April 30 at 1:30 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  A Clearwater woman who had no valid drivers license crashed an unregistered car Wednesday morning while fleeing from troopers, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Krashanta Nicole Barnes, 34, was allegedly weaving in and out of traffic on I-275 just before noon when she almost hit a fuel tanker, troopers said. She then slowed down to about 35 mph in a 65 mph zone, causing other drivers to have to swerve around her.

Man with weapons, gas tanks in car threatened to drive into FDOT building in Tampa, police say

A trooper attempted to pull Barnes over for reckless driving when she evaded the trooper for about 5 miles, FHP said. She eventually crashed in the area of Gandy Boulevard North and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street North.

Courtesy: Florida Highway Patrol

Courtesy: Florida Highway Patrol

Courtesy: Florida Highway Patrol

Courtesy: Florida Highway Patrol

The vehicle she was driving had a temporary tag attached to it that was not registered to that vehicle, according to troopers. Barnes also had no valid drivers license and four prior suspensions  one in 2013, two in 2014, and one as recent as this month.

The woman was taken to a hospital and charges are pending, troopers said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, April 18. The President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon have signed a Treaty of Allied Relations following high-level negotiations, according to the Uzbek president's administration, Trend reports.

Additionally, a ceremony for the exchange of bilateral documents took place in the presence of the heads of state.

To note, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev is on a state visit to Tajikistan on April 1819, at the invitation of Emomali Rahmon.

Furthermore, the trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan amounted to $118.5 million from January to February 2024. The export reached $79.4 million, while the import was $39.1 million.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Things got physical when a group of climate protesters clashed with other event-goers at a gala hosted by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) on Thursday. Several activists were pushed off stage and fell on top of one another while resisting attempts by the event attendees to remove them.

Murkowski was giving a speech at the Bryce Harlow Foundations awards ceremony when she was suddenly interrupted by about 10-12 climate protesters, who rushed the stage and took over, according to a source who attended the event.

Climate Defiance, the protest organizer, posted a video of the scuffle on social media.

We just shut down a gala honoring U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, the post reads. As Chevrons top lobbyist gave her an award, we stepped in and stopped the ceremony. Respect us or expect us.

BREAKING: We just shut down a gala honoring U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski. Murkowski is a murderer. She incinerates us to enrich her cronies. As Chevron's top lobbyist gave her an award, we stepped in and stopped the ceremony. Respect us or expect us.  pic.twitter.com/Q72mHerpdg  Climate Defiance (@ClimateDefiance) April 18, 2024

Murkowski was nowhere to be seen in the video, but several men in suits who were attending the event could be seen grappling with a few protesters, one of whom was holding up a banner. While the guests attempted to remove the activists, the protester was pushed backwards over a table by the crush of people before they were all sent tumbling to the floor in a pile.

The climate protesters were swiftly removed from the event and Murkowski finished giving her speech, a source who witnessed the event confirmed.

Murkowski received the foundations Bryce Harlow award, which is meant to honor an elected official whose career is built on championing the principles of integrity, dedication and professionalism, according to the foundations website. Past recipients of the award include prominent figures from both parties, such as Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA).

In their post about the protest, Climate Defiance accused Murkowski of pretending to care about climate change while allegedly fueling the climate crisis.

Murkowski brands herself as a moderate but in truth she is an ecocidal pyromaniac. She fought tooth and nail to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to big oil. Is nothing sacred? it fumed.

Earlier that day, Murkowski had tweeted her support of a National Science Foundation grant to the University of Alaska for a five-year climate study.

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.
Clinton man sentenced for 2022 double shooting that killed two men

CLINTON, Mo.  A 21-year-old Clinton, Missouri man is sentenced for a 2022 double shooting that left two men dead.

Henry County prosecutors said Airic Brauer was sentenced Wednesday to serve a total of 16 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.

Young boy dies after accidental shooting in Kansas City: police

In January, Brauer was found guilty by a jury for voluntary manslaughter and armed criminal action. He was sentenced to 10 years for the voluntary manslaughter charge and 6 years for the armed criminal action charge.

On Sunday, July 17, 2022, an officer with the Clinton Police Department located multiple vehicles in a gravel parking lot in the area of Artesian Park near the Rogers Street entrance.

Upon further inspection, the bodies of two men, identified as 18-year-old Mason Roskop and 21-year-old Mitchell Andrew Raines, both of Clinton, were found dead with multiple gunshot wounds.

Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android

Brauer was later taken into custody near the scene.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
By Francois Murphy

VIENNA (Reuters) - As its 2015 nuclear deal with major powers has eroded over the years, Iran has expanded and accelerated its nuclear programme, reducing the time it would need to build a nuclear bomb if it chose to, though it denies wanting to.

A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander said on Thursday that Iran could review its "nuclear doctrine" amid Israeli threats. While it was unclear exactly what he meant, and that term tends to refer to countries that, unlike Iran, have nuclear weapons, below is an outline of where Iran stands.

COLLAPSE OF THE DEAL AND BREAKOUT TIME

The 2015 deal introduced strict limits on Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions against Tehran. It slashed Iran's stock of enriched uranium, leaving it only with a small amount enriched to up to 3.67% purity, far from the roughly 90% purity that is weapons grade.

The United States said at the time that a main aim was to increase the time Iran would need to produce enough fissile material for a nuclear bomb - the biggest single hurdle in a weapons programme - to at least a year.

In 2018 then-President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the deal, reimposing sanctions on Tehran that slashed its oil sales and battered its economy. In 2019, Iran started breaching the restrictions on its nuclear activities and then pushed far beyond them.

It has now breached all the deal's key restrictions, including on where, with what machines and to what level it can enrich uranium, as well as how much material it can stockpile.

Its stock of enriched uranium, which was capped at 202.8 kg under the deal, stood at 5.5 tonnes in February, according to the latest quarterly report by the U.N. nuclear watchdog that inspects Iran's enrichment plants.

Iran is now enriching uranium to up to 60% purity and has enough material enriched to that level, if enriched further, for two nuclear weapons, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency's theoretical definition.

That means Iran's so-called "breakout time" - the time it would need to produce enough weapons-grade uranium for a nuclear bomb - is close to zero, likely a matter of weeks or days.

The IAEA inspects Iran's declared enrichment sites: an above-ground plant and a larger, underground one at its Natanz complex and another buried inside a mountain at Fordow.

As a result of Iran ceasing to implement elements of the deal, the IAEA can no longer fully monitor Iran's production and inventory of centrifuges, machines that enrich uranium, and it can no longer conduct snap inspections. That has prompted speculation about whether Iran could have set up a secret enrichment site, but there are no concrete indications of one.

WEAPONISATION

Aside from uranium enrichment, there is the question of how long it would take Iran to produce the rest of a nuclear weapon and potentially make it small enough to put in a delivery system like a ballistic missile, should it choose to. This is much harder to estimate as it is less clear how much knowledge Iran has.

U.S. intelligence agencies and the IAEA believe Iran had a coordinated nuclear weapons programme that it halted in 2003. It worked on aspects of weaponisation and some work continued until as late as 2009, the IAEA found in a 2015 report.

Iran denies ever having a nuclear weapons programme, though Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has said that if it wanted to world leaders "wouldn't be able to stop us".

Estimates of how long Iran would need for weaponisation generally vary between months and about a year.

In March 2023 the top U.S. military officer at the time, General Mark Milley, testified to Congress that weaponisation would take Iran several months, though he did not say what that assessment was based on.

In a quarterly report in February this year, the IAEA said: "Public statements made in Iran regarding its technical capabilities to produce nuclear weapons only increase the Director General's concerns about the correctness and completeness of Iran's safeguards declarations."

Diplomats said those statements included a television interview by Iran's former nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi in which he likened producing a nuclear weapon to building a car, and said Iran knew how to make the parts needed.

(Reporting by Francois Murphy; Editing by Frances Kerry)
Stranded airline passengers and a cat submerged in floodwaters clinging to a car door handle became notable moments this week in Dubai as the normally arid city was inundated with historic levels of rain. Claims have gone viral that the deluge was brought on by cloud seeding, a technique that aims to increase precipitation, that is heavily utilized in the United Arab Emirates.

But is it really to blame?

Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, said that getting to the bottom of the "record-shattering extreme rainfall" requires breaking down the science behind the event and the technique.

"There's currently a disconnect in the online discourse between the kind of human activities that likely did affect it (greenhouse warming) versus those which have actually been the focus of the online conversation thus far (cloud seeding), and what this means for how we collectively understand our ability to actively affect the weather on different spatial and temporal scales," he said in an emailed statement.

What is cloud seeding?

Many have questioned since the downpour in Dubai whether cloud seeding was to blame. But what is cloud seeding and how does it work exactly?

Cloud seeding is a technique used to improve precipitation. According to the Desert Research Institute, scientists do this by putting tiny particles called nuclei into the atmosphere that attach to clouds.

"These nuclei provide a base for snowflakes to form. After cloud seeding takes place, the newly formed snowflakes quickly grow and fall from the clouds back to the surface of the Earth, increasing snowpack and streamflow," the institute says.

In the Middle East, instead of precipitation in the form of snow, its cloud seeding program generates increased rain.

Scientists typically go about cloud seeding in two ways  using either generators on the ground or distributing the nuclei via aircraft.

A driver walks along a flooded highway after a rainstorm in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. / Credit: Christopher Pike/Bloomberg via Getty Images

What caused the rain in Dubai?

But was the rain in Dubai from cloud seeding?

"Did cloud seeding play a role? Likely no," Swain said. "But how about climate change? Likely yes!"

The world is continuing to see month after month of record-breaking heat and 2023 was the hottest year globally ever recorded. Scientists have found that warmer temperatures increase evaporation, resulting in more frequent and intense storms, such as the one that occurred in Dubai. Those conditions also fuel other extreme weather events, including droughts, putting opposing forces at intense odds that will likely strain communities without adequate adaptation.

Andrew Kruczkiewicz, senior researcher at Columbia Climate School, told CBS News he doesn't believe there's any current evidence at this time that cloud seeding pushed the downpour over the edge.

"This event was forecast fairly well days in advance and I think it's unlikely that a cloud seeding operation would move forward given the well-forecast intense rainfall," he said.

The nation's National Emergency Crisis and Management Authority issued weather warnings on Monday before the storm's arrival, urging people to comply with local instructions from authorities and asking them to stay at home and only leave in the case of an emergency.

Meteorologist Ryan Maue, former chief scientist at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, gave the Associated Press a more definitive answer: "It's most certainly not cloud seeding."

"If that occurred with cloud seeding, they'd have water all the time," he said. "...when it comes to controlling individual rain storms, we are not anywhere close to that. And if we were capable of doing that, I think we would be capable of solving many more difficult problems than creating a rain shower over Dubai."

The deluge, he said, "speaks more to questions around what are the resilience measures that are integrated into the urban planning standard operating procedures."

"Almost everywhere on Earth there is a risk of flash flooding," he said. "Yet, since it's not the most frequent type of extreme event, sometimes it's lower on the priority list when decisions need to be made around infrastructure or resilience, or just urban development more broadly."

How significant was the flooding in Dubai?

More than 5.59 inches of rain fell over Dubai within 24 hours. While a half-foot of rain may not seem like much numerically, that's more than what the city sees in an average year, and other parts of the UAE saw even higher levels.

It was a "historic weather event," the state-run WAM news agency said, adding that it was beyond "anything documented since the start of data collection in 1949."

Dubai is normally dry and with a downpour like this being so unprecedented, the city's infrastructure was not prepared. The drainage systems were overwhelmed and Dubai International Airport, one of the busiest in the world, had to temporarily halt operations. One plane passenger told Reuters many people were waiting more than 12 hours to be able to resume travel. Footage from the airport shows planes taxiing in eerie floodwaters.

"Over a year's worth of rainfall was experienced in just a few hours," Kruczkiewicz told CBS News. "And why that's important to to understand is that when you see this amount of rainfall in semi-arid arid area, the soil isn't designed to filter the water as fast as in other areas. ... You don't need that much water falling or rainfall falling in a short period of time to cause major issues."

Is cloud seeding effective?

According to the Desert Research Institute, how effective cloud seeding is depends on the specific project in which it's being used. Citing several studies, the institute said it's helped increase overall snowpack in some areas by at least 10% per year. Another study found that a five-year project in New South Wales, Australia resulted in a 14% snowfall increase.

The UAE's National Center of Meteorology launched the Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science to advance the technology, saying that for dryer regions across the world, cloud seeding "could offer a viable, cost-effective supplement to existing water supplies." Many regions even beyond the Middle East have been suffering from water scarcity issues, including Colombia, Mexico and Hawaii.

Protesters gather outside Columbia University after its president testifies about antisemitism

Israeli missile hits Iran, U.S. officials confirm

Dubai struggles to recover from record flooding event
Santa Monica Mayor Phil Brock speaks at a news conference organized by the Californians for Safer Communities Coalition, Thursday, April 18, 2024, in Culver City, Calif. The coalition, backed by retailers like Walmart and Target, announced Thursday it has collected enough signatures to put a ballot measure before California voters this November to enhance criminal penalties for shoplifting and drug dealing. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  A coalition backed by retailers like Walmart and Target announced Thursday it has collected enough signatures to put a ballot measure before California voters this November to enhance criminal penalties for shoplifting and drug dealing.

Californians for Safer Communities, a bipartisan group made up of law enforcement, elected officials and businesses, said it has collected more than 900,000 signatures in support of the measure to roll back parts of Proposition 47. The progressive ballot measure approved by 60% of state voters in 2014 reduced certain theft and drug possession offenses from felonies to misdemeanors to help address overcrowding in jails.

In recent years, Proposition 47 has become the focus of critics who say California is too lax on crime. Videos of large-scale thefts, in which groups of individuals brazenly rush into stores and take goods in plain sight, have often gone viral. The California Retailers Association said its challenging to quantify the issue in California because many stores dont share their data.

Crime data shows the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles saw a steady increase in shoplifting between 2021 and 2022, according to a study by the non-partisan Public Policy Institute of California. Across the state, shoplifting rates rose during the same time period but were still lower than the pre-pandemic levels in 2019, while commercial burglaries and robberies have become more prevalent in urban counties, the study says.

The ballot measure would create harsher penalties for repeat shoplifters and fentanyl dealers. Shoplifters would be charged with a felony, regardless of the amount stolen, if they have at least two prior theft convictions. It also would create a new drug court treatment program for those with multiple drug possession convictions, among other things. More than 800 people died from fentanyl overdoses in San Francisco last year, a record for the city.

California's approach to crime is poised to be a major political issue in November's election. Beyond the ballot measure, Democratic San Francisco Mayor London Breed faces a tough reelection bid against competitors who say she's allowed the city to spiral out of control. Meanwhile, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price faces a recall election, and Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon faces a challenger who has criticized his progressive approach to crime and punishment.

Top Democratic state leaders, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, have repeatedly shut down calls to repeal Proposition 47. Newsom argued California already has tools to sufficiently go after criminals and urged lawmakers to bolster existing laws and go after motor vehicle thefts and resellers of stolen merchandise. Lawmakers have introduced a slew of bills aiming to tackle retail theft and online resellers.

Opponents of the ballot initiative called the effort a misinformation campaign by giant retailers that would undo criminal justice progress in the state.

We must invest in smart solutions that prevent retail theft and promote long-term public safety, not the same failed strategies that exploded our prison populations and cost taxpayers billions without making our communities safer, Cristine Soto Deberry, executive director of Prosecutors Alliance of California, said in a statement.

The ballot measure campaign, which has raised at least $5.4 million as of early April, is mostly funded by large retailers. It has received $2.5 million from Walmart, $1 million from Home Depot and $500,000 from Target. The measure also has support from district attorneys and more than 30 local elected officials  including Breed and San Jose's Democratic mayor.

Lana Negrete, vice mayor of Santa Monica and a business owner, said she's considering closing down her family's two music stores in the area after nine smash-and-grabs in the last four years. Negrete, a Democrat, said she voted for Proposition 47 and supported its progressive approach, but the measure has allowed for some criminals to skirt punishments while businesses are hurting.

Nobody's being held accountable, Negrete said. Weve been robbed by the same person more than once, and that person, under the current structure and criminal justice system now, is walking the streets free.

Her 52-year-old family business has lost more than $300,000 in merchandise loss and building repairs in the last few years, Negrete said. Some have advised Negrete start hiring armed security.

We teach music lessons to children, I dont need to have a guard in front of my store, she said. Thats not how it was when we started this business, and its sad to see it go that way.

County and state officials must now verify the signatures before the measure is officially placed on the ballot. The ballot measure campaign needs at least 546,651 signatures to qualify for the November ballot.
Members of the antiwar group Code Pink told Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Wednesday to "stop supporting mass murder" over the Biden administration's support of Israel as it continues to battle Hamas terrorists.

Austin was leaving a House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing where he and other leaders testified about the Department of Defense fiscal 2025 budget request when Code Pink members voiced their discontent with U.S. policy toward Israel.

"We feel that he knows better than to say this is not a genocide and he knows that Israel is violating international law and U.S. law, and so he should stand up and say that and not be collaborating with the Israeli military as so many thousands of civilians have been killed and more are being killed every single day," Code Pink founder Medea Benjamin told Fox News Digital.

In videos posted to X, Austin is seen coming out of the committee hearing as Code Pink members wait in a hallway.

'NOTHING WOULD REMAIN': IRAN'S PRESIDENT VOWS TO COMPLETELY DESTROY ISRAEL IF IT LAUNCHES 'TINIEST INVASION'

Members of the antiwar activist group Code Pink with their hands painted red to symbolize blood and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The group confronted Austin on Wednesday to demand the U.S. stop supporting Israel.

"The world is not safer," one person is heard saying as Austin walks away.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

"Stop supporting mass murder," said another.

"Israel struck the Iranian consulate in Damascus. Israel has instigated wider conflict," one person is heard saying off camera. "Iran has not killed anyone yet, but if you continue to arm Israel's genocide, things will escalate."

The Israeli strike on Iran's consulate in the Syrian capital of Damascus earlier this month killed two Iranian generals and five officers, Iran has said. In response, Iran launched dozens of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), also known as drones, at Israel on Saturday, though many were destroyed and failed to reach their targets, Israeli officials said.

In addition to fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces have battled Iran-backed Hezbollah on a second front on the Israel-Lebanon border since Oct. 7.

Critics of Israel's military offensive have claimed the Jewish state is committing acts of genocide against Palestinians, which has been refuted by Israeli and American officials.

"In terms of the way that Israel is conducting itself, we condemn what Russia is doing in Ukraine and yet Israel has killed many more civilians in six months than the Russians have killed in over two years," Benjamin said.

WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCES NEW SANCTIONS ON IRAN FOLLOWING ATTACK AGAINST ISRAEL: 'THE PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE'

One Code Pink member was arrested during Wednesday's hearing, the group said on X.

"You blood on his hands," the woman, who was only referred to as Helen, said during the hearing before she was removed.

"You can take me down the hall, but you can't close my mouth! I am outraged that my country is committing genocide!" she said.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Defense.

Code Pink is known for protesting against U.S. involvement or support in various conflicts. The group describes itself as a "feminist grassroots organization working to end U.S. warfare and imperialism."

A man wails after Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City, Gaza.

Among its causes, the group opposes U.S. sanctions on Iran, Venezuela, N. Korea, Cuba, as well as torture, the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, weaponized and spy drones, and the prosecution of whistle-blowers.

"We support Palestinian rights, diplomacy, and growing local peace economies," the group states on its website.

"This conflict started 75 years ago. It didn't start on Oct. 7," said Benjamin, referring to the founding of Israel. "The Palestinian people have been dispossessed and oppressed for all these years and there will always be some kind of resistance."





Original article source: Code Pink activist disrupts Defense Secretary Austin hearing; 'You have blood on your hands'
Coe College is offering new students struggling with FAFSA delays and problems scholarships and grants to "price match" the average cost of attending a state university. (Photo by Richard Stephens via iStock / Getty Images Plus)

As issues with the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid continue to cause delays in getting financial aid to students, a Coe College program will allow certain Iowa students to attend the private college for the same price as a state university.

Coe Colleges Iowa Ready Initiative offers a guaranteed price match to the average cost of attending one of Iowas state universities in the 2023-24 school year, or $21,060. Iowan students enrolling in college for the first time will receive Coe College scholarships and grants in order to reach this number, according to a news release, and other financial aid students receive through the FAFSA and other avenues could lower the price tag even more.

In addition to being a first-time college student from Iowa fully enrolled at the Cedar Rapids college for the 2024-25 school year, qualifying students for the initiative must have a 3.0 grade-point average, visit campus by June 1, and file the FAFSA.

Like hard-working Iowans, we are dedicated to ensuring Kohawks have the best in education, resources and opportunities, regardless of FAFSA processing timelines. Those delays should not inhibit their ability to have options, said President David Hayes in the release.

According to Coe Colleges website, before any aid is applied, the colleges direct costs of education total more than $66,000 for the 2024-25 academic year.

The initiative, which will be available through June 1, was created as the new FAFSA form and processes leave students and their families unsure of the aid they will receive, if any. According to the news release, the rate of FAFSA filings is down 30% from this time last year, and in addition to the delays in financial aid information being released, other changes in what families need to put down as financial assets can negatively impact families with farms or small businesses.

Half of Coe College students are from Iowa, according to the release, and more than half of graduates stay in the state after earning their degrees. Vice President for Advancement Chantel Olufsen said in the release the problems with the FAFSA may cause fewer students to pursue higher education, which will eventually impact the workforce. Getting an education from Coe College will give students the opportunity to connect with local employers, she said.

In my 30 years in higher education, this is one of the most significant barriers Ive seen for Iowa families to make a college decision. All first-time college students need to understand the financial aid they will receive in order to make a decision, and Im pleased Iowa Ready will accomplish that, said Director of Financial Aid Barb Hoffman in the release. Knowing your cost to attend Coe will be $21,060 or less is valuable information because now its clear you have college options.

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The post Coe College to match average state university price for incoming students appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Michael Cohen called former President Trumps complaints about potentially missing his sons high school graduation due to his presence at the New York criminal hush money trial comical.

I find it not just comical, right, but I find it insulting that thats the big issue, Cohen said on the MeidasTouch Political Beatdown podcast, noting he had to miss major life events while he was serving time in prison.

Trump has taken aim at Judge Juan Merchan in recent days, suggesting the New York judge might not allow him to attend his son Barrons high school graduation in May. Merchan has delayed his decision on the matter but has not outright denied granting the former president the ability to attend the event.

Merchan did deny a request by Trump to be in Washington next week for Supreme Court oral arguments involving a matter of president immunity that Trump is claiming in other federal criminal cases.

Trump is required to attend the entirety of his trial unless he gets special permission from the judge to skip under New York state law.

Cohen, who said he was not aware Trump attended any of his childrens graduations, said he will not feel sorry for him if he misses Barrons graduation.

I missed . my 25th anniversary and my wifes 50th birthday, because I was in Otisville in part because of things that I had done at the direction of and for the benefit of Donald Trump, he said.

So before I start shedding a tear for him, for Baron and Im sure Melania is extremely excited hes not going to be there, Cohen said. Rest assured  Im not losing any sleep, nor am I going to shed a tear that Trump cant go to Barrons graduation.

Cohens suggestion that Trump did not attend the graduations of his other children has been disputed online. Law360 reporter Frank Runyeon said on social media platform X that Trump attended Eric Trumps high school graduation ceremony in 2002.

How do I know? I was there. We were classmates at The Hill School, Runyeon added.

Cohen, Trumps former fixer and personal lawyer, is expected to be a major witness in the trial that kicked off on Monday. Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records connected to reimbursements to Cohen for paying porn actor Stormy Daniels $130,000 ahead of the 2016 election.

The payment was to get her to stay quiet about an alleged affair Trump had with her in 2006 that the former president has denied.

The Hill has reached out to Trumps campaign for comment.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 is considering closing Jefferson Elementary at the end of the school year due to low enrollment, the district announced Tuesday.

The announcement follows a board of education meeting Monday night where enrollment challenges were discussed.

Following that discussion, the board directed the district to schedule three public hearings to get community input on the closure proposal, Superintendent Mark B. Skertich said in a letter sent to Jefferson families Tuesday. The dates and locations for those hearings will be shared on the districts website.

Few tasks undertaken by a school district are more difficult than considering a school closure. Throughout the process, it has been noted the positive impact Jefferson Elementary has had on generations of Kahoks. Its students, staff, families and alumni are an integral part of the community and we will navigate this challenge together, Skertich wrote.

The proposal would use St. Louis Road as the boundary for reassigning current Jefferson students to Summit and Twin Echo elementary schools. The districts goal is to minimize the impact on the students by placing them in similar sized schools nearby.

All staff would maintain their employment and continue in similar roles, the letter said.

Cited as the primary factor for the consideration to close Jefferson Elementary come May is enrollment at both Jefferson and Summit elementary schools, which is significantly smaller than enrollment at the districts other schools. This school year, Summit has a total of 72 students and Jefferson has 82. Twin Echo, the next smallest school in District 10, had 213 students enrolled in the previous year.

Projections for next year show that enrollment at each school would be less than 80, with some classes in the single digits.

Having two buildings with less than 100 students is not sustainable, Skertich wrote.

While the trends have been occurring for years, the district hasnt discussed any major changes until now because it was focused on getting students and staff back to a normal routine following the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are at the crossroads of a difficult choice. This conversation has not been easy, he continued.

Other factors in the consideration were the age, accessibility and needed improvements at both schools, including:

Lack of ADA accessibility at Jefferson Elementary, which would require at least $1 million to add an elevator, gym space and updated restrooms, while Summit Elementary would not require significant renovations.

Summits multipurpose gym and cafeteria compared to Jeffersons small cafeteria and gym space.

Room for expansion and additional parking at Summit.

Feasibility of additional bus transportation to Summit compared to limited bus access at Jefferson.

The configuration of Jefferson not allowing for the opportunity to offer services to special education students and English language learners.

In March, voters passed a tax rate referendum 3,209-2,502 allowing Collinsville District 10 to transfer funds it will get from retiring bonds issued in the early 2000s to another part of its budget. The process, known as a tax transfer, will generate about $2.3 million annually that the district will use to make critical facility improvements at the schools.

Jefferson Elementary was slated to receive safety and security updates as well as new paint and LED lights.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, April 18. Uzbekistan and Tajikistan discuss accelerating the creation of the Oybek-Fotekhobod free trade zone and the Andarkhan trade and logistics center, Trend reports.

According to the Uzbek president's office, this subject was discussed with the media during a meeting between Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.



During the summit discussions, the parties explored potential areas for expansion in industrial cooperation.



The presidents of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan evaluated cooperation projects in machine building, energy, electrical engineering, metallurgy, mining, textile, pharmaceutical, agro-industrial, and other critical areas. to be carried out by the Uzbek-Tajik Investment Company.



Both countries emphasized the need for further collaboration in the water and energy sectors.

They stressed the importance of creation of favorable conditions for increasing the transport and transit potential of the two countries, especially the volume of passenger and cargo transportation and the creation of modern border and customs infrastructure.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev is on a state visit to Tajikistan on April 1819, at the invitation of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.
The Colorado Capitol looks different than it did four years ago.

One notable addition: The ramps on the House floor didn't used to be there.

When Democratic Rep. David Ortiz of Littleton took office in 2021, he became the first Colorado legislator to use a wheelchair, highlighting critical gaps in accessibility needs in the historic building.

Although accessible ramps have been installed, the Capitol building still poses safety concerns for those using wheelchairs, as some areas are still inaccessible despite elevators.

The 41-year-old served in the U.S. Army and was left paralyzed from the waist down nine years ago after surviving a helicopter crash in Afghanistan.

Rep. David Ortiz works on the Colorado Capitol floor on April 9.

In the past four years, he has introduced 21 bills regarding disability rights, including six this year, and said Colorado's recent increase in disability rights embodies why representation matters.

"This is a club you can join any time, and by club, I mean becoming disabled," Ortiz said in a recent interview. "I can't tell you how many of my colleagues have championed disability rights bills because they see how difficult it is for me to just do my basic job in a building that's not even fully accessible itself or hear them parroting my talking points, which gives me goosebumps to hear them say this is a club we can join any time."

More: Trump trial coverage live updates: Two jurors dismissed from Trump hush money trial

Ortiz added that the real heavy lifting will happen when more people with disabilities become lawmakers.

"Whether they're blind, or deaf, or live life in a wheelchair, or have cerebral palsy  unless people like that get elected to office, our voices won't truly be represented, and that's the bottom line."

How does Colorado rank when it comes to accessibility?

Ortiz believes Colorado is leading the way in accessibility in lawmaking, although some parts of the state still lack basic accessibility.

Former Ms. Wheelchair Colorado and current Denver nurse Chris Lane, 55, agrees.

Lane was celebrating her son's 17th birthday on Oct. 28, 2016, with a rock climbing trip in Clear Creek Canyon when she slipped and fell 80 feet.

"When I hit the bottom, I was no longer the nurse  I became the patient," Lane said.

More: Disney is changing its DAS program: What guests with disabilities should know

The fall shattered Lane's wrist and T6 thoracic vertebrae. The damage to her spinal cord was so great that she became an incomplete paraplegic.

"I am 100% a wheelchair user," she said. "I have my spirit, I have my brain, I just don't have the use of my legs, and that's OK."

Former Ms. Wheelchair Colorado poses for a portrait at Brewability Lab on 3445 S. Broadway in Englewood.

Lane said that the pivotal moment for her as a new paraplegic was when she went to her local recreation center to swim using a chair lift, only to find it broken.

"I was so disappointed, and I just remember thinking, is this what my life is going to be like in a wheelchair? My first want in my life as a new paraplegic, is this really how it will be? The next day, I wrote a letter to the rec center asking to install two working chair lifts. It took a while, but they did it so I and other people could get into the pool, and that fired me up to be an advocate for those of us in wheelchairs and with disabilities."

Although her life is different than she imagined, she said she has "never been angry, I just made the best out of what I have  I get up, get out and get rolling. This community is one anyone could join anytime."

How a Colorado-born app tracks accessibility

Lane and Ortiz told the Coloradoan that utilizing technology like the Roll Mobility app has been helpful for them and others who are disabled.

Roll Mobility started in Colorado and is currently available in 37 countries on Apple and Android devices. The app was inspired by accessibility-forward establishments such as Brewability Lab, the site of Lane's recent interview with the Coloradoan, part of the USA TODAY Network. The brewery and restaurant located on South Broadway in Englewood is fully accessible to anyone with physical, developmental or intellectual disabilities.

Brewability Lab on 3445 S. Broadway in Englewood.

Roll Mobility app co-founder Rachel Zoeller said she discovered the need for an app that could track and rate the accessibility of restaurants, public spaces, businesses, trails, and parking areas after becoming a wheelchair user herself.

"Before Roll Mobility, there wasn't really a place to catalog that information," Zoeller said. "It's exhausting to live a disabled life and constantly fight for rights, so it catalogs all the experiences we are living and having. ADA is the bare minimum for what people with disabilities deserve."

'I want to enjoy some of the freedoms I've fought for.'

After four years as a lawmaker representing his community and those with disabilities, Ortiz announced he would not run for reelection.

Although he will leave at the end of his term this year, Ortiz believes his work made a lasting impact and encourages those living with a disability to get involved with politics and take his place.

"I've served, I've done my job, and I've made a lot of sacrifices to do so, and now I want to enjoy some of the freedoms I've fought for," he said.

That includes exploring the IVF process with his wife, he said.

"I'm 41 years old; I'm not trying to be Robert De Niro having a kid in his 80s, so you know that's why I'm leaving, to enjoy some of the things that are personal for me."

But that doesn't mean his advocacy work is over.

Ortiz said his "dream scenario coming back" would be working with advocacy organizations and helping them "and up their game, and lobby more effectively and efficiently and to recruit and train people to run for office."

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Rep. David Ortiz, first in a wheelchair, reveals CO accessibility gaps
New York police arrested dozens of protesters and students at Columbia University, as campus administration cracks down on pro-Palestinian protests in the aftermath of testimony by university officials before Congress.

Police cleared an encampment of demonstrators on Columbias Morningside campus on Thursday, after University President Nemat Shafik sicced law enforcement on the protest. After the demonstrators were forcefully removed from the area, university staff were seen dismantling tents and throwing away food and other provisions brought into the encampment.

Out of an abundance of concern for the safety of Columbias campus, I authorized the New York Police Department to begin clearing the encampment from the South Lawn of Morningside campus that had been set up by students in the early hours of Wednesday morning, Shafik wrote in a statement on Thursday. The current encampment violates all of the new policies [on campus protests], severely disrupts campus life, and creates a harassing and intimidating environment for many of our students, she added.

On Wednesday, Shafik testified for nearly four hours before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. In the aftermath of Hamas Oct. 7 attack on Israel  and throughout the subsequent war  Congress has leveled intense scrutiny on university administrators handling of pro-Palestinan protest movement, and often conflated solidarity with Palestinians as support for Hamas.

During her testimony, Shafik promised lawmakers that her administration was cracking down on unauthorized protests, and disciplining instances of antisemitism on campus. That promise has seemingly escalated to criminalizing the presence of peaceful protesters in order to appease lawmakers in Washington D.C.

At least three students participating in the encampment were suspended Wednesday at Shafiks direction, more suspensions are expected following Thursdays arrests. Among those disciplined was Isra Hirsi, daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and a student at Columbias Barnard College.

Rep. Omar expressed her support for the protesters in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Columbia has always had an incredible history of students fighting for a more just world and its good to see that tradition continue. As NYPD surrounds young activists, I hope their concerns are heard by school administrators and they not be criminalized, the congresswoman wrote.

Columbia has always had an incredible history of students fighting for a more just world and its good to see that tradition continue. As NYPD surrounds young activists, I hope their concerns are heard by school administrators and they not be criminalized. In solidarity  pic.twitter.com/UV8k3xltKT  Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) April 17, 2024

More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the ongoing conflict in Gaza, with the vast majority of deaths believed to be civilian, non-combatant casualties. The death toll, which is likely an undercount given the scale of the devastation, is expected to increase as the region teeters on the brink of widespread famine amid heavy restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid. Protests calling for more forceful action by the U.S. government to curb Israeli military action have erupted throughout the country, including on college campuses. In January, multiple individuals were accused of perpetrating a chemical attack at a Columbia University using skunk spray against pro-Palestinian protesters.

After being forcefully evicted or arrested by police on Thursday, protesters continued to demonstrate around Columbias campus, and while Shafiks decision to call in law enforcement may help appease lawmakers on Capitol Hill, it may have irrevocably harmed her relationship with large swaths of Columbias students and faculty.

Columbia can either be a world-class place of research and learning, or we can be an institution that resorts to law-and-order responses to protest even when theres no threat to safety or operations, but we cant be both, Joseph Howley, a classics professor, told the Columbia Spectator. I wish the last few months had left me with greater confidence that the Universitys response today was about how the students were protesting rather than what they were protesting.

More from Rolling Stone

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(Bloomberg) -- Columbia University president Minouche Shafik was pressed by lawmakers, including Elise Stefanik, to explain why professors who praised Hamas actions on Oct. 7 are still members of the faculty.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Shafik said longtime Professor Joseph Massad, who is listed as chair of the academic review committee for Columbias school of arts and sciences, is under investigation for using discriminatory language and was spoken to by his dean and department head after describing the attack that killed 1,200 people as awesome astonishing, and astounding.

She added that visiting professor, Mohamed Abdou, hired this year even after having described himself as pro-Hamas, will never work at Columbia again once hes done grading papers.

Hamas is designated a terrorist organization by the US and European Union and led the attack on Israel on Oct. 7.

Congresswoman Stefanik, a New York Republican, accused Columbia of a lack of enforcement and questioned its hiring process. Later in her testimony, Shafik told Stefanik that she would remove Massad, who also teaches about Arab politics, from his position as chair.

In an email to Bloomberg, Massad said his description of Hamass actions have been misrepresented. He said he has not been informed of any investigation against him, and that he hasnt been reprimanded by his bosses for his article or been accused of praising the attack.

In response to Shafiks pledge to end his chairmanship of the academic review committee, he said that one-year position is due to come to an end in a couple of weeks regardless.

Committee chair Virginia Foxx, a North Carolina Republican, held the hearing to address antisemitism on Columbias New York campus after Shafik couldnt attend a December hearing that led to the resignations of the presidents of Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania.

Read more: Columbia Sued by Jewish Students Over Endemic Antisemitism

When asked Wednesday if calling for the genocide of Jews is against Columbias policy, Shafik answered yes. Her former counterparts at Penn and Harvard had said it depended on the context.

Columbia has been sued twice by Jewish students claiming the Ivy League school has permitted endemic antisemitism to flourish for decades until the Oct. 7 attack unleashed an intolerable wave of anti-Israeli abuse. A Brandeis University study found Columbia is one of the most hostile in the US for Jewish students.

For faculty who make remarks that cross the line in terms of antisemitism, there will be consequences, said Shafik.

Shafik said five professors have been taken out of the classroom and David Greenwald, co-chair of the board of trustees at Columbia who also appeared before the committee, said 90 students are facing disciplinary action for their behavior.

The campus has been rattled by protests and counterprotests since the Hamas attack, which prompted retaliation from the Jewish state that has killed some 33,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

--With assistance from Janet Lorin.

(Updates with comment from Massad in sixth paragraph.)

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Rep. Ilhan Omars (D-Minn.) daughter Isra Hirsi announced Thursday she had been suspended from college after taking part in an unauthorized pro-Palestine protest on campus.

im an organizer with CU Apartheid Divest @ColumbiaSJP, in my 3 years at @BarnardCollege i have never been reprimanded or received any disciplinary warnings, Hirsi said on social platform X.

i just received notice that i am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide, she added.

Columbia University noted that Hirsi is a student at Barnard College, which is connected to Columbia but has some independence.

Barnard would not comment on specifics but pointed to an announcement from its senior staff Thursday that said Columbia and Barnard students set up an unauthorized encampment on Columbias South Lawn.

A number of Barnard Senior Staff also went to the lawn to ask Barnard students participating in the encampment to leave and to advise Barnard students that they would be subject to sanctions at Barnard if they did not leave the encampment, according to the statement.

The students also received written warnings that they would receive interim suspension if they did not leave by Wednesday night, according to the school.

those of us in Gaza Solidarity Encampment will not be intimidated. we will stand resolute until our demands are met. our demands include divestment from companies complicit in genocide, transparency of @Columbias investments and FULL amnesty for all students facing repression, Hirsi said in the post.

The suspension comes a day after a House hearing where Columbia officials were questioned by members of the Education and the Workforce Committee about their response to the rise in antisemitism that has been seen both nationally and globally since Hamass Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

Multiple U.S. colleges have grappled with demonstrations and protests in the months since.

Columbia President Minouche Shafik received numerous questions from Omar about the treatment of Palestinian protesters during the hearing.

The Hill has reached out to Omars office for comment.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Scores of Columbia University students were arrested Thursday afternoon after they rebuffed authorities pleas to vacate an on-campus tent city erected in support of Palestine.

Since you have refused to disperse, you will now be placed under arrest for trespassing, the NYPD told protesters through a loudspeaker. If you resist arrest, you may face additional charges.

Police officers began taking protesters into custody at around 1:30 p.m., putting them in flex-cuffs and loading them onto buses parked nearby. Shame! Shame! some chanted as the arrests unfolded. Others broke out in their own chant of, Columbia, Columbia you will see, Palestine will be free, and Disclose, divest, we will not stop, will not rest.

Later, left-wing academic and fringe presidential candidate Cornel West appeared, announcing to protesters, I stand here in solidarity with you. I stand in solidarity with human suffering.

Yesterday, Columbia President Minouche Shafik and three top Columbia officials appeared before a congressional panel, promising to tamp down antisemitism among the student body. Shafik vowed to punish two Columbia professors who expressed support for Hamas October 7 attack on Israel that killed more than 1,100 people, and agreed that antisemitism has been a major issue at the Ivy League school.

Shafik on Thursday sent a letter to the university community, saying that she authorized a request that the NYPD clear the protesters [o]ut of an abundance of concern for the safety of Columbias campus.

I took this extraordinary step because these are extraordinary circumstances, Shafik wrote. The individuals who established the encampment violated a long list of rules and policies. Through direct conversations and in writing, the university provided multiple notices of these violations, including a written warning at 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday notifying students who remained in the encampment as of 9:00 p.m. that they would face suspension pending investigation. We also tried through a number of channels to engage with their concerns and offered to continue discussions if they agreed to disperse.

Shafik said it is a point of regret that attempts to resolve the situation were unsuccessful. Protests, her letter went on, have a storied history at Columbia and are an essential component of free speech in America and on our campus.

We work hard to balance the rights of students to express political views with the need to protect other students from rhetoric that amounts to harassment and discrimination, Shafik continued. We updated our protest policy to allow demonstrations on very short notice and in prime locations in the middle of campus while still allowing students to get to class, and labs and libraries to operate. The current encampment violates all of the new policies, severely disrupts campus life, and creates a harassing and intimidating environment for many of our students.

She said Columbia is committed to academic freedom and to the opportunity for students and faculty to engage in political expression, but within the rules and with respect for the safety of all.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Columbia University brutally cracked down Thursday on ongoing student protests against Israels ruthless war on Gaza, sending in city police officers to arrest some demonstrators.

Students at both Columbia and Barnard College have been protesting for months, demanding the university divest from companies doing business with Israel. As part of the protest, students set up an encampment in the middle of campus on Wednesday.

In response, police on Thursday deployed a drone and brought five corrections buses, according to Talia Jane, a freelance journalist at the scene.

Videos of the encampment showed police entering campus on Thursday and beginning to arrest students. Meanwhile, university officials have reportedly barred people visibly carrying food from entering school grounds, in an attempt to prevent protesters from getting supplies.

BREAKING: NYPD have begun arresting members of the Columbia University Palestine solidarity encampment pic.twitter.com/h3NhYsERXa  BreakThrough News (@BTnewsroom) April 18, 2024

Another video shows students flooding the streets outside of Columbias campus, preventing the corrections buses from leaving with the arrested protesters.

UPDATE: Students have taken to the streets to prevent the corrections buses with the students from leaving. The student body is on the side of the Encampment and Palestine!!! COME TO 114 and AMSTERDAM to show solidarity and protect our own!!! pic.twitter.com/6SxFkJPA8e  sebas  (@cybersebb) April 18, 2024

Three students have reportedly been suspended for participating in the protest, and their college IDs were reportedly deactivated. One of the three is student organizer Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Democratic Representative Illhan Omar.



The universitys dramatically heightened response comes a day after university President Minouche Shafik testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce on antisemitism on college campuses. Shafik insisted that antisemitism has no place on our campus, and I am personally committed to doing everything I can to confront it directly.

The hearing, however, seemed to be more focused on the opinions of college faculty members, with Republicans Elise Stefanik and Tim Walberg specifically asking about disciplinary measures against two professors who made comments that were perceived as antisemitic.

Omar, on the other hand, asked Shafik about protests specifically, pointing out several attacks against antiwar as well as Palestinian solidarity protests, including an alleged chemical attack against pro-Palestinian protesters in January that is still under police investigation, according to Shafik.

Columbia has also been sued by five Jewish students and two student organizations after the university suspended the student groups Jewish Voice for Peace and Students for Justice in Palestine in November.

Thursdays police involvement at Columbia is further evidence that the response to campus protests over Gaza across the country has mostly been one of censorship and hysteria designed to suppress pro-Palestinian activism, as Osita Nwanevu wrote for The New Republic in December. The crowds at protests both on and off college campuses are diverse, with Jews, Muslims, Black, and brown demonstrators. Critics, particularly Republican lawmakers, often hide behind allegations of antisemitism as a way to launch attacks on academic freedom.
Here are the Columbia University professors ripped for anti-Israel remarks, pro-Palestinian indoctrination

A group of Jewish graduates holding protest signs against antisemitism at Columbia University, with Hamid Dabashi present

As Columbia Universitys president insisted Wednesday that the Ivy League school was doing all it could to crackdown on rising antisemitism, the campus remains filled with a slew of professors who have a history of spewing controversial remarks.

Ranging from a politics professor who declared that the Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel was awesome to another who boasted Yes, Im with Hamas, Columbia President Minouche Shafik was forced to address some of her facultys remarks as she was grilled by lawmakers in Washington DC.

At least three faculty members  Joseph Massad, Mohamed Abdou and Katherine Franke  were mentioned specifically by name during the congressional hearing. Others, though, have also been ripped over their history of remarks.

Heres are Columbias most controversial professors and their incendiary remarks:

Joseph Massad:

Joseph Massad, a professor of modern Arab politics and history, has faced widespread calls to be fired ever since he referred to the Oct. 7 attack inflicted by Hamas terrorists as awesome. Matthew McDermott

A professor of modern Arab politics and history, Massad has been teaching at the Ivy League school for the past 25 years. Massad, who earned his PhD at Columbia in 1998, teaches within the universitys Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies (MESAAS), according to his bio.

The tenured academic has faced widespread calls to be fired ever since he referred to the Oct. 7 attack inflicted by Hamas terrorists as awesome and a stunning victory of the Palestinian resistance.

The sight of the Palestinian resistance fighters storming Israeli checkpoints separating Gaza from Israel was astounding, Massad penned in a 1,800 word essay published 24 hours after the bloodshed.

An anti-Israel protest at Columbia University. Columbia University Antisemitism

Perhaps the major achievement of the resistance in the temporary takeover of these settler-colonies is the death blow to any confidence that Israeli colonists had in their military and its ability to protect them.

A student-led petition calling for him to be axed over those remarks has received more than 78,000 signatures.

Massad, who once called Israel a racist state, has also previously come under fire for allegedly spewing anti-Israeli remarks in class and for comparing Hamas aggression against Israel to the Warsaw ghetto uprising against the Nazis during WWII.

Mohamed Abdou

Mohamed Abdou, a visiting Columbia scholar, controversially declared on social media, Yes, Im with Hamas and Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad.

Abdou was brought on as a visiting Columbia scholar for the spring 2024 semester and teaches a weekly class on Decolonial-Queerness & Abolition.

The bio on Columbias website describes Abdou as a North African-Egyptian Muslim anarchist interdisciplinary activist-scholar of Indigenous, Black, critical race and Islamic studies, as well as gender, sexuality, abolition and decolonization.

Just days after the Oct. 7 attack, Abdou controversially declared on social media, Yes, Im with Hamas and Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad.

Katherine Franke

Katherine Franke, a law professor and activist, recently penned an op-ed in The Nation criticizing Columbia, in part, for threatening academic freedom and waging war on dissent. Columbia University

Franke, a law professor and activist, has been teaching at the school since 1999.

She was brought up during Wednesdays hearing by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) who claimed the professor had said, All Israeli students who served in the I.D.F. [Israel Defense Forces] are dangerous and shouldnt be on campus.

It wasnt immediately clear, though, where Franke made the remark.

Franke later told The Post that Rep. Stefanik had mischaracterized her quote to the congressional hearing.

I actually said, many Israeli students who come to Columbias campus are coming right out of their military service and have been known to harass Palestinian and other students on our campus, Franke said.

I made this comment in an interview about the incident in which two Israeli students  participating in our joint degree program with Tel Aviv University  sprayed a noxious chemical on pro-Palestinian protesters. Their social media posts showed them recently performing service in the Israeli military.

Franke also recently penned an op-ed in The Nation criticizing Columbia, in part, for threatening academic freedom and waging war on dissent.

The university is under pressure to root out any students or faculty critical of Israel  and its already caved, the law professor wrote.

Hamid Dabashi:

Hamid Dabashi, a professor of Iranian studies, has come under fire in recent years for a slew of controversial social media posts. Hamid Dabashi/X

Dabashi is aprofessor of Iranian studies and comparative literature at the Ivy League school. He is also the current director of undergrad studies within the MESAAS department, per his faculty bio.

Hes come under fire in recent years for a slew of controversial social media posts, including a since-deleted one in which he blamed Israel for every dirty problem in the world.

Every dirty treacherous ugly and pernicious happening in the world just wait for a few days and the ugly name Israel will pop up in the atrocities, Dabashi wrote in the 2018 Facebook post, cited by the Jewish Journal.

His remark was in response to a New York Times article that accused Israeli intelligence of gathering dirt on President Barack Obamas then-national security aide.

In a separate post, Dabashi also allegedly bashed Zionists as hyenas  sparking calls from a pro-Israel student group for the professor to be rebuked.

Kayum Ahmed:

Kayum Ahmed has previously been ripped for allegedly indoctrinating his students to hate Israel via his lectures.

Ahmed, a former-director at billionaire George Soros Open Society foundation, is now a law lecturer within Columbias school of public health, according to his bio.

He has previously been ripped for allegedly indoctrinating his students to hate Israel via his lectures, the Wall Street Journal reported.

In a video from one of his lectures prior to the Oct. 7 attack, Ahmed labeled Israel a colonial settler state that has oppressed indigenous populations and displaced Palestinians.

The Post reached out to the above professors on Wednesday about their past remarks but didnt hear back immediately.
Fishing boats docked at Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay in March, before this year's salmon fishing season was canceled for a second straight year (Loren Elliott / Los Angeles Times)

Snapshots from an environmental and economic disaster:

Kenneth Brown, the owner of Bodega Tackle in Petaluma, reckons he has lost almost $450,000 in the last year.

"I haven't taken a paycheck in seven or eight months," he says. He has had to lay off all but one employee, leaving himself, his son and the one remaining worker to run the business.

James Stone, board president of the Nor-Cal Guides & Sportsmen's Assn., says more than 120 guides who serve recreational fishing customers in and around the Sacramento River and San Francisco Bay have all but been put out of business, costing the economy as much as $3.5 million a year.

Salmon have survived droughts in California for millennia. But when on top of that you have incredible water diversions and temperature pollution, you're killing these baby fish. And when you kill the baby fish, they don't come back as adults.

Scott Artis, Golden State Salmon Assn.

Sarah Bates, the owner of a commercial fishing boat in San Francisco, has seen 90% of her income washed away. She has watched a commercial fleet capacity of nearly 500 boats reduced nearly to zero.

The circumstance affecting all three is the shutdown of the crucial fall-run salmon fishing in California, which the Pacific Fishery Management Council, a governmental body, recently extended for 2024, the second year in a row.

The main reason is the decline of the salmon population in the Sacramento River to such an unsustainable level that there's reason to fear that it may not recover for years, if ever  unless government policies are radically reconsidered.

Commercial fishers who relied on the fall-run salmon as their dominant source of income have struggled to find alternatives.

"Some people are bringing in black cod or rockfish or albacore," Bates told me. Some land Dungeness crab. But prices for those products don't match the value of chinook salmon.

"That allows for some income, but doesn't really make up the difference for what you lose," Bates says. "There are members of the fleet who have taken land jobs, or are relying on household members to pay the bills."

One can't minimize the scale of the shutdown, which follows a long-term decline in the fishery and is the first such shutdown since 2008-09, which was driven by a severe drought. In 2022, the last year of salmon fishing in California, the fleet consisted of 464 commercial vessels, down from 4,750 in 1980.

Private and chartered recreational trips in California, which reached 98,900 in 2022  down from 148,000 in 2012  have also been shut down.

The closing of both categories has rippled across the entire fishing economy, affecting hotels and restaurants that catered to recreational fishing customers as well as bait and tackle shops. For Brown's Petaluma shop, there are no sales of bait or commercial gear  "no more boots, no more rain slickers, all that business is gone and there's nothing to replace it."

Read more: Column: California's salmon industry fears it will be wiped out by Trump

There's more to the salmon crisis than the devastation of livelihoods of tens of thousands of Californians working in an industry valued at more than $1.4 billion annually.

The crisis underscores the utter failure of the state's political leaders to balance the needs of stakeholders in its water supply. In this case, the conflict is between large-scale farms on one side and environmental and fishery interests on the other.

For decades, agribusiness has had the upper hand in this conflict. It's not hard to discern why: The growers have more money and therefore more political influence. Westlands Water District, the vast irrigation district that sprawls over Fresno and Kings counties in the Central Valley  the largest such district in the nation  spent more than $4.7 million on Sacramento lobbying over the last decade.

During the same period, Stewart Resnick, whose Roll International conglomerate owns the Central Valley almond orchards that are the largest growers of those nuts in the world and enormous consumers of water, donated $2.8 million to political campaigns in California, chiefly to Democratic candidates and in support of ballot box initiatives; among his contributions was $125,000 to oppose the 2021 recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Officially valued at $1.4 billion a year, the salmon fishery can't hope to compete with agriculture on a dollar-for-dollar basis. The market value of all agricultural products in California was $59 billion in 2022, according to state figures; salmon weren't counted. The 10 most lucrative farm crops, led by dairy products, brought in some $35 billion that year.

The salmon fisheries are bellwethers for ecological health generally. "Fishermen are directly dependent on a healthy ecosystem," says Barry Nelson, an advisor to the Golden State Salmon Assn. Their fortunes reflect not merely adequacy of water flows in California rivers and bays, but water quality. Any factor that falls outside a given range can produce a crash in fish populations, endangering whole species while putting men and women out of work.

As my colleague Ian James has reported, a key factor in the survival of the salmon population is water temperature. The diversion of ever more water from the federal government's Shasta Dam for farm irrigation has driven temperatures in the Sacramento River to murderous levels.

Read more: Column: This water project is expensive, wasteful and ecologically damaging. Why is it being fast-tracked?

That river, Nelson points out, is "the most important salmon-producing system south of the Columbia River." But California authorities haven't required the federal Bureau of Reclamation, which owns and manages the dam, to meet temperature standards downstream of the dam, even though it has the power to do so. "The state just hasn't done its job," Nelson says.

Talk to stakeholders in the salmon fishery, and one term keeps cropping up: "water management." Their point is that drought isn't the most important factor in the survival of the species  policy is, specifically the management of water supplies so that they're balanced among users and that serving irrigation demand from farmers doesn't wipe out competing interests, especially during dry years.

To better understand the threats to salmon, it helps to know about their life cycle. Salmon live and breed on a three-year timeline. Adult fish swim in the ocean but migrate upstream to lay eggs in the gravel beds of inland rivers. After they hatch, the baby fry and juveniles, called smolt, begin migrating downstream, typically via San Francisco Bay, and out to sea. Then the cycle begins again.

The critical period for the fall-run salmon in the Sacramento is while the eggs are incubating in their gravel beds. At water temperatures of 54 degrees, they start being cooked to death. Irrigation releases from Shasta suck down the reservoir's cold water, leaving surface water heated by the sun; that's what ends up in the Sacramento River at spawning season.

In recent years, water in the spawning beds has been measured at 70 degrees or higher. In 2021, state biologists reported, 99% of winter-run chinook salmon failed to reach the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and the bay.

"Salmon have survived droughts in California for millennia," says Scott Artis, executive director of the Golden State Salmon Assn. "But when on top of that you have incredible water diversions and temperature pollution, that's what's killing these baby fish. And when you kill the baby fish, they don't come back as adults."

The need for painstaking water management is the result of human interventions in California's natural environment. Over the last 100 years, rivers across the Central Valley were dammed to provide irrigation for farms, blocking salmon from their natural habitats. The federal government opened salmon hatcheries to compensate, but they have not produced enough fish to make up for the losses from poor water management.

Meanwhile, the water demands of California growers became less flexible. Crops that could be fallowed during dry spells, leaving more water for the environment, were supplanted by almond and pistachio orchards, which require water in wet years and dry. California almond acreage rose to 1.38 million last year from 418,000 in 1995. In the same period, pistachio acreage rose to more than 461,000 from 60,300.

Read more: Hiltzik: Trump gives politically connected farmers more water, at expense of everyone else

The crisis that has unfolded in 2023 and this year has its roots in actions taken during the Trump administration. In 2019, Trump installed David Bernhardt, a lobbyist for agricultural water users, as Interior secretary.

As an attorney in private practice, Bernhardt had sued the government on behalf of the giant Westlands Water District to challenge its enforcement of the Endangered Species Act, which conflicted with Westlands' interests. As Interior secretary, Bernhardt advocated for loosening enforcement of the act.

In 2020, Bernhardt and Trump implemented an increase in water deliveries to big farmers under conditions that spelled disaster for the salmon fishery, among other ecological issues. California objected, asserting that Interior's official biological opinions, which concluded that the increases wouldn't adversely affect salmon and other species, bore no "rational connection [with] the facts." The Natural Resources Defense Council labeled the opinions "a plan for extinction" of salmon and other endangered species.

They went through anyway. The demands from agribusinesses in the Central Valley for more water had received a friendly hearing from the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress, who recognized that the valley was perhaps the only strongly Republican part of California. They decried the passage of water from inland reservoirs to rivers and out to sea as wasteful; as I wrote at the time, their single-minded service for the growers deprived the salmon fishery of its lifeblood.

The impact of the Trump policies was destined to be felt three years on. Indeed, last year only 6,160 adult salmon were estimated to have spawned in the Sacramento River, the worst level since the drought year of 2017 and obviously well below the annual average of 175,000 spawning from 1996 to 2005, the best period for the health of the salmon fishery over the last four decades.

Read more: Column: Trump's minions are using California wildfires as excuse to attack endangered species protections

In January, Newsom responded to the salmon crisis with an action plan encompassing restoring salmon habitats, modernizing hatcheries, and removing impediments to salmons' upstream migrations. The fishery community supports many of those initiatives, but also recognizes that the package is largely aspirational, for money hasn't been appropriated to fulfill all its elements.

The Newsom administration also outlined plans in March 2022 to reach a series of voluntary agreements with agricultural water users over water sharing. Environmental and fishing groups, which weren't part of the negotiations, weren't impressed  a coalition of those groups, including the Sierra Club and the Golden State Salmon Assn., panned the proposal as "incomplete, unenforceable, inequitable, inadequate, and [lacking] a scientific foundation."

Nor were the proposed voluntary agreements favored by two key federal agencies. The Environmental Protection Agency wrote in January that the absence of strong mandates for higher water flows in the Sacramento River meant that the plan would have only a "insignificant impact" on water temperature in the river. The National Marine Fisheries Service questioned whether the $740 million in state and federal funding needed to implement the voluntary agreements was realistic, since none of it had been appropriated.

In other words, Newsom's approach involves a heaping helping of hand-waving. From the standpoint of the salmon industry, his other water policies, including a 45-mile water tunnel under the delta and fast-tracking construction of the Sites Reservoir in the western Sacramento Valley, will make things worse. The tunnel would turn the delta into "a deathtrap for salmon," Nelson says, and the Sites Reservoir would degrade downstream waters, possibly increasing temperatures.

In many respects, the policies on the table are antiques. Some were developed without regard for the effects of global warming, and others reflect thinking that emerged in an era when California authorities thought the water supply was abundant, even unlimited.

That won't do anymore. The federal government already lists Sacramento River winter-run chinook salmon as an endangered species and the spring run as a threatened species. The all-important fall run might not be far behind.

California's water policies need to be subjected to a thorough rethinking, and money to fix all that's broken needs to be appropriated, not just put on somebody's wish list.

Fishermen and -women are a constitutionally optimistic class. "There's always hope that things will get better," Artis told me. But hope is waning. "We have to educate the Legislature and the public so we get those water flow and temperature protections, or we'll be here again year after year with fishery closures."

Get the latest from Michael Hiltzik

Commentary on economics and more from a Pulitzer Prize winner.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Commissioners asked to make decision on administrator search in next two weeks

BRANCH COUNTY  County commissioners must make several decisions soon to continue the search for a replacement for retiring administrator Bud Norman.

The commissioners hired Chet Janik from the Michigan Leadership Institute for a fee not to exceed $10,250 to guide them through the process.

All commissioners held individual conferences over the last two weeks to give Janik input.

A former county administrator himself for 11 years and an educator and school administrator, Janik told commissioners on April 4 he completed four administrator searches last year. "All of them are different."

Janik asked commissioners to decide by April 22 the job description, salary range, and marketing plan.

The consultant wants to post the position by April 29. The deadline for submission would be May 31, when commissioners would receive packets of all applications.

The commissioners will hold closed sessions the week of June 3 to select those they would like to interview.

"Counties have a right to stay confidential until (the candidates) are selected for an interview," Janik said. "But the minute they accept an interview, the resume becomes public."

The interviews would start the following week of June 10.

Chet Janik

Janik suggested final interviews on the week of July 1, with a contract possibly in place and approved by July 12.

With just five commissioners, Janik suggested that the entire board handle all the interviews.

The consultant said this was all a suggestion. "Everyone's different, but I thought it was a good starting point," he said.

Of the four Janik conducted last year, the shortest took six weeks, the longest nine months.

Prior story Search to replace retiring county administrator won't start until spring

Janik also said, "I'm a firm believer that if once you get to the finalists, you give the staff an opportunity to meet with them."

While staff are not involved with the interview process, "The staff appreciates a chance to meet these candidates. They often pick up on things."

Commission Chair Tim Stoll asked Janik to get input from elected officials before Janki posts the job.

The consultant questioned the current title of administrator/controller. If a Controller Act is passed, that person controls the county budget. State law then requires a two-thirds vote to fire a controller.

Twenty-four counties in the lower peninsula have administrators/controllers.

Janik said that only 70 of Michigan's 83 counties have a county administrator.

Janik emphasized the importance of setting a salary range before starting the hiring process to avoid unfairness to candidates and ensure a smooth process.

Subsribe Follow this story. Subscribe to the Daily Reporter.

Area counties administrator salaries range from $163,738 in Calhoun to $117,500 in St. Joseph.

Janik listed the current Branch County administrator's salary at $122,528.

Branch County pays Norman over $170,000 with education incentives and additional pay for duties as the head of the building department.

 Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: County commissions need to decide on details for administrator search
Xiomara Moore was a fixture at South Gastonia Church of God and on Wednesday night, her family members, friends, and classmates gathered to console each other.

PAST COVERAGE: NC A&T student from Gastonia killed in hit & run, family says

Shes my best friend. We did a lot of stuff together, said Destinee Heath, a close friend.

A bright, beautiful person, every time, said Alyssa Heath, also a close friend. If I was ever upset, she would come in and make a silly face and just took it all away.

NC A&T student Xiomara Moore, of Gastonia, was killed in a hit and run that happened early Saturday morning in Greensboro, family members say.

Moore was a junior at North Carolina A&T in Greensboro studying medical management.

Police said she was struck and killed by a car around 5 a.m. Saturday morning in Greensboro. The hit-and-run driver has not been caught.

Brooke Franklin taught her at Victory Christian Academy.

We went out a lot together, Franklin said. Its been a tragic loss and we miss her. A lot of tough moments here.

One of those tough moments was the candlelight vigil and the balloon release after Wednesday nights service.

Its not goodbye for long, Heath said. I know that it might be goodbye here, but well meet again one day.

I think shes leaving a legacy, Franklin said. Just in her short amount of time, shes impacted a lot of people. She impacted my life and she still going to impact people, even though shes not here with us.

The wake for Moore will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at Greene Funeral Service.

Her funeral will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday at South Gastonia Church of God.

VIDEO: NC A&T student from Gastonia killed in hit & run, family says
Pay Dirt is a weekly foray into the pigpen of political funding. Subscribe here to get it in your inbox every Thursday.

A watchdog group is asking the Justice Department to investigate whether Donald Trump repeatedly lied in sworn statements to the federal governmentincluding his own administrationabout a $50 million loan that apparently never existed in the first place, and which could be evidence of tax evasion.

The criminal complaint, filed on Thursday by watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and first obtained by The Daily Beast, asks the FBI and the Justice Departments Public Integrity Unit to probe whether Trump knowingly and willfully lied about the mystery loan on his personal financial disclosures.

Trump has filed nine of those annual statements with the Federal Election Commission and the Office of Government Ethics over the years, personally swearing to their accuracy, which could expose him to criminal liability if the claims are found to have been intentionally false.

Trumps $50 Million Mystery Debt Looks Like Tax Evasion

The complaint comes after The Daily Beast first reported in January that the court-appointed special monitor in Trumps New York business fraud case had buried a bombshell claim in a footnote to a status report: A mysterious $50 million loan, which Trump reported owing to one of his own LLCs, never existed.

Legal experts previously told The Daily Beast that the revelation suggests the arrangement may have allowed Trump to evade taxes on tens of millions of dollars in income.

In a statement to The Daily Beast, Noah Bookbinder, president of CREW, said Trumps continual lies are self-serving and incompatible with the rule of law.

Donald Trump has a long history of lying about his finances for his personal benefithes on trial in New York right now for doing just thatand this appears to be another example, the statement said, referencing the criminal hush money trial now underway in Manhattan.

Bookbinder called it odd for Trump to apparently lie about a debt that never actually existed. But while the motivation behind the claims is still unclear, he said, lying about finances is something Donald Trump routinely does to help himself, and there are several ways this could have helped him.

Thats not to say there arent any possible explanations. As the complaint notes, The Daily Beast and other outlets have reported that Trumps claims about this loan may indicate a tax avoidance scheme, known as debt parking, potentially to the tune of $48 million. (His administrations policies were overall friendly to debt collectors.)

While CREWs complaint doesnt directly allege tax evasion, it does say that Trumps alleged lies about this loan could constitute a material false statement that, among other things, would prevent officials from assessing whether Trump was in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

The FBI and the Department of Justice should investigate and, if the facts support it, act to ensure accountability for this lawlessness, Bookbinders statement said. Donald Trumps habit of lying and placing himself above the law has no place in a republic governed by the rule of law."

CREWs 13-page complaint, addressed to FBI chief Christopher Wray and the head of the DOJs Public Integrity Unit, Corey Amundson, walks through the complex history behind the loanan inscrutable irregularity in Trumps disclosures that has flummoxed financial reporters for years.

The mystery was revived this January, when a court filing in Trumps New York fraud case delivered the explosive news that the loan never existed at all.

Former President Donald Trump speaks as he meets with Polish President Andrzej Duda at Trump Tower on April 17, 2024 in New York City. Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

In a letter to New York state judge Arthur F. Engoron, special monitor Barbara Jonesa widely respected former federal judge charged with reviewing the Trump Organizations finances as the trial proceededclaimed that, after several discussions with Trump Org officials, the company recently informed her that the loan never existed and would be removed from future government disclosures and financial statements.

When I inquired about this loan, I was informed that there are no loan agreements that memorialize the loan, but that it was a loan that was believed to be between Donald J. Trump, individually, and Chicago Unit Acquisition for $48 million, Jones wrote, referencing the name of the LLC that had allegedly held his debt.

However, in recent discussions with the Trump Organization, it indicated that it has determined that this loan never existedand thus that it would be removed from any upcoming forms submitted to the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) and would also be removed from subsequent versions of [corporate financial statements], Jones wrote.

Weeks later, Engoron found Trump and his company guilty of engaging in years-long, systematic business fraud, misrepresenting their assets in order to gain favorable terms from lenders. He fined Trump and other Trump Org officials $364 million for bank fraud, and has since bestowed enhanced powers on Jones as Trumps financial babysitter, extending her role both in scope and duration.

In a response to Jones filing last January, Trumps legal team accused her of falsehoods and deliberate mischaracterizations, claiming the Trump Org never told her the loan wasnt real. As evidence, the response included an internal company memo about the loandated Dec. 4, 2023which Trumps lawyers said theyd given to Jones.

But as the CREW complaint points out, that memo does not evidence the loans prior existence, but merely represents that as of December 4, 2023, no amounts are due or payable and no liabilities or obligations are outstanding for a loan related to Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago.

That internal Trump Org memo, however, has an even more significant inconsistency: It doesnt claim that the loan involved Trump personally, as he stated in all of his disclosures. Instead, the memo describes the arrangement as between two Trump-owned LLCs, a $48,000,000 Springing Loan from Chicago Unit Acquisition LLC to 401 Mezz Venture LLC.

And yet, in a conversation with The Daily Beast the same weekend the Trump Org was preparing its response to Jones in January, the companys chief financial officer Alan Garten contradicted the memowhich his own company had inked the previous month. Instead, Garten insisted that the Chicago LLC actually owed the money to Trump.

Trump Bonds Cayman Connection Stinks to High Heaven

Yes, the loan existed, Garten told The Daily Beast in January, claiming the debt was an internal loan where Trump lent money to the entity that he owns.

But again, as the CREW complaint notes, all of Trumps financial disclosuresincluding his most recent amended version, approved by the Office of Government Ethics last Octoberclearly state that it was the other way around: It was Trump who owed the money to his LLC.

Still, thats not the only oddity about this loan.

There are several other factors that would indicate that the Chicago Loan never constituted a bona fide debt obligation, the CREW complaint reads.

For one, Trump has claimed that this Chicago LLC is worth next to nothingbetween $1,000 and $15,000despite the fact that its assets should include the tens of millions that it is owed from Trump. Theres also no public record of this loan, which, the complaint says, is contrary to how most real estate loans of that magnitude are handled.

Additionally, the complaint notes, Trumps own statements about the debt seemed to discount the loans legitimacy, citing his 2016 claims to The New York Times that we dont assess any value to [the loan] because we dont care.

CREW further identifies several reporting irregularities about the loan in Trumps disclosures.

If the Chicago Loan had been a bona fide debt obligation worth more than $50 million, Mr. Trump would have had a corresponding obligation to report it as a receivable or similar asset with a comparable value on his financial disclosures, the complaint states. His disclosures, however, have actually made a variety of incompatible statements in that regard.

In fact, it was only last August that Trump finally first reported that Chicago Unit Acquisition LLC didnt just have a menial value in the thousands, but owned a $50 million-plus underlying asset, described as an intercompany receivable from filer (i.e., Trump personally).

That single disclosure does not negate his repeated failure to recognize the loan and its value as a bona fide receivable asset on the eight previously filed PFDs nor does it comport with the more recent disclosures made to Judge Jones that the Chicago Loan never existed, the complaint notes. That August disclosure also contradicts the internal Trump Org memo dated four months later, where Trump is no longer listed as a personal party to the loan.

After nearly a decade of questions, disclosures, statements, and public scrutiny, this massive loanalong with its basic purpose and structureis still a mystery. The recent flurry of incompatible claims and filings from the Trump Org have only made it more confusing.

The January letter from Jones, however, if accurate, provides some potential clarityand the only real lead in years. According to legal experts, it could very well be tax evasion.

Trump Caught Moving Money Around to Pay Massive Tax Bill

Tax experts told The Daily Beast that, typically, the forgiven amount of a loanin this case $48 millionwould qualify as reportable taxable income. Instead, those experts said, Trump very well could have invented this loan to make it look like the debt wasnt forgiven, but repurchased from Fortressa scenario where it wouldnt be income.

It would appear, assuming Judge Jones letter is accurate, that this amounts to tax evasion, Martin Lobel, a prominent Washington, D.C., tax attorney, told The Daily Beast at the time.

Remarkably, this actually aligns with one version of the story that Trump has previously told himself.

In a 2016 interview, Trump told The New York Times that he had indeed purchased this loan himself, stating that he bought it back from a group of banks.

I have the mortgage. That is all there is, Trump said at the time. Very simple. I am the bank.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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The complicated reality of life in Irans most notorious military force, the IRGC

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps was formed to defend the regime from internal dissent and balance the power of the formerly royalist armed forces - Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images

When news of the Iranian strikes on Israel reached an Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) base in the southeastern city of Zahedan, soldiers poured outside to celebrate.

As he witnessed his comrades euphoria, 24-year-old Abdul Naseri (a pseudonym has been used to protect his identity) was gripped with a different emotion.

They were chanting leader, we are ready, we are ready and a commander even brought sweets, saying with the hope of liberating Palestine as he distributed them among us, he said by telephone from his checkpoint.

Im scared now. The commander told us we should get ready. I dont want to go to war with any country. All I want is to live and have a safe life, he said.

His fears are not unfounded.

If Israel chooses to retaliate for Irans April 14 rocket attack by striking targets inside Iran, it is IRGC facilities and the men serving on them that will likely be at the top of the target list.

And low-ranking members of the IRGC have been left in no doubt that war is a real possibility.

Movement of heavy weaponry, including missiles and tanks, was also seen in the western part of the capital Tehran on Monday night following reports of an imminent retaliation strike by Israel.

People gather in Tehran in support of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' attack on Israel on April 14 - Majid Saeedi/Getty Images

A billboard depicting named Iranian ballistic missiles in service, with text in Arabic reading 'the honest [person's] promise' and in Persian 'Israel is weaker than a spider's web', in Valiasr Square in central Tehran - ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images

Ahmad Rezaei (also a pseudonym), another conscript in southern Bushehr, said he received a call from his base the same day, asking him to return to duty, despite having secured two weeks of leave to care for his ailing mother.

He didnt explain why I needed to end my leave early. I still have five days left, and my mother is very ill, he told The Telegraph.

We all know what the IRGC does in the region and if someone dares to respond we should just accept and try to answer by our guys in the region, he added.

We fought for years in Syria and Iraq against ISIS so we do not fight against them in Tehran and Isfahan, I do not know what goes through the commanders minds, theyre needlessly bringing a war to us now, he added.

The less-than-enthusiastic feelings among the rank and file reflect the complicated reality of life in Irans most notorious military force.

Founded after the 1979 Islamic Revolution to defend the new regime from internal dissent and balance the power of the formerly royalist armed forces, the IRGC, also known as the Sepah, is often portrayed as a single entity.

But over the decades it has grown into a bloated, multi-departmental bureaucracy with a massive imprint on Irans military, economy and, to an increasing degree, wider society.

It is like a political party and a militia at the same time, explained Arash Azizi, a historian at Clemson University and author of a book about Qassem Soleimani, the IRGC general assassinated by a US drone strike in 2020.

It is a sprawling organisation that is united by [Supreme leader Ali] Khamenei at the top, but its very different factions have very different goals and follow very different ends.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei addresses commanders and members of the IRGC - Reuters

Hossein Salami, the head of the IRGC, Iranian Army Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, and Major General Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, attend the Army Day parade at a military base in northern Tehran on Wednesday - Avalon

Besides its military role, the IRGC runs domestic news agencies and has very large commercial interests, including in telecoms, construction, and oil. Mr Azizi estimates around 60 per cent of the Iranian economy is in some way connected to the corps.

Its veterans have prominent political positions - the most well-known being Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the current speaker of parliament and a former commander of the IRGC air force - and it is basically in charge of foreign policy in the Middle East.

Tellingly, the Swiss charge daffaires, who represents the United States in Tehran, was summoned not to the foreign ministry but to IRGC headquarters following the April 14 attack.

At the bottom of the organisation are men like Mr Rezaei and Mr Naseri.

All Iranian men who come of age at 18 are required to fulfil 21 months of compulsory military service in either the Iranian army or the IRGC.

Typically, the general staff of the armed forces of Iran determines the assignment of individuals.

But in practice, many young men find ways to get into the IRGC because it has a reputation for better pay and conditions than the official Iranian army, said Holly Dagres, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and curator of the Iranist, a weekly newsletter on Iranian current affairs.

That is one reason Britain has resisted demands by Israel and many Iranian dissidents to list the IRGC as a terrorist organisation: it risks criminalising large numbers of people whose loyalty to the regime might otherwise at some point be called into question.

The 1979 Islamic Revolution - Moment Editorial

Demonstrators guided by clergymen in Tehran during the Iranian Revolution - Kaveh Kazemi/Getty Images

Militarily, the IRGC is believed to field around 190,000 personnel, not including the Basij, a volunteer paramilitary force affiliated with the corps.

Ground forces, devoted mostly to internal security and largely staffed by conscripts like Mr Naseri, account for about 150,000 of the total.

Aerospace, navy, and marine infantry branches account for most of the remainder. But it is the fifth branch, the overseas Quds Force, that gains the most attention abroad.

Fielding just 5,000 men according to the 2023 edition of the IISS think tanks annual Military Balance, the Quds Force is responsible for coordinating the axis of resistance made up of proxy and allied militant groups including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthis in Yemen.

It orchestrated Irans intervention in the Syrian civil war, backs powerful militias in Iraq, and has been accused of running overseas assassination programmes targeting regime opponents.

In short, it is Israels main antagonist in the regional shadow war.

When Mr Rezaei, the conscript, says our guys in the region should be responding to the strike in Damascus, he means the Quds Force.

However, despondency is not universal.

Javad, a member of the Basij, told The Telegraph that he was annoyed with the governments apparent hesitance before launching the strike.

We must have retaliated immediately and without hesitation. Still, Im satisfied it occurred, and it was a lesson for the Zionists, he said by telephone.

We were at a friends house, watching a film when it happened. Without delay, we hurried outside and made our way to our base, where more friends had gathered. Throughout the night, we mounted our motorcycles and waved our flag until morning, he recalled.

Members of the IRGC during a military drill - Reuters

If they dare take even a single step in response to our actions, I would settle for nothing less than the total eradication of the occupiers from the face of the earth, he added.

But Iranian society is deeply divided. While pro-regime candidates still reliably claim the support of a hard base of about 15 per cent of voters, the historically low turnout at recent elections points to growing disillusion with the status quo, says Mr Azizi. Most observers agree that fatigue with corruption, economic stagnation and international isolation now cuts across all social classes.

Some anti-regime Iranians have even suggested an Israeli strike might finally put them out of their misery.

A war is the only hope and option we can get rid of them [the IRGC], they harass us every day on the streets and the whole world looks at us as terrorists because of them, said Fatemeh from the northern city of Tabriz, referring to Iranian authorities.

It does not matter if I die in the war, I just want them to go and let Iran be free. Im tired of the IRGC, Basij and all of them. I just want all of them to go.

Conscript Mr Rezaei says he is struggling between a reluctance to fight, and a nagging sense of patriotic obligation to defend Iran.

My uncle lost his life during the war with Iraq and I think I should just follow him and defend Iran from aggressors, but I hope war does not happen. I just want to finish my service so I can get my passport and leave Iran with my mother, he said.

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FILE - House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, speaks during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, April 16, 2024. Iran's attack against Israel over the weekend has spurned a flurry of bipartisan legislative action in Congress. It has united lawmakers against the country even as the risk of a larger regional war looms. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

WASHINGTON (AP)  Iran's attack against Israel over the weekend has spurred a flurry of bipartisan legislative action in Congress, uniting lawmakers against the country even as the risk of a larger regional war looms.

Several measures introduced and passed in the House and the Senate seek to publicly condemn Iran and punish the Islamic Republic financially. Lawmakers have denounced Iran's actions, which came in response to a suspected Israeli strike weeks earlier on an Iranian consular building in Syria that killed two Iranian generals.

The world is on fire, and history will judge us for our action, said Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, during a news conference this week.

The swift, bipartisan condemnation of Iran has put on sharp display the durability of American support for Israel, even amid growing partisan division over how the country is handling its more than six-month war with Hamas.

Congressional action comes as the Biden administration on Thursday imposed a new round of sanctions on Iran, targeting 16 people and two entities that produce engines that power the drones used in the Saturday attack on Israel. The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control also sanctioned five firms involved in steel production and three subsidiaries of an Iranian automaker accused of materially supporting Irans military and other sanctioned groups.

On Capitol Hill, the House this week passed nearly a dozen bills that would, among other things, issue a slate of new sanctions and other financial restrictions against Iran and its leaders. Other legislation looks to prevent current Iranian officials sanctioned from evading those penalties and urge the European Union to expeditiously designate Irans Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization as the U.S. has already done.

On the other side of the Capitol, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday advanced five bills, including ones that targeted Iran for its human rights record and would require sanctions on ports and refineries that receive and process Iranian oil.

Irans direct attack on Israel this week underscores the need to further cut off the Iranian regimes key revenue streams, Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire said in a statement. "I urge my colleagues in the Senate to support this bill  which has already passed the House  so that we can send it to President Bidens desk immediately.

A number of the bills had passed the House weeks before Hamas' deadly attack on Israel in October but have been stalled in the Senate committee. An Israeli offensive in Gaza has since caused widespread devastation and killed over 33,000 people, according to local health officials. Israel's conduct of the war has revealed the depth of unease among U.S. lawmakers as concerns over the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza have caused even some of President Joe Biden's closest allies to threaten conditioning future aid to Israel.

Congressional Democrats have been reluctant to challenge Biden's handling of the ongoing conflict and related regional tensions that have taken shape, mindful that criticism could further weaken Biden in his reelection campaign against former President Donald Trump.

But the attack on Saturday has proven to consolidate public support for the Biden administration's quick response as it ordered U.S. forces to help Israel down nearly all the 300 drones and missiles that were headed its way.

It also comes as House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., released legislation Wednesday that would provide $95 billion in aid collectively to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. The aid package had been held up for months over Republican opposition to continuing wartime funding for Ukraine as it battles Russia. Iran's attack on Israel added urgency to Johnson's plans to bring the issue to the floor for a vote.

While the measures targeting Iran have received overwhelming support  with the series of House bills mostly passing with at least 300 votes  there has been a quiet but growing dissent among progressive Democratic lawmakers in both chambers, who warn that legislative efforts could risk further escalation in the Middle East.

Following last weekends unprecedented response by Iran to Israels attack on its consulate, the Republican Majority is explicitly leveraging a series of bills to further escalate tensions in the Middle East," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said in a statement Tuesday. This is a blatant attempt to distract from their own incompetence.

The strike on Saturday marked the first time Iran has launched a direct military assault on Israel despite decades of enmity dating back to the countrys 1979 Islamic Revolution. Israel has vowed to retaliate against Iran, risking further expanding the shadow war between the two foes into a direct conflict.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, condemned Iran's attack in a statement but called on his colleagues to respond cautiously. He warned that further U.S. action against Iran could lead to a dangerous escalation that could drag America into a war in the Middle East.

Cooler heads must now prevail to ensure peace in the region and security for Israel, Sanders said.
I will proudly serve the remainder of the 118th Congress, but after much prayer and consideration, I will not seek reelection this Fall. The people of Kansas who elected me to serve in the United States House of Representatives have given me the professional honor of my life, but it is time to pursue other opportunities and have the benefit of spending more time with my family.

Suzanne and I are the proud parents of four young children, and for us the busy schedule of serving in and running for Congress has taken a toll. The unrepeatable season of life we are in, where our kids are still young and at home, is something I want to be more present for.

Serving in Congress is not something you achieve in isolation. It would not have happened without the support of my loving family, loyal friends, and a dedicated staff in Kansas and Washington who are second to no other congressional staff in the country. I know I will never be able to thank all these people enough, but I look forward to trying my best in the coming months and years.

It has become fashionable for some to fear for the future of this country and act as though the problems we face and the divisions that exist are insurmountable, but that is just not true. Undoubtedly, the current dysfunction on Capitol Hill is distressing, but it almost always has been; we just didnt see most of it. I remain optimistic about the future of this country, not only because we have overcome more significant obstacles in the past, but that the vast majority of people I have served with are good and trying to do the right thing, and because our founders, divinely inspired, understood human nature and created this republic to endure.

Unlike many in elected office, Ive had the pleasure of serving Kansans at the beginning of my professional life. I was 24 years old when I was first sworn into the Kansas State Senate and the youngest statewide elected official in America when I was appointed State Treasurer. While I will not be a candidate in 2024 or the state elections in 2026, I am hopeful that in another season of life, with new experiences and perspectives, I can contribute in some small way and advocate for the issues I care most about.

With gratitude in my heart for the people of Kansas, my staff, friends, and family, and most importantly, a loving God, who has blessed me beyond measure, I look forward to serving the remainder of my term and look to the future with confidence.
U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, the 2nd District Republican, joined U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall in demanding thorough vetting of Afghan refugees before any were relocated to Kansas. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, the 2nd District Republican, will not be running for reelection. LaTurner made the announcement Thursday, April18, 2024. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA  U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner announced Thursday that he will not seek reelection, citing his four young children and the busy schedule of Congress.

LaTurner currently represents Kansas 2nd District in the House of Representatives. A member of the Republican party, LaTurner served as the Kansas state treasurer from 2017 to 2021, and previously as a state senator from 2013 to 2017. LaTurner said he would finish out the term but not run as a candidate in 2024 or in state elections in 2026.

Suzanne and I are the proud parents of four young children, and for us the busy schedule of serving in and running for Congress has taken a toll, LaTurner said in a statement announcing his decision. The unrepeatable season of life we are in, where our kids are still young and at home, is something I want to be more present for.

LaTurner mentioned dysfunction on Capitol Hill, in his statement. With his announcement, LaTurner joins a wave of Republicans leaving their positions after the party gained a narrow majority in the House. The chamber has seen the first ousting of a speaker in its history, weekslong GOP infighting over his replacement, and near shutdowns of the U.S. government, among other political turmoil.

LaTurner acknowledged the difficulty but said he is optimistic about the U.S.s future.

Undoubtedly, the current dysfunction on Capitol Hill is distressing, but it almost always has been; we just didnt see most of it, LaTurner said. I remain optimistic about the future of this country, not only because we have overcome more significant obstacles in the past, but that the vast majority of people I have served with are good and trying to do the right thing, and because our founders, divinely inspired, understood human nature and created this republic to endure.

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the lone Democrat in the Kansas congressional delegation, complimented LaTurner on his policy work on behalf of Kansans.

I commend Rep. LaTurner for his strong dedication to Kansas and appreciate his partnership on critical issues like affordable housing, broadband access and flood prevention, Davids said. Together, we also emphasized the cultural significance of the Quindaro Townsite and successfully secured federal investments to help repair the Cesar Chavez bridge, a vital roadway in our community. I wish him the best in his future endeavors.

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, said he was saddened by the news of LaTurners pending departure from the U.S. House.

Jake cares so much about the wellbeing of Kansans and has worked to do what is right for them and all Americans, Moran said.  I appreciate his desire to be with Suzanne and his young family, and I wish him the very best. Between now and the end of his term, I look forward to working with Jake for a better America.

Federal Election Commission quarterly filings by members of Congress showed LaTurner had $676,000 cash-in-hand on March 31, which was substantially below his three peers in the Kansas delegation.

This early indicator of fundraising capacity heading into the 2024 campaign showed U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, the 1st District Republican, had $1.23 million in cash deposited in his campaign account. Fourth District U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, also a Republican, held $1.49 million in his reelection fund. Davids, the 3rd District Democrat, led the group with $2.14 million in cash.

The post Congress has taken a toll: U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner of Kansas wont seek reelection appeared first on Kansas Reflector.
Amid a turbulent tenure marked by policy disputes and public outcry, Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters faces renewed calls for his resignation.

These calls were initially sparked by the tragic death of transgender student Nex Benedict in February, after which over 350 LGBTQ+ organizations, activists, and celebrities urged for immediate action against Walters , citing his policies as contributory to a hostile environment for LGBTQ+ students.

Last week, an investigative report from Oklahoma City NBC affiliate KFOR exposed deep-seated issues within the Oklahoma State Department of Education under Walters leadership. Former OSDE staffer Pamela Smith-Gordon painted a picture of a department plagued by inaccessibility and neglect, critical flaws she believes could jeopardize the future of public education in Oklahoma.

The first 10 days came and went, and after almost every day saying, am I going to get to meet with him today? And every day being told that hes not there, Smith-Gordon said, explaining her failed attempts to engage with Walters directly upon starting her position four months ago, highlighting a concerning lack of leadership.

She also highlighted severe mismanagement, particularly in accessing necessary software for grant management, which led to the loss of millions in funding intended for crucial school safety and mental health programs. Additionally, she criticized Walters approach, which she perceived as prioritizing public humiliation and political agendas over genuine educational support and improvement, particularly in treating Tulsa Public Schools. This culmination of issues ultimately drove her to resign, convinced that the persistent systemic problems under Walters leadership would jeopardize the future of public education in Oklahoma.

This administrative dysfunction is compounded by Walters controversial decision to appoint far-right extremist Chaya Raichik, known for her anti-LGBTQ+ Libs of TikTok social media accounts, to an advisory board on library materials. This appointment has been widely condemned as indicative of Walters willingness to politicize educational resources and further an agenda that many believe marginalizes LGBTQ+ voices and concerns.

The pressure on Walters escalated after Benedicts death by suicide in February, which many activists attribute directly to the climate of intolerance they claim Walters has fostered.

In response to the ongoing and emergent issues, Laurel Powell of the Human Rights Campaign reiterated the urgency of removing Walters from office.

The fire is coming from inside the house at the Oklahoma State Department of Education, and Ryan Walters lit the match, Powell said in a statement. As this shocking interview reveals, Walters incompetence and lack of leadership isnt just leading to a mass exodus of staff, its costing the states schools millions of dollars of potential funding. The Oklahoma Legislature must remove Ryan Walters from officeor Oklahomas schools and students will continue to pay the price.
Constitutional law experts are examining the implications of the precedent set by Senate Democrats on Wednesday, when they killed the impeachment trial of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, effectively dismissing it.

After the Senate deemed both articles of impeachment unconstitutional, the upper chamber adjourned, quashing all hope for a trial on Mayorkas' alleged crimes. This was historically significant, as an impeachment trial had never been dismissed, tabled or otherwise discarded without the accused official having first exited their role in one way or another.

"The Senate has no constitutional authority to rule that the articles approved by the House do not state impeachable offenses," explained Andrew McCarthy, a former chief assistant United States attorney in the Southern District of New York and a senior fellow at the National Review Institute.

SENATE STRIKES DOWN BOTH IMPEACHMENT ARTICLES AGAINST BIDEN BORDER CHIEF

Constitutional experts are questioning the constitutionality of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, inset top, and Senate Democrats' maneuver to kill the articles of impeachment against DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, which Republicans fiercely objected to.

The sole power to determine impeachable offenses lies with the House, McCarthy noted. This means neither the Senate nor a court of law would be within their rights to undermine the House's ability to make such determinations.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., proposed two points of order during the court of impeachment deeming both articles of impeachment unconstitutional, which were passed by the Democratic majority.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

"This essentially nullifies the Houses important role in the impeachment process," McCarthy said.

Alternatively, the Senate would have been well within its rights to "hold a trial and ultimately acquit Mayorkas of the charges," he added.

REPUBLICANS PREDICT DEMS TO PAY 'HEAVY PRICE' IN ELECTION AFTER MAYORKAS IMPEACHMENT BID FAILS

Impeachment articles against DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas were delivered to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday.

The brief impeachment trial proceedings revealed "yet another of our constitutional norms is being undermined," said Randy Barnett, a renowned legal scholar and professor of constitutional law at the Georgetown University Law Center.

However, Alan Dershowitz, a prominent constitutional scholar and emeritus professor of law at Harvard Law School, claimed, "There are no constitutional impeachment criteria charged."

He explained further that "dismissal is proper."

SENATE DEMS REVEAL MASSIVE $79M AD SPEND TO PROTECT MAJORITY AHEAD OF KEY MATCHUPS

Alan Dershowitz said Democrats were right to dismiss.

McCarthy warned that "Democrats will come to regret it." He explained that in the case that Democrats take over the House's majority and Republicans the Senate, "Democrats will be undermined by the precedent they have set  especially if Donald Trump is elected president again."

Democrats would likely seek to once again impeach former President Trump if he is elected in November, McCarthy said, and "they have now handed Republicans a precedent authorizing the Senate to ignore the House."

Barnett claimed that impeachment is "ultimately a political power" and thus, political use of it is expected. However, he suggested that "the political nature of impeachment" is exactly what "necessitates the House having the opportunity to present its case both to the Senate and to the electorate in a public trial." This was prevented from taking place in the Senate.

WHITE HOUSE DEEMS HOUSE IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY 'OVER,' PRESIDENT BIDEN FORMALLY DECLINES TO TESTIFY

Andrew McCarthy said the Senate was not within its rights to countermand the Houses determination.

"The only reason Republicans impeached Mayorkas was to get a high-profile hearing that would rivet the publics attention to Bidens border crisis," added McCarthy, who noted that the House understood they would never see a conviction or removal.

"The Senate Democrats move does deny that public hearing," he said. For this, Democrats will "take a political hit," he continued.

However, McCarthy described that Senate Democrats made a political calculation, ultimately determining that "it would be better to be criticized for not conducting a trial than to hold a trial," placing President Biden's border policies at the forefront and Democratic senators on record acquitting Mayorkas.

This, he said, would look like the Democrats "endorsing Bidens non-enforcement policies."





Original article source: Constitutional authority of Senate Dems quashing Mayorkas impeachment trial questioned by experts
On Tuesday afternoon, the CEO of MyPillow Mike Lindell, along with a cadre of election deniers, spoke in front of a crowd of what organizers boasted could be over 800 people at the Ahern Hotel in Las Vegas, during an all-day event hosted by the far-right Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association.

Lindell was only one of many election deniers who spoke at this weeks 12 and a half hour event, regaling the, in reality, sparse crowd in attendance with tales of dangerous voting machines and debunked conspiracy theories about a stolen 2020 election. The conference included speakers like failed Arizona Secretary of State candidate Mark Finchem, ex-Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne, and former Trump administration officials-turned MAGA personalities Steve Bannon, and Michael Flynn, among others.

The Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association is a far-right movement that began in 2011, which experts say has only been emboldened since 2020 election denialism became a tenant of the MAGA right and a focus for the group.

The movement  which stands on principles that Mary McCord, executive director of the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection and professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center, described as really sort of made up  maintains that sheriffs hold supreme law enforcement authority in the country, and that sheriffs, not federal or state law enforcement, have the ultimate authority to reject enforcement of federal law.

The event provides a glimpse into which elements of the standard voting process the far right group is focused on demonizing as we head into the 2024 election. For example, several speakers focused on the false narrative that illegal immigrants will cast illegal votes on behalf of the Democratic Party in the fall. Speakers shared guides, according to reporting from WIRED, on how to stop the expected flood of alleged illegal voters from casting votes in November.

Experts warn that it appears the group could be gearing up for disruption in the fall, as well.

You would anticipate, I think, that there is some kind of planning going on for scenarios that might take place after November in which they would want their organizational capacity to be ready to go, explained Jacob Ware, research fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, focusing on domestic and and international terrorism and counterterrorism.

Before going on a tirade about the dangers of voting machines and widespread voter fraud, Lindell told TPM ahead of the event that he would be educating people on how much power sheriffs have at the county level to get rid of electronic voting machines.

When he was introduced at the event, the MyPillow Guy got a small standing ovation from a less-than rousing crowd before launching into a familiar narrative about dangerous voting machines and compromised elections. On January 9, 2021, he told the room, he handed over evidence proving widespread voter fraud, under what he claimed was a government gag order.

The evidence in question was never fully explained, but it was, according to Lindell, supposed to prove that the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump. His goal now, he said, no longer involves overturning the results of the 2020 election, but rather he wants to get rid of the machines and move to a hand-counting ballot system  which has been proven to be both error-prone and inefficient.

Finchem similarly spoke about faulty voter machines that rejected ballots at a tune of 7,000 ballots, while election denier Mark Cook falsely told the crowd that Dominion Voting Software can easily be used to flip the votes in an election.

The various conspiracy theories shared by speakers this week were all sponsored by the Constitutional Sheriffs group, which has been involved in efforts to encourage sheriffs to increase surveillance of ballot drop box locations and infiltrate ballot tabulators since the 2020 election. The group has also pushed member sheriffs to intervene in election administration, increasing the risk of voter intimidation.

Richard Mack, CSPOA founder and former Oath Keeper board member, in an interview with TPM, explained that Tuesdays event  which according to a press release from the organization was designed to be a training and press conference for American leaders, patriots, and constitutional advocates  included state officials, Republican candidates, members of the public, as well as some constitutional sheriff members.

The goal of the event and the organization as a whole, Mack claimed, is not to train constitutional sheriffs on how to investigate voter fraud, but rather, to focus on peaceful and effective solutions. In conversation with TPM, Mack never explicitly explained what these solutions are, but did emphasize that the group is not violent and that no members of the group were videotaped as being part of the January 6 insurrection.

Mack spoke generally about how the group is planning to safeguard the integrity of elections, noting that they have no authority over elections, but that they are working with True the Vote, the far-right Texas based group behind the debunked documentary on voter fraud, 2,000 Mules, as well as Lindell, who Mack claims has gathered extensive evidence of supposed fraud.

The main thing we train in is the responsibility of sheriffs to make sure that elections are being protected and that any complaints are being investigated, Mack argued.

In the Constitutional Sheriffs movements view, protecting elections means inserting themselves into more aspects of the voting process  like providing security at polling places  and supporting officials who want to contest the results of the election via local audits, he said. The group is also focused on ensuring sheriffs follow up with reported voter inconsistencies in 2024, which he says were largely overlooked or ignored after 2020, despite the fact that many of the supposed claims of voter fraud that gained traction in 2020 have since been debunked.

Experts warn that the groups stated goals are concerning ahead of November. There is a fear, according to Ware, that this particular group of law enforcement officers are not working on behalf of our democracy, but rather, working on behalf of what they determine to be the interests of a local population.

These constitutional sheriffs, he added, might actually accelerate or intensify political divisions, which could ultimately lead to a situation where you have pockets of the country where you do not have federal authority or federal authority is being challenged by the local sheriffs, Ware said.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Journalistic investigations expose the corrupt activities of the Armenian government in the sensational OCCRP (Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project) report, Trend reports.

Today, the West's approach, characterized by double standards and personal interests towards political and social events happening in different parts of the world, stands increasingly apparent, contrasting with the values and principles it claims to uphold.

The uneven approach towards the South Caucasus countries has long run the risk of becoming a source of division; currently, however, Western politicians, including their political centers, ignore corruption scandals that occur in countries that exhibit a pro-Western political trajectory or refuse to discuss them.

Armenia is currently one of the countries where this kind of corruption is continuously growing.

Journalistic investigations, recognized as the main center of fact-checking in the liberal world, have uncovered the financial machinations of the ruling party in 'democratic' Armenia.

No reactions or objections to the revealed facts have been noted, despite the fact that the data was made public ahead of the high-level EU-US-Armenia joint summit that was scheduled to take place in Brussels in April to support Armenia's stability.

Aiming to diversify its traditional foreign policy and security architecture, Armenia has strengthened its political, diplomatic, and security ties with the US and the EU in recent years.

Western states tend to ignore certain of Armenia's activities as a result of this tendency and are reluctant to discuss it.

The communique presented by the media regarding the trilateral meeting held on April 5 of this year in Brussels between the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, listed 'achievements' of Yerevan in the field of corruption alongside the discussed topics.

"The European Union and the United States acknowledged the substantial progress Armenia has made since 2018 on democratic and justice reforms and the fight against corruption and expressed a commitment to continue partnering with and supporting Armenia as it further strengthens its democracy and the rule of law, in line with our shared values and principles," said the communique.

"We welcome Armenia's endeavors towards promoting democracy, combating corruption, and fortifying the rule of law," stated EU High Representative and Vice President Josep Borrell on the sidelines of the trilateral meeting.

Armenia's pro-Western foreign policy trajectory thus makes it possible for corruption scandals to remain unreported; yet, the illicit activities discovered as a consequence of the investigations below validate the dishonesty of statements made by other senior Brussels officials, including Borrell.

Financial machinations of the Armenian ruling party Civil Contract.

In March of this year, OCCRP and its local partner in Armenia published an investigation related to the source of donations received by Armenia's ruling party.

Meanwhile, funded by globalist and liberal circles, OCCRP holds the status of an international non-governmental organization in the world and is 'used' as a tool of political influence against some countries.

For the first time since the establishment of the 'democratic' regime in Armenia, information about corruption in the country is being published in global media.

More over a third of the budget for the ruling Civil Contract party in Armenia in 2022 came from donations totaling 170 million drams, or almost $420,000. Serious concerns over the party's finance did, however, surface as a result of the examination of the official financial reports.

During discussions with investigative journalists and officially registered individuals who made donations to the Civil Contract party, it became apparent that a number of them were either unaware of this kind of financial exchange or had forgotten the event.

When asked for explanation during the investigation, half of the 31 donors said they had never made a donation of this kind.

For instance, during interviews with media, Lilit Haroyan, a member of the Charentsavan Village Council in the Kotayk area of Armenia who was listed as a donor to her party in the released list, referred to the occurrence as a joke and stated that she was only now learning about it.

However, the official document indicated that she provided financial assistance of one million drams (about $2,500) to the budget of the Civil Contract party, although she claimed to have had no income that year.

Another representative contacted by journalists, Serob Avetisyan, a member of the city council mentioned in the financial report of the Civil Contract party, reacted emotionally to the question and tried to evade it.

"If you are really journalists, then I have no time to talk to you," Avetisyan said.

Subsequently, in the conversation with media representatives, Avetisyan declared that he had given the party no funds.

In the published financial reports, dubious financial transactions conducted by the Civil Contract party are not limited to only members of the party's municipal councils.

For example, official documents noted that Sisak Shahbazyan, who worked as a driver in the administration of the Avan district of Yerevan, made four transfers to the party totaling 1.7 million drams ($4,200) from August to November 2022.

In response to inquiries from reporters, Shahbazyan said that party members requested that he transfer this sum of money; the money did not belong to him.

"I moved the money that close friends provided me. We gave the party money so they could cover their rent," he remarked.

There have also been dubious financial dealings with Melina Sukiasyan, an Armenian city council member from Tashir. Accordingly, Sukiasyan made two donations in October and November 2022 totaling three million drams, or roughly $7,500, according to the financial report.

"I don't have that kind of money; I couldn't make such a donation. I no longer trust them (the Civil Contract party). If you have such documents, send them to me. I won't allow my name to be slandered," she said in response to questions about the donations.

The Armenian government claims that in recent years, it has taken steps to combat corruption to prevent the influence on the socio-political situation of the former oligarchic elite that ruled the country. The ban on cash and transfers from legal entities within the 'reforms', as well as the ruling party's conduct of dubious financial transactions after limiting the financial support from individuals, indicate different motives.

"In order to obtain the necessary funds, political parties are most likely seeking ways to circumvent the law and use illegal schemes," said the Executive Director of the anti-corruption center Transparency International in Armenia, Son Ayvazyan.

The illegal methods used to finance Armenia's ruling party, Civil Contract, and the involvement of ordinary citizens, whose names are listed above, in such dirty political games have become entrenched.

Despite the fact that the Armenian government, in contrast to the previous authoritarian one, identifies as democratic and asserts that it is a body chosen by the people, its corrupt practices have only taken on a different guise.

Coordinator for Democracy at the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly-Vanadzor (HCA-Vanadzor) Vardan Grigoryan said that the nature of the donations indicates an attempt to conceal the source of funds for the party.

He noted that the money could have been obtained in cash from various sources and then transferred to the party on behalf of their candidates.

Questions arise:

What funds is utilized by the Nikol Pashinyan-led ruling political party for its philanthropic endeavors?

Where is the source of the money that has been illegally 'imported' into the party budget under the identities of the ordinary party members mentioned earlier?

Could this be a way to 'clean' the dirty money of the former political elite, who amassed wealth by stealing from the Armenian people over the years?

Additionally, in favor of Pashinyan's government

Nevertheless, the indisputable evidence points to the populism behind the claims made by Armenia's so-called democratic government regarding its efforts to combat corruption.

Western officials and politicians disregard the opinions expressed on corruption in Armenia by non-governmental groups like Transparency International and the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly, as well as by the OCCRP, which is supported by by global donors.

End of Part One.

To be continued, the next part will provide information about other corruption scandals involving the ruling party in Armenia and the bank involved in this process...

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) said in an order on Tuesday that BloomTech, the for-profit coding bootcamp previously known as the Lambda School, deceived students about the cost of loans, made false claims about graduates hiring rates and engaged in illegal lending masked as "income sharing" agreements with high fees.

The order marks the end of the CFPB's investigation into BloomTech's practices and the start of the agency's penalties on the organization.

The CFPB is permanently banning BloomTech from consumer lending activities and its CEO, Austen Allred, from student lending for a period of 10 years. In addition, the agency is ordering BloomTech and Allred to cease collecting payments on loans for graduates who didn't have a qualifying job and allow students to withdraw their funds without penalty, as well as eliminate finance changes for "certain agreements."

Today, the CFPB issued an order against BloomTech and its CEO, Austin Allred, for deceiving students about the cost of loans and making false claims about graduates hiring rates. https://t.co/PO0joM76qF  consumerfinance.gov (@CFPB) April 17, 2024

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"BloomTech and its CEO sought to drive students toward income share loans that were marketed as risk-free, but in fact carried significant finance charges and many of the same risks as other credit products," CFPB Director Rohit Chopra said in a statement. "Todays action underscores our increased focus on investigating individual executives and, when appropriate, charging them with breaking the law."

BloomTech and Allred must also pay the CFPB over $164,000 in civil penalties to be deposited in the agency's victims relief fund, with BloomTech contributing around $64,000 and Allred forking over the remaining $100,000.

Allred founded BloomTech, which rebranded from the Lambda School in 2022 after cutting half its staff, in 2017. Based in San Francisco, the vocational organization is owned primarily by Allred but is backed by various VC funds and investors including Gigafund, Tandem Fund, Y Combinator, GV, GGV and Stripe. At one time it was valued at over $150 million.

Critics almost immediately attacked the firm's then-pioneering business model  the income share agreement, or ISA  as predatory.

BloomTech originated "at least" 11,000 income-share loans to fund students' tuition for the short-term, typically six-to-nine-month certification programs in fields spanning web development, data science and back-end engineering, according to the CFPB. These loans required that recipients who earned more than $50,000 in a related industry pay BloomTech 17% of their pre-tax income each month until reaching the 24-payment or $30,000 total repayment threshold.

BloomTech didn't market the loans as loans, really, saying that they didn't create debt and were "risk free" -- and advertised a 71% to 86% job placement rate. But the CFPB found these marketing claims and others to be patently false.

BloomTech's loans in fact carried an annual percentage rate and an average finance charge of around $4,000, neither of which students were made aware of, and a single missed payment triggered a default. The school's job placement rates were closer to 50% and sank as low as 30%. And, unbeknown to many students, BloomTech was selling a portion of its loans to investors while depriving recipients of rights they should've had under a federal protection known as the Holder Rule.

Prior to the CFPB order, BloomTech, which briefly landed in hot water with California's oversight board several years ago for operating without approval, had faced other lawsuits claiming the school misrepresented how likely graduates were to get a job and how much they were likely to earn. Last year, leaked documents obtained by Business Insider raised questions about the company inflating its efficacy and hyping up a curriculum that didnt upskill students at the level they expected.

To comply with the CFPB order, BloomTech must eliminate the finance charge for those who graduated the program more than 18 months ago and obtained a qualifying job making $70,000 or less. The company must also allow current students to withdraw from the program and cancel their loans, or continue in the program with a third-party loan.
BLUEFIELD, WV (WVNS)  The City of Bluefield Police Department received a Continuum of Care Grant.

$450,000 was awarded to the City of Bluefield Police Department from the Office of Justice Programs Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention under the Building Local Continuums of Care to Support Youth Success initiative.

New basketball hoops installed at parks in Mercer County

The grant funds will go towards helping create a community-based continuum of promising and evidence-based prevention and intervention services, and will let the Police Department focus on and help children in Bluefield, West Virginia.

Not only is the City of Bluefield Police Department honored to get the funds, they are grateful to the Department of Justice for the acknowledging the city, citizens, and police department in Bluefield, West Virginia with the funds that will allow them to help the children in the area.

More than $17 million was given to 26 grantees to help with the Building Local Continuums of Care to Support Youth Success initiative by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, a program office of the Justice Departments Office of Justice Programs.

2024 JASON Learning Argonauts chosen to travel to Texas

Services and opportunities that not only prioritize effective and safe program outcomes, but that also help encourage positive youth development are what the Continuum of Care framework helps with. Continuum of Care helps children by using prosocial activities, mentoring, and after-school programs.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention investment uses ,years of evidence-based learning to stop children from going into or becoming more involved in the juvenile justice system, and to help them be successful.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
House Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, talks to House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, during a special legislative session. (Photo by Carmen Forman/Oklahoma Voice)

OKLAHOMA CITY  The Oklahoma House on Thursday passed a controversial illegal immigration bill which is expected to draw a legal challenge.

The vote was 77-20.

House Bill 4156, by House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, heads to the Senate for consideration. Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, is the Senate author.

The bill would create a new crime called impermissible occupation for willfully entering the state without legal authorization to be in the United States.

The first offense is a misdemeanor punishable by one year in the county jail and a fine of up to $500 or both. The person would be required to leave the state within 72 hours.

A second offense is a felony with up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000 or both.

Republicans said the law was necessary to protect public safety. Republicans also put the blame for the crisis at the border on the Biden administration.

Democrats said the measure was political, could result in profiling, would break up families and result in job vacancies in critical areas.

Democrats efforts to amend the measure failed.

House Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, said nothing in the bill would allow for racial profiling.

He said jobs held by illegal immigrants would be filled by people who are in the state legally.

Echols said he is certain the measure will be challenged in court.

This bill is strictly political, said Rep. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval, D-Oklahoma City, adding that it is focussed on campaign messaging.

He said the bill will create distrust of police resulting in a reluctance of people to help law enforcement solve crimes.

Im the proud son of immigrant parents, he said.

Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, said a nation has a right to have borders.

We must return to the rule of law, Olsen said.

He also took issue with the phrase undocumented immigrant, adding that a person who drives without a license is not called an undocumented driver. A person who practices law without a license is not called an undocumented attorney, Olsen said.

Rep. Jacob Rosecrants, D- Norman, said it was reprehensible to introduce such a law, adding that it will have consequences.

Separation of families creates trauma, he said.

Rep. Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee, blamed the Biden administration for the crisis at the border.

This has gone on too long, he said.

House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, said Republicans continue to back extremist legislation instead of good policy.

The measure is selling people false hope and false solutions, she said.

Echols called the measure a common sense piece of legislation.

I am not willing to do nothing, he said.

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The post Controversial Oklahoma immigration bill heads to the Senate appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
Coordinated and large-scale  ISW on Ukrainian strikes against Russian targets in Crimea and Mordovia

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believes Ukrainian strikes on targets in Russia in Crimea and Republic of Mordovia are a coordinated and large-scale series of attacks.

Source: ISW

Quote: "Ukrainian strikes against Russian aviation assets in occupied Crimea, as well as within Russia, appear to represent a fairly coordinated and wide-reaching series of strikes specifically targeting Russian aviation, air defence, and radar detection capabilities."

Details: The ISW noted that Ukrainian forces struck a Russian military airfield in the occupied town of Dzhankoi on the night of 16-17 April.

Geolocated footage published on 16 April shows explosions at the airfield in Dzhankoi, where the Russian 39th Guards Separate Helicopter Regiment is based (27th Composite Aviation Division of the 4th Air and Air Defence Forces Command of the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation).

Russian combat and transport helicopters provide significant advantages to Russian forces in both offensive and defensive operations, especially in Ukraines south. The ISW pointed out that these are legitimate military targets.

In addition, Ukraines Defence Intelligence reported that Ukrainian drones had attacked the 590th Separate Radio Engineering unit of Military Unit 84680, located in the Russian city of Kovylkino in the Republic of Mordovia, on 17 April.

Furthermore, Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) stated on 17 April that unidentified individuals had destroyed a Russian Mi-8 helicopter at the Kryazh airfield in the Russian city of Samara and published a video of the fire, suggesting DIUs possible involvement in this strike.

To quote the ISW's Key Takeaways on 17 April:

Ukrainian forces struck a Russian military airfield in occupied Dzhankoi, Crimea, overnight on 16 to 17 April.

Ukraines Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR) reportedly targeted Russian aviation assets in the Republic of Mordovia, the Republic of Tatarstan, and Samara Oblast on 17 April.

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov officially confirmed on 17 April that Russian peacekeeping forces began their anticipated withdrawal from Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Georgian parliament approved a bill in its first reading similar to Russias "foreign agents" law on 17 April, which Russian state media seized on to further Kremlin efforts to amplify reports of political discord in Western and former Soviet states.

US President Joe Biden warned that Russia and its partners pose an increasing threat to NATO and stressed that US security assistance to Ukraine can address the Russian threat.

The US House of Representatives filed a supplemental appropriations bill on 17 April that would provide roughly $60 billion of assistance to Ukraine, and will reportedly vote on the measure on 20 April.

Russian forces recently made confirmed advances near Avdiivka and Donetsk City.

The Kremlin-controlled Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) is preparing a special training course for ROC clergy deployed to combat zones in Ukraine.

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Cop accused of raping baby girl tried blaming dog for her injuries, PA officials say

A Pennsylvania police officer accused of raping a 13-month-old girl tried blaming the family dog for her injuries, investigators told news outlets.

Steven Kyle Cugini, a 28-year-old officer with the York City Police Department, was arrested April 16 by Pennsylvania State Police, the department said in a news release.

The investigation began after officers received a report of an infant with severe bruising, police said. The baby was taken to an area hospital and officers said they learned her injuries went far beyond bruising.

The investigation determined that the victim suffered broken bones  and was the victim of sexual violence, the release said, with evidence pointing them toward Cugini.

When interviewed by officers, Cugini denied abusing the girl, according to court documents obtained by WHP

Instead, hes accused of saying her injuries were caused by the family dog, from falling and from diaper rash, the station reported.

The girls mother initially provided the same implausible explanations, but later told investigators that Cugini had locked himself in a bathroom with the baby and she heard crying and loud noises coming from inside, WHTM reported.

State police found text messages from Cugini indicating that he caused the bruising, the station reported. And he admitted to investigators that the girls injuries were his doing, according to police.

In a statement, York City Police Commissioner Michael Muldrow said he is aware of the accusations against one of his officers, and has suspended Cugini.

As everyone knows, I will always be the first to fight and advocate for our people, he said. And if these allegations are founded, trust and believe Ill be the first to take swift and definitive action against them.

Cugini was jailed on a charge of raping a child under 13 years of age, and his bond is set at $200,000, jail records show.

York City is a roughly 100-mile drive west of Philadelphia.

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Fire and smoke rise out of the Old Stock Exchange, Boersen, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. One of Copenhagens oldest buildings is on fire and its iconic spire has collapsed. The copper roof of the 17th-century Old Stock Exchange, or Boersen, that was once Denmarks financial center, was engulfed in flames Tuesday. (Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  Copenhagen's mayor said Thursday she contacted her Paris counterpart to see what could be learned from the reconstruction of the Notre Dame cathedral in the French capital, after a fire devastated the Danish city's 400-year-old stock exchange building.

Firefighters were still at the scene two days after a blaze destroyed half of Copenhagen's Old Stock Exchange, which dates from 1615, and collapsed its iconic dragon-tail spire.

The Danish Chamber of Commerce, which was headquartered in the Old Stock Exchange and owns the building, has said they want the building to be reconstructed. However, no decision has yet been made about who will finance a reconstruction, a project that would cost millions, if not billions of kroner (dollars) and take years.

Sophie Hstorp Andersen, the Danish capitals mayor, told The Associated Press that she had been in touch with Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo to discuss how the French handled the reconstruction of the Notre Dame cathedral after an April 2019 blaze ravaged the 800-year-old landmark. Its restoration is slated for completion this year.

Hidalgo gave some good inputs on how to move quickly, how Paris handled donations and the restoration which must be done fast," Hstorp Andersen said.

We stand before a huge task when it comes to rebuilding Boersen together with the Danish Chamber of Commerce ... but we know this can be done quickly, she said, using the stock exchange building's Danish name.

She added that Hidalgo has invited a Danish team to meet those behind the rebuilding of Notre Dames spire.

Tuesday's blaze was believed to have started on the roof during renovations, but the cause remained unclear and police had yet to enter the burned part of the building to investigate.

Work continued Thursday to stabilize the building, with the Greater Copenhagen Fire Department saying they expect to be working at the scene of the fire for at least another day.

The walls are very unstable, firefighter spokesman Tom Ole Simonsen said. Containers filled with concrete have been erected around the Old Stock Exchange to support it.

The copper roof had collapsed inside the shell of external walls and on Friday, they will try to remove the burned parts from inside the building with a huge crane, Simonsen said.

Although firefighters used millions of liters (gallons) of water, it still smolders and glows inside, Simonsen said. He added that the highest alarm was sounded Tuesday six minutes after the fire department was alerted.

Several streets around the charred building, including a main road running past it, will remained closed until Monday at least, Simonsen said.

When the fire engulfed the building on Tuesday, passers-by, Chamber of Commerce staff, police officers and firefighters raced inside the building to save its treasures. Many of the buildings most valuable contents, which included irreplaceable paintings and other works of art, had been saved. Among them was the huge 1895 painting From Copenhagen Stock Exchange by Danish artist P.S. Kryer, the Chamber of Commerce said.

The exchange, known for its green copper roof and distinctive 56-meter (184-foot) spire in the shape of four intertwined dragon tails, sits on the waterfront next to the Danish parliament.

The building is considered a leading example of the Dutch Renaissance architectural style in Denmark. The Chamber of Commerce moved into the building after Copenhagens stock exchange left in 1974.

___

This story corrects the spelling of French mayors last name to Hidalgo instead of Hildago throughout.
When could long COVID start to improve? New study offers possible timeline

As COVID-19 continues to linger in the population, serious cases are decreasing, but some milder symptoms are hanging on.

Its called long COVID, and it can impact anyone who contracts the coronavirus.

Some experiencing long COVID have called it debilitating and raised calls to action for research and support for patients.

New research, however, suggests there is light at the end of the tunnel for those with symptoms sometimes years after an infection.

Researchers in Australia found that some of the immune abnormalities in long COVID patients resolved after about two years, providing optimism that long COVID can resolve over time, according to an April 17 news release from the University of New South Wales.

Heres what you need to know.

Long COVID identified early

The study, published April 17 in the journal Nature, followed people in Australia who contracted COVID-19 during the countrys first wave in the middle of 2020.

All of the participants tested positive for the virus, but only a few still had at least one of the major symptoms (fatigue, trouble breathing and chest pain) four months after infection, according to the study.

These participants were classified as long COVID patients, and the researchers followed their progress for the next two years.

The researchers note that when the first wave hit Australia, none of the infected participants were vaccinated since vaccines werent available, but 85% were vaccinated during the course of the study.

When a person is infected with a virus, their immune system has a series of symptoms called biomarkers that can be used to determine how prevalent the virus is in the body.

In the study, the researchers took blood work, chemistry and immune system biomarkers from the participants at each visit to track their experience with long COVID, according to the study.

Along with the medical testing, the study participants shared self-reported health information about the symptoms they were experiencing and their overall quality of life, the study said.

Reason for hope

In 2022, the team published its findings from the eight-month mark, which showed the biomarkers of COVID-19 were present in patients with long COVID, in connection with their lingering symptoms.

The team was the first in the world to provide a clear biological basis for the syndrome of long COVID, the university said.

This was generally bad news as health experts continue to work to understand the possible longevity of long COVID symptoms.

But when the team tested the patients again at 12 months, then at 24 months, they were surprised to find the biomarkers were going away, and the symptoms were improving.

Almost one and a half years later, we are pleased to see that among this same group, significant improvements were found in blood markers, Chansavath Phetouphanh, first author on the study and a senior lecturer at the Kirby Institute in Australia, said in the release. For the majority of samples we analyzed in the laboratory, the biomarkers previously indicating abnormal immune function have resolved.

The authors say it is hard to quantify immune function, since it varies from person to person, but at the two-year mark, there was no significant difference between those in the study and a control group of similar people who hadnt contracted COVID-19.

The finding isnt universal, and as many as one third of the patients still have an ongoing impact on their overall quality of life, the researchers said. But that could be driven by other underlying factors that werent included in the study.

What we know is that for most people with long COVID, both their symptoms and their biomarkers improve significantly over time, and this is a cause for optimism, Kirby Institute director Anthony Kelleher said in the release. Importantly, we will continue to undertake research to understand more about why some people dont improve, and what can be done for those people.

What to know about long COVID

There is no one universally accepted definition of long COVID, but the study authors defined the condition for their work as generally encompass(ing) various physical and neuropsychiatric symptoms lasting longer than 12 weeks following a COVID-19 infection.

For some, this might be a cough that wont go away, but for others, the condition is life-changing.

Kate Whitley, a 43-year-old with long COVID, told McClatchy News the condition made her feel like she deteriorated.

Chuck Whestphal, a 53-year-old firefighter from Florida, died after contracting the COVID-19 virus on the job and fighting long COVID symptoms for more than two years, McClatchy News reported.

Changes to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 guidelines were met with outrage from those in the long COVID community, including Joshua Pribanic, founder of the Long COVID Action Project and long COVID patient.

Pribanic told McClatchy News in March that the symptoms can have waves of improvement before worsening again, and decreasing isolation time following a COVID-19 infection could allow the virus to linger in the population and subject more people to long COVID.

The Long COVID Action Project crashed a Senate hearing in January demanding attention and funding for long COVID patients, McClatchy News reported.

Data from KFF, published April 9, estimates 17 million adults currently have long COVID. Nearly 80% of long COVID patients reported the condition limiting their activities, 25% of whom said long COVID limits their activities a lot, KFF found.

The CDC says people experiencing long COVID should seek care from a healthcare provider to come up with a personal medical management plan that can help improve their symptoms and quality of life, but no clear guidelines on treatment have been offered by the agency.

COVID can quietly linger in your body long after getting sick. What does that mean?

I deteriorated. Woman with long COVID watches body transform as it attacks itself

COVID isolation not needed if youre getting better, CDC says. What does that mean?

Firefighter dies from daunting years-long COVID infection, Florida officials say
Donald Trump rails against charges as he leaves court in Manhattan on 21 May 2024 (2024 Getty Images)

Testimony in former president Donald Trumps hush money trial wrapped up on May 21 and the trial is headed to closing arguments on May 28.

In the end, Mr Trump chose not to take the stand. A verdict could come as soon as May 29.

Ahead of testimony from 22 witnesses, a full jury was sworn in to hear evidence and decide the guilt or innocence of Mr Trump. Twelve jurors and six alternates were seated following a jury selection process that lasted a week.

Mr Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records after he allegedly instructed then-fixer/now-witness for the prosecution Michael Cohen to pay off adult film star Stormy Daniels in the lead-up to the 2016 election to remain quiet about her claim that she had sex with Mr Trump in 2006. The former president denies the affair.

During jury selection, a top priority for both sides was to root out potential stealth jurors  those who claim to be impartial but who hide their biases to get on a jury and possibly derail a trial.

Jurors are supposed to be impartial. A number of prospective candidates were dismissed from proceedings simply because they felt they could not be neutral while sitting in judgment of Mr Trump.

No doubt possible stealth jurors exist on both sides

Steve Duffy, from Trial Behavior Consulting, told The Independent that stealth jurors fully have an opinion  but [are] trying to get on the jury.

I have no doubt that there are jurors in the pool on both sides, who really want to be on the jury [but] have a very strong opinion, either for or against him, and are deliberately not saying anything to try to get on, Mr Duffy said, during the jury selection process. The way you figure out who those people are is with background research, which  both sides are undoubtedly doing.

Manhattan prosecutors posed several questions to jurors in the trials first week. Among them - Can they follow the facts and the evidence and the judges instructions, and can they remain fair and impartial, despite knowing the man sitting at the defense table in front of them is a former president and a current candidate for that office?

We dont expect you to be living under a rock for the last eight years, or the last 30 years, Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass told a group on 16 April.

But focus on the evidence, he told them.

Mr Trumps attorneys largely had only one question: what do you think of him?

Its important to President Trump that he gets a fair shake, lead defense attorney, Todd Blanche, told potential jurors.

Its easy to read something off a sheet of paper and say, Yes, Im going to be fair and impartial. What I want to do is test that a little bit, he said. We all know that every one of you knows President Trump, and you all know him in different ways, and you all have different views of him.

Nothing was off limits and there were no wrong answers, he said, and nothing would offend him.

Theyre going to have an opinion one way or the other

But rather than face a disgusted panel of New Yorkers, Mr Blanche instead received promise after promise to treat Mr Trump as any other criminal defendant and to separate whatever they might feel about him personally from the case in front of them.

Mr Duffy told The Independent that a possible stealth juror would not be volunteering information, or honestly answering because they want to be on the jury to either convict or prevent a conviction.

The prosecution looked to remove any Trump supporters, and the defense tried to get rid of anyone who may be left-leaning, which was difficult considering that President Joe Biden got 84.5 percent of the vote in Manhattan in 2020.

The parties do background research on jurors. That means looking at peoples social media, and you can also look at any publicly available information, its fair game, Mr Duffy said. Everybody involved in any sort of legal proceeding does it with jurors ... because if you dont, youre putting yourself in a huge competitive disadvantage. So they will know whos Democrat, whos Republican, if people have made really strong statements on social media.

Apart from social media posts, attorneys on both sides also look at criminal convictions and publicly available information on political donations of potential jurors.

The faster the jury selection process works the harder it is to do that comprehensively, Mr Duffy said. Ive had jury selection take 30 minutes in federal court from start to finish  we basically knew nothing about the people  You could never do that in a case like this.

Trump only needs one supportive juror for mistrial

While Mr Duffy said removing possible stealth jurors was a big focus for both sides, it was particularly important for the prosecution as a unanimous verdict is needed to avoid a mistrial. The Trump team needs only a single juror who refuses to convict.

If you get one person who just says I dont care  I will never vote to convict, then youre going to get a mistrial, he said. So rooting out  what I would call a stealth juror, either for or against Trump is certainly a huge priority for both sides.

He added: In Trumps world, if he gets one of those people on the jury who just no matter what, will not vote to convict, then thats great because you wont get convicted. So rooting out anyone like that is imperative for the prosecution.

New York as a trial venue is tougher on Mr Trump when it comes to the jury pool compared to the area of South Florida where his classified documents case is being handled, because, in Manhattan, Trumps supporters stick out like a sore thumb, he said.

The prosecution certainly has [fewer] problems than Trump does, Mr Duffy noted during the jury selection process, but he added that Mr Trump doesnt need to get acquitted. He just needs a mistrial.

Delay is often the defendants best friend, he added. The percentage of jurors who are outwardly pro-Trump is going to be very low. But he only needs one.

Could a stealth juror derail Trumps trial?

Mr Duffy said that its clear that the attorneys in Mr Trumps trial did their due diligence on the jurors.

You see both sides directly ask jurors questions about their social media content. Thats unusual, to directly confront jurors with that, but its just a product of Donald Trump being such a ubiquitous presence in the public eye, he said.

For sure, Mr Duffy said when asked if a stealth juror may be able to derail the trial. One of the jurors who was dismissed ... the prosecution was insinuating [that he] could be that kind of juror.

The prospective juror failed to disclose that he had torn down political signs and that his wife had been party to criminal corruption proceedings, the consultant noted.

Any non-disclosure like that is going to be a red flag to an attorney, he added. The more off the grid you are, the easier it is to fly under the radar.

However, the issue of stealth jurors cuts both ways. There are people who may try to get on the jury and are hell-bent on convicting and there are those wholl refuse to convict regardless of what the trial may unearth, Mr Duffy said.

People seeking celebrity may overlap with those looking to get on a jury to affect the outcome. Especially nowadays, certainly there are people who might want to do that because its exciting to them or almost titillating to them to be involved, he added.

But the opposite issue exists as well.

One of the jurors who was dismissed ... was someone whos terrified of being involved in this because theyre afraid for their own safety, Mr Duffy said.
Counting underway in Solomon Islands national election watched by US, China

NZDF Joint Task Force assist in delivering ballot boxes to remote areas of the Solomon Islands

By Kirsty Needham

(Reuters) - Counting was underway on Thursday in the Solomon Islands after a national election a day earlier, although electoral officials said they were searching for a larger venue in the Pacific Island capital Honiara to count votes.

The parliamentary election is the first since Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare struck a security pact with China in 2022 and drew the Pacific Islands nation closer to Beijing.

The election outcome will be closely watched by the United States, China and Australia for its potential impact on regional security.

Electoral chief Jasper Highwood Anisi said in a livestreamed press conference on Thursday that results would start to be announced on Friday, with most results known by Sunday evening or Monday morning.

Counting in Honiara had been delayed as electoral officials sought a larger venue with appropriate security for a counting centre, he said.

There was a heavy police presence outside counting centres nationwide, he added.

Counting in Sogavare's electorate of East Choiseul would start on Friday, national broadcaster SIBC reported.

The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force said it had banned victory parades by winning candidates or their supporters because of the risk of unrest.

The Solomons has had a volatile history, with anti-government riots in 2021 and earlier inter-tribal violence.

Sogavare, running as leader of the Ownership, Unity and Responsibility Party, has said he would seek closer ties to China. Opposition parties have criticised the security pact with China, and say voters are focused on struggling health services, education and roads.

The 50 members of the national parliament are elected for a four-year term, and the seat results will indicate if any party has achieved a majority, or negotiations to form a coalition are needed before a prime minister is selected.

Police and defence forces from Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Fiji are assisting with election security and observer groups from Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific, Japan, Europe and the U.S. are monitoring the election.

The Solomon Islands archipelago is home to just 700,000 people but occupies a strategic position 1,600 km (990 miles) northeast of Australia.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Sydney; Editing by Michael Perry)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Armenia is solely given the role of a tool with which the West wishes to spark a fire in the South Caucasus, Spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said at a briefing, Trend reports.

"Washington and Brussels' aims are clear: they want to cut all ties between Russia and Armenia, both security and economic, and weaken the instruments of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Eurasian Economic Union. Western nations aggressively aim to sow unrest among the nearest neighbors in the South Caucasus, using Armenia just as a tool to stir further conflict, in accordance with the US and EU's agenda to ignite broader conflicts," she said.

"Should the document indeed propose the substitution of Russian border guards with specialists from the US-EU-NATO coalition, the amplification of American and EU subversive operations along Armenia's borders with Azerbaijan and Iran, and the redirection of Armenia's vital infrastructure and energy network, it would not come as a surprise. There has been a noticeable effort by US and EU representatives to influence Armenia with such concepts," Zakharova emphasized, commenting on the document between the EU, the US, and Armenia adopted during the Brussels meeting.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, alongside EU High Representative and Vice President Josep Borrell, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, USAID chief Samantha Power, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan convened in Brussels on April 5.

One of the outcomes of the meeting was the announcement that the EU would propose Armenia's Resilience and Growth Plan for 2024-2027, with a budget allocation of 270 million euros.
OKLAHOMA (KSNW)  A suspect in the case of two missing Kansas women admitted responsibility for their deaths, according to court documents newly obtained by Nexstars KSN.

In the motions to hold four defendants without bail, it is stated, in part, that suspect Tifany Adams, 54, did provide a recorded statement to law enforcement indicating her responsibility for the death of the deceased.

The bodies of 27-year-old Veronica Butler and 39-year-old Jilian Kelley were found in rural Texas County on Sunday.

Tad Cullum, Tifany Adams, Cole and Cora Twombly first court appearance in Texas County, Oklahoma on April 17, 2024. (KSN Photo)

What Adams, the grandmother of Butlers children, said in the recorded statement was not revealed in the court documents.

Adams was arrested Saturday along with her boyfriend, Tad Cullum, 43; Cora Twombly, 44, and her husband, Cole Twombly, 50, on charges of kidnapping and first-degree murder. All were members of the self-proclaimed anti-government group Gods Misfits.

Kansas woman charged with threatening Presidents Biden and Clinton

The maximum sentence for murder is death, life or life without parole.

Now faced with the consequences of a sentence of death or life in prison, the defendants would be willing to do anything since they have shown to be willing to commit capital murder in order to limit Veronicas visitation, court documents state.

The court documents also revealed that the bodies of Butler and Kelley were found in a pasture below a dam that Cullum rents for cattle grazing. The property, which is located 8.5 miles from the location where the women disappeared and where Butlers vehicle was found, had fresh dirt work done, and discarded burner phones were found.

The area of disturbed dirt was excavated, and the bodies of two individuals were discovered, the court document states.

The bodies were identified Tuesday as those of Butler and Kelley. The court documents also stated that they died of foul play but did not go into details. They had disappeared on March 30 while driving to pick up Butlers children.

Wichita police asking for help in locating vehicle from hit and run

Prosecutors say there had been many attempts to take Butlers life. Other court documents show the years of turmoil between Butler and Adams, but efforts to secure a protection order did not get a judges approval.

KSN on Wednesday spoke with Clinton Butler, Veronica Butlers father. When asked if he felt the justice system failed his daughter, he responded, One hundred percent.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Details of an alleged sexual assault that took place between a student and volunteer associated with Little Rocks Immanuel Baptist Church were released by the court on Wednesday.

The reasonable cause affidavit names 26-year-old Reagan Gray of Monticello as a suspect in the alleged abuse of an underage boy at the church, beginning in the fall of 2020 when she was 23 years old until the summer of 2021. According to the affidavit, Gray was an employee of Little Rock Christian Academy and a volunteer in the Immanuel student ministry who lived in Little Rock at the time the alleged assaults began.

Signs to be aware of sexual assault, ways to reduce potential abusive situations

Gray is facing a single felony charge of sexual assault. She turned herself in to the police on Wednesday and is currently free on a $20,000 bond.

The alleged victim, who is not named in the affidavit, was also a member of the student ministry at the church, which was how he and Gray met, the FBI-prepared affidavit states.

According to the investigator, the alleged victims parents discovered text messages between the alleged victim and Gray in 2020 that they reported to a senior pastor at the church. The affidavit continued that then-head pastor Steven Smith then confronted Gray about the messages and was told by her that the relationship was not physical.

Woman files lawsuit against Magnolia church claiming sexual abuse cover-up

Gray was then removed from student ministry and required by the church to undergo counseling, which she did, investigators said. The affidavit states that she returned to student ministry shortly after being removed.

Smith later told FBI investigators in February 2024 that Gray had confessed in counseling that the relationship between her and the alleged victim was sexual in nature, according to the affidavit. The affidavit continues that Gray and the victim continued sending messages to each other using the Snapchat application instead of text messages.

The affidavit shows Smith told investigators Gray and the alleged victim had additional physical contact since the 2020 discovery of their relationship. Gray told Smith about this, investigators reported.

Arkansas State Crime Lab making improvements on rape kit turnaround time; headed in the right direction for victims

The affidavit details that an FBI investigator interviewed the alleged victim in February and was told the alleged victim and Gray had sexual contact when Gray was 23 years old and the victim was 15 years old. The alleged victim also said he received nude images on the phone from Gray on a daily basis and that she requested the victim send images as well.

Per the affidavit, the alleged victim told investigators they did not remember sending images but considering the nature of the relationship, he said it probably did happen.

In the affidavit the alleged victim continued to investigators that they never had procreative sex but did have sexual interaction, either in Grays car or her apartment.

Arkansas Coalition Against Sexual Assault expands mission, helping human trafficking victims

The affidavit concludes that Gray was on administrative leave from her job at Sylvan Hills Middle School as of Feb. 12, 2024.

Smith recently resigned as Immanuel pastor in April after controversy about how the church handled the sexual abuse allegations.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
Coweta inmate gets trapped between construction equipment while on work detail, deputies say

An inmate worker was hospitalized after reportedly becoming pinned between construction equipment at the Coweta County Jail.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

On Thursday at 1 p.m., Coweta County deputies said a state inmate worker who was working on a jail expansion project was pinned between a skid steer and a paver.

The sheriffs office said the inmate worker sustained injuries to his lower right leg.

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Firefighters immediately responded to assist with medical treatment.

Coweta County officials said the inmate worker was alert and conscious before being taken to Grady Memorial Hospital.

There is no word on the inmates condition. The workers age and identity were not released.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

On Tuesday, a Georgia father of four was killed when he was pinned by an RV at a Coweta County business.

According to Newnan police, Timothy TJ Welling, an employee at Bucks Tires on Temple Avenue, died after being pinned by an RV.

IN OTHER NEWS:
Crash that killed L.A. firefighter recruit was not a hit-and-run, CHP says

The crash that killed a Los Angeles Fire Department recruit on the 101 Freeway this week is not being investigated as a hit-and-run as initially announced.

On April 15, Jacob Fuerte, 22, was driving to the LAFD training academy when his car crashed into another vehicle on the northbound 101 Freeway near Vineland Avenue in Studio City. The crash happened shortly after 5 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.

Authorities said Fuerte stepped out of his car to likely assess the situation and offer help to anyone injured. Thats when he was struck and killed by an oncoming vehicle which officers described as a hit-and-run.

However, on Wednesday, CHP investigators said new evidence revealed the crash was not a hit-and-run collision as initially suspected.

According to CHP, Fuerte, who was driving a Jeep, initially crashed into a portable toilet that was on the freeway lanes.

As Fuerte stepped out to investigate the situation, an oncoming sedan crashed into his parked Jeep, pushing the vehicle into Fuerte, authorities said.

Authorities investigate after a crash kills a Los Angeles Fire Department recruit on the 101 Freeway in Studio City on April 15, 2024. (KTLA)

A U.S. Flag is draped over the body of a Los Angeles Fire Department recruit firefighter who was killed on the 101 Freeway on April 15, 2024. (KTLA)

Jacob Fuerte, 22, in a photo from the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Authorities investigate after a crash kills a Los Angeles Fire Department recruit on the 101 Freeway in Studio City on April 15, 2024. (KTLA)

Authorities investigate after a crash kills a Los Angeles Fire Department recruit on the 101 Freeway in Studio City on April 15, 2024. (KTLA)

Authorities investigate after a crash kills a Los Angeles Fire Department recruit on the 101 Freeway in Studio City on April 15, 2024. (KTLA)

Los Angeles Fire Department recruit Jacob Fuerte, 22, in a photo from the LAFD.

The forceful maneuver caused Fuerte to be thrown into nearby freeway lanes. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

Investigators said no suspects or vehicles, including the sedan driver, are unaccounted for as initially believed. No arrests are being made as the investigation continues.

Fuerte was the son of a 17-year veteran firefighter/paramedic with the LAFD.

We extend our heartfelt sympathy to the immediate family, friends and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time, said Erik Scott, LAFD spokesperson. Raised in the LAFD family, recruit Fuerte understood the importance of helping those in need.

On Monday morning, Sky5 video captured a procession that made its way from the crash scene to the L.A. County Coroners Office in Boyle Heights.

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass paid tribute to Fuerte and ordered city flags fly at half-staff in her State of the City address on Monday night.

My heart goes out to the family during this difficult time, Bass said.

Fuerte is survived by his father, two sisters and a brother.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Crime on college campuses reverts to pre-pandemic levels as students fear for safety

Crime on college campuses reverts to pre-pandemic levels as students fear for safety

At least three female Arizona State University students were allegedly sexually assaulted by a "random stranger" in public areas of the Tempe campus in a 30-minute span.

It was described as "an isolated incident" on April 11 by the university in a statement to Fox News Digital, but it's an isolated incident for ASU, not the country, where a national spike in on-campus crimes has reverted to pre-pandemic highs, according to the Department of Education statistics.

At the end of February, four college students were murdered in a 10-day span, and just over the last week, two Appalachian State students allegedly stabbed a classmate, and Michigan State University reported a sexual-orientation-motivated assault in the campus library.

Plus, antisemitic attacks on college campuses are on a "drastic" rise since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) said in a statement pushing a bipartisan bill to combat antisemitism on campuses.

COLLEGES NATIONWIDE ON EDGE AFTER 4 CAMPUS HOMICIDES IN 10 DAYS

There were 38,303 reported criminal offenses at colleges and universities in 2022, which is the federal government's latest data based on 5,783 institutions with 10,530 campuses.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

To put the number in perspective, there were about 21,200 reported incidents in 2020, according to a September 2023 report by the National Center for Education Statistics.

SERIES OF VIOLENT CRIMES AROUND COLLEGE CAMPUSES HAS STUDENTS, FAMILIES ON HIGH ALERT

University of Georgia murder suspect Jose Ibarra lived within a five-minute walk of the approximate scene where he allegedly murdered 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley on Feb. 22.

Before that, the number of on-campus crimes decreased by 15% (32,100 to 27,200) between 2010 and 2019, the report says, before it bottomed out during the height of the pandemic in 2020.

As students returned to on-campus learning, criminal activity picked back up (as seen in the bar graph below), which is fueled by sex crimes, according to the report.

"It's terrifying," ASU student Addison Gleason told Fox 10 in Phoenix after his female classmates were attacked. "Definitely makes it scary, especially when theres a lot of people that walk around, like, late at night."

Front and center of the campus crime debate is the University of California, Berkeley, arguably one of the most prestigious schools in the country, and the so-called SafeBears, a group of more than 1,300 California parents and community allies working together to protect university students, their website says.

The SafeBears said on their site that there is a "significant increase" in violent crime in and around the campus.

PRIVATE SECURITY HIRED BY PARENTS SEES SUCCESS WHILE FRUSTRATIONS WITH UC BERKELEY ON CRIME MOUNT

That includes several shootings (one was fatal), gunpoint robberies and a stabbing near university housing. There was also a reported rash of break-ins.

So they took safety matters into their own hands by reaching into their wallets and ultimately shelling out $40,000 to hire private security, which sparked a contentious feud with university leaders.

The pilot program ended on March 23, and university leaders don't seem to want the program to return.

A spokesperson from UC Berkeley told Fox News Digital in a previous interview, "Hiring private security raises a number of concerns including the training and experience of individuals hired by such firms."

PARENTS OF TENNESSEE COLLEGE STUDENT KILLED BY STRAY BULLET SAY LAWS PROTECT REPEAT CRIMINALS

But even Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin, who was a believer in the "defund the police" movement and cut almost $10 million from the police budget in 2020, created a crime preventative coalition two months ago.

During a February press conference, he acknowledged the increase in criminal activity and said it's important to "deter crime, and hold these individuals accountable."

Map of "unintentional shootings" put together by Gun Violence Archive.

Experts haven't reached any definitives conclusions about what's fueling the rash of on-campus crimes that seem to headline news outlets every day across the country.

Many point to a full return to school, with the pandemic in the rearview mirror, as a contributing factor, as well as overseas hostilities, such as the Hamas invasion of Israel.

Oddly enough, violence, particularly murder, dropped in the U.S. in 2023 and continues to decline in 2024, according to crime analyst Jeff Asher, despite several surveys and polls that show as many as 75% of Americans believe crime is still climbing.

DISPATCH AUDIO FROM DEADLY COLORADO DORM SHOOTING REVEALS RESPONDERS NOT SURE IF GUNMAN WAS STILL AT LARGE

Nicholas Jordan (middle) allegedly killed Samuel Knopp (left) and Celie Montgomery (right) during a shooting in a Colorado University dorm.

"Murder is down around 20 percent in 2024 in more than 180 cities with available data this year compared to a comparable time frame last year" Asher wrote in an April 4 post on Jeff-alytics.

"Murder is down 20.5 percent in 183 cities with available data through at least January, down 20.2 percent in 174 cities with data through at least February, and down 20.8 percent in 59 cities with data through at least March 20."

But colleges and universities seem to be on the reverse track, which has concerned parents  like the SafeBears  who are taking action.

"Beyond the private security pilot program, I think an organization like SafeBears is needed to hold the university and city accountable and to push for more safety measures," Victoria Cole, a UC Berkeley parent, told Fox News Digital in a previous interview.

It remains to be seen if on-campus crimes will even out, or if programs like SafeBears will become more common.





Original article source: Crime on college campuses reverts to pre-pandemic levels as students fear for safety
Editors Note: The following arrest and incident reports were supplied by the Abilene Police Department. All information below comes from reports made by responding officers, and all suspects are considered not guilty unless determined otherwise in a court of law.

Incidents

1700 block of North 7th Street  Burglary of Vehicle

A woman reported that an unknown suspect entered her locked vehicle and stole nearly $1,600 worth of personally belongings including a laptop and cell phone.

800 block of Grape Street  Credit or Debit Card Abuse

A victim reported that her stolen credit card was used at a local convenience store shortly after her wallet was stolen from her vehicle.

900 block of North Jefferson Drive  Forgery; To Defraud or Harm Another

A woman reported that her step-brother forged a title transfer and bill of sale to take over her deceased fathers pickup truck.

1300 block of Locust Street  Family Violence Assault

Police found a 19-year-old woman to be assaulted by her live-in boyfriend.

3100 block of South 1st Street  Burglary of Habitation

An unknown suspect allegedly forced entry to a motel room, causing damages to walls and the trim of the door frame.

1600 block of Chachalaca Lane  Family Violence Assault

A man reported that his girlfriend hit him while driving around town. He is not pressing charges.

100 block of Montana Street  Theft of Property

A victim reported that a known suspect took the keys of his vehicle after leasing it to the suspect. Police say the victim owns the vehicle, and valued the key at $1,000.

1300 block of Andy Street  Credit or Debit Card Abuse

A victim told police an unknown suspect charged $650 to her debit card and a bank out of the area.

3600 block of North 6th Street  Credit Card or Debit Card Abuse

A victim reported unauthorized transactions on her bank card.

3700 block of Trailend Drive  Theft of Service

A bird valued at $800 was reported stolen. No public narrative listed.

700 block of North 13th Street  Assault

A victim told police an unknown woman assaulted her before taking off. The victim is not pressing charges.

2700 block of East Lake Road  Criminal Mischief

An unknown suspect smashed a vehicle window while it was parked.

Arrests

Christopher Martinez  Possession of a Controlled Substance

Ernesto Flores  Manufacture/ Delivery of a Controlled Substance

Kristopher Haddad  Abandoning/ Endangering Imminent Danger/ Bodily Injury to Child/ Elderly/ Disabled II

Khristopher Haynes  Driving While Intoxicated

Jordan Marin  Driving While Intoxicated

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com.
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  This week on Crime Stoppers, law enforcement needs your help locating two men with felony warrants. Also, Lansing Police are seeking the identity of two individuals allegedly involved in stealing from local businesses.

If you have information regarding the cases below, call Crime Stoppers of Mid-Michigan at (517) 483-STOP. You can remain anonymous.

Those who contact Crime Stoppers with information can get up to a $1,000 award.

Domonic Michael Thomson

(Courtesy Photo Lansing Police Department)

Domonic Michael Thomson, 20, is wanted on a felony warrant for carrying a concealed weapon. Hes described as 5 foot 10 inches tall and 135 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes.

Jakaris Blanche Bradley

(Courtesy Photo Lansing Police Department)

Jakaris Blanche Bradley, 22, is wanted on a felony warrant for burglary out of Lansing. Hes described as 5 foot 7 inches tall and weighing 137 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes.

Help Identify: Armed robbery suspects

(Courtesy Photo Lansing Police Department)

The Lansing Police Department is asking for any information related to an armed

robbery that occurred at the Sunoco station at 1700 W Willow St on February 15, 2024,

at approximately 8:00 PM. Two suspects wearing all black clothing, masks, and armed

with a firearm entered the business, robbed the clerk at gunpoint, and then fled on foot.

Help Identify: Suspect in money donations box theft

(Courtesy Photo Lansing Police Department)

The Lansing Police Department is asking for assistance with the identification of a

subject that stole a money donations box from a business on the 5600 block of South

Cedar Street on March 20, 2024. The suspect is described as a scruffy white male,

approximately 5 foot 3 inches tall, and 25-30 years old, and dirty blonde hair. He was wearing a tan coat, blue jeans, and carried a backpack.

(WLNS)

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.
(Bloomberg) -- Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic suffered a setback in a tight national election as he confronted a challenge from President Zoran Milanovic, who has derided military aid to Ukraine.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Plenkovics center-right Croatian Democratic Union, or HDZ, was on track to secure 60 seats in Croatias 151-member parliament, short of the majority needed to stay in power after the vote Wednesday, according to projections based on a tally of more than 90% of polling stations by the State Election Commission. The Social Democrats, which Milanovic wants to lead as the next prime minister, were behind with 42.

Both main parties said they would move ahead with cobbling together a majority, though the coalition math suggests that neither has an easy path to form a government. With a surge in turnout, the prime ministers party lost ground compared with 2020.

At risk is European Union unity over aid to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia for its invasion. Croatia under Plenkovic has been a stalwart EU supporter of Ukraine, while Milanovic has denounced NATOs expansion in response to the Kremlins invasion in 2022, a conflict hes deemed not our war.

A Milanovic-led government could push Croatia closer to a group of EU nations including Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Slovakia, whose government under Robert Fico has halted weapons deliveries to Kyiv. Plenkovic lashed out at the president during the campaign, saying Milanovic would push Croatia, the EUs newest member state since joining the bloc in 2013, into a Russian world.

A former prime minister, Milanovic threw open the election campaign by unexpectedly declaring his bid for the premiership last month. The move prompted Croatias top court to declare the run irreconcilable with his duties as head of state. Milanovic responded by hurling insults at the judges and refusing to resign the presidency until he has a majority.

Corruption Allegations

Plenkovic had expected an easier path to a third term in power, buoyed by his record of adopting the European single currency and steering the nation of 3.9 million into the EUs visa-free travel zone. But his party has struggled to shake off accusations of corruption, a cloud thats lingered for more than a decade since the indictment of former HDZ leader and premier, Ivo Sanader.

Seven ministers left the cabinet during Plenkovics first term over a string of corruption cases, with several in various stages of investigation and indictment. Milanovic has capitalized on the public frustration.

Homeland Movement, a right-wing nationalist grouping, came third with 14 seats, though the two main parties will likely avoid coalition building with them so as not to alienate their voters or potential partners.

The centrist Bridge party, which won 11, has feuded with Plenkovic. Left-leaning Mozemo, which secured 10 seats, has said it may support a Social Democratic-led government. Eight further seats are reserved for ethnic minorities and three for Croatians abroad; both groups have supported the ruling coalition in the past.

Croatias economy has been one of the fastest-growing in the EU in the last two years, benefiting from access to EU funds and the euro-area entry in 2023. The government forecasts economic growth of 2.8% this year.

Plenkovic, a 53-year-old former diplomat and lawyer by training, has led the Adriatic Sea nation since 2016, the countrys longest-ruling premier since independence in 1991. The HDZ, founded as Croatias dominant nationalist party in 1989 as Yugoslavia was on the verge of collapse, has governed in coalitions with several smaller parties and minority lawmakers.

Milanovic, 57, led Croatia from 2011 to 2016 before being elected president in 2020. Hes gained a following among Croatian voters with increasingly vitriolic attacks against political opponents. Hes called Plenkovic a protector of crime and corruption and a flaming badger.

After the Constitutional Court in Zagreb pushed back on his premiership bid, he hectored the justices as prostitutes and illiterate mobsters.

(Updates tally in second paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 19. The UN Security Council did not adopt a draft resolution recommending that the General Assembly grant Palestine full membership in the organization, Trend reports.

During the voting, the United States blocked the document, using the veto power of the permanent members of the Security Council. The US was the only country to vote against it.

12 members of the Security Council voted for the bill, two abstained.

The draft resolution was prepared by Algeria. The document contains recommendations to the General Assembly to grant Palestine the status of a full UN member instead of the current observer status.
Ukraine's Ministry of Culture removed the formerly-named Peoples' Friendship Arch from the state register of monuments of national importance due to its association with Russia's ambitions for Soviet reunification, indicating that the monument "may be dismantled."

"The myth of 'reunification' of the two 'fraternal' peoples embodied in the monument does not correspond to historical realities," the Culture Ministry news release on April 17 read. "This myth is actively used to justify (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's territorial claims."

The monument, erected in 1982 for the 60th anniversary of the formation of the Soviet Union and the 65th anniversary of the October Revolution of 1917, was renamed The Arch of Freedom of the Ukrainian People by Kyiv City Council in May 2022 following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

A bronze Soviet-era statute of two Soviet workers that stood under the arch, symbolizing the so-called "friendship of two peoples" between Russia and Ukraine, was also dismantled in April 2022.

According to a BBC Ukraine report published in April 2024, Kyiv City Council has studied the idea of dismantling the arch, however, the monument's protected status outlawed its removal.

No decision on the arch's potential dismantling has been made.

"Despite the renaming by the Kyiv City Council to the Arch of Freedom of the Ukrainian People, the monument represents exclusively Soviet ideological themes and connotations, thus posing a threat to Ukraine's national security," the release read.

The Ukrainian parliament outlawed most Soviet and communist symbols, street names, and moments in 2015 as part of the decommunization process. Monuments around the country have since come down or been changed, although the sheer number of Soviet-era statues and symbols has prolonged the completion of the project.

In April 2023, President Volodymyr Zelensky also signed a law that prohibits naming geographic sites in Ukraine after Russian figures or historical events associated with Russian aggression.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
An apparent cyberattack struck the New York State Legislatures computer infrastructure overnight Tuesday, slowing progress on state budget negotiations that are already weeks overdue and forcing the state to move to a 20th-century backup system.

Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said Wednesday that the cyberattack was discovered in the early hours Wednesday, sparking a quick response from state cybersecurity officials.

The exact cause or motivation for the attack is unknown.

The Legislatures bill drafting office  those responsible for finalizing the text of the state budget  was the worst hit, Gothamist reported. State legislators are already 17 days late on the state budget, which expired at the end of March.

In response to the attack, the bill drafting office is relying on an outdated computer filing system from 1994, which was replaced more than 20 years ago.

Our understanding right now is that it will take a little bit longer to deal with the legislative side of it because a lot of data is included in the computers, Hochul said of the budget process in a WNYC radio appearance with Brian Lehrer on Wednesday.

Hochul announced Monday that lawmakers had reached a deal on a $237 billion spending plan, which was expected to move forward this week.

Lawmakers have shown optimism that the cyberattack should not delay the budget process.

Nothing is delayed, state Senate Democrats spokesperson Mike Whyland said.

Cyberattacks have been a focus of Washington in recent months, as members of Congress worry about the rising popularity and potential risks to companies and governments.

The Biden administration sent out a special warning for state water and wastewater systems last month, warning that critical infrastructure could be a target for attack.

The Senate Finance Committee is also expected to hold a hearing on the Change Healthcare cyberattack in the coming weeks, reflecting on the attack that froze health care payments nationwide.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
DA identifies victim in ongoing suspicious death investigation centered around Framingham home

Law enforcement officials on Thursday identified the victim in an ongoing suspicious death investigation at a home in Framingham.

Officers responding to an anonymous 911 call from a home on Fenwick Street around 6 p.m. on April 10 found a man dead inside with apparent trauma to his body, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Framingham Police Chief Lester Baker.

The victim has since been identified as Brooks Hood, 27, of Bridgeport, Connecticut, Ryan and Baker said.

The case has been referred to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and a ruling on the cause and manner of Hoods death is pending.

A search warrant was executed at the home after Hoods death but it wasnt immediately clear if any evidence was seized.

There have been no arrests announced in connection with Hoods death.

Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to Ryans office are assisting Framingham police with the investigation.

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
DA Zappala visits Kennywood to ensure safety ahead of opening day

Allegheny County District Attorney Steve Zappala visited Kennywood Park on Thursday morning.

Zappala toured the park and ensured its safety efforts before opening day on Saturday.

The DA first raised concerns over safety at Kennywood after a shooting at the park in September 2022.

>> Everyone started running: Witnesses recount the moment shots rang out at Kennywood Park

In March 2023, security measures were increased and modified to make public safety a priority.

>> DA Zappala says he believes Kennywood is unsafe, has security demands for park before opening day

Last years events were a prime example of what can be accomplished by coming together as a team, said DA Zappala. Prioritizing safety requires a continued partnership with constant attention, and the ability to enhance safety measures.

Channel 11 was at the park for Zappalas tour.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

TRENDING NOW:

Woman shoots, kills intruder during home invasion in Beaver Falls, district attorney says Man dead, another injured after head-on crash in Leetsdale High-speed police chase involving missing teen started in Pittsburgh, ends in Ohio VIDEO: Human skeletal remains found in Fayette County DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts
Dad Speaks Out After Son Is Accused Of Murdering College Student On Their 'First Date'

The father of a man accused of killing and dismembering a Wisconsin college student released a statement on Thursday expressing his familys shock at the womans death.

On behalf of myself and my family, I would like to express our deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Sade Robinson, Steven Anderson wrote in a statement released by his sons attorney, adding that his family was shocked and devastated by Robinsons senseless death.

Andersons son, Maxwell Anderson, 31, was charged on Friday with murder and mutilating a corpse in connection with the death of Sade Carleena Robinson, a 19-year-old Milwaukee Area Technical College student. Body parts believed to be Robinsons have been found scattered across the Milwaukee area over the past month.

Wisconsin college student Sade Robinson, 19, is thought to have been killed and dismembered after meeting with someone at a local bar. GoFundMe

To Sades mother and father, words cannot express our sorrow for the

incomprehensible pain and grief you are going through, Steven Andersons statement read. We join the entire community in celebrating Sades life.

The family ended the statement by requesting privacy as they process this terrible tragedy.

Robinson was reported missing on April 1 by a friend who told detectives that she hadnt been returning calls and failed to show up to work, according to a criminal complaint obtained by HuffPost. Robinsons last Snapchat activity showed that shed visited a local bar where Maxwell Anderson previously worked.

Phone records indicated that Robinson and the suspect had discussed meeting at the bar the night of her disappearance, according to the complaint. A bartender who was working that night told detectives he witnessed the two dining together, and that Maxwell Anderson had referred to it as a first date.

According to the complaint, a leg believed to be Robinsons was discovered at Warnimont Park the day her friend reported her missing. Her car was found that same day engulfed in flames, with the remnants of her phone and the clothes shed worn the night of her disappearance.

A search of Maxwell Andersons home on April 4 revealed blood on a bed and walls leading toward the basement, where detectives found multiple containers of gasoline, according to the complaint. The suspect was arrested following a traffic stop that same day.

On April 6, detectives located a human foot and another piece of what appeared to be human flesh believed to be Robinsons a block away from where her car was burned, according to the complaint.

On Thursday, the Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office announced theyd discovered a torso and arm on a beach along Lake Michigan, nearly a quarter mile from an apartment complex, where they are believed to have washed ashore.

According to the sheriffs statement, all the remains found are believed to be Robinsons, though that has not been formally confirmed yet.

Need help? In the U.S., call 1-866-331-9474 or text loveis to 22522 for the National Dating Abuse Helpline.

Related...
VerSe Innovation, the parent firm of Indian news aggregator app Dailyhunt, has acquired the popular digital newsstand platform Magzter, the two companies said on Thursday.

VerSe, based in Bengaluru, didn't disclose the financial terms of the deal. Magzter, which is headquartered in New York, counted Singapore Press Holdings among its backers.

The acquisition of Magzter, which offers more than 8,500 magazine titles on its eponymous app, underscores VerSe's growing focus on reaching and serving affluent audiences, VerSe's co-founder, Umang Bedi, told TechCrunch in an interview. He termed the deal Verse's largest acquisition to date.

Magzter has amassed over 1 million paying subscribers in India and boasts a global active user base of 87 million, Bedi said. The firm, which offers an all-you-can-consume model with annual subscription fees ranging from $20 to $30, has found a distribution and technology partner in VerSe, he added.

Dailyhunt, which is valued at $5 billion and backed by CPP Investments, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, Qatar Investment Authority, Carlyle Group, and Goldman Sachs, began evaluating the deal with Magzter last year. The Indian firm plans to launch Dailyhunt Premium this year, which will include an ad-free experience as well as Magzter's catalog. Magzter will continue to operate as a stand-alone service, Bedi said.

Magzter maintains partnerships with thousands of large publishers and offers titles such as The New Yorker, The Economist, Vanity Fair and Time. Dailyhunt is working to introduce a personalized news feed in Magzter that will curate articles and stories from the digital newsstand app's catalog of magazine titles.

"This partnership opens up new avenues for delivering high-quality content experiences to users across India, further strengthening our goal of providing unparalleled digital reading experiences to our readers," Magzter founders Girish Ramdas and Vijayakumar Radhakrishnan said in a joint statement. They will continue to work on Magzter following the acquisition, Bedi said.

VerSe, which also operates the short-video app Josh, is increasingly improving its finances and expects to be EBITDA profitable at the group level by next year, Bedi said. The startup had also engaged with local social media startup Koo for an acquisition, TechCrunch reported in February.

Bedi, declining to comment on any specific talks, asserted that VerSe is focused on deals with firms that are doing well financially and are scaling revenue.
Daniel Cameron is back. But this time, its not as a candidate  at least not yet.

The former Republican attorney general and candidate for governor in 2023 has formed a political action committee to assist like-minded candidates in Kentucky.

The group is called All 120 PAC, in reference to Kentuckys 120 counties. Cameron lost to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear by five percentage points last November, but won 91 of Kentuckys counties. It was further proof that much of the commonwealths smaller communities have largely shifted to the political right in recent years.

Cameron formed the group in late March with the same treasurer as his 2023 campaign, according to records with the Federal Election Commission. The group has not reported raising any money as of its April 10 filing.

The former attorney general said his PAC intends to spend money on only in-state Republicans, and the decision to form it was made in conjunction with his wife Makenze.

Makenze and I are growing our family here and care deeply about our commonwealth. Thats why were committed to helping public servants who believe in a brighter future for the men, women and children of all 120 counties, Cameron said.

As a super PAC, All 120 PAC can raise unlimited sums of money from individuals and groups.

In a brief interview, Cameron did not rule out the possibility of running for another office in Kentucky in the near future. Oftentimes, candidates use PACs to curry favor with other candidates whose support could prove helpful down the road  such has been the speculation as Beshear plans to use his own PAC to support candidates in Kentucky and elsewhere.

As Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has announced his departure from leadership later this year and gone through public health-related episodes, Camerons name has come up as one of several who could replace the Kentucky Republican should he not run for re-election in 2026.

Cameron began his political career in McConnells office and has deep ties to the longest-serving Senate leader in history.

The 38-year-old attorneys name has also been floated for 2027, when Kentucky Republicans will get to take a shot at the governors chair without the unique challenge of unseating Beshear  governors can only serve two terms.

Tres Watson, a conservative strategist and former spokesperson for the Republican Party of Kentucky, said the move helps Cameron keep the door open on another political run.

When youre out of office, the best way to curry favor and stay in the game is by creating a super PAC  youre able to raise money, move money around to other candidates and stay visible with the party, with candidates, and with your donor base, Watson said.

Fundraising is a skill just like any other, and if you dont keep your chops up you could lose them.

Not long after falling short in the 2023 election, Cameron took a job as CEO of an organization dedicated to pushing back on woke capitalism and corporations.

Camerons group, the 1792 Exchange, is largely focused on criticizing corporations that use ESG  short for environmental, social and governance  practices.

ESG has become a frequent target for conservative lawmakers and groups across the country of late who frame it as an unwise business practice and an example of putting politics over an organizations bottom line.

Cameron made history as the first major party Black nominee for Kentucky governor. He also became the states first Black attorney general in 2019 when he defeated former Democratic House Speaker Greg Stumbo.

In 2023, Cameron ran a race against Beshear focused on bringing down the incumbent governors popularity in the state, being tough on crime, reforming education and transgender issues.

Cameron won the primary in blowout fashion against well-funded and established competition. He scored the endorsement of former GOP president and current presumed nominee Donald Trump almost a year before the primary election.
DARLINGTON COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  A Darlington County man continues to make an impact on hundreds across the state after a freak accident in 2020.

This 29-year-old man started the nonprofit Waymaker Off-road Wheelchairs, after his accident.

After accidentally getting shot in the side, Jacob Beisecker was paralyzed from the waist down. He spent a month in the ICU and five months recovering.

Beisecker said it was during this time that he was first introduced to the Action Track chair. He said the Action Track chair is a $15,000 off-road wheelchair, being a financial burden to him along with others.

He found out he wasnt the only one having difficulty navigating around.

After we had probably the fourth or fifth conversation that way, I just came home to my wife and told her, I was like what if we just started loaning out my personal chair just even the few that weve met around Hartsville even, Beisecker said.

Beisecker said funding through his GoFundMe account sparked the idea of starting his own non-profit. Waymaker Off-road Wheelchair is now 100% donor funded.

Within the first month we had another chair, a couple months later we had another chair so it just kind of spiraled from there, he said.

Beisecker said almost 1,000 people around South Carolina have been users.

By the end of last year, which was year 2 for us, we had over 650 people use the chair last year and we had 19 chairs by the end of the year, now were up to 21 and over a hundred and something have used it so far this year, he said.

Beisecker said he has had people use the off-road wheelchairs for hunting, hiking, and fishing and even weddings. He says about 70% of users request it for their beach vacations.

He said their goal is to have at least one chair at each of the state parks. Beisecker said that as of May 1, nine of them will have one chair available, including both of the Grand Strand state parks.

You can borrow the chairs for between three and seven days.

Being able to kind of have that first-hand experience and being able to talk through those things and sympathize I guess, with other people, Beisecker said. Its been, just as much healing and helpful for me as it has been for some of the people Ive come into contact with, which has been cool.

Beisecker said its free of charge for anyone who needs to rent out the off-road wheelchair. He said he doesnt want anyones financial status to impact their mobile ability.

You can donate to the non-profit or rent one for you or a loved one here.

* * *

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.
Heres the latest on the Chad Daybell criminal trial.

The 55-year-old father is accused of first-degree murder and conspiring to commit murder in the deaths of two of his wifes children, 7-year-old JJ Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, whose bodies were found buried in Chad Daybells property, and his then-wife, Tammy Daybell. Hes also charged with two counts of insurance fraud.

Daybell pleaded not guilty to the eight felonies against him.

The potential eight-week trial is expected to mirror the trial of his wife, Lori Vallow Daybell. Roughly 60 witnesses were called during her trial, and so far all of the witnesses called in Chad Daybells trial were also called in his wifes trial.

FBI forensic accountant Michael Douglass, the ninth witness called by the prosecution, was back on the witness stand Thursday morning. Its the second week of testimony.

Chad Daybell, right, sits with his attorney John Prior during his criminal trial. Hes accused of first-degree murder and conspiring to commit murder in the deaths of two of his wifes children and his former wife.

3:15 p.m.: Defense questions statements made by witness

A repeated statement by Melanie Gibb during her hours-long testimony Thursday was that Vallow Daybells extreme religious beliefs were fueled by Chad Daybell.

John Prior, Daybells attorney,cast doubt on those comments during his cross-examination. He said Gibb had no way of knowing whether Vallow Daybell was telling her the truth, and that Gibb was getting all of her information from Vallow Daybell and had only spoken to Chad Daybell a few times.

Lori has lied to you before? Prior asked.

Yes, Gibb said.

Prior also questioned Gibb about her own lie to police regarding JJs whereabouts. Gibb initially told officers that JJ was with her after Vallow Daybell asked Gibb to lie to them. Gibb later confessed that she hadnt taken care of JJ.

Gibb said she felt an obligation to tell the police the truth, but Prior said her obligation couldnt have been that strong if she didnt tell the police the truth immediately.

It was a difficult moment for me, and thats just what I did, Gibb said.

A recorded phone call between Gibb and the Daybells was played in court, in which Vallow Daybell told Gibb about what she did with the children. Prior pointed out that Vallow Daybell spoke as if she acted alone in her comments about her children or her beliefs.

Lori Vallows comments were not we will or they will  it was I will in the singular, Prior asked.

Just before court adjourned for the day, Prior began to question Gibb about a weekend she and her then-boyfriend David Warwick spent at Vallow Daybells Rexburg apartment.

On the night of Sept. 23, 2019, Warwick said he had one of the worst nightmares of his life while staying at the apartment, but when Gibb attempted to find the Daybells that night to give Warwick a religious blessing, she couldnt find them, according to testimony during Vallow Daybells trial.

It was the last night anyone saw JJ alive.

When Prior asked Gibb about whether she had asked Vallow Daybell about where JJ was, Gibb said Gibb told Prior on Thursday that she couldnt remember. Prior said Gibb was only having a hard time remembering certain details while he was cross-examining her, not during the prosecutions line of questioning.

Prior told 7th District Judge Steven Boyce he wasnt going to be able to wrap up his cross-examination Thursday.

I unfortunately have quite a ways to go now, Prior said. Boyce said he could continue to cross-examine Gibb on Friday.

2:30 p.m.: Prosecution witness said she has memory problems

Melanie Gibb, a former friend of the Daybells, texted Madison County Prosecuting Attorney Rob Wood that she wanted to make sure The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was protected during her testimony.

John Prior, Chad Daybells attorney, during his cross-examination, said there were over 340 text messages between Gibb and Wood in 2020, from May to November, including text messages regarding an interview Gibb did with Dateline correspondent Keith Morrison.

Keith the guy from Dateline and I want to make sure the Church is protected, Gibb wrote in her text message, which was read out loud in court. Hes done a good job so far. Thats why I feel comfortable talking to him.

Gibb  who participated in the religious casting to expel dark spirits from peoples bodies with Vallow Daybell  during cross-examination said she wanted to make sure it was clear that the Daybells religious beliefs werent in line with the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Prior also asked Gibb whether the visions that Daybell said he had were a common practice in the Church. Gibb said that while visions are common, shes never had them before. Gibbs husband, David Warwick, who was called as a witness during Vallow Daybells trial, also has visions, she added.

Gibbs also added that concepts of people being light or dark are inconsistent with the Church of Jesus Christ.

Prior also questioned Gibb about her memory problems. She previously told police that she had a difficult time remembering things and didnt always get dates or facts right. Gibb is the 10th witness called by the prosecution.

1 p.m.: Not some sort of master plan, Chad Daybell says in recording

In late November 2019, the Daybells former friend, Melanie Gibb, said she got a call from Chad Daybell asking her to ignore a call from police, anticipating that they would ask about JJs whereabouts. Tylee and JJ were killed in September 2019, according to law enforcement.





Gibb said Chad Daybell sounded nervous. Vallow Daybell later asked Gibb to tell police that JJ was with her and that theyd gone to see a movie  even asking her to go down to a local movie theater and take a picture, according to Gibbs testimony.

Gibb said she initially lied to police and told them JJ had been with her but returned him to their mother. The Daybells believed law enforcement members were dark translated beings, Gibb added.

At this point in time did you have concerns about JJs well-being? Fremont County Prosecuting Attorney Lindsey Blake asked.

Yes, Gibb said.

Did you have concerns about Tylees well-being? Blake said.





Yes, Gibb said, adding that she eventually told law enforcement everything.

But she said she was still left without answers, and by Dec. 8, 2019, Gibb decided to call the Daybells. In a roughly 20-minute phone call that Gibb recorded  and was played in court  Gibb questioned the Daybells about JJ.

I was wondering what happened, Gibb asked Vallow Daybell.

I had to move him somewhere else, because of her actions, Vallow Daybell said, referring to Kay Woodcock, JJs grandmother. Vallow Daybell said that Woodcock was trying to take JJ from her, despite previously telling Gibb that she planned to give JJ to Woodcock, Gibb said.

Kay and Larry Woodcock, JJs grandparents, were the ones who reported JJs disappearance to the police. The Woodcocks traveled from Louisiana to Idaho to attend Vallow Daybells criminal trial and also have been attending Chad Daybells trial.

Vallow Daybell said on the recorded call that most of her family was working against her, and both Chad and Lori Vallow Daybell said they were just trying to keep everyone protected.

Is JJ safe? Gibb asked.

He is safe and happy, Vallow Daybell responded, later adding that she knew exactly where he was.

The phone call then got argumentative, as Gibb questioned why Vallow Daybell would have involved her in the lies to law enforcement.

Thats not what a friend does, Gibb said.

Vallow Daybell said she did exactly what God instructed her to do.

I believe that you have been very deceived by Satan, Gibb responded. I mean Tammy dies, and then your husband died, and then (JJs) missing. It just doesnt sound like Gods plan.

Vallow Daybell then accused Gibb of being influenced by someone dark.

Chad Daybell said that all the theories around Tammy Daybells death were just not true, adding that his children were present after her death and that her heart was falling her.

She just passed away, Chad Daybell said in the recording. All these conspiracy theories just make me sick to my stomach  just absolutely sick.

Chad Daybell said hed known for years  long before he met Vallow Daybell  that Tammy Daybell would die young and that hed have a second part to his life.

This is not some sort of master plan, Chad Daybell added.

Gibb pushed back and said the Daybells should be able to understand her concerns. Gibb then compared Vallow Daybell to Korihor, who was considered an Antichrist in the Book of Mormon and who didnt believe in Jesus Christ, according to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Gibb said that Korihor tried to lead a group of people and that he was influenced by his carnal and natural desires. Vallow Daybell sounded taken aback on the call.

Well, honey, you got a lot of natural desires, Gibb told her.

Thats what you think is me? Vallow Daybell said in the recording. Are you kidding me right now?

Its in the scriptures, Gibb said, comparing the two.

After the recording ended, Gibb testified that she wasnt always comfortable with the Daybells beliefs, particularly the concept that some people were dark or their beliefs that they had been reincarnated into new lives.





I never 100% believed it, Gibb said, adding that she was open to some of the ideas but wasnt fully devoted.

10:30 a.m.: Chad Daybell fueled Loris extremist beliefs, former friend says

From the moment Chad and Lori Vallow Daybell met, they seemed to be attracted to each other, Melanie Gibb, Vallow Daybells former friend, said during her testimony Thursday.

Gibb said the Daybells met in October 2019 during a Preparing a People conference in Utah. The fringe organization, while not affiliated with the church, is made up of Latter-day Saints members who were preparing for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Gibb said quickly after they met, Vallow Daybell began talking about reincarnation and claimed she and Chad Daybell had been married in previous lives.

The Daybells had a months-long affair after they met, while both of them were still married to their spouses. While Vallow Daybell had been interested in past lives, her extreme religious beliefs began to grow and change as she got to know Chad Daybell, Gibb said.

Family members and friends had similar accounts during their testimony in Vallow Daybells trial, stating that the Arizona mother was once a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints turned toward extremism after meeting Chad Daybell.

Lori Vallow Daybell, LDS member, holds extreme beliefs. What role did they play in murders?

The Daybells believed that people could be either light or dark, and based on a rating system  which Chad Daybell created  and could determine whether someone was a good or bad person, Gibb said. She added that people could switch from light to dark.

They might be light, for example, and then some maybe evil entity could enter them and they would become dark, Gibb said.

The Daybells also held beliefs the world would end in July 2020, and that they would lead a group of 144,000 people who the Book of Revelation in the Bible said would be saved during the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, according to witness testimony during Vallow Daybells trial.

Gibb added that Vallow Daybell thought it was her mission to lead and gather women for this group.

When asked where Vallow Dayell got this information, Gibb said it always came from Chad Daybell. Gibb said Vallow Daybellls fourth-husband, Charles Vallow, was the first person to be identified as dark.

Vallow Daybell believed that Charles Vallow and JJ were going to die in a car accident, and when that didnt happen, Gibb said. Chad Daybell told Lori that Charles Vallow became dark.

Vallow Daybell  along with Gibb and some other women  began to participate in castings to rid the evil spirit from Charles Vallows body, according to Gibbs testimony. Those castings began in early 2019 until just before Charles Vallows death.

The women performed several castings on Charles Vallow, but he didnt die, and Vallow Daybell said it was because another spirit had entered his body  information Gibb said that was provided to Lori by Chad Daybell.

Was your understanding that if the casting was successful, the body would naturally expire? Fremont County Prosecuting Attorney Lindsey Blake asked.

Yes, Gibb responded.

Were you ever told that there would be violence done to the body? Blake said.

Never, Gibb said.

In July 2019, Charles Vallow was shot and killed by Vallow Daybells brother, Alex Cox. Gibb said Coxs mission in life was to protect Vallow Daybell and that Cox was designated as her protector.

Cox initially claimed the shooting was self-defense, but authorities later alleged that Cox and Vallow Daybell conspired to kill Charles Vallow, and Vallow Daybell has been charged in Arizona with conspiracy to commit murder. Cox died in 2019 from natural causes.

Chad Daybell wasnt charged with any crimes in Arizona.

After Charles Vallow died, Gibb said Vallow Daybell seemed happy and that just a few weeks after the fatal shooting, Chad Daybell had traveled to Arizona to spend time with Vallow Daybell.

They seemed super excited to be together, Gibb said, adding that they were planning a future together.

9:30 a.m.: No financial link between the Daybells, FBI accountant says

John Prior, Daybells attorney, during his cross-examination questioned whether Douglass found any financial link between Chad and Lori Vallow Daybell. Douglass responded that the Daybells never joined bank accounts  even after they were married.

Chad Daybell has nothing to do with any of the transactions above? Prior asked, pointing to several financial transactions Douglass highlighted during his testimony.

No, Douglass responded, later adding that the Daybells lived together after they were married.

Douglass during his testimony also briefly mentioned an attempted purchase by Vallow Daybell of Malachite wedding rings in August 2019  two months before Tammy Daybell was killed.

Prior pointed out that the rings could have been for Vallow Daybells brother, or her niece, as they were both planning to get married around that time. The Daybells were wearing Malachite rings when they got married in November 2019.

Prior also asked Douglass why he tracked several disposable phones purchased by Daybell. Douglass said during his testimony Wednesday that Daybell purchased at least four disposable phones between October 2018 and September 2019.

If youre having an affair with another woman, and youre married, thats a pretty ideal way to hide the fact that youre having an affair by using a phone like that. Wouldnt you agree? Prior asked.

If you say so, sure, Douglass said, later adding that the phone could be used for that purpose.

Madison County Prosecuting Attorney Rob Wood asked about any other purpose for a disposable phone.

Would that be a good way to hide a crime? Wood asked.

Yes, Douglass said.

Chad Daybell murder trial in Boise begins. Heres what to know about the case

The Idaho Statesman will have a reporter covering the trial at the Ada County Courthouse providing live, daily updates at idahostatesman.com. You can also follow criminal justice reporter Alex Brizee on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @alex_brizee or breaking news reporter Sally Krutzig at @sallykrutzig.
On This Day, April 18: Ireland declares independence from Britain

On April 18, 1949, the Republic of Ireland formally declared itself independent from Britain. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

April 18 (UPI) -- On this date in history:

In 1506, the cornerstone was placed for St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

In 1775, U.S. patriot Paul Revere began his famous ride through the Massachusetts countryside, crying out "The British are coming!" to rally the minutemen.

In 1906, an earthquake estimated at magnitude-7.8 struck San Francisco, collapsing buildings and igniting fires that destroyed much of what remained of the city. Researchers and historians concluded that about 3,000 people died in the quake and its aftermath, and roughly 250,000 were left homeless.

In 1912, three days after the sinking of Titanic, her survivors arrived in New York City aboard the RMS Carpathia.

On April 18, 1923, the original Yankee Stadium opened in New York. File Photo by Monika Graff/UPI

In 1923, the original Yankee Stadium opened in New York. The stadium was demolished in 2010 after it was replaced a year prior by the new Yankee Stadium.

File Photo by Monika Graff/UPI

A U.S. Army Air Forces B-25B Mitchell bomber takes off from the USS Hornet aircraft carrier to take part in the first U.S. bombing of Japan on April 18, 1942. File Photo courtesy NARA

In 1942, Lt. Col. James Doolittle led a squadron of B-25 bombers in a surprise raid against Tokyo in response to the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

In 1945, U.S. journalist Ernie Pyle, a popular World War II correspondent, was killed by Japanese machine-gun fire on the island of Ie Shima in the Pacific.

On April 18, 1968, McCulloch Oil Corp. paid $2.24 million to buy London Bridge and rebuild it over Lake Havasu in Arizona. File Photo by Ken Lund/Wikimedia

In 1949, the Republic of Ireland formally declared itself independent from Britain.

In 1968, McCulloch Oil Corp. paid $2.24 million to buy London Bridge, which was sinking into the Thames under the weight of 20th century traffic. The oil company rebuilt the bridge bloc by block over Lake Havasu in Arizona.

Horse-drawn vehicles make their way up Market Street after the April 18, 1906 earthquake and fire in San Francisco. File Photo courtesy the National Archives

In 1980, Rhodesia became the independent African nation of Zimbabwe.

In 1983, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, was severely damaged by a car-bomb explosion that killed 63 people, including 17 Americans.

In 1992, an 11-year-old Florida boy sued to "divorce" his natural parents and remain with his foster parents. The boy eventually won his lawsuit.

In 2002, former U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey, D-Neb., revealed that at least 13 civilians were killed by his U.S. Navy unit in a Vietnamese village in 1969.

File Photo by Ezio Petersen/UPI

In 2007, more than 125 people were killed in a suicide car-bomb explosion near a Baghdad market.

In 2014, an avalanche on what is known as a particularly dangerous route to the top of Mount Everest in the Himalayas killed 16 Sherpa guides.

In 2018, the first movie theaters in Saudi Arabia opened with a public screening of Black Panther.

In 2023, a $787.5 million settlement was reached in Dominion Voting System's defamation lawsuit against Fox News for spreading false information about the 2020 presidential election.

File Photo by Tami Chappell/UPI
Popular Ukrainian actress Lesya Samayeva has revealed shocking details about her Russian colleague Anton Batyrev, who had filmed extensively in Kyiv before the invasion and spoke harshly about Vladimir Putin but quickly changed his mind after the invasion.

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In an interview with OBOZ.UA, the artist said that the man "is just covered in tattoos with portraits of Gagarin and the 'worker and collective farmer'  Soviet symbols. Like all Russians, he lives in the past mentally.

"Actor Anton Batyrev was actually made a star by Ukraine," says Lesia Samaieva. "In Moscow, no one knew about him, but they began to recognize him thanks to his paintings in Bayrak. Basically, he played all his roles here. And now this young man is covered in tattoos with portraits of Gagarin and a "worker and a collective farmer"  that is, Soviet symbols. What does he know about this? But mentally, like all Russians, he lives in the past. You know what they say: Ukrainians are the energy of life, while Russians live with the energy of death."

"And I believe that we have been diluting them very much for many years. I noticed the following feature: the Russian actors who came here were completely different than when they later filmed in Moscow. They were more well-mannered. By chance, I came across some of their Moscow roles on YouTube  a cult of alcoholism and always swearing. They rushed here with joy: they would always be paid money and made stars. Why not? But inside, I think they despised all of us because they had to adapt to an environment that was alien to them. The war revealed a lot," Samaieva added.

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Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote that Russian actor Anton Batyrev, who often starred in Ukrainian films and TV series, even thought about becoming a Ukrainian citizen before the full-scale invasion of Russia and spoke harshly about dictator Putin. His Ukrainian colleague Taras Tsymbaliuk, who once considered the actor a good friend, told this in an interview.

"On February 20, we had the last day of shooting in the project 'Fortune Teller 2' for STB," Tsymbaliuk told blogger Alina Dorotiuk on the show. The 24th is coming up. It is clear that he is immediately at the border and in Moscow. A few days pass, and he teaches Z and writes that he is proud to be Russian. That is, while he was here, he could easily speak negatively about Putin. When it all started, the person instantly "changed his shoes".

ADVERTISIMENT

Tsymbaliuk also said that Batyrev confessed to him that he was dating a girl from Vinnytsia and was thinking about obtaining Ukrainian citizenship. "Now I have started dating a girl from Vinnytsia. I really have thoughts of changing my citizenship and moving to Kyiv," Tsymbaliuk said.

Later, Batyrev himself said in comments to the Russian media that he initially had the only correct position  he said he supported the invasion of Ukraine (as he calls it: a special operation) from day one, as evidenced by his posts on social media. The "Hurray for the Patriot" continued to film in Bayrak, now in Russia. Last fall, it became known that the Ukrainian director had fled to St. Petersburg, where she works for Russian cinema. Bayrak announced the filming of the eight-episode melodrama Rain at the End of Summer. Batyrev plays one of the main roles in the movie.

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Read the full interview with Lesya Samayeva on OBOZ.UA on Saturday, April 20.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said it arrested four people suspected of stealing nearly $700 worth of merchandise from a CVS in Southeast D.C.

Officers were conducting retail theft operations at a CVS at 1100 New Jersey Ave. SE. on April 10 at about 9:20 a.m. According to a six-page police report, officers saw a suspect take items from inside the store. The person left the CVS and was arrested for Theft II and Unlawful Entry.

National Building Museum to host free art event this weekend

A little over an hour later at 10:44 a.m., officers saw another suspect take items from inside the store. Officials at the scene saw that the suspect had a warrant out of Arlington County and placed them under arrest for Theft II and Fugitive From Justice.

At 11:43 a.m., MPD said officers saw two suspects go inside the CVS and take items. They left the store and were stopped by police and arrested for Theft II. One of the suspects had a stun gun and was charged with Possession of a Destructive Device.

They were both taken to the Juvenile Processing Center.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Death of former Ukrainian military chiefs aide: officer who gifted grenades to him will stand trial

The case against Oleh Timchenko, an officer from the Office of the Aides to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has been submitted to court proceedings by officers of Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). Timchenko is facing trial for gifting grenades to his colleague Hennadii Chastiakov, which resulted in the latters death.

Source: SBI press service; Ukrainska Pravda

Details: The SBI's investigators completed the pre-trial investigation on 29 March 2024, after which the defence and affected parties had the opportunity to review the case file.

At the initial stage of the pre-trial investigation, the officer was served with a notice of suspicion of ammunition trafficking. Later, the suspect was informed of a change in the previously served notice of suspicion. He is suspected of theft, embezzlement, trafficking of ammunition, manslaughter due to negligence, and causing grievous bodily harm due to negligence.

The case was transferred to Kyiv's Pecherskyi District Court, the SBI told Ukrainska Pravda.

Previously: Oleh Timchenko pleaded not guilty to the murder of his colleague Hennadii Chastiakov, and a polygraph examination confirmed that the suspect had no malicious intent.

Background:

A 39-year-old military serviceman was killed on the evening of Monday, 6 November, when a grenade exploded in his home in the village of Chaiky in Kyiv Oblast. His 13-year-old son was taken to hospital with serious injuries. The deceased, Hennadii Chastiakov, was an aide to Valerii Zaluzhnyi, former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Zaluzhnyi confirmed the death of his aide Chastiakov under tragic circumstances and expressed his condolences to the family.

The wife of the late Hennadii Chastiakov says that the grenade that exploded in her husbands hands was in a gift bag that he had brought home. On 6 November, Chastiakov celebrated his birthday.

A Ukrainska Pravda source in the General Staff noted that Chastiakov had graduated from the Military Academy in Odesa and knew exactly how to handle a grenade.

Ukraine's Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko stated that, based on early investigative findings, Chastiakov's son first picked up the grenade and began to twist the pin. The officer then took the grenade away from the child and pulled the pin out, causing the tragic explosion.

Oleh Timchenko, who gave Chastiakov the grenades, claimed that he had warned him that the munitions were live, but his words were refuted by witnesses, the SBI noted.

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Death toll of Russian attack on Chernihiv rises to 18  photo

A Russian attack on the city of Chernihiv on the morning of 17 April killed 18 people and injured 77 others.

Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine on Telegram on the morning of 18 April

Quote from the State Emergency Service: "Chernihiv. As of this morning, 18 people have been killed and 77 injured (including 4 children), including 3 people rescued from the rubble."

Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Details: The service noted that 58 people had been provided with psychological assistance.

1,580 tonnes of construction waste has been removed from the scene of the tragedy, and 71% of the destroyed part of the building has been cleared.

 

Emergency rescue operations are ongoing.

Background:

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Pinellas County Democratic State Rep. Lindsay Cross spoke at a press conference for abortion rights in Tampa on April 18, 2024 (Photo credit: Mitch Perry)

Quality Journalism for Critical Times

With a six-week abortion ban poised to go into effect in Florida next month, Democrats on Thursday once again went after Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scotts position on the law, which has been contradictory in just the past few days.

On Tuesday Rick Scott doubled down on his support for Floridas near total abortion ban, just 24 hours after claiming that he no longer supported it, said Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, the leading Democrat running to challenge Scott in November, speaking on a Zoom call with reporters. Rick Scott cant help but embrace the most extreme policies that are stripping away Floridians of their freedoms and that are putting womens lives in danger.

Scott, seeking a third term in the U.S. Senate, did tell Spectrum Bay News 9 in a video interview on Tuesday that, If I was the sitting governor, and the six-week abortion ban came in front of me, I would sign it, adding that Ive always said I would sign it.

But he then went on to say that what the state ought to be doing is finding a consensus on the issue, which he told The Hill on Monday is a 15-week abortion ban with exceptions for rape, incest, and to preserve the life of the mother.

Screenshot of Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Debbie Mucarsel-Powell on a Zoom conference call on April 19, 2024

Murcasel-Powell and Florida Democrats are leaning into the issue of abortion rights, which will be on the ballot in November in the form of Amendment 4, which, if approved by 60% of the voters, would restore a womans right to an abortion up until viability.

An hour before video Murcasel-Powells press conference, a trio of Tampa Bay Democrats from the Florida House  Dianne Hart, Susan Valdes, and Lindsay Cross  spoke at a press conference in downtown Tampa, where they also linked the six-week ban with Sen. Scott.

His words and actions show that his values do not include personal freedom and that he lacks the compassion for those who may opt for an abortion, said Valdes. There are so many reasons why someone may make this deeply personal decision to have one. Maybe their birth control failed, or they were the victims of rape or incest, or carrying a pregnancy would endanger their lives.

The reproductive rights of millions of women in Florida are on the line this November. Not just with Amendment 4, but up and down the ballot. From Rick Scott to Republicans in Tallahassee, none of them support your right to choose, added Cross, who like every member of the state House of Representatives is also on the ballot this fall.

Archaic, punitive, and dangerous

Also appearing in Tampa was Dr. Bruce Shepherd, a retired obstetrician-gynecologist who practiced in Tampa for 40 years and says he delivered more than 7,500 babies during his medical career.

The legislation is archaic, punitive, and dangerous, he said of the six-week law. At six weeks many women do not know they are pregnant. He went on to say that it will profoundly compromise the management of miscarriages by making doctors reluctant to get involved until the worst possible complications arise.

The press conferences took place on the same day that a new poll of Florida voters showed that while abortion rights are a major issue in the election, they are not the top issue among the electorate.

The Florida Atlantic University Political Communication and Public Opinion Research Lab and Mainstreet Research survey released on Thursday shows that immigration is the top concern at 25%, followed by the economy at 22% and the cost of living at 15%, with abortion in fourth place at 13%.

Murcasel-Powell said that shes aware of what the top issues are for Floridians and that she talks constantly about affordability out on the trail. But she added that abortion rights is going to be a priority for the majority of Floridians.

Confusion

Confusion about where Scott stood on the six-week abortion ban in Florida surfaced a year ago.

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, discussing issues including a six-week abortion ban in Florida during an interview with Julio Vaqueiro of Noticias Telemundo in Miami, March 2023. Credit: YouTube.

In an interview with Noticias Telemundo in Miami on March 11, 2023, Scott was asked if he supported a six-week abortion ban in Florida, which at the time was only a proposal filed by Vero Beach Republican state Sen. Erin Grall that was moving through the legislative session. Scott said he preferred a 15-week ban.

Thats a tough issue for people, he said. You really have to be really compassionate about what people are going [through]. I think where most people are is reasonable restrictions, and probably for most people thats about 15 weeks, with all of the exceptions. And so you ought to have exceptions for rape and incest and life of the mother, and so I think thats where the population is, and I think  our state legislation ought to represent that.

But during a debate about the bill on the floor of the Florida House of Representatives a month later, Gainesville House Democrat Yvonne Hinson spoke out against the proposal, saying that even conservative U.S. Senator Rick Scott came out against this bill.

That led a Florida Phoenix reporter to tweet out Hinsons comments. Shortly thereafter, Scott responded on X, writing, Not true, he wrote. I am 100% pro-life and if I was still governor, I would sign this bill, meaning the six-week abortion ban.

The FAU survey also showed that many voters are still not clear on how they will vote on Amendment 4 in the fall. The poll showed 49% supporting the measure, 19% opposing it, but 32% saying that they dont know how theyll vote.

Thats similar to an Emerson College poll released last week that showed the measure getting 42% support, 25% opposing it, and 32% saying that they are unsure how they would vote.

The post Debbie Mucarsel-Powell & other FL Dems again take on Rick Scotts position on abortion rights appeared first on Florida Phoenix.
The capital murder trial of Jerry Elders had a heavy focus on the way evidence in the case was collected, analyzed and stored as the proceedings moved into the fourth day in a North Texas courtroom.

Elders is charged with capital murder after authorities said he shot Burleson police Officer Joshua Lott three times during a traffic stop in 2021, fled and then kidnapped a woman, stole her truck, killed her and left her outside the Joshua Police Department. If found guilty of capital murder, he faces the death penalty or life in prison without parole.

Jurors in 413th District Court spent the entire day before lunch Thursday hearing about how the Johnson County Sheriffs Office collects evidence, whether the offices staff gathered it themselves or retrieved it from another agency, what protocols are in place to process and preserve the evidence and what training is required and provided to personnel required to deal with evidence.

The prosecution presented the jury with two weapons found inside the vehicle Elders was driving when he was arrested  one handgun and one rifle. The handgun had five spent .35 Special shell casings. Both guns were found in the truck authorities said Elders stolen from 60-year-old Robin Waddell before killing her.

The hours-long testimony on evidence handling came after days of questioning by the defense that focused on whether evidence was legally obtained, protected from contamination and provided to Elders attorneys before the trial.

His attorneys have also regularly objected to evidence being submitted, arguing that the evidence was not properly handled, not legally collected, irrelevant or prejudicial to the jury. In most cases, Visiting Judge Lee Gabriel has overruled the objections.

The jury has also been sent away on several occasions so attorneys could argue case law regarding evidence or testimony.

Shortly after the court came back from its lunch break, the prosecution called for an autopsy technician who worked the autopsy of Waddell to testify. The defense objected to his testimony, saying he is an expert witness who has not been qualified by the court as an expert witness.

The jury was sent away while prosecutors made a case that the witness was not being called as an expert. He was questioned about his qualifications and Gabriel ruled that he would be allowed to testify as long as he was not asked for his opinion or to speak to how common some things are.

Elders could be seen in court smiling and laughing as he spoke with his attorneys while the jury was away and the prosecution was reviewing photographs with the autopsy technician outside the courtroom, a break from the defendants quiet, stone-faced demeanor seen through most of the trial.

The trial, which began Monday, could last two weeks or longer.

This is a developing story. For the latest updates, sign up for breaking news alerts.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN)  State election officials say they havent carried out a pilot program yet to verify the signatures of people using mail-in ballots because theyve been unable to find a vendor.

NC State Board of Elections Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell told state lawmakers this week its been harder than expected.

In the fall, the Republican-led legislature enacted a law that requires the state to test out a signature-matching program using mail-in ballots from the March primary in 10 counties chosen at random as part of the pilot. The state would use software to match a voters signature on their mail-in ballot with the signature thats on file.

Brinson Bell said NCSBE requested bids from companies but so far has been unable to complete the pilot.

For the most part, they indicated they could not fulfill in the timeframe that was needed, said Brinson Bell. Were doing everything we can.

The legislature called for NCSBE to submit a report by May 1 on the signature matching pilot.

Our goal is still if we cant meet the May 1 report deadline, at least should have a substantial report of progress and then be able to execute the pilot shortly thereafter, said Brinson Bell.

Republicans initially called for signature verification to be in effect this year but agreed to do the pilot program first at the request of Democrats. During the pilot program no ones vote will be thrown out if theres an issue with verifying a signature.

There are 31 states that conduct signature verification for returned absentee ballots, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

North Carolina requires people voting by mail to get signatures from two witnesses or a notary public.

You do get somewhat diminishing returns because the two-witness requirement will catch a lot of the problems just like we saw with the 9th (congressional) district a few years ago. A lot of the evidence from that was used to overturn the results of that election, said Andy Jackson, who studies elections at the conservative John Locke Foundation.

Jackson said hes doubtful the signature verification requirement will be in place in the fall given that the pilot still has not occurred and legislative leaders aim to leave Raleigh by July 1.

But, I think it may be pushing this a little too fast to try to get these results and then implement a full program this year, he said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com.
Delta flight from Savannah declares emergency upon landing in Atlanta

Delta Air Lines said it had to declare an emergency as it was landing at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

In a statement to Channel 2 Action News, the airlines said the crew on Delta Flight 2728 from Savannah to Atlanta noticed a misalignment of some flaps on the aircraft as it was coming in for a landing.

Delta said, This is an uncommon occurrence but is a part of extensive flight crew training to manage through safely.

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The flight landed safely and managed to get to its gate a minute early, the airline said.

Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people, Delta said.

According to Flightaware.com, the plane is a Boeing 757-200. The plane holds about 200 passengers in addition to the crew.

IN OTHER NEWS:
Sen. Catherine Cortez-Masto, D-Nev., claimed that there were "no open borders," just two days before the migrant arrested in a deadly car accident that killed her adviser illegally entered into the U.S.

In a resurfaced video from March 10, 2021, a month when Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) reported over 170,000 migrant encounters at the border, Cortez Masto is seen telling MSNBC that there was "a lot of misinformation" surrounding the southern border crisis.

"There's no open border," the Democrat Senator claimed. "As someone who was attorney general for eight years, my state worked very closely on the border with Mexico. There are no open borders."

Just two days later, on March 12, 2021, an illegal immigrant by the name of Elmer Rueda-Linares reportedly entered at or near the Rio Grande City, Texas, Port of Entry without inspection by an immigration official, ICE confirmed to Fox News Digital. That same migrant would go on to be arrested in connection with the death of one of Cortez Masto's own senior advisers.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ARRESTED IN CRASH THAT KILLED DEMOCRATIC SENATOR'S ADVISER

Kurt Englehart, left, Elmer Rueda-Linares, center, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.

Kurt Englehart, senior advisor to Cortez Masto, was killed in a car collision south of Downtown Reno, Nevada, on April 6, 2024. Rueda-Linares, the illegal migrant driving the vehicle that collided with Englehart, was arrested and charged with failing to stop at the scene of the accident.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

HAITIAN MIGRANT, NOW A DOUBLE HOMICIDE SUSPECT, WAS ALLOWED INTO US BY BIDEN ADMIN VIA CONTROVERSIAL APP

CBP noted that encounters increased by 71 percent over February 2021 in March of that year, the same month Cortez Masto made the claim about the border.

Also that month, Fox News Digital reported that CBP agents had encountered a "large group" of illegal immigrants near Las Lomas, Texas, apprehending 134 illegal immigrants who had come to the southern border from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua.

When asked about the 2021 comment, a spokesperson for Cortez Masto stated that the Senator "has repeatedly pushed for additional border security funding under both the Trump and Biden administrations." Cortez Masto signed a letter in 2020 that demanded the reversal of Trump-era border policies, "condemning the Trump Administration for its harmful policies that have dismantled the United States asylum system."

"Senator Cortez Masto has repeatedly pushed for additional border security funding under both the Trump and Biden administrations and voted in February for the bipartisan border security package that Donald Trump and Senate Republicans refused to consider," Lauren Wodarski, spokesperson for Cortez Masto, told Fox News Digital in a statement. "To indicate otherwise is a distortion of her record."

In February 2021, Cortez Masto voted against an amendment that would prioritize "taking into custody aliens charged with a crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury."

Again in August 2021, Cortez Masto voted against establishing "a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to ensuring that the Department of Homeland Security, pursuant to Title 42, United States Code, conducts expulsions of illegal immigrants who may contribute to the spread of COVID-19, including any of the dangerous variants originating overseas, in order to protect the public health of the American People, save American lives, and assist in eradicating the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States."

The Senator has since cosponsored pieces of legislation that seek to combat the ongoing fentanyl crisis. In 2024, Cortez Masto cosponsored the Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act "to improve border security, imposing new reporting requirements relating to border security, and enhancing criminal penalties for destroying or evading border controls," as well as signing onto the bipartisan Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act with GOP Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C.

Most recently, the Democrat voted to dismiss the articles of impeachment filed against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his handling of the southern border crisis.

Republicans in the House unveiled articles of impeachment against Mayorkas in January, claiming that the Biden administration secretary has "repeatedly violated laws enacted by Congress regarding immigration and border security."

"In large part because of his unlawful conduct, millions of aliens have illegally entered the United States on an annual basis with many unlawfully remaining in the United States," Republicans alleged. "Alejandro N. Mayorkas knowingly made false statements to Congress that the border is 'secure,' that the border is no less secure than it was previously, that the border is 'closed,' and that DHS has operational control of the border."

Cortez Masto called the impeachment inquiry a "waste of time."

"There is no evidence that @SecMayorkas committed high crimes and misdemeanors, so I voted to end this waste of time," the Senator said in an April 17 post on X. "Republicans could have made real policy changes, but they decided to play games and killed the bipartisan border package in favor of this frivolous impeachment."

During the Senate's meeting Wednesday on the dismissal of impeachment articles against Mayrokas, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, appeared to mention the incident in which Cortez Masto's staffer was killed as an example of ramifications of the ongoing southern border crisis.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP

"The consequences of our open border policy can touch all of us," Lee said. "One of our dear, respected colleagues having lost a beloved staff member in the last few days. Having lost that staff member as a consequence of the actions taken by an immigrant in this country, who was here unlawfully, who shouldn't have been here. That's a troubling thing."

Fox News' Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.





Original article source: Dem senator's claim downplaying border crisis resurfaces after staffer killed by illegal immigrant
ORLANDO, Fla.  Last week, Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott said he would have signed Floridas 6-week abortion ban if he still were governor. This week, he said he preferred a 15-week ban. And on Monday, within hours, he and his office gave two answers on whether he would consider voting for a federal abortion ban.

Former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Scotts likely Democratic opponent in the November election, has been calling out his shifting positions, trying to give her Senate campaign traction against him.

Hes hiding from a toxic record that he knows he cannot win on, Mucarsel-Powell said in an interview with the Orlando Sentinel. He lies about his record time and time again because he knows that the majority of Floridians in this state know who he is, and they dont want him back in the Senate.

The massive personal wealth that Scott has used in his past victories, the benefit of incumbency and a Republican-leaning state still make him the favorite. But the abortion issue, which was always going to be a major factor in the race, has become supercharged in the past few weeks.

This month alone, an abortion rights amendment made the ballot in Florida, a 6-week ban was allowed by the Florida Supreme Court to go into effect on May 1, and the Arizona Supreme Court allowed an extreme 1864 abortion law to be enacted.

I think its a very competitive race, said Gregory Koger, a professor of political science at the University of Miami. The ramifications of overturning Roe v. Wade continue to percolate through our society and through our politics.  Its such a stark choice, and itll be hard for any politician to ignore the issue, or to avoid their past positions in the case of Rick Scott.

The main issue, Koger said, was how would Rick Scott actually vote [on abortion] after hes been reelected? That is the question, and its hard for him to address that question within an election year conversion.

The Mucarsel-Powell campaign cited bills Scott co-sponsored or voted for before Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022, including a 20-week national abortion ban he voted for in 2020 and co-sponsored in 2021, and an amendment he voted for in 2021 establishing penalties for providers who perform abortions after 20 weeks.

Well see what comes up

Asked Monday at a campaign event in Orlando if he would vote for a federal abortion ban in the Senate, Scott said, Well see what comes up. Well see what it is. The general rule is that its at the state level, thats what the Supreme Court decided.

Weve got to recognize there have to be reasonable limitations, Scott said. And weve got to work together to bring a consensus together.

Shortly afterward, Scott spokesman McKinley Lewis said Scotts position since Roe was overturned has been that he is against any federal role in abortion, citing comments from January in which he said states ought to make the decision on how to regulate abortion and called Mucarsel-Powell a liar for saying he currently backed a federal ban.

Scotts position on just what states should be doing on abortion in the post-Roe era also has changed.

In response to a Democratic legislator saying Scott had come out against the 6-week Florida abortion ban signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, Scott wrote on X, Not true. I am 100% pro-life and if I was still governor, I would sign this bill.

That led Florida Democrats to attack. Make no mistake  Rick Scott is fully behind Floridas extreme abortion ban, said party spokesperson Alex Wood. He said he would have signed it into law himself and has pledged to vote to keep it in place. His extreme anti-abortion agenda is out of step with Floridians and will cost him his Senate seat in November.

On Monday, though, Scott told The Hill, in Florida theres way more consensus around 15 weeks with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother.

Asked specifically if he would favor replacing the 6-week ban with a 15-week ban, Scott told The Hill, If I was writing a bill, I think 15 weeks is where the state is.

But on Tuesday night, he said he still would have signed the 6-week bill anyway.

If I was governor, and the 6-week abortion ban came in front of me, I would sign it, he told Spectrum Bay News 9. Ive always said I would sign it.

Mucarsel-Powell also has slammed Scott for his reaction to the Arizona Supreme Court ruling that enacted an 1864 abortion ban with no exceptions save for the life of the mother.

Appearing on Fox Business on April 9, Scott said, Well, look, this is whats going to happen as a result of the overturn of Roe v. Wade.  Were going to decide this at the state level. State by state is going to figure this out. Im sure Arizona will figure this out. In Florida, weve got a constitutional amendment thats going to help us figure out where we are. So this is exactly what ought to happen.

Mucarsel-Powell told the Sentinel that the Arizona statute is an archaic law that puts women at risk, and he says its exactly what ought to happen. Because hes celebrated overturning Roe v. Wade.  He is celebrating the fact that states are banning abortion.

At the Orlando event Monday, Scott said it was a lie to characterize his comments on Fox Business as supporting the Arizona law. What I said is, the states are making a decision and  theyre going to go through the process of deciding what is a consensus in their state.

But, he added, I completely oppose the law.

A lot of work to do

David Jolly, a former Republican congressman from St. Petersburg and co-founder of the Forward Party, said the Democrats have a lot of work to do. The grassroots are enthused, but the numbers are challenging.

In a straight head-to-head between incumbent Republican in the state of Florida and a Democratic challenger, youd still have to give the nod to Rick Scott, Jolly said. But Democrats were given a lifeline with the abortion question on the ballot.

A USA TODAY/Ipsos poll released Monday showed that 50% of Florida voters said they backed the abortion rights amendment. That was still lower than the 60% needed for passage, but 16% of respondents said they were unsure or unregistered, a potential pool of voters Democrats are looking to grab.

That same poll showed Mucarsel-Powell with poor name recognition, with 74% of all voters not having heard of her.

An Emerson College Polling survey from last week found even weaker support for the abortion amendment, with just 42% of voters saying they support the amendment and 25% opposing it. But another 32% were undecided.

Scott is starting from a very strong vantage point with financial resources, Jolly said. The question is, can Democrats and adjacent organizations really mobilize these voters in November? And if so, Id say to Rick Scott, Watch out, because this is a race that could sneak up on him.

Matt Isbell, a Democratic elections analyst, said the abortion issue remained a major issue that brought voters out to the polls even two years after Roe was overturned, citing Democratic wins in off-year and special elections nationwide and in Florida.

You get what you wish for, Isbell said of Republicans. You campaigned on repealing Roe, and now that Roe is gone, well, guess what? Youve got to answer for all of it.

_____
Democrats in the United States House of Representatives are preparing to vote on Republican Speaker Mike Johnson's package of financial assistance for Ukraine, which is likely to be debated Saturday after months of delay.

Source: Bloomberg, as reported by European Pravda

Details: House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries stated that they will do everything "necessary to make sure the national security bill gets over the finish line."

"Its not Johnsons foreign aid package. Its Americas foreign aid package in terms of meeting our national security needs," he said.

Speaker Johnson will require Democratic votes to pass the project after far-right Republicans in the House of Representatives announced that they would vote against procedural motions to begin debate on it.

Democrats could also help Johnson keep his position, which has been threatened by his decision to allow a vote on aid to Ukraine without tying it to US border security provisions.

Bloomberg reported that some moderate Democrats have already pledged to defend the speaker from such an attempt by far-right Republicans by voting against the resignation demand.

Johnson stated late Wednesday that he had not asked Democrats for assistance and was willing to lose his job to help Ukraine stop Russian aggression.

"My philosophy is you do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may. Im a Reagan Republican. I believe in peace through strength," he said.

Background:

On 15 April, Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House of Representatives, introduced four separate bills on aid to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and other US national security priorities.

The "Ukrainian" package calls for the allocation of approximately US$61 billion to assist Ukraine and its supporters. The bill's final vote should take place on Saturday evening, 20 April.

US President Joe Biden expressed his readiness to sign, if approved by Congress, bills on supplemental funding for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

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Prince Harry has renounced his right to reside in the UK and declared America his home in new documents. The Duke of Sussex is "considering" becoming a US citizen, which could mean giving up his royal titles. He reportedly gave his new official US residency status a retroactive date to when the prince and his wife Meghan Markle were kicked out of Frogmore Cottage.

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On April 17, in his first public appearance since his daughter-in-law Kate Middleton announced her diagnosis, 39-year-old Harry addressed the public via video link at the annual general meeting of Travalyst, an eco-tourism organization the prince founded in 2019. This was reported by the NY Post.

A non-profit organization based in London carried out the necessary procedures and presented the company's reports with the "new details" of the royal person. When Harry founded Travalyst, his initial place of residence was listed as the UK. This is the main indicator that the prince does not plan to live in his native country permanently in the future.

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In 2020, King Charles's son and his wife, 42-year-old Meghan Markle, moved to America, where they now live with their children, Prince Archie, 4, and Princess Lilibet, 2. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were evicted from their British home, Frogmore Cottage, which the late Queen gave them after their wedding in 2018.

Now, when they travel to the UK, they have no place to stay and have to stay with friends or in a hotel. "Home for me is in the States right now, for now. And it really feels that way. We've been welcomed with open arms, and there's such a wonderful community in Santa Barbara," Harry said in an interview with Today in 2022.

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Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
DENVER (KDVR)  Denver City Councils Finance and Governance Committee on Tuesday approved cutting about $41 million to support the citys ongoing migrant response, a measure that will be heard in front of the full council on April 22.

According to documents presented to Denver City Council, the city previously estimated that when sheltering about 5,000 people per day, it would need a total of $180 million for 2024 migrant sheltering operations. As occupancy decreased and fewer migrants came to Denver, the citys estimate decreased to about $120 million. That number has lowered again, now to about $89.9 million.

Douglas, El Paso counties sue over Colorado law that blocks ICE cooperation

The council presentation shows that during the first quarter of 2024, the city spent $25 million. With the new program, the city said migrant sheltering through the end of 2024 should only cost the city about $15 million.

According to the citys migrant sheltering dashboard, Denver has sheltered over 41,000 migrants from the southern border at a cost of about $68 million. As of Wednesday afternoon, there were 712 migrants in the citys hotel shelter and another 86 in short-term shelter.

With $2 million from Denver Human Services, $9 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, $10 million from Denvers general fund contingency, $8 million in rollover funds from 2023 and another $15 million approved to be taken out of the Castro building fund, the city still has a shortfall.

Which Denver departments will see budget cuts?

Thats why the finance committee determined that $41 million in cuts to multiple city departments is needed. The mayors office has the largest percentage of those cuts  about 9.6% of the total $41 million will come from that office, or about $164,000.

However, in dollar amounts, Denvers police and fire departments will see the biggest budget cuts. The police department is expecting an $8.4 million cut, the sheriffs office is looking ahead to a $3.8 million cut and the fire department anticipates a $2.4 million cut to its budget.

In addition, the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure will see a $5 million budget, or 3.8% of its budget.

Caught in a cycle, people seek a new home after latest Denver encampment sweep

With about 70% of the citys budget going to personnel, a primary goal was not to impact employees. To mitigate those impacts, the city said it is focusing on never-hired or hard-to-hire positions, staggering hiring dates from summer to the end of the year and minimizing impacts on workgroups dealing with staffing challenges, like permitting.

The measure will now advance to the citys full council for first reading on April 22, and if approved, funding will become available by May 10.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
On April 12, 2024, DePaul University in Chicago was designated an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI) for the fiscal year 2024 by the U.S. Department of Education.

Twelve percent of undergraduate students at DePaul University identify as AANAPISI, surpassing the Department of Educations requirement of at least 10 percent. Becoming an AANAPISI institution enables the university to pursue federal grants to support instructional resources and faculty development.

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Achieving this status was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the school's AANAPISI task force, colleagues from Institutional Research and Market Analytics, and the Office of Research Services, who prepared DePauls federal Title III application.

According to a statement from DePaul University, the school's AANAPISI Taskforce will focus on securing federal funds to further support the success and sense of belonging for students, faculty, and staff at DePaul. Additionally, efforts will be made to increase the representation of AANAPISI faculty and staff  currently at 6 percent  to better align with student demographics.

As well the University said it would expand the curriculum to incorporate AANAPISI topics, engage in focus groups with AANAPISI students to address their needs and compile a report to be published in the fall of 2024.

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
[Watch previous FOX 8 News coverage in the player above.]

AKRON, Ohio (WJW)  The first finalist candidate for the citys open police chief role is a 28-year veteran of the Akron Police Department.

Mayor Shammas Malik on Wednesday announced residents can soon get to meet the finalist, Deputy Chief Brian Harding, whos currently acting as police chief.

City employee shot at Cleveland Public Works garage: I-Team

Harding has been with the city police department since 1995 and received numerous promotions during his tenure, according to a news release. He is a recent graduate of an Akron leadership class, has attended Police Executive Leadership College and currently serves on the Victims Assistance board.

He is a graduate of the University of Akron, where he earned a Bachelors degree in technical education and an Associate degree in criminal justice, according to the release.

While many residents are familiar with Deputy Chief Harding from his years of service to our city, I am looking forward to the town halls which will provide our community with the opportunity to engage with him as the finalist for the Police Chief role. As a candidate for this important role and in his current role as Acting Chief, he has welcomed opportunities to meet with the community throughout this process. I believe this reflects his willingness to support more community-oriented policing here in Akron and demonstrates his commitment to Akrons residents. Im excited for our town halls where our residents will have an opportunity to hear directly from the finalist and ask questions. Akron Mayor Shammas Malik

Former chief Steve Mylett stepped down on Jan. 1, having led the department since August 2021. Harding was then made acting police chief.

Though the search for a new police chief has been underway for weeks, officials now believe state and local law requires the new chief to be promoted from within the police department, and that the city cannot consider outside applicants, Malik said last month.

Pennsylvania police officer arrested for rape of a 1-year-old

Candidates are being screened by executive job search firm Ralph Andersen & Associates.

Maliks office has set two meet-and-greet town halls introducing Harding: the first was at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 20, at John R. Buchtel Community Learning Center, 1040 Copley Road; the second at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23, at East Community Learning Center, 80 Brittain Road.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
Deputy steals money from driver she pulled over, throws away evidence, CA officials say

A deputy is accused of stealing a coin purse with cash during a traffic stop, California prosecutors say.

The 39-year-old Los Angeles Sheriffs Department deputy is facing multiple charges, including one felony count of filing a false police report, one felony count of altering, planting or concealing evidence as a peace officer and one misdemeanor count of petty theft not exceeding $950, the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office said in an April 17 news release.

Law enforcement officers are entrusted with upholding the law and safeguarding our communities, District Attorney George Gascon said in the release. When an individual in such a position breaches this trust, it not only undermines the integrity of the entire justice system but also jeopardizes the safety and well-being of those they are sworn to protect.

In an emailed statement to McClatchy News, a sheriffs department spokesperson said the deputy was relieved of duty pending the outcome of the case.

Our personnel are not above the law and must be held accountable when their actions violate the Departments moral and ethical standards, the spokesperson said.

The deputy pulled over a driver at a Whittier strip mall April 15, 2023, for excessive window tint, prosecutors said.

The motorist didnt have a valid drivers license, according to prosecutors.

After the deputy searched the car, prosecutors said she found a coin purse with cash inside.

The deputy is accused of stealing the cash from the coin purse and throwing the coin purse in a trashcan, according to prosecutors.

The deputy is also accused of filing a false police report, prosecutors said.

The sheriffs departments and district attorneys office are still investigating the case, according to prosecutors.

The deputy, who could potentially face a maximum prison sentence of six years, two months, is expected to appear in court for arraignment on July 2, prosecutors said.

Cop got thousands donated for cancer he didnt have and now faces charges, officials say

Police officer stole drugs from busts and resold them in California, feds say

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DeSantis approval on the upswing; Republicans like idea of Casey DeSantis for governor

The DeSantis brand, battered by constant attacks and political miscalculations, is looking a bit better.

A Florida Atlantic University poll released Thursday found Gov. Ron DeSantis approval among the states voters has ticked up and disapproval has gone down.

In the latest survey, 54% of Florida voters approve and 40% disapprove of the way DeSantis is handling his job of government. Thats a net positive of 14 percentage points.

When FAU asked voters the same question in November, 50% approved and 49% disapproved, a net positive of just 1 percentage point.

In November, DeSantis was still in the throes of his unsuccessful candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination, an effort that never caught on despite months of campaigning and heavy spending.

The campaign also meant he was subjected to constant criticism from former President Donald Trump, then the leading contender for the 2024 Republican nomination and now the presumptive Republican nominee.

The Trump criticism has abated since DeSantis dropped out and issued a tepid endorsement of the former president earlier this year.

And DeSantis is much more of a presence in Florida than he was when he was campaigning for president in other states. Hes constantly touring the state, holding events to highlight policies that he sees as broadly popular with the public on a range of subjects, from education policy to clean water spending, to allowing people to buy larger bottles of wine in local stores.

Casey DeSantis

DeSantis cant run again for governor because of term limits, providing an opening for many ambitious candidates in an increasingly Republican state.

Pollsters posted one hypothetical to Republican primary voters: If the 2026 primary for the nomination for governor were between Casey DeSantis, wife of the current governor, and U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, the firebrand Panhandle Republican, who they would choose.

Casey DeSantis was the choice of 38% of Republicans.

Gaetz was the pick for 16%.

Related Articles

A large share  20%  said theyd pick another candidate. Others werent named, but theres no shortage of Republicans, including other statewide elected officials and at least one member of Congress, who are contemplating candidacies. Another 26% said they didnt know.

To a large extent, polling this far in advance of the August 2026 primary, with no declared candidates or active campaigning, is a test of name recognition. And voters may not get that option. The familys political activities since he dropped out of the race for the 2024 nomination appear aimed at another Ron DeSantis presidential candidacy in 2028.

There was little difference in support for Casey DeSantis and Gaetz support among men and women.

Support for Casey DeSantis was somewhat higher among older voters than among younger voters. Gaetz had much more support (26%) among voters ages 35-49 than among other age groups.

Casey DeSantis had slightly higher support among white college educated voters than among those without a college education. Gaetz had slightly more support among white non-college educated voters than among those with a college education.

Governors approval

Ron DeSantiss approval is up and disapproval is down, but he remains a polarizing figure for Florida voters.

Among men, 60% approve and 35% disapprove.

Among women, 48% approve and 45% disapprove.

Among Democrats, 21% approve and 74% disapprove.

Among Republicans, 86% approve and 9% disapprove.

Among independents, 49% approve and 44% disapprove.

Fine print

The poll of 865 Florida voters was conducted April 15 through April 17 by Mainstreet Research for Florida Atlantic Universitys PolCom Lab, which is a collaboration of the School of Communication and Multimedia Studies and Department of Political Science.

The survey used text messages to reach registered voters who responded to a link to complete the survey online and used automated phone calls to reach other voters. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points for the full survey of Democrats, Republicans and independents. The margin of error for smaller groups, such as Republicans or Democrats, or men and women, is higher because the sample sizes are smaller.

Anthony Man can be reached at aman@sunsentinel.com and can be found @browardpolitics on Facebook, Threads.net and Post.news.
This article was originally published in Florida Phoenix.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday that he will sign legislation restricting challenges to books in public schools, blaming activist teachers and others of making a mockery of his parental rights legislation by filing frivolous challenges.

The 2021 Parental Rights in Education Act, sometimes referred to as Dont Say Gay, allows parents the opportunity to review, and potentially object to, school library books that they find inappropriate, with the goal of removing questionable material from school libraries, even if other families are OK with the content.

Especially targeted was LGBTQ content.

Help fund stories like this. Donate now!

What followed were wholesale challenges to books and other material, requiring their removal from libraries and classrooms pending sometimes protracted reviews of their suitability.

Legislation passed during this years legislative session (HB 1285) allows only one challenge per month unless the challenge comes from the parent or guardian of a child in a public school.

It is done intentionally, and it is part of an agenda, and thats wrong, DeSantis said during a news conference.

I mean, schools are there to serve a community. Schools are not there for you to try to go on some ideological joyride at the expense of our kids, he said.

The Legislature hasnt sent the bill to DeSantis yet, but he said that he will sign it once that happens.

DeSantis appeared at Warrington Preparatory Academy, a charter school that opened last year at the site of a consistently poorly performing public school.

The bill is an omnibus pertaining to state education policy. The governor highlighted the book challenge changes plus language that expedites charter conversions, requiring districts to allow charter operators access to the facilities to devise a turnaround plan. Districts couldnt remove resources or charge rent and would have to maintain the building. Children in the public-school zone would be first in line for charter school admission.

The Bluest Eye

House member Jennifer Canady, a Republican from Polk County, mentioned a new bar on placing students in dropout prevention programs solely because of a disability. Students who are placed in those programs would be entitled to individualized goals so we are focused on what they need to do in order to be successful, she said.

This bill is going to require that we treat students as the individuals that they are and make sure that they are in the best learning environment for them, Canady added.

As for book challenges, legislation approved in 2022 set up a more orderly system for them, including review by the Florida Department of Education.

Still, books drawing challenges and sheltered from access by kids have included bestsellers including The Kite Runner and The Bluest Eye, the latter by the Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winner Toni Morrison, plus All Boys Arent Blue by George M. Johnson about growing up Black and queer.

In Jacksonville, books about Roberto Clemente and Hank Aaron, which are on the states recommended list, were unavailable to students for months pending reviews.

During the 2022-2023 school year, PEN America recorded 1,406 book ban cases in Florida, which accounted for 40% of the national total. That organization is suing the Escambia County School District over its banning policies.

DeSantis insisted he is only after books that arent age and developmentally appropriate.

You should not be having books in these schools, particularly in younger grades, that are sexually explicit, that are promoting ideology like gender ideology. We dont believe you teach a kindergartener that they can change their gender  thats just not appropriate, thats not what parents want to be taught in our schools, he said Monday.

Litigation

PEN America and the Florida Education Association, representing classroom teachers, have complained that the laws are so vague that they invited districts to overly restrict access to material. The state laws dont directly threaten felony charges for violations, but the Duval County district has warned teachers that that could happen if they expose children to material deemed pornographic.

To DeSantis, such concerns are performative; thats political. Youre trying to be an activist when you should be trying to be an educator.

He did concede: Its from all ends of the political spectrum  I mean, theres some people that really think all these books that have been in school are inappropriate; theres other people that know that theyre appropriate but are trying to act like Florida does not want these books in.

Overall, its being done to create a narrative that somehow, oh my gosh, all these books are, quote, banned. No book is banned in Florida. The most grotesque pornographic books that are in schools that have been removed because theyre inappropriate, you can go buy it in a bookstore if thats what floats your boat, youre able to do that. But do not jam that down the throat of a sixth-grade child, the governor said.

Just as its wrong for a school district, an activist teacher, a school union to try to impose an agenda on a student, its also wrong for a citizen activist or parent to do these passive-aggressive false challenges to try to act like somehow we dont want education in Florida, he said.

If you are trying to be an activist, if youre trying to withdraw valid materials as a way to basically lodge a protest, youre going to be held accountable for that, because youre depriving the students of their right to be able to have a good education.

Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Diane Rado for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and Twitter.
Despite law that OKs disclosure, Erie County is mum on OCY and toddler who froze to death

After 2-year-old Zemina Smith was found frozen to death near her apartment on Erie's East 17th Street on Feb. 29, her case raised a number of questions. They included whether the Erie County Office of Children and Youth was involved with her family before she died.

The questions about OCY's involvement grew weeks later.

A coroner's report filed April 2 indicated Zemina had died of hypothermia. The report also revealed that Zemina's mother told police she and Zemina's father had used methamphetamine the evening that Zemina left their apartment and wandered outside, wearing only shorts and a T-shirt as the temperature dipped to 25 degrees and the wind chill dropped to 8 or 9 degrees.

The administration of Erie County Executive Brenton Davis, which oversees OCY, is refusing to release information that could help answer questions about Zemina's death.

The Davis administration is refusing to disclose the information despite a state law that authorizes county governments to release certain initial and basic details about a child fatality or near fatality in which child abuse is suspected or confirmed.

Zemina Smith, 2, was found dead from exposure on Feb. 29 near a playground in the 300 block of East 16th Street, a block east of her apartment in the 200 block of East 17th Street.

The law allows the release of the information even if a case is under criminal investigation, as is Zemina's. The Erie County District Attorney's Office is continuing to review the case.

The Davis administration stood by its refusal to release information after the Erie Times-News asked the administration to reconsider its position in light of the state law that allows for certain disclosures, Act 44 of 2014.

As evidence that the law allows such a release, the Erie Times-News ended up getting the same information from the state Department of Human Services that the newspaper had requested from the Davis administration.

Act 44 of 2014 allows DHS and county governments to disclose the information if they choose to do so. Release of the information is not mandatory. DHS and a county "may release" the information, the law states.

The information that DHS released  and that the county refused to release  is limited under Act 44 due to privacy concerns. But the information that DHS released shows that OCY is not believed to have been involved with Zemina and her family because they were not receiving public or private child welfare services when she died.

"There were no public or private agencies under contract with the county agency providing services to the child and the childs family," DHS said in an email.

Law says certain types of information may be released

DHS made that disclosure under the section of Act 44 that allows DHS or a county government to release "information to the public concerning a child who died or nearly died as a result of suspected or substantiated child abuse."

The law allows for the release of the information before the county or the DHS completes a mandatory report of a child fatality or near fatality. The county and DHS must undertake those reports if child abuse is suspected or confirmed, even if a child protective service agency, such as OCY, was not involved with the child prior to the death or near death. The reports in Zemina's case are not yet available.

Under Act 44, the areas in which the county and DHS "may release" information in the early stage of a case are:

 "The identity of the child if it is a fatality." In response to a request from the Erie Times-News, DHS released Zemina's name, which was already public.

 If the child was in the custody of a public or private agency, the identity of the agency.

In Zemina's case, "the child was not in the custody of a public or private agency," DHS told the Erie Times-News in an email. Zemina was already known to have been living with her parents when she died.

 "The identity of the public or private agency under contract with a county agency to provide services to the child and the child's family in the child's home prior to the child's death or near fatality." DHS responded with the statement, "There were no public or private agencies under contract with the county agency providing services to the child and the childs family."

 "A description of services provided under" the above category. DHS said the information was not applicable to Zemina's case because no services were provided.

 "The identity of the county agency that convened a child fatality or near fatality review team with respect to the child." DHS said Erie County convened the review team.

Why is Davis administration not releasing information?

After Zemina's death, the Erie Times-News asked the Davis administration if OCY was involved with Zemina's family because three other children were also in the apartment when she died.

Remnants of police tape were attached to a garbage can outside the back door of an Erie Housing Authority Apartment in the 200 block of East 17th Street. The night of Feb. 28, 2-year-old Zemina Smith left the apartment, wandered outside and died of hypothermia in the early morning of Feb. 29.

The spokesman for the administration, Chris Carroll, responded that "We are unable to offer any specific comment that would confirm or deny the existence of an active case with the Erie County Office of Children and Youth." In general, Carroll also said, OCY "follows all federal, state and local regulations to provide for the safety, permanency and well-being of all Erie County children."

In response, the Times-News asked Carroll to provide more details about Zemina's case under the disclosure provisions of Act 44. The Times-News emailed Carroll a link to Act 44 and cited the section that allows for disclosure.

"The county will stand by its original statement on this matter," Carroll responded in an email.

The Times-News then emailed Carroll asking that the county reconsider its position because of the disclosure provisions in Act 44. In an email, the newspaper asked Carroll to explain why the county was refusing to disclose information that it is allowed to release under the law, "including information on whether OCY was involved with Zemina's family before she died."

Erie County Executive Brenton Davis heads an administration that includes the county Office of Children and Youth.

With Carroll out of town, Davis' director of administration, Joe Sinnott, the former mayor of Erie, responded in an email on Monday.

"The county executive and the departments under his administration have previously offered the responses that we believe are appropriate and adequate in matters such as this," Sinnott said. "The County has a well-established policy regarding the dissemination of information in these instances and will adhere to it."

Sinnott also said Davis would not make himself available for an interview on why his administration chose not to release information that the law says it may disclose.

"The county executive wont be commenting any further on this matter, at this time, as we dont believe it is appropriate in light of the on-going investigation," Sinnott said in an email.

Counties asked for measure that Davis administration is not using

In refusing to release information on Zemina's case, the Davis administration is declining to avail itself of an option in state law that counties themselves lobbied for, said Cathleen Palm, founder of the Center for Children's Justice, an advocacy group based in Berks County in eastern Pennsylvania. Palm has pushed for more openness in child welfare cases in Pennsylvania and has provided input on legislation.

Until lawmakers amended Act 44, Palm said, counties could not disclose information related to child abuse cases before the release of the final DHS report on a child fatality or near fatality. The DHS, however, could release information in the early stages of a case and ahead of the release of the report.

"Counties used to be frustrated that PA DHS could answer some baseline questions in incidents like this, but the county had no authority to do so," Palm, referring to Zemina's case, said in an email. "This created a situation where the state seemed transparent/responsive while the county appeared intent on trying to hide something.

"At the request of counties, lawmakers amended the law in 2014 (Act 44) to provide to counties with exactly what PA DHS can do  provide basic details when a child has been reported to ChildLine related to a fatality or near-fatality and (at least initially) the incident meets the 'reasonable cause to suspect' abuse and/or neglect.

"The counties secured the legal change and yet routinely now stipulate they can't speak on any details," Palm said.

Palm said the transparency is important in cases of child fatalities or near fatalities so the community can use the information to identify trends and to prevent other children from getting hurt or killed.

"The whole point is not to beat up the system," Palm said of releasing information. "It is really to realize that when a child dies or nearly dies, that is a consequential moment for a community. It is to say, 'Community, wake up. What are the circumstances our children are living in, and is there any way we can improve their circumstances?'"

State ultimately will release report on Zemina's case

Through a 2008 state law, Act 33, the Pennsylvania General Assembly codified the review process for counties and the state in child deaths and near deaths. Six years later, Act 44 of 2014 addressed the public disclosure of those reviews and the reports that grew out of them.

Transparency and public disclosure became issues at OCY in Erie County years before lawmakers amended Act 44 to allow counties to release information.

Twenty years ago, Erie County Council called for more openness at OCY in response to the case of Brittany Legler, a mentally disabled 15-year-old who died in May 2004 after her adoptive mother beat her. Investigations showed the Millcreek Township School District complained to OCY about suspected abuse 10 times in the 13 months leading up to her death.

An internal report criticized OCY's handling of the Legler case. The report prompted County Council and the administration of the county executive at the time, Rick Schenker, to ask the Washington, D.C.-based Child Welfare League of America to conduct a study. In a report released in 2006, the Child Welfare League said lack of leadership, an overworked and inexperienced staff, lack of transparency and other internal problems had made OCY "an organization in crisis."

The report fueled the county's overhaul of OCY, which included the adoption of policies that encouraged transparency. A major change was that OCY, with the cooperation of the county's judges, opened up OCY hearings to "any interested party." OCY previously objected automatically to having a member of the public in the courtroom.

In the case of Zemina Smith, more information about her death will eventually be made public no matter what OCY's involvement, no matter what happens in the criminal case and no matter what the position of the Davis administration.

The action will come from the Department of Human Services when it finishes its child fatality report in the case and releases it. The DHS can use information from the county's review as part of its report.

DHS makes its child fatality and near fatality reports public, though DHS can redact the reports to protect the privacy of some of those involved in the cases.

Making the reports available to the public is designed "to help the community better understand what led to the death and to help initiate a discussion on how Pennsylvanians can help prevent future deaths," according to the DHS.

The DHS posts the reports on its website. They are accessible to anyone.

Ed Palattella at epalattella@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNpalattella.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Despite law, Erie County PA mum on OCY, toddler who froze to death
A map of the Gas Transmission Northwest Express pipeline, or GTN Express, from the Idaho-Canada border to Southern Oregon. It runs from the Canada-Idaho border to Malin, a town in southern Oregons Klamath County.

A map of the Gas Transmission Northwest Express pipeline, or GTN Express, from the Idaho-Canada border to Southern Oregon. (Courtesy of TC Energy)

Federal regulators are allowing construction to begin on expanding a controversial gas pipeline running from Washington, across a part of Idaho and through Oregon to northern California.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued an order Wednesday giving the greenlight to the pipelines owner, the Canadian company TC Energy, to begin construction following its denial Tuesday of appeals from conservationists and attorneys general in Oregon and Washington to reassess its approval of the Northwest XPress expansion project.

The 1,400-mile pipeline already sends billions of cubic feet of gas everyday from Canada to utilities supplying natural gas customers in the Northwest and California. In 2021, TC Energy asked the federal energy commission to allow it to increase the pipelines capacity, adding millions of cubic feet of gas extracted by fracking to the pipeline each day. Company representatives told the commission and the Capital Chronicle that they need to increase capacity to meet demand.

Those opposed to the pipeline say the company has not proved a need for an expansion in an increasingly electrifying world and one where renewable energy sources are becoming cheaper and more abundant. Natural gas is a major contributor to climate change, and environmentalists also oppose fracking which involves injecting toxic chemicals into the earth.

Northwest opposition

The project is opposed by environmentalists, the governors of Oregon and Washington, the states U.S. senators and the attorneys general of Oregon, Washington and California. For more than a year, they have called on the federal energy agency not to allow the project to move forward. Theyve said expanding the pipelines capacity undermines their goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and that the company will invariably pass the costs of the pipeline expansion on to natural gas customers in the region.

Consumers already pay significantly higher prices today for natural gas than they did even three or four years ago. All three natural gas companies in Oregon have requested rate hikes this year from the states Public Utilities Commission. Rates have gone up 50% on average since 2020 for residential customers of the states largest natural gas utility, NW Natural, according to the watchdog Citizens Utilities Board.

The offices of Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and Gov. Tina Kotek did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Natural gas is almost entirely methane, a potent greenhouse gas and a main contributor to global warming. The expansion of the GTN Xpress would result in an additional 3.47 million metric tons of carbon dioxide being released for at least the next 30 years, according to a joint filing opposing the pipeline that was submitted to the federal commission in August 2022 by Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson and California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Under Oregons Climate Protection Program, greenhouse gas emissions need to decrease 90% by 2050. At least 26% of that reduction will have to come from natural gas. A 2020 Washington law mandates a 95% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Nevertheless, in October the commission issued its approval.

Dissent on the commission

The decision on Tuesday to deny a rehearing on the pipeline project approval was not unanimous, and one of the three members of the commission  Allison Clements  said in her dissent that she largely agreed with the states that TC Energy had not demonstrated adequate demand and that the expansion is detrimental to the states laws mandating gas companies reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Because FERC made its decision this week, and did not make its decision to deny the petitions within 30 days of issuing its October approval, the petitions are now in federal court, where the states attorneys general and attorneys for the Oregon nonprofits Columbia Riverkeeper and Rogue Climate will pursue a hearing by a federal Court of Appeals, where a judge could decide to side with the groups and the states.

This is the first time in court we would essentially be arguing that FERC has to consider state climate laws when it looks at whether a project sits in the public convenience and necessity, Audrey Leonard, staff attorney for Columbia Riverkeeper, previously told the Capital Chronicle.

But the pending litigation does not stop TC Energy from moving forward with its construction now that it has approval from the Federal Energy Commission.

Critics say the federal commission has a history of approving pipeline projects with little dissent.

A recent review of the commissions major pipeline decisions by University of Virginia School of Law Professor Alison Gocke found commissioners approved 423 of 425 proposed pipeline projects in the last 20 years.

The post Despite petitions, federal regulators approve construction on expanded Northwest gas pipeline appeared first on Oregon Capital Chronicle.
Cooking meat in French has long been a routine for many housewives. This dish is easy to prepare and does not take much time.

ADVERTISIMENT

And today we offer to cook a new interpretation of this dish without using potatoes. A food blogger with the nickname simeynuyblog on Instagram told us how to cook French-style meat on an onion pillow.

Ingredients:

Tenderloin  700 gr

Mushrooms  400 gr

Cream  100 ml

Onion  1 pc

Mozzarella  150 g

Processed cheese

Mustard

Spices to taste

How to cook:

1. Cut and pound the meat.

2. Add salt, black pepper, paprika and mustard. Rub the pieces of meat on both sides.

ADVERTISIMENT

3. Peel the onions, cut them into halves, and place them in the bottom of the baking dish.

4. Cut the mushrooms into small pieces and fry them in a pan. In the end, add cream, melted cheese, and spices.

5. Put the meat on the onion and fried mushrooms with cream on top.

6. Cover the mold with parchment and then foil and set aside to bake for 35-40 minutes at 200 degrees.

7. At the end of cooking, remove the parchment and foil, sprinkle the dish with grated cheese, and put it back in the oven until the cheese is toasted.

ADVERTISIMENT
A construction company which started destroying the nations aging chemical weapons stockpile at the Blue Grass Army Depot in June 2019 will soon be closing its Richmond doors. On Thursday morning, they gave a gift which they hope will leave a lasting legacy  and impact.

The Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass Joint Venture presented a $300,000 donation check to Greg Gerard, president of Baptist Health Richmond, to support growth in its mental health efforts.

This legacy gift will help the hospital grow its mental health resources and direct its mission to be proactive, rather than reactive, by expanding their clinical decision unit.

In July 2023, the hospital opened the Thrive Center, an 11-bed facility inpatient behavioral health service for patients in Madison and surrounding counties. The center provides care for adults ages 18 and older who require hospitalization for behavioral health needs in a medically safe and structured environment.

As of Thursday, the 11 beds are full and mostly with people who have had suicidal thoughts, according to Gerard.

A part of that unit is an outpatient program, the clinical decision unit, which helps refer patients to resources in a private and calm setting away from the hustle and bustle of the emergency department.

People are hurting in this community, Gerard said. This gift is going to continue to reach people before they have to be admitted.

Baptist Health Richmond is receiving a $300,000 legacy gift from the construction company tasked with destroying the nations aging chemical weapons stockpile at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Madison County. The gift is going towards mental health resources.

Ron Hink, the departing project manager of the BPBGJV, said the company was well aware of the affects of mental health. Working in chemical weapons destruction at the height of COVID-19, special focus was given on training employees to recognize stressors, and the best ways to cope.

We have fostered a safety culture on our project to ensure our workers are protected from harm, Hink said. We recognize that mental well-being is just as important as physical health and this donation will make an incredible impact in the work we are doing to improve the mental health in the lives of those in need.

Hink and Gerard said they hope other businesses will follow their lead to advocate for mental health safety.

They have to, Hink said firmly.

Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) operators load the first M55 rocket containing GB nerve agent into the plants automated destruction system on July 6, 2022. The last rocket in the nations aging chemical weapons stockpile was destroyed July 7, 2023 at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Madison County, completing a disarmament process that has been in the works for decades.

When were the chemical weapons at Blue Grass Army Depot destroyed?

The joint venture was the systems contractor selected by the Department of Defense to design, build, systemize, test, operate, and close the facility which destroyed a 523 ton chemical weapons stockpile at the Blue Grass Army Depot. The stockpile destruction was completed on July 7, 2023.

Congress mandated the destruction of the chemical weapons stockpile in 1986. That process began on Johnson Atoll in the Pacific Ocean in 1990 and was completed at other locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Maryland, Oregon and Utah by 2012, according to the Defense Department.
A harrowing photograph showing a woman in Gaza sobbing in a morgue as she cradles the body of her 5-year-old niece won the 2024 World Press Photo of the Year Award on Thursday.

Mohammed Salem, a 39-year-old Palestinian Reuters photographer, captured the image at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis in the south of the enclave on Oct. 17, 2023. The picture shows Inas Abu Maamar, 36, embracing the shrouded corpse of her niece, Saly.

Google Fires 28 Employees Who Protested Israel Contract

Mohammed received the news of his WPP award with humility, saying that this is not a photo to celebrate but that he appreciates its recognition and the opportunity to publish it to a wider audience, Rickey Rogers, Reuters Global Editor for Pictures and Video, said at a ceremony in Amsterdam. He hopes with this award that the world will become even more conscious of the human impact of war, especially on children.

Salem had gone to the hospital while Palestinians were looking for their missing loved ones in the wake of Israeli airstrikes. He said at the time of the photos publication that the sight of Inas was especially poignant as his own wife had given birth just days earlier.

It was a powerful and a sad moment and I felt the picture sums up the broader sense of what was happening in the Gaza Strip, he said. People were confused, running from one place to another, anxious to know the fate of their loved ones, and this woman caught my eye as she was holding the body of the little girl and refused to let go.

I lost my conscience when I saw the girl, I took her in my arms, Inas told Reuters.The doctor asked me to let go... but I told them to leave her with me. She said her own uncle and aunt were also killed in the strike, which hit Inas uncle's house. Salys mother and sister died too.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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After 60 days of legislative work, the Kentucky General Assembly has passed more than 160 bills into law.

From the economy to energy, from constitutional amendments to crime, from vaping to self-driving vehicles, the legislature tackled a wide array of topics.

Some bills, those that contained emergency clauses, became law immediately when the legislature adjourned. The rest will become law mid-July, 90 days after the session ended.

The heaviest lifts were House Bill 6, the Executive Branch budget that spends roughly $15 billion from the state General Fund each year over the next two fiscal years, and House Bill 1, the $2.7 billion one-time appropriations bill. Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed a handful of line-items in the 200-plus page document, but the legislature overrode the vast majority of those vetoes.

In touting the budget, Republicans have celebrated projections that it will hit the triggers required for the state to drop the states personal income tax rate from 4% to 3.5%. GOP legislators have pushed the tax rate down from 6% since taking full control of the legislature in 2017.

Some budget hawks and most Democrats have stood against the tax cuts, arguing that they undercut the states ability to carry out much-needed services like K-12 education and expand into new ones like universal pre-K. Republicans say the cuts will spur growth that will continue to help fund a functional government.

The past months receipts were 12.7% higher than the year before. People were worried that our tax cuts were going to hurt our revenues. They are not, Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, said. Even though were cutting taxes, were getting more money in.

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A must-read newsletter for political junkies across the Bluegrass State with reporting and analysis from the Lexington Herald-Leader. Never miss a story! Sign up for our Bluegrass Politics newsletter to connect with our reporting team and get behind-the-scenes insights, plus previews of the biggest stories.







At issue, in particular, for Democrats was the budgets lack of a mandated teacher raises.

Republicans modestly increased the total amount spent on the state K-12 funding formula, but increased the per-pupil spending rate by 3% in the first year and another 6% the following year.

This budget leaves out and across the board raise for teachers, custodians, cafeteria workers and other educators who keep our schools running. Its not only unfair to keep underpaying these crucial positions, it hurts our states economy, House Minority Caucus Chair Cherlynn Stevenson, D-Lexington, said. Kentucky will remain less competitive when it comes to attracting the best and the brightest educators.

Some of the most-discussed bills were the two proposed constitutional amendments that received final passage and will make it on the final ballot in November. Those two amendments  one allowing public dollars to go toward private and charter school education and the other banning non-citizens from voting  will only make material change if approved by a majority of Kentucky voters.

Heres a look at what else the legislature passed, oftentimes over the governors veto.

House Bill 5 , called the Safer Kentucky Act by supporters, is a sweeping anti-crime bill with tougher penalties for many offenses and an estimated price tag of more than $1 billion over the next decade. Republicans say its needed to combat crime, but Democrats have largely objected to many portions, including criminal penalties for public homelessness and much longer sentences for a wide array of crimes without any additional jail or prison funding. Beshear vetoed the bill over concerns about the homelessness component and cost.

House Bill 7 would legalize and regulate self-driving cars on Kentucky roads. It was vetoed by Beshear on the grounds that Kentucky did not have enough time to test such vehicles before they were legalized. However, sponsor Rep. Josh Bray, R-Mt. Vernon, has pointed to the success of other states in legalizing them.

Senate Bill 1 was a priority for Stivers. It establishes an endowment research fund specifically for collaboration between the states public universities. Stivers also championed passage of a resolution requiring the Council on Postsecondary Education to conduct a feasibility study on transforming the Hazard Community and Technical College in Southeastern Kentucky into a four-year, residential university.

Senate Bill 299 will reshape the states regulatory landscape for horse racing and gaming, making gubernatorial appointments to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission subject to Senate approval and creating a new public corporation to oversee all gaming. It was vetoed by Beshear but overridden by both chambers.

Senate Bill 2 will allow Kentucky schools to hire non-law enforcement armed guardians to secure schools. Many Democrats and gun control advocates spoke against the measure, but it received robust Republican support in the legislature. Beshear allowed the bill to become law without his signature.

Senate Bill 349 will increase regulatory hurdles for utility companies looking to retire fossil fuel-fired power plants, a move advocated for by the states rural electric cooperatives and coal industry interests. The commission would likely extend the life of coal plants that are no longer economical for certain companies  a point that bill opponents, the president of Louisville Gas & Electric and Kentucky Utilities, have said will be costly to ratepayers and make it harder to transition to renewable energy.

House Bill 11 , targeted at curbing vaping among the states youth, will set new rules for businesses that sell vape products in Kentucky. Critics have expressed dismay that the bill  originally a crackdown on both tobacco and vape smoking by youths  ended up far weaker after lobbying from tobacco companies. The bill got a mixed reception among Republicans and Democrats, but was ultimately passed and signed into law by Beshear. Shortly after passage, a group of retailers sued against the bill.

House Bill 622 got significant media attention for passage during a time of transition and health questions for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. It will take the governor out of the process of replacing a U.S. Senate vacancy and change it to a pure special election model, similar to how vacancies for U.S. Congress seats are filled in Kentucky. It made it past the governors veto easily in both chambers.

House Bill 388 would make Louisville Metro Government elections nonpartisan, among other things. In a veto message, Beshear called it antidemocratic to make such a local change without approval of Jefferson County voters, and Louisville Democrats in the statehouse have largely agreed. Republicans argue that making elections nonpartisan would require mayors and councils to seek votes beyond traditional Democratic strongholds.

House Bill 513 would require legislative approval for the removal or installation of statues and art in the Capitol rotunda. Beshear vetoed it as an encroachment on the Executive Branch, and pointed out that under the bill the Historic Properties Advisory Commission would have had no authority to remove the statue of former president of the Confederacy Jefferson Davis as they did in 2020.

Two measures inching Kentucky toward a future with nuclear energy from Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Benton, Senate Bill 198 and Senate Joint Resolution 140, were passed. Senate Bill 198 was vetoed by Beshear due to its setting up a board that wasnt majority governor-appointed, but it was overridden by the legislature. The final version of House Bill 1 contained $40 million to support nuclear energy via a research arm of the University of Kentucky.
Did O.J. escape justice? What the Simpson trial said about race in America, then and now.

I was 7 years old on June 17, 1994, riding my bike around our tranquil suburban neighborhood in Culver City, California. As I rode, I crossed paths with my pal David, who lived around the corner.

David was a big, gregarious kid, happy and kind to a fault. We always got along. He also was white, and I am half African American  details that are meaningless to this story except that they highlight a certain irony. We started riding around the block together.

Suddenly something happened that this pair of suburban second graders had never seen before. The world got loud above us. Our eyes turned upward: Flocks of helicopters spanned out across the clear blue sky. They hovered, almost like the mosquitoes that gathered around the light by our front door.

David and I marveled, wondering what was happening. As we completed our loop around the block, we saw my mother and a cluster of neighbors talking, looking up at the sky as well. David and I rode up to them looking for answers. As we approached, a car sped down the street at considerable speed, and my mom turned, pointed her finger and exclaimed: That was O.J. Simpson!

Actually, it was not O.J. Simpson. He did not drive down our street in that famous chase up the 405 freeway as police sought him in connection with the fatal stabbings of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Browns friend Ron Goldman.

Thirty years later, I'm not even sure my mother did say it was Simpson. David and I both remember the car driving down our street, but in our excitement and our need to make sense of it all, we could have conflated my mother's explanation about why the helicopters were hovering overhead with the events of that day in our own neighborhood.

Even so, that moment, and the false memory it gave us, provided a thrilling seal on my friendship with David. We talked about it for years afterward, sharing the story with other kids. Even after we no longer saw each other regularly, when we did encounter each other, we would always bring up that thrilling day.

The slow-motion police chase of O.J. Simpson brought us closer together in a friendship that transcended race in the joyful ignorance of two American boys.

And there is the irony. Because for millions of adult Americans, what unfolded surrounding the arrest of O.J. Simpson and his trial and subsequent acquittal seared another deep wound into the tissue of social trust that too tenuously binds Black people and white people as neighbors in America.

As a kid, I didnt have much awareness of Simpson before his arrest. Ours was a baseball and boxing home. I knew Simpson only because of his role opposite Leslie Nielsen in "The Naked Gun" and "The Naked Gun 2 1/2" (favorite comedies for my dad and me back then). And while I remember watching the news coverage with interest, my Black mothers skepticism of Simpsons innocence and my white fathers shock at his acquittal, I never closely scrutinized the details of the case.

USA TODAY front page when O.J. Simpson was acquitted in October 1995 of the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.

I know, however, that most Americans believed that Simpson was guilty, and obviously so. And while many Black Americans believed at the time that Simpson was innocent (that has now changed, according to polls), there also were those who hoped for Simpsons acquittal  whether he was guilty or not.

That was confusing and troubling to me as a young person. My parents believed Simpson was guilty, and my teachers seemed to think that as well. Yet, among many Black people in my day-to-day life, there was a hope that Simpson would not be convicted. The reason I ascertained was because Black people stood by Simpson because he was Black.

Should America be a colorblind society? Debate made me think more deeply about racism.

For Black Americans, justice is weighed on a different scale

It was my first encounter with identity politics at scale, and it made me uncomfortable. I was Black and wanted to identify with Black people. But what did Simpson's guilt or innocence have to do with race? Wasnt this a question of justice?

In time, I came to see that for many Black people, Simpson's acquittal was a matter of justice  but justice according to a different principle, weighed on a different scale.

Many Black Americans believed that the Los Angeles Police Department was imminently capable of framing a Black man for a crime he didnt commit. Simpson's arrest came only three years after the Rodney King beating after all, and racially charged comments made by a detective involved in Simpson's case did not ease that impression.

There also was a sense that Simpson's acquittal, regardless of guilt or innocence, was a minor form of payback for all those times innocent Black men and women had been convicted for crimes they did not commit. In that sense, the Simpson case was not "an eye for an eye" but an eye lash for a whole body, many times over.

That is because the Black experience with the American justice system has been, for centuries, loaded down on the side of injustice and unequal application of the law. So much so that the tragedy of Black men falsely accused of rape by white women and then convicted for it almost reads like a trope. An endless stream of examples of white murderers of Black people not brought to justice  from high-profile cases like the killers of Emmett Till to many others that most people will never know anything about  fill a literature unto themselves.

O.J. Simpson trial divided America. Those divisions remain nearly 30 years later.

From the post-bellum South to the era of mass incarceration and disproportionate sentencing rates and penalties meted out in the war on drugs, Black people in America have the collective experience of being falsely condemned by the criminal justice system. Our emotions surrounding the Simpson case were measured against the entire weight of that history, and determined that the acquittal of Simpson would amount to the slightest rebalancing of these historically unjust scales.

I say our, although I did not feel that way then or now. I would love to learn that Simpson was actually innocent, but so long as it seems probable that he was guilty, it troubles me to imagine that we might so quickly abandon our commitments to impartial justice in one case because it was not present in others.

If there are double standards in history and the law, they are not rectified by the imposition of new double standards. Yet, that way of thinking seems to be more and more of a general phenomenon of American life in our polarized age.

For many white people, Simpson's acquittal and the celebration of that apparently unjust outcome led to the belief that Black people are more concerned with the interests of their own race than with the objective interests of society.

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.

That belief underlies the general criticism of identity politics, affirmative action and diversity, equity and inclusion policies. For critics, such policies place racial preferences over merit and objective qualifications.

Yet, affirmative action and DEI exist as a corrective for the systemic undermining of merit and objective qualifications of Black people across American history, which for centuries reinforced the racial interests of white people. One can argue that such policies are no longer necessary, but this history is not far behind us.

Part of the tragedy of affirmative action is that it can undermine other peoples assessment of the credibility of those groups who benefit from it, even as it exists because those same groups have long faced discrimination.

Opposition to affirmative action and DEI policies is then easily seen as perpetuating historic patterns of discrimination in the present day. And the cycle of resentment it breeds is grievous.

O.J. Simpson's death reminds us of the realities of race in America

The O.J. Simpson case was grievous on another level, of course. It centered on the murder of two human beings, and yet the seeming injustice of his acquittal was loudly and publicly celebrated. The challenge of empathizing with the reasons why many Black people felt this way was substantial three decades ago. And it still is.

I forgot just how polarizing that O.J. case was, Dave Chappelle said in his 2017 Netflix special, describing how he shook Simpsons hand in a Beverly Hills restaurant full of white people not long after the verdict. Chapelle said one of his dining companions, who was his friend and his agent, turned to him, looking hurt after Simpson walked away, and said: How could you shake hands with that murderer?

The idea that there is a larger historical context to the approval of Black people for Simpson's acquittal was largely the point multiple analysts made on networks like CNN after Simpson died from cancer last week. Empathy must go both ways, however.

It is every bit as important for Black people who may have had a different emotional reaction to the Simpson acquittal to appreciate the feelings of those who were offended and hurt by the outcome. That similar injustices have been routinely perpetrated against Black people for most of American history doesnt change the fact that we now live with white people as neighbors (and, ideally, family and friends).

John Wood Jr., a columnist for USA TODAY Opinion, is a national ambassador for Braver Angels, a former nominee for Congress and former vice chairman of the Republican Party of Los Angeles County.

Simpson's death brought to mind the realities of race in America, the work we still have to do in understanding each other and the need to vigilantly polish the moral lenses through which we see the world.

But it also gave me cause to remember, in biblical terms, why one must be like a child to enter the Kingdom of God. For children, ignorant of the injustices of the past, tend not to see one another through the tainted lens of history or politics. In such a world, it is easy to be friends.

As adults we must not choose to be ignorant. But we can choose to remember that in the world we wish to see, justice, like friendship, must be colorblind.

John Wood Jr. is a columnist for USA TODAY Opinion. He is national ambassador for Braver Angels, a former nominee for Congress, former vice chairman of the Republican Party of Los Angeles County, musical artist, and a noted writer and speaker on subjects including racial and political reconciliation. Follow him on X: @JohnRWoodJr

You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Was O.J. Simpson guilty? His trial left me confused as a child
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  American Airlines is offering travelers new routes that bridge the gap between the bustling city of Charlotte and the picturesque landscapes of Canada.

Whether youre a business traveler seeking efficient connections or an adventure enthusiast yearning for fresh experiences, these new summer flights may be perfect for you.

American Airlines announced three new Canadian routes launching nonstop from CLT this year.

American Airlines pilots union warns of significant spike in safety problems

The latest route announced this week will be from Charlotte (CLT) to Quebec City (YQB) and will launch on August 10. AA said this is the first time its providing this destination from CLT.

The service will be offered on a 76-seat CRJ900 that will fly once a week on Saturdays through November 2, 2024. This route is joining existing flights from Quebec City to Philadelphia and Chicago, American Airlines said in a released statement on Thursday.

The other two routes include Vancouver (YVR) starting on June 5 and Calgary (YYC) which begins on June 8. For further information on arrival/departure times, click here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)  Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams held a news conference Thursday, April 18, to address a disturbing scam targeting New Orleans residents.

According to Williams, unknown sources have made fraudulent phone calls claiming that residents have failed to respond to jury summonses.

Double homicide under investigation in Central City

As a result, Williams is encouraging residents to remain vigilant on the matter and additional scams impacting the public.

Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.

Latest Posts

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGNO.
Photo of Joseph W. Fischer of Pennsylvania at the Stop the Steal rally in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021. The U.S. Supreme Court on April 16, 2024, heard arguments in a case centering on Fischers actions that day. (U.S. District Court documents)

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a Jan. 6, 2021, case that could potentially upend convictions for a mass of Capitol riot defendants and slash some election interference charges against former President Donald Trump.

The case, Fischer v. United States, centers on whether former Pennsylvania police officer and Jan. 6 defendant Joseph W. Fischer violated an obstruction statute when he joined the mob that entered the U.S. Capitol and prevented Congress from certifying the 2020 presidential election results for several hours.

The justices, appearing split and at times opaque in their individual stances, questioned Fischers attorney Jeffrey Green and U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar for more than 90 minutes, though they grilled Prelogar for twice as long as Green.

We thought it went about as well as it could, but we still think it will be a very close case, Green told States Newsroom outside the court following arguments.

The provision in question stems from an early 2000s law, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, that passed after the Enron accounting scandal and targets whoever corruptly  otherwise obstructs, influences, or impedes any official proceeding, or attempts to do so.

In this particular case, the proceeding is referring to the joint session of Congress to certify the 2020 presidential election results.

The government maintains that Fischer had an intent to disrupt the proceeding, and points to his text messages in the preceding days that discuss stopping the democratic process and committing physical harm of Congress members.

The Justice Department also maintains video evidence shows Fischer assaulting a police officer and encouraging rioters to charge into the Capitol.

Fischers team argues that he wasnt present while Congress was meeting because he arrived later in the day, and that he only had a four-minute foray to about 20 feet inside the Capitol.

A lower trial court last year granted Fischers motion to dismiss the felony charge against him after he argued the clause is inseparable from preceding language that refers only to tampering with physical evidence.

The U.S. Circuit of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit reversed the ruling, though the three-judge panel split. Judge Florence Y. Pan  who also sat on the panel in Trumps presidential immunity appeal  wrote in the lead opinion that the statute is unambiguous in its meaning of what constitutes obstructing an official proceeding.

Roughly 350 Jan. 6 defendants have been charged under the same statute, and about 50 have been sentenced to an average 26 months in prison, according to Prelogar.

The clause in the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley Act is also at the core of two of the four election subversion charges brought against Trump by U.S. Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith.

Whether those charges stand now hangs on whether the justices agree that the law applies to Fischers actions at the U.S Capitol.

If the justices rule in Fischers favor, Trump would almost certainly challenge the governments case, further delaying an already drawn out legal process as the 2024 presidential election inches closer.

Additionally, numerous Jan. 6 defendants convicted of the charge, among the most serious levied against them, could challenge and potentially re-open their cases.

How far does obstruction extend?

The Sarbanes-Oxley clause at the center of Supreme Court oral arguments Tuesday is a two-part provision over which the parties disagree.

The provision, Section 1512(c), carries a fine and not more than 20 years in prison for (w)hoever corruptly:

(1) alters, destroys, mutilates, or conceals a record, document, or other object, or attempts to do so, with the intent to impair the objects integrity or availability for use in an official proceeding; or

(2) otherwise obstructs, influences, or impedes any official proceeding, or attempts to do so.

Fischer contends the governments application of the law in his Jan. 6 case is unprecedented and creates a breathtaking scope for the provision.

He maintains that clause (2) has a residual link to clause (1) and therefore both only pertain to physical evidence in a congressional investigation or inquiry.

Among the governments arguments, the U.S. homes in on the word otherwise to prove the second clause is a catchall phrase for other types of obstruction, not only manipulation of physical objects.

When challenging Fischers attorney Tuesday, the justices pressed whether Congress meant the two subsections to apply to different types of obstruction.

Justice Elena Kagan asked What is the commonality that (c)(2) is drawing from (c)(1)?

The text, she said, tells you what the commonality is, the commonality is that the things that fall into (c)(2) also have to obstruct, influence or impede but what (c)(2) does not say  really does not say  is everything in (c)(2) also has to spoil evidence.

Greens response was that the laws drafters could have easily decided that they didnt need to specifically mention physical evidence in the second clause. They could have said were not going to repeat what we said there, but were going to use a connector like otherwise to demonstrate that were talking about similar conduct, Green proposed.

Myriad forms of obstructing

While the justices questioned Green for just over 30 minutes, they devoted an hour to Prelogar.

Justice Clarence Thomas began questioning the U.S. solicitor general with an inquiry about how the statute has been applied in the past.

The governments position since the dawn of the provision has been that it covers myriad forms of obstructing an official proceeding, Prelogar said.

Have you enforced it in that manner? Thomas asked.

A variety of prosecutions that werent related to evidence tampering have used the statute, Prelogar answered.

I cant give you an example of enforcing it in a situation where people have violently stormed a building in order to prevent an official proceeding, a specified one, from occurring  Im not aware of that circumstance ever happening prior to January 6, Prelogar said.

A flavor of when the Justice Department has used it in other circumstances includes things like tipping off someone about the existence of a grand jury investigation, or there was another case where someone tipped off about the identity of an undercover law enforcement officer, Prelogar told the justices.

What role does (c)(1) play in your analysis? Thomas asked.

The 1512(c) provision split(s) up the world of obstructive conduct into two categories, Prelogar said.

(c)(1) covers everything it enumerates; its the acts of altering, concealing, destroying records, documents or other objects, and then (c)(2) would only pick up conduct that obstructs an official proceeding in a different way, Prelogar said.

Congress was taking this universe and dividing it up into the two separate offenses.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson asked Prelogar how she can be sure that Congress  in the wake of evidence tampering that occurred during the Enron accounting scandal  was thinking about obstruction more generally when it authored the provision.

So can you just give us a little bit more as to why we shouldnt think of this as being a narrower set of circumstances to which this text relates? Jackson asked.

Congress added Section 1512 to close any gaps in the law exposed by the Enron misconduct, Prelogar said.

Congress went further and added (c)(2) to be safe, Prelogar said.

The broader lesson Congress took away from Enron is that when you set out in advance to try to enumerate all the various ways that official proceedings can be obstructed, things will slip through the cracks, Prelogar said.

A far-reaching charge?

Several justices also pressed Prelogar on another of Fischers arguments: If the court upheld the obstruction charge against Fischer, what stops the government from criminalizing protests or other activities?

In other words, if (c)(2) involves all other types of obstruction beyond evidence tampering, what are the guardrails against overuse?

What does that mean for the breadth of this statute? asked Justice Neil Gorsuch.

Would a sit-in that disrupts a trial or access to a federal courthouse qualify? Would a heckler in todays audience qualify, or at the State of the Union address? Would pulling a fire alarm before a vote qualify, and for 20 years in federal prison? Gorsuch continued, specifically referring to when U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York pulled a fire alarm in September minutes before a vote to prevent a government shutdown. The congressman pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor the following month for falsely pulling a fire alarm.

Prelogar said built-in limitations in the law would prevent prosecution for some minor disruption or minimal outburst. Additionally, the prosecution would have to prove that the party acted corruptly.

Does the charge matter?

The obstruction charge is not the only count brought against Fischer after his participation in the Jan. 6 riot.

The indictment also included charges of civil disorder, assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly conduct, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh asked Why arent those six counts good enough?

They dont carry the hurdles of the obstruction charge, he added.

Those counts dont fully reflect Fischers behavior on Jan. 6, Prelogar responded.

One of the root problems with the petitioners conduct is that he knew about that proceeding. He had said in advance of January 6 that he was prepared to storm the Capitol, prepared to use violence. He wanted to intimidate Congress. He said they cant vote if they cant breathe, Prelogar said, referring to one of Fischers text messages prior to the joint session of Congress.

And then he went to the Capitol on January 6, with that intent in mind and took action, including assaulting a law enforcement officer, she said. That did impede the ability of the officers to regain control of the Capitol and let Congress finish its work in that session.

A ruling is expected in late June or early July.

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The post Divided U.S. Supreme Court wrestles with case of Pennsylvania man who joined Jan. 6 mob appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
How does legal hemp impact employer drug testing in NC? Heres what to know

When applying for some jobs, offers may be contingent on passing a drug test, while other companies require their employees to pass drug screens regularly.

Marijuana is among the most commonly tested drugs on screens, according to Cleveland Clinic.

But with hemp now legal in North Carolina, it could present problems for regular users wanting to score their next gig.

Hemp is closely related to marijuana, but by law, legal hemp products must have a THC concentration of less than 0.3%.

However, hemp products have few regulations in North Carolina, meaning your favorite CBD product could have higher levels of THC than advertised. What does that mean for your upcoming drug test?

Heres what to know about using legal hemp products when it comes to employer drug screens.

Why do employers drug test?

According to DISA, a company that provides drug screening and background check services, benefits to employee drug testing include:

Reduced employee healthcare costs

Improvements in employee morale and performance

Decreased absenteeism

Compliance with state and federal regulations

Being able to identify employees with drug or alcohol problems

Providing a safe workplace for employees

G2 Analytical provides product and compliance testing to learn more about active ingredients in different products.

Do legal hemp products show up on drug tests?

Since drug tests detect THC, it is possible for legal hemp products to yield a positive result on a drug test.

THC can stay in your system for as little as three days, or as long as a month or more, depending on how much of it you ingest, Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor, a triple-board certified medical toxicologist and co-medical director of National Capital Poison Center in Washington, D.C., told Forbes Health.

THC is fat soluble and can be stored in body fat for a long time, said Dr. Johnson-Arbor. Chronic THC use can lead to accumulation of THC in fatty tissues, and the THC can then slowly release into the bloodstream over time.

Though legal hemp products can only have a THC concentration of up to 0.3%, they can sometimes exceed the limit, making it more likely that the substance will show up on a drug test, according to Johnson-Arbor.

Can you be fired for using hemp products in NC?

North Carolina is an employment-at-will state, meaning you can be fired at any time for any reason, except for an illegal one, such as discrimination, according to the N.C. Department of Labor.

If you are fired after a positive drug test that detected THC, you could fight the termination you believe it was due to discrimination, or if it falls under the states lawful use of lawful products statute, which limits employers from restricting employees from using lawful products during nonworking hours, The News & Observer reported.

There is very little guidance from the courts on whether employers should accommodate CBD use when creating their drug policy, says Cranfill Sumner, a North Carolina-based law firm. With the growing amount of cannabis products that are becoming legalized in North Carolina, it is important for employers to ensure their drug policies are up to date.

If youre fired for a positive drug test, you could sue your employer for unlawful termination, but that doesnt mean youll win.

Last March, a federal judge ruled in favor of the defendant after a Greensboro woman filed a lawsuit against her employer, claiming she was wrongfully fired for her CBD use.

The court determined that the woman, who taking two drug tests that came back positive, failed to prove she had a disability and that her employer terminated her employment for a legitimate reason, since the positive drug tests violated company policy.
DoHS and WVDE plan for start of Summer EBT Program for residents of the Mountain State

CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS)  The West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS), along with the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE), announced a new benefit program.

Mobile food pantry to distribute free food in Bluefield, West Virginia

This program will help school-age children who live in low-income households.

During the summer months, The West Virginia Summer EBT (WV-SEBT) program will give assistance for short-term grocery benefits for income-eligible households with school-age children. The application period for this program begins on April 22, 2024, and can be found at schoolcafe.com or completed at a local DoHS county office.

Ensuring every child has access to nutritious meals is a cornerstone of building strong, healthy communities. The launch of the WV-SEBT program represents a crucial step forward in supporting our states residents by providing essential grocery assistance during the summer months, as we maintain our commitment to fostering a brighter future for West Virginia children, said Janie Cole, DoHS Bureau for Family Assistance Commissioner.

Not all children that attend a school that gives free food to students will be eligible for this benefit. Children are only eligible based on their households low-income status. Children that are eligible include those that participate in the National School Lunch Program or that qualify for reduced-priced meals from school.

Summer poses a significant challenge to children who are away from school and facing food insecurity. Even though students are out of school for the summer, hunger does not take a break, and this program is essential to meeting the nutritional needs of our school children. We know families continue to struggle from pandemic aftershocks, and the WV-SEBT program will fill an important nutrition gap for thousands of students, said Michele L. Blatt, State Superintendent of Schools.

If a households from West Virginia are already receiving certain benefits such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or WV WORKS, and have children between the ages of six and 17, they are automatically enrolled in the Summer EBT program. If children in a low-income household are going to Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools, they have to complete an application and check if their income qualifies.

Eligible children will receive their one-time $120 benefit on a brand new Summer EBT card and cannot be loaded onto previous cards. Cards will be mailed to the childs address and contain the childs school or their public benefit case. Benefits will be reached by June 2024.

Greenbrier Valley agri-tourism fuels an economic ecosystem

202,000 children are estimated to be eligible in the state of West Virginia. For more information, visit wvsebt.org or contact 1-866-545-6502.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
In 2014, Russian medicines were excluded from the State Register of Medicines of Ukraine. However, manufacturers from the aggressor country are still trying to penetrate the Ukrainian pharmaceutical market, disguised as European or Ukrainian brands (for example, Arbivir, and Imustat).

ADVERTISIMENT

This was stated by Valentyna Chopiak, an immunologist, Doctor of Medicine, Professor, and consultant of the State Expert Center (SEC) of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.

She recalls that until 2014, there were many Russian medicines in Ukraine, including those that were positioned as antiviral drugs for the treatment of influenza, ARVI, and other diseases.

"There was a drug called polyoxidonium, which was very popular at the time, prescribed for various diseases to improve the immune system. Now it is not available in Ukraine. But what the Russians did was to enter through Poland, and now it is supposedly a Polish drug. In general, they are now entering the European markets: for example, we found Arbidol production in Hungary and Cagocel in Austria," the professor said.

Immunostimulants or immunomodulators?

ADVERTISIMENT

In fact, the harm from Russian drugs is not only because they are Russian, but also because they can cause immune refractoriness  an overworking of the immune system that can lead to the development of autoimmunity and the launch of immunoproliferative processes.

As Valentyna Chopiak explained, the practice of overstimulating the immune system during SARS was generally inherent in the Soviet school of immunology.

"I had a lot of arguments with these Russian manufacturers. They would come to me and ask why I didn't support their drugs, and I would say: "Guys, you have higher medical education, so why should we stimulate the immune system when we have a virus that works and stimulates it to work actively?"  the professor recalls.

Safety for the body

Unfortunately, Ukrainian antiviral drugs with immunostimulating effects can be dangerous for the immune system. The safety of medicines entering the Ukrainian market is controlled by the State Expert Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. However, the current legislation does not oblige manufacturers to indicate in the instructions whether the drug can cause immune refractoriness, despite the fact that during registration, manufacturers must provide reports on the toxicity, mutagenicity, and other pharmacological properties of the drug submitted for registration. This should definitely be done in the future.

ADVERTISIMENT

"The instructions for medicines may indicate side effects on the immune system, such as the development of urticaria or pain in joints, muscles, etc. These are clinical manifestations of an overstimulated immune system, followed by immune refractoriness ("blinding" of the immune system). As a clinical physician with 40 years of experience, I believe it is very important that this effect should be available for this category of drugs," says Valentyna Chopiak.

Unfortunately, regulatory documents do not oblige manufacturers to test their drugs for safety in terms of their effect on the immune system, so conducting such studies depends solely on the goodwill of the manufacturer, and the health and life expectancy of the person to whom the doctor prescribes the drug may depend on it.

"We mostly have studies related to the assessment of the impact on the immune system based on clinical indicators. However the studies that should have been conducted more in-depth  on the function of immune system cells  were conducted only with Novirin. The results are interesting, but they are not reflected in the instruction. Perhaps this is due to the small number of studies. Post-marketing trails were conducted with Proteflazid, which were related to the assessment of alpha-interferon synthesis. Proteflazid is an antiviral drug of plant origin that inhibits viral replication and, at the same time, to some extent, enhances the synthesis of alpha-interferon, which, in addition to its immunomodulatory effect, also has antiviral effects. It does not cause refractoriness (exhaustion) of the immune system, which is stated in the instructions for medical use of this drug. I hope that such studies will continue and that the manufacturers of all medicines with immunotropic effects will conduct appropriate studies and include information on the absence of immunotoxicity of each medicine in the instructions," emphasizes Chopiak.

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According to the professor, the state should pay more attention to the issue of side effects of drugs on the human immune system, especially for immunostimulants and immunomodulators.

"After all, we have, for example, Aflubin, which, although it is a homeopathic medicine, is presented under the slogan 'stimulate your immune system'. There is also Amixin, a drug claimed to be an immunostimulant based on the active ingredient tyloron, which is a strong stimulant and affects the activity of bone marrow cells. That is, some drugs require more detailed research.

I emphasize that the issue of a refractory immune system remains very relevant because if we overstimulate the immune system, it later becomes refractory (insensitive), that is, literally "blinded" (temporarily paralyzed). This poses serious risks to the body  it excludes our immune system from the body's antiviral defense complex, which can even lead to death, can contribute to the chronicization of the viral process, and, ultimately, can accelerate the risk of oncogenesis," the professor warns.

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It took less than six months for Speaker Mike Johnson to reach his existential moment.

The Louisiana Republican has arrived at fateful but familiar crossroads where he must either choose to honor a conventional vision of US national interests or side with the wrecking ball antics of his partys far-right bloc.

Its a choice with which his immediate predecessors  Kevin McCarthy, Paul Ryan and John Boehner  wrestled before him. Their refusal to lead the US into debt or financial crises or to compromise Americas global role ended up driving them into political oblivion.

Now, as Johnson tries to pass billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan  vital to protecting US allies from Russian, Iranian and Chinese totalitarianism and preserving US power and prestige  hes having to put his own job on the line to confront GOP extremists who accuse him of betraying the partys base.

When you do the right thing, you let the chips fall where they may, Johnson said in an interview with CNNs Jake Tapper on Wednesday ahead of three critical days that could decide whether he can cling to his gavel.

The prospects for the rookie speaker look grim. His tiny majority means he cant afford to lose more than one GOP vote to pass a bill on a party-line vote. And two hardliners, Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Thomas Massie of Kentucky, are threatening to call a vote to oust him if he puts the Ukraine bill on the floor.

Other right-wing Republicans are warning Johnson must make $60 billion in Ukraine aid conditional on tough new border security measures despite the partys trashing of the most conservative immigration compromise in decades at presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trumps behest.

Schism in GOP could drive Johnson out

The schism in the GOP highlights how Trump has eroded the partys internationalist principles in favor of his America First creed. Lawmakers like Greene and Texas Rep. Chip Roy counter traditional national security arguments by warning there is no greater US interest than protecting the southern border, following high levels of crossing by undocumented migrants in recent months.

Roy, who is yet to decide whether to back an effort to oust Johnson, told CNN Wednesday that he was disappointed in the speaker and was past the point of giving grace. Johnsons increasing vulnerability on this issue is particularly acute since he was also arguing for months that there could be no Ukraine aid without using the same measure to force the White House to introduce draconian measures at the US border with Mexico.

Rising right-wing opposition to his foreign aid plans has left Johnson in a deeply vulnerable position. To even pass a rule to set up a cascading series of votes on the bills this weekend, Johnson is almost certain to need Democratic votes. The minority party may also have to save him if Greene calls up her motion to vacate the speakers chair  a step several Democrats say they are prepared to take to ensure that Ukraine aid will pass at a moment when Kyiv warns it will lose its war of survival without urgent help. This could save Johnson in the short term. But a GOP speaker dependent on Democratic votes will be seen by many Republicans as a tool of the minority party and would be on borrowed time.

Johnsons problem is a more extreme version of one that has dogged Republican speakers for years. A strong but small group of right-wing Republicans elected on absolutist platforms in deep-red districts comes to Washington with an expansive agenda and adamant they wont compromise with Democrats. But they lack the power or numbers to force their will apart from in the rare phases when Republicans have a monopoly on Washington power. The frustrated extremists then turn on GOP leaders and accuse them of becoming traitors  simply because they live in the land of political reality.

For example, Greene told CNNs Manu Raju on Wednesday: I dont know how long people are going to tolerate this because he is doing nothing but serving the Democrats.

We wont get everything we want

Johnson, who is facing claims that hes sold out despite being possibly the most conservative speaker in history, tried to explain his constraints in the interview with Tapper. The Republicans run the House. We have the smallest majority in the House. The Democrats are in charge of the Senate and the White House. So, by definition, we wont get everything we want, he said.

The idea, however, that the party should settle for something less than an absolutist position is not one that flies in the modern GOP, where stunt politics that play well on conservative media are as important as legislating. Theres certain members that just prefer the minority, Texas GOP Rep. Dan Crenshaw, who supports sending new aid to Ukraine, told CNNs Raju. Its easier, just, you can always just be against something, you never really have to work.

The speaker had seemed to buy himself some time after traveling to Mar-a-Lago last week to bolster Trumps false claims of election fraud and securing in return about the strongest public endorsement the ex-president is likely to give. Johnson is doing a very good job, Trump said. Logic suggests that the presumptive GOP nominee has an interest in delaying a third debacle over electing a GOP speaker since the party won the majority in the 2022 midterm elections because it might distract from his own campaign to take back the White House. Yet Greene, one of Trumps top supporters, hasnt taken his hint and is still determined to bring Johnson down. The speaker might be wise not to trust Trump. Loyalty to others is a fungible commodity for the ex-president. Once Trump senses an associate is vulnerable or no longer serves his political interests, he usually casts them loose.

Johnsons push to put foreign aid bills on the floor separately ahead of a possible attempt to jam them together to send to the Senate  another move infuriating hardliners  might be a logical solution in a normal House. In this way, those who oppose Ukraine aid on principle could vote against it, allowing Democrats who support it to ensure its passage. There could be a strong bipartisan vote to help Israel, days after Irans air attacks, and to support Taiwan, which is increasingly vulnerable to Chinas massive military buildup. And Republicans could get cover by voting for a separate bill that Johnson plans to put on the floor strengthening border security. But the extreme polarization of the GOP majority  and the lack of maneuvering room Johnson has after the red wave failed to materialize in the 2022 midterms  gives individual members the opportunity to create chaos and makes governing all but impossible.

On Wednesday evening, for example, in another defeat for Johnson, the House Rules Committee recessed because it was unable to pass a rule on the border security bill, with Republicans threatening to vote against the measure in committee.

Johnsons tonal shift on Ukraine

One of the most interesting aspects of Johnsons new strategy is the way that he is now forcibly arguing about the need for the US to send billions of dollars in aid to its allies. (In order to placate some Republicans, some economic aid to Ukraine has been refashioned as a loan). As a backbencher, Johnson voted against sending more funds to Ukraine several times and hes been careful in his six months as speaker not to get too far ahead of GOP critics of bankrolling Kyivs war effort.

But on Wednesday, he was making the kind of foreign policy argument that could have been voiced by any GOP leader from President Dwight Eisenhower to President George W. Bush  one that was a clear departure from Trumpism.

We are going to stand by Israel, our close ally and dear friend, and were going to stand for freedom and make sure that Vladimir Putin doesnt march through Europe. These are important responsibilities, Johnson told Tapper. Since World War II, really, the responsibility for the free world has been shifted onto our shoulders. And we accept that role. Were an exceptional nation.

Johnson added: Were the greatest nation on the planet, and we have to act like it. And we have to project to Putin and Xi and Iran and North Korea and anybody else that we will defend freedom.

It was not immediately clear what has prompted Johnsons change of emphasis.

The shocking magnitude of Irans missile and drone attack on Israel last week  even if it was largely repelled by US, Israeli, British and Jordanian military forces  has concentrated minds on Capitol Hill about the urgency of replenishing the Israeli arsenal.

Ukraines need is even more acute. Russia has continued relentless attacks on civilians and infrastructure, and there have been multiple warnings from top US defense and intelligence officials that without Bidens vitally needed aid package, Kyiv could lose the war. I think were already seeing things on the battlefield begin to shift a bit in terms of in Russias favor, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told the House Defense Appropriations subcommittee Wednesday. The implications for a Russian victory would be grave and create new security threats to the West in Europe. And the possibility that the United States would abandon a fellow democracy under assault from a ruthless leader in the Kremlin would shatter the countrys reputation abroad and weaken its power as a result. That may be a stain the speaker doesnt want on his conscience or as part of his legacy.

Johnson, unlike his extremist members, has responsibilities as speaker  one of the great offices of state that go beyond short-term political interests. And hes been under relentless pressure from foreign leaders, as well as the White House. Biden, for instance, warned in a Wall Street Journal article Wednesday that both Ukraine and Israel are under attack by brazen adversaries that seek their annihilation.

If Johnson can somehow engineer passage of the bills aiding Israel and Ukraine this weekend, hed be bolstering a global leadership role the US played for decades. Its a measure of how much the GOP has changed that such a role might be considered political apostasy and could cost him his job.

But he told reporters on Wednesday evening, while making the case that military aid for Ukraine was now critical, Im doing here what I believe to be the right thing.

History judges us for what we do.

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The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday sought to assuage concerts over a provision included in the bill to reauthorize the nations warrantless spy powers that would shift the definition of which communications companies must comply.

The provision, added in an amendment approved by the House, is one of several alarming Senate privacy hawks as they take up legislation to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

The amendment addresses a somewhat mysterious battle by the government to get an unnamed communications company to aid in overseas surveillance, with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) determining a change in law was the only way to force compliance.

While critics say the wording is overly broad and will conscript too many companies into carrying out 702 surveillance, the Justice Department wrote that it commits to applying this definition of [electronic communications service providers] (ECSP) exclusively to cover the type of service provider at issue in the litigation before the FISC.

The department also said it would update Congress every six months on how the provision is used.

The promise comes via a letter forwarded by Attorney General Merrick Garland, urging senators to not allow 702 to lapse as they stare down a Friday deadline to reauthorize the program.

Some lawmakers made it immediately clear that the commitment did little to get them on board.

Dont be fooled. DOJ does not deny that the provision vastly expands how many AMERICANS AND AMERICAN BUSINESSES can be forced to spy for the government, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who has introduced his own FISA 702 reform bill, wrote on the social platform X.

A senior DOJ official previously told The Hill that the amendment was designed to cover every concern that has been raised about sweeping in a large range of businesses.

Section 702 empowers the nations intelligence agencies to spy only on noncitizens living abroad. But in the course of those operations, the government frequently sweeps up communications from Americans in contact with the foreigners under surveillance.

The bill includes a number of reforms, including one drastically limiting the number of personnel who can sign off on any queries of the 702 database involving those in the U.S., and another that requires an after-the-fact audit for all U.S. person searches.

But an amendment introduced by House Intelligence Chair Mike Turner (R-Ohio) changes the definition of the particular electronic communications service providers who must comply with Section 702.

A one-page explanation from the House Intelligence majority said the shift in definition closes a loophole created by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court by exempting a specific type of provider, while a separate explanation from the minority said the effort is designed to respond to a very specific (and classified) fact pattern.

The heavily redacted court opinion leaves unclear the particulars that prompted the intelligence community to seek a legislative fix.

Thursdays letter said the vague public discussion is intentional.

The number of technology companies providing this service is extremely small, and we will identify these technology companies to Congress in a classified appendix. To protect sensitive sources and methods, the ECSP provision in H.R. 7888 was drafted to avoid unnecessarily alerting foreign adversaries to sensitive collection techniques, Carlos Uriarte, head of legislative affairs for DOJ, wrote in a Wednesday letter to Senate Intelligence leaders referencing the bills number.

To facilitate appropriate oversight and transparency of the governments commitment to apply any updated definition of ECSP only for the limited purposes described above, the Department will also report to Congress every six months regarding any applications of the updated definition.

Its a revamp of an earlier provision in the House Intelligence bill that sparked concern the language would open up businesses like restaurants and hotels to having to share data created by their patrons while using their internet.

The latest version of the amendment, now a part of the bill, specifically exempts many businesses that serve the public, like restaurants, hotels and libraries, as well as private homes. Still, its drawn the ire of privacy advocates.

A senior Justice Department official told The Hill last week the provision is really an effort both to respond to that opinion, and simply update the statute to keep up with the changes in communications technology.

The exceptions in the provision are designed to cover every concern that has been raised. It carves out any type of food service, any type of public accommodation, every type of dwelling  homes, apartment buildings  every type of community facility, from libraries to hospitals, to recreational facilities and day care centers, the official said.

Claims that this is a broad expansion of the authority are just incorrect.

Privacy groups outside of Congress have likewise been critical of the provision.

The issue is that at pretty much any U.S. business, there are people who are communicating on their devices, and they might be communicating with foreigners overseas, and they might be communicating with foreign targets. And so the idea is that you could get at those foreign targets communications, but by picking up international communications that are transmitted through the equipment located in all of these businesses, Elizabeth Goitein, senior director of the Brennan Center for Justices national security program, previously told The Hill.

What youre going to see in these establishments is just massive amounts of wholly domestic communications that were giving the NSA access to. And then the NSA is kind of on the honor system to not retain any of those, Goitein continued, using an abbreviation for the National Security Agency.

Uriarte in his letter stressed that the provision, like FISA itself, would only be used to target foreigners abroad.

It would be unlawful under Section 702 to use the modified definition of ECSP to target any entity inside the United States including, for example, any business, home, or place of worship. It would also be unlawful to compel any service provider to target the communications of any person inside the United States, regardless of whether such a person is in contact with a nonU.S. person outside the United States, he wrote.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The Justice Department (DOJ) is ramping up efforts to target carjackings in Washington, Chicago and several other cities in a new initiative.

Eleven U.S. attorneys offices across the U.S. have established a carjacking task force to mitigate ongoing threats, the Justice Department said in its announcement. These task forces will be led by the federal attorneys offices, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which will all work alongside local law enforcement officers, per the Biden administration.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said the department is launching seven additional task forces after the success of the carjacking task forces in Chicago, Philadelphia, Tampa and Washington, D.C.

The Justice Department has no higher priority than keeping our communities safe, Monaco said in a statement. We do so by targeting the most significant drivers of violent crime and by acting as a force multiplier for our state and local law enforcement partners. Were seeing results  with violent crime declining broadly nationwide.

The administration noted that carjackings are down in cities where task forces have already been set up. Incidents in Philadelphia dropped by 31 percent from 2022 to 2023, and carjackings in D.C. have dropped 28 percent in 2024 compared to the same period last year, according to DOJ.

Soon, there will be carjacking forces set up in U.S. attorneys offices in the District of Oregon, Eastern District of Texas, Northern District of Alabama, Northern District of California, Eastern District of Louisiana, Southern District of Mississippi and the Western District of Washington.

Monaco told The Associated Press in an interview there was absolutely much more to do to make communities safer.

No level of violence is acceptable, Monaco said in an interview this week. We are seeing progress, but were far from done.

We have to double down on the strategies that work, by bringing federal resources to act as force multipliers, she added.

The Associated Press contributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Done out of anger. Former Kentucky youth worker admits guilt in excessive force case

A former worker at a Kentucky juvenile detention facility pleaded guilty in connection with breaking a 15-year-old boys arm.

Nathaniel Lumpkins pleaded guilty to a federal charge of violating the teens Constitutional right to be free from excessive force.

The incident happened in January 2019 at the Woodsbend Youth Development Center in Morgan County.

Lumpkins responded to a call to help two other staffers who were trying to calm down a teen identified in the court record as L.J.

Lumpkins instead escalated the situation, running between the workers and putting his hands on L.J., who tried to get away, according to Lumpkins plea agreement.

That led to a struggle. The youth workers got L.J. down on the ground and four held him.

L.J. was compliant at that time and not a threat, but Lumpkins twisted the teens hand and put his body weight on his wrist, breaking his wrist, according to the plea agreement.

Lumpkinss use of force wasnt for any legitimate purpose, but was instead done out of anger, his plea agreement said.

Lumpkins knew he wasnt allowed to use force on the teen in that way, and had been suspended less than three months earlier for improperly using the same restraint technique on another juvenile.

After other workers took L.J. to an isolation cell, Lumpkins slammed his injured arm against the wall and yelled at him.

In a report on the incident, Lumpkins falsely claimed L.J. had threatened to kill workers at the center and been physically aggressive, he acknowledged in the plea agreement.

Lumpkins pleaded guilty April 8 in federal court in Ashland. He is scheduled to be sentenced in August.

The charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced a partnership that will streamline airline consumer complaints on April 16, 2024 at Denver International Airport. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)

A new partnership between the U.S. Department of Transportation and a bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general aims to streamline efforts to resolve airline consumer complaints.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced the program at Denver International Airport Tuesday. The program comes in response to the record numbers of airline customer complaints their offices are fielding.

Its very important for passengers to know that theyre getting a fair deal and for airlines to know that they will be held accountable if they dont fulfill their end of the bargain, Buttigieg said. The support thats being offered by the state attorney generals offices means that our capacity to protect airline passengers is expanded.

Historically, the federal DOT has been solely responsible for resolving complaints and enforcing protections for airline consumers. Now, for the 25 states and territories that agreed to participate, their attorney general will take complaints and attempt to resolve them with the company and the consumer. If necessary, the attorney general will refer the complaint to the DOTs Office of Aviation Consumer Protection.

Were going to hold accountable companies who are breaking the law and undermine travel experience and were going to make sure to send an important message: Consumers have rights, they deserve to be treated fairly, Weiser said. This enforcement is going to encourage and enable and reward responsible companies who follow the rules. That is the way it should be.

The agreement between participating states and the DOT will last for two years, and both parties will have the option to extend the agreement if necessary. Buttigieg said states have been receiving increased airline-related complaints, particularly following the pandemic, but prior to this agreement they werent able to help other than by directing consumers to the DOT.

Weiser said that prior to the agreement, if his office received complaints about an airline, it could only pass the complaint along to the DOT, and wouldnt receive updates on whether the issues were resolved. Now his office will have a direct line of communication to make sure complaints from Colorado are properly handled.

Buttigieg said the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection has a team of about three dozen people who have to sort through tens of thousands of complaints. He said this partnership will help that team process complaints more quickly and efficiently.

This partnership is new, but really it has roots in the responsibilities of the federal government to protect airline passengers that go back at least to the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938, which was signed into law by President Franklin Roosevelt, Buttigieg said. After the deregulation that replaced that framework, it became even more important for us to be proactive with guardrails to make sure that people are treated fairly by airlines.

Others that signed an agreement with the DOT include California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New York, New Hampshire, North Carolina, the Northern Mariana Islands, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Wisconsin. States that have expressed their intent to participate include Delaware, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.

Buttigieg said he could see the program going nationwide, given that it already has bipartisan support and that there are airline consumers who need that support in every state and territory. Weiser said he would encourage other state attorneys general to participate as well.

This story was originally published at Colorado Newsline, which like Maine Morning Star, is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

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The post New DOT partnership will streamline airline consumer complaints in Maine, other states appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
DENVER (KDVR)  The Douglas County Sheriffs Office warned people of a new scam targeting the family members of inmates in the county jail.

According to the sheriffs office, someone calls these family members and claims to be a captain or a lieutenant. The person asks for bond money to be wired to them.

This is a scam! Dont fall for it, the sheriffs office said in a release.

Mother loses $16K after unknowingly buying stolen car on Facebook Marketplace

The sheriffs office said it will never call to ask for bond money, does not accept wire transfers and will not pressure people over the phone.

Douglas County recommended that potential victims hang up and call the jail to verify if their loved one is in custody. If they are, the best next step would be to contact a bondsperson.

Coloradans reportedly lost nearly $200 million to scammers in 2023, according to the FBI. Investment schemes, email fraud and fake tech support were among the most popular scams in the state.

This is not the first scam that the sheriffs office has warned people about in Douglas County. In January, they warned about a jury duty scam where people were using publicly available staff names to claim the victim owes money for missing jury duty.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
What drives people to Trump rallies? Its not all about him, experts say

Former President Donald Trump will get a break from his New York criminal trial when he visits Wilmington on Saturday for one of his distinctive rallies.

Hell likely draw a big crowd. Sales of T-shirts and red MAGA caps will be brisk. His speech will be familiar and untrue: The U.S has become a Third World country, the southern border is wide-open to terrorists and criminals and, of course, the 2020 election was stolen.

But these days whats more interesting isnt what Trump says, but why so many still show up to listen. I could ask a regular rally goer in a Lets Go Brandon T-shirt, but I decided to go to the other end of the political spectrum to a couple of elites  two professors.

The first is Stephen Reicher, a professor of psychology at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He is an expert in group psychology and crowd behavior. He planned to study Trump rallies directly, but the COVID pandemic got in the way. He did, however, co-author a research paper on the relationship between Trump and his engaged followership played a role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Closer to home, I spoke with Marc Hetherington, a UNC-Chapel Hill political science professor who researches polarization of public opinion and is the author of a 2009 book Authoritarianism and Polarization in American Politics.

Reicher said that the former president has an impressive ability to move crowds.

Whether you like him or dont like him, I think its very hard to deny that in 2016 he was very skilled and a very streetwise political operator, Reicher said of Trump. He did create a vision that captured peoples imagination, he did speak for many people who felt that theyd lost control while losing status in the world, he presented himself as a champion of those people who others didnt speak for. Certainly there was skill, brilliance to what he did.

But Reicher said Trump no longer has the power of leading an insurgency and his speaking skills appear to be slipping.

He always has a tendency to digress, to go off the subject, to speak in ellipses, but now there are simply some examples where it has reached the point of occasional incoherence, Reicher said. So theres always the question about is he the same top performer as he was eight years ago?

But as a researcher of crowd psychology, Reicher remains drawn to the phenomenon of a Trump rally. He compared the rallies to good vs. evil morality plays in which the audience becomes part of the performance that projects a vivid vision of the world.

From both a social and political point of view, rallies are a really important manner of getting at the real belief system, the real ideology, the real world view, he said. Thats why for me the Trump rallies were so absolutely fascinating.

For Hetherington, a Trump rally is as much about joining a crowd of like-minded people as it is about listening to the former president.

Of Trump rally goers, he said, It feels to me that these folks are deriving some sense of shared identity with the people that they are there with. It seems to be less about politics and a lot about the camaraderie and community they are able to generate with the fellow believers.

Hetherington has never been to a Trump rally, but he said the events are making less of an impression on the general public.

After eight years of the same show, that same show just doesnt have the same punch as it did when he first showed up on the scene with a frankly anti-democratic message as it relates to people who disagree with him, Heatherington said.

In some ways, he said, Trumps rallies are a throwback to the late 19th century when political parties had to stage huge, highly partisan gatherings to get their message out. Todays media and advertising make such rallies unnecessary.

But the real driver of a Trump rally is the ritual of following the Trump show as many people travel to attend rally after rally, Heatherington said.

Its almost like following the Grateful Dead around to the concerts back 30 years ago, he said.

Yes, it is. And in Wilmington on Saturday, there will be another stop on whats become for American politics a long, strange trip.

Associate opinion editor Ned Barnett can be reached at 919-404-7583, or nbarnett@ newsobserver.com
The training centre of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) was once again struck by a drone on the evening of 18 April.

Source: Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as reported by the IAEA website

Details: Fortunately, there was no damage and no one was injured.

The IAEA representatives present at the ZNPP heard an explosion at 10:35 local time. They were denied access to the training centre located outside the borders of the ZNPP perimeter for an assessment of the scale of the incident.

Quote: "It would be the third reported attack targeting the training facility recently, following two such incidents last week. The ZNPP told the IAEA team stationed at the site that todays drone had been 'neutralised', without giving further details."

"So far, the drone strikes have not compromised nuclear safety at the site. But, as I told the United Nations Security Council a few days ago, these reckless attacks must cease immediately." Grossi stressed.

Background:

On 7 April, Rafael Grossi reported at least three direct strikes on the main structures of the containment vessel of one of the reactors of the ZNPP.

Later, Ukraines Defence Intelligence (DIU) stated that the Russian forces simulated another attack on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on 9 April using drones.

Ukraine reiterates that it does not commit any military action or provocations against the power plant.

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Diabetes and anti-obesity injections are among the 323 medicines experiencing shortages in 2024.

Drug shortages have reached a record high in the first three months of 2024.

In the first quarter of the year, 323 drugs were running low, surpassing the 2014 high of 320, according to data provided by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the University of Utah Drug Information Service.

Since 2001, the groups have tracked shortages using voluntary reports from practitioners and patients that are confirmed by drug makers.

Both basic and life-saving drugs are in short supply, from oxytocin and chemotherapy medications to prescriptions for to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications. The data does not explain how many patients are affected.

From 2016 to 2020, the average drug shortage impacted more than half a million consumers, with many being older adults ages 65 to 85, the Department of Health and Human Services shared in a report to Congress last May.

Diabetes and weight loss drugs among shortages

Popular diabetes and anti-obesity injection Semaglutide, better known by brand names like Wegovy and Ozempic, are currently facing a shortage, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA has listed the numerous medicines currently under deficiency.

"All drug classes are vulnerable to shortages. Some of the most worrying shortages involve generic sterile injectable medications, including cancer chemotherapy drugs and emergency medications stored in hospital crash carts and procedural areas," ASHP CEO Paul Abramowitz said in a blog post Thursday.

Abramowitz added that the scarcity of ADHD medications also pose a severe challenge for patients and clinicians.

FTC and HHS are examining shortage crisis

The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Health and Human Services announced in February that they will investigate whether drug wholesalers and companies that buy medicines for health care providers are partly responsible for the shortages. The departments will examine whether the groups have cut the prices of generic drugs to prevent manufacturers from profiting, to halt production and to discourage rival suppliers.

HHS outlined recommended efforts to help prevent supply shortages like urging drug makers and hospitals to invest in diverse supply chains and encouraging transparency in the market.

While Abramowitz said some of the Biden Administration's recommendations align with the ASHP, the group has "serious concerns" about aspects of the plan, including a proposal that would penalize hospitals unable to meet them.

"Much work remains to be done at the federal level to fix the root causes of drug shortages," he said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Drug shortages in 2024 reach record high, from Wegovy to chemotherapy
Ukraine needs at least $42 billion in international assistance for this year as the war initiated by the Russian Federation continues. These funds are needed to meet the country's budgetary needs under the changing conditions of martial law.

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This assessment was made on April 18 in Washington by IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, Ukrinform reports. "As of now, we estimate the needs (of budget support for Ukraine  ed.) at $42 billion for this year," the head of the Fund said.

Georgieva also expressed confidence in the implementation of this assistance, as international support for Ukraine remains stable. "I was very pleased to hear yesterday's statements during the roundtable on Ukraine that support for Ukraine remains stable, it is firm," Georgieva said.

She also expressed the opinion that to solve the economic problems of Ukraine and the region, it is necessary to end the war first of all. "First of all, war is a tragedy when men, women, and children are killed and wounded every day. So we need this war to end for their sake," the IMF chief emphasized.

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Emphasizing the importance of assistance to Ukraine, Georgieva also praised the efforts of the Ukrainian authorities to stabilize the economy in the war-torn country. She emphasized the need to actively support Ukraine's socioeconomic development.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Read the full story on The Auto Wire

Drunk Driving Suspect Caught 15 Years Later

Back on May 20, 2006, a horrific crossover crash in Polk County, Florida involving a Jaguar hitting a Honda, leading to several seriously injured people, was allegedly fueled by drunk driving. However, the main suspect left the country after being released from the hospital, never returning until recently. Now hes back in police custody.

Paralyzed former US Congressman allegedly crashes into Florida trooper, injuring him.

The suspect, Faisal Javaid, was 27 at the time of the crash. Through a blood draw, police were able to establish he had a BAC of 0.129, well beyond the legal limit in Florida, reports the Miami Herald. But Javaids attorney says the whole thing is a misunderstanding.

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According to the attorney, his client went to visit his sick grandmother in Pakistan, only to be barred from re-entering the US thanks to problems with an expired visa. That meant he missed the trial scheduled for 2008 and a warrant for his arrest was issued.

Whats more, the attorney claims his client wasnt driving the Jaguar when it lost control, crossed the median, and hit the oncoming Honda. Allegedly, Javaid was asleep in the backseat, wasnt buckled in, and so was thrown almost 100 feat from the wreckage, which was why he was hospitalized after the crash.

We have so many questions about this DUI crash case. Why did police think Javaid was driving and not the actual driver? Where is the supposed driver now? And why did Javaid stay outside the US for 15 years, only to fly into the airport in Orlando? Did he not realize he had an arrest warrant?

As for the victims who were in the Honda, little is said about them other than that they sustained life-altering injuries from the crash. Now they might get a measure of justice as the man authorities believe is responsible could face up to 10 years in prison if found guilty.

The irony is had he stayed in the US and let the legal process play out, even if hed been thrown in prison he would already be out.

Story continues

Image via Miami Herald

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Dubai International Airport, one of the worlds busiest aviation hubs, remained in disarray Thursday after unprecedented heavy rain led to airliners having to negotiate flooded runways.

While check-ins for Emirates and Flydubai, the airports two main operators, had reopened, the airport warned that its Terminal 3 was experiencing high volumes of travelers as airlines tried to handle the backlog from cancellations and delays.

There is currently a high volume of guests in [the] Terminal 3 check-in area, it said in a statement on its website. Passengers should only come to Terminal 3 if they have received a confirmation from their airline regarding their flight departure.

Agency videos showed large crowds of passengers at the airport, which was recently named as the second busiest worldwide.

Delays and cancelations caused by the flooding have led to ongoing congestion at Dubai International Airport. - Rula Rouhana/Reuters

Storms swept through the United Arab Emirates and surrounding countries on Tuesday, dumping 250 millimeters (around 10 inches) of precipitation in fewer than 24 hours in some areas  the heaviest rainfall witnessed in the region for 75 years.

The tarmac of Dubai International Airport was left submerged. Videos showed large jets plowing through the rippling water, sending up sprays in their wake. In the airports terminals, hundreds of passengers were forced to wait as their flights were canceled or delayed.

Mohit Mehta, from Gurgaon in India, said he had spent more than 30 hours at the airport after trying to catch a morning flight out of Dubai on April 16.

[The] condition was really bad, he told CNN. No one was there to answer the queries. It was all haywire. There [was] a lot of water logging inside the airport. A lot of leakage happening from the roof.

Mehta added that a shortage of catering options in the airports Terminal 1 meant large queues as people sought food and water, which he said was being sold a premium.

For eating and drinking there was scarcity at the airport.

Desperate need of help

The UAE experienced its worst deluge in 75 years. - Amr Alfiky/Reuters

On Thursday, some 549 flights in or out of the airport were delayed and 31 canceled, according to airplane tracker site FlightAware. Of those delays, 302 were Emirates flights  65% of the UAE flag carriers services  and 152 were FlyDubai. Hundreds more had been canceled a day earlier.

Emirates issued an apology to affected passengers. Some have taken to social media complaining they had been unable to contact the airline.

Emirates extends our sincerest apologies to impacted customers who have experienced delays and disruption to their travel plans caused by bad weather and road conditions, the airline posted on X. We appreciate how difficult it is for everyone affected.

While some customers have been able to return home or reach their destination, we are aware that many are still waiting to get on flights. Our teams are working hard to restore our scheduled operations, as well as secure accommodation and other amenities for affected customers at the airport.

Our primary concern will always be the safety of our customers and crew, and this will never be compromised.

One X user with the handle Mister Funk replied that they were struggling to contact the airline after being stranded in Amsterdam when their flight to Dubai was canceled.

We are unable to get a response from you from literally any number in the world, livechat is not responding, they wrote. We are stuck in Amsterdam and are in need of help desperately.

Some 134 million passengers flew through the UAEs airports last year, including 87 million traveling through Dubai International Airport alone. The UAE is home to approximately 10 million people, and is a hub for five airlines.

Grueling journey

Flood roads left motorists stranded in Dubai. - Christopher Pike/AP

Access roads to the airport were also hit as traffic ground to a halt. The rain fell so heavily and quickly that some motorists on some roads in Dubai were forced to abandon their vehicles as the floodwater rose and roads turned into rivers.

The storms were part of a pattern of extreme rainfall events emerging as the planets atmosphere warms due to human-driven climate change. A warmer atmosphere is able to soak up more moisture like a towel and then ring it out in the form of flooding rainfall.

The weather conditions were associated with a larger storm system traversing the Arabian Peninsula and moving across the Gulf of Oman. This same system has also brought unusually wet weather to nearby Oman and southeastern Iran.

In Dubai, the rain meant delivery services were unable to function and many residents were unable to leave their homes due to waterlogged streets, which cars and pedestrians couldnt access. Some residents were seen rowing canoes outside their homes, and one viral video on social media showed residents wake boarding on a flooded street in a residential area.

Many residents remain holed up at home. - Amr Alfiky/Reuters

Other videos from social media showed water rushing through a major shopping mall and inundating the ground floor of homes.

Madiha Khawaja, a tourist visiting from London with her husband and two children, aged two and four, said she felt helpless trying to calm her children amid the chaos.

The rain had disrupted building lifts, including in some of Dubais tallest skyscrapers. Khawaja said she spent 45 minutes taking the stairs to her 27th floor apartment in the heart of Dubai to find rest and shelter for her toddlers.

The journey was grueling, she said, adding that upon reaching our apartment with hungry and tired kids, we were met with dry taps, no drinking water, no telephone service, no Wi-Fi connection.

The kids were hungry, and I as a mother was getting very anxious and upset, she told CNN.

Clean-up operations

On Thursday, the streets between the soaring skyscrapers of Dubai, were still covered by large pools of water while residents in several neighborhoods remain holed up at home avoiding blocked roads.

Authorities have been pumping water off highways. - Christopher Pike/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Municipal authorities were continuing to use trucks to pump water off the roads and clear debris blocking the streets. The Dubai municipality is also asking residents to send Whatsapps to remove the accumulated rainwater.

Sheikh Zayed Road, a main highway connecting the entirety of Dubai has been difficult to access due to cleanups, leaving traffic congestions across the city as some metro stations remained non-operational.

In the nearby emirate of Sharjah, 65 community service patrols were deployed to the areas affected with rain while cleanups continued. Damage from the storm remained visible in different neighborhoods of Abu Dhabi.

Schools will remain closed and federal workers will be working from home until Friday, the government said.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan has instructed authorities to quickly work on evaluating the countrys infrastructure and direct support to be provided to families impacted. He also ordered the transfer of families affected to safe locations in cooperation with local authorities.

CNNs Mary Gilbert, Brandon Miller, Abbas Al Lawati, Teele Rebane, Kathleen Magramo, Mostafa Salem, Sophie Tanno and Eleni Giokos contributed reporting.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Dubai flooding: Everything you need to know if your Emirates flight is cancelled

Helen and Roman from Manchester should be heading home from New Zealand today after visiting family near the capital, Wellington. The couple have been told their Emirates flights via Dubai are cancelled and there is no clear timetable for getting them back to the UK; Helen is running short of medication.

Gwen and her husband are stranded in paradise  Bali, to be precise  with no certainty about when they might leave. We cant seem to get any contact with Emirates to be advised of another flight to the UK, Gwen tells The Independent. She adds: We dont want to be stuck in Dubai at the airport. Can you update us on the position and offer any advice?

They are just four of the hundreds of thousands of passengers who have been stranded by the unprecedented storm and flooding in Dubai.

Going nowhere: A family stranded at Dubai airport after severe flooding and mass cancellations (REUTERS)

On a typical day, 250,000 people pass through the worlds busiest international airport; Dubai overtook London Heathrow for this title several years ago.

But over the past 48 hours the vast majority have seen their flights cancelled, diverted or heavily delayed due to flooding.

Bizarrely, the way that air passengers rights rules are structured means that people who have yet to leave the country are in a far stronger position than those in far-flung corners of Asia, Australasia and Africa.

These are the key issues.

Whats the problem?

A severe storm began in the early hours of Tuesday 16 April. Dubai was drenched in a year and a halfs worth of rain in a single day, killing at least one person and disrupting travel through the airport that handles more international passengers than any other.

Flooding and associated disruption is continuing to cause widespread cancellations.

All airlines using Dubai International Airport affected, with British Airways flights from London Heathrow diverting in successive days to Bahrain and Abu Dhabi.

But passengers on Emirates  which flies more people on intercontinental journeys than any other airline  are collectively facing far bigger problems.

How bad are things?

A snapshot by The Independent of all the overnight Emirates departures due to arrive in Dubai from the UK on Thursday morning shows the scale of the problem. Bear in mind that most of the aircraft used are Airbus A380 SuperJumbo planes carrying more than 500 passengers.

Cancelled: London Heathrow (three), London Stansted, Birmingham and Glasgow. That represents around 3,000 people who did not arrive as expected on Thursday. Crucially, because the outbound flights were cancelled, a similar number did not fly out from Dubai to the UK.

Delayed: The minimum delay arriving in Dubai was two hours, for a single flight from Heathrow. A second Stansted flight was three hours late, while arrivals of another flight from Heathrow and one from Newcastle were four hours late. But the standard delay was six hours, affecting passengers from Gatwick, Heathrow, Glasgow and Manchester.

Once in Dubai, though, their problems could just be beginning. Hundreds of flights are delayed, and onward connections on Emirates to destinations such as Colombo in Sri Lanka, the Seychelles and Kolkata in India are cancelled.

Many Emirates flights are resuming, but with planes, pilots and cabin crew scattered around the world it will be some time before a full schedule is running again.

When flights resume, the passengers who are booked on those departures take priority  with people who may have been waiting for days at the back of the queue.

What does Emirates say?

Emirates extends our sincerest apologies to impacted customers who have experienced delays and disruption to their travel plans caused by bad weather and road conditions.

We appreciate how difficult it is for everyone affected. While some customers have been able to return home or reach their destination, we are aware that many are still waiting to get on flights.

Our teams are working hard to restore our scheduled operations, as well as secure accommodation and other amenities for affected customers at the airport. Our primary concern will always be the safety of our customers and crew, and this will never be compromised.

The airline adds that Dubai airport remains congested and warns: There may still be delays to arriving and departing flights.

Emirates says: Customers impacted by flight cancellations should contact their booking agent, DM us [@EmiratesSupport on X/Twitter], or visit emirat.es/support for rebooking.

What is the position for British travellers due to be flying out to or via Dubai?

Air passengers rights rules mean they are in a strong position. Any airline that cancels a flight from a UK airport, for any reason, must provide passengers with:

An onward flight as soon as possible, including on a rival airline if seats are available. For example, a passenger from London to Sydney could expect to be rebooked via Hong Kong, Singapore or Doha if Emirates has no room but Cathay Pacific, Singapore or Qatar Airways does.

Hotels and meals as appropriate until they can reach their destination.

No cash compensation is payable because the cause of the delay is beyond Emirates control.

Passengers in Dubai awaiting an onward connection  what is the outlook?

Emirates says: While some customers have been able to return home or reach their destination, we are aware that many are still waiting to get on flights. Our teams are working hard to restore our scheduled operations.

The airline says it is trying to secure accommodation and other amenities for affected customers at the airport.

Anyone who arrived from the UK (or anywhere in the European Union) is entitled to a hotel, meals and an onward flight on any airline as soon as possible.

Passengers travelling in the opposite direction have no such legal protection.

Airlines generally provide stranded passengers with accommodation and meals, but such is the pressure on hotels that this may not happen. There is no legal obligation to arrange care.

What about people stranded in Asia, Africa or Australasia with connections via Dubai?

As they are flying on a non-British/non-European airline from outside the UK/EU, they have no formal rights besides the general principle that the airline will get them home when possible.

Travel insurance may cover added costs, and possible make a modest payment (typically 25 for each 12 hours) for the length of the delay.

Im booked on a package holiday. Does that make a difference?

If you have bought flights and accommodation at the same time from the same provider, you have an extra layer of consumer protection. The Package Travel Regulations mean that the company that sold you the trip is responsible for ensuring the holiday goes ahead as planned  and must take action if it does not. For example:

If you are booked to travel to the Maldives via Dubai, the holiday firm could look for alternative flights.

Should your short break to Dubai be impossible because of cancelled flights or conditions on the ground, you are due a full refund.

Stranded on the other side of the world? The holiday company must find a solution for you, and ensure your welfare while you wait.

If I pay for my own hotel or alternative flight, can I claim it back from Emirates?

That depends. If you are in the UK  or stranded in Dubai en route from the UK to a third country  and Emirates has been unable to provide you with these, then you should be able to claim. In all other circumstances, such as being stranded in Bali, it is unlikely the airline will pay up.

Travel insurance may help.

What about other airlines flying in and out of Dubai?

They are also facing big problems. Flydubai, the short-haul cousin of Emirates, made dozens of cancellations on Tuesday and Wednesday, with many flights on Thursday heavily delayed.

FlyNas, the Saudi budget airline, has cancelled more flights than any other on Thursday.

Other carriers, including British Airways and Royal Brunei, have grounded some UK flights, but operations overall are not as badly affected because Dubai represents only a tiny proportion of flying for most airlines.

I have a flight to or via Dubai next week. Should I worry?

Probably not. Emirates and other carriers should be back on track, and as mentioned anyone with a booking for a flight that goes ahead takes precedence over those who may have been waiting a week after a cancelled flight.
TYLER, Texas (KETK)  A Eustace man was arrested in Smith County on Tuesday for directing what authorities identify as gang members to murder a man in 2020.

According to an arrest affidavit, Brandon Edwards, who was identified as a Sergeant at Arms of a local 1%er Cossacks outlaw motorcycle gang chapter was found shot to death off FM 850 in Chapel Hill in May 2020.

Nacogdoches traffic stop leads to seizure of 319 pounds of promethazine

Three men, identified as members of rival gang the Ugly Man Cossacks, were originally arrested for murder but have since been indicted and convicted for organized criminal activity.

This rivalry is due, in part, to each club claiming to be the real Cossacks and existing/operating in the same geographical locations, the affidavit said.

It was determined by investigators, according to the affidavit, that people from national leadership positions within the Ugly Man Cossacks had given a smash on site order that targeted the rival gang.

Chad Crowell, 38 of Eustace, identified as the National Sergeant at Arms of the Ugly Man Cossacks also known as Crow allegedly called a Sergeant at Arms meeting in Fall 2019 where he told them if they see a member of the 1%er Cossacks you are to put him down.

Mugshot of Chad Crowell, courtesy of Smith County Jail Records

According to the affidavit, the order, while coming from Crowell is understood to have ultimately been given by the National President.

After this order was given, at least six incidents were reported in the affidavit of violence by members of the Ugly Man Cossacks against members of the 1%er Cossacks:

Aggravated assault in Hubbard

Aggravated assault in Gilmer

Aggravated robbery in Upshur County, shortly after the Gilmer incident

Robbery in Tyler

Aggravated assault, shooting, in Harrison County

Murder, shooting, in Tyler, May 2020 death of Edwards

Crowell was arrested on Tuesday for directing activities of criminal street gangs, and his bail has been set at $2.5 million.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
A Ukrainian serviceman from Azov brigade known by call sign Ray, 20, carries a shell for the OTO Melara Mod 56 howitzer on the frontline in Kreminna direction, Donetsk region on April 11. (Alex Babenko / Associated Press)

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has been maddeningly slow in pushing the House to approve badly needed aid for Ukraine as it resists Russian aggression. But this week he said he would move forward on separate measures that would provide aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan along with a fourth bill that includes the so-called REPO for Ukrainians Act providing for the diversion of seized Russian assets to Ukraine.

The proposals, which include about $61 billion for Ukraine, are similar in scope to a bill passed by the Senate in February. Assuming that they arent saddled with crippling amendments, these measures should be approved by the House in a vote expected on Saturday. Significantly, President Biden has endorsed the package.

Read more: Opinion: Republicans blocking Ukraine aid should consider this hero  and hang their heads in shame

Given the dire situation in Ukraine, where the nation is running out of munitions to fight off the Russian invasion, it would have been preferable if the House had expeditiously approved the Senate-passed bill. But Johnson has had to reckon with opposition from members of his conference, some of whom want aid to Ukraine to be linked to measures to secure Americas Southern border. Johnson said that there would be a separate new border-security bill.

Johnson also has had to contend with threats that he might be targeted for removal by some far-right members in his party. This week Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) signed on to a motion by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) to vacate the chair, the parliamentary maneuver that was used to depose former Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield. (Massie also called on Johnson to resign.)

Read more: Editorial: Speaker Johnson must ignore GOP hardliners and pass Ukraine aid now

To his credit, Johnson said that my philosophy is you do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may. He added that if I operated out of fear over a motion to vacate, I would never be able to do my job."

Its easier for Johnson to take that position because he can count on Democratic votes for the aid package and perhaps even for keeping the speakers chair. But that probably would have been the case if he had endorsed the Senate-passed bill rather than wasted time trying to come up with with innovations that might placate some of the Republican hard-liners.

But, better late than never, the speaker has moved to help Ukraine defend itself, which will send the message to Vladimir Putin that Russian aggression in Ukraine or elsewhere will not be tolerated. The House should swiftly approve aid so that the Senate can act and Biden can affix his signature.

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.
Education Department admits challenging year for FAFSA: Were not at the point we would like to be

The Department of Education acknowledged Thursday that its been a challenging year for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process as officials are desperate to get more forms filled out.

Were not at the point we would like to be at, Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal told reporters before revealing about 7.7 million FAFSA applications have been received from college applicants. Around 18 million forms are filed in a typical year.

Heres my message: If you have been waiting for the dust to settle before you fill out a FAFSA, make a correction, the time is now, Kvaal said. If youre a student waiting for your college to send a financial aid offer, please know that you are not alone. Colleges are working hard to get you the information you need.

Out of the FAFSA applications, 1.2 million need corrections from students or contributors, mainly needing signatures or permission to receive tax data from the IRS. Another 700,000 FAFSA forms have errors due to incorrect tabulation of contributions from assets. Lastly, 1.2 million applications were processed with incorrect tax data.

Kvaal noted that some colleges have been able to send out financial aid packages while others are waiting for more corrections before starting the process. The department hopes all the needed corrections will be in by the beginning of next month.

The department noted that during its FAFSA Week of Action this week, numerous workshops and other events have been set up around the country to ensure students fill out the forms.

The announcement comes as advocates, students and colleges have been frustrated with the lack of accountability the department has shown over the botched FAFSA rollout, going back to when the updated forms were first released last year.

Schools have had to push back their decision deadlines, which typically happen May 1, due to all the delays in the FAFSA process.

While FAFSA applications normally begin in October and some schools have all of their offers out as early as March, this time schools did not even receive the information they needed to give out financial aid packages until last month, and much of it was flawed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Eighteen states and the District of Columbia filed a brief in federal court Tuesday opposing Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffenspergers efforts to challenge part of the 1965 Voting Rights Act during the states redistricting process last year.

Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act forces states to protect minority communities by banning practices that seek to dilute voting power due to race, and by allowing private citizens and advocacy groups to file lawsuits to combat gerrymandering. It was under this law that three voting rights cases  Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. v. Raffensperger, Pendergrass v. Raffensperger and Grant v. Raffensperger  were able to challenge district lines drawn in 2021 and ultimately force the legislature to redraw the boundaries.

Although it is too late for a ruling to impact district lines for the 2024 elections, Raffenspergers appeal has made its way to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, meaning the ruling will affect future elections across Alabama, Florida and Georgia. The appeal effectively challenges the constitutionality of the redistricting mandated under Section 2, prompting the coalition of 19 attorneys general to file their brief urging the Eleventh Circuit to uphold the lower court's decision.

More: Judge rules against civil rights groups in Georgia redistricting appeal

More: Civil rights groups urge judge to throw out 2023 maps in redistricting hearing

Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act is a critical tool to ensure that every citizen can participate equally in our democracy, regardless of race, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb said in a press release. Section 2 is plainly constitutional, and dozens of courtsincluding the Supreme Courthave ruled that there is a private right of action to enforce it. The claims advanced by Georgias Secretary of State run roughshod over democratic protections, have no basis in law or fact, and should be soundly rejected.

Raffenspergers office declined to comment, citing pending litigation.

Brad Raffensperger

Incremental weakening of the 1965 Voting Rights Act

Although it remains a pivotal piece of civil rights legislation, protections under the Voting Rights Act have been repeatedly weakened in recent years. In 2013, the Supreme Court struck down a provision that required states with a history of disenfranchising voters of color to receive preclearance from the federal government before making changes to their election laws. Under current law, Section 2 serves as the only real avenue for citizens to enforce their voting rights.

In November, a federal appeals court for the eighth circuit ruled that private individuals and groups can no longer sue under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, arguing that the law did not specifically outline the right of private citizens to enforce the statute. Under the ruling, which applies to Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota, only the U.S. attorney general can pursue voting rights complaints. In December, the ACLU filed a petition asking the eighth circuit to rehear the case en banc, but was ultimately denied.

Ever since the Supreme Court basically gutted the preclearance provision of the Voting Rights Act, there's been a concern that the rest of the Voting Rights Act could also fall, said ACLU of Georgia Executive Director Andrea Young. "What prompts the response of attorneys general in other states is this concern that the part of the Voting Rights Act that allows independent groups like the ACLU or Alpha Phi Alpha to challenge the actions under the Voting Rights Act also would be put out of reach.

A similar outcome in the eleventh circuit would gut voting rights protections across the three additional states that fall under the eleventh circuit. Had the eighth circuit court ruling applied to Georgia, none of the three cases mentioned in the redistricting hearing would have been allowed to move forward.

A new piece of legislation that would restore and modernize certain protections under the Voting Rights Act has been introduced in Congress but has repeatedly been stalled by Republican legislators.

More: Fighting for voting rights, making 'good trouble' in John Lewis' name, now a partisan issue

The brief emphasizes the importance of allowing individuals and advocacy organizations to challenge gerrymandered districts, noting that the overwhelming majority of voting rights cases are brought by individuals rather than the federal government.

Private citizens have sued to enforce Section 2 since it was enacted, and every court except for one has ruled that they have this power," it reads. "Section 2 is the nations primary tool to combat racially discriminatory election practices, and the attorneys general recognize the importance these private lawsuits play in fighting for equal voting rights.

A court date for the appeal has not been set.

More: Voting rights lawsuit against Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to begin Monday

Read the full text of the brief below.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

Maya Homan is an election reporting fellow. You can reach her at MHoman@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Voting rights: States file brief opposing Georgia redistricting appeal
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  El Paso Police Department fallen officer, Santos Perez, and many other officers nationwide will be recognized during a candlelight vigil in Washington D.C. on Monday, May 13, according to a news release from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

The candlelight vigil will be at 8:00 p.m. that Monday in Washington D.C., during the Role Call of Heroes Candlelight Vigil.

A total of 282 federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty will be honored and will have their names engraved in the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

As we come together again this year to commemorate the lives of fallen officers, we recognize the profound sacrifice they made in service to their communities and country. Their memory remains a testament to valor and selflessness; two core tenets that a law enforcement officer abides by when being sworn in to service. This solemn ceremony encourages us to never forget their enduring legacy of service and sacrifice, said CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, William Alexander.

Officers from the Alamogordo Police Department Anthony Dale Ferguson and James M. Sides and one officer from the Taos Ski Valley Department of Public Safety Sammy J. Trujillo will also be honored in the memorial.

For more information on the memorial visit their website here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
The management of Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) expects increased pressure from the European Central Bank (ECB). One of the largest Austrian banking groups expects to be asked to speed up its exit from the Russian market.

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According to Reuters, the draft requirements of the ECB suggest that the bank reduce loans to customers in Russia by up to 65% compared to the third quarter of 2023, and by 2026, it should stop making international payments from Russia. This step may be officially announced soon.

Since the RBI has avoided imposing sanctions on the terrorist country for more than two years since the start of Russia's full-scale aggression and has successfully resisted pressure from international regulators, journalists have called it "the most important financial lifeline" for Russians sending currency abroad.

Earlier, RBI announced its intention to withdraw from Russia, but instead, in April, the bank posted more than a thousand job ads in the country, indicating the financial group's intention to expand its operations. The company's slowness has led the US sanctions regulator OFAC to start inspecting the bank's Russian business. In this regard, Raiffeisen Bank has been under scrutiny for more than a year.

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In addition, the United States is pressuring RBI to abandon a 1.5 billion deal to buy a stake in the Vienna-based Strabag company, which is controlled by Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, who supports dictator Vladimir Putin.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
An elderly woman in South Korea died after waiting for five hours for a hospital that could perform heart surgery during a doctors strike that has paralysed the countrys healthcare system.

Despite experiencing chest pains and seeking emergency assistance last month, six hospitals in South Gyeongsang province refused to admit her for treatment, according to the South China Morning Herald.

Eventually a hospital in Busan accepted her but lacked the resources for the required surgery.

The identity of the woman was not clear. After undergoing tests, she was transferred to another hospital, where she died as she was being prepared for the surgery.

In February, the resignation of thousands of striking junior and trainee doctors in response to a government initiative to increase medical student admissions left the healthcare system in disarray.

South Korea has one of the lowest doctor-to-patient ratios among major economies and recently the government proposed to add 2,000 slots to the current annual quota of 3,000 medical students.

The plan was immediately criticised by doctors, who took to the streets to protest with signs that read end of healthcare. The striking doctors argued this expansion wont solve the actual shortages in certain specialities, where conditions and pay are poor, and could degrade medical service quality.

The strike has led to numerous cancelled surgeries and treatments, and even the death of an ophthalmologist who was overburdened due to the strike.

Meanwhile, the unidentified daughter of the deceased patient expressed frustration over the delayed admission to a hospital. She told SCMP: I am very upset and sad at the thought that my mother may have survived if she had been admitted to a general university hospital in the first place.

Its deplorable that the possibility of her survival may have been lost due to the medical vacuum, although I cannot say for sure that she would have survived if she had been immediately operated on.

Park Dan, head of an emergency committee at the Korean Intern Resident Association, centre right, is seen during a meeting at the Korean Medical Association in Seoul, South Korea, 31 March 2024 (via AP)

The government has threatened to suspend the licenses of striking doctors, while more than 1,000 trainee doctors have filed a complaint against the vice-health minister, demanding his dismissal.

South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol has pledged to not back down from his plans to increase medical school admissions as he accused striking doctors of behaving like a cartel.

He said earlier this month: The number 2,000 is not a random figure we came up with. We have thoroughly reviewed relevant statistics and research and reviewed present and future medical situations. He added that the governments reforms aimed to create a medical environment where all people can receive treatment with a peace of mind.
Its your voice, your vote. DeKalb County residents are getting a chance to learn more about the candidates running for the countys chief executive officer.

Channel 2 Action News and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution are partnering with New Birth Missionary Baptist Church for DeKalb Matters: A Future-Focused Conversation.

DeKalb County is a thriving force in Metro Atlanta. The next CEO will be tasked with building on the momentum of the last decade by ensuring that we make continued progress in economic growth and development as well as the various quality-of-life issues facing our families, said New Birth Senior Pastor Dr. Jamal Harrison Bryant. This debate is a critical conversation on the future of DeKalb and who is best prepared to lead us forward.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

The debate is between candidates looking to succeed DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond whose term ends this year.

County Commissioners Steve Bradshaw, Lorraine Cochran-Johnson and Larry Johnson will answer questions from the community and a panel of journalists, including Channel 2s Sophia Choi.

You can watch the debate LIVE from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. streaming on WSBTV.com and the WSB-TV News App. You can download for free on your Roku, Amazon Fire or Apple TV or the Apple Store and Google Play.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Sen. Elizabeth Warren led a letter urging Navient to cancel predatory private student loans.

The letter cited the Holder Rule, which permits relief for borrowers with fraudulent loans.

The lawmakers requested this relief happen before Navient outsources its servicing to MOHELA.

A major private student-loan company is leaving the servicing industry. But before that happens, a group of Democratic lawmakers want it to give some borrowers debt relief.

On Wednesday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren led eight of her Democratic colleagues in sending a letter  first reviewed by Business Insider  to Navient's CEO David Yowan, requesting that the company cancel "decades-old predatory private student loans" using a consumer protection law established by the Federal Trade Commission.

In January, Navient announced it would be outsourcing servicing of its private loans and commercially held loans in the Federal Family Education Loan program to MOHELA  one of the largest federal student loan servicers. This transition is expected to impact about 2.7 million borrowers, and the Democratic lawmakers wrote in their letter that "a large portion of these loans are eligible for cancellation."

That's because, the lawmakers wrote, some of those borrowers may have attended schools the Education Department later determined were fraudulent by misrepresenting their programs and pushing students to take on more debt than they could afford. While the Education Department has canceled federal student loans for some borrowers using a process known as the borrower defense to repayment, those who may have attended the same fraudulent schools but had private loans held by Navient did not get the same relief.

But there might be an avenue to still get those borrowers debt cancellation. Warren and her colleagues pointed to the Holder Rule  a consumer protection tool allowing the borrower "to cancel existing debt if a school fraudulently induced the student to enroll and had some relationship with the lender," per the Minnesota Attorney General's office.

Prior lawsuits have pointed to Navient's relationships with some for-profit schools. In 2022, Navient reached a $1.7 billion settlement with 39 states after being accused of working with for-profit schools to hand out private loans to students with high default rates. However, the settlement only included borrowers who were in default for at least seven consecutive months before June 2021. Navient did not admit any wrongdoing, and it has a process for borrowers to apply for relief. The group of lawmakers wants that process automated.

"Navient should stop making borrowers apply for relief and instead automatically cancel student debt using information the company already has about whether borrowers attended schools that would entitle them to relief," they wrote.

The lawmakers are requesting that this relief happen before Navient outsources its servicing to MOHELA. Additionally, they requested Yowan provide additional information by April 29, including the number of borrowers the company services who attended for-profit schools, how many borrowers have applied for relief using Navient's application, and how the company takes into account the Holder Rule.

While it's unclear how any debt cancellation would impact the transition of servicing responsibilities from Navient to MOHELA, Navient previously said in its announcement that the two companies would "work toward ensuring a seamless transition in the coming months and providing customers with uninterrupted servicing of their loans."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Elon Musk's Plan To Fund National Signature Campaign In Support Of First Amendment Met With Praise

Elon Musk revealed his intention to fund a national signature campaign for the First Amendment on X, sparking a mixture of praise and skepticism. While some lauded his commitment to free speech, others questioned his motives.

Musk's advocacy for free speech has been evident since acquiring X (formerly Twitter), where he confronts censorship attempts. However, X has now allegedly also become a platform for Nazi propaganda.

Elon Musk To Fund First Amendment Signature Campaign

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Elon Musk recently announced his plans to fund a national signature campaign supporting the First Amendment.

Taking to X, Musk wrote: "Given the relentless attacks on free speech. I am going to fund a national signature campaign in support of the First Amendment."

Given the relentless attacks on free speech, I am going to fund a national signature campaign in support of the First Amendment  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 18, 2024

The announcement garnered widespread applause on social media, with users on the platform expressing eagerness to sign up.

Voting advocate Scott Presler offered his support, commenting: "We are currently collecting signatures for campaigns across the country. I can have an army of signature collectors at a moment's notice. Let me know if I may be of assistance."

More X Users Share Their Thoughts on The Billionaire's Signature Campaign

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An X user hailed Musk's initiative as historic, commenting: "You're going to go down in the history books. Not just for Tesla and SpaceX. But for saving free speech."

"I'm glad Elon is taking a stand when others with his level of influence are not. If we do not support him and defend our First Amendment rights at this juncture. With it being assaulted on all sides... we could very well lose it. A terrifying prospect to say the least," another user added.

However, some skeptics questioned Musk's motives, suggesting that the move was driven by ulterior motives rather than a genuine commitment to free speech.

One critic wrote, "He isn't taking a stand for free speech. He's doing this so he can use this platform to lie with impunity."

"The world's richest man didn't buy Twitter to save free speech. He bought it because he knows how powerful it is. Because he can use it to convince you of anything he wants you to believe. And the first thing he wants you to believe is that he saved free speechand you bought it," another added.

Elon Musk's Continuous Advocacy For Free Speech

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Musk's staunch advocacy for free speech has been evident, notably motivating his acquisition of Twitter. Since purchasing the platform, the billionaire has actively promoted an environment fostering diverse viewpoints and has confronted governmental and authoritative efforts to stifle expression. He has also pledged financial support for individuals facing professional repercussions due to their online engagement.

For instance, Musk was loud in his vocal opposition to regulatory overreach, such as the Canadian proposal for online streaming services. Taking to X, he wrote: "Trudeau is trying to crush free speech in Canada. Shameful."

More recently, Musk confronted the Brazilian government's decision to restrict access to specific X accounts within the nation. Despite facing a subsequent court order mandating the suspension of these accounts, Musk adamantly resisted such attempts at censorship through various means.

Elon Musk's Free Speech Advocacy Has Allegedly Created A Space For Nazi Sympathizers On X

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Musk's advocacy for free speech has led to X becoming a platform where Nazi ideology and propaganda thrive, with numerous paid subscribers using the platform to share content glorifying Adolf Hitler and his regime.

Investigations by NBC News also revealed that over 150 "Premium" subscriber accounts, along with thousands of unpaid accounts, have been disseminating pro-Nazi material on X, often violating the platform's rules. These accounts consistently post anti-Semitic or pro-Nazi content, including praise for Nazi soldiers, dissemination of Nazi symbols, and Holocaust denial.

The spread of pro-Nazi content extends beyond the platform's margins, with some posts garnering millions of views and widespread resharing.

According to the executive director of Life After Hate, Patrick Riccards, "A welcoming social media environment can make Nazi sympathizers feel validated in their views and recruit others to their cause. "For those who are already driven by hate, it is a big warm hug," he added.

The Tesla Founder Wants Users To Pay 'Small Fee' To Use X

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Earlier this week, Musk announced that X will introduce a payment system where users must pay to post and engage with others. He explained that the move aims to combat the proliferation of fake and bot accounts by requiring a "small fee" for access to core features.

"Unfortunately, a small fee for new user write access is the only way to curb the relentless onslaught of bots," he wrote, per The Independent. "Current AI (and troll farms) can pass 'Are you a bot?' with ease." "The onslaught of fake accounts also uses up the available namespace, so many good handles are taken as a result," he added.

This follows a pilot program in New Zealand and the Philippines last year, which mandated a one-dollar-a-year subscription for new users to access essential functions. Musk's remarks suggest a broader implementation of this model.

Responding to queries, Musk hinted that the fee might only apply during the initial three months of a user's membership.
New records show that the office of former Miami city commissioner Sabina Covo sought to hire her former political opponent Eddy Leal between the general election and the runoff last November, adding weight to bribery allegations currently under criminal investigation by the State Attorneys Office. The probe was prompted by public allegations that Covo bribed Leal with a City Hall job in exchange for Leals endorsement in the tight runoff race.

Covo denies that she ever offered Leal a job, much less as part of a quid pro quo, as was first alleged by one of her opponents on the podcast Because Miami in November. But the emails and text messages obtained by the Miami Herald, along with an interview with Covos former chief of staff, suggest Covo pushed her staff to hire Leal as an expert consultant at a time when Leal was looking for a city job and hoping to make a deal  previously unreported revelations that deepen the controversy over alleged impropriety surrounding a contentious election.

Leal did not respond to the Heralds emails, calls or texts requesting comment for this article. In previous statements, Leal said his choice to endorse Covo in the runoff was based solely on her promise to make our city proud and that anyone suggesting otherwise is nothing more than sour grapes.

The two-week campaign between the general and runoff elections became a turf war between the two remaining candidates, Covo and Damian Pardo, who jockeyed for support from the other candidates who failed to advance to the runoff, which could give them the edge in a low-turnout municipal race.

Those 14 days provided the backdrop to political maneuvering that sparked an ongoing criminal investigation into Covo related to unlawful remuneration by candidate and bribery, one of several inquiries hanging over a City Hall beset by scandal.

READ MORE: Shakedown City: Investigations, lawsuits and the anatomy of Miamis political scandals

After his third-place finish in the Nov. 7 general election, Leal, who previously worked in the mayors office, went to City Manager Art Noriega to express desire to return to the City of Miami in some capacity, according to a city spokesperson. Noriega told Leal there were no openings available at the time, the spokesperson said. (Leal has previously denied that he discussed jobs at the meeting with Noriega.)

Around the same time, Leal also met separately with Covo and Pardo to discuss his runoff endorsement.

Pardo said that he, Leal and another anti-establishment candidate in the race had previously agreed to support whichever member of their trio was still in the race against Covo. But after meeting with Leal to discuss his endorsement, Pardo texted a friend Leal on [the] fence. Pardos Nov. 9 text went on to explain that Leal was seeking a deal involving a job offer.

Pardo said that during their meeting, Leal simply asked him questions about his campaign and then left without following up.

He did tell me that he was going to be meeting with Covo later that afternoon, Pardo recalled.

At that meeting, Covos campaign asked me if I had any interest in returning to the city, Leal said on Actualidad Radio 1040, a Spanish-language radio station, last November. Leal said he was interested but denied striking any deal. He denied ever entering into a pact with Pardo regarding a runoff endorsement.

Covo decided to offer Leal a contract with her office following their meeting about his endorsement, Covos then-chief of staff, Anthony Balzebre, told the Herald in an exclusive interview.

After meeting with him, she instructed me to go forward with a consulting agreement for policy guidance and other purposes in the District 2 office, Balzebre said. That was a verbal directive from my boss at the time.

He said he disagreed with her on principle, and I was upfront about that. But Balzebre said he ultimately followed his boss instructions and moved forward with the hiring process.

Emails show that on Nov. 13, Balzebre asked the city manager for authorization to hire Leal as an expert consultant, to provide strategic advisory services to the City of Miamis District 2 Office. Twenty minutes later, he received a response.

The Manager approves, the email said.

Noriega did not question the timing of the hire, according to a statement from the city. Noriega denied any knowledge of a quid pro quo and said in the statement, to the best of his recollection, he never discussed Covos offer with Leal.

District 2 candidate Eddy Leal

Balzebre said Leal was to be hired as a consultant under contract, as opposed to a full-fledged staff member in Covos City Hall office. But he said he never moved forward with an offer letter spelling out the terms of Leals contract.

The following day, Nov. 14, text messages show Leal received a request for comment regarding the alleged deal you cut with Covo from filmmaker Billy Corben, who first aired the allegations of a quid pro quo on the Nov. 17 episode of his podcast. Leal did not respond.

On the show, the fourth-place candidate in the District 2 race, James Torres, said that following the Nov. 7 election, Covo had offered both him and Leal positions in exchange for their endorsements. Torres said he declined but accused Leal of taking the deal. Torres previously told the Herald he was summoned to the State Attorneys Office for an interview on the subject following his appearance on Corbens show.

On Nov. 21, Pardo beat Covo, unseating her after she spent about nine months in office.

In an interview with the Herald on Tuesday, Covo reiterated that she never offered Leal a job and denied instructing Balzebre to hire Leal. She was not copied on Balzebres email to the manager and claimed to have no knowledge of her top aides request for approval to hire Leal.

I have not seen anything, Covo said. Nothing.

Covo had no answer as to why Balzebre would hire Leal, an attorney, as a consultant without her knowledge or approval. He denied her version of events.

I wouldnt have done this on my own volition, or without her approval, or without any bosss approval, Balzebre responded. Its really unfortunate that she is deflecting and not taking accountability here, but Im not going to do that for her.

Covo referred further questions to an attorney, who said the former commissioner denies Balzebres allegations and will defend herself against any unfounded accusations.

READ MORE: Incumbents ousted as Miami voters chose candidates who vowed to clean up City Hall

Pardo said Covos version of events makes absolutely no sense, adding that the timing of Balzebres authorization request confirms the idea that something was going on in terms of a job offer in that window between the general election and the runoff.

Following the election, Balzebre stayed on with the District 2 office as Pardos chief of staff.

Balzebres account of events, and in particular his email, could become key elements in the ongoing criminal investigation, which first became public in February after Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order transferring the case to the Broward State Attorneys office due to a potential conflict of interest with Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle.

The order noted a key witness in the case, thought to be Democratic consultant Christian Ulvert, is a close associate of the state attorneys office.

Commissioner Damian Pardo speaks during a commission meeting at Miami City Hall on Thursday, April 11, 2024.
Every Passover for centuries, Jewish families around the world have gathered to retell the story of the Israelites' escape from slavery in Egypt, more than 3,000 years ago.

This year's celebration, which begins at sundown on Monday, will be different, said Daniel Rothner of Teaneck: The story of suffering and oppression that the Jews endured at the hands of their captors feels newly relevant in the wake of the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel.

For many, the Hamas attack  and the fate of the hostages taken that day  has cast a pall over what is often a joyous feast. Some Jews are seeking to address their pain by creatively adapting the holiday's rituals to the emotional climate.

"It's the reality that is unfolding right now in our lives," said Rothner. "It doesn't get any more real or personal than this."

Daniel Rothner stands by an empty chair in his Teaneck home on Wednesday. Rothner and his family will keep the seat open at their Passover Seder table next week in honor of those who remain kidnapped since Oct. 7.

For Rothner, the oppression of bondage feels current and personal.

Rothner is friendly with Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, parents of 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin, one of six Americans captured on Oct. 7. And he lives about 10 minutes away from the family of Edan Alexander, 20, a 2022 Tenafly High School graduate also taken hostage.

Passover rituals adapt after Oct. 7

"Passover won't be the same this year for anyone in the Jewish community," Rothner said. Most years, he and others have difficulty relating to the maror, the bitter herbs that are eaten during the Passover Seder to remind participants of the bitterness of slavery. This year, that ritual seems redundant, he said: "We have all felt the bitterness in our lives since October."

The Seder, a feast blending ritual with song and storytelling, is considered the highlight of the week-long holiday. Participants at the Seder, which means "order" in Hebrew, eat symbolic foods including bitter herbs, vegetables and matzo, an unleavened bread made of flour and water. Those at the dinner recite the story of the Jews' exodus from slavery in Egypt, following the ancient text known as the Haggadah. Experts say it is the most popularly celebrated Jewish tradition.

But this year, following Oct. 7, many are seeking to mold Passover traditions to reflect the trauma of the moment. In the deadliest single day for the Jewish community since the Holocaust, more than 1,200 people were killed in Hamas' attack, and 240 taken captive, changing life for Jews around the world. Some 130 hostages remain in captivity but Hamas has said that it doesn't know where at least 40 of them are, raising fears that many may be dead.

The attack on Israel sparked a war in Gaza in which more than 30,000 people have died, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Reports of antisemitism have surged worldwide.

Special prayers and empty chairs

Steve Goldberg of Clifton said he will have an empty seat at his Passover Seder, representing the victims of Oct. 7 and "the hostages who can't celebrate with their loved ones this year." The empty chair is a symbol that many around the world have adopted to honor the hostages; some Jews will affix photos or posters of those taken to the chairs as an additional reminder.

Goldberg will also recite a special prayer that was composed recently by David Lau, the chief Ashkenazi rabbi of Israel, asking for the hostages' redemption and protection from harm.

"This Passover includes a heavy heart," said Sharon Kates of Paramus. At her Seder, well-wishers will sing the Hatikva, the Israeli national anthem, while her brother-in-law Paul plays the guitar.

"I will serve wine imported from Israel," she said. "We will recite the prayer for our soldiers. I will take a moment to share how fortunately and unfortunately history repeats itself. The story of Passover is very much similar to what we are living through right now. Our people had hope for freedom to live a Jewish life in a Jewish land.

"We must have hope and faith that we will persevere," and  as a key phrase in the Haggadah states  celebrate "next year in Jerusalem," she added.

Sharon Kates of Paramus says she'll celebrate Passover with "a heavy heart" this year after the Oct. 7 terror attack in Israel. Her Seder will include a prayer for fallen Israeli soldiers.

Archie Gottesman of Montclair, co-founder of JewBelong, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting antisemitism, created a free downloadable Haggadah this year that, in addition to mentioning the traditional Ten Plagues inflicted on the Egyptians, highlights "the original plague, Jew hate. And unlike frogs and boils, it never went away. In fact, it's getting worse."

Gottesman's updated text includes The Plagues of Antisemitism, including Hamas, silence and social media. She asks Jews to put black coffee on their Seder table to address today's crisis moment: "When you read the Ten Plagues of antisemitism take a sip of coffee because we all need to wake up to antisemitism."

A new reason to spill wine at the Seder

Rabbi Menachem Creditor, a scholar-in-residence at the UJA Federation of New York, noted another tradition: During the Seder, it is customary for Jews to spill a drop of wine from their cups while listing each of the plagues. Even as Jews celebrate their freedom, we remember the suffering of the Egyptians, he explained.

This year, the rabbi added, many Jews may be contemplating the Palestinians in Gaza who have lost their lives. "Thats part of what it is to be a Jew," he said. "Jewish values are not forgotten, even in a moment like this when we are more focused on our own losses. Creditor still grieves the death of his friend Vivian Silver, a Canadian-Israeli peace activist killed on Oct. 7, and has been thinking constantly of the hostages. He couldn't imagine feeling any Passover joy, he said.

"How can I celebrate the festival of freedom when nearly 130 of our family members were stolen away?" he said.

So when he was approached by Ora Horn Prouser of Franklin Lakes, CEO of the Academy for Jewish Religion, to co-author a Hagaddah supplement, he felt like he was "being handed a lifeline." They compiled essays, poetry and art reflecting on the violence in Israel and rising anti-Jewish sentiment.

Rabbi Menachem Creditor of the UJA Federation of New York said Passover will be colored by his continuing grief for those lost in the Oct. 7 terror attack. "How can I celebrate the festival of freedom when nearly 130 of our family members were stolen away?" he asked.

The end result was "Seder Interrupted: A post-October 7 Hagaddah Supplement."

Such ventures are part of a long tradition of Haggadah supplements or rituals that incorporate modern themes into the ancient tradition. Last year, many people had extra seats or place settings for Evan Gershkovich, the Jewish Wall Street Journal reporter who was jailed in Russia.

"Seder Interrupted," which is available on Amazon or for free online, apparently struck a chord. It went viral and sold 2,500 copies in the first week and was dubbed a #1 bestseller on Amazon, the rabbi said.

Some of the familiar themes of the holiday such as the bitterness of oppression, the value of freedom and Moses' famous plea to Pharoah  "Let my people go"  resonated strongly with many of his contributors, he said.

Among the prayers that had particular resonance was one that states, "'in each generation, an enemy tries to destroy the Jewish people, but the overarching message is that we have overcome and we will continue to overcome."

"That's the message we need right now."

Deena Yellin covers religion for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to her work covering how the spiritual intersects with our daily lives, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: yellin@northjersey.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ Jews adapt Passover Seder to Oct. 7, Israel-Hamas war
Six months after it began in earnest, the fight on Capitol Hill over whether to send more help for Ukraine defend itself against an unprovoked invasion by Russia may finally be nearing an end.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Wednesday unveiled a bill to provide $60.8 billion in military and economic assistance to the embattled country, with an eye toward a House vote on it Saturday. The measure would be one of three aid packages; the second would be a bill to help Israel in its war with Hamas in Gaza, and the third, to help bolster the defenses of Taiwan and other allies in the Indo-Pacific region against China.

The bills, first announced Monday night but whose details were only disclosed Wednesday, may also start the clock ticking on how much longer Johnson keeps his job as speaker  a prospect the Louisianan congressman said he did not fear.

My philosophy is you do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may, he told reporters Wednesday.

To put it bluntly, Id rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys, Johnson added. This is not a game. Its not a joke.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who filed a motion to oust Johnson in March but has held off on calling for a vote on it, signaled Wednesday she was not yet ready to pull the trigger.

We dont want the chaos that was created the last time and we need an organized process if we do it, Greene told reporters late in the day.

In October, after eight Republicans voted with all the Democrats to remove former California representative Kevin McCarthy from the speakers chair, Republicans saw the House paralyzed for three weeks as they tried unsuccessfully to agree on a successor. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who supports Greenes effort, has said Johnson should name a date he will step down, in order to give the party time to settle on his replacement.

All three of the bills enjoy broad bipartisan support, though Republicans are expected to line up more strongly behind the Israel measure, while Democrats will provide the bulk of the votes for Ukraine.

The fight over whether to give Ukraine more aid on top of the approximately $70 billion in relief its gotten from the United States since Russias invasion in February 2022 has been going on since the fall of 2023.

At first, the White House asked for a much smaller package as part of a planned series of packages. But as the war in Ukraine became increasingly unpopular with Republican voters, congressional Republicans became more reluctant to support what had, for a few months, been a bipartisan cause.

In September, McCarthy, then still speaker, cut $6 billion in war funding from a stopgap spending bill right before the government was set to shut down. The move dared Democrats to either insist on including Ukraine funding and take the blame for shutting the government down when Republicans refused; or to acquiesce and try to get the money approved later, after Republicans demanded that the U.S. set aside no more money for Ukraine unless Congress also put new immigration restrictions in place. Democrats blinked.

In February, Senate Democrats took up the challenge of implementing border reforms and allowed a border bill negotiated by Sen. Jim Lankford (R-Okla.) and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) to come to the floor as a bipartisan proposal. But Republicans, acting at the behest of presidential candidate Donald Trump, stalled the bill, fearing it would give Biden an election-year win.

Afterwards, the Senate passed along bipartisan lines a $95 billion aid package, which bundled together military aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, along with humanitarian relief for Gaza.

The new House GOP proposal basically unbundles the elements of the Senate bill to allow them to be voted on separately and adds a fourth element in the form of a national security bill. Johnson said the unbundling will allow House members to vote their conscience on individual portions.

The White House has endorsed the three foreign aid bills. The House must pass the package this week and the Senate should quickly follow. I will sign this into law immediately to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends, and we wont let Iran or Russia succeed, President Joe Biden said in a statement.

Razom for Ukraine, an advocacy organization, also endorsed Johnsons Ukraine bill. Our message to the House today is simple  vote yes. Ukraine doesnt have time for Congress to waste, said Mykola Murskyj, director of advocacy at Razom.

The three House aid bills have a few new wrinkles compared to the Senate package. It would require the non-military aid in the bill to be structured as a loan, though that loan could be forgiven in the future. It would require the administration to submit to Congress a strategy document for helping Ukraine win, complete with year-by-year estimates of the projected costs.

And it was unclear whether the bills, though theyll be voted on separately, would be bundled together again before being sent to the Senate. That could potentially complicate matters.

But opponents of Ukraine aid were already feeling pessimistic Wednesday about their prospects.

I dont think we ought to be heading into November having fully capitulated on the border, shrugging and saying, Oh, well, I hope Trump will save us, while we completely relinquish our Article 1 powers to hold this president accountable, said Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas.)

Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, was disappointed the House would remain in session for two extra days this week to vote on the bills to defend other nations borders, to borrow money we dont have to send overseas, not to defend our borders and to do it with predominantly Democrat votes.

That is a major failure, a major disappointment, he said.

Related...
Entrepreneurship has been a key driver of Brad Chambers gubernatorial campaign  and he wants more of it in Indiana. (Photo from Chambers campaign)

A teen landscaping business mowing lawns and plowing snowy driveways made enough money that a young Brad Chambers got the entrepreneurship bug. He used the profits to buy his first rental property and launch a business venture as a sophomore in college.

Decades later, that enterprise, Buckingham Companies, has grown to a massive real estate portfolio that fuels Chambers bid for governor in the 2024 race after a two-year stint as the states secretary of commerce.

I was a determined student but I wasnt a natural student  and Im an experiential learner. And so doing it was fundamental to my life journey, Chambers said.

But an $8 million loan to his campaign hasnt translated to support in various polls, where U.S. Sen. Mike Braun consistently leads by double digits. But with many voters undecided, the race isnt over yet.

Chambers, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and Eric Doden round out the top candidates in the race to succeed the term-limited Gov. Eric Holcomb, with former Attorney General Curtis Hill and Jamie Reitenour trailing.

Though labeled the moderate candidate, Chambers emphasizes his conservative nature, saying hes voted with the party his entire life. And while a bipartisan group has encouraged Democrats to vote Republican and endorsed Chambers in the upcoming gubernatorial primary election, he said it hasnt changed his campaign.

Im speaking to the (Republican primary) voters in the state of Indiana  thats really what our message is focused on, Chambers said.

Entrepreneurship and a gubernatorial campaign

Chambers said his family emphasized the value of hard work early, part of the strong ag(ricultural) heritage passed down by his father and grandfather  who both grew up on farms.

That work ethic was further fueled by professors at Indiana University who encouraged his entrepreneurial drive.

But while his father and family friends exposed a young Chambers to entrepreneurship, he said the same isnt happening today to inspire the next generation of small business owners. The Kauffman Indicators of Entrepreneurship, he has noted, lists Indiana 44th in the nation for the percent of people employed by young firms.

Gubernatorial candidate and former Indiana Economic Development Corp. leader Brad Chambers speaks while on stage at the Dentons Legislative Conference on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Were chock full of really smart, innovative (and) creative people and we dont talk about it; we dont fertilize it, Chambers said. We dont support it in any way thats meaningful.

At a Fishers technology Internet of Things lab designed to cultivate innovation in March, Chambers further detailed plans to support Indiana businesses  including a proposal to create a new cabinet position geared toward entrepreneurs.

Eighty-five percent of the economy is made up of small- and medium-sized businesses, Chambers said, listing famous Hoosier entrepreneurs like Eli Lilly, the Simon brothers and Gene Glick We have great entrepreneurs in this state and we could have even more of them if we would just spend a little time and effort.

One ongoing effort overseen by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC)  which Chambers led for two years under Holcomb  would be Connect IND, which offers navigators to explore potential resources for entrepreneurs.

Another idea would be shoring up Innovate WithIN, a year-long program for high school students that culminates in a statewide pitch competition.

To learn more about Chambers stances on various issues, read the Indiana Capital Chronicles Q+As with the six Republican candidates for governor, which include: the economy, education, taxes and the environment.

Economic growth, fueled in part by entrepreneurship, is what will allow Indiana to invest in schools, reduce its Medicaid rolls and invest in law enforcement, he said.

Consistently, Chambers has said he believes that Indiana is great but could be even better  a distinction, he said, comes down to the economy and growing it in a way that benefits even the single mothers working two jobs.

Its unacceptable to me that our average wage is below U.S. average. Its unacceptable to me that a mom has to work two jobs. Its unacceptable to me that our (gross domestic product) is below U.S. average. Were not an average state, Chambers said.

Referencing his Play to Win economic proposals, he emphasized the need to attract high-paying jobs to grow wages  noting that the IEDC reported record-breaking wage growth and private investment during his time leading the quasi-public agency.

His opponents have frequently attacked the IEDC  and, by extension, Chambers  saying the entity spends too much of its time and funding going after top-tier companies, including the LEAP innovation district in Boone County.

But securing larger investments has invigorated some of Indianas smaller municipalities, he observed, including Kokomo, which was one of the nations three fastest dying cities in 2008, according to Forbes.

Today, with $11 billion of economic development investment under construction, its thriving, Chambers said. Two thousand new homes are being built. The Dairy Queens doing better (and) the dry cleaners are doing better  Kokomo, from 2008 to 2025 and 2025, has been transformed and is transforming.

A rising tide lifts all boats in these scenarios, he concluded.

Much of Kokomos growth comes from a combined $6.3 billion investment in battery manufacturing plants for electric vehicles.

As for LEAP, Chambers said that was an example of a long-term plan that will revitalize all of Indiana. Had Indiana been prepared with something like LEAP, it would have snagged Intels $20 billion investment that went to Ohio, he said.

State of the race

Despite having an approval rating of 69%, according to an April poll from State Affairs/Howey Politics Indiana, nearly all of Holcombs potential successors have frequently criticized his administrative actions  including his second-in-command, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch.

But Chambers hasnt taken that route, giving Holcombs leadership an A letter grade in a March 26 debate.

Chambers dismissed the criticisms as the actions of career politicians trying to score political points.

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Theyre talking points; its not real facts, Chambers said. I saw the things he got done and, by the way, that I got done. We broke records in economic development. We did more for entrepreneurship in my two years than had been done in prior history.

He called the actions of career politicians  an insult he has lobbed at other contenders, notably Braun  as a surprise in his first foray into politics.

I dont think they provide respect to the voters. Ive tried to roll out what were going to do through policy and tell the voters what we intend to do, Chambers said. Its an interesting journey  politics  but Im a business guy. I believe in this state and thats why Im running. This is a service job, to me. Not a career change.

But Chambers has modeled himself after former Gov. Mitch Daniels, who left his term as president of Purdue University to head its foundation at the end of 2022. In a March advertisement, Chambers labeled himself and Daniels as political outsiders.

He came from a business background and brought in a business problem-solving approach. Im not going to say Im going to be a Mitch Daniels governor, Im going to be a Brad Chambers governor. But thats the mold, Chambers said.

The post Entrepreneurship drives Chambers campaign for governor appeared first on Indiana Capital Chronicle.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Bowie High School seniors will learn about college life and meet the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) President Heather Wilson and El Paso Community College (EPCC) President William Serrata during the Operation College Bound event, EPCC announced in a press release.

The event will take place at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 23 at Bowie High School located at 801 S. San Marcial St.

EPCC says the Operation College Bound consists of a series of joint visits by enrollment representatives from both institutions to high schools across the region.

Seniors who have been accepted to UTEP or EPCC are invited to register for their first class, sign up for priority orientation and ask about the process of transitioning to college life. Families of students are also welcome, read the press release.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
General Martin Herem, Commander of Estonia's Defence Forces, firmly believes that if Russia launches an invasion in Estonia, his country will succeed in repelling it.

Source: Estonian public broadcaster ERR, citing Herem, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Herem explained that Estonia does not need to wait for NATO to arrive because the Alliance is already there.

"The current system is such that NATO is here and is not going anywhere and grows even bigger when there are signs of a threat," he said.

NATO has specific combat plans for the defence of Estonia, the Estonian general added.

"At present, we have specific people who come to Estonia, practice, and are ready to respond rapidly," said Herem.

The official noted that Estonia, Finland, and Sweden would immediately take control of the situation in the Baltic Sea should any potential aggression commence, and Russian forces entering Estonian territory would be stopped by infantry or tanks.

"And as for all those who would attempt to influence us from a distance of 50 or 100 kilometres, as is happening in Ukraine today, we will smash them to pieces. We would destroy them not in Rakvere or Narva [both in Estonia] but in [Russias] Ivangorod, Pechory or somewhere else," said Herem.

The general emphasised that he was adamant that Estonia would win militarily, but the looming concern is the potential toll this victory might take.

Background:

Earlier, Herem stated that in order to fulfil threats against NATO and the Baltic states in particular, Russia needs to implement several factors, the key one being putting an end to the war in Ukraine.

The general also said that NATO had underestimated Russia's ability to produce shells and replenish its forces.

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Polish farmers have intensified the blockade of the Ukrainian border. On April 18, they resumed blocking the Korczowa-Krakowiec and Medyka-Shehyni checkpoints. It is expected that only freight transport will be restricted - no complications are expected for the movement of cars and buses.

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This was reported by the State Border Guard Service. It is noted that

at the Krakivets checkpoint, the movement of trucks heading towards Ukraine is restricted;

in the direction of "Shehyni" - both to leave Poland and to enter.

"Polish farmers have resumed blocking the Korchova-Krakivets and Medyka-Shehyni checkpoints. According to available information, the protesters plan to block the traffic at Krakivets until 9:00 a.m. on April 20, and at Shehyni until 9:00 a.m. on April 19," the statement said.

It is also noted that as of the morning of April 18, about 1,500 trucks are waiting in queues in Poland in these directions to travel to Ukraine. However, no complications are expected for the movement of cars and buses.

Earlier, on April 16, the Poles stopped blocking the Dovhobychiv-Uhryniv crossing point. As of 14:45 on that day, a total of 100 trucks were queuing up to leave Ukraine at the checkpoint.

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In the opposite direction, to enter Ukraine from Poland, another 30 trucks with a gross vehicle weight of up to 7.5 tons were queued up. At the same time, the day before the blockade was lifted, the protesters at Uhryniv did not let a single truck from Ukraine to Poland through.

In general, Polish farmers plan to continue the blockade of the Ukrainian border at least until April 30. Before that, the strikers promised to end the protests in early March, but extended the blockade.

As OBOZ.UA reported, in late March, Ukraine and Poland held talks at the level of prime ministers. The topics included the blocking of the border by Polish farmers and trade in the agricultural sector. As a result, the parties agreed that Poland would issue licenses to Ukraine to import four types of agricultural crops into its territory.

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EU to introduce new sanctions against Iran after its attack on Israel, reiterates 'full' support for Ukraine

Missiles and UAV's are showed for the people on the side of the road in Tehran, Iran

EU leaders agreed on April 17 to implement new restrictions against Iran after its recent missile and drone attack on Israel.

The European Council in a statement released after the first day of a summit in Brussels condemned Iran's attack and expressed full solidarity with the people of Israel, reiterating its commitment to "Israel's security and regional stability."

Iran carried out a massive aerial attack on Israel on April 13 and launched 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles, and 120 ballistic missiles, the vast majority of which were downed by Israel and its allies before they even reached Israeli territory.

"The European Council calls on Iran and its proxies to cease all attacks and urges all parties to exercise the utmost restraint and to refrain from any action that may increase tensions in the region," an official statement read.

EU leaders also recalled their willingness to contribute to de-escalation and security in the Middle East.

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The participants of the summit also expressed their full support for Ukraine, condemning Russia's recent attacks against Ukraine's civilians and civilian and critical infrastructure, including in the energy sector.

The member states agreed on further providing Ukraine with humanitarian and civil protection assistance, including equipment such as power generators and power transformers.

EU leaders also urged to supply Ukraine with additional air defense systems, artillery ammunition, and missiles to help the country defend itself from Russian attacks that intensified recently.

The combination of drones and missiles launched at Israel is a familiar tactic for Ukrainians, who have suffered from Russia's daily bombardment since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones were reportedly among the weapons used in the attack on Israel. Russia frequently uses the same model to strike Ukrainian cities and villages all over the country.

Since the beginning of the all-out war, Iran has provided Russia with thousands of Shahed kamikaze drones and assisted with building a drone factory in Tatarstan, which was hit by Ukrainian forces in early April.

In February, Reuters also reported on Iran sending "a large number of powerful surface-to-surface ballistic missiles" to Russia to fuel the ongoing war.

Read also: Explainer: Irans cheap, effective Shahed drones and how Russia uses them in Ukraine

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European Union leaders agreed late on Wednesday on new sanctions targeting Iran for the direct attack on Israel.

The EU has decided "to put in place sanctions against Iran," European Council President Charles Michel told reporters in the early hours of Thursday morning after the first day of a two-day summit.

"The idea is to target the companies that are needed for the drones, for the missiles," he said. Further details are to be finalized, he added.

"The European Union will take further restrictive measures against Iran, notably in relation to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missiles," the EU leaders statement said.

The EU summit on Wednesday and Thursday was originally meant to focus on the bloc's economy and its competitiveness. But rising tensions in the Middle East pushed the economic discussion into the second day's agenda.

EU leaders appealed for calm as Israel weighed a response to the drone and missile attack from Iran on Saturday.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged Israel not to retaliate against Iran with a "massive attack of its own" on his arrival.

Scholz called on Israel to now use the successful defence against Iran's missile and drone attack "to strengthen its own position in the entire region." On this basis, "a corresponding military response would certainly not be appropriate," he said.

Iran said the drone and missile attacks were retaliation for the killing of high-ranking Iranian officers in a missile strike on Iran's embassy in Syria at the start of the month.

Sanctions may be imposed through a regime set up after Iran began supporting the Russian war on Ukraine by supplying Moscow with drones.

These sanctions banned the export of components used for the construction and production of unmanned aerial vehicles to Iran, and may be expanded to make it harder for Iran to produce missiles.

Calls from Israel to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the elite unit of the Iranian armed forces, as a terrorist organization are more difficult to meet.

The IRGC would first have to be prosecuted by a national authority for terrorist activities under EU law to prompt this sanction. Scholz said however a recent court ruling in the EU, concerning the activities of the IRGC, is being examined by EU officials.

This could open the way to a terrorist designation for the IRGC, Scholz said. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said his country would support sanctions on the IRGC.

As well as the Middle East, EU leaders also discussed Ukraine's need for air defence weapons with the country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who joined the meeting by videocall.

In his address to EU leaders, Zelensky called for greater support against Russian air assaults.

He drew a comparison between the support Israel received where US, French, and British jets helped shoot down Iranian drones and missiles and the help, or lack thereof, that Ukraine receives against Russian bombardment.

"Here in Ukraine, in our part of Europe, unfortunately, we do not have the level of defence that we all saw in the Middle East a few days ago," he said. "Our Ukrainian sky and the sky of our neighbours deserve the same security," he added.

The EU leaders' statement "underlines the need to urgently provide air defence to Ukraine and to speed up and intensify the delivery of all the necessary military assistance, including artillery ammunition and missiles."

Germany has already delivered two Patriot surface-to-air missile systems to Ukraine and will deliver one more, Scholz said.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the Netherlands and Denmark are working together to provide F16 fighter jets.

"We know that we have to do more than we have been doing so far to support Ukraine now. This applies in particular to all the air defence capabilities that are required," Scholz said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (L) and European Council President Charles Michel attend the Special European Council meeting in Brussels. Dario Pignatelli/European Council/dpa

(L-R) President of France Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte, and Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis attend the Special European Council meeting in Brussels. -/European Council/dpa

King of Belgium Philippe (C) poses for a group photo with European leaders during a reception on the occasion of the Special European Council meeting. Dario Pignatelli/European Council /dpa
The European Union has proposed a freedom of movement-style deal for young Europeans to appeal to a future Labour government.

The youth mobility scheme would allow Europeans aged 18 to 30 to come to Britain for up to four years to work, travel and study. It could pave the way for thousands of European waiters, baristas and au pairs to plug gaps in the British workforce.

Britons would also be able to take part in the reciprocal scheme by moving to the continent under the deal, proposed by the European Commission on Thursday.

Maros Sefcovic, the EUs Brexit negotiator, said: The United Kingdoms withdrawal from the European Union has hit young people in the EU and the UK who would like to study, work and live abroad particularly hard.

Today, we take the first step towards an ambitious but realistic agreement between the EU and the UK that would fix this issue. Our aim is to rebuild human bridges between young Europeans on both sides of the Channel.

The offer would probably appeal to Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, who has signalled that he would seek closer ties with the EU if his party wins the election.

Youth mobility schemes

The Home Office has also engaged in discussions with some EU countries after being asked by Rishi Sunaks Downing Street to agree more youth mobility schemes.

The UK already has reciprocal schemes with 10 non-EU countries including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan and Iceland.

They allow those eligible to travel and work in Britain without needing a sponsor or meeting other requirements, such as salary thresholds, without significantly contributing to net migration.

The European Commission said it was making the offer of an EU-wide deal because the UK had already spoken with a number of member states to discuss youth mobility. If a deal is reached, it would be Brussels first youth mobility treaty with a third country.

Under the blocs offer, Britain would have to agree to equal treatment on tuition and visa fees, and healthcare surcharges.

In an online Q&A of its proposals, the EU makes it clear that the scheme would not replace existing paths to obtaining visas and that either side would have the ability to reject applications because of threats to public security and health.

It is unlikely that negotiations will get under way immediately, with the EUs 27 member states still required to agree on the Commissions proposal.

The forthcoming European Parliament elections and general election are also likely to act as stumbling blocks to the talks beginning.

Failed Brexit project

Industry leaders and Remain campaigners have been pushing for an EU-wide visa scheme to make it easier for young Britons to travel and work in the bloc, and vice-versa.

This landmark intervention is a welcome acknowledgement of the immense impact that Brexit has had, not only on young Brits but young Europeans as well, Naomi Smith, the chief executive of Best for Britain, said of the EU offer. The UK Government must now respond in kind.

Until a reciprocal EU-UK youth mobility scheme is formalised, our young people will continue to be robbed of the irreplaceable formative experiences their parents and older siblings enjoyed, because of a failed Brexit project they did not vote for.

Charles Owen, of Seasonal Business in Travel, said: A reciprocal youth mobility scheme is a win-win for both Europe and the UK, and in particular for struggling businesses suffering from chronic labour shortages, made worse by Brexit.

Momentum is building to get this deal done and we implore the prime minister to talk to Industry and prepare for the upcoming negotiations appropriately. This is a serious economic and cultural opportunity for all.

A Labour spokesperson said: This is a proposal from the EU Commission to EU member states, not to the UK. It has come about because the UK government is reportedly approaching other European countries to try to establish mobility arrangements.

Labour has no plans for a youth mobility scheme. We have already suggested some tangible ways that we would look to improve the relationship and deliver for British businesses and consumers, including seeking a veterinary agreement to tackle trade barriers, mutual recognition of professional qualifications and improved touring opportunities for artists.

A Labour Government would seek to improve the UKs working relationship with the EU within our red lines - no return to the single market, customs union or free movement.

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.
By Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The European Union sees signs that China is supplying components to Russia that could be used to make weapons, and fears China could be emboldened to increase shipments if the West's resolve to oppose Russia's war in Ukraine weakens, a top EU official said on Thursday.

Valdis Dombrovskis, executive vice president of the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, said he was meeting with U.S. lawmakers during his visit to Washington to underscore the importance of approving long-delayed U.S. aid to Ukraine.

U.S. officials briefed reporters last week on materials China was providing to Russia -- including drone and missile technology, satellite imagery and machine tools -- that fall short of providing lethal assistance but were helping Russia build up its military to sustain its two-year-old war in Ukraine.

Dombrovskis told a Council on Foreign Relations event that the EU was working with the United States to crack down on evasion of sanctions against Russia, but gave no details.

He said the EU had concerns about China's actions regarding Ukraine, particularly recent indications that it was shipping components to Russia.

"We see that China is sitting on the fence and looking how to use this situation to its advantage, but unfortunately, recently, we also see signs of China actually supplying components, all kinds of equipment to Russia."

He said the equipment involved dual-use items, not actual weapons, but the actions showed how important it was to shore up Western resolve to support Ukraine.

He said that if the West "is not showing the necessary resolve in stopping this Russian aggression, putting sanctions on Russia, providing all necessary support to Ukraine ... it's very dangerous and it will have very negative consequences."

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to raise similar concerns during his upcoming visit to China, a State Department spokesperson said this week.

The U.S. has warned China not to aid Moscow's war effort since Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which came just weeks after Russia and China declared a "no limits partnership."

A Chinese embassy spokesperson has said that China is not a party to the Ukraine crisis and that normal trade between China and Russia should not be interfered with or restricted.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Leslie Adler)
(Bloomberg) -- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pressured other European Union leaders to send more Patriot air-defense systems to Ukraine as Russia escalates missile and drone strikes on energy infrastructure and urban centers.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Speaking to reporters after an informal meeting of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday, Scholz said Germany will send a third Patriot system to Ukraine and that another six should follow soon from other member states, which he didnt identify.

I hope that everyone will complete their opinion-forming process as quickly as possible because time is also of the essence, Scholz said. Weve heard there should be another seven now.

In addition to the Patriot system, Germany will deliver more IRIS-T and Skynex air defense systems to Kyiv with the accompanying ammunition.

Germany has become the biggest supporter in Europe of Ukraines efforts to defend itself against Russias full-scale military invasion. Scholz has repeatedly urged fellow EU leaders to step up their support particularly amid delays in aid and weapons deliveries from the US.

Ukraine is struggling to fend off military pressure from Russia in the face of a lack of ammunition and with a $61 billion US aid package stuck in Congress. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has been calling for more air defense systems to be sent to Ukraine as Kremlin troops exploit the countrys weakness to step up missile attacks on power stations, electricity grid and residential areas across the country.

Read more: Germany to Give Ukraine Another Patriot Anti-Missile System

The situation is very, very grave and we have to send them what they ask for, which is ammunition and air defense, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas told reporters earlier at the summit on Thursday. We just cant afford that Ukraine is losing the war or the whole security situation in Europe is in grave danger.

Germany has launched an appeal to collect Patriots for Ukraine and other air defense systems, including Samp/Ts, Nasams, Hawks and Iris-Ts.

In a joint letter sent to NATO allies this week and seen by Bloomberg, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that recent Russian attacks on vital energy infrastructure have caused greater destruction than in the winter of 2022. Given the situation that Ukraine is faced with, they are a matter of great urgency, they said of the aid.

EUs foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also urged Group of Seven ministers to act quickly on air defense to Ukraine, where the power system will be destroyed by Russian attacks as the invasion ordered by President Vladimir Putin entered its third year.

Western countries, Japan, Canada, the US, Europe, have to take quicker decisions in order to support Ukraine more because we cannot afford Putins victory, Borrell said.

(Updates Scholz quote starting in the third paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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The EU summit considers it urgent to provide Ukraine with additional air defence systems and has called on member states to expedite the delivery of all necessary military assistance, including artillery shells and missiles.

Source: European Pravda, citing the conclusions of the first day of the EU summit on 17 April

In their conclusions, supported by all 27 EU leaders, the European Council strongly condemned Russia's air and missile attacks against the civilian population and civilian and critical infrastructure in Ukraine, including recent intensified attacks on the energy sector.

"The European Council underlines the need to urgently provide air defence to Ukraine and to speed up and intensify the delivery of all the necessary military assistance, including artillery ammunition and missiles. It calls on the Council, notably at its upcoming meeting, and on Member States to ensure the necessary follow-up," the text reads.

Leaders pledged that the EU and its member states will step up humanitarian assistance and civil protection assistance, including equipment such as generators and power transformers.

Charles Michel, President of the European Council, who chaired the summit, stated that in his address, Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked the Europeans to help convince the United States to expedite arms shipments and funding for Ukraine's economy.

Michel said leaders agreed that Europe should also assist Ukraine more quickly. "This is not a question of months, its a question of days and weeks. Its very important that we deliver on our promises," he told the media after the meeting.

Background:

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for increased military aid to Ukraine, particularly with regard to air defence, in an address to EU leaders who had gathered for the summit in Brussels on 17 April.

Zelenskyy reminded the participants about the Russian attack on Chernihiv, which claimed the lives of at least 17 people.

Earlier, the German Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence, Annalena Baerbock and Boris Pistorius, announced a global initiative to search for additional air defence assets for Ukraine in a letter to dozens of countries.

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On the eve of 4/20, marijuana criminal charges are declining in NC

Possessing marijuana remains illegal in North Carolina, except on Cherokee tribal land.

But that wont prevent people here from celebrating 420, the not-legal pot holiday that falls on Saturday, April 20, this year.

So what are the chances of 420 participants  or anyone else at any other time  getting arrested for possessing, selling or distributing marijuana in the state?

Maybe much lower than ever.

State law enforcement agencies issued almost 18,000 felony and misdemeanor marijuana related charges in fiscal year 2023, according to an analysis of state court data from the NC Administrative Office of the Courts for fiscal years 2013 to 2023 of cases filed in district courts.

Thats at least a 10-year low  63% lower than a peak in 2018 when about 49,000 were issued.

NC marijuana charges by the numbers

Further analysis of the data shows:

The most common marijuana charge  possession of up to a half ounce, a misdemeanor  reached a 10-year low of just under 5,000 charges in 2023, a 76% decline from the 2014 peak of 20,800 charges.

The misdemeanor charge of possessing marijuana paraphernalia reached a 10-year low too, with almost 7,600 charges in 2023, dropping 69% from about 24,000 charges in 2018.

Officials issued almost 1,800 felony charges in 2023 for possession of marijuana with intent to sell or deliver, down 63% from 2013 when about 4,800 charges were filed.

Felony possession charges also declined but at a smaller rate. In 2023, there were 668 charges, down 28% from 2019 with 926 charges. However, the 2023 figure is 12% more than 10 years ago when 596 charges were made.

Among the top five most populous North Carolina counties, all had significant declines in felony and misdemeanor marijuana charges from 2013 to 2023: Wake reported 44% fewer charges; Mecklenburg, 73%; Guilford, 70%; Forsyth, 29%; and Cumberland, 53%.

Almost two-thirds of misdemeanor charges are dismissed, according to a News & Observer analysis of court data from 2017 to 2021. Only 18% were found found guilty as charged.

Racial disparities in marijuana arrests?

The data do not provide demographics such as race/ethnicity, age or gender. But the 2020 North Carolina Task Force For Racial Equity in Criminal Justice noted racial disparities in marijuana arrests. It recommended decriminalizing marijuana possession in small amounts and further study of legalizing marijuana possession. A 2023 report made similar recommendations.

Unavailability of detailed court data from the state of Administration of Courts makes it impossible for The News & Observer to independently assess if the disparity still exists.

NC follows national trends

Nationally, theres a similar pattern of declining marijuana-related criminal charges and convictions.

The number of federal offenders sentenced for simple possession of marijuana has declined steadily from more than 2,000 in fiscal year 2014 to 145 in fiscal year 2021, according to a 2023 report from the United States Sentencing Commission.

Marijuana is now legal for recreational use in 24 states and the District of Columbia, according to the latest data compiled by the National Conference of State Legislatures. Another 15 states have a comprehensive medical marijuana program.

A Pew Research survey released March 26 of 5,140 Americans found that almost 9 in 10 think that marijuana should be legal for either medical use or medical and recreational use, with approval varying depending on race/ethnicity, age and political affiliation. For example, 94% of those who identify as Democrats said marijuana should be legal medically and/or recreationally, compared to 82% of Republicans.

A time of change in North Carolina?

Possessing, selling or smoking of marijuana remains illegal.

However, following the federal authorization of hemp production and consumption nationwide in 2018, North Carolina law allows for the sale of any cannabis product sourced from hemp that has less than a 0.3% delta-9 THC concentration.

These products, typically sold as lotions, capsules and oils, contain the CBD (cannabidiol) compound found in marijuana but do not produce a high.

Last year, the state Senate passed the Compassionate Care Act, which would have allowed medical uses of marijuana for people with certain health conditions. The bill did not pass the House.

But the legislature is scheduled to convene for this years short session April 24. And marijuana legalization may again be on its agenda, The News & Observer has reported.

Which cannabis substances are legal and illegal in NC? Heres how they compare

Legal or illegal? How NCs cannabis laws are impacting the criminal system

How does legal hemp impact employer drug testing in NC? Heres what to know
The High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) has approved the imposition of a sanction in the form of asset confiscation on former "Motor Sich" head Viacheslav Bohuslaiev. A similar ruling was made against Petro Kononenko, a former company's top manager. In total, almost one billion hryvnias of assets were recovered for the benefit of the state of Ukraine, including the rights of "The Motor Bank", "Motor Garant", and Vinnytsia Aviation Plant.

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Thus, the HACC upheld the claim of the Ministry of Justice, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine reported. According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the following assets were confiscated:

UAH 600 million;

11 real estate objects , 5 of which are land plots;

, 5 of which are land plots; shares in the authorized capital of 11 companies with a capital of UAH 367.3 million and other assets.

The confiscation permit, in particular, applies to the corporate rights of "Motor Bank", "Motor Garant" Insurance Company, and Vinnytsia Aviation Plant, Inna Bahatykh, Director of the Sanctions Policy Department of the Ministry of Justice, also posted on Facebook. The official's page has been closed, but the media have access to her post.

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"The High Anti-Corruption Court has just satisfied the claim of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine to impose a sanction in the form of asset forfeiture on Bohuslaiev and Kononenko," said Bahatykh. According to the representative of the Ministry of Justice, the HACC refused to confiscate "certain assets of third parties". The Ministry of Justice will appeal this decision.

Earlier, the court extended the arrest of Bohuslaev and his accomplice. They will be held without bail until June 10, 2024.

Bohuslaiev was detained in October 2022 together with the head of the company's foreign economic activity department. The Security Service of Ukraine reported that after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, the former head of "Motor Sich" financed the so-called DNR by paying taxes and fees to the budget of the self-proclaimed republic.

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According to the agency, Bohuslaiev cooperated with a Ukrainian company that had been under the control of the DNR since 2014 and was working on the supply of aircraft components to the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex. During the searches, law enforcement officers found more than two dozen medals, certificates, and honorary awards presented to the ex-president of "Motor Sich" by Russian military and political leadership representatives.

Bohuslaiev and his accomplice are accused of collaboration, assistance to the aggressor state, and assistance to a terrorist organization  Part 4 of Art. 111-1, Art. 111-2, Part 1 of Art. 258-3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The former president of Motor Sich JSC is also charged with obstructing the activities of military formations during a special period  Part 1 of Article 114-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

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Welcome back to Everythings Political, Capital Bs news, culture, and politics newsletter! Every Thursday, Ill take a look at recent stories that seem particularly noteworthy.

Heres what Ive got for you this week.

Black Dissent Under Siege in the Deep South

Exactly 60 years ago this month, organizers in Mississippi  including Fannie Lou Hamer, Ella Baker, Bob Moses, and James W. Wright  founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP). Its ambition was twofold: to shine a light on the rot consuming the states Democratic Party, which barred Black Americans from participating in its primary elections, and to fuel Black political participation.

While the MFDP unraveled after only a few years, Ive been thinking about it a lot this week, specifically its legacy of Black dissent. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a case out of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals involving DeRay Mckesson, a prominent Black Lives Matter figure. The high courts refusal to step in struck a major blow to the right to mass protest.

After the 2016 killing of Alton Sterling, Mckesson was sued by a police officer who was seriously injured at a demonstration in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and claimed that Mckesson, who led the rally, ought to be held responsible. By not intervening, the court is letting stand the 5th Circuits decision that penalizes an organizer if an attendee at a mass protest does something illegal  and is potentially muzzling the voices of people in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas who might want to spearhead a rally and draw attention to injustice.

Its also hard not to notice the hypocrisy that the Supreme Court justices seem to be treating the Jan. 6 rioters differently from a Black Lives Matter protester.

You can read my story from earlier this week on the future of Black political power in Mississippi here.

New York v. Donald J. Trump

The first-ever criminal trial of a former president kicked off this week, when defendant Donald Trump entered a Manhattan courtroom on Monday. The trial springs from allegations that he was involved in a hush-money scheme.

For many Black Americans, this is the start of a watershed moment. Trump also faces charges in a number of other cases, including one out of Fulton County, Georgia, that involves allegations of election subversion. While Trump has mischaracterized the cases hes caught as racism in reverse  several of the lead prosecutors are Black  these cases will reveal lots about our countrys criminal justice system and whether accountability truly exists for Trump, whos upended the lives of countless Black Americans.

I wont even introduce myself by my name anymore, Ruby Freeman, a Black poll worker in Georgia targeted by Trump, said in a 2022 testimony to the Jan. 6 committee. Ive lost my sense of security, all because a group of people starting with [Trump] and his ally Rudy Giuliani decided to scapegoat me and my daughter Shaye to push their own lies about how the presidential election was stolen.

Exhausting political pageantry comes with anything involving Trump, yes. But itd be rash to tune out of this moment. The stakes are too high.

War on DEI Shakes Up College Campus

Gutted. Thats how Duke University senior Drew Greene described his reaction to the recent news that the school is ending its Reginaldo Howard Memorial Scholarship Program, created for the top applicants of African descent. The move is a direct result of the U.S. Supreme Courts decision last year to strike down affirmative action in higher education. For many, the program was about more than just scholarship  it was also about kinship. Its given me not only a community, Greene said, but a group of friends, a group of academic peers that I enjoy spending time with.

Dukes axing of the program, which comes as the NAACP joins a lawsuit against anti-diversity legislation in Arkansas, reminded me of something Bryan Cook, the director of higher education policy in the Center on Education Data and Policy at the Urban Institute, told me last year. He warned that eviscerating affirmative action would affect more than enrollment numbers.

Even the environments that exist, particularly on selective campuses, that provide some semblance of cultural comfort for minority students are under attack, he said. Its not just that we could start having less racial and ethnic diversity at schools. For those who are there, the campus experience could start to become very different.

Clearly, Cook was right.

A Historic Settlement in Maryland

It was a departure from the demoralizing voting rights news thats everywhere these days. The small Maryland town of Federalsburg settled a voting rights lawsuit this month not only by agreeing to apologize for its history of racism but also by pledging to acknowledge Black contributions to the local community.

At issue was Federalsburgs voting system, which the lawsuit said bolstered a white stranglehold on municipal power by diluting the strength of Black voters  by denying them an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice. After the system was changed last year, Federalsburg, which is 43% Black, elected its first Black representatives.

Striking, at least to me, about the lawsuit was that it zoomed in on Section 2 of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965, which protects against racial vote dilution. This focus illuminated Section 2s growing importance over the past decade. In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court defanged Section 5, which had mandated that states with histories of racial discrimination receive federal approval before changing their voting policies. Without this backstop, individual citizens and civil rights groups have had to increasingly rely on Section 2 to safeguard the ballot box.

This use of the provision is poised for a Supreme Court showdown, where several justices appear eager to gut it. But at least for now, its brought a 200-year-old Maryland town closer to achieving fair representation.

Americas Starting Five

For more than half a century, the Democratic Party has been Black Americans political home. The Republican Party, however, seems determined to change that. The latest effort: a media venture from U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina.

Titled Americas Starting Five, the weekly video series also features four other Black Republicans  Reps. Byron Donalds of Florida, Burgess Owens of Utah, John James of Michigan, and Wesley Hunt of Texas  discussing politics, race, and the 2024 election. In the first episode, Scott noted, archly, Here are four non-Black, Black people. He was making a dig at a comment President Joe Biden made in 2020, when he said that Black Americans who dont know the difference between him and former President Donald Trump aint really Black. The series hopes to bring into the GOP the four out of 10 of us [who] aint Black enough for Joe Biden, as Scott put it.

Will it work? Im no prognosticator, but Im skeptical. Many Black voters are frustrated with Biden, as I reported earlier this year, but the overwhelming majority disdain Trump. And it isnt clear whether Scott, whos often an object of ridicule to Black voters, can really widen his partys tent. Or as Todd Shaw, an associate professor of political science and African American studies at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, put it to me last year, Theres just a lot Scott would have to do in order for the Republican Party to be appealing to a larger segment of the Black community.

Jaw still on the floor from the positive voting rights news,

Brandon Tensley

The post Everythings Political, Including Your Voice appeared first on Capital B News.
PAW PAW, Mich. (WOOD)  The former Hartford police chief, who stepped down after a raid of her department in 2022, has pleaded to drug charges.

Tressa Beltran pleaded guilty Thursday to two felonies: delivery or possession of a controlled substance and using a computer to commit a crime, a release from the Attorney Generals Office said.

Under the terms of a plea deal, the prosecutor is seeking a minimum sentence of two years to three years, four months. The maximum penalty for both counts is 20 years. Sentencing is scheduled for June 24.

Former Hartford police chief charged for drugs, extortion

She was required to surrender her state law enforcement license, ensuring she can never be employed as a police officer in the State of Michigan again, the release from the AGs Office said.

Beltran had already resigned as chief of the Hartford Police Department in January 2023.

Search warrants show that in the summer of 2022, the Van Buren County Sheriffs Office got a tip that Beltran was stealing narcotics. So investigators left two marked bottles of hydrocodone in a drug disposal box at the police department. When they returned to collect the boxs contents, the documents said, they found that a number of pills from the marked bottles were gone. Investigators raided the department on June 30, 2022. They said they found several prescription bottles and loose hydrocodone pills in Beltrans purse and that she admitted she was stealing drugs from the disposal box and using them.

She was initially charged with nine criminal counts.

Man who provided drugs sues former Hartford police chief, city

Beltran is now being sued by a man who said he gave her pain pills because she threatened to make his life a living hell if he didnt. He was on parole at the time and said he was prescribed the the pills after a leg injury. The lawsuit claims Beltran violated his rights, and that the city failed to properly train, supervise and discipline her.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WLNS)  After more than an hour of closed session meeting Wednesday night, the Township Treasurer made the motion to authorize township counsel and Trustee [Kathy Ann] Sundland and Trustee [Peter] Trezise to negotiate terms of a resignation agreement and consultation agreement with Frank Walsh.

The move came after more than an hour of continued closed-session meeting that began Tuesday night. Officials met behind closed for three and half hours Tuesday to discuss a personnel matter, before recessing the meeting until Wednesday night.

6 News learned the meeting was related to Township Manager Frank Walsh, his job performance, and the findings of a months-long investigation into complaints about his management practices and distribution of cash from the employee wellness and recognition dollars. The investigation also reviewed claims Walshs use of township resources to benefit his consulting business were also reviewed by the investigator.

After the unanimous vote, Walsh spoke with 6 News. He says his consulting contract will be fulfilled from his home office and occasionally at the township offices. But hes uncertain what the consulting will be, exactly.

Its still yet to be defined, but it will be a major role with the Township and Im pleased that the board took the time to to study the issues and and everything thats out there and decided that I still had a lot of value to the Township, he tells 6 News. Im proud of that.

Under his contract with the Township, Walsh is paid $160,823 a year plus benefits. If he resigned on his own, he would get nothing. However, if he resigns from his position because a majority of the Board of Trustees demanded it, he is eligible for one years salary plus any unpaid vacation and leave days.

Frank Walsh  Meridian Township Manager. (Photo: Meridian Twp.)

Meridian Township Treasurer Phil Deschaine. (Photo Courtesy Meridian Township)

Scott Hendrickson, Meridian Township Supervisor Pro Tem (Photo: Meridian Twp.)

(Photo Courtesy Meridian Township)

The terms of the resignation deal and contracting agreement will be the subject of a special meeting on Sunday, April 21, 2024, at 10 a.m.

More on this story

For the first time since 6 News began releasing the results of an extensive investigation into Walsh and the outside legal investigation Monday, Walsh spoke on camera.

He denied he used Township resources to benefit his personal business.

In no way did I operate my business out of the Township office. I wouldnt do that. I have my home office. I have a home computer and I have my own cell phone for the business. It was not conducted in this office, he says. There were three or four or five zoom calls that occurred with the permission from the supervisor Styka, and thats that. So, this I was profiting from my business in the Township office simply isnt the case and I just want to thank everyone thats been involved. Ive had a great eleven years here. I love this place.

Former Township Supervisor Ron Styka died suddenly in February of 2022.

6 News investigation revealed Walsh was using township resources and time to conduct his consulting work well after Stykas passing.

Walsh himself told 6 News by email that 99% of consulting work was conducted on his own equipment, time, and locations.

Walsh owns and operates Walsh Municipal Services, LLC. The business helps municipal governments across Michigan conduct searches for candidates for executive-level positions in government.

6 News confirmed with three municipalities WMS had performed searches for. Among them, more than $13,000 was paid to WMS. That was just 3 of the 17 municipal searches conducted by Walsh and WMS in 2023.

His contract allows him to conduct an unlimited number of these searches but requires him to notify the township manager of his activities.

Walsh has been the township manager since 2013.

After the Boards vote, Township Supervisor Pro Tem Scott Hendrickson read the following statement into the record.

We are grateful for our employees and the publics patience with regard to the time we have spent to consider the matters before us. We appreciate the managers service to the Township and his service to our residents. The decision to move forward in this way was reached on a mutual basis and we appreciate Mr. Walshs professionalism and willingness to put the Township first. We believe that the actions taken here and over the next several weeks represent the best possible solution for the Township, our employees, and our residents. Meridian Township Supervisor Pro Tem Scott Hendrickson statement April 17, 2024

The Meridian Township Municipal Building (WLNS)

2013 Ethics agreement signed by Frank Walsh. (WLNS)

2013 Ethics agreement signed by Frank Walsh, page 2 (WLNS)

Meridian Township Municipal Building welcome sign. (WLNS)

Meridian Township Board of Trustees. (WLNS)

Meridian Township Manager Frank Walsh waiting outside the Municipal buildings Town Hall room Tuesday night. (WLNS)

Meridian Township Manager Frank Walshs office at the Township Municipal Building. The photo was taken after he was asked to joined the Township Board in a closed session. (WLNS)

The closed doors of the Meridian Township Municipal Buildings Township Townhall Room April 16, 2024. (WLNS)

Frank Walsh contract. (WLNS)

Frank Walsh contract (WLNS)

Editors Note

This report is part of an extensive investigation by 6 News. It involved numerous confidential sources and thousands of pages of public documents. The investigation stems from dissatisfaction employees and residents of Meridian Township have had over an investigation being conducted by an outside law firm into allegations and concerns over Walshs manager practices from human resources activity to the handling of township dollars.

All of the sources who spoke to 6 News for this reporting were granted anonymity because they fear retaliation from Walsh and they remain actively involved at the township. 6 News relied on sources verifying information provided, often independently of one other, as well as cross-referencing with thousands of pages of documents.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.
After Wednesday's lunch break, Assistant State Attorney Toby Hunt told the court his office had received a letter from Dr. Harry Krop regarding Neely Rayne Pesognellie Petrie Blanchard, the self-described sovereign citizen who is standing trial this week, charged with the shooting death of Christopher Hallett.

In the letter, Krop said Blanchard is incompetent to proceed at trial. Hunt said the state had an obligation to let the court know about this latest development.

The prosecutor said that, with no specifics or context of Krop's analysis, he wanted the state expert, Dr. Jason Demery, to examine Blanchard.

Calling it "unforeseen" and an "unusual situation," Circuit Judge Lisa Herndon ordered an evaluation for Blanchard. At that point, the judge dismissed the 13-member jury, which includes one alternate, for the day and told them to report back Thursday morning.

Competency hearing

About three hours later, Demery and Krop were available for a competency hearing.

Assistant State Attorneys Amy Berndt and Toby Hunt

Appearing via Zoom, Krop, a clinical psychologist, told the court he has met with Blanchard close to a dozen times since her arrest. Krop, who's expected to be an expert witness for the defense, said he met with Blanchard on April 11 and April 16. An associate familiar with Blanchard met h her on April 14 because he was unable to attend.

Krop said Blanchard has difficulty staying focused and he thinks she's incompetent to represent herself. Blanchard's competency has never been an issue until now. Asked if he thinks Blanchard may be malingering, he said no.

Krop told Assistant State Attorney Amy Berndt, the other lawyer prosecuting the case, that Blanchard is nervous and scared about being her own lawyer. Krop said since April 11, he has not seen any evidence of Blanchard informing jail officials she has mental issues.

Questioned further about Blanchard's state of mind, Krop told the court she has talked about being targeted. She has said that lawyers representing her have been killed and has compared herself with former President Donald Trump.

But Dr. James Demery, a psychologist and neuro-psychologist testifying for the state, said Blanchard is competent to continue standing trial. Demery said Blanchard talked about prosecutors making mistakes during her trial and she believes she's doing well. He said she can make a closing argument.

The judge said despite Krop's concern, Blanchard is competent to continue with the trial. Blanchard didn't object to the judge's ruling.

About the shooting

Blanchard is charged with first-degree murder with a firearm in Hallett's death. The shooting occurred at Hallett's Marion Oaks residence in November 2020.

Hallett fled to Georgia, where she was detained by law enforcement officials. She later was returned to Marion County and has been locked up at the county jail.

The 37-year-old Pensacola woman was upset that Hallett wasn't able to get her children back from state officials who had removed them, according to the prosecution.

Neely Raye Pesognellie Petrie Blanchard

Blanchard was staying at Hallett's home when she shot and killed him, according to court testimony. A woman and a girl were at the home at the time of the shooting. The girl, now an adult, testified she witnessed Blanchard shoot Hallett once.

Sheriff's deputies were called and found the witnesses. Deputies were able to track Blanchard using pings from her cellphone to Georgia.

Blanchard crying

During Wednesday's court session, Blanchard was emotional.

In her opening statement on Tuesday, Blanchard spoke glowingly of Hallett, calling him her mentor and friend who was in the courtroom with her, which gave her peace. She added that she was fighting for Hallett, his legacy, and for her life.

Hunt played a recording in court where Blanchard accused Hallett of betraying her and her reason for fatally shooting him.

Blanchard openly cried while listening to the recording. In the recording, Blanchard said she believed Hallett was part of a human sex trafficking ring taking advantage of children.

"I had to stop Christopher Hallett," she said.

According to the recording, Blanchard said she tried calling 911 from her phone to let them know what was happening, but the phone was blocked.

Blanchard said E-Clause, a company formed by Hallett to reunite children with their families taken by state officials, was not helping her and she had to do something. In Tuesday's testimony, it was revealed that Blanchard had been working with Hallett for three years.

Blanchard said in the recording that she didn't just shoot Hallett, she prayed about it. Blanchard said she did not know how many times she shot Hallett.

Berndt gave Blanchard a box of tissues. The judge took a break so Blanchard could compose herself.

Blanchard emotional a second time

Blanchard was emotional a second time when her sister, Savannah Hendricks, was on the witness stand.

Answering Berndt's questions, Hendricks said Blanchard has three children and they were removed from her sister's care.

Circuit Judge Lisa Herndon speaks to Neely Raye Pesognellie Petrie Blanchard in court.

Hendricks said not long after her sister's children were taken from her, she got involved with the sovereign citizen and QAnon fringe movements. The woman said several months before Hallett's murder, Blanchard told her that Hallett had been lying to her.

At one point, Hendricks said, her sister thought she and her mother had sent Blanchard's children to Hallett. Blanchard's mother has custody of two of Blanchard's three children, according to testimony.

On cross-examination, Blanchard asked her sister if their relationship had been strained. Most of the questions posed by Blanchard to her sister were personal, which Berndt objected to because they were not relevant to the case.

The sisters cried during the exchange.

Blanchard did ask her sister if she had been threatened, and she said yes, when Blanchard was arrested. Blanchard, who's older, asked her sister if she's afraid of someone and she said no.

Is there a lawyer in the house?

Before jurors were called into the courtroom, Blanchard told the court she's concerned about her trial and the direction of her case. She said her children need her and requested a lawyer.

The judge told her she had an attorney and she chose not to keep him. Blanchard said her previous counsel, Jack Maro, was not acting in her best interest and therefore she had no choice but to terminate his services.

Hunt told the judge Blanchard could have had a public defender, but she declined the offer. He said the trial has started and it's too late for her to ask for a lawyer.

The judge told Blanchard she has to live with her choice and must obey the rules of the court. Since Monday's jury selection, the judge or prosecutors had to repeatedly caution Blanchard about remaining on task. The judge has excluded motions filed by third parties for Blanchard.

Citing case law, the judge told Blanchard she had to continue representing herself as they're at "a critical stage" of the trial. The judge told Blanchard she thinks she's trying to use asking for an attorney as a ploy to delay the trial and they're moving ahead.

Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Ocala Florida murder trial continues; defendant's mental state questioned
The landscape of pediatrics is deteriorating rapidly in the Southeast United States as political attacks on gender-diverse youth persist. I write as a witness who has experienced how healthcare organizations are willing to cater to extremists trying to eradicate gender-affirming care.

The night the first tweet went out from the American Accountability Foundation, a known extremist group working to expose gender care providers, I knew it would be trouble. They were fixated on one point: the age of the youngest patient at their first visit. They falsely conflated this fact with hormone use, incorrectly suggesting that 4-year-old children were receiving hormones. From there, Elon Musk detonated the situation with an inflammatory tweet that misrepresented the abstract. Ignoring the social capital he possesses, he amplified the disinformation.

OPED elon musk irresponsible tweets medical student fleeing south carolina learn practice gender affirming care

Shutterstock

With that tweet, a social media hellstorm broke loose. Not even a full day later, administrators demanded I turn over files as state legislators pressured them. It was left to me, a student, to tell them I would not turn over data as they placed their careers above data security and my federally protected educational materials.

Nancy Mace, the sitting congresswoman for the SC-01 district, sought to weaponize the social media frenzy to take shots at her opponent, a local pediatrician with no involvement in gender care. The self-proclaimed voice of reason for the Republican party continued to throw aside science to advance her own career. This attention not only promoted a false narrative about gender care practices, but it continued to place all of us who were involved at risk. We met with security, local police, and personal legal counsel to try and keep us out of harms way.

While the political backlash was distressing, it did not come unexpectedly. The lack of institutional support students, staff, and patients received during the process was disheartening. It was unnerving to see a state-wide medical institution entirely cast aside children whose families sought evidence-based care for political gain. At this point, I knew it was time for me to leave my home state.

The recent politicization of certain healthcare services has become a salient deciding factor for medical students and residents when relocating. As physicians-in-training, we aim for diverse educational experiences that readily prepare us to help care for our patients. Medical students and resident physicians have struggled in conservative states to experience family planning and LGBTQIA+ care. In many states post-Dobbs, trainees interested in gynecology must contemplate disregarding otherwise well-fitting programs because of the politicization of their field.

OPED med school classroom medical student fleeing south carolina learn practice gender affirming care

Shutterstock

Should they choose to remain in a conservative state, often they must train in other states to receive adequate education. Care for gender-diverse youth now faces similar scrutiny with implications for pediatric medical education. Conservative lawmakers have reduced this life-saving care to a political uproar based on disinformation with no regard for the children they are bullying.

In some instances, the lack of medical instruction is of little concern compared to the mental health and physical safety concerns experienced by these clinicians. There is a palpable amount of distress experienced by healthcare professionals who are legally restricted from providing necessary care for a patient right before them. Additionally, bomb threats, online and in-person harassment, and death threats have sadly become routine for learners and providers who offer these life-saving medical services.

Restricting services like gender care, menstrual management, and family planning will create a brain drain effect, where highly qualified trainees and practicing clinicians will leave their homes and relocate to areas where they can learn and practice medicine based on science.

OPED MUSC building medical student fleeing south carolina learn practice gender affirming care

Shutterstock

As a future physician, I was still deciding where to pursue my training. South Carolina was my homeI grew up there, my family is still there, and I truly developed a sense of community there. Sadly, this past year, politicians and institutional leadership at my medical school made it clear I was unwanted there.

I had always wanted to stay in South Carolina and practice, but for my mental health and personal safety that was no longer an option.

I hope that legislators and the politicization of medicine will not only impact patient care in the short term but also result in a consequential exodus of physicians.

Dr. Thomas Agostini (he/they) is a resident physician specializing in pediatrics on the West Coast. He is interested in adolescent medicine, including gender care and substance use medicine.

OPED Dr Thomas Agostini medical student fleeing south carolina learn practice gender affirming care

Courtesy Dr. Thomas Agostini

Have an inspiring personal story to tell? Want to share an opinion on an issue? Learn more by visiting advocate.com/submit.
Claim:

The body of U.S. President Joe Biden's uncle, 2nd Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan Jr., was never found during or following World War II because cannibals ate it.

Rating:

Rating: False

On April 17, 2024, U.S. President Joe Biden was in Pittsburgh to deliver remarks about labor unions and steel manufacturing jobs. In the hours that followed, readers emailed Snopes to ask about one of Biden's comments  that his uncle, 2nd Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan Jr., had never been found after his aircraft was shot down during World War II because of cannibals.

"Did Biden say his uncle was eaten by cannibals? I think this was on Fox News," one reader asked. "Was Biden's uncle 'Bosie' eaten by cannibals as he suggests?" another person emailed.

In short, yes he did make the comment. But official military records don't support it.

During the speech in Pittsburgh, Biden said, "When I left Scranton today, I wanted to go to the war memorial that has the names of all of the Scrantonians who died in World War II etched into a granite wall, because I wanted to see where my uncle, uncle 'Bosie' Ambrose J. Finnegan, where his name was etched."

"Back when D-Day occurred, and on Sunday, the next day, my mother's four brothers all went down to the recruiting station and joined the military. Every one of them volunteered. And my uncle, they called him Ambrose. (inaudible) They called him 'Bosie.' My uncle 'Bosie.' He was a hell of an athlete, they told me, when he was a kid."

Then, Biden made the statement about cannibals:

"And he became an Army Air Corps before the Air Force came along. He flew those single-engine planes as reconnaissance over war zones. And he got shot down in New Guinea and they never found the body because there used to be, there are a lot of cannibals, for real, in that part of New Guinea."

Here's the truth: The Associated Press (AP) referenced an official record of Finnegan's death on the Department of Defense (DOD) website for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. The displayed status for his remains is listed as "unaccounted for." The record says he and two other men failed to emerge from the sinking wreck of their aircraft:

On May 14, 1944, an A-20 havoc (serial number 42-86768), with a crew of three and one passenger, departed Momote Airfield, Los Negros Island, for a courier flight to Nadzab Airfield, New Guinea. For unknown reasons, this plane was forced to ditch in the ocean off the north coast of New Guinea. Both engines failed at low altitude, and the aircraft's nose hit the water hard. Three men failed to emerge from the sinking wreck and were lost in the crash. One crew member survived and was rescued by a passing barge. An aerial search the next day found no trace of the missing aircraft or the lost crew members. Second Lieutenant Ambrose J. Finnegan entered the U.S. Army Air Forces from Pennsylvania and served in Headquarters, Fifth Air Force. He was the passenger on this Havoc when it was lost. He has not been associated with any remains recovered from the area after the war and is still unaccounted-for. Today, Second Lieutenant Finnegan is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines. Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual's case to be in the analytical category of Non-recoverable.

DOD describes "non-recoverable" as cases "assessed to have negligible potential for accounting, such as cases in which the remains are lost at sea, or remains of an individual were cremated and/or systematically destroyed." The assessment is "based upon historical research, scientific analysis and the limited of current technology."

The two other men lost in the same wreck were 1st Lt. Harold R. Prince and Technical Sgt. Ashford H. Cardwell.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates did not specifically mention the cannibals remark in his emailed response to Snopes. The statement read as follows:

President Biden is proud of his uncle's service in uniform, who lost his life when the military aircraft he was on crashed in the Pacific after taking off near New Guinea. The President highlighted his uncle's story as he made the case for honoring our "sacred commitment to equip those we send to war and take care of them and their families when they come home," and as he reiterated that the last thing American veterans are is "suckers" or "losers."

"Suckers" and "losers" was a reference to Biden's mention of a rumor involving former President Donald Trump, who purportedly once used the two words to describe fallen soldiers. Snopes published an in-depth article looking into the veracity of this claim in October 2023.

Reporters asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre about Biden's "cannibals" comment during a gaggle aboard Air Force One on April 18. Like Bates, she described the way the record states Finnegan died, saying he "lost his life when the military aircraft he was on crashed in the Pacific after taking off near New Guinea." Her full answer is available for listening near the end of this YouTube video.

For further reading, the AP article published details about another error Biden made during the speech, as well as a transcript of the telegram Gen. Douglas MacArthur sent following Finnegan's death. Separately, both Tampa Bay Times and UPI previously reported on the subjects of World War II, cannibalism and New Guinea.

Note: A video of Biden's full speech is available on the C-SPAN website. The remarks relevant to this story begin at around the 20:04 mark.

Sources:

"2d Lt Ambrose Finnegan's Loss." Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency via U.S. Department of Defense, https://dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt000001nzWi4EAE.

"Biden Honors Uncle Who He Says Was Shot down during WWII in an Area Known to Have 'Cannibals.'" YouTube, India Today, 18 Apr. 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvNxGEGMZos.

"Cannibalism Alleged in World War II - UPI Archives." UPI, 14 Aug. 1981, https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/08/14/Cannibalism-alleged-in-World-War-II/4422366609600/.

"Case Categorization of Unaccounted-For Personnel from Our Nation's Past Conflicts." Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency via U.S. Department of Defense, 17 Apr. 2015, dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil/resource/1492727229000/CaseCategorizationMemorandum.

Ibrahim, Nur. "Did Trump Call Fallen Soldiers 'Suckers' and 'Losers'?" Snopes, 4 Oct. 2023, https://www.snopes.com//news/2023/10/04/donald-trump-call-troops-suckers-losers/.

"Japan Hears of World War II Cannibalism a Half-Century Later." Tampa Bay Times, 12 Aug. 1992, https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1992/08/12/japan-hears-of-world-war-ii-cannibalism-a-half-century-later/.

Miller, Zeke. "Biden Is off on Details of His Uncle's WWII Death as He Calls Trump Unfit to Lead the Military." The Associated Press, 17 Apr. 2024, https://apnews.com/article/biden-uncle-world-war-ii-cannibals-trump-4f3b7d1c988e041fbc07f60f952ca95f.

"President Biden Remarks on Manufacturing Jobs in Pittsburgh." C-SPAN.org, 17 Apr. 2024, https://www.c-span.org/video/?534991-1/president-biden-remarks-manufacturing-jobs-pittsburgh.

"Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre Gaggle Aboard Air Force One En Route to Philadelphia, PA." YouTube, The White House, 18 Apr. 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAOUqUOcB0s.
Fact Check: People Are Claiming Trump Never Attended His Children's Graduations. Here's What We Found

Claim:

Former President Donald Trump has not attended any of his children's high school or college graduation ceremonies, as of April 2024.

Rating:

Rating: False

Context:

Trump has been present at each of his children's high school and college graduations, according to contemporaneous reports and the recollections of other attendees.

In the early days of Donald Trump's New York criminal fraud trial in April 2024  related to alleged hush-money payments made to adult-film star Stormy Daniels  the former president falsely claimed the judge had informed him he would not be able to attend his son Barron's high school graduation.

Trump's assertion resulted in the widespread claim, captured in "copypasta," that Trump never attended any of his other children's graduations. Most of the copy-and-pasted text made the claim about only high school events:

In '96 Don Jr graduated from the Hill School. His Father didn't attend graduation. In '00 Ivanka graduated from Choate. Trump didn't attend graduation. In '02 Eric graduated. Trump didn't attend graduation. In '12, Tiffany graduated from Viewpoint School. Trump didn't attend

Other variations of the claim included college graduations, as well.

These claims were false. They are contradicted by reports that appeared in print at the time of the graduations, by the published recollections of former students and by the memoirs of Trump family members.

An extensive search by Snopes provides documented evidence of Trump attending all of his children's high school and college graduations, with the possible exception of Donald Trump Jr.'s 1996 high school graduation.

In that case, however, Donald Trump  who may have been busy with an event celebrating the launch of Trump's World's Fair Casino  did visit his son's school during his final semester, before his graduation, to give a Career Day talk. In her memoir, Trump's first wife, Ivana, wrote about school events that "my rule was that someone  me, Donald, the nannies, my parents, or a combination  had to be at every one."

Donald Trump Jr.

Donald Trump Jr. attended a private Pennsylvania boarding school named The Hill School and graduated in May 1996. Snopes has yet to identify any reporting placing the elder Trump at the graduation ceremony, but a widely syndicated May 1996 column critical of him shows that he was a speaker for the school's Career Day that spring:

A quarterly newspaper called Hill Ties, is mostly devoted to Career Day '96, and quotes from the keynote address, delivered by "Mr. Donald Trump, father of Don '96." On its first page, the newspaper took what it apparently considered the most worthwhile (for it quoted no other) passage from the speech: "I think I know a little something about life," said Trump, who inherited a reported $7-million from his father and went onward and upward from there. "You can't give up," Trump continued. "You are going to have times when you feel there's no light at the end of the tunnel. I had times like that and I had a choice: I could sit in the corner with my thumb in my mouth, or I could fight. My advice to you is: Punch like hell and don't take no for an answer."

Donald Trump Jr. graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School in May 2000. Donald Trump's attendance was noted by the Philadelphia Inquirer:

Donald Trump, ex-wife Ivana, their kids Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric plus six others limoed to Old City's Novelty for Sunday brunch after Junior's graduation from Dad's alma mater, the Wharton School. Donald the Lesser picked Bruce Cooper's new joint because he liked hanging out there.

Ivanka Trump

Ivanka went to The Choate School for high school  a private boarding school in Connecticut. A Choate student news publication from 2016 recalled Donald Trump's attendance at her graduation ceremony, citing classmate Stephen Farrell:

The only time I saw Donald Trump on campus was at graduation with his security guard. He conveyed the exact same image he does now as a presidential candidate, of importance and self-satisfaction.

Ivanka graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School in May 2004. The Philadelphia Inquirer also reported on Donald Trump's attendance at this graduation:

Wharton grad/former model Ivanka Trump will be leaving her apartment at the Left Bank for one that her father, Donald, bought her a few months back. The Donald and ex-wife Ivana attended a Wharton ceremony Sunday at which their daughter got her degree. The proud parents also took in Penn's commencement Monday at Franklin Field.

Eric Trump

Like Don Jr., Eric Trump attended The Hill School, graduating in 2002. Trump's attendance at this graduation ceremony was described in 2017 in a City & State New York report about Eric Trump's life:

When Donald and Ivana dropped him off in 1997, as knowing parents whispered and giggled at the celebrity sighting, Donald Trump asked Eric's 13-year-old roommate, "Are you going to take care of my boy?" Students recall he wouldn't return to Hill until Eric's graduation day in 2002, an event his mother missed, apparently for the Cannes Film Festival and the Monaco Grand Prix, a student recalled and news reports suggest.

Eric Trump went to Georgetown University, graduating in 2006. Trump attended this ceremony as well, according to a wire report published in a variety of newspapers:

Flash! Eric Trump (yes, those Trumps) graduated Saturday from Georgetown University with (what else?) a business degree, and the extended clan turned out en masse for the festivities: proud pop Donald and wife Melania, mom Ivana, older brother Donald Jr. and his bride Vanessa, and sis Ivanka.

Tiffany Trump

Tiffany Trump attended the private Viewpoint School in Los Angeles, graduating in 2012. In a Los Angeles Times opinion piece published in November 2016, a classmate recalled Trump's attendance at the graduation:

Dear Donald, I'm sure you don't remember me. You sat in the third row of my high school graduation wearing a loud salmon pink tie. Your daughter Tiffany and I had spent six years together at Viewpoint School, a small bastion of privilege nestled alongside Mulholland Highway. As you watched the ceremony, you probably didn't think it was even possible that an undocumented student would be receiving the same prestigious diploma as your daughter.

Tiffany Trump also graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, receiving her degree in May 2016. Her graduation, occurring during her father's 2016 presidential run, was covered widely by the press, including this report from Yahoo News:

Donald Trump's youngest daughter is officially a college graduate. Tiffany Trump, whose mother is Marla Maples, received her bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania on Sunday.  Ivanka shared a photo of the siblings on Instagram with the caption: "So proud of my beautiful and brilliant sister @tiffanytrump on her graduation today. We all love you very much." In addition to Ivanka, Tiffany's mother, Marla Maples, was in attendance, as well as the presidential candidate, his current wife, Melania, and their son, Barron.

Because Donlad Trump's presence is documented at all but one of his children's graduation ceremonies, we rate claims that he did not attend any such ceremonies as "False."

Sources:

Cornejo, Diana Delgado. "Opinion: To Donald Trump, from the Undocumented Immigrant Who Graduated alongside Your Daughter." Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2016, https://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-undocumented-donald-trump-tiffany-20161108-story.html.

"Flash! Eric Trump." Democrat and Chronicle, 24 May 2006, p. 2. newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-flash-eric-trump/145548553/.

Hagan-Brown '18, Amy. "Choate Dad Runs for President." The Choate News, 8 Apr. 2016, https://thechoatenews.choate.edu/2016/04/08/choate-dad-runs-for-president/.

"Ivanka Headin' Back To New York." Philadelphia Daily News, 19 May 2004, p. 39. newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/article/philadelphia-daily-news-ivanka-headin-b/145547724/.

"Locally Connected." The Philadelphia Inquirer, 23 May 2000, p. 42. newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-inquirer-locally-connec/145479490/.

"So Rich, yet Still so Clueless." Tampa Bay Times, 5 May 1996, p. 105. newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-so-rich-yet-still-so-cl/145602295/.

"The President's Son: How Eric Became a Trump." City & State NY, 29 Sept. 2017, https://www.cityandstateny.com/personality/2017/09/the-presidents-son-how-eric-became-a-trump/181794/.

"Tiffany Trump Wore Ivanka Trump Flats at Her College Graduation." Yahoo Life, 16 May 2016, https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/tiffany-trump-wore-ivanka-trump-flats-to-her-173354396.html.

Trump, Ivana. Raising Trump. Simon and Schuster, 2017.

"Trump World's Fair Open." Press of Atlantic City, 15 May 1996, p. 29. newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/article/press-of-atlantic-city-trump-worlds-fai/145602688/.

Updates:

UPDATE [April 22, 2024]: This fact check was updated with information placing Trump at Donald Trump Jr.'s 1996 graduation.
Parents upset over art cuts at Lexingtons Cassidy Elementary School said they are going to take complaints to the state and to the local school board after the superintendent denied their appeal.

Parent Ansel Elkins said the next step since Superintendent Demetrus Liggins denied the appeal is to appeal to the Fayette Board of Education and also file a complaint regarding violations of the Open Records Act and Open Meetings Act with the Kentucky Office of Education Accountability.

Families and students at multiple Lexington schools are opposing proposed course cuts made by school councils, which are currently making staffing and budget decisions.

Parents at the school next door to Cassidy, Morton Middle, are appealing to the council on its decision to eliminate chorus.

Cassidy received the highest possible rating in the school statewide testing system in 2023. Morton received the second highest rating, according to the Kentucky School Report Card.

We ask for transparency in decisions that involve proposed curriculum changes that impact the education of our children, the Cassidy parent appeal to Liggins said.

The lack of effective communication on the part of the principal and council in its proposal to eliminate standalone art classes creates distrust among the parents and students that the SBDM (school based decision-making) Council is acting in our best interests, the parent appeal said. There was never a chance for the Cassidy community to give its input on the curriculum changes.

District officials are working on the fiscal year 2025 budget for the 2024-25 school year. The total working budget for fiscal year 2024 was $836,026,245, as of January, officials said

FCPS spokesperson Dia Davidson-Smith has previously said the district is not cutting the budget. She has said student enrollment numbers and projections directly impact the staffing allocation made for each school.

If the student enrollment number goes up, so does the staffing allocation. If that student enrollment number goes down, so does the staffing allocations.

A Kentucky Department of Education school council newsletter said last week that to determine the allocation to school councils for staff, the district must provide sufficient funds based on the projected full-time equivalent enrollment for the upcoming school year.

Schools generally have a council that includes teachers, parents and an administrator.

Artist-researcher Alex Caldwell, of Lexington, is a graduate research assistant at the University of Kentucky College of Education, on the National Advisory Committee of the Teaching Artist Guild and previously ran the education programs at the Lexington Philharmonic.

Its disappointing to see schools in FCPS considering cutting arts programs, Caldwell told the Herald-Leader Thursday. Cutting arts programs in schools has been proven to lead to lower test scores, lower scores on social emotional metrics, and overall less student thriving. Its really counterintuitive to the goals of the district.

Caldwell said such a move is often the first course of action when addressing budget issues. Arts in school have enormous value for a very low financial cost, he said. Public schools are in tight places financially and people should continue to advocate for increased public funding for education and the arts.

Cassidy Elementary on Tates Creek Road

Cassidy

The Cassidy parent March 29 appeal is one of at least two filed to the school council about the decision to eliminate art courses.

It said the school council is in violation of the Kentucky Open Records Act by not regularly publishing the Councils agenda and meeting minutes for several consecutive months.

The school council is in noncompliance with the Kentucky Open Meetings Act by not publishing their Councils agenda at least one week in advance, the appeal said

We were never notified that it was going to be discussed, said Elkins. She said things cant be made right by retroactively posting an agenda after the meeting happened.

I understand and acknowledge your concerns regarding the lack of transparency and communication surrounding the SBDM Councils decision-making process, Liggins wrote in his denial of the appeal. The issues you raised are significant and warrant careful consideration. This is the time of year when schools receive their student projections for the next year, and staffing decisions are made based on that.

Liggins said in his denial that issues surrounding the posting of agendas and minutes have now been remediated. Reconsideration of the decision to cut standalone art classes was placed on the agenda for the March 25, 2024, meeting and 14 members of the public spoke, he said.

The council again voted to cut standalone art classes. Even if the families had notice of a prior meeting discussion and attended and participated in public comment, there is no reason to believe that the Council would have voted otherwise, Liggins said.

While I have the authority to overturn the SBDM Councils decision, it is important to me to uphold democratic principles and respect the autonomy granted to council members by the Kentucky legislative body, said Liggins.

He said there was an alternative plan to incorporate art into the curriculum in a manner different from having a standalone art class. Liggins said although he was denying the appeal, I firmly believe that providing an arts education class to our students is incredibly beneficial, and the removal of this option is unfortunate, and one I am sure the Council did not take lightly.

Parent Virginia Kerr Zoller said she is concerned that supplemental art classes after school will not be available to students who ride the bus, which means it wont be equitable.

Morton

Davidson-Smith confirmed that Morton Middle Schools school council cut chorus. In responding to questions about Morton, she said program cuts are made at the school level.

The school decision making council had three options but made the decision to cut this program, Davidson-Smith said.

Retired Morton teacher Mark Russell said at least one parent had appealed the chorus decision to the council.

Russell is concerned technology education will also be cut. Russell said the decisions are forcing parents to reconsider whether they want to send their students to Morton or seek education at magnet or private schools.

Once a school starts cutting programs, it often becomes difficult to stop. I argue that by removing chorus and technology education, the (council) is opening the door to further evisceration of a once, thriving healthy top performing middle school, he said.
Federal prosecutors say a church is hindering FBI investigations, while church representatives say the government didnt properly serve legal documents on its associated schools Fayetteville location.

In June 2022, the FBI raided 11 House of Prayer churches across the country, including the one in Fayetteville.

The searches came after a veterans advocacy organization sent a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs claiming the church defrauds military education benefits, and bilks its members of their military disability and pensions, among other allegations.

The church is headquartered in Hinesville, Georgia, with nearly a dozen other locations set up nationwide near military installations.

In Fayetteville, House of Prayer Christian Church and House of Prayer Bible Seminary are at 5204 Hodge St.

House of Prayer Christian Church on Hodge Street in Fayetteville.

Complaint and investigations

The federal government has asked the court to compel the House of Prayer Bible Seminary to comply with two subpoena-like "civil investigation demands," filed in 2019 and 2023, according to an April 7, 2023, petition.

The demands requested the church turn over information in a probe into allegations that the seminary or its representatives submitted false claims for veterans' education and housing benefits offered through the VA.

According to the complaint, the VA paid the seminary more than $15 million in tuition, housing allowances and stipends from 2013 to 2022.

The VA approves eligibility for the benefits based on a State Approving Agencys validation. The North Carolina State Approving Agency withdrew program approval for the House of Prayer Christian Church in January 2022.

Investigators demanded that the church:

 Identify its current and former owners, employees and students.

 The identities of anyone who made VA requests on behalf of the church and seminary.

 Records of VA payments received by the seminary.

 A list of properties owned, leased or rented by the church, owners of the properties and current occupants.

 All applications by the seminary for VA education benefits.

 Documents related to monitoring student registration, attendance, records, progress records, and transcripts.

 All tuition and fee charges, invoices and receipts sent to students.

 Tuition refund policies.

 School catalogs, program outlines, curriculum guides and graduation evaluation forms.

In the February 2023 civil investigation demand, investigators asked for information about how the church responded to the 2019 demand and the identities of individuals who provided information and documents.

Not complying with the investigation

The April 2023 petition states that no one from the seminary or anyone acting on its behalf had communicated with the government since the second demand was filed and that while representatives of the church provided documents and information from the 2019 request, they refused to provide a required sworn certificate of compliance.

Contained in the court record was a March 2020 email from the churchs attorney that identified Marcus Labat as the veterans liaison and school official who would execute the certificates of compliance.

A federal attorney reached out again to the churchs attorney about the sworn certificate in October 2021, September 2022 and February 2023, according to emails in court records.

Federal prosecutors filed a Sept. 25 motion asking that the church, seminary and church corporate officers Labat, Gerard Robertson and William Pilkington show cause for why they shouldnt be held in civil contempt.

According to the motion, Georgia Secretary of State records list Robertson as the churchs chief executive officer, Labat as its secretary and Pilkington as its chief financial officer.

Degrees awarded by the seminary also identify Robertson as its director, the motion stated.

In records to the VA, Labat identified himself as the seminarys controller, federal prosecutors said.

As corporate officers with authority to direct the affairs of HOPCC, and thus HOPBS, they have the power and obligation to ensure compliance with the Courts orders, the motion stated.

Church responds

In February, U.S. District Judge R. Stan Baker for the Southern District of Georgia granted the government's request to require the church to show why it shouldnt be held on contempt of court.

Separate motions filed March 12 by Robertson and Pilkington each stated that they erroneously believed that the churchs attorney would represent them and handle the matter.

Each motion stated that while they search for attorneys, they would adopt the responses filed March 11 by the church, seminary and Labat.

The churchs March 11 response stated that House of Prayer Christian Church is a non-party, because the governments demands are directed at the Fayetteville-based House of Prayer Bible Seminary.

The response further claimed that civil contempt should not lie with the church, seminary or church officers.

The church said it provided the government with documents for the 2019 demand and didnt hear anything else for 19 months.

The churchs attorney told the assistant U.S. attorney in September 2022 that certification was not possible because of the intervening developments in the criminal part of the case," which included search warrants, labeling key individuals as targets in the criminal investigation, and the specific allegations by the government.

More: Church accused of preying on military members, including in Fayetteville, has funds seized

Seminary school in Fayetteville didn't receive federal requests

The church argued that because the government never properly served documents at the House of Prayer Bible Seminary in Fayetteville, it was not obligated to respond to the 2023 civil investigative demand, or subsequent petitions and motions.

The church said articles of incorporation for the seminary state that the seminary in Fayetteville and Georgia-based church are separate nonprofit corporations with no owner and that the church is not a parent company or owner of the seminary.

The government's April 2023 complaint stated that while the seminary is in Fayetteville, its parent company is House of Prayer Christian Churches of America Inc. in Hinesville, Georgia.

Federal prosecutors provided a 2017 letter in their petition from Dennis Nostrant, administrative officer for House of Prayer Christian Churches, which stated that the church has been financially and administratively responsible for the Bible seminary since 2005.

The church's motion stated that even if the seminary were properly served, it has meritorious defenses" and "good reason" under Fifth Amendment rights for not certifying the 2019 civil investigative demand or responding to the 2023 civil investigative demands.

The Governments intervening actions in its criminal investigation have rendered HOPBS compliance with the certification demand impossible, the motion stated.

The church alleged that after the government attempted to reach plea deals with its principal officers and directors, it suddenly demanded certification of civil investigative demand responses and that the civil investigation was an attempt to gather evidence for its criminal investigation.

They said the 2023 demand doesnt seek information relevant to the government's civil investigation.

Fifth Amendment argument

Labats response states that before a Sept. 25 government motion for why he shouldnt be held in civil contempt, he was specifically advised that he was a target of a criminal investigation by the Department of Justice for his alleged role in producing documents for the 2019 civil investigative demand.

He argued that because both civil investigative demands compel him to certify documents for a criminal investigation he is a target of, he is exercising his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

In his response, Labat said that at a September 2022 meeting with federal prosecutors, he was notified investigators believed he had obstructed justice and provided false documents in response to the 2019 demand.

He said the government told him he would likely be indicted and requested that he plead guilty, which he refused.

He said that if he certified the 2019 demand, he would be compelled to admit the government's allegation, against him.

As of Tuesday, no criminal charges had been filed against Labat.

Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: What happened to Fayetteville church accused of preying on military?
FBI on alert for threats to the Jewish community ahead of Passover, director says

Federal law enforcement is on alert for any potential threats to the US Jewish community ahead of the start of the Passover holiday, FBI Director Christopher Wray told a group of nationwide security officials Wednesday.

We at the bureau remain particularly concerned that lone actors could target large gatherings, high profile events, or symbolic or religious locations for violence  particularly a concern, of course, as we look to the start of Passover on Monday evening, Wray said.

Speaking at an event hosted by the Secure Community Network, a Jewish community nonprofit safety and training organization, Wray said threats to the US Jewish community had already been elevated before Hamas October 7 terrorist attack on Israel, but the number of FBI hate crime cases tripled in the wake of the incident.

Between October 7 and January 30 of this year, we opened over three times more anti-Jewish hate crime investigations than in the four months before October 7, said Wray, who noted raw statistics about investigations represent very real threats to your institutions, to your houses of worship, to your schools and university organizations, and to the individuals in your communities simply for being who you are.

An Anti-Defamation League audit released Tuesday showed there was a dramatic upward trend of incidents after the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Between October 7 and December 31, there were 5,204 incidents, CNN reported earlier this week.

The Jewish civil rights advocacy group tracked 8,873 antisemitic incidents in the United States in 2023  the highest number of incidents reported since the organization began tracking data in 1979.

Wray said his remarks were not intended to stir alarm, but he noted it is a time for continued vigilance  comments echoed by other security professionals.

Unprecedented threats do not need to equate to unnecessary fear or panic, said SCN national director and CEO Michael Masters, who added that the public can rest assured that those focused on the safety and security of the community are maintaining a laser-like focus on this so Jewish life can exist and thrive.

In addition to homegrown violence and a surge in hoax threats against Jewish facilities, Wray warned that the FBI was also observing a range of threats from abroad.

Weve seen  since October 7  a rogues gallery of foreign terrorist organizations call for attacks against the United States and our allies, said Wray, including calls by global terrorist groups to target Jewish communities both in the United States and Europe.

In addressing Jewish community security officials, Wray also called out state-sponsored threats.

After the last few days, in particular, the threat posed by Iran itself is very real, he said.

Wray added that after Irans missile and drone attack on Israel last week in retaliation for a suspected Israeli strike on an Iranian diplomatic complex in Syria, we are urging all of our partners here and around the world to stay vigilant against any potential threats that may emerge from Iran or its proxies both overseas and even here in the homeland.

This story has been updated with additional reaction.

CNNs Jack Forrest and Nicole Chavez contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
The European Union will increase military assistance to Ukraine in response to massive missile attacks by Russia. The first F-16 multi-role fighter jets will be delivered to Ukraine in the coming months.

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This was stated by Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Kroo during a conversation with journalists in Brussels. According to him, the first F-16 with trained Ukrainian pilots may arrive in Ukraine before the summer.

"We provide training for Ukrainian pilots on our aircraft. The first aircraft with trained pilots should be delivered by the summer of this year," the politician said.

According to de Kroo, the F-16 coalition is important because the fighters also have anti-aircraft capabilities. The delivery of these aircraft will strengthen Ukraine's air shield amid recent Russian attacks, the Belgian Prime Minister said.

Alexander de Kroo also said that on Wednesday evening, April 17, European partners discussed ways to strengthen the protection of Ukrainian skies. In particular, Germany is already sending an additional Patriot system. The North Atlantic Alliance also calls for the transfer of existing air defense systems to Ukraine, as this will bring more benefits than storing them in Europe.

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As reported by OBOZ.UA:

As reported by OBOZ.UA, Dutch Defense Minister Keesa Ollongren earlier said that her country plans to transfer only 24 F-16 fighters to Ukraine. The Ukrainian military will receive them after completing all the necessary training.

It is worth noting that Ukraine needs the F-16 fighters that it is about to receive to counter Russian Su-34 and Su-35, which are dropping missiles on Ukrainian positions and frontline settlements. Currently, our country "can do too little to fight back," but F-16s could give it a chance.

It was noted that Ukraine will receive F-16 fighters in the first half of this year. First, the planes will arrive from Denmark.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that the first group of Ukrainian pilots has completed intensive basic flight training on F-16s 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.

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Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
FBI says Chinese hackers are inside US infrastructure to cause devastating blow

Chinese state-sponsored hackers have conducted widespread cyberattacks on critical American infrastructure in recent years, intending to give the country the ability to cause a devastating blow against the US, according to FBI Director Christopher Wray.

The fact is, the PRC [Peoples Republic of China] targeting of our critical infrastructure is both broad and unrelenting, he told a security conference in Nashville on Thursday, describing Chinas hacking programme as growing in strength.

Its using that mass, those numbers, to give itself the ability to physically wreak havoc on our critical infrastructure at a time of its choosing, he added.

Last year, security analysts at Microsoft identified mysterious code linked to communications systems in Guam, the US territory in the Pacific with a massive strategic air base.

Officials believe the code was the work of Volt Typhoon, a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group.

Volt Typhoon sought to target vulnerabilities in electric grids, shipping ports, and water infrastructure, among other systems, according to intelligence experts.

The FBI said in January it had removed hacks from hundreds of devices.

Security officials have spent the intervening months warning about Volt Typhoon and hunting out the remnants of its malicious code.

This March, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency warned that the hacking group sought the disruption or destruction of critical services in the event of increased geopolitical tensions and/or military conflict with the United States and its allies.

However, federal agencies are not done with efforts to uncover or eradicate the groups work, Rob Joyce, th, e outgoing director of the NSAs Cybersecurity Directorate, said that month.

China denies supporting cyberattacks against the US and has accused the US and its allies of cyberattacks of their own.

It is pure political maneuvering by the US and the UK, to once again hype up the so-called cyberattacks by China and to sanction Chinese individuals and entities, Lin Jian of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said in March. We urge the US and the UK to stop politicising cybersecurity issues, stop smearing and imposing sanctions on China, and to put an end to their own cyber aggression against China. 
A new report from the Government Accountability Office highlights significant areas for improvement in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services response to the 2022 mpox (previously called monkeypox) outbreak, exposing a fragmented system lacking strategic coordination and effective communication. The deficiencies could lead to more severe outbreaks and a higher risk of global health crises. In response to these challenges, out U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, a New York Democrat , has introduced the Coordinated Agency Response Enhancement (CARE) Act, striving to overhaul federal public health emergency management.



The GAO report, released Thursday morning, criticized HHS for its poor internal communication, which hampered action and coordination during the outbreak. It highlighted the absence of a department-wide after-action program, essential for learning from past mistakes and preparing for future emergencies. Additionally, the GAO found that HHS struggled with engaging state and local governments, which faced significant challenges in accessing necessary vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostic tests. Another major concern outlined was the inadequate outreach to underserved communities, exacerbated by a lack of language access, leaving these populations particularly vulnerable and poorly served during the public health crisis.

In light of these developments, Torres has proposed the CARE Act to establish a unified after-action program within HHS to foster better coordination among its agencies and to ensure that lessons from past emergencies are effectively integrated into future emergency preparedness and response plans. As I have long suspected, todays report makes abundantly clear that our governments disease response apparatus is not properly equipped to successfully coordinate and improve its systems and processes over time, Torres said in a press release announcing his bill. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and Mpox outbreak, its time we radically change our federal approach to public health.

Earlier today, the GAO released a report that I urged for in 2022 analyzing the government\u2019s response to the Mpox (also known as monkeypox) outbreak. The report concluded that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) lacks a cohesive, department-wide strategy for\u2026  (@)

The CARE Act also mandates the development of a comprehensive, inclusive, and culturally sensitive risk communication strategy. This strategy would aim to clearly identify at-risk populations during public health emergencies and provide targeted, understandable, and accessible information to prevent the spread of diseases.

In a Thursday morning interview with The Advocate, Torres expressed deep concerns about the federal governments preparedness, particularly that of HHS. Describing the report as an indictment of HHSs readiness, Torres highlighted systemic failures that have had a disproportionately detrimental impact on the LGBTQ + community.

The federal government and HHS were catastrophically unprepared for the mpox outbreak, Torres said.

According to the GAO report, HHSs lack of a coordinated department-wide after-action program has severely hampered its ability to communicate and coordinate effectively during public health emergencies. This has created substantial barriers for local and state governments in accessing essential resources like vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostic tests.

For decades, the federal government has allowed its public health capabilities to atrophy from neglect, and the federal response to the [mpox] outbreak reveals that those capabilities remain atrophied, the congressman said.

Torres, alongside fellow Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi and former Florida Rep. Val Demings, initiated the GAO review to scrutinize the federal response to the mpox outbreak following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reflecting on the impact on Americans, Torres remarked, Its communities like the LGBTQIA+ community that pay the greatest price for the failure of the federal government. He stressed the necessity for rapid federal action to prevent new infectious diseases from escalating into full-blown epidemics or pandemics.

In early April, Bavarian Nordic, the manufacturer of the Jynneos vaccine, announced that the two-dose inoculation is now commercially available in the United States. A new study identified a distinct clade of the mpox virus in the Kamituga region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which features mutations that are a hallmark of efficient transmission between humans. This new clade, termed Ib, has been linked to rapid spread within the region, raising concerns about its potential to fuel another global outbreak.

In 2022, mpox spread mostly among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, as well as some transgender people, because of close contact during social events that coincided with Pride celebrations and other LGBTQ+ festivals. At the time, the White House initiated an mpox response team that coordinated the federal response.

The White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy, established by the PREVENT Pandemics Act of 2023, is tasked with leading and coordinating the federal governments preparedness and response to biological threats that could precipitate significant public health crises. Among its responsibilities, OPPR is required to monitor diseases such as mpox, ensuring the U.S. is equipped to swiftly identify and respond to outbreaks and prevent them from escalating into more severe public health emergencies.

An HHS spokesperson told The Advocate that the department agrees with the findings.

HHS concurs with both recommendations and is working on implementation, the spokesperson said.

Kevin Griffis, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention director of communications, explained how the CDC tests for mpox in an email to The Advocate. He noted that a specific strain of the virus has a genetic change which might affect one type of test, but this strain should still be detected with the main test used across the United States. Griffis clarified that if test results are unusualfor instance if the primary test is positive but another is negativeit would lead to further investigation to see if the strain is Clade I. He emphasized that the CDC continues to test and review samples from diagnosed cases of mpox.

No cases of Clad I mpox have been detected in the United States, Griffis said.

Editors note: This story was updated to include a response from a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.


From left front: Gisele Davis, Chandra Williams-Davis, Ruthie Walls, Sadie Belle Reynolds and Jennifer Reynolds are five of the seven plaintiffs challenging Section 16 of the Arkansas LEARNS Act in federal court. Mike Laux (at podium) is one of their attorneys and filed the lawsuit Monday, March 25, 2024 before hosting a news conference at Bullock Temple CME Church, across the street from Little Rock Central High, where Gisele and Sadie Belle are students in Walls' AP African American Studies course. (Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate)

A federal judge on Wednesday scheduled a preliminary injunction hearing for April 30 in a case challenging the constitutionality of a portion of the LEARNS Act that bans indoctrination in public schools.

Little Rock Central High School parents, students and a teacher involved in an AP African American Studies pilot course that received scrutiny for potentially violating the indoctrination ban, filed the lawsuit in late March against Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Education Secretary Jacob Oliva.

In Wednesdays order, U.S. District Judge Lee Rudofsky said he granted in part and denied in part the plaintiffs request for an expedited briefing and consideration. He denied part of the request because plaintiffs could have filed their complaint and preliminary injunction months ago, he wrote.

Defendants should not be short-changed on the two weeks provided by the Local Rules to develop their responsive arguments just because Plaintiffs chose not to file for those many months, Rudofsky wrote.

Attorney General Tim Griffin argued in a motion filed on Tuesday that the plaintiffs request for expedited treatment should be denied because they put off filing the case and delayed seeking preliminary injunctive relief for more than a year.

The LEARNS Act was signed into law last March and went into effect immediately due to its emergency clause. The law, which was a priority for Sanders, makes several changes to the states education system, including increasing the states minimum teacher salary to $50,000 and creating a school voucher program.

Only three weeks ago did Plaintiffs finally file suit, but even then, they continued to sit idle, Griffin said. Indeed, far from immediately seeking emergency relief, they waited weeks to file a new complaint and then only made it around to filing their preliminary-injunction motion just before midnight on April 12. Plaintiffs actions undermine their second request that the Court expedite briefing and consideration.

Griffin said because plaintiffs motion presents legal issues identical to those that would be resolved on a motion to dismiss, the court should conserve resources by setting the defendants deadline for both responses no earlier than May 6.

In Wednesdays order, Rudofsky partly agreed with Griffin, saying avoiding the inefficiency discussed above is good cause to extend the deadline for the defendants responses until seven days after the court decides the preliminary injunction request.

He gave Griffin until April 26 to respond to the preliminary injunction motion and plaintiffs until April 29 to respond. He set the preliminary injunction hearing for 3 p.m., April 30.

Background

On March 25, civil rights attorneys Mike Laux and Austin Porter Jr. filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas on behalf of three Little Rock Central High students, their parents and AP African American Studies teacher Ruthie Walls.

The suit stems from an AP African American Studies course being piloted in six Arkansas schools, including Central High, that received scrutiny after Sanders signed an executive order banning indoctrination on her first day in office. Similar language was later incorporated into the LEARNS Act.

The state education department abruptly removed the advanced placement course from its list of approved courses days before the start of the 2023-2024 school year last August. Although students were allowed to continue taking the course, it would not count toward graduation credit.

Let us know what you think...

According to a statement issued by the Laux Law Group, Section 16 of the LEARNS Act, which bans indoctrination, is a brazen, political attempt to silence speech and expression that the governor and education secretary disagree with.

The LEARNS Act violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the statement reads. It is unworkably vague and oppressive, and it discriminates on the basis of race. Section 16 is just another front in the culture war being waged by right-wing ideologues.

Plaintiffs filed a motion for preliminary injunction and a request for expedited briefing and consideration on April 12.

An amended complaint also filed on April 12 removed an unnamed parent and student as plaintiffs and added the Arkansas State Conference of the NAACP and high school debate teacher, Colton Gilbert.

Members of the Arkansas State Board of Education were added as defendants, joining Sanders and Oliva.

The amended complaint argues the portion of the law banning indoctrination should be void for vagueness, contains content and viewpoint-based discrimination and discriminates on the basis of race.

The post Federal judge schedules hearing in Arkansas LEARNS lawsuit appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
Sens. Justin Wayne, left, and Mike Hilgers chat on the floor of the Nebraska Legislature at the Nebraska Capitol Building on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022, in Lincoln. (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)

LINCOLN  A legislative proposal to immediately restore voting rights to Nebraskans convicted of a felony once theyve completed their sentence has become law but faces a likely legal challenge.

voting rights

Demetrius Gatson said that despite completing her felony sentence, getting a job and buying a home, she had to wait two years before getting to vote again, which she called taxation without representation. Jan. 20, 2023. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)

Gov. Jim Pillen on Wednesday declined to sign Legislative Bill 20 or its accompanying appropriation bill, from State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, but allowed it to become law. In a letter to the Legislature, Pillen said both Attorney General Mike Hilgers and Secretary of State Bob Evnen identified significant potential constitutional infirmities regarding the bill.

Although there are potential constitutional issues with LB 20 and related provisions of existing law, I will allow LB 20 and LB 20A to become law with neither my signature nor my endorsement of LB 20s constitutional validity, Pillen wrote.

The Nebraska Constitution allows bills to become law without the governors signature five days after they are passed by the Legislature, as long as lawmakers are still in session.

Pillen encouraged Hilgers and Evnen to promptly take appropriate future steps, which could include legal action, in light of the constitutional infirmities. Neither office had immediate comment on Pillens letter or whether they would take legal action.

Barring any legal hoops, LB 20 will take effect this summer in time for the November election.

Lawmakers sent 101 other proposals to Pillen last week and he signed every one.

All faith in constitutionality

Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers. June 30, 2023. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Legislature Clerk Brandon Metzler said the last time a governor allowed a bill to become law without signing it (vetoes excluded) was in 2001. Former Gov. Mike Johanns did so, he wrote at the time, because the law in question pertained to a legislative employment benefit decision related solely to its employees.

Johanns did not list major concerns, as Pillen did with LB 20.

Wayne said he does not have constitutional concerns with his bill, which he introduced multiple times during his eight-year tenure, and said he looks forward to the Nebraska Supreme Court deciding the matter.

If it is a court challenge, I have all faith that the Supreme Court will hold this to be constitutional, Wayne told the Nebraska Examiner on Thursday.

Past judicial, legislative action

Secretary of State Bob Evnen, at right, looks on as State Sen. Fred Meyer of St. Paul signs official paperwork for his appointment to the Nebraska Legislature. Nov. 15, 2023, in Lincoln. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

In 2002, the Nebraska Supreme Court in John Ways v. Dave Shively, considered restoring voting rights to Nebraska and wrote, Restoration of the right to vote is implemented through statute.

Three years later, lawmakers passed the current law that allows voting rights to be restored two years after Nebraskans complete their felony sentence or associated probation.

Former Gov. Dave Heineman vetoed that proposal, saying it was in the best interest of Nebraskas citizens to continue to let the Nebraska Board of Pardons decide on a case-by-case basis whether to restore voting rights. He added that the board was looking at the time to administratively abbreviate the restoration process.

The Nebraska Board of Pardons reviews a felons request for his or her voting right to be restored by carefully weighing the nature and degree of the felons crime or crimes, his or her behavior following release from prison, and the interests of the felons victims, Heineman wrote.

The governor, secretary of state and attorney general comprise the Pardons Board, and Wayne said if its a good policy, then the board should take action and more often restore voting rights.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen. Dec. 27, 2023. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Lawmakers in 2005 ultimately voted 36-11 to override Heinemans veto of the proposal from former Lincoln State Sen. DiAnna Schimek.

Pillen similarly pointed to the separation of powers between branches of government and the powers of the Board of Pardons and Board of Parole.

Fundamental principle of redemption

With LB 20 becoming law, Nebraskas Voting Rights Restoration Coalition said Thursday that today is a great day for fairness in Nebraska and encouraged Nebraskans whose voting rights could be restored in time for Novembers general election to go to GetMyVoteBack.org for more information.

The coalition added that Nebraskas leaders upheld the fundamental principle of redemption by recognizing every persons inherent dignity and worth, regardless of past mistakes.

Today, Nebraska took a significant step toward a more just, inclusive and participatory democracy, the coalition said in a statement. Nebraskans believe in second chances, and thats what this bill is all about.

The Nebraska Voting Rights Restoration Coalition includes:

ACLU of Nebraska.

Black Men United.

Black Votes Matter.

Civic Nebraska.

Common Cause Nebraska.

Las Voces.

League of Women Voters of Nebraska.

NAACP.

Nebraska Appleseed.

Nebraska Civic Engagement Table.

Nebraskans for Peace.

Represent Us Omaha.

RISE.

Stand in For Nebraska.

The Sentencing Project.

The post Felon voting rights restoration proposal becomes law but faces possible legal challenge appeared first on Nebraska Examiner.
For three decades, David Johnson has guided nature lovers in early spring to northern Illinois lakes to hear the eerie yodeling of hundreds of common loons.

Within the next 30 years, however, there may be few if any migrating loons in Illinois, according to Walter Piper, researcher and professor of biology at Chapman University in Orange, California.

Loons, which winter along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and migrate through the Midwest to nest farther north, are not successfully raising as many chicks as they have in the past, said Piper, who has studied the birds in Wisconsin for years.

Increased rainfall associated with climate change is washing organic matter into northern Wisconsin lakes, reducing water clarity, and making it harder for adult loons to find food for their chicks, Piper said.

One of Pipers studies, published last month in the journal Ecology, suggests that climate change, through water clarity, profoundly affects freshwater ecosystems. The extra moisture has also increased the population of black flies, which can disrupt nesting loons.

Climate change could result in long-term decline of the loons and their breeding ranges, predicted Piper, who runs the Wisconsin Loon Project. We could lose all U.S. breeding populations. We could only have loons breeding in Canada. That would be tragic.

Loon reproduction, however, is also declining across southern Canada, where the Canadian Lakes Loon Survey has been tracking the breeding habits for the past 40 years.

The number of babies just goes down and down and down, said Doug Tozer, director of waterbirds and wetlands for the conservation organization Birds Canada, which coordinates the loon survey.

The reasons are unclear, but Tozer said he thinks the decrease in Canada is related to warming temperatures causing a rise in mercury pollution. Tozer has co-authored papers looking into the connection between the drop in the loon population and mercury, acid rain and climate change, among other factors.

The number of breeding loons in southern Canada is also starting to decline. This is what weve all been dreading, said Tozer, who has joined forces with Piper to work on a project analyzing all loon data from North America.

Karen Lund of Genoa, who does annual loon surveys with Johnson in northern Illinois, worries about those statistics. It would be sad if there will be fewer loons and that people of the next generation might not see or hear them, she said.

Loons once nested in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Ohio, but now they breed in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. They also breed in the New England region and a few northwestern states including Montana, but most nest in Canada. Illinoiss last breeding pair of loons was recorded in 1892 in Lake County. Reasons for their demise could include habitat destruction, pollution and other factors, Piper said.

Loons can live to be 30 years old, he said, but if theyre not producing enough chicks their numbers will keep dropping. Loons typically raise two chicks annually, enough to replenish their population.

Overall, Wisconsins adult loon population has fallen an estimated 22% in the last 25 years, Piper said.

The number of migrating loons in the Chicago region peaks around the end of March and beginning of April, but some will remain until early May before heading north.

You can find them along the Lake Michigan shoreline (including at Montrose Beach) and lakes such as Maple Lake in DuPage County and Axehead Lake in Cook County, Johnson said. But the hugest numbers are on the Chain O Lakes, including on Pistakee Lake, Lake Marie, Bluff Lake and Channel Lake.

While leading a recent trip around the Chain O Lakes area, Johnson said he and the participants heard loons yodeling as well as giving their haunting tremolo calls.

In breeding plumage, the common loon has beautiful white reptilian spots on the back and a ruby-red eye, Johnson said.

Each year for decades, Johnson, who is from Buffalo Grove, has picked one day in late March or early April to gather data on migratory loons in the Chain O Lakes area. He said he has noticed a drop in numbers. But I wouldnt say its precipitous.

Our highest count was 676 on April 6, 2013, but 401 this year is a good number too, he said.

Still, Johnson said he thinks Pipers findings are concerning.

Piper heard and saw his first loon in the north woods as a child. I was in Ontario on a lake, Piper recalled. I was underneath my warm Hudson Bay blanket and in our primitive cabin on the lake shore and heard this ethereal, haunting sound coming across the lake.

Piper began researching loons in 1993 focusing on territory defense, habitat selection and breeding behavior in three counties in Wisconsin. He nets and weighs adults and chicks, and fits them with leg bands for identification.

Over the years, I started to realize that the chicks werent as heavy as they used to be at a certain age, and sometimes only one chick instead of two would survive, Piper said.

His data showed that the total weight of chicks four to five weeks old had decreased by 11% over the last quarter century. That equates to more chick mortality. I had to explore this and find out whats going on.

Piper worked with Max Glines and Kevin Rose, water clarity specialists from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, who co-authored the study published in Ecology. They gathered data from the lakes where the loons he studied were breeding. They discovered water quality had declined at the same time rainfall had increased.

That link between rainfall and water clarity is quite strong, Piper said. We can clearly point to rainfall as the culprit. Heavy rains especially in July when adults are feeding chicks, make the water cloudy, making it more difficult for parents to see their prey.  The chicks really suffer, Piper said. The parents cannot find enough food.

Piper began similar studies in Minnesota in 2021. He also will work with colleagues to find out what kind of substances rainfall is bringing into the lakes.

We havent nailed down exactly what it is thats washing into the lakes that make them less clear, he said. It could be fertilizer, pet waste or something else. We have to get to the bottom of this.

His loon conservation work has also shown that loons abandon their nests when harassed by black flies. Black fly populations have increased in the past few decades in Wisconsin, he said. Their population is boosted by more rain.

In 2020, nearly all loons nesting in 108 lakes abandoned their nests due to black flies, and that is related to climate change, Piper said. Only three breeding pairs were able to nest because of black flies, he said.

Tozer said whats happening with loons in one breeding region may be different from another.

I think its going to vary regionally, what the problem is, he said. Water clarity looks like one of the smoking guns in Walter Pipers area. Southern Canada, it might be mercury. In other places, it will be something else.

But the reasons, they believe, are all related to climate change. They are working with postdoctoral students to analyze data on loons throughout North America. This information includes long-term data from research projects in individual states and across particular regions.

We cannot control rainfall or climate change, Piper said. Its an ocean liner we cant turn around rapidly.

If there are changes people can make, it would be to take better care of their shorelines, he said.

Piper said more research is needed to find ways to help loons so people like Johnson can continue to watch them, hear their otherworldly calls and introduce them to others.

I am crazy about loons, Johnson said.

Hes been that way since he was 18 years old and heard his first calling loon in northern Wisconsin. It was a starry night and the loon was wailing, he recalled. They still nest there . I think.
Bryan Kohberger has an alibi.

Thats what lawyers for the accused quadruple murderer said in a court filing Wednesday, claiming he was out driving in order to see the moon and stars on the night four University of Idaho students were brutally stabbed to death at a house near the schools Moscow, Idaho campus in 2022.

They plan to use cellphone tower data to argue that Kohberger was not at the home in question on the night of the murders, and was instead driving down a nearby road at the time.

Kohberger, his lawyers wrote, was a nature lover and avid hiker who had recently stopped partaking in those activities due to his busy school schedulethough he relieved stress in a similar manner by going on periodic nighttime drives.

Judge Rejects Bryan Kohbergers Request to Dismiss Idaho Murders Case

This is supported by data from Mr. Kohbergers phone showing him in the countryside late at night and/or in the early morning on several occasions, Kohbergers lead attorney, Anne Taylor, wrote in the filing. The phone data includes numerous photographs taken on several different late evenings and early mornings, including in November, depicting the night sky.

She added: Mr. Kohberger was out driving in the early morning hours of November 13, 2022; as he often did to hike and run and/or see the moon and stars. He drove throughout the area south of Pullman, Washington, west of Moscow, Idaho including Wawawai Park.

Prosecutors, however, have a different story to tell.

They allege Kohberger, a criminology student pursuing his Ph.D. at Washington State University, broke into the Moscow home on Nov. 13, 2022 and stabbed to death four college students: Ethan Chapin, 20; Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21; and Kaylee Goncalves, 21.

The 28-year-old faces four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary, crimes which, if he is convicted, could carry the death penalty.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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A blaze intentionally started by a mentally ill man that destroyed a Fort Lauderdale synagogue and restaurant last month was not deemed a hate crime by Broward prosecutors. Instead, they filed arson charges against him Wednesday.

On March 16, Scott Hannaford set fire to Rabbi Chaim Slavatickis car near the Las Olas Chabad Jewish Center, the Broward State Attorneys Office said. It quickly spread to the synagogue and the Friendship Grill inside.

Hannaford, 50, tried to set fire to the Kavasutra Kava Bar next door ten minutes earlier, the state attorneys office said.

Broward prosecutors say that attempted arson to a nonreligious location was a key factor in determining why there was no hate crime enhancement, which would have increased the already lengthy prison time Hannaford is possibly facing.

Hannaford was charged with first-degree and second-degree arson, third-degree felony criminal mischief involving a synagogue or place of worship and third-degree felony possession of cocaine.

Our commitment to combating hate crimes is steadfast and vigorously pursuing these heinous and serious crimes is a top priority for me and the Broward State Attorneys Office, said Broward State Attorney Harold F. Pryor in a statement. When there is evidence to support a hate crime enhancement, we will file it.

If he is convicted and sentenced to the maximum penalty for the four charges, Hannaford would face 65 years in state prison.

As of Wednesday, he was still being held at the Broward Jail on a $102,000 bond.

During my meeting with the rabbi this week, I assured him, his congregation, and our entire Broward community that we will continue to stand together against hate, Pryor said.
OGDEN, Utah (ABC4)  An Ogden home is facing more than $250,000 worth of damage after a fire tore through the structure Wednesday afternoon.

At approximately 12:30 p.m., the Ogden City Fire Department was dispatched on reports of a structure fire on the 2000th block of Ogden Ave.

READ NEXT: Can you help this Utah woman with Down syndrome break a world record for her birthday?

When fire units arrived at the scene, they said they found the one-story, single-family home with smoke and flames coming from the window and spreading into a neighboring duplex.

The structures were quickly searched and evacuated, the fire department said, and nobody was injured. Crews found one cat, who was returned to its owners.

Firefighters worked to extinguish the flames and said they had it under control and extinguished in a short time frame.

The fire reportedly spread into the attic of the duplex, but was also quickly extinguished.

While the cause of the fire is currently under investigation, the Fire Marshals Office said the building has an estimated $250,000 in damage

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
DENVER (KDVR)  First lady Jill Biden, Ed.D, will travel to Colorado on Friday.

She will be in Colorado through the weekend as part of the White House Initiative on Womens Health Research. According to the White House, the first lady will deliver remarks and join a roundtable discussion at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora on Saturday.

Denver council to consider cutting $41M from budget to support migrant crisis

President Joe Biden and the first lady launched the White House Initiative on Womens Health Research in November 2023. According to the White House, the goal of this initiative is to fundamentally change how our country approaches and funds research on womens health.

Together, we will build a health care system that puts women and their lived experiences at its center. Where no woman or girl has to hear that its all in your head, or its just stress. Where women arent just an afterthought, but a first thought. Where women dont just survive with chronic conditions, but lead long and healthy lives, said the first lady at an event on Feb. 21.

She will arrive at Denver International Airport on Friday night and attend the discussion on Saturday at noon.

This trip is a part of a three-state tour. The first lady will visit Saint Paul, Minnesota, then Denver and finally Nashville, Tennessee.

This will be the first time the first lady has visited Colorado in 2024. Her last visit to the Centennial State was in April 2023 when she visited as part of a national tour and met with Gov. Jared Polis.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
Denmark has decided to allocate DKK 200 million (about US$28.5 million) for the purchase of weapons and military equipment for the Armed Forces of Ukraine directly from domestic manufacturers.

Source: Oleksandr Kamyshin, Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine

Details: This is the first such decision in history, which is expected to set a precedent for other countries. Ukraine has been urging its partners to make such a decision for the past few months.

"The Ukrainian defence industry has already been sped up to such an extent that the Ukrainian budget cannot fully load manufacturers with orders. The capacity of the Ukrainian defence industry is about US$20 billion. At the same time, Ukraine has only US$6 billion for arms purchases. Roughly speaking, only a third of all the machines available in the country are in operation because we don't have enough money to provide orders for the rest," Kamyshin said.

Kamyshin noted that the best way out of this situation is to convince our partners that they are ready to buy weapons for Ukraine and to do so from Ukrainian arms companies.

Background:

The Danish government announced a new military support package for Ukraine worth almost 300 million, which will be used, among other things, to purchase ammunition, drones and manufacture missile components.

In 2024, Ukraine has US$6 billion to spend on arms purchases, including from domestic producers. These funds are not enough, as Ukraine's production capabilities are three times higher than this budget can cover.

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Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte has taken the initiative to buy Patriot systems from countries that do not want to directly transfer them to Ukraine. Receiving these air defense systems is very important for our country.

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Rutte said this when he arrived on Wednesday, April 17, at the summit of European Union leaders. He was quoted by the British newspaper The Guardian. He noted that there are many countries that are "sitting on a big pile of Patriot systems."

"We can buy from them, we can deliver to Ukraine, we have the money. This is extremely important," Rutte said.

He emphasized that efforts should be made to convince countries that have Patriot systems to provide them to Ukraine to protect it from Russian attacks. Rutte and the current NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on the allies to carefully examine their stockpiles and transfer air defense systems to Kyiv. Our military also urgently needs surface-to-air missiles, the prime minister added.

"Ukraine needs all the air defense that we can get for it, and it needs all the ammunition. We must do this," he emphasized.

ADVERTISIMENT

Recently, the Netherlands promised to provide Ukraine with 4 billion in military aid over the next two years, including a certain number of Patriot systems, although Rutte did not specify how many systems the Ukrainian Armed Forces would receive.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg noted that Europe has less than a hundred Patriot missile systems in stock. The Alliance is working on supplying them to Ukraine.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The five biggest book publishers in the US are suing Iowa over its book ban law

Several publishing houses joined bestselling authors and Penguin Random House this week in a federal lawsuit challenging an Iowa state law that bans certain books in schools and limits teachings on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers and Simon & Schuster, all members of the Big Five publishers in the US, announced they will join a lawsuit originally filed in November. Sourcebooks, which is majority-owned by Penguin Random House, also joined the suit.

We as publishers are uniting in our unwavering commitment to stand with educators, librarians, students, authors, and readers against the unconstitutional censorship measures being imposed by the state of Iowa, the publishers said in a joint statement.

The alarming rise of book bans across the country demands our collective action. Now, more than ever, we must stand firmly with our authors and readers to defend the fundamental right to read and the freedom of expression.

The law, SF 496, was signed last year by Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds. It requires K-12 school libraries to only carry books deemed age-appropriate, and for libraries to exclude any book with descriptions or visual depictions of a sex act, CNN previously reported.

In the lawsuit, the publishers along several bestselling authors, Iowa teachers, a student and the Iowa State Education Association, argue that SF 496 deprives students of literature that portrays and describes critical aspects of the human experience and discriminates against LGBTQ+ viewpoints and authors.

Lambda Legal, the ACLU of Iowa, and the law firm Jenner & Block LLP also filed lawsuit arguing the Iowa law seeks to silence LGBTQ+ students, erase any recognition of LGBTQ+ people from public schools, and bans books with sexual or LGBTQ+ content, according to a news release.

Late last year, a federal judge temporarily blocked key parts of SF 496 from being enforced, calling the law staggeringly broad.

In response to the judges ruling, Gov. Reynolds said she would continue doing her part to protect children because instruction on general identity and sexual orientation has no place in kindergarten and elementary school classrooms.

And there should be no question that books containing sexually explicit content  as clearly defined in Iowa law  do not belong in a school library for children. The fact that were even arguing these issues is ridiculous, Reynolds said in a statement.

The real debate should be about why society is so intent on over-sexualizing our young children. Its wrong, and I will continue to do my part to protect their innocence.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Flights delayed up to 2 hours at Sacramento airport after Internet wires intentionally cut

Travelers at Sacramento International Airport experienced delays Thursday after someone intentionally cut fiber optic cables providing internet to the airport, according to a spokesman with the Sacramento County Department of Airports.

An airline notified airport officials that internet service was interrupted just before 1:20 a.m., said Scott Johnston, spokesman for SMF. The wires were sliced outside of airport property and Sacramento County sheriffs deputies were called to investigate, he said.

They are investigating it as a crime scene, Johnston said.

The Sacramento County Sheriffs Office said on social media the damage was deliberate. Sgt. Amar Gandhi, a spokesman for the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office, did not return a request for comment asking for more information.





The fiber cut appears to be an act of vandalism or attempted theft, Chris Collins, a spokesman for AT&T, wrote in an emailed statement.

Departing flights from Southwest and Delta airlines suffered delays because airport staff could not check in passengers, Johnston said.

Data from FlightAware showed nearly 60 planes from Southwest were delayed; as of noon, roughly 35% of all flights out of Sacramento on Southwest were behind their scheduled departure times. SkyWest, Deltas regional service, had just one flight delayed.

No flights have been canceled because of the internet outage, according to FlightAware, and the delays ranged from about 10 minutes to around two hours, according to the airports website.

We are doing our best ... to get people to their destination, Johnston said.

AT&T service was restored before lunchtime, according to a social media post by the airport.

It will take time to continue checking travelers in, the post said. Please continue checking with your airline before heading to the airport.
ORLANDO, Fla.  Florida Democrats are putting up billboards in four counties to recruit candidates for dozens of legislative and congressional races where the party has yet to find someone to run in November.

Youre already a leader. Run for office, state the billboards, which are appearing in Seminole, Polk, Miami-Dade and Madison counties.

The appeal, which also will include digital ads, comes less than two months before the June 14 deadline to file for state House and Senate races and a little more than a week before the federal deadline to file for Congress on April 26. The cost of the campaign was not revealed.

We all know someone who should run for office, and if there has ever been a time to step up and lead, its now, campaign director Danielle Hawk said Wednesday. We hope this campaign is the sign that leaders in our communities need to see to make the decision to run, and the Florida Democratic Party is here to help.

Florida Republican Chair Evan Power was dismissive of the effort.

Floridians are so turned off by the Democrats radical agenda that the Florida Democratic Party have had to spend tens of thousands on billboards just to attempt to find candidates, Power said via text.

While Nikki Fried [the state party chair] is lighting her limited campaign cash on fire, Republicans are growing our registration lead, flipping local elections, and delivering for Floridas citizens, Power added.

According to the Florida Division of Elections, on Wednesday there were 37 state House seats across the state with no Democratic candidate filed to run, compared to 20 with no Republican candidate.

While many districts without Democrats are in heavily Republican areas, others that lean Democratic on paper also have no party member currently in the running.

That includes state House District 45 in southwest Orange County, represented by freshman GOP state Rep. Carolina Amesty. In 2020, President Joe Biden won it by 5 percentage points.

The partys statement about the billboard campaign specifically listed only 27 uncontested state House seats, omitting District 45 and nine others. Democratic spokeswoman Eden Giagnorio said it did so because candidates were planning to file for those seats.

Democrats would need to flip five state House seats to end the Republican supermajority in that chamber.

In the state Senate, there are four races in the Panhandle and South Florida without Democratic candidates. The party needs to flip just one seat to end the GOP supermajority on the Senate side.

We are already competing in more races compared to 2022, but it is our goal to field candidates in every seat across the state and give Republicans a run for their money, Fried said in a statement.

On the congressional side, the party listed three races with no Democratic candidate, in seats held by Republican U.S. Reps. Neal Dunn, John Rutherford and Gus Bilirakis.

The districts are a hard sell for Democrats, with all of them listed by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report as Republican strongholds for 2024.

Still, Aubrey Jewett, a professor of political science at the University of Central Florida, said having a candidate was vitally important.

Not only might it increase the turnout of your own party, but it also ties down the other party and makes them have to worry about that seat, even if only a little bit, Jewett said. It means they have to run a campaign, it means they have to raise money, it means they have to buy ads. And it means that they cant just spend all their time and money and resources on a few seats.

Underdog candidates have also pulled off occasional upsets, he said, such as Democratic recruit Stephanie Murphy defeating 12-term Republican U.S. Rep. John Mica in 2016.

Florida Democrats are coming off one of their partys worst performances in 2022. Their candidate Charlie Crist lost the governors race by 19 points. The Democrats also have a growing registration disadvantage, with Republicans having nearly 900,000 more registered voters as of March 31.

But the party has done well in elections since then, including winning the Jacksonville mayors race and a special election for a state House seat in Central Florida.

Some of the seats are legitimately competitive, Jewett said of districts such as Amestys. And Democrats actually have a chance to win, and probably should have won two years ago if they hadnt had such a dramatic drop in turnout.

While there are no uncontested congressional or legislative races in Seminole, Giagnorio said the party hoped the billboard there spurred recruitment for county constitutional offices such as county clerk, sheriff and property appraiser, as well as County Commission and School Board seats.

Seminole is a county that voted for Biden in 2020 but swung back [to Republicans] in 2022, said Democratic analyst Matt Isbell. But I can easily see Biden winning Seminole this year.

In addition, Isbell said, by placing billboards in heavy traffic areas such as Central Florida, the I-4 corridor and Miami, part of it is just advertising for the party.  Its essentially instilling confidence.

______
Florida education commissioner: Why we must teach true history of communism in schools | Opinion

It is widely understood that those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it, and that is exactly why the true history of communism should be taught in public schools.

In Florida, we are taking the lead.

Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, public school students will learn that 110 million people died under communist rule from 1900 to 1987, and that this horribly flawed political and economic philosophy has spawned misery and despair across the globe.

Sadly, even today, communist rule subjugates millions of innocent people.

Whether its North Korea, Venezuela, China, the former Soviet Union or any other communist regime, their fabled utopia is always around the next corner  but never comes.

Instead, populations are stripped of human rights and forced to suffer through poverty, starvation, suppression of speech and systemic lethal violence.

Thats why the Berlin Wall was erected. Not to keep people out, but to lock them in.

The same is true for Cuba. Just 90 miles south of Florida, Fidel Castro and his Marxist ideologues seized power and turned a prosperous nation into an island prison.

With promises of equality for all, they used the power of the state to crush dissent, along with the hopes, dreams, families and future generations of the very people they claimed to care for. Democracy was never an option. Escape was the only way out.

In places like Miami, where the reality of communism is well within living memory, incredible stories of survival and the human spirit breathe life into American communities, as do the memories of those who perished in search of freedom.

We cannot look past this historical nightmare. It is our moral duty to educate students about the history of communism, just as we educate them about the Holocaust and the hideous evil of Nazi Germany, the history of Japanese internment camps in the U.S. during World War II, the history of African Americans, including slavery, abolition, racism, segregation, and more.

Under the leadership of Gov. Ron DeSantis and legislative sponsor Sen. Jay Collins, a retired Green Beret and Purple Heart recipient, Florida has taken the initiative to expand our states required instruction statute to include this critical subject matter.

And we are all better for it. With the signing of Senate Bill 1264, public school students will learn about the history of communist movements in the U.S., communist atrocities committed in foreign countries and the communist policies of Cuba and its ideological spread throughout Latin America, and the current threat of communism in the U.S. and to our allies today.

Students will learn about the events of the Chinese Cultural Revolution and other mass killings from communist governments, while engaging in comparative discussions of political ideologies, such as communism and totalitarianism, which conflict with the principles of freedom and democracy  the founding principles of America.

Moreover, the Florida Department of Education will prepare high-quality academic standards using input from individuals and organizations dedicated to preserving the memory of victims of communism.

All of this groundbreaking instruction will be taught in an age and developmentally appropriate manner, and with the highest standards of professionalism and accuracy.

Of course, there are naysayers. There are those who view communist monsters like Fidel Castro, Ernesto Che Guevara and Mao Zedong as counterculture icons, as if politically fashionable rather than a celebration of oppressive leaders and dictators.

In any case, people are free to disagree, though they would have no such freedom in a communist country.

Florida is not afraid to lead. This is not an accident  and neither is Floridas growing moral legacy. Two years ago, Gov. DeSantis signed legislation establishing Nov. 7 as Victims of Communism Day and restoring Floridas Freedom Tower in downtown Miami.

Along with this years education mandate, we are creating the Institute for Freedom in the Americas at Miami Dade College. Its mission will be to preserve the ideals of a free society, promote democracy and partner with the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom at Florida International University.

Manny Diaz, Jr., is Floridas education commissioner.
Florida fueled the first Earth Day; now we need another one

The population of Florida's bald eagles dropped dramatically because of DDT. Photo by FWC

Quality Journalism for Critical Times

Earth Day is coming up next Monday, which will probably elicit a fervent meh from a lot of people. These days, Earth Day seems more like a marketing gimmick than a holiday, not unlike Presidents Day. Its more about greenbacks than being green.

When I worked for Floridas largest daily newspaper, I used to get lots of companies story pitches connected to this annual celebration. Some started months early. Many were downright ludicrous.

Make every laundry day a celebration of Earth Day with (insert name of product here), said one, apparently unaware of the term greenwashing. Another urged me to write about how their nonstick pots and pans have been tested to be recyclable. I think theyd recycled the story pitch, too.

But waaaaaay back when it first launched in 1970, Earth Day was the most effective protest action since the American Revolution, which you may recall spawned both a new nation and two Broadway shows, 1776 and Hamilton.

Thanks to that first Earth Day, we got the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and a bunch of other environmental regulations. We also got the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The environment became so popular, even the people making the junk being thrown out as roadside litter ran ads encouraging everyone to pick up their trash.

Politicians from then-President Richard Nixon on down scrambled to make those things happen because they saw the turnout for Earth Day. An estimated 20 million Americans  a tenth of the nations population  flooded the streets for it. That was five times bigger than the biggest anti-Vietnam War rallies, 20 times bigger than the biggest civil rights protest.

People were, in the immortal words of the movie Network, mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore.

They turned out to protest the rampant pollution they were seeing (and breathing). A lot of the protests were about things that had happened or were happening in Florida  problems with both pollution and development.

DDT was literally wiping the alligators out, recalled December McSherry, a 73-year-old activist in Alachua County who marched in New York in that first Earth Day protest. She said she carried a sign that said, Save the Glades.

With whats been going on in Florida in recent years, I think it might take another protest like that first one to get the attention of our current crop of leaders.

Book em

The impetus for that first Earth Day came from a book published eight years before. The 1962 bestseller was Rachel Carsons Silent Spring, which is all about the dangers of pesticides.

My taste in books leans more toward mysteries and history, so I didnt get around to reading Silent Spring until a couple of years ago. I wish I had read it sooner because an awful lot of it was about Florida.

Rachel Carson and colleague Bob Hines study marine life in the Florida Keys. Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serivce

According to Carsons biographer, William Souder, Carson visited Florida three times, all while she was working on two earlier books, The Sea Around Us and The Edge of the Sea. At one point, he said, even though she could barely swim, she put on a divers helmet and plunged into Biscayne Bay  but only for 10 minutes.

But she knew how to read scientific papers and research reports, he says. There were a lot of them about the alarming results of rampant pesticide use in Florida in the 1940s and 1950s.

In 1945, a B-25 flew over MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa to test-spray a new substance called DDT that was supposed to kill mosquitoes. Officials declared the test to be a big success. The fact that a whole flock of ducks also died was a mere coincidence, they said.

Oh, and then the mosquitoes came back, so they had to spray some more.

A Hillsborough County Health Department truck sprays DDT to kill mosquitoes Source: Florida State Archives

The apparent success of DDT led to widespread spraying of the stuff, clouds of it billowing out of planes and trucks and handheld devices, with little concern for what else might be affected. Eagles, for instance.

As it turned out, a retired banker named Charles Broley, whose hobby was banding Florida eagles to track their travels, became the first to raise the alarm about the impact on our national symbol.

Broley is such a hero, Id rather see a statue of him instead of all those Confederate traitors that some of our legislators love so much.

Broley would scale a rope ladder to the nests to band the birds. He saw up close that the population was dropping. He saw eggs failing to hatch. He concluded DDT was to blame because it was poisoning the fish that the birds ate.

I am firmly convinced, he wrote to the editors of Audubon Magazine, that about 80% of the Florida bald eagles are sterile.

Charles Broley uses a rope ladder to reach eagles nests. Source: Florida State Archives

Charles. L Broley shows off an eagle he banded in Tampa. Source: Florida State Archives

Similar collateral damage occurred when the U.S. Department of Agriculture declared war on fire ants, a non-native species from South America. The spraying of toxic pesticides dieldrin and heptachlor wiped out fish, birds, dogs, cats, and livestock.

Meanwhile, the fire ants developed a resistance and spread even further.

Carson included all these examples in her book, alarming the nation about what we were doing to nature  and to ourselves.

I think Carsons reliance on these findings from Florida was important, said Souder, whose book about her is called On a Farther Shore. Florida was one of many accidental test labs in which we learned some of the perils of pesticide use, especially when applied through aerial spraying, which poisons an entire landscape and not just the pests youre after.

Other events drove home Carsons message, including the death of 26 million fish in Lake Thonotosassa in 1969. It was the worst fishkill in the nations history. The lake had been polluted by discharges from four food processing plants, because there were no rules against it.

A Wisconsin senator, Gaylord Nelson, proposed organizing environmental teach-ins around the country to show people what was happening. That became the impetus for that first Earth Day.

The Dead Orange Parade

Those first Earth Day events didnt just happen in New York and Los Angeles. In Gainesville, for instance, students lay down on the ground and spelled out UF Earth Day with their bodies. One organizer said, It was fun.

At Florida State, everyone took the day more seriously. (A few years later, FSU students started the streaking craze, so they werent all THAT serious.)

Some FSU professors canceled classes so kids could participate. The auditorium screened 17 films and three bands rocked the green. Protesters donned gas masks to symbolize the threat of air pollution. The yearbook for that year ran stories on the dangers of pesticides and the destructive Cross-Florida Barge Canal.

Some of the most radical action happened in South Florida.

A float in Miamis 1970 Dead Orange Parade protests pollution in Biscayne Bay. Screen grab from video in Wolfson Archives

According to Jack E. Davis biography of Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, An Everglades Providence, some Miami activists organized a Dead Orange Parade, a spoof of the Orange Bowl Parade with two dozen floats. There was a globe in a coffin, a toilet used as a stand-in for Biscayne Bay, and a surfboard that complained about feces in the water.

Students at Palm Beach Junior College gave a Polluter of the Week award to the county for dumping partially treated sewage into Lake Worth, Davis reported.

(I asked Davis what Douglas did to celebrate. She had a cocktail, he said.)

In Tallahassee, believe it or not, some lawmakers listened. In the House, they passed bills to restrict the use of DDT, outlaw the sale of alligator hides, and limit the sale of state-owned submerged land.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, they did a favor for the phosphate industry. Some things just dont change.

And thats why I think its time for another protest of some sort.

Come back, Iron Eyes

Fast forward 54 years and where are we today? In a heap of trouble once more, thats where.

Dont get me wrong  weve made some progress. Eagles have rebounded, weve preserved lots of environmentally important land, and we are at least trying to revive the Everglades. But we still have beaucoup problems, too.

Although DDT has been banned, plenty of other pesticides and herbicides continue to poison our states wildlife.

In 2021, for instance, a UF study found more than half of the manatees they sampled had glyphosate in their blood. Thats the active ingredient in Roundup, which is also sold under the names Rodeo and AquaNeat.

Glyphosate is the most used herbicide worldwide and it is intensively used in Florida as a sugarcane ripener and to control invasive aquatic plants, the UF study noted. This chronic exposure in Florida water bodies may have consequences for Florida manatees immune and renal systems.

Monsanto has reached settlement agreements in nearly 100,000 Roundup lawsuits filed by humans harmed by its herbicide and has paid out approximately $11 billion. But wheres the Monsanto millions to help out our manatees?

A surfboard in Miamis 1970 Dead Orange Parade protests fecal matter in the water. Screen grab from video in Wolfson Archives

Meanwhile, we have a disastrous die-off in the Keys, where 44 species, including endangered smallmouth sawfish, have been seen spinning frantically before they expire. There has been some suggestion that they are all victims of excess nitrogen in the water.

Speaking of nasty stuff in the water, blue-green algae blooms are popping up on both sides of the state again, fueled by our pollution. Theres a Health Department alert about blooms in both Lee County on the west coast and Martin County on the east coast.

You may recall that our esteemed Gov. Ron Who Can I Bully Next to Get Back on Fox News? DeSantis once promised to get rid of our blue-green algae problem the way he would get rid of diversity programs in the states universities. But then he didnt.

Instead, were paying millions of dollars to an Israeli company to dump its hydrogen peroxide-based product in our waterways. It makes the algae blooms dissipate, but only for a bit. Then crews have to treat it all over again (sound familiar?).

Meanwhile, the polluters who made Florida No. 1 in the nation for polluted lakes and No. 2 for polluted estuaries get to keep on dumping foul stuff in the water, not unlike what happened with Lake Thonotosassa in 1969.

Remember the 1970 surfboard message about feces in the water? Every year, hundreds of Florida beaches have to close because the poop level has registered as too high for humans. Over and over, our sewer plants and sewage lines spill into our waterways.

Our elected representatives arent exactly leaping to fix the problem. This year our Legislature voted to spend $25 million on a water pollution study that will tell us nothing we dont already know but will give them an excuse to further delay action.

And what was their reaction to the underwater heat wave last year that laid waste to the coral reefs off South Florida? They passed a law (which DeSantis signed) that eliminates most of the mentions of the term climate change from state law.

I dont think another Earth Day march would reverse these bad trends. In Florida, our elected leaders have become accustomed to ignoring or opposing what the voters want, or overriding what they approve.

Instead, we must do something truly drastic to get their attention. I say we add a provision to Floridas Constitution to allow the recall of any state official who has angered the voters, from the governor on down  but with one special provision.

Instead of returning them to civilian life, the recalled politician would be assigned to pick up trash along Floridas roadways for the duration of their term.

The post Florida fueled the first Earth Day; now we need another one appeared first on Florida Phoenix.
Florida got it right on common-sense vape policy where federal government failed | Opinion

As we have done many times, the Florida Legislature stepped up when the federal government failed to.

This session, I supported legislation to ensure the safety and well-being of Floridians from harmful, unregulated vape products without restricting safe, FDA-authorized vape products to help adult smokers kick the habit.

The reality is there has been a proliferation of illegal, disposable flavored vapes from China flooding our state.

The Biden administration and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) simply arent doing a good job of enforcing the vape market, and now, across the United States, sales of illicit disposables exceed $2.6 billion annually through monitored channels alone. However, projections indicate this figure could double when considering the unmonitored market.

Alarmingly, Florida is now ground zero for the sale of these illegal products. With enticing flavors designed to attract youth, Chinese-made disposables account for a whopping 58% of all vape sales  dwarfing the national average by 20%. To make matters worse, Chinese manufacturers purposely design these products to look like everyday school supplies such as highlighters, USB drives and cell phones.

These illegal disposable vapes feature flavors, including Miami Mint, Rainbow Candy and Blueberry Ice.

Thankfully, House Bill 1007 passed the Florida Legislature and is awaiting the governors signature.

The legislation requires vape manufacturers to register with the state, ensuring their products comply with federal and state laws and impose fines for violations.

This step is imperative to safeguard our children from the risks associated with vaping, ensuring accountability in the industry, and promoting education within the vape market to reduce harm for smokers who turn to vaping to help them quit.

What this legislation does not do is restrict the market to the point where adult smokers can no longer turn to safe vaping products as a less harmful alternative. FDA-authorized vapes have proven to be more effective than other therapies in helping smokers quit, and our policies at the state and federal levels need to reflect that.

America could very well become a global leader in helping smokers transition away from cigarettes to less harmful alternatives. Still, it wont happen without better policy and leadership from the federal government.

The FDAs Center for Tobacco Products has failed in its efforts to regulate a marketplace that provides alternatives to adult smokers while also protecting youth from illegal products coming from China.

Critics have noted that the FDAs complex, red-tape-riddled approval process has only authorized 23 vape products, while millions applied for authorization. Ironically, this has caused illegal vapes from China to be the most popular choice among teenagers and the FDA cant even wrap its arms around blocking these products.

Balanced policy, like HB 1007, should serve as a model for other states. It is possible to strike a balance where we can move smokers away from cigarettes to less harmful alternatives while also ensuring illegal products from one of our primary adversaries are kept out of our stores and out of the hands of our youth.

I look forward to seeing this legislation become law and urge the federal government to recognize the work we are doing in the Sunshine State to help clean up their mess.

Alex Rizo (R-Hialeah) is the state representative for House District 112 and chairman of the Miami-Dade Republican Party.
Florida man cracks open beer after allegedly firing gun near officers: I wanna drink this beer, is that cool?

Florida man cracks open beer after allegedly firing gun near officers: I wanna drink this beer, is that cool?

PORT ORANGE, Fla. (WFLA)  A Florida man cracked open a beer after he allegedly fired a gun near officers on Tuesday.

The Port Orange Police Department said it received a call about a person being threatened with a firearm by a neighbor.

After officers arrived at the scene, they said the suspect, Brett McPeek, fired a gun near them and several neighbors who were outside at the time.

Man charged with murder after shooting wife, chasing down ambulance then crashing in St. Petersburg, police say

Officers said they moved toward the sound of the gunshot and found McPeek outside the front of his home with two beers in his hand.

Body camera video shows an officer with his gun drawn talking to McPeek.

Do you have a firearm on you? the officer asked. No, sir, McPeek replied.

This beer is cold, sir. I wanna drink it, McPeek told the officer. Come check me. I wanna drink this beer, is that cool? I havent done nothing wrong.

The officer then instructs McPeek to put his hands up. Right now we are trying to figure out whats going on, bud, and we wanna make sure everybodys safe, the officer said.

Officers continued to negotiate with McPeek and eventually took him into custody.

(Port Orange Police Department)

The police department said McPeek didnt have a gun in his possession at the time of his arrest. However, they said two guns were found in his home, including a .38 Special revolver with a spent shell casing.

McPeek was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail on no bond. He was charged with aggravated assault with a firearm and using a firearm while under the influence of alcohol.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Florida police search for woman who toppled menorah outside of synagogue

Police in a suburb of Miami are looking for a woman who toppled a wooden menorah outside of a synagogue.

She was caught on video outside of the King David Chabad over the weekend.

The woman is seen walking over to the menorah and attempting to push it over with one hand.

Read: Sen. Rick Scott vows to stand up against rise of anti-Semitism in Florida

She then drops her bag and uses both hands to push it off the sidewalk and topples it to the ground.

Obviously, its a disturbing image, said Sgt. Brian Schnell with the Sunny Isles Beach Police Department. Its something that garners immediate response, immediate attention because its obviously not something that is going to be tolerated anywhere in this country.

Read: Florida House takes up anti-Semitism, custody bills

According to the Anti-Defamation League, Florida is ranked third in the nation for anti-Semitic incidents, with 463 reported in 2023.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
NEW YORK  Prosecutors with the Manhattan DAs Office accused Donald Trump of violating his gag order seven more times on Thursday morning amid a series of new developments in the trial which resulted in two already-seated jurors being dismissed.

Trump Accused of Violating Gag Order

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass said that several social media posts Trump had made about Michael Cohen had crossed the line, and added that another post  in which Trump quoted Fox News host Jesse Watters as accusing liberal activists of trying to sneak onto the jury  was disturbing.

Its a pattern of behavior for Trump, who Judge Juan Merchan accused on Tuesday of muttering at a juror 12 feet in front of him.

Trump attorney Todd Blanche defended the posts as responding to political attacks, and feigned confusion over whether the gag order applied to social media posts that repost comments made by others.

A contempt hearing over the violation will be held next week. Steinglass said that while the DAs Office is currently seeking financial penalties, it may open the door to tougher measures at the hearing.

One Juror Asks To Be Excused

Thursday morning also saw one already-selected juror be dismissed, with another likely headed the same way.

The first juror, an oncology nurse, appeared in court to say that she did not believe she could be fair and impartial.

Yesterday alone I had friends, colleagues, and family push things at my phone regarding, questioning my identity as a juror, the juror said.

Merchan agreed to excuse her.

Merchan Removes Another Juror

Later, Steinglass said that the DAs Office had found information suggesting that another juror had misled the court during selection.

That juror had told the court that neither himself nor anyone close to him had faced criminal charges or investigation. But Steinglass said that prosecutors had identified an article from the 1990s in which a person with the same name as the juror had been arrested in Westchester for tearing down political advertisements. Separately, Steinglass said that the jurors wife had been accused or involved in a corruption inquiry in the 1990s before entering into a deferred prosecution agreement with the Manhattan DAs Office.

Steinglass told Merchan that the juror had removed posters on the political right.

The juror appeared at court late. After two lengthy bench conferences, Merchan excused the juror.

Its not clear what the substance of the bench conference was: after the first one concluded, Merchan made it clear that the juror expressed annoyance at having his information published in the media but suggested that the matter was resolved.

Jury selection had been moving apace on Tuesday afternoon, giving Merchan visible optimism that opening arguments in the trial could commence as soon as Monday morning.
The Westminster Civic Association board ignored residents pleas during the associations annual meeting Tuesday evening, dismissing a petition signed by some 80 households calling for the board members removal.

Westminster residents said the annual meeting was a packed house with likely over 100 people in attendance at the meeting held at McKean High School in Mill Creek.

The volunteer board on Tuesday refused to put a motion on the floor to vote the leadership out, dodged questions from residents and didnt provide budget figures before voting on the civic associations annual budget, according to the communitys residents.

Homeowner and resident Amanda Clappsy, Westminster Civic Association President Michal Porter, and resident Matt Allen argue outside Clappsy's home on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. Clappsy, after clearing with the communitys prior board, reconfigured her driveway so she could park her RV but has been having problems with the new civic association board due to her RV.

Cheltenham Road resident Buddy West, who is among a group of concerned neighbors pushing for the current boards removal, said a motion was made and seconded during the board meeting Tuesday, but the leadership refused to bring the motion to a vote.

We stood up and said we had the forms here with 82 names on it requesting that they leave and they turned around and said they dont recognize the petition, he said. The board approved the budget without any specific figures and refused to answer any of the questions we asked.

Neighbors who have banded together on the issue said Wednesday that they are still trying to comprehend what transpired at Tuesday nights meeting, but intend to file complaints with Delawares Common Interest Community Ombudsman Chris Curtin.

BACKGROUND: Tensions mounting in this Hockessin area neighborhood amid clashes with civic association

When Delaware Online/The News Journal contacted Curtin in early April, he said that a complaint "may have been filed," which precluded him from speaking about the community in case he is called to mediate the matter. A spokesperson for the state Department of Justice said Wednesday it had not received a complaint.

Individual residents who have had issues with the civic association boards actions have also contemplated filing civil suits.

How did we get here?

Prospective buyers and real estate agents shared stories of board President Michael Sherm Porter contacting buyers before purchase, scaring off the buyer. In another instance, the seller of a home had to lower the price to keep a buyer after Porter contacted them.

Homeowners in the Mill Creek neighborhood described being harassed by board members on other occasions, at times outside the community, and an overall hostile environment in the community. Others have been denied the ability to build a fence even when requesting it for reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

WATCHDOG REPORTING: How sweeping HOA authority has left Delaware condo owners with few options

The board has no regard for how rules and regulations work. The president determines whether or not you can have a fence, based on his whim, West said. Most of what went on in that meeting ran counter to homeowner documents.

The dispute among board members and residents centers on the contents of the Westminster communitys governing documents and actions taken by the board, which include changes to the communitys bylaws filed with New Castle County on Sept. 5, 2023.

The board characterized these changes as clarifications and claimed that the bylaws havent changed since 1990, but documents recorded with New Castle County last year counter that claim.

Homeowner and resident Amanda Clappsys RV is featured with the bollards recently installed to block her driveway and RV in the background at the Westminster community on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. Clappsy, after clearing with the communitys prior board, reconfigured her driveway so she could park her RV but has been having problems with the new civic association board due to her RV.

The revisions make it even more difficult for a homeowner to build a fence; require detailed architecture plans for sheds and additions that the board must then approve; institute fines for residents not following the rules; and stipulate that for driveways, parking of boats, trailers, RVs, and vehicles that are not in proper working condition or are in a state of disrepair is strictly prohibited.

The 1990 bylaw documents include nothing of RVs, boats, or trailers, nor do they contemplate anything regarding driveways. It also doesnt say anything about sheds or additions to the home. It primarily focused on empowering the board to pursue traffic enforcement within the community by prohibiting unregistered motor vehicles, preventing people from parking on the streets long-term or on hills and curves, and enforcing a 25 mph speed limit.

According to the Westminster Civic Associations governing documents, any member of the civic association can propose amendments to the bylaws at any meeting of the Board of Directors or any official meeting of the membership."

If the proposal is approved by a majority of the members voting at that meeting, the proposal shall then be submitted to all members of the corporation by mail, the communitys 1990 bylaws read. Bylaws will stand amended if, at the end of 20 days from the date the proposal was mailed, affirmative votes have been received from a majority of members eligible to vote.

Read the community's latest governing documents

The Westminster Civic Association bylaws and restrictions by Mandy on Scribd

This embedded content is not available in your region.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Westminster Civic Association board refuses to step down
On Thursday, April 18, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with the military command of the Defense Forces. In particular, he listened to a report by Chief Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi on the current situation on the battlefield and the results of the strike on Russian targets in Crimea.

ADVERTISIMENT

The Head of State noted that the occupiers had suffered painful losses. He wrote about it on his Telegram channel.

"Daily report on the security situation in Ukraine. Reports on the receipt of equipment and ammunition. Distribution of combat and reserve brigades," the president said.

Zelenskyy also said that the share of domestic production is constantly growing.

According to him, the state enters into serious and long-term contracts with our enterprises, which provides predictability, the ability to increase staff and attract investment. This month, our industry is producing 10 Bogdan cars for the first time, and this volume will continue to grow in May and beyond.

ADVERTISIMENT

"There was a report by Chief Commander Syrskyi on the current situation on the battlefield and the results of the strike on Russian targets in Crimea," he added.

The President clarified that the final data is still expected, but it is already clear that the occupiers have suffered serious losses. According to intelligence, after the actions of Ukrainian defenders in the Black Sea, Russia moved ships, including "caliber" carriers, to the Caspian Sea.

In addition, the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced the completion of a search and rescue operation in Chernihiv and the elimination of the consequences of nighttime drone attacks.

There was also an important discussion of methods to combat Russian propaganda television signals in the border regions.

"It is a difficult technical task, but we have our developments that can cope with it," Zelenskyy summarized.

ADVERTISIMENT

As a reminder, on the night of April 17, explosions were heard in the city of Dzhankoy and a massive fire broke out near the military airfield. Our sources said that the "cotton" could have been the result of a joint operation by the Armed Forces and the DIU and led to large-scale consequences and enemy losses.

The VIIRS/Suomi NPP satellite detected six fires after the explosions in Dzhankoy. All of them are located on and near the military airfield.

After the explosions in Dzhankoy (temporarily occupied Crimea), a photo confirmation of the damaged and destroyed air defense equipment of the aggressor country of the Russian Federation appeared on the Internet. "Cotton" got it in the area of the military airfield of the 39th helicopter regiment of the 4th Army of the Air Force and Air Defense (military unit 46453) of the enemy.

ADVERTISIMENT

As OBOZ.UA previously reported, Natalia Humeniuk, a representative of the JC "South", emphasized that the military airfield of the Russian invaders in Dzhankoy is a legitimate target for the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The risk of having potentially harmful chemicals in your drinking water may depend on your zip code.

A study published in the journal Nature Geoscience on April 8 found that higher amounts of PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances) were found in drinking water in certain parts of the U.S.

PFAS  also known as "forever chemicals" due to how slowly they break down  are a group of chemicals used during industrial processes and the manufacturing of consumer products.

SCIENTISTS REVEAL SIMPLE NEW PROCESS THAT MAY HELP ELIMINATE TOXIC CHEMICALS FROM EVERYDAY ITEMS

Two of the main chemicals are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS).

There are many ways people can be exposed to these chemicals  including in drinking water.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

A study published in the journal Nature Geoscience on April 8 found that higher amounts of PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances) were found in drinking water in certain parts of the U.S.

The larger map from Nature Geoscience can be seen here.

To determine the prevalence of PFAS in the environment , researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney analyzed a global dataset of 273 studies dating back to 2004.

The studies included data for over 12,000 samples of surface water (water that collects on the ground) and more than 33,900 samples of groundwater (water found underground, below the surface).

CHEMICALS IN WATER AND HOUSEHOLD OBJECTS COULD REDUCE CHANCES OF PREGNANCY, LIVE BIRTHS: NEW STUDY

"We looked everywhere for PFAS concentrations in water data, including scientific journals and governmental reports and websites," Denis O'Carroll, a UNSW engineering professor and senior author of the study, told Fox News Digital.

"We compared PFAS concentrations in these water samples to international regulations . We also compared the types of PFAS analyzed to what we found in consumer products."

The studies included data for over 12,000 samples of surface water (water that collects on the ground) and more than 33,900 samples of groundwater (water found underground, below the surface).

Nearly 70% of the samples had levels of PFAS that exceeded Canadas minimum safety standards (30 nanograms per liter), while 6% had more chemicals than the European Unions standard (100 ng per liter), according to the study findings.

In the U.S., PFAS "hot spots" were concentrated in the Midwest, New England and the West Coast, according to a map illustrating the findings  although the chemicals were also detected in other areas across the country.

Globally, Australia, Europe and China showed high levels.

NON-TOXIC CLEANING PRODUCTS TO USE WHILE SPRING CLEANING

"To date, nobody has looked at the global extent of PFAS in our waters and compared it to international drinking water standards," noted OCarroll.

"Our study found that a substantial fraction of sampled waters exceeded PFAS drinking water guidance values, with the extent of exceedance depending on the jurisdiction and PFAS source."

Dr. Lisa Carter-Bawa, one of the researchers at the Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI) in Hackensack, New Jersey, noted that while PFAS contamination has been detected throughout different states, higher concentrations have been found in communities near industrial facilities, landfills and airports, where PFAS-containing materials were used or disposed.

Dr. Mark Fischer, regional medical director of International SOS, a health and security risk mitigation company headquartered in London , pointed out that most Americans also have these chemicals in their blood.

"Although the use of these chemicals has declined in recent years, they are difficult to break down, so they are still found in some food, water and consumer products, as well as within the soil and the environment," Fischer, who was not involved in the UNSW study, told Fox News Digital.

Health risks associated with PFAS include cancers, elevated liver enzymes, lower birth weight, heart issues and higher cholesterol.

Most people in the U.S. have been exposed to these chemicals, most likely through contaminated food or their drinking water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health risks associated with PFAS include cancers, elevated liver enzymes, lower birth weight and higher cholesterol , Fischer said.

Other potential dangers include heart issues, plus immune and developmental damage, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

"PFAS contamination has been identified in drinking water in all 50 states, according to the Environmental Working Group," Fischer said.

"That said, the levels of these chemicals vary throughout states and cities."

The study did have some limitations, the researchers acknowledged.

"We have measured a much wider range of PFAS in consumer products than in our waters," said OCarroll.

HATE WATER? HERE ARE 5 HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES, ACCORDING TO AN NFL SPORTS DIETITIAN

"As such, we dont really have a great idea of the range of PFAS in our waters."

The data was also limited to what the researchers could find, he noted.

"While we had data for over 45,000 water samples, even more data would be useful, especially for parts of the world where we had limited data."

The actual amount of PFAS in water could be higher than what the study results imply, OCarroll added.

Most people in the U.S. have been exposed to PFA chemicals, most likely through contaminated food or their drinking water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Current monitoring practices probably underestimate PFAS in the environment, given the limited suite of PFAS that are typically quantified but deemed of regulatory concern," he said.

These are just one of the many types of chemicals that are used in daily life, OCarroll noted.

"As a society, we need to consider the chemicals we use and reduce our use of some," he advised.

"Just because we can cheaply use a chemical doesnt mean we should."

On April 10, the EPA finalized new limits on the amount of PFAS permitted in drinking water.

The new standards could reduce exposure for 100 million people, potentially preventing thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of serious illnesses , the agency said in a news release.

On April 10, the EPA finalized new limits on the amount of PFAS permitted in drinking water.

This is the "first-ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standard" to protect people from the health risks of PFAS, the agency stated.

The 66,000 public drinking water systems in the U.S. will have three years to reduce PFAS levels to meet the new standards, according to the release.

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The EPA also announced $1 billion in new funding, provided through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to enable PFAS testing and treatment of public water systems and private wells.

"It is critically important that there is a harmonization of standards as well as a concerted effort to adopt proactive measures to address PFAS contamination of ground and drinking water," said Carter-Bawa.

:Ultimately, it is essential that we prioritize environmental stewardship and scientific collaboration in order to work toward a healthier and more sustainable future."

Fox News Digital reached out to the EPA and the American Water Works Association for comment.

For more Health articles, visit foxnews.com/health





Original article source: 'Forever chemicals' found in US drinking water, map shows 'hot spots' of highest levels
BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD)  A former Baton Rouge police officer was acquitted Thursday after being found guilty of malfeasance in office in March.

Court records show Donald Steele Jr., 37, was found guilty of malfeasance in office but not guilty of a kidnapping charge.

In March, one of Steeles attorneys, Franz Borghardt, noted that Steele was convicted of a misdemeanor of malfeasance in office, which doesnt exist, according to Louisiana state law.

On Wednesday, March 27, Judge Eboni Johnson Rose met with the state and defense counsel to clarify the verdict as legal authorities were requested to assist in the deliberation, District Attorney Hillar Moore said. She requested that both counsels file a legal memorandum by April 5.

She admitted in court she made a mistake in her verdict last month.

Steele was accused of making sexual advances toward a 19-year-old woman during a traffic stop in 2021. According to arrest documents, Steele told her she was drinking and driving before telling her she wouldnt be getting a ticket because she was cute.

Steele reportedly told her to follow his car to an abandoned warehouse near a downtown casino. An affidavit said he sexually assaulted the victim.

The defense team released the following statement:

The judges decision confirms that we always knew and fought for. Donald Steele is innocent. Reports to the contrary were premature and did not take into account the Courts determination that no sexual battery occurred. The State does not have the right to appeal an acquittal. In the event they attempt to, we look forward to maintaining the Courts declaration of Mr. Steeles innocence in any and all forums. Donald Steeles defense team

The state said they are outraged and plan to file paperwork to be submitted by June 10 to have the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal take a look at the verdict.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to BRProud.com.
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL)  An investigation by the Tennessee Comptrollers Office has led to charges against a former treasurer of a Greeneville dance teams booster club.

The comptrollers office announced Thursday that Kimberly Brown had been indicted by a grand jury on the following charges:

Theft of property over $2,500

Worthless checks over $2,500

5 counts of forgery

4 counts of criminal simulation

4 counts of fabrication of evidence

Investigators found that Brown, the former treasurer of the Greeneville School Support Corporations Dance Team Booster Club, reportedly misappropriated at least $6,079 from Sept. 2021 through Nov. 2022.

Proposed legislation may change Tennessees TCAP Retention law

The booster club supports the dance teams at both Greeneville Middle and High School.

According to the comptrollers office, Brown wrote reimbursement checks to herself and her family, which totaled at least $5,669.79, making up the bulk of the alleged theft. The comptrollers office reports she admitted to using a large portion of that to pay personal medical bills.

Investigators claim Brown tried to explain the reimbursements by giving them three fabricated sales orders and one fabricated invoice. The comptrollers office checked with the booster clubs vendors, who confirmed the documents were false.

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Crime Watch

Brown also allegedly wrote a worthless check for $5,044 when the clubs bank account balance was less than $2. Additionally, Brown is accused of not depositing $3,407 from fundraisers and also making questionable disbursements of club funds. Those questionable disbursements totaled at least $7,439.15, the comptrollers office announced.

Brown was indicted in April 2024.

Our investigators identified a number of deficiencies in how this club handled its financial operations, said Comptroller of the Treasury Jason Mumpower. These problems included not maintaining adequate records, signing blank checks, failing to deposit funds within three days, and not submitting proper fundraiser approval forms.

A full investigative report by the comptrollers office can be found online.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
Former US ambassador, Cuban spy blames decision to betray country on Yale's radical politics in 60s, 70s

Former US ambassador, Cuban spy blames decision to betray country on Yale's radical politics in 60s, 70s

A former National Security Council member and U.S. ambassador to Bolivia, who admitted to secretly acting as an agent for the government of the Republic of Cuba, blames the radical politics pushed on him during his formative college years for turning on his country.

A federal judge sentenced 73-year-old Victor Manuel Rocha of Miami to 15 years in prison last week for working against the U.S. government for decades for communist Cuba in "clandestine intelligence-gathering missions."

Before the judge handed down the sentence, Rocha issued a statement on his guilty plea, which was shared by Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., on X.

"I am a 73-year-old man. During my formative years in college, I was heavily influenced by the radical politics of the day," Rocha said. "My deep commitment at that time to radical social change in the region led me to the eventual betrayal of my oath of loyalty to the United States during my two decades in the State Department."

FORMER US AMBASSADOR, NSC OFFICIAL ADMITS TO ACTING AS SECRET AGENT FOR CUBA, LEARNS FATE: DOJ

Manuel Rocha, right, 73, a former American diplomat who served as a U.S. ambassador to Bolivia was arrested and accused of secretly serving as an agent of Cubas government, according to The Associated Press. Left, former Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

Rocha graduated from Yale University in 1973 before going on to earn his masters degree in public administration from Harvard University in 1976, then a masters degree in international relations from Georgetown University in 1978, according to the State Departments website archives.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital reached out to Yale for a comment regarding Rochas statement. The university declined to comment.

Rocha was a former U.S. Department of State employee who served on the National Security Council from 1994 to 1995, and as U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia from 2000 to 2002.

FORMER US AMBASSADOR, NSC MEMBER CHARGED WITH ACTING AS SECRET AGENT FOR COMMUNIST CUBA FOR DECADES: DOJ

According to a criminal complaint from the DOJ, Rocha used his employment in the State Department between 1981 and 2002 to obtain classified information and affect U.S. foreign policy.

Following his employment at the State Department, Rocha transferred in 2006 as an advisor to the Commander of the U.S. Southern Command, a joint command of the U.S. military whose area of responsibility includes Cuba.

The DOJ said that Rocha provided false and misleading information to the U.S. to maintain his secret status, traveled outside the U.S. to meet with Cuban intelligence operatives and made false and misleading statements to obtain travel documents.

FORMER US AMBASSADOR ACCUSED OF SECRETLY WORKING FOR CUBA PLEADS NOT GUILTY

Bolivian President Hugo Banzer shakes hands with Victor Manuel Rocha, the new U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia, during a ceremony in the Goverment Palace in La Paz, August 3, 2000.

After serving the foreign service, he settled in Miami as a businessman in the private sector.



"Today, I no longer see the world through the radical eyes of my youth," Rocha said in his statement. "I left the Government 22 years ago, moved to this great city, and dedicated the rest of my life to my family and the education of my children. My long and successful transition to the private sector culminated in my becoming a top international executive in the mining sector for well over a decade.

"The latter, however, cannot erase the damage done during my earlier career working for the Government," he added.

Rocha told the judge he takes full responsibility for his actions and accepts the penalty he has to pay.

FORMER US AMBASSADOR CALLED CASTRO THE 'COMANDANTE,' LABELED US 'THE ENEMY': DOJ

This image provided by the Justice Department and contained in the affidavit in support of a criminal complaint shows Victor Manuel Rocha during a meeting with an FBI undercover employee.

"Importantly, I am making, and will continue to make as required, significant amends through my unconditional collaboration to those I have betrayed," the former ambassador said. "I know that my actions have caused great pain to my family, former colleagues, and the closest of friends. I ask them all for their understanding and their forgiveness."

The judge accepted Rochas guilty plea to counts 1 and 2 of the indictment, which charged him with conspiring to act as an agent of a foreign government and conspiring to defraud the U.S. and acting as an agent of a foreign government without notice as required by law.

He was then sentenced to the statutory maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, a $500,000 fine, three years of supervised release and a special assessment.

FORMER US AMBASSADOR ARRESTED, ACCUSED OF SECRETLY SERVING AS AGENT TO CUBA: REPORT

"Convicted spy Victor Manuel Rocha worked as a spy for Communist #Cuba, while he served as a United States Ambassador," Gimenez said in a post on X in which he shared Rochas statement. "He is a traitor to our nation [and] must face the MAXIMUM sentence. No one believes his bogus Statement of Allocution!"

Under the terms of the parties plea agreement, Rocha must cooperate with the U.S., including assisting with any damage assessment related to his work on behalf of the Republic of Cuba. Rocha must relinquish all future retirement benefits, including pension payments, owed to him by the U.S. based upon his former State Department employment.

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He must also assign to the U.S. any profits that he may be entitled to receive in connection with any publication relating to his criminal conduct or his U.S. government service.

Fox News Digitals Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Danielle Wallace and Stepheny Price contributed to this report.





Original article source: Former US ambassador, Cuban spy blames decision to betray country on Yale's radical politics in 60s, 70s
FILE - Wisconsin Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, speaks in the Assembly chamber at the State Capitol in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 5, 2015. On Thursday, April 18, 2024, Barca announced his bid against Republican U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, who is seeking a fourth term. (M.P. King/Wisconsin State Journal via AP, File)

MADISON, Wis. (AP)  A Democrat who represented southeast Wisconsin in Congress in the 1990s before going on to become a leader in the Assembly and state revenue secretary announced Thursday that he's running for Congress again.

Peter Barca announced his bid against Republican U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, who is seeking a fourth term. Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District, previously represented by former House Speaker Paul Ryan, leans Republican but was made more competitive under new boundary lines adopted in 2022.

The seat is a target for Democrats nationally as they attempt to regain majority control of the House. It is one of only two congressional districts in Wisconsin that are viewed as competitive. The other is western Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District held by Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden.

Republicans hold six of Wisconsin's eight congressional seats.

Barca, 68, previously held the 1st Congressional District seat from 1993 to 1995. He had previously considered running again for the seat after Ryan stepped down in 2018.

Barca is the first well-known Democrat to get into the race. National Democrats are expected to back Barca's campaign. The primary is Aug. 13.

Barca, in a statement announcing his campaign, said his long record of public service showed that he was a fighter for working families and contrasted himself with a do-nothing, dysfunctional Congress.

We need someone to step up and start going to bat for our families again," he said.

The Steil campaign said in a statement that Barca has put his political career ahead of Wisconsin families over the past 40 years. The campaign also faulted Barca for opposing a 2016 bill that would have banned sanctuary cities and for voting in 1993 for a budget bill in Congress that raised the gas tax.

National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Mike Marinella branded Barca as a sacrificial lamb" who has put his out of touch policies ahead of Wisconsinites.

Steil was elected in 2018 by 12 percentage points, and won reelection by 19 points in 2020 and 9 points in 2022.

Barca was elected to serve in the state Assembly from 1985 until 1993 when he resigned after winning a special election to Congress. After he lost in 1995, former President Bill Clinton appointed him to serve as Midwest regional administrator to the U.S. Small Business Administration.

He was elected again to the Assembly in 2008 and served as Democratic minority leader from 2011 to 2017.

Barca was leader of Democrats in 2011 during the fight over collective bargaining rights. While his Democratic colleagues in the Senate fled to Illinois in an attempt to block passage of a bill that effectively ended collective bargaining for public workers, Barca helped organize a filibuster in the Assembly that lasted more than 60 hours.

Barca stepped down as minority leader, in part over grumbling from fellow Democrats over his support for a $3 billion incentive package for Foxconn, the Taiwanese manufacturing company that had planned to locate a massive facility in his district.

Barca left the Assembly in 2019 when Gov. Tony Evers tapped him to be secretary of the state Department of Revenue. He resigned last month.
Benard McKinley is heading to law school four months after completing a 25-year prison sentence. The 39-year-old will be joining the Northwestern Law School class of 2027 after receiving a GED diploma while incarcerated.

I promised myself before I got out of that bus that no matter what the outcome was that, you know, I was just going to try to do better for myself, he told ABC News. I knew that I wanted to better myself, and I did that.

McKinley was arrested for a gang-related murder when he was 16-years-old. He was sentenced to 100 years and was incarcerated in a maximum security prison.

He decided to pursue a degree after seeing the impact of legal fees on his family and started helping those around him who did not have access to legal aid.

I was giving back and contributing to those who was in need of help  you know, in spite of them being incarcerated with me, they were still human beings, McKinley said.

Less than a week until graduation! Today, were highlighting Benard McKinley. pic.twitter.com/GwTxoPjk03  Northwestern Prison Education Program (NPEP) (@NUPrisonEd) November 9, 2023

He decided to represent himself in court and successfully reduced his 100-year sentence to 25. After getting his GED, he took the LSATs and applied to law school.

McKinley is the first graduate of Northwesterns Prison Education Program to get into law school. The program was launched in 2018 to help incarcerated people receive a bachelors degree from a top-ten university. In January 2022, Northwestern enrolled around 100 students from two prisons in Illinois through PEP.

Bernard just worked tirelessly. He was relentlessly focused and he just sort of tuned out all of the distractions with that single goal in mind of coming home and going to law school, PEP program director Jennifer Lackey told the news outlet. And here he is.
Mr Attal condemned the "addiction of some of our adolescents to violence", calling for "a real surge of authority... to curb violence" - Photo by Mathilde MAZARS/POOL/SIPA/Shutterstock

Gabriel Attal, the French prime minister, announced measures on Thursday to crack down on teenage violence hours before two girls were stabbed outside their school.

The French government is targeting violence in and around schools as it seeks to regain ground lost to the far-right on security issues two months ahead of European elections.

Sixth form students will now be forced to be in school during the week and teenagers who cause repeated issues will have their grades marked down.

Mr Attal revealed the plans hours before a man stabbed two young girls aged 6 and 11 outside their school in the east of the country, further underlining concerns of security at educational establishments. Their wounds were not deemed serious.

France has been shaken by a recent series of attacks on schoolchildren by their peers, in particular the fatal beating earlier this month of a 15-year-old schoolboy, identified as Shemseddine, in a town just south of Paris.

Attendees take part in a commemorative 'Marche Blanche' (White March) in tribute to 15-year-old Shamseddine - Photo by Poitout Florian/ABACA/Shutterstock

Jean-Marie Vilain, mayor of Viry-Chatillon, at the white march in honor of 15-year-old Shemseddine - Paoloni Jeremy/ABACA/Shutterstock

The issue has come to a head with the far-right party, National Rally (RN), accusing Attal of not doing enough on security matters as the anti-immigration party soars ahead of the government coalition in polls for the June 9 election.

Speaking in Viry-Chatillon, the town where Shemseddine was killed, Mr Attal condemned the addiction of some of our adolescents to violence, calling for a real surge of authority... to curb violence.

There are twice as many adolescents involved in assault cases, four times more in drug trafficking, and seven times more in armed robberies than in the general population, he said, also noting increased Islamist influences.

Measures will include expanding compulsory school attendance to all days of the week from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm for children of college age. Attendance is currently only compulsory up until the age of 16.

In the day the place to be is at school, to work and to learn, said Mr Attal, who was also marking 100 days in office since being appointed in January by president Emmanuel Macron to turn round the governments fortunes.

If you disobey - we teach you respect

Parents needed to take more responsibility, added Mr Attal, warning that particularly disruptive children would have sanctions marked on their final grades.

Promoting an old-fashioned back-to-basics approach to school authority, he said: You break something - you repair it. You make a mess - you clear it up. And if you disobey - we teach you respect.

Mr Attal also floated the possibility of children in exceptional cases being denied the right to special treatment on account of their minority in legal cases.

In those cases 16-year-olds could be forced to immediately appear in court after violations like adults, he said. In France, the age of majority is 18, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Mr Macron and Mr Attal face an uphill struggle to reverse the tide ahead of the European elections. Current polls point to the risk of a major disruption that would overshadow the rest of the presidents second mandate, which runs until 2027.

A poll this week by Ifop-Fiducial showed the RN on 32.5 per cent, with the government coalition far behind on 18 per cent.

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Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, and his then-wife Lyudmila Putina, now Lyudmila Ocheretnaya - Getty

The Kremlin has condemned the seizure of a 7.6m palatial French villa linked to Vladimir Putins ex wife as illegal.

Nicknamed Suzanna, the palatial, art deco home was purchased for 5.4 million in 2013, with renovations totalling up to 3.5 million, according to French media.

The villa, 300m from the beach, is reported to be owned by a real estate company controlled by Russian businessman Artur Ocheretny, who is married to Lyudmila Ocheretnaya, the former Mrs Putin.

They were wed in 2015, two years after her marriage to the Russian president ended.

The villa, in the southwestern coastal town of Anglet, was targeted in December 2023 as part of an investigation into money laundering, prosecutors said on Wednesday.

Any encroachment on private property is illegal from the onset, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

The French authorities are undermining the foundations of their legal system. We have said it many times, he added.

Apartment also seized

Le Monde reported that another property, a Paris apartment allegedly belonging to Mrs Ocheretnaya, was also seized in December.

Since the Ocheretnayas married, the ex First Lady of Russia, 66, and the businessman and Ironman triathlon aficionado, 46, are reported to have built up a real estate portfolio worth millions.

Two days after the invasion of Ukraine, it was graffitied with slogans including F--- Putin, Putins Mafia and Glory to Ukraine!

Before his move into real estate, Mr Ocheretny ran a seafood business and an event-organising company.

An investigation in 2017 by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project said there was nothing in Mr Ocheretnys background that explains how he could have come to own such a prime piece of real estate.

In 2017, when his ownership of the villa was exposed, he did not reply to numerous requests for comment.

The French probe came to light following a complaint by Transparency International, an NGO that exposes and tracks assets it says are linked to dirty money.

Investigators are looking into whether the funds used to purchase the home were obtained fraudulently, although prosecutors have stressed no-one has been formally charged.

Vladimir Putin places a ring on Lyudmila's finger on their wedding day in 1983 - Russian Archives/ZUMA Wire

Mrs Ocheretnaya was with Putin for about 30 years after they got married when he was a low level KGB officer and she was an air stewardess with the Aeroflot state airline.

They lived together in East Germany when Putin was an agent there before moving to St Petersburg, where Putin began his political career.

Britain sanctioned Mrs Ocheretnaya in May 2022, as well as a retired Olympic gymnast long rumoured to be one of Putins girlfriends.

Both were among 12 individuals hit by a travel ban on entering Britain and a freeze on using any funds or assets held in the UK.

The Government said they had helped the Russian president hide his huge undeclared personal wealth.

Since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, billions of dollars worth of Russian assets have been frozen or confiscated in Europe due to sanctions.

Use Russian assets to fund war

The Kremlin has reacted furiously to the seizures and European efforts to use them to arm Ukraine, calling such moves an unprecedented violation of international law.

On Tuesday, Lord Cameron said the leaders of the G7 countries were close to agreeing a plan to use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraines war effort.

The Foreign Secretary said an emerging consensus existed between Western countries on how to take advantage of more than 220 billion in Russian assets that have been frozen.

The UK and US are putting pressure on the EU to find a way to use the frozen assets.

The European Commission has put forward a plan that would use the accrued interest on frozen assets to help Ukraine.

But the plan would require the unanimous support of all 27 member states, some of which are concerned about sending more weapons to Ukraine for fear of escalating the conflict.

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Asna Tabassum, a graduating senior at USC, was selected as valedictorian and offered a traditional slot to speak at the 2024 graduation. After groups on and off campus criticized the decision and the university said it received threats, it canceled her speech. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Five months ago, USC cited safety as a rationale for banning economics professor John Strauss, who is Jewish, from campus after student activists said they felt threatened when he approached them at a protest and said Hamas are murderers. ... I hope they all are killed.

Our north star is protecting the safety of our community, a USC spokesperson said at the time.

Now the university is again citing safety concerns for canceling a Muslim valedictorians speech at its May commencement ceremony.

More than six months after the Hamas attack on Israel that started a war, campus administrators nationwide are struggling to uphold principles of free expression amid mounting pressure from donors, legislators and activists who claim an ever-expanding amount of speech  or potential speech  subjects students not only to physical danger but also to psychological harm.

A person holds a Palestinian flag as students participate in a "Walkout to Fight Genocide and Free Palestine" at Bruin Plaza at UCLA on Oct. 25. (Fredric J. Brown / Getty Images)

Free speech advocates note that the decision regarding Asna Tabassum, a USC senior who is graduating with a major in biomedical engineering, was not caused by anything she said or planned to say. Instead, the university said, online discussion had taken on an alarming tenor as activists objected to her minor  resistance to genocide  and a link to a pro-Palestinian website Tabassum had shared on her Instagram profile .

This sets a very bad precedent, said Alex Morey, director of campus rights advocacy with the nonprofit civil rights group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. Moving forward, are they going to cancel every speech that could have anything to do with Israel-Palestine because theyre worried about safety concerns?

Free speech experts fear that USC, in canceling its valedictorians speech, is paving the way for a censorious commencement season, offering others a playbook on how to silence potentially controversial speakers in the weeks to come.

A university, except in the most exceptional cases, should not be giving in to threats of violence in order to suppress speakers, said Keith Whittington, a political scientist at Princeton University and author of Speak Freely: Why Universities Must Defend Free Speech.

Its a corruption and compromise of the universitys very basic commitments.

The Tommy Trojan statue Tuesday on the USC campus. (Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press)

::

The use of safety concerns to shut down campus speech did not start after Oct. 7. But, Morey said, universities have increasingly canceled events as they have seen an uptick in protests of Israels actions in the Gaza Strip.

Last month, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas halted a public lecture from a visiting Israeli professor 15 minutes after he started speaking when pro-Palestinian protesters burst into the room.

Asaf Peer, an expert on theoretical high-energy astrophysics, was not speaking about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. His lecture was on black holes.

Rather than stop the disruption, citing the protesters 1st Amendment rights, UNLV police escorted Peer off campus to ensure his safety.

Other cancellations in the name of safety have taken place across the country, from Indiana University shutting down an art exhibit by Palestinian artist Samia Halaby to the University of Vermont canceling an in-person appearance by a pro-Palestinian poet .

Experts who track campus speech say university leaders have predominantly targeted speakers expressing support for the Palestinian cause.

Its definitely the pro-Palestinian speech that we are seeing very broadly being subjected to institutional punishments, Morey said. Thats not to say that there arent cases where pro-Israel or Zionist speakers are being punished.

Part of the reason pro-Palestinian activists are targeted in greater numbers is that more students have embraced the Palestinian cause in recent years.

Some protests have crossed the line into unprotected expression, Morey said. But there is also growing pressure on university officials from donors and legislators worried about antisemitism to crack down on pro-Palestinian speech.

Cal State Long Beach students hold a campus rally in support of Palestinians on Oct. 10. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Its a pressure cooker for administrators, Morey said. In these cases, we want to make sure that their lodestar are student and faculty rights, rather than who is exerting the most pressure.





::

When USC announced that Tabassum would be the valedictorian, two groups  Trojans for Israel, a campus student group, and EndJewHatred, a national movement dedicated to fighting antisemitism  spoke publicly against her.

In an Instagram post , Trojans for Israel said Tabassum propagates antisemitic and anti-Zionist rhetoric, but did not cite anything she had written or said publicly. Instead, the post points to a link she had shared on her social media page that leads to a website describing Zionism as a racist settler-colonial ideology.

In an interview with The Times , Tabassum said she had not spoken to administrators about her speech, in which she said she had planned to convey hope and emphasize that we must continue to use our education as a privilege to inform ourselves and ultimately make a change in the world.

Tabassum told The Times she felt betrayed by her school. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

The university has betrayed me, she said.

USC administrators contested the idea that Tabassums inability to speak is a free speech issue.

There is no free-speech entitlement to speak at a commencement, Provost Andrew T. Guzman said in a campuswide letter . The issue here is how best to maintain campus security and safety, period.

The 1st Amendment guarantees only that the government refrains from abridging freedom of speech. But experts on campus discourse asserted that as an institution of higher learning, USC has a responsibility to defend freedom of ideas.

USC communications professor Christina Dunbar-Hester, chapter president of the USC American Assn. of University Professors, said in a statement that it was disingenuous to frame Tabassums speech as a security issue without specifying a threat.

Guzman, she noted, did not offer any details, saying only that the discussion had escalated to the point of creating substantial risks relating to security and disruption at commencement.

And that, Dunbar-Hester said, raises the question of whether USC faced a specific credible threat or was just trying to find a way to get around controversy.

USC students attend an Oct. 10 vigil on campus in support of Israel. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Here, we have capitulated to a hecklers veto before the fact, she said. Why is the burden of a potential threat placed on the shoulders of the valedictorian rather than those who would disrupt her?

Dunbar-Hester said USC's action  coming days before conservative legislators in Washington grilled the president of Columbia University  plays into the hands of anti-intellectual reactionaries who cynically sought to "demonize campus communities that express solidarity with the Palestinian freedom struggle.

Howard Rodman, a professor of the writing division at the USC School of Cinematic Art and former president of the USC-AAUP chapter, said administrators decided to cancel Tabassums speech without buy-in from the faculty.

Brent Blair, a professor at USC's School of Dramatic Arts, holds a sign in support of USC valedictorian Asna Tabassum on Wednesday. (Carolina Petrow-Cohen / Los Angeles Times)

I have spoken to many people who feel that this is a disastrous decision, and no one who feels that it was a correct decision, he said.

Among USC faculty, Rodman said, there was no widespread agreement on free speech.

There are people who say, We're 1st Amendment absolutists, who believe that the remedy for speech you don't like is more speech," he said. "There are people who believe that the structural question of who owns the megaphone supersedes that. ... Why should the people who own the apparatus of the transmission of ideas have the sole access to it?

Rodman blamed officials, donors and legislators for the assault on campus free speech.

The traditional values of the university are under assault by donors who wish to determine policy, Rodman said. Theyre under assault by a government that places restrictions on what you can do once you have received government money.

::

Students have also played a key role in setting up a climate of censorship, experts say.

About a decade ago, Morey said, 1st Amendment attorneys at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression began to notice a shift: Students, who had long advocated for their own free speech rights, were increasingly asking administrators to regulate words and ideas.

In 2014, students at Wellesley College started a petition calling for the removal of an outdoor statue of a man in his underwear, claiming that it was a source of triggering thoughts regarding sexual assault. The following year, students at Yale University demanded that Nicholas Christakis step down from his position as faculty-in-residence at Silliman College, after a viral moment in which he tried to converse with students who took offense at an email his wife, Erika Christakis, wrote to students questioning administrators guidelines on Halloween costumes.

Commencement ceremonies have long been a magnet for protests, with a rich tradition of students and faculty heckling speakers, turning their backs on them or forcing them to withdraw.

For more than a quarter of a century, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression has kept a campus deplatforming database that has tracked such disputes, starting with media mogul and Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turners withdrawal from a 1998 commencement at Macalester College after students protested the teams use of an Indian mascot.

By 2016, disinvitations were so common that President Obama, speaking at a Rutgers commencement, chided students for pressuring former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to drop out as commencement speaker two years before due to her role in the Iraq war.

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, speaking at a 2022 reception in New York, was pressured in 2014 to drop out as Rutgers commencement speaker. (Julia Nikhinson / Associated Press)

I dont think thats how democracy works best, when were not even willing to listen to each other, Obama said .

The focus on safety intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic as students became involved in Black Lives Matter protests, Morey said.

At USC, administrators made business professor Greg Patton take a short-term pause from teaching a communications course in August 2020 after Black students complained that a Chinese-language example he used during class sounded like a racial slur and caused them mental harm.

In a letter to MBA students, a dean wrote that such language was simply unacceptable for faculty to use because it could marginalize and harm you and hurt your feelings of psychological safety.

In November, administrators told Strauss he could not teach undergraduates that semester after he declared: Hamas are murderers. Thats all they are. Every one should be killed, and I hope they all are killed.

John Strauss, a USC economics professor, was captured on camera telling students who were holding a demonstration for Palestinians killed in Gaza that "Hamas are murderers. ... I hope they all are killed."

Strauss swiftly found himself the subject of dueling petitions: One called for USC to fire him and create a safe learning environment free from hate speech or discriminatory behavior; another urged officials to allow him back on campus, arguing that Jewish people should not have to hide for their safety.

In early December, USC administrators announced they had lifted all of the restrictions on Strauss.

Over the last few years, commencement disputes over controversial speakers calmed down as universities exercised more caution over who they invited. They tried to avoid controversy, not by canceling speakers, but by avoiding inviting speakers in the first place, Morey said.

The focus of controversy may now be turning to students.

Last year, a law student speaking at the City University of New Yorks law school commencement caused a national furor when she called for a revolution to take on the legal systems white supremacy, CUNYs collaboration with the fascist NYPD and Israels project of settler colonialism.

After the New York Post ran a front-page story about the student, Fatima Mousa Mohammed  headlined Stark Raving Grad  CUNYs Board of Trustees and chancellor announced that 2024s commencement would not feature student speakers.

Figuring out what is a legitimate security threat on campuses has become increasingly fraught as activists and administrators blur the line between physical and psychological safety.

Part of what has happened on university campuses for quite some time has been a claim about a kind of emotional and psychological safety, Princetons Whittington said. Thats primarily a conceptual argument  one that doesnt seem to require any evidence in order to assert. Universities then can be extremely sweeping in who they might decide to censor or suppress or punish, in reaction to those kinds of complaints.

Canceling speech while upholding safety in a vague way, without outlining a concrete threat or distinguishing between physical or psychological harm, would only encourage more complaints, Whittington said.

Universities have an important obligation to explain that these kinds of concerns about emotional psychological safety are just not something that they can be responsive to at all," Whittington said. And in the case of genuine threats to physical safety, there ought to be a very high bar before the university is willing to take the step of shutting down a speaker.

The irony of what happened to Tabassum is it has given her a much bigger platform.

In the last 48 hours, she has conducted a whirl of media interviews, appearing on CNNs NewsNight and in a front-page story in The Times.

When you silence us, she said, you make us louder.





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.
In its dreams, Russia occupied the whole of Ukraine. Ukrainians also dream of our "Victory Parade in Moscow". Both dreams have little to do with reality, warned Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.

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Although the head of the DIU is cautious about making predictions, he believes that Ukraine will have a "window of opportunity" in the war with Russia, including the disintegration of Russia into smaller parts. He said this in an interview with the Washington Post.

As noted, in an interview with the publication, Budanov "promised to move the battle to Russian territory with the help of drones and special operations" and "ridiculed a Korean-style settlement through negotiations." He is referring to the so-called Korean scenario, when the line of demarcation between a free Ukraine and the occupied territories, like South and North Korea, is fixed as a result of negotiations with Russia.

Budanov predicts that Russia will launch a "major offensive" in June to try to capture the entire Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and then "the Russians will focus on the US elections and their aftermath," hoping that re-elected President Donald Trump will be able to ratify their gains.

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Ukraine is planning new "cross-border attacks" involving "Russian volunteers" and drones.

"This is a plan aimed at reducing Russia's potential. It covers many aspects, for example, the military industry, critical military targets, their airfields, command and control centers," Budanov said of Ukraine's targets.

Asked how this war will end, Budanov cautiously replied that he personally "would not mind" the possible disintegration of Russia into smaller parts, but clarified that this is still just a dream.

"This war will continue as long as this regime is in Russia. Under the next regime, everything may change. One way or another, Ukraine will have a window of opportunity," Budanov said.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, Trump has recently repeated several times that he personally is able to "end this war in one day." The former president has never said how he could do it. In this regard, Budanov told the Washington Post literally: "I have a lot of respect for Trump. But even a man like him cannot solve this issue in one day."

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Earlier, La Repubblica said that NATO is informally discussing the option of ending the war in Ukraine with territorial concessions in exchange for immediate admission to the Alliance. This scenario could be especially useful for Donald Trump if he returns to power in the United States.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
House Education and the Workforce Committee Chair Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., speaks during the hearing on "Columbia in Crisis: Columbia University's Response to Antisemitism" on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. | Jose Luis Magana

We have significant and important work to do to address antisemitism on our campus, Columbia University President Nemat Minouche Shafik said before a congressional committee Wednesday.

Opening her testimony before the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Shafik said, trying to reconcile the free speech rights of those who want to protest and the rights of Jewish students to be in an environment free of harassment or discrimination has been the central challenge on our campus.

The last six months on our campus have served as an extreme pressure test, Claire Shipman, co-chair of Columbias board of trustees, said. Our systems were not equipped to manage the unfolding situation.

Shafik said the university has since created a task force to address antisemitism, which released its first report calling for stronger enforcement of our policy. David Schizer, former Columbia Law School dean and co-chair of the task force, said the school needs to improve its rules around demonstrations. He said the right to protest must be preserved and also proposed that academic buildings be off-limits for demonstrations.

In addition to creating the task force, Shafik said the school had updated its process for holding demonstrations on campus.

Shafik and university officials faced criticism from lawmakers about the response to antisemitism on campus. Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., chairwoman of the committee, said that Columbia hasnt protected students on campus from antisemitism. We have seen far too little, far too late done to counter that and protect students and staff, she said.

At the heart of the hearing was what universities have grappled with since Oct. 7: how to help Jewish and Muslim students feel safe on campus while also preserving the right for students to demonstrate.

Additionally, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., asked Shafik a similar question that was asked to three other university president presidents: do calls for the genocide of Jews violate Columbias code of conduct? All four Columbia officials testifying before Congress said that yes, it did.

Just four months earlier, University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill, Harvard University President Claudine Gay and Massachusetts Institute of Technology President Sally Kornbluth were asked the same question. The moment went viral and later, Magill and Gay stepped down from their positions.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., asked why some students from a pro-Palestinian group were suspended after an event called Resistance 101 and if the university was sure they participated in the event. Shafik said, They refused to cooperate with the investigation, and so until they do so, they are suspended.

Omar also asked if Shafik had seen anti-Muslim, anti-Arab, anti-Jewish or anti-Palestinian protests on campus and she said she had not.

Jessie Appleby, program officer at Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, spoke to the Deseret News after the hearing and expressed concerns about what Columbia officials said regarding changing policies.

Appleby said the organization is investigating whats going on with the ability of students and faculty on campus to express their viewpoints. She said FIRE was also looking at the possible further restrictions to campus demonstrations. All of that is extremely chilling to student and facultys speech.

When speaking about the portion of the hearing where Columbia officials were asked if calls to genocide violate the code of conduct policy, Appleby said it should be considered protected speech unless it was part of a pattern of behavior that was so severe and pervasive that it rose to the level of harassing or if it was combined with a true threat or somehow made into a true threat.

Without meeting those conditions, Appleby said the speech is protected. Overall, she thought that Shafik was trying to walk a delicate line when it comes to free speech.

Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, was more critical of Shafik and expressed that he did not think the university was doing enough to protect students on campus. Calling out a specific professor by name, Owens questioned why he was still employed by Columbia after calling the Oct. 7 attack on Israel stunning, awesome and astonishing.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle continue to see antisemitism on campus as an issue.

Sens. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Tim Scott, R-S.C., introduced the Antisemitism Awareness Act which would direct the U.S. Department of Education to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliances definition of antisemitism.

The legislation includes in its definitions of antisemitism calling for the killing or harming of Jewish people, perpetuating stereotypical allegations about Jewish people, drawing comparisons between Israeli policy and the Nazis, accusing Jewish citizens of having more loyalty to Israel than their own nation and denying the Jewish people the right to self-determination.

Jewish students should feel safe and protected from harassment on college campuses, Crapo said in a release. This bill would provide much-needed guidance for universities so that antisemitic behavior is not tolerated at any level of Americas education system.

The bill has bipartisan support including from Sens. Krysten Sinema, I-Ariz., Christopher Coons, D-Del., Susan Collins, R-Maine, Katie Britt, R-Ala., John Fetterman, D-Pa., Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., John Cornyn, R-Texas, and others.

Our nations institutions of higher learning have become hotbeds of antisemitism, especially in the wake of the brutal attacks against Israel and innocent civilians by Hamas and Iran, Scott said. Its critical the Department of Education has the tools and resources it needs to investigate antisemitism and root out this vile hatred wherever it rears its ugly head.
Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) went after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Wednesday after she disavowed white supremacy in a House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing, calling back to her previous interactions with Nick Fuentes.

Its interesting to hear my colleague just now talk about disavowing white supremacists, when in 2022 she spoke at an event led by white supremacists and white nationalist Nick Fuentes, Frost said in the hearing. And when asked about it, doubled down on it and said, Were going to focus on people, not labels. So get out of here with that damn hypocrisy.

Fuentes, a white nationalist and Holocaust denier who once called for the killing of Jews, hosted Greene at his America First Political Action Conference in February 2022. The pair briefly shared a stage.

Greene initially declined to condemn Fuentes after the meeting, which brought criticism from Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and then-Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.). She did condemn Fuentes months later, however, after he met with former President Trump for a Mar-a-Lago dinner that November, saying she was not aware of his hateful views.

She said his views had no place in the Republican Party, adding that she regretted attending his event.

I dont regret talking to the kids that were there, because I dont understand why they follow him. But would I have gone to his event? No, Greene said. Im worried about kids that would follow him. And thats a shame.  But no, I dont want to have anything to do with him.

The Hill has reached out to Greenes office for comment.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Former US President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he leaves court for the day at Manhattan Criminal Court on April 18, 2024 in New York City. Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records last year, which prosecutors say was an effort to hide a potential sex scandal, both before and after the 2016 presidential election. Trump is the first former U.S. president to face trial on criminal charges. (Photo by Brendan McDermid-Pool/Getty Images)

The New York state court trying former President Donald Trump on criminal charges empaneled a full 12-person jury on the third day of the trial Thursday, according to reports.

The trial approached the end of its first phase Thursday afternoon as one of six alternate jurors was also selected. Selection of more alternates will continue Friday.

Juan Merchan, the judge overseeing the case, said Tuesday that oral arguments could begin as early as the start of next week, and the selection of jurors appeared to make that possibility more likely. The court did not meet Wednesday.

Seven jurors had been chosen before Thursday, but two were excused before the court broke for lunch. Seven more jurors were chosen in the afternoon.

The trial, which could go weeks, is keeping Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, away from the campaign trail. He complained to reporters as he exited the courtroom that the trial was interfering with his campaign, CNN reported.

During a break Thursday, the former president posted a message on his social media platform blasting the U.S. House bipartisan foreign aid package, which Republican Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana has endorsed.

A New York grand jury last year charged Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, saying he lied about payments his former attorney and fixer Michael Cohen made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the leadup to the 2016 presidential election to cover up an affair. Trump has denied the affair.

Cohen is expected to take the stand during the trial, and Trumps defense team will likely make his credibility a major issue. Cohen first denied any role in the payments, but later admitted to paying Daniels $130,000.

In 2018, he pleaded guilty to federal charges, including perjury, for lying to a congressional committee about a separate incident and served a prison sentence.Some polling suggests a guilty verdict in the trial could hurt Trumps standing with voters, though observers differ on whether even a felony conviction would seriously erode his base of support.

The post Full jury selected in Trumps criminal trial on hush-money charges appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
ormer US President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he leaves court for the day at Manhattan Criminal Court on April 18, 2024 in New York City. Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records last year, which prosecutors say was an effort to hide a potential sex scandal, both before and after the 2016 presidential election. Trump is the first former U.S. president to face trial on criminal charges. (Brendan McDermid-Pool/Getty Images)

The New York state court trying former President Donald Trump on criminal charges empaneled a full 12-person jury on the third day of the trial Thursday, according to reports.

The trial approached the end of its first phase Thursday afternoon as one of six alternate jurors was also selected. Selection of more alternates will continue Friday.

Juan Merchan, the judge overseeing the case, said Tuesday that oral arguments could begin as early as the start of next week, and the selection of jurors appeared to make that possibility more likely. The court did not meet Wednesday.

Seven jurors had been chosen before Thursday, but two were excused before the court broke for lunch. Seven more jurors were chosen in the afternoon.

The trial, which could go weeks, is keeping Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, away from the campaign trail. He complained to reporters as he exited the courtroom that the trial was interfering with his campaign, CNN reported.

During a break Thursday, the former president posted a message on his social media platform blasting the U.S. House bipartisan foreign aid package, which Republican Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana has endorsed.

A New York grand jury last year charged Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, saying he lied about payments his former attorney and fixer Michael Cohen made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the leadup to the 2016 presidential election to cover up an affair. Trump has denied the affair.

Cohen is expected to take the stand during the trial, and Trumps defense team will likely make his credibility a major issue. Cohen first denied any role in the payments, but later admitted to paying Daniels $130,000.

In 2018, he pleaded guilty to federal charges, including perjury, for lying to a congressional committee about a separate incident and served a prison sentence.Some polling suggests a guilty verdict in the trial could hurt Trumps standing with voters, though observers differ on whether even a felony conviction would seriously erode his base of support.

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The post Full jury selected in Trumps criminal trial on hush-money charges appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
NEW YORK  The 12 New Yorkers who will decide whether or not Donald Trump is a felon before this years presidential election were seated during a dramatic day of proceedings Thursday, leaving the court to find five alternates before his historic hush money trial begins in earnest.

We have our jury, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan announced close to 5 p.m. Lets pick our alternates.

One of those chosen is among Trumps Truth Social followers, whos read The Art of the Deal, while another admitted she didnt like his persona.

Hes very selfish and self-serving, so I dont appreciate that in any public servant, she said. I dont know him as a person, so I dont know how he is in terms of his integrity. Its just not my cup of tea.

The jurors  seven men and three women from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds  were among more than 150 people surveyed this week and were selected after Merchan excused two chosen to serve on Tuesday. One alternate was also seated.

One of the two who were dismissed told the court she was too scared to serve after her friends and family had guessed she was on the panel from her description in media reports, bombarding her with messages.

Merchan requested journalists take extra precautions when describing the panelists and issued a directive not to report on their place of employment. As a safety measure, he ruled that their identities would remain anonymous to the public and their addresses unknown to Trump before the trial started.

Also Thursday  less than a week into his trial and just days after prosecutors notified the court that Trump had potentially broken a gag order prohibiting him from commenting on trial participants  Assistant District Attorney Chris Conroy flagged another seven instances of Trump violating the order. They included posts about anticipated star witness Michael Cohen and the jury.

Its ridiculous, it has to stop, Conroy said, describing a post that went up on Trumps Truth Social account late Wednesday quoting Fox News host Jesse Watters disparaging the jurors as liberal activists as especially disturbing.

Prosecutors had already asked Merchan to hold Trump in criminal contempt for three offending online posts on Monday and fine him $1,000 apiece. On Thursday, they said they were exploring other options. Merchan is expected to address the matter at a hearing next week.

In response to the prosecutions request, Trump lawyer Emil Bove said Trumps posts did not establish any willful violations. He claimed his attacks against Cohen were him defending himself as a political candidate, not a defendant.

The presumptive Republican nominee brought a brazen attitude to the courthouse, accusing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of the crimes hes accused of after proceedings wrapped for the day.

Bragg falsified business records  Hes the fraud, Trump said while holding a six-inch stack of papers, which he said contained stories by legal experts criticizing the case.

And Im sitting here for days now  from morning till night in that freezing room. Freezing. Everybody was freezing in there and all of this.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsification of New York business records alleging that throughout 2017, after winning the presidency, he disguised reimbursement to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, for facilitating a hush-money scheme to defraud the 2016 electorate that violated election laws.

Among the alleged recipients of the scheme expected to testify are porn star Stormy Daniels  who Cohen went to prison for paying off  and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who each allege Trump cheated on Melania with them in 2006, soon after they wed. Trump denies the allegations.

The trial resumes Friday, and Merchan has told jurors to plan on coming back for opening statements on Monday.

_____
FWC captures one of the heaviest Burmese pythons ever recorded in the Everglades

FWC captures one of the heaviest Burmese pythons ever recorded in the Everglades

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission caught one of the heaviest Burmese pythons ever recorded.

The python was caught in the Everglades Francis S. Taylor WMA by Kurt Cox.

Horrifying video shows group ripping bear cubs from tree, taking pictures with them

According to their data, this massive snake weighed the most on record in the FWCs PATRIC program and the fourth heaviest they have on record. It is also the 22nd longest on record.

The heaviest of this species theyve caught was a 215-pound, 17.7-foot female python in December 2021. That snake was captured by Ian Bartoszek with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.

The longest snake the FWC has removed was another female, measuring 19 feet long and weighing 125.56 pounds. She was captured by citizen Jake Waleri in July 2023.

PATRIC was launched in 2017 and aims to remove pythons for nonnative constrictor control.

5 dead cats, 28 animals seized from Lakeland home, woman charged: PCSO

Burmese pythons are nonvenomous constrictors that are invasive in Florida. They typically live in or near the Everglades.

According to the FWC, these snakes are illegal to have as pets. Anyone who sees a Burmese python or other nonnative snake in the wild is asked to report it to their hotline at 888-483-4681.

For more information on these pythons, visit MyFWC.com/python.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Gas line struck at construction site in northeast Austin; crews being evacuated

AUSTIN (KXAN)  Workers were evacuated from a building under construction in northeast Austin Thursday morning after a gas line was hit in the area.

The Austin Fire Department said a 4-inch gas line was struck at a construction site near 3500 East Parmer Lane around 9:38 a.m.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

Crews evacuated workers from a mid-rise building under construction in the area.

AFD said no other exposures were reported.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Actor, author and activist Maulik Panchol says he has been incrediby moved by the outpouring of solidarity, love, and support after his appearance at a Pennsylvania highschool was cancelled by the institutions board over concerns about his lifestyle.

Mr Pancholy  who is gay  was supposed to host the anti-bulling event in May at Mountain View Middle School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania  until the Cumberland Valley School District school board voted unanimously to pass a motion to cancel it on Monday, the New York Times reported.

He labels himself as an activist who is proud of his lifestyle and I dont think that should be imposed on our students, said school board member Bud Shaffner, according to the outlet. Kelly Potteiger also expressed concern that the activist would mention his books, which feature LGBTQ+ characters.

She told the board that its not discriminating against his lifestyle, thats his choice. But its him speaking about it. He did say that thats not the topic, but thats what his books are about.

In a statement shared with The Independent on Thursday, Mr Pancholy questioned why the school board was afraid of his appearance and the promotion of his books which, he said, aimed to build empathy and promote inclusion.

My heart goes out to the entire Mountain View Middle School community, and particularly to the students, the statement read. Both of my books... are stories that reflect the full, complicated, and wonderful lives of middle school students.

As a middle schooler, I never saw myself represented in the stories around me. I couldn't find books that featured South Asian-American or LGBTQ+ characters. They didn't exist. And when I set out to write my own novels so many years later, I was still hard-pressed to find those stories. It's why I wrote my books in the first place. Because representation matters.

He continued: When I visit schools, my activism is to let all young people know that they're seen. To let them know that they matter.

When I talk about the characters in my books feeling different, Im always surprised by how many young people raise their hands - regardless of their identities and backgrounds - wanting to share about the ways in which they, too, feel different

Thats the power of books. They build empathy. I wonder why a school board is so afraid of that?

Mr Pancholy added: I hope that every single student at MVMS is receiving that message of support and love. That you know that regardless of who you are, you belong. To each of you: I see you. I appreciate you. You matter.

The school boards decision to cancel on Monday sparked a major backlash, with some describing it as shameful. A petition to reinstate the anti-bullying talk was created.

The petitions creator, Trisha Comstock, who identified herself in the petitions description as a member of the Cumberland Valley School District community, said she was deeply saddened by the school boards decision to cancel the discussion, which she said was made solely because he is openly gay.

She told the newspaper that her children had gone to Mountain View Middle School.

Ms Comstock said online that the assemblys cancellation sends a harmful message to our students - that being different is something to be ashamed of or hidden away. As of Thursday afternoon, the petition had garnered more than 2,000 signatures.

It is imperative that our kids learn about diversity from an early age, Ms Comstock said in a statement to The Independent. The decision made by the school board sends the message that being different is something to be ashamed of  and that has likely already caused harm to some of our students. To have someone with Mauliks life experiences would have been inspirational for our kids.

Beyond being an actor in 30 Rock and Phineas and Ferb, Mr Pancholy has penned childrens books and also served on President Obamas Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, which grew into the nonprofit Act To Change. He leads the nonprofit, which aims to fight bullying in schools.

The Independent has reached out to a representative for Mr Pancholy, Ms Shaffner, Ms Potteiger, the school board president and the middle schools principal.

Mr Shaffner told the Times that his comment about the actors lifestyle concerned his activism. The fact that he is a self-proclaimed political activist is what we object to, the school board member told the outlet.

Ms Comstock objected to this characterisation, telling the outlet the board members cloaked the assembly as We want to keep politics out of school when they clearly knew it had nothing to do with politics.

She added that the community is outraged because this isnt who we are.
Only 3% of missiles, drones, and guided bombs fired by Russia at Ukraine hit military targets, while the remaining 97% hit civilian infrastructure. One of these acts of terror was the attack with three missiles on a densely populated area of Chernihiv on April 17.

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This was stated at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna by Deputy Head of the Ukrainian Mission Viktoriia Kuvshynnykova, Ukrinform reports. She emphasized that the terrorist state kills people and destroys critical infrastructure every day.

"Yesterday there was another terrible attack. Russia fired three missiles into a densely populated area of Chernihiv. At least 18 people were killed and 78 others were wounded. This is terror at its most horrific. It is just one of many cases," noted Kuvshynnykova.

She emphasized that enemy propaganda does not hide its intentions to make Ukrainian cities uninhabitable. In particular, Kharkiv, Sumy, and other settlements along the front line are constant targets not only for missiles and UAVs but also for enemy KABs.

The representative of the Ukrainian mission to the OSCE informed that Ukraine needs additional air defense systems to counter Russian terror.

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"Reality has shown that providing military assistance to Ukraine remains the best and cheapest option to avoid a dangerous escalation that could lead to civilian deaths and destruction of infrastructure," Kuvshynnykova said.

As reported by OBOZ.UA:

 On April 18, Russians fired at the driver of a car that brought bread to a store. As a result of the war crime, a man born in 1994 sustained a contusion.

 Also on April 18, Russians fired at the Dnipropetrovs'k region. Dniprovskyi district came under a rocket attack, two men were wounded.

 On April 17, Russia killed 18 Ukrainian citizens in a triple missile attack on Chernihiv. As a result of the actions of Russian war criminals, 78 people were injured.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
A police officer was shot in south Georgia on Tuesday night, according to Statesboro police.

At around 10 p.m., officers were dispatched to the Copper Beech Townhomes on Statesboro Place Circle for reports of a man entering cars in the parking lot.

Officer Joey Deloach saw a person who matched the suspects description and ordered him to get out of the car. Deloach and the suspect, who police identified as 19-year-old Anthony Kent, exchanged gunfire.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Deloach was hit by a bullet but was able to get assistance from other officers on scene before he was rushed to a nearby hospital.

He underwent surgery and remains hospitalized, according to police. Officials have not given an update on his condition.

After the shootout, Kent ran into a wooded area before he was arrested a short time later near Brampton Avenue.

Police said Kent was also injured in the shootout and was taken to a hospital before being transported to Bulloch County Jail.

TRENDING STORIES:

Kent is being charged with aggravated assault on a public safety officer.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation responded to the scene and are continuing to investigate this shootout.

Anyone with information about this shooting is asked to contact the Georgia Bureau of Investigations Region 5 Investigative Office at 912-871-1121. Information may also be provided to Senior Detective Ben Purvis at 912-764-9911 or by submitting an anonymous tip to www.tipsoft.com or by texting 274637 and entering TIPSSPD plus your message.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
Update: Constance Dean has been sentenced to life without parole.

TAYLOR COUNTY, Ga. (WRBL)  A wife in Georgia was found guilty on multiple counts associated with killing her husband, according to court documents.

Constance Virgina Dean, 61, was originally charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

The charges stem back to Sept. 12, 2017, when Taylor County Sheriffs Office deputies were dispatched to a suicide call on Railroad Street sometime before 7:30 p.m. The GBI was called in to investigate.

Court documents accused Constance Dean of fatally shooting her husband, Frederick Dean.

The case was tried by Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit Acting District Attorney W. Don Kelly. The jury selection began on April 8. Closing arguments were made on Wednesday.

The jury did find Constance Dean guilty on all counts on Thursday morning.

There is no word on Constance Deans sentencing at this time.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL.
Georgia's parliament passed a controversial foreign agents law in its first reading on April 17 as protests in opposition to the legislation continued for the third night. The law must be passed in two more readings before it can become law.

The bill, first introduced in 2023 by the ruling Georgian Dream party, would require organizations that receive foreign funding to be labeled as foreign agents. Widespread demonstrations broke out at the time in protest of the proposed law, and it was eventually abandoned in March 2023.

The Georgian Dream party recently reintroduced the legislation in parliament, renaming it a bill on the "transparency of foreign influence" but keeping the intent of the previous law essentially identical.

The bill became popularly known in Georgia as the "Russian law" for its resemblance to similar legislation passed in Russia. Moscow's "foreign agents" registry has been widely used to target and silence groups and individuals who are critical of the government, including independent journalists, activists, and NGOs.

The legislation was approved by 83 lawmakers of Georgia's 150-member parliament, with opposition lawmakers boycotting the vote.

Large-scale demonstrations continue to take place in the city center of Tbilisi, and at least 13 people were arrested for demonstrating. Videos of police brutality against protesters were widely circulated online, with Georgian NGOs condemning the violence.

Political infighting

Even as the parliament moved forward with the law, there are deep divisions within the government and rising tension that has at times escalated into episodes of violence among lawmakers.

Mamuka Mdinaradze, the leader of Georgian Dream's parliament faction and a key force behind the bill, was punched in the face by opposition lawmaker Aleko Elisashvili while speaking from the dispatch box during an early discussion of the revived bill.

Local media later reported that Elisashvili was detained and beaten by police after the incident.

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, a political opponent of Georgian Dream, called the law a "direct provocation" in an interview with BBC and vowed to veto it.

The reintroduction of the law comes against the backdrop of upcoming parliamentary elections and the ongoing process of negotiations on Georgia's accession to the EU.

The European Commission offered Georgia candidate status to the EU in November 2023. It is widely believed that the foreign agents law will hurt Georgia's chances of entering the bloc, if passed.

Zourabichvili said the law "clearly shows the intent of some in power to obstruct our way to (EU) integration."

Sabotaging Georgia's EU aspirations?

After the previous iteration of the law was abandoned last year, Georgian Dream lawmakers pledged not to reintroduce it, and Georgia continued to move forward with the EU accession process.

One of the key aspects of Georgia's pathway into the bloc is the successful implementation of reforms.

EU officials such as European Council President Charles Michel have been unambiguous about the harm the proposed legislation will do to Georgia's chances of joining the EU.

Michel said on April 16 that the law is "not consistent with Georgia's EU aspiration and its accession trajectory and will bring Georgia further away from the EU and not closer."

The Diplomats Club of Georgia, which consists of former Georgian diplomats, issued a joint statement condemning the law and arguing that it is directly "sabotaging" the country's path into the EU.

The diplomats also called out Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgia's richest man and former prime minister, who is widely seen to still wield power behind the throne. Ivanishvili is also known to have many business connections in Russia, having made much of his fortune there.

"Instead of (carrying out the EU-mandated reforms), Ivanishvilis government is trying to kill the beloved dream of several generations of the Georgian people and make the country a province of Russia," the statement read.

Many of the required reforms have remained unfinished, and some analysts have argued that Georgian Dream is aware of rising anger from pro-Western Georgians over the inaction, and have instead decided to appeal to far-right segments of the population.

Georgian Dream has tried to "use LGBT fear and homophobia to gather more votes" and has "significantly increased funding for the church this year," said Ioseb Dzamukashvili Sekniashvili, a political analyst specializing in the politics of Eastern Europe and Russia.

In written comments to the Kyiv Independent, Dzamukashvili Sekniashvili said, "By bringing back the so-called Russian law, they (are attempting) to create this fear that there are foreign agents among us."

Whether Georgian Dream's strategy will work ultimately depends on the "fairness and freeness of the next elections," Dzamukashvili Sekniashvili added.

Other analysts and journalists covering Georgia have put forth different speculations on why the law was revived, including the suggestion that it may have been the result of a direct order from Russia or Ivanishvili, or both.

Another possible explanation is that the law was devised specifically to protect Ivanishvili from possible EU sanctions, in light of reporting from the U.K. tabloid the Daily Mail in April that the oligarch was making preparations to create a shelter for himself and his assets in Brazil.

Read also: Ruling party in Georgia will again try to pass foreign agents law withdrawn following protests in 2023

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
German authorities arrested two German-Russian nationals suspected of planning a military sabotage plot on behalf of Russian intelligence, Germany's Federal Prosecutor's Office said on April 18.

"The actions were intended in particular to undermine the military support provided by Germany to Ukraine against the Russian war of aggression," the prosecutors said.

The two men are accused of preparing a plot to carry out explosive and arson attacks on military and industrial sites in Germany, including on U.S. military bases in the country. They are thought to have actively begun the preparation for potential attacks by secretly photographing possible targets.

One of the men is also suspected of having fought in eastern Ukraine for Russian proxy forces between 2014 and 2016, the prosecutors said.

Russian intelligence actively deploys agents and operatives across Europe.

Several suspects have been arrested in recent months in Germany, Austria, Estonia, and other countries for allegedly spying for Russia or other forms of collaboration with Russian intelligence.

Read also: FT: Czechia warns Russia is trying to sabotage railways in Europe

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Robert Habeck, German Minister of Economy and Vice Chancellor, arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit on the morning of 18 April.

Source: European Pravda with reference to RND

Details: Habeck stressed that his visit was a sign that Germany should and would provide long-term support to Ukraine.

Photo: RND

"Even in the third year of the brutal and illegal Russian war of aggression, Germany stands firmly on the side of Ukraine," Habeck said upon arrival at Kyiv's central railway station.

In addition to talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Habeck is scheduled to meet with Yuliia Svyrydenko, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, and Herman Halushchenko, Minister of Energy.

The talks will focus on Russia's recent attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Habeck wants to discuss how Germany can provide emergency assistance.

Since the start of the full-scale war in February 2022, Germany has supported the Ukrainian energy sector alone with 420 million. The German government wants to allocate another 25 million to help Ukrainians prepare for the next winter.

In addition to cooperation in the energy sector, they plan to discuss relations in the defence industry. During his visit, Habek will be accompanied by a delegation of small businesses with managers and executives from the energy and defence industries.

This is Habeck's second trip to Ukraine during his term in office. After his visit to Ukraine, he will visit Moldova.

Background: On 13 April, Germany announced the urgent transfer of one Patriot air defence system to Ukraine.

In a letter to dozens of countries, the German ministers of defence and foreign affairs announced a global initiative to find additional air defence equipment for Ukraine.

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Robert Habeck (L), Germany's Economy Minister, and Julia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, hold a press conference after a meeting with business representatives. Kay Nietfeld/dpa

German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck was in Kiev on Thursday for a visit focused on Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, emergency aid, and strengthening the country's war-hit economy.

Habeck said upon arrival that the visit was taking place at a time when Ukraine needed all the support it could get in its "fight for freedom."

"Yes, Ukraine is fighting for its own self-determination, for its territorial integrity against [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's aggression, but is also fighting for the values that unite and characterize Europe," he said.

He laid flowers at a memorial wall for fallen Ukrainian soldiers on Thursday morning.

Habeck, who also serves as economy minister, is accompanied on the trip by a German business delegation.

In Kiev, he was to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Energy Minister German Galushchenko, among others.

An air raid alert sounded in the Ukrainian capital during Habeck's visit in the morning, the air force said. Ukraine had downed further drones and missiles in Russian attacks on seven regions overnight, the air force said.

Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian power plants have intensified in recent weeks. The renewed aerial assaults, which cut electricity to homes and industry, come as Ukraine's air defences run increasingly thin.

At the weekend, the German government announced it would supply Kiev with another Patriot air defence system.

A badly needed military aid package from the United States remains stalled, while Europe's drive to get more ammunition to Ukraine's battlefield troops has fallen short of its goal.

"The situation is certainly challenging, but the Ukrainians have managed to hold their own time and again over the past two years. And what Germany can do to support them, it will do," Habeck said.

Helmut Rauch, head of Germany's Diehl Defence, which manufactures the IRIS-T air defence systems, was among those accompanying Habeck. Diehl has so far supplied Kiev with three IRIS-Ts.

Diehl is to deliver a fourth system in the coming weeks, Rauch told a meeting of Habeck, Svyrydenko and business representatives. More are set to follow this year, he said.

"Our long-term goal is, of course, to be able to maintain and repair the systems ourselves on site in Ukraine," Rauch said.

Habeck said he hoped for US would agree on the next aid package "so Ukraine can successfully continue its fight for freedom." Svyrydenko described the package as "extremely important."

Ukraine has a budget deficit of around 37 billion ($39 billion), she said, noting that help from the European Commission is important.

"But of course we are counting on this US aid, not only in terms of macro-financial support, but above all in terms of military aid."

Jorg Ebel, the president of the German Solar Industry Association, said he saw huge potential for solar in Ukraine, both in the short- and long-term.

Solar energy is affordable, reliable, and can be easily deployed, Ebel said. "This means that it is also very, very well suited to future attacks, because it cannot be threatened or even switched off in one fell swoop," he said.

Habeck will later travel on to Moldova to meet Prime Minister Dorin Recean. The pro-Western leadership of the country, which is striving to join the EU, sees Moldova, which borders on Ukraine, as threatened by Moscow.

Tensions between Moldova and its breakaway region Transnistria have also risen since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago. In February, Transnistria's separatists asked Russia for protection "in the face of increasing pressure from Moldova."

The West accuses Russia of deliberately trying to destabilize the situation. "Moscow's aggression is also affecting Ukraine's neighbours with full force," Habeck said.

The trip comes as Germany prepares to put on the next Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin on June 11 and 12. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Zelensky are jointly hosting the international meeting.

Robert Habeck (L), Germany's Economy Minister, and Julia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, hold a press conference after a meeting with business representatives. Kay Nietfeld/dpa
German Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habeck (L) lays flowers at the memorial wall for the soldiers who died in the war. Kay Nietfeld/dpa

German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck arrived in Kiev on Thursday for a visit focused on Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, emergency aid, and strengthening the country's economy.

Habeck, who also serves as economy minister, is accompanied by a business delegation. The trip comes as Germany prepares to put on the next Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin on June 11 and 12. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are jointly hosting the international meeting.

Habeck said upon arrival that the visit was taking place at a time when Ukraine needed all the support it could get in its "fight for freedom."

"Yes, Ukraine is fighting for its own self-determination, for its territorial integrity against [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's aggression, but is also fighting for the values that unite and characterize Europe," he said.

In Kiev, Habeck will meet Zelensky, Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Energy Minister German Galushchenko, among others.

Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian power plants have intensified in recent weeks. The renewed aerial assaults, which cut electricity to homes and industry, comes as Ukraine's air defences run increasingly thin.

At the weekend, the German government announced it would supply Kiev with another Patriot air defence system.

But a badly needed military aid package from the United States remains stalled, while Europe's drive to get more ammunition to Ukraine's battlefield troops has fallen short of its goal.

"The situation is certainly challenging, but the Ukrainians have managed to hold their own time and again over the past two years. And what Germany can do to support them, it will do," Habeck said.

Helmut Rauch, head of Germany's Diehl Defence, which manufactures the IRIS-T air defence systems, was among those accompanying Habeck. Diehl has so far supplied Kiev with three IRIS-Ts.

"Our long-term goal is, of course, to be able to maintain and repair the systems ourselves on site in Ukraine," Rauch said.

Jorg Ebel, the president of the German Solar Industry Association, said in Kiev that he saw huge potential for solar in Ukraine, both in the short- and long-term.

Solar energy is affordable, reliable, and can be easily deployed, Ebel said. "This means that it is also very, very well suited to future attacks, because it cannot be threatened or even switched off in one fell swoop," he said.

Habeck will later travel on to Moldova to meet with Prime Minister Dorin Recean. The pro-Western leadership of the country, which is striving to join the EU, sees Moldova, which borders on Ukraine, as threatened by Moscow.

Tensions between Moldova and its breakaway region Transnistria have also risen since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago. In February, Transnistria's separatists asked Russia for protection "in the face of increasing pressure from Moldova."

The West accuses Russia of deliberately trying to destabilize the situation. "Moscow's aggression is also affecting Ukraine's neighbours with full force," Habeck said.

German Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habeck (L) lays flowers at the memorial wall for the soldiers who died in the war. Kay Nietfeld/dpa

German Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habeck lays flowers at the memorial wall for the soldiers who died in the war. Kay Nietfeld/dpa
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said she is optimistic that US lawmakers will approve a long-delayed military aid package for Ukraine, after a plan to get the funding bill through Congress was unveiled.

Speaking on the sidelines of a G7 foreign ministers meeting on the Italian island of Capri, she said there were "hopeful" signs from the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives.

"We have campaigned intensively for this," Baerbock said of Germany's position.

The House could vote on the massive new military aid package worth $61 billion as soon as Saturday, after Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson chose to defy the hard-right faction of his party opposed to more Ukraine spending.

If the bill passes, the White House says a new long-range ATACMS missile system could be sent to Ukraine.

At the NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels earlier this month, there had been intensive discussions about "how we can now show our strength by supporting Ukraine with everything we have," Baerbock said. "The US naturally plays an important role in this."

That is why the German government had "campaigned so strongly to the Americans - and above all to those in America who had not yet supported it - to ensure that they continue to provide such important and intensive support, with equipment and with financial resources."

German Minister for Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock gives a statement at the meeting of the G7 foreign ministers. Britta Pedersen/dpa
Nancy Faeser, Germany's Interior Minister, speaks during a joint press conference with Romanian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Predoiu and former professional footballer Hitzlsperger, German ambassador for UEFA Euro 2024. Soeren Stache/dpa

Germany will not be intimidated by Russian attempts at espionage, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said following the arrest of two suspected spies for Russia.

"Our security authorities have prevented possible explosive attacks that were intended to target and undermine our military aid for Ukraine," Faeser said on Thursday.

Two German-Russian nationals were arrested in southern Germany on suspicion of spying for Russia, with one suspect accused of discussing possible acts of sabotage directed at military facilities to thwart aid to Ukraine.

All protective measures "against hybrid threats from the Russian regime" have been ramped up since Russia launched its all-out invasion two years ago, Faeser said.

"We will continue to provide Ukraine with massive support and will not allow ourselves to be intimidated," the minister said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has responded to the law on foreign agents in Georgia, expressing concern about the deteriorating political situation in the country. It emphasized that "Russification, not mythical 'Ukrainization', is a real threat."

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This is stated in the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "We call on all interested parties to respect the right of Georgian citizens to peaceful protest and to seek a solution to the situation through constructive dialogue," the statement said.

It emphasized that respect for the rights and freedoms of citizens, as well as the involvement of civil society in addressing socially important issues, is a prerequisite for building the country's European future.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed outrage over the comments made by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze regarding the threat of "Ukrainization" that the draft law is allegedly aimed at.

"The use of our country's name in such a disrespectful context causes additional damage to Ukrainian-Georgian relations. Russification, not the mythical "Ukrainization," is a real threat to Georgia," the Ministry said.

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They added that Ukraine is interested in a peaceful and friendly atmosphere in Georgia, and has always supported and continues to support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders.

As a reminder, on Wednesday, April 17, Georgia adopted a controversial draft law on foreign agents. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, reacted to this by noting that official Tbilisi may face problems when joining the European Union.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Don't fall for fakes!
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called for a tougher stance against Tehran following the Iranian drone and missile attack on Israel, but has also warned against an expansion of the conflict.

"Iran must be isolated. And at the same time, there must be no further escalation," she said on Thursday on the sidelines of the meeting of foreign ministers from the G7 major industrialized nations in Capri in Italy.

"Of course there must be a response to this unprecedented incident," but a further escalation would be "fatal for the people: in Israel, in the West Bank, in Lebanon, in the entire region," Baerbock said.

Israel had shown that it could defend itself, in concert with its allies, and scored a "defensive victory," Baerbock said.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani assured Israel of his support on behalf of the G7. "We are friends of Israel. We support Israel," he said.
Volodymyr Zelensky (L), President of Ukraine, receives Robert Habeck German Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, at the presidential palace. Kay Nietfeld/dpa

German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck was in Kiev on Thursday for a visit focused on Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, emergency aid, and strengthening the country's war-hit economy.

Habeck said upon arrival that the visit was taking place at a time when Ukraine needed all the support it could get in its "fight for freedom."

"Yes, Ukraine is fighting for its own self-determination, for its territorial integrity against [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's aggression, but is also fighting for the values that unite and characterize Europe," he said.

He laid flowers at a memorial wall for fallen Ukrainian soldiers on Thursday morning.

Habeck, who also serves as economy minister, is accompanied on the trip by a German business delegation.

In Kiev, he was to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Energy Minister German Galushchenko, among others.

An air-raid alert sounded in the Ukrainian capital during Habeck's visit in the morning, the air force said. Ukraine had downed further drones and missiles in Russian attacks on seven regions overnight, the air force said.

Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian power plants have intensified in recent weeks. The renewed aerial assaults, which cut electricity to homes and industry, come as Ukraine's air defences run increasingly thin.

At the weekend, the German government announced it would supply Kiev with another Patriot air-defence system.

A badly needed military aid package from the United States remains stalled, while Europe's drive to get more ammunition to Ukraine's battlefield troops has fallen short of its goal.

"The situation is certainly challenging, but the Ukrainians have managed to hold their own time and again over the past two years. And what Germany can do to support them, it will do," Habeck said.

Helmut Rauch, head of Germany's Diehl Defence, which manufactures the IRIS-T air defence systems, was among those accompanying Habeck. Diehl has so far supplied Kiev with three IRIS-Ts.

Diehl is to deliver a fourth system in the coming weeks, Rauch told a meeting of Habeck, Svyrydenko and business representatives. More are set to follow this year, he said.

"Our long-term goal is, of course, to be able to maintain and repair the systems ourselves on site in Ukraine," Rauch said.

Habeck said he hoped for US would agree on the next aid package "so Ukraine can successfully continue its fight for freedom." Svyrydenko described the package as "extremely important."

Ukraine has a budget deficit of around 37 billion ($39 billion), she said, noting that help from the European Commission is important.

"But of course we are counting on this US aid, not only in terms of macro-financial support, but above all in terms of military aid."

Jorg Ebel, the president of the German Solar Industry Association, said he saw huge potential for solar in Ukraine, both in the short and long-term.

Solar energy is affordable, reliable, and can be easily deployed, Ebel said. "This means that it is also very, very well suited to future attacks, because it cannot be threatened or even switched off in one fell swoop," he said.

There is "a great deal of interest from German companies in coming to Ukraine to produce and build partnerships," Habeck said on Thursday, adding that Ukraine is moving towards the European Union's common market.

It is "a large country, one of the largest territorial countries in Europe" and has a well-educated, young population that also offers ideal partnerships from an economic perspective, Habeck said.

The German government is seeking to encourage private business investments in Ukraine with guarantees that limit the risks.

Habeck will later travel on to Moldova to meet Prime Minister Dorin Recean. The pro-Western leadership of the country, which is striving to join the EU, sees Moldova, which borders on Ukraine, as threatened by Moscow.

Tensions between Moldova and its breakaway region Transnistria have also risen since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine over two years ago. In February, Transnistria's separatists asked Russia for protection "in the face of increasing pressure from Moldova."

The West accuses Russia of deliberately trying to destabilize the situation. "Moscow's aggression is also affecting Ukraine's neighbours with full force," Habeck said.

The trip comes as Germany prepares to put on the next Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin on June 11 and 12. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Zelensky are jointly hosting the international meeting.

Robert Habeck (L), Germany's Economy Minister, and Julia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, hold a press conference after a meeting with business representatives. Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Robert Habeck (L), Germany's Economy Minister, and Julia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, hold a press conference after a meeting with business representatives. Kay Nietfeld/dpa
Google has fired 28 employees over their participation in a 10-hour sit-in at the search giants offices in New York and Sunnyvale, California, to protest the companys business ties with the Israel government, The Post has learned.

The pro-Palestinian staffers  who wore traditional Arab headscarves as they stormed and occupied the office of a top executive in California on Tuesday  were terminated late Wednesday after an internal investigation, Google vice president of global security Chris Rackow said in a companywide memo.

They took over office spaces, defaced our property, and physically impeded the work of other Googlers, Rackow wrote in the memo obtained by The Post. Their behavior was unacceptable, extremely disruptive, and made co-workers feel threatened.

A large group of Google employees hold signs protesting their companys participation in Project Nimbus. X/@NoTechApartheid

In New York, protesters had occupied the 10th floor of Googles offices in the Chelsea section of Manhattan as part of a protest that also extended to the companys offices in Seattle for what it called No Tech for Genocide Day of Action.

Behavior like this has no place in our workplace and we will not tolerate it, Rackow wrote. It clearly violates multiple policies that all employees must adhere to  including our code of conduct and policy on harassment, discrimination, retaliation, standards of conduct, and workplace concerns.

Rackow added that the company takes this extremely seriously, and we will continue to apply our longstanding policies to take action against disruptive behavior  up to and including termination.

The fired staffers are affiliated with a group called No Tech For Apartheid, which has been critical of Googles response to the Israel-Hamas war.

The group had posted several videos and livestreams of the protests on its X account  including the exact moment that employees were issued final warnings and arrested by local police for trespassing.

The protesters have demanded that Google pull out of a $1.2 billion Project Nimbus contract  in which Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services provide cloud-computing and artificial intelligence services for the Israeli government and military.

The unruly staffers were terminated late Wednesday. Twitch/notech4apartheid

Critics at the company raised concerns that the technology would be weaponized against Palestinians in Gaza.

The impacted workers blasted Google over the firings in a statement shared by No Tech For Apartheid spokesperson Jane Chung.

This evening, Google indiscriminately fired 28 workers, including those among us who did not directly participate in yesterdays historic, bicoastal 10-hour sit-in protests, the workers said in the statement.

This flagrant act of retaliation is a clear indication that Google values its $1.2 billion contract with the genocidal Israeli government and military more than its own workers  the ones who create real value for executives and shareholders.

Some wore traditional Arab headscarves as they stormed and occupied the office of a top executive in California. Twitch/notech4apartheid

Sundar Pichai and Thomas Kurian are genocide profiteers, the statement added, referring to Googles CEO and the CEO of its cloud unit, respectively.

We cannot comprehend how these men are able to sleep at night while their tech has enabled 100,000 Palestinians killed, reported missing, or wounded in the last six months of Israels genocide  and counting.

An NYPD spokesperson said the Tuesday protest involved approximately 50 participants in total and confirmed four arrests were made for trespassing inside the Google building.

The Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety said the protest in California consisted of around 80 participants. A total of five protesters who refused to leave the Google office were arrested without incident for criminal trespassing, booked and released, a spokesperson added.

It couldnt immediately be learned if all nine arrested employees were among those who were fired. Google had earlier placed the employees on administrative leave and cut their access to internal systems.

When reached for comment, a Google spokesperson confirmed the firings. X/@NoTechApartheid

Last month, Google fired a software engineer who publicly blasted one of the companys Israel-based executives during a tech conference in New York City.

When reached for comment, a Google spokesperson confirmed the firings.

These protests were part of a longstanding campaign by a group of organizations and people who largely dont work at Google, the spokesperson said in a statement.

These protests were part of a longstanding campaign by a group of organizations and people who largely dont work at Google, the spokesperson said in a statement. X/@NoTechApartheid

A small number of employee protesters entered and disrupted a few of our locations. Physically impeding other employees work and preventing them from accessing our facilities is a clear violation of our policies, and completely unacceptable behavior.

We have so far concluded individual investigations that resulted in the termination of employment for 28 employees, and will continue to investigate and take action as needed, the spokesperson added.

The demonstrators stormed the personal office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian in Sunnyvale.

Kurians custom-made, framed Golden State Warriors jersey was visible on the office wall in the background of the livestream, and employees wrote a list of their demands on his whiteboard.

Critics at the company raised concerns that the technology would be weaponized against Palestinians in Gaza. X/@NoTechApartheid

The companywide memo can be read in its entirety below.

Googlers,

You may have seen reports of protests at some of our offices yesterday. Unfortunately, a number of employees brought the event into our buildings in New York and Sunnyvale. They took over office spaces, defaced our property, and physically impeded the work of other Googlers. Their behavior was unacceptable, extremely disruptive, and made co-workers feel threatened. We placed employees involved under investigation and cut their access to our systems. Those who refused to leave were arrested by law enforcement and removed from our offices.

Following investigation, today we terminated the employment of twenty-eight employees found to be involved. We will continue to investigate and take action as needed.

Behavior like this has no place in our workplace and we will not tolerate it. It clearly violates multiple policies that all employees must adhere to  including our Code of Conduct and Policy on Harassment, Discrimination, Retaliation, Standards of Conduct, and Workplace Concerns.

We are a place of business and every Googler is expected to read our policies and apply them to how they conduct themselves and communicate in our workplace. The overwhelming majority of our employees do the right thing. If youre one of the few who are tempted to think were going to overlook conduct that violates our policies, think again. The company takes this extremely seriously, and we will continue to apply our longstanding policies to take action against disruptive behavior  up to and including termination.

You should expect to hear more from leaders about standards of behavior and discourse in the workplace.

Chris
Google fired 28 employees late Wednesday after staff members staged protests against the companys work with the government of Israel during the war in Gaza.

The terminations came after nine of the tech giants employees were arrested following 10-hour sit-in demonstrations at Google offices in New York City and Sunnyvale, California, on Tuesday. The workers involved in a group named No Tech for Apartheid say they were objecting to Project Nimbusa $1.2 billion contract awarded to Google and Amazon in 2021 to provide cloud-computing services to the Israeli government.

Google Is Paying News Orgs to Publish AI-Generated Garbage

They took over office spaces, defaced our property, and physically impeded the work of other Googlers, Chris Rackow, Googles vice president of global security, wrote in a companywide memo to staff announcing the firings, according to the New York Post. Their behavior was unacceptable, extremely disruptive, and made co-workers feel threatened.

Im furious, one of the fired employeeswho did not take part in the sit-ins but did help to organize the protesttold The Washington Post. This is a wildly disproportionate response to workers standing up for morality and for holding Google accountable for its own promises. Firing people associated with an event they dont likeits unbelievable.

The former worker also said members of No Tech for Apartheid have spoken to an attorney about potentially bringing charges against Google for alleged breaches of labor law.

In a statement, the group denounced the firings as a flagrant act of retaliation which demonstrated that Google valued its contract with the Israeli government more than its own workers. In the three years that we have been organizing against Project Nimbus, we have yet to hear from a single executive about our concerns, the statement added. Google workers have the right to peacefully protest about terms and conditions of our labor.

Google told Reuters that its Nimbus contract is not directed at highly sensitive, classified, or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services. No Tech for Apartheid pointed to recent reporting from Time on a Google document indicating that it is providing cloud computing services to Israels Ministry of Defense.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Google has fired 28 employees after protests on Tuesday in the companys offices against their cloud contract with the Israeli government.

The employees were terminated on Wednesday following a sit-in protest inside Googles offices in New York and Sunnyvale, California.

Dozens of Google workers made their way inside Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurians office at the Sunnyvale office, as well as on the 10th-floor commons in New York City, according to No Tech for Apartheid, the organisation that led the protests.

They refuse to leave until @google stops powering the genocide in Gaza, the group added, showing pictures of protestors holding banners inside the offices, some of which said no more genocide for profit and Googlers against genocide.

The protests are directed at a $1.2bn contract entered into by Google and Amazon to provide cloud services to the Israeli government, known as Project Nimbus.

Google announced that it had since dismissed 28 workers from employment at the company after the protests, claiming they physically hindered the work of others and displayed unacceptable behaviour.

A small number of employee protesters entered and disrupted a few of our locations, a Google spokesperson told The Independent on Thursday.

Physically impeding other employees work and preventing them from accessing our facilities is a clear violation of our policies, and completely unacceptable behaviour.

After refusing multiple requests to leave the premises, law enforcement was engaged to remove them to ensure office safety, the spokesperson added.

A counter-protester holding an Israeli flag walks into the parking lot near a protest at Google Cloud offices in Sunnyvale, California, US on April 16, 2024. (REUTERS/Nathan Frandino)

The Google spokesperson said the company would continue to investigate and take action as needed.

No Tech for Apartheid also captured the moment that several protestors were removed from their sit-in positions and arrested at the Google offices on both US coasts, including on its livestream of the Sunnyvale demonstration.

Nine people were reportedly arrested on trespassing charges, according to Bloomberg.

No Tech for Apartheid claimed in a statement after the terminations that Google had indiscriminately fired workers, including those who did not directly participate in the sit-ins.

This flagrant act of retaliation is a clear indication that Google values its $1.2bn contract with the genocidal Israeli government and military more than its own workers, the organisation added.

Some of the workers arrested amid the protest told CNBC on Wednesday that during the demonstration they were locked out of their work accounts and offices, placed on administrative leave and told to wait to return to work until being contacted by HR.

Cheyne Anderson, a Google Cloud software engineer, who had flown to Sunnyvale for the protest and was one of the workers who was arrested, told the outlet that she is opposed to Google taking any military contracts  no matter which government theyre with or what exactly the contract is about.

Another protestor, Hasan Ibraheem, told CNBC that it was weighing heavily on him that he was receiving money from Google and Israel is paying Google, adding that he felt he had a responsibility to act against the Nimbus project.

A Google spokesperson said that Nimbus is not directed at highly sensitive, classified, or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services.

We have been very clear that the Nimbus contract is for workloads running on our commercial cloud by Israeli government ministries who agree to comply with our terms of service and acceptable use policy, they said.

Google Cloud supports numerous governments around the world, in countries where we operate, including the Israeli government, with our generally available cloud computing services, the spokesperson added.

The protest comes as Gazas Ministry of Health reported an updated death toll, saying that nearly 34,000 Palestinians have been killed amid Israels ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza.
Google fired the 28 employees who protested against the Alphabet divisions $1.2 billion cloud-computing contract with the Israeli government, just days after they staged sit-ins at offices around the nation.

The protests took place Tuesday at offices in New York City, Sunnyvale, California, Seattle and elsewhere. The group in Sunnyvale occupied the office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian and livestreamed the sit-in on a Twitch channel called notech4apartheid.

On the stream, they said New York staffers had been arrested after they sat down in a common space in the office and opened up a banner reading, No Tech for Genocide. They were released several hours later.

The protest focused on Project Nimbus, the cloud computing service Google provides Israeli government agencies in partnership with Amazon as part of a contract worth $1.2 billion.

The group also has a website, NoTechForAparteid.com, which encourages visitors to petition both Google and Amazon to stop doing business with Israel.

While the contract has long been an issue for some of Googles staffers, the tensions surrounding it have escalated since the start of Israel-Gaza war in October, The New York Times reported.

Google Vice President for Global Security Chris Rackow said in a company-wide email that the staffers were let go after they took over our office spaces, defaced our property and physically impeded the work of other Googlers..

Their behavior was unacceptable, extremely disruptive, and made co-workers feel threatened, said the memo, which CNBC posted.

Rackow said the 28 were fired after an investigation. We will continue to investigate and take action as needed, he wrote. Behavior like this has no place in our workplace and we will not tolerate it.

The overwhelming majority of our employees do the right thing, Rackow continued. If youre one of the few who are tempted to think were going to overlook conduct that violates our policies, think again.

No Tech for Apartheid said in a statement that the comapny indiscriminately engaged in wholesale firings, including of some workers who did not take part in the protests through a dragnet of in-office surveillance and denied damaging property or threatening colleagues.

This flagrant act of retaliation is a clear indication that Google values its $1.2 billion contract with the genocidal Israeli government and military more than its own workers, the statement said. In the three years that we have been organizing against Project Nimbus, we have yet to hear from a single executive about our concerns. Google workers have the right to peacefully protest about terms and conditions of our labor. These firings were clearly retaliatory.

These mass, illegal firings will not stop us, the statement continued. On the contrary, they only serve as further fuel for the growth of this movement. Make no mistake, we will continue organizing until the company drops Project Nimbus and stops powering this genocide.

The post Google Fires 28 Staffers Involved in Office Protests Over Israel Contract appeared first on TheWrap.
Google fired 28 workers Wednesday after they protested a cloud-computing contract with the Israeli government, disrupting Google offices. The workers were part of a No Tech For Apartheid protest alleging Google tech is used to "power Israel's genocide of Palestinians in Gaza." Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

April 18 (UPI) -- Google Wednesday fired 28 workers who participated in a protest against a cloud-computing contract between Google and Israel.

Chris Rackow, Google's vice president of global security, said in an internal memo seen by CNBC that the company on Wednesday "terminated the employment" of the 28 individuals found to be involved in the protests following an investigation.

Rackow added the protests violated "multiple polices that all employees must adhere to" including Google's "Code of Conduct and Policy on Harassment, Discrimination, Retaliation, Standards of Conduct and Workplace Concerns," adding the company would "continue to investigate and take action as needed."

"Their behavior was unacceptable, extremely disruptive, and made co-workers feel threatened. We placed employees involved under investigation and cut their access to our systems," Rackow said in the memo.

The employees, part of the activist group No Tech for Apartheid, conducted protests Tuesday, including sitting in at Google offices, opposing Google and Amazon's Nimbus cloud-computing deal with the Israeli government, saying they don't want their labor to "power Israel's genocide of Palestinians in Gaza."

Nine of them were arrested during sit-ins at Google's New York City and Sunnyvale, California offices.

A Google spokesperson told The Washington Post that the workers were "physically impeding other employees' work and preventing them from accessing our facilities" in a "clear violation of our policies" that led to their firing.

"After refusing multiple requests to leave the premises, law enforcement was engaged to remove them to ensure office safety," the email said. "We have so far concluded individual investigations that resulted in the termination of employment for 28 employees, and will continue to investigate and take action as needed."

The Tuesday protests were part of a national day of protest by No Tech for Apartheid, which alleges the tech supplied by Google and Amazon enables Israeli government surveillance of Palestinians and could help Israel further displace and discriminate against Palestinians.

"Google is enabling and profiting from Israel's AI-powered genocide through Project Nimbus, their $1B cloud contract with Israel. The Israeli military is also using Google Photos as part of a facial recognition dragnet across Gaza, which has led to the arrest, imprisonment, and torture of thousands of Palestinians with little to no evidence," the group said.

No Tech for Apartheid said Amazon and Google's deal with Israel is part of a larger pattern of Big Tech fueling state violence worldwide.

A Google spokesman told CNBC that its work with the Israeli government is part of a broader project that includes work with other countries.

"Google Cloud supports numerous governments around the world in countries where we operate, including the Israeli government, with our generally available cloud computing services," the spokesperson said. "This work is not directed at highly sensitive, classified, or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services."
Google says it terminated 28 employees associated with protests of the companys $1.2 billion cloud computing contracts with the Israeli government on Wednesday. The firings follow the arrests of nine Google employees for trespassing in the companys New York and California offices on Tuesday during an hours-long sit-in protest.

A small number of employee protesters entered and disrupted a few of our locations, said a Google spokesperson in an emailed statement to Gizmodo Wednesday. We have so far concluded individual investigations that resulted in the termination of employment for 28 employees, and will continue to investigate and take action as needed.

Google claims these protests impeded other employees work and prevented them from accessing facilities. No Tech for Apartheid tells Gizmodo that 19 of the employees fired on Wednesday did not directly participate in the sit-in protests, but were associated with the movement.

This flagrant act of retaliation is a clear indication that Google values its $1.2 billion contract with the genocidal Israeli government and military more than its own workers, said a No Tech for Apartheid spokesperson in an emailed statement. Google workers have the right to peacefully protest about terms and conditions of our labor.

In a memo sent to all employees on Wednesday, shared by The Verge, Googles head of global security, Chris Rackow, said behavior like this has no place in our workplace. The memo also claims the protestors defaced Googles property and made coworkers feel threatened. Rackow concludes his message by telling employees to think again if they expect Google to overlook conduct that violates its policies.

tiktok-7358921111423274282

A Google spokesperson tells Gizmodo the cloud computing contracts at the center of these protests, Project Nimbus, are not directed at highly sensitive military workloads related to weapons or intelligence services. However, Time reported last week that Google provides cloud computing services to the Israeli Ministry of Defense. The report claims the tech giant has recently negotiated a deeper partnership with Israel during the war in Gaza.

These 28 workers are not the first Google employees to be fired for protesting the companys contracts with Israel. They join Eddie Hatfield, a Google software engineer who was fired after disrupting an Israeli tech conference by yelling, No tech for apartheid! while a Google executive was speaking.

Theres some discrepancy over why these workers were fired. Google listed bullying and harassment as the reasons for the worker firings. However, No Tech for Apartheid alleges their protests were peaceful, and claims the workers themselves feel bullied by Googles response.

No Tech for Apartheids protest represents an increasingly loud voice within Google and Amazon opposing big techs cooperation with Israel. The movements New York protest gathered over 100 protesters on Tuesday and reportedly dozens more in Sunnyvale, California. The movement claims to have the support of thousands of colleagues within Google and Amazon. Organizers say they will continue protesting until the company drops Project Nimbus.

For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Google has fired more than two dozen employees for protesting its $1.2 billion contract to provide the Israeli government and military with cloud and artificial intelligence services.

Twenty-eight people were fired after nine employees were arrested Tuesday night following a sit-in at the companys offices in Seattle, New York and Sunnyvale, California  including one at Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurians office, according to the group that organized the demonstration, No Tech for Apartheid.

Protesters sat in his office for more than nine hours, wearing shirts and raising banners that read No more genocide for profit, until they were eventually arrested.

It is the latest high-profile clash in the U.S. stoked by tensions over the Israel-Hamas war.

These protests were part of a longstanding campaign by a group of organizations and people who largely dont work at Google," a Google spokesperson said in a statement Wednesday.

"A small number of employee protesters entered and disrupted a few of our locations. Physically impeding other employees work and preventing them from accessing our facilities is a clear violation of our policies, and completely unacceptable behavior. After refusing multiple requests to leave the premises, law enforcement was engaged to remove them to ensure office safety," the statement said.

"We have so far concluded individual investigations that resulted in the termination of employment for 28 employees, and will continue to investigate and take action as needed," it added.

The protests were led by No Tech for Apartheid, a group of tech workers who have been demanding Amazon and Google drop their Project Nimbus, which is a joint $1.2 billion contract providing the Israeli government and military with cloud infrastructure, artificial intelligence services and data centers.

No Tech for Apartheid said that the workers had engaged in a peaceful sit-in and refusing to leave did not damage property or threaten other workers and that Google had fired them indiscriminately.

This excuse to avoid confronting us and our concerns directly, and attempt to justify its illegal, retaliatory firings, is a lie, it said in a statement late Wednesday, accusing the company of valuing its contract with the Israeli government more than its employees.

Google employees protest at the company offices in Sunnyvale, Calif., in an image posted to social media Wednesday. (@notechforapartheir via Instagram)

Google issued a stern warning to its employees, with the companys vice president of global security, Chris Rackow, saying, If youre one of the few who are tempted to think were going to overlook conduct that violates our policies, think again, according to an internal memo obtained by CNBC.

The company also said its work "is not directed at highly sensitive, classified, or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services.

Google Cloud supports numerous governments around the world in countries where we operate, including the Israeli government, with our generally available cloud computing services, a Google spokesperson told CNBC on Wednesday evening.

The Israeli prime minister's office and the Israel Defense Forces did not immediately respond to requests for comment from NBC News.

The workers were also protesting labor conditions at the company  saying the contract was affecting health and safety on the job  and what they said was Googles disregard for the well-being of our Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim colleagues facing Google-enabled racism, discrimination, harassment, and censorship.

The project has become a major health & safety workplace conditions issue, with many employees quitting after having cited mental health consequences of working at a company that is using their labor to enable a genocide, the group said in a statement posted Wednesday on Medium.

On a personal level, I am opposed to Google taking any military contracts  no matter which government theyre with or what exactly the contract is about, Cheyne Anderson, a Google Cloud software engineer based in Washington, told CNBC on Wednesday.

Anderson was one of the nine workers arrested across the country Tuesday, with some of the arrests streamed live on Twitch.

Four people were arrested for trespassing inside Googles New York office, a New York police spokesperson told NBC News on Wednesday. Almost 50 protesters had taken part in the demonstration, the spokesperson said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
More than a month after House Republicans impeached Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, despite the GOPs inability to find any evidence of him committing high crimes, the articles were finally delivered to the Senate on Tuesday. Republicans in the upper chamber responded by demanding a full impeachment trial.

They didnt get one. As NBC News reported, the Senate Democratic majority dismissed both of the articles against the DHS chief just hours after the proceedings began.

There were a series of procedural votes, but ultimately it came to a relatively straightforward question: Did senators consider the impeachment articles against Mayorkas to be constitutionally legitimate? In votes that the GOP minority could not filibuster, it took 51 votes to reject the articles and end the process.

Yesterday, both articles received 51 votes, with the entirety of the Senate Democratic conference united.

The case against the Homeland Security secretary, in other words, has run its course, ending in predictable fashion.

But before the political world moves on, its worth considering just how weak the Republicans' talking points were. To hear GOP senators tell it, (a) the Democrats rejection of the case against Mayorkas reflects a lack of seriousness about border policy; and (b) Democrats have set a dangerous new precedent by refusing to hold an impeachment trial in response to the House-passed articles.

It doesnt make any difference whether our friends on the other side thought he should have been impeached or not. He was, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said. And by doing what we just did, we have in effect ignored the directions of the House, which were to have a trial. No evidence, no procedure  this is a day thats not a proud day in the history of the Senate.

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri added, So this will be the precedent going forward. Impeachment as a constitutional matter is effectively dead now. They just they just killed it.

So, a few things.

First, at no point in recent months have GOP lawmakers in either chamber treated this process with even a hint of seriousness. The entire impeachment ordeal was a cheap stunt, and Senate Republicans all but admitted that they wanted a trial as part of an election-season public-relations gambit.

Second, if GOP officials want to talk about which party is serious about border policy, perhaps they can explain why they were so quick to kill the bipartisan border plan they requested.

Third, many of the Senate Republicans who insisted that the institution was required to conduct a full impeachment trial in response to House-backed articles are the same Senate Republicans who tried to forgo a full impeachment trial in response to House-backed articles three years ago after Donald Trumps second impeachment.

As for the idea that Senate Democrats have set a dangerous precedent by dismissing impeachment articles without a trial, the GOP appears to have this backwards. The impeachment crusade against Mayorkas was itself a radical and unprecedented scheme. Republicans sought evidence of high crimes, failed to find any, and decided to nevertheless impeach a sitting cabinet secretary  without cause  for the first time in American history.

As regular readers know, the Republicans impeachment hearings against the DHS secretary were a joke; and the impeachment effort was condemned by constitutional experts from the left, right and center, senators from both parties, some prominent voices in conservative media, and former Homeland Security secretaries from both Democratic and Republican administrations.

The real risk wouldve been to legitimize the GOPs abuse, setting a far more dangerous precedent.

Yes, the Senates rejection of the articles was unprecedented, but it was a first-of-its-kind response to a first-of-its-kind abuse.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
The bill on military aid to Ukraine from the United States, prepared by US House Speaker Mike Johnson, has several time limits. For example, the proposed $61 billion in loans are to be disbursed by September 2025.

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Although September of next year is still a long way off, Speaker Johnson's bill requires the State Department to present a U.S. strategy for supporting Ukraine within 45 days of its passage. Another 60 days are given to negotiate the terms of the loan.

Interestingly, the strategy that the US Congress is to receive from the Biden administration should be multi-year, not by September 2025. Nevertheless, it should contain "specific goals" that the White House seeks to achieve.

Out of the total amount of 61 billion, only 28 billion is for all operations related to US military assistance to Ukraine. Of this amount, 13.8 billion is earmarked (until September 30, 2025) for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative program. The program involves concluding agreements with American arms manufacturers to provide Ukraine with new weapons and equipment. Another $13.4 billion will be allocated to replace and repair weapons already provided to Ukraine, as well as to train Ukrainians.

ADVERTISIMENT

The bill also provides for 7.85 billion in loans to Ukraine. The amount is also calculated until September 30, 2025. However, after November 2024, the US president will be able to write off 50% of the debt on these loans, and from January 1, 2026 - 100% of the debt.

It is emphasized that within 30 days after the adoption of the proposed law, the presidential administration, together with the Defense Department, must provide Congress with a report on all weapons and financing that the United States has already provided to Ukraine (since February 2022).

In addition, within 60 days of the adoption of the law, the Pentagon must report on the control of the accounting of US weapons in Ukraine.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, the US House of Representatives will vote on aid to Ukraine and Israel on Saturday, April 20. It is noted that the two aid packages will be considered separately. However, the White House has previously stated that the United States should not divide support for Ukraine and Israel into different bills under the current circumstances.

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Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
A meeting to advance Speaker Mike Johnsons latest border security bill abruptly ended on Wednesday night without a vote on whether the measure will hit the House floor.

"Sorry, not sorry, for opposing a cr---y rule that is a show vote / cover vote for funding Ukraine instead of border security," Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, wrote on X after the meeting imploded.

Hes one of three Republican foreign aid hawks on the House Rules Committee, which is the final barrier before a piece of legislation hits the House floor.

It comes as conservative rebels in the House GOP conference criticize the speakers decision not to link border security measures to his $95 billion foreign aid plan.

'DEFINITION OF INSANITY': FRUSTRATED HOUSE REPUBLICANS BLAST GOP REBELS' THREAT TO OUST JOHNSON

House Freedom Caucus members like Chip Roy, left, and Ralph Norman, right, are opposed to Speaker Johnson's, center, border security plan.

Johnson told lawmakers on Wednesday that the House would consider separate foreign aid bills on Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific and a fourth bill including various foreign policy provisions. If passed, they would be sent to the Senate in a combined package.

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To appease Republicans concerned about not using it as an opportunity to crack down on the border crisis, he also unveiled a separate bill similar to H.R.2, the comprehensive immigration and border enforcement bill House Republicans passed last year but which the Democrat-controlled Senate refused to take up. He said that bill would go through procedural hurdles parallel to the foreign aid bills, rather than alongside them.

JOHNSON LIKELY FORCED TO GET DEM HELP ON FOREIGN AID PLAN AS REPUBLICANS DECRY LACK OF BORDER MEASURES

In a remarkable moment toward the end of the meeting, Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., the top Democrat on the committee, acknowledged that the bill has no support from Democrats and likely no future in Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's Senate. He also pointed out that the three conservative rebels on the panel would likely vote against the bill as well  meaning it would not even survive their committee.

"We've been here. We've done this already. We know what the Senate is going to do. And my three colleagues, who I know have been expressing some discontent about what's going on here, I mean, maybe we can end this hearing. I mean, I think if the three of you vote 'no' on this rule, we're done," McGovern said.

He pointed out that Roy called it a "watered-down, dangerous cover vote" and asked him, along with Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ralph Norman, R-S.C., if they planned to vote in favor of advancing the bill.

Massie and Roy would not say, with Roy adding, "I think I'm pretty well publicly not in favor of what's going here." Norman said he would oppose the bill.

The hearing soon recessed without a conclusion.

Foreign aid and aid to Ukraine, specifically, have proven to be politically fraught topics for Johnson as he navigates a historically slim House majority and new threats from fellow Republicans to trigger a vote on his ouster.

MASSIE THREATENS TO OUST SPEAKER JOHNSON IF HE DOESNT STEP DOWN OVER FOREIGN AID PLAN

Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., suggested the meeting should end early given its obvious conclusion.

Johnson has argued that tying U.S. border measures to foreign aid, especially Ukraine, would kill its chances of passing ."We want the border to be part of every single thing we do here," he told reporters on Thursday morning, adding, "We dont have the votes. If you put Ukraine in any package, you cant also do the border because I lose Republican votes on that rule. My friends dont get it."

He was initially aiming for a Saturday vote on the foreign aid bills as well as the measure on border security. It's not clear how the Wednesday evening chaos will affect that schedule.

Fox News' Chad Pergram contributed to this report





Original article source: GOP rebels derail Johnson's border security pitch over fury at $95B foreign aid plan
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) fired back at Tucker Carlson with a reminder of one of his more embarrassing moments after the right-wing video host attacked him on social media.

Why do the reddest states produce the dumbest, most liberal Republicans? Carlson tweeted. Why arent John Cornyn and Dan Crenshaw bagging groceries at Walmart?

Crenshaw fired back:

Why arent you bagging groceries in Moscow? https://t.co/2lXWalQlGi  Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) April 17, 2024

That was a blunt reminder of Carlsons widely mocked trip to Russia, where he visited a Moscow supermarket and marveled at things such as a shopping cart return system, like those that can found at just about any Aldi in the United States.

Carlson, a longtime apologist for Vladimir Putin, traveled to the country for an interview with the Russian leader that was so soft Putin himself mocked Carlson for it.

Carlson was slammed by people on both sides of the aisle over the visit.

The Soviets had a term for people like Tucker: useful idiots, another GOP lawmaker, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), said at the time.

Crenshaw and Carlson have tussled before. Just last week, Crenshaw torched Carlson as a cowardly, know-nothing elitist who is full of shit.

Carlson, who has admitted to lying on his show when he was on Fox News, was once the top host on cable television as he peddled racist conspiracy theories and anti-immigrant rhetoric. He and Fox News parted ways shortly after the conservative network agreed to pay $787.5 million to Dominion Voting Systems to settle a defamation lawsuit over unfounded claims on its shows about election fraud in 2020.

Now he posts his videos on X, YouTube and a subscription website.
House Speaker Mike Johnson's, R-La., decision to hold a long-delayed vote on aid for Ukraine could cost him his job because some of his fellow Republicans would much prefer the government in Moscow to the one in Kyiv, Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, said Thursday.

In February, the U.S. Senate passed a $95 billion aid package for Ukraine and Israel, but only this week did Johnson promise to hold a vote in the lower chamber, saying he intends to break the package up into separate bills. That comes as Ukraine's military is running out of ammunition and Russia is making territorial gains.

But Johnson's decision has thrown the Republican caucus into turmoil. The party's base has been suspicious of Ukraine ever since former President Donald Trump falsely accused its government of intervening in the 2016 election on behalf of Hillary Clinton. Now the more extreme MAGA wing, led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., is in open revolt, threatening to do to Johnson what they did to his predecessor, former Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.

Speaking to CNN's Manu Raju, Crenshaw  who is backing Trump's 2024 bid for the White House despite Trump previously declining to endorse the Texas Republican's own reelection  was frank about what he thinks is going on.

"I guess their reasoning is they want Russia to win so badly that they want to oust the speaker over it," Crenshaw said. "I mean, it's a strange position to take. I think they want to be in the minority too. I think that's an obvious reality."

Crenshaw added: "I'm still trying to process all the bulls**t."
The Senate voted along party lines Wednesday to dismiss two impeachment charges against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, but Republicans believe the vote will come back to haunt vulnerable Democrats on the campaign trail.

Republicans now see the crisis at the southern border as one of their best issues heading into the November election and believe it will play especially well for them in Senate battlegrounds that Trump carried in 2016 and 2020, namely Montana and Ohio.

If Republicans can knock off Democratic incumbents in both states, they will almost surely win back the Senate majority.

They also see it as a winning issue in other swing states such as Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

I think theyre going to pay the price for it. The American people are tired of it, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) said of the vote to dismiss the charges against Mayorkas amid a huge influx of migrants across the southern border.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said the vote to dismiss the charges absolutely will be an issue in Senate battleground races.

This actually matters to people. Is anybody ever going to be held accountable for allowing our borders to be broken, fentanyl coming in, people dying? he demanded. I think this was really an abuse of the process and that the Senate has put in motion something it will regret but Mr. Mayorkas shouldve been held accountable.

I think this is going to haunt the Senate and the country, he said. I hope it has political consequences.

Democrats voted in unison to sustain two points of order declaring that the House impeachment managers had failed to allege that Mayorkas had committed high crimes and misdemeanors, effectively dismissing both impeachment charges.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) dismissed the charges as motivated by policy disagreements on immigration and border security.

Everyone knows these were policy disagreements, never rising to what the Founding Fathers intended with impeachment with high crimes and misdemeanors, it was clear as day, he said.

Wednesdays vote is likely the only impeachment debate senators will have before Election Day as a parallel effort to impeach President Biden has stalled in the House.

Democrats dismissed the charges against Mayorkas as a sham, but Republicans will now look to use the issue to batter Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) ahead of November.

Its absolutely going to haunt Tester and Brown and every other vulnerable Democrat who voted against even holding a trial and breaking this precedent, said Mike Berg, the communications director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, noting that over the past 225 years the Senate had always either held a trial or set up a special committee to review articles of impeachment received from the House  until Wednesday.

Tester told reporters after the Senate adjourned as a court of impeachment that he isnt worried about his votes coming back to bite him in the campaign.

People want to see work done on the southern border. We had a chance to do stuff on the southern border and we didnt do that, he said of the bipartisan Senate border deal, which would reform the nations asylum laws.

Only four Republicans voted for that deal even though it had the endorsement of the National Border Patrol Council and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) touted it as a huge success by any objective standard.

But Republicans still think the Biden administrations record border security will be a major advantage for their candidates in November.

I do think in terms of the border, it is a huge issue. I think President Biden really handled this from the very beginning, and I think in his race its going to be huge, McConnell told The Hill earlier this year.

Democrats say the overwhelming GOP opposition to the border deal, which was spurred on by former President Trump, will be a bigger issue in Senate races than votes to dismiss Mayorkass impeachment.

Its not going to have an impact, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Gary Peters (D-Mich.) said of Wednesdays votes. This is just a political stunt. People see it for a political stunt. Whats important is that all of our incumbents backed a bipartisan border security bill that is the strongest border security bill in decades. Republicans rejected that.

Our candidates are about solutions, about actually getting things done and Republicans ae about engaging in a political stunt, he added. Im confident its not going to be an issue for us.

He said it would be easy to paint that contrast in key Senate races because almost all Senate GOP candidates in top-tier races opposed the Senate border deal.

Wednesdays vote marked the first time in history that senators voted to immediately dismiss a House-passed impeachment measure without holding a trial or referring it to a special committee.

After the Senate voted along party lines to adjourn as a court of impeachment, McConnell called it a low moment in Senate history.

Weve set a very unfortunate precedent here. This means that the Senate can ignore, in effect the Houses impeachment, he said. We have, in effect, ignored the direction of the House, which were to have a trial.  This is day thats not a proud day in the history of the Senate.

Schumer, however, argued that the Senate would have set a worse precedent by tying up the Senate floor for days or weeks to hold a trial on impeachment charges that Democrats argued were in retaliation for policy differences with the Biden administration over immigration and border security.

It could throw our system of checks and balances into cycles of chaos. Anytime the House would want to just shut the Senate down, they could just send over another impeachment resolution and could create frivolous impeachment trial after impeachment trial, he said.

Senate conservatives say they will retaliate over the dismissal by delaying routine business on the floor, which will make it tougher to pass a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act reauthorization by the Friday deadline.

Conservatives gave Schumer a taste of slow-down tactics to come when they delayed a Monday vote on advancing the nomination of Ramona Villagomez Manglona to serve on the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands.

There will be more of that, a lot more, warned Senate Steering Committee Chair Mike Lee (R-Utah).

He spoke on the Senate floor for hours after the vote to avoid a trial to vent his frustration with the outcome.

In response, Schumer warned that any retaliatory tactics to slow down the Senate would only hurt the country.

We have so many things we have to get done for the future of this country that I dont think thats an appropriate reaction, he said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The River at Tampa Bay Church. Credit: Facebook page, The River at Tampa Bay Church.

Quality Journalism for Critical Times

The state wont allow satanists to take advantage of a new law allowing religious chaplains to serve as counselors in public schools for students whose parents approve, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday while signing the legislation.

The governor also predicted the state would prevail if the new law draws a legal challenge over separation of church and state concerns.

Its our view that if school districts want to bring in chaplains to offer voluntary services, theyre within their right to do so. But theres been a lot of confusion about that, about whats permitted and whats not. This legislation clarifies that, yes, school districts and charter schools have the authority to allow volunteer chaplains to be on campus and provide additional counseling and support to students, DeSantis said during a bill-signing ceremony at Tohopekaliga High School in Kissimmee.

Students with problems may benefit from some soul craft, he added.

Its totally voluntary for a parent or a student to participate. No one s being forced to do anything. But to exclude religious groups from campus, that is discrimination. Youre basically saying that God has no place. Thats wrong. Thats not what our Founding Fathers intended, DeSantis said.

Some have said that if you do a school chaplain program that, somehow, youre going to have satanists running around in all our schools. Were not playing those games in Florida. That is not a religion. That is not qualified to be able to participate in this. So, were going to be using common sense when it comes to this. You dont have to worry about it.

Representatives of the Satanic Temple have told the Florida Gannett newspapers that they intend to take advantage of the law. The group claims IRS recognition as a church.

Counseling

The measure, HB 931, allows schools to authorize religious figures to offer counseling on campus. They would publish lists of these chaplains to provide support, services, and programs to students as assigned by the district school board or charter school governing board, the legislation says.

Parents must be permitted to select a volunteer school chaplain from the list provided by the school district, which must include the chaplains religious affiliation, if any, the law adds.

The legislation doesnt outline qualifications for the volunteer chaplains other than passing a background check.

The governor also signed HB 1317, which allows patriotic organizations to address and recruit students with their parents consent. The state law refers to a list of groups designated by Congress, including the Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of the United States of America, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and the Civil Air Patrol.

DeSantis reflected on the chaplains he encountered while in the U.S. Navy, some of them on the front lines.

I think that model of just having this available as part of the services that youre providing like we do in the military, we should be doing the same for our students here in school.

Veto urged

Regarding chaplains, groups including the ACLU, Interfaith Alliance, and National Education Association warned that the measure faces litigation on ground that the program would allow religious indoctrination. The ACLU of Florida urged DeSantis to veto the bill.

DeSantis seemed primed for a fight.

What the ACLU is basically saying is that its OK to discriminate against religious organizations. They think the church should be a second-class citizen. They think you should not have the same access to come to campus that any other student organization or other types of groups would have, that its an inferior status, he said Thursday.

The First Amendment was enacted to prevent that. The First Amendment was enacted to ensure that people werent discriminated against on the basis of religion or the basis of their faith. So, I think its a bogus challenge. I do not think its gonna go anywhere, he continued.

The Legislature crafted the bill, DeSantis said, so that if this is something that you dont want, it doesnt affect you at all and you dont even have to worry about it.

The Phoenix reached out to the ACLU for comment but hasnt heard back yet.

Christian nationalism

The governor appeared to endorse arguments proffered by Christian nationalist writer David Barton, who said that the writers of the Constitution favored an active role for religion in government. Other scholars have refuted such claims, and Bartons publisher withdrew his 2012 book, The Jefferson Lies, on the ground that basic truths just were not there.

When education in the United States started, every school was a religious school. I mean, that was just part of it. Public schools were religious schools, DeSantis insisted. You know, there has been things that have been done over the years that veered away from it, that original intent. But the reality is, I think what were doing is really restoring the sense of purpose that our Founding Fathers wanted to see in education.

The ACLU of Florida issued a written statement.

Public schools are not Sunday schools and chaplains are not school counselors. Allowing chaplains to assume official positions  whether paid or voluntary  in public schools as counselors or other support staff will undermine this right by creating an environment ripe for evangelizing and religious coercion of students in violation of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the organization said.

Across the country, families and students practice a wide variety of faiths, and many are nonreligious. All should feel welcome in public schools. Even well-intentioned chaplain policies will undermine this fundamental premise of our public-education system and violate our longstanding First Amendment principles.

Note: This story has been updated to include the ACLU statement.

The post Gov. DeSantis signs public school chaplains bill, says satanists need not apply appeared first on Florida Phoenix.
One day last month, just ahead of the deadline to apply for the National Honors Society, students at Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School noticed something off with the grade point averages appearing in their online grading system.

For many of them, the weighted GPA was lower than they expected, and for a few, that meant that they no longer met the minimum 3.7 weighted GPA for the National Honors Society.

As involved parents investigated the situation, they found that Montgomery Public Schools had quietly implemented a grading policy change across its high schools  without going through the board of education or announcing the shift to parents and students.

What changed

Before, all Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, dual enrollment, honors and advanced classes earned a 1.0 weight, or extra value, in GPA calculations. After the change, honors and advanced classes were only worth an additional 0.5 weight.

The change would apply across all of MPS, though the LAMP community took particular issue with it. In magnets specifically, the change could result in more students failing to meet the minimum GPA to stay in their schools. At LAMP, that requirement is a weighted 2.75.

As a board member, I am not happy with this, District 5 representative Pamela Cloud said. LAMP is one of our shining stars. They can just keep their hands off.

Its unclear exactly who within the district signed off on the change, but Superintendent Melvin Brown has since assured parents that the weighting system has been returned to normal. He said the earliest a permanent change would be made would be at the start of the 2024-25 school year, and it would have to be formalized by the school board.

The decision has not been made, Brown said, addressing the LAMP Parent Teacher Student Association.

When asked why the district initially wanted to adjust the grading, promotion and retention policy, also called the GPR, Brown said the idea came out of a magnet committee that formed to address equity across high schools in the district.

I know part of that is to make sure were on par, he said. We thought it would have potentially been with the rest of the state so we werent unfairly weighting courses.

As far as comparison to other school districts, Mountain Brook Schools weights AP classes with an extra 1.0 and advanced and dual enrollment classes with an extra 0.5. Hoover City Schools adds 1.0 for AP and IB classes, and it adds 0.5 for dual enrollment and advanced classes.

We thought it would have potentially been with the rest of the state so we werent unfairly weighting courses, Superintendent Melvin Brown said of the GPR policy change, which has since been reversed.

Why parents say its a problem

On Monday, April 8, Superintendent Brown arrived at LAMP alongside a host of central office employees to hear parents concerns and answer their questions.

Parents complained that the change not only runs the risk of diluting the rigor at schools like LAMP, but it also could lead to fewer college scholarships for their students. Many colleges utilize GPA and standardized testing scores as the determining factors for who receives scholarships and who doesnt.

Thus, if a new GPA weighting system results in lower GPAs for some students, that could be the difference in thousands of dollars in college scholarships.

Trina Cherry, a LAMP alumna herself, has two children in the magnet system. One chose to attend Booker T. Washington, valuing a well-rounded high school experience while still being able to achieve a high GPA, and the other chose LAMP, prioritizing academic intensity and college prep.

We came understanding that honors counts as 1.0, so now to say that that's a consideration for being changed, it highly affects me, Cherry said. I think there should be a consideration to not even put that in place until the students who have accepted this program have matriculated out because we came here with that agreement, with that contract.

Other parents worried that changing the grade point ratio could deflate LAMP's prestige, resulting in a loss of high-achieving students to other high schools where they can be at the top of their class, earning higher GPAs.

There's a difference between treating all schools the same and treating them equitably, LAMP parent Jim Dryjanski said. When I think about how we look at education within Montgomery, it's important that we have a baseline of standards to operate a school system on, so I've got deep empathy for you on that. It's also important to recognize the uniqueness of each of the schools, what they represent and the opportunity to unlock potential in students.

He and his wife, Celeste, are both retired military, and when they decided to stay in Montgomery, the opportunity for their kids to attend LAMP played an important role. He said comparing the magnet high schools to one another and to the traditional high schools should be of little importance.

Take a system that's 40 years in the making, nationally recognized for most of those decades, a standout program and youve got to treat it differently, Dryjanski said.

Students work on their robots in a robotics competition at LAMP High School.

How the GPA weighting system looks now

According to Brown, the old GPA system has been reinstated, with all AP, IB, dual enrollment, honors and advanced classes earning an added 1.0 weight.

Its obvious that a perspective may not have been in the room, and now, that perspective is in the room, Brown said.

No official changes have made their way to the Montgomery school board agenda yet, and in the meantime, LAMP leadership said its National Honor Society chapter would consider reopening applications in light of the GPA snafu.

Where the board stands

District 5 representative Cloud, District 7 representative Arica Watkins-Smith and District 1 representative Lesa Keith have all voiced concerns over the process that led to the GPA changes being implemented this year.

LAMP is in Watkins-Smiths district, and she said she received an onslaught of calls from worried parents when they noticed the change. That was the first time she heard about the potential new policy.

When that policy goes out and it does not come through us, it puts us in a bad light and a bad place because we get the blame first. Everything falls on us first, Watkins-Smith said in the April board meeting. If Im going to take a lick, I need to know what Im getting hit for. Im making this plea to Dr. Brown because hes yalls boss, but the seven of us are over him.

Keith was among those at the LAMP meeting earlier this month, where a security guard threatened to remove her after she voiced her opinions, addressing both the room and Brown.

Just looking at this and the diverse amount of people in here tells me how real the situation is, Keith said. We, as board members, see things as a little bit sneaky too.

Hadley Hitson covers children's health, education and welfare for the Montgomery Advertiser. She can be reached at hhitson@gannett.com. To support her work, subscribe to the Advertiser.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Why MPS changed its GPA weighting system, reversing it after backlash
Grizzly bears historic venture into area of Wyoming has tragic end, officials say

A grizzly bear wandered into an area of Wyoming where the predators havent been documented in decades, but its presence there was short-lived, officials said.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service advised the Wyoming Game & Fish Department to kill the young male grizzly after it preyed on a cow on a private cattle ranch at the base of the Bighorn Mountains south of the town of Ten Sleep, the department said in an April 15 news release.

Wildlife managers found grizzly tracks nearby where the bear hunted the cow and also found signs suggesting the bear had been visiting the ranch for about a week, officials said.

The ranch is more than 80 miles from the eastern boundary of an area officials call the Demographic Monitoring Area and consider biologically and socially suitable for grizzlies, officials said. Ten Sleep is about a 185-mile drive southeast from Yellowstone National Park.

Grizzlies havent been documented in the area south of the Bighorn Mountains since long before the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem population was listed under the Endangered Species Act in the 1970s, officials said.

Wildlife officials say they wont let the bears repopulate there, according to the release.

Wyomings grizzly bear population is managed and monitored where suitable habitat exists as designated by the USFWS and informed by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, said Wyoming Game & Fish Department director Brian Nesvik. The Bighorn Mountain Range is not suitable habitat and the department is not interested in allowing grizzly bears to occupy this area. Their expansion into unsuitable habitat leads to increased conflict potential between bears and humans, which impedes the success of grizzly bear conservation.

McClatchy News tried to contact the Wyoming Game & Fish Department for more information and is awaiting a response.

Grizzly bears in the lower 48 states are considered threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages grizzly bear populations, and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department handles nearly all grizzly bear conflicts and monitors their populations under its Grizzly Bear Management Plan.

Hunter encounters bear near its den  and opens fire when grizzly charges in Montana

Man shoots and kills grizzly bear, then hides evidence in hollowed-out tree, feds say

Third grizzly killed in self-defense in one month outside Yellowstone, officials say
Martha Fuller, CEO and president of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Montana, addresses supporters at Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights kick-off event for CI-128 in Helena on April 16, 2024. (Blair Miller/Daily Montanan)

The group behind a ballot petition to enshrine abortion access in Montanas constitution formally kicked off its signature gathering campaign Tuesday, telling supporters it is critical the initiative pass in November if Montanans want to avoid restrictions being imposed like those in Texas and other Republican-led states.

Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights had already started gathering signatures to try to get Constitutional Initiative 128 onto Novembers ballot last week in some of the states most populous cities, but Tuesdays event at Mt. Ascension Brewing Company in Helena marked its official start to its effort to gather more than 60,000 valid signatures from Montana voters by the June 21 deadline.

Abortion is a topic thats become politicized and stigmatized, but in reality, we all love someone or are someone whos had an abortion, said Martha Fuller, the CEO and president of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Montana, one of the organizations that makes up Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights. We can no longer let politicians threaten access to the lifesaving, essential care that thousands of Montanans need and deserve. Montanans must act now to proactively secure our right to abortion and CI-128 will protect the rights that we currently have for good.

Supporters of CI-128 gathered at Mt. Ascension Brewing Company for the kick-off event for the abortion access ballot initiative

Supporters of CI-128 gather at Mt. Ascension Brewing Company for the kick-off event for the abortion access ballot initiative. (Blair Miller/Daily Montanan)

Speaking to several dozen supporters, members of the group, which also includes the ACLU of Montana and Forward Montana, said they believe Republican lawmakers in Montana will continue to push the bounds of the 1999 Armstrong v. Montana Supreme Court decision that found Montanans right to privacy includes a right to abortion access.

They said passing the initiative in November would ensure the legislators do not continue creating laws restricting that access after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and put decisions about abortion access back into the hands of the states.

Montana advocates say passing amendment would ensure access to care

Dr. Sam Dickman, an abortion provider and physician who is the chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood of Montana, was nearly brought to tears as he recounted working in Texas when its abortion ban took effect and seeing patients have to travel to other states for care, and others who were pregnant after being sexually assaulted being forced to carry the pregnancy to term.

He said while the current court precedent has upheld abortion access in Montana, passing the constitutional amendment would ensure that lawmakers or courts couldnt take that access away overnight. He cited the Arizona Supreme Courts recent decision upholding a law passed before Arizona became a state as an example of how quickly the landscape can change for patients and providers.

Montanans deserve dignity. They deserve the right to make medical decisions for themselves and their families, and no politicians should interfere with those decisions, Dickman said. Ive seen what those abortion bans lead to, and we dont want to see those consequences here in Montana.

Fuller said the group already had at least 400 volunteers signed up to help gather signatures and promote the campaign. Akilah Deernose, the executive director of the ACLU of Montana, said she believed efforts by the attorney general to keep the group from moving their initiative forward reinforced the groups stance that abortion access is still under threat, and that has invigorated supporters.

Mikayla Pitts, the voter engagement and reproductive rights organizer for Forward Montana, said in the months the group has been doing voter registration drives on college campuses this year, shes heard from many students interested in supporting the initiative.

Emma Foster, a Montana State University student, and Lily Madison, a high school junior, said that younger people they had spoken with were energized by the campaign because it could have a large say in whether they want to stay in Montana for college or their careers.

Attacks on our fundamental rights are bad for Montana. They cost us students, workers, doctors and businesses, and they make young people like myself feel like the state doesnt value our rights and who we are, Foster said.

Posters for Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights, the group behind CI-128

Posters for Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights, the group behind CI-128 in 2024. (Blair Miller/Daily Montanan)

The group said the signature gathering effort would be focused in Montanas larger population centers, but that they have volunteers ready to go in more rural parts of the state as well since they have to gather signatures from 10% of the voters in 40 different state House districts.

Its going to be a volunteer effort like you dont see with a lot of ballot measures, Fuller said. People are really engaged.

She said the group will not be participating in Thursdays Law and Justice Committee hearing on the initiative. Republican lawmakers decided to hold the hearing in order to give the measure an up-or-down vote despite the Montana Supreme Court already ruling that the initiative did not need to go through the committee hearing because of the way the law is written and that the committees vote will not be recorded on the ballot petition.

Weve seen a lot of theater so far around this ballot measure, and we are just ready to get to work and leave the theater up to politicians, Fuller said.

The group said it was prepared to fight any other possible legal battles surrounding the initiative and the validity of the signatures it gathers should they arise, but their hope is to put the matter of abortion access to rest through a citizen-approved amendment to the constitution that legislators cannot change through lawmaking.

Some legislators come into this town to rip our rights away instead of defending our constitutional rights and embracing freedom, Pitts said. Legislative session after legislative session, they push more extreme bans, and were tired of it. And were going to tell them at the ballot box.

ci-128

The Daily Montanan, like the 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. Daily Montanan maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Darrell Ehrlick for questions: info@dailymontanan.com. Follow Daily Montanan on Facebook and Twitter.

The post Group kicks off signature gathering efforts for Montana abortion access ballot petition appeared first on Idaho Capital Sun.
This group of Sacramento moms means business. Heres how they advocate for their kids, schools

The oldest of six siblings, Martha Pulido was raised by two primarily Spanish-speaking parents who immigrated from Mexico. Despite their efforts to support their childrens education, navigating the system proved challenging due to the language barrier.

Pulido, a bilingual mother of a fourth and first grader, hoped that would never happen to her. But two years ago when she committed to become more involved in her two childrens education, the Sacramento mother didnt know where to start.

Pulidos involvement up until that point was limited to customary back-to-school nights and open house meetings with teachers. She yearned to learn about school site councils, English learner advisory committees and parent teacher organizations.

I didnt know anything about these things because its not something our parents who dont speak English get involved in, Pulido said.

Fast forward two years and Pulido is a leader in a group of Latina, mostly monolingual mothers, advocating to improve student achievement across the Sacramento City Unified School District. The group, named the comite de padres, or parents committee, came together through a statewide grant that intends to create community schools. The education model, which garnered renewed attention and support during the COVID-19 pandemic, addresses an array of student and family needs.

Olga Flores and her son Isaac, 7, a Sacramento City Unified School District student, attend a Sacramento ACT town hall meeting focused on community schools at South Sacramento Christian Center on April 12.

Community schools provide a range of on-campus assistance, including health and mental health support, tutoring and other social services. Teachers are encouraged to increase the cultural relevance of their classes and foster a sense of belonging among students. And parents have a more significant role in the decision-making process.

But parental engagement is a particularly difficult part of the equation for communities of color, said Lucero Soto, a community organizer for Sacramento Area Congregations Together, the faith-based organization that facilitated parent outreach for a community schools-focused statewide grant. These families are neglected in education by systemic barriers, like language access and poverty, Soto added.

They (families) dont really know their role or power, Soto said.

Thats why Pulido and the other Spanish-speaking mothers are looking to create change.

While snacking on pan dulce and coffee, they discuss ongoing issues in their childrens schools and the best way to address them. The monthly meetings hosted by Sacramento ACT offer an opportunity for parents to vent, provide advice to each other and, ultimately, empower themselves to become leaders in education.

We just created a safe space for them, Soto said. And I think thats what is lacking in our schools.

Expanding community schools in Sacramento

Sacramento ACT and mothers, like Pulido, are part of a $4.1 billion statewide effort to expand community schools. Research from the Learning Policy Institute, a Palo Alto-based nonprofit, shows community schools help increase student attendance, behavior and academic achievement.

There are roughly 5,000 such schools across the country, according to the national Coalition for Community Schools. Notable examples include community schools in East Oakland and East Los Angeles, areas predominately made up of poor Black and Latino neighborhoods.

California lawmakers hoping to expand on the effort approved a first round of funding to 268 districts in late 2022. Sacramento Unified School District received $25.4 million, which would be spread across 18 schools over six years.

Sacramento ACT, given its partnerships in the community, was asked by the district to perform a needs assessment at the first cohort of six schools. The assessments consisted of one-on-one meetings with 50 mostly Spanish-speaking parents, in which the overwhelming majority expressed the need for better communication between schools and families.

Prisila Isais takes notes as her daughter Isabel, 8, a Sacramento City Unified School District student, watches a video on her phone while attending a Sacramento ACT town hall meeting about community schools at South Sacramento Christian Center on April 12.

In California, 40% of K-12 students speak a non-English language at home, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.

Language access is a huge barrier, said Alma Garcia, a 56-year-old monolingual Spanish-speaker. Parents like us have less access and opportunities than a person who can speak English.

Garcia, a mother of three, joined the group about a year and a half ago in hopes of bettering her relationship with her childrens schools, educators and administrators. She was one of a handful of Sacramento moms who cited a general distrust of the education system as a whole.

We hear that families dont want to participate, but thats not true, Soto said. But the question is how do we show that?

The first step is to rebuild trust among families, according to Elvia Vasquez, a community organizer with Sacramento ACT and longtime advocate for community schools.

Parent decision-making is key to making community schools work, she said.

To gain that parent buy-in, Sacramento ACT created a working group of about a dozen mothers. The group has since evolved to the comite de padres and grown to roughly 30 mothers.

Their meetings offer opportunities to gain a better understanding of the daily struggles for families at Sacramento schools and empower parents with the appropriate information.

But more than anything, Vasquez said, the meetings are key to creating trust with families who have felt overlooked for years. This approach allows families to embrace the schools, their childs learning and hopefully, eventually, create a culture of parent involvement that continues beyond the grant funding.

These schools who are receiving money are not always going to receive it forever, Vasquez said. This is just to get them started and eventually they will need to sustain themselves.  Parent engagement is crucial to that.

A ripple effect of change

While the concerned mothers joined this group for the betterment of their children, theyve also seen changes in themselves.

Garcia credited the group for improving her social skills and confidence. She pointed to small triumphs in her life such as now feeling comfortable driving to night meetings and practicing her English-speaking skills. Garcia is also motivated to help other parents who were in the same position as her two years ago.

I just dont want to improve the schools of my children, Garcia said. I want to improve the schools of all students.

Alma Garcia, a 56-year-old mother of three Sacramento City Unified School District students, speaks about her increased parental involvement in her childrens schools at a Sacramento Act town hall on April 12.

Pulido echoed Garcias sentiments, and said her involvement helped her overcome a fear of public speaking.

Both Pulido and Garcia spoke at a Sacramento ACT town hall meeting last week centered around community schools.

Through my enthusiasm and commitment, I now see the importance of contributing to improving our schools and community, Garcia told a crowd of roughly 60 people in the South Sacramento Christian Church.

Soto pointed to the two Latina mothers as examples of what her organization is trying to accomplish. Parents, alongside teachers and administrators, should be leading the conversations around education. A community school welcomes the leadership and decision making of parents like Pulido and Garcia.

They show other parents that they can do it, too, Soto said. Other parents, Latinos, moms who only speak Spanish, see themselves in them.
After six months of discussion, Brevard Public Schools is moving ahead with allowing employees to take part in Florida's guardian program, a plan that will let trained individuals other than school resource officers carry weapons on Brevard campuses.

How the decision to implement the voluntary program in Brevard was made remains murky.

In the event of a school shooting, guardians  who will not include instructional staff at BPS  are meant to act to protect students and staff. While the idea to expand the program was initially raised in October of last year by Board Chair Megan Wright, little action was taken after public outcry against more guns in school at the following two board meetings in November and December.

Members of the public were specifically concerned about the possibility of arming teachers, though both Wright and board member Matt Susin repeatedly denied ever considering the possibility of allowing teachers to participate in the program despite the option being mentioned at the October meeting.

At a Jan. 23 work session, data regarding how other districts use the guardian program was presented by Chief Operating Officer Rachad Wilson. Wright gave direction to assess the cost of training staff, as well as how many people might be interested in becoming guardians.

Superintendent Mark Rendell also said it would be necessary to put together a timeline, as the training would likely take place in the summer.

At that work session, Wright praised the program as being a "great solution" to help the district with their security needs, saying that having guardians in place who are not known to the public could be useful in the case of an emergency.

Board Chair Megan Wright, pictured at a Dec. 13, 2023 meeting, first proposed the idea of expanding the guardian program in Brevard schools.

"I think we should, at least, at a very bare minimum, move in a direction where we're placing a couple guardians at each high school location, a guardian at each middle school location and a guardian at each elementary," Wright said. "That's what I would love to see."

Specific direction to implement the program, however, was never given.

Guardian program: When it started

The guardian program was established in 2018 through the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act after the Parkland shooting, during which 17 students and staff at the high school were killed and 17 others were injured. It was expanded in 2019 to include Class D and G licensed security guards, and to allow some district and charter school employees to participate as volunteers. As of 2023, private schools could also participate.

Brevard Public Schools has school resource officers and security specialists  civilians with a background in security, military or law enforcement who underwent the state guardian training through Brevard County Sheriff's Office and serve as full-time security for the district.

The new guardian program would involve only current district employees whose other jobs are their main focus, but are able to carry a gun after extensive training.

State funds are granted to participating sheriff's offices to cover screening and training costs for each school district and charter school guardian, according to the Florida Department of Education.

It's too soon to know when training  which comes through Brevard County Sheriff's Office  will begin for guardians, said Russell Bruhn, district spokesperson.

Public speaks against guns in schools: More than a dozen people tell Brevard school board: Don't allow teachers to be armed

Email to staff criticized for 'lack of transparency'

After the January work session, discussion about guns in Brevard schools largely died down.

But controversy over the issue arose again after an email from the district to employees about volunteering as guardians was shared on social media.

On April 12, an email was sent to all BPS employees from Ryan Dufrain, assistant superintendent of human resources at Brevard Public Schools, referencing the district partnering with Brevard County Sheriff's Office to implement the guardian program.

The email states that guardians can be trained through the sheriff's office and that the district is looking for "current volunteers who are interested in serving as a school guardian in addition to their official job duties." Dufrain added that anyone assigned to a classroom would not be eligible for the program, and encouraged anyone with a background in the military or law enforcement to volunteer.

Though the email was sent to all district staff, instructional staff cannot be guardians, according to Bruhn. Members of Brevard Federation of Teachers also cannot be guardians.

Corporal Jeremy Flake, pictured at the controls in a March 2019 photo, describes the workings of the high-tech MILO Range 300 Theater set up at a Brevard County Sheriff's Office facility in Sharpes. The Range is used as part of a program to help train school guardians.

"We stand by our contract language that prevents any member of our bargaining unit from being armed," said Anthony Colucci, president of BFT.

"I think everyone's intentions are to keep students safe; we have concerns about more weapons on our campuses regardless of if it's teachers or staff, especially when it's somebody whose primary job is to do something else and not a full-time SRO or security specialist."

The email contained a survey that allowed employees to indicate whether or not they were interested in becoming a guardian. The survey will be used to select volunteers, who will be required to complete state-approved instruction. The deadline to volunteer is May 1.

Other districts use guardian program: How does Brevard Public Schools' guardian program compare to other Florida districts?

The email prompted public outcry due to the possibility of more weapons in school, as well as what some perceived as an attempt to avoid transparency. The email was marked "exempt from public records request," a move Brevard Public Schools Watch  a Facebook page that is largely critical of the district  criticized for its "lack of transparency."

Bruhn clarified that the email itself was not exempt from public records requests, but that any response from an employee expressing interest in the program would be exempt from requests.

Uncertainity on how decision was made

It wasn't just the public who expressed confusion regarding how the decision to move forward came to be. The email prompted similar sentiments from the board, who last spoke of the program at the Jan. 23 work session.

"The school board has not been presented with a plan nor have we approved any concepts or had any follow up discussions since the meeting in January," board member Matt Susin wrote in an email obtained by FLORIDA TODAY. "This email came as much to myself as everyone else. I thought it was a hack."

Board member Jennifer Jenkins also questioned the email, writing to Rendell with the inquiry, "Why was I not made aware of this prior to its release?"

No board members responded to FLORIDA TODAY's request for comment on the situation.

Rendell cited the program as an additional tool to help provide security for the district, saying it's already in place in many districts throughout the state.

"We have talked with several of those districts to review and analyze their experience with the program. The reviews were all very positive," he said in an email to FLORIDA TODAY.

"We have developed some parameters regarding who is eligible for the program and who is not. For example, the program would not include classroom teachers. Participation in the program is completely voluntary. There is a screening process and a rigorous training regimen."

Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at 321-290-4744 or fwalker@floridatoday.com. X: @_finchwalker.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Armed Brevard Schools employees? Volunteers can be trained 'guardians'
GUN BARREL CITY, Texas (KETK)  A home and its contents are considered a loss after a structure fire in Gun Barrel City on Wednesday.

Severe weather causes East Texas farmers to restart this Spring

According to the Gun Barrel City Fire Department, they responded to a structure fire at 10:31 p.m. on Wednesday in the 100 block of Twelve Oaks Circle. Gun Barrel City FD said that when they arrived on the scene, half of the residence was already engulfed in flames.

photos of the scene of the structure fire, courtesy of Gun Barrel City Fire Department

photos of the scene of the structure fire, courtesy of Gun Barrel City Fire Department

photos of the scene of the structure fire, courtesy of Gun Barrel City Fire Department

The fire department said that the residence and its contents were considered a loss due to fire, smoke and water damage. Officials said the resident was home at the time of the fire and was able to escape with their pets.

The American Red Cross is assisting the homeowner and the Gun Barrel City Fire Marshal is investigating the fire.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  The owner of the 12-gauge shotgun used to kill a 5-year-old Newaygo County boy earlier this month told state police troopers he had no idea the weapon was loaded.

Michigan State Police reports obtained by Target 8 investigators provide new details on the shooting of Braxton Dykstra by his 6-year-old cousin.

5-year-old Braxton Dykstra. (Courtesy family)

Lost a big part of me: Dad picks up ashes after son, 5, shot

In an interview with troopers, according to the reports, the owner of the shotgun said he used it for self-defense and to kill critters and that he had kept it in the same spot for 10 years. He insisted he had left it unloaded.

The shooting happened April 1 at the home of Braxtons maternal grandparents in Garfield Township, near Newaygo. The victims father previously told Target 8 that his son was shot by a 6-year-old cousin, who had found the shotgun behind a door in a corner of his grandparents bedroom.

The report shows Braxton was struck by birdshot.

The gun owner, whose name was redacted from the reports obtained by Target 8, told police he didnt know how the boy knew how to use the Remington pump-action shotgun or where the ammunition came from.

[The gun] is never loaded, I know it was never loaded, and I keep [the gun] on safety, he told troopers.

He said the last time he used the shotgun was two months earlier, to shoot a rabid raccoon in the front yard. He said he racked the empty shell out of the shotgun, put it back on safety and put it back in the corner.

He also told troopers he kept ammo all over, the reports say.

MSP: 6-year-old had gun when 5-year-old was killed near Newaygo

Troopers said they found no gun lock or safe for storing firearms in the house.

A state law that went into effect in February requires gun owners to store weapons unloaded and locked in the presence of minors. If a minor fires a weapon, leading to death, the gun owner can face up to 15 years in prison.

When police spoke to the boy who fired the shot, he said he colored eggs and rode bikes earlier in the day. The kids were in the grandparents bedroom watching movies when the shooting happened.

The boy said he had never played with the gun before, that he accidentally pointed it at Braxton and it accidentally went off.

Braxtons father said his 7-year-old daughter was in the bedroom when it happened.

She told police the gun was already loaded when the cousin said, Im going to shoot you. She told him, dont, but said that he accidentally pulled the trigger when he was putting down the gun.

The boy who fired the shot said, sorry, but Braxton didnt answer because he was dead, the young witness told police.

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Braxtons father has said the adults who lived in that home should face charges.

(The adults) all knew there was guns in that room. They should never have let children in that room, and now, sadly, my sons gone, but never forgotten, he said.

MSP has turned over the investigation to the Newaygo County Prosecutors Office to determine whether to file charges.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
Schward Bee, 31, of Mount Vernon, was picked up around 1 a.m. Wednesday in connection to the deadly March 31 fracas that took the life of party promoter Stefon Barnes inside Gourmet Deli on East Tremont Avenue, authorities said.

A gunman who allegedly killed a 29-year-old innocent bystander inside a Bronx bodega during a botched Easter Sunday robbery was arrested and charged with murder Wednesday, police said.

Schward Bee, 31, of Mount Vernon, was picked up around 1 a.m. Wednesday in connection to the deadly March 31 fracas that took the life of party promoter Stefon Barnes inside Gourmet Deli on East Tremont Avenue, authorities said.

The bodega had been crowded  with more than a dozen people inside, including revelers seen on video dancing and singing  when Bee tried to rob one of the patrons, cops have said.

Schward Bee, 31, was charged with murder, robbery and criminal possession of a weapon, police said. NYPD

Bees target was not Barnes, who had just come from a nearby party hed hosted, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny previously told reporters.

The man who Bee had intended to rob was struggling to grab the aggressors gun, the police official said.

The robbery victims friend sees whats going on, runs in from the street, grabs the perpetrator in a chokehold and they continue to struggle over the firearm, Kenny said. At some point the gun goes off, and unfortunately, Mr. Barnes is struck in his left leg near his groin, loses a tremendous amount of blood, is brought to the hospital and [dies] a couple of hours later.

Stefon Barnes, 29, was not involved in the scuffle, but took a deadly bullet to the leg, cops said. The Barnes Family

Schward, who was also charged with robbery and criminal possession of a weapon, has four prior arrests in the Bronx, Kenny said.

He was convicted of attempted robbery and served time in state prison until 2017, when he was released on parole, records show.

His parole expired in 2020, according to the State Corrections records.

Bee has four previous arrests for robbery in the Bronx, authorities said. LP Media

Schward also has a prior bust for menacing in Mount Vernon, Kenny said.

Barnes grew up in Greenville, North Carolina, where he lived with his mother before moving to New York City to live with his father in Harlem as a teenager, his family previously told The Post.

They said he had held down jobs as a store clerk, a truck driver and a UPS delivery driver. His senseless slaying comes on the heels of another family tragedy  his great-aunt died one week earlier.

This random, senseless violence has become the norm but it has to stop, his uncle, Anthony Barnes, 59, said days after the slaying. People dying just because theyre in the wrong place at the wrong time is becoming a regular thing in New York.

Barnes grew up in Greenville, North Carolina, and most recently lived in Harlem, his family said. Gregory P. Mango

Honestly, I dont know what to make of Stefons death because its becoming such a norm, right? he said. Too many innocent bystanders are being killed. There are too many random, senseless killings. Too many innocent people are dying.

Like her grieving brother, Teresa Barnes, who lives in North Carolina, bemoaned the violence that has claimed too many lives in the streets of the five boroughs in recent years.

New York is getting bad, honestly. Its not a safe place to be, young or old, she said. I wouldnt move back here. Im trying to get my parents and I want all my family out.

It was senseless, she said of her nephews death. It wasnt like he was doing anything illegal, he was just an innocent bystander. You can try to stay out of trouble, but you can still be a victim of circumstance.
Volodymyr Zelensky (L), President of Ukraine, receives Robert Habeck German Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, at the presidential palace. Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Following German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck's visit to Kiev, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked Germany for its continued support for his country.

"We appreciate Germany's leadership role, which helps not only us in Ukraine to protect lives, but all of Europe itself - to preserve the very Europe that knows how to live peacefully, knows the law and knows how to take care of people," Zelensky said in his daily video address on Thursday.

He announced that the conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine planned for June in Berlin would primarily focus on bilateral projects in the defence and energy sectors.

The Ukrainian president said that he had discussed the situation on the front, and the need for air defence in particular, with Habeck. In a separate post on Telegram, Zelensky also praised the German government's decision to deploy another Patriot air-defence system to Ukraine.

Ukraine is suffering badly from Russian attacks using drones, missiles and glide bombs.

Despite the increasing problems on the front due to the lack of weapons and ammunition, Zelensky spread optimism in his video message. For example, the production of Ukrainian Bohdana artillery systems has been increased to 10 units per month. "That is a good result," he said.

Overall defence production has also increased significantly, especially in the production of drones and ammunition, said the president.

Ukraine has been fending off a large-scale Russian invasion for more than two years. However, the country is heavily dependent on Western military aid.

Robert Habeck (R), Germany's Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, visits the memorial wall for the soldiers who died in the war. Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Volodymyr Zelenskyi, President of Ukraine, reacts during a meeting with Robert Habeck, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (not pictured), at the presidential palace. Kay Nietfeld/dpa
After Habeck's visit, Zelensky thanks Germany for its support

Volodymyr Zelenskyi, President of Ukraine, reacts during a meeting with Robert Habeck, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (not pictured), at the presidential palace. Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Following German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck's visit to Kiev, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked Germany for its continued support for his country.

"We appreciate Germany's leadership role, which helps not only us in Ukraine to protect lives, but all of Europe itself - to preserve the very Europe that knows how to live peacefully, knows the law and knows how to take care of people," Zelensky said in his daily video address on Thursday.

He announced that the conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine planned for June in Berlin would primarily focus on bilateral projects in the defence and energy sectors.

The Ukrainian president said that he had discussed the situation on the front, and the need for air defence in particular, with Habeck. In a separate post on Telegram, Zelensky also praised the German government's decision to deploy another Patriot air-defence system to Ukraine.

Ukraine is suffering badly from Russian attacks using drones, missiles and glide bombs.

Despite the increasing problems on the front due to the lack of weapons and ammunition, Zelensky spread optimism in his video message. For example, the production of Ukrainian Bohdana artillery systems has been increased to 10 units per month. "That is a good result," he said.

Overall defence production has also increased significantly, especially in the production of drones and ammunition, said the president.

Ukraine has been fending off a large-scale Russian invasion for more than two years. However, the country is heavily dependent on Western military aid.

Habeck was in Kiev on Thursday for a visit focused on Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, emergency aid, and strengthening the country's war-hit economy.

Habeck said upon arrival that the visit was taking place at a time when Ukraine needed all the support it could get in its "fight for freedom."

"Yes, Ukraine is fighting for its own self-determination, for its territorial integrity against [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's aggression, but is also fighting for the values that unite and characterize Europe," he said.

He laid flowers at a memorial wall for fallen Ukrainian soldiers on Thursday morning.

Habeck, who also serves as economy minister, was accompanied on the trip by a German business delegation.

In Kiev, he met Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Energy Minister German Galushchenko, among others.

An air-raid alert sounded in the Ukrainian capital during Habeck's visit in the morning, the air force said. Ukraine had downed further drones and missiles in Russian attacks on seven regions overnight, the air force said.

At the weekend, the German government announced it would supply Kiev with another Patriot air-defence system.

A badly needed military aid package from the United States remains stalled, while Europe's drive to get more ammunition to Ukraine's battlefield troops has fallen short of its goal.

"The situation is certainly challenging, but the Ukrainians have managed to hold their own time and again over the past two years. And what Germany can do to support them, it will do," Habeck said.

Helmut Rauch, head of Germany's Diehl Defence, which manufactures the IRIS-T air defence systems, was among those accompanying Habeck. Diehl has so far supplied Kiev with three IRIS-Ts.

Diehl is to deliver a fourth system in the coming weeks, Rauch told a meeting of Habeck, Svyrydenko and business representatives. More are set to follow this year, he said.

"Our long-term goal is, of course, to be able to maintain and repair the systems ourselves on site in Ukraine," Rauch said.

Habeck said he hoped the US would agree on the next aid package "so Ukraine can successfully continue its fight for freedom." Svyrydenko described the package as "extremely important."

Ukraine has a budget deficit of around 37 billion ($39 billion), she said, noting that help from the European Commission is important.

"But of course we are counting on this US aid, not only in terms of macro-financial support, but above all in terms of military aid."

Jorg Ebel, the president of the German Solar Industry Association, said he saw huge potential for solar in Ukraine, both in the short and long-term.

Solar energy is affordable, reliable, and can be easily deployed, Ebel said. "This means that it is also very, very well suited to future attacks, because it cannot be threatened or even switched off in one fell swoop," he said.

The German government is seeking to encourage private business investments in Ukraine with guarantees that limit the risks.

Habeck was later due to travel on to Moldova to meet Prime Minister Dorin Recean.

Volodymyr Zelensky (L), President of Ukraine, receives Robert Habeck German Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, at the presidential palace. Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Robert Habeck (R), Germany's Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, visits the memorial wall for the soldiers who died in the war. Kay Nietfeld/dpa
By Emma Farge and Catarina Demony

GENEVA (Reuters) - France should repay billions of dollars in reparations to Haiti to cover a debt formerly enslaved people were forced to pay in return for recognising the island's independence, a coalition of civil society groups said on Thursday.

The Caribbean island became the first in the region to win its independence in 1804 after a revolt by enslaved people. But in a move that many Haitians blame for two centuries of turmoil, France later imposed harsh reparations for lost income and that debt was only fully repaid in 1947.

The group of around 20 non-governmental organisations currently in Geneva for a U.N. Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (PFPAD) are seeking a new independent commission to oversee the restitution of the debt, which they refer to as a ransom.

They say the money should go to public works in Haiti where a transition council was installed this month in an effort to restore security after a period of devastating violence by armed groups.

"What's important is that it's time that France recognises this and we move forward," Monique Clesca, a Haitian civil society activist who is coordinating the efforts, told Reuters.

The French Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. France, whose development agency has given hundreds of millions of dollars to Haiti, has previously referred to a "moral debt" owed to Haiti.

The amount paid to France is disputed by historians although the New York Times estimated Haiti's loss at $21 billion. The proposal's backers say the amount is much higher.

"It's $21 billion plus 200 years of interest that France has enjoyed so we're talking more like $150 billion, $200 billion or more," said Jemima Pierre, professor of Global Race at the University of British Columbia.

Clesca said she hoped the recommendation and others would be part of the U.N. forum's conclusions due Friday. Last year, the PFPAD suggested that a tribunal should be formed to address reparations for slavery.

The campaign for paying reparations or making other amends for slavery has a long history and has been gaining momentum worldwide.

(Reporting by Emma Farge in Geneva and Catarina Demony in Lisbon; additional reporting by Gabriel Stargardter in Paris; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
TechCrunch

Its hard to know where to focus when speaking to Christoph Kohstall. For those whove spent time in robotics labs, the element is immediately identifiable as a gantry system, used to stabilize robots during the testing phase. Indeed, at its far end, the top of a robot head is barely visible, peeking over Kohstalls shoulder as he logs into the meeting.
Trash bags and food items stored on the ground created a breeding ground for flies at a Turlock chicken wing restaurant, and black mold was spotted at a Modesto boba shop during health inspection in early April.

The majority of the 2,400 permitted food service establishments in the county receive two unannounced routine food safety inspections per year, according to the Department of Environmental Resources. The website says inspection reports are scanned weekly.

Food trucks that operate under a Stanislaus County Health Department permit are also inspected by the county, though those are scheduled and done at the departments office.

Dirty conditions at a Stanislaus County restaurant? How to report health code violations

Of the 46 restaurant inspection reports sent to The Modesto Bee on Wednesday, three were not updated on the site as of Thursday morning.

If an inspection listed below needs clarification, business owners can email Modesto Bee reporter Dominique Williams at dwilliams@modbee.com.

Major violations for Stanislaus County restaurants

Violations were found during routine inspections of the following Stanislaus County food facilities during the week of April 1-5. Only the dates of violations are listed.

The details of the reports do not indicate whether a restaurant passed or failed inspection. Corrective actions may have been made by the business by the time of publication.

The reports are linked. For updates on individual restaurants, search the DER website.

Ricos Pizza, 5000 Yosemite Blvd. in Empire, had four violations on April 1. Inspectors observed standing wastewater in a mop sink. Home Depot five-gallon containers were being used to store lard. The urinal was not operational, and the interior panel and walls of the ice machine had grime and stain build up.

White Elephant Lounge, 1703 Standiford Ave. in Modesto, had seven violations on April 1  one of them major. The paper towel dispenser and the exhaust fan in the mens bathroom were not operational. The interior walls of the ice machine were soiled and there was an accumulation of dirt at the ceiling exhaust fan above the ice machine. The bar counter wall by the three-compartment sink was made from raw wood, which is non-smooth and not an easily cleanable surface.

Teassert, 3102 Geer Road in Turlock, had 10 violations on April 4  three of them major. Inspectors observed dark spots around the top of the ice-dispensing spout inside the ice machine, and two ice scoops were laying directly on the ice inside the machine. Sanitizer buckets were not set up, and sanitizer and sanitizer test strips were lacking. Employee belongings were scattered throughout the food prep table.

The bathroom was locked upon inspection and was restricted for employees only. A permanent food facility must provide clean toilet facilities in good repair for consumers, guests or invitees when there is onsite consumption of food, according to California health codes. Not all employees had a food handler card.

Wingstop, 3106 Geer Road in Turlock, had three violations during a reinspection on April 4. The trash bin outside the facility was tampered with, causing multiple food items, trash bags and cardboard pieces to be placed on the ground  which caused a harborage of flies. The staff was lacking food handler cards, and the back exit door was not self-closing.

Bobalicious, 2907 E. Hatch Road in Modesto, had 12 violations on April 4  three of them major. Inspectors observed food debris between worktables, on the bottom of the food preparation refrigerator which held boba and on the counter next to the mop sink. Two cutting boards were observed discolored and deteriorated. The floor under the three-compartment sink had black mold growth on it. The soap dispenser in the bathroom was broken and the door was not self-closing.

Inspectors observed employees not using the three-step method for washing dishes. Cooked corn was on the counter in a bowl. Approved hot-holding units must be used. Employee food handler cards and the food safety certification were lacking.

Other food facilities with three or more, or major, violations at the time of their inspections include:

These restaurants had minor violations

According to Stanislaus County, other food facilities that had one to two violations, none of them major, are:

Clean inspection reports for some food facilities

These food facilities had no violations, according to the county:
Hawaiis attorney general on Tuesday released the first phase of a report on an investigation into the Maui wildfires, laying out a timeline of the events leading up to, during and after the fires that left 101 people dead last August.

The report, published by Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez with the Fire Safety Research Institute, used thousands of lines of data including 911 calls, radio transmissions and photos to understand how the Aug. 8 fire spread and how organizations subsequently responded.

The report includes mapping and analysis to show how the fire moved from the wild land into Lahainas neighborhoods, rapidly transforming from a grassland fire into a urban conflagration, the Fire Safety Research Institute said in a statement.

Lopez, during a Wednesday press conference, said the report came from the various questions both she and Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D) had about the incident.

A few days after the wildfire, I was speaking with the governor. And he and I were asking the same questions that everybody else was, which is: How could something like this ever happen? she said. He and I both agreed that good governance demanded that we investigate how state and county government function during the process.

Lopez noted the first phase of the report is not to place blame or draw conclusion, and that the second phase will build upon the timeline and establishment of facts to analyze the event. The third phase will offer recommendations for the future, she added.

To be clear, this is not a report about the cause of any fire  the causation investigation is being performed by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Maui Fire and Public Safety Department, Lopez said.

The reports second phase is expected to be released sometime in late summer or early autumn, Lopez said during the press conference.

The people of Hawaii cant wait four years or five years for this report to come out. We need to do it now, while things are fresh in our minds so that we can get to work, she said.

The Maui wildfires damaged or destroyed more than 2,000 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres, according to the Federal Emergency Management Association. An estimated 4,500 people were displaced, and the damage is estimated to equal about $5.5 billion.

The Western Fire Chiefs Association released a separate after-action report on Tuesday that found Maui Fire Departments personnel, resources and vehicles were insufficient for the unprecedented wildfires, The Associated Press reported.

Maui Fire Department workers risked their lives in a valiant effort to stop the fires and save lives, the report stated, adding the department is now grappling with questions about what they could have done differently, a reflection that will likely persist throughout the rest of their careers.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Honolulu authorities have announced that they will finally start a $2.5m project to remove the historic Haiku Stairs, saying the misbehaviour of hikers and influencers has forced them to strip them off the mountainside.

The Haiku Stairs in Hawaii, often called the Stairway to Heaven, are made up of 3,922 steps across the ridgeline of the Koolau Mountains and have been an iconic, picturesque part of Oahus heritage.

However, years of disturbance and disruption from trespassers  many are hikers who see the closed site as a tourist destination and have turned it into a social media photo hotspot  have led to the stairs removal from the mountain, in what was not at all a capricious decision by the council, Honolulu mayor Rick Blangiardi said.

The City and County of Honolulu announced that preparatory work has officially begun ahead of the removal of 600 stair modules on the Haiku Stairs later this month, the city said in a statement on 10 April.

Built by the US military during the Second World War for access to their communications facilities, the stairs have been closed to the public for almost 40 years.

But this has not stopped illegal trespassers from finding their way onto the stairs, and disturbing residents who live in the area, ever since the attraction was shut down in 1987 for liability and vandalism reasons.

On the morning that work began, the project workers attended a hoomaikaii (blessing) ceremony to bless the workers undertaking this important project, the city wrote.

The stairs, starting at 400 feet in Haiku Valley and reaching its highest elevation of 2,820 feet in the Koolau Mountains, are being removed as a matter of public safety, city officials said, seeking to stop regular trespassers from traversing the site.

The stairs nicknamed Stairway to Heaven have become an unofficial tourist attraction (Getty)

The authorities warned that anyone who ignores the No Trespassing signs now that the removal work has started, should know that the site is considered extremely dangerous, and anyone who does decide to wander on the trail will put their safety immediately at threat.

The removal of the stairs has been a long and continuous debate between officials and residents for years, with the decision finally put in place after much deliberation and discussion with the community and the Honolulu City Council.

It has been over two years since the council voted unanimously to strip the stairs from the mountainside in the hopes that while it preserves public safety and the peace of neighbouring people, it will also help the natural beauty and condition of the area.

This was a decision, when we came into office, that was long overdue. Over the course of many months, in meeting with the people involved and the discovery that we put into it, I can promise you that this was not a capricious decision, Mayor Blangiardi said during Wednesdays announcement, the citys statement said.

Mr Blangiardi added that the decision also to affirm their respect for the people who live in and around the entrance to the stairs, our respect for our aina [land and sea], and our respect for both the future and the past history of the culture of the Haiku community.

The Haiku Stairs will take at least six months to dismantle (Getty)

City officials said the project will be undertaken by The Nakoa Comapines Inc, which will start by removing the ageing, narrow metal stair structure.

The workers will collaborate with a biologist, who will evaluate each section of the stairs before and after removal to make sure native species are protected and to prevent any erosion.

After removal, the company will also re-vegetate the impacted areas with native plants, thus honouring the historical significance of the site.

The project is predicted to take at least six months to complete, using over $2.5m in funds.

Not everyone is on board with the project. Friends of Haiku Stairs, a community organisation fighting to preserve the site, filed a complaint last year against the dismantling of the stairs, according to Hawaii News Now.

In a statement to the outlet, the organisation said demolishing the stairs is a senseless waste of taxpayer money and an act of vandalism.

The city should heed the majority of Oahu residents, and Haiku Valley residents, who want to save the stairs, not destroy them, they added.

Honolulu City Council Vice Chair Esther Kiaaina has acknowledged that there will be many people who feel we are taking away something from them.

This is a man-made contraption on a natural valley. And as far as Im concerned, ensuring that there is no further liability on behalf of the city, providing for public safety, restoring the valley and, providing... a natural setting so that people could remember what Haiku Valley was, Ms Kiaana said at a conference after the announcement.
Alex Garland worries about where the world is going. Especially with the international strife in every news bulletin and the U.S. presidential election just around the corner. Fortunately, this 53-year-old British filmmaker is less worried about the fierce discussions that his latest film has sparked: Its inevitable. Everything is polarizing these days, he says with some frustration, but resignedly. It is precisely this constant social conflict that sparked the idea for Civil War, a movie that addresses very sensitive issues.

There is a collective hysteria. Thats one of the reasons I made the film. Its exemplified by the distorted response to Jonathan Glazers speech on Gaza at the Oscars. They didnt even stop to listen to what he was saying, which was quite clear, Garland explains to EL PAIS in Madrid, measuring his words as seriously as The Zone of Interest director at the Academy Awards.

Thats why, amid these deep divisions, Garlands fourth movie triggered debate the very moment the trailer was released. Civil War does not seek to provide answers and leaves part of its message up to the viewers interpretation. In the trailer, a militant is seen pointing a shotgun at the protagonists: What kind of American are you? A politically-loaded question regardless of the country.

In the simplest synopsis of Civil War, the movie is about a group of journalists who go on a road trip across a destroyed United States in search for the big scoop on the conflict. At the emotional center of the movie is not politics, but the generational clash between two war photographers: the veteran Lee (Kirsten Dunst), who has witnessed a long list of horrors, and the young Jessie (Cailee Spaeny), ready to take on the world with her Nikon and black-and-white photos.

In the film, it is Lee who explains that the objective of war photography is not to provide answers, but to let the public reach their own conclusions  a goal Garland seeks to reach in Civil War. The character, like the director, has doubts about whether she can achieve that objective. Civil War chooses not to state its political affiliations, it makes no mention of parties or ideologies. Its a decision thats been hotly discussed by newspapers such as The New York Times, as well as media outlets that do not usually report on movies, such as the Financial Times and Foreign Affairs, which headlined its review: Civil War succeeds because its policy makes no sense. Garland has been criticized for not taking sides: for not playing into the polarization.

Nick Offerman, as president of the United States, in an image from 'Civil War.' Murray Close (Murray Close)

Garland, in fact, was clear when writing the script, born from rage, in 2020, that what mattered was not American politics, but an extremism that could erupt anywhere. Polarization is global, both in Western democracies and outside of them. Its not entirely to do with [former U.S. president] Donald Trump because Donald Trump doesnt explain all of these other phenomena, like Brexit. Why is it happening? I think it involves things like social media and the failure of centrism. Im a centrist, Im a left wing, but Im a center left. The left and right have been changing power for decades, but peoples lives dont change. People in poverty traps stay in poverty traps. So not surprisingly they start to get angry and frustrated, explains Garland, speaking slowly and with pauses, while making his political position clear.

I am answering as a human being, I dont feel connected by an umbilical cord to the film. I see movie directing just as a job, so I find the discussions quite interesting. What I have a problem with is large, powerful news organizations that have a single political agenda, not just the way they report stories, but whether they report the story at all, he says, criticizing the divisions in the media.

Garland decided to set Civil War in the United States simply because its the political system known by the rest of the world, sometimes even more than our own. But discussion about the film has become even hotter after its success in U.S. theaters. Civil War is the highest-grossing release in the history of the independent studio A24, its first number one.

Journalist Matthew Belloni, in the Hollywood podcast The Town, questioned whether Americans would be willing to go to the cinema to see the problems that are in the news every day, taking CNN and Fox News election-year catastrophes one step further. But it seems that they were. At the very least, they were curious or morbidly interested in seeing the U.S. destroyed, with 17% of the audience watching the dystopic vision of the U.S. in IMAX theaters. With a $50-million budget, Civil War is A4s most expensive movie.

The cast of 'Civil War,' led by Kirsten Dunst (back left) and Wagner Moura (driving), in an image from the film.

A three-term president

In its cold, journalistic zeal, the film does not explain how the United States arrived at the circumstances in which the action takes place, although the clues are there: the president (Nick Offerman) has extended his stay in the White House with a third term, bypassing the Constitution and dissolving the FBI; the Antifa massacre has occurred, although the viewer does not know who the victims and executioners were; and a Maoist group has rebelled in Portland.

California and Texas  on opposite sides of the political spectrum in real life  are united by one goal: to overthrow a fascist president. Garland believes there is a certain optimism in this movement: For some it was insanity. For me, it would be insane to think that these two states could not agree even in the face of a fascist president. I also see a certain optimism after the Second World War. A lot of countries decided that fascism was a terrible idea and that human rights had to be protected. The pessimistic aspect of it is that humans are not brilliant at avoiding terrible problems. We come back from a terrible problem, but we do it again and again.

Garner also glimpses this optimism when he places the journalistic ideal in the spotlight, even though he is aware that the profession is not very popular today: Everyone hates them, he was told.

His affection for the journalism comes from his father, who drew political cartoons for The Telegraph for decades. As a young man, Garland tried to make a career as a war correspondent. At 26, he wrote The Beach about his hopeless youth, which he later adapted into a film with director Danny Boyle, and little by little he let himself be carried away by the current. But throughout his four films, Garland has continued to pursue themes often found in newspapers. In Ex Machina (as in the TV series Devs) he plunged into the power of technology companies, artificial intelligence and even consent, topics he pushed to surreal limits in Men. Meanwhile, with Annihilation, he created a bucolic metaphor around climate change. Always leaving the viewer to come to their own conclusion.

El director Alex Garland, durante el rodaje de 'Civil War'. Murray Close (Murray Close)

Civil War probably has the easiest framework to understand, since, although Garner wrote the script in 2020, the imagery inevitably evokes what has happened since then: from the assault on the U.S. Capitol to the war in Ukraine. Today, talking about Israel and the war in Gaza is also inevitable. Garner sees clear extremism in that country, and also reflects on the treatment of journalists there: I think the reason Israel is not letting journalists into Gaza is because they dont want to fight a PR campaign. In the Vietnam War, journalists were given pretty much unrestricted access, and it caused the American government a really significant problem. And the effect of the journalism was in part to turn public opinion strongly against the war. Since then, when governments have been involved in war, they have used tactics to restrict the activities of journalists. In Iraq, the tactic was to embed journalists with the military, the argument was this protects the journalists, but what it really does is it also controls the journalists.

This anti-war perspective is what drives Garland. The director recommended the cast of Civil War watch Come and See, a Russian drama about the German invasion in World War II. He believes that there just arent very many anti-war films and this one is worth watching. Garland was also inspired by Apocalypse Now, but he recognizes that it has a touch of romanticism, with music and images that distract from the anti-war message.

According to the director, such romanticism is common in movies: I dont think the intention is ever to make a pro-war film, but that doesnt stop them from being not exactly pro-war, but also not anti-war, just involved in a kind of excitement of war. Its not quite the same thing as supporting war, but its also not oppositional. And certainly I would not hope to make a pro-war film, he says, evoking the moment when the journalist played by Wagner Moura sees a dispute between the two armies and is excited to go check it out on his own. When you spend a lot of time around soldiers, you can see fear, enjoyment, joking, boredom in one day... its the human state. Just like the amnesia of forgetting the horrors of one conflict to another. From Ukraine to Gaza.

Cailee Spaeny and Kirsten Dunst (right) in an image from 'Civil War.'

This process of reflection and making such a big film have left him exhausted, he admits, while rubbing his eyes: I just want to stop; not forever, just stop. Perhaps he is longing to be the man in Civil War who lives peacefully on his farm waiting for it all to be over. For now, Garner will help Ray Mendoza  a former Navy Seal and military advisor in Civil War  direct his first film, Warfare, assisting with the technical aspects of directing.

Garner will also reunite with Danny Boyle and Cillian Murphy to make 28 Years Later, the third movie of the zombie apocalypse saga, that has been postponed for decades. Will the experience of the real-life Covid-19 pandemic influence him? I hadnt thought about it, but maybe I have: there is an element of Covid in it, which is to do with how something that is absolutely terrible can also be in some ways liberating. The film is about conceptualizing what would happen with an apocalypse over a long period of time. In the face of all his worries, the zombie apocalypse almost reassures the director.

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Within the next ten years, we could see a vaccine that can prevent and do away with cancer. This new treatment could help eradicate breast cancer and maybe other cancers pretty soon  a situation that was unimaginable decades ago.

KIRO 7 spoke to researchers at the University of Washingtons Cancer Vaccine Institute who have lead the way on this groundbreaking treatment.

It is a reality. Were studying cancer vaccines in three different areas, said Dr. Mary Lenora Disis  also known as Nora.

Shes the director of UW Medicines Cancer Vaccine Institute and has studied the development of cancer vaccines. She says we do indeed have the potential to have a shot at eliminating cancer in patients, as well as preventing cancer from coming back, and preventing cancer from ever happening.

If you had asked me 30 years ago, the biggest question in the field at that time was could cancer even stimulate the immune system, said Dr. Disis.

She said a shot in the arm, a vaccine, could unleash the human immune system to destroy cancer. Those vaccines could be available within the next ten years.

Weve gone from 0-to-60 just in my career and I do believe that immune therapy using the immune system to fight cancer is here, said Dr. Disis.

Disis has spent her career working to convince our bodies to fight cancer. She says a breast cancer vaccine may be on the horizon.

Weve often thought of shots being used to prevent disease, and even with some cancers, vaccines already exist. Other cancer vaccines would have a pretty simple solution.

Cancer is able to fool the immune system when you look at the proteins that are in cancer cells. Theyre not like a virus, they dont give a danger signalWhat a vaccine does is it allows you at another site distant from the tumor to start a healthy robust immune response, said Dr. Disis.

KIRO 7 toured the labs at UW Med which is currently running clinical trials for a breast cancer vaccine. Researchers are looking for vaccines for lung, breast, ovarian, colon and prostate cancer.

Dr. Disis says all those cancers constitute 50% of cancer diagnoses across the US.

Its not one cancer vaccine thats going to solve the problem, its going to be the approval of many cancer vaccines, said Dr. Disis.

Dr. Disis admits that the fast development of the COVID-19 vaccine and the discoveries that came with it helped move cancer vaccine development forward.

She knows that weve already used vaccines to eradicate diseases  now the scourge of breast cancer and maybe other cancers could be snuffed out with a just a shot.

We did that with infectious disease and it changed our lives. It extended our lives. Lets do that now with cancer vaccines, said Dr. Disis.
Heard it roaring above us: Windham homes seriously damaged by reported tornado

WINDHAM, Ohio (WJW)  Residents were left with plenty of damages, but theyre thankful to be safe after a reported tornado and strong storms swept through Portage County Wednesday evening.

Residents in the village of Windham and Windham Township say they first heard the high winds just before 7:30 p.m.

There have been reports of a tornado touching down in Portage County, which was under a tornado warning earlier in the evening.

FOX 8 meteorologist Mackenzie Bart says the tornado was confirmed by radar based off the National Weather Service.

Photos: Strong storms damage NE Ohio homes, businesses

Authorities say a number of homes were damaged, many trees and power lines were downed and residents were left without power.

WJW photo

WJW photo

Courtesy of Zakary Takacs

Courtesy of Zakary Takacs

Courtesy of Zakary Takacs

WJW photo

Firefighters are doing searches of the homes damaged by the storms and so far, there have been no reported injuries in the area.

Some residents told FOX 8 what they saw and heard as the storm approached.

We had the tornado warning come through the phone and I walked outside and looked up, seeing if we could see anything. It started hailing and next thing you know, it got really windy and I heard the whooshing and yelled for the kids to get in the basement, said Windham Township resident Brian Olson.

Ohio Turnpike delays in Portage County after severe storm

We heard it roaring above us and when I get back up, carnage everywhere, Windham Township resident Kyle Lesko said.

FOX 8 is waiting for the National Weather Service to give more details on the reported tornado and if any others touched down.

Most of Northeast Ohio was under a tornado watch Wednesday evening, but that has since expired. Keep up with the latest weather conditions here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  A hearing for a former Northwest Medical Center employee accused of abuse has been delayed, according to court documents.

Collyn Harlan, 28, was charged with one felony count of abuse of an endangered or impaired person. He pleaded not guilty to those charges in March 2023.

A felony information sheet accused Harlan of fracturing a victims ribs by throwing him to the floor.

Investigators found during the March 13, 2022 incident, a patient was voluntarily admitted to the behavioral health unit for recurrent severe major depressive disorder, according to an affidavit.

During the intake process, the victim was asked to remove clothing for a skin assessment. The victim said he was not comfortable doing this.

Tontitown man pleads not guilty to charges related to Lake Fayetteville shooting

The affidavit said surveillance video showed Harlan and another employee grabbing the victims arm, raising his feet off the floor, and forcefully throwing him to the floor.

The patients medical records said he was assisted to the floor for being noncompliant.

Two other mental health technicians were seen in the video interacting with the victim during the intake process and said that he did not show any signs of being physically aggressive during their interaction. The victim began complaining of rib pain after the incident.

An x-ray taken two days later displayed fourth and fifth left-side rib fractures.

Harlan has a status hearing set for November 6, 2024.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24.
From helicopters to ads, India's ruling party snaps up bulk of election props

Wristbands, key chains and badges featuring India's ruling BJP and masks of the party president Shah and PM Modi are on display inside a BJP office ahead of general election, in Gandhinagar

By Shivangi Acharya and Tanvi Mehta

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Campaigning is gathering pace in India's general elections, the world's largest with nearly a billion eligible voters, as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party races ahead of its opponents in cornering resources, from helicopters to online advertisements.

Voting starts on Friday, with ballots to be counted on June 4 in the weeks-long elections, at which the BJP seeks its most decisive victory yet, riding India's best-funded campaign led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is seen winning a third term.

In the months to the run-up, the BJP has snared the largest share of reservations for domestic private helicopters to fly its leaders to all corners of the far-flung nation, an industry official said.

"The largest party has more campaigning to do because of the share of their election touring," said Rajesh Bali, managing director of the Business Aircraft Operators Association.

"They are covering more areas."

Demand for helicopters, the preferred vehicle of canvassing politicans, has risen about a third from the last elections in 2019, Bali told Reuters, with the BJP making up more than 60% of election activity, followed by the opposition Congress.

That figure excludes arrangements for Modi, who has criss-crossed India ahead of the polls, as his travel is officially managed by the government.

India has a registered fleet of about 250 civil helicopters, official data shows, 26 owned by the government or its units.

The BJP spent about 782 million rupees ($9.4 million) on helicopters and aircraft during state campaigns, compared to 214.4 million by the Congress, or just over a quarter of its rival, in fiscal 2022/23, official audited reports showed in January.

Polls predict a comfortable win for Modi, but Congress says the election is closer than how it's been projected.

More resources offer a clear advantage by helping to improve visibility in the race, said Ashok Lavasa, a former election commissioner.

"I don't know, in the real world, how much visibility impacts the voters mind," he told Reuters. "But I am sure if that was not the case, they would not be doing this kind of expenditure."

In 2024, the BJP is also the top political advertiser on search giant Google, data shows.

Modi's party accounted for nearly a third of the total spend of 1.38 billion rupees ($16.16 million) on 119,387 political advertisements on Google this year, the Google Ads Transparency Center says, or 432 million rupees.

In contrast, Congress spent less than a quarter, at 110 million rupees.

Facebook has shown similar trends, with Modi's party doling out 81 million rupees for Facebook pages against the Congress expenditure of nearly 26 million rupees, as it is unable to match the BJP's poll war chest.

The BJP spent 8.6 billion rupees on election-related ads and publicity while the Congress spent about 767 million rupees in the last fiscal year 2022/23, audited party reports show.

The largest beneficiary of a now-scrapped controversial funding mechanism of electoral bonds, the BJP got over half the donations of 120.1 billion rupees from the time the instruments were launched until the March 2023 end of the fiscal year.

As the party's main funding channel, the bonds accounted for more than half the contributions it received over the past five years, except for fiscal 2020/21.

That year's donations were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the party's audited annual reports show.

Congress, the only party to offer significant competition nationally for the BJP, has accused Modi of trying to cripple it financially ahead of the polls by briefly freezing its accounts in an income-tax case.

($1=83.5010 rupees)

(Reporting by Shivangi Acharya and Tanvi Mehta; Graphics by Riddhima Talwani; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Dozens Of Potential Jurors Have Been Disqualified From Trump's Hush Money Trial; Here's What We Know About The Five Who Have Been Selected

Dozens Of Potential Jurors Have Been Disqualified From Trump's Hush Money Trial; Here's What We Know About The Five Who Have Been Selected

Finding jurors for former president Donald Trump's criminal case in New York has proven difficult, as on the first day, dozens of prospective jurors were sent home after saying they could not be impartial.

Pool / Getty Images

The case itself is the first criminal trial for any former president. He is accused of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in relation to "hush money" given to porn star Stormy Daniels to cover up a sex scandal.

Pool / Getty Images

Twelve jurors and six alternates have to be picked. They will remain anonymous to the public. Judge Juan Merchan has requested that the appearances and employers of jurors not be reported after one juror reported friends and family members identifying her (more on that later), so here's what we can broadly say about the jury so far.

Timothy A. Clary / POOL/AFP via Getty Images

The jurors:

For this, we are using reporting from ABC News and NBC.

Juror #1: An Irish-born West Harlem salesman.

The foreman likes "anything outdoorsy" and has "heard of some" of Trump's other criminal cases.

Juror #3: A young Chelsea corporate law attorney.

He likes to hike and run and isn't super familiar with the allegations against Trump.

Juror #5: A Harlem-based teacher.

She's into relationship and pop culture podcasts. "President Trump speaks his mind," she said. "And I'd rather that than someone who's in office who you don't know what they're thinking."

Juror #6: A young Chelsea software engineer.

She likes plays, restaurants, and dancing.

Juror #7: An Upper East Side civil litigator.

He's also outdoorsy. He says he doesn't "have opinions about [Trump] personally."

The most commonly cited news sources that the jurors use are the New York Times and Google.

People who aren't jurors:

Former Juror #2.

One seated juror, a cancer nurse, was dismissed on April 18 after she voiced concerns. Yesterday alone I had friends, colleagues, and family push things to my phone regarding questioning my identity as a juror, she told the judge. I dont believe at this point that I can be fair and unbiased and let the outside influences not affect my decision-making in the courtroom.

Former Juror #4.

Another seated juror, an IT professional, was dismissed on the same day after the prosecution raised concerns that he may have lied in his answers about being accused or convicted of a crime. They found a man of the same name who had been arrested for tearing down posters "pertaining to the political right" in the '90s, as well as a family member who may have been connected with an agreement with the Manhattan district attorneys office (aka Trump's prosecution). It's unknown whether or not he was connected to these things, as he was questioned off-microphone, but he was dismissed.

We'll keep you posted with updates.
He's in prison 40 years for murder. Here's why an appeals court says he gets a new chance

Lake County sheriffs deputies violated a killers constitutional rights when they aimed a flashlight onto the mans porch, saw a rifle, then went inside and arrested him without first getting a search warrant, an appeals court has ruled.

Deputies were called to the Holiday RV Park on Oct. 23, 2020, at 8:50 p.m. by Alice Stewart. She said she heard someone knock on the door then a shot. She found her husband, Jerry, with a gunshot wound to the face lying in shattered glass near the front door. There was a .380-caliber shell casing on the ground.

Deputies fanned out, knocking on neighbors doors in the attempt to locate any evidence, witnesses, or suspects, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Scott C. Rudolph

She suggested they check next door at the home of Scott Rudolph because they had disputes with him before.

The home was dark. The porch had an opaque black vinyl wrapping that encased and made private the enclosed front porch of his home, according to the 5th District Court of Appeal opinion, released April 12.

They said they knocked several times but got no answer. One of the deputies shined a flashlight and saw an AR-15 type rifle leaning up against the wall. They entered the home and found Rudolph sitting in a chair, a .380 handgun and broken glass at his feet. They arrested him and put him in the back of a patrol car.

He made several statements and admissions to law enforcement. He also made statements and admissions while alone in the back of a patrol car that was captured by in-car surveillance, according to his lawyers motion to suppress the search.

Circuit Judge Heidi Davis erred when she did not grant the motion to suppress, the appeals court ruled.

One of the statements Rudolph made to deputies without even being questioned was: I dont have a vendetta with you, only the person I shot, according to the probable cause affidavit.

He said Stewart had threatened him. He was charged with first-degree murder but pleaded no contest and was sentenced to 40 years in prison for second-degree murder. He remains in prison.

The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, J. Mark Jackson wrote in his motion to suppress.

The very core of the amendment is the right of a man to retreat into his own home and there be free from unreasonable governmental intrusion.

The justices said in their opinion that neither officer knew who resided at the home, nor did they have reason to believe that its owner was a suspect or that probable cause existed to conduct a warrantless search; instead, it was simply another attempt to see if a neighbor had seen or heard anything.

The front door had a welcome mat and a doorbell, which the officers did not attempt to ring, testifying that they did not see it. The front door had a visible external lock but was unlocked at the time of the incident.

It was at that point the officer used the flashlight and saw the rifle.

They then entered the porch and entered a sliding glass door where they saw Rudolph.

The flashlight itself was an intrusion, the justices said.

One of the officers later said it was common practice to enter private spaces, like enclosed porches when no one answers the door. This practice is impermissible, the justices wrote.

Assistant State Attorney Nick Camuccio, in his plea for the court to deny the motion, said law enforcement officers are allowed to do what is referred to as knock and talk while seeking information.

Jackson acknowledged that there are cases where a property owner has no expectation of privacy if the contents of the porch are in plain view from the street.

This was not the case, he said.

The appellate court ordered the case back to Judge Davis, where everyone will start from scratch on the motion, said Chief Assistant State Attorney Walter Forgie.

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Court says search of murder defendant's home was unconstitutional
Donald Trump is trying to be cute. Subject to a gag order that prohibits him from launching broadsides against prospective jurors, the former president took to the failing social network that he owns to  yes, you already know  attack prospective jurors.

Quoting Fox News anchor Jesse Waters, Trump posted Wednesday on Truth Social: They are catching undercover Liberal Activists lying to the Judge in order to get on the Trump Jury.

Well, no: In Trumps Manhattan trial, dozens of prospective jurors have already been disqualified for potential bias, including the woman that Trump sought to intimidate on the second day of jury selection, earning him a rebuke from Judge Juan Merchan. Of those who have made the cut is a juror who admitted to watching Fox News (as well as MSNBC) and another who commented that Trump speaks his mind, per Talking Points Memo.

So Trump is sharing a false conspiracy theory, seemingly expressing a conviction that he will be found guilty of falsifying business records to conceal a hush payment to a porn star, Stormy Daniels, in order to influence the 2016 election  thus the need to start early with a rigged narrative. But his actions, in addition to being self-defeating, could get him in trouble well before the trial ends.

Trump is already subject to a gag order, one that prosecutors say hes already violated with social media posts attacking Daniels and Michael Cohen, his former attorney who served a year in prison for his own role in the plot to break campaign finance law. That order expressly prohibits Trump from: Making or directing others to make public statements about any prospective juror or juror in this criminal proceeding.

Does sharing an allys attack, suggesting that those who will judge his guilt or innocence are all lying crypto-DNC staffers, actually violate that order? Yeah, former federal prosecutors say.

On its face, Trumps post violates the gag order, Renato Mariotti, who worked for the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Northern District of Illinois, posted on social media. His attorneys will argue that he is just amplifying or reposting someone elses comment. But Trump didnt just retweet something. He typed it out word for word, essentially adopting Watters statement.

NYU Law Prof. Ryan Goodman, who worked for the Department of Defenses general counsel under former President Barack Obama, told CNN that Trump unquestionably crossed a line.

Its a very, very clear violation of the gag order, Goodman said Wednesday. It doesnt even matter what Trump meant by it, he continued: jurors are off limits. Its not about intent. Its not about making statements about jurors in order to interfere with a criminal proceeding, which is part of the gag order. He just cannot make public statements about them. He just did.

Another CNN legal analyst, Jeffrey Toobin, agrees.

Its clearly  I think  an attempt to intimidate jurors and it is clearly barred by the gag order in this case, Toobin commented. Donald Trump doesnt seem to realize he is now a criminal defendant and criminal defendants have different and lesser rights than ordinary citizens. They are not allowed to interfere in the trial process, especially when there is a gag order that specifically addresses attempts to intimidate jurors.

When Trump sought to intimidate a juror in real life, the judge wasnt having it. I will not tolerate that, Merchan said Tuesday. "I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom. I want to make that crystal clear.

Conservative attorney George Conway thinks Trump should pack an overnight bag. Jail time is a possibility, he told MSNBC, albeit unlikely just yet.

I think before that happens, I think Merchans going to be very, very explicit about it, like, Okay, thats it, youve done this, this is it. Next time bring your toothbrush.

With jury selection resuming Thursday, and weeks to go before a verdict, Merchan will now have to decide just how much the rules apply to a former president. A hearing on whether Trump violated the gag order with his previous social media posts in already scheduled for April 23.

Trump thinks hes too clever by half, MSNBC legal analyst Katie Phang posted on social media. Hes in for a rude awakening.
Hezbollah's second-in-command insists it is not seeking war, but would respond to Israeli escalation

BEIRUT  Iran-backed Hezbollah is determined not to ramp up its monthslong firefight over Lebanons southern border, but will respond in kind to any Israeli escalation, the political party and militias second-in-command told NBC News in a rare and exclusive interview.

Naim Qassem faulted Israel and the United States for perpetuating tit-for-tat attacks that have killed hundreds in southern Lebanon and displaced tens of thousands of civilians on both sides of the Israeli-Lebanese border. The conflict started with Hamas terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7, which killed more than 1,200 people and sparked Israels bloody incursion into the Gaza Strip that has since killed nearly 34,000 people, according to Gaza's health ministry.

We didnt expect the war would last this long because we didnt think that Netanyahu was that foolish, same for Biden and the other countries, Qassem said, as Israels two-front conflict drags into its seventh month.

Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Qassem (NBC News)

As Hezbollahs deputy secretary-general, Qassem ranks second behind the groups revered leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

Qassems comments came as Israel prepares its response to an unprecedented retaliatory Iranian missile and drone barrage against the Jewish state  an impending reprisal that would bring the Middle East closer to a region-wide war than at any time in recent memory. Israel carried out a strike inside Iran overnight, a person familiar with the situation told NBC News. Earlier Thursday, Israeli officials notified U.S. officials that a response was coming.

But the latest round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah began months before last weekends direct confrontation between Israel and Iran. Hezbollah is estimated to have upward of 150,000 rockets and missiles, in addition to drones and anti-tank, anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles, according to a Reuters report, citing data from the CIA.

Hezbollah, a powerful, Iran-backed Shia political party and militant organization, was formed in the early 1980s during the Lebanese civil war and was an active force during the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon, when it set a mission to expel Israeli forces from the country. The group has long claimed solidarity with the Palestinian cause. The U.S. considers Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

Hezbollah first struck a disputed border region of northern Israel on Oct. 8, the day after Hamas attack on Israel. At the time, Hezbollah called that strike an act of solidarity with Hamas. Iran also has backed Hamas for years.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility Wednesday for a missile and drone attack on northern Israel that injured 18 people, 14 of whom were Israeli soldiers, saying the strikes were retaliation for Israel killing two of the groups commanders in a cross-border attack the day before.

Among the multiple Iran-backed groups that oppose Israel in the Middle East, Hezbollah is by far the strongest and the largest beneficiary of Iranian largesse.

Iran has declared that its attack Saturday night, which saw it launch more than 300 missiles and drones at Israel, marked the full extent of its retaliation for an April 1 strike by Israel on the Iranian Consulate in Syrias capital, Damascus, that killed two senior commanders and five advisers from Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Qassem said Iran repeated its public messaging to Hezbollah.

Tehran speaks publicly and clearly. They do not want war and they have responded to the attack on their embassy and thats it for them, Qassem said. I think Iran is honest. This is what they told us and this is what they keep reiterating to the media.

Qassem offered measured criticism of the three Arab countries  Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates  that assisted in Israels defense against the Iranian salvo Saturday night.

It wasnt adequate for any Arab nation to support Israel no matter what justifications they had, he said. Their populations will hold them accountable for all those who took this decision.

Qassem laid equal blame for the civilian losses in Gaza on both Israel and the United States, dismissing a recent public rift between U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as little more than cosmetic politics meant to safeguard Americas image.

I consider that Biden and Netanyahu are both complicit in one scheme with very minor differences, Qassem said.

In an earlier interview in November, Qassem told NBC News that Hezbollah would push more forcefully into its fight with Israel if the Jewish state continued its incursion into Gaza.

But nearly six months later, both Hezbollah and Israel have mostly hewed to rules of engagement  an unstated understanding between both sides that has so far tempered the fighting and confined it to the two states border regions.

We will not accept that the Israelis transgress the rules of engagement that are currently set in the south of Lebanon, he said. If the Israelis increase their attacks, we will increase our attacks as well.

While Israel is playing by the rules of engagement for now, senior Israeli officials have threatened to destroy Lebanon if Hezbollah escalates.

In January, an assassination by drone strike in Beirut of a Hamas leader was believed to have been carried out by Israel, ratcheting up tensions then, though Israel did not claim responsibility.

Despite its limited engagement, Qassem said Hezbollahs fight is serving its purpose by luring the Israeli forces to get busy in the north, referring to their shared border, rather than Gaza, which borders southern Israel.

Therefore, we will continue to do so, and we will not wage a full-scale war unless the Israelis decide to get into war against us, he said. Then we are ready for the full confrontation.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP)  Changes are coming to four major intersections where High Point leaders are seeing lots of panhandling.

Many citizens have complained about people in the median and on the curb asking for money. For the safety of drivers and the people panhandling, city leaders are trying to cut down on it.

Theyve put up a sign at the intersection of North Main Street and Parkway Avenue, which reads: Theres a better, safer way to give, and urges people to support the local agencies that help those in need.

There are plans to put up more of these signs at other intersections across the city.

Travelers see an increase in homelessness at Charlotte airport

Times are tough for some folks, but theres also a need to make sure that our neighborhoods are safe and that our streets are not congested and that public safety is a top priority, said Mayor Pro-Tem Michael Holmes, who represents Ward 6.

Holmes is part of the group trying to limit the amount of panhandling going on in High Point. Hes hoping these new signs will help.

The signs have messaging urging anyone in crisis to call 211 where youll be connected with a specialist who can figure out your need and share local resources available to help.

City leaders arent banning panhandling in medians because it would put an additional strain on the police department.

We have to be able to say, Is this something that we can actively enforce?' Holmes said. We look at the work of our police force, and they would be the ones who had to carry this out.

Crews will install the signs at three other intersections where city leaders are seeing the most panhandling taking place: Eastchester Drive at North Main Street, West Wendover Avenue at N.C. 68 and South Main Street at Fairfield Road.

On Wednesday afternoon, FOX8 crews spotted panhandlers on medians at two of those three intersections.

We do see a lot of people here more often than we used to before, said Vahid Shafaei, part-owner of Rome Pizza on North Main Street.

Shafaei told FOX8 that panhandlers can affect business.

 Track issues along your commute with the QCN Traffic Interactive Map

Its a little bit difficult because they can be a nuisance to other customers here, he said. We like to be able to help, but at the same time for the business side, its not exactly a good thing.

Its why city leaders are encouraging people who want to donate to do so in a different way.

Theres a better way to give, Holmes said. There are agencies that you can contribute to that can get resources to people.

You should see the signs go up at the three other intersections in the coming weeks.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
HMRC must not be allowed to investigate public figures in secret, say MPs amid Rayner house row

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) investigations into public figures should not be held in secret, MPs have said amid a row over Angela Rayners tax affairs.

The tax office is currently unable to comment on individual cases or even confirm whether an investigation is under way as a result of strict confidentiality laws.

The deputy Labour leader is facing scrutiny over claims she did not pay the right amount of capital gains tax (CGT), broke electoral law, and potentially committed council tax fraud.

Police looking into a number of assertions

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has confirmed it is looking into a number of allegations made against Ms Rayner.

It is believed that while council tax fraud and electoral fraud would be investigated by police as potential criminal offences, HMRC would deal with any issues related to CGT.

Unlike the police, who will confirm if an investigation is under way or if offences are being considered, HMRC will not.

One tax expert, who did not wish to be named, told The Telegraph that HMRC investigators enjoyed being able to hide behind confidentiality.

Conservative MPs have said that HMRC should be free to say if an individual is being investigated, if it is in the public interest.

Labour Party deputy leader Angela Rayner is under pressure over her tax affairs - Victoria Jones/pa

On Thursday, Greg Smith, the Tory MP for Buckingham, said: We do have to maintain the principle of innocent until proven guilty.

However, for someone, potentially the next deputy prime minister, the public have reasonable expectations to know if an investigation has been initiated.

David Jones, a former cabinet minister, added: If Rayner is under investigation, she should disclose it. The duty of transparency is on her and Keir Starmer.

The tax office says it is committed to being as transparent as possible but has to comply with its statutory duty of confidentiality under the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act, 2005.

HMRC is prohibited under Section 18 of the act from disclosing information it holds in connection with its functions.

Ms Rayner has been accused of failing to pay CGT on the 2015 sale of a council house she owned on Vicarage Road in Stockport.

She has insisted that she lived at the property despite claims from neighbours that since 2010 she had in fact been living with her husband one mile away at a house on Lowndes Lane.

If she had not been living at the property, she would have been liable to pay capital gains tax when it was sold..

Married couples cannot legally have two primary residences for tax purposes. Tax experts have said that if Vicarage Road was Ms Rayners main residence and she did not pay CGT on it, it would have automatically become her husbands primary residence for tax purposes too. Instead the house her husband owned around a mile away on Lowndes Lane would have been subject to CGT when it was sold.

No comment

A spokesman for HMRC said: We cant comment on individuals due to taxpayer confidentiality law and we can neither confirm nor deny investigations.

To be clear, confirming an investigation into a taxpayer would be breaching taxpayer confidentiality law.

While HMRC has declined to say whether it is investigating Ms Rayner, GMP has said it is looking at a number of assertions.

Steve Watson, Chief Constable of the force, said: We are going to get to the bottom of what has happened, and well work out where we go with it.

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.
Nahir Galarza. Diario El Argentino

Life in prison. Thats the sentence that the Argentine justice system has just handed down to Nahir Galarza, the 19-year-old woman who shot her boyfriend Fernando Pastorizzo twice on December 29.

The court that tried the case  located in Gualeguaychu, in Entre Rios province, north of Buenos Aires  ruled that Galarza meant to kill her partner, and that what happened was no accident, as the defendant had claimed during the trial. These were intentional and aimed shots, the court stated as the verdict was read out, finding Galarza guilty of murder.

She got on Pastorizzos motorbike and shortly after they set off, fired the gun at the young man

The crime shocked the residents of this small city that borders Uruguay and is famous for its carnivals. Galarza and Pastorizzo had a big argument just before Christmas last year, and several days later the young woman called her boyfriend and arranged to meet with him in the evening. Galarza arrived at the date with the service weapon of her father, who is a policeman. She got on Pastorizzos motorbike and shortly after they set off, fired the gun at the young man. The second shot was from the front, when Pastorizzo was already injured, the court stated in its ruling.

During the trial, Galarza claimed to be a victim of gender violence, and accused Pastorizzo of beating her. But the courts found that there was no evidence of such abuse, and rejected the defense attorneys arguments that this should be considered an extenuating circumstance. One of the most compromising moments for the defendant during the trial was when she stated that she didnt call an ambulance, nor tell anyone else what had happened, because being injured does not mean that you are going to die. It was a nearby resident who eventually raised the alarm, but Pastorizzo died before reaching the hospital.

It never even crossed my mind that he was going to die, Galarza told the court during the trial. I found out when his mom called me. My heart stopped, because she was calling me. That was when I found out what had happened. She asked me if I had been with him and she told me that he had died.

It never even crossed my mind that he was going to die

Nahir Galarza during the trial

That same day, Galarza showed up at a police station and admitted that she had killed him using her fathers service weapon, but by the time she appeared in court, she had changed her story.

During the trial she claimed that Pastorizzo had the gun concealed under his clothes, after having taken it from her house when he came to pick her up. She said that both of them fell off the motorbike to the ground, which is when the gun went off for the first time. She then claimed to have picked up the weapon and heard it go off again. The judges did not believe her story. Evidence given by a ballistics expert was key to the trial, given that he denied any possibility of two accidental discharges.

The security cameras in the neighborhood where the shooting took place also were of no help to Galarza, as she was recorded walking home at a normal pace, and not in the state of shock and confusion that she claimed to have been in after the events she described to the court. Another piece of evidence used in court was a photo she posted on Instagram the morning after of herself and the victim, with the text Ill love you forever my angel.

We got to the truth and justice was done. She will have to pay for what she did

The victims mother, Silvia Mantegazza

Justice has won the day, the father of the victim, Gustavo Pastorizzo, told reporters on leaving the court. His mother, Silvia Mantegazza, tearfully thanked residents of Gualeguaychu for the support they had shown the family over recent months. Im at peace and I am calm, she said, breaking her silence for the first time. We got to the truth and justice was done. She will have to pay for what she did. Mantegazza added that the worst was yet to come for the family, as they will start to grieve now that the trial is over.

The Pastorizzo family views the sentence as an act of justice for the memory of their son. The Galarza family, meanwhile, even went so far as to hire a PR expert, who was in charge of contact with the press, to clean up their daughters image. For months, this person shared private messages between the couple with the media, messages that he said proved that the young man was violent.

He also tried to prove that his client and the victim were not sentimentally involved, and that they just had occasional sexual relations. The goal was to counter any aggravating circumstance that could have justified life imprisonment. But the judges rejected these arguments one by one in their decision.

The ruling can still be appealed. One of Galarzas lawyers, Horacio Dargainz, has voiced doubts over the speed with which the judges studied the evidence in the high-profile case. If higher courts confirm the sentence, Galarza will be able to apply for benefits after 35 years behind bars.

English version by Simon Hunter.
Honor Flight lands back in Central Valley: Its such an honor for these men and women

Honor Flight lands back in Central Valley: Its such an honor for these men and women

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  The Central Valley Honor Flight landed three hours later than expected Wednesday night, but the delay did not dim the spirits of the folks who were waiting to greet the crowd of local veterans.

The three-day visit to Washington D.C. saw the group depart Fresno on Monday, have a full day at the U.S. Capitol and see memorials on Tuesday, and then return on Wednesday.

To the community and the veterans that are coming in, its such an honor for these men and women who served, said Lisa Marie Silva Sanchez, whose father was on Honor Flight.

Before their return flight, the veterans took in a full day of special events  and one birthday. Marine Corps veteran Sergio Silva of Clovis celebrated his 80th birthday on the third day of the Central Valley Honor Flight.

The veterans also saw the changing of the guard at Arlington National Cemetery and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, with four Honor Flight members taking part including Marine Corp veteran and Purple Heart recipient Jose Perez.

You ask me about it being fresh in my mind, this will be etched in my heart, and in my mind this was the greatest privilege that Ive ever had, said Jose.

The day continued at the Korean War Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, where Sergio Silva was able to find the name of his cousin who did not return from Vietnam.

I just love this, I really really wanted to do this before my birthday and before I pass, said Segio.

So far, the Central Valley Honor Flight has taken 1,873 veterans to their memorials in Washington D.C. The all-volunteer organization was founded in 2013.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
A file photo of Davell Gardner, the 1-year-old who was struck by gunfire during a late Sunday (07/12/21) night barbecue on the sidewalk in front of Raymond Bush Playground on Madison Street and Marcus Garvey Boulevard in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn

Four Hoolies gang members were convicted for a string of Brooklyn shootings  with two of the violent street thugs tied to the stray-bullet slaying of a baby, prosecutors said.

Dashawn Austin  who goes by the street names of Capo, Doo Doo and Hot Wheels  was found guilty of opening fire into the Raymond Bush Playground in Bedford-Stuyvesant on the night of July 12, 2020 and hit 22-month-old Davell Gardner, Jr. as the baby sat in a stroller, the Brooklyn District Attorneys Office said.

Austin was a passenger in Audi when he opened fire  with fellow gang member Akeem Beans Artis behind the wheel, according to prosecutors.

Four Hoolies gang members were convicted for a string of Brooklyn shootings  with two of the violent street thugs tied to the stray-bullet slaying of a baby, prosecutors said. Family Handout

Three other bystanders were hit by stray bullets but survived the incident  which stemmed from the Hoolies war with the rival 900 gang.

Austin, Artis and fellow Hoolies Jayquan Bo Lane and Travis Loso Scott were convicted of various charges Tuesday after a six-month trial before Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun after a 63-count indictment against 18 reputed gang members, the DA said.

Austin was convicted of second-degree murder, as well as three counts of second-degree attempted murder, the DA said.

Artis was convicted of first-degree manslaughter, as well as three counts of first-degree attempted assault, prosecutors said.

He was also convicted of second-degree attempted murder in connection to another shooting from June 24, 2020, the DAs office said.

Dashawn Austin was found guilty of opening fire into the Raymond Bush Playground in Bedford-Stuyvesant on the night of July 12, 2020, and hit 22-month-old Davell Gardner, Jr. as the baby sat in a stroller. Brooklyn DA

When Austin was first nabbed nearly a year after Davells senseless murder, the tots grandmother, Samantha Gardner, told The Post the bust was bittersweet because she had to relive that night.

It brought me right back to the day when they pronounced [Davell] dead, and I just held him, just crying all over him, you know, and he couldnt feel me, he couldnt hear me, he couldnt see me, she said at the time.

[The violence] needs to stop because too many people are getting hurt, she added in a phone interview.

You got innocent bystanders getting hurt by it. It needs to stop.

Austin was also convicted in the March 3, 2020 deadly shooting of Janile Whitted of the rival Pop Out Boys gang, outside the Kinanm Lounge on Atlantic Avenue near Vanderbilt Avenue.

Joined by Lane, Austin followed Whitted when he left the lounge  pumping several bullets into his chest at close range, killing him, prosecutors said.

Austin was a passenger in Audi when he opened fire  with fellow gang member Akeem Beans Artis behind the wheel, according to prosecutors. Brooklyn District Attorney's Off

Three other bystanders were hit by stray bullets but survived in the incident  which stemmed from the Hoolies war with the rival 900 gang. Brooklyn DA

Both Austin and Lane were convicted of second-degree murder in that shooting death, according to the DAs office.

Scott was also convicted of second-degree murder for the Dec. 4, 2018 fatal shooting of Tyree Walker, 35  who did not have a rival gang affiliation  as he walked towards his home on Myrtle Avenue, prosecutors said.

Another man, 23, was shot and paralyzed in the same incident  landing Scott with an additional second-degree attempted murder conviction, according to the DAs office.

Fellow Hoolies Jayquan Bo Lane and Travis Loso Scott were convicted of various charges Tuesday after a six-month trial before Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun after a 63-count indictment against 18 reputed gang members. Brooklyn DA

Members of the Hoolies gang  mostly based in and around Bed-Stuys Roosevelt Housing Development  were retaliating against rival gangs and displaying their own strength, prosecutors said.

Todays verdict sends a clear message that Brooklyns streets will not be playgrounds for gang wars, DA Eric Gonzalez said.

The reckless bloodshed perpetrated by these individuals not only robbed the innocent Davell Gardner, Jr., of a future but has also left an indelible scar on our community.

These defendants will be held accountable for their horrific crimes, and my office stands unwavering in our fight against the scourge of gang violence in our neighborhoods, he added.

I commend the outstanding prosecutors in my office who tried this complex and lengthy case and thank the NYPD for their excellent work.

Artis is scheduled to be sentenced on May 1 and the other suspects will learn their fate on May 8, prosecutors said.
Inside the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines, April 17, 2024. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

A panel of House lawmakers approved legislation Wednesday that would increase pay for legislators and statewide elected officials by $10,000.

The House Appropriations Committee passed House Study Bill 750 on a 17-8 vote. The bill raising salaries for legislators and statewide elected officials advanced quickly in the expected final days of session. The measure was introduced Tuesday, and a subcommittee unanimously approved it the same day.

Lawmakers quickly moved on the bill during the committee meeting, with Rep. Adam Zabner, D-Iowa City, saying that it is a good bill, its good for Iowa.

During the subcommittee meeting on the legislation, lawmakers spoke more in depth about the need for a pay increase. Rep. Steve Holt, R-Denison, said no one likes to talk about giving themselves a pay raise, but that legislators need to face the reality that action must be taken to ensure that all Iowans are able to realistically consider serving in office.

The unfortunate reality we face is: Do we want our Legislature made up of a bunch of rich folks and retired folks? Holt asked. Because thatll be the only ones that can afford to serve up here. Or do we want the representation of the Legislature to be based upon the people of Iowa?

The bill would increase the pay for Iowa representatives and senators to $35,000 a year, as well as raising the pay for lawmakers in leadership positions including House speaker, Senate president and each chambers majority and minority leaders to $47,500. The House speaker pro tempore and Senate president pro tempore would earn a salary of $37,000.

The bill would also grant a $10,000 raise to statewide elected officials, putting Gov. Kim Reynolds salary at $140,000 and Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird at $133,669. Other elected officials, including Iowas secretary of state, state auditor, treasurer and secretary of agriculture would all have their salaries increase to $133,212 annually.

These increases would go into effect starting in the 2025 legislative session. Beginning in 2026, the bill would apply a cost-of-living adjustment each year to legislators pay equal to the average adjustments negotiated by public collective bargaining units representing workers like police officers and government employees.

Current salaries  legislators make $25,000 annually  have been brought up in retirement speeches as lawmakers seek to end the session. Rep. Phil Thompson, R-Boone, said during his retirement speech earlier in April that while he enjoyed serving as a legislator, he could not afford to continue to serve as he and his wife are expecting their first child, Radio Iowa reported.

As rewarding as this work is, it really isnt cut out for working age families, Thompson, 33, said. You guys should really fix that if you want a representative government.

The Iowa Legislature generally meets four months out of the year and many lawmakers maintain other employment.

Rep. Joel Fry, R-Osceola, said Tuesday well see where where we go with the bill this year, as it has not been agreed upon with Senate Republicans or the governor. He also echoed others comments about why the pay increase is needed.

I think its very modest increase actually, what were looking at here on this bill, and also believe that if we want the representation of people across Iowa to serve in this role, that we have to look into that were paying those folks to be here, Fry said.

The post House committee advances bill to raise pay for lawmakers, statewide elected officials appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
House GOP leaders on Wednesday introduced a new border security bill designed to appease conservatives who are up in arms that Speaker Mike Johnsons (R-La.) foreign aid package excluded tougher measures to battle migration.

Johnson announced Wednesday morning that he was plowing ahead with sending aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan despite outspoken opposition from hard-line Republicans, many of whom were incensed that his plan excluded border security. For months, the Speaker had said that any assistance for Kyiv must be paired with legislation to address the situation at the southern border.

But in a change to his initial plan, the Speaker said he would move a separate border security bill as the House considered the foreign aid measures, a move that was largely viewed as a way to pacify the conservative anger. He said the border security bill would move under a separate procedural rule from the Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan measures.

The gambit, however, was met with sharp  and immediate  criticism from hard-line Republicans, who dismissed the new border bill as weak and part of a bad-faith effort by Johnson to satisfy the conservative concerns.

That is a joke, Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), the chair of the House Freedom Caucus, told reporters of the border bill. Thats pretend. Thats theater. Thats noise.

Its a theatrics, shiny object, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) echoed. Its the shiny object for Republicans that are saying we got to do something for the border.

The House is expected to vote on the border bill in the coming days as part of Johnsons plan to send aid to embattled U.S. allies. But even if it passes the House it will face a dead end in the Senate, where many of the provisions are non-starters among Democrats.

Johnson, nonetheless, is pitching the border bill as an aggressive measure that is instrumental to the broader conversation about the national security supplemental.

Were gonna push a very aggressive border security measure on the floor. Its part of this whole process. All these things are intertwined, he told reporters Wednesday afternoon. If youre gonna talk about national security, and this is a national security supplemental package, you have to begin at our own border. And thats what weve been saying over and over and over.

I think its gonna be a popular measure, and I expect were gonna vote that through with a big, sadly I think itll be a partisan vote, but I believe every Republican will support it, and then we will go out and tell the American people were still fighting for you, he later added.

The original legislation that the End the Border Catastrophe Act is based on  H.R. 2  was immediately ignored by the Senate after the House passed the bill last May.

The new legislation largely mirrors that effort, teeing up a vote on another bill that would drastically limit asylum and also require building former President Trumps border wall.

Beyond slicing away at asylum protections for those fleeing persecution, the bill also limits other pathways for legal migration to the U.S.

It also re-ups other Trump-era policies, including requiring reignition of the controversial Remain in Mexico program requiring migrants to await their asylum cases in Mexico that was rescinded by the Biden administration.

Immigration advocates at the time had described H.R. 2 as among the most extreme provisions to be seriously considered by the House in recent years.

The only text from H.R. 2 to be struck from the new version is a provision that aimed to stem the hiring of those not legally present in the U.S. It sliced from the latest version a provision that would have required employers to do more to verify someone was legally qualified to work in the U.S. before hiring them.

Were gonna put the key elements of H.R. 2, which is our legislation that House Republicans passed over a year ago; its been sitting on Chuck Schumers desk collecting dust as they mock it, Johnson said.

Were gonna reintroduce that. End catch and release, reinstate Remain in Mexico, fix the broken asylum process, fix the broken parole process, its been abused, rebuild portions of the wall.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., and the House Republican leadership meet with reporters following a closed-door Republican strategy session as Johnson pushes towards separate votes on aid for Israel and Ukraine, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON (AP)  House congressional leaders were toiling Thursday on a delicate, bipartisan push toward weekend votes to approve a $95 billion package of foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, as well as several other national security policies at a critical moment at home and abroad.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson this week set in motion a plan to advance the package, which has been held up since October by GOP lawmakers resistant to approving more funding for Ukraine's fight against Russia. As the Republican speaker faced an outright rebellion from his right flank and growing threats for his ouster, it became clear that House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries would have to lend help to Johnson every step of the way.

This is a very important message we are going to send to the world this week, and I'm anxious to get it done, Johnson said earlier Wednesday announcing his strategy.

The growing momentum for a bipartisanship dynamic, a rarity in the deeply divided Congress, brought rare scenes of Republicans and Democrats working together to assert U.S. standing on the global stage and help American allies. But it also sent Johnson's House Republican majority into fresh rounds of chaos.

Johnson's Republican leadership team, seizing on the opportunity to outflank hardline conservatives with Democratic support, raised the idea of quickly changing the procedural rules to make it harder to oust the speaker from office.

But ultra-conservatives reacted with fury, angrily confronting Johnson on the House floor in a tense scene on Thursday morning. Several suggested they would join the effort to oust Johnson if the rule was changed. By the afternoon, Johnson backed away from the idea.

We will continue to govern under the existing rules, the speaker said on the social platform X.

Meanwhile, a rare image of bipartisan statesmanship was on display as the procedural Rules committee began debate launching the steps needed to push the foreign aid package forward toward weekend voting.

The Republican chairmen of the powerful Appropriations and Foreign Affairs committees alongside their top Democratic counterparts spoke in evocative language, some drawing on World War II history, to make the case for ensuring the U.S. stand with its allies against aggressors.

Chairman Michael McCaul of the Foreign Affairs Committee cast this as a pivotal time in world history, comparing the current images of people fleeing the conflict in Europe to the situation in 1939 as Hitler's Germany rose to power.

Time is not on our side, he told the panel.

The top Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Greg Meeks of New York, shared McCauls urgency: The camera of history is rolling.

Johnson is trying to advance a complex plan to hold individual votes this weekend on the funds for Ukraine, Israel and allies in the Asia-Pacific, then stitch the package back together.

The package would also include legislation that allows the U.S. to seize frozen Russian central bank assets to rebuild Ukraine; impose sanctions on Iran, Russia, China and criminal organizations that traffic fentanyl; and potentially ban the video app TikTok if its China-based owner doesnt sell its stake within a year.

President Joe Biden is emphatically pushing Congress to pass the legislation to buttress what has been a cornerstone of his foreign policy  halting Russian President Vladimir Putins advance in Europe.

With the boost from supplemental assistance, Ukrainians are entirely capable of holding their own through 2024, and puncturing Putins arrogant view that time is on his side, CIA Director Bill Burns told an audience at the Bush Center in Dallas Thursday.

While Johnson is trying to remain close to Trump, and positioning the national security package as a way to assert U.S. strength in the world in the mold of Ronald Reagan-era Republicans, that puts the speaker politically at odds with the anti-interventionists powering the former president's bid to return to the White House.

Why isnt Europe giving more money to help Ukraine? Trump wrote on social media, but his post did not explicitly oppose the foreign aid package before Congress.

At the Capitol, the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus was urging Republicans to block the package from advancing to a final vote. The group demanded that sweeping immigration enforcement be added to the bill and derided it as the America Last foreign wars supplemental package.

Given the high stakes of the moment for Ukraine, Israel and other allies, and the inability of Johnson to marshal enough Republican support, the speaker had no other choice but to rely on Democrats if he intends to see the national security package to passage.

Late Thursday night, the four Democrats on the Rules committee voted for a procedural move to advance the bill to the House floor, while three archconservative Republicans voted against it.

Rarely, if ever, does the minority party help the majority through the procedural hoops, particularly in the House Rules committee or during the various floor votes before final passage. It represented a level of bipartisanship unseen in this Congress, even as Republican leaders watched their own priority bills defeated on procedural votes by their own members.

This is a moment in history where we need to ensure that at long last we are bringing this critical aid to Ukraine to the floor, Democratic Whip Rep. Katherine Clark told reporters earlier Thursday.

Yet Democrats were also trying to apply maximum leverage as Johnson's job comes under threat.

At a closed door Democratic meeting, Clark advised rank and file lawmakers not to divulge their positions on whether they would vote to help defeat a motion to vacate Johnson as speaker, though a handful of Democrats have already publicly said they would likely do so.

Do not box yourself in with a public statement," Clark told them according to a person familiar with the remarks.

Lawmakers say the world is watching and waiting on its next steps, but there's still a long slog ahead. If the House is able to clear the package this weekend, it still must go to the Senate for another round of voting.

Sen. Rand Paul, a Republican of Kentucky who is adamantly opposed to the aid package, said on X that no one should expect easy or quick passage in the Senate.

___

Associated Press writer Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington contributed.
House of Prayer, Accused of Bilking Veterans Out of Millions, Said to Be Stonewalling Investigation

Federal prosecutors say a church accused of scamming veterans out of millions of dollars worth of benefits is stalling an investigation and should be held in contempt of court and fined.

House of Prayer, which has locations across Georgia, Texas, North Carolina and Washington state, has effectively ignored demands to produce documentation, prosecutors said in an April 4 court filing, as part of an investigation into what could be one of the largest scams targeting the military community ever.

A Military.com investigation found that the church allegedly used a complex scheme for nearly 20 years to bilk millions of dollars from veterans' military paychecks and disability pay, as well as use their GI Bill and Department of Veterans Affairs home loans to generate revenue for the church -- whose leadership lived lavish lifestyles.

Read Next: Senators Urge 'Immediate and Decisive Action' by Pentagon on Child Abuse Policies Following Report

The FBI raided House of Prayer locations -- all located near significant Army bases -- in June 2022. There were no arrests.

Two weeks ago, prosecutors filed a complaint in a Southern District of Georgia court, claiming the church has been stonewalling the investigation after being asked for documents on numerous occasions.

The church contends it can withhold documentation from the court on Fifth Amendment grounds, a defense federal prosecutors argue has absolutely no legal ground, court records show. An attorney representing the church did not return a request for comment ahead of publication.

Prosecutors are demanding the church provide a roster of its owners, employees and students and all money paid to the church from the VA.

Former church officials and members described to Military.com how its leadership pushed service members and veterans to give their pay and benefits. In some cases, the church pressured its members to cut off ties to their families and either move into the church or provide full-time labor without pay.

The GI Bill was at the center of the church's alleged revenue scam through a bogus bible college. The church's own director of that program told Military.com the school had no syllabus or process to graduate students in any certification.

Those classes were effectively loosely organized church meetings. Since 2013, the House of Prayer received $7 million in GI Bill payments, according to the VA. The school's eligibility to accept GI Bill money was not fully revoked until Military.com's investigation was published.

Advocates and lawmakers have long pointed to the GI Bill being easy prey for bogus schools to scam students and the government. That benefit has long been considered sacrosanct as both a top recruiting tool and largely seen on Capitol Hill as one of the federal government's most successful programs.

Related: How a Church Allegedly Scammed Millions in VA Money from Vets
From the The Morning Dispatch on The Dispatch

Happy Thursday! New polling data suggests that voters think Donald Trump would outperform Joe Biden in a game of Monopoly and in a fight against a medium-sized dog. Monopoly, we getthat game is essentially based on Trumps career. But Biden has some hard-earned wisdom and experience when it comes to fighting medium-sized dogs!

Quick Hits: Todays Top Stories

A Russian missile attack on the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv on Wednesday morning killed at least 17 people and injured 60 others, including three children, according to state emergency officials. The missiles struck the citys downtown region around 9 a.m. local time, demolishing numerous civilian buildings, including a hospital and higher education institute. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky lamented that the deadly attack could have been thwarted had the country possessed adequate air defenses. One city official said that missile attacks coming from Russia used to be frequently downed, but not any more, it seems.

Hezbollahthe Lebanon-based terrorist organization backed by Irancarried out a drone and missile assault on a village in northern Israel on Wednesday, injuring 14 Israeli soldiers and four civilians. The attack, which left five people in serious or critical condition, according to the Israeli military, is one of the most significant in the last six months of cross-border exchanges. Hezbollah said the barrage was in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon on Tuesday that killed two Hezbollah commanders.

The U.S. reinstated sanctions on Venezuelas oil and gas sector on Wednesday after the Biden administration claimed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro failed to stand by an October pledge to conduct free and fair democratic elections. According to the State Department, Maduro has blocked and harassed opposition candidates and unjustly arrested political adversaries and activists. We again call on Maduro to allow all candidates and parties to participate in the electoral process and release all political prisoners without restrictions or delay, a State Department spokesperson wrote in a statement. To ensure an orderly process, the administration will issue a 45-day wind-down license, and then will consider requests for exceptions on a case-by-case basis.

House Republican leadership on Wednesday released the text of the four separate foreign aid and national security bills that Speaker Mike Johnson announced earlier this week. The bill for Ukraine aid amounts to $61 billion$10 billion of which will be in the form of a loan. The Israel bill totals $26 billion and includes humanitarian aid for Gaza, while the third bill designates $8.12 billion for Taiwan and other Indo-Pacific countries. The four bills combine for a total of $95 billion in spending, matching the joint aid package passed in the Senate in February before languishing in the House. President Joe Biden endorsed the House legislation in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, calling it a strong and sensible plan. Johnson also said the House will vote on a border security bill, as well as a bill to seize Russian sovereign assets and force a TikTok divestmentbut the foreign aid legislation is facing steep opposition from hardline House Republicans and could put Johnsons speakership at risk.

The Senate voted 51-49 and 51-48 on Wednesday to dismiss the two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas that House Republicans delivered on Tuesday without holding a trial. The votes fell strictly along party lines, with the exception of Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who voted present on the first article accusing Mayorkas of willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law.

Mike Johnsons Foreign Aid Dilemma

House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on April 17, 2024. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

This week in the House of Representatives was supposed to be all about household appliances. A look at the active legislation from the Rules Committeea House bills springboard onto the House floorlast week would have revealed such courageous and impressive legislative feats as the Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act, the Liberty in Laundry Act, and the Refrigerator Freedom Act.

Irans weekend attack on Israel swept aside concerns about unaffordable dishwasher standards, bringing the question of aid to the U.S. ally back to the foreand with it, the even thornier issue of military support for Ukraine. Now, House Speaker Mike Johnson is trying to thread the needle with an ambitious set of billsthe texts of which were released Wednesdaythat would provide funds for Israel, Ukraine, and the Indo-Pacific. At the same time, hes hoping to assuage the concerns of his right flank, fringe elements of which are threatening to oust him over his support for Ukraine.

After a bruising fight earlier this year, the Senate passed supplemental foreign aid funding stripped of the immigration reform provisions that were originally set to accompany it to appease Republicans skeptical of the aid. The $95 billion packagefunds that would resupply U.S. weapons stockpiles to allow the Defense Department to continue sending arms to Ukraine, providing new weapons systems for Israel, and funding to counter China in the Indo-Pacifichas been in never-never land between the Senate and the House ever since. Johnson had for weeks refused to entertain the bill, in part because it didnt include the border security reforms he himself was instrumental in tanking.

Even if hes stonewalled the Senate package, the speaker has tried to break off aid to Israelmore popular with his fellow Republicans than funds for Kyivinto a single-issue bill and get it passed. But in early February, an effort to do so was foiled by conservatives who wanted the spending offset by cuts elsewhere and progressives who were against aid to Israel that didnt include humanitarian funding for Gaza.

Johnson has also repeatedly signaled his intention to eventually have the House vote on aid for Ukraine, a departure from his time as a rank-and-file member when he voted against Ukraine aid several times. His plan was to bring a Ukraine-focused bill that was independent of the funds for other countries but paired with various and sundry policy sweeteners for the small but vocal isolationist minority of his conference. But that promise hadnt materialized in two months, perhaps because Johnson was buffeted by the winds of his angry, hardline flank which had threatened his speakership over the issue.

After Johnson shepherded through a major government spending bill in March, GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia filed a motion to vacatethe mechanism that could force a vote on the speakers ouster. And while it wasnt part of her stated reasoning at the time, the potential for Johnson to push for Ukraine aid has certainly been tacked onto her list of grievances. Im not saying I have a red line or a trigger, and Im not saying I dont have a red line or trigger, she said earlier this month of her threat. And I think thats just where Im at right now. But Im going to tell you right now: Funding Ukraine is probably one of the most egregious things that he can do.

Even with that threat hanging over his head, this weekends attack on Israel seemed to have been an ah-ha moment for Johnson on both aid to Israel and Ukraine. On Monday, he announced a risky four-bill gambit: One bill for each of the prongs of the Senate foreign aid packageIsrael, Ukraine, and the Indo-Pacificplus olive branch legislation for his conservative flank that would tie together a potential TikTok ban and an effort to seize Russian sovereign assets. By way of explanation for his now-urgent desire to support allies overseas, the speaker on Wednesday professed himself to be a Reagan Republican who believes a strong America is good for the entire world, and characterized supporting Ukraine against Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion as a U.S. responsibility.

For weeks, Greene had been mostly alone in her open threats to Johnsons job. Even Rep. Matt Gaetz of Floridawho pioneered this trick when he led the effort to oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy six months agoseemed to acknowledge another speakership fight might not be prudent. Plus, as of Friday, Johnson had the support of former President Donald Trump.

But after Johnson threw his support behind the foreign aid earlier this week, libertarian-leaning GOP Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky announced he would join Greene as a co-sponsor on her motion to vacate and demanded the speaker announce his resignation so the conference could begin selecting someone else while he was still in place. Hes going for the trifecta, the Triple Crown, Massie said Tuesday, citing his opposition to the March spending bill that funded the government, the reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act without a provision to require warrants to search Americans data, and Ukraine aid. Johnson said unequivocally that he wouldnt be resigning.

Despite Massie upping the ante, Johnson went ahead with his plan on Wednesday, releasing the text of the four bills, plus a fifth focused on Republican border security prioritiespotentially an answer to conservative criticisms that Mondays plan didnt include border security measures. Though the aid bills are notionally independent, they seem to be a functional match for the sewn-together provisions in the Senate package. The three foreign aid bills even add up to the same $95 billion price tag as the stalled Senate version: One would provide roughly $61 billion in aid for Ukraine, another some $26 billion for Israel, and a third roughly $8 billion for allies in the Indo-Pacific region.

Roughly $9 billion of the $26 billion in the Israel bill would be set aside for humanitarian aid in Gaza, a Democratic ask. And in the package for Ukraine, about $10 billion in economic aid for the government in Kyiv would be turned into a loanthough the loan could later be forgiven by the president, subject to congressional oversight. Assuming theres sufficient support for the bills to bring them to the floor, Johnson has said there will be an amendment process on each of them, something he hailed as part of regular order. That same privilege would reportedly not be afforded to the Senate, which would receive the various bills combined together as one package through an arcane piece of procedural wizardry.

With a 72-hour waiting period technically required for members to read the bills, a final vote could come on Saturdayand not a minute too soon, since the House goes back on recess next week for the Passover holiday.

President Joe Biden, who had previously opposed any move to break up the Senates package, came out in strong support of the bills on Wednesday, including with an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal. The House must pass the package this week and the Senate should quickly follow, he said in a statement. I will sign this into law immediately to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends, and we wont let Iran or Russia succeed.

Johnsons maneuvering has dialed up the temperature in the ongoing civil war between traditional Republicans in the House and their more populist colleagues. Even if they arent (yet) ready to back a motion to vacate, plenty of hardliners are furious with the speaker. Gaetz, for example, described Johnsons plan as an abject surrender.

Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, a member of the House Rules Committee who has to vote on advancing the bills Johnson has proposed, had lobbied the speaker for border provisions, got themthough not tied to the foreign aid as he desiredand was still livid. The Republican Speaker of the House is seeking a rule to pass almost $100 billion in foreign aid  while unquestionably, dangerous criminals, terrorists, & fentanyl pour across our border, Rep. Chip Roy tweeted Wednesday. The border vote in this package is a watered-down dangerous cover vote. I will oppose.

But plenty of moderates are equally enraged at their colleagues who have been holding things up. The three members who refuse to support the Speakers agenda should resign from the Rules Committee immediately, said GOP Rep. Mike Lawler on Wednesday, referring to hardliners Roy, Massie, and Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, each of whom McCarthy had put on the powerful committee last year in exchange for their support. If they refuse, they should be removed immediately. They are there on behalf of the conference, not themselves.

Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas, a hawkish Republican, didnt mince words about his fellow Republicans opposed to Ukraine aid. I guess their reasoning is they want Russia to win so badly that they want to oust the speaker over it, I mean thats a strange position to take, he said.

With the Republican conference in disarray, its increasingly likely that Democrats will once again have to bail Johnson outby helping him pass these aid bills and potentially by voting to preserve him as speaker if Greene and Massie deploy their nuclear option. It was a prospect Johnson seemed all too aware of Wednesday, acknowledging he would need Democrats to break tradition to vote with the majority to bring the bills to the floor for debate. I dont have all my Republicans who agree on that rule, he said. And that means the only way to get a rule on the floor is that it requires a couple of Democrats. Given they are now backed by the White House, the aid bills will likely have plenty of Democratic support.

And with his vicissitudes on Ukraine aid now behind him, Johnson spoke Wednesday evening with newfound resolve in the face of his potential ouster. History judges us for what we do, he told reporters. I could make a selfish decision and do something thats different, but Im doing here what I believe to be the right thing. I think providing lethal aid to Ukraine right now is critically important.

To put it bluntly, he added, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys.

Worth Your Time

Believe women and Silence is violence have been rallying cries of progressive feminist organizations for decades, Michael A. Cohen writes in The Atlantic, brutally condemning October 7 rape denialism. But the same empathy and support have not been shown for Israeli victims. Many prominent feminist and human-rights groupsincluding Amnesty International and the National Organization for Womensaid little about the sexual-violence allegations. International organizations tasked with protecting women in wartime kept their powder dry. UN Women waited until December 1, nearly two months after the Hamas attack, to issue a perfunctory statement of condemnation. Across the United States and Western Europe, criticism of Israels actions quickly and predictably veered into rank anti-Semitism, with Jewish organizations, cultural institutions, artists, and individual Jews targeted by pro-Palestine activists because of Israels actions. But rape denialism falls into its own separate and bewildering category. Why have so many of Israels criticsand pro-Palestine activistschosen to fight on this hill?  Leftists who genuinely support Palestinian statehood do that cause, and themselves, no favor by denying the overwhelming evidence of sexual violence.

A penny saved is a penny earnedand for one waste-management facility in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, that totals at least $10 million worth of coins thrown away by people over the last seven years, wrote Oyin Adedoyin in the Wall Street Journal. Americans toss as much as $68 million worth of change each year, according to Reworld, she reported. The sustainable-waste processing company is on a treasure-hunt to find it. People are literally throwing money away: Physical currency has become more of an annoyance, but change is often more trouble than it is worth to carry around. The U.S. quarter had roughly the buying power in 1980 that a dollar has today.  On a recent Monday, a bucket loader lifted trash from its waste facilities into various sorting machines. A rattling gray one separated out anything that was the color of a coin. Another one separated anything round and flat, like a coin. And another machine separated heavier metals like coins from lighter metals like aluminum.  Because the trash was incinerated before it reached the facility, some coins were mangled beyond recognition. Of the $10 million in coins the company has recovered, some $6 million has been in good enough condition to use.

Presented Without Comment

Politico: Trump Campaign Asks for Cut of Candidates Fundraising When They Use His Name and Likeness

Beginning tomorrow, we ask that all candidates and committees who choose to use President Trumps name, image, and likeness split a minimum of 5% of all fundraising solicitations to Trump National Committee JFC. This includes but is not limited to sending to the house file, prospecting vendors, and advertising, Trump co-campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita wrote in the letter, which is dated April 15. They add: Any split that is higher than 5% will be seen favorably by the RNC and President Trumps campaign and is routinely reported to the highest levels of leadership within both organizations.

Also Presented Without Comment

The Denver Gazette: [Marjorie Taylor Greene] Introduces Amendment to Require House Members to Enlist in Ukrainian Military if They Vote for Ukraine Aid

Toeing the Company Line

In the newsletters: The Dispatch Politics crew reported on the backlash against Joe Biden from Arab-American voters in Michigan, Scott argued () that Millennials dont have it quite as bad as social media says they do, Jonah noted that () democracy is more of a hedge against bad outcomes than a way to assure good outcomes, and Nick wondered why () Joe Biden hasnt pursued a Sister Souljah moment yet.

On the podcasts: Eli Lake joins Jonah on The Remnant to discuss the conflict between Israel and Iran, the growth of bipartisan isolationism, and the devolution of Tucker Carlson. Plus, Sarah and David discuss the Supreme Courts ruling on Idahos ban on gender-transition treatment on Advisory Opinions .

On the site: Joe Polidoro explores the promise and hype of nuclear fusion energy.

Let Us Know

What do you think is driving Speaker Johnsons renewed push to advance the foreign aid that hes sat on for so long?

Read more at The Dispatch

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House to vote on aid bill despite objections

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  Congress is poised to vote on a long-awaited foreign aid package this week.

If passed, the bills would send aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan but it isnt happening without a fight.

In a tense committee meeting today lawmakers argued over the aid bills with some saying its critical to help Americas allies, and others insisting we have to focus on fixing Americas issues first.

We are in a real pivotal point in history, said Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas.)

House Speaker Mike Johnson is planning to hold votes on four separate bills totaling about $95 billion.

I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys. My son is going to begin in the Naval Academy this fall. This is a live fire exercise for me as it is for so many American families, said House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).

The plan is drawing outrage from more conservative members of the Republican caucus.

I feel for Ukraine. I feel for Israel. But I feel for the American people, said Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.).

Some conservatives want to focus on the border.

None of it is going to address the southern border, said Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas.)

Several Republicans are threatening to remove Speaker Johnson from his position over this package, but Johnson says its worth the risk.

We cant play politics with this we have to do the right thing, said Johnson.

Most Democrats say they support the push to send this foreign aid.

I applaud Speaker Johnson for taking a stand. He is right, said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.).

Some argue the House should have acted even sooner to help U.S. allies who are in desperate need.

If we do not help Ukraine fight for their democracy and fight to protect their sovereignty this war will not end. It will grow. It will grow! said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.).

The House is expected to vote on the bills this weekend, and then they would go to the Senate. President Biden says as soon as they reach his desk, hell sign it.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Since 2018, the Nicaraguan police have stepped up repression every April, when citizens and government opponents commemorate the mass social protests that broke out against the regime of President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, and were crushed by a brutal paramilitary and police crackdown. This year is no different. Police have detained five people and increased their activities in the countrys main capital cities. The individuals arrested are relatives of protesters who died in the police crackdown and released political prisoners.

Since the social unrest of 2018, the political violence in Nicaragua has continued unabated. After six years of a sustained sociopolitical crisis, the regime is still capable of shocking the people with the extent of its terror: on Tuesday, April 15, the body of government opponent Carlos Alberto Garcia Suarez was found in the municipal dump of the city of Jinotepe. Ninety percent of his body was burned, completely scorched.

Garcia Suarez was imprisoned during the 2018 protests for allegedly committing the crimes of kidnapping, torture, assault, injuries and illegal possession of weapons to the detriment of the state and Nicaraguan society. In other words, the 52-year-old political prisoner  a shoemaker by trade  was one of the thousands of citizens in Jinotepe who participated in the street barricades against the Sandinista regime. The police said there was no criminal hand behind the death, but the Former Political Prisoners Reflection Group (GREX) argues there are many inconsistencies in the police version of events. For example, the last time Garcia Suarez was seen alive was this April 13, but the authorities reported that the body was in a state of skeletal decomposition.

No corpse reaches the level of skeletal decomposition in two days. Everything that is coming out from the police and Forensic Medicine has no credibility, says Ricardo Baltodano, one of the directors of GREX. We want to highlight that he is the third former political prisoner to be murdered in a heinous manner since 2021, and there is no in-depth investigation. The government is the main suspect, but this is to send a message to the former political prisoners that they should tread carefully.

Baltodano is referring to the terror gripping Nicaragua, one of the main pillars of the regime. However, it is not the only thing that has allowed the Ortega-Murillo family to maintain its iron-fist rule, despite the political challenges they have suffered nationally and internationally.

Six years since the 2018 sociopolitical crisis  a watershed moment for citizens that put the president and vice president on the ropes  the Ortega-Murillo regimes well-oiled system of represssion persists, with money to run the country, and a dynastic succession plan in the works.

The president of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, and the first lady and vice president, Rosario Murillo, in Managua, Nicaragua. Esteban Felix (AP)

Nicaragua has changed a lot since 2018, Manuel Orozco, a political scientist at the Inter-American Dialogue, tells EL PAIS. The country went from a political crisis fighting to democratize and dismantle a nepotist infrastructure, to a tropicalized Taliban-style radicalization regime, supported by five pillars: criminalizing democracy and the Constitution; control of the State; fear with violence; international isolation and post-truth to guarantee the consolidation of a dynasty.

The regimes repression has dismantled every type of political and social organization in Nicaragua, including NGOs, media outlets, political parties, universities, peasant movements, environmentalists, feminists, critical businessmen and, recently, even the Catholic Church. Whats left of the opposition in Nicaragua is tiny. These groups operate in complete secrecy, and have zero margin for action. Nicaraguans have become used to living in fear and silencing their criticism of the government in order to survive. This, however, is still no guarantee that they wont end up in prison, exile or, in the worst-case scenario, dead in a garbage dump.

These violations have caused, and continue to cause, multiple additional human rights violations which are so far-reaching that they are impossible to quantify, thereby demonstrating the authorities intention to relentlessly incapacitate any opposition in the longer term, the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua said in their latest report. Whats more, in addition to their absolute control of society, the Ortega-Rosario regime is preparing the family succession.

All signs indicate that Laureano Ortega Murillo, the opera-loving son of the presidential couple, is next in line. In 2012, his parents appointed him presidential advisor for the promotion of investments, trade and international cooperation. But its in the last two years that he has played a greater role, so much so that in December 2023, he appeared before a delegation of the Chinese Communist Party as special representative of the secretary general of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). Only his father has ever held this position in the party. His mother, Rosario Murillo, the powerful co-president, is orchestrating the transition plan from behind the curtains.

The dictatorship is consolidating itself. I do not agree with the optimistic messages that the dictatorship is in decline. What they are doing is cleansing themselves of internal adversaries, as they did with the purge in the Supreme Court of Justice, to then launch the line of succession, which is first Rosario Murillo and then Laureano, says Eliseo Nunez, a former opposition deputy, who was stripped by the regime of his Nicaraguan citizenship.

Failings of the opposition

Political repression has hit the opposition hard. Within Nicaragua, the opposition has been devastated by exile and prison. In February 2022, the regime banished 222 political prisoners, including opposition candidates for the presidency. Spread out largely between the United States and Costa Rica, the opposition has become caught up in internal differences that have stopped it from creating a single bloc. These long-standing disagreements have prevented the opposition from presenting themselves to Nicaraguans and the international community as a reliable alternative to the Ortega-Murillo regime.

In the political archipelago of the opposition and the diaspora there are more than 250 parties, which compete to issue statements, and not for political action, says political scientist Orozco, who was also stripped of his nationalitiy. It is a movement that is hijacked by political reductionism and terrible historical thirst for revenge on the part of the loud-speaking minority. They reduce alliances to non-existent ideologies and demand revenge for an unfinished history. Meanwhile, Nicaraguans are not looking back at what happened 40 years ago, whether they like it or not. They are looking at the present and politically what they are clear about is democracy and not repetition, but they are not talking about right-wing democracy and revenge.

Thousands of people during the protest in the center of Managua, the Nicaraguan capital. Jorge Torres (EFE)

Orozco insists that, despite the ideological differences that have hampered the unity of the opposition, the common denominator remains the same: creating a coalition with the capacity to achieve change, and with the capacity to govern democratically. That requires, he adds, ousting the dictatorship from power; governing democratically; justice without impunity and a truth commission.

Former deputy Nunez  who is part of Monteverde, the most solid opposition movement today  speaks of the need for self-reflection. He talks more about personal responsibilities than organizational responsibilities.

It is an opposition of personalities without organic structures [...] and it has not been understood that the key is to organize. Some continue to operate from pedestals and, at certain times, offer magical solutions. So the few organizations that exist are attacked because they are very left-wing or very right-wing. The opposition in Nicaragua has a difficult time because it does not have a base on which to build itself, unlike in Venezuela, where political parties still have a certain capacity. In Nicaragua, since even before 2018, political parties did not have any capacity.

The economy still works for the regime

The last issue that has helped the Ortega-Murillo family stay in power is the economy, which still works for the regime. Nunez explains that Nicaragua is a small country, but it is able to survive on little. Thats why the enormous injection of dollars from family remittances has been able to revive the market. In 2023, remittances to Nicaragua hit a record high: $4.66 billion, a year-on-year spike of 44.5%, which meant an additional $1.44 billion dollars compared to 2022.

Since the protests in 2018, the country has had no possibility of making major changes in the economic matrix, nor of exponential growth. Ortega cannot do more than what he is doing, which is a very conservative economic policy. He is accumulating money by increasing revenue at the expense of pressure, says Nunez. This is comparable to the Taliban government, which has managed to raise revenue. But the fact that revenue is increasing does not indicate that you have been successful, but rather that your extortion model is working and has limits. Thats why some companies in Nicaragua have closed.

The Sandinista government has also continued to receive loans from multilateral organizations, such as the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI). The countrys main trading partner continues to be the United States and the Ortega-Murillo regime has also become closer to Russia, Iran and China.

It is a tactical self-isolation [in which Nicaragua has aligned itself] with aggressor states and the fact that it has been maintained is accidental: debt and remittances. Both add up to 35% of national income, plus foreign trade that does not affect transnational capital, adds Orozco. The political scientist believes that reviewing the Free Trade Agreement between the Dominican Republic, Central America and the United States (CAFTA-DR)  which does not currently have a clause to expel countries that violate human rights  is a key way to weaken the Rosario-Murillo regime.

Demonstrators protest in front of La Modelo prison to demand the release of political prisoners in Tipitapa, Nicaragua. Oswaldo Rivas (REUTERS)

Experts agree that, as long as these conditions are maintained, the Ortega-Murillo regime will continue to be there, ruling and filling the countrys prisons with political prisoners, in an endless revolving door. As of April 2024, 138 citizens are in prison for political reasons, according to the Mechanism for the Recognition of Political Prisoners.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition
HUGHES, Ark.  Residents in Hughes Arkansas are voicing their concerns after the towns police force was designated inactive by the state, and removed from service.

Hughes Mayor Lincoln Barnett assured residents on Facebook Wednesday that he is determined to quickly get his police department back to serving and protecting.

Hughes, AR police department designated not in compliance, removed from service

That is something that is a serious priority for our community, said Barnett.

The action comes after the department failed to stay in compliance with Arkansas law enforcement training standards.

My administration has been working with standards to have our department returned to active status as soon as possible. Of course, that does take some time, he said.

According to those standards, an inactive law enforcement agency is one that existed and operated under state law or local ordinance in the past, but that currently does not exist or has not operated for at least six months.

This news was revealed to me following the recent departure of a former department head, said Barnett.

Its unclear if that former department head was former Police Chief Cortez Bowers, whose social media feud with a Hughes resident came to a head in the Mayors office on April 4.

Former police chief confronts AR resident at Mayors office

Regardless, the lack of police presence is a concern for many Hughes residents we spoke with.

A small town needs a reliable police department. Someone that we can expect to come out if we have break-ins, or (for) anything we might need, said a business owner.

Mayor Barnett says he plans to meet with the state on Friday and again in May to have his Department returned to active status.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Archaeologists in Saudi Arabia have discovered that humans were living in a lava tube at least 7,000 years ago and possibly earlier, a new study finds.

The lava tube, called Umm Jirsan, is located in a volcanic field called Harrat Khaybar, approximately 78 miles (125 kilometers) north of Medina, researchers said in a statement.

"Umm Jirsan is currently the longest reported lava tube in Arabia in terms of the horizontal length of passages, at 1481 metres [4,859 feet]," the scientists wrote in the paper published Wednesday (April 17) in the journal PLOS One .

Although ancient humans are known to have lived on the Arabian Peninsula during prehistoric times, organic remains are scant due to poor preservation in the arid region. So the researchers looked for areas that would have preserved artifacts because they were sheltered from the sun, wind and wild temperature changes over the past millennia. Umm Jirsan met these criteria, so the team decided to look there.

Their hunch turned out to be good. They found artifacts such as fragments of cloth and worked wood; rock art of domesticated animals; and the skeletal remains of nine human bones. These finds suggest that people occupied the lava tuba for at least the past 7,000 years and possibly as far back as 10,000 years, according to radiocarbon dating and optically stimulated luminescence dating, which examines when the last time certain minerals were exposed to heat or sunlight. Some of the dates are relatively recent and the tube appears to have been used into modern times, Stewart said.

The humans who used the lava tube left a few clues about their lives. These include bones of domesticated sheep and goats, as well as rock art depicting these animals, suggesting that these creatures were key to the humans' survival. A chemical analysis of the human remains showed an increase in certain plants, like cereals and fruits, over time  possibly because of a rise in oasis agriculture in the Bronze Age, the team said in the statement.

The analysis suggested that humans weren't living in the lava tube for long periods at a time, however. "The lava tube does not appear to have served as a permanent habitation location, but rather as a site that likely lay on herding routes and that allowed access to shade and water for passing herders and their animals," the authors wrote in the study. "Prior to this, as well as during pastoral periods, the lava tube was likely also linked with hunting activities, which probably remained a cornerstone of local economies into the Bronze Age."

Lava tubes form when lava creates underground passages that can transport large quantities of molten rock; when the lava supply ends or if the lava is diverted elsewhere, the empty tube is left behind, according to the National Park Service . And while they may sound inhospitable, they can be a good source of shelter. For instance, scientists at JAXA, Japan's space agency, have suggested that future humans could live in lava tubes on the moon .

Study co-author Mathew Stewart , a research fellow at the Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution at Griffith University in Australia, said lava tubes like this one continue to be used by modern-day people in the region "whether it be for corralling animals, accessing water resources, or simply for leisure," Stewart told Live Science in an email.

Related: 4,000-year-old wall found around oasis in Saudi Arabia likely defended 'against raids from nomads'

We see 8 square images. The top four are of rock art of sheep, goats, people, long-horned cattle and an ibex. The bottom four are digital enhancements of the top four.

It's difficult to say when Umm Jirsan was last filled with lava, Stewart said, although volcanic activity has occurred intermittently in the region. "There have been some 1500 volcanic eruptions in Arabia over the past 1500 years, and many more in antiquity," Stewart said.

Scholars not involved with the research spoke positively of the team's work. It is "wonderful work by this team that has made a strong reputation for excellent fieldwork and interpretation," Gary Rollefson , a professor emeritus of anthropology at Whitman College and San Diego State University, told Live Science in an email. "Although the excavation produced relatively little in the way of artifacts and faunal remains, the material nevertheless reveals strong connections of material recovered in other parts of northern Saudi Arabia," Rollefson said, noting that there are similarities with material excavated in parts of Jordan.

RELATED STORIES

Arabia was 'cornerstone' in early human migrations out of Africa, study suggests

Entire cities could fit inside the moon's monstrous lava tubes

7,000-year-old animal bones, human remains found in enigmatic stone structure in Arabia

Anthony Sinclair , a professor of archaeological theory and method at the University of Liverpool in the U.K., said in an email that in addition to providing shelter, the lava tube also would have been a "defendable position  in terms of allowing the pastoralists to safeguard their flocks at night against local predators. There would have been wolves, hyena and quite possibly lion and leopard across Arabia." Today, some of these animals are endangered or no longer present in Arabia.
Humes Middle School set to close at the end of the school year

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Humes Middle School will close its doors at the end of the school year following a notice released on Facebook by the principal Freddie Thomas on Wednesday.

Humes is a historic landmark a part of the Frayser Community School system, overseen by Memphis Shelby County Schools. A sign on the property says Elvis Presley attended school there.

The notice alerted families of the closure and offered alternatives for next year. But some families say the best solution is to keep the school open.

Fight breaks out between student, teacher at Trezevant High School

Some parents are saying that closing it down would be a disservice to the children and the entire community.

Cassandra Price is shocked and upset to hear Humes Middle School, where her 8th grade son attends, will close at the end of the school year.

If you dont have a school in the community, what do you have? Nothing, she said. Im sure its going to be a little upsetting for me because this is my route every day, and now we got to find a whole new school. And I dont know where.

In the letter sent to parents, Principal Thomas says the decision came from MSCS and urges families to send their kids to Westside Middle School in Frayser.

The letter does not go into the reason for the closure, but the school does have a history of low scores and attendance.

Community members say Humes is a staple in the community.

This school is a legend, its an accent to the neighborhood, it needs to stay here as a reminder for people that drive by and slow down and look at it and reminisce about what was done here for the kids in this neighborhood, said Dorothy Starks, a community member.

The school opened in the 1930s and is marked as a historic landmark in the city. Their most well known alum is Elvis Presley, who graduated in 1953.

Theyve produced some children that got good jobs, and positions in life, not just here in the city but all over the United States. Weve got young people who went to college, but they never forgot the neighborhood that they came from, said Starks.

WREG has reached out to Frayser Community Schools and MSCS but has not yet heard back.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Hundreds of Arizona schools made breakfast and lunch free for all students. What to know

Leer en espanol

A growing number of schools across Arizona are offering free meals to all students, and school leaders say the change has helped families who don't qualify for free meals but still struggle to afford the costs.

More than 260 schools across the state this spring made breakfast and lunch free for all students through a federal reimbursement program called the Community Eligibility Provision, according to the Arizona Department of Education.

The decisions came as a $6.75 million pandemic relief fund investment from the Arizona Department of Education that made meals free for students who qualify for reduced-price meals is set to expire at the end of this school year.

First grader Ezra Farrel raises his hand as the kids quiet down in the Alhambra Traditional School lunch room on August 28, 2023, in Phoenix.

Created in 2010 and administered through the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the program allows high-need schools to serve free breakfast and lunch to all students without requiring applications from families. To qualify, a certain percentage of a school or district's students must be deemed eligible through their participation in another federal assistance program, including SNAP or TANF.

In Arizona, the list was expanded this school year to include Medicaid, paving the way for more schools to become eligible for the program.

Twenty-one Arizona school districts made meals free for all students this spring through CEP after the program allowed a mid-year election. Other districts, including Mesa Public Schools, increased the number of schools that provide free meals to all kids. Many charter schools joined the program as well.

The program lasts for four years before schools must reapply.

Free school meals for all students have made a "tremendous difference," according to Lupita Hightower, the superintendent of Tolleson Elementary School District, which joined the program in 2022. Paying meal fees "gets very difficult for families," especially in a household of four or five, she said.

Kindergartener Arianna Hernandez raises her hand at the lunch table at Alhambra Traditional School on Aug. 28, 2023, in Phoenix.

Nora Ulloa, the superintendent of the Fowler Elementary School District, which made meals free for all kids in March, said the change has improved the district's relationship with parents and increased the number of school meals being served.

A majority of the district's students qualify for free or reduced meals. But if a family doesn't qualify for free meals and can't afford the price, "that adds up," Ulloa said. "You never know what families are contending with." To qualify for free school meals, a family of four must have an annual household income of at or below $39,000. Four-person households between $39,000 and $55,500 qualify for reduced-price meals and can't be charged more than 30 cents for breakfast and 40 cents for lunch.

"It got to the point where it felt like we were making kids uncomfortable by repeatedly reminding them that they had a bill outstanding, and its really not the kids fault," Ulloa said. The majority of the district's parents are "doing the best they can," she added.

Some school employees would pay for the meals of kids who had outstanding balances, she said, and teachers and cafeteria employees would be the ones "stuck in the middle" asking parents to pay.

Since making the change, Fowler Elementary has seen an increase in the number of school meals being served. "It's just a non-issue now," Ulloa said. And the parent relationship is "a lot more positive," she said.

Students get lunch on Jan. 12, 2018, at Sonoran Foothills School in Phoenix.

Tempe Elementary School District made meals free for all students across 22 schools in February  formerly, they had only been available at eight schools.

Before the change, the district didn't turn students away from meals for having outstanding bills. But district families have a total of $263,000 in meal debt, according to spokesperson Gabi Dunton.

Now, more students are opting to eat the lunch offered by the school. "It eliminates that stigma that this program is only for students" who can't afford it, said Janay Watts, the district's nutrition services director. And it eliminates barriers for families who couldn't afford the meal prices, she said.

Between February and April, the number of lunches served per day rose from roughly 6,800 to around 7,200 to 7,300, Watts said. "And it's growing every day," she said.

For Pendergast Elementary School District, the change has freed up time for school leaders who no longer have to process applications for free and reduced-price meals, according to Jamie Triolo, the district's director of food services.

Participation in school meals has been linked to improved attendance, behavior and academic achievement, according to Crystal FitzSimons, the child nutrition programs and policy director at the Food Research and Action Center.

"By making school meals more accessible, more kids are going to benefit from those," FitzSimons said.

Meals served through federal programs must meet certain nutrition requirements, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, students who participate in school meals consume more whole grains, milk, fruits and vegetables during mealtimes than nonparticipants.

"When kids aren't eating, they're crabby," said Ulloa, the Fowler superintendent. "They're not learning."

A growing trend nationwide

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, about one in three schools across the country were offering free meals to all kids, according to FitzSimons. Then, when the pandemic hit in 2020, nearly all schools began offering universal free meals through a temporary waiver passed by Congress. "It was really a trial run for nationwide healthy school meals for all," FitzSimons said, calling it a "huge success."

That waiver expired in 2022, and when schools returned to normal meal operations for the 2022-23 school year, the program grew from around 33,000 schools to over 40,000 nationwide.

In Arizona, more than 500 schools participated in the program during the 2022-23 school year, according to a report from the Food Research and Action Center. Some districts, including the Phoenix Union High School District, offer free meals to all kids through other federal programs.

Still, other school districts across the Valley are raising meal prices for next school year, including the Littleton elementary school district.

Even as CEP participation expands, not all schools that are eligible find it financially viable, FitzSimons said. The number of meals reimbursed at the federal free rate is determined by the percentage of eligible students, and the remaining meals are reimbursed at a much lower rate.

"The places where we really are expecting to see the big upticks are from districts who are committed to putting additional funding into supporting the program," FitzSimons said. Some states subsidize the difference for schools.

Others have gone further in investing in free school meals: eight states, including California and New Mexico, have passed laws making breakfast and lunch free for all students regardless of household income.

Reach the reporter at mparrish@arizonarepublic.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Hundreds of Arizona schools adopt universal free school meals
Hundreds of Long Island pizzerias team up to support family of fallen NYPD officer

Hundreds of Long Island pizzerias team up to support family of fallen NYPD officer

LONG ISLAND, N.Y. (PIX11)  Buy a pizza and help the family of NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller, who was killed in the line of duty last month in Queens.

More than 250 pizzerias in Nassau and Suffolk Counties will participate in Wednesdays daylong fundraiser organized by LI Pizza Strong.

More Long Island News

$5 from every pizza purchased on Wednesday will go to the slain officers family and Beyond the Badge NY, Project Thank-A-Cop and the Silver Shield Foundation.

The organization was founded last year by Anthony Laurino, the owner of Phils Pizzeria in Syosset; Jim Serpico, the owner of Side Hustle Bread; and Alyssa Guidice, who runs the restaurant marketing Dine LI, a restaurant marketing group.

The group held a similar fundraiser in September following the fatal bus crash involving students and staff at Farmingdale High School. One hundred forty-four pizzerias raised $102,000 then.

Getting 144 businesses at that time and raising all that money, I feel like I did something good with the business, Laurino told PIX11.

As for this fundraiser, Laurino said:

[Diller was a] Long Island guy who lives in Massapequa. Im from Massapequa. Massapequas huge. We dont live near each other, but NYPD, who doesnt love the cops? Laurino told PIX11.

Theres no word yet on how much was raised by the all-day fundraiser. You can learn more information at LIPizzaStrong.com

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Husband shoots wife, then chases ambulance taking her to a hospital, Florida cops say

A man accused of shooting his wife was captured soon after  when he began chasing the ambulance rushing her to a hospital, according to police in Florida.

Devin Hansens motive for the pursuit has not been revealed, but his wife did not survive, St. Petersburg police in a news release.

It happened around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 14 17, while the couple from out of state visited a home on 29th Avenue North in St. Petersburg, police said. The home belongs to relatives, according to Tampabay.com.

They argued and he shot her. When emergency crews arrived, the suspect had already left the scene in a black Cadillac CTS, police said.

An officer rode in the ambulance as she was transported to Orlando Health Bayfront (Hospital in St. Petersburg) and later noticed a black Cadillac was following the ambulance on the interstate. Officers nearby tried to stop the Cadillac. It fled south and a pursuit was authorized.

The Cadillac crashed into a pile of rocks in the 1400 block of 54th Avenue South, about 11 miles south of where the shooting occurred, police said.

Hansen, 28, was arrested and police did not report he resisted.

His wife, 35-year-old Yasmin Grijalva, was pronounced dead at Orlando Health Bayfront.

Hansen has been charged with first-degree murder, fleeing and eluding law enforcement and domestic battery (misdemeanor), police said.

Investigators have not revealed what prompted the argument that led to the shooting.

St. Petersburg is along Floridas Gulf Coast, about 20 miles southwest from downtown Tampa.

Double homicide reveals tax office was cover for illicit club, Florida cops say

Blood coming from under the front door leads to 2 dead brothers, Florida cops say

Dad uses heavy duty electric saw to kill his 16-year-old son, Florida cops say
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on April 18 that it had received a report that the training center of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant had been targeted by an "attempted drone attack," causing no casualties or damage.

The IAEA said its team heard an explosion at 10:35 a.m. local time on April 18, the same the Russian occupying forces at the power plant claimed there had been a drone attack.

This marks the third reported attack in the last weeks on the training facility, which is located just outside the perimeter of the plant, the IAEA said.

"The team was denied access to the training center just outside the ZNPP site perimeter to assess the incident," as the Russian occupying forces cited "security risks," the IAEA said.

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest nuclear plant in Europe, has been under Russian occupation since March 2022. IAEA teams have been based at the facility on rotation since September 2022.

Throughout its occupation, the plant has been repeatedly disconnected from the Ukrainian power grid due to Russian attacks on the country's energy infrastructure.

Russian troops have also used the plant as a platform to launch strikes at Nikopol, situated just across the Kakhovka Reservoir, and other Ukrainian settlements nearby.

If confirmed, the recent series of reported drone attacks is "an extremely worrying development," IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.

The attacks pose a "real threat of a serious nuclear accident, which could have significant health and environmental consequences and benefit absolutely no one," Grossi said.

Ukrainian officials have not yet commented on the report.

IAEA teams have been based at the facility on rotation since September 2022. Russian authorities still deny IAEA inspectors full access to the plant.

Read also: IAEA chief warns about major escalation amid Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant attacks

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Originally appeared on E! Online

Bryan Kohberger's alibi allegedly hinges on his interest in stargazing.

Attorneys for the 29-year-oldwho has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary after four University of Idaho students were killed in November 2022submitted legal documents on April 17 detailing his alleged alibi for the night of their deaths.

Kohberger's legal teamwho entered his plea as not guilty last yearstated that in the months leading up to the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, Kohberger often went on runs and hikes in the outdoors in and around Pullman, Wash., according to the document obtained by E! News.

In the fall of 2022, however, when Kohberger became busier with classes and work at Washington State University, fitting in those outdoor activities often meant nighttime driveswhich is what his legal team said he was doing around the time the students were killed in their apartment.

"Mr. Kohberger was out driving in the early morning hours of November 13, 2022; as he often did to hike and run and/or see the moon and stars," the filing read. "He drove throughout the area south of Pullman, Washington, west of Moscow, Idaho including Wawawai Park."

TV's Most Killer True Crime Transformations

More from E! Online

The document further alleges that Kohberger's hobby will be proved with data from his phone, which shows "him in the countryside late at night and/or in the early morning on several occasions." The filing stated the data includes "numerous photographs taken on several different late evenings and early mornings, including in November, depicting the night sky."

Pool via Getty Images

The document also noted that to help corroborate this information, the defense intends to offer testimony from Sy Ray, a cell site location information (CSLI) expert.

According to the filing, Ray's testimony will "show that Bryan Kohberger's mobile device was south of Pullman, Washington and west of Moscow, Idaho on November 13, 2022; that Bryan Kohberger's mobile device did not travel east on the Moscow-Pullman Highway in the early morning hours of November 13th, and thus could not be the vehicle captured on video along the Moscow-Pullman highway near Floyd's Cannabis shop."

Kohberger's team suggested more information about his whereabouts could be provided in the future based on additional discovery.

During a court appearance back in February, his lawyers requested a cell tower investigation to help build an alibia request that could further delay his trial after he waived the right to a speedy trial in August.

It was there, too, that Kohberger's team shared their desire to change the location of the upcoming trialdue to concerns that the media attention could affect the jurorsas well as their plans to call 400 witnesses during his legal proceedings.

The prosecution, however, aired their objections to the requests.

Monroe County Correctional Facil/UPI

"The state does not believe it is appropriate to tie the alibi to the jury trial date in the case," a deputy prosecutor told presiding Judge John Judge, per Fox News. "It frankly causes the state great alarm that the defense is discussing calling upwards of 400 witnesses during the innocence phase when we potentially don't have a full alibi disclosure."

The judge allowed the defense until April 17 to provide more details about Kohberger's alibi, which have now been revealed.

"I'm listening carefully to both sides, and it's a complicated case," the judge said at the time, per Fox. "It's a death penalty case."

For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
Israel is beginning to show signs that its next military moves in Gaza are coming. According to the daily Maariv, the army has deployed artillery units and armored personnel carriers in the south of its territory, next to Gazas borders. The Israeli press has been linking this troop movement to the announced ground offensive in Rafah, the southern town where more than 1.4 million of the 2.2 million Gazans are sheltering and the only Gaza city that ground troops have not yet entered. Senior U.S. and Israeli representatives will hold a virtual meeting on Thursday to specifically discuss plans regarding Rafah, the White House has confirmed.

These new steps come after Israels open front in the countrys north experienced a brief period of calm last week, coinciding with the Eid al-Fitr holiday, which closes the holy month of Ramadan. On Wednesday, that short-lived respite gave way to an attack in which Israel suffered some of the most casualties it has sustained in the more than six-month-long Gaza war. A Hezbollah Shiite militia-party drone bombed an Israeli reconnaissance company in the Bedouin village of Arab Al Aramshe in northern Israel, injuring 14 military personnel and four civilians. This Thursday, commanders of Israeli troops stationed in the north of the country met with local officials and local military to increase their preparedness in that region, according to the newspaper Haaretz. Overnight, Israeli warplanes attacked Hezbollah positions on Lebanons southern border.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military response to last Saturdays attack by nearly 300 Iranian drones and missiles is still up in the air. On Thursday, Israeli sources told ABC News that Israel prepared and then aborted retaliatory strikes against Iran on at least two nights this week. An unidentified senior U.S. official described it as unlikely that Israel would carry out an attack against Iran until after the Passover vacation, which ends on April 29 this year.

On Thursday, Iran warned about one of the possible targets of an Israeli military attack: its nuclear program facilities, according to the Tasnim Revolutionary Guard agency. Tehran claims that the purposes of that program are exclusively civilian. The West has always feared that the country might acquire atomic weaponsIsrael already has themand has therefore imposed sanctions. The commander of the Revolutionary Guard responsible for protecting these facilities has warned of a possible revision of the Iranian nuclear doctrine in case such an attack becomes a reality, in a likely allusion to the development of atomic weapons.

Israeli military retaliation against Iran is a foregone conclusion, although its scope is unknown. After having failed to convince Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to respond to the Iranian aggression, the United States and other Western allies are now trying to minimize it. This Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited the Tel Nof military air base in the center of the country to congratulate the pilots who took part in intercepting the Iranian attack. There, he defended Israels freedom of action to do as it sees fit.

The Israeli government has also taken steps that indicate that the international community has failed to impose a red line on its ground offensive in Rafah, in southern Gaza. The broad outlines of the operation to invade this city close to the border with Egypt have already been approved by the General Staff and by Minister Gallant, Maariv announced.

The possible invasion of Rafah could become a bargaining chip related to the retaliation against Iran, the London-based Arab daily Al Araby Al Jadeed said on Thursday. This publication quotes an Egyptian source who claims that Joe Bidens administration has accepted the Israeli plan to invade Rafah in exchange for the Jewish state not carrying out a large-scale attack against Iran. This Thursday, an Israeli delegation will discuss this offensive with a U.S. delegation in a virtual meeting that will continue the talks held on April 1. It will be a high-level meeting, headed on the US side by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and White House Middle East envoy Brett McGurk, while on the Israeli side it will be chaired by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi, Haaretz says.

According to the newspaper, which quotes a Washington official, the US is looking for alternatives to the Israeli offensive in Rafah. However, the latest troop movements, the purchase of 40,000 tents, the call-up of thousands of reservists for operational activities on the Gaza front and the defense ministers meeting on Monday to discuss a series of measures in preparation for operations in Rafah all suggest that the government is not abandoning its intention to invade the city. As he claimed before of the north and center of the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu now says that the leaders and four Hamas battalions are hiding in Rafah and that 133 hostages are still being held there. Many of them are believed to be dead.

The Israeli army has not yet entered the city but is constantly shelling it. Eleven Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in early morning air strikes, including five children in Rafah.

More sanctions

Since Netanyahu announced last week that this operation already had a date (without revealing it), the diplomatic context has changed markedly in the prime ministers favor. Before the Iranian missile and drone attack on Saturday night, the United States had shown signs of irritation with the Israeli government over the attack that killed seven aid workers from the NGO World Central Kitchen on April 1. Biden had also made the Rafah offensive conditional on his ally presenting him with a credible plan for the evacuation and protection of civilians. Other Western governments and humanitarian organizations had urged Israel to halt the invasion in a place where the original population of some 250,000 has increased nearly sixfold with the arrival of those displaced by the war.

The Iranian barrage changed everything. Criticism of Israel then turned to declarations of unwavering support from Washington even before Tehran began launching its drones and missiles. In the eyes of its main ally, Israel is now back in the advantageous position it occupied just after the Hamas attack of October 7 that killed 1200 people: that of a country that is the victim of aggression and is defending itself. This advantageous position, which it had been losing due to the war in Gaza and almost 34,000 killed thereaccording to Gazas Ministry of Health of the Striphas returned accompanied by an unexpected bargaining chip: the possibility of obtaining diplomatic and strategic advantages due to the U.S. and other countries fear that an Israeli reprisal might unleash a war in the Middle East.

Biden has told Israel that he will not support it in a direct attack against Iran. With the ongoing war in Gaza and the Lebanon front threatening to escalate, Israel has no interest in starting a war with an adversary that, while militarily inferior, is nonetheless militarily capable. Even so, the country is playing the containment card well. On Thursday, the United States announced new sanctions against 16 Iranian individuals and two entities involved in missile and drone production, including several members of the Revolutionary Guard and the Iranian Defense Minister, Macarena Vidal Liy reports from Washington. The United Kingdom has also announced sanctions against 13 senior Iranian officials, while the EU and the G7 are evaluating new economic measures against Iran.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition
An incident in which a group of irresponsible people pulled black bear cubs out of the trees to take selfies is under investigation, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

Rachel Staudt took video of the incident that occurred Tuesday afternoon in Buncombe County, North Carolina, near an apartment complex and shared it with WLOS.

One individual can be seen dropping the cub, which frantically scrambled along the fence line, looking for a way back to safety.

Authorities were called to the scene where N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission special projects biologist Ashley Hobbs found one cub very wet and cold, and probably had a pretty traumatic experience.

The cub was taken to a rehabilitation center where it will eventually be released back into the wild, if possible. The second cub was nowhere to be seen, and possibly reunited with the mother bear.

Hobbs said it is not uncommon during this time of year for a female to drop their cubs off in a safe tree and come back for them later.

The people who did this are being called idiots, among other things, on social media, and many are calling on them to be arrested and charged.

We did follow up with the people who pulled the bear out of the tree, Hobbs told WLOS. We did confront them on site that day and let them know how irresponsible and potentially deadly it could be for that cub to be separated from its mom, especially ripped out of a tree like that.



The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission filled in more of the story in a Facebook post Thursday. It stated that when staff arrived, they were told both cubs had escaped after a cub bit one of the people. One of the cubs was found in a retention pond and the other had not been located.

The cub appeared to be lethargic and frightened, Hobbs said. It looked to be favoring one of its front paws and was wet and shivering.

This incident remains an active investigation, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission stated.

Story originally appeared on For The Win
Ilhan Omars daughter, Isra Hirsi, said she had been suspended from Barnard College, Columbia University, for taking part in a protest encampment over the Gaza war and the universitys investments in Israel.

Dozens of students had camped out for two days at the university campus before police moved in on Thursday morning to dismantle some of the tents. Police made numerous arrests, but students continued to arrive at the scene into Thursday evening.

The suspension came just one day after congresswoman Omar had grilled the universitys president about the targeting of pro-Palestinian protesters at a congressional hearing on Wednesday.

im an organizer with CU Apartheid Divest @ColumbiaSJP , in my 3 years at @BarnardCollege i have never been reprimanded or received any disciplinary warnings, Ms Hirsi wrote on X.

i just received notice that i am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide, she added.

Isra Hirsi was suspended from Barnard College, Columbia University, over her participation in an encampment protest over the war in Gaza. (@peoplesdispatch/X)

She wrote in a separate post: those of us in Gaza Solidarity Encampment will not be intimidated. we will stand resolute until our demands are met. our demands include divestment from companies complicit in genocide, transparency of @Columbias investments and FULL amnesty for all students facing repression.

Congresswoman Omar has previously expressed support for the protesting students, writing that Coliumbia had an incredible history of students fighting for a more just world.

Videos posted to social media on Thursday appeared to show NYPD officers arresting some members of the encampment.

Barnard College said in a statement that it had sent written warnings to its students taking part in the encampment that they would be suspended if they did not leave by 9pm on 17 April.

This morning, April 18, we started to place identified Barnard students remaining in the encampment on interim suspension, and we will continue to do so, the statement said.

Now and always, we prioritize our students learning and living in an inclusive environment free from harassment, it added.

A Columbia University spokesperson told The Independent: Students who are participating in the unauthorized encampment are suspended. We are continuing to identify them and will be sending out formal notifications.

Columbia has always had an incredible history of students fighting for a more just world and its good to see that tradition continue. As NYPD surrounds young activists, I hope their concerns are heard by school administrators and they not be criminalized. In solidarity  pic.twitter.com/UV8k3xltKT  Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) April 17, 2024

The suspension comes after the president of Columbia University, Nemat Shafik, was grilled by Ms Omar on Wednesday during a Congressional hearing on what the congresswoman described as the targeting of pro-Palestinian protesters on campus by private investigators hired by the university.

Ms Shafik said the case referred to by Ms Omar related to students who held an online call with people who were inciting violence.

The hearing in the House of Representatives was focused on antisemitism on campus.

As arrests started on Thursday, Dr Shafik released a statement saying she had to make a decision that I hoped would never be necessary.

Out of an abundance of concern for the safety of Columbias campus, I authorized the New York Police Department to begin clearing the encampment from the South Lawn of Morningside campus that had been set up by students in the early hours of Wednesday morning, she added.

I took this extraordinary step because these are extraordinary circumstances. The individuals who established the encampment violated a long list of rules and policies, she wrote.
Social media erupted Thursday evening after Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., revealed she had been suspended from Barnard College following her involvement in an anti-Israel protest on Columbia Universitys campus in New York City.

Hirsi, who confirmed the news in a post on X on Thursday morning, was also one of several students arrested in connection with an anti-Israel event at Columbia later in the day and is set to face trespassing charges, NYPD sources confirmed to Fox News.

"[I'm] an organizer with CU Apartheid Divest @ColumbiaSJP, in my 3 years at @BarnardCollege i have never been reprimanded or received any disciplinary warnings," Hirsi, 21, wrote on X. "[I] just received notice that i am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide."

"[T]hose of us in Gaza Solidarity Encampment will not be intimidated," she added in a follow-up post. "[W]e will stand resolute until our demands are met. our demands include divestment from companies complicit in genocide, transparency of @Columbias investments and FULL amnesty for all students facing repression".

Hirsi was one of several students who took part in what Barnard College referred to Thursday as an "unauthorized encampment" that was originally set up on Columbias campus on Wednesday.

NYPD AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY REMOVE ZIP-TIED ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS: PRESIDENT

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Rep. Ilhan Omar's daughter, Isra Hirsi, said Thursday she was suspended from Barnard College following her involvement in an anti-Israel protest on Columbia Universitys campus in New York City.

Hirsi's bio on X features a hammer and sickle  a Soviet-era communist symbol  as Washington Beacon contributor and political commentator Noah Pollak noted on social media.

"Ilhan Omar's psycho daughter just got suspended from Barnard over her Hamas activism, and she has a Soviet hammer & sickle emoji in her bio + pronouns. Perfection," Pollak wrote in a post to X.

Hirsi, who co-founded the U.S. Youth Climate Strike and has received fawning coverage from liberal media outlets, added the infamous symbol to her profile at some point in 2021.

"Barnard College has just suspended Ilhan Omar's daughter for her involvement in pro-Hamas and Iran protests at Columbia University," wrote Brigitte Gabriel, the founder and chairman of ACT For America. "Supporting terrorism should be grounds for immediate expulsion!

"Ilhan Omar doesnt just hate America, shes also teaching her kids to hate America," Gabriel wrote in a follow-up post. "Why are we bringing people to America who hate America? This is a road to terrorism."

Emily Schrader, an Israeli-American human rights activist who campaigns against antisemitism, questioned why Hirsi is only facing a suspension and insisted that she "should be expelled."

"Ilhan Omar's daughter suspended from Columbia for her leadership role in unsanctioned antisemitic and pro-terror protests," Schrader wrote in a post on X. "My only question is, why only now, and why only a suspension? She should be expelled. I'll happily pay for a ticket to Gaza for her."

COLUMBIA STUDENT 'DEEPLY DISTURBED' OVER ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS: 'SCARED' IF THESE ARE AMERICA'S FUTURE LEADERS

StopAntisemitism  a group that frequently provides its social media followers with the names, accounts and employers of those it says espouse antisemitic viewpoints  also chimed in about the news.

"Seems the apple doesnt fall very far from the tree," the group wrote in a post to X.

The group also included in its post a photo of Omar and her daughter, with the caption reading, "Antisemite Ilhan Omar's daughter, Isra Hirsi, suspended from Barnard/Columbia for radical anti-Israel protesting".

Isra Hirsi speaks at the Together Live event at the Pantages Theatre on October 21, 2019, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The group also responded directly to Hirsi's initial tweet, saying, "Good news! You were told several times to leave the encampment and you didnt. Now youre suffering the consequences."

Brooke Goldstein, a human rights attorney who serves as the executive director of The Lawfare Project, also weighed in on Hirsi's suspension, saying she was not surprised by the news.

"Hirsi has acknowledged that she is one of the organizers of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), the hate group that has done so much damage  not just to Jewish students on campus, but to the rights of all students," Goldstein wrote. "This may be breaking news, but somehow it is not shocking news. A lot of questions need to be answered, including by Rep. Ilhan Omar."

Hirsi was named to Forbes' "40 Under 40 Government and Politics" list in 2020 and has been featured in New York Magazine. She was described as "saving the planet" by Vice News for her climate change work.

While several right-leaning and Israeli-supporting activists took aim at Hirsi over her involvement in the protest, others, including Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., offered words of support.

Tlaib, who was censured by her colleagues in the House in November for anti-Israel comments she made in the wake of the Jewish states war against terror group Hamas, wrote in a post to X: "From UM to Vanderbilt to USC to Columbia, students across our country are being retaliated against for using their constitutional rights to protest genocide. Its appalling."

ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS OCCUPY COLUMBIA CAMPUS AS UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT FACES GRILLING FROM CONGRESS

Hirsi's suspension came after dozens of protesters camped out in tents on school grounds Wednesday, calling on the university to divest itself from companies that have ties to Israel . The encampment was set up the same day Nemat Shafik, the universitys president, testified before Congress about antisemitism on the college campus.

The students from both Barnard and Columbia who set up the encampment had a "stated intention to remain," Barnard College said in a statement about the matter.

"Before noon on April 17, Columbia made multiple requests that students participating in the unauthorized encampment leave the lawn. A number of Barnard Senior Staff also went to the lawn to ask Barnard students participating in the encampment to leave and to advise Barnard students that they would be subject to sanctions at Barnard if they did not leave the encampment," the school said Thursday. "Members of the Barnard Senior Staff provided participants in the unauthorized encampment with written warnings at approximately 7 p.m. on April 17. These written warnings stated that students would receive interim suspensions if they did not leave the encampment by 9 p.m. on April 17."

"This morning, April 18, we started to place identified Barnard students remaining in the encampment on interim suspension, and we will continue to do so," the school added.

In addition to Hirsi, protest organizers said the two other Barnard students who received suspensions from the school were Maryam Iqbal, 18, a freshman, and Soph Dinu, 21, a junior majoring in religion, according to the New York Times.

Anti-Israel protesters took over the main lawn on Columbia University's campus in New York City on April 17, 2024.

Police began removing the protesters from Columbia Universitys campus in New York City on Thursday.

Shafik sent a message to the student body, saying that these "extraordinary steps" were necessary "because these are extraordinary circumstances." She also said that those who established the encampment had "violated a long list of rules and policies."

"Out of an abundance of concern for the safety of Columbias campus, I authorized the New York Police Department to begin clearing the encampment from the South Lawn of Morningside campus that had been set up by students in the early hours of Wednesday morning," Shafik said.

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Video from the campus showed officers loading dozens of protesters onto police buses.

Fox News' Alexis McAdams and Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.





Original article source: Ilhan Omar's daughter mocked as 'psycho' after college suspends her for anti-Israel demonstrations
Illinois House OKs measure to give mental health workers called to emergencies the same benefits as other first responders

SPRINGFIELD, Ill.  Lawmakers are moving ahead with a measure that would make mental health professionals who get sent on emergency calls alongside law enforcement eligible for the same benefits as other first responders if theyre also hurt in the line of duty.

Mental health advocates for years have pushed for a more holistic approach to many emergency calls by having police officers team up with social workers, clinicians or similar practitioners to help quell potentially volatile situations.

When that approach is in practice, mental health workers should be entitled to the same benefits as the police officers who are putting their lives on the line, said state Rep. Lilian Jimenez, the main sponsor of the bill in the House.

Were really doing one thing and that is extending benefits to all crisis responders. Were extending disability benefits, death duty benefits, burial benefits, Jimenez, a Chicago Democrat, said during House debate on Tuesday. Were talking about situations where people are intervening in a crisis situation, and we just want to make sure that the benefits that local municipalities (provide) are equal across the board to crisis responders.

Under the legislation, the mental health professionals are defined as those persons employed and dispatched by a unit of local government to respond to crisis calls received on public emergency service lines instead of or in conjunction with law enforcement.

Jimenezs bill passed through the Democrat-controlled House on a 80-27 vote and now goes to the Senate for consideration.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker in 2022 signed into law a measure that would eventually create a pilot program for social workers or other mental health professionals to work with police officers during mental health-related emergencies. The pilot was initially intended for Peoria, Waukegan, East St. Louis and Springfield. In Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnsons administration has made its own version of the program permanent through its Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement, or CARE, team.

While a handful of House Republicans joined Democrats in voting for the benefits bill, some expressed opposition during the floor debate.

State Rep. Blaine Wilhour, a Republican from Beecher City, questioned whether the co-responders  who are not trained as police officers  receive any law enforcement training since theyre going to be on the front lines.

Its important if were going to be putting these folks in these positions where we feel the need to have legislation for line-of-duty benefits that they would receive that training, Wilhour said.

Jimenez did not respond with any specific training information.

State Rep. Jackie Haas, a Republican from Bourbonnais, said she thought the bill lacked clarity as to whether certain other mobile teams doing the same work as first responders would be entitled to the same benefits.

If were looking at municipalities doing that too, I think we need to coordinate the effort before we move forward with this because were talking about the same types of entities and the same professionals having very different benefits, Haas said. And I think we need to do a little bit more work on that.

House Republican leader Tony McCombie, of Savanna, who chose not to vote on the bill, questioned why workers from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services werent part of the measure. She referred to DCFS employees, Pamela Sue Knight and Deidre Silas, who were killed during the performance of their duties at home visits in recent years.

Jimenez told McCombie that DCFS workers were in a separate category.

Democratic state Rep. Kelly Cassidy, of Chicago, acknowledged that the co-responder measure signed by Pritzker has been slow to get off the ground but said she supported the benefits legislation.

Lets stick to the topic and make sure that folks who are accompanying law enforcement on these crisis calls have the same protections that they have, Cassidy said.

_____
ST. LOUIS  A Fairview Heights, Illinois, man was indicted Wednesday for allegedly committing sexual abuse on the grounds of Gateway Arch National Park.

Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Missouri said Monte D. Boatman, 35, is accused of committing forcible assault inside the park on Dec. 6, 2023, and placing the victim in fear for their own life and safety.

Boatman was charged with one count of sexual abuse.

If convicted, Boatman faces upwards of life imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
Indoctrination and gender ideology: A look at Moms for Liberty claims about NC schools

National and local leaders of Moms for Liberty came to Raleigh this week to promote a message that parents have to fight against indoctrination of their children by public schools.

Panelists at the Town Hall voiced concerns on issues such as a rise in school crime and teacher turnover and the difficulties of parents getting educational services for children. Along the way, panelists charged that public schools are attempting to usurp parental rights and promote Critical Race Theory and gender ideology.

Our children are being taught to hate America, to hate the Christian values and the principles of liberty that American was founded upon ... said Abigail Prado, chair of Moms for Libertys Union County chapter, near Charlotte. Our children are not being educated. They are being indoctrinated.

The event drew about 50 people Wednesday to the Wake County Shrine Club in Raleigh. The Town Hall ended with a protester being escorted out by Raleigh Police after loudly calling the panelists f---ing liars and other insults.

Heres a look at some of the items discussed at the Town Hall.

What is Moms for Liberty?

Moms for Liberty was initially formed in 2021 in Florida to protest pandemic school closures and mask mandates. The group now has more than 300 chapters across 48 states.

Moms for Liberty now focuses on trying to limit discussion of gender and sexuality and racial equity in schools, as well as trying to remove books from schools that group members say are age inappropriate.

In North Carolina, Moms for Liberty lobbied for legislation such as the Parents Bill of Rights law that bans instruction of gender, sexuality or sexual activity in K-3 classrooms.

Last year, the Wake County chapter of Moms for Liberty unsuccessfully filed challenges to have 189 books removed from school libraries.

Last year, the Southern Poverty Law Center released a report that labeled Moms for Liberty as an anti-government extremist group. The organization has called the report a leftist attack, political hit job, USA Today reported.

Debate over fundamental parental rights

Moms for Liberty wants state lawmakers to revise North Carolinas Parents Bill of Rights to say that parental rights are fundamental.

The change is needed, according to Britney Bouldin, a member of Moms for Libertys North Carolina Legislative Committee, because parental rights arent given by the government.

We want the government to know we are telling them parental rights are given by God to us and they cant take them, said Bouldin, who is the former chair of the groups Union County chapter.

Wording about parents having fundamental rights is part of the federal Parents Bill of Rights Act passed by the Republican-controlled U.S. House in March 2023. The legislation is stuck in committee in the Democratic controlled U.S. Senate.

Should schools end restorative justice?

Multiple panelists said school violence is getting out of hand, citing this weeks incident caught on social media of a Forsyth County high school teacher being slapped in the face twice by a student. The student has been charged with misdemeanor assault and faces expulsion, the Winston-Salem Journal reported.

Moms for Liberty is asking state lawmakers to increase penalties for assaulting school personnel and for schools to no longer use restorative justice programs, which focus on making amends over punishments.

Panelists placed the blamed a rise in teacher turnover in North Carolina on lack of school discipline instead of low pay.

Children need consequences, said Brooke Weiss, chair of Moms for Libertys Mecklenburg County chapter and vice chair of the state legislative committee. Restorative justice has been an utter failure. You cant just send a kid to an office to talk it out and send them back to class with a lollipop.

But supporters of restorative justice practices say they can reduce out-of-school suspensions and keep more students in school learning and can help students recognize the harms of their actions.

Opposition to school-based health clinics

Moms for Liberty is urging parents to oppose the inclusion of school-based health clinics.

Schools across the country have adopted the Whole Schools, Whole Community, Whole Child model, which can include school-based health clinics. Often called the community schools model, this approach provides a wide range of services to parents, students and employees, including wellness and nutrition information and mental health support.

Speakers called the clinics dangerous, saying theyll allow schools to provide services to students without the knowledge of parents.

The school-based health clinics are a danger, said Tiffany Justice, a co-founder of Moms for Liberty. Everybody needs to be aware of them. You should be asking your elected representatives about them, asking if theyre putting them in your schools and actively working against them.

Questions about groups with access in schools

Panelists urged parents to closely monitor what groups are getting access to their children in school.

Mary Summa, general counsel for the N.C. Values Coalition, suggested that parents ask schools which groups are involved with after-school clubs.

Justice said parents should write a letter to their superintendent and school board asking what non-profit groups are coming into schools where students may have access to an adult who isnt a school staff member.

Union County Commissioner Melissa Merrell speaks at the Moms For Liberty Town Hall in Raleigh, N.C., on April 17, 2024. Beside her are Kenny Xu of Color Us United and Mary Summa of the N.C. Values Coalitio

Melissa Merrell a Union County commissioner and former school board member, suggested parents put in public records requests for the visitor logs at schools. She said members of Union County Chamber of Commerces Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee were visiting schools to talk to students.

As a new county commissioner, we decided to pull our membership from the Chamber of Commerce when we discovered that, Merrell said. It has been extremely controversial.

The Union County Board of Commissioners rescinded its membership weeks after the chamber passed a resolution critical of the boards handling of an ongoing issue over wastewater, according to WBTV.

Are activist teachers infiltrating Union County Schools

Merrell was chair of the Union County school board when it took steps such as making face masks optional before most other North Carolina school districts in 2021. She also worked with Moms for Liberty members to remove some books from schools that she claimed were so pornographic that I dont know if even Hustler or anything else comes close.

Merrell also charged that groups are infiltrating us at every opportunity. She said activist teachers are moving into Union County who have certainly been indoctrinated in their universities and their internships..

What we saw in Union County was a flood of teachers, Merrell continued. I truly believe Union County has a target. There is an agenda to change Union County so they are moving in in mass droves.

NC Reality Check is an N&O series holding those in power accountable and shining a light on public issues that affect the Triangle or North Carolina. Have a suggestion for a future story? Email realitycheck@newsobserver.com
(Bloomberg) -- Indonesia urged China to use its influence to prevent an escalation of tensions in the Middle East, during a visit by Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who traveled to the archipelago as Beijing aims to deepen diplomatic ties with Jakarta.

Most Read from Bloomberg

During a meeting with Wang on Thursday, Indonesias President Joko Widodo, also known as Jokowi, stressed the importance of maintaining stability in the Middle East, according to Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. Indonesia is the worlds most populous Muslim nation.

We have the same view regarding the importance of all parties exercising restraint and the importance of de-escalation, said Marsudi at a briefing after the meeting. Im sure the Peoples Republic of China will use its influence to prevent escalation.

Wang is visiting Indonesia as part of a three-country tour through Southeast Asia and the Pacific which kicked off on Thursday. At a joint briefing, Wang and Marsudi said the Southeast Asian nation will cooperate with China on energy transition, food security and infrastructure.

As competition between the US and China intensifies in Southeast Asia, Indonesia has balanced its close economic and trade relationship with Beijing while rebuilding its security ties with Washington.

During his meeting with Wang, Jokowi said mutually beneficial economic activity between Indonesia and China is vital, while calling for more market access for his nations exports into the Chinese market. For his part, Wang said China is willing to work with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations amid heightening tensions in the South China Sea.

Wangs visit comes weeks after President-elect Prabowo Subiantos meeting with Xi Jinping in China where they agreed to boost all-round strategic cooperation.

The Chinese foreign minister will meet with Prabowo during his visit to Indonesia, Marsudi said, the latest meeting between Indonesias next leader and senior Chinese government officials.

--With assistance from Eddie Spence, Ben Westcott and Siuming Ho.

(Updates after meeting with President Widodo.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
The great global election year continues. And this time it is up to the largest mass of voters on the planet to choose their political destiny. Next Friday elections start in India, the most populous country on the planet, and a rising economic and geopolitical power. Around 970 million people will head to the ballot boxes spread over more than one million polling stations in 543 constituencies, and more than 5.5 million electronic voting machines will swing into action. The process, which begins on April 19, run for 44 days until June 1 and will extend across the vast Asian subcontinent in seven phases with the results expected to be announced on June 4.

Behind the dizzying figures, however, lies a polarized climate. Polls and analysts are predicting a comfortable victory for the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This will renew the mandate of the current Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has been in power for over a decade. Meanwhile, various international organizations have criticized the countrys democratic backsliding and the discrimination against minorities, especially Muslims. And the opposition has reported being the victim of political persecution by state institutions, and warns of the risk that constitutional secularism could be compromised in the name of Hinduism if the BJP wins again.

The 73-year-old Modi has set himself the threshold of reaching 370 seats out of the 543 at stake in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian parliament, which will be in charge of investing the new government. That would give him 67 more seats than he had in 2019. And the formation of the new government would make the BJP the senior coalition partner with the National Democratic Alliance. This would give the government an unassailable majority of more than 400 seats, which would give it room to undertake reforms with hardly any counterweights.

Opposing Modi there is a raft of opposition parties, the largest of which is the Congress Party, with Rahul Gandhi at its head. The 53-year-old is the latest Gandhi in a key dynasty in Indian politics. Rahul Gandhi is the son of the assassinated former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and former prime minister Sonia Gandhi, grandson of the also assassinated former prime minister Indira Gandhi and great-grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru, first head of government after independence.

Voters returned only 50 members of the Congress Party in 2019, and Gandhi was expelled from Parliament in 2023, after being condemned for calling the prime minister a thief. The leader of a group that has played a key role in forging todays India has tried to reverse the polls by cross-crossing the country on foot and by bus. Between 2022 and the beginning of this year he has marched and trekked about 7,145 miles to take the political pulse in all of Indias states and set out his vision. A recent India TV-CNX poll, however, gives Modis coalition 399 of the 543 MPs; The opposition alliance remained at 94, with the Congress Party at their lowest number: 38 seats, an even worse result than in 2014.

Modi has his fiefdoms in northern and western India. His success is among the middle and working classes. He has the sympathy of the lower castes, from which he claims  questionably  to have come himself. And he enjoys a special pull in the so-called cow belt, the rural strip where the Hindu religion carries considerable weight. Some see him as a deity.

He is a person that people not only respect, but revere. And that veneration can be very useful for the ruling party to achieve a large number of votes, says Harsh Vardhan Shringla, former Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs between 2020 and 2022, in a telephone conversation. Although he is not affiliated with the BJP, he is close to the party. He says that Modis success is due to numerous factors that begin with his leadership. He cites everything from infrastructure projects to the millions of people who have left poverty (almost 250 million in the last nine years, according to NITI Aayog, a public policy think tank). There has been great development in all areas and many efforts to serve the most disadvantaged sectors, he says. In general, there is a feeling that the government has kept its promises.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, center, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ride in an open vehicle while campaigning for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Ghaziabad, April 6, 2024. Manish Swarup (AP)

Shringla was the coordinator of the G20 summit held in India in 2023, an event that raised the countrys profile, says Shringla. In recent years, India has become a pivot, a kind of third way that is close to the West faced with the rise of China. Our position on the international stage is not the same as it was ten years ago. If a decade ago India was the tenth largest economy in the world; today is the fifth. Its growth rates are among the highest of large nations, and it has a legion of workers: around 65% of the Indian population is under 35 years of age. One thing is certain, the diplomat concludes, today we are at the decision-making table. And all that influences choosing a party.

But behind the Rock star image that has been conferred on Modi during his state visits, one can also sense a discourse that has divided Indian society. This is what university professor Apoorvanand Jha, a common voice among critics of the presidential Cabinet, criticizes on the phone. Modi, he explains, came to power in 2014 with language that was already destined to polarize. He talked about development and nationalism and, unlike other leaders, he was able to express his Hindu nationalist position unapologetically. He took over the Executive thanks to the hopes and desires of the citizens. What has happened in the last ten years is the complete collapse of the Indian state as we knew it. Because democracy is not just about holding elections, but it is also about a fine balance in the institutional framework.

Apoorvanand assures that the government is making it almost impossible for the opposition to even participate in the elections, and lists recent examples that the opposition also clings to in order to complain about the alleged harassment of institutions co-opted by the BJP. Since 2014, as many as 25 prominent opposition politicians facing corruption allegations have defected to the ruling BJP; in 23 of these cases, this change of allegiance resulted in a pardon, according to a recent investigation by The Indian Express.

Another example provided by critics is that in February, the Congress Party announced that its accounts had been frozen due to an alleged case of non-payment of taxes. We cannot support our workers, and our candidates and leaders cannot travel by plane or train, Gandhi complained in March, according to the AP. This is a criminal action () done by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. In another example, the Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal, who leads the second party in the opposition coalition, has been in prison since March, accused of corruption, which has prevented him from participating in the campaign.

The crackdown peaceful dissent and opposition by the Indian government led by the BJP has reached a crisis point, Amnesty International recently reported. Its own accounts in the country were also frozen and the organization was forced to close its offices in the India in 2020. In March this year, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk expressed concern about increasing restrictions on civic space  with human rights defenders, journalists, and perceived critics targeted  as well as by hate speech and discrimination against minorities, especially Muslims. And according to Human Rights Watch: The BJP governments discriminatory and divisive policies have led to increased violence against minorities, creating a pervasive environment of fear and a chilling effect on government critics (). Instead of holding those responsible for abuses to account, the authorities chose to punish the victims, and persecuted anyone who questioned these actions.

One of the most recent episodes in this tension between Hindus, who make up 80% of the country, and Muslims, who account for 14.2% of Indias population, was Modis decision to inaugurate a Hindu temple on the disputed site of a centuries-old mosque. This was destroyed in an attack by a Hindu mob in the 1990s that caused thousands of deaths and set a precedent of impunity in cases of violence against Muslims in the country. The inauguration just before the elections was a calculated move, according to journalist Sandeep Dikshit, associate editor at The Tribune: The prime minister wants to take credit for recovering a cultural symbol that he said had been taken by the Muslims 600 or 700 years ago.

Pratishtha Singh, a member of Rahul Gandhis team, says on the phone that the last 10 years have been a necessary wake-up call. Our democratic institutions, our judiciary, the media, the bureaucracy have been diluted beyond recognition. And she believes, like other analysts and institutions defending civil rights, that a good part of the responsibility lies with the acts of hatred against Muslims and lynchings that go unpunished or have the approval of BJP leaders. If there is no punishment for these crimes, what kind of democracy and institutions do we have?

With the accounts frozen, Gandhis party is operating through donations and contributions from its members, says Singh. But the opposition alliance has filled in the cracks that appeared and assures that things are looking good. In her words: I dont like to predict elections, but, in terms of the Congress Party gaining ground, our calculations point in that direction.

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Thousands of people have been told to evacuate islands in North Sulawesi - AFP

Islands in Indonesias North Sulawesi region are on alert for a tsunami as volcano eruptions sent lava spewing and a mile-high ash cloud forms above Mount Ruang.

On Wednesday, authorities ordered thousands of people to evacuate and the volcano alert was raised to the countrys highest level after five large eruptions were recorded in one day, Indonesias Centre for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation said.

Indonesia, an archipelago of 270 million people, has 120 active volcanoes. It is prone to volcanic activity because it sits along the Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines around the Pacific Ocean.

The volcanic activity, which began late on Tuesday night and followed two earthquakes in the region, sparked fears of a repeat of the 1871 disaster when hundreds of people died in a tsunami in the days after Mount Ruang erupted.

On Wednesday morning, 800 residents fled by boat from Ruang to nearby Tagulandang. But by Wednesday night, that island was no longer considered safe either.

Indonesias National Disaster Mitigation Agency said that 11,000 people would be relocated to Manado, the nearest city, on Sulawesi island, a journey of six hours by boat.

An exclusion zone was extended to prevent people coming within four miles of Ruang.

A spokesman for the BMKG Earthquake and Tsunami Centre told the Kompas newspaper: Beware of large waves due to the impact of the eruption of Mount Ruang for communities in the coastal areas of Tagulandang Island, Biaro, Siau Island and North Minahasa Beach.

[The potential cause of tsunami] is mainly the flank collapse phenomenon or the collapse of part or all of the mountain body.

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Inmate dies after being found unconscious in his Cache County Jail cell, reason unknown

Update, 6 p.m., 4/18: The victim has been identified as 22-year-old Kaden Lee Saunders, of Logan, Utah.

The Cache County Sheriffs Office said investigators are waiting for the medical examiners report to determine the cause of death.

ORIGINAL STORY: CACHE COUNTY, Utah (ABC4)  An inmate died at the Cache County Jail Wednesday after being found unresponsive in his cell by deputies.

The Cache County Sheriffs Office said the incident happened at approximately 2:45 p.m., when deputies found the man unconscious and not breathing in his cell.

The world is watching: People gather from across US to voice outrage over Wyoming wolf torture

Deputies, along with medical staff, started life-saving procedures until Logan paramedics responded and continued CPR.

Unfortunately, they were unable to resuscitate the inmate and he was pronounced dead, CCSO said.

Sheriff D. Chad Jensen reportedly contacted the Cache County Attorneys Office and initiated the Northern Utah Critical Incident Investigative Team protocol, which requires an outside agency to investigate this incident.

Per Cache County Sheriffs Office policy, CCSO investigators will also conduct an onsite Internal Investigation into the incident.

At this time, the Sheriffs Office will not release the name of the deceased pending family notification.

There is no further information available at this time.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
An inmate was transported to a Ventura hospital after being found unresponsive at a jail in Santa Paula last week, law enforcement officials announced Thursday.

The inmate, identified as Tony Garcia, was at the Todd Road Jail facility awaiting trial when deputies noticed him down in the dayroom area of his assigned housing unit, the Ventura County Sheriffs Office stated in a news release.

Deputies and medical staff immediately rendered first aid to Mr. Garcia, the news release stated.

Garcia was taken by ambulance to Ventura County Medical Center for advanced medical care but there was no word on whether his condition had improved or deteriorated.

An investigation into the incident was conducted by the Sheriffs Major Crimes Bureau.

Preliminary information obtained thus far suggests that Mr. Garcia was likely assaulted by another incarcerated person, the news release stated.

The Sheriffs Office did not mention if they had identified the inmate responsible for the assault but said the investigation was ongoing.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Inmates were kept in 3-by-3 feet shower stalls filled with feces for days, lawsuit says

Seven inmates are suing after they say they were mistreated and forced to stay in makeshift micro solitary confinement cells for days at a time.

The lawsuit filed April 9 in Oklahoma names the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, four employees and two supervisors and administrators.

McClatchy News reached out to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections for comment April 18 but did not immediately hear back.

In 2023, an inmate who was assigned to an 8-man cell at the Great Plains Correctional Center requested to be transferred due to safety concerns, the lawsuit said. The inmate was a convicted sex offender and the court document said the men in the cell were in possession of homemade knives.

As a result of his request, prison staff moved the inmate to a 3-by-3 shower stall marred by unsanitary conditions, including feces on the floor, the lawsuit said.

The inmate was without clothing and had to relieve himself in the same area where he stood, his attorneys said. When he asked staff why he was being subjected to those conditions, he overheard one worker tell a colleague hes a sex offender, according to the lawsuit.

The inmate was only removed from the shower stall when he tried to take his life Aug. 15 after four nights in the cell, according to the lawsuit.

While the inmate was being kept in the shower, he noticed at least two other inmates in shower stalls being subjected to similar conditions, the lawsuit said.

Other inmates similarly suffered in these cells, with instances of being locked up for extended periods without restroom breaks, highlighting the widespread nature of this issue, the court document said.

One inmate was locked in shower stalls four times, causing mental and physical suffering, the lawsuit said.

Another inmate listed as a plaintiff in the case was locked in shower stalls three times for 24-hour-periods, according to the attorneys. He was pepper sprayed before being placed in the shower stall, experienced issues with scalding hot water and was not given a cup or anything to drink out of, according to the lawsuit.

A fourth inmate listed as a plaintiff was locked in a shower stall for 36 hours while a fifth inmate was confined to a 2-by-2 space for 42 hours, the lawsuit said.

A sixth inmate listed as a plaintiff was placed in a shower stall for an extended period of time and was subjected to pepper-spray attacks while in there, according to the lawsuit. Attorneys said the seventh inmate listed as a plaintiff was locked in a shower stall and denied basic necessities.

The lawsuit said the prison management would try to intimidate staff members who took issue with the treatment of the inmates and refused to take part in it.

After concerns were raised, an investigation into the treatment of inmates and the shower stalls began on Aug. 23. Results from the investigation found that prison staff acknowledged inmates were being locked in shower stalls, but said that it was due to overcrowding and not enough beds, as opposed to a punishment, according to the lawsuit.

After the investigation, changes were made at the prison and the practice of inmates being confined to shower stalls was ended, the lawsuit said.

The plaintiffs in the case are asking for an undetermined amount in damages, as well as an injunction to prohibit any future breaches of constitutional rights and to ensure the humane treatment of all inmates.

Please help me. Inmate begged for help before jail staff let him die, lawsuit says

Jail ignored womans illness, causing her avoidable death, lawyer says. Daughter suing

Officer did nothing as inmate was held down, beaten for his going away party, feds say
Investigators release name of motorcyclist killed in metro-east crash

A 64-year-old Sparta woman died Wednesday in a crash involving a motorcycle and a tractor-trailer in Randolph County, authorities said Thursday.

Donna Martin was pronounced deceased at the scene, according to a news release from Randolph County Coroner Carlos J. Barbour.

Illinois State Police said Martin was the driver of a motorcycle that was in a collision with a truck at about 1:34 p.m. Wednesday on Illinois 150 at Paradise Road.

State police did not release any additional information about the crash.

Barbour and Illinois State Police said the case remains under investigation.
A lawsuit filed this week alleges an IPS teacher encouraged elementary students to fight and used his phone to make a video of the incident.

A former Indianapolis elementary school teacher orchestrated a fight club-style disciplinary system and encouraged his young students to physically assault each other, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Marion Superior Court.

Central to the lawsuit is a disturbing video in which the teacher appears to record one student attacking another with his approval. It shows a student on the classroom floor crying while another boy repeatedly punches him in the head and face and slams his head to the ground.

Thats right, the teacher says, you get him.

The lawsuit, brought on behalf of the 7-year-old victim and his mother, claims the boy suffered a "systematic and severe pattern of abuse" at George Washington Carver Montessori IPS School 87. The suit accuses Indianapolis Public Schools and multiple staffers of failing to protect the boy, who is described as a special needs student.

The lawsuit and video were first reported by Fox59.

It's the latest case to raise questions about abuse reporting at schools and other institutions that serve children.

The lawsuit claims the boy suffered months of abusive behavior under teacher Julious Johnican, but that the school didn't take the allegations seriously until the inadvertent disclosure of the video in November. That's when the boy's parents insisted that the school contact the Indiana Department of Child Services.

The ensuing DCS investigation substantiated an allegation of neglect against the teacher in February. But the teacher was allowed to resign and none of the allegations were forwarded to prosecutors. Johnican's teaching license remains valid.

That's a major concern, according to Catherine Michael and Tammy Meyer, the family's attorneys.

"We're alleging that there was knowledge about this, it took a video coming out and it took a parent demanding that the police and DCS was called," Michael said.

"This teacher wasn't even fired," said Meyer. "This teacher resigned. This teacher hasn't been charged yet. This teacher can go out there and work with children."

IndyStar could not reach Johnican, who was in his first year as a full-time teacher. But in an interview with DCS investigators, he said the students in the video had been fighting all day before the recorded incident, which took place Sept. 23.

"Mr. Johnican stated that he did not have enough patience that day and he did not interfere," according to DCS's assessment report. "He stated that he videoed the fight to have proof of what was happening."

The recorded incident was not the only one, according to the boy's statements to DCS.

In one case, he told DCS, Johnican held him while another student slapped him in the face. When the child asked Johnican why he allowed the student to slap him, the teacher allegedly responded, "Because you're a second-grader and he's a first-grader. You're stronger!"

In another case, the boy said, Johnican held his shoulders while another student punched him in the stomach and kicked him in the legs. The boy said Johnican gave the other student permission to attack him.

Johnican has not been charged with any crime. A spokesperson for Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said Wednesday the office had not received a report or investigation from law enforcement.

"Since being made aware of the allegations, we have reached out to IPS Police and DCS for more information," the prosecutor's spokesman, Michael Leffler, said in an email.

What did Indianapolis Public Schools officials know?

In an emailed statement, IPS spokesperson Marc Ransford said the district "does not tolerate the type of behavior alleged in the complaint and takes reports of potential abuse and neglect seriously."

"When IPS learned of the teachers conduct, the Department of Child Services (DCS) was immediately notified, and the teacher was removed from the classroom and suspended," he said. "The teacher had no further contact with students and is no longer employed by IPS."

But attorneys Michael and Meyer said the boy had raised concerns about the alleged abuse for months.

The boy began telling his parents about abusive behavior in the classroom as early as August. His claims were so shocking that his mother had trouble believing them.

"This is just such an unbelievable thing to have happen," Michael said. "You think initially, maybe a child is exaggerating, and that no teacher would be doing this."

The boy's parents communicated with the teacher on multiple occasions regarding the boy's reports of being attacked, bullied, threatened and injured in the classroom, but Johnican dismissed the accounts as fabrications and suggested they stemmed from a personality disorder, the lawsuit says.

The boy's disabilities included sensory sensitivities, an executive function disorder and probable learning disabilities, according the lawsuit.

The boy's mother met with the vice principal in September and relayed her concerns, but there was no followup, the lawsuit said. The boy also told an IPS behavioral consultant about the abuse, the lawsuit says, but the consultant did not report the allegations to DCS or IPS administrators.

A substitute teaching aide in classroom also witnessed the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit.

The boy told DCS that the aide said special needs students were demonically possessed and told him that holy water needed to be poured on him to cure him of his evil.

In an interview with DCS, the aide denied making those comments, but acknowledged she had witnessed Johnican recording an altercation involving the boy. When she asked him why he was recording it, he told her he wanted to show the boy's mother, according to the DCS report.

Lawsuit: Teacher disclosed video 'inadvertently'

The lawsuit contends that the video of the boy being beaten would not have seen the light of day except that Johnican accidentally disclosed it during a parent-teacher conference in late October or early November.

As part of the meeting, Johnican was going to show a video of the classroom environment to the parents, but inadvertently began showing the wrong video, the lawsuit says. What the parents saw shocked them, according to the family's attorneys. Their son was on the floor crying as another boy struck him repeatedly.

When the boy's parents saw their son being attacked, they tried to grab the phone from Johnican, causing the volume to be turned up so that the parents could hear the teacher encouraging the beating, the lawsuit says.

The parents reported to the video to the school secretary and demanded that police and DCS be called immediately, according to the lawsuit.

In his emailed statement, Ransford, the IPS spokesperson, said IPS "was not aware of any fights encouraged or sanctioned by this or any other teacher from the students parents or otherwise, until the parent emailed the principal at 6:58 p.m. Oct. 30."

He said Principal Mary Kapcoe first viewed the email early the next day and immediately contacted DCS and IPS human resources. The teacher was immediately removed from the building, he said.

Two days later, human resources interviewed Johnican as part of its investigation.

"The employee resigned during that meeting before IPS could initiate termination proceedings, which the district was prepared to do based on the information received from the internal investigation," Ransford said.

The boy's parents, meanwhile, have withdrawn their son from IPS and are now homeschooling him. He participates in therapeutic counseling at least once a week and his providers have diagnosed him with post-traumatic stress disorder, according to the lawsuit.

Contact IndyStar reporter Tony Cook at 317-444-6081 or tony.cook@indystar.com. Follow him on X: @IndyStarTony.

Contact IndyStar reporter Caroline Beck at 317-618-5807 or CBeck@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @CarolineB_Indy.

Carolines reporting is made possible by Report for America and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Report for America is a program of The GroundTruth Project, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening local newsrooms. Report for America provides funding for up to half of the reporters salary during their time with us, and IndyStar is fundraising the remainder. To learn more about how you can support IndyStars partnership with Report for America and to make a donation, visit indystar.com/RFA.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: 'Get him.' In video, IPS teacher heard encouraging students to fight
Iran warned on Thursday that it might review its nuclear doctrine, threatening a potential break from the publicly stated peaceful objectives of its nuclear program.

The threats of the Zionist regime [Israel] against Iran's nuclear facilities make it possible to review our nuclear doctrine and deviate from our previous considerations, said Ahmad Haghtalab, a top Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander, according to Tasnim. If the Zionist regime wants to take action against our nuclear centers and facilities, we will surely and categorically reciprocate with advanced missiles against their own nuclear sites, Haghtalab said, adding the era of hit and run" is over.

The threat to change course comes as Israel has been deliberating a response to Irans attack on April 13, when Tehran launched over 300 missiles and drones towards Israel. The attackconducted in retaliation for the killing of a top commander at an Iranian embassy in Syria earlier this monthwas largely thwarted, causing no major damage in Israel.

Israeli officials have vowed to respond, but offered no further details, fueling fears about an all-out war erupting in the region.

The Israeli government was previously weighing whether to target Iranian nuclear sites in response to an attack by Tehran, according to earlier reporting from London-based Elaph.

Israel Vows to Punish Iran as Spiral of Vengeance Deepens

U.S. officials and other allies have been urging Israel to temper its response to Irans attack last weekend. Netanyahu has stalled the retaliation in reaction to the mounting pressure, according to Kan.

In particular, Iran uses its nuclear program to build negotiating leverage in the face of perceived international pressure, according to a U.S. intelligence memo released in February. The memo assessed that in the face of attacks, Iran could seek to enrich uranium up to 90 percent.

Tehran has long insisted that its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes, such as power generation or research. Although such threats are rare, Irans intelligence minister, Mahmoud Alavi, said in 2021 that Western sanctions could force Iran to develop nuclear weapons.

If they push Iran in that direction, then it wouldnt be Irans fault but those who pushed it, Alavi said at the time. If a cat is cornered, it may show a kind of behavior that a free cat would not.

A religious edict from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei states that pursuing nuclear weapons is forbidden.

Building and stockpiling nuclear bombs is wrong, Khamenei stated in 2019.

Efforts to revive the Iran nuclear dealwhich restricted Irans nuclear program in exchange for relief from sanctionshave been stalled since 2018, when then-president Donald Trump abandoned the deal. As of February, Iran was continuing to enrich uranium up to 60 percent purity, according to the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi. Those levels are close to weapons grade and are far above commercial nuclear use, Grossi said.

As of late January, Iran was not undertaking the key nuclear weapons-development activities that are necessary to produce a testable nuclear device, according to a U.S. intelligence assessment.

Last March, General Mark Milley, then the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told members of Congress that Iran could pursue weaponization over a matter of months.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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(Bloomberg) -- A top Iranian general said his country may reconsider its nuclear policies if Israel threatens to attack its atomic sites, an implicit warning that Tehran might race toward a nuclear weapon as rhetoric continued to escalate in the wake of its April 13 drone and missile attack.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Commander Ahmad Haghtalab didnt specify what the change might be, but Tehran has long said its nuclear program, which has prompted concern from the US, Israel and the United Nations for years, is solely for peaceful purposes. Haghtalab also said such an attack would prompt a tit-for-tat attack on Israels nuclear facilities.

Its possible and conceivable to revise the nuclear doctrine and policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran and deviate from the considerations of previous declarations if Israel uses the threat of an attack on Irans nuclear facilities to pressure Tehran, he said, in comments reported by the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency.

The comments fanned tensions that the US and its allies have been seeking to tamp down in the days since Iran launched a barrage of some 300 drones and missiles on Israel in response to a strike in Syria that killed several Iranian officers on April 1. Israel, the US and UK shot down almost all of the incoming weapons, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials have said the country has no choice but to respond.

Speculation has mounted that Israel might use a retaliatory strike to target Iranian nuclear facilities. Iran has continued to enrich its uranium to 60% purity, part of work its pressed ahead with in the years since the Trump administration backed out of a nonproliferation deal that was meant to halt its nuclear advances.

The nuclear centers of the Zionist enemy have been identified, and the necessary intelligence about all targets is at our disposal, Haghtalab said. Israel has a nuclear-research center near the desert town of Dimona and is widely believed to have nuclear weapons though its never confirmed their existence.

Read More: What Are Israels Options for Retaliating Against Irans Strike?

Later in the day, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian reiterated Irans stance toward Israel when he addressed the United Nations Security Council. The council was discussing tensions sparked in the wake of Hamas fighters Oct. 7 attack on Israel and Israels subsequent ground campaign in the Gaza Strip to root out the militant group thats backed by Iran.

Irans legitimate defense and countermeasures have been concluded, Amirabdollahian said. Israel must be compelled to stop any further military adventurism against our interests. If not, he said, Iran will give a decisive and proper response that will make Israel regret its actions.

President Joe Biden has urged Netanyahu to take the win after the success of Israels air defenses in repelling the attack and not respond. Israels government and public are torn about what to do next, with a Hebrew University poll saying about half of Israelis believe their country should respond even if it means extending the conflict.

But theres also the question of how to do it, and whether to do it alone. Brigadier General Zvika Haimovich, a former head of aerial defense, said theres no way Israel will do nothing, but I think it is very important for Israel not to stand alone against Iran.

In the meantime, Biden has sought to show the US has Israels back and squeeze Irans economy even more. The US imposed fresh sanctions Thursday on 16 people and entities including a company that helped make engines for the type of drones launched in the barrage on Israel.

Ive directed my team, including the Department of the Treasury, to continue to impose sanctions that further degrade Irans military industries, Biden said in a statement. Let it be clear to all those who enable or support Irans attacks: The United States is committed to Israels security.

Read more: US Imposes Fresh Sanctions on Iran Over Israel Drone Barrage

Israel welcomed the statement. Foreign Minister Israel Katz wrote a post on X saying now was the time to form a global front and a regional coalition against Iran, together with the US, the EU, and moderate Arab states, to stop the serpents head that threatens global stability.

(Updates with Iran foreign ministers statement in 7th paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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Iran launches a missile at a test site. Tehran has promised to retaliate if Israel attacks the Islamic nation's nuclear sites - AFP via Getty Images/Iranian Army office

Iran has threatened to build a nuclear bomb if it is attacked by Israeli forces in retaliation for its first ever direct attack on Israel on Saturday.

Tehran also warned it would hit Israeli atomic facilities if Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, ordered strikes against Irans nuclear sites.

The Israeli government is considering its response to Irans attack, which involved hundreds of missiles and drones but caused minimal damage after most were shot down.

Experts say Tehran, which is stockpiling uranium, is closer to having the bomb than at any point in history, and could have one in six months to a year.

The Iranian regime has always insisted its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, has issued a fatwa against the production of nuclear weapons.

But Brig Gen Ahmad Haghtalab, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander in charge of nuclear security, said on Thursday that could change if Iran was attacked by Israel.

A review of our nuclear doctrine and politics as well as considerations previously communicated is entirely possible, he said.

It is the first time Iran has explicitly mentioned its suspected nuclear weapons programme since it attacked Israel.

Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian president visits a nuclear technology exhibition. Experts believe Iran could have an atomic bomb in six months - Office of the Iranian Presidency/AP

The IRGC general warned Iran would definitely reciprocate any Israeli attack on its nuclear sites.

If the Zionist regime (Israel) wants to take action against our nuclear centres and facilities, it will definitely and surely face our reaction, he told Irans state news agency.

For the counter-attack, the nuclear facilities of the (Israeli) regime will be targeted and operated upon with advanced weaponry.

Iran has identified Israeli nuclear centres and holds necessary information of all targets, he added.

Hands are on the trigger to fire powerful missiles for the total destruction of determined targets, Mr Haghtalab said.

On Thursday, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Iranian Foreign Minister, warned that Tehran would make Israel regret any attack on his country.

In case of any use of force by the Israeli regime and violating our sovereignty, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate a bit to assert its inherent rights, to give a decisive and proper response to it, to make the regime regret its actions, he told the UN Security Council during a meeting on the Middle East.

A history of tension over nuclear weapons

The Islamic republic has accused Israel of sabotage attacks on its facilities and assassinations of nuclear scientists in recent years.

On Monday, Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Iran had closed its nuclear facilities to inspectors for security reasons after the attack.

Israel is widely known to have nuclear weapons but has never admitted so.

Israels military chief has vowed a response to the Iranian aerial attack. The Iranian warning came after Mr Netanyahu said Israel reserves the right to protect itself.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has issued a fatwa against the production of nuclear weapons but an army commander said that could change if Iran was attacked by Israel - Getty Images/Anadolu

World leaders have urged de-escalation and restraint and Israeli officials have not said when or where the country would retaliate.

The Israeli leader is under pressure from hardliners in his coalition government to hit Iran hard to deter further aggression against Israel in a region thrown into tumult by the Oct 7 attacks by Hamas.

Tehrans attack on Israel, launched late Saturday, was in retaliation for the April 1 airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus that killed seven members of the IRGC, including two generals.

Amirali Hajizadeh, commander of the IRGCs aerospace unit that led the attack on Israel, said on Thursday that Iran had only used old weapons and minimal power! for it.

At this stage, we have not used ballistic missiles, he said, arguing Iran has overcome the maximum capacity of Israel and its allies with minimal power.

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Iran has never been closer to building a nuclear bomb than right now - ATTA KENARE/AFP

This blog was closed on the 18th April 2024. You can follow todays live coverage of Israels retaliatory attack against Iran here.

Iran said it could review its nuclear doctrine in an apparent threat to build an atomic bomb if attacked by Israel.

A review of our nuclear doctrine and politics as well as considerations previously communicated is entirely possible, Ahmad Haghtalab, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander in charge of nuclear security, said on Thursday.

It is the first time Iran has explicitly mentioned its suspected nuclear weapons program since it attacked Israel on the weekend.

Experts have warned that Iran is on the threshold of becoming a nuclear power and that it is capable of building a bomb in six months to a year.

Iran has always claimed that its nuclear enrichment sites are for civilian purposes.

The move comes amid fears of an Israeli attack in retaliation for Iran launching more than 300 drones, rockets and missiles on its territory last weekend.

Mr Haghtalab warned that Iran would definitely reciprocate any Israeli attack on its nuclear sites.

03:58 PM BST

Comment: Biden has capitulated to the Left, and Americas allies are paying the price

The president is too tied-up in his domestic squabbles to bother defending Americas beleaguered allies, writes Isaac Schorr.

Donald Trumps relationship with and attitude toward Vladimir Putins Russia  and perhaps even more notably all of the ceaseless speculation about it  defined his first term in office. There was a weak, often tawdry, and sometimes preposterous case against Trump on these grounds, and then there was a more reasonable one. Both centered around this basic formulation: Trump was inclined to go easy on the Russians because he viewed them as a domestic political asset. There are damning arguments to be marshaled against Trump for having done just that. And yet, its his once and future general election opponent, President Joe Biden, who is more plainly guilty of such a sin. Indeed, while Trumps lavishing of Putin with praise betrayed a woeful naivete and propensity to succumb to flattery, Bidens deeds betray his own misplaced priorities.

Read the full piece

03:26 PM BST

Macron to meet Lebanon PM in Paris Friday

Emmanuel Macron, Frances president, will meet Najib Mikati, Lebanons prime pinister, and army chief Joseph Aoun on Friday in Paris, the French presidency said.

The announcement on Thursday comes as Lebanon grapples with a deep economic and political crisis, compounded by cross-border fire between Lebanons Iran-backed Hezbollah group and neighbouring Israel that has renewed fears of a regional conflict.

03:10 PM BST

US and UK unveil sweeping sanctions on Irans drone program

The United States and Britain announced widespread sanctions against Irans military drone program on Thursday, in response to its weekend attack against Israel.

Washington is targeting 16 individuals and two entities enabling Irans UAV production, including engine types that power Irans Shahed variant UAVs, which were used in the April 13 attack, the Treasury Department said.

Tehran launched its first ever direct military attack on Israel late Saturday in retaliation for an April 1 air strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus - widely blamed on Israel - that killed seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including two generals.

02:45 PM BST

Pictured: Extensive destruction to Al Nuseirat refugee camp after Israeli armys withdrawal

Palestinians return to the Al Nuseirat refugee camp after the Israeli army's week-long assault on the area - Mohammed Saber/Shutterstock

Israeli forces have withdrawn from the area of the Al Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza following several days of violent military operations, according to the Civil Defense Directorate in the war ravaged enclave.

The Directorate said there was huge scale destruction, including residential buildings and infrastructure and called the situation tragic.

The mayor of Nuseirat, Iyad Maghari, said that roughly 25,000 square meters of roadways, water wells and generators that pumped water had been destroyed.

He added that the sewage system had been ravaged, with more than 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) of pipes destroyed.

The streets and the areas around shelters are swimming with around 20,000 tonnes of waste, said Maghari, causing an increase of vermin in the area that is already riddled with disease.

02:20 PM BST

At least 33,970 Palestinians have been killed since Oct 7

At least 33,970 Palestinians have been killed and 76,770 wounded in Israels military offensive on Gaza since Oct 7, the Gaza health ministry has said.

Reuters reports that the Hamas-led ministry figure has increased by 71 deaths since yesterday.

It has not been possible for journalists to independently verify the casualty figures being issued during the conflict.

02:07 PM BST

Lufthansa extends Tehran and Beirut flight suspensions, saying planes will avoid Iranian airspace

German airline giant Lufthansa has extended its suspension of flights to and from Tehran and Beirut until the end of April and said its planes will continue avoiding Iranian airspace.

Our flights to Tehran and Beirut are canceled up to and including 30 April and we are still not using Iranian airspace until the same date, a spokesman for the airline told AFP.

Lufthansa aircrafts parked at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany - Tobias Schwarz/AFP

01:52 PM BST

In depth: Why nothing stands in the way of Iran building nuclear bombs

Iran has never been closer to building a nuclear bomb than right now.

Tehran insists its nuclear programme is purely for civilian purposes but it has been building up stores of uranium.

For now, the threat of obtaining nuclear weapons is enough for Tehran.

But if the tensions with Israel escalate, that could change on a dime, according to the experts for this piece on whether anyone can stop Iran joining the nuclear club.

Our Europe Editor James Crisp has the full story here

01:06 PM BST

Lack of safe water plunges over a million women and girls in Gaza into dire conditions

More than a million women and girls in Gaza are facing inhumane living conditions and critical health risks due to the lack of safe water and basic sanitation services, according to UN Women.

By mid-December, the average per capita daily water consumption in Gaza has reached 1.5 litres, or one-tenth of the minimum amount required under international humanitarian standards for emergencies, said the UN agency.

This is five times less than the amount pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers need to keep themselves and their babies healthy and hydrated.

A mother bathes her child in the makeshift tents where Palestinians are sheltering in the overcrowded city of Rafah - Yasser Qudaih/Anadolu via Getty Images

12:50 PM BST

Iran could review its nuclear doctrine amid Israeli threats, warned commander.

Iran could review its nuclear doctrine, a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander said, according to state media agency Tasnim.

The warning raised concerns about Tehrans nuclear programme, which it has always maintained was strictly for peaceful purposes.

The remark came after senior ex-Mossad official Zohar Palti told Sky News that Israel was considering striking Irans nuclear facilities as a retaliation option after Saturdays attack.

12:33 PM BST

Aid drop kills Palestinian boy who survived deadly airstrike

A child who survived an Israeli airstrike that destroyed his familys home in November has been killed by a food aid drop.

Last week, 13-year-old Zein Oroq was struck by a food package in an airdrop as he scrambled to try and get a can of fava beans, some rice or flour.

While parachutes were falling, an aid box hit his head. Also, the stampede of people who were heading towards the box did not pay attention to the boy  they were also hungry, said his father, Mahmoud.

So, his head was cut and wounded, he got fractures in the pelvis, skull and abdomen, and with the flow of people, the pressure increased on him.

Zein was taken to hospital, where he died on Sunday.

Some 17 members of his family were killed in November when an airstrike hit their house, pinning Zein underneath the rubble of the building.

12:14 PM BST

Google terminates contracts of 28 employees for protest over Israeli cloud contract

Google announced on Thursday that it had terminated the contracts of 28 employees after some staff participated in protests against the companys cloud contract with the Israeli government, reports Reuters.

The Alphabet united said a handful of protesting employees entered and disrupted colleagues work at a number of unspecified office locations.

Physically impeding other employees work and preventing them from accessing our facilities is a clear violation of our policies, and completely unacceptable behavior, the company said in a statement.

Google said it had concluded individual investigations, according to Reuters, resulting in the termination of 28 employees contracts, and would continue to investigate and take action as required.

11:42 AM BST

Sirens in Israel northern border towns warn of a suspected drone attack

Sirens rang out in a number of communities close to Israels northern border on Wednesday, warning of a suspected incoming drone strike.

It comes after 14 Israeli soldiers and four civilians were wounded by an explosive drone fired from Lebanon that hit a community centre in the northern border town of Arab al-Aramshe.

The looming attack is in retaliation to the Israeli strike that killed two Hezbollah fighters on Thursday, in the border village of Kafr Kila.

Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging cross-border fire almost daily since Hamass attack on Israel on Oct 7.

10:47 AM BST

Aid convoy crosses Erez border for first time

A World Food Programme aid convoy carrying enough food for nearly 80,000 people has crossed the Erez crossing into northern Gaza for the first time.

Israel promised to reopen the border two weeks ago, after Joe Biden, the US presdient, warned that future US support for Israel would depend on it taking action to protect civilians and increase the flow of aid.

This week in #Gaza, 3 WFP convoys with enough food and wheat flour for nearly 80,000 people crossed into the north from the Erez crossing for the first time.



So far in April, 392 trucks carrying food have entered Gaza. This is nearly the same rate as March but half that pic.twitter.com/yADEKaR1wc  World Food Programme (@WFP) April 18, 2024

10:21 AM BST

Reuters Mohammed Salem wins 2024 World Press Photo of the Year award

Reuters photographer Mohammed Salem won the 2024 World Press Photo of the Year award on Thursday for his image of a Palestinian woman cradling the body of her five-year-old niece in the Gaza Strip.

The picture was taken on Oct 17 at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, where families were searching for relatives killed during Israeli bombing of the Palestinian enclave.

Palestinian woman Inas Abu Maamar, 36, embraces the body of her 5-year-old niece Saly, who was killed in an Israeli strike, at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, October 17, 2023. - REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

10:07 AM BST

Palestinian with alleged Islamic State ties arrested in West Bank on suspicion of planning imminent terror attack

Police detained a Palestinian man allegedly tied to the Islamic State jihadist movement, who planned to carry out a terror attack in the immediate time fram.

The suspect was arrested in the West Bank town of Beitunia, near Ramallah, following intelligence provided by the Shin Bet, the Israeli Security Agency, police said.

Officers said the suspect attempted to escape when police reached his home. He was then handed over to the Shin Bet for further interrogation.

09:42 AM BST

China and Indonesia: Would fully support Palestines membership in UN

The Chinese and Indonesian foreign ministers have called for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza after a meeting in Jakarta.

Retno Marsudi, Indonesias foreign affairs minister, told reporters that the two nations shared the same view on the importance of a two-state solution and a ceasefire.

I am sure that China would use its influence to prevent escalation, said Ms Marsudi. She added that China and Indonesia would also fully support Palestines membership in the UN.

Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister, blamed the United States for holding up ceasefire resolutions at the UN.

The US repeatedly vetoed a number of proposed Security resolutions because they didnt directly tie a ceasefire to the release of hostages held in Gaza or condemn Hamas Oct 7 attack on Israel.

Mr Wang said the conflict in Gaza had caused a rare humanitarian tragedy in the 21st century.

09:13 AM BST

Israeli deploys extra weapons for looming Rafah offensive

Israel has reportedly deployed extra artillery and armoured personnel to the areas surrounding the Gaza Strip, suggesting that the army is preparing for its long-threatened ground offensive on the city of Rafah.

The IDF confirmed on Tuesday it was buying 40,000 tents to prepare for the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians who have sought shelter in Rafah, the southernmost city in the besieged enclave.

Rafah is the only major urban area in the territory that Israeli ground forces have not yet entered and the only place of relative safety for at least 1.4 million displaced Palestinian civilians.

08:57 AM BST

Pictured: Israel bombs overcrowd Rafah overnight

Israeli bombardment from the air, land, and sea continues to be reported across much of the Gaza Strip, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of houses and other civilian infrastructure.

More than half of all buildings in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed in the conflict so far - MOHAMMED ABED/AFP

08:38 AM BST

UN appeals for 2.3bn for aid in Gaza and West Bank

The UN has launched an appeal for almost 2.3 billion to tackle the imminent famine in the Gaza Strip and aid Palestinians in the West Bank.

The UNs humanitarian agency, OCHA, said the sum was needed to help 3.1 million people and reduce human suffering and prevent further loss of life.

A large portion of the funding - 627 million - will be used for food aid for 2.2 million people in the Strip and 400,000 people in the West Bank, said the appeal.

A senior UN aid official said on Tuesday that the United Nations was struggling to prevent famine in the Gaza Strip, and while there had been some improvement in coordination with Israel, aid deliveries still faced significant checkpoint details.

Last week, 41 per cent of UN requests to deliver aid to northern Gaza were denied, said the official.

08:13 AM BST

Hamass head of interrogations for internal security killed in airstrike in northern Gaza

The head of interrogations in Hamass internal security in northern Gazas Beit Hanoun region was killed in an airstrike this week, the IDF and Shin Bet announced.

This elimination significantly damages the organisations investigations department, said the organisations in a joint statement.

In another recent incident, the IDF reported that the army carried out an airstrike on a vehicle containing at least 10 gunmen, killing them. It says the attack followed accurate intelligence on the operatives.

Israeli fighter jets struck a mortar cannon, used to launch missiles at troops operating in the Gaza Strip, in Gaza Citys Rimal neighbourhood, in the north of the enclave.

07:58 AM BST

Israel considered a retaliatory strike on Iran

Israel considered carrying out a strike on Iran in retaliation for last weekends unprecedented attack but then aborted the plan, according to Israeli and US media reports.

Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that following discussions with Joe Biden, the US president, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli president, decided not to proceed with pre-arranged plans for retaliatory strikes on Iran in the event of an attack.

Diplomatic sensitivities came into play, a senior Israeli official speaking on condition of anonymity told Kan, adding that there would be a response, but that it would be different from what was initially planned.

Citing three unnamed Israeli sources, ABC News reported: Israel prepared for and then aborted retaliatory strikes against Iran on at least two nights this past week.

Among the range of possible reactions considered by the Israeli war cabinet were options to attack Iranian proxies elsewhere in the region or to conduct a cyberattack, the sources told ABC.

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Iran warned Thursday that if Israel retaliates against Iranian nuclear sites, the nuclear doctrine in Tehran could change, in an apparent threat to begin nuclear weapons production in the event of escalation.

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Brig. Gen. Ahmad Haghtalab, commander of the unit responsible for nuclear sites, issued the threat in a Thursday interview with state-run media Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) ahead of a potential Israeli counter-attack on Iran.

If Israel intends to resort to the threat of attacking our nuclear facilities as a means to put pressure on Iran, reviewing the current doctrine and nuclear policies of the Islamic Republic and distancing from past considerations is possible and conceivable, Haghtalab told IRNA.

The threat highlights how tensions are continuing to spiral in the aftermath of an Iranian attack on Israel last weekend.

Iran launched more than 300 missiles and drones on the country, and though Israeli and allied forces shot down almost all of them, Israel has reportedly decided to retaliate for the attempted strike.

Israeli officials have not signaled how, when or where they would strike back against Iran, and officially Israel has not announced any impending action.

Iran is vowing a much harsher response should Israel retaliate. Haghtalab said Thursday that nuclear sites were protected and forces were ready to counter any threats.

To respond to their possible action, we have fingers on the trigger to launch powerful missiles to destroy the identified targets, he told IRNA.

Iran does not officially possess nuclear weapons, though Tehran has been enriching uranium at levels closer to weapons production since a nuclear deal fell apart in 2018 after former President Trump withdrew from the pact.

The deal had given Iran sanctions relief in return for Tehran not pursuing nuclear weapons, and the Biden administration pursued unofficial talks in the beginning of the administration to revive such a pact. Those talks ultimately died out.

A March Congressional Research Service report said Iran now has the capacity to build nuclear weapons at any time but has halted the process. The International Atomic Energy Agency has also warned that Iran continues to enrich uranium beyond commercial and practical use.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A missile is carried on a truck during a ceremony on the Army Day of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the Army Ground Forces Headquarters. Mohammad Javad Ostad/Iranian Presidency/dpa

An Iranian commander has hinted that Tehran could adopt a new course with its nuclear programme, in comments that come amid soaring tensions in the Middle East.

If Israel threatens to attack Iranian nuclear facilities and wants to put the country under pressure, a "review of the Islamic Republic's nuclear doctrine and policy" and an agreement on old principles is "possible and conceivable," said the commander for nuclear security, Ahmad Haghtalab, according to Tasnim news agency on Thursday.

So far, the Iranian leadership has always underlined that it does not aim to build nuclear weapons and that its domestic nuclear programme is purely for civilian purposes.

But Iran launched its first direct attack on Israel on Saturday, in retaliation for a suspected Israeli strike on the Iranian embassy compound in the Syrian capital Damascus that killed two generals, among others.

Tensions are soaring and Israel has vowed to strike back, threatening to hit Iran's military facilities, triggering concerns that the conflict could further escalate into all-out war.

Meanwhile Iran has been developing its nuclear facilities in recent years, while insisting these are solely for civilian purposes.

However, after lengthy negotiations due to concerns that Tehran could build a nuclear weapon, Iran signed a nuclear agreement to drastically restrict the enrichment of uranium and allow strict International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) checks in 2015.

But the United States pulled out of the agreement in 2018 under then-president Donald Trump, and Tehran began enriching uranium and came nearer to weapons-grade purity, while restricting IAEA inspections.

Recently, former leading Iranian politicians have hinted that the country is now technically capable of building nuclear weapons.

Iran's former nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi denied the country has military intentions when asked about this in two recent interviews.

"We are not seeking nuclear weapons... if we did, we would have announced it," he said.

Nevertheless, Salehi said the IAEA has expressed concerns that Iran has the technical capabilities to build a nuclear bomb.

Iran is currently enriching uranium to a purity level of 60%. A level of more than 90% is needed for nuclear weapons.

Critics have in the past expressed doubts about the civilian use of such highly enriched uranium.

Salehi also justified his country's decision not to pursue nuclear weapons with a fatwa, a religious legal opinion, issued by Iran's religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In it, Iran's head of state had banned weapons of mass destruction.

Khamenei has the final say on all strategic issues in Iran.

Iran earlier said that it had not used its most modern weapons in its direct attack on Israel on Saturday.

Tehran sent missiles and swarms of drones to Israel in response to the Damascus strike. The Israeli military was able to intercept almost all of the weapons, with the help of allies.

A top commander in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the country's most modern missiles were not used in Tehran's attack.

"We used old weapons of minimal power against the Zionist enemy," Tasnim quoted Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the aerospace forces, as saying on Thursday.

A year ago, for example, the IRGC presented a fourth version of its Khorramshahr medium-range missile, which can be equipped with a 1.5-ton warhead. Another missile that was not deployed, the Sejil, is said to be able to reach Israel in around seven minutes.

Iran frequently unveils new types of weapons, but claims about their abilities often cannot be independently verified by experts.

Iranian state media said Emad and Kheibar Shekan medium-range missiles were used in the attack on Israel. The Paveh cruise missile was also fired.

President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi (C) attends a ceremony on the Army Day of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the Army Ground Forces Headquarters. Mohammad Javad Ostad/Iranian Presidency/dpa
Iranians told to watch out for loose crocodiles as flooding hits countrys southeast

Iranian authorities have warned that crocodiles are being forced from their natural habitats as floods devastate parts of the countrys southeast.

Three road construction workers have died in the flooding, Iranian state news agency IRNA reported on Thursday, which came after a record-breaking storm hit the Middle East.

Heavy downpours and subsequent flash floods struck the Iranian provinces of Bandar Abbas, Kerman, and Sistan and Baluchistan, according to reports by the semi-official news agency Mehr News on Wednesday.

Rivers overflowed while dams reached capacity, leading to extensive property damage, the agency said. Videos broadcast by state news media IRNA and Tasnim showed widespread floods with people using boats to rescue others.

And the Department of Environment in Sistan and Baluchistan issued a warning highlighting concerns about short-nosed crocodiles being forced out of their natural habitats, local media reported on Thursday.

Residents were told to avoid unnecessary travel near the Bahu Kalat riverbanks, wetlands, marshes, and the peripheries of wildlife habitats until the floodwaters have fully receded and conditions stabilize.

The storm caused chaos earlier this week in Dubai and across the UAE. - Christopher Pike/AP

The Iranian Red Crescent meanwhile rescued 43 passengers from two buses that were trapped in floods on a road in the southeast, the organization posted on X.

The storm, which impacted countries in the region including the United Arab Emirates and Oman, struck Iran late Tuesday and into Wednesday.

The UAE saw its heaviest rainfall in 75 years this week, with one hundred millimeters (nearly 4 inches) of rain falling over the course of just 12 hours on Tuesday, according to weather observations at the airport.

In the popular tourist destination Dubai, flights were canceled, traffic came to a halt and schools closed.

The weather conditions were associated with a larger storm system traversing the Arabian Peninsula and moving across the Gulf of Oman. This same system is also bringing unusually wet weather to nearby Oman and southeastern Iran.

In Oman, at least 18 were killed in flash floods triggered by heavy rain, the countrys National Committee for Emergency Management said. Casualties included schoolchildren, according to Omans state news agency.

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A new force is emerging in our politics. Its not the far-Right populism that so many seem to fear. Quite the opposite. And the first step to getting to grips with it is to describe it honestly.

Some see the attempt to cancel Nigel Farage at this weeks National Conservatism conference in Brussels as EU globalists cracking down on dissent. I dont think thats quite right. No doubt theres little love for free speech in the EU institutions. But it has to be acknowledged that Alexander De Croo, the Belgian prime minister, spoke against the ban and a top Belgian court eventually overturned it. No, the real pressure seems to have come from elsewhere.

The threat, real or imaginary, from far-Left anti fascist demonstrators seems to have played a part. But Emir Kir, the local mayor, justified his ban more on classic woke grounds: the supposed threat from nationalists and conservatives opposed to gay marriage and abortion. Yet Kir himself isnt particularly woke, more of a machine politician backed by migrant votes. In 2019 he controversially accused the Belgian government on Saudi TV of behaving like Nazis for targeting Muslims in a security crackdown. Kirs cherry on the top of this was a meeting in 2020 with members of the MHP, a half far-Right half Islamist Turkish nationalist party, which finally saw him kicked out of the Belgian Socialists.

Where else have we seen this interweaving of far-Leftism, Islamism, and wokeism? Not so much in Davos. Much more on the streets of London protesting about Gaza.

For if you look at those anti-Israel demonstrations, you see just those three elements. First, the convinced Muslims  whether just orthodox, fundamentalist, or genuinely extreme. Second, the old Leftists  communists, Socialist Workers, and the like. And finally, the fashionable supporters of woke causes, LGBT rights campaigners, identity politics believers. However unlikely it is that LGBT campaigners would be warmly received in Gaza, all show solidarity in their cause.

I think this new mix of ideologies explains why so many people, in my experience, are not just critical of these intimidating marches but actually unnerved by them. They sense something different, something sinister, in British politics.

I also suspect it is why Lee Andersons ill-phrased comments last month about London mayor Sadiq Khan still struck a chord with so many. He was of course wrong to claim that Sadiq Khan was under the control of Islamists. But those who reasonably enough noted that it would have been fairer to criticise the mayor for being too woke still showed a kind of false consciousness in seeing woke causes and Islamist politics as pure opposites. On the streets, they have been allies not opponents.

Far-Leftists and Islamists have learnt to work together. In France this phenomenon even has a name  Islamo-gauchisme, Islamo-Leftism. But those groups are on the political margins. The key to the breakout to the mainstream that we are seeing is the outreach to woke opinion, now the common currency of much of the centre-Left. And these unlikely bedfellows can work together because they share a common view of society.

All these activists see society as based on group rights: a regressive form of essentially communal politics where people view their rights as deriving from their class or group status, whether race, religion, economic status, sexual identity, or even just opinion. They believe that society is driven not by productive collaboration between individuals, but by zero-sum conflict between groups to get on top, a fight in which there is no room for tolerance or free expression of opinion.

Because this is so obviously unhistorical, they want to reset the present day as year zero, so they can create a fantasy view of the past as simply about repression of minority groups by the rulers. For some, the ruling class is rich white men or simply whiteness or Christian or Western values; for others it is capitalists, big business, and neoliberals; and for others it still is, and always has been, Jews. Thats why criticism of Israel, a successful Western country based on freedom and free markets, has been the perfect cause to bring them all together in public. But it wont stop at Israel. Its aimed at all of us.

The first step to fighting this fundamentally anti-Western communalist movement is to recognise that it exists. The second is to vigorously police our laws against intimidation and harassment and in favour of free speech. The third is to deprive it of its institutional purchase: repeal the Equality Act, remove all ability to recruit or promote people by category rather than as individuals, refuse attempts to rewrite our history, to change names, topple statues, or suggest that Britain has always been diverse. The fourth is to kick out of the Conservative Party anyone who isnt comfortable with this.

And the fifth? Thats for the Labour Party. Are mainstream social democrats going to keep giving house room to communalism and sectarianism, sniggering as the Labour front bench did this week when they heard about the NatCon ban? Or are they going to see it as what it really is: fundamentally anti-tradition, anti-Western, anti-civilisation, and inimical to their aims, too? Im not holding my breath.

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JERUSALEM  Some of Israels most advanced military technology was on display over the weekend when its multi-level aerial defense array led the way in striking down an estimated 99% of the more than 350 drones, rockets and missiles that were fired by Iran in an unprecedented attack on the Jewish state.

From the Iron Dome, which in its latest format uses artificial intelligence (AI) to improve accuracy when shooting short-range surface-to-surface rockets, to Davids Sling, which intercepts short- to medium-range and medium- to long-range surface-to-surface missiles, to the Arrow 2 and 3 systems, which is used for longer-range ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as AI-driven aircraft and other technology, Israels defensive operation proved it was far superior to the offensive capabilities of the Islamic Republic.

In a press briefing following the attack, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari hailed Israels defensive operation, which was carried out together with partners from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), as a "very significant strategic achievement." He said it demonstrated the "exceptional professionalism" of Israels Aerial Defense Array and the "defensive abilities of the air force as well as the armys military and technological superiority."

BATTLEFIELD DEMANDS SPARK AI RACE IN UKRAINE AS WAR WITH RUSSIA RAGES ON

Tal Mimran, of the Cyber Security Research Center in the Faculty of Law at Hebrew University, told Fox News Digital that broader cyber methods and even AI technology were also likely used in the successful defense operation.

"AI-powered algorithms analyze radar and other sensor data to track incoming missiles and calculate the best time to intercept these more effectively and prioritize targets," he said. "AI makes the system more effective against a wider range of threats, like drones and other small, low-flying objects."

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Mimran said the Iron Dome, which Israel has been using for more than a decade to thwart rocket attacks from Gaza and Lebanon, now uses a "significant application of AI to improve system accuracy."

"Using AI increases the Iron Domes success rate to over 90% and reduces operating costs," he said. "This is important because these threats are becoming increasingly common and pose a challenge to traditional air defense systems, as is evident in the Russia-Ukraine war."

Rockets fired by Hamas terrorists from Gaza City are intercepted by the Israeli Iron Dome defense missile system in the early hours of Oct. 8, 2023.

Mimran also noted that over the past few months "IDF officials have acknowledged using AI-based tools for several purposes, including targeting support, intelligence analysis, proactive forecasting and streamlined command and control."

According to Mimran, Israels war against Hamas in Gaza has spotlighted the IDFs Habsora, or "the Gospel," an AI-based system that is used to generate possible military targets for attack. However, he said, accusations that the IDF has been using AI systems to commit mass assassinations give too much credit to the AI-powered tools currently in use.

Jonathan Conricus, a senior fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, played down the role of AI in the weekend operation, telling Fox News Digital that while the technology is incorporated in some air force systems, "a live event with 300 incoming projectiles cannot be left to AI; there needs to be responsible human in the loop making real-time decisions."

ISRAEL'S USE OF AI IN HAMAS WAR CAN HELP LIMIT COLLATERAL DAMAGE 'IF EXECUTED PROPERLY,' EXPERT SAYS

"I know that senior air force personnel were involved in controlling every aspect of this," said Conricus, a former IDF spokesperson for the international media. "I find it hard to believe that any significant part of the targeting done [over the weekend] was done with AI."

He said that over the past six months  since Oct. 7 when the Palestinian terror group Hamas carried out a brutal attack in southern Israel, sparking a full-blown war in Gaza and daily rocket fire by the militant Shiite terror group Hezbollah across Israels northern border, too  Israel has been forced to utilize its innovative missile defense technology.

"All of the systems have been fully operational since Oct. 7 and all have confirmed real-world hits," Conricus said, adding that Israels newest layer of aerial defense, the Arrow 3 system, debuted just a few months ago by intercepting ballistic missiles fired by the Yemen-based Houthis, an extremist Islamist group that is supported and funded by the fundamentalist Islamist regime in Tehran. Both Hamas and Hezbollah are also Iranian proxies.

"I think that today what we have is a pretty solid and well-rounded air defense that deals with a very wide array and broad spectrum of incoming threats, from very small and fast projectiles like UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) to extremely large and lethal ballistic missiles, which are also very fast, tremendously big and carry a ton of explosives," he said.

Irans attack on Sunday  the first ever directly from its soil  brought together all the different tiers of Israels defensive system, Conricus said.

"They are all interlinked and communicate with each other," he said, describing how a central command office provided an overall picture of the attack as it unfolded, giving a threat assessment in real time and coordinating the entire operation with the U.S. and other CENTCOM partners.

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

Conricus said that while many of the innovative defense systems were created by Israel, "a large part of the development was also carried out with the Americans," allowing "the radar systems and the digital intercepting systems" to communicate with U.S. defense systems."

"They were developed together with congressional funding and support," he said, explaining that there were "a lot of plug-and-play capabilities" and, if needed, the U.S. systems can easily connect with the Israeli system.

According to Israeli army estimates, Iran fired some 30 cruise missiles, 120 ballistic missiles and 170 suicide drones that carried about 60 tons of warheads and explosives combined. While most of the projectiles were shot down before reaching Israels borders, two air force bases were lightly hit and a 7-year-old Israeli girl was seriously injured. Forces from the U.S., British and French militaries, as well as from several countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia and Jordan, participated in the operation.

"To coordinate such an attack is not an easy task because all three weapon systems have [different] velocities and performances," said Tal Inbar, a senior research fellow at Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance.

He said that the UAVs, mostly Iranian-produced Shahed 136s, would have been fired first because they move at the slowest pace; followed by the cruise missiles and finally the ballistic missiles, which have a relatively short flight time from Iran to Israel, depending on the launch site.

Inbar noted that Irans decision to use drones gave Israel several hours to "prepare itself to the maximum."

In addition to deploying advanced missile defense systems and scrambling fighter planes, he said Israel also put in place some levels of cyberprotection, including disrupting satellite navigation, which is effective in stopping some of the projectiles from reaching their targets.

"Ballistic missiles cannot be jammed because they use an internal navigation system, but this is not the case with drones," Inbar said, noting that Israelis have become used to GPS disturbances over the past six months.

Recent media reports also suggest that Israel deployed its new $1 billion spy plane, the Oron, which provided vital information that was used to track and destroy the drones and missiles in flight. The high-tech jet, which Israel unveiled at last years Paris Air Show, is equipped with thousands of advanced sensors. The Oron has the ability to scan vast terrain and gather an unprecedented amount of information at a considerable distance from the targets being tracked. When asked about the Oron spy plane, the IDF did not comment.





Original article source: Israels advanced military technology on full display during Iran's attack
(Bloomberg) -- Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah attacked a village in northern Israel with drones and anti-tank missiles, injuring 14 soldiers.

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Israels army said six of those were severely wounded in the attack, after which it carried out retaliatory strikes on the source of fire. Israeli fighter jets also struck Hezbollah military compounds in southern Lebanon, where the group is based, the Israel Defense Forces said.

Wednesdays clashes mark the most forceful strike by Hezbollah since Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones on Israel last week. Tensions near Israels northern border have remained high for months, with the military regularly exchanging fire with Hezbollah.

Israel Attacked by Iran as Mideast Enters Perilous New Phase

The fighting raises the risk of a full-blown conflict in the north, at a time when Israel is focused on destroying the leadership of Hamas in Gaza to the south. Both Hamas and Hezbollah are designated terrorist groups by the US.

The latest attack took place at a community center in Arab al-Aramshe in Western Galilee, Israels Channel 12 said. Hezbollah targeted what it said was an Israeli reconnaissance site, according to a report by the groups Al-Manar TV.

Saudis, UAE Warn of War Dangers as Israel-Iran Tensions Boil

Hezbollah is the most powerful militia in the Middle East and thought by Israeli intelligence to have more than 100,000 rockets and missiles. Thats a much bigger arsenal than what Hamas is believed to have had before Oct. 7, when its fighters swarmed into southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and abducting about 250.

(Updates with details on casualty figures from the first paragraph.)

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The Air Force reported that the city of Ivano-Frankivsk was the main target of the Russian Shahed drone attack on the night of 17-18 April. The Ukrainians managed to destroy all Russian drones.

Source: Illia Yevlash, spokesperson for Ukraine's Air Force; Ruslan Martsinkiv, the Mayor of Ivano-Frankivsk, on Facebook

Quote from Yevlash: "The enemy attacked using their standard routes, from Cape Chauda in temporarily occupied Crimea, and from the territory of Primorsko-Akhtarsk, which is in the Russian Federation, from where the enemy directed their UAVs... They flew along standard routes  attempting to bypass various rugged terrain areas (along rivers, etc.)...

They attempted to bypass Ivano-Frankivsk and attack the city from different sides  north and south. They moved in a zigzag pattern to make it more difficult to target them. Throughout the air raid, they utilised both groups and individual drones, thus attempting to confuse their trail thoroughly. However, despite such tactics, our Defene Forces managed to destroy all 13 UAVs...

Unfortunately, Ivano-Frankivsk is one of the cities that suffered the most from the Russian Shahed drones."

Details: Martsinkiv added that over Prykarpattia, Ukrainian air defence destroyed several Russian targets, and there were no casualties due to the attack. He called the information from Russian propagandists about alleged hits in the city centre a lie. All targets were shot down, and the smoke was produced by falling wreckage.

The spokesperson also mentioned that one of the drones "hovered" over the water for several hours on the border between Dnipropetrovsk and Poltava oblasts. Martsinkiv explained that it's challenging for mobile air defence groups to reach such areas and destroy the target.

He said Ukraine is experiencing a shortage of air defence systems: "We need missiles that would effectively combat even cruise missiles for our portable anti-aircraft missile systems. However, this requires additional resources and equipment, including for mobile fire groups, which could effectively detect drones at night and hit them."

Background:

The Russians attempted to strike critical infrastructure facilities in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast. All Russian air targets were successfully destroyed, but the falling wreckage caused fires.

The Russians launched 13 Shahed-131/136 strike UAVs at Ukraine overnight on 17-18 April, all of which were shot down by air defence forces.

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JACKSON, Mich. (WLNS)  Leaders, law enforcement, and community members gathered Wednesday for the third annual community summit to address and reduce violence in Jackson.

During the summit on Wednesday, a focus was placed on community members active engagement in intervening in problems before situations escalate to the point of violence.

More than 100 people participated in the event at the American One Event Center. The primary question: How do we limit violence in the city?

Leaders, law enforcement and community members gathered Wednesday for the third annual community summit to address and reduce violence in Jackson. (WLNS)

The summit provided community members, including high school students, the opportunity to meet with police officers and figure out their role in a solution.

Violence is going to continue, Deputy Chief Sergio Garcia of the Jackson Police Department tells 6 News. So, until we stand up against it, thats the reality.

But law enforcement officials stressed they are partners in ending violence, not the sole entity responsible and capable of stopping violence.

That message connected to Vanessa Ibeson, a student at Northwest High School.

Its important that the youth uses their voice and speaks out against these situations, because it does affect us, she says.

Ibeson was a participant on one of four panels at the summit on Wednesday.

The panels allowed the community to ask questions of students, city officials, law enforcement, and mental health professionals.

Ibeson says the most impactful panel discussion, for her, was the conversation with law enforcement. That conversation allowed community members to express concerns about trust in police and advocate for a way to submit tips to law enforcement anonymously.

Jackson Chief of Police Elmer Hitt says the call for an anonymous tip process was necessary and promised the department would work to develop something.

A better way for us to receive that information, he says, with people understanding or trusting that its confidential, or that their name doesnt even need to be provided, and that can be a huge benefit to us.

Hitt says the summit was an opportunity to reflect on what the community was doing right, as well.

Not just law enforcement efforts, but community efforts have made an impact, Hitt says. And its been fairly quiet as of recent.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.
Iranian medium range missiles 'Nazeat' are displayed during the annual Army Day celebration at a military base in Tehran, Iran, on April 17, 2024.

The U.S. and U.K. on Thursday imposed a new round of sanctions on Iran as concern grows that Tehrans unprecedented attack on Israel could fuel a wider war in the Middle East. The sanctions were meant to hold Iran accountable for its weekend attack and to deter further such activity. But the practical impact is likely to be limited because many of the targeted companies already were subject to U.S. sanctions and the individuals singled out for new sanctions are unlikely to have assets in U.S. jurisdictions.

Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control targeted 16 people and two entities in Iran that produce engines that power the drones used in the April 13 attack on Israel. OFAC also sanctioned five firms involved in steel production and three subsidiaries of Iranian automaker Bahman Group  which is accused of materially supporting Irans military and other sanctioned groups. A representative from Bahman was not immediately available for comment.

Additionally, the U.K. is targeting several Iranian military branches and individuals involved in Irans drone and ballistic missile industries.

President Joe Biden said in a statement that he had directed U.S. Treasury to continue to impose sanctions that further degrade Irans military industries. Let it be clear to all those who enable or support Irans attacks, he said, we will not hesitate to take all necessary action to hold you accountable.

U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement that the sanctions will further limit Irans ability to destabilize the region.

In addition to Treasurys sanctions, the U.S. Commerce Department is imposing new controls to restrict Irans access to basic commercial grade microelectronics, which apply to items manufactured outside the U.S. that are produced using U.S. technology.

The actions come after U.S. officials earlier this week warned that they were readying new sanctions in response to Irans activity in the region and to prevent future attacks. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill also have been quickly pushing forward legislation that would financially punish the Islamic Republic and its leaders.

Irans attack on Israel early Sunday came in response to what it says was an Israeli strike on Irans consulate in Syria earlier this month. Israels military chief said Monday that his country will respond to the Iranian attack, while world leaders caution against retaliation, trying to avoid a spiral of violence.

European Union leaders also vowed on Wednesday to ramp up sanctions on Iran, targeting its drone and missile deliveries to proxies in Gaza, Yemen and Lebanon.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the existing EU sanctions regime would be strengthened and expanded to punish Tehran and help prevent future attacks on Israel. At the same time, he said, Israel needed to exercise restraint.

I dont want to exaggerate, but we are on the edge of a war, a regional war in the Middle East, which will be sending shockwaves to the rest of the world, and in particular to Europe, he warned. So stop it.

The U.S. has already sanctioned hundreds of entities and people in Iran  from the central bank and government officials to drone producers and money exchangers  accused of materially supporting Irans Revolutionary Guard and foreign militant groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.

And U.S. efforts to limit Irans income from oil and petroleum products span back decades.

The question remains how effective sanctions will be, and have been, in preventing Iran from ramping up its production of military equipment. American defense officials accuse Iran of supplying drones to Russia as it pursues its invasion of Ukraine, which has reached a third year.

Earlier this week, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said during a press conference that the U.S. has been working to diminish Irans ability to export oil.

There may be more that we could do, she said.

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Jawbone Found in Arizona Boy's Rock Collection Belongs to Marine Who Died in 1951, Experts Say

U.S. Marine Corps Captain Everett Leland Yager died during a military exercise more than seven decades ago

Ramapo College of New Jersey U.S. Marine Corps Captain Everett Leland Yager, who died in a military training accident in 1951

A jawbone found in an Arizona boy's rock collection in 2002 has been identified more than 20 years later as belonging to U.S. Marine Corps Captain Everett Leland Yager

Yager  who was long referred to as Rock Collection John Doe  died in a military training exercise in July 1951

A New York high school student who worked on the case is believed to be "the youngest person to ever contribute to an investigative genetic genealogy case resolution"

An object found in an Arizona boys rock collection more than two decades ago is actually a piece of jawbone belonging to a late U.S. Marine, according to experts.

The jawbone, which still had several teeth connected, was first obtained by the Yavapai County Sheriffs Office in 2002, according to a news release from Ramapo College of New Jersey.

However, no matching DNA was found in government databases following traditional testing. But more than 20 years later, the case was revived.

In January 2023, YCSO and Yavapai County Medical Examiner referred the case to Ramapo Colleges Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center.

Related: Badly Decomposed Human Remains Found Over 3 Decades Ago Identified as Man Who Went Missing in Niagara Falls

In May, the jawbone was sent to Intermountain Forensics in Salt Lake City, where a profile was developed and uploaded to GEDmatch Pro and FamilyTreeDNA.

Two months later, IGG Center intern Ethan Schwartz and students with Ramapo Colleges IGG Bootcamp worked on the case. It took them less than two days to find a lead candidate, which was subsequently handed over to YCSO.

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In March, experts confirmed the jawbone belonged to U.S. Marine Corps Captain Everett Leland Yager using a DNA sample taken from his daughter in August 2023.

Yager  who was long referred to as Rock Collection John Doe  died in a military training exercise in July 1951, according to Ramapo College.

Ramapo College of New Jersey The Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center at Ramapo College of New Jersey helped crack the case 20 years after the jawbone was found

Related: Family Went to Clean Out Home After Mans Death. Then They Found Human Remains in the Basement: 'Scary'

His remains were recovered in Riverside County, California, following the incident and were thought to have been buried in Palmyra, Missouri.

Cairenn Binder, assistant director of the Ramapo College IGG Center, called the case a lesson in expecting the unexpected.

The team that worked on this case at our IGG bootcamp included some truly outstanding researchers, Binder said in the release, and we are so proud of them for helping to repatriate Captain Yagers remains and return them to his family.

Related: Human Remains Found at Bottom of Cliff Identified as Retired Nurse Missing for Over 3 Months

It is unclear where exactly the boy found the jawbone, though it was presumably found in Arizona.

Additionally, Schwartz is believed to be the youngest person to ever contribute to an investigative genetic genealogy case resolution, according to Ramapo College.

Schwartz is a New York resident and attends Suffern High School.



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Read the original article on People.
Capt. Everett Leland Yager of the U.S. Marine Corps was 30 years old when he embarked on a military training exercise back in California in 1951, and its fair to say the World War II vet probably had a lot of ideas about how he wanted to be remembered by his wife and two children should he be killed during his service. Full military honors, perhaps a somber memorial. A burial site where future generations could remember him.

He almost certainly didnt expect any of his remains to wind up in a childs rock collection. And yet thats exactly what happened, according to genealogy experts.

The unexpected discovery was announced this week by the Ramapo College of New Jersey, where a genetics lab determined that Yagers jawbone had somehow been mistaken for a rock during a scavenging exploration in Arizona. The rock was finally referred for forensic testing in January 2023, and students ultimately found it was a DNA match to Yagers daughter.

Yager, who died in a training accident over the air in Californias Riverside County, was laid to rest at a cemetery in Missouri, and there had reportedly never been any inkling that the grave did not contain all of his remains.

No one is quite sure how the jaw bone ended up in Arizona since the accident took place in the air over California. One theory is that a scavenger, such as a bird, picked it up and eventually deposited it during its travels over Arizona, Ramapo College said in a press release. Plans are being made to reunite the remains with the family.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Jawbone of US Marine killed in 1951 found in boys rock collection, experts say

The jawbone of a US Marine Corps member killed during an aeroplane accident more than 70 years ago has finally been identified after it spent years as part of an Arizona boys rock collection.

College students and one high school intern working with the Ramapo College Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center in New Jersey helped make the discovery, according to a news release issued on Tuesday.

The organisation has been influential in helping identify the victims of cold cases.

Most of Captain Everett Leland Yagers remains were recovered in Riverside County, California, after the 1951 accident and buried in Palmyra, Missouri.

Its thought that a scavenger, possibly a bird, picked up the mans jawbone and deposited it in northern Arizona, where its believed to have been picked up by the child, who officials did not identify.

The boys mother discovered the rock, which had several teeth, in her sons belongings and contacted the Yavapai County Sheriffs Office in around 2002. The sheriffs department and the Yavapai County Medical Examiner referred the case to the genealogy centre in January 2023 after performing unsuccessful DNA tests.

Students in the centres bootcamp took on the case in July. Researchers contacted the daughter of Captain Yager for a DNA sample to compare the jaw bone. In 2024 March, the test results of that sample confirmed a parent/child relationship between the two, resolving the case.

Plans are currently being made to reunite the remains with the mans family, the genealogy centre said. Ethan Schwartz, the high school student, is thought to be the youngest person ever to contribute to an investigative genetic genealogy case resolution.
JoCo Sheriff Hayden lied about having warrant to seize old ballots for election probe

At a GOP candidate forum on Saturday, Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden falsely claimed he was about to serve a search warrant to seize old ballots for his long-running elections investigation right as the county destroyed them.

As we stand here today, we had a search warrant in hand and had talked with the district attorney and we were working on getting the documents needed when they decided in a hurry to destroy the records, Hayden, who is running for reelection, said at the event at Johnson County Republican Party headquarters, according to reporting by the Shawnee Mission Post.

But Melody Webb, a spokeswoman with the Johnson County district attorney, said the office is unaware of any search warrant being submitted to a judge for review.

Thats despite Hayden having roughly three months to do so, after county officials in late November warned him they would move forward with the ballot destruction to comply with state law. The countys top attorney shortly after asked Hayden if he planned to obtain a warrant.

The sheriffs Republican primary opponent, Doug Bedford, a former undersheriff who also spoke at Saturdays forum, has called on Hayden to show proof of his claim.

Under Kansas law, search warrants must be executed within 96 hours. The warrant would also be dated and timed, so Hayden could produce it to support his claim, Bedford, who is running in the Aug. 6 primary, said in an email to The Star.

I find it very unlikely he had a warrant and did not act. Sheriff Hayden has run his re-election campaign on election fraud, and to not act when he could finally prove himself correct is very odd.

When asked, a spokesperson for the sheriffs office said, This is an open investigation so we cant release any information at this time.

In addition to Haydens most recent public comments, the sheriff has regularly promoted his investigation at right-wing conferences and events.

The years-old ballots have been at the center of a protracted political battle in Johnson County for the past few months. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, a Republican who joined Hayden in urging the county to preserve the ballots, is now crafting a legal opinion on whether the election office had the authority to destroy the election materials amid a criminal investigation.

Kansas law requires the regular destruction of ballots.

But the county hadnt destroyed ballots since 2019 per requests by Hayden, who called them evidence as he continues his probe of an election software company previously used by the county to manage poll workers. His investigation has produced no criminal charges while energizing election deniers.

County officials said late last year they were receiving reminders from Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican, to destroy ballots in compliance with state law. The countys top lawyer asked Hayden if he was still investigating and whether he had any objection to the ballot destruction.

Hayden urged the county to preserve the ballots. And Kobach joined the fight and asked the county to hold on to the election records, citing importance to Haydens investigation.

Then in early December, Johnson County chief legal counsel Peg Trent asked Hayden whether he planned to obtain a search warrant to seize the ballots. Otherwise, the county would move forward with destruction, per Kansas law.

When no such warrant was served, Johnson County Election Commissioner Fred Shermans office in late February shredded the ballots from the 2019, 2020 and 2021 elections.

Kansas state Sen. Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican, in January asked Kobach to issue a formal opinion on the ballot destruction. Emails obtained by The Star show that Johnson County Commissioner Charlotte OHara sent a similar request in December.

Would this destruction of evidence, noted and identified by the Johnson County Sheriffs Office, constitute a criminal offense/action? OHara asked.

Trent argued in a letter that the Attorney General Opinion process is being inappropriately utilized for potential criminal prosecution of the Johnson County Election Commissioner.

Schwab, who oversees the states elections, has maintained that election officials have no authority to disregard state law absent a court order.

Both the county and district attorneys office say Hayden did not obtain such order.

Meanwhile, Hayden has continued to say at public events that his investigation is moving forward.

Bedford took a jab at Hayden, saying in an email the sheriff has had years to produce results based on evidence provided by members of the public but has yet to have any of his investigations result in criminal charges.

Bedford said if he were to take office, he would review the case to determine whether there is evidence to move forward with criminal charges. But if there is no evidence of a crime, I would be duty bound to end the investigation.

Hayden, who has spent 28 years in the sheriffs office and previously served as a county commissioner, ran unopposed for sheriff in both 2016 and 2020. The sheriffs race has so far drawn one Democratic challenger, Prairie Village Police Chief Byron Roberson.

Includes reporting by The Stars Jonathan Shorman.
TechCrunch

Starship is ready to fly again  and for the first time, SpaceX is going to try to bring the booster back to the launch site to catch it with a pair of oversized "chopsticks." SpaceX will launch the mammoth Starship on Sunday in a launch window that opens at 5 AM PST (7 AM local time) from the companys Starbase site in southeast Texas. This flight, which will be the fifth in the Starship development program, is coming a little sooner than expected: the Federal Aviation Administration had previously said that it did not anticipate issuing a modified launch license for this test before late November.
BELLVILLE  The Clear Fork Valley Local Schools Board of Education voted Tuesday to approve a contract with John Thomas to hire him as district interim superintendent, which will start Aug. 1.

The Clear Fork Board of Education has named John Thomas, right, as interim superintendent. At left is school board president Brian Johnson.

Thomas has been serving as the interim elementary principal in Lexington Schools since December 2023 and has past interim superintendent experience at West Holmes Local School District and Mansfield City School District as well as superintendent experience at Delaware City Schools, Alliance City School District and Crestview Local School District, according to the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center.

Thomas said, I am pleased to have been selected by the Clear Fork Valley Board of Education, and I look forward to working with them during the next school year. I am also looking forward to working with the leadership team, teachers and staff and getting to know students, their parents and members of the Clear Fork Valley community.

Board President Brian Johnson welcomed Thomas, saying, The Clear Fork Board of Education is excited to welcome John Thomas as the interim superintendent. Mr. Thomas has extensive experience in education and administration and will play a vital role in the near future to move Clear Fork Valley forward in continued success.

Mid-Ohio ESC Superintendent Kevin D. Kimmel said Mid-Ohio ESC was glad to partner with the Clear Fork Valley Board of Education to find the best candidate. I would like to commend the Clear Fork Valley Board of Education for making an excellent selection to lead the district for this interim period. John Thomass background and experience proved to be the difference in being selected from a strong field of candidates. MOESC appreciated the feedback from the school community and staff in this process, and we look forward to continuing to support the district in the transition.

Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center provides specialized academic and support services to 13 school districts and over 20,000 students in Crawford, Morrow and Richland Counties. Client districts receive services from curriculum, gifted and special education consultants, speech pathologists, psychologists, special education teachers, occupational therapists and physical therapists.

Current superintendent Janice Wyckoff's contract with the district runs through July 31.

lwhitmir@gannett.com

419-521-7223

X (formerly Twitter): @LWhitmir

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Thomas has wealth of experience as interim superintendent locally
JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL)  A 20-year-old Johnson City man will serve 18 years in prison for selling a pill containing fentanyl that caused a 20-year-old womans death near East Tennessee State University on Sept. 9, 2022.

Zachary Bobadilla, who was indicted for the death in March 2023, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder under the drug statute, according to a news release from First Judicial District Attorney Steve Finneys office.

Kingsport PD: NC murder suspect released from hospital

Bobadilla also pleaded to separate charges of possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony and possession of a Schedule II drug (fentanyl) for sale or delivery. The three-year weapon sentence and three-year possession sentence will be served concurrently to the homicide sentence.

News Channel 11 reported in March 2023 that Johnson City police questioned Bobadilla at an East Johnson City apartment the day of the overdose death and arrested him that day.

An affidavit for Bobadillas arrest from that same day stated Bobadilla admitted he was in possession of narcotics and pointed to a dresser. The affidavit said police recovered a bottle of blue pills that investigators believed are Roxicodone, along with suspected marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms.

The affidavit made no mention of a potentially related death but said the drugs would be sent to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) lab for testing. Tennessee state law changed in 2018 to allow a second-degree murder charge if any amount of fentanyl was found in an overdose victims system after death.

The death for which Bobadilla was convicted occurred during a period when the Johnson City area suffered a spate of overdose deaths. Robert Qualls Jr. and Brittany Fitzgerald were indicted in September 2023 for the Sept. 8, 2022 death of 34-year-old Timothy Kuykendall. They remain in the court system with plea deadlines scheduled for August.

PREVIOUS: Fentanyl suspected as overdose clusters continue

Assistant District Attorney Scott Shults and the Johnson City Police Department participated in the prosecution.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Wednesday dismissed conservative criticism over the lack of border security provisions in his latest foreign aid proposal, blaming the lack of action on Senate and White House Democrats, whom he claims are preventing security of the border.

Some of my colleagues want the Speaker of the House to have a magic wand, Johnson said Wednesday on FOX Business Networks Kudlow. If we could close the border ourselves, we would have done it a long time ago.

His remarks came just hours after he released the legislative text for three bills that would combine military assistance to Ukraine, Israel and allies in the Indo-Pacific with humanitarian aid for Gaza. The bills come after months of delays after his initial proposal was criticized by the right flank.

The foreign aid bills do not include a border security measure, reversing his previous indication that any aid for Ukraine would be tied to border security measures. He said Wednesday the separate measure will include core components from H.R. 2.

Despite any attempt to appease the right flank, a number of conservatives criticized Johnsons move, accusing him of cutting bipartisan deals with President Biden.

Speaking with FOX Business Network host Larry Kudlow, Johnson pointed to the Houses passage of H.R. 2 last year and how the Democratic-controlled Senate chose not to move it forward.

Its sitting on Chuck Schumers desk. That had all the components, close the border, change asylum, processes and problems, the  end catch-and-release, and reinstate Remain in Mexico, all the things that President Trump had done so effectively, Biden reflexively did the opposite. And thats been the problem, Johnson said. We passed resolutions, Larry. We passed the laws. They sit in Chuck Schumers  on his desk in the Senate, because, again, the Democrats run the Senate. The Democrats run the White House. And they want an open border.

In floor remarks delivered Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Democrats are glad to debate with the other side of the aisle on the border. He argued House Republicans wasted time on an impeachment effort against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and pointed to his previous efforts to take action at the border. The Senate later dismissed the two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, shutting down the possibility of a Senate trial.

If Republicans, instead of spending so much time and energy on this meritless impeachment work with Democrats on border reform, then we might have actually gotten something done. If House Republicans want to have a serious debate on border security, we welcome it, Schumer said in a press conference following the impeachment dismissal vote.

Johnson noted the House plans to bring a border bill  titled the End The Border Catastrophe Act  to the House floor later this week.

He echoed the sentiment in a separate interview on CNNs The Lead With Jake Tapper, where he promoted lower expectations for the GOP conference given the partys paper-thin majority.

Were not going to get 100 percent of what we want right now, because we have the smallest majority in history, he told CNN anchor Jake Tapper. By definition, we wont get everything we want.

But we got a great product here, at the end much better than the alternative that came in the Senate supplemental, he continued. And now everybody gets to vote their conscience up or down. Thats what were for.

The mounting pressure on Johnson comes amid an ouster threat from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who introduced the motion to vacate Johnson last month after he pushed forward an omnibus spending package to avert a partial government shutdown.

Rep. Thomas Massie (Ky.) came out Tuesday as the first Republican to publicly back Greenes motion. He cited Johnsons plan to put Ukraine aid on the floor, along with his handling of government funding and the reauthorization of the U.S.s warrantless surveillance authority in a vote last week.

Several GOP members have voiced opposition toward booting Johnson, and multiple Democrats have said they would be willing to save the Speaker depending on how he handles Ukraine aid.

This story was updated at 7:36 p.m. EDT

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) will lean heavily on Democrats to move a series of bills in the coming days providing aid to Ukraine, Israel and other democratic allies overseas  a strategy that acknowledges the nuances of governing in a divided Washington but also heightens the risk of his removal by disgruntled conservatives.

In rejecting a Senate-passed foreign aid bill favored by Democrats, the Speaker has sought to mollify his hard-line GOP critics and put a more conservative stamp on the contentious foreign assistance. Simultaneously, hes moving a border security bill, also aimed at bringing conservatives on board, that is dead-on-arrival in the Senate.

But that alternative, multipronged strategy for moving almost $100 billion in overseas aid has only aggravated his restive right flank, put a spotlight on his tenuous grip on the conference he leads, and triggered a new threat to his gavel, when Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) announced hes ready to boot the Speaker from his leadership perch.

The backlash means the success of the legislation hinges on the votes of Democrats  not only on the final bills when they hit the floor, but on the procedural resolutions that will get them there.

That dynamic was made crystal clear Wednesday, when Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) announced that he, Massie and Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas)  the three most hard-line members of the House Rules Committee  would oppose the rule sending Johnsons bills to the House floor.

Roy told reporters it sure would seem likely at this point that Democrats will need to help pass the rule out of committee.

I just fundamentally and strongly disagree with where the Speakers landed, he said.

Despite the sharp criticism, Johnson earned the coveted endorsement of a key Republican last week  former President Trump  who said the Speaker is doing a very good job. The vote of confidence has complicated the path forward for Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who is leading the ouster effort  the one endorsed by Massie  but said she would not force it to the floor before the foreign aid votes this weekend.

Im not going to call it before that bill comes to the floor, because I think that bill is definitely going to tell a lot of people exactly what I have been saying, Greene told reporters.

Johnson has dismissed the threat, saying hes simply working to defend a democratic ally overseas in the mold of the Reagan conservatives who steered the GOP before Trumps arrival on the political scene.

My philosophy is you do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may. If I operated out of fear over a motion to vacate, I would never be able to do my job, Johnson said Wednesday. I could make a selfish decision and do something thats different, but Im doing what I believe to be the right thing. I think providing lethal aid to Ukraine right now is critically important.

Johnsons decision to charge ahead with his plan in the face of that internal resistance means that hell first need Democrats on the Rules Committee to override the conservatives opposition  a highly unusual dynamic on a panel where the minority party, almost without exception, opposes the procedural resolutions that bring proposals to the floor, even if that same minority party supports the underlying legislation.

House Democratic leaders havent publicly committed to that support. But President Biden endorsed all four of Johnsons bills Wednesday  even before the last had been unveiled  and other top Democrats say theyre ready to provide the votes Johnson needs to send the legislation along to the Senate.

We cannot retreat from the world stage under the guise of putting America First, said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.), the senior Democrat on the Appropriations Committee. We put America first by demonstrating the power of American leadership  that we have the strength, resolve, and heart to fight for the most vulnerable people, protect their freedom, and preserve their dignity.

I urge swift passage of these bills.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) stopped short of pronouncing that same support, saying he first wants to gauge the temperature of his caucus during a Thursday morning meeting in the Capitol. But with Biden and DeLauro already endorsing Johnsons legislation, its virtually inconceivable that Jeffries would oppose it. And Wednesday afternoon, he framed the foreign aid in the most sweeping historical terms.

This is a Churchill or Chamberlain moment, Jeffries told reporters in the Capitol. We can either confront Russian aggression in defense of democracy, or we can allow the pro-Putin, extreme MAGA Republicans to appease him.

Johnson, for his part, said he is pushing not to have to rely on Democratic votes to get the rule across the finish line  I hope not, he told CNN in an interview  but in the same breath he acknowledged the tough political landscape in Washington is leaving him no choice but to work across the aisle.

Were not going to get 100 percent of what we want right now, because we have the smallest majority in history, and we only have the majority in one chamber, Johnson said. The Republicans run the House. We have the small majority in the House. The Democrats are in charge of the Senate and the White House. So, were  by definition, we wont get everything we want.

Thats the same reality Johnson has acknowledged in cutting deals with Biden on federal spending and government surveillance, which the Speaker ushered through the House in recent weeks. But both negotiations infuriated the hard-liners, who are up in arms with the Speakers propensity to team up with Democrats, despite the current dynamics in D.C.

Some of those critics are now accusing Johnson, a stalwart conservative over his tenure in Congress, of betraying his roots on the Ukraine package, as well.

The Democrats are gonna provide, I predict, as many votes that are needed to pass the rule, cause the rule will surely fail on Republican votes, said Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), the chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, calling part of Johnsons plan a joke.

The Democrats will find as many votes as needed, why wouldnt they? he added. Were doing, once again, what Democrats want to do.

Greene, who has filed a motion to vacate against the Speaker, specifically took aim at his decision to move a border bill separate from the foreign aid legislation.

In an effort to appease conservatives, Johnson announced Wednesday morning that the House would consider a border bill under a procedural rule separate from the foreign aid measures  meaning it will not move alongside the aid bills to the Senate, if passed.

The gambit, however, did not land well with conservatives, who called it out as a symbolic way to try to appease conservatives without alienating Democrats  or actually passing border security.

Its a theatrics; shiny object, Greene told reporters. And its separated from the foreign aid package because he needs the Democrats to help him pass it, so he clearly made the agreement with them.

Its separate not to upset them, so theyll vote for the foreign aid package, she added. And its the shiny object for Republicans that are saying we got to do something for the border.

On one level, Johnson has satisfied the conservatives: Hes adhering to a 72-hour rule that allows lawmakers a full three days, after introduction of legislation, before they have to vote on it  a timeline that extends the foreign aid votes to Saturday evening.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Judge who lost bond money suspended, an official says. How will she be disciplined?

A Mecklenburg County magistrate has been suspended for ditching required classes, losing bond money and failing to demonstrate a minimum level of competence during her first year as a magistrate, court documents allege.

Robin Sabio will not preside over any more cases while on paid suspension, WSOC-TV, The Charlotte Observers news partner, first reported.

Chief District Court Judge Elizabeth Trosch charged Sabio with losing more than $2,000 dollars in bond cash owed to Cabarrus County for more than a month. Sabio later located the cash in her laptop bag, according to a March 8 complaint filed in the Mecklenburg County Superior Court. She did not provide proper receipts along with it, according to the complaint.

Sabio, who was sworn in in August, also fell six and a half credit hours short on a civil course required for magistrates and never attended the criminal course, Trosch alleged in the complaint. Documents show Trosch filed complaints soon after Sabios sixth month as a judge. By that time, documents allege, she should have completed her courses.

Magistrate judges represent about 10% of the judicial branch workforce, according to the North Carolina Magistrates Association, and they are appointed by district court judges.

They are often the first judge people interact with following an arrest. Other duties include accepting guilty pleas, issuing arrest and search warrants, overseeing first appearances following arrests, setting release conditions, accepting involuntary commitment applications and issuing temporary domestic violence protection orders.

There have been persistent and recurring errors in the Civil and Criminal processes completed by Magistrate Sabio, Trosch wrote.

Trosch also charged the judge with lacking competence in the use of technology adopted by the states Administrative Office of the Courts.

North Carolinas new digital court records and case management system has launched in Mecklenburg County, moving most files and calendars online in October. With it came lags in courtrooms and issues with executing court orders and warrants, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.

Among the allegations made against Sabio, Trosch claims she was repeatedly absent from scheduled counseling sessions, shifts, and disciplinary hearings. After missing several appointments, Sabio claimed she was on a medical leave of absence  one that she was not eligible for, Trosch wrote.

The charges were pending a final disposition with the Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court, court records indicate. A trial was scheduled, though no new documents have been added to the docket.

Do you know of any cases affected by Magistrate Robin Sabios alleged misconduct? If so, or if you have any other information about Charlottes court system, email reporter Julia Coin at jcoin@charlotteobserver.com or reach her at 704-218-9350.

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The duck-rabbit optical illusion (or that of the young and old female face) suggests something powerful for perception: when you see the duck (or the young woman), you cannot see the rabbit (or the old woman). It is either one or the other. The two are embedded with each other, but it is impossible to see them simultaneously. Although vision does not quite work in the same way as the realm of concepts and politics, where one thing can coexist with its contrary, since Oct. 7th we seem to have collectively engaged in a duck-rabbit game: On that dark day, Israelis were massacred with a rare annihilationist joy and fury. For a brief moment, we saw Israelis for what they are: terribly vulnerable to the genocidal aims of Hamas, Iran, Hezbollah (all in fact being a single entity). Then came the expected and understandable military response under the leadership of an exceptionally incompetent and amoral government. The military response had no real vision or plan in mind. It is therefore unsurprising that in the face of the vast destruction of homes and infrastructures, of civilians among whom children and women, and the humanitarian catastrophe creating conditions of famine, Israel was viewed through the immense semantic confusions which anti-Zionism has created in the last decades: Israel became a genocidal entity. Brazils Lula even resorted to the obscene analogy of calling this disproportionate military response a new Shoah, as if a country attacked on its territory in such a brutal way was not entitled to respond to its attackers. A disproportionate military response is very different from a genocide. Then during the night between April 13th and 14th, Iran attacked Israel for the first time in its history. To be sure, it has relentlessly attacked Israel for the last decades but it did so through its proxies, the Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Hamas in Gaza. But on Saturday night, it sent from its own territory a variety of hundreds of missiles, each running at different speeds in order to make response difficult. The Hezbollah and the Houthis joined in, showing again the exceptional vulnerability of Israel, now threatened on six fronts (Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Gaza, Yemen, West Bank). Then again on Sunday morning we were informed that the alliance of the USA, UK, France and most critically, Jordan and Saudi Arabia had destroyed 99% of the missiles, displaying its technological and military superiority. The image of the invincible Israel came back, making us forget that a few hours before we had expected in anguish devastation and chaos.

This oscillation of images has been accompanied by tremendous semantic confusion, some intentionally engineered, some the result of the reigning moral confusion which seems to characterize our times, especially in many quarters of my political camp, the Left. Examples of such semantic confusion are abundant: crimes against humanity were dubbed anti-colonial resistance; a fundamentalist group aiming to establish Sharia Law in a Palestine emptied of all its Jews is viewed like a modern day anti-imperialist Che Guevara; a legitimate military response, poorly conducted and disproportionate was dubbed a genocide; people living in a country recognized by the UN in 1947 are called colonists. The national home of Jews  who have been everywhere persecuted, massacred and expelled, in Europe and in Muslim countriesis now viewed as an illegitimate colonial enterprise. The security which Israelis demand for themselves has become an intolerable demand to the Left because it cannot disentangle the political disaster of the Occupation from the very existence of Israel. Words seem to have become disarticulated from the real. This disarticulation creates tremendous confusion and makes it very difficult for us to adequately criticize the Israeli government when the critique of Israel is marred in so many willful distortions and misunderstandings. There is an even greater danger: that the Left, caught in its simple categories of colonizer-colonized, oppressor-oppressed, does not understand that behind the attack on Israel hides an ominous new reality: the alliance between Iran, Russia, China and North Korea, with the intention of undermining the power and the values of the West. The short-sightedness and confusion of the Left serves directly these imperialist and anti-democratic powers.

I am thus not suggesting to give a blank check to Israel. On the contrary. I am glad Biden and the world put enough pressure to help relieve the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. The world should insist at every turn to demand accountability from Israelis in the conduct of war. We should insist, far more than we have, that Israel offers a diplomatic and political solution to the statelessness of Palestinians. But I also suggest that contrary to the duck-rabbit optical illusion, we hold together multiple realities at once: the messianist government of Netanyahu wants to pursue and annexionist-colonial policy and does not want a political compromise. Yet, Hamas and Iran are the closest equivalent we have to Hitler today in their determination to eradicate Jews. The West colonized large swaths of the world, the Middle East included, but that does not mean other imperial powers are not far worse and far more threatening for the moral progress we have accomplished. Israel may be strong militarily, yet it is also extremely vulnerable, its capabilities have decayed, and it could be destroyed by a large-scale sophisticated attack from several countries which would repeat the genocidal scenario we know. In contesting Israels right to self-defense, in confusing the 1967 Occupation with the 1948 creation of Israel, in celebrating the annihilationist antisemitism of Hamas, we are in effect recreating the Jewish problem, denying Jews their right to exist in peace and security. More than ever, we need an intelligence free of simplistic categories and a feel-good morality to help resolve this century-long conflict.

Eva Illouz is a sociologist and essayist.
A federal judge has rejected an effort by former President Donald Trump to pause several civil lawsuits filed against him seeking to hold him accountable for his actions leading up to the Jan. 6 riot, according to a newly posted ruling.

Trump had asked D.C. District Judge Amit Mehta to stay proceedings in the lawsuits -- brought by several members of Congress and police officers who protected the Capitol on Jan. 6 -- while his federal criminal case brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith was ongoing.

Trump's attorneys reasoned that defending himself from the lawsuits could improperly impact his defense strategy in his criminal case, which Mehta rejected in his ruling Thursday afternoon.

Mehta wrote that while, "it is true in a senseboth cases center on the former Presidents actions in the lead up to and on January 6, 2021... [Trump ] overstates the significance of that factual overlap in the present posture of these matters."

PHOTO: Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump attends the 2024 Senior Club Championship award ceremony at his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., March 24, 2024. (Marco Bello/Reuters, FILE)

Trump's team also cited the Supreme Court's upcoming arguments regarding the former president's claims of immunity from prosecution in his criminal case, which they argue could impact how Mehta ultimately rules on Trump's immunity claims for what he believes are "official acts" outlined in the civil lawsuits.

MORE: Special counsel files brief urging Supreme Court to reject Trump's immunity claim

"...There is no reason to wait on the Supreme Courts decision," Mehta responded. "This court is unlikely to make an immunity determination before the end of the Supreme Courts term. Thus, if the Courts ruling on criminal immunity is relevant to the outcome here, it can easily be applied."

Trump faces four felony charges, including conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction, in the indictment brought by Smith last year, in which prosecutors detailed what they said was his plot to remain in power after his electoral loss to President Joe Biden. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has denied any wrongdoing.

Judge rejects Trump effort to pause Jan. 6 civil lawsuits while criminal case is ongoing originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
For an armed bank robbery, a 55-year-old Chicago man has been sentenced to 15 years in the Bureau of Prisons, to be served consecutive to a U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois sentence, followed by a five-year term of supervised release, according to a news release.

Eric Boyd (Moline Police Department)

At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that, on the morning of May 1, 2023, Eric Boyd entered a Chase Bank in Moline. He was wearing a mask and carrying a duffel bag. Boyd brandished an apparent gun, indicated he had a bomb, and ordered employees and customers to get on the ground, then placed the duffel bag on the counter and directed bank employees to fill the bag with currency.

Also at the hearing, U.S. District Court Judge James E. Shadid found that, in January of 2021, Boyd was released early from a previous prison sentence for multiple armed bank robberies, and that at the time of this offense he was on supervised release from the Bureau of Prisons. Judge Shadid also noted that Boyds extensive criminal history indicated he was a risk to re-offend, that prior prison sentences had not deterred Boyd from engaging in new crimes, and that a lengthy sentence was necessary to protect the community from further harm.

Boyd was arrested on May 5, 2023, and has remained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since his arrest. Boyd pleaded guilty on Sept. 19, 2023.

The statutory penalties for armed bank robbery are up to 25 years in prison.

(OurQuadCities.com)

Moline Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Supervisory Assistant U.S Attorney John Mehochko represented the government in the prosecution.

The case against Boyd is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Outstanding police work

Boyd was located at his residence in Chicago by the FBI  Springfield Division Quad Cities Safe Streets Task Force and Moline Police detectives. Moline Police and the FBI served a federal search warrant and federal arrest warrant in Chicago.

This was just outstanding police work by Detective Mike Griffin, Detective Jeremy McAuliffe, Detective Sean Hoover, Detective Cesar Lopez and Lt. Andrew Raya. While I cannot go into the details of the investigation, I can say it was great work by this skilled investigative team that resulted in a quick arrest of a suspect in this case, said Chief Darren Gault. We would also like to thank our partners with the FBI for their assistance on this case. Moline has had a long partnership with the FBI and we work very closely with the local agents.

(Moline Police photo)

The Moline Police Department has federally deputized task force officers working on the FBI Quad Cities Safe Streets Task Force, which makes the partnership very efficient and effective for our community.

The Moline Police Department was assisted in this investigation by FBI Springfield, Quad Cities Safe Streets Task Force, FBI Chicago Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force, Milan Police Department, Ottawa Police Department and the United States Attorneys Office for the Central District of Illinois.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
NEW YORK  A juror in the Donald Trump hush money trial was excused Thursday after telling the court she was too scared and intimidated to serve as prosecutors renewed their request to hold Trump in criminal contempt over alleged gag order violations.

The juror, one of seven chosen so far to serve on the case, told Merchan that she was too scared to proceed after her friends, family, and colleagues guessed that she had been chosen. Merchan has ruled that the panel will be anonymous to protect their safety and privacy.

Jury selection will continue today.

Prosecutor: Gag order violations have to stop

Shortly after Trump arrived at the courthouse with his Secret Service entourage for the third day of his trial Thursday, Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass told the court tha t Trump had violated a gag order preventing comments about jurors, witnesses, and other trial participants seven times since he last got in trouble for doing so.

Its ridiculous, it has to stop, Steinglass said.

Most disturbing, the prosecutor said, was a post that went up on Trumps Truth Social account Wednesday night quoting Fox News host Jesse Watters commenting on the jury.

Merchan, on Monday, scheduled a hearing for next week to address Trumps other potential violations of the gag order. Steinglass said the prosecution was seeking monetary sanctions and still considering our options.

The case so far

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsification of New York business records alleging that throughout 2017, after winning the presidency, he disguised reimbursement to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, for facilitating a hush-money scheme to defraud the 2016 electorate that violated election laws.

Among the alleged recipients of the scheme expected to testify are porn star Stormy Daniels  who Cohen went to prison for paying off  and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who each allege Trump cheated on Melania with them in 2006, soon after they wed. Trump denies the allegations.

Prospective jurors have faced questions such as: Do you have any strong opinions or firmly held beliefs about whether a former president may be criminally charged in state court? and Do you have any opinions about the legal limits governing political contributions?

More than half the first group of 96 got up and walked out of Justice Juan Merchans courtroom on Monday when he asked whether anyone instantly felt they couldnt be impartial.

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee is set to spend the next two months in his native New York to attend the case as his campaign schedule and court calendar collide.

The Manhattan charges are among 88 hes battling inside state and federal courtrooms across four states. They contain allegations dating from the year before he took office  when Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg alleges the hush money scheme started with a meeting at Trump Tower  to the year he left.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and says he is a victim of political persecution akin to the late South African President Nelson Mandela.

____
ST. LOUIS  A St. Louis jury convicted a man accused of gunning down a man outside his home in the Lindenwood Park neighborhood in 2021.

The shooting happened on February 5 in the 3300 block of Leola Avenue, just off Watson Road.

Don Yorker had just gotten home from work around 5:30 p.m. and had gone outside to collect his mail. At that same time, Ledra Craig was driving in the neighborhood when he saw Yorker about to walk inside.

Prosecutors said Craig got out of his car, walked up to Yorker, and asked him for directions to Union Station. While Yorker was giving him directions, Craig took out a 9mm handgun and shot Yorker once in the face.

Police later found Yorker on the sidewalk. Yorker was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was 53.

Emergency landing: Flight bound for Sacramento returns to St. Louis

On March 8, a St. Louis police officer spotted a white Toyota Avalon in the same neighborhood with an improper registration. The officer conducted a traffic stop and discovered the man driving the car, Craig, had a 9mm in his possession.

Craig initially denied involvement in the shooting, but a shell casing from the murder scene was tied to Craigs 9mm.

Prosecutors described Yorkers murder as a thrill kill, saying Craig kept a photo of Yorker and a video of a news story about the shooting on his cellphone.

The jury found Craig, now 21, guilty of first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Craig waived jury sentencing in this case because the punishment for first-degree murder in Missouri is life without parole.

The case was previously tried in April 2023 but resulted in a hung jury, with an 11-1 split in favor of conviction.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
The Justice Department is in the final stages of negotiating a settlement with sexual assault survivors of disgraced former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar over the FBIs initial failures in investigating the case, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.

The settlement could result in tens of millions of dollars for the victims.

More than 150 women and girls have alleged that Nassar sexually abused them over the course of 20 years, and more than a dozen survivors have filed claims against the government over its negligence in the investigation.

CNN has reached out to a law firm representing the survivors who filed claims under the Federal Torts Claims Act, which allows individuals to sue the US government for negligence. The Justice Department declined to comment on the matter.

A final settlement will not be confirmed until a deal is struck in court.

The Wall Street Journal first reported on the latest in the talks.

Nassar, who was convicted of sexually abusing young athletes under the guise of medical treatment, was sentenced in a Michigan state court to up to 175 years in prison.

In 2021, victims of Nassar reached a $380 million settlement with USA Gymnastics, the US Olympic Committee and their insurers. In 2022, the DOJ offered to begin settlement discussions with the sexual assault survivors.

Thirteen survivors had previously filed claims against the FBI totaling $130 million, claiming that bureau field offices in Indianapolis and Los Angeles failed to act properly on sexual abuse allegations against Nassar. The lawsuit was largely based off of an inspector generals report that said agents violated the FBIs policies by making false statements and failing to properly document survivors complaints.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Kansas City police said a 58-year-old woman reported missing was found safe Wednesday night.

Police had asked for the publics help in locating Belinda Dorsey, who was last seen walking near 23rd and Holmes streets just before 5 p.m. Tuesday. A news release from police said Dorsey suffers from dementia and has other medical conditions that require medication.

Her family was concerned about her health and well being and believed she was without medication.

Dorsey is 5 feet, 4 inches tall, weighs 103 pounds and wears a brown wig. She was last known to be wearing a black shirt, burgundy coat, dark blue jeans and black and pink crocks. Police said she was using a black and burgundy walker.

KCPD said Dorsey was safely located Wednesday.
DE SOTO, Kan.  As a new Panasonic EV Battery Plant goes up in De Soto, development is beginning to boom nearby. That has the Northwest Consolidated Fire District working to prepare itself to protect that growth.

The department is adding more than just new positions to the fire district.

Deputy Fire Chief Mike Baxter said theyre adding six new positions to the team and building a new fire station, near the Panasonic Plant.

Baxter said they cover about 70 miles of northwest Johnson County, including the city of De Soto and building in the city, like what will be this $4 billion electric vehicle battery plant.

Salmonella outbreak found in Trader Joes product in Missouri, Kansas

The fire district is looking to hire six new people.

Baxter said right now, they have 35 operational firefighters. His position was created because of the Panasonic influx.

So thats going to help facilitate that extra call volume for this initial growth phase, Baxter said. Then well be constantly reevaluating where we have to be at in the future.

Baxter said crews will build a new fire station on about 10 acres, just outside the land Panasonic is currently developing.

The county pitched in $9 million, and Panasonic provided $7.5 million in funds to build the new station and a developer donated the land.

That is slated to open by close of 2025, Baxter said.

Baxter said Panasonic also donated $1.8 million to buy a new fire truck with a ladder.

Thats going facilitate us to be able to gain access those taller commercial buildings that are coming in, Baxter said, as well as some of the residential structure fires that we have currently.

In the meantime, Baxter and his team continue training to keep skills sharp.

See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri

We have been ramping up our training on EV or lithium battery fires, Baxter said. I will say Panasonic has a great plan in place for safety measures. So, the reality is, is we should not have an intervention within Panasonic unless there is a major catastrophic failure.

If youre interested in joining the fire department, the deadline is April 26.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
FILE - U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, R-Kan., speaks to Republican volunteers during a campaign stop with other GOP candidates, Nov. 7. 2022, in Topeka, Kan. LaTurner announced Thursday, April 18, 2024, that he is not running for reelection this year in his GOP-leaning eastern Kansas district so that he can spend more time with his four young children. (AP Photo/John Hanna, File)

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP)  Two-term Republican U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner is not running for reelection this year in his GOP-leaning eastern Kansas district so that he can spend more time with his four young children, he announced Thursday.

LaTurner is among nearly two dozen Republicans in the U.S. House who are not running again or seeking another office.

The unrepeatable season of life we are in, where our kids are still young and at home, is something I want to be more present for, LaTurner said.

LaTurner's announcement leaves Republicans with no declared candidates in a district he likely would have had little trouble winning again. While the district includes Democratic strongholds in the state capital of Topeka and northern Kansas City, they're offset by rural areas that heavily favored former President Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020.

LaTurner, 36, has put on hold what seemed a promising long-term political career, saying also that he wouldn't seek any office in 2026. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is term-limited and Republicans had mentioned LaTurner as a possible candidate for the job that year.

He worked for U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins when he won a state Senate seat in 2012 at age 24, and he became Kansas' youngest-ever state treasurer at 29 when then-GOP Gov. Sam Brownback appointed him to fill a vacancy.

LaTurner's statement mentioned the current dysfunction on Capitol Hill, with the narrow Republican majority in the House and a threat from the hard-right to topple Speaker Mike Johnson, but he also said he's optimistic about the nation's future. Instead, he said, serving in Congress has taken a toll on him, his wife, Suzanne, and their children.

I am hopeful that in another season of life, with new experiences and perspectives, I can contribute in some small way and advocate for the issues I care most about, his statement Thursday said.

While Republicans have represented the 2nd District in 27 of the past 30 years, Democrats have waged aggressive campaigns since Jenkins decided not to seek reelection in 2018. One Democrat, former teacher Eli Woody IV, has filed to run in November.

In the 2020 primary, LaTurner handily defeated Republican Steve Watkins and won the November election by almost 15 percentage points. In 2022, LaTurner won his general election race by a slightly wider margin.

In June 2022, the congressman beefed up security at his home and Topeka office out of concern for his family's safety after a man left a threatening voicemail after hours that said, I will kill you.

The man, Chase Neill, is now serving a sentence of nearly four years in prison after being convicted in federal court of one count of threating a U.S. official. LaTurner testified at the trial, and Neill, representing himself, cross-examined him personally.
TOPEKA (KSNT)  Governor Laura Kelly is giving her approval for seven bills Thursday which will have big impacts on the states aviation industry and microbrewery owners.

Seven bills in Kansas are the latest to become laws this year, according to a press release from the Office of the Governor. More information on these bills is found below:

House Bill 2498

This bill increases the transfer from the state highway fund to the public use general aviation airport development fund, according to the Kansas Legislature. It will increase funding from $5 million to $15 million for the Kansas Airport Improvement Program.

Senate Substitute for HB 2124

This allows the sale by microbreweries of beer and hard cider to retailers, public venues, clubs, drinking establishments, holders of temporary permits and caterers and allows such sales at special events to customers, according to language in the bill.

Congress has taken a toll: Jake LaTurner will not seek reelection

House Bill 2481

Designates parts of various Kansas highways and bridges in honor of military personnel. It also marks the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe #3415 as the official state steam locomotive and the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad as the official state heritage railroad.

House Bill 2527

Authorizes electric public utilities to recover certain depreciation and construction work in progress expenses and limits the time that such recovery may be implemented, according to the Kansas Legislature. It also authorizes electric public utilities to retain certain generating facilities in the utilitys rate base along with other utility-related actions.

House Bill 2577

Provides discretionary authority to the Kansas State Treasurer to transfer cash certified as equivalent to the aggregate net amount received for unclaimed property to the KPERS board. It also liquidates such moneys for further investment by the pooled money investment board or for necessary payments to owners of unclaimed property.

House Bill 2588

This bill authorizes certain telecommunications and video service providers to operate in county public right-of-way and limits the fees and costs that a county may impose upon such providers for such activities, according to language in the bill.

Applying for this $15,000 Kansas student loan repayment program just got easier

House Bill 2607

Amends the Kansas pesticide law to expand the applicability of civil and criminal penalties. It also updates requirements for training and supervision, proof of financial responsibility, pesticide applications in the sodium cyanide predator control category and record retention by government agencies.

For more Capitol Bureau news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
Hera, the mythological Greek goddess associated with marriage, the sky and the stars, is the name of the European Space Agencys (ESA) first planetary defense mission. Conducted in collaboration with NASA, the Hera mission will explore ways to redirect asteroids to prevent collisions with our planet. Hera will study Dimorphos, the smaller of two objects forming the Didymos binary asteroid system. In 2022, NASAs DART spacecraft successfully pushed Dimorphos off course, achieving the first intentional human alteration of an objects orbit in the solar system. Spains King Felipe VI plans to visit ESAs European Space Research and Technology Center (ESTEC) to see the Hera probe during his state visit to the Netherlands.

Dimorphos will be around 195 million kilometers (121 million miles) from Earth when the Hera probe, scheduled for launch on October 7 from Cape Canaveral, reaches its destination. With a mission like this, the dinosaurs might have been spared from the huge meteorite crash that wiped them out, said Franco Perez Lissi, a Spanish systems engineer at ESTEC. Hera, a cube-shaped probe with solar-panel wings, is being built at ESTECs facilities in the Dutch town of Noordwijk. ESTECs Satellite Test Center is the largest in Europe, and has the capability to simulate every aspect of a launch and the space environment. Perez said Hera will be rigorously tested, including the critical separation stage from the SpaceX launcher and for electromagnetic compatibility.

In 2029, the Apophis asteroid (diameter of 370 meters or 1,210 feet) will pass close to the Earth. It will be less than 36,000 kilometers [22,370 miles] away, but it wont crash into us. It will be close enough for people in certain areas to see it, which is why we have detection systems, Perez said. The Hera team is already working on a mission called RAMSES that will approach Apophis using technology developed for Hera. Two years ago, the DART probe disintegrated when it collided with Dimorphos, which is 177 meters (581 feet) at its longest. DART, the size of a refrigerator, altered the asteroids trajectory by transferring its kinetic energy during the collision. According to Perez, we studied using explosives to destroy the asteroid, but found that detonation would disperse a cloud of large rocks rather than alter its trajectory. That would have been a poor outcome, so this option was discarded.

The 'Hera' probe at the European Space Research and Technology Center (ESTEC) in Noordwijk, the Netherlands; on April 15, 2024. KOEN VAN WEEL (EFE)

Hera will enable scientists to closely study DARTs impact on the asteroid to refine future techniques for diverting celestial bodies. Additionally, the data it gathers will enhance our understanding of asteroid composition and structure. Asteroids are rocky objects orbiting the Sun, often found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. When these objects survive atmospheric entry and reach the Earths surface, they are called meteorites.

Dimorphos orbits Didymus, which is 851 meters (2,791 feet) at its longest. They form a binary system: a big rocky body and a smaller one orbiting around it. Perez likens it to the Earth and the Moon. Dimorphos is stuck in a gravitational corridor, spinning around the main body like our Moon. He says Hera is scheduled to arrive at the end of 2026, and we want to know if Dimorphos shares any elements with Didymus because it would give us clues about its origin. It might be another asteroid that crashed long ago, forming this rock held close to Didymus by gravity.

Illustration of the 'Hera' spacecraft with its 'Juventas' and 'Milani' drones. ESA

Perez heads the team designing and testing Juventas and Milani, two space drones carried aboard the Hera. Juventas has a low-frequency radar that will send pulses to study Dimorphos composition. It will also use a gravimeter and accelerometer to measure how mechanical equipment will behave in the asteroids ultra-low gravity. Were curious whether it has a solid core or if its just bits of rock from the main asteroid, held together by gravity, Perez said. The Milani drone has a hyperspectral camera that enables imaging at different wavelengths. It does a better job than the naked eye at spotting organic components on the surface, like iron or other minerals. It will also collect samples of asteroid dust.

During a tour organized for Spanish journalists, Perez explained that Hera will send data as soon as its launched, because the on-board computer will be running and the radios will be on. We need to get it on the right path, and if all goes smoothly, well hit Mars by March 25. Then, around October 2026, well arrive at the asteroid. The Hera will take a month to gradually slow down to Dimorphos speed before the missions nine-month operational phase begins.

Once Hera has synchronized with Dimorphos orbit, Juventas and Milani will be deployed. Well take images and attempt to fly really close to the surface with the main ship to collect detailed data. Heras guidance, navigation and control system, which was designed by the GMV company in Madrid, will enable us to do this. Once all the data collection is done, Hera will be guided to a controlled landing on the asteroid. The Hera mission showcases the power of international collaboration, with over 80 companies participating from 17 ESA member countries. The satellite design team will oversee the mission from the European Space Operations Center (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany. Another group will be stationed at Cape Canaveral for the launch, which will use a Falcon 9 rocket made by SpaceX. Perez hopes there will be no launch delays. If we cant launch in October, the gravitational maneuvers will take longer. Wed have to head to Mars, swing back to Earth, and then make our way to the asteroid.

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A federal judge in January impaneled an advisory jury to give him advice  while making it clear he has final say  in a lawsuit former Kansas Highway Patrol Superintendent Mark Bruce is pursuing against defendants who include Gov. Laura Kelly.

Kelly is now asking that judge to disregard the verdict that advisory jury reached in February in Bruce's favor.

U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree must exercise his option of rejecting that verdict, attorneys representing Kelly and KHP Superintendent Erik Smith, the case's other defendant, said in a court document filed April 5.

"When Bruce resigned and retired from State employment, he voluntarily relinquished his proper interest in continued employment," the document said. "No due process violation occurred."

A court document filed the same day by attorneys representing Bruce said Crabtree must sustain the advisory jury's decision, restore Bruce to his former majors position and provide him equitable financial relief.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly is asking a federal judge to disregard an advisory jurys decision against her in a lawsuit by a former Kansas Highway Patrol superintendent.

What got us to this point?

Bruce was appointed as KHP superintendent in 2015 by then-Gov. Sam Brownback.

Kelly retained Bruce as superintendent after taking office in January 2019. But Bruce resigned March 28, 2019, amid allegations he mishandled KHP sexual misconduct and domestic violence scandals.

Bruce filed a three-count lawsuit in January 2020 against Kelly; Will Lawrence, her chief of staff; and Herman Jones, who followed Bruce as KHP superintendent before retiring last summer.

Crabtree in December dismissed two of those claims, which alleged Lawrence violated Bruce's constitutional right to due process and engaged in tortious interference with a prospective business relationship.

Bruce asked for a jury trial on the one remaining count, but federal law requires the consent of all parties for claims that seek "prospective equitable relief"  which Bruce's does  and the state didn't consent to a jury trial.

Crabtree said in a Jan. 5 court order that he consequently was exercising his option to impanel an "advisory jury" to advise him as to whether members thought Bruce resigned voluntarily.

"In the courts view, its an ideal jury question because the law uses a 'reasonable person' test to determine whether a resignation was voluntary," Crabtree's order said.

An advisory jury can "allow the judge to get some appreciation for the common sense or standard of the community," it said.

Advisory jurors heard testimony regarding the remaining count during a five-day trial in February.

Bruce contended in that count that his constitutional right to due process was violated when he resigned as superintendent because he wasn't given an option of being terminated as superintendent and returning to his prior rank as a major, from which he was told that he would then be terminated during his probationary period.

The Kansas Supreme Court, after considering the matter at Crabtree's request, ruled in 2022 that anyone holding the rank of major is in fact a classified worker, adding that an officer who returns to that position from superintendent doesn't have to serve a probationary period.

Bruce's attorneys attempted to have Kelly subpoenaed to testify at the February trial but Crabtree issued an order quashing that. Kelly's testimony wasn't absolutely needed to resolve any of the questions involved, Crabtree said.

Crabtree directed advisory jurors in February to decide if Bruce resigned voluntarily or was coerced into resigning, therefore effectively being terminated.

If Bruce was coerced, he is entitled to be restored to the major's rank he held before becoming superintendent, Crabtree said.

If Bruce resigned voluntarily, Kelly didn't violate his due process rights, Crabtree wrote in his order issued Jan. 5.

Bruce was coerced into resigning against his will, the advisory jury concluded at the trial in February.

Though the vote was 6-1, which wasn't the unanimous verdict Crabtree had asked jurors to reach, attorneys for both sides had agreed the previous day that they would be willing to accept a 6-1 verdict.

Crabtree issued no ruling at the February trial but indicated that attorneys for the two sides would need to submit to him written documents sharing arguments regarding unresolved questions, including whether he should follow the advisory jurys verdict.

Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas governor asks judge to disregard advisory jury decision in suit
Kansas House speaker meets opposition as he makes case against Medicaid expansion in Plainville

House Speaker Dan Hawkins chats with attendees of a town hall meeting April 11, 2024, in Plainville. Hawkins outlined his opposition to Medicaid expansion during the gathering organized by Rooks County Republicans

House Speaker Dan Hawkins chats with attendees of a town hall meeting April 11, 2024, in Plainville. Hawkins outlined his opposition to Medicaid expansion during the gathering organized by Rooks County Republicans. (Dale Hogg for Kansas Reflector)

PLAINVILLE  House Speaker Dan Hawkins faced criticism from rural health officials and residents last week when he traveled to Plainville to speak in opposition of Medicaid expansion.

Hawkins, a Republican from Wichita, addressed Rooks County Republicans during an April 11 gathering at Plainvilles Township Hall. The evening included a meal provided by Americans for Prosperity, a conservative lobbying group.

The GOP leader is fiercely opposed to Medicaid expansion, which would provide health care coverage to an estimated 152,000 low-income Kansans, and to Democratic Gov. Laura Kellys efforts to promote the policy.

The town hall-style meeting was in part a response to local debates over the idea, a flurry of letters to the editor in the Plainville Times and vocal support for expansion by Mark Schaukowitch, a Plainville resident. The Rooks County Conservative Alliance invited Hawkins to speak.

Hawkins repeatedly made disputed claims about the impact of Medicaid expansion on Kansas taxpayers, struggling rural hospitals and employment.

We dont want to make a huge mistake, Hawkins said, addressing the capacity crowd. Medicaid expansion is a huge mistake.

Kellys proposal for Medicaid expansion includes a work requirement with exceptions for full-time students, veterans, caregivers, people with partial disabilities, and former foster kids. It includes a new surcharge for hospitals that would benefit from the influx of $700 million in federal cash. The Kansas Health Institute estimates the plan would not cost the state anything for the first eight years.

But Hawkins said Kellys plan was smoke and mirrors. As he went through slides in a PowerPoint presentation, he fielded questions from audience members.

And audience members pushed back.

Beth Oller, a Plainville physician who runs a practice with her husband, Mike, took Hawkins to task for generalizing that doctors and those in the medical field oppose expansion. Oller said they are tired of turning patients away or having to base treatment on a patients ability to pay.

I talk to doctors all the time, Hawkins said.

Not as many as I do, Oller said, as the exchange grew heated.

I didnt come here for an argument, Hawkins said.

Ollers comments are consistent with more than 100 health professionals and administrators who sent a letter in January asking the Legislature to expand Medicaid.

Concerns over such confrontations prompted meeting organizers to ask for questions to be submitted.

Schaukowitch, the vocal supporter of Medicaid expansion from Plainville, asked Hawkins about his work as an insurance salesman.

Can you address your conflict of interest? Schaukowitch said.

We have nothing to do with Medicaid, Hawkins said.

Hawkins on his website describes the Hawkins Group, which he owns, as an employee benefits insurance agency. His 2023 statement of substantial interests, which elected officials are required to file with the state, says he receives fees or commissions from United Healthcare, Vision Care Direct, Delta Dental of Kansas, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, among other insurance companies.

Members of the Kansas Silver Haired Legislature came to hear Hawkins speak. Members said expansion has long been important to them.

Its one of our top priorities, said Steve Watts, the organizations northwest Kansas chairman. It is something weve supported since it was possible.

A capacity crowd on April 11, 2024, filled the Plainville Township Hall to hear House Speaker Dan Hawkins talk about Medicaid expansion

A capacity crowd on April 11, 2024, filled the Plainville Township Hall to hear House Speaker Dan Hawkins talk about Medicaid expansion. (Dale Hogg for Kansas Reflector)

Making his case

According to Kelly, who scheduled a pro-expansion appearance at Hays Medical Center a few hours ahead of Hawkins speech 25 miles north of Hays, the Cutting Healthcare Costs for All Kansans Act would create 23,000 new jobs in Kansas.

She included a work requirement in her proposal to address concerns raised by Hawkins and other opponents of Medicaid expansion, who say the program would serve able-bodied adults. In reality, most people who would benefit from Medicaid expansion are already working or suffer from chronic illness. They include small business owners and their employees, as well as students, cancer patients and those who need mental health treatment.

Hawkins said the governors work requirements are a joke.

Under Kellys proposal, people would have to prove they are employed in order to sign up for services and renew them each year. The state health secretary would develop exceptions to allow enrollment by full-time students, caretakers, veterans and those with medical conditions.

However, Hawkins said, an applicant who only has to reapply once a year only has to prove they had one paycheck.

Nowhere in that work requirement does it say you have to work a certain number of hours, he said.

He claimed that workforce participation will decline and that Medicaid expansion would be an incentive not to work. Those concerns have not been realized in the 40 states that have already expanded Medicaid. According to the Kansas Health Institute, 68.9% of adults who would qualify are already working.

Hawkins said some of the people in the target group for Medicaid expansion are already eligible for coverage through their employer or the Affordable Care Act. Those individuals would be taken off of private plans and placed into the government program, he said.

Kansas version of Medicaid, known as KanCare, is available to children, their parents, pregnant women, seniors and people with disabilities. Only those who earn less than 38% of the federal poverty level are eligible. For a family of four, the annual income limit is $11,400.

Under the ACA, the federal government covers 90% of the cost of Medicaid services in exchange for expanding eligibility to 138% of the federal poverty rate. The annual income threshold for a family of four would be $41,400.

Hospital administrators say Medicaid expansion will have a dramatic positive impact on their bottom line. But Hawkins claimed they wont actually see a benefit by adding services at Medicaid reimbursement rates.

In Kansas, eight rural hospitals have closed since 2015. Another 27 have been operating at a loss for the past three years and are at immediate risk of closing, according to data from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform.

Hawkins said the state has to set priorities: Does it want Medicaid expansion or good roads and quality schools?

Once you have this, youre not going to get rid of it, he said, because there would be too much political fallout with trying to reverse course.

Kansas is losing population and federal COVID relief money will eventually dry up, Hawkins said. He also claimed there is no proof that expansion will do anything to improve health care outcomes.

Theres no magic pot of money. Were going to have to pay the piper, he said. You should say no because you are the ones who are going to have to pay for it.

Mike McCorkle, a Democratic challenger to GOP House Speaker Dan Hawkins, speaks to Tonia Goertz, a reporter for the Plainville Times, before the presentation by Hawkins.

Mike McCorkle, a Democratic challenger to GOP House Speaker Dan Hawkins, speaks to Tonia Goertz, a reporter for the Plainville Times, before the presentation by Hawkins. (Dale Hogg for Kansas Reflector)

Status of legislation

Mike McCorkle, a Democrat who is challenging Hawkins for his Wichita district seat, traveled 200 miles to hear Hawkins speak.

Hawkins introduced McCorkle to the crowd.

Were going to have a good campaign, Hawkins said. Some of you are going to agree with me and some of you are going to disagree, and thats OK.

Hawkins said he has been willing to work across the aisle and that divisions within the Legislature are not as bad as portrayed by news media.

Dont believe everything you hear about, Hawkins said.

McCorkle didnt offer any remarks. He just sat in the audience.

The Senate is scheduled to consider a motion to debate the governors proposal when lawmakers return next week.

Earlier this session, Hawkins and Senate President Ty Masterson allowed committee hearings on Medicaid expansion for the first time in four years.

According to testimony in those hearings, at least 70% of registered voters in Kansas support Medicaid expansion. That includes a slight majority of Republican primary voters and 83% of small business owners.

All of the states bordering Kansas have expanded Medicaid.

We have left more than $7 billion in Washington, D.C., as one of the last 10 states to expand Medicaid, Kelly said this week after a meeting on Medicaid expansion with law enforcement officials in Topeka. This influx of funding would have an enormous impact by decreasing the financial burden on our jails and county taxpayers and increasing access to mental health care services for all Kansans. When the Legislature reconvenes next week, it is time for legislators to debate and vote on Medicaid expansion.

The post Kansas House speaker meets opposition as he makes case against Medicaid expansion in Plainville appeared first on Kansas Reflector.
TOPEKA (KSNT)  Kansas lawmakers are sharing their thoughts following the recent announcement Congressman Jake LaTurner will not seek reelection.

Kansas House Majority Leader Chris Croft issued a statement Thursday, April 18 just hours after LaTurner announced he would not seek another term as the 2nd District Representative for the Sunflower State in Washington D.C.

I would like to thank everyone for the calls and messages this afternoon encouraging me to run for the newly open Second Congressional District. We need to continue the conservative leadership of Congressman LaTurner and put forward the strongest candidate to win in November. Republicans need a candidate who has proven they can win the tough battles and has the fundraising prowess to quickly assemble the funds needed to keep this seat in GOP hands. I have dedicated my life to the public service with 30 years of military service, two deployments tot eh Middle East, and six years in the legislature. Connie and I are prayerfully considering whether or not a run for Congress would be the best way to continue that public service and fight for conservative wins for Kansas. Representative Chris Croft

Kansas Gov. signs aviation, beer and historic railroad bills

Kansas state Senator Jerry Moran also issued a statement on social media regarding the departure of LaTurner.

I am sad to know that come January, Kansans in the second district will no longer be represented by Congressman Jake LaTurner. Jake cares so much about the wellbeing of Kansans and has worked to do what is right for them and all Americans. Senator Jerry Moran

LaTurner currently serves the states 2nd District in the House of Representatives in Washington D.C. He is in his second term in office.

For more Capitol Bureau news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
Jury selection in Karen Read trial not complete after 3rd day as proceedings wrap for week

The jury selection process in the Karen Read murder trial remains incomplete after three days and the case wont return to court on Friday.

Two additional jurors were seated on Thursday, but one who was seated on Wednesday was excused for hardship, leaving the current juror count at 12. Four alternates still need to be seated before testimony can commence.

List of questions prospective jurors are being asked

Of the 57 potential jurors in Thursdays pool, 41 of them told the judge they had heard or spoken about the case, 20 said they had formed opinions, and eight admitted to have formed a bias. Ultimately, just two of them were selected for the trial.

Also on Thursday, DNA analysis from Bode Labs in Virginia was entered by the prosecution, Boston 25s Ted Daniel reported.

A piece of hair found on the back of Reads Lexus SUV was sent to the lab to see if it matched John OKeefes DNA. The defense has been trying to get the results excluded citing a delay in testing. We havent seen the lab report yet, Daniel wrote in a post on X.

Read is charged with running down OKeefe, her Boston police officer boyfriend, and leaving him to die in a blizzard in the town of Canton on Jan. 29, 2022.

Karen Read, facing a murder charge in the death of an off-duty Boston police officer, was ordered held on $100,000 bail.

Karen Read, 41, of Mansfield, Mass., is charged with manslaughter in the Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, death of Boston police Officer John OKeefe. O'Keefe, 46, was off duty at the time of his death.

High bail for girlfriend charged with manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston police officer

High bail for girlfriend charged with manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston police officer

High bail for girlfriend charged with manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston police officer

High bail for girlfriend charged with manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston police officer

High bail for girlfriend charged with manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston police officer

Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe

Karen Read is arraigned in Stoughton District court accused of manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston Police officer John O'Keefe

Karen Read murder trial: A guide to the key players you need to know

Reads defense has argued that she is being framed and that OKeefe was beaten and attacked by a dog inside the home of another Boston police officer.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, 11 jurors were chosen from about 180 people.

Jurors have been filling out a form of 29 questions  wanting to know if theyve ever been involved in a march or demonstration showing support for law enforcement or demonstrations against law enforcement.

The prosecution plans to call as many as 87 witnesses when testimony begins, including 23 members of law enforcement.

Karen Read murder trial: List of more than 160 witnesses prosecution, defense could call

The defense has submitted 77 potential witnesses including John OKeefes father and Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey.

One potential juror, Tony Pardo, was excused Wednesday afternoon.

He said he hadnt previously heard about the case but was glad not to serve on this trial.

Well, its a big case, you know, and figure Id be here for a while. Its probably gonna be a long trial, said Pardo. He continued, I kind of got the sense that most people didnt. Probably about half the people raised their hand when they were talking about having a hot ship or things of that nature.

The trial will resume on Monday morning.

Boston 25s Ted Daniel provided the following updates from court on Thursday:

Thats it for today. Got 2 more today but the total is now 12 because one seated yesterday was excused for hardship.

Off tomorrow so we resume Monday. Well recap everything on #Boston25  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 18, 2024

The clerk just indicated there are now 12 jurors seated. That would mean theyve added 1 more so far today.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 18, 2024

Heres the prosecution filing on the DNA testing and some of the police reports they just entered. pic.twitter.com/xNAMR0QzOe  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 18, 2024

The DNA analysis from Bode Labs in VA has been entered by the prosecution. A piece of hair found on the back of Read's Lexus SUV was sent to the lab to see if it matched John O'Keefe's DNA. The defense has been trying to get the results excluded citing a delay in testing. We  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 18, 2024

And this is the 3rd pool so far.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 18, 2024

Judge Cannone is explaining the case and charges to the new jury candidates. Court rules prohibit the pool camera from recording/showing this.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 18, 2024

Issue quickly discussed at sidebar. Both sides return to their seats. The jury pool is filing in.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 18, 2024

Judge says she has an issue she needs to see both sides about at sidebar.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 18, 2024

We are underway. Good mornings all around.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 18, 2024

57 jury candidates are expected to be screened today. Its a smaller group than the last 2 days. Prosecution and defense are seated. We are waiting for court to begin.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 18, 2024

Karen Read has arrived at Norfolk Superior Court for Day 3 of jury selection.

The trial will have 16 jurors.

5 more are still needed.

Day 1: 4 jurors chosen

Day 2: 7 jurors chosen

Over the last two days about 180 people have come in as potential jurors. @boston25 pic.twitter.com/wxbC1PHurN  Ryan Breslin (@ryanjbreslin) April 18, 2024

Its day 3 of jury selection in the Karen Read case.

A fellow reporter came in with a seat cushion.

I went right to Amazon. Mine is on the way.

This church pew seat will not be the end of me.

Dominus Vobiscum pic.twitter.com/DnoLIzeSOZ  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 18, 2024

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ST. LOUIS  Earlier this month, supermodel and St. Louisan Karlie Kloss attended a dedication ceremony in downtown, where part of Washington Avenue would carry the name Karlie Kloss Way.

After the ceremony, Kloss spoke of her appreciation for the city and region where she grew up.

St. Louis is a huge part of who I am.  Countless memories in this neighborhood and in this beloved city. Even just on this street, she said.  Above all, this city has shown me that a girl from St. Louis can dream, achieve, and work to make a difference in the world.

Weeks after showing pride for her city, Kloss is now publicly criticizing the state for the lack of access to abortion care.

On April 17, The Washington Post published a 930-word op-ed by Kloss calling for Missouri voters to have the option of restoring abortion rights in the state.

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Growing up in St. Louis with three sisters and a dad who is a doctor, I didnt see reproductive health as a political issue. It was real life, Kloss wrote.

After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling in 2022, Missouris Republican-led Legislature moved to ban abortions at all stages of pregnancy, regardless of rape or incest. Only abortions in cases deemed medical emergencies are legal in Missouri now.

Abortion rights advocates Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, whom Kloss identifies in her opinion piece, are pushing for a ballot measure that would make abortion legal until fetal viability. The group has until May 5 to collect and present 172,000 valid signatures to the Missouri Secretary of States Office in order for the measure to appear statewide on the November ballot.

Meanwhile, the state legislature is pushing to make it harder to amend the Missouri Constitution. In February 2024, the state senate voted along party lines to approve a measure requiring a majority of voters in five of the states eight districts to support any proposed ballot amendment. At present, the law requires a simple majority of voters to approve a ballot amendment.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
Kelly Peterson to run for 2nd Senate District seat as Democrat, hopes to secure abortion rights in Wisconsin

Kelly Peterson speaks during a press conference launching her candidacy for the 2nd Senate District on Thursday in Appleton.

APPLETON - Former journalist Kelly Peterson said she was compelled to get into politics after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

"Like so many women, I felt my voice wasn't being heard, so I began attending fundraisers and town halls at my local Democratic chapters," Peterson said at a press conference Thursday at the Democratic Party of Outagamie County office.

That newfound interest in politics has prompted Peterson to run as a Democratic candidate for 2nd Senate District to flip the red district blue.

"I'm running because your voice matters. Since the fall of Roe, 14 states have already enacted near-total abortion bans," Peterson said. "These bans and arbitrary limits put women's lives in danger."

In Wisconsin, abortions are being provided after a Dane County judge ruled in July the state's 1849 abortion ban doesn't apply to consensual abortions.

Although, the decision has been appealed to the state Supreme Court, which will likely uphold the ruling because of its liberal majority, but if it overturns the ruling it could stop abortions in Wisconsin again.

Aside from abortion rights, Peterson said she wishes to address child care deserts and struggles farmers face in Wisconsin.

The state Senate seat is open for newcomers after incumbent Republican Robert Cowles of Allouez announced earlier this month he would not seek reelection.

Cowles has served Senate District 2 since 1987 and is the longest currently serving member of the Wisconsin Senate. He will continue serving the district until his term expires in January.

State Sen. Eric Wimberger, R-Green Bay, is running for Senate District 2, switching from his current District 30.

Senate District 2 covers Little Chute and a portion of Kaukauna along its southern border and stretches north covering Clintonville, Suamico and Shawano.

The district leans red and Peterson acknowledged she has an uphill battle if she plans to flip the district blue.

"I'm going to listen to people in this district and I'm going to take their voices to Madison," Peterson told The Post-Crescent. "That will absolutely make a impact for state Senate District 2."

Sophia Voight covers local government and politics in the Fox Valley for The Post-Crescent. She can be reached with feedback and story tips at svoight@postcrescent.com.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Kelly Peterson to run for 2nd Senate District seat as Democrat
Joe Biden in Philadelphia where he is expected to get the support of the Kennedy clan - JIM LO SCALZO/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Members of the Kennedy family are set to endorse Joe Biden on Thursday, despite a member of the family running as a rival presidential candidate for the White House.

The show of support from the offspring of the late US attorney general Robert F Kennedy  brother to assassinated president John F Kennedy  is a sharp rebuke to their sibling and the eldest son of the famous Democrat as he wages his own presidential bid.

Daddy stood for equal justice, human rights, and freedom from want and fear. Just as president Biden does today, Kerry Kennedy is expected to say at a campaign event for Mr Biden in Philadelphia.

Recommended

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She will be joined at the event by her sister Kathleen and brothers Rory, Joseph, Maxwell and Christopher.

Joe Kennedy III, who serves as Mr Bidens special envoy to Northern Ireland, will also campaign for the president in the state on Thursday.

In all, more than a dozen members of Americas most famous political dynasty are planning to campaign and formally endorse Mr Biden at the event in Philadelphia.

The Kennedy clan are said to have approached the Biden campaign and proposed the co-ordinated endorsement, rather than the other way around.

The appearance has been designed as a show of force against Robert F Kennedy Jnr, who initially challenged Mr Biden for the Democratic nomination before launching an independent bid in Novembers White House race.

I hear some of my family will be endorsing President Biden today, Mr Kennedy said in response.

Robert F Kennedy Jr has been criticised for his stance as a conspiracy theorist - Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

I am pleased they are politically active  its a family tradition. We are divided in our opinions but united in our love for each other.

Mr Kennedys strong polling performance, which has hit double-digits in some surveys, has rattled Democrats who fear his third-party bid may cost Mr Biden a second term.

The 70 year-olds views  such as his belief that the CIA may have been involved with his uncle president John F Kennedys assassination  are at odds with many of his relatives.

Many of the political clans most prominent members have previously denounced some of Mr Kennedys comments, including his promotion of conspiracy theories around vaccines.

Some of his siblings previously penned an op-ed stating: We love Robert F Kennedy Jr, but he is part of a misinformation campaign thats having heartbreaking  and deadly  consequences.

They have also criticised his insurgent challenge to Mr Bidens re-election bid, and denounced a promotional advert that closely resembled one supporting president Kennedy during his 1960 White House bid.

Nobody competes with president Biden when it comes to carrying on the legacies of John Kennedy and Robert Kennedy and Ted Kennedy, Kerry Kennedy told ABCs Good Morning America on Thursday.

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The Kennedy family is set to endorse President Biden in his reelection campaign Thursday during an event in Philadelphia, a strong rebuke of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s independent White House bid.

The Biden campaign is expecting 15 members of the Kennedy clan to attend Thursdays event alongside the president. Kerry Kennedy, the younger sister of RFK Jr., will deliver remarks outlining her familys support for Biden.

President Biden has been a champion for all the rights and freedoms that my father and uncles stood for, Kerry Kennedy will say, according to excerpts provided by the Biden campaign.

I can only imagine how Donald Trumps outrageous lies and behavior would have horrified my father, Robert F. Kennedy, who proudly served as Attorney General of the United States, and honored his pledge to uphold the law and protect the country, Kerry Kennedy will say, directly invoking her father. Daddy stood for equal justice, human rights, and freedom from want and fear. Just as President Biden does today.

After the endorsement, Biden and the Kennedys in attendance will join local volunteers at a grassroots organizing event, where they will participate in voter outreach that includes phone calls and door-knocking.

Thursdays endorsement is not surprising, as Kerry Kennedy and other family members have expressed their disapproval of RFK Jr.s presidential bid and sought to distance themselves from his campaign.

Biden last month hosted more than 30 members of the Kennedy family at the White House for a St. Patricks Day celebration Sunday. The presidential hopeful was not in attendance.

An activist and lawyer, RFK Jr. has raised conspiracy theories about vaccines and has more broadly expressed distrust in the government. He has recently sparked controversy with his comments about the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

He is running an independent campaign for the White House, arguing Biden is not up to the job for another term and that former President Trump failed in his first term and would be bad for the country.

Democrats have expressed concerns that his candidacy would pull votes away from Biden in November and help elect Trump in a close race. A pro-Trump super PAC earlier this week launched a website labeling RFK Jr. a radical liberal that highlights his views on tax policy, gun laws and the climate.

A New York Times/Siena College poll published Saturday found Trump polling at 46 percent support to Bidens 45 percent, with the president closing the gap from February, when Trump had a 5-percentage point lead.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
President Joe Biden listens to Kerry Kennedy (R) as she and members of the Kennedy family endorse his presidential campaign, at Martin Luther King Recreation Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on April 18, 2024. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS via Getty Images

More than a dozen Kennedy family members appeared with President Joe Biden Thursday to endorse his reelection over a member of their own family, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  the Biden campaigns biggest effort yet to stem leakage of progressive support to Kennedys independent candidacy.

President Biden has been a champion for all the rights and freedoms that my father and uncle stood for. Thats why nearly every single grandchild of Joe and Rose Kennedy supports Joe Biden, said Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert Kennedy, niece of President John F. Kennedy and brother of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Thats right  the Kennedy family endorses Joe Biden for president.

The Kennedy name has been iconic in Democratic politics for some 75 years, and especially so after brothers JFK and RFK were assassinated in the 1960s. Democratic consultants worried that a candidate with that famous name could pull voters away from Biden, helping Donald Trumps effort to win back the White House.

Initially, Trumps advisers also believed that Kennedy would help the coup-attempting former president. But theyve come to see him as cannibalizing Trumps support, as Kennedys embrace of vaccine conspiracy theories and support for the pro-Trump mob that attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, have become better-known.

Interestingly enough, six to eight months ago RFK Jr. pulled more support from Biden than Trump, but now hes pulling more from Trump, said GOP pollster Neil Newhouse, who is not affiliated with Trumps campaign. Democratic voters figured out his issue positions werent in line with theirs and, in the meantime, some Republicans seem drawn to him because of his positions.

Trump himself released a video last week reflecting this altered dynamic. RFK Jr. is going to be taking away votes from Crooked Joe Biden, Trump said, calling Kennedy radical left.

And he should, because hes actually better than Biden. Hes much better than Biden. If I were a Democrat, Id vote for RFK Jr. every single time over Biden.

While Kennedy had support in the mid-teens nationally when he announced his candidacy last fall, that figure has fallen into the single digits since.

Still, in a Wall Street Journal poll last month of the seven states that will likely determine the election, Kennedy averaged 11% support, while the other potential third-party and independent candidates were getting 2% or less.

And in a recent Wisconsin poll, Kennedy received 16% support from men and 10% from women. Among those with bachelors degrees and above  a group that has otherwise strongly supported Biden  he received 19 percent.

No surprise Biden is trying to marginalize him with other Kennedy endorsements, said David Kochel, a veteran Republican consultant who believes Kennedy would pull from Biden and Trump about equally.

At the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center in Philadelphia, Robert Kennedy Jr.s name was never mentioned once during the public remarks, neither by Kerry Kennedy nor by Biden  although Kennedy family members have previously criticized their relatives presidential run.

What an incredible honor, Biden said as she introduced him, adding that in the Oval Office, directly across from the Resolute Desk, he keeps busts of King and Robert F. Kennedy.

He inspired me. And his passion and courage inspired my generation, Biden said of the elder Robert, the former attorney general who was gunned down during his own presidential campaign in 1968.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s campaign referred queries about the endorsement to a statement he had posted on social media.

I hear some of my family will be endorsing President Biden today. I am pleased they are politically active  its a family tradition. We are divided in our opinions but united in our love for each other, Kennedy wrote.

After the endorsement speeches in the gym, Biden and the Kennedys moved to another room in the building, where his campaign had set up a training center for volunteers to learn about phone banking and canvassing.

We believe, we fight, we win  we get to do it with President Joe Biden, Joe Kennedy III told the 150 or so gathered.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas speaks during a news conference regarding the Know2Protect program in New York City, U.S., April 17, 2024.

The Senate has dismissed all impeachment charges against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, ending the House Republican push to remove the Cabinet secretary from office over his handling of the the U.S.-Mexico border and ending his trial before arguments even began.

Senators voted to dismiss both articles of impeachment and end the trial, with Democrats arguing that the articles were unconstitutional. The first article charged Mayorkas with willful and systemic refusal to comply with immigration law. The second article charged Mayorkas with a breach of trust for saying the border was secure. The votes were 51-48 and 51-49, both along party lines.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the House Republicans case failed to meet the high standard of high crimes and misdemeanors and could set a dangerous precedent.

For the sake of the Senates integrity and to protect impeachment for those rare cases we truly need it, senators should dismiss todays charges, said Schumer, D-N.Y., as he opened Wednesdays session.

The House narrowly voted in February to impeach Mayorkas for his handling of the border, arguing in the two articles that he willfully and systematically refused to enforce immigration laws. House impeachment managers delivered the charges to the Senate on Tuesday, standing in the well of the Senate and reading them aloud to a captive audience of senators.

An outright dismissal of House Republicans prosecution of Mayorkas, with no chance to argue the case, is an embarrassing defeat for House Republicans and embattled House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who made the impeachment a priority. And it is likely to resonate politically for both Republicans and Democrats in a presidential election year when border security has been a top issue.

Republicans argue that President Joe Biden has been weak on the border as arrests for illegal crossings skyrocketed to more than 2 million people during the last two years of his term, though they have fallen from a record-high of 250,000 in December amid heightened enforcement in Mexico. Democrats say that instead of impeaching Mayorkas, Republicans should have accepted a bipartisan Senate compromise aimed at reducing the number of migrants who come into the U.S. illegally.

Once the senators were sworn in on Wednesday, the chamber turned into the court of impeachment, with Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington presiding. Murray is the president pro tempore of the Senate, or the senior-most member of the majority party who sits in for the vice president. Senators approached the front of the Senate in groups of four to sign an oath book that is stored in the National Archives.

Schumer then called for the votes to dismiss the trial after Republicans rejected a proposed agreement for Senate debate time and several votes on GOP objections. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell called for a delay in the proceedings while Republican senators huddled on the floor to discuss how to proceed and called for several votes to delay the final outcome. All the votes were party-line.

As Johnson signed the articles Monday in preparation for sending them across the Capitol, he said Schumer should convene a trial to hold those who engineered this crisis to full account.

Schumer is the only impediment to delivering accountability for the American people, Johnson said. Pursuant to the Constitution, the House demands a trial.

In any case, Republicans would not be able to win the support of the two-thirds of the Senate that is needed to convict and remove Mayorkas from office  Democrats control the Senate, 51-49, and they appear to be united against the impeachment effort. Not one House Democrat supported it, either.

While most Republicans oppose quick dismissal, some have hinted they could vote with Democrats.

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said last week he wasnt sure what he would do if there were a move to dismiss the trial. I think its virtually certain that there will not be the conviction of someone when the constitutional test has not been met, he said.

At the same time, Romney said he wants to at least express his view that Mayorkas has done a terrible job, but hes following the direction of the president and has not met the constitutional test of a high crime or misdemeanor.

Mayorkas, who was in New York on Wednesday to launch a campaign for childrens online safety, reiterated that hes focused on the work of his department. The Senate is going to do what the Senate considers to be appropriate as that proceeds, he said. I am here in New York City on Wednesday morning fighting online sexual exploitation and abuse. Im focused on our mission.

The two articles argue that Mayorkas not only refused to enforce existing law but also breached the public trust by lying to Congress and saying the border was secure. The House vote was the first time in nearly 150 years that a Cabinet secretary was impeached.

Since then, Johnson delayed sending the articles to the Senate for weeks while both chambers finished work on government funding legislation and took a two-week recess. Johnson had said he would send them to the Senate last week, but he punted again after Senate Republicans said they wanted more time to prepare.

House impeachment managers previewed some of their arguments at a hearing with Mayorkas on Tuesday morning about President Joe Bidens budget request for the department.

Tennessee Rep. Mark Green, the chairman of the House Homeland Security panel, told the secretary that he has a duty under the law to control and guard U.S. borders, and during your three years as secretary, you have failed to fulfill this oath. You have refused to comply with the laws passed by Congress, and you have breached the public trust.

Mayorkas defended the departments efforts but said the nations immigration system is fundamentally broken, and only Congress can fix it.

Other impeachment managers are Michael McCaul of Texas, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Ben Cline of Virginia, Andrew Garbarino of New York, Michael Guest of Mississippi, Harriet Hageman of Wyoming, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, Laurel Lee of Florida, August Plfuger of Texas and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia.

If Democrats were unable to dismiss or table both articles, they could follow the precedent of several impeachment trials for federal judges over the last century and hold a vote to create a trial committee that would investigate the charges. While there is sufficient precedent for this approach, Democrats may prefer to end the process completely, especially in a presidential election year when immigration and border security are top issues.

The impeachment trial is the third in five years. Democrats impeached President Donald Trump twice, once over his dealings with Ukraine and a second time in the days after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Trump was acquitted by the Senate both times.

At a trial, senators would be forced to sit in their seats for the duration, maybe weeks, while the House impeachment managers and lawyers representing Mayorkas make their cases. The Senate is allowed to call witnesses, as well, if it so decides, and it can ask questions of both sides after the opening arguments are finished.

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WASHINGTON  Members of the Kennedy family, one of the most iconic names in Democratic politics, formally endorsed President Joe Biden's reelection bid Thursday in a firm rejection of their relative Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is running for president as an independent.

The endorsement, which the Kennedy family made official at a Biden campaign rally in Philadelphia, is not a surprise. Several Kennedys had already made their support for Biden known, including by appearing with the president during a St. Patrick's Day celebration at the White House last month.

Yet the showing from the families of President John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., including six of his siblings, is an important display for Biden as his allies work to keep third-party candidates from siphoning off voters from their coalition.

President Joe Biden walks from Marine One after arriving on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, April 17, 2024, after a 2-day campaign trip to Pennsylvania.

"We want to make crystal clear our feeling that the best way forward for America is to reelect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to four more years," Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy and the younger sister of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., said at the event.

Kerry Kennedy delivered remarks on behalf of more than a dozen Kennedy family members.

She drew a parallel between Biden's fight to keep former President Donald Trump from returning to power to her father's political career.

"A vote for Joe Biden is a vote for our democracy and our decency. It is a vote for what my father called for in his own presidential announcement in 1968 'our right to the moral leadership of this planet,'" she said.

Biden said it was the "most meaningful introduction" he has ever received from anyone besides his sister Valerie.

"What an incredible honor," Biden said. "I don't want to become emotional, but what an incredible honor to have the support of the Kennedy family.

Among the Kennedys in attendance were former U.S. Reps. Joe Kennedy II and Joe Kennedy III, who currently serves as Biden's United States special envoy for Northern Ireland.

Other endorsers were: Beth Kennedy, Christopher Kennedy, Maxwell Taylor Kennedy, Vicki Strauss Kennedy, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Kerry Kennedy Meltzer, Max Meltzer, Ted Kennedy Jr., Stephen Kennedy Smith, Peter McKelvy and Rebeca McKelvy.

Biden considerers Robert F. Kennedy, the late former U.S. senator from New York and attorney general, one of his political hero and displays his bust in the Oval Office.

He referenced the bust and the one of Martin Luther King Jr. in his remarks on Thursday. "I remind myself what they would do in tough calls," Biden said.

Even before Thursday's endorsement, several Kennedy family members publicly opposed Robert F. Kennedy's candidacy.

"Bobby might share the same name as our father, but he does not share the same values, vision or judgment," Kerry Kennedy and three other siblings  Joseph Kennedy II, Rory Kennedy and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend  wrote in a statement after their brother announced his bid last October. "We denounce his candidacy and believe it to be perilous for our country."

Kerry Kennedy (R) introduces US President Joe Biden (3rd L) during a campaign event where the Kennedy family endorsed his presidential campaign, at Martin Luther King Recreation Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on April 18, 2024. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images) ORIG FILE ID: 2147906611

In an interview on CNN this month, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. addressed the criticism of his family members. "I've got a big family. I don't know anybody in America who's got a family who agrees with them on everything," he said.

Kennedy currently has the support of 11.7% of likely voters nationally, according to a RealClearPolitics average of polls. That doesn't make him a serious contender to win the election. But his double-digit standing is more than enough to swing outcomes in battleground states  and Democrats are taking the threat seriously.

The Democratic National Committee recently brought on a legal team to scrutinize Kennedy's efforts to make it on the ballots in key swing states and expanded campaign operations to paint Kennedy as a radical conspiracy theorist who is getting boosted financially by a Trump Super PAC's largest donor.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attends a Cesar Chavez Day event at Union Station on March 30, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kennedy family members endorse President Biden in blow to RFK Jr.
At least 15 members of the storied Kennedy political family, which has produced a president, two senators, and multiple House members since the 1950s, officially endorsed President Joe Biden for re-election at a campaign event on Thursday  in what marks perhaps their biggest snub to Robert F Kennedy Jr to date.

Introducing the president to the stage at the Martin Luther King Jr Recreation Centre in Philadelphia, Kerry Kennedy  the niece of late president John F Kennedy and sister of RFK Jr  made it clear that the family sees only two candidates with any chance of winning the presidency: Mr Biden and former president Donald Trump.

In 2024, there are only two candidates with any chance of winning the presidency, she said.

We want to make crystal clear our feeling that the best way forward for America is to reelect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to four more years, saying that a vote for the 46th president would be a vote for our democracy and our decency.

To hammer the message home, she added: Nearly every single grandchild of Joe and Rose Kennedy supports Joe Biden. Thats right, the Kennedy family endorses Joe Biden for president.

In what was a tacit rejection of her own brother, Ms Kennedy made no mention whatsoever of her brothers name.

She also described Mr Biden as the rightful heir to the political legacy of her and RFK Jrs father, Robert F Kennedy Jr  the late senator who was killed while running for president in 1968.

President Joe Biden speaks alongside members of the storied Kennedy family as he accepts their endorsement during a campaign event in Philadelphia on Thursday (AP)

I can only imagine how Donald Trumps outrageous lies and behaviour would have horrified my father, senator Robert F Kennedy who proudly served as the Attorney General of the United States and honoured his pledge to uphold the law and protect the country. Daddy stood for equal justice, for human rights and freedom from want and fear, just as President Biden does today, she said.

She denounced Mr Trump as the most anti-democratic president in American history and someone who is running to use his power to punish his enemies, silence his opponents, and unleash more chaos, division and political violence with his extreme agenda.

Donald Trump is running to take us backwards attacking the most basic rights and freedoms that are at the core of who we are as Americans. Hes saying he will be a dictator on day one, even saying he wants to suspend the constitution so he can go after his enemies, after his critics after the press, she said.

A group 30 of Kennedy family members visited Mr Biden at the White House last month for St Patricks Day (@KerryKennedyRFK/Twitter)

Ms Kennedy, quoting her fathers 1968 campaign announcement in which he said he felt obliged to do all that [he] can to keep the country from falling under the wrong leadership, echoed his vow that they would not stand aside.

We are here because we feel obliged to do all that we can. We cannot stand aside in this election. No American can stand aside. We must vote, she said.

The Kennedy family has flatly rejected the insurgent campaign by their environmental lawyer and vaccine skeptic relation in favour of Mr Biden, who is only the second Catholic president toJFKs first.

A large number of the Irish-American political clan previously appeared with Mr Biden at the White House for a St Patricks Day celebration in March.

In addition, multiple Kennedy family members are already serving in Mr Bidens administration, including Caroline Kennedy  who also served as US Ambassador to Japan during the Obama administration  and former Massachusetts Representative Joseph Kennedy III, who now serves as Mr Bidens Special Envoy for Northern Ireland.

The familys formal endorsement of the 46th president comes as polling between Mr Biden and Mr Trump tightens, with RFK Jrs presence in the race serving as a growing source of agitation among Democrats.

Former Representative Joseph Kennedy III, pictured on Thursday, serves as Mr Bidens Special Envoy to Northern Ireland (AP)

According to some polls, a third-party candidate with high name recognition such as RFK Jr could become a spoiler for Mr Biden by pulling away votes and, as a result, helping Mr Trump in battleground states.

For his part, the president used Thursdays campaign stop to hit out at Mr Trumps use of violent political rhetoric and his dark vision for the US.

He warned the crowd that this years presidential election will be a choice between two fundamentally different visions, with Mr Trumps being one of anger hate revenge and retribution that embraces the insurrectionists of January 6.

Referring to the twin assassinations that took the lives of JFK and RFK Jr, Mr Biden said Mr Trumps whitewashing of the Jan 6 Capitol riot and his call for a bloodbath if he loses in November were both outrageous.

I have a very different view of America: One of hope and optimism ... optimism of the Bobby Kennedy variety, he said.

I see America when we defend democracy, not diminish it. I see America we protect our freedoms, not take them away. And I see in America where the economy grows and the middle out and the bottom up. And that way the middle class does well and the poor have a shot, and where healthcare is a right, not a privilege.

Both Republicans and Democrats are concerned that with an electorate less-than-enthused about the current candidates, third party candidates such as RFK Jr may be able to grab a small but significant number of votes from them which could be decisive in November.

In an effort to avoid such an outcome, members of the Kennedy family are planning on making calls and knocking on doors in support of Mr Biden.

While a small number of Kennedy family members are not choosing to endorse Mr Biden  including Caroline Kennedy, the US ambassador, and former NBC News Today show anchor and ex-California First Lady-turned-nonprofit leader Maria Shriver, the Biden campaign has attributed their stance to the nonpolitical nature of their engagements, not to support for his opponent.

During a Thursday appearance on MSNBC ahead of the Philadelphia event, Ms Kennedy said Mr Bidens re-election campaign was about democracy ... about freedom, and about the people of America, not only our country but all around the world.

 And that's why it's so, so important for every single person to come out and vote ... If everybody votes, Biden wins. But right now, this is going to be a very, very close election, she said.

We can't have people voting for third parties no matter who they are, she added. In every family ... Americans have diverse views. You have to love your family members. You don't have to like them. I love Bobby, and I like Bobby. But this campaign is not about Bobby, this campaign is about Trump versus Biden. And what we need to do today is focus on Biden winning.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
More than a dozen members of the Kennedy family will officially endorse Joe Biden for president on Wednesday, forsaking their own family member, independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The family plans to gather with Biden in Philadelphia, where they will make calls and knock on doors on the presidents behalf.

According to a draft of Kerry Kennedys remarks reviewed by The Daily Beast, she plans to denounce Donald Trump as a threat to Americas most basic rights and freedoms.

We can say today, with no less urgency, that our rights and freedoms are once again in peril, her prepared comments say. That is why we all need to come together in a campaign that should unite not only Democrats, but all Americans, including Republicans, and independents, who believe in what Lincoln called the better angels of our nature.

Other members of the Kennedy clan backing Biden include Rore Kennedy, Joe Kennedy III, Ted Kennedy Jr., and Christopher Kennedy.

The family has previously rebuked RFK Jr. for disseminating conspiracy theories. In July, after he suggested that COVID-19 may have been ethnically targeted, they assailed his comments as dangerous.

My uncles comments were hurtful and wrong. I unequivocally condemn what he said, said Joe Kennedy III, who serves as special envoy to Northern Ireland for economic affairs.

Joe Kennedy II echoed that sentiment, saying in a statement, Bobbys comments are morally and factually wrong. They play on antisemitic myths and stoke mistrust of the Chinese. His remarks in no way reflect the words and actions of our father, Robert F. Kennedy.

RFK Jr. insisted that his remarks were taken out of context and has maintained that the family remains close despite their public dust-ups.

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.
Kenyas defence chief was among ten senior military commanders to be killed in a helicopter crash in a remote western area of the country on Thursday night.

General Francis Omondi Ogolla was on board the aircraft along with nine other gallant military personnel when it crashed soon after take-off in Elgeyo-Marakwet county, president William Ruto announced.

Mr Ruto, who convened an urgent meeting of the National Security Council in Nairobi after news of the accident emerged, said two people had survived the crash.

The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) helicopter, which took off from the village of Chesegon at about 2.20pm local time, had been ferrying officials back from visiting troops rebuilding schools in an area that has been plagued by bandits.

Evans Kipkosgei, who witnessed the crash, told The Standard, a Kenyan daily newspaper: We rushed to the scene and we found the chopper up in flames.

The scene was immediately cordoned off by KDF officers who are stationed in Kerio Valley. Some burnt bodies were removed from the wreckage.

Kenya is one of the UKs closest military allies in Africa. The British Army maintains a large training ground in the country which infantry units use for field training.

Gen Ogolla, 61, was appointed chief of the defence forces by Mr Ruto in April last year after a stint as deputy.

Mr Ruto told journalists last May that he appointed Gen Ogolla despite him being among those who tried to overturn his narrow election win against opposition leader Raila Odinga in 2022.

When I looked at his CV, he was the best person to be a general, he said, adding his decision went against the wishes of many people.

A trained fighter pilot, Ogolla joined the KDF in April 1984, rising through the ranks to command the Kenyan Air Force in 2018, a post he held for three years.

Mr Ruto said the Kenya Air Force had dispatched an investigation team to establish the cause of the crash, which took place about 250 miles north-west of the capital,

He announced three days of mourning from Friday, with official flags to fly at half mast.

The bodies of the victims, draped in Kenyan flags, were returned to Nairobi on an air force plane late on Thursday, according to images shared by the presidency.

A distinguished four-star general has fallen in the course of duty and service of the country, Mr Ruto said.

Our motherland has lost one of her most valiant generals, gallant officers, servicemen and women.

Kenyan media reports said this was the fifth military helicopter crash in 12 months, with claims the aircraft were old and poorly maintained.

The Bell UH-1B helicopter, nicknamed the Huey, was developed in the 1950s and widely used by the US military during the Vietnam War.

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 lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPMs Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version.

Thanks, Kev

In his craven quest for the House speakership last year, Kevin McCarthy was willing to give up anything, including changing the rules to allow any one member to bring up a discharge petition to oust the speaker. It cost him dearly, and now its putting his successor in a similar bind.

The House GOP leadership is making noises that it might try to change the rule back and take some of the pressure off Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), who is currently being held over a barrel on Ukraine aid by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). But its not clear if theres enough support among Republican members, each of whom is empowered by the McCarthy capitulation, for it to happen.

McCarthy, so weakened by what he was willing to concede for his own ambition, held the gavel a mere nine months before he was bounced by the likes of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL). For his part, Johnson could be looking at an ouster attempt soon after he brings Ukraine aid to a vote.

Speaker Puts His Job On The Line For Ukraine Aid

The speaker Wednesday finally released the text of the package of foreign aid bills that includes desperately needed aid for Ukraine. A floor vote on the package could come as soon as Saturday and seems likely to lead to a move by far-right GOPers to oust him from the speakership.

Gaetz called Johnsons decision to move forward on Ukraine aid an abject surrender:

Anger from right flank on Johnson:



Gaetz: There is no other way to describe it, it is surrender, it is disappointing. I wont support it.



Crane: It's disappointing. It's completely detached from what our base wants what our what our voters want. pic.twitter.com/IGWFTigse0  Manu Raju (@mkraju) April 17, 2024

The packages prospects are highly uncertain, but Johnsons apparent willingness to put everything on the line to get it passed is a glimmer of hope for Ukraine, which hasnt had much positive news coming out of Washington in the months the aid bill has been stymied by Republicans on the Hill.

Jury Selection Resumes In Hush Money Case

TPMs Josh Kovensky is back in the Manhattan courthouse this morning for the resumption of jury selection in the Trump hush money case, which sat in recess Wednesday. Among the new developments:

Prosecutors filed a list of prior bad acts by Trump that they intend to use on cross examination if Trump testifies in his own defense.

Norm Eisen explores the likelihood of a prison sentence for Trump if he is convicted.

Trump may have violated the gag order yet again, with a social media post targeting prospective jurors:

On the left:



NY judge's gag order prohibiting Trump from "making  public statements about any prospective juror or any juror in this criminal proceeding."



On the right:



Trump making public statement about prospective jurors in this criminal proceedings. pic.twitter.com/qvqsnURlUj  Ryan Goodman (@rgoodlaw) April 17, 2024

Dont Sleep On The State-Level Fake Elector Probes

The NYT catches us up on the fake elector criminal cases in Georgia, Michigan and Nevada plus the ongoing criminal investigations in Wisconsin and Arizona.

The Price Of Service

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) hinted this week that death threats may be behind his early resignation decision: This is more just me wanting to prioritize being with my family, he told reporters on the Hill. I signed up for the death threats and the late-night swatting, but they did not. And for a young family, I would say this job is really hard.

Arizona GOPers Dig In To Defend Civil War Abortion Ban

Quite a scene in Arizona yesterday, as state House Republicans once again blocked an effort to repeal a newly revived Civil War-era abortion ban, as TPMs Kate Riga reports:

Rep. David Livingston (R-AZ) turned to the galleries, stuffed with a mix of pro- and anti-abortion rights protesters, and applauded his supporters, raising his fists in triumph. Majority Whip Teresa Martinez (R-AZ) mouthed we got you and did a thumbs up. Majority Leader Leo Biasiucci (R-AZ) grinned and accepted a handshake on his way out of the chamber. They were posing for their far-right base, scoffed Assistant Minority Leader Oscar De Los Santos (D-AZ), calling TPM from the House floor minutes after the last procedural vote failed.

In the state Senate, a similar repeal effort is making progress with the help of crossover Republicans, so this could come up again in the House for vote.

Senate Dems Deep Six Mayorkas Impeachment

The bogus House GOP impeachment of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was quickly dismissed Wednesday by the Democratic-controlled Senate.

As The Saying Goes 

Fuck around and youre about to find out very soon  eventually  almost there  wait for it  any minute now 

Raskin: What is the crime that you want to impeach Joe Biden for? Tell America right now



Comer: Youre about to find out very soon pic.twitter.com/MFXsRVwulA  Acyn (@Acyn) April 17, 2024

2024 Ephemera

WaPo: Trump takes aim at a remaining House Republican who voted to impeach him

LOL : The Trump campaign is asking down-ballot candidates who use his name, image and likeness in fundraising appeals to cough up at least 5 percent of the proceeds to his campaign.

FL-Sen: Sen. Rick Scott (R) is in the grips of an abortion anxiety spiral

What A Total Weirdo

CNN put together a collection of Stephen Miller clips praising Trump pic.twitter.com/GkLewmbt43  Acyn (@Acyn) April 18, 2024

Also, who pronounces dynasty as din-asty?

Antisemitism Watch

Antisemitic threats in the U.S. have soared since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, FBI Director Chris Wray told Jewish leaders. So to be more specific, between Oct. 7 and Jan. 30 of this year, we opened over three times more anti-Jewish hate crime investigations than in the four months before Oct. 7, Wray said.

Sign O The Times

WaPo: Red states threaten librarians with prison  as blue states work to protect them

A Good Old-Fashioned Heist

Nine people, including an Air Canada employee, have been arrested in connection with last years heist of more than $14.5 million in gold bars from a warehouse at the Toronto airport.

Vulcan Makes Himself Known

Just one of the incredible shots of this weeks eruption of Mount Ruang in Indonesia:

Indonesia's Mount Ruang erupting tonight. Insane pic. (Credit: Indonesian volcanology agency / handout to @AFP). pic.twitter.com/pGlNX0pQOT  Jack Moore (@JFXM) April 17, 2024

Do you like Morning Memo? Let us know!
Shamsuddin Riza pleaded guilty Thursday to helping orchestrate a straw donor scheme that prosecutors say pumped illegal cash into Mayor Adams 2021 campaign coffers with an aim to secure political favors.

Riza is the fourth defendant to plead guilty after being charged by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs office with facilitating the straw donor scheme.

A construction company owner, Riza entered his plea during a Thursday morning court hearing in Manhattan to one felony count of attempted grand larceny in the third degree related to his efforts to use fraudulent donations to illegally secure public matching funds for Adams campaign.

The count is the most serious any of the defendants in the straw donor case have pleaded to so far; the three others copped to lower-level conspiracy charges.

Riza also pleaded guilty to one count of falsifying business records in a separate case unrelated to the straw donor scheme.

Prosecutors said Riza facilitated the donations in hopes it would put his firm, United Construction Brothers Services, in line for lucrative city contracts once Adams became mayor.

Neither the mayor nor his campaign are implicated in or accused of having known about the scheme.

Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Althea Drysdale told Riza in the hearing she expects to sentence him to three years of probation during a hearing next month. As part of his plea deal, hes also prohibited from hosting fundraisers for any political candidates, deliver contributions to any candidates or engage in any other form of political fundraising for three years.

You can have no association whatsoever with campaign in any way, shape or form, do you understand? Drysdale asked.

Yes, Your Honor, Riza replied.

After the hearing, Riza declined to answer questions.

According to their indictment, between at least August 2020 and November 2021, Riza and his five co-defendants reimbursed people for giving money to Adams campaign and donated themselves in the names of dozens of others who didnt know their identities were being used for that purpose.

Both practices  known as straw donating  are illegal and can generate illicit public matching funds and violate caps on how much money an individual can donate, the indictment charged.

Rizas plea comes as Adams 2021 campaign is facing a separate federal investigation into allegations that Turkeys government funneled illegal straw donations into its coffers.

Dwayne Montgomery, an ex-NYPD inspector, Adams friend and alleged ringleader of the straw donor scheme prosecuted by Bragg, pleaded guilty to his role in February. He told Riza in an intercepted July 2021 phone call that [Adams] said he doesnt want to do anything if he doesnt get 25 Gs, according to court papers.

Riza was caught in intercepted communications instructing two of his other co-defendants, brothers Shahid and Yahya Mushtaq, how to use the names of employees of their construction safety firm as straw donors. He told them to use nonsequential money orders, which are difficult to trace, to make the illegal Adams campaign contributions, prosecutors say.

The Mushtaqs pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme in October as part of a deal that required them to cooperate with prosecutors.

With Rizas plea entered, only two cases prosecuted as part of the scheme remain open, against Ronald Peek and Millicent Redick.

In making the case that Riza and his co-defendants angled for city government business as part of their scheme, prosecutors pointed to an email Riza sent Montgomery in summer 2021 before a fundraiser for Adams.

In the message, Riza shared details about a Brooklyn construction project he was hoping his contractor firm could work on, according to court papers.

Please show to him before Event, Riza wrote to Montgomery about the project, a reference to Adams, the indictment says. It will start when hes in office.
Knife-wielding suspect dies after being shot by Ohio police attempting to rescue kids, police say

A suspect has died after being shot by Toledo police who were trying to save children in a home on Wednesday.

Police responded to a home on Vance Street in connection to a disorder on Wednesday morning, police shared on social media. When they got there, they were met by the suspects elderly grandmother and neighbors.

>> Doctor arrested after explosives found during FBI investigations released from federal custody

The grandmother had a stab wound to her face and stated that her granddaughter just went off and was talking about demonic things. She also told police that her three great-grandchildren, ages 10, 6, and 2, were inside with the suspect.

Officers went up to the door of the house and tried to speak to the suspect. She barricaded the door, but officers were able to get it open slightly and could see that she was armed with a knife. They could also hear children screaming from inside.

When officers tried to push the door open, the suspect tried to stab one of them, according to police. Another officer fired at the suspect and the door closed.

Other officers and a member of the Critical Incident Negotiator Team arrived on the scene. They then broke a front window and unsuccessfully deployed a taser.

The children and the suspect ran to the back of the house before officers forced their way into the home. They were all later found in the attic.

Police then tried to negotiate with the suspect, but were unsuccessful.

>> WATCH: Video shows officer avoiding being hit on I-75 in Moraine

SWAT team members arrived on the scene and opened the attic door enough to see the three children and the suspect, who was walking toward the kids with a knife. It was then that a SWAT officer shot the suspect, causing her to fall. Police said she stood back up and started heading toward the kids again, causing the officer to shoot her again.

Officers were then able to go into the attic, take the suspect into custody, and rescue the children.

The suspect, who was not identified by police, was taken to a hospital where she died from her injuries overnight.

The Toledo Police officers who fired their weapons will be placed on paid Administrative Leave per collective bargaining agreements, police stated.
What to know as India's 2024 election gets underway

New Delhi  People started casting votes Friday in India in what's set to be the largest general election ever held anywhere in the world, with nearly 1 billion eligible voters. The election will be held in seven phases, starting Friday and lasting until June 1.

Election officials are expected to announce the results on June 4.

Incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi is vying for a third term in office. Pre-election polling is illegal in India, but a survey found Modi's overall approval rating had risen to 75% in February, a figure that jumped 15% in the last two years. His supporters would argue his popularity surged because of his work in bringing India up on the world stage as a major power, and his critics would say it's because of his shrewd pro-Hindu and anti-Muslim policies.

Biden hosts Modi for state visit, navigating critical relations amid rights concerns

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets women during an election campaign rally, April 14, 2024, in Mysuru, India. / Credit: Abhishek Chinnappa/Getty

But his party's victory is not guaranteed, and there's a lot on the line  not only for the world's most populous nation, but for the wider tenets of democracy in what has been for decades a lauded example of political freedom in Asia.

An election on an immense scale

India is home to more than 1.4 billion people. It has 969 million eligible voters this year, compared to 912 million when the last national election was held in 2019. By comparison, as the U.S. heads toward its own national election in November, fewer than 170 million people are likely to be eligible to cast ballots.

It has taken India's Election Commission months of preparation and the mobilization of some 15 million election officers and security staff to pull off the mammoth exercise in democracy.

Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are, in some cases, even carried on horseback or by elephant to reach remote communities, taking as long as almost seven weeks to reach the country's far-flung corners where infrastructure can be lacking.

An election official carrying an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) for a polling station disembarks a boat at Lohore Chapori in Golaghat district, in India's Assam state, April 18, 2024, on the eve of the first phase of India's general election. / Credit: BIJU BORO/AFP/Getty

The commission has set up more than 1 million polling stations across India, with the objective being for every voter to have one within 1.24 miles of their home. One booth was being set up high in the Himalayan mountains and, at an altitude of 15,256 feet, it was billed as the world's highest polling station.

The election body said it would use 5.5 million EVMs. The machines were first introduced for India's 1982 national election. Some opposition parties have raised concerns over the EVMs being prone to hacking and tampering, but the commission and the government have maintained that they are reliable.

What are Indians voting for in this election?

Voters will elect Members of Parliament to fill 543 seats in the 545-seat lower house of parliament, called the Lok Sabha. The other two seats are nominated by the country's president. The party that wins a majority in the election will form the next government and appoint one of its winning candidates as India's prime minister.

The contest involves six national parties, 57 state parties and more than 2,500 smaller local parties. Not all political parties field candidates nationally. Combined, fewer than 12 parties hold 86% of the seats in the Lok Sabha.

One of the main political parties is Modi's Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), which has seen its popularity rise steadily since he won his first term in 2014.

The BJP's biggest rival is the Indian National Congress (INC), the country's oldest political party and one that has been in power for more than 50 of the 77 years of India's existence as an independent nation.

India's Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi (sitting atop a vehicle and waving) takes part in a procession during a campaign tour, Feb. 17, 2024, in Varanasi, India. / Credit: ABHISHEK MISHRA/Getty

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, whose father, grandmother and great-grandfather all served as prime ministers, is Modi's fiercest opponent and the face of the country's political opposition.

A "fair, transparent" election process?

Last month, the INC party accused Modi's government of misusing the tax federal agency to stifle democracy, announcing that it had frozen the party's bank accounts in a tax dispute case.

Former Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, the current party leader's mother, said it was "a systematic effort to cripple the party financially."

"We have no money to campaign. We cannot support our candidates. Our ability to fight elections has been damaged," Rahul Gandhi said.

The Congress Party also accused "autocratic" Modi's government of "capturing democracy through extortion and financial terrorism."

Modi's BJP government has denied the allegations.

Concerns were also raised over the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of the sprawling Delhi capital region and head of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), on March 21. He was taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), India's federal financial crimes agency, in connection with an alleged money-laundering case.

AAP called the case against Kejriwal, filed right before the national election, a "political conspiracy" and accused the ED of acting like a "political wing of BJP."

Asked on March 27 about Kejriwal's arrest and the INC's accounts being frozen, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the U.S. government wouldn't comment on "private diplomatic discussions," but he stressed that "we encourage fair, transparent, and timely legal processes for each of these issues."

India called the U.S. government's remarks about the issues "unwarranted" and "unacceptable," and said India was proud of its independent and robust democratic institutions.

On May 10, with the elections about halfway over, India's Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail, allowing him out of prison until at least June 1.

Modi and the Hindu-Muslim divide

Modi's opponents argue that the hugely popular prime minister has done little during his decade in office to bridge the growing sectarian divide between India's majority Hindu population and its 230 million Muslims.

Critics argue that he has, instead, indirectly endorsed sectarianism in an effort to shore up support among his Hindu nationalist base.

Some fear what a third Modi term might mean for India's Muslims, believing his BJP is determined to turn the secular, pluralistic nation into a majority-ruled Hindu state.

There has been rising sectarian violence in India, with Muslims and Christians often the targets, for the past 10 years under BJP leadership.

Modi's party has consistently denied allegations that it is fueling sectarianism, and it maintains that it works for the welfare of all India's citizens, without discrimination.

2 skiers killed, 1 rescued after Utah avalanche

A look at the growing trend of women becoming single parents by choice

Where Key Bridge cleanup effort stands after 6 weeks
(Bloomberg) -- Twelve jurors and one alternate have been selected for Donald Trumps first criminal trial in New York, where the former president is accused of falsifying business records to conceal a sex scandal before the 2016 election.

Most Read from Bloomberg

On the third day of proceedings, Judge Juan Merchan and attorneys for both sides interviewed dozens of prospective jurors who are among almost 200 brought in since Monday. Another 100 are being called Friday to fill the five remaining slots for alternates. Opening arguments could start in the case as soon as Monday.

Jurors will be tasked with deciding Trumps fate in the first criminal trial ever against a former president, who also is campaigning to return to the White House in the November election. Trump, who faces three other criminal prosecutions, denies wrongdoing and claims the cases are part of a political which hunt against him.

Here are the key takeaways from courtroom proceedings Thursday:

Seven jurors were added to those selected Tuesday. Among them are an Irish immigrant, a nurse, a corporate attorney, an IT consultant and a teacher.

Choosing jurors hasnt been easy, especially when the defendant is a former president who is a divisive political figure and a longtime celebrity in New York. Those selected so far were among 192 vetted since Monday. Most were excused because they said they couldnt be fair to Trump. Hes selfish and self-serving, one woman said. Hes not my cup of tea. Trump sat at the defense table listening to each juror being interviewed, often crossing his arms when they said things critical of him, and leaning back when he heard compliments.

An early setback in the process occurred early Thursday, when the judge dismissed two of the seven individuals whod already been chosen Tuesday. One was dropped after prosecutors raised questions about his truthfulness regarding a possible brush with the law in the 1990s. The other said she could no longer be fair to Trump, after being inundated with messages from friends, family and colleagues.

Judge Merchan blamed the media for dismissal of the female juror. He ordered news outlets to refrain from disclosing too many identifying details about jurors, whose names are being withheld from the public for their own safety. We just lost what probably would have been a very good juror in this case, the judge said. He ordered reporters not to disclose information like a potential jurors employer, where they live and their prior employment. Its become a problem, Merchan said.

Prosecutor Christopher Conroy told Merchan that since the weekend, Trump has violated the judges April 1 gag order an additional seven times, including a post Monday before jury selection began. Conroy said the most disturbing was a Truth Social post by Trump on April 17 claiming undercover liberal activists are lying to the judge to get on the jury. Emil Bove, one of Trumps lawyers, argued Trump is defending himself from attacks online, and that if Trump is reposting statements by others, its not a violation. Merchan has agreed to hold a hearing Tuesday to determine if the former president should be fined for contempt in violating the gag order. Well sort it out at the hearing, Merchan said Thursday.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
What to know about the three foreign aid bills the House of Representatives will vote on this week

Speaker Mike Johnson has released a much-anticipated series of foreign aid bills, teeing up the House of Representatives for a vote within days as President Joe Biden vows to sign it into law immediately.

The $94bn package comes in three separate bills delineating aid for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. The package has been Senate-approved since February and subsequently stalled by the GOP-led House. The allocations will only apply through September 2024, when the fiscal year ends. A fourth bill that covers a wide range of GOP foreign policy priorities will also be considered. Voting is expected to begin on Saturday.

House Republicans are also expected to release a fifth bill calling for increased US-Mexico border security.

The president praised Mr Johnsons decision to put the bills forward, pledging to sign them into law if passed.

This release comes as Mr Johnson faces calls for his removal by far-right members of the House. Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie urged Mr Johnson to step down during a meeting of the House GOP conference on Tuesday. The call came after Mr Johnson said he was putting forth the foreign aid legislation.

I am not concerned about this, I am going to do my job, and I think thats what the American people expect of us, the Speaker said on Tuesday.

Speaker Mike Johnson introduced three foreign aid bills that the House of Representatives will vote on in the coming days (REUTERS)

Last month, Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene also filed a motion to remove him as Speaker after he allowed the House to vote on funding the federal government for the rest of the current fiscal year. Mr Massie has since said he would support her measure.

Other members, like GOP Representative Chip Roy, have also said they will vote against a rule needed to bring the bills to a vote. The Speaker will need Democratic votes to both pass the rule and the aid bills given the Republican partys already-thin majority in the chamber.

Ukraine: $60.84bn

$26bn of the aid would go towards promoting oversight and accountability of the US aid to Ukraine. Another $23bn would replenish the defence systems and equipment previously provided, while just under $14bn would help procure new advanced weapons systems, defense articles, and defense services.

Other funds will go towards US military personnel in the region.

Several GOP House members stand opposed to Ukrainian aid  Ms Greene and Mr Massie both have a long history of voting against aid to the country. In an effort to show her disdain for the bill, Ms Greene introduced an amendment on Wednesday that would require representatives who vote in favour to conscript in the Ukrainian military.

This proposed bill comes as Ukrainian officials warn of ammunition shortages and Russian attacks of growing intensity.

On Wednesday, Ukraines Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal warned there could be a third world war if the country loses the war against Russia, urging the House to pass the aid bill.

Ukraine needs this money yesterday, not tomorrow, not today, Mr Shymal said.

Israel: $26.38bn

If passed, this bill would delegate billions to Israels defence systems, including $4bn to replenish Iron Dome and Davids Sling missile defense systems. Another $4.4bn would be allocated for general replenishment of defence articles and systems previously provided to Israel.

The Iron Dome is a system that shoots down short-range rockets, developed with US backing. Davids Sling, similarly, specialises in shooting down mid-range missiles.

Separately, Mr Biden and his administration appear poised to make an $18bn sale of fighter jets to the IDF. He also recently authorised the sale of more than 2,000 bombs to the Israelis. Amid widespread calls to condition US aid to Israel, White House officials said these sales are the result of processes agreed upon years ago.

In the last six months, Israels bombardment of Gaza has killed more than 33,400 people, according to the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza. The attacks come in response to 7 October, when Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking more than 200 people hostage.

Taiwan: $8.12bn

This bill, the smallest and least-controversial of the three, will fund key allies and security partners in the Indo-Pacific confronting Chinese aggression.

$2bn will go to the Foreign Military Financing Program for Taiwan and other allies. $3.3bn would fund submarine infrastructure, while another $1.9bn would replenish existing defense services to Taiwan and other allies.

Other funds will go towards developing artillery and supporting US military in the region.

Sweeping GOP foreign policy bill

The fourth bill, the 21st Century Peace through Strength Act, proposes several Republican foreign policy measures.

Overall, it would introduce harsher sanctions on Russia, China and Iran. The measure calls for the sale of frozen assets from Russian oligarchs, a move previously introduced in the REPO Act.

The bill, if passed as is, also calls for the prohibition of Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications. The text specifically identifies TikTok, meaning the bill could force the sale of the social media app.

This measure comes after the House voted last month to approve a bill that would require Chinese firm Bytedance to divest from TikTok and other applications that it owns within 180 days. If ByteDance does not divest, TikTok would be removed from US app stores.

US-Mexico border bill

The House GOP has not yet released this fifth bill that would call for heightened security at the US-Mexico border.

While the House will consider the three foreign aid bills and GOP foreign policy bill as a group, this fifth border bill will be brought to the House floor separately.

The bill comes after sharp GOP criticism against Mr Johnson for introducing the foreign aid and foreign policy bills without border measures. The foreign aid bills, which were approved by the Senate months ago, have been stalled in the House over hardline GOP concerns about the US-Mexico border.
Trader Joe's is voluntarily recalling Infinite Herbs organic basil over a potential salmonella outbreak that was traced back to the product's supplier. Customers who purchased the 2.5 ounce package between February 1 and April 6 are strongly discouraged from consuming it in order to avoid sickness. Luckily for those who live on the west coast, the majority of possibly contaminated basil was distributed and sold on the eastern side of the U.S. According to the FDA in collaboration with the CDC, twelve people in seven different states including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana, Georgia, Florida, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, have been infected with salmonella traced back to Infinite Herbs organic basil sold at Trader Joe's.

In an announcement, Trader Joe's is offering a refund to customers who purchased the product in the affected states within the last two months. The grocery store has reportedly removed all the Infinite Herbs organic basil from shelves, so shoppers at Trader Joe's can now purchase other available herbs without worry of contamination. This product recall is the newest to be announced from the grocery store chain, although it's not the only time TJ's has had food safety incidents. Just last month, Trader Joe's recalled their Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings over the possible presence of hard plastic within the product.

Read more: The 6 Best And 6 Worst Grocery Stores To Buy Produce From

The Investigation Is Ongoing

FDA salmonella outbreak map - FDA

The FDA/CDC investigation found that the origins of the outbreak came from supplier Infinite Herbs in Miami, Florida. People who reported exposure to the possibly contaminated basil reported experiencing salmonella-related symptoms between 12 hours to 72 hours after eating. Symptoms of infection include uncomfortable indigestion, fever, and stomach cramping.

The extent of the outbreak is still unknown as the investigation is ongoing, but experts recommend throwing out Infinite Herbs organic basil purchased at Trader Joe's. As most of the contaminated basil was sold between February and early April, the FDA concluded that most of the product sold is "likely past its shelf-life," so removing it from your fridge should not be an issue. Unfortunately for those who may still have this product hanging out in the fridge, the CDC notes that cross-contamination between products can occur when contaminated products come into contact with other foods. So once the contaminated basil has been removed, give your refrigerator a thorough cleaning to eliminate the possibility of salmonella spreading.

Read the original article on Daily Meal
How would we know if World War Three had started?

The notion of a "first" world war only came into being retrospectively, upon the outbreak of the second.

For nearly 20 years, the 1914-18 conflict that claimed millions of lives was known as the "Great War". But when war broke out again in 1939, commentators began to refer to the Great War as the First World War, to differentiate it from the next.

Now, we are again moving "from a post-war to pre-war world", Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said in January. In a February survey, YouGov found that more than half of Britons believed another world war was "likely" in the next five to ten years.

After Iran launched its first direct attack on Israel last week, world leaders are warning that any escalation could send the Middle East spiralling into bloody conflagration  drawing in allies from around the world or sparking nuclear warfare. Combined with the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, it's clear "the potential for a spark that ignites World War Three already exists", said Sky News's security and defence editor Deborah Haynes.

What did the commentators say?

In the lead-up to the Second World War, it was a mistake to treat Italian, Spanish, German and Japanese conflicts as "unconnected events", said Eliot A. Cohen in The Atlantic. To "compartmentalise" the Ukraine war, Chinese aggression in the South China Sea and the Middle Eastern conflict would be a similar mistake.

These conflicts are part of "one big narrative", said Adam Taylor in The Washington Post. They can be categorised in terms of allied authoritarian states  China, Russia, Iran (and its Middle Eastern network of proxies) and North Korea (Crink)  versus the world's democracies, led by the US, Europe and Israel.

Although the Crink nations differ starkly in ideology, the alliance is a "marriage of convenience". Iran has been providing Russia with drones since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and that has "bolstered" Tehran's defences against a potential Israeli retaliation with Russian weapons, according to US officials.

This "mutually beneficial relationship" mirrors that whic Vladimir Putin has forged with fellow pariah Kim Jong Un in North Korea, said Taylor. Pyongyang has provided Russia with war materials in exchange for technology. China has also provided "a trade lifeline for Russia" amid Western sanctions, and has close ties to Iran.

This global context is what makes the Iranian attack so significant. Crink players are "increasingly willing to use open violence", said Cohen, and to threaten "much worse", including nuclear weapons. Their target is bigger than Iran's campaign to destroy Israel: it is the overthrow of the "American-led world order".

But Russia is still the "primary pathway" to World War Three, Dr Luigi Scazzieri, of the Centre for European Reform think tank, told Sky News. If it prevails in Ukraine, an emboldened Putin may be tempted to strike a Nato nation, which would demand a coordinated response. The likelihood increases if Donald Trump wins the US presidential election and further undermines the alliance.

In a Nato vs. Russia scenario, Beijing would assist Moscow. If military force against Western powers proves effective, it could further "harden China's resolve" to reunite Taiwan with the mainland, said Haynes  even if that means invading, which would compel the US to step in.

What next?

"The reassuring news is we are not heading towards the Third World War," Hugh Lovatt, of the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank, told Sky News.

The international order is indeed "fraying". Russia is prevailing in Ukraine while North Korea is increasing its bellicose rhetoric towards South Korea and the US. China is threatening Taiwan and the Philippines. That's to say nothing of a string of bloody foreign-backed coups throughout Africa, with civil war-torn Sudan near collapse, and an increasingly violent Latin America. But these conflicts and tensions are all "separate and not connected", said Lovatt  although they have global implications.

Parallels being drawn with the lead-up to the First World War are overblown, said The Washington Post columnist David Ignatius. Nevertheless, this moment "eerily evokes the dynamics of summer 1914, when a war that every power sought to avoid suddenly appeared inevitable, with consequences that no one could predict".
The Kremlin is not pleased that French authorities have taken aim at Vladimir Putins ex-wife.

A French courts decision to seize the $5.7-million villa belonging to Russian citizen Artur Ocheretny, the new husband of Lyudmila Ocheretnaya (formerly Putina), is a priori illegal, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday.

The Souzanna villa in Anglet, near Biarritz, was seized back in December 2023 but the news only became public this week, according to the local publication Challenges.

Asked to comment on the move, Peskov stressed that the residence was private property and any encroachment on private property is a violation of the law.

French authorities are undermining the foundations of their legal system, he complained.

The villa, now empty and featuring the phrase Fuck Poutine graffitied on the gate, is reportedly at the center of an investigation by a division of the Paris prosecutors office tackling organized crime.

It was purchased in December 2013, about half a year after Putin and then-wife Lyudmila Putina announced their divorce. In a sign perhaps of how the Russian elite has spread their tentacles across Europe, another neighboring villa is also linked to the Putins. Registered to Kirill Shamalovthe now ex-husband of Putins daughter Katerina Tikhonovathe residence was briefly occupied by activists in March 2022 who demanded it be used to house Ukrainian refugees fleeing from Moscows war.

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MOSCOW (Reuters) -The Kremlin said on Thursday that any new U.S. military aid for Ukraine would not change the situation at the front where Kyiv's forces were in a poor position and cast such aid as part of a "colonial" policy which enriched the United States.

Mike Johnson, the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, has said he will hold a long-awaited vote on a new aid package as early as Saturday. The proposed package includes $60.84 billion to address the conflict in Ukraine, of which $23.2 billion would be used to replenish U.S. weapons, stocks and facilities.

While the European Union has pledged more overall aid, the United States has given by far the biggest military contribution to help Ukraine fight Russia.

"Ukraine has to not only fight to provide profit for the Americans but it also has to fight to the last Ukrainian and is loaded up with debt," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "The favourite colonial policy of the United States of America."

Peskov noted that "a very significant" part of the proposed aid would remain in the U.S. military-industrial complex.

"All experts and semi-experts can now see with the naked eye the situation on the front, which is far from favourable for the Ukrainian side, so this cannot change anything," Peskov said of the aid package.

Russia controls about 18% of Ukraine and Western leaders and spy chiefs say the war is at a crossroads which could lead to victory for Russia and humiliation for the West unless Ukraine urgently gets more support.

Russia's war against Ukraine has triggered the worst crisis in relations between Moscow and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, according to Russian and U.S. diplomats.

Ukraine, supported by the West, says it is defending itself against a Russian imperial-style land grab. Russia says the United States tried to shunt Ukraine into the West's orbit and then use it to threaten Russia.

(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Guy FaulconbridgeEditing by Andrew Osborn)
Kroger employee threatens shooting at store  but co-worker thwarts plans, MI cops say

A Kroger employee was arrested following the vigilant actions of a co-worker who shared concerns with police in Michigan, authorities say.

The employee, 37-year-old Jonathan Stieber, made threats that he would shoot co-workers and customers at the Kroger store in Westland where he worked, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in an April 17 news release.

But one of his co-workers reported his concerns immediately, leading to an investigation from authorities, the prosecutor sad.

The investigation led to Stiebers arrest Monday, April 15, according to Worthy. He was charged with terroristic threatening.

Stieber was arraigned April 17 and jailed on a $25,000 bond, according to a news release. He is due in court April 25.

This was potentially another incident that may have cost a lot of people their lives, Worthy said.

Let me take this opportunity to say that we all should be ever vigilant and report any activity that may be criminal. Literally, lives can be saved, she added.

Attorney information for Stieber was not available Thursday, April 18.

Westland is about a 20-mile drive west of Detroit.

Father of 3 is beaten outside Kroger and dies in hospital days later, Ohio family says

Shooting in Walmart leaves man dead and 9-year-old girl wounded, Georgia cops say

Comic book store owner is tied up and beaten as truck drivers rob business, officials say
Almost a year to the day after Rep. Lindsey Burke gave birth to twins  one dead, the other alive  she walked out of a legislative committee meeting in Frankfort.

Burke, one of three Kentucky Democrats who walked out that day, was protesting a bill she said shamed the choice to abort a nonviable pregnancy.

Burke herself made that choice in October 2022 when she and her husband ended a pregnancy theyd planned for and wanted in order to protect the life of their second child. For her family, Burke was exacting what control she had over an otherwise impossible situation.

The decision to walk out of the committee meeting March 7 in response to Republican Rep. Nancy Tates House Bill 467, the Love Them Both Part II Act, was one she saw similarly: Exacting a sense of control over a situation in which she had little.

Republicans hold a veto-proof majority in both legislative chambers, rendering Democrats virtually powerless. Burke knew that this committee  made up of four Democrats and 15 Republicans  was going to advance the bill regardless of her act of protest or the will of her Lexington constituents.

In the hallway outside the committee room, Burke told a gaggle of reporters the bill was an insult to grieving parents everywhere.

In the nearly two years since Kentucky Republicans hard-fought efforts to ban abortion became law  a measure with no exceptions for rape, incest or nonviable pregnancies like Burkes  the conversation over reproductive health care has only become more divisive.

Burke has shared snippets of her pregnancy and abortion publicly, but never in complete detail. On a chilly Friday in February, she shared her story for the first time with the Herald-Leader.

I chose to be public about our struggles because Ive learned that being authentic is less isolating than hiding my pain and humanity, Burke said.

Relief, then dread

Burke and her husband, Spencer, knew they wanted kids before they married. But conceiving proved difficult. After the COVID-19 pandemic thwarted their efforts to foster, they decided to try in-vitro fertilization.

Burke underwent her first IVF egg retrieval in late 2021, right around the time she put her name in to run for public office.

Shed gotten pregnant for the first time in February 2022, but miscarried about eight weeks later.

The whiplash from swelling excitement to immediate loss was hard.

Burke was 38 at the time she was diagnosed with recurrent pregnancy loss, according to her medical chart, which she shared with the Herald-Leader.

The day we found out, we probably disrupted the entire medical office, Burke said. Just both of us wailing.

My husband had a panic attack.

As is sometimes the case with miscarriages, her body didnt recognize it right away; her gestational sac was still growing, but there was no longer a developing fetus inside it.

Burke said her doctor explained her three options: expectant management, which is to wait until her body realized it was no longer pregnant and miscarry on its own  a process that could take weeks; a dose of mifepristone and misoprostol, common abortion medication to usher the process sooner and in a more controlled way; or schedule a dilation and curettage abortion to remove the pregnancy tissue physically, allowing her to try and conceive again sooner.

It was spring 2022, and Burke was campaigning for a May primary election.

I cant be out shaking peoples hands at an event and then start bleeding, she remembers thinking. Thats not what I want for myself.

She and Spencer chose a D&C.

The certainty of knowing when that nightmarish experience was going to end, to have a day and time in mind, that gave me more peace, she said.

To feel like I had some control in a situation that was very much out of my control.

Kentucky State Rep. Lindsey Burke, D  Lexington, is photographed at her home in Lexington, Ky., on Wednesday, April 10, 2024.

Abortion, at that time, was still legal in Kentucky and Ohio.

Burke had received most of her IVF care at the Institute for Reproductive Health in Cincinnati, so thats where she scheduled the procedure.

She had the D&C April 12, 2022.

On May 17, she won her primary. She was sworn in as a state representative in January 2023.

Burkes next IVF attempt had to be timed in concert with her work as a new lawmaker. If she got pregnant mid-summer, she could be present for her first regular session, January to March 2023, which would wrap up in time for her due date.

But the medical landscape for her second egg retrieval  and the full range of care she could need should something go wrong  looked very different than the first a few months earlier.

It was July 2022.

Just a few weeks earlier, Roe v. Wade, which for 50 years prevented states from banning abortion entirely, had been overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.

This historic ruling gave states free regulatory rein over abortion laws. In Kentucky, two abortion bans simultaneously took effect: a trigger law banning abortion except in medical emergencies, and six-week ban, or fetal heartbeat law, outlawing abortion after the first flickers of fetal cardiac activity.

These narrow allowances permitted under state law, still in place today, do not legally allow for doctors to provide the full gamut of care for nonviable pregnancies.

For Burkes second IVF round, doctors transferred two embryos, and Burke became pregnant with twins.

Her mentality was glass half-full. Two embryos increase the chances of at least one surviving, she thought. Maybe she would only have to go through one pregnancy in order to get two kids.

I was focused on the two embryos increasing the likelihood of success, as opposed to it increasing the likelihood of problems, Burke said. I was fixated on the achievement part, not the pitfalls.

Burkes health care providers were more realistic.

They warned us transferring two embryos doubles the risk of everything, because each child has its own likelihood of issues, she said.

Early genetic testing results raised no alarms. But Burke couldnt shake what she called an existential dread that loomed after the shock and grief of her first miscarriage.

That dread dampened a bit with her first ultrasound, when she saw both fetuses moving on screen. While her doctor noted that Twin A was significantly smaller than Twin B, at a follow-up appointment a week later, Twin A had caught up in size. Both were progressing as they should.

IVF treatment and pregnancies, especially for someone Burkes age  she would turn 39 during her pregnancy  are highly medicalized because they are higher risk. From the get-go, she had multiple providers and specialists checking her and her pregnancys progress.

This also meant she was more familiar with what to expect, and more adept at spotting abnormalities.

At a 12-week ultrasound, a sonographer again noted the size disparity of her twins. This time, she gave Burke a print out of the sonogram.

Like any new parent, I spent the entire weekend staring at them, Burke said. And I could tell Twin A has too much space between his spine and the back of his head.

The following week, in mid-October, at another ultrasound, Burke wasnt watching the screen, she was watching the sonographer.

Something wasnt right.

You could just see it on her face, Burke said.

Burkes doctor was called in. She heard the words, extremely concerning and unusual, then a void of sound.

Kentucky State Rep. Lindsey Burke, D  Lexington, is photographed at her home in Lexington, Ky., on Wednesday, April 10, 2024.

In her notes, Burkes provider at Baptist Health, Dr. Karen Playforth, wrote that the ultrasound today is very concerning.

The following structures appear abnormal: Cranium. Neck. Heart. Abdominal wall. Bladder. Spine. Legs. Skeleton, she wrote. Dr. Playforth and Burkes referring physician both declined to be interviewed for this story.

Twin A, whom Burke had already named Ezra, had a series of birth defects and diseases, including a condition called a cystic hygroma. Its a bulge at the base of the head and neck that often portends other serious conditions.

To hear all these things very kindly but bluntly: Your child doesnt have a spine below his shoulders. He has one or two extremely rare diseases, and the symptoms of that disease are his heart is outside his body, his bladder is outside his body, his head is misshapen, there could be something wrong with his brain, theres something wrong with his legs, and he probably wont make it to birth, Burke said.

Im sitting over here trying to process that, thinking thats the whole story, she said.

But then the doctor says, And thats the problem for Twin B, whom Burke and her husband had named Ewan.

Burke remembers the room sounding empty and hollow except for the doctors voice.

She learned that Twin A was not viable. He would not survive on his own, and without intervention, she would almost certainly miscarry.

This is where it became tricky, Dr. Playforth told her.

Allowing her pregnancy with Twin A, which was near 13 weeks, to continue progressing toward its inevitable end was a fine choice. But when her body miscarries, it will likely also try to expel her healthy twin, too, before the pregnancy has reached full term, forcing her into early delivery and potentially jeopardizing his health, too.

To avoid this likelihood, Burke would need to terminate Twin A to better ensure Twin B would survive  a specialized but evidence-based procedure known as selective fetal reduction.

We talked about waiting to see if Twin A would pass on its own versus selective reduction of Twin A as early as possible, to minimize the risks to Twin B, Playforth wrote. They would like to proceed with the latter choice.

It was October 14, 2022. Ending a pregnancy, except in emergency situations that threatened a pregnant persons life, was illegal under Kentuckys trigger law, and Burkes life wasnt immediately in danger.

This meant Burke could not get a legal abortion in Kentucky under a doctors care.

Complicating her circumstance further, she had to maneuver around abortion limitations in other states. And the more time she spent allowing her body the option to miscarry only increased the chances of Twin B being impacted.

Burkes doctor told her to move fast. She provided suggestions of specialists in North Carolina and New York.

While her doctor offered as much help as she could, as other women in these scenarios have told the Herald-Leader, it fell to Burke and her husband to cold-call health care providers.

Much of a decision at all

While public opinion favors increasing exceptions to the states strict ban, Republicans have not added any.

A Louisville Republican filed a bill to increase state exceptions this session, but for the second year in a row it was ignored by fellow GOP lawmakers and did not receive a committee hearing.

Groups have tried to overturn the ban by challenging it in court, but that avenue remains particularly difficult: Kentucky has made it harder than virtually any other state to lob a legal challenge.

Kentuckys abortion bans make an otherwise evidence-based medical procedure like Burkes a crime to provide.

In turn, women facing these complicated medical circumstances whove spoken with the Herald-Leader, including Burke, say they feel gaslit. The law  and bills like Tates HB 467  imply that abortion in any circumstance that isnt an emergency should be unthinkable.

But what if a woman and her doctor agree that abortion is a more humane option?

I really dont feel like I had much of a decision at all, said Rachael Hilton, 34 of Rineyville, who said current bans forced her to carry her nonviable pregnancy until she miscarried at 24 weeks, two days after Christmas in 2022.

Hilton and Burke met each other in a Facebook group for expectant moms.

The two women later learned Twin A, Ezra, and Hiltons daughter, Charlotte, had both been diagnosed with cystic hygromas. Both were given less than a 5% chance of surviving.

Charlotte was also diagnosed with Turner syndrome, which is when a fetus has a partial or missing X chromosome, and fetal hydrops, a buildup of fluid in the tissue and organs.

Hiltons choice to continue carrying her pregnancy increased the risk to her own health, her doctors told her. Charlottes fetal hydrops threatened Hilton with developing Mirror Syndrome, which is when a pregnant person, like their fetus, also begins retaining fluid.

Hilton said she would have terminated her pregnancy earlier, but she didnt have a reasonably accessible way of getting that medical care.

At the time, the closest location still legally offering abortions was Ohio. Hilton and her husband, whos active duty military, wouldve had to travel 150 miles to Cincinnati. And to do that, they would have had to call in family from out of state to watch their two kids.

Rachael Hilton, right, with her husband, Justin, and their children, Ava and Landon, revealing the gender of Hiltons pregnancy in October 2022. They named her Charlotte, and she was eventually diagnosed with a series of fatal conditions. Hilton could not get an abortion in Kentucky under the states bans. She miscarried in December of that year.

This inconvenience, coupled with out-of-pocket costs and seeing an unfamiliar provider to undergo a new procedure, felt too intimidating for Hilton.

I felt like I really didnt have any other option, she said.

Hilton was induced early only because shed naturally miscarried, and there was no longer a fetal heartbeat.

She was able to hold her daughter after birth. Weighing one pound and three ounces, the hydrops had altered the way her daughter looked; her skin was gelatin-like. She seemed too feeble and fragile to touch, Hilton remembers.

I thought that by getting to hold her that, while sad, it would help provide me with some closure, she said. But it ended up being a very traumatizing event.

Tates bill, which did not pass this session, wouldve required health care providers to refer patients with nonviable pregnancies like Burkes to consider alternatives to termination, as in doing what Hilton did: carry a nonviable pregnancy to its natural end.

The act, which is not always medically-backed, better recognizes the value and dignity of these babies, according to the bill.

You cant say goodbye until you say hello, Kentucky Right to Life Executive Director Addia Wuchner told committee members at the March meeting, defending the bill.

In that statement, Burke heard an implication that needles her grief: That somehow she loved her son less because she chose to end his life.

Burke had painstakingly grappled with whether there was a way to give Ezra a fighting chance without compromising Ewans well-being. Settling on the choice she eventually made was gutting, but it was the right one, she said.

On both sides, the abortion debate remains deeply personal. For Burke, that often means hearing her colleagues degrade her medical choices. Before casting a vote in favor of the bill, Committee Chair Ryan Dotson, R-Winchester, called Burke and her Democratic colleagues actions an atrocity.

Id like everyone to take notice: my colleagues on the Democratic side all got up and left, he said. Thats an atrocity, because when it comes to these types of issues, I want folks to understand were just protecting the life and health of these children.

But its a moral stance that people interviewed for this story said leaves little room for the medical or emotional nuance that accompanies the decision between a patient and provider to end a pregnancy that will not produce a living child.

I wanted him more than anything

Ten days after Burke learned one of her twins wasnt viable, on Oct. 25, 2022 she opened a door leading into the street-level floor of a brownstone on New York Citys Upper East Side.

Inside, on a narrow leather table, Burke reclined in a paper gown while a tech probed her lower abdomen with an ultrasound wand. Spencer was on her left, holding her hand. Next to him was Dr. Mark Evans, who readied a long needle.

The procedure was relatively simple: Dr. Evans would use the ultrasound screen above Burkes shoulder as a way to guide the needle through her uterus and into Twin As heart, where he would then inject a small amount of potassium chloride.

Burke had asked what felt like 100 questions up to this point.

The one most pressing on her mind in this moment was whether there would be audio, because I didnt want to hear his heart stop beating, she said, crying as she recounted the experience to the Herald-Leader.

There wasnt, and Ezras heart stopped beating immediately.

Burke and her husband walked two blocks to Central Park after. From a park bench next to the Central Park Zoo, she called family to let them know, and together they sobbed.

Burkes insurance denied coverage of the procedure, so she and her husband paid more than $8,600 out of pocket, not counting their travel costs.

A few months later, in February 2023, two months before she gave birth to Ewan and the deceased Ezra, Burke filed a bill to repeal Kentuckys abortion bans.

She had yet to share her full experience publicly.

Kentucky State Rep. Lindsey Burke, D  Lexington, is photographed with her son, Ewan Mancillas, and husband, Spencer Mancillas, at their home in Lexington, Ky., on Wednesday, April 10, 2024.

Banning abortion does not stop people from needing abortions. It just means that abortion care  fundamental health care  becomes only accessible to those people with means to travel, Planned Parenthoods Tamarra Wieder said in Frankfort alongside Burke.

The bill never received a committee hearing.

In November 2023, two months before Burke filed three more bills to restore abortion access and to shield the medical records of patients who travel out of state to get abortions, she said on KETs Kentucky Tonight, Its not something that can wait another year. These are critical, life-altering decisions that, frankly, the government just has no business making.

These bills also never received committee hearings. Likewise, bills filed this session to add rape, incest and nonviable pregnancy exceptions to Kentuckys abortion bans  one by a Republican, the other by a Democrat  were never heard nor voted on.

Today, in Burkes Frankfort office are two framed pictures, one of a sonogram and the other of a toddler. Both are Ewan, who had his first birthday April 8.

There are no pictures of Ezra.

You know how in the grief of a break up, you destroy all the pictures of the person who broke your heart? she said. I think all of Ezras pictures are gone.

Sitting behind her desk on the Capitol grounds that day in February, 14 months after her abortion, Burke broke down.

We wanted him in our lives more than anything. The only thing worse than losing him wouldve been for him to be suffering and tortured, she said.

And I just didnt want that for him.
KYODO NEWS - Apr 18, 2024 - 20:25 | All, Japan

A Japanese court on Thursday rejected a demand by a group of Ainu indigenous people in northern Japan to be recognized as exempt from a ban on commercial salmon fishing in a river, arguing they had inherited this right from their ancestors.

The Sapporo District Court handed down the ruling that the river is public property, and that the court does not admit the rights for any particular group of people to fish there exclusively.

The Raporo Ainu Nation, which includes descendants of Ainu communities who began residing around the river in Urahoro, Hokkaido, centuries ago, is likely to appeal the ruling.

The lawsuit marked the first instance where the Ainu people sought recognition of their indigenous rights from both the central and Hokkaido governments.

Salmon fishing in rivers is illegal under the law on the protection of fishery resources and Hokkaido's regulations on inland fishing. Ainu living inland can only fish salmon to practice cultural traditions and not for economic reasons.

During the trial, the plaintiffs stated that they had inherited the rights to fish salmon from their ancestors, who had inhabited the area since the Edo Era beginning in the 17th century. Their livelihoods depended on salmon fishing until it was banned under an assimilation policy pursued by the government during the Meiji Era, from 1868 to 1912.

Presiding Judge Takuro Nakano acknowledged that Ainu people have been continuously fishing salmon in the area since the 17th century at the latest and are entitled to continue their own culture.

But he also said the plaintiffs' argument has "a strong aspect of property rights" and goes beyond the scope of preserving and passing on their tradition.

Their claim is unacceptable even in light of historical circumstances, as well as treaties and international declarations on the rights of indigenous peoples, he said.

The state and the prefectural government have said the plaintiffs' arguments have no legal grounds and claimed that the regulations prohibiting salmon fishing in rivers are to protect natural resources. They pointed out that the Ainu people can get permission to fish for traditional rituals.

In 2019, Japan enforced a law that, for the first time, recognized the Ainu as an indigenous people in northern Japan and called for the protection and promotion of their culture.

However, some Ainu people have criticized it because the legislation did not mention their indigenous rights or the recovery of fishing rights.
By the time this years fall semester begins, Kentuckys public colleges and universities wont be evaluated by the racial makeup of their student body.

Senate Bill 191, which explicitly bars the Council on Postsecondary Education from considering race in its performance-based funding model, passed the legislature Monday and was signed into law by Gov. Andy Beshear Wednesday afternoon.

Because it was passed after the legislatures 10-day veto break, Beshear was in the drivers seat as to whether the bill would become law or not.

The bill states outright that the CPE shall not include any race-based metrics or targets in the formulas.

It also strikes out references to minority students in the formulas consideration, allowing colleges to be evaluated on the number of bachelors degrees and credits awarded to underrepresented students instead of underrepresented minority students. Those are two of the 11 metrics the performance funding model currently uses.

Underrepresented minorities are defined as students who identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or two or more races.

According to a statement from CPE President Aaron Thompson, work will be done to home in on an acceptable definition for underrepresented students.

The states performance funding work group, which is comprised of higher education leaders and representatives from the governors office and the General Assembly, will work together during the interim to define underrepresented students in the model that will help continue to advance the states goals for a more highly trained and educated workforce, Thompson said in a statement to the Herald-Leader.

The original bill made other tweaks to the councils performance-based funding model, particularly including nontraditional age students in the goal of closing achievement gaps as well as shifting funding evaluation slightly toward student success and away from credit hours. It was modified on the House floor, via an amendment from Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, in the legislatures final day to include the race component.

Beshear told reporters Thursday he did not like striking race from consideration, but said he thought the rest of the bill meant more funding for Kentucky State University, the states only public historically Black university, and other regional universities.

I want to say very clearly that I support diversity initiatives in Kentucky. I support direct assistance to minority students. I believe that we are better when we are lifting every single one of us, and I believe underrepresented students, including our minority students have faced more challenges when it comes to post-secondary enrollment... (The bill) was one where, to get the money, where it needed to go, I had to sign something into law that I did not fully and entirely agree with, Beshear said.

This portion of the funding model came under public scrutiny this year when Republican Attorney General Russell Coleman issued an opinion, at the request of Rep. Jennifer Decker, R-Waddy.

Drawing on the U.S. Supreme Courts decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College, which struck down affirmative action last year, Coleman said using underrepresented minorities as a metric for funding state colleges is unconstitutional.

University of Kentucky President Eli Capiluoto has previously said that making such a change could hurt the states flagship university.

Historically, we have performed exceptionally on those metrics, Capilouto said.

School spokesperson Jay Blanton said that the underrepresented minority metric previously represented about 3% of the formula funding.

That has been redistributed to an existing metric (low-income students) and a new metric (first-generation college students). Thats for 2024-2025, Blanton wrote. For future years, the CPE has convened a workgroup, including the presidents, to determine how to define to underrepresented populations going forward. We are still assessing what impacts this will have on funding for this year.

Though the bill deals with the issue of diversity in higher education, its aims are separate from the GOP-led push to limit diversity, equity and inclusion (also known as DEI) practices in Kentucky higher education institutions. The Senate and the House never agreed on that overarching effort, despite both wanting to limit DEI in some way, and did not pass a bill this session.

Michael Frazier, the Executive Director of the Kentucky Student Rights Coalition who was involved in crafting Senate Bill 191, celebrated the bill signing. He stressed that it is not a DEI bill and mentioned working with the legislatures education committee chairs, the states universities and Thompson on the bill.

Frazier also indicated that the consideration of race in performance funding was encouraging Kentucky public universities to prioritize out-of-state students.

I appreciate (CPEs) commitment to our comprehensive universities to remove the weights subsidizing out of state students, and wonderful dedication helping Kentuckys public higher education students, Frazier wrote in a statement. We are lucky to have Dr. Thompson. Again, Governor Beshear has chose to protect student rights, equality, and the Constitution. Gov. Beshear has ensured Kentuckys higher education tax-dollars are used to help Kentuckys students.

The bill was first passed unanimously in the state Senate to give it final passage, though four of the Senates seven Democrats later recorded no votes on it.
Kyiv Independent Editor-in-Chief Olga Rudenko has been shortlisted for the Gongadze Prize, a Ukrainian prize for independent journalism.

The winner of the prize will be announced on May 21, on the birthday of Georgiy Gongadze, a prominent investigative journalist and co-founder of the news outlet Ukrainska Pravda, who was killed in 2000.

Gongadze, a critic of then-president Leonid Kuchma, was kidnapped on Sept. 16, 2000. Two months later, his headless body was found in a forest some 70 kilometers outside Kyiv.

The award was founded in 2019 by PEN Ukraine, the Kyiv-Mohyla Business School, and Ukrainska Pravda.

The other finalists are investigative journalist Anna Babinets and journalist and radio host Tetyana Troshchynska.

The prize is awarded to journalists who "are not afraid of challenges," who contribute to the introduction of liberal reforms in Ukraine," and who "open up new opportunities for the entire media environment."

The 2023 prize was awarded to Bohdan Logvinenko, founder of the Ukrainer project.

Rudenko has also recently been selected for the list of Ukrainska Pravda's Power of Women, a list of 100 Ukrainian women who bring "victory closer with daily work, self-sacrifice, and care for the next generations of Ukrainians."

Read also: Kyiv Independents investigation Uprooted wins international media award

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD)  With the bishop anticipating the release of a state investigation into sexual abuse linked to the Catholic church, the Diocese of Kalamazoo on Thursday published a list of people who cannot work with children.

The people on the list have been deemed by the diocese to have been credibly accused  though not necessarily convicted in a court of law  of actions that disqualify them from working or volunteering with children at any parish, school, agency or institution within the Diocese of Kalamazoo.

See the list

Individuals appear on this list because  again, I underscore, in the judgment of the Diocese of Kalamazoo  they have been credibly accused of actions that put children and youth at risk or, worse, that caused real and lasting harm, Bishop Edward Lohse said at a Thursday morning news conference. These actions disqualify and prohibit them from working or volunteering with children or youth.

Priest dies before extradition to Michigan to face rape case

According to the diocese, these actions include continued violation of a child-protection policy after warnings, failing as a mandated reporter to report allegations of abuse of minors, failing to act to prevent abuse that they knew to be happening, giving pornography to minors, the possession/use of child pornography, physical abuse of minors, or direct sexual abuse or sexual assault of minors.

Six living individuals whose actions occurred within the Kalamazoo diocese are named on the list. Three of them are clergy members who have been forbidden to function as priests: Richard Fritz, of Lakeport; Brian Stanley, of Coloma; and Leroy White, of Davison. The other three are Douglas Butler, of Battle Creek, who was a Cub Scout committee member; Joey Gallaway, of Battle Creek, who was a playground supervisor; and Nathan Lavoie, of Grand Rapids, who was a choir director.

Priest pleads guilty in abuse investigation

The list also includes five other individuals, both living and dead, who are accused of having committed disqualifying actions outside of the Diocese of Kalamazoo, as well as six individuals who are dead.

With their inclusion, we are beginning a process whereby we as a diocese must not only look forward to preventing abuse in the future, but also look backward to take ownership of our past, Lohse said. Todays list is a start in that direction.

The list can be found at www.diokzoo.org/protect. It is part of the dioceses effort to review and update all of its policies protecting children and youth.

Diocese of Kalamazoo gets credible sex abuse allegation

Previously, Lohse said, adults who work with youth have had to complete background checks and go through a safe environment program.

However, we are always striving to remain vigilant and to do everything we can to create the safest possible environment for our children, he said.

The bishop explained that the diocese is reviewing its policies for three main reasons: to protect children by creating safe environments, teach the community to recognize predatory behavior and work toward eradicating all the forms of child abuse wherever we can.

A final set of updated policies will be released this summer.

Lohse said he expects the Michigan Department of Attorney General to publish its report on the Diocese of Kalamazoo later this spring.

Nessel releases final report on Gaylord Catholic Diocese

When that report is published, it will necessitate an even greater coming to terms with our past, he said. But I am convinced if we are to move forward into the future as a diocese, we must come to terms with our past.

Lohse said the process of creating a list began in 2018 but was put on hold.

I apologize that it has taken us so long, he said. In many ways, this perhaps should have been done a lot sooner. I came in July and it has been a priority of mine since I came.

The bishop came to Kalamazoo from the Diocese of Erie in Pennsylvania.

My experience in Pennsylvania told me we have to move ahead with this, he said.

Diocese of Kalamazoo installs new bishop

Lohse said he acknowledged the pain and suffering of all survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

Ive met with numerous survivors of childhood sexual abuse. I have heard their stories. We can never forget that behind these stories, there are real people who have experienced deep hurt, he said. I sincerely apologize for any way in which we as the Diocese of Kalamazoo contributed to that suffering.

The bishop said he is committed to meeting with anyone who suffered abuse at the hands of someone employed or volunteering in the name of the church.

I was absolutely thrilled that this Bishop had decided to do that, said Ann Phillip Browning, a victim of one of the people listed. However, it was also very emotionally triggering for me. It triggered not only memories of my abuse, but all my feelings and emotions wrapped up in the Catholic Church, and the accountability of the Catholic Church.

Melanie Sakoda, survivors support director for Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests Survivors said she thinks the list could be even better if it included photos or a bit more information.

Thats really helpful for people because a lot of times (for) children, you know, its Father Jim or Father Bob. You know? They dont have a last name, said Melanie Sakoda, survivors support director for Survivors Network of Those Abused By Priests Survivors. Not only, whether they were accused of sex abuse and thats why they were removed, or whether it was failing to follow the guidelines with working with children, or physical abuse, or whatever it is. It would be nice to know that.

The Diocese of Grand Rapids is now the only Catholic diocese in Michigan that has not published a full list of clergy members who have faced credible allegations. In a statement to News 8 Thursday, the diocese asserted that it does release information when new credible allegations arise.

The Diocese of Grand Rapids continues to make known to the public and the media when an individual is removed from ministry due to a credible abuse allegation, the statement said. We continue to cooperate fully with the Department of the Attorney General in its investigation. Our comprehensive safe environment policies and procedures have been in place since 2002 and continue to be rigorously enforced within the diocese.

A spokesperson for the Michigan Attorney Generals Office sent a statement to News 8 Thursday evening.

The Attorney Generals investigation into clergy abuse at the seven Catholic Dioceses of Michigan remains ongoing, and we continue to issue diocese-specific reports on our findings.

Todays announced policy review and reform intentions are positive developments and brings the Diocese of Kalamazoo in-line with other dioceses publicly naming their abusive clergy. We commend Bishop Lohse for his leadership and thank him for his efforts to keep his community safe from the living suspected offenders. It is our hope that abuse victims of both the living and deceased suspected offenders feel their trauma is seen and acknowledged by todays release and that it may bring them some measure of peace and healing to see their abuser publicly named for what they knew them to be.

after the fall sexual abuse hotlines graphic_1550092154156.jpg.jpg

To report abuse by any member of the clergy to the state attorney general, you can call 844.324.3374. The state also has resources for all victims of sexual abuse at 855.864.2374.

The diocese encourages survivors of childhood sexual abuse to call the Catholic Charitiess 24-hour crisis hotline at 800.873.8336. It also offers a free 10-week program called the Trauma Recovery Program.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
Mourners leave flowers and balloons outside the North Hollywood Burlington Coat Factory, where a 14-year-old girl in a dressing room was fatally shot by a Los Angeles police officer in 2021. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

A Los Angeles police officer who shot and killed a 14-year-old girl through the wall of a changing room at a Burlington Coat Factory store in North Hollywood was cleared of wrongdoing Tuesday by the California Department of Justice.

California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta's office said Officer William Jones used reasonable force in the 2021 incident because he was responding to a report of a possible active shooter.

That information turned out to be wrong  the suspect, Daniel Elena-Lopez, was carrying a bike lock, not a gun.

Video released by the Los Angeles Police Department showed that when Jones arrived at the scene, toting a high-powered rifle, he rushed to the front of a phalanx of officers advancing toward the store's home goods section, where he opened fire almost immediately upon encountering Elena-Lopez.

One of rounds that Jones fired "skipped off" a floor tile, the attorney general's report said, and sailed into a fitting room where Valentina Orellana-Peralta was hiding with her mother. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Read more: 'Never happened before': Key oversight officials leave as LAPD searches for chief

The shooting drew widespread outrage and grief, while bringing demands for the officer who killed her to be criminally charged. The Orellana-Peralta family has a pending civil lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles, alleging that failures in training and oversight contributed to the deadly outcome. Attorneys in the case did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

An LAPD spokesperson declined to comment. The department confirmed Jones is still a full-time police officer, currently assigned to the Topanga division.

While an internal LAPD review panel was split on whether Jones' decision to open fire was justified, then-Chief Michel Moore ultimately ruled in 2022 that the shots violated department policy and that the officer should have taken more time to assess the situation. In a rare split with the chief, the Police Commission concluded that only Jones' second and third shots were out of policy.

No LAPD officer has been charged in an on-duty shooting by county or state prosecutors in nearly two decades. Under Dist. Atty. George Gascon, however, L.A. County prosecutors have been more aggressive in filing cases against law enforcement officers who use force on duty, bringing assault and manslaughter charges against Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies and Torrance police officers in recent years.

The attorney general's office noted Jones had heard reports that Elena-Lopez was threatening customers at the store with a gun. The information was later amended, but it's not clear whether Jones heard these later radio broadcasts, the office said. A toxicology report showed Elena-Lopez had been using methamphetamine.

Read more: L.A. tests program to send unarmed civilians instead of cops to people in crisis

Orellana-Peralta was a bystander in the store. She had arrived from her native Chile about six months prior, her family said, with dreams of becoming an engineer and a U.S. citizen. According to her family's lawsuit, which was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court earlier this month, the girl's mother "watched helplessly as her daughter died while still in her arms.

The attorney general's office said that other officers at the scene had formulated a plan to try to stop Elena-Lopez by firing a 40-millimeter "less-lethal" round at him, but Jones was unaware of their plan. Jones' perception that he was shooting to stop an armed threat means he can't be held criminally liable for the errant bullet that killed the teenager, based on a legal theory known as "transferred intent," the office said.

The attorney general's report called for the LAPD to improve its communication and coordination in emergency responses, but said it could not pursue charges against Jones because the killing of Orellana-Peralta was "unintended and unforeseeable."

After reviewing the report, civil rights attorney Jim DeSimone, who has brought wrongful-death suits against law enforcement agencies across the state, said the case highlights the need for officers to have better "situational awareness" before opening fire.

"It's clear that with the number of officers, and less-lethal options, that Mr. Lopez could have been apprehended without killing an innocent human being," he said.

Times staff writer James Queally contributed to this report.

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.
A Los Angeles police officer who unintentionally shot and killed a 14-year-old girl at a Burlington Coat Factory in North Hollywood wont face criminal charges, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced.

On Dec. 23, 2021, Los Angeles Police Department officer William Jones Jr. fired three times with a high-powered rifle when he responded to the store following reports of a possible active shooter situation. One of those shots went wayward and hit an innocent bystander who was hiding in a changing room with her mother.

Jones was responding to the department store after receiving calls about a man acting erratically, possibly armed with a gun.

Inside the store, Jones and other officers encountered 24-year-old Daniel Elena-Lopez. The officers saw a woman crawling and covered in blood with Elena-Lopez standing near her and holding something in his hands. The items later turned out to be a bike lock.

Security images show the moments prior to a deadly police shooting in which Daniel Elena-Lopez attacked a woman with a bike chain before being killed by police on Dec. 23, 2021. (California Department of Justice)

Security images show the moments prior to a deadly police shooting in which Daniel Elena-Lopez attacked a woman with a bike chain before being killed by police on Dec. 23, 2021. (California Department of Justice)

Jones almost immediately fired at Elena-Lopez, killing him, but one of his shots, according to the California Department of Justice report, struck the floor and changed direction. The bullet pierced through the changing room wall where 14-year-old Valentina Orellana-Peralta and her mother were hiding and praying for their safety.

Valentina died at the scene. The mother and daughter were shopping for Christmas presents.

Elena-Lopez was also pronounced dead at the scene and an autopsy later determined he was on methamphetamine at the time of his death.

The accidental death of Orellana-Peralta, who had just moved to Los Angeles from Chile a few months prior and was in the process of obtaining residency, led to national headlines, widespread outrage and calls for the officer to be criminally charged.

The California DOJ is required by state law to investigate any law enforcement shootings that result in civilian deaths. In this investigation, which Bonta called particularly challenging, the DOJ determined there was insufficient evidence to file criminal charges against the LAPD officer.

The evidence does not show, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officer involved acted without the intent to defend himself and others from what he reasonably believed to be imminent death or serious bodily injury, a release from Bontas office reads.

The DOJ review pointed at an apparent communication breakdown between the first officers on scene and the second wave of reinforcements which included Jones.

The first group of responding officers were informed by a civilian that the suspect was wielding a bike lock, not a gun, but that information was never communicated to Jones in person, the report states. The updated information was broadcast over emergency radio, but its unclear if Jones heard it.

At one point, fellow officers urged Jones, who had assumed the point position and was leading the group, to slow down so they could assess the threat, but he did not slow down.

Security images show the moments prior to a deadly police shooting of Daniel Elena-Lopez at a Burlington Coat Factory in North Hollywood on Dec. 23, 2021. (California Department of Justice)

The shots were fired shortly. Jones later told the LAPDs Use of Force Review Board that when he fired at the suspect, he assumed the wall behind him, which turned out to be where the changing room was located, was a brick exterior wall that would stop his shot.

The DOJ investigation concluded that Jones couldve reasonably assumed that the item in the suspects hand was a firearm and he likely believed he was acting in self-defense or defense of others.

Due to the legal theory of transferred intent, Jones is insulated from criminal responsibility because the bystanders death occurred during a lawful act of self-defense as he attempted to eliminate the threat.

This killing appears to have been unintended and unforeseeable, the report states. Officer Joness intent in shooting Mr. Elena Lopez transferred to the unintended killing of Ms. Orellana Peralta, and thus no charges relating to her death can be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.

Bontas office identified communication and training as recommended areas for improvement, writing LAPD should consider updating their communication training bulletin and any related training to account for the type of situation presented during this event.

Soledad Peralta and Juan Pablo Orellana Larenas, parents of 14-year old Valentina Orellana-Peralta, who was killed by a stray police bullet while shopping at a clothing store, attend a press conference outside LAPD headquarters in Los Angeles on Dec. 28, 2021. (Robyn Beck AFP via Getty Images)

While he will not face criminal charges, the LAPD has previously stated that Jones actions violated department policy.

In November 2022, a civilian oversight board ruled that two of the shots fired by Jones broke that policy. Then-chief Michel Moore previously said in his own review that all three shots were unjustified.

Moore and the Review Board concluded that Jones was hyper-focused on his belief that there was an active shooter situation unfolding and said he may have failed to accurately assess the threat.

Jones remains employed by the LAPD and is currently assigned to the Topanga division, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The family of Valentina Orellana-Peralta has filed a lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A father whose own father shot and killed his ex-daughter-in-law and her new husband will have to surrender all his firearms before seeing his children, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Joe Houston II, 77, shot and killed Dennis Prince, 57, and his wife, Ashley Prince, 30, during a child custody hearing in Dennis Princes Summerlin law office on Monday, April 8. Joe Houston, another attorney, was at the hearing representing his son, Dylan Houston, in his custody dispute with Ashley Prince.

During the deposition of Joe Houstons wife, Katherine Kelly Houston, Joe Houston shot and killed the Princes before dying by suicide.

The deposition involved a years-long custody dispute involving Dylan Houston and Ashley Princes two young children.

A graphic showing the relationships among Dennis Prince, Ashley Prince and Joe Houston II. (KLAS)

A judge had previously ordered that Ashley Princes sister be awarded temporary custody of the two children rather than Dylan Houston. Dennis Princes children said their stepsister, born to their father and Ashley Prince in December, was also in the care of a legal guardian.

Previous reporting from 8 News Now Investigators demonstrated tension in the days and weeks before the deadly shooting, with the eventual gunman having requested that Ashley Prince not be present at the April 8 deposition.

During the hearing Wednesday, attorneys for Dylan Houston and Ashley Princes family argued with Clark County Family Court Judge Bill Henderson.

Henderson was adamant throughout the hearing that the childrens interest should come first, however, attorneys focused on Dylan Houston and text messages he reportedly sent to his ex-wife.

The seating arrangement in the conference room before the shooting, according to attorney Lisa Rasmussen. (KLAS)

The hearing also focused on the attorneys for Ashley Princes familys request for Dylan Houston to surrender any firearms before seeing his children again.

Henderson granted shared custody between the two sides, ordering Dylan Houston to undergo alcohol monitoring before and during the custodial visits. Another family member of Dylan Houstons was ordered to supervise those visits. Ashley Princes sister will also have partial custody.

Attorney Lisa Rasmussen, who was also at the hearing to represent Joe Houstons wife, Katherine Kelly Houston, in her capacity as the childrens grandmother, described the April 8 deposition as very tense in an interview with 8 News Now Investigators.

Rasmussen said initially Joe Houston had asked Dennis Prince if there was hope of resolving the issues for the sake of their two young children, a question that Dennis ignored.

Dennis didnt respond at all. He didnt even acknowledge the question, Rasmussen said. There was just nothing and instead, he turned to Kelly and started asking the deposition questions.

Metro was continuing to investigate the homicides of Dennis and Ashley Prince as of Wednesday, a spokesperson said.

Even though the judge handled some of the emergency issues Wednesday, he scheduled a five-day trial for July.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Las Vegas letter carriers call for change after rise in violent attacks on the job

LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Mail carriers held a rally downtown on Wednesday to raise awareness for what they called a startling rise in violent attacks in Las Vegas and across the nation.

When I was attacked, letter carrier Roberta Dang recalled. I was caught off guard.

Many U.S. Postal Service workers and National Association of Letter Carriers members were calling for change, while also recalling attacks on the job.

I turned around, letter carrier Mike Roksvold shared. And there was an individual pointing a rifle at me.

Roksvold told 8 News Now his mail van was stolen at gunpoint while he was working along Boulder Highway near Russell Road.

The only thing I could think of, he said. Is what is going to happen to my family because of this?

The National Association of Letter Carriers said Roksvold is one of 30 who has been attacked or robbed in the Las Vegas valley in the past three years.

Nine of those incidents targeted letter carriers working from the same post office in East Las Vegas, while three others involved carriers at a post office in the Central Valley.

Two letter carriers in Las Vegas have been attacked twice on the job, according to the NALC.

Nationally, the association said more than 2,000 letter carriers have been robbed or assaulted on the job since 2020.

Its appalling, its out of control, NALC National President Brian Renfroe said during Wednesdays rally.And its unacceptable.

Renfroe said the rallies and events he and other union members have held locally and around the country are important for everyone.

He told 8 News Now he is pushing for the passage of the federal Protect Our Letter Carriers Act, which would improve technology and encourage harsher prosecution for crimes against letter carriers.

Namely, the bipartisan legislation, which was introduced by U.S. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick and Greg Landsman in March, would address collection boxes requiring arrow keys, which often make letter carriers targets for robberies, according to the NALC.

Bring awareness to the issue that hopefully will be a piece of the solution moving forward, Renfroe said. To release this alarming trend.

Those who spoke with 8 News Now said they hope to stop this ongoing issue, so they can serve the community they love safely.

Its gotta stop, Roksvold concluded.

For a look at the Protect Our Letter Carriers Act, click HERE

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
KYODO NEWS - Apr 18, 2024 - 13:34 | All, Japan, World

Families of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s on Thursday sought assistance from the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations to resolve the long-standing issue, noting that the abductees' parents are aging.

Several members of the families' group held talks with the ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, at the Japanese prime minister's office, with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, who doubles as minister in charge of the abduction issue, in attendance.

At the outset of the meeting, Sakie Yokota, the mother of Megumi, who has become a symbol of the abductees, said, "Now that I'm 88 years old, all I want is to see her, even if just for a moment, while I'm still well. I don't need anything else."

Megumi was abducted by North Korean agents in 1977 at the age of 13 while on her way home from junior high school in Niigata Prefecture, along the Sea of Japan coast.

Thursday's gathering took place at a time when Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has been seeking to meet in person with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in an attempt to secure the return of all the abductees.

North Korea, however, has recently rejected any contact or negotiations with Japan, claiming that the abduction issue has been already settled. Neither Tokyo nor Washington has diplomatic relations with Pyongyang.

At the talks, Thomas-Greenfield said, "The United States stands with all the families, with all of Japan and with the international community in pressing for a resolution that will allow all families separated by the regime's policies to be reunited."

The ambassador, who is on a trip to South Korea and Japan, stressed Washington's position is "not dependent on any political party or administration," pledging to continue raising the abduction issue at every opportunity and calling for the return of the victims.

After a summit with Kishida in Washington on April 10, which was held during his state visit to the United States, President Joe Biden voiced commitment to backing Japan's efforts to resolve the abduction issue with North Korea.

Megumi's brother Takuya Yokota, who leads the families' group, told Thomas-Greenfield that the United States should maintain economic sanctions on North Korea and strengthen cooperation with Japan until the return of the abductees is realized.

Related coverage:

FEATURE: Abductee's mom pins hopes on fresh Japan-North Korea dialogue

Japan PM vows strong determination in repatriating North Korea abductees

Abductees' families say won't oppose Japan lifting North Korea sanctions
The Latest | Iran says air defense batteries fire after explosions reported near major air base

Representatives of member countries take votes during a Security Council meeting at United Nations headquarters, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Iran fired air defense batteries Friday reports of explosions near a major air base at the city of Isfahan, the state-run IRNA news agency reported. It remained unclear if the country was under attack, but tensions remain high after Irans unprecedented missile-and-drone attack on Israel. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

IRNA said the defenses fired across several provinces. It did not elaborate on what caused the batteries to fire, though people across the area reported hearing the sounds.

Israel vowed to respond to Irans unprecedented weekend attack, leaving the region bracing for further escalation after months of fighting in Gaza. Allies have urged Israel to hold back on any response to the attack that could spiral.

The U.S. on Thursday vetoed a widely backed U.N. resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for a state of Palestine. The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 12 in favor, the United States opposed and two abstentions.

Separately, the U.S. and Britain announced that they were imposing a new round of sanctions on Iran. The moves came as European Union leaders meeting in Brussels vowed to ramp up sanctions on Iran to target its drone and missile deliveries to proxies in Gaza, Yemen and Lebanon.

The U.S. sanctions target individuals and entities that produce engines that power drones and are involved in steel production. The latest British measures target several Iranian military organizations, individuals and entities involved in Irans drone and ballistic missile industries.

The Iranian attack on Saturday marked the first time that Tehran launched a direct military assault on Israel. Israeli authorities said Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles, 99% of which were intercepted by air defenses in tandem with the U.S., Britain, France and Jordan. The attack took place less than two weeks after a suspected Israeli strike in Syria killed two Iranian generals in an Iranian consulate building in Damascus.

Regional tensions have increased since the start of the latest Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, when Hamas and Islamic Jihad  two militant groups backed by Iran  carried out a cross-border attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped 250 others. Israel responded with an offensive in Gaza that has caused widespread devastation and killed more than 33,900 people, according to local health officials.

Currently:

 Iran fires air defense batteries in provinces as explosions heard near Isfahan

 US and UK issue new sanctions on Iran in response to Tehrans weekend attack on Israel.

 NATO and the EU urge G7 nations to step up air defense for Ukraine and expand Iran sanctions.

 US Congress moving swiftly on bipartisan action to punish Iran after revenge attack on Israel.

 Palestinian soccer renews call for sanctions against Israel at FIFA congress amid Hamas conflict.

Here is the latest:

IRAN SAYS AIR DEFENSES FIRE AFTER REPORTS OF EXPLOSIONS NEAR MAJOR AIRBASE

Iran fired air defense batteries early Friday morning after reports of explosions near a major air base at the city of Isfahan, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.

It remained unclear if the country was under attack. However, tensions remain high after Irans unprecedented missile-and-drone attack on Israel. One government official suggested sites may have been targeted by drones.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

IRNA said the defenses fired across several provinces. It did not elaborate on what caused the batteries to fire, though people across the area reported hearing the sounds.

In particular, IRNA said air defenses fired at a major air base in Isfahan, which long has been home to Irans fleet of American-made F-14 Tomcats  purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The semiofficial Fars and Tasnim news agencies also reported the sound of blasts, without giving a cause. State television acknowledged loud noise in the area.

Isfahan also is home to sites associated with Irans nuclear program, including its underground Natanz enrichment site, which has been repeatedly targeted by suspected Israeli sabotage attacks. However, state television described all sites in the area as fully safe.

Dubai-based airlines Emirates and FlyDubai began diverting flights around western Iran about 4:30 a.m. local time. They offered no explanation, though local warnings to aviators suggested the airspace may have been closed.

Iran later announced it grounded commercial flights in Tehran and across areas of its western and central regions. Loudspeakers informed customers of the incident at Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran, online videos purported to show.

Meanwhile in Iraq, where a number of Iranian-backed militias are based, residents of Baghdad reported hearing sounds of explosions, but the source of the noise was not immediately clear.

US VETOES RESOLUTION BACKING FULL UN MEMBERSHIP FOR PALESTINE

UNITED NATIONS  The United States has vetoed a widely backed U.N. resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for a state of Palestine.

The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 12 in favor, the United States opposed and two abstentions.

The resolution would have recommended that the 193-member General Assembly approve Palestine becoming the 194th member of the United Nations. Some 140 countries have already recognized a state of Palestine, so its admission would have been approved. There are no vetoes in the General Assembly.

It was the second Palestinian attempt to become a full member of the United Nations. It came as the war in Gaza has put the more than 75-year-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict at center stage.

Palestinian membership needs to be the outcome of the negotiation between Israel and the Palestinians, U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood said. It is something that would flow from the result of those negotiations.

IRAN SAYS IT WILL RESPOND TO ANY ISRAELI ATTACK

UNITED NATIONS  Irans foreign minister is again warning Israel that any use of force in response to his countrys recent drone and missile attacks will be decisive and make the regime regret its actions.

Hossein Amirabdollahian told a ministerial meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Thursday that Irans attack over the weekend was a legitimate response to a suspected Israeli missile strike on its embassy compound in Syria on April 1 has concluded. Therefore, he said, Israel must be compelled to stop any further military adventurism against our interests.

Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will retaliate.

Amirabdollahian warned, Certainly, in case of any use of force by the Israeli regime, and violating our sovereignty, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate a bit to assert its inherent rights to give a decisive and proper response to make the regime regret its actions.

Iran and its allies fired more than 300 drones and missiles toward Israel, and 99% were blocked by Israeli air defenses with help from the U.S., Britain, France and Jordan. A 7-year-old girl was hurt, and an Israeli base suffered minor damage.

US REITERATES CONCERNS ABOUT MAJOR MILITARY ACTION IN RAFAH

WASHINGTON  Senior U.S. and Israeli officials have held a virtual meeting where Washington again expressed concerns about the possibility of a major offensive by Israel in the Gaza Strip city of Rafah amid its war with Hamas.

A readout of Thursdays meeting by U.S. and Israeli teams known as the Strategic Consultative Group said that Israeli participants agreed to take these concerns into account and to have further follow up discussions between experts.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was among those discussing Iran's recent attack of Israel with drones and ballistic missiles. The U.S. detailed efforts to further enhance Israels defense including through advanced capabilities and cooperation from a coalition of international allies.

The Israeli side was led by Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer and National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi.

The readout said both sides agreed on the shared objective to see Hamas defeated in Rafah. But the U.S. has long been worried about the effects a major Israeli military operation could have on Rafahs civilian population.

PALESTINIAN PROFESSOR WHO SAID ISRAEL IS COMMITTING GENOCIDE IS ARRESTED

JERUSALEM  Israeli police have arrested a Palestinian professor for speech deemed incendiary after she said Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and rallied colleagues and students to support a cease-fire.

Police arrested Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian on Thursday at her home in the Old City of Jerusalem, said Hassan Jabareen, director of Adalah, a legal rights group, and part of a team representing her.

Shalhoub-Kevorkian is a law professor at Hebrew University whose work focuses on gender-based violence. The university suspended her in March after she circulated a petition calling for a cease-fire in Gaza and said in interviews that Israel was committing genocide against Palestinians.

What shes said is critical of the Israel government, said Jabareen. It does not constitute a crime.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees the national police force, issued a statement praising the police.

This arrest sends an important message  whoever incites against the state of Israel cannot hide behind this or that position or title, he said.

GUTERRES REITERATES CALLS FOR DE-ESCALATION OF TENSIONS

UNITED NATIONS  The United Nations chief says the Middle East is on a precipice and is urging all countries to work together to prevent any actions that could spark a regionwide conflict.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a ministerial meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Thursday that this moment of maximum peril must be a time for maximum restraint.

One miscalculation, one miscommunication, one mistake, could lead to the unthinkable: a full-scale regional conflict that would be devastating for all involved, and for the rest of the world, he warned.

Guterres said the international community has a shared responsibility to engage in comprehensive diplomatic action to de-escalate violence and tensions in the Mideast, starting with Gaza.

GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY REPORTS 71 PEOPLE KILLED IN THE LAST 24 HOURS

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip  The Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip says that 71 bodies were taken to hospitals over the past 24 hours.

It said Thursday that a total of at least 33,970 Palestinian have been killed since the Israel-Hamas war erupted more than six months ago. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tallies but has said women and children make up most of those killed.

Palestinian medical officials say an Israeli airstrike overnight on the southern town of Rafah killed eight members of a family, including four children and three women, who had been displaced from northern Gaza.

More than half of Gazas population of 2.3 million have sought refuge in Rafah, on the border with Egypt. Israel has vowed to expand its ground offensive to the city.

The Health Ministry says people in Gaza City and other parts of the north are meanwhile living with no real medical services. It says northern Gaza needs field hospitals with 200 beds that also include operation rooms, intensive care units and laboratories.

OFFICIALS AT G7 MEETING CALL FOR NEW SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN

CAPRI, Italy  Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani opened the first working session of the Group of Seven meeting in Italy by calling for new sanctions against Iran for its weekend attack on Israel.

The Israel-Hamas war and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine were taking center stage at the meeting of foreign ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. On Wednesday, EU leaders meeting in Brussels vowed to ramp up sanctions on Iran to target its drone and missile deliveries to proxies in Gaza, Yemen and Lebanon.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said at the G7 meeting that the existing EU sanctions regime would be strengthened and expanded to punish Tehran and help prevent future attacks on Israel. At the same time, he said, Israel needed to exercise restraint.

I dont want to exaggerate but we are on the edge of a war, a regional war in the Middle East, which will be sending shockwaves to the rest of the world, and in particular to Europe, he warned. So stop it.

FAMILY OF NEPALI MAN HELD BY HAMAS APPEAL FOR HIS RELEASE

KATHMANDU, Nepal  Family members of the Nepali man still being held captive by Hamas militants after the Oct. 7 attack in Israel have called for his release.

Relatives of Bipin Joshi, 23, traveled from their home in western Nepal to the capital, Kathmandu, to make a public appeal on Thursday.

My life has been devastated since his kidnapping, his father, Mahananda Joshi, said. He is my only son without whom I cannot even imagine living my life. I love my son more than my life."

I beg of you to kindly bring my son back home safe and alive, he said.

Joshi was abducted in the Oct. 7 attack in which 10 Nepalis were killed. Six other Nepalis survived, but many of them sustained injuries. They have returned to Nepal.

There has been no news of Joshi since the day he was taken captive. Nepal's government has given several assurances to the family that it was working with Israeli authorities to get him freed. But relatives were appealing for more to be done.

CHINA AND INDONESIA CALL FOR A CEASE-FIRE IN GAZA

The Chinese and Indonesian foreign ministers called for an immediate and lasting cease-fire in Gaza after a meeting Thursday in Jakarta, condemning the humanitarian costs of the Israel-Hamas war.

Indonesia's foreign minister, Retno Marsudi, told reporters that the two countries share the same view about the importance of a cease-fire and of resolving the Palestinian problem through a two-state solution.

I am sure that China would use its influence to prevent escalation, Marsudi said, adding that China and Indonesia would also fully support Palestines membership in the U.N.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi blamed the United States for holding up cease-fire resolutions at the United Nations.

The U.S. vetoed a number of proposed U.N. Security Council resolutions because they didnt tie a cease-fire directly to the release of Israel hostages, or condemn Hamas attacks that prompted the war, before allowing a resolution to a pass with an abstention in late March.
A House panel has made clear it wants the Navy to buy two attack submarines in fiscal 2025 in order to keep the submarine-industrial base on a path of recovery, despite the service requesting just one.

In a fiscal year when the defense budget is capped at 1% growth above the previous one, the Navy elected to ask for six ships in its FY25 budget, including one Virginia-class attack submarine. That submarine program is supposed to be on a cadence of two per year or greater to support the needs of both the U.S. and Australian navies. The latter is acquiring submarines as part of the trilateral AUKUS agreement also involving the U.S. and the U.K.

U.S. Navy leaders have argued that, in lieu of buying the second submarine, they are keeping the advanced procurement funds flowing and putting billions of dollars into the submarine-industrial base via funds meant to help increase vendors output.

But Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., whose district includes the shipbuilder General Dynamics Electric Boat, said during a Wednesday hearing before the House Armed Services Committees sea power panel: I reject the ivory tower theory that SIB [submarine-industrial base] investment is a substitute for a consistent demand signal for orders and business. The two enterprises have to occur in tandem.

Courtney, the subcommittees ranking member, said the funds are welcome but dont pay the bills  rather, they help companies, among other things, adopt advanced manufacturing processes and tools, expand their facilities, and train workers, with the ultimate goal of more quickly churning out parts.

Courtney told reporters ahead of the hearing that these funds are targeted at certain vendors rather than spread evenly across the whole industrial base. Companies who are healthy and producing their components on time are not receiving these funds at all, meaning their only stream of money from the Navy comes from orders for new submarines.

For them, theyre basically looking at a 50% cut to their revenue, per the Navys spending proposal, the congressman said.

When Courtney asked Navy acquisition chief Nickolas Guertin about this during the hearing, the latter replied: Well have to take a closer look at that and see what we can do to help that aspect of the industry as well.

Thats not a very encouraging answer, the congressman responded.

More broadly, Courtney told reporters he rejected the two common rationales for why the Navy doesnt need to buy the second submarine in FY25: first, that the procurement dollars can be compensated for with advanced procurement money and industrial base funds; and second, that theres such a backlog of work that Electric Boat and its vendor base wont miss the work.

He told reporters the Navy is on track to accept delivery of three Virginia submarines this calendar year, leaving the industrial base with a remaining backlog of work thats not far off from what it had before the COVID-19 pandemic.

To me, what I see is that our industrial base is recovering from COVID, that the numbers are going up, the retention is going up, and the output is going up, Courtney said during the hearing. This is not a stagnating industrial base. It is an industrial base which took a big hit during COVID, like all of shipbuilding, but it is not stagnating; it is recovering.

Ahead of the hearing, Courtney circulated a memo to his fellow lawmakers, laying out the progress the submarine-industrial base has made since the pandemic hit and explaining why he believes their momentum should continue uninterrupted by allowing for continuous procurement at a rate of two per year.

He wrote that Electric Boat hired 5,300 new workers in 2023 and is on track to hire 5,200 more this year, even as co-builder Newport News Shipbuilding, owned by HII, hired 8,300 new workers across 2022 and 2023. Submarine construction rates are up from 1.2 a year to 1.4 a year (compared to the two submarines a year the yards should deliver if the Navy consistently buys two annually). And new facilities at the shipyards are popping up to help make shipbuilding even more efficient.

Courtney said arguments that the industrial base is struggling and therefore doesnt need or cant handle a second submarine in FY25 are looking backwards, not forwards, in terms of whats actually happening in the shipyard.

Still, Courtney and his supporters on the subcommittee face an uphill battle in putting the second submarine back into the budget. The Fiscal Responsibility Act caps defense spending, meaning that any additions lawmakers propose will need to come at the expense of something else. Courtney told reporters he didnt have a recommendation for what to cut to make room for the sub.

Lawmakers at the hearing also dinged the Navy for delaying advanced procurement for its next two aircraft carriers, and for not committing yet to a multiyear buy on San Antonio-class amphibious transport docks.

I think we have the greatest shipbuilders and repairers and maintainers in the world. But we have to send them the right signal, all the time. We have to give them predictable schedules of both repair and building, the subcommittees chairman, Rep. Trent Kelly, R-Miss., said at the hearing.

We cant send mixed signals, and we cant tell them to pause or put on the brakes or take a strategic pause. And we have to use multiyear buys, understanding that its always not financial benefits that we gain, but sometimes its the benefit in time, to produce more in a short time.
This photograph shows a small portion of Delaware County land that combines both wetlands and nonwetlands owned by CTM Holdings. In the foreground, dry soil is seen in the area designated nonwetlands  an area thats encircled by trees in designated wetlands. (Photo from U.S. District Court filings)

An Iowa company is suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture over the federal governments so-called swampbuster law that requires farmers to either leave wetlands untouched or forfeit certain federal benefits.

The lawsuit was filed this week by CTM Holdings in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. CTM Holdings defines itself as a family-owned limited liability corporation that owns 1,075 acres of Iowa farmland. That farmland includes a 72-acre parcel of land in Delaware County that contains a nine-acre strip of property designated a wetland by the USDA.

According to the lawsuit, if the USDA designates any part of a farmers land as a wetland, it effectively obtains a conservation easement over that portion of the property, restricting the use of that area. If a farmer develops or farms the area thats designated a wetland, he or she loses USDA benefits, such as loans and crop insurance, not just for the property in question, but potentially for all of their farmland.

The lawsuit claims the USDA is failing to provide landowners with just compensation and that the agency will continue to do so unless and until a court orders them to stop.

CTM Holdings argues that forcing an applicant for USDA benefits to give the government a conservation easement constitutes a per se physical taking of land. The USDA, the company claims, is also imposing an unconstitutional condition on the collection of sought-after federal farmland benefits.

In addition to the USDA, the lawsuit names as defendants Secretary of Agriculture Thomas J. Vilsack; the USDAs Natural Resources Conservation Service and its director, Terry Cosby; and Jon Hubbert, the Iowa state conservationist for the NRCS.

The law at issue in the case was approved in 1985 as part of the Food Security Act, which established a conservation effort called the Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation and Reserve Program. Two components of the program are referred to as the sodbuster and swampbuster laws, which are intended to preserve highly erodible land and wetlands and protect natural resources for a public purpose.

The swampbuster provision conditions USDA agricultural benefits on farmers keeping designated wetlands in conservation rather than converting them to cropland, while the sodbuster provision is based on a voluntary program that pays farmers market rent to keep highly erodible acreage in conservation.

Under the law, once an area of farmland is designated a wetland, it cannot be drained, dredged, filled, leveled, or otherwise manipulated without the loss of USDA-provided agricultural benefits.

According to the plaintiffs attorneys, the managing member of CTM Holdings, Jim Conlan, was raised in Iowa and comes from a line of farmers. In 1990, Conlan purchased his grandparents farm and, in the years that followed, acquired additional Iowa farmland in four Iowa counties, the lawsuit states.

CTM says that on Sept. 30, 2022, it purchased 72 acres in Delaware County, which included nine acres the USDA had designated a wetland in 2010. According to the lawsuit, the area designated a wetland has dry soil and so CTM asked the Natural Resources Conservation Service to reevaluate the designation. The service allegedly responded by saying the designation would stand and there was no right to an appeal.

CTM claims the nine acres are not visibly wet and are at least 1,000 feet away from a small seasonal stream.

Growing season in Iowa usually begins around mid-April, the lawsuit states. If Defendants are not enjoined from enforcing the swampbuster statutes and regulations, then (CTM Holdings) will be unable to plant its crop on the nine acres, will miss the window of time to plant for this years crop season, and will therefore lose any profits from crops that could have been grown on the nine acres.

Because of the way the law is structured, CTM Holdings argues, the company has no choice but to give up all uses of the nine acres in order to retain the USDA benefits for itself and for its tenant farmers on all of the 1,075 acres the company owns.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for alleged violations of the commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution, as well as a judgment declaring that the swampbuster provisions of the law are unconstitutional and exceed Congress power to regulate interstate commerce.

The lawsuit is backed by the Liberty Justice Center and Pacific Legal Foundation. The USDA and other defendants have yet to file a response to the lawsuit.

The post Lawsuit challenges federal swampbuster law that protects wetlands appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Years of progress toward a federal ban on menthol cigarettes and flavored tobacco has been an intense game of legal maneuvering and White House delays  and two Black-led organizations are among the latest plaintiffs hoping their lawsuit forces the Biden administrations hand.

We know that everyday its delayed, there are more Black children getting addicted and more Black people dying, Dr. Mark Mitchell, the chair of the council on environmental health and climate change for the National Medical Association, told Capital B. The medical organization is one of the plaintiffs.

Advocates, doctors and public health professionals have urged the government to take action for decades. They are outraged by the delays, which have been a common maneuver tucked inside multiple administrations playbooks, leaving a ban on the products lingering for years.

Read More: They Were Just Exploiting Us: The Void Big Tobacco Left in These Black Families

In response to officials dragging their feet, the latest lawsuit filed in a California court earlier this month seeks to push the ban through the final stages of approval from the White House. It builds off of another case from 2020 when advocates condemned the government for stalling the initial steps towards getting menthol products off the market.

As the White Houses deadline to take action passed in March with little movement, many werent shocked.

Its not only about death, Mitchell told us. Its also about sickness and disability. Smokers are more likely to have limbs amputated and be bedridden or wheelchair bound.

More than 80% of Black smokers opt for menthol cigarettes, a result of aggressive and strategic marketing by Big Tobacco, dating back decades. A federal ban could save up to 654,000 lives over the next 40 years.

To get this far and have the Biden administration hold it up is unfathomable, said Delmonte Jefferson, the executive director of the Center for Black Health & Equity. The center is not a plaintiff.

A detriment to public health

The lawsuit is another familiar move in the dance between the U.S. government, public health professionals, and civil rights organizations as the potential ban looms. Because of defendants inaction, tobacco companies have continued to use menthol cigarettes to target youth, women, and the Black community  all to the detriment of public health, the complaint reads.

In 2020, a separate lawsuit similarly called for more action. And in response, two years later, a proposed ban on the products was issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in what many celebrated a public health win.

Now, advocates are hoping the latest legal action prompts similar progress and a step toward accountability in keeping menthol products, which are scientifically concocted to be easier to smoke and harder to quit, off the market. The National Medical Association and the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council are among the plaintiffs.

In 2009, menthol was left out of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, while banning other flavors in cigarettes. Given the rates of menthol smoking among Black Americans, it left them increasingly susceptible to many smoking-related illnesses, including heart disease, cancer, and stroke  their three leading causes of death.

The announcement of the proposed rules by the FDA in 2022 was an attempt to close the loophole lingering open from the 2009 act.

Since, the White House has met with various civil rights activists and law enforcement officials to evaluate the impact a ban could have. Many have been urging the administration to act and secure what would be a tremendous public health win. Others have feared the criminal justice implications of removing menthol cigarettes from the market. They worry it could increase the targeting of Black communities by police officers.

Last year, the White House said theyd review the rule by March, but the self-imposed deadline soared by with little action. Jefferson is not surprised.

Theyre delaying what shouldve happened last year, he said. Hes frustrated by talk that the administration is stalling in an attempt to appease Black voters who might smoke menthols as the Novembers presidential election approaches. The thought that this would somehow flip the vote is the furthest from the truth, Jefferson said.

The ban is not just to protect smokers, but also their families, said Mitchell. Hes concerned about the children  We see the effects every day in our patients.

The government will have about two months to respond to the complaint.

The post This Lawsuit May Decide the Fate of Menthol Cigarettes appeared first on Capital B News.
Bjoern Hoecke, chairman of the Thuringian AfD, walks back into the courtroom at the end of a break in proceedings. He is accused of using symbols of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations. Hendrik Schmidt/dpa

A leading member of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is due to stand trial on Thursday for allegedly using a banned Nazi slogan.

The AfD chairman in the state of Thuringia, Bjorn Hocke, goes on trial in the city of Halle on allegations that he used a banned slogan of the Storm Troopers (SA), the Nazi paramilitary fighting organization, in two speeches. He is charged with using symbols of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations.

Before the trial began, the former history teacher explained that he had not known what the slogan was about.

In the upcoming state elections on September 1, the 52-year-old wants to stand as the lead candidate in the central state of Thuringia for the AfD, which is classified as right-wing extremist in the state and is being monitored by tits domestic intelligence service, officially known as the Office for the Protection of the Constitution.

Specifically, it is about the SA slogan "Everything for Germany!" Hocke is said to have used it once in the town of Merseburg in Saxony-Anhalt and, during a second speech in the city of Gera in Thuringia, he is said to have encouraged his audience with gestures to complete the first part of the slogan spoken by him with the word "Germany."

According to a court spokeswoman, the penalty ranges from a fine to a prison sentence of three years.

The presumption of innocence applies until a possible conviction, she stressed.

Demonstrations are also expected in Halle at the start of the trial.

Alternative for Germany (AfD) parliamentary group leader Bjoern Hoecke attends a session of the Thuringian state parliament. Martin Schutt/dpa
Bjoern Hoecke, (C), chairman of the Thuringian AfD, arrives at the end of the break in proceedings. He is accused of using symbols of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations. Hendrik Schmidt/dpa

A leading member of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party went on trial on Thursday for using a banned Nazi slogan, as hundreds demonstrated outside the courtroom against his party's policies.

The AfD chairman in the state of Thuringia, Bjorn Hocke, is in court in the eastern city of Halle to face allegations that he knowingly used a banned slogan of the Storm Troopers (SA), the Nazi paramilitary fighting organization, during a speech in 2021.

A controversial figure within the AfD, Hocke is formally charged with using symbols of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the court building to protest Hocke and his party's policies. Police estimated that some 570 people attended the peaceful demonstration.

The protesters included the group "Halle gegen Rechts" (Halle against the right) and anti-fascist groups.

Ahead of the trial, Hocke, a former history teacher, defended his choice of words and explained that he had not known what the slogan was about.

The 52-year-old plans to stand as the party's top candidate in the central state of Thuringia in state elections on September 1. They are one of three elections in eastern German states in September where the AfD is expected to poll highly.

The anti-migration party has been classified as right-wing extremist in the state and is being monitored by the domestic intelligence service, officially known as the Office for the Protection of the Constitution.

Specifically, the trial concerns the alleged use of the SA slogan "Everything for Germany!"

Hocke is said to have used it once in the town of Merseburg in Saxony-Anhalt in May 2021, which is the focus of the trial.

He is also accused of using the phrase during a speech in the city of Gera in Thuringia, and furthermore said to have encouraged his audience with gestures to join in shouting out the slogan.

The speech in Thuringia however will not be part of Thursday's proceedings, as Hocke's new legal team has not had time to prepare his defence regarding this speech.

According to a court spokeswoman, the possible penalty ranges from a fine to a prison sentence of three years.

Bjoern Hoecke, chairman of the Thuringian AfD, arrives at the end of the break in proceedings. He is accused of using symbols of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations. Hendrik Schmidt/dpa
President Joe Bidens campaign and Democratic allies, anxiously eyeing third-party threats, are mounting an aggressive effort to neutralize Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The Democratic National Committee has built out a first-of-its-kind unit, hiring staffers specifically dedicated to disabling Kennedy and other third-party candidates. Theyve filed Federal Elections Commission complaints against Kennedy and his allies, while accusing him of being funded by Republican mega donors. Democratic outside groups are also working to dig up dirt on Kennedy and his newly named running mate, Nicole Shanahan, a wealthy Silicon Valley entrepreneur and philanthropist.

In the Biden campaigns latest move, members of the extended Kennedy clan pledged our unwavering support to Biden over Robert F. Kennedy Jr., said RFK Jr.s sister Kerry Kennedy in a speech at a campaign event in Philadelphia on Thursday. So far, the Kennedys, descendents of one of the most beloved Democratic presidents, have largely shunned their family member, some of them calling his campaign dangerous.

But the formal endorsement, which featured more than a dozen Kennedy family members, takes that push back a step further.

We want to make crystal clear our feeling that the best way forward for America is to re-elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to four more years, Kerry Kennedy said, who led a chant of four more years. Her brother, however, went unmentioned by name in her speech.

Biden, for his part, called it an incredible honor to have the support of the Kennedy family. He noted that a bust of Robert F. Kennedy, one of his heroes, is currently displayed inside the Oval Office, alongside Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Kennedy familys endorsement is part of a broader, all-party effort to attack the RFK Jr.s campaign, which Biden aides and Democratic allies see as a threat to his election. Democrats acknowledge that in a race that could be decided by thousands of votes in a few states, theyre not taking any chances with third-party candidates, which include Kennedy, Cornel West and Jill Stein.

Hes a guy with a famous last name, so he can be dangerous and he can pull voters, who are not particularly engaged, away from Joe Biden, said Pat Dennis, president of American Bridge, one of the Democratic groups focused on opposition research against RFK Jr.



But Dennis said that when voters are educated about who [Kennedy] is, about his conspiracy-minded nature, then [Donald] Trump is in trouble because then those voters are then drawn to the former president, instead of Biden, so thats why were helping to make sure the electorate knows who RFK Jr. is.

Kennedy, for his part, said he was pleased his family is politically active, its a family tradition.

We are divided in our opinions but united in our love for each other, Kennedy said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Its not just Democrats who are concerned about Kennedys ability to affect the race. Trump has repeatedly called Kennedy the most radical liberal on his social media platform Truth Social. That prompted Kennedy to claim that Trumps team asked him to consider joining the former presidents ticket. A Trump adviser denied Kennedys story.

Kennedys impact on the race is clear in public polling. Kennedy consistently polls in the high single digits in national surveys, as he siphons off support from both Biden and Trump. For example, a late March Quinnipiac poll found Biden leading Trump by 3 points in a head-to-head matchup. But Trump took a 1-point lead over Biden when third-party candidates were added, who drew 13 percentage points of support. However, it was primarily Stein and West who hurt Biden.

Its important for a well-resourced campaign to leave nothing on the table, and that includes talking to voters who are pausing and curious about Kennedy, but who are actually going to find him unpalatable when they find out who he is, said Margie Omero, a Democratic pollster. A challenge would be to have people ascribe whatever qualities they want to him as a third-party candidate.

The issue here is leaving nothing to chance, Omero added.

Kennedy has leaned into his familys history as a means for attracting support. A pro-Kennedy super PAC aired a $7 million ad during this years Super Bowl that used a 1960 ad from his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, as an identical template for it, drafting off Kennedy-era nostalgia.

Bobby Shriver, one of RFK Jr.s cousins, pushed back on the ad at the time, for using our uncles faces  and my Mothers. She would be appalled by his deadly health care views.

Nearly 50 of the Kennedys appeared at a St. Patricks Day event at the White House last month, a show of force that foreshadowed a formal endorsement of the president.
KYODO NEWS - Apr 18, 2024 - 17:12 | Arts, All, World, Japan

Japanese animation giant Studio Ghibli will receive an honorary Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes International Film Festival in France in May, according to organizers.

Co-founded by internationally renowned anime director Hayao Miyazaki and known for its masterpieces such as "My Neighbor Totoro" and "Spirited Away," the Oscar-winning production company "has unleashed a fresh wind on animated film over the past four decades," the festival's organizers said in a statement Wednesday.

It will be the first time the Cannes festival has given the award to an institution, rather than an individual.

Noting the success of Miyazaki and Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata, "they achieved what seemed to be an impossible feat: independently producing pure masterpieces and conquering the mass market," the organizers said.

"In four decades and over twenty feature films, Studio Ghibli won over its audiences with works imbued with poetry and with humanistic and environmental commitments," they added. "With Ghibli, Japanese animation stands as one of the great adventures of cinephilia, between tradition and modernity."

Toshio Suzuki, a producer and another co-founder of Studio Ghibli Inc., was quoted as saying he was "truly honored and delighted" to receive the award.

"Although Miyazaki and I have aged considerably, I am sure that Studio Ghibli will continue to take on new challenges, led by the staff who will carry on the spirit of the company."

The studio's 2023 film "The Boy and the Heron" won the U.S. Academy Award for best animated feature in March, Miyazaki's second Oscar.

This year's Cannes film festival will be held May 14-25.

Related coverage:

Ghibli Park's final Valley of Witches area opens to public

Ghibli "Cat Bus" electric vehicles unveiled at central Japan park

Anime giant Hayao Miyazaki wins 2nd Oscar, Godzilla visual effects winner
Legal bid seeks to knock AOC off ballot line for left-wing Working Families Party: Too involved in social experimentation

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attens an event against a pro-Israel lobbying group American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) which endorses Bowman's challenger in New York, United States on March 23, 2024

A legal challenge has been filed to knock Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez off the left-leaning Working Families Party ballot line in the Nov. 5 general election, The Post has learned.

The objection, filed last week with the city Board of Elections, is part of a coordinated effort to diminish the WFPs influence and presence in The Bronx.

Her platform is not all helpful to working families, said Ian Carpenter, a registered independent from Astoria, Queens who filed objections to Ocasio-Cortezs WFP voter signatures.

A legal challenge has been filed to knock Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez off the left-leaning Working Families Party ballot line in the Nov. 5 general election, The Post has learned. Anadolu via Getty Images

Shes got great passion but shes too involved in social experimentation, he added.

The Working Families Party has been a crucial second ballot line to help boost Democrats over Republicans for elections in hard-fought battleground districts.

The party also deploys activists to campaign and help elect progressives over moderates in Democratic Party primaries.

Ocasio-Cortez  whose 14th congressional district includes parts of The Bronx and Queens  was previously tossed off the WFP ballot line in 2020, following a challenge to her petitions by her then-Democratic primary opponent, Michelle Caruso-Cabrera.

Challenges to WFP petitions were filed recently against nine Democratic legislative candidates backed by the WFP in the borough: Rep. Adriano Espaillat, state Sens. Robert Jackson, Gustavo Rivera and Jose Serrano and Assembly members Karina Reyes and Amanda Septimo.

WFP petitions for former AOC campaign aide Jonathan Soto  who is seeking to topple Assemblyman Michael Benedetto in a Democratic primary  were also challenged. Benedetto defeated Soto in 2022.

Bronx Conservative Party district leader Dion Powell said hes part of a coordinated effort to stop the WFPs strategy of pushing left-leaning candidates on Bronx voters despite having no real organization in the borough.

The objection, filed last week with the city Board of Elections, is part of a coordinated effort to diminish the WFPs influence and presence in The Bronx. Getty Images

They do zero work in our county. They have to go, Powell said.

The Post reached out to Ocasio-Cortez for comment.

Asked about the petition challenges, WFP spokesman Ravi Mangla said, This is a distraction meant to waste everyones time, and were confident our candidates will be on the ballot.

Meanwhile, a lawsuit has been filed to knock Queens state Sen. Joe Addabbo off the ballot, claiming he doesnt live where he claims to in South Ozone Park.

Addabbo, first elected to the Senate in 2008 after serving in the City Council, said hes complying with the residency rule.
Is it legal to bring cannabis products from another state to NC? Heres what the law says

After hemp was permanently removed from North Carolinas list of controlled substances in June 2022, many in the state turned to legal hemp-based CBD and delta-8 THC products to treat a variety of ailments.

By definition, legal hemp products must have a THC concentration of less than 0.3%.

Marijuana, a plant infused in substances that can have THC levels as high as 90%, according to the Yale School of Medicine, remains illegal in North Carolina.

Heres what to know about traveling to North Carolina with hemp products, who can buy them and who is eligible to purchase marijuana in the state.

Can you bring hemp products from another state to NC?

All forms of hemp products, including CBD and delta-8 THC, can be brought into North Carolina.

Hemp products are also legal in each of North Carolinas neighboring states  Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia  and can be transported across state lines.

What types of hemp products are legal?

Here are some ways to consume legal hemp products, according to the Center for Advancing Health:

Tinctures: Delta-8 tinctures are taken under the tongue. Most people experience effects after 45 minutes to one hour from taking the tincture.

Vaping: Vaping is the best way to take delta-8 if you aim for fast effects, as they can usually be felt within minutes after taking a puff.

Edibles: Gummies are one of the most common forms of delta-8 edibles. The effects typically last longer than vapes, but they can take up to two hours to kick in.

Smoking: Similar to vaping, smoking can be an efficient way to consume delta-8. But because of combustion, you may not be able to extract as much delta-8 from your product as you would from a vape pen.

Capsules: Once swallowed with water, capsules need up to two hours to start working. They are usually odorless and colorless, but the effects may not be as strong as gummies, since the THC doesnt have a chance to pass through the blood vessels in your mouth.

Topicals: These include salves, creams, lotions and balms. Delta-8 topicals usually wont get you high unless you use a transdermal product.

Can you fly to NC with hemp products?

It is legal to fly with hemp products, as long as they are TSA compliant, Forbes reported.

The TSA requires that any products brought in carry-on luggage do not exceed 3.4 oz and are stored in a resealable, clear 1-quart bag, Forbes says. Anything greater than 3.4 oz has to be stowed away in checked luggage. So to avoid hassle, be sure to leave time while packing to comply with these rules.

Its also recommended that you double-check the THC levels of your products before flying to make sure they are below 0.3%.

Who can buy hemp products in NC?

You must be at least 18 years old to possess and purchase hemp products in North Carolina, according to Pure Craft CBD, an online shop that sells CBD products.

Who can buy marijuana in NC?

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will begin selling marijuana at a dispensary on their land on April 20 after tribal members approved use of the drug in September, The Charlotte Observer reported.

Dispensary sales, however, will be limited to those with a medical cannabis patient card, officials with Qualla Enterprises LLC, the Cherokee cannabis subsidiary, said in a news release in March.

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians established a Cannabis Control Board that issues the cards.

For the rest of the state, marijuana is a controlled substance, and possession of it is illegal, according to state law. The penalty for possessing marijuana in North Carolina depends on the type, how much you have and how you plan to use it.

If youre caught crossing state lines with more than 10 pounds of marijuana, you could be charged with felony drug trafficking, according to state law. Marijuana trafficking convictions in North Carolina can result in a minimum of 25 months in prison and a fine of $5,000.

RELATED: Can you bring legal weed from another state back to NC? Heres what the law says
The Maine State House in Augusta lit up at night during the 2024 legislative session. (Emma Davis/ Maine Morning Star)

The Maine Legislature approved a supplemental state budget at nearly 3 a.m. Thursday morning that includes storm relief Gov. Janet Mills had previously proposed to be funded outside the budget process.

The governor wrote in a letter to legislators Wednesday morning, before the storm relief was tacked on, that she would approve the budget plan. However, she objected to previous efforts to entangle her storm relief measure with other spending.

In a statement later Thursday morning, Mills wrote that she was pleased with the package. I look forward to signing this budget into law, she wrote.

The budget adds new investments in housing, education and child care, among others, to the biennial budget approved last year. Mills had recommended many of these additions in February, however legislators opted to veer from her requests in several ways, one being proposed rollbacks to the states social safety net.

For example, Mills left out money for the proposed eligibility expansion of Medicare Savings Program aimed to help low-income retirees, an expansion made in the biennial budget passed last year. The budget maintains that change, funding the program at $14.1 million.

Changes to the Legislatures budget proposal continued up until the final days of session. On Monday, the budget committee reopened voting on the plan it had previously set around 3 a.m. a week prior, reversing proposed cuts to the highway fund, pensioners and dairy farmers after objections from the Republican minority, some Democrats and Mills. However, these changes were not enough to sway legislative Republicans to support the Democrats budget.

Ahead of Wednesday night, lawmakers attempted to fund some of the additional priorities of the Republican minority  notably more money for mental health and nursing homes  outside the budget by way of an emergency bill Mills proposed to provide funding to rebuild infrastructure damaged by the consecutive storms this winter.

The Senate approved the beefed up bill in a bipartisan vote on Friday night, but Tuesday night the House bypassed the effort, instead introducing their own amendment stripping it back to solely storm relief.

Another last-ditch effort

The disagreement between the chambers, and the growing objections to the budget plan from within the Democratic majority, came to a head again Wednesday night when the Senate attempted to change course.

For a brief moment, shortly after 10:30 p.m., both chambers had passed the budget plan. Im sure that every member in this chamber has something in this budget that they arent 100% happy with, myself included, Sen. Jill Duson (D-Cumberland) said on the Senate floor. But any good compromise has a give and take.

During the initial Senate debate on the budget proposal, Sen. Rick Bennett (R-Oxford) criticized Mills letter to legislators, in which she wrote she would pass the plan as proposed by the budget committee and threatened to veto the storm relief bill if it arrived on her desk as amended by Bennett.

Bennett said on the Senate floor that the directive from Mills reads like a letter from Vladamir Putin.

Within the hour, a new version of the budget garnered majority support in the Senate, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle urging its passage.

An amendment, introduced by Sen. Nicole Grohowski (D-Hancock), included additional investments for storm relief, veterans homes, raising pay for state workers and education technicians, among other provisions  aligning with several of the requests of the Republican minority.

Im a proud Democrat, Senate President Troy Jackson (D-Aroostook) said in support of Grohowskis amendment, but if voting for these things today makes me a Republican, then Im a proud Republican. These should not be issues that divide us.

Other Democrats as well as Republican senators backed the amendment, too.

This amendment before us, as described, is totally nonpartisan, Bennett said. This amendment addresses issues which we all know need to be addressed.

However, the House responded with an amendment that only included funding for storm relief, which ultimately passed both chambers.

Democrats prioritize funding for housing

In the House, Rep. Mark Blier (R-Buxton) summarized Republicans overall objections to the budget as follows: It does not go far enough, yet goes too far on certain items.

Republicans argued the bill goes too far in its funding for housing. The budget includes a $76 million investment to increase housing access through a number of ways, such as through emergency shelters, tax credits and building more affordable options for families, workers and those in rural areas.

Much of these investments aligned with what Mills had proposed, however the Legislatures budget goes farther in the way of immediate interventions  putting $18 million toward a pilot program to prevent eviction, $2 million for a subsidy program for homeless students and increasing allocations for low-barriers shelters up to $7.5 million to be dispersed over the next several years.

Kathy Kilrain del Rio, advocacy and programs director for Maine Equal Justice, said the pilot program will help people right now who cant wait for new affordable housing to be built.

There has been a lot of focus over the last couple of years on other parts of the solution to the housing crisis, Kilrain del Rio said, so things like building and investing in shelters, which are very important and we support those things too, but a missing piece of the puzzle was really this rent relief piece.

Adam Zuckerman, a lobbyist for the progressive advocacy organization Maine Peoples Alliance, said that while the allocations are only for a pilot, the metrics from the pilot can be used to push for a permanent rent relief program down the line.

This funding was included after advocates rallied for rent relief at the State House earlier this session. The bill advocates had initially hoped to be the vehicle for rent relief this session, LD 1710, was turned into a study.

Republicans called for even more funding for mental health initiatives, nursing homes

Alternately, when it comes to mental health and nursing homes, Republicans argued the budget did not go far enough.

Nursing homes across Maine warned earlier this year that they face a $96 million budget shortfall, partly due to insufficient MaineCare reimbursements for patients.

A scheduled change in reimbursements rates is slated to begin next year, and the budget provides $26 million to help ease the transition. Republicans had pushed for $31 million to get closer to fully closing the shortfall.

Were kicking the can down the road again, Rep. Austin Theriault (R-Fort Kent) said.

The budget includes $19.6 million for mental and public health. Within this is a far-reaching proposal from House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Portland) that would establish a violence prevention program, build a stronger connection between 911 and the crisis 988 line, and fund two crisis receiving centers  one in Aroostook County and one in Penobscot County. The budget also allocated funding for a crisis center in Lewiston, which Mills proposed.

In light of the mass shooting in Lewiston last fall, which left 18 dead and 13 injured, shoring up the states mental health services has been a bipartisan focus this session.

Mental health providers backed a resiliency package of bills to fill in gaps and improve service quality, some of which are funded in the budget. This includes proposals to bridge the gap for mental health organizations participating in certified community behavioral health clinic projects whose grants are ending as well as implementing a community-based model of care for adolescents.

Advocates for mental health have noted that the initiatives not included in the budget wouldve required greater ongoing funding and, while sympathizing with the challenge of securing long-term appropriations, argued that sustainable solutions require ongoing funds.

Investments in education, other priorities

The budget makes significant investments in education, both continuing allocations from years past and funding new initiatives. It includes a $21 million investment for the state to continue to share the total cost of funding public education from K-12 at 55%.

Funds are also earmarked for an overhaul of one part of the states education system: special education for preschoolers. The budget provides funding for a plan to shift the responsibility for free appropriate public education for students with disabilities ages three to five from the quasi-government agency Child Development Services (CDS) to public school districts.

This transition will create a structure that is more aligned with that of other states and comes after decades of dissatisfaction with CDS over inadequate staffing, resources and comparably poor performance in helping young children. More on that plan here.

Another new addition for education is coming by way of compensation for the staff who help keep Maine schools running. The budget will raise salaries for support staff and education technicians beginning in 2026.

The budget also allocates funding for 18 additional law enforcement positions, fewer than the 32 positions Mills had recommended in her budget plan.

This story was updated to include a statement from Gov. Janet Mills and remove a comment from Adam Zuckerman that misstated the scope of the study to be conducted via LD 1710.

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The post Legislature approves budget with 11th-hour storm relief addition appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
Fourteen states have passed comprehensive laws to regulate privacy online in recent years. (Getty Images)

Maine will not be enacting a comprehensive data privacy law for the foreseeable future after the Legislature killed two competing proposals on the last day of session that lawmakers had spent 12 public meetings and countless hours behind-the-scenes throughout the past year trying to get over the finish line.

One of the proposals, from Rep. Maggie ONeil (D-Saco), would have made Maines regulations on companies that collect consumer information online among the strictest in the country. This version was favored by privacy advocates, Maines attorney general and the majority of the Legislatures Judiciary Committee.

The other plan, from Sen. Lisa Keim (R-Oxford), was backed by businesses and technology companies and followed a template that has been increasingly adopted by other states in recent years.

The House and Senate both voted against Keims proposal on their first pass, meanwhile the House approved ONeils version but the Senate disagreed, bouncing it back and forth again before ultimately dying after neither chamber would alter its stance.

Mainers will be left without protections, ONeil told Maine Morning Star on Wednesday night. Thats disappointing because Mainers deserve these and we should have had them a long time ago.

Keims reaction was similarly dismayed. Weve totally let the people of Maine down, Keim told Maine Morning Star.

ONeil and Keim both said their intention had been to reach agreement on one proposal to bring before the full Legislature, however the fundamental differences between the frameworks of the two bills could not be reconciled.

Keims bill took an approach the average consumer is likely more familiar with, privacy policies. These are the long pop-up texts that consumers have to agree to, though dont often fully read, when accessing a website that details how a company is going to use consumer data.

ONeils bill instead took a data minimization approach, meaning it wouldve only allowed for companies to collect data that is specifically tied to the product or service the consumer requested. While this would have made Maines law distinct from most, a privacy bill with a similar framework passed the Maryland General Assembly and is awaiting governor approval.

There is a patchwork of state laws and parts of federal legislation governing the current landscape, as there remains no one federal law regulating internet privacy, despite several proposals.

However, on the same day the Maine Legislature rejected its two options for a comprehensive data privacy law, U.S. Congress was eyeing a national privacy standard for data harvested by big tech companies. U.S. House members met Wednesday to discuss a series of data privacy bills that are drawing rare bipartisan and bicameral support, including the bipartisan discussion draft of the American Privacy Rights Act, which uses the data minimization approach.

Democrats and Republicans in Maine, however, are not yet at a point where agreement can be reached on a path forward for a state data privacy law, despite some votes across party lines on both ONeils and Keims bills and the two versions falling more in line than when first introduced.

Objections during floor speeches centered around how each proposal wouldve provided exemptions to the law. ONeils bill has more data minimization and, as a result, offers more exemptions. Meanwhile, Keims does not have as much minimization, leading to fewer exemptions.

Exemptions are offered in both versions but ONeils provides more entity-level exemptions, meaning an exemption of an entire company from the law if its data collection is already regulated by federal laws. When it comes to exemptions, ONeils more closely aligns with Connecticut law  though since enactment, Connecticuts Attorney General suggested scaling back its entity-level exemptions.

Keim criticized the nonprofit exemptions in ONeils version, noting that the research nonprofit Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) worked with ONeil to fine tune her version. On the Senate floor Wednesday, Keim said of ONeils bill, It builds a wall, right, and in some ways its a good wall. But then, by exempting nonprofits, theyve blown a hole right through the wall.

At the same time, ONeil pointed to big tech influences in the drafting of Keims bill, including a representative of Meta whod emailed ONeil in January 2023 to inform her he was working with Keim on a data privacy bill.

While ONeil said she had been opposed to many of the exemptions that ultimately ended up in her bill, theres no point in having a weak bill that covers everyone.

In both chambers, lawmakers also disagreed on which version provided more protections for children, the privacy of which is also a key focus in discussions of potential federal legislation.

Those supportive of Keims version argued the entity exemptions posed risks for children. Those supportive of ONeils pointed to the differences in the bills explicit provisions about children. When a child reaches 13 but is under 18 years old, ONeils bill would have allowed consumers to consent to the sale of their data but never to targeted ads for as long as theyre a minor. In Keims bill, the cutoff for prohibiting targeted ads is 15 years old, which mirrors Connecticut law.

Maine has led before, ONeil said on the House floor during consideration of her bill on Tuesday night.

While Maine does not have a comprehensive data privacy law, it was the first state to restrict how internet service providers can use, disclose and sell customer data in 2019 and enacted the countrys strongest statewide facial recognition law in 2021.

The sky didnt fall then and it wont fall now, ONeil added.

Rep. Rachel Henderson (R-Rumford), who worked with Keim on her proposal, said she agreed that the sky isnt going to fall, but our economic growth will, our business value in the state of Maine will, she said in response.

Critics of ONeils stricter framework argued it would limit targeted advertising, meanwhile proponents said it would ensure that companies are not collecting more information than they need. Business interests also argued in favor of consistency with other states, which was a reason they supported Keims bill, whereas consumer advocates maintained that greater protections should not be sacrificed for consistencys sake.

While agreement could not be reached this session, both bill sponsors hope this is not the end for data privacy in Maine. Both ONeil and Keim are termed out after this session but they expect others who have engaged in the extensive consideration of their bills to continue the work.

The Judiciary Committee and the team of people that did this work really dug into it and put a lot of work into it this session, ONeil said, and I think we can expect that folks will continue to work on it going forward.

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The post Legislature rejects paths to a comprehensive data privacy law in Maine appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
Leonore Restaurant closes its doors in the Star City, moves to Salem

ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR)  One restaurant embedded in the heart of Roanoke is bringing its cuisines to a different city in the valley.

On April 16, Leonore Restaurant announced on social media that it would be moving to Salem.

Owner Miguel Liendo has been preparing memorable Italian and Venezuelan dishes and creating authentic flavors for 13 years. He joined the restaurant business in the Star City with his two siblings who moved to the United States from Venezuela.

From pizzas to arepas the restaurant is full of flavors inspired by Miguels late mom, Leonore.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Sweet success in the Star City for Venezuelan siblings in American restaurant industry

The restaurant sits on Campbell Avenue and has become a staple in Downtown Roanoke. However, this location will officially close on April 20.

Owners say the restaurant will move to 1776 Apperson Drive, in Salem. At the new location, Leonore will continue deliveries and carry-out.

At this time, it is not clear when the restaurant will open for dine-in services.

For more information and updates, visit Leonore Restaurants Facebook page.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.
The Los Angeles Ethics Commission has approved a $15,000 settlement by the city with Les Moonves, the former president and CEO of CBS who conspired with a now-retired LAPD captain to prevent an explosive sexual assault allegation from going public.

The settlement, passed Wednesday, represents the maximum amount Moonves couldve been charged in an administrative enforcement matter. In considering the penalty, the commission said that he cooperated with staff in the investigation and saved resources by agreeing to the deal while also noting that the violations in this case are extremely serious and deliberate.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Moonves admits that he violated City law by aiding and abetting the disclosure and misuse of confidential information and by inducing a City official to misuse his position to attempt to create a private advantage for the executive, the settlement read.

Approval of the deal follows the commission in February unanimously voting to reject the proposed agreement. He initially agreed to pay an $11,250 fine. Committee president Jeffery Daar said at the time that the rejection of the settlement was based on the egregiousness of the alleged facts, stressing that the case underscores the need to increase maximum monetary penalties for violations of City ethics laws.

The settlement centered on findings that Moonves tried influencing ex-LAPD Captain Cory Palka into giving him confidential information on a sexual assault investigation into him initiated by late TV executive Phyllis Golden-Gottlieb, who worked alongside the former CBS chief executive when they worked at Lorimar-Telepictures in the 1980s. Over the course of a year, Palka and an intermediary for Moonves communicated several times on the investigations progress, at one point discussing how to kill media from PD and to figure what [Golden-Gottlieb] wants.

In 2018, Moonves resigned from CBS. Upon hearing the news, Palka, who had served as his security at the Grammy Awards from 2008 to 2014, told him Im deeply sorry this happened. I will always stand with, by and pledge my allegiance to you, the proposed settlement stated.

Moonves was charged with three counts related to asking Palka, through former CBS senior vp talent relations and special events Ian Metrose, about the LAPDs investigation into Golden-Gottliebs allegations.

The Ethics Commission still has to decide on a fine for Metrose. During the February meeting in which the initial settlement by the city with Moonves was rejected, the Ethics Commission also voted down a proposed $2,500 fine against the former CBS executive.

Attorneys for Moonves didnt immediately respond to requests for comment.

The allegations against Moonves and his interference in the sexual assault probe were first disclosed in a 2022 settlement between the New York Attorney General and Paramount Global. The $30.5 million deal was announced alongside an investigation that also found that ex-CBS communications chief Gil Schwartz sold millions of dollars worth of stock before the sexual assault claims went public.

Best of The Hollywood Reporter
Former CBS CEO Leslie Moonves was fined $15,000 on Wednesday by the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission for his role in attempts to keep an LAPD investigation of sexual assault accusations against him from becoming public in 2017. He has paid the amount in full.

A previous proposal for an $11,000 fine was rejected by the commission Feb. 21. While small relative to the acts committed, $15,000 is the maximum amount the commission was able to levy against the former CBS executive.

The members of the Ethics Commission approved the stipulation and order Leslie Moonves to pay a fine of $15,000 to the City of Los Angeles in accordance with the terms of the stipulation, said the order, which you can read here.

Mooves admits that he violated City law by aiding and abetting the disclosure and misuse of confidential information and by inducing a City official to misuse his position to attempt to create a private advantage for Moonves.

The city official in question is former LAPD captain Cory Palka, who tipped off Moonves and other CBS executives that authorities were investigating him for sexual assaults against former Lorimar-Telepictures executive Phyllis Golden-Gottlieb in the 1980s. Palka shared the confidential police report Golden-Gottlieb made in 2017 with Moonves.

Were sending a message to the public that even if an individual is not an official, a non-city official, that aids, abets or induces a city official to violate city ethics law can themselves be held liable, Kenneth Hardy, Director of Enforcement for the commission said Wednesday.

A woman who spoke at the meeting dismissed the fine as pocket change to these guys, and urged the commission to make it clear that sharing internal LAPD information more will not be tolerated. Another said the Ethics Commission should raise the maximum $5000 fine for the incredibly wealthy Moonves, Deadline reported. The commission did not immediately respond to TheWraps request for comment.

Palka, who is retired, is still under investigation by the LAPD for his conduct.

Moonves stepped down from CBS in September 2018, the same day that New Yorker published accusations of six women accusing him of sexual harassment or assault.

Deadline first reported news of the settlement.

The post Les Moonves Fined $15K for Using LAPD to Bury Sexual Assault Accusations appeared first on TheWrap.
'Let her speak!' USC campus reels after valedictorian's speech is canceled

A student wears a face mask with "Let Asna speak" written on it during a silent march at USC on April 18, 2024 in support of Asna Tabassum, whose graduation speech has been canceled by university administration. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

When they canceled a graduation speech by a pro-Palestinian valedictorian, USC officials intended to cool down tensions that have roiled the campus throughout the Israel-Hamas war.

Instead, the decision by President Carol Folt to revoke a speaking slot for the valedictorian ignited more controversy and catapulted the university further into debates over student activism, free speech, antisemitism and anti-Muslim and anti-Arab hate.

On Wednesday, a smattering of protesters gathered by the landmark Tommy Trojan statue, some calling on Folt to reverse course as arguments broke out between those on opposing sides.

Read more: USC valedictorians grad speech is canceled: The university has betrayed me

Dozens of student groups have signed a letter to administrators, saying they are "outraged and ashamed" at the university, which defended the cancellation by citing unspecified threats to campus safety. In another plea, more than 130 faculty members signed a letter to Folt, saying her move "stifles open communication."

Some students are planning a "silent march" for Thursday afternoon, when they will don masks and hoodies to express their view that Asna Tabassum, the valedictorian who says the university has "abandoned" her, is being silenced.

A student holds up a Palestinian flag during the USC campus march in support of Asna Tabassum. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

"I've been here 24 years," said Rabbi Dov Wagner, who leads the Chabad Jewish center at USC and is among those who have taken offense at the university's selection of Tabassum as valedictorian. "It has never been this tense."

Before the controversy erupted, the sole public indication of Tabassum's political beliefs was a link to a pro-Palestinian website on her Instagram profile. But pro-Israel groups labeled her antisemitic because of anti-Israel content on the site and said she should not be allowed to speak at the graduation, or that she should not have been named valedictorian.

Folt has not spoken publicly about the decision to cancel Tabassum's speech. Provost Andrew Guzman, speaking Wednesday to a monthly Academic Senate faculty meeting, said that the decision was not the administration's "first choice" but that he had "a high degree of comfort" with it, the student-run news site Annenberg Media reported.

The university has referred questions about security to Erroll Southers, USC's associate senior vice president for safety and risk assurance. Southers declined an interview request on Wednesday.

Responding to questions about whether USC has reported commencement-related threats to police, Los Angeles police spokeswoman Capt. Kelly Muniz said the department "does not have a crime report or additional insight into this matter."

University officials chose Tabassum, a biomedical engineering major with a minor in resistance to genocide, as valedictorian from a pool of nearly 100 applicants with GPAs of 3.98 or above. The title comes with an invitation to deliver a 3-to-5-minute speech to an audience of about 65,000 at the campuswide commencement ceremony on May 10.

USC students gather to march the the campus in support of Asna Tabassum. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

The website linked on Tabassum's Instagram page says that "Zionism is a racist settler-colonialist ideology" and that the movement's founders believed Palestinians needed to be ethnically cleansed." It also says that "one Palestinian state would mean Palestinian liberation and the complete abolishment of the state of Israel" so that "both Arabs and Jews can live together."

Tabassum has declined to denounce the website's content but told The Times that she is not antisemitic. She said she has not been a prominent pro-Palestinian activist and accused the university of singling her out as a hijab-wearing Muslim woman.

Read more: Berkeley schools chief will testify at congressional hearing over antisemitism charges

"When you silence us, you make us louder," she said in an interview Tuesday.

Divisions over the cancellation were apparent on campus Wednesday afternoon as Brent Blair, a theater professor, stood by the Tommy Trojan statue holding a poster that said, "Jewish faculty in support of Asna Tabassum. Let her speak!

As students passed by, some took photos of Blair  who wore a yarmulke and a Star of David necklace  to express support.

But another student saw Blair, shook his hand and told the professor he was Jewish.

"I dont think she should speak," said the student, who declined to share his name.

The student said Tabassum promoted antisemitism and it would have been dangerous to let her talk at commencement.

"I have a lot of Jewish friends who are scared that she will speak," the student said.

"I have a lot of Jewish friends who are scared she wont," Blair said in response.

Another student walked by and looked over his shoulder at Blairs sign. "Youre a sad Jew," he said.

Reflecting on the exchange, which a reporter from The Times witnessed, Blair said the university has further inflamed campus divisions.

"If USC wanted to create a mountain of resentment, they couldnt have done anything more efficient," he said.

A group called the Revolutionary Communist organization, made up of non-students, was also present on campus Wednesday. Members held signs saying Tabassum "must be heard" and "stop the repression of pro-Palestinian voices." They handed out pro-Palestinian fliers, including to student Jade Li.

Li, a third-year neuroscience major, said canceling the speech was "messed up." She said she had not discussed the issue in her classes or in conversations among friends and felt the need to "be doing more."

Moustafa El-Mahdy, a graduate student who was passing by, also said he disagreed with the decision.

"She is being silenced, not based on what she was going to say, but what they were scared she would say, he said.

Tabassum, who said she had not written her speech or shared details about it with the university, said she had planned to focus her talk on "hope."

Asna Tabassum was selected as valedictorian and was offered a traditional slot to speak at USC's graduation next month until controversy arose and the university canceled her speech. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Pro-Israel organizations from outside USC were among those that issued the loudest calls for Tabassum to be disinvited. But some pro-Israel Jewish groups on campus have also been critical of the university.

"The university has failed to condemn the antisemitic rhetoric propagated by the valedictorian," the student group Trojans for Israel said in a statement.

Wagner, the rabbi who leads Chabad, a campus organization that does outreach to its several thousand Jewish students, said he agreed with that sentiment.

"USC was in an impossible situation where there was not any good path forward," said Wagner, adding that he respected the student's academic achievements but disagreed with the views she had linked to online about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Still, he said, USC had "mishandled" the controversy.

"It's unfair to everyone."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A graduate puts on her cap before posing for a photo at USC's commencement ceremony in Los Angeles on May 13, 2022. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

To the editor: The removal of Asna Tabassum as the valedictory speaker at USC's upcoming commencement reminds me of another sad chapter in USC's history  the school's lackluster response to the sexual abuse accusations made against Dr. George Tyndall. In both cases, I am struck by my alma mater's failure to protect its greatest asset: its students.

I can appreciate USC's predicament in choosing to avoid taking a position on the war in the Gaza Strip. Allowing Tabassum to speak might enrage supporters of Israel. Removing her has caused upheaval by those who support Palestine.

Either way, one side will be unhappy. USC risks alienating countless individuals, but like it or not, the issue has fallen onto its doorstep. In such a situation I would expect the university to at least ask how it can do right by its own community.

By choosing to rescind its offer to Tabassum, USC has failed to do this. It has abandoned the academic high ground and discourse, and it has left Tabassum out in the cold.

Donesh Olyaie, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: The valedictorian of any university should be a clear reflection of the graduating class. Anyone who has hate speech linked to their social media does not meet this threshold.

The university did not do their due diligence in vetting this candidate. Shame on USC Provost Andrew T. Guzman.

This is another black eye for USC.

Laurie Kelson, Encino

..

To the editor: Wow, USC. You granted an accomplished, deserving student the honor of being class valedictorian only to then yank away her ability to address her peers at graduation. Your excuse  a desire for safety  seems bogus and politically motivated.

When I graduated first in my class from UC Berkeley nearly 25 years ago, I used my voice to raise awareness of an inhumane U.S. sanctions policy that was killing Iraqi civilians. University security took steps to protect the commencement speaker, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, from embarrassment over being confronted for having shared her grisly view that the price of the sanctions policy was "worth it" despite the toll on innocent children.

But my voice was heard from that podium and celebrated from Berkeley to L.A. to Baghdad to Occupied Palestine.

Instead of encouraging your students to question the status quo, you take active steps to silence them  even your best and brightest. What a shame.

If only you directed just one ounce of regard for safety to the Palestinian mothers suffering through C-sections without anesthesia, children bombed in their beds and youth risking their lives to forage for food for their families. You are on the wrong side of history.

Fadia Rafeedie Khoury, La Crescenta

..

To the editor: As a proud 1970 USC graduate, I'm afraid the university's decision to cancel Tabassum's valedictorian speech will have a lasting, negative impact on students, faculty and alumni.

But wait, there is a way to make lemonade here. Give Tabassum the opportunity to record her speech and post it on USC's website. This way her speech, no matter how inflammatory some people think it might be, can be watched by anyone who wishes to view it.

Denny Freidenrich, Laguna Beach

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Letters to the Editor: How Israel can upset Iran's theocrats without death and destruction

The Israeli Iron Dome air defense system is used to intercept missiles fired from Iran on April 14. (Tomer Neuberg / Associated Press)

To the editor: One way Israel could respond to Iran's attack is to use long-range drones to deliver masses of leaflets to the people of Tehran. Even if the drones were shot down, the leaflets would still reach their targets.

The leaflets, containing whatever words Israel chooses, would also send the message that Tehran is vulnerable to Israel's military might  that Israel could have sent death and destruction but chose not to.

The theocrats would be furious, but they would have no rationale for military escalation.

Eleanor Egan, Costa Mesa

..

To the editor: Isnt it wonderful that mankind has now developed another weapon, a cheap one at that, for killing "other" people? Even less wealthy nations can now join in, since drones are inexpensive to make.

We live in a crazy world where weaponry is so advanced, and the big question, as one expert you quoted put it, is "how do you use a drone swarm effectively."

They may as well just go back to the old technology and use a big bomb to get it over with.

Lynne Okon Scholnick, Long Beach

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
By Takuya Karube, KYODO NEWS - Apr 18, 2024 - 09:21 | All, World, Japan

The finance ministers of the United States, Japan and South Korea said Wednesday that they have discussed the Asian countries' "serious concerns" about the recent sharp depreciation of their currencies against the U.S. dollar.

As the countries expand the scope of their cooperation beyond security affairs, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and her Japanese and South Korean counterparts, respectively Shunichi Suzuki and Choi Sang Mok, met in Washington on the sidelines of the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

During the first-ever trilateral meeting of the countries' finance chiefs, the trio agreed to consult closely on foreign exchange market developments and work toward "sustainable economic growth, financial stability" and other objectives such as building resilient supply chains, according to their joint statement.

The three countries have been expanding coordination beyond addressing the threat posed by North Korea, following a three-way summit of U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol last August.

When the leaders gathered at the U.S. presidential retreat of Camp David near Washington, they agreed to expand cooperation to development projects and various other domains in the Indo-Pacific region and elsewhere, with China's growing political and economic influence in mind.

"I see scope to further deepen our cooperation on key shared objectives in the region and globally, such as expanding resilient supply chains, countering economic coercion and combating sanctions evasion," Yellen told the two ministers on Wednesday.

Her reference to sanctions was related to measures against Russia over its war with Ukraine and North Korea over its nuclear and missile development programs.

Yellen also said during the meeting that the United States wants to work closely with its two major allies on economic development assistance for Pacific island countries.

In the statement, the ministers also said they "strongly condemn" North Korea's exports of its ballistic missiles to Russia.

Suzuki told reporters after the meeting that they were able to have a "frank exchange of opinions" over Asia-Pacific affairs and shared challenges being addressed by the Group of 20 and other multilateral frameworks.

Choi said at the outset of the meeting that the deepening trilateral cooperation is highly meaningful in responding to financial instability that could stem from economic uncertainties and after facing supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical fragmentation.

"I trust that our economic and financial cooperation will only strengthen and broaden starting with this first trilateral finance ministers meeting," Choi said.

Related coverage:

Yellen says she thinks U.S. Steel should remain in American hands

Yellen says U.S. not to decouple from China, seeks overcapacity fix

Yellen calls on Chinese premier to engage in talks on global issues
Students at Lexington High School were required to stay indoors Thursday afternoon as the campus was put into a safety protocol over a disconcerting message sent to a school employee.

As of shortly after 3 p.m., everyone at Lexington High School and the adjoining Lexington Technology Center was continuing lessons as normal Thursday afternoon, but they were unable to leave the buildings, or allow anyone else in, until safety measures were lifted later Thursday afternoon, the school district said.

In an email sent to parents, Lexington 1 spokeswoman Libby Roof said the procedures where implemented because of a message received by a school employee, which was similar to one received the week before Spring Break and has a very low probability of credibility. School officials worked with law enforcement on the response to the message.

On March 27, Lexington High went into a similar safety protocol after a message was reported to an administrator about a student with a weapon on campus. The message also included a threat to the school, The State reported at the time. No credible threat was found at the time.

The Lexington County Sheriffs Office dispatched additional deputies to the campus Thursday afternoon, the agency posted on its social media feeds.
Lexington may start paying a private lab for DNA testing for violent crimes. Heres why

Lexington may soon use a private lab for its DNA testing for violent crimes due to a backlog at the Kentucky State Police crime lab.

Mayor Linda Gortons proposed $531.8 million budget includes up to $150,000 for private laboratory testing.

We are investing $150,000 in private lab DNA testing to accelerate violent crime investigations and identify perpetrators quickly, Gorton said during Tuesdays budget address. This will serve crime victims and their families by delivering justice at a much faster pace  dedicated private funding for private DNA testing will decrease the time it takes to process DNA evidence results from years to weeks.

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council must approve the appropriation as part of its budget deliberations. The council has until June 30 to do so. If it approves the $150,000, testing could begin July 1.

The Kentucky State Police crime lab has long had problems processing all of the evidence it is sent from more than 400 police departments across the state.

Delays in processing evidence has translated to delays throughout the criminal justice system. That evidence could also exonerate people who have been charged. Those delays are also costing taxpayers untold amounts of money. Taxpayers foot the bill for long, extended jail stays.

Prosecutors, police and defense attorneys have long complained about the extensive delays in testing results.

Lack of staffing causing delays at KSP

KSP Laboratories have six labs across the state in Frankfort, Middletown, London, Cold Springs, Ashland and Louisville. The central laboratory, located in Frankfort, is the only site that does DNA testing.

An increase in samples sent to the lab and problems keeping staff has contributed to the delays in processing evidence, KSP Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr., said during a January Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

The labs have only been staffed at 70% since 2021. KSP lab staff starting salary is one of the lowest in the country, Burnett said. The vast majority of people who leave go to labs that pay more.

For violent crimes testing, not including sexual assault, the forensic biology section received 1,700 testing submissions from Kentuckys more than 400 police agencies. The average turnaround time for those results was nine months by the end of 2023, Burnett said.

Lexington Public Safety Commissioner Ken Armstrong said by moving some of its DNA testing to a private lab  which has been certified by law enforcement for DNA testing  results will come much, much sooner.

The Lexington council gave initial approval Tuesday for a contract with DNA Labs International.

This will also possibly help with backlogs at KSP, said Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers. If Lexington sends its evidence to a private lab, then KSP can work through other police departments evidence, he said.

Other smaller cities and counties do not have the money to outsource DNA testing, Armstrong said.

Its not clear if Lexington would be the first city in Kentucky to pay for private lab DNA testing if it is approved.
Members of Ghana's LGBT community and activists on tenterhooks as they wait to see if the west African country's president will sign into law

Members of Ghana's LGBT community and activists on tenterhooks as they wait to see if the west African country's president will sign into law

By Maxwell Akalaare Adombila

ACCRA (Reuters) -Members of Ghana's LGBT community and activists are waiting to see whether the West African country's president will sign into law a bill that would further restrict their rights and likely worsen the persecution many face.

Kwame, a gay man who spoke to Reuters on the condition his real name was not used, already bears the scars of Ghana's widespread intolerance of homosexuality.

"I was born with two eyes, but this is what I have now," said the 30-year-old, removing his oversized spectacles to reveal an eye that he said was damaged when neighbours attacked him over his sexuality in 2021.

"Imagine if the bill becomes law," he said, fearing the crackdown would embolden those who feel they can target LGBT people with impunity, "empowering ... people to be murderous."

Parliament unanimously passed the bill in February, but President Nana Akufo-Addo has delayed signing it with his office citing two pending challenges at the supreme court.

On Thursday, the High Court in Accra was due to rule on a lawmaker's petition to compel Akufo-Addo to act on the law within seven days, but it postponed the decision to April 29, prolonging the tense legal limbo.

Gay sex is already punishable by up to three years in prison, but the new law would also impose a prison sentence of up to five years for the promotion or support of LGBT rights, making it one of the harshest of its kind in Africa.

Kwame and his partner who live apart for safety reasons believe their best option would be to leave Ghana before the law comes into effect, but they don't have enough money to flee.

"It's a mental struggle but I owe (it to) myself to be strong," said Kwame's partner Suleman, describing the pressure of hiding his sexuality and their love from families and friends.

'IT'S SCARY'

Homophobia is rife in culturally conservative Ghana. Getting a job or accommodation are challenges and those who identify openly as LGBT are ostracised. Hostility and attacks are commonplace, although few such incidents make it to the courts.

The new law could "lead to further gratuitous violence against LGBT people and their allies," Human Rights Watch warned in March, urging Akufo-Addo to veto it.

His seeming reluctance to sign has also triggered a political row.

On March 20, parliamentary Speaker Alban Bagbin told MPs the president's delay was unconstitutional and suggested parliament should stop approving new ministerial appointments in protest.

The uncertainty over what happens next is weighing on those who worry about the law's broader social impact.

"It's scary," said Emmanuel Owusu-Bonsu, an LGBT rights activist who does not identify as part of the community.

"It's like everyone in Ghana is about to be given a gun and they can point it at you and say gay, lesbian or whatever and get away with it."

(Additional reporting by Christian Akorlie; Editing by Rachel Savage, Alessandra Prentice and Sharon Singleton)
GREENVILLE, Mich. (WOOD)  Residents have moved into a new apartment complex in downtown Greenville after a revitalization project.

The five apartments were built above LImage Hair Salon, located at 328 S Lafayette St. near Washington Street using $500,000 in funding from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Orion Construction said.

Inside a VanHoose Properties apartment. (Courtesy Orion Construction)

Inside a VanHoose Properties apartment. (Courtesy Orion Construction)

Inside a VanHoose Properties apartment. (Courtesy Orion Construction)

Inside a VanHoose Properties apartment. (Courtesy Orion Construction)

Inside a VanHoose Properties apartment. (Courtesy Orion Construction)

Inside a VanHoose Properties apartment. (Courtesy Orion Construction)

The VanHoose Properties apartments all take up space in both the second and third floors of the building.

In a release, Orion Construction said the project blends vintage charm and contemporary living, and that the project breathes new life into the historic building.

Inside WOODTV.com: Housing crisis in West Michigan

Converting historic buildings into modern apartments honors the past, revitalizes communities, and offers a unique living experience, Orion Construction CEO Roger Rehkopf said in the release.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

Crews finished construction on the project on March 29. Four of the five apartments have had tenants move in, Orion Construction said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
AKRON, Ohio (WJW)  Akron police officers on Wednesday night searched a facility along East Market Street, as part of an ongoing investigation into illegal gambling.

The raid happened just before 10:30 p.m. in the 200 block of East Market Street, according to a news release.

Marshals: Suspect who attacked officers was shot dead

This embedded content is not available in your region.

(Akron Police Department)

(Akron Police Department)

(Akron Police Department)

(Akron Police Department)

Investigators seized nearly two dozen gambling machines, two handguns, electronics and more than $7,000 in cash, according to the release.

Its the latest in a series of illegal gambling busts around the city over the past year.

Pennsylvania police officer arrested for rape of a 1-year-old

In June, a teen attempting to rob a suspected gambling house along Brown Street was shot, leading to the arrests of the spots manager and lessor.

Later that month, police recovered an AR-15-style rifle, handguns and drugs in a gambling raid along Kenmore Boulevard and charged three people.

Just last week, police seized many more gambling machines, cash, guns and drugs from a place just down the street on Kenmore Boulevard. Three people were charged.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
In a packed room filled with 700 community members at the Old West Florida Enrichment Center, City of Tallahassee and Leon County commissioners were mostly united on questions about affordable housing  until Blueprint dollars were involved.

The seats were packed for Tuesday night's event as attendees were reminded of the usual rules that go with the annual Nehemiah Action Meeting: If city and county leaders answered 'no,' they were to be met with silence, and if they answered 'yes,' the room would erupt in applause and cheers.

Officials had only 30 seconds to provide their reasoning  a departure from the usual three minutes given to community members at commission meetings.

Officials in attendance included City Commissioners Jeremy Matlow, Jack Porter and Curtis Richardson; County Commissioners David O'Keefe, Rick Minor and Bill Proctor; Sheriff Walter McNeil and LCSO Chief of Staff Argatha Gilmore; Executive Director for the Council of the Status of Men and Boys Royle King; Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell; Leon County Schools Superintendent Rocky Hanna; and 2nd Judicial Circuit Public Defender Jessica Yeary.

The issues on the table were gun violence and affordable housing, which have been an area of concern for the many local houses of worship that comprise the Capital Area Justice Ministry, a multi-faith advocacy group.

The interest comes as new information from a survey created by the Council of the Status of Men and Boys showed the fear many have after a year of near-record violence in the capital, and a recent report by Leon County Schools showing more than 1,000 students are experiencing homelessness.

Community members attend the third annual Nehemiah Action Meeting hosted by the Capital Area Justice Ministry to hear how local commissioners stand on gun violence and affordable housing.

Pushing for Affordable housing is simple, but committing Blueprint sales tax dollars is complicated

The hottest topic of the night was affordable housing, which came a month after city and county Blueprint board members wrestled with and ultimately decided to initiate a substantial interlocal amendment process that could one day lead to sales tax dollars being used for land acquisition for affordable rental housing.

Richardson and Proctor were asked to speak on establishing and financing the joint city-county land acquisition through Blueprint tax surcharges and a leaseback program modeled off of one in Pinellas County that incentivizes affordable rental housing developers to set aside more units for low-income families.

Richardson spoke on how affordable housing has been a top priority for him as a resident of the city's south side, but his speech earned him a few groans from the audience who were looking for either a quick "yes" or "no."

Though he said he didn't know much about the Pinellas program, he wanted to learn more about it before voting, which the justice ministry took as a "no."

Proctor went a different route from Richardson, saying the city is already taking steps toward a leaseback program. He also defended Richardson's position, "My friend Curtis here, I don't know what he's talking about, but he's already taken steps positive in this direction."

A Blueprint meeting is held at City Hall on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024.

Local leadership then asked the remaining commissioners to stand if they supported a lease buyback program, garnering five 'yes'es and a 'no' from Richardson.

Commissioners agreed in unison that they would support an amended interlocal agreement to add a project to purchase land for affordable housing. Though commissioners would disagree on whether to use annual Blueprint funds.

Minor reminded the audience he voted 'yes' on the previous two issues, the leaseback program and the amended interlocal agreement, but was noncommittal when it came to using Blueprint funds that may divert money from other projects already in the pipeline.

"The county gets 10% of Blueprint every year, from sales tax revenue, that's about $6.1 million over a year," said Minor, who has been advocating for road improvements along North Monroe. "We use that money for our road preventative maintenance program."

Richardson provided a rapid 'no' in response to the use of the sales tax funds, citing priority projects like a new senior center and improvements to the C.K. Steele bus plaza.

The item on committing Blueprint sales tax surcharges to the fund would receive four 'yes'es, a 'no' from Richardson, and an 'it depends' from Minor.

A surge in shootings and the commitment to reducing gun violence

Following a year of violence, CAJM leadership also looked to see how the Council of the Status of Men and Boys were looking to tamp down gun violence in the community. They asked King if he would commit to achieving a 10% reduction in shooting deaths in 2024, which earned a strong 'yes' from him.

"So a part of our focused attention strategy is not only community engagement, but building up some of the capacity of what we need to see in our community, through credible messaging and training opportunities for citizens who want to be involved in this space and in those neighborhoods," King said.

King has recently been presenting in front of the city commission, both at their meetings and their recent budget workshop, to discuss the ongoing work.

In his presentations, he has identified hotspot policing and building strong connections between police officers and the communities they serve as potential solutions.

Royle King, director of the Tallahassee-Leon County Council on the Status of Men and Boys, presents an update on the organizations progress combatting gun violence, March 28, 2024.

CAJM leaders would turn their attention from King to Richardson to see if he would agree to an increase in funding to $5 million for the council's efforts.

Richardson said he would support the funding plan, but said King would need to request the funds at a future commission meeting where it could possibly be added to the 2025 budget.

Arianna Otero is the City Solutions Reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact her via email at AOtero@tallahassee.com or on Twitter/X: @ari_v_otero.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Capital Area Justice Ministry grills commissioners on shootings, housing
Should local governments get to regulate self-driving vehicles? California bill gets hearing

Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!

SB 915 ADVANCES DESPITE PUSHBACK

Should local governments be allowed to pass their own regulations around autonomous vehicles (also known as robotaxis, self-driving vehicles or AVs)?

A bill that would do just that moved one step closer to becoming law on Wednesday, when the Senate Local Government Committee appeared to give its approval to SB 915, by Sen. Dave Cortese, D-San Jose.

In remarks supporting his bill, Cortese said that local governments are more nimble that the State Legislature, and are able to act quickly to concerns within their jurisdiction in a fraction of the time that state lawmakers can.

SB 915 returns control to the local communities who know their streets best. The emergence of autonomous vehicles is an exciting technological development with massive potential upsides for safety and convenience. We must ensure this innovative technology rolls out safely, Cortese said in comments included in a committee analysis of the bill.

The bill has been met with substantial pushback  from stakeholder companies like Tesla and Waymo, from business groups like the California Chamber of Commerce and even from a handful of local elected officials, including El Segundo Mayor Drew Boyles.

A coalition of groups penned a letter to committee chair Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, D-Los Angeles, arguing that allowing local governments to regulate AVs would not increase safety on California roads.

They said the plan would confound efforts by state regulators (AVs are regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Department of Motor Vehicles) and prevent unified AV operations around the state by creating a small patchwork of local ordinances that blocks mobility options for all Californians.

The bill is supported by organized labor groups, including the California Labor Federation and California Teamsters, as well as a variety of municipalities (including the City of Oakland) and municipal groups (including the League of California Cities).

The final vote for the bill could not be ascertained by deadline, but Sens. Durazo and Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, voted in favor of it, while Sen. Steven Glazer, D-Orinda, voted against it.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

How do I best say this? Were in conversations with the company you referenced. Lets leave it at that.

- California Gov. Gavin Newsom, responding to a question about Google pulling California news links from its search platform, during a press conference Tuesday.

Best of The Bee:

Fundraising will be key to tossup Central Valley congressional races. Who has the edge so far? Via Gillian Brassil .

California Republican wants more penalties for buying child sex. She claims bill got hijacked, via Lindsey Holden .

California lawmakers condemn racist letter opposing maternal mortality bill, via Nicole Nixon.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Theres a new and growing concern for El Paso parents who tell KTSM there have been incidents of fentanyl poisoning at their childrens schools within the past two weeks.

Those parents were frustrated over the lack of transparency from a local school district about reporting the presence of the highly lethal drug on two of its campuses.

The parents claim there have been several incidents where students poisoned on fentanyl during school hours at two El Paso Independent School District campuses. They say if their children hadnt told them about the events, they would have never known since the district itself gave no notice.

In a statement to KTSM, El Paso ISD said in part:

El Paso ISD is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all students within our schools. While we cannot discuss specific cases or student medical situations, we can assure the community that student safety is our top priority. We continually work with law enforcement and partner agencies to address substance abuse issues within our schools and the wider community.

According to El Paso ISD, nursing staff and El Paso ISD Police Service officers are trained to respond to medical emergencies but would not comment on specific medical interventions.

The El Paso ISD 2023-24 Student Handbook also has a section for unassigned opioid antagonists:

In accordance with Chapter 38, Subchapter E of the Education Code, the board has adopted a

policy to allow authorized and trained school personnel at each campus to administer an opioid antagonist, such as Narcan or Naloxone, to an individual who is reasonably believed to be experiencing an opioid-related drug overdose. One or more authorized and trained individuals will be present on each campus subject to this policy during regular school hours.

Local parents concerns come at a time when the El Paso community is experiencing an increase in street drugs showing traces of fentanyl laced in the products.

A lot of products that people think arent fentanyl, still have fentanyl, and people might still end up overdosing accidentally and even dying accidentally. Fentanyl has been found in products including like Xanax or Alprazolam, like benzos that you might buy off the street, said Dr. Sarah Watkins, medical director of West Texas Regional Poison Center.

Dr. Watkins said fentanyl is used recreationally for its euphoric effects but is incredibly dangerous given how addictive the substance is and how the smallest amount can prove lethal.

It only takes a very tiny amount to cause its effects. Because its so potent, because it only takes that tiny amount to have an effect, its really easy to accidentally overdose on it when you dont even mean to. But unfortunately, we have seen times where people are trying to get high, but they end up dying just from a very small amount, said Dr. Watkins.

She said while substances like fentanyl are dangerous to anyone, its especially dangerous for children who can suffer life-altering impacts like overdose.

The risk is that it makes you stop breathing. And if youre not breathing, of course you dont get oxygen to your brain and so even if someone gets saved, their life gets saved by using naloxone to reverse the overdose, it all depends on how long their brain went without oxygen for if theyre going to have any long-lasting effects, said Dr. Watkins.

Her advice is for the public to educate themselves on the dangers involved in taking drugs and the life-saving measures involved should someone overdose.

It would be beneficial for schools and public areas where there are a lot of people to have access to naloxone, or the brand is Narcan. Its just because its so prevalent these days, fentanyl is, you dont know when youre going to encounter someone who has overdosed. So, if you have access to naloxone, you could save someones life, said Dr. Watkins.

According to El Paso ISD, parents can communicate any concerns regarding their childs well-being with school administrators or counselors.

The districts police dispatch is also available at (915) 230-2525.

For anyone struggling with substance abuse in the Borderland, resources for treatment and assessments can be found through Emergence Health Network.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) Two local animal rescues are asking for the communitys help in convincing the City of San Angelo to provide funding for low-cost spay and neuter vouchers after rising expenses have made the initiative too costly to maintain consistently.

Critter Shack Rescue and Cassies Place Rescue are the two rescues behind the voucher initiative, which is designed to sell vouchers at a reduced cost that pet owners can redeem with local veterinarians to have their animal vaccinated and spayed or neutered. On top of their own partnership, the rescues also work with six area veterinary clinics to get discounts on surgeries and provide vouchers to even more people.

However, a steady increase in demand for the vouchers has jeopardized the operation.

We started two years ago with 30 vouchers. Now, the demand has gotten close to 200 vouchers a month, Sharon Halfmann, director of Critter Shack Rescue, said. Its becoming an increasingly expensive program for us and Cassies Place.

According to Halfmann, each voucher sold costs the rescues $50 per animal. With an average monthly sale of 200 vouchers, the rescues have had to pay approximately $10,000 each month to keep the initiative running at its current capacity.

Thats just become untenable, Halfmann said. We share the expenses, but youre talking $4,000 to $5,000 for each of us per month. Thats climbing up toward $100,000 a year for our costs for this program, and thats a lot of money.

Reynas Tacos to return to help child with rare disease  what you can do

Though Critter Shack and Cassies Place have requested the Citys help in paying for vouchers sold within San Angelos borders, they havent received any aid or confirmation of assistance thus far. Halfmann stated that the City has considered it a possibility in the past, however.

I first mentioned it to City officials a couple of years ago, and they indicated that they were interested, Halfmann said. One of our volunteers went and made a presentation last summer, and they said that, if they helped  which they did not promise that they would  they would only help with the ones in the city limits.

With demand and expenses on the rise, though, the rescues have come to an impasse  the program has become too costly to run each month, forcing them to not sell vouchers during May 2024. The program will be switched to a month-by-month basis after May as well, meaning that the hundreds of pet owners who buy vouchers each month to keep their animals in optimal health and in line with the Citys ordinances may be left wanting.

For us to continue at this rate, we need some help from the City, Halfmann said. The vouchers benefit the city and its pets. The City of San Angelo also has a mandatory spay and neuter ordinance, so they help people to abide by that ordinance.

With few options left to help salvage the voucher programs current effectiveness, the rescues have turned to San Angelos citizens to help make their pleas heard.

Were just trying to let them know that its a much-in-demand program and that its something thats benefitting the people and the pets in this county, and certainly in the city of San Angelo, Halfmann said.

The notice issued by Critter Shack Rescue and Cassies Place Rescue outlines the voucher funding issue, its consequences and how the rescues want the City and citizens to respond.

The rescues have taken to social media to help facilitate this public outreach effort, posting a notice to both of their Facebook accounts detailing the May cancellation, their request for the Citys assistance and their desire to see the public engage local government authorities about the issue.

We would like people who live within city limits to call their City Council people and tell them, Hey, this is a program we take advantage of all the time, and we would like to see it continue. Its necessary, its good for the pets, its good for their owners and we would like to see the City support this program,' Halfmann said.

With money running dry and a town full of pets, Critter Shack and Cassies Place have left the fate of one of their most influential initiatives in the hands of the citizens and the City. Though only time will tell what becomes of their pleas, the rescues arent content to let the voucher programs current effectiveness go quietly into the night.

We encourage them to, if they want this program to continue in the numbers that were selling vouchers at, encourage their City Council people to support this program, become a partner with Critter Shack and Cassies Place and help fund it in part so that we can continue to offer these vouchers, Halfmann said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com.
KYODO NEWS - Apr 16, 2024 - 22:12 | All, Japan, Travel/Tourism

A snake about 40 centimeters long was found on a shinkansen bullet train after it had arrived at Tokyo Station on Tuesday afternoon, causing a brief delay in the service.

The snake was seen by a passenger on a Tokaido Shinkansen Line's Kodama train that had departed Nagoya in central Japan as it pulled into the terminus station. Passengers are banned from bringing snakes on board, and railway operator Central Japan Railway Co. is investigating the matter.

A member of staff of the railway operator, commonly known as JR Central, captured the snake and handed it to local authorities, according to the company. The snake was found in car No. 6 of the 16-car train.

None of the passengers were injured.

The railway operator decided not to use the train for its next trip to Osaka in western Japan, and used a different one instead, resulting in a 17-minute delay in the service.

Related coverage:

Extension of Hokuriku Shinkansen line opens, tourism hopes boosted

Japan railway firm pushes back maglev plan, possibly to 2034 or later

Japan-backed bullet train in India may be operational by 2026: envoy
The U.S. Forest Service last fall opened a trail from an Idaho mountain town to a popular lake after years of waiting and court battles with a local landowner who wanted the path rerouted from an easement on his land.

Now that landowner  David Boren, who co-founded Boise finance software company Clearwater Analytics with his brother Mike  is making a last-ditch attempt to challenge the trail.

Borens attorney submitted a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court last week asking it to review the case, which centers on the 4.5-mile Stanley to Redfish Lake Trail. The court must respond to the petition by May 13.

Boren purchased Sawtooth Mountain Ranch, a 1,700-acre property south of Stanley, in 2016. By then, the federal government had an 11-year-old trail easement on the property through an agreement made with the previous owners. The easement was for an anticipated public trail, though details for the project didnt take shape until 2014 when the Forest Service announced its plans for the route.

That proposal was approved in 2018, and the following year Boren filed a federal lawsuit to stop it. A few months later, construction began on the trail with a judges approval.

The initial complaint from Boren and his wife, Lynn Arnone, who is also party to the lawsuit, alleged the Forest Service failed to conduct necessary reviews of the trails environmental impacts and violated the Environmental Protection Act, as well as the Sawtooth National Recreation Areas rules. A second complaint filed later in 2019 asked the court to consider a quiet title action  essentially determining whether Boren or the Forest Service has rights to the land.

In 2022, Idaho U.S. Magistrate Judge Candy Dale ruled against the couple on all claims. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Dales ruling in November 2023, and the court denied a rehearing in January 2024.

The petition submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court said the 9th Circuits ruling on the Boren lawsuit created conflicts with other court rulings. It asked the the Supreme Court to clarify some high-level legal questions, such as whether equitable tolling should exist for the statute of limitations, extending the statute if the affected party couldnt discover an issue until after the statute had passed. It also asked for clarification on the options someone has when the government seizes property  whether financial compensation is the only option, or if court declaration or injunction (such as forcing a reroute) could serve the same purpose.

It wasnt clear from the petition what Boren and Arnone would like to see happen to the already-completed trail. Their attorney did not respond to a request for comment.

Jessica Schick, a spokesperson for the Sawtooth National Forest, told the Idaho Statesman in an email that the agency cannot comment on pending litigation. Forest Supervisor Kirk Flannigan told the Statesman the Forest Service does not have user data for the trail. Flannigan said hes not aware of any complaints made about the trail since it opened.
Take a look at this years winning images in the Sony World Photography Awards 2024

A French photographer has scooped the most prestigious prize at this years Sony World Photography Awards for a documentary project about the sterilization of women in Greenland.

Juliette Pavy was named as the overall winner of the annual competition at a ceremony in London on Thursday for her series entitled Spiralkampagnen: Forced Contraception and Unintended Sterilisation of Greenlandic Women.

Juliette Pavy was named Photographer of the Year for "Spiralkampagnen: Forced Contraception and Unintended Sterilisation of Greenlandic Women." - Juliette Pavy/Sony World Photography Awards

Now in its 17th year, the Sony World Photography Awards celebrates powerful images that resonate with audiences around the world. Pavys winning portfolio set out to chart the severe and lasting impact of the Danish authorities involuntary birth control campaign in Greenland in the 1960s and 1970s, which affected several thousand Inuit women, some as young as 12.

Pavy, who received a cash prize of $25,000, was selected from the winners of the competitions 10 professional categories. Her submission won the documentary category. Other professional categories include sport, the environment and portraiture.

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In a press release issued ahead of the event, Monica Allende, chair of the 2024 jury, said of Pavys win: The Sony World Photography Awards jury lauded Juliette Pavys empathetic portrayal of her subjects, capturing them in a manner that is both dignified and profoundly intimate, thereby highlighting her exceptional talent.

Liam Man, a landscape photographer from the UK, was announced as the competitions Open Photographer of the Year for his otherworldly shot (pictured above) entitled Moonrise Sprites over Storr.

It depicts the Old Man of Storr rock formation on Scotlands Isle of Skye, taken late at night during a powerful blizzard.

Thomas Meurot's "Kald Sol" (Cold Sun) documents a winter-time surfing expedition in Iceland. - Thomas Meurot/Sony World Photography Awards

A series about the landscape, wildlife and people of the Gila Wilderness in southwestern New Mexico garnered American photographer Kathleen Orlinsky the Sustainability prize. A regular contributor to National Geographic and The New York Times, Orlinsky has spent the past decade documenting the impact of the climate crisis.

Student photographer of the year went to Kayin Luys from Belgium, who interpreted the brief  which was simply entitled Home  to submit an intimate portrayal of his partners family.

Meanwhile, 15-year-old Daniel Murrays photograph of a solitary surfer on an empty beach in Cornwall, England earned him the youth photographer of the year accolade.

Internationally acclaimed photographer Sebastiao Salgado received the Outstanding Contribution to Photography prize for his distinctive black-and-white works, captured over his five-decade-long career. Forty pictures taken by Salgado, who divides his time between his homeland of Brazil and France, will be on show as part of an exhibition featuring the work of the competition winners, finalists and others shortlisted at Londons Somerset House this spring.

The show will also feature work by last years overall winner, Edgar Martins from Portugal.

Last years competition attracted controversy when a German artist rejected the prize for the creative open category after revealing that his entry was generated by AI.

In its guidelines, the competitions organizers state that entries may feature manipulation, but where Entries are manipulated, the extent of which must be described in the image description section when submitting. Computer-generated images are not allowed, however.

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RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN)  The decision by Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinsons wife Yolanda Hill to end the primary work of her nonprofit Balanced Nutrition came as the state was set to conduct a compliance review of the organization this week, documents obtained by CBS 17 show.

The nonprofit, which Hill started in 2015, has been under scrutiny as Robinson campaigns for governor.

Balanced Nutrition serves as a sponsoring organization under the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program, which the state Dept. of Health and Human Services administers in North Carolina. According to Balanced Nutritions website, the nonprofit helps childcare providers navigate that program to get access to federal subsidies to help provide meals to children.

In an email first reported on by the Assembly earlier this month and obtained by CBS 17, Hill wrote that the demands of her husbands political campaign led to the decision. Robinson faces Atty. Gen. Josh Stein (D) in what is expected to be the most competitive gubernatorial race in the nation this year.

Nonprofit run by Lt. Gov. Mark Robinsons family terminating work with NCDHHS

With that said, my life has gotten extremely busy over the last few years and those obligations no longer allow me the time to be a sponsoring organization, she writes.

However, documents CBS 17 obtained from the weeks leading up to that decision show the back-and-forth between Hill and NCDHHS as the state raised various concerns and planned to conduct a compliance review between April 15-19. Hill said Balanced Nutrition received notice from the state about that on Mar. 8.

At one point, Hill claimed she and the organization were the subject of a vendetta.

NCDHHS noted that Balanced Nutrition also underwent compliance reviews in 2021 and 2023. During the most recent review in July 2023, the state did not deem Balanced Nutrition to be seriously deficient but put the organization on the review schedule for follow-up in 2024 to determine if the findings from the previous year were fully corrected.

Last years review cited issues with things like timesheets, getting specific prior written approval and Income Eligibility Applications.

As part of the compliance review, state officials asked Hill to have various documents available including IRS tax exempt documentation.

The Assembly previously reported on the criticisms of Balanced Nutrition, including Hill raising her pay by $28,000 in 2020 after receiving a PPP loan for almost the same amount early in the pandemic. In total across 2020 and 2021, Hill received two PPP loans that added up to $57,000 and were forgiven, even as Balanced Nutrition reported its revenue increasing, the Assembly reported.

Poll finds abortion key in NC Lt. Governors race

The only employees listed on Balanced Nutritions tax documents in recent years include Hill and her family members. Hill is listed as the chief financial officer.

CBS 17 contacted Balanced Nutrition by phone and email but did not receive a response.

Robinsons campaign declined to comment on the matter and referred CBS 17 to attorney Tyler Brooks, who did not respond to a request for comment.

Emails from early February show NCDHHS had been in touch with Hill about the need to submit various documents by the end of the month as part of the record renewal process so she could continue participating in the program, which she indicated she wanted to do.

On Feb. 2, Hill sent documentation regarding an excess balance, writing in an email that the organization did spend down approximately $134,000 in question, though it was unclear from the emails how that occurred and whether Hill submitted a plan to the state in writing on how Balanced Nutrition would spend down that money.

The state also noted it was missing documentation from Hill for 44 daycare centers and 52 daycare homes ahead of an important deadline at the end of February.

Over the next few weeks, the emails show Hill submitted the requested documentation to the state and sought meetings with state officials about the matter.

On Mar. 11, after learning of the states plan to conduct its compliance review in mid-April, Hill emailed DHHS officials, questioning whether she was being singled out, noting the previous reviews in 2021 and 2023.

As an organization, there are numerous things that have happened and been documented that makes us feel as if we are the target of some type of vendetta, be it personal or political, Hill wrote. She asked to meet with state officials in person but canceled a planned meeting on Mar. 15, saying she was waiting to hear back from her attorney about alternatives.

On Apr. 2, Hill sent notice to the state that Balanced Nutrition would no longer be a sponsor for the Child and Adult Care Food Program, which will be effective at the end of this month. She told DHHS in a letter she had requested an in-person meeting with the agency to address serious concerns and it still had not happened.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Lubbock Christian University's Office of Alumni Relations will recognize the recipients of the 2024 Alumni Awards at an upcoming luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Friday, May 3, in the Baker Conference Center on the LCU Campus.

The awards are presented each year to recognize the significant success and service of distinguished LCU alumni in their professions, communities, and to LCU. These individuals are significantly impacting their immediate circles of influence as well as the larger Kingdom of God.

Lubbock Christian University presents its Alumni Awards each year to recognize the significant success and service of distinguished LCU alumni in their professions, communities and to LCU.

Geoffrey Andrews (10) is receiving the Young Alumnus of the Year award for recognition of significant professional achievement  age 40 and under. A professional recording artist, Andrews has travelled the world performing. He has toured with the likes of Lauren Daigle, Point of Grace, For King & Country, and other major artists. In 2013, more than 100 radio stations and networks played Andrews cover of White Christmas.

Jordan Madewell (09) is receiving the Young Alumnus of the Year award for recognition of significant professional achievement  age 40 and under. Madewell graduated from LCU in 2009 with a bachelor's in business administration, and he has been the owner of Madewell Construction since 2014. He has spent the last decade growing a successful business in building materials sales, general contracting, and construction management. For three of the last five years, Madewell Construction has been on the Inc. 5000 fastest growing companies list.

Megan Estrada (16) is receiving the Young Alumnus of the Year award for recognition of significant professional achievement  age 40 and under. Estrada graduated from LCU in December 2022 with a Master of Science in Family Studies with a specialization in Non-profit Leadership. She is currently the Founder, Executive Director and President of Hub City Outreach Center. Estrada has been awarded the Hispania Inspiradora award by Hispanic Association of Women in 2018, Top 20 Under 40 by the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce for Young and Upcoming Professionals in 2020 and the Women of Excellence for Social Justice award by the YWCA 2023. Estrada exudes the LCU values of dignity and servitude in both her personal and professional life.

Curtis Griffith (70) is receiving the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year award in recognition of significant professional and personal achievement. Griffith is the Chairman and CEO of South Plains Financial, Inc., and has been with the company since its inception over 47 years ago. In 1993, South Plains Financial purchased City Bank in Lubbock, and owned First State Bank in Morton, and South Plains Bank in Levelland. Over the next fifteen years they acquired four other banks in the South Plains and one east of Dallas, and they opened other City Bank locations. In addition, he has served on the boards of several state, civic and charitable organizations. Griffith has extensive banking experience, a reputable position in his community, and invaluable leadership qualities.

Abbi Brock (14) is receiving the Gary & Pat Estep Award in recognition of outstanding contributions to the sciences. She graduated from LCU in 2014 with a degree in Animal Science and went on to Texas A&M University (TAMU) where she received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM). While at TAMU she was one of only a few accepted into their prestigious residency program for large animal surgery. Today, Dr. Abbi Brock, DVM, is board certified in large animal surgery and works primarily on horses at the Brock Veterinary Clinic in Lamesa, TX. Her accomplishments in her field have been many, including multiple awards and scholarships, teaching students during her residency in large animal surgery at TAMU, and making presentations at professional symposiums on wound management in large animals.

Karen Randolph (70) is receiving the F.W. Mattox Award in recognition of excellence and outstanding service to the University. Randolph began teaching at LCU in 1978. She taught every art class from Drawing I to Weaving to Ceramics, but in 1995 she made a significant move to the LCU School of Business. Upon moving to the School of Business, Randolph created the Digital Media Arts program, combining art, design, technology, communication, and business, resulting in a unique and valuable academic experience for students. Randolph is integral to LCU history, her influence as an academic and spiritual mentor for students is woven into the fabric of the university.

Jim and Lisa Brewer (78 and 96) are receiving the K.C. Moser Award in recognition of excellence and outstanding service to the Kingdom of God. The Brewers began attending Lubbock Christian College in the fall of 1975 and married in the spring of 1976. Jim began ministering to the Northside Church of Christ in Lubbock in 1976 and has continued in ministry since that time. He is currently the preaching minister for the South Plains Church of Christ in Lubbock, where he and Lisa have led and served since 1994. Lisa stayed home and raised their children before going back to complete her education degree at LCU, graduating in 1996. She taught elementary students in Lubbock for 20 years before retiring in 2016.

Barbara and Royce Hunter (62) are receiving the LCU Legacy Award. Both attended what was then Lubbock Christian College and earned associate degrees in 1962 before going on to Texas Tech to earn bachelor's degrees. Both were impacted greatly by the example of living lives of service set for them by staff and faculty during their time at LCU. Their lives and marriage have been centered around their service to the church, at Preston Road Church of Christ in Dallas and Hill Country Church in Fredericksburg. Together they have been active in their communities, serving on boards, volunteering at a variety of organizations, and opening their home frequently to host various events.

Tickets for the luncheon can be purchased at lcu.edu/event/alumni-awards-banquet-2024.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lubbock Christian University to recognize 2024 Alumni Awards recipients
NEW BERN, N.C. (WBTW)  A Lumberton gang member was given 100 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, according to the Department of Justice.

Quillan Inman, 33, was convicted by a federal jury on the charge on Nov. 29. He is a validated gang member from Lumberton, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Robeson County deputies made a traffic stop on a vehicle Inman was a passenger in before the vehicle evaded them and reached speeds of 90 mph, the DOJ said. When the vehicle eventually stopped, Inman was observed making suspicious movements toward the front of his hooded sweatshirt.

As he stepped out of the vehicle, a deputy noticed the handle of a handgun sticking out of the pocket of Inmans hoodie, according to the DOJ. Inman was immediately cuffed and tried reaching for the gun as the deputy patted him down.

The deputy also found cocaine and suboxone strips and three more guns after searching the vehicle, the DOJ said. Inman denied possessing the gun throughout the case and even told the jury at trial that the sheriffs office planted all of the evidence.

The DOJ said Inman has a previous conviction in North Carolina state court of robbery with a dangerous weapon and two counts of second-degree kidnapping.

* * *

Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
Luxury tycoon Bernard Arnault just put one of his sons in charge of an LVMH holding company

LVMH boss Bernard Arnault is currently the world's richest person.

Arnault has five children  and they all work across LVMH and its brands.

On Friday, Frederic, one of Arnault's sons, was named head of one of the holding companies that controls LVMH.

Luxury goods mogul Bernard Arnault is the world's richest person.

Eric Piermont/Getty Images

Bernard Arnault's fourth child has been named head of one of the family's holding companies that control luxury giant LVMH.

Frederic Arnault, a 29-year-old, was also appointed to the LVMH board alongside his brother Alexandre in April. Those additions mean four out of Arnault's five children now sit on the LVMH board.

Arnault is currently the world's richest person with a net worth of about $215 billion, according to estimates by Bloomberg. In 2023, he became only the third person to surpass the $200 billion mark, following tech moguls Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk.

Arnault cofounded LVMH in the 1980s and is its CEO and chair. The French luxury conglomerate owns a range of brands covering fashion, perfume, jewelry, watches, and alcohol, including Louis Vuitton, Dior, Marc Jacobs, Givenchy, Moet & Chandon, Fenty Beauty, and Tiffany & Co.

In February 2023, Arnault's daughter, Delphine Arnault, became CEO of Dior. But it's not just Delphine who has risen up LVMH's ranks. All four of Bernard's sons work at LVMH and its brands, too.

Bernard, 75, has not said who he wants to take over from him, but it's a topic that gets discussed every time he gives one of his offspring a new role. In 2022 LVMH raised the age limit of its CEO from 75 to 80, extending Bernard's possible tenure.

"The best person inside the family or outside the family should be one day my successor," Bernard told The New York Times in September. "But it's not something that I hope is a duel for the near future."

Bernard has primed his children for leadership roles at the company since birth, though they say he never forced them to join LVMH. His offspring were sent to the best schools and as children would get quizzed on their math skills nearly every night, The Times reported.

"I didn't want them to start going to big parties," Bernard said of his children. "I made them work."

The Arnault family has been compared to HBO series "Succession," which sees the children of media mogul Logan Roy vying to take over as CEO.

"I know it's disappointing for a lot of people," Antoine Arnault, Bernard's oldest son, told The Times, "but we actually get on well."

Delphine and Antoine already sit on LVMH's board, leaving only Jean  the youngest of the siblings  off the board.

His oldest child  and only daughter  is the CEO of Dior.

Getty Images

Delphine, born in 1975, is the eldest of Bernard's five children, and his only daughter.

She started her career at McKinsey, where she spent two years as a consultant before moving to designer John Galliano's company.

Delphine worked at Christian Dior Couture as its deputy managing director from 2008 to 2013, before spending a decade as an executive vice president of Louis Vuitton, LVMH's biggest brand.

She started as the CEO and chair of Dior in February 2023.

Delphine sits on LVMH's board of directors and is a member of its executive committee  only the second woman to join it, and its youngest member when she joined it at 43.

Antoine is the CEO of LVMH's parent company.

Jacopo Raule/Getty Images

Antoine is Bernard's oldest son, born in 1977. Like Delphine, Antoine was born to Bernard's first wife, Anne Dewavrin.

Antoine started working at LVMH in 2005 in its advertising department. Two years later, he was appointed director of communications at Louis Vuitton, where he launched campaigns with public figures ranging from Angelina Jolie and Bono to Muhammad Ali and Mikhail Gorbachev.

In December 2022, Antoine was appointed CEO of Christian Dior SE, the holding company the family uses to control LVMH. He's also the non-executive chair of cashmere label Loro Piana.

Antoine became an LVMH board member in 2006 and has been the company's head of image and environment since 2018.

Alexandre became an executive VP at Tiffany & Co. after LVMH bought the jeweler.

Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

Alexandre was born in 1992, Bernard's first son to his second wife, Helene Mercier, and is an executive vice president at Tiffany & Co.

After interning in New York at McKinsey and KKR, Alexandre moved to his father's retail empire, where he worked on digital innovation.

"I was obviously raised to be in the group," Alexandre told The New York Times in 2018, adding that it was ultimately his choice to work at LVMH and that he turned down offers from McKinsey and KKR.

Alexandre spent about four years as the CEO of German luggage brand Rimowa after reportedly persuading his father to buy an 80% stake in it in 2016. During his time at the helm, he revitalized Rimowa  including launching collaborations with Supreme and Off-White.

After LVMH bought Tiffany & Co. for $15.8 billion in 2020, Alexandre became executive vice president of product and communications at the jewelry maker at just 28 years of age.

Former President Donald Trump said in February 2023 that he had hosted Alexandre and his wife for dinner at Mar-a-Lago. "He is a young man on the move, the son of one of the great businessmen and leaders in Europe, and in the World," Trump wrote of Arnault.

Frederic is head of one of the family-holding companies controlling LVMH

Guillaume Souvant/Getty Images

Frederic, born in 1995, now heads one of the Arnault holding companies that controls LVMH.

Arnault's fourth child, will replace Nicolas Bazire as managing director of Financiere Agache, the company said on Thursday.

The promotion is the 29-year-old's third this year. In April, he joined the luxury brand's board along with his brother Alexandre and in January, he became the CEO of LVMH watches.

After interning at McKinsey and at Facebook's AI research unit, and a brief period running a mobile payment startup, Frederic quickly moved up the ranks at LVMH.

He joined the company full-time in 2017 as the temporary head of connected technologies at Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer. Just a year later, he became TAG Heuer's director of strategy and digital. In 2020, he was named the brand's CEO at the age of 25. The role involved managing over 2,000 people and starting a "complete transformation" of the company.

The New York Times reported that Bernard had groomed Frederic to become TAG Heuer's leader from the start, though this wasn't entirely smooth sailing. Stephane Bianchi, who was CEO of TAG Heuer before Frederic and tasked with training his successor, told the newspaper they clashed "everywhere" at the start.

In his time running the company, Frederic focused on connected watches, orchestrated a shift from wholesale to retail, grew its e-commerce sales, and negotiated a partnership with Porsche.

Frederic was appointed head to a new role running LVMH's watches division in January. In that role, he oversees TAG Heuer, Hublot, and Zenith.

Bernard's youngest son, Jean, is a director in Louis Vuitton's watches division.

Jean Arnault (right) with his brother Frederic. Dave Benett/Getty Images

Jean is Bernard's youngest son, born in 1998. He has a master's in financial mathematics from MIT and another in mechanical engineering from Imperial College, London, according to the Financial Times.

As a student, he interned at both Morgan Stanley and McLaren Racing and had a short stint at a Louis Vuitton retail store in Paris, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Jean became the marketing and development director of Louis Vuitton's watch division in August 2021 at the age of 23, just months after he graduated. He's now the brand's watches director.

Jean told the FT that his older brother Frederic's work at TAG Heuer had sparked his interest in watchmaking.

"We have a close relationship and he started talking to me about the new watches and all the different things he was working on," Jean said. "I was fascinated. And that's really the turning point."

Jean told The New York Times in November 2022 that he still turns to his older brother Frederic for work advice.

Read the original article on Business Insider
It was just last week when Republican-appointed justices on the Arizona Supreme Court gave the political world an unexpected jolt, clearing the way for a 160-year-old near-total abortion ban to take effect. Under the 1864 law  approved before the end of the Civil War, and before women could vote  anyone who performs abortions or helps people access abortion care could face felony charges.

There are no exceptions for rape, incest, or the health of the pregnant woman.

Soon after, Donald Trump  the politician who bears much of the responsibility for creating this mess  conceded that he believed the state Supreme Court went too far but quickly added that Arizonans concerned about the collapse of their reproductive rights should rest easy.

I think itll be straightened out, the former president said, adding that state policymakers would bring the policy back into reason. The Republican concluded, It will be taken care of.

A week later, efforts to bring abortion policy in Arizona back into reason still arent going well. NBC News reported:

After GOP legislators successfully derailed an effort to repeal the abortion ban, they were seen cheering and celebrating, along with the anti-abortion activists who were in attendance.

Extreme anti-abortion Republicans cheer, clap, and wink at the gallery after blocking another Democratic attempt to repeal the 1864 total abortion ban. #azleg pic.twitter.com/pKQULnMI15  Arizona Senate Democrats (@AZSenateDems) April 17, 2024

Republican extremists in the House have yet again failed to do the right thing, Gov. Katie Hobbs said in a written statement. In just one week living under this new reality, women, doctors, and healthcare providers have already begun to feel the devastating effects of living under a total abortion ban. We cannot go on like this.

The Arizona Democrat concluded, A law from 1864 written by 27 men cannot be allowed to govern the lives of millions of Arizona women. Its time to put politics aside and do the right thing.

For what its worth, the legislative fight isnt over, and for proponents of reproductive rights, not all of the news from the state capitol was discouraging. As NBC News report added, in the GOP-led state Senate, two Republicans joined with Democratic lawmakers to move forward with a measure that would repeal the 160-year-old near-total abortion ban, which leaves the door open for potential action on a repeal bill in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, however, those waiting to see the matter straightened out will have to wait.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
It was in early September 2020, as early voting was poised to begin in several states, when The Atlantics Jeffrey Goldberg published a staggering report on Donald Trump, his denigration of those who serve in the military, and his condemnation of fallen American heroes as suckers and losers.

In fact, according to the report, when the-then Republican president canceled a visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris in 2018, his decision was motivated in part by his indifference to honoring Americans who died in combat. Trump reportedly said at the time, Why should I go to that cemetery? Its filled with losers. In a separate conversation on the same trip, according to The Atlantics account, Trump referred to the more than 1,800 marines who lost their lives at Belleau Wood as suckers for getting killed.

President Joe Biden brought this up during an appearance in Pittsburgh yesterday at the United Steelworkers headquarters.

Two hours earlier, during a Q&A with reporters at Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport, the Democratic incumbent pointed to the same anecdote.

What's more, Biden told the same story during an appearance a day earlier in his original hometown of Scranton.

After that event, the Republican National Committee described the story as a hoax that has been debunked.

Theres quite a bit of evidence pointing in the opposite direction.

After the original Atlantic piece was first published, much of the reporting in the article was corroborated by related reporting from the Associated Press, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and even Fox News.

But it was six months ago when the story took an important turn when retired Gen. John Kelly, who served as Trumps longest-serving White House chief of staff, confirmed the story with on-the-record comments to CNN.

What can I add that has not already been said? Kelly said in October 2023. Referring to his former boss, Kelly added, A person that thinks those who defend their country in uniform, or are shot down or seriously wounded in combat, or spend years being tortured as POWs are all suckers because there is nothing in it for them. A person that did not want to be seen in the presence of military amputees because it doesnt look good for me. A person who demonstrated open contempt for a Gold Star family  for all Gold Star families  on TV during the 2016 campaign, and rants that our most precious heroes who gave their lives in Americas defense are losers and wouldnt visit their graves in France.

A person who is not truthful regarding his position on the protection of unborn life, on women, on minorities, on evangelical Christians, on Jews, on working men and women, Kelly continued. A person that has no idea what America stands for and has no idea what America is all about. A person who cavalierly suggests that a selfless warrior who has served his country for 40 years in peacetime and war should lose his life for treason  in expectation that someone will take action. A person who admires autocrats and murderous dictators. A person that has nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions, our Constitution, and the rule of law.

There is nothing more that can be said, Kelly concluded. God help us.

The idea that the story is a hoax thats been debunked appears very difficult to believe.

This post updates our related earlier coverage.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
After Donald Trumps defeat in 2020, former Attorney General Bill Barr seemed eager to put some distance between himself and the president he went to radical lengths to serve. In early 2021, for example, the Republican lawyer accused Trump of inexcusable behavior on Jan. 6. The presidents conduct yesterday was a betrayal of his office, Barr said the day after the insurrectionist attack on the Capitol.

A few months later, Barr sat down with ABC News Jonathan Karl and went a little further. Referring to Trumps election conspiracy theories, the former attorney general said, It was all bulls---.

In 2022, he released a book about his experiences and described his former boss as an incorrigible and erratic narcissist whose post-election lies did a disservice to the nation. The idea of Trump running a third national campaign was, as the former attorney general put it at the time, dismaying.

Perhaps most notably, Barr added in 2022 that he was convinced that Trump cared only about one thing: himself. Country and principle took second place.

A year later, the former attorney general told NBC News I have made clear that I strongly oppose Trump for the nomination and will not endorse Trump. It was around this same time when Barr compared voting for Trump to playing Russian roulette with the country.

And yet, here we are. The Washington Post reported:

Ive said all along, given two bad choices, I think its my duty to pick the person I think would do the least harm to the country, and in my mind, thats  I will vote the Republican ticket, Barr said. Ill support the Republican ticket.

Yes, this is the same Barr who condemned Trump just two years ago as a man who failed to prioritize core principles.

Broadly speaking, those who worked with the former president during his White House tenure can be broken up into three groups:

Those who continue to respect, admire, and celebrate the presumptive GOP nominee; Those who are sticking to principle and refusing to back Trumps 2024 candidacy; Those who are well aware of Trumps lies, corruption, and alleged crimes, but have chosen to prioritize party over principle.

Too often, members of the third group tend to overlook the existence of the second group, in large part to avoid further humiliation.

Nevertheless, that second group is both real and sizable. As weve discussed, much of the former presidents Cabinet, including Trumps own former vice president, isnt supporting his 2024 candidacy. Former members of Trumps national security team and former Republican congressional leaders have come to the same conclusion.

Barr couldve joined them. But the craven Republican lawyer  the one who was disgusted by Trumps willingness to discard country and principle  has apparently decided not to.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
KYODO NEWS - Apr 18, 2024 - 20:10 | All, Japan

A Japanese district court on Thursday ordered a chemical maker to pay 4 million yen ($26,000) each to 26 unrecognized sufferers of the Minamata mercury-poisoning disease, while dismissing claims against the Japanese government.

The Niigata District Court recognized that 26 of the 47 plaintiffs in the lawsuit, who were not eligible for relief payments under a special law that went into force in 2009, were victims of the disease.

The plaintiffs had sought 8.8 million yen each in damages against the state and the chemical company, Showa Denko K.K., currently known as Resonac Holdings Corp., responsible for the mercury contamination in Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo.

The ruling is the third of its kind among similar lawsuits filed with four district courts in the country. Earlier, the Osaka District Court granted compensation to all plaintiffs while the Kumamoto District Court denied compensation claims.

Presiding Judge Norio Shimamura ruled in favor of the 26 plaintiffs, saying that their symptoms and levels of exposure to methylmercury indicate a high likelihood that they had contracted Minamata disease.

Regarding the government's responsibility, Shimamura said it was difficult to conclude that the government could have predicted any specific health damage to local residents from the discharge of organic methylmercury from the company's factory.

"I cannot say that there was any illegality under the state redress law," the judge said.

Backed by medical certificates from local doctors, the 47 plaintiffs claimed they experienced typical symptoms of Minamata disease, such as sensory impairment, after eating fish from the Agano River contaminated by mercury from a Showa Denko factory.

They also criticized the government's failure to regulate the discharge of wastewater and the ending of relief applications under the 2009 special measures law in about two years.

The government has countered that it was unlikely people consumed a significant amount of fish from the Agano River after the official recognition of Niigata Minamata disease in May 1965, arguing the symptoms could have been caused by other factors.

The disease was first formally acknowledged in 1956 in Minamata, Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan, where mercury-tainted water had been dumped into the sea by a Chisso Corp. chemical plant, and then in Niigata Prefecture.

The illness paralyzes the central nervous system and causes birth defects, but legal battles have continued for sufferers who have been left out of the measures.

Following the ruling, the environment ministry said it will continue to follow the pollution-related health damage compensation law to help improve medical and welfare services in affected areas.

The government has also maintained that the 20-year statute of limitations for damage claims has expired.

Thursday's ruling addressed the first 47 of 149 plaintiffs in Niigata Prefecture, advancing their cases ahead of others. Meanwhile, a similar trial is underway at the Tokyo District Court, with a total of over 1,700 plaintiffs involved in the lawsuits at the four courts.

Related coverage:

Japan court rejects redress claims by unrecognized Minamata victims

Anti-mercury pollution treaty eyes ban on fluorescent tubes by 2027

Japan couple urges fight against mercury at Minamata treaty meeting
Maddow Blog | With message about jurors, Trump puts his gag order to the test

Donald Trump has an unfortunate habit, which I like to call preemptive delegitimization. The way it works is relatively simple: When theres even a possibility that the former president might be held accountable for alleged wrongdoing, the Republican goes to ridiculous lengths to undermine public confidence in the process, the officials, and the institutions.

The motivations behind preemptive delegitimization are obvious: If efforts to hold him accountable are inherently corrupt and unreliable, then the outcome deserves to be discarded, regardless of merit.

Its precisely why Trump has spent recent years railing hysterically against assorted judges, prosecutors, district attorneys offices, jurisdictions, courts, and even the nations system of justice itself. The more the presumptive GOP nominee was accused of serious wrongdoing, the more he felt the need to effectively say, If Im convicted, it doesnt count.

Yesterday, the former president managed to break new ground with a social media item about jurors in his ongoing criminal trial in New York. NBC News reported this morning:

Yes, late yesterday afternoon, Trump used his social media platform to promote a quote from a Fox News personality who purportedly said, They are catching undercover Liberal Activists lying to the Judge in order to get on the Trump Jury.

Joyce Vance, a former federal prosecutor and an MSNBC legal analyst, noted online soon after, A full jury isnt even sworn in and hes already coming for them.

It is, to be sure, awfully tough to defend the suspected felons latest antics, but it was the local prosecutors reference to the gag order this morning that was of particular interest.

A few weeks ago, as my MSNBC colleague Jordan Rubin explained, Judge Juan Merchan imposed a gag order on Trump. The former president responded soon after by going after the judges daughter  publicly and repeatedly  which led to a revised gag order.

Trump can still talk publicly about much of the case  indeed, he rarely stops talking about it  but among other things, the criminal defendant is supposed to refrain from making public statements about any prospective juror or any juror in this criminal proceeding.

All of which suggests that Trump might very well have crossed a line.

Lets not forget that it was nearly two weeks ago when Trump also used his social media platform to declare that it would be a great honor to be jailed for violating a gag order. As part of the same boast, the former president compared himself  in apparent seriousness  to Nelson Mandela.

I will leave it to legal experts to reflect on whether the defendant has reason to worry about being held in contempt, but either way, it seems clear that Trump is playing with fire at an inopportune time.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Rep. Clay Higgins has earned a reputation as a far-right member with odd beliefs, especially about Jan. 6. Late last year, for example, the Louisiana Republican lent his support to the idea that the FBI used ghost buses as part of a secret plot to orchestrate the assault on the Capitol.

As a recent New York Times report summarized, Even by a conspiracy theorists standards, the wild claims made by Representative Clay Higgins, Republican of Louisiana, stand out.

That said, the same article noted that the GOP congressman is still showing his creative side.

The Times added that Higgins also peddled the groundless claim that federal agents posing as Trump supporters traveled to Washington on Jan. 6 and tricked Mr. Trumps backers into carrying out mob violence.

The Louisianans rhetoric was obviously bonkers, but his colleagues are going down a related path. Rep. Greg Murphy, for example, appeared on Newsmax this week with a new theory of his own.

Wow, new Republican conspiracy theory just dropped and this one is out there pic.twitter.com/PXORazEC5u  Acyn (@Acyn) April 17, 2024

To hear the North Carolina Republican tell it, the former secretary of the Army slow-walked the National Guards response to the pro-Trump riot, and the thoughts are that he wanted to pursue a position in the Biden administration. Evidently, according to the theory that Murphy presented to viewers, the former secretary of the Army allowed more chaos to occur, on purpose, with the apparent expectation that this would make him more appealing to the incoming Democratic administration.

The congressman added, I dont have first-hand knowledge of that, though Murphy was apparently willing to share the claims with a national television audience.

Why does it matter that Republicans like Higgins and Murphy are peddling such bizarre claims? Its notable in part because, even now, GOP members of Congress arent just clinging to Jan. 6 conspiracy theories, theyre also coming up with new ones.

But its also notable because Republican officials dont appear to be especially embarrassed by any of this. The aforementioned New York Times report added, for example, [F]ar from relegating Mr. Higgins to the fringe of their increasingly fractious conference, House Republicans have elevated him. They made him the chairman of the subcommittee overseeing border enforcement, and Speaker Mike Johnson named him one of 11 impeachment managers tasked with trying to remove the homeland security secretary from office.

Similarly, Murphy was tapped to serve on the GOPs hapless Jan. 6 investigation.

Those waiting for conservative Republicans to take a more responsible approach to the insurrectionist violence will apparently have to wait a while longer.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Todays edition of quick hits.

* It would've been tough to predict a few hours ago, but the jury selection process in Donald Trumps criminal trial has led to 12 jurors being sworn in: "The court has now seated 12 jurors. 'We have our jury,' Merchan said when the 12th juror was picked. The next six jurors selected will serve as alternates."

* New sanctions: The Biden administration on Thursday announced new sanctions on Iran targeting its missile and drone program after its attack on Israel last weekend. President Joe Biden said in a statement that the sanctions speak to the commitment he and fellow leaders of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations made to collectively ramp up economic pressure on the Iranian government.

* Important intel from a European intelligence service: Russias Foreign Ministry has been drawing up plans to try to weaken its Western adversaries, including the United States, and leverage the Ukraine war to forge a global order free from what it sees as American dominance, according to a secret Foreign Ministry document.

* The Wisconsin Republicans last day is supposed to be tomorrow, but theres apparently some flexibility there: Speaker Mike Johnson may get a much-needed boost for his foreign aid plans as departing Rep. Mike Gallagher has flexibility to remain in town into Saturday to support the package, according to his office. The congressman has the flexibility to stay and support the aid package on Saturday, a spokesperson told Politico.

* If Republicans want to fuel a red-state brain-drain, they can keep going after librarians while blue states offer librarians new protections: [T]he library-friendly measures are being outpaced by bills in mostly red states that aim to restrict which books libraries can offer and threaten librarians with prison or thousands in fines for handing out obscene or harmful titles. At least 27 states are considering 100 such bills this year, three of which have become law, The Post found. That adds to nearly a dozen similar measures enacted over the last three years across 10 states.

* At Main Justice: The Justice Department is ramping up its efforts to reduce violent crime in the U.S., launching a specialized gun intelligence center in Chicago and expanding task forces to curb carjackings.

* Best wishes for a speedy recovery: Rep. Donald Payne Jr., D-N.J. remains hospitalized following a cardiac episode early this month stemming from complications tied to his diabetes, his office said in a statement Wednesday.

See you tomorrow.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Azhar Jamil Said's death in a hit-and-run last summer meant his Yonkers neighbors could no longer converse with him on his daily walks, his grandchildren couldn't help him tend his garden and his regular seat in church would forever remain empty.

But most of all, it left a huge hole in his family and everlasting grief that the man who instilled in them "qualities of faith, generosity and quiet strength" was gone, his daughter said in Westchester County Court on Thursday at the sentencing of Joseph Delgado, who she said showed "carelessness, neglect and selfishness" when he drove off that morning.

"Our father did not deserve to be abandoned in the street by some adolescent coward," Jennifer Samaan said, adding that Delgado's "character and moral compass were so broken that you left a man to die."

Westchester County Courthouse

Delgado, 25, of Yonkers, apologized moments later, before state Supreme Court Justice James McCarty sent him to state prison for 1 1/3 to 4 years, the promised sentence when Delgado pleaded guilty in February to leaving the scene of a fatal accident.

The 78-year-old Said was crossing Executive Boulevard at Truman Avenue just after 9:35 am on June 23 when he was struck by an eastbound rented Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Delgado. Delgado stopped briefly but then drove off. At the time, his driver's license had been suspended since 2020 because he failed to answer summonses in Eastchester.

Yonkers detectives used red-light camera video and license plate readers to identify the car and determined Delgado was the driver. They learned the car was returned to Avis that afternoon.

Police then used license plate readers to track down a car belonging to a friend of Delgado's who had rented the Jeep for him. When that car was located in Elmsford, police surveilled a hotel there and took Delgado into custody when he checked out the next day.

Said had four children and eight grandchildren  with Samaan and her husband expecting the ninth. Said was born in Jordan and worked as an air-traffic controller in that country, according to his obituary. After immigrating to the United States, he worked as a tool-and-dye maker before retiring.

Samaan said the family still struggles with everyday things after her father's death. Her mother has to be reminded not to make a second cup of tea each morning. Family members altered their regular commute to avoid the spot where he was killed.

She called Delgado an "unrepentant criminal" who didn't deserve sympathy because he had shown her family none.

But Delgado insisted he was remorseful and would strive to be a better person.

"Sorry can't explain what I feel," Delgado told McCarty and Said's family, adding later "I was scared and I made a reckless choice and I wish I could take it back."

It was hardly the first time Delgado showed contrition for the accident. During his interrogation by police on June 24, according to court documents, he wrote no fewer than six letters, apologizing to Said's family, to his own mother and father, to his brother and to his girlfriend, and asking a judge for leniency even though he had not yet been formally charged.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Yonkers NY man sentenced for hit-and-run death of Azhar Said
Should Madison County secede from Illinois? Voters will express their opinion in November

The Madison County Board voted 15-7 on Wednesday to send a symbolic question to voters in November about forming a new state separate from the Chicago area.

The secession vote, which carries no true power, could make Madison County in the metro-east the 27th in downstate Illinois to take the action.

This is the single most democratic move that any group of concerned citizens can make, said advocate Dave Stopher of Troy. Its to ask the people their opinion. Thats all were asking.

The nonbinding advisory referendum will ask voters if Madison County should separate from Cook County, home to Chicago. It asks if the county board should communicate with other downstate county boards regarding forming a new state.

Wednesdays approval from the Republican-dominated county board provides a win for the Illinois Separation Referendum  the group behind secession. It largely objects to Illinois progressive statewide politics driven by Chicago and some of its suburbs.

We are unheard, ignored, energetic and took initiative first, said Loret Newlin, who runs the statewide group from rural Jasper County in the southeast part of the state.

Inside a Madison County Board meeting on April 17, 2024, where the board voted in favor of a referendum on whether or not to allow a symbolic vote for Madison County to secede from the state of Illinois.

The group made Madison County its key target for the 2024 election after two small townships in the eastern part of the county approved similar questions in the 2022 election.

Both the Illinois General Assembly and Congress would need to approve secession and forming a new state  which political observers and legal experts say is nearly impossible.

County board member Alison Lamothe, D-Edwardsville, said there is simply no way that Democrats in Springfield or in Congress would support forming a new state.

Ask Washington, D.C., how statehood has gone with them, she said.

The boards approval on Wednesday negates the groups need to gather signatures in-order-to put the question in front of voters.

If Madison County approves the symbolic referendum, it would be by far the biggest to do so. The other 26 counties total about 476,000 people. Madison County has a population of about 264,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Randall Harris, Labor-Management Fund Director for the Laborers International Union of North America, Midwest Region, gives an impassioned speech during a Madison County Board meeting on April 17, 2024. You know what message youre sending? Harris asked to the Republicans who voted in favor of passing a referendum to symbolically vote to secede from Illinois. Not that we care so much. That youre irresponsible, that youre not a serious investment.

Critics of the referendum, both board members and the public, expressed concern that all the details about forming a new state had not even been considered. Some described the referendum as embarrassing.

This is the worst resolution thats been brought to the full board in my 26 years on the county board, said Michael Doc Holliday Sr., D-Alton. Im opposed to this morbid resolution.

Supporters of the secession movement acknowledge the unlikely nature of their request. Instead, Stopher and Newlin describe the referendum as taking a formal poll or survey of downstates disapproval of Illinois politics.

Board members who voted in favor said this is a popular issue with their constituents.

If its voted down, we dont bring it up again, said Paul Nicolussi, R-Collinsville. If its voted yes, then we have to let the voices of the citizens be heard.

Andrea Smith of Edwardsville, Ill. wears a pin reading no more non-binding resolutions to a Madison County Board meeting at the Madison County Administration Building on April 17, 2024.

Other supporters shared similar sentiments with the Illinois Separation Referendum, loathing the Democratic stronghold of Chicago and some of its suburbs. That includes Bob Meyer, R-Granite City.

I dont have a problem with Chicago, but I have a problem with Chicago running Springfield, he said.

When moving through the boards committee earlier this month, some county officials discussed amending the referendum to request joining Missouri  instead of forming a new state. However, they decided not to add Missouri to the resolution.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul rejected a similar question from neighboring Jersey County last fall. The county does not have the authority to secede from the State of Illinois and join another state, Raouls legal opinion said.

Madison County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler stares on during a Madison County Board meeting on April 17, 2024.
Travel is back, and so are busy airports.

ELIJAH NOUVELAGE/Getty Images

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) has once again been crowned the busiest airport in the world, serving a whopping 104.6 million travelers in 2023.



The Airports Council International (ACI), the trade association of the worlds airports, published its annual rankings on Monday. Most notably, Atlantas international airport saw an 11.7% increase in traffic from the previous year when it also ranked as the busiest airport in the world.



The demand for domestic flights remained robust, with ACIs report indicating a recovery of 96.8% of the 2019 passenger traffic level. However, the most encouraging trend was the resurgence of international air travel, which experienced a robust 36.5% growth and welcomed 90.4% of passengers from pre-pandemic numbers in 2019.



Related: The One Service That Makes Getting Through the Airport Easier Every Time



Global air travel in 2023 was chiefly fuelled by the international segment, propelled by several factors, ACIs world director general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, said in a statement. Among these were the anticipated benefits from Chinas reopening and a growing inclination towards travel despite macroeconomic conditions.



Five major U.S. airports made the top 10 list. Atlanta was followed by Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (#3), Denver International Airport (#6), Los Angeles International Airport (#8), and Chicago OHare International Airport (#9).



For the first time, Dubai International Airport outranked Dallas-Fort Worth, coming in as the second busiest airport in the world with over 79 million passengers. Out of all global airports, Tokyo-Haneda International Airport saw the biggest increase in passengers  a 55.1% increase from the previous year as Japan opened its borders for international travel.



The rankings highlight the crucial role these transportation hubs play in global connectivity, commerce, and economic development, Felipe de Oliveria continued. Airports continue to demonstrate their resilience and adaptability amidst the challenges posed by the ever-evolving landscape of global travel.



The total tally for last year? Nearly 8.5 billion passengers worldwide, the report found, an increase of more than 25% compared to 2022.

For more Travel & Leisure news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo.  A man is behind bars after he allegedly beat up a McDonalds employee outside of the restaurant in north St. Louis County.

Prosecutors have charged Johnny Ricks, 25, with second-degree assault and property damage amid the investigation.

Authorities arrested Ricks on Wednesday afternoon after learning of his alleged ties to an assault at the McDonalds in the 6800 block of Parker Road.

Emergency landing: Flight bound for Sacramento returns to St. Louis

According to court documents obtained by FOX 2, Ricks first became upset over something inside the restaurant and threw a tray at an electronic menu. Employees then told him to leave and escorted him outside.

Once outside, an argument emerged and Ricks reportedly pulled on of the employees to the ground by her hair. The employee was also stomped on and punched in the head, per court documents. Investigators say the employee suffered a serious physical injury.

A special response unit with the St. Louis County Police Department arrested Ricks near University City on Wednesday. Ricks is jailed in St. Louis County on a $150,000 cash-only bond.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
The man who set fire to Senator Bernie Sanderss office in Vermont has been indicted by a federal grand jury.

Shant Soghomonian, 35, was arrested on Sunday 7 April on one charge of using fire to damage a building used in interstate commerce, which carries a sentence of between five to 20 years in prison if he is convicted.

Prosecutors have not stated a possible motive for the fire, the New York Times reports. They described him in court filings as "somewhat homeless" and said he had a history of mental illness which includes a recent hospitalisation, Vermont Public reports.

His arraignment has not been scheduled as of Thursday afternoon.

Security footage from the building shows Mr Soghomonian allegedly throwing a liquid at the bottom of a door opening leading to the US Senators third-floor office in Burlington on 5 April. The man in the video then sets the liquid on fire.

Seven employees were working in the office at the time of the incident and were able to evacuate unharmed, according to police. Mr Sanders was not at the office at the time.

Shant Soghomonian, 35, spotted on surveillance video near Senator Bernie Sanders office in Burlington, Vermont. Mr Soghomonian is accused of setting a fire at the senators office and has been indicted by a grand jury (Burlington Police Department)

Prosecutors have argued that Mr Soghomonian is a danger to the public and poses a flight risk.

The risk to the structure and the lives of the buildings occupants was substantial, showing the defendants disregard for the safety of the buildings occupants and the community at large, Assistant US Attorney Matthew Lasher wrote in a court filing. The defendant then fled the area to avoid detection and apprehension.

Judge Kevin Doyle agreed that Mr Soghomonian should remain jailed until, noting his "significant" mental health history.

He said during a pretrial interview with Mr Soghomonian's family, they shared that he at one point was afraid that drones are reading his mind and torturing him".

Mr Soghomonian had previous interactions with law enforcement; in August, he was stopped by Illinois State Police for a possible traffic violation. Officers found an AK-47 rifle and two magazines in his vehicle, along with 11.5 grams of cannabis and a book titled How to Blow up a Pipeline, prosecutors said in court documents.

Security footage shows a man who federal investigators believe to be Shant Soghomonian lighting a fire outside Senator Bernie Sanders Vermont office on 5 April, 2024 (U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Vermont)

The book gives an impassioned argument for accelerating direct action  like sabotage  against man-made forces driving the climate crisis.

He gave officers an expired Oregon driver's license and police later learned he had travelled to New York, Illinois, California, and Pennsylvania before heading to Illinois and later Vermont.

Mr Soghomonian was also detained as a teenager for assault with a firearm while he was in Glendale California in 2005. That case was reportedly later dismissed, the Associated Press reports.

In other words, defendant has a history of itinerancy, firearms possession, and lack of candor with law enforcement, all exacerbating his risk of flight, Mr Lasher wrote.
Man arrested on warrant for aggravated assault with deadly weapon

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A 49-year-old man was arrested on Thursday, April 18 on an active personal-recognizance bond revocation warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to the El Paso County Constable Office Precinct Three.

The El Paso County Constables Office says James Dickerson, 49, was located at the 2000 block of Solan and was placed into custody.

Dickerson was booked into the El Paso County Jail with no bond.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
Turkiye sent Tuesday its ninth ship to the Gaza Strip carrying 3,774 tonnes of humanitarian aid, including food, baby supplies, and sleeping bags.
Man charged with 4 University of Idaho deaths was out for a drive that night, his attorneys say

FILE - Bryan Kohberger, right, is escorted into a courtroom for a hearing in Latah County District Court, Sept. 13, 2023, in Moscow, Idaho. Kohberger, the man charged in the deaths of four University of Idaho students in late 2022, was out for a drive the night they were killed, his attorneys said in a new court filing Wednesday, April 17, 2024, that lays out more details of the alibi defense he intends to use at his trial. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, Pool, File)

MOSCOW, Idaho (AP)  Bryan Kohberger, the man charged in the deaths of four University of Idaho students in late 2022, was out for a drive the night they were killed, his attorneys said in a new court filing that lays out more details of the alibi defense he intends to use at his trial.

Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves were stabbed to death at a rental home near the university campus in Moscow, Idaho, early on Nov. 13, 2022.

Kohberger, who was then a criminal justice student at Washington State University in nearby Pullman, Washington, has been charged with four counts of murder. Prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty if he is convicted.

Authorities have said that cellphone data or surveillance video shows that Kohberger visited the victims' neighborhood at least a dozen times before the killings; that he traveled in the region that night, returning to Pullman along a roundabout route; and that his DNA was found at the crime scene.

His phone, however, was not communicating with his cellphone provider during about a two-hour period when the attacks occurred  consistent with him having turned it off to avoid being placed at the murder scene, police said.

Anne Taylor, Kohberger's public defender, wrote in a court filing late Wednesday that Kohberger was an avid runner and hiker who frequently went out for drives late at night.

Under Idaho law, defendants may be required to notify prosecutors in advance of any alibi defense. In a filing last August, Taylor wrote that Kohberger's alibi was that he was out driving alone that night, as he often did. Wednesday's document offered more details, including at least one of his destinations  Wawawai Park, along the Snake River southwest of Pullman  in the opposite direction from Moscow.

Mr. Kohberger was out driving in the early morning hours of November 13, 2022; as he often did to hike and run and/or see the moon and stars, Taylor wrote. He drove throughout the area south of Pullman, Washington, west of Moscow, Idaho including Wawawai Park.

The filing also detailed that the defense intends to offer the testimony of an expert in cellphone and cell tower data to support the notion that Kohberger did not travel east along the main road connecting Pullman and Moscow that night, Taylor wrote.

Police arrested Kohberger, 29, more than six weeks after the killings, locating him at his parents' home in eastern Pennsylvania, where he had gone during winter break.

No date has been set for the trial.
Man charged with 4 University of Idaho deaths was out for a drive that night, his attorneys say

Bryan Kohberger, the man charged in the deaths of four University of Idaho students in late 2022, was out for a drive the night they were killed, his attorneys said in a new court filing that lays out more details of the alibi defense he intends to use at his trial.

Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves were stabbed to death at a rental home near the university campus in Moscow, Idaho, early on Nov. 13, 2022.

Kohberger, who was then a criminal justice student at Washington State University in nearby Pullman, Washington, has been charged with four counts of murder. Prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty if he is convicted.

Authorities have said that cellphone data or surveillance video shows that Kohberger visited the victims neighborhood at least a dozen times before the killings; that he traveled in the region that night, returning to Pullman along a roundabout route; and that his DNA was found at the crime scene.

His phone, however, was not communicating with his cellphone provider during about a two-hour period when the attacks occurred  consistent with him having turned it off to avoid being placed at the murder scene, police said.

Anne Taylor, Kohbergers public defender, wrote in a court filing late Wednesday that Kohberger was an avid runner and hiker who frequently went out for drives late at night.

Under Idaho law, defendants may be required to notify prosecutors in advance of any alibi defense. In a filing last August, Taylor wrote that Kohbergers alibi was that he was out driving alone that night, as he often did. Wednesdays document offered more details, including at least one of his destinations  Wawawai Park, along the Snake River southwest of Pullman  in the opposite direction from Moscow.

Mr. Kohberger was out driving in the early morning hours of November 13, 2022; as he often did to hike and run and/or see the moon and stars, Taylor wrote. He drove throughout the area south of Pullman, Washington, west of Moscow, Idaho including Wawawai Park.

The filing also detailed that the defense intends to offer the testimony of an expert in cellphone and cell tower data to support the notion that Kohberger did not travel east along the main road connecting Pullman and Moscow that night, Taylor wrote.

Police arrested Kohberger, 29, more than six weeks after the killings, locating him at his parents home in eastern Pennsylvania, where he had gone during winter break.

No date has been set for the trial.
Man charged with stabbing twin sisters, one fatally, to appear in Brooklyn court

Man charged with stabbing twin sisters, one fatally, to appear in Brooklyn court

PARK SLOPE, Brooklyn (PIX11)  A man accused of stabbing twin sisters, killing one of them, is due in court on Thursday.

Veo Kelly, 20, was charged with murder, assault and weapons possession after allegedly stabbing 19-year-old Samyia Spain to death in Park Slope last month.

Kelly approached Samyia Spain and her sister, Saniya Spain, at a deli near 4th Avenue and St. Marks Place, according to authorities. The twins refused to give Kelly their phone numbers or Instagram account names, police said.

He then allegedly got aggressive, stabbing both of the sisters. Saniya Spain was injured in the incident that killed her sister, according to authorities.

Woman smacked with hockey stick in random attack on Lower East Side: NYPD

Witnesses, along with cellphone video, were crucial during the investigation, police said. Kelly turned himself in several days after the deadly attack.

The twins mother told PIX11 News shes praying for justice for her daughters.

I just want him to suffer every day like I am, Lashawn Goodson said. I want him to wake up in a cell like I wake up every day with my mind in a cell.

This isnt the first time Kelly has been accused of being violent against women, sources told PIX11 News. He was allegedly part of a group that assaulted and robbed an 18-year-old woman in Lower Manhattan last year, sources said.

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
LABELLE, Pa. (WHTM)  A man convicted of robbery in Lancaster County has been found dead in a state prison.

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections says Aurelio Rivera-Lopez, 50, was found unresponsive in his cell at the State Correctional Institution at Fayette.

Life-saving measures were taken and Brownsville EMS arrived to continue medical care until Rivera-Lopez was declared deceased.

Rivera-Lopez had been convicted of robbery in Lancaster County and sentenced to serve 7-14 years in state prison. Hed been at SCI in Fayette since October 2023.

Pennsylvania State Police will investigate the death and a cause will be determined by the Fayette County Coroners Office.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  A man has been found guilty of a South Scranton stabbing after a two-day trial.

Waliek Shakur Vereen, 27, was found guilty of stabbing a man twice in his stomach with a pocketknife on July 6, 2023, in the 1300 block of Prospect Avenue where Vereen lived, according to District Attorney Mark Powell.

Teens death under state police investigation

As stated in the affidavit, Vereen believed the victim had sexual intercourse with a woman he had relations with. Police said Vereen was nowhere to be found once they arrived at the scene of the stabbing.

The search for Vereen led to New York City and law enforcement arrested Vereen and released him to the custody of Scranton detectives.

Vereen was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon, simple assault, reckless endangerment, and harassment. Vereen could face more than 20 years in prison and fines of more than $25,000.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.
Man gets 47 years to life for kidnapping 9-year-old girl from New York park

April 17 (UPI) -- A 47-year-old man from New York has been sentenced to 47 years to life after admitting to kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl last fall.

Craig Ross Jr. had pleaded guilty to nine charges in February for kidnapping the girl while she was riding her bike in upstate New York's Moreau Lake State Park on Sept. 30.

She was taken while her family was on a camping trip, and Ross held her captive for 47 hours. Police rescued her from an RV belonging to Ross on Oct. 2.

In his plea deal, Ross admitted to sexual assaulting the girl.

On Wednesday, Saratoga County Court Judge James Murphy III sentenced Ross to 25 years to life for kidnapping in the first degree and 22 years to life for predatory sexual assault against a child, for an aggregate sentence of 47 years to life. The sentences are to run consecutively.

Murphy also issued a 100-year order of protection for the victim.

During sentencing, a victim statement from the child was read to Ross by Saratoga County Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Buckley. The girl told him that his actions physically and mentally harmed her.

"You're a terrible person. You're idiot because of what you did. Because of you I can't sleep at night," she said. "Why did you do what you did?"

"I've gone through something terrible, and now you will go through something terrible, too," she continued. "I felt alone, now you will be alone too."

Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen on Wednesday noted in a statement that Ross' sentence reflects the court's determination that his actions were "so vile and wicked" that he should face up to life in prison.

"He will serve decades in prison before any parole consideration is available to him," Heggen said.

The girl's disappearance grabbed national attention, and her rescue was brought about as a result of Ross leaving a ransom note at the home of his victim.

Fingerprints on the letter matched those in a law enforcement database as Ross had been arrested in connection to a 1999 drunk driving case.
A man intimidating neighbors with a gun was still firing shots in the dark when police arrived, according to officers, but the confrontation took an even more unexpected turn when he insisted on drinking a beer while held at gunpoint.

This beer is cold, sir, and I wanna drink it. ... is that cool? the suspect is heard asking in a video posted by the Port Orange Police Department on Facebook.

The standoff includes the distinctive sound of an aluminum can being popped open.

Port Orange police say the unusual arrest happened around 9 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, when a man reported he was being threatened with a firearm by one of his neighbors. Port Orange is about a 60-mile drive northeast of Orlando.

Officers arrived on scene and while investigating, the suspect ... exited his residence and fired a firearm in the area of the officers, victim, and several neighbors who were outside at the time, police said in a news release.

Officers moved in toward the sound of the gunshot and located (a man) outside the front of his residence.

The 32-year-old man was standing behind his picket fence, wearing sun glasses in the dark and holding two beers when police arrived, body camera video shows.

Let me see your hands, an officer yells.

Can I crack this beer? the suspect responds. Im going to drink this beer.

Its not clear in the video how much beer was consumed before the unarmed suspect agreed to turn around and put his hands behind his back. He is seen, however, tossing the cans into a trash bin.

He was arrested and a search of the home revealed two handguns, including a .38 Special revolver, officials said.

The man is charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, three counts of assault on a law enforcement officer and one count of using a firearm while under the influence of alcohol, jail records show.

Husband shoots wife, then chases ambulance taking her to a hospital, Florida cops say

Mom smelling of alcohol was unconscious as 2 kids roamed busy road, Florida cops say

Mystery device explodes at traffic stop, covering Florida deputy with powder, cops say
GAFFNEY, S.C. (WSPA)  A man is accused of holding three children hostage Wednesday evening in the Upstate.

According to the Gaffney Police Department, officers responded at 8:33 p.m. to the 600 block of Willow Street about a 911 hang-up call.

A woman told dispatchers that she needed the police and laid the phone down.

Dispatchers continued to listen and relay information to responding officers.

25 years after Columbine, trauma shadows survivors of the school shooting

Several minutes into the call, officers were told that a man had a gun and was holding an infant. The police department said there were two other children in the house.

Once at the scene, the man, later identified as Ryan Anthony Lyles, 31, of Spartanburg, refused to exit the house or release the other victims.

The Cherokee County Sheriffs Office SWAT team responded to the scene and the negotiator began communicating with Lyles through the front window.

The police department said around 11:33 p.m., Lylers released the victims and was arrested.

Queen City News is tracking CRIME in your area  >> Latest stories here

He was charged with first-degree domestic violence with other charges pending.

He is currently being held in the Cherokee County Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Russian forces launched a missile attack on the village of Sorokivka (Kharkiv Oblast) on 18 April, injuring a civilian man.

Source: Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office

Quote: "The investigation has found that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation launched a missile attack on the village of Sorokivka in Kharkiv district at around 12:20 on 18 April. The premises of a shop have been damaged.

A civilian man, 45, has been injured."

Details: Early reports indicate that the Russians fired an S-300 missile from the territory of Belgorod Oblast, Russia.

Photo: Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office

Photo: Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office

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The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. #XinhuaNews
Man sentenced to prison for 14 years for sex offense against a minor

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, WV (WVNS)  A Virginia man was sentenced to prison for a sex crime involving minors in Greenbrier County.

A man from Alleghany County, Virginia was sentenced to 14 years in prison, followed by 30 years of probation, for traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.

Man sentenced for failure to register as a sex offender

According to court documents, on May 9, 2023, 42-year-old Jon Pieter Vanbreemen, of Low Moor, Virginia traveled from Covington, Virginia to the White Sulphur Springs area of Greenbrier County, West Virginia.

Vanbreemen planned to engage in sexual acts with two minor girls when he was in Greenbrier County. Members of law enforcement arrested Vanbreemen when he arrived in White Sulphur Springs.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
LAWRENCE, Kan.  An Alabama man has been sentenced in connection with a sextortion case against a University of Kansas student.

Devaris Howard, 21, of Gadsden, Alabama, was sentenced to 41 months in prison by the Douglas County District Attorney Thursday.

Hawk gets stuck in net at Top Golf; rescued by Overland Park first responders

Charges stem from incidents that happened between August and October 2022 when Howard threatened to distribute compromising pictures of the 19-year-old KU student that were taken when she was 13.

She did not comply with his demands and alerted police of his threats.

See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri

The incidents were investigated by the Special Victims Unit of the Lawrence Police Department and the Gadsden, Alabama Police Department.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
Man swindled $30K from 83-year-old friend then killed him, Pennsylvania officials say

Officials in Pennsylvania have arrested a man who they say swindled his friend of 35 years out of $30,000 then killed him.

On April 13, Pennsylvania State Police began investigating a missing person report for 83-year-old Anthony Dicenzo, who was last seen the morning before, Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele said at an April 17 news conference streamed by WTAE.

Around 10:20 a.m., authorities found his vehicle in a gravel area off the road in German Township, Aubele said. Inside, they found Dicenzo dead.

His body was laid across the back seat, covered in a tarp, Aubele said.

Officials say Dicenzo was shot twice in the head. They believe he was shot in the drivers seat, then moved to the back seat. A Disney Frozen blanket along with a trash bag was found covering the drivers seat, Aubele said.

After taking Dicenzos cellphone, authorities found contact information for Norman Fred Pennington.

McClatchy News reached out to Penningtons attorney but did not immediately hear back.

Troopers interviewed Mr. Pennington, who indicated he knew the victim but had not seen him since Thursday, April 11, Aubele said.

However, after investigating, authorities determined that was not true.

Troopers obtained multiple search warrants for cellular phone data and video surveillance and obtained statements from the family and friends of Mr. Dicenzo, Aubele said.

Officials say Dicenzo was upset with Pennington over a large amount of money.

They were able to determine that the victim was upset about approximately $30,000 he gave to Mr. Pennington for the purpose of purchasing a property, for which Mr. Pennington never acted upon, Aubele said.

Cellphone data showed Dicenzo went to Penningtons home the day he went missing for about an hour, officials said. Then, he traveled to the area his body was found.

Officials said Penningtons wife told them he owned a Frozen blanket that he regularly kept in his vehicle.

She also told authorities that on the day Dicenzo went missing, Pennington called and asked her to meet him at an intersection. When she got there, he was driving Dicenzos car, and she followed him to the location where his body was later found, officials said.

After further questioning, Pennington admitted to swindling Dicenzo out of $30,000. He told officials Dicenzo confronted him and he shot and killed Dicenzo in self-defense, but officials say they have no evidence of this, Aubele said.

Pennington is charged with criminal homicide, possession of firearm and tampering with evidence, according to court records.

German Township is about a 50-mile drive south of Pittsburgh.

Toddler fatally shoots man, then family lies to cover it up, Florida police say

Husband shoots wife, then chases ambulance taking her to a hospital, Florida cops say

Body found in ravine identified 35 years later, CA officials say. Family now sought
When an Afghan national on the FBI terrorist watchlist was arrested last Thursday after having spent nearly a year in the U.S., immigration officials said he had been enrolled in a program that tracked his location via ankle monitor, mobile app or telephone.

But the man's participation in the monitoring program, known as Alternatives to Detention, lasted only a little over two weeks, NBC News has learned.

Mohammad Kharwin, 48, is believed to have then spent 10 months in the U.S. without any kind of monitoring system, according to sources familiar with his case.

The national terrorist watchlist indicates Kharwin is a member of Hezb-e-Islami, or HIG, an Afghanistan-based political and paramilitary group that the U.S. has designated a terrorist organization.

HIG was responsible for attacks in Afghanistan that killed at least nine American soldiers and civilians from 2013 to 2015. The group is not seen as a top threat in terms of attacks inside the U.S.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Department officials did not respond to requests for comment about Kharwin's being taken off the tracking program.

NBC News reported last week that Customs and Border Protection agents first arrested Kharwin on March 10, 2023, near San Ysidro, California, after he crossed the Mexico-U.S. border illegally.

At the time, Customs and Border Protection agents did not have complete information about Kharwin and could not confirm that he was on the terrorist watchlist. So he was treated like other low-threat migrants coming into the U.S.

When border agents released him, Kharwin was referred to Alternatives to Detention, run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Kharwin was enrolled in the tracking program on March 12, 2023, and then taken out of it on March 28, 2023. It is not clear why he was dropped from the program.

Roughly a year later, ICE agents arrested Kharwin in February after the FBI passed information to them indicating that Kharwin had potential terrorist ties. But when Kharwin appeared in court, ICE prosecutors did not share some classified information with the immigration judge that purportedly showed Kharwins ties to a terrorist group, two U.S. officials said.

Prosecutors argued that Kharwin should be detained without bond because he posed a flight risk, but they did not say he was a national security risk, according to sources familiar with the case. The judge ordered Kharwin released on $12,000 bond.

Several hours after NBC News broke the news last Thursday that Kharwin remained in the U.S., he was arrested in San Antonio and taken into ICE custody, according to a Homeland Security spokesperson.

"At the time of the initial encounter, the information in the record could not have provided a conclusive match," the spokesperson said after the arrest. "As soon as there was information to suggest that this individual was of concern, he was taken into custody by ICE."

Experts said Kharwins case raises questions about how migrants who may pose a security threat are vetted and tracked inside the U.S.

It also raises questions about the Alternatives to Detention program, which the Biden administration has vastly expanded as a way to keep tabs on hundreds of thousands of migrants in the U.S. awaiting immigration court proceedings.

Republicans in Congress, who oppose the program, have cut funding to it, forcing ICE to drop migrants from being monitored, often as soon as they make their first check-ins at ICE offices.

In February 2023, NBC News reported that Homeland Security officials said they would have to begin cutting migrants from Alternatives to Detention because Congress had not provided adequate funding.

It is not clear how ICE determines which migrants to drop from the program. The Homeland Security Department can also work with other law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, to gather intelligence and learn the whereabouts of migrants.

A Homeland Security official told NBC News that many migrants who are determined to be low flight risks are not kept in Alternatives to Detention until their court dates, which could be a year or more into the future.

An estimated 183,901 migrants have been in Alternatives to Detention for an average of 554 days, according to data provided by Syracuse Universitys Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse for immigration data. At the time Kharwin was dropped from the program, 281,613 migrants had been in the program for an average of 429 days.

A source familiar with the program who spoke on condition of anonymity defended it and said Alternatives to Detention is the only way to track an individual through GPS technology. The source added, Otherwise, youre relying on people to show up on their own accord.

Alternatives to Detention began in 2004, during the Bush administration. According to the Homeland Security Department, the number of migrants absconding from the program has dropped dramatically in recent years, and enrollment in Alternatives to Detention increases the chances that immigrants show up for their immigration court hearings.

Immigration advocates praise the program as a more humane and less costly way for the government to keep tabs on migrants awaiting hearings. Republicans in Congress have pressed Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for not filling all beds in ICE detention facilities, instead.

It is rare for migrants crossing the southern border to be on the terrorist watchlist.

An NBC News analysis found that the percentage of migrants on the terrorist watchlist as a proportion of the total number of Customs and Border Protection encounters across all U.S. borders was slightly lower during the Biden administration than during the Trump administration. It remained an average of 0.02% during the Biden administration, lower than the 0.05% under former President Donald Trump.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A man reportedly threatened to kill a U.S. federal judge and their family in letters sent to a Las Vegas courthouse, according to documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained.

A federal grand jury indicted Hadari Stallworth on charges including threatening a United States judge and mailing threatening communications, records said. The panel voted to indict Stallworth on Tuesday.

In 2022 while in Nevada, Stallworth allegedly sent a letter to the federal courthouse in Las Vegas, threatening to assault and kidnap the judge, writing he would have my people kill whatever you hold dearly first: pets, kids, grandkids, husband according to court documents.

The letter falsely claimed it contained anthrax, documents said. A threat was also allegedly made toward the judge about slicing their throat, documents said.

A second letter was inadvertently mailed to the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., documents said. In that letter, Stallworth communicated to [the judge] that you are dead! and Im gonna get your houses set on fire with your dead bodies still in it. Better yet, Im gonna have them give you a [paralytic] and youre gonna burn [sic] rat, like a jew in the 40s, documents said.

The judges name nor his or her initials were not mentioned.

Stallworth was in custody at the Ely State Prison on other charges, documents said.

Earlier this year, a Clark County judge sentenced Stallworth to at least five years in prison for stabbing a prison nurse with a homemade weapon.

Stallworth entered Nevadas prison system in 2013. He began serving a two to 10-year sentence for a burglary charge and two robbery charges in connection with several other crimes.

A hearing on his new charges was scheduled for April 30.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11)  Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine is calling on the MTA to make bathrooms in subway stations easier to find.

There are currently 63 subway stations with bathroom accessibility, according to the MTA.

Access to public bathrooms is an issue of equity, public health, sanitation and transportation, Levine said. He suggests that the MTA add more signs on platforms and entrances pointing the way toward a restroom.

Man charged with stabbing twin sisters, one fatally, to appear in Brooklyn court

Levine also said the MTA could use display screens on newer trains to announce when youre pulling into a station with a bathroom. The screens already show things like elevators and escalators.

Hes also calling for a bathroom map, which also displays what restrooms are ADA accessible, on the MTA app.

Levine would also like bathroom hours to be extended past the current 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. timeframe for commuters who use transit during off-peak hours.

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
NEW YORK (PIX11)  The search for two masked gunmen involved in Tuesdays fatal shooting in the Bronx is still ongoing.

The suspects pulled up to the shooting in separate scooters, police said. Chief of Patrol John Chell and Kaz Daughtry, the deputy commissioner of operations, join PIX11 to give an update on the manhunt and cracking down on illegal mopeds, ATVs, and scooters.

Watch the video for more on this story.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
This story was originally published by The 19th.

Democrat Marilyn Lands gained national attention in March when she flipped an Alabama state House seat with a campaign focused on abortion and reproductive rights. And she doesnt want to be the last.

Lands supporters are launching a new PAC, Respect Alabama, to recruit, train and elect more women to run for office in Alabama, where women, especially Black women, are underrepresented in government. The PAC plans to support Democrats but is open to backing candidates running for local races, like school board, that are nonpartisan in Alabama. Democrats in the state have been chronically under-resourced, and Democratic women face an especially difficult path to running for office.

In her campaign, Lands ran explicitly on overturning the states near-total abortion ban, including telling her own story. Weeks before the election, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are children, halting fertility treatment for many in the state. Lands said her win sent a clear message that voters want to shift the states current direction.

People want change, and they particularly want change around this issue, she said. And this was a way they saw they could make that happen.

Respect Alabama will recruit and support women candidates starting in the 2026 election cycle, said Jordan Cozby, Lands son and a Yale Law School student who worked on Lands campaign and is helping launch the PAC.

Among the PACs goals are to elect enough Democrats to crack Republicans two-thirds supermajority of six-seats in Alabamas state House. The threshold for advancing legislation in the state House is 60 percent, meaning that Democrats would have to flip over a dozen seats in the lower chamber to gain enough power to thwart or block Republican bills. The PAC also wants to bring more national Democratic investment to the state, which Lands has described as ground zero for reproductive rights.

I think what we have realized by just being Democrats in Alabama is, what starts here often spreads to other states, Cozby said. Some of these deep red Southern states are the testing ground or the laboratory for the conservative movements and new, bold ideas restricting peoples freedoms. And we cant concede these things even when theyre tough.

Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, originated from an abortion ban passed by Republican lawmakers in Mississippi. The high courts decision sent abortion policy back to the states  and further highlighted the importance of state legislatures.

In red and purple states especially, women lawmakers have led fights to add exceptions or overturn abortion bans. Lands said that even before she ran first for office in the battleground Huntsville-area House District 10 in 2022, she saw a glaring need for more balance and greater representation of women in office.

Women make up over half of Alabamas population but less than one-fifth of its state legislature, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. Alabama ranks 46th in the country for representation of women.

When you look at the Alabama legislature, it doesnt look like the state of Alabama, Lands said.

Cozby said building diverse leadership for Respect Alabama will be central to the organizations mission. Black women make up the core of the Democratic Partys base in Alabama and the Deep South but are less than 10 percent of the Alabama legislature. Recruiting Black women candidates to run for office, especially in diverse, fast-growing communities like Lands, will be a huge priority, Cozby said.

I think we have a really rich base of potential candidates who can run in those districts and can be successful, he said.

Respect Alabama aims to serve as a hub of dedicated training and mentorship resources, filling a void for women candidates in the state.

Eight of the bottom 10 states for womens representation in CAWPs rankings are in the South. Kelly Dittmar, CAWPs director of research, said both partisanship and access to resources can explain that dynamic. Democrats have traditionally emphasized diversity and representation among their candidates, meaning that heavily Republican states often have fewer women in state legislatures and in leadership positions.

Research has shown that women candidates, especially women of color, are at a disadvantage when it comes to fundraising and building a donor network. Running in a state where Democratic Party organizations have far fewer resources than their Republican counterparts, Lands relied on her deep ties to the community to build out a grassroots donor network.

Its so hard to fight for money, Lands said. In the South in general, we just dont have as many places to go to to try to raise funds and build support. We got about 1,250 small donors, and that can be done, and we fought back pretty good. So I think I have a story to share with other women.

In Southern and Republican-dominated states especially, good old boy networks concentrate wealth and power, heavily shaping who gets elected to political offices. Such networks pave a far easier path for Republican candidates, especially men, to run and gain support.

Historically, we see men have on the whole greater access to them, because men are often a greater proportion of the actors or leaders in those networks, Dittmar said. They tend to have control over those financial resources, or things like endorsements and strategic resources that they can allocatewe do have to also recognize that national Democratic resources are limited to the degree that they come into Alabama at all.

While races like Lands and the 2017 U.S. Senate special election in Alabama attracted national attention, Democratic candidates running in overwhelmingly red Southern states have long struggled to secure consistent investment from national groups.

A review of campaign finance filings from the District 10 special election shows Lands Republican opponent Teddy Powell received a $10,000 contribution from the Republican State Leadership Committee, a national Republican group, and donations from well-funded PACs and business interests in the state. Lands campaign, meanwhile, got funding from some local organizations and labor unions but appears to have received no contributions from national groups or PACs. The only contribution from a national PAC listed in Lands disclosures, $500 from the Communications Workers of Americas PAC, came from the organizations local affiliate, Cozby said.

Cozby anticipates that Respect Alabama will make a substantial financial investment to supplement the training and mentorship it will provide women candidates. He hopes Respect Alabamas contributions will create a snowball effect that encourages other donors in the state and nationally to give to women candidates.

Were going to target some of those races and bring in money that might not otherwise come to Alabama to make change, he said.

While the PAC aims to elect more Democrats to the state legislature, Cozby said Respect Alabama will support a variety of candidates, potentially including women runnning for nonpartisan state and local races, who they believe can make a positive impact on the states trajectory.

Lands is eyeing districts around Madison County, which she represents, as well as Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, as places that could flip blue in 2026.

I think were going to pick up a few seats and begin to get towards something that approaches balance, Lands said.

As a party that cares about marginalized communities, Cozby said, Democrats cant concede Southern states that are home to significant populations of women, people of color and LGBTQ+ Americans. And if successful, Respect Alabama plans to expand its efforts to help boost Democratic women running in other Deep South states like Tennessee and Mississippi.

Theres a real success story here, and theres a lot of momentum here that we want to capitalize on, Cozby said. My hope would be that after 2026, the Marilyn Lands story is a small part of a much bigger story going on in Alabama.

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The post Marilyn Lands supporters launch PAC to elect women to Alabama government appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene offered a bewildering amendment to a bill to supply military assistance to Israel on the issue of border security on Wednesday, further complicating her duel with Speaker Mike Johnson and drawing criticism that she is unserious.

She suggested that the Israel aid bill should also involve setting up a space laser to help control migration at the US-Mexico border.

It is not the first time shes referenced such extraterrestrial hardware: before being elected she suggested that California forest fires were being started by a space laser partly owned by a prominent Jewish banking family. She later denied being antisemitic, insisting she had no idea the Rothschild family were Jewish.

When asked about the claims recently by a British journalist she suggested they f*** off.

The Georgia representative is currently one of two Republicans cosponsoring a motion to oust Mr Johnson from the speakership, the other being Kentuckys Thomas Massie who joined her effort this week. At the heart of her conflict with the speaker is a planned vote on military assistance to Ukraine on Saturday; Ms Greene opposes more military assistance for the eastern European nation as it continues to face a Russian onslaught.

As part of the Speakers plan to pass the Ukraine assistance bill, the House is set to vote on five individual pieces of legislation over the next few days.

Three are part of the so-called national security supplemental: the Ukraine bill, and two others dealing with military aid to Israel and Taiwan. A fourth deals with the border, and contains some provisions of the bill passed by the House last year  HR 2, which would have changed the standards for releasing undocumented immigrants after they are caught entering the country illegally. A final bill deals with another range of issues including frozen Russian assets in the US financial system as well as efforts to force the sale of TikTok.

Ms Greene on Wednesday announced an amendment to the Israel funding bill that would direct some funding to develop space laser technology on the US-Mexico border. She defended the amendment on Twitter, writing: Israel has some of the best unmanned defense systems in the world. Ive previously voted to fund space lasers for Israels defense. America needs to take our national security seriously and deserves the same type of defense for our border that Israel has and proudly uses.

There are several things wrong with that statement; for starters, space lasers are not part of Israels defence grid and only recently did the US military begin development of a laser power beaming experiment based in Earths orbit.

Israel has some of the best unmanned defense systems in the world.



Ive previously voted to fund space lasers for Israels defense.



America needs to take our national security seriously and deserves the same type of defense for our border that Israel has and proudly uses. pic.twitter.com/oDeDqTXvQQ  Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) April 18, 2024

Then, theres the other issue: the fact that the US government is not using force against migrants seeking to cross the southern border illegally, or outside of allowed ports of entry. The defences cited by Ms Greene in Israel include systems such as missile defence which would have no purpose outside of a combat zone.

The border security bill set to be passed alongside the Ukraine/Israel/Taiwan legislation will never become law, at least under the current politics of Congress. It is fiercely opposed by Democrats, who opposed the provisions in unison when HR 2 passed the House last year. The GOP immigration bill passed last year by the lower chamber has yet to even get a vote in the Senate, and likely will not under a Democratic majority. The same goes for the upcoming Republican bill to which Ms Greene has attached her amendment.

Ms Greene offered another amendment this week suggesting that anyone who does vote to support Ukraines struggle to repel the Russian invasion should be required to be conscripted into the Ukrainian military.

Ms Greenes rebellion against the speaker has yet to pick up any further support beyond Mr Massie, but on Thursday it appeared that Mr Johnson was facing quite a few more GOP defections on the upcoming House votes on foreign aid. The speaker was seen on the House floor in heated conversations with hardline conservatives like Matt Gaetz, who led the ouster of Mr Johnsons predecessor last fall.

Democrats appear likely to offer Mr Johnson a lifeline if Ms Greene brings her motion to vacate to the floor.

Weve got to pass [the national security supplemental package] and its got to include the humanitarian aid [for Gaza], Democratic Rep Brad Sherman told The Independent on Tuesday. I think if he does that, and then theres a motion to vacate the speakership because he did the right thing, even if he did it in four separate notebooks on unlimited colored papers, the Democrats will not allow it [the motion to vacate] to pass.
Funding for Ukraine and Israel has been hotly contested in Congress. For Marjorie Taylor Greene, its just fodder for trolling.

As two separate supplemental aid packages make their way through the House, Greene has proposed a series of outlandish amendments to both bills. For a measure on Ukrainian military aid, Greene submitted amendments requiring members who vote for the aid to conscript in the Ukrainian army, and directing President Joe Biden to withdraw from NATO.

And for Israel, Greene, far from requiring aid to be conditioned on Israeli compliance with international law, played one of her old hits: She proposed that funding in the bill be allocated to the development of space laser technology on the southwest border, a callback to her previous antisemitic remarks about Jewish space lasers, with a bit of gratuitous eliminationist rhetoric about migrants.

There are plenty of good reasons to oppose military aid to Israel, and opposition to arming Ukraine has become a signature position of the hard right. But Greene appears to have no interest in engaging with the subjects on their merits at all. Instead, the amendments are part of Greenes campaign against House Speaker Mike Johnson, whom she has threatened to oust for bringing aid bills to the House floor.

Johnson has struggled to get his caucus behind the aid packages; its the reason why he divided up the countries into separate bills. Greene is one of the faces of Republican resistance to Johnsons leadership, but hard-line GOP dissatisfaction with Johnson dates back to his first days as speaker.

Greenes opposition to aid for Israel puts her in the minority of her party, while Ukrainian aid has divided the Republican Party, prompting senior members to declare that their colleagues are repeating Russian propaganda. Greene has come under fire recently for praising Vladimir Putin and suggesting that Ukraine is waging a war on Christianity. But her latest stunt, emblematic of a distinctive style of conservative politics, suggests that her positions arent particularly principled. Shes just happy to get off a few jokes.
MOSCOW, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Russia is taking all possible measures to prevent a further escalation of the situation in the Middle East, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Thursday.

Zakharova noted that contacts are being held on various levels and Moscow hopes these efforts will yield results. She added that Russian representatives have been repeatedly calling on all parties to show restraint.

The spokesperson warned that it is important to prevent the situation from escalating uncontrollably, which would be fraught with serious consequences for the entire region.

"We believe that the current situation is largely a consequence of (U.S.) long-term policy in the region, which is aimed at creating dividing lines and destroying the international legal framework," she said.

Tehran launched hundreds of drones and missiles late Saturday in response to the killing of seven Iranians, including two veteran commanders, by Israel in a strike on the consular section of the Iranian Embassy in Syria on April 1. 
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is going off about Jewish "space lasers" again, but this time she's suggesting they could be used against immigrants, making them a good thing.

In a Wednesday night post on social media, Greene said she is offering an amendment to pending Israel aid package that would provide funds for "the development of space laser technology on the southwest border."

"I've previously voted to fund space lasers for Israel's defense," Greene posted, falsely (Israel does not have space lasers). "America needs to take our national security seriously and deserves the same type of defense for our border that Israel has and proudly uses."

As The Daily Beast noted, Israel has an under-development "Iron Beam" defense system that would used ground-based energy beams to knock out incoming projectiles. Presently, no country fires lasers from space.

Greene, a conspiracy theorist who has risen to the top of the Trump-era GOP, was previously ridiculed for claiming in a since-deleted block of text on Facebook that wildfires were started by "space solar generators" that are "beaming the suns power down to Earth," a scheme that she suggested was orchestrated by the Rothschilds, a go-to target for antisemites.
With jury selection taking a day and a half, the Mark Cooper retrial has gotten off to a slow start.

Attorneys delivered their opening statements Wednesday morning in Richland County Common Pleas Court before calling the first witnesses.

Cooper, 57, is the former Richland County corrections officer accused of causing the death of a jail inmate in 2019. Alexander Rios, 28, died following a struggle with several officers after he ran past them and out of a holding cell.

Mark Cooper listens to the proceedings in his retrial Wednesday morning in front of Judge Brent Robinson. Cooper, 57, is accused of causing the death of a Richland County jail inmate in 2019.

Cooper is charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, one a first-degree felony, the other a third-degree felony; and reckless homicide, a third-degree felony.

A jury deliberated for 12 hours over the course of three days in November before the foreperson sent a note to the judge saying they could not come to a consensus on any of the three counts.

Brent Robinson, Richland County common pleas judge, declared a mistrial, leading to this retrial, which started Monday.

In his opening statement, attorney Drew Wood, from the Ohio Attorney General's Office, described Cooper's involvement in the struggle with Rios.

Wood said Cooper did not get involved until about a minute into the confrontation. He was inadvertently struck in the hand with a Taser.

Showing still images instead of the jail video, Wood pointed to Cooper putting a foot on Rios' upper shoulders and back.

"He leans forward," Wood said of Cooper. "As he does, you'll hear Alexander Rios crying out as more body weight is put on him."

Wood said for 7 seconds, "The defendant does not have a single foot on the floor." Both were on Rios.

Around 2 minutes into the struggle, Cooper crouched and placed his knee on Rios' back.

Wood moved ahead to the 3-minute mark.

Acting prosecutor: When jailers tried to get Rios to stand up, he was 'already gone'

"When they lift Alexander Rios, they tell him to get up, stand up, but he can't because Alexander Rios is already gone," Wood said. "He's dead weight. His skin had turned gray."

Wood encouraged the jurors to watch the video in detail "to understand what really went on."

"The defendant crushed the breath and the life out of Alexander Rios," Wood said.

In going over the three counts, Wood said the state is not required to prove the defendant tried to kill Rios to prove he committed a crime. He added Richland County corrections officers are trained not to put their feet on an inmate's back.

Wood acknowledged Rios struggled with drug addiction for many years but said it shouldn't matter in this case. Rios was arrested on a Richland County warrant while staying with his mother in Huron County the night before the confrontation.

"Nothing says it's OK to kill drug addicts," Wood said. "The warrant allows officers to arrest you, not kill you."

He said the two sides would have two factual disputes, the cause of death and whether Cooper was justified in his use of force.

The defense argues the cause of death was excited delirium. Excited (or agitated) delirium is characterized by agitation, aggression, acute distress and sudden death, often in the pre-hospital care setting and often involving drug use.

Wood said the term has "fallen out of favor" with many medical organizations and noted the case is nearly five years old.

"We aren't in the past anymore," Wood said. "It's 2024. We have better information."

Attorney says use of force was too much in this case

As far as use of force, Wood agreed that Rios should not have run past corrections officers and out of his holding cell. The attorney maintains, however, that Rios was not in a position to escape.

"The evidence will show what Alexander Rios was trying to do is breathe," Wood said.

He added Cooper later placed his knee on Rios' back for 60 seconds.

"This is not a split-second decision that went wrong," Wood said.

In his opening statement, defense attorney Sean Boone recounted how Rios wound up at the county jail. Boone speculated he was under the influence of drugs during the struggle. Rios had relapsed on methamphetamines in the weeks prior to his arrest.

Boone said Huron County authorities found Rios hiding in a crawlspace in the basement of his mother's home, and Richland County deputies picked Rios up at the county line.

He was booked in at the jail around 3 a.m. Boone said jurors would see the body scanner process.

"He reaches into his jail suit and pulls something out of his pocket," the attorney said.

Defense contends Rios was under the influence of drugs during confrontation

Since a torn piece of plastic was found in Rios' stomach during the autopsy, Boone suggested that Rios had a bag of meth.

In the afternoon before his struggle with corrections officers, Rios told jail personnel he was planning to hurt himself. He was placed in a suicide smock.

Boone said Rios began acting "bizarrely" around 11 p.m., adding he appeared to be under the influence of drugs.

Regarding use of force, Boone said, "The need was for his own safety."

Boone said Rios appeared to have unusual strength, another trait associated with excited delirium.

"Even with five officers, Alexander Rios pushes himself up off the ground, onto his knees," Boone said, adding the inmate needed to be handcuffed and placed in leg shackles.

Boone said Cooper entered the fray when Rios continued to resist.

"This was a coordinated effort," Boone said, noting a supervisor was repositioning the officers. When Rios was unresponsive, they tried life-saving techniques.

"No one is saying Alexander Rios deserved to die," Boone said. "This was a tragic situation, but it (use of force) was necessary."

Boone told jurors several doctors would testify during the trial and would not agree on how Rios died.

mcaudill@gannett.com

419-521-7219

X: @MarkCau32059251

Case background

Mark Cooper's charges are in connection with the death of Alexander Rios, 28, after the inmate was subdued by several corrections officers on Sept. 19, 2019. Rios had rushed out of a holding cell.

After Rios ran past several corrections officers, they chased him down and tried to restrain him.

In a jail video, several of the corrections officers can be seen holding Rios down, stepping and kneeling on his back while an officer punches his head into the concrete floor as they struggle to handcuff him.

Cooper, described during the first trial as weighing 250 pounds, stood on Rios' back with both feet, which prosecutors claimed caused Rios' death.

Following the confrontation, Rios was taken to OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital, but he never regained consciousness. His family took him off life support eight days later.

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Former Richland County jailer back on trial in case of inmate's death
A Maryland teenager has been arrested on a charge of threatening mass violence after investigators say they uncovered evidence that he made plans to carry out a shooting at a Montgomery County school.

Eighteen-year-old Alex Ye, of Rockville, whose legal name is Andrea Ye, was arrested on Wednesday after law enforcement was alerted to a 129-page "memoir" he allegedly authored that included descriptions of shooting up both a high school and elementary school, court records show.

While Ye had previously described the writings as a piece of fiction -- and it featured a disclaimer as such, including that it doesn't "represent the author's beliefs" -- a witness with whom Ye shared the writings contacted authorities in early March because the witness said the writings bore "striking similarities" to Ye, according to the court documents.

The witness also believed the writings indicated Ye was prepared to carry out a mass shooting imminently, the court documents state, and Ye later described the writings as "his memoir" when speaking with law enforcement.

Authorities determined, based on their investigation, that the writings appear to contain "portions of fictional and non-fictional qualities," according to the court records.

Court documents state that the witness told police that Ye's "memoir" was about "a transgender main character" named "James Wang" who was "being bullied in school and other issues that [the witness] believed were directly from Ye's life and not indicative of fiction."

Police said in court records that Ye's sex is female but he uses male pronouns.

The writings included detailed descriptions of how the character would carry out a shooting, saying he would "cherry pick the classrooms that are the easiest targets."

The character allegedly states in Ye's writings, "I have also considered shooting up my former elementary school because little kids make easier targets."

Law enforcement said they found concerning social media posts and internet searches by Ye, reviewed as part of the investigation, including him allegedly querying "gun range near me," descriptions of an AR-15 and the phrase "But, I do recognize that my plan is fully unethical. It's selfish and evil."

Chat records obtained by police show Ye discussing thoughts of shooting up his school with another online user in September. In December, Ye allegedly wrote to another user, "My homicidal ideation has been getting worse lately to the point I might act on it eventually," adding in another message that month, "I'd want to kill a lot of people or it wouldn't be worth it."

There's no allegation in the documents that Ye had possession of any firearms leading up to the time of his arrest.

PHOTO: Alex Ye, 18, of Maryland arrested for planning a school shooting, April 17, 2024. (Montgomery Cty Maryland Police Department)

Ye has not yet entered a plea and is being held at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit where he is awaiting a bond hearing.

An attorney for him could not immediately be reached for comment.

Montgomery County Public Schools said that while Ye is an active student at Wootton High School in Rockville, he has been attending classes through a virtual program and hasn't "physically attended" school since late 2022.

Ye has a lengthy recent history of receiving inpatient care for apparent mental health issues including openly expressed thoughts of homicidal and suicidal ideation and what he described as a history of suffering abuse, the court records state. The witness who first alerted law enforcement to what police also called Ye's "manifesto" knew him from when they were both in inpatient treatment at a psychiatric care facility.

According to the court documents, Ye was previously hospitalized "for threatening to 'shoot up a school'" as well as other issues.

Ye was evaluated at his home and then hospitalized again in March, shortly after the police investigation began, as part of an emergency evaluation petition, the court records show. The hospital then raised an alarm with school and law enforcement officials because of "the threat posed by Ye."

A counselor who had worked with Ye told authorities that he "would express violent thoughts such as shooting up the school" and "would smile while saying it," according to court documents.

The counselor also said Ye was "patient and okay with his plan being the 'long game' and wanted to be famous from this event."

Maryland teen accused of threatening school shooting after 'memoir' raises alarms originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Newly released 911 calls captured the chaos and panic on April 6 at the Martini Bar in CityPlace Doral, where a mass shooting left two dead and seven people shot, including a police officer and a bar patron in critical condition.

The shooting began around 3:30 a.m. at the bar, one of the few businesses open at that hour in CityPlace Doral, the relatively new, popular gathering spot on Northwest 36th Street and 83rd Avenue, according to police and witnesses.

Martini Bar Doral. Shooting. Shooting, one of the callers exclaimed. Mass shooting. People down, officer down, many people [shot.]

READ MORE: Three family members were wounded in the mass shooting at a Doral bar. One is in ICU

Please, I beg you, a woman said in Spanish before telling the operator that someone she was with had been shot. Theyre dying.

Caught in the gunfire were six bar patrons, identified as Lester Williams Gonzalez, 28; Frank Miguel Jerez, 34; Yaniris Jerez, 30; Sonia Munoz Torres, 48; Gerard Patrick Delaney, 57; and 38-year-old Carlos Milan. One unidentified Doral police officer was also injured.

Police cruisers are stationed at CityPlace Doral on Saturday, April 6, 2024. A gunman was shot dead, a bar security guard was killed and seven others were injured, including a Doral police officer, in the mass shooting at Martini Bar at CityPlace Doral in the early hours of April 6.

The shooting stemmed from an argument between Jamal Wayne Wood and another man, police say. When a 23-year-old security guard, George Alejandro Castellanos, intervened, Wood shot him to death on the first floor of the bars covered terrace., police said Castellanos was the father to a 1-year-old girl and was set to graduate in the spring from Florida International University.

READ MORE: Security guard killed in Doral bar shooting was an FIU student and future police officer

Two Doral officers in uniform, but working off-duty, were just outside the bar when they heard the gunfire and raced toward it, police said. They subsequently confronted Wood and fired rounds at him.

Wood shot back, police say. He was killed.

READ MORE: Who blasted the bullets that hit 6 bystanders in mass shooting at a trendy Doral bar?

Emergency, another caller said in Spanish, growing increasingly frustrated as he awaited a translator. We need an ambulance urgently.
The son believed his father was possessed by a demon called "Dirty Dan," prosecutors alleged

Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger/USA TODAY NETWORK Jack Callahan and his lawyer Kevin Reddington

A jury trial began this week for a Massachusetts man accused of drowning his father during a mental health episode in 2021, during which he believed his father was possessed and that he was baptizing him in a local pond.



The Patriot Ledger reported that witnesses were called last week to testify in the trial that will determine whether Jack Callahan, 22, is guilty of murdering his father, Scott Callahan, 57, who was a senior vice president at Texas Capital Bank.



Callahan told police that his father was struggling with alcoholism and that he picked him up in an Uber after suspecting he was drinking at a bar, according to Boston.com.

But the then-19-year-old asked their Uber driver to drop them off at a local pond near their Duxbury, Mass., home, saying he wanted to smoke a cigarette, the outlet reported. There, an altercation between the father and son allegedly erupted.



He indicated that the victim had been punching him in the face, Plymouth Assistant District Attorney Shanan Buckingham said at the suspects 2021 arraignment, according to Boston.com. He went on to state that in this incident at the pond, he believed he was baptizing his father. He described that he was holding his father in the pond on his back like a baby, that he continually dunked the fathers head in the water about four to eight times, that when the father started to cough and choke, he would lift his head up, and then when the father started to fight and strike him, he would push the head back into the water.



The son continued to dunk his father in the water until his father was no longer struggling and floating, Buckingham alleged.

Prosecutors also alleged that Callahan had told police he believed his father was possessed by a demon named Dirty Dan and that baptizing him in the pond would release the evil spirit from him.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.



Local WCVB reported at the time that Callahan choked back tears while prosecutors recalled the details of his fathers killing in court.

Callahan then told police later that night that he had spoken to his fathers body while he was in the water, after believing he had baptized him, according to prosecutors. I left him there to decide, you can come to heaven with me or hell. I think he chose hell, prosecutors alleged Callahan told police, according to CBS News.



Boston.com reported that Plymouth County Superior Court Judge William Sullivan said the trial was expected to take roughly a week and a half.



Callahan has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.

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Read the original article on People.
Challenges to communication and evacuation, unprecedented weather conditions and the lack of a "heightened sense" of emergency about fire warnings from the National Weather Service are just a few of the factors that contributed to the devastating fires on Maui last August laid out in two reports released this week.

More than eight months after the deadliest wildfire in modern U.S. history reduced the town of Lahaina, Maui, to ashes, the Maui Fire Department acknowledged in a report released Tuesday that the island was ill-prepared.

An 84-page report prepared by the Western Fire Chiefs Association at the request of the department contains more than 100 recommendations in 17 "challenge" areas including fire prevention, equipment, response and training. Among the concerns spelled out are a lack of disaster preparation, insufficient rescue personnel and gear, and communication breakdowns.

"While I'm incredibly proud of our department's response, I believe we can always improve our efforts," Maui County Fire Chief Brad Ventura said at a news conference Tuesday.

The inferno killed 101 people and destroyed or damaged more than 2,200 buildings, 86% of them residential, and caused an estimated $6 billion in damage.

The report was one of two released this week, and several others are coming in the weeks and months ahead. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is conducting a separate investigation into the origin and causes of the fire.

At the request of Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez, the Maryland-based Fire Safety Research Institute also is investigating. The institute said its 376-page report released Wednesday is the first phase of a three-part investigation into the response of state and local governments.

Responsible governance requires we look at what happened, and using an objective, science-based approach, identify how state and county governments responded, Lopez said. We will review what worked and what did not work and make improvements to prevent future disasters of this magnitude.

The institutes report said the focus must turn to learning from the tragedy, strengthening emergency response capabilities and building more resilient communities that can withstand the increasing challenges posed by a changing climate and the ever present threat of wildfires.

It includes a list of the names of 96 people who died, vivid details of the inferno, efforts to rescue and evacuate residents and visitors, and a comprehensive timeline that includes 12,060 entries for Aug. 8-10.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

Maui Fire Department wasn't prepared for a disaster

According to the Fire Chiefs Association report, the weather service issued its first red flag warning on Aug. 5, warning of potential fire conditions from Aug. 7 through Aug. 9. But the report found the department didn't have the "heightened sense of urgency" in response to the warning that would have prompted leaders to bring on additional staff and resources.

Once the fire had spread to catastrophic levels, the fire department was ill-equipped to handle the disaster, according to details spelled out in the report. It didn't have enough firefighters, fire trucks and water tankers needed to control the raging fire. As a result, some firefighters had to use their personal vehicles, including mopeds, to evacuate people trapped inside burning buildings.

"When we build a fire station, we're going to be building for the future, not for today," Ventura said at the news briefing. "And there's no perfect number or formula for how many firefighters you actually need. But we do know that we've fallen behind."

The report recommends creating new evacuation routes with underground utilities and minimal foliage along the way.

What is the shaka? Hawaii lawmakers want to officially claim 'hang loose' hand gesture

Burning embers, flying rooftops and desperate evacuations

The Institutes report contains no conclusions or recommendations but lays out in gritty detail the events preceding and during the fire.

Firefighters and police officers describe metal roofs flying through the air and falling on cars, an officer who loaned his car to a fireman with a damaged brush truck to go rescue a fire crew, and harrowing efforts to rescue people building by building.

During the early morning of Aug. 8, high winds from the interaction of offshore systems toppled trees and utility poles, blocking roadways and making evacuation challenging, the report says. It traces the origin of one fire to 6:35 a.m., when a fast-moving brush fire ignited near the Lahaina Intermediate School. Firefighters responded using private bulldozers and water tankers to establish perimeter lines and soak the fire with water. They reported the fire was out and returned to quarters at 2:17 p.m.

Roughly 38 minutes later, a fire was reported at the same location. Fueled by wind gusts as high as 80 mph, the fire ignited nearby grasslands then spread through direct flames, radiant heating and flying embers.

By 3:37 p.m. on Aug. 8, a firefighter tells a dispatcher multiple structures are on fire.

At 3:40 on one channel, a radio identified as command tells firefighters: You guys have to get out of these houses that are already burning and get ahead of this thing. In that same exchange, the command officer says: If we dont get water on this fire we are going to have multiple structures going very quickly.

How did the wildfires start in Maui? A combination of factors fueled disaster

Transcripts of one radio call after another describe the challenges to evacuating the town, including fire trucks entangled by power lines or blocked by obstructions that had to be abandoned and a firefighter who rescued seven colleagues, including an unconscious officer.

The accounts describe tense efforts to navigate downed power poles, trapped vehicles and other traffic hazards in the rush to get people out of harm's way. In one location, as they scrambled to evacuate people and keep the roads open, a motorist arrived with keys to a locked gate across a dirt road that allowed heavy traffic to move out of the area. Officers used their vehicles and help from nearby residents to break open other gates that allowed access to dirt roads leading out of the area.

The fire spread to the ocean, but along its path, water pipes failed and water flowed unrestricted, dropping pressure in water mains to the point that no water was available from some fire hydrants in Lahaina.

The institute said its next phase will analyze the incident and the third will address questions about how to prevent such a tragedy from happening again.

Inability to communicate on Maui slowed relief efforts

Though a number of factors led to the disaster, communication breakdowns may have been the biggest problem, according to Hawaii State Rep. Elle Cochran, who represents Lahaina.

The chiefs association's recommendations include the need for officials to analyze the island's cellular system. Cellphone and internet services were unreliable throughout the wildfire, posing challenges for people seeking assistance or updates on the fire's progression, including evacuation notices.

Additionally, emergency sirens, a part of Hawaii's extensive warning network, were not used to alert residents in Lahaina.

"The No. 1 biggest thing is communication. I mean, that is when everything fell apart," Cochran told USA TODAY. "We had no communication, and we were all left in the dark. It happened for days, even after the incident."

Another recommendation includes a new, comprehensive evacuation plan catering to residents of different linguistic backgrounds. Cochran said that she isn't surprised by the recommendation; assisting non-native English speakers was a "huge problem" during the wildfires.

"I had a hub where I had FEMA there seven days a week trying to help the community. But 40% of the population in Lahaina is Filipino. In particular, there were Ilocano (an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines) speakers, and we didn't have any people ready to translate it that way," Cochran said. "And I kept asking every day, 'Translator, we need a translator,' and it never happened."

"We need to move forward"

Cochran referred to the fire as "the perfect storm" and acknowledged that Hawaii officials could view the report as a valuable lesson.

"Who could've predicted that something that strong and that fierce could occur in collaboration with the fire?" Cochran said. "Next time we're going to have evacuation routes, we're going to have connectivity and communication, and we're going to have enough fire trucks."

Cochran emphasized the need to start planning for the next disaster as soon as possible.

"Now we have that time to start over and create a mitigation plan and make sure that we fund it."

Jeremy Yurow is a politics reporting fellow based in Hawaii for the USA TODAY Network. You can reach him at JYurow@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter @JeremyYurow. Dinah Voyles Pulver covers climate and the environment for USA TODAY. Reach her at dpulver@gannett.com or @dinahvp.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Maui fire response hindered by lack of planning, fire department says
Mayor Brandon Johnson on Wednesday blasted a nascent effort to establish a legal tool for voters to recall Chicago mayors, calling it disingenuous and saying it is backed by extreme right wing political rivals.

The mayors comments came after a Lakeview resident earlier this month created a political committee with the Illinois State Board of Elections seeking to establish a recall mechanism for the Chicago Office of Mayor. State law does not currently provide a legal apparatus for voters across Illinois municipalities to recall mayors.

Voters get an opportunity every two years, four years, Johnson said, adding that the extreme right wing is not pleased with the diversity of Johnsons cabinet.

Its some dude from the suburbs who is mad about the diversity and the formation which we have put forward, the mayor said, before laying out several of the progressive initiatives his administration has passed in his nearly one year in office, including a paid leave policy and abolishing the citys subminimum wage for tipped workers.

While Johnson said the effort was started by a suburbanite, the man who created the committee is 58-year-old Daniel Boland of the North Sides Lakeview neighborhood. A technology salesman who said he votes straight down the middle, Boland is organizing the push not just because he disagrees with the mayors policies, but because he believes in democracy, direct democracy, he said.

If the mayor is taking this personally, he shouldnt, because he ran on transparency and accountability, he said. This is about good government. Its not about left-wing or right-wing.

Regardless of his motivations, theres little doubt that its a steep climb to get the referendum on the general election ballot in November.

Under Illinois law, Boland would need to collect 56,463 valid signatures on his petition by Aug. 5 for the recall mechanism question to appear on ballots in Chicago this fall. Boland acknowledged Wednesday that he currently doesnt yet have any signatures.

If the question makes it onto Chicagos November ballots, a majority of voters would need to approve it and then recall supporters would likely have to collect an even larger number of signatures as part of another petition drive before a formal recall vote could be placed on a subsequent ballot  likely years into Johnsons first term.

Previous mayoral recall talks have gone nowhere, including when state Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, floated the idea of recalling then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel following his handling of the police shooting death of Laquan McDonald. In Buffalo Grove, though, a trustee was successfully recalled in 2010.

Boland said hes been motivated to move forward with the recall effort because hes unhappy with Johnsons efforts dealing with youth crime and the ongoing migrant crisis.

The mayor should be accountable to the people of Chicago not just on Election Day, but every day, he said. And thats true for every mayor.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said he has a message for migrants looking for work, youre welcome here, and its garnering some support and criticism.

Lucas post on the social media platform X is catching the attention of state leaders. The Kansas City mayor sharing an article on X from Bloomberg, saying hes working with the mayors of Denver and New York City and open to bringing migrants to Kansas City to work.

The post, catching the attention of state leaders.







Its absolutely insane what theyre proposing in Kansas City, Missouri Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe said. Basically becoming a sanctuary city if you will for illegal immigrants.

Home builders lobby for new Kansas City energy policy

What were saying is if you have gone through that work, you have worked with homeland security and you are lawfully present here in the United States, then you know what, we want to welcome you and make sure theres a way you can find work in our community, Lucas said.

In the article, it states the citys budget for 2024-2025 is setting aside $1 million for short term rehousing, health care and job training programs for refugees and migrants.

If he has resources to train somebody, lets train our own citizens who are paying those tax dollars, Kehoe said.

Lucas said migrants, many of whom are asylum seekers from Latin America, will help with a labor shortage in construction and manufacturing, an issue he said both Kansas and Missouri are facing.

I think Kansas City will be a leader in making sure we have that decompression, that housing, those services that are necessary to help people get populated here in our country, Lucas said.

Jason Mendenhall with Heavy Construction Labors Local 663 said help is needed right now.

We are just not getting the volume of people that we need, he said.

Salmonella outbreak found in Trader Joes product in Missouri, Kansas

Mendenhall said its the result of different infrastructure bills passed, ongoing construction projects to keep up with popular demand and the wave of older generations in the industry retiring.

Right here in Missouri, we are looking at an unprecedented solid decade of work, he said.

He said if you need work, theres a job here for you.

This is who we are. We are a band of brothers and sisters. We dont care what you look like. We dont care where you come from, we embrace everybody, Mendenhall said. If they want to do labors work, we want our card in their pocket.

Heres a link to fill out a referral application if you are looking for work.

See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri

As far as Lucas statement goes, in the article he also said that the city will likely know after Memorial Day how many people it could take in.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said he never read the impeachment articles that sought to boot him from office  disclosing the detail the day after the Senate voted to dismiss the charges for failing to meet constitutional muster.

Actually I have not read the articles of impeachment, Mayorkas said before getting cut off during an exchange with Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah).

Well Id probably want to do that, Romney retorted, because it alleges that you did not follow the law of the United States of America, and either you or your counsel ought to read that to make sure you are following the law.

The discussion came over a claim in the articles that asylum-seekers were being released en masse into the country, which Mayorkas asserted was false. Asylum-seekers undergo individual screenings to determine whether they have a credible fear of persecution, with those who pass that initial review allowed into the country to pursue the claim.

Mayorkas also faced some airing of grievances from Republican members of the Senate Homeland Security Committee who were upset the Houses impeachment push was considered with little discussion of the articles themselves.

That dynamic was assured when Republicans rejected an offer from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to briefly debate their merit, pushing instead to discuss them further.

The Republican majority of the House has voted to impeach you for violating your oath of office. Whether you believe that is right or wrong, that has happened, said Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.).

Chuck Schumer decided to deny you the ability to defend yourself in a trial, he added.

Scott posited that Schumer was either acting out of pure political interest or he was terrified of exposing your failures to the degree that it would be extremely painful for Democrats to explain to the American public.

The 20-page articles of impeachment against Mayorkas took a novel approach, saying he violated immigration law while also accusing him of breach of public trust.

The case was condemned by Democrats who said the accusations did not meet the standards of high crimes and misdemeanors prescribed by the Constitution, but it also faced conservative criticism. Three House members voted against the measure, saying their colleagues were politicizing policy disputes.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Mayra Flores raises twice as much as U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez in bid to unseat him this November

U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores, R-Los Indios, at a GOP event in McAllen on Nov. 6, 2022. Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune

WASHINGTON  Former Republican U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores raised well over twice as much as her Democratic opponent Rep. Vicente Gonzalez in the first quarter of the year in an encouraging sign to Republicans eager to take a region historically dominated by Democrats.

Flores, who is running to represent the 34th Congressional District, raised over $1.1 million from the start of the year till the end of March, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission. Gonzalez, meanwhile, raised over $449,000.

Still, Gonzalez dominates in cash on hand, closing the quarter with over $1.4 million in the bank. Flores had over $786,000.

Republicans have identified the 34th district, which includes the Rio Grande Valley east of McAllen, as a target this year. The National Republican Congressional Committee recruited Flores to run in the district again last year.

"Mayra Flores has been crushing Vicente Gonzalez since the day she entered the race, demonstrating the enthusiasm for her campaign," said NRCC spokesperson Delanie Bomar in a statement digging into Gonzalez's votes on Democratic legislation.

Gonzalez won the seat after defeating Flores in the 2022 general election. Flores had been elected only a few months prior in a special election to replace Rep. Filemon Vela, who had resigned from Congress to go into lobbying. Gonzalez previously represented the neighboring McAllen-based 15th Congressional District, which had been redrawn to be more competitive that cycle. Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz won the 15th district that year.

Republicans are eager to take more territory in South Texas, asserting that their message for border security and against President Joe Bidens economic agenda would resonate with voters in the region. Republicans feted Flores victory in the 2022 special election and De La Cruzs win in the general that year as signs that Democratic control in the area should not be taken for granted.

Democrats retort that the 34th district is still blue country, and that Flores only won because national Democrats didnt invest in the special election that would be redone only a few months later. Gonzalez ended up beating Flores in the general by over 8 percentage points with the help of national Democratic arms that poured money to match Republican efforts.

Gonzalez kept some savings in the bank after winning in 2022, ending that cycle with over $303,000 left over.

In a statement Thursday, Gonzalez dismissed the first quarter sum as national Republicans again pour money into the district.

Were keeping up with our fundraising goals. It really doesnt matter how much money out-of-state Republicans raise for her, Gonzalez said. This November, District 34 will once again reject Mayra and her extreme views that just dont reflect South Texas values.

Tickets are on sale now for the 2024 Texas Tribune Festival, happening in downtown Austin Sept. 5-7. Get your TribFest tickets before May 1 and save big!
JOHANNESBURG, April 18 (Xinhua) -- South Africa is in the process of making radical changes to its immigration regime, which will affect foreigners acquiring citizenship and applying for certain visas, Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi said.

Motsoaledi made the remarks on Wednesday while briefing the media about the White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection. "The white paper makes radical proposals regarding citizenship," he said.

Calling for the strengthening of the powers of immigration officers, Motsoaledi said that the poor enforcement of immigration law has created an immigration crisis in South Africa.

The new policy will remove contradictions and loopholes in the paths toward citizenship, and the criteria for granting any form of citizenship will strictly adhere to the law, said Motsoaledi, noting that every year South Africa deports between 15,000 to 20,000 illegal migrants.

There are also proposed changes to the country's visa regime. "Visas such as relative's visa, corporate visa and intra-company visa will be abolished," he said.

The country is also considering withdrawing from some international treaties on migration and refugee protection, according to the minister. "The white paper seeks to ensure South Africa is allowed to determine its path and possibly withdraw from some of the international treaties that have prevented the country from being able to open a path for the government to exercise its right to make reservations on some elements of the agreements." 
A Mecklenburg County magistrate has been suspended and could be removed entirely due to misconduct charges, Channel 9 has learned.

In court documents, Chief District Court Judge Elizabeth Trosch alleges Magistrate Robin Sabio never completed Basic School for Magistrates, which is required by law to be a magistrate. She alleges Sabio only finished 21.25 of the required 27.75 credit hours.

Sabio failed to demonstrate a minimum level of competence in the performance of the duties of magistrate, the complaint reads.

Trosch alleges Sabio made persistent and recurring errors, saying she hasnt demonstrated competence.

ALSO READ: State investigates alleged misconduct by Chesterfield County sheriff

In the complaint, Trosch also alleges a time in which more than $2,000 of bond money went missing from two of Sabios cases in Cabarrus County. The complaint says the cash was nowhere to be found for more than a month, until Sabio located the cash in her laptop bag.

Trosch also said Sabio allegedly failed to show up for work from Feb. 12 until Feb. 29.

Sabio was sworn in as a magistrate in August 2023. She has since been suspended without pay, and Trosch is seeking to remove her entirely.

Defense attorneys told Channel 9s Hunter Saenz they are now scrambling to see if Sabio handled any part of their clients cases, especially with the allegations that she wasnt adequately credentialed to be a magistrate by law.

The first word that came to my mind was, wow! said longtime Charlotte defense attorney George Laughrun.

9 Investigates: The Rescued

He told Saenz hes never seen this happen in his 40 years at the courthouse.

Weve had judges removed from office for various reasons, but not because they allegedly didnt meet the qualifications -- because they didnt finish the class they were supposed to, Laughrun said.

Magistrates are a crucial part of the justice system; theyre basically the first judge who a suspect sees. They set initial bond and determine if theres probable cause.

She didnt have the authority to set any bond if she wasnt really a magistrate, he said.

Laughrun said every defense attorney should see if theres reason to challenge any of their cases that Sabio handled.

Saenz learned a hearing on the allegations was scheduled for Wednesday and is working to learn what came of it and if it took place.

Technically, magistrates have six months after theyre sworn in to complete their course work. Documents show the court immediately started to take action at that six-month mark.

(WATCH BELOW: COVID-era bar restrictions violated owners rights, NC court rules)








A screenshot shows Josh Howerton. YouTube

A Texas megachurch pastor has apologized after delivering a sexist joke during a recent sermon  but now hes addressing claims that his mea culpa was plagiarized.

Josh Howerton, a senior pastor at Lakepointe Church in Rockwall, Texas, faced criticism online after footage from a February sermon circulated on social media. In the clip, Howerton said that on a couples wedding night, a woman should stand where he tells you to stand, wear what he tells you to wear and do what he tells you to do to make her husband the happiest man in the world.

SBC Megachurch pastor Josh Howerton's advice to women about the wedding night:



"Stand where he tells you to stand, wear what he tells you to wear, and do what he tells you to do."@_jaystringer and I unpack this on Episode 230 of Bare Marriage!https://t.co/DC7wFxdD1Tpic.twitter.com/ECwRD1GTKn  Sheila Gregoire--She Deserves Better is here! (@sheilagregoire) March 28, 2024

When the backlash hit, Howerton told his congregation that he needed to address a thing, explaining that his earlier remarks were a joke.

The Book of Proverbs says this: It says that careless words can stab like a sword, but that wise words lead to healing, he said last week.

If that joke fell on you the wrong way, I need you to hear three things, he said. Number one, I love you. Now listen, Lakepointe Church, I love you more than you will ever imagine. ... Number two, Im sorry. Im sorry for something that felt like careless words. Let me actually, let me rephrase. Im sorry for careless words. Im sorry about that. And number three, thank you for your grace to me. I want to be doing this with you for decades and decades and decades.

Soon, a writer at a Christian media outlet pointed out the similarities between Howertons apology and an earlier apology from a pastor in Florida.

Joby Martin, the lead pastor at The Church of Eleven22 in Jacksonville, similarly told his church in August 2022 that he needed to address a thing, according to The Roys Report.

Martin said that hed joked about breastfeeding in a sermon the week prior, but that hed been careless in his remarks.

The Florida pastor also quoted Proverbs, saying careless words stab like a sword, and wise words lead to healing.

He ended his apology with: Church, I need you to hear this, OK? Three things. I love you. ... I love this church. I love getting to do this thing together. And again, I am sorry. And I want to say thank you. Thank you for the grace that you give me every single week to stand up here and do what I get to do. And I hope, by Gods grace, Ill get to do this for decades and decades to come.

On Wednesday, Howerton said on social media that Martin had called him to help with his sermon and give him some language.

If you ever hear anything from me in one of Pastor Jobys sermons, YUP  hes got my permission and we probably texted about it, Howerton wrote.

Pastors are CONSTANTLY helping each other with communication because we have a heart to help and just want to build the kingdom. ... The new thing is for internet cancel mobs to accuse pastors of plagiarizing sermon content.

Howerton did not immediately respond to HuffPosts request for comment.

A Southern Baptist Convention media representative told HuffPost that they werent authorized to speak for the organization, but nonetheless suggested that the SBC has little to no oversight in cases that involve its individual churches and pastors. The rep forwarded all questions to the SBC president, who didnt immediately respond.

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Men drive around stealing checks from mail in Florida and deposit $62,000, feds say

A second man accused of raiding mailboxes in northeast Florida and stealing checks and money orders found inside has been arrested, federal prosecutors announced.

Two Jacksonville men drove around the city with others to steal large volumes of mail belonging to residents and businesses, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Florida. Theyre also accused of doing the same in Fleming Island and St. Augustine.

They kept checks and money orders from the stolen mail, deposited the money in their bank accounts and then used ATMs to immediately withdraw cash, prosecutors said.

A money order worth nearly $500 and seven checks worth more than $60,000 were deposited into bank accounts by the two men as well as others acting on their behalf between October 2019 and February 2020, according to prosecutors and an indictment.

On Dec. 13, federal authorities arrested one of the two men named in the indictment, the attorneys office said in an April 17 news release. The other man was arrested March 26, court records show.

Theyre both charged with a conspiracy to commit bank fraud, eight counts of bank fraud, conspiracy to commit theft of mail, and theft of mail, according to prosecutors.

Attorneys separately appointed to represent the men didnt immediately respond to requests for comment from McClatchy News on April 18.

According to the indictment, the men are accused of altering the amounts of some money orders and checks before depositing the items into banks  allowing them to withdraw more cash.

Prosecutors didnt specify how many pieces of mail were stolen by the men and others accused of being involved in the theft. Only the two men were identified in the release and indictment.

The men could both face up to 30 years in prison for the eight counts of bank fraud and the conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and up to five years for the other charges, prosecutors said.

If convicted, they could also be ordered to pay restitution to the people and businesses they stole from, prosecutors said.

High-value items worth $1.6M stolen from UPS warehouses, feds say. Now, 3 plead guilty

Postal worker sells USPS key, then hundreds of pieces of mail are stolen, feds say

USPS employee helps steal $5 million in checks from the mail in fraud scheme, feds say

Church employee steals $360,000, uses pastors credit card to buy jewelry, feds say
A singular occurrence excited the people of Lewes, the Smyrna Times reported on Nov. 18, 1874, and caused them to leave their cottages by the sea and even their churches and go into the fishing business. On the beach near Cape Henlopen, an enormous school of fish appeared between 10 and 11 oclock in the morning. The fish were packed together so tightly that they were unable to swim, and the breakers tossed them high and dry on the sand.

Several hundred men, women and children rushed to watch in amazement as thousands of silvery fish were deposited on the beach. As news of the unusual event spread, Lewes residents brought nets, baskets, rakes and tools to gather several thousand bushels of fish that were hauled away in carts and wagons to be cleaned and salted to be used in the future. Despite these efforts, thousands more remained on the beach to spoil.

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Menhaden are abundant now, and back in time of Capt. John Smith

Atlantic menhaden harvested by a cast net in the recreational industry for bait.

The Atlantic Menhaden, also known as mossbunker, pogy and other names, is a foot-long fish once abundant in the coastal waters of the eastern United States. Native Americans used menhaden to fertilize crops.

When Capt. John Smith, of Pocahontas fame, explored the Chesapeake Bay in 1608, he noted that in several places, he encountered schools of fish so abundant that they surrounded his boat. Smith later wrote, Our barge driving amongst them, we attempted to catch them with a frying pan; but we found it a bad instrument to catch fish with. Smith also noted that they found some of these fish dead upon the shore.

European settlers used the oily menhaden to produce fuel for lamps. As improved methods to corral large schools of menhaden and extract the oil from them developed, the menhaden fishing industry expanded.

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Menhaden spawned their own industry in Lewes

Michael Morgan

In 1883, the Luce Brothers and S.S. Brown & Co. built the first menhaden processing plant at Cape Henlopen. Conveniently located near the Atlantic habitat of the menhaden, the Lewes fish plants became one of the countrys most productive locations for the menhaden industry.

In the middle of the 20th century, 300 million tons of menhaden were landed annually at the fish plants at Lewes, but a rapid decline in the menhaden population led to the closure of the fish plants on Cape Henlopen in the 1960s.

The menhaden, however, is not the only fish common to Delaware waters. Bluefish, twice the size of menhaden, also traveled in schools in mid-Atlantic waters.

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Bluefish are predators that even done on their fellow fish

Unlike the menhaden, which feed on microscopic plants in the water, bluefish are predators. Bluefish have razor-sharp teeth that allow them to prey on squid and other fish, including menhaden.

When they encounter a school of menhaden, bluefish go into a feeding frenzy known as the bluefish blitz. As they attack, the bluefish churn the water and bite whatever happens by. If the feeding frenzy happens near shore, ocean bathers who dared to enter the roiling waters have been bitten.

When the vast school of menhaden was driven on the beach in 1874, they were being pursued by a hungry school of bluefish. The Smyrna Times reported that a correspondent from the Wilmington newspaper, Every Evening, wrote about the incident, So thick were [the menhaden] that wagons were driven into the water and loaded and then driven off. Thousands upon thousands of bushels were thus captured, and those not used upon the table were immediately salted down or sold to the farmers at 15 cents a bushel for fertilizing purposes. The school remained in the bay until Monday night, when the fish that not captured by the people, or killed by the blue fish, left."

Vote for Salisbury's art prize: Four finalists in running for Salisbury Prize, $10,000, and you can pick your favorite now

Principal sources

Smyrna Times, November 18, 1874.

Delaware Public Archives Marker,  Menhaden Fishing Industry,https://archives.delaware.gov/delaware-historical-markers/menhaden-fishing-industry/

NOAA Fisheries, Bluefish, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/bluefish

Captain John Smith, The Generall Historie of Virginia, New England and The SummerIsles, Glasgow: James MacLehose and Sons, 1907, pp. 121-122.

James C. Ippolito, Quarantine Station, Tracey L. Bryant and Jonathan R. Pennock eds.The Delaware Estuary: Rediscovering a Forgotten Resource, Newark:University of Delaware Sea Grant Program, 1992, pp.77-79, 90,

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Thousands of menhaden washing ashore created singular Del. sight
OAK HILL, WV (WVNS)  A Mercer County man plead guilty to drug crimes after a traffic stop in Fayette County.

27-year-old Deron Adolph Yarrell, of Bluefield, was convicted of the felony offenses of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl, oxymorphone, cocaine, and tramadol, as well as the felony offenses of possession of fentanyl, oxymorphone, cocaine, and tramadol with the intent to deliver.

Man charged with attempted murder after shooting in Raleigh County

Yarrell, who also has pending felony drug charges in Marion County, faces ten years in prison for the conspiracy conviction, one to fifteen years in prison for the fentanyl, oxymorphone, and cocaine convictions, and one to three years in prison for the tramadol conviction.

Yarrells sentences could be doubled by the judge due to a previous drug related felony conviction.

On April 9, 2023, 33-year-old Cory Lee Callen, of Bluefield, who was Yarrells co-defendant, plead guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy, and faces up to ten years in prison.

A member of the Oak Hill Police Department performed a traffic stop on a Jeep driven by Callen on February 26, 2023. The Jeep, traveling north on U.S. Route 19, was speeding.

The passenger of the Jeep could not give the officer any identification, and gave a date of birth with the name Allen Jackson. Callen, who was not truthful about the destination, also told the officer that the passengers name was Allen Jackson.

Wyoming County man pleads guilty to receiving or transferring stolen goods and conspiracy

After investigating, the officer discovered there was not a person with the given birthdate named Allen Jackson. A portable fingerprint scanner was used to reveal the passengers identity was Deron A. Yarrell. Yarrell had outstanding arrest warrants from Tazewell, Virginia.

Yarrell and Callen were arrested, and the Jeep was impounded and searched after a search warrant was acquired. During the search of the Jeep, more than 400 pills, amounts of suspected controlled substances, and digital scales were discovered.

Lab testing revealed that four hundred pills in the Jeep contained a mixture of fentanyl and tramadol and twenty pills were pharmaceutical oxymorphone. In addition to the pills, both Yarrell and Callen were in possession of one ounce of powder cocaine and one ounce of powder fentanyl.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
Miami Marine Stadium is an example of what is so wrong about Miami  and what could be so right.

Its a marvelous creation that never would be built these days  a strikingly designed stadium and community gathering place from the 60s that sits on land but also juts out over the water, a performance facility where bands played on a floating stage and concert-goers could watch from boats or even rafts, bobbing in the basin.

Even today, coming over the Rickenbacker Causeway, you cant miss it, a city-owned Modernist piece of concrete architecture (designed by a young Cuban architect in exile named Hilario Candela) perched on the edge of Virginia Key. Visually, it serves as a sort of exclamation point against the blue-green backdrop of Biscayne Bay and commands sweeping views of the skyline. It is a landmark, unique to Miami.

It is all of that, and we have let it languish in disrepair, covered in graffiti, a shameful civic failure.

Its been boarded up since 1992, despite periodic attempts to bring it back to life by those who recognized it for the Miami gem it is. At times, it has even been targeted for demolition. Thankfully, a group of preservationists, artists and activists worked to get the grandstand and basin designated as a protected historic site by the city in 2008 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.

Now, according to the Miami Herald, theres an encouraging new report, commissioned by the city, about about the economic viability of the stadium, if it were refurbished. Theres a been change in the Miami political landscape, too; a new member of the Miami City Commission, Damian Pardo, said he is ready to champion the project one-hundred million kazillion percent. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who has long supported restoration, is bullish on the project and says hell make it a priority before he leaves office at the end of 2025, the Herald reported.

And theres a feeling, amid this news, that momentum is building. Finally, this remarkable piece of Miami could see a much-delayed and much hoped-for rebirth.

A rebirth

Could it really happen? Lets address the practicalities. The report, commissioned by the city and pushed by Suarez, concluded that the 6,500-seat stadium could draw heavyweight performers and producers once again. For anyone who believed in the project, thats not a surprise but good to hear.

An independent operator could run it, the report said. The facility could break even initially and then, in the first 10 years, potentially generate profits for the city. There are possibilities for widening the profit margins, too, as noted in the report by the national consulting firm AMS Planning and Consulting  things like parking fees or naming rights. There are prominent operators interested in running the venue, the Herald reported.

And theres something else this report grasped that boosts its credibility. In preparing the report, AMS looked at other landmark facilities across the country for comparison, such as Red Rocks Amphitheater outside Denver and about a dozen others. And then the consultants concluded what we have long known, that there is no analog for the marine stadium. Theres nothing else like it. It is special.

Restoring Miami Marine Stadium would be expensive, more than $62 million by some estimates. The money would come from city taxpayers in the form of a bond issue, which is something that would need to be thoroughly discussed. Fortunately, some repairs were recently completed: a $3 million project to repair corrosion on the grandstand pilings in the water, mostly funded by the Florida Inland Navigation District.

There are other issues to iron out, such as limiting traffic impacts, restricting noise and what types of performances would be allowed. A professional, independent operator would be key in addressing those concerns.

But this is, as Stuart Blumberg, retired founding president of the Greater Miami Hotel & The Beaches Hotel Association, told the Miami Herald Editorial Board, an iconic feature of Miami. We cannot let this become another case of demolition by neglect.

The Marine Stadium is shaped like a wedge, with a zig-zag roof, the building almost leaning forward toward the horizon. It looks as though it was designed for a city with a limitless future, just the kind of thing that todays politicians like to talk  and talk  about.

Miami has sold its history too cheaply, always seeming ready to discard the old for the new, devaluing the very things that have carried us this far. And yet there are moments, important turning points for our community, when one person or a group has stood up and refused to let that happen. The Art Deco district on Miami Beach, saved by a coalition of citizen activists, offers one such example.

Now could be one of those moments, too. The Miami Marine Stadium represents an opportunity for us to stop acting like our history means nothing. Its a chance to show confidence in the Miami we have been and the Miami we can become. That starts with saving this uniquely Miami landmark.







Click here to send the letter.
Michael Gove's proposals to scrap no-fault evictions were first announced in 2019 in the Tory manifesto - Lucy North/PA Wire

Michael Goves crackdown on landlords is backfiring as investors rush to remove tenants ahead of the ban on no-fault evictions.

So-called section 21 no-fault eviction notices have shot up to hit a five-year high, with the number of tenants being evicted by bailiffs rising by more than a third since 2022.

Analysis of official figures by The Telegraph found that 2,671 tenants were evicted by bailiffs in the three months to December, the highest number since before April 2019, when the Government first announced a review into no-fault evictions.

The ban is a Tory manifesto pledge and part of the Governments Renters Reform Bill, currently at its third stage in Parliament.

The figures follow warnings from landlord MPs attempting to water down the bill that its measures would spark an exodus of landlords from the market, resulting in a spike in evictions, a reduction in housing supply and a corresponding increase in rents.

Rents are now rising at a record 9.2pc, according to data from the Office for National Statistics published this week.

Marco Longhi, Tory MP for Dudley North said the proposed legislation was having unintended consequences.

I am a landlord and have been for two decades. I have consistently said that, whilst well-meaning, the Renters Reform Bill is bad for tenants.

At a time when there is already insufficient supply to meet demand for rented property, this legislation is reducing the number of properties available for rent because landlords are increasingly finding it not worth their while.

The consequence of lower supply and higher demand is creating very high rental prices, and rather than supporting really tough market conditions for tenants the Bill is actually making it worse for them.

There are bad landlords about, but they should be specifically targeted and existing legislation should be implemented rather than applying a one size fits all approach that will be harmful to landlords and tenants.

Currently, a landlord can evict a tenant for no reason without going through the courts as long as they give two months notice. However, under plans to abolish no-fault evictions, landlords will need to seek court permission before evicting a tenant.

Property owners fear this could add months to evictions, with courts already weighed down by delays.

Eviction figures, published by the Ministry of Justice every three months, only take into account section 21 notices that pass through the courts.

The data show that Section 21 evictions carried out by bailiffs have steadily risen since the pandemic, when they were briefly banned.

Story continues

In the three months from July 2019, when the policy was first suggested, there were 1,946 tenants evicted by bailiffs. In the last three months of 2023 there were 2,671, a rise of 38pc.

Michael Goves proposals to scrap no-fault evictions were first announced in 2019 in the Tory manifesto. But the Renters Reform Bill that would enforce a ban has been repeatedly delayed from Parliament amid pressure from landlord MPs.

In March, the Levelling Up Secretary sent a letter to Conservative MPs laying out a series of amendments to the incoming Renters Reform Bill.

It followed strong backlash from some 50 backbench MPs, many of whom are landlords, who were concerned that the bill would breed uncertainty and drive property investors out of the market.

David Jones, Conservative MP for Clwyd West, said: This was entirely foreseeable. The reason section 21 was brought in under Margaret Thatcher was to make sure we had a more fluid housing market, because previously we were finding that landlords couldnt obtain possession of their properties under any circumstances  and in some cases property was kept out of their hands for two generations.

What will be more worrying is if more private rental properties are being taken out of the market. Landlords who would otherwise have been happy to allow tenants to remain are concerned they will have difficulty obtaining vacant possession.

Any interference with the housing market that advantages one side against the other is obviously going to have a distortive effect on the market.

What we dont want is a situation where people will not be able to find a private property for tenancy purposes and I am concerned that this is whats happening now.

With a general election potentially on the horizon for the summer, there are questions as to whether the bill will make it through Parliament at all.

The threat of regulation has prompted many landlords to flee the market entirely. One in 10 are expected to sell up this year, according to a survey by the National Residential Landlords Association Trade body.

Accountancy firm PwC warned that an exodus of private landlords could be damaging for Britains economy.

Research conducted by the company found that a 10pc exodus of small and medium landlords from the private rental sector would wipe out 4.5bn and 39,000 jobs.

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 Michigan girl has allegedly suffered permanent brain damage and a slew of other medical injuries after eating a contaminated Wendy's meal from a Jenison franchise location.

Aspen Lamfers' mother, Joy Lamfers, is suing the operator, Meritage Hospitality Group, for allegedly failing to ensure proper food safety protocols were practiced at the Jenison location, leading to an E. coli outbreak in July 2022 that caused her 11-year-old daughter's health to deteriorate.

"To see the drop-off in her abilities  and the damage that's done to her brain that's irreversible, it's really, really hard on everybody," Thomas Worsfold, an attorney representing Joy Lamfers, told Fox News Digital. "It hit me so hard imagining what I would do and how I would feel if this were my child, who went from reading above her grade level to two grades below from one year to the next and going from a 70th percentile score  in math to the 9th percentile."

Aspen went to Wendy's for dinner on the evening of Aug. 1, 2022, after softball practice and ordered a "Biggie Bag" meal, which included a hamburger, chicken nuggets and french fries, according to the lawsuit.

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Days prior, a shipment of romaine lettuce contaminated with E. coli was shipped to various Wendy's locations across the Midwest, including the location in Jenison. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) traced 109 E. coli infections in six states  67 in Michigan  from the contaminated lettuce shipment.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

On July 27, 2022  days before Aspen ordered her Biggie Bag meal  Ottawa County Health Department (OCHD) officials visited the Jenison Wendy's and conducted an inspection that resulted in 17 health code violations at the franchise location, according to the lawsuit. The store closed temporarily to address the violations and clean the restaurant.

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On Aug. 4, 2022, Aspen, who did not eat any lettuce in her meal, fell ill with nausea, abdominal pain, fever and diarrhea. Her mother took her to urgent care two days later when the 11-year-old's symptoms started getting worse. Medical professionals at Holland Hospital determined Aspen was suffering from a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infection.

"We take the health and safety of our customers very seriously," the Meritage Hospitality Group told FOX 17 in a statement. The group denied "any wrongdoing or failure" of its "food safety practices in these cases" and declined to comment further due to pending litigation. Wendy's did not immediately respond to inquiries from Fox News Digital.

It was later determined the food Aspen ate from the Jenison Wendy's was tainted with E. coli.

"There's a misconception as far as the incubation period for this kind of bacteria," Worsfold explained. "It's important to know that [Aspen's infection] was a particular part of this outbreak. Hers was included  by the CDC as part of this E. coli outbreak. Even though she didn't eat the lettuce, she still got sick because of the unsanitary [conditions] and blatant disregard for basic safety practices at this restaurant."

Worsfold added that if workers at the Jenison Wendy's had followed state safety protocols, Aspen would never have suffered the E. coli infection that has allegedly led to other health conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, paralysis on the left side of her body, seizures and brain damage.

OHIO BOY, 8, PREPARES FOR BLINDNESS: ITS HEARTBREAKING, HIS MOM SAYS

On Aug. 11  the same day Aspen was transferred to DeVos Children's Hospital as her infection continued to worsen  the Jenison Wendy's temporarily closed for a second time after OCHD officials returned and cited more health code violations at the location.

The violations cited between July 27 and Aug. 11 included moldy and spoiled food, dirty cooking tools and utensils, diluted sanitizer, dirty non-contact food surfaces, undated produce and generally dirty premises.

Officials also noted an employee who touched their face and dirty surfaces in the establishment without washing their hands before working, employees who did not change gloves, an employee who went straight to sanitizing dishes before rinsing them, blood from ground beef dripped across a clean food surface, an un-stocked hand-washing station near the drive-thru window and multiple other violations.

OHIO MOTHER HOPES FOR A CURE TO SAVE HER SON, 8, FROM RARE, FATAL DISEASE: GUT-WRENCHING

"Many  violations cited along with repeated violations from the previous routine inspection were observed at the time of the inspection," health officials wrote after the Aug. 11 inspection. "The large number of violations indicate that food safety is at risk, as they are cited throughout the facility and relate to most aspects of food preparation and service."

Aspen's infection eventually became critical, causing her to become nonverbal and experience paralysis on the left side of her body, according to the lawsuit.

READ THE COMPLAINT:

But before she lost verbal abilities, Apsen allegedly cried, "Why am I so sick? Why? And it's so bad!"

To this day, Aspen has to take medication for her hypertension and seizures. She experiences blood sugar spikes due to her diabetes and difficulties learning at the level she once did in school. Aspen's mother works in a lab in a hospital, and her father is an engineer, Worsfold noted.

"The loss of potential in her life that was caused by this infection, to me, is the most significant component of the non-economic side of damages that we are including," the attorney said.

Aspen's family is seeking $20 million in damages for the lasting impacts of the E. coli infection that has altered the 13-year-old's life. She faces "tremendous health complications" in her future, the lawsuit states.





Original article source: Michigan girl's contaminated Wendy's meal left her with permanent brain damage, lawsuit claims
The Michigan GOPs new chair works with an Islamophobic think tank

A quick update on the beleaguered Michigan Republican Party.

Ive taken particular interest in the state party since last month, when its official X account tweeted a racist attack on Joy Reid and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott.

Another shining example of "colored communism" in America. https://t.co/O9KXzy1ubn  Michigan GOP (@MIGOP) March 29, 2024

And, look, Im hardly surprised  albeit still disgusted  when I hear Republicans spouting racist rhetoric these days. But even by their standards, this was pretty overt.

What must chapter meetings sound like? I thought.

And suddenly, thanks to a new Media Matters report, its all starting to make a bit more sense. The outlet says the Michigan GOPs new chair  Pete Hoekstra, who was ambassador to the Netherlands under President Donald Trump  has a well-documented history of anti-Muslim associations.

According to Media Matters Eric Hananoki:

As Hananoki notes, Gatestone has published pieces such as Germanys Multicultural Suicide and argued that the white death of Europe is a mathematical reality. (Gatestone disputes being characterized as anti-Muslim and contends that it actually is a pro-Muslim organization that seeks to educate the public about Shariah, or Islamic law.)

Hananokis report included receipts, too  in particular, this page listing Hoekstra as one of the think tanks distinguished senior fellows; and this page, which shows you the dozens of articles Hoekstra has written for Gatestone. The man clearly isnt trying to hide his association with the organization.

Wilders, the Dutch politician, is associated with a mainstreaming of white nationalism in the Netherlands and has drawn interest from white nationalists in other countries, including the U.S. He has written pieces for Gatestone such as Stop Denying the Obvious: Islam is a Problem.

I want to be clear: I dont know whether Hoekstra approved the racist tweet aimed at Joy and the Baltimore mayor. But that doesnt matter as much as the fact that Michigans GOP chair has encouraged, through his own affiliations and endorsements, the culture of unabashed racial and religious bigotry thats coursing through his party.

Hoekstras links to Islamophobia and white nationalist politics are especially noteworthy given his state: Michigan has one of the largest concentration of Muslim Americans in the country.

In recent months, Ive read my share of news reports about Muslim Michiganders who are angered by the Biden administrations response to the Israel-Hamas war. Some have even suggested that theres little difference between Democrats and Republicans in their approach to Muslim communities.

Although I fundamentally understand the anger driving this claim about the two parties, Pete Hoekstra is evidence to the contrary.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Microsoft says Russian disinformation campaign targeting US election has begun

A Russian online disinformation campaign targeting the upcoming U.S. election has begun, Microsoft said in a report released on April 17.

U.S. officials have said that Russia engaged in a widespread campaign of digital disinformation and hacking in the past two presidential elections, with particular effort dedicated to the 2016 election.

The governments of Belgium and Czechia also warned earlier in April that Russia was operating a disinformation and interference network targeting the upcoming EU parliamentary election.

According to the Microsoft report, Russia's campaign to sow disinformation in the U.S. has begun in earnest over the past month and a half but has yet to reach the height of previous efforts.

The focus of the new campaign is to spread "divisive content," including criticism of U.S. support for Ukraine, the Microsoft report said.

One of the more common methods is for Russia to spread fake "whistleblower" narratives, which are then picked up by U.S. media outlets.

"Ultimately, after the narrative has circulated online for a series of days or weeks, U.S. audiences repeat and repost this disinformation, likely unaware of its original source," Microsoft said.

Despite concerns that Russia would increase its usage of AI-based disinformation campaigns, Microsoft said that more traditional influence measures remained the predominant methods employed.

"The simplest manipulations, not the most complex employment of AI, will likely be the pieces of content that have the most impact," Microsoft said.

Incumbent U.S. President Joe Biden will face the presumptive nominee for the Republican Party, former President Donald Trump, in an election in November.

The views of the two presumptive nominees on Ukraine differ considerably, and the outcome of the election is likely to significantly influence U.S. support for Ukraine.

Read also: Media: US warns 100 countries of Russian election interference threat

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, speaks at a national video conference on flood control and drought relief work in Beijing, capital of China, April 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

BEIJING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing has stressed the need to ensure solid flood control and drought relief work to protect the people's lives and property.

Zhang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a national video conference on flood control and drought relief work held in Beijing on Thursday.

The flood control and drought relief situation this year is complicated and severe, Zhang told the conference, urging coordinated efforts to minimize disaster-induced damage and losses.

He said efforts must be made to consolidate disaster prevention work, reduce disaster-induced damage further, and improve disaster relief provision capabilities. The flood control and drought relief command system should also be strengthened to guard against major flooding and drought, he added. 
You can either die as speaker and worry about them taking you out, or live every day as your last.

As Speaker Mike Johnson ponders what to do this week, I hope he heeds that advice that came from Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) back in February.

In case you have missed it, the next week or so will determine whether Johnson is going to remain the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and (just as important) whether that title is even worth a warm bucket of spit in the first place.

Trumps Hardest Fight May Be Staying Awake in Court

There are three possible outcomes for Johnson.

He could appease the bulliesthe depraved Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and the reprehensible Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY)and remain the SINO (Speaker in Name Only).

Or he could stand up to them and be ousted from his position.

Johnsons last option is his best: He could stare down those same radicals and fight for his right to lead.

The final scenario is the only way the job would be worth having. To become a real House Republican leader, Johnson has to dare these bastards to do their worst and let the chips fall where they may.

As former Speaker Kevin McCarthy advised back in March, ...the one [piece of] advice I would give to the Conference and to the Speaker is do not be fearful of a motion to vacate. He continued: Focus on the country, focus on the job youre supposed to do, and actually do it fearlessly. Just move forward.

If Johnson wins, he might actually get to do some work he can be proud of. What is more, he might gain some juice.

As Rep. McHenrywho served as McCarthys temporary replacement for a few weeks until Johnson was voted Speaker in October 2023noted, If you lead and get big things done, your reputation enhances. Your ability to get the next deal done is enhanced.

Either way, its better than living with a sword of Damocles hanging over your head. Cowards die many times before their deaths, as Shakespeares Julius Caesar noted.

Whatever strategy Johnson pursues, he better do it quickly. Things are coming to a head, and Johnson has a narrow window of opportunity to support Americas allies (including Ukraine, which desperately needs funding to fight back against Russian aggression) and establish himself as a bona fide leader, instead of a glorified cat herder.

Further complicating matters, Johnsons survival might hinge on relying on Democrats to save his bacon. He should accept their help without fear of breaking some sacred taboo. At the same time, he should be wary of becoming compromised by the same people who are helping him.

This brings us to the maxim that informs my advice: In a negotiation, the person willing to walk away usually wins, and the person who cant afford to walk away almost always loses.

If Johnson doesnt want to take my word for it, perhaps he might follow the lead of a more notable Republican: Ronald Reagan.

Biden Has Been Channeling Ronald Reagan All Week

When a young Reagan visited California and took a movie screen test, he was told to stick around town until a film executive had time to review it. Instead, Reagan let it be known he was heading back home to Iowa.

It was only on the train that suddenly the horrified feeling came over me that maybe I had blown the whole thing, Reagan recalled in his autobiography, Wheres the Rest of Me? Actually, through ignorance I had done the smartest thing it was possible to do. Hollywood just loves people who dont need Hollywood.

One could say the same thing about Washington. By refusing to dance to someone elses tune, Reagan appeared even more desirable.

As president, Reagan played an even higher-stakes version of this game when he walked away from the negotiating table at Reykjavik after Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev insisted that the United States scrap the Strategic Defense Initiative. Rather than going for the quick win, Reagan stuck to his guns. Some people believe that this move ultimately led to the end of the Soviet Union.

Michael Ian Black: I Could Be a Fair Trump Juror, Even Though I Despise Him

If you love something, set it free, advises a commonly cited proverb. If it comes back, its yours. If not, it was never meant to be. To actually become the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson has to be willing to lose the speakership.

Time will tell if he has the moxie to do that. Then again, if Johnson doesnt have the guts to confront the hostage-takers, then he doesnt deserve to be the speaker anyway.

If hes tough and smart, Johnsons approach to his would-be ousters will boil down to telling them this: Either pull the trigger or get the hell out of the way!

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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A mile of the Spanish Moss Trail to be off limits for 2 months. Heres where and why

For two months, a near-mile stretch of the Spanish Moss Trail will close to allow for the construction of a new fishing pier and fix-ups to an existing pedestrian bridge.

A Beaufort County recreational treasure, the 10-mile trail between Beaufort and Port Royal, takes walkers, runners and bikers through paths that wind along water and marshes. Annually, more than 100,000 residents and visitors use the Spanish Moss Trail.

Beginning May 1, trail enthusiasts will have to dodge a 0.8-mile section of the pathway. The entire stretch between Hermitage Road and Cottage Farm Drive will close as OQuinn Marine Construction builds a new pier. People using the trail will need to reroute through nearby neighborhoods or go back the way they came.

This Spanish Moss Trail between the street crossings at Hermitage Road and Cottage Farm will be closed at times during the next four months while a pedestrian bridge is repaired.

The planned piers location has sweeping views of Battery Creek and is a short distance to the Technical College of the Lowcountry. The existing pedestrian bridge will also be repaired.

Beaufort Countys Capital Projects Department expects the section of the trail to reopen by June 30. However, the completion date is weather and supply dependent.

Between May 1 and June 30, 2024, the Spanish Moss Trail section between the street crossings at Hermitage Road and Cottage Farm Drive will be closed to make way for a new pier and repairs of an existing bridge.

The county urges Spanish Moss Trail enthusiasts to avoid the section, because construction traffic and staging of materials will be in the way. This ensures pedestrian and contractor safety, the county said in a Thursday news release.

Before heading out on the trail, check the Spanish Moss Trail website for additional closures. For questions or additional information, contact Beaufort County Capital Improvements Projects at 843-255-2707.
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  Tonight, the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo honors military members with Military Appreciation Night, shining a spotlight on their service and sacrifice. Among those dedicated to supporting veterans is Zach Peterson, a native of San Angelo and a crucial figure at the Texas Veterans Commision. With unwavering commitment, Peterson has assisted numerous veterans across 13 counties, bridging the gap between them and potential employers as a Rural Veterans Career Adviser.

Having served in the Army infantry for four years, including combat tours in Afghanistan and Africa with the Texas National Guard, Peterson intimately understands the challenges veterans face upon returning home. Reflecting on his own journey, Peterson shared, As far as when I got out, it was really hard to find where to fit in, you lose your community and people so coming back to the veterans community and actually doing this work is really hard to express but at the end of the day is rewarding and i have that sense of brotherhood and sisterhood back.

In his role at the Concho Valley Workforce, Peterson serves as a dedicated case manager, offering invaluable support to veterans navigating the job market. From refining resumes to honing interview skills, Peterson works tirelessly to ensure veterans have the tools and resources they need to thrive in civilian life. His dedication embodies the spirit of service and camaraderie that defines the veteran community, enriching the lives of those he assists and strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com.
Ukraine destroyed several units of military equipment in an attack on a Russian military airfield in Dzhankoi in occupied Crimea on April 17, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) reported.

Ukraine's military intelligence on April 18 said that Ukrainian forces had destroyed four S-400 launchers, three radar stations, a command post for air defense operations, and air space surveillance equipment Fundament-M in the attack.

The total number of Russian military equipment, aircraft, and military personnel losses is still being determined, Ukraine's military intelligence said in its statement.

Explosions were reported near the airfield in the early hours of April 17, with local Telegram channels publishing footage of a large-scale fire. Later the same day, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian forces had carried out the attack.

The local partisan group Atesh also claimed that the attack had hit Russian military equipment, as well as the command post.

In recent months, Ukraine has intensified its attacks on occupied Crimea, targeting Russian military assets in and around the Black Sea.

Ukrainian forces on April 15 carried out a missile attack on a command post in Crimea where top Russian offices were deployed, a military intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent.

Read also: Russian Defense Ministry says Mi-24 helicopter crashes off Crimea

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Minister: Denmark first to buy military aid for Ukraine from Ukrainian manufacturer

Denmark has become the first country to buy weapons and equipment for Ukraine's Armed Forces from a domestic manufacturer as part of a military aid package, Strategic Industries Minister Oleksandr Kamyshin announced on April 18.

The Danish Defense Ministry announced on April 16 a new 2.2 billion kroner ($313 million) military aid package for Ukraine. The package includes 200 million Danish kroner ($28.5 million) earmarked for purchases from Ukraine's defense industry.

"This is the first and so far unprecedented decision to purchase military products from Ukrainian manufacturers at the expense of another country," the Strategic Industries Ministry said in a statement.

"This decision is extremely important for both the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Ukrainian economy. The production capability of our defense industry far exceeds the purchasing power of the state budget."

According to Kamyshin, Ukraine's defense industry has a capacity worth around $20 billion, but the state only has a budget of $6 billion to purchase weapons and equipment.

Ukraine aims for foreign partners to invest around $10 billion into producing Ukrainian weapons in 2024 as part of a new campaign called Zbroyari: Manufacturing Freedom, Kamyshin said.

Denmark is the first country to donate to the campaign, opening "the way for other countries," Kamyshin said.

Read also: UK government, BAE Systems sign agreements to repair equipment in Ukraine

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Troy Smiley's family has farmed in Ridgetop, just north of Nashville, since 1805. It has gotten harder to be a small farmer in recent decades, said Smiley, 56. The independent warehouses, which once bought the vegetables he couldn't sell at the farmers market, have largely vanished as grocery stores have consolidated.

Last year, however, was a good one for Smiley's family farm. The federal Local Food Purchase Assistance program brought more than $8 million to Tennessee so that food banks could buy local produce.

Troy Smiley, whose family has been farming near Nashville since 1805, was able to sell his produce to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee thanks to a federal program that gave states money to buy local food.

Every Friday, Smiley would call Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. The Nasvhille food bank told Smiley what they needed, and the farmer would deliver the fresh food on Tuesday.

"It was the greatest thing ever invented," Smiley said. "They paid the market price. You actually felt like you were productive."

The LFPA was funded with $400 million from the 2021 American Rescue Plan, the federal COVID-19 pandemic assistance act. Smiley always knew the program was temporary.

But in September 2022, a follow-up program, LFPA Plus, with an additional $460 in funding was announced.

Tennessee could have received an additional $7.2 million from the $464 million LFPA Plus program. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture, however, did not see the emails from the U.S. Department of Agriculture about the new program until after the deadline passed.

In response, this week the General Assembly's finance committees earmarked $7.2 million of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture's annual $87 million budget for local food purchases to make up for the lost federal funds. The full House and Senate are expected to finalize the budget by Thursday.

"This move ensures those relying on the program receive the funds needed to serve Tennesseans," Senate Republican Caucus spokesperson Molly Gormley said.

The state is not providing the department with additional money, but rather requiring the agency to use $7.2 million of its requested budget to continue the local food purchase program. The news of the agency's failure to apply for LFPA Plus funds was first reported by the Chattanooga news site Food as a Verb.

"We are engaged with lawmakers for this earmark, and because of that, it is too early to speculate if it may affect other programs," Department of Agriculture spokesperson Samantha Jean said.

A $7 million mistake

In a March meeting of the Senate Finance Committee, Chair Bo Watson, R-Hixson, grilled state agriculture officials over whether there was a logical, rational decision for not applying for those federal grants.

Tennessee Republicans in recent months have increasingly sought to buck federal funding if the state can make up the funds, but Watson has emerged as a more cautious voice amid decreasing state revenues.

Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher told lawmakers he was not aware the department had missed the deadline until nearly a year after the program was announced. The department asked the USDA to consider Tennessee's application to the LFPA Plus after the May 2023 deadline for the program, but the federal agency denied that request.

Charlie Hatcher is the commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.

Nobody was more upset than I was about it, to leave money on the table, Hatcher said. Looking into the matter, it looked like USDA had sent some generic emails to a few of the people in our grant section, but never was there a direct addressed email to me or anybody else to ask if we wanted to go through with a second round. Regardless, we missed it, and Im going to own that part of it.

The USDA said it emailed the state department six notifications and reminders about the LFPA Plus program to "all government points of contact indicated on their initial LFPA proposals." The agency also discussed the new program during its monthly "office hours," which were open to any agency that received a LFPA grant.

Of the 82 states, territories and tribes that received LFPA funds, 73 of them submitted and were granted money from the follow-up LFPA Plus program. An additional 77 LFPA Plus applications were submitted and approved.

"Besides Tennessee, no other states reported not receiving notification of the new LFPA Plus funding," a USDA spokesperson said.

State money replaces lost federal dollars

In a tense exchange at the March committee meeting, Watson pointed out that the departments 2025 budget request did not include a potential funding plan to make up for the lost grant dollars. Watson appeared frustrated the department expected the legislature to come up with a plan for the funding.

I guess Im a little bit surprised theres an oversight of $7.2-$8.2 million and no attempt by the department to fund that gap, Watson said.

Department officials told the committee they only learned they had failed to opt in for the potential grant money after they submitted their 2025 budget request.

Hatcher told Watson that agency's leadership had met with local food banks since the grant snafu, and officials assured lawmakers the departments grant procedures have been revamped under a centralized grant process.

I appreciate the process improvement. It doesnt necessarily fix the problem that we have before us, Watson said.

The agriculture spokesperson also said the agency carried out an internal review to avoid missing similar opportunities in the future.

The department partnered with five regional food banks in Tennessee to distribute the initial $8.2 million in federal funds. More than half the money has been spent. The food banks have until Aug. 15 to spend the rest of the original LPFA grant. At that point, any unused funds would be returned to the USDA.

Todd A. Price is a regional reporter in the South for the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached taprice@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TN Department of Agriculture failed to request $7M for food banks
Lying by a riverbed, falling in and out of consciousness after losing a life-threatening amount of blood, a missing hiker in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park had what he called an out of body experience.

Jacob Riggs, 35, of Knoxville, went for a hike to his usual camping spot on top of a mountain ridge in the Tremont, Tennessee, area of the national park on Monday, April 8. He wasnt seen again until April 10. According to park rangers, after a search and rescue operation was initiated, a park visitor spotted him in the Tremont area around 8 a.m. April 10 in recognizable need of medical care.

Riggs, a self-described avid hiker who recently completed 72 miles of the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smokies, told the Citizen Times April 17 that he fell violently ill once he reached his camping site. As an emergency medical technician for 10 years, Riggs said he gave himself an IV with a bag of saline to replace some lost fluids, but passed out with an open IV line in his arm.

Jacob Riggs recently completed 72 miles of the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. On April 8, he went missing in the Great Smokies for two days after suffering a medical emergency.

Im just bleeding out unconscious for at least eight hours apparently because when I woke up it was dark, Riggs said, adding that he administered the IV around lunchtime.

Riggs said he knew there was a creek about a 20-minute walk down the mountain. But after he woke up, the trek took him the entire second day of his time in the woods because hed walk maybe two steps then collapse since I lost so much blood. Yet, he said he was operating on instinct and his only focus was to get to water.

Previous reporting: Park visitor finds missing man in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NPS says

I finally crawled (to the water), dunked my head in there and just spent the next night passing out, sucking stream water, Riggs said.

As he was laying there that night, Riggs described an experience similar to stories hes been told from people hes brought back from cardiac arrest while working in firefighting and EMS, he said.

I was very aware of what was going on and all of a sudden I just got this overwhelming peacefulness rush over me, Riggs said. I have a very vivid memory of seeing myself from above, just lying there. But it was like there was nothing to worry about, I was like, hes got nothing to worry about.

Jacob Riggs, a self-described avid hiker, went missing in the Great Smokies April 8 and was found two days later. He said he had an "out of body experience" after he lost blood from falling unconscious with an open, self-administered IV line in his arm.

After something snapped him back to consciousness, Riggs said he drank some water, underwent the final push back to the parking lot, where the park visitor found him and brought him to an Incident Command Post near the Townsend Wye, just under a mile after the Townsend entrance to the park.

Over the next few days, Riggs said he was given multiple blood transfusions as well as IVs to replenish his fluids in the intensive care unit at Blount Memorial Hospital.

Hes feeling better now, he said, but offered some advice to fellow hikers: Always carry your phone, even though the park has bad service, it does have an SOS signal. I made the mistake of not carrying my phone with me.

Always stay on the trail, dont deviate from the trail, because thats exactly what I did and thats how you find yourself in trouble.

Trail closure: Great Smoky Mountains National Park to close a popular trail on weekdays for over 6 months

Update on investigation and others missing in Great Smokies

The park averages about 100 search and rescues each year, park spokesperson Emily Davis said. A total of 10 agencies helped search for Riggs, but no additional information is available as the case is still under investigation, she said.

Davis confirmed the park is still conducting a limited, but continuous search for Gordon Kaye, 69, of Tampa, Florida, who went missing in the park last year. Kaye was last seen April 23, 2023, near a backcountry campsite in the Deep Creek area of the park near Bryson City in Swain County.

Park rangers searched for another missing person last year, who was found dead April 16, 2023, near Low Gap Trail in the Cosby, Tennessee, three days after the search began. Authorities have yet to release their identity.

The Cocke County Medical Examiners Office determined the individuals identity and cause of death, Davis said April 17. Foul play and environmental factors were not suspected.

Smoky Mountain hikers: Most go missing by going off trail. New analysis shows how they survived

Tips for staying safe while hiking

Many outdoor emergencies are a result of people being ill-prepared for their hike, or from hikers ignoring basic park guidelines, Davis said.

We are fortunate at GSMNP to have a staff of highly skilled Preventative Search and Rescue rangers, funded by Park it Forward, who go out on the trails, educating hikers about park safety and responding to incidents and accidents.

Among the safety advice rangers offer is to always let someone know where you're hiking and when you plan to return and to carry extra food, water and a first aid kit. See more in the Hiking safety tips box and visit www.nps.grsm for more on hiking in the Great Smokies.

Hiking safety tips

Don't hike alone. You are safest with a group.

Leave your hiking plans with someone at home and check in frequently. Establish a time you will check in upon completion of your trip, as well as a procedure to follow if you fail to check in.

Be wary of strangers. Be friendly, but cautious. Don't tell strangers about your plans. Avoid people who act suspiciously, seem hostile, or are intoxicated.

Bring a map and compass and know how to use them.

Carry a cell phone.

Bring extra food and water.

Bring extra layers of synthetic clothing. Avoid cotton, which doesnt dry quickly and can lead to hypothermia when its wet. Bring rain gear.

Source: National Park Service and previous Citizen Times reporting

Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at rober@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Missing Knoxville man in Smoky Mountains said he was close to death
Missing woman found dead near New York trail, cops say. She was a human rainbow

The search for a 40-year-old missing woman ended after her body was found off a New York trail more than a month after she disappeared in Massachusetts, troopers said.

Fae Morgana Barbones body was discovered April 15 off the Taconic Crest Trail in Petersburgh, the New York State Police told McClatchy News.

Barbone was last seen March 7 in Williamstown, Massachusetts, the Massachusetts State Police said.

Her vehicle was found nearly two weeks later parked at the end of a road in a rural hiking area in Massachusetts, near the New York border, the Williamstown Police Department said.

Rescuers searched for Barbone in the area using a drone and police dogs but couldnt find her, police said.

A forest ranger then found her remains in New York, troopers said.

Barbone was described by a loved one as being like a human rainbow.

I am so blessed that our souls met and now that hers is free all of her beautiful colors can shine on us forever and her light can never be dimmed, Sarah Devine wrote on Facebook.

Fae was loved by many, and will be greatly missed, Athena Lawson-Barbone shared on Facebook.

Barbones cause of death has yet to be determined. The Abington Police Department in Massachusetts will take over the investigation, the New York State Police said.

Missing fishermans body found days later in North Carolina creek. Unbearable

Body found in estuary identified as woman killed by son-in-law, California cops say

Missing 12-year-old found dead after 4 years, NY cops say. Homicide investigation begins
Sen. Andrew Koenig, R-Manchester, answers questions about his bill that would expand MOScholars during a press conference early in the 2024 legislative session (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).

A massive education bill that expands a private school scholarship program and opens up Boone County to charter schools squeaked out of the Missouri House and to the governors desk on Thursday, winning the bare minimum number of votes needed for passage.

The 153-page bill, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Andrew Koenig of Manchester, is estimated to cost taxpayers $468 million when fully implemented. It passed 82-69 and heads to Gov. Mike Parson. Three Democrats joined with 79 Republicans in support of the bill, with 45 Democrats and 24 Republicans voting against.

State Rep. Phil Christofanelli, a St. Peters Republican, carried the Senate bill and sponsored the legislation in 2021 that created the tax-credit scholarships, called MOScholars.

He said during Thursdays debate that the bill combines his interest in the MOScholars program with investment in rural schools.

We put together a package that serves all the diverse interests in education, Christofanelli said.

The original bill was 12 pages, but negotiations in the Senate led to the inclusion of over a hundred pages of education legislation.

Were all going to take a step together, Christofanelli said Thursday. This is the most substantive investment in public education that this state has ever seen.

Lawmakers filed 53 amendments prior to the vote, but none were allowed by GOP leadership to offer them for consideration.

Rep. Paula Brown, a Democrat from Hazelwood, said during debate that the Senate was controlling the process.

This is an esteemed chamber, and were acting like we dont matter, she said.

Christofanelli said the Senate had listened to concerns, and amendments were made to another bill Wednesday to smooth over issues with the larger package.

My concern was that if I did those changes on this bill and sent it back into the Senate, it would get caught in the abyss and we would never have a law at the end, he said.

He gathered input from key lawmakers, and delivered suggestions to the Senate. Then, Wednesday evening, the Senate introduced and passed a new version of Christofanellis bill on full-time virtual schools.

The House passed this second bill, with the fixes, after approving the larger education package.

Although the bill has measures to boost teacher salaries and school-district funding, Democrats had concerns. Many focused on the estimated cost.

This is a bill that has some great, shiny things that we like in exchange for some really bad (things), said House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, a Springfield Democrat. But as weve talked about, the real problem with this bill is the amount of money we have.

Democrats from Boone County also spoke against the addition of charter schools in their community.

State Rep. David Tyson Smith, a Democrat from Columbia, called the bill poison to Boone County.

Our schools are accredited. We dont need this bill, he said. We are hanging on by a razors edge financially already. You bring charter schools into Boone County, which is what this bill specifically does, and it hurts us.

As the final votes rolled in and the bills passage was assured, Koenig sat on the House dais, smiling as the bill he has called his top legislative priority made it across the finish line.

The post Missouri House narrowly sends private-school tax credit, charter expansion to governors desk appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Dryers are displayed at the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 15, 2024. The 135th session of the Canton Fair opened Monday in Guangzhou. The smart life product zone of the fair attracted nearly 200 exhibitors and numerous visitors. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

People learn about TV products of Panda at the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 17, 2024. The 135th session of the Canton Fair opened Monday in Guangzhou. The smart life product zone of the fair attracted nearly 200 exhibitors and numerous visitors. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

This photo taken on April 17, 2024 shows a booth of Skyworth at the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. The 135th session of the Canton Fair opened Monday in Guangzhou. The smart life product zone of the fair attracted nearly 200 exhibitors and numerous visitors. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

A buyer learns about mini dryers at the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 16, 2024. The 135th session of the Canton Fair opened Monday in Guangzhou. The smart life product zone of the fair attracted nearly 200 exhibitors and numerous visitors. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin)

People visit the smart life product zone of the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 15, 2024. The 135th session of the Canton Fair opened Monday in Guangzhou. The smart life product zone of the fair attracted nearly 200 exhibitors and numerous visitors. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)

A staff member of iFLYTEK displays a smart screen at the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 17, 2024. The 135th session of the Canton Fair opened Monday in Guangzhou. The smart life product zone of the fair attracted nearly 200 exhibitors and numerous visitors. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

A foreign buyer learns about a bionic leg at the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 17, 2024. The 135th session of the Canton Fair opened Monday in Guangzhou. The smart life product zone of the fair attracted nearly 200 exhibitors and numerous visitors. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

An exhibitor wearing a bionic arm plays electronic keyboard at the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 17, 2024. The 135th session of the Canton Fair opened Monday in Guangzhou. The smart life product zone of the fair attracted nearly 200 exhibitors and numerous visitors. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

Visitors view Whirlpool washing machines at the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 17, 2024. The 135th session of the Canton Fair opened Monday in Guangzhou. The smart life product zone of the fair attracted nearly 200 exhibitors and numerous visitors. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

A buyer learns about a smart refrigerator of Hisense at the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 16, 2024. The 135th session of the Canton Fair opened Monday in Guangzhou. The smart life product zone of the fair attracted nearly 200 exhibitors and numerous visitors. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin)

Visitors view a projection product at the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 17, 2024. The 135th session of the Canton Fair opened Monday in Guangzhou. The smart life product zone of the fair attracted nearly 200 exhibitors and numerous visitors. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

Buyers learn about Haier OLED TVs at the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 16, 2024. The 135th session of the Canton Fair opened Monday in Guangzhou. The smart life product zone of the fair attracted nearly 200 exhibitors and numerous visitors. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin)

ULEDX TVs are displayed at the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 16, 2024. The 135th session of the Canton Fair opened Monday in Guangzhou. The smart life product zone of the fair attracted nearly 200 exhibitors and numerous visitors. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin)

Buyers from Bangladesh learn about household electrical appliances at the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 15, 2024. The 135th session of the Canton Fair opened Monday in Guangzhou. The smart life product zone of the fair attracted nearly 200 exhibitors and numerous visitors. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)

Buyers from Australia learn about electric fans at the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 15, 2024. The 135th session of the Canton Fair opened Monday in Guangzhou. The smart life product zone of the fair attracted nearly 200 exhibitors and numerous visitors. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)

A visitor learns about smart cat litter box at the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 17, 2024. The 135th session of the Canton Fair opened Monday in Guangzhou. The smart life product zone of the fair attracted nearly 200 exhibitors and numerous visitors. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

A buyer tries a virtual reality headset at the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 17, 2024. The 135th session of the Canton Fair opened Monday in Guangzhou. The smart life product zone of the fair attracted nearly 200 exhibitors and numerous visitors. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)
The Missouri Senate voted Wednesday night to ensure homeschool families are allowed to own firearms.

On a 27-4 vote, lawmakers approved legislation that originally was focused on cleaning up issues with Missouris virtual school program.

Sen. Andrew Koenig, R-Manchester, answers questions about his bill that would expand MOScholars during a committee meeting Wednesday Jan. 10, 2024.

But over the course of a five-hour recess in the Senate Wednesday, Republicans turned that legislation into a catch-all measure aimed at ensuring the House approves an even larger education bill approved by the Senate last month.

The bill approved Wednesday night was crafted to ease House concerns about a 153-page bill that passed the Senate to expand Missouris private school tax credit program and allowed charter schools in Boone County, along with other provisions aimed at bolstering public schools.

That bills sponsor, Republican state Sen. Andrew Koenig of Manchester, told The Independent he would prefer the House pass the Senates education bill without changes and send it to the governors desk. Any changes in the House would bring it back to the Senate for debate, putting its changes at risk.

After the Senate passed Koenigs legislation last month, criticism began popping up on social media and in the Capitol about a myriad of issues  primarily that homeschooling families may face additional government oversight.

Despite assurances from gun-rights groups, one concern focused on the idea that homeschoolers inclusion in the private school scholarship program would result in home educators being subject to laws banning guns in schools.

The Missouri Firearms Coalition made a statement that it felt that gun-ownership was not threatened in the bill. And an attorney for Home School Legal Defense Association Scott Woodruff was adamant that he was not concerned about the provision.

The idea (the bill). would make the criminal penalties of (state firearm code) apply to home schoolers with guns in their home is supported, at best, only by a long, thin string of assumptions and implications, he wrote.

But House members were flooded with emails and social media messages expressing concerns, putting the bills chances of passing without being altered at risk.

More: Missouri House committee hears omnibus Senate education bill, public raises concerns

Koenig said Wednesday that the ability to own a gun was not threatened by his bill.

I dont know that it was a problem, but this definitely makes it a lot stronger, he said. Anytime we can clarify something in statute, then we make sure that interpretation is stronger.

The bill applies the existing homeschool statute to particular sections of state law  avoiding applying the definition of a home school to the state code that prohibits firearms on school grounds.

The legislation approved Wednesday night expanded beyond virtual schools to include changes such as connecting funding for K-12 tax-credit scholarships to state aid for public schools transportation. This is current state law, but Koenigs bill separated the two.

The bill also exempts Warsaw School District from taking a vote to reauthorize the districts current four-day school week. If Koenigs bill passes, school districts that have switched to a four-day week in charter counties or cities with at least 30,000 residents will have to hold a vote to continue with an abbreviated week.

More: Proposal from Missouri lawmaker offers 'carrots' for districts to remain on 5-day week

Similar provisions are included in amendments to Koenigs bill filed by House members. Fifty-three amendments have already been filed on Koenigs bill in the House.

House Majority Leader Jon Patterson, a Lees Summit Republican, told reporters on Monday that he would prefer to pass the Senates version of Koenigs bill but there was not a guarantee to do so.

This story was first published at www.missouriindependent.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri Senate passes bill ensuring homeschool families can own guns
(Provided by the Montana Highway Patrol via Facebook.)

RONAN  When Zach Miller talks about the hardest part of being a Montana Highway Patrol trooper, he doesnt point to the gruesome fatalities that still give him nightmares or a baby who died even after he performed CPR.

Miller, 34, remembers the times he had to share news of a death with family.

In 2020, a motorcyclist hit a deer and cracked his skull on the pavement. When Miller relayed news of the death to the mans grandmother, he said she told him her grandson had promised hed always wear his helmet.

You see the pain on their face, Miller said.

Zach Miller of Ronan was terminated from the Montana Highway Patrol after he sought help for PTSD and depression, records show. (Courtesy of Zach Miller.)

Miller grew up in Ronan, and he was based here for the last part of his career with the state of Montana. He wanted a job in law enforcement because he wanted to help people, and he did, partly because he believes in justice for victims.

But Miller isnt a trooper anymore.

In 2021, the Montana Highway Patrol terminated him after he asked for mental health support to address PTSD, depression and anxiety from his responses to fatal and grisly work calls, records show.

He filed a discrimination complaint in 2022 against the Montana Department of Justice and Highway Patrol, and the parties reached a settlement in early 2023 that means he receives full disability for the rest of his life.

But Miller is a broken man.

The Department of Justice and Highway Patrol did not respond to questions about protocols that may be in place for officers responding to traumatic events. They also did not address how the state handles mental health concerns of officers.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, however, law enforcement officers have higher rates of anxiety, depression and PTSD, and access to treatment, counseling and sometimes medication can impact how troopers experience symptoms.

So it is really concerning to hear when they cant get the support, and thats something that we have seen all too frequently, particularly as we look at the ultimate negative outcome, which is suicide of law enforcement officers, said Hannah Wesolowski, chief advocacy officer for NAMI.

A U.S. Department of Justice report to Congress in 2020 said a high rate of death by suicide exists among all public safety occupations; it said at least one study, from the Clinical Psychology Review, found suicidal ideation to be more prevalent among law enforcement than the general population.

Somers Beach State Park on Flathead Lake is north of Ronan, home of former Trooper Zach Miller. (Provided by Montana FWP for the Daily Montanan)

One of the biggest challenges to suicide prevention programs for law enforcement professionals is well discussed and largely agreed upon: culture, said the report to Congress.

When Miller reached out to superiors for help before he lost his job, they refused him, even after promising support, he said. Then, his bosses tried to force him to resign, he said; when he wouldnt step down, they fired him.

They threw me away without a second thought, Miller said. Its not even a human thing to do.

***

Miller started his career in his hometown with the Ronan Police Department.

He liked the work, but the pay wasnt much, and in 2013, Miller went to the Montana Law Enforcement Academy to join the ranks of state troopers. He took his oath of office in 2014.

At first, Miller said he was pleased to advance his career and earn more money. He liked the traffic stops and investigations, and he didnt like the paperwork for, say, petty theft. The Highway Patrol fit the bill.

I just really love helping people, Miller said.

Initially, he was stationed in Sidney, and he said he had the privilege of also serving as coordinator for the Montana Hope Project in eastern Montana; the Hope Project helps children who are terminally ill or suffer from a chronic illness.

But Miller felt homesick, too.

In October 2016, he had the chance to move back to Ronan, and there, he threw himself into new responsibilities. He worked up to being a seasoned and experienced investigator in his district, he said, even as the number of grim scenes from violent crashes started ticking up for him.

***

As a trooper, Miller was selected for special training, conducted sensitive investigations, including being tapped to investigate an internal matter for a different law enforcement agency, and awarded for exceptional service in the line of duty for two emergency responses, according to records he shared with the Daily Montanan.

(Courtesy of Zach Miller.)

He taught himself how to issue more complex warrants than the ones he learned about at the law enforcement academy, ones that involve geofencing to track mobile devices and working with Google and social media companies.

He liked the digital side of investigations, he said, but mostly, he wanted the families of victims to see justice for their loved ones.

This family of this dead person is not going to be able to say I didnt do everything I could, he said.

After a meticulous investigation of a rollover, Miller elicited a confession from a man who flipped his truck and killed his passenger girlfriend.

I know how this crash happened, Miller recalls telling the suspect. But what I dont know is why you lied to me about not being the driver.

Miller is soft spoken but clear in relaying the story, and its easy to imagine him being quiet and direct as he asks the crucial question at a pivotal point in the investigation.

He said he thought the man was going to tell him off, but he didnt.

The suspect confessed, Miller said: Because I dont want people to know I killed my girlfriend.

***

Twice commanders approved him for the Hedstrom Award, presented to troopers who go above and beyond the call of duty to try to save a life, according to memos Miller provided; the state did not dispute his nominations.

In one case, Miller responded to a medical call for a one-year-old born with a health condition that required supplemental oxygen.

The infant was not breathing, and at the home, Miller took over CPR for the father until an ambulance took the child to the hospital.

The baby died at the hospital while Miler was still there, and he supported the family until a deputy arrived.

Trooper Miller went above and beyond the normal call of duty in an attempt to save an infants life while utilizing his first responder skills, reads a memo nominating him for the award.

(Courtesy of Zach Miller.)

One year later, Miller responded to a head-on crash, and command staff unanimously approved him for another Hedstrom Award. A memo notes he conducted CPR on an accident victim at a chaotic scene before emergency medical personnel arrived.

(Millers) commendable performance is in keeping with the finest traditions of law enforcement and reflects great credit upon himself and the Montana Highway Patrol, said the memo.

But the events that earned him commendations also started to take their toll.

In a recent interview at his home in Ronan, Miller said it took him a while to realize the effect the death of the infant had on him.

In 2018, I started going to therapy on my own dime, Miller said.

***

Miller provided documents from the Department of Labor and Industrys Human Rights Bureau complaint and lawsuit he filed including a record of incidents that led to his request for mental health care.

He searched for a toddler who had been kidnapped, raped and left for dead. He responded to the death of an 18-year-old crash victim whose body was thrown from a car and into a train, and whose brains Miller found scattered across the railroad tracks.

Highway troopers respond to traumatic events on a daily basis, but the culture of law enforcement has made it difficult to talk about related mental health concerns. (Photo illustration by Getty Images.)

He was physically assaulted by a suspect while on duty, and twice he was nearly hit by an oncoming motorist, once when he had to jump out of the way of a truck (he shared videos of the near misses with the Daily Montanan).

In the summer of 2014, he responded to three fatal accidents three days in a row. One was a vehicle-versus-motorcycle fatal crash, one an ATV rollover that killed a 3-year-old, and another a rollover that killed an adult, according to his records.

He responded to a fatal rollover where one occupant was ejected and died, but a baby lived. The babys mom had died, and the grandma stopped at the scene.

(I) experienced the pain in her familys eyes when they stopped by the crash and spoke with us, Miller wrote.

***

As a highway trooper, Miller expected to respond to crashes and emergencies, but the number of fatal head-on collisions started to mount, and one in particular in late 2016 made him afraid of being hit himself.

A pickup truck and a semi collided head-on, and he saw the pickup driver had sustained massive injuries and died after being squeezed out of the cab. He saw a ladder from the pickup cut the shoulder muscle of the driver of the semi.

In yet another head-on in 2017, this one between a school bus and SUV, he discovered the SUV drivers arm under the bus. He found the drivers body ripped open.

Again, (this incident) increased my fear of being struck head-on through no fault of my own, Miller said.

He responded to a standoff with armed men who had shot at a deputys property. The same year, he was forced to jump out of the way of a pickup going 70 mph in a 35-mph zone while responding to a non-injury crash off the road.

There was no time to process this as I was forced to render medical aid to the gentleman that was struck, Miller wrote in a summary of traumatic experiences. I had to investigate the crash and did (not) receive any mandatory time off or any time off to heal and no critical incident debriefing.

Many other cops asked to see this video, and none of them had experienced anything similar.

***

State agencies did not respond to a question about whether they keep data on the mental health of highway troopers or whether they collect information that might help them understand cumulative effects of trauma on their workforce.

Its like they took a patrol car that had half its life and threw it away when it needed some work.

 Zach Miller, former Montana Highway Patrol trooper

Generally, however, law enforcement officers do share many of Millers experiences, according to a brief from the National Officer Safety Initiatives about preventing suicide.

On a daily basis, officers experience job-related stressors that can range from interpersonal conflicts to extremely traumatic events, such as vehicle crashes, homicide, and suicide, said the report. This cumulative exposure can affect officers mental and physical health, contributing to problems such as post-traumatic stress symptoms, substance misuse, depression, and suicidal ideation.

It said a study of 298 police departments found suicide rates were significantly higher in smaller departments than in large ones.

In 2019, Miller believed he saw the last seconds of a victims life from a head-on crash, although he also said the body might have been twitching after death.

He started having nightmares in 2020. Sometimes, he would see just blood. Sometimes, he would be in a head-on crash. At times, he loses his own child.

I was scared to go for help at the start, he said.

***

In May 2021, a commander at the Montana Highway Patrol sent a series of emails to all employees related to Mental Health Awareness Month.

One stressed the power of positive thinking, and one talked about how to identify cognitive distortions to reclaim mental health.

(Screenshot from a National Officer Safety Initiatives brief on preventing suicide.)

The report to Congress said the cultural expectation that officers will manage their own trauma and solve their own problems contributes to the stigma around mental health. In raising the issue of mental health, however, a Highway Patrol colonel said he sought to support the team.

If nothing else, I hope that by bringing this important topic to light, we helped reduce some of the stigma surrounding mental health, wrote Col. Steve Lavin in an email copied to the deputy attorney general. Take care of yourselves, and dont hesitate to reach out and utilize the resources available to you if you need them.

With encouragement from the brass, Miller decided it was time to reveal his anxiety to his supervisor.

In July 2021, he told his boss he was having nightmares, and a phone call and meetings with superiors took place in quick succession.

In the phone call, the acting captain delivered a stern message, which Miller attributes in part to the captains own stress from a different personnel issue: The world is tough. You need to toughen up or go.

***

A week or so later, Miller said he was called into a meeting with multiple superiors. They took his badge, gun, car and computer, but he said they also promised to help.

Whether you end up being in this job or not, were going to get you the help you need.

Roughly one week later, Miller said he reached one of his lowest points. He was called into a meeting with five people from the Highway Patrol, and he confessed he had been having nightmares and suffering from depression. At the meeting, he cried involuntarily.

According to Miller and his records of the meeting, one of his superiors said to him: I really thought that given the symptoms, youd have been through a lot more. A form filled out by the HR specialist said there is no record of Trooper Miller experiencing any atypical or extraordinary situations during his career.

At the meeting, human resources specialist Melissa Gardner recommended he resign, he said. Gardner is now chief human resources officer for the Montana Department of Justice. Miller said she also told him he would need to undertake a fit for duty evaluation, and he might be fired regardless.

Miller asked to be accommodated. As one idea, he suggested he not work nights, but an email from HR said troopers are on rotation and required to work nights, and he wasnt medically cleared to work when he made the request anyway.

We could not attempt an accommodation for a trooper who could not work, said the Highway Patrol in a rebuttal to Millers complaint; Miller provided the record to the Daily Montanan.

Miller said Gardner also told him shed had some experience with PTSD, treatment takes a long time, and its not that effective. In the rebuttal, the Highway Patrol denied Gardner said treatment was a waste of time.

I left wanting to kill myself, Miller said. If I didnt have a pregnant wife, I know I would have.

***

On Nov. 26, 2021, the Highway Patrol took Millers job away.

The termination of employment is based on your medical providers assessment of your mental health, your own admissions and the expiration of your family medical leave time, said his notice of termination.

The states rebuttal to Millers complaint said the state did work to accommodate him, as evidenced by his four months off. The rebuttal also said Miller was asked to be in touch if he saw a job that was of interest, a claim he disputes.

In February 2022, the state advised him his disability claim would be denied; an attached report said he wasnt completely incapacitated, and his employer reported that the incidents (he responded to) were typical for all field troopers.

Wesolowski, with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, said law enforcement is a calling for many officers, it requires rigorous training, and NAMIs stance is that rehabilitation is possible for every person.

So being told that you cant return to that job, that you cant continue in that career, is a challenge, said Wesolowski, who spoke in general terms about mental health and not about Millers specific case.

She also said the stigma discourages people from health-seeking behaviors.

The result is more people wont be honest about the struggles that theyre facing, and thats the last thing we want, Wesolowski said.

***

In the complaint Miller filed in April 2022 with the Human Rights Bureau, he alleged he was terminated after just four months of leave rather than an entire year, if not more, required by law.

(Screenshot from Zach Millers complaint to the Human Rights Bureau.)

The complaint also said both the American Disabilities Act and the Montana Human Rights Act require an employer to work with an employee who has said he has a physical or mental disability and wants an accommodation, but the Department of Justice and Highway Patrol did not do so.

Respondents admitted in writing that they refused to engage in the interactive process with Zach, refused to reasonably accommodate his disability, and ultimately terminated Zach as a result of his service-related disability, the complaint said.

In a rebuttal, the state said HR had offered Miller a job, but he said he preferred to be medically retired. Miller agreed HR raised the possibility of a position in gambling control but said he never heard anything about it again; the complaint said the state never provided evidence of a job offer either.

Miller said he wishes he could have taken the case to court, but he decided to settle in light of the upfront costs: I wish I could have afforded to face them in court. The truth looks better.

Through the settlement, Miller received the remainder of the pay he was owed, $67,000; the agencies agreed to help him search for another job with the state if he didnt qualify for medical retirement; and they agreed to send a letter to the Montana Public Employee Retirement Administration that would allow him to receive disability retirement benefits.

This agreement does not constitute an admission by Respondent of any violation of charging partys rights or the law, which are expressly denied, said the agreement, in part. It also said the Department of Justice and Highway Patrol denied any discriminatory and retaliatory conduct.

Miller dropped a related district court complaint as part of the agreement.

***

Miller is still suffering from nightmares.

Hes in the midst of a divorce, partly due to stressors of his job and side effects of medication intended to ease his pain. Hes watching the bank take back the dream house he and his soon-to-be ex-wife were building.

He wanted treatment  and at least one of his superiors told him the agency would provide it. He wanted to return to work in law enforcement in some form, maybe through retraining, but he didnt get the chance.

Its like they took a patrol car that had half its life and threw it away when it needed some work, Miller said.

Zach Miller said he liked the digital side of investigations when he worked as a highway trooper. (Keila Szpaller/The Daily Montanan)

He said he never expected he would become reluctant to head out on a work call, but it happened anyway.

When I look back on it, its that I was scared, Miller said. It was the PTSD. It was the anxiety. It was the fact that my cup was so full with other peoples pain.

Trauma affects people differently, according to Wesolowski. She said its common for all people, not just law enforcement workers, to be unable to receive appropriate mental health support, although the pandemic prodded some change.

It really opened up the conversation about mental health at large, and that has trickled down to the law enforcement community, Wesolowski said. So were starting to see those shifts, but its still a really big challenge for people to access that care.

Miller will probably have to work for himself in the future, he said; he cant think of an employer who could be flexible enough to accommodate his unexpected mental health needs.

Hes still in therapy and taking medication, but hes a long way away from being healthy. He doesnt drive at night anymore, and he doesnt like to drive on two-lane highways.

Am I ever going to get better? I hope so. But it hasnt happened yet.

Helping people is still in his blood, though. He tells stories of crashes using his little boys toy cars to demonstrate, one in each hand, and when he talks about wrecks and near misses, he offers unsolicited advice.

If youre ever wondering, take the guardrail. It will help absorb the crash. If youre ever wondering what to do.

The post Montana Highway Patrol terminated trooper who requested mental health support appeared first on Daily Montanan.
Two transgender women sued Montana and several state agencies Thursday in a class-action lawsuit challenging a policy that prohibits transgender people from amending the sex designation on their birth certificates to accurately reflect their gender identity.

Montanas Department of Public Health and Human Services adopted the rule in 2022, after a district court blocked the state from enforcing a 2021 law allowing individuals to amend their birth certificates only in cases where a persons sex has been changed by surgical procedure.

State health officials at the time said, despite the courts ruling, Montana residents are still unable to alter their birth certificates because sex is an immutable genetic fact, which is not changeable, even by surgery.

In February, Montanas health department announced the agency would process applications for amending the sex designations on birth certificates, but only for applicants whose sex was misidentified at birth or whose incorrect sex designation was the result of a scriveners error. The agency clarified that it would not amend a birth certificate based on gender transition, gender identity, or change of gender.

The states amendment process, the agency added, moving forward would also be subject to the provisions of Senate Bill 458, a law signed by Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte in May that rigidly defines sex as being determined by the biological and genetic indication of male and female.

The law allows transgender people to identify with whatever gender, but not sex, they wish, a spokesperson for Gianforte told the Montana Free Press.

The states Justice Department this year also ended the Montana Motor Vehicle Divisions (MVD) prior practice of allowing an individual to change the sex designation on their state-issued drivers licenses, which transgender individuals had previously been able to alter with a letter from a doctor.

Thursdays lawsuit, filed in Montana district court, challenges the 2022 rule, the MVD policy and Senate Bill 458 as it applies to issuing amended birth certificates and drivers licenses. Each of the measures, the lawsuit argues, is  invalid, illegal, and unconstitutional.

The two plaintiffs seek to represent all transgender people born in Montana who currently want, or who in the future will want the sex designation on the identity documents changed to match what they know their sex to be. They are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the ACLU of Montana and Nixon Peabody LLP.

After finally being able to live my life openly as the woman I know myself to be, I am frustrated that my birth state, Montana, is forcing me to carry around a birth certificate that incorrectly lists my sex as male, Jessica Kalarchik, a U.S. Army veteran and one of the plaintiffs, said Thursday in a statement. I am being forced to use a birth certificate that is inaccurate and that places me at risk of discrimination and harassment whenever I have to present it.

I live my life openly as a woman, Kalarchik added. I am treated as a woman in my daily life, and there is no reason I should be forced to carry a birth certificate that incorrectly identifies me as male.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  Weve been covering the construction progress on Interstate 35 in south Austin and north Austin, but the Texas Department of Transportation has its sights set on a long-range plan that would improve I-35 through Williamson County.

This evening from 5-7 pm TxDOT is hosting an open house to get feedback from the public about their ideas on how to improve I-35 between SH 45 North in Round Rock and Hwy 29 in Georgetown.

The idea is to add HOV lanes in each direction and improve the major intersections along that stretch of I-35.

HOV construction traffic, other future improvements coming to I-35, north Austin

KXAN Traffic Anchor Erica Brennes sat down with Bradley Wheelis with TxDOT to learn more about the project.

Brennes: Lets lets talk about what TxDOT is focusing on with I-35 between Georgetown and Round Rock and that corridor.

Wheelis: As you know, Erica, weve got a lot of traffic in that area, from Georgetown to Round Rock, there are people now commuting into that area to work. I-35 is being used quite a bit, we expect by 2045, that the population in this area in Williamson County could be 1.3 million people. And so we have to accommodate for that.

Brennes: Does this mean we will have more lanes on the main lanes of 35, between Georgetown and Round Rock?

Wheelis: When you add those HOV lanes? The answer is yes. So were not going to take away the lanes for people who are in a single driver in a vehicle, right? We dont want to take anything away and force people to make a decision here. And so what were doing is looking at HOV lanes, which would be additional lanes on the main lanes of I-35.

Brennes: So big picture-wise, what Im hearing is that potentially HOV lanes all the way from SH 45. South, up and down I-35 all the way to Georgetown?

Wheelis: Yes, thats thats what were looking at. Thats to keep that traffic moving, whether its local, or its regional. And so we got a lot of folks who are again commuting to the office, going to an event and if you have more than one person in your vehicle, there is a more efficient way or more reliable way to get there reliable commute times. Thats what the HOV lanes are designed to do. And so we think that thats a good way to start mode shift to get people to think about why am I in my vehicle alone? Can I take somebodya coworker with me or somebody who works near where I work, or if were going to an event, lets not meet everybody there. Lets carpool there. And so when we see this mode shift, people taking the bus and using transit, we move more people in fewer vehicles. And thats the main goal of these non-toll managed lanes.

Brennes: One last question, lets talk about the timing. This is obviously very early, correct? We dont have any sort of timing that you could predict as far as a completion date, or even a start date, Im assuming?

Wheelis: Right, as you know, we plan far in advance, so that we can take in all the public feedback, we can do the environmental studies to make sure that that were in compliance and that were looking out for the community and that were looking at all facets of the environment. And once we get through that process, and were able to show a design to the public and get feedback on the design or designs, there could be multiples here, then thats when we move forward right now this project is not funded, and we dont have a construction date because we are very early in the process here.

If you missed Thursdays town hall, you can still leave your feedback on the TxDOT website.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) trolled Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) with a pair of amendments that highlight the Georgia Republicans frequent embrace of pro-Russia misinformation and her opposition to foreign aid.

The first amendment calls for Greene to be appointed Vladimir Putins Special Envoy to the United States Congress.

The amendment says Greene has repeatedly attempted to block aid to Ukraine, empowering Vladimir Putins unlawful violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that she has reposted information from the Strategic Culture Foundation, a Russian based disinformation and propaganda channel that has been sanctioned by [the Office of Foreign Assets Control].

The second amendment renames Greenes office in the Cannon House Office Building as the Neville Chamberlain Room  a reference to the World War II-era British prime minister who pursued a failed policy of appeasement toward Nazi Germany in the hope of avoiding a larger war.

In an interview on CNN News Central on Thursday, Moskowitz announced the first amendment naming Greene as Putins envoy and said, That way  we can just make it official, quite frankly.

Greene also submitted a series of amendments to the Ukraine supplemental bill, including one that says any member who votes for the bill shall be required to conscript in the Ukrainian military.

Other amendments Greene filed similarly embraced false claims often championed by Putin and pro-Russia outlets. She introduced amendments that prohibit funding until Ukraine holds free and fair elections, stops persecuting Christians, closes all bio-laboratories, bans abortion and turns over all information related to Hunter Biden and Burisma, among others.

Greene also introduced an amendment that directs the president to withdraw the U.S. from NATO and prohibits funding for NATO troops in Ukraine.

Moskowitz in a Wednesday hearing chastised Greene for her line of questioning, which included false claims that Nazism was rampant in Ukraine  an argument frequently touted by Putin to justify his countrys invasion of Ukraine.

Stop bringing up Nazis and Hitler. The only people who know about Nazis and Hitler are the 10 million people and their families who lost their loved ones  generations of people who were wiped out, Moskowitz said.

It is enough of this disgusting behavior, using Nazis as propaganda  You want to talk about Nazis? Get yourself over to the Holocaust Museum. You go see what Nazis did.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A woman fell to her death from a 140-foot cliff this week while hiking with her husband and young child on a mountain in the Arizona desert, authorities said.

Zaynab Joseph, 40, died on Monday after a group of hikers found her during their trek along Bear Mountain in Sedona, a desert city near Flagstaff and popular hub for tourism, the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office announced on social media. Joseph had already fallen down the cliff when the hikers heard yelling and subsequently discovered her alive, with serious injuries.

One person called 911 while another walked down the embankment and confirmed that Joseph was still breathing. She died soon after that, the sheriff's office said, noting that Sedona Fire officials pronounced her dead as they were the first responding unit to arrive at the scene. The sheriff sent search and rescue teams to the site to recover Joseph's body, which they did successfully with help from the state's Department of Public Safety.

Zaynab Joseph died after falling 140 feet during a hike in Sedona, Arizona, authorities said. / Credit: Courtesy of the Joseph Family (via Yavapai County Sheriff's Office)

Joseph was hiking on Bear Mountain with her husband and 1-year-old child, the sheriff's office said. The three had traveled from their home in California to Sedona, where they were renting an Airbnb. Her husband and child were airlifted from the mountain as authorities worked to recovery the body. The sheriff did not say anyone else was hurt.

The circumstances around Joseph's death and exactly what caused it are under investigation. Officers conducted interviews with hikers leaving Bear Mountain in the wake of Joseph's death and asked anyone else who may have witnessed the incident to contact the sheriff.

Around 3 million tourists flock to Sedona every year, according to the Sedona Chamber of Commerce. Many are drawn to the area's scenic outdoor activities, as Sedona is surrounded by pine forests and trails along its outskirts wind through enormous red rock buttes and canyons. The hike to the top of Bear Mountain is considered strenuous, as it is "mostly unshaded, steep, and difficult in places," the U.S. Forest Services writes in a description of that trail and another than takes participants on a longer journey through the surrounding canyon.

The trail to the top of Bear Mountain is slightly shorter than two and a half miles, but jumps over 1,800 feet in elevation while requiring hikers to navigate rocky switchbacks  paths that trace a zig-zag pattern  narrow side canyons and other challenging conditions. The other trail through the full canyon has a 2,100-foot elevation change, on a path that is mostly "over tilted rock," the Forest Service says.

Which trail Joseph and her family were hiking was unclear. CBS News contacted the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office for more information but did not receive an immediate response.

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Motorists delayed by Golden Gate Bridge protest might get 'restitution,' San Francisco D.A. says

The Dutch tall ship Stad Amsterdam sails under the Golden Gate Bridge on the next leg of its world tour on March 24. On Monday, pro-Palestinian protesters shut down traffic on the bridge for several hours, and on Thursday, San Francisco's district attorney said inconvenienced motorists might be entitled to "restitution." (Eric Risberg / Associated Press)

People who were trapped on the Golden Gate Bridge for hours Monday during a pro-Palestinian protest might be considered victims, entitled to "restitution," San Francisco Dist. Atty. Brooke Jenkins said.





In a post on the social media platform X, Jenkins urged those affected by the bridge closure to contact the California Highway Patrol and detail "what happened to you + contact info so you can be alleged as a victim."

If you were trapped on the Golden Gate Bridge on 4/15/24, please contact @CHPMarin w/ a statement detailing what happened to you + contact info so you can be alleged as a victim.



You may be entitled to restitution + have other victim rights guaranteed under Marsys law. https://t.co/eEoTIJgFwl  Brooke Jenkins  (@BrookeJenkinsSF) April 17, 2024

A total of 26 people were arrested Monday as part of a protest that shut down the landmark for hours.

As around the country, such protests have been on the rise in California since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel and Israel's forceful response, resulting in demonstrations on streets and bridges and confrontations at city council meetings. Demonstrators have targeted the homes of prominent politicians, including Vice President Kamala Harris, as well as the home of a UC Berkeley law professor. Even the graduation ceremony at USC has been affected, with the university canceling a Muslim valedictorians speech at its May commencement due to safety concerns.

The protest on the bridge Monday was part of a series of coordinated demonstrations organized by A15 Action, an international campaign calling for a general economic blockade to draw attention to the war in Palestine.

According to the organization's website, the events were organized "with the aim of causing the most economic impact."

In a statement, Jenkins said the prosecutor's office had to "protect avenues for free speech," but said protesters on Monday "unlawfully shut down traffic and trapped hundreds of people."

It's unclear what kind of "restitution" people affected by the protest would be eligible for, but Jenkins cited California's Marsy's Law, which states that victims who "suffer losses" as a result of criminal activity can receive restitution from the person convicted of the crime.

Read more: San Francisco set to apologize to Black residents for 'systemic racism'

California Highway Patrol Officer Darrell Horner told SFGate that investigators were still hearing from people who were on the bridge Monday, including people who were stranded with no restroom, people who missed medical appointments, and others who were unable to get to work.

According to the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District, about 112,000 vehicles travel across the bridge each day.

Jenkins' office did not immediately respond to questions about the restitution.

In the statement, Jenkins pointed out that the Monday protest was "part of a larger, coordinated, set of international demonstrations that also included the unlawful shutdown of other major public thoroughfares in the Bay Area."

Those actions included a simultaneous takeover of a section of Interstate 880 across the bay in Oakland, resulting in 12 arrests.

The 26 people arrested in the Golden Gate Bridge disruption were booked on multiple misdemeanor charges and a single felony charge of conspiracy, Jenkins said in the statement.

Prosecutors are still determining if other charges might be filed, according to Jenkins' statement.

In a statement posted on Facebook, A15 Action called the conspiracy charges "unfounded" and an intimidation tactic to "keep peaceful protesters detained for nearly 48 hours."

"Such threats are a form of state violence that seeks to chill the exercise of First Amendment rights," the statement read.

In the post, the organization said the protesters had been released.

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.
CALEDONIA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  Authorities say one person was killed and another was flown to the hospital after a crash near Caledonia.

Michigan State Police said the crash happened around 5:30 a.m. Thursday at the intersection of Cherry Valley Avenue and 100th Street in Caledonia Township.

Drivers are advised to avoid the area and seek an alternative route as authorities investigate and work to clear the scene.

Investigators said it appeared a semi-truck was heading northbound on Cherry Valley when a car crossed the centerline and struck the semi.

State police said the driver of the car was pronounced dead at the scene, and a passenger was flown to the hospital in critical condition.

The semi-truck driver was not injured.

The crash remains under investigation.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
NEW DELHI, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Authorities have ordered the culling of domesticated ducks in the southern Indian state of Kerala following the outbreak of bird flu (Avian Influenza H5N1), officials said Thursday.

The culling will be carried out in Alappuzha district, about 154 km north of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala.

"A bird flu outbreak has been confirmed in ducks reared in Edathua Grama Panchayat and Cheruthana Grama Panchayat," an official said.

"Following the mass death of ducks, the animal husbandry department sent samples of the dead birds to the National Institute of High Security Animal Disease, Bhopal, for analyses, which tested positive for avian influenza."

According to the official, as per the protocol during a meeting chaired by the district collector, it was decided to initiate the process of culling domestic birds within a radius of 1 km from the hotspot to contain the spread of the disease.

Officials said over 3,000 ducks were lost to the outbreak since April 12.

The district administration has issued an order banning the movement of poultry birds to and from the affected spots.

A preliminary assessment available with the animal husbandry department said over 21,000 birds, mostly ducks, will have to be culled as part of the containment measures.

Bird flu is a highly infectious and severe respiratory disease in birds caused by the H5N1 influenza virus, which can occasionally infect humans as well. 
MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11)  Police arrested more than 100 protesters Thursday afternoon while clearing out a pro-Palestinian encampment set up at Columbia University, Mayor Eric Adams said.

At least 108 people were issued summonses for trespass, according to NYPD officials. Police used zip ties to arrest protesters and escort them to waiting buses before removing the tents.

The students who were arrested were peaceful, offered no resistance whatsoever and were saying what they wanted to say in a peaceful manner, NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said.

Chell added that some of the roughly 500 other students who left their classrooms and surrounded the quad were verbally harassing the NYPD officers. Citizen App video showed a large crowd gathered around the area where the protest took place.

Columbia suspends Ilhan Omars daughter after pro-Palestinian protest

Protesters occupied the South Lawn of Columbias Morningside Heights campus for more than 30 hours, according to Adams.

Protests began Wednesday morning, with hundreds of students pitching tents on campus, when Columbia University leadership faced Congress during a hearing about antisemitism, according to the Columbia Daily Spectator.

The students are demanding the school divest from companies they claim profit from Israeli apartheid and the Israeli military action in Gaza.

Columbia University President Nemat Shafik said Thursday that she authorized the NYPD to clear the encampment of protesters from the South Lawn.

I took this extraordinary step because these are extraordinary circumstances. The individuals who established the encampment violated a long list of rules and policies, Shafik said in a statement.

Shafik said Columbia warned the protesters on Wednesday that they would be suspended if they didnt remove the encampment. She also said the university tried through several channels to engage with their concerns and offered to continue discussions if they agreed to disperse.

Protest organizers decried the universitys actions.

We demand full amnesty for all students disciplined for their involvement in the encampment or the movement for Palestinian liberation, Rosy Fitzgerald, a spokesperson for the Institute for Middle East Understanding, said in a statement.

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Mystic ranch lists for $15.2M in New Mexico. See what makes it exceptionally rare

An enormous ranch that lives up to its mystical name has landed on the real estate market in New Mexico. While ranches are put up for sale often in the state, this particular property stands out in multiple ways.

Land of Enchantment Ranch  which is listed for $15.25 million  is a 12,700 acre property located a mere hour from Santa Fe, something that is almost unheard of according to a news release, in a place called Las Vegas.

It is exceptionally rare to find a contiguous, fully fenced ranch of this size so close to major metropolises, the listing says. Santa Fe and Santa Fe Regional Airport are only an hours drive from the property ... Santa Fe National Forest borders the ranch for nearly the entirety of its western boundary, providing immediate access to several hundred thousand acres of public land.

And the rarities dont stop there. Also included on the property:

Two-bedroom, two-bathroom remodeled home

Courtyard

Hot tub

Storage house

Garage

Barn

Shop

One of the estates biggest draws (other than mystical views) is that there is evidence of Native American artifacts, petroglyphs and remnants of rock buildings from early settlers are throughout the ranch, the listing on Hall and Hall says.

Wildlife roaming the ranch include elk, deer, bear, mountain lions and so much more.

The listing is held by Jeff Buerger.

Tiny 384-square-foot home lists in California  for $1.7 million. Whats the deal?

See NASCAR icon Tony Stewarts hidden estate for sale in Indiana  well, if you can
Naked inmate left to die alone in pool of blood, Nevada suit says. Mom wants answers

After Christian Walker was transferred to a different Nevada prison, he died within two days, according to a lawsuit filed over his death.

His mother reportedly learned corrections officers brutally beat him, twice, before he was left to die alone in a cell, the lawsuit says.

The day after Walkers arrival at High State Prison in Clark County, he was admitted to a Las Vegas trauma center with severe injuries and needed 17 stitches, mostly on his head, in April 2023, a complaint states.

UMC Trauma Centers intake records say the 44-year-old inmate was hit in the head, possibly with a baton, and that he didnt remember what happened, according to a complaint filed April 11.

Walker returned to prison hours later after he was treated and discharged, according to the complaint.

The next evening, a porter brought Walker a dinner tray and found him naked in his cell, underneath his metal bed frame in a fetal position, with blood and bruises all down his back and legs and lying in a pool of blood, moaning, the complaint says.

According to the complaint, the porter called two officers over to Walkers cell, but no member of the jail staff, including medical personnel, checked on him the entire night of April 14, 2023.

Corrections officers are accused of beating Walker with batons before and after his stay at the trauma center, according to the complaint, which says they also punched, kicked and pepper sprayed him.

The morning of April 15, 2023, a first responder responded to Walkers cell after a report of a cardiac arrest, and he was pronounced dead, the complaint says.

However, its believed Walker died the night before, as suggested by the discoloration of Walkers skin noticed by the first responder on his badly beaten body, according to the complaint.

Prison officials and the Clark County Office Of The Coroner/Medical Examiner are accused of working together to cover up how he died. A copy of the coroners autopsy report provided to McClatchy News lists his manner of death as natural.

Annette Walker, his mother, said at an April 12 news conference that her son was beaten to death.

She is suing the Nevada Department of Corrections, its director James Dzurenda and several prison officials, correctional officers and other prison staff members. The county coroner is also listed as a defendant.

In an emailed statement, William C. Quenga, the departments public information officer, told McClatchy News that we are aware of the lawsuit and cannot comment on active case.

The county declined a request for comment, as county officials cannot comment on pending litigation, public information officer Stephanie Wheatley told McClatchy News via email.

The complaint says This lawsuit stands for something much larger than Christian.It stands as a loud, strong signal to NDOC officials that their careless attitude towards cruelty will no longer be tolerated.

Christians final days

Walker had been incarcerated for more than two decades before he died, and was convicted of second-degree murder in connection with killing his girlfriend in 1997, the Las Vegas Sun reported in 2001, when his appeal to reduce his conviction to manslaughter was denied.

Annette Walker said her son was not perfect, and described him as the greatest gift in my life.

While serving his sentence at Southern Desert Correctional Center until his transfer to High Desert State Prison due to a medical episode, Annette Walker said her son became a minister, earned his masters degree and wanted to use his story to help others avoid the mistakes he made.

Annette Walker had Dr. Lary Simms, who previously worked as the countys medical examiner, review the countys autopsy report on her sons death, according to the complaint.

The coroners autopsy report says Walkers cause of death was hypertensive cardiovascular disease, which contributed to his natural death.

Simms disagreed with the findings, and suggested blunt head trauma caused Walkers death instead and that he died of brain swelling, the complaint says.

An anonymous letter dated June 2023 was sent to a nonprofit organization to expose what really happened to Walker and how theres been many unusual prison deaths, according to the lawsuit. The name of the nonprofit was not specified in the lawsuit.

The letter says it was written by employees of the Nevada Department of Corrections.

Photos of Walker included in the complaint show him after he died. The images are graphic, showing his swollen, bloody and bruised face.

A hope for meaningful changes

At the news conference, Annette Walker said her lawsuit isnt about vengeance.

I am seeking answers. Answers to why my son was murdered, why the system that was supposed to help him, and others, rehabilitate, ended up being where his life was taken, she said.

Christians death raises serious questions about the treatment of inmates, about the conditions within our prisons, and about the very nature of our justice system, Annette Walker also said.

I miss my son very much every dayChristian Walkers life mattered, and it is up to us to ensure that his story is heard and that meaningful changes follow, she added.

Officer uses chain to strangle man in solitary confinement as guards watch, lawsuit says

Jail ignored womans illness, causing her avoidable death, lawyer says. Daughter suing

Inmates sued to see eclipse  a religious event. Now they can watch it, attorney says

Cop knew he likely killed woman, but kept silent and investigated her death, feds say
The California representative and former Speaker of the House will publish her book this summer

Craig Barritt/Getty, Simon & Schuster Nancy Pelosi and the cover for 'The Art of Power'

Representative Emerita Nancy Pelosi is scheduled to publish a new book this year.



The congresswoman, 84, will release a new book entitled The Art of Power in August 2024, publisher Simon & Schuster announced on Thursday, April 18. The volume will detail Pelosis prominent political career, which spans from her election as the 52nd Speaker of the House in 2007  and serving as the first woman Speaker for eight years  to her current role as the representative for Californias 11th District.



The Art of Power, per a statement shared with PEOPLE, shares Pelosis perspective on what it takes to make history. Pelosi did so herself when she became the first woman to be chosen to lead a party in Congress in 2003, and later throughout her tenure as Speaker of the House (Pelosi held the role twice). She stepped down as Speaker in 2023, but announced plans for reelection as the Democratic House leader in 2024.

Simon & Schuster 'The Art of Power' by Nancy Pelosi

Throughout her tenure as Speaker of the House, Pelosi spearheaded efforts on a variety of issues, including attempting to save the U.S. economy in 2008 and leading the fight for transforming health care. Pelosi famously pushed crucial legislation through Congress, including the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Acts, and led efforts to create and enact the American Rescue Plan during the COVID-19 pandemic.



Pelosi will also reflect on key moments throughout her career, including the Jan. 6 2021 insurrection. The congresswoman will describe her firsthand experiences on that day, including how she fought to get the National Guard to the Capitol, and how she later directed efforts for the Jan. 6 investigations.

Related: Nancy Pelosis Daughter Alexandra Premieres New Jan. 6 Documentary, Featuring Interviews With Capitol Rioters

Pelosi will also write of the harrowing 2022 invasion of her San Francisco home, and its aftermath and effects on her family. Pelosi's husband, Paul, was injured by an assailant during the invasion.

Kimberly White/Getty Nancy Pelosi in 2023

The Art of Power will highlight Pelosis fighting spirit that has cemented her legacy as a leading political figure.

Related: Love Her or Not, Nancy Pelosi's Legacy as House Speaker Is Nothing Short of Remarkable

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.



People always ask me how I did what I did in the House, Pelosi said in a statement. In The Art of Power, I reveal howand more importantly, why.



The Art of Power will be published on Aug. 6 by Simon & Schuster and is available for preorder now, wherever books are sold.



For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.
A NATO state said it could buy Patriot systems for Ukraine from countries not prepared to give them directly

A NATO state said it could buy Patriot systems for Ukraine from countries not prepared to give them directly

The Netherlands' PM said his country could buy Patriots from other countries to give to Ukraine.

Mark Rutte said some nations have the air-defense systems but may not want to give them directly.

Ukraine desperately needs more air defenses as it runs low on supplies to stop Russian attacks.

One of Ukraine's main European allies said it could buy US-made Patriot air-defense systems from other countries to send on to Ukraine.

Mark Rutte, the prime minister of The Netherlands, one of Ukraine's biggest backers, said at an EU leaders summit on Thursday that his country could offer Ukraine more help to combat Russia's invasion, The Guardian reported.

"We know that many countries are sitting on large piles of Patriot systems, maybe not wanting to deliver it directly," he said, adding: "We can buy it from them, we can deliver it to Ukraine, we have the money available. It's crucial."

Ukraine is searching for more Patriot systems as it runs low on air defenses to stop Russian attacks.

Some of its allies have said they have none to spare, while some other countries have said they are reluctant to give the weapon to a country at war.

Patriot air-defense systems during Polish military training at an airport in Warsaw, Poland, in February 2023. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel

Rutte's comments came after remarks made by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who said on Wednesday that Ukraine's allies should help it with air defenses.

"If allies face a choice between meeting NATO capability targets and providing more aid to Ukraine, my message is clear: Send more to Ukraine," he said.

Rutte is the frontrunner to take over from the NATO chief later this year.

The US-made MIM-104 Patriot missile system is a ground-based, mobile surface-to-air missile battery. It can down aircraft, cruise missiles, and short-range and tactical ballistic missiles.

Ukraine has been successful at using the air-defense system to down Russian projectiles, helping to dispel earlier doubts about the Patriot's capabilities .

Ukraine has between three and five Patriots. Neither Ukraine nor its allies share the exact number or exactly where they are deployed.

But Ukraine is running critically low on air defense supplies, giving Russia's missile and drone attacks  which have destroyed energy infrastructure, hit residential buildings, and killed civilians  more chance of success.

Experts have previously warned BI that Ukraine's air defenses running low could allow Russia's air force to fly unthreatened, potentially causing so much damage that it would quickly end the war.

Fire rages after a Russian missile strike in Kyiv, Ukraine on Jan. 2, 2024. REUTERS/Yevhen Kotenko

Germany announced over the weekend that it would give Ukraine another Patriot system. But Ukraine says its needs are much greater.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier this month that Ukraine needs 25 Patriot systems with between six and eight batteries each to protect the country fully.

Ukraine's foreign minister said they've identified more than 100 Patriot systems that allies could spare, and said Ukraine is focused on trying to get seven as soon as possible.

He said he "struggles to understand" some allies' resistance to giving Ukraine at least one of their Patriot systems.

Ukraine's shortages, which also include ammunition and other weaponry, have been exacerbated by Republicans in the US stalling on billions in further aid over the past six months.

Stoltenberg, the NATO chief, on Wednesday called the US "the ally with the most Patriot batteries" and said it has "global responsibilities."

Read the original article on Business Insider
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) said Wednesday he thinks President Biden can win his state in this years upcoming presidential election.

I believe President Biden can win North Carolina, Cooper said at Semafors World Economy Summit. And the campaign obviously believes that because they are investing. And they are there.

Bidens campaign has set its sights on flipping the Tar Heel State in the next presidential election, after former President Trump won the state in both the 2020 and 2016 elections.

[T]his was President Bidens closest loss in 2020, Cooper said, pointing to the 1.3 percent margin. He added its the third fastest growing state in the country and a lot of college educated-people are moving into North Carolina.

According to a polling average by The Hill/Decision Desk HQ, Trump is leading Biden by 3.4 percentage points in North Carolina, with Trump at 48.3 percent and Biden at 44.9 percent.

But the Biden campaigns North Carolina communications director Dory MacMillan told The Hill the campaign was optimistic.

North Carolinians know that while President Biden is fighting for us, Donald Trump is fighting for billionaires, corporations, and an extreme agenda that hurts our families and our economy, MacMillan said.

Our campaign will continue to communicate across every corner of this state to reject Trumps attacks on our families and earn four more years of progress with President Biden.

In February, Cooper referred to the 2024 race as a stark choice between Biden and Trump.

But the choice is going to be, that do you want a president who wakes up every morning thinking about the American people? Cooper said at the time. Or do you want a president who wakes up every morning thinking about himself? And that is going to be the stark choice.

The Hill has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.

There is another intense race in North Carolina this year  for Coopers own position. The current attorney general of North Carolina, Josh Stein (D), will face the states current lieutenant governor, Mark Robinson, in a closely watched match-up for governor in November.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The most recent election went mostly smoothly, but North Carolina faces challenges in its election administration that will need more money to address, State Board of Elections Director Karen Brinson Bell told lawmakers on Wednesday.

Its as critical to keep us operational as it is our power plants or our water system, she said. So we should fund elections with that recognition.

Speaking to the Joint Legislative Committee on Elections, Brinson Bell delivered a report on the 2024 primary election, fielding questions from lawmakers about potential issues in future elections and addressing recent criticism about the State Boards early voting plans.

Implementing new election laws

Going into the 2024 primary election, the state had several new election laws to implement, including voter ID, a new absentee ballot deadline and new rules for poll observers.

Brinson Bell reported that 99.94% of all voters showed a valid photo ID when voting in person.

While the State Board did engage in an advertising campaign to remind voters about the new ID requirement, Brinson Bell noted that voters in primary elections tend to be more civically engaged.

As we go into the general election, when we have a population of folks who very often do not vote except for a presidential general election... we know were going to need to reach a much broader, larger volume of individuals to make sure that theyre informed, she said.

This election also featured a change in the deadline for absentee ballots. Previously, if ballots arrived at the county board of elections office within three days of Election Day, they would be counted. A bill passed last year changed the deadline to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.

Brinson Bell reported that 1,128 absentee ballots came in after the deadline and were therefore not counted. Nearly 800 of those came in within three days of the election and would have been counted under the old law.

Informing voters of changes to elections isnt cheap, and the state faces staffing issues as well, Brinson Bell said.

Since 2019, there have been 60 changes in county election directors, most of which were retirements or resignations.

Election professionals have faced continued hostility, harassment, substantial changes in their workload and the demands on them, Brinson Bell said.

She asked lawmakers to consider funding more field support positions so the state can help underfunded or understaffed counties.

Changes to early voting timeline

In recent weeks, some Republicans have criticized the State Board for changing its timeline for approving early voting plans.

Typically, counties are required to submit their early voting plans in August. But earlier this month, an email to county boards stated that these plans would be due by May 7.

The chair of the North Carolina Republican Party, Jason Simmons, sent a letter to the State Board on Tuesday accusing board members of blatant partisanship of historical fashion, for the timeline change, suggesting that the board was attempting to get around legislation currently pending in court.

Republican lawmakers passed Senate Bill 747 last year, drastically altering the makeup of state and local election boards. The law makes all election boards evenly bipartisan  a departure from the current structure where the governors party has a 3-2 majority. The law also removes all appointment power from the governor and gives it to state lawmakers.

Though SB 749 was enacted in October after Republicans overrode Gov. Roy Coopers veto, the bill has been stuck in litigation and has not gone into effect.

At Wednesdays hearing, Republican Sen. Warren Daniel said several lawmakers had heard from county boards of elections about the new deadline.

Why is the board doing this over the objections of so many local boards? he asked.

Brinson Bell said the decision was made by the boards chair, Democrat Alan Hirsch.

The rationale from the chair has been that there is the potential for uncertainty, for there to be changes in our election processes, she said. Right now, one of the things that we do know is that we need early voting plans as we head into the November elections.

If counties cannot unanimously approve their early voting plans, the State Board decides.
Shawn Johnson speaks during a 2016 "Thrive Live" event in Asheville. Johnson joined co-panelists to discuss the challenges and benefits of building jobs from scratch in Asheville's evolving economy. Years later he lost his real estate license and pleaded guilty to bank fraud.

A Mecklenburg County woman is suing after she said she was horribly injured by a horse at an Asheville area short-term rental owned by a notorious bank fraudster.

Stephanie Bantle filed the March 22 lawsuit in Buncombe County Superior Court against Airbnb Inc. and Shawn Johnson, the owner of a large STR business who in 2023 was sentenced to nearly eight years for $3.5 million in bank fraud. He is appealing part of a $2.8 million money judgement. Prior to his conviction, Johnson had lost his real estate license after multiple property owners said he bilked them in STR schemes.

Bantle is suing for a currently unspecified amount to cover punitive damages, pain and suffering, medical expenses and other harms she suffered after the loose horse bit her face, tore off her ear and "shook her head and spine so violently that she suffered serious and permanent injuries to her neck and back," her lawyer Chase Keibler of South Carolina wrote in the complaint.

Johnson and Airbnb had not filed responses to the suit as of April 17.

The Citizen Times reached out to Airbnb. Johnson could not be reached. He had been in the Cherokee County Jail during post-sentencing proceedings in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina in Asheville. He was last listed as being in the Laurel County Jail in London, Kentucky, where he was held in transit until his April 16 release into the custody of U.S. Marshals. A spokesperson for the marshals did not immediately respond to a question about his location.

Bantle said Johnson was responsible for allowing the horse to run loose on the property and that Airbnb should have checked Johnson's background and seen his criminal record that included a 2010 federal conviction for counterfeiting.

"Defendant Airbnb has an obligation not to permit dangerous or reckless hosts to invite individuals to properties," the suit says.

Airbnb listed Johnson as a "Superhost," the suit said.

Bantle said she arrived at the "Big Red" tiny house rental on Velvet Ridge Lane west of Asheville on Nov. 2, 2022. The next day she woke up and discovered an unsecured horse on the property outside any gated area, according to the suit. "The loose horse, without provocation, attacked (her) and bit her ear and face, resulting in significant and permanent injury."

"She specifically recalls the 'crunch' of her ear when the horse first took hold," the suit says, describing her injuries as horrific, permanent and preventable and resulting in scarring on her face and the need for one surgery and possibly more.

Property records show Johnson's limited liability company Stay Asheville got ownership of the tiny house in 2018 for $553,500 from Nationstar Mortgage.

The property no longer belongs to Johnson but it is still on Airbnb. The house and property were bought by a couple through their limited liability company in the fall of 2023 at a courthouse foreclosure for $754,500, according to a representative of their LLC and county records.

The Airbnb description asks guests to "enjoy this space responsibly and respect our farm animals' living spaces, especially the horse pasture and chicken area which guests should not enter. You are welcome to pet our friendly animals!"

The representative of Built Together LLC who messaged the Citizen Times through Airbnb said they did not know about the incident with Bantle and were trying to observe best practices.

"Our animals are insured, and we do not allow guests in animals' pens or pastures. We would like to keep all of our guests and animals safe," they said.

More: Machete, chicken charges dismissed against Asheville Airbnb fraudster Johnson

Asheville-area personal landing strip Airbnb? County board approves strip, limits rentals

Joel Burgess has lived in WNC for more than 20 years, covering politics, government and other news. He's written award-winning stories on topics ranging from gerrymandering to police use of force. Got a tip? Contact Burgess at jburgess@citizentimes.com, 828-713-1095 or on Twitter @AVLreporter. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: NC woman: badly hurt by horse at Asheville Airbnb owned by fraudster
Nearly half of renters forced to move home without wanting to, report shows

An estimated 830,000 tenants were forced to move from the property they were renting in the last 12 months. (PA Wire)

Hundreds of thousands of renters in the UK are being forced to move home without wanting to, new research shows.

Insecure tenancies, getting priced out, eviction notices or simply being told to leave, rank among the top causes of unwanted moves in the UK, costing renters an average of 669 for every move. This amounts to a collective bill of 550m, according to analysis.

The new research from housing charity Shelter shows that an estimated 830,000 tenants were forced to move from the property they were renting in the last 12 months.

Amongst all renters, 40 per cent say their last move was forced and not made through choice. Of these forced moves, 190,000 were due to a legal eviction notice.

Housing minister Michael Goves department is sponsoring the Renters (Reform) bill (PA)

These will usually be a Section 21 notice, a controversial power that allows landlords to evict tenants from their homes at just two months notice without having to give a reason.

Natalie, 47, from Brighton, has moved 12 times in the past 21 years. She has faced two no-fault evictions in the last 18 months alone. Natalie received her last notice after complaining when her previous landlord tried to raise her rent from 795 to 950, a 20 per cent increase.

Though Ive been in my new home for seven months now, I still cant quite relax. I havent even unpacked properly, she said.

Im worried that as soon as I do, Im going to have to move again.

I feel traumatised by whats happened. Its like Im always in fight-or-flight.

Have you been affected by the issues in this story? Get in touch via email: albert.toth@independent.co.uk

Despite a 2019 manifesto pledge from the Conservatives to scrap Section 21 notices, the power still remains in place today.

In 2023, the government introduced the Renters (Reform) Bill to parliament, which would scrap Section 21 notices and give greater rights to renters in the UK.

Five years after the Conservatives promise, and nearly a year on from the introduction of the bill, it still hasnt been passed.

Housing charities have criticised MPs, saying that they are bowing to pressure from landlord lobbyists by needlessly delaying the legislation.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: Tenants are coughing up millions in unwanted and unwarranted moves, while the government runs scared of a minority of its own MPs.

Instead of striking dodgy deals with backbenchers to strangle the Renters (Reform) Bill, Ministers should defend renters best hope of a stable home.

Englands 11 million tenants will remember all too well who fought for them when they finally head to the ballot box.

A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokesperson said: The Renters (Reform) Bill will deliver the manifesto commitment to abolish Section 21 evictions. It will be returning to the House of Commons shortly.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  Some locals held a vigil Wednesday night after several dogs were found dead in South Boggy Creek earlier this week.

People who live near Shiloh Drive off of Menchaca Road in south Austin saw what they counted as 11 dead dogs in South Boggy Creek who were wrapped in trash bags or covered in garbage earlier this week.

Previous: Neighbors say dead dogs found in creek, police investigating

The Austin Police Department told KXAN Monday it was currently conducting an investigation in the vicinity of Shiloh Drive in collaboration with Animal Protection.

Its still unclear how the dogs died or who could have left them there.

Neighbors cleaned the area and laid flowers out to honor the dogs Wednesday evening, and even took their own dogs to visit the area.

Neighbors hold vigil for dead dogs found in south Austin creek (KXAN Photo/Morganne Bailey)

Neighbors hold vigil for dead dogs found in south Austin creek (KXAN Photo/Morganne Bailey)

Neighbors hold vigil for dead dogs found in south Austin creek (KXAN Photo/Morganne Bailey)

One resident told KXAN she lets her dogs run loose in the area often and hopes the community can reclaim the beauty of the space after the tragedy.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Aarti Holla-Maini, director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), speaks in an exclusive interview with Xinhua at Vienna International Centre in Vienna, Austria, on April 16, 2024. (Xinhua/He Canling)

VIENNA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Aarti Holla-Maini, director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), has hailed China's achievements in space exploration and its close cooperation with her office in leveraging space technologies to benefit all humankind.

Holla-Maini made the remarks in a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua before she heads to China later this week to attend a series of space events.

"China has always been on my radar," Holla-Maini said. A space expert with over 25 years of professional experience, she described China as a "well-respected spacefaring nation, all the way from its launcher and its satellite navigation system to more recent developments" such as its lunar exploration project and its own space station.

China's Tiangong space station, whose construction was completed in 2022, has entered the application and development stage, with various scientific experiments carried out by astronauts on board. The experiments include the international cooperation projects jointly selected by UNOOSA and the China Manned Space Agency in 2019.

According to the China National Space Administration, China is currently implementing the fourth phase of its lunar exploration program, with the main target of building up the basic model of the International Lunar Research Station. As part of the fourth phase, the Chang'e-6 lunar probe is scheduled for launch in the first half of this year to collect samples from the far side of the moon.

"That's why it's very important that I learn more about it (China)," she said, adding that she looks forward to participating in the events marking the upcoming Space Day of China on April 24, when the first China-Latin America and the Caribbean Space Cooperation Forum will be held in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

She said she expects to engage with Chinese space officials and experts in her first-ever visit to China to further enhance her office's partnership with the Chinese space community.

In the interview, the UN space chief spoke highly of UNOOSA's "strong collaboration" with China in building capacity, reducing disaster risk, fostering international space cooperation and helping all countries, especially the developing ones, gain access to space.

Holla-Maini noted that China is home to the Regional Center for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific. The UNOOSA-affiliated regional education and research institution will celebrate its 10th anniversary later this year.

China also hosts an office of the UN-SPIDER, a program aimed at facilitating the use of space technology for disaster management and emergency response, particularly for the developing countries, she added.

Looking forward, she said she hopes China's space station and its planned lunar research station will contribute to international space exploration and research, which "will be ultimately shared with everybody for the benefit of humankind."

Holla-Maini also expressed hope to deepen cooperation with China in ensuring access to space data for climate change mitigation and sustainable development, particularly for countries in the Global South.

The UN space chief told Xinhua that she "welcomes" the China-proposed Global Security Initiative and Global Development Initiative, as she sees the two initiatives as "an important contribution" to advancing the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

In June 2023, Holla-Maini took the helm at UNOOSA, a UN agency dedicated to promoting international cooperation in the peaceful use and exploration of space. 

A model of China's lunar rover Yutu is pictured at Vienna International Centre in Vienna, Austria, on April 16, 2024. (Xinhua/He Canling)
(Bloomberg) -- When Iraq fired dozens of Scud missiles on Israel in early 1991, the US implored then Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir not to respond. Shamir said he had to act. After days of late-night calls, high-level visits and long cabinet meetings, Israel stood down and the US led a 42-nation alliance that defeated Iraq in what became the Gulf War.

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Irans decision to launch 350 missiles and drones at Israel last weekend was the first time since then that a sovereign nation carried out such an assault on the Jewish state. Another hardline Likud party leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, is prime minister and an equally frantic set of calls and visitors is urging him not to react while cabinet meetings focus on the need to do something.

But while offering many parallels, the latest events are different from 1991 in at least one significant way: Israels powerful Western allies arent offering to do the fighting for it. Rather, theyre suggesting that no one challenge Iran militarily just now. And many in Israel, including in Netanyahus hard-right coalition, say that will not fly.

Iran has said its mission is over after seeking to avenge an attack on its diplomatic compound in Syria. Israel claimed success after repelling the barrage with virtually no damage or deaths. Yet the urgent question remains whether the two plunge into a deeper direct conflict with repercussions beyond the Middle East, and how much of the answer comes down to Israeli politics  and Netanyahus survival instincts.

We cant absorb this quietly, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Israels Army Radio on Wednesday. We are at a crossroads regarding our place in the Middle East, as well as that of our children. Our deterrence is in a problematic spot, and a weak response is dangerous.

US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have told Netanyahu all week to take the win, referring to the fact that  with their help and that of neighboring Arab states  Israel stopped 99% of the projectiles aimed at it.

The Israeli government and public are in fact torn about how to proceed. A poll from Hebrew University published on Wednesday showed half believing Israel should not respond and half saying it should, even if it means extending the current round of the conflict.

Then theres how to do it, and whether to do it alone. Brigadier General Zvika Haimovich, a former head of aerial defense, said theres no way Israel will do nothing, but I think it is very important for Israel not to stand alone against Iran.

Many commentators abroad express frustration that Israels allies give it such support, yet Netanyahu seems to blow them off for his own political survival. He needs his hard-right partners like Smotrich to stay in office, the argument goes, and so instead of pursuing whats best, he listens to them.

Netanyahu is already the longest serving prime minister in the countrys history. But while the 74-year-old is deeply unpopular because of the way his far-right government has pushed populist policies and failed to anticipate the Hamas attack of Oct. 7, few in Israel  even among his critics  think the dilemma over Iran is mostly about him.

Its not about Netanyahu, says Yoel Esteron, publisher of the business daily Calcalist and a harsh critic of his. The divide between those who say we have to do something isnt really political anymore. I am hearing people who are definitely on the left saying we cant tolerate hundreds of missiles without responding, and generals eager to show their manhood saying, Wait a minute, lets stop.

Those who know Netanyahu well say that this is a hinge moment for him for several reasons. Iran has been the core of his strategic concerns for decades. When the US went to war with Saddam Husseins Iraq again in 2003, he was arguing that the real threat was Iran.

Second, the failure of Oct. 7 will determine his legacy unless he can turn the current moment into a reversal and reshape Israels security position. As a result, they say, hes taking his time deciding what to do next.

Israel has faced harsh criticism by its allies for its war on Hamas in Gaza. That war, spurred when Hamas operatives swarmed into Israel last October, killing 1200 and kidnapping 250, has killed 33,000, according to Hamas, considered a terrorist organization by the US and European Union. Whole neighborhoods have been leveled in Israels attempt to root out Hamas fighters in tunnels. Hunger is rampant.

So the warm embrace of those same governments now, vowing to punish Iran with sanctions, has been comforting. We need the hugs, Esteron said. Its nice, but nobody knows how it will affect the thinking of the Iranians. Were on the horns of a dilemma.

Its not a new dilemma. Golda Meir, who was prime minister in the early 1970s, famously said, If we have to choose between dead and pitied, and being alive with a bad image, wed rather be alive and have the bad image.

Apart from Iran, Israel has Hamas fighters still entrenched in Gaza holding scores of its hostages. Its also facing daily battles in its north with Hezbollah, another Iranian proxy. And many Israelis would rather deal with those conflicts than take on Iran just now.

One thing Israel realized on October 7 is that what we think of as deterred is not necessarily so, said Menahem Merhavy, a researcher on Iran at Hebrew Universitys Truman Institute. Hamas was not deterred; Hezbollah is not deterred. We still have Gaza on our plate and the hostages and the north. Thats where we need to put our focus now.

Jonathan Conricus, a former military spokesman for Israel, now a senior fellow at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, says that no matter what Israel will directly hit Iranian soil. The minimum would be to strike Iran hard enough to cause them to pause and think many times again before doing this again, he said.

--With assistance from Henry Meyer.

(Adds comment from former military spokesman in last paragraph. An earlier version corrected the title of Zvika Haimovich in 8th paragraph)

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  The Nevada Supreme Court unanimously reversed a lower courts decision, which blocked the states ban on ghost guns  firearms without serial numbers  to go into effect.

The decision, filed Thursday, reverses a Lyon County District Court judges determination that a state law passed in 2021 was vague. Assembly Bill 286, which former Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak signed that year, bans the possession, purchase and transfer of unserialized gun parts, which the law calls unfinished frames or receivers.

The law targeted Nevada-based Polymer80, a company that manufacturers gun-related kits that allow a person to build their own firearm in 20-40 minutes, according to the state court. The company filed suit against the governor and several other state leaders to appeal the law.

The district court erred in declaring that the definition of unfinished frame or receiver in [state statute] is unconstitutionally vague and in enjoining the enforcement of [other state statutes], the justice wrote in their opinion. Given that the definition employs terms ascertainable by their ordinary meanings and that align with trade and industry usage, we conclude it is not vague.

On the federal level, the Biden Administration has pushed for new laws to regulate ghost guns. Some of the White Houses enforcement actions are before the U.S. Supreme Court.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Frustrated over the lack of progress on homelessness in California, Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling for increased oversight of cities and counties that receive state funds in an effort to hold them accountable to deliver results.

Newsom's more aggressive stance is the latest example of the governor wanting local governments to do more to lessen homelessness, which has worsened in his tenure despite more than $20 billion in state funds spent on programs to help over the last five years. He threatened on Thursday to withhold homelessness funds from cities and counties that do not follow through.

"I'm not interested in funding failure any longer," Newsom said. "I want to see results. Everybody wants to see results."

The governor's plan seeks to expand a unit that was created in 2021 within the Department of Housing and Community Development to enforce local compliance with state housing law. The unit's work has resulted in Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta filing lawsuits against cities, such as Huntington Beach, for refusing to build enough homes.

The proposal would broaden the responsibilities of the Housing Accountability Unit to include oversight of state homelessness grants to cities and counties and whether local governments follow through on their plans to reduce unhoused populations and adhere to state laws. Through the state budget process, the proposal seeks to shift nearly two dozen staff members into the unit to focus on local homelessness oversight and enforcement.

"Local governments have told us that they have plans to reduce unsheltered homelessness," said Jason Elliott, Newsom's deputy chief of staff. "They've written that down, and they've signed on the dotted line. This reform is about making sure that those promises get fulfilled."

Newsom also wants lawmakers to pass legislation that would, beginning in 2027, in effect require jurisdictions to zone housing for homeless populations and give the state another avenue to hold local governments accountable for reducing homelessness.

The changes "create a pathway for jurisdictions to actually be responsive to that lower income category," said Tomiquia Moss, secretary of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency. "The zero to 30% area median income, which many of the folks who are unhoused fit within, has not had a housing requirement to it."

Newsom's plan is likely to receive support from advocates for the homeless and elicit concerns among some local governments about enforcement. His effort to punish cities and counties for not approving enough housing has drawn a mixed bag of reactions over the years, including concerns about the state infringing on the rights of local government.

Read more: California spent billions on homelessness without tracking if it worked

The effort follows a report from the California state auditors office that found the Newsom administration failed to track and evaluate the effectiveness of billions of dollars spent on its own programs. Elliott said the state does not have enough data to determine the efficiency of its homelessness programs and added "we're really not getting information from local governments about whether or not they're executing on their obligations."

Expanding accountability, Elliott said, will hold local governments responsible for delivering solutions and tracking performance in exchange for billions in state funding.

The proposal marks a new effort by Newsom to address homelessness, a pernicious problem in California tied to a shortage of housing, the high cost of living as well as a drug abuse and mental health crisis. At last count, the state's homeless population stood at 181,000.

Newsom has highlighted homelessness as the top policy priority of his governorship, and in doing so, also made the issue his greatest political vulnerability. Fox News and conservative politicians repeatedly draw on the image of encampments lining California sidewalks as an example of his failures as governor and as a rebuke of Democratic leadership.

The governor is acutely aware of the criticism. At a news conference Thursday to promote state funding to resolve encampments, Newsom said he felt the weight of California's "478 cities and 58 counties" on homelessness.

While praising some local leaders for making strides in their communities, the governor said others could be penalized if the unit discovers they didn't properly spend state homelessness funds.

"They sure as hell shouldn't get another penny if they didn't use the money wisely," Newsom said. "So, I want to make sure Tomiquia and her team that are scoring these look at those next applications and say, 'No, thank you.' I don't think that's even a very complicated response."

Read more: Voters approve Proposition 1, Newsoms overhaul of the California mental health system

Newsom has repeatedly criticized local governments for not taking a more aggressive stance to address homelessness and mental health needs in their communities as he takes on progressives in his own party by employing a more moderate approach to the problem than on any other policy issue.

Eager to make progress, the governor successfully advocated for changes to the law to permit compelling people with severe mental illness and substance disorders into care. He recently referred to the narrow passage Proposition 1, his March ballot measure to boost funding and treatment beds for mental health, as an example of voters feeling cynical about the idea that more money would solve the problem.

Newsom said California needs more mayors who "get things done" and "don't play politics."

"We mean business in terms of really driving accountability now because this is fundamental [to] the fate and future of this state," Newsom said. "I care about this state. I care about our reputation. I care that people can't afford to live here, can't afford to raise their family here. I care that people visit here and go 'What the hell's going on with the encampments?' and 'What's going on in the streets and sidewalks?'"

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Whats next after UNC System committee vote on DEI policy? Heres what to know.

A committee of the UNC System Board of Governors on Wednesday approved a policy that would impact, and potentially eliminate, some jobs and campus efforts related to diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, at all of North Carolinas public universities.

The proposed policy, which was added to the committees meeting materials a day before it was to be voted on, would eliminate or forcibly alter diversity-related administrative positions that are mandated at all campuses under the university systems current policy. The new policy would remove those positions titles and ties to DEI efforts. Campus centers dedicated to diversity are also likely to be affected, though efforts dedicated to student well-being or their overall success can remain.

After the committees unanimous vote Wednesday  during which there was no discussion  the policy now goes to the full, 24-member board for its consideration.

If the policy goes into effect, chancellors of each public university in the state would have to describe to UNC System President Peter Hans reductions in force and spending that result from the cuts, and how the savings achieved can be redirected to initiatives related to student success and well-being.

The boards decision to take up the policy came less than one month after a member of the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees said he believed such action was likely this year, either within the university system or through legislation at the General Assembly. DEI is a hot-button issue in higher education across the country, with more than 80 anti-DEI bills introduced nationwide since 2023, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.

So what happens next, now that the policy has been approved by the committee? How would the policy be implemented on campuses? Could the state legislature still take action against DEI in its session, which begins April 24?

Heres what we know so far about the answers to those questions and more.

When is the next vote on the UNC System DEI policy?

Now that the University Governance committee has approved the policy, it will be considered by the full Board of Governors at its May 23 meeting.

At the moment, the new policy is to be included on the consent agenda for that meeting. Many public bodies use consent agendas to make meetings more efficient. They are generally a group of items  usually noncontroversial or administrative items  that can all be voted on at one time. In order for the new DEI policy to be discussed, a board member will have to ask that it be removed from the consent agenda.

Will there be opportunities for feedback on the new policy?

Faculty and students criticized the policy and the committees vote on the policy, saying they were not informed of the measure ahead of time or consulted on its content.

The policy was added to the committees meeting materials, which are posted online for the public, on the afternoon of Tuesday, April 16. The committee voted on the policy the next day, April 17, in a meeting that began at 3:45 p.m. The policy was not included in meeting materials when they were first posted online the week prior to the meeting.

Beth Moracco, faculty chair at UNC-Chapel Hill, said the new proposal took faculty at her campus as a surprise, and the quick turnaround from the policy being introduced to being voted on meant that she and other faculty did not really had a chance to digest and react to it.

Wade Maki, a UNC Greensboro professor who chairs the UNC System Faculty Assembly and has been involved in helping the system revise other policies, also said he was not made aware of the policy until the night it was added to the committees materials. But he said faculty look forward to having an opportunity to engage with the board on the policy before the final vote in May.

In a statement issued after the committees vote, Board of Governors chair Randy Ramsey said he expects to see a lot of debate and feedback about this proposal over the next month, and questions about how it might affect each of our campuses.

I welcome the discussion and the opportunity to emphasize this Boards commitment to equal opportunity and student success, Ramsey said.

The Board of Governors generally does not allow public comments during its meetings, but it accepts written comments online ahead of full-board meetings. The form to submit a comment can be found on the UNC System website: northcarolina.edu/leadership-and-governance/board-of-governors/meetings-materials/public-comment-sessions.

Why did the board take up this action now?

In the weeks leading up to the committees vote, conversations and public attention on DEI had ramped up in the states political and higher education circles.

At a March 27 meeting of the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees, board member Jim Blaine  the former chief of staff to Republican Senate leader Phil Berger and a powerful political player in the state  predicted that North Carolina could become one of the next states to eliminate DEI efforts at its public universities.

Its my belief that it is likely that the Board of Governors or the state legislature will follow Floridas path as it relates to DEI this year, Blaine said.

The boards decision to act on DEI when it did is likely tied to the start of the General Assemblys short legislative session, which begins April 24.

Lawmakers, including Republican House Speaker Tim Moore, had said in recent weeks that they have discussed potential legislation on DEI, but that any action on the issue was still at the conversation stage. Moore told reporters on April 10 that he was interested in having the Board of Governors take a look at it first.

Frankly, I think we ought to allow the university to see what are we doing in North Carolina on that, he said.

Had the Board of Governors not acted on the issue prior to the start of the session, it could have left the door open for legislators to do so. UNC System leaders have shown a tendency to avoid legislative interference in university matters, most recently with a proposal to enact curricular requirements on American democracy  a move that was intended to keep lawmakers from taking up similar legislation on the issue.

Legislators could still reserve the right to take up their own anti-DEI policies. But Moore told reporters that such a move would require more conversation, indicating that there may not be support of leadership  at least in the House  for a bill on the issue to be developed or pass this session.

Will DEI employees lose their jobs?

The policy would likely require jobs specifically dedicated to diversity be eliminated, or changed in some way to eliminate those ties to DEI.

Current UNC System policy  which remains in-place until the boards final vote on the new policy  mandates that the system office and all schools within the system employ DEI officers. The new policy removes those mandates and says that no positions of employment can exist regarding a given view of social policy or political controversies of the day.

Universities across the UNC System generally employ chief diversity officers or other officials tasked with overseeing offices or efforts related to diversity and inclusion on their campuses. At UNC-Chapel Hill, for example, the university currently employs a CDO who also serves as vice provost of equity and inclusion.

If a university wishes to keep positions that are currently tied to diversity or other political controversies, it would be required to change the positions job title, description and duties to remove those ties.

By Sept. 1, the chancellors and student affairs directors of each university would be required to certify to UNC System President Peter Hans that they have made the appropriate changes on their campus to comply with the new policy, including reductions in force and spending, along with changes to job titles and position descriptions, undertaken as a result of implementing this policy.

UNC-Chapel Hill Chief Financial Officer Nate Knuffman told the universitys Board of Trustees in March that a recent university report to the UNC System showed that UNCs spending on employees who spend more than half of their time on DEI efforts was a small fraction of the university overall spending on personnel.

Will diversity offices or other campus centers close?

As it does for positions of employment, the proposed policy states that no employing subdivision of a university, such as a campus center or office, regarding a given view of social policy or political controversies of the day can be operated.

Like other campuses, UNC-Chapel Hill also operates an Office of Diversity and Inclusion, which has a stated mission to celebrate all members of the Carolina community, to broaden our collective understanding, and foster a sense of belonging by uplifting diverse identities, cultures, experiences, and perspectives.

The policy indicates that campus programming and services designed to have a positive effect on the academic performance, retention, or graduation of students from different backgrounds can remain, if they do not violate institutional neutrality  the idea enshrined in state law that universities cannot take a stance on political, public policy or social issues.

Campus centers dedicated to diversity, like the one at UNC-Chapel Hill, would likely need to be altered to comply with the policy.

What about Title IX and other compliance offices?

The policy would not impact positions of employment, offices or training intended to ensure compliance with federal or state laws, likely including those dedicated to ensuring compliance with the following regulations, as listed in the policy:

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, or Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, which prohibits discrimination against people ages 40 and older in hiring practices

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities

The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, which prohibits employment discrimination against members of the military and veterans

What about nondiscrimination practices?

The proposal maintains a directive for universities to abide by state and federal nondiscrimination laws.

We have well-established laws and policies that prohibit discrimination, protect equal opportunity, and require a safe and supportive learning environment for all students. We will uphold those responsibilities, UNC System President Peter Hans said in a statement after the committees April 17 vote.

Are student groups affected?

Student-led groups, such as extracurricular clubs that receive funding from student-activity fees, do not appear to be affected by the policy.

Are faculty affected?

The policy states that it does not intend to limit the right of academic freedom in ... facultys pursuit of teaching, research, and service.

Can universities still value diversity?

Some universities, including UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State University, include diversity in their mission or vision statements.

At NC State, for example, the university has a stated vision to be known as a diverse, equitable and inclusive community that has a transformative impact on society and advances the greater good.

In Hans statement after the April 17 committee vote, he said that the UNC System will continue serving students of all backgrounds and beliefs.

There is broad and deep commitment to that goal, and support for the UNC Systems longstanding efforts to reflect the diversity of North Carolina, he said.
Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-N.J.) remains hospitalized and in stable condition after suffering from a cardiac episode last week, his office said Wednesday.

Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. suffered a cardiac episode based on complications from his diabetes last week. Today, he is in stable condition at a local hospital and continues to be under doctors care, his office wrote in a statement. While we hope for a full recovery, we ask everyone to keep him in your prayers.

Paynes office did not indicate how long he will be in the hospital.

The update comes more than a week after his office said he has a good prognosis and is expected to make a full recovery as he underwent routine exams to monitor his health.

He was admitted to a local hospital for treatment, his team said earlier this month. Currently, he is recovering in the hospital as doctors conduct routine exams to monitor and observe his improvement.

Payne, 65, has served in Congress since 2013 representing New Jerseys 10th Congressional District, which covers parts of Essex, Hudson and Union counties.

He is running unopposed in the states Democratic primary on June 4.

Paynes hospitalization comes as Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) hopes to move a foreign aid package through the lower chamber in the coming days. His absence and Rep. Mike Gallaghers (R-Wis.) departure from Congress Friday will leave House Republicans with 217 members and Democrats with 212.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
No more after-hours texts from your boss? Bill to limit employer contact passes first vote

Assemblyman Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, speaks at the state Capitol on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023, about his resolution to declare the month of August as Transgender History Month.

Legislation that aims to limit after-hours contact from bosses got its first approval from an Assembly committee this week, passing despite concerns it would overly regulate workplace communications.

AB 2751, from Asm. Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, would require employers to implement a policy giving their workers the right to disconnect during non-work hours. If approved by the Legislature, it would be the first law of its kind in the country.

Haney argued Wednesday technological advancements have pushed the boundaries of work-life balance and that workers are entitled to time to have to themselves, to rest, to recuperate and be with their families.

The proposal would not apply to communications regarding scheduling or an emergency. It would not strictly ban after-hours contact or prevent employees from continuing to work if they choose, Haney said, but aims to temper expectations that off-the-clock workers respond to messages from their bosses.

Employees should not be retaliated against for choosing to disconnect when they are off, he said. Simply put, this bill requires an employer to have a [right to disconnect] policy. It can be as flexible as an employer and employee want it to be.

Business groups who spoke against the bill said it would hurt competition and innovation in California, describing it as problematic and overly broad.

California has extremely strict laws that apply to non-exempt employees, or hourly workers, and overtime, said Ashley Hoffman with the California Chamber of Commerce. Employers, therefore, really crack down on overtime and people needing to be on-call.

Employers with a pattern of violations could face fines of at least $100.

Haney said the legislation is modeled after laws in a handful of other countries.

Californians, just like people in France, Portugal, Italy, Spain, the Philippines and Canada, deserve some time thats protected for themselves and to know when that is, he said.

Asm. Chris Ward, D-San Diego, voted for the bill but raised concerns it could lead to employers being punished for sending the [after-hours] message in the first place.

This could open up a lot of complaints from the labor commissioner that are meant to maybe just be innocent lines of communication, Ward said.

The bill passed the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee along party lines and next goes to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
We have no plan B  Ukraine's Foreign Minister on new aid package for Ukraine in Congress

Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, has refused to forecast the prospects for the adoption of a new bill on aid for Ukraine in the US Congress but stressed that Kyiv only has plan A  "making the most powerful decisions for Ukraine".

Source: Kuleba on air during the national joint 24/7 newscast following the meeting of G7 Foreign Affairs Ministers in Italy, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Kuleba refused to explain the details of the proposal of Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House of Representatives, but repeated that "we do not need plan B because our plan A is to make the most powerful decisions for Ukraine, not half decisions".

"And today I reminded the Secretary of State (Antony Blinken  ed.) about this: look, I have no plan B; plan A, which is adopting a powerful bill, must work. And he supported me and said that we have to focus exclusively on strong decisions for Ukraine, so on plan A," Kuleba added.

"But there has been so much controversy and debate around this bill  and there still will be  so lets just wait for the result," Kuleba concluded.

Background:

On 17 April, Mike Johnson submitted separate bills about aid for allies of the US, including Ukraine, and announced a separate initiative about the protection of the US-Mexican border and counteraction against Russia, China and Iran.

The "Ukrainian" package provides for the allocation of about US$61 billion of aid for Ukraine and the allies. The final voting for the bills is to be held by the evening of Saturday, 20 April.

Joe Biden, President of the US, expressed his readiness to sign the bills submitted by Johnson, if they are approved.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba explained why Ukraine has no plan B.

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There will be no public vote on Cedar High Schools Redmen name this fall

A ballot question whether to reinstate the Redmen name at Cedar High School in Cedar City will not appear on the general election ballot this fall.

The Iron County School District Board of Education voted last month to allow voters to consider whether to restore the historic moniker but the districts legal counsel has since advised administrators that the matter is not referable to the public.

In an email to Iron County School District Superintendent Lance Hatch, attorney Scott Garrett wrote: The decision of whether or not to reinstate the Redmen name is not a proposed or passed law (legislative act) but rather an administrative act by a legislative body. It is therefore not referable to the public. It is my opinion that the Iron County School District will not be able to place this on the ballot for general consideration by the public.

Garrett said the matter could be placed before voters by initiative or referendum, which requires collecting a sufficient number of certified signatures.

Recently, three members of the school board  Jeff Corry, Dave Staheli and Lauren Lewis  introduced a proposal to the board to consider reinstating the Redmen moniker.

Five years ago, the school board voted 3-2 to retire the schools Redmen name, which was adopted in the 1940s.

Some elected officials such as Iron County Commissioner Paul Cozzens took issue with the boards process used to consider whether to retire the Redmen name.

Cozzens said there was overwhelming support for the Redmen mascot at three public forums conducted prior to the school boards vote in 2019.

A committee of students, teachers and tribal members voted 17-7, recommending that the mascot be changed. Following the school board vote calling for change, Cedar High School adopted a wolf as its mascot and The Red moniker, rebranding the schools signage and uniforms.

Cozzens said the lingering community division is less about the mascot but fighting against the cancel culture.

Recently, the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah has formally requested that the district not reinstate the Redmen name. The tribes cultural resource manager told the school board that the words redskin and redman have been historically used to degrade and dehumanize Native Americans.

The school board met in a work session earlier this week to determine its next steps.

The board discussed other options such as hiring a public opinion and research firm to conduct a poll of Iron County residents.

Their goal would be to get responses from approximately 500 residents of the county that would be randomly selected and however they do their work, to make it scientific and representative, said board member Staheli.

Another option would be for the school board to conduct its own election among constituents, which the Nebo School District Board of Education did two decades ago with a nonbinding vote whether Springville High Schools mascot, the Red Devil, should be retired.

According to a Deseret News report at the time, the devil mascot came from Red Devil cement used in the foundation of an old high school that has long since been razed. Opponents objected to the continuing use of horns, a pointed tail and devil themes at high school events, which they say is satanic.

Voters in the area voted to keep the Red Devil mascot.

There was quite a bit of division during the time, a lot of discussion, Staheli said.

Afterward, everything settled in the community and people accepted the result of the election of that vote, he said.

Some board members questioned if a vote to restore the Redmen name would bring the community together, particularly when the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah has formally lodged its objections.

The board will resume its discussion about its next steps at its next regular meeting on April 23.
CANBERRA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Australian technology will be used to monitor water quality in the United Kingdom (UK) from space.

Australia's national science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), on Thursday announced its AquaWatch system will be adapted to deliver water quality monitoring on a national scale in the UK.

Launched in 2023, AquaWatch uses an extensive network of Earth observation satellites and ground-based water sensors to provide near real-time updates and predictive forecasting on water quality.

It has previously been used to monitor Australian bays, rivers, lakes and parts of the Great Barrier Reef.

On Thursday it was deemed a supported project under the existing UK-Australia Space Bridge initiative, which will provide funding to advance the system in Australia and establish it in the UK.

"It's a system we're developing for Australia, but that can be adapted for other countries in need of national near-real time updates and forecasts," Alex Held, AquaWatch Mission lead at the CSIRO, said in a media release.

"The importance of high-quality satellite data for AquaWatch means that global collaborations such as this help to enhance the system for everyone."

AquaWatch applies artificial intelligence and modeling systems to the raw data collected by satellites and sensors to act as a weather service for water quality.

Following a successful trial in South Australia in December, the CSIRO said the technology could be used to boost the productivity of seafood farms by providing early warnings of harmful marine events such as algal blooms.

Enrico Palermo, head of the Australian Space Agency, said on Thursday that AquaWatch is an example of how space technology can help address major global challenges. 
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  During Sexual Assault Awareness Month, this non-profit organization is bringing assault survivors story to the front.

The Center Against Sexual and Family Violence (CASFV) will be hosting an exhibit titled What Were You Wearing? showing the community that assault can happen to anyone, regardless of attire, according to the CASFV.

The event will take place from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, April 18 at Joe Vinny and Bronsons Bohemian Cafe, located at 824 North Piedras Street.

The What Were You Wearing? exhibit is a crucial conversation starter during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. By focusing on the survivors stories and the normalcy of the clothing worn, we hope to shift the blame away from victims and towards the perpetrators, said associate director of Sexual Assault Services at CASVF, Angel Carroll.

If you or someone you know needs help, the 24-Hour Crisis Hopeline is available at (915) 593-7300 or 1-800-727-0511.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
Nonprofit seeks help to feed over 1,000 families this Passover

Nonprofit seeks help to feed over 1,000 families this Passover

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11)  A nonprofit is in need of volunteers and support to feed more than a thousand families this Passover.

Theres a shortage of volunteers and donations and its affecting one community organization in Brooklyn. The Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island is helping feed families and holocaust survivors this Passover and they need support.

More Monica Makes It Happen

82-year-old Sofia Grodski, a holocaust survivor, says she is so happy to be getting a free traditional Passover meal to help her celebrate the holiday with dignity.

Grodski is not alone. More than a thousand mostly seniors and many holocaust survivors are getting free Passover meals thanks to the Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island and the met council.

Aisha Young says its her fourth year volunteering with her coworkers and says that she loves it.

3 generations of Lower East Side family helping feed their community

Esther Gottlieb, chief operating officer of the JCCGCI, says the need for food is greater than ever before and her group is looking for more volunteers to help pack and distribute bags of food. Inside each bag are trimmings for a traditional Passover dinner.

There are three distributions planned.

If you have a story, reach out to Monica Morales at monica@pix11.com.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
MOSCOW/LONDON (Reuters) -Nord Stream's insurers have denied that their policies provide cover for gas pipelines damaged by blasts in 2022 because the damage was caused by war, in their written defence to a lawsuit filed at London's High Court.

Nord Stream is seeking more than 400 million euros ($427 million) from its insurers over the explosions which ruptured pipelines designed to transport Russian gas to Germany.

It named Lloyd's Insurance Company and Arch Insurance (EU) DAC as defendants in the suit.

Sweden  which in February dropped its investigation  and Germany have both found traces of explosives relating to the incident that ruptured the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, suggesting it was a deliberate act.

In their written defence, dated April 8 and first reported by Kommersant daily on Thursday, the insurers said Nord Stream's policy did not cover damage "directly or indirectly" resulting from war, military actions or the detonation of explosives.

The insurers also stated that the policy does not cover any damage which happened "under the order of any government".

"The defendants will rely on ... the fact that the explosion damage could only have  or, at least, was more likely than not to have  been inflicted by or under the order of a government," the insurers' lawyer said.

Gazprom, which built the pipelines, and Nord Stream AG did not reply to requests for comment.

In an email, Lloyd's said it is not at liberty to discuss individual policies or policyholders, nor can it comment on matters in litigation.

A spokesperson for Arch said the company does not comment on legal matters.

Russia and the West, at loggerheads over Moscow's conflict with Ukraine, have pointed fingers at one another. Each has denied any involvement, and no one has taken responsibility.

($1 = 0.9359 euros)

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin in Moscow and Sam Tobin in London; Editing by Jan Harvey and Sharon Singleton)
North Texas woman convicted of conspiring with fiance to kill his ex-girlfriend

A North Texas woman accused of helping her fiance kill his ex-girlfriend was convicted Wednesday in connection with the womans death, federal prosecutors said.

Holly Ann Elkins, of Rowlett, was indicted in June 2023, charged with conspiracy to stalk, stalking using a dangerous weapon resulting in death, and brandishing a firearm in relation to a violent crime, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Texas.

Her fiance, Andrew Beard, pleaded guilty to stalking using a dangerous weapon resulting in death and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. He was previously sentenced to 43 years in federal prison.

Elkins and Beard planned a campaign of terror aimed at Alyssa Ann Burkett, 24, who Beard shares a child with, U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton said in the news release.

The two spent months stalking and harassing Burkett before her violent murder on Oct. 2, 2020, Simonton said.

Ms. Elkins orchestrated a plot that brutally took a young mother away from her child. Todays verdict affirms that her actions were inexcusable, and she will be held accountable for helping carry out this heinous crime, said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough.

Elkins questioned Burketts fitness as a parent and convinced Beard to kill her, the release says. Shortly after moving into Beards home in the summer of 2020, Elkins began harassing Burkett.

In June, Beard and Elkins conspired to place a GPS tracker on Burketts vehicle and Elkins called 911 falsely claiming Burkett was driving erratically, according to the release. The harassment also included Elkins making another false report in August 2020 to police, claiming Burketts mother had assaulted her, the release says.

Days after the false reports were made, Beard and Elkins hired a private investigator to dig up dirt on Burkett and her new boyfriend. The investigator testified at trial and said they found nothing incriminating, according to the release.

On Sept. 14, 2020, Elkins and Beard planted drugs in Burketts car before they falsely reported to police that Burkett was dealing them.

Google records showed Beard started searching for how to remove gun powder from his hands, according to evidence presented at trial.

On Oct. 2, 2020, police say Beard shot Burkett in the head with a shotgun while she was sitting in her car outside where she worked. He then grabbed her and stabbed her 44 times, according to the release.

During the murder Elkins stayed at Beards home in Rockwall with Burketts daughter. Elkins told authorities Beard was with her at the time of the crime, the investigation found.

Burketts boyfriend testified at trial and said Elkins was the puppet master behind the murder, the release states.

Elkins faces up to life in federal prison.
Astrid Riecken/Getty Images

Of the nearly dozen states with citizen-led initiatives to enshrine abortion rights on the ballot this fall, Colorado has the most liberal abortion laws. It is one of the few states with no gestational limits.

But Jessica Grennan, campaign director of Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedom, says that many in the state face financial barriers when it comes to abortion access. The coalition of reproductive health and justice groups is trying to put a constitutional amendment on Novembers ballot that would preserve abortion rights and also drop a 40-year-old law that prohibits Coloradans from paying for abortions with public insurance. As Colorado Newsline has reported, proposed Initiative 89 would lift access for the approximately 1 million people who work at public institutions like hospitals, universities and the Capitol, as well as those covered by state Medicaid.

The coalition includes seven organizations which Grennan said have been trying to expand reproductive health access in the state for the past decade: ACLU Colorado, Cobalt (an abortion fund), Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights, Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, New Era Colorado, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, and ProgressNow Colorado. The coalition has until April 26 to gather nearly 125,000 valid signatures, which must include at least 2% of the total registered electors in each of the 35 state Senate districts. The campaign announced Friday in a press release that it has collected more than 225,000 signatures, and is now qualified in all 35 state Senate districts.

The news of Arizonas near-total abortion ban ultimately exposed just how vulnerable every state is, and will remain, without passing legislation that constitutionally secures the right to abortion, Grennan said in the press release.

The petition for a dueling ballot initiative to ban abortion in Colorado is due Thursday.

A longtime campaign strategist, Grennan has worked on a variety of ballot initiative campaigns in different states, including those related to medical debt and end-of-life choices. Abortion rights is a newer issue for Grennan, and it cuts deep for her as someone who has struggled with medical debt for her own reproductive health care.

Based in Missoula, Montana, Grennan recently sat down with States Newsroom outside a cafe on a rainy afternoon in Washington, D.C., to give an update on Colorados abortion-rights campaign, which she said is on target to qualify for the ballot later this month.

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

States Newsroom: Colorado is a blue state with liberal abortion laws. Why is this ballot measure necessary?

Jessica Grennan: Colorado is a state with abortion access in the laws, but we dont have a constitutional right to abortion access, and then folks that are on state insurance plans dont have that access.  So, were removing that ban and were also making sure its a constitutional right. Were essentially saying that Coloradans have a right to an abortion regardless of where their insurance is from. Abortion is health care. Its not extraordinary; its health care. Were, I think, making T-shirts that say, Abortion is health care, no asterisk, and thats what the measure does.

SN: How close are you to qualifying for the ballot in November?

Grennan: Were in a good position to turn in way above the legal requirement. But were not going to stop collecting.  We feel really comfortable where were at, like we went through the title board process; it went well. Now were just out there collecting signatures. I feel confident, but its always harder to pass something than it is to kill something, both in legislation and in ballot measures. And I think we have a fight ahead of us. But I think once folks hear our stories, and hear from our volunteers and hear from the folks in the trenches  doctors, patients  were going to win.

Jessica Grennan, campaign director of Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedom (courtesy of Jessica Grennan)

SN: Why do you think youre going to win?

Grennan: People are seeking out our signature gatherers, and thats been really awesome. Like people are really excited. They hear were in town, and theyre like, Thats the abortion one? And were like, Yes! A lot of people always come up to me and theyre like, You know, Im with you, and Im like, so is everyone else.  I think abortion is one of those issues right now that the people are ahead of politicians on. Politicians are risk averse on it. But people want access to their health care, and they dont want other folks telling them what is good for them and their family.

SN: What have been some of the challenges for this campaign?

Grennan: Yes campaigns are always harder than no campaigns. Yeses are more expensive. We have to get 55% of the vote. But we have this killer volunteer [program]. Weve trained over 1,100 people to collect signatures.  Im ecstatic by the volunteer program. Im ecstatic by the voters in Colorado. Well get reports [from volunteers], like, We asked these parents to sign the petitions and theyre like, No were busy, and the kids are like, Mom, Dad, you have to do it for me. I get goosebumps when I hear those stories.

SN: Are you aware of how the anti-abortion ballot initiative campaign for proposed Initiative 81 is going?

Grennan: I dont know. Weve seen them out a little bit, but not too much. Well know April 17 [The campaigns petition is due April 18] if they are on or not.

SN: Is it possible that both ballot measures could be on the ballot in November?

Grennan: Yes, it is hypothetically very possible. And then its generally the initiative with the highest percentage of votes that would be the one that wins.

SN: You previously ran a campaign in Arizona related to medical debt. How does that relate to the public insurance piece of Colorados proposed ballot measure?

Grennan: I ran a ballot measure on medical debt when I was in the middle of dealing with my own medical debt, trying to find anesthesiologists that were in network. So, I really care about access to health care. Rights and access to health care cant be distinguished.

SN: Youve helped run various issue campaigns around the country. How did you come to work on Colorados abortion-rights campaign?

Grennan: Actually, one of the coalition members called me when I was outside of my gynecologists office in Idaho, because I have really severe endometriosis [an often painful condition that affects reproductive organs and can make it difficult to conceive]. And she asked me if I would consider this. And Im like, I get a chance to work on abortion policy? Hell yeah. I just feel really honored to get to do this work.

SN: How do you connect your experience with endometriosis to fighting for abortion access?

Grennan: Because of not getting the care I needed over my lifetime. I was hospitalized when I was 15. It took me 26 years for my first hospitalization to get diagnosed. I had seven surgeries on something that should have been taken care of. It wasnt, and now I get to do something to put health care in patients control, and thats a big deal to me.

I didnt get to make decisions  a lot of people dont. And when you dont have medical decision-making capabilities [to make] the best decision for you, for your life, for your family, its just really hard. I want to prevent that from happening. And I get to work with a really great coalition that knows what their true north is, and we care about access to care.

The post Its not extraordinary; its health care, says leader of Colorado abortion ballot initiative appeared first on Michigan Advance.
Not a single case of arms smuggling from Ukraine recorded  Ministry of Internal Affairs

Not a single case of arms smuggling out of Ukraine has been recorded.

Source: Kateryna Pavlichenko, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, on Facebook following a meeting with Stefano Tomat, Managing Director and Commander of EU Civil Operations at the European External Action Service

Quote: "To date, not a single case of arms smuggling outside Ukraine has been recorded. At the same time, we must take into account such risks. We plan to continue cooperation and exchange of information, both with EU agencies and member states. Now, we are working with our partners to develop a joint action plan for preventing and countering illegal arms trafficking, which should strengthen the units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs system to respond to such risks."

Details: Pavlichenko says cooperation with EU countries in mine clearance of Ukrainian territories, primarily agricultural land, continues.

The deputy minister thanked Ukraines allies for the technical assistance in cleaning Ukrainian territories of explosive objects, particularly through the European Union's foreign policy tool, the Foreign Policy Instruments.

Why this is important: Russian propaganda has repeatedly tried to discredit Ukraine and its partners by accusing them of uncontrolled arms trafficking and smuggling.

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It seems that refusing to use the F-word at work may cause more trouble than using it. A 50-year old Environment Agency manager found himself in front of an employment tribunal after claiming to have been sacked for calling himself a non-feminist.

Unfortunately for him, the tribunal found that his dismissal had nothing to do with this, his former employers arguing hed actually been let go after moonlighting as a counsellor during working hours. Yet the tribunal did still pass comment on his thoughts on feminism, and the official verdict makes for alarming reading.

The court decided that non-feminist views were questionable, not worthy of respect or compatible with human dignity and could therefore be discriminatory to his colleagues. The manager had allegedly outed himself as a non-believer in Diversity, Equality and Inclusion policy when taking umbrage with what he described as an agenda to promote women over men.

Is it so wrong to reject feminism? If so, many more people may be in line for a judges ire. Back in 2016, a feminist organisation ran a poll on attitudes towards equality. This found that just 7 per cent of Britons would say they were a feminist, despite over two-thirds supporting equality between the sexes. The issue wasnt a reactionary turn in the populace against womens freedom and equality, but a problem with the F-word itself.



The Fawcett Societys conclusion was that we were a nation of hidden feminists who didnt really know what the word meant. Silly us. Hadnt we listened to our betters? After all, just two years previously Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg and Harriet Harman had been snapped wearing this is what a feminist looks like t-shirts. Yet despite the patronising overtones of campaigning organisations, the disjunct between how people actually feel about women, and what feminism as a political movement now represents, remained.

I personally share the annoyance with corporate feminist quota-chasing. Contemporary feminism has become a middle-class girls club - a political movement for glass-ceiling-smashers who have little interest in the women working for a pittance to clean up the shards.

Take publications like The Authority Gap by Mary Ann Sieghart, an unrelentingly bourgeois analysis of womens priorities, obsessed with CEO status and high society. The Sheryl Sandberg brand of whining professional feminism has won out  no wonder ordinary people are turning away from it.



These days, you cant really be sure that feminism is even about women  after all, its taken several years and an official report from a paediatrician to get most politicians to admit that they do actually know what a woman is. Humza Yousaf, that great hero of womens equality, has assured his trans fans that a new bill on misogyny will apply to anyone. Whats the point of a bill criminalising hatred against women if it can apply to men in dresses?



Whether the man in front of the tribunal was annoyed with contemporary feminism or a real woman hater is by the by. The tribunal judges remarks form the real insult. They suggest that DEI policy and officially enforced solidarity with feminism is all that stands between women and cavemen behaviour in the workplace.

On the contrary, its time to prick some of the egos in HR, where enforcers of our new morality believe that their zero-tolerance documents and equality laws have secured womens freedom. On the contrary, as I wrote in my book  What Women Want: Fun, Freedom and an End to Feminism  top-down enforcement of social norms via equality law, protective legislation or overreach in workplace regulations hampers womens fight for freedom. It places us as perpetual victims, in need of respect protected by interfering judges and paternalistic bosses.



There might be little worth saving in the feminist movement, but womens freedom is an unresolved issue and one worth fighting for. From abortion rights to childcare provision, mounting pressure on mothers and parenting to remaining vestiges of sexist behaviour, theres a lot to talk about. It would be better if we could discuss these issues openly without being expected to toe official lines.

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.
Edward and Celia Cooney, better known as the Bobbed Haired Bandit and her tall companion, are shown after their capture in Jacksonville on April 21, 1924.

A hundred years ago, Brooklyn's Bobbed Haired Bandit was the talk of New York, glorified by the newspapers and hounded by police as she and a man, dubbed her "tall companion," held up numerous targets at gunpoint: a grocery store, drugstore, restaurant and butcher shop, among others.

Most of the fascination was with the petite young woman, with her brazen, even cocky manner, her stylish clothes, her trendy bobbed hair (she added blonde curls to her dark hair, as a disguise) and her automatic pistol always at the ready.

It was a great story, a zingy chapter in the lore of the Roaring '20s: "Her crimes made gorgeous reading," proclaimed one New York columnist. But within a few months, her story led to tragedy, and desperate bravado, far from Brooklyn.

Shortly after midnight April 21, 1924, New York detectives finally caught up with her and her tall companion  who turned out to be her husband, Edward  in a shabby boardinghouse in Jacksonville. Their situation was dire. They were broke, in hiding, afraid to show their faces, and their daughter Katherine, born in Jacksonville, had just died. She was only a few days old.

Still, the Bobbed Haired Bandit remained defiant. And according to at least one story  and there were many differing stories about her, some of them perhaps even true  she was able to quip to the arresting officers, "I won't shoot if you won't."

Another story said that as she surrendered, she gave police this frank, even prideful proclamation: "I am the bobbed haired bandit you have been looking for."

Her life of crime ended on that morning in Jacksonville. But there was still much more to her story.

Who was Brooklyn's Bobbed Haired Bandit?

Her name was Celia Cooney. In the first months of 1924, she was 20 years old, pregnant, and just a little over 5 feet tall.

She looked bigger with a gun, some said.

Before turning to larceny, she had been a laundry worker who wanted, she said, to give her baby a better life than hers. That, she reckoned, would require more money than she had then or would ever have in a straight life.

So on Jan. 5, 1924, Cooney, several months pregnant, put on a gorgeous sealskin coat that she and her husband could not afford (Ed, a 25-year-old auto repairman, liked her to look nice). Then she walked into a grocery store in Brooklyn and approached six male clerks.

As she related later in a tell-all newspaper story, she asked the clerks for some eggs. At that, Ed walked in behind her. And when one of the men put the eggs on the counter, she pulled her gun out of a pocket of that sealskin coat and pointed it in his direction.

"Stick 'em up! Quick!" she said.

That was the first the world heard of the Bobbed Haired Bandit, who made away with more than $600  a real fortune  that she and her husband quickly burned through, getting a nicer apartment, some good furniture and things for the baby.

So she and her tall companion committed more holdups, gaining legendary status in dueling New York newspapers and in the imagination of New Yorkers  and causing much embarrassment for those in the police department, who seemed flummoxed by this young, petite woman, whose very existence seemed to be mocking them.

Celia Cooney, Brooklyn's Bobbed Haired Bandit, in 1924.

But it eventually got too hot for the Cooneys in Brooklyn; too many people had seen their faces, and all that publicity didn't help. So they booked passage on a steamship to Jacksonville. They could give up crime and start a new life in Florida, they figured, with their new baby, who was due within weeks.

First though, one last big job in Brooklyn.

A shooting, and an escape

In their 2006 book, "The Bobbed Haired Bandit: A True Story of Crime and Celebrity in 1920s New York," authors Stephen Duncombe and Andrew Mattson describe the last holdup. It was a daring daylight robbery with the potential for a big payoff.

Ed picked the spot, very close to where they lived: the payroll office of the National Biscuit Co. The couple drew up an elaborate plan to pose as out-of-towners, even to the point of getting a chauffeur to drive them to the robbery in his Packard. The unfortunate fellow ended up tied up by picture wire and left on the floor in front of the back seat.

Meanwhile, inside the biscuit company's busy payroll office, things went wrong, quickly, and Ed shot and wounded a clerk who resisted. The company safe was open, but the bobbed haired bandit and her companion had no time to grab the cash now. They skedaddled to the Packard and ditched it near a railroad station a few blocks away, leaving the chauffeur still bound in the back.

The New York Times noted that the shooting at the biscuit company "showed that the woman and her companion had become desperate, that they would kill before they would allow themselves to be captured."

It was only a matter of time, the newspaper reckoned, before someone died.

But as police searched the area and newspapers speculated on what would happen next, the Cooneys were already on a ship to Jacksonville, "seasick and afraid," Duncombe and Mattson wrote.

'She went out and got what she wanted'

The Bobbed Haired Bandit's felonious exploits thrilled journalists eager for a good yarn. Consider the words of Nunnally Johnson, a columnist for the Brooklyn Eagle, who after her arrest wrote that despite all the ink spilled about on her, the bobbed haired bandit was deserving of even more: What Celia Cooney deserves is a ballad, a glorious painting, or perhaps a statue, preferably in Prospect Park, he wrote.

To be sure, Johnson, who would go on to a prolific career in the movie business, noted that she was no saint: She used pretty bad language and was not averse to choking somebody now and then.

But she was, Johnson noted approvingly, the real thing: an outlaw along the lines of Jesse James, but with bobbed hair and crimson lipstick.

Remember," he wrote, "that her crimes made gorgeous reading, that she did not go into whatever trades are open for $12 a week to an untrained girl when she and Cooney found that his $30 a week was not sufficient to live on, but that she strapped her old .44 on around her waist, slashed her lips with crimson, powdered her nose, and told a chain grocery clerk to get in the back room before she bumped him. She went out and spread fear. She went out and got what she wanted.

In their book, Duncombe and Mattson focus on the press mania over the story of Celia Cooney, noting that in, the face of such a charged tale, accuracy was often a victim. "For any given event, we found anywhere from two to twenty competing and often conflicting reports," they wrote.

The Bobbed Haired Bandit's tale was a pliable one as well, depending on who was telling it and who was eating it up.

"The story was told and interpreted, pushed and pulled, to fit the morality and politics of the writer and reader," the authors write. "She was a feminist heroine and a wanton vamp. She was symptomatic of a permissive society that coddled its criminals and the unfortunate product of the slums and the factory, an argument for law and order, and a call for progressive social reform. She was a desperate mother who stole for the sake of her unborn child and a spoiled flapper looking for kicks and cash to buy luxuries for herself."

Most of all though, the authors said, was this indisputable fact: "She was a good story."

Police get closer

A New York Times story said police had figured out by April 15 that it was the Cooneys behind the hold-ups. And after learning that Celia was pregnant, officers requested a watch on every hospital, doctors office, maternity home and all such places where the girl would be likely to go.

That might have led police to Jacksonville, or perhaps not. Duncombe and Mattson write that there were many theories about how the Cooneys were tracked to Florida; a likely one was that police intercepted mail from Ed Cooney to his mother, asking for money. The Jacksonville undertaker who buried their daughter might have also provided the final clue to their location.

However it happened, the Cooneys were caught, at gunpoint, and loaded onto a train in Jacksonville under the watchful eyes of the detectives.

The real McCoy: Local boatbuilder sailed through the Roaring '20s on a sea of illicit booze

They were bound for New York, the scene of the crimes, where a crush of spectators rushed their train upon its arrival at Pennsylvania Station. They drew a bigger and far more enthusiastic crowd, it was noted, than President Calvin Coolidge, who'd left from that very place just before the Cooneys' arrival. "The arrival of the couple from Florida bordered on the spectacular," The Times wrote.

Some papers painted her as a grieving young mother; others emphasized her still-breezy demeanor and the apparent pleasure she took in her notoriety. The Times took the latter approach, noting that Celia Cooney seemed to be rather enjoying it all, grinning "behind the magazine she held to hide her face from the cameras."

The Times was somewhat catty about the media sensation at the heart of the story. She is a pert, self-sufficient appearing little person, with plenty of nerve, and she seems to consider herself the heroine of a melodrama. Her husband is slower witted than she and somewhat ungainly. Neither is prepossessing. She is not a blonde and never was. Her hair is black, but on the first occasion on which she committed a hold-up she wore blonde curls pinned under the brim of her hat."

The truth of the Bobbed Haired Bandit comes out

The court proceedings were widely followed in the press and the public, which breathlessly followed the story as the Cooneys pleaded guilty and were eventually sentenced to 10 to 20 years. But when they were released after seven years, in 1931, they reentered a world that had largely forgotten the exploits of the Bobbed Haired Bandit.

Things looked up though, for a while. Ed, who lost an arm in a prison accident and developed tuberculosis behind bars, was awarded a $12,000 settlement, which proved to be enough for the family to buy a cottage on Long Island.

Celia Cooney leaves court in 1924. Her case was a media sensation in New York and beyond, 100 years ago.

But he died from tuberculosis in 1936 at 37, leaving Celia in that cottage with the couple's two young sons. As a single mom, she was soon in desperate financial straits once more, especially after a fire destroyed everything she owned after she and her sons moved back to New York City.

Decades later, after living a quiet, crime-free life, she moved to the Tampa Bay area in Florida under the care of a son; she developed Alzheimer's disease and died there in 1992 at 88 years old.

The 1920s: Bootleggers were big business in the woods and swamps of Northeast Florida

She had kept her bandit life a secret from her children, only talking about it as her mental state declined, Duncombe and Mattson write. After she died though, her son Ed began researching her secret life, finally finding out the truth about his mother, the Bobbed Haired Bandit. He told the authors that it was hard to talk about it without breaking into tears.

But what a story it was, for a while. The New York American even paid her $1,000 for her serialized memoir that went across the country purporting to tell the truth behind the "Bobbed-Hair Bandit's Own Story." It was, the paper assured its readers, "the strangest, weirdest, most dramatic, most tragic, human interest story ever told."

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Brooklyn's Bobbed Haired Bandit caught in Jacksonville a century ago
The National Rifle Association (NRA) settled a suit with the D.C. Attorney Generals Office on Wednesday, concluding a three-and-a-half-year case by promising to reform its troubled charity arm, avoiding a trial.

Prosecutors said the NRA Foundation misused more than $10 million in tax-deductible donations, illegally funneling the money into its parent organization for political activity. The case was set to go to trial April 29.

The settlement comes as the NRA recovers from a disastrous New York corruption trial, which saw the organizations top executives levied with multimillion-dollar penalties for misuse of funds.

A jury found that top NRA executives spent millions of the groups funds on luxury travel, clothes, dinners and other perks over decades. Former CEO Wayne LaPierre, who stepped down in the wake of the trial, was found liable for $5.4 million in damages, while former Chief Financial Officer Woody Phillips faced a $2 million judgment.

In the D.C. case, Attorney General Brian Schwalb said the NRA charity violated the sacred public trust of nonprofits, allowing the NRA to use them as an unchecked piggy bank.

Caving to pressure from the NRA, the Foundation diverted millions of dollars to the NRA in grants and risky loans that were repaid only after OAG filed its lawsuit, he continued in a statement. Tax-exempt nonprofits are a form of public trust  abusing that trust as the NRA did violates both the public interest and District law.

The NRA did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement agreement.

This is further proof of the NRAs commitment to good governance, NRA President Charles Cotton said in a statement. The NRA confronted this political attack  and emerges from this lawsuit strong, secure, and vindicated.

The organization also fought back against Schwalbs characterization of the settlement in a statement to The Hill, with NRA counsel William Brewer calling it distorted and untruthful.

The DCAG spins todays settlement in avoidance of the facts: the DCAG long ago abandoned any claims of wrongdoing against the NRA, Brewer wrote. Even by DC standards, this is rank political gamesmanship  an after-the-fact justification for a failed lawsuit by these officials.

Brewer continued, claiming that many of the claims Schwalb alleged against the NRA Foundation were unfounded, specifically noting that the settlement agreement includes no accusations or implications of wrongdoing by the organization.

In the face of these facts, the DCAG settled its lawsuit  abandoning all claims against the NRA and NRA Foundation, he wrote.

As part of the settlement agreement, the NRA Foundation agreed to annual nonprofit compliance training for its board members and officers, more consistent audits and the establishment of a conflict-of-interest policy.

It also asks the Foundation to form new policies governing grantmaking, loans, shared services, and other activity with the NRA to ensure transparency, Foundation independence, and adherence to the Foundations nonprofit mission.

The settlement does not include financial penalties, as the Districts nonprofit governance laws do not permit punitive damages. It will remain in effect until December 2026, Schwalbs office said.

The NRA has struggled for years with declining membership and rising legal fees between the New York and D.C. suits.

The association lost about a half-million members from 2021-22, according to gun violence news nonprofit The Trace. The NRA raised just $213 million in 2022, about half of its 2016 total, according to the nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

Following an 18-month investigation in the New York case, Attorney General Letitia James (D) said the NRA fostered a culture of self-dealing, mismanagement and negligent oversight, costing the group $64 million over three years. She sought to dissolve the whole organization in the suit, but a state judge pared back her demands in 2022.

Updated 12:01 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
ADEN, Yemen, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Three children sustained serious injuries on Thursday when an explosive device of war exploded in Yemen's southern province of Dhalea, a military official told Xinhua.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the blast occurred in a residential area in the Qatabah district of Dhalea and left the three children suffering severe shrapnel wounds.

He said emergency responders promptly transported them to a nearby medical facility for urgent medical care.

The incident underscores the persistent danger unexploded ordnance poses to civilians in Yemen after years of military conflict. Large swaths of territory remain littered with mines, shells, grenades, and other hazardous military detritus, according to the official.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement said in a statement that it recorded five separate landmine incidents in the country's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah last month. Those blasts resulted in nine civilian casualties, four of them children.

Yemen's protracted civil war erupted in 2014 when the Houthi group seized control over much of the country's north, compelling the Saudi-backed internationally recognized government to flee. A Saudi-led military coalition intervened in 2015 in an attempt to restore the government.

The long-running conflict has birthed one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. But even as the warring sides have observed a lull in fighting in recent months, the dire threat of landmines and unexploded ordnance continues to haunt Yemeni people across large territories. 
The number of hostages still alive in Gaza is a mystery, officials say

Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held in Gaza protest in front of the Israeli parliament (Menahem Kahana / AFP - Getty Images file)

More than six months since Hamas militants attacked Israel and seized more than 250 hostages, it remains unclear exactly how many of the captives are still alive in Gaza, according to U.S. and Israeli officials.

The uncertainty has caused anguish among the families of those held in Gaza and undermined international efforts to negotiate a cease-fire deal and the release of at least some of the hostages, the officials told NBC News.

A proposed cease-fire formula calls for Hamas to free 40 hostages who are women, children or sick and elderly men, and in return, Israel would release possibly hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. But Hamas so far has been unable to confirm it has identified 40 hostages who meet those criteria, and that has bogged down the negotiations, U.S., Israeli and Western officials said.

In November, more than 100 hostages were released as part of a four-day pause in the fighting in Gaza. Israel says more than 130 hostages remain, and about a quarter of those are believed dead.

Far fewer hostages may be alive than is publicly known, but it is difficult to say for certain, given there has been limited visibility into the locations and conditions of some of the hostages, U.S. officials said.

Asked whether there was a firm estimate of how many hostages remained alive, a former senior Israeli official said: Not at all. No one reliable has this information. Its all speculation.

U.S. officials accused Hamas of making demands that it knows are unobtainable.

"Hamas refusal to accept a hostage-cease-fire deal shows their disregard for the lives of the Palestinian people," a senior Biden administration official said Wednesday. "They started this war and seem to be perfectly fine with this conflict continuing."

An Israeli official said, Hamas is dragging its feet, is not interested in a deal and continues to hope for a regional escalation, which is why the negotiations remain stalled.

Hamas said in a statement Saturday it was prepared to sign on to a serious and true deal but renewed its demand for a permanent cease-fire and a full withdrawal of Israeli troops.

According to Qatars prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, whose country has acted as an intermediary for the hostage-cease-fire talks along with Egypt and the U.S., the talks have hit a stumbling block.

We are passing through a delicate phase with some stumbling, he said at a news conference Wednesday, without elaborating. We are trying as much as possible to address this stumbling block and to move forward.

Last week, a Hamas official, Basem Naim, said in an interview that a ceasefire is essential to identifying the number of hostages.

Part of negotiations is to reach a ceasefire agreement to have enough time and safety to collect final and more precise data about the captured Israelis, because they are in different palaces by different groups, some of them are under the rubble killed with our own people, and we negotiate to get heavy equipments for this purpose," Naim said.

A relative of one of the several Americans believed to be held in Gaza said families are in the dark about the fates of their loved ones: For 185 days, we have received no verification of life of any of these hostages  absent a limited number of videos released early on by the Hamas terrorists.

The family member, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid putting their loved ones fate at risk, said that Israeli security has shown Americans who have traveled to Israel and met with Israels security forces that they know where many of the hostages are but that the captives are constantly being moved.

Every day they are there, we also know that they could die of starvation, illness, injury or murder, the relative said.

The Biden administration is working under the assumption that five U.S. hostages are still alive and unaccounted for, a U.S. official said. But Washington has better visibility into the locations and conditions of some hostages than others, making it difficult to say with any certainty that all five remain alive.

Beyond the five, the U.S. believes Hamas is holding several more bodies of Americans believed to have been taken into Gaza after they were killed in the militants Oct. 7 assault on Israel or shortly thereafter.

Israeli troops have searched hospitals, tunnels and even graveyards in Gaza for hostages or their remains. In February, an Israeli raid in Rafah in southern Gaza rescued two hostages.

Aviva Siegel, who spent 51 days as a hostage in Gaza until she was released as part of the November deal, said her experience in captivity was a terrifying nightmare.

I was treated like Im nothing. I didnt have any human rights. We werent allowed to talk. We werent allowed to even stand, Siegel told NBC News Andrea Mitchell last week.

They used to starve us and eat in front of us. They used to drink water, and we begged them for water. They used to sometimes bring us just a little bit of water and say thats the water until tomorrow at 5 oclock. So we used to have one sip every couple of hours, each of us."

Her husband, Keith, of North Carolina, remains captive.

CORRECTION (April 18, 2024, 11:00 a.m. ET): A previous version of this article misstated in a quote how long Aviva Siegel was held hostage in Gaza. It was 51 days, not 186. The quote has been removed.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Nurses can do math: No deal struck after bargaining session with MyMichigan Sault

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. (WJMN)  Contract negotiations between union nurses and executives at MyMichigan Medical Center Sault have been punted to next month after planned talks on Thursday did not result in a deal.

On their fourth day of a five-day strike, the nurses, represented by the Michigan Nurses Association, say they handed over their own proposal to hospital management, and that a federal mediator asked both parties for more information.

Bargaining is set to begin again on May 10.

Meanwhile, nurses on the picket line say they arent fooled by the executives previous contract offers, saying they floated so many concessions that nurses would effectively be taking a pay cut.

Yes, MyMichigan, nurses can do math  and your contract offer doesnt add up, said Twyla Niznik, RN. Our fellow nurses who make up our elected bargaining team have been transparent and kept us updated this whole time. We are behind them 100 percent in rejecting MyMichigans weak proposal. MyMichigan executives are misleading the public with numbers that sound good but dont account for concessions; in my family, for example, wed have to pay $4,200 more a year just to get health insurance. Their wage offer wont make up for that at all.

The negotiation and strike also come as the MNA has filed a number of unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board.

Our previous stories:

When nurses are outside, theres something wrong inside: Nurses begin strike at MyMichigan Sault

Nurses picket in the Sault; hospital boss says good offer is on the table. Whos right?

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJMN - UPMatters.com.
NYCs City Hall asked staffers to write poems about their agencies  perfecting the art of wasting time

Top City Hall staffers were asked to pen poems about their agencies.

Roses are red / violets are blue / dont you have anything / better to do?

City Hall asked top staffers to get creative and write poems about their agencies for the little-known national Poem in your Pocket day  an exercise some said perfected the art of time-wasting.

Its a comedy of errors, one city worker told The Post. Do they know they have a city to run?

In an email announcing the wordsmithing contest, a City Hall official asked the bureaucrats to take a break from managing the metropolis and channel their inner Emily Dickinson in under 70 words.

Im here with a fun challenge for you all. Thursday, April 18 will be Poem in Your Pocket Day, a celebration created by NYC to celebrate the joy of poetry, the citys Digital Content & Communications manager wrote in an email to at least four agencies.

Top City Hall staffers were asked to pen poems about their agencies. vukas  stock.adobe.com

If your team writes and submits a poem about your agency we will put it into a graphic for you, the April 9 email proclaims.

The city official included a submission link and urged the staffers to post their verses on social media.

On April 18, we want everyone to share their poems on Twitter, the official wrote. We love to see as many teams as possible share poetry that day and Creative Comms is here to help you make it beautiful.

Non-experts on the citys creative communications team plan to choose a favorite poem and snap new headshots of the staffer to go with it.

Some city workers called the push for poetry a waste of time. Paul Martinka

[Its a] nice mix of art and competition, he declared. Have fun with it!

But some city workers rolled their eyes  calling the memo an ode to government ineptitude.

Why is it so hard to just be professional? one law enforcement source fumed to The Post. [Its] more dumb social media nonsense Nobody cares. You can generate a poem using Chat GPT.

Weve got better stuff to do, a third city worker sniffed.

Another city staffer said there was no rhyme or reason for the forced poetry appreciation.

Making us all write a verse isnt going to encourage anyone to actually read poetry or embrace the arts, the source said. Its just a bad shtick that misses the whole point of the day, and we look unserious.

City Halls creative communications team launched the poetry contest. Paul Martinka

Poem in Your Pocket Day was launched in 2002 by the Mayors Office along with the citys Departments of Cultural Affairs and Education.

Six years later, the Academy of American Poets took the movement to all fifty states  encouraging people to celebrate the written word by posting a poem on social media, reading one aloud or adding a poem to your email footer among other suggestions.

City Hall said the poetic exercise was all in good fun and not a mandatory assignment.

To celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day, we encouraged agencies to share poems on social media, and we even offered to turn their poems into graphics. At no point was this fun challenge a requirement for any city agency, said City Hall spokeswoman Liz Garcia.
NYC issues warning of infectious disease spread by rat urine after record year of reported cases

NYC issues warning of infectious disease spread by rat urine after record year of reported cases

New York City health officials issued a warning about the increase in transmitted bacterial illness spread by rat urine after 24 cases were reported in 2023, the most for any year.

Only six cases of leptospirosis have been reported in the city so far this year, but numbers were trending upward, the New York City Department of Health said.

Cases in New York are largely associated with exposure to materials contaminated with rat urine from the Norway rat.

The disease can cause fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea, cough, conjunctival suffusion, jaundice, and rash, Celia Quinn, the deputy commissioner for the Division of Disease Control, who issued an April 12 memo warning of the disease.

NYC MAYOR BLAMES, IN PART, RAT INFESTATION ON WHY PEOPLE ARE LEAVING THE BIG APPLE

If not treated, kidney failure, meningitis, liver damage, and respiratory distress can occur, she said.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

"Transmission occurs through direct contact with infectious urine or urine contaminated water, soil, or food, entering the body through open wounds or mucous membranes," the memo states.

From 2001 to 2023, the Bronx had the most cases with 37, while Manhattan had 28, the memo said. Six deaths were reported in the same time period.

Person-to-person transmission is rare, officials said.

The Leptospira bacteria can die within minutes in the dry heat and freezing cold, Quinn said.

"The cold winters of NYC likely limit the extent to which leptospires can survive in the environment," she said. "However, excessive rain and unseasonably warm temperatures, factors associated with climate change, may support the persistence of leptospires in more temperate areas like NYC."

NEW YORK CITY HIRING NEW RAT CZAR TO HELP WITH CITY'S LONG-RUNNING BATTLE AGAINST RODENTS

More than half of the 24 cases reported last year were reported between June and October, a period when there was a warmer and wetter climate with excessive rain and "unseasonably" warm days.

The number of cases raised alarms because only three per year were reported from 2001 to 2020. From 2021 to 2023, the city received 15 reports of leptospirosis.

Some 3 million rats call New York City home, according to a study by a pest company.

In December, Mayor Eric Adams said rat infestation was partly responsible for many New Yorkers leaving the city.

"Some people who have children and families decide they want to go to a place where their children can play outdoors, larger green spaces, you want to see animals  you dont see animals except for rats in New York," Adams said when asked about the plunging population data.

A rat scavenges for food on the subway platform at Herald Square September 3, 2017, in New York City.

"So theres a combination of things," he added. "And we are getting rid of those rats, by the way."





Original article source: NYC issues warning of infectious disease spread by rat urine after record year of reported cases
NYC squatters got engaged, spent big after stuffing slay victim in duffel bag, prosecutors say

NEW YORK  The young squatter couple accused of beating a Manhattan woman to death and stuffing her body in a duffel bag went on a wild shopping spree, got engaged while on the lam and even bought a diamond ring with the victims credit card to seal the deal, authorities said Thursday.

After fleeing to Pennsylvania and crashing the victims Lexus they stole from outside the murder scene, Halley Tejada,19, of Manhattan, and Kensly Alston, 18, of the Bronx, used the victims credit cards to go on a spending spree that included Apple AirPods, clothing, food, a PlayStation 5 and the ring, according to prosecutors.

Alston, despite the trouble she was in, fancied herself in love, authorities said. The couple had just celebrated her 18th birthday and wound up engaged by the time they were apprehended.

Tejada and Alston were charged Thursday in the death of Nadia Vitels inside the victims late mothers apartment on E. 31st St. near Third Ave. in Kips Bay.

Tejada was escorted out of the 17th Precinct stationhouse dressed in a black shirt, gray sweatpants and flip-flop sandals.

Im innocent, Im innocent, he told reporters.

Never, he said before he was driven away.

Cops believe that the squatters were in Vitels mothers apartment, which had been vacant for a few months, when the 52-year-old woman showed up on March 10 to prepare the pad for a family friend to live in. The victims arrival apparently caught the squatters by surprise and they attacked her.

Vitels son found his mothers body, her foot sticking out of the duffel bag in a closet, as they frantically searched the apartment four days later.

Police believe the squatters had been there for a few days before Vitels came to the apartment after arriving from Spain.

Kensly Alston and Halley Tejada allegedly murdered Nadia Vitels in her own apartment while she was moving in to start a new chapter of her life, said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. I send my deepest condolences to her friends and family as they continue to mourn her loss. My office will secure justice for Nadia Vitels.

After allegedly beating the woman to death, the couple stole her Lexus and drove to Pennsylvania, where they crashed the vehicle in Lower Paxton Township, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles from where they were apprehended, police said.

They spent the next week wandering around the area, going to multiple car dealerships trying to purchase a car for $1,000 which they (were) unable to do, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said.

Elizabeth Clerkin, an assistant district attorney, said Tejada yelled at Vitels that he would kill her after Vitels told the couple to leave the apartment.

The couple ended up chasing her into the bedroom.

Tejada stomped on the head while (Alston) kicked the body, Clerkin said. She was still breathing.

According to the prosecutor, Tejada stomped on Vitels head with his bare foot while Alston watched.

You should put your shoes on before you hurt yourself, Alston told him, according to Clerkin.

Alston confessed that after dragging Vitels body to the kitchen, she held open the bag while defendant Tejada put Ms. Vitels body in the bag and that she was still breathing, said the ADA.

An autopsy revealed Vitels died from blunt force trauma to the head, the city Medical Examiner said March 15, ruling her death a homicide.

Officials said Vitels wrists were bound with tape, her neck and ribs had cords wrapped around them and the Medical Examiner would ultimately find signs of blunt force trauma, rib fractures, bruising and a hinge fracture to the skull, Clerkin said.

Inside the apartment, officers found signs of a struggle, including a dented and broken sheetrock wall the victims head may have struck, police sources said.

After the Pennsylvania crash, authorities let them go because they did not know about the body in the apartment yet.

The couple took advantage of the break and celebrated their nine-day Pennsylvania jaunt with a spending spree, courtesy of their victim, Clerkin said.

Ms. Alston explained how good their life had been in Pennsylvania, she said.

Clerkin said security footage captured Alston and her accomplice as they walked around the secure lobby to gain access to the building, pausing before entering the apartment as if waiting to see if anyone was inside.

The last time Vitels was seen on surveillance footage was March 12 at 11:30 a.m. She was walking with her dog.

The victim was never seen alive again, Clerkin said.

Alston and Tejada were each charged with second-degree murder, burglary, robbery, criminal possession of stolen property, grand larceny and concealment of a human corpse.
NEW YORK  NYPD officers with batons and wearing helmets took dozens of Columbia University students into custody Thursday after groups protesting the war in Gaza refused to take down a two-day encampment zone.

Hundreds of cops entered campus in the early afternoon, with several school buses on standby to transport those arrested. Students continued to chant on the lawn throughout the day, and even began setting up new tents just a few yards away.

I regret that all of these attempts to resolve the situation were rejected by the students involved, university president Minouche Shafik said in a message to students. As a result, NYPD officers are now on campus and the process of clearing the encampment is underway.

No students have been criminally charged yet, cops said Thursday afternoon. The protesters were being processed at NYPD headquarters at One Police Plaza; most are expected to be released with a summons.

The action came the day after Shafik defended the administrations response to campus antisemitism before Congress. Tensions over the last two days have been climbing at Columbia amid clashes with the police and student suspensions in response to the campus encampment.

Students had pledged that the demonstration, a series of green tents called the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, would remain until the university meets their demand to divest Columbias finances from companies and institutions that profit from Israel. Signs declared the encampment a liberated zone, and demanded ceasefire now and free Palestine, according to photos shared with the Daily News on Thursday morning.

One upperclassman saw the last of the protestors removed from the lawn and led to buses. He described the heavy police presence as intimidating.

This is our campus, this is where we spend our time, he said. It seems ridiculous that the president would call the police in to prevent us from basically expressing ourselves, especially for such a serious and important cause.

A pre-med student estimated 30 to 50 protestors were arrested. He said he witnessed one person on the ground who was picked up and ziptied at the hands and feet.

The arrests he observed were not super violent, he said. But it obviously wasnt gentle.

Shafik, in her communication, noted that protests have a storied history at Columbia and are an essential component of free speech in America and on our campus.

But, she said, the current encampment violates all of the new policies, severely disrupts campus life, and creates a harassing and intimidating environment for many of our students.

Prior to the NYPD moving in, at least three pro-Palestinian students at Columbia University were suspended Thursday, while a handful of protesters outside the campus gates were taken into custody earlier, university officials and cops said. The number of suspensions, including the daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota, was expected to grow as more students are linked to the encampment.

Student organizers quickly blasted the suspensions in a press release and on social media, which they said means students have lost access to their food, housing and medical center.

As of a few minutes ago, I received notice from Barnard administration that I had been suspended for my involvement in the illicit solidarity encampment, Maryam Iqbal said in a clip posted to Instagram.

I want to make it very clear to Columbia administration and Barnard administration that I refuse to be silenced in my demand for divestment, and I will remain vocally opposed to genocide in Gaza, said Iqbal, a member of Students for Justice in Palestine, which was kicked off campus in the fall. Barnard and Columbia will look back at this moment and capitalize on the legacy of their student activists, as they always do, and we will not allow for this to be co opted when that time comes.

Those arrested outside the campus gates Thursday slept on the street in support of the encampment, the student group said.

The campus is closed to the public all this week, with a Columbia ID necessary to enter the entryway gates, according to university communications.

Students spent the night in the tents on the lawn, despite the rain, according to Students for Justice in Palestine. As of Thursday morning, the student group said Columbia administrators had agreed to one of their demands to provide financial transparency on investments.

Free speech organization PEN America criticized the administrations response.

It is disturbing to see a campus move so quickly to arrest students for peacefully expressing their political views within the free speech zone, Kristen Shahverdian, program director of campus free speech, and it is even more alarming that this action came amidst political pressure to crack down on pro-Palestinian expression on campus after yesterdays hearing in the House.

After the congressional hearing, about 125 pro-Israel and 100 pro-Palestinian protesters gathered on Broadway, with one pro-Palestinian protester arrested who ignored repeated requests by police to lower the 15-foot pole for safety reasons, the individual and cops said. Another protester was arrested for assaulting a police officer.

We are devoid of any fear right now, the group said in a statement on social media. We have the student collective mobilizing behind us. And this has given us immense power. We have the control now.

_____

(With Barry Williams and Tim Balk.)

_____
Officers with the New York Police Department (NYPD) were clad in riot gear Thursday during a pro-Palestinian demonstration at Columbia University, where protesters set up an encampment of dozens of tents on campus.

Photos circulating on social media and various media outlets showed dozens of police officers in body armor and face shields lined up around Columbia University Thursday afternoon. Officers arrested dozens of demonstrators Thursday, The New York Times reported. NYPD declined to provide any details on the arrests as the situation is ongoing.

Demonstrators set up an encampment of tents that went up Wednesday morning, prompting Columbia University President Minouche Shafik to authorize the NYPD to help remove the encampment out of an abundance of caution.

I have determined that the encampment and related disruptions pose a clear and present danger to the substantial functioning of the University, Shafik wrote in a letter to the NYPD Thursday.

She said the demonstrators were informed multiple times they are not permitted to occupy the space  the South Lawn of Columbia Universitys Morningside Heights Campus  but have refused to disperse or comply with school administrators.

I regret that all of these attempts to resolve the situation were rejected by the students involved. As a result, NYPD officers are now on campus and the process of clearing the encampment is underway, she said in an update Thursday.

All university students involved in the demonstration were told they are suspended, Shafik added.

Students who are participating in the unauthorized encampment are suspended. We are continuing to identify them and will be sending out formal notifications, a university spokesperson told The Hill.

Among those suspended was Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.). Hirsi is a student at Barnard College, which is connected to Columbia but has some independence.

Independent presidential candidate Cornel West joined Thursdays protests, according to multiple social media posts.

In one video, West was seen shouting into a megaphone, I stand here in solidarity with each and every one of you.

Cause we are in solidarity with human suffering, especially when it is imposed by human beings and Im taking about the indescribable genocide of our precious Palestinians in Gaza, he continued.

The protests come one day after House lawmakers with the Education and Workforce Committee grilled Columbia officials about their response to the rise in antisemitism witnessed at schools across the country following Hamass Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

A series of U.S. colleges have faced an uptick in demonstrations and protests in the months that followed the Oct. 7 attacks.

This story was updated at 5:49 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
U.S. lawmakers have moved closer to enacting a countrywide ban on TikTok.

Last month, the House of Representatives passed a bill by a wide margin that would ban distribution of TikTok in U.S. unless TikToks Chinese parent, ByteDance, sells its ownership in the app within 165 days of the laws enactment. On Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson issued a new proposal that would extend the sale requirement deadline to nine months, with a potential for a 90-day extension  addressing a key concern of Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), chair of the Senates Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, that the divestiture timeline was too short.

More from Variety

The revised TikTok ban proposal is tied to a broader bill providing emergency aid for Ukraine and Israel; the House is expected to vote on the measure Saturday, and if it passes would move to the Senate. President Biden has said he will sign the TikTok divest-or-ban legislation into law.

On Wednesday evening, Cantwell said she supported the revised TikTok ban bill. Im very happy that Speaker Johnson and House leaders incorporated my recommendation to extend the ByteDance divestment period from six months to a year, she said in a statement. As Ive said, extending the divestment period is necessary to ensure there is enough time for a new buyer to get a deal done. I support this updated legislation.

Chair @SenatorCantwell statement on updated House TikTok legislation: pic.twitter.com/jAlZvHONNh  Senate Commerce, Science, Transportation Committee (@commercedems) April 18, 2024

In a statement Wednesday evening, TikTok said, It is unfortunate that the House of Representatives is using the cover of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again jam through a ban bill that would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, devastate 7 million businesses, and shutter a platform that contributes $24 billion to the U.S. economy, annually.

SEE ALSO: Would Banning TikTok Be a Boon or Bummer for Hollywood?

It looks unlikely that ByteDance would sell its stake in TikTok, which would mean the app would be essentially outlawed in the United States. Chinese officials have said the government would firmly oppose any forced sale of TikTok  moving to block it under the countrys technology export rules  because it would seriously undermine the confidence of investors from various countries, including China, to invest in the United States.

Many U.S. lawmakers on both sides of the aisle perceive TikTok to be a national security threat, on the theory that Chinas communist regime could demand access to data on U.S. users or force TikTok to promote Chinese propaganda. TikTok has repeatedly claimed the Chinese government has never made such demands (and that TikTok would not comply with them if they were made) and says 60% of ByteDances ownership is represented by global investment firms.

The TikTok ban, if it becomes law, is expected to face legal challenges, including potentially from TikTok. Prior attempts in the U.S. to ban the app  under former President Trump  failed on First Amendment grounds and because courts found legal challenges have presented only hypothetical national security risks rather than actual evidence TikTok has shared data with Chinese authorities.

We will not stop fighting and advocating for you, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said in a March 13 video message to the apps U.S. users. We will continue to do all we can, including exercising our legal rights to protect this amazing platform that we have built with you. He also urged TikToks American users to protect your Constitutional rights and make your voices heard to U.S. senators.

VIP+ Analysis: TikTok Now Among Internet Traffic Supergiants

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Thomas Lane, one of the former Minneapolis police officers convicted for killing George Floyd nearly fours ago, has completed the federal portion of his prison time and now is nearing an end to being locked up.

Lane, 41, will remain housed at the low-security federal lockup in Littleton, Colo., until his state sentence for aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter ends on Aug. 20, Minnesota Department of Corrections spokesperson Shannon Loehrke said Thursday.

Another year of supervised release will follow before he satisfies the terms of his state sentence, Loehrke said.

In July 2022, a federal judge sentenced Lane to 2 years in prison in the federal civil rights case linked to the killing of Floyd  delivering a lighter sentence than what prosecutors had urged.

One of four officers charged both in state and federal court in connection with Floyd's May 25, 2020, murder, Lane held Floyd's legs as officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds. Lane twice asked whether the officers should reposition Floyd and later attempted CPR after paramedics loaded Floyd into an ambulance, but prosecutors argued that he did not do enough to aid Floyd.

Chauvin was convicted in Hennepin County District Court in 2021 of second-degree murder and manslaughter. Chauvin later pleaded guilty to federal charges for violating Floyd's civil rights and is serving a 20-year prison term concurrent with his 22-year state sentence. He's due to be released from prison in 2038, according to U.S. Bureau of Prison records.

Accomplices Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng were also convicted in state and federal courts and remain imprisoned.

Floyd, who was Black, died while pinned under the knee of Chauvin, who is white, at the corner of Chicago Avenue and 38th Street in south Minneapolis. Floyd's death ignited days of protests and at times deadly riots.
A group of police officers have donated to a youth ball association affected by last months EF-3 tornado in Logan County.

>>RELATED: One day at a time; Community rallies to pick up pieces after EF-3 tornado in Logan County

The Washington Township Police Officers Association donated just $5,000 to the Indian Lake Youth Ball Association, according to a social media post.

We love our Indian Lake Lakers and a big part of our mission revolves around them! they said.

>>RELATED: Lucky to be alive; Community continues to rebuild days after devastating tornadoes

The Indian Lake Youth Ball Association thanked the association.

They said that the officers wanted to help after they saw the destruction of their field and equipment from last months tornado.

We got a list of kids in our ball association who were directly affected by the tornado and we have been reaching out to them to make sure they have all the equipment they need, they said on its social media page. Officer Thompson has been assisting with that as well. He asked what needed (to be) replaced, and then purchased most of those items directly so we dont even have to think about it.

The group said they are grateful for everyone who has reached out to help and support their youth athletes and the community.
by Liu Hong

This year marks the first year after the expansion of BRICS with Russia assuming the rotating presidency.

As U.S. political scientist Peter Katzenstein has said, "We live in a world composed of regions." At present, the global political landscape is marked by a trend featuring the fragmentation of regional and international organizations. However, there is also a concurrent inclination towards interconnections and integration. A prime example is the expansion of BRICS to include Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, both being members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

BRICS can be seen as a regional organization in a broader context, while the GCC is a typical regional organization historically connecting the West and the East. Having a distinct position within BRICS and strong connections with the GCC, China has the potential to promote interregional cooperation.

China plays a pivotal role in the establishment and expansion of BRICS. Particularly, after the pandemic, China unleashed tremendous economic potential, attracting other countries to join BRICS.

China established connections with the GCC from its inception and has maintained a positive relationship ever since. In December 2022, President Xi Jinping attended the inaugural China-GCC Summit held in Saudi Arabia and issued a 2023-2027 action plan for strategic dialogue between the two sides. Currently, all GCC countries have signed cooperation agreements with China regarding the Belt and Road Initiative. China has also become the GCC's largest trading partner. China's unique role within BRICS and its strong relationship with the GCC will drive both organizations towards greater complementarity and mutual benefit.

This holds significant relevance in the current era characterized by increasing rhetoric of "decoupling" and "de-risking." In the face of challenges such as climate change, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the Israeli-Hamas conflict, there is a growing need for collective efforts to devise effective solutions and address the common challenges. As the United States' commitment and interest in economic and security matters decline, and the world is currently pondering how to seek new sources of equilibrium and influence, China has naturally emerged as a major player on the global stage.

BRICS boasts an inclusive structure, reflecting the diversity of perspectives and interests among its member states. In contrast, the GCC is actively pursuing integration to create "one market, one economic entity, one financial system." Nevertheless, despite these differences, both BRICS and the GCC possess significant potential for collaboration. Indeed, the GCC has established longstanding connections with the European Union and, more recently, hosted a summit with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). BRICS can follow a similar path of engagement.

BRICS and the GCC can explore numerous avenues for collaboration. First, BRICS and the GCC can convene regular ministerial or leadership meetings, engage in joint projects and planning, and exchange information. Both can stress mutual commitment to non-interference in domestic affairs and respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, providing a solid basis for cooperative efforts;

Second, they can collaborate across multiple sectors, including trade, energy supply, finance, infrastructure development, and sustainable development. Notably, China and the GCC can further their efforts in free trade agreement negotiations and facilitate FTA talks between the GCC and BRICS nations;

Third, Saudi Arabia and the UAE can play a distinctive role as a bridge connecting the GCC and BRICS. Saudi Arabia has already established itself as a prominent trading partner within the BRICS group, while since 2021 the UAE has been a member of BRICS's New Development Bank;

Fourth, the good relationship between the GCC and BRICS also enhances the likelihood of more GCC countries like Kuwait joining BRICS.

Certainly, it's worth acknowledging that conflicting interests exist between BRICS and the GCC. The GCC states have reservations on currency usage issues within BRICS. Moreover, their positions on international sanctions against Russia and Iran diverge. Nonetheless, guided by the principles of openness, inclusivity, and mutual benefit, as was China in facilitating the restoration of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, both the GCC and BRICS will persist in laying the foundation for expanding cooperation on a more extensive scale.

Obviously, interregionalism and globalization are closely intertwined. This is because countries pursue cross-regional cooperation to prevent themselves from being engulfed by the wave of globalization while simultaneously striving for a better position to integrate into the global system. In the pursuit of a more cohesive global order, China's efforts to promote interregional cooperation between the GCC and BRICS serve as a compelling example of this endeavor.

Editor's note: Liu Hong is a research fellow of the Center for China and Globalization.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Xinhua News Agency.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  Firefighters raced to a structure fire early Wednesday morning and found two people with minor injuries.

On April 17, Bakersfield police officers rescued two people from a building on fire at 1111 California Ave., according to the Bakersfield Fire Department. Around 3:18 a.m., officers located two people inside a burning building after tearing down a boarded-up entrance. One person had an arm laceration and the other suffered from smoke inhalation, according to BFD.

Wasco Police Department to take lead role in law enforcement in Wasco beginning April 18

Officers applied a tourniquet to the laceration and tended to the victims until firefighters arrived. Firefighters deployed two lines and knocked down the fire within 20 minutes.

Investigation revealed no other subjects inside the building and officials say the cause of this fire is unknown at this time.

The Kern County Fire Department also assisted with this incident. No firefighters were injured during this fire.

Fire crews were busy Wednesday morning, tending to four fires after midnight mostly in central Bakersfield, according to officials.







For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17.
PORTAGE COUNTY, Ohio (WJW)  Several lanes have reopened after a a big crash on the Ohio Turnpike.

State officials reported that all three lanes of the Ohio Turnpike were blocked at milepost 202 eastbound in Windham, Portage County, due to a traffic incident at about 10 p.m. on Wednesday.

As of Thursday morning, the left and center eastbound lanes had reopened. The right eastbound lane was expected to open Thursday afternoon.

All westbound lanes were reopened.

According to a press release, the accident involved three commercial vehicles, all of which have since been removed from the scene.

A spokesperson for the Ohio Turnpike told FOX 8 News that one person suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Photos: Strong storms damage NE Ohio homes, businesses

Severe storms and a possible tornado caused extensive damage in that general vicinity around the time of the accidents.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
Okla. Fisherman Who Thought Friend Was Trying to Feed Him to Bigfoot Convicted of Murder

A judge found Larry Doil Sanders guilty of murder

Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Larry Doil Sanders

A man who claimed he killed his friend because he believed the victim was summoning Bigfoot was convicted of murder.

Larry Doil Sanders was found guilty by an Oklahoma judge April 17, according to reports from The Oklahoman, The Ada News and KXII.

Jimmy Knighten was strangled to death in July 2022 while out fishing with Sanders, the outlets reported. After waiving a right to a jury trial, Sanders attorney reportedly claimed that his client had acted in self-defense.

The Oklahoman reported that Sanders claimed during testimony that while out noodling with Knighten, he had seen three sasquatch-looking figures by the river.

Witnesses for the prosecution testified that Sanders had said he believed Knighten was trying to kill him and send his body down the river as a sacrifice to Bigfoot, reported The Oklahoman.

The paper reported that a forensic psychiatrist testified that Sanders was suffering from methamphetamine-induced psychosis and believed he was defending himself.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Knighten died following a fight, during which Sanders put him in a chokehold, KXII reported.

The outlets report that Sanders faces up to life in prison without parole.

"Jimmy truly enjoyed anything and everything outdoors, Knightens obituary reads. He loved to fish, hunt game, ride four-wheelers, and most of all drink his beer around a big bonfire. Jimmy never met a stranger, and would give anyone the shirt off his back.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KNWA/KFTA)  A bill in Oklahoma approved by the Senate on Tuesday would require public and charter schools to teach cursive handwriting to elementary students starting next school year.

House Bill 3727 was created by Representative Jason Lowe (D-Oklahoma City) and Senator Kevin Matthews (D-Tulsa) and was approved with bipartisan support.

Oklahoma bill filed requiring Ten Commandments to be displayed in schools

Even though children are learning keyboarding from an early age, there is still a need for instruction in cursive handwriting, Matthews said. Research tells us it can improve childrens motor skills, improve neural connections, and encourage faster writing speed. It reinforces learning and can enhance intelligence.

Lowe said additional benefits of learning cursive include improved spelling and grammar and would help children read historical documents.

The measure will go to the governor for his consideration.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24.
An Oklahoma man has been arrested on charges of allegedly throwing a pipe bomb at The Satanic Temple in Salem, Massachusetts, according to federal prosecutors.

The suspect, 49-year-old Sean Patrick Palmer of Perkins, Oklahoma, was arrested Wednesday morning in Oklahoma, authorities said.

The attack, captured on a security surveillance camera outside of the temple, occurred at 4:14 a.m. on April 8, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts said in a statement.

The security camera recorded a man walking toward The Satanic Temple (TST) wearing black pants, a black jacket, a black face covering, and a tan-colored tactical vest and gloves.

PHOTO: Sean Patrick Palmer, 49, was allegedly captured on security video throwing a pipe bomb at The Satanic Temple on April 8, 2024, federal authorities said. (U.S. Department of Justice)

"He ignited a pipe bomb  a type of improvised explosive device or IED  threw it at TST's main entrance, and then ran away. Seconds later, the pipe bomb partially detonated causing minor fire and related damage to TSTs exterior," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office statement, citing the charging document filed against Palmer.

The pipe bomb, according to the charging document, appeared to have been constructed from a section of plastic pipe covered with metal nails taped to the casing. The pipe was filled with a powder-like substance, preliminarily identified as smokeless gunpowder, according to the document.

No injuries were reported.

"A single human hair was allegedly located on the pipe bomb containing a DNA profile from a Caucasian male," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

PHOTO: A partially detonated pipe bomb found outside The Satanic Temple on April 8, 2024, had nails taped to it, federal authorities said. (U.S. Department of Justice)

Investigators also found a note left in a flower bed at the scene claiming the temple was bombed on orders from God, according the federal prosecutors.

"A photograph of Palmer, who is a Caucasian male, posted to a social media website shows him wearing a tan-colored tactical vest like the vest worn by the suspect in the TST surveillance video," federal prosecutors said. "Palmer also allegedly comments frequently on a social media website about religious matters and themes similar to those contained in the handwritten note found outside of TST on April 8, 2024."

Palmer was identified as the suspect through surveillance footage that captured a black Volvo sedan, allegedly registered to him, driving erratically near the temple before and after the attack, federal prosecutors said.

MORE: Mail bomb suspect Cesar Sayoc planned 'domestic terrorist attack' since July, prosecutors say

Investigators, according to the charging document, allege that on April 3, Palmer purchased PVC pipe and matching caps, like the materials used in the pipe bomb thrown at the temple, at an Oklahoma home improvement store.

Palmer was charged with using fire or an explosive to cause damage to a building used in interstate or foreign commerce, and made his first court appearance in Oklahoma on Wednesday, prosecutors said. He is expected to be brought back to Massachusetts to face prosecution, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

MORE: 911 outages updates: Outages strike at least 4 states, but most service restored

If convicted, Palmer faces a sentence of from five to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000, according to prosecutors.

"There's just no justification for doing this kind of thing. There's no justification for even attempting," Lucien Greaves, co-founder of The Satanic Temple, told ABC affiliate station WCVB in Boston. "Clearly, the intention was to do the maximum amount of damage and there was a complete disregard for human life."

It was unclear Thursday whether Palmer has an attorney.

Oklahoma man arrested in pipe-bomb attack on Massachusetts Satanic Temple originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation looking into two deaths in eastern Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA (KNWA/KFTA)  The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation says they are investigating the related deaths of a man and woman in two Oklahoma towns.

On Wednesday morning, the Pocola Police Department requested assistance from OSBI with a death investigation.

OSBI says there was a womans body at a home in Pocola. They also said a man was found dead at a home in Muldrow and the two deaths are related.

The bureau says there are no suspects at large and there is no threat to the public.

The investigation is ongoing, according to OSBI.

Stay with KNWA/FOX24 for the latest.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24.
Real estate in Greater Cincinnati is booming. Here at The Enquirer, we aim to bring you in-depth real estate coverage about the developments and neighborhood issues you care about the most.

Our Going Up series introduces you to need-to-know projects around the region. Feel free to ask us about land or development projects youre curious about. Tell us what we should cover next.

Submit suggestions to sfranklin@enquirer.com or tag @Enquirer on social media. Please include the address or cross streets of the project you want us to look into.

The basics of the Mueller Building conversion and renovation

Hamiltons former city buildings renovation and conversion to a boutique hotel with about 150-160 rooms in both the existing structure and an addition.

Address: 20 High St., Hamilton.

Building type: Art deco.

Developers/architect/partner: Spectrum Development Group in collaboration with Acumen Development Partners/City of Hamilton.

Size: About 75,000 square feet including the original five-story building built in 1935 plus an addition built in 1969, on a 1.5-acre site.

Plans include: 150-160 rooms, a rooftop restaurant and a speakeasy bar.

Estimated cost: between $55 million and $65 million.

A rendering shows what the Mueller Building, a former Hamilton municipal building, will look like once its renovated and the addition is built.

What you need to know about the building: It sits in the heart of downtown Hamilton

The structure will be the second Marriott hotel in Hamilton. The Courtyard by Marriott sits nearby at 1 Riverfront Plaza. Built as a municipal building through the federal Public Work Administration project, it was designed by Hamilton architect Fredrick G. Mueller and renamed the Mueller Building in his honor in 2008. The structure served as the citys offices until 2000 when most offices moved into The One Renaissance Center, 345 High St.

During the last 20 years it has never been fully occupied, housing small businesses including a business incubator for a period, the Heritage Hall museum, and the Municipal Brew Works brewery. The brewery will remain a tenant.

The project preserves the art deco vibe of the Mueller Building

Our goal is to rehabilitate whats there and align the addition with the existing art deco architecture, said Amro Kamel, founder of Spectrum Investment Group. This will be a historic renovation. I want to pay homage to the historical architecture with a modernized feel.

Kamel said he plans to save as many of the large stone basreliefs, concrete medallions and historical artifacts as possible. Artist and Hamilton native Robert McCloskey created most of the interior and exterior relief sculptures.

We truly wanted someone who would take into consideration the character and history of the building, said Jody Gunderson, Hamiltons director of economic development. They want to incorporate the wall painting in the old city council chambers (into their plans).

Story continues

The 16-foot by 20-foot Founding of the Fortress painting by Hamilton resident Jack Willard was unveiled in 1941 as part of the citys sesquicentennial celebration. It features Gen. Richard Butler, for whom Butler County was named; Charles Gano, a government surveyor; and Robert McClellan, an Army scout.

This is arguably one of the best pieces of real estate in Hamilton, Kamel said. Were excited to bring something back to prominence that is so highly regarded. Our goal has always been to offer something unique and different.

Here's where the project stands

To help fund the development project, Kamel said he is seeking both state and federal historic tax credits. Earlier this month he applied to the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program.

The developer said he expects to close on the building by fall. Design plans should be completed by the end of the year. Construction on the addition and renovation will begin early next year with a 2026 opening.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Marriott Tribute boutique hotel coming to heart of Hamilton
Olivia Munn says she 'absolutely broke down' when she saw her body after a double mastectomy

Olivia Munn says she 'absolutely broke down' when she saw her body after a double mastectomy

Olivia Munn, 43, reflects on her emotions after undergoing a double mastectomy for breast cancer.

"I saw myself for the first time and I was in shock," Munn told People.

Cases of breast cancer among people under 50 years old are on the rise.

Olivia Munn, 43, remembers the shock she experienced when she saw her body for the first time after a double mastectomy.

The "X-Men: Apocalypse" actor  who was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2023  spoke with People about her medical journey over the past months.

Munn said she underwent four surgeries, including a 10-hour double mastectomy, as part of her treatment plan.

"I really tried to be prepared, but the truth is that nothing could prepare me for what I would feel like, what it would look like, how I would handle it emotionally," Munn said. "It was a lot tougher than I expected."

Post-op, she wasn't able to process what she had lost because of the bandages and the pain, Munn said. It wasn't until a week after her surgery at the doctor's office that she finally saw her body properly.

"I saw myself for the first time and I was in shock. It was incredibly hard," Munn said. "And the doctor was telling me how fantastic it looked, which made it even harder because 'fantastic' is top. You don't get better than fantastic, so I thought, 'This doesn't get better.'"

She added that she took in what the doctor said without emotion but couldn't keep it together when she got home.

"When I got home, I undressed and looked in the mirror again, and that's when I just absolutely broke down," she said. "I just thought, 'Oh, my gosh, this is what I look like, and I don't want to look at myself right now.'"

While things look better now that she's had reconstruction surgery, she said, Munn knows "it's not the same."

"But that's OK because I'm here," Munn added. "I'm extremely happy that I had the option to have a double mastectomy. I'm extremely happy that I got the opportunity to fight."

Munn isn't the only celebrity who has spoken out about getting a mastectomy.

In 2012, Sharon Osbourne revealed to Hello magazine that she underwent a double mastectomy when she realized she carried a gene that made her predisposed to breast cancer.

"I've had cancer before, and I didn't want to live under that cloud," Osbourne, who had colon cancer in 2002, said. "I decided to just take everything off and had a double mastectomy."

Angelina Jolie said in a 2013 opinion piece in The New York Times that she decided to get a preventive double mastectomy when she found out she, too, carried a gene that increased her risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer.

"I wanted to write this to tell other women that the decision to have a mastectomy was not easy," Jolie wrote. "But it is one I am very happy that I made. My chances of developing breast cancer have dropped from 87% to under 5%. I can tell my children that they don't need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer."

In the US, about 240,000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women each year and about 2,100 in men, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

While most breast cancers are usually found in women who are 50 or older , cases among younger people are on the rise .

Read the original article on Business Insider
Once praised, settlement to help sickened BP oil spill workers leaves most with nearly nothing

FILE - A cleanup worker picks up blobs of oil in absorbent snare on Queen Bess Island at the mouth of Barataria Bay near the Gulf of Mexico in Plaquemines Parish, La., June 4, 2010. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

When a deadly explosion destroyed BPs Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, 134 million gallons of crude erupted into the sea over the next three months  and tens of thousands of ordinary people were hired to help clean up environmental devastation from the biggest offshore oil spill in U.S. history.

These workers were exposed to crude oil and the chemical dispersant Corexit while picking up tar balls along the shoreline, laying booms from fishing boats to soak up slicks and rescuing oil-covered birds.

Recognizing that some members of cleanup crews had likely become sick, BP agreed to a medical claims settlement two years after the 2010 disaster. Experts hailed it as an extraordinary achievement that would compensate workers fairly with little hassle.

But it hasn't turned out that way.

The effort has fallen far short of expectations, leaving many workers who claimed lasting health effects stranded with little or no payment.

Through the settlement, BP has paid ill workers and coastal residents a tiny fraction  $67 million  of the billions the company has spent on restitution for economic and environmental damage. The vast majority  79%  received no more than $1,300 each.

Many workers claiming illnesses from the spill were forced to sue  and they've fared worse. All but a handful of roughly 4,800 lawsuits seeking compensation for health problems have been dismissed.

Attorneys familiar with the cases say they are unaware of any that have gone to trial and know of only one that's been settled. Former boat captain John Maas received $110,000 from BP for his lung ailments in 2022, according to a confidential copy of the settlement.

The repeated failures demonstrate how extremely difficult it is to prove to a court that a specific illness is caused by chemical exposure  even when those chemicals are recognized causes of illness more generally.

An Associated Press investigation that included dozens of interviews with cleanup workers, attorneys and experts, and a review of voluminous court filings revealed:

A single switched word in the settlement prevented thousands of workers from receiving anything over the minimum of $1,300 each. To get more, they had to file individual lawsuits  an option that almost always led to defeat.

Most federal judges hearing those cases required a level of proof connecting chemical exposure to worker illnesses that the lead government epidemiologist studying the spill says is likely impossible to meet.

Big law firms representing dozens or even thousands of workers failed their clients in various ways. After BP accused one firm of manufacturing medical claims, its cases were dismissed in big batches.

Robin Greenwald, one of the plaintiffs attorneys who negotiated the settlement, said even her firm has not been able to win a single medical case against BP.

I wanted people to get their day in court and they win or lose at trial, said Greenwald, a former federal environmental prosecutor. Let a jury decide. ... But they werent even given the chance to do that.

BP declined to comment for this story, citing ongoing litigation 14 years after the spill.

GETTING SICK

After the explosion on April 20, 2010, the spill was spectacular. A camera live-streamed the rupture on cable news, showing the world in real time gushing oil that wouldnt stop. Oil floated on the Gulf and washed ashore, covering plants, birds and other animals.

To break up oil, roughly 1.8 million gallons of Corexit were dropped from planes and sprayed from boats  far more than previous U.S. oil spills. The manufacturer said it was safer than dish soap.

But lab research on human tissue and animals has revealed Corexit can damage cells that protect the airways and cause scarring that narrows breathing tubes, according to Dr. Veena Antony, a University of Alabama professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine who has studied Corexits effect on lung tissue. Over time, she said, the process can make it harder and harder to breathe.

I genuinely believe that there was harm done and we didnt realize the harm was being done  and now people are suffering, said Antony, who testified as an expert witness in one suit against BP. I would not, at the present time, put my hand even in Corexit without wearing double gloves.

The current producer of Corexit, ChampionX, said the dispersant was pre-approved by the government for use on oil spills and the manufacturer had no role in deciding when or how to spray it.

Oil itself has long been known to cause illness. One of its toxic components is benzene, which can cause conditions ranging from skin irritation to cancer.

But now researchers, including Dale Sandler at the National Institutes of Health, are finding that spill workers exposed to amounts of oil assumed safe have suffered from dizziness, nausea, lung problems and heart attacks.

The exposures on average were still pretty low, said Sandler, an epidemiologist leading the GuLFSTUDY, a major effort to quantify workers exposure and track health woes over years. What surprised us is that we did see a wide range of health effects that were associated with these exposures.

Sandler said the study is the largest ever of an oil spill and is ongoing. Were looking at long-term risks like diabetes, cancer incidence, she said.

What researchers have found so far is echoed by other studies, including one involving about 3,500 Coast Guard responders. The responders who reported breathing oil fumes were 40% to 50% more likely to have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-like symptoms and sinus problems compared to those who said they didnt breathe fumes. And responders who reported exposure to both oil and Corexit were more than twice as likely to suffer shortness of breath.

A PROMISING SETTLEMENT

Proving to a court that a specific persons illness was likely caused by their exposure to oil or Corexit can be difficult.

Yet the settlement for medical claims was supposed to make it easier for workers: BP would agree exposure to the spill could cause a host of known health issues  and workers suffering from them could file claims for payment. Initially, attorneys advocating for the settlement said it could help as many as 200,000 possibly injured workers and residents.

The settlement also included $105 million from BP for regional health outreach and free health checkups for exposed workers every three years for 21 years.

But things quickly went awry.

The third-party administrator hired to handle claims, Garretson Resolution Group, initially rejected 78% of roughly 37,000 claims. After many were resubmitted, around 36% still were rejected and claimants received nothing.

Greenwald was especially frustrated her clients claims were repeatedly deemed deficient. We had many a meeting with Garretsons team to try to shake them loose of some of their narrow reading and obsession with deficiencies, she said. We clearly knew the claim form. We negotiated it.

Matthew Garretson, founder of Garretson Resolution Group, defended his claims handling in an email, saying, it was the process the parties agreed upon and we had to administer the settlement exactly in the way the parties Settlement Agreement mandated. The company was paid roughly $115 million to $120 million for administering claims and for the outreach program and medical checkup effort as of 2018, he said.

There was a bigger problem.

At the most basic level, workers could submit affidavits attesting to their medical problems and collect $1,300  and residents could collect $900. About 18,000 received that much.

Those with longer-term illnesses who had proof from medical tests could collect up to $60,700, or more if they had been hospitalized.

But few people had that proof. Forty of about 23,000 with approved claims collected the maximum award  less than 0.2%.

Many people lacked health insurance or easy access to a doctor and the required medical tests  a problem U.S. District Court Judge Carl Barbier, who approved the settlement, acknowledged in a hearing.

Speaking for south Louisiana, I know  youre dealing with people who are probably at the lower end of the socioeconomic scale. Most of these people, I feel sure, likely have no health insurance, he said.

Even when people did seek medical attention, doctors untrained in treating chemical exposures often did not link illnesses to a patient's cleanup work in medical records, according to Greenwald.

THE NATIONS CLIENTS

The Nations Law Firm, based in Houston, represented thousands of workers like Paul Loup IV, who helped clean an oil-contaminated beach in Pascagoula, Mississippi for several months.

Loup, 68, says he now has chronic respiratory issues, making it hard to stand or speak at length. He quit his job as a procurement manager because it involved too much travel.

The firm had wanted to help clients collect more than the settlements $1,300 minimum, so it developed a plan to obtain needed medical proof.

It was an assembly line. Out-of-state nurse practitioners who were paid $20 per plaintiff entered medical histories based on information the law firm  not a doctor  provided. Firm-designed forms listed illnesses that paid more under the settlement  and doctors could simply circle them. The forms included a statement linking a patient's illness to oil spill work  with a line for the doctor to sign. Doctors didnt keep their own patient records.

While such a process might seem suspect, firm founder Howard Nations said in an interview that he met with the claims administrator Garretson to try to develop an acceptable one.

Garretson rejected the claims  not based on the process, but on a deadline.

THE DEADLINE AND A SWITCHED WORD

The settlement was designed to make it easy to collect money for illnesses that surfaced quickly after crude oil exposure. People with diseases that can show up years later  such as cancer  would be forced to file individual federal lawsuits.

Early settlement drafts defined this second group as people with a disease that manifests after April 16, 2012. However, a later draft changed the word manifests to diagnosed.

In 2014, BP seized on that change to argue no one diagnosed after the deadline could receive an award for a long-term illness through the settlement.

That meant two people could have the same illness, but the one who got a diagnosis before the deadline could file a claim for compensation while the other would need to file a suit instead.

Judge Barbier said that's not how he was led to believe the settlement he okayed would work.

It is rather strange  that the court would approve a settlement, a class settlement that really doesnt settle thousands of claims and requires them to file another lawsuit, Barbier said at a 2014 hearing. I mean, it doesnt sound like much of a settlement.

BP attorneys said any other interpretation would invite fraud, allowing opportunistic law firms to pay for a medical diagnosis after the deadline to get a settlement claims payout. They also said the word change was requested by the workers own attorneys, and Stephen Herman, co-lead counsel for plaintiffs' attorneys, testified they didnt recall how it happened.

Despite his doubts, Barbier said he had to follow the settlement language.

His ruling forced thousands of workers out of the relatively easy administrative claims process into federal courts throughout the South.

THE FEDERAL LAWSUITS

The ruling was devastating for Nations clients whose only option was to file federal lawsuits.

After BP attorneys alleged in Mississippi federal court that the firm manufactured medical diagnoses, Nations agreed to dismiss its cases by the dozens. In an interview, Nations did not deny BP's allegations but said the cases were unwinnable without an adequate expert witness.

Loup, the former beach cleanup worker, said he didnt know until informed by a reporter last year that his case had been dismissed years earlier. I call (Nations) every six months or so ... and theyve just said its going to take some time, he said.

Another Nations client was Jeff Herring, the deckhand of Maas, the boat captain believed to be the only person whose case reached a settlement.

When their boat was sprayed with Corexit, Herring started throwing up so badly an ambulance was called to pick him up. Although released from the hospital after a few days, he developed chronic sinus and respiratory problems, according to his lawsuit.

Months later, a doctor at an oil spill medical station referred him to a specialist, and he was hospitalized again, said Herring, now 39. An X-ray found spots on his lungs, and he was supposed to go to New Orleans for further testing but never did.

That would have took another two weeks being in a hospital over there, he said. I couldnt because I had to get back to work.

Noting he had no insurance, Herring said he received about $8,000 through the claims process  not enough to even pay hospital bills.

Herrings suit was thrown out in 2020 along with 235 other Nations cases, but he said he wasnt told.

Howard Nations said the firm communicated with clients about the status of their cases and although the individual suits were dismissed, he intends to go back to Judge Barbier with new arguments.

EXPERT WITNESSES

Other law firms met a different obstacle:

Workers filing individual lawsuits have to prove they were exposed to enough oil or dispersant to  more likely than not  cause their illness.

The workers experts relied on studies, such as those from the National Institutes of Health and the Coast Guard, that found people exposed to oil and Corexit were more likely to develop certain illnesses.

But BP's experts maintained workers needed to show exactly how much oil and dispersant they had inhaled or ingested and that it was sufficient to cause their sickness.

Greenwald, the attorney who helped craft the settlement, said meeting such a standard is almost impossible: I mean, How deep did you breathe? Right at the moment you were standing there, was the wind blowing?'" she said. What mortal human would be able to testify about that?

Most judges have sided with BP, rejecting workers' experts as unreliable and effectively ending the cases.

Sandler, the NIH epidemiologist, said its researchers went to great lengths to develop data on exposure like nothing ever been done before. Im not sure that theyll ever meet the standards that the court is imposing on what constitutes evidence, she said.

It also can be difficult to find an expert witness who knows the science but doesn't have a conflict of interest through work with the oil industry.

The Falcon Law Firm brought on Jerald Cook, a retired Navy physician trained in occupational and environmental medicine, as an expert on numerous cases. He was rejected again and again by judges as BP poked holes in his professional history and work.

Your report really doesnt balance the evidence favoring your conclusions with the evidence that disfavors your conclusions; isnt that fair? a BP attorney asked Cook in a deposition.

Yeah. I think thats  thats fair, Cook replied.

He declined comment, and Falcon did not reply to requests for comment.

Some law firms that took on hundreds of cases have simply buckled under the strain, begging judges for more time so their overloaded experts could produce reports.

LOOKING FORWARD

Its not completely over.

The Downs Law Group, which has lost hundreds of cases against BP, is appealing in the 5th and the 11th U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals, hoping theyll rule federal district judges have misconstrued the level of proof needed for toxic exposure cases. One of those judges said the issue is very ripe for the Supreme Court to resolve."

It has a broader reach than the BP oil spill, said Jason Clark, a Downs attorney. If the burden is one thats too high for any plaintiff to meet, then a lot of people who are exposed ... are never going to see justice.

Meanwhile, Downs is talking to thousands of people interested in suing over illnesses such as cancer that emerged years after the spill, Clark said.

Sandler, the NIH epidemiologist, said the high burden of proof demanded by most judges means people can't win.

I think at the end of the day, did the oil from the oil spill make people sick? Yes, Sandler said. Now, courts may view this from a very different lens, but from a public health standpoint  yes, the oil spill made people sick.

___

The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of APs environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment
WUHAN, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Shi Taifeng, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC), has urged further efforts to promote the implementation of the responsibility system in work related to the united front.

Shi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks during a research trip to the central province of Hubei from April 15 to 17.

When visiting a university, Shi said efforts should be made to strengthen theoretical and political guidance for intellectuals who are not CPC members in institutions for higher education.

During a visit to a private company, Shi said that guidance for people from the non-public sector of the economy should be enhanced so they think and act in accordance with the scientific judgments on China's development situation and the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee.

At a symposium held during the trip, Shi stressed strengthening the Party's overall leadership throughout all areas and processes of the united front work and specifying the primary responsibilities of local governments and relevant departments in this regard. 
How one Democrat is trying to maintain Trump country appeal: From the Politics Desk

Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics teams latest reporting and analysis from the campaign trail, the White House and Capitol Hill.

In todays edition, campaign embed reports from rural Wisconsin, where Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin faces the challenge of running with Donald Trump on the ballot. Plus, chief political analyst Chuck Todd breaks down why Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is receiving interest from voters.

Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here.

Tammy Baldwin fights to maintain appeal in Wisconsins Trump country

By Sarah Dean

REEDSBURG, Wis.  Dairy farmer Randy Roecker is at a breaking point  and he blames it partly on President Joe Biden, so is planning to vote for Donald Trump for a third time this November.

Farmers are hurting like you wouldnt believe, and I myself, I am to the point of throwing up my hands and saying Im done, said Roecker, who cited inflation as straining his business for the last two years.

Do you have a news tip? Let us know

But while hes planning to vote on booting the Democratic president, Roeckers also planning to vote to keep his Democratic senator, Tammy Baldwin.

I support her all the way. I mean, no question, Roecker said. And everybody I know  the farmers  everybody says that shes great for Wisconsin agriculture.

Baldwin is bracing for a tough re-election race against likely Republican nominee Eric Hovde, a multimillionaire and bank owner, in the evenly divided Wisconsin, one of a handful of states that will determine which party controls the Senate. But she has the advantage of incumbency, and has often outperformed other statewide Democrats in rural areas, even as the party as a whole has lost significant ground in those regions in recent decades.

Baldwin is already pouring more effort into rural campaigning this year as she prepares for the challenge of sharing the ballot with one of the forces driving GOP margins in rural areas sky-high. Unlike her first two races for the Senate, in 2012 and 2018, Donald Trump will be running this November, too.

Late last month, Baldwin sat around a kitchen table with Roecker and others from the Farmer Angel Network for a 90-minute discussion about farmers mental health. The event was part of the senators Dairyland tour through 19 counties, none of them among Wisconsins five most populated counties.

I think that there has been a real opportunity for me to be a champion for issues that I might not hear about if I only was going to the population centers of the state, Baldwin told reporters at a stop at the New Glarus Brewing Co.

Read more 

Why you shouldnt discount voters interest in RFK Jr.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attends a Cesar Chavez Day event at Union Station on March 30, 2024 in Los Angeles (Mario Tama / Getty Images)

Analysis by Chuck Todd

What happens when an electorate wants change but theres no obvious change candidate on the ballot?

This question popped into my head after I watched one of the fascinating monthly focus groups organized by Rich Thau, the president of the research group Engagious, with the latest edition convening Pennsylvania voters who voted once for either Joe Biden or Hillary Clinton and once for Donald Trump.

The headline-grabber for this months check-in was the surprising level of interest in Robert F. Kennedy Jr. among these swing voters. In some ways, this shouldnt be a surprise. These voters are by definition not hard partisans, and they certainly arent pleased with either major party, as theyve been comfortable voting against both of them over the last two elections.

As I wrote months ago, there was always going to be a moment in this campaign cycle when both major parties had finished their nominating processes and selected Biden and Trump  and yet the public wasnt satisfied with that outcome. We are at that moment.

With no mainstream third-party alternative available for now, that vacuum is being filled by Kennedy. For many voters, one can tell, hes simply a famous name filling a void. You can hear the lack of knowledge many of these Pennsylvania voters had about Kennedy other than his name, and those who knew something about him knew only a few things. Moreover, it was clear that his best asset was the fact that his last name was neither Trump nor Biden.

Watching the initial interest in Kennedys candidacy among these voters serves as a reminder that there was a powerful opportunity for a true potential unity ticket  not one that professed centrism per se, but one that promised to take a partisan timeout for four years and attempt to focus on hard choices to solve hard problems, like immigration.

But given the stakes of this election, it has also been clear to me that while an opening exists with the true middle-of-the-road or less partisan crowd, the lane is very narrow. And unless partisans from one or both parties also wanted an alternative, there really wasnt a path to victory.

But there is a path to relevancy.

Read more from Chuck here 

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
One Dog Died and Another Become 'Very Ill' Following Massachusetts Park Visit  After Apparently Ingesting Poison

"We have inspected the woods and have not found anything that is a current threat or source of alarm," West Newbury Animal Control said in an announcement on Facebook

west newbury animal control/Facebook West Newbury Animal Control Vehicle

One dog died and another became "very ill" after apparently ingesting poison  possibly while going for a walk in a Massachusetts park over the weekend.

The City of Newportbury and the West Newbury Animal Control announced on Facebook this week that the two dogs "ate poison," which animal control shared at the time had been thrown out at the local Moseley Woods park, "on the sides of the trail behind a garage."

Both dogs were then taken to the veterinarian, and one of them died.

"At this time, we cannot confirm definitively whether the incident occurred within the woods or if other factors were involved," West Newbury Animal Control added in a Wednesday update.

"We have no reason to believe that anything was done to intentionally poison dogs. We have inspected the woods and have not found anything that is a current threat or source of alarm."

Related: Elderly Dog's Last Act of Love Was Playing Matchmaker for Mom and Pilot Who Got Them Home (Exclusive)

The office also noted that dogs may "encounter various hazards while exploring nature, such as mushrooms, eating sticks, etc.," and that "there is currently no identified risk posed intentionally to dogs in this area."

West Newbury Animal Control also encouraged local pet owners to "remain vigilant" when out with their dogs, to prevent them from eating anything they may find on the ground.

Animal control has been working alongside the local parks division and police department to investigate, with the dogs owner and veterinarian assisting authorities. The parks division will "continue to keep an eye out at Moseley Woods."

"Our hearts go out to the affected owner during this time, and we extend our deepest sympathies to them," West Newbury Animal Control wrote.

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.

If you suspect your pet has been poisoned, American Humane encourages pet owners to be prepared with a veterinarians telephone number, closely observe the animal and provide a history of symptoms to a veterinarian.

There are 232,000 cases of pet poisoning in the U.S. per year, most of which can be addressed via owner awareness, per American Humane.

"There are many things that can poison an animal," the organization notes. "Pesticides and insecticides are common in cases of intentional and accidental poisonings. Rodent poisons are also common."

"Because animals are attracted to its sweet taste, antifreeze can easily be used to taint an animals food or drink. In cases of antifreeze ingestion, look for florescent green vomit. Also, switching your vehicle to a low-toxicity brand of antifreeze can help reduce the risk of a fatal poisoning."

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.
WATERTOWN, Wis. (WFRV)  Authorities in southern Wisconsin say one person was hurt after a van drove into a river Monday afternoon.

According to a release from the Watertown Police Department, officers responded at 4:20 p.m. to a location on the Rock River near the Senior Center at 514 South 1st Street for reports of a van going into the water.

Police say the driver of a taxi van was assisting a passenger into the ban when it started rolling towards the Rock River.

Status conference date set for Green Bay man charged with making terrorist threats

The driver is said to have attempted to stop the vehicle but was unsuccessful as the van rolled over the passengers leg before entering the river. Watertown EMS was called to the scene and took the passenger with an injured leg to the Watertown Regional Medical Center.

Officials say the Department of Natural Resources was notified of the incident and the Watertown Emergency Starting and Towing assisted with removing the van from the river.

At this time, no other information is available and an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
The Civil War-era jurist who wrote the Arizona code banning abortion was on a mission from Lincoln to strengthen the Union's hold over the Southwestern territory. (Matt Slocum / Associated Press)

Arizonas Supreme Court opened a new front in the war on womens reproductive rights last week when it resurrected an obscure 1864 law that bans abortion in almost all cases. Critics of the ruling say the court has thrown Arizona back into the 19th century .

That isnt entirely fair to the 19th century.

The irony of last weeks reactionary ruling is that the author of the original law, William T. Howell , was a progressive by the standards of his time. The politics of Arizonas current justices bear little resemblance to the 19th century antecedent upon whom their ruling relies.

Although many of Howells views have aged poorly, he argued against the eras prevailing patriarchal dogma and in favor of womens property rights. Even his abortion law was guided by concerns about maternal health, not the right-wing, religious orthodoxy that animates much of the antiabortion movement today.

Read more: Opinion: As a pregnant law professor in Arizona, I fear the abortion ban

If 19th century legal precedent is important, so is historical context. As todays lawyers and politicians battle over the future of abortion rights, they should understand how and why the original Arizona law came to be. The statute emerged from the upheaval of the Civil War and its little-known front in the West.

As a history professor and the author of a book on this subject, I never expected Howell to become a posthumous standard-bearer for the modern American right. If hes known at all, its as an agent of Abraham Lincolns campaign to stamp out slavery in the Southwest and secure Union control of the region.

That story began in the spring of 1861, when a band of migrants from neighboring Texas seized power in southern New Mexico. Proclaiming their affinity for the slave-holding South, they broke from the Union and threw their allegiance behind the newly formed Confederacy. They named their new rebel territory Arizona.

Read more: Why do Arizona Republicans keep dressing up like cowboys?

Several months later, the Confederacy launched its first invasion of the war  into the Southwest. The rebel invaders routed U.S. troops in several battles, secured military control over Arizona and seized Santa Fe, New Mexicos capital. Then they planned to march on the gold fields of California.

They never made it. In the spring of 1862, Union troops sabotaged the Confederates supplies and finally sent them scrambling back to Texas.

Congress then divided the region into a western half (Arizona) and an eastern half (New Mexico), splitting the erstwhile Confederate Arizona Territory. To strengthen the Unions tenuous hold, Lincoln poured federal troops and agents into the region. One of them was Howell, newly appointed as an associate justice of Arizonas territorial Supreme Court.

A veteran jurist and former Michigan legislator, Howell got to work on a new code of laws for Arizona. The final document, now known as the Howell Code, ran to nearly 500 pages. One of its primary purposes was to ensure that slavery would never again take root in Arizona.

Buried within it was the now-infamous abortion ban. The provision was no outlier. In fact, it was copied from Californias legal code, one of many such laws passed by states and territories in the 1860s and 70s.

From the colonial era into the early 19th century, abortions had been commonly administered and rarely criminalized. Benjamin Franklin even included a recipe for an abortifacient in a math textbook, of all places. Abortions before quickening  within roughly the first four or five months of pregnancy  were considered the purview of women  rather than the law, according to the historian Sarah Handley-Cousins. Even the Catholic Church  implicitly accepted  abortions before quickening, the historian Leslie J. Reagan has noted.

The Howell Code, then, marked a departure from a more permissive approach to abortion. Even so, the antiabortion laws of the mid-19th century were generally born of a sincere concern for womens health that is absent from todays legislation. Tellingly, Arizonas original antiabortion clause appeared within a provision on poisoning. The underlying premise was that abortions posed health risks to women, who were seen as victims and not held legally liable for the medical procedures performed on them.

Howell himself had a womans health on his mind at the time. Shortly after drafting the code, he rushed back to Michigan to be at the bedside of his ill wife. She survived, and Howell remained in Michigan, never seeing his code put into practice.

The judge had previously defended womens right to property in their own name rather than subsumed under her husbands. He also advocated free public schools and opposed capital punishment (though executions were allowed for certain crimes under the Howell Code).

Howell is no progressive poster child by todays standards. He was in many ways a man of his time. And his code, written hastily in his provisional courtroom  an adobe shack adjoining a horse corral  reflected some of the prevailing prejudices of the early American frontier, imposing numerous restrictions on people who werent white.

But Howell is nevertheless an awkward antecedent for todays antiabortion movement. If Arizonas 21st century Supreme Court justices wish to exhume an obscure 19th century predecessor from the recesses of history, thats their prerogative. But they should understand that even he is misaligned with their extreme politics.

Kevin Waite is an associate professor of history at Durham University and the author of West of Slavery: The Southern Dream of a Transcontinental Empire.





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.
Former President Donald Trump isnt exactly known for having a sense of generosity. Theres one area in which hes been extremely giving, however: providing President Joe Biden with a smorgasbord of material to dunk on him with on the campaign trail.

If Trumps stock in Truth Social  his company  drops any lower, he might do better under my tax plan than his, Biden told an audience in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, smirking as he referred to the sharp downturn the right-wing social media company has taken since going public last month. That was just one of a flurry of shots the president took at his opponents expense, as NBC News reported:

Not all of Trumps troubles were on the table, as NBC News report noted. Nary a word was mentioned about Trumps criminal trial in New York, where jury selection is underway. That news story would seem ripe for attacks emphasizing the sharp distinctions between the two candidates. But any potential upsides that might come from Bidens putting Trumps alleged criminality front and center could threaten to undermine not just the campaign, but also prosecutors case against the former president.

On one level, its not surprising that Biden would shy away from bringing up Trumps legal woes. When Trump was first charged in New York last year, Biden refused to comment on the matter. That soon expanded into the presidents privately issuing an edict of silence from his campaign and the Democratic National Committee once federal charges were levied against Trump in the classified documents case.

The Biden campaign still seems to be gently dancing around that order. Its social media accounts have posted memes about Trumps allegedly falling asleep in court on Monday and cheekily referring to Stormy Daniels, the adult actress who is a key figure in the case, in a news release about abortion rights. The actual substance of the charges against Trump has gone unmentioned. That approach is unlikely to change soon among Democrats, according to The New York Times.

Theres definitely an appetite among some, though, to see Biden hit Trump much harder. Brian Beutler, author of the Off Message newsletter, argued that a policy of silence from Biden leaves Trump free to falsely shape the narrative around the charges. Without opining on Trumps guilt, Biden can and should speak, and free surrogates to speak, on incontestable facts: Trump is on trial because of choices he made. Neither Biden nor anyone in his administration has anything to do with it. The conduct in question relates to the integrity of the 2016 election, Beutler wrote.

Its true that highlighting Trumps Manhattan trial would fit with Bidens overall attack on Trump as a threat to democracy. For all the talk of its being a hush money case, the charges against Trump allege that the alleged hush money was paid to Daniels to prevent the affair from affecting 2016 election. That cover-up was arguably the first in a series of events that weve seen from him attempting to cheat the political system to win, including the events leading up to his first impeachment. Two of the three other criminal indictments stem from his attempts to reverse the 2020 elections results, underpinning Bidens warnings against what a second Trump administration would mean for future elections.

The problem is that other former presidents have seen their comments about criminal trials have unintended effects. Biden saw that firsthand when he was vice president under Barack Obama. Speaking about military sexual assault in 2013, Obama said offenders should be prosecuted, stripped of their positions, court-martialed, fired, dishonorably discharged. Those comments sparked a maelstrom among judges and defense lawyers, who said his statement was a commander in chiefs exerting unlawful command influence on the military justice system.

Any comments from Biden wouldnt have quite as direct an impact on a trial in the New York state courts. But hed do well to avoid the position President Richard Nixon found himself speaking to the media in 1970 about Charles Manson. The cult leader, whose murder trial was ongoing in Los Angeles, was guilty, directly or indirectly, of eight murders without reason, Nixon said, disparaging the amount of glamorous coverage Manson was receiving. Nixon quickly issued a statement through his press secretary saying that I do not know and did not intend to speculate on Mansons guilt, but his initial remarks led Mansons lawyers to attempt (unsuccessfully) to have the judge declare a mistrial.

Its doubtful Biden would leap from saying nothing to weighing in directly on Trumps innocence or guilt. But Trump has falsely claimed for months that the charges he faces all stem from Bidens orders, a serious case of projection given his own well-documented desire to place his thumb on the scale of justice from the White House. Its clear that he would be eager to leap on the barest appearance of interference from Biden to have his lawyers try to delay the proceedings even further. And given the open legal questions in this case, the less that could prompt an appeals court to find issue with a guilty verdict, the better.

Instead, patience is the best bet for the Biden camp. The trial is already moving more swiftly than some observers predicted, with jury selection potentially wrapping up by the end of the week. Polling has found that while multiple indictments havent hurt Trump much in the polls, a conviction might prompt a real shift among independents and even some Republicans. Even if the federal cases against Trump remain off-limits, the gloves would come off politically should Trump shift from the accused to convicted felon. It wouldnt hurt Bidens team, though, to start drafting some hits on that front now  just in case.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
On Monday afternoon, University of Southern California Provost Andrew T. Guzman made an announcement: After careful consideration, we have decided that our student valedictorian will not deliver a speech at commencement. While this is disappointing, tradition must give way to safety.

While the student valedictorian wasnt named, Guzman was referring to Asna Tabassum, a first-generation South Asian American Muslim, who was scheduled to address some 65,000 people at USC's commencement next month. While the move was made in the name of safety, the truth is that it could lead to greater danger: the chilling of free speech and further alienation of young people from the political process. If others see what happened to Tabassum  along with the mass arrests by police in riot gear of pro-Palestinian student protesters at Columbia University on Thursday  as a cautionary tale, we risk silencing some of the greatest voices of the next generation.

Because I am not aware of any specific threats against me or the university, because my request for the details underlying the universitys threat assessment has been denied, and because I am not being provided any increased safety to be able to speak at commencement, there remain serious doubts about whether USCs decision to revoke my invitation to speak is made solely on the basis of safety, Tabassum wrote in a statement published Monday by the Greater Los Angeles Area Office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). 

Six months into Israels war in Gaza, global anger only grows more acute. Francesca Albanese, special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territories, has testified at the United Nations that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the threshold indicating the commission of the crime of genocidehas been met. Israel has rejected the report. The Israel Defense Forces killing of seven World Central Kitchen volunteers earlier this month put the indiscriminate destruction in Gaza into even sharper relief. And yet here in America, expressing support for the oppressed will still lose you privileges  as was the case for former New York Times writer Jazmine Hughes, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen and Oscar-winning actor Susan Sarandon.

Last week, the Instagram account @IsraelWarRoom claimed that Tabassum promotes antisemitic views, sharing a screenshot of her personal Instagram page, which included a link to a pro-Palestinian website, along with screenshots from the site, which was not created by Tabassum.

The people behind the pro-Israel account took umbrage with the pro-Palestine sites characterization of Zionism as a racist settler-colonial ideology and the belief that Palestinian liberation cannot be achieved without the complete abolishment of the state of Israel. Some may see this as violent; I see it as an acknowledgment that you are denying reality if you believe Palestinians have any chance to prosper under Benjamin Netanyahus government.

The @IsraelWarRoom account has fomented hate against multiple progressive members of Congress and has called for Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian American member, to resign. The group doesnt claim to be an objective source  but neither did Tabassum.

As a Jewish American woman, I do not feel threatened by Tabassums social media activity and her silencing doesnt make me feel any safer. While the exact characterizations of the situations for Israelis and Palestinians that she linked to are not the ones I would personally use, as the death toll in Gaza rounds 34,000 people, its difficult to understand how those words could still be considered so wrong. Being Jewish right now is scary, but so is being Palestinian.

According to a statement from CAIR, Tabassum was told that the school could not maintain an appropriate level of security if she spoke due to the volume of security threats and harassment from pro-Israel critics. She was told this decision was not a judgment on you and your accomplishments and ambitions.; The official claimed the volume of vitriol was unprecedented.

Despite USCs explanation, Tabassum still saw it as a rejection of her views, writing in her statement that the University is succumbing to a campaign of hate meant to silence my voice. When reached for comment, the provosts office pointed me to Guzmans published statement.

This whole USC affair highlights what universities claim they are trying to do. But is silencing Muslim students the only way to protect them from vitriolic pro-Israel voices? Is this actually an attempt to keep Muslim students safe, or an attempt to create a hermetically-sealed safe space for pro-Israel students?

Regardless of intent, these efforts make Muslim students targets for discrimination and hate. At UNC-Chapel Hill, a member of the board of trustees expressed concern that speeches in Arabic were a safety threat and called for that schools chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine to be investigated. The group has filed a civil rights complaint.

When someone replied to my post on social media about Tabassum saying that shes a bigot who knowingly spreads hate, these characterizations revealed to me just how subjective all of our experiences are right now. Im struck by the abject fear stoked by one college student's opinion. What does USC think will happen if it allows this academically gifted student who, like countless other young Americans, has earned the right through her academic achievements to speak at her own college commencement? Is it really fear of promoting antisemitic hatred or is it fear of legitimizing a different point of view?

While our views  based on the very little I know of Tabassums from her social media  may not totally align, I still respect her right to share hers. While the university provost may say that there is no free-speech entitlement to speak at a commencement, it is something she rightfully earned. And now its been taken away.

In the State of World Jewry speech at the 92Y in late February, right-wing activist journalist Bari Weiss spoke of freedom being under siege in America by an elite culture that has so lost all sense of right and wrong, good and bad, or has so cunningly transformed those categories, that it can call a massacre resistance. A genocidal chant, a call for freedom. And a just war of self-defense genocide.

While Weiss speech was not without protests, she was ultimately given the opportunity and safety to be able to give it anyway. Its a curious decision when the very same institution canceled a reading in late October by Viet Thanh Nguyen after he signed a letter condemning violence against Palestinians. Why is it controversial to call for the end of violence and not controversial to call a genocide a war of self-defense?

Back in November, I wrote of Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, who has continually conflated antizionism with antisemitism: Hes decided that instead of holding people in power accountable  say, a billionaire who owns an influential social network and posts/shares harmful white supremacist and antisemitic ideas  hes going to focus on young adults who are figuring out who they are in the midst of violence and chaos. And USC is perpetuating that same disturbing pattern.

A toxic sludge of religion and nationalism has turned so many of us inward, completely unable to tolerate viewpoints even a few degrees separated from ours. But seeking to silence them  especially young people's  will only breed more resentment and alienation. If we dont allow others to speak, how can we possibly expect them to listen when its our turn?

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
About five minutes after an Orange County deputy got off the phone with a Seminole County detective working the case of a Homestead woman carjacked at gunpoint and murdered in Central Florida last week, the deputy sent a recording of that conversation to the victims husband, according to court documents.

Its the latest detail in the mystery of why Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas, 31, traveled from Homestead to Seminole County near Orlando last Thursday, where she was carjacked at gunpoint by a man wearing a hoodie and Halloween mask, shot to death, and her body found in a torched SUV at a construction site later that night, police say.

The case spans multiple counties and investigators say the same green 2002 Acura the kidnappers used to carjack Aguasvivas white Dodge Durango near the suburban community of Winter Springs is connected to the shooting death of a tow truck driver, Juan Luis Cintron Garcia, 39, the day before in Orange County.

On Sunday, the Seminole County Sheriffs Office, the lead investigative agency in the case, arrested Orange County Deputy Francisco Alberto Estrella Chicon, 33, on multiple felonies.

Aguasvivas husband, Miguel Aguasvivas, contacted Estrella Chicon when he and her brother, Luis Fernando Abreu, were driving up to Seminole County last Thursday to meet with detectives there about the carjacking, according to a Seminole County arrest report.

After getting off the phone with Miguel, Estrella Chicon, using a bogus name, called the lead Seminole County detective on the case and said he was a detective with Orange County and Katherine Aguasvivas maternal cousin, according to the report. He told the detective he was concerned about his cousin and asked how the case was progressing.

She told him she could not discuss the case with him, but also asked him if he knew why Katherine Aguasvivas was in the area. He responded that he was not in regular contact with her and did not know.

Recorded the conversation with lead investigator, report says

What the detective did not know was that Estrella Chicon was video recording the conversation with her and also accessing a police database pulling her professional credentials and her drivers license information, including her address.

After the roughly three-minute conversation, Estrella Chicon sent the video recording to Miguel through the Whatsapp messaging app, the report states.

The video, sent to Miguel around 11:05 p.m. last Thursday, clearly shows Estrella Chicon pulling up the police database, and detectives say in the report he was using a laptop commonly issued to law enforcement officers.

Estrella Chicons attorney, Corey Cohen, declined to comment on his clients case, citing an open investigation and that he has not yet been officially charged. His arrest report lists several felonies, including use of a two-way device in the commission of a felony, eavesdropping, invasion of privacy and accessing a computer or electronic device without authorization. He has entered a written plea of not guilty.

Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasviva of Homestead.

Seminole County detectives discovered that Estrella Chicon sent the video after Miguel voluntarily handed over his cell phone to them, according to the report.

Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma told reporters earlier this week that Miguel is a childhood friend of Estrella Chicons wife.

The Orange County Sheriffs Office said it hired Estrella Chicon in September 2022 and he was not promoted to detective. He has been relieved of all law enforcement duties without pay while the criminal case is underway.

These are very serious criminal allegations. It is completely unacceptable for any law enforcement officer to misuse the power and authority of their job, Orange County Sheriff John Mina said in a statement. At the Orange County Sheriffs Office, we hold our deputies to the highest ethical standards, and we will not tolerate anyone breaking the law within our ranks.

A judge released Estrella Chicon from Seminole County jail Thursday on a $15,000 bond for the five counts hes facing. He has to wear a GPS monitor.

Cohen, his attorney, filed a motion Tuesday to set bond, stating his incarceration is causing a tremendous financial hardship on the family. The filing states Estrella Chicon is supporting his wife, his 3-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old stepson.

The motion also states that before becoming an Orange County deputy, Estrella Chicon served five years as a corrections officer at Rikers Island, New York Citys largest jail.

The carjacking and killing

Katherine Aguasvivas was kidnapped shortly before 6 p.m. on April 11 at the intersection of East Lake Drive and Tuskawilla Road in unincorporated Seminole County near Winter Springs, according to investigators. Tuskawilla is a large suburban community with fountains gracing its entrance off Tuskawilla Road.

Before stopping at the red light, she called her husband saying she was being followed by a green Acura that was repeatedly ramming the back of her Durango.

While she was stopped at the intersection, a man wearing a black hoodie and a Halloween mask got out of the green Acura behind her, walked up to her window, pointed a rifle at her and hopped into the back seat of the Durango.

The Durango, with the Acura following, then drove away from the intersection when the light turned green. A person in a vehicle behind the Acura filmed what they presumed to be a carjacking in progress on cellphone video widely shared online.

This is the Dodge Durango Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvias was driving.

A witness told police that before the cars stopped at the intersection, someone in the Acura stuck his hands out of the car and waved to the Durango in what appeared to be a friendly manner. However, the driver of the Acura then began ramming the Dodge, trying to push it into the curb.

The Durango was found torched with a burned body inside it at a construction site in Osceola County later that night, investigators say. Osceola County is the county south of Orlandos Orange County, where Kissimmee is. Seminole is the county north of Orange.

Witnesses also reported hearing multiple gunshots before the SUV was found. Police say they are waiting on results from a DNA test and dental records to confirm that the body is Katherine Aguasvivas. Estrella Chicons arrest report states Katherine Aguasvivas was shot and killed.

Investigators believe she was targeted, but they do not know why. According to Lemma, the Seminole County sheriff, Miguel said his wife traveled to Central Florida to visit family, but investigators have not been able to confirm she has kin in the area.

The couple, originally from the Dominican Republic, ran a hair salon in Homestead.

The Miami Herald left a message on the cell phone number listed on a for-sale sign on the back of the Durango, which police say is Miguels, but he did not respond.

Lemma said Miguel is not a suspect or person of interest at this point, but he believes he has more information that could help investigators with the case.

I think there are a lot more blanks that he can help fill in about the circumstances involving this particular case, and now, other cases, Lemma said during a media briefing Monday.

The green Acura connection

Investigators made a breakthrough in the case earlier this week when they found the Acura they believe the carjackers used to tail Katherine Aguasvivas Durango parked in an Orange County apartment complex.

The car had been circulating between owners and used car lots in Central Florida since around February, Lemma said, adding that once it was found, it was easy to connect to the crime because it is the only green 2002 Acura currently registered in the state.

We immediately knew it was our car, Lemma said.

Investigators say the same car is linked to the murder of Cintron Garcia, the tow truck driver. Detectives say he was shot the day before Katherine Aguasvivas was killed.

Police have not released a motive in that murder, but said Cintron Garcia hauled the Acura away from an Orange County apartment parking lot on March 19.

Detectives said they found the same spent ammunition at both the crime scenes of Cintron Garcia and Katherine Aguasvivas  10 millimeter bullets. And, at Cintron Garcias crime scene, there were more than 100 spent casings on the ground, Lemma said.

The sheriff said that while there is nothing special about the ammunition, it is not a commonly used bullet.

A 10 millimeter is just a round that is more rare than the 9 millimeters and .45 calibers that we see out there, Lemma said. The only significance of that is it makes a better connection to the two crimes.
Two years after a local man died while working for a South Carolina town, were learning about serious violations filed against his employer.

Gregory Tyson was a sanitation worker with the Town of Great Falls. He died on Jan. 7, 2022 during an accident with a bucket truck.

PREVIOUS: Man in bucket attached to van killed while taking down Christmas decorations

Now, Channel 9s Tina Terry has learned about Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards that were violated in the incident. Family members are hoping the ongoing investigation leads to change.

There isnt a day that goes by that I dont think about this and what happened to him, and wishing that I could have one more day with him, said the victims daughter, Sydney Tyson.

Her father was in a bucket truck 20 feet in the air, removing Christmas decorations in downtown Great Falls. Officials said he was wearing a harness and lanyard. His supervisor was driving the truck and, according to the OSHA report, the bucket started to rise.

The report says as the van passed under a tree, Tyson ...ducked down barely missing the branch, but the branch came in contact with the bucket. The rear portion of the bucket shattered, and [Tyson] fell out of the bucket onto the grass on the shoulder of the road.

OSHA gave the Town of Great Falls four citations for serious violations connected to training requirements and the vehicle. They also fined them $1,155.

ALSO READ: Hole in I-77 bridge causes headache for Chester County drivers

At the end of the day, its really just a dollar amount, Sydney Tyson said. They have to pay for the loss of my dads life, basically, and its not even a substantial amount.

Via email Thursday, Great Falls Mayor Josh Brantley, who was not mayor during that incident, said the town no longer uses a bucket truck to perform daily job duties. He said if they do need a bucket truck, they call the county in to do the job.

Brantley said before the town implements another bucket truck, leaders will ensure proper training has taken place.

Sydney is still awaiting OSHAs final report and hopes the investigation will prevent others from enduring what she has.

I do hope that they take my dads life loss as a hard lesson, she said.

The mayor said that supervisor who was driving the truck was released from his position after the incident.

Terry learned OSHA plans to conduct a follow-up inspection to confirm that corrective action was completed. Once that is done, the case will be closed and a report will be made available.

(WATCH BELOW: Reserve ladder truck catches fire at Concord Fire Station)




OKLAHOMA CITY  An Ottawa County fifth-grade teacher was selected for a fellowship to attend the Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute.

Brandi Pierce, a Turkey Ford teacher, was one of 34 Oklahoma fifth- and eighth-grade teachers selected for the fellowship held June 9-14.

Brandi Pierce

The institute is held in and around Colonial Williamsburg. During the institute, teachers immerse themselves in early American history by meeting character interpreters and participating in hands-on activities and reenactments. The focus will be on the daily life of colonial Virginians and the transition from subject to citizen that occurred during the Revolutionary War period.

Turkey Ford School is located in southern Ottawa County and has around 90 students from pre-kindergarten through the 5th grade.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com.
More than 150 media professionals from Ukraine and abroad have appealed to the Ukrainian Parliamentary Committee on Freedom of Speech to dismiss Nataliia Humeniuk, the head of the Joint Coordination Press Centre of the Operational Command Pivden (South), and the issue is to be considered at the next meeting.

Source: MP Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Head of the Parliamentary Committee on Freedom of Speech, on Facebook

Quote: "More than 150 media professionals, news agencies and associations have applied to the Committee on Freedom of Speech. Ukrainian and foreign journalists, photographers, camera operators and editors are demanding the dismissal of Nataliia Humeniuk, the head of the Joint Coordination Press Centre of the Operational Command Pivden (South).

Media professionals said that their activities were being hindered on this front. One of the most outrageous cases is the lack of coverage of the Russians blowing up the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant. Because of this, the world's media sought information about the destruction of the dam from sources of enemy propaganda. They also said there is a need for more coverage of our soldiers holding the defence in the south, and the residents of these areas who suffer daily from Russian bombardments.

I fully support the idea that the safety of our military is the first priority. However, it is we who must provide the opportunity to cover Russian crimes and the heroic deeds of our defenders. If we do not talk about the war, the enemy will tell the world about it. And the presentation of information will definitely not be in our favour."

Details: Yurchyshyn stressed that a letter from more than 150 media professionals cannot be left without a response from the authorities. The issue is to be considered at the next meeting of the committee. Yurchyshyn said he would suggest his colleagues contact the General Staff.

Background:

A number of journalists appealed to Ukraine's military leadership to dismiss Humeniuk because she "forbids coverage of Russian war crimes and does not allow the defenders of Kherson Oblast to be shown".

Humeniuk herself denied the allegations made in the journalists' statement.

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RIO DE JANEIRO, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Seven people were killed and 15 others injured after a passenger bus crashed Wednesday morning in southeast Brazil's Minas Gerais state, the local Military Highway Police said.

The accident occurred on the MGC-120 regional highway between the municipalities of Sao Joao Evangelista and Sao Pedro do Suacui, after the driver attempted to avoid hitting dogs crossing the road and the bus overturned.

The bus carrying 24 passengers was traveling between the regional capital Belo Horizonte and the municipality of Minas Novas, in Minas Gerais.

According to local media, none of the injured are in a delicate state of health. 
The company that owns the shuttered nuclear plant that once provided the bulk of New York Citys zero-carbon electricity is suing the state over a law passed last year specifically to block the Indian Point power station from carrying out routine releases of treated wastewater into the Hudson River, HuffPost has learned.

Virtually every nuclear power plant all over the world releases tiny volumes of a radioactive isotope known as tritium from its cooling water into surrounding waterways. Unlike the long-lasting and dangerous radioisotopes that form during the atom-splitting process, tritium  an isotope of hydrogen  laces into water, making it almost impossible to extract. Luckily, tritium, which has never been linked to cancer in humans, is too weak to penetrate skin and decays quickly in 12-year half lives, so power plants spew small amounts into the environment at rates indistinguishable from what naturally occurs from cosmic rays from space or what ends up leaked into waterways via dump neon signage.

When a nuclear reactor is generating electricity, these releases are a matter of routine operation. Once those plants shut down and the utility that runs them sells off the facility to a decommissioning company, the onus falls on firms, such as Florida-based Holtec International, to obtain new permits to resume releases of tritium. That means going through a regulatory process that includes public hearings, giving Americans who visualize all radioactive waste as the scientifically absurd caricatures of green glowing goop depicted on shows like The Simpsons fresh cause for panic.

Last August, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) signed legislation restricting discharges of any radiological substance into the Hudson River in connection with the decommissioning of a nuclear power plant.

Holtec now says that statute violates the federal law that gave the government in Washington complete control over how radioactive materials are regulated.

In litigation filed with the Southern District Court of New York on Thursday, Holtec said the Empire States law violates the federal statute giving the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions sole authority over radiological discharges from nuclear power plants whether online or decommissioning.

The failure of New York State to respect Federal Law, and follow the facts and science of the issue, left us no other means for remedy, the company said in a statement shared first with HuffPost. The passage of the bill has already delayed the planned completion of the decommissioning of Indian Point an additional 8 years, which hurts the local communitys desire to see the project completed and the property returned as an asset for economic development in the region. We look forward to the legal process moving along on this important decision.

In a state press release announcing the passage of the legislation last year, Hochul and bipartisan New York lawmakers who praised the bill referred four times to the economic benefits of banning Indian Point from discharging wastewater. But Holtec accused the state of using the guise of economic issues to hide the real intent of regulating radiological materials, according to legal filings HuffPost reviewed.

Theyre welcome to sue, said state Sen. Pete Harckham (D), who authored the Senate version of the legislation.

He pointed to a 1983 Supreme Court decision that ruled in favor of California regulators right to restrict nuclear power plants based on the economic toll that the facilities could take on the surrounding area. While he said locals only learned about the tritium discharges after Indian Point shut down, once they found out there was enormous outcry.

Now, he said, communities along the Hudson are being damaged with the knowledge that tritium is being released into the river. Neither Hochuls office nor the New York State Assembly lawmaker who introduced the statute  Assembly member Dana Levenberg (D)  responded to requests for comment Wednesday.

The lawsuit is the first major challenge in years to the states efforts to single out Indian Point while attempting to revive the nuclear power industry that still supplies most of New Yorks zero-carbon electricity.

Indian Point Energy Center is seen on the Hudson River in Buchanan, New York, on April 26, 2021. via Associated Press

The Biden administration has directed billions toward maintaining the U.S. nuclear fleet, which has lost more than a dozen reactors in the past decade.

In January, the administration offered Pacific Gas & Electric almost $1.1 billion to relicense Diablo Canyon, Californias last nuclear power plant and the source of as much as 10% of the states electricity. Just last month, the Department of Energy gave Holtec an unprecedented $1.5 billion loan to reopen the Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan, the most recent U.S. atomic energy station to close down amid growing competition with cheap natural gas. Billions more are going to researching and testing novel kinds of reactors and subsidizing the electricity they ultimately generate years from now.

If its efforts to restart Palisades single reactor pan out, Holtec even plans to ultimately build two of its own small modular reactors to expand the Michigan plant.

With billion-dollar costs and decade-long construction timelines, nuclear energy benefits from the kind of largesse the federal government can uniquely provide. Conveniently for the countrys most tightly regulated energy sector, the federal government agreed under the Atomic Energy Act to take full responsibility for managing the radioactive waste piling up at the roughly 93 remaining nuclear power plants.

Compared to the amount of electricity fission produces, managing long-term nuclear waste is a relatively minor problem. But the federal government is currently hamstrung. Federal law stipulates that Nevadas Yucca Mountain serve as the first permanent site for nuclear waste. Congress hasnt amended the law since the Obama administration mothballed the project more than a decade ago, preventing federal regulators from considering alternative locations for a nuclear waste dump. The Biden administration, meanwhile, is directing more funding toward research into ways to recycle spent fuel.

New York isnt the only state to try to intervene in nuclear waste issues. In Massachusetts, where Holtec owns and is decommissioning the defunct Pilgrim nuclear power plant, lawmakers passed legislation in 2022 to block the company from releasing tritiated water  but focused the statute on non-radioactive materials to avoid violating the federal law.

In New Mexico, where Holtec proposed building a storage facility for highly radioactive spent fuel canisters, the state passed a law banning permitting of any nuclear waste sites until the federal government sorts out the Yucca Mountain situation. Federal regulators approved the project last year. While Holtecs lobbyists have argued this law, too, violates the Atomic Energy Act, lawmakers in desert states where the U.S. government tested nuclear weapons have pointed to the Supreme Courts 2019 decision holding Virginias ban on uranium mining.

Holtecs other options for disposing of the tritiated water filling the storage tanks at Indian Point or Pilgrim include trucking the liquid out of state or evaporating the wastewater on-site. Federal regulators said those options would cost more  further prolonging the decommissioning work  and carried greater risks than diluting the cooling water and pumping it into the Hudson River or Cape Cod Bay.

Tritium became an international concern last year when the state-owned utility that owns the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant started releasing wastewater used to cool the melted-down reactor after the 2011 accident into the Pacific Ocean.

Despite spewing tritium in far larger volumes from their own active nuclear plants, the Chinese, Russian and South Korean governments protested Japans decision to start pumping the wastewater into the ocean, in what was widely seen as a geopolitical gambit.

While nearly a century of research has failed to link tritium exposure to cancer, experiments on mice forced to ingest enormous daily doses throughout their lifetimes tended to develop cancer and die younger than their counterparts who hadnt, according to a 2021 paper in the Journal of Radiation Research. But large-scale epidemiological studies are challenging since tritium is difficult to detect in the environment.

To play it safe, regulators across the planet have typically set limits for releasing tritium into waterways at levels far below what naturally occurs from cosmic rays, sewage treatment plants and leaked chemicals from scrapped self-illuminating exit signs.

A turbine generator used to produce power is seen at Indian Point Energy Center in Buchanan, New York, on April 26, 2021. via Associated Press

At a decommissioning hearing last year in the Hudson Valley suburb where Indian Points employees once lived, one anti-nuclear protester  a Manhattan lawyer who left the city after the Sept. 11 terror attacks  blamed errant radiation from the power plant for the cancer she developed a few years ago.

Another demonstrator  a lifelong resident and retired art teacher who said she grew up protesting against Indian Point  worried that if Holtec began releasing tritium into the Hudson, she was at risk since she spent the whole summer wading into the river at a boating dock. Her life seemed like a testament to the companys claims that theres no reason to fear long-term exposure. Asked whether shed seen health impacts, given decades of exposure to tritium released throughout the operating lives of the plants two reactors, she seemed surprised. She said she had not experienced the serious diseases groups like the one that organized the rally she attended insisted were linked to living near nuclear plants.

Both women were attending a rally organized by Food and Water Watch, an environmental group that spent millions fighting to shut down Indian Point back in 2014. HuffPost is declining to name the women, who were not public figures, because the interviews were conducted in person a year ago, but published samplings of the conversations here for the first time to illustrate the range of views coming from the local opponents who claimed the law banning Indian Points tritium releases as a victory.

Some questions remain about how tritium might accumulate at the mouth of pipes spewing tritiated wastewater into waterways for years on end.

The solution to pollution is dilution doesnt work if it accumulates at the end of a pipe in seafloor sediment, for example, or if they bioaccumulate in fish that are caught and consumed by people, Ken Buesseler, a senior scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, told HuffPost last year.

Another thing we should be considering is whether this release from a decommissioned reactor should be regulated the same way we regulate releases from power plants that [are] in operation, he added. At least then theyre creating a benefit. Theyre creating electricity.

From Taiwan to Germany to California, fossil fuels have replaced the zero-carbon generation from atomic power plants that close prematurely.

New York is no different. The nations largest city went from a roughly 75% fossil-fueled power grid prior to Indian Points shutdown to more than 95% overnight. Without Indian Points supply of steady, relatively cheap electricity in the face of surging demand for air conditioning, outages across the five boroughs worsened during the past two summers.

Mounting evidence suggests that radiation is less deadly than previously believed. Studies on cattle left alive in the exclusion zone around the Fukushima plant in Japan have not shown the spikes in the rate of cancer that existing safety models indicated would happen. Some amounts of radiation exposure may even offer health benefits.

By contrast, the tiny particles of air pollution spewing from automobile tailpipes and fuel-burning power plants are now linked to disease ranging from cancer and heart disease to erectile dysfunction and infertility. And thats putting aside the destabilizing effect fossil fuel emissions are having on the planets weather patterns.

Weve been studying radioactivity for more than 100 years, and we have a pretty darn good idea of what the effects of radiation are and what doses are needed to cause those impacts, said Kathryn Higley, an Oregon State University professor who researches radiation and health.

The dose makes the poison, she added. Its radioactivity, its how much of it is being released and where its going.

Related...
Two weeks after the Capital Radio Endowment board announced that a transmission tower used by CapRadio had been donated to public television station KVIE, CapRadio and Sacramento State are challenging the move, saying the university broadcaster owns the tower.

We do not believe it could be gifted because it wasnt the endowments to give, Sac State spokesman Brian Blomster said Wednesday. Thats the position of CapRadio, the CapRadio board and the advice of our attorney.

The declaration comes after the Capital Public Radio Endowment board proposed that KVIE take over CapRadio, then followed up by deciding to donate the Elverta tower and property to Channel 6.

But the university says the tower that is used to broadcast CapRadio news over KXJX-FM is owned by CapRadio, an auxiliary of California State University, Sacramento, and sits on land that is restricted for the use of the tower and required to be held by the station.

We can definitely state that CapRadio owns the KXJZ broadcast tower, CapRadio interim general manager Frank Maranzino said during a CapRadio board meeting Wednesday night.

Dan Brunner, president of the endowment board that exists to support the broadcaster, said Wednesday that documents show the endowment has owned both the property and the tower since 2013 and has been paying property taxes and audit fees annually.

He also said that as recently as last fall Sac State officials were in discussions with the endowment about buying back the tower and land, talks that led to an appraisal of the tower and property being done that valued it at $2.7 million.

During that appraisal process, he said, the endowment board discovered CapRadio and Sac State had failed to properly maintain the tower, leading to concerns that the public radio stations signal could be interrupted by a tower failure.

The bottom line is, how do we best serve the interest of that station, Brunner said. We made the decision that the best business judgment was to transfer it to KVIE and make sure it was in the hands of a public broadcasting entity with experience maintaining a tower.

KVIE General Manager and President David Lowe said in a statement that KVIE is aware that CapRadio has made a claim that it owns the tower only.

We are conducting our own due diligence on the claim, Lowe added.

He previously said the gift from the endowment would not affect CapRadios use of the tower.

We fully expect to honor all of the lease agreements that exist, and look forward to working with them and other tenants, Lowe said earlier this month. We are committed to a strong public media.

Sac States contention that it owns the tower comes even though documents obtained from CapRadio by The Sacramento Bee show the operation gave the tower and land as a gift to the endowment in 2013.

The documents, obtained through a California Public Records Act request, show that a report prepared for an April 2023 endowment board meeting indicated CapRadio originally purchased the Elverta site and began construction of the tower there in the early 1980s.

The CapRadio board formed a nonprofit group called Tower 91 to own the tower and property, the documents say, but dissolved that entity after CSU auditors determined in 2012 that Tower 91 could be viewed as an unauthorized auxiliary of the university.

The next year, Tower 91 was dissolved and its assets (land and tower) are gifted to the Endowment, according to the documents, which portray the gift as a move that would benefit both CapRadio and the endowment.

Endowment is able to show economic benefit of owning the property on its financials as well as document the actual fiscal support it provides to CapRadio, the documents say. CapRadio is able to recognize grant revenue from Endowment as a non-federal funding source for (Corporation for Public Broadcasting) calculation.

Endowment receives visibility on-air for this significant contribution to CapRadios operations.

But Sac State says financial statements and a lease agreement show the tower is owned by CapRadio and sits on 36 acres designated as a permanently restricted piece of property where a transmitting tower owned by the station currently resides.

The endowment says it has more than $4 million in assets, including the KXJZ transmission tower and 36 acres in Elverta, and allows CapRadio to use the tower without charge  which it values at $65,000 annually.

CapRadio also is allowed to collect rental income of $126,000 each year from other tenants broadcasting from the tower.

The endowment board has been pushing Sac State to sell its broadcasting license to KVIE and allow the PBS affiliate to take over CapRadio and free up the university from the financially troubled radio operation.

CapRadio has been beset with troubles since last year, when it laid off about 12% of its workforce and cut programming.

It also was the subject of a scathing California State University audit that found severe financial mismanagement and lax oversight, much of it stemming from CapRadios plans to expand into two leased buildings downtown and increase its staffing.

Another, more detailed forensic audit of the CapRadio operation is expected to be released soon, and the radio operations troubles have prompted a public fight over control of a major source of news and on-air programming for listeners throughout Northern California.

The endowment board urged Sac State President Luke Wood in a letter last month to hand over control of CapRadio to KVIE, portraying the move as a win-win-win for the campus, the station and the community.

That move was followed by another letter to Wood last week signed by community and business leaders reiterating the notion that a partnership between KVIE and CapRadio would ensure long-term stability for public broadcasting in our community.

We urge you to explore the options and engage in meaningful conversations with community leaders and investors to see how we can work together to make this happen for our region, said the letter, which included signatures of endowment board members as well as former members of the CapRadio Board of Directors who were part of a mass resignation last October who quit over what they said was a failure of Sac State to inform and engage with the board in good faith.

Sac State officials have said they intend for CapRadio to remain part of the university for years to come, and CapRadio pushed back on the endowments efforts in a letter of its own to supporters.

We want you to know that despite their recent misguided effort to dictate the future of our station, CapRadio will remain an auxiliary of Sacramento State and will continue serving our community as an independent public broadcasting entity, the letter said. The endowment is a (nonprofit) organization completely separate from CapRadio and Sac State. It has no authority over CapRadio.

Over the past few weeks its board has overstepped in concerning ways, from attempting to publicly force an ill-planned merger with PBS KVIE, to announcing a donation of assets that directly contradicts the endowments stated mission to financially support CapRadio.

The endowment boards motivation for these actions is unclear, but it is certainly not in the best interest of CapRadio and the community at large as it claims. It is also shocking and disappointing that KVIE  part of this communitys public media family  has worked with the endowment to the detriment of local public radio.

That letter was followed by an opinion piece in the Sacramento Business Journal co-written by Elizabeth Shattuck, a founder of the CapRadio endowment, who denounced its notion of merging CapRadio with KVIE as ill-conceived and criticized the donation of the tower to KVIE.

This decision directly contradicts the endowments stated mission to financially support CapRadio, the piece read. While we cant presume to understand the endowments recent actions, we oppose any notion that our ability to fulfill our public service mission can be dictated by an outside entity...

We call for the endowment board to stop its harmful actions that are impacting a valued local public media institution and to have good faith conversations about honoring its mission to support the future of CapRadio.

Brunner said that since he joined the endowment board more than a decade ago its funding has grown from $800,000 to $2 million and that the endowment has given CapRadio $890,000, including more than $400,000 contributed last year to help fund three positions.

We have done our best to maintain the endowment and grow the endowment in a way I hope she would be proud of and everybody would be proud of, Brunner said.

He added Sac States position that CapRadio owns the tower does not change the fact that the endowment was working to protect its signal.

If, in fact, theres nothing there then theres nothing there, he said. If public radio owns it or Sac State owns it, fine.

My concern and our concern was that there be an uninterrupted transmission of public radio on air.
Ozempic use appears to be changing peoples personalities experts think they know why

Move over, Ozempic finger, Ozempic face and Ozempic butt  say hello to Ozempic personality.

The latest transformative outcome of the buzzy weight loss drug may be the most profound yet, with a growing number of patients claiming that the GLP-1 medication  and others like it  have caused anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation, even as they shed the pounds.

Looking into the science behind the life-changing jabs, experts revealed why the medications, originally intended to treat diabetes, could be changing peoples personalities and behaviors.

millaf  stock.adobe.com

Ozempic, and other popular treatments like Wegovy, have an impact on dopamine levels, which are responsible for a range of functions.

Along with impacting our emotional and physical drive for food, the brain chemical impacts feelings of reward, pleasure, motivation and movement.

These changing levels could help explain why some users have even claimed the drugs have also reduced their cravings for drugs, alcohol and sex.

Dr Kent Berridge, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Michigan, explained to The Daily Mail that both addictive substances and food activate the same dopamine signals and reward-learning regions in the brain.

He also noted that: Cravings for addictive drugs are also amplified by hunger.

When researchers are trying to get animals to learn to self-administer cocaine, they often will keep them hungry for a little while, as this helps them learn, Dr. Berridge explained.

The medical expert added: Hunger is specifically for food but its more general than that, it activates craving for a lot of things. If youre hungry, the motivational value of things, even that are not food, seems to increase.

Dr Kent Berridge, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Michigan, explained to The Daily Mail that both addictive substances and food activate the same dopamine signals and reward-learning regions in the brain. REUTERS

Because these drugs help patients to feel satiated for longer, experts believe they then also lessen cravings for things other than food as well, such as drugs and alcohol.

Satiety may be not only reducing the craving for food, but potentially for other things, Dr. Berridge said.

GLP-1 drugs appear to alter the motivational dopamine systems, dampening but not eliminating desires. For example, patients have found that they dont lose their appetites but eat less while on these medications which experts believe could translate to other vices.

That would be a possibility  taking the [edge off certain cravings], and those are the ones that are problematic if youre trying to lose weight or if a person is trying to stop taking drugs, Dr. Berridge said.

Because these drugs help patients to feel satiated for longer, experts believe they then also lessen cravings for things other than food as well, such as drugs and alcohol. Getty Images

He also shared that a decreased libido while on GLP-1 drugs is conceivable.

Dr. Berridge explained that because sex is a pleasurable natural desire, suppressing the reward pathway could lead to a reduced sex drive.

If youre suppressing [dopamine activation] a little bit and cutting down those mountain peaks, sexual desire is a natural peak, so that would be plausible, the medical expert said.

However, he admitted that exacly how GLP-1 drugs are suppressing dopamine systems is still unknown.

The US Food and Drug Administrations adverse event reporting system received 606 reports of psychiatric disorders connected to Ozempic, along with 324 reports connected to Saxenda and 190 to Wegovy in 2023.

The FDA requires that medications for weight management that work on the central nervous system, including Saxenda and Wegovy, carry a warning about suicidal thoughts.

Ozempic, which is only FDA-approved to treat diabetes, does not come with that warning.

Research has shown that bariatric surgery patients have an increased risk for suicide and self-harm behaviors following the procedure.

Lead study author Dr. Alexis Conason, a licensed psychologist in NYC, noted that triggering experiences such as changes in quality of life and unrealistic expectations also occur to those going through other weight loss treatments such as Ozempic.

People put so much emotion and hope into weight loss, and are sold this fantasy that if they just lose weight everythings gonna be okay and all the good things that they want in life will come when they lose weight, Conason previously told The Post.

However, some patients have reported this changed mindset even when the needle on the scale drops but experts arent shocked.

Its not necessarily surprising when you see there may be an increase in suicidal ideation and other things like that because youve taken away a really important coping mechanism for many people, Brooke Boyarsky Pratt, CEO and co-founder of weight-inclusive care company Knownwell, told The Post in 2023.

However, the medical expert admitted that how GLP-1 drugs are suppressing dopamine systems is still unknown. myskin  stock.adobe.com

Dr. Gregory Dodell of Central Park Endocrinology also noted that patients on medications that suppress their appetite may not be getting sufficient nutrients, which in turn disrupts their mental stability.

So much of balancing our body is about what we eat and drink, he said.

The European Medicines Agency recently said there was no evidence for a causal link between Ozempic and suicidal thoughts. The FDA came to a similar conclusion in January.

The weight-loss drugs have risen in popularity so quickly in the last few months that the FDA announced shortages as the medication flew off the shelves.

But some experts have also warned that they have not been available long enough to study the long-term effects and are likely being misused by some as a quick way to shed a few pounds.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
Pa. Man in Charge of Taking Care of Children Accused of Raping Multiple Girls Over 15 Years

Vladimir Stanislavo Sayevskiy, 52, has been charged with 48 criminal counts, police say

Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department Vladimir Stanislavo Sayevskiy

An alleged victim reported Vladimir Stanislavo Sayevskiy to authorities on April 5, say police

Other alleged victims came forward, claiming he sexually abused them over many years, police say

All alleged victims say they were under the age of 13 at the time



A Pennsylvania man who was responsible for the care of multiple girls allegedly raped three of them over the course of 15 years and committed other crimes against others, authorities say.

Vladimir Stanislavo Sayevskiy, 52, was reported to police on April 5 and now he faces nearly 48 charges, most of them relating to child sex abuse, according to a statement from the Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department.

Each of the five alleged victims accused Sayevskiy, of Lititz, Penn., of subjecting them to "multiple acts" of sexual violence, the statement said.

The alleged abuse took place in an unspecified location in Lancaster County and spanned nearly two decades from 2006 to 2021, police said.

Sayevskiy was reportedly in charge of taking care of the girls when they were allegedly abused, Penn Live reported, citing a probable cause affidavit.

The alleged victim who reported him on April 5 told authorities she was under the age of 13 when he allegedly raped her several times between 2019 and 2021, FOX 43 reported, citing police.

The other four alleged victims were then interviewed, police say, and each claimed they had been raped for several years, according to FOX 43.



All of the alleged victims claimed they were under the age of 13 when they were assaulted.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Authorities arrested Sayevskiy on April 12 on charges including child rape, indecent assault of a child, child endangerment and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, according to the police statement.

It wasnt immediately clear if there may be more victims; Lancaster authorities did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's requests for comments.

Sayevskiy is being held at the Lancaster County Prison and has been denied bail as authorities deemed he is a danger to the community and is a flight risk, online court records show.

Online court records do not indicate if he has retained an attorney or entered a plea. His next court hearing is scheduled for Monday.



If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

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Read the original article on People.
Despite U.S. opposition, there is overwhelming support on the 15-nation United Nations Security Council for the Palestinian bid for full U.N. membership. Above, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. (Associated Press)

The United States is once again opposing Palestinian efforts to gain full membership in the United Nations.

The U.S. vetoed a Palestinian membership application Thursday, ending the latest debate on the issue at the U.N. Security Council and again squashing Palestinian statehood aspirations, at least for now.

Despite U.S. opposition, there was overwhelming support on the 15-nation Security Council for the Palestinian bid. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the devastating war between Israel and the militant group Hamas in Gaza has only made the statehood goal more urgent.

The vote Thursday was 12 in favor of membership for Palestinians with one abstention plus the U.S. veto.

"Recent escalations make it even more important to support good-faith efforts to find lasting peace between Israel and a fully independent, viable and sovereign Palestinian state," Guterres told the Security Council.

But the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said ahead of the expected vote that her countrys opposition has not changed.

"Our position is that the issue of full Palestinian membership is a decision that should be negotiated between Israel and the Palestinians," said her deputy, Robert Wood.

Here's a deeper look at the background.

Why is the U.S. opposed?

The U.S. says allowing the Palestinians to become a full member of the U.N. would be tantamount to recognizing Palestine as an independent state.

The U.S. maintains that such an elevation of Palestinian status has to come as part of a treaty with Israel that enshrines the two-state solution: establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state alongside Israel, complete with a raft of complicated security and territorial agreements.

The reality on the ground is nowhere near that.

Even before the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack in southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people, the right-wing government of Israel was expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank on land that Palestinians claim as theirs. Continued Israeli military occupation of the West Bank and the scores of heavily guarded settlements, considered illegal under international law, have rendered a contiguous Palestinian state in the region impossible, critics say.

The war in the Gaza Strip has further complicated the equation because of the vast devastation of the coastal enclave  nearly 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli offensive, according to Gaza health officials  and the reluctance many in the international community would have to seeing Hamas members in a Palestinian national government.

What do the Palestinians say?

For Palestinians, full U.N. membership is one more step in recognition of their long-standing vision of statehood, an ever-more-elusive goal since the 1948 establishment of Israel that led to the displacement of millions of Palestinians.

But the current nature of Palestinian leadership also leaves many questions unanswered. The West Bank, governed by the internationally recognized secular Palestinian Authority, is divided from the Gaza Strip, which is ruled by Hamas, an Islamic militancy considered by the U.S. and some European countries to be a terrorist organization.

President Biden and others have urged major reforms of the Palestinian Authority, which is itself deeply unpopular among Palestinians, who see it as corrupt and ineffective.

Palestinians do not have a credible leadership  capable of leading it out of its current existential crisis, Khalil Jahshan, executive director of the Arab Center in Washington, said in a panel discussion Thursday.

Even if formation of a Palestinian state is practically impossible right now, granting U.N. membership would be a useful re-upping of the issue, said Mustafa Barghouti, a prominent Palestinian politician and activist.

A state under occupation would put Israel in a very awkward situation, he said, speaking via live video feed from the West Bank.

What does Israel say?

Israel says granting a state of Palestine full membership rewards "terrorists."

"Who is the council voting to 'recognize' and give full membership status to? Hamas in Gaza?" asked Gilad Erdan, Israel's ambassador to the U.N. Such a move, he added in remarks to the Security Council, would harm any chance for future dialogue."

Erdan also said the Palestinians do not meet four basic criteria for U.N. membership: a permanent population, defined territory, a government and the capacity to sustain relations with other countries.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his government adamantly oppose the creation of a Palestinian state.

What is the U.S. game plan?

For days, U.S. officials said they had hoped to avoid having to veto the petition and worked to delay a vote as long as possible. But that gambit failed. Washington is often left standing almost alone in shooting down any proposals seen as critical of Israel and favoring the Palestinians.

A rare exception came last month when the U.S. abstained to allow passage of a U.N. resolution demanding a cease-fire in Gaza that Israel opposed.

Weren't Palestinians already given U.N. membership?

Not full membership.

In 2012, the Palestinians were granted permanent observer status at the U.N., which allows them to participate in proceedings but not vote.

Their flag flies along with those of other nations outside the main U.N. building but at a slight distance from the others.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Presidential candidate Jose Raul Mulino, center, campaigns in the San Miguelito neighborhood of Panama City, Wednesday, April 10, 2024. The former foreign minister is one of eight candidates competing in the upcoming May 5th presidential election. (AP Photo/Agustin Herrera)

PANAMA CITY (AP)  Six of the eight candidates vying to be Panamas next president laid out their plans to generate jobs and to manage the countrys water crisis in their final debate Wednesday night before the countrys May 5 election.

Former government minister Jose Raul Mulino, who has led in opinion polls since taking over the top place on his ticket when former President Ricardo Martinelli was sentenced to prison, skipped the event as he did the two previous debates.

Another candidate, Jose Gabriel Carrizo, was also absent after saying he would not participate if organizers could not get Mulino there.

The remaining field featured a couple of also-rans from previous elections  Ricardo Lombana and Romulo Roux  as well as former President Martin Torrijos. Those three are in a virtual tie for second behind Mulino, according to recent polls.

The candidates promised job creation  some at far-fetched levels  and they concurred on the need to build a new reservoir, in large part to ensure sufficient water to run the Panama Canal. The critical passage has been forced to cut the number of ships transiting between the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea each day due to reduced availability of the water needed to operate its huge locks.

The debate occurred as Panama awaited a ruling from the Supreme Court on a challenge to electoral authorities decision to let Mulino run without a vice presidential candidate on his ticket.

Martinelli, a 71-year-old businessman and supermarket magnate who governed Panama from 2009 to 2014, was convicted last July of money laundering in a case dating back to 2017 and related to his 2010 purchase of a publishing company that owns national newspapers. He was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison.

Panamas constitution bars anyone sentenced to five or more years for a crime from running for president.

Last year, the United States government barred Martinelli and his immediate family from entering the country, based on what it called his involvement in significant corruption.

In February, Nicaragua granted Martinelli asylum as he holed up in that countrys embassy in Panama. Weeks later, Panamanian authorities ordered his arrest after a judge changed his conditional release while he appealed his prison sentence. Panama has not allowed Nicaragua to move Martinelli out of the country.

The drama has infused the election with uncertainty.

Its unprecedented for the the very special characteristics that it has. Its tremendously complex because of the confluence of factors, said Daniel Zovatto of the Wilson Centers Latin American Program. Its one of the most complex that Ive seen in 40 years.
Panel of 12 jurors sworn in for Trumps historic hush money trial: Ex-president blasts witch hunt as he leaves court

The panel of 12 Manhattan residents who will ultimately decide the fate of former president Donald Trump in his New York criminal trial have now been seated.

After three days of jury selection, in which hundreds of New Yorkers were called to the New York Criminal Court, sworn in and asked personal questions, the majority of the jury was chosen  a panel of five women and seven men.

One alternative has also been seated, with five more needed to complete the full panel of 18.

Leaving court at the end of the historic day, Mr Trump immediately launched into his usual rhetoric  baselessly calling the case a witch hunt, blaming the crook President Joe Biden for the criminal charges levelled against him, and falsely claiming that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is the real culprit falsifying fraudulent documents.

He also fumed about sitting in the freezing courtroom when he should be campaigning for the White House. Mr Trump is required to attend every day of his criminal trial per New York criminal trial procedures.

Unlike previous days when Mr Trump appeared disinterested and possibly sleepy, he seemed more invested in jury selection on Thursday.

So long as none of the jurors contact the court to inform them they can no longer serve, or theyre dismissed, the panel of 12 will be the individuals who decide if Mr Trump is guilty of of criminal charges.

The former president is accused of falsifying 34 business records to cover up alleged hush money payments that were made to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

That cover-up was allegedly part of a wider catch-and-kill scheme that Mr Trump engaged in with his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, and the former publisher of The National Enquirer to suppress negative stories about him to influence the election.

Mr Trump has denied all wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to all 34 charges.

Donald Trump seemed more invested in jury selection on Thursday (EPA)

Despite concerns that the jury selection process would take a long time, the defence, prosecution and judge managed to find 12 individuals fairly quickly, despite two previously selected jurors being dismissed on Thursday morning over concerns regarding the publicity of their identities.

Given the high-profile nature of the trial, and Mr Trumps history of lashing out at court staff, witnesses and prosecution, Judge Juan Merchan made the jury anonymous. He asked the media to keep any information (other than the facts stated during selection) private to help keep the jury anonymous. He also requested any answers to questions regarding current and former employers be redacted from the transcript and kept out of the media.

The 12 individuals chosen for the panel have a wide range of educational backgrounds; some have advanced degrees. Two are lawyers, three are engineers, one is a retired teacher and one is in finance.

Many of the jurors reported that they did not follow the news closely. One said they did not have any form of social media.

Each time the potential jurors were questioned, Mr Trump turned his attention toward the jury box and listened closely. At times when potential jurors criticised his policies, he turned to his lawyers and gave them a tap or whispered something.

The former president sat through hours of questions in which he heard an array of opinions from his fellow New Yorkers.

One potential juror said he was pretty amazing but a bigger portion of the jury pool used words like outrageous, self-serving, and selfish to describe his actions.

At one point, a potential juror was called in for further questions regarding negative social media posts she made about the former president from 2016 through 2021. The juror was forced to read aloud a post she made where she called Mr Trump racist  she later apologised to the former president.

Yet Mr Trump appeared relaxed most of the day, even while hearing touchy words from potential jurors  holding his feelings back until he left court.

A court sketch shows Trump sitting in the courtroom. He was forced to listen to a wide range of opinions about him, many negative (REUTERS)

Though the first 12 jurors, and one alternate, have been seated, jury selection is not over. Selection to determine the five additional alternates will continue on Friday.

Judge Merchan expects opening statements to begin on Monday.

Though the first 12 jurors, and one alternate, have been seated, jury selection is not over. Selection to determine the five additional alternates will continue on Friday after the Sandoval hearing.

A Sandoval hearing is a common procedure in criminal cases when a defendant has a history of misconduct or criminal acts and plans to testify. Prosecutors can ask a judge to hold a hearing so they can determine the scope of what they can use to cross-examine the defendant.

In this case, Mr Trump has indicated he wants to testify and the district attorneys office asked Judge Merchan if they can bring up the E Jean Carroll defamation case, Trump Organization civil fraud case, Trump Organization criminal tax case and more.

Judge Merchan will go over that and determine the answer during the hearing on Friday.

Alex Woodward contributed to this report
FILE PHOTO: Consequences of the drought in northern Mexico, the most affected area of the country, in Aldama

FILE PHOTO: Consequences of the drought in northern Mexico, the most affected area of the country, in Aldama

By Leah Douglas, Cassandra Garrison and Marcelo Teixeira

(Reuters) - Texas farm groups warn of a disastrous season ahead for citrus and sugar as Mexican and U.S. officials try to resolve a dispute over a decades-old water treaty that supplies U.S. farmers with critical irrigation.

The neighboring countries have tussled over the 1944 treaty before, but the current drought-driven water shortages are the most severe in nearly 30 years and add to existing political tensions over genetically modified corn.

Under the treaty designed to allocate shared water resources, Mexico is required to send 1.75 million acre-feet of water from the Rio Grande to the U.S. over a five-year cycle.

Now in year four, Mexico has sent only about 30% of its expected deliveries, the lowest amount at this point of any four- or five-year cycles since 1992, according to data from the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), which oversees the treaty.

The last sugar mill in Texas has shut down due to the lack of water, at a time of low U.S. supplies and high prices for the sweetener.

"This water is impacting not only the farmers, but it's impacting the employment of citizens within our community," U.S. Representative from Texas Monica De La Cruz told Reuters.

Manuel Morales, secretary of the Mexican section of the IBWC, said Mexico is working to comply with its commitments but that the water shortage is due to climate change and the treaty allows more time to deliver water in the event of extraordinary drought.

Mexico's national water authority, Conagua, says severe drought has gotten worse and the country is facing the worst drought conditions since 2011.

Some residents have protested in Mexico City after going without running water for weeks.

De La Cruz and three other members of Texas' Congressional delegation met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 11 to ask the State Department to do more to enforce the treaty.

Blinken on the call committed to speaking with Mexican officials about the issue, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

A State Department spokesperson said the agency is closely following the water shortages and has urged Mexico to sign a revised water agreement.

U.S. IBWC spokesperson Frank Fisher said commission officials from both countries have met several times since 2023 to renegotiate aspects of the treaty in hopes of increasing reliability.

Both countries have had agricultural water shortages in recent decades, Fisher said.

CROSS-BORDER DROUGHT

Texas's half-billion-dollar citrus industry is heavily dependent on water from Mexico, especially with drought conditions growing more severe in the region, said Dale Murden, president of the industry group Texas Citrus Mutual.

"You can't count completely on rainfall. It's nice when it happens, but you need to control the water on the tree," he said.

Texas is the third-largest citrus state behind California and Florida.

Data from the U.S. National Integrated Drought Information System shows below-normal precipitation and moderate to severe drought conditions in the region.

For Texas sugarcane farmers, the outlook this season is "complete and absolute despair," said Sean Brashear, president and CEO of Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers.

The group in February shut its sugar mill in Santa Rosa, Texas, after 51 years of operation due to the lack of water from Mexico.

Though Texas is not a major sugar producing state, global sugar supplies are tight and the closure will likely lead to increased U.S. sugar imports, said broker and supply chain services provider Czarnikow.

The U.S. imports around a third of its sugar and has increased imports of highly taxed, pricey sugar since countries holding low-tariff import quotas failed to fulfill them.

IBWC's Morales said the weather conditions have led to lower levels in the Rio Grande River basin.

"It is not a question of only affecting users on the U.S. side, we in Mexico are also suffering the consequences of this shortage," Morales said.

The USDA in April reduced its estimate for Mexico's 2023/24 sugar production to the lowest in 10 years.

(Reporting by Leah Douglas in Washington, Cassandra Garrison in Mexico City, and Marcelo Teixeira in New York; writing by Leah Douglas; Editing by Caroline Stauffer and Josie Kao)
The former parent of two middle school students whose board uninvited 30 Rock actor Maulik Pancholy from speaking at an assembly on anti-bullying is fighting back, starting a change.org petition demanding the openly gay actor be reinstated.

Trisha Comstock said she was deeply saddened and concerned by the decision of the Cumberland Valley School Board to cancel the assembly scheduled at Mountain View Middle School in Pennsylvania on May 22.

In her change.org petition, Comstock wrote that Pancholy was expected to talk about empathy, anti-bullying, and the books he authored, but when two board members raised concern over his lifestyle during an April 15 public meeting, the board unanimously overturned the appearance.

In a statement to The Daily Beast, she said that since her petition, Ive never seen the community united the way it is now. We are sending a clear message that bigotry doesnt belong in education.

She added: The decision needs to be reversed.

In video posted by Comstock and reported by Today, board member Bud Shaffner said: If you research this individual, he labels himself as an activist, he is proud of his lifestyle and I dont think that should be imposed upon our students at any age.

Comstock told Today: What happened is homophobic. Anyone can go and watch the meeting. This board is close to causing some real harm.

The Daily Beast has contacted the Cumberland Valley School District Board and Pancholy for comment.

In the board meeting, a member is seen discussing the prospect of Pancholy discussing his childrens book, The Best at It, during the assembly. The book, according to its publisher, is about a gay Indian American boy coming into his own.

Its not discriminating against his lifestyle  thats his choice, a member said in the meeting. But its him speaking about it.

Meanwhile, Shaffner added to Today: Politically motivated discussions belong at home and not in the classroom. A number of board members went to his website and what stuck out to all of us is that hes a political activist.

According to his website, the actor regularly delivers keynotes on the topic of diversity and inclusion in corporate settings and at universities across the country. His activism includes an appointment in 2014 by then-President Barack Obama to serve on the Presidents Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Pancholy, who played Alex Baldwins faithful assistant Jonathan in 30 Rock, had his appearance voted down by an 8-0 vote.

Being LGBTQ+ isnt a dirty little secret to protect our students from, Comstock said in her change.org petition. To have someone with Mauliks life experiences would have been inspirational for our students. It is important that we teach our children about diversity and acceptance from an early age.

Comstock is pleading with the board to reverse its decision and reinstate the assembly with Pancholy. By doing so, we can show our students that everyone deserves respect regardless of their sexual orientation or identity, she said.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Months after an 18-month-olds parents were charged in her fentanyl overdose death, two more people have been charged, California officials say.

Phillip Ortega, 31, of Gilroy, and Paige Vitale, 32, of San Jose, were each charged with murder in the San Jose girls death, the Santa Clara County District Attorneys Office said in an April 17 news release.

The pair were housemates of the girls parents, a district attorneys office spokesperson told McClatchy News in an April 18 email.

Ortega and Vitale are accused of leaving drugs and drug paraphernalia in the open of the home as the baby girl wandered inside and could find them, according to prosecutors.

The two are also accused of providing the toddlers parents with a steady supply of drugs and sharing them with the parents, prosecutors said.

The girls parents, Derek Vaughn Rayo, 27, and Kelly Gene Richardson, 28, were charged with murder in relation to her death last fall, according to a November news release from the district attorneys office.

The fatal irresponsibility of the people around (the toddler) is shocking  and it is criminal, District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in the release.

On the day their daughter died in August, prosecutors said the parents waited more than 12 hours before calling 911 to report that their daughter was dead.

The toddler died with 15 times the lethal amount of fentanyl in her blood, according to prosecutors.

While searching the home, prosecutors said investigators found fentanyl on the nightstand of the master bedroom, a scraping tool with fentanyl residue on the desk, and another scraping tool with fentanyl on a rug located underneath the babys body.

Prosecutors said detectives also found text and social media messages on the couples electronic devices that showed they used drugs while the child was home.

Detectives also found photographs and videos that showed all four adults using drugs in the same room as the child, prosecutors said.

Investigators determined Ortega was the primary drug supplier for the parents, while also finding Vitale aided and abetted his actions, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Bay Area News Group.

Detectives found text messages between Ortega and Richardson that discussed the sale of drugs or leaving the drugs around the home, the affidavit says, according to the news outlet.

In one text exchange, Ortega told Richardson he left a bong in a bag hanging on (the toddlers) stroller, according to the affidavit, the outlet reported.

2-year-old boy overdoses on unimaginable combination of drugs, Pennsylvania cops say

Teen died from fentanyl in school bathroom as mom begged staff to find her, CA suit says

Riverbank toddler dies of fentanyl overdose. Mother and boyfriend accused of murder
LUSAKA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Zambia and the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday pledged to strengthen cooperation in the fight against cervical cancer in the southern African country.

Sylvia Masebo, Zambia's minister of health, and Bente Mikkelsen, director of noncommunicable diseases at the WHO, made the commitment during a meeting.

Masebo said Zambia appreciates the continued support it has received in the fight against noncommunicable diseases, and reaffirmed the country's commitment to the global strategy toward the elimination of cervical cancer.

She said Zambia has embarked on a multi-sectoral approach to fight cervical cancer, adding that the country currently has one of the highest cervical cancer rates in the world.

She said the government is trying to fight the disease through a three-pronged approach of prevention, screening, and treatment, while vaccination programs have been introduced for girls aged nine to 10.

For her part, the WHO official said her visit to Zambia was to get an on-the-spot assessment of the situation in the country so that the organization could have a clear picture of how to strengthen cooperation.

She said the purpose of the visit was to gather information to be presented at a meeting with global partners on what Zambia needs in terms of support.

Mikkelsen, however, commended Zambia for its efforts to combat the disease and its decision to adopt a multi-sectoral approach, adding that cooperation is needed to achieve meaningful results. 
HARLEM, Manhattan (PIX11)  Parents in Harlem are outraged over proposed plans to transform P.S. 76 from an elementary school to a sixth through 12th grade school.

Parents and school alumnae voiced their frustration at a town hall meeting Wednesday amid fears that proposed changes could push current students out. Daviena Dewar, whose daughter attends P.S. 76, is alarmed by plans to convert the campus  potentially displacing the current kindergarten through 5th graders. She said the move would force her to enroll her daughter in a school further away.

It would be way further, Dewar said. I would have to put her in downtown. Somewhere in a District Three school because to be honest, they know that all of our schools are not doing so well. Thats why theyre trying to do that.

More Manhattan News

Marion Harris is an alumna of the school who fears the disruption and displacement the plan could cause to young learners and their families, amid other concerns.

This school has 3K, said Harris. We see that there has been a large enrollment for 3K, so with them closing this school, thats one less 3K and pre-k that we have.

According to a document given to parents, school officials are citing low enrollment as the reason for the proposed school transformation. With parents adamant about protecting the school from conversion, they said they have been voicing their opposition to school officials and the citys Department of Education. Alumnae like Fonta Ballo are now vowing to do whatever it takes to help boost the schools enrollment.

That can be fixed, Ballo said. We can do community outreach. We can get out there. We can let people know that enrollment is all year round. We can let people know that you can come in and enroll your kids.

PIX11 reached out to the DOE for comment but is still waiting to hear back. If approved, the plan will go into effect in the 2025-2026 school year.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Patrick McDowell apologizes for death of Nassau deputy; here's more what he had to say

For about an hour Thursday the man who shot and killed Nassau County Deputy Joshua Moyers expressed his remorse and explained his actions to the family, law enforcement, jurors, the courtroom and community.

The first thing is I want to take the opportunity to apologize to the family of Deputy Moyers, the deputies that he works with, all the people that I took something I cant give back," Patrick McDowell said at his sentencing hearing. "If I had my way, if my death would bring him back, I wouldnt be here today. I want to apologize to everybody that was affected by what I did, both my family, the residents of Callahan who were afraid for the children while I was on the run. All the people I put in danger.

"I feel like its not fair for everyone to get up here and speak for me about what I did," he continued. "I feel like these people deserve to hear what happened and why. And I feel like I should be the one to tell them that.

Late on Sept. 23, 2021, Moyers pulled McDowell and a female passenger over in what later was learned was a stolen minivan and the pair had been doing drugs and had guns inside. He was on drug-offender probation and recently learned that his misdemeanor charges in a Georgia case were being upgraded to felony and he now faced 30 years in prison. He said he was determined not to go back to jail and shot the deputy instead.

Chief Assistant Public Defender Alan Chipperfield asked him, Who was the coward that day?

That would have been me," McDowell replied. "Deputy Moyers, he did his job so well that I wasnt doing anything overtly and he took one look at me and knew that I was up to no good. The way that he interacted with me was polite. It was friendly, there was nothing that he did that provoked what I did to him. What I did was cowardly. What I did was something that for me myself I believe that theres really nothing worse than you can do than take a mans life for doing his job.

Patrick McDowell testifies during his sentencing hearing Thursday in the shooting death of Nassau County Deputy Joshua Moyers. He apologized to the family and sheriff's deputies.

How did watching the officer-worn body camera video make him feel, Chipperfield asked.

The video, watching myself do what I did, it breaks my heart that I did that to that man, just for no reason, for no reason at all, out of selfishness," said McDowell, 37 of Jacksonville. "I remember everything that happened that night, I remember everything he said. It makes me sick to think that I did that. Ill never forget. Ill play that video, Ive played that video for three years over in my head. I played what I saw what I did over in my head, it makes me physically sick to think about it.

He also said it was difficult hearing the family's victim impact statements and testimony from co-deputies.

It was hard to listen to. But I feel like I dont think that theres anything that I can say or that I can do to alleviate that pain, and I wish that I could," he said. "I mean that sincerely, I wish I could take it all away. I took the life of a man that was better than me. Ill never forgive myself for that. Even if they do find forgiveness for me, Ill never forgive myself for that.

McDowell said his own family now has to deal with this shame probably forever, but the people most affected are the Moyers and the deputy's fiancee.

Patrick McDowell manhunt: Suspect in the shooting death of Nassau County Deputy Joshua Moyers caught near Callahan

I dont know how I can make that better," he said, maintaining a calm and clear tone throughout the questioning. "Thats why I am up here today because I feel like they need an explanation, they at least need to know why.

He also understands that whether the jury decides to recommend life or death, he will die in prison. He just wants to try to make things right.

He said its been a long time since hes had a positive relationship in his life, and now I plan to spend the time that I do have left, whether it be on death row or whether it be spending the rest of my life in prison, trying to better those relationships. Ive burned a lot of bridges with people. I want to start repairing those."

McDowell said he doesn't know how to deal with what he's done and thinks about it every day.

"I dont know how to make it better, but Im going to do everything I can to try to make right what Ive done," he said.

How did Patrick McDowell respond to the cross-examination?

Under cross-examination by Chief Assistant State Attorney Mark Caliel, he went over all the help McDowell received particularly from the Veterans Treatment Court. McDowell was a U.S. Marine veteran deployed to Iraq twice and honorably discharged and later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. He became addicted to drugs and his life unraveled.

But the decision to use drugs was his, Caliel said, and McDowell said yes 100%. He said he relapsed when COVID-19 shut down the courthouse and thus the program.

Once an addict finds a loophole, theyre very quick to go through. And thats exactly what I did, McDowell said.

Insights on Patrick McDowell: Documents in Nassau Deputy Joshua Moyers' death explain suspect's past and what happened that night

The night of the shooting, Caliel confirmed that McDowell saw Moyers at the gas station where he had been doing drugs before driving off and being pulled over. He said he even nodded to the deputy before leaving.

When pulled over, McDowell said he was first going to try to talk his way out. He also never put the van in park. He said its clear in the bodycam video that he never took his foot off the brakes because the lights never shut off. He had no intentions of staying there and was only looking for an opportunity to get away.

When Moyers attention was diverted by a railroad crossing activating nearby, Caliel said McDowell swiveled to get his gun and shot the deputy.

McDowell responded yes and then apologized to his defense team for what he was about to say, but he said he swore to a lieutenant at the hospital after his arrest that he would tell the truth about what happened.

He said on that night he was open to the possibility he was going to have to shoot the deputy because he was intent on not going back to jail. His first option was to run, but he understood that didnt make sense in the minivan. He also knew it wasnt likely he would be able talk himself out of it. So when the train was coming, he said he even checked the chamber of his gun to make sure it had a round loaded.

He knew if everything failed, I was willing to do whatever I needed to do to get away, and that included shooting the deputy. And I did that without a single, single thought of taking a mans life. I was 100% focused solely on myself.

Patrick McDowell is sworn in as he is about to testify for about an hour for his sentencing hearing Thursday in the death of Nassau County Deputy Joshua Moyers.

He again repeated that Moyers didn't do anything to provoke him and was actually more polite than he expected.

He actively put himself between someone he thought was up to no good, was doing wrong, and the people he swore to protect," McDowell said. " He followed me into a dark area. He put himself in harms way, which is something you would expect from police officers and deputies.

He did give me the benefit of the doubt for almost six minutes, McDowell said.

But he did say at a certain point during the ensuing search for him after letting his passenger go, he went passive and didnt want to hurt anyone else despite deputies firing at him. He even refrained from firing back.

I started to feel pretty awful about what I had done to the deputy, and I had no intention of doing that to anybody else, McDowell said.

He said he was even amazed he wasnt already dead after how many shots they fired.

What did Patrick McDowell conclude with in his testimony about killing Deputy Joshua Moyers?

When Caliel finished, Chipperfield was offered an opportunity to redirect questioning. He asked again about McDowell passing on the opportunity to do more harm.

McDowell reiterated he didnt want to hurt anyone else, and that he had already taken the life of the 29-year-old deputy.

Moyers

"As contradictory as its going to sound, I was raised by a police officer, my brother was a police officer  hes an FBI agent now  I have several friends that are police officers back home," he said. "I grew up around them, they used to come watch wrestling at the house. I know what they do for a living. I know the risks that they take.

"Of all the people I that could have hurt, for me to have hurt a police officer or a deputy doing the exact same job as some of my closest family members and friends do, something that at the time  would have angered me to the point where I would have loved to have chased down and shoot the guy that hurt one of my brothers," McDowell continued. "I dont know where in my life things changed to where I would kill someone serving a role that is one of the most respectable things in my eyes. I dont understand where that happened, where I became capable of doing that.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Patrick McDowell apologizes at sentencing for killing Nassau deputy
A new memoir penned by former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will be available later this year, according to publisher Simon & Schuster.

In the book, titled The Art of Power, Pelosi details her years in public service, legislation shes helped to enact as Speaker, her personal account of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and her relationship working with former President Trump, among other stories.

The memoir will be available Aug. 6, per the publisher.

The woman who has been lauded by her opposition as the most powerful Speaker ever shows us why she is not afraid of a good fight, Simon & Schuster said in the announcement, shared with The Hill. The Art of Power is about the fighting spirit that has always animated her, and the historic legacy that spirit has produced.

This image provided by Simon & Schuster shows the cover of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosis new book, The Art of Power. Simon & Schuster announced Thursday that Pelosis book will be released Aug. 6. Simon & Schuster via AP

Pelosi, 84, stepped down from leadership last year after leading Democrats in the lower chamber for two decades. The move came after Republicans won the majority in the 2022 midterm elections.

She was first elected to the House in 1986 and quickly moved up the ranks, becoming minority leader in 2003 and eventually Speaker in 2007. The California Democrat was the first female to hold the coveted position.

She held the gavel until 2011, when Republicans took control of the House. But when Democrats regained the majority in 2019, she was once again sworn in as Speaker.

People always ask me how I did what I did in the House, Pelosi said, according to the announcement. In The Art of Power, I reveal how  and more importantly, why.

Pelosi published her first book, Know Your Power, in 2008 and was written to inspire young women to follow their dreams.

In her new memoir, the former Speaker also shares a personal account from a 2022 incident when a man broke into her home in California and attacked her husband, Paul Pelosi, with a hammer.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The investigation showed that the young child "suffered broken bones, severe bruising, and was the victim of sexual violence," according to a press release

Dauphin County Prison Steven Kyle Cugini

A 13-month-old child was allegedly raped and physically abused by a Pennsylvania police offer.

Steven Kyle Cugini, a member of the York City Police Department, was arrested without incident on Tuesday, April 16, following an investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police, Lykens Station, and Lykens Criminal Investigation Unit.

According to a press release from state police, the investigation into Cugini, 28, began after officers received a report of "severe bruising to a 13-month-old child."

Following the alleged crime that police say happened somewhere between April 11 and April 15, the toddler was transported to the Hershey Medical Center, where her injuries were evaluated by Pennsylvania State Police officers and the Dauphin County Child Abuse Team.

Related: Alabama Mother Sold Daughter to Rapist for $2,500; Rapist Kills Girl, Receives Death Sentence

Dauphin County Prison Steven Kyle Cugini

The investigation showed that the baby, identified as a female, "suffered broken bones, severe bruising, and was the victim of sexual violence," according to the press release.

WHP-TV reported, citing charging documents, that Cugini first blamed the toddlers' injuries "on diaper rash, a fall, and the family dog." After being questioned by police, he allegedly admitted that injuries occurred while the child was alone under his care, according to the outlet.

Getty Stock image of a police siren

Cugini was arrested on charges that include rape and aggravated indecent assault, per WHP-TV, WHTM-TV, and the York Daily Record. He is being held at Dauphin County Jail on $200,000 bail.

After reports of the arrest surfaced, York City Police Commissioner Michael Muldrow issued a statement confirming that Cugini is a member of their department.

Related: Man Allegedly Killed 15-Year-Old Daughter, Then Tried to Blame Stepson with Autism: Police

"It has come to our attention, a member of this department was arrested for an incident of alleged misconduct and criminal behavior, occurring in Dauphin County," his statement read. "Per our protocol the individual has been immediately suspended as the investigation continues and the City looks to take the appropriate action."

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.



His statement continued, "As everyone knows, I will always be the first to fight and advocate for our people; but they also know (1) how I feel about kids, and (2) that I hold my Officers to the highest of standards (when it comes to representing this Department and engaging with the community)..."

The commissioner said he would be "the first to take swift and definitive action" if the "allegations are founded."

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.



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Read the original article on People.
"He is proud of his lifestyle and I dont think that should be imposed upon our students, said Cumberland Valley School District board member Bud Shaffner

Jon Kopaloff/Getty Maulik Pancholy on March 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

Former 30 Rock actor Maulik Pancholy was disinvited from an anti-bullying speaking engagement at a Pennsylvania middle school, per footage from the Cumberland Valley School District's public meeting on Monday, April 15.

Pancholy, who is openly gay, was originally scheduled to give a talk for an anti-bullying assembly at Mountain View Middle School in Mechanicsburg, Penn. on May 22.

However, he will not appear at the middle school due to concerns about his political activism and what two school board members referred to as his lifestyle. The Cumberland Valley School District unanimously voted to cancel the assembly.

In addition to portraying Alec Baldwin's overzealous assistant in 30 Rock, Pancholy also voiced Baljeet in Phineas and Ferb. Along with his acting credits, Pancholy, 50, also delivers keynote speeches on the topic of diversity and inclusion, according to his website.

Ali Goldstein/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Maulik Pancholy in "30 Rock."

If you research this individual, he labels himself as an activist, he is proud of his lifestyle and I dont think that should be imposed upon our students, at any age, board member Bud Shaffner said during the meeting.

Another board member, Kelly Potteiger, shared her concerns that the actor would discuss his childrens book The Best at It, which follows a gay Indian American boy. Its not discriminating against his lifestyle  thats his choice, Potteiger said. But its him speaking about it.

Related: Gay Woman Alleges Discrimination from National Guard Over Her Short Hair and Lack of Jewelry, Makeup

Shaffner also told TODAY.com that he had concerns the speaker would discuss politics and go off script, adding, Politically motivated discussions belong at home and not in the classroom.

A number of board members went to his website and what stuck out to all of us is that hes a political activist, said Shaffner.

Cumberland Valley School District spokesperson Tracy Panzer also shared with TODAY.com that Pancholys visit was not on the meetings original agenda. She explained one board member motioned to rescind the invite, and the board unanimously voted to cancel his speaking engagement.

Mountain View Middle School, PA

Following the meeting, former Mountain View Middle School parent, Trisha Comstock, started a Change.org petition to challenge this narrative by reinstating the assembly with Maulik Pancholy.

Additionally, some former students have spoken out against the boards decision to cancel Pancholys appearance.

Related: Gay Mississippi Man Sues Funeral Home for Allegedly Refusing to Cremate His Husband's Remains: 'We Are Human Too'

Brooke Ryerson, former student and member of the LGBTQ community, shared she and her mother will be attending the boards next meeting on May 6 to express their disappointment in the vote. It was going to be an assembly about empathy and anti-bullying, the 16-year-old told TODAY.com. But that doesnt matter to the board. They want to silence us in any way they can.

Tony Conte, another former student, shared an open letter to Shaffner on Facebook. He opened up about his experience as a closeted gay teen and revealed that he considered suicide from time to time.

I think that if I had heard from diverse voices like (Pancholy's) in an auditorium setting telling me that it was okay to be different, maybe my middle and high school experience could have been different, wrote Conte. A presentation of this sort could have saved a life, like the life of my friend.

Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic Maulik Pancholy on September 20, 2013 in West Hollywood, California.

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.

Representatives for Pancholy and Cumberland Valley School District did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for more information on Wednesday.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.
DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. (WJW)  A Pennsylvania police officer has been arrested on charges of raping and abusing a 1-year-old child.

Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) arrested Steven Kyle Cugini, 28, on Tuesday. Cugini is a York city police officer.

Riley Strains family: Somebody helped him in the water

According to a report from PSP, police responded to a report of severe bruising to a 13-month-old child last week.

An investigation by the PSP and the Dauphin County Child Abuse Team found the baby suffered broken bones, severe bruising, and was the victim of sexual violence, according to the report.

The report says the crimes happened between April 11 and April 15.

According to WHP, Cugini blamed the injuries on a fall and a family dog, charging documents stated.

After being questioned by police, WHP reports that Cugini admitted the injuries happened while the child was alone in his care.

PSP arrested Cugini Tuesday. Hes being held in the Dauphin County Jail on a $200,000 bond, according to jail records.

City employee shot at Cleveland Public Works garage: I-Team

The York City Police Commissioner released a statement on the arrest.

It has come to our attention, a member of this department was arrested for an incident of alleged misconduct and criminal behavior, occurring in Dauphin County. Per our protocol the individual has been immediately suspended as the investigation continues and the City looks to take the appropriate action. As everyone knows, I will always be the first to fight and advocate for our people; but they also know (1) how I feel about kids, and (2) that I hold my Officers to the highest of standards (when it comes to representing this Department and engaging with the community). And if these allegations are founded, trust and believe Ill be the first to take swift and definitive action against them. Michael Muldrow, Commissioner, York City Police

There is no word on the condition of the child, who was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Investigators have not detailed Cuginis connection to the victim.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
Pennsylvania Primary 2024: What you need to know

Democrats and Republicans head to the polls April 23 for Pennsylvanias primary election.

Races will determine who will run in the November general election.

Pennsylvania is a closed primary, meaning only those who are registered members of a political party may vote the ballot of that political party.

Democrats will choose between incumbent Rep. Summer Lee and challenger Edgewood Councilwoman Bhavini Patel in the race for the District 12 seat in the U.S. House.

WATCH: Exclusive debate for 12th District Race between Summer Lee, Bhavini Patel

Five Democrats have thrown their hat into the ring in the race for state attorney general, including Allegheny Countys Eugene DePasquale, Jack Stollsteimer, Joe Khan, Keir Bradford-Grey and Jared Solomon. Republicans will decide between Dave Sunday and Craig Williams.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

First-time voters, those who are voting at a polling place for the first time and those who have recently registered must bring one of the approved forms of identification.

An online tool to find a polling place based on your address can be found here.

Those who already submitted a mail-in or absentee ballot cannot vote at a polling place on election day.

Those who did not return a mail-in or absentee ballot and who want to vote in person have two options:

Bring your ballot and the pre-addressed outer return envelope containing the Voters Declaration to your polling place to be voided. After you surrender your ballot and envelope and sign a declaration, you can then vote a regular ballot.

If you dont surrender your ballot and return envelope, you can only vote by provisional ballot at your polling place. Your county board of elections will then verify that you did not vote by mail before counting your provisional ballot.

In addition to the extended ballot return hours downtown, the Allegheny County Elections Division will offer additional staffed mail-in or absentee ballot return sites. Ballot return sites will only accept completed ballots. Over the counter voting is not available at the following sites:

East End: Carnegie Public Library of Squirrel Hill (Marlborough Ave entrance) 5801 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15217

South: South Park Ice Rink 30 Corrigan Drive, Bethel Park, PA 15102

North: North Park Ice Rink 1200 Pearce Mill Road, Wexford, PA 15090

East: Boyce Park Four Seasons Lodge 901 Centerview Drive, Plum, PA 15239

West: 911 Call Center 150 Hookstown Grade Road, Moon, PA 15108

Mon Valley: Kane McKeesport 100 Ninth Street, McKeesport, PA 15132

Voters can return completed ballots there each weekday leading up to the primary. Election Day drop-off hours are the same as the polling hours, 7 a.m.-8 p.m.

County election sites can be found here.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

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State police searching for missing Erie teen last seen with 20-year-old man in New Castle 1-year-old attacked, killed by 3 dogs while in babysitters care, police say Human skeletal remains found in Fayette County VIDEO: Affordable housing was main issue found in Allegheny County improvement survey DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts
Pennsylvania Taco Bell Manager Performs CPR on Baby Struggling to Breathe in Drive-Thru: Saved My Sons Life'

"He turned completely blue and was lifeless. At that point I just completely blacked out," a mother recalled after her 11-week-old son had breathing issues

ABC7/YouTube Pennsylvania Taco Bell manager helps save baby who couldn't breathe.

A mother is forever thankful to a Taco Bell manager in Richboro, Penn., after she helped save her baby's life.

On April 13, Natasha Long stopped by the fast food joint in Bucks County for some food after running some errands with her 11-week-old son Myles when he began struggling to breathe.

"I ran out of the car and ran around and opened the car door," Long said of the terrifying incident, per ABC affiliate WPVI. "I pulled him out and he turned completely blue and was lifeless. At that point I just completely blacked out. I didn't know what to do."

It was then that Taco Bell manager Becky Arbaugh immediately jumped into action to help after hearing Long's cries for help.

Related: Mom Notices Her Baby Not Breathing at School Drop-Off. Watch Officer Run to Save Her Life (Exclusive)

"I threw my headset. I ran outside," Arbaugh recalled. "I took the baby and I started to do chest compressions on the baby and then he finally started to breathe."

Arbaugh  who Long said was her guardian angel  explained how one of her two daughters suffered a similar experience years ago, so she knew to stay calm.

"When my kids were little, my daughter had a similar incident, so I knew what she was feeling," the manager said. "I knew if I kept her calm and I stayed calm, there was no thought in my mind that the baby wasn't going to breathe again."

Related: Inside a Bride's Las Vegas Taco Bell Cantina Wedding: 'We Were Just Envisioning a Fun, Memorable Day' (Exclusive)

Myles finally started breathing again, but it's still unknown what caused him to struggle to breathe. He was taken to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children for treatment.

"We couldn't be more grateful to Becky," Long, who has been in regular contact with Arbaugh since the incident, told the outlet, adding: "She saved my son's life."

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 juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

"I just thought of myself as a mom with another mom that needed help," Arbaugh insisted.

Taco Bell didn't immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for comment.



For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.
An intangible cultural heritage inheritor (1st R) teaches international students paper-cutting techniques at the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Changsha in central China's Hunan Province, April 18, 2024. As the United Nations Chinese Language Day is around the corner, which is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, the School of International Education of Central South University joined hands with the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Changsha to invite more than 100 international students from over 20 countries and regions to experience traditional Chinese intangible cultural heritages like paper cutting and dough modelling making. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

International students learn dough modelling at the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Changsha in central China's Hunan Province, April 18, 2024. As the United Nations Chinese Language Day is around the corner, which is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, the School of International Education of Central South University joined hands with the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Changsha to invite more than 100 international students from over 20 countries and regions to experience traditional Chinese intangible cultural heritages like paper cutting and dough modelling making. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

International students learn to make paper-cutting items at the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Changsha in central China's Hunan Province, April 18, 2024. As the United Nations Chinese Language Day is around the corner, which is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, the School of International Education of Central South University joined hands with the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Changsha to invite more than 100 international students from over 20 countries and regions to experience traditional Chinese intangible cultural heritages like paper cutting and dough modelling making. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

An intangible cultural heritage inheritor (1st L) teaches international students palm fiber weaving techniques at the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Changsha in central China's Hunan Province, April 18, 2024. As the United Nations Chinese Language Day is around the corner, which is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, the School of International Education of Central South University joined hands with the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Changsha to invite more than 100 international students from over 20 countries and regions to experience traditional Chinese intangible cultural heritages like paper cutting and dough modelling making. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

International students learn to make paper-cutting items at the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Changsha in central China's Hunan Province, April 18, 2024. As the United Nations Chinese Language Day is around the corner, which is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, the School of International Education of Central South University joined hands with the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Changsha to invite more than 100 international students from over 20 countries and regions to experience traditional Chinese intangible cultural heritages like paper cutting and dough modelling making. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

International students learn to make paper-cutting items at the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Changsha in central China's Hunan Province, April 18, 2024. As the United Nations Chinese Language Day is around the corner, which is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, the School of International Education of Central South University joined hands with the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Changsha to invite more than 100 international students from over 20 countries and regions to experience traditional Chinese intangible cultural heritages like paper cutting and dough modelling making. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

An intangible cultural heritage inheritor (2nd L) teaches international students to make dough modelling at the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Changsha in central China's Hunan Province, April 18, 2024. As the United Nations Chinese Language Day is around the corner, which is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, the School of International Education of Central South University joined hands with the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Changsha to invite more than 100 international students from over 20 countries and regions to experience traditional Chinese intangible cultural heritages like paper cutting and dough modelling making. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

An intangible cultural heritage inheritor (1st R) teaches international students paper-cutting techniques at the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Changsha in central China's Hunan Province, April 18, 2024. As the United Nations Chinese Language Day is around the corner, which is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, the School of International Education of Central South University joined hands with the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Changsha to invite more than 100 international students from over 20 countries and regions to experience traditional Chinese intangible cultural heritages like paper cutting and dough modelling making. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

International students communicate with each other when they learn to make paper-cutting items at the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Changsha in central China's Hunan Province, April 18, 2024. As the United Nations Chinese Language Day is around the corner, which is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, the School of International Education of Central South University joined hands with the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Changsha to invite more than 100 international students from over 20 countries and regions to experience traditional Chinese intangible cultural heritages like paper cutting and dough modelling making. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

International students learn to make paper-cutting items at the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Changsha in central China's Hunan Province, April 18, 2024. As the United Nations Chinese Language Day is around the corner, which is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, the School of International Education of Central South University joined hands with the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Changsha to invite more than 100 international students from over 20 countries and regions to experience traditional Chinese intangible cultural heritages like paper cutting and dough modelling making. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)
PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  A school bus crashed into a home in Hyattsville on Thursday morning.

Pete Piringer, a spokesman for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, said in a post on X at 9:16 a.m. that the school bus crashed into a home in the 10000 block of Riggs Rd. between Powdermill Rd. and the beltway underpass.

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service and Prince Georges County officials were both on the scene to help.

Small fire breaks out in Southwest DC police station

The house sustained structural damage and the driver was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The owners of the home are reeling after this incident

Been in this house almost 30 years and..this happened said Victor Silva, one of the owners of the home. Its devastating

Silva spoke about raising his son in the home, and that it will take a lot for them to bounce back after something so sudden.

Whats the next move? I dont know, I have family but I dont want to be a burden. he said.

The bus did not have any student passengers at the time and no one inside of the home was hurt, according to Prince Georges County Fire and EMS.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
(KRON)  The Petaluma Police Department said Wednesday that there were no known credible threats to the school or staff after graffiti was located at Kenilworth Junior High School that referenced a shooting that would happen Thursday.

According to Kenilworth school officials, the graffiti, which read school shooting Thursday, was found by a staff member in one of the schools bathrooms. We immediately reported the found graffiti to the Petaluma Police Department and are checking our security cameras and hall passes from classrooms to identify possible student(s) involved, Principal Justin Mori wrote in a statement.

17-year-old victim in double Napa homicide identified

Kenilworth Junior High School will have a standard school schedule on Thursday. However, Mori stated that there would be an increased police presence on campus out of an abundance of caution.

Anyone with information regarding the investigation is asked to contact the Petaluma Police Department at (707)-778-4372.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
The Los Angeles office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) said on Wednesday that its petition to the University of Southern California to reverse its decision to cancel the graduation speech by Muslim, pro-Palestine valedictorian Asna Tabassum has been signed by more than 41,000 people in less than 48 hours.

The overwhelming response in support of Asna is truly inspiring, CAIR-LA executive director Hussam Ayloush said in a statement shared with TheWrap.

Our community is using its collective voice to push back against USCs cowardly decision to cancel her 2024 valedictorian speech and to demand that the university take immediate action to right its wrong, Ayloush continued. We call on the school to take a stand against anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim hate and create a safe environment on its campus  not just for Asna, but for all its students.

On Monday, USC provost Andrew Guzman said in an online letter that the discussion relating to the selection of our valedictorian has taken on an alarming tenor.

Guzman added, The intensity of feelings, fueled by both social media and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, has grown to include many voices outside of USC and has escalated to the point of creating substantial risks relating to security and disruption at commencement.

CAIR-LAs petition has received more than 41,000 signatures in less than 48 hours, according to the organization (CREDIT: CAIR-LA)

In a statement shared by CAIR on Tuesday, Tabassum said, I am both shocked by this decision and profoundly disappointed that the University is succumbing to a campaign of hate meant to silence my voice.

The student, who is a biomedical engineering major with a minor in resistance to genocide, added, I am not surprised by those who attempt to propagate hatred. I am surprised that my own university  my home for four years  has abandoned me.

Asnas strength and courage are admirable, and we fully support her as she continues to speak out against injustice and stands up for human rights for all, Ayloushs Wednesday statement concluded.

Lauren Bartlett, the universitys associate vice president for strategic and crisis communications, declined to specify whether any direct threats had been made about Tabassum, who was accused of spreading antisemitic rhetoric online. In the interest of safety and security, we dont disclose specific threats around the assessment, she told CNN on Tuesday.

The post Petition to Reinstate Pro-Palestine USC Valedictorian as Graduation Speaker Hits 41K Signees in 2 Days appeared first on TheWrap.
(Bloomberg) -- Colombias President Gustavo Petro, acting as a mediator in Venezuelas political crisis, is proposing a democratic pact between the government of Nicolas Maduro and the opposition to ensure that the loser of the upcoming presidential election is shielded from any type of political persecution.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The proposal is being considered by Maduro and the opposition, Petro said Wednesday during a joint news conference with Brazils Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, whos visiting Bogota. It involves a plebiscite to be carried out together with the July 28 vote to garner popular backing for the pact, he added.

Its a democratic pact to guarantee to whoever loses the security of their life, their political rights, he said.

The leftist Colombian president traveled to Caracas earlier this month to discuss solutions to the political crisis with Maduro, who has blocked several potential contenders, including the winner of the opposition primary, from running in the election. He also met with Manuel Rosales, one of the few opponents who was allowed to register for the vote.

Petro also presented the proposal to Lula during their meeting, he said.

Lula didnt make comments about the idea during the press conference, but agreed with the proposal and signed a joint statement that encourages the (Venezuelan) government and sectors of the opposition to consider the possibility of reaching an agreement for democratic guarantees that may be endorsed in the ballots.

(Updates with joint statement from Petro and Lula starting in fourth paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
(Bloomberg) -- The Philippines and New Zealand are working on agreements on military visits and logistics support as they boost defense ties amid elevated tensions between Manila and Beijing in the South China Sea.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Both sides committed to the signing of a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement by the end of 2024, and to concluding a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement, according to a joint statement after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met with visiting New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Thursday in Manila.

The relationship between the two countries will become a comprehensive partnership in 2026 during the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic ties, Luxon said in a joint briefing with Marcos. The New Zealand prime minister sought to deepen his engagement with Southeast Asia during his three-nation visit including Singapore and Thailand.

Together, we are committed to stepping up our defense relationship, said Luxon in his first visit to the Philippines since taking office last year. Marcos said theyre aiming for wide-ranging maritime cooperation including on fighting illegal fishing and terrorism that will have our respective law enforcement and civilian agencies working together to address common threats at sea.

Tensions between China and the Philippines over competing claims in the disputed waters have risen in the past year. Manila said an encounter in March damaged a Filipino boat and injured some crew members after two Chinese Coast Guard ships fired water cannons at it.

Marcos has moved to strengthen defense ties with other countries apart from the US, Manilas long-time ally. The country has entered into talks for mutual military visit pacts with Japan and France.

New Zealands foreign minister is expected to visit the Southeast Asian nation later this year and discuss the comprehensive partnership plan, the joint statement said.

Luxon also said he agreed with Marcos to grow two-way trade between the countries by at least 50% in the next few years. The two leaders also emphasized the importance of improving visa facilitation between their countries.

(Updates with details of leaders joint statement.)

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A pothole is pictured. The city of Piedmont has canceled plans that would have invited residents to help patch their own "pesky" potholes this Saturday with a little training and free materials.

Piedmont City Manager Joshua Williams thought he had a fun idea to generate community involvement amid the city's beautification efforts this month.

But after publicizing Pothole Purge Day on the city's Facebook page, it took just a few hours for Williams to cancel those plans.

Pothole Purge Day would have been this Saturday in Piedmont, a community of about 8,000 off the northwest corner of Oklahoma City. Residents were invited to meet up with Public Works Department personnel, receive training on how to cold-patch a pothole and be sent off with a bucket of their own asphalt.

"This was meant to be a positive community project," Williams told The Oklahoman. "Engagement, get out and meet your neighbor, you know. We weren't asking residents to reconstruct roads."

But despite Williams' best intentions, Piedmont residents lampooned the idea. Several asked if it was a joke, while others seemed angry at the premise, questioning why taxpayers were being asked to patch roads.

"It's just due to, I think, not really understanding the intent of what we're trying to do. With the negativity surrounding the event, I just think it's best to cancel it and look for other opportunities for community volunteerism and meet-your-neighbor opportunities," Williams said.

What is Pothole Purge Day?

In the original Facebook post, the city asked residents if they "have a pesky pothole that you just can't stand."

"Public Works will be on site at 164th and Cemetery Road to demonstrate and train you on how to lay cold patch! After a very brief demo, you will be a pro and they will fill up your bucket with material so you can take it with you to exact your revenge!!," the city wrote.

Cold patch asphalt is a pre-made mixture that can be applied to a road's surface without heat. It's a temporary fix intended for minor cracks and potholes.

The post drew dozens of replies, some of which asked whether it was a joke. Others asked if they'd get paid, or questioned who would be liable in case of injury or shoddy work.

The city initially clarified that everyone participating will be volunteers who sign a general liability waiver. Public Works employees would inspect the patches and fix them if necessary.

Eventually, however, the negative feedback was too much.

"You know, potholes (and roads) are a big topic in Piedmont. I just thought this would be a great opportunity to get the community involved, make the city better, and it just didn't take off the way that I expected it to," Williams said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Piedmont cancels fix-your-own-pothole event after negative reaction
(COLORADO SPRINGS)  According to the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum (CSPM), the HVAC Renovation and Exhibition Expansion project is getting closer to completion, and reopening of the museum is in sight.

CSPM reported on Wednesday, April 17, that the HVAC installation is near completion and they will soon be testing and commissioning it to ensure functionality.

Renovation work to create a new exhibition gallery and publicly viewable work space began in April. Visitors will have access to these spaces that were previously inaccessible once the historic 1903 El Paso County Courthouse reopens.

Division III Courtroom currently being rehabilitated into an exhibition gallery space. Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum

Division III Courtroom prior to construction work, Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum.

Visitor reading stories featured in the Story of Us Pikes Peak Regional History A  Z in the CSPM Annex, Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum.

Visitor participating in the interactive Ute Knowledge Colorados Original STEM exhibit, Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum.

Father and child exploring the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Black Wings American Dreams of Flight, Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum.

On Wednesday, May 1, CSPM will close its temporary annex space to prepare the historic courthouse for its grand reopening. This project was so extensive that it impacted every part of the building, including the collection storage areas, exhibits, and staff offices.

Museum staff will start to move collections to their permanent locations, reinstall exhibits, and return to staff areas, while simultaneously creating and unveiling new galleries for visitors.

We wanted to continue engaging our community with the regions history. The CSPM Annex allowed the Museum to focus on this mission while our main facility was under construction, said Matt Mayberry, CSPM Director. We are excited to reach this point in the project where we concentrate on creating new visitor experiences and reopening the historic 1903 El Paso County Courthouse for all residents and visitors by mid-summer.

The public can continue to visit the CSPM Annex, which is located at the Plaza of the Rockies, at 121 South Tejon Street, Suite 100, between now and May 1. The Annex operates on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and admission is free to visit three exhibits: Black Wings: American Dreams of Flight, Ute Knowledge: Colorados Original STEM, and Story of Us: Pikes Peak Regional History.

After the closure of the CSPM Annex, special programs will still take place at various locations throughout the community during the months of May and June, including;

A History of the Sikh Community in Colorado Presented by Naureen Singh Saturday, May 11 from 2:00  3:00 p.m. Peel House at First Lutheran



Lunch & Learn: John M. Chivington and the Sand Creek Massacre, A Lesson in Poor Leadership Presented by Dr. Courtney A. Short Wednesday, May 15 from 12:00  12:45 p.m. CSPM Annex



Little Learners: Shaping History Thursday, May 16 from 10:30  11:30 a.m. CSPM Annex



Food Truck Tuesdays Season Kick Off Tuesday, June 4 from 11:00 a.m.  1:30 p.m. CSPM grounds along Vermijo Street



For more information about the historic project and upcoming events, visit https://www.cspm.org/a-historic-project.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
(Photo by krisanapong detraphiphat/Getty Images)

An Arkansas pipe manufacturer is seeking more than $15 million from a company that wants to build a carbon dioxide pipeline system in Iowa amid delays of their agreement, according to a lawsuit filed this week.

The lawsuit filed by Welspun Tubular says Summit Carbon Solutions commissioned the company to produce about 785 miles of pipe, starting in May 2023, at a total cost of about $183 million.

But Summits project  a 2,500-mile pipeline network in five states  has taken longer to get potential approval than the company initially anticipated. It now says construction might begin early next year.

A purchase agreement between the two companies allowed Summit to delay pipe production for up to six months until November 2023, according to the lawsuit complaint filed in state court in Delaware, where Welspun is incorporated.

Welspun was able to further delay the start of production to early 2024 by manufacturing pipe for others, to which Summit agreed, court records show.

But when Welspun notified Summit that it planned to proceed with production in February, Summit sought to delay again, according to the lawsuit.

Summit asked to discuss the status of the project, and those discussions revealed that the project was dramatically off-schedule, the lawsuit says.

In February, Summit canceled the agreement, according to the lawsuit. Welspun claims that entitles it to a $15 million cancellation charge and partial reimbursement for materials it obtained to manufacture the pipe.

Summit disagrees that it owes the money and hopes to find a compromise.

Our current dispute with Welspun Tubular revolves around timing issues related to pipe delivery, the company said in a prepared statement. Were committed to resolving this matter swiftly, and our intention to collaborate with Welspun remains unchanged.

Summits $8.5 billion pipeline system would transport captured carbon dioxide from ethanol plants to North Dakota for underground sequestration.

The Iowa Utilities Board is poised to decide whether to issue the company a hazardous liquid pipeline permit.

State regulators in North and South Dakota rejected the companys initial pipeline routes. North Dakota is reconsidering a revised plan, and Summit has said it intends to file a new permit request in South Dakota.

The post Pipe supplier sues Summit Carbon Solutions for $15 million appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
(Photo by krisanapong detraphiphat/Getty Images)

An Arkansas pipe manufacturer is seeking more than $15 million from a company that wants to build a carbon dioxide pipeline system in Iowa amid delays of their agreement, according to a lawsuit filed this week.

The lawsuit filed by Welspun Tubular says Summit Carbon Solutions commissioned the company to produce about 785 miles of pipe, starting in May 2023, at a total cost of about $183 million.

But Summits project  a 2,500-mile pipeline network in five states  has taken longer to get potential approval than the company initially anticipated. It now says construction might begin early next year.

A purchase agreement between the two companies allowed Summit to delay pipe production for up to six months until November 2023, according to the lawsuit complaint filed in state court in Delaware, where Welspun is incorporated.

Welspun was able to further delay the start of production to early 2024 by manufacturing pipe for others, to which Summit agreed, court records show.

But when Welspun notified Summit that it planned to proceed with production in February, Summit sought to delay again, according to the lawsuit.

Summit asked to discuss the status of the project, and those discussions revealed that the project was dramatically off-schedule, the lawsuit says.

In February, Summit canceled the agreement, according to the lawsuit. Welspun claims that entitles it to a $15 million cancellation charge and partial reimbursement for materials it obtained to manufacture the pipe.

Summit disagrees that it owes the money and hopes to find a compromise.

Our current dispute with Welspun Tubular revolves around timing issues related to pipe delivery, the company said in a prepared statement. Were committed to resolving this matter swiftly, and our intention to collaborate with Welspun remains unchanged.

Summits $8.5 billion pipeline system would transport captured carbon dioxide from ethanol plants to North Dakota for underground sequestration.

The Iowa Utilities Board is poised to decide whether to issue the company a hazardous liquid pipeline permit.

State regulators in North Dakota and South Dakota rejected the companys initial pipeline routes. North Dakota is reconsidering a revised plan, and Summit has said it intends to file a new permit request in South Dakota.

Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com. Follow Iowa Capital Dispatch on Facebook and Twitter.

The post Pipe supplier sues Summit Carbon Solutions for $15 million appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, in Jakarta, Indonesia, April 18, 2024. (Vico/Presidential Press Bureau/Handout via Xinhua)

JAKARTA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Thursday that China firmly supports Indonesia in playing its role as a major country so as to strengthen coordination and cooperation between the two sides and resist all kinds of acts that create division and confrontation in the region.

Wang made the remarks during his meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

He congratulated Indonesia on holding a smooth general election, saying the two leaders have reached important consensus in elevating China-Indonesia relations, and jointly leading bilateral relations to enter a new stage of building a community of shared future for mankind.

Wang noted that the Chinese side looks forward to working with the Indonesian side to advance bilateral ties to inherit the past and usher in the future for new development.

Wang said China is willing to carry forward the friendly traditions with Indonesia, consolidate political mutual trust, and set an example of shared future and unity among developing countries.

China firmly supports Indonesia in pursuing a path that suits its own national conditions and the deepening of practical cooperation between the two countries, Wang said, calling for the establishment of a more just and equitable global governance system.

For his part, Joko said that China is an important cooperative partner of Indonesia and the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries has maintained a sound momentum.

Joko said Indonesia attaches great importance to its relations with China and hopes China will continue to support Indonesia's high-speed railway construction, adding that more Chinese companies are welcomed to invest and do business in Indonesia.

The president said that China plays an important role in international and regional affairs. Indonesia is willing to work closely with China, adhere to the one-China policy, and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.

On Thursday, Wang also met with Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto and Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. 
A Pittsburgh-based tow truck operator is facing charges after he allegedly inflated costs for over two dozen customers.

Vincent G. Fannick, 56, owns Vinces Towing and is charged with 27 counts of insurance fraud, theft by deception, theft by unlawful taking and securing execution of documents by deception.

The Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office said Fannick inflated tow costs by charging accident services fees along with other deceptive practices, including charging customers insurance companies with exorbitant tow costs by initially not revealing prices on invoices.

The accident services fees cost the 27 victims more than $100,000, the attorney generals office said.

This defendant allegedly preyed on consumers already in stressful situations, first by hiding costs when asking for invoice signatures, then by inflating prices for short tow jobs, Attorney General Henry said. Predatory, deceptive business practices will not be tolerated in the Commonwealth, and business owners who harm consumers to line their pockets will be held accountable.

Channel 11 Chief Investigator Rick Earle first looked into issues of overcharging at Vinces as far back as 2021.

We spoke to one man who says he had issues with Vinces that same year.

He scammed us out of a lot of money and made us go through heck, Hunter Sessi said. Then, our auto repair company went to pick the car up and Vince was holding the car for $10,000 or so for a tow that was under a mile.

A customer reported the crime in 2023 by alerting authorities that their insurance company was charged $11,390 by Vinces Towing for a short-trip tow the vehicle owner did not request. Of the total, $4,250 was an accident services fee.

Officials learned that 26 other customers were victims of the scam between February 2023 and February 2024. Vehicle owners insurance companies were charged between $9,460 and $13,105 for single, short-trip tows. In one case, Fannick charged $9,805 for towing a vehicle one-third of a mile, the attorney generals office said.

We did reach out to Fannick at his business phone number but no one answered or returned our calls.

Fannicks preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 3.

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Nigel Farage, honorary president of the Reform UK party, gives a speech on Day 1 of The National Conservatism Conference at the Claridge on April 16, 2024 in Brussels, Belgium. - Getty Images Europe/Getty Images Europe

On the latest Planet Normal podcast, which you can listen to using the audio player above, columnists Liam Halligan and Allison Pearson speak to Conservative MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge about the events that unfolded at the National Conservative Conference in Brussels.

Mirim Cates attended the National Conservative conference in Brussels, an annual gathering of people with conservative views who believe in strong nations and strong national identities.

Just to make your listeners aware, of this is nothing far-Right at all. These are elected politicians from across Europe, people like Nigel Farage, who people might not agree with, but is very much a mainstream popular politician. But the mayor decided that the conference was not welcome.

In the end, the police tried to make their way into the building but realised theres not a lot they could do, but prevented anyone else from coming in. And so when I got there, I had to be snuck in through the service entrance behind a bin to make sure that I could get in and deliver the speech, which was on protecting children and keeping children safe.

Although it was corrected by the legal system, which is good, it was sadly celebrated by some of those on the Left in this country. If you cant defend your opponents right to free speech, then you cannot expect to have free speech yourself.

Listen to Planet Normal, a weekly Telegraph podcast featuring news and views from beyond the bubble, using the audio player above or subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your preferred podcast app

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.
Indiana Democrats have spent years gawking at examples of alleged sexual harassment by a sitting state senator, gossiping with one another in private without disclosing documentation to the public.

Democrats maintained a breathtaking lack of curiosity when the accuser's father said he watched Sen. David Niezgodski enter his daughter's house  uninvited  in June 2017. The father has been trying for years to convince someone, anyone, to take seriously what happened to his daughter.

It's not just his word. He brought receipts. Text messages. Voicemails. There's also a financial settlement, which has not previously been reported on.

"I love you. I love you in all the right ways," a man sounding like Niezgodski says in a three-minute voicemail to a former employee, who submitted the message as part of an Indiana Civil Rights Commission case and shared it with her father, who later sent it to Democratic Party officials.

Niezgodski, D-South Bend, allegedly sent dozens of texts to the woman as she tried to sever ties with his private business in 2017. She later said in a complaint that she quit her job to get away from the senator, citing unwelcome comments about her appearance and attempts to redirect the nature of their relationship.

Niezgodski describes the situation as a "private personnel matter." He declined an interview request through a spokeswoman and did not answer written questions. He issued a statement that did not address the questions.

"The fact that reporting of this may occur during a contested primary race raises questions about the true motives of those behind this story," he said, in part. "I would only ask that the reporting be factual, and not based on false innuendos, or misleading statements. Elections should be about fighting for what is important today and not about undermining peace."

'Is it political? No.'

Niezgodski is running for a third term in the Senate. He faces a challenge from St. Joseph County Treasurer Tim Swager in the May 7 primary.

Michael Weaver told me he doesn't care about that. He's been talking about Niezgodski since long before election time.

"Is it political? No, that doesn't have anything to do with this," Weaver, the father of Niezgodski's accuser, told me.

IndyStar typically does not name people who say they are victims of sexual harassment. I'm naming Weaver because he has a different last name than his daughter and has been speaking on the record about the case for years. I heard about it for the first time in January, which is why I'm writing about it now.

Weaver told me his daughter described to him a pattern of behavior  Niezgodski's unwanted advances, pressure to spend time with him  that led her to quit her job as an office assistant at Niezgodski Plumbing of South Bend in June 2017. Two days after she quit, Weaver said, he was next door when he witnessed Niezgodski arriving at his daughter's home and entering when she wasn't inside.

"I grabbed my weapon. I was heading to the house. He had no right to come to her house and enter her property without any permission," Weaver told me. "He came outside. I did confront him. I met him in front of her house and asked him what he was doing in the house."

Weaver said he considered calling the police, but didn't. Niezgodski left without incident, Weaver said.

Around that time, Weaver said, his daughter was rattled and began sharing Niezgodski's communications with him  messages that would eventually spread across Democratic Party email lists.

$8,000 sexual harassment settlement

Niezgodski's former employee accused the senator of sexual harassment in September 2017  less than three months after she quit her job  in a complaint filed with the Indiana Civil Rights Commission.

"Mr. Niezgodski showed up to my home to give my son an Easter basket and made inappropriate comments about how I looked in my jeans," the woman said in the filing. "He also left voicemails on my phone stating that he thinks about me every minute and he 'loves me.'

"Due to how uncomfortable the situation became working for Mr. Niezgodski, I decided it was necessary to put in my 2 weeks notice. After I put in my notice he continuously and persistently texted my phone and showed up to my home uninvited."

Niezgodski's company settled with the former employee for $8,000, according to the case file, which I obtained from a source who received it through a public records request. The document includes a confidentiality and nondisparagement agreement between Niezgodski and his accuser. The state notified me that it has processed my own request for the document, but has not yet delivered it.

Niezgodski's former employee told me during a brief phone conversation that she could not comment on the case. She did not dispute the authenticity of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission case file or the text messages and voicemails linked to Niezgodski through the case and attached to emails from her father.

Niezgodski did not answer questions about the file, texts or voicemails.

"This private personnel matter was addressed mutually and confidentially by both parties. I have no intention of violating this and I'm going to honor, respect and abide by that," he said.

'HELLO! Take that.'

The Indiana Civil Rights Commission case and the text messages cited within it tell the story of a married, 56-year-old state senator relentlessly pursuing a 33-year-old single mother, who keeps either ignoring or deflecting his appeals to talk or meet up. The woman had volunteered on Niezgodski's political campaigns and worked for his plumbing business.

After the woman informed Niezgodski of her intent to quit her job as an office assistant at Niezgodski Plumbing on June 28, 2017, the senator oscillated between offering career feedback and imploring her to keep working for him, text messages show. He strikes a possessive tone in the messages.

"I don't know what else to say but I just want to talk to you. I wanted you to be more closer to me on a daily basis for a long time," Niezgodski writes June 29. Later that day, he adds: "If it is Indy that ultimately is what you want, the State Senator has a decent shot at finding you something also, just saying:]"

"David, I've been up all night, sick to my stomach," the woman writes the next day. "I am just trying to put a lot of thought into this and I know and appreciate everything you have done for me but right now I'm very overwhelmed."

Sen. David Niezgodski speaks during special session Saturday, July 30, 2022, at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. The Senate voted to pass Senate Bill 1, 26-20. The bill would ban most abortions in the state and moves on to the House.

Niezgodski repeatedly asks to talk, saying, "Please take my call. I promise it will be no pressure for asking anything of you."

She responds July 1, saying, "I do not handle these types of things well. I just need time to think. I have no hard feelings and we will have a talk sometime soon."

Niezgodski sends more messages asking for a phone call, writing on July 2, "I am just a man that truly is your friend. Please consider not going away."

"Any chance I can just say hello?" Niezgodski texts on July 3. After about two hours with no reply, he follows up with, "Actually yes I can. HELLO! Take that. Hope you have a good holiday and that you will answer me back at a time of your choosing."

The woman replies July 4, telling Niezgodski, "Stop please I can't deal with someone else's bs right now  I'm dealing with my own (stuff) right now so please stop  I can not take on any more  (your wife) is your best employee, she knows what she is doing and you would be losing out on someone who cares about you more than you know."

A father's pleas for action

Although Niezgodski's former employee agreed not to discuss the case as part of her settlement, Weaver, her father, told me he never signed anything and still wants justice for his daughter in the form of discipline against Niezgodski.

That's why, Weaver said, he started contacting county and state Democratic Party officials, sending them texts and voicemail messages his daughter had previously shared with him.

"This man should not be (in) elected office," Weaver wrote in a November 2019 email to Democratic Party officials. "There is no excuse for what he put my daughter and family through."

Weaver's emails ricocheted around the Democratic Party  but, apparently, never reached the hands of anyone who might investigate Niezgodski's alleged behavior.

"I did receive an email from her father, as did many other people in the community," Stan Wruble, the St. Joseph Democratic Party chair at the time, told me in a message. Wruble didn't respond to a message seeking a follow-up conversation about the sexual harassment allegation.

Diana Hess, the current county party chair, says she has a vague recollection of hearing the story at the time, but wasn't involved in the party at a high level.

"I have no direct information on that particular issue," she told me. "If there were serious allegations of sexual harassment, I think that's a concern. I think that's something we would want to have a discussion about as a party."

Democrats have criticized Republicans who 'remained silent'

Of all the Democrats who received evidence of Niezgodski's alleged harassment, few, if any, have shared Hess' interest in taking a closer look. The Indiana Democratic Party in a statement dismissed the claims as resolved and Weaver's emails as hearsay.

"The party was notified about this matter two years after it had been closed," state party spokesman Sam Barloga wrote in response to a list of questions. "The contact was by someone not directly involved in the matter. The party does not comment on concluded legal matters under these circumstances."

Democrats, though, have seen fit to comment on allegations outside their tent based on less first-hand evidence.

When IndyStar's Kaitlin Lange reported in October 2022 that Republican Party leadership had been aware of sexual assault allegations against Diego Morales before they went public, Democrats issued a statement on what they referred to as a "bombshell report" about the then-candidate for secretary of state.

Party Chair Mike Schmuhl and Vice Chair Myla Eldridge excoriated Republicans in a joint statement, saying party leaders "knew about the sexual assault allegations" and "remained silent." Republicans, they said, "chose to put political power ahead of the safety and well-being of Hoosier women."

"This failure of leadership is appalling," they said, adding "Republican leaders would rather treat women like second-class citizens than hold (Morales) accountable."

Strong words.

Less than two years after Democrats argued Morales' presence on the ballot was an affront to Indiana women, though, Niezgodski is cruising toward reelection in his primary on a message that he "will always have women's backs," per one campaign mailer.

"With the support of my wife, family and loyal constituents, I will keep fighting for Hoosier women, better healthcare including maternal and infant care and defined benefit pensions for public employees, teachers and public safety officers, day in and day out," he said in his statement to me.

Niezgodski has every reason to feel confident. He's a long-term incumbent running in a safe district for Democrats  and with the apparent support of party leaders.

Democrats have long possessed evidence of Niezgodski's alleged bad behavior. They've rationalized it, whispered about it and come up with excuses to avoid addressing it, even as they've called for Republicans to hold themselves to a higher level of accountability.

It's easy to take a moralistic stand for women so long as you can avoid looking in the mirror.

Contact James Briggs at 317-444-4732 or james.briggs@indystar.com. Follow him on X and Threads at @JamesEBriggs.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: David Niezgodski, accused of sexual harassment, runs on helping women
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal met with U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in Washington on April 17, where they held talks on the long-awaited U.S. aid bill for Ukraine, strengthening sanctions against Russia, and the ongoing debate on confiscating frozen Russian assets.

Shmyhal said he was "counting on the swift unblocking of the aid package for Ukraine in Congress."

The previous day, Shmyhal met with U.S. business leaders in Washington in order to discuss continued cooperation between the two countries.

After months of delays, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said on April 17 that he would move forward with votes in Congress on a series of foreign aid bills for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan.

Despite the pressure from hardline Republicans opposed to further aid for Ukraine, Johnson said the vote on aid for Ukraine would be held on April 20.

In comments following the meeting with Shmyhal and Ukraine's Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko, Yellen said that the failure of congressional Republicans to act on Ukraine aid for the past six months "has been inexcusable and detrimental to our national security."

"Every moment of delay by House Republicans strengthens (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and emboldens America's adversaries around the world who are closely watching to see if ... the United States, maintains its resolve to support a democratic Ukraine as it fends off an autocratic Russia," she added.

Read also: Speaker Johnson advances aid bills, but time running out as Ukraines supplies dry up

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Poland's Duda dines with his 'friend' Trump in New York

Polish President Andrzej Duda speaks at an event during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2024 in Davos. Hannes P Albert/dpa

Poland's right-wing President Andrzej Duda and US presidential candidate Donald Trump declared their friendship at a dinner in New York on Wednesday night.

"It was a friendly meeting in a very nice atmosphere," said Duda after the meal.

Duda, who is a loyal former member of the nationalist conservative Law and Justice Party, has never made a secret of his admiration for the real estate tycoon turned reality TV star and US president.

Trump, who is seeking to return to the White House for the Republicans in November's election amid a slew of criminal probes, had invited Duda to his Manhattan apartment in Trump Tower.

"He's done a fantastic job and he's my friend," Trump said of Duda. "We had four great years together."

The meeting did not go down well with many in Poland, where Trump's Russia-friendly rhetoric and seeming indifference to US and European security ties is a cause for concern.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose centrist government came to power after defeating the Law and Justice Party in elections last year, criticized Duda's dinner with Trump.

"Almost everyone in Poland realizes that a possible victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential election would be unfavourable for the security of Poland, Europe and the future of NATO," Tusk said, adding Trump had repeatedly shown his anti-Ukrainian and pro-Russian bias.
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump walks with Poland's President Andrzej Duda at Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan in New York on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

NEW YORK (AP)  Former President Donald Trump met Wednesday in New York with Polish President Andrzej Duda, the latest in a series of meetings with foreign leaders as Europe braces for the possibility of a second Trump term.

The presumptive Republican nominee hosted Duda at Trump Tower, where the two discussed the war in Ukraine and Dudas push to boost NATO members defense spending, according to a readout from Trumps campaign. Duda, who has long expressed admiration for Trump, is also a staunch supporter of Ukraine and has encouraged Washington to provide more aid to Kyiv amid Russian's ongoing invasion. That funding has been held up by Trump allies in Congress.

As he arrived, Trump praised the Polish president, saying, He's done a fantastic job and hes my friend.

We had four great years together," Trump added. Were behind Poland all the way."

Following the almost 2 1/2 hour meeting, Duda said only that it was a friendly meeting in very nice atmosphere.

His aide, Wojciech Kolarski, also in attendance, described it as an excellent meeting of two friends who reminisced on the time when for four years they cooperated while holding presidential offices," a time that was "very fruitful for Polish-U.S. relations."

Duda is the latest foreign leader to meet with Trump in the weeks since he locked up the Republican nomination. U.S. allies across the world were caught off guard by Trumps surprise 2016 win, forcing them to scramble to build relationships with a president who often attacked longstanding treaties and alliances they valued. Setting up meetings with him during the 2024 campaign suggests they don't want to be behind again.

Even as he goes on trial for one of the four criminal indictments against him, Trump and Democratic President Joe Biden are locked in a rematch that most observers expect will be exceedingly close in November.

While some in Poland worried the visit might damage the countrys relationship with Biden, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn.  a Biden ally and a major voice in his party on foreign affairs  said such meetings make sense.

The polls are close, he said. If I were a foreign leader  and theres a precedent attached to meeting with candidates who are nominated or on the path to being nominated  Id probably do it too.

Murphy noted that former President Barack Obama did a lengthy international tour and met with foreign leaders when he first ran for the White House. So did Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, who challenged Obama in 2012 and whose trip included a stop in Poland's capital, Warsaw.

Dudas visit comes a week after Trump met with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, another NATO member and key proponent of supporting Ukraine, at the former presidents Florida estate.

In March, Trump hosted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, an autocrat who has maintained the closest relationship with Russia among European Union countries. Orban shared a montage of footage of the visit on his Instagram feed, which included an image of him and his staff meeting with Trump and the former presidents aides in a scene that looked like an official bilateral meeting.

Trump also met briefly in February with Javier Milei, the fiery, right-wing populist president of Argentina who ran a campaign inspired by Trump, complete with red Make Argentina Great Again hats. Milei gave Trump an excited hug backstage at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington, according to video posted by a Trump campaign aide.

Biden administration officials have been careful not to weigh in publicly on foreign leaders meetings with Trump, acknowledging he has a real chance of winning the race.

While some officials have privately expressed frustration with such meetings, they are mindful that any criticism would open the U.S. to charges of hypocrisy because senior American officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, meet frequently with foreign opposition figures at various forums in the United States and abroad.

Security and policy officials monitor the travel plans of foreign officials visiting the U.S., but generally dont have a say in where they go or with whom they meet, according to an administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss protocol.

Trump has been back in his hometown this week for the start of his criminal hush money trial, which has dramatically limited his ability to travel and campaign. While in town, aides have been planning a series of events that began Tuesday evening when Trump, after court adjourned, stopped by a Harlem bodega where a man was killed to rail against crime, and to blast the district attorney who made him the first former president in U.S. history to stand criminal trial.

Duda, a right-wing populist who once proposed naming a military base in his country Fort Trump," described the dinner earlier Wednesday as a private get-together between friends at Trump's former residence while he is in town for meetings at the United Nations, where Duda is to deliver a speech.

I have been invited by Mr. Donald Trump to his private apartment," Duda told reporters, saying it was a normal practice when one country has good relations with another country to want those relations to be as strong as "possible with the representatives of various sides of the political stage.

We know each other as people. Like two, I can say in some way, friends," said Duda, whose term ends in 2025.

Duda's visit comes as House Republicans wrangle over a $95 billion foreign aid bill that would provide new funding to Ukraine, including money for the U.S. military to replace depleting weapon supplies. Polish leaders have been urging the House to approve the aid bill and ease domestic concerns.

Many Trump allies in the House are fiercely opposed to aiding Ukraine, even as the country warns that it is struggling amid a fresh Russian offensive. Trump has said he might be open to aid in the form of a loan.

One area where Trump and Duda agree when it comes to the conflict is a desire to push NATO members to increase their defense spending. Duda has called on fellow members of the alliance to raise their spending to 3% of gross domestic product as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine. That would represent a significant increase from the current commitment of 2% by 2024.

Trump, in a stunning break from U.S. precedent, has long been critical of the Western alliance and has threatened not to defend member nations that do not hit that spending goal. That threat strikes at the heart of the alliance's Article 5, which states that any attack against one NATO member will be considered an attack against all.

In February, Trump went even further, recounting that he'd once told leaders that he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to members that are  in his words  delinquent.

Trump's campaign said the two discussed the NATO proposal during the meeting. The two also discussed Israel and the Middle East, Trump's 2017 trip to Warsaw, and many other topics having to do with getting to world peace, the campaign said in its readout, which described the men as great friends.

The visit was met with mixed reaction in Poland, where fears of Russia run high and Dudas friendly relationship with Trump has been a source of controversy.

Polands centrist Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a political opponent of Duda, was critical of the dinner but expressed hope that Duda would use it as an opportunity to raise the issue of clearly siding with the Western world, democracy and Europe in this Ukrainian-Russian conflict.

___

Scislowska reported from Warsaw. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee, Zeke Miller and Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to this report.
Ukrainian law enforcement officers, jointly with their Polish counterparts, have detained a Polish citizen on suspicion of being willing to act in favour of Russias secret services. The detainee proposed an assassination attempt on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Source: Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office (PGO); Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), The Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Poland

Details: The investigation revealed that the suspect, on his own initiative, established contact with representatives of Russia's Armed Forces Command and informed them of his willingness to work for Russia's military intelligence.

The detainees tasks included collecting and transmitting intelligence on the security of Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport in Poland to Russia. This was intended, among other things, to assist the Russian secret services in planning a possible assassination attempt on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his stay in Poland.

Ukrainian prosecutors and SSU officers informed their Polish counterparts of the possible criminal offence and handed over key evidence in the case as part of international legal assistance.

It is reported that, due to successful measures and prompt exchange of information between the two countries, the asset of Russia's secret services had been identified and detained in Poland.

The Polish prosecutor's office charged the detainee with willingness to act in favour of a foreign intelligence service.

On 18 April 2024, the Warsaw District Court remanded him in custody as a pre-trial restriction.

Poland's Internal Security Agency is conducting the investigation under the supervision of the Polish National Prosecutor's Office. The investigation is underway.

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Surveillance cameras capture the man at the church (United States Attorneys Office District of Massachusetts)

Police in Oklahoma arrested a man on Wednesday accused of throwing a pipe bomb at the Salem, Massachusetts headquarters of a Satanic group.

Authorities said Sean Patrick Palmer, 49, has been charged with using an explosive to damage a building following an attack last week on the Satanic Temple building.

On 8 April around 4am, officials said surveillance cameras outside The Satanic Temples headquarters captured a man walking towards the building wearing black trousers, a black face covering, and tan-coloured tactical vest and gloves.

The man lit a pipe bomb  a type of improvised explosive device  which he then threw towards the buildings main entrance and ran away. The bomb partially detonated seconds later, causing a minor fire and damage to the buildings exterior.

Officials also found a six-page handwritten note addressed to Dear Satanist and urging repentance; it was in a flower bed near to where the pipe bomb landed.

The US attorneys office in Massachusetts said they said they didnt yet have the name of any lawyer representing Mr Palmer, who is a resident of Perkins in Oklahoma. Several phone numbers associated with Mr Palmer were out of service on Wednesday, AP reported.

He is due to make an initial court appearance in Oklahoma on Thursday. If found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

The attorneys office said surveillance footage showed a black Volvo registered to Mr Palmer driving erratically in the area before and after the incident.

The Satanic Temples website says it does not actually worship Satan but campaigns for secularism and individual liberties.
Scotland Yard is investigating adverts offering stem cell injections in the brain to treat autism

Scotland Yard is investigating allegations of fraud after concerns were raised about a doctor offering to carry out experimental procedures on children with autism.

Greenwich council has issued a warning to schools and nurseries in the London borough after being made aware of adverts from a man claiming to be a medic offering stem cell injections into the brain to treat the condition.

Newham Council and Nottingham Safeguarding Children Partnership have also sent warning notes to schools.

The unnamed doctor, who is believed to be based in Bangladesh, had suggested he was visiting the UK soon and would be available to carry out the controversial procedure.

It is unclear if this is a financial scam.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: Police are investigating the circumstances of a reported fraud relating to the provision of medical services.

Enquiries are ongoing to establish the identity of the person(s) behind these adverts and to confirm where they are based.

There is no evidence to suggest that the person(s) behind these adverts has treated anybody in the UK. We are working closely with local authority and NHS partners. There has been no arrest.

A spokesman for Greenwich council said: We understand that this person is proposing the transfer of bone marrow and spinal fluid to the brain by injection.

This unlicensed procedure poses a significant threat to life and there is no evidence of any benefits.

The safety and welfare of our children and young people is of the utmost importance.

A spokesman for the National Autistic Society said: Autism is not a disease or illness and therefore it cannot be treated and there is no cure.

There is very little evidence about stem cells and autism. There are also concerns about the regulation of stem-cell procedures, which could be painful or even hazardous depending on how they are administered.

We would encourage anyone looking for advice or guidance about autism to seek reliable and safe information from our charity, the NHS and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

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.
UNITED NATIONS, April 18 (Xinhua) -- A high-level meeting of the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative (GDI) was held Wednesday at the UN Headquarters in New York.

Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, chaired the meeting.

In his opening remarks, Fu said China has been working hard to forge international consensus on development and foster new drivers for global growth since the GDI was proposed in 2021.

"We have been working closely with other Group of Friends members to enhance synergy between the GDI and the 2030 Agenda, and make sure that countries can truly benefit from the fruitful cooperation under the initiative," he said.

The network of friends has been further expanded. Fruitful outcomes have been achieved from practical cooperation, and steady progress has been made in institution building, he added.

The GDI comes from China, but its opportunities and outcomes belong to the whole world. China will continue to work closely with other Group of Friends members and further advance the work of the group to lend fresh impetus to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, said Fu.

UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis said the world faces a severe deficit in development. The GDI has great potential to benefit various countries of the world, he added.

Permanent representatives and deputy permanent representatives from more than 40 countries as well as officials from various UN agencies attended the meeting.

Representatives from various countries spoke highly of the GDI's contributions to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals as well as China's leading role in multilateral platforms within the United Nations. They looked forward to more practical cooperation under the umbrella of the GDI.

Wednesday's meeting was the first high-level meeting of the Group of Friends of the GDI this year. 
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY)  A Newport News woman has been found safe according to police.

Alyssa Auche

Alyssa Auche, 34, was considered as a missing endangered adult due to circumstances surrounding her leaving that posed a concern for her safety.

Auche was considered missing on April 17 and was believed to be in Southeastern Virginia or Northeastern North Carolina.

The missing endangered adult alert was canceled for Auche around 4:30 a.m. Thursday morning.

Check with WAVY.com for more updates.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
KANSAS CITY, Kan.  The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department is searching for a suspect who threatened to shoot a student at an area middle school.

KCK Public Schools tells FOX4 Gloria Willis Middle School, previously Coronado Middle School, was put on Hold Status during the incident.

KCKPS police are also on scene along with KCKPD who is providing support with their K-9 unit.

The suspect ran in the wooded area next to the school off 64th Terrace, near Parallel Parkway, according to the school district.

The school was dismissing students at 2:55 p.m. when it became aware of the threat and held remaining students, according to KCKPD. The remaining students were released just after 4:30 p.m.

Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android

The person who made the threat has not been arrested as of Thursday night. KCK police tell FOX4 that the perimeter around the school has been lifted and there is not an active search for the suspect.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
A 54-year-old Wichita man originally thought to have been fatally shot Thursday morning in Fairmount Park is now believed to have died from a medical emergency, Wichita police Lt. Aaron Moses said.

Police were called at 7 a.m. to a reported shooting at the park, which is near 17th and Hillside in north Wichita. Timothy Dukes was dead when first responders arrived.

When officers arrived, they located a (male) who has not been identified at this time with a traumatic injury that was originally thought to be a gunshot wound, Moses said. The coroners office determined it wasnt a gunshot wound and we believe this death to be the result of a medical emergency at this point.

The 911 caller said they found a man by the stop sign at 15th and Vassar with a gunshot wound to his head, according to 911 emergency communications scanner traffic.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  Police are seeking the communitys help in locating a runaway teen boy who was last seen in southeast Bakersfield.

Officials said Michael Colbert, 16, was last seen in the 4800 block of Barry Street, just north of Pacheco Road, on Wednesday at approximately 8 p.m. He is considered at-risk due to being a first-time missing person.

BPD seek communitys help locating missing man last seen in east Bakersfield

Colbert is described as standing 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs 130 pounds with has black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a brown shirt, brown pants and black shoes, according to BPD.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call BPD at 661-327-7111.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  Columbus police are asking for help in solving the Sunday homicide of a 13-year-old boy.

Around 10:17 p.m., officers arrived in the 1300 block of East Hudson Street in North Linden, where they found Angel Diaz suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. They rendered aid to the victim until medics arrived at 10:24 p.m. and pronounced him dead at the scene.

North Central Columbus homicide suspect issued hefty bond

Police are searching for people riding in a Ford Escape who might have witnessed events surrounding the death of Diaz, the department said in a social media post.

To gather additional evidence, police are asking neighbors to check video from their surveillance cameras from April 14 between 8:15 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. to see if anything related to the childs death was captured.

On Wednesday investigators said they were unsure what led to the shooting and did not have any suspect information.

Donovan Lewis family sues Columbus police, city for culture of excessive force

Columbus police asked anyone with information to call the divisions homicide unit at 614-645-4730. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Central Ohio Crime Stoppers by calling 614-461-TIPS (8477).

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  San Diego police are searching for a man who who broke into a Linda Vista home early Thursday morning and sexually assaulted a young girl while she was sleeping.

Around 2 a.m., the suspect entered a residence located on Wellington Street through an open door, SDPD said. The Linda Vista neighborhood where the home is located is mostly military housing.

Details about what the man did while he was in the home are unclear at this time, although a spokesperson for the department confirmed he assaulted a young girl who lives at the home. The suspect then fled the scene on foot.

California bill to eliminate plastic reusable shopping bags advances

According to SDPD, he was last seen wearing a dark jacket, possibly a windbreaker, and dark pants. He was described as about 58 or 59 in height, and about 160 to 180 pounds.

SDPD investigators have been on scene for upwards of seven hours since the break-in. As of 10 a.m., police officers were still at the home collecting evidence.

FOX 5 spoke with neighbors Thursday who expressed shock about the break-in.

Its a beautiful neighborhood, wonderful neighborhood, said one Linda Vista resident, Cassandra Brown. I walk all the time and kids and everybody is just one big family.

I saw the rope up and I said I just hope everybody is OK,' she continued. I just pray for whatever is going on.

Anyone with information regarding the incident or video surveillance from the area is encouraged to call the Child Abuse Unit at 619-531-2210 or SDPD non-emergency line at 619-531-2000.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
Police say wanted man and previous offender found with weapons in Jamestown

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  Two men, one of them wanted out of Dunkirk, were arrested after the Jamestown Police Department SWAT Team allegedly discovered multiple weapons in a residence on Victoria Avenue.

Police said the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force searched the residence on April 9 with assistance from the SWAT team. It is alleged that 44-year-old Jamestown man Michael E. Hitchcock and 38-year-old Robert A. Hallett, wanted out of Dunkirk, were located inside the residence along with multiple weapons.

Hitchcock had been the target of a previous search warrant and seizure of weapons, according to police.

Detectives found a .30-caliber rifle, metal knuckles, a switchblade knife, ammunition, and a high-capacity magazine at the residence.

Hitchcock was charged with fourth-degree and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Hallett was turned over to Dunkirk.

Latest Local News

Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
A Polish citizen was arrested for allegedly spying for the Russian government as part of a potential assassination attempt against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the top prosecutors in Poland and Ukraine said Thursday.

The Polish citizen, identified as Pawel K., was charged with readiness to act for foreign intelligence against the Republic of Poland, the Polish National Prosecutor's Office said in a press release.

MORE: Missile explodes near Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's meeting with Greek prime minister: Sources

The suspect allegedly "proactively established contact" with Russian military command representatives and "informed them of his readiness to cooperate" with the Russian Federation's foreign military intelligence agency, according to Andriy Kostin, the Ukrainian prosecutor general.

The suspect's alleged tasks for the Russian government included collecting and providing the agency with information on the security of the Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport, an international airport in Jasionka in southeastern Poland, Polish and Ukrainian officials said.

PHOTO: In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy listens to the national anthem during his visit to Kherson, Ukraine, Nov. 14, 2022. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

"This was to help Russian special services plan a possible assassination attempt on the Ukrainian President during his presence in Poland," Kostin said in a statement on X.

The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine forwarded information about the suspect to their Polish counterpart and "key evidence" was obtained by Ukraine during the investigation, the Polish National Prosecutor's Office said in the release. The suspect was detained on Wednesday and the investigation is ongoing, the office said.

MORE: Woman arrested in plot to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine says

If convicted, the suspect could face up to eight years in prison, the office said.

"This case underscores the persistent threat Russia poses not only to Ukraine and Ukrainians but to the entire free world," Kostin said. "The Kremlin's criminal regime is constantly trying to undermine European and global security. It organizes and carries out sabotage operations on the territory of other sovereign states."

Zelenskyy last visited Poland in April 2023, receiving a massive welcome from its citizens and President Andrzej Duda. Poland lies on the western border of Ukraine and took in many refugees who fled from Ukraine in the immediate aftermath of the Russian invasion.

Polish citizen accused of spying for Russia in potential plot to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Polish farmers block two more checkpoints on border with Ukraine

Polish farmers have resumed blocking the Korczowa-Krakivets and Medyka-Shehyni checkpoints on the border with Ukraine.

Source: Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine's State Border Guard Service (SBGS), in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda

Details: Ukrainian border guards were informed about this by their Polish colleagues.

The protesters commenced the blockade at the Korczowa and Medyka checkpoints on Poland's territory after 09:00 on 18 April. These checkpoints are situated just opposite to Ukraine's Krakivets and Shehyni crossing points.

Traffic of lorries travelling towards Ukraine is restricted at the Krakivets checkpoint, while traffic at the Shehyni checkpoint is limited both for exit and entry.

Reports indicate that Polish farmers plan to block traffic at Krakivets until 09:00 on 20 April and at Shehyni until 09:00 on 19 April.

Demchenko noted that around 1,500 lorries were queuing in Poland at these points as of Thursday morning (18 April) to cross into Ukraine.

No restrictions on the movement of passenger cars and buses are expected.

Meanwhile, Polish farmers are continuing to block the Yahodyn and Rava-Ruska checkpoints.

Quote: "The protesters are continuing to hamper the movement of lorries there, letting a few vehicles through per hour or restricting traffic altogether. Polish protesters have been blocking lorries from entering Poland through these checkpoints for some time now.

A handful of lorries are still allowed to pass through Yahodyn towards Ukraine, [which is a small amount] compared to the capacity of this crossing. The total number of lorries queuing at these two checkpoints in Poland was around 600 as of the morning of 18 April."

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Polish president meets with Trump in New York City amid criminal trial

Polish president meets with Trump in New York City amid criminal trial

Former President Donald Trump continues to meet with foreign leaders, even as his criminal trial is underway in New York.

Trump met with Polish President Andrzej Duda on Wednesday in New York City to discuss the Ukraine-Russia conflict and NATO defense spending.

The pair were photographed entering Trump Tower, where Trump told reporters, "Hes done a fantastic job and hes my friend."

TRUMP TRIAL: JURY SELECTION TO RESUME IN NEW YORK CITY FOR 3RD DAY IN FORMER PRESIDENT'S TRIAL

Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump speaks as he meets with Polish President Andrzej Duda at Trump Tower. The meeting took place on an off-day during Trump's criminal trial.

"We had four great years together," Trump said. "Were behind Poland all the way."

Trump and Duda spoke for over two hours, which the Polish president called a "friendly meeting in very nice atmosphere."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

It's only the latest high profile meeting with foreign leaders for the former president, who has previously spoken with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orba in March and Argentinian President Javier Milei in February.

TRUMP SAYS CRIMINAL TRIAL IS HAVING A 'REVERSE EFFECT,' AS HE CAMPAIGNS AT NEW YORK BODEGA, VOWS TO SAVE CITY

Former President Donald Trump welcomes Polish President Andrzej Duda at Trump Tower in New York City, New York.

Last week, Trump also hosted British Foreign Secretary David Cameron at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

Jury selection in Trump's historic and unprecedented criminal trial stemming from charges brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is expected to resume Thursday morning.

Bragg has charged Trump, the 2024 presumptive Republican presidential nominee, with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Trump is the first president in United States history to stand criminal trial.

Trump met with President Duda, a strong supporter of Ukraine, as European and NATO leaders prepare for the possibility that Trump wins the November presidential election and returns to the White House.

The charges are related to alleged hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to all counts. He has blasted the trial as pure politics, a "political persecution," and maintains his innocence. The former president is expected to testify during his trial.

By the end of jury selection on Tuesday, seven jurors had been selected and sworn in. The jury pool so far includes four men and three women, all living in New York City . Their professions include law, finance, nursing, technology and more.

Fox News Digital's Brooke Singman contributed to this report.





Original article source: Polish president meets with Trump in New York City amid criminal trial
CANBERRA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Australia's unemployment rate rose slightly to 3.8 percent in March, official data has revealed.

According to figures published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Thursday, the number of employed Australians fell by 6,600 between February and March, driving unemployment up from 3.7 percent to 3.8 percent.

News Corp Australia newspapers reported that economists had generally expected unemployment to hit 3.9 percent in March.

The fall in employment comes after the number of employed Australians grew by 116,500 between January and February.

The ABS said the number of Australians employed in full-time roles grew by 27,900 between February and March but part-time employment fell by 34,500 in the same period.

Despite the net job loss, the total number of hours worked by Australians was 17 million or 0.9 percent higher in March than in February and 1.7 percent higher than in March 2023.

The participation rate, which measures the proportion of the working-age population who are either employed or actively looking for work, fell slightly from 66.7 percent to 66.6 percent.

Bjorn Jarvis, head of labor statistics at the ABS, said in a media release that the participation rate was much higher than pre-pandemic levels and close to the record high of 67 percent set in November 2023. 
A joint operation by Ukrainian and Polish law enforcement agencies led to the detention of a Polish citizen who allegedly offered to Russia to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on April 18.

On his own initiative, the suspect meant to spy on the security of the Rzeszow airport in Poland, with the intention of helping Russian intelligence services plan a potential assassination of Zelensky during the latter's visit to Poland, the SBU said.

The officials did not specify whether Moscow had actually received the suspect's offer or what the response was.

Before the detention, the SBU and Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office notified Warsaw about a possible assassination attempt and provided their Polish counterparts with key evidence.

The Polish authorities have detained the suspect and charged him with working for foreign intelligence services. The investigation is ongoing.

"This case is yet another proof that Russia is a threat not only to Ukraine and Ukrainians but also to the entire free world," Ukraine's Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin said.

"The Kremlin's criminal regime is constantly trying to undermine European and global security."

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Border Patrol officers detain two men in El Paso in late March. (Photo by Marty Schladen, Ohio Capital Journal)

EL PASO, TEXAS  In this border city, the word invasion is particularly fraught.

Former President Donald Trump has long used it to characterize the flow of migrants to the southwestern border, recent surges of which have severely taxed the resources of the United States and Mexico. Recently, Trump also has called undocumented immigrants not human and animals who are poisoning the blood of the United States.

Increasingly, some of Trumps fellow Republicans are mimicking the rhetoric. In Ohios recent GOP Senate primary, all three candidates  state Sen. Matt Dolan, Secretary of State Frank LaRose, and eventual nominee Bernie Moreno  peppered their messages with the notion of a border invasion.

And in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott and Republicans in the legislature last year produced a law giving state law enforcement the right to detain people it suspects of being in the U.S. without documents  and to expel them if they are. Power to enforce immigration law rests with the federal government, but Abbott and his allies claim they have a constitutional right to expel migrants because Texas is being invaded.

Such claims might be legally dubious, but they serve a political purpose, some experts said. If the overheated rhetoric results in violence, so much the better as far as some of the people using it are concerned, the thinking goes.

Not only do alarmist claims of an invasion amp up the fear and the ardor of supporters, the threats posed by the most extreme among them drive their targets and non-supporters into the shadows, said Lindsay Schubiner, who studies violent speech and movements at the Western States Center, an anti-extremism group.

Theres a reason why violence is a part of bigoted movements, and part of it is that they create a chilling effect on communities, Schubiner said recently. They create a ton of fear and push people out of the life of their community and they have an effect on the people who are directly targeted and on their families and on entire communities. The impacts are so enormous.

Hitting home

Those impacts have certainly been felt here in El Paso.

In a May 2019 rally, Trump asked a Florida audience what should be done about undocumented migrants crossing the border. When a member of the audience yelled shoot them, Trump laughed and treated it as a joke.

Three months later, Patrick Crusius, a 21-year-old white man from a wealthy Dallas suburb, drove 650 miles to a Walmart just north of that border. He cased the cavernous store and reassured himself that there were plenty of Hispanic-looking people among the thousands in the store, ABC News reported just after the shooting occurred.

Then Crusius went back to his car, retrieved an AK-47 and opened fire in the parking lot and then inside the store, killing 23 and injuring 22 others.

The Walmart seemed bustling on a recent Saturday, but it wasnt hard to imagine the sudden terror in 2019 as routine shopping flipped into chaotic violence.

A late-March Saturday in the Walmart where 23 people, most of whom were Hispanic, were killed on Aug. 3, 2019. (Photo by Marty Schladen, Ohio Capital Journal)

One witness, far along in her pregnancy, told the news organization El Paso Matters how she hid in the bank inside the store where she worked, trying to protect her child. She described the lingering gunsmoke after the shooting stopped and how, as police escorted her from the building, they told her to try not to look at the bodies sprawled in bloody pools on the floor.

Its hardly surprising that some who were there and victims loved ones have told therapists that nearly five years later theyre still afraid to get out much in the community.

In a manifesto posted just before the massacre, Crusius claimed that hed been deeply alarmed about Hispanic immigration since before Trump came on the scene.

Crusius was only 16 when the former president descended an escalator at Trump Tower and announced his candidacy, saying that Mexico was sending rapists and drug dealers. And before that fatal trip to the border, Crusius had posted a number of tweets praising Trumps border policies. Many contained the hashtag #BuildtheWall.

The rhetoric of invasion featured prominently in Crusius manifesto.

This attack is a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas, it said. They are the instigators, not me. I am simply defending my country from cultural and ethnic replacement brought on by an invasion.

Words and consequences

In the wake of the shooting, lawyers for Crusius said it was due to their clients mental illness. But thats too pat  and it lets too many others off the hook, said Beto ORourke, who has represented El Paso in Congress and on the City Council.

It wasnt just a crazy guy with a gun who murdered a bunch of innocent people, ORourke said in a recent interview. It was someone who was listening to the president (Trump) of the United States who described immigrants as an invasion, as animals, as an infestation, as a threat to the people of this country; who listened to (Texas Gov. Abbott), who said, Texans, you have to defend yourselves, you have to take matters into your own hands.

ORourke invoked the concept of stochastic terrorism. It posits that some public figures demonize a group in a way that doesnt directly command followers to do violence, but motivates them to attack the target of the rhetoric just the same.

The idea is a stochastic terrorist  a Donald Trump, a Greg Abbott  they dont tell someone Go kill these people, ORourke said. But they say these people are animals, they are invading. Its like that scene out of medieval English history  Who will rid me of this troublesome priest? The king didnt order his soldiers to kill the bishop, but essentially he gave them permission to do that.

In January, Abbott suggested hed have undocumented migrants shot if he didnt the federal government wouldnt prosecute him for it. His office didnt respond to questions for this story.

For his part, Trump has denied that his statements have led to violence. But a 2020 ABC News investigation found 54 criminal cases in which his name was invoked in the commission of violent acts.

Similarly, great replacement theory rhetoric promoted by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson has been linked to three other mass shootings since 2018  including a racist 2022 massacre at a Buffalo supermarket that killed 10. According to many versions of that conspiracy theory, shadowy Jewish people are behind an effort to replace the dominant white majority with a Black and Brown horde.

Neo-Nazi marchers were referring to the conspiracy in 2017 as they marched in Charlottesville, Va., chanting You will not replace us, and Jews will not replace us. A Hitler admirer  James Alex Fields of Northwest Ohio  plowed his car into a group of counterdemonstraters, killing one. Trump responded by saying there were very fine people on both sides of the violent demonstration.

A memorial to the 23 murdered in a 2019 massacre in the parking lot of an El Paso Walmart where the shooting started. (Photo by Marty Schladen, Ohio Capital Journal)

Beto O'Rourke after the first debate | Andrew Roth

An immigrant family wades through the Rio Grande while crossing from Mexico into the United States on September 30, 2023 in Eagle Pass, Texas. Border security and immigration have become major issues in ongoing negotiations to fund the U.S. government.| by John Moore/Getty Images

A Texas National Guardsman observes as Border Patrol agents pat down migrants who have surrendered themselves for processing at Gate 42, some after waiting near the border wall for days, May 10, 2023. Congress is currently debating a new border security package. | Corrie Boudreaux for Source NM

Hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the "alt-right" march down East Market Street toward Emancipation Park during the "Unite the Right" rally August 12, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

People visit a makeshift memorial outside of Tops market on May 15, 2022 in Buffalo, New York. A gunman opened fire at the store yesterday killing ten people and wounding another three. The attack was believed to be motivated by racial hatred. | Scott Olson/Getty Images

Military emergency?

People who study speech that gets people hurt say the claims it makes are commonly false. Critics say claims of an invasion at the southern border are false as well.

As ORourke was talking in late March, he was sitting on his porch, which overlooks the border from a perennially peaceful neighborhood just across it. El Paso has long been one of the safest large cities in the United States.

A group of migrants east of town had rushed past Texas National Guard troops just east of town a few days earlier. But many appeared to be trying to get around Guard personnel Abbott had sent to the border so they could seek asylum from the Border Patrol.

Many experts say spiking numbers of migrants and related incidents dont meet the constitutional definition of invasion on which Abbott is hanging his hat as he claims the power to interpose state law enforcement and have it decide who is and is not in Texas legally. To do that, Abbott would have to show that Texas is being invaded militarily, Frank O. Bowman wrote in Just Security, an online forum for experts in law, security, and foreign policy.

In temporarily blocking Texas Senate Bill 4  the legislation that became law giving Texas the power to enforce immigration law  U.S. District Judge David Alan Ezra agreed.

Contemporary definitions of invasion and actually invaded as well as common usage of the term in the late Eighteenth Century predominantly referred to an invasion as a hostile and organized military force, too powerful to be dealt with by ordinary judicial proceedings, Ezra wrote in his Feb. 29 ruling. This Court could not locate a single contemporaneous use of the term to refer to surges in unauthorized foreign immigration. The text and structure of the State War Clause imply that invasion was to be used sparingly for temporary, exigent, and dangerous circumstances. Put simply, the overwhelming textual and historical evidence does not support Texass understanding of the State War Clause.

State Sen. Cesar Blanco is a Democrat whose district includes El Paso and several rural border counties. He said that while some constituents are having serious problems with the surge in migration, its not an invasion, and talking about it like it is only makes solutions more elusive.

As someone who has served in the military, when you look at what invasion means, its one country invading another with force, Blanco said. These are just people. Weve heard invasion so much from national leaders. Weve seen it on Twitter. We hear it on the news. Its part of many peoples perception of whats happening.

The Paso del Norte Bridge in El Paso. The inscription on the Mexican mountain in the background urges people to read the Bible. (Photo by Marty Schladen, Ohio Capital Journal)

Feeding fear

The Dangerous Speech Project studies what kinds of speech spur violence between groups and it seeks ways to combat them. The group argues that scary speech  such as falsely claiming a border invasion  can be even more dangerous than spewing hatred.

Frightening messages may also spread even more widely and quickly than purely hateful ones, since many people share them without malevolent intentions, or even the desire to incite violence, the group says on its website. They feel genuine fear.

And that, said Schubiner of the Western States Center, serves the ends of the most extreme purveyors of dangerous speech.

Thats why we call it anti-democracy, she said. The goal of the white-nationalist movement is to create an all-white nation in the United States. That requires pushing people out. That requires violence.

Schubiner added that if politicians continue to use fear-inducing speech about migrants and the southern border, it wont be a matter of if another extremist will murder innocents, but when.

We have seen again and again the spread of conspiracy theories like the great replacement theory, anti-immigrant rhetoric, invasion rhetoric and other forms of overt bigotry that dehumanize people, she said. It sometimes explicitly calls for violence, or on the other hand normalizes it. You shouldnt be surprised when that leads to violence. Its happened before and, sadly, its likely to happen again.

Ohio Capital Journal is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Ohio Capital Journal maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor David Dewitt for questions: info@ohiocapitaljournal.com. Follow Ohio Capital Journal on Facebook and Twitter.

The post Politicians talk of a border invasion is speech experts say has gotten people killed appeared first on Michigan Advance.
Border Patrol officers detain two men in El Paso in late March. (Photo by Marty Schladen, Ohio Capital Journal)

EL PASO, TEXAS  In this border city, the word invasion is particularly fraught.

Former President Donald Trump has long used it to characterize the flow of migrants to the southwestern border, recent surges of which have severely taxed the resources of the United States and Mexico. Recently, Trump also has called undocumented immigrants not human and animals who are poisoning the blood of the United States.

Increasingly, some of Trumps fellow Republicans are mimicking the rhetoric. In Ohios recent GOP Senate primary, all three candidates  state Sen. Matt Dolan, Secretary of State Frank LaRose, and eventual nominee Bernie Moreno  peppered their messages with the notion of a border invasion.

And in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott and Republicans in the legislature last year produced a law giving state law enforcement the right to detain people it suspects of being in the U.S. without documents  and to expel them if they are. Power to enforce immigration law rests with the federal government, but Abbott and his allies claim they have a constitutional right to expel migrants because Texas is being invaded.

Such claims might be legally dubious, but they serve a political purpose, some experts said. If the overheated rhetoric results in violence, so much the better as far as some of the people using it are concerned, the thinking goes.

Not only do alarmist claims of an invasion amp up the fear and the ardor of supporters, the threats posed by the most extreme among them drive their targets and non-supporters into the shadows, said Lindsay Schubiner, who studies violent speech and movements at the Western States Center, an anti-extremism group.

Theres a reason why violence is a part of bigoted movements, and part of it is that they create a chilling effect on communities, Schubiner said recently. They create a ton of fear and push people out of the life of their community and they have an effect on the people who are directly targeted and on their families and on entire communities. The impacts are so enormous.

Hitting home

Those impacts have certainly been felt here in El Paso.

In a May 2019 rally, Trump asked a Florida audience what should be done about undocumented migrants crossing the border. When a member of the audience yelled shoot them, Trump laughed and treated it as a joke.

Three months later, Patrick Crusius, a 21-year-old white man from a wealthy Dallas suburb, drove 650 miles to a Walmart just north of that border. He cased the cavernous store and reassured himself that there were plenty of Hispanic-looking people among the customers in the store, ABC News reported just after the shooting occurred.

Then Crusius went back to his car, retrieved an AK-47 and opened fire in the parking lot and then inside the store, killing 23 and injuring 22 others.

shoppers at a Wal-Mart

A late-March Saturday in the Walmart where 23 people, most of whom were Hispanic, were killed on Aug. 3, 2019. (Photo by Marty Schladen, Ohio Capital Journal)

The Walmart seemed bustling on a recent Saturday, but it wasnt hard to imagine the sudden terror in 2019 as routine shopping flipped into chaotic violence.

One witness, far along in her pregnancy, told the news organization El Paso Matters how she hid in the bank inside the store where she worked, trying to protect her child. She described the lingering gunsmoke after the shooting stopped and how, as police escorted her from the building, they told her to try not to look at the bodies sprawled in bloody pools on the floor.

Its hardly surprising that some who were there and victims loved ones have told therapists that nearly five years later theyre still afraid to get out much in the community.

In a manifesto posted just before the massacre, Crusius claimed that hed been deeply alarmed about Hispanic immigration since before Trump came on the scene.

Crusius was only 16 when the former president descended an escalator at Trump Tower and announced his candidacy, saying that Mexico was sending rapists and drug dealers. And before that fatal trip to the border, Crusius had posted a number of tweets praising Trumps border policies. Many contained the hashtag #BuildtheWall.

The rhetoric of invasion featured prominently in Crusius manifesto.

This attack is a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas, it said. They are the instigators, not me. I am simply defending my country from cultural and ethnic replacement brought on by an invasion.

A memorial to the 23 murdered in a 2019 massacre in the parking lot of an El Paso Walmart

A memorial to the 23 murdered in a 2019 massacre in the parking lot of an El Paso Walmart where the shooting started. (Photo by Marty Schladen, Ohio Capital Journal)

Words and consequences

In the wake of the shooting, lawyers for Crusius said it was due to their clients mental illness. But thats too pat  and it lets too many others off the hook, said Beto ORourke, who has represented El Paso in Congress and on city council.

It wasnt just a crazy guy with a gun who murdered a bunch of innocent people, ORourke said in a recent interview. It was someone who was listening to the president (Trump) of the United States who described immigrants as an invasion, as animals, as an infestation, as a threat to the people of this country; who listened to (Texas Gov. Abbott), who said, Texans, you have to defend yourselves, you have to take matters into your own hands.

ORourke invoked the concept of stochastic terrorism. It posits that some public figures demonize a group in a way that doesnt directly command followers to do violence, but motivates them to attack the target of the rhetoric just the same.

The idea is a stochastic terrorist  a Donald Trump, a Greg Abbott  they dont tell someone Go kill these people, ORourke said. But they say these people are animals, they are invading. Its like that scene out of medieval English history  Who will rid me of this troublesome priest? The king didnt order his soldiers to kill the bishop, but essentially he gave them permission to do that.

In January, Abbott suggested hed have undocumented migrants shot if he didnt the federal government wouldnt prosecute him for it. His office didnt respond to questions for this story.

For his part, Trump has denied that his statements have led to violence. But a 2020 ABC News investigation found 54 criminal cases in which his name was invoked in the commission of violent acts.

Similarly, great replacement theory rhetoric promoted by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson has been linked to three other mass shootings since 2018  including a racist 2022 massacre at a Buffalo supermarket that killed 10. According to many versions of that conspiracy theory, shadowy Jewish people are behind an effort to replace the dominant white majority with a Black and Brown horde.

Neo Nazi marchers were referring to the conspiracy in 2017 as they marched in Charlottesville, Va., chanting You will not replace us, and Jews will not replace us. A Hitler admirer  James Alex Fields of Northwest Ohio  plowed his car into a group of counterdemonstraters, killing one. Trump responded by saying there were very fine people on both sides of the violent demonstration.

Military emergency?

People who study speech that gets people hurt say the claims it makes are commonly false. Critics say claims of an invasion at the southern border are false as well.

As ORourke was talking in late March, he was sitting on his porch, which overlooks the border from a perennially peaceful neighborhood just across it. El Paso has long been one of the safest large cities in the United States.

A group of migrants east of town had rushed past Texas National Guard troops just east of town a few days earlier. But many appeared to be trying to get around Guard personnel Abbott had sent to the border so they could seek asylum from the Border Patrol.

Many experts say spiking numbers of migrants and related incidents dont meet the constitutional definition of invasion on which Abbott is hanging his hat as he claims the power to interpose state law enforcement and have it decide who is and is not in Texas legally. To do that, Abbott would have to show that Texas is being invaded militarily, Frank O. Bowman wrote in Just Security, an online forum for experts in law, security, and foreign policy.

The Paso del Norte Bridge in El Paso

The Paso del Norte Bridge in El Paso. The inscription on the Mexican mountain in the background urges people to read the Bible. (Photo by Marty Schladen, Ohio Capital Journal)

In temporarily blocking Texas Senate Bill 4  the legislation that became law giving Texas the power to enforce immigration law  U.S. District Judge David Alan Ezra agreed.

Contemporary definitions of invasion and actually invaded as well as common usage of the term in the late Eighteenth Century predominantly referred to an invasion as a hostile and organized military force, too powerful to be dealt with by ordinary judicial proceedings, Ezra wrote in his Feb. 29 ruling. This Court could not locate a single contemporaneous use of the term to refer to surges in unauthorized foreign immigration. The text and structure of the State War Clause imply that invasion was to be used sparingly for temporary, exigent, and dangerous circumstances. Put simply, the overwhelming textual and historical evidence does not support Texass understanding of the State War Clause.

State Sen. Cesar Blanco is a Democrat whose district includes El Paso and several rural border counties. He said that while some constituents are having serious problems with the surge in migration, its not an invasion, and talking about it like it is only makes solutions more elusive.

As someone who has served in the military, when you look at what invasion means, its one country invading another with force, Blanco said. These are just people. Weve heard invasion so much from national leaders. Weve seen it on Twitter. We hear it on the news. Its part of many peoples perception of whats happening.

Feeding fear

The Dangerous Speech Project studies what kinds of speech spur violence between groups and it seeks ways to combat them. The group argues that scary speech  such as falsely claiming a border invasion  can be even more dangerous than spewing hatred.

Frightening messages may also spread even more widely and quickly than purely hateful ones, since many people share them without malevolent intentions, or even the desire to incite violence, the group says on its website. They feel genuine fear.

And that, said Schubiner of the Western States Center, serves the ends of the most extreme purveyors of dangerous speech.

Thats why we call it anti-democracy, she said. The goal of the white-nationalist movement is to create an all-white nation in the United States. That requires pushing people out. That requires violence.

Schubiner added that if politicians continue to use fear-inducing speech about migrants and the southern border, it wont be a matter of if another extremist will murder innocents, but when.

We have seen again and again the spread of conspiracy theories like the great replacement theory, anti-immigrant rhetoric, invasion rhetoric and other forms of overt bigotry that dehumanize people, she said. It sometimes explicitly calls for violence, or on the other hand normalizes it. You shouldnt be surprised when that leads to violence. Its happened before and, sadly, its likely to happen again.

This report was first published by the Ohio Capital Journal.

The post Politicians talk of a border invasion is speech experts say has gotten people killed appeared first on NC Newsline.
Politicians talk of a border invasion is speech that experts say has gotten people killed

Border Patrol officers detain two men in El Paso in late March. Photo by Marty Schladen | Ohio Capital Journal

EL PASO, TEXAS  In this border city, the word invasion is particularly fraught.

Former President Donald Trump has long used it to characterize the flow of migrants to the southwestern border, recent surges of which have severely taxed the resources of the United States and Mexico. Recently, Trump also has called undocumented immigrants not human and animals who are poisoning the blood of the United States.

Increasingly, some of Trumps fellow Republicans are mimicking the rhetoric. In Ohios recent GOP Senate primary, all three candidates  state Sen. Matt Dolan, Secretary of State Frank LaRose, and eventual nominee Bernie Moreno  peppered their messages with the notion of a border invasion.

And in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott and Republicans in the legislature last year produced a law giving state law enforcement the right to detain people it suspects of being in the U.S. without documents  and to expel them if they are. Power to enforce immigration law rests with the federal government, but Abbott and his allies claim they have a constitutional right to expel migrants because Texas is being invaded.

Such claims might be legally dubious, but they serve a political purpose, some experts said. If the overheated rhetoric results in violence, so much the better as far as some of the people using it are concerned, the thinking goes.

Not only do alarmist claims of an invasion amp up the fear and the ardor of supporters, the threats posed by the most extreme among them drive their targets and non-supporters into the shadows, said Lindsay Schubiner, who studies violent speech and movements at the Western States Center, an anti-extremism group.

Theres a reason why violence is a part of bigoted movements, and part of it is that they create a chilling effect on communities, Schubiner said recently. They create a ton of fear and push people out of the life of their community and they have an effect on the people who are directly targeted and on their families and on entire communities. The impacts are so enormous.

Hitting home

Those impacts have certainly been felt here in El Paso.

In a May 2019 rally, Trump asked a Florida audience what should be done about undocumented migrants crossing the border. When a member of the audience yelled shoot them, Trump laughed and treated it as a joke.

Three months later, Patrick Crusius, a 21-year-old white man from a wealthy Dallas suburb, drove 650 miles to a Walmart just north of that border. He cased the cavernous store and reassured himself that there were plenty of Hispanic-looking people among the customers in the store, ABC News reported just after the shooting occurred.

Then Crusius went back to his car, retrieved an AK-47 and opened fire in the parking lot and then inside the store, killing 23 and injuring 22 others.

A late-March Saturday in the Walmart where 23 people, most of whom were Hispanic, were killed on Aug. 3, 2019. Photo by Marty Schladen | Ohio Capital Journal

The Walmart seemed bustling on a recent Saturday, but it wasnt hard to imagine the sudden terror in 2019 as routine shopping flipped into chaotic violence.

One witness, far along in her pregnancy, told the news organization El Paso Matters how she hid in the bank inside the store where she worked, trying to protect her child. She described the lingering gunsmoke after the shooting stopped and how, as police escorted her from the building, they told her to try not to look at the bodies sprawled in bloody pools on the floor.

Its hardly surprising that some who were there and victims loved ones have told therapists that nearly five years later theyre still afraid to get out much in the community.

In a manifesto posted just before the massacre, Crusius claimed that hed been deeply alarmed about Hispanic immigration since before Trump came on the scene.

Crusius was only 16 when the former president descended an escalator at Trump Tower and announced his candidacy, saying that Mexico was sending rapists and drug dealers. And before that fatal trip to the border, Crusius had posted a number of tweets praising Trumps border policies. Many contained the hashtag #BuildtheWall.

The rhetoric of invasion featured prominently in Crusius manifesto.

This attack is a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas, it said. They are the instigators, not me. I am simply defending my country from cultural and ethnic replacement brought on by an invasion.

Words and consequences

In the wake of the shooting, lawyers for Crusius said it was due to their clients mental illness. But thats too pat  and it lets too many others off the hook, said Beto ORourke, who has represented El Paso in Congress and on city council.

It wasnt just a crazy guy with a gun who murdered a bunch of innocent people, ORourke said in a recent interview. It was someone who was listening to the president (Trump) of the United States who described immigrants as an invasion, as animals, as an infestation, as a threat to the people of this country; who listened to (Texas Gov. Abbott), who said, Texans, you have to defend yourselves, you have to take matters into your own hands.

ORourke invoked the concept of stochastic terrorism. It posits that some public figures demonize a group in a way that doesnt directly command followers to do violence, but motivates them to attack the target of the rhetoric just the same.

The idea is a stochastic terrorist  a Donald Trump, a Greg Abbott  they dont tell someone Go kill these people, ORourke said. But they say these people are animals, they are invading. Its like that scene out of medieval English history  Who will rid me of this troublesome priest? The king didnt order his soldiers to kill the bishop, but essentially he gave them permission to do that.

In January, Abbott suggested hed have undocumented migrants shot if he didnt think the federal government would prosecute him for it. His office didnt respond to questions for this story.

For his part, Trump has denied that his statements have led to violence. But a 2020 ABC News investigation found 54 criminal cases in which his name was invoked in the commission of violent acts.

Similarly, great replacement theory rhetoric promoted by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson has been linked to three other mass shootings since 2018  including a racist 2022 massacre at a Buffalo supermarket that killed 10. According to many versions of that conspiracy theory, shadowy Jewish people are behind an effort to replace the dominant white majority with a Black and Brown horde.

Neo Nazi marchers were referring to the conspiracy in 2017 as they marched in Charlottesville, Va., chanting You will not replace us, and Jews will not replace us. A Hitler admirer  James Alex Fields of Northwest Ohio  plowed his car into a group of counterdemonstraters, killing one. Trump responded by saying there were very fine people on both sides of the violent demonstration.

Military emergency?

People who study speech that gets people hurt say the claims it makes are commonly false. Critics say claims of an invasion at the southern border are false as well.

As ORourke was talking in late March, he was sitting on his porch, which overlooks the border from a perennially peaceful neighborhood just across it. El Paso has long been one of the safest large cities in the United States.

A group of migrants east of town had rushed past Texas National Guard troops just east of town a few days earlier. But many appeared to be trying to get around Guard personnel Abbott had sent to the border so they could seek asylum from the Border Patrol.

Many experts say spiking numbers of migrants and related incidents dont meet the constitutional definition of invasion on which Abbott is hanging his hat as he claims the power to interpose state law enforcement and have it decide who is and is not in Texas legally. To do that, Abbott would have to show that Texas is being invaded militarily, Frank O. Bowman wrote in Just Security, an online forum for experts in law, security, and foreign policy.

The Paso del Norte Bridge in El Paso. The inscription on the Mexican mountain in the background urges people to read the Bible. Photo by Marty Schladen | Ohio Capital Journal

In temporarily blocking Texas Senate Bill 4  the legislation that became law giving Texas the power to enforce immigration law  U.S. District Judge David Alan Ezra agreed.

Contemporary definitions of invasion and actually invaded as well as common usage of the term in the late Eighteenth Century predominantly referred to an invasion as a hostile and organized military force, too powerful to be dealt with by ordinary judicial proceedings, Ezra wrote in his Feb. 29 ruling. This Court could not locate a single contemporaneous use of the term to refer to surges in unauthorized foreign immigration. The text and structure of the State War Clause imply that invasion was to be used sparingly for temporary, exigent, and dangerous circumstances. Put simply, the overwhelming textual and historical evidence does not support Texass understanding of the State War Clause.

State Sen. Cesar Blanco is a Democrat whose district includes El Paso and several rural border counties. He said that while some constituents are having serious problems with the surge in migration, its not an invasion, and talking about it like it is only makes solutions more elusive.

As someone who has served in the military, when you look at what invasion means, its one country invading another with force, Blanco said. These are just people. Weve heard invasion so much from national leaders. Weve seen it on Twitter. We hear it on the news. Its part of many peoples perception of whats happening.

Feeding fear

The Dangerous Speech Project studies what kinds of speech spur violence between groups and it seeks ways to combat them. The group argues that scary speech  such as falsely claiming a border invasion  can be even more dangerous than spewing hatred.

Frightening messages may also spread even more widely and quickly than purely hateful ones, since many people share them without malevolent intentions, or even the desire to incite violence, the group says on its website. They feel genuine fear.

And that, said Schubiner of the Western States Center, serves the ends of the most extreme purveyors of dangerous speech.

Thats why we call it anti-democracy, she said. The goal of the white-nationalist movement is to create an all-white nation in the United States. That requires pushing people out. That requires violence.

Schubiner added that if politicians continue to use fear-inducing speech about migrants and the southern border, it wont be a matter of if another extremist will murder innocents, but when.

We have seen again and again the spread of conspiracy theories like the great replacement theory, anti-immigrant rhetoric, invasion rhetoric and other forms of overt bigotry that dehumanize people, she said. It sometimes explicitly calls for violence, or on the other hand normalizes it. You shouldnt be surprised when that leads to violence. Its happened before and, sadly, its likely to happen again.

This article was originally published by Ohio Capital Journal, a sister publication of the Arizona Mirror and a member of the States Newsroom network of local news organizations.

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The post Politicians talk of a border invasion is speech that experts say has gotten people killed appeared first on Arizona Mirror.
Former President Donald Trump is cutting deeper into President Joe Biden's lead among young voters, according to a new poll.

Biden leads Trump, 45 percent to 37 percent, among people ages 18 to 29 in a Harvard Youth Poll released Thursday, with 16 percent undecided. That 8 percentage point margin is much smaller than at this point in the 2020 election. At that time, Biden was leading Trump by 23 percentage points among young people.

Bidens margins widen when the pool is restricted to registered and likely voters. But, still, his 19-point lead over Trump among the voters under 30 who are considered likely to turn out is significantly smaller than his 30-point advantage this time four years ago.

Biden holds wide leads among likely voters who are non-white and women  up by 43 points and 33 points over Trump, respectively. He trounces Trump among the higher-educated set, leading the presumptive Republican nominee by 47 points among likely voters who are college graduates and 23 points among college students.

But Bidens margins are far slimmer  or nonexistent  among other key demographics. Hes just 6 percentage points ahead of Trump among likely voters who are young men, according to the poll, and just 3 points ahead among white voters. When it comes to young people without college degrees, Biden and Trump are in a dead heat.

And though there are fewer of them, Trumps younger voters are far more enthusiastic about the former president than their peers who are backing Biden, according to the poll. More than three-quarters of Trump voters said they enthusiastically support the Republican, while just 44 percent of Biden voters said the same.



The nationwide survey of 2,010 Americans aged 18 to 29 was conducted between March 14 and 21 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. Respondents were surveyed online after being randomly recruited to join a panel maintained by Ipsos Public Affairs.

Make no mistake, this is a different youth electorate than we saw in 2020 and 2022, and young voters are motivated by different things, John Della Volpe, polling director for the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics and an expert on polling young voters, said in a statement.

Economic issues are top of mind, housing is a major concern  and the gap between young men's and young women's political preferences is pronounced, he said.

The Harvard youth survey is the latest to show Trump rising among the nations youngest voters, another potential warning sign for Democrats whose presidential candidates have long been able to successfully court that bloc.

Indeed, while Bidens lead is 26 points among likely voters ages 25 to 29, it falls to 14 points among those ages 18 to 24.

Still, the survey shows some reasons for concern for Trump, too. Bidens overall lead grows if the former president is convicted in any of his criminal trials, with the Democrat jumping up 10 points among all young adults, 8 points among registered voters and 9 points among likely voters.

But third-party candidates threaten to erode Bidens margins, putting more data behind a scenario Democrats have long feared. Biden would still win the youth vote with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cornel West and Jill Stein on the ballot, the Harvard pollsters said, but potentially only by a handful of points.

And Bidens job approval rating among younger adults is just 31 percent.

Meanwhile, Bidens approach to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war could cost him at the ballot box. More than half of young adults, 51 percent, support a permanent cease-fire in Gaza  which Biden has stopped short of calling for  a viewpoint that cuts across party and demographic lines. Just 10 percent of young people oppose it.

Just a fifth of young Americans believe Israels response to Hamas Oct. 7 incursion is justified, while 32 percent believe it is not.
Ukrainians see tense relations with Poland, namely the ongoing blockade by Polish farmers, as a "foreign" or "external" factor with the most negative influence on Ukraine, according to a survey by Razumkov Center published on April 18.

The poll specifically examined events outside of Ukraine, thus excluding Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion of the country.

On a scale from 1 to 5, with number 1 meaning "no impact" and number 5 denoting "a very strong negative impact," the respondents ranked the Polish blockade at 4.5.

Initially one of the staunchest supporters of Ukraine against Russian aggression, the relationship between Kyiv and Warsaw has grown tense since late last year due to economic disputes. Polish truckers and farmers have intermittently blocked the common border since November 2023, putting ever-increasing strain on the bilateral ties.

The second place (4.4) was assigned to internal political disputes in the U.S. Disagreements between the Democratic and Republican parties in Congress have effectively blocked aid for Ukraine since autumn 2023, with some hardline members of the Republican Party opposing the assistance for Kyiv altogether.

The third place (4.3) went to Hungary's unfriendly policies and Budapest's obstruction of Kyiv's EU integration. Other factors that appeared on the list include growing "Ukraine fatigue" in Europe (4.2), the inability of the global and regional structures to prevent conflicts and stop Russian aggression (4.2), and growing polarization between democratic and authoritarian states (4.0).

Ukrainians are also concerned with Russian hybrid activities in Moldova (3.9), conflicts in the Middle East (3.7), and U.S.-Chinese rivalry (3.7).

The poll further assessed attitudes toward various countries. Canada, Latvia, the U.K., Lithuania, Estonia, France, Germany, Czechia, the Netherlands, and the U.S. ranked highest when comparing the number of respondents who hold favorable and unfavorable attitudes.

These countries were followed by Moldova, Slovakia, Romania, Turkey, Poland, and Hungary, with the last one being the only state toward which negative attitudes outweigh the favorable ones.

In additional queries, 74.3% of Ukrainians are supportive of French President Emmanuel Macron's suggestion about the possibility of Western troops' deployment in Ukraine. Some 12.2% of respondents were against it, and 13.4% said it was difficult to answer.

Some 85.2% of respondents agree with the resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) calling on European countries not to recognize Russian President Vladimir Putin's rule as legitimate after the rigged 2024 election. Only 5.2% were against the idea, and 9.6% said it was difficult to answer.

On the topic of Ukraine's bilateral agreements with international partners, 80.7% of respondents believe such deals are likely or rather likely to strengthen Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. Around 8.6% spoke negatively about the bilateral agreements, with 10.7% giving no opinion.

The survey was conducted in 22 Ukrainian oblasts, with the exclusion of occupied territories or places where hostilities are taking place. It involved 2,020 respondents and was carried out between March 21 and 27.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has come out in support of House Speaker Mike Johnsons (R-La.) plan to deliver U.S. aid for Ukraine, part of an effort to bolster defenses around the Speaker as he bucks hard-line conservative opponents in his party.

In a letter sent to Johnson on Thursday, Pompeo applauded him for moving ahead to secure vital support to Americas allies and to strengthen Americas defenses.

The danger to Americans is clear and it is present. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has declared his aim to create a new Russian empire and has been working toward that goal for decades, Pompeo, who served under former President Trump, wrote in the letter. It was co-authored by retired four-star Gen. Jack Keane, who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2020 from Trump.

The letter seeks to counter GOP lawmakers and conservatives who are embracing Trumps MAGA isolationist movement and criticizing U.S. support for Ukraine.

While Trump has put support behind Johnson amid threats to oust him for moving forward on Ukraine aid, the former president and presumptive Republican presidential nominee has amplified grievances that U.S. support for allies abroad should not supersede American problems at home.

Republican supporters of aid for Ukraine and Democrats argue that America can support allies and partners abroad while also investing in the U.S.

Opponents of supporting Ukraine have been allowed to misrepresent the nature of that assistance for too long, Pompeo and Keane wrote.

No one is asking Americans to fight or die for Ukraine, least of all Ukrainians. No one is asking American taxpayers simply to hand Ukraine tens of billions of dollars. On the contrary, the overwhelming majority of the money spent on aid to Ukraine is helping rebuild Americas defense industry.

Pompeo and Keane continued, We support aiding Ukraine because that is the best way to help Americans; the best way to reduce the risk that future generations will have to take up arms in Europe, the Middle East, or Asia. Winston Churchill warned that while free nations sleep, dictators plan. No nation is ever served by ignoring the ambitions of its enemies.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
On the day wildfires destroyed much of Lahaina and killed at least 101 people, poor communications between Mauis mayor and top state and local emergency officials stymied their realization of how serious the situation was.

At one point, Mauis top emergency management official rejected an offer of additional help from Honolulu. And evidence since gathered indicates the catastrophic fire that exploded on the afternoon of Aug. 8 ignited in the same area where a downed powerline had sparked an earlier blaze that the county had quickly declared was "100 percent contained."

Such details are among the latest to emerge about Maui's deadly wildfires through a comprehensive timeline released Wednesday as part of an ongoing investigation commissioned by Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez.

The minute-by-minute timeline  the first installment of whats planned as a three-part probe  was described by investigators as the fact-gathering phase into how preparations and responses unfolded over a 72 hour-span.

The 376-page narrative report, based on interviews, emergency dispatch communications, weather data and other records, is meant to provide the public with an unvarnished look into how events unfolded without drawing conclusions, Lopez and investigators with the nonprofit Fire Safety Research Institute said in a news conference Wednesday.

Critical analysis and recommendations for improvement will come in future installments to be released later this year, they said.

Let me be clear: we are not here to place blame or draw conclusions, Lopez said. The purpose of this independent analysis is to find facts and develop new policies and procedures to save lives and property in the future.

The tick-tock of events provided in the report aimed to give more factual insight into what key emergency agencies, officials and others did to prepare, warn and respond to critical fire conditions from Aug. 7 to Aug. 9 in the hours before and after the disaster.

Much of what was released Wednesday repeated what was said in other official after-action reports, news accounts and social media posts.

The official cause of the fire remains under investigation and is being handled separately by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The Aug. 8 fire  the deadliest in the U.S. in the last century  killed at least 101 people. It also burned 6,271 acres, destroyed 2,173 homes, businesses and other structures and caused more than $6 billion in damage to Lahaina.

Maui resident and community activist Tiare Lawrence said she was disappointed in the report.

We were hoping that we would get more information in terms of the actual cause that led up to the fire, Lawrence said Wednesday. I think, you know, if youre from Lahaina and from Hawaii, we pretty much know what the cause was. And weve always known the issues for years.

Weve been asking the county for well over a decade to fix a lot of the problems that led up to this catastrophe.

Some new details that emerged in the timeline, including statements made to investigators by Maui Mayor Richard Bissen, text messages of former Maui Emergency Management Administrator Herman Andaya, reflect problems such as communications breakdowns, under-equipped personnel and the apparent slowness of officials to grasp the severity of the situation.

In an interview with investigators, Bissen recalled that most of the focus that morning for him and others was on a fire on another part of the island, in Kula. During a virtual meeting with state and federal emergency management officials, the main concerns were the Kula fire and blazes on the Big Island, he told investigators.

But as the day wore on, Bissen recalled information started trickling in over social media and in calls from the lieutenant governor, telling them there was no reliable communication other than (public safety) radio.

Nobody knew how bad it was, Bissen recalled to investigators.

The timeline also shows that Hawaii emergency management director James Barros told investigators he spoke with Herman Andaya, Maui's emergency management director, "several times" on Aug. 8 about the fire in Lahaina. But the report indicates Barros was told, "We have it contained."

Later that evening, Barros said, he was informed by the Coast Guard that it was "launching cutters... because of reports of people in the water on Maui." Barros reached out to Maui's Emergency Management Agency for confirmation but received no additional information, the timeline states.

Text exchanges obtained for the timeline also show that a Honolulu emergency official asked Andaya at 1:44 p.m. whether he needed extra help, but Andaya responded that his staff, the mayor and the fire chief weren't asking for it.

Shortly after 4 p.m., after winds were pushing the fire out of control toward Lahaina, group texts show the acting emergency operations director informed Andaya people "looked overwhelmed." But when Andaya asked if he should return to Maui, he was told "it may look ok."

The timeline noted that not all records requested from the emergency management agency had been turned over to investigators, and the agency never filed an activity log making, it difficult to provide a complete, accurate accounting of activities at Maui's emergency operation center.

The disaster has spawned multiple lawsuits, most of which blame Hawaiian Electric Co. for causing the fire. The utility has acknowledged that one of its downed power lines ignited a blaze early Aug. 8 off Lahainaluna Road in the hills above Lahaina. Maui County announced a few hours later that firefighters had fully contained it.

The hall of historic Waiola Church and nearby Lahaina Hongwanji Mission engulfed in flames (Matthew Thayer / The Maui News via AP file)

Hawaiian Electric has denied its responsible for the fire that flared up in the same area that afternoon and later exploded, causing the widespread deaths and destruction.

Steve Kerber, vice president of the fire institute, declined to respond to reporters' questions about whether the afternoon blazes were sparked by the same ignition source, but he acknowledged both were "absolutely in the same area."

Several of the lawsuits also point to Maui Countys failure to sound its outdoor emergency sirens ahead of the blaze as a crucial mistake. Andaya, who defended the decision not to sound the sirens in the aftermath of the blaze, resigned shortly after the catastrophe.

On Wednesday, when pressed whether she would consider criminal negligence charges against emergency officials or others, Lopez said, "We're going to continue this investigation and we will follow it wherever it leads."

She added that her office would not determine whether firefighters left the scene of the earlier blaze too soon, saying she has engaged the fire institute's "scientists who can understand these situations."

The institute was initially contracted for a year, not to exceed $1.5 million, but it has since been extended, Lopez said.

The Maui Fire Department released its own after-action report Tuesday, chronicling how wildfires and the emergency response to them unfolded across the island from Aug. 7 to Aug. 11, during a tropical storm that had prompted red flag warnings in the preceding days.

That report, compiled by the Western Fire Chiefs Association, was based on more than 200 interviews and data analysis, listed 111 recommendations and 17 challenges in preparing for and preventing wildfires on Maui and elsewhere in Hawaii.

Key takeaways included a need for better advance preparation by emergency officials, such as pre-positioning firefighting equipment and getting backup equipment ready during red flag warnings. The report also called out a need for better evacuation coordination between fire and police agencies, noting that main roadways across Maui were choked by traffic and blocked by debris as the fire raged.

Blocked evacuation routes prevented several people from escaping the fire, interviews and records show. An NBC News special report in February found that most people who died lived in Kuhua Camp, a cramped neighborhood along a tangle of narrow streets typically crowded with parked cars, trucks and boats that made access challenging.

On the day of the fire, toppled trees and power lines  including a fallen mango tree that blocked a key intersection  trapped several people trying to flee.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Along a highway just south of Fox, Oregon, ranch owners post their support for the movement to join Idaho. If Eastern Oregon succeeds in joining Idaho, it could breathe life into similar secessionist movements nationwide. (Matt Vasilogambros/Stateline)

It is unique: Some parts of Oregon are seeking a divorce from the state because the residents do not feel represented in the state Legislature.

In recent elections, 11 Oregon counties voted to change states, from Oregon to Idaho. Greater Idaho, the nonprofit group promoting the move, said four Washington Counties (Asotin, Columbia, Walla Walla and Garfield) also expressed interest in moving. But what would this mean for Idaho?

On its website, Greater Idaho said the cost would need to be negotiated between the two states, claiming Idaho would greatly benefit from taking 9 percent of Oregons population. The organizers recommend Oregon give Idaho 9 percent of its government assets and liabilities.

Well beyond increasing the square miles of the state and an initial small influx of cash, the Idaho Legislature would need to do serious work to find new revenue sources since there is no major industry in Eastern Oregon. Currently there is tourism, agritourism and ecotourism, but the traditional industries of timber, agriculture and mining have decreased in recent years.

Greater Idahos organizers claim there will be a $170 million per year benefit to Idaho, but without major industry and declining existing industries, how does this make sense?

This means current revenue dollars would need to be stretched even more thinly to support roads, provide health and human services, license certain professions, education for both K-12 and higher education, land management, regulating alcohol and other products, and many other aspects of government. Idahos Legislature currently has trouble doing this for the states existing land mass, what if Idaho almost doubled its size?

Take transportation for example, including supporting the thousands of road miles which would be added. This year, the Idaho Legislature barely passed the Idaho Department of Transportation budget over arguments concerning the departments State Street building. Adding more buildings and roadways under this move would create similar future issues, perhaps resulting in even smaller budgets.

Another case is higher education. There is always serious debate in the state Legislature about proper funding for Idahos four major colleges. What would happen if four more were added? How could the Legislature add Eastern Oregon University plus three community colleges (Blue Mountain, Central Oregon and Columbia Gorge) to the mix? There is also this question: Would Eastern Oregon University simply have a name change or be folded into Boise State University or the University of Idaho?

Then there is the question of existing health care law in Idaho and the loss of physicians in rural Idaho thanks to recent legislation criminalizing some medical practices. A recent survey by the Idaho Coalition for Safe Healthcare shows 77 of 117 physicians surveyed said they are considering leaving the state, most citing the states abortion law. Would Eastern Oregon physicians also pack up and leave for the same reason?

Other issues to consider when it comes to existing laws are whether Idaho would allow for the higher Oregon minimum wage ($14.20 per hour vs. Idahos $7.25) to remain or allow Oregon residents to continue legally using hemp, CBD or marijuana?

There is something else Oregonians need to consider: They are protesting the fact the Oregon Legislature does not listen to their concerns. Do they think the Idaho Legislature will be any different?

Especially this year, there have been many outcries as the Idaho Legislature held hearings on issues such as library access, but then ignored the comments and voted in legislation against the will of the people.

These are just a few of the issues Idaho would encounter should it adopt what is now Eastern Oregon. Financially, it makes little sense for Idaho although, as kingdom building goes, it could be an ego boost for state officials.

But what of the people who now live in Idaho? It could be a massive problem as taxes are likely to be raised and services are likely to be lessened due to budget constraints. For the people who now live in Eastern Oregon, they could see some of their existing rights eliminated under Idaho law.

While, initially, such a move might be good for many people in Eastern Oregon, in the long run it could be nothing short of a boondoggle for Idaho.

Greater Idaho map Legislature Oregon

One of the proposed Greater Idaho maps, which calls for several Eastern Oregon counties to secede and join Idaho. (Courtesy of greateridaho.org)

The post The potential boondoggle of Greater Idaho appeared first on Idaho Capital Sun.
Power being restored to thousands after strong storms roll through Pittsburgh area

Power company crews have been busy restoring power overnight and have made a lot of progress after strong storms rolled through the area.

At the height of the storm, Duquesne Light reported more than 18,000 outages. That number was down to about 1,800 at 9:45 a.m.

West Penn Power reported about 20,000 outages late Wednesday. By 9:45 a.m., about 2,700 customers were still without power.

Click here for Duquesne Lights outage map.

Click here for West Penn Powers outage map.

Several schools altered plans for the day due to closed roads and power outages.

Strong winds brought down power lines all over the region, including on West North Avenue in Manchester, where a massive tree also fell onto at least three cars.

The road was still blocked Thursday morning.

In the Saxonburg area, several roads are closed due to downed trees and wires. They include sections of Dinnerbell Road, Golden City Road, Glade Mill Road, Route 356 and Hannahstown Road, Saxonburg Volunteer Fire Company says.

PennDOT announced that portions of the following roads are closed due to flooding.

Washington County

Route 1059 (Sugar Run Road) between Petticoat Lane and Cooper Road in Nottingham Township due to downed utility.

Route 2023 (Grange Road/Van Voorhis Hazelkirk Road/Bentleyville Road) between Ginger Hill Road and Shannon Road in Carroll Township due to downed tree in wires.

Westmoreland County

Route 1007 (Ross Mountain Park Road) between Mountain View Road in Fairfield Township and Shrum Hill Road in Saint Clair Township due to flooding.

Route 3021 (Webster Hollow Road/Salem Church Road) between Fellsburg Road and Route 51 (Elizabeth Perryopolis Road) in Rostraver Township due to downed tree in wires.

Route 3039 (Second Avenue/Robertson Road/Robertson Street/First Avenue) between Blackburn Street in West Newton Borough and Lowber Road in Sewickley Township due to downed tree in wires.

Motorists should never drive through flooded roadways, as it takes just two feet of fast-moving water to float a car, PennDOT advises.

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NAIROBI, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group said they have partnered on an ambitious effort to provide at least 300 million people in Africa with electricity access by 2030.

Under the collaboration, the World Bank Group will work to connect 250 million people to electricity through distributed renewable energy systems or the distribution grid, while the AfDB Group will support an additional 50 million people.

"Connecting 250 million people to electricity would open private sector investment opportunities in distributed renewable energy alone worth 9 billion U.S. dollars," the two lenders said in a statement released on Wednesday evening.

The lenders said the initiative could halve the number of people in Africa without electricity access.

According to the World Bank, 600 million Africans now lack access to electricity, creating significant barriers to health care, education, productivity, digital inclusivity, and ultimately job creation.

"This partnership is a demonstration of the determination of the World Bank Group and the AfDB Group to be bolder, bigger, and better in tackling one of the most pressing challenges in Africa," the two lenders said.

The World Bank said 30 billion dollars of public sector investment will be needed for the group to connect 250 million people.

Governments will also need to put in place policies to attract private investment and reform their utilities so that they are financially sound and efficient with tariff mechanisms that protect the poor, it said.

"Beyond that, there would be substantial opportunities for private investments in grid-connected renewable energy needed to power economies for growth," the lender said. 
The Nigerian Army announced the rescue of Lydia Simon, who says she was one of 276 girls kidnapped from their school in Chibok in 2014

Olukayode Jaiyeola/NurPhoto via Getty Images The #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) movement marks the 2000th day in 2016 of the Chibok girls' abduction by terrorist group Boko Haram

The Nigerian Army said Thursday that its soldiers rescued a pregnant mother of three who was once abducted by extremists a decade ago when she was a schoolgirl.



The army made the announcement about Lydia Simons dramatic rescue in a social media post on Thursday. The post included a photo of Simons and her children, who the army says were rescued by Nigerian troops in the area of Gwoza in Borno State.

The army said in its announcement that its troops acted on intelligence intercepted from the alleged extremists who were holding Simon. The extremists were armed with assault-style rifles and other dangerous weapons, according to the Nigerian Army. The Nigerian troops laid wait for the suspects and then engaged in a gun battle, killing three of Simons captors while rescuing her and her children.

Simon was one of 276 girls who were kidnapped from their school in Chibok in April 2014, according to The Associated Press. The outlet reports that about 82 of the girls who were kidnapped are still being held by extremists.

Lydia was five months pregnant at the time of her rescue, the Nigerian Army said in its social media post, adding that she informed her rescuers that she was from the school in Chibok after they saved her.

The 2014 kidnapping was one of the first in a series of mass school kidnappings in the region. The incident shocked the world and led to the #BringBackOurGirls campaign on social media, which called for the safe return of the nearly 300 schoolgirls abducted by extremists.

Dan Kitwood/Getty Images A woman holds a sign that reads 'Bring back our girls' during a protest outside Nigeria House

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.



Simons rescue comes days after the 10-year anniversary of the kidnapping. The AP recently reported that despite the high-profile kidnappings in the region over the last decade, schools in the country still have many security flaws.

Only about 43-percent of minimum safety standards are shown to have been met in more than 6,000 schools that were surveyed by the United Nations childrens agencys Nigeria office, according to the AP.

Yakubu Nkeki, the chairman of the Chibok girls parents association, told the AP the association has not yet been informed of Simons rescue and that officials are still waiting for a call from the government to inform them of Simons safe return.

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Read the original article on People.
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A massive jawbone found by a father-daughter fossil-collecting duo on a beach in Somerset along the English coast belonged to a newfound species thats likely the largest known marine reptile to swim in Earths oceans.

Scientists consider the blue whale, which grows up to 110 feet (33.5 meters) long, to be the largest known animal ever to exist on the planet. But its possible that the 202 million-year-old reptile, known as an ichthyosaur or fish lizard, may have rivaled it in size.

The ichthyosaurs jawbone, or surangular, was a long, curved bone at the top of the lower jaw just behind the teeth, and it measured more than 6.5 feet (2 meters) long. Researchers believe the creature, named Ichthyotitan severnensis, or giant fish lizard of the Severn in Latin, was more than 82 feet (25 meters) long, or the length of two city buses.

Justin and Ruby Reynolds, who live in Braunton, England, recovered the first pieces of the jawbone in May 2020 as they looked for fossils on the beach at Blue Anchor, Somerset. Ruby, 11 at the time, spotted the first chunk of bone, and then she and her dad found additional pieces together.

The remarkable find could shed more light on the prehistoric giants role in evolutionary history and the ocean ecosystem it called home, according to Marcello Perillo, a graduate student of evolutionary paleobiology at the University of Bonn in Germany. He is a coauthor of a new report describing the discovery that appeared Wednesday in the journal PLOS One.

Dr. Dean Lomax, Ruby Reynolds, Justin Reynolds and Paul de la Salle (from left) are shown with the fossil discovery in 2020. - Dean Lomax

Uncovering an unknown ichthyosaur

Encouraged at the thought that the fossil find could be significant, the Reynoldses reached out to Dr. Dean Lomax, a paleontologist at the University of Manchester and 1851 Research Fellow at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. An ichthyosaur expert, Lomax has named several species new to science in recent years.

Intrigued by the fossil, Lomax contacted fossil collector Paul de la Salle, who had found a giant ichthyosaur jawbone that looked remarkably similar in May 2016. De la Salle discovered the first jawbone about 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) away from Devon along the coast at Lilstock.

Lomax, who served as lead author of the new report, and coauthor de la Salle had studied the earlier find together and coauthored an April 2018 paper on the discovery, suspecting it might belong to a previously unknown ichthyosaur species. But the researchers needed additional evidence, and a second, nearly identical jawbone presented an opportunity to potentially confirm a new species.

To think that my discovery in 2016 would spark so much interest in these enormous creatures fills me with joy, de la Salle said. When I found the first jawbone, I knew it was something special. To have a second that confirms our findings is incredible. I am overjoyed.

Together, the Reynoldses, Lomax, de la Salle and others returned to Blue Anchor to search for additional fragments. The team recovered other pieces that fit together perfectly, like completing a puzzle.

When Ruby and I found the first two pieces we were very excited as we realised that this was something important and unusual, Justin Reynolds said in a statement. When I found the back part of the jaw, I was thrilled because that is one of the defining parts of Pauls earlier discovery.

The researchers reassembled the jawbone by October 2022.

I was amazed by the find, Lomax said in a statement. In 2018, my team (including Paul de la Salle) studied and described Pauls giant jawbone and we had hoped that one day another would come to light. This new specimen is more complete, better preserved, and shows that we now have two of these giant bones  called a surangular  that have a unique shape and structure. I became very excited, to say the least.

Piecing together a giant ichthyosaur

The bones date back to the end of the Triassic Period, during a time known as the Rhaetian when ichthyosaurs swam in the oceans and dinosaurs reigned on land.

The newly discovered jawbone is a better-quality specimen than the first, showcasing the features of the creatures surangular that makes it distinct from other species, Lomax said.

The jawbones of severnensis date back roughly 13 million years after giant icthyosaur fossils belonging to different species that were previously found in Canada and China.

Ichthyosaurs, which slightly resembled modern dolphins, first appeared about 250 million years ago. Over time, some of them evolved to have larger body sizes, and by 202 million years ago, ocean titans such as severnensis were likely the largest marine reptiles.

But scientists believe that the giant ichthyosaurs disappeared during an ocean acidification event that occurred around 200 million years ago, and surviving ichthyosaurs never grew to such gargantuan sizes again before vanishing 94 million years ago.

The researchers stressed that further evidence is needed to confirm the exact size of severnensis, and they remain hopeful that a complete skull or skeleton may be discovered in the future, Lomax said.

Coauthor Perillo of the University of Bonn studied the histology, or microscopic anatomy, of the ichthyosaur bones and discovered that the reptile was likely still growing at the time of its death, meaning an adult severnensis may have been larger than a blue whale.

The nearly complete giant jawbone is shown along with the jawbone (middle and bottom) found by Paul de la Salle in 2016. - Dean Lomax

Histology can reveal the hidden biological information in fossilized bones, revealing how individual animals developed and adapted to specialized lifestyles, he said. For example, some ichthyosaurs had bones that helped them dive deep or live in shallow waters.

Through the histology we can also understand how fast and for how long they grew; in the case of (the ichthyosaur) we could not see convincing signs indicating a stoppage of growth, Perillo said. This supports the idea that, had the animal not died, it likely would have kept getting larger, over its estimated 25 meters. So much about these giants is still shrouded by mystery, but one fossil at a time we will be able to unravel their secret.

Uncovering the history of marine reptiles is crucial to understanding ancient ocean ecosystems because the creatures filled various niches and shaped ocean food chains, Perillo said, creating competition and a never-ending spiral of evolution.

From them we can understand how evolutionary laws shaped life, what led life to be what it is now, he said. We can understand how changes in the environment recoil on ecological communities and predict future ecological developments in our current environment.

The future of paleontology

Paleontologist Mary Anning and her older brother, Joseph, discovered the first known ichthyosaur fossils in 1811 and 1812, decades before the word dinosaur was even part of our lexicon. Since then, fossils belonging to more than 100 species of ichthyosaurs have been identified around the world.

An illustration depicts a washed-up Ichthyotitan severnensis carcass on the beach. - Sergey Krasovskiy

The discovery made by the Reynoldses and de la Salle will soon be displayed at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery in the UK.

It was so cool to discover part of this gigantic ichthyosaur. I am very proud to have played a part in a scientific discovery like this, Ruby Reynolds said in a statement.

Lomax said he has enjoyed working with fossil collectors in recent years because he believes paleontology is a scientific field in which anyone can make a significant contribution.

For Ruby Reynolds, not only did she find this important fossil but also helped to name a type of gigantic prehistoric reptile, Lomax said in an email. There are probably not many 15-year-olds who can say that! A Mary Anning in the making, perhaps. But, whether or not Ruby goes down the path of palaeontology or science, the important thing is that she and Justin and Paul have contributed immensely to palaeontology and our understanding of the ancient world.

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Video above: Biden touts his administrations accomplishments

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  President Joe Biden is set to visit Tampa next week.

The President will stop by Tampa on Tuesday, April 23, according to a news release from the White House.

The White House did not provide additional information about why Biden is going to be in town.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. takes the stage at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox Aug. 12. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, will appear on the presidential ballot in Michigan following their nomination from the Natural Law Party.

Angela Benander, director of communications and media relations for Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, confirmed via text message that the party had filed documents for Kennedy to appear on the ballot in Michigan.

Kennedy  the son of former U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy and former Sen. Ted Kennedy  initially launched a campaign for the Democratic nomination, before dropping his bid to run as an independent. He is known for his work as an environmental lawyer, as well as an anti-vaccine advocate.

According to Kennedys campaign, he will also appear on the ballot in Utah and has gathered the signatures needed to appear on the ballot in New Hampshire, Nevada, Hawaii, North Carolina, Idaho, Nebraska and Iowa.

Democrats are expected to nominate President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Former President Donald Trump is on track to be the GOPs nominee once again. He has not selected a running mate.

The post Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to appear on Michigan ballot appeared first on Michigan Advance.
Primanti Bros. is celebrating a repeat victory in the Coolest Thing Made in Pa. contest by offering a special promotion.

The company announced it will be offering Almost Famous sandwiches for 2 cents at all locations from April 19 to April 21.

Its really a great way for us to cap off what was a year-long celebration of our 90th Anniversary, said Adam Golomb, CEO, Primanti Bros. We honored that our home state of Pennsylvania is still rooting for us.

>> Thanks #SlawNation!: Primanti Bros. sandwich named Coolest Thing Made in Pa. for 2nd straight year

The Pittsburgh-based Primanti Bros. sandwich went toe-to-toe with Hersheys beloved chocolate and peanut butter concoction, the Reeses Peanut Butter Cup in the final round of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industrys Coolest Thing Made in Pa. competition. The classic yinzer sandwich came away with the win for the second year in a row.

Win once - maybe its a fluke. Win twice - and maybe we really are the coolest thing made in Pennsylvania, said Golomb Were excited to offer this awesome deal to all the fans who voted us to victory.

To get the deal, customers must first purchase a sandwich at full price. The offer is available for dine-in and take-out. Customers will need to head to the Primanti Bros. website to grab the coupon or use code 2CENTS for online orders, the company said.

>> Primantis vs. peanut butter cups: Final round of voting begins for 2024 Coolest Thing Made in Pa.

The Pa. Chamber said this years contest generated over 95,000 votes via the PA Chambers X and Instagram pages and amassed more than one million social media impressions. With 130 print and broadcast stories published and aired about the Coolest Thing Made in PA, the competition had an audience reach of more than three million Pennsylvanians.

The competition featured 64 teams across various industries, in every region of the Commonwealth. Nominees were determined following months of public input.

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(Getty Images)

State Rep. Jared Solomon and Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer led the fundraising race in the five-way Democratic primary for Pennsylvania attorney general, according to reports published this week.

The race for the Republican attorney general nomination has generated less heat but York County District Attorney Dave Sunday out-raised and outspent his opponent, state Rep. Craig Williams several times over and received a big boost from GOP mega donor Jeffrey Yass.

The attorney general is often considered the second most powerful elected official in the commonwealth. As the states top legal official, the attorney general steers criminal justice policy, investigates and prosecutes crime and serves as a consumer watchdog. Two of the last three elected attorneys general went on to serve as governor.

There are also contested Democratic primaries for the states other two row offices, auditor general and state treasurer. State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D-Philadelphia) and Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley are seeking the nomination for auditor general. State Rep. Ryan Bizzarro (D-Erie) and Erin McCelland of Allegheny County are running for the treasurer nomination.

The winners of those races will go on to face incumbent Republicans, Auditor General Timothy DeFoor and Treasurer Stacy Garrity, who dont have primary challenges.

Gov. Josh Shapiros appointee for his unexpired term as attorney general, Michelle Henry, is not seeking election. The open statewide office attracted a crowded slate for the Democratic primary.

In addition to Solomon and Stollsteimer, the candidates are former Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, former Bucks County Solicitor Joe Khan, and former Philadelphia chief public defender Keir Bradford-Gray.

Solomon raised $363,000 in the latest campaign finance reporting period, from March 5 through April 8. On top of his fundraising efforts earlier this year, that gave Solomon more than $1.4 million. His spending topped $1 million, including more than $660,000 on advertising time.

Notable donors to Solomons campaign include the political action committee backed by the distributors, manufacturers and operators of Pennsylvania Skill games. Shapiro has proposed regulating and taxing the slot-machine-like games, which are the subject of a state Supreme Court case over their legality. Jeffrey Millay, the CEO of Miele Manufacturing, which builds the machines donated a further $5,000.

Stollsteimer raised $353,000 to bring his war chest to $872,000. His campaign spent $637,000, of which $548,000 was for television advertising, his latest report says.

Labor unions were Stollsteimers largest contributors, with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98 in Philadelphia donating $50,000, and the Bricklayers and Steamfitters unions each contributing $25,000.

Khan raised $277,000, giving his campaign $619,000 to work with. The committee spent $479,000. Khans top donors included the Democratic leadership political action committee Impact PA, fellow attorneys, state Rep. Nikil Savals (D-Philadelphia) campaign, and auditor general candidate Siegels campaign.

Bradford-Gray raised $115,000 bringing her total available during the reporting period to $229,000 and spent $134,000. Her top donors included EMILYs List, a PAC that supports women candidates in favor of abortion rights with $10,000, and the Laborers union with $15,000.

DePasquale raised $88,000 for a total of $226,000 available during the reporting period. His campaign spent $132,000.

Sunday, who received the Pennsylvania Republican Partys nomination for attorney general, raised $122,000 to give his campaign $299,000 during the reporting period. He spent only $26,000, but the Commonwealth Leaders Fund spent $301,000 on behalf of Sundays campaign. The fund is largely supported by Yass, the founder of Susquehanna International Group, who is a proponent of school vouchers.

Williams raised about $7,000 and spent $24,575 of the $121,000 available during the reporting period.

In the Democratic primary for auditor general, Kenyatta, who is also running for reelection to his state House seat, raised $60,000 and spent $84,000 of the $196,000 his campaign had available. Pinsley raised $15,000 and spent $23,000 of the $76,000 on hand during the reporting period.

Bizzarro raised $101,000 and spent $271,000 of the $531,000 his campaign had available. Notable contributors included the IBEW with $20,000 and the bricklayers and operating engineers unions, with donations of $10,000 each.

The post The primaries for Pa.s statewide row offices are drawing big money, including the GOPs Yass appeared first on Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
Prince Harry cuts ties with UK as he formally makes the US his home

Prince Harry cuts ties with UK as he formally makes the US his home

Prince Harry has changed his primary country of residence from the UK to the US, according to official documents.

The Duke of Sussex also appears to have backdated his official American residency to the day he was booted out of Frogmore Cottage, in an apparant swipe at his father, King Charles, and brother William.

The change of address was filed for his eco firm Travalyst, on Wednesday, although the date of change listed is June 29 last year, the date he was asked by the King to to return the keys to his Windsor bolthole.

Updated Company House records filed this week indicated that Harry declared the United States his new country of residence, dashing rumours that he was planning a return to frontline duties amid cancer battles for Charles and Kate.

He and Meghan moved to California in 2020 after quitting Britain and stepping down as working royals.

Frogmore Cottage had been a wedding gift to the pair from the late Queen Elizabeth, therefore when Charles is said to have asked the pair to leave - a decision that laid bare the deterioration of their relationship - it left his youngest son deeply wounded.

Publically available documents from Companies House demonstrate that Prince Henry Charles Albert David Duke of Sussex changed his New Country/State Usually Resident to the United States on June 29.

Prince Harry has not had a UK address in almost a year (REUTERS)

It is believed that prior to being asked to leave, Prince Harry wanted to keep a base in his home country.

Phil Dampier, a Royal author, told The Sun: Charles and William knew it had to be done to emphasise Harry and Meghan were outside The Firm but he probably still thought he could keep a base here. Now hes shown he accepts his life is in the US.

The Duke of Sussex has since said that he has considered becoming an American citizen, but this would cost him his Royal titles.

The thought has crossed my mind but not a high priority right now, he admitted on Good Morning America earlier this year.

The news comes amid a highly-publicised review of Prince Harrys visa application.

It is being reviewed in private after the prince made candid revelations about his prior drug use in his 2023 memoir Spare.

Prince Harrys visa is currently being reviewed after he admitted to taking various drugs (REUTERS)

He wrote: Psychedelics did me some good as well. Id experimented with them over the years, for fun, but now Id begun to use them therapeutically, medicinally. They didnt simply allow me to escape reality for a while.

This prompted an investigation into whether or not he lied on his application, as questions about prior drug use must be answered by potential US residents.

The Heritage Foundation, a think tank group, subsequently launched a lawsuit against the prince to get to the bottom of the matter.

A representative for the group said: [The case] comes about in the main because HRH [His Royal Highness] voluntarilyand for immense profitadmitted in writing to the elements of any number of controlled substance violations.

The Independent has reached out to a representative for Prince Harry for comment.
Prince Harry listed the United States as his permanent residence in a business filing this week. File Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI

April 18 (UPI) -- Britain's Prince Harry listed the United States as his primary residence in a business filing.

In a filing Wednesday in Companies House, the government agency that lists public documents for privately-owned businesses in Britain, Harry wrote "new country/state usually resident: United States," using his full name Henry Charles Albert David Duke of Sussex.

Harry and his wife Meghan Markle live in Santa Barbara, Calif., with their children Archie and Lilibet.

He made the filing for Travalyst, his eco-tourism organization he created before leaving Britain. He listed the date for the change in address as June 29, 2023.

Meghan Markle launched her own lifestyle brand this week by sending strawberry jelly to select influencers across the United States, labeled American Riviera Orchard -- Montecito.

Harry has traveled back to Britain several times since his move to California. One of his latest trips came in February when his father, King Charles III was diagnosed with cancer.

He was also in London to testify in one of his legal battles against various British tabloids for illegally gathering information about him.
A man whose 1976 attempted murder convictions were finally vacated in January is suing Jacksonville over police secretly building their case on testimony from a man a detective had hypnotized.

Willie L. Williams Jr. spent almost 45 years in prison as an innocent man, argues a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Jacksonvilles federal court.

Hypnotizing witnesses wasnt forbidden when Williams was convicted of shooting two people in the head during a holdup at a Westside produce business, although Floridas Supreme Court later decided that testimony offered after hypnosis was unreliable and inadmissible.

Williams conviction was overturned because neither he nor his lawyers had been told that hypnosis was used before a man who initially said he didnt remember anything instead identified Williams as the man who shot him.

Willie L. Williams Jr. had two 1976 attempted murder convictions vacated in January. Now he's suing Jacksonville because police used an identification from a man who said he couldn't remember anything before a detecitve hypnotized him.

After 43 years: FREE AT LAST

Not disclosing the hypnosis violated a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that defendants are entitled to know evidence they could use to argue their innocence, and created the basis for the lawsuit filed this week.

The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office in the 1970s deliberately chose not to adopt any or adequate policies on officers obligations to disclose exculpatory and impeachment evidence, argues the lawsuit, which notes that requirement became part of federal case law in 1963.

Not having disclosure rules posed an obvious risk of violation of the constitutional rights of Mr. Williams and other criminal defendants, the suit argues, saying that led to Williams serving a life sentence until he was released on parole at age 75 in 2020.

After being paroled, Williams convinced the State Attorneys Office to examine his case through its conviction integrity review division. He argued he had simply given a ride to another man, Alfred Mitchell, who had claimed he needed to pick up a check at the produce business and that Williams never entered the business and had no idea a robbery was planned.

Legal puzzles: Overturned convictions raise questions

Both Williams and Mitchell were in Williams car during a police chase begun by a hit-and-run accident that followed the shootings.

Williams bailed out of the car after another accident near downtown and was quickly arrested. Mitchell ran into a nearby house, shot himself in the head and died.

The lawsuit says the same gun used in the produce shootings had been used in another robbery-murder two weeks earlier and that police concluded Mitchell had carried out that killing alone.

Despite that, the lawsuit argues, police working the produce shooting reached an agreement to paint Mr. Williams as the shooter despite all evidence to the contrary.

Besides the city, the lawsuit accuses six police officers, two of whom have since died, of building an entirely false case against Mr. Williams by fabricating evidence  and suppressing exculpatory evidence.

State Attorneys Office spokesman David Chapman said that while the agency had found that state didnt disclose evidence it should have, that doesnt mean police were conspiring to pin false charges on Williams.

When the original conviction was vacated, prosecutors could have taken Williams to trial a second time but didnt have the witnesses to make a case from almost 50 years ago, Chapman said in emailed remarks.

With the passage of time and the loss of critical witnesses, the State could not proceed. During our investigation, there were no findings to support a claim of exoneration, innocence, or that law enforcement conspired against Mr. Williams, Chapman said.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Locked up 44 years in shootings, Jacksonville man sues after case vacated
Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with President-elect of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta, Indonesia, April 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)

JAKARTA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Indonesia to jointly uphold the hard-won peace and stability of the region, visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Thursday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with Indonesia's President-elect Prabowo Subianto.

Extending congratulations on Prabowo's victory in the presidential election, Wang expressed confidence that the president-elect will lead Indonesia to a brighter future.

Prabowo's decision to prioritize China for his first official visit after being elected demonstrates his friendly sentiments towards the Chinese people and the high importance he places on China-Indonesia relations, Wang said.

China has always regarded Indonesia as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy and a reliable partner in global affairs, the foreign minister said.

The unity and cooperation between China and Indonesia enhance global development, contribute to peace and stability, and drive the process of global multipolarization, Wang said.

China is committed to building higher levels of strategic mutual trust with Indonesia, fostering comprehensive cooperation, supporting each other's modernization efforts, and elevating their comprehensive strategic partnership to new heights, Wang said.

Noting that China supports Indonesia in playing a greater role in international and regional affairs, the foreign minister emphasized that China is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Indonesia to jointly uphold the hard-won peace and stability of the region.

Both countries will promote equitable and orderly multipolarization worldwide, leading the way in building a community with a shared future for mankind, Wang added.

For his part, Prabowo thanked the Chinese side for the warm and thoughtful arrangements for his visit which was short but impressive and beneficial.

China is a good friend of Indonesia, Prabowo said, adding that he hopes to continuously push forward bilateral strategic cooperation at a higher level and upgrade the bilateral relations.

Prabowo said that China has always upheld justice in international and regional affairs, providing selfless assistance to developing countries. Strengthening coordination between Indonesia and China will certainly have a positive impact on stability and prosperity of the region and the world at large. 
Hkalam Samson poses for photography together with his wife after his release from the prison in Myintkyina township in Kachin state, Myanmar on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Hkalam Samson, prominent Christian church leader and human rights advocate from Myanmars Kachin ethnic minority, was detained by the authorities just hours after he was released from prison under an amnesty by the military government, a relative, a colleague and local media said Thursday, April 18, 2024.(AP Photo)

BANGKOK (AP)  A prominent Christian church leader and human rights advocate from Myanmars Kachin ethnic minority was detained by the authorities just hours after he was released from prison under an amnesty by the military government, a relative, a colleague and local media said Thursday.

The Rev. Hkalam Samson, former head of the Kachin Baptist Convention and chairman of the Kachin National Consultative Assembly, was among the 3,300 prisoners released nationwide on Wednesday to mark the traditional Thingyan New Year holiday. The assembly is an umbrella organization uniting religious and civil society groups with political organizations promoting Kachin rights, including autonomy from Myanmar's central government.

Kachin state, in northern Myanmar, has been the scene of intermittent warfare for decades between the army and well-organized and -armed Kachin guerrillas.

Samson had been warmly welcomed by family and friends outside the gate of the prison in the Kachin state capital, Myitkyina, when he was released early Wednesday afternoon.

At around 10 p.m. Wednesday, however, security forces and officials came to his home in the city and took him away, said one of his relatives, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she feared arrest by the authorities.

She said members of his family were told by the authorities that they were taking him temporarily for his safety. She added that his family, friends and members of other local Christian communities were seeking updated information and to get him released.

A member of the Kachin Baptist Convention told The Associated Press that Samson's wife, Zung Nyaw, and a member of the Kachin-based Peace-talk Creation Group were taken together with him to Myitkyina prison, where Samson had been held for 16 months.

The Baptist Convention member, who also spoke on condition of anonymity for safety reasons, said that the three were taken after being told they needed to answer a few questions. No further explanation was given.

Samson is a prominent advocate of the human rights of the ethnic and religious minorities in Myanmar and in 2019 was part of a delegation that met then-U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House to discuss the militarys abuse of ethnic minorities. He was detained in December 2022 while preparing to fly to Thailand for a health checkup, and in April last year was handed a six-year prison term after being convicted of violating laws on unlawful association, incitement and counter-terrorism.

Christians make up about 6% of Myanmars overwhelmingly Buddhist population, but about 34% of Kachin's estimated 1.7 million population.

Human rights groups said minority religions including Christians have been significantly persecuted in Myanmar since an army takeover in 2021, when the military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and suppressed nonviolent protests, triggering armed resistance that has led to civil war.

Kachin guerrillas have played a large role in the resistance movemen t uniting armed ethnic minority groups with pro-democracy fighters who organized against military rule.

In March, another Baptist pastor was shot dead at the computer shop where he worked in Mogaung township, in Kachin, U.S. Government funded Radio Free Asia reported last month.

Its report said 47-year-old Nammye Hkun Jaw Li, also from the Kachin Baptist Convention, had been active in protests against the military, and as a local community religious leader.

A former township executive of the KBC, he was also active with a grassroots anti-drug organization called Pat Jasan, which is controversial for allegedly employing violence as part of its drug eradication activities.

Frontier areas in Myanmar have historically been major areas for drug production, especially the region where its borders meet with those of Laos and Thailand, known as the Golden Triangle. Opium, used to make heroin, used to be the major illicit product. In recent decades it has been supplanted by methamphetamine, trafficked all over Asia and beyond, but as war in Myanmar has disrupted law enforcement and farmers' abilities to grow food crops, opium and heroin production have rebounded.

The military government also announced this week that Myanmars jailed former leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been moved from prison to house arrest as a health measure due to a heat wave, Suu Kyi, 78, and Win Myint, the 72-year-old former president of her ousted government, were among the elderly and infirm prisoners moved to house arrest because of the severe heat, military spokesperson Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun told foreign media representatives.

___

Follow AP's Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific
German far-right politician of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) Bjoern Hoecke, centre, attends his trial in the state court in Halle, Germany, Thursday, April 18, 2024. Bjoern Hoecke, goes on trial at the state court in Halle on charges related to his alleged use in a 2021 speech of a slogan used by the Nazis' SA stormtroopers. (Fabrizio Bensch/Pool via AP)

HALLE, Germany (AP)  One of the most prominent figures in the far-right Alternative for Germany party went on trial Thursday on charges of using a Nazi slogan, months before a regional election in which he plans to run to become his state's governor.

Bjorn Hocke, 52, is the leader of the regional branch of Alternative for Germany, or AfD, in the eastern state of Thuringia and a powerful figure on the partys hard right.

While never formally a national leader of AfD, the former history teacher has been consistently influential as the 11-year-old party steadily headed further right and ousted several comparatively moderate leaders.

At the trial at the state court in Halle, he is charged with using symbols of unconstitutional organizations. He is accused of ending a speech in nearby Merseburg in May 2021 with the words Everything for Germany!

Prosecutors contend he was aware of the origin of the phrase as a slogan of the Nazis' SA stormtroopers, but Hocke argued that it is an everyday saying.

Using symbols of unconstitutional organizations can carry a fine or a prison sentence of up to three years. Four court sessions have been scheduled through May 14.

Demonstrators gathered outside the court building before the trial opened, with banners including Bjorn Hocke is a Nazi and Stop AfD! About 570 protesters turned out, according to police.

The court last week added a second count of using the same phrase to the Halle trial, but decided shortly before proceedings started to try that separately because Hockes defense lawyers recently changed, German news agency dpa reported. In that case, prosecutors allege that he repeated the offense at a party event in Gera last December, in certain knowledge" that using the slogan is a criminal offense.

They say that Hocke said Everything for ... and encouraged the audience to shout Germany!

There are no formal pleas in the German legal system, and defendants aren't obliged to respond to the charges. Hocke's defense team said after the indictment was read Thursday that he would respond and answer questions from prosecutors at a later point.

Hocke insisted in a debate with a conservative rival last week that he wasnt aware Everything for Germany! was a Nazi slogan and claimed that many others have used it. Everyone out there knows its an everyday saying, he said on Welt television.

Hocke has led AfD's regional branch in Thuringia since 2013, the year the party was founded, and its group in the state legislature in Erfurt since it first won seats there in 2014.

He once called the Holocaust memorial in Berlin a monument of shame and called for Germany to perform a 180-degree turn in how it remembers its past. A party tribunal in 2018 rejected a bid to have him expelled.

Hocke's regional branch of AfD is now one of three that the domestic intelligence agency has under official surveillance as a proven right-wing extremist group.

Wolfgang Schroeder, a political science professor at the Berlin Social Science Center, said Hocke has become an increasingly important figure in AfD and the front man of a radicalization project in the party. He said that people vote for the party in part out of protest, in part out of conviction.

AfD is particularly strong in the formerly communist east and is in first place in polls in Thuringia before a state election on Sept. 1, with recent surveys showing support of 29-to-31%.

It's unlikely that any other party will agree to work with Hocke and put him in the governor's office, but AfD's strength has made forming governing coalitions in the state enormously complicated.

Hocke also faces a second trial, for which dates haven't yet been set, on charges of incitement related to a 2022 post on Telegram about a crime in the western city of Ludwigshafen.

___

Geir Moulson reported from Berlin.
Rep. Jeff Thompson, R-Lizton, addresses excess levy appeals and school referendums at a April 17, 2024 meeting of the tax reform task force. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

The chief budget architect for the Indiana House of Representatives outlined property tax concerns Wednesday for the next legislative session, with a focus on school referendums and the use of excess levy appeals.

Other topics included: remonstrance petitions, the maximum levy growth quotient formula and debt thresholds. Many were issues Rep. Jeff Thompson, the chair of the fiscal-minded Ways and Means Committee, attempted to address during the 2023 session but couldnt come to an agreement with senators.

Im working toward simplicity, Thompson said after his presentation before the State and Local Tax Review Task Force. (But) I dont think we can solve it all in a single session. Ive come to the conclusion that it is so massive that youve got to take  (a) series of steps.

Warning on ag land

Thompson warned members of the panel that were going to have a significant increase in the assessed value of farm ground.

To determine the agricultural base rate for a given assessment year, the Department of Local Government Finance calculates a rolling average using six years of capitalized net operating income and net cash rent. The highest value of the six is dropped from the formula, and the remaining five years are averaged to determine a base rate.

For 2024, the base rate was determined to be $2,280 per acre, which is $380 per acre higher than for the 2023 assessment year.

An increase in assessed value doesnt automatically mean an increase in a farmers property tax bill but it can.

Thompson said he estimates that base rate for agricultural land could soon jump to $3,100 because of the nature of the rolling average.

And so were going to see a shift to farm ground. Its on its way based upon the current formula. And so I just think its a policy issue. Do we want to allow that to happen or not to happen? he asked.

Excess levy appeals and school funding

Thompson also examined the last three years of growth in excess levy appeals. Indiana communities can seek property tax levies beyond traditional caps when property values increase at a faster rate than the state average.

A boom in assessed values during the COVID-19 pandemic drove up maximum levy appeals as local government units sought to pay for schools, fire protection and more. But while the number of appeals didnt change much between 2022 and 2023, Thompson noted that the amount approved nearly quadrupled.

 what these levy appeals really do, a lot of times, is just shift around who receives the money. The taxpayers dont pay any more, Thompson said.

Thats partly because a large portion of payers, 90% in some areas, are already at their caps. But Thompson said he didnt consider this growth to be one of the biggest areas of concern.

Instead, he pointed to rate-based school operating referenda that arent subject to maximum levy growth limitations nor curbed by circuit breaker limitations.

This means that when a homeowners assessed value increases, schools will see a funding bump unless they decrease their tax rates  and taxpayers will see their referendum property tax bills increase.

In most cases, thats worked pretty well until we hit 2022 (taxes paid in) 2023  we had a significant increase in the amount of the statewide levy, Thompson said. Part of it was tied to  not all of it, now  was the huge amount of increase in assessed value.

Such referendums are approved by taxpayers, Thompson acknowledged, but homeowners dont always anticipate double-digit jumps in assessed values that will drive up tax bills when voting to approve a referendum.

A slide from Rep. Jeff Thompsons property tax presentation illustrates why capping some school referenda is needed.

A 2023 bill authored by Thompson implemented a cap that limited increases to a typical 5-6%. Follow-up action in 2024 extended that for some but allowed more flexibility for growing school corporations.

But Thompson warned that if the cap wasnt extended out to 2030, property owners were projected to see a 14.2% jump in 2025 taxes paid in 2026.

Rep. Greg Porter, an Indianapolis Democrat, wondered if some voters approved referenda on a more conceptual basis, rather than the line item, to prioritize better teacher wages and educational advancement in their communities.

I think people dont necessarily try to sit back and calculate your assessed values  unless youre trying to sell your home  but theyre just looking at the overall situation in regards to educational attainment or outcomes, Porter said. I understand what youre saying but the argument on the other end is what the intent of that said voter (was).

Thompson repeated his concern about a 15% increase for homeowners but said that, as a former teacher, even he understood that sometimes the standard 6% increase wasnt enough for some schools.

Proposals for change

Cris Johnston, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, said he personally thought that maybe the referenda should be levy based instead of rate based.

But the average taxpayer, I dont think, understands property tax levies. So the rate is something they can understand a little bit better Johnston said.

Adding so much more context to educate a voter on the complexity might make a ballot question about approving a referendum pretty wordy, Thompson said.

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Another problem, Thompson said, occurred when corporations resorted to bonding debt due to poor governance, which hurt taxpayers.

But Indianapolis Democrat Sen. Fady Qaddoura said he saw issues as more systemic and the result of decades-long plans to divert public school funding to other areas, like charters or private school vouchers.

I (cant) help but think this is a very complex problem and I feel that we are dealing with the symptoms. All of this discussion today has been dealing with symptoms of the problem, he said.

Indeed, Qaddoura urged pulling away from property taxes as a source of local funding for schools. Property taxes from wealthier communities can generate more funding than those in low-income areas, for example. Indiana adopted a hybrid approach that combines state dollars with local property taxes to offset that disparity but some say it doesnt do enough.

I hope that there will be a day that there are no property taxes in the state of Indiana used to fund our schools and we can look at state-level funding, he said.

Qaddoura said referendums were a symptom of unfunded needs for school corporations.

The two-year task force is working overall to reform Indianas tax system with a particular focus on income, sales and property taxes.

Editor-in-Chief Niki Kelly contributed to this story.

The post Property taxes in the tax reform spotlight appeared first on Indiana Capital Chronicle.
Prosecutor's Office: At least 543 children have been killed in Ukraine since start of full-scale invasion

At least 1,839 children have been killed or injured since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office reported on April 18.

According to the prosecutors' calculations, at least 543 have been killed and 1,296 children have suffered injuries of varying severity.

Most of the casualties among children, 529, were recorded in Donetsk Oblast.

Apart from that, 346 cases of casualties have been confirmed in Kharkiv Oblast, 150 in Kherson Oblast, 131 in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, 130 in Kyiv Oblast, 108 in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and 103 in Mykolaiv Oblast.

A Russian attack on April 15 on the city of Tokmak in Zaporizhzhia Oblast killed a 9-year-old boy. The day before, a 16-year-old girl was injured after a Russian shell exploded near her home in the village of Kizomys in Kherson Oblast.

Four children, aged from 13 to 17, also were wounded during a Russian missile attack on Chernihiv on April 17. In total, 78 people were injured and 18 killed after this strike.

Russia's war of aggression has taken a staggering toll on Ukraine's civilian population.

The U.N. said on April 10 it that it had recorded almost 11,000 civilians killed and over 20,500 injured. The real number is likely higher, as Russia prevents international monitoring in the occupied areas that suffered the heaviest destruction, like Mariupol.

Read also: Why does everyone have 2 legs but me? Children learn to live with prosthetics after being injured by Russias war

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Prosecutors seek to ask Trump about civil fraud, E. Jean Carroll cases and more if he testifies in hush money case

Prosecutors from the Manhattan district attorney's office said in a court filing Wednesday that they plan to ask Donald Trump about the costly verdicts and findings of wrongdoing in his numerous civil cases if the former president decides to testify in the criminal case  though the permissibility of that line of questioning remains to be seen.

The prosecutors said they intend to ask Trump about the judgment in New York Attorney General Letitia James' civil fraud suit against him and his company, as well as a pair of verdicts in lawsuits brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. The judgments in the three cases total almost $550 million and include findings that Trump committed fraud in the AG's case and that he is liable for sexual abuse and defamation in the Carroll case.

District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office also plans to mention findings by the judge in the civil fraud case that Trump violated a gag order and "testified untruthfully under oath" during the trial.

Prosecutors said they want to be able to bring up those findings  which Trump is appealing  "to impeach the credibility of the defendant" if he takes the witness stand.

Trump said last week he "absolutely" plans to testify but is under no obligation to do so.

If he does take the stand, prosecutors would also like to ask him about the verdict in the DA's successful criminal tax fraud prosecution of the Trump Organization and a settlement his Trump Foundation struck with the AG's office in 2019. A federal judge ordered Trump to pay $2 million in damages in that case after the foundation admitted in a settlement that Trump had misused foundation funds to help his 2016 presidential campaign, settle personal legal disputes and buy portraits of himself.

They also want Judge Juan Merchan to allow them to ask about a Trump lawsuit against Hillary Clinton and others that resulted in Trump and one of his lawyers being sanctioned and ordered to pay $937,989 in fees for filing a frivolous, bad-faith lawsuit. The judge in that case handed down the penalty after having found that "Mr. Trump is a prolific and sophisticated litigant who is repeatedly using the courts to seek revenge on political adversaries. He is the mastermind of strategic abuse of the judicial process, and he cannot be seen as a litigant blindly following the advice of a lawyer. He knew full well the impact of his actions."

Prosecutors made the disclosure ahead of a type of hearing called a Sandoval hearing, which is tentatively scheduled for Friday. Sandoval hearings are designed to allow defendants to make informed decisions about whether to testify by providing pretrial determinations of the permissible scope of cross-examination by prosecutors.

Trump's attorneys told the judge in a letter last month that they will argue the DA's office should be barred "from asking about these items."

The trial, the first criminal trial against a former president, was off Wednesday, but it resumes with jury selection Thursday. Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment to a porn star during the closing days of the 2016 presidential election. He faces up to four years in prison if he is convicted.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
HAZLE TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  State police say they arrested a man for interfering with a traffic stop by refusing to record the stop from the other side of the road.

At 5:46 p.m. on April 12, state police say they were conducting a traffic stop when 56-year-old Mario Castro, from Freeland, approached the stop to record what was happening.

State police say this is not the first time they have encountered Castro recording their investigations. State police say they arrested Castro on October 9, 2022, for recording their interview with a missing juvenile victim despite investigators telling him not to record it. This case is still in the court system and has not been resolved.

Black Rock Brewing Company awaiting inspection

After approaching the traffic stop, troopers say Castro began talking to the three people in the car causing officials to divide their attention between the two parties. Troopers on the scene say they told Castro he was free to record the traffic stop as long as he moved to the other side of the road.

Despite asking him to move several times, authorities say Castro refused to move and continued to divert attention towards himself. Due to this, officials say they were unable to complete the traffic stop.

Arrest documents show that state troopers arrested Castro after being unable to complete the stop.

According to the criminal complaint, Castro refused to listen to commands to sit down while at PSP-Hazleton because he said, Im not a [expletive] dog. The complaint continued to say that Castro caused a scene forcing a 911 operator to put an active 911 call on hold to call their supervisor to take care of the situation.

Troopers say they tried to, guide the defendant into a chair, to prevent further escalation. As law enforcement tried to get Castro to sit down, Castro allegedly fell backward and was unable to get up due to being handcuffed. Once he got in a chair, state police say he threw himself on the floor and requested EMS.

When troopers attempted to help, they say Castro refused.

Troopers are charging Castro with one count of obstructing the administration of law for his actions at the traffic stop and one count of disorderly conduct for his actions at PSP-Hazleton.

Castros next court date is June 17.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.
NEW PHILADELPHIA, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Tips is now offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the solving of the murders of two New Philadelphia teens in October 2023.

PSP Troop L  Frackville Station is investigating the double homicide that occurred in New Philadelphia Borough, Schuylkill County on Sunday, October 8, 2023.

PSP says two suspects and the two victims, 18-year-old, Hunter Mock, and 16-year-old Angelito Caraballo made plans to go shooting at around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday in a heavily wooded area called, The Sanchez.

Troopers say all four men remained in the area for a short time before Mock was shot once in the head and Caraballo was stabbed several times.

Courtesy: PSP Tips

According to investigators, both Mock and Caraballo were pronounced dead at the scene.

New Philadelphia teens last seen before murder

Suspect 1 left the wooded area, returned to his vehicle, and fled toward New Philadelphia Borough.

19-year-old, Lamour Branch, who was also at The Sanchez, that night, fled through the woods, swam through several bodies of water, and later arrived at a nearby residence seeking assistance from the homeowners.

Branch was arrested as investigators released the search warrant on the homicide case and in it, police claimed Branch was allegedly involved in the incident. However, troopers have never named Branch as a suspect.

According to court documents, Branch was released from prison after his bail was reduced during a hearing to $10,000.

A preliminary hearing was scheduled on December 5 for the charges of burglary, criminal trespass, and criminal mischief from a different case.

Anyone with information is urged to contact PSP Frackville at 570-874-5300 or anonymously contact the PSP Tips toll-free number at 1-800-4PA-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online at the p3tips website.

All callers to PSP Tips remain anonymous and could be eligible for a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest, the solving of a crime/cold case, or the location of a wanted person/fugitive or missing person.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.
Shaky foundations. Thats how Dr Hilary Cass characterised the ground that gender medicine was built on in this country. In a health system where clinicians are typically cautious, where emerging areas are treated carefully and medicines well-regulated, the Cass Review into the gender identity clinic at the Tavistock Centre, in London, determined quite the reverse had been true when it came to gender care for children.

Of the myriad holes Cass exposed  from the lack of evidence underpinning the guidelines for managing gender dysphoria, to the insufficient studies supporting the use of hormone treatment  perhaps the most striking were her findings on puberty blockers. The use of the drugs (historically prescribed to pause symptoms in very young children experiencing precocious puberty) was informed by a single, Dutch medical study, which, Cass said, suggested puberty blockers may improve psychological wellbeing for a narrowly defined group of children with gender incongruence.

Some practitioners abandoned normal clinical approaches to holistic assessment which has meant that this group of young people have been exceptionalised compared to other young people with similarly complex presentations.

She added: They deserve very much better.

Dr Hilary Cass's report builds on her damning review of the Tavistock Centre from 2022 - PA

Puberty blockers were meant to simply buy children time to think. In fact, Cass showed the vast majority of children who were prescribed them then went on to do hormone treatment. Of the 50 papers on the effects of puberty blockers in adolescents that researchers at the University of York identified for the report, only one was deemed to be of high quality.

In the wake of Casss findings, published last week, its tempting to look forward  to focus on her recommendations and train your eyes on what happens next. But to do that, you have to understand how it happened in the first place. For many, the fact that it was possible for clinicians to prescribe an under-researched drug freely to children exposes a gaping hole in the drug regulation system in this country.

At Gids, puberty blockers were prescribed off-label. Put simply, if a drug is being used off-label then it will have been originally licensed by the governments regulator  the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)  but is now being used in a different way (for a different condition, a different group of patients or at a different dosage).

Its common practice (particularly in paediatrics, as drugs arent generally trialled on children), but National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) guidelines state healthcare professionals must [give] information about the treatment and [discuss] the possible benefits and harms so that the person has enough information to decide whether or not to have the treatment. This is called giving informed consent.

Gids operated at the Tavistock Centre, where puberty blockers were prescribed off-label - AFP

The key thing the GMC [General Medical Council] would say, says Prof Anthony Cox, an expert in clinical pharmacy and drug safety at the University of Birmingham, is that you have to be satisfied there is sufficient evidence or experience of using the medicine to demonstrate safety and efficacy, and I think that wasnt met by Tavistock [when] prescribing puberty blockers.

How did they get around it? They would argue there was evidence, says Cox. And [that] theyd developed a practice over years. But by the late 2010s it was quite clear that there were concerns about the lack of evidence.

Those concerns, he says, were being shared by people who raised their voices and were knocked down, and whistleblowers.

For many, it speaks to a loophole in the system which allowed medical professionals prescribing these drugs to fall back on the fact that it had been licensed for use and had even been used on children before, just for a different purpose.

There was a sense of Whats the problem?, says Prof Carl Heneghan, director of the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of Oxford. Using off-label drugs is common practice, he says, and thats the loophole thats been used [here].

We need a much more robust, evidence-based approach for how we licence childrens medicines. Thats why we said we need a new regulator that looks into this.

Heneghan says the fact that the drug had already been prescribed to children legitimised its use in young people experiencing gender dysphoria. Thats the loophole  you say were doing it over here, but actually were using it in precocious puberty, and therefore its alright to be using it in children for transgender or gender dysphoria.

It should have been particularly important to interrogate the way the drugs were being prescribed given the irreversibility of the intervention, he says. That should create a more stringent approach to the regulation.

For Heneghan, the whole system of off-label drug regulation requires examination. The current one puts the onus on individual doctors to take the responsibility.

I think, given whats happened with gender dysphoria, there needs to be a real look at the situation. Certainly, a general practitioner cant have the evidence and experience to say I can prescribe off-label in children where the harms are quite significant and the use is limited.

A regulator, if they were in place, might say, Yes actually this drug, if its to be used off-label, can only be prescribed in the context of secondary care where the person is known to a, b and c. And that would bring in another level of safety that is missing at this moment in time.

There needs to be a tightening of the regulations, he says, in order to prevent this happening again. Meanwhile the MHRA, he says, should say It is our responsibility to keep children safe and ultimately we will take the can for when it goes wrong.

The MHRA is clear it has not licensed any medicines for the treatment of gender dysphoria. Dr Alison Cave, MHRA chief safety officer, says: Clinicians, under their professional responsibility, may decide to prescribe a medicine off-label. The use of medicines off-label is a matter of clinical practice and is not regulated by the MHRA.

Patient safety, she adds, is their top priority.

Maria Caulfield, the health minister, says: There are no circumstances where a child under the age of 18 should be prescribed puberty blockers off-label for gender dysphoria under the recommendations of the Cass Review.

We are working to implement all of Dr Casss recommendations, including closing any loopholes to prevent these treatments from being given to children.

Sallie Baxendale, a professor of clinical neuropsychology at UCL, says that, though doctors have a right to prescribe off-label, puberty blockers escaped out into the wild.

Now theyre bringing it right the way back to OK, if you want to use this drug, its got to be part of research. If its going to be part of research it will have to go through an ethics committee, so you will have to present to the ethics committee the reasons why you want to use it, why you think its going to work, who youre going to give it to, why youre going to give it to them. All of that will have to be set out and thats going to be a challenge on the back of Cass.

Baxendale points to the dysfunctional prescription process at the Gender Identity Development Service (Gids) at the Tavistock, as laid out in the book Time to Think by journalist Hannah Barnes. She described how psychologists, who do not have prescribing rights, were making the recommendations for the drugs. Endocrinologists were then prescribing the drugs, on the recommendation of the psychologists.

Barnes reports that it became a process whereby no one really took responsibility for the treatment. The psychologists were not responsible because they werent actually prescribing. The endocrinologists were only going on what the psychologists said. Thats why Cass insists on a medically-led service now, as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Its extraordinary that such a model developed with an experimental, off-label treatment.

Ashley Grossman, a consultant endocrinologist and professor of endocrinology at Oxford, says if he was prescribing a drug off-label he would first run it past a multidisciplinary group or a pharmacology committee in his hospital and get other peoples views. Almost certainly that didnt happen at all [at Gids] and that was the problem, he says.

Prof Grossman says that prior to the Cass Review, critics of Gids were swiftly shut down - PA

I think people came from a viewpoint that any child that says, Im in the wrong sex had to be believed automatically and had to transition. It was an affirmation of a change without any counselling, any discussion, any consideration of other possibilities. It was a mindset that was pointed in one direction and one direction alone.

The result, he says, was children being treated with essentially a completely new and experimental drug  experimental in the sense that it had never been used in this situation. Campaigners have long insisted that puberty blockers are just one possible part of a young persons gender journey.

Grossman points out that people who raised doubts about the drugs were shut down. On social media, a lot of us who were concerned were frightened to put our heads above the parapet because of the trolling and nastiness that went around.

A custom of practice, and perhaps ideology led clinicians at Gids to believe they were doing the right thing, says Cox, when actually I dont think they had the evidence to say that it was safe and effective, what they were trying to do.

The normal mechanisms that might have hindered the widespread use of a controversial drug in another NHS trust werent present at Gids, he says. I suppose if your whole organisation has a sort of groupthink going on then the normal mechanisms you might have in place within an NHS trust to oversee such things like prescribing possibly would start to fail.

It didnt help that the Tavistock was seen as an expert hub. If youre considered to be a national centre of excellence in whatever condition youre dealing with then there is a certain expectation that there would be a level of professionalism that would mean that you wouldnt get this sort of behaviour, says Cox.

You would have thought a national centre would be the type of place that would be on top of the evidence.

He wonders if, in the wake of Cass, there should be a review of professional bodies, though he warns against overcorrecting. Its dangerous to start tying the hands of clinicians too much because you will end up having a perverse outcome in that you will cause harm to patients by creating a system where you cant actually use medicines that there is evidence for.

Whats clear, he says, is that in the case of puberty blockers, it was too simplistic a defence to argue that off-label prescribing was common practice in paediatrics.

[Off-label drugs] are used with due regard to safety and efficacy. And if that isnt happening then theres a failure.

And if youve got people telling you theres a potential issue and youre not taking that seriously, and you develop a groupthink that We are right and have an almost ideological stance towards the use of a drug, then I think youve gone down a really dangerous dead end.

Many hope that dead end has come to its final conclusion with Cass  that the loophole will finally be closed.

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JAKARTA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- China and Indonesia can be engines of modernization for developing countries, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Thursday.

China and Indonesia can serve as a model of mutual trust and assistance between a major country and a neighboring country, and should remain open and inclusive in their win-win cooperation, Wang added.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at a joint press conference after he met with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

Wang congratulated Indonesia on its recent general elections and the outstanding development achievements obtained led by President Joko Widodo.

The two sides agreed that China and Indonesia should serve as a model of mutual trust and assistance between major countries and neighboring countries, as an engine for the modernization of developing countries, and as partners of openness, inclusiveness, and win-win cooperation.

The two sides are willing to continue to work with other ASEAN countries to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and accelerate the negotiation of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea to build the South China Sea into a sea of peace and cooperation. 
Just a few years ago, California's budget was overflowing with a record high surplus, spurring the creation of a slew of programs reflecting the state's liberal ideals.

Democrats who control the state Capitol funded pilots to test new ways to support foster youth, help oil workers transition to cleaner industries and prevent more Californians from becoming homeless  just some of the ambitious ideas that became reality when the budget was flush.

Now, as the state faces an enormous budget deficit that the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office predicted in February could be as much as $73 billion, some of those programs could come to a screeching halt.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic lawmakers are considering significant cuts to some of the very initiatives they recently helped launch while promising to "protect our progress."

It's both a reflection of California's wild budget fluctuations and what can happen in a one-party state known as a progressive policy trailblazer when financial times are good.

For Republicans, it's an "I told you so" moment.

Read more: How Newsom plans to fix California's projected $37.9-billion budget deficit

"The surpluses were absolutely abnormal. They should have put much more money into the budgetary reserve than they did," said Sen. Roger Niello (R-Fair Oaks), vice chair of the Senate Budget Committee.

Newsom's budget last year included record reserves of nearly $38 billion, but for those in the minority party like Niello, more could have been put away in lieu of creating costly new programs.

"Let's not get too crazy with these huge revenues," is the approach Democrats should have taken, Niello said.

Organizations such as the California Budget Policy Center, which advocates for low-income residents and policies that curb inequities, argue there's nothing wrong with trying out new ideas when the money is there.

"The state needs these opportunities to experiment and practice innovation because you can improve the efficiency and effectiveness during those periods of time," said Chris Hoene, executive director of the center. "The deficit is forcing them to pull back on a significant share of programs but ... if there are better revenue periods ahead, they have said they will continue to make those investments."

Reducing or altogether eliminating newer programs that are still being tested is better than cutting long established programs that Californians rely on, said H.D. Palmer, a spokesperson for Newsom's Department of Finance.

"These clearly are proposals that wouldn't be put forward were [it] not for the fact that we've got a substantial shortfall," Palmer said. "It is understandable that people would have objections to these proposals. The question then becomes: What alternatives would people want to put forward, if you choose not to do these measures, that would provide us a like amount of savings to close the shortfall?"

Sen. Dave Min (D-Irvine) put it more bluntly during a legislative budget meeting held at the Capitol last week: "Ill just be honest, this sucks."

Newsom signed into law this week a budget agreement made with lawmakers that reduces the deficit by $17 billion, though it's only a first step toward closing the yawning gap in the state's spending plan.

As negotiations continue leading up to the June 15 deadline for lawmakers to pass a budget, here are some of the pilot programs Newsom has suggested scaling back or eliminating:

Support for public defenders and eligible prisoners

Prisoners who can't afford to pay private attorneys and are eligible to have their sentences shortened could potentially stay behind bars longer due to one proposed funding reduction.

In 2021, a public defense pilot program was created to help attorneys cope with a backlog of cases involving prisoners eligible for earlier release under the state's latest progressive resentencing laws.

Under the program, county public defender offices have received $100 million, collectively helping free more than 8,000 people in the program's first six months, according to the California Board of State and Community Corrections. Many of those beneficiaries were charged with murder because of their involvement in a felony that led to a death, even if they were not the actual killer  a remnant of a law that California overturned in 2019.

The program now faces a $40-million reduction  a move proponents say could render some of California's resentencing laws useless because understaffed and overburdened offices won't be able to adequately assist those eligible.

A representative for Newsom said the funding given so far "still provides data for the evaluation of the results" of the program. But Ricardo Garcia, public defender for Los Angeles County, says it will hamper the state's efforts to "right some of the mistakes of the past."

In Los Angeles County, the program has led to the release of more than 100 prisoners, representing 685 fewer years of total potential incarceration, according to Garcia. The program has allowed Garcia's office to hire more public defenders, social workers and support staff as they represent more than 800 eligible clients who await resentencing.

"Having all these statutes in place ... isn't very helpful if we don't have the resources to implement it and to really make them effective," Garcia said.

Read more: Newsom has approved three California prison closures but resists pressure to shutter more

Help for struggling foster kids

Since 2019, thousands of foster kids  and some of their caretakers  have been able to call a 24/7 hotline for help with everyday conflicts and receive expert support.

The urgent response system was prompted by concerns about "placement disruptions" that can lead to instability and possibly homelessness for the already vulnerable youths.

The hotline annually serves about 5,000 foster children and caregivers, according to state data.

Child welfare advocates are calling on the governor and lawmakers to reconsider a $30-million proposed reduction  a cut they say will shutter the program entirely.

Foster placement changes in California decreased by 16% since the launch of the hotline, according to the data, and advocates say that's no coincidence.

"Were certain cutting it will lead to serious negative outcomes for foster children, including increased hospitalization and criminalization," Ted Lempert, president of Children Now, said.

Read more: Parenting classes are routinely ordered in child abuse cases. California isn't ensuring they work

Funding for low-income housing

In 2023 alone, more than 100,000 Californians had to move because the owners of their homes fell behind on their bills, according to the Community Landtrust Network.

The foreclosure intervention housing preservation program was launched as a way to prevent displacement of renters. It offers grants to residents and nonprofits so they can buy properties at risk of foreclosure and keep them available as homes for people with low incomes.

Proponents of the program called it an "unprecedented" solution to the state's homelessness crisis because it allows at-risk renters to stay where they are instead of potentially being forced onto the streets or into shelters.

Newsom proposed cutting $248 million meant for the program over three years  about half its total budget. Advocates are urging him to change his mind, as the funding has not even yet been disbursed.

"The need for the program is too great and both [the California Department of Housing & Community Development] and other key stakeholders have sunk too many resources into this pioneering housing strategy to hobble it now," the Community Landtrust Network said in a statement.

Read more: California spent billions on homelessness without tracking if it worked

A slew of climate friendly programs

Low-income Californians at the highest risk of wildfires destroying their homes, and oil and gas workers at risk of losing their jobs, are among those who could feel the brunt of climate programs now on the chopping block.

Funding reductions are proposed for a home hardening initiative, a program that helps workers find new jobs as the state moves away from fossil fuels, and a program that promotes composting in local governments.

The proposed reductions have environmental activists concerned, even as the budget draft maintains billions in investments to curb climate change and California is considered an international leader on the issue.

"The state needs to accelerate its efforts to prepare, not pull back  especially in vulnerable and underresourced communities," Zack Cefalu, a legislative affairs analyst for the League of California Cities, said.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A public restroom in San Francisco once projected to cost $1.7M is finally open: Take a look inside

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  A controversial public restroom installed last month in San Franciscos Noe Valley neighborhood is finally ready for the public to use.

Plans for the restroom first gained national attention in 2022, after the San Francisco Chronicle reported on the projected price tag of $1.7 million. The cost prompted conversations about wasteful spending, and became the butt of jokes aimed at the city.

A look inside the Noe Valley public restroom that opened this April. (KRON)

And no, the toilet isnt made from gold, which is what some may have assumed for when the projected price was announced. Its an all-gender, single-person restroom with a baby changing station.

Why one North Carolina school removed bathroom mirrors

At the time, San Francisco Recreation and Parks said the price was based on possible costs, including further improvements or maintenance.

We estimate high  not because we want to spend more money, but because we want to ensure we can deliver projects to communities even if we are hit with unexpected costs, a spokesman said in 2022. That means budgeting for the worst-case scenario.

Even still, a celebration to mark the project at Noe Valley in 2022 was canceled amid the backlash.

The restroom didnt end up costing nearly the amount projected. A couple of local companies stepped in to lower costs, including one that donated a prefabricated toilet, according to the Chronicle. The cost eventually came down to around $300,000.

The bathroom ultimately opened this month, and the district is even preparing to commemorate the occasion with a Toilet Bowl this Sunday, April 21.

The event is described as a blowout celebration for the facility, will feature a Toilet Tree ceremony and an ornament crafts table. The event will also include activities such as yoga, face painting, live music and a toilet bowl toss.

United flight diverted after toilet reportedly overflows into cabin

District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman is also expected to attend and speak.

Its taken a lot longer than anyone would have hoped, but it is very much needed, Mandelman said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Qatar Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani said Qatar is reassessing its Gaza mediation role. He said some are politically exploiting and defaming Qatar's efforts. File photo by Jason Szenes/UPI

April 18 (UPI) -- Qatar's Prime Minister said Wednesday he is reassessing his country's mediation role to end the Gaza war and release the hostages because some are politically exploiting the efforts and defaming Qatar's role.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani said Qatar has seen the "misuse" of the country's mediation for narrow political interests that has "necessitated a comprehensive evaluation by Qatar of its role."

The prime minister said during a press conference that negotiations for a Gaza cease-fire and the release of prisoners and hostages are at a sensitive and critical stage. He said Qatar has been working from the start of the war to stop it and release the hostages.

Qatar is committed to mediating on humanitarian grounds, he said, but also noted there are limitations to the mediation role and its impact and the nation will take the appropriate decision at the right time on those limitations.

"This means that the state of Qatar has called for a comprehensive evaluation of this role," Mohammed said. "We are now at this stage to evaluate mediation and also evaluate how the parties engage in this mediation."

The statement from Qatar said the mediation is being coordinated with Turkey.

Qatar also declared a "resolute stance" against "the escalating violence perpetrated by the Israeli army targeting the Palestinian people."

The prime minister called on the international community to intervene decisively to "quell the aggression."

Qatar called on all parties to exercise restraint and prevent the situation from spiraling out of control in the wake of Israel's attack on Iran's Syrian consulate that was followed by Iran's missile and drone attack on Israel.

In a response to a call from Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., that Qatar apply pressure to Hamas to release hostages or face repercussions, Qatar's Embassy in Washington said Qatar's mediation "exists only because we were asked by the United States in 2012 to play this role."

Hoyer said Qatar has "long helped to finance, back and house" Hamas.

Qatar said blaming and threatening the mediator is not constructive, denying it sponsors Hamas despite allowing the group to set up its political bureau in the country.
QUITMAN, Ark.  For almost two decades, students at Quitman High School have been getting hands-on experience in a program that helps launch them into the workforce.

The students build homes and auction them off to anxious buyers across the U.S. and can transition into a career in construction after graduation.

Conway teen earns associate degree at 16

This year, the program faced being shut down by Conway Public Schools, but thanks to a new partnership with Arkansas State University, the program will continue and has even been enhanced to help kids earn college credit.

Arkansas homeschool robotics team scores world championship slot

This years home is a 2-bedroom, 1-and-a-half-bathroom single-family home and is up for auction Saturday, May 4 at noon, at the Quitman Public Schools board office.













For more information about the auction, you can visit their website at QuitmanSD.org.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
Rachel Goldberg-Polin poses for a portrait on day 98 since her son, Hersh Goldberg-Polin was kidnapped by Hamas, in Jerusalem, on Jan. 12, 2024. Credit - Maya AlleruzzoAP

Within just weeks of Oct. 7, the outraged attention of much of the world shifted from what had happened to Israel to what Israel was doing. A deep chasm opened between those who remained primarily consumed by the greatest loss of Jewish lives since the Holocaust, and those focused on the tens of thousands of deaths that have resulted from Israels thunderous military assault on the Gaza Strip.



No one person can bridge that gap. But Rachel Goldberg-Polin makes it seem at least possible.



People don't seem to be able to hold two truths, says Goldberg-Polin, whose son Hersh was badly wounded on Oct. 7, then carried into Gaza as a hostage. People feel that you either can be worried about the innocent civilians in Gaza, or you can be worried about the 133 hostages. The truth is the 133 hostages are also some of the civilians who are innocent in Gaza. Of the thousands and thousands and thousands of innocent civilians in Gaza, I know one of them. Really well.

On the 2024 TIME100 list of the worlds most influential people, Goldberg-Polin represents the families pressing relentlessly for the release of their loved onesthe only human beings who have experienced the wrath of both sides in the Gaza War. Within Israel, the families hold a special place. Abroad, Goldberg-Polin seems to function as their ambassador, a Chicago-raised, kosher-keeping Israeli-American dual citizen with a full schedule and a gift for metaphor.

Its as if it's October 8 in Israel, she says. It cannot move forward. The country is in such reeling. I cannot digest that Passover is next week. And it's actually perverse to even start to think about the holiday of freedom from captivity. I just said today, and I was not kidding, Is there a way could I find any doctor that could put me in an induced coma for the week? Like, I don't want to be conscious. It will be so acutely painful.



To How are you? she replies, Im shitty. On an April 16 video call from Jerusalem, where she and her husband, Jonathan, have lived since 2008, she wears a white T-shirt with the number 193 written on a piece of masking tapethe number of days Hersh and the others have been in captivity. Since she started wearing it, on day 26, hundreds of thousands of people have done the same, updating the tape every day. You know, when you wear the same thing, people can get comfortable with it," she say. "This makes people very uncomfortable. It's in your face saying for 193 days you've allowed 133 human beings from 25 different countries; who are Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, and Hindu; who range in age 86 yearsyou've allowed them to stay underground suffering.

But," she adds, "in many ways, it's a Hello, My name is.. because this is my identity. It is absolutely my identity.

Read more: Telling the Stories of Israels Hostage Nightmare

This is how she talks, though with an energy in counterpoint to the weight of her words. Theres a vibrant, almost bemused animation to Goldberg-Polin. Some of it is clearly just who she is. And some of it may rise from the constant dissonance of her existence since her last glimpse of her son, on a cell phone video, a tourniquet on his left arm, which had been severed below the elbow by the terrorist attack.

I have a branding iron on my back at all times of day and I have to pretend to be human, she says. Every morning I wake up and I put on this costume that is fairly convincing, so that I can talk to important people. Shes met the Pope, visited the White House, addressed the U.N. What I want to do when I wake up is lie on the floor curled up in the fetal position weeping, but it's not going to help save him and it's not going to help save them. So I have to don this ridiculous costume and spray-on strength that's completely fake. And I have to walk through this all-the time-mare. It's not a nightmare. It's not a daymare. It's an every-single-second-mare.

In six months, she has grown intimate with her torment. Goldberg-Polin notes that every life has trauma. "Maybe the sudden death of a loved one, or maybe someone coming home one day and saying, 'Honey, I want a divorce.' Whatever it is, it hits you like a truck, and leaves you flat.

But the thing is," she says, "at a certain point you decide, when am I going to try to sit up? When am I going to try to stand and take my first step incorporating this new reality that is part of my life? The problem with what we hostage families are experiencing is, the truck is still on our chest. And so what we're trying to do is not move in such a way that our rib cage collapses and the truck crushes us to death. And so we're in a very different place.

At the moment, all eyes are on Israels suddenly direct conflict with Iran. Her husband, Jon, has suggested that, rather than retaliate against Iran for its April 13 attack, Israel use it as leverage to release the hostages. Goldberg-Polinwho on Oct. 10, after not sleeping for three days, was prescribed sleep aids that she describes as horse pillsslept through the sirens that announced the missiles and drones from Iran. One of Hershs sisters guided her into the safe room. And we heard two massive explosions. What sounded like it was right outside but I think it was hundreds of kilometers away. But you hear these booms and I didn't feel scared at all, because you know what? I've been so f--king scared at all times. It's like when you come around a corner and you weren't expecting someone and you go like, 'Oh my gosh!' and your heart does that thing? It's been that way for 193 days. The only thing I thought is fine, you want to kill me? Kill me.

But then I felt bad because when Hersh comes home, he's going to need his mother.



Contact us at letters@time.com.
Radio 4 would face a 50pc budget cut if the BBCs licence fee funding model were replaced by advertising, new research has found.

Analysis by consultancy firm Compass Lexecon found that funding the BBCs radio services through advertising would have a devastating effect on its output.

The BBC would face an estimated 63pc shortfall in funds required to run its existing services, meaning most radio stations would be loss-making and many forced to close.

Radio 4, which broadcasts many public service programmes in news, current affairs and drama, would likely become unaffordable as its budget would need to be cut by 50pc.

Youth-focused music station Radio 1 would need to change fundamentally due to budget cuts of around 25pc.

Economists warned that a sharp increase in advertising space on British radio would depress the value of ad spots.

They also said the BBC would be less able to attract brands as its audiences are on average significantly older than those of commercial rivals.

Radio 2 and 6 Music are the only stations that would be able to break even, according to the study, providing they could retain current audiences after introducing ad breaks.

The Government has launched a review of the BBCs licence fee model amid concerns it is no longer sustainable as audiences increasingly shun the broadcaster in favour of streaming rivals such as Netflix and social media apps including TikTok.

A move to a commercial ad-funded model is among alternatives to have been mooted, alongside subscriptions and central taxation. The research has been submitted to a newly-formed panel of media experts that will consider options for the BBCs future funding.

It comes after the BBC last month announced plans to introduce adverts around some of its radio programmes and podcasts when they are streamed in the UK via platforms such as Apple and Spotify.

The move sparked concerns among commercial radio stations that advertising could be expanded more broadly across the BBCs services.

The analysis found any such move would spark a 36pc drop in revenues for commercial stations, forcing many to close and squeezing out specialist and niche services.

Matt Payton, chief executive of commercial radio body Radiocentre, which commissioned the research, said: This study demonstrates that introducing advertising on BBC radio and audio services is a dangerous road to go down and will ultimately be bad for everyone.

It would have a devastating effect on the BBC and commercial radio, as well as a huge impact for audiences, with the disappearance of public service radio as we know it and less choice available in future.

While we recognise this is only one scenario, even partial advertising would have a significant negative impact. These findings are stark, and we hope that both the Government and the BBC will take them into account.

A BBC spokesman said: We have no plans to introduce adverts on BBC Radio. The licence fee is in place until 2027 and it is absolutely right there is a debate on how or whether it needs to evolve in future and how the BBC is best funded to ensure it continues to thrive.

We want the public to be at the heart of this, which is why next year we will conduct a major public consultation on our future.

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.
BECKLEY, WV (WVNS)  A Beckley man pleaded guilty to a drug crime that involved fentanyl.

39-year-old Anthony Darnell Deberry, of Beckley, pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl.

Man charged after shooting in Raleigh County

According to statements made in court, Deberry sold a controlled substance with fentanyl to a confidential informant on May 3, 2023 at his home in Beckley. He acknowledged his involvement in the sale, and also revealed that he sold fentanyl to the confidential informant in Raleigh County four other times.

A search warrant was carried out by law enforcement officers at Deberrys house on July 5, 2023. The officers discovered two handguns, ammunition, $2,000, and around 76.5 grams of fentanyl. Deberry revealed that he planned to distribute the fentanyl that the officers found.

Beckley man pleads guilty to fentanyl crime

Deberrys sentencing is scheduled for August 2, 2024, and he faces up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years of parole, and a $1 million fine.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Will Thompson, who praised the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit for their work on the investigation. Officers from the Beckley Police Department, the Raleigh County Sheriffs Office, and the West Virginia State Police make up the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
Newly released emails between a top colleague of Dr. Anthony Fauci and the president of a non-governmental organization being funded to conduct coronavirus research in Wuhan, China, said the group had over 700 identified but un-sequenced coronaviruses in its lab when its government grant was first pulled in 2020.

On Tuesday, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., highlighted a series of email exchanges between Fauci's top adviser, Dr. David Morens, and EcoHealth Alliance President Dr. Peter Daszak that showed Daszak feared permanently losing government funding.

An April 2020 email from Morens alleged that Fauci was "fully aware" and "involved in some sort of damage control," possibly to help keep EcoHealth from losing its federal grant.

Paul said in an interview with Fox News Digital that the emails show "they all realize that if Faucis been funding Daszak for years through EcoHealth, and if it looks like they're implicated in the pandemic, this wouldn't be good for Fauci or EcoHealth."

HIGH-RANKING FAUCI ADVISER USED PERSONAL EMAIL TO AVOID FOIA REQUESTS, DISCUSS COVID ORIGIN

It is unclear exactly what "damage control" Morens was referring to. In April 2020, the Trump administration and the National Institute of Health (NIH) ended EcoHealths grant, but that decision was reversed, and they still get funding to this day.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

The email from Daszak also claimed the organization was in possession of more than 15,000 samples at the lab in Wuhan.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, left, and Senator Rand Paul.

Fauci continued to publicly push to discredit theories of a potential lab leak that could have initiated COVID-19 as this information was relayed from EcoHealth.

Paul said the new email revelations are "important" because they add more color and context between Fauci and EcoHealths public message "shaping" about its gain-of-function research and their private "concerns."

"One of the main arguments that Fauci and others make is that there is no published virus that could have been COVID or manipulated to become COVID," Paul explained.

FAUCI ADMITS SOCIAL DISTANCING NOT BASED ON SCIENCE, 'SORT OF JUST APPEARED'

U.S. Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky.

"That may or may not be true. But the thing is, is that if there were 6 or 700 of these that are in the library or waiting to be sequenced, there's a possibility COVID-19 was one of those, or something similar to COVID-19 was one of the viruses and was manipulated in the lab," Paul said, referring to the "700 unknown viruses" Daszak referenced in the emails.

"It's important that as this information comes out, we find out all of the things that was known at that time," Paul said, adding that in private, Fauci was "very concerned" about gain-of-function research in Wuhan.

Howerver, he said, "the concern privately is much different than publicly where they tried to shape the message," referencing Faucis public comments that the virus had to have originated in nature and not a lab.

"To a lot of us looking at it, it looks like a cover-up," Paul said.

RAND PAUL CLAIMS 'SMOKING GUN' TIES FAUCI, NIH TO RESEARCH WITH 'DESIRE' TO CREATE COVID-TYPE VIRUS

Dr. Anthony Fauci, then-director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, attends a White House press briefing to speak about the coronavirus on Tuesday, November 22, 2022.

It is unclear whether Morens is still employed with NIH. Paul said his office has made several attempts to learn his employment status, but NIH has not given him a response.

In an April 12 press release, EcoHealth responded to news reports on emails apparently obtained via a whistleblower and released by the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, claiming that any allegations that communications between EcoHealth and NIH were "inappropriate" or "part of a cover-up" are "false." Included in those tranches of emails were the ones Paul pointed to on Tuesday.

"[T]hey show clearly that EcoHealth Alliance was appropriately communicating with senior staff at the NIH, or who formerly worked at NIH, to try to identify ways to reinstate a grant that had been terminated unexpectedly and arbitrarily, then suspended with onerous conditions," EcoHealth said in a statement.

"The grant was subsequently reinstated by NIH, and EcoHealth Alliance is currently working under this grant to conduct critical scientific research to prevent future pandemics," it said.

On April 16, the Select Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio., subpoenaed Morens for additional correspondence related to COVID-19 from Morens personal Gmail account, alleging he used the private account to evade FOIA laws.

"Dr. David Morens purposefully evaded FOIA laws to give his best-friend EcoHealth Alliance President Dr. Peter Daszak non-public, internal information that had the potential to undermine the operations of the United States government. This is not only highly concerning, but it is also likely illegal," Wenstrup said in a press release.

"The subpoena for Dr. Morenss personal email communication will ensure that the truth about this federal records violation is brought to light," he said.

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Morens has agreed to testify in front of the select subcommittee at a public hearing later this year, the press release said.

The NIH, EcoHealth, Fauci, Daszak and Morens did not respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.





Original article source: Rand Paul says email exchange between top Fauci aide and EcoHealth looks like a cover-up
We are ready to quickly help with the restoration of Ukraine's energy infrastructure  German vice chancellor

German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck stated that German companies are ready to promptly assist in the reconstruction of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, which was destroyed in Russian attacks.

Source: Robert Habeck at a joint press conference in Kyiv with Yuliia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, writes DW, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Habeck stated that Ukrainian officials showed him the implications of Russian strikes on energy infrastructure, as well as the need for immediate action.

The vice chancellor emphasised the importance of building reserve infrastructure throughout the summer.

Quote: "German firms reacted immediately, saying, Okay, we understand everything. Who should we speak to if we do (engage in reconstruction  ed.)? How secure will the funds be?... So we're trying to respond as rapidly as possible, and everything has to follow this logic. The energy infrastructure needs to be repaired rapidly, and we will do everything we can to help," Habeck stressed.

According to Habeck, it is important that spending on assistance to Ukraine, both military and for the restoration of energy infrastructure, is financed as a priority.

To attract German investors to the Ukrainian market there is a very effective tool  investment guarantees, Habeck added.

On Thursday 18 April, Robert Habeck, German Vice Chancellor and Minister of Economy, arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit.

On 13 April, Germany announced the urgent transfer of a Patriot air defence system to Ukraine.

In a letter to dozens of countries, the German ministers of defence and foreign affairs announced a global initiative to find additional air defence equipment for Ukraine.

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HARARE, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe on Thursday marked its 44th independence anniversary at Murambinda Growth Point in Manicaland Province.

Located in the eastern part of the country, Manicaland is one of the provinces that bore the brunt of the liberation struggle that ushered in Zimbabwe's independence from British colonial rule in 1980.

In his speech, President Emmerson Mnangagwa reiterated the government's commitment to addressing food shortages due to an El Nino-induced drought, and to vigorously pursuing national development goals to upgrade Zimbabwe into an upper middle-income economy by 2030.

"The freedom we enjoy today is priceless and irreversible. On this special day, let us once again make a pledge and promise to stand firm and resolute in defense of our rich liberation heritage. The values that saw us attain freedom, territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence must be promoted for the realization of Vision 2030," Mnangagwa said.

He said after recently declaring the drought a state of disaster, the government started to give special attention to mitigating the impact of the drought.

"This year's commemorations come on the backdrop of the climate change-induced El Nino drought. It is the worst drought in 40 years, which is affecting the entire Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. In both rural and urban areas, no Zimbabwean will succumb to starvation. Adequate resources are being mobilized toward national food security," he said.

The country's food deficit mitigation program is gathering pace while a robust winter cropping program and the revival of winter maize projects in the country will be implemented this year as part of drought mitigation measures, Mnangagwa said.

He said the recently launched gold-backed currency, the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG), is expected to boost national confidence and withstand attacks from the country's detractors.

"Our ZiG currency is anchored by our God-given gold and other strategic mineral resources, as well as foreign currency reserves. This is our currency; we all have a duty to support this transformational development. Further, measures to encourage savings and reduce excessive bank fees and charges have also been put in place," he said.

In spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing illegal sanctions, and other shocks, Zimbabwe continues to foster investment-led economic recovery, with the overall economic outlook remaining bright as evidenced by the growth in the country's GDP from 16 billion U.S. dollars in 2018 to more than 47 billion dollars at present, Mnangagwa said.

"This shows that we ... are a resilient, focused, determined and hardworking people. Zimbabwe is winning. We are boldly building, governing and praying for our country, brick by brick, stone upon stone and step by step," he said.

He added that investment-led growth was being registered in the mining sector, buoyed by expanding lithium mining and recent discoveries in oil, gas and petrochemicals in the country. 
TAMPA  More than three years after the Tampa City Council formally apologized for the citys racist past, the body unanimously approved the formation of a committee tasked with examining and addressing persistent inequities in Floridas third-largest city.

The 13-member Race Reconciliation Committee will make policy recommendations to address our economic and racial divide, according to the resolution passed Thursday, which now heads to Mayor Jane Castor for her signature.

The committee will probe five topics: affordable housing, development, youth empowerment, residents returning from prison and ignored history. The committee is expected to prepare a written report for the City Council prior to February 2025. It will then be dissolved.

The measure passed against a backdrop in which Gov. Ron DeSantis intensified his efforts to de-emphasize racism in the states public school system curriculum, arguing some Black people benefited from being enslaved. He also backed and signed legislation banning programs aimed at promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the states public universities.

Still, when the initiative passed Thursday afternoon, there was no audible celebration or sense of success in the halls of Old City Hall. Instead there was an audience of just a handful of residents who have been pushing for change, week after week, who sighed and shook their heads at what they characterized as half-hearted effort to examine hard truths.

Were still not being listened to, Connie Burton told the Tampa Bay Times, standing in the chamber hallway. A lifelong East Tampa resident and chairperson of the Hillsborough County NAACPs housing committee, she feels the long arm of racism holding her community down, in the gentrification of her neighborhood, in the imprisonment of teenagers, in hiring managers stereotypes, in unjust evictions.

She fears grassroots activists will be overlooked for committee appointments and expressed disappointment at a perceived disengagement of Mayor Castor, also a former police chief.

Its unfortunate for the city of Tampa that the mayor has decided not to participate in resolving long, historical wounds of oppression that continue to affect Black citizens, Burton said.

In 2020, the pandemic and protests over police brutality underscored the nations persisting racial inequities. A growing number of cities across the U.S. began to form panels aimed at studying inequities, confronting the past and offering paths forward.

That September, the Tampa City Council unanimously passed Resolution 568, officially apologizing for any and all past participation in sanctioning segregation and systemic discrimination of African Americans.

The resolution declared support for the creation of a reconciliation commission, with a mission of studying and developing proposals to redress the enduring negative effects of the institutions of slavery and the subsequent systemic discrimination.

For about three years, little was done. Community concerns failed to materialize into tangible action by city officials.

Late last year, calls for the commission resurfaced. Burton and others poured into Old City Hall demanding action and donning T-shirts emblazoned with Resolution 568.

Then, last Sunday after church, City Council member Luis Viera drafted a proposal to finally form a committee.

Im not naive. This committee is not going to be anything of a cure-all in any way he said Thursday. But what it does is allow us to do better.

He had proposed that Mayor Jane Castor make six appointees. She declined.

Thats a missed opportunity, Viera said at Thursdays meeting.

Im disappointed as well, added council member Alan Clendenin. I wish the mayors office was participating in this wholeheartedly.

Castors chief of staff, John Bennet, wrote to the council member that the administration would, instead, provide the committee with technical and logistical assistance, records show.

A spokesperson provided a statement from the administration Thursday that read in part: We fully support the councils leadership and initiative in forming the Racial Reconciliation Committee and will assist the councils committee with its work.

According to the resolution approved Thursday, each City Council member will appoint one person to the committee. The following organizations will also each have one appointee: The Hillsborough County NAACP, the Urban League of Hillsborough County, the Tampa Bay History Center, the Tampa Bay Coalition of Clergy, Abe Brown Ministries and Florida Rising.

Members will serve without compensation. Appointees will be proposed next month.

Thursdays resolution recognizes that the City of Tampa has made great progress on matters of racial and social justice, but still has many miles to go.

A 2015 Tampa Bay Times investigation found that Tampa police ticketed more people than the states four other largest cities combined, and that 8 out of 10 bicyclists ticketed were Black.

Then, in 2021, a Times investigation revealed a controversial Tampa Police Department program in which officers alerted landlords when their tenants were arrested and urged they be evicted. About 90% of tenants flagged to landlords were Black renters, the Times found.

Both reports prompted U.S. Department of Justice investigations.

The committee approved Thursday will serve as a catalyst for greater citizen participation in the determination of racial harmony, racial equality and matters of justice and inclusion, according to the resolution. All committee meetings will be open to the public.

Weve fought a long, uphill battle for this, said Valerie Bullock, a lifelong city resident who left Thursdays meeting angry. The boys and girls of East Tampa are still dealing with the same issues I dealt with 50 years ago.
GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  The Ottawa County health department says a Jenison Wendys at the center of a $20 million lawsuit closed multiple times in the summer of 2022 over numerous food safety violations.

A Hudsonville family is suing Meritage Hospitality Group, the owner of the franchise, saying 11-year-old Aspen Lamfers nearly died after eating at the restaurant that August.

During a routine check on the restaurant on Port Sheldon Street near Center Industrial Drive on July 27, Ottawa County food inspectors found what they called gross and insanitary conditions, according to public health records.

Hudsonville family sues Wendys franchise owner after 11-year-old hospitalized

That included moldy and spoiled food, including day-old chili, food left on the ground overnight, mold and mildew throughout the restaurant and water pooled everywhere, according to the health records. The inspection records show the restaurant voluntarily closed that day following recommendations by the health department and the Georgetown Township Fire Department, which was called in because of leaking water over electrical areas.

A health department spokesperson told News 8 inspectors returned to the Wendys and found the restaurant had fixed its problems. The health department allowed the restaurant to reopen the following day, July 28.

PDF: Health department summary of E. coli outbreak

News 8 asked a Ottawa County Department of Public Health spokesperson why it never forced the restaurant to close.

The inspector will work with the establishment at the time violations are found to correct as many possible immediately OCDPHs primary goal is to protect the community from foodborne illness by ensuring restaurants understand and comply with food safety laws and best practices, the spokesperson wrote in an email to News 8. Once violations are corrected and there is no evidence of new violations, OCDPH does not force an extended closure of the establishment. Inspectors do keep in regular contact to make sure violations are not repeated or chronic.

The spokesperson added the department generally orders a restaurant to temporarily shut down when it has chronic repeat violations and/or an imminent health hazard, including lack of water or electrical power, no hot water, a fire, a flood, a backup of sewage in the kitchen, severe pest infection and a food borne illness outbreak.

The girls attorney, Tom Worsfold, said Aspen was healthy, participated in several sports and thrived in the classroom. Then on Aug. 1, she a burger, chicken nuggets and fries at the Wendys on Port Sheldon.

She became so sick and was almost on her deathbed, Worsfold said. It was so bad. Frankly, its almost a miracle she survived.

An undated courtesy photo of Aspen Lamfers.

Aspen Lamfers in the hospital. (Courtesy Lamfers family)

Her family says she was hospitalized with an E. coli infection, which later turned into a kidney disease, hemolytic uremic syndrome. She was hospitalized for more than a month.

The infection continued to progress and attacked her pancreas and her brain, Worsfold said. She had significant brain swelling suffering seizures while in the hospital. She had left-sided paralysis.

The family says shes still struggling with brain damage, diabetes and high blood pressure.

The Lamfers sued Meritage Hospitality Group in April of this year. The company owns more than 380 Wendys, Taco Johns, Morning Belle and Stans Tacos locations across 16 states. The family is asking for $20 million in damages, including past and future economic losses.

Meritage has not responded to News 8s request for comment.

On Aug. 5, four days after Aspen ate at the Wendys, public health records show investigators found more violations, including food not cooled properly and dead pests around chili. The health department says Wendys voluntary closed again Aug. 11. Food inspectors did three more inspections before it determined the restaurant fixed its problems and it reopened Aug. 17, the health department said.

The summer 2022 closures came in the middle of an E. coli outbreak that sickened 109 people across six states, including 43 people in Michigan. Earlier this year, several other West Michigan residents sued Meritage, saying they were sickened by contaminated lettuce at Wendys restaurants. Worsfold said Aspen didnt eat any lettuce, but he believes she got sick through cross-contamination.

The health department said that at the time of its July 27 Wendys inspection, the multistate E. coli outbreak had not been identified.

The outbreak was ultimately thought to be linked to a supply chain issue, the spokesperson said.

On Aug. 8, 2022, the health department said it was notified of six E. coli infection cases in the county. Two days later, it learned a Wendys Jenison food service worker was a close contact of someone who was hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome, the kidney disease that can emerge from E. coli.

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The health department typically does restaurant inspections every six months for year-round establishments and schools. They are generally unannounced. Restaurants usually have between seven and 10 days to fix issues before a follow-up inspection.

Ottawa Countys website publicly lists food inspection reports for restaurants across the county. You can just type in the restaurant and its location. Several other West Michigan counties also publish their restaurant inspection reports through the software company Sword Solutions. That includes Allegan, Ionia, Kalamazoo, Muskegon and Van Buren counties.

Kent County no longer has public health inspections readily available online. A health department spokesperson said it used to post them online through Sword Solutions, but its partnership ended within the last couple of years. Kent County is working on building its own software and expects to have food service inspections available online by the end of the year. Until then, the public must submit Freedom of Information Act requests to get the information.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
A woman displays a city-provided debit card she receives monthly through a trial program in Stockton, Calif., in 2019. That year, Stockton launched a basic income experiment that has set off a major expansion of such programs across the country. Research has shown basic income programs can boost employment and health, but GOP lawmakers in some states are pushing back on the concept of free cash. (Rich Pedroncelli/The Associated Press)

South Dakota state Sen. John Wiik likes to think of himself as a lookout of sorts  keeping an eye on new laws, programs and ideas brewing across the states.

I dont bring a ton of legislation, said Wiik, a Republican. The main thing I like to do is try and stay ahead of trends and try and prevent bad things from coming into our state.

This session, that meant sponsoring successful legislation banning cities or counties from creating basic income programs, which provide direct, regular cash payments to low-income residents to help alleviate poverty.

While Wiik isnt aware of any local governments publicly floating the idea in South Dakota, he describes such programs as bureaucrats trying to hand out checks to make sure that your party registration matches whoever signed the checks for the rest of your life.

The economic gut punch of the pandemic and related assistance efforts such as the expanded child tax credit popularized the idea of directly handing cash to people in need. Advocates say the programs can be administered more efficiently than traditional government assistance programs, and research suggests they increase not only financial stability but also mental and physical health.

Still, Wiik and other Republicans argue handing out no-strings-attached cash disincentivizes work  and having fewer workers available is especially worrisome in a state with the nations second-lowest unemployment rate.

South Dakota is among at least six states where GOP officials have looked to ban basic income programs. The Idaho Legislature passed such a ban this legislative session, and Gov. Brad Little signed House Bill 572 into law in March.

The bill aims to prohibit local governments in Idaho from establishing or enforcing any laws, rules, regulations, or ordinances that provides payments to individuals under guaranteed income programs, according to the Idaho bills statement of purpose. These programs are defined as those offering regular, unconditional cash payments for any purpose, excluding those requiring work or training from recipients. The legislation declares such local efforts null and void unless explicitly authorized by state statue.

Program in Stockton, California, set off major expansion of basic income initiatives

The basic income concept has been around for decades, but a 2019 experiment in Stockton, California, set off a major expansion. There, 125 individuals received $500 per month with no strings attached for two years. Independent researchers found the program improved financial stability and health, but concluded that the pandemic dampened those effects.

GOP lawmakers like Wiik fear that even experimental programs could set a dangerous precedent.

What did Ronald Reagan say, The closest thing to eternal life on this planet is a government program? Wiik said. So, if you get people addicted to just getting a check from the government, its going to be really hard to take that away.

The debate over basic income programs is likely to intensify as blue state lawmakers seek to expand pilot programs. Minnesota, for example, could become the nations first to fund a statewide program. But elected officials in red states are working to thwart such efforts  not only by fighting statewide efforts but also by preventing local communities from starting their own basic income programs.

Democratic governors in Arizona and Wisconsin recently vetoed Republican legislation banning basic income programs.

Last week, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Harris County to block a pilot program that would provide $500 per month to 1,900 low-income people in the states largest county, home to Houston.

Paxton, a Republican, argued the program is illegal because it violates a state constitutional provision that says local governments cannot grant public money to individuals.

Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee, a Democrat, called Paxtons move nothing more than an attack on local government and an attempt to make headlines.

Meanwhile, several blue states are pushing to expand these programs.

Washington state lawmakers debated a statewide basic income bill during this years short session. And Minnesota lawmakers are debating whether to spend $100 million to roll out one of the nations first statewide pilot programs.

Were definitely seeing that shift from pilot to policy, said Sukhi Samra, the director of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, which formed after the Stockton experiment.

So far, that organization has helped launch about 60 pilot programs across the country that will provide $250 million in unconditional aid, she said.

This is an effective policy that helps our families, and this can radically change the way that we address poverty in this country.

 Sukhi Samra, director of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income

Despite pushback in some states, Samra said recent polling commissioned by the group shows broad support of basic income programs. And the programs have shown success in supplementing  not replacing  social safety net programs, she said.

The extra cash gives recipients freedom of choice. People can fix a flat tire, cover school supplies or celebrate a childs birthday for the first time.

Theres no social safety net program that allows you to do that. she said.   This is an effective policy that helps our families, and this can radically change the way that we address poverty in this country.

Basic income experiments across the U.S. studied by researchers

The proliferation of basic income projects has been closely studied by researchers.

Though many feared that free cash would dissuade people from working, that hasnt been the case, said Sara Kimberlin, the executive director and senior research scholar at Stanford Universitys Center on Poverty and Inequality.

Stanfords Basic Income Lab has tracked more than 150 basic income pilots across the country. Generally, those offer $500 or $1,000 per month over a short period.

There isnt anywhere in the United States where you can live off of $500 a month, she said. At the same time, $500 a month really makes a tremendous difference for someone who is living really close to the edge.

Kimberlin said the research on basic income programs has so far been promising, though its unclear how long the benefits may persist once programs conclude. Still, she said, plenty of research shows how critical economic stability in childhood is to stability in adulthood  something both the basic income programs and the pandemic-era child tax credit can address.

Over the past five years, basic income experiments have varied across the country.

Last year, California launched the nations first state-funded pilot programs targeting former foster youth.

In Colorado, the Denver Basic Income Project aimed to help homeless individuals. After early successes, the Denver City Council awarded funding late last year to extend that program, which provides up to $1,000 per month to hundreds of participants.

A 2021 pilot launched in Cambridge, Massachusetts, provided $500 a month over 18 months to 130 single caregivers. Research from the University of Pennsylvania found the Cambridge program increased employment, the ability to cover a $400 emergency expense, and food and housing security among participants.

Children in participating families were more likely to enroll in Advanced Placement courses, earned higher grades and had reduced absenteeism.

It was really reaffirming to hear that when families are not stressed out, they are able to actually do much better, said Geeta Pradhan, president of the Cambridge Community Foundation, which worked on the project.

Pradhan said basic income programs are part of a national trend in trust-based philanthropy, which empowers individuals rather than imposing top-down solutions to fight poverty.

There is something that I think it does to peoples sense of empowerment, a sense of agency, the freedom that you feel, she said. I think that theres some very important aspects of humanity that are built into these programs.

While the pilot concluded, the Cambridge City Council committed $22 million in federal pandemic aid toward a second round of funding. Now, nearly 2,000 families earning at or below 250% of the federal poverty level are receiving $500 monthly payments, said Sumbul Siddiqui, a city council member.

Siddiqui, a Democrat, pushed for the original pilot when she was mayor during the pandemic. While she said the program has proven successful, its unclear whether the city can find a sustainable source of funding to keep it going long term.

Some states look to expand basic income pilot programs

Tomas Vargas Jr. was among the 125 people who benefited from the Stockton, California, basic income program that launched in 2019.

At the time, he heard plenty of criticism from people who said beneficiaries would blow their funds on drugs and alcohol or quit their jobs.

Off of $500 a month, which amazed me, said Vargas, who worked part time at UPS.

Tomas Vargas Jr. was among the 125 people who participated in the 2019 basic income experiment in Stockton, Calif.

Tomas Vargas Jr. was among the 125 people who participated in the 2019 basic income experiment in Stockton, Calif. Vargas, pictured here with his family, said the $500 a month allowed him to be a better father and take off time to pursue a better career. (Courtesy of Tomas Vargas Jr.)

But he said the cash gave him breathing room. He had felt stuck at his job, but the extra money gave him the freedom to take time off to interview for better jobs.

Unlike other social service programs like food stamps, he didnt have to worry about losing out if his income went up incrementally. The cash allowed him to be a better father, he said, as well as improved his confidence and mental health.

The experience prompted him to get into the nonprofit sector. Financially stable, he now works at Mayors for a Guaranteed Income.

The person I was five years ago is not the person that I am now, he said.

Washington state Sen. Claire Wilson, a Democrat, said basic income is a proactive way to disrupt the status quo maintained by other anti-poverty efforts.

I have a belief that our systems in our country have never been put in place to get people out of them, she said. They kept people right where they are.

Wilson chairs the Human Services Committee, which considered a basic income bill this session that would have created a pilot program to offer 7,500 people a monthly amount equivalent to the fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment in their area.

The basic income bill didnt progress during Washingtons short legislative session this year, but Wilson said lawmakers would reconsider the idea next year. While she champions the concept, she said theres a lot of work to be done convincing skeptics.

In Minnesota, where lawmakers are considering a $100 million statewide basic income pilot program, some Republicans balked at the concept of free cash and its cost to taxpayers.

Just the cost alone should be a concern, Republican state Rep. Jon Koznick said during a committee meeting this month.

State Rep. Athena Hollins, a Democrat who sponsored the legislation, acknowledged the hefty request, but said backers would support a scaled-down version and thought it was really important to get this conversation started.

Much of the conversation in committee centered on local programs in cities such as Minneapolis and St. Paul. St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, a Democrat, told lawmakers the citys 2020 pilot saw groundbreaking results.

After scraping by for years, some families were able to put money into savings for the first time, he said. Families experienced less anxiety and depression. And the pilot disproved the disparaging tropes from critics about people living in poverty, the mayor said.

Carter told lawmakers that the complex issue of economic insecurity demands statewide solutions.

I am well aware that the policy were proposing today is a departure from what were all used to, he said. In fact, thats one of my favorite things about it.

Stateline, like the 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. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org. Follow Stateline on Facebook and Twitter.

The post Red states fight growing efforts to give basic income cash to residents appeared first on Idaho Capital Sun.
A heated dispute between Redding City Council members over appointments to the Planning Commission thats been playing out since April 2 got even more rancorous Tuesday night, culminating with a motion to remove the commissions chair.

Both Redding Mayor Tenessa Audette and Vice Mayor Julie Winter said they were upset with the way the citys recent general plan update played out, especially with the way Aaron Hatch, chair of the commission, conducted himself at the advisory boards April 9 meeting.

Winter said she was concerned that Hatch accused Development Services Director Jeremy Pagan of withholding information deliberately, among other things. Winter said Hatchs actions were divisive and had created a toxic environment on the commission.

Hatch was in the audience for Tuesday's meeting of the city council.

Audette said she wasnt sure how the commission could be constructive when the chair was making such accusations. Audette then made a motion to remove Hatch from the advisory panel that Winter seconded.

Michael Dacquisto

That prompted Councilman Michael Dacquisto to interject, Its the Bethel juggernaut at work again, just like I said last week. This is crazy.

Winter shot right back: Thats B.S. Stop."

Audette, Winter and Mayor Pro Tempore Jack Munns attend Bethel, a mega church in Redding whose membership makes up about 10% of the citys population. Some in the community have expressed concerns that the church wields too much political influence.

Redding City Council member Julie Winter talks to guests at the launch party for council candidate Alex Shea on Saturday, March 12, 2022.

Audette was also upset with Dacquisto for mentioning Bethel.

We just need to be done with the bigoted comments. Do not reference my church again. It has nothing to do with this. Nothing, Audette said.

Ultimately, the council voted 4-1 to put the potential removal of Hatch on a future agenda, which would also give Hatch the opportunity to address the accusations that were made. Dacquisto voted no.

Tenessa Audette

Hatch, who is a certified financial planner in Redding, told the Record Searchlight that he came to Tuesdays meeting because he saw the council was going to talk about planning commissioners qualifications and he wanted to hear what they had to say. He was surprised that Audette and Winter want to remove him.

I have not heard or spoken to anybody on the council recently so that was a surprise to me. I feel like if that were really a concern, that would be a conversation, Hatch said.

As for the April 9 commission meeting, Hatch said he made a comment that he was surprised that commissioners were not allowed to speak at the councils special meeting on March 26 to consider the City of Redding General Plan 2045.

I did not intend certainly to make it sound like they were colluding, Hatch said. I was more emphasizing that there is a history and there are people who are frequently speaking as commissioners in that capacity to the council and that I was just surprised and upset that we were not given that opportunity.

What happened April 2?

At the April 2 council meeting, Audette recommended appointing realtor Joshua Johnson and David Stine, CEO of Bethel Media, to the commission. They would replace developer Marcus Partin and realtor Cameron Middleton, whose terms are up.

That didnt sit well with Dacquisto or Councilmember Mark Mezzano, who said both Partin and Middleton want to stay on the commission.

Im confused," Dacquisto said at the April 2 meeting. "Why would you bring somebody new in when you have two experienced volunteers that are willing to go and continue working?

On April 2, Audette, Munns and Winter were in the 3-2 majority to appoint Johnson and Stine.

A day before Tuesday's meeting, Dacquisto told the Record Searchlight that he is concerned the council's current majority will continue to put Bethel members on the Planning Commission.

In December, Dacquisto ripped the council for voting Audette as mayor and called it the "Bethel juggernaut at work." Audette, Munns and Winter voted in the majority, passing over then-Vice Mayor Mezzano, who was next in line to be mayor.

Everybody can draw their own conclusions. I suspect the Planning Commission is going to have to approve the (updated) Sacramento (Riverfront Specific Plan). I suspect more Bethel people will be on it (Planning Commission) and they will approve the plan with some kind of development going on down there and I think the (Redding) Rodeo is going to get the short end of the stick, Dacquisto said Monday.

The rodeo grounds behind the Redding Civic Auditorium is part of the city's riverfront specific plan. Dacquisto and Mezzano are the only ones on the council who support giving the rodeo a 75-year extension on its lease, which they said removes doubt about its inclusion in the riverfront update.

Also at Tuesday's meeting:

City denies court's request to pause parking enforcement

Shasta County Superior Court Executive Officer Melissa Fowler-Bradley asked the city to pause parking enforcement of jurors' vehicles around the new courthouse for 90 days until additional parking becomes available.

The request came as the city presented a downtown parking update to the council and suggested changes to the program, which took effect in February 2023.

Councilman Dacquisto suggested approving the recommended changes, but giving those serving jury duty a 90-day grace period. They could put their juror card on the dashboard so they wouldn't get ticketed.

More: Buzz on the Street is turning 20. Join the Record Searchlight for a Q&A with David Benda

But the council voted 3-2 not to accept the recommended changes and not pause parking enforcement. Audette, Munns and Winter voted in the majority.

"The Superior Court is appreciative of the sacrifices people make to serve on the jury duty and apologize for this added inconvenience when their vehicles are ticketed," Bradley stated in a news release Wednesday.

The city is extending the time allowed for parking to four hours on the east side of Oregon Street between Tehama and Yuba streets and the west side of Oregon Street behind the courthouse. This would provide about 75 spaces for jurors "to utilize the overflow on-street parking without fear of receiving a citation or requiring their vehicle to be relocated," the staff report for council said.

Fowler-Bradley said jurors who could not find a place in the jury parking lot would park on the street. That wasn't a problem until the city started charging for parking, she said.

Council sends letter to feds regarding casino relocation

A divided council voted to send a letter to the Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs that questions the final environmental impact statement for the Redding Rancherias plan to relocate its Win-River Resort & Casino to freeway frontage property south of Redding.

City Manager Barry Tippin emphasized that the letter doesnt question the merits of the project. Rather, the letter says the final environment document did not do a sufficient or thorough enough job addressing the negative economic impacts and traffic impacts the project would have.

The council voted 3-2 to send the letter. Audette, Munns and Winter voted yes. Dacquisto and Mezzano voted no.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs has final say on the casino project.

The public comment period for the final environment impact statement ends April 29 and the Bureau of Indian Affairs could decide on the project after that date.

The Rancherias plan is to build a 69,541-square-foot casino, nine-story, 250-room hotel, restaurants, a conference center, an event center, a convention center and a 132,000-square-foot regional retail center on a portion of 232 acres of undeveloped land west of Interstate 5 known as Strawberry Fields. The property is just south the I-5-South Road interchange.

David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly "Buzz on the Street" column. Hes part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on X, formerly Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Redding City Council motions to remove Planning Commission chair
A report from an Iowa Board of Regents study team recommends accepting the Classic Learning Test on an individual basis only, rather as part of its automatic admissions formula. (Photo illustration via Getty Images)

A draft report to the Iowa Board of Regents recommends excluding from state universities admissions formula a standardized test used mostly by home-schooled or private school students.

The report recommends the Classic Learning Test be used for individual admissions decisions and not be included in the Regent Admission Index until more data is available to determine its viability.

The boards Academic Affairs Committee asked board staff and the universities in September to research the Classic Learning Test. An admissions study team was formed and reviewed the standardized test to see whether it would be useful in determining admissions to the state institutions.

The team and Iowa State University experts on statistics and psychometrics researched the tests background and how it compares to the traditional standardized tests. The group found students taking it werent representative of students wishing to attend a state university. They also found a lack of evidence connecting the test to student outcomes and its use for course placements.

When more information on those who take the test and their outcomes is available, the study team said in the report draft it should evaluate the test and whether it would fit in the regents universities admissions formula.

The team located no evidence to support the predictive efficacy of the CLT, particularly for students at institutions like ISU, SUI and UNI, the report draft stated.

Students wishing to attend the University of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa or Iowa State University are evaluated for admission through the Regent Admission Index, a formula factoring in a students grade-point average, ACT or SAT score and number of completed required high school courses. If their score comes out to 245 or higher, they receive automatic admission.

If a student doesnt get the minimum RAI score, they can have an individual academic review. There is also a test option for students who dont submit ACT or SAT scores.

The report draft stated that the data factored into the RAI formula strongly predict success in terms of academic performance, retention to second or third year, and graduation from the universities, and is evaluated regularly and adjusted accordingly to keep working like it should for students.

Launched in 2015, the Classic Learning Test is a set of standardized tests evaluating reading, grammar and math that, according to its website, focus on foundational critical thinking skills and are accessible to students across different educational backgrounds.

At least 25,000 students have taken the Classic Learning Test since its creation, the study team stated in its report draft, compared to the 1.9 million SAT and 1.4 million ACT takers in the past year alone. In statistical samples of students who have taken the Classic Learning Test, all were either home-schooled or attended a private school of some kind, which the report stated wasnt representative of Iowa public university students.

In efforts to convert Classic Learning Test scores to the equivalent of an ACT or SAT score, the report stated there were issues with the tests parent companys methodology that challenge the validity of its numbers.

Without a large enough sample of Classic Learning Test scores and fully tested and validated equivalency tables, the report stated it would be impossible to compare them to ACT and SAT scores and use the admissions index formula for automatic admission.

Another point the report made was that there arent any data on how the Classic Learning Test correlates with student outcomes, and the test is too new to allow for research into graduation and retention rates. Studies that could be conducted would be on students attending private colleges rather than public universities, as that is where most of the students who have taken the test are.

Even with the recent acceptance of CLT as an admissions test at the University of New Mexico, all public institutions in Florida, and select other public institutions, any study related to student outcomes at public colleges and universities will not happen for years, the report draft stated.

There are six Iowa colleges listed on the Classic Learning Tests website that accept its scores, including Dordt University, Northwestern College, Loras College, Briar Cliff University, Emmaus Bible College and Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary.

The fact there is no evidence that Classic Learning Test scores could be used to place students in English and math classes like SAT and ACT scores can is also problematic, the report stated.

The report was endorsed by the Council of Provosts ahead of the boards April 24-25 meeting.

Community colleges and state universities would have been required to accept the Classic Learning Test in its admissions decisions under the Higher Education Reform Act of 2024, which was withdrawn in late February.

Lawmakers voiced their concerns about the standardized test, with Rep. Sharon Steckman, D-Mason City, saying in a February House Education meeting that in her research she found that statistics and other mathematical concepts were not tested in the Classic Learning Test. The College Board put out a report that said 25% of the tests questions were not at a high school level, she said.

I dont think theres enough information on CLT, just because theyre doing it in Florida doesnt make it the best, Steckman said in the meeting.

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The post Regents report recommends keeping Classic Learning Test out of admissions appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
A religious group linked to the abduction and slaying of two Kansas moms has condemned the attack as a senseless act of murder that goes against Gods word, asserting it has no ties to the alleged murderers.

The condemnation from the group, Gods Misfits, came days after probable cause affidavits revealed that the suspects accused of murdering Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley were part of an organization by the same name, which met weekly and was characterized by authorities as anti-government.

Those suspects are Tifany Adams, the grandmother and guardian of Butlers children, as well as her boyfriend, Tad Bert Cullum, and their friends, Cora and Cole Earl Twombly. Each were arraigned Wednesday on murder and kidnapping charges in an emotionally-charged hearing that nearly became violent.

It is beyond me how anybody can do that, said the founder of Gods Misfits, who goes by Squirrel, in a video statement Wednesday. My heart goes out to yall.

Squirrel added that his organization isnt anti-government, and that his only focus is spreading the love of Jesus Christ, which, he emphatically says, does not mean going out and killing anybody.

Butler, 27, and Kelley, 39, disappeared in the middle of their drive from their hometown in southwest Kansas into the rural Oklahoma panhandle, where Kelley was set to supervise a visit between Butler and her young children at Adams home.

An arrest affidavit obtained by The Daily Beast said the women were somehow stopped on the highway, abducted, and killed. Their car was found hundreds of feet off the side of a highway on March 30, which sparked a massive search for the moms.

They would never be seen alive again, but police began to piece together a motive for the grisly crime, which left pools of blood near their abandoned vehiclea clue that made police believe the women may have been executed. Butler had been in a nasty custody dispute with her ex and Adams, who was the caregiver for her children.

A probe unveiled a trove of evidence against Adams, which included her web searches that sought answers on taser pain level, gun shops, prepaid cell phones, and how to get someone out of their housethe last of which allegedly came when Adams phone was pinged near Butlers home in Hugoton, Kansas, earlier this year.

Police added that Adams, Cullum, and the Twomblys had each purchased burner phones, which were found near the abandoned vehicle, and tasers, which may have been used to subdue Butler and Kelley.

Sorry Pieces of Sh*t!: Family of Murdered Kansas Moms Lose It in Court

Investigators said the suspects were connected through Gods Misfits, an anti-government organization that met inside group members homes. Much about the group has remained a mystery, but social posts for the suspects suggest theyve been a part of the group since at least last year.

On Oct. 5, Cole Tombly posted to Facebook that hed just left an awesome prayer in the park in Keyes, Oklahoma, hosted by the Misfits.

The groupand its membershave been at the center of rumors about what allegedly drove the suspects to kill, with some suggesting the group operated similar to a cult.

Butlers dad, Clinton Butler, wrote on Facebook that his daughter kept him informed of all of their bullshit, referencing the Misfits, but didnt elaborate on what he knows about the group. He did not respond to an interview request from The Daily Beast.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Andrew Bowie said the Government was actively looking into what they can do to protect valuable farmland from being used for large-scale solar farms - Jeff Gilbert Photography

The renewable energy minister has backed anti-solar protests, telling a rally of campaigners in Westminster that their concerns are completely legitimate.

Andrew Bowie joined dozens of campaigners outside Parliament on Thursday and called for more protections to stop large-scale solar farms being built in the countryside.

There are so many communities across the country who are seeing a huge increase in applications for large-scale solar farms, he said.

And the concern, and in some cases panic, that this is causing in communities is completely understandable, completely legitimate.

Mr Bowie said the Government was actively looking into what they can do to protect valuable farmland from being used for large-scale solar farms.

Restrictions on solar farms would be another rollback on the Governments net zero policies, which have come under pressure from some within the party.

Campaigners demand changes to planning process

The Government wants 70Gw of solar energy in the electricity grid by 2035, more than four times the current level, to help meet its net zero goals.

But it is facing opposition from residents in Conservative constituencies and backbench MPs over the growth of large-scale solar farms in the countryside.

Campaigners outside Parliament on Thursday and called for more protections to stop large-scale solar farms being built in the countryside - Jeff Gilbert Photography

Rishi Sunak in his leadership bid promised that agricultural land would not be covered with solar panels, but campaigners say not enough has been done to change the planning process.

Projects that have faced protests include a vast 2,500 acre development project at Botley West, in the Oxfordshire countryside, and a similarly sized proposal from solar developers Sunnica on the border between Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.

Its incumbent on all of us involved in the system to listen to the concerns and do what we can to mitigate that, Mr Bowie said.

In England, large solar farms must get a green light from the energy secretary but are considered of critical national priority, meaning consent is expected to be given.

Although national guidance says solar farms should be sited on previously developed and non-agricultural land it does not prohibit using farmland.

To build on valuable agricultural land, developers must show they have considered brownfield sites, but there are concerns this has become a tick-box exercise.

Planning process needs to be rectified

Speaking during a debate in Westminster later on Thursday, Mr Bowie said that the Government shares concerns that developers were not properly considering alternatives sites for solar farms.

This is something that needs to be rectified, he added.

Landowners can be enticed by the financial rewards of leasing to solar developers, which can bring in some ten times more than crops on the same land.

The Government considers there is a strong need for increased ground-mounted solar, Mr Bowie told MPs.

However, I and the department recognise that as with any new developments, solar projects may impact on communities and the environment.

He added that the planning system must allow all views to be taken into account.

Analysis for the Government has calculated that reaching the 70Gw target would take up an extra 1,500 square kilometres, or around 0.6 per cent of UK land.

But Mr Bowie said the figures did not reflect the danger of clusters of large solar farms in certain parts of the country, particularly close to National Grid connections.

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Two former senior Israeli military officials said a direct military strike against Iranian territory would not be in Israel's best interests.

Retired Maj. Gen. Giora Eiland, who was head of Israel's National Security Council from 2004 to 2006, said the alliance that helped Israel successfully defend itself from Iran's first-ever direct attack against Israeli territory on Sunday has proven "that Israel cannot do everything alone."

Eiland said Iran's attack and the defensive military support and intelligence Israeli received from a coalition  led by the U.S. and including European and Arab states  has reversed Israel's growing isolation in relation to the war in Gaza. That sentiment is shared by retired Israeli Col. Miri Eisin.

Both former Israeli officers told ABC News that Israel should now capitalize on that sense of renewed support, both from allies and other regional players, like Jordan and Saudi Arabia, who also view Iran as a regional threat.

PHOTO: Iranian lift up a flag and the mock up of a missile during a celebration following Iran's missiles and drones attack on Israel, on April 15, 2024, at Palestine square in central Tehran. (Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images)

Iran on Saturday night unleashed a retaliatory strike against Israel, sending a volley of more than 300 uncrewed drones and missiles toward targets throughout the country, Israeli military officials said. All but a few were intercepted by Israel and its allies, including the United States, officials said.

Eisin said Israel now needs to deter Iran and other adversaries from conducting future attacks. However, she said, effective deterrence would also mean working with the consent of key partners, such as the U.S., adding that allies should not be kept "out of the room."

The Biden administration has said it would not take part in any Israeli response. U.S. officials, however, are urging Israel to show restraint.

MORE: US to Israel: If you strike back at Iran, you'll do it alone

Eiland, who led the Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) planning branch from 2001 to 2003, said the Israeli military is, theoretically, capable of causing "terrible destruction to the Iranian energy sector" -- either to its oil fields or by orchestrating an attack that could "shut down the electricity" to Tehran.

PHOTO: Retired Maj. Gen. Giora Eiland (Giora Eiland)

The Israeli government has not ruled out a direct military strike against Iranian military territory, and Eiland conceded there was a "temptation" for Israel "to try something dramatic."

Israel is unlikely to carry out a strike on Iran until after Passover, which ends after nighfall on April 30, a senior U.S. official told ABC News, although that could always change.

However, Eiland said a direct military strike against Iran would risk sparking "a real cycle of violence" between Israel and Iran that would endanger the entire region.

He also warned that Israel might not be ready or have the ammunition to conduct a drawn-out war with Iran. As a former officer he would not have access to information on Israel's current ammunition stocks, however Israel is hoping that the US Congress will soon sign-off on additional military aid for the IDF.

Congress is set to vote on the matter on Saturday, although Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson is facing opposition from some fellow Republicans on a separate vote for aid for Ukraine.

Eiland said Israel does have the capability to carry out more covert forms of attacks against Iranian territory, which would not involve a kinetic military strike.

He said cyberattacks could be one possible category of covert attack that Israel could consider but said there could be "some other creative solutions," which, because of their sensitive nature, he could not disclose.

Instead of a direct military strike against Iranian territory, Israel should increase attacks against Iran's proxies in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon, both former Israeli military officers said.

Eisin, who is now managing director of the International Institute for Counterterrorism, an Israeli think-tank, said Israel should ensure that through its response it retakes the "initiative" and "defines the rules," by significantly increasing attacks on pro-Iranian Shiite militias in Syria, as well as Hezbollah in Lebanon.

PHOTO: Retired Israeli Col. Miri Eisin. (Tom Soufi Burridge/ABC News)

The IDF announced on Tuesday that it had killed two Hezbollah commanders in two separate attacks in Lebanon. However, there has been no official confirmation that those attacks were part of Israel's response to the Iranian attack on Saturday night.

PHOTO: This handout picture courtesy of the Israeli Prime Minister's Office taken on April 14, 2024, shows Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, center, during a War Cabinet meeting at the Kirya in Tel Aviv. (Israeli Prime Minister Office/AFP via Getty Images)

That attack, widely attributed to, but not officially claimed, by Israel, killed seven members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, including two generals, and precipitated Saturday's first-ever direct missile and drone attack by Iran against Israeli territory.

Eiland denied Israel miscalculated by not anticipating that Iran would launch a direct military strike involving more than a hundred ballistic missiles, and argued that by degrading the capabilities of Iran's proxies in the region, Israel was conducting self defense.

The former Israeli major general also said Israel should issue an ultimatum to Hezbollah for it to halt its attacks, which have been occurring on a daily basis across Israel's northern border since Israel launched its war in Gaza following the Oct. 7 terror attack in southern Israel.

For more than six months, around 70,000 Israeli citizens have been displaced from their homes in communities near the Israeli border with Lebanon.

Eiland said Israel should threaten another major ground war against Lebanon if Hezbollah refused to halt its attacks.

PHOTO: An Israeli army F-15 fighter jet flies over central Israel on April 15, 2024. (Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images)

MORE: Israel-Gaza live updates

At the same time, he argued that Israel should halt its war against Hamas in Gaza in return for the release of all of the remaining hostages.

Hezbollah and the Yemen-based, Iranian-backed Houthis have said their attacks against Israel are a response to Israel's war in Gaza.

However, the Israeli government has repeatedly said the war in Gaza cannot end before Israel launches a military ground operation into the southern city of Rafah, where it believes thousands of Hamas fighters are still stationed.

The former major general said an offensive in Rafah would make little difference to the security threat posed by Hamas, because "80%" of its military capabilities had already been destroyed.

Israel should not directly attack Iranian soil, ex commanders say originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WDKY)  Police in Lexington, Kentucky, confirmed they were called out to investigate an Airbnb stay that left the occupants feeling unsettled.

The renter, who requested to remain anonymous for safety reasons, told Nexstars WDKY that they live out of state and visited Lexington the weekend of April 13 for their daughters equine competition. The group, consisting of the renter, their elderly mother, and four teenage girls, rented an Airbnb off Leestown Road for the weekend.

After returning from dinner on April 13, the renter described an unnerving scene.

Later that night, when we returned, the girls hung out, and we got ready for bed around 11:30, the renter said. One of the girls came in and told me that her window was open. My mom and I went to find that both windows in their room were indeed unlocked and cracked open.

Upon inspection, the renter described all the windows in the home as being in a similar position, despite leaving the home with them closed.

She says an Uber stranded her. Then things really got weird

When I opened the window, there was a car that had been parked across the street with tinted windows. When I looked up and looked at their car, the car immediately started and took off, the renter said. My mom called 911, and the deputy quickly came.

According to authorities, officers were dispatched to the Airbnb around 11:38 p.m. for suspicious activity.

When officers arrived, they learned that the guests had arrived back at the residence and noticed a door unlocked and a window opened. Nothing was reported missing, and officers could not determine if someone had unlawfully entered the residence, Lexington police said.

Officers told the renters that if they felt unsafe, they should find a hotel for the remainder of their stay. Officers stayed at the property until the renters had packed their things and headed to a nearby hotel.

Airbnb to ban hosts from using indoor security cameras

I think that the officers did an outstanding job and definitely made us feel safe, the renter said. When we opened the garage doors and saw that there were two cars and officers standing outside, it made us feel really safe. It also validated what happened to us.

The renter said they made a social media post to encourage their network to be more vigilant when traveling.

I told the girls that they should always trust their instincts when they feel that something is wrong. If they had not noticed that cracked window, if they had thought it was no big deal and just went to bed. But they didnt, the renter said.

WDKY reached out to the property owner but has yet to hear back.

Airbnb advises guests who feel like they are in imminent danger to contact local authorities. For non-emergency safety issues, the company says they can be reached 24 hours a day.

Airbnb also suggests doing a safety check when you arrive at any property rented on its platform. You can look for the fire extinguisher or first aid kit, and ask your host if anything seems out of place.

Lexington police said there was no indication that the incident was related to human trafficking, and the investigation is ongoing to determine if any criminal activity occurred.

If anyone has information, they are asked to call the Lexington Police Department at (859) 258-3600.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 30: (L-R) Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MN), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) take questions during a news conference about Islamophobia on Capitol Hill on November 30, 2021 in Washington, DC. A video of Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) circulated on social media last week of the conservative lawmaker making anti-Muslim remarks about Rep. Ilhan Omar. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omars 21-year-old daughter has been suspended from Barnard College for taking part in a pro-Palestine tent protest at Columbia University in New York City.

Dozens of tents are set up on the college campus to protest Israels actions in Gaza, creating a standoff between administrators and students, according to the New York Times.

The protest began Wednesday, when Columbia University President Nemat Shafik appeared before a congressional committee and was grilled by Omar about Palestinian and Muslim students who have been sanctioned for participating in the protest, without mentioning her daughters involvement.

Isra Hirsi wrote on X that she was notified Thursday that she was one of three Barnard students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide.

In my 3 years at Barnard College I have never been reprimanded or received any disciplinary warnings, Hirsi wrote on X.

Hirsi wrote that she is an organizer with Apartheid Divest, which is pushing Columbia University to divest from companies that support Israel.

According to Apartheid Divest, three students were notified Wednesday by the Barnard dean that theyd been suspended because of their involvement in an unauthorized encampment on the campus and had refused to stop participating despite repeated requests from Barnard and Columbia.

A social media video shows the students refusing to leave as New York Police Department officers warn them they will be arrested for refusing to disperse, and could face additional charges if they resist arrest.

Hirsi wrote on X that the students werent going anywhere: Those of us in Gaza Solidarity Encampment will not be intimidated. We will stand resolute until our demands are met. Our demands include divestment from companies complicit in genocide, transparency of Columbias investments and FULL amnesty for all students facing repression.

Omar has also been critical of U.S. military aid to Israel because of the war in Gaza.

The post Rep. Ilhan Omars daughter suspended for refusing to stop protesting war at Columbia appeared first on Minnesota Reformer.
BEIJING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- China's National Immigration Administration (NIA) announced Thursday that border ports had processed over 141 million inbound and outbound trips in the first quarter this year.

This marks an increase of over 117 percent from the same period of last year, the administration said in a statement.

Among the cross-border trips, over 69.54 million were made by Chinese mainland residents and more than 59.11 million were made by residents from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, the statement said.

It added that the number also included over 13 million trips made by foreign nationals, a 305 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023.

Moreover, the NIA has handled 7.35 million cross-border trips made by transport vehicles, including planes, trains, ships, and motor vehicles.

The NIA said that it launched a series of entry and exit policies in the first quarter, streamlining policies regarding regional visa-free entry, visa-free transit and port visas. During this period, it issued around 466,000 visa documents for foreign nationals and granted over 1.98 million foreign travelers visa-free entry, up by 118.8 percent and 266.1 percent respectively.

Over the same period, the administration investigated over 10,000 criminal cases concerning offenses against border control, captured over 14,000 suspects, cracked 213 relevant criminal rings and closed 53 sites used for illegal transit.

It has also nabbed 256 people in 200 drug-related cases and investigated smuggling cases involving items worth over 110 million yuan (about 15.5 million U.S. dollars). 
Following a classified briefing on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), more commonly known as UFOs, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) suggested Wednesday that the U.S. government may be intentionally concealing information on these objects from the American public.

I think theres a cover-up, Burchett told Blake Burman on NewsNations The Hill.

There are tens of millions of dollars that weve spent investigating these things. Weve had departments tell us that they have recovery units, but they wont release full reports. Everythings covered up, Burchett added.

This is not the first time Burchett has accused the Pentagon of withholding information from Congress that would prove the existence of extraterrestrial life.

After a series of explosive hearings last summer in which several whistleblowers alleged the government was hiding intel on an ultra-high-tech craft of foreign or even extraterrestrial origin, Burchett requested the inspector general of the intelligence community investigate these claims further.

The Tennessee Republican is among a group of bipartisan lawmakers who have continued to push for greater transparency from military officials on what the government knows about UAP, leading an effort last fall to launch the House UAP Caucus.

When asked why he suspected a cover-up, Burchett pointed to the vast financial and technological gains that could be made should evidence of extraterrestrial life become public, asserting that the American people would be able to handle such knowledge.

It might be the fact that its just plain arrogance  they dont think we deserve it, Burchett said.

I cant tell you how many conversations Ive had with high-ranking officials that have told me that America really cant handle this stuff. Its not their position to tell me who or what I can handle; were Americans, we ought to be able to take it. Give it to us, Burchett continued.

NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The Montana State Capitol in Helena on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. (Photo by Mike Clark for the Daily Montanan)

As Republicans on the Law and Justice Interim Committee were preparing Thursday to vote whether or not to support CI-128, the abortion access constitutional amendment initiative, Sen. Keith Regier asked the committee attorney when and where the vote would be attached to the initiative petition.

It wont be, committee attorney Julianne Burkhardt responded.

Republicans held the hearing Thursday morning to give an up-or-down vote for the measure despite the Montana Supreme Court having ruled that because of the way the law is written and because Republican Attorney General did not find the measure to be legally sufficient  the Supreme Court did  it was not subject to review by a legislative committee.

In the end, the committee voted 6-0 not to support it. But the two Democrats on the committee did not attend the hearing, nor did the groups that make up Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights or their supporters, which they said would be the case at their kick-off event Tuesday afternoon, calling it theater.

House Minority Leader Kim Abbott, D-Helena, and Senate Minority Leader Pat Flowers, D-Belgrade, called the hearing a sham.

Reproductive freedom, including the right to access abortion care, is broadly popular among Montanans, and the initiative would explicitly protect those rights in the Montana Constitution, the two said in a joint statement. We will not participate in Republicans attempts to keep this initiative away from the voters.

The ballot initiative has turned into a political cudgel in recent months. Knudsen, the Gianforte administration, and most Republican legislators have supported laws restricting abortion access in Montana and are staunchly opposed to the proposal, which would enshrine broad abortion protections in the state constitution beyond the standing ones upheld in the 1999 Armstrong v. Montana decision.

Knudsen first found the measure to be legally insufficient in January, but the Supreme Court overturned that ruling after Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights challenged it. Then, Knudsen wrote a ballot statement inserting his own language that differed greatly from the statement submitted by the group. The Supreme Court said the language Knudsen used was also not sufficient and wrote a statement for the petition it said was fair and would be used by the petitioners.

The courts ruling that the initiative, after having the ballot statement finalized, did not need to go to a legislative committee further angered Senate President Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton, who was already in the process of launching a select committee to look into what he says are judicial oversteps because multiple laws passed over the past two sessions have been struck down as unconstitutional. Ellsworth is running in the primary for the Clerk of the Supreme Court seat this year.

Ellsworth subpoenaed the initiative materials from Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen and said he would have the Law and Justice Committee review the measure regardless of the courts ruling.

At Thursdays remote hearing, which supporters of the measure said earlier this week they would boycott, only one person spoke in favor of the initiative. More than two-dozen opponents spoke against the measure.

Many cited their religion as reasons for opposing abortion generally, but others also made arguments similar to the ones the attorney general made as he pushed back against the proposal in the earlier phase of the process by saying certain terms, including fetal viability, lacked explicit definitions.

Regier, the senator from Kalispell, remarked that the initiatives using the phrase pregnant patient instead of pregnant woman gives a transgender feel to this initiative.

Sen. Chris Friedel, R-Billings, joked about supporting a womans right to choose.

They had several choices to make before this (pregnancy) happened, he said.

Ellsworth took the opportunity to continue to dig at the court and at Democrats, saying the lack of supporters of the initiative at the hearing shows the true feelings of Montanans on the issue of abortion and that Democrats, by not showing up to the hearing, were not representing their constituents.

Its no wonder the Montana Supreme Court took extreme lengths to try to avoid having a public hearing on this controversial initiative, he said in a statement. The Montana public came out strongly against the initiative when given the opportunity to make their voices heard.

In 2022, 53% of Montana voters rejected LR-131, a born alive initiative that was run by opponents of abortion.

In a statement Thursday afternoon, Martha Fuller, speaking on behalf of Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights, said the hearing involved misleading and deceiving voters.

This ridiculous hearing demonstrates why moving forward with the amendment to secure the reproductive rights that Montanans currently have in the State Constitution is so critical and urgent, Fuller said. Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights will continue to work alongside our partners and volunteers around the state to qualify this essential initiative.

Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights started gathering signatures for the initiative last week and launched their campaign officially on Tuesday. They will have until June 21 to gather more than 60,000 valid signatures, including from 10% of the voters in 40 different state House districts, in order for the initiative to appear on Novembers ballot.

Editors note: This story has been updated to include comments from Fuller on behalf of Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights.

ci-128

The post Republican legislators hold hearing on abortion ballot initiative; vote wont appear on petition appeared first on Daily Montanan.
Ukrainian-born congresswoman Victoria Spartz has submitted several amendments to the bill on supplementary funding for Ukraine, which provide for reducing military aid and removing financial aid.

Source: European Pravda

Details: One of Spartzs amendments proposes to remove the provisions related to the PDA programme, which allows the White House to supply Ukraine with armament directly from US army stockpiles. The bill by Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House of Representatives, suggests an amount of US$7.8 billion.

Two more amendments concern economic aid for Ukraine, mentioned in Johnsons bill: Spartz suggests removing the clause about over US$7.8 billion of loan aid and banning the US President from writing off Ukraines debt under certain conditions.

The fourth amendment removes US$481 million of funding from the US Department of Health and Human Services for the refugees, and the fifth proposes to forbid the "countries affected by the war in Ukraine" from using the funds within the FMF programme (ordering weapons directly from the manufacturers to cover the needs of a US ally).

Background:

Earlier, Spartz refused to support any funding for Kyiv in Congress other than for lethal aid and is making measures for securing the US border a condition.

The "Ukrainian" package calls for the allocation of approximately US$61billion to assist Ukraine and its supporters. The bill's final vote should take place on Saturday evening, 20 April.

US President Joe Biden expressed his readiness to sign, if approved by Congress, bills on supplemental funding for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

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Republicans warned that vulnerable Senate Democrats would be punished in the upcoming November general election for their votes to kill the impeachment trial of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

"Every Democrat will pay a heavy price in November for willfully refusing to end this border crisis," said Republican Conference Chairman John Barrasso, R-Wyo., in a statement following the impeachment trial proceedings.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., proposed points of order after senators were sworn in as jurors to deem both of the House-passed articles of impeachment unconstitutional. Votes on the points of order were along party lines, with all Democrats agreeing that both articles were in fact unconstitutional.

SENATE DEMOCRATS KILL BOTH ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT AGAINST DHS SECRETARY MAYORKAS

From left: All of the vulnerable incumbent Democrats  Sens. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania; Sherrod Brown of Ohio; Jacky Rosen of Nevada; Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin; and Jon Tester of Montana  voted down the impeachment articles.

This included all five of the most vulnerable Democratic incumbents: Sens. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.; Jon Tester, D-Mont.; Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio; Bob Casey, D-Pa.; and Jacky Rosen, D-Nev.

"The American people will hold Senate Democrats accountable for this shameful display," warned House Republican leaders in a joint statement from Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.; Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La.; Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn.; and Republican conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

"History will not be forgiving of Democrats' decision to table this hearing," echoed Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., in a statement. "The American people will hold Mayorkas accountable at the ballot box this November."

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, additionally slammed his Democratic counterparts for disregarding "their duty to the American people."

GOP SENATOR EYES LEGISLATION TO DEFUND 'PROPAGANDIST' NPR AFTER SUSPENSION OF WHISTLEBLOWER

Tester faces one of the most competitive races in the country.

In his own statement following the decision to vote in line with his party, Tester said, "Montanans want real solutions that secure the border, not partisan games from D.C. politicians."

He urged "President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas to use their remaining executive authorities to help secure our border," and asked his colleagues in the Senate to revisit the bipartisan border package that was abandoned following former President Donald Trump's public disapproval.

Tester's race is considered one of the most competitive races in the country heading into November.

"Senate Democrats just showed voters they will do nothing to hold Joe Biden and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas accountable for the disastrous border policies that caused this crisis," National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesman Tate Mitchell said in a statement.

SENATE DEMS REVEAL MASSIVE $79M AD SPEND TO PROTECT MAJORITY AHEAD OF KEY MATCHUPS

Republicans further lamented the precedent set by Wednesday's impeachment trial proceedings. "This means that the Senate can ignore, in effect, the House's impeachment," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., remarked on the chamber floor following the Senate adjourning.

"This is a day that's not a proud day in the history of the Senate," he added.

Throughout the Senate's history, charges and trials have only ever been dismissed when the impeached individual had resigned or was otherwise no longer in office.

Cornyn noted the precedent set is "unfortunate" and part of the Democrats' larger effort "to sweep the Biden administrations failing border policies under the rug."

"In 2020, Dems voted to impeach Trump without even charging a crime. Today they voted that a *felony* CANNOT be an impeachable crime. Its beyond absurd," claimed Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., comparing the impeachment trial proceedings to those of Trump during his presidency.

TRUMP'S LOAN PROPOSAL FOR UKRAINE AID MAY BE COMMON GROUND FOR COMPREHENSIVE FOREIGN AID PACKAGE

While Republicans denounced the proceedings that unfolded on the Senate floor, President Biden's administration rejoiced over the result.

"Todays decision by the Senate to reject House Republicans baseless attacks on Secretary Mayorkas proves definitively that there was no evidence or Constitutional grounds to justify impeachment," said Mia Ehrenberg, DHS spokesperson, in a statement.

Ian Sams, White House spokesperson for Oversight and Investigations, added in his own statement, "Once and for all, the Senate has rightly voted down this baseless impeachment that even conservative legal scholars said was unconstitutional."

He also noted that Biden and Mayorkas would "continue doing their jobs to keep America safe and pursue actual solutions at the border."

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.





Original article source: Republicans predict Dems to pay 'heavy price' in election after Mayorkas impeachment bid fails
House Republicans traded personal barbs on Thursday as disagreements over foreign aid packages to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan threaten to throw the caucus into further chaos.

During a morning huddle around Speaker Mike Johnson, who has struggled to rally his party around the aid bills, Wisconsin Representative Derrick Van Orden got in Florida Representative Matt Gaetzs face and called him tubby. Van Orden later confirmed the insult.

He felt like he should call me a squish, and I wanted to remind anybody who has not been in combat and held his friends hand as they died being shot by the enemy really doesnt have any business calling someone else a squish. And so, in fact, I did call him tubby and I stand by that, he said.

Later, on the steps of the Capitol, Gaetz fired back at his Republican colleague who, along with Marjorie Taylor Greene, has called for a motion to remove Johnson from the speakership.

The only thing I gleaned from [the exchange] is that Mr. Van Orden is not a particularly intelligent individual, Gaetz said.

Gaetz led the charge in October to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, whom Johnson replaced. While Gaetz opposes the foreign aid packages, he has not called for Johnsons ouster.

Johnson, physically and figuratively surrounded by folks who have taken issue with his foreign aid plan, reportedly put his head in his hands and shook his head on the House floor. The image sums up his brief time as speaker of the House. As for Gaetz, this is what he asked for.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky holds an American flag gifted to him by U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-California, as he addresses a joint meeting of Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 21, 2022 in Washington, D.C. In his first known trip outside of Ukraine since Russia invaded, Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Joe Biden and outlined Ukraine's request for continued military aid. (Photo by Win McNamee | Getty Images)

Americans took the bait.

Thats the bad news. The good news is just as simple (more on that in a moment).

Sadly, our online addiction has helped fuel a crisis of confidence in democracy, and thats literally by design. Its as obvious as a sunrise to those who sit beyond the shores of America, and its a fact that was emphasized time and time again when U.S. Ambassador to Slovakia Gautam Rana visited Billings last week.

Playing on Americas penchant for conspiracy, nations like Russia and China have used troll farms, or a network full of people posing as Americans online, to spread disinformation and conspiracy theories to cause unrest and division. Certainly, this is not a new concept, but its one we havent fully wrapped our minds around.

The goal is simple and effective: Distract and distort to make it easier for these world bullies to traipse around the globe with less interference from America. And, if authoritarian governments like Russia, led by President Vladimir Putin, or China, led by Xi Jinping, can make democracy or America appear dysfunctional and ineffective, that makes their efficient but brutal tyranny look not-so-bad by comparison. Its a fancy of way of saying the old Western phrase: I may be going to hell, but I am taking you with me.

Its not that America is some giant kum-ba-yah exercise. Weve historically had division, tumult, and racial problems. We are, after all, a nation founded by non-conformists, dedicated to doing things their own way, which leads to plenty of disagreement.

Yet, Rana seemed to bring back an overseas message that rang clear: We dont see  or even more dangerously, we dont believe  what other nations see clearly about America. Many of the divisions that seem endemic to our politics have been exacerbated by enemies who want to see the United States devolve into chaos and in-fighting. Its in their economic and political interest.

Russians are very, very effective at this, Rana told me in a one-on-one conversation. Thats Putins background with the KGB.

United States Ambassador to Slovakia Gautam Rana speaks at a presentation on the campus of Montana State University-Billings on April 10, 2024 (Photo by Darrell Ehrlick of the Daily Montanan).

The problem: A bunch of misinformation and disinformation is easy, but the answer may be equally straightforward (and thats the good news). Rana said that while candidates like Donald Trump may try to convince us that Americas standing in the world has cratered, Ill take my cues from Rana, who has lived in more foreign countries than most of us have visited. America is still seen as a generous ally, and people still want to emulate the type of country we have here.

I am not sure we can hear that often enough.

If we know that the divisions that are being created by political parties and online are, in part, magnified and exacerbated by those who want to create division for the sake of division, then the answer is to look beyond the differences, and instead, focus on the things on which we can agree, even if those topics seem fleeting.

What Rana hinted at is that there is still common ground in America. For example, even though we may disagree about all the solutions at the United States southern border, Congress proved there were programs and solutions that could garner bipartisan support. And racial inequality and unrest is something that is routinely exploited by Xi and Putin, and yet those challenges are well-known in America because there is no other country that has such diverse cultural backgrounds.

The answer isnt to regress into a sort of tribalism that wallows in a pit of grievances, rather it is to recognize our diversity as an inherent strength. The answer, in other words, isnt to become less diverse, its to become more, proving that a more perfect union can be achieved by more than just the brutal force of a dictatorship.

What Rana sees from his vantage point in Bratislava, not so far away from the horrible war in Ukraine, is that America hasnt had this kind of opportunity for world leadership since World War II.

NATO is stronger than its ever been, and I dont think Putin counted on Sweden and Finland joining and I dont think he counted on that, Rana said. I think hes been surprised by the heroism of the Ukrainians. I dont think he counted on that.

And all we have to do is look to why Ukraine is fighting so hard against a nation that country has been historically aligned with for centuries.

Its because of democracy. They have great aspirations, Rana said. People are watching us and asking, Whats going on? And my reply is that weve always had these fluctuations. We fought a horrible Civil War. We get stuck in the now like everyone.

But take a look at the institutions of America  theyre very, very strong.

Even if we doubt ourselves, the rest of the world doesnt.

The post What the rest of the world knows (but we dont) appeared first on Daily Montanan.
A retired NYPD lieutenant who was once in an off-duty shooting has been arrested for groping a young woman at a Queens subway station, the Daily News has learned.

Retired Lt. Jose Jacome was taken into custody around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday after plainclothes public safety officers spotted him grabbing a 25-year-old womans rear-end at the 74th St.-Broadway station in Jackson Heights.

The 26-year NYPD veteran allegedly followed the woman onto the train and continued to press his fingers against her behind. He also breathed heavily on her neck, the woman told police after his arrest, according to officials.

Cops charged him with forcible touching, sex abuse and harassment.

Jacome, 60, told police when they apprehended him that he was a retired NYPD officer. Cops also recovered a licensed .380 pistol from his person.

He retired in 2016 after serving in the 44th Precinct in the Bronx and the 110th Precinct in Queens, according to the website 50-a.org.

In 2007, while off duty, he thwarted a mugging in Jackson Heights, cops said. One of the would-be robbers, a 17-year-old boy, tried to take Jacomes gun during the clash and was shot in the chest as they fought over the pistol.

Jacome was picking up his girlfriend at a restaurant in Jackson Heights when he saw the robbery in progress, flashed his badge and ordered the muggers to stop, cops said.

It was not clear who pulled the trigger, the NYPD said at the time.

His arraignment in Queens Criminal Court for the public lewdness arrest was pending Thursday, officials said.
The Kremlin is tightening rules around foreign travel for Russian officials over fears foreign countries could target them and obtain state secrets, Reuters reported on April 18, citing undisclosed sources.

According to sources who spoke to the news agency, even travel to countries with warm relations with Moscow is being restricted.

"You can't go anywhere at all, not even to Uzbekistan or Belarus for the May holidays," one said, adding: "You can go only if you have permission."

Reuters reports that pressure is being placed on all government ministries by Russias Federal Security Service (FSB), driven by a fear that officials could be entrapped while abroad and forced into giving up state secrets.

Another fear is that they could be detained and extradited to Western countries as relations between Moscow and the West continue to deteriorate.

Elsewhere this week, a secret Kremlin foreign policy document revealed calls for Russia to leverage the war in Ukraine and exploit weaknesses in "unfriendly states" in order to forge a new global order in which the U.S. no longer plays a leading role, the Washington Post reported on April 17.

According to the paper, the document is a classified addendum to a public document titled "Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation" and was obtained via a European intelligence service.

The secret part of the document calls for an "offensive information campaign" covering multiple spheres, including "the military-political, economic and trade and informational psychological" against what the Kremlin perceives as a "coalition of unfriendly countries" led by the U.S.

Read also: WP: Secret Kremlin document outlines plan to weaken Ukraines allies

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
by Xinhua writers Arison Tamfu, Wang Ze

YAOUNDE, April 18 (Xinhua) -- James Atanga runs a trading company in Cameroon's commercial hub of Douala. The 55-year-old is the manager of Tang Enterprise Co. Ltd, which deals in household utensils, furniture, electronics, clothes, shoes, toys, furs, and car parts.

"Almost everything (in my shop) is imported from China," he said. In 2010, Atanga forged connections in China and began traveling to the Chinese cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen to buy goods.

"China is the place I look to when I want to buy and create partners," the father of four said.

Just like Atanga, Seraphin Koliou Leubou is eager to seize opportunities in China. The 46-year-old is the manager of Electro-Plomb Sarl, a Cameroonian company specialized in the distribution and construction of energy products. "Creating partnerships with the Chinese is absolutely important," Leudou said.

Both men are attending the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, which is underway in Guangzhou, the capital of south China's Guangdong Province.

Leudou, who has attended the fair several times, said he is looking for "new partnerships in order to pursue our vision."

"I have already participated in this trade fair several times. As an experience, I have seen presentations from industries at the cutting edge of technology, which give me an orientation to the vision of our company. I have made contacts, and partnerships are gradually being put in place for our activity," Leudou told Xinhua as he was setting off for China.

In recent years, China's investment and cooperation with Africa have developed steadily and healthily, especially in fields such as transportation, energy, electricity and housing, and that has helped promote local economic development and improve people's livelihoods, Atanga said.

"The fruitful results achieved so far have provided broad space for continued cooperation in the future," he said. "That is why, I think, we from Africa, and Cameroon in particular, have had a smooth relationship with China, have a pride of place at Canton Fair."

"With thousands of exhibitors from over 200 countries, this is a huge trade fair. The eagerness of exhibitors and buyers is just the right thing I need to buy more and create more partners to expand my business back home," Atanga said.

Leudou, for his part, said investment-led cooperation is becoming a main driver for business cooperation, and China's Belt and Road Initiative has seen more and more Chinese enterprises invest in Africa.

"That is why I am attending the trade fair to discover more opportunities, interview exhibitors while making new contacts for commercial negotiations," he said. "The economic operators who return from this trade fair have always had innovations and improvements to make in their activities, which brings added value to the economy."

Atanga said China, Africa's largest trading partner, has been a transformational partner, and its engagement with Africa has been multifaceted and multilayered. "That is why Canton Fair is diverse and offers opportunities to everyone," he said. "And that is why, I, a small equipment dealer, am also here to benefit from this diversity."

Atanga said it is important for China and Cameroon to build relationships in areas outside those fostered by government actors. "China could provide some public-private partnership to interface the private sector. That would be win-win," he said.

Dieudonne Tata Wirba, an economist, said business people traveling to China to attend the fair should seize the opportunity to boost cooperation and create more jobs for the youths back home. "But signing deals is not enough," he said. "Cameroon needs to learn from the best practices of China. We have to work with China in order to add value to our systems."

The Canton Fair, which opened on April 15, is scheduled to run through May 5. 
By Anthony Deutsch

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Reuters photographer Mohammed Salem won the prestigious 2024 World Press Photo of the Year award on Thursday for his image of a Palestinian woman cradling the body of her five-year-old niece in the Gaza Strip.

The picture was taken on Oct. 17, 2023, at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, where families were searching for relatives killed during Israeli bombing of the Palestinian enclave.

Salem's winning image portrays Inas Abu Maamar, 36, sobbing while holding Saly's sheet-clad body in the hospital morgue.

"Mohammed received the news of his WPP award with humility, saying that this is not a photo to celebrate but that he appreciates its recognition and the opportunity to publish it to a wider audience," Reuters Global Editor for Pictures and Video, Rickey Rogers, said at a ceremony in Amsterdam.

"He hopes with this award that the world will become even more conscious of the human impact of war, especially on children," Rogers said, standing in front of the photo at the Nieuwe Kerk in the Dutch capital.

Announcing its annual awards, the Amsterdam-based World Press Photo Foundation said it was important to recognise the dangers facing journalists covering conflicts.

It said 99 journalists and media employees had been killed covering the war between Israel and Hamas since the Palestinian militant group attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7 and Israel responded by launching a military offensive in Gaza.

"The work of press and documentary photographers around the world is often done at high risk," said Joumana El Zein Khoury, the organisation's executive director.

"This past year, the death toll in Gaza pushed the number of journalists killed to a near-record high. It is important to recognise the trauma they have experienced to show the world the humanitarian impact of the war."

Salem, a Palestinian aged 39, has worked for Reuters since 2003. He also won an award in the 2010 World Press Photo competition.

The jury said Salem's 2024 winning image was "composed with care and respect, offering at once a metaphorical and literal glimpse into unimaginable loss."

"I felt the picture sums up the broader sense of what was happening in the Gaza Strip," Salem said when the image was first published in November.

"People were confused, running from one place to another, anxious to know the fate of their loved ones, and this woman caught my eye as she was holding the body of the little girl and refused to let go."

'PROFOUNDLY AFFECTING'

Salem's wife had given birth to their child days before he took the shot.

The photograph is "profoundly affecting," said jury member Fiona Shields, head of photography at Guardian News & Media.

The jury selected the winning photos from 61,062 entries by 3,851 photographers from 130 countries.

GEO photographer Lee-Ann Olwage of South Africa won the story of the year category with images documenting dementia in Madagascar.

The long-term projects category was won by Alejandro Cegarra of Venezuela for the series "The Two Walls" for The New York Times/Bloomberg.

Ukrainian photographer Julia Kochetova won the open format award with "War is Personal", which documented the war in her country by weaving together pictures, poetry, audio and music in documentary style.

(Reporting by Anthony Deutsch, Editing by Timothy Heritage and Jon Boyle)
Reuters: Ukraine says Russia's use of illegal tear gas on battlefield is increasing

Russian forces have been increasing their usage of riot control gas banned on the battlefield, Colonel Serhii Pakhomov, the acting head of the Ukrainian military's atomic, biological, and chemical defense forces, told Reuters in an interview published on April 18.

Ukrainian military officials have previously said that Russia is deploying chemical weapons on the battlefield in violation of the 1925 Geneva Protocol. The usage of riot control gas in war is also banned under the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention, which Russia is a signatory of.

Pakhmov told Reuters that Ukraine had recorded at least 900 uses of the banned riot control gas by Russian forces in the last six months, out of a total of 1,400 times since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. The command of Ukraine's Support Forces said earlier in April that Russia's usage of prohibited chemical weapons has reached "systemic" levels.

Russia has been primarily using K-51, VOH, and RH-VO hand grenades loaded with CS, CN, and other gases, Pakhomov said.

"It's like pepper spray, it makes your eyes tear up. It's not lethal, but it disturbs and knocks you out. It makes it very difficult to carry out your duties once you've inhaled it," a soldier told Reuters after experiencing a gas attack earlier in the year.

Pakhomov said that around 500 Ukrainian soldiers have required medical attention after inhaling the gas, and at least one died as a result.

Dmytro Lykhovii, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Tavria Group of forces, said in March that Russia often employs riot control gas in an effort to try and clear trenches.

A Ukrainian military instructor told Reuters that its forces have been distributing gas masks and training soldiers on their proper usage.

Read also: The Counteroffensive: Russias rising chemical weapons use in Ukraine

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
At press time, the U.S. Senate is debating whether to not only renew the U.S. government's spying powers under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) but dramatically expand them. That's because the House, in reauthorizing the expiring powers last week after an extended battle, adopted language that broadens the definition of those who can be forced to help the government snoop. That leaves the Senate as the last check on already controversial legislation that just became more dangerous before it's signed by a president eager to exercise its power.

Unchecked Surveillance Authority

"The legislation coming from the House gives the government unchecked authority to order millions of Americans to spy on behalf of the government," warns Sen. Ron Wyden (DOre.). "Under current lawsection 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Actthe government can order the telephone companies and email and internet service providers to hand over communications. This bill expands that power dramatically. It says that the government can force cooperation from, quote, 'any other service provider who has access to equipment that is being or may be used to transmit or store wire or electronic communications.'"

The problem, point out privacy advocates, is that even before the House of Representatives debated the provisions of the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (RISAA)rejecting (on a tie vote) a requirement that government agents get a warrant before searching records about Americans, and ultimately settling on a two-year renewal of surveillance powersmembers of the House Intelligence Committee inserted new and troubling language.

Their intention, according to Charlie Savage of The New York Times, was to clarify that cloud-computing data centers must cooperate with government spooks. But that's not what they confined themselves to in their changes to the text. As Wyden emphasizes, the bill now broadly applies to service providers with access to communication equipment. After much protest, exceptions were written in for hotels, restaurants, dwellings, and community centers. But everybody else is subject to the law.

Everyone Is a Spy

"An enormous range of businesses would still be fair game," protests a coalition of privacy, civil liberties, and civil rights groups in a letter to Senate leadership from both parties, "including grocery stores, department stores, hardware stores, laundromats, barber shops, fitness centers, andperhaps most disturbinglycommercial landlords that rent out the office space where tens of millions of Americans go to work every day, including news media headquarters, political campaign offices, advocacy and grassroots organizations, lobbying firms, and law offices."

The coalition, which includes groups of widely varying political views, refers to this language as the "Everyone Is a Spy" provision, since potentially anybody with access to a laptop or WiFi router could be compelled to help the government conduct surveillance. Given how broadly the word access can be defined, that might even include cable installers, repairmen, and house cleaners.

"If this became law, millions of American small business owners would have a legal obligation to hand over data that runs through their equipment," caution former Rep. Bob Goodlatte (RVa.) and former Sen. Mark Udall (DColo.), both now with the Project for Privacy and Surveillance Accountability. "And when they're done with doing their part in mass surveillance, these small businesses would then be placed under a gag order to hide their activities from their customers."

RISAA's Section 702 reauthorization is pending in the Senate, though the White House is pushing lawmakers "to swiftly pass this bill before the authority expires on April 19," so abuses of the new language are hypothetical. But it's a fact that the law's existing surveillance power, without the broadened scope of the "Everyone Is a Spy" provision, has already been misused against a great many Americans.

Surveillance Abuse Under Existing Law

In 2023, the House Judiciary Committee held two hearings to examine "the FBI's abuses of its Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) authorities." Declassified documents offered glimpses of misuses of surveillance power including FBI spying on a U.S. senator, a state lawmaker, and a judge.

"Section 702 poses significant privacy and civil liberties risks, most notably from U.S. person queries and batch queries" in which multiple search terms are run through the system as part of a single action, according to a report published last September by the federal Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB). That report revealed that roughly three million queries on Americans were run just in 2021.

"Significant privacy and civil liberties risks also include the scope of permissible targeting," added the PCLOB review.

If the scope of permissible targeting is already risky, expanding the law's language to compel cooperation from "any other service provider who has access to equipment that is being or may be used to transmit or store wire or electronic communications" would seem to dramatically compound the risks.

Government Itself Is a Threat

"No democracy should give its government the Orwellian power contained in the House bill," cautions Elizabeth Goitein of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law. "The Senate must take the time it needs to get this right, or our democracy will pay the price."

Fortunately, Ron Wyden isn't the Senate's only skeptic when it comes to Section 702 and domestic surveillance. Sen. Rand Paul (RKy.) opposed extending the law even before its language was broadened to include the "Everyone Is a Spy" provision.

"Using 702, Americans' communications content and metadata is inevitably swept up and kept in government databases without a warrant. Law enforcement agencies then access Americans' communications without a warrant," Paul warned in December. "Those who make the lazy and predictable argument that government is your only shield from threats always fail to mention that government itself often is the threat."

Civil libertarians were right about the dangers of Section 702 before it was amended to apply to landlords and cable installers. Last year's House hearings demonstrated that the law's power has already been abused by government officials. There's no reason to believe they'll be more restrained in their snooping when the law is less so.

The post Revised Section 702 Surveillance Authority Poses More Danger Than Ever appeared first on Reason.com.
There will be a six-week abortion ban in place when voters head to the polls in Florida in the fall to vote for not just the president and a U.S. senator, but also on whether abortion should be enshrined in the state constitution. That collocation has Republicans nervous and Democrats skeptically optimistic that Florida could be back on the map for the party.

Some Republicans have been airing their anxieties publicly  but none quite as obviously as Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), who is the senator up for reelection in the fall. Just two days ago he walked back his previous support for his states six-week abortion ban and declared in an interview with The Hill that a 15-week one is actually much better.

So if I was writing a bill, Id think that 15 weeks with the limitations is where the states at, he told The Hill. I think its important we do what theres consensus (for).

Perhaps he got some feedback he didnt like from the anti-abortion groups who have long supported his pro-life governing. Because in an interview with the local Spectrum News in Tampa Bay, Scott switched gears, saying he would sign the six-week ban if he were still governor.

Heres the exchange:

Holly Gregory (Spectrum News 13): Senator, I have to pivot to the issue of abortion because the Hill reported yesterday that you would back a 15-week abortion ban, but not the six-week thats about to go into effect in Florida. Didnt you previously say that you would have signed the six-week ban if you were governor? And what exactly is your position on abortion? Rick Scott: Sure. Well, as governor, I was governor for eight years. I signed every abortion, you know, pro-life bill. You know, I signed every pro-life bill that came in front of me. And if I was the sitting governor and the six-week abortion ban came in front of me, I would sign it. Ive always said I would sign it.

The Florida Democratic Party eagerly seized on the exchange.

Its not a complete 180 from what he said earlier in the week, but clearly hes doing some cleanup as he, like every Republican campaigning this cycle  especially Donald Trump  struggles to position himself on an issue that has backfired on Republicans consistently since June 24, 2022.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A Ridgeway High School student is out on bond after deputies say he brought an air gun to school.

Caleb Love, 18, is charged with carrying a weapon on school property. His bond was set at $5,000.

Wednesday deputies say they responded to Ridgeway High School regarding a weapon law violation/felony.

One of the deputies said they saw two students wearing all-black backpacks, but the school policy only allows students to have clear backpacks. That is when the deputy called for assistance.

Fight breaks out between student, teacher at Trezevant High School

The principal and another deputy came to help escort the students from their classroom to the office with their black backpacks.

Reports state that the deputy found an air gun (Novritsch 9mm) with a 22-round extended magazine in one of the students, later identified as Caleb Love, backpack.

The weapon was not reported stolen. Loves parents then came to the school after being notified.

Woman told she owes MLGW nearly $25k

Love was supposed to make his first appearance in court on Thursday. However, after seeing WREGs camera, Loves mother asked Loves lawyer to waive his formal arraignment.

WREG attempted to speak with Loves mother. She responded, I do not want my son on the news. Maam, you cant control that. Dont take a picture of me, please.

Leslie Ballin, Loves attorney, said, The statute that prohibits the use of firearms, knives, and explosives on school grounds  it says weapons of like kind. It does specifically include an aerosol pistol but it may cover this type of item.

It is still unclear of Loves intentions.

I am not going to get into what his intentions were or whether or not he acknowledges the accusations are correct or incorrect, said Ballin.

According to Tennessees Annual Safe School Reports, more assaults, more guns, and more bomb threats are being reported inside Tennessees schools. The report shows the number of serious incidents reported last school year hit a five-year high.

In Memphis, 1,244 serious incidents were reported across 153 schools, five of those came from Ridgeway High School.

Where are we in our community, asked Ballin. Too many guns youngsters, older people what the heck? Lets get it right. It starts at home.

 Download the WREG App today and stay up to date with breaking news and weather.

 Sign up for WREG newsletters and have the latest top stories sent right to your inbox.

 See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South.

We reached out to MSCS for a statement on this matter but they have yet to respond.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Admits Driving While Drunk; Denies Drinking

A plea of guilty to a charge of driving an auto while under the influence of liquor and a denial that he had imbibed even one drink of intoxicants simultaneously made by Carl J. Dee. Jr., when he wasarraigned before Judge William Steinkohl of municipal court Thursday morning, caused the judge to send Dee back to the city jail "until he could tell the truth."

Dee pleaded guilty to the driving while drunk charge and then claimed he didn't have a drink.Judge Steinkohl refused to accept the plea and sent him back to jail.  April 10, 1924

Ripped from the headlines, April 1924.

Canine Express Refuses to Ship

Crated Poodle Escapes, Foils Pursuers for Two Days; Still Roams City

Down at the American Express station Wednesday afternoon, a lone little poodle dog sat whining in a crude crate. Unnoticed, except to be "cussed" or shouted at occasionally for his persistent whimpering, he sat in his improvised kennel, staring wistfully out into a cold world. He was just a "package," an express shipment waiting to go somewhere.

Finally, after several hours of endeavor to find an opening in the crate sufficiently large to permit of his escape, the diminutive canine, with a satisfied yelp, was noticed by station hands to be making a hasty get-away.

"Doggone that dog," one of the workers at the express warehouse exclaimed as he lunged between two rolls of carpet with his arms outstretched in a vain attempt to "smother" the pup under his coat.

A taste of freedom and glimpse of the outside world without squinting between slats of an express crate encouraged the fuzzy little poodle in his break for liberty. No whistling could call him back; he was on his way, although he knew not whither he wandered. Up the alley and around a corner he slipped and then all hands at the station were ordered out to recapture the little truant in time to ship him on the next train.

An hour and a half of sidestepping, ducking clotheslines and squeezing through fences resulted in continued freedom for the pup. "He was gone, that was all: just gone," the station agent declared after the run.  April 10, 1924

Ripped from the headlines, April 1924.

Ducks Boy Who Teases Him; Pays Assault Fine

Jacob Keller, 210 Howard Street, was fined $25 and costs by Judge William Steinkohl Monday afternoon when Keller pleaded guilty in municipal court to a charge of assault and battery on the person of George Walt, 13, of Lansing. Police say Keller took the Walt boy, who is said to have annoyed him, to the river and ducked him.  April 1, 1924

Ripped from the headlines, April 1924.

Men Barbers War On Women Bobbers

If They Can't Shave a Man They Shouldn't Be Permitted to Shear Locks

Lansing Local No. 121, Journeymen Barbers International Union of America, has started a battle for business of the lady "barber" who is reaping a harvest through the bobbed hair fad sweeping Lansing and every other city.

It is their claim that the women, who trim or bob hair, shave necks or otherwise work on another's hair, are not bar barbers in the true sense of the meaning of the word.

The state law says that in order to be a barber one must be able to shave a person's beard as well as trim the hair and must pass an examination before allowed to follow the trade. April 4, 1924

Ripped from the headlines, April 1924.

Mayor, City Officials Now Have Gold Badges

Mayor Alfred H. Doughty and the members of city council spent not a little time at council meeting Monday night, exhibiting and polishing their new gold badges of office. The mayor has a badge capable of proving that he is the mayor if he meets someone with whom he is not acquainted. Each of the aldermen has been provided with a gold shield.  April 15, 1924

Ripped from the headlines, April 1924.

Iodized Salt Now On Market Here

Use of New Product Eliminates Danger of Goitre; No Difference in Taste

Iodized salt can now be had in Lansing. Ask your grocer and he will do the rest. With twoone-hundredths of 1 per cent of sodium iodine in the cooking and table salt, the thyroid gland ofMary Annabelle and of John Henry and of Pa and Ma will no longer have to hump themselves, so to speak.

The explanation of goitre, so growingly prevalent in Michigan, is that the thyroid gland has to exert itself to the very limit of its capacity to select for the bodily needs what little iodine it can find. It is from working overtime and too hard that makes the thyroid gland enlarge as it does resulting in what is known as goitre.

Give a sufficient ration of iodine in the food and the thyroid gland will content itself at its normal size.

The wholesale grocery concerns of Lansing are having quite a call for the special brand of iodized salt which the salt manufacturers who supply Michigan are now putting up. The salt having a trace of iodine is distinctly labeled, and no one has to take it who does not wish it. It looks and tastes like any salt. Only a highly skilled chemist could detect the difference. Iodine has been lacking from salt in recent vears because of over refinement in salt production.

When a trace of iodine is taken with the salt in one's food there is no need of taking iodine pills as if taking medicine. Both R. M. Olin, head of the state department of health, and Dr. Clifford C. Young, head of the department laboratory, state that iodine is a matter of required food and not medicine.  April 16, 1924

Ripped from the headlines, April 1924.

Lansing Called Cleanest City

Fire Chief Says Hazard Here From Rubbish Small; Urges Record Be Maintained

Lansing can stack up against any American community of its size as far as cleanliness is concerned, declared Chief Hugo Delfs of the fire department, who has made frequent tours of the city, and who naturally has been on the lookout for any hazardous accumulations of rubbish.

"I believe," said Chief Delts, "that there is no reason why, with a little effort, Lansing should not be entirely free from at least one kind of fire loss: I mean the loss due to fires which start in piles of rubbish and litter. The time is at hand for the usual spring cleaning both inside and out, and I strongly urge every family to make a complete job of it, throwing out the worthless odds and ends that have accumulated in attics, cellars and yards throughout the past 12 months. Spaces under porches and other out-of-the-way corners should not be overlooked.  April 19, 1924

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Ripped from the Headlines (LSJ, April 1924)
Ritzy Chappaqua high school suspends LGBTQ rapper for freestyling gay slurs  but he says it was satire : lawsuit

This teen rapper says his school is trippin.

An LGBTQ high school student in ritzy Chappaqua claims he was wrongly suspended for dropping gay slurs in a satirical freestyle he recorded inside his friends home, according to a new lawsuit.

The Horace Greeley High School juniors freestyle rap in October 2022 landed him in hot water when he was secretly recorded by his friend while he was spitting some lyrics, the legal papers filed in federal court claim

The plaintiff attends Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua. Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News-USA TODAY NETWORK

The student, only identified as OJ in court docs, used the word fat and twinks during the rap session as he deployed tongue-in-cheek lyrics that are purposely over the top parodies of rap musics obsession with violence, crime, and sexuality known as meme rap, according to the allegations, which were first reported by The Journal News.

OJ rapped in front of the buddy and another acquaintance, who is from a different school. OJs pal then recorded some of the Greeley students lyrics and mashed it with lyrics the acquaintance sang to create a single song that he then later put on streaming service SoundCloud without OJs knowledge or permission, the lawsuit states.

We split a bottle of beer, you know, fk a couple of twinks, are some of the cringe lyrics, per legal papers. Fat, fart, balls. Fat, fart, balls.

Ten days later, school officials in Chappaqua, known for being the home of Bill and Hillary Clinton, received two anonymous complaints about the song that pointed to OJ as one of the teens behind it.

While other inflammatory language was used in the mashed-up rap song that included references to violence and illegal behavior, the only words that the plaintiff actually spoke ultimately cited by school officials were fat and twinks, his legal team argued in legal papers and an email to The Post.

School leaders forced him to undergo a psychological evaluation  which showed he was not a threat  but then suspended him three days under the school districts hate speech prohibition because he used a pair of slurs.

The administrators ultimately held up the suspension because OJs lyrics included the words fat and twinks  which they deemed hate speech, the lawsuit states. They did not care that OJ is a member of the LGBTQ community or that his use of these words was intentionally satirical, self-referential and self-deprecating.

The LGBTQ student claims he used a gay slur as satire. ZUMAPRESS.com

By using the word fat, OJ sought to reclaim a word that has been used as a slur against him and the LGBTQ community in general, the lawsuit also states.

The lawsuit noted that twink is an expression used to describe a young gay man who is slim and looks like a boy, according to the Cambridge dictionary.

The school district, in a statement Tuesday, said it stands by its handling of the case. Some administrators, including the districts superintendent and Horace Greeley principal, are listed defendants in the legal action.

We believe the incident in question was handled both appropriately and legally, a school district spokesperson said in an email.

OJs legal team, which includes attorneys from the free speech organization Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression noted their client didnt mention his school or anybody in it and was hanging out off campus at a friends house during the freestyle.

With the student soon applying to colleges, he fears the suspension will be a blemish on this record.

That suspension jeopardizes his future  and it violates the First Amendment, FIRE staff attorney Colin McDonell said in a statement to The Post.

Only parents should punish students for the juvenile things they say outside of school.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  The Riverside District Attorney is asking for the publics help in identifying family members of a 1989 murder victim who investigators believe may have had ties to San Diego.

According to the district attorney, Jorge Lopez-Serrano was discovered dead in a ravine off Highway 79, just south of Interstate 10 near Beaumont, in March 1989.

Police found the Mexican national with a single gunshot wound to the chest. At the time, he was wearing a Cacharel brand green and tan short-sleeve shirt and DeeCee brand white jean work pants.

Camp Pendleton Marine sentenced in DUI crash that killed 12-year-old

Lopez-Serrano was considered a John Doe up until recently, when investigators were able to successfully identify him. The Mexican Consulate confirmed his identity, adding that there were records from two years prior to his death of him residing in La Paz, Mexico with a wife and children.

The victim had been arrested several times in the late 1980s. According to the district attorney, at least one arrest was by U.S. Border Patrol agents in San Diego for the suspected smuggling of undocumented immigrants. Another arrest was tied to suspected vehicle theft in Los Angeles.

Investigators say Lopez-Serrano may have also used multiple names and dates of birth, based on these arrest records. A photo of Lopez-Serrano can be found below.

To bring closure to this case, Cold Case Unit investigators are appealing to the public for any information that may lead to the identity of family members of Lopez-Serrano, the district attorney said in a release on Wednesday. This includes details about missing persons or any other relevant information that could assist in the investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the lead investigator on the case, Jason Corey, by contacting Riverside Countys Regional Cold Case Unit by phone at 951-955-5567 or email at coldcaseunit@rivcoda.org.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
After more than 30 years with the Rock Island Police Department, Chief Richard Landi will retire effective Friday, April 26, 2024.

Chief Landi was appointed chief of police in April 2022 after serving five months as interim chief. He began his career with the Rock Island Police Department in December 1993 as a patrol officer in Field Operations, according to a city release Thursday. He rose through the ranks of the police department, serving as sergeant from 2003 to 2010, and as lieutenant until 2020 when he was appointed to deputy chief of police.

Chief Richard Landi will retire effective April 26, 2024.

Its been an honor and privilege to have served in one of the finest police organizations in the nation, Chief Landi said in the release. Over the past 30 years, Ive served in many roles within the police department and was fortunate to have worked with so many dedicated and talented people  past and present  many of whom shaped me as a police officer and guided me as a future leader.

The capstone to what has been a wonderful and rewarding career undoubtedly has been that of becoming the departments police chief, he said. While this role wasnt something I thought to achieve, attaining it provided me with the opportunity to lead the department through what has been the most challenging and changing landscape that law enforcement has experienced during my career.

Landi attended Black Hawk College for law enforcement and criminal justice and received his certification from the University of Illinois Police Training Institute for Basic Correctional Officer, Basic Law Enforcement Officer and Master Firearms Instructor. He earned various certifications in areas of police operations, management and administration throughout his career.

Prior to joining the city of Rock Island, Landi began his law enforcement career in 1990 as an auxiliary police officer for the Village of Milan. He then joined the Mercer County Sheriffs Department as a correctional officer, where he later became the jail administrator.

During his nearly 31-year tenure at the Rock Island Police Department, Landi has served in a variety of roles, including field training officer, firearms and Use of Force instructor, assistant watch commander and watch commander for the Field Operations Division, deputy commander of the Technical Services Division, deputy commander of the police departments Emergency Response Team, deputy commander of the ILEAS Region 2 WMD Special Response Team and agent in the Office of Professional Standards.

Additionally, Chief Landi has earned several service awards during his career, including letters of recognition, certificates of appreciation, commendations and Life Saving awards.

On behalf of the city, I would like to express our sincere appreciation for Chief Landi and the incredible leadership he has provided to the Rock Island Police Department, said Mayor Mike Thoms. His dedication and commitment has led to a decrease in crime, improved community relations and an increase in efficiencies across the department.

We congratulate Chief Landi on a job well done and wish him well on his retirement.

In addition to overseeing the daily operations of the police department, Landi supervised the departments recruitment efforts, reorganized staff and implemented new technologies to improve the departments efficiency and effectiveness in delivering police services to the community.

This includes transitioning to the new P-25 radio network for police, fire and emergency services in Rock Island and Scott counties; implementation of a new records management and 911 dispatch system; a new Automated License Plate Recognition System; and the continuing expansion of the citys camera network.

Under his leadership, the police department:

Enacted numerous operational policy and procedural changes to meet the mandates of Illinois Safe-T-Act

Partnered with Family Resources to embed a crime victim specialist into the department for victim support and assistance

Completed the police departments third re-accreditation under the Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Program for Tier 2 status

Joined with the six other Illinois QC law enforcement agencies to adopt the Ten Shared Principles in partnership with the Rock Island County NAACP

Worked with the Rock Island-Milan School District to reintroduce a school resource officer to the high school.

Landis efforts to strengthen partnerships with neighboring law enforcement agencies led to an intergovernmental support agreement between the city and the Rock Island Arsenal for the management of their police and fire radio service maintenance; collaboration with the Davenport Police Department to expand Group Violence Intervention (GVI) to Rock Island; and collaboration with the Moline Police Department for a shared automated biometric fingerprint identification system to aid their Criminal Investigations Divisions in solving cases.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
ROGERS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  A Rogers bus driver accused of sexually assaulting a student pleaded not guilty on Monday, according to Benton County Prosecutor Joshua Robinson.

Rafael Ballesteros-Trujillo, 59, was arrested on March 7 on two counts of second-degree sexual assault.

Rogers police received a report about a sexual assault on March 5, according to an affidavit. That night, a detective with RPD went to the Benton County Child Advocacy Center to observe a forensic interview.

A student said during the interview that Ballesteros-Trujillo, their bus driver, sexually assaulted them during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years and he would make them inappropriately touch him, according to the affidavit.

The student told the detective that Ballesteros-Trujillo would take them to a gas station and get treats to bribe them.

Rogers bus driver accused of sexually assaulting student

The victim said the abuse happened several times and noted that it happened while they were on the bus, according to the document.

The student said to the detective that when the abuse took place they were alone with Ballesteros-Trujillo and did not know where the bus aides were at the time.

Police spoke with several bus aides who previously worked with Ballesteros-Trujillo. One who worked with him for around a month said he would stare at females for an extended amount of time, according to the document.

Ballesteros-Trujillo spoke with detectives on March 6 and confirmed that while he was driving the bus he had taken the victim to the bathroom at a gas station on at least one occasion and bought snacks for the child.

He denied touching the victim inappropriately and said he may have inadvertently touched them while buckling their seatbelt on the bus, the affidavit said.

Ballesteros-Trujillo has an omnibus hearing set for May 14.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24.
HEFEI, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Volkswagen Group China recently announced that it will invest 2.5 billion euros (about 2.67 billion U.S. dollars) in the expansion of its innovation hub in Hefei, the capital of east China's Anhui Province, to increase its pace of innovation in China.

The investment will also be used to accelerate the production of two Volkswagen-brand smart electric vehicles, which are currently under joint development with Chinese manufacturer XPENG.

This move marks another substantial investment by the German automaker, which, over the past four decades, has established 39 plants in China and employed over 90,000 individuals.

Apart from traditional Chinese auto heavyweights like FAW Group and SAIC, Volkswagen has also fostered strong partnerships with newly emerged prominent enterprises such as XPENG, Gotion High-tech and Horizon Robotics, particularly in areas like new energy vehicle (NEV) batteries, autonomous driving and chip design.

As both manufacturing powerhouses, China and Germany are reinforcing collaboration in emerging sectors, including NEVs, green transformation, and artificial intelligence.

According to the German Institute for Economic Research, direct investment from Germany to China reached a record high of 11.9 billion euros in 2023, a 4.3 percent increase compared to the previous year. The value accounted for over 10 percent of Germany's total overseas investment, the highest level since 2014.

German car parts supplier Continental AG began construction of its first wholly-owned tire production base in China in 2009. Over the years, it has expanded investments in Hefei and intensified research and development efforts in NEV tires.

"The development of the NEV industry has spurred growth of upstream and downstream enterprises and presented new requirements for tire products, which for us, is not only a challenge but also an opportunity," said Zhou Yuan, deputy general manager of the Continental Tire Hefei plant.

In 2022, the company supplied 1.8 million tires for NEVs, and this figure surged to 2.9 million in 2023, showing a significant increase, he added.

While German companies expand their investments in China, a growing number of Chinese enterprises are seizing new opportunities in Germany by strengthening technological and talent collaborations with local partners.

A recruitment list from leading Chinese renewable energy company Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd. showcased a diverse range of positions in energy storage, finance, and marketing in Munich, Germany.

"The headquarters of Sungrow in the European region is in Munich. After years of development, Sungrow's business here continues to expand," said Moritz Rolf, vice president of Sungrow Europe.

According to Rolf, they mainly provide photovoltaic inverters, energy storage systems, and other products and solutions for local residential, commercial, and large-scale ground photovoltaic projects, contributing to the green energy transformation in Germany and Europe.

"Over 90 percent of our employees in Europe are local hires," said Rolf, adding that Sungrow Europe has a professional team of over 500 employees, with local European staff playing vital roles across various business domains.

"Green," "high-tech," and "emerging industries" have similarly become focal points for Chinese investment in Germany. In April this year, NIO, one of China's fastest-growing electric vehicle makers, officially launched its European intelligent driving technology center in Germany.

"NIO has forged strategic cooperation framework agreements with three major German automotive component suppliers in fields such as technology development, product supply and autonomous driving," said Zhang Hui, vice president of NIO Europe.

Such transnational cooperation can inspire the innovative development of the global auto industry, Zhang said, adding that it also demonstrates the great potential of Sino-German cooperation in promoting industrial upgrading and technological innovation.

Experts believe that China and Germany own different advantages and common goals in fields including NEVs and green development, which will lay a solid foundation for future Sino-German cooperation and allow both sides to share the fruits of cooperation. 
An ex-Fort Liberty soldier will serve more than three years in prison for a series of romance scams in which he impersonated online admirers and swindled widows, widowers and divorcees out of money.

U.S. District Court Judge James C. Dever III sentenced Sanda Frimpong, 33, to 40 months in federal time and required him to repay hundreds of thousands of dollars he collected over more than two years.

In one case, Frimpong posed online as Catherine White and persuaded a widower in New York to wire $7,400 to release inherited gold being held in Canada, according to his indictment.

In another, he assumed the name Tom Tanner and pursued a divorcee on an online dating site, eventually getting her to send $100,000 to help transfer gold and diamonds he said he could access. During these online exchanges, his indictment said, Frimpong offered to marry this victim.

Romance scammers exploit our most vulnerable citizens, even our seniors and military veterans, sometimes leaving them financially and emotionally devastated, U.S. Attorney Michael Easley said in a Thursday news release. The fact that an Army service member was involved in romance scams while serving as a soldier is appalling.

Frimpong pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering in September.

Along with the romance scams, his indictment said, Frimpong conspired to submit stolen identities to the federal government and collect unemployment benefits through the CARES Act, aimed at helping those harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. He would receive debit cards in the name of people who had never met him or applied for help.

Though he remained on active duty until his arrest in 2023, Frimpong laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars through his various bank accounts in other states and through contacts in Ghana, Easleys release said.

Integrity is a core tenet of the armed forces, said Christopher Dillard, special agent in charge at the Department of Defenses Inspector General office, and when service members choose to compromise their integrity for greed, it tarnishes the reputation of all others serving in uniform.
ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE)  The Roswell Police Department and Walgreens are hosting a prescription drug take back event this month. The event allows people to safely dispose of their unwanted medication.

People can bring their unwanted and unneeded prescription drugs to the Walgreens located at 1200 S. Main St. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 27. The service is free and those bringing prescription drugs can remain anonymous. Vape devices will also be accepted during the event as long as the batteries have been removed before dropping off the devices. Liquid products should be in the original container with the cap tightly secured to prevent leakage. Syringes, sharps, and illicit drugs will not be accepted.

Zero sugar ginger ale recalled for being full-sugar product, FDA site says

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is an initiative of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) offering citizens an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft. The drugs turned in at the Roswell event and other local events throughout the nation are retrieved by DEA officials for disposal by incineration.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
Alfie (left) received his first birthday card shortly before he turned 10 years old - John Lawrence

Richard Wilson immediately recognised his sisters handwriting on the envelope addressed to his son, Alfie.

The transport modeller from Berkshire, Reading, was curious to know why Alfies aunt would be writing to her nephew, so much so that he paid Royal Mail a 2.50 fee to receive the card as the first-class stamp was apparently no longer valid for postage, according to a yellow sticker fixed to the envelope.

Opening the card this week he read the message: To Alfie, lots of love on your first birthday. From Auntie Sally and Uncle Pat.

The card was finished with a kiss, but as touching as it was, there was something slightly off about its timing. For one, Alfies birthday had come and gone six months prior in October. For another, he was now nine.

As it turns out, Royal Mail had failed to deliver the birthday card for eight and a half years.

It was unsurprising that the stamp was invalid, as it was attached to the letter in 2015 and thus did not have the bar code that was introduced in 2022 and became a legal requirement last year.

My first thought was that my sister had made a mistake, as Alfie is nearly 10 now, said Mr Wilson, 57. When we realised it had been sent nearly nine years ago she said I bet you thought I hadnt bothered.

The first-class stamp was apparently 'no longer valid for postage', according to a yellow sticker fixed to the envelope - John Lawrence

It comes as the postal service is faced with a takeover bid, which has boosted its share price amid hopes new management can turn around a decline in its performance.

Royal Mail is supposed to deliver 93pc of its first-class post within one day of collection, and 98.5pc of second-class post within three working days, under targets set by the regulator, Ofcom.

But in November last year, it was found to have breached this requirement  and was fined 5.6m. Telegraph readers complained after Christmas cards turned up several months late in February earlier this year.

Alongside delays it has been forced to contend with strike action and fulfilling its universal service obligations which require it to deliver post on Saturdays.

In the face of continuing financial pressures, in April the service raised the cost of a first-class stamp for the second time in six months  using the price by 10p to 1.35. Royal Mail said the price increases were necessary amid plummeting enthusiasm for sending letters.

Letter volumes have fallen by more than 10 billion in the last two decades  from 20 billion in 2004 to seven billion in 2023.

More recently Royal Mail has become embroiled in a row after a Telegraph investigation revealed that China had flooded Britain with counterfeit stamps, landing victims with 5 penalties.

Story continues

Senior MPs have since called on the postal service to stop the unfair fines while it investigates issues with new barcoded stamps, amid concerns its machines are incorrectly flagging genuine stamps as counterfeit.

Thinking the 2.50 fee he had just paid was a tad unfair, Mr Wilson complained to Royal Mail on X, formerly Twitter. The company responded within half an hour, Mr Wilson said, apologising and offering compensation.

Mr Wilson was refunded 10.80 and was sent a book of eight first-class stamps. Royal Mail also sent his son Alfie a 10 cheque to buy himself something, as a gesture of goodwill.

The service said it could not speculate on why the letter remained undelivered for nearly a decade.

At the end of the day, it was only 2.50, so I wasnt that fussed. But it shows it pays to bring these things up, Mr Wilson said.

He added: I just find it amusing, to be honest. To think it could have been lying on the floor all these years and has only just found its way back into the system.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: We deliver billions of letters successfully every year. Unfortunately, on this occasion, the customer did not receive this high standard of service. We have discussed it with them and rectified the situation.

We cannot speculate on where the card was before it was delivered.
Firefighters from the Dodge State Prison fire department during a training demonstration. The fire department regularly aids local volunteer departments and has helped fight wildfires around the Okefenokee Swamp. Grant Blankenship/GPB

If you call 911 in rural Georgia, the nearest emergency responders might come from the local prison.

In 1963, the Georgia Department of Corrections began a program to train incarcerated people as firefighters to support not only their prisons, but also the surrounding communities. Over time, the program has grown dramatically. Today, prison fire teams from 19 Georgia state prisons, including a womens prison, and six county prisons are trained in firefighting and emergency medical response.

The crews respond to motor vehicle accidents, structure fires, brush fires, hazardous materials incidents and search and rescue efforts, among other emergencies  all without being paid a salary. Jackson County describes incarcerated firefighters as responding to every structural fire in Jackson County, where they serve as manpower support to every Fire Department on scene.

Georgia is not alone in this practice. Prison systems in Alabama, California, Indiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Wyoming, along with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, have deployed incarcerated firefighters to respond to local emergencies.

But while these programs fill a vital service in many rural areas, they arent universally loved. They have been accused of both exploiting incarcerated people and taking jobs away from professional firefighters.

The era of rural decline and mass incarceration

I study connections between disasters and mass incarceration and spend a lot of time talking with prison officials, disaster response teams and inmates. My research has found that incarcerated people have become increasingly embedded in local emergency response efforts as EMTs and firefighters. There are two primary reasons: the vulnerability of rural communities and vulnerability of the incarcerated workers.

Many rural communities have been struggling for years to provide adequate emergency services. As they lose population, their tax bases dwindle. Volunteer fire departments have also been harder to staff as increasing demands in the workplace and on families have left less time for volunteering.

At the same time rural communities were declining, the 1980s to early 2000s saw an explosion in prison construction. Tough-on-crime policies led to an increase in the rate of incarceration, even as research suggested incarceration had a minimal-at-best relationship to crime rates.

Prisons were marketed as a way to stabilize rural communities devastated by declines in manufacturing and resource-dependent industries such as mining. They remain a staple of many fragile rural economies today.

The rise of prison emergency services

Prison fire departments initially started to train prison staff and incarcerated people to protect prisons from fires, knowing there might be little or no outside support in their rural locations. Occasionally, prison fire brigades responded to local emergencies or disasters if the local fire department needed help. But that has changed in many communities.

Today, Georgias program has about 200 participants each year. Those who qualify receive training to become certified as firefighters and EMTs and live in the prison firehouse rather than in cells. But while some states, including California, pay a small wage to inmate fire crews, Georgias arent paid a salary.

Officials in rural communities told me they relied on the prisons services because their own emergency crews were understaffed. Without enough personnel, not only were the communities vulnerable, but any paid or volunteer firefighters were also vulnerable because they would be responding without the support needed to safely handle emergencies.

However, while the program may provide much-needed stability to many communities, it has also faced backlash in some areas of Georgia. When Camden County considered supplementing the local fire department with incarcerated firefighters in 2011, members of the department raised fears about the safety of the community.

Officials I spoke with suggested there had been some resentment from more urban areas that see the program as a way to avoid paying for career firefighters and from local volunteers who feel like theyre being replaced by the incarcerated firefighters.

Missing link: Job prospects after prison

The Georgia program also raises questions about the vulnerability of incarcerated firefighters.

Incarcerated people who participate in the program must sign a waiver that releases the Georgia Department of Corrections from liability should they be injured while working as a firefighter. They also are not eligible to receive workers compensation benefits.

Those rules increase the risks for incarcerated firefighters. Several have been injured while responding to fires and other local emergencies in Georgia and other states.

At least one incarcerated firefighter has died in Georgia. William A. Satterfield died in 1984 responding to a fire call with the prison fire team. In May 2013, the Georgia Board of Public Safety voted to acknowledge the death and service of Satterfield in a Public Safety Memorial. Two firefighters from Georgias Dooly State Prison were injured in 2016 in a vehicle crash while responding to a fire call.

An incarcerated firefighter in Mississippi, Michael Davenport, died while fighting a structure fire in 2006. According to court documents from a subsequent lawsuit, Davenport did not receive full firefighter training, but there were no laws requiring such training at the time.

It is unknown how often these injuries occur or how working as a firefighter affects the health of incarcerated people after they are released.

Prison officials have told me that incarcerated men and women benefit from the program because it provides job training.

Yet, incarcerated firefighters face significant barriers to finding jobs in fire and emergency services upon release. Current Georgia law does not allow participants in the program to apply for a civilian position with a fire department until five years after their conviction date.

Several fire officials told me that they wished they could hire the incarcerated firefighters they had worked with. But if they had the funds to hire more full-time firefighters, they wouldnt have been working with the program in the first place.

States can take steps to help

Some states have worked to create policies that support formerly incarcerated firefighters. In 2020, California passed a law that would allow incarcerated firefighters to apply to have their criminal records expunged, making them eligible to apply for jobs as EMTs.

I believe incarcerated firefighters and fire crews in Georgia and other states would benefit from similar policies to allow them to find jobs upon release. The state and many others would also benefit from working to address the extreme vulnerability that rural fire departments are facing as they struggle to protect their communities with limited outside support.

This commentary was first published by The Conversation.

The post Rural counties rely on prisons to provide firefighters who work for free appeared first on Georgia Recorder.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia accused Ukrainian forces of repeatedly shelling medical facilities in Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine with Western weapons on Thursday and said the West and the World Health Organization (WHO) had turned a blind eye to the attacks.

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of war crimes. Both deny each other's allegations. There was no immediate comment from the WHO.

The accusation was made by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova who told reporters that Ukrainian forces had repeatedly targeted medical facilities and doctors in four Ukrainian regions which Moscow says it has annexed.

Zakharova listed the dates and locations of the attacks in recent months and said the same information had been provided to the WHO which she said had done nothing with the data.

"Real doctors are dying from shelling by Kyiv with weapons supplied by the West," Zakharova said.

She said that the West - and the Western media - had ignored any crimes carried out by Ukraine and only wanted to criticise Russia.

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Andrew Osborn)
Russia is trying to influence all political groups in the European Parliament, including the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), which includes Poland's former ruling party.

Source: Mateusz Morawiecki, former Prime Minister of Poland and member of the Law and Justice party, in an interview for Euractiv; European Pravda

An investigation by Czech and Polish authorities at the end of March revealed a pro-Russian operation of influence in Europe involving a pro-Russian propaganda network.

"The Russians are very active in every [EU political] group," Morawiecki said in response to developments, adding that he was not surprised by the latest exposure to a pro-Russian network of influence.

Morawiecki's Law and Justice party and its European political family ECR are also not out of risk, he acknowledged.

"Im sure ECR is also being infiltrated, or there are attempts to infiltrate, and I wouldnt be surprised to know that there is this or that member cooperating with the Russians because they are extremely effective in capturing people," Morawiecki said.

"Im not surprised with them [Russians] penetrating [far-right] ID [group]  the opposite is the case: Im absolutely certain that they are also trying to penetrate () [centre-right] EPP and Socialists [S&D]," Morawiecki added.

Although no official charges have yet been brought, the media reported, citing sources in Czech intelligence, that Petr Bystron, the German MP from the Alternative for Germany party, received 25,000 from a Russian propaganda network.

Alternative for Germany is part of the European political group Identity and Democracy (ID), which Morawiecki hopes to cooperate with after the European Parliament elections in June.

The Belgian prosecutor's office investigates possible Russian interference in the upcoming European Parliament elections based on data provided by the intelligence services.

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Russia destroys almost all thermal power generation in Ukraine, attacks on its nuclear power plants possible  Zelenskyy

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy does not rule out that Russians may attack the infrastructure of Ukrainian nuclear power plants. In this regard, he asks to provide Ukraine with modern air defence systems.

Source: The head of the state said this during an online speech at a meeting of the European Council, Interfax-Ukraine reports.

Quote: "Russia has already destroyed almost all of our thermal power generation. Dams and equipment of hydroelectric power plants, as well as gas infrastructure are under terrorist attacks. Russia is not giving up on radiation blackmail and, in particular, continues to brutally play with the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. We do not rule out that the infrastructure of our other nuclear power plants and distribution networks are also under threat from Russian terror," he said.

Zelenskyy also reiterated Ukraine's need to boost its air defence capabilities.

"This can only be stopped by air defence  by specific systems such as Patriot, IRIS-T, SAMP-T, NASAMS Systems that you (Western countries  ed.) have. They are needed in Ukraine right now  needed to stop Putin from relying on terrorist methods," the president said.

He noted that "the Russian army feels its strength in almost everything related to the armed compnent. And it is precisely because of this strength  in artillery, in equipment, in the ability to operate in the sky  that they are putting pressure on us at the front and are gradually moving. Putin now hopes that he will succeed in his counteroffensive, and the only root of this hope is the shortage of weapons among our soldiers."

Background:

In preparation for the next heating season, the Ukrainian government will focus on the speedy construction of small-scale generation facilities for Kharkiv and other cities, with a move to the construction of large gas turbine plants in the medium term.

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GAZA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Every day, Emad Adul Rahman, a 45-year-old father of four in Rafah, southern Gaza, has to take on a two-kilometer trek to get rid of his home waste.

Since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began last October, municipal services in the southernmost city of the Palestinian enclave have come to a halt.

"For many months, we have not received any services... the garbage and sewage were accumulated in most of our areas," said Rahman.

The approach of summer only intensifies the issue, as rising temperatures amplify the odors from refuse heaps, making the densely populated city, which shelters over 1.5 million refugees, increasingly uninhabitable.

The city's streets, littered with debris, have become breeding grounds for disease. Children, oblivious to the dangers, play among the waste, while the pervasive stench of decay permeates the refugee camps. To cope, residents resort to burning trash, contributing further to air pollution.

"My kids were infected with various diseases... all the doctors told me that I have to live far away from the garbage, but I do not have any other living place," Rahman lamented.

The plight is even more acute for Samah al-Hajj, a Rafah resident and recent amputee. The 39-year-old mother of three, who lost her husband and two children in an Israeli airstrike, now faces the added challenge of managing waste with her disability. "I cannot dispose of garbage easily," al-Hajj stated, her condition worsened by the refuse surrounding her home.

"I survived the Israeli bombing, but I fear dying from the diseases this garbage leaves behind... We are dying slowly in Gaza, unnoticed," she said, her voice laden with despair.

The plight of Rahman and al-Hajj is but a glimpse into the larger crisis that grips Gaza, where refuse piles are as much a part of the landscape as the rubble of conflict.

The Israeli restrictions have forced the municipal authority to halt waste management, leaving the region teetering on the brink of an environmental and health catastrophe. Salama Maarouf, head of the Hamas-run government media office, warns of the impending disaster.

"Gaza Strip is exposed to unprecedented health problems and environmental pollution," Maarouf warned.

The waste has "become a fertile environment for the breeding of flies, mosquitoes, insects, and harmful reptiles," he said, urging the world to take heed of Gaza's silent emergency. 
A Russian airline that ditched an Airbus A320 in a Siberian wheat field last year is abandoning plans to rescue the jet

A Russian airline that ditched an Airbus A320 in a Siberian wheat field last year is abandoning plans to rescue the jet

Ural Airlines has abandoned plans to rescue its Airbus A320 stranded in a Siberian wheat field.

High costs, logistical challenges, and a lack of support from Airbus influenced the decision.

The loss could be a blow to Ural amid Western sanctions that limit Russia's aircraft supply.

An Airbus A320 passenger jet operated by Russian carrier Ural Airlines has been sitting in a Siberian wheat field since September.

A hydraulic failure caused a low-fuel situation, and the pilot made the decision to ditch the jet instead of continuing to the diversion airport.

None of the nearly 170 people onboard were injured and customers were offered about $1,100 in compensation.

Ural initially planned to retrieve and repair the stranded plane for re-entry to service  even posting progress updates on Telegram late last year  but money and logistics have forced the airline to jump ship, an airline representative told the Russian newspaper Izvestia on Thursday.

"We assess all the risks and are inclined to not use this aircraft in commercial operation, taking into account the fact that in the current conditions there is no support from the manufacturer Airbus," Ural told the outlet.

Ural said it had considered several ways to fly the aircraft out, like taking off from a frozen runway available during the Russian winter or constructing a new one using slabs.

The soil density, however, made the former nearly impossible, the airline told Izvestia. Ural further said the materials needed for the latter would be difficult to transport to the remote field from the south Russian city of Novosibirsk, some 120 miles away,

The high cost associated with the plane's upkeep was also a driver in abandoning its rescue. Ural told Izvestia it has already spent 10.5 million rubles (about $112,000) on expenses like maintaining the A320, renting the land, putting up fencing, and hiring security.

Law enforcement officers standing next to a Ural Airlines Airbus A320 passenger plane in September 2023. The plane had to make an emergency landing in an open Siberian field. Vladimir Nikolayev/AFP via Getty Images

Ural told Izvestia it still plans to remove the plane  but likely not in one piece, looking at options like disassembling the jet and taking it out in sections via helicopter.

The loss of Ural's A320 leaves it with 25 of the Airbus narrowbodies in its fleet, according to Planespotters. The airline also operates four Airbus A319s and 22 Airbus A321s for a total of 51 planes.

Russian carriers are already pulling from a low stock of airplanes amid Western sanctions preventing the country from receiving Boeing and Airbus jets, so losing one in the current climate could be a significant financial hit to Ural.

However, it's likely the airline could salvage the much-needed parts to use on other aircraft as sanctions also prevent Russian carriers from receiving spare inventory.

Since the invasion of Ukraine, Russian airlines have turned to seedy methods to build their maintenance stockpiles and keep passenger planes flying, like buying secondhand parts from China and Iran and "cannibalizing" their own fleets.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Russian troops attacked several settlements in Donetsk Oblast on April 18, killing two and injuring three, local authorities reported.

Settlements in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk Oblast suffer from daily Russian attacks due to their proximity to the front line. Heavy fighting continues in Donetsk Oblast as Russia seeks to occupy the entire region.

A 63-year-old woman's body was found under the rubble as first responders were working at the scene of impact in Selydove, which is located around 30 kilometers west of Russian-occupied Avdiivka.

In total, 11 buildings, an administrative facility, and a shop were damaged due to the attack on the town. One house was also destroyed, Ukraine's Interior Ministry reported.

Donetsk Oblast Governor Vadym Filashkin also reported on April 18 that a 56-year-old man had been killed in the village of Ocheretyne after a Russian attack directly hit his house.

Filashkin added that two other people were injured due to a Russian attack on the city of Krasnohorivka. A 74-year-old woman was also wounded in the Chasiv Yar community on April 18.

"It is dangerous to stay in Donetsk Oblast. Evacuate!" Filashkin wrote.

Russia attacked Donetsk Oblast 1,816 times, which includes 10 missile strikes, over the past day on April 18, according to Ukraine's National Police.

Ukraine's Defense Ministry previously reported that Russian assault groups reached the northern outskirts of the village of Bohdanivka in Donetsk Oblast overnight on April 13.

The situation on Ukraine's eastern front has "significantly deteriorated in recent days," as Russia intensifies its offensive efforts, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said earlier.

Read also: Double-tap attack. Understanding one of Russias cruelest tactics in Ukraine

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A Russian military court convened on Thursday to rage against the press secretary of Facebooks parent company over a tweet posted more than two years ago.

Andy Stone, the press secretary of Meta, was not present in the Moscow District Military Court. Andy Stone will probably never be present in a Russian court.

But that did not stop a high-profile prosecutor from trying to call up a witness to make the Kremlins case that Stone is guilty of justifying terrorism for announcing back in March 2022 that Facebook and Instagram users could write death to the Russian invaders as much as they pleased. (Stone made clear at the time, at the height of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, that calls for violence against Russian civilians would not be tolerated.)

Stone, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Daily Beast, has been on a federal wanted list in Russia since he was arrested in absentia on the charge last November.

Thank you - sincerely - for this sober perspective, Ryan.  Andy Stone (@andymstone) March 10, 2022

The court took measures to notify Stone, but did not receive a response, Judge Roman Kiforenko said at the start of the hearing.

Prosecutor Boris Loktionov initially demanded that the governments witness, a man named Sergei Timoshev, be called up to testify. But he ultimately relented when the judge pressed him on how crucial Timoshevs testimony would be.

Was he an eyewitness to the crime? the judge asked, per a transcript by MediaZona, whose reporter was present in the courtroom.

Your Honor, he simply read a message that was published on the Internet. And he discussed this message, lets say, with his friends and colleagues. As such, we will not obtain a significant form of evidence from his testimony. I dont need this witness!

After being granted a brief recess to think about his decision, however, the prosecutor said he would in fact need to wait for the witness to turn up to speak about having seen the offending tweet. Court was thus adjourned until April 22, when Sergei Timoshev may or may not show up to fill the court in on the horrors of the tweet.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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The roof of a building damaged in the Russian strike. Photo: Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration

Russian artillery and drones targeted the Nikopol district (Dnipropetrovsk Oblast) on 18 April, damaging an infrastructure facility and an agricultural company.

Source: Serhii Lysak, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration, on social media

Details: Lysak said the Nikopol, Pokrovske, Marhanets and Myrove hromadas had been affected by the Russian strikes. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories  ed.]

The Russian forces launched three artillery strikes and used 10 UAVs of various types to attack the district.

Nine houses, three outbuildings, two garages and a power line were also damaged.

No one was killed or injured.

Background: On 18 April, Russian troops attacked the Dnipro district (Dnipropetrovsk Oblast) with missiles, causing fires to break out and injuring two people.

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The death toll of a Russian missile attack on the city of Chernihiv on April 17 has risen to 18, the State Emergency Service reported.

In total, 78 people, including four children, were confirmed injured as of the morning of April 18. The search and rescue operation was completed at around 9:15 a.m. local time.

Russian forces launched a missile attack on the city of Chernihiv on the morning of April 17. Explosions were heard in Chernihiv, located in Ukraine's north, at around 9 a.m. local time.

An eight-story building was destroyed in the attack, while four high-rise buildings, a hospital, a higher education institution, and dozens of cars were damaged, according to Oleksii Kuleba, a deputy head of Ukraine's Presidential Office.

Chernihiv Oblast is located on Ukraine's northern border with Russia and was partially occupied at the beginning of Russia's full-scale war in February 2022.

Russian forces withdrew from Chernihiv Oblast in April 2022, but due to its proximity to the border, the region has been attacked since on a near-daily basis.

Read also: Chernihiv strike shows lack of air defense resulting in civilian deaths, Kuleba says

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German Foreign Ministry officials reacted to the detention of Russian spies in Bavaria by summoning the Russian ambassador.

Source: Bild, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Commenting on the detention of the Russian agents, German law enforcement stated that one of the two suspects came before the investigating judge of the Federal Court on Wednesday, who decided to take him into custody; the second will appear in court on Thursday.

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser stated that the detainees were intended to "undermine our military assistance to Ukraine".

"We will continue to provide Ukraine with large-scale support and will not allow ourselves to be intimidated," she went on to say.

Background:

The first to report the spies detention was Spiegel. The detainees planned sabotage operations in Germany on behalf of the Russian secret service. Spiegel has learned that the police detained the suspects in Bayreuth.

Czechia stated that Russia made "thousands" of attempts to interfere with European railway networks as part of a campaign to destabilise the EU and attempt sabotage of critical infrastructure.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said that after the discovery of pro-Russian influence networks in Czechia and Poland, we can expect further such announcements in other countries, as this is only the beginning.

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Russians attack Kharkiv City and Kharkiv Oblast, local authorities urge residents to take shelter

Oleh Syniehubov, Head of the Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, reported that the Russians are striking the oblast. An explosion was heard in the city during the air-raid.

Source: Oleh Syniehubov, Head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration; Ukraine's Air Force; Suspilne.Kharkiv

Details: At 14:06, the Air Force reported a threat of aircraft strikes on the frontline regions.

At 14:17, the Air Force reported missile launches on Kharkiv and Donetsk oblasts. Later, Suspilne.Kharkiv reported an explosion in the northern part of the city of Kharkiv.

At 14:18, Syniehubov wrote that the Russians were conducting strikes.

Quote: "Kharkiv [City] and Kharkiv Oblast: stay in shelters."

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Russian troops attacked Selydove in Donetsk Oblast with missiles, killing a woman on the night of 17-18 April.

Source: Selydove City Council on Facebook; Vadym Filashkin, the Head of Donetsk Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote: "On 18.04.2024, at approximately 03:10, the town of Selydove was attacked with four missiles. As a result of the attack, a woman born in 1961 was killed."

Details: It is reported that the attack damaged the administrative building of an agricultural company, a shop and private houses. Power lines were also damaged.

Traffic on the Selydove-Pokrovsk road is currently restricted.

The head of Donetsk Oblast Military Administration said that two people were also injured in Krasnohorivka in the Pokrovsk district.

In Kostiantynivka, Kramatorsk district, 12 private houses and an administrative building were damaged; in Markove, the same district, two administrative buildings and a private house were damaged. In the Lyman hromada, Torske, Terny and Yampolivka were bombarded (a hromada is an administrative unit designating a town, village or several villages and their adjacent territories  ed.).

In Chasiv Yar hromada in the Bakhmut district, 12 private houses and two multi-storey buildings were damaged. A house was damaged in the town of Siversk.

In total, the Russians fired 17 times at the settlements of Donetsk Oblast over the last day. A total of 127 people were evacuated from the combat zone, including 13 children.

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Russian troops conducted airstrikes on the city of Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast at 14:10 on Thursday, presumably by three aerial bombs. A civilian man riding his bike at the time of the attack was injured.

Source: Kharkiv Oblast Police

Details: In addition, the attack caused damage to eight apartment buildings, the cemetery's grounds, and the Blahoustrii utility company.

A 52-year-old citizen was injured while riding his bicycle at the time of the Russian attack. He was taken to hospital.

Around 17:25, the Russian military fired again at Vovchansk, causing damage to the church and a shop.

The authorities reported that at midday, the Russians struck the village of Sorokivka, Kharkiv Oblast, from the S-300 air defence system. The attack caused damage to the local House of Culture. A 45-year-old citizen sustained injuries. He was brought to hospital after receiving shrapnel wounds.

Police initiated criminal proceedings in response to Russia's violation of the laws and customs of war.

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Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson for the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group of Forces, has reported that units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine control the situation in Chasiv Yar. Still, Russian soldiers do not stop trying to capture the city, attacking it with guided bombs and destroying civilian infrastructure.

Source: Voloshyn, on air of the national joint 24/7 newscast

Details: The spokesperson reported that the situation around Chasiv Yar is still difficult. Russia is trying to reach the administrative borders of Donetsk Oblast by all means. However, the Defence Forces of Ukraine are in control of the situation.

"There is no enemy in the city. The enemy is still using its advantage in the air, in missiles and large-calibre artillery ammunition, trying to conduct assault operations."

Voloshyn also said that the Russians are throwing guided bombs on the city, destroying civilian infrastructure.

"In total, about 20 to 30 bombs are dropped by Russian aviation on the positions of Ukrainian defenders and civilian infrastructure per day, sometimes more."

Voloshyn reports that the Russians' tactic is to destroy to take control of the "piles of dust" left of Ukrainian cities.

Background: On 9 April, Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson for the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group of Forces, reported on air of the national joint 24/7 newscast that the situation in Chasiv Yar is controlled by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, there are no Russians in the city or on the outskirts.

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BEIJING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- China strongly opposes U.S. deployment of medium-range ballistic missiles in the Asia-Pacific, and urged the United States to stop stoking military confrontation, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday.

Lin's remarks came after the U.S. Army Pacific announced that the United States has deployed the Mid-Range Capability missile system, also known as Typhon, to Luzon, the Philippines, as part of their joint military exercise. This is the first time that the United States deployed a land-based, ground-launched system after it withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.

Lin said that China noted the announcement and expresses grave concern over the move. China strongly opposes U.S. deployment of medium-range ballistic missiles in the Asia-Pacific, which strengthens forward deployment at China's doorstep to seek unilateral military advantage, he said.

This move by the United States exacerbates tensions in the region and increases the risk of misjudgment and miscalculation, Lin noted.

"We urge the United States to earnestly respect other countries' security concerns, stop stoking military confrontation, stop undermining peace and stability in the region, and take concrete actions to reduce strategic risks," Lin said.

He added that the Philippines needs to see and be mindful of what the United States is truly after, and the consequence of going along with the country on deploying medium-range ballistic missiles.

"The Philippines needs to think twice about being a cat's paw for the United States at the expense of its own security interests, and stop sliding down the wrong path," he said. 
Russia's Black Sea Fleet least active since start of war after change of its commander  UK intelligence

UK Defence Intelligence has analysed the latest activities of Russia's Black Sea Fleet (BSF), which is now mainly docked in the Russian port city of Novorossiysk.

Source: UK Defence Intelligence review dated 18 April on Twitter, as reported by European Pravda

Details: UK intelligence noted that a Grigorovich-class missile frigate conducted weapons handling activity in the port of Novorossiysk on 1 April.

Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine  18 April 2024.



Find out more about Defence Intelligence's use of language: https://t.co/EwBELWpRTX #StandWithUkraine  pic.twitter.com/qf8Dx0mElM  Ministry of Defence  (@DefenceHQ) April 18, 2024

However, Russia has largely relocated its vessels and submarines of the Black Sea Fleet from Sevastopol to Novorossiysk, situated further to the east.

"Since the removal of the BSF commander in March 2024, the fleet has been the least active since the war began," UK Defence Intelligence stressed.

UK intelligence stated that the BSF will continue to be docked in Novorossiysk as this is the best way to avoid Ukrainian attacks from the sea.

UK Defence Intelligence also added that the infrastructure for maintenance, logistics and weapons handling in the port of Novorossiysk has likely been improved to support the new conditions for basing Russia's Black Sea Fleet ships indefinitely.

Background:

In a previous review, UK Defence Intelligence analysed a Ukrainian strike on the Shahed UAV production facility in Russia's Tatarstan.

In a review on 15 April, UK Defence Intelligence reported that Russia is trying to recruit foreigners into its army to avoid domestic mobilisation.

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RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN)  Some students in Rutherford County could be forced to find a new way to school as the district considers cutting some bus routes.

Bus transportation would be eliminated to students whose homes are within one mile of the school if the Rutherford County School Board approves establishing a Parent Responsibility Zone (PRZ).

Rutherford County School Board debates change in public comment policy

Almost everybody Ive seen is against this, said Erik Snyder, a father of four children in Rutherford County schools.

The bus picks up all of his daughters just a couple of doors down from their home.

They have to ride the bus because it interferes with my work schedule, he said.

He is among a number of parents that cite a list of concerns with the proposal.

Abduction is one of my really top concerns, because it can happen in an instant, Snyder explained.

Group has questions after Rutherford County Schools removes numerous books

Additional worries include pedestrian safety with the lack of sidewalks in some of the more rural areas of the county, the headache of added traffic congestion, and the dangers of a child crossing it.

Im also concerned about some of the younger kids, elementary school kids, Snyder said.

Social media posts from concerned parents indicate the timing is also short notice.

The debate was addressed at the Board of Educations Work Session on Tuesday night. The COO of the Engineering and Construction Department, Trey Lee, pointed to growth across the county as one of the ideas behind it. Leaders claim attendance at schools is up and traffic congestion is prolonging bus routes, adding there is also a shortage of drivers.

| READ MORE | Latest headlines from Murfreesboro and Rutherford County

Lee said there are already plans for a dozen new routes to be added next year. He also said a PRZ would save around $715,000 compared to their current budget.

With all the safety considerations, I hope this doesnt pass. I hope they wouldnt put children at risk like this, said Snyder.

The proposal would not apply to Title 1 schools. The director of Rutherford County Schools said they are one of a few counties across the state that dont already have a PRZ in place. Parents plan to voice their opinions at the school board meeting that will be held Thursday, April 18.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
Oakland police officers on Wednesday killed a man accused of gunning down a woman in south Sacramento last month as authorities sought to arrest him at an Oakland home.

The Sacramento Police Department had been looking for a homicide suspect since gunfire broke out in the 6100 block of Ventura Street on March 3 after the killing Rama Alsaraj, 34, at a homes backyard in the Brentwood neighborhood, not far from Sacramento Executive Airport.

Sacramento police officers arrived in Oakland on Wednesday to arrest a man described as a suspect in the case. Detectives had requested help from Oakland police just before 9:30 p.m. on the 1000 block of 16th Street, according to a news release from the Oakland Police Department.

Police began to secure the area when the suspect emerged from the residence with a firearm, the news release said. Oakland police officers fired their weapons and struck the suspect.

The man died at the scene, Oakland police said. No one else was injured and the officers who fired the shots were placed on paid administrative leave.

Sacramento police had previously named Dominique Broadt as the suspect in the Ventura Street homicide, but its unclear if he was the suspect sought in the Oakland incident and authorities in Alameda County have yet to identify him.
Flights to and from Dubai airport remain severely disrupted, after heavy rainfall hit Dubai and the rest of the UAE.

On Tuesday April 16 a storm hit the UAE, causing flash floods on roads and waterlogging in parts of Dubai International Airport. Up to 295.5mm (more than 11in) of rain fell in the UAE  the heaviest rainfall on record.

Dubai International Airport  the worlds busiest for international passengers  closed for a period on Tuesday, with videos showing standing water on a runway as aircraft landed.

The airport has since reopened, but on Wednesday hundreds of services were delayed or cancelled in the aftermath of the storm, and the disruption continues into Thursday with many passengers still stranded at the airport awaiting a new booking.

Heres everything you need to know if you have a flight to or from Dubai in the coming days.

Is Dubai airport still closed?

No. Dubai airport has reopened, but the airport is warning people only to travel to the airport if they have received a departure confirmation from their airline.

On Thursday April 18, Dubai airport confirmed it had started to receive inbound flights at Terminal 1 (used by foreign carriers) but warned of delays. Later, they confirmed operations had also resumed in Terminal 3.

In a post on X, Dubai Airport wrote: Check-in for Emirates and flydubai has reopened at Terminal 3. There is a high volume of guests in the check-in area so, please only come to the terminal if you have a departure confirmation from your airline. Were working to get you to your destination as quickly as possible.

Emirates posted on X to confirm passengers can now check in for their flights, adding: Emirates extends our sincerest apologies to impacted customers who have experienced delays and disruption to their travel plans caused by bad weather and road conditions.

We appreciate how difficult it is for everyone affected. While some customers have been able to return home or reach their destination, we are aware that many are still waiting to get on flights. Our teams are working hard to restore our scheduled operations, as well as secure accommodation and other amenities for affected customers at the airport.

Flooding closed roads across the city - Bloomberg

What is going on in the Dubai terminals right now?

Anne Wing, a British tourist hoping to return to Heathrow with her husband and three children, told the BBC: Its horrific, we are squashed in like animals  it is dangerous and inhumane.

She added: Passengers were shouting and rioting at the connection desk, there were no staff to be seen.

There have been reports that airport staff have struggled to get food to stranded passengers. Last night, the airport confirmed on social media that food had been distributed through Terminals 1 and 2, and that restaurants in Terminal 3 were open and accepting meal vouchers.

Hundreds of people have taken to X to report on the situation. One, named Vish, said he and his wife were stuck at the airport with a six-month-old infant and a six-year-old boy with no information about their flight connection to Dublin. Another, called Sabah, said she had been stranded at the airport since Wednesday morning with no help to reclaim her luggage or rebook her flight.

A number of videos have been posted on social media, showing busy crowds queuing at a connections desk with one member of staff.

Passengers have been pictured stranded at Dubai's airports - Paul Lidwith/PA

What is the weather forecast in Dubai over the next few days?

The rain has now stopped and the weather forecast is clear for the rest of this week. The Met Office gives a forecast of 27C, clear skies and sunny for Friday April 19, with the mercury hitting 30C on Monday April 22. The delays and cancellations that continue today are not caused by ongoing bad weather in the UAE, but are the knock-on effect on the bad weather from earlier in the week.

Is it safe to visit the UAE after the heavy rainfall?

Things have improved now the rain has stopped, but emergency services continue to clear waterlogged roads across the United Arab Emirates.

The message from The Telegraphs UAE expert, Hazel Plush, is that for parts of the city it is business as usual. She posted on X: Im in #Dubai, working/staying on The Palm, where there are zero ill effects from the storm: this is the sunset view last night, and the weather is glorious again this morning. Its chaos at the airport apparently, but my message is: dont just cancel your holiday!

Ok, so I'm in #Dubai. I'm working/staying on The Palm, where there are zero ill effects from the storm: this is the sunset view last night, and the weather is glorious again this morning. It's chaos at the airport apparently, but my message is: don't just cancel your holiday! pic.twitter.com/Eh9aw7miGj  Hazel Plush (@hazelplush) April 18, 2024

What to do if your flight was cancelled

Passengers affected by a cancelled flight will be entitled to a rebooking option. Emirates says: Customers impacted by flight cancellations can contact their booking agent, DM us, or visit http://emirat.es/support for assistance with rebooking.

However, it is unlikely that you will be entitled to a payment of compensation, given that the cancellation was due to extreme weather, which in airline terms and conditions counts as circumstances outside of their control.

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 CDC issued a warning regarding contaminated basil sold at Trader Joes locations across the country, including Pennsylvania.

The contaminated basil has led to Salmonella infections across seven states, including in nearby New Jersey. One person has been hospitalized due to the infection.

The product, Infinite Herbs organic basil, was sold in 29 states and Washington D.C. in 2.5 ounce clamshell-style containers.

Shipments of the basil stopped on April 12 and none of the product remains in stores.

Those who purchased the basil are encouraged to throw it away and clean any surface or item that may have touched it. Businesses are discouraged from selling or using the product and to also sanitize any surfaces that may have come in contact with it.

Salmonella symptoms include diarrhea, fever and stomach craps. Symptoms normally start six hour to six days after consuming the bacteria, and most people recover without treatment after four to seven days.

Click here to see Trader Joes locations in the Pittsburgh area.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said an outbreak of salmonella infections may be caused by potentially contaminated basil at Trader Joes.

The food safety alert posted by the CDC says 12 illnesses have been reported, including one hospitalization, across seven states.

Gov. DeSantis signs package of healthcare bills

The herb in question, organic basil sold by the Infinite Herbs brand, is sold in 29 states including in Florida.

The basil has been pulled from shelves but the CDC is advising Trader Joes shoppers to check for the contaminated herb and throw away or return any package they may have, as well as to wash items or surfaces that may have come in contact with the basil using hot soapy water.

Symptoms of salmonella include:

Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102F

Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving

Bloody diarrhea

So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down

Signs of dehydration, such as: Not peeing much Dry mouth and throat Feeling dizzy when standing up



Anyone suffering from these symptoms should call a healthcare provider, the CDC says.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
It was sold in over 29 states.

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

If you're a frequent Trader Joe's shopper like me, then you may need to check your recent purchases. The popular grocery store has recalled their Infinite Herbs-branded organic fresh basil due to Salmonella contamination. If you've picked up basil from TJ's that is still lingering in your crisper drawer, then go take a look.

The contaminated Infinite Herbs Organic Basil was sold in 29 states as well as D.C. Inifinite Herbs, LLC, in Miami, FL was the supplier of the fresh basil. The packages are 2.5-ounce plastic clamshells and should no longer be on Trader Joe's shelves. However, you could have some still in your fridge, whether in fresh form, in pesto, leftovers, or frozen for later. If you're not sure if the basil you purchased at Trader Joe's was Infinite Herbs brand, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recommends tossing out any suspect items.

So far, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 12 people have been infected with the Salmonella outbreak from seven different states. Seven of the eight cases with information available reported exposure to fresh basil from Trader Joe's. The investigation is ongoing, so stay tuned to the FDA to find out if more products will be linked to the outbreak.

Symptoms of Salmonella include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps, and young children and the elderly are more likely to have severe cases. Illness usually occurs within 72 hours of eating contaminated food. If you consumed Infinite Herbs Organic Basil from Trader Joe's and are experiencing symptoms, contact your health care provider.

The potentially contaminated basil was sold in these states as well as Washington, D.C.:

Alabama

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Iowa

Illinois

Indiana

Kansas

Kentucky

Maryland

Massachusetts

Maine

Minnesota

Michigan

Missouri

North Carolina

Nebraska

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Tennessee

Virginia

Vermont

Wisconsin



What To Do If You Have the Recalled Product at Home

Check your fridge for the recalled product. Do not eat any of it. You should discard it or bring it to any Trader Joe's for a full refund. For any questions, contact Trader Joe's Customer Relations online or at 626-599-3817 Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST.

Read the original article on Simply Recipes.
Heres what you need to know.

TanyaSid/Getty Images

Check your refrigerators ASAP. Trader Joes has issued a recall of fresh basil due to possible salmonella contamination.

The FDA and CDC is investigating illnesses in a multistate outbreak of salmonella infections linked to Infinite Herbs-brand organic basil packed in 2.5-oz clamshell packaging sold at Trader Joes stores in 29 states and Washington D.C.

CDC

The recalled product was sold at Trader Joes locations in the following states between February 1, 2024 and April 6, 2024: Alabama, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, and Wisconsin.

FDA

To date, a total of 12 people infected with the outbreak strain of salmonella have been reported from seven states. One person was hospitalized.

Trader Joes has voluntarily removed all Infinite Herbs-brand organic basil packed in 2.5-oz clamshell packaging from their stores.

According to the FDA, food contaminated with salmonella may look, smell, and taste normal. Consumption of contaminated food can cause salmonellosis, the most common symptoms of which are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after consumption.

Most people recover without treatment, however, in rare circumstances, infection can produce more severe illness and require hospitalization. Older adults, infants, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals are at higher risk of developing a severe illness and should seek medical attention if symptoms arise.

Multistate #outbreak of Salmonella linked to Infinite Herbs-brand organic basil previously sold at Trader Joes stores in 29 states and DC. Product has been removed from store shelves. Learn more at: https://t.co/S5FulfCLSR pic.twitter.com/2ci49JvD8W  FDA FOOD (Ctr for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition) (@FDAfood) April 17, 2024

The CDC said people who bought the basil shouldn't eat it, but should instead throw it out or return it to Trader Joe's.

Consumers who have symptoms should contact their health care provider to report their symptoms and receive care.

For more Southern Living news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Southern Living.
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  The City of San Francisco is not happy with the City of Oakland. On Thursday, SF City Attorney David Chius office slapped Oakland with a lawsuit for changing Oakland International Airports name.

The airport is poised to be re-named San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport, which SF attorneys say is a false designation of origin.

The lawsuit states, The Metropolitan Oakland International Airport seeks to increase passengers and profits by rushing to unlawfully incorporate San Francisco International Airports (SFO) trademarked name into its own. Oakland Airports actions ignore SFOs longstanding protected mark, brand, and identity, violate federal and state intellectual property law, and disregard the legal infringement and consumer confusion its actions create. Oakland Airports hasty and unnecessary efforts and refusal to engage in discussions of alternative names have left the City and County of San Francisco no choice but to bring this complaint against Defendant City of Oakland, acting by and through its Board of Port Commissioners for federal trademark infringement and false designation of origin and unfair competition.

The federal trademark infringement lawsuit was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court Northern District of California.

A Southwest Airlines plane lands at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in South San Francisco on February 8, 2024. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun /Anadolu via Getty Images)

Port attorney Mary Richardson said travelers know the Bay Area well enough to realize that San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport is located in Oakland, and renaming does not infringe on SFOs mark.

Richardson told KRON4, SFO cannot lay claim to the geographically-descriptive term San Francisco, let alone claim exclusive rights to the San Francisco Bay. The Port trusts that travelers understand that the San Francisco Bay  like virtually every other major metropolitan area throughout the world  can contain more than one airport. The Port will take all reasonable measures to ensure clarity for travelers with respect to OAKs geographic location and distinctiveness.

The lawsuit demands a jury trial to decide allegations including trademark infringement, unfair competition, false designation of origin, and common law trademark infringement.

At least one airline has begun using the new name.

Travelers walk towards Terminal 2 at Oakland International Airport on April 12, 2024 in Oakland. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Chiu asserts that the name change will undoubtedly cause chaos for travelers booking flights.

On Thursday Chiu said, We had hoped Oakland would come to its senses, but their refusal to collaborate on an acceptable alternative name leaves us no choice but to file a lawsuit. This new name will cause confusion and chaos for travelers, which will damage the travel industry for the entire region.

The lawsuit states, Defendants proposal to include San Francisco at the front of its new name, closely followed by the words International Airport is problematic, as it will almost certainly cause confusion among consumers and the public generally. Travelers will very likely be confused and book tickets to the unintended airport.

San Francisco city attorneys also took issue with how rapidly Oakland re-named its airport.

The lawsuit states, On March 29, 2024, defendant issued a press release abruptly announcing its proposal to change the name to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport and published an agenda for the Oakland Board of Port Commissioners to vote on the proposal at its regular meeting barely two weeks later on April 11. Defendant notified the City of the intended name change by contacting the Airport Director of SFO only 30 minutes before Defendant issued the press release. The Airport Director immediately expressed significant concern and offered to discuss the matter further, but Defendant did not respond.

Oakland-Airport-name-change-lawsuit-1Download

Chius office claims OAK stands to receive substantial profits based on the strength of SFOs reputation. SFO began operating in 1927, and has used the names San Francisco Airport and San Francisco International Airport throughout most of its history.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
This photo taken on April 15, 2024 shows various editions of Bing Dwen Dwen, the mascots for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, at the China and Design exhibition during Milan Design Week in Milan, Italy. The first edition of the China and Design exhibition is being held on April 15-21 in the street of Paolo Sarpi, one of Europe's biggest Chinatowns. (China Design Centre in Milan/Handout via Xinhua)

MILAN, Italy, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese designers from children to professionals are making waves in the Italian capital of fashion this week.

With millions of visitors from all over the world, this year's edition of Milan Design Week is for the first time showcasing China's most up-to-date designs.

The first edition of the China and Design exhibition is being held on April 15-21 in the street of Paolo Sarpi, one of Europe's biggest Chinatowns.

Director of the China Design Centre in Milan Michele Brunello said the exhibition has attracted 65 brands and seven Chinese and Italian universities, with nearly 100 design works. The exhibition is taking place in a former tram factory in central Milan.

Yu Ting, a teacher at China Academy of Art's School of Social and Aesthetic Education, has brought two design pieces by children to the exhibition.

"The Color of Life" is an eco-friendly and interactive installation created by more than 400 teachers and students from the mountainous area of southwest China's Yunnan Province and has attracted the attention of many Italian children.

"The China and Design exhibition is a very good platform for us to present children's design works as well as their creative concepts to the world, and to demonstrate the charm of Chinese culture," Yu told Xinhua.

Another work shown at the exhibition, called "Habitat Chain," is a collection of handmade models of endangered animals, made by Chinese children to underline the importance of protecting biodiversity.

Meanwhile, an elderly Italian couple was drawn to a Chinese zodiac dragon version of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games mascot, Bing Dwen Dwen.

Margherita, who only gave her first name, said she came to the exhibition because she is "very interested in Chinese culture," adding that after seeing the beautiful designs, she "couldn't wait" to travel to China.

Her husband Marco also said he was happy to have the chance to see "the new trend of cultural and technological products" coming from China and hoped the country would also participate in next year's Milan Design Week.

Michele Brunello told Xinhua that Chinese design concepts, as well as the quality of works have been improving in recent years, and that innovation will be a new theme for China and Italy in the field of design cooperation.

"The organization of the China and Design exhibition is the result of the relationship between Chinese and Italian companies, designers, and institutions," he said. Design is all about cooperation, he added, and the first China Week will be a new starting point for cultural exchanges between China and Italy.

The Paolo Sarbi neighborhood, where the exhibition area is located, has won the hearts of many Italian residents with its authentic Chinese restaurants, bubble tea shops and superstores selling a variety of Chinese products.

With the support of Milan City Council, the street was decorated for the China Week, with huge arches erected at the entrance, as well as plaques painted with Chinese pandas, dragons and bamboo slips.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the exhibition, senior Italian politician Marina Berlinghieri said that on the 700th anniversary of Marco Polo's death, the exhibition is evidence of the two countries' continued mutual respect and cultural exchanges. 

This photo taken on April 16, 2024 shows an archway decorated with Chinese elements at the entrance of the Paolo Sarpi Street in Milan, Italy. The first edition of the China and Design exhibition is being held on April 15-21 in the street of Paolo Sarpi, one of Europe's biggest Chinatowns. (China Design Centre in Milan/Handout via Xinhua)

Visitors view exhibits at the China and Design exhibition during Milan Design Week in Milan, Italy, on April 15, 2024. The first edition of the China and Design exhibition is being held on April 15-21 in the street of Paolo Sarpi, one of Europe's biggest Chinatowns. (China Design Centre in Milan/Handout via Xinhua)
The city of San Francisco is suing the nearby city of Oakland over the latter's plan to modify its airport name to include "San Francisco," arguing that the proposed name infringes on its trademark and would "cause confusion and chaos."

San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu filed a federal trademark infringement lawsuit on Thursday, a week after the Port of Oakland Board of Commissioners preliminarily approved a plan to rename Metropolitan Oakland International Airport to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport.

The lawsuit alleges that the proposed name would infringe on San Francisco International Airport's (SFO) trademark.

PHOTO: Travelers arrive at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, Dec. 21, 2023. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images, FILE)

"We had hoped Oakland would come to its senses, but their refusal to collaborate on an acceptable alternative name leaves us no choice but to file a lawsuit to protect SFO's trademark," Chiu said in a statement. "This new name will cause confusion and chaos for travelers, which will damage the travel industry for the entire region."

Chiu said that at least one airline has already started using the modified Oakland airport name, "indicating that SFO has already suffered economic harm."

"We want to see the entire Bay Area thrive as a tourist destination and expand our offerings to visitors, but the renaming is not a legal or practical way to go about it," he said.

In a statement to ABC News, the Port of Oakland denied that the proposed renaming infringes on SFO's trademark.

MORE: Famous authors' lawsuit against ChatGPT developer gets underway

"We will vigorously defend our right to claim our spot on the San Francisco Bay," the Port of Oakland said. "We are standing up for Oakland and our East Bay community."

The Port of Oakland announced in a press release on March 29 that it was considering changing the airport's name from Metropolitan Oakland International Airport to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport. The city of San Francisco claimed in its lawsuit that the city of Oakland notified the SFO airport director of the proposed name change only 30 minutes prior to issuing the release.

The Oakland Board of Port Commissioners voted unanimously to modify the airport's name on April 11 in a first reading vote. A second reading is scheduled for May 9, at which point the Port Commission would give its final approval and staff would then move forward with the formal renaming, according to the Port of Oakland.

PHOTO: Travelers walk towards Terminal 2 at Oakland International Airport on April 12, 2024 in Oakland, Calif. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

"This will boost inbound travelers' geographic awareness of the airport by highlighting the airport's location on the San Francisco Bay," Port Commission President Barbara Leslie said in a statement following the April 11 vote. "This name will make it clear that OAK is the closest major airport, for 4.1 million people, three national laboratories, the top public university in the country, and California's Wine Country."

The airport code OAK and visual brand would not change, the Port of Oakland said.

MORE: Gamers turning to public domain to find the next big trend

The city of San Francisco said it has raised concerns to the city of Oakland that the proposed name will likely lead to confusion among consumers but that Oakland has "refused to engage with the City for the three weeks since it announced its renaming plan," the lawsuit stated.

"The proposed renaming of Oakland International Airport will have a detrimental impact on the passenger experience, creating confusion and frustration for travelers, especially those from foreign markets," SFO airport director Ivar Satero said in a statement. "For these reasons, we support this legal challenge and urge the Port of Oakland to find a solution that puts all Bay Area airport customers first."

San Francisco has owned the U.S. federal trademark registration for the mark "San Francisco International Airport" with the first date of use in commerce in 1954, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief to immediately stop the use of the proposed name and orders declaring that Oakland has infringed on SFO's mark and requiring the city to destroy any materials containing the new name. The lawsuit is also seeking unspecified damages and fees.

There were 11.2 million passengers who came through Oakland International Airport in 2023, while San Francisco International Airport saw 50 million passengers last year.

San Francisco sues Oakland over proposed airport name change originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
San Francisco sues Oakland over plans to change name of airport

The Board of Commissioners for the Port of Oakland wants to change the airport's name to the San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport, but San Francisco officials object. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

The fight over a Bay Area airport name change just took a legal turn.

San Francisco filed suit against Oakland to stop the proposed name change of Oakland International Airport to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport.

Last week, the Port of Oakland's Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to proceed with the change even after San Francisco officials threatened to sue, alleging trademark infringement.

"Those two names are clearly similar and very likely to cause confusion and thus makes for a clear infringement case," said San Francisco City Atty. David Chiu . According to public records, San Francisco International Airport was first registered as a trademark in 2012, was renewed as a trademark in 2022 and is still in good standing.

Read more: This Bay Area airport wants to change its name. The San Francisco airport hates the idea

Oakland says the name change would bring geographic awareness to its airport and help sustain 30,000 jobs and $1.6 billion in revenue. Port officials cited a study showing 30% of domestic travelers are unaware of the airport's location and said that has harmed their ability to offer robust route options.

But Chiu argued the change would hurt the San Francisco airport.

"From our perspective, Oakland is looking to profit off of San Francisco's investments of billions of dollars over decades in our reputation, services and brand," he said. "This is already starting to create confusion and economic harm to SFO."

A lawsuit isn't ideal, Chiu said, but he noted the city has tried to negotiate alternate names with Oakland to no avail.

"They first proposed this on March 29. ... They gave us 30 minutes of advance warning," Chiu said. Additional requests to meet have gone unanswered, he said.

Oakland International Airport officials said in a statement to The Times the renaming does not infringe on SFO's registered trademark.

"We will vigorously defend our right to claim our spot on the San Francisco Bay," officials said. "We are standing up for Oakland and our East Bay community."

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao declined to comment Thursday but previously expressed support for the name change. In an earlier news release, she said the change was about "inviting travelers to discover all that Oakland and the region have to offer."

Read more: Oakland officials vote to rename airport despite San Francisco threatening to sue

Since the initial board vote, at least one airline has adopted the new name in its flight to the Bay Area. Azore Airlines, a Portuguese company, lists San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport as one option customers can select if they are searching for flights to San Francisco.

In addition to SFO, other San Francisco businesses have the name of the city in federally registered trademarks. But Bruce Sunstein, a patent attorney and intellectual property strategist, said trademark infringement depends on "whether the usage creates a likelihood of confusion."

"It would seem to me that San Francisco would have a reasonable argument here," Sunstein said.

It's not clear how long the lawsuit might drag out, but Chiu made it clear that the city is exploring all legal options to prevent Oakland's initial vote of approval from proceeding to a second  and final  vote in May.

"We're going to litigate this as long as it takes," he said.

Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) is calling out comedian Jimmy Kimmel ahead of his case against the late-night show host, whom Santos accuses of using phony name and narratives while acquiring his services on Cameo.

Lets see if @jimmykimmel puts up or shuts up today, Santos said in a post on the social platform X late Thursday morning. After all this is your dream coming true as you said so your self on air!

Santoss post also included a video of himself saying that todays a big day and noting that later in the day he is actually in federal court against Jimmy Kimmel for my fraud case against him, for defrauding me and violating copyright laws and also infringing on licensing agreements.

So, I cant wait to see if Jimmy shows up, or is he gonna hide behind his little corporate lawyers, continued the disgraced Republican, who in December was expelled from the House in a bipartisan vote. Ill be there.

Santos, who has been indicted on federal fraud charges, originally sued Kimmel in February, alleging his misrepresented his intentions for the former lawmakers Cameo videos. He filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and is suing Kimmel for alleged fraud, breach of contract, unjust enrichment and copyright infringement. Alongside Kimmel, ABC and Disney were also named as defendants in the suit.

Kimmel had used the videos on his late-night talk show.

Could you imagine if I get sued by George Santos for a fraud, he said at the time. I mean how good would that be? It would be like a dream come true. So since I started buying his videos his rates went way up to $500 a piece. He should be thanking me for buying these videos.

After the suit, which is seeking at least $750,000 in damages, was announced, Kimmel called it the most preposterous lawsuit of all time.

George has rudely filed the lawsuit against me, our show and The Walt Disney Co. because we did a nice thing. Because we supported him by ordering his Cameo videos, he said.

He says we deceived him under the guise of fandom  soliciting personalized videos, only to then broadcast these on national television. And if theres one thing George Santos will not stand for, its using a fake name under false pretenses, Kimmel added.

The Hill has reached out to lawyers and representatives for Kimmel, ABC and Disney.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Savannah Chrisley is urging her parents Todd and Julie Chrisley to keep their faith as they get prepared for an appeals hearing here in Atlanta on Friday.

In June 2022, a jury found the Chrisley Knows Best couple guilty on charges of criminal bank fraud and tax evasion. Their accountant, Peter Tarantino, was convicted of filing two false corporate tax returns.

In Nov. 2022, a federal judge sentenced Todd Chrisley to 12 years in prison, Julie Chrisley to seven years in prison, and Tarantino to three years in prison.

During the latest episode of her podcast, Savannah Chrisley was offering words of encouragement and urged them to keep fighting, People Magazine reported.

I just keep telling my parents like, stand strong, stand firm. Dont give up, Savannah said. Its so hard for them because they just have no faith in whats happening so its hard for them to stay positive.

In the last couple of weeks, a jury found that Todd Chrisley defamed a Georgia Department of Revenue agent, and now owes her $755,000.

One of the challenges the Chrisleys are making is over the district courts forfeiture order, saying they need to pay more than $17 million.

RELATED STORIES:

The couple said the order should be vacated because the district court failed to enter a preliminary forfeiture order  and claim that the district court allegedly did not provide a basis for its forfeiture order.

In court documents filed on Wednesday, the government refuted that claim, saying: At sentencing, the government laid out extensive testimony and evidence in support of the $17 million forfeiture amount, and the defendants were given an opportunity to cross-examine the governments witness and present evidence. The district court also instructed the Chrisley defendants to file any written objections to the $17 million actual loss figure within two weeks, which the Chrisleys never didbefore or after the court issued the forfeiture order two weeks after sentencing.

Above and beyond wanting their conviction overturned, the Chrisleys are hoping to at least be granted bond so they can leave federal prison.

Savannah Chrisley said during a recent episode of her podcast that her mother was taking classes as part of the First Step Act, which provides inmates with credits for an early release.

According to the Bureau of Prisons, the reentry programs are designed to ensure all sentenced inmates have the skills necessary to succeed upon release, People said.

Its just so hard knowing that it could not go in our direction and thats a tough pill to swallow, Savannah Chrisley said. But at the same time if it doesnt go in our direction we have other avenues to take.

Channel 2 Action News first started investigating the Chrisleys in 2017, when we learned that Todd Chrisley had likely evaded paying Georgia state income taxes for several years.

Court documents obtained by Channel 2 Action News showed that by 2018, the Chrisleys owed the state nearly $800,000 in liens.

The couple eventually went to trial and a federal jury found them guilty of bank fraud and tax evasion in June 2022.

The Chrisleys hearing in front of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals is a 9 a.m. Friday.

RELATED NEWS:




Big Oil is investing big bucks in a PR campaign that tells us  insert drum roll here  that gas is way more expensive in California.

Shocking, right?

To be fair, the oil industry also is attempting to educate us on why gas costs more in California.

Naturally, this campaign casts Sacramento politicians  not oil company execs  as the bad guys.

The Western States Petroleum Association has billboards on major highways that direct drivers to a website, factspergallon.com, that blames Californias high gas prices on taxes and fees, environmental regulations and local bans on new gas stations.

(So far, its mostly small, upscale Northern California communities like St. Helena, Calistoga and Yountville that have passed bans, though Sacramento is considering it.)

Chevron has positioned eye-catching, hot-pink signs at their gas pumps that read: Filling up your tank is a lot cheaper in other states. (Again, who knew?)

The sign includes a QR code that provides helpful links to state lawmakers, in case customers want to call or write them. It also includes talking points like this: I ask you to act now to protect my access to affordable gas by prioritizing fair and equitable regulations for all Californians, not just those who can afford new vehicles.

Gov. Gavin Newsom is not taking the bait.

Big Oil is Spending Millions on a Campaign Lying About Gas Prices Instead of Passing Down Savings to Consumers is the headline on a March statement from the Governors Office:

The price of a gallon of gasoline overwhelmingly consists of profits, marketing, distribution, and the price of crude oil, it goes on to say.

So who do we believe? Big Oil or Big Government? Or are both positions valid, at least to some degree?

Sure, gas is more expensive here  but so is everything else

According to the latest AAA data, in California a gallon of regular averages $5.46 compared to a nationwide average of $3.64.

Ouch!

Then again, almost everything is more expensive here, especially housing. In some parts of California, a house is considered a bargain if it costs under $1 million, which is one of the reasons people are relocating to other states.

Some of those higher costs are linked to tougher environmental regulations.

Take gas, for example.

For years, California has required cleaner-burning gasoline to reduce smog. That adds 10 cents a gallon to the price of gas, according to Severin Borenstein, director of UC Berkeleys Energy Institute.

While air quality is still bad in parts of the state  especially the Los Angeles Basin  the regulations have made a difference.

Most recently, year-over-year trends have resulted in reductions in L.A. air pollution of 10.6% from 2017 to 2018, and another 11.8% from 2018 to 2019, the website iqair reported.

Would we want to sacrifice air quality to save 10 cents a gallon? Of course not.

Also, those high gas taxes Big Oil complains about? They help pay for roads, which is something Californians have supported at the ballot box. In 2018, 57% of voters defeated Proposition 6, a measure to repeal a 12-cent-per-gallon increase in the gas tax passed by the Legislature in 2017.

With gas prices being what they are now, voters might not be so inclined to support taxes today. But if we were to reduce the gas tax, what would replace it? More tolls? Increased vehicle license fees? Or maybe a user tax based on vehicle miles traveled, rather than the number of gallons purchased.

Thats a conversation we can  and should  have, especially as the number of electric vehicles increases, leaving the state with less gas tax revenue.

But Big Oil shouldnt drive that discussion. Nor should it dictate air quality decisions.

Oil industry must evolve

California has charted a path. Its moving away from fossil fuels, and the oil industry needs to acknowledge that its role is changing, especially in environmentally progressive states.

Instead, Big Oil tries desperately to hang on, no matter who it hurts.

One prime example: It succeeded in placing a measure on Californias November ballot to repeal SB 1137, which would prohibit new oil and gas wells within 3,200 feet of homes, schools, nursing homes and hospitals.

Never mind that research has shown that exposure to oil and gas well sites is linked to increased risk of premature births. Or that residents who live near active oil wells reported more wheezing. Or that a Colorado School of Public Health study found that young Colorado residents diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia were 4.3 times more likely to live in the densest area of active oil and gas wells than those with other cancers.

Now the oil industry is using signs and billboards and QR codes in an effort to convince the public that it has its best interests in mind? That its trying to shine a light on why Californias gas prices are higher than Arizonas and Utahs and Georgias? That accusations of price gouging are wrong?

Sure, Californians are fed up with high prices, but they arent gullible enough to swallow everything the oil industry is dishing out.

If Big Oil really wants to do something for Californians, heres a suggestion: Show a commitment to the future. Take that money youre spending on PR and install some EV charging stations next to your gas pumps.
WASHINGTON  The nation's capital is prematurely grieving over the expected loss of Stumpy, the city's favorite little cherry tree on the Tidal Basin.

But a plan to give the little tree new life by growing its clippings at the National Arboretum is giving new hope to Stumpy's devoted fan base, even those engaged in an online campaign to "save Stumpy."

For years, natives and visitors to the district, alike have marveled at the annual resurgence of Stumpy's blooms. True to name, Stumpy is not much more than a stump, but its size doesn't stop its small tangle of branches from bursting into bloom along with all the other cherry trees on the Tidal Basin as Washington takes in the beauty of its cherry blossoms every spring.

But news of a planned rehabilitation of the Tidal Basin threatened to spell the end of Stumpy's days. Last month, the National Park Service announced the project would require the uprooting of 158 cherry trees on the Tidal Basin and some banks of the Potomac River, Stumpy included. The park service said the removal, slated for the late spring or early summer, is required to defend the remaining cherry trees against aging infrastructure and rising sea levels, but that hasn't stopped Stumpy fans from rallying for its salvation.

Stumpy, Washington, D.C.'s beloved short cherry tree on the Tidal Basin, is slated for removal later this year.

Hope for Stumpy's survival seemed dim. But a new collaboration between the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C., and the park service to grow clones of Stumpy could allow the tree to live on in new form.

The plan will see horticulturalists plant clippings from Stumpy's living parts on the Arboretum's grounds. Eventually, the trees could be returned to the Tidal Basin and replanted.

Meanwhile, the original Stumpy, along with the other removed trees, will be mulched and returned to the National Mall, "providing root protection and enriching the soil for living trees for generations to come," according to National Park Service Chief of Communications Mike Litterst.

Flowering cherry trees grow in several spots on the grounds of the National Arboretum.

US Arboretum hopes to grow Stumpy's genetic matches

Creating a genetic match of a tree is nothing new for the National Arboretum's horticulturalists. What doesn't come every day is the chance to work on "plant material that's achieved celebrity status," said Piper Zettel, a horticulturalist at the Arboretum.

Zettel said the park service reached out to the Arboretum last winter to share Stumpy's story and make a plan to preserve its legacy. "They knew, at that time, that transplanting was unlikely and maybe not feasible. And so that's why they came to us," she said.

The Arboretum's horticulturalists hope to preserve Stumpy's genetic material by collecting clippings from the little tree to be planted and grown on the Arboretum's grounds in a process called propagation. The new Stumpy will be grown in a propagation greenhouse, a special area with a controlled environment designed to help the new plants grow. If successful, in around a year, cuttings from the new growth would be transferred to their own individual pots to grow out.

"Ideally, in two to three years, we would hand them back to the National Park Service, provided that they were ready to receive them," Zettel said.

It's too early to say how many Stumpy clones will survive, but the Arboretum hopes to hand at least three healthy trees back to the park service, according to Zettel.

These two cherry tree clippings taken by the Arboretum's horticulturalists have been growing for around two years.

The Arboretum used the same process to preserve Stumpy's ancestors  horticulturalists planted clippings from the Tidal Basin's original cherry trees that were gifts of friendship from Japan in 1912. Those trees, which are now among the Arboretum's cherry tree collection, also serve to replenish the Tidal Basin's supply.

"While they offer great aesthetic value as flowering cherry trees, it's also a dual purpose in that we house them here as backups for the Tidal Basin," Zettel said. "So, in essence, we would hope to do the same with Stumpy."

Still, Stumpy isn't out of the woods yet  the success of the process partially depends on horticulturalists taking clippings during the optimal annual propagation window  for cherry trees, around mid-May to mid-June.

"The fact that Stumpy is so stumpy, and has like three scraggly branches, and may not put out that much new growth this spring, and even the new growth that it does put out might not be considered optimal. ... I mean, all these factors add up," Zettel said. "There's no guarantee."

Already, the Arboretum has heard from many concerned citizens in search of more information about what will happen to their beloved tree. "A lot of people have questions about why the project is happening, and how we might be involved," Zettel said. "There's been a big outcry from the public."

Zettel said the Arboretum does not take the care and keeping of Stumpy's genetic material lightly. "We're pretty honored to be able to not only participate, but we're offering an opportunity to continue Stumpy's story. So hopefully, this will be the next chapter."

Horticulturalists have several possible spots on the Arboretum's grounds in mind to plant Stumpy's clones.

Petition calls for Stumpy's salvation

Amanda Rhodes, 31, is the author of a Change.org petition calling on authorities to "reconsider their decision to cut down 'Stumpy'  the cherished 'little tree that could.'"

"Within the community in D.C., this tree is so beloved. Every single person knows who Stumpy is," she said. "And not only have I gotten good feedback from the local people, I have had people share it across the country."

Rhodes, who lives nearby, has greeted Stumpy regularly for years during her morning walks before starting her work day as a clinical psychologist. "I can't do the walk without doing the Tidal Basin and saying hi to Stumpy," she said.

Over the years, the "steadfast and unwavering" little tree captured her heart. "If you look at Stumpy, it doesn't look like he's going to blossom at all. And yet every single year he has the most beautiful bloom."

When Rhodes learned of the tragic news, she immediately put out calls to the National Arboretum and the National Park Service, offering to raise funds towards Stumpy's replanting.

Although Rhodes was happy to learn of the plan to grow Stumpy's clones, she still pleaded with the National Arboretum to consider attempting to replant Stumpy, despite the little tree's fragile condition.

"If it's going to be anyone that's able to do it, it's them," she said. "We hope that they consider the possibility of attempting something like this, so that way we can continue on Stumpy's tradition in a way that allows us to go and visit him in his current state."

Visitors and locals flock to the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. during the springtime season to see the cherry trees blossom.

Watch: Yoshino cherry blossom trees reach peak bloom early in Washington D.C.

Experts say Stumpy's survival unlikely

Unfortunately, the science may not be on Stumpy's side.

Litterst said Stumpy's years of "twice-daily flooding" caused by the tides, as well as "sun scalding, compacted soil, and fungi," make it unlikely for Stumpy to survive any transplant.

"There's very little of the tree to even transplant. Almost all of the interior trunk is gone," he said. "It's really just the outer layer of bark and the tree branches that are left, so it's highly unlikely that it would survive the attempt to move it, much less transplant shock."

Scott Diffenderfer, a consulting arborist familiar with Stumpy's story, echoed Stumpy's poor condition.

"He's not a very healthy tree, unfortunately," said Diffenderfer, who is also a former town arborist for the town of Vienna, Virginia. "There's really not much they can do at this point."

It's evident from its appearance that Stumpy's environmental conditions have not been kind to the little tree, Diffenderfer said. The constant presence of large groups of people on the Tidal Basin, combined with rising temperatures, have taken their toll.

Although Stumpy manages to produce a few meager blossoms every spring, the small size of its canopy bodes ill for its future. "A tree like that only has, I would guess, less than 10% of its original canopy," said Diffenderfer. "The problem is, because there's a limited amount of canopy left on that tree, it's not going to be able to capture sunlight and transform that into nutrients in a very efficient and sufficient way. So each year, it's kind of in a little deficit."

Diffenderfer said that means Stumpy's death is likely inevitable, whether it is uprooted or not. "It's in what we term a decline cycle, or decline spiral," said Diffenderfer. "There's just a point in time where the tree just can't recover, essentially, and I think, at this point, that's where that particular tree is at."

"In reality, it would be pretty close to impossible to do anything to save that tree or elongate its life beyond a short term," he said. "Unfortunately, it's just in poor shape, poor condition."

More: Bradford pear trees are banned in a few states. More are looking to replace, eradicate them.

'He stands for beauty'

Cherry blossom lovers from around the world have stepped up to offer support for the Tidal Basin's trees ahead of the removal of some.

Thanks to Japan, the National Park Service may not need to wait until clones of Stumpy and other trees are fully grown to replant on the Tidal Basin. While on a visit to Washington last week, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that Japan will gift 250 cherry trees as replacements, a nod to Japan's original cherry tree gift 112 years ago.

This year's cherry blossom season, which drew to a close in mid-April, saw Stumpy fans young and old celebrate the little tree's legacy.

At a recent racing event, runners were greeted by a person dressed as a Stumpy mascot, complete with a racing bib.

Visitors to the Tidal Basin stopped by to see Stumpy for a final goodbye, some leaving small bouquets or tokens in memoriam. Many paused to snap a picture, or jumped into the camera frame for a photo op with the famous tree.

"Stumpy fans are everywhere," said Debbie Scudder, 45, a Phoenix resident visiting Washington. Scudder said she promised a friend and fellow Stumpy lover in Pennsylvania she would send over a picture.

Many knew of Stumpy's removal, and came to the spot to get a last look. "When I came earlier, there were more blooms on him. He's looking a little sad," said Elyse Eenigenburg, 22, who moved to the area recently but had already seen "Save Stumpy" campaigns on social media.

Some Stumpy lovers had already come to terms with his imminent demise, like Kristin Hoeber, who pointed out the little tree to her three daughters, ages 10, 8, and 5.

"It's definitely kind of sad, so it's good to see it and have pictures. But it's definitely necessary, too," she said.

Paige Lawson, 29, who visited Washington on Easter break from law school from her hometown of Orlando was glad that Stumpy would help a new generation of cherry trees grow, even if it means he becomes a "sacrificial Stumpy lamb."

The important thing, she said, is preserving what it represents.

"He stands for beauty," she said. "No matter your stature or how you look or if you look a little different, you still represent beauty."

Cybele Mayes-Osterman is a breaking news reporter for USA Today. Reach her on email at cmayesosterman@usatoday.com. Follow her on X @CybeleMO.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Saving 'Stumpy': Washington scrambles to save this small cherry tree
The states bench remains mostly white and male after judicial elections by state lawmakers, despite concerns over the lack of diversity among South Carolina judges.

During a joint session between the state Senate and House to elect state judges on Wednesday, most elections were uneventful except for two, including one where the Richland County Democratic delegation fought to preserve James Smiths candidacy for Seat 1 in the 5th Judicial Circuit.

Smith, 56, a decorated war veteran and democrat, formerly served in the House for 22-years before losing a race for governor in 2018 to Gov. Henry McMaster.

Originally, Smith was vying for the circuit court against Justin Williams, who dropped out of the race in January due to a lack of pledges to support his candidacy. Although the lone candidate, Smiths candidacy became controversial after a social media post by an S.C. congressman. U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, R-SC, posted on the social media platform X that Smith is Pro abortion, Pro Biden agenda, Pro big government, Pro BLM!! and indicated Republicans should not vote for him.

On Wednesday, Smith was rejected by Republican lawmakers after House Majority Leader David Hiott, R-Pickens, moved to recommit the seat back to the Judicial Merit Selection Committee.

The move spurred uproar in the House chamber as Richland County democrats scurried to raise procedural objections to Hiotts motion, including state Rep. Seth Rose, D-Richland and House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford, D-Richland.

The motion to reject the slate is out of order given the unprecedented nature of this motion, Rose said. There is only one nominee and this is a simple up or down vote.

Rutherford challenged Hiotts motion by identifying that Hiott incorrectly referred to the JMSC as the JSMC.

The motion was to recommit the slate to the Judicial Selection Merit Commission, there is no such body, so if were going to vote on something we should vote on the proper motion, which would be the Judicial Merit Selection Commission, Rutherford said. Now we can send it back to JSMC, but that doesnt exist so, before we vote, the motion would be that it go back to the proper committee.

Following a failed vote to kill Hiotts motion, the General Assembly approved leaving the seat in 5th Judicial Circuit vacant.

In what, at times, appeared to be a haphazard election process, with confusion over rules governing joint sessions, lawmakers elected or reelected six women and three African Americans among 31 candidates.

In the race for Seat 9 on the Court of Appeals, multiple ballots were required, where Whitney Harrison of Columbia, Judge Jan Bromell Holmes of Georgetown and Judge Matthew Price Turner, of Laurens were up for consideration. Following the second ballot, JMSC Chairman Micah Caskey, R-Lexington, announced that Harrison, a white woman, withdrew from the race. In the third round, Turner prevailed against Holmes, a Black woman, who currently sits on the family court for the 15th Judicial Circuit.

Late last year, some state officials, including Supreme Court Justice John Kittredge, who was recently elected to replace Don Beatty as chief justice, levied concerns over a lack of diversity on the bench.

We have a great bench, Kittredge told lawmakers last December. We have a great system. But if it doesnt reflect the people of South Carolina, we are going to lose the respect and integrity by the public we serve.

Kittredge said there are three African American judges who soon will retire due to the states mandatory retirement age of 72, including Beatty and Circuit Judges Clifton Newman and Alex Kinlaw. Kittredge also noted Judge Casey Manning, who retired late last year.

Losing those four within an 18-month period is a hit, Kittredge said. Its a hit on the intellectual institutional knowledge that they have brought to the system, and its a hit in terms of diversity. Im concerned about that.

David Pascoe, solicitor for the 1st Circuit, and a major player in the states efforts to pass judicial reform, also, last year, shared Kittredges concerns about a lack of diversity on the bench.

A major reason I am personally calling for reform is because of the lack of diversity on the bench, Pascoe said. Look at what the current process has gotten our state. We currently have no women on our Supreme Court, and come this July we will have no person of color. It is insanity for anyone not to support reform for the good of our state.

With more than two dozen judicial seats on the ballot, heres a snapshot of who won judicial seats.

Court of Appeals

Seat 8: Jerry Deese Vinson, Jr. of Florence; Seat 9: Matthew Price Turner.

Circuit Court

2nd Judicial Circuit Seat 2: Martha M. Rivers Davisson, of Aiken;

3rd Judicial Circuit Seat 1: Judge S. Bryan Doby, of Bishopville.

3rd Judicial Circuit Seat 2

Judge Kristi Fisher Curtis, of Sumter.

4th Judicial Circuit Seat 2

Judge Michael S. Holt, of Hartsville.

5th Judicial Circuit Seat 2

Judge Daniel McLeod Coble, of Columbia

7th Judicial Circuit Seat 1

J. Derham Cole, Jr., of Spartanburg.

7th Judicial Circuit Seat 2

Judge Grace Gilchrist Knie, of Campobello.

8th Judicial Circuit Seat 2

Judge Eugene Cannon Griffith, Jr., of Prosperity.

9th Judicial Circuit Seat 4

Judge Dale E. Van Slambrook, of Goose Creek.

10th Judicial Circuit Seat 2

Judge R. Scott Sprouse, of Walhalla.

11th Judicial Circuit Seat 1

Judge William Paul Keesley, of Edgefield.

11th Judicial Circuit Seat 2

Judge Walton J. McLeod, IV, of Columbia.

12th Judicial Circuit Seat 1

Judge Michael G. Nettles, of Florence.

13th Judicial Circuit Seat 2

Judge Jessica Ann Salvini, of Greenville.

13th Judicial Circuit Seat 4

Vernon F. Dunbar, of Greenville.

14th Judicial Circuit Seat 1

Judge Robert Bonds, of Walterboro.

14th Judicial Circuit Seat 3

Judge Marvin Dukes, III, of Beaufort.

15th Judicial Circuit Seat 3

David Pierce Caraker, Jr., of Myrtle Beach.

At-Large Seat 4

William C. McMaster, III, of Greenville.

At-Large Seat 8

T. William Billy McGee, III, of Columbia.

At-Large Seat 11

Judge Milton G. Kimpson, of Columbia.

At-Large Seat 16

Charles J. McCutchen, of Orangeburg.

Family Court

1st Judicial Circuit Seat 4

Jerrod A. Anderson, of Orangeburg.

7th Judicial Circuit Seat 4

Pete G. Diamaduros, of Spartanburg.

9th Judicial Circuit Seat 4

Blakely Copeland Cahoon, of Summerville.

9th Judicial Circuit Seat 6

Gina J. McAlhany, of Summerville.

10th Judicial Circuit Seat 1

David J. Brousseau, of Anderson.

16th Judicial Circuit Seat 1

Sammy Diamaduros, of Union.

16th Judicial Circuit Seat 3

R. Chadwick Chad Smith, of Rock Hill.

Administrative Law Court Seat 1

Judge Ralph K. Anderson, III, of Columbia.
A South Carolina man and woman have been arrested after their infant was severely burned in hot toilet water, according to WJCL.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Deputies were called to the Medical University of South Carolina on March 18 due to a report of an infant with severe burns.

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They determined the child had been burned at a home in Williamsburg County.

Nijel David Flowers, 25, and Mahogahany NaJae Hemingway, 21, of Kingstree, were arrested.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

According to the Williamsburg County Sheriffs Office, the parents knew that the toilet water was extremely hot for more than a year and didnt do anything to fix the problem.

Digital readings of the water inside the toilet bowl were taken by law enforcement, which showed temperature exceeding 129.9 degrees Fahrenheit, the warrants said.

The couple was charged with unlawful conduct toward a child.

The childs identity and condition have not been released.
'Scammed on the worst day of my life': Pet owners say cremation service took their money, ghosted them

Robert Balog holds an image of his late cat, Stewie, in his home in Van Nuys. (Carlin Stiehl/For The Times)

On a Monday night in early March, Robert Balog and a friend made the hour-and-a-half drive from Van Nuys to Oxnard to meet an elusive man in a Best Buy parking lot.

The man, 35-year-old Anthony Nunez Jr. of Oxnard, emerged from an old-model red Ford Ranger and handed Balog a thick black bag. Inside were the decaying remains of Balogs beloved pet, a short-hair American tabby cat named Stewie.

Balog drove Stewie home, rolling down the windows to dampen the smell that began to fill the car. He was just grateful he got him back, he said.

Robert Balog holds the box containing the remains of his late cat, Stewie, that were eventually returned to him. (Carlin Stiehl/For The Times)

Nunez and his partner, Nejyredth Valasquez, run We Care Pet Cremations, which offers to pick up and cremate pets and return the ashes in Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, Kern and Orange counties. Nunez and Valasquez spend their days driving hours to pick up deceased animals, customers said.

"We Care Pet Cremations only offers true private cremations in a state of the art new machine that has separate chambers with separate doors," the company claims on its website. "It is our mission to provide an affordable, personalized, detailed and dignified private cremation for your loved one."

Read more: Owners of Colorado funeral home where 190 decaying bodies were found charged with COVID fraud

But We Care doesn't have a state-of-the-art crematorium; it takes animals to other companies' facilities to be cremated, according to the owner of one such company. And after they pick up the animals, they often dont return the cremated remains, multiple customers said.

Several people who spoke with The Times had nearly identical experiences with the company: Nunez or Valasquez would pick up their pet at any time of day, collect payment through Zelle and promise to return with the ashes in two to three weeks.

Then, as weeks and months passed, Nunez and Valasquez would stop replying to the customers. They kept the money and, in most cases, blocked their customers calls.

Balog shows his tattoo of Stewie. He says the cremation service he used for Stewie took his payment, then ghosted him for weeks. (Carlin Stiehl/For The Times)

I feel like I got scammed on the worst day of my life, Balog said in an interview. In the very-best-case scenario, theyre a horrible business thats in way over their head, just picking up animals and not being able to process them. Worst-case scenario, theyre scammers.

Balog, 44, raised Stewie with his friend Tory, who declined to share her last name out of fear of retaliation from We Care. Tory and Balog were able to retrieve Stewies decomposing carcass after pestering We Care with calls and texts from different numbers and leaving several negative reviews online.

Tory also made a public Instagram video detailing the ordeal and posted about it in cat rescue groups on Facebook. The online posts got We Cares attention, Tory said, and the company agreed to meet in the Best Buy parking lot. Stewie had not been cremated when Balog picked him up, although Nunez had asserted that the cremation had been performed.

Read more: Letters to the Editor: Why can't a girl get answers from Shasta officials on her pet goat?

In hindsight, Tory said, she should have suspected that We Care was not legitimate. There were some really odd things, but I just thought maybe I was being hypercritical, she said. Nunez picked Stewie up in a random car despite advertising a black car service, and accepted the $560 payment only through Zelle  a mechanism that doesn't allow users to stop payments or easily obtain refunds.

Were both distressed, were mourning and were upset. Stewie is like my first child, she said. But as time passed, she realized the gravity of the situation she was in.

Their communication when you start talking to them is very consistent and responsive, she said. Then the second you pay them, they dont respond or they take a long time to respond. I just had a weird feeling.

Tory confirmed her fears when she found several reviews online detailing similar horror stories. If you love your pet dont call this place, one reviewer wrote on Google a month ago. Theyre good in the beginning but once they collect money and your loved one YOU WILL NOT HEAR FROM THEM AGAIN.  YOU WILL NEVER SEE YOUR PET AGAIN!!!

Nunez agreed to an interview with The Times and scheduled a phone call via text message. At the beginning of the call, he said he had to reschedule for the next day. When the next day came, calls and texts to his number were blocked.

Read more: Angie Harmon's dog fatally shot by Instacart driver: 'We are completely traumatized'

Tory has helped other pet owners get back their pets' cremains. She messaged Yelp users who left negative reviews and instructed them to contact We Care with different phone numbers and send calls and texts incessantly to get their attention.

After contacting We Care nonstop about her cat, which had been picked up the month before, 23-year-old Gabrielle Real of Hollywood finally got a clue as to what Nunez and Valasquez were doing with the bodies.

They told Real that her chocolate point Siamese cat Hela was at a Long Beach crematorium called Furrever Friends. The owner of Furrever Friends, who declined to be identified for this article for fear of being inundated with calls from We Care customers, confirmed she had a contract with We Care to do third-party cremations.

Balog with his cat Khaleesi. (Carlin Stiehl/For The Times)

She has since ended the contract, she said, and We Care has retrieved the ashes for all the pets it hired her to cremate.

According to multiple sources, We Care dropped off 50 to 80 dead pets at Furrever Friends with no contact information for the pets' owners.

Real shared the name of Furrever Friends with Tory, who told pet owners she was in contact with that their animals' ashes may be there. The Furrever Friends owner began to receive distressed phone calls from We Care customers and was able to find their pets cremains at her facility.

Real retrieved her cremated pet from Furrever Friends just over one month after she hired We Care. She never got her $309 back.

Read more: 'Nobodys coming for L.A.s doomed shelter dogs. This volunteer superstar is changing that

The owner of Furrever Friends, who runs a legitimate pet cremation business, said pet owners must do proper research before choosing a company to pick up and take care of their passed loved one.

The customers interviewed by The Times said they paid We Care for keepsakes along with their pets' ashes, and received none of them. For example, Jacqueline Alonso, 36, said she paid $227 for her package, which was supposed to include a paw print mold of Spot, her chihuahua, and another keepsake.

She chose We Care, she said, because the cremation service she used for her last pet wasnt available, and We Care offered pet pickups 24/7.

At that moment when your pet dies, your head is everywhere, she said. They put Spot in the trunk and took him away.

She wouldnt have gotten her pet's cremains back if it wasnt for Tory, she said, who told her that Spot might be at Furrever Friends. She picked up Spot's ashes in Long Beach six weeks after We Care collected him.

During those six weeks, We Care gave her several excuses, including travel and family emergencies. They play pingpong with you and nothing is done, Alonso said. What theyre doing is disgusting, and they still have the nerve to lie to your face.

Alonso, who lives in Huntington Park, never received her keepsakes or her money back. But she said the most important thing was finding Spot's cremains at Furrever Friends. My sweet little boy was there, she said.

Read more: Opinion: The love of a corgi saved a homeless man. The love of his friends couldnt

Stewie was never sent to Furrever Friends, Tory said. She believes Nunez and Valasquez have a refrigerated facility in Oxnard where they are keeping the bodies. Theyre pocketing the money and theyre storing the pets, Tory said. Do they know what type of emotional distress and trauma theyre causing for people?

Tory assumed the worst when she stopped hearing from We Care  that they had dropped her pet off in a dumpster or on the side of the road somewhere.

The Times contacted We Care from a number other than the one Nunez apparently blocked, requesting its business. It responded quickly to arrange a pet pickup. The company is now also operating under a new name, Honorable Animal Aftercare, according to Tory, who saw that name on her invoice.

Theyre not stopping, Tory said, who is weighing her next steps. I just dont want it to happen to anybody else.

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.
JAKARTA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to deepen strategic mutual trust with Indonesia and promote the bilateral relations to a new stage, visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Thursday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during his meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

Wang said under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries, the China-Indonesia comprehensive strategic cooperation has reached a new level.

He pointed out that China is willing to carry on the traditional friendship with Indonesia and deepen strategic mutual trust.

China appreciates the Indonesian government's adherence to the one-China principle, and will continue to firmly support each other's core interests with Indonesia, the foreign minister said.

Wang emphasized that China is willing to work closely with Indonesia to jointly promote the high-quality development of China-ASEAN relations, consolidate the ASEAN-led regional structure, safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea, advance regional and global governance, safeguard international fairness and justice, and advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world.

For her part, Marsudi said that China is Indonesia's largest trading partner, the second-largest source of foreign investment, and an important partner in achieving peace and prosperity in the region and the world. The Indonesian government attaches great importance to developing relations with China and firmly adheres to the one-China principle.

Indonesia looks forward to working closely with China to continuously strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership, enhance cooperation on trade and investment, jointly combat telecommunications fraud and other transnational crimes, and promote greater development of bilateral relations, she added. 
There are six additional Patriot systems in NATO countries that could be delivered to Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on April 18 following a Special European Council summit in Brussels.

Ukraine is facing a shortage of air defense systems amid an uptick in Russian attacks on population centers and energy infrastructure. U.S.-made Patriot systems are highly effective at intercepting Russia's ballistic and cruise missiles.

Germany announced on April 13 that it would provide Kyiv with an additional Patriot system, the third Patriot system Berlin has provided.

"Germany has taken substantial measures to equip Ukraine" and now calls "on others to take similar decisions," Scholz said.

Scholz said he used the Special European Council summit to "repeat this call and deepen it once more."

"We have heard about seven additional systems, one of these is ours, and we hope to find six more in the NATO context."

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told the Washington Post in an interview published on April 10 that Ukraine aims to obtain an additional seven Patriot air defense systems, and has offered that Kyiv can loan the systems from other countries.

During the summit, EU leaders discussed "the question of how we find the funds" needed to support Ukraine militarily, Scholz said, and agreed that windfall profits from frozen Russian assets would be used to "procure defense means for Ukraine."

Western countries and other partners immobilized around $300 billion of the Russian Central Bank's assets at the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in February that the EU should discuss the possibility of using the profits from frozen Russian assets to purchase military equipment for Ukraine.

Read also: Chernihiv strike shows lack of air defense resulting in civilian deaths, Kuleba says

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Scholz: No reason for NATO allies not to send Ukraine more Patriots

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks during a press conference after the Special European Council meeting in Brussels. Gaetan Claessens/European Council/dpa

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has urged fellow NATO countries to send Ukraine desperately needed air defence systems, including additional Patriot missile batteries.

Scholz, speaking at a gathering of European Union leaders in Brussels, said there is no reasonable reason for any NATO country to refuse the urgent requests for Patriots from Kiev.

Russian forces have been pounding Ukrainian cities with missile and drone attacks for more than two years, with particularly intense strikes over recent days that have targeted Ukrainian power plants and other electric infrastructure.

Scholz said that Ukrainian leaders have specifically requested seven additional Patriot air-defence systems, and Germany has already promised to deliver one. The German leader said he hoped other NATO countries would step forward to offer the other six.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky plans to appeal for additional military support for the ongoing battle against Russia's full-scale military invasion at a crisis meeting with EU defence ministers this Friday.

According to Zelensky, his country is currently concerned about whether it can hold the front line against Russian assaults and protect the remaining energy infrastructure.

Zelensky said in early April that 25 Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems would be needed to fully protect Ukrainian airspace.

He said, however, that just seven additional Patriot systems would be enough to defend the most important targets against Russian attacks. Each Patriot system includes six to eight anti-aircraft missile launchers.

Russia has increased military pressure on Ukraine in recent weeks and destroyed almost all thermal power plants with airstrikes.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, meanwhile, has appealed to lawmakers in the United States to finally approve a further aid package for Ukraine.

The long-delayed $61 billion US aid package has been blocked for months by conservative Republicans led by former president Donald Trump. But a vote is now expected in the Republican-controlled US House of Representatives on Saturday.

Nauseda wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that the Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson "has rightly said history judges us for what we do."

"Now is the time for the [United States] to do the right thing," Nauseda said.

Russian airstrikes and "the horrific bombing of critical infrastructure" have added to the needs of Ukraine's government for outside budget support as well, the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Thursday in Washington.

"At this point, we assess the needs for this year at $42 billion, the IMF's Kristalina Georgieva said on Thursday in Washington at the IMF and World Bank spring meetings. "We have confidence that this needs would be met."

She praised the remarkable determination of Ukrainians and said support for the country remains stable as it continues to fight against Russian forces.

But she said the best outcome for the world would be an end to the war in Ukraine, and an end to the war in the Gaza Strip as well.

The IMF is supporting Ukraine with a loan programme that was approved around a year ago. It has a term of four years and is intended to give Ukraine access to $15.6 billion.

A few weeks ago, the IMF approved a further financial injection for Kiev from the programme, enabling the country to withdraw $880 million.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced that Germany is trying to find six more Patriot air defence systems in NATO countries in addition to the one it has promised to send to Ukraine.

Source: Scholz at a press conference on 18 April after a European Council meeting, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Scholz emphasised the need to provide Ukraine with air defence capabilities to protect Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure from missile attacks by Russia.

"We know that Ukraine needs our support now. It needs a clear signal that there will be long-term support. And that is what we are doing when we make sure that enough artillery and ammunition is delivered, and air defence is of the utmost importance here," he added.

The Chancellor added that Germany has made the "most substantial contribution" to Ukrainian air defence, as it recently announced that it would be sending yet another Patriot system, the third that Germany has contributed.

He called on other NATO members to follow Berlin's example "so that Ukraine can better protect itself from the many attacks Ukraine is currently seeing and suffering".

"Weve heard that there should be seven additional [Patriot] systems. One of them is ours. And we hope to find six more in the NATO context. And I have used the opportunity to move this issue forward in many talks," Scholz explained.

Background:

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated earlier that Ukraine has identified 100 air defence systems in allied countries and asked for at least seven to protect Ukrainian cities.

On 17 April, in a letter addressed to dozens of countries, Germanys foreign and defence ministers announced a global initiative to seek out additional air defence assets for Ukraine.

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After intense backlash, a Pennsylvania school board has reversed its April 15 decision to cancel Maulik Pancholys anti-bullying assembly at Mountain View Middle School.

Pancholy  who is openly gay and is known for his acting roles on shows such as "30 Rock" and "Phineas and Ferb"  was disinvited from speaking to students after concerns were raised about his activism and what two board members called his lifestyle.

On April 24, after hours of heated debate, the board voted 5-4 to reinstate Pancholys appearance. The special meeting was called amid national public outcry.

During the widely attended meeting, which ran for more than five hours, parents and students spoke their opinions about the boards original decision to cancel Pancholy.

An eighth grader named Dova introduced themselves as an openly trans kid.

The school board is telling trans kids and LGTBQ students that they do not belong, Dova told the crowd.

Christina Whitmer, the mother of a non-binary student, echoed Dovas message.

Do we not want our children to discover who they are? The Whitmer family is not going away, and we will not let you ignore the LGBTQ+ community, Whitmer said.

At the beginning of the meeting, Bud Shaffner, the board member who was first to suggest the anti-bullying assembly be cancelled, apologized for his comments about Pancholys lifestyle.

I will accept the blame because of the insensitive word I spoke on April 15, Shaffner said. I fully understand the interpretation of my poor word choice.

Shaffner was one of the board members who voted to reinstate Pancholy's appearance.

Valarie Ryerson, a former Mountain View Middle School parent, tells TODAY.com that the board's reversal meant "everything" to her family. Ryerson's daughter Brooke, who is gay, spoke at the meeting.

"I'm so happy that Brooke and the other brave students who spoke up see that they make a difference and are valuable, needed and loved," Ryerson tells TODAY.com. "Our community was united in a way I've never seen here, and I hope the four dissenting board members know that we are not going away."

The Backstory

Pancholys scheduled appearance at Mountain View Middle School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, was unanimously cancelled by the district's school board in a public meeting on April 15.

If you research this individual, he labels himself as an activist, he is proud of his lifestyle and I dont think that should be imposed upon our students at any age, board member Bud Shaffner said at the meeting.

Pancholy responded on his Instagram on April 18, saying in part:

When I visit schools, my 'activism is to let all young people know that theyre seen. To let them know that they matter. When I talk about the characters in my books feeling 'different,' Im always surprised by how many young people raise their hands  regardless of their identities and backgrounds  wanting to share about the ways in which they, too, feel different.

Thats the power of books. They build empathy. I wonder why a school board is so afraid of that?

Also on April 18, the Cumberland Valley School District's leaders signed a letter expressing their disappointment at the school board's vote. The school district leaders are employees, and separate from the elected members of school board.

While the issue of political activism was cited, statements made publicly by individual board members identified Mr. Pancholy's sexual identity as a factor, an identity shared by many members of our school community, said the letter, signed by Superintendent Mark Blanchard and nine other high-ranking members of the school district administration. In doing so, Mr. Pancholy's personhood was reduced to a single aspect, and his ability to communicate a message of anti-bullying and hate was discredited.

Trisha Comstock, a former parent at the school, started a Change.org petition to reinstate Pancholy's anti-bullying assembly.

What happened is homophobic. Anyone can go and watch the meeting, Comstock tells TODAY.com. This board is close to causing some real harm.

Why was Maulik Pancholy disinvited?

Board member Kelly Potteiger raised concerns that Pancholy, 50, would discuss his childrens book The Best at It, which is about a gay Indian American boy.

Its not discriminating against his lifestyle  thats his choice, Potteiger said in the meeting. But its him speaking about it.

Pancholy played the character Jonathan, Alex Baldwin's devoted assistant, in the sitcom 30 Rock," and also voiced the character Baljeet in Phineas and Ferb."

Pancholys presentation on anti-bullying at Mountain View Middle School was canceled by an 8-0 vote. TODAY.com has reached out to Pancholy for comment.

In his Instagram post, Pancholy said, Its been incredibly moving to see the outpouring of solidarity, love, and support from the community at Mountain View Middle School ... I hope that every single student at MVMS is receiving that message of support and love. That you know that regardless of who you are, you belong.

Brooke Ryerson, an LGBTQ high school sophomore, attended Mountain View Middle School. Ryerson and her mom plan to express their disappointment at the next board meeting on May 6.

It was going to be an assembly about empathy and anti-bullying, Ryerson, 16, tells TODAY.com. But that doesnt matter to the board. They want to silence us in any way they can.

The us that Ryerson is referring to is the gay community.

Theyre sending that message that they dont want our identities in the school, Ryerson says. Im lucky that I have such accepting friends and family, but its gotta be devastating for the kids who dont and now feel even more like theyre not wanted somewhere.

Maulik Pancholy (Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images)

How the school board decided

According to Pancholys website, the award-winning author delivers keynotes on the topic of diversity and inclusion. Pancholy is a self-described activist and served on President Barack Obamas Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Shaffner tells TODAY.com in a phone interview that he had concerns that Pancholy would go off script and talk about politics.

Politically motivated discussions belong at home and not in the classroom, Shaffner says. A number of board members went to his website and what stuck out to all of us is that hes a political activist.

Cumberland Valley School District spokesperson Tracy Panzer tells TODAY.com that the school principal "works together with staff members to identify award-winning young adult authors to visit with students."

Panzer says that Pancholys visit was not on the boards original agenda.

However ... one board member motioned to rescind the invitation to this years scheduled visit by author Maulik Pancholy, Panzer says. Ultimately, the board voted not to allow the visit.

'This ... could have saved a life.'

Tony Conte, a former Mountain View Middle School student, shared an open letter to Shaffner on Facebook. In the post, Conte reflected on his experience as a closeted gay teen and said that he considered suicide from time to time.

Like a lot of different kids, I was teased for reasons I didnt understand, and I had quite a lot of difficulty building friendships and growing into the healthy mindset that it was okay to be a little different, Conte wrote.

In high school, Conte said he became friends with another very different kid.

Before we could become close, before we could confide our challenges in each other, he hung himself, Conte wrote.

I think that if I had heard from diverse voices like (Pancholy's) in an auditorium setting telling me that it was okay to be different, maybe my middle and high school experience could have been different, he continued. A presentation of this sort could have saved a life, like the life of my friend.

According to the The Trevor Project, LGBTQ students at LGBTQ-affirming schools are 30% less likely to be bullied by their peers. Pancholy's work focuses on youth in the AAPI community.

When I was a kid, I was often made to feel ashamed for just being who I was. I was made to feel ashamed for being Indian. I was made to feel ashamed for being scrawny and little for my age. I was made to feel shame for being gay," Pancholy said in 2015. "And there were times when I was a kid that I actually felt unsafe for being who I was. And there are times as an adult, where I continue to sometimes feel unsafe for being who I am.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Scotland ditches green goals after climate watchdog says they are unattainable: report

Scotland ditches green goals after climate watchdog says they are unattainable: report

The Scottish government is expected to ditch its target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030, according to reports.

The reality check came after ministers missed eight of the last 12 annual emission targets, with experts claiming it is now impossible for the country to meet the 75% reduction by the end of the decade, BBC Scotland reported.

While the country's final goal of reaching "net-zero" by 2045 will remain, Scotland's government is reworking their climate objectives.

The Climate Change Committee (CCC), an independent public body which provides advice to policymakers, warned that Scotland had lost its lead over the rest of the UK in tackling climate change issues.

GREECE PROPOSES 2 MARINE PARKS AS PART OF $830M ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PROGRAM

Climate emergency sign during the Cop28 global day of action for climate justice at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.

People take part in a Cop28 global day of action for climate justice at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.

The CCC said that red flags were raised last year when ministers failed to publish a plan which was required under the act to detail how they would meet the targets.

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PLUMBING PROBLEM AT GLEN CANYON DAM THREATENS WATER SUPPLY OF COLORADO RIVER SYSTEM

Scotland's previous goal was to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030, compared to the UK's target of 68% by 2030.

People take part in a Cop28 global day of action for climate justice at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.

Chris Stark, chief executive of the Climate Change Committee, previously told the BBC that the target was "too stretching."

"That is a failure of the Scottish government to bring to the Scottish people, and the Scottish Parliament, a climate change plan that is fit for purpose," he said.

"This is the first time, anywhere in the UK, that we've said there's a target that can't be met," he added.





Original article source: Scotland ditches green goals after climate watchdog says they are unattainable: report
SCOTUS to consider whether local governments can make it a crime to sleep outside

People wait for the chance at securing housing in small trailers for $10 a night on August 5, 2021 in Springfield, Missouri (Spencer Platt/Getty Images).

The Conversation

On April 22, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case that could radically change how cities respond to the growing problem of homelessness. It also could significantly worsen the nations racial justice gap.

City of Grants Pass v. Johnson began when a small city in Oregon with just one homeless shelter began enforcing a local anti-camping law against people sleeping in public using a blanket or any other rudimentary protection against the elements  even if they had nowhere else to go. The court must now decide whether it is unconstitutional to punish homeless people for doing in public things that are necessary to survive, such as sleeping, when there is no option to do these acts in private.

The case raises important questions about the scope of the Constitutions cruel and unusual punishment clause and the limits of cities power to punish involuntary conduct. As a specialist in poverty law, civil rights and access to justice who has litigated many cases in this area, I know that homelessness in the U.S. is a function of poverty, not criminality, and is strongly correlated with racial inequality. In my view, if cities get a green light to continue criminalizing inevitable behaviors, these disparities can only increase.

A national crisis

Homelessness in the United States is a massive problem. The number of people without homes held steady during the COVID-19 pandemic largely because of eviction moratoriums and the temporary availability of expanded public benefits, but it has risen sharply since 2022.

The latest data from the federal governments annual Point-in-Time homeless count found 653,000 people homeless across the U.S. on a single night in 2023  a 12% increase from 2022 and the highest number reported since the counts began in 2007. Of the people counted, nearly 300,000 were living on the street or in parks, rather than indoors in temporary shelters or safe havens.

The survey also shows that all homelessness is not the same. About 22% of homeless people are deemed chronically homeless, meaning they are without shelter for a year or more, while most experience a temporary or episodic lack of shelter. A 2021 study found that 53% of homeless shelter residents and nearly half of unsheltered people were employed.

Scholars and policymakers have spent many years analyzing the causes of homelessness. They include wage stagnation, shrinking public benefits, inadequate treatment for mental illness and addiction, and the politics of siting affordable housing. There is little disagreement, however, that the simple mismatch between the vast need for affordable housing and the limited supply is a central cause.

Like poverty, homelessness in the U.S. is not race-neutral. Black Americans represent 13% of the population but comprise 21% of people living in poverty and 37% of people experiencing homelessness.

The largest percentage increase in homelessness for any racial group in 2023 was 40% among Asians and Asian-Americans. The largest numerical increase was among people identifying as what the Department of Housing and Urban Development calls Latin(a)(o)(x), with nearly 40,000 more homeless in 2023 than in 2022.

This disproportionality means that criminalizing homelessness likewise has a disparate racial effect. A 2020 study in Austin, Texas, showed that Black homeless people were 10 times more likely than white homeless people to be cited by police for camping on public property.

According to a recent report from the Southern Poverty Law Center, 1 in 8 Atlanta city jail bookings in 2022 were of people experiencing homelessness. The criminalization of homelessness has roots in historical use of vagrancy and loitering laws against Black Americans dating back to the 19th century.

Crackdowns on the homeless

Increasing homelessness, especially its visible manifestations such as tent encampments, has frustrated city residents, businesses and policymakers across the U.S. and led to an increase in crackdowns against homeless people. Reports from the National Homelessness Law Center in 2019 and 2021 have tallied hundreds of laws restricting camping, sleeping, sitting, lying down, panhandling and loitering in public.

Just since 2022, Texas, Tennessee and Missouri have passed statewide bans on camping on public property, with Tennessee making it a felony.

Georgia has enacted a law requiring localities to enforce public camping bans. Even some cities led by Democrats, including San Diego and Portland, Oregon, have established tougher anti-camping regulations.

Under presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, the federal government has asserted that criminal sanctions are rarely useful. Instead it has emphasized alternatives, such as supportive services, specialty courts and coordinated systems of care, along with increased housing supply.

Some cities have had striking success with these measures. But not all communities are on board.

The Grants Pass case

Grants Pass v. Johnson culminates years of struggle over how far cities can go to discourage homeless people from residing within their borders, and whether or when criminal sanctions for actions such as sleeping in public are permissible.

In a 2019 case, Martin v. City of Boise, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that the Eighth Amendments cruel and unusual punishment clause forbids criminalizing sleeping in public when a person has no private place to sleep. The decision was based on a 1962 Supreme Court case, Robinson v. California, which held that it is unconstitutional to criminalize being a drug addict. Robinson and a subsequent case, Powell v. Texas, have come to stand for distinguishing between status, which cannot constitutionally be punished, and conduct, which can.

In the Grants Pass ruling, the 9th Circuit went one step further than it had in the Boise case and held that the Constitution also banned criminalizing the act of public sleeping with rudimentary protection from the elements. The decision was contentious: Judges disagreed over whether the anti-camping ban regulated conduct or the status of being homeless, which inevitably leads to sleeping outside when there is no alternative.

Grants Pass is urging the Supreme Court to abandon the Robinson precedent and its progeny as moribund and misguided. It argues that the Eighth Amendment forbids only certain cruel methods of punishment, which do not include fines and jail terms.

The homeless plaintiffs argue that they do not challenge reasonable regulation of the time and place of outdoor sleeping, the citys ability to limit the size or location of homeless groups or encampments, or the legitimacy of punishing those who insist on remaining in public when shelter is available. But they argue that broad anti-camping laws inflict overly harsh punishments for wholly innocent, universally unavoidable behavior and that punishing people for simply existing outside without access to shelter will not reduce this activity.

They contend that criminalizing sleeping in public when there is no alternative violates the Eighth Amendment in three ways: by criminalizing the status of homelessness, by imposing disproportionate punishment on innocent and unavoidable acts, and by imposing punishment without a legitimate deterrent or rehabilitative goal.

The case has attracted dozens of amicus briefs, including from numerous cities and counties that support Grants Pass. They assert that the 9th Circuits recent decisions have worsened homelessness, stymied law enforcement and left jurisdictions without clear guidelines for preserving public order and safety.

On the other hand, the states of Maryland, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York and Vermont filed a brief urging the Court to uphold the 9th Circuits ruling, arguing that local governments retain ample tools to address homelessness and that criminalizing tends to worsen rather than alleviate the problem.

A brief from 165 former local elected officials agrees. Service providers, social scientists and professional organizations such as the American Psychiatric Association filed briefs noting that criminalization increases barriers to education, employment and eventual recovery; erodes community trust; and can force people back into abusive situations. They also highlight research showing the effectiveness of a nonpunitive housing first model.

A race to the bottom?

The current Supreme Court is generally extremely sympathetic to law enforcement, but even its conservative members may balk at allowing a city to criminalize inevitable acts by homeless people. Doing so could spark competition among cities to create the most punitive regime in hopes of effectively banishing homeless residents.

Still, at least some justices may sympathize with the citys argument that upholding the 9th Circuits ruling logically would immunize numerous other purportedly involuntary acts from prosecution, such as drug use by addicts, public intoxication by alcoholics, and possession of child pornography by pedophiles. However the court rules, this case will likely affect the health and welfare of thousands of people experiencing homelessness in cities across the U.S.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The post SCOTUS to consider whether local governments can make it a crime to sleep outside appeared first on Missouri Independent.
The U.S. Supreme Court is likely to soon decide whether to take up a case brought by Arizona Republican candidates Kari Lake and Mark Finchem challenging the use of machines to count votes.

The court set the duo's case for its conference schedule on Friday, when the justices will discuss cases and vote on which to add to their calendar. The court's decision would be made public as soon as Monday morning.

Legal experts who study the nation's top court have said the justices are unlikely to take the case, in part because they agree to hear just a sliver of the thousands of appeals lawyers put before them each year. Lake and Finchem have gained some support, with the Republican Party of Arizona recently filing a brief backing their case.

Here's where it all stands.

What do Lake and Finchem want?

After being rejected twice, by a federal judge in Arizona and an appeals court, Lake and Finchem took their case to the U.S. Supreme Court in mid-March.

Lake, who is running for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, and Finchem, who is seeking a state Senate seat, are challenging the use of electronic machines that count votes, alleging the machines were "surreptitiously altered" and not properly tested nor certified for use, according to their lawsuit and attorney Kurt Olsen.

Their claims have not yet convinced multiple judges and have been refuted by state and county election officials.

Mark Finchem, former Republican candidate for Arizona secretary of state and Kari Lake, U.S. Senate candidate.

But lawyers for Lake and Finchem say they have new evidence, at least some of which was obtained via public records requests and used in Lake's other court cases, without success.

They rely on technical details from tabulator logs and analysis by experts who might be known to Arizonans: Ben Cotton, founder of CyFIR, which was hired as part of the Senate's widely criticized review of the 2020 presidential election, and who took election data and its server to a remote cabin in Montana; and Walter Daugherity, a Harvard-trained lecturer who has ties to groups that push election conspiracies including We the People AZ Alliance, and who told the Arizona Legislature about "projections" that Lake beat Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs in the 2022 election.

What is the legal issue at play?

Lake and Finchem are asking the nation's top court to find they have standing  a legal basis to bring the case  and allow their claims to be heard.

"Note that Lakes and Finchems claims before the Supreme Court are not about undoing past elections," Olsen wrote in an email. "Their claims here concern whether electronic voting systems in Arizona can deliver a secure and reliable vote consistent with constitutional requirements."

Still, they argue the U.S. Supreme Court should give them a "do-over," "even if the election might produce the same winners."

Olsen and other lawyers working for Lake and Finchem have previously been fined $122,000 for bringing the baseless case, and are facing discipline in Arizona for relying on false information in Lake's case seeking to overturn her narrow loss to Hobbs two years ago.

That election case is still pending before an Arizona appeals court, with oral arguments set for May 2 in Tucson.

Who did Lake and Finchem sue?

The government bodies Lake and Finchem sued  the Pima County and Maricopa County boards of supervisors and the Arizona secretary of state  all notified the U.S. Supreme Court they would not respond to the appeal unless the court directed them to do so.

A deadline for them to respond had previously been set for Wednesday. A spokesperson for the Pima County Attorney's Office said they were unable to comment.

Jeanine L'Ecuyer, a spokesperson for the Maricopa County Attorney's Office that represents the board, said it was normal for parties not to respond at this stage of the case. The office's legal team would respond if asked by the court or if it takes up the appeal, L'Ecuyer said.

JP Martin, a spokesperson for Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, also said it was "standard legal protocol" not to respond. Martin said the appeal "reinforces a pattern of behavior from the lawyers for Lake and Finchem, where the normal legal process is disrupted by filings that fail to meet established guidelines that do not adhere to the court's stringent requirements."

What's been happening in the case since March?

Lake and Finchem's lawyers argue the justices should decide the case and do so quickly.

"The Court can and should accept the evidence in support of the urgency to resolve this matter expeditiously," they wrote. "Left uncorrected, these issues would render the true 2024 election results undeterminable."

The court also received a brief from three outside groups urging it to take the case: The Georgia Republican Party, Republican Party of Arizona and Republican State Committee of Delaware.

The parties asked the court to reverse lower court rulings and send the issue back for judges to consider the "complaint on the merits to ensure that the election law violations of 2022 not be repeated, so that the 2024 election is conducted in accordance with Arizona law."

Reach reporter Stacey Barchenger at stacey.barchenger@arizonarepublic.com or 480-416-5669.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How will SCOTUS handle Kari Lake, Mark Finchem voting machine lawsuit?
SAN DIEGO (FOX5/KUSI)  Eleven confirmed cases of norovirus in San Diego County were recently linked to frozen oysters at the 100s Seafood Grill Buffet in Mission Valley, according to county health officials.

The concern is always that youre at risk for dehydration especially people who are specialized populations such as young children or the elderly, said Dr. Seema Shah, Medical Director of the County of San Diegos Epidemiology & Immunization Services Branch.

The contaminated frozen oysters were imported from South Korea and norovirus was found in people who consumed the oysters between March 31 and April 1.

We dont know the extent to which these oysters have been distributed. Were still working with the California Department of Public Health and the FDA to understand where this has all been distributed, Dr. Shah said.

This outbreak comes just four months after 41 confirmed norovirus cases in San Diego County were linked to raw oysters imported from northwest Mexico.

Sheriffs department responds to evidence release in 2019 inmate death case

The consumption of raw oysters has long been associated with the risk of contracting norovirus, but Dr. Shah says the exact cause of the contamination of these frozen oysters from South Korea cant be determined.

It would be presumptive, so we really dont know why thats occurring, Dr. Shah said.

But research could soon give more information about how pollution impacts the marine food chain.

The University of California, San Diego was awarded more than $7 million in funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health to study the impact of climate change on marine contaminants and to ensure safe sea food is accessible to all.

According to the university, the research team will study the sources and potential toxicity of human-made and natural chemicals in the ocean and their impact on the marine food chain.

The funding will also reestablish the Scripps Center for Oceans and Human Health, making it one of four new centers focused on the ocean and great lakes impact on peoples health.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
Second Suspect Charged in Connection to Brevard Womans Death

This afternoon, 18-year-old Lane Michael Estep entered a written plea of not guilty to charges of arson, tampering with evidence, and accessory after the fact to a capital felony.

 WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS

This is all related to the shooting death of his 39-year-old stepmother, Amber Estep.

The suspects father, Brian Estep, is charged with Amber Esteps murder.

Read: What a legacy: Florida remembers former governor, U.S. senator Bob Graham

The womans body was discovered back in January off SR 46 in Mims, near Pitbull Lane.

Both Lane and Brian Estep recently moved to West Virginia.

Read: Report: Red Lobster considers filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Brian Estep is being transported back to Central Florida to face a judge on a charge of first-degree premeditated murder.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
This file photo taken on Dec. 20, 2017 shows Zhang Chunlong, a researcher at the Hunan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and one of the excavators of the Liye Qin Slips, identifying one of such slips unearthed from the Liye ancient town in Longshan County, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Hunan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology/Handout via Xinhua)

CHANGSHA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Recent research by Chinese archaeologists has found that women in the Qin Dynasty (221 B.C. - 207 B.C.) possessed property inheritance rights and may have shouldered similar social responsibilities as men.

The latest discoveries from the Liye Qin Slips dating back to the Qin Dynasty are expected to shed light on certain aspects of this rarely documented historical period, as exemplified by numerous vivid and detailed accounts.

A slip unearthed from the Liye ancient town site reveals that a father named Guang registered at the local government office to distribute his property to his daughter Hu, who was preparing for marriage.

The property included people, goods and money totaling eleven kinds. This slip was certified by a local government official named Shen at the time.

"The sum of money were equivalent to the income of a full-time working adult male for twenty years at that time," said Zhang Chunlong, a researcher at the Hunan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and one of the excavators of the Liye Qin Slips.

The slips also record instances of widows managing households independently and women participating in various labor activities alongside men, indicating that men and women enjoyed equal social responsibilities in the Qin Dynasty.

The Liye ancient town is located in Longshan County in Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in central China's Hunan Province. In 2002, over 36,000 slips from the Qin Dynasty were unearthed from the No. 1 well of the site, with the total word count exceeding 200,000.

Considered another important finding in Qin Dynasty archaeology following the Terracotta Warriors, these slips mainly consist of government documents from the Qianling County in Dongting Prefecture, spanning from the year before the nation's unification to the year before the fall of the Qin Dynasty.

The contents cover demographics, production, taxation, postal services, judiciary and medicine, among others, providing a complete picture of the governance of Qin Shi Huang, China's first emperor, and the functioning of grassroots administrative systems.

"Information about the Qin Dynasty has always been limited, and these vast textual materials, once interpreted and organized, can fill in historical gaps," said Long Jingsha, an archaeologist and leader of the excavation at No. 1 well of Liye ancient town.

The Liye Qin Slips indicate the smooth transmission of various official documents in the Qin Dynasty, efficient requisition of materials, and detailed records of personnel management systems, demonstrating the establishment of a top-down supervision and assessment system during the reign of Qin Shi Huang, according to Long.

The Qin Dynasty implemented the administrative system of prefectures and counties, fostering close ties between the central and local governments. The system was not only innovative but also a significant contribution to Chinese history, followed by later dynasties, according to Zhou Dongzheng, curator of the Liye Qin Slips Museum.

The specific number and names of prefectures established during the Qin Dynasty have been subject to various interpretations, but the mention of Dongting Prefecture in the slips, not found in any extant historical documents, provides a new opportunity to reconsider the administrative divisions of the Qin Dynasty.

Historical records show that the Qin Dynasty promoted the standardization of writing, unifying the names of many things according to Qin customs and systems.

In an era when communication and transportation were underdeveloped, central government decrees could directly reach remote border areas like Qianling County, indicating the high degree of centralization of power under the Qin Dynasty, with a well-established postal system, according to the experts.

"The speed of upward and downward transmission of official documents reflects the efficiency of the state machinery," Zhang said. During the Qin Dynasty, government offices generally operated from around six or seven in the morning to four or five in the afternoon, with document transmission occurring throughout the day.

At various levels of government, smooth communication channels were maintained through relay couriers. The sending, receiving and delays of official documents were meticulously recorded on the slips, with timestamps accurate down to two-hour intervals.

The government documents on the Liye Qin Slips also include records assessing the performance of local officials. For example, county governors and prefects during the Qin Dynasty were required to report annually to the imperial court on the governance of their jurisdictions, based on which the court issued rewards and punishments," Zhou said

It can be seen that the Qin Dynasty implemented a strict system of official assessment, linking official performance with salary and promotion, among others, thus encouraging officials to improve their efficiency.

Records on various aspects such as official attendance, designations and transfers can be found. These include "resumes" detailing officials' positions and date of appointments and "attendance records" showing how many days each official attended and how much work they completed.

The Liye Qin Slips also documents numerous individuals prosecuted under the stringent laws of the time. For instance, a set of twelve remarkably well-preserved slips detail twelve men from Yangling County being pursued for debts owed to the government. Due to their inability to repay, they were forced into labor as compensation.

"According to the standard daily wage at that time, each person would have to serve three years and eleven months, indicating the severity of Qin Dynasty law," Zhang said. The slips detail the number of people in forced labor and their situations regarding escape and death.

In the twelfth lunar month of the 34th year of Qin Shi Huang's reign (213 B.C.), Qianling County alone had 4,376 people sentenced to lifelong labor. Within a year, one out of every seven individuals sentenced to forced labor died.

So far, more than half of the Liye Qin Slips data has been made public. "The unification and governance of the Qin Dynasty posed significant challenges, and while each meticulously written slip may have contained mundane administrative content at the time, they are now regarded as marvels," Zhang said. 

This photo taken on April 8, 2024 shows the No. 1 well where over 36,000 slips of the Qin Dynasty were unearthed in 2002, in Liye ancient town in Longshan County, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province (Xinhua/Zhai Xiang)

This photo taken on April 12, 2024 shows a fractured slip unearthed from the Liye ancient town in Longshan County, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province (Xinhua/Zhang Yujie)

Long Jingsha, an archaeologist and leader of the excavation at No. 1 well of Liye ancient town, looks at file photos of the excavation at the Liye Qin Slips Museum in Longshan County, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province, April 8, 2024 (Xinhua/Zhai Xiang)

Zhang Chunlong, a researcher at the Hunan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and one of the excavators of the Liye Qin Slips, studies a slip at the institute in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, April 12, 2024 (Xinhua/Zhang Yujie)

This undated file photo shows some restored slips of the Qin Dynasty unearthed from the Liye ancient town in Longshan County, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province (Hunan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology/Handout via Xinhua)
A group of families that used to live in Palm Springs' Section 14 area has rejected the city's offer of $4.3 million to settle a legal claim over the city's role in the clearing of residents and homes more than 50 years ago.

This offer is a first step, but the survivors and descendants are continuing to meet with the city and negotiations continue, Areva Martin, the attorney for the group Section 14 Survivors, said in a statement provided to The Desert Sun. The survivors look forward to working collaboratively with the City of Palm Springs to reach a fair resolution.

Under the offer approved by the city council following a closed-door discussion last week, the city would pay about $29,494.81 each, or a total of about $4.3 million, to up to 145 households as compensation for what Mayor Jeffrey Bernstein said was the citys wrongful role in demolishing up to 145 houses on Section 14.

On the same day it approved that offer, April 11, the council announced it was committing to several steps to address the harm that occurred on Section 14, including putting an unspecified amount of money into a land trust to fund affordable housing construction and exploring the feasibility of building a racial healing center in the city.

A spokesperson for the survivors group said Tuesday that it is still looking to reach a targeted, fair resolution with the city, although she declined to cite what specific terms the group would agree to.

However, the settlement offer emailed to Martin by City Attorney Jeffrey Ballinger states that Martin had previously proposed the city pay between $187.25 million and $365.75 million, to be split between families that lived in up to 350 homes that Martin's clients allege the city had a hand in destroying.

The initial claim submitted to the city also did not cite a specific amount sought but said instead that the harm caused by the city was estimated to be upwards to $2 billion.

What is Section 14?

Section 14 is see at top of this aerial photo from 1947 with La Plaza on the other side of a row of Tamarisk trees.

Section 14 is a one-square-mile section of land adjacent to downtown Palm Springs owned by members of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. For decades, many people of color either rented or built their own homes there, in part because racist housing policies denied them the ability to buy homes elsewhere in the city.

The clearing of the land followed federal decisions allowing tribal members to enter into long-term leases that for the first time made possible business and residential development on land they owned.

The clearing also followed years of debate about how to respond to poor living conditions in parts of Section 14, including lack of trash service or adequate water supply. Two women who lived in the area as children told The Desert Sun for a 2016 article that there was wide disparity in living conditions, with some people in safe, well-built houses like their family's and other people in trailers or shacks. Some of the homes were ultimately declared unsafe and destroyed.

While there is widespread agreement that the city oversaw and initially paid for some burnings and demolitions of homes, some in the city  including members of a group called Friends of Frank Bogert  have disputed that the city did anything wrong.

They say the historical record shows that the city provided resources for the demolitions at the behest of the tribe, required that homes only be destroyed after the city was provided proof that eviction notices had been served and that the city was reimbursed for the demolitions and burnings by the federal government.

The Friends of Frank Bogert group, named after the man who was mayor from 1958 to 1966, was formed amid controversy over his legacy as the city's leader during the clearing of Section 14. In 2021, the city council voted to begin the process of removing Bogert's statue from city hall grounds, and it was removed in mid-2022.

The Section 14 Survivors group's legal claim and other criticism of the city's actions have cited in part a 1968 report written by a California deputy attorney general that called the clearing of Section 14 a city-engineered holocaust, though it also found the city had not done anything illegal. However, others say the credibility of that report was called into question last year when the city released new documents from the period that contradicted several of the reports conclusions, including the allegation that the city kept no records of the evictions.

Emails show tense negotiations

With the group apparently unwilling to agree to the citys offer and planning to continue negotiations, it is not clear what will happen next. The city had not responded to questions from The Desert Sun about next steps as of Thursday afternoon.

However, the decision to make the settlement offer itself represented a change in course for the council, which had previously said in public comments for months that it would not move forward with attempting to settle the claim until a historical consultant had completed research into Section 14.

Bernstein said last week that the council has recommitted to hiring a consultant to research the history of Section 14. However, the council has not said why it changed course to extend the offer before hiring the consultant or how it ended up determining that the city had acted wrongfully without completing the factfinding process it had insisted was necessary for months.

Bernstein, however, said he would address those and other questions posed by The Desert Sun related to the process later this week.

While the claim remains open and next steps uncertain, the city has released several emails between Ballinger and Martin in response to The Desert Sun's public records request. Those exchanges provide insight into the months of discussions that preceded the citys offer.

The emails show the attorneys clashing over several issues, including whether verification of the history of Section 14 was still needed.

In one exchange in July, Martin said no historical research is needed because a 2021 Palm Springs Human Rights Commission report already concluded the city had acted wrongfully. However, Ballinger responded that the report had not been commissioned or formally adopted by the council.

At other points, Ballinger rejected ideas proposed by Martin, saying taking the dispute to mediation or arbitration was premature without a more fully developed factual background and that a proposal to designate a former Section 14 resident, or a descendant of one, as a city council member would be illegal.

When Ballinger noted council plans for business development, a health clinic and new housing to benefit the city's north end, where many former Section 14 residents or descendants live, Martin replied that they were steps the city should be taking anyway and inadequate to settle the legal claim.

The emails also show the sometimes tense nature of the discussions. In one message, Ballinger wrote that since attorneys became involved in the discussion around reparations, the tone and tenor of the Section 14 discussion has taken a marked turn toward a more adversarial approach. In another email from October, Martin responded to a request by Ballinger to come to the table in a spirit of collaboration, rather than litigation by writing how dare the city now claim that we are not acting in good faith and we should somehow dismiss the claim, and trust the city to act in good faith."

She also said: If I didnt know you better, I would think you were trying to gaslight me!

Paul Albani-Burgio covers growth, development and business in the Coachella Valley. Follow him on Twitter at @albaniburgiop and email him at paul.albani-burgio@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Section 14 group rejects Palm Springs' $4.3 million settlement offer
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  Surveillance cameras outside of a northwest Columbus bar captured an alleged robbery in progress nearly one week ago.

According to a Columbus Division of Police incident report, a robbery took place in the parking lot of Yogis Bar and Grill on West Henderson Road, near Kenny Road, in the Governours Square area. Police said that on April 12 at 1:41 a.m., an adult male approached the victim outside of the bar and pointed a handgun at him while demanding all of his money.

Anti-violence efforts in Columbus highlighted as fight continues

Images from security cameras at and outside of Yogis Bar and Grille capture a suspect wanted for aggravated robbery. (Courtesy/Columbus Division of Police)

The victim threw all of his cash on the ground before the suspect picked it up and fled the scene. Security cameras were able to capture images of the suspect inside of the bar and outside during the alleged incident.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

The suspect is believed to be between the ages of 21 and 23 years old and is wanted for aggravated robbery. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Columbus Police Robbery Unit at 614-645-5665. Persons wishing to remain anonymous may contact Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-4655-TIPS (8477).

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
Sen. Tim Scott Is Trying to Court Black Voters, Isn't It a Little Late for That?

GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 20: U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) waves as he sits with Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump during a Fox News town hall at the Greenville Convention Center on February 20, 2024 in Greenville, South Carolina. - Photo: Justin Sullivan (Getty Images)

Despite being Black, Senator Tim Scott (R-SC)isnt exactly a popular figure in Black America. And up until recently, he didnt appear eager to appeal to Black voters either. The South Carolina Senator generally eschewed conversations around race in his Presidential run unless it was to tell everyone that racism isnt an issue anymore or that welfare was worse than slavery  a message that generally lands much better with white audiences than Black ones.

But Former President Donald Trumps sudden interest in the Black vote, or at least in driving enough Black voters away from former President Joe Biden to win in 2024  seems to have rubbed off on Scott.

Earlier this month, Scott launched a weekly podcast, Americas Starting Five with the pretty intent of drawing Black voters to the Republican party. The podcast features Scott and other four other Black Republicans, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT), Rep. John James (R-MI), and Wesley Hunt (R-TX).

Here are four non-Black, Black people, joked Scott during the first episode, a thinly veiled reference to Bidens heavily maligned comments saying Black Americans who dont vote for him aint really Black.

Its not just the podcast that points to a shift in Scotts strategy.

While promoting Trump on Fox News, Scott argued that Black voters should support Trump because we were better off under Trump. The Senator falsely claimed that Black unemployment was the lowest ever under Trump.

This apparent strategic shift seems tailor-made to appeal to Trump, who has seemingly convinced himself that Black voters adore him because of his criminal charges. However, polling suggests that the overwhelming majority of Black Americans believe the legal actions against Trump were appropriate.

Scotts team has made no secret of his interest in him becoming Trumps running mate. And if he can prove his ability to pull disgruntled Black voters from Biden to Trump, thats a pretty big asset.

The majority of Black Americans dont hold a favorable opinion of Trump, and tell pollsters they dont plan to vote for him. However, Trump has been polling somewhat better among Black men  giving hope to some Republican operatives of a Black swing to their party, that has yet to materialize.

For Scotts part, his appeal to Black voters hasnt exactly borne out in the past.The New York Times previously chronicled Scotts attempt to run for a state senate seat in a majority Black district, which ended in a cataclysmic 30-point defeat.

But perhaps talking about how much Black voters love Trump will be enough to elevate him to the Vice Presidency.

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The Senate voted Thursday to advance a House-passed bill reauthorizing the Foreign Surveillance Intelligence Acts (FISA) warrantless surveillance program, setting the stage for a bruising debate over the controversial program before its set to lapse after Friday.

The Senate voted 67-32 to advance a motion to begin debate on the bill, the first of at least three procedural steps needed before holding a final vote on the legislation, which passed the House by an overwhelming margin.

The legislation would reauthorize FISAs Section 702 authority for only two years  well short of the five-year reauthorization that congressional leaders initially envisioned.

Thursdays vote sets the stage for a Senate floor battle pitting privacy advocates such as Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) against Senate leaders and senior members of the Senate Intelligence and Armed Services committees who warn a failure to reauthorize the program by 11:59 pm Friday could force intelligence agencies to go dark and expose the nation to attack.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner (D-Va.) on Thursday urged his colleagues not to let the program lapse, even temporarily.

No other law is more important to the work of the intelligence community than Section 702 of the Foreign Surveillance Act, he declared on the floor.

It is hard to overstate even the importance of this law or frankly the gravity of allowing it to sunset. Yet we are 36 hours away from that happening, he warned.

Paul, however, has dismissed such warnings as scaremongering and says that he wouldnt have a problem with letting Section 702 expire for a few days if he doesnt get time to debate and vote on the changes he wants to make to the bill.

He wants a vote on an amendment similar to what Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) offered in the House to require law enforcement to obtain a warrant before reviewing the information of Americans swept up by the surveillance of foreign targets under Section 702. That proposal failed by a 212-212 vote in the lower chamber.

Paul also wants a vote on his Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act, which would prohibit law enforcement and intelligence agencies from buying U.S. customer and subscriber data from third parties. Wyden is also a sponsor of it.

And the Kentucky lawmaker says he wants a vote on an amendment that would bar FISA as a whole from being used to authorize any searches or surveillance of Americans.

Theyve abused the power, so we need more protections for Americans, Paul said. Its a pretty important thing. I think the vast majority of Republicans across the country, even Democrats, think your government shouldnt spy on you without a warrant.

Paul also wants a vote on his Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act, which would prohibit law enforcement and intelligence agencies from buying U.S. customer and subscriber data from third parties. Wyden is also a sponsor of it. A House version of the measure passed on Wednesday.

Wyden says he will offer an amendment to strike out a provision of the FISA bill authored by House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner (R-Ohio) that he says would dramatically increase the authority of law enforcement and intelligence agencies to snoop on Americans.

He said Turners language will dramatically expand the scope of surveillance authority to require all types of businesses, not just Google and telecom companies, to cooperate with data requests.

Im going to move to strike this Turner amendment, Wyden told The Hill. I think its a stunning expansion of the governments role in requiring Americans to comply with requests for information.

Basically, right now, when the government wants to collect information, its really Google and AT&T, he said of the current surveillance authority.

But Wyden says Turners amendment would dramatically broaden that authority to make it scores of businesses and individuals who would have to comply.

Warner, the Senate Intelligence Committee chair, pushed back against Wydens and other critics characterizations of that provision.

The amendment does not, as some have said, allow the government to spy on restaurants, bars [and] libraries, he said, calling such claims absurd distortions.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
NSHE Regent Michelee Cruz-Crawford, left, and state Assemblywoman Clara Thomas.

Policy, politics and progressive commentary

The Nevada Senate Democratic Caucus endorsed Michelee Shelly Cruz-Crawford, a first-term Nevada System of Higher Education Regent, over Assemblywoman Clara Thomas, in the Democratic primary for Senate District 1.

In an interview with Nevada Current, Thomas attributed the party caucuss decision to back a regent instead of a fellow state legislator to Thomass opposition to Democratic-sponsored restorative justice reforms from a previous legislative session that had made it more difficult for schools to suspend or expel children.

They decided to speak of the elephant in the room and basically tell me I went against the caucus, Thomas said, referencing her endorsement meeting. I felt that was not necessary. They brought up the fact that on these two bills I went against a caucus member and I just dont understand.

The initial restorative justice reform, she said, was passed in 2019 to address the disproportionate discipline practices for students of color, particularly Black students.

Since the restorative justice measures created by the bill were adopted right before the pandemic, Thomas said it didnt receive proper funding nor sufficient time to be implemented.

Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo campaigned on rolling back criminal justice reforms passed in 2019 as well as repealing the restorative justice law.

Lombardos broader efforts to reverse earlier enacted criminal justice reforms was largely ignored by Democrats, and only received a hearing in the final days of session during intense budget negotiations where the legislation was considerably scaled back. The restorative justice repeal supported by Lombardo, on the other hand, had garnered early support from Democrats.

Thomas said her vote against the 2023 bills, which gives more leeway for school administrators to be able to suspend or expel, reflected what her constituents wanted. She added she was elected as a legislator to be the voters voice and not simply support the caucus.

If we sit there and are sheep and press the green button to say yes to whatever, what are we doing up there? she said. Why are the citizens sending us up there? They could just send robots.

She was one of four Democrats to vote against both pieces of legislation in the Assembly. Democratic state Sen. James Ohrenschall, whose seat isnt up for re-election this year, was the lone Democrat in the senate to vote against the bills.

Cruz-Crawford, who is a principal at Ronnow Elementary School, agreed with using restorative justice in schools adding any programs adopted have to be properly funded and staffed.

If were not supporting it financially, or with the manpower or training or curriculum we need, its just another unfunded mandate, she said.

In addition to providing resources to address the root causes of student behavior, Cruz-Crawford said lawmakers need to monitor any measure that could lead more Black and brown students being disproportionately suspended.

In order for something like that to work we need a principal in the legislature, she said.

Thomas, who was first elected to the assembly in 2020, and Cruz-Crawford, who won a seat on Nevada Board of Regents in 2022, are vying to replace the termed-out state Sen. Pat Spearman.

Spearman also endorsed Cruz-Crawford in September.

The winner will face off against Republican Patricia Brinkley, though the district has an overwhelming Democratic majority.

Democratic lawmakers already have a majority in the senate but are one vote shy of a veto-proof majority.

Cruz-Crawford said if they get a veto-proof majority they can ensure school vouchers, a priority for Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, never get funded and take steps to further protect reproductive health.

Thomas and Cruz-Crawford both criticized Lombardo for vetoing several tenant protection bills, including legislation that would have temporarily capped rents for seniors for one year.

Right now we have seniors being evicted and we could have prevented that from happening, Thomas said. We have to bring back all of those housing bills the governor vetoed.

For the last few years, Cruz-Crawford said she has had to navigate the housing crisis by directing families to rental and utility assistance.

On top of addressing housing, Cruz-Crawford said lawmakers need to look at raising the minimum wage.

When they had a trifecta, Democrats passed legislation in 2019 to raise the minimum wage gradually to $12, far lower than push from organizers for $15 but deemed palatable by Democratic leadership.

Cruz-Crawford didnt have a specific figure in mind.

I would leave that to the subject matter experts and economists to look at how many hours someone would have to work to afford a one bedroom apartment, she said.

The National Low Income Housing Coalition estimates that it would cost $23 an hour to afford a one bedroom apartment and not be considered rent burdened.

During her time at the legislature, Thomas helped pass Assembly Bill 140, which made Juneteenth a state holiday, and Assembly Bill 119, which expands the Maternal Mortality Review Committee to explicitly review disparities among persons of color,

While she hasnt served as a state lawmaker, Cruz-Crawford said as a regent she helped draft Senate Bill 352, which passed in the 2021 session. The legislation creates a path for education support staff to go through an accelerated student teacher program.

Cruz-Crawford said the bill is designed to increase the number of teachers of color to be more reflective of the community.

The post Senate Dems pass over assemblywoman, endorse NSHE regent to join their ranks appeared first on Nevada Current.
A bipartisan Senate duo is pushing to require a warrant before accessing information on Americans obtained by the government through foreign spying activities, reigniting a battle that failed with a tie vote in the House.

The amendment from Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) largely mirrors a similar amendment seeking to add a warrant requirement to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

Section 702 only permits the government to spy on foreigners located abroad. But Americans who communicate with targets have those interactions swept up in the course of operations.

A contentious debate on the warrant provision led to a 212-212 vote in the House. While proponents see a warrant requirement as a way to protect Americans Fourth Amendment rights, opponents  including the White House and the intelligence community  say it would gut the spy tool and stop law enforcement from acting on information in real time.

I have sat through numerous classified briefings on Section 702 queries and listened carefully to the governments concerns about having to obtaining court approval in order to review the contents of Americans communications, Durbin said in a statement.

Our bipartisan amendment accounts for these concerns by providing exceptions to the warrant requirement for emergencies or cybersecurity attacks, or where an American consents to the search. This will ensure that there will not be any delays that jeopardize national security. But if the government wants to spy on the private communications of Americans, they should be required to get approval from a judge  just as our Founders intended.

The intelligence community has suggested the provision would be unworkable, and the Biden administration swiftly came out swinging against the amendment, calling it a reckless policy choice contrary to the key lessons of 9/11 and not grounded in any constitutional requirement or statute.

The amendment outright bars the government from gaining access to lawfully collected information using terms associated with U.S. persons. Exceptions to that prohibition are narrow and unworkable. They are insufficient to protect our national security, the Biden administration wrote in a one-pager that was distributed to senators.

The emergency exception for imminent threats of death and serious bodily harm is so narrowly limited that the criteria would almost never be met. Without reviewing the communications returned by a query, an analyst would not know whether a threat meets the exception.

Rep. Jim Himes (Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, noted that in many cases, agencies like the FBI are using the 702 database to ferret out information on potential threats  information that would likely be insufficient to get a traditional warrant.

Say a member of Congress has been discussed by Chinese intelligence officers. Theres no real worry that the member of Congress is engaged in a crime. But obviously, our intelligence community would like to know why Chinese intelligence officers are talking about a member of Congress, Himes said when the House was set to consider the warrant requirement.

If we pick up that an ISIS leader is talking to an individual in Los Angeles, who is by definition a U.S. person, we have no idea why that conversation is occurring. It could be a family member or a friend. So you cannot go to a judge and say, We have no idea why this communication is occurring, but we want you to issue us a probable cause warrant. That is why the administration says the passage of a warrant requirement would shut this program down.

A U.S. intelligence official offered another example, citing a case where the CIA was able to alert partners of an incoming shipment of fentanyl precursors  information they gleaned just 48 hours before it arrived at the U.S. port and information they would not have derived without reviewing information from American sources.

Still, some argue the provision is needed to curb abuse of the 702 database, particularly after the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court found the FBI improperly used the tool roughly 278,000 times over several years.

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act has been abused and any reauthorization demands we further protect Americans Fourth Amendment rights. Preventing the intrusive and all too often corrupt federal government from warrantless access to private communications is crucial to preserving civil liberties and the Fourth Amendment rights of every American, Cramer said.

FBI queries of U.S. citizens have dropped dramatically in recent years after the agency instituted reforms and made a technical fix to the search platform, which previously opted agents into searching the 702 database.

Intelligence leaders, however, have said the FISA 702 reauthorization bill makes substantial reforms that will shift the program.

The bill includes a number of reforms, including one that would drastically limit the number of personnel who can sign off on any queries of the 702 database involving those in the U.S., and another that would require an after-the-fact audit for all U.S. person searches.

It is best understood as the most comprehensive set of reforms in the history of the 702 program. This is a true reform bill that will change the way we do business, especially the FBI, in a way that will be more protective of civil liberties and privacy, a senior Justice Department official previously told The Hill.

Updated: 5:36 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
U.S. senators being sworn in for the impeachment trial of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on April 17, 2024.

U.S. senators being sworn in for the impeachment trial of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on April 17, 2024. (Daniel Rios/U.S. Senate photo)

WASHINGTON  The U.S. Senate on Wednesday dismissed two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

The Democrat-controlled chamber voted, 51-49 along party lines, to adjourn the impeachment trial after finding that the impeachment articles accusing Mayorkas of not complying with federal immigration law and breaching the public trust did not rise to the level of high crimes and misdemeanors and were therefore unconstitutional.

The charges brought against Secretary Mayorkas fail to meet the high standard of high crimes and misdemeanors, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor before a series of votes. To validate this gross abuse by the House would be a grave mistake and could set a dangerous precedent for the future.

The adjournment vote followed successful votes to drop the two House-passed articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, as well as a series of Republican motions to adjourn the court of impeachment or enter closed session, which all failed.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska was the only senator to break party ranks during an afternoon vote series. She voted present on a motion to drop the first article of impeachment.

Senators were sworn in Wednesday as jurors after House Republican impeachment managers delivered the two articles of impeachment the day before, starting the proceedings. House Republicans voted to impeach Mayorkas, on their second try, in February.

Republicans have demanded a trial, while Senate Democrats indicated they planned to either dismiss the articles or table the trial because they argued the charges against Mayorkas did not reach the constitutional threshold required of impeachment, which is high crimes and misdemeanors.

To validate this gross abuse by the House would be a grave mistake and could set a dangerous precedent for the future, Schumer, a New York Democrat, said.

Republicans blast process

Following the vote, Republicans slammed Democrats, arguing the move to avoid a trial set a precedent.

They created a new precedent saying you dont even have to vote on the articles (of impeachment), Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri told reporters off the Senate floor.

Missouri Republican Eric Schmitt warned that voters would remember the Senates decision in the November elections.

They see what a disaster the borders been, he said to reporters.

Congressional Democrats and the White House have criticized Republicans efforts to impeach Mayorkas as political and campaign fodder for the November elections. Congressional Republicans and the Biden administration have clashed over immigration policy for years.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell argued Wednesday it was senators constitutional duty to hold a trial.

It is the job of this body to consider the articles of impeachment brought before us and to render judgment, the Kentucky Republican said on the Senate floor.

Even if a trial had been held, its unlikely that the two-thirds majority in the Senate required to remove Mayorkas could have been reached.

In an email, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said House Republicans have not provided the necessary evidence to warrant an impeachment effort.

Secretary Mayorkas spent months helping a bipartisan group of Senators craft a tough but fair bill that would give DHS the tools necessary to meet todays border security challenges, but the same House Republicans playing political games with this impeachment chose to block that bipartisan compromise, the spokesperson said.

Congressional Republicans should stop wasting time with unfounded attacks, and instead do their job by passing bipartisan legislation to properly fund the Departments vital national security missions and finally fix our broken immigration system.

Amid the impeachment proceedings in the Senate, Mayorkas has been making his rounds on Capitol Hill to defend the presidents fiscal year 2025 budget for the Department of Homeland Security.

White House Spokesperson for Oversight and Investigations Ian Sams praised the Senates decision in a statement.

Once and for all, the Senate has rightly voted down this baseless impeachment that even conservative legal scholars said was unconstitutional, he said.

Several votes

Washington state Democrat Sen. Patty Murray presided over the impeachment proceedings, which included several votes Wednesday afternoon.

Schumer tried to approve by unanimous consent a structure for the trial, including debate time and the number of points of order senators could make, but Schmitt objected.

I will not assist Sen. Schumer in setting our Constitution ablaze, he said.

Schumer then raised a point of order declaring that the first article of impeachment did not rise to high crimes under the constitution, leading to a series of Republican senators demanding votes on proposals to delay a vote on Schumers motion

Sen. Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, moved to go to closed session and debate the articles of impeachment but Schumer objected. GOP Sen. Mike Lee of Utah made the same motion. Senators voted on both motions and rejected them 49-51.

U.S. Senator John Neely Kennedy

U.S. Senator John Kennedy, R-Louisiana. (U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee)

Sen. John Kennedy, Republican of Louisiana, made a motion to adjourn the court of impeachment and begin impeachment proceedings on April 30 at noon.

Kennedys motion failed 49-51.

GOP Sen. Rick Scott of Florida made the same motion to adjourn, which also failed 49-51.

They went back to the point of order Schumer made that declared the first article of impeachment was unconstitutional. The Senate voted, 51-48, to reject the first article of impeachment on the grounds that it did not rise to the constitutional standard for impeachment, with Murkowski voting present.

Schumer made an identical point of order on the second article of impeachment.

Kennedy again filed a motion to adjourn to May 1, 2004 for impeachment proceedings. He corrected his request to 2024. It again failed 49-51.

GOP Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas then made a motion to adjourn until Nov. 6 until after the election and before this body disrespects the Constitution. It failed 49-51.

Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the No. 2 Republican, moved to table Schumers second point of order that the second article of impeachment is unconstitutional. It failed 49-51.

Senators then approved Schumers second motion, 51-49.

House action

Georgias Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has been at the forefront of impeachment efforts against Mayorkas, first introducing the measure in September.

Greene is also a House impeachment manager, along with GOP Reps. Mark Green of Tennessee, Michael McCaul of Texas, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Ben Cline of Virginia, Andrew Garbarino of New York, Michael Guest of Mississippi, Harriet Hageman of Wyoming, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, Laurel Lee of Florida and August Pfluger of Texas.

Two of the impeachment managers, Biggs and Higgins, came to the Senate Wednesday to watch that chambers proceedings.

The two articles of impeachment charged Mayorkas with not complying with federal immigration law and breaching the public trust.

The first article of impeachment accused Mayorkas of contributing to myriad problems, including rising profits for smuggling operations, a high backlog of asylum cases in immigration courts, fentanyl-related deaths and migrant children found working in dangerous jobs. Republican state legislatures have moved to roll back child labor laws in industries from the food industry to roofing.

Republicans argued that the first article of impeachment would hold Mayorkas accountable for the large number of migrants that have traveled to the southern border to claim asylum. The Biden administration is dealing with the largest number of migrant encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border in 20 years.

The second article of impeachment charged Mayorkas with breaching public trust by making several statements in congressional testimony that Republicans argue are false, such as Mayorkas telling lawmakers that the southern border is secure.

The second article also charged Mayorkas with not fulfilling his statutory duty by rolling back Trump-era policies such as terminating contracts that would have continued construction of the border wall and ending the Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as the Remain in Mexico policy that was ended after it went up to the Supreme Court.

The post Senate rejects two impeachment articles against DHS Secretary Mayorkas appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
U.S. senators being sworn in for the impeachment trial of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on April 17, 2024.

U.S. senators being sworn in for the impeachment trial of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on April 17, 2024. (Official U.S. Senate photo by Daniel Rios)

WASHINGTON  The U.S. Senate on Wednesday dismissed two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

The Democrat-controlled chamber voted, 51-49 along party lines, to adjourn the impeachment trial after finding that the impeachment articles accusing Mayorkas of not complying with federal immigration law and breaching the public trust did not rise to the level of high crimes and misdemeanors and were therefore unconstitutional.

The charges brought against Secretary Mayorkas fail to meet the high standard of high crimes and misdemeanors, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor before a series of votes. To validate this gross abuse by the House would be a grave mistake and could set a dangerous precedent for the future.

The adjournment vote followed successful votes to drop the two House-passed articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, as well as a series of Republican motions to adjourn the court of impeachment or enter closed session, which all failed.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska was the only senator to break party ranks during an afternoon vote series. She voted present on a motion to drop the first article of impeachment.

Senators were sworn in Wednesday as jurors after House Republican impeachment managers delivered the two articles of impeachment the day before, starting the proceedings. House Republicans voted to impeach Mayorkas, on their second try, in February.

Republicans have demanded a trial, while Senate Democrats indicated they planned to either dismiss the articles or table the trial because they argued the charges against Mayorkas did not reach the constitutional threshold required of impeachment, which is high crimes and misdemeanors.

To validate this gross abuse by the House would be a grave mistake and could set a dangerous precedent for the future, Schumer, a New York Democrat, said.

Republicans blast process

Following the vote, Republicans slammed Democrats, arguing the move to avoid a trial set a precedent.

They created a new precedent saying you dont even have to vote on the articles (of impeachment), Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri told reporters off the Senate floor.

Missouri Republican Eric Schmitt warned that voters would remember the Senates decision in the November elections.

They see what a disaster the borders been, he said to reporters.

Congressional Democrats and the White House have criticized Republicans efforts to impeach Mayorkas as political and campaign fodder for the November elections. Congressional Republicans and the Biden administration have clashed over immigration policy for years.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell argued Wednesday it was senators constitutional duty to hold a trial.

It is the job of this body to consider the articles of impeachment brought before us and to render judgment, the Kentucky Republican said on the Senate floor.

Even if a trial had been held, its unlikely that the two-thirds majority in the Senate required to remove Mayorkas could have been reached.

In an email, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said House Republicans have not provided the necessary evidence to warrant an impeachment effort.

Secretary Mayorkas spent months helping a bipartisan group of Senators craft a tough but fair bill that would give DHS the tools necessary to meet todays border security challenges, but the same House Republicans playing political games with this impeachment chose to block that bipartisan compromise, the spokesperson said.

Congressional Republicans should stop wasting time with unfounded attacks, and instead do their job by passing bipartisan legislation to properly fund the Departments vital national security missions and finally fix our broken immigration system.

Amid the impeachment proceedings in the Senate, Mayorkas has been making his rounds on Capitol Hill to defend the presidents fiscal year 2025 budget for the Department of Homeland Security.

White House Spokesperson for Oversight and Investigations Ian Sams praised the Senates decision in a statement.

Once and for all, the Senate has rightly voted down this baseless impeachment that even conservative legal scholars said was unconstitutional, he said.

Several votes

Washington state Democrat Sen. Patty Murray presided over the impeachment proceedings, which included several votes Wednesday afternoon.

Schumer tried to approve by unanimous consent a structure for the trial, including debate time and the number of points of order senators could make, but Schmitt objected.

I will not assist Sen. Schumer in setting our Constitution ablaze, he said.

Schumer then raised a point of order declaring that the first article of impeachment did not rise to high crimes under the constitution, leading to a series of Republican senators demanding votes on proposals to delay a vote on Schumers motion

Sen. Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, moved to go to closed session and debate the articles of impeachment but Schumer objected. GOP Sen. Mike Lee of Utah made the same motion. Senators voted on both motions and rejected them 49-51.

Sen. John Kennedy, Republican of Louisiana, made a motion to adjourn the court of impeachment and begin impeachment proceedings on April 30 at noon.

Kennedys motion failed 49-51.

GOP Sen. Rick Scott of Florida made the same motion to adjourn, which also failed 49-51.

They went back to the point of order Schumer made that declared the first article of impeachment was unconstitutional. The Senate voted, 51-48, to reject the first article of impeachment on the grounds that it did not rise to the constitutional standard for impeachment, with Murkowski voting present.

Schumer made an identical point of order on the second article of impeachment.

Kennedy again filed a motion to adjourn to May 1, 2004 for impeachment proceedings. He corrected his request to 2024. It again failed 49-51.

GOP Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas then made a motion to adjourn until Nov. 6 until after the election and before this body disrespects the Constitution. It failed 49-51.

Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the No. 2 Republican, moved to table Schumers second point of order that the second article of impeachment is unconstitutional. It failed 49-51.

Senators then approved Schumers second motion, 51-49.

House action

Georgias Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has been at the forefront of impeachment efforts against Mayorkas, first introducing the measure in September.

Greene is also a House impeachment manager, along with GOP Reps. Mark Green of Tennessee, Michael McCaul of Texas, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Ben Cline of Virginia, Andrew Garbarino of New York, Michael Guest of Mississippi, Harriet Hageman of Wyoming, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, Laurel Lee of Florida and August Pfluger of Texas.

Two of the impeachment managers, Biggs and Higgins, came to the Senate Wednesday to watch that chambers proceedings.

The two articles of impeachment charged Mayorkas with not complying with federal immigration law and breaching the public trust.

The first article of impeachment accused Mayorkas of contributing to myriad problems, including rising profits for smuggling operations, a high backlog of asylum cases in immigration courts, fentanyl-related deaths and migrant children found working in dangerous jobs. Republican state legislatures have moved to roll back child labor laws in industries from the food industry to roofing.

Republicans argued that the first article of impeachment would hold Mayorkas accountable for the large number of migrants that have traveled to the southern border to claim asylum. The Biden administration is dealing with the largest number of migrant encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border in 20 years.

The second article of impeachment charged Mayorkas with breaching public trust by making several statements in congressional testimony that Republicans argue are false, such as Mayorkas telling lawmakers that the southern border is secure.

The second article also charged Mayorkas with not fulfilling his statutory duty by rolling back Trump-era policies such as terminating contracts that would have continued construction of the border wall and ending the Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as the Remain in Mexico policy that was ended after it went up to the Supreme Court.

The post Senate rejects two impeachment articles against DHS Secretary Mayorkas appeared first on Kansas Reflector.
U.S. senators being sworn in for the impeachment trial of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Wednesday. (Official U.S. Senate photo by Daniel Rios)

WASHINGTON  The U.S. Senate on Wednesday dismissed two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

The Democrat-controlled chamber voted, 51-49 along party lines, to adjourn the impeachment trial after finding that the impeachment articles accusing Mayorkas of not complying with federal immigration law and breaching the public trust did not rise to the level of high crimes and misdemeanors and were therefore unconstitutional.

The charges brought against Secretary Mayorkas fail to meet the high standard of high crimes and misdemeanors, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor before a series of votes. To validate this gross abuse by the House would be a grave mistake and could set a dangerous precedent for the future.

The adjournment vote followed successful votes to drop the two House-passed articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, as well as a series of Republican motions to adjourn the court of impeachment or enter closed session, which all failed.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska was the only senator to break party ranks during an afternoon vote series. She voted present on a motion to drop the first article of impeachment.

Senators were sworn in Wednesday as jurors after House Republican impeachment managers delivered the two articles of impeachment the day before, starting the proceedings. House Republicans voted to impeach Mayorkas, on their second try, in February.

Republicans have demanded a trial, while Senate Democrats indicated they planned to either dismiss the articles or table the trial because they argued the charges against Mayorkas did not reach the constitutional threshold required of impeachment, which is high crimes and misdemeanors.

To validate this gross abuse by the House would be a grave mistake and could set a dangerous precedent for the future, Schumer, a New York Democrat, said.

Republicans blast process

Following the vote, Republicans slammed Democrats, arguing the move to avoid a trial set a precedent.

They created a new precedent saying you dont even have to vote on the articles (of impeachment), Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri told reporters off the Senate floor.

Missouri Republican Eric Schmitt warned that voters would remember the Senates decision in the November elections.

They see what a disaster the borders been, he said to reporters.

Congressional Democrats and the White House have criticized Republicans efforts to impeach Mayorkas as political and campaign fodder for the November elections. Congressional Republicans and the Biden administration have clashed over immigration policy for years.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell argued Wednesday it was senators constitutional duty to hold a trial.

It is the job of this body to consider the articles of impeachment brought before us and to render judgment, the Kentucky Republican said on the Senate floor.

Even if a trial had been held, its unlikely that the two-thirds majority in the Senate required to remove Mayorkas could have been reached.

In an email, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said House Republicans have not provided the necessary evidence to warrant an impeachment effort.

Secretary Mayorkas spent months helping a bipartisan group of Senators craft a tough but fair bill that would give DHS the tools necessary to meet todays border security challenges, but the same House Republicans playing political games with this impeachment chose to block that bipartisan compromise, the spokesperson said.

Congressional Republicans should stop wasting time with unfounded attacks, and instead do their job by passing bipartisan legislation to properly fund the Departments vital national security missions and finally fix our broken immigration system.

Amid the impeachment proceedings in the Senate, Mayorkas has been making his rounds on Capitol Hill to defend the presidents fiscal year 2025 budget for the Department of Homeland Security.

White House Spokesperson for Oversight and Investigations Ian Sams praised the Senates decision in a statement.

Once and for all, the Senate has rightly voted down this baseless impeachment that even conservative legal scholars said was unconstitutional, he said.

Several votes

Washington state Democrat Sen. Patty Murray presided over the impeachment proceedings, which included several votes Wednesday afternoon.

Schumer tried to approve by unanimous consent a structure for the trial, including debate time and the number of points of order senators could make, but Schmitt objected.

I will not assist Sen. Schumer in setting our Constitution ablaze, he said.

Schumer then raised a point of order declaring that the first article of impeachment did not rise to high crimes under the constitution, leading to a series of Republican senators demanding votes on proposals to delay a vote on Schumers motion

Sen. Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, moved to go to closed session and debate the articles of impeachment but Schumer objected. GOP Sen. Mike Lee of Utah made the same motion. Senators voted on both motions and rejected them 49-51.

Sen. John Kennedy, Republican of Louisiana, made a motion to adjourn the court of impeachment and begin impeachment proceedings on April 30 at noon.

Kennedys motion failed 49-51.

GOP Sen. Rick Scott of Florida made the same motion to adjourn, which also failed 49-51.

They went back to the point of order Schumer made that declared the first article of impeachment was unconstitutional. The Senate voted, 51-48, to reject the first article of impeachment on the grounds that it did not rise to the constitutional standard for impeachment, with Murkowski voting present.

Schumer made an identical point of order on the second article of impeachment.

Kennedy again filed a motion to adjourn to May 1, 2004 for impeachment proceedings. He corrected his request to 2024. It again failed 49-51.

GOP Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas then made a motion to adjourn until Nov. 6 until after the election and before this body disrespects the Constitution. It failed 49-51.

Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the No. 2 Republican, moved to table Schumers second point of order that the second article of impeachment is unconstitutional. It failed 49-51.

Senators then approved Schumers second motion, 51-49.

House action

Georgias Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has been at the forefront of impeachment efforts against Mayorkas, first introducing the measure in September.

Greene is also a House impeachment manager, along with GOP Reps. Mark Green of Tennessee, Michael McCaul of Texas, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Ben Cline of Virginia, Andrew Garbarino of New York, Michael Guest of Mississippi, Harriet Hageman of Wyoming, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, Laurel Lee of Florida and August Pfluger of Texas.

Two of the impeachment managers, Biggs and Higgins, came to the Senate Wednesday to watch that chambers proceedings.

The two articles of impeachment charged Mayorkas with not complying with federal immigration law and breaching the public trust.

The first article of impeachment accused Mayorkas of contributing to myriad problems, including rising profits for smuggling operations, a high backlog of asylum cases in immigration courts, fentanyl-related deaths and migrant children found working in dangerous jobs. Republican state legislatures have moved to roll back child labor laws in industries from the food industry to roofing.

Republicans argued that the first article of impeachment would hold Mayorkas accountable for the large number of migrants that have traveled to the southern border to claim asylum. The Biden administration is dealing with the largest number of migrant encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border in 20 years.

The second article of impeachment charged Mayorkas with breaching public trust by making several statements in congressional testimony that Republicans argue are false, such as Mayorkas telling lawmakers that the southern border is secure.

The second article also charged Mayorkas with not fulfilling his statutory duty by rolling back Trump-era policies such as terminating contracts that would have continued construction of the border wall and ending the Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as the Remain in Mexico policy that was ended after it went up to the Supreme Court.

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The post Senate rejects two impeachment articles against DHS Secretary Mayorkas appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
Tourists take photos of pear trees in Nanchangtan Village in Zhongwei City, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, April 4, 2024. (Xinhua/Mao Zhu)

YINCHUAN, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Li Jinwu, from Nanchangtan Village in Zhongwei City, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, has witnessed the enormous changes in his hometown during his nearly three-decade career as a ferryman on the Yellow River.

Nestled in the crescent-shaped riverbank area, Nanchangtan boasts a history spanning more than 1,000 years. It holds the distinction of being the first village through which the Yellow River, China's second-longest river, flows upon entering Ningxia.

Once owing to geographic barriers, transportation was very challenging, leading its villagers to live in relative isolation. Even today, reaching Nanchangtan requires ferrying across the Yellow River.

Li has made a living by rafting for 28 years. Over the nearly three decades, his ferryboats have upgraded from a sheepskin raft to the first ferry in 1996 and the second one in 2012. His latest ferry, measuring 20 meters long and five meters wide, is capable to accommodate six vehicles along with passengers.

"In the past, a small boat sufficed for ferrying villagers, but with the recent surge in tourists and vehicles, ferry upgrades became essential," Li said.

During the village's annual pear blossom festival in April, tens of thousands of tourists flock to admire the century-old pear trees, significantly boosting Li's ferrying income. The village is home to over 160 pear trees that exceed 300 years.

Nanchangtan Village's rich Yellow River culture, agricultural legacy, and archaeological discoveries from the Yuan and Ming dynasties (1271-1644) earned it designation as a historic and cultural village as early as 2008.

Ta Shouqing, the village Party chief, highlighted the local success in leveraging its rustic charm. The village has been hosting pear blossom and harvest festivals since 2004, attracting visitors and bolstering local incomes as well as bringing opportunities for the ancient village, he said.

Li Gang, 53, said his ancestors earned a living by farming and sheep herding in the village. Jumping on the bandwagon of rural tourism, Li and his wife run a homestay that can accommodate 30 guests for lodging and 50 for dining.

"We never expected so many visitors venture to our village. From the April pear blossom festival to the October harvest festival, our homestay is booked nearly every weekend," Li Gang added.

Thanks to the booming tourism industry, the per capita disposable income of the whole village reached 14,200 yuan (about 2,000 U.S. dollars) in 2023.

"We explored the pear orchards and enjoyed the beauty of the Yellow River by day; at night, we gazed at the starlit sky here," said Liu Ruixue, a tourist from northern Inner Mongolia.

"The primitive and simple rural life in the village brings a long-lost sense of intimacy with nature," she added. 
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  Wednesday, Senate Democrats voted down articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. He became the second U.S. cabinet secretary ever impeached by the House.

The Senate democratic majority voted down two articles of impeachment, charging Alejandro Mayorkas with failing to enforce immigration law and breach of public trust.

If we allowed that to happen it would set a disastrous precedent for Congress, said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer argued the impeachment of Mayorkas over policy disagreements did not meet the constitutional bar of high crimes and misdemeanors.

Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman said the process is a waste of time.

This was a really bad show I was forced to watch, said Fetterman.

Missouri Republican Senator Eric Schmitt and Louisianas Bill Cassidy pushed back slamming Democrats for dismissing the trial.

Hes pressed the button on the nuclear option for impeachment trials. I think hes going to regret that sooner rather than later, said Schmitt.

Senate Majority Leader Schumer says the Senate can get back to business as usual.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
An editor for National Public Radio resigned Wednesday just days after he inflamed the ongoing culture war about mainstream media with an essay about what he considers the news outlets liberal leanings.

Uri Berliner, who was a senior business editor, wrote an essay for the right-leaning online publication The Free Press in which he said he believes NPR is losing the publics trust.

NPR, a nonprofit radio network, has an absence of viewpoint diversity, he wrote in the essay, which was published April 9. It has always had a liberal bent, but now an open-minded spirit no longer exists within NPR, he wrote.

The essay triggered a wave of scrutiny of NPR from conservatives, some of whom responded to it with calls to defund the news organization, which receives federal funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. NPR says on its website that federal funding is essential to NPR but that less than 1% of NPRs annual operating budget comes in the form of grants from CPB and federal agencies and departments.

Uri Berliner in 2017. (JP Yim / WireImage file)

In a resignation statement on X, Berliner briefly elaborated on the reason for his departure, which came days after NPR reported that it had suspended him for five days without pay following the op-eds release.

NPRs chief business editor, Pallavi Gogoi, had told Berliner about its requirement to secure approval before he appeared in outside media, according to NPRs report.

I dont support calls to defund NPR, Berliner wrote. I respect the integrity of my colleagues and wish for NPR to thrive and do important journalism. But I cannot work in a newsroom where I am disparaged by a new CEO whose divisive views confirm the very problems at NPR I cite in my Free Press essay.

Berliner did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. A representative for NPR said it does not comment on individual personnel matters.

Berliners essay gained traction on X, with many conservatives homing in on his thoughts about NPRs political makeup. He wrote: In D.C., where NPR is headquartered and many of us live, I found 87 registered Democrats working in editorial positions and zero Republicans. None.

He also criticized NPRs coverage, or lack thereof, of certain stories, such as the Mueller report, Hunter Bidens laptop, the origins of Covid-19 and systemic racism following the murder of George Floyd.

High-profile supporters of Berliners essay, including former President Donald Trump and X owner Elon Musk, shared criticism of NPR and its CEO, Katherine Maher.

NO MORE FUNDING FOR NPR, A TOTAL SCAM! EDITOR SAID THEY HAVE NO REPUBLICANS, AND IS ONLY USED TO DAMAGE TRUMP. THEY ARE A LIBERAL DISINFORMATION MACHINE. NOT ONE DOLLAR!!! Trump wrote on Truth Social on April 10.

Musk wrote on X that the head of NPR hates the Constitution of the USA in response to a clip of Maher discussing the challenges in fighting disinformation and honoring the First Amendment right to free speech.

Meanwhile, some journalists at NPR pushed back against Berliners accusations.

Morning Edition co-host Steve Inskeep shared his take in a post on his Substack newsletter, saying he believes Berliner failed to engage anyone who had a different point of view.

Having been asked, I answered: my colleagues article was filled with errors and omissions, he wrote, adding, The errors do make NPR look bad, because its embarrassing that an NPR journalist would make so many.

NPRs chief news executive, Edith Chapin, also denied Berliners assessment of the newsroom in a memo to staff members, according to NPR.

Were proud to stand behind the exceptional work that our desks and shows do to cover a wide range of challenging stories, she wrote. We believe that inclusion  among our staff, with our sourcing, and in our overall coverage  is critical to telling the nuanced stories of this country and our world.

Maher also said Monday in a statement to NPR: In America everyone is entitled to free speech as a private citizen. What matters is NPRs work and my commitment as its CEO: public service, editorial independence, and the mission to serve all of the American public. NPR is independent, beholden to no party, and without commercial interests.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
A veteran NPR editor, who prompted heated debate last week about the flagship US public broadcaster with an essay accusing it of losing its authority and audience through a lack of viewpoint diversity, has resigned.

Uri Berliner, a Peabody Award-winning senior business editor at the network, announced in a post on social media he was leaving NPR, an outlet he called a great American institution.

I respect the integrity of my colleagues and wish for NPR to thrive and do important journalism, he added. But I cannot work in a newsroom where I am disparaged by a new CEO whose divisive views confirm the very problems at NPR I cite in my Free Press essay.

In an interview with The New York Times on Wednesday, Berliner elaborated, alleging that he was implicitly singled out, though not named, in a memo from NPR CEO Katherine Maher about workplace integrity.

Everything completely changed for me on Monday afternoon, Berliner told the Times of receiving the memo.

The Independent has contacted NPR for comment.

The controversy began in an essay by the editor published last week in The Free Press, a news outlet founded by journalist Bari Weiss, who herself left The New York Times in 2020 in a highly public fracas over newsroom viewpoint diversity, and frequently reports on issues of perceived cancel culture and narrowmindedness in the media.

Berliner accused NPR of serving an increasingly narrow audience of liberal and progressive Americans, failing to attract Black and Hispanic audiences, and falling short of maintaining its principles of fair and nuanced coverage.

An open-minded spirit no longer exists within NPR, and now, predictably, we dont have an audience that reflects America, the piece argues.

The essay alleges that the network has taken skewed approaches to major stories like the origins Covid, the Trump-Russia allegations, Hunter Bidens laptop, and the Israel-Hamas war.

The piece also takes issue with how NPR handled editorial considerations around race and racism, casting a sceptical eye toward the prominence of employee-identity affinity groups, efforts to ensure diverse representation in sources quoted on NPR , and the contention from former NPR boss John Lansing that the broadcasters reporters should see themselves as agents of change in identifying and ending systemic racism.

The piece generated a variety of reactions across the media landscape.

Jeffrey Dvorkin, a former NPR vice president, shared the essay online, writing , Hes not wrong.

Others, including those at the network, defended their journalism.

"Were proud to stand behind the exceptional work that our desks and shows do to cover a wide range of challenging stories," NPR chief news executive Edith Chapin told staff in a memo this week. "We believe that inclusion  among our staff, with our sourcing, and in our overall coverage  is critical to telling the nuanced stories of this country and our world."

One of the networks most prominent anchors, Morning Edition co-host Steve Inskeep, went further, accusing Berliner of conducting the kind of tunnel-vision journalism he was decrying.

A careful read of the article shows many sweeping statements for which the writer is unable to offer evidence, Inskeep wrote on Substack.

In one example, he noted that Berliner didnt outline any specific stories he took issue with in a section critiquing NPRs supposed unspoken consensus on Israel reporting.

If he was going to denounce these colleagues, Uri might at least have picked out specific stories that bothered him, Inskeep added. Many of us couldI was in a discussion about such a story just a few days ago. But that would be a different story than he told.

As of Wednesday, 50 NPR employees signed onto a letter to the broadcasters top leadership, calling on them to publicly correct factual inaccuracies and elisions in the essay.

Earlier this week, NPR announced to reporters it would lead monthly meetings reviewing its coverage for political, identity, and geographic diversity.
How serious are charges in Trumps NY criminal trial? What Americans say in new poll

A majority of Americans believe that the criminal charges brought against former President Donald Trump in New York City are no small matter, new polling reveals.

A Yahoo News/YouGov poll found that 57% of respondents consider falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments to a porn star a serious crime. An additional 30% said it was not serious, and 14% were undecided.

The poll, conducted April 11-15, surveyed 1,746 U.S. adults, and has a margin of error of 2.6 percentage points.

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Trump has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, which allege he illegally tampered with Trump Organization business records to cover up an extramarital affair with adult actress Stormy Daniels.

The trial began April 15 in a Manhattan courtroom, kicking off with jury selection.

Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, has maintained his innocence. In a Truth Social post on the first day of the trial, he wrote, This Fake Case is solely meant to attack Crooked Joe Bidens Political Opponent, ME

If convicted of all counts, he could face more than 10 years in prison, according to USA Today, citing legal experts.

Donald Trumps other criminal cases

The poll also surveyed respondents on the three other criminal cases against Trump.

Respondents were asked whether taking highly classified documents from the White House and obstructing efforts to retrieve them was a serious crime.

A majority of respondents, 69%, said it is a serious crime, while 17% said it was not serious, and 14% said they were unsure.

Following a federal probe in Florida, Trump was charged with mishandling classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, his Palm Beach estate. He allegedly hid records  including sensitive military plans  requested by investigators with the help of lawyers and aides.

Additionally, when asked about conspiring to overturn the results of a presidential election, 73% said it was a serious crime. Fourteen percent said it was not serious, and 13% were undecided.

Trump has been charged in Georgia  along with more than a dozen other people  with breaking an anti-racketeering law in an attempt to illegally overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Lastly, respondents were asked whether attempting to obstruct the certification of a presidential election was a serious crime.

Sixty-nine percent said it was a serious crime, while 16% said it was not and 15% said they were unsure.

Trump was charged in a four-count indictment in Washington, D.C., which charged him with, among other things, conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding.

The former president has vigorously maintained his innocence in all four criminal cases.

Every one of the many Fake Cases that are perpetuated by the White House in order to help the Worst President in History, by far, get Re-Elected, are UNJUST SCAMS, he wrote in an April 15 post on Truth Social.

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Until this week, The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida had only awarded its Prize for Civic Engagement two times.

The third recipient of the prize, which recognizes those who speak out "courageously for the common good on matters of civic importance," is prominent Jacksonville philanthropist Delores Barr Weaver.

The announcement was made Wednesday at the foundation's 60th-anniversary celebration.

Weaver is "nationally renowned for her unprecedented philanthropy in our region," said Michael DuBow, chairman of the foundation's board of trustees. "The prize recognizes her equally remarkable legacy of using her voice and platform to spark thoughtful community dialogue around important and under-recognized issues."

In a video aired at the event, former foundation vice president of programs Kathleen Shaw said of Weaver, "She's not afraid of anything. She is certainly not afraid to stir the pot."

"She has changed so many lives and certainly made our community better," Shaw said.

Weaver was unable to attend the event but sent her thanks.

"I am truly honored," she said. "I often say that its the nonprofits who make it possible for me to play a part in building a better community. So, to all who are involved in their work  whether as a volunteer, a board member or supporter  thank you for all you do."

Weaver and husband Wayne Weaver were the first owners of the Jaguars NFL team. They actively supported the community after they arrived in 1993 and continued after they sold the team in 2011.

What has Delores Barr Weaver meant to people?

Delores Barr Weaver

She in particular has blazed a philanthropic trail, so far giving about $209 million to about 300 organizations that include area hospitals, nonprofits and schools. Her largest gift was made in one fell swoop  $61 million to the foundation to be given to various nonprofits in 2023.

Along the way, she became well-known for the exhaustive research she undertakes on organizations and causes before donating to them. Her support was viewed akin to the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

When Weaver donated to the nonprofit Florida Youth Maritime Training, "It made me so happy because it meant that Mrs. Weaver had looked over what we were doing and decided it was worthwhile," CEO Bob Russo said in the video.

"Being in so many different meetings with her and watching the questions and just what she is thinking about is amazing to me," Sally Hazelip, head of the Northeast Florida School of Special Education, also said in the video. "It has been an honor to just sit, almost at her feet, to say tell me more, teach me more, how do you become ... a Delores Weaver. The basis is her love and passion for people."

Weaver's civic leadership has been broad. When the couple owned the team, Weaver led the Jaguars Foundation, which made community grants. The foundation also initiated the Straight Talk program, a media and grantmaking initiative to address teen pregnancy and reproductive health and give youth a forum.

A longtime advocate of the special-needs community, she founded the Connectable campaign to recognize the talents of people with intellectual and development differences. She also has supported the LGBTQ community through the nonprofit JASMYN and the foundation's LGBTQ Community Fund, human trafficking survivors through the nonprofit Rethreaded and helped address affordable housing through Habitat for Humanity of Jacksonville.

She founded the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center that advocates for girls and addresses sexual violence in the military and co-founded the Womens Giving Alliance.

Delores Barr Weaver sets the bar for philanthropy

A list of examples of Weaver using wealth and her voice could go on and on, according to the foundation.

It takes many types of assets  social, moral, reputational, intellectual and financial capital  to build the better community we all want to see," the foundation's president, Isaiah Oliver, said. "Delores has led the way in showing us the good we can do when we put all our resources to work to take on the issues that matter."

She has "set the bar in this community for philanthropy in all types of capital," he said.

Past foundation board chairman Lawrence "Laurie" DuBow, father of the current chairman, agreed.

"Many people in the city are inspirational to us, but Delores taught us how to give in a way that is more meaningful. She truly changed the landscape," Dubow, also a philanthropist, said in the video. "Delores' giving is educational, as she has such a clear and unique vision for meeting the needs of our community."

Nina Waters, former foundation president, noted that Weaver has donated funds to causes worldwide. But she also "puts her mouth where her money is," Waters said in the video.

Guests at The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida's 60th anniversary event watch a video about civic engagement prize winner Delores Barr Weaver, a Jacksonville philanthropist.

"She sees something in people, she sees something in their passion and she makes an investment in them as well as the nonprofit they are leading," she said.

Weaver frequently uses matching and challenge grants, which has helped "nonprofits to grow their donor base and get more people involved in their cause," Waters said.

When Rethreaded purchased a new building during the COVID-19 pandemic, Weaver arranged a matching grant and encouraged other donors to support. As a result, the nonprofit moved into the new digs debt-free, quadrupling its capacity to hire human trafficking survivors.

"Mrs. Weaver stepped up," founder and CEO Kristin Keen said. "She paved the way for us."

She also stepped up on the affordable housing issue, supporting HabiJax in developing townhouses and its first tiny-home community, former CEO Mary Kay O'Rourke said in the video.

"She really believes in housing as the foundation for a stable life, especially for children and families," she said.

When Weaver first came to Jacksonville, she had the idea of students earning tickets to Jaguar games, rather than the team just handing them out to schools. That led to the team's Honor Rows program. And with the Jaguars Foundation's Straight Talk program, she "believed there was an opportunity to use her platform to address issues that aren't so easy to talk about," program officer Marjorie Marquinez said in the video.

Delores Weaver: 'Hard to walk away' from the Jaguars

Originally from Columbus, Ga., Weaver established the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund at the foundation with a historic $50 million gift in 2012. She has established permanent endowments for almost 50 nonprofits.

The other recipients of the prize were Bill Brinton, a past foundation chairman and founder of Scenic Jacksonville, in 2007, and attorney Bill Scheu, a "servant leader" and also past foundation chairman, in 2014.

bcravey@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4109

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville's Delores Barr Weaver honored for civic voice, giving
Several cars on fire at metal companys yard on Chicagos West Side

CHICAGO  Several cars caught fire at a metal companys yard on Wednesday on Chicagos West Side.

Skycam 9 was over the scene in the 4500 block of West Division and saw the fire around 5 p.m.

Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines

At least 3 cars in a row were on fire. Chicago Fire Department fire fighters were on the scene putting out the fires.

This is a developing story.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
Sexual harassment is a pervasive threat in the restaurant industry, impacting seven out of every 10 female workers, according to research from advocacy groups.

The Connecticut state Capitol is not a typical venue for a self-defense class, but on Wednesday current and former restaurant staff partnered with an instructor from F.I.T.E. Fit to raise awareness about the problem and send a message that We Are Not On The Menu.

The demonstration was full of smiles and laughs but it was inspired by a very serious issue  more than 70% of female restaurant workers have experienced sexual harassment on the job, according to research by One Fair Wage and the University of California Berkeley Food Labor Research Center.

Advocates say the problem is amplified by the existence of a subminimum wage, which they said forces staff to endure inappropriate behavior to get tips.

According to the report, 76% of tipped workers reported experiences with sexual harassment compared to 52% of their nontipped colleagues.

Grace McGovern, an organizer for One Fair Wage in Massachusetts and Connecticut, said that as a bartender in Boston, it is not uncommon to hear customers comment on her body or speculate about the number of romantic partners she has had.

Especially in places where youre serving alcohol, you get into a rhythm of having regulars and knowing whos going to tip well. And if someones known for tipping well, they can get away with being creepy, McGovern said. I have coworkers who are freshly 18 and 19 and the regulars are 60-year-old men and theyre saying disgusting things to these girls.

In severe cases, the customer might be asked to leave, but usually its just the employee who is asked to grin and bear it, McGovern added.

While McGovern said that customers are often the main perpetrators of harassment in the restaurant industry, coworkers and management can cause problems, too.

Approximately 48% of the tipped workers surveyed in the report said they had been sexually harassed by a customer. Roughly 46% said they were harassed by a coworker.

McGovern described these experiences as infuriating.

As someone whos been a woman my whole life, its nothing new. Its just the fact that as a server and as someone who is paid to wait on these people, for whatever reason, these people feel emboldened or feel entitled to act out because theyre like, Oh, their job is to serve me,  McGovern said. They feel safer being the creepy people that they are.

In Connecticut tipped service workers earn the state minimum wage of $15.69 an hour through a combination of base wages and tips. Under current law, the tipped wage is $6.38 for wait staff and $8.23 for bartenders. If staff do not make enough tips to reach the state minimum, employers are required by law to pay a tip credit to make up the difference.

An estimated 69% of the 70,000 tipped workers in Connecticut are women.

McGovern and other advocates from One Fair Wage said that the current wage structure can put restaurant staff in unsafe positions.

You have to put up with a lot more disrespect, harassment and just poor behavior when you are counting on customers to pay your wages, McGovern said. Not having the stability, not having the consistency of at least a minimum wage despite consistent hours is really frankly dangerous.

McGovern said studies have shown that workers in states with a subminimum wage were twice as likely to report experiences with sexual harassment than workers in states that pay restaurant workers the full minimum wage in addition to tips.

Lucia Nunez Del Prado, a freshman at the University of New Haven, said she considers herself lucky.

When Nunez Del Prado waitressed at a diner two summers ago, she said her coworkers and bosses would protect her from the male patrons who would pry for her phone number, ask her out on dates, and talk to her in a gross way.

Nunez Del Prado also earned tips on top of the minimum wage  a luxury that was out of reach even to her mother.

You have more stability in your life, Nunez Del Prado said, explaining how the guarantee of a minimum wage reassured her that she could make ends meet at home while her mom struggled to find stable work.

Nunez Del Prados mother Tamara, a community organizer in New Haven, said that during her time as a kitchen assistant and cleaner, she earned the subminimum payment even though she earned no tips.

Tamara Nunez Del Prado and other organizers said this type of exploitation is common for back-of-house workers who do not understand the states wage requirements.

If you dont know the legal jargon, if you dont know to ask for a contract, if you dont know to go in and calculate your hours with every paycheck, its very easy to see wage theft happen in those instances, McGovern said, explaining how immigrants and people of color are disproportionately at risk.

As a trans woman, Tamara Nunez Del Prado said that she is also more susceptible to sexual harassment. During her time in the restaurant industry, Tamara Nunez Del Prado said she was harassed by her manager. On other occasions, she said her boss threatened to call U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on her.

The Nunez Del Prados said they came to the Capitol Wednesday because they want all workers to have access to economically stable and safe jobs.

If Senate Bill 221 passes the General Assembly, the law would gradually phase out the Connecticut tip credit. Between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2027, employers must scale up the hourly wage for bartenders, hotel and restaurant staff annually until it equals the state minimum wage.

The proposal awaits a vote in the Senate after passing the Labor Committee in an 8 to 4 vote.

Scott Dolch, the president and CEO of the Connecticut Restaurant Association said eliminating the tipped wage is not in the best interest of restaurants and workers.

Dolch said that data from cities like Washington D.C. have shown that when tip wages are raised or eliminated, revenues decrease, servers leave the industry, and restaurants close down.

Those stats alone are what scares me, Dolch said.

Dolch explained that without the tip credit, restaurant owners are forced to either raise prices or implement service charges  which can reduce or eliminate the tips customers leave.

According to Dolch, a survey of 446 Connecticut servers and bartenders revealed that 91% had earned more than $20 per hour and 61% earned more than $30 per hour. Additionally, 96% of respondents said they were in favor of the current wage structure.

Servers and bartenders in our state are not asking for this, Dolch said. The One Fair Wage Group is up there and saying that it needs to happen  But understand that the industry is not asking for it.
(Getty Images)

Gov. Josh Shapiro announced Thursday that the state Department of Education will begin a two-year plan to move online the required standardized tests that Pennsylvania public school students take every year, with focus on less testing and more learning.

Shapiro made the announcement at Northgate Middle School in Allegheny County, where he met with students and faculty. He said administering the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) and the Keystone Exams in classrooms creates a huge burden on students and teachers.

These changes will result in a reduction in the amount of time students need to spend on standardized testing by about 30 minutes per test, Shapiro said. Thats a lot of time to be reclaimed for students that need to take tests on multiple subjects in one year.

Northgate is one of the 32% of schools across the commonwealth that already provide tests online, Shapiro said. We know that students today do a ton of interactive learning on their computers, and online assessments actually do a better job of matching how they learn, he said. Moving the tests online would also let students who may need extra accommodations to do so more discreetly.

The PSSAs and Keystones have traditionally been administered via paper booklets and students take them by hand, which Shapiro said means they take longer to score. The tests are intended to measure students proficiency in English language arts, math, and science and technology, and are required by state and federal law.

Shapiro added he would prefer to do away with the tests altogether, but that it would cost the state $600 million in federal funding.

We cant afford to take that amount of money out of the system by doing away with standardized tests while the federal government still requires it, he said. But we are working with our federal partners to see what we can do to ease the requirements on states. And trust me, the moment that they provide some easing of those requirements we will ease them as well here in Pennsylvania.

Gov. Josh Shapiro meets Carrie Wynn, an 11th grader at Northgate High School, April 18, 2024 (Commonwealth Media Service photo)

The plan calls for the state to migrate PSSA and Keystone testing online by 2026.

While Pennsylvania is among a group of states that take a relatively minimalist approach to statewide standardized testing and administers only the minimum number of assessments required by federal law, we have listened to feedback from the field and the public and have responded with a plan that will benefit schools, educators, and Pennsylvanias 1.7 million learners, Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin said.

In addition to bringing the tests online, Shapiro said the state plans to format the questions in ways students are already familiar with, such as drag and drop, and will develop a free, optional benchmark assessment tool for schools to have a more complete picture of students readiness for end-of-year exams.

Paper-and-pencil versions of the tests will remain available for students who need additional accommodations.

Shapiros office estimated the state could save $6.5 million annually once the new plan is implemented, and will save more than 85 million printed pages each year. Schools will also be able to receive students test results more quickly, as opposed to the current system which delivers scoring reports throughout the summer, which can make decisions about how to allocate resources and course content more difficult.

Carrie Wynn, an 11th grade student at Northgate High School, said the online versions of standardized tests have made the daunting exams less stressful. I cannot stand here today and say that moving to online testing has made me more excited for testing, Wynn said Thursday. But it was not the nerve-wracking change that I had anticipated. In fact, it was more similar to the way we learned in class than the old paper tests.

The post Shapiro plan will move standardized tests for Pennsylvania students online by 2026 appeared first on Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
Shark species that may be worlds largest predatory fish is a rare sight, NOAA says

A mysterious shark that may count as the worlds largest predatory fish appears to be in decline off the U.S., prompting a rush to gather as much information as possible about the secretive species, NOAA Fisheries says.

So little is known about Pacific sleeper sharks that experts dont know how many exist, the extent of their movements or how they reproduce, according to a newly published study.

Adult Pacific sleeper sharks are rarely encountered. No pregnant female has ever been retained, NOAA Fisheries reported in an April 15 news release.

This has led scientists to believe that mature sharks may live in abyssal habitats, 3000-6000 meters deep (9,842 feet to 19,585 feet). Very large sharks  up to an estimated 23 feet  have been caught on submersible cameras at great depths. None larger than 14 feet has ever been measured from fishing or survey vessels.

Even larger examples of nearly 25 feet have been caught outside of Alaskas waters, NOAA says.

Pacific sleeper sharks are most often encountered as bycatch in the nets of Alaskas commercial fisheries, and few survive the trauma, experts say. Theyre considered the most vulnerable of all managed fish stocks in Alaska waters, yet no management plan exists.

We still know little about even its most basic biology, NOAA Fisheries research biologist Beth Matta said in the release. We cant manage what we dont understand.

The new NOAA Fisheries study, published April 14, is a first step toward finding answers. It includes everything known or suspected about the species, including details found in century-old writings, officials said.

Among the known details: Pacific sleeper sharks are slow to grow, which means they mature later and have a long lifespan.

Just how long they live is not yet known, but a 35-year-old female studied by scientists proved to be immature, indicating not only extreme longevity, but also delayed maturity, study coauthor Cindy Tribuzio said in the NOAA release.

The study has also revealed trends: Fewer Pacific sleeper sharks have been found off Alaska and Taiwan, while more have been seen in Russian waters, officials said.

There is growing evidence of a critical nursery habitat for Pacific sleeper sharks in the Bering Sea, where aggregations of younger sibling sharks have been discovered, officials said.

As for what they eat, its suspected smaller ones scavenge on whatever falls to the bottom of the sea, while larger Pacific sleeper sharks may prey on marine mammals, including Steller sea lions that reach 11 feet in length and 2,500 pounds.

With the information we compiled in this study, we were able to demonstrate the need to prioritize Pacific sleeper shark assessment efforts, Tribuzio said.

And that we need to think out of the box on how to manage this species given its vulnerability and challenges to assessing it.

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She Was Set to Be Executed in Daughter's Death. Now Prosecutors and Judge Say It Was Accident, Not Murder

Melissa Elizabeth Lucio has been on death row since 2008 after being convicted of murdering her 2-year-old daughter

Courtesy Innocence Project Melissa Elizabeth Lucio (far left) with five of her 12 children.

Mariah Alvarez, 2, died from head trauma in 2007. Prosecutors said her mother, Melissa Elizabeth Lucio, had beaten her child, but evidence suppressed at trial suggests the toddler fell down the stairs in a tragic accident

The mothers execution was stayed in 2022, with five former jurors coming to her defense

Prosecutors and defense lawyers now agree that potentially exonerating evidence  including statements made by Lucio's children  was suppressed at her 2008 trial

A Texas judge reviewing a mothers death penalty case says evidence was suppressed at her trial that suggests the convicted woman's toddler daughter died in a tragic accident and not by her own hand.

Melissa Elizabeth Lucio has been on death row for 15 years, but the judge who oversaw her trial, as well as prosecutors and her defense lawyers, now all agree: the mother of 12 children does not belong there.

Signing a 33-page court document  obtained by PEOPLE  listing agreed-upon findings between the parties, Senior Judge Arturo Nelson said Lucio's conviction and death sentence should be overturned and ordered the court filings sent to Texass Court of Criminal Appeals.

Courtesy Innocence Project Melissa Elizabeth Lucio, with one of her children.

Related: Texas Mom on Death Row Is Granted Stay of Execution, and New Evidence in Child's Death Will Be Reviewed

A spokesperson for the Innocence Project, which has taken on Lucio's case, tells PEOPLE there is no timeline for the appeals court to issue its decision.

On Feb. 17, 2007, paramedics arrived at the familys Brownsville, Texas, home because Lucio's 2-year-old daughter, Mariah Alvarez, was turning purple and unresponsive, per the filing.

Prosecutors later claimed Mariah died from head trauma caused by child abuse.

In July 2008 Lucio was convicted of capital murder in her daughters death and placed on death row a month later, per court documents and her online death row information.

Courtesy Innocence Project Mariah Alvarez

Related: Kim Kardashian Celebrates Melissa Lucio Being Granted Stay of Execution: 'Best News Ever'

But the legal parties and judge agree that important evidence was suppressed at her trial, including a Child Protective Services report detailing interviews with five of Lucio's children, per the new court filing.

Shortly after Mariahs death, the girl's brother, Bobby Alvarez, then 7, said he had seen Mariah fall down some stairs two days earlier, per that suppressed report quoted in the filing. The boy also said he has never seen anyone hit Mariah.

Such evidence was important when considering Mariahs cause of death, per the new court filing.

That suppressed evidence informs a medical diagnosis consistent with Applicants defense: that Mariah died as the result of accidental trauma, the filing states.

AP Photo/Valley Morning Star, Theresa Najera Melissa Elizabeth Lucio in court in Brownsville, Texas, circa 2007 or 2008.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

This week, Bobby Alvarez, now an adult, released a joint statement with family regarding the judges decision.

Important evidence that our sister Mariahs death was an accident, not a murder, was never presented to the jury, the family said, adding they hope our mother can come home to her family. Its been 17 years that we have been without her. We love her and miss her and cant wait to hug her.

Lucio was originally slated for execution April 27, 2022, but her case was stayed just days before she was put to death based on a set of claims including suppression of material evidence now at the center of the appeals case.

Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald via AP Melissa Elizabeth Lucio's mother, Esperanza Trevio (covering her head), with other supporters protesting Lucio's death sentence, on the Cameron County courthouse steps in Brownsville, Texas, Feb. 7, 2022.

Prior to her planned execution, five jurors came forward asking to halt Lucio's execution or give her a new trial.

I am now convinced that the jury got it wrong and I know that there is too much doubt to execute Lucio, one of the jurors, Johnny Galvan Jr., wrote in an op-ed in the Houston Chronicle. If I could take back my vote, I would.

A new date for execution has not been set, the Innocence Project tells PEOPLE.

Texas Department of Criminal Justice/AP/Shutterstock Melissa Elizabeth Lucio in an undated mugshot.

Lucio, who had worked as a janitor, did not have a prison record prior to her daughters death, per her online death row information.

She had a history of being a victim of sexual abuse, going back to age 6, the Innocence Project claims. The organization noted that Lucio's long history of sexual abuse made her more susceptible to what the Innocence Project alleged was polices coercive methods during an intense interrogation, which began within two hours of her daughters death.

Five death row inmates have been executed in the U.S. so far this year, one of them in Texas, per the Death Penalty Information Center, which tracks every case.

Lucio is one of seven women in Texas currently on death row, per the Texas Department of Criminal Justices online death row inmate roster.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.
This photo taken on April 4, 2024 shows the city view of Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)

The genocide, tearing apart communities of Hutus and Tutsis who shared the same language and religion, found its roots in the colonial policies of Western powers. The seeds of division were sown through the colonial scheme of "divide and rule."

KIGALI, April 18 (Xinhua) -- During a ceremony at the Kigali Genocide Memorial on April 7, Rwandan President Paul Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame lit a memorial torch, a flame of remembrance set to burn for 100 days as a solemn tribute to the tragedy that occurred three decades ago.

On April 7, 1994, Rwanda plunged into darkness as nearly 1 million Rwandans, predominantly Tutsis, fell victim to brutality in three months. Hutu militias unleashed a wave of terror, perpetrating beatings, torture, rape, and murder against Tutsi civilians, including numerous women and children.

The genocide, tearing apart communities of Hutus and Tutsis who shared the same language and religion, found its roots in the colonial policies of Western powers. The seeds of division were sown through the colonial scheme of "divide and rule."





WE CAN'T TELL OURSELVES APART

Nestled in the heart of Africa, Rwanda is known as the "land of a thousand hills." Its breathtaking scenery boasts rolling hills adorned with serene lakes and meandering rivers nourishing lush greenery.

The Hutu and Tutsi communities have long coexisted as predominant ethnic groups. The Hutu, primarily agrarian, constitute the majority of the population, while the Tutsi, the sizeable minority, traditionally engage in livestock herding. For generations, the two communities have intermingled, living in mixed settlements and often intermarrying.

"Before the arrival of the colonizers, Rwandans were living in total harmony, where Hutu, Tutsi and Twa each played their role in the society," said Jean-Baptiste Gasominari, a Rwandan political analyst.

Rwanda's fate took a drastic turn with the arrival of European colonizers, first the Germans and later the Belgians, in the late 19th century. Employing the ruse of racial classification, the colonizers shattered the longstanding harmony between the two ethnic groups.

A woman visits the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Kigali, Rwanda on April 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)

According to the flawed contrivance, Europeans deemed themselves superior to Africans, designating Tutsis, with physical features closer to Europeans, as the "superior race" and enlisting them as proxies for governance.

Western anthropologists, in their quest for categorization and control, scrutinized the skulls, facial features, and body types of the indigenous population. Minute differences, such as the length and width of the nose, were perceived as ethnic markers. Consequently, since 1933, Belgian colonial authorities enforced the divisive labeling of Rwandans as either "Hutu" or "Tutsi" on their identity cards.

"You can't tell us apart, even we can't tell us apart," Laurent Nkongoli, then vice president of the National Assembly, who is Tutsi, told American writer Philip Gourevitch, saying he was treated as "one of them" in a Hutu settlement.

"Hutus and Tutsis were once social classes, but the colonizers transformed these identities into political tools," said Ladislas Ngendahimana, the secretary general of the Rwanda Association of Local Government Authorities.





DIVISION CREATED BY COLONIZERS

Mahmood Mamdani, a Ugandan academic, delves into the ploy employed by colonial powers known as indirect rule, a tactic that sought not to eradicate but to redefine existing differences between conquerors and the conquered.

Initially, colonizers attempted direct control over their colonies but encountered formidable resistance rooted in entrenched social traditions.

Henry Maine, a British jurist, devised the infamous "divide and rule" scheme to salvage British authority in India. The Machiavellian approach exploited existing divisions among local populations based on race, language, culture, and religion. By co-opting select groups and nurturing indigenous elites to administer colonial rule on their behalf, colonizers intended to deflect resentment away from themselves.

This practice has since been adopted across the globe, from the British-controlled Malay Peninsula and Dutch-ruled Indonesia, and gradually extended to Egypt, Sudan and other African nations.

Yet, "divide and rule" evolved beyond mere polarization of native populations; it morphed into a deliberate effort to redefine Africa. Western powers crafted narratives, fabricating traditional cultures and distorting historical truths to justify their domination.

In Rwanda, the colonial manipulation manifested the preferential treatment of Tutsis in military and political spheres, while systematically suppressing Hutus. Tutsi's dominance was enforced, with Hutu chiefs replaced and educational opportunities limited for Hutu youth.

"The colonizers did not just exacerbate the division, but they created it," said Gasominari. "It's difficult for the colonizers to root a unified and peaceful country, so they divided African countries, weakened us and took away our minerals and gold."





THE COLONIZED TURNED AGAINST EACH OTHER

In the wake of World War II, the Belgian colonial administration, sensing the tide of anti-colonial sentiment, sought to align itself with the burgeoning Hutu populace, positioning themselves as arbiters in the escalating ethnic tensions.

"The last battle of the colonized against the colonizers will often be the fight of the colonized against each other," observed Frantz Fanon, a French writer and revolutionary.

In 1959, the "social revolution" erupted in Rwanda, as Hutu resentment boiled over into violence against Tutsis. Hundreds of thousands of Tutsis, including the two-year-old Paul Kagame, were forced into exile.

As the Belgian authorities lost their grip on power, they lent their support for the Hutus, paving the way for their resounding victory in the 1960 local elections.

After its independence in 1962, Rwanda's new government expelled Tutsis from the political sphere, barring them from higher education and gainful employment.

Jacqueline Mukamana, a Tutsi survivor of the 1994 Genocide, recalls the moment she became aware of her identity: "I didn't realize I was Tutsi until I faced discrimination in school, with policies favoring Hutu children."

In October 1990, the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF), comprised of Tutsi exiles from Uganda, clashed with Rwandan government forces, demanding their right to return home and be recognized as Rwandan citizens.

Amidst the escalating tensions, external actors further complicated the situation. France, vying for influence in Africa, threw its support to the pro-French Hutu regime, providing arms and training to quell the Tutsi forces, which had close ties to former British colonies like Uganda.

In August 1993, the Rwandan government, led by Hutu President Juvenal Habyarimana, and the RPF signed the Arusha Accords to address key issues such as power-sharing and refugee repatriation in a bid to end the protracted civil war.

On April 6, 1994, the tragic assassination of Habyarimana and Burundian President Cyprien Ntaryamira in a plane crash near Kigali airport served as the catalyst that ignited the powder keg of conflict in Rwanda, plunging the nation into its darkest hour.





CUT DOWN THE TALL TREES

In the chaotic aftermath of the presidential plane crash, Hutu extremists spared no time seizing control and forming an interim government. Across Kigali, army units and Hutu militias erected roadblocks, scrutinizing the racial classifications on people's identity cards.

The orchestrated massacres commenced. The airwaves crackled with the venomous broadcasts of Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM) vilifying Tutsis as "cockroaches" and goading Hutus to "cut down the tall trees."

This photo taken on April 8, 2024 shows a view of the wall of names at the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Kigali, Rwanda. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)

Armed with machetes and fueled by hate-filled rhetoric, Hutu civilians descended upon their Tutsi neighbors, unleashing a wave of carnage that engulfed the city. Within a week, the streets of Kigali ran red with the blood of 20,000 victims.

The horror swiftly spread across the country, as years of intermingling among villagers rendered them acutely aware of their neighbors' ethnic identities. Tutsis seeking shelter in fields, forests, swamps, and hills found no refuge from the relentless onslaught.

"I lost 65 family members. In the end, we managed to find and bury 21 of them," Mukamana escaped and returned to the grisly sight of her family's massacre.

Alongside other survivors, she fled to seek refuge in the neighboring Nyamata Church, which was packed with fearful, desperate civilians. "We thought no one would kill anyone in the church, but soon the militia came and attacked it with grenades and guns."

For 100 days, Rwanda descended into a maelstrom of violence and despair. Blood flowed freely, staining homes, fields, and roads with the grim testament of genocide. Public infrastructure lay in ruins, and the specter of death loomed large, casting a dark pall over the nation.

A survivor's grievance is showcased on the wall of the exhibition hall at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center: "When they said 'Never again' after the Holocaust, was this meant for some people and not for others?"





BETRAYAL BY INT'L COMMUNITY

"It was the international community which failed all of us, whether from contempt or cowardice," Kagame said in his speech at the ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the genocide.

"When we talk of the international community, basically it means the powerful countries, the Western world," Ngendahimana said.

When the tragedy occurred in 1994, U.S. officials hesitated to invoke the term "genocide," dodging the legal obligations that would ensue under the Genocide Convention adopted by the United Nations.

As then U.S. President Bill Clinton said in a speech during the 100 days: "Whether we get involved in any of the world's ethnic conflicts in the end must depend on the cumulative weight of the American interests at stake."

It was in July 1994, when the Kagame-led RPF took control of Kigali and soon the whole country, that the 100-day tragedy ended.

Yet, even as Rwanda grappled with the aftermath of genocide, the echoes of colonialism continued to reverberate across the African continent.

Ngendahimana said that the divisionism brought about by colonial rule still had a deleterious effect on African countries. "We were forced to reject our values, language and identity and embrace a foreign identity, and this colonial legacy has sparked conflicts and wars in African countries such as Nigeria, Cameroon, Somalia, Sudan and others."





EMBRACING FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION

In July 1994, a Government of National Unity was established by the RPF, comprising both Hutu and Tutsi officials, marking a pivotal step towards transcending the deep-seated divisions that had torn the nation asunder.

Central to the reconciliation efforts was the overhaul of the constitution, which saw the removal of ethnic categories from identity cards. No longer were Rwandans defined by Hutu or Tutsi labels; instead, they embraced a shared identity as Rwandans, united in their common humanity.

In the wake of the atrocities, the country faced a severe shortage of judges capable of adjudicating the staggering number of cases. With over 100,000 individuals accused of participating in the genocide, the Rwandan government sought innovative solutions to deliver justice and facilitate recovery.

Thus, the Gacaca courts emerged as a unique and transformative mechanism for reconciliation. Held in community settings, these grassroots tribunals provided a platform for victims and perpetrators alike to confront the truth, seek forgiveness, and foster understanding.

Mukamana also attended the courts. "The perpetrators told me the truth, they asked for forgiveness, said they had been misled by the genocidal regime, informed me of the place where they dumped the remains of my family members. I managed to find the remains of my relatives and gave them a decent burial."

Since their inception in 2002, over 12,000 Gacaca courts have convened across Rwanda, adjudicating more than 1.9 million cases.





REBIRTH FROM ASHES

With a stable political landscape, sound security and a commitment to transparent governance, Rwanda has achieved remarkable economic and social development in recent years.

According to the World Bank, Rwanda's economy has registered remarkable growth, with an average annual rate of 7.2 percent and a corresponding rise in GDP per capita by 5 percent between 2009 and 2019. Kigali received the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour award in 2008, becoming the first African city to earn the prize.

Drawing inspiration from local traditions of communal support, Rwanda has pioneered a series of "Home Grown Solutions" aimed at accelerating socio-economic development. The "Girinka" program, for instance, distributes cows to impoverished families, with the proviso that the first calf born is gifted to a neighboring family, fostering both economic empowerment and social cohesion.

Mukamana created a cooperative called Duterimbere with a dozen women in the village, selling hand-made decorations to subsidize their families. "Duterimbere means 'to go forward with enthusiasm'," she said, "our village was reborn from the ashes of genocide."

"After the devastation of 1994, Rwanda faced a crossroads," observed Gasominari. "Yet, through deliberate choices of reconciliation, reconstruction, and national renewal, Rwanda has emerged as a shining example of resilience and progress."

This photo taken on April 6, 2024 shows children at a village in Muhanga district of the Southern Province, Rwanda. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)

As a member of the global South, strengthening South-South cooperation is an important direction for Rwanda's external engagement. The government-funded Rwanda Cooperation Initiative was established in 2018 to showcase Rwanda's transformative innovations to global partners and to strengthen exchanges and cooperation among developing countries in their quest for development.

In 2018, Rwanda joined the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative. According to statistics, the highways built by Chinese enterprises account for more than 70 percent of the country's total mileage, becoming the arteries of Rwanda's economic and social development, interconnecting the landlocked country and connecting it to its neighboring countries.

"I commend the manner in which China engages with Africa, including its collaboration with Rwanda. The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, initiated by China, is not a means of colonization but rather a platform for fostering people-to-people collaboration. The Chinese development model, which seeks to transition the nation from poverty to prosperity, serves as inspiration for other developing countries," said Ngendahimana.

During the ceremony commemorating the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation last September, Manasseh Nshuti, Rwandan minister of state in charge of the East African Community in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, underscored the importance of South-South cooperation.

"I urge each of us to pause and contemplate the immense potential that South-South cooperation holds. It is not confined to the exchange of ideas or the signing of agreements; it is about forging enduring bonds of solidarity that will uplift our nations and transform our collective future," said Nshuti.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  The San Diego County Sheriffs Department responded to the federal district courts April 5 decision to release evidence from a case involving the death of an inmate in 2019 at the Las Colinas Detention Facility.

Elisa Serna, 24, died at the detention facility on Nov. 11, 2019, five days after she was booked into jail. The county medical examiner determined she died from complications of chronic polysubstance abuse with a contributing factor of early intrauterine pregnancy.

The video and other evidence in this case is disturbing and the actions of some staff on that day do not reflect the values of the Sheriffs Department. Since becoming Sheriff last year, I have made substantial changes improving the conditions in our countys jails. Those changes are ongoing, and I am committed to seeing them through, San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez said in a news release Wednesday.

Victim and suspect in Spring Valley shooting identified

Danalee Pascua, a nurse at the Las Colinas Detention Facility, and Friederike Von Lintig, the physician overseeing the medical observation unit on the day she died, both were accused of negligence in Sernas death. In February, Pascua was acquitted of involuntary manslaughter, while the jury did not reach a verdict on the charges against Von Lintig. It is unclear whether prosecutors will seek a retrial against the doctor.

During the trial, prosecutors argued the two failed to adequately treat Serna in the final hours of her life while she was experiencing seizures, vomiting and other symptoms of withdrawal. They said she was accused by the medical staff of faking her condition.

Martinez said the sheriffs department has ensured medical and mental health screenings are conducted for everyone during the intake process, after the California State Auditor made recommendations focused on the health care needs of individuals in the jail on February 3, 2022.

We have increased the Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Program in our jails and now have over 600 individuals who are involved in the program, Martinez added.

FOX 5/KUSIs Danielle Dawson contributed to this story.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
Sheriffs office to pull out of juvenile lockup, but date is in disagreement

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  The Shelby County Sheriffs Office says it plans to pull its personnel out of the Juvenile Courts Youth Education center at the end of this year and relocate them to the countys adult jails.

But Juvenile Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon says he doesnt think the process will happen in 2024.

We are committed to working closely with the Sheriffs Department to chart the way forward. However, given the intricate nature of the transition process, we do not anticipate its completion in 2024, Sugarmon said Wednesday in a statement released to media.

The sheriffs office agreed to provide support to the Juvenile Court facility in 2015, as Juvenile Court came under scrutiny from the Department of Justice.

In-person visitation to resume for youth inmates in Shelby County

Sheriff Floyd Bonner says that agreement was never formalized  just a hand-shake agreement  and those jailers are now needed more at the countys adult jail facilities, which Bonners office is required by state law to staff.

Like many law enforcement agencies across the nation, SCSO faces challenges regarding staffing, Bonner wrote in a letter to Sugarmon. Relocating our youth facilities personnel to adult facilities will support the communitys needs more efficiently in a fiscally prudent manner.

TN bill would make parents pay for juvenile crime

In a letter sent to county and school district officials this week, Bonner said the deadline to end the agreement with Juvenile Court was Dec. 31, 2024.

Bonner assured Sugarmon he would not pull staff out of the juvenile facility until Sugarmons office could find and train new staff.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Sheriffs SWAT team at scene of standoff with suspect believed to be armed in Sacramento home

Authorities Wednesday evening evacuated nearby residents after deputies surrounded a south Sacramento home where an armed suspect was holed up and had refused to come out.

The incident unfolded in the 7700 block of Southland Way in a residential neighborhood a few blocks south of Gerber Road in Sacramento Countys Vineyard neighborhood.

Sacramento County sheriffs deputies were at the scene assisting California Highway Patrol officers in the incident, said Sheriffs Office spokesman Sgt. Amar Gandhi. The Sheriffs Office SWAT team, along with other deputies, had responded to the incident.

It was unclear what led to the standoff with authorities. A spokesman for the CHP South Sacramento office was not immediately available to provide further details.

Shortly before 6 p.m. Wednesday, the Sheriffs Office announced that evacuations were in progress, urging residents to avoid the area.
At a Friday climate march, getting loud will be allowed, a federal judge has ruled.

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge David C. Nye in Boise issued a partial injunction in the Sierra Clubs lawsuit against the city of Boise over the Police Departments enforcement of a noise ordinance that bans the use of megaphones at protests. The ruling will allow the Sierra Clubs youth climate activist team to use megaphones during the rally and all of its upcoming protests, Lisa Young, the organizations Idaho chapter director, told the Idaho Statesman via email.

The environmental advocacy organization sued the city April 2 over its noise ordinance, as well as its requirement that groups get permission from the city before holding a meeting in a city park. The Sierra Club argued that the laws vagueness and uneven enforcement were unconstitutionally limiting protesters freedom of speech.

Police in Boise have recently started ticketing protesters for using megaphones  and arresting them if they dont stop, the lawsuit says. Police are now using Boises ordinances to silence and chill protected free speech in public forums where it is the most protected: the streets, sidewalks, plazas, and parks of downtown Boise.

The injunction is only an interim step in the case, as it kept in effect for other events, at least for now, the ordinances that limit gatherings and the use of loudspeakers and megaphones in Boise parks, the Sierra Club said in a news release. But is an overall positive sign ... that our case clearly has some merit, Noah Rott, the Sierra Clubs deputy press secretary, told the Idaho Statesman via email.

The Sierra Club alleged the city has disproportionately enforced the noise ordinance against left-leaning protesters, citing the ticketing of a demonstrator at a 2021 protest against police injustice, arrests at abortion-rights protests in 2022 and 2023, and the ticketing of a pro-Palestine protest in December.

The Sierra Club does not have data on when and how often the department has enforced the law, but has a sense anecdotally that right-leaning protesters have not faced the same enforcement, Young previously told the Statesman.

As director of the Idaho Sierra Club, Lisa Young has used megaphones at Boise-area protests for years, according to court filings. Though the use of megaphones violates the citys noise ordinance, the law went largely unenforced until 2021, Young said. Court filing, Sierra Club vs. City of Boise

We have observed instances where there are people using other loudspeakers at events that we do not see the police intervening on, she said. People have mentioned that, at the Pride event last year, there were some counter-protesters of some sort that were being really loud and using some kind of amplified sound device  kind of heckling some of the Pride events. To our knowledge, those people were not detained or anything, or asked to stop doing that.

The judges interim decision applies only to the Sierra Club, and not to other groups of protesters, Young told the Statesman, because Mondays Supreme Court decision banning gender-affirming health care for transgender children, Poe v. Labrador, set a precedent against universal injunctions in other cases.

We are one of the first cases in the aftermath of that decision to see the consequences of that, she said.

Haley Williams, a spokesperson for the Boise Police Department, declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation.

The Idaho Climate Justice League plans to participate in the Global Climate Strike at noon Friday, the Sierra Club said in the news release. An estimated 50 youth protesters were expected to start at the Capitol and march several blocks around downtown before finishing at City Hall.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

A chilling effect on Boise protests? Sierra Club files federal suit over city law

A debate over the fate of Catholic Church offices  and an accusation of religious bias

9 complaints against ex-Boise police chief detailed in documents McLean kept from view
Former judge Abbi Silver (Nevada Appellate Courts/Administrative Office of the Courts photo)

Policy, politics and progressive commentary

Gov. Joe Lombardo announced Thursday hes appointing retired Nevada Supreme Court Justice Abbi Silver to the Nevada Gaming Commission. Silver will replace Commissioner Ogonna Brown, whose term ends next week.

Justice Silver is one of Nevadas brightest visionaries and trailblazers, and Im confident that she will greatly enhance the work of the commission in her new role, Lombardo said in a news release.

Silver, who served four years on the states high court before retiring in 2022, will be the second retired judge on the commission. Commission chairwoman Jennifer Togliatti retired from the bench in 2019.

A former prosecutor with the Clark County District Attorney, Silver was first elected to the Las Vegas Municipal Court in 2003, and later to Las Vegas Justice Court. She was elected to the Clark County District Court in 2008 and re-elected in 2014. Silver was next elected as a district court judge in the Eighth Judicial District Court. She was appointed by Gov. Brian Sandoval to the Appeals Court, and elected in 2018 to the Supreme Court.

Im honored to be appointed to the Nevada Gaming Commission, Silver said in the statement issued by the governors office. Im grateful to Governor Lombardo for entrusting me with this dynamic role, and I look forward to serving our state.

The post Silver appointed to Gaming Commission appeared first on Nevada Current.
Simon Case was accused of showing a "lack of support" and "cold-shouldering" allegations of racism - Tayfun Salci/Shutterstock

Simon Case has been accused by a former civil servant of allowing unrelenting and systemic racism to run rampant in the Cabinet Office.

Rowaa Ahmar, a former senior Treasury official who is of Egyptian and French heritage, attempted to sue Mr Case and other senior officials at an employment tribunal over sex and racial discrimination, lodging eight grievances and singling out 27 individuals.

However, Ms Ahmar withdrew her claims on Monday, almost two years after lodging the first of her two claims in June 2022.

The Telegraph can reveal the details of her case for the first time after overturning reporting restrictions imposed by the court.

Tribunal documents show she accused Mr Case, the Cabinet Secretary, of showing a lack of support and cold-shouldering her allegations of racism and harassment after she resigned.

Ms Ahmar had been seconded to the Cabinet Office in June 2021 to help lead Britains preparations for the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow.

She claimed she was the only black, asian and minority ethnic (BAME) official of her seniority in the Cabinet Office and accused her manager of singling her out for hostile treatment because of her race.

She criticised my communication skills and referred to English being my third language.

I was performing well but she still singled me out for hostile treatment.

She clearly disliked me for some reason (others noticed it), wished and sought to ignore or humiliate men, and could not contain her hostility towards me.

She did not conduct herself in that hostile manner towards her white staff.

Victimised

Ms Ahmar also alleged Cop26 staff wasted taxpayers money by organising needless trips to the Highlands.

Ms Ahmar claimed she was ordered to leave the summit on Nov 6 2021 after being harassed, discriminated against, victimised, claiming other white staff were not subject to the same treatment.

After taking up a senior role in an illegal migration task force on Jan 4 2022, she accused civil servants working on stopping illegal boat crossings of being onboard for racist ultra-hostility.

She claimed that civil service directors viewed the ultra-hostile environment towards migrants as practical, necessary and gratifying.

Mr Case and two other named officials  Alex Chisholm, the permanent secretary in the Cabinet Office, and Sarah Harrison, the chief operating officer in the Cabinet Office  were all accused of being untrustworthy over how they dealt with her complaints.

The tribunal documents show Mr Case and the two other officials argued they played only minor roles.

The Cabinet Office said she submitted eight grievances over eight months and branded the claims against Mr Case preposterous.

The claimant raised 82 issues in naming at least 27 people in the claim, it added.

They include all her managers, and human resources, as well as individuals from other business areas who considered her grievances or addressed her subject access requests, the department said, as well as independent investigators from a third-party commercial organisation which specialises in carrying out workplace investigations.

The department said the Cabinet Secretary never met the claimant but was on one Zoom call he was on.

She was asked to leave the meeting because she lacked permission to join remotely, it added.

Ms Ahmar resigned on July 21 2022. In documents submitted to the central London employment tribunal she wrote: At the end of the day, when there are no good or trustworthy people left at the top (none of Mr Case, Chisholm, or Ms Harrison are trustworthy and all broke the rules to retaliate against me or allow others to do so), there is no method or way to successfully challenge such unlawful conduct.

This was the position when I resigned and one important factor in my resignation. The racism within the Cabinet Office appeared to be unrelenting and systemic.

Mr Case, who works closely with Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, stepped back from his Cabinet Secretary duties in October because of a medical matter, before returning to work in January.

Before being appointed Cabinet Secretary in 2020 by Boris Johnson, then prime minister, Mr Case served as private secretary to the then Prince of Wales.

A Cabinet Office spokesman said: These allegations are completely unfounded and the Cabinet Office has always firmly denied all of the claims in this case. We were prepared to robustly defend them in court.

The claimant has withdrawn all of these claims and we have agreed to that. No payment has been made, including in relation to the legal costs incurred.

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New snag for ex-Denver couple trying to homestead old church in rural Kansas | Opinion

Theres a new hurdle in the way of the couple trying to convert an abandoned church to a home in St. John  and it has the potential to send the matter to court.

Mike Rosseau and Dorothy Tobe have been fighting for 10 months to move into the church building they purchased after they were forced out of Denver and Colorado by the high cost of housing.

And they appeared to be on their way to a resolution when the citys planning and zoning board voted last month for a special-use permit to allow them to move into the old church, which theyve renovated to the point of passing a residential building inspection.

Letting them move in (after theyve spent the last 10 months working on the church by day and sleeping in their real estate agents guest room each night) seems like the just, logical and common-sense thing to do.

But good-old-boy network politics run deep in St. John.

Two former City Council members, along with a member of the zoning board who eventually had to recuse herself from the issue, have joined forces on a protest petition that will force Rosseau and Tobe to have to get four out of five votes when the issue comes before the City Council.

That vote was supposed to have been this week, but it was postponed to a special meeting due to absences among the council members.

Among the absent council members was Mark Bryant, whos been hospitalized for nearly two months with a variety of health issues. He was Rosseaus and Tobes only supporter on the five-member council when the case came before it in July of last year.

The protest petition blocking the occupancy of the church  which was vacant and used for personal storage for 20 years before the couple purchased it  is signed by three neighboring property owners.

They include Kevin Davis, owner of Davis Electrical, a contracting business at the other end of the block from the church. Also, Jeni Jones, who owns a beauty shop next-door to Davis Electrical.

Davis is a former member of the City Council and Jones is on the planning and zoning board.

Together, they filed the complaint last July that led to the council rejecting the couple the first time around  and the city bringing an unprecedented and bizarre charge (later dropped) of criminal zoning violation.

The third name was a bit of a surprise. Its Ryan Christie, who signed as a co-owner of Davis Electrical.

Christie was on the City Council the first time the zoning case came around. He voted to deny the conditional use permit, while his partner acted as the public face of the complaint.

Conflict of interest doesnt get much clearer than that.

This time around, Rosseau and Tobe wont have to worry about his vote. He got tossed from the council in November by a write-in candidate, largely due to the backlash over the way City Hall treated the couple.

The petition itself makes much of the fact that Rousseaus 1954 Hudson Super Wasp is parked in the front yard of the church.

It doesnt mention that one of Davis two properties on the block is an abandoned gas station thats a bigger eyesore than anything Rosseau and Tobe have going on.

The petition also makes the claim that commercial spaces are already scarce in a town of our size, making it challenging for existing businesses to expand or new businesses to establish.

That doesnt pass the eye test or the laugh test.

Downtown St. John is full of properties like Davis gas station, where business left years ago and the run-down vacant buildings are used for storage.

Tobe said shes hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst when the council meets on Monday.

A lot has changed in the past year  and voters sent a pretty strong message with Christies removal from the council. But a four-fifths vote on a body that rejected basically the same thing 10 months ago is a tall order.

If its the same history, they may vote us down, and then our attorney has to file and appeal and we all get to go to court, Tobe said.

If it comes to that, the city will have to prove it has better reasons for rejecting Rosseau and Tobes permit than that a handful of well-connected business people dont like it.

Heres hoping it doesnt come to that.

Rural central Kansas couple has key win in battle to live in former church | Opinion

Kansas couple criminally charged for sleeping in church | Opinion
Just as the Cass Report threatened to turn the tide of trans ideology in England, Scotland is doubling down on its commitment to that same philosophy. Primary schools north of the border are appointing children as LGBT champions and are being urged to ask pupils as young as four if they are gay, lesbian or trans, The Telegraph has revealed.

Its an initiative by LGBT Youth Scotland, a publicly-funded charity that also urges teachers to install gender-neutral toilets and claims that more than 200 Scottish secondaries  more than half of the national total  and more than 40 primary schools, have joined its LGBT charter for education.

As part of membership, staff are trained by the organisation, which provides an online guide and letter templates for children wishing to change their gender at school.

A core part of trans ideology  and one that was perhaps fatally undermined by the Cass report into gender care for young people  is that anyone, however young, convinced that they were born in the wrong body, must be affirmed in that belief. But what is happening in Scottish schools appears to be more than that. There cant be much justification for recruiting primary-aged children to the LGBT cause, other than to advance a political movement and guarantee the continued public funding of the various organisations whose members jobs depend on it.

First Minister Humza Yousaf, meanwhile, whose government seems committed to the LGBT Champions programme for children, prides himself on being the most progressive political leader in the UK. He was slow to respond to the findings of the Cass Review (Sandyford Clinic, Scotlands only gender identity clinic for youngsters, has only just announced a pause in the prescription of puberty-blocking drugs to under-18s) and has invited further controversy by announcing that the Scottish Governments long-awaited Bill to protect women from misogyny will be extended to include biologically male trans women.

The First Ministers most high profile and influential critic, the author J.K. Rowling, said he had revealed his absolute contempt for women. She highlighted that the recently enacted Hate Crime and Public Disorder Act offered protection to trans people  but not women  from hate crimes. Rowling expressed outrage that with the new anti-misogyny bill, trans women would receive double protection.

Yousaf took to Twitter to hit back: The faux outrage claiming trans women have double protection under the law because of who they are is as ludicrous as being upset that a disabled, black woman has triple protection under the law. Expect much fun and games when MSPs get to the part of the Bill that calls for a definition of what a woman actually is.

To understand why a party that used to prioritise independence, and which used that issue to gain office, now sets so much store in advancing trans ideology in government, two important factors need to be understood.

The first is that the SNP have profited politically by claiming that culturally and politically, Scotland is different from England. And many Scots have bought into this fallacy, which is why Yousaf and his ministers felt, initially, at least, that they could safely ignore Casss review, since it was undertaken in England.

Secondly, governments are encouraged to persevere with a controversial policy if it is confident that the main opposition parties will raise no objections. Scottish Labour has been as wholly captured by the trans lobby as has the SNP; Yousafs plans to include protection for biological males in anti-misogyny legislation will likely provoke no protest from Anas Sarwar or his front bench.

But when children become the target of the LGBT ideology, voters might just start to notice, especially if our large neighbour to the south looks like it might finally be showing signs of resisting the intellectual tyranny to which it has surrendered in the last decade.

And when political parties choose to ignore angry parents, there can be only one winner.

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SNP leader Humza Yousaf was accused of 'repeatedly passing the buck' over the clinic - Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Scotland is to suspend the use of puberty blockers as a result of the Cass Review, in a major about-turn from the SNP.

The Sandyford Clinic in Glasgow said that it would also no longer prescribe gender-affirming hormones to under 18s.

The move follows intense scrutiny of methods at the Sandyford, which has been branded the tartan Tavistock, following the publication of the review by Hilary Cass, the esteemed paediatrician.

The SNP had previously said the Scottish NHS would take time to review her findings, suggesting many parts of the damning Cass report for NHS England did not apply to Scotland.

As recently as Monday, ministers insisted there would be no snap judgments over whether to follow Cass and they backed clinicians prescribing the drugs, saying they followed very high standards.

Maree Todd, an SNP health minister, claimed puberty blockers were never routinely prescribed in Scotland.

However, Dr Casss report warned that there was no credible evidence to suggest that puberty blockers were effective or safe. She could also not rule out that they could contribute to psychological or physical problems in later life, including infertility.

The move could lead to a rift with the SNPs coalition partners the Scottish Greens, who had criticised aspects of the Cass Review and support affirmative gender healthcare, and also LGBT lobby groups it has close ties to.

The decision means that under 18s will no longer be referred for prescriptions of puberty blockers or hormone treatments.

Young people could previously be prescribed puberty blockers, which stop physical changes, before then being put onto oestrogen or testosterone in an effort to align their bodies with their gender identity.

In a statement issued by the Sandyfords young persons gender service on Thursday, it said it had paused referrals to endocrinologists for puberty blockers for any new patients assessed by our Young Persons Gender Service.

It added: Patients aged 16 to 17 years old who have not been treated by Paediatric Endocrinology, but who are still seeking treatment for their gender incongruence, will no longer be prescribed gender-affirming hormone treatment until they are 18 years old.

The suspension will not apply to existing patients on the drugs, which is in line with the ban announced last month by NHS England.

The youngest known patient to be prescribed puberty blockers after being seen at the Sandyford was just nine years old.

Almost 100 children aged 16 or under were referred to endocrinologists for possible puberty blocker prescriptions by the Sandyford between 2016 and 2023.

Meghan Gallacher, the Scottish Conservatives deputy leader, said: This long-overdue decision should have been taken weeks ago when NHS England put a pause on the prescribing of puberty blockers.

The SNP Government have been dragged kicking and screaming towards taking the necessary action to safeguard vulnerable youngsters after days of shameful silence and dithering in response to the Cass Review  presumably to placate the gender zealots in the Scottish Greens.

Humza Yousaf repeatedly passed the buck  insisting it was up to clinicians to decide on the efficacy of puberty blockers and saying he wouldnt be rushed in to responding to Cass  when it was clear decisive action was required.

Trans charity saddened

The charity Scottish Trans, which the Scottish Government funds, said the move was the wrong decision and would harm trans children and young people.

Vic Valentine, manager of Scottish Trans, said: Were saddened that this change will result in some young people being unable to access the care they need at all, or having to wait even longer for it. We want every child or young person to get the individualised care thats right for them at the time thats right for them. We dont think this decision will make that possible.

We note that the announcement mentions the potential for further research into the use of puberty blockers, in partnership with NHS England. There is widespread concern that neither the research programme, nor how it will be designed, are finalised yet.

We call on the Young Peoples Gender Service and the Scottish Government to urgently prioritise resourcing high quality, ethical research, to make sure that no child or young person is denied the care they need.

The Sandyford statement said: This service update follows research from NHS England and the publication of the Cass Review while we work with the Scottish Government to engage in research with NHS England that will generate evidence of safety and long-term impact for therapies.

We are committed to providing the best possible clinical care for young people accessing and understand the distress that gender incongruence can cause.

While this pause is in place, we will continue to give anyone who is referred into the Young People Gender Service the psychological support that they require while we review the pathways in line with the findings.

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.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in Jakarta, Indonesia, April 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)

JAKARTA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- There is no exception nor any privilege for the United States in complying with international law, including United Nations Security Council resolutions, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Thursday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at a joint press conference after meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

In response to a question over the UN's role in calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Wang said that in the Gaza conflict, which has persisted for half a year, a rare humanitarian tragedy of the 21st century has unfolded.

The UN Security Council, in response to the calls of the international community, has been continuously deliberating on draft resolutions regarding a ceasefire in Gaza, only to be repeatedly vetoed by the United States, Wang said.

He added that the UN Security Council has recently adopted Resolution 2728, demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. This time, the United States did not dare to continue standing against international moral principles and instead chose to abstain, yet claimed that this resolution was "non-binding."

This statement by the United States has astounded the world, once again exposing the hegemonic mentality of the United States, Wang noted.

He criticized the U.S. for employing international law as merely a tool that can be utilized at will or discarded when deemed unnecessary.

Wang pointed out that every member state of the United Nations is well aware that the resolutions adopted by the Security Council in accordance with the UN Charter are binding and that all countries are obliged to abide by them, which is a serious commitment made by all countries when they joined the United Nations.

The United States, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, should take the lead in abiding by UN Security Council resolutions, Wang said, adding that in response to the absurd claims made by the United States, the UN Secretariat has clearly emphasized that all Security Council resolutions are international laws and are legally binding.

It is hoped that the United States will drop its sense of superiority and truly heed the voices of the international community, Wang said, adding that it is time U.S. officials brush up on their basic knowledge of international law.

The United States has consistently claimed to comply with "the rules-based international order," but the most significant rules are the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including international legal norms such as UN Security Council resolutions, Wang said.

The Security Council, as the core of the world's collective security mechanism, should by no means be manipulated by individual countries for geopolitical purposes, nor should it serve as a stage to pursue hegemony or power politics, the Chinese foreign minister noted.

There is no exception in the United Nations in complying with international laws including Security Council resolutions, and the United States holds no privileges in this regard, Wang said.

Wang expressed hope that the United States would change its long-standing superiority complex, and work, as a member of the United Nations, along with other member states, to fulfill the due international responsibilities, support Resolution 2728, and achieve an overall cease-fire in the Gaza Strip at an early date, so as to save the Palestinian people from their sufferings. 

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in Jakarta, Indonesia, April 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)
Is Sol Blume still happening? Concertgoers uneasy about Sacramento festivals lack of updates

Update: Sol Blume likely postponed due to venue weather conditions

Original story:

Ticket holders say they are beginning to feel antsy about the upcoming Sol Blume festival, one of the largest R&B concerts in Northern California.

Artist lineups and concert dates for Sol Blume were announced by the festivals organizers, ENT Legends, in February. ENT announced that it added an extra day for the first time this year, making it a three-day event from May 3 to 5.

But with just two weeks before the big event at Discovery Park, anticipated concertgoers are growing weary about whether the event is still happening.

Many fans took their concerns to the Sol Blume social media pages to voice their concerns. The festival has not added a post on either Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) since Feb. 29.

People who have purchased tickets have flooded social media with comments and posts wondering whats going on.

One Instagram account finessestef commented: Yall had the dopest lineup & leaving us in the dark with no update literally 2 weeks before the fest is supposed to take place?! WHYYYYYYY

The organizers are working diligently, around the clock to provide more updates to fans, a spokesperson for ENT Legends said Thursday. Fans can expect an update soon via social media and emails.

Theres A LOT of talk but no updates

Another user, kaamiikko, begged for some form of communication from organizers before she decides whether to attend.

Pleeasseee let me know if the festival is going to (be) postponed before I purchase my tickets. Theres A LOT of talk going on on TikTok and Twitter.

Another Instagram user, _mina.irl, commented under Sol Blumes last post seven weeks ago criticizing the silence.

Did you guys not learn your lesson from last year??? If plans are changing  keep us updated. Dont leave us in the dark until the last minute. Im a Sac local, but there are people who are flying out and need to book their accommodations. If you want Sol Blume to continue, dont treat your patrons like afterthoughts.

Festival has been postponed, canceled before

The event was postponed three and a half months last year following numerous severe rainstorms that soaked Sacramento, compromising Discovery Park.

Expected headliners for Sol Blume this year are Snoh Aalegra on Friday, May 3 show, Kaytramine,  the duo of Kaytranada and Amine  on Saturday, May 4 and SZA on Sunday, May 5.

The event started in 2018, when it was first held at Cesar Chavez Plaza downtown. The festival wasnt held in 2020 or 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but returned and grew in popularity.

This year, however, music fans have expressed uncertainty about the concert.

TikTok user tanaecious_, who said she purchased tickets, said in a TikTok Reel that shes never experienced this at a festival and doesnt know what to do.

She, too, is worried about the lack of updates. She also wonders when her wristband for entry to the festival grounds will be shipped.

When I saw (the lineup) I immediately knew I wanted to go. ... With the way things are playing out, I am having regrets about buying my pass to Sol Blume, she said in the post.
An air force recruit has been arrested in the Dominican Republic and charged with raping a 14-year old Haitian migrant. The incident took place during an immigration check in the eastern Dominican Republic, not far from Punta Cana, the popular tourist destination.

On Wednesday, Dominican authorities confirmed the arrest of a member of the countrys air force in connection with the alleged rape. The Altagracia Prosecutors Office said it plans to request the detention of accused rapist Paulino de la Cruz, 18, for acts committed against a minor. Though de la Cruz was believed to have been an immigration officer, he is not, authorities said. De la Cruz told investigators he is a soldier who works in immigration control.

Military officials in the Dominican Republic are involved in immigration operations to protect agents and maintain public safety, according to Julio Caraballo, communications director for the General Directorate of Immigration. However, those operations take place between 6 a.m. and 6 p .m. The alleged raped occurred around 5 a.m. on April 5. Caraballo previously told the Herald he has no record of a scheduled immigration raid at that time.

The incident, described as embarrassing by government authorities, was immediately condemned by officials, who began an investigation after the girls mother filed a police complaint.

According to a 53-page report by the prosecutors office obtained by the Herald, the alleged rape occurred during an immigration raid in the Bavaro neighborhood. The raid was overseen by an immigration supervisor and involved 13 people. De la Cruz was arrested Tuesday after the 14-year old identified him, the report said. The prosecutor said the evidence includes an interview with the victim, accounts from officials involved in the raid and physical evidence from a bedroom in the home. The report says De la Cruz denies entering the young victims residence and taking advantage of the fact that she was alone. No one on his team would do such a thing, he told investigators.

The case has sparked outraged among Haitian and Dominican human-rights activists in the country, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. The Haitian government also expressed outrage and called for protection of Haitian migrants and minors, while a United Nations official in the country has called on the Dominican Republic to take steps to protect the girl and her family and ensure that future incidents do not occur.

In public statements, the regions top bishop also reminded officials that the dignity of individuals needs to be respected and protected.

The protection of minors, regardless of their origin and nationality, is a sacred obligation of the authorities, Jesus Castro Marte, the bishop of the Diocese of Nuestra Senora de la Altagracia in Higuey, said in public comments soon after the incident was made public. They are not animals.

Both the girl and her mother say the teen was sexually violated when a man, believed to be an immigration officer, knocked on the door of the family home early in the morning. After he saw that the girl was home alone, the man preceded to rape her, they said. She had rejected his advances and repeatedly told him she was a minor, according to a video testimony that the Miami Herald obtained. Local activist Santiago Molina, who has supported the girl and her family, said the victim had recognized the suspect earlier this week. The family lives in Bavaro, a beach resort near the Punta Cana.

The rape accusation is the second time in less than a year that a Haitian migrant is accusing a Dominican official of sexual assault. In September authorities arrested an immigration agent accused of raping a Haitian woman in front of her 4-year-old son after she was detained at the international airport in Santo Domingo. The woman was on her way to Nicaragua and was placed in a detention cell, where the alleged assault occurred.

Despite the speed in which Dominican authorities responded to the latest incident, Haitian rights activists have said that the incident is part of a pattern of abuse and human rights violations, including by. the Dominican Republics government, toward Haitian migrants in the Spanish-speaking country, which has historically had an acrimonious relationship with Haiti.
By Kirsty Needham

(Reuters) -The Solomon Islands' pro-China Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has retained his seat in the national election, local media reported late on Friday but it won't be known for days if his party has won enough support to form the next government.

Wednesday's election was the first since Sogavare struck a security pact with China in 2022 and drew the Pacific Islands nation closer to Beijing, in moves that concerned the U.S. and Australia because of the potential impact on regional security.

Provisional results show that Sogavare has retained his seat of East Choiseul, national broadcaster SIBC reported.

Full results for the 50-member national parliament, expected to be known by Monday, will indicate whether any party has achieved a majority, or whether negotiations to form a coalition are needed before a new prime minister is selected.

The results of the national and provincial elections held in the Solomon Islands are being announced over several days and are being closely watched by China, the U.S. and Australia.

Daniel Suidani, a prominent critic of China who was the premier of Malaita province until he was ejected in a no-confidence vote last year, has been re-elected to the Malaita provincial assembly, election officials said.

As premier he had banned Chinese companies from Malaita, the Solomon Islands' most populous province, and accepted U.S. development aid before being ousted last year in a no-confidence vote by lawmakers for his refusal to recognise China.

'BAD LEADERSHIP'

China sent its top envoy for the South Pacific to Malaita province this month to sign a memorandum of understanding with the new premier, Martin Fini. Fini lost his seat in the provincial assembly, electoral officials said on Friday, which means he will not be eligible to continue as premier.

Suidani told Reuters that his win, the ousting of the pro-China Fini by voters, and the election of several new lawmakers to the provincial assembly in Malaita showed that voters wanted to see change in government.

"It's a joy for all Malaitians who believe in democracy," he said in a telephone interview, adding that counting was still underway and that the final numbers in the provincial assembly were unknown.

"From my point of view, what Malaita is doing at the moment, they are trying to rescue the province from bad leadership, corruption," he added.

Police and defence forces from Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Fiji are assisting with election security.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Sydney; Editing by Jamie Freed, Gerry Doyle and Gareth Jones)
My son knows not to shoot at police. Mother of teen killed in shootout believes son didnt kill MPD officer

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  The mother of Jaylen Lobley, who was killed in the shootout that also killed Memphis Police Officer Joseph McKinney, says she feels her son did not fire the fatal shots.

MPD officer may have been killed by friendly fire, D.A.s office says

Lobley, who was 18, was named as a suspect after McKinney was shot to death last Friday. WREG reached out to Lobleys family after learning Lobley had earlier been released on his own recognizance, with only a curfew.

The revelation late Wednesday that McKinney may have been mistakenly shot by his fellow officers sent WREG back to Lobleys home. His mother was there.

I know he didnt shoot the officer in the first place, she told WREG. I knew that in the first place. I didnt need anyone to tell me that. My son knows not to shoot at the police.

The Memphis Police Department, the Shelby County Districts Attorney, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation have not released more information on exactly what happened the night of the shooting. Its also not known if the other officers hit were also struck by friendly fire.

Court documents identify teen in officers shooting

The D.A.s office says the 17-year-old with Lobely that night is facing 13 different attempted murder charges since 13 officers were on the scene.

WREG asked Lobelys mother if the police had spoken with her.

No one came to talk to me, she said.

The 17-year-old, who sources have identified as Devaron Taylor, remains in the hospital.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Months after a South Carolina man was shot and killed, a teenager was arrested on a murder charge, according to the Orangeburg County Sheriffs Office.

In addition to murder, 19-year-old Dorchester County resident Demetrius Dickerson was charged with possession of a weapon during the commission of a crime, the sheriffs office said Wednesday in a news release.

The charges stem from a Feb. 18 shooting on Brightwater Drive, according to the release. Thats in Holly Hill, near U.S. 176.

Following a confrontation, a 22-year-old Summerville man was shot and killed, the sheriffs office said. There was no word about what led to the confrontation.

The Orangeburg County Coroners Office has not publicly identified the victim.

No other injuries were reported.

Dickerson was taken into custody in Dorchester County early Wednesday, according to the release. Hes expected to extradited to Orangeburg County this week, where hell appear in court, the sheriffs office said.

Information about how Dickerson was connected to the shooting and tracked down was not available. The members of the U.S. Marshals Service and Dorchester County Sheriffs Office assisted with the arrest, according to the release.

This has been an extensive investigation that has resulted in the arrest of our shooting suspect, Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said in the release.
SANTIAGO, Chile  A South Korean company will build four ships for the Peruvian Navy under a $463 million contract signed this week.

The vessels are part of Perus ambitious program to modernize its naval surface fleet, which may involve the construction of 23 ships of different types, an effort potentially worth more than $3 billion. The South American countrys primary focus is to acquire six advanced multipurpose guided-missile frigates to replace the six aging frigates that currently serve as the Navys main surface combatants.

The finalized deal, which follows Perus pick of Hyundai Heavy Industries in March, will see the company provide both the designs and support for the construction of the vessels, with the delivery deadline set for 2029.

We will mobilize our advanced technological capabilities and extensive experience to modernize and enhance the combat capabilities of the Peruvian Navy, Joo Won-ho, the head of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries naval and special ship division, said after the signing of the contract.

HHI will be in charge of the ships designs as well as the provision and supply of tools, materials and technical support during construction. With this contract, the South Korean firm is expanding its footprint in a regional market traditionally dominated by European shipbuilders.

Peru is to receive a 3,400-ton guided-missile frigate, a 2,200-ton offshore patrol vessel and two 1,500-ton landing ships. The local state-owned firm Servicios Industriales de la Marina will participate in their construction at its shipyards in Callao.

We will ensure that the SIMA shipyard, which has provided us with the opportunity to collaborate from the other side of the globe, possesses sufficient shipbuilding capacity and establish it as [our] hub for Central and South America, Joo said.

Frigate replacement

The six 2,500-ton frigates the Navy wants to replace are based on the Italian Lupo-class design; two were built in Peru. For the most part, they have been in service for nearly five decades.

The Peruvian government approved the frigate replacement program in February 2023, with an initial budget of $161 million following studies and discussions that began in 2015. In July 2023, SIMA was named the prime contractor for the program. At the same time, it was unveiled the Spanish firm Escribano Mechanical and Engineering would serve as a subcontractor supporting weapons integration.

According to Lewis Mejias, an independent defense analyst based in Perus capital Lima, the contract confirms the leadership of SIMA Peru as one of the most capable shipyards in the South Pacific. It will also open more opportunities for the participation of other local companies supplying systems, parts and services. This is one of the main targets of the government, with the aim to get advanced technology transferred and new jobs created, strengthening Perus industrial capacities not only in the maritime field but also beyond that field.

A source in South Koreas capital Seoul, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss specifics of the military program, told Defense News the frigate HHI is to produce is based on the hull of the Daegu-class frigate built for the South Korean Navy, but tailored to meet Perus needs. Those requirements including an enlarged stern to fit a hangar and allow for the flight of 12- to 14-ton helicopters.

Peruvian special forces deploy onto the flight deck of the Peruvian Navy frigate BAP Quiones during an exercise in 2009. (Chief Petty Officer Alan Gragg/U.S. Navy)

Its unclear if the Peruvian ship will include the same combined diesel-electric and gas propulsion of the South Korean vessels.

According to the source, the frigate will be fitted with a 3D active electronically scanned array radar, which Peru has not yet selected.

The South Korean company Hanwha is promoting the SAQ-600 combat management system, the SQS-250K towed array sonar and the SQS-240K hull-mounted sonar, the source said.

For weaponry, the source added, South Koreas LIG Nex1 and Hanhwa are proposing the Haegung K-SAAM surface-to-air missile. LIG Nex 1 is offering the SSM-700K C-Star/Haesong anti-ship missile and the Sea Dragon/Haeryong land-attack cruise missile. The Peruvian Navy is expected to fit a gun to the frigate, either a 76mm/62-caliber or a 127mm/54-caliber option.
A Cahokia Heights man sought in connection with a fatal shooting in February has been arrested and a judge ordered him Wednesday to remain in jail.

Niko A. Goree, 21, is being held on a first-degree murder charge in the shooting death of Bradford Readus, 22, on Feb. 6, according to St. Clair County court records.

The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis announced in February police officers were looking for Goree. He was booked into the St. Clair County jail on Monday.

Readus was found shot to death in a home in the 700 block of Mildred Avenue in Cahokia Heights. Authorities have listed two addresses for Readus  one in Memphis, Tennessee, and the other on Kenneth Avenue in Cahokia Heights.

St. Clair County Associate Judge Sara L. Rice conducted a detention hearing for Goree Wednesday. She stated in her order that prosecutors contend that Goree shot Readus multiple times and that Goree should be remanded to the county jail.
KUALA LUMPUR, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's aviation authorities issued a warning on Thursday over ash clouds resulting from a volcanic eruption in Indonesia.

The eruption of Indonesia's Mount Ruang has resulted in the formation of ash clouds moving towards the Kota Kinabalu Flight Information Regions (FIR), posing a risk to aircraft safety in the airspace, said the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) in a statement.

CAAM Chief Executive Officer Norazman Mahmud advised airlines and aircraft operators to continuously monitor meteorological updates, advisories and information related to volcanic ash issued by the authorities.

"All aviation stakeholders need to remain vigilant, exercise caution and implement appropriate measures to mitigate the potential impact of volcanic ash on flight operations," he said.

Mount Ruang, in Indonesia's North Sulawesi province, has been active for several days, spewing lava and ash clouds. 
ST. LOUIS  A St. Louis man avoided a scheduled murder trial and reached a plea agreement with city prosecutors on Wednesday.

Turner T. Williams, 22, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Anthony Lane.

The shooting happened on the afternoon of Oct. 5, 2021, in the 4300 block of Warne Avenue, located in the citys Fairground neighborhood.

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Officers arrived at the scene and found Lane, 52, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. A second victim, who was unharmed, told police that he and Lane were in an alley when Williams fired shots and fled.

Williams was arrested in November 2021 and initially charged with first-degree murder, first-degree assault, and two counts of armed criminal action.

A St. Louis Circuit Court judge sentenced Williams to seven years in state prison.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
The last time Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel addressed his parishioners he was standing at the front of a church delivering an Assyrian bible reading that was dramatically cut short by the dark shadow of an alleged assailant armed with a knife.

From hospital on Thursday, after a traumatic week for the city of Sydney, the injured bishop uttered his first words to followers in an audio message posted to the Christ The Good Shepherd Church Facebook page  the same account that inadvertently live-streamed the attack three days earlier.

The Lord Jesus never said go out and fight in the street; never said to retaliate, but to pray, Emmanuel said, in an apparent reference to the riot that erupted outside the church in the citys western suburbs as clips of the attack spread quickly online.

Monday nights attack came just days after an unrelated knife massacre in a Sydney shopping mall that claimed the lives of six people and their attacker, who was shot dead by police.

Videos of both attacks circulated quickly online, leading to frenzied speculation about the identity of the assailants, their religion and motives  posing a challenge for Australian authorities.

The rapid spread of disinformation fomented an already volatile situation and days later authorities, faith groups and the bishop are still trying to calm community tension.

In many instances, malicious information about damage to mosques and churches was being spread like wildfire and inflaming tensions in the community, said New South Wales (NSW) State Premier Chris Minns on Thursday.

Im still concerned about graphic, violent imagery being available on public domain websites, major websites, 48 hours after the incident had occurred.

People leave floral tributes for victims of the attack at Westfield Bondi Junction shopping center in Sydney on April 16, 2024. - Steven Saphore/AAP/Reuters

Attacker misidentified

On Tuesday, Australias eSafety Commissioner gave major social media companies Meta and X 24 hours to take down the violent videos.

In a statement Thursday, the commissioners office said Meta  which owns Facebook  had complied to its satisfaction, but work was still being done to see if further regulatory action needed to be taken against X, which could mean fines.

But regulators are finding it much harder to act against social media platforms for the disinformation that spread online after the attacks  especially after the mass stabbing in the eastern suburb of Bondi.

As police worked through the night on Saturday to gather evidence at the upmarket shopping center where the attack took place, posts that misidentified the attacker gathered pace online.

Marc Owen Jones, a disinformation researcher, detailed the chain of events in a thread on X, pointing to the posts that alternately identified the attacker as Jewish or Muslim  he was neither.

For several hours on Saturday night, a pro-Russia influencer helped spread unconfirmed reports of the attackers name that suggested he was Jewish. The rumors were picked up and amplified by Seven, a major Australian TV news network that is now reportedly being sued for defamation. Seven blamed the slip on human error.

Other posts suggested falsely Bondi was targeted because it has a large Jewish population.

Both incorrect theories collapsed when NSW Police identified the attacker as a 40-year-old man with mental health issues from the neighboring state of Queensland, who had reportedly stopped taking his medication.

The narrative of the attacker is either a Muslim or a Jew reflects the politicization of the Gaza war along pro-West versus pro-Russia lines, and does nothing more than aggravate polarization. But thats the point I guess, noted Jones, an associate professor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar.

After the church attack, unconfirmed speculation also swirled about the faith of the alleged attacker and his motive.

As the suspect is a child, his identity wont be publicly released under laws designed to protect youth offenders.

In his audio message  released to assure his supporters hes doing fine  the bishop extended his forgiveness to the suspect, who was charged Thursday under Australias terrorism laws.

Whoever sent you to do this, I forgive them as well, the bishop said.

Police allege the teenager traveled 90 minutes from his home to the church, where he stabbed the bishop up to six times. The terror offense carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

System of self-regulation

Right now, Australia has a voluntary code formed by the Digital Industry Group Inc. or DIGI, a non-profit industry association, that media platforms use to self-regulate disinformation and misinformation.

X has repeatedly breached the code and is no longer subject to it after being removed as a signatory.

Since coming under the ownership of Elon Musk, the platform formerly known as Twitter has dismantled some of the controls imposed to guard against disinformation and misinformation.

Thats put it on a collision course with regulators worldwide, and last year it was reprimanded by authorities in Australia for removing a function that would have allowed users to report suspect content during a national referendum.

Communications minister Michelle Rowland told ABC Radio Thursday the government was committed to pushing through stronger legislation this year on disinformation and misinformation.

That would include fines of 3 million Australian dollars ($1.9 million) for an offense, and ongoing fines, as well as a percentage of turnover.

We know that the revenues of some of these online platforms exceed those of some nations. So, it needs to be a meaningful and substantial penalty system thats put in place, Rowland said.

Next week, Australian academics will launch whats being called a world-first open-source platform to monitor regulations worldwide.

Terry Flew, professor of Digital Communication and Culture at the University of Sydney, said the International Digital Policy Observatory will allow countries to learn from the experience of others in a space where regulation is relatively new.

Its unfamiliar territory to most governments, said Flew, whos leading the team behind the project. The capacity to have a resource that enables the relevant agencies in Australia to learn from whats happening in the US or the UK or the European Union is important.

He said its clear that a voluntary code isnt enough.

What has become apparent is that if a platform doesnt want to comply with that code, theres very little that can be done, he said.

Late Thursday NSW Police issued a notice urging people not to share unsubstantiated information. Misinformation continues to spread disharmony amongst the community, the notice said.

This story has been updated with additional information.

CNNs Manveena Suri contributed reporting.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
FIRST ON FOX: A group of 15 financial officers representing 13 states issued a warning to Bank of America over its alleged practices of "politicized de-banking" targeting conservatives.

In a letter to Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan, the officials said the bank's practices threaten its own financial health and reputation with customers while simultaneously harming the U.S. economy and Americans' civil liberties. They pointed to examples of Bank of America shuttering the accounts belonging to Christian groups and leaders and joining a net-zero climate alliance in addition to its poor viewpoint diversity rating.

"Americans should never have to worry that their personal financial decisions will be weaponized against them," Kentucky State Auditor Allison Ball said in a statement. "This practice has become all too common, and banks must urgently course correct to uphold their fiduciary duty and safeguard the constitutional freedoms of Americans."

She blasted executives at financial institutions for taking advantage "of the divided political climate to engage in politicized de-banking."

CHRISTIAN NONPROFIT CLAIMS IT WAS 'DE-BANKED' BY BANK OF AMERICA OVER ITS RELIGIOUS VIEWS

In one example highlighted by Ball and the other 14 officials, Bank of America in April 2023 shut down the bank account belonging to Indigenous Advance Ministries, a Christian charitable organization that assists at-risk children, prisoners and sex trafficking victims in Uganda. The bank further closed the accounts of a Memphis, Tennessee, church that donated to that group.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Bank of America explained the action was taken because of the group's "business type" and that its activities exceeded the "banks risk tolerance." After repeated requests for clarification from Indigenous Advance Ministries, Bank of America said the accounts were closed because a business affiliated with the group engaged in debt collection, the Christian Post newspaper reported.

GOP AGs PUT MAJOR US BANK ON NOTICE FOR ALLEGED 'DE-BANKING' OF CONSERVATIVES

According to the letter, in a similar action last year, Bank of America closed the account of Timothy Two Project International, which trains pastors in more than 65 countries. The bank reportedly informed Timothy Two Project International that it was "operating a business type we have chosen not to service."

And three years prior, Bank of America reportedly froze the accounts of Christian author and preacher Lance Wallnau for allegedly laundering money. It then unfroze his account after asking him "invasive" questions about his activities, the state officers wrote.

Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan

The letter stated that Bank of America's actions strongly suggest that "systemic drivers of religious and political bias may be at work within the company as a whole."

The bank, though, pushed back on those accusations.

"Given the large number of nonprofits we serve that are affiliated with religious organizations, its absurd to think religious beliefs are a factor in any account closing decision," Bank of America spokesperson Bill Halldin told Fox News Digital. "Very simply, they are not."

NIGEL FARAGE ON HIS EFFORTS TO EXPOSE 'DE-BANKING'

The state financial officers also said Bank of America's membership in the so-called Net-Zero Banking Alliance, a global group that coordinates actions taken by banks to push a green energy transition, may facilitate de-banking. They noted that commitments made by Bank of America through its membership could greatly harm farmers in their states since it will lead to higher prices.

And the letter pointed to Bank of America's low ranking on the Viewpoint Diversity Score Business Index, a benchmark for measuring corporate respect for free speech and freedom of religion. The index found that Bank of America partners with left-wing groups like the Human Rights Campaign and the Center for American Progress when it comes to its gift-matching program but leaves out faith-based groups, instead citing its support for "homeless shelters, soup kitchens or other social service needs."

"This pattern of internal political and religious bias at Bank of America poses risks for public funds invested in the company as well as for the millions of individuals, businesses, and nonprofits who rely on its services," the letter to Moynihan states. "Bank of Americas de-banking policies and practices improperly subordinate financial well-being to other factors and place the companys business interests at risk."

The letter concluded by asking Bank of America to take a number of good faith steps to address the concerns, including eliminating viewpoint discrimination and exiting the Net-Zero Banking Alliance.

"Financial institutions like Bank of America should not be allowed to restrict Americans' access to capital based solely on their political or religious views. SFOF will continue to work with our members to fight for financial sanity, free of political agendas," said State Financial Officers Foundation CEO Derek Kreifels.





Original article source: State financial officers put Bank of America on notice for allegedly 'de-banking' conservatives
State Rep. from Geneva files bill to make it a felony to block major public roadways while protesting

SPRINGFIELD, Ill.  After protesters blocked a major traffic artery into OHare International Airport this week, an Illinois State Representative has proposed legislation that would make similar demonstrations a felony.

The demonstration Monday by Pro-Palestinian protesters blocked the I-190 ramp toward OHares domestic terminals, causing major traffic delays in the area and frustrating travelers.

On Wednesday, Rep. Dan Ugaste, a Republican from Geneva in Chicagos western suburbs, filed legislation aimed at amending the Illinois Public Demonstrations Law. Ugaste represents Illinois 65th House District.

Titled Bill 5819, the legislation would create stiffer penalties for individuals who block an exceptionally busy public right-of-way for not less than five minutes, or when these actions prevent the free passage of emergency responders.

Individuals who engage in these actions would be subject to Class 4 felony charges.

In light of the recent protests cutting off traffic near OHare Airport, its time to bring greater charges to people who commit these acts, Ugaste said in a news release Thursday morning announcing the proposed legislation. What happens when an ambulance cant get through, or a fire truck is delayed?

Lives are at stake, and first responders cannot be held up in this manner. Blocking busy roadways is very dangerous, and stronger punishments should be enforced.

Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines

The bill also includes language that prior notification to law enforcement of a protest or assembly that would result in delaying emergency responders is not allowed as a defense. Class 4 felony charges would still apply in such situations.

Ugastes bill has been referred to the Rules Committee.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
Stepson of former Real Housewives of NJ star charged in Jan. 6 Capitol attack

(The Hill)  The stepson of a former Real Housewives of New Jersey (RHONJ) cast member was arrested Wednesday on charges related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection, according to court documents.

Tyler Campanella, the stepson of former RHONJ cast member Sigalit Siggy Flicker, is facing five misdemeanors for his alleged participation in the Capitol riots on Jan. 6.

Open-source videos and CCV video from the Capitol obtained by the FBI showed Campanella inside of the Capitol during the insurrection, according to court documents.

Barstool Sports Dave Portnoy to match 100% profits on shirt made to support fallen deputy

The FBI pointed to an Instagram post from Flickers account that appeared to further show her stepson at the Capitol, with the caption, I love patriots so much. Stay safe Tyler. We love you. The caption included emojis of an American flag, prayer hands and a heart with the hashtag, StopTheSteal.

Siggy Flicker arrives at Vh1 Divas Celebrates Soul on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011 in New York. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)

The task force officer heading up the investigation said he reviewed the account and believes Flicker is the owner.

Phone records obtained by the FBI for a cellphone associated with Flickers account showed the phone was inside the Capitol on Jan. 6. The account was associated with Bayside Chrysler in New York, where Campanella is a sales manager, according to his apparent LinkedIn account.

The records showed Campanella is associated with the phone number and an authorized user on the account.

Michigan family claims 11-year-old became severely ill after eating Wendys: lawsuit

Campanella was arrested Wednesday in New York and charged with entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, entertaining and remaining in the gallery of Congress, disorderly conduct in a Capitol Building and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol Building.

His stepmom, Flicker, is a vocal supporter of former President Trump. In a post in January, Flicker posed with Trumps jet  dubbed Trump Force One by his campaign  while in another photo she was seen holding an Israeli flag with the former president.

The arrest records did not list Campanellas attorney and The Hill tried to reach Flicker over social media.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
On the day a policeman was stabbed in London, there was a certain poignancy to the news that a further effort is to be made to bring to book the killers of WPC Yvonne Fletcher. She was shot dead 40 years ago while patrolling outside the Libyan embassy in the capital. Ever since, her family and colleagues have sought justice, but to no avail.

A few years ago, the High Court ruled that a former diplomat, Saleh Ibrahim Mabrouk, an aide to the late leader Col Gaddafi, was jointly responsible for the fatal shooting. That case was brought as a civil action because prosecutors declined to lay criminal charges.

Although the gunman is dead, the judge, Mr Justice Martin Spencer, said he was satisfied on the balance of probabilities that Mabrouk had been an active participant in a common design to fire on the protesters outside the embassy. But nothing has happened since. Mabrouk, who for a while lived in the UK, is now back in Libya but no attempts have been made to seek his extradition.

WPC Fletchers colleague that day was John Murray, who vowed to bring her killers to book and has ploughed a heroic lonely furrow ever since to do so. He is now launching a private prosecution for conspiracy to murder against Mabrouk. The Libyan faced a criminal prosecution in 2017, but the case was dropped after the Metropolitan Police was prevented from using key evidence on grounds of national security. The refusal of the Government to help Mr Murray is shameful.

A police officer was killed in the capital in broad daylight and one of the perpetrators has been identified. The powers that be could at least make an effort to call them to account.

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 Shiba Inu puppy that was stolen from a Petland store in Frisco was returned by a man wearing a disguise, according to a manager at the North Texas business.

Frisco police are still investigating and trying to identify the woman who took the dog from the pet store over the weekend.

A man wearing a mask and sunglasses brought the puppy back on Tuesday night, Petland Frisco said in a news release Wednesday. The 11-week-old puppy, which is microchipped, was checked out by a local veterinarian and she was given a clean bill of health.

We were really worried, kennel manager Marce Narvaez said in the release. We didnt know if she was eating, if she was drinking water or playing. We feel they are our family more than puppies. We are really happy right now to have her again.

Images from surveillance video showed a woman arrive at the store and ask to visit with the puppy in a socialization room. A short time later, the woman, who possibly was wearing a dark wig, walked out of the store with the puppy in her arms.

Today's top stories:

 Dad of toddler who died of fentanyl poisoning waited hours to call 911: warrant

 OU student from North Texas killed in car crash, remembered as cherished friend

 DNA analysis IDs remains found almost 40 years ago as missing North Texas woman

Get free alerts when news breaks.

Anyone with information about the identity of the suspect is asked to call the Frisco Police Department at (972) 292-6000.
Stratham craftsman seriously injured after helping neighbor cut down tree: How to help

STRATHAM  A local craftsman and musician, known for his generosity, has been showered with nearly $100,000 in donations following a serious accident while assisting an elderly neighbor with cutting down a tree.

Joel Paul is known throughout the Seacoast for his woodworking business at 13 Stars Farm in Stratham, for his decades on the local music scene, and for being a kind friend and loving son and father. Those who know him say they were not surprised he was trying to help his neighbor by cutting down a tree on April 1 when it fell on him and crushed his body.

Joel Paul, a beloved Seacoast craftsman and musician, is recovering from serious injuries after a tree-cutting accident. A GoFundMe page has raised nearly $100,000 to help him and his family.

Paul was brought to the intensive care unit at Portsmouth Regional Hospital with serious injuries throughout his body, according to a GoFundMe page posted to help raise money for his family. He has since been designated stable and brought out of that unit to a regular hospital room, according to the page.

The GoFundMe campaign has brought in more than $82,000in donations to help Paul and his family cover expenses. Paul will need the help as he prepares for several surgeries. Also of concern is his 93-year-old mother, Ruth, who relies on Paul for a place to live in their family home.

Joels personal power and beauty pours from him like a waterfall, read a post on the GoFundMe page by organizer Rachel Paul Nelson. This injury is a brutal stoppage of all that light, color and humanity.

Joel Paul was well-known on the Seacoast

Pauls place in the Seacoast music scene goes back decades. Rodger Shosa, a local musician and his best friend for years, first met Paul in 1984.

Paul was a little older, Shosa recalled, so he served as the leader of their group of friends as they enjoyed the local music scene.

Paul, who has played guitar, keyboard, bass and other instruments over the years, eventually started his own band, VFW, according to Shosa.

He also spent time performing in reggae bands before leaving for New Mexico in the early 1990s.

A few years later, Shosa said he reconnected with Paul when he returned to New Hampshire.

This time, Paul had picked up a new interest  Shaker-style furniture. Shosa said Paul had a woodworking shop in the 1800s barn on his familys Stratham farm property and eventually moved his space to the Mills in Rollinsford.

Shosa said his passion includes hand-crafted items like carved spoons, cutting boards and rolling pins.

What made him kind of get into wood crafting is, he was just really good with it, Shosa said. He just found he loved working with the different grains and textures as he kind of evolved into what hes doing now.

Sosa said Paul moved back home about four years ago to take care of his mother and work on the farm, which has been transformed from a dairy farm to Pauls green woodworking center. In addition to producing wooden pieces, he also teaches classes there.

From the craft world to the music scene, Shosa said Pauls generosity and love of people showed through.

Hes the first one to give a hand, Shosa said. Hes been there for me.

A brave new path: Exeters fire captain confronts PTSD, bids farewell to service

Tragic accident hospitalized loved craftsman, musician

Shosa said he does not know exactly how the accident occurred, but he said Paul was working on his farm when an elderly neighbor approached him to help him cut down a tree.

He just stopped what he was doing, walked up, and started cutting the tree down for the guy, Shosa said.

Shosa said he does not know exactly how a good deed by Paul turned into a crippling accident. He said Paul was wearing a helmet, which, although it shattered into pieces, ultimately saved his life.

His head and his left arm are uninjured, but the rest of the body is badly damaged, according to Shosa. He said Pauls right arm is of significant concern as he relies on his hands for income.

The GoFundMe page so far has allowed his mother, Ruth, to have her taxes paid, as well as the completion of some renovations to the apartments at the farm. Finishing that renovation will allow Ruth to have reliable income while Paul is healing, according to the GoFundMe.

Shosa said the outreach has been amazing.

Initially, he was not sure if the GoFundMe page could reach its goal of $100,000.

I saw a five-dollar donation from someone that I know doesnt have $5 to give, Shosa said. Thats the sort of generosity that I saw that just floored me. Its really incredible.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Joel Paul badly injured helping neighbor cut down tree: How to help
OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON)  Several of Lake Merritts iconic street lights have been vandalized, the Oakland Police Department confirmed to KRON4. A photojournalist who went to the lake on Tuesday saw a light pole ripped out of its base and wires missing.

The Oakland Police Department said 10 poles are down from a combination of fallen trees and vandalism. Temporary poles will be installed until permanent replacements are made by the citys vendor, city officials told KRON4.

KRON4 video (above) shows unconnected wires hanging from a street lamp and one stump with its lamp missing.

City-installed electrical curb boxes were also vandalized, according to OPD. About 40 of these boxes were broken, and the city says it took measures to reinforce the undamaged ones.

Repairs are a top priority and we are replacing stolen wires and cementing the approximately 40 broken boxes, OPD said.

OPD said it is still finding more damage. There is no official explanation for the motive behind this vandalism, but copper wire theft has been a problem throughout the Bay Area recently.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
With a vote count of 83 in favor and none against, the so-called 'Agents Law' was adopted by the Parliament in its first reading during the plenary session. Mamuka Mdinaradze, the leader of the parliamentary majority, acted as the speaker for the draft law.Subsequent to the discussion of the draft law, the opposition staged a protest. Speaker of the Parliament Shalva Papuashvili exited the hall, accompanied by Chairman of the United National Movement Levan Khabeishvili, leader of Strategy Agmashenebeli Giorgi Vashadze, Chairman of the faction of the National Movement Tina Bokuchava, and Lelo member Ana Natsvlishvili. According to the procedure, the Parliament undergoes three readings to consider and vote on the draft law.Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze addressed the first reading of the 'Agents Law' during a briefing at the government administration. He asserted that nothing would hinder the law's adoption."Nothing can stand in the way of the protection of state sovereignty and, accordingly, the final adoption of the law. Towards Europe with dignity, transparency, and sovereignty. This is our motto and our spirit. We believe that we can become a member of the European Union only with dignity, transparency, and sovereignty. So, forward to Europe with dignity," said Kobakhidze.Kobakhidze criticized the statements of politicians from Georgia's international partner countries regarding the reintroduced law. He once again offered Western diplomats to hold a discussion on the draft law."It is unfortunate that no arguments were given. We saw the statements from Scholz and Stoltenberg, and today another statement from a specific diplomat working in Georgia was published. Not a single argument against the law was provided - zero argument. We are told that the law is against European values, but in which part? Which article? Why? - No argument is presented. In such circumstances, of course, unsubstantiated statements cannot become the basis for revising our decision," Kobakhidze said.At a meeting with the accredited diplomatic corps in Georgia, President Salome Zourabichvili discussed the developments in the country and addressed the draft law on 'Agents Law' (transparency of foreign influence).According to the President's administration, during the meeting held at the Orbeliani Palace, Zourabichvili emphasized the importance of the international community's support for Georgia's European path. She highlighted that Russia's goal is to destabilize the country and divide society, objectives that should not be achieved in Georgia."Your support is important for the country, and I urge you to continue this support," the president addressed the ambassadors.Furthermore, President Zourabichvili stressed the significance of activating high-level visits of European leaders, viewing them as expressions of support in themselves.Amidst the current situation in the country, the president also emphasized the importance of people freely expressing their opinions and making their choices during the elections.
NANJING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The China Writers Association has released a plan to support the creation of online literature, aiming to promote the development of online drama series in turn.

A release conference was held on Thursday in Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu Province, with 50 projects selected for the plan, covering such themes as sci-tech innovation and science fiction.

Micro and short drama series have emerged as vigorous drivers of the overseas appeal of Chinese culture, and online literature provides original content for new productions.

Senior association official Hu Bangsheng called for efforts to strengthen copyright protection, safeguard the interests of writers, and nurture a sound cultural environment online.

The conference was attended by network writers and online literature service providers, with attendees putting forward suggestions on promoting the sound and orderly development of the online drama industry in terms of creation direction, global vision and copyright protection. 
Bryan Kohberger  the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students  claims he was driving alone and was outside of Moscow on the night of the murders

Zach Wilkinson-Pool/Getty Bryan Kohberger in 2022

Bryan Kohberger's alibi has been revealed in recently released court documents: But will it hold up in court?

Kohberger, 29, is charged with murdering Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, at an off-campus residence in Moscow, Idaho, around 4 a.m. on November 13. Goncalves, Mogen and Kernodle were roommates and Chapin was dating Kernodle. Two additional roommates were home during the attack but were unharmed and ruled out as suspects.

Kohberger was a criminology Ph.D student at Washington State University and lived in Pullman, Wash., roughly eight miles away from the scene of the crime, at the time of the slayings. He has pleaded not guilty.



According to a new court filing reviewed by PEOPLE, Kohberger's public defender Anne C. Taylor claims he was driving outside of Moscow, Idaho, on the night of the murders and was not near the Moscow home where Goncalves, Mogen, Kernodle and Chapin were stabbed to death on the second and third floors.

"Mr. Kohberger was out driving in the early morning hours of November 13, 2022; as he often did to hike and run and/or see the moon and stars," the filing reads.

It also states that Kohberger was an avid runner and hiker, but adds that his hiking and running decreased during the school year, but "his nighttime drives increased."

"It's a weak alibi defense, but Kohberger's team needs to come up with some argument to get around the cell phone evidence," trial lawyer and former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani tells PEOPLE.

Rahmani is referencing the claim by prosecutors that in the days prior to the killings, Kohberger's cell phone repeatedly pinged near the murder home. But on the night of the killings, Kohberger disabled tracking on his phone, prosecutors allege.

Courtesy of Chapin Family; Maddie Mogen/Instagram; Kaylee Goncalves/Instagram; Xana Kernodle/Instagram From left, Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves and Xana Kernodle

"The reason this is coming out now is most states require the defense to provide notice of an alibi defense. So it's required by law," Rahmani adds. "If you don't provide the advance notice, you can't raise the defense at trial. So what I think is happening is that Kohberger's defense team, they're trying to tailor the story to the evidence. I mean, who drives by themselves in the middle of the night for no reason, or to look at the stars?"



Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Related: Idaho Murders Suspect Bryan Kohberger's Startling Alibi: He Was Driving to 'See the Moon and Stars'

Investigators allege they tied Kohberger to the brutal slayings by using DNA evidence found on a knife sheath left at the scene in the bed where Mogen and Goncalves were found deceased, according to a probable cause affidavit previously reviewed by PEOPLE.



Related: Idaho Murders Timeline: Everything to Know About the Case

According to the affidavit, Kohberger's phone pinged 12 times in the area of the 1122 King Road home where the killings took place on at least twelve occasions prior to November 13, 2022.

"All of these occasions, except for one, occurred in the late evening and early morning hours of their respective days," the affidavit reads.



David Ryder/Getty Images; Latah County Sheriff's Office/UPI/Shutterstock 1122 King Road, left, and Bryan Kohberger

Rahmani calls Kohberger's cell phone pings and the DNA evidence "the two most damaging pieces of evidence for the defense."

If convicted, Kohberger faces the death penalty.



Related: Inside Idaho Murder Suspect's Alleged Chat Room Posts: I Can Do 'Whatever I Want with Little Remorse'

During a former appearance on NewsNation, Steve and Kristi Goncalves, the parents of Kaylee, said they support the death penalty in the case.

"Justice is when you leave the planet, and the whole world is able to rejoice and be glad that you're not there," Steve said.

Later adding: "If you want to play God's role, you're going to have to go answer to him."

The Goncalves' have also been outspoken about their disappointment with the speed of the case after numerous delays. But Rahmani says this is typical for a death penalty case.

"I know justice delayed is justice denied," he says. "But it's unfortunately not uncommon in these types of cases."



For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.
More than 100 pro-Palestinian students Wednesday occupied the main lawn of Columbia University, as college President Minouche Shafik defended before Congress her handling of rising campus antisemitism amid the Israel-Hamas war.

Members of the Republican-led U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce grilled Shafik on the administrations response to campus protests and controversial chants, demanding greater discipline against students and faculty who defend Hamas or reject the state of Israel.

In a widely anticipated question, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, asked if calling for the genocide of Jews would violate Columbias code of conduct.

Shafik and other university officials answered resoundingly: Yes, it does.

The same query, from Rep. Elise Stefaniks, R-New York, created a problem for two out of three college presidents during a December congressional antisemitism hearing, from Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania. The clip went viral on social media and in the news, and both leaders later resigned.

Columbia beats Harvard and UPenn, remarked Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Florida. Yall have done something that they werent able to do: Youve been able to condemn antisemitism without using the phrase, it depends on the context.'

Shafik, who acknowledged Wednesday she spent many, many hours preparing for the hearing, did not fall into the same trap. The new college president, who stepped into the role last summer, said she has spent most of her time since becoming president on these issues.

Trying to reconcile the free speech rights of those who wanted to protest, Shafik said, and the rights of Jewish students to be in an environment free of discrimination and harassment has been the central challenge on our campus, and numerous others across the country.

Shafik testified before the committee alongside board of trustees co-chairs Claire Shipman and David Greenwald, and antisemitism taskforce co-chair David Schizer. All acknowledged there are problems at Columbia, but they said many capable people are forming plans and working hard to address them.

The university president said she found popular slogans at pro-Palestinian protests, including by any means necessary and intifada revolution, to be incredibly distressing, and that whether they violate university policy is under review.

One of the issues that we are actively debating now, she said, is to actually clarify where language crosses the line from protected speech to discriminatory or harassing speech.

For some members of Congress, the administrations answers were not sufficient.

Stefanik on Wednesday pushed Columbia administrators to take stronger action against faculty who have come under fire for rhetoric against Israel.

With the lack of enforcement, you see the concern that speaking to these professors is not enough, she said, and its sending a message across the university that this is tolerated, these antisemitic statements from a position of authority by professors in the classroom.

Shafik testified to five cases of faculty removed from classrooms or dismissed by the university. At least 90 disciplinary measures have been taken to date against students, university officials said.

and Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota, whose daughter attends Barnard College, called for free speech and protections for pro-Palestinian students.

What Im hearing from students and people in my district who go to Columbia, Bowman said, is they feel that theres not the space for divergent opinions or thoughts as it relates to the State of Israel or whats happening in Gaza right now.

Back on campus Wednesday, students affiliated with Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a coalition of more than 100 student groups, started pitching a series of green tents at 4 a.m. near the 116th St. campus entrance, according to postings on social media.

Students pledged that the demonstration, called the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, will remain until the university meets their demand to divest Columbias finances from companies and institutions that profit from Israel.

But the administration said they need to go. Students posted reports on social media that the NYPD was on campus, and of videos of administrators telling them to disperse and handing out written rules of university conduct.

The presence of tents on South Lawn is a safety concern and a violation of university policies, said a university spokesperson. We are informing the students they are in violation of university policies and for their own safety and for the operation of the university they need to leave.

The campus is closed to the public all this week, with a Columbia ID necessary to enter the entryway gates, according to university communications.

Signs declared the encampment a liberated zone, revolution, and join us, according to photos posted on Instagram. Elsewhere on campus, students gathered together to view the congressional hearing.

Mental health counseling graduate student Mimi Gupta, 45, who watched with about 50 students in the multicultural center, suggested lawmakers were more interested in making accusations than looking for information.

If you ask someone a question, you should wait for her to answer and listen to what she said, said Gupta. (Shafik) was trying to answer very thoughtfully and was not being heard.

Tyler Korff, a 2008 graduate who co-founded the Columbia University Jewish Alumni Association, said the administration showed they understand their responsibility to ensure all students feel safe and supported.

And now we wait to see if their actions match their testimony, he said, calling on the university to prevent protests like the encampment.

On top of the committee investigation, Columbia has also been under a U.S. Department of Education probe since November for allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia. Jewish students have filed a federal lawsuit against the administration, saying they permitted antisemitism to exclude them from the full Columbia experience.

When she launched the congressional probe in February, committee chairwoman Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., pointed to a pattern of deeply troubling incidents and developments at Columbia, including a Jewish student who was beaten with a stick by a peer during a dispute over Israeli hostage posters, swastikas on campus and antisemitic rhetoric.

Earlier this month, Columbia announced the suspensions of multiple pro-Palestinian students for an unsanctioned campus event with speakers who are known to support terrorism and promote violence.

Pro-Palestinian students have repeatedly accused the administration of not doing enough to keep them safe from doxxing trucks, physical attacks and arrests. Shafik testified during the hearing that 90 students have reached out to Columbias doxxing response team, which provides legal and technical support including privacy measures and online scrubbing.

Like Shafik, the New York City public schools chancellor, David Banks, is scheduled to testify before the same committee on May 8. The nations largest district will be joined by Montgomery County, Md., and Berkeley, Calif.

_____

(Barry Williams contributed to this story.)

_____


"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."



The standard cosmological model known as Lambda-CDM (CDM) proposes that dark energy is a constant force in the universe.

However, an early hint in a new detailed map from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument shows that dark energy can actually grow stronger and weaker over time.

While this evidence isnt enough to be considered a discovery, it does call into question some underlying assumptions about how the universe formed and is expanding.

Understanding the universe and our place in it is the great journey of human science, and right now the best theory of... well... everything is a concept known as the Lambda-CDM (CDM) model. With observable matter only making up roughly 5 percent of the universe, this model represents dark energy () and cold dark matter (CDM), which together are believed to make up everything else. Theres just one problemdark matter and dark energy are invisible, and only weakly interacts with gravity.



So, in other words, theres more than a few mysteries where dark matter and dark energy are concerned. And now, a new cosmological map developed by the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) is creating a few more. DESIoutfitted at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Tucson, Arizonajust commenced a five-year effort to make the most detailed map of the known universe, including 40 million galaxies stretched across 11 billion years. The first data release, just recently published online , is already showing that the cosmological model is pretty good, but cant quite predict everything that the instrument is seeing.

So far, were seeing basic agreement with our best model of the universe, but were also seeing some potentially interesting differences that could indicate that dark energy is evolving with time, Michael Levi, DESI director and a scientist at the Department of Energys Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, said in a press statement. Those may or may not go away with more data, so were excited to start analyzing our three-year dataset soon.

Those differences are in reference to the cosmological constant , an ideafirst put forward by Albert Einstein in 1915 that suggests the universe is expanding at a constant rate. This is thought to be powered by the unceasing, and unchanging work of dark energy, and has led astronomers to believe that, eventually, the universe will simply expand indefinitely until even the very last atoms are ripped apart. However, DESIs initial results contradict this idea. Instead, they indicate that dark energy appears to grow stronger and weaker over time.

DESI gathered this data by focusing on Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAOs)bubbles formed from the explosive early moments of the universe. Because things were so hot and heavy (literally) when the universe formed, subatomic particles were moving too fast for atoms to form. So, the nuclei of hydrogen and heliumknown as baryonswere pervasive on their own. These baryons formed acoustic waves that eventually froze in place when the universe thinned and cooled.

Scientists use these BAOs as a cosmic ruler, which allows them to measure the growth of the universe at different times in the past based on their distances. And so far, this technique has found that the cosmological constant isnt very constant at all.

We do see, indeed, [see] a hint that the properties of dark energy would not correspond to a simple cosmological constant, astrophysicist at the Lawrence Berkeley lab Palanque-Delabrouille told The New York Times . And this is the first time we have that[but] I wouldnt call it evidence yet. Its too, too weak.

This new data comes at an important time for cosmologys investigations into the underpinning of everythingand its also not the cosmological models only competitor. This week, a meeting at Londons Royal Society will question this standard view, with astronomers bringing evidence of the universes lopsidedness along with groundbreaking (and perplexing) data from the James Webb Space Telescope. All of this comes in preparation for large sky surveys scheduled to come online in the next couple years, including the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.

We are in the golden era of cosmology, with large-scale surveys ongoing and about to be started, and new techniques being developed to make the best use of these datasets, Arnaud de Mattia, co-leader of DESIs group interpreting the cosmological data, said in a press statement. Were all really motivated to see whether new data will confirm the features we saw in our first-year sample and build a better understanding of the dynamics of our universe.

Some 2,600 years in the making, that great human journey of universal understanding is entering a new era.

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State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar. April 18, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Editors note: This story has been updated to include comments from Gov. Pillen during his session-ending speech.

LINCOLN  Gov. Jim Pillens much-amended plan to raise sales taxes to decrease local property taxes went down in flames Thursday, the final day of the 2024 state legislative session.

It was a stunning defeat for the idea of raising some taxes to reduce others, and it almost assuredly guarantees that state lawmakers will be back this summer in a special session on taxes.

After all, Pillen has said that he will keep senators in session until Christmas, if need be, to reach his goal of reducing local property taxes by 40%.

Comment later during speech

During the governors annual session-ending speech, Pillen called the session a failure because it didnt result in one cent in extra property tax relief.

Thats unacceptable from where I sit, Pillen said. I will call as many special sessions as it takes to achieve property tax relief.

Enjoy halftime. Well see you again here soon, he said.

The governor added that he would not hesitate to call special sessions on other issues, including returning Nebraska to a winner-take-all system of awarding its Electoral College votes for president. Previously, Pillen has said he would do that if there were 33 votes to make than change, adding that he lacks those votes now.

Jim Pillen

Gov. Jim Pillen, pictured here in Fremont, held town hall meeting across the state to pitch his proposal to decrease local property taxes. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)

State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar led a final-round filibuster of the governors plan, Legislative Bill 388, saying it was a tax increase that Nebraskans overwhelmingly opposed and contained a likely unconstitutional clause to tax digital ads.

Only one other state, Maryland, has attempted to tax advertising placed on social media giants like Facebook and Google, and that state is fighting multiple lawsuits and being forced to pay back what its collected in taxes plus interest.

Slama argued that the only Nebraskans who would see a tax reduction under LB 388 were those who arent already taking a tax credit on their property taxes available on their state income tax filing.

Doesnt mean squat

She and other senators said more thoughtful discussion is needed on a bill that was the subject of several last-minute amendments last week, including the removal of Pillens proposed 1-cent hike in state sales taxes.

I would much rather handle this particular issue  the state tax code  in a special session, Slama said.

State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard argues for his proposed rule change to end the Legislatures tradition of electing committee chairs and leaders by secret ballot. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)

Bayard Sen. Steve Erdman was more blunt, saying LB 388 would provide only a 2% cut in his property tax bill, which would be eaten up by larger increases in the valuation of his house.

This bill doesnt mean squat for anybody  bring on a special session, he said.

After the 1-cent sales tax hike and some other new taxes were amended out of LB 388 last week, it was estimated that it would provide a 22% decrease in local property taxes, far short of the 40% goal set by the governor.

Lincoln Sen. Danielle Conrad said that the bill was put together hurriedly, without time for senators to weigh its impact, and that there were smarter ways to reduce property taxes.

We shouldnt rush forward and jump off the cliff together. We should hit pause today, Conrad said.

Not a perfect solution

But supporters of the bill said it addressed the No. 1 demand they hear from constituents: to reduce local property taxes.

Is it a perfect solution? Probably not, said Omaha Sen. Brad von Gillern. But it was the best I saw this year.

Property taxes, in total, have risen 53% over the past decade, according to Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte, and have shifted away from sales and income taxes and onto property.

My constituents are tired of being patient, he said. They want action.

The chief sponsor of LB 388, Elkhorn Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, said that taxing soda pop and candy was a fair trade so grandma doesnt have to move out of her house due to high property taxes.

But later, Linehan, facing growing opposition during floor debate, asked that the measure be pulled from the agenda. The Speaker of the Legislature, Sen. John Arch, confirmed that the bill wouldnt be debated later Thursday, the last day of the 2024 session, and thus the measure was dead.

Last-minute ad blitz

LB 388 had been the subject of a last-minute TV and newspaper ad blitz by Nebraska broadcasters and a coalition led by the states grocery association to defeat the bill because it raised taxes on several products, such as cigarettes and vaping products, and imposed new sales taxes on other items, such as pop and candy, pet services by veterinarians, digital ads and dry cleaning.

In defeat, Linehan said that broadening the sales tax base, as LB 388 would do, has been a long-running recommendation of several organizations, including the state chamber, Platte Institute and OpenSky Policy Institute, and it was frustrating that they were opposing the bill.

Its easy to say no, no, no, the senator said, adding that opponents of LB 388 need to be ready to offer alternative paths to lower property taxes prior to the special session.

Already, some senators were discussing other ideas for reducing property taxes, such as legalizing marijuana and online gaming, and taxing them to replace property tax revenue.

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The post Stunning last-minute defeat for Pillen tax shift bill likely ensures special session appeared first on Nebraska Examiner.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  If youve been to an Austin City Council meeting, chances are you know who Bill Bunch is. Hes one of the more regular speakers at City Hall and the executive director of the Save Our Springs (SOS) alliance.

During a city council meeting a couple of weeks ago  where the body was considering a city manager contract, among other items  Bunch used roughly half of his allotted two minutes to argue he should be given more time to speak during public comment. He then threatened to sue and followed through.

Judge Madeleine Connor  who KXAN has also previously reported on  ruled in favor of Bunch Wednesday in issuing a temporary restraining order (TRO). Another hearing is scheduled for later this month.

PREVIOUS ON JUDGE CONNOR: The wild race for 419th District Court

We believe we have complied with the Texas Open Meetings Act. However, we respect the courts decision and will abide by the Judges ruling. We look forward to the April 25 hearing on this issue where we will have an opportunity to discuss the full merits of the case, a spokesperson for the City of Austin said.

The two-week TRO required Austin City Council to give each speaker at Thursdays April 18 meeting at least three minutes to speak on each item for which the speaker has properly registered to speak.

There were 51 items on the consent agenda Thursday. If someone signed up to speak even on just the consent agenda items, they would have 153 minutes  nearly three hours  to speak before the council. There are 80 items total on the agenda.

As its worked previously, speakers signed up to speak on consent agenda items  as Bunch was  were given two minutes regardless of the number of items they signed up to speak on.

I am signed up for four items and I want two minutes on each of those four items, Bunch said in a council meeting on April 4. Under the law, that you understand, is what is required.

Mayor: Please go ahead.

Bunch: Do I get my 8 minutes?

Mayor: No, sir.

Bunch: I get two minutes for my four items?

Mayor: And youre down to 1:01.

Bunch: Okay. And I will sue you in court. Promptly. And we will have this foolishness put to an end.

Mayor: 51 [seconds]

Every resident deserves the opportunity to address the council on matters that affect our community. We are pleased with the Courts acknowledgment that Austin taxpayers make an investment in democracy, and they deserve to be heard, Bunch said.

Documents from the Texas Attorney General show state law did not require public testimony until Texas Government Code section 551.007 was enacted in 2019, though many local governments offered that option.

Current First Amendment precedent would allow rules that restrict speakers to the subject of the meeting, impose time limits on speakers, and prevent disruptions of the meeting, Assistant Attorney General William Hill wrote.

Hill continued: Three minutes is a common limitation, but whether a time limitation is reasonable may depend on the particular circumstances.

The TRO also halts progress on items 6 and 43 from the April 4 agenda without the city reposting and allowing for public comment once again (with the same rules as above).

RELATED: Judge rules against City of Austin over South Central Waterfront funding

The latter of those items set a public hearing for zoning changes at the South Central Waterfront district. The other is a contract for professional services for the Southwest Pressure Zones Pump Station/Reservoir Study project with HDR Engineering, Inc.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
LA MESA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)  A winning SuperLotto Plus ticket was sold at a liquor store in La Mesa, lottery officials announced Wednesday.

Viking Liquor, located at 8725 Broadway, sold the only winning 5 of 5 ticket that amounts to $38,050, California State Lottery said on its website.

The winning numbers drawn on Wednesday were 8, 28, 31, 33, 46, Mega 17. The 5 of 5 ticket is when all five numbers match the numbers drawn without the Mega number.

Popular Southern comfort food chain opens San Diego location

There was no winner for the top prize of $27 million, according to California Lottery. That winning ticket has to match all five numbers, plus the Mega number.

The odds of winning 5 of 5 plus Mega is 1 in 41,416,353, while the 5 of 5 is 1 in 1,592,937, per lottery officials.

Find out about other winners at California Lottery.

A SuperLotto Plus ticket costs $1 per play.

The next drawing for the SuperLotto Plus will take place at 7:45 p.m. on Saturday.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
METROPOLIS, Ill.  The pastor began his sermon with a warning.

Satan was winning territory across America, and now he was coming for their small town on the banks of the Ohio River in southern Illinois.

Evil is moving and motivated, Brian Anderson told his congregation at Eastland Life Church on the evening of Jan. 13. And the church is asleep.

But there was still time to fight back, Anderson said. He called on the God-fearing people of Metropolis to meet the enemy where Satan was planning his assault: at their towns library.

A public meeting was scheduled there that Tuesday, and Christians needed to make their voices heard. Otherwise, Anderson said, the library would soon resemble a scene straight out of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Pastor Brian Anderson calls of members of his congregation to show up at the library meeting. (Eastland Life Church via YouTube)

The pastors call to action three months ago helped ignite a bitter fight that some locals have described as a battle for the soul of Metropolis.

The dispute has pitted the citys mayor, a member of Eastland Life Church, against his own library board of trustees. It led to the abrupt dismissal of the library director, who accused the board of punishing her for her faith. And last month, it drew scrutiny from the states Democratic secretary of state, who said the events in Metropolis should frighten and insult all Americans who believe in the freedom of speech and in our democracy.

Similar conflicts have rocked towns and suburbs across the country, as some conservatives  convinced that Democrats want to sexualize and indoctrinate children  have sought to purge libraries of books featuring LGBTQ characters and storylines. Republican state legislatures have taken up a wave of bills making it easier to remove books and threatening librarians with criminal charges if they allow minors to access titles that include depictions of sex.

To counter this movement, Illinois Democrats last year adopted the first state law in the nation aimed at preventing book bans which ended up feeding the unrest in Metropolis. Under the law, public libraries can receive state grant funding only if they adhere to the Library Bill of Rights, a set of policies long promoted by the American Library Association to prevent censorship.

A 15-foot Superman statue at the center of town in Metropolis. (Bryan Birks for NBC News)

Many longtime residents were stunned when these national fissures erupted in Metropolis, a quirky, conservative city of about 6,000 people that has a reputation for welcoming outsiders.

Because of its shared name with the fictional city from DC Comics, Metropolis has for the past half century marketed itself as Superman's hometown. Tens of thousands of tourists stop off Interstate 24 each year to pose beneath a 15-foot Superman statue at the center of town, to attend the summertime Superman Celebration, or to browse one of the worlds largest collections of Superman paraphernalia at the Super Museum.

Where heroes and history meet on the shores of the majestic Ohio River, the visitors bureau beckons, Metropolis offers the best small-town America has to offer.

But lately, the pages of the Metropolis Planet  yes, even the masthead of the local newspaper pays homage to Clark Kent  have been filled with strife.

Unlike in comic books and the Bible, the fight in Metropolis doesnt break along simple ideological lines. Virtually everyone on either side of the conflict identifies as a Christian, and most folks here vote Republican. The real divide is between residents who believe the public library should adhere to their personal religious convictions, and those who argue that it should instead reflect a wide range of ideas and identities.

Metropolis Public Library (Bryan Birks for NBC News)

During his sermon in January and in the months since, Anderson has cast his congregation and their God as righteous defenders of Metropolis  and the Library Bill of Rights and its supporters as forces of evil.

If Christians didnt take a stand, Anderson warned, there would soon be an entire childrens section at the library dedicated to sexual immorality and perversion. And before long, he said, the town would be hosting story hour with some guy that thinks hes a girl.

Anderson, who is also a member of the Metropolis City Council, then asked his followers to confirm that they were ready to join him in the fight for decency.

Amen? the pastor said.

The congregation called back in unison: Amen.

Three days later, Rhonda James pulled up to the Metropolis Public Library and was surprised to find nearly every parking spot filled.

In her 12 years volunteering on the librarys board of trustees  including seven years as its president  James couldnt recall more than a few residents attending one of the monthly meetings.

But when she walked inside on the evening of Jan. 16, about 50 people were waiting in the basement meeting room.

Oh, hi, James said nervously as she made her way to the front. I wasnt expecting you all.

Rhonda James. (Bryan Birks for NBC News)

James, whod grown up attending a Baptist church and has hosted a Bible study at her home the past 20 years, didnt know why the crowd had gathered. She suspected it had something to do with the tension that had been quietly building between the nine-member board of trustees  which is appointed by the mayor and charged with overseeing the librarys operations  and the librarys director, Rosemary Baxter.

Baxter, who did not respond to interview requests, had taken the job in 2021 and quickly earned praise in the community for developing fun and engaging childrens programs. But in recent months, the board had been fielding complaints from residents who said Baxter, a devout Christian, was injecting her religious beliefs into the librarys operations.

Baxter had acknowledged praying aloud with children at the librarys after-school program, which she told the board she did with the permission of parents. Shed put up a nativity display on the library lawn for Christmas and invited a man dressed as Santa to read the Bible to children.

Board members had been pressing Baxter for months to produce a list of book removals and purchases after learning that the library had sold or donated about 15,000 books in recent years, shrinking the overall collection by about a third. The childrens section of the library now had eight versions of the Bible, but only a single picture book about Halloween. Explaining the discrepancy at a public meeting, Baxter said she only removed titles that hadnt been checked out in several years, then cited her belief in Scripture.

God said he did not give us a spirit of fear, Baxter said, alluding to the scary themes sometimes found in Halloween books. Why would I want to instill that on anyone?

Rosemary Baxter is the former director of the Metropolis Public Library. (WPSD)

But the people now crammed inside the library werent there to talk about Baxter or her book selections. Instead, they said theyd come to oppose the boards plan to adopt the Library Bill of Rights, which they believed would bring drag queen story hour to Metropolis, as Anderson had warned.

We are concerned our values may be undermined, said Jim Duncan, a pastor speaking on behalf of an alliance of local faith leaders.

James glanced around at her fellow trustees, most of whom, she said, looked as confused as she was.

Drag queens in libraries, James told the crowd, has never come before this board.

The Library Bill of Rights, which includes a pledge to provide reading materials representing all points of view, does not deal with library programming. Plus, James explained, the board had already adopted the Library Bill of Rights more than a decade ago, long before the new law that made it a requirement for state grant funding. The vote that night was merely to adopt an updated version of the policy that included an additional clause about protecting patrons privacy.

The explanation seemed to appease at least a few residents  but not everyone.

Seated alongside the board, Baxter, the library director, argued against the Library Bill of Rights. The Metropolis Public Library didnt need state funding, she said. In fact, shed never applied for any state grants during her tenure.

There are grants we can get, Baxter said, where we dont have to barter with Satan in order to get the funding.

A mural in Metropolis commemorates the steamboat era. (Bryan Birks for NBC News)

Ford Loverin, one of the trustees whod clashed with Baxter in recent months  and the only openly gay library board member  was stunned. The library, he responded, should be accepting and tolerant of everyones views.

Loverin, a practicing Lutheran and retired child therapist, had moved from California to Metropolis with his husband five years earlier after falling in love with the towns eccentric charm.

He especially enjoyed spending time at the small library, housed in a red-brick building constructed in 1915 with seed money from the steel tycoon Andrew Carnegie. These days, the librarys budget runs around $350,000, funded by city taxes and revenue from a local riverfront casino. In past years, Loverin said, the Metropolis library has relied on state grants to close shortfalls or fund capital improvements.

I dont think, he said, we need to be in a position where we throw public funds away.

Ford Loverin in his home. (Bryan Birks for NBC News)

In the end, James and Loverin joined four other members in voting 6-2 to adopt the updated Library Bill of Rights.

As she headed to her car afterward, James held tight to her library binder. Inside, she carried a resignation letter that shed planned to present to the board that night.

The owner of a local day spa, James had been feeling run down after spending much of her free time that year caring for her elderly mother, whod entered the final stages of multiple sclerosis. She had decided she no longer had the time or energy to continue serving on the board.

But after seeing the backlash brewing, James decided to keep the resignation letter tucked away. Later, when she told her father about her decision to stay and fight, James said he laughed.

Youre like Jonah, he said, referring to the Old Testament Bible story. You tried to jump ship, and you got swallowed by a whale.

Anderson, the Eastland pastor and Metropolis city councilman, wasnt appeased by the boards assurances on drag performances.

He wrote a scathing op-ed in the Metropolis Planet and preached about the library controversy nearly every weekend, warning that Satan has made a move in our community and that darkness is coming after us.

The banner of the Metropolis Planet features an image of Superman. (Bryan Birks for NBC News)

On Feb. 18, Anderson taught from the Book of Nehemiah, telling the story of the Jewish prophet who worked to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem in the 5th Century B.C. Metropolis, Anderson said, was also in need of protection. Not physical barriers, he said, but spiritual.

Do you think we need safety from the powers of darkness? Anderson asked his congregation. I dont know if you realize it, but our enemy hates us.

Anderson then motioned to some children sitting in the front row. These children that you see here, Anderson said, the enemy hates them. And the enemy wants to kill them.

Anderson's apocalyptic warnings were motivating more than just his followers.

The county Democrats, a small but vocal group in Metropolis, joined with some moderate conservatives and began staging protests, voicing support for the library board and demanding that it diversify the librarys collection.

Protesters support the library board on Feb. 20. (Charity Blanton / WPSD)

As clips of Andersons sermons spread, some conservative Christian leaders distanced themselves. Duncan, the Baptist minister whod come to the board in January to voice concerns about drag queen story hour, said hed changed his position after learning more.

I wanted nothing more to do with this situation, Duncan wrote in an email to NBC News. I believe the church has no place attempting to privatize a public library. We should not push our own convictions on others.

Anderson declined to be interviewed.

Glenn Coram, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Metropolis, said he also opposed efforts to portray the library as a site of spiritual warfare.

Glenn Coram, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church. (Bryan Birks for NBC News)

Coram, like most Baptist ministers, believes that homosexuality is a sin. But he doesnt think a public library should refuse to carry childrens picture books depicting same-sex couples.

Im not one of these people who looks at Harry Potter and thinks that its going to make your kids into witches, Coram said.

And he doesnt believe Christians should try to impose their views on others, which he called a violation of church-state separation.

Theyre seeing their mission, Coram said, as establishing the kingdom of God in Metropolis through the government.

Immanuel Baptist Church in Metropolis. (Bryan Birks for NBC News)

On Feb. 21, Baxter, the embattled library director, appeared alongside Anderson and another local pastor on the Greg Dunker Show, a local conservative talk radio program.

Baxter defended her decision to donate or sell thousands of books, which she said she did to make room for additional childrens programming. Those removals, she said, were not an attempt to pull any specific thing. She acknowledged, however, that some parents had complained about childrens picture books with depictions of LGBTQ characters and that she shared their concerns.

They get to the end, and theres a surprise ending with same-sex marriages, same-sex parenting, Baxter said. And theyre like, I dont want this.

Baxter also elaborated on her refusal to apply for state grants. She had chosen instead, she said, to rely on God to provide.

We dont need to live by the regulations and the rules of this state, Baxter said. We are here to serve and to honor God.

By then, some members of the library board had had enough. Richard Kruger, a longtime lawyer and concerned citizen, had advised them that Baxters blending of religion and government service was inviting a civil rights lawsuit.

Richard Kruger is a lawyer in Metropolis. (Bryan Birks for NBC News)

A week later, the board went into a closed session and presented Baxter with an ultimatum: If she wanted to keep her job, she needed to sign a performance improvement plan. It stipulated that she would abide by the Library Bill of Rights, seek state grant funding and discontinue praying aloud with children and other religious activities at the library.

Baxter refused to sign and began to criticize the board. Voices were raised, according to three members.

After a few minutes, James, the board president, slammed her fist on the table.

This is not up for debate, Rosemary, she said. Either sign it, or dont.

Baxter stood up and left.

Minutes later, the board came out of closed session.

By a vote of 5-3, they terminated Baxters employment.

Baxters departure left the library in turmoil. Four employees resigned soon after, and the board got to work picking up the pieces.

They brought on a former library employee to serve as interim director and embarked on top-to-bottom reviews of the librarys catalog and finances.

Our focus, James said, is making sure our library is strong and healthy and there to serve everyone.

Then, on March 19, the story of Baxters firing was picked up by Blaze Media, a national conservative outlet. In a column titled, A librarians faithful service is silenced by a secularist takeover, conservative talk radio host Steve Deace interviewed Baxter and Anderson and reported that both had come under fire for their Christian beliefs.

Deace presented the local saga as a warning that evil forces were now coming for small-town America and blamed the problems in Metropolis, in part, on a California transplant who is living with another man, referring to Loverin, the library board member.

Three days later, Metropolis Mayor Don Canada  who in 2021 had appointed Anderson, his pastor, to an open seat on the City Council  took a stand of his own.

In letters addressed to James and two other board members, Canada announced that hed lost faith in the Board in its current state. As a result, he was removing James and two others whod voted to terminate Baxter.

Metropolis Mayor Don Canada. (City of Metropolis)

Canada declined to be interviewed, writing in an email, I have no comment on the Library or the Library board. In an interview with Deace, Canada said he removed the members because we need a fresh start.

The mayors decision shocked some residents and drew a rebuke from Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, a Democrat who also serves as the state librarian.

Retaliating against local library trustees, who are dedicated to serving their community and assisting children in learning, is unacceptable, Giannoulias wrote.

The mayors action was not only controversial; it also appeared to be improper.

At a City Council meeting three days later, a local lawyer who previously served as a Metropolis city attorney explained that, under Illinois law, the mayor cannot unilaterally remove political appointees. He is required to level charges against board members he wants removed and seek approval from the City Council.

Heeding that advice, the council voted to table the dismissals. Later, one of the board members targeted for removal resigned, creating a vacancy for the mayor to fill. In an email this week to NBC News, Canada said he planned to put off a decision on whether to replace the other two board members until this summer.

While the members wait to learn their fate, the fighting has some questioning their future in Metropolis.

Loverin said he feels tense when strangers approach him in public, afraid that one of the people who has accused him of pushing an anti-Christian agenda might confront him.

I love the people here, but I dont want to be in a place where I feel intimidated, he said. But then its like, Well, Im kind of letting them win. And I dont want to do that.

Metropolis, Illinois (Bryan Birks for NBC News)

Leaving has also crossed James mind.

She lies awake some nights, worried about what her critics might do to harm her or her family if they truly came to view her as a tool of Satan out to kill children. She thinks about the phrase etched in stone at the foot of the Superman statue in the center of town  Truth, Justice, The American Way  and wonders if some of her neighbors have lost sight of what those words really mean.

But through the darkness, shes also seen good from the people of Metropolis. Shes watched Democrats and Republicans, Christians and nonbelievers, march together in defense of what they describe as free speech and democracy.

Those moments have helped restore her faith, James said.

Theres hope for this little town.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Aside from two plaintiffs in a lawsuit, transgender minors in Idaho can no longer receive gender-affirming medical care as a result of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling Monday that allowed a state ban to go into effect.

The intervention Monday led by the courts conservative majority was about a preliminary matter: whether to put on hold a district judges decision to prevent the ban from taking effect while the challenge to the law moved through the court system.

That lawsuit over Idahos ban on gender-affirming care is far from settled, and courts will grapple with the implications and constitutionality of the law in the coming months.

Idaho case background

After Gov. Brad Little signed House Bill 71 into law in April 2023, the ACLU of Idaho, Wrest Collective and others quickly filed a lawsuit on behalf of two transgender teenagers and their families, and argued that the law violated the equal protection rights of transgender youth and the due process rights of their parents. Both of those rights are derived from the U.S. Constitution.

The two teenagers, who are anonymous in the lawsuit, have taken puberty blockers and hormone treatments  medical interventions outlawed by Idahos law, which is called the Vulnerable Child Protection Act.

Federal District Judge Lynn Winmill, a Bill Clinton appointee, preliminarily ruled in favor of the two youths in December, pausing enforcement of the law days before it was scheduled to take effect. The state had argued against an injunction and said a complete pause of the law was too broad. A more limited injunction could have allowed enforcement of the law, save for the specific plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Winmill decided to impose a temporary statewide injunction because, he wrote, he did not think it would be possible to keep the plaintiffs anonymous otherwise, and because a narrow injunction likely would result in many more similar lawsuits.

The judge also stated that the law was likely unconstitutional for its narrowed focus on LGBTQ+ people.

Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador fought Winmills ruling, appealing up to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which twice denied his requests to overturn or change the injunction. The Republican attorney general then filed an emergency motion with the Supreme Court in February.

Thats what the justices addressed on Monday in an opinion that narrowed the injunction, with dissent from the courts three liberal members. It now applies only to the two teenagers in the lawsuit, and medical providers who offer gender-affirming care to minors  including puberty blockers, hormone treatments and transition surgeries  could face felony charges and 10 years in prison.

Where does the case go from here?

The Supreme Court order will keep the law in effect until the 9th Circuit rules on the injunction this summer. The appeals court is scheduled to answer the question of whether Winmills statewide injunction was the correct and prudent course while the lawsuit proceeds.

That means that the 9th Circuit could reinstate Winmills statewide pause on the law, or it could endorse the narrowed injunction the Supreme Court enforced this week. It also could impose an altered version or even throw out the injunction entirely, which would allow the ban to be in place for everyone.

After the appeals court rules, the lawsuit likely will return to Boise, where the substance of the challenge will be litigated in earnest. The ACLU and Labrador will have opportunities to ask a judge to determine the constitutionality of the law or send it to a jury trial. It likely will be months, if not years, before a final resolution.
SEOUL, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Four domestic and foreign carmakers in South Korea will voluntarily recall some 11,160 vehicles for manufacturing defects, the transport ministry said Thursday.

Hyundai Motor will recall 6,468 units of two different models, including Santa Fe, for defective back seats, 572 units of four models including G80 for faulty bolts in front wheels, and 769 units of two models including Grandeur due to software errors in the dashboard, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Mercedes-Benz Korea will recall 2,485 units of 11 models such as S 500 4MATIC to repair the poor durability of fuel pump components, while Stellantis Korea will fix software errors of the electronic control units on 557 units of three models including Peugeot e-2008 electric.

MAN Truck & Bus Korea will recall 308 units of TGX tractor for defective bolt fastening in trailer connecting units.

Vehicle owners can visit repair and service centers to replace the faulty parts free of charge. 
WASHINGTON, D.C.  The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of a St. Louis police officer Wednesday who accused her former department of transferring her to another location because she is a woman.

Sgt. Jatonya Clayborn Muldrow worked in the specialized Intelligence Division in the St. Louis Police Department for nine years. She overlooked and investigated corruption, human trafficking, the Gang Unit, and served as the leader of the Gun Crimes Unit. Stemming from her position, she worked with the FBI as a Task Force Officer.

The case document says that Muldrows former commander told the new successor that if there was one sergeant to count on in the division, it was Muldrow. When the new commander came into the department in 2017, Muldrow was asked to transfer out of the unit to be replaced by a male officer.

Against Muldrows wishes, she was relocated after the department reassigned her. While the pay and rank remained the same, her responsibilities, schedule, and perks did not.

According to the Supreme Court ruling document, she was transferred to a department where she was completing day-to-day responsibilities in neighborhoods rather than with high-ranking officials on Intelligence Division priorities. She was no longer able to bring home an unmarked police vehicle and lost job schedule stability, including working weekends.

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Muldrow challenged the transfer through Title VII. In response, the Eighth Circuit Court stated that because the relocation could not prove any materially significant disadvantage, the lawsuit was unable to move forward.

The City of St. Louis heavily emphasizes the word significant, which implies that a certain threshold of disadvantage must be met before the action can be considered discriminatory, according to the document.

By asking whether the harm to the transferee is significant, appellate courts have disregarded varied kinds of disadvantage, the document reads.

The Supreme Court denied the citys claim about using the terminology. Under the Title VII anti-retaliation provision from a 2006 case, Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Co. v. White, an employer is also prohibited from taking action against an employee under a Title VII charge. Ultimately, the Supreme Court believed that the court applied the wrong standard to Muldrows case.

Justice Elena Kagan delivered the Supreme Courts decision. The case was vacated and remanded 9-0 Wednesday. Justices Thomas, Alito, and Kavanaugh filed concurring opinions in the judgement.

All we require is that (the Eighth Circuit Court) use the proper Title VII standard, and not demand that Muldrow demonstrate her transfer caused significant harm, the opinion of the court said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
(Bloomberg) -- The US Supreme Courts ruling that a St. Louis police sergeant can sue over a job transfer she claims was discriminatory was championed by human rights groups as an enormous win for workers.

Most Read from Bloomberg

However, hours after the decision Wednesday, lawyers were warning that the outcome could have a chilling effect on employers diversity initiatives because it adds to questions about whats legal.

Jatonya Clayborn Muldrow sued the City of St. Louis after she was reassigned from the departments intelligence division on public-corruption and human-trafficking cases to a job in the citys Fifth District. Though she was paid the same, she said she had to start working weekends, had less prestigious assignments and lost access to high-profile people. In short, she argued, the transfer was negative for her, and it was made on the basis of sex.

Workplace discrimination due to sex or other protected characteristics  like race, color, religion or national origin  is illegal, but courts across the country have disagreed about how substantial the unequal treatment must be to merit a legal claim. In this case, the city argued that Muldrows lateral move at the same pay grade wasnt significantly harmful enough to meet the standard.

The Supreme Court disagreed, saying an employee just needed to show some harm under the terms of their employment, but it doesnt need to be material, substantial or serious. The decision makes it easier for workers to sue over discriminatory job transfers.

Some employment lawyers say the same reasoning could be carried over to workplace development programs or employee resource groups designed to benefit traditionally underrepresented cohorts: for example, a fellowship that only accepts Hispanic students or a leadership program only open to women.

Could you say that exclusion from participation in an mentoring or leadership program materially disadvantages someone? said Jonathan Segal, a partner specializing in employment and labor law at Duane Morris. Even before the opinion, Segal was advising companies to eschew development programs that only allow people of protected groups to participate, he said. Now, he says, the risk is even higher.

An Opening

The Supreme Courts decision to overturn affirmative action in college admissions last year prompted executives across the country to reexamine their diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI programs. At the same time, conservative legal groups refocused their attentions on corporations, arguing that some initiatives meant to benefit marginalized groups amount to reverse discrimination.

Though the racial justice group Legal Defense Fund praised the ruling, Senior Economic Justice Counsel Pilar Whitaker acknowledged opponents of DEI programs likely will see this as an opening to launch new attacks on diversity programs.

Shes among lawyers who believe that anyone seeking to sue for being excluded from a program will face steep hurdles in proving that being left out hurts them.

The Court reaffirmed that challengers must establish harm or injury in a term or condition of employment, said Lauren Hartz, co-chair of the DEI Protection Task force at law firm Jenner & Block. In her view, that wont be easy to prove, but will still open the door to more lawsuits. Her firm is advising companies to carefully document changes to employee schedules, perks and assignments to ensure that they can later show the moves werent discriminatory.

The ruling is a double-edged sword, says David Glasgow, executive director for the Meltzer Center, which studies DEI law at New York University. It may become a bit easier to challenge DEI programs, but it will also be a bit easier to bring traditional discrimination claims, such as the one Muldrow brought against St. Louis.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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OPINION: Americas highest court recently declined to hear a case that essentially redefined the word peaceful and eliminated some peoples right to protest.

Editors note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the authors own. Read more opinions on theGrio.

Officially, no one killed Alton Sterling.

On July 5, 2016, Baton Rouge, La., police officer Blane Salamoni pumped six shots into the back and chest of 37-year-old Sterling as Officer Howie Lake II held him down. Because Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry concluded that the officers acted as reasonable officersand were justified in their use of force, neither officer was found guilty of murder, manslaughter or excessive use of force against Sterling. The U.S. Department of Justice determined there was insufficient evidence to pursue charges. And, even though the local government eventually settled a wrongful death civil suit with Sterlings family for $4.5 million, neither Salamoni, Lake, the Baton Rouge Police Department nor the city had to answer for their actions in a court of law. Technically, they just did some things that  through no fault of their own  resulted in a person being not alive. Thats how the law works for cops 

And white people.

If youre Black, its a little different. For instance, when an unnamed police officer was injured during a July 9, 2016, protest against the police department that did not murder Sterling, everyone found someone to blame:

Black people.

Baton Rouge is a majority Black city, so it didnt matter that the officer did not produce a shred of evidence proving that protest organizer DeRay Mckesson colluded with the unknown assailant to attack Officer Doe, knew of the attack and ratified it, or agreed  that attacking the police was one of the goals of the demonstration. Most of the protesters were Black, so it didnt matter that investigators had no idea who threw the piece of concrete that caused a loss of teeth, injury to jaw, [and] injury to brain and head of the anonymous officer. Like Sterlings Black life, nothing mattered.

But Mckesson is also Black. So, in 2019, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana ruled that Mckesson could be held responsible for the officers injuries. In this unique case, it did not matter that Mckesson didnt injure anyone. The U.S. Fifth Circuit of Appeals later affirmed the ruling, paving the way for a civil court jury to find Mckesson negligent for a crime he did not commit. And despite the judges concluding that Mckesson nor the march he organized had any connection to the Black Lives Matter organization, every news outlet has reported who was at fault for this single incident of reverse police brutality:

Black Lives Matter activist DeRay Mckesson.

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Mckesson v. Doe. In an unsigned, four-and-a-half page decision, the same Supreme Court that seems poised to hand a victory to Donald Trump and the insurrectionists affectionately known (to me) as Seal Team Jan. 6, explained that a violent confrontation with a police officer was a foreseeable effect of protest organizer DeRay Mckesson negligently directing a protest. The Supreme Courts official act of cowardice leaves a lower court decision in place that essentially eliminates the right to organize a protest in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, the states covered by the Fifth District decision.

Im sure its just a coincidence that Mississippi and Louisiana have the highest percentage of Black residents while Texas has the largest Black population. Even Fifth Circuit Judge Don Willett thinks that his colleagues are wrong. In his lone dissent, he argues that Mckesson cannot be liable for violence unless he encouraged violence. Willett argues that the current ruling incentivizes anyone who disagrees with a protest to show up and start throwing rocks.

To spell it out, I am concerned that those who oppose a social or political movement might view instigating violence (or feigning injury) during that movements protests as a path toward suppressing the protest leaders speechand thus the movement itself, wrote Willett. Dr. Kings last protest march was in March 1968, in support of striking Memphis sanitation workers  Had Dr. King been sued, either by injured police or injured protestors, I cannot fathom that the Constitution he praised as magnificent  a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir would countenance his personal liability.

Willett repeatedly referred to the Supreme Courts 1982 NAACP v. Clairborne decision, which clearly established that peaceful protest organizers could not be liable for damages. Even Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor felt the need to remind her colleagues that another SCOTUS decision barred the use of negligence to punish speech. To be fair, the justices who decided Mckesson vs. John Doe may have simply forgotten Counterman v. Colorado.

When the Fifth Circuit heard Mckesson v. Doe, Counterman v. Colorado was two weeks old.

Unfortunately, Sotomayors rationale and Willetts dissent fell on deaf ears because they were doing it wrong. When it comes to equality, liberation and justice for Black people, logic and reason are as ineffective as declarations and constitutions. However, I came up with an idea that could clear up this judicial confusion and drum up support for these anti-free speech laws. My suggestion may be controversial and sound a little radical at first, but I really think it could work.

Equal protection under the law.

No, seriously, hear me out. What if Donald Trump had to abide by the same rules as Mckesson? What if police were subject to the same scrutiny as a man standing in front of a store selling CDs? What if the white women protesting critical race theory at school board meetings were held liable for the history that Black kids didnt learn? What if people who caught COVID could sue anti-maskers, and school shooting survivors could sue the NRA, and trans kids could sue Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and Black people in small towns could sue Jason Aldean, and everyone on Black Twitter filed a class-action suit against Elon Musk?

Now thats justice.

Of course, wed probably have to make some kind of amendment to the U.S. Constitution to make it legal. Sure, weve never tried anything like this in the history of this country, but I truly believe my equal protection clause just might work. To be fair, I tend to hold some crazy beliefs, including one that always seems to come as a surprise to most white people:

There is no such thing as law.

Laws are impartially enforced and objectively applied. They are used to impose justice and redress wrongs. If a rule or code of conduct is arbitrarily applied or subjectively administered, it is just a suggestion. And in America, there is not a single regulation, judicial precedent or piece of legislation that has ever been enforced without consideration of the capricious, irrational consideration of race. Even the system of white supremacy has no rhyme or reason. Its just an unwritten, preposterously inconsistent code of conduct that governs Americas behavior, but its not real.

If that seems absurd, you cant possibly fathom how crazy it feels to be Black in a country with no laws. Think of how it feels to know your right to life, liberty and happiness are just worthless words scrawled on an unenforced promissory note. Imagine being disproportionately targeted by a state-sanctioned, legally protected group of trained killers. Yet, while peacefully petitioning your government for police accountability, consider the lunacy of being held accountable for not injuring a member of a group that is never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever ever ever ever held accountable for their actions. If I told you that opinion came from someone who literally had the title of justice, youd swear I was making this up.

I am not making this up.

Then again, Ive heard that theres a place in America where people actually swear they will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich 

Now, thats unbelievable.

Michael Harriot is a writer, cultural critic and championship-level Spades player. His NY Times bestseller Black AF History: The Unwhitewashed Story of America is available in bookstores everywhere.

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The post The Supreme Court just ruled that rights dont really matter appeared first on TheGrio.
Former two-term Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan  who's aiming to flip a Democrat-controlled open Senate seat in his heavily blue home state  is spotlighting his grassroots fundraising as he works to paint a stark contrast with the multi-millionaire front-runner for the Democratic nomination.

Hogan, considered the overwhelming front-runner for the GOP nomination in next month's primary, is running in the contest to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin in a race that is one of a handful that may determine if the Republicans win back the Senate majority.

The former governor, a vocal GOP critic of former President Donald Trump, may face off in November against Rep. David Trone, the polling front-runner in a crowded field of Democrats vying for their party's Senate nomination. The Democratic field also includes Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, who is second in public opinion surveys.

Trone, the founder and co-owner along with his brother of the alcohol retailer Total Wine and More, is one of the wealthiest members of Congress and is largely self-funding his Senate bid.

HOGAN PUSHES TO REBUILD COLLAPSED BALTIMORE BRIDGE

Rep. David Trone, D-Md., arrives at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 18 before the House voted to keep the government funded into March.

The congressman has loaned his campaign nearly $42 million since launching his bid in May of last year, according to federal campaign finance records. That makes him the largest self-funder of a Senate primary in American history, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Hogan's campaign, along with two aligned political action committees, hauled in over $3.1 million in fundraising since the former governor declared his Senate candidacy in mid-February.

Asked about Trone's self-funding, Hogan's campaign spotlighted an upcoming May 4 fundraising barbecue, where those attending are asked to contribute small-dollar donations.

SIX KEY SENATE SEATS REPUBLICANS AIM TO FLIP IN NOVEMBER

"Following Governor Hogan's bus tour directly reaching voters in every region of the state, we are excited to host a grassroots family BBQ with hundreds of supporters with tickets starting at $50 and kids under 12 for free," the campaign told Fox News.

His team, pointing to the likelihood of a Hogan-Trone faceoff in November, vowed that their candidate "may be outspent, but not be outworked in this campaign."

Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican candidate for the Senate, greets Baltimore Orioles fans, including a large contingent of first responders, at a former firehouse turned pub blocks from Camden Yards, just ahead of the major league baseball team's home opener, on March 28.

Trone's campaign told Fox News that its candidate "has been crystal clear that hes prepared to do whatever it takes to beat Larry Hogan in November and protect the Democratic Senate majority."

"With national Republicans and right-wing donors flooding Maryland with contributions to Hogan, there has never been a more important time to take the fight directly to Mitch McConnell, Larry Hogan and Donald Trump. David Trone is the best candidate to do that," it argued in a statement.

The latest polls indicate Hogan topping either Trone or Alsobrooks in general election matchups in Maryland, a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans by a two-to-one margin.

"I would not put a lot of stock in polls right now. Weve got a lot to do. We have not elected a Republican senator from Maryland since 1980, when Ronald Reagan was elected president," Hogan cautioned in a Fox News Digital interview last month.

He noted that "its a tough state  the bluest state in America. But I think if we work hard, we have the ability to get people to vote their hearts and vote for the person they think can do the job and not just vote straight party line."

A successful business leader before entering politics, Hogan seriously mulled a run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination and made numerous trips in 2022 to New Hampshire, the state that holds the first primary on the GOP nominating calendar.

But in March of last year, Hogan announced he wouldn't seek his party's presidential nomination.

SENATE SHOCKER: FORMER GOVERNOR MAKES SURPRISE CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCEMENT

During Hogan's last year as governor, Republican leaders in the nation's capital and in Maryland heavily courted him to run for the Senate in the 2022 midterm elections against Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen, but Hogan declined to run.

Last month, Hogan told Fox News a main reason he's now running for the Senate is to "bring some sanity back to the divisiveness and dysfunction" in the nation's capital. He's also touting his ability during his tenure as governor to work with a Democratic-dominated legislature to reach consensus.

And in a new nearly $1 million ad blitz launched on Wednesday, Hogan takes aim at the "partisan BS" in Washington. In the spot, Hogan vows "to be a voice of common sense" and "get stuff done" in the Senate.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee, the campaign arm of the Senate GOP which heavily courted Hogan to run, is footing half the bill for running the spot on TV, digital and streaming services.

Hogan's entry into the Senate race in Maryland is giving Democrats more headaches.

Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican candidate for Senate, speaks to patrons at a pub in Frederick, Maryland, on April 6.

Democrats currently control the U.S. Senate with a 51-49 majority, but Republicans are looking at a favorable Senate map this year, with Democrats defending 23 of the 34 seats up for grabs.

Three of those seats are in red states that Trump carried in 2020  Ohio, Montana and West Virginia, where Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin is not running for re-election. And five more are in key general election battlegrounds.

Fox News' Matthew Reidy and Aubrie Spady 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: Surging GOP Senate candidate unfazed by personal war chest of millionaire Dem in key blue state battle
Surprise reunion: Military dad greets children at school after being away for months

A military father went to two different schools to surprise his children on Thursday afternoon.

As reported on News Center 7 at 5, Jacob Turner spent seven months away from his family at Army basic training.

Turner kicked off the surprise at Oakview Elementary School to surprise his daughter Maddisyn, and then over to his son Colton at Van Buren Middle School.

While Turner was away, he had little communication with his family.

>> Big changes in store to get students to school in Dayton after previous system caused strain

I was in BCT and AIT have been going through my training for like last six, seven months, Turner said. In about two weeks well be going to Texas and Ill be going there for about a year and then headed to Poland.

This is something military families often deal with. Its just one of the reasons Principal Matthew Salyer said putting this surprise together for them was special.

Its always difficult for our students who may not have a parent in the home for various reasons, Salyer said. To be able to reunite them, after that it was great.

Turner said even though it was nerve-wracking...

Being able to be home with my family means more than I can ever say. They are what keeps me going and what kept me going through my whole army career, Turner said.

Turner said he is going to soak up these next two weeks at home with all of his family before they make their next move.

We will continue updating this story.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A suspect who is accused of running a human trafficking operation appeared before a Mecklenburg County judge on Thursday.

Kadeem Williams, 33, was arrested last month in a sting operation at a Salisbury hotel. On Thursday a judge set his bond at $50,000 for assault and domestic violence charges.

Williams was initially held on a $250,000 bond in Rowan County and will appear in a Rowan County courtroom on Monday to face charges of prostitution of a minor.

Photo: Kadeem Zelique Williams via RCSO

Authorities said Williams paid for a ride-share service to take a 16-year-old girl from Charlotte to a hotel. Williams is accused of grooming the victim and offering to provide a phone and a place to live. The teenager was then taken to an area medical center to be evaluated after she was rescued, the Rowan Sheriffs Office said.

MORE: Arrest made after missing 16-year-old girl rescued from Charlotte-based prostitution operation

The Rowan County Sheriffs Office, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police, and a Human Trafficking Unit were among the departments involved in the investigation.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Suspect in robbery at Sacramento-area Starbucks leads pursuit that ends in Roseville crash

A man accused of an armed robbery at a Starbucks in Sacramento County was arrested Wednesday in Roseville after leading authorities on a pursuit, the Placer County Sheriffs Office said.

The 27-year-old man was identified by Citrus Heights police as a suspect in a robbery at a Starbucks about 5:20 p.m. The Placer County Sheriffs Office located the suspects vehicle and began a pursuit when the suspect was driving near Thunder Valley Casino, said Sgt. David Smith, a spokesman for the Placer County Sheriffs Office.

The driver being pursued weaved through roads along Industrial Avenue traveling toward Washington Boulevard and Roseville Parkway. At one point, the driver had even driven in the opposite direction of traffic lanes.

The vehicle drove into a field, causing the vehicle to spin out, Smith said. There were no injuries reported during the seven-minute pursuit, he said.

The suspect faces charges of false imprisonment, possessing narcotics, possessing drugs while armed, carrying a loaded handgun, illegally having an firearm and evading police officers, according to booking logs. Hes being held on $200,000 bail.

The Citrus Heights Police Department did not immediately return a call for comment.
Suspect wounded in shootout with police in L.A. County

A suspect was wounded in a shootout with police as officers were conducting a specialized operation at a home in Torrance early Thursday morning, authorities said.

The shooting occurred when officers from the Los Angeles Police Departments narcotics and child abuse units were approaching a home in the area of Torrance Boulevard and Anza Avenue, a police spokesperson told KTLA.

The suspect opened fire on officers as they came close to the home, the spokesperson said. Officers then returned fire and struck the suspect during the exchange.

Victim shot in broad daylight outside O.C. apartment complex; suspect sought

The suspect, whose identity was not immediately released, was taken to a local hospital in stable condition, the spokesperson said.

No details were provided on exactly what prompted the operation at the home.

No officers were injured in the incident.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
An Iranian ship suspected of providing intelligence to the Houthis is sailing home.

The MV Behshad spent several months near Yemen as the Houthis launched attacks.

Shipping data shows its back near Iran as Tehran braces for a potential Israeli retaliation.

An Iranian cargo ship that is suspected of having provided targeting information and intelligence to the Houthis for their Red Sea attacks appears to have sailed home this week.

The MV Behshad's return to Iran comes as the country braces for possible Israeli retaliation over Tehran's unprecedented missile and drone attack on Israel last weekend.

The vessel has been at sea for nearly three years and spent several months earlier this year lingering near Yemen. But on Wednesday, it was seen sailing in the Gulf of Oman off Iran's coast, and it crossed the strategic Straight of Hormuz early on Thursday, according to ship tracking data reviewed by Business Insider.

The Behshad's destination is listed as the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on MarineTraffic.com, and the latest tracking data from Thursday afternoon local time shows that the vessel is in the general vicinity of the city.

Though it left its position near Yemen earlier this month, the Behshad did not broadcast its location until a few days ago, when it appeared on ship tracking sites off the coast of Iran, according to Bloomberg, which first reported on the vessel's movement.

In this handout photo provided by the Houthi media center, fighters participate in a military exercise on March 17, 2024, in Sana'a, Yemen. Photo by Houthi Movement via Getty Images

While it was lingering around waters near the coast of Yemen, the Behshad is suspected of having provided intelligence to the Houthis that allowed them to locate and target commercial vessels in key international shipping lanes, NBC News reported. The Iranian vessel was also reportedly the target of a US cyberattack in early February.

The Houthis, which are supported and armed by Iran, have been firing missiles and drones at vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden for months. US Navy warships operating in the region have intercepted many of these threats, although some of the munitions have managed to hit commercial vessels in transit.

Iranian officials have denied any involvement in the Houthis' campaign.

The Behshad's relocation to waters closer to home provides a certain degree of safety to the suspected intelligence asset, which might otherwise be a target of Israeli retaliation. An attack on a ship of this kind would not be a first for Israel. Back in 2021, its forces used a mine to strike an Iranian military vessel in the Red Sea.

The redeployment comes just days after Israeli officials vowed to retaliate for Iran's attack last weekend.

This undated photograph released by the US military's Central Command shows what it is described as a vessel that carried Iranian-made missile components bound for the Houthis in the Arabian Sea. US Central Command via AP

Tehran and its proxies launched more than 300 missiles and drones at Israel, nearly all of which were shot down by the country and partner forces in the region, including the US military. The massive barrage came days after an Israeli airstrike in Syria that killed several high-ranking Iranian military officials.

Israel's Western partners have called for the country to show restraint in its response to Iran, warning that any retaliation risks an all-out military confrontation with Tehran and could plunge the Middle East even further into violence.

"We have to ask Israel for a restrained answer to the Iranians' attack. We cannot escalate," the European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said on Thursday. "We cannot go step by step, answering every time higher to a regional war."

"I do not want to exaggerate," he said, "but we are on the edge of a regional war in the Middle East, which will be sending shockwaves to the rest of the world, and in particular to Europe."

Iranian officials have said that Tehran will respond to any retaliation.

Read the original article on Business Insider
WUHAN, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Fan Yifei, a former vice governor of the People's Bank of China, was tried on Thursday at a court in Huanggang, central China's Hubei Province, on charges of taking bribes worth over 386 million yuan (about 54.35 million U.S. dollars).

According to the prosecutors, Fan took advantage of his various positions, including vice governor of the central bank, vice president of China Investment Corporation, and vice president of China Construction Bank, to benefit organizations and individuals regarding loans, financing, project contracting, and job transfer between 1993 and 2022.

The prosecutors, the defendant, and his lawyers cross-examined the evidence and gave their respective accounts, according to a court statement.

In his final statement, Fan pleaded guilty and expressed remorse.

The trial was attended by more than 40 people, including lawmakers, political advisors, and members of the public.

The verdict will be announced in due course. 
FILE - A man walks by flowers and a sign of support for the community, Oct. 28, 2023, in the wake of the mass shootings that occurred on Oct. 25, in Lewiston, Maine. The Maine Legislature has approved sweeping gun safety legislation early Thursday, April 18, 2024, nearly six months after the deadliest shooting in state history. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)  The Maine Legislature approved sweeping gun safety legislation including background checks on private gun sales, waiting periods for gun purchases and criminalizing gun sales to prohibited people before adjourning Thursday morning, nearly six months after the deadliest shooting in state history.

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills and the Democratic-led Legislature pressed for a number of gun and mental health proposals after the shooting that claimed 18 lives and injured 13 others, and most were adopted despite the states strong hunting tradition and gun ownership.

We heard loud and clear from Mainers across our state that they wanted meaningful action to make our communities safer from violence, and Im so proud that we had the courage take meaningful steps that will get us closer to making that a reality," the House assistant majority leader, Rep. Kristen Cloutier, a Democrat from Lewiston, said Thursday in a statement.

The governor will sign her bill, approved early Thursday, that would strengthen the states yellow flag law, boost background checks for private sales of guns and make it a crime to recklessly sell a gun to someone who is prohibited from having guns, said Ben Goodman, a spokesperson. The bill also funds violence- prevention initiatives and opens a mental health crisis receiving center in Lewiston.

The governor will review two other bills narrowly approved by the Senate on Wednesday to establish a 72-hour waiting period for gun purchases and a ban on bump stocks that can transform a weapon into a machine gun, Goodman said.

However, there was no action on a proposal to institute a red flag law. The bill sponsored by House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross would have allowed family members to petition a judge to remove guns from someone who is in a psychiatric crisis. The states current yellow flag law differs by putting police in the lead of the process, which critics say is too complicated.

Lawmakers pushed through the night and into the morning as they ran up against their adjournment date, which was Wednesday. But it didn't come without some 11th-hour drama. Lawmakers had to approve a contentious supplemental budget before casting their final votes and didn't wrap up the session until after daybreak.

The Oct. 25 shooting by an Army reservist in Lewiston, Maine's second-largest city, served as tragic backdrop for the legislative session.

Police were warned by family members that the shooter was becoming delusional and had access to weapons. He was hospitalized for two weeks while training with his unit last summer. And his best friend, a fellow reservist, warned that the man was going to snap and do a mass shooting. The shooter killed himself after the attack.

Survivors of the shooting had mixed feelings. Some wanted legislative action. Others like Ben Dyer, who was shot five times, were skeptical of the proposed laws.

A sick person did a sick thing that day. And the Legislature and politicians are trying to capitalize on that to get their agendas passed, said Dyer, who contends law-abiding gun owners are the ones who would get hurt by the proposals while criminals ignore them. The state already had a yellow flag law but law enforcement officials didnt use it to prevent the tragedy, he added.

His feelings echoed the view of Republicans who accused Democrats of using the tragedy to play on peoples emotions to pass contentious bills.

My big concern here is that were moving forward with gun legislation that has always been on the agenda. Now were using the tragedy in Lewiston to force it through when theres nothing new here," said Republican Sen. Lisa Keim. It's the same old ideas that were rejected year after year."

But Democrats said constituents implored them to do something to prevent future attacks. They said it would've been an abdication of their responsibility to ignore their pleas.

For the sake of the communities, individuals and families now suffering immeasurable pain, for the sake of our state, doing nothing is not an option, the governor, a former prosecutor and attorney general, said in late January when she outlined her proposals in her State of the State address. Those in attendance responded with a standing ovation.
Sweet Tooth has confirmed a release date for its third season, alongside an exciting teaser trailer.

The Netflix fantasy series, which stars Christian Convery as protagonist Gus, is back for another batch of eight episodes, which has already been confirmed to be its last outing.

The final season will land on the streaming platform on June 6.

In the dramatic new trailer, Gus  alongside Jepperd, Becky, Wendy and Dr Singh  can be seen setting off on a journey to Alaska to find Guss mother Birdie, who is trying to solve the mystery of the deadly Sick.

Netflix

Related: Zendaya 'doesn't know' what's happening with Euphoria season 3

But they face new threats during their perilous journey - Helen Zhang, for example, sees Gus as the solution in her plan to restart human birth.

Along the way, they meet new characters, including Siana and her hybrid daughter Nuka, played by Cara Gee and Ayazhan Dalabayeva, respectively.

"The Emmy-winning series returns for the final chapter," says the trailer, with the release date next to the tagline: "All roads leads to Alaska".

In a statement last year, showrunner Jim Mickle explained the show hadnt been cancelled, and it was his original plan to do three seasons.

Netflix

Related: Young Sheldon stars tease "full circle" finale

He said: "In a lot of ways, its exactly the story that I imagined we would tell, and in a lot of ways it takes on its own life.

"At the beginning, I think you set out to tell these landmark pieces of Gus story and the big pieces of the comic book, but the beauty of long-form storytelling and Gus journey over 24 episodes is the characters themselves tell you what they want to be."

Mickle also teased what to expect in the final instalment: "Season 3 is an Arctic story with exciting new adventures and what we hope will be a satisfying conclusion to this epic tale. Gus is going to see a side of the world and humanity that he didnt see in season 1 or 2."

Sweet Tooth season 3 is released on June 6 on Netflix. Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming on Netflix now.

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An Assyrian church bishop who was stabbed during a livestreamed mass outside of Sydney gave an update on his condition Thursday and said he had forgiven his attacker.

A 16-year-old male suspect, who has not been publicly identified, was taken into custody following the attack Monday night at the Assyrian Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley. Authorities described the assault as a "terrorist incident."

"I am doing fine, recovering very quickly ... there is no need to be worried or concerned," Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel said in an audio message posted on social media, his first public comments since the attack. "I forgive whoever has done this act ... I will always pray for you and whoever sent you to do this, I forgive them as well."

Bishop Emmanuel, who was injured in the attack, is the leader of a conservative sect of the Assyrian Orthodox faith. He has a strong social media following and is outspoken on a range of issues, including the war in Gaza and COVID-19 restrictions, according to Reuters.

AUSTRALIA SAYS BISHOP, PRIEST'S CHURCH STABBING WAS A TERRORIST INCIDENT

A supplied image obtained on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, shows Senior Parish Priest Fr. Isaac Royel (L) and Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel during the 2023 Holy Resurrection Feast services, in Sydney, Australia.

The church's livestream showed a man, later identified as Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, behind the altar in the church when a man walked toward him holding an unknown object. The man lunged at him and began to stab him in the chest.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Churchgoers screamed and rushed to help the bishop, who could be seen falling to the ground as the suspect continued to attack.

The male suspect remains in custody and is in the hospital under police guard, Reuters reported.

On the night of the attack, an angry crowd fought emergency crews outside the church and demanded that the suspected attacker be handed over to them, Reuters reported.

SYDNEY CHURCH STABBING SUSPECT IN CUSTODY

An attacker approaches Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel during a church service at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, Sydney, Australia, on April 15, 2024, in this still image from social media livestream video.

New South Wales state Police Commissioner Karen Webb said a 19-year-old man, who was not a member of the church, was charged in connection with his role in the riot.

"People just came along to participate in a riot. That is disgraceful and disgusting," Webb said at a news conference.

AUSTRALIAN KILLERS FATHER REVEALS WHY SON TARGETED WOMEN DURING DEADLY STABBING AT SYDNEY MALL

Broken glass is cleaned up from the road after police held back an angry mob following a stabbing at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in the suburb of Wakeley in Sydney, Australia.

Nearly 50 officers were injured, and 20 police cars were damaged in the riot, which is currently under investigation.

In his message, Bishop Emmanuel urged members of his church to remain calm and respect the law.

The attack happened just days after a stabbing spree at a mall in Sydney left six dead.

Westfield Bondi Junction, the six-level shopping mall in Sydney, reopened Thursday to allow people inside to pay their respects to the victims, while stores remain closed. A white floral tribute was laid out on the second floor and businesses are expected to reopen on Friday, Reuters reported.

Fox News Digital's Greg Norman and Reuters contributed to this report.





Original article source: Sydney church bishop stabbed in 'terrorist incident' says he forgives attacker
Westfield Bondi Junction re-opens to the public following the stabbing attacks which killed several people, in Sydney

Westfield Bondi Junction re-opens to the public following the stabbing attacks which killed several people, in Sydney

By Lewis Jackson

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Sydney's Bondi Westfield mall on Thursday reopened for the first time since a man with a knife killed six people there on Saturday before police shot him.

The operators of the Westfield mall, about 3 kilometres (2 miles) from the city's iconic Bondi Beach, allowed residents enter to pay their respects to the victims, with stores remaining closed and a white floral tribute laid out on the second floor.

Many wept as they walked though the halls, with advertisements on digital screens replaced by black ribbons.

Normal trading will resume on Friday, while a candlelight vigil at the beach on Sunday will mourn the victims, authorities said.

"It wasn't very nice walking through there, it obviously did bring back certain flashbacks," said Vinny Jovanovski, 33, who owns the Glo Bar cafe on the fifth floor of the mall and witnessed the attacks. "But I mean, we have a lot of love and support from the community. Everybody is being very kind to each other."

Sydney, one of the world's safest cities, suffered its second high-profile stabbing in three days on Monday after police said a teenager stabbed a bishop in the city's west.

Saturday's attacker, 40-year-old Joel Cauchi, suffered from mental health issues, police and his family said.

Wearing shorts and an Australian national rugby league jersey, he ran through the mall with a knife, fatally stabbing six people and injuring at least 12 before he was killed by Inspector Amy Scott.

Some shoppers and staff at the mall in Sydney's east tried to stop him, including Damien Guerot of France, who has become known as "Bollard Man" after holding back Cauchi with a post from a queue barrier.

Martine Wachtenhein, 66, who was among those visiting the mall on Thursday, choked back tears as she recounted how Cauchi came within three or four metres of her before Guerot forced him back.

"I could have been one of the people stabbed," she said, choking back tears. "If I could send a message to that beautiful man that would be the best thing I want to thank him. I don't think he realises the impact it had on me; thanks to him I managed to escape."

(Reporting by Lewis Jackson in Sydney; Writing by Alasdair Pal. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
Residents and members of local civil rights organizations gathered Thursday to denounce Tarrant County Judge Tim OHares recent treatment of Commissioner Alisa Simmons, which they described as racist, misogynistic, and publicly intimidating.

The news conference sprang from an exchange between OHare and Simmons at a meeting of the Commissioners Court on Tuesday, during which OHare told Simmons, Im the one talking now, so youll sit there and be quiet and listen to me talk.

OHare is white; Simmons is Black.

A news conference was held Thursday morning in front of the Tarrant County Administration Building in downtown Fort Worth with about 20 people in attendance, including representatives of the Fort Worth and Arlington chapters of the NAACP and United Fort Worth.

Those in attendance said they want Tarrant County citizens to stand up against OHares disrespect of Simmons by speaking at the May 7 County Commissioners Court meeting.

In the wake of everything thats been going on with the statement that he made, Sit down and be quiet, You cant say that to a woman in 2024, Kennedy Jones, president of the Arlington NAACP chapter, said.

Simmons approached the crowd at the end of the news conference. She said she didnt expect such a response from residents but was appreciative that they recognized the inappropriateness of OHares behavior.

Because I was not going to be quiet does not mean that Im out of order, Simmons said. I was speaking, I even attempted to answer his questions, and he didnt like my question, so he didnt answer so he would speak over me. Im not tolerating that.

The exchange between OHare and Simmons came after Simmons voiced opposition to a five month, $5,000 contract with Noah Betz, the executive director of the Huffines Liberty Foundation, to work in OHares office.

Speakers during the meeting criticized Betzs conservative political record, calling it an ethical violation and misuse of taxpayer dollars for OHare to hire him. After Simmons shared her concerns about the contract, OHare questioned Simmons about whether her X (formerly Twitter) account is political in nature.

At one point, as they were both talking, OHare told Simmons, Im the one talking now, so youll sit there and be quiet and listen to me talk.

Dont tell me when and when not to talk, Simmons responded. This is my court too.

The contract passed with a 3-2 vote along party lines, with Simmons and fellow Democrat Roy Brooks voting against the contract.

Gwen Johnson, who attended Thursdays news conference, said OHare would not have made those comments to Simmons if she was a white woman. His toxic behavior should show people he needs to be voted out office, Johnson said.

Every woman in Tarrant County ought to be upset with this mans comments, Johnson said. Whether white, Black, it doesnt matter. They should be upset.

Starr writer Noah Alcala Bach contributed to this report.
Carolyn Hoyt, the founder and executive director of NextStep of Central Louisiana, talks to Peabody Magnet High School students about teen dating violence.

Gasps rose from some of the freshmen and sophomores at Peabody Magnet High School after a woman identified herself as the one they had just heard screaming on a 911 call from June 7, 1993, the day her ex-boyfriend stabbed her repeatedly.

"This is very hard for me to talk about," said Paula Shackleford, "because I relive every moment of that tragedy when I hear that 911 call."

But Shackleford said if she can reach one person, it's worth reliving the night she almost died.

Eighteen at the time, and home with her baby, niece and nephew, Shackleford's ex broke into her Tioga home. He grabbed a 13-inch butcher knife from her kitchen, stabbing her head, stomach and chest.

'I survived': Living with the scars of domestic abuse

Paula Shackleford told Peabody Magnet High School students how the near-fatal attack on her by an ex-boyfriend when she was 18 changed her life.

The couple had dated briefly before Shackleford realized the relationship "was turning into something that was too much for me to handle." She broke up with him, but he wouldn't leave her alone. She lived "in a constant state of fear," she told the students.

Shackleford recovered from her injuries, and her ex was sent to prison for 66 years. She fought to keep him behind bars as he sought an early release. She was successful at first, but he later won his release.

He died less than two years after that, she said.

Shackleford's story was part of program to educate teens about dating violence, how to avoid it or get out of it. The NextStep of Louisiana program, based in Pineville, also touched on sextortion, the dangers of social media and harassment via texts.

The presentation is part of a Louisiana law that requires students in grades seven through 12 receive education on teen dating violence. The program has taught more than 37,000 students across six parishes and more than 30 schools at no cost to their districts.

Carolyne Hoyt, NextStep's founder and executive director, shared "a few terrible, heartbreaking examples" of young people who have been murdered or taken their own lives because of dating violence, sextortion or social media harassment.

Like the 11-year-old boy who hung himself because he believed a prank played on him by his 13-year-old girlfriend and her friends. He believed the social media post that told everyone his girlfriend had committed suicide, but it wasn't true.

Hoyt says it shows victims aren't only girls.

"We always want guys to know, boys can be victims, too," she said.

In fact, her presentation states that sextortion victims overwhelmingly are teen boys. A video played for the students told the tale of two teen boys who killed themselves after being blackmailed by international criminals who lure them into sending explicit photos or videos by posing as young girls.

Then, the criminals demand money to prevent the photos or videos from being sent to their families and friends.

The FBI issued a warning about sextortion in January and since has made multiple arrests.

According to the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, dating violence is common. One in three high school students experience physical or sexual violence from their dating partners, it states.

Domestic violence is always about power and control, Hoyt told the students.

As she spoke on these topics, Temekia Brown nodded her head. Sitting next to Shackleford, Brown was the last speaker Monday morning.

But first, Peabody Principal Dennis Stewart wanted to tell them something.

Temekia Brown tells Peabody Magnet High School students about her daughter, Ashley Mortle, and her best friend, Destiny Compton. The women were killed by Mortle's ex-boyfriend in 2021.

"It hits home when you know someone," he said, telling them he knew Brown's daughter, Ashley Mortle, while he was at Arthur Smith Middle Magnet School.

She was a straight-A student "involved in everything possible," he told his students. He also knew Mortle's friend, Destiny Compton.

Both women died on Feb. 7, 2021, after being shot by Mortle's ex-boyfriend at Compton's Culpepper Road house in Alexandria. Mortle was one day from her 20th birthday; Compton, a dispatcher for the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office, was 20.

Lawsuits: City, officer failed to protect women from man who killed them hours later

"Listen, because these two young ladies were in this auditorium and walked these halls."

Brown said she didn't know the signs of dating violence before her daughter's death. But now, three years later, she realizes the signs were there all along.

Her daughter arranged for her iPhone contents to be uploaded to an iCloud account Brown had access to, and she only recently looked at it.

She read text messages in which her daughter's ex-boyfriend threatened to kill her, apologized to her and asked her to come back to him.

She now remembers other signs, like her daughter wearing long-sleeve sweaters during the summer. She began distancing herself from some friends. When Brown would ask if he was mistreating her, her daughter would deny it.

"It's been three years, and I just recently found this phone," she said. "Can you imagine the tears coming out of my eyes, knowing that my baby and her best friend's lives were taken?"

Brown said her daughter's ex was nice and sweet when she met him. She invited him to her home, to family events and bought him Christmas gifts.

"But behind my back, he was doing my daughter all sorts of dirty," she said.

Ashley Mortle (left) and Destiny Compton.

The last time she saw her daughter alive was at the Alexandria Police Department station, where she had gone to report her ex had stolen her cellphone and hit her. She asked her daughter why she never told her about what was going on, but also told her she was proud of her.

The two hugged and kissed as Mortle and her friends went out to celebrate her birthday. Less than two hours later, Brown received the call that that changed her life.

"All because she didn't want him anymore," she said. "She was tired of him.

"It is serious. It is OK for somebody not to want you. Walk away. When they tell you they're gonna do something to you, believe it. When they first put their hands on you, believe it."

She urged them to talk to their parents if they're being abused and, if that's not an option, talk to a principal, teacher or pastor.

Brown said her goal now is to prevent other young women from going through what her daughter and Compton did. She founded a private group, Love Don't Hurt, that's on Facebook, providing a space for people to share their stories or seek help.

As she closed her talk, Brown told the students that she never thought she'd have to bury her daughter  "My little best friend, my angel"  because of dating violence.

"Don't take abuse from nobody," she said. "It's real. It's serious. Talk to somebody."

This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Survivor, victim's mom tell Peabody students dangers of dating violence
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  Tampa Bay lawmakers and abortion rights advocates held a news conference Thursday to discuss Sen. Rick Scotts stance on abortion rights.

Democrats slammed the former Florida Governors record on abortion and respond to a recent interview where he indicated that, if he were still in the position, he would have approved the six-week abortion ban that will soon take effect.

Florida Supreme Court upholds states 15-week abortion ban, but voters will soon have a say

If I was the sitting governor and the six-week abortion ban came in front of me, I would sign it, Scott said in the Spectrum News interview.

Earlier this week, Scott said he would support replacing the more restrictive six-week abortion ban with the existing 15-week statewide abortion ban. He said it would line up with Floridians views because in Florida, theres way more consensus around 15 weeks with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother.

So if I was writing a bill, Id think that 15 weeks with the limitations [for rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother] is where the states at, Scott told The Hill in an interview. I think its important we do what theres consensus for.

In Thursdays news conference, lawmakers stressed the importance of protecting abortion rights as womens healthcare and the urgency they face heading into the 2024 election.

Were standing up here because we know, and make no mistake, that the reproductive rights of millions of women in Florida are on the line this November, not just on Amendment 4, but up and down the ballot, Rep. Lindsay Cross said. From Rick Scott, to Republicans in Tallahassee, none of them support your right to choose.

Undo the damage: Groups react to Florida Supreme Courts rulings on abortion

The Florida Supreme Court upheld the states 15-week abortion ban on April 1, which was blocking the more restrictive ban from taking effect while it was tied up in the courts. The 6-week ban is set to take effect on May 1, which is 30 days after the ruling.

It started with a 15-week ban, but in just a few short days, Florida will be pushed back into the dark ages with a six week abortion ban, Rep. Dianne Hart said. Im convinced that this legislature, this state and its leadership will not be satisfied until were reliving the days when women were losing their lives at the hands of coat hangers and other barbaric measures.

Democrats maintain that abortion rights are not a political issue, but a private healthcare matter.

This is extremist legislation that has politicians interfering with what should be a personal medical decision between women, their partners and their doctors, Rep. Susan Valdes said. Patients dont turn to politicians for advice about birth control, mammograms and cancer treatment, and abortion should be no different.

A retired OBGYN, Dr. Bruce Shephard, said that the six-week abortion ban does not make sense from a medical standpoint. Shepard practiced in Tampa for 40 years, delivering 7,500 babies in the region.

As an OBGYN, Ive cared for women whose pregnancies did not have happy endings, Dr. Shephard said. Ive delivered bad news to women who desperately wanted to be mothers, but not everyone gets that chance. Not every pregnancy ends with a healthy baby.

He also raised concerns with both the 15-week and six-week deadline to have an abortion.

Women typically find out about issues with their unborn children, like genetic conditions or abnormalities, at their 18-week ultrasound. Dr. Shephard said that although he advised women as their doctor in making those difficult decisions, the responsibility and ultimate choice was up to them.

Dr. Shephard called the six-week abortion ban archaic, dangerous, and a nightmare.

Its the worst piece of legislation Ive ever seen come out of Tallahassee, and Sen. Rick Scott supports it, Dr. Shephard said. He previously said he would sign it into law, and yesterday, he doubled down again.

Florida voters will have the chance to weigh in on the issue at the polls in November. Amendment 4, a citizen ballot initiative that would enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, is on the ballot. It would permit abortion procedures up to the point of viability, as determined by a physician.

Florida Supreme Court allows recreational marijuana, abortion amendments on 2024 ballot

Florida Democrats are pointing to Scotts pro-life record as he seeks reelection in 2024. Democrats credited their successes in the 2022 midterms to reinvigorated support for abortion rights after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

If youre a Republican that voted for this ban and you think your voters wont remember, youre in trouble, Rep. Cross said.

Sen. Scotts press team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Teacher accused of sex with student released from jail to care for her two small children

A detention hearing for Jessica Sawicki, a Point Pleasant resident and teacher in Mercer County, who is charged with having sex with a student in Upper Freehold takes place at the Monmouth County Courthouse.The hearing is before Superior Court Judge Richard W. English. Freehold, NJ Wednesday, April 17, 2024

FREEHOLD - Months before a Hamilton Township high school teacher was caught having sex with a student in the back seat of her vehicle on the banks of Assunpink Lake in Upper Freehold, school officials warned her to stay away from the 17-year-old boy and placed her on administrative leave when she failed to do so, an assistant prosecutor told a judge Wednesday.

Keri-Leigh Schaefer, assistant Monmouth County prosecutor, cited that as one of the reasons she believed 37-year-old Jessica Sawicki of Point Pleasant Beach should remain in jail without bail to face sexual assault and child endangerment charges.

In addition, Schaefer said the state has a strong case against Sawicki because she has confessed to engaging in sexual activity with the student on at least five occasions.

But Sawicki's attorney, Edward Cridge, succeeded in convincing Superior Court Judge Richard W. English to release her from the Monmouth County Jail, telling him the defendant has two small children at home.

"Her husband is present today in the courtroom,'' Cridge said. "Obviously, this is a difficult thing for any couple to go through, but he's here in support of his wife, in support of their family.''

Cridge told the judge the defendant and her husband, Michael, have a 5-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son.

"They don't know where their mom is right now and it's getting hard to explain that to them at home,'' Cridge told the judge

Sawicki, a special education teacher at Hamilton High School West, had been in the Monmouth County Jail since her arrest April 9.

A criminal investigation into the teacher began on April 7, after a lieutenant with the state Division of Fish and Wildlife spotted her sport-utility vehicle blocking access to the lake at the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area in Upper Freehold, Schaefer said. The lieutenant then noticed another vehicle, which turned out to be the victim's, parked behind the sport utility vehicle, with the boy and Sawicki in the back seat, the assistant prosecutor said.

When the lieutenant approached the vehicle, he saw the boy quickly put on his pants and Sawicki pull up her skirt, Schaefer said.

The lieutenant's body-worn camera captured that activity, she said.

An ensuing investigation revealed that several staff members at Hamilton High School West went to their principal earlier in the school year to report what they said was an inappropriate relationship Sawicki was having with a student, Schaefer said. They reported Sawicki was spending time with the boy, a high school senior, without good reason, the assistant prosecutor said.

After that, the principal had a conversation with Sawicki "about boundaries,'' but Sawicki continued to spend time with the boy, Schaefer said.

Then, in January, she was placed on administrative leave after school officials again talked to her, and she admitted to engaging in inappropriate conduct, including giving the student small gifts and preferential treatment, including passes to get out of class, Schaefer said. At that time, Sawicki was ordered by school officials not to contact the boy, but she defied the order and continued to have a relationship with him, Schaefer said.

After she was caught in the back seat with the victim at the lake, Sawicki agreed to speak with detectives and told them she first met the victim when he was a sophomore, the assistant prosecutor said. Sawicki told detectives she previously taught the boy's older brother, who told her the younger boy had a rough childhood, was struggling in school and needed extra attention, Schaefer said.

Sawicki said she and the boy exchanged phone numbers when he was a junior, and by the time he was in his senior year, they met at Assunpink Lake at least 10 times, Schaefer told the judge. On about half of those occasions, Sawicki said they engaged in either unprotected sex or other sexual acts, the assistant prosecutor said.

"As the adult in the situation, as a teacher at the high school, she was in a position of power and authority over this child student and she used that position of power and authority to begin a relationship with him,'' Schaefer said, arguing that Sawicki poses a danger to the community.

Cridge argued the opposite.

"What happened here was affectional,'' he said.

The relationship developed over time and was "not anything impulsive or predatory,'' the defense attorney said.

Cridge said the student has not cooperated in the investigation and has refused to talk to detectives.

"This is a young person who clearly is capable of taking care of himself,'' Cridge said.

Cridge told the judge his client is not a flight risk.

"She's not leaving her kids, your honor, two little kids,'' he said, arguing for his client's release from jail.

English agreed to release Sawicki from jail to await trial on the condition that she have no contact with the victim and no unsupervised contact with any minors other than her two children. She is required to report to court staff every other week.

The judge scheduled Sawicki's next court appearance for May 30 before Superior Court Judge Jill Grace O'Malley.

Kathleen Hopkins, a reporter in New Jersey since 1985, covers crime, court cases, legal issues and just about every major murder trial to hit Monmouth and Ocean counties. Contact her at khopkins@app.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Teacher accused of sex with student freed from jail to care for kids
TEHRAN, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Six people were killed and another injured in a fire at a construction site east of the Iranian capital Tehran on Thursday, Iran's IRIB news agency reported.

The fire incident was reported at 13:02 local time (0932 GMT), and firefighters were immediately sent to the scene, the IRIB quoted spokesman of the Tehran Fire Department Jalal Maleki as saying.

He added that the fire had erupted for an unidentified reason in one of the rooms at the construction site where workers used to rest, noting that the six workers who lost their lives in the blaze were foreign nationals.

Maleki said the worker who had been injured in the incident was transferred to the hospital, stressing that investigations were underway to identify the cause. 
BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11)  A teenager was stabbed in broad daylight in the Morris Heights section of the Bronx Thursday morning, according to the NYPD.

Police responded to a report of a stabbing near Inwood Avenue and Featherbed Lane just before 8:30 a.m. Upon arrival, officers were told a teen had been stabbed in his chest during a verbal argument, authorities said.

More Bronx News

First-responders rushed the 19-year-old male victim, Dominic Aguliera, to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival, police said.

No arrests had been made by Thursday afternoon, authorities said.

Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
NEW YORK (PIX11)  Two teenage squatters were charged with murder for allegedly killing a woman who was moving into her Manhattan apartment last month, authorities said Thursday.

Kensly Alston, 18, and Halley Tejada, 19, were also charged with burglary, robbery, criminal possession of stolen property, grand larceny, and concealment of a human corpse, according to the Manhattan District Attorneys Office.

The suspects are accused of beating Nadia Vitels, 52, to death in the 19th-floor apartment of 206 East 31st St. in Kips Bay, police said. Investigators found Vitels in the closet with her foot hanging out of the bag 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 family found her body in a bag piled under a stack of coats in a bedroom closet, officials said.

Kensly Alston and Halley Tejada allegedly murdered Nadia Vitels in her own apartment while she was moving in to start a new chapter of her life, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said.

Police clearing pro-Palestinian protesters from Columbia: university president

The apartment had been vacant for a few months since the victims mother passed away. On March 12, Vitels returned to the apartment with her dog and found Alston and Tejada staying there at around 11:30 a.m., prosecutors said. The teens got into the apartment with a building key.

The suspects allegedly left the unit to go to Target to buy a suitcase with Vitels credit card before they were spotted leaving the building again at around 5:45 p.m. They were allegedly wearing blue gloves and had the suitcase they purchased at Target before they allegedly drove away in the victims car, authorities said.

Tejada and Alston allegedly killed Vitels before stealing her Lexus and fleeing to Pennsylvania, where they had a minor car accident in Lower Paxton Township on March 13, authorities said.

While they were in the Keystone State, the suspects allegedly used Vitels credit card to buy a PlayStation 5, AirPods, clothing, food, and a diamond ring, prosecutors said.

On March 22, they were arrested at a home in York, Pennsylvania, by a Fugitive Task Force and charged with receiving stolen property in connection to a car crash, authorities said.

The teens were extradited from Pennsylvania to New York to face murder charges. Alston and Tejada pleaded not guilty and were held without bail at their arraignments, according to court records.

Their attorneys could not immediately be reached Thursday.

Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the New York City area for more than a decade. She joined PIX11 News in 2022. See more of her work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Teen turns tables on accused robbers when mom slips him a gun in Texas home, cops say

A Texas teenager turned the tables on a pair of accused robbers, gunning them down inside an apartment on Houstons southwest side, police told news outlets.

The shooting happened at about 10:50 p.m. Wednesday, April 17, the Houston Police Department told KRIV.

Moments earlier, investigators say the teen met with two other people in order to sell something, but the meeting turned violent, according to KTRK. All three individuals were between 16 and 19 years old, according to police.

The other two began attacking the teen, beating him with brass knuckles, then forcing him to go to his apartment so they could rob it, police told the station.

When he entered, investigators say his mother was at the door and she handed him a gun, KRIV reported. The robbers were apparently unaware the teen was now armed, as they continued threatening him and his mom while demanding they hand over any valuable possessions, police said.

The teen opened fire, gunning down the accused robbers, police told KHOU. One died at the scene while the other was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive, police said.

Officials say the teen shooter was also taken to a hospital for treatment, the station reported.

Mans dying words lead to arrest of friend accused of gunning him down, Texas cops say

Man kidnaps, sexually assaults and robs woman working out with friends, Texas cops say

Dad accused of fatally shooting daughter tried to blame teen with autism, Ohio cops say

Armed husband clings to hood of car as kidnapped wife makes bold escape, Texas cops say
Teens reported years of sex abuse by their probation officers. Now they want justice

"Everywhere I look, everything that I see, I just see his face," said Reanell Hartley, looking through the barbed wire fencing of Camp Scott for the first time in more than two decades.

As a teenager in the early 2000s, she was locked up inside the fences of Camp Scott, a juvenile facility run by the Los Angeles Probation Department in Santa Clarita, California.

Hartley said she had a rough childhood, a victim of sexual abuse who was forced into prostitution when she was just 11. She had hoped Camp Scott would help to get her life back on track.

"I was excited because I was told that I was going to find discipline, I was going to find rehabilitation within the juvenile probation system," Hartley told ABC News.

PHOTO: Akeila Jefferson speaks with ABC News. (ABC News)

"The things that I found here was a total opposite."

Hartley alleges in a lawsuit that at Camp Scott she was repeatedly sexually abused by Probation Officer Thomas Jackson.

Attorneys for some of the victims say the abuse was common among juvenile detainees who did time throughout facilities in Los Angeles County for more than three decades. Now, thousands of victims are taking action with a lawsuit against LA County.

MORE: Church child sex abuse allegations from more than 600 victims detailed in new report

Camp Scott is now closed, but when it opened as a girls-only juvenile facility in 1987, it was touted as a model "boot camp" style facility, designed to "scare" young women "straight."

Detainees were told when they could eat, talk, and even when they could go to the bathroom. They showered in groups and were punished with solitary confinement.

But LA County's juvenile halls and camps came under scrutiny following reports of abuse and unsafe conditions, including by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2007 which forced LA County Probation into federal oversight for six years.

Hartley was bunkmates at Camp Scott with another plaintiff in the lawsuit: Akeila Jefferson. Jefferson was raised by her grandmother who struggled financially to support her and other children.

At times, she and her younger siblings didn't have access to vital necessities like shoes or clothes that fit. She wound up in juvenile detention for shoplifting shoes and then missing school, which is a probation violation.

According to Jeffersons lawsuit and as recounted to ABC News, she, too, was sexually abused by Jackson, who had been promoted to Camp Scott's acting director. Jackson would order Jefferson to his office and force her to perform oral sex, according to the lawsuit. She was 16 years old.

She also says in the lawsuit that he threatened "to make her life difficult" if "she did not follow his sexual demands and orders."

Dominique Anderson was sent to Central Juvenile Hall in Los Angeles when she was 13 after she says she poked another student with a pencil.

"When the police came, they said 'You stabbed the girl with the pencil, and that's a deadly weapon. And it's a felony.'"

PHOTO: Former juvenile detainees of Camp Scott allege they were sexually abused by staff. (ABC News)

In her lawsuit, Anderson alleges that Probation Officer Ernest Walker picked her up from her grandmother's house, drove her to a hotel for sex, and then paid her $200. She alleges that Walker, who she estimated was in his 40s at the time, would leave her money in a flowerpot at a gas station.

"I remember him telling me things like, 'Oh, I love that your breasts are just sprouting.' He was really interested in the fact that I was so young," Anderson told ABC News. "And that's the tough thing about being a victim. You never see it. That this person is abusing their authority. You don't see it as them preying on you as being a child."

Anderson alleges in her lawsuit that after she reported her ongoing abuse by another officer, she was approached by a female staff member asking for her silence. "She said, 'He has a daughter. He has a career. He has a lot to lose,'" Anderson claimed the staffer told her.

Hartley said she, too, was pressured to keep quiet about her abuse and said her past experiences of being molested and forced into prostitution were used against her.

She claims that a supervisor told her, "Looking at your file, you can understand why I can't just take your word for it."

"It shattered me," Hartley told ABC News.

PHOTO: Reanell Hartley speaks with ABC News' Linsey Davis. (ABC News)

But now the three alleged victims and thousands more are seeking justice in court after a long history of systemic abuse within LA County Probation.

In 2006, the Department of Justice began investigating LA's juvenile halls and camps. The investigation revealed systemic abuse and unsafe conditions and, as a result, they were put under federal oversight for six years.

And, an LA Times investigation in 2010 found at least 11 probation officers had been convicted of crimes or disciplined for inappropriate conduct with the youth in their care, including having sex with children in detention halls, beatings and molestation.

Richard Winton, the LA Times investigative reporter who broke the story, told ABC News that there has been an unwillingness to fire some of the accused probation staffers.

"There have been numerous occasions when outside bodies and oversight agencies have basically questioned how this place is run," he said. "And they've had numerous management changes, and yet they seem to be still stuck in the same pattern here. The youth aren't protected."

The Probation Oversight Commission was created in 2020 to reform and monitor the department.

Esche Jackson is now a commissioner on the Probation Oversight Commission, but she knows first-hand the struggles juvenile detainees face. She was locked up in these same facilities in her youth.

"They get no fair chances and they get no forgiveness because they've given up on themselves and the facilities have given up on them, too," she said.

After California opened a three-year lookback window for anyone reporting sexual abuse, several lawsuits against the city's probation department were filed.

Courtney Thom is an attorney with Manly, Stewart, and Finaldi, the liaison counsel on behalf of former juvenile detainees. She told ABC News that while several accused officers were recently placed on leave, some are still on the job.

"The county has known about this problem for over three decades," she said, and only recently were some removed. In February, California's Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC), voted to close the remaining juvenile halls in LA within 60 days unless numerous changes were implemented.

Then, in the final days before the deadline, the BSCC allowed the facilities to continue operating -- at least, for now.

After agreeing to an interview with ABC News, the current Chief of Probation, Guillermo Viera Rosa, canceled it twice.

The second time, LA County Probation canceled the interview after ABC News was setting up for the interview, citing the chief had a COVID-19 infection.

PHOTO: Former juvenile detainees have alleged cases of sex abuse at Camp Scott. (ABC News)

The LA County Probation Department wrote in a statement to ABC News that "the vast majority" of the lawsuits against the county predate "the current probation and county leadership."

The agency noted they "want to ensure no alleged offenders have contact with youth in our care."

"Of the employees we were able to identify, some are deceased, others retired so long ago their records have been purged and those who are currently with the department have been put on leave pending both internal and external investigations. Three have left the department," LA County Probation said.

LA County Probation said they "take all allegations of sexual misconduct seriously, investigate each one, and have robust policies and procedures designed to prevent sexual abuse and ensure the safety of our youth.

The agency acknowledged "such misconduct is absolutely deplorable and we want to do our best to ensure that nothing like this happens."

PHOTO: Statement from LA County Dept. of Probation to ABC News (ABC News)

Soon after the lawsuits against Probation Officer Thomas Jackson were filed, he announced his retirement after 33 years in the department, according to The Los Angeles Times. A few days later, Ernest Walker also announced his retirement.

Attorneys for both of the accused declined to comment to ABC News, but in court filings they deny all allegations, as does LA County.

MORE: After investigating abuse in prison system, senators propose new oversight law

Thom said both men are expected to give depositions in the lawsuits.

PHOTO: Dominque Anderson said she was sexually abused by a probation officer when she was a teen. (ABC News)

Anderson said the fact that her alleged abuser was able to retire with a pension after she brought the allegations to light showed "how broken the system is."

"The fact that he was able to retire a decorated person within the juvenile probation system as he preyed on me. It's just ridiculous," she said.

In the meantime, Anderson said she is trying to move forward with her life and is studying for a master's degree.

Jefferson now works for the nonprofit Advocates for Peace and Urban Unity, which helps kids from her neighborhood get the support she wishes she had as a kid.

"If you need some shoes, you need some clothes, I want my organization to be able to provide that for you," said Jefferson in an interview with ABC News.

She said that she is hopeful that by sharing her story she can prevent others from suffering as she has.

Referring to her probation officer, Jefferson recalled, "I can remember him on top of me and I [was] literally crying. And he's upset because I'm crying. Because that's messing with him. Getting offAnd I don't want nobody else to experience that."

Hartley has left LA and the pain she associates with it, but is still hoping that the department will apologize to her and the other survivors.

"I would like for them to admit that they failed us," she said.

ABC News' Tristan Maglunog and Jessica Velmans contributed to this report.

Teens reported years of sex abuse by their probation officers. Now they want justice originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Tennessee lawmakers pass state budget with $1B for two key bills yet to win approval

House and Senate lawmakers approved a $52.8 billion spending plan for the state of Tennessee that includes nearly $1 billion in funding for two key initiatives that have not yet secured final legislative approval  a massive franchise tax cut and a statewide school voucher program.

During a year of budget constraints due to flattening revenues, House and Senate Republicans included in the state budget $144 million in funding for a statewide school voucher program that faces a steep path to passage this year, and $1.9 billion for a restructure of the state's franchise tax  including three years of retroactive refunds for businesses.

Both are top legislative priorities for Gov. Bill Lee but neither have received final legislative approval. Altogether, the budget appropriates about $944 million that may not be spent this year  though negotiations continue to unfold over both pieces of legislation.

House and Senate leaders said any appropriated funds not spent this year will revert to next year's budget, or could be used to close out the year in case of unexpectedly low revenues.

We are facing some economic headwinds, and this budget recognizes a slowdown in economic growth, and utilizes recurring funding set aside in previous years to fund the rise in general cost of government, Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, said. This budget remains faithful to top administration and legislative priorities such as education, mental health services, children's services and public safety. This budget again for several years in a row now does not take on any new debt.

Meanwhile, tempers flared the House during the budget vote, with Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, asking to submit a formal explanation regarding his no vote on the bill.

Though some Democrats voted with Republicans to pass the budget, others in the minority caucus were broadly critical of a spending plan they argued would do little to help working families while funneling more money to private corporations.

Clockwise from back left, Rep. Antonio Parkinson, D-Memphis, House GOP Caucus Chair Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, Rep. Ryan Williams, R-Cookeville, House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, and Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, look on during a House session at Tennessee Capitol in Nashville , Tenn., Thursday, April 18, 2024. Lawmakers gave approval to the state budget.

Jones said House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, failed to call on him during debate, a frequent point of contention between the two, and Jones wanted it formally recorded. The situation grew chaotic between Jones and Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, leading Minority Leader Karen Camper, D-Memphis, to step between the two lawmakers.

Jones audibly accused Lamberth of being a "racist," while Lamberth later told media things grew heated after Jones insulted a staff member, which Lamberth said he objected to. Jones denied insulting staff, saying all of his comments were directed at Lamberth and Sexton.

The situation on the floor sparked loud chants from the ticketed public gallery, leading Sexton to signal to waiting troopers to kick protestors out.

Troopers physically removed one woman, Allison Polidor, from the gallery and later escorted her out of the Capitol. The Tennessean has requested further information from Tennessee Highway Patrol regarding potential charges.

Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, argued with troopers over Polidor's detention as troopers threatened other protestors with arrest for being in what they said was a "non-public" hallway, an open area in the Capitol, though troopers appeared to later deescalate without additional arrests.

Allison Polidor is removed from the House gallery during a House session at Tennessee Capitol in Nashville , Tenn., Thursday, April 18, 2024.

Franchise tax and voucher funding

While House and Senate leaders agree on the franchise tax restructure (estimated to cost $400 million each year moving forward), they remain at an impasse on how much money the state should refund to businesses.

House leadership wants to approve only one year of refunds and include a level of transparency about who gets the money. The House refund plan is estimated to cost the state $700 million. The Senate version does not include the added transparency and would go back three years for refunds at a cost of $1.5 billion.

Citing private tax information, the Lee administration has not disclosed the 80 corporations that demanded a franchise tax refund, which they say sparked the governor's proposal  his largest budget item this year. It remains unclear how much state funds the governor's family business, the Lee Company, will receive if the refunds move forward.

"We're a middle class family  that's how we budget," said House Finance Committee Chair Patsy Hazlewood, R-Signal Mountain. "We don't drive a Cadillac, but we get to where we're going in the Chevy."

House Democratic Caucus Chair John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, said the chamber's timing to vote on allocating funding for the franchise tax refunds before even appointing a conference committee to hammer out details of the deal is unprecedented. The House later Thursday appointed members to the joint panel.

Rep. John Ray Clemmons during a discussion the budget at a House session at Tennessee Capitol in Nashville , Tenn., Thursday, April 18, 2024.

We may be trying to budget like a middle class family  We may be driving Fords," Clemmons said. "But we are buying a secret list of CEOs Ferraris."

Rep. Antonio Parkinson, D-Memphis, raised questions about how unallocated funds in the budget set aside for school vouchers could be used in the future, clarifying that an executive order by the governor cannot allocate unspent funds, but that they could be spent during a special legislative session.

Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, also raised questions about funding for the voucher legislation.

As much as I appreciate that there are sometimes things that are passed in the budget before we work out the details, this is a multi-million dollar project where its unclear where the legislature is, he said.

Republicans vote down reallocating funds

House Republicans voted down an amendment from Rep. Aftyn Behn, D-Nashville, that sought to offer consumers a six-month grocery tax holiday by reallocating funding set aside for franchise tax rebates.

Senate Republicans also voted down a proposal by Sen. Charlane Oliver, D-Nashville, reallocate about $352 million originally put toward franchise tax refunds to offer Tennessee consumers a tax break on food. They also voted down a proposal by Sen. Heidi Campbell, D-Nashville, to reallocate the $144 million for the still non-existent school voucher program toward expanding voluntary pre-kindergarten.

"The price of eggs, the price of milk, the price of bread should matter more than 80-something companies that are going to get a billion dollars," Oliver said. "With this franchise tax handout, we are bending over backwards for corporation  we don't even know who they are because we want to keep that a secret  and at least half this room has declared a Rule 13 and are going to benefit personally."

Senate Finance Chair Bo Watson, R-Hixson, said the chamber is obligated to fund legislation that it has already passed, and the Senate has already approved the franchise tax legislation. A conference committee on the bill is expected to meet to hash out details of the deal early next week, according to Senate leaders.

Lee-backed initiatives unfunded

Several spending proposals offered by the Lee administration suffered defeat, as members of his own party reallocated $3 million he had proposed for a Maternal Health Pilot program at the Department of Health toward grants for crisis pregnancy centers. Senate Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, offered an amendment to reinstate funding for the Maternal Health pilot program.

"We are leading the nation in mothers dying in child birth, in babies being born at low weights. We cannot say that we are pro-life as a state when we don't support these types of programs ... that give babies and mothers a fair chance when they're pregnant," Akbari said. "These types of services are the ones that make a difference between a mother dying in childbirth or not  between a baby being born healthy or not."

Rep. Patsy Hazlewood, R- Signal Mountain, presents the budget during a House session at Tennessee Capitol in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, April 18, 2024.

Republicans unanimously tabled Akbari's amendment. In the House, Hazlewood said the reallocation was an effort to fund "entities with a proven track record" whom lawmakers "think do a better job."

Despite funding other currently unapproved bills, lawmakers opted not to fund Lee's proposed $25 million Farmland Preservation Fund  a bill that would have established the fund stalled in committee.

The House approved the budget in a 78-18 vote. The Senate passed the spending plan 26-4.

Budget highlights

Here are a few funding highlights from the state budget adopted on Thursday:

$10 million for a Nuclear Development grant

$15 million for charter school facilities

$261 million increase for the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement funding formula, including $125 million for teacher salary increases and retirement contributions

$3 million for crisis pregnancy care centers, diverted from initial funding of a Department of Health Maternal Health Services Pilot program

$80 million for rural healthcare initiatives

$17 million to add 60 new Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers, supervisors, and support staff

$59 million for capital projects at Tennessee State Parks

$17 million for Tourist Development for raceway grants

$6.4 million to the Department of Military for border deployments

$40 million for ECD for Infrastructure improvements at I-24 industrial site

$1 million for Davy Crockett Statue on State Capitol grounds

$10 million to replace the roof of the State Capitol

$50 million for Rural Health Resiliency grants

$15.8 million for rural health pathways workforce development program

$7.2 million in state funding for food banks to support purchases from local farmers, after the state failed to apply for $7.2 million in federal funding to do the same

$20 million for Blueways Trail developments to build waterway access points across the state, including $5 million designated specifically for a city-owned marina in Savannah, TN

$10 million to purchase Capitol Towers building adjacent to the Cordell Hull State Legislative Office Building

$100 million deposit to the states Rainy Day Fund, bringing it to well over $2 billion

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee lawmakers approve $52.8B state budget as protests continue
Tesla is pushing forward with a plan to build an electric big rig charging corridor stretching from Texas to California, despite being snubbed by a lucrative federal funding program that's part of President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. But the original scope of the project could still change, TechCrunch has learned.

The company had been seeking nearly $100 million from the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant program under the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Combined with around $24 million of its own money, Tesla wanted to build nine electric semi-truck charging stations between Laredo, Texas and Fremont, California.

The corridor, if built, would be a first-of-its-kind charging network that could enable both long-distance and regional electric trucking and help clean up a big chunk of the otherwise dirty transportation sector. Without it, though, Tesla's promise to electrify heavy-duty trucking could fall even further behind schedule than it already is.

The project as pitched to the FHWA was called TESSERACT, which stands for "Transport Electrification Supporting Semis Operating in Arizona, California, and Texas," according to a slide buried in a 964-page filing with the South Coast Air Quality Management District. (Tesla collaborated with SCAQMD on the application.)

But Tesla was not among the 47 recipients that the Biden administration announced in January. Collectively, those winners received $623 million to build electric vehicle charging and refueling stations across the country. This is despite Tesla winning around 13% of all other charging awards so far from the Infrastructure Act, though that has only netted the company around $17 million.

Rohan Patel, who left his VP position at Tesla this week as the company laid off 10% of its workforce, said in a message to TechCrunch that Tesla may turn to state funding opportunities, or future rounds of the CFI program. Some of the sites along the route "are no-brainers even without funding," he said.

Map of proposed charging corridor from Fremont, CA to Laredo, TX

Image Credits: TechCrunch

The 1,800-mile route would theoretically connect Tesla's two North American vehicle factories, as well as one that is planned -- but delayed -- in Mexico. Each station was originally slated to be equipped with eight 750kW chargers for Tesla Semis, and four chargers open to other electric trucks. It's unclear how effective it would be if the company was unable to build all nine stations, which are situated at roughly equal distances along the route.

About half of the Biden administration's choices for the CFI funding focused on building out EV charging infrastructure in "urban and rural communities, including at convenient and high-use locations like schools, parks, libraries, multi-family housing, and more."

The other half was dedicated to funding 11 "corridor" projects, including a number on the same I-10 corridor that makes up part of Tesla's proposed route. That includes $70 million to the North Texas Council of Governments to build up to five hydrogen fueling stations for medium and heavy-duty trucks in the Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio areas.

"The project will help create a hydrogen corridor from southern California to Texas," the Department of Transportation wrote in a statement in January.

"Funding hydrogen stations will go down as purely wasted money," Patel told TechCrunch this week.

While he no longer speaks on behalf of Tesla, he also criticized funding hydrogen infrastructure when he was still with the company.

"Governments around the globe are wasting tax dollars on hydrogen for light/heavy duty infrastructure," he wrote on X in February. "Like smoking, it's never too late to quit."

Funding isn't the only challenge to the project. Another complicating factor could be Tesla's recent restructuring.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said the company is now "balls to the wall for autonomy," and has reportedly already sacrificed a planned low-cost EV in favor of making a purpose-built robotaxi the company's priority. The Semi is years behind schedule, and Tesla has only built around 100 to date.

Despite all this, the Tesla Semi program is still slowly attracting customers. Just a few days after the restructuring, the head of the Semi program, Dan Priestley, announced via social media a new potential customer for the trucks. Priestley also said in March that Tesla has been using Semis to ship battery packs from Nevada to the Fremont factory.
Texas officials are investigating a shooting at the U.S.-Mexico border near El Paso that involved a National Guard soldier assigned to Operation Lone Star, the Texas-led border security mission.

Early on the afternoon of 14 April, a National Guard service member assigned to Operation Lone Star discharged a weapon in a border-related incident, Texas Military Department officials told Army Times in an email statement. The incident is under investigation. More information will be made available as the investigation progresses.

Operation Lone Star is a border security mission launched by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in 2021 and run by the Texas Military Department and Texas Department of Public Safety that also uses Texas Army National Guard soldiers. At least 14 states with Republican governors have committed their Guard troops to support the operation in Texas.

The website NewsNation first reported the incident Monday after the outlet obtained a U.S. Border Patrol bulletin.

The bulletin, shown during the NewsNation video report, notes that at about 1:10 p.m. on April 14, a Border Patrol agent was notified by Army personnel that a migrant was seen stabbing another migrant on the Mexico side of the U.S. border wall in the El Paso Sector near the Ysleta Station.

The subject who was shot fled back into Mexico, according to the bulletin.

The Texas Department of Safety contained the scene and two wounded individuals were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to the bulletin. The news outlet reported that the soldier who fired at the migrant was with the Indiana National Guard.

The Indiana National Guard is aware of the incident that happened Sunday, April 14, Indiana National Guard officials told Army Times in an email statement. We support and care for our soldiers and airmen supporting Operation Lone Star.

Indiana Guard officials deferred any further comment about the incident to the Texas Military Department.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb announced the deployment of 50 Indiana National Guard soldiers to support Operation Lone Star in February. Their 10-month mission began earlier this month, Indiana Guard officials confirmed.

Between October 2020 and October 2023, 300 Indiana Guardsmen have served in federal missions at the border. Officials did not provide unit details or specifics of Indiana Guard soldiers duties in the current mission.

In August 2023, a Texas National Guard member fired across the border and hit a man along the Rio Grande River near El Paso.

The Washington Post reported at the time that the Texas Guard soldier fired after three men on the Mexican side of the border started attacking a group of migrants with a knife as the migrants attempted to cross the river.
PHNOM PENH, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's trade with its fellow Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states hit 4.32 billion U.S. dollars in the first quarter of 2024, up 18.6 percent from 3.64 billion dollars over the same period 2023, said a report from the Ministry of Commerce on Thursday.

The kingdom exported products worth 1.77 billion dollars to other ASEAN countries during the January-March period this year, up 33 percent from 1.33 billion dollars over the same period 2023, the report said.

Meanwhile, the country's import from ASEAN was valued at 2.55 billion dollars, up 10.3 percent from 2.31 billion dollars, it added.

Cambodia's three largest trading partners in ASEAN are Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore, the report said.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has said the kingdom stood as a vibrant partner within the ASEAN.

"Cambodia's strategic membership in key regional and global trade agreements, including ASEAN and the World Trade Organization (WTO), positions it as a highly integrated player within the dynamic global market," he said in a speech at a Cambodia-ASEAN business forum in Phnom Penh earlier this month.

He said that Made-in-Cambodia products, encompassing garments and bicycles, are currently recognized in ASEAN and worldwide for their quality and competitive pricing.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. 
Read the full story on The Auto Wire

Thief Rams Toronto Police With Stolen BMW X5

After two violent carjackings, Toronto Police were on the hunt for the suspects. Little did they know soon they too would feel the wrath of these suspects as they turned the X5 they stole into an assault Bimmer.

Watch police spike and PIT out a fleeing BMW.

The first carjacking happened on April 6. The victim was getting out of his BMW X5 when a white SUV pulled up behind his vehicle and three men exited, all wearing masks. Thats usually not a good sign.

One of the suspects had a gun, so when they demanded the guys keys, he handed them right over. We dont think any vehicle is worth getting shot over, so thats probably a wise move.

ADVERTISEMENT

For five days the suspects laid low, then they made their next move, targeting yet another high-end SUV. As a Toronto man was filling up his Lamborghini Urus a gray sedan pulled up and four suspects got out.

Instead of producing a gun, they decided to assault the man, taking his keys by force. Then they ran him over with the Lambo, with the victim suffering serious injuries. Keep in mind the Urus isnt too far off from 5,000 lbs.

Police needed to catch the suspects since they were showing no reservations about using violence to get what they wanted. It was only a matter of time before they went too far, killing a victim while taking their luxury SUV.

An automatic plate reader provided a break in the case, pinging the stolen Lamborghini Urus on April 12 as police were out patrolling for the suspects. They followed the vehicle and started doing surveillance, spotting the stolen BMW X5 arriving at the same location.

As the suspects tried leaving in the Bimmer, officers moved in to make their arrest. Thats when the suspects tried turning the tables on police, using the X5 as a giant battering ram, hitting the patrol cars over and over.

But police were able to box the SUV in, smashed the windows, and tased the suspects inside. Officers found a large quantity of cash and three handguns in the vehicle.

Story continues

The official press release from Toronto Police Service makes zero mention of recovering the Lamborghini, so were left wondering if officers arrested all the suspects. It only mentions that the investigation is still ongoing.

This is the latest example in how violent carjackers can be, even toward police. The fact carjackings have been on the rise in many areas greatly concerns us.

Image via Toronto Sun/YouTube

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Police are investigating two separate retail robberies involving three suspects, one of whom was armed with a stun gun, authorities announced Wednesday.

The first robbery occurred on April 5 just before 2:30 p.m. at a retail shop in the 4000 block of South Main Street near the Historic South-Central neighborhood of Los Angeles, according to a news release from the Los Angeles Police Department.

One man and two women entered the store and began selecting merchandise. The trio was confronted by an employee as they attempted to leave the store without paying. Thats when police say the male suspect, identified as 35-year-old L.A. resident Antwaun Pollard, threatened store employees with the stun gun before fleeing with the merchandise.

Officers were able to locate and arrest the male suspect with the assistance of Loss Prevention, however, the two female suspects eluded capture and the taser was not recovered, police said.

Five days later, on April 10, at around 2:10 p.m., two female suspects walked into another retail shop just one and a half miles away in the 3200 block of South Central Avenue and committed a nearly identical theft.

When they were confronted by employees as they attempted to leave the store without paying for the merchandise, police say one of the women was armed with a stun gun as they fled the scene.

Retail theft suspects in SoCal armed with stun gun

Authorities believe there may be other victims of the trio and have released Pollards picture to locate and interview any other potential victims.

Unhoused residents built home on side of Southern California freeway

The two outstanding suspects are described as Black women, both short in stature, between the ages of 25 to 30 years old, police said.

Anyone with information about these incidents or additional crimes the trio may have been involved in is urged to contact LAPDs Newton Robbery Division at 323-318-3559. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-222-8477 or leave tips online at L.A. Crime Stoppers.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Israelis demand the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza at the beginning of April. Thousands protest again in Tel Aviv for the release of hostages. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa

In Israel's coastal metropolis of Tel Aviv, thousands of people protested again on Thursday evening for the release of hostages still being held in the Gaza Strip.

The demonstrators also called on the umbrella organization of the trade unions, Histadrut, to declare a general strike. This should continue until all hostages are released, the organizers from the Hostages' Forum demanded.

According to the media, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau said at the rally that it was Israel's duty to bring the hostages home.

The current indirect negotiations between the Israeli government and the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement over the release of the hostages and a ceasefire in the Gaza war have yet to achieve a breakthrough.

Relatives accuse the Israeli government of having no serious interest in securing the release of the hostages.

Until a few weeks ago, Israel had assumed that just under 100 of the 130 remaining hostages were still alive. However, it is now feared that significantly more of them may be dead.

Hamas militants and other extremists abducted more than 200 people to the Gaza Strip during the devastating attacks in the Israeli border area on October 7 last year.
Three Charlotte Fire Department firefighters were injured early Thursday morning while fighting a house fire in north Charlotte.

The department said crews arriving at about 2:43 a.m. saw heavy fire coming from a two-story home in the 2800 block of Grimes Street.

A mayday alarm was sounded at 2:58 a.m. while firefighters worked inside the home, and an immediate second alarm was called, instructing the firefighters to evacuate the building.

The three that were injured were taken to a hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries. Three residents inside the home, as well as their pets, were uninjured. The department said the family was alerted to the fire because of smoke detectors in the home.

After the firefighters evacuated, the department switched to battling the fire, which took about an hour to bring under control.

The fire is under investigation and the family is being assisted by American Red Cross.
Abortion is supposedly an act so evil that it's tantamount to murder  yet it's somehow less wicked if someone takes a road trip before doing it. That appears to be the bizarre opinion of Kari Lake, failed gubernatorial candidate turned current Republican Senate candidate in Arizona. At a Tuesday campaign event, Lake was dismissive toward those angered by a recent state Supreme Court ruling that resurrected a near-total abortion ban initially passed before Arizona was a state, and 55 years before women had the right to vote.

"Even if we have a restrictive law here," Lake tried to assure the concerned crowd, "you can go three hours that way, three hours that way, and you're going to be able to have an abortion."

The comment is confounding in multiple ways, and it's just the latest twist in Lake's ever-changing position on abortion. In 2022, she insisted that bringing back the 1864 law was a good idea because "life begins at conception." After the court's wildly unpopular decision, however, she discovered she could set aside her alleged deep moral qualms with abortion to denounce the ruling. Then again, on Tuesday she seemed to be fine with the ruling, not because of deep moral qualms but because she sees it as no big deal to make someone drive three hours to get an abortion.

This cavalier attitude towards what patients go through to get abortion care is, first and foremost, gross. There's nothing easy about driving three hours one way, sitting at a clinic for many more hours, and then trying to find a way home when you're not allowed to drive yourself after an abortion. (It's not safe to drive while under pain medication.) For younger women, low-income women and single mothers, that burden often makes getting an abortion impossible.

Want more Amanda Marcotte on politics? Subscribe to her newsletter Standing Room Only.

But this "eh, just go out of state" attitude brings up more questions about how much Lake has even thought about her supposed deeply held beliefs about abortion. If it's so immoral that it must be banned in the state of Arizona, then why does it suddenly become OK if a woman does it in California? And if it's not immoral, as Lake's statement suggests, then why should abortion be banned in Arizona at all?

Last week, Republicans tried to dodge their own contradictions by blocking a Democratic bill to repeal the 1864 law from even coming to a vote. Democrats responded by yelling "Shame! Shame!" But it's not just Republican opposition to women's rights that is shameful; it's their cowardice. They could just vote to uphold the 1864 law, as they did in 2022, in conjunction with passing another ban on abortion. But they're so afraid to go on the record defending that cruel, ancient law, now that it's enforceable, that they won't even allow a vote on it. So even though Arizona Republicans drew humiliating national coverage over their gutless behavior, they did it again on Wednesday. Democrats once again tried to end the 1864 law, and using arcane rules of order, Republicans weaseled out of holding a vote at all. Worse, state Rep. Ben Toma, the speaker of the Arizona House, feigned a high-and-mighty attitude about it. He accused Democrats of "childish behavior" in trying to force this issue. But it's Republicans who are refusing to pull up their big boy pants and deal with this pressing issue.

Ahead of Wednesday's session, the Washington Post chronicled the chaos within the ranks of Republicans in Arizona who cannot decide whether they still think abortion is murder or they're fine with it now. Just a few months ago, Republicans in the state legislature were declaring that "abortion is the ending of an innocent human life" and that they would always "fight for the unborn." One even tried to open the carpool lane up to pregnant women to create a legal rationale for declaring that a woman is a "new mom" not when she gives birth, but after a sperm touches an egg.

PROTECTING NEW MOMS AND THEIR BABIES:



The last thing any mom needs is to be cited and fined by the government for treating their pre-born baby as the human they are.



READ the proposal I've put toward with @TMartinez4AZ: https://t.co/efsZLUYQO5#ProLifeGeneration #LD4 pic.twitter.com/09RBAPX2Vi  Matt Gress (@MatthewGress) July 29, 2022

But now, like Lake, they're suddenly all over the place and can't decide what they think about abortion. Rep. Matt Gress, like other Republicans documented by the Post, now calls the abortion ban "draconian" and is calling for its repeal.

It's not like these people just finally got around to looking at a biology textbook and realized that an embryo is not, in fact, a "pre-born baby." I daresay they all knew that already, and these histrionics about "life" were a pretext for the real goal: stripping women of basic rights. What's changed is that they have since learned that voters want women to have their rights. Now that women's safety is under threat, so are the electoral chances of Republicans in November.

An elections handicapper moved its rating of the Arizona Senate race from toss-up to leans Democratic amid the state Supreme Court ruling reinstating a 19th-century abortion ban. https://t.co/ELHmAe28l2  The Hill (@thehill) April 17, 2024

Certainly, politicians change their positions all the time for political expedience or upon learning new information. In many cases, this can be a good thing. Being able to change with the times or adjusting to better serve your constituents are good qualities for a leader. Flexibility is one reason democracy tends to work better than other forms of government. But this sudden change of heart about abortion among so many Republicans suggests that they never really thought it was baby-killing, as they have proclaimed for years. Instead, it appears that they smeared millions of women as murderers for no other reason than to please the Christian right, whose main goal is restoring women to second-class status.

Rather than dealing honestly with the public, Republicans are scheming to find a way to trick voters into accidentally giving away their rights. On Monday, NBC News exposed a strategy document shared internally by party leaders, which offered ideas to bamboozle people about abortion measures on the ballot. The document suggested piling multiple, conflicting ballot measures onto voters to confuse them about how, exactly, they can vote to protect abortion rights. Should the will of the masses prevail and abortion is made legal again, it suggests abusing the health regulatory framework to make it more difficult and expensive for providers to offer abortion services.

It's always been the case that opposition to abortion is about hostility to women's liberation, not "life." As Nicole Narea at Vox explained over the weekend, when the 1864 abortion ban was first passed, supporters didn't even bother to pretend they thought abortion was "murder." First-trimester abortion was a common form of birth control that had been accepted for centuries. What changed was not people's moral views on abortion. It was the development of misogynist outrage at the burgeoning feminist movement of the 19th century and falling birth rates. Male doctors also wanted to put their competition  midwives who made extra cash providing abortions  out of business. Eager to push women into more subservient roles, legislators started passing abortion bans which was a lot easier to pull off when women couldn't vote.

Alabama Republicans are also facing the consequences of lying about the real purpose of abortion bans for so long, when their own court, taking seriously its own rhetoric about "life," functionally banned in-vitro fertilization. After all, if you actually believe an embryo is the moral equivalent of a child, IVF is worse than abortion, since it requires deliberately creating multiple embryos with the understanding most will not survive. If abortion is "murder," IVF is premeditated serial killing. But under a deluge of criticism, Alabama Republicans passed a bill that ostensibly protects IVF (though it really doesn't). In doing that, they tacitly admitted that they never actually thought abortion was a criminal act.

It may be hard to push the genie back into the bottle, however. In March, Democrat Marilyn Lands won a special election to the Alabama state legislature by running on a reproductive rights platform. What is remarkable is how decisive her victory was: In a district that Donald Trump narrowly carried in 2020, she beat the Republican by 25 points. Hers is just one in a long line of pro-choice victories across the country since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022. I suspect an underrated aspect of this shift is that pro-choice candidates have been able to offer moral clarity and consistency. Their Republican opponents can't decide if abortion is murder or just something they kind of don't like.

Arizona Republicans clearly hope they can dodge and weave until this issue goes away. But it won't, and telling women to just "go three hours that way" will not solve their problem. Many voters were happy to ignore the inconsistencies and logical fallacies of the anti-abortion position when Roe v. Wade protected them from irrational Republican laws. But there's no ducking the radicalism of the GOP on this issue now, with Arizona Republicans committed to an abortion ban that predates modern medicine.
Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Debbie Dingell at a meeting on the EPA in Dearborn, Oct. 11, 2019 | Ken Coleman

U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) and Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) on Wednesday reintroduced a resolution recognizing April as Arab American Heritage Month.

It is always an honor to introduce this resolution recognizing Arab American Heritage Month, said Tlaib in a statement. As a proud and unapologetic Arab American woman serving in Congress, and the Congresswoman representing one of the largest Arab American communities in our country, I know how important it is that our community feels seen by our federal government. Arab Americans have made invaluable contributions to our nation. I look forward to getting April permanently designated as Arab American Heritage Month and ensuring that the Middle Eastern and North African community finally receives the recognition and resources they deserve.

The resolution says that National Arab American Heritage Month is necessary to address the misconceptions, misinformation, Arabophobia, anti-Arabism, and discrimination against Arab Americans by celebrating their accomplishments and providing factual information about Arab American culture and persons and the need for public education, awareness, and policies that are culturally competent when describing, discussing, and addressing the impacts of being Arab American in all aspects of American society.

Dingell said in a statement that Arab Americans are part of the fabric of our country and are integral to our communities in Southeast Michigan and across America.

They have helped shape Michigans identity, sharing their culture and traditions with us. They are doctors, teachers, business owners, service members, and most importantly, neighbors and friends. Arab Americans help make our state and country better every day. Im proud to recognize April as Arab American Heritage Month to honor the continued accomplishments and impact of this community, she said.

This legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Reps. Andre Carson (D-Ind.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill).

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The post Tlaib and Dingell sponsor Arab American Heritage Month resolution appeared first on Michigan Advance.
Toddler fatally shoots man, then family lies to cover it up, Florida police say

A family is accused of covering up an accidental shooting in which a toddler shot and killed a 21-year-old man, Florida authorities said.

Two people now face charges in the death of Bernard Carter III, the Gainesville Police Department said April 18.

On March 24, officers responded to a call about a gunshot victim at an apartment complex, police said in an earlier news release. Witnesses told officers that Carter walked into his family members apartment and said he had been shot, according to police.

He was taken to a hospital, where he died of his injuries several days after the shooting, police said.

Detectives reached out to the public for information on the shooting. But when they received an anonymous tip, they learned their initial understanding of what happened was false, according to investigators.

What actually happened, police said, is a toddler had access to an unsecured handgun. The child picked up the gun and accidentally fired it, striking Carter, according to police.

Adults within the home knew what occurred, but chose to cover-up the incident and actively misled law enforcement about the events surrounding Carters death for multiple weeks, police said. This also deprived the toddler and two other juvenile witnesses from receiving necessary crisis-related services.

Authorities said they are now charging Carters mother and brother with tampering with a witness and two counts of child abuse. The brother also faces charges of tampering with evidence and perjury, police said.

The mothers attorney declined to comment to McClatchy News because the case is pending. The brother hasnt been taken into custody yet, according to police and Alachua County records.

Carter, who was affectionately known as Man Man, loved to play video games, listen to music, and spend time with family and friends, family wrote in his obituary.

His favorite saying (was), Let me get that there! He also loved calling everyone Jit, family said.

Firearm safety experts advise gun owners to lock their guns in a safe location away from children and never handle a loaded firearm at home.

Gainesville is in north Florida and is home to the University of Florida.

Dad accused of fatally shooting daughter tried to blame teen with autism, Ohio cops say

2-year-old nephew finds deputys unsecured gun and shoots self, Missouri cops say

Shot fired inside a Chuck E. Cheese is under investigation in Gastonia, NC cops say

Corrections officer killed in tragic accident at firing range, Ohio officials say
Legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said Wednesday that former President Trumps recent social media post clearly violated the gag order in his hush money criminal case.

Trumps post, quoting a Fox News host, reads: They are catching undercover Liberal Activists lying to the Judge in order to get on the Trump Jury, Jesse Watters.

In an interview on CNNs Anderson Cooper 360, Toobin said the post was not permissible under the gag order, which was expanded after the former president took aim at the New York judges daughter.

I think its false, but more importantly, its clearly, I think, an attempt to intimidate jurors, he told the host, And it is clearly barred by the gag order in this case.

Donald Trump doesnt seem to realize he is now a criminal defendant, and criminal defendants have different and lesser rights than ordinary citizens, Toobin continued. They are not allowed to interfere in the trial process  especially when there is a gag order that specifically addresses attempts to intimidate jurors. I mean, it is just not permissible.

Under the gag order, Trump is barred from publicly attacking witnesses, prosecutors, court staff, jurors and the judges family  but it does not apply to Judge Juan Merchan or Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. The former president has appealed the order, arguing it unconstitutionally restrains his free speech while running for president and mounting his defense.

Prosecutors this week already asked the judge to fine Trump $3,000, pointing to three separate social media posts in which he allegedly appeared to attack witnesses.

Merchan did not immediately rule on the request following a court break in proceedings. He opted instead to set an April 23 hearing date, when hell hear arguments on the prosecutions ask.

Toobin, in the interview, said he thinks the recent post might compel the judge to move up the hearing, noting the importance of the integrity of the jury.

This in many respects is much more serious because judges take the jury and the integrity of the jury as almost sacrosanct, the analyst said. And the idea that hes intimidating the jury is something that I think Judge Merchan is going to be very concerned about.

Trump currently faces 34 criminal counts of falsifying business records in connection to reimbursements to his ex-fixer, Michael Cohen, who paid porn actor Stormy Daniels $130,000 to stay quiet about an alleged affair she had with the former president ahead of the 2016 election.

The trial, the first criminal trial of a former or sitting president, will resume Thursday after a one-day break.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, delivered a fiery speech during a debate on foreign aid Thursday, accusing the lower chamber of diddling around as Ukraine struggles against the Russian invasion.

We have the opportunity to do what we do here and that is to govern. And what are we doing in governing? To be a world leader, she said during a House Rules Committee debate on foreign aid bills.

For months and months, we have been diddling around where people are dying in Ukraine. Dont talk about what weapons we want to give them. Were not giving them what they need now, and it has been months in the coming, she continued.

DeLauro said the House should have passed additional aid to Ukraine and Israel when the Senate approved it earlier this year.

We should have picked up that Senate bill, brought it to the floor and voted on it immediately, she added.

A foreign aid package has been at a standstill in Congress as lawmakers struggle to coalesce behind additional aid for Ukraine and Israel. Many Republicans had voiced opposition to sending additional aid to Ukraine, with many saying that more aid will not help the countrys efforts in fighting off Russia.

But Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) this week proposed to bring a vote on four separate bills addressing aid for Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific and other national security priorities. This comes days after Iran attacked Israel in drone and missile attacks over the weekend, prompting lawmakers to call on congressional leadership to bring a vote on foreign aid to the floor.

President Biden has backed Johnsons plan and urged Congress to pass bills on foreign aid this week.

The House must pass the package this week and the Senate should quickly follow. I will sign this into law immediately to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends, and we wont let Iran or Russia succeed, Biden said in a statement earlier this week.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
BEIJING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The CR450 bullet train, China's most recently designed high-speed train model, will be able to operate at speeds of 400 kilometers per hour, according to the country's railway operator.

A prototype of the bullet train will roll off the assembly line later this year, China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (China Railway) said, noting that the CR450 innovation project is progressing in full swing.

The new model will be significantly faster than the CR400 Fuxing high-speed trains currently in service, which operate at speeds of 350 kilometers per hour.

Compared to the CR400, the CR450 is 12 percent lighter, consumes 20 percent less energy, and has a 20 percent improved braking performance, according to China Railway.

The CR450 innovation project also involves technological innovation in infrastructure, including high-speed railways, bridges and tunnels, the group said.

China has built the world's largest high-speed railway network to address the people's growing demand for convenient and comfortable travel.

The total operational length of its high-speed railway network has exceeded 45,000 kilometers, with Fuxing high-speed trains operating across 31 provincial-level regions nationwide. 
Cass County voter Arthur "Don" Morphet, who turns 102 in May, casts an early ballot in April 2024. (Courtesy Indiana Secretary of State's Office, Cass County Clerk's Office)

Ahead of the May 7 primary election, Arthur Don Morphet, a 101-year-old Cass County voter, cast his ballot  earning praise from Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales and local election officials as he voted.

Mr. Morphet is setting an example for all Hoosiers, said Morales, the states highest election official.

 I hope other eligible voters see this incredible example of a Hoosier and an American and follow in his footsteps, Morales added. Thank you, Mr. Morphet, for making your voice heard with your vote.

Cass County Clerk Destry Richey also commended the voter.

Our team was so honored to be there when Mr. Morphet came in to cast his ballot. Its people like him that show the rest of us your vote, every vote does indeed count and is important in each election, Richey said. From 18 to 101, each Hoosier should get to the polls and let their voice be heard.

Morphet voted by absentee ballot for years, but voted early in person for the 2024 primary.

In 2022, only 14% of Indianas registered voters cast a ballot in the primary. The last presidential cycle saw 24% turnout in the 2020 primary.

To check your registration status, see who is on your ballot and find your polling location, visit IndianaVoters.com.

Keep up with the Capital Chronicles primary election coverage for the gubernatorial, U.S. House, U.S. Senate, and Statehouse races on the websites Election 2024 tab.

The post Top Hoosier election official congratulates 101-year-old voter appeared first on Indiana Capital Chronicle.
A top aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams was slapped with a second lawsuit alleging discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation on Wednesday, according to reports.

Timothy Pearson, a former NYPD inspector who led the Mayors Office of Municipal Services Assessment, is being sued by retired NYPD sergeant Michael Ferrari in a lawsuit filed in the New York Supreme Court in Manhattan on Wednesday. It comes after retired NYPD Sgt. Roxanne Ludemann claimed harassment and retaliation against Pearson in a March lawsuit after allegedly rejecting his unwanted advances.

Ferrari does not claim to be the subject of unwanted advances from Pearson but does say he witnessed or was told of Pearson sexually harassing female colleagues in the services assessment office, including Ludemann. The suit says Ferrari was assigned by a higher-up to monitor Pearsons behavior around women in the office, Politico reported.

"The hostile work environment surrounding the sexual harassment carried over to every member of the team regardless of gender," the complaint says.

NYC MAYOR ERIC ADAMS RESPONDS TO SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS: 'THIS DID NOT HAPPEN'

Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of the city of New York on Jan. 1, 2022. Timothy Pearson is seen behind the mayor's right shoulder at the ceremony.

After a confrontation about the sexual harassment allegations against Pearson with another leader, Ferrari said he was demoted back to patrol, costing him $2 million in lost salary and pension earnings and prompting him to retire from his 16-year career at the NYPD, the New York Daily News reported.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital reached out to the mayor's office for comment on the lawsuit, but they did not immediately respond.

The complaint also alleges Pearson made a comment to Ferrari and another officer, Lt. George Huang, complaining when a migrant shelter was scrapped in Orchard Beach in October 2022 due to heavy flooding after the contractors who handled the project were already paid by the city.

"Do you know how these contracts work?" Pearson said, according to the complaint. "People are doing very well on these contracts. I have to get mine. Where are my crumbs?"

NEW LAWSUIT ALLEGES NYC MAYOR ERIC ADAMS DEMANDED SEX ACTS FROM POLICE OFFICER IN EXCHANGE FOR CAREER HELP

Retired NYPD Inspector Timothy Pearson when he was a captain.

The lawsuit said Pearson from then on was called "Crumbs" behind his back around the office.

According to the Daily News, Ferrari, Ludemann and Huang went with Deputy Chief Miltiadis Marmara to the mayors Municipal Services Assessment unit, which started in June 2022 to inspect city agencies.

"I had no intention of retiring before 20 years, but after Chief Marmara was removed for standing up for my co-worker, I was not going to stay," Ferrari, a Duke University graduate from Long Island, told the Daily News. "At the whim of Tim Pearson, all of our careers were turned upside down."

Mayor Eric Adams in Brooklyn on April 5, 2024.

"The common thread in these lawsuits is Pearson is basically a free agent able to pull strings inside the NYPD without any oversight," John Scola, the lawyer for both Ferrari and Ludemann, told the Daily News.

An NYPD spokesperson said, "We will review the lawsuit if and when we are served."

"We hold all public servants to the highest standards," a City Hall spokesperson told the Daily News. "We will review the lawsuit."





Original article source: Top New York City mayor Adams aide slapped with second sexual harassment lawsuit: report
TOPEKA (KSNT)  The Shawnee County District Attorneys Office has charged a man in relation to a shooting at Resers Fine Foods.

On Wednesday, April 17, Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay charged Eddie Holmes, 65, of Topeka regarding a shooting at Resers Fine Foods last week. Holmes is being charged with the following:

One count of murder in the second degree, intentional

One count of criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

Police identify victim, man arrested after Topeka stabbing

Police were called just after 4:30 p.m. on April 11 to 3167 SE 10th St. on a report of a shooting. Once they arrived, officers found one person suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound who was later pronounced dead.

The victim was later identified as Reginal D. Previtte, 39, of Topeka. Investigators with Topeka Police said they believe the shooting was an isolated incident that occurred in the parking lot with no other injuries reported.

For more crime news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
TOPEKA (KSNT)  Local autism officials are educating the public during Autism Awareness Month.

The first Kansas Autism Conference held by Easterseals Midwest and Caresource was held Wednesday. Autism professionals gathered at the Kansas Association of School Boards building in Topeka. The conference was open to caregivers, teachers and anyone looking to grow their knowledge about autism.

KSNT 27 News spoke with Adam Christensen, Vice President of Programs for Easterseals for Easterseals Midwest about the unexpected turnout.

Were just excited to see everybody here, Christensen said. It sold out with a few weeks to go, so we know we need to do this at least regularly  and I think we will stick to the spring. But excited to see more people come in.

Christensen said the company is launching a new program. The program is called Caregiver Skills Training (CST). It is nine weeks long and meets virtually once a week on Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

This course is free to caregivers in Missouri and Kansas with a child diagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder ages ranging from 2 to 9 years old. Registration for CST is now open. According to Christensen, participants must have a stable internet connection due to the virtual meetings.

For more information, 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.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced on Thursday, April 18 that the commercial cargo lanes at the Tornillo Port of Entry will continue to operate indefinitely during a recent meeting with border industry stakeholders and representatives of El Paso County.

CBP communicated their decision to extend truck inspections beyond the previously stated March 31 deadline, aiming to achieve a daily traffic volume of 200 trucks, El Paso County said.

El Paso County also says the anitcipated closure of commerical lanes at the Bridge of Aemricas for future renovations played a role in the decision.

CBPs decision to continue support for the Tornillo Port of Entry, is confirmation that binational leaders and industry stakeholders can come together for a common goal of promoting commercial crossings and addressing key challenges for a streamlined customs process. A special thank you to Eric Fernandez, Tornillo Port of Entry Director, Roberto Ransom, Director of Economic Development along with County staff for spearheading this initiative and arriving at a great outcome for all shareholders, said El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
Torso, arm believed to belong to murdered Wisconsin woman found by citizen on Lake Michigan shore

SOUTH MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WFRV)  Authorities in southeastern Wisconsin are investigating the recent discovery of additional human remains found on the shoreline of Lake Michigan believed to be that of Sade Robinson, who was allegedly murdered in early April.

According to the Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office, a torso and arm were found by a citizen walking on the beach of Lake Michigan around 7:40 a.m. on April 18, prompting an additional investigation.

UPDATE: Appleton man in custody after lengthy standoff on East Northland Avenue

Deputies did note in a release that the remains are believed to be those of 19-year-old Sade Robinson. 33-year-old Maxwell Anderson was charged on Friday, April 12, with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse, and arson charges in the death of Robinson, according to a criminal complaint filed in Milwaukee County Circuit Court.

Back on April 2, a severed leg was found in Warnimont Park in Cudahy, Robinson had been reported missing by a friend on April 2. Anderson, of Milwaukee, was arrested on April 4.

Deputies say the torso and arm were found along a remote stretch of tree-lined beach along Lake Michigan in the 3300 block of Marina Road, nearly a quarter mile from an apartment complex.

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Fully loaded semi-tractor trailer rolls over on I-41, Wisconsin man arrested for OWI after .297 breath test

Since Robinson was reported missing on April 2, several additional remains have been discovered in Milwaukee, authorities noted. However, those remains have not positively been identified as belonging to Robinson.

The investigation into Robinsons death is ongoing and on Friday, April 19, a sonar detection boat is scheduled to search Lake Michigan for any additional remains or evidence.

Court records show that Anderson has had a cash bond set at $5 million. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 22.

Local 5 will continue to update this story when more information is provided.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
In disappointing news for fans of Trader Joe's, the grocery chain's Infinite Herbs Organic Basil is being recalled for links to several confirmed cases of Salmonella. One person has been hospitalized so far. If you purchased the product between February 1 and April 6, you could risk exposure. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), an investigation has found that the outbreaks are linked to Trader Joe's locations across the Midwest and East Coast, including Alabama, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, and Wisconsin.

Of those affected areas, 12 cases of illness have been detected in seven states with the latest symptom onset on April 2. Salmonella contamination easily goes undetected in food, so the investigation of the outbreak is ongoing. The 2.5-ounce packages are distributed by Infinite Herbs LLC, based in Miami, Florida. The company has agreed with Trader Joe's to enact a voluntary recall. Anyone who purchased the product within the recall window should take precautions to sanitize all surfaces and containers the tainted herbs may have come in contact with. As with previous recalls in Trader Joe's history, customers can either dispose of the contaminated package or return it for a full refund. For more information, contact Trader Joe's customer relations line at (626) 599-3817.

Read more: Trader Joe's Frozen Desserts Ranked Worst To Best

Salmonella Outbreaks Are More Common Than You Think

Packaged Infinite Herbs Organic Basil - Trader Joe's

Unfortunately, the number of Salmonella cases from this outbreak is likely higher than reported. Symptoms usually occur within 12 to 72 hours after exposure, but sometimes there may be no symptoms. Once affected, the illness can last anywhere from four to 10 days and be contagious for the duration. Most recoveries require no treatment, but if the infection moves beyond the intestinal tract, it could be life-threatening. Common symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and fever. The risk of dehydration is high, so contact a healthcare provider if you notice any symptoms.

According to the CDC, Salmonella is one of the most common foodborne illnesses in the United States, with about 1.35 million cases per year. Frequent Trader Joe's shoppers might know this is not the store's first food recall of 2024. In March, the company recalled chicken soup dumplings for plastic contamination and pulled specific nuts from stock after reports of multistate Salmonella outbreaks. Although it's upsetting, grocery recalls are pretty common and extend beyond Trader Joe's. Per Statistica, the FDA recalls around a hundred million units of food every quarter, and the leading cause is microbiological contamination.

Read the original article on Mashed
Trader Joe's has pulled Infinite Herbs-branded basil from its shelves in 29 states after a salmonella outbreak has left 12 people sickened.

The organic basil was sold in 2.5-ounce clamshell-style plastic containers, according to a Wednesday statement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The health organization said people who bought the basil shouldn't eat it, but should instead throw it out or return it to Trader Joe's.

On Friday, the basil recall was expanded to include Infinite Herb's fresh organic basil sold under the Melissa's brand in 2-ounce and 4-ounce packages, sold at Dierberg's stores in Illinois and Missouri between February 10 - 20, according to an April 19 statement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Trader Joe's has pulled basil sold in 29 states from its shelves after a dozen people fell ill from salmonella. / Credit: FDA

Seven of the 12 people who were sickened after eating the basil had bought or likely bought the product at Trader Joe's, according to the statement. Meanwhile, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that the people who have fallen ill are spread across seven states: Florida, Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Wisconsin.

One person has been hospitalized, the agencies added.

Salmonella poisoning can cause serious illness, especially in young children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. Symptoms of infection usually occur within 12 hours to three days after eating contaminated food, and include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps.

In a statement posted to its website, Infinite Herbs CEO Grego Berliavsky said the company has voluntarily recalled some 2.5-ounce packages of fresh organic basil sold between February 1 through April 6 with UPC 8 18042 02147 7 because of the potential it could be contaminated with salmonella.

"I am heartbroken at the thought that any item we sold may have caused illness or discomfort," Berliavsky wrote.

The label from the basil sold at Trader Joe's that has been linked to a multi-state outbreak of salmonella. / Credit: FDA

The basil has been pulled from Trader Joe's stores in 29 states as well as Washington, D.C., and should no longer be available for sale. The states impacted are:

AlabamaConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMissouriNebraskaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew YorkNorth CarolinaOhioPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaTennesseeVirginiaVermontWisconsin

Trader Joe's has pulled organic basil from stores in 29 states after an outbreak of salmonella. / Credit: FDA

Trader Joe's said in a statement that people who purchased the basil may return it to the store for a refund. Customers can also call Trader Joe's at (626) 599-3817 or email customer service here.

Protesters gather outside Columbia University after its president testifies about antisemitism

Israeli missile hits Iran, U.S. officials confirm

Dubai struggles to recover from record flooding event
Palestinian woman Inas Abu Maamar, 36, embraces the body of her 5-year-old niece Saly, who was killed in an Israeli strike, at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, October 17, 2023. - Credit: Mohammed Salem/REUTERS/Redux

A devastating photo of a woman grievously holding the body of her late five-year-old niece in the Gaza Strip won the World Press Photo of the Year award. Reuters, which originally published the picture, reported the news from Amsterdam, where the awards ceremony took place on Thursday.

Photographer Mohammed Salem, who is 39 and Palestinian, took the picture of Inas Abu Maamar holding the body of Saly, covered in a sheet, on Oct. 17, 2023. An Israeli missile had struck their family home. He shot it at the morgue of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, where people were looking for family members after Israel mounted a retaliatory assault on the region following Hamas Oct. 7 Israeli incursion.

More from Rolling Stone

Palestinian woman Inas Abu Maamar, 36, embraces the body of her 5-year-old niece Saly, who was killed in an Israeli strike, at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, October 17, 2023.

Mohammed received the news of his WPP award with humility, saying that this is not a photo to celebrate but that he appreciates its recognition and the opportunity to publish it to a wider audience, Reuters Global Editor for Pictures and Video, Rickey Rogers, said at the awards presentation. He hopes with this award that the world will become even more conscious of the human impact of war, especially on children.

The WPP jury selected the photo from 61,062 submissions from 3,851 photographers from 130 countries. All of the winning photos are viewable on the WPP site.

The jury selected Salems picture because its composed with care and respect, offering at once a metaphorical and literal glimpse into unimaginable loss. The jury additionally said, The image is multi-layered, representing the loss of a child, the struggle of the Palestinian people, and the 31,000 deaths in Palestine.

In November, Salem told the news service what the photo meant to him. I felt the picture sums up the broader sense of what was happening in the Gaza Strip, he said. People were confused, running from one place to another, anxious to know the fate of their loved ones, and this woman caught my eye as she was holding the body of the little girl and refused to let go.

Reuters reports that 99 journalists and members of the media have died while covering the Israel-Hamas war and that the WPP hoped to highlight the dangers photojournalists like Salem face.

The New York Times has reported that 1,200 people died during Hamas attack on Israel in October. Last month, Time reported that the number of reported deaths in Gaza by the end of February had reached 30,000. After humanitarian aid workers were killed while trying to distribute food to Gazans by an Israeli strike, Jamie McGoldrick, a senior U.N. relief official, commented, There is no safe place left in Gaza.

Best of Rolling Stone
ISLAMABAD, April 18 (Xinhua) -- China has vital experience and capacity in the Global Development Initiative (GDI) to lead other countries in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), said a statement from the Permanent Mission of Pakistan Mission to the United Nations (UN) on Thursday.

Munir Akram, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, addressed the high-level meeting of the Group of Friends of the GDI at the UN on the subject of "Jointly Promote the Summit of the Future to Recommit to Accelerate the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda."

"China can offer its invaluable experiences, lessons, and support to enable other developing countries to reduce poverty and realize their development objectives," said Akram.

The Pakistani ambassador said that the GDI, initiated by the Chinese leadership, provides a clear framework to achieve the SDGs.

Referring to the GDI as an example of action, the ambassador highlighted China's institutionalized cooperation and establishment of institutions for funding project development, as well as consultative mechanisms necessary for achieving goals.

Regarding Pakistan's cooperation with China, Akram emphasized how the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has enabled Pakistan to overcome its energy and infrastructure deficits.

Launched in 2013, the CPEC, a flagship project of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is a corridor linking the Gwadar port in southwestern Pakistan with Kashgar in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which highlights energy, transport and industrial cooperation.

The ambassador expressed confidence that the CPEC would drive progress towards achieving the SDGs. 
Trove of artifacts  including cannonballs and coins  found at French island fort

A trove of artifacts  including cannonballs and coins  were recently found among the ruins of a centuries-old fort on a Caribbean island.

The discoveries were made during an archaeological excavation of Fort Gustav, a historic military outpost perched atop a hill on Saint Barthelemy.

Constructed during the late 18th century, the fort was occupied at various times by the French and Swedish militaries.

Among the artifacts unearthed were a collection of cast iron cannonballs, according to an April 18 news release from Frances National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP).

Uncover more archaeological finds

What are we learning about the past? Here are three of our most eye-catching archaeology stories from the past week.

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Divers remove ancient Roman cargo from shipwreck  and find unique carvings. See them

 Metal detectorists find ancient portrait in Danish field. See the 'legend' it depicts

A metal detector survey was carried out to search for artifacts at the fort, researchers said.

The rounds would have been packed together in a canvas bag and fired from a cannon. Known as a grapeshot, this style of ammunition could have been used to devastating effect on enemy ships.

Napoleon Bonaparte famously used the weapons on a crowd of rebels in Paris in 1795, ordering his men to give them a whiff of grapeshot.

An entire round of grapeshot was also uncovered, complete with a rope still fastened around it, photos show.

Grapeshot, a type of ammunition, was found at the site.

In addition, the excavation, which involved metal detectors, uncovered various metal objects, including a horseshoe, nails, a handle and coins.

A damaged porcelain bust and elements of military uniforms were also unearthed.

An assemblage of metal objects was recovered, including nails and a handle.

History of Saint Barthelemy

The island of Saint Barthelemy was first occupied by French colonists in the 17th century.

Situated about 250 miles east of Puerto Rico, it was considered an ideal location to establish a military outpost to protect ships en route to Europe from pirates and privateers. And in 1769, the French began construction on a hilltop battery that overlooked a nearby port.

Less than two decades later, the French government traded the island to the Swedish government in exchange for trading rights in Gothenburg, a city in southern Sweden. The Swedes then built Fort Gustav and defended it with dozens of soldiers and cannons.

Occupied by merchants and slaves, the island facilitated a large amount of trade, particularly after the War of 1812, according to Oxford University.

But, after the islands economy eventually contracted, it was returned to the French in 1878.

Today, the island, also known as St. Barts, is a French collectivity home to around 7,000 people. Its wide beaches make it a popular tourist destination.

Google Translate was used to translate a news release from INRAP.

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LOXLEY, Ala. (WKRG)  A truck crashed into a power line pole today in the Loxley area, News 5 has learned.

Authorities received reports of a car crash around 3 p.m. on Wednesday. Styx River Volunteer Fire, Rosinton Fire and Loxley Police responded to the scene on Oakdale Drive in Loxley.

UPDATE: Amber Alert: Montgomery police seek 13-year-old accused of abducting 5-year-old

LOCATION:

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WKRG News 5s Whitney Leibold captured video of the scene. It shows a gray pickup truck with a trailer crashed into a power pole.

The collision caused the post to rip from the ground and fall on top of the truck.

Electrical lines can be seen on the truck and ground. Authorities are working to clean up the scene.

This is a developing story. News 5 will update this article as more information becomes available.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) A truck driver who was under the influence and caused a crash on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in 2022 that killed two sisters, just days before Christmas, was sentenced, the county District Attorneys Office said.

Jagminder Singh, 43, of New York, was sentenced to spend between seven to 20 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to his charges on Wednesday, the DAs Office confirmed.

Two sisters from Ecuador were killed when Singh, who was intoxicated, crashed the tractor-trailer he was driving the wrong way around 9:30 p.m. in Brecknock Township on Dec. 23, according to the charges filed by Pennsylvania State Police. He was traveling east the opposite lanes before he crashed.

Teens charged for Pennsylvania school threat

A Ford F-250 was hit head-on by Singh and a third vehicle then crashed into the pickup. The sisters were pronounced dead at the scene and their causes were ruled to be from multiple traumatic injuries by the Lancaster County Coroners Office.

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Singh tried to get away from the crash scene by entering another vehicle but he suffered a medical event and was transported to the hospital.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
Former President Trump questioned why European nations werent providing more support to Ukraine, but stopped short of weighing in on a foreign aid package proposed by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) that has sparked outcry from some House Republicans.

Why isnt Europe giving more money to help Ukraine? Why is it that the United States is over $100 Billion Dollars into the Ukraine War more than Europe, and we have an Ocean between us as separation! Trump wrote Thursday on Truth Social as he attended the third day of his hush money trial in New York City.

Why cant Europe equalize or match the money put in by the United States of America in order to help a Country in desperate need? he continued. As everyone agrees, Ukrainian Survival and Strength should be much more important to Europe than to us, but it is also important to us! GET MOVING EUROPE!

A tracker maintained by the Institute for the World Economy shows that total European aid for Ukraine has actually overtaken U.S. assistance, though much of that is in the form of financial and humanitarian aid. The United States has provided significantly more military aid to Ukraine, with the tracker showing Europe would have to double its pace of arms assistance to fully replace the U.S. commitment.

Trumps post comes as House Republicans are divided over moving forward with a series of bills that would provide aid to Ukraine, Israel and allies in the Indo-Pacific.

Johnson has attempted to placate his conservative critics by splitting the components of a Senate-passed foreign aid package into three separate pieces, as well as two additional bills that include provisions on border security and other foreign aid proposals favored by Republicans.

But the decision to move forward has outraged Trump allies such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who has threatened to oust Johnson from the Speakership if he goes ahead with a Ukraine aid bill.

Greene and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), another Trump ally, seized on Trumps Truth Social post to claim he was opposing the foreign aid legislation, though the former presidents post did not take a position on the matter.

During a meeting last week with Johnson at Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate, the former president signaled an openness to Republicans approving additional aid for Ukraine if it came in the form of a loan.

Were looking at it right now, and theyre talking about it, and were thinking about making it in the form of a loan instead of just a gift, Trump said at the time.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A cheery young Hispanic working single mom who should terrify the Democrats had just picked up her 1-year-old son from his babysitter on Tuesday evening when she encountered a crowd at Broadway and W. 139th St. in Harlem.

None other than Donald Trump was just beyond a line of police barricades outside the Sanaa Convenient store.

I was amazed to see him, 31-year-old Sabrina Vargas later told The Daily Beast. Just to see what everyone jokes abouthis hair, the color. It was kind of breezy.

Trump had come directly from his criminal trial to a neighborhood he might have been expected to avoid for fear of a hostile reception. The visit was the idea of Francisco Marte, head of the Bodega and Small Business Group.

Marte reached out to Trump last week through a Republican in New Yorks Dominican community to discuss a major issue for his memberscrimewhich is pretty rich considering the ex-president is in the middle of a felony trial. Trumps people responded with an invitation for Marte to come to Trump Tower.

I said, Id love to have him in the bodegas, Marte told the Daily Beast.

Trump Takes Post-Trial Circus to Fearmonger About Crime at NYC Bodega

Marte sent a list of possibles. One was Sanaa Convenient, formerly known as the Blue Moon. The small grocery was in the news in July 2022 after an altercation that ended with a clerk named Jose Alba fatally stabbing a man who came behind the counter and assaulted him. Alba was initially charged with murder, but Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg determined that he acted in lawful self-defense.

On Saturday, Marte got word that Trump had decided upon Sanaa Convenient.

What they told me was Trump doesnt listen to other people. He chose it himself, Marte recalled. They told me not to tell anybody.

As the time of the visit neared, Marte got the go-ahead to alert his members about what he viewed as history in the making.

The first time a president is coming to a bodega, he said.

Trump shakes hands with Francisco Marte at Sanaa Convenient. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty

The police closed off the immediate vicinity with barricades. The Secret Service searched everyone inside the perimeter to ensure there were no firearms in the immediate area of Trumpwho then suggested in his remarks that a gun could have prevented the stabbing at the store.

If you have a gun, then youd never get robbed, Trump said. That would be the end of it.

The Secret Service had no control over any verbal weaponry in the crowd outside the bodega. Marte says that many of those near the front were affiliated with his group and were welcoming even though a good many are immigrants from what Trump has called dirty country. (He doesnt mean everything that he says, Marte explained.) Some folks towards the back were hostile, calling out Traitor! and Dump Trump!

A New Yorker holds a placard ahead of Donald Trumps arrival in Harlem. Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty

Vargas arrived in the midst of it, having just collected her son, Makhai, after a shift as a table server at the Hard Rock in Times Square.

You had a lot of mixed emotions, she recalled. I saw some women upset. I saw a lot of people happy. And a lot of people who seem confused.

But, by her estimate, only 15 percent of the onlookers were manifestly negative. She herself had only positive things to say.

I liked his suit, she said. It looks like he lost some weight.

She added, He looked happy. He always looks happy. She noted one exception: Not when hes in court.

Vargas said that when the crowd cheered, little Makhai joined in. She was asked if she also cheered. I did, she allowed.

In response to Trumps remarks on crime in the city, Braggs office posted online that it is down in Manhattan 6 percent overall year to date, with shootings down 39 percent, murder down 23 percent, and robbery down 3 percent.

But Vargas doesnt feel safe while commutinga side effect of the societal unraveling that began with the pandemic at the end of Trumps term as president.

It feels [like] every time Im on the subway or every day that I ride the bus, theres always an incident thats going on, she said. Its usually the mentally ill people that are causing a disturbance or attacks.

She added, I see a lot more dangerous situations than I did before. When [Trump] was here. It wasnt really like that.

She is not greatly troubled by Trumps criminal trial.

Everyone says that he deserves to go to jail, she said. I think as long as he has money, he will be fine.

People cheer as a motorcade carrying Donald Trump drives through Harlem. Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty

Vargas had never seen Trump on The Apprentice, but she had seen his cameo in Home Alone. I thought, Oh wow, look at him, so young, so back in the day, she recalled.

Trump insisted on being included in the movie as a condition for allowing it to be filmed in The Plaza Hotel. The producers had intended to cut his scene until the audience at a test screening erupted into cheers when he appeared.

For all of Trumps sins and lies since then, and despite the dire threat he poses to democracy, he drew similar cheers in Harlem on Tuesday. And it should scare the hell out of the Democrats that those who joined in included a working woman who should be a vote they can count on.

I think Biden could do a lot better, Vargas said.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Just days after a former federal prosecutor warned that publicizing information about potential jurors in Donald Trumps hush-money trial could put them in danger, an outed jury member came forward to express concern about being identified.

Juror number two, a nurse, explained that friends and colleagues were able to identify her based on personal details revealed during the screening and selection process.

I definitely have concerns now  about being in public. Yesterday alone, I had friends, colleagues push things to my phone questioning my identity as a juror. I dont believe at this point that I can be fair and unbiased and let the outside influences not affect my decision to be in the courtroom, she said.

Judge Juan Merchan, the Manhattan Supreme Court justice presiding over the case, allowed her to be excused. Merchan then took extra measures to protect the identities of jurors, asking journalists not to report on jurors places of employment, a detail included on the questionnaires filled out during selection.



Theres a reason why this is an anonymous jury and were taking the measures that were taken. And it kind of defeats the purpose of that when so much information is put out there that it is very, very easy for us to identify who the jurors are, Merchan said.

Im directing that the press simply apply common sense and refrain from writing about physical descriptions. Its just not necessary. It serves no purpose, he continued. Theres no need for anyone to mention that one of the jurors had an Irish accent. I dont see how that advanced any interest whatsoever.

Fox News host Jesse Watters had revealed information about the juror, including her and her fiancees occupations, during a segment about the trial on Tuesday night. Im not so sure about juror number two, he said.

Trump elevated Watterss segment the following day, claiming that Liberal Activists were trying to sneak onto the jury and bias the outcome against him.

As critics have pointed out, enough information on the lives of the jurors has already been reported to identify many of them, potentially putting them in danger. Judges presiding over January 6related cases have faced right-wing intimidation and harassment campaigns. Fears of similar mob-like tactics being employed against jurors, particularly in Trumps myriad lawsuits, are well founded.

Judge Lewis Kaplan warned jurors in E. Jean Carrolls January defamation suit against Trump to never disclose that you were on this jury. If juror number twos experience is indicative, staying silent may not be enough.
By Jack Queen and Luc Cohen

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Lawyers in Donald Trump's historic criminal trial on Thursday selected 12 jurors who will assess his guilt or innocence over the coming weeks in a case stemming from a hush-money payment to a porn star.

Lawyers for the defense and the prosecution still must select alternate jurors for the trial, the first ever in which a former U.S. president is the defendant.

Opening statements could take place on Monday, said Justice Juan Merchan, the judge overseeing the trial.

Earlier in the day, Merchan dismissed a juror who said she felt intimidated that some personal information was made public.

The judge also excused another juror after prosecutors said he may not have disclosed prior brushes with the law.

Trump's outsized public presence created unique problems during the jury selection process, which started on Monday.

Roughly half of the first 196 jurors screened in heavily Democratic Manhattan were dismissed after saying they could not assess the evidence impartially.

The Republican politician's criticism of witnesses, prosecutors, the judge and their relatives in this case and others has also sparked concerns about harassment, prompting Merchan to impose a partial gag order.

Merchan dismissed the juror who said she felt intimidated after family, friends and colleagues had deduced that she had been selected for the trial.

"I don't believe at this point that I can be fair and unbiased, and let the outside influences not affect my decision-making in the courtroom," the juror said.

Trump, the Republican presidential candidate in the Nov. 5 election, also faces criminal cases in Washington, Georgia and Florida, but the New York case is the only one certain to go to trial this year. Officials involved in those cases have reported receiving death threats and harassment after being criticized by Trump.

Trump has pleaded not guilty in all four cases and has said, without evidence, that they are part of a broad-ranging effort by allies of Democratic President Joe Biden to hobble his candidacy.

A conviction would not bar him from taking office.

In New York, Trump is accused of covering up a $130,000 payment his former lawyer Michael Cohen made to porn star Stormy Daniels for her silence before the 2016 election about a sexual encounter she says they had a decade earlier.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and denies any such encounter with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations in 2018 and served prison time for making those payments, and Trump's lawyers are expected to attack his credibility as a witness.

"Some of the witnesses have what you might consider to be some baggage," prosecutor Joshua Steinglass told potential jurors, adding that several have publicly denied some of the alleged conduct they will hear about in this case.

Merchan has taken steps to shield jurors in the case from harassment, saying they will remain anonymous except to Trump, his lawyers and prosecutors. On Thursday, he said he would prohibit news outlets from reporting on aspects of potential jurors' employment.

Trump's willingness to criticize those involved in the case, combined with the widespread public interest in it, could put jurors' safety at risk, said Michigan State University law professor Barbara O'Brien.

"These are just people showing up doing their civic duty," she said. "Theyre not voluntarily injecting themselves into a public conversation."

Prosecutors say Trump has violated Merchan's gag order seven times since they flagged three potential violations on Monday, and have asked the judge to impose fines or other penalties.

On Thursday, prosecutor Christopher Conroy pointed to posts saying undercover liberal activists had been lying to the judge to try to get on the jury.

One of Trump's lawyers, Emil Bove, said those posts "do not establish any willful violations" of the gag order.

(Reporting by Jack Queen and Luc Cohen in New York; additional reporting by Andrew Goudsward in Washington; Writing by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Jonathan Oatis)
BEIJING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Relevant countries' groundless accusation and deliberate smears against China on the South China Sea issue are unacceptable, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks at a regular news briefing when asked to comment on a statement issued by the United States, Japan and the Philippines after their trilateral summit. The statement expressed so-called "serious concerns about China's behavior in the South China Sea" and called on China to abide by the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal.

Lin said China strongly opposes the practice of bloc politics by relevant countries, firmly opposes any acts that stoke and drive up tensions and harm other countries' strategic security and interests, and is seriously against forming exclusive groupings in this region.

Noting that the award of the South China Sea Arbitration is illegal, null and void, he said China does not accept or take part in the Arbitration, does not accept or acknowledge the so-called award, still less does China accept any claim or action that is based on the award.

Lin said the South China Sea Arbitration and its illegal award harm the interests of countries in the region, including the Philippines.

"No matter how some may try to frame the South China Sea issue, the issue remains what it is," Lin said, adding that no political manipulation disguised as legal moves will go anywhere or deter China from safeguarding its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

Lin said China will continue to firmly safeguard its lawful rights in accordance with domestic and international laws. "We urge relevant countries to be sober-minded and change course instead of going further down the wrong path," he added. 
Before Trump and Johnson, Kansas tried a proof of citizenship voter law. It failed

Reality Check is a Star series holding those with power to account and shining a light on their decisions. Have a suggestion for a future story? Email our journalists at RealityCheck@kcstar.com.

When Kris Kobach, then the Kansas secretary of state, met with Donald Trump shortly after the 2016 election, he brought along a plan that included changing a federal voter registration law to promote proof-of-citizenship requirements.

More than seven years later, Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson want to go further.

At a Mar-a-Lago news conference last week, Trump, the former president running for a second term, looked on as Johnson condemned the lack of a federal requirement that individuals prove their citizenship to vote.

Non-citizens are already prohibited from voting in federal elections, but the speaker, a Louisiana Republican, echoed baseless concerns that large numbers of migrants are registering to vote in the run up to the 2024 election.

We think thats a serious problem. So what were going to do is the House Republicans are introducing a bill that will require proof of citizenship to vote. It seems like common sense, Johnson said.

But proof of citizenship voter requirements arent a new idea. More than a decade ago, Kansas enacted its own law.

It imploded.

The Kansas Legislature passed a sweeping elections security bill in 2011. Along with requiring voters to show a photo ID at the polls, the measure mandated new voter registration applicants provide documentary proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate, U.S. passport or naturalization documents.

A U.S. district court judge and a federal appeals court both found the requirement unconstitutional and struck it down. Kobach, now the Kansas attorney general, championed the law as secretary of state and personally led a disastrous defense of it during a federal civil trial. The judge found him in contempt and ordered remedial legal education.

Kansas experience with its proof of citizenship law offers a window into the significant challenges any federal requirement would face. At the high-stakes 2018 bench trial, Kobach produced few examples of non-citizens who registered to vote  at most 67 non-citizens registered or attempted to register to vote over 19 years.

One would hope that folks would follow the example, right, and figure out the natural conclusion of this which is that it is not legally tenable, it is not popular, it is not based on reality, ACLU of Kansas director Micah Kubic said.

But instead, they continue to follow what he explains about it and what his narrative is rather than the results.

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach appeared with former President Donald Trump during a 2018 rally in Topeka.

Congress almost certainly wont pass a proof of citizenship law this year. Even if the House passes a bill, the measure would be dead on arrival in the Senate where Republicans are in the minority. President Joe Biden would be virtually guaranteed to veto it.

But Johnsons decision to float the plan during a joint appearance with Trump suggests the idea could reemerge in a second Trump administration. If Trump emphasizes the issue, Republican-controlled state legislatures may decide to act.

And if Trump loses the election, Johnson and other Republicans have provided a groundwork to characterize the loss as fraudulent. Trump continues to assert falsely that the 2020 election was stolen and the proof of citizenship idea sets up migrants as a possible scapegoat for a second loss.

You know what, if the numbers are so high, there are so many illegals in the country that if only one out of every 100 voted, they would cast potentially hundreds of thousands of votes in an election. That can turn an election, Johnson said.

This could be a tight election in our congressional races around the country. It could, if theres enough votes, affect the presidential election.

House Speaker Mike Johnson.

What Johnsons comments left out is that states already take steps to enforce bans on non-citizen voting. Before and after Kansas proof of citizenship law, voter registration applicants must attest they are citizens under penalty of perjury.

U.S. District Court Judge Julie Robinson, who held the trial over the Kansas law, wrote in an opinion that the evidence supports the conclusion that very few noncitizens in Kansas successfully registered to vote under an attestation regime.

At the same time, the proof of citizenship law  sometimes called DPOC for documentary proof of citizenship  left thousands of residents who were unable to provide proof of citizenship on a suspense list and therefore unable to cast a ballot. More than 31,000 residents in total either had their voter registration applications suspended or canceled.

In sum, we conclude that the DPOC requirement imposed a significant burden on the right to vote, an opinion from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit said.

A Kansas City, Kansas, polling station.

It just isnt happening

Johnson hasnt released a proof of citizenship bill. During Fridays announcement, he didnt outline how citizens without easy access to documents would prove their citizenship  or what documents would be acceptable. He said the plan would require states to remove noncitizens from existing voter rolls.

In Kansas, residents without the necessary documents were allowed to appear before the State Election Board, where officials judged whether they were a citizen. The provision led to public hearings where residents made their case.

For instance, in one 2016 meeting a 75-year-old Osage County woman born in Arkansas recounted how she had lost her birth certificate and Arkansas couldnt find a copy. The woman pointed to her presence in Census records, a record of her birth in a family Bible, baptismal records and documents about her high school attendance. The panel certified she was a citizen.

When the ACLU filed a lawsuit against the Kansas law in 2016, Donna Bucci decided to join. A 57-year-old Wichita resident at the time the lawsuit began, Bucci was placed on the suspense list and later purged from the states voter registration system after she was unable to provide proof of citizenship.

Bucci was born in Maryland, but didnt have a copy of her birth certificate and Marylands $20 fee would have been a financial burden.

Speaking to The Star this week, Bucci said lawmakers need to get out of kindergarten and start working.

Every time you turn around, they want to take someone else to court, Bucci said. If they spent as much time in the House doing what theyre supposed to be doing, we wouldnt be going through all this BS.

Josh Douglas, an elections law professor at the University of Kentucky, said a federal proof of citizenship law would encounter problems complying with the U.S. Constitutions Equal Protection Clause, which requires equal treatment under the law.

Still, he said the U.S. Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Roberts has been extremely deferential to government laws on voting.

The U.S. Supreme Court in recent years has shrunk the power of the federal government to protect voting rights by limiting the sweep of the federal Voting Rights Act. But it also rejected a request to review the appeals court decision striking down Kansas proof of citizenship law.

Mark Johnson, a Kansas City-based attorney who represented plaintiffs in one of two key lawsuits against the Kansas law, said he doesnt believe Congress could pass a constitutional proof of citizenship law.

Even before you get there the question is, is there a problem that this law would correct and there isnt a problem, Johnson said. If there is a concern that non-citizens are voting, it just isnt happening.

Kobach told The Star that he supports Trump and Speaker Johnson seeking a federal proof of citizenship law. He said that if the U.S. Supreme Court had taken the Kansas case, it would have likely reversed the appeals court decision.

The Kansas law can and should serve as a model for federal legislation, Kobach said in a written response to questions provided by a spokesperson.

Kobach, who co-chaired Trumps voter fraud commission, didnt answer a question about whether he has advised Trump or the Trump 2024 campaign about election law.

When Kobach met with Trump in the weeks following the 2016 election, he was photographed heading into the meeting with a partially visible plan for the Department of Homeland Security. Under a section titled Stop Aliens from Voting, the document read, Draft Amendments to National Voter Registration Act to promote proof-of-citizenship requirements.

President Donald Trump, left, and Kris Kobach, the Kansas secretary of state, on Nov. 20, 2016, at the clubhouse of Trump International Golf Club, in Bedminster Township, N.J.

The National Voter Registration Act  often called the motor voter law  requires states to offer residents the opportunity to register to vote at motor vehicle offices.

The ACLU later obtained another portion of Kobachs plan, which outlines changing the NVRA to provide states leeway to impose their own proof-of-citizenship requirements. While Kobachs November 2016 plan for Trump would have made it easier for states to adopt proof of citizenship rules, Johnsons new plan would go further by mandating it at the federal level.

Kris Kobach brought into a meeting with Donald Trump a plan for amending a national voter registration law.

Will the House act?

Johnsons appearance with Trump last Friday was seen as an important endorsement of the speaker by the former president at a moment when he faces a looming effort by lawmakers to remove him. But the proof of citizenship proposal itself hasnt attracted as much attention inside the Capitol, which is consumed with the Houses efforts to pass foreign aid bills and the Senates impeachment trial of the Homeland Security secretary.

Rep. Ron Estes, a Wichita Republican, took a moment to realize which proposal The Star was referring to when asked about Johnsons plan this week. He echoed concerns over states allowing non-citizens to vote (a small number of states allow non-citizens to vote in some local elections but federal law bans non-citizens from voting in federal elections).

Weve had a long history where states have the responsibility to actually conduct the voting itself. However, there is a federal definition of what it takes to elect federal office holders in all forms and to be seated here in Congress, Estes said. So thats a purview we still have at the federal level.

But some conservatives in the past have argued that states have sweeping power over who is qualified to vote.

In an amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review the challenge to Kansas proof of citizenship law, a coalition of GOP-leaning states said, States have the exclusive constitutional authority to set voter qualifications.

The 2020 brief, which was signed by Eric Schmitt, then the Republican Missouri attorney general and now a U.S. senator, said that federal control over who may vote has come in the form of constitutional amendments, not statutes passed by Congress.

Schmitt on Tuesday said there should be greater protections to ensure non-citizens arent voting. He said the Missouri General Assembly is talking about putting that on the ballot, too  a reference to a proposed state constitutional amendment that would make changing the state constitution more difficult.

One version of the proposal includes language prohibiting non-citizens from voting on state constitutional amendments, even though they currently arent allowed to cast ballots.

When youre talking about sort of threshold issues, non-citizens voting certainly rises to the level of, I think, us moving something, Schmitt said.

Kubic, the ACLU of Kansas director, said supporters of proof of citizenship requirements were essentially attempting to have it both ways.

He noted the fierce opposition in Congress to H.B. 1. The Democratic bill, introduced in 2021, would require states to offer same-day voter registration for federal elections and included other election and campaign finance overhauls.

What you can do is say the federal government should be guaranteeing and expanding the right to vote at every turn  that is a consistent position. But that is not their position, Kubic said.

Their position is instead whoever is going to be the most restrictive, whether the state or federal government, thats the entity that should have the power at that moment.
A second juror was excused from the jury in former President Donald Trumps criminal trial on Thursday after it was revealed the man was once arrested for tearing down right-leaning political advertisements.

Juror #4, who was selected and sworn in on Tuesday, was excused by Judge Juan Merchan on Thursday morning.

TRUMP HUSH MONEY TRIAL: JUROR EXCUSED AFTER SAYING SHE DOES NOT THINK SHE CAN BE FAIR

The man had been arrested in Westchester, New York, for tearing town political advertisements, according to a prosecutor from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs office.

"I actually believe the propaganda that was being ripped down was political posters that were on the right  the political right," prosecutor Joshua Steinglass said Thursday.

A court sketch depicts the second day of former President Donald Trumps criminal trial in Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday. Jury selection for the alleged hush money case remains ongoing.

Steinglass said that after additional research, it also appeared that the jurors wife had been previously accused of, or involved in a "corruption inquiry" that needed a "deferred prosecution agreement with the district attorneys office."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Jurors are asked on a questionnaire to list whether they or someone close to them have ever been arrested.

Juror #4 was excused shortly after juror #2 was excused. Juror #2 admitted that she could no longer be fair.

Juror #2, a woman who lived on Manhattans Upper East Side and works as a nurse, returned to court Thursday morning and said that after further thought, she had concerns about being fair and balanced in the case.

"I definitely have concerns," she said, noting that her family and friends questioned if she was serving on the jury. "I dont think I can be fair."

TRUMP SAYS CRIMINAL TRIAL IS HAVING 'REVERSE EFFECT' AS HE CAMPAIGNS AT NEW YORK BODEGA, VOWS TO SAVE CITY

She also said she thought that "outside influence" would "interfere."

The woman also noted that she did not want aspects of her identity to be reported.

Judge Merchan excused her and warned the press about covering the trial.

"You can write about anything on the record, but apply common sense when writing about jurors using physical descriptions and descriptors," Merchan said.

Merchan directed the press to refrain from writing about anything that can be observed with eyes in order to "ensure jurors remain safe."

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"We lost what would have been a good juror," Merchan said, adding that she was "afraid of being intimidated."

After the departure of juror #4 and juror #2, only five jurors have been sworn in. Thirteen more jurors are needed before opening arguments can begin.



This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.





Original article source: Trump juror previously arrested for ripping down right-leaning political ads dismissed from trial
Trump juror quits over fear of being outed after Fox News host says she should scare Trump

By the end of Tuesday, seven jurors had been selected to determine whether Donald Trump should be the first president ever convicted of a crime. By Thursday morning, when the Manhattan trial resumed, there were just six.

According to Judge Juan Merchan, the juror was excused after later expressing doubt that she could remain fair and impartial. In particular, she said that friends and family had already reached out to ask if she was serving on the jury.

Those calls came after numerous media outlets reported potentially identifying biographical information about the woman, including her job and the neighborhood she called home. Fox News Jesse Watters highlighted the juror's details while reading through public pool notes about the selected members. "This nurse scares me if I'm Trump," Watters said.

Other outlets including NBC News, CNN, CBS News, and ABC News also publicized details about the juror, including additional identifying information.

Watters has alleged without evidence that "liberal activists" are lying to get on the jury, a claim that Trump himself has repeated on Truth Social, potentially violating a gag order.

Jury selection is continuing Thursday. Trump is facing charges that he falsified business records to cover up a hush payment and affair with Stormy Daniels to unlawfully influence the 2016 election. He has pleaded not guilty.

Judge Merchan implored journalists to be more careful going forward, asking that they exercise "common sense" before reporting jurors' biographical information, NBC News reported.

"Jurors are real people with families, lives, and jobs," tweeted former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti. "If one juror came forward and vocally expressed concern about her safety, that concern is likely in the mind of the *other* jurors. Their safety must be ensured in order for our legal system to work."

This article has been updated to correct Watters' quote about the juror.
The hush money trial of former president Donald Trump experienced a hiccup on Thursday as it became clear that the public hunt for details and in some cases the identity of jurors was becoming an issue.

Judge Juan Merchan excused one woman who told the court that members of her family and close friends  having seen people searching for her identity online  had questioned her directly about being a member of the jury.

"I definitely have concerns now, one of them especially being that aspects of my identity have already been out there in public," she told the judge before her dismissal. She added that it made it unlikely that she could be an unbiased juror in the case.

Later on Thursday, the judge dismissed a second juror for an unrelated reason, but told attendees in the courtroom that the seated juror had expressed annoyance about how much information about him had been out in the public.

The judge lectured members of the media present on Thursday against including current or former employers in their reporting going forward, and added that such information would now be redacted from court transcripts.

It kind of defeats the purpose of that, when so much information is put out there that it is very easy for anyone to identify who the jurors are, Judge Merchan said on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the fight over the former presidents gag order continues. Mr Trump is currently appealing the order, and continues to disparage the judge as biased in social media postings and campaign-related messaging. One text message sent by the ex-presidents 2024 campaign bemoaned how the court is forcing Mr Trump to miss his son Barron Trumps high school graduation. Mr Trump also continues to attack others in the case, including his former fixer and attorney, Michael Cohen.

The hush money trial needs a total of 12 jurors and six alternates to proceed. Thats proving to be more and more difficult by the day.

Meanwhile, in Washington, Mr Trumps closest allies are angrier than ever about the possibility of more US military assistance going to Ukraine, which makes up part of a supplemental national security package set to be passed over the coming weekend. Representatives Matt Gaetz and Lauren Boebert  the former being the leader of the rebellion that brought down former speaker Kevin McCarthy  indicated that they were warming to the idea of joining Marjorie Taylor Greenes motion to vacate over the issue. Mr Gaetz admitted that doing so would throw the House into chaos during a press gaggle on Thursday, but that didnt seem to deter him.

The real dustup on Thursday, however, was between Mr Gaetz and Derrick Van Ordern, an ally of Speaker Johnsons, who dared Mr Gaetz to bring up the motion to vacate during a tense conversation on the House floor. That chaotic conversation ended in Mr Ordern calling his colleague from Florida tubby and storming off, according to multiple reports.

The inexperienced Speaker of the House continues to show no signs of a plan for reining in his partys far-right wing as the Republican Party hurtles towards a Saturday showdown on Ukraine.
Former President Trump is leading President Biden among potential voters in the upcoming presidential election, an Emerson College Polling national survey released Thursday found, with Bidens polling rate dropping since early April.

Trump leads Biden 46 percent to 43 percent, according to the poll. Support for Biden dropped 2 percentage points since the previous Emerson College poll in early April, while Trumps polling stayed at 46 percent.

Another 12 percent reported being undecided, according to Thursdays results. When undecided voters were pressed to pick a candidate, Trumps support rose to 51 percent, while Bidens climbed to 48 percent.

When independent candidates were thrown into the mix, support for Trump dropped to 44 percent and 40 percent for Biden. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. received 8 percent of support, another 8 percent reported being undecided, and 1 percent supported Cornel West.

Among issues that voters cited as most critical in forming their opinion of each candidate were the economy and immigration. When asked about specific economic issues, 70 percent said they think the cost of living is rising, and that 70 percent was more likely to support Trump over Biden, the survey found.

Voters who think the cost of living is rising support Trump over Biden, 56% to 32%, said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling. Those who feel the cost of living is easing or staying the same support Biden over Trump, 94% to 6% and 67% to 18%

The Israel-Hamas war also came up as a point of contention among the polled voters, with a plurality of voters, 44, percent, saying they feel theyre not getting the full picture when it comes to the war.

Perceptions of receiving accurate war information show a significant split, Kimball said. Biden leads among those who think they are getting accurate information (53% to 36%), while Trump leads among skeptics (53% to 38%). Those unsure are divided, with 44% leaning toward Trump and 42% toward Biden.

The Emerson College Polling survey was conducted April 16-17 among 1,308 registered voters and has a 2.6 percent margin of error.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
On Monday, the first day of jury selection in Donald Trumps first criminal trial, Judge Juan Merchan ordered a hearing to be held next Tuesday over the defendants alleged gag order violations. Apparently undeterred by the possibility of consequences, or perhaps not believing that any serious consequences will come, Trump has since then continued to engage in behavior that may have violated the gag order.

In fact, a prosecutor with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs office said Thursday morning that Trump has violated the order seven times since then.

The most disturbing alleged violation, according to the DAs office, is a Truth Social post of Trumps from Wednesday, in which the former president posted a quote, attributed to Fox News host Jesse Watters: They are catching undercover Liberal Activists lying to the Judge in order to get on the Trump Jury.

Trumps post didnt specify which jurors, but in any event, it would appear to violate the plain text of the gag order. When it comes to juror-related statements, Merchans order bars Trump from making or directing others to make public statements about any prospective juror or any juror in this criminal proceeding.

Its certainly a public statement made by Trump. To be clear, it wasnt a ReTruth (i.e., a re-post) of Watters statement, whatever that would mean for the analysis. Rather, the post on Trumps account appears to be simply the typed-out text of that quote, attributed to Watters.

Of course, merely attributing a quote to someone else couldn't possibly serve as an automatic loophole to a prohibition against making statements about jurors. If this point truly needs illustrating, would there be any question that he couldn't post a direct threat against a specific juror's life if they vote to convict him, simply by dressing that threat up in a quote from someone else? Plus, Merchan's order doesn't even specify a minimum level of danger that a statement would need to meet but simply says that Trump can't make any juror statements.

That would only leave the question of whether its about any prospective juror or any juror in this criminal proceeding. That, too, is easily answered against Trump. The quote could refer to prospective jurors as ones who were purportedly [caught], and thus not placed on the jury, or to people who did make the jury, which could be even worse.

In any event, it's a public statement by Trump about jurors, prospective or seated, in this case.

To be sure, we'll see what Trump's lawyers have to say about this before Merchan rules. Will they argue that attributing the quote to someone else saves Trump? That he wasn't talking about a specific juror or prospective juror, and so it's fair game to complain about the process generally? That, to the extent it was a public statement by Trump about jurors, it's untrue and so shouldn't be taken seriously? That there's some magical former president/presumptive nominee exception to threatening jurors?

The latest violation allegations came from Braggs office as jury selection resumed Thursday. Heading into the day, seven jurors had been selected. But that number dwindled to five, after one of them raised concerns about their identity becoming public. A second juror, who was dismissed for undisclosed reasons, also expressed annoyance about how much information was out there about them in the public. Though their dismissals didnt come in connection with the gag order discussion, it underscores the concerns that jurors may feel for their safety. So if the gag order is meant to ensure the integrity of the proceedings, it must be enforced.

This raises the question, yet again, of what Merchan will do. When it comes to the prior social media posts that have already led prosecutors to push for contempt sanctions, the prosecutors argued Merchan should fine Trump $1,000 for each of the prior three posts and warn him about possible jailing for further violation. This time, on Thursday, the DAs office reportedly said they're considering their options for sanctions. We should learn more about what Merchan thinks about all of Trumps alleged violations  and any further ones that come  on Tuesday.

Subscribe to the Deadline: Legal Newsletter for weekly updates on the top legal stories, including news from the Supreme Court, the Donald Trump cases and more.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Former U.S. President and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump met with Polish President Andrzej Duda in New York City on April 17, where the two held talks on a variety of foreign policy issues.

According to a statement by the Trump campaign, the two-and-a-half-hour meeting took place at Trump's apartment in Trump Tower.

The statement said that chief among the issues broached by Trump and Duda was the reported proposal from the Polish president for NATO countries to increase their spending to 3% of GDP.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in February that he expected 18 of the then 31 alliance members to meet the goal of spending at least 2% of their GDP on defense in 2024.

Trump and Duda also "discussed the war between Russia and Ukraine, the conflict with Israel in the Middle East, and many other topics having to do with getting to world peace," the statement read.

Trump has long pushed for NATO countries to increase their defense spending and unsettled international allies in February when he said he would allow Russia to do "whatever the hell they want" to member countries failing to meet defense spending criteria.

The statement by the Trump campaign added that the former president "is a big fan of Poland and of the Polish people."

Read also: Trump reportedly thought Ukraine must be part of Russia as president

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Former President Donald Trump and Polish President Andrzej Duda discussed NATO spending in a dinner meeting at Trump Tower in New York City Wednesday, according to a readout of the meeting from the Trump campaign.

The pair discussed President Dudas proposal for NATO countries to go to 3% spending on their defense, according to the campaign. CNN previously reported that Duda has called for all NATO member states to increase their defense spending to 3% of GDP, up from the current pledge of 2%.

Duda reiterated the proposal to President Joe Biden during a March 12 meeting, saying, Two percent was good ten years ago. Now three percent is required in response to the full-scale war launched by Russia right beyond NATOs eastern border.

During the two-and-a-half hour meeting, Trump and Duda also discussed the war between Russia and Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war in the Middle East, the campaign said.

Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee, has been critical of NATO defense spending. In February, the former president said he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to any NATO member country that doesnt meet spending guidelines on defense, alarming many leaders in Washington and Europe.

European diplomats are preparing for Trumps potential return to the White House, CNN reported last week, working to set up guard rails for NATO and trying to ensure lasting support for Ukraine in its war with Russia.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
(Bloomberg) -- Donald Trump and Polish President Andrzej Duda discussed the war in Ukraine and a conflict in the Middle East during their two-and-half hour meeting at Trump Tower on Wednesday evening in New York.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The Polish president described the meeting as friendly and conducted in a nice atmosphere in remarks to reporters. Trump said Duda has done a fantastic job, adding the two men had four great years together and they may have to do it again as he seeks the second term as Republican presidential candidate.

The exchange of pleasantries came as Congress is gearing up for crunch vote  expected on Saturday  on new assistance for Ukraine and Israel in the face of resistance from Republican hardliners. The measures would require economic assistance to Ukraine be repaid, taking up an idea Trump floated.

Duda developed close ties with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the early months of the conflict and has been urging western allies to support Polands war-torn neighbor as it faces shortage of ammunition and air defense.

Trump discussed Dudas proposal for NATO members to increase their defense spending to 3% of economic output, according to an emailed readout from Trumps office. Republican presidential candidate alarmed allies with his remarks earlier this year, where he appeared to suggest that he would encourage Russia to attack countries that didnt meet the alliances defense spending obligations.

Duda has long boasted about his ties with Trump that go back to his first term in office, which overlapped with Trumps presidency. He famously asked Trump during a White House visit in 2018 to set up a permanent US military base, offering to call it Fort Trump.

The ties have created tensions with the government. Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned on Tuesday that Trumps potential return to the White House would be detrimental to European security and the future of NATO. Dudas allies from populist Law & Justice party were ousted from office in October and the presidents relations with the new government have been rocky.

Duda will be the second leader from the European Unions eastern member states to meet with the presumptive Republican presidential nominee this year. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban visited Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida last month in a meeting that was criticized by President Joe Biden.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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Former President Donald Trump had dinner with Polish President Andrzej Duda on Wednesday, where the two discussed the ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East as well as NATO spending.

According to a readout provided by the Trump campaign, the two-anda-half-hour dinner took place at Trumps apartment at Trump Tower, where the former president is staying while attending his New York hush money trial.

We had four great years together, Trump told reporters ahead of the dinner while appearing with Duda in the Trump Tower lobby. We may have to do it again.

While Trump is attending the trial in-person, the proceedings typically take a break on Wednesdays for the duration of the trial, which is expected to last at least six weeks.

Trumps campaign provided little information about the meeting but stated they discussed Dudas proposal for NATO countries to boost their defense spending to 3 percent of their gross domestic product  a stance the Polish president also touted in an opinion piece in the Washington Post last month. In the piece, Duda argued that Russias imperialistic ambitions and aggressive revisionism are pushing Moscow toward a direct confrontation with NATO and that NATO must be prepared to meet the threat.

Trump has refused to commit to protecting NATO, saying that he would condition his support on whether countries in the alliance spend at least 2 percent of its gross domestic product on defense.

Trumps campaign also stated the pair discussed the wars in Ukraine and between Israel and Hamas, though it didnt elaborate.



The dinner with Duda is the latest in a string of discussions Trump has had in recent months with world leaders. Ahead of the November elections, he has spoken with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, dined with British foreign secretary David Cameron, and met with Argentine President Javier Milei and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, according to two people familiar with the talks. Cameron has said that he discussed the question of funding for Ukraine with the former president, according to the Washington Post.

Trump and Duda have long had a warm relationship. Duda has once proposed naming a military base in Poland Fort Trump and he visited the White House in 2020, when Trump was in the middle of his reelection campaign.

But Duda, whose term ends in 2025, has pushed the Biden administration to provide more aid to Ukraine, which borders Poland. That position potentially puts him in conflict with Trump, who has praised Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine as genius and savvy.

Last month, Duda and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk met with Biden to discuss sending weapons to Kyiv. While the conservative Duda and center-right Tusk are in the middle of a political feud back home, the Polish leaders came to Washington to press the White House and Congress to support Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia.

During that March visit, Duda also met with Speaker Mike Johnson, who is currently pushing a multi-part proposal to secure aid for Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific. Biden supports Johnsons plan and Trump on Friday, during a joint appearance with Johnson at Mar-A-Lago, said hes looking at Ukraine aid though he suggested any assistance could be in the form of a loan rather than a gift.
SYDNEY, April 18 (Xinhua) -- A 16-year-old boy was charged with a terrorism offense on Thursday in relation to a stabbing in a Sydney church earlier this week.

At around 7:10 p.m. local time on Monday, emergency services were called to a church on the corner of Box Road and Welcome Street in Wakeley, following reports of a stabbing.

Officers found a 53-year-old man suffering significant injuries to his head, while a 39-year-old man also sustained lacerations and a shoulder wound when he attempted to intervene.

The 16-year-old, who had been restrained by members of the public, was arrested by police at the scene.

The New South Wales Police Force confirmed in a statement that investigators attended a medical facility to interview the boy on Thursday afternoon.

"He was charged with committing a terrorist act under section 101.1 Criminal Code Act (Commonwealth) 1995, an offense which carries a maximum penalty of imprisonment for life," said the state police.

The teenager has been refused bail and is expected to appear at a bedside court hearing on Friday. 
If you think the Tory Tribes in Westminster are unruly, try managing the Republicans in Washington, DC.

Congressman Mike Johnson has only been Speaker of the House of Representatives since late October, after the last guy was kicked out, and now hes facing the axe over his support for funding Ukraine.

This week Johnson finally decided to press on with the multi-layered, much-disputed and delayed $95 billion aid package designed to support Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine  even though he knows the move may well cost him his job. I regard myself as a war-time speaker, he says. I didnt think this would be an easy path.

Its worse than that. Johnson is in an impossible position. Hes under intense pressure from Americas international allies, and the still powerful Atlanticist factions within his own party, who know that, without sustained US support, Ukraine cannot win. Uncle Sam is the only power with enough might to prop up the fight against Russia.

But hes up against the Freedom Caucus, on the Right of his party, whose members are adamant that the federal government must first address the massive illegal immigration crisis on its southern border before sending yet more billions to defend Ukraines.

Hes also up against Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who evidently despises the Ukraine hawks on Capitol Hill.

In recent days, she has proposed a somewhat facetious amendment which would compel representatives who vote for the aid package to enlist in the Ukrainian military. I mean if you want to fund the war, she says, why dont you go fight in it?

MTG, as she is known, is clearly having a good time at Johnsons expense. Shes also proposed diverting some of the aid towards the development of space laser technology on the southwest border of the US  a mischievous nod to her own notorious 2018 Facebook post in which she suggested that a Jewish space laser may have caused wildfires in California.

More seriously, she and six other America Firsters in Congress have filed a motion to vacate Johnson as speaker. They accuse him of working with Democrats  a cardinal sin  in order to get the legislation passed.

Johnson has tried to appease the Right of his party by adding a late fifth-bill to the aid package that would include funds for US border security. Yet it looks increasingly likely that, unless he changes course on Ukraine, Johnson will suffer the same fate as Speaker Kevin McCarthy before him.

If I operated out of fear of a motion to vacate, says Johnson. I would never be able to do my job.

Its a strange turn of events, though, for a man who, not so long ago, was accused of being a Kremlin asset because he once allegedly received money from Russian oligarchs. That was in February, when he was understood to be standing in the way of Ukraine funding.

Kevin McCarthy was easily condemned as a RINO (Republican in Name Only) because he presented himself as a centrist operator in Washington, DC. Johnson, by contrast, has a staunchly conservative record. Hes a very devout Baptist evangelical, an old-school religious Right figure who has consistently opposed abortion, gay marriage, divorce, and the climate change lobby. He once even suggested that teaching evolution in schools caused mass shootings.

But the Christian Right is not the same as Make America Great Again (MAGA) Right, and it appears that Johnson, in supporting Ukraine, has fallen foul of conservatives who consider the war effort against Putin to be futile at best and a massive strategic mistake at worst.

Trump regards China, not Russia, as the greatest threat to Americas interests, and if the incoming Republican nominee is elected on November 5, his strategy will be to break Beijings ties to Moscow  ties that have grown stronger as China has tacitly supported Russias war in Ukraine.

Johnsons best chance at survival would be to persuade Trump, the de facto leader of the party, if not to back the aid package then to persuade MTG and co to back down. He duly visited the MAGA king in Mar-a-Lago at the end of last week. Trump in turn obliged him with a statement of support. I stand with the speaker, he said. Hes doing a very good job.

Then came the devilish ambiguity: Were getting along very well with the speaker, said Trump. And I get along very well with Marjorie. Johnson should have known the rule of internal Republican politics in the age of Trump: when push comes to shove, dont expect the Donald to have your back.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Despite the troubles plaguing Donald Trumps first criminal trial in New York City, the process reached a milestone Thursday afternoon when the judge filled all 12 seats of the jury that will determine his fate.

But the slog is far from over, as prosecutors and defense lawyers must now screen dozens of other jurors to pick the half-dozen New Yorkers who will serve as alternates during the next month or twoand might not even make it into the deliberation room.

The new additions to the jury cut a diverse slice of the Big Apple:

a married investment banker who admitted he follows key witness Michael Cohen on Twitter and reads the irascible anti-Trump online personality @MuellerSheWrote, but assured he wouldnt be partial to their views,

a California-raised security engineer who likes to spend most of his free time with his kids or working with his hands, doing woodworking or sheet metal work,

a Panamanian man who spent decades as a wealth manager,

a speech therapist who said she teaches for the New York City public school system,

a man who left Ohio for Manhattan and now works at an eyewear company,

a product development manager who called Trump very selfish and self-serving as a politician but said she can get past that to judge him fairly as just another man in court,

a physical therapist who said she takes pride in being a knowledgeable voter, and

a British investment analyst who lives with her boyfriend in the city and would serve as the first alternate juror.

Friday will now be dedicated to sorting through many other candidates to fill the five alternate slots still open.

The judge said he intends to start the trial on Monday morning, but already Trump is in for a surprise: He wont know who the next witness isbecause the judge doesnt trust him not to paint a target on their back.

In a brief exchange at the end of the day Thursday, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass said his team would under no circumstances share the names of their intended witnesses. In response, Trump lawyer Todd Blanche tried to cut a deal.

What if I commit that President Trump wont truth about any witness? he asked.

I dont think you can make that representation, New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan shot back.

That interaction was an inevitable result of the chaos that plagued the start of the day, when two jurors bowed out after details of their personal lives revealed in court drew public attentionand potentially a target on their backs.

At the start of the day, a nurse slotted as juror number two said details reported by news outlets allowed her to be identified by friends, scaring her enough to want to avoid serving on the most significant trial in the countrys history.

Then, at noon, a Puerto Rican IT consultant chosen to be juror number four held a private meeting with the judge, prosecutors, and defense attorneys to apparently share similar concerns.

New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan later said he wouldnt overstate the mans feelings but said he expressed annoyance at how much is out there about him.

That followed an exchange earlier in the day that set the tone for Day Three of the former presidents criminal trial, when the nurse discussed her fears with the judge.

I definitely have concerns now about being in public. Yesterday alone, I had friends, colleagues push things to my phone questioning my identity as a juror. I dont believe at this point that I can be fair and unbiased and let the outside influences not affect my decision to be in the courtroom, she told the judge Thursday morning.

Thank you. Im sorry, New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan replied. Youre excused.

This trial is proceeding with an anonymous juryknown to the former president and prosecutors but unidentified by name to the general public. It was a security measure put in place by the judge to deal with the heightened political tensions in the case, much of it inflamed by Trumps own violent rhetoric and framing of the case as a treasonous assault on America.

The judge blamed journalists, whom he called irresponsible for being too detailed in their reports about the answers given by potential jurors as they were screened to serve on the panel.

Merchan lamented how weve just lost what probably could have been a very big juror in this case, citing that she had detailed being very intimidated by the press.

Theres a reason why this is an anonymous jury and were taking the measures that were taken. And it kind of defeats the purpose of that when so much information is put out there that it is very, very easy for us to identify who the jurors are, the judge said.

He then asked journalists to be reasonableand use common sense.

Im directing that the press simply apply common sense and refrain from writing about physical descriptions. Its just not necessary. It serves no purpose, he said. Theres no need for anyone to mention that one of the jurors had an Irish accent. I dont see how that advanced any interest whatsoever.

Justice Merchan then directed journalists sitting in the courtroom and an overflow room receiving a video and audio feed to not publicly report the answers to the third question on the jury questionnaire, which ask the persons current employer and the companys size. In recent days, those details were enough to allow news organizations to quickly identify several potential jurors who run their own small businesses or work at well known companies.

If you cant do that, if you cant stick to that, well have to see what else we can do to ensure the jurors remain safe, he warned.

The start of court on Thursday then immediately turned to the actual threat fueling these fears: Trumps own intimidation tactics.

The Manhattan District Attorneys Office re-upped its request for the judge to hold Trump in contempt of court for ignoring a gag order preventing him from speaking publicly about witnesses or jurors, pointing out how the former president continues to lash out against his ex-lawyer-turned-witness Michael Cohen and his anger about being subjected to a jury in largely liberal New York City.

Christopher Conroy, senior advisor to the DAs investigation division, told Merchan that Trump had violated the order seven more times since only Tuesday, ignoring the judges subsequent warnings.

Its ridiculous. It has to stop, Conroy said.

The prosecutor noted how Trump took to Truth Social to share a New York Post article about Cohen to question his credibility, only to have his 2024 Republican presidential campaign share it later that evening. Conroy also noted that Trump shared yet another article questioning Cohens credibility on Wednesday. But the prosecutor gave additional weight to Trumps post last night on his own social media website, in which Trump quoted Fox News host Jesse Watters and wrote, They are catching undercover Liberal Activists lying to the Judge in order to get on the Trump Jury.

This is the most disturbing post, especially in light of this morning, Conroy said. These statements all violated your order.

Conroy said the DAs office still wants the judge to impose a monetary fine on Trump, but he alluded to a harsher penaltywhich could mean jail timewhen he said, Were still considering our options depending on how [this] goes.

One of Trumps defense lawyers, Emil Bove, tried to reason with the judge that Trump wasnt technically violating the gag order by merely repeating what others have said. Bove claimed the situation brings to light some of the ambiguities in the order.

President Trumps responses are political in nature. Theyre intended to defend against what Mr. Cohen is saying the gag order didnt prohibit responding to political attacks, Bove said. One other thing. Only recently... has the DA taken the position that reposting statements by others violates the gag order.

The judge said hell consider the matter after reviewing written legal arguments on both sides, perhaps as early as Friday.

I look forward to seeing that, Merchan said, then allowed potential jurors in the room to continue jury selection.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Trump trial sketch artists catch the former president's many courtroom moods: sleepy, grumpy, and  less often  happy

Donald Trump's hush-money criminal trial opened April 15 in a Lower Manhattan courtroom.

Courtroom sketch artists have captured the former president's many moods during the trial.

Trump faces 34 felony counts for falsifying business records in the historic case.

Former President Donald Trump's historic hush-money criminal trial officially got underway inside a Lower Manhattan courtroom on April 15.

Video cameras are not permitted in the dreary 15th-floor courtroom to broadcast the landmark case.

But sketch artists, as well as photographers, have been able to offer the public glimpses of Trump as he faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.

Prosecutors allege that Trump lied on the documents to cover up hush-money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Trump has pleaded not guilty.

It's the first-ever criminal trial of a former president  and the courtroom sketch artists have already captured many moods of Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, during the jury selection process.

At times he was sleepy, with his eyes closed for minutes at a time. More often he was caught with a scowl. Occasionally, he flashed a smile.

Here are some of those sketches:

On day one of his trial, Trump took the opportunity to smile at the pool of prospective jurors

In this courtroom sketch, former President Donald Trump smiles to the jury pool as he is introduced to them at the beginning of his New York criminal trial. Jane Rosenberg/Pool Photo via AP

Before Trump headed into the courtroom for the opening of the trial, he slammed the case against him as "political persecution"

New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan is presiding over Donald Trump's criminal trial. Jane Rosenberg/Pool Photo via AP

Trump's hush-money trial is expected to last for six weeks and he's complained that it's preventing him from hitting the campaign trail

In this courtroom sketch, former President Donald Trump turns to face the audience at his New York criminal trial. Jane Rosenberg/Pool Photo via AP

And it'll be a long six weeks  reporters in the courtroom noted that Trump appeared to doze off, at times, during the slogging process of jury selection

Trump was sleepy in court at the start of jury selection in his Manhattan hush money trial. REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg

Trump was highly alert when New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan chastised him on April 16, warning him against intimidating potential jurors

In this courtroom sketch, former President Donald Trump is surrounded by his attorneys, court security and Secret Service seated behind him, during jury selection in his New York criminal trial. REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg

"He was gesturing and muttering somethingHe was speaking in the direction of the juror. I will not tolerate that," Merchan told Trump's lead lawyer, Todd Blanche

Former President Donald Trump sat while his lawyer Todd Blanche spoke during the second day of jury selection in his hush-money criminal trial. Christine Cornell via AP, Pool

At times, Trump had to sit by and listen as his attorneys complained about anti-Trump social media posts made by juror prospects

In this courtroom sketch, former President Donald Trump attends the jury selection of his hush-money criminal trial in New York. REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg

By April 18, two of the seven jurors that had been empaneled in the trial were dismissed

Trump rarely smiled in court as jurors were picked for his trial. REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg

Read the original article on Business Insider
Melania Trump is not happy with her husband for mentioning their son Barrons high school graduation in court, according to a new report.

Stephanie Grisham, a former White House press secretary under Donald Trump, told The Daily Mail that she thinks Melania wasnt happy that her husband would be bringing unwanted attention to their son.

He talked about missing Barrons graduation to the cameras and then again on TruthSocial because it caused a lot of coverage about that, and its just not something she would have liked, Grisham said.

The former president complained at his hush-money trial earlier this week about not being able to attend his youngest childs graduation. In fact, the judge has yet to decide whether to grant him an exception. Donald Trump is required by New York state law to attend every day of his hush-money trial over his alleged paying off of adult film actress Stormy Daniels to cover up an affair. Judge Juan Merchan said granting the exception would depend on whether the trial is running on schedulesomething that hinges largely on whether Trump continues to try to delay proceedings.

Michael Cohen, Donald Trumps former fixer and lawyer, dismissed Trumps complaints as comical in an interview with the MeidasTouch, saying that he wasnt aware that the former president had attended the graduations of any of his four other children. Cohen also recalled how Trumps requirements caused Cohen to miss his own family events.

I missed my twenty-fifth anniversary and my wifes fiftieth birthday because I was in Otisville, in part because of things that I had done at the direction of and for the benefit of Donald Trump, Cohen said.

So, before I start shedding a tear for him, for Barron, and Im sure Melania is extremely excited hes not going to be there, Cohen continued. Rest assured, Im not losing any sleep, nor am I going to shed a tear that Trump cant go to Barrons graduation.

Theres no love lost between Cohen and the former president. Trumps ex-attorney will be a key witness in Trumps hush-money trial, as he allegedly set up the illegal payments to Daniels.

He should be worried about the Manhattan district attorney, the district attorney of New York prosecutors, he should be worried about the documentary evidence, he should be worried about all of the witnesses that are going to be coming into that trial simply because, as others have also appropriately put it, this is a simple case, Cohen told MSNBC in March.
In what has now become a daily procedure, an angry Donald Trump emerged from a lower Manhattan courthouse on Thursday to complain about the very unfair hush-money trial that will keep him busy for the next few weeks.

This time around, however, the former president came armed with props in the form of a massive stack of printed-out articles and opinion columns about how the criminal case against him is a whopping outrage.

Besides reading off a list of Fox News contributors who have railed against the trial, the ex-president grumbled about the temperature of the courtroom. Everybody was freezing in there! Trump exclaimed.

Amidst the tumult that has marred the trials initial week, with two jurors already excused due to concerns that media disclosures could identify them, Thursdays proceedings concluded with a 12-juror panel selected. Friday will now be dedicated to choosing the final five alternate jurors.

Trumps Trial Now Has 12 Jurorsand One Angry Man

Slowly shuffling out of the courthouse a little after 5 p.m. local time, Trump carried a bundle of color printouts of various op-eds and immediately began unsurprisingly whining about the impact the trial was having on his presidential campaign.

I am supposed to be in Georgia; in North Carolina, South Carolina. Im supposed to be in a lot of different places campaigning, but Ive been here all day, he groused before turning to his stack of papers.

Its a whopping outrage and it is an outrage. Everybody is outraged by it, he continued while thumbing through the pages.

Eventually, he began naming various publications, columnists and conservative legal experts who have declared that the case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is weak. Trump is charged with allegedly falsifying business records after directing a payoff to adult film star Stormy Daniels to stay quiet about a sexual affair. The $130,000 payment to Daniels was made days before the 2016 election, prompting Bragg to accuse Trump of election interference by hiding this information from voters.

Jonathan Turley, Gregg Jarrett, Andrew McCarthy, every one of them sayingthey call it a zombie case, meaning there is no case, Trump huffed, naming off several Fox News legal analysts. These are all stories that have taken place over the last few days.

The media-obsessed ex-president just kept flipping through his printouts while looking for Trump-friendly headlines to bellow to the gathered press. He appeared particularly elated when he found a year-old article from Rolling Stone in his stack.

No friend of mine, he said while taking a few seconds to read through the piece. They dont like, it says, they dont like Braggs chances on this case. Its a disgrace.

Dismissed Juror: Trump Looked Less Orange Than I Expected

After a few more moments of headline reading from the former president, he fumed about the thermostat setting in the courtroom.

It is a shame, he complained. I am sitting here for days now, from morning until night in that freezing room. Everybody was freezing in there! And all for this. This is your result. It is very unfair.

Apparently content that he had rattled off enough op-eds, Trump then concluded by running through a laundry list of well-worn talking points about the case being a political hitjob against him and how President Joe Biden is the one who should be facing prosecution.

Hes the one who should be on trial. Hes a crook! Trump asserted. Youve got a crooked president!

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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From the The Collision on The Dispatch

Welcome back to The Collision! We launched this newsletter last year in anticipation of weeks like this one. Weve been following the start of Donald Trumps first criminal trial closely, and, although plenty of interesting and humorous details have emerged from the courthouse in Manhattan during jury selection, were going to focus today on a few aspects of the case that will actually matter in the long run.

The Docket

Trumps trial kicked off on Monday with Judge Juan Merchan setting an April 24 hearing date to determine whether Trump should be held in contempt of court for violating a gag order. Merchan had barred Trump from speaking publicly about witnesses, court staff, or opposing counsel, and prosecutors argue he has done just that on social mediaincluding in one post on Monday morning going after key witness and former Trump attorney Michael Cohen.

Although Merchan has designated Wednesdays as off days for this trial, Trump must attend next Wednesdays gag-order hearing. Merchan appended a warning in bold at the top of his order: YOUR FAILURE TO APPEAR IN COURT MAY RESULT IN YOUR IMMEDIATE ARREST AND IMPRISONMENT FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT.

Meanwhile, seated jurors are already beginning to drop out. On Wednesday, one juror who had been selected the day before called the court to say she was worried she could not be impartial. Merchan dismissed her on Thursday after a brief meeting in court, during which the juror said her identity had been partially revealed.

Prosecutors raised issues about a second seated juror on Thursday who they say may have lied during voir dire, the questioning of potential jurors, about whether he or a loved one had been arrested. Merchan dismissed this second juror Thursday afternoon, meaning there are only five seated jurors and seven more needed to complete the panel.

Merchan has issued a warning of sorts to journalists covering the jury selection process to protect the identities of potential jurors. Im directing that the press simply apply common sense and refrain from simply writing about anything that involves physical descriptions, Merchan said.

CNN on Monday obtained a letter sent by the White House to House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer making clear that President Joe Biden will not testify as part of the Houses impeachment inquiry. Your impeachment investigation is over, White House lawyer Richard Sauber wrote. Comer, in response, labeled Bidens rejection of his committees invitation unfortunate.

How Trump Could Avoid a Conviction in Manhattan

Former President Donald Trump arrives for his criminal trial as jury selection continues at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City on April 18, 2024. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/Getty Images)

Juries decide questions of fact, not law. So what facts will the jury in Donald Trumps Manhattan trial be asked to decide exactly?

Remember, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged Trump in April 2023 with 34 counts of falsifying business records, all stemming from payments Trump made to his then-lawyer Michael Cohen. Trump recorded these payments in business records as legal retainers, but they were in fact reimbursements to Cohen for hush-money payments to Stormy Danielsa porn star who claims she had an affair with Trump in 2006and others. Because the statute of limitations for misdemeanor charges related to these payments had run out, Bragg indicted Trump on felony chargesmeaning he will also need to prove that Trump made the false entries to cover up another crime.

To secure a conviction, therefore, Bragg will need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump falsely classified the payments to Cohen as a legal retainer because he believed that recording the real reason for the payments could implicate him in possible election or tax crimes.

This means that the jury will need to findunanimouslythat they were presented evidence proving beyond a reasonable doubt that:

Trump falsified business records; He did so with the intent to defraud (as in, he knew the records were false and didnt want other people potentially reading the records to know the true nature of the payments); AND Trumps purpose for falsifying the business records was to cover up another crime.

Note that the prosecution does not need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump actually committed those other crimes, whatever they may be. It only needs to prove that Trump believed he may have committed other crimes and was creating these false entries to cover his tracks.

So how do Trump and his legal team stave off a conviction?

First, they can convince a jurorthey only need onethat these really were routine legal payments to Cohen and not reimbursement for the hush money payments to Daniels. Thats going to be a hard row to hoe. Cohen is going to testify that there was no way he was paying Daniels $130,000 out of pocket and that hes got plenty of receipts, as the kids say, but also literal receipts that he submitted for reimbursement.

But the prosecution does have one problem. Cohen is the star witness in the caseand hes not the most reliable guy. Cohen has admitted to lying in court, pleaded guilty to lying to Congress, and evaded taxes for years. The defense will also have endless examples of Cohen lying to the media and public. In short, Cohen is a crooks crook.

We can expect Cohens cross-examination to be brutal. As part of accepting a plea deal in 2018, for example, Cohen testified under oath that he had committed tax evasion. But last fall, he testified againalso under oaththat he had not committed tax evasion, which led to this fun little exchange:

Lawyer: So, sir, you lied at the timeyou lied more than once in federal court, correct? Cohen: Correct.

Hes every defense attorneys dream for a main prosecution witness!

Theres also Cohens book deal. As the defense will no doubt put it, the guy destroyed his reputation within Trump World by flipping on his former client, so he switched teams to ingratiate himself to anti-Trump World, instead. In fact, proving the point a little too well, Cohen first pitched a pro-Trump book and said he was promised a $750,000 advance until his legal problems started mounting. His subsequent anti-Trump books have probably earned him more than $1 million.

Second, Trumps team will try to convince the jury that Trump wasnt falsifying the business records to conceal some election crimehe was doing it to conceal his infidelity to his wife! After all, if covering up a crime was the point, he didnt do a very good job. Were here at a criminal trial now, right? The payments were in the correct amount and they in fact went to Cohen. The paper trail wasnt exactly hard for the prosecutors to find. The false partthe why the money was going to Cohenwas to prevent Melania, his third wife, from leaving him.

Then again, this is one of the many crimes that Cohen already pleaded guilty to: He admitted to paying the money to influence the 2016 presidential election, and that he coordinated with one or more members of the campaign, including through meetings and phone calls, about the fact, nature, and timing of the payments. But Trumps team will likely say something to the effect of Cohen is an idiot and pleaded guilty to something that wasnt a crimeespecially since Cohen himself now denies that he committed a tax crime to which he had previously pleaded guilty.

This takes us to Trumps mental state. For Trump to have falsified the business records to conceal a crime, he had to believe he might be committing another crime. But if the prosecution argues that second crime was campaign-finance related, thats going to be a fight, too. So how can it be a crime if you dont use campaign funds?

Under existing election law, candidates cant use campaign funds for an expense that would exist anywayeven if it benefits the campaign. Dry cleaning is an obvious example. Maybe you wouldnt be wearing so many suits if you werent out on the campaign trail, but that doesnt matter. Buying fancier suits to run for office? Nope. Painting your home before holding a press conference in front of it? Definitely not.

And remember, Trump didnt use campaign funds to pay the hush money. So the argument has to be that this was a campaign expense and not using campaign funds was a crime.

So to put it another way, using campaign money to pay hush money to a porn star is a crime if you paid the money so your wife wouldnt find outeven if the only reason the porn star is trying to sell her story now is because youre running for president. Thats not what Trump did, though.

The prosecution will argue that Trump didnt care about whether his wife found out, he cared about whether the American people found out right before the electionand that the timing of the payments bears that out. In fact, the prosecution has Trump telling Cohen not to pay any money after Election Day because it wouldnt matter after that. But the defense will read all that another way. Assuming Trump lost in 2016 (as both he and just about everyone else were expecting at that point), then Daniels storyas well as the stories of other people who were paid to keep quietwould have been worthless so there was no need to pay them to keep it quiet.

And it seems like a real problem that the prosecution would have had a good case either way. If Trump had used campaign moneyand to be clear, he didntto pay for the hush money, a prosecutor could have charged him and argued he paid the money to prevent his wife from finding out. But since he didnt use campaign money, a prosecutor can indict him and argue he paid the money to help his campaign. Is this the way the law is supposed to work, where a candidate is guilty no matter what money he used?

A lot of people may feel that Donald Trump did something wronghe was paying off a porn star right before an electionso what does it matter? But it isnt illegal for a federal candidate to pay hush money. It isnt a felony to falsify business records in and of itself. So it should matter.

All it takes to block a conviction is one juror holding out. If members of the jury announce following deliberations that they cant reach a unanimous verdict, the judge can give them an Allen charge, sending them back to essentially try again. But that would be a controversial move, as it is often viewed as a judge pressuring the holdout to join with the majority.

All that being said, this case would probably be a pretty quick conviction under normal circumstances. But imagine the incentives for a potential holdout: a book deal, traveling the country giving paid speeches to MAGA crowds, the prime-time interview on network television  and thats just the beginning.

Trump Takes Advantage of the Media Spectacle

Former President Donald Trump speaks to the media on April 16, 2024, before attending jury selection on the second day of his criminal trial at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City. (Photo by Curtis Means-Pool/Getty Images)

On Monday morning, as Donald Trumps trial was about to begin, Jason Millerthe longtime senior Trump aide and a reliable window into the former presidents thinkingtweeted out a collage of screenshots from nine different television networks. Most channels were showing Trump speaking to reporters outside the Manhattan courthouse. Each chyron indicated the Trump trial was the main news story on each network. Some were calling it the hush money trial, which is not the preferred term in Trump World. The chyron on reliably pro-Trump Newsmax, however, was quoting Trumps words to reporters that the trial was political persecution.

But Miller didnt seem to care about the details themselves. His caption said it all: Wall to wall.

As his Manhattan trial proceeds over the next few weeks, the Trump campaigns media strategy is to embrace the circus, focus attention on the former president, and cast his opponents in the courtroom as political actors unfairly using the trappings of the judicial system to hurt him. The plan follows a tried-and-true approach to public relations that Trump has employed since his days as a New York tabloid mainstay: When the cameras are focused on him, everything else will fall into place. Its total media war.

With the trial kicking off, Trump will be at a disadvantage as the general election campaign keeps rolling forward. Judge Juan Merchans schedule, which includes an off day in the middle of the week to accommodate his obligations to other cases, means the presumptive Republican nominee will be off the trail and stuck in Manhattan for most of the next six weeks or so. In fact, expect to hear a lot more about how unusual and unfair this schedule is, a politically motivated way of targeting a leading presidential candidate.

It will help that Trump is being tried in New York, the media capital of the world. The array of cameras and army of reporters both in and outside the courtroom will give the former president and his team plenty of opportunity to exploit journalists need for new sound and video. That may often look like Mondays pretrial press availability outside the courthouse, but it will also mean regular gaggles with reporters at 40 Wall Street, the skyscraper in Lower Manhattan whose leasing rights Trump owns, at the end of the day after the court adjourns. How many criminal defendants can hold impromptu press conferences not on the courthouse steps but on their own turf?

Theres also the spectacle of the trial, which will bring out fans and onlookers, as happened outside a Harlem bodega on Tuesday when Trump made a brief stop after his day in court to highlight violent crime. The crowd greeted him with chants of four more years and Trump! Trump! Trump! and the cameras were rolling.

During these press availabilities, Trump and his team will reiterate to the media all the ways they see Braggs case as unfair and illegitimate: the felony charges without an underlying crime, the belated prosecution but rushed trial, the political bias of an elected district attorney in one of the most Democratic jurisdictions in the country. While his lawyers will be assailing the prosecutions case before the judge and jury, Trump will be assailing the prosecutor himself.

Where theyll have to be careful, The Dispatch has been assured by a person familiar with this thinking, is on criticizing witnesses, the judge, the jury, or practically anyone else associated with the court itself. The gag order we discussed in The Docket, however unusual in its scope, remains in place. The consequences for violating that order and being held in contempt of court could include jail time but, in this case involving a former president, will likely be limited to fines.

So far, however, Trump has been anything but careful about avoiding potential violations of the gag order. He posts frequently on Truth Social, going after members of the jury pool, the jury selection process, and the trial schedule. Hes even complaining about the gag order itself.

Here is where Trumps media strategy runs head first into the supposed constraints of the judicial system, which appears ill-equipped to deal with a total-war mentality. The gag order has not curbed Trump at all and has, in fact, bolstered his own media strategy of maximizing outrage and painting himself as the victim.

Thats the strategy, but can it be sustained as the processes of the trial give way to the substance? At a certain point, unsavory facts about Trumps operationhow he negotiated the hush-money payoff scheme, what was said in conversations about Stormy Daniels, or how the revelations could hurt Trumps 2016 campaignwill be discussed in court. What a media-available Trump has to say in response to questions about those facts will almost certainly pull him off his preferred message of political persecution. And at that point, wall-to-wall coverage might look a lot less advantageous for the former president.

Verbatim

I wont tolerate that. I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom.  Judge Juan Merchan to Trump attorney Todd Blanche after the former president reacted physically and verbally to one potential juror, April 16, 2024

Also Verbatim

I do not watch any podcasts.  A prospective juror during voir dire, describing how he consumes news, April 18, 2024

Read more at The Dispatch

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Republican member of the US House of Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene, known for her affiliation with the Trumpists, proposed a series of "extravagant" amendments to the bill supporting Ukraine.

Source: European Pravda

Details: Greene proposed her amendments to the bill on funding for Ukraine before it is considered by the House of Representatives at the end of this week. The amendments are unlikely to gain support among Greene's colleagues, as they are too egregious.

One amendment requires any member of the House of Representatives who votes for the Ukraine aid bill to enlist in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "I mean if you want to fund the war, why dont you go fight in it," Greene wrote on Twitter.

Another Greene amendment requires Ukraine to "shut down all its biolabs" and provide all data on such "research" to the US government; otherwise, it will not receive funding.

Other amendments demand a report proving that Christian churches in Ukraine can operate without government interference and that no funds can be used or spent until "the government of Ukraine holds free and fair elections."

Greene also submitted an amendment to the Israel funding package, calling for using proposed funds for "the development of space laser technology" on the US-Mexico border.

"Ive previously voted to fund space lasers for Israels defence. America needs to take our national security seriously and deserves the same type of defence for our border that Israel has and proudly uses," Greene said.

Notably, Greene's systemic anti-Ukrainian actions also drew criticism among her fellow party members. Earlier, the Republican FoxNews published a column titled "Marjorie Taylor Greene is an idiot. She is trying to wreck the GOP".

Background:

Ukraine's Ambassador to the US Oksana Markarova revealed details of the bill regarding US support for Ukraine, which, as expected, will be considered by the US House of Representatives on 20 April, after many months of delay.

The ambassador also announced that the US Congress wants to authorise the confiscation of Russian assets and compel Biden to expand sanctions.

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LEBANON COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) Two people were charged in connection to a deadly Lebanon County shooting.

Mariam Saadoune, 20, and Guillen Fabian-Garcia, 25, both of Lebanon, were arrested Thursday when they turned themselves in for the shooting death of 24-year-old Hector Pomales-Torres, according to Lebanon City Police.

Mug of Guillen Fabian-Garcia (Right) and Miriam Saadoune (Left) via Lebanon City Police

In a statement, Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Graf called the shooting a mistake that can never be undone.

The gross negligence of these Defendants combined to fire a bullet into their own occupied home and kill their friend, Graf said. This ultimate consequence  the killing of Hector Pomales-Torres  is the one mistake that can never be undone.

Previous coverage-> Man fatally shot inside Lebanon County home

According to the DAs office, the duo were allegedly handling a handgun and Saadoune, who allegedly fired the gun, thought it was unloaded. The DAs office says Saadoune shot the firearm at a closed door and the bullet traveled through the home and hit Pomales-Torres in the abdomen.

Pomales-Torres was rushed to the Good Samaritan Hospital by Fabian-Garcia where he later died from his injuries on April 10. Police say they were called to the hospital after Pomales-Torres died and began investigating.

Police learned Saadoune was handling the gun legally bought by Fabian-Garcia who was teaching her how to safely manipulate it. According to the DAs Office, Fabian-Garcia let Saadoune touch the gun, eject the loaded magazine, and allegedly pull the trigger which caused a live round to be fired and fatally strike Pomales-Torres.

The charges in this case are not an indictment of lawful gun ownership, use, or possession, Graf said. The charges are a reflection that anytime an individual holds a gun  he or she holds the ability to take a life. Firearms should be treated with the utmost respect for that very reason.

Officials say York 13-car fatal accident most complicated weve had

Saadoune was interviewed and cooperated with police during the investigation and the DAs Office says there was evidence at the scene that matched the events she told.

Saadoune is charged with involuntary manslaughter, discharge of a firearm into an occupied structure, and recklessly endangering another person.

Fabian-Garcia faces a misdemeanor charge of recklessly endangering another person.

The criminal charges reflect the factual background of the case  a negligent killing is manslaughter, Graf said. The charges should serve as a reminder to our community to always practice safe handling of weapons. Had these Defendants followed safe gun ownership, our victim would still be alive today.

Court records show Saadoune is in Lebanon County Prison with bail set at $100,000 and Fabian-Garcia is also in county prison with bail set at $20,000.

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A preliminary hearing for the duo is scheduled for May 2.

The Lebanon County District Attorneys Office, along with the Lebanon City Detective Division, handled the investigation.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
South African enterprises attend the fourth China International Consumer Products Expo in China's Hainan for the first time, and are eagerly seeking business opportunities as Hainan ramps up efforts to develop itself into a free trade port.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service
NEW YORK  Two jurors in the Donald Trump hush money trial were excused Thursday, one after telling the court she was too scared and intimidated to serve, as prosecutors renewed their request to hold Trump in criminal contempt over alleged gag order violations.

The first juror, one of seven initially chosen to serve on the case, told Judge Juan Merchan that she was too scared to proceed after her friends, family and colleagues guessed that she had been chosen. Merchan has ruled that the jurors will be anonymous to protect their safety and privacy.

The second juror was excused after prosecutors raised questions about a juror who Tuesday had called Trump fascinating and mysterious  after discovering a man with the same name was arrested for tearing down right-wing political posters in the 90s. The juror was later excused after a minutes-long sidebar inaudible to members of the media in the courtroom.

As jury selection continued Thursday morning, half of a new panel of prospective jurors  48 of the 96 total people  said they could not be impartial toward the former president and were excused. As they left the courtroom, Trump turned his head to stare at them.

Nine additional jurors were excused after they said they couldnt serve on the jury for other reasons.

Shortly after Trump arrived at the courthouse with his Secret Service entourage for the third day of his trial Thursday, Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy told the court that Trump had violated a gag order preventing comments about jurors, witnesses and other trial participants seven times since he last got in trouble for doing so.

Its ridiculous, it has to stop, Conroy said.

Most disturbing, the prosecutor said, was a post that went up on Trumps Truth Social account Wednesday night quoting Fox News host Jesse Watters commenting on the jury.

Merchan, on Monday, scheduled a hearing for next week to address Trumps other potential violations of the gag order. Conroy said the prosecution was seeking monetary sanctions and still considering our options.

In response to the prosecutions request, Trump lawyer Emil Bove, who has been handling his appeals, said the posts in question  including Watters description of the panelists as liberal activists and links to articles calling witness Michael Cohen a serial perjurer  did not establish any willful violations.

The attorney said Trump was criticizing Cohen from the perspective of defending himself as a political candidate, not a defendant. He countered that Trump reposting something was not violating the gag order.

The case so far

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsification of New York business records alleging that throughout 2017, after winning the presidency, he disguised reimbursement to his former lawyer, Cohen, for facilitating a hush money scheme to defraud the 2016 electorate that violated election laws.

Among the alleged recipients of the scheme expected to testify are porn star Stormy Daniels  who Cohen went to prison for paying off  and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who each allege Trump cheated on Melania Trump with them in 2006, soon after they wed. Trump denies the allegations.

Prospective jurors have faced questions such as: Do you have any strong opinions or firmly held beliefs about whether a former president may be criminally charged in state court? and Do you have any opinions about the legal limits governing political contributions?

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee is set to spend the next two months in his native New York to attend the case as his campaign schedule and court calendar collide.

The Manhattan charges are among 88 hes battling inside state and federal courtrooms across four states. They contain allegations dating from the year before he took office  when Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg alleges the hush money scheme started with a meeting at Trump Tower  to the year he left.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and says he is a victim of political persecution akin to the late South African President Nelson Mandela.

____
Two people injured in car crash in Avoca

AVOCA, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  There was a heavy police presence Wednesday night in Avoca.

According to the Avoca Police Department, first responders arrived in the 600 block of Main Street in Avoca, around 8:54 p.m. on Wednesday, for a reported car crash into a pole, in front of Lyons Barber Shop and Panache Hair Salon.

Man charged with burglary, allegedly trying to get food

28/22 News crews on the scene said the vehicle that struck the pole was being towed away.

Police say there were two people moderately injured in the crash, one refused medical treatment, and the other was transported to an area medical center.

The conditions of the two people are unknown at this time.

This is a developing story and 28/22 News will update you with the latest information as it comes in.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.
(City of Henderson photo)

Policy, politics and progressive commentary

An open seat on the Henderson Justice Court has attracted half a dozen attorneys, including several who previously ran for the position, while in another department, a candidate appointed to the bench late last year faces a lone challenger.

Department 1

Six candidates are vying to fill the vacancy in Henderson Justice Court Dept. 1, resulting from the departure of former Justice Sam Bateman, who left to become the deputy manager of Clark County. The court hears both civil and criminal matters.

Ive been doing this for almost 25 years, Sandra Allred DiGiacomo said during a phone interview of her career as a prosecutor, including a long stint with the Clark County District Attorneys office. I think its just a perfect next step. I love the city and have dedicated my career to public service and I want to continue that on the bench.

In 2013, she won the primary race for Henderson Municipal Court, but was defeated in the general election.

DiGiacomo raised just under $28,000 in the first quarter and has about $12,000 on hand.

So far, she says, shes just gone to family and friends to raise money. Its just the way our system is, and unfortunately, to be able to campaign effectively you have to raise money.

Judicial elections and appointments each have their own issues, she says. Honestly, I dont think one is better than the other because it depends on who appoints. Political party stuff can come into it, even though its nonpartisan.

DiGiacomo says she can easily dispel the notion that she may bring prosecutorial bias to the bench.

As a prosecutor, my job is not to win. You dont just look at your case. You have to look at the other side for negotiation. You have to look into the defendants background, addiction issues, what they do for a living. I have to consider both sides and try to come up with something thats fair for both and would be considered justice.

She says individualized bail hearings, required by the Nevada Supreme Court in its Valdez Jimenez ruling, are a good idea, but I think the way theyre forcing hearings to happen so quickly hurts both sides, especially defendants, she says, referencing the requirement that bail hearings be held within 48 hours of arrest. It doesnt give time to pull the defendants records and theres no legislative funding to accommodate the process by hiring extra clerks and prosecutors. .

DiGiacomo has mixed feelings about remote court hearings, which have become permanent since their inception during the pandemic.

For a status check or setting a new date, its fine. But if youre going to do any sort of argument, sentencing, motion work, I personally think its better to have parties in court, she said, adding the technology can be cumbersome.

Henderson resident Harvey Gruber is making his second run for Dept. 1, after losing in 2016. He says hes likely the only candidate who has handled all of the court matters that may come before Henderson Justice Court.

Gruber has practiced law for 27 years, taking on both civil and criminal cases.

In Henderson Justice Court, I have represented people on temporary protective orders. for small claims matters, for evictions, and for criminal stuff. The job is probably two-thirds civil and one-third criminal.

He says he understands the reasoning behind the mandate for individualized bail hearings.

It makes sense that you shouldnt be punished if you dont have any funds to bail out. The problem I had with the decision is that it didnt delineate specific guidelines for judges to follow.

There wasnt any guidance that came down from the Supreme Court. They said do a hearing and if there are any reasons that you should put bail on, you can. I appreciate what theyre doing. Im sure bail bondsmen cant stand it because its cutting into their business.

Gruber says hes all for remote hearings for appropriate matters. Obviously you cant do a trial. You cant do a preliminary hearing that way. But you can do a status check.

Gruber says as a member of the State Bars ethics commission, hes worked to weed out the bad attorneys to protect the public. He says the Bar tends to go after the little fish rather than the bigger fish, just because its easier that way.

As stewards of the Bars client security fund, ethics commissioners strove to give back money to clients who have been defrauded by attorneys who had been disbarred or suspended. That was very rewarding.

In the first quarter, Gruber reports raising $1,500 ($1,000 in a loan from himself) and has $1,045 remaining.

He says he absolutely prefers the appointment process and retention elections to electing judges, although he notes there are pitfalls with everything. With some appointments youve got to be juiced in, politically.

Todd Prall says hes always wanted to run for judge but liked most of the incumbents. The open seat in Dept. 1 gives him the opportunity hes sought to give back to my community.

I think I have the right temperament to be a judge, he said during a phone interview. And I feel like Im a good attorney. I know how to advocate for clients. But I feel like in my heart that real asset would be on the bench.

Prall says his practice is mostly civil cases from homeowners association disputes to collections actions. I do mostly landlord-tenant work. I represent a lot of landlords and I have done some work on the tenant side.

He says he thinks he could be fair to tenants facing eviction.

Ive often felt that when youre representing one side, you have to represent both. Thats your job. You have to act on their interests, he said. And there are many times when I totally get where tenants are coming from. And honestly, as a landlord, most of my clients are interested in keeping tenants who can pay their rent and if theres problems they want to solve them so that they can continue to pay their rent.

He says hes worked with a lot of tenants who are representing themselves and it kind of opened my eyes to different parts of the practice, and Im interested in making sure both tenants and landlords have access to the justice system.

Prall says judges do an okay job of making sure litigants who are representing themselves know how the system works, but I think theres more to be done on that. I cant do that from the bench but I can work behind the scenes and make sure our courts educate people better and help them understand.

He says hes often able to resolve cases without going to trial. Or even when the trial starts, after it goes for a little bit.

Prall, a senior attorney with Hutchison and Steffen, has raised just over $19,000 and has about $6,700 remaining.

I would prefer that we appointed judges, he says. Frankly, the biggest issue I have is the idea that a sitting judge has to think about running again. It might affect the way they make decisions because they know the main people in town who support them. Although its not going to completely change their decisions or theyre not going to suddenly become corrupt, it may have an unintended effect. They may be reticent to take on certain people or certain groups of people. I think that can be an issue that prevents them from being impartial.

Deputy public defender Marla Renteria is a native Northern Nevadan who moved to Las Vegas to earn her law degree at Boyd School of Law.

Renteria canceled an interview with the Current and did not reschedule by press time.

According to her website, she has ten years of experience as a public defender. She has advocated for diversity among Nevadas lawyers, writing in 2013 that since 2010, Hispanics have comprised more than 25 percent of Nevadas population, but only slightly more than 3 percent of Nevadas lawyers are Hispanic.

For over ten years I have been protecting the constitutional rights and dignity of the most vulnerable people in our community, says Renterias judicial questionnaire. I have extensive litigation experience in Justice Court, and some of the most important work I do is working with the District Attorney to create solutions that address the root causes of criminal conduct to help individuals through their counseling and treatment so they can transition back into productive members of society.

She raised $32,906 in the first quarter and has $27,466 remaining.

Louis Schneider says winning a seat on the bench would be a third career for me.

Schneider says he had a very large leasing company until the dot-com stocks came crashing down and I couldnt put the fires out fast enough.

He landed in law school at the age of 40 and says he never excelled in school until then.

He partnered early in his career with Jeanne Winkler, an attorney who embezzled from the firms trust account. I called the state bar and turned her in. She ended up in prison.

Schneider has his own history of disciplinary actions. Yeah, Ive been disciplined I think three times and its usually stupid things that my staff ended up doing but Ive never stolen anybodys money.

State Bar records indicate Schneider has been reprimanded twice  once for failing to deposit all unearned fees into a trust account. None of these transactions resulted in client or third-party harm, the Bar wrote in the letter of reprimand.

A second letter of reprimand, filed in 2020, says a client paid Schneider $500 for legal services in a child custody matter.

The client claimed that you agreed to draft a motion for modification of child custody, file it in Family Court and pay filing fees, and then attend the court hearing.

Schneider maintained he would never file a motion and litigate her matter in court for that amount of money and only agreed to give her legal advice. But emails from a staff member indicated the firm was working on a motion.

Schneider says most of his experience is in criminal practice, but added he has some civil experience, such as Family Law.

I think I can help many more people on the bench than I can as an individual attorney and I enjoy that. I like helping people and I dont think everybody needs to go to prison. Its expensive to jail people, he said, adding hes never understood why the city of Las Vegas will lock up homeless people for six months for jaywalking, when it costs $150 a day warehousing. It just doesnt make sense.

Schneider says hed rely on diversion programs for defendants who require drug and mental health treatment. Those things make a difference. And I think that money is much better spent than warehousing the city jail to keep them off the streets.

Schneider says hes a fan of remote appearances. I think it makes a lot of sense. Its one of the few good things that came out of COVID. We can handle a higher volume of cases more efficiently because of video appearances.

The downside, he says, is that people are more lax and tend to be more disrespectful to the court. But I think the pros substantially outweigh the cons. I definitely prefer trials in person. Theres no question that something is lost in the translation.

Schneiders campaign contribution and expense form says hes raised no money and spent about $2,500.

I hate it, he says of soliciting contributions. I havent asked anybody for money. I just have a hard time asking people for money and I really think that a better system would be judges appointed by the governor and then a retention election.

Gary Thompson is a native of Henderson, where his father served as a police officer.

Im involved with the Henderson Chamber and the city. Ive been an alternate judge for eight years in Henderson and two years with the City of Las Vegas. He ran unsuccessfully for the Henderson Municipal Court in 2013.

Most of my work as an attorney is in civil litigation and injury cases. Ive done a lot of traffic tickets. Its one of the first things I did when I started, he says, but has experience in criminal defense including DUIs, protection order violations, stalking, reckless driving, and hit and runs.

Thompson raised about $20,000 in the first quarter and has approximately $9,000 on hand.

I do a lot of charity work. I find its a lot easier to ask for money for a cause than it is to say hey, contribute to my campaign. Its definitely a necessary evil.

Thompson favors remote hearings, noting it negates the requirement that he charge clients for driving time to rural courts.

He says individualized bail hearings require finding a balance between setting reasonable bail and ensuring public safety. Its a tough balance to strike. So I think its reasonable for us to sit down as judges to hear all the facts up front, rather than imposing a cookie cutter bail across the board.

Department 3

Justice of the Peace Barbara Schifilacqua was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and attended Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Schifilacqua was a prosecutor with the Clark County District Attorney for more than 15 years. Shes also been a hearing master in Family Court, where she handled temporary protective orders and domestic violence orders. She ran unsuccessfully for District Court in 2020. .

Schifilacqua handles civil and criminal matters in Henderson Justice Court. She was appointed to the position last year by the Clark County Commission to replace Judge David Gibson, who retired. She has endorsements from the Henderson Police Officers Association, the Clark County District Attorneys Association, and other major law enforcement organizations.

She finds the Supreme Courts ruling on individualized bail hearings a little odd. In my former role as a prosecutor, we always argued for the least restrictive means to keep the community safe and to ensure the defendants return to court, so I dont know that I have a particular opinion. Its something that should be done.

Many of the litigants in Justice Court appear without an attorney. Schifilacqua says she takes the time for people to understand whats going on. Pro se litigants are bound by the rules and procedures, but I can take time to explain myself when they dont quite understand whats going on.

Schifilacqua says she favors video appearances depending on the nature of the hearing, and reserves them primarily for status checks.

She has raised about $35,000 and has approximately $25,000 on hand.

Her opponent, Patricia Doyle, is a Clark County public defender, according to her judicial questionnaire.

According to her judicial questionnaire, Doyle, who grew up in Henderson, received her law degree at UNLV in 2009, and has worked as a public defender since 2011.

Justice should be blind and administered fairly and without regard to a persons social status, economic means or political affiliation, Doyle wrote in her questionnaire.

She has raised no money and has no expenses, according to her campaign finance report for the first quarter. Doyle did not respond to the Currents requests for an interview.

Another candidate, Greg Denue, says he has suspended his campaign.

The post Two seats on Henderson Justice Court in play for primary election appeared first on Nevada Current.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  There is growing concerns over the fate of Rio Bosque Wetlands if the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) expansion study moves forward.

TxDOT said the Border Highway East (BHE) Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) study looks to reduce traffic in the community by connecting Loop 375 to the Tornillo point of entry among others.

Lauren Macias-Cervantes, a public information officer for TxDOT said that the study is in its beginning phase.

There is no construction timeline. A roadway of this magnitude would take 40 to 50 years, she said. It is taking a look at that area and how mobility can be improved for the future. This involves other entities; its connecting a lot of communities.

Sergio Samaniego, assistant manager of the Rio Bosque Wetlands Park, is concerned about the study because he says it would cut through the wetlands.

The department proposed three alternatives in their last meeting; one includes a major clover leaf intersection in the visitor lot, said Samaniego. It would increase noise pollution, the runoff from the vehicles and light pollution.

Jon Resendez, a conservationist, said the Rio Bosque Wetlands have more than 300 acres of wildlife sanctuary and are inhabited by hundreds of different species.

The idea of a highway here would functionally kill this wetland, Resendez said. There are beavers, there are herons, there are bobcats, and there are kingfishers. There is a beautiful assortment of birds and migratory species that come up all the way from Argentina to make their nests here.

Cervantes said they have a team of planners assessing the study, including engineers and environmentalists.

The community will have a chance to voice their opinion on the proposed study. TxDOT will hold in-person and virtual public meetings on Wednesday, May 1 and Thursday, May 2.

For more information, head over to TxDOT.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, center, listens as Rep. Mike McCaul of Texas, left, speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on April 16, 2024, in Washington, D.C. Also pictured is House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, right. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON  U.S. House Republicans unveiled three bills Wednesday that would provide $95 billion overall in assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, instead of voting on a similar bipartisan Senate-approved package thats been waiting around for months.

The Ukraine bill would provide $60.84 billion, the Israel bill would appropriate $26.38 billion and the Indo-Pacific bill would approve $8.12 billion in assistance, according to a House GOP summary of the legislation.

President Joe Biden quickly threw his support behind the legislation, which could be voted on as early as Saturday, writing in a statement that Congress must pass the three bills as soon as possible.

Israel is facing unprecedented attacks from Iran, and Ukraine is facing continued bombardment from Russia that has intensified dramatically in the last month, he wrote.

Biden added that he would sign the bills immediately to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends, and we wont let Iran or Russia succeed.

Votes are forecast on separate measures on a TikTok ban and border security policy, though details were not yet disclosed early Wednesday afternoon.

House Republican leaders hope to vote on funding for each nation or region separately Saturday as well as amendments, though numerous House Republicans have vowed to vote against the rule that sets up debate on the bills.

Both chambers of Congress are scheduled to be on recess next week, adding a time crunch to the debate within the House GOP Conference.

Democrats could bail out Republicans by voting to approve the rule, though thats not typically how the House works. The majority party, currently the GOP, is expected to carry the rule vote on its own, regardless of whether the bill that follows is bipartisan.

The question of aid to Israel gained urgency in Congress following attacks by Iran on that nation last weekend and vows by Israel to retaliate, although its not yet clear how. Israel is also engaged in a war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, sent a message to members Wednesday morning announcing the three foreign assistance bills would be released and committing to some amendment votes.

After significant Member feedback and discussion, the House Rules Committee will be posting soon today the text of three bills that will fund Americas national security interests and allies in Israel, the Indo-Pacific, and Ukraine, including a loan structure for aid, and enhanced strategy and accountability, Johnson wrote.

The House plans to vote on the package Saturday evening, ensuring time for a robust amendment process, Johnson wrote.

TikTok, immigration and a motion to vacate

The House will also take votes on a border security bill as well as a separate package that includes a bill banning the social media site TikTok unless its sold by Chinese owner ByteDance, Johnson wrote.

The House approved the TikTok bill in mid-March, but its been held up in the Senate ever since as that chamber debates whether to take it up. That bill will now be rolled into a package with sanctions and other measures to confront Russia, China, and Iran, he wrote.

Johnsons decision to move forward with aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan comes amid increasing frustration from especially conservative members of the House Republican Conference, two of whom are calling for him to resign or face a vote that could remove him from the leadership post.

Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene filed a so-called motion to vacate resolution in March that would oust Johnson from his post if approved. She struggled to find support among her colleagues until Tuesday, when Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie called for Johnson to resign in a closed-door meeting, then said hed supported the resolution.

Other far-right members have expressed frustration with Johnsons decision to advance the supplemental spending bills, including Pennsylvanias Scott Perry, who has repeatedly criticized Johnson on social media for not pressing harder for a House GOP border security bill. Republicans have been sharply critical of the Biden administration immigration policy.

While we always want to help our allies, what are we doing for the American Citizens? Perry wrote in one of many posts.

House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican, wrote in a statement releasing the foreign aid bills that if we dont help our friends in time of need, soon enough, we wont have any friends at all.

Equivocating is not an option, and each bill will be given distinct attention and consideration, Cole wrote. I look forward to supporting them and providing our allies and partners with the tools they need to defend themselves. America must stand firmly on the side of freedom.

Top Democrat lends support

Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the spending committee, wrote in a statement that she will support the three assistance bills.

We cannot retreat from the world stage under the guise of putting America First, DeLauro wrote. We put America first by demonstrating the power of American leadership  that we have the strength, resolve, and heart to fight for the most vulnerable people, protect their freedom, and preserve their dignity. I urge swift passage of these bills.

The House GOP bills, she wrote, mirror the Senate-passed package and include support for Ukraine against Russian aggression; Israel in its war against Iran and its proxies, like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis; and our Indo-Pacific partners against an adversarial China.

How is the aid money divided up?

The Ukraine bill would appropriate nearly $48 billion to the U.S. Defense Department to provide Ukraine with training and equipment, to replenish U.S. stockpiles that have been shipped to Ukraine and to support U.S. armed forces in the region, according to a summary of the bill from House Democrats.

The U.S. State Department would receive $9.5 billion in forgivable loans for vital economic and budgetary support for Ukraines energy sector and other infrastructure needs and $2 billion in security assistance for Ukraine and other allies, according to the Democratic summary.

The U.S. Energy Department would receive nearly $250 million to address any potential nuclear or radiological incidents.

Funding for Israel would be split between the U.S. departments of Defense, Homeland Security and State.

Defense would get $13 billion for replenishing U.S. stockpiles sent to Israel, U.S. Central Command operations and for the Iron Dome, Davids Sling and Iron Beam defense systems, according to Democrats summary.

The State Department would receive $9.15 billion for humanitarian assistance in Gaza and other locations and $3.6 billion in security assistance for Israel as well as other Middle Eastern partners.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, housed within DHS, would receive $400 million for the nonprofit security grant program.

That bill prohibits U.S. funding from going to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, according to the GOP summary.

The third bill, with funding for the Indo-Pacific region, would provide the U.S. Defense Department with $5.6 billion for integrated deterrence and for the submarine industrial base, according to Democrats summary.

Another $281.9 million would go to the U.S. Navy for dry dock construction.

The State Department would receive $2 billion in foreign military financing for U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific region.

Text of the 49-page Ukraine bill is here, the 25-page Israel bill is here and the 15-page Indo-Pacific bill is here.

Senate version of aid package

The Senate voted 70-29 in mid-February to approve a $95 billion emergency spending bill for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, with much of that funding going directly to the U.S. departments of Defense, Energy and State. The weapons or humanitarian assistance would then be distributed to the respective countries.

Much of that Senate package resembles the measures rolled out by Johnson on Wednesday.

Ukraine would have received about $60 billion, Israel $14 billion and the Indo-Pacific $4.8 billion. The package also included the bipartisan Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence, or the FEND Off Fentanyl Act.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, have repeatedly called on House GOP leaders to put that package on the floor for a vote.

Johnson has spent the intervening two months taking the pulse of his lawmakers and plotting a path forward that began to take shape earlier this week.

The entire world is waiting

Schumer said Wednesday morning from the Senate floor that he was waiting to see what exactly the House bills would propose in terms of funding and what makes it out of the House chamber before deciding what the Senate will do.

The entire world is waiting to see what House Republicans will do about aid to Ukraine, aid to Israel, humanitarian assistance and aid to the Indo-Pacific, Schumer said.

(Russian leader Vladimir) Putin is watching very closely to see if America will step up and show strength or slink away from a friend in need.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin testified before the House Defense spending panel on Wednesday morning the delay approving aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan sends a terrible signal to our allies and partners.

Ukraine losing the war to Russia would have significant ramifications for NATO allies in Europe and for the United States, he said.

We all know that Putin wont stop in Ukraine. This will continue. And, you know, our allies on the Eastern Front there are very, very concerned about that, Austin said. It will also signal to other autocrats around the globe that the United States is not a reliable partner. And so all the alliances and partnerships that weve worked hard to develop over the years will be in question.

The post U.S. House GOP rolls out aid for Ukraine, Israel; votes planned on TikTok, border security appeared first on Kansas Reflector.
U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson of Louisiana, center, listens as Rep. Mike McCaul of Texas, left, speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on April 16, 2024 in Washington, D.C. Also pictured is House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, right. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON  U.S. House Republicans unveiled three bills Wednesday that would provide $95 billion overall in aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, instead of voting on a similar bipartisan Senate-approved package thats been waiting around for months.

The Ukraine bill would provide $60.84 billion, the Israel bill would appropriate $26.38 billion and the Indo-Pacific bill would approve $8.12 billion in assistance, according to a House GOP summary of the legislation.

President Joe Biden quickly threw his support behind the legislation, which could be voted on as early as Saturday, writing in a statement that Congress must pass the three bills as soon as possible.

Israel is facing unprecedented attacks from Iran, and Ukraine is facing continued bombardment from Russia that has intensified dramatically in the last month, he wrote.

Biden added that he would sign the bills immediately to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends, and we wont let Iran or Russia succeed.

Votes are forecast on separate measures on a TikTok ban and border security policy, though details were not yet disclosed early Wednesday afternoon.

House Republican leaders hope to vote on funding for each nation or region separately Saturday as well as amendments, though numerous House Republicans have vowed to vote against the rule that sets up debate on the bills.

U.S. President Joe Biden (R) welcomes President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House on December 21, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Both chambers of Congress are scheduled to be on recess next week, adding a time crunch to the debate within the House GOP Conference.

Democrats could bail out Republicans by voting to approve the rule, though thats not typically how the House works. The majority party, currently the GOP, is expected to carry the rule vote on its own, regardless of whether the bill that follows is bipartisan.

The question of aid to Israel gained urgency in Congress following attacks by Iran on that nation last weekend and vows by Israel to retaliate, although its not yet clear how. Israel is also engaged in a war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, sent a message to members Wednesday morning announcing the three foreign assistance bills would be released and committing to some amendment votes.

After significant Member feedback and discussion, the House Rules Committee will be posting soon today the text of three bills that will fund Americas national security interests and allies in Israel, the Indo-Pacific, and Ukraine, including a loan structure for aid, and enhanced strategy and accountability, Johnson wrote.

The House plans to vote on the package Saturday evening, ensuring time for a robust amendment process, Johnson wrote.

TikTok, immigration and a motion to vacate

The House will also take votes on a border security bill as well as a separate package that includes a bill banning the social media site TikTok unless its sold by Chinese owner ByteDance, Johnson wrote.

The House approved the TikTok bill in mid-March, but its been held up in the Senate ever since as that chamber debates whether to take it up. That bill will now be rolled into a package with sanctions and other measures to confront Russia, China, and Iran, he wrote.

Johnsons decision to move forward with aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan comes amid increasing frustration from especially conservative members of the House Republican Conference, two of whom are calling for him to resign or face a vote that could remove him from the leadership post.

Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene filed a so-called motion to vacate resolution in March that would oust Johnson from his post if approved. She struggled to find support among her colleagues until Tuesday, when Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie called for Johnson to resign in a closed-door meeting, then said hed supported the resolution.

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Other far-right members have expressed frustration with Johnsons decision to advance the supplemental spending bills, including Pennsylvanias Scott Perry, who has repeatedly criticized Johnson on social media for not pressing harder for a House GOP border security bill. Republicans have been sharply critical of the Biden administration immigration policy.

While we always want to help our allies, what are we doing for the American Citizens? Perry wrote in one of many posts.

House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican, wrote in a statement releasing the foreign aid bills that if we dont help our friends in time of need, soon enough, we wont have any friends at all.

Equivocating is not an option, and each bill will be given distinct attention and consideration, Cole wrote. I look forward to supporting them and providing our allies and partners with the tools they need to defend themselves. America must stand firmly on the side of freedom.

Top Democrat lends support

Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the spending committee, wrote in a statement that she will support the three assistance bills.

We cannot retreat from the world stage under the guise of putting America First, DeLauro wrote. We put America first by demonstrating the power of American leadership  that we have the strength, resolve, and heart to fight for the most vulnerable people, protect their freedom, and preserve their dignity. I urge swift passage of these bills.

The House GOP bills, she wrote, mirror the Senate-passed package and include support for Ukraine against Russian aggression; Israel in its war against Iran and its proxies, like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis; and our Indo-Pacific partners against an adversarial China.

How is the aid money divided up?

The Ukraine bill would appropriate nearly $48 billion to the U.S. Defense Department to provide Ukraine with training and equipment, to replenish U.S. stockpiles that have been shipped to Ukraine and to support U.S. armed forces in the region, according to a summary of the bill from House Democrats.

The U.S. State Department would receive $9.5 billion in forgivable loans for vital economic and budgetary support for Ukraines energy sector and other infrastructure needs and $2 billion in security assistance for Ukraine and other allies, according to the Democratic summary.

The U.S. Energy Department would receive nearly $250 million to address any potential nuclear or radiological incidents.

Funding for Israel would be split between the U.S. departments of Defense, Homeland Security and State.

Defense would get $13 billion for replenishing U.S. stockpiles sent to Israel, U.S. Central Command operations and for the Iron Dome, Davids Sling and Iron Beam defense systems, according to Democrats summary.

A police officer walks near a police station that was destroyed after a battle between Israeli troops and Hamas militants that have take the station on October 8, 2023 in Sderot, Israel. (Footage by Amir Levy/Getty Images)

The State Department would receive $9.15 billion for humanitarian assistance in Gaza and other locations and $3.6 billion in security assistance for Israel as well as other Middle Eastern partners.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, housed within DHS, would receive $400 million for the nonprofit security grant program.

That bill prohibits U.S. funding from going to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, according to the GOP summary.

The third bill, with funding for the Indo-Pacific region, would provide the U.S. Defense Department with $5.6 billion for integrated deterrence and for the submarine industrial base, according to Democrats summary.

Another $281.9 million would go to the U.S. Navy for dry dock construction.

The State Department would receive $2 billion in foreign military financing for U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific region.

Text of the 49-page Ukraine bill is here, the 25-page Israel bill is here and the 15-page Indo-Pacific bill is here.

Senate version of aid package

The Senate voted 70-29 in mid-February to approve a $95 billion emergency spending bill for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, with much of that funding going directly to the U.S. departments of Defense, Energy and State. The weapons or humanitarian assistance would then be distributed to the respective countries.

Much of that Senate package resembles the measures rolled out by Johnson on Wednesday.

Ukraine would have received about $60 billion, Israel $14 billion and the Indo-Pacific $4.8 billion. The package also included the bipartisan Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence, or the FEND Off Fentanyl Act.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, have repeatedly called on House GOP leaders to put that package on the floor for a vote.

Johnson has spent the intervening two months taking the pulse of his lawmakers and plotting a path forward that began to take shape earlier this week.

The entire world is waiting

Schumer said Wednesday morning from the Senate floor that he was waiting to see what exactly the House bills would propose in terms of funding and what makes it out of the House chamber before deciding what the Senate will do.

The entire world is waiting to see what House Republicans will do about aid to Ukraine, aid to Israel, humanitarian assistance and aid to the Indo-Pacific, Schumer said.

(Russian leader Vladimir) Putin is watching very closely to see if America will step up and show strength or slink away from a friend in need.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin testified before the House Defense spending panel on Wednesday morning the delay approving aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan sends a terrible signal to our allies and partners.

Ukraine losing the war to Russia would have significant ramifications for NATO allies in Europe and for the United States, he said.

We all know that Putin wont stop in Ukraine. This will continue. And, you know, our allies on the Eastern Front there are very, very concerned about that, Austin said. It will also signal to other autocrats around the globe that the United States is not a reliable partner. And so all the alliances and partnerships that weve worked hard to develop over the years will be in question.

The post U.S. House GOP rolls out aid for Ukraine, Israel; votes planned on TikTok, border security appeared first on Indiana Capital Chronicle.
Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks with reporters on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

WASHINGTON  U.S. House Democrats on Thursday began coalescing behind Republican Speaker Mike Johnsons plan to provide assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan through a series of three bills, though far-right members of his own party grew increasingly frustrated with the Louisianans bipartisan streak.

Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker, told reporters that Johnson is maneuvering behind the scenes to possibly change the process that allows one member to call for a vote to remove the speaker. That is unprecedented and completely wrong, she said.

If he wants to change the motion to vacate, he needs to come before the Republican Conference that elected him and tell us of his intentions, Greene said.

And Ill tell you something, Kevin McCarthy, while he was staring down the barrel of a loaded gun, he never made a move like this behind closed doors and made deals with Democrats to change the motion to vacate, Greene said, referring to the former House speaker who was ousted by Republicans last year. And were hearing thats exactly what Mike Johnson is doing.

The motion to vacate currently allows any one member of the House to call for a floor vote to remove the speaker from the leadership post.

Greene said Thursday morning that Johnson is considering altering that motion to vacate process to make it more difficult to accomplish. That could cut off Greene and other far-right members from removing him for advancing foreign aid long sought by Democrats and backed by the U.S. Senate.

Johnson announced late Thursday afternoon that he wouldnt be taking that step right now, though thats unlikely to assuage concerns about his leadership style from far-right members.

Since the beginning of the 118th Congress, the House rule allowing a Motion to Vacate from a single member has harmed this office and our House majority, Johnson wrote in a social media post.

Recently, many members have encouraged me to endorse a new rule to raise this threshold. While I understand the importance of that idea, any rule change requires a majority of the full House, which we do not have, Johnson added. We will continue to govern under the existing rules.

Johnson said during a press conference on Wednesday evening that he wouldnt allow speculation about a motion to vacate to dictate how he runs the House.

My philosophy is you do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may, Johnson said. If I operated out of fear over a motion to vacate, I would never be able to do my job.

Johnson said providing lethal aid to Ukraine is the right thing to do at this point in history and that it could help deter Russia from attacking a NATO country, which could pull U.S. troops into direct conflict with that country.

To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys, Johnson said. My son is going to begin at the Naval Academy this fall. This is a live-fire exercise for me, as it is for so many American families. This is not a game. Its not a joke. We cant play politics with this.

McCarthy removal

Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz used the motion to vacate last October to remove McCarthy from the role following a floor vote. That caused weeks of internal turmoil and public embarrassment for House Republicans as they struggled to coalesce around a candidate who could win the support needed on the floor.

Virginia Republican Rep. Bob Good, chairman of the far-right Freedom Caucus, said Thursday that lawmakers frustrated with Johnson should wait until after the November elections before debating leadership changes.

I think the speaker guarantees himself that there will be a contest for the speaker, I hope in November, Good said. I think thats the wise course when youre sitting at a 216-to-213 margin. But, obviously, I cant predict what the other members will or wont do.

Johnson should have used leverage points like the annual defense authorization bill, the annual government funding bills and Ukraine aid to force the Democratic- controlled Senate to take up a stalled House GOP border security bill, he said.

Good also reiterated he is not backing the motion to vacate that Greene filed in March and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie decided to support this week after calling on Johnson to resign.

The increased attention on the motion to vacate comes as Johnson looks toward a Saturday vote on $95 billion in assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that would be approved in three separate bills.

The House is expected to vote on a separate bill wrapping together a ban on the social media app TikTok unless its sold by Chinese owner ByteDance and sanctions against Iran, Russia and China.

If all four of those bills pass the House, theyre likely to be wrapped together in one package before being sent to the Senate.

The House might take a separate vote on a border security measure that reinstates Trump-era immigration policies, though that didnt appear to have the votes needed to move to the U.S. Senate.

Democrats warm to GOP leadership

Numerous Democrats indicated in interviews Thursday that theyre willing to help House GOP leaders move past the procedural hurdle of approving a rule in order to move onto final votes on the emergency aid.

Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin said its paramount that Congress pass assistance for Ukraine after months of inaction and dislodge all of the dysfunction over on the GOP side.

We want to be able to get aid to our allies as quickly as possible and we want to try to stabilize a very chaotic and dysfunctional political environment that has been unleashed on us, Raskin said.

Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said shes reached a point where shes fine breaking up aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan into three bills if thats what it takes to get the legislation through the divided Congress.

We have to all have the courage to take risks, to spend political capital and to make sure that we can literally save democracy and thousands of people from walking to their doom, she said.

The U.S. Senate approved one bill that included all the aid in February on a 70-29 vote, but that has been stuck in the House ever since as Johnson sought a path forward that was acceptable for most of his conference.

Rep. Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat and former House majority leader, said he expects his party to back the rule and the bills, providing broadly bipartisan votes.

We want this to pass, Hoyer said. We think it needs to pass and we think it needs to pass now. And I believe you will see the support of efforts that accomplish that.

Democrats would also likely back changing the single-member motion to vacate since its destabilizing demonstrably to the House of Representatives, Hoyer said.

Hoyer said such a change to House rules should be taken up on its own, but he said Democrats might not object to it being approved within a rule, should House GOP leaders take that path.

You know, one of the things about democracy is you elect a leader and that leader has a term, in this case two years, Hoyer said. And to constantly be subjecting a leader to second guessing every day  is bad for the House, bad for the American people.

Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle said Johnson deserves credit for the comments made during a Wednesday press conference about doing whats best and not thinking about how it might affect his role as speaker.

From 1945 until Donald Trump took over the Republican Party, it has always been the bipartisan consensus foreign policy of the United States that we stand up against Soviet and now Russian aggression, that we lead the Trans-Atlantic alliance, that we are the biggest supporters of NATO and the leaders of NATO, Boyle said.

After Trump won the 2016 presidential election, Boyle said the former president suddenly changed the base of that party almost overnight from that position to one that is much more isolationist.

The post U.S. House speaker gains Dem backing for foreign aid plan, as far-right Republicans seethe appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks with reporters on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

WASHINGTON  U.S. House Democrats on Thursday began coalescing behind Republican Speaker Mike Johnsons plan to provide assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan through a series of three bills, though far-right members of his own party grew increasingly frustrated with the Louisianans bipartisan streak.

Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker, told reporters that Johnson is maneuvering behind the scenes to possibly change the process that allows one member to call for a vote to remove the speaker. That is unprecedented and completely wrong, she said.

If he wants to change the motion to vacate, he needs to come before the Republican Conference that elected him and tell us of his intentions, Greene said.

And Ill tell you something, Kevin McCarthy, while he was staring down the barrel of a loaded gun, he never made a move like this behind closed doors and made deals with Democrats to change the motion to vacate, Greene said, referring to the former House speaker who was ousted by Republicans last year. And were hearing thats exactly what Mike Johnson is doing.

The motion to vacate currently allows any one member of the House to call for a floor vote to remove the speaker from the leadership post.

Greene said Johnson is considering altering that motion to vacate process to make it more difficult to accomplish. That could cut off Greene and other far-right members from removing him for advancing foreign aid long sought by Democrats and backed by the U.S. Senate.

Johnson said during a press conference on Wednesday evening that he wouldnt allow speculation about a motion to vacate to dictate how he runs the House.

My philosophy is you do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may, Johnson said. If I operated out of fear over a motion to vacate, I would never be able to do my job.

Johnson said providing lethal aid to Ukraine is the right thing to do at this point in history and that it could help deter Russia from attacking a NATO country, which could pull U.S. troops into direct conflict with that country.

To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys, Johnson said. My son is going to begin at the Naval Academy this fall. This is a live-fire exercise for me, as it is for so many American families. This is not a game. Its not a joke. We cant play politics with this.

McCarthy removal

Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz used the motion to vacate last October to remove McCarthy from the role following a floor vote. That caused weeks of internal turmoil and public embarrassment for House Republicans as they struggled to coalesce around a candidate who could win the support needed on the floor.

Virginia Republican Rep. Bob Good, chairman of the far-right Freedom Caucus, said Thursday that lawmakers frustrated with Johnson should wait until after the November elections before debating leadership changes.

I think the speaker guarantees himself that there will be a contest for the speaker, I hope in November, Good said. I think thats the wise course when youre sitting at a 216-to-213 margin. But, obviously, I cant predict what the other members will or wont do.

Johnson should have used leverage points like the annual defense authorization bill, the annual government funding bills and Ukraine aid to force the Democratic- controlled Senate to take up a stalled House GOP border security bill, he said.

Good also reiterated he is not backing the motion to vacate that Greene filed in March and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie decided to support this week after calling on Johnson to resign.

The increased attention on the motion to vacate comes as Johnson looks toward a Saturday vote on $95 billion in assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that would be approved in three separate bills.

The House is expected to vote on a separate bill wrapping together a ban on the social media app TikTok unless its sold by Chinese owner ByteDance and sanctions against Iran, Russia and China.

If all four of those bills pass the House, theyre likely to be wrapped together in one package before being sent to the Senate.

The House might take a separate vote on a border security measure that reinstates Trump-era immigration policies, though that didnt appear to have the votes needed to move to the U.S. Senate.

Democrats warm to GOP leadership

Numerous Democrats indicated in interviews Thursday that theyre willing to help House GOP leaders move past the procedural hurdle of approving a rule in order to move onto final votes on the emergency aid.

Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin said its paramount that Congress pass assistance for Ukraine after months of inaction and dislodge all of the dysfunction over on the GOP side.

We want to be able to get aid to our allies as quickly as possible and we want to try to stabilize a very chaotic and dysfunctional political environment that has been unleashed on us, Raskin said.

Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said shes reached a point where shes fine breaking up aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan into three bills if thats what it takes to get the legislation through the divided Congress.

We have to all have the courage to take risks, to spend political capital and to make sure that we can literally save democracy and thousands of people from walking to their doom, she said.

The U.S. Senate approved one bill that included all the aid in February on a 70-29 vote, but that has been stuck in the House ever since as Johnson sought a path forward that was acceptable for most of his conference.

Rep. Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat and former House majority leader, said he expects his party to back the rule and the bills, providing broadly bipartisan votes.

We want this to pass, Hoyer said. We think it needs to pass and we think it needs to pass now. And I believe you will see the support of efforts that accomplish that.

Democrats are also likely to back changing the single-member motion to vacate since its destabilizing demonstrably to the House of Representatives, Hoyer said.

Hoyer said the change to House rules should be taken up on its own, but he said he didnt anticipate Democrats objecting to it possibly being approved within the rule that sets up debate on the foreign aid bills.

You know, one of the things about democracy is you elect a leader and that leader has a term, in this case two years, Hoyer said. And to constantly be subjecting a leader to second guessing every day  is bad for the House, bad for the American people.

Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle said Johnson deserves credit for the comments made during a Wednesday press conference about doing whats best and not thinking about how it might affect his role as speaker.

From 1945 until Donald Trump took over the Republican Party, it has always been the bipartisan consensus foreign policy of the United States that we stand up against Soviet and now Russian aggression, that we lead the Trans-Atlantic alliance, that we are the biggest supporters of NATO and the leaders of NATO, Boyle said.

After Trump won the 2016 presidential election, Boyle said the former president suddenly changed the base of that party almost overnight from that position to one that is much more isolationist.

The post U.S. House speaker gains Dem backing for foreign aid plan, as far-right Republicans seethe appeared first on Michigan Advance.
Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks with reporters on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

Policy, politics and progressive commentary

WASHINGTON  U.S. House Democrats on Thursday began coalescing behind Republican Speaker Mike Johnsons plan to provide assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan through a series of three bills, though far-right members of his own party grew increasingly frustrated with the Louisianans bipartisan streak.

Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker, told reporters that Johnson is maneuvering behind the scenes to possibly change the process that allows one member to call for a vote to remove the speaker. That is unprecedented and completely wrong, she said.

If he wants to change the motion to vacate, he needs to come before the Republican Conference that elected him and tell us of his intentions, Greene said.

And Ill tell you something, Kevin McCarthy, while he was staring down the barrel of a loaded gun, he never made a move like this behind closed doors and made deals with Democrats to change the motion to vacate, Greene said, referring to the former House speaker who was ousted by Republicans last year. And were hearing thats exactly what Mike Johnson is doing.

The motion to vacate currently allows any one member of the House to call for a floor vote to remove the speaker from the leadership post.

Greene said Johnson is considering altering that motion to vacate process to make it more difficult to accomplish. That could cut off Greene and other far-right members from removing him for advancing foreign aid long sought by Democrats and backed by the U.S. Senate.

Johnson said during a press conference on Wednesday evening that he wouldnt allow speculation about a motion to vacate to dictate how he runs the House.

My philosophy is you do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may, Johnson said. If I operated out of fear over a motion to vacate, I would never be able to do my job.

Johnson said providing lethal aid to Ukraine is the right thing to do at this point in history and that it could help deter Russia from attacking a NATO country, which could pull U.S. troops into direct conflict with that country.

To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys, Johnson said. My son is going to begin at the Naval Academy this fall. This is a live-fire exercise for me, as it is for so many American families. This is not a game. Its not a joke. We cant play politics with this.

McCarthy removal

Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz used the motion to vacate last October to remove McCarthy from the role following a floor vote. That caused weeks of internal turmoil and public embarrassment for House Republicans as they struggled to coalesce around a candidate who could win the support needed on the floor.

Virginia Republican Rep. Bob Good, chairman of the far-right Freedom Caucus, said Thursday that lawmakers frustrated with Johnson should wait until after the November elections before debating leadership changes.

I think the speaker guarantees himself that there will be a contest for the speaker, I hope in November, Good said. I think thats the wise course when youre sitting at a 216-to-213 margin. But, obviously, I cant predict what the other members will or wont do.

Johnson should have used leverage points like the annual defense authorization bill, the annual government funding bills and Ukraine aid to force the Democratic- controlled Senate to take up a stalled House GOP border security bill, he said.

Good also reiterated he is not backing the motion to vacate that Greene filed in March and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie decided to support this week after calling on Johnson to resign.

The increased attention on the motion to vacate comes as Johnson looks toward a Saturday vote on $95 billion in assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that would be approved in three separate bills.

The House is expected to vote on a separate bill wrapping together a ban on the social media app TikTok unless its sold by Chinese owner ByteDance and sanctions against Iran, Russia and China.

If all four of those bills pass the House, theyre likely to be wrapped together in one package before being sent to the Senate.

The House might take a separate vote on a border security measure that reinstates Trump-era immigration policies, though that didnt appear to have the votes needed to move to the U.S. Senate.

Democrats warm to GOP leadership

Numerous Democrats indicated in interviews Thursday that theyre willing to help House GOP leaders move past the procedural hurdle of approving a rule in order to move onto final votes on the emergency aid.

Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin said its paramount that Congress pass assistance for Ukraine after months of inaction and dislodge all of the dysfunction over on the GOP side.

We want to be able to get aid to our allies as quickly as possible and we want to try to stabilize a very chaotic and dysfunctional political environment that has been unleashed on us, Raskin said.

Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said shes reached a point where shes fine breaking up aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan into three bills if thats what it takes to get the legislation through the divided Congress.

We have to all have the courage to take risks, to spend political capital and to make sure that we can literally save democracy and thousands of people from walking to their doom, she said.

The U.S. Senate approved one bill that included all the aid in February on a 70-29 vote, but that has been stuck in the House ever since as Johnson sought a path forward that was acceptable for most of his conference.

Rep. Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat and former House majority leader, said he expects his party to back the rule and the bills, providing broadly bipartisan votes.

We want this to pass, Hoyer said. We think it needs to pass and we think it needs to pass now. And I believe you will see the support of efforts that accomplish that.

Democrats are also likely to back changing the single-member motion to vacate since its destabilizing demonstrably to the House of Representatives, Hoyer said.

Hoyer said the change to House rules should be taken up on its own, but he said he didnt anticipate Democrats objecting to it possibly being approved within the rule that sets up debate on the foreign aid bills.

You know, one of the things about democracy is you elect a leader and that leader has a term, in this case two years, Hoyer said. And to constantly be subjecting a leader to second guessing every day  is bad for the House, bad for the American people.

Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle said Johnson deserves credit for the comments made during a Wednesday press conference about doing whats best and not thinking about how it might affect his role as speaker.

From 1945 until Donald Trump took over the Republican Party, it has always been the bipartisan consensus foreign policy of the United States that we stand up against Soviet and now Russian aggression, that we lead the Trans-Atlantic alliance, that we are the biggest supporters of NATO and the leaders of NATO, Boyle said.

After Trump won the 2016 presidential election, Boyle said the former president suddenly changed the base of that party almost overnight from that position to one that is much more isolationist.

The post U.S. House speaker gains Dem backing for foreign aid plan, as far-right Republicans seethe appeared first on Nevada Current.
KATHMANDU, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Two vehicles collided on Thursday morning in Pokhara, a popular tourist destination in Nepal, leaving eight people injured, local police said. 
Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks with reporters on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on April 18, 2024. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

WASHINGTON  U.S. House Democrats on Thursday began coalescing behind Republican Speaker Mike Johnsons plan to provide assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan through a series of three bills, though far-right members of his own party grew increasingly frustrated with the Louisianans bipartisan streak.

Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker, told reporters that Johnson is maneuvering behind the scenes to possibly change the process that allows one member to call for a vote to remove the speaker. That is unprecedented and completely wrong, she said.

If he wants to change the motion to vacate, he needs to come before the Republican Conference that elected him and tell us of his intentions, Greene said.

And Ill tell you something, Kevin McCarthy, while he was staring down the barrel of a loaded gun, he never made a move like this behind closed doors and made deals with Democrats to change the motion to vacate, Greene said, referring to the former House speaker who was ousted by Republicans last year. And were hearing thats exactly what Mike Johnson is doing.

The motion to vacate currently allows any one member of the House to call for a floor vote to remove the speaker from the leadership post.

Greene said Johnson is considering altering that motion to vacate process to make it more difficult to accomplish. That could cut off Greene and other far-right members from removing him for advancing foreign aid long sought by Democrats and backed by the U.S. Senate.

Johnson announced late Thursday afternoon that he wouldnt be taking that step right now, though thats unlikely to assuage concerns about his leadership style from far-right members.

Since the beginning of the 118th Congress, the House rule allowing a Motion to Vacate from a single member has harmed this office and our House majority, Johnson wrote in a social media post.

Recently, many members have encouraged me to endorse a new rule to raise this threshold. While I understand the importance of that idea, any rule change requires a majority of the full House, which we do not have, Johnson added. We will continue to govern under the existing rules.

Johnson said during a press conference on Wednesday evening that he wouldnt allow speculation about a motion to vacate to dictate how he runs the House.

My philosophy is you do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may, Johnson said. If I operated out of fear over a motion to vacate, I would never be able to do my job.

Johnson said providing lethal aid to Ukraine is the right thing to do at this point in history and that it could help deter Russia from attacking a NATO country, which could pull U.S. troops into direct conflict with that country.

To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys, Johnson said. My son is going to begin at the Naval Academy this fall. This is a live-fire exercise for me, as it is for so many American families. This is not a game. Its not a joke. We cant play politics with this.

McCarthy removal

Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz used the motion to vacate last October to remove McCarthy from the role following a floor vote. That caused weeks of internal turmoil and public embarrassment for House Republicans as they struggled to coalesce around a candidate who could win the support needed on the floor.

Virginia Republican Rep. Bob Good, chairman of the far-right Freedom Caucus, said Thursday that lawmakers frustrated with Johnson should wait until after the November elections before debating leadership changes.

I think the speaker guarantees himself that there will be a contest for the speaker, I hope in November, Good said. I think thats the wise course when youre sitting at a 216-to-213 margin. But, obviously, I cant predict what the other members will or wont do.

Johnson should have used leverage points like the annual defense authorization bill, the annual government funding bills and Ukraine aid to force the Democrat-controlled Senate to take up a stalled House GOP border security bill, he said.

Good also reiterated he is not backing the motion to vacate that Greene filed in March and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie decided to support this week after calling on Johnson to resign.

The increased attention on the motion to vacate comes as Johnson looks toward a Saturday vote on $95 billion in assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that would be approved in three separate bills.

The House is expected to vote on a separate bill wrapping together a ban on the social media app TikTok unless its sold by Chinese owner ByteDance and sanctions against Iran, Russia and China.

If all four of those bills pass the House, theyre likely to be wrapped together in one package before being sent to the Senate.

The House might take a separate vote on a border security measure that reinstates Trump-era immigration policies, though that didnt appear to have the votes needed to move to the U.S. Senate.

Democrats warm to GOP leadership

Numerous Democrats indicated in interviews Thursday that theyre willing to help House GOP leaders move past the procedural hurdle of approving a rule in order to move onto final votes on the emergency aid.

Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin said its paramount that Congress pass assistance for Ukraine after months of inaction and dislodge all of the dysfunction over on the GOP side.

We want to be able to get aid to our allies as quickly as possible and we want to try to stabilize a very chaotic and dysfunctional political environment that has been unleashed on us, Raskin said.

Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said shes reached a point where shes fine breaking up aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan into three bills if thats what it takes to get the legislation through the divided Congress.

We have to all have the courage to take risks, to spend political capital and to make sure that we can literally save democracy and thousands of people from walking to their doom, she said.

The U.S. Senate approved one bill that included all the aid in February on a 70-29 vote, but that has been stuck in the House ever since as Johnson sought a path forward that was acceptable for most of his conference.

Rep. Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat and former House majority leader, said he expects his party to back the rule and the bills, providing broadly bipartisan votes.

We want this to pass, Hoyer said. We think it needs to pass and we think it needs to pass now. And I believe you will see the support of efforts that accomplish that.

Democrats are also likely to back changing the single-member motion to vacate since its destabilizing demonstrably to the House of Representatives, Hoyer said.

Hoyer said the change to House rules should be taken up on its own, but he said he didnt anticipate Democrats objecting to it possibly being approved within the rule that sets up debate on the foreign aid bills.

You know, one of the things about democracy is you elect a leader and that leader has a term, in this case two years, Hoyer said. And to constantly be subjecting a leader to second guessing every day  is bad for the House, bad for the American people.

Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle said Johnson deserves credit for the comments made during a Wednesday press conference about doing whats best and not thinking about how it might affect his role as speaker.

From 1945 until Donald Trump took over the Republican Party, it has always been the bipartisan consensus foreign policy of the United States that we stand up against Soviet and now Russian aggression, that we lead the Trans-Atlantic alliance, that we are the biggest supporters of NATO and the leaders of NATO, Boyle said.

After Trump won the 2016 presidential election, Boyle said the former president suddenly changed the base of that party almost overnight from that position to one that is much more isolationist.

The post U.S. House speaker gains Dem backing for foreign aid plan, as far-right Republicans seethe appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks with reporters on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Jennifer Shutt | States Newsroom)

WASHINGTON  U.S. House Democrats on Thursday began coalescing behind Republican Speaker Mike Johnsons plan to provide assistance for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan through a series of three bills, though far-right members of his own party grew increasingly frustrated with the Louisianans bipartisan streak.

Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker, told reporters that Johnson is maneuvering behind the scenes to possibly change the process that allows one member to call for a vote to remove the speaker. That is unprecedented and completely wrong, she said.

If he wants to change the motion to vacate, he needs to come before the Republican Conference that elected him and tell us of his intentions, Greene said.

And Ill tell you something, Kevin McCarthy, while he was staring down the barrel of a loaded gun, he never made a move like this behind closed doors and made deals with Democrats to change the motion to vacate, Greene said, referring to the former House speaker who was ousted by Republicans last year. And were hearing thats exactly what Mike Johnson is doing.

The motion to vacate currently allows any one member of the House to call for a floor vote to remove the speaker from the leadership post.

Greene said Thursday morning that Johnson is considering altering that motion to vacate process to make it more difficult to accomplish. That could cut off Greene and other far-right members from removing him for advancing foreign aid long sought by Democrats and backed by the U.S. Senate.

Johnson announced late Thursday afternoon that he wouldnt be taking that step right now, though thats unlikely to assuage concerns about his leadership style from far-right members.

Since the beginning of the 118th Congress, the House rule allowing a Motion to Vacate from a single member has harmed this office and our House majority, Johnson wrote in a social media post.

Recently, many members have encouraged me to endorse a new rule to raise this threshold. While I understand the importance of that idea, any rule change requires a majority of the full House, which we do not have, Johnson added. We will continue to govern under the existing rules.

Johnson said during a press conference on Wednesday evening that he wouldnt allow speculation about a motion to vacate to dictate how he runs the House.

My philosophy is you do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may, Johnson said. If I operated out of fear over a motion to vacate, I would never be able to do my job.

Johnson said providing lethal aid to Ukraine is the right thing to do at this point in history and that it could help deter Russia from attacking a NATO country, which could pull U.S. troops into direct conflict with that country.

To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys, Johnson said. My son is going to begin at the Naval Academy this fall. This is a live-fire exercise for me, as it is for so many American families. This is not a game. Its not a joke. We cant play politics with this.

McCarthy removal

Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz used the motion to vacate last October to remove McCarthy from the role following a floor vote. That caused weeks of internal turmoil and public embarrassment for House Republicans as they struggled to coalesce around a candidate who could win the support needed on the floor.

Virginia Republican Rep. Bob Good, chairman of the far-right Freedom Caucus, said Thursday that lawmakers frustrated with Johnson should wait until after the November elections before debating leadership changes.

I think the speaker guarantees himself that there will be a contest for the speaker, I hope in November, Good said. I think thats the wise course when youre sitting at a 216-to-213 margin. But, obviously, I cant predict what the other members will or wont do.

Johnson should have used leverage points like the annual defense authorization bill, the annual government funding bills and Ukraine aid to force the Democratic- controlled Senate to take up a stalled House GOP border security bill, he said.

Good also reiterated he is not backing the motion to vacate that Greene filed in March and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie decided to support this week after calling on Johnson to resign.

The increased attention on the motion to vacate comes as Johnson looks toward a Saturday vote on $95 billion in assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that would be approved in three separate bills.

The House is expected to vote on a separate bill wrapping together a ban on the social media app TikTok unless its sold by Chinese owner ByteDance and sanctions against Iran, Russia and China.

If all four of those bills pass the House, theyre likely to be wrapped together in one package before being sent to the Senate.

The House might take a separate vote on a border security measure that reinstates Trump-era immigration policies, though that didnt appear to have the votes needed to move to the U.S. Senate.

Democrats warm to GOP leadership

Numerous Democrats indicated in interviews Thursday that theyre willing to help House GOP leaders move past the procedural hurdle of approving a rule in order to move onto final votes on the emergency aid.

Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin said its paramount that Congress pass assistance for Ukraine after months of inaction and dislodge all of the dysfunction over on the GOP side.

We want to be able to get aid to our allies as quickly as possible and we want to try to stabilize a very chaotic and dysfunctional political environment that has been unleashed on us, Raskin said.

Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said shes reached a point where shes fine breaking up aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan into three bills if thats what it takes to get the legislation through the divided Congress.

We have to all have the courage to take risks, to spend political capital and to make sure that we can literally save democracy and thousands of people from walking to their doom, she said.

The U.S. Senate approved one bill that included all the aid in February on a 70-29 vote, but that has been stuck in the House ever since as Johnson sought a path forward that was acceptable for most of his conference.

Rep. Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat and former House majority leader, said he expects his party to back the rule and the bills, providing broadly bipartisan votes.

We want this to pass, Hoyer said. We think it needs to pass and we think it needs to pass now. And I believe you will see the support of efforts that accomplish that.

Democrats would also likely back changing the single-member motion to vacate since its destabilizing demonstrably to the House of Representatives, Hoyer said.

Hoyer said such a change to House rules should be taken up on its own, but he said Democrats might not object to it being approved within a rule, should House GOP leaders take that path.

You know, one of the things about democracy is you elect a leader and that leader has a term, in this case two years, Hoyer said. And to constantly be subjecting a leader to second guessing every day  is bad for the House, bad for the American people.

Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle said Johnson deserves credit for the comments made during a Wednesday press conference about doing whats best and not thinking about how it might affect his role as speaker.

From 1945 until Donald Trump took over the Republican Party, it has always been the bipartisan consensus foreign policy of the United States that we stand up against Soviet and now Russian aggression, that we lead the Trans-Atlantic alliance, that we are the biggest supporters of NATO and the leaders of NATO, Boyle said.

After Trump won the 2016 presidential election, Boyle said the former president suddenly changed the base of that party almost overnight from that position to one that is much more isolationist.

The post U.S. House speaker gains Dem backing for foreign aid plan, as far-right Republicans seethe appeared first on New Hampshire Bulletin.
Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks with reporters on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, April 18, 2024.

Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks with reporters on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

WASHINGTON  U.S. House Democrats on Thursday began coalescing behind Republican Speaker Mike Johnsons plan to provide assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan through a series of three bills, though far-right members of his own party grew increasingly frustrated with the Louisianans bipartisan streak.

Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker, told reporters that Johnson is maneuvering behind the scenes to possibly change the process that allows one member to call for a vote to remove the speaker. That is unprecedented and completely wrong, she said.

If he wants to change the motion to vacate, he needs to come before the Republican Conference that elected him and tell us of his intentions, Greene said.

And Ill tell you something, Kevin McCarthy, while he was staring down the barrel of a loaded gun, he never made a move like this behind closed doors and made deals with Democrats to change the motion to vacate, Greene said, referring to the former House speaker who was ousted by Republicans last year. And were hearing thats exactly what Mike Johnson is doing.

The motion to vacate currently allows any one member of the House to call for a floor vote to remove the speaker from the leadership post.

Greene said Thursday morning that Johnson is considering altering that motion to vacate process to make it more difficult to accomplish. That could cut off Greene and other far-right members from removing him for advancing foreign aid long sought by Democrats and backed by the U.S. Senate.

Johnson announced late Thursday afternoon that he wouldnt be taking that step right now, though thats unlikely to assuage concerns about his leadership style from far-right members.

Since the beginning of the 118th Congress, the House rule allowing a Motion to Vacate from a single member has harmed this office and our House majority, Johnson wrote in a social media post.

Recently, many members have encouraged me to endorse a new rule to raise this threshold. While I understand the importance of that idea, any rule change requires a majority of the full House, which we do not have, Johnson added. We will continue to govern under the existing rules.

Johnson said during a press conference on Wednesday evening that he wouldnt allow speculation about a motion to vacate to dictate how he runs the House.

My philosophy is you do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may, Johnson said. If I operated out of fear over a motion to vacate, I would never be able to do my job.

Johnson said providing lethal aid to Ukraine is the right thing to do at this point in history and that it could help deter Russia from attacking a NATO country, which could pull U.S. troops into direct conflict with that country.

To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys, Johnson said. My son is going to begin at the Naval Academy this fall. This is a live-fire exercise for me, as it is for so many American families. This is not a game. Its not a joke. We cant play politics with this.

McCarthy removal

Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz used the motion to vacate last October to remove McCarthy from the role following a floor vote. That caused weeks of internal turmoil and public embarrassment for House Republicans as they struggled to coalesce around a candidate who could win the support needed on the floor.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, who filed the motion to vacate against House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, leaves a House Republican Conference meeting at the U.S. Capitol

Rep. Matt Gaetz leaves a House Republican Conference meeting at the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 3, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Virginia Republican Rep. Bob Good, chairman of the far-right Freedom Caucus, said Thursday that lawmakers frustrated with Johnson should wait until after the November elections before debating leadership changes.

I think the speaker guarantees himself that there will be a contest for the speaker, I hope in November, Good said. I think thats the wise course when youre sitting at a 216-to-213 margin. But, obviously, I cant predict what the other members will or wont do.

Johnson should have used leverage points like the annual defense authorization bill, the annual government funding bills and Ukraine aid to force the Democratic- controlled Senate to take up a stalled House GOP border security bill, he said.

Good also reiterated he is not backing the motion to vacate that Greene filed in March and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie decided to support this week after calling on Johnson to resign.

The increased attention on the motion to vacate comes as Johnson looks toward a Saturday vote on $95 billion in assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that would be approved in three separate bills.

The House is expected to vote on a separate bill wrapping together a ban on the social media app TikTok unless its sold by Chinese owner ByteDance and sanctions against Iran, Russia and China.

If all four of those bills pass the House, theyre likely to be wrapped together in one package before being sent to the Senate.

The House might take a separate vote on a border security measure that reinstates Trump-era immigration policies, though that didnt appear to have the votes needed to move to the U.S. Senate.

Democrats warm to GOP leadership

Numerous Democrats indicated in interviews Thursday that theyre willing to help House GOP leaders move past the procedural hurdle of approving a rule in order to move onto final votes on the emergency aid.

Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin said its paramount that Congress pass assistance for Ukraine after months of inaction and dislodge all of the dysfunction over on the GOP side.

We want to be able to get aid to our allies as quickly as possible and we want to try to stabilize a very chaotic and dysfunctional political environment that has been unleashed on us, Raskin said.

Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said shes reached a point where shes fine breaking up aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan into three bills if thats what it takes to get the legislation through the divided Congress.

We have to all have the courage to take risks, to spend political capital and to make sure that we can literally save democracy and thousands of people from walking to their doom, she said.

The U.S. Senate approved one bill that included all the aid in February on a 70-29 vote, but that has been stuck in the House ever since as Johnson sought a path forward that was acceptable for most of his conference.

Rep. Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat and former House majority leader, said he expects his party to back the rule and the bills, providing broadly bipartisan votes.

We want this to pass, Hoyer said. We think it needs to pass and we think it needs to pass now. And I believe you will see the support of efforts that accomplish that.

Democrats would also likely back changing the single-member motion to vacate since its destabilizing demonstrably to the House of Representatives, Hoyer said.

Hoyer said such a change to House rules should be taken up on its own, but he said Democrats might not object to it being approved within a rule, should House GOP leaders take that path.

You know, one of the things about democracy is you elect a leader and that leader has a term, in this case two years, Hoyer said. And to constantly be subjecting a leader to second guessing every day  is bad for the House, bad for the American people.

Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle said Johnson deserves credit for the comments made during a Wednesday press conference about doing whats best and not thinking about how it might affect his role as speaker.

From 1945 until Donald Trump took over the Republican Party, it has always been the bipartisan consensus foreign policy of the United States that we stand up against Soviet and now Russian aggression, that we lead the Trans-Atlantic alliance, that we are the biggest supporters of NATO and the leaders of NATO, Boyle said.

After Trump won the 2016 presidential election, Boyle said the former president suddenly changed the base of that party almost overnight from that position to one that is much more isolationist.

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The post U.S. House speaker gains Dem backing for foreign aid plan, as far-right Republicans seethe appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks with reporters on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

WASHINGTON  U.S. House Democrats on Thursday began coalescing behind Republican Speaker Mike Johnsons plan to provide assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan through a series of three bills, though far-right members of his own party grew increasingly frustrated with the Louisianans bipartisan streak.

Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker, told reporters that Johnson is maneuvering behind the scenes to possibly change the process that allows one member to call for a vote to remove the speaker. That is unprecedented and completely wrong, she said.

If he wants to change the motion to vacate, he needs to come before the Republican Conference that elected him and tell us of his intentions, Greene said.

And Ill tell you something, Kevin McCarthy, while he was staring down the barrel of a loaded gun, he never made a move like this behind closed doors and made deals with Democrats to change the motion to vacate, Greene said, referring to the former House speaker who was ousted by Republicans last year. And were hearing thats exactly what Mike Johnson is doing.

The motion to vacate currently allows any one member of the House to call for a floor vote to remove the speaker from the leadership post.

Greene said Thursday morning that Johnson is considering altering that motion to vacate process to make it more difficult to accomplish. That could cut off Greene and other far-right members from removing him for advancing foreign aid long sought by Democrats and backed by the U.S. Senate.

Johnson announced late Thursday afternoon that he wouldnt be taking that step right now, though thats unlikely to assuage concerns about his leadership style from far-right members.

Since the beginning of the 118th Congress, the House rule allowing a Motion to Vacate from a single member has harmed this office and our House majority, Johnson wrote in a social media post.

Recently, many members have encouraged me to endorse a new rule to raise this threshold. While I understand the importance of that idea, any rule change requires a majority of the full House, which we do not have, Johnson added. We will continue to govern under the existing rules.

Johnson said during a press conference on Wednesday evening that he wouldnt allow speculation about a motion to vacate to dictate how he runs the House.

My philosophy is you do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may, Johnson said. If I operated out of fear over a motion to vacate, I would never be able to do my job.

Johnson said providing lethal aid to Ukraine is the right thing to do at this point in history and that it could help deter Russia from attacking a NATO country, which could pull U.S. troops into direct conflict with that country.

To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys, Johnson said. My son is going to begin at the Naval Academy this fall. This is a live-fire exercise for me, as it is for so many American families. This is not a game. Its not a joke. We cant play politics with this.

McCarthy removal

Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz used the motion to vacate last October to remove McCarthy from the role following a floor vote. That caused weeks of internal turmoil and public embarrassment for House Republicans as they struggled to coalesce around a candidate who could win the support needed on the floor.

Virginia Republican Rep. Bob Good, chairman of the far-right Freedom Caucus, said Thursday that lawmakers frustrated with Johnson should wait until after the November elections before debating leadership changes.

I think the speaker guarantees himself that there will be a contest for the speaker, I hope in November, Good said. I think thats the wise course when youre sitting at a 216-to-213 margin. But, obviously, I cant predict what the other members will or wont do.

Johnson should have used leverage points like the annual defense authorization bill, the annual government funding bills and Ukraine aid to force the Democratic- controlled Senate to take up a stalled House GOP border security bill, he said.

Good also reiterated he is not backing the motion to vacate that Greene filed in March and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie decided to support this week after calling on Johnson to resign.

The increased attention on the motion to vacate comes as Johnson looks toward a Saturday vote on $95 billion in assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that would be approved in three separate bills.

The House is expected to vote on a separate bill wrapping together a ban on the social media app TikTok unless its sold by Chinese owner ByteDance and sanctions against Iran, Russia and China.

If all four of those bills pass the House, theyre likely to be wrapped together in one package before being sent to the Senate.

The House might take a separate vote on a border security measure that reinstates Trump-era immigration policies, though that didnt appear to have the votes needed to move to the U.S. Senate.

Democrats warm to GOP leadership

Numerous Democrats indicated in interviews Thursday that theyre willing to help House GOP leaders move past the procedural hurdle of approving a rule in order to move onto final votes on the emergency aid.

Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin said its paramount that Congress pass assistance for Ukraine after months of inaction and dislodge all of the dysfunction over on the GOP side.

We want to be able to get aid to our allies as quickly as possible and we want to try to stabilize a very chaotic and dysfunctional political environment that has been unleashed on us, Raskin said.

Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said shes reached a point where shes fine breaking up aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan into three bills if thats what it takes to get the legislation through the divided Congress.

We have to all have the courage to take risks, to spend political capital and to make sure that we can literally save democracy and thousands of people from walking to their doom, she said.

The U.S. Senate approved one bill that included all the aid in February on a 70-29 vote, but that has been stuck in the House ever since as Johnson sought a path forward that was acceptable for most of his conference.

Rep. Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat and former House majority leader, said he expects his party to back the rule and the bills, providing broadly bipartisan votes.

We want this to pass, Hoyer said. We think it needs to pass and we think it needs to pass now. And I believe you will see the support of efforts that accomplish that.

Democrats would also likely back changing the single-member motion to vacate since its destabilizing demonstrably to the House of Representatives, Hoyer said.

Hoyer said such a change to House rules should be taken up on its own, but he said Democrats might not object to it being approved within a rule, should House GOP leaders take that path.

You know, one of the things about democracy is you elect a leader and that leader has a term, in this case two years, Hoyer said. And to constantly be subjecting a leader to second guessing every day  is bad for the House, bad for the American people.

Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle said Johnson deserves credit for the comments made during a Wednesday press conference about doing whats best and not thinking about how it might affect his role as speaker.

From 1945 until Donald Trump took over the Republican Party, it has always been the bipartisan consensus foreign policy of the United States that we stand up against Soviet and now Russian aggression, that we lead the Trans-Atlantic alliance, that we are the biggest supporters of NATO and the leaders of NATO, Boyle said.

After Trump won the 2016 presidential election, Boyle said the former president suddenly changed the base of that party almost overnight from that position to one that is much more isolationist.

The post U.S. House speaker gains Dem backing for foreign aid plan, as far-right Republicans seethe appeared first on NC Newsline.
Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks with reporters on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom).

WASHINGTON  U.S. House Democrats on Thursday began coalescing behind Republican Speaker Mike Johnsons plan to provide assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan through a series of three bills, though far-right members of his own party grew increasingly frustrated with the Louisianans bipartisan streak.

Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker, told reporters that Johnson is maneuvering behind the scenes to possibly change the process that allows one member to call for a vote to remove the speaker. That is unprecedented and completely wrong, she said.

If he wants to change the motion to vacate, he needs to come before the Republican Conference that elected him and tell us of his intentions, Greene said.

And Ill tell you something, Kevin McCarthy, while he was staring down the barrel of a loaded gun, he never made a move like this behind closed doors and made deals with Democrats to change the motion to vacate, Greene said, referring to the former House speaker who was ousted by Republicans last year. And were hearing thats exactly what Mike Johnson is doing.

The motion to vacate currently allows any one member of the House to call for a floor vote to remove the speaker from the leadership post.

Greene said Thursday morning that Johnson is considering altering that motion to vacate process to make it more difficult to accomplish. That could cut off Greene and other far-right members from removing him for advancing foreign aid long sought by Democrats and backed by the U.S. Senate.

Johnson announced late Thursday afternoon that he wouldnt be taking that step right now, though thats unlikely to assuage concerns about his leadership style from far-right members.

Since the beginning of the 118th Congress, the House rule allowing a Motion to Vacate from a single member has harmed this office and our House majority, Johnson wrote in a social media post.

Recently, many members have encouraged me to endorse a new rule to raise this threshold. While I understand the importance of that idea, any rule change requires a majority of the full House, which we do not have, Johnson added. We will continue to govern under the existing rules.

Johnson said during a press conference on Wednesday evening that he wouldnt allow speculation about a motion to vacate to dictate how he runs the House.

My philosophy is you do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may, Johnson said. If I operated out of fear over a motion to vacate, I would never be able to do my job.

Johnson said providing lethal aid to Ukraine is the right thing to do at this point in history and that it could help deter Russia from attacking a NATO country, which could pull U.S. troops into direct conflict with that country.

To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys, Johnson said. My son is going to begin at the Naval Academy this fall. This is a live-fire exercise for me, as it is for so many American families. This is not a game. Its not a joke. We cant play politics with this.

McCarthy removal

Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz used the motion to vacate last October to remove McCarthy from the role following a floor vote. That caused weeks of internal turmoil and public embarrassment for House Republicans as they struggled to coalesce around a candidate who could win the support needed on the floor.

Virginia Republican Rep. Bob Good, chairman of the far-right Freedom Caucus, said Thursday that lawmakers frustrated with Johnson should wait until after the November elections before debating leadership changes.

I think the speaker guarantees himself that there will be a contest for the speaker, I hope in November, Good said. I think thats the wise course when youre sitting at a 216-to-213 margin. But, obviously, I cant predict what the other members will or wont do.

Johnson should have used leverage points like the annual defense authorization bill, the annual government funding bills and Ukraine aid to force the Democratic- controlled Senate to take up a stalled House GOP border security bill, he said.

Good also reiterated he is not backing the motion to vacate that Greene filed in March and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie decided to support this week after calling on Johnson to resign.

The increased attention on the motion to vacate comes as Johnson looks toward a Saturday vote on $95 billion in assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that would be approved in three separate bills.

The House is expected to vote on a separate bill wrapping together a ban on the social media app TikTok unless its sold by Chinese owner ByteDance and sanctions against Iran, Russia and China.

If all four of those bills pass the House, theyre likely to be wrapped together in one package before being sent to the Senate.

The House might take a separate vote on a border security measure that reinstates Trump-era immigration policies, though that didnt appear to have the votes needed to move to the U.S. Senate.

Democrats warm to GOP leadership

Numerous Democrats indicated in interviews Thursday that theyre willing to help House GOP leaders move past the procedural hurdle of approving a rule in order to move onto final votes on the emergency aid.

Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin said its paramount that Congress pass assistance for Ukraine after months of inaction and dislodge all of the dysfunction over on the GOP side.

We want to be able to get aid to our allies as quickly as possible and we want to try to stabilize a very chaotic and dysfunctional political environment that has been unleashed on us, Raskin said.

Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said shes reached a point where shes fine breaking up aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan into three bills if thats what it takes to get the legislation through the divided Congress.

We have to all have the courage to take risks, to spend political capital and to make sure that we can literally save democracy and thousands of people from walking to their doom, she said.

The U.S. Senate approved one bill that included all the aid in February on a 70-29 vote, but that has been stuck in the House ever since as Johnson sought a path forward that was acceptable for most of his conference.

Rep. Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat and former House majority leader, said he expects his party to back the rule and the bills, providing broadly bipartisan votes.

We want this to pass, Hoyer said. We think it needs to pass and we think it needs to pass now. And I believe you will see the support of efforts that accomplish that.

Democrats would also likely back changing the single-member motion to vacate since its destabilizing demonstrably to the House of Representatives, Hoyer said.

Hoyer said such a change to House rules should be taken up on its own, but he said Democrats might not object to it being approved within a rule, should House GOP leaders take that path.

You know, one of the things about democracy is you elect a leader and that leader has a term, in this case two years, Hoyer said. And to constantly be subjecting a leader to second guessing every day  is bad for the House, bad for the American people.

Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle said Johnson deserves credit for the comments made during a Wednesday press conference about doing whats best and not thinking about how it might affect his role as speaker.

From 1945 until Donald Trump took over the Republican Party, it has always been the bipartisan consensus foreign policy of the United States that we stand up against Soviet and now Russian aggression, that we lead the Trans-Atlantic alliance, that we are the biggest supporters of NATO and the leaders of NATO, Boyle said.

After Trump won the 2016 presidential election, Boyle said the former president suddenly changed the base of that party almost overnight from that position to one that is much more isolationist.

The post U.S. House speaker gains Dem backing for foreign aid plan, as far-right Republicans seethe appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks with reporters on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

WASHINGTON  U.S. House Democrats on Thursday began coalescing behind Republican Speaker Mike Johnsons plan to provide assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan through a series of three bills, though far-right members of his own party grew increasingly frustrated with the Louisianans bipartisan streak.

Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker, told reporters that Johnson is maneuvering behind the scenes to possibly change the process that allows one member to call for a vote to remove the speaker. That is unprecedented and completely wrong, she said.

If he wants to change the motion to vacate, he needs to come before the Republican Conference that elected him and tell us of his intentions, Greene said.

And Ill tell you something, Kevin McCarthy, while he was staring down the barrel of a loaded gun, he never made a move like this behind closed doors and made deals with Democrats to change the motion to vacate, Greene said, referring to the former House speaker who was ousted by Republicans last year. And were hearing thats exactly what Mike Johnson is doing.

The motion to vacate currently allows any one member of the House to call for a floor vote to remove the speaker from the leadership post.

Greene said Thursday morning that Johnson is considering altering that motion to vacate process to make it more difficult to accomplish. That could cut off Greene and other far-right members from removing him for advancing foreign aid long sought by Democrats and backed by the U.S. Senate.

Johnson announced late Thursday afternoon that he wouldnt be taking that step right now, though thats unlikely to assuage concerns about his leadership style from far-right members.

Since the beginning of the 118th Congress, the House rule allowing a Motion to Vacate from a single member has harmed this office and our House majority, Johnson wrote in a social media post.

Recently, many members have encouraged me to endorse a new rule to raise this threshold. While I understand the importance of that idea, any rule change requires a majority of the full House, which we do not have, Johnson added. We will continue to govern under the existing rules.

Johnson said during a press conference on Wednesday evening that he wouldnt allow speculation about a motion to vacate to dictate how he runs the House.

My philosophy is you do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may, Johnson said. If I operated out of fear over a motion to vacate, I would never be able to do my job.

Johnson said providing lethal aid to Ukraine is the right thing to do at this point in history and that it could help deter Russia from attacking a NATO country, which could pull U.S. troops into direct conflict with that country.

To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys, Johnson said. My son is going to begin at the Naval Academy this fall. This is a live-fire exercise for me, as it is for so many American families. This is not a game. Its not a joke. We cant play politics with this.

McCarthy removal

Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz used the motion to vacate last October to remove McCarthy from the role following a floor vote. That caused weeks of internal turmoil and public embarrassment for House Republicans as they struggled to coalesce around a candidate who could win the support needed on the floor.

Virginia Republican Rep. Bob Good, chairman of the far-right Freedom Caucus, said Thursday that lawmakers frustrated with Johnson should wait until after the November elections before debating leadership changes.

I think the speaker guarantees himself that there will be a contest for the speaker, I hope in November, Good said. I think thats the wise course when youre sitting at a 216-to-213 margin. But, obviously, I cant predict what the other members will or wont do.

Johnson should have used leverage points like the annual defense authorization bill, the annual government funding bills and Ukraine aid to force the Democratic- controlled Senate to take up a stalled House GOP border security bill, he said.

Good also reiterated he is not backing the motion to vacate that Greene filed in March and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie decided to support this week after calling on Johnson to resign.

The increased attention on the motion to vacate comes as Johnson looks toward a Saturday vote on $95 billion in assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that would be approved in three separate bills.

The House is expected to vote on a separate bill wrapping together a ban on the social media app TikTok unless its sold by Chinese owner ByteDance and sanctions against Iran, Russia and China.

If all four of those bills pass the House, theyre likely to be wrapped together in one package before being sent to the Senate.

The House might take a separate vote on a border security measure that reinstates Trump-era immigration policies, though that didnt appear to have the votes needed to move to the U.S. Senate.

Democrats warm to GOP leadership

Numerous Democrats indicated in interviews Thursday that theyre willing to help House GOP leaders move past the procedural hurdle of approving a rule in order to move onto final votes on the emergency aid.

Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin said its paramount that Congress pass assistance for Ukraine after months of inaction and dislodge all of the dysfunction over on the GOP side.

We want to be able to get aid to our allies as quickly as possible and we want to try to stabilize a very chaotic and dysfunctional political environment that has been unleashed on us, Raskin said.

Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said shes reached a point where shes fine breaking up aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan into three bills if thats what it takes to get the legislation through the divided Congress.

We have to all have the courage to take risks, to spend political capital and to make sure that we can literally save democracy and thousands of people from walking to their doom, she said.

The U.S. Senate approved one bill that included all the aid in February on a 70-29 vote, but that has been stuck in the House ever since as Johnson sought a path forward that was acceptable for most of his conference.

Rep. Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat and former House majority leader, said he expects his party to back the rule and the bills, providing broadly bipartisan votes.

We want this to pass, Hoyer said. We think it needs to pass and we think it needs to pass now. And I believe you will see the support of efforts that accomplish that.

Democrats would also likely back changing the single-member motion to vacate since its destabilizing demonstrably to the House of Representatives, Hoyer said.

Hoyer said such a change to House rules should be taken up on its own, but he said Democrats might not object to it being approved within a rule, should House GOP leaders take that path.

You know, one of the things about democracy is you elect a leader and that leader has a term, in this case two years, Hoyer said. And to constantly be subjecting a leader to second guessing every day  is bad for the House, bad for the American people.

Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle said Johnson deserves credit for the comments made during a Wednesday press conference about doing whats best and not thinking about how it might affect his role as speaker.

From 1945 until Donald Trump took over the Republican Party, it has always been the bipartisan consensus foreign policy of the United States that we stand up against Soviet and now Russian aggression, that we lead the Trans-Atlantic alliance, that we are the biggest supporters of NATO and the leaders of NATO, Boyle said.

After Trump won the 2016 presidential election, Boyle said the former president suddenly changed the base of that party almost overnight from that position to one that is much more isolationist.

The post U.S. House speaker gains Dem backing for foreign aid plan, as far-right Republicans seethe appeared first on Nebraska Examiner.
Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks with reporters on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

U.S. House Democrats on Thursday began coalescing behind Republican Speaker Mike Johnsons plan to provide assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan through a series of three bills, though far-right members of his own party grew increasingly frustrated with the Louisianans bipartisan streak.

Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker, told reporters that Johnson is maneuvering behind the scenes to possibly change the process that allows one member to call for a vote to remove the speaker. That is unprecedented and completely wrong, she said.

If he wants to change the motion to vacate, he needs to come before the Republican Conference that elected him and tell us of his intentions, Greene said.

And Ill tell you something, Kevin McCarthy, while he was staring down the barrel of a loaded gun, he never made a move like this behind closed doors and made deals with Democrats to change the motion to vacate, Greene said, referring to the former House speaker who was ousted by Republicans last year. And were hearing thats exactly what Mike Johnson is doing.

The motion to vacate currently allows any one member of the House to call for a floor vote to remove the speaker from the leadership post.

Greene said Thursday morning that Johnson is considering altering that motion to vacate process to make it more difficult to accomplish. That could cut off Greene and other far-right members from removing him for advancing foreign aid long sought by Democrats and backed by the U.S. Senate.

Johnson announced late Thursday afternoon that he wouldnt be taking that step right now, though thats unlikely to assuage concerns about his leadership style from far-right members.

Since the beginning of the 118th Congress, the House rule allowing a Motion to Vacate from a single member has harmed this office and our House majority, Johnson wrote in a social media post.

Recently, many members have encouraged me to endorse a new rule to raise this threshold. While I understand the importance of that idea, any rule change requires a majority of the full House, which we do not have, Johnson added. We will continue to govern under the existing rules.

Johnson said during a press conference on Wednesday evening that he wouldnt allow speculation about a motion to vacate to dictate how he runs the House.

My philosophy is you do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may, Johnson said. If I operated out of fear over a motion to vacate, I would never be able to do my job.

Johnson said providing lethal aid to Ukraine is the right thing to do at this point in history and that it could help deter Russia from attacking a NATO country, which could pull U.S. troops into direct conflict with that country.

To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys, Johnson said. My son is going to begin at the Naval Academy this fall. This is a live-fire exercise for me, as it is for so many American families. This is not a game. Its not a joke. We cant play politics with this.

McCarthy removal

Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz used the motion to vacate last October to remove McCarthy from the role following a floor vote. That caused weeks of internal turmoil and public embarrassment for House Republicans as they struggled to coalesce around a candidate who could win the support needed on the floor.

Virginia Republican Rep. Bob Good, chairman of the far-right Freedom Caucus, said Thursday that lawmakers frustrated with Johnson should wait until after the November elections before debating leadership changes.

I think the speaker guarantees himself that there will be a contest for the speaker, I hope in November, Good said. I think thats the wise course when youre sitting at a 216-to-213 margin. But, obviously, I cant predict what the other members will or wont do.

Johnson should have used leverage points like the annual defense authorization bill, the annual government funding bills and Ukraine aid to force the Democratic- controlled Senate to take up a stalled House GOP border security bill, he said.

Good also reiterated he is not backing the motion to vacate that Greene filed in March and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie decided to support this week after calling on Johnson to resign.

The increased attention on the motion to vacate comes as Johnson looks toward a Saturday vote on $95 billion in assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that would be approved in three separate bills.

The House is expected to vote on a separate bill wrapping together a ban on the social media app TikTok unless its sold by Chinese owner ByteDance and sanctions against Iran, Russia and China.

If all four of those bills pass the House, theyre likely to be wrapped together in one package before being sent to the Senate.

The House might take a separate vote on a border security measure that reinstates Trump-era immigration policies, though that didnt appear to have the votes needed to move to the U.S. Senate.

Democrats warm to GOP leadership

Numerous Democrats indicated in interviews Thursday that theyre willing to help House GOP leaders move past the procedural hurdle of approving a rule in order to move onto final votes on the emergency aid.

Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin said its paramount that Congress pass assistance for Ukraine after months of inaction and dislodge all of the dysfunction over on the GOP side.

We want to be able to get aid to our allies as quickly as possible and we want to try to stabilize a very chaotic and dysfunctional political environment that has been unleashed on us, Raskin said.

Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said shes reached a point where shes fine breaking up aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan into three bills if thats what it takes to get the legislation through the divided Congress.

We have to all have the courage to take risks, to spend political capital and to make sure that we can literally save democracy and thousands of people from walking to their doom, she said.

The U.S. Senate approved one bill that included all the aid in February on a 70-29 vote, but that has been stuck in the House ever since as Johnson sought a path forward that was acceptable for most of his conference.

Rep. Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat and former House majority leader, said he expects his party to back the rule and the bills, providing broadly bipartisan votes.

We want this to pass, Hoyer said. We think it needs to pass and we think it needs to pass now. And I believe you will see the support of efforts that accomplish that.

Democrats would also likely back changing the single-member motion to vacate since its destabilizing demonstrably to the House of Representatives, Hoyer said.

Hoyer said such a change to House rules should be taken up on its own, but he said Democrats might not object to it being approved within a rule, should House GOP leaders take that path.

You know, one of the things about democracy is you elect a leader and that leader has a term, in this case two years, Hoyer said. And to constantly be subjecting a leader to second guessing every day  is bad for the House, bad for the American people.

Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle said Johnson deserves credit for the comments made during a Wednesday press conference about doing whats best and not thinking about how it might affect his role as speaker.

From 1945 until Donald Trump took over the Republican Party, it has always been the bipartisan consensus foreign policy of the United States that we stand up against Soviet and now Russian aggression, that we lead the Trans-Atlantic alliance, that we are the biggest supporters of NATO and the leaders of NATO, Boyle said.

After Trump won the 2016 presidential election, Boyle said the former president suddenly changed the base of that party almost overnight from that position to one that is much more isolationist.

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The post U.S. House speaker gains Dem backing for foreign aid plan, as far-right Republicans seethe appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks with reporters on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

WASHINGTON  U.S. House Democrats on Thursday began coalescing behind Republican Speaker Mike Johnsons plan to provide assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan through a series of three bills, though far-right members of his own party grew increasingly frustrated with the Louisianans bipartisan streak.

Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker, told reporters that Johnson is maneuvering behind the scenes to possibly change the process that allows one member to call for a vote to remove the speaker. That is unprecedented and completely wrong, she said.

If he wants to change the motion to vacate, he needs to come before the Republican Conference that elected him and tell us of his intentions, Greene said.

And Ill tell you something, Kevin McCarthy, while he was staring down the barrel of a loaded gun, he never made a move like this behind closed doors and made deals with Democrats to change the motion to vacate, Greene said, referring to the former House speaker who was ousted by Republicans last year. And were hearing thats exactly what Mike Johnson is doing.

The motion to vacate currently allows any one member of the House to call for a floor vote to remove the speaker from the leadership post.

Greene said Thursday morning that Johnson is considering altering that motion to vacate process to make it more difficult to accomplish. That could cut off Greene and other far-right members from removing him for advancing foreign aid long sought by Democrats and backed by the U.S. Senate.

Johnson announced late Thursday afternoon that he wouldnt be taking that step right now, though thats unlikely to assuage concerns about his leadership style from far-right members.

Since the beginning of the 118th Congress, the House rule allowing a Motion to Vacate from a single member has harmed this office and our House majority, Johnson wrote in a social media post.

Recently, many members have encouraged me to endorse a new rule to raise this threshold. While I understand the importance of that idea, any rule change requires a majority of the full House, which we do not have, Johnson added. We will continue to govern under the existing rules.

Johnson said during a press conference on Wednesday evening that he wouldnt allow speculation about a motion to vacate to dictate how he runs the House.

My philosophy is you do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may, Johnson said. If I operated out of fear over a motion to vacate, I would never be able to do my job.

Johnson said providing lethal aid to Ukraine is the right thing to do at this point in history and that it could help deter Russia from attacking a NATO country, which could pull U.S. troops into direct conflict with that country.

To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys, Johnson said. My son is going to begin at the Naval Academy this fall. This is a live-fire exercise for me, as it is for so many American families. This is not a game. Its not a joke. We cant play politics with this.

McCarthy removal

Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz used the motion to vacate last October to remove McCarthy from the role following a floor vote. That caused weeks of internal turmoil and public embarrassment for House Republicans as they struggled to coalesce around a candidate who could win the support needed on the floor.

Virginia Republican Rep. Bob Good, chairman of the far-right Freedom Caucus, said Thursday that lawmakers frustrated with Johnson should wait until after the November elections before debating leadership changes.

I think the speaker guarantees himself that there will be a contest for the speaker, I hope in November, Good said. I think thats the wise course when youre sitting at a 216-to-213 margin. But, obviously, I cant predict what the other members will or wont do.

Johnson should have used leverage points like the annual defense authorization bill, the annual government funding bills and Ukraine aid to force the Democratic- controlled Senate to take up a stalled House GOP border security bill, he said.

Good also reiterated he is not backing the motion to vacate that Greene filed in March and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie decided to support this week after calling on Johnson to resign.

The increased attention on the motion to vacate comes as Johnson looks toward a Saturday vote on $95 billion in assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that would be approved in three separate bills.

The House is expected to vote on a separate bill wrapping together a ban on the social media app TikTok unless its sold by Chinese owner ByteDance and sanctions against Iran, Russia and China.

If all four of those bills pass the House, theyre likely to be wrapped together in one package before being sent to the Senate.

The House might take a separate vote on a border security measure that reinstates Trump-era immigration policies, though that didnt appear to have the votes needed to move to the U.S. Senate.

Democrats warm to GOP leadership

Numerous Democrats indicated in interviews Thursday that theyre willing to help House GOP leaders move past the procedural hurdle of approving a rule in order to move onto final votes on the emergency aid.

Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin said its paramount that Congress pass assistance for Ukraine after months of inaction and dislodge all of the dysfunction over on the GOP side.

We want to be able to get aid to our allies as quickly as possible and we want to try to stabilize a very chaotic and dysfunctional political environment that has been unleashed on us, Raskin said.

Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said shes reached a point where shes fine breaking up aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan into three bills if thats what it takes to get the legislation through the divided Congress.

We have to all have the courage to take risks, to spend political capital and to make sure that we can literally save democracy and thousands of people from walking to their doom, she said.

The U.S. Senate approved one bill that included all the aid in February on a 70-29 vote, but that has been stuck in the House ever since as Johnson sought a path forward that was acceptable for most of his conference.

Rep. Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat and former House majority leader, said he expects his party to back the rule and the bills, providing broadly bipartisan votes.

We want this to pass, Hoyer said. We think it needs to pass and we think it needs to pass now. And I believe you will see the support of efforts that accomplish that.

Democrats would also likely back changing the single-member motion to vacate since its destabilizing demonstrably to the House of Representatives, Hoyer said.

Hoyer said such a change to House rules should be taken up on its own, but he said Democrats might not object to it being approved within a rule, should House GOP leaders take that path.

You know, one of the things about democracy is you elect a leader and that leader has a term, in this case two years, Hoyer said. And to constantly be subjecting a leader to second guessing every day  is bad for the House, bad for the American people.

Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle said Johnson deserves credit for the comments made during a Wednesday press conference about doing whats best and not thinking about how it might affect his role as speaker.

From 1945 until Donald Trump took over the Republican Party, it has always been the bipartisan consensus foreign policy of the United States that we stand up against Soviet and now Russian aggression, that we lead the Trans-Atlantic alliance, that we are the biggest supporters of NATO and the leaders of NATO, Boyle said.

After Trump won the 2016 presidential election, Boyle said the former president suddenly changed the base of that party almost overnight from that position to one that is much more isolationist.

The post U.S. House speaker gains Dem backing for foreign aid plan, as far-right Republicans seethe appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.
Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks with reporters on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, April 18, 2024.

Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks with reporters on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

WASHINGTON  U.S. House Democrats on Thursday began coalescing behind Republican Speaker Mike Johnsons plan to provide assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan through a series of three bills, though far-right members of his own party grew increasingly frustrated with the Louisianans bipartisan streak.

Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker, told reporters that Johnson is maneuvering behind the scenes to possibly change the process that allows one member to call for a vote to remove the speaker. That is unprecedented and completely wrong, she said.

If he wants to change the motion to vacate, he needs to come before the Republican Conference that elected him and tell us of his intentions, Greene said.

And Ill tell you something, Kevin McCarthy, while he was staring down the barrel of a loaded gun, he never made a move like this behind closed doors and made deals with Democrats to change the motion to vacate, Greene said, referring to the former House speaker who was ousted by Republicans last year. And were hearing thats exactly what Mike Johnson is doing.

The motion to vacate currently allows any one member of the House to call for a floor vote to remove the speaker from the leadership post.

Greene said Thursday morning that Johnson is considering altering that motion to vacate process to make it more difficult to accomplish. That could cut off Greene and other far-right members from removing him for advancing foreign aid long sought by Democrats and backed by the U.S. Senate.

Johnson announced late Thursday afternoon that he wouldnt be taking that step right now, though thats unlikely to assuage concerns about his leadership style from far-right members.

Since the beginning of the 118th Congress, the House rule allowing a Motion to Vacate from a single member has harmed this office and our House majority, Johnson wrote in a social media post.

Recently, many members have encouraged me to endorse a new rule to raise this threshold. While I understand the importance of that idea, any rule change requires a majority of the full House, which we do not have, Johnson added. We will continue to govern under the existing rules.

Johnson said during a press conference on Wednesday evening that he wouldnt allow speculation about a motion to vacate to dictate how he runs the House.

My philosophy is you do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may, Johnson said. If I operated out of fear over a motion to vacate, I would never be able to do my job.

Johnson said providing lethal aid to Ukraine is the right thing to do at this point in history and that it could help deter Russia from attacking a NATO country, which could pull U.S. troops into direct conflict with that country.

To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys, Johnson said. My son is going to begin at the Naval Academy this fall. This is a live-fire exercise for me, as it is for so many American families. This is not a game. Its not a joke. We cant play politics with this.

McCarthy removal

Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz used the motion to vacate last October to remove McCarthy from the role following a floor vote. That caused weeks of internal turmoil and public embarrassment for House Republicans as they struggled to coalesce around a candidate who could win the support needed on the floor.

Virginia Republican Rep. Bob Good, chairman of the far-right Freedom Caucus, said Thursday that lawmakers frustrated with Johnson should wait until after the November elections before debating leadership changes.

I think the speaker guarantees himself that there will be a contest for the speaker, I hope in November, Good said. I think thats the wise course when youre sitting at a 216-to-213 margin. But, obviously, I cant predict what the other members will or wont do.

Johnson should have used leverage points like the annual defense authorization bill, the annual government funding bills and Ukraine aid to force the Democratic- controlled Senate to take up a stalled House GOP border security bill, he said.

Good also reiterated he is not backing the motion to vacate that Greene filed in March and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie decided to support this week after calling on Johnson to resign.

The increased attention on the motion to vacate comes as Johnson looks toward a Saturday vote on $95 billion in assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that would be approved in three separate bills.

The House is expected to vote on a separate bill wrapping together a ban on the social media app TikTok unless its sold by Chinese owner ByteDance and sanctions against Iran, Russia and China.

If all four of those bills pass the House, theyre likely to be wrapped together in one package before being sent to the Senate.

The House might take a separate vote on a border security measure that reinstates Trump-era immigration policies, though that didnt appear to have the votes needed to move to the U.S. Senate.

Democrats warm to GOP leadership

Numerous Democrats indicated in interviews Thursday that theyre willing to help House GOP leaders move past the procedural hurdle of approving a rule in order to move onto final votes on the emergency aid.

Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin said its paramount that Congress pass assistance for Ukraine after months of inaction and dislodge all of the dysfunction over on the GOP side.

We want to be able to get aid to our allies as quickly as possible and we want to try to stabilize a very chaotic and dysfunctional political environment that has been unleashed on us, Raskin said.

Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said shes reached a point where shes fine breaking up aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan into three bills if thats what it takes to get the legislation through the divided Congress.

We have to all have the courage to take risks, to spend political capital and to make sure that we can literally save democracy and thousands of people from walking to their doom, she said.

The U.S. Senate approved one bill that included all the aid in February on a 70-29 vote, but that has been stuck in the House ever since as Johnson sought a path forward that was acceptable for most of his conference.

Rep. Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat and former House majority leader, said he expects his party to back the rule and the bills, providing broadly bipartisan votes.

We want this to pass, Hoyer said. We think it needs to pass and we think it needs to pass now. And I believe you will see the support of efforts that accomplish that.

Democrats would also likely back changing the single-member motion to vacate since its destabilizing demonstrably to the House of Representatives, Hoyer said.

Hoyer said such a change to House rules should be taken up on its own, but he said Democrats might not object to it being approved within a rule, should House GOP leaders take that path.

You know, one of the things about democracy is you elect a leader and that leader has a term, in this case two years, Hoyer said. And to constantly be subjecting a leader to second guessing every day  is bad for the House, bad for the American people.

Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle said Johnson deserves credit for the comments made during a Wednesday press conference about doing whats best and not thinking about how it might affect his role as speaker.

From 1945 until Donald Trump took over the Republican Party, it has always been the bipartisan consensus foreign policy of the United States that we stand up against Soviet and now Russian aggression, that we lead the Trans-Atlantic alliance, that we are the biggest supporters of NATO and the leaders of NATO, Boyle said.

After Trump won the 2016 presidential election, Boyle said the former president suddenly changed the base of that party almost overnight from that position to one that is much more isolationist.

The post U.S. House speaker gains Dem backing for foreign aid plan, as far-right Republicans seethe appeared first on Oregon Capital Chronicle.
Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks with reporters on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

WASHINGTON  U.S. House Democrats on Thursday began coalescing behind Republican Speaker Mike Johnsons plan to provide assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan through a series of three bills, though far-right members of his own party grew increasingly frustrated with the Louisianans bipartisan streak.

Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker, told reporters that Johnson is maneuvering behind the scenes to possibly change the process that allows one member to call for a vote to remove the speaker. That is unprecedented and completely wrong, she said.

If he wants to change the motion to vacate, he needs to come before the Republican Conference that elected him and tell us of his intentions, Greene said.

And Ill tell you something, Kevin McCarthy, while he was staring down the barrel of a loaded gun, he never made a move like this behind closed doors and made deals with Democrats to change the motion to vacate, Greene said, referring to the former House speaker who was ousted by Republicans last year. And were hearing thats exactly what Mike Johnson is doing.

The motion to vacate currently allows any one member of the House to call for a floor vote to remove the speaker from the leadership post.

Greene said Johnson is considering altering that motion to vacate process to make it more difficult to accomplish. That could cut off Greene and other far-right members from removing him for advancing foreign aid long sought by Democrats and backed by the U.S. Senate.

Johnson said during a press conference on Wednesday evening that he wouldnt allow speculation about a motion to vacate to dictate how he runs the House.

My philosophy is you do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may, Johnson said. If I operated out of fear over a motion to vacate, I would never be able to do my job.

Johnson said providing lethal aid to Ukraine is the right thing to do at this point in history and that it could help deter Russia from attacking a NATO country, which could pull U.S. troops into direct conflict with that country.

To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys, Johnson said. My son is going to begin at the Naval Academy this fall. This is a live-fire exercise for me, as it is for so many American families. This is not a game. Its not a joke. We cant play politics with this.

McCarthy removal

Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz used the motion to vacate last October to remove McCarthy from the role following a floor vote. That caused weeks of internal turmoil and public embarrassment for House Republicans as they struggled to coalesce around a candidate who could win the support needed on the floor.

Virginia Republican Rep. Bob Good, chairman of the far-right Freedom Caucus, said Thursday that lawmakers frustrated with Johnson should wait until after the November elections before debating leadership changes.

I think the speaker guarantees himself that there will be a contest for the speaker, I hope in November, Good said. I think thats the wise course when youre sitting at a 216-to-213 margin. But, obviously, I cant predict what the other members will or wont do.

Johnson should have used leverage points like the annual defense authorization bill, the annual government funding bills and Ukraine aid to force the Democratic- controlled Senate to take up a stalled House GOP border security bill, he said.

Good also reiterated he is not backing the motion to vacate that Greene filed in March and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie decided to support this week after calling on Johnson to resign.

The increased attention on the motion to vacate comes as Johnson looks toward a Saturday vote on $95 billion in assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that would be approved in three separate bills.

The House is expected to vote on a separate bill wrapping together a ban on the social media app TikTok unless its sold by Chinese owner ByteDance and sanctions against Iran, Russia and China.

If all four of those bills pass the House, theyre likely to be wrapped together in one package before being sent to the Senate.

The House might take a separate vote on a border security measure that reinstates Trump-era immigration policies, though that didnt appear to have the votes needed to move to the U.S. Senate.

Democrats warm to GOP leadership

Numerous Democrats indicated in interviews Thursday that theyre willing to help House GOP leaders move past the procedural hurdle of approving a rule in order to move onto final votes on the emergency aid.

Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin said its paramount that Congress pass assistance for Ukraine after months of inaction and dislodge all of the dysfunction over on the GOP side.

We want to be able to get aid to our allies as quickly as possible and we want to try to stabilize a very chaotic and dysfunctional political environment that has been unleashed on us, Raskin said.

Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said shes reached a point where shes fine breaking up aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan into three bills if thats what it takes to get the legislation through the divided Congress.

We have to all have the courage to take risks, to spend political capital and to make sure that we can literally save democracy and thousands of people from walking to their doom, she said.

The U.S. Senate approved one bill that included all the aid in February on a 70-29 vote, but that has been stuck in the House ever since as Johnson sought a path forward that was acceptable for most of his conference.

Rep. Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat and former House majority leader, said he expects his party to back the rule and the bills, providing broadly bipartisan votes.

We want this to pass, Hoyer said. We think it needs to pass and we think it needs to pass now. And I believe you will see the support of efforts that accomplish that.

Democrats are also likely to back changing the single-member motion to vacate since its destabilizing demonstrably to the House of Representatives, Hoyer said.

Hoyer said the change to House rules should be taken up on its own, but he said he didnt anticipate Democrats objecting to it possibly being approved within the rule that sets up debate on the foreign aid bills.

You know, one of the things about democracy is you elect a leader and that leader has a term, in this case two years, Hoyer said. And to constantly be subjecting a leader to second guessing every day  is bad for the House, bad for the American people.

Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle said Johnson deserves credit for the comments made during a Wednesday press conference about doing whats best and not thinking about how it might affect his role as speaker.

From 1945 until Donald Trump took over the Republican Party, it has always been the bipartisan consensus foreign policy of the United States that we stand up against Soviet and now Russian aggression, that we lead the Trans-Atlantic alliance, that we are the biggest supporters of NATO and the leaders of NATO, Boyle said.

After Trump won the 2016 presidential election, Boyle said the former president suddenly changed the base of that party almost overnight from that position to one that is much more isolationist.

The post U.S. House speaker gains Dems backing for foreign aid plan, as far-right Republicans seethe appeared first on Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
NANJING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- An independently developed tunnel-boring machine has recently rolled off the production line in the city of Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu Province, and is ready for export to Italy to facilitate a local railway project.

It signifies the first such machine produced by China Railway's production base in Wuxi for export to Italy.

Located in Wuxi's Xishan District, the colossal equipment boasts a digging diameter of 9.48 meters, towers approximately three floors high, has a total length of about 251 meters, and weighs 2,300 tonnes.

According to Gao Siyuan, a staff member at the production base, transporting the tunnel-boring machine overseas entails over a month-long process of dismantling it into hundreds of thousands of components, which will then be shipped from Shanghai to Italy's Sicily island via sea freight.

"This also marks the first tunnel-boring machine produced at the Wuxi base to be exported to the European Union countries," Gao said, adding that the equipment is customized specifically for an Italian railway project, as it is equipped with a suite of cutting-edge technologies that significantly enhance efficiency, lifespan, and construction safety.

For instance, despite being outfitted with thousands of sets of electrical components, the tunnel-boring machine relies on explosion-proof technology, ensuring it poses no risk of explosion even when encountering flammable gases during excavation.

The tunnel-boring machine is earmarked for deployment in the construction of Sicily's Palermo-Catania Railway Line Project Lot 3. This is an essential part of the railway line linking the cities of Palermo and Catania in Italy, supported by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan of Italy to promote sustainable transportation.

Upon completion, the Italian project will bolster connectivity within and outside Sicily, enhance passenger and freight train capacity, ensure smooth train operations, and offer significant benefits to local economic development.

China Railway currently operates in more than 90 countries and regions globally. Boring machines developed by the company have been exported to more than 30 countries and regions, such as Italy, France, and Singapore. They are widely used in overseas railway, highway, subway, mining, and other construction fields. 
U.S. House tries anew to force sale or ban for TikTok, a spy balloon in your phone

In this photo illustration, a mobile phone can be seen displaying the logos for Chinese apps WeChat and TikTok in front of a monitor showing the flags of the United States and China on an internet page, on Sept. 22, 2020, in Beijing, China. (Kevin Frayer | Getty Images)

WASHINGTON  U.S. House leadership has packaged more than a dozen bipartisan bills into a so-called sidecar agreement meant to attract isolationist lawmakers support for long-stalled foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.

The wide-ranging catchall, introduced as the 21st Century Peace through Strength Act, would force the split of the hugely popular app TikTok from its Chinese owner, divert frozen Russian assets to Ukraines reconstruction, and sanction international traffickers of deadly fentanyl.

Also among the proposals wrapped into the sweetener bundle are several anti-Iran measures quickly passed by the House Monday and Tuesday in reaction to Iran launching hundreds of missiles and drones toward Israel over the weekend.

A widely backed measure in the package that could potentially ban TikTok is garnering significant attention. Supporters of the measure cite national security concerns that Chinas government could access user data and manipulate algorithms. The app has over 170 million users in the U.S., according to the company.

The proposal to force Chinese-owned ByteDance to sell TikTok received a bipartisan endorsement in March when it passed the House on a 352-65 vote, but has been stalled in the U.S. Senate.

This time around, House lawmakers have extended a provision that would now give TikTok 270 days, up from 180 days, to find a buyer and remain in compliance if the bill is enacted. Also tucked in the new language is the authority for the president to grant an additional one-time extension up to 90 days.

Under the provision, if TikTok does not split from its Chinese parent-company within that time frame, app stores and web hosting platforms would be committing a crime by distributing, maintaining, or updating the video sharing site.

Spy balloon in your phone

Rep. Michael McCaul, chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, on Thursday likened TikTok to having a spy balloon in your phone, referring to the February 2023 incident when a surveillance balloon from China drifted over the U.S. before being shot down off the coast of South Carolina.

If youre worried about privacy, as I know you are extremely worried about that, and if we dont think Congress should be using TikTok, why in the world would we let our children use it or the American people? the Texas Republican said to House Rules Committee member Rep. Thomas Massie during a Thursday hearing.

Congress banned TikTok from government-issued devices last year.

Massie said he opposed the addition of the TikTok bill into the larger national security package.

This was not unanimously supported on the floor of the House. Its been described as a sweetener in the bill. It doesnt sweeten the package for me at all. Its kind of sour if you ask me, the Kentucky Republican said.

Massie cited concerns that the bill would grant too much power to the president and executive branch agencies in determining when an application owned by a foreign adversary has been divested.

Im just afraid that we are creating another authority for the executive branch where we could have withheld some discretion, Massie said. The president, whoever that may be, we dont know whos going to win the next election, whoever that may be, may abuse that authority.

An email sent Thursday to Congress members by the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party highlighted talking points to counter criticism. The message underscored that only applications owned by specifically designated foreign adversaries would be subject under the bill, if enacted.

Congress is the only one that can change the (foreign adversary) definition used in this bill, not the Biden administration, read an email from Allison Aprahamian, the committees communications director.

The bills sponsor, Rep. Mike Gallagher, who chairs the committee, is set to leave Congress on Friday. However, an aide said the Wisconsin Republican has the flexibility to stay and support the package through Saturday, when votes are expected.

Senate hesitation

While the bill sailed through the powerful House Committee on Energy and Commerce with unanimous support in March and landed on the House floor days later, the Senate has not followed with speed.

Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Washington Democrat who chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce, told reporters she doesnt want to rush through the process.

I think its important to get it right, Cantwell told reporters outside a classified briefing on TikTok on March 20.

It remains unclear if the upper chamber would let the House TikTok bill go through as part of the national security supplemental package.

A TikTok spokesperson said Thursday that the company finds it unfortunate that the House of Representatives is using the cover of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again jam through a ban bill that would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, devastate 7 million businesses, and shutter a platform that contributes $24 billion to the U.S. economy, annually.

Other pieces of the package

Another provision gaining attention is the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act, otherwise known as the REPO Act.

The McCaul bill introduced nearly a year ago with Ohio Democrat Marcy Kaptur, among other sponsors, would liquidate confiscated Russian assets into a fund for humanitarian and reconstruction efforts in Ukraine.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, of Louisiana, vowed during recess that he would attach the REPO Act to the administrations Ukraine aid request as a way to attract skeptical conservatives who largely oppose helping the war-torn European ally.

Other bills in the package include:

The post U.S. House tries anew to force sale or ban for TikTok, a spy balloon in your phone appeared first on New Hampshire Bulletin.
U.S. House tries anew to force sale or ban for TikTok, a spy balloon in your phone

U.S. House lawmakers are trying again to force Chinese-owned ByteDance to sell TikTok. (Photo illustration by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON  U.S. House leadership has packaged more than a dozen bipartisan bills into a so-called sidecar agreement meant to attract isolationist lawmakers support for long-stalled foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

The wide-ranging catchall, introduced as the 21st Century Peace through Strength Act, would force the split of the hugely popular app TikTok from its Chinese owner, divert frozen Russian assets to Ukraines reconstruction, and sanction international traffickers of deadly fentanyl.

Also among the proposals wrapped into the sweetener bundle are several anti-Iran measures quickly passed by the House Monday and Tuesday in reaction to Iran launching hundreds of missiles and drones toward Israel over the weekend.

A widely backed measure in the package that could potentially ban TikTok is garnering significant attention. Supporters of the measure cite national security concerns that Chinas government could access user data and manipulate algorithms. The app has over 170 million users in the U.S., according to the company.

The proposal to force Chinese-owned ByteDance to sell TikTok received a bipartisan endorsement in March when it passed the House on a 352-65 vote, but has been stalled in the U.S. Senate.

This time around, House lawmakers have extended a provision that would now give TikTok 270 days, up from 180 days, to find a buyer and remain in compliance if the bill is enacted. Also tucked in the new language is the authority for the president to grant an additional one-time extension up to 90 days.

Under the provision, if TikTok does not split from its Chinese parent-company within that time frame, app stores and web hosting platforms would be committing a crime by distributing, maintaining or updating the video sharing site.

Spy balloon in your phone

Rep. Michael McCaul, chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, on Thursday likened TikTok to having a spy balloon in your phone, referring to the February 2023 incident when a surveillance balloon from China drifted over the U.S. before being shot down off the coast of South Carolina.

If youre worried about privacy, as I know you are extremely worried about that, and if we dont think Congress should be using TikTok, why in the world would we let our children use it or the American people? the Texas Republican said to House Rules Committee member Rep. Thomas Massie during a Thursday hearing.

Congress banned TikTok from government-issued devices last year.

Massie said he opposed the addition of the TikTok bill into the larger national security package.

This was not unanimously supported on the floor of the House. Its been described as a sweetener in the bill. It doesnt sweeten the package for me at all. Its kind of sour if you ask me, the Kentucky Republican said.

Massie cited concerns that the bill would grant too much power to the president and executive branch agencies in determining when an application owned by a foreign adversary has been divested.

Im just afraid that we are creating another authority for the executive branch where we could have withheld some discretion, Massie said. The president, whoever that may be, we dont know whos going to win the next election, whoever that may be, may abuse that authority.

An email sent Thursday to Congress members by the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party highlighted talking points to counter criticism. The message underscored that only applications owned by specifically designated foreign adversaries would be subject under the bill, if enacted.

Congress is the only one that can change the (foreign adversary) definition used in this bill, not the Biden administration, read an email from Allison Aprahamian, the committees communications director.

The bills sponsor, Rep. Mike Gallagher, who chairs the committee, is set to leave Congress on Friday. However, an aide said the Wisconsin Republican has the flexibility to stay and support the package through Saturday, when votes are expected.

Senate hesitation

While the bill sailed through the powerful House Committee on Energy and Commerce with unanimous support in March and landed on the House floor days later, the Senate has not followed with speed.

Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Washington Democrat who chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce, told reporters she doesnt want to rush through the process.

I think its important to get it right, Cantwell told reporters outside a classified briefing on TikTok on March 20.

It remains unclear if the upper chamber would let the House TikTok bill go through as part of the national security supplemental package.

A TikTok spokesperson said Thursday that the company finds it unfortunate that the House of Representatives is using the cover of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again jam through a ban bill that would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, devastate 7 million businesses, and shutter a platform that contributes $24 billion to the U.S. economy, annually.

Other pieces of the package

Another provision gaining attention is the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act, otherwise known as the REPO Act.

The McCaul bill introduced nearly a year ago with Ohio Democrat Marcy Kaptur, among other sponsors, would liquidate confiscated Russian assets into a fund for humanitarian and reconstruction efforts in Ukraine.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, of Louisiana, vowed during recess that he would attach the REPO Act to the administrations Ukraine aid request as a way to attract skeptical conservatives who largely oppose helping the war-torn European ally.

Other bills in the package include:

The post U.S. House tries anew to force sale or ban for TikTok, a spy balloon in your phone appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
U.S. likely to enact a law soon that could ban TikTok nationwide

WASHINGTON  Legislation that could ban TikTok in the U.S. unless it cuts ties with its Chinese parent company is on a path to quickly get to President Joe Bidens desk and be signed into law.

The bill, which has the backing of Biden and key members of Congress, would allow the administration to ban the popular video-sharing app nationwide if it does not divest from China-based ByteDance within one year.

A similar bill already passed the House in a lopsided, bipartisan 352-65 vote in March. But its been stalled in the Democratic-controlled Senate, where Commerce Chairwoman Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., had been looking to put her mark on the bill.

Now, the House is planning to package a slightly revised TikTok bill with billions in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, all but guaranteeing the potential TikTok ban will become law.

Read the full story on NBC News.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Federal judges will be limited from enhancing defendants' sentences based on conduct a jury acquitted them of, a practice that has drawn condemnation from a wide range of civil liberties groups, lawmakers, and jurists.

The U.S. Sentencing Commission, a bipartisan panel that creates guidelines for the federal judiciary, voted unanimously Wednesday to adopt an amendment prohibiting judges from using acquitted conduct when calculating a defendant's sentencing range under those guidelines. The only exception is if the conduct "also establishes, in whole or in part, the instant offense of conviction."

"Not guilty means not guilty," U.S. District Judge Carlton W. Reeves, the chair of the Sentencing Commission, said in a press release. "By enshrining this basic fact within the federal sentencing guidelines, the Commission is taking an important step to protect the credibility of our courts and criminal justice system."

Although it sounds antithetical to what everyone is taught about the American justice system, at the sentencing phase of a trial, federal judges could enhance defendants' sentences for conduct they were acquitted of if the judge decided it was more likely than nota lower standard of evidence than "beyond a reasonable doubt"that the defendant committed those offenses. This raised defendants' scores under the federal sentencing guidelines, leading to significantly longer prison sentences.

For example, Reason's Billy Binion reported on the case of Dayonta McClinton, who was charged with robbing a CVS pharmacy in Indiana at gunpoint and killing one of his accomplices during a dispute after the robbery. A jury convicted McClinton of robbing the pharmacy but acquitted him of killing his accomplice. A federal judge nevertheless used the accomplice's death to enhance McClinton's sentence from the 5771 months recommended under the guidelines to 228 months.

McClinton filed a petition to the Supreme Court challenging the use of acquitted conduct at his sentencing, but despite several Supreme Court justices previously expressing doubt about the constitutionality of the practiceincluding Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomasthe Court declined to take up the case last June. Reuters reported that four of the justices signaled they would defer to the Sentencing Commission.

The Justice Department opposed a previous proposal by the Sentencing Commission to limit the use of acquitted conduct.

"Curtailing courts' discretion to consider conduct related to acquitted counts would be a significant departure from long-standing sentencing practice, Supreme Court precedent and the principles of our guidelines," Jessica Aber, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, testified before the Commission last February.

The Justice Department declined to comment on the new policy.

The practice also outraged members of Congress. For the past several years, Sens. Chuck Grassley (RIowa) and Dick Durbin (DIll.) have introduced legislation to ban the use of acquitted conduct at sentencing in federal trials, but so far none have passed.

In a statement today, Durbin continued to call for the passage of his and Grassley's Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act, saying "this unjust practice must be prohibited under federal law."

"Under our Constitution, defendants can only be convicted of a crime if a jury of their peers finds they are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt," Durbin said. "However, federal law inexplicably allows judges to override a jury verdict of 'not guilty' by sentencing defendants based on acquitted conduct. This practice is inconsistent with the Constitution's guarantees of due process and the right to a jury trial. That's why I applaud the Sentencing Commission's important step to limit the use of acquitted conduct."

The post U.S. Sentencing Commission Restricts Federal Judges' Ability To Use Acquitted Conduct at Sentencing appeared first on Reason.com.
A volunteer uses a kayak during a rescue operation through a road flooded due to heavy rains in Dubai

A volunteer uses a kayak during a rescue operation through a road flooded due to heavy rains in Dubai

DUBAI (Reuters) -Dubai, a city in the desert proud of its modern gloss, faced the towering task on Thursday of clearing its waterclogged roads and drying out flooded homes two days after a record storm saw a year's rain fall in a day.

Dubai International Airport, a major travel hub, struggled to clear a backlog of flights and many roads were still flooded in the aftermath of Tuesday's deluge.

The rains were the heaviest experienced by the United Arab Emirates in the 75 years that records have been kept. They brought much of the country to a standstill and caused significant damage.

Flooding trapped residents in traffic, offices and homes. Many reported leaks at their homes, while footage circulated on social media showed malls overrun with water pouring from roofs.

In Dubai, the UAE's most populous emirate, traffic remained disrupted even as public transportation services resumed.

Street closures, detours and partially submerged roads caused heavy congestion, with some cars driving towards oncoming traffic in effort to avoid flooded areas.

A highway through Dubai was reduced to a single lane in one direction, while the main road that connects Dubai with the capital Abu Dhabi was partially closed in both directions.

"This was like nothing else. It was like an alien invasion," Jonathan Richards, a Dubai resident from Britain told Reuters.

"I woke up the other morning to people in kayaks with pet dogs, pet cats, suitcases all outside my house."

Another resident, Rinku Makhecha, said the rain swamped her freshly renovated house she moved into two weeks ago.

"My entire living room is just like ... all my furniture is floating right now," she said.

Vehicles, including buses, were abandoned on streets and some could be seen submerged in water. In Abu Dhabi, some supermarkets and restaurants faced product shortages, unable to receive deliveries from Dubai.

Dubai airport had yet to resume normal operation after the storm flooded taxiways, forcing flight diversions, delays and cancellations.

Dubai Airports Chief Operating Officer Majed Al Joker told Al Arabiya TV he expected Dubai International Airport to reach 60-70% capacity by the end of Thursday and full operational capacity within 24 hours.

The airport struggled to get food to stranded passengers with nearby roads flooded and overcrowding limited access to those who had confirmed bookings.

RETURNING SUPPLIES

The storm, which hit neighbouring Oman on Sunday, pounded the UAE on Tuesday, with 20 reported dead in Oman and one in the UAE.

While some roadways into hard-hit communities remain flooded, delivery services across Dubai, whose residents are used to ordering everything at the click of a mouse, slowly began returning to the streets.

Rains are rare in the UAE and elsewhere on the Arabian Peninsula, which is typically known for its dry desert climate. Summer air temperatures can soar above 50 degrees Celsius.

Following Tuesday's events, questions were raised whether cloud seeding, a process that the UAE frequently conducts, could have caused the heavy rains.

But climate experts blame global warming for such extreme weather events.

Researchers anticipate that climate change will lead to heightened temperatures, increased humidity and a greater risk of flooding in parts of the Gulf region. Countries like the UAE where there is a lack of drainage infrastructure to cope with heavy rains can suffer the most.

A UAE government agency that oversees cloud seeding - a process of manipulating clouds to increase rainfall - denied conducting any such operations before the storm.

President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said in a statement he had ordered authorities to assess the damage and provide support to families impacted by the storm.

Dubai's Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum said on X that the safety of citizens, residents and visitors was the utmost priority.

"At a meeting with government officials in Dubai, we set directives to prepare comprehensive plans in response to natural crises' such as the unexpected current weather conditions," he said.

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell, Federico Maccioni, Yousef Saba, Abir Ahmar and Amr Alfiky; Editing by Maha El Dahan, Tom Hogue, Angus MacSwan, Tomasz Janowski and David Evans)
The United Auto Workers has its eyes set on expanding its footprint in Tennessee and the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga.

But if past is prologue, there is reason to be concerned.

For this we can look to what happened in Michigan.

What was considered a success for the United Auto Workers union in Michigan was a long-term catastrophe for many of the actual workers.

After a much-hyped strike against the big three automakers last year, over 5,000 auto workers were laid off across the country.

Untold numbers of employees working for suppliers also lost their jobs. Its part of a long-term pattern for the union. The UAW has ruined Michigan and Detroit. It once had 1.5 million members back in the late 1970s. Today its membership is down to less than 150,000 workers.

Counterpoint: Southern governors like Tennessee's Bill Lee fear unionized workers will become powerful

Unionization would stifle economic gains of Tennessee

Unions continue to push for more money until they run businesses out of the country. The UAWs most recent demands included a 40% wage increase, restoration of defined-benefit pensions, payment for all health-care costs for retirees and only a four-day work week while getting paid for five days.

Mary Barton pickets with other workers near General Motors plant in Spring Hill after United Auto Workers Local 1853 announced a strike after 44 days of negotiations with GM in Spring Hill, Tenn., Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023.

Unrealistic demand terms like these result in stifled economic growth as employers look for more business-friendly environments.

Tennessee autoworkers should stand strong against the union. International automakers support more than 117,000 careers in Tennessee and have generated $8.4 billion in total employee compensation.

Nationwide, international automakers represent a growing sector of our economy providing hundreds of thousands of high-quality, good-paying American jobs  16% of which are held by Latinos  and supporting millions more across the country.

They provide health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance and cover an average of 90% of health care premiums, while offering an average of 25 days of paid time off on top of paid holidays and other leave benefits. Lets not throw that away.

Workers deserve information and transparency

Some of the UAWs tactics have me concerned about workers rights. Consider the card check campaign that was conducted in Chattanooga. The process of card check strips away the privacy and autonomy of workers, subjecting them to overt pressure, coercion and intimidation tactics. Workers are coerced into publicly declaring their stance on union representation by signing or abstaining from signing authorization cards. The mere collection of enough signatures could swiftly tip the scales in favor of unionization, leaving dissenting voices unheard.

Simultaneously, politicians in Washington and union leaders are exerting immense pressure on international automakers to acquiesce to neutrality agreements. These agreements, a departure from established legal norms, muzzle employers from disseminating crucial information about unionization to their employees. Under the guise of neutrality, employers are effectively gagged from discussing the potential drawbacks of union membership, leaving workers at the mercy of one-sided narratives peddled by unions.

Moreover, the mishandling of union dues raises serious questions about transparency and accountability. Workers' hard-earned dues, intended for the betterment of labor conditions, often find their way into the coffers of union bosses or are diverted towards partisan political contributions. The staggering amounts funneled into left-leaning causes, including hefty sums directed towards political attacks on figures like Governor Bill Lee, underscore the divergence between workers' interests and the political agenda advanced by union leadership.

In the midst of this tumult, the fundamental rights of Tennessee's workers hang in the balance, overshadowed by the relentless pursuit of power and influence by unions and their political allies. As the battle rages on, the need for informed decision-making, transparency and genuine advocacy for workers' rights becomes ever more imperative in safeguarding the integrity of labor representation in the state. Workers deserve transparency and a private or secret ballot vote on any unionization attempt.

Tennessee workers deserve protections, but they also deserve the freedom to choose to unionize and live in place where our local economy is thriving and providing employment opportunities to live out their version of the American Dream.

Raul Lopez is the co-founder and chairman of Latinos for Tennessee .

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee workers should be wary of UAW unionization efforts
UK Foreign Secretary calls for "creativity" in using Russian assets to aid Ukraine

UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron has called for a "creative" approach to using frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine, following a meeting of G7 foreign ministers on the Italian island of Capri on 18 April.

Source: AFP citing Cameron, as reported by European Pravda

Details: While talking with journalists, Cameron said Western countries had to find ways of using Russian assets to aid Ukraine and have reached a consensus on how to do so.

Quote: "I'm in no doubt we will find a way, but we're going to have to be creative, we'll have to be flexible."

Background:

Camerons remarks came amid growing calls in the US and Europe to set up a fund for Ukraine using billions of dollars of Russian assets frozen by the West following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Cameron was the first to openly suggest using these assets as a loan for Kyiv.

The European Union is currently developing a plan to use a percentage of the income from Russian assets, but some countries, such as Poland and Estonia, believe that the West should use all frozen Russian assets.

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How UK is helping lead the discussion on this type of preventable cancer

The University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center is working to decrease cancer rates linked to Human Papillomavirus, HPV.

By hosting the two-day HPV Cancer Center Consortium this week, UK is helping lead the discussion to promote collaborative HPV cancer research.

At the conference, researchers with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute and leading research universities presented studies related to increasing HPV vaccine rates and stopping the spread of HPV-related cancers.

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S., and can lead to cancer of the cervix, vagina, vulva, penis, anus and back of throat. Kentucky has the highest rate of HPV-related cancers in the nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

We dont think its necessary to mandate vaccines. We think its most important to train healthcare providers (and) educate parents so they have the right information so they know how to protect their children from harm, UK Markey Cancer Center Associate Director of Population Science and Community Impact Pamela Hull said. You can increase vaccination rates without being required.

The UK Markey Cancer Center.

How is the HPV vaccine given? How old can you be to get a shot?

The HPV vaccine is administered as a series. If the first dose of the vaccine is given before a patients 15th birthday, only two doses are needed. If the first dose is given after, the shot series is three total injections.

People as young as nine-years-old can get the vaccine, but the CDC does not recommend anyone over 26 years old start the series. The vaccine, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2007, has the potential to prevent more than 90% of HPV-related cancers, according to the CDC.

Hull said the vaccine is so effective, HPV related cancers could be eradicated. She said strategies that address HPV vaccination on multiple levels is the next step in expanding vaccine access.

Isabel Scarinci, who attended the conference, organized a social movement in Alabama to wipe-out cervical cancer with the HPV vaccine. Scarinci and her team went into public schools and talked to students about the importance of vaccination and prevention.

She said her team wanted to educate at all levels  teachers, students, parents and staff. With her outreach, Alabama public school students worked to spread the word about HPV vaccination to decrease the states rate of cervix cancer. The student-made logo and slogan are now being used by the state health department.

Following Scarincis work, the Alabama Department of Public Health adopted a ten year plan to increase the HPV vaccination rate of Alabama children aged nine-12 years-old from 22% to 90% by 2033.

Its not research. Its really social organization, Scarinci said.

HPV vaccine misinformation

Armed with a vaccine that can prevent cancer, Sarah Kobrin with the National Cancer Institute said HPV-related cancers occupy a unique space in cancer research. As cancer researchers suddenly thrust into a vaccine space, she said collaboration became the pillar of successful research.

The top priority of HPV uptake research in the U.S. is addressing vaccine misinformation, according to a study by Noel Brewer from the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Our primary care doctors  those are our pediatricians, our family physicians  they are really key  the research has shown that a doctor giving a strong recommendation for the vaccine is the number one predictor that someone is going to decide to get it, Hull said. Its the number one reason why parents choose to get the vaccine, because we trust our doctors. We trust their recommendations.
UK provides Ukraine with equipment for register of persons liable for military service

The UK government has supplied Ukraine's Ministry of Defence with the equipment required to deal with Oberih, the Unified State Register of Persons Liable for Military Service, Conscripts and Reservists.

Source: press service of Ukraines Defence Ministry

Quote: "As part of the project, SDA handed over 187 laptops, 187 scanners and 187 printers for use in the military enlistment offices. This initiative is part of the UK Special Defence Advisor Programme funded by the UK Government."

Martin Molloy, Special Adviser on Defence at the UK Embassy in Ukraine, stated that the UK government supports Ukraine's digital development.

Molloy stated that the UK is pleased to be a member of numerous reform initiatives, including the IT Coalition and the Drone Coalition. One of the ways they may help is by providing equipment to operate with the Oberih register.

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UKs Sunak to Visit Poland Soon to Discuss Security, Tusk Says

(Bloomberg) -- UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will visit Poland soon to discuss security topics, and may be joined by NATO boss Jens Stoltenberg, Premier Donald Tusk said on Thursday.

Most Read from Bloomberg

In the wake of Irans missile and drone attack on Israel, Tusk announced that Poland will join the so-called European Sky Shield Initiative, an air defense system which currently includes 21 countries, including the UK.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
COLOMBO, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Former Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen was freed on Thursday after the country's High Court overturned a conviction against him by a lower court for money laundering and bribery.

The former president was sentenced to 11 years in prison on December 25, 2022, by the Criminal Court on charges of bribery and money laundering over kickbacks from a private company during his tenure as president.

On Thursday evening, the High Court overturned the lower court's verdict which sentenced Yameen to 11 years in prison on charges of money laundering and bribery.

The High Court also overturned the Criminal Court's verdict which sentenced the former president to seven years in prison over money laundering charges and ordered a retrial.

Earlier on the day, the High Court ordered a retrial be granted to Yameen on the charges of accepting bribes in the lease of Vaavu Atoll Aarah.

With these rulings, the High Court has now freed Yameen of the entire 11 years in prison. The verdict came ahead of the April 21 parliamentary elections.

Yameen was fielding candidates from a political party he formed while serving his sentence. 
Annalena Baerbock German Minister for Foreign Affairs, meets with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting. Italy is chairing this year's group of seven important Western industrialized nations. The wars in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip are among the most important topics. Britta Pedersen/dpa

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) wealthy industrialized democracies gathered on the Italian island of Capri on Thursday amid mounting risks of a broader regional conflict in the Middle East and calls for expanded support for Ukraine.

Further sanctions targeting Iran following attacks on Israel were among the issues discussed by the ministers, as were efforts to prevent further escalation and dissuading Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from launching a large-scale counter-attack.

Additional military aid for Ukraine, which has been battling against a full-scale Russian invasion for more than two years, is also expected to be a major topic at the two-day meeting.

The host of the meeting, Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, assured Israel of his support on behalf of all G7 countries: "We are friends of Israel. We support Israel."

The G7 also includes the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Japan. The European Union also takes part in the meetings.

At the same time, he urged both sides to de-escalate. It is feared that a major Israeli counter-attack could lead to a conflagration in the entire region, far beyond Israel's ongoing military offensive in the Gaza Strip that has been going on for six months.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also called for a tougher stance against Tehran following the Iranian drone and missile attack on Israel, but has also warned against an expansion of the conflict.

"Iran must be isolated. And at the same time, there must be no further escalation," she said on Thursday on the sidelines of the meeting of foreign ministers from the G7 major industrialized nations in Capri in Italy.

"Of course there must be a response to this unprecedented incident," but a further escalation would be "fatal for the people: in Israel, in the West Bank, in Lebanon, in the entire region," Baerbock said.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba are also expected to attend the meeting in the afternoon.

Better air-defence support for Ukraine is expected to be on the table in the wake of massive Russian air attacks on Ukraine.

Kuleba said he met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday and discussed in detail efforts to secure additional US-made Patriot air-defence systems and missiles as quickly as possible.

Baerbock said she planned to discuss further Patriot systems for Ukraine during her one-to-one meeting with Blinken.

Kuleba also appealed to US lawmakers to swiftly approve an additional Ukraine aid package, which has been blocked by the Republican opposition for months.

The US House of Representatives is expected to finally vote on the $61 billion package on Saturday.

The European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, on Thursday also urged swift action to provide Ukraine with air defences, saying help is urgently needed to prevent Russia from destroying Ukraine's electricity infrastructure.

Borrell said that EU countries must not rely on the US, but demonstrate their own strength and take responsibility for arming Ukraine directly: "We have Patriots. We have anti-missile systems."

Borrell also urged strict implementation of sanctions on Iran for delivering drones to Russia. Russian forces have made extensive use of Iranian-made drones in attacks on Ukrainian cities.

The G7 foreign ministers' meeting, like all such major diplomatic summits, is taking place amid tight security. More than 1,300 police officers and other security forces are deployed on the island in the Gulf of Naples to protect the ministers.
(L-R)US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Bundnis 90/Die Grunen), British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, and Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, pose for family photos at the meeting of the G7 foreign ministers. Britta Pedersen/dpa

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) wealthy industrialized democracies gathered on the Italian island of Capri on Thursday amid mounting risks of a broader regional conflict in the Middle East and calls for expanded support for Ukraine.

Further sanctions targeting Iran following attacks on Israel were among the issues discussed by the ministers, as were efforts to prevent further escalation and dissuading Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from launching a large-scale counter-attack.

Additional military aid for Ukraine, which has been battling against a full-scale Russian invasion for more than two years, is also expected to be a major topic at the two-day meeting.

The host of the meeting, Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, assured Israel of his support on behalf of all G7 countries: "We are friends of Israel. We support Israel."

The G7 also includes the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Japan. The European Union also takes part in the meetings.

At the same time, he urged both sides to de-escalate. It is feared that a major Israeli counter-attack could lead to a conflagration in the entire region, far beyond Israel's ongoing military offensive in the Gaza Strip that has been going on for six months.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called for a tougher stance against Tehran following the Iranian drone and missile attack on Israel, but has also warned against an expansion of the conflict.

"Iran must be isolated. And at the same time, there must be no further escalation," she said on Thursday on the sidelines of the meeting in Capri.

"Of course there must be a response to this unprecedented incident," but a further escalation would be "fatal for the people: in Israel, in the West Bank, in Lebanon, in the entire region," Baerbock said.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also joined the meeting in the afternoon.

Better air-defence support for Ukraine is expected to be on the table in the wake of massive Russian air attacks on Ukraine.

Ukraine's needs on that front are very urgent, Stoltenberg said, but added: "At the same time, I see some important encouraging signs when it comes to NATO Allies stepping up support for Ukraine."

Kuleba said he met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday and discussed in detail efforts to secure additional US-made Patriot air-defence systems and missiles as quickly as possible.

Baerbock said she planned to discuss further Patriot systems for Ukraine during her one-to-one meeting with Blinken.

Kuleba also appealed to US lawmakers to swiftly approve an additional Ukraine aid package, which has been blocked by the Republican opposition for months.

"In this moment, it is urgent that all of the friends and supporters of Ukraine maximize their efforts to provide ... Ukraine what it needs to continue to effectively defend itself against this Russian aggression," Blinken said in a statement on Thursday.

Blinken expressed hope that the US House of Representatives would vote to approve the $61 billion package on Saturday.

The European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, on Thursday also urged swift action to provide Ukraine with air defences, saying help is urgently needed to prevent Russia from destroying Ukraine's electricity infrastructure.

Borrell said that EU countries must not rely on the US, but demonstrate their own strength and take responsibility for arming Ukraine directly: "We have Patriots. We have anti-missile systems."

Borrell also urged strict implementation of sanctions on Iran for delivering drones to Russia. Russian forces have made extensive use of Iranian-made drones in attacks on Ukrainian cities.

The US and UK have already imposed fresh sanctions on Tehran, with the latest US sanctions targeting the Iranian drone programme as well as the steel industry and car manufacturers.

The EU could impose further sanctions on Iran next week.

The G7 foreign ministers' meeting, like all such major diplomatic summits, is taking place amid tight security. More than 1,300 police officers and other security forces are deployed on the island in the Gulf of Naples to protect the ministers.

Annalena Baerbock German Minister for Foreign Affairs, meets with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting. Italy is chairing this year's group of seven important Western industrialized nations. The wars in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip are among the most important topics. Britta Pedersen/dpa
Ukraine Ambassador to US reveals details of support for Ukraine to be considered by US Congress

Ukraine's Ambassador to the US Oksana Markarova. Stock photo: Getty Images

Ukraine's Ambassador to the US Oksana Markarova has revealed details of the bill regarding US support for Ukraine, which, as expected, will be considered by the US House of Representatives on 20 April, after many months of delay.

Source: European Pravda, citing Markarovas explanations

The bill introduced by Speaker Mike Johnson provides for US$60.8 billion to assist Ukraine and regional partners in countering Russia.

It includes defence expenditure amounting to US$49.9 billion, specifically:

US$23.2 billion to replenish defence articles and defence services provided to Ukraine;

US$11.3 billion for current US military operations in the region;

US$13.8 billion for the procurement of advanced weapons systems, defence articles, and defence services;

US$1.6 billion in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) will be used to meet the needs of Ukraine and other regional partners.

Additionally, the funding includes:

US $26 million to continue oversight and accountability of aid and equipment provided to Ukraine.

US$5 million to the State Department for administering defence assistance;

US$300 million for assistance to Ukraine in defending its borders and advancing the rule of law;

US$100 million to support mine clearance programmes, counterterrorism efforts, and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The bill also features US$9.5 billion for economic assistance to Ukraine and countries affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine:

US$7.849 billion for economic assistance to Ukraine, which may include direct budgetary support - apart from pension reimbursement;

US$1.575 billion for other types of economic assistance to Ukraine and affected countries;

US$25 million to the USAID Office of Transition Initiatives to support Ukraine and countries affected by the Russian invasion;

US$50 million for responding to the global food security situation.

It also provides for the allocation of:

US$149 million to the US National Nuclear Security Administration to respond to nuclear safety situations in Ukraine;

US$481 million to the US Department of Health and Human Services for assistance to Ukrainians who have received humanitarian parole in the US through the U4U programme.

Additionally, the bill provides for the allocation of extra funding, which will be used, among other things, to provide assistance to Ukraine and respond to the situation in Ukraine related to the Russian invasion, including:

US$60 million for diplomatic programmes;

US$8 million to the Office of the Inspector General of the State Department;

US$39 million for USAIDs operational costs;

US$10 million to the Office of the Inspector General of USAID;

US$98 million to the US Department of Energy for the acquisition, development and production of radioactive isotopes.

The text also foresees that:

Oversight is strengthened through monitoring requirements;

Partners and allies are required to provide proportionate levels of assistance spending;

An agreement with the government of Ukraine is envisaged for the return of funds provided for economic support;

Limits within the PDA (Presidential Drawdown Authority) mechanism are increased.

Background:

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson introduced separate bills on 17 April to assist American allies, including Ukraine, and also announced a separate initiative on border security between the US and Mexico, as well as countering Russia, China, and Iran.

The "Ukrainian" package entails allocating approximately US$61 billion in aid to Ukraine and its allies. The final vote on the bills is expected to take place by Saturday evening, 20 April.

President Joe Biden has expressed his readiness to sign the bills into law if approved by Congress, as introduced by Mike Johnson.

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Marjorie Taylor Greene with Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Dalton, Georgia - Brynn Anderson/AP

Members of Congress who vote for a major Ukraine funding bill should be conscripted into the countrys military, a hard-Right Republican has argued.

Marjorie Taylor Greene, a close ally of Donald Trump, has proposed a series of amendments to a $95 billion (76 billion) foreign aid package the House of Representatives is due to vote on after months of delay.

The package passed the Senate in February but has been stalled in the Republican-led chamber with the party divided over the ballooning cost of supporting Kyiv.

Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, has said the logjam from Kyivs biggest military backer has cost it lives and territory.

Mike Johnson, the Republican house speaker, has now said he is willing to take the personal risk of a rebellion within his party to bring the bills to fund Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, to the floor for a vote.

In a concession to hard-line Republicans, $9 billion of economic assistance for Kyiv is to be structured as forgivable loans.

Firefighters in the rubble of a collapsed building following a Russian missile attack on Chernihiv, Ukraine on April 17, 2024 - Anadolu

Democratic support for Mr Johnsons plan will be essential, given the razor-thin Republican majority in the House and opposition from far-Right Republicans.

Ms Taylor Greene is one of a handful of hardliners who have signalled they are willing to oust Mr Johnson from the speakers chair if the vote goes ahead, just months after Republicans deposed their last speaker, Kevin McCarthy, in a similar rebellion.

Mr Johnson has vowed to continue amid the threat of being booted out of power by his own party, casting himself as a wartime speaker.

I think providing lethal aid to Ukraine right now is critically important, he said, adding: Im willing to take personal risk for that.

In a symbolic show of protest, Ms Taylor Greene has proposed a series of amendments to the package that would require any member of Congress who votes in favour of it to conscript in the Ukrainian military.

I mean if you want to fund the war, why dont you go fight in it? she added.

A missile is launched from Israel's Iron Dome - JULIAN SIMMONDS/Israel Defence Research

The far-Right Georgia congresswoman has previously shared conspiracies, including that a mass school shooting was a hoax and the anti-Semitic suggestion that Jewish-financed space lasers caused wildfires in California in 2018.

In her amendments to the foreign aid package, Ms Taylor Greene also called for space laser technology to be deployed at the Mexico border. rather than providing additional support for Israels war in Gaza.

Israel has some of the best unmanned defense systems in the world, she wrote on Twitter, alongside a proposed amendment to the bill. America needs to take our national security seriously and deserves the same type of defense for our border that Israel has and proudly uses.

While Ms Taylor Greene is on the ideological fringe of her party in some regards, her opposition to Ukraine aid is shared by a growing number of populist hardliners.

Another conservative congressman, Matt Gaetz of Florida, described Mr Johnsons decision to move ahead with the foreign aid bills as tantamount to surrender to the Democrats demands.

Mr Trump has also been sceptical of supporting Kyiv, but offered Mr Johnson some political cover by praising him for doing a very good job during an event with the house speaker last week.

Joe Biden has been urging Congress, which controls the governments purse, to pass the foreign aid package since October.

The House must pass the package this week, and the Senate should quickly follow, the US president said.

I will sign this into law immediately to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends, and we wont let Iran or Russia succeed.

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Ukraine Lieutenant Colonel Serhiy Verbytsky examines the remains of his SU-24M aircraft on the outskirts of the town of Izyum, Kharkiv Region - ANATOLII STEPANOV/AFP

Ukrainian forces have struck a large Russian airfield on the annexed Crimean peninsula, destroying an array of military equipment.

The attack seriously damaged four missile launchers, three radar stations and other equipment, Ukraines military spy agency said on Thursday.

The number of enemy aviation objects destroyed or damaged and the number of casualties among personnel of the Russian occupation army is being clarified, it said after announcing the successful operation.

The strike took place during the early hours of Wednesday at the Dzhankoi air base, on the northern part of the peninsula seized by Moscow in 2014.

Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, thanked his top military commander for what he called a correct strike against the occupier.

He expressed gratitude to servicemen staging special operations, especially important operations, extremely significant ones that destroy the equipment of the Russian army, their combat infrastructure.

Follow for latest updates.

03:01 PM BST

Thanks for following todays live blog

Thank you for following todays live coverage of the war in Ukraine.

Well be back soon with all the latest updates from the conflict.

03:01 PM BST

Watch: Ukraine strikes Crimea

New footage shared by the General Staff of Ukraines armed forces shows the moment Crimea was struck with shelling on Wednesday morning.

02:54 PM BST

Russia tightens officials travel rules due to fears over secrets

Russia is making overseas travel harder for some officials due to fears that foreign powers may try to gain access to state secrets during the worst crisis in relations with the West for more than 60 years, nine sources told Reuters.

The Federal Security Service (FSB) is putting pressure on employees across government ministries not to leave Russia at all, even to visit so-called friendly countries that have not imposed sanctions against Moscow, the sources said.

You cant go anywhere at all, not even to Uzbekistan or Belarus for the May holidays, said one source. You can go only if you have permission.

Under pressure from the FSB, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, the government is prohibiting employees from various departments from travelling anywhere without special permission, the person said.

One source said those in government were informally banned from travel in 2022, a measure that was formally adopted in mid-2023. Now, similar restrictions have been introduced for people privy to state secrets across ministries.

02:43 PM BST

Russia may be ready to attack Nato in five to eight years, German official says

Russia could be ready militarily to attack Nato countries in five to eight years time if it chose to do so, Germanys top military official has said, once it has rebuilt its forces hit by the impact of the Ukraine war.

By then, based on our analysis, Russia [will have] reconstituted its own forces to a degree that an attack against Nato soil could be possible, Lieut Gen Carsten Breuer, Germanys chief of defence, told reporters during a visit to Poland.

I am not saying it will take place but that it could be possible, he said late on Wednesday.

Lieut Breuer added: We see that Russia is producing a lot of war-fighting material and it is not putting all of this material to the frontline in Ukraine... so in 2029 we have to be ready... What we see is a threat in five to eight years.

02:24 PM BST

Ukrainian exploding balloons shot down

Russia has claimed that it shot down five Ukrainian balloons capable of carrying explosives overnight.

Russian authorities have reported the balloons appearing over the battlefield in recent weeks.

They are equipped with a GPS module, can carry larger payloads than conventional, smaller drones and are harder to detect.

It is thought that the GPS module helps to coordinate the release of explosives over a specific area.

It remains unclear whether the drones are lifted by helium, hot air or something else entirely.

Three Ukrainian balloons were downed over the Voronezh region, which borders the occupied Luhansk region of Ukraine, and two others were intercepted in the Belgorod region of Russia next to Ukraine.

02:00 PM BST

Russia accused Ukraine of attack on Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant

Russian-installed officials at the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant have accused Ukraine of shelling a training centre inside of the facility.

The APU [Ukrainian armed forces] drone was neutralised over the roof of Building G of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant training centre, where the worlds only full-scale reactor hall simulator is located, the plants Russian overseers Telegram channel said.

The claim has not been independently verified and Ukraine is yet to comment on the incident.

Throughout the war, the Zaporizhzhia plant has been at the centre of of tit-for-tat accusations between Russia and Ukraine.

The pair have repeatedly accused each other of endangering the facility and risking a nuclear incident.

01:38 PM BST

Wests actions in Israel should result in boosted defences for Ukraine

Lithuania has said that the Wests actions in defending Israel from Irans attack should result in boosted defences for Ukraine.

Gitanas Nauseda, the Lithuanian president, called for a European air defence coalition.

Ukrainian cities are getting attacked on a daily basis while their skies remain unprotected. European air defence coalition for Ukraine might be a game changer, he said.

The example of allied actions to defend #Israel must lead to boosted air defense for #Ukraine.



 cities are getting attacked on a daily basis while their skies remain unprotected.



European air defense coalition for Ukraine might be a game changer.  Gitanas Nauseda (@GitanasNauseda) April 18, 2024

01:19 PM BST

Ukraine PM warns of third world war

Ukraines prime minister has warned of the possibility of a third world war if US aid to the country does not arrive soon.

Denys Shmyhal told the BBC:

We need this money yesterday, not tomorrow, not today. If we will not protect Ukraine will fall... So the global, the global system of security will be destroyed and all the world will need to find a new system of security. Or, there will be many conflicts, many such kinds of wars, and in the end of the day, it could lead to the third world war.

12:58 PM BST

Pictured: Ukraine is a hot topic at G7

Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, and Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraines foreign minister, attended a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 foreign ministers meeting on Capri Island, Italy, on Thursday.

Antony Blinken, left, and Dmytro Kuleba, right - AP/Gregorio Borgia

Dmytro Kuleba speaks with Reuters on the second day of the G7 foreign ministers meeting - Claudia Greco/REUTERS

12:33 PM BST

Russian attack damages infrastructure in Dnipropetrovsk region

A Russian missile attack on Ukraines Dnipropetrovsk region on Thursday morning damaged an infrastructure facility and an enterprise, a local official said.

Two people were injured and hospitalised, the regional governor said on Telegram.

The attack caused fires at two sites, he added. Ukraines air force issued a warning of a ballistic missile threat ahead of the strike.

Russia has stepped up combined missile and drone strikes targeting Ukraines power grid since mid-March, resulting in significant damage.

It has also increased its use of harder-to-intercept ballistic missiles.

12:00 PM BST

Germany says Russian ambassador summoned over spy arrests

The German foreign ministry on Thursday summoned Russias ambassador over the arrest in Germany of two men suspected of planning attacks - including on US army targets - for Moscow.

Annalena Baerbock, Germanys foreign affairs minister, had the envoy ordered in, a ministry spokesman told AFP, after the arrests in Bayreuth of the two men who are also accused of having spied for Russia.

11:51 AM BST

Ukraine hits military airfield in Russian-annexed Crimea

Ukraine said on Thursday that its forces had struck a Russian military airfield on the Crimean peninsula, which was annexed by Moscow in 2014.

Ukraines military intelligence unit said the armed forces conducted a successful operation on Wednesday at the base in Dzhankoi and had damaged radars and air defence systems, among other targets.

11:27 AM BST

US aid wont change military situation, says Russia

Russia said on Thursday that fresh US aid for Ukraine will not change anything on the battlefield after Mike Johnson, the US House Speaker, said he would advance a long-stalled package of military funding for Kyiv.

It wont in any way influence the development of the situation on the front... which is very unfavourable for the Ukrainian side, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

11:12 AM BST

Im innocent, says Russian spy unmasked by Telegraph

A German intelligence officer on trial in Germany for passing state secrets to Russia has insisted he is innocent, claiming that he was working in Berlins security interests.

At a court hearing on Wednesday, Carsten Linke said prosecutors have got his case the wrong way around, insisting that he was actually spying on a Russian businessman on Germanys behalf.

Mr Linke, 52, was fully identified by the Telegraph last year, with German prosecutors only referring to him as Carsten L under German privacy procedures.

He is accused of treason, with Germany suspecting him of leaking top-secret intelligence to Moscow for which he allegedly received cash payments.

Colleagues of Mr Linke at the BND, the German foreign intelligence agency, said they were aware that he had sympathies for the far-Right.

Despite this, he passed a background check and was promoted shortly before his arrest.

10:37 AM BST

Lord Cameron calls for release of British dual national Vladimir Kara-Murza

Lord David Cameron has called for the release of British national and Russian dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza.

Mr Kara-Murza is facing a long and arduous transfer from a Siberian penal colony to a Moscow court to appeal against his 25-year sentence on treason and other charges, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

Maria Eismont told reporters that the conditions of the transfer would amount to torture for Kara-Murza, 42, who suffers from a serious nerve condition.

Forcibly transferring British national @vkaramurza 1300 miles to court in Moscow would put his health at even greater risk. Russia's treatment of him is abhorrent. He must be released on humanitarian grounds for urgent medical treatment.  David Cameron (@David_Cameron) April 18, 2024

Lord Cameron wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that forcibly transferring Mr Kara-Murza would put his health at even greater risk and that it is abhorrent.

He must be released on humanitarian grounds for urgent medical treatment, he said.

Ms Eismont said transferring Kara-Murza from Omsk to Moscow was likely to take at least three weeks, during which time he would have no contact with his family or lawyers.

10:15 AM BST

Pictured: Arms set for Ukraine

Near the heart of president Joe Bidens hometown in Pennsylvania, machinery is churning out artillery for the war in Ukraine.

The Scranton Army Ammunition Plant (SCAAP) is making steel tubes for 155 mm calibre shells, which are crucial to Kyivs efforts to face down Moscows invasion.

An employee handles 155 mm caliber shells after the manufacturing process at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant - CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images

09:55 AM BST

Analysis: Arrests make disquieting reading for Nato

The news on Thursday morning that two more alleged Russian spies have been arrested in Germany will make disquieting reading for Nato officials.

It is the latest spying scandal to hit Germany after the hugely embarrassing leak of a phone call between German air force officers discussing a potential delivery of Taurus missiles to Ukraine, which was intercepted by Russia.

It also follows the arrest and ongoing trial of a German intelligence officer who is accused of passing state secrets to Russia.

And, last year, UK citizen David Smith, a worker at the British embassy in Berlin, was jailed for 13 years after an MI5 sting caught him spying for Russia.

Todays case involves two Russian-German citizens who were allegedly planning sabotage attacks on US military sites in Germany to undermine Berlins support for Ukraine.

That makes it arguably the most serious Russian spying case to be exposed in Germany since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

But it also reflects a high level of vigilance in Germany, which appears to have caught the suspects in an early stage of their attack plan, when they were carrying out surveillance on potential targets in Bavaria.

What is clear is that Russia views Germany as a prime target for its spying activities and seems to be planning much more daring attacks on Nato assets using its network of agents.

Germany remains on high alert for Russian espionage, as well as attempted terrorist attacks by Isis-K and Hamas-inspired lone wolves.

09:32 AM BST

Europe cannot rely on US to help Kyiv

Europe cannot rely on the United States to help Kyiv, the EUs top diplomat said on Thursday amid delays in Washingtons new funding package.

More than two years after Russias invasion, Ukraine is facing ammunition shortages, with vital US aid being stalled by Republicans in Congress for months.

Josep Borrell, the EUs foreign policy chief, said that he regretted that internal politics in the US was delaying a much-needed aid package for Ukraine worth $60.84 billion.

We cannot only rely on the US. We have to take our [own] responsibility and stop saying, oh, the US will do, he said.

Mr Borrell urged European countries to send their anti-missile systems to bolster Ukraines air defences as Russia pounds its cities.

We have Patriots, we have anti-missile systems. We have to take them [out] from our barracks where they are just in case and send them to Ukraine where the war is raging, Mr Borrell told reporters at a meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers in the island of Capri.

Otherwise the electricity system of Ukraine will be destroyed. And no country can fight without having electricity at home, in the factories, online, for everything, he added.

09:07 AM BST

Germanys Baerbock sees hopeful sign for continued US support of Ukraine

Annalena Baerbock, the German foreign minister, sees signs of hope out of the United States after her government pushed for Washington to continue its support for Ukraine in the war against Russia, she told reporters on Thursday.

In these turbulent times, it is a hopeful sign that there are now signals from the Republicans in the US that support for Ukraine can be continued intensively, Ms Baerbock said on the sidelines of a meeting with her G7 counterparts in Italy.

08:48 AM BST

Ukraine in dire need of US funding package

Ukraine is in desperate need of military weapons that are being held up by Congress failure to pass a funding package, Pentagon leaders said on Wednesday.

Gen. CQ Brown, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, described the situation in Ukraine as dire.

He told the House Defense Appropriations subcommittee that Ukraine is being outmatched by Russia, whether its munitions, whether its vehicles, whether its platforms.

Ill just tell you that Ukraine right now is facing some dire battlefield conditions.

Lloyd Austin, the US defense secretary, seated alongside Gen. Brown, told lawmakers that time matters.

Were already seeing things on the battlefield begin to shift a bit in Russias favour. We are seeing them make incremental gains. Were seeing the Ukrainians be challenged in terms of holding the line, he said.

Joe Biden, the US president, has urged Congress to pass the aid package and said that he would sign the funding package right away, sending a message that we wont let Iran or Russia succeed.

08:29 AM BST

Toll from Russias deadliest airstrike in weeks on Ukraine rises to 18

The death toll from a Russian airstrike on Chernihiv in northern Ukraine has risen to 18, officials said on Thursday, while another 78 were wounded when three missiles slammed into the city centre.

Wednesdays attack, which damaged civilian infrastructure in the northern city, was Russias deadliest airstrike in weeks and prompted calls from Ukraines top officials for additional air defence support.

Governor Vyacheslav Chaus said, via the Telegram messaging app, that the search and rescue operation ended on Thursday morning.

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Ukraine and the Czech Republic have begun negotiations on a draft bilateral security agreement, the Presidential Office said on April 18.

In lieu of NATO membership, Kyiv is seeking to sign similar agreements with as many of its Western allies as possible as it fights Russias full-scale invasion.

So far, nine have been signed with Latvia, Finland, the U.K., Germany, France, Denmark, Canada, Italy, and the Netherlands.

"The Czech Republic demonstrates continued leadership in supporting Ukraine and encourages other partners to implement bold and important initiatives, including the supply of ammunition to our country," Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Ihor Zhovkva said.

"We also feel the Czech Republic's strong support on the path to Ukraine's future membership in the EU and NATO."

Negotiations with the Czech Republic are being conducted by a Ukrainian delegation headed by the head of the Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak.

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The Czech delegation is headed by the director general for Security and Multilateral Issues of the Czech Foreign Ministry, David Konecky.

While the details of the agreement with the Czech Republic have yet to be negotiated, those already signed are 10-year deals pledging billions of euros in military aid and support.

France, for example, committed to deliver more munitions and provide up to 3 billion euros ($3.2 billion) in military aid to Ukraine in 2024.

The Czech Republic has become an increasingly supportive ally of Ukraine, most recently initiating a drive for critically needed artillery shells.

Czech President Petr Pavel announced in February that the Czech Republic had identified 500,000 155 mm shells and 300,000 122 mm shells outside of Europe that could be bought and sent to Ukraine after the necessary funds were allocated.

Since then, a number of countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Canada, Poland, France, Denmark, and others, have contributed funds to the initiative.

Read also: Czech FM: Ukrainians are fighting for all of Europe

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While Western eyes are fixed on Tehran and Tel Aviv, Ukraines frontlines are showing clear signs of crumbling. There is a very real possibility they could crumble this summer if we do not throw the kitchen sink at Russia. Even if we do, it may already be too late for the weapons and munitions long promised by the West to save the day.

The toll on both sides has been immense, and much worse than originally thought, but Russia now appears to have the upper hand. Perhaps most critically, the key resource now appears to be manpower rather than jets or tanks.

Russia has lost many more men on the wire of the Donbass than Kyiv has. Yet it seems to have a limitless supply of prisoners and conscripts to throw into its meat grinder. Ukraine, on the other hand, is struggling to scrape up enough men to man its positions. Young men in Ukraine know that a posting to the trenches is very likely to be a one-way ticket. They can see the US locked in internal debate over whether to arm them, and they can also see Britain and America actively intervening to shoot down Iranian drones while refusing to defend Kyiv against the constant Russian bombardment, even when Putin is a far greater threat to our own security. Why, then, would they choose to fight in what the West has apparently deemed a lost cause?

After all, Britain is barely even willing to defend itself. All of our major parties, in their initial electioneering salvos, are saying how important defence is. What they will not do is commit to spend the money we need to ensure our security until economic conditions allow. They should consider instead that security conditions may soon determine the state of our economy.

Our stocks of ammunition and especially precision missiles are thought to be perilously low. It is clear we only have a handful of tanks and even less people to crew them, and too many of our few serviceable fighter jets are patrolling the Middle East rather than Europe.

If the Ukrainian dam breaks this summer, it will already be too late to shore up our crumbling defences. As in 1914 and 1939, we will have to try and cling on in the hope industry can ramp up quickly and that the US will once again guarantee our security. Its an uncomfortable position to be in.

What we can do right now is help to shore up that dam. We can give Ukrainian troops gas masks and we can shoot down Russian drones and missiles fired at civilians, as we have Iranian ones.

Russias frontline gains are partly being driven by the use of chemical weapons. As Bob Seely MP puts it, the use of a low-level chemical weapon - CS gas - is becoming prevalent along the Ukrainian front lines. They dont have the correct gas masks. Just like the lack of ammunition, it is killing Ukrainians and endangering them, and ultimately, wider European security.

We can help with this. Britain is the leading developer and manufacturer of gas marks. It cannot be beyond the wit of the West to get these top-quality masks to the frontlines in Ukraine. As former defence secretary Ben Wallace told me today, for decades Britain has produced gas masks for many countries. We should be able to lean into this challenge with a significant donation from our own factories.

Secondly, we have now demonstrated that the RAF and other Nato fighter jets can shoot down drones and missiles fired at civilians without being engaged by Iran. Surely we can offer similar assistance in Ukraine? If we cant, then we should consider transferring the necessary assets. At the very least, we should tilt our forces back to providing air cover in Europe, rather than in the Middle East. If Putins forces do roll past Ukraines frontlines and towards Natos borders, we need to be ready.

It is in Europe where all our military focus must be. Whether we will be at war with Russia in Europe could well rest on what we do in the next few months to support Ukraine. Westminster needs to get hold of this notion now. If not, we will not be going to the polling stations in November, but to the enlistment centres to draw our packs and rifles to go and fight in Europe, once again.

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Members of 14th Tiantan Award jury attend the opening of the 14th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) in Beijing, capital of China, April 18, 2024. The 14th BJIFF kicked off on Thursday in the Chinese capital, welcoming filmmakers from home and abroad to discuss movie development and promote cultural exchanges in the industry.

Members of 14th Tiantan Award jury of this year's BJIFF, led by Serbian director Emir Kusturica as jury president, appeared at the opening ceremony.

A total of 1,509 films from 118 countries and regions applied to the competition this year, with 15 selected to contend for the Tiantan Award. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

BEIJING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The 14th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) kicked off on Thursday in the Chinese capital, welcoming filmmakers from home and abroad to discuss movie development and promote cultural exchanges in the industry.

Members of 14th Tiantan Award jury of this year's BJIFF, led by Serbian director Emir Kusturica as jury president, appeared at the opening ceremony.

A total of 1,509 films from 118 countries and regions applied to the competition this year, with 15 selected to contend for the Tiantan Award.

Brazil was invited to be this year's guest of honor, as 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Brazil. Four Brazilian movies reflecting cultural and regional diversity have been selected for the festival.

Over the course of the nine-day event, more than 250 domestic and international films will be shown across 27 theaters in Beijing, and in its neighboring Tianjin Municipality and Hebei Province.

Launched in 2011, the festival aims to boost exchange among global industry players. It has been attracting increasing international attention thanks to China's booming film market. 

Director Zhang Yimou (2nd R), actress Ma Li (2nd L), actor Lei Jiayin (1st R) and Liu Yaowen pose for a group photo on the red carpet of the 14th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) in Beijing, capital of China, April 18, 2024. The 14th BJIFF kicked off on Thursday in the Chinese capital, welcoming filmmakers from home and abroad to discuss movie development and promote cultural exchanges in the industry.

Members of 14th Tiantan Award jury of this year's BJIFF, led by Serbian director Emir Kusturica as jury president, appeared at the opening ceremony.

A total of 1,509 films from 118 countries and regions applied to the competition this year, with 15 selected to contend for the Tiantan Award. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Actor You Benchang (front) and Hu Ge attend the opening of the 14th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) in Beijing, capital of China, April 18, 2024. The 14th BJIFF kicked off on Thursday in the Chinese capital, welcoming filmmakers from home and abroad to discuss movie development and promote cultural exchanges in the industry.

Members of 14th Tiantan Award jury of this year's BJIFF, led by Serbian director Emir Kusturica as jury president, appeared at the opening ceremony.

A total of 1,509 films from 118 countries and regions applied to the competition this year, with 15 selected to contend for the Tiantan Award. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Director Gao Peng (2nd L), actress Qin Hailu (2nd R), actor Zu Feng (1st L) and Zhou Zhengjie attend the opening of the 14th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) in Beijing, capital of China, April 18, 2024. The 14th BJIFF kicked off on Thursday in the Chinese capital, welcoming filmmakers from home and abroad to discuss movie development and promote cultural exchanges in the industry.

Members of 14th Tiantan Award jury of this year's BJIFF, led by Serbian director Emir Kusturica as jury president, appeared at the opening ceremony.

A total of 1,509 films from 118 countries and regions applied to the competition this year, with 15 selected to contend for the Tiantan Award. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Actor Hu Ge (L) and actress Gao Yuanyuan walk on the red carpet of the 14th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) in Beijing, capital of China, April 18, 2024. The 14th BJIFF kicked off on Thursday in the Chinese capital, welcoming filmmakers from home and abroad to discuss movie development and promote cultural exchanges in the industry.

Members of 14th Tiantan Award jury of this year's BJIFF, led by Serbian director Emir Kusturica as jury president, appeared at the opening ceremony.

A total of 1,509 films from 118 countries and regions applied to the competition this year, with 15 selected to contend for the Tiantan Award. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Director Peter Ho-sun Chan walks on the red carpet of the 14th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) in Beijing, capital of China, April 18, 2024. The 14th BJIFF kicked off on Thursday in the Chinese capital, welcoming filmmakers from home and abroad to discuss movie development and promote cultural exchanges in the industry.

Members of 14th Tiantan Award jury of this year's BJIFF, led by Serbian director Emir Kusturica as jury president, appeared at the opening ceremony.

A total of 1,509 films from 118 countries and regions applied to the competition this year, with 15 selected to contend for the Tiantan Award. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Phillips, better known in China by his Chinese name Fei Xiang, attends the opening of the 14th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) in Beijing, capital of China, April 18, 2024. The 14th BJIFF kicked off on Thursday in the Chinese capital, welcoming filmmakers from home and abroad to discuss movie development and promote cultural exchanges in the industry.

Members of 14th Tiantan Award jury of this year's BJIFF, led by Serbian director Emir Kusturica as jury president, appeared at the opening ceremony.

A total of 1,509 films from 118 countries and regions applied to the competition this year, with 15 selected to contend for the Tiantan Award. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Actress Lan Yingying (C) and actor Liu Yichang (R) pose for a group photo on the red carpet of the 14th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) in Beijing, capital of China, April 18, 2024. The 14th BJIFF kicked off on Thursday in the Chinese capital, welcoming filmmakers from home and abroad to discuss movie development and promote cultural exchanges in the industry.

Members of 14th Tiantan Award jury of this year's BJIFF, led by Serbian director Emir Kusturica as jury president, appeared at the opening ceremony.

A total of 1,509 films from 118 countries and regions applied to the competition this year, with 15 selected to contend for the Tiantan Award. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)
Robert Habeck (L), Germany's Economy Minister, and Julia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, hold a press conference after a meeting with business representatives. Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Ukraine and Russia each reported thwarting drone and missile attacks launched by the other side overnight.

Ukrainian air defences destroyed all 13 incoming drones launched by Russia towards seven regions, the air force said. No damage from falling debris has so far been reported.

Germany Economy Minister Robert Habeck, who arrived in Kiev on Thursday for talks, was informed of the latest Russian assault. An air raid alert also sounded in the Ukrainian capital during his visit in the morning.

In Moscow, the Russian Defence Ministry said that 45 drones, missiles and other projectiles fired from Ukraine had been intercepted.

In the Russian border region of Belgorod, a woman was injured when falling debris from a projectile crashed into a house, damaging the roof and a wall, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

In the Rostov region, debris from a downed drone crashed into an industrial building, according to the authorities. One employee was injured there.

In Voronezh region, the authorities reported one person was injured and four houses were damaged after a drone was shot down.

Ukraine frequently attacks targets on Russian territory. But compared with the destruction wrought by Moscow across Ukraine, Russia has been comparatively unscathed.

Robert Habeck (L), Germany's Economy Minister, and Julia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, hold a press conference after a meeting with business representatives. Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Robert Habeck (L), Germany's Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, lays flowers at the memorial wall for the soldiers who died in the war. Kay Nietfeld/dpa
Ukraine says it took out prized Russian S-400 launchers with a strike on a base in Crimea

Ukraine says it took out prized Russian S-400 launchers with a strike on a base in Crimea

Ukraine said its forces took out multiple S-400 launchers during an attack on a Russian base.

The strikes on the Dzhankoi base in Crimea this week destroyed or damaged four launchers, Kyiv said.

The S-400 is a prized Russian air-defense system, and relatively few have been lost during the war.

Ukraine's military intelligence agency says Kyiv took out several of Russia's prized S-400 air-defense launchers during an attack on an airbase in the occupied Crimean peninsula this week.

The strikes, which occurred overnight on Tuesday, targeted the Dzhankoi military base in northern Crimea, and destroyed or critically damaged four S-400 launchers, three radar stations, air-defense equipment, and airspace surveillance equipment, the Ukrainian Main Directorate of Intelligence said on Thursday.

"The number of damaged or destroyed enemy aviation facilities and the number of casualties among the personnel of the Russian army of occupation is being clarified," the HUR, an arm of the country's defense ministry, wrote in a statement shared to the Telegram messaging app.

Footage of the attack shared on Thursday by Ukraine's defense ministry purported to show several munitions being launched into the sky and then a series of massive explosions at the base.

It's unclear what type of ordnance Kyiv's forces used for the strikes, and Business Insider was unable to immediately verify the footage.

 @GeneralStaffUA released a video of the attack on the military airfield in Dzhankoi. https://t.co/SL8O7v0Huh pic.twitter.com/HXLxo83V8y  Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) April 18, 2024

Explosions were initially reported around the base early Wednesday morning, and then footage of the Ukrainian attack began to circulate on social media.

Later, the pro-Ukraine Atesh partisan movement reported the "defeat" of an "S-400 complex." A launcher had exploded and there was serious damage to the remaining vehicles of the system, Atesh said, citing agents that the group said it had within the Russian military.

"The occupiers believed in their newest air-defense system so much that they placed warehouses with missiles directly next to the launcher," Atesh claimed in a Telegram statement.

Russia's formidable S-400 Triumf is a mobile, surface-to-air missile system that's capable of engaging targets  such as aircraft, drones, and cruise and ballistic missiles  at long ranges and high altitudes. The S-400 is the successor system to the S-200 and S-300 and is considered to be a Russian equivalent of the US-made MIM-104 Patriot battery.

The advanced S-400, which has been highly praised by Moscow, has played a role in denying Ukrainian aircraft the ability to operate close to the front lines. S-400 losses throughout the war have been relatively rare, although Kyiv has managed to destroy several systems, including a few as a result of attacks last fall.

Russia also had several different types of helicopters  including the Mi-8, Mi-25M, Mi-28, and Ka-52  deployed to the Dzhankoi base, according to the Institute for the Study of War think tank. The conflict analysts wrote that it is unclear if any of the aircraft suffered damage in the strike.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy celebrated the attack on Wednesday evening and thanked both the Ukrainian forces and Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky, the commander of Kyiv's military, for organizing the operation. "The occupier must lose, and each of their losses is Ukraine's strength," he said in an address to the nation.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The representatives of Ukraine and Czechia have started the negotiations on signing a bilateral security agreement. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

The representatives of Ukraine and Czechia have started the negotiations on signing a bilateral security agreement on 18 April.

Source: Office of the President of Ukraine, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The Ukrainian group at the current round of negotiations was headed by Ihor Zhovkva, Deputy Head of the Office of the President, while the Czech side was represented by David Konecky, Director General for Security and Multilateral Issues of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.

The sides exchanged their views on the future contents of the agreement, specifically strengthening cooperation in the defence-industrial sector, and agreed on a schedule of further negotiations so that the two leaders sign the agreement as soon as possible.

Petr Pavel, President of Czechia, had previously predicted that the signing could take place in May or June.

"The Czech Republic demonstrates continued leadership in supporting Ukraine and encourages other partners to implement bold and important initiatives, including the supply of ammunition to our country. We also feel the Czech Republic's strong support on the path to Ukraine's future membership in the EU and NATO," Zhovkva commented.

In July 2023, the G7 leaders, jointly with Ukraine, adopted a declaration that became the basis for signing bilateral security agreements. It is expected that they will guarantee long-term support for Ukraine until it joins NATO.

As of now, Ukraine has signed bilateral agreements with nine countries, with Latvia being the last one. Norway is also expected to sign such an agreement with Ukraine.

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Key developments on April 18:

Ukraine destroys missile launchers, radar stations at Russian military airfield in Crimea, says Military intelligence

Reuters: Ukraine says Russia's use of illegal tear gas on battlefield is increasing

Zelensky: Ukraine to produce 10 Bohdana howitzers this month

German delegation promises new IRIS-T delivery shortly

Russian attacks on Donetsk Oblast kill 2, injure 3

Ukraine destroyed several units of military equipment in an attack on a Russian military airfield in Dzhankoi in occupied Crimea on April 17, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) reported.

The agency said on April 18 that Ukrainian forces had destroyed four S-400 launchers, three radar stations, a command post for air defense operations, and air space surveillance equipment Fundament-M in the attack.

The total number of Russian military equipment, aircraft, and military personnel losses is still being determined, the agency added in a statement.

Explosions were reported near the airfield in the early hours of April 17, with local Telegram channels publishing footage of a large-scale fire. Later the same day, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian forces had carried out the attack.

The local partisan group Atesh also claimed that the attack had hit Russian military equipment, as well as the command post.

In recent months, Ukraine has intensified its attacks on occupied Crimea, targeting Russian military assets in and around the Black Sea.

Ukrainian forces on April 15 carried out a missile attack on a command post in Crimea where top Russian offices were deployed, a military intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent.

Reuters: Ukraine says Russia's use of illegal tear gas on battlefield is increasing

Russian forces have been increasing their usage of riot control gas banned on the battlefield, Colonel Serhii Pakhomov, the acting head of the Ukrainian military's atomic, biological, and chemical defense forces, told Reuters in an interview published on April 18.

Ukrainian military officials have previously said that Russia is deploying chemical weapons on the battlefield in violation of the 1925 Geneva Protocol. The usage of riot control gas in war is also banned under the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention, whose signatories include Russia.

Pakhmov told Reuters that Ukraine had recorded at least 900 uses of the banned riot control gas by Russian forces in the last six months, out of a total of 1,400 times since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. The command of Ukraine's Support Forces said earlier in April that Russia's usage of prohibited chemical weapons has reached "systemic" levels.

Russia has been primarily using K-51, VOH, and RH-VO hand grenades loaded with CS, CN, and other gases, Pakhomov said.

"It's like pepper spray, it makes your eyes tear up. It's not lethal, but it disturbs and knocks you out. It makes it very difficult to carry out your duties once you've inhaled it," a soldier told Reuters after experiencing a gas attack earlier in the year.

Pakhomov said that around 500 Ukrainian soldiers required medical attention after inhaling the gas, and at least one died as a result.

Dmytro Lykhovii, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Tavria Group of forces, said in March that Russia often employs riot control gas in an effort to try and clear trenches.

A Ukrainian military instructor told Reuters that its forces have been distributing gas masks and training soldiers on their proper usage.

Read also: Inside the Swedish ammunition plant at the forefront of Europes push to ramp up shell production

Zelensky: Ukraine to produce 10 Bohdana howitzers this month

Ukraine's defense industry is on track to produce 10 Bohdana howitzers this month, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 18.

The Bohdana is a domestically designed and produced self-propelled artillery system mounted on a six-wheeled truck chassis.

The highly mobile unit can fire NATO-standard 155 mm shells at a rate of up to five per minute.

The increasing number of Bohdanas being produced by Ukraine is part of a wider effort to ramp up domestic weapons production amid rising uncertainty surrounding military aid from the U.S.

"The share of our own production is constantly increasing," Zelensky said in a post on Telegram.

"The state signs serious, long-term contracts with our enterprises, which provide predictability, the ability to employ people, and attract investment.

"This month, our industry will produce 10 Bohdana self-propelled howitzers for the first time, and more will follow in May and later."

In late December last year, Zelensky said Ukraine had tripled its domestic production of equipment and weapons in 2023 compared to the year before.

Read also: Explainer: Irans cheap, effective Shahed drones and how Russia uses them in Ukraine

German vice-chancellor visits Kyiv as German delegation promises new IRIS-T delivery shortly

German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck arrived in Kyiv on the morning of April 18 for talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky and other top Ukrainian officials.

This is the vice-chancellor's second trip to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war. Habeck told the media that his visit meant to demonstrate that Germany's support "is not a one-time or short-term thing" but a firm commitment to Ukraine for as long as needed.

Habeck, who is also Germany's economy and environment minister, was accompanied by a business delegation that included Helmut Rauch, the head of Germany's Diehl Defense company that manufactures IRIS-T air defense systems.

In a comment for the German magazine Bild, Rauch said: "Three of our systems are already in Ukraine, and more will be delivered this year. The next one is just a few weeks away."

Kyiv has been increasingly calling on its partners to provide additional air defenses, like Patriot or IRIS-T systems, as Russia intensifies its strikes on Ukraine's cities and infrastructure.

Berlin has recently announced the delivery of an additional Patriot system to Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky said shortly after that Kyiv is in talks with Germany for an additional IRIS-T air defense system.

Germany has previously provided IRIS-T air defense systems to Ukraine, including three IRIS-T SLM systems, with a range of up to 40 kilometers, and one IRIS-T SLS, with a range of up to 12 kilometers.

Russian attacks on Donetsk Oblast kill 2, injure 3

Russian troops attacked several settlements in Donetsk Oblast on April 18, killing two and injuring three, local authorities reported.

Settlements in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk Oblast suffer from daily Russian attacks due to their proximity to the front line. Heavy fighting continues in Donetsk Oblast as Russia seeks to occupy the entire region.

A 63-year-old woman's body was found under the rubble in Selydove, which is located around 30 kilometers west of Russian-occupied Avdiivka.

In total, 11 buildings, an administrative facility, and a shop were damaged due to the attack on the town. One house was also destroyed, Ukraine's Interior Ministry reported.

Donetsk Oblast Governor Vadym Filashkin also reported on April 18 that a 56-year-old man had been killed in the village of Ocheretyne after a Russian attack directly hit his house.

Filashkin added that two other people were injured due to a Russian attack on the city of Krasnohorivka. A 74-year-old woman was also wounded in the Chasiv Yar community on April 18.

"It is dangerous to stay in Donetsk Oblast. Evacuate!" Filashkin wrote.

Russia attacked Donetsk Oblast 1,816 times, which included 10 missile strikes, over the past day on April 18, according to Ukraine's National Police.

Ukraine's Defense Ministry previously reported that Russian assault groups reached the northern outskirts of the village of Bohdanivka in Donetsk Oblast overnight on April 13.

The situation on Ukraine's eastern front has "significantly deteriorated in recent days," as Russia intensifies its offensive efforts, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said earlier.

Read also: Opinion: Why is Ukraine rejecting the Belarusian opposition?

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Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief discusses ammunition and heavy armour for Ukraine with Commander of NATO's Allied Forces Europe

Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reported that he had a conversation with General Christopher Cavoli, NATOs Supreme Allied Commander Europe, discussing Ukraine's needs.

Source: Syrskyi on Facebook

Quote from Syrskyi: "Ive informed him [Cavoli  ed.] about the developments on the frontlines and Ukraine's urgent needs, particularly in modern air defence systems, artillery, ammunition, and heavy armoured vehicles."

Details: The sides discussed strengthening military-technical cooperation with the United States and other allies, bolstering Ukrainian air defence capabilities, and replenishing ammunition. They also exchanged views on the tactical situation on the battlefield.

"Ive expressed gratitude to the United States and NATO partners for their support of Ukraine, especially in areas that currently have the greatest impact on strengthening Ukraine's defence capabilities. The conversation took place, as always, in a friendly, constructive atmosphere. We continue our cooperation," concluded Syrskyi.

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Ukraine's Foreign Ministry responded on April 18 to Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's comment that the foreign agents law was needed to defend Georgia against "Ukrainization," condemning the prime minister's words as "disturbing."

Georgia's parliament passed a controversial foreign agents bill in its first reading on April 17 amid mass protests against the law, which would require organizations that receive foreign funding to be labeled as "foreign agents."

The bill was first introduced in 2023 by Kobakhidze's Georgian Dream party, but was abandoned after it sparked mass demonstrations.

The Georgian Dream party recently reintroduced the legislation in parliament, renaming it a bill on the "transparency of foreign influence" but keeping the intent of the previous law essentially identical.

The bill is widely known in Georgia as the "Russian law" for its resemblance to similar legislation passed in Russia, used to target Kremlin critics.

Kobakhidze said the law was necessary to protect Georgia from "Ukrainization" and to strengthen its sovereignty, which is necessary for EU integration.

"Mentioning the name of our country in such an offensive context causes additional damage to Ukrainian-Georgian relations," Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Russification, but not mythical "Ukrainization", is a real threat to Georgia," and Ukraine "continues to support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders," the Ministry said.

"Respecting the rights and freedoms of citizens, as well as involving the civil society in settling socially important issues, are necessary conditions for building the countrys European future," the Ministry said.

Read also: Georgian parliament moves forward with controversial foreign agents law as protests continue

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Ukraine's Foreign Ministry outraged by Georgian PM's statement about law on "foreign agents" and Ukraine

Comment of Ukraine's Foreign Ministry regarding the aggravation of the internal political situation in Georgia connected with the consideration of the draft law "On transparency of foreign influence". Photo: Ukraine's Foreign Ministry

Ukraines Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented on the consideration in Georgia of the bill "On the Transparency of Foreign Influence", and also expressed indignation at the statement of the country's Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze about Ukraine in the context of the adoption of the document.

Source: statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The ministry expressed concern about the project's potential impact on Georgia's political situation.

The Ukrainian side urges all relevant parties to respect Georgian citizens' right to peaceful protest and seek a resolution to the crisis through constructive dialogue.

At the same time, the Foreign Ministry stated that Kobakhidze's recent comments have sparked outrage.

Georgian PM Kobakhidze said that the bill on "foreign agents" is designed to protect Georgia from "Ukrainization".

Quote: "Russification, but not mythical ukrainization, is a real threat to Georgia. Ukraine is interested in a peaceful and friendly atmosphere in Georgia, has unwaveringly supported and continues to support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.



Background:

Despite opposition from the West and civil society, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze insists that the shameful law will be passed in full.

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili stated that she would veto the scandalous bill, but acknowledged that it would most likely be overturned by the parliament.

In recent days, massive protests against the "foreign agents" bill have been taking place in Tbilisi. More than a dozen people were detained following protests on 15-16 April.

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ANKARA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday urged Western countries to respond to the Israeli government's killings of Palestinians.

"We've seen Western countries responding unanimously to Iran's retaliation. These same actors now need to unite in telling Israel 'enough'," Erdogan said at a joint press conference with visiting Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

Erdogan said they discussed the steps that can be taken against the "brutality in the occupied Palestinian territories."

Israel's attempts to "distort the agenda, hide the brutality in Gaza, and remove it from the agenda" should not be given an opportunity, he said.

An immediate and lasting ceasefire must be achieved as soon as possible in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians and then steps must be taken to realize a two-state solution, the Turkish president said.

Hassan said she exchanged views with Erdogan on important regional and global issues.

"Tanzania supports Turkiye's efforts to find peaceful solutions to international disputes. We also support the call for an urgent ceasefire for situations that are detrimental to Gazans," she said.

Hassan said that her country also supports the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones on Saturday toward Israeli military targets to retaliate against a deadly Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria's capital, on April 1. Israel said it had intercepted the majority of the Iranian missiles and drones, whereas Iran said it had "successfully hit and destroyed" important Israeli military targets. 
The High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine has granted a lawsuit brought by the Ministry of Justice seeking the imposition of sanctions in the form of asset seizure from Viacheslav Bohuslaiev, the former president of Ukraines leading aircraft engine manufacturer, Motor Sich.

Source: Inna Bohatykh, Head of the Sanctions Policy Department of the Ministry of Justice, on Facebook

The decision also applies to Petr Kononenko, CEO of the Russian company Borisfen.

Quote from Bohatykh: "Corporate rights (with respect to Motor Bank, Motor Garant (insurance), Vinnytsia Aircraft Plant, and other companies), property, land plots, monetary funds (a significant amount), weapons and other assets have been recovered for the benefit of the state."

Update: The Prosecutor General's Office clarified that assets worth almost UAH 1 billion (US$25 million) have been recovered for the benefit of the state, including almost UAH 600 million (US$15 million), 11 units of real estate, including five land plots, as well as shares in the authorised capital of 11 companies with equity of UAH 367.3 million (US$9 million) and other assets.

Bohatykh added that the court refused to grant the request with respect to certain third-party assets, and the ministry therefore intends to appeal.

Background:

In October 2023, the Security Service of Ukraine, in conjunction with the Prosecutor Generals Office, completed an investigation and filed an indictment against Viacheslav Bohuslaiev, the president of Motor Sich, and Oleh Dziuba, head of the companys Foreign Trade Department, who were suspected of working for the Russians.

The investigation found that these officials had been colluding with representatives of the Russian corporation Rostec, one of the main producers of weapons for the Russian armed forces associated with the Kremlin. Under Bohuslaiev, Motor Sich, which produces aircraft engines, had been selling engines to sanctioned companies from Iran.

Both criminals were detained by employees of the SSUs Main Investigative and Counterintelligence Department in October 2022.

On 1 April 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy imposed sanctions on Viacheslav Bohuslaiev and some Russian citizens.

In May 2023, Bohuslaievs lawyer Ruslan Volynets said his client, who is 84, had asked for his name to be put on a list for exchange with Russia due to his poor health and the lack of any other options of release.

Bohuslaiev is accused of collaboration, complicity with the aggressor state, facilitating the activities of a terrorist organisation and, more recently, opposing the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

In February 2024, the Solomianskyi District Court in Kyiv extended Bohuslaiev's pre-trial restriction  custody without the right to bail  until 18 April.

Bohuslaiev and his accomplice have had their custody extended without the right to bail until 10 June 2024.

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Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraines Defence Intelligence chief, has stated that the military leadership has a plan aimed at reducing Russia's military potential, saying he hoped that attacks on the territory of the Russian Federation would continue.

Source: Budanov in an interview with The Washington Post

Quote from Budanov: "Weve offered a plan aimed at reduction of Russian potential. It encompasses a lot of aspects, like the military industry  critical military targets, their airfields, their command-and-control posts."

Details: He said that more cross-border attacks by Russian volunteers inside Russia with the support of the DIU are planned, as well as more drone attacks.

He said that the goal is to show that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin cannot "protect the population from the war getting into Russia". "When youre sitting, say, in St. Petersburg, and youre seeing the war only on TV, you will always be supportive.  But people start to get nervous when some facility [is attacked] near their house," Budanov noted.

He said that the projectiles that caused most of the destruction were Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missiles launched at Ukrainian drones, not the drones themselves  but the damaging impact on the population was the same. "In reality, the damage done by those [anti-aircraft] missiles is a lot higher than the damage that would potentially be done by a drone," he said.

Asked if Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory would continue, Budanov replied, "I hope so."

Background:

In his evening address on 17 April, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked everyone in the Armed Forces of Ukraine preparing special operations, "especially important operations, extremely significant operations that destroy the equipment of the Russian forces and their combat infrastructure." He also confirmed the strike on the Russian airfield in Dzhankoi in occupied Crimea on 17 April.

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The Russians launched 13 Shahed-131/136 strike UAVs at Ukraine overnight on 18 April, all of which were shot down by air defence forces.

Source: Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of Ukraine's Air Force, on Telegram; Illia Yevlash, spokesperson for Ukraine's Air Force, on air during the national joint 24/7 newscast

Details: Oleshchuk stated that the Russian occupiers launched drones from the areas of Primorsko-Akhtarsk in Russian territory and Cape Chauda from occupied Crimea.

All 13 Shahed drones were shot down by anti-aircraft missile units of the Air Force and mobile fire groups of the Defence Forces in Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Vinnytsia, Poltava, Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil, and Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts.

Illia Yevlash explained that the Shahed UAVs had followed regular routes and "sought to complicate and confuse their trail as much as possible".

The official added that the Shaheds follow routes that use rough terrain and river mouths, and sometimes even linger in some places. For example, a Russian drone hovered over a body of water for several hours on the border of Dnipropetrovsk and Poltava oblasts overnight, though it was eventually destroyed.

"However, our Defence Forces managed to destroy all 13 uncrewed aerial vehicles regardless of such tactics," Yevlash noted.

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Ukrainian General Staff show footage of attack on Russian airfield in Dzhankoi  video

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine published footage of a night attack on the Russian military airfield in Dzhankoi in temporarily occupied Crimea.

Source: General Staff

Quote: "On the night of 16-17 April, the Ukrainian Defence Forces launched a missile attack and hit designated Russian military targets on the territory of the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea."

Details: The Ministry of Defence reiterated that as a result of the attack, four S-400 launchers, an air defence command post, three radar stations, and a Fundament-M airspace surveillance system of the Russians were destroyed or irrevocably damaged.

At the same time, the Russians are carefully concealing the number of the affected aircraft and personnel.

The General Staff stressed that the strike caused unexpected losses in weapons and military equipment to the Russian forces, so their combat potential has significantly decreased.

Background:

On the night of 16-17 April 2024, explosions occurred near a military airfield in the city of Dzhankoi, occupied Crimea.

Atesh, the Crimean underground resistance movement, reported that a series of strikes on the territory of the Dzhankoi airfield were successful.

In his evening address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the 17 April strike by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the Russian airfield in Dzhankoi.

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Bihus.Info journalists have found evidence of cooperation between non-factional MP Artem Dmytruk and Serhis Chertylin, a suspect in five crimes against Ukraine.

Source: Bihus.Info

Details: In particular, the journalists cite a screenshot of the correspondence in which the suspect Chertylin reports back after a meeting with Dmytruk. The latter, he said, is ready for full cooperation and thanks for the legal analysis of Law 8371 (on the activities of religious organisations  UP), which he managed to convince some MPs about.

Screenshot: Bihus.Info

Dmytruk, in a conversation with a journalist, confirmed that he had met with the priest to discuss the "protection" of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) in Ukraine.

Quote from Dmytruk: "Of course we met, and of course we talked. Did we talk about the pressure on the UOC-MP? Of course, we did. Did we formulate the relevant amendments? Well, let's just say we did not formulate them, but we discussed them. But every day we can see how representatives of the OCU (Orthodox Church of Ukraine) take away churches, beat priests, beat parishioners and commit other illegal actions against citizens.

I, Artem Dmytruk, defend the rights of all Ukrainian citizens, regardless of their religious beliefs, skin colour or other views."

Details: In another chat from the screenshot, the aforementioned suspect in high treason, Chertylin, mentions the family name Kultenko. He is allegedly being given amendments to the law on the Moscow-linked church in Ukraine.

The journalists assume that this is Artem Kultenko, a seminarian at the Kyiv Theological Academy of the Moscow Patriarchate and a member of parliament from the Servant of the People (Sluha Narodu) party.

Primate of the UOC-MP Onufrii and Artem Kultenko

Screenshot: Bihus.Info

Dmytruk and Kultenko did not vote in favour of the ban on the Russian-linked church in the first reading. In addition, they both publicly support the Russian Patriarchate in Ukraine.

For reference: Dmytruk is known for several scandals. He was one of the three "anti-vaccinationists" called by Davyd Arakhamia, the head of the Servant of People faction. Dmytruk was expelled from the Servant of the People faction in November 2021.

In February 2024, Dmytruk made a bail for Pavlo Muzychuk, a monk of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra and hierodeacon of the UOC-MP, who was detained by the Security Service of Ukraine on suspicion of justifying and recognising the legitimacy of Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine.

On 12 April, Ukrainian law enforcement services identified and neutralised a criminal organisation known as the media bloc of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, which worked to incite religious hatred. Ukrainska Pravda reported that it was about Chertylin.

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The Security Service Ukraine (SSU) has detained an associate of former Ukrainian MP Nestor Shufrich's, who is suspected of financing Rosgvardiya.

Source: Security Service of Ukraine

Quote: "The Security Service has collected evidence on another person involved in the case of MP Nestor Shufrych, who is suspected of financing the National Guard of Russia in temporarily occupied Crimea.

The case files suggest the detainee was responsible for the legal aspects of the transaction. In particular, he was engaged in creating a contract with the structures of the National Guard of Russia for the protection of luxury property controlled by Shufrich in Crimea.

Thus, in just three months, more than 500,000 Russian roubles were transferred to the Russian accounts.

The purpose of payments is to provide "paramilitary protection services" for objects of MP on the peninsula's territory."

Details: SSU operatives detained Shufrych's business partner and served him with a notice of suspicion under Article 110-2.3 of the Criminal Code (financing actions committed to forcibly change or overthrow the constitutional order or seize state power, changing the borders of the territory or state border of Ukraine).

The perpetrator faces up to 8 years in prison with confiscation of property.

Photo: Security Service of Ukraine

Background: In early February 2024, MP Shufrych was already served with a similar notice of suspicion.

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Ukrainian writer and public figure Dmytro Kapranov died on April 16, according to the Kapranov brothers official Facebook page. He was 56 years old.

"Friends, we are in grief. Dmytro died suddenly this morning. I will write tomorrow about the time and place of the funeral. Everything else is canceled, sorry," the post reads.

Dmytro, along with his twin brother Vitaliy, worked as writers, publishers, and bloggers. In 2019 they created the In the Name of Taras Shevchenko YouTube channel dedicated to the history of Ukraine.

They also founded the Green Dog publishing company in 2000, and co-authored multiple books.

The two brothers joined the Azov Regiment when the Russian full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

Read also: 10 books to better understand wartime Ukraine

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BAGHDAD, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani has urged the U.S. arms dealer Lockheed Martin to open maintenance facilities for F-16 fighter jets in Iraq.

A statement released by his media office on Thursday said that al-Sudani met with the President of Lockheed Martin, James Taiclet, and his delegation, during a visit to Washington D.C., the United States, where the Iraqi prime minister stressed the need for the company, the manufacturer of F-16 aircraft, to open maintenance facilities and supply Iraq with the needed spare parts.

"This is very important for Iraq to rehabilitate the Iraqi warplanes (F-16) to preserve the country's national security," al-Sudani said.

The company's delegation expressed its understanding and readiness to meet the requests of the Iraqi government regarding the implementation of aircraft supply contracts to provide all necessary equipment, according to the statement.

Iraqi F-16 fighter jets are deployed at the Balad Airbase, some 80 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad. The airbase also housed U.S. troops and a camp for a U.S. technical team, who had previously withdrawn from the airbase after a series of rocket attacks by unidentified militias.

Al-Sudani left Baghdad on April 13 for an official visit to the United States, during which he met with U.S. President Joe Biden, and other senior officials, including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. 
A missile is carried on a truck during a ceremony on the Army Day of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the Army Ground Forces Headquarters. Mohammad Javad Ostad/Iranian Presidency/dpa

Iran's foreign minister has defended the country's missile and drone attacks on Israel as "legitimate defence under international law" in remarks to the United Nations Security Council in New York on Thursday.

Hossein Amirabdollahian cited the suspected Israeli airstrike on Iran's embassy compound in the Syrian capital Damascus on April 1 as the reason for the retaliatory attacks and criticized the United States, the United Kingdom and France for failing to condemn the Israeli strike.

Amirabdollahian described the attacks on Israel as "absolutely necessary" in the face of "an attack on the embassy and inviolable sovereignty" of the country. He said the Islamic Republic of Iran had run out of patience due to the "continued inaction of the Security Council."

He said the targets of Iran's missile attacks on Israel were military targets that allegedly played a role in the Israeli strike on the embassy compound in Damascus. Two Iranian generals were among those killed in the strike.

Over the weekend, Iran attacked Israel with more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and rockets. Israeli air defences and allied forces were able to intercept almost all of the weapons.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other leaders have vowed to respond,, despite calls from allies to avoid escalation, and threatened to hit Iran's military facilities, prompting fears the conflict could turn into an all-out war.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, meanwhile, called for "maximum restraint" in the Middle East, warning that the entire region is "on the precipice" of a catastrophic war.

"Recent days have seen a perilous escalation  in words and deeds," Guterres said. "One miscalculation, one miscommunication, one mistake, could lead to the unthinkable  a full-scale regional conflict that would be devastating for all involved  and for the rest of the world."

Earlier on Thursday, an Iranian commander hinted that Tehran could adopt a new course with its nuclear programme if Israel threatens direct attacks on the country.

Israeli threats to hit nuclear facilities and attempts to pressure Iran could lead to a "review of the Islamic Republic's nuclear doctrine and policy" and an agreement on old principles is "possible and conceivable," the commander for nuclear security, Ahmad Haghtalab, said on Thursday according to the Tasnim news agency.

So far, the Iranian leadership has always underlined that it does not aim to build nuclear weapons and that its long-standing domestic nuclear programme is purely for civilian purposes.

Iran signed a nuclear agreement to drastically restrict the enrichment of uranium and allow strict International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) checks in 2015 after lengthy negotiations due to concerns that Tehran could build a nuclear weapon.

But the United States pulled out of the agreement in 2018 under then-president Donald Trump, and Tehran began enriching uranium and came nearer to weapons-grade purity, while restricting IAEA inspections.

Recently, former leading Iranian politicians have hinted that the country is now technically capable of building nuclear weapons.

Also on Thursday, a top commander in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that the country's most modern missiles were not used in Tehran's attack on Israel.

"We used old weapons of minimal power against the Zionist enemy," Tasnim quoted Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the aerospace forces, as saying on Thursday.

Iranian state media said Emad and Kheibar Shekan medium-range missiles were used in the attack on Israel. The Paveh cruise missile was also fired.

A year ago, for example, the IRGC presented a fourth version of its Khorramshahr medium-range missile, which can be equipped with a 1.5-ton warhead. Another missile that was not deployed, the Sejil, is said to be able to reach Israel in around seven minutes.

Iran frequently unveils new types of weapons, but claims about their abilities often cannot be independently verified by experts.

President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi (C) attends a ceremony on the Army Day of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the Army Ground Forces Headquarters. Mohammad Javad Ostad/Iranian Presidency/dpa
UNC Charlotte renamed the Donta L. Wilson Residence Hall in honor of the business and university leader who has dedicated his life to inspiring hope among upcoming generations of students.

Wilson is vice chair of the Universitys Board of Trustees, Truist Financial Corporations chief consumer and small business banking officer and a member of the operational council. During a routine meeting, UNC informed Wilson of their decision to rename the hall after him.

I found out during the summer of 2022, Wilson said. It was a surreal moment for me. My initial reaction was surprise and gratitude. Ive had the honor of being engaged with UNC Charlotte for several years now, and Im keenly aware of the criteria one must meet in order to receive an honorary naming. Its a very thoughtful process, he told the Charlotte Observer.

With gratitude for Donta Wilson 97 and his generosity and leadership in our community, we are proud to dedicate during #NinerNationGives our newest living space for first year students as the Donta L. Wilson Residence Hall, or Wilson Hall. pic.twitter.com/PDsApxH1OA  UNC Charlotte (@unccharlotte) April 10, 2024

During his tenure at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, he established the Wilson Believe Fund, designed to make college more accessible for first-generation students majoring in business or education. According to the university, about 40% of UNC Charlottes undergraduate students identify as first-generation college students. Wilsons time as a college student at UNC Charlotte was comparable to many other students experiences today. During his first year in college, Wilson faced challenges as a first-generation college student.

My family experienced the challenges that so many families face of sending a first-generation student to college. We didnt have experiences or examples of how to best fund the college experience or make living arrangements. You learn quickly that its not just about getting to college but also getting through college. We had to navigate all of that as a family for the first time, and we can relate to the questions, he said.

Our newest residence hall officially has a name. Welcome to campus, Wilson Hall!



Named in honor of UNC Charlotte alum, Donta L. Wilson 97, the building recognizes his generosity and leadership in our community. pic.twitter.com/HZIkw9CUdK  UNC Charlotte Housing & Residence Life (@CLT_HRL) April 10, 2024

Wilson has made it his personal mission to help people succeed. He believes that life is more about giving than receiving.

Helping other people excel is about providing a pathway for others to go further and go faster, sharing with them the resources and platforms you have so they can be successful. I believe life is about what you give more than what you receive. My goal is to be a net giver in this life, and at the core of what I desire to give is H.O.P.E., he said.

Wilson discussed H.O.P.E., an acronym for helping other people excel, which he recognized as his lifes goal.

Hope is the key to igniting someones dreams or helping them be resilient during a tough time. Without hope, faith does not have an assignment. I often think about the great Jackie Robinson and how its not just about getting to the major league; its about unlocking the doors so others can play at an elevated level, too, he continued.

Approximately 700 first-year students will live in the residential hall, which opened in January. The universitys first residence hall honoring a Black American is Wilson Hall, according to Inside UNC Charlotte.

My greatest hope is to contribute to the kind of rich student experience that lives on long after their time at UNC Charlotte, Wilson said. I believe one of the most meaningful investments one can make is positively changing the trajectory of another persons life for the better, especially one as significant as making an impact on advancing our community forward through education. When you look at all that UNC Charlotte has to offer, its about more than just providing a degree  its about supporting students through every aspect of the experience.
A new move made by a group of education officials in North Carolina has the power to do a state-wide sweep of programs committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at public universities.

According to The News & Observer, the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors University Governance Committee has approved a policy that repeals the university systems existing policy and regulation on diversity and inclusion.

The move will reportedly disband laws in place requiring all 17 public campuses within the state of North Carolina to employ diversity officers as well as drive efforts toward a common goal of fulfilling diversity-related measures.

A University of North Carolina System Board of Governors committee voted in favor of policy that would eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion jobs at NC public universities. There was no discussion. https://t.co/9xQvXJFFG8  philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) April 18, 2024

Per the Raleigh, NC-based outlet, the committee held an open-session portion of their meeting, lasting about five minutes, where they passed the policy unanimously with no discussion.

In the wake of the news, current students have expressed their concern for what the policy means for the future of access to education in the state.

Knowing that institutionally, we dont have as much power as we wish we had, we want to at least be present in the room as these decisions are happening and have a chance to speak, said Samuel Scarborough, a member of the Southern Student Action Coalition and the UNC-Chapel Hill group TransparUNCy. We were not given this opportunity.

UNC System spokesperson Andy Wallace disclosed that members of the public were unable to enter the meeting room due to a lack of available seats and because the open-session portion of the meeting, in which the vote took place, lasted for such a short time.

While the new policy will eliminate the aforementioned diversity-related jobs, on the flip side, universities will be able to keep those positions intact  though any ties to diversity will be required to be removed. The policy will also open the door for campus centers dedicated to diversity to be eliminated. However, universities are still allowed to implement programming or services designed to have a positive effect on the academic performance, retention, or graduation of students from different backgrounds.

Next, the proposal will make its way to a 24-member board, which will provide a final decision during its May meeting. At this time, the policy will be considered on the consent agenda, meaning that the board has the opportunity to vote on the policy without further discussion.

Should the policy be approved, it would take effect immediately and chancellors will be required to certify they have made changes to align their campuses with the changes by Sept. 1.

The move comes just days shy of a previous report by AFROTECH where North Carolinas Duke University just pulled the plug on its Reginaldo Howard Memorial Scholarship Program, a full-ride scholarship dedicated to Black students in need of financial assistance to attend the four-year university.
Guria India is an organisation that rescues and rehabilitates women and underage girls trapped in the sex trade - ADNAN ABIDI/REUTERS

In the narrow alleyways of Meerganj, the notorious red light district in the city of Allahbad, a man dressed in a brown kurta with a rucksack walks past the dilapidated brothels shouting lipsticks for sale, good prices.

He barely warrants a glance, one of dozens of street sellers who stroll down the alley daily, hawking their wares, a common sight in the hustle and bustle of cities in India.

Word has got around that hes selling good quality products like Max Factor and other brands the brothel girls recognise from billboards featuring their favourite Bollywood actresses. Hes cheaper than the other sellers and lets them pay in instalments.

A group of young girls flock to him, picking up bright lipsticks and face powders, to make them look older than they are, or perhaps not, depending on the clients preferences.

But this is no ordinary seller. He is from Guria India, an organisation which rescues and rehabilitates women and underage girls trapped in the sex trade.

Some of the sex workers and their children rescued by Guria India - Guria India

He has been working undercover, disguised as a cosmetics seller, gathering evidence of victims of traffickers who have been forced into sex work, many of whom are underage and often thousands of miles away from home.

You are working on a razors edge. There are no second chances. One wrong move and you could be killed. Its not like a movie where you get a retake, says Ajeet Singh, Director of Guria India.

The nature of trafficking is changing and so activists are having to find new and innovative means to take them on.

Singh said he came up with the idea of posing as a make-up seller after he found that the brothel owners were always one step ahead of him.

It was always very difficult to rescue the girls because someone would leak the information and the brothel keepers would move the girls. The girls were not a priority for the system, so the police were not helpful. We had to be proactive in getting the evidence.

Ajeet Singh, director of Guria India with some of the rescued children - Guria India

Using rudimentary equipment he bought from Delhi, including spy cams concealed in a pen and button, he began scouring the streets of the red light district for almost a year.

Make-up is something very enticing for girls. If you go to India, youll see street sellers in every city so I knew I would blend in, he said.

The girls are unable to say anything because they are always being policed. You cant ask questions, you wont get the evidence on a silver platter. But when you are going around, you hear things and see things, Singh explains, sitting in a nondescript office, piles of cardboard files all over the floor, documenting the thousands of girls they have rescued over the years, approximately 4,000 at last count.

Most of the time the girls are locked up and they are only allowed out when a customer comes in. To ensure they are not interacting with the customers, the brothel keepers are always banging on the door and take away the mobiles of the customers.

As a result of an 11-month long operation, conducted before the pandemic, Guria India were able to rescue 136 underage victims of traffickers, resulting in 61 brothels being shut down.

Social media weapon of choice for traffickers

The sting, which was signed off by local people, used undercover filming to collect evidence against offenders. When enough had been gathered, ten members of the Guria India team joined police as they carried out dawn raids, using iron cutters to access properties where the victims were being held.

There are an estimated 1.2 million children under 18 working in brothels in India, many of whom have been victims of sex traffickers. Approximately 75 per cent of the cases Guria India dealt with involved under age victims ranging from just six months to 17.

The majority of these trafficked children are from lower castes and more than half of them are from families living below the poverty line.

While many of the girls sold to brothels are trafficked by relatives or family friends, in recent years, social media, with its low-risk and high rewards, has become the weapon of choice of traffickers, luring victims in with lucrative job offers or promises of marriage.

The internet and exploitative romantic relationships are key factors for trafficking in recent times, said childrens rights activist Bharti Ali.

Often, the police dont start their search in cases of adolescent girls immediately as they believe it to be a case of elopement. Many cases end up in girls being sold further by the boy/person they trusted or who promised them false marriage.

When girls go missing, parents often try to search within their own community, her friends and relatives. This is when they lose critical time. When they suspect that she may have eloped, they may tend to not report at all to protect family honour  The girls too are unable to report as the traffickers keep a close watch on them.

Children supported by Guria India are taught skills that equip them to start a new life away from the red light districts - Guria India

For victims of traffickers, their introduction into the world of prostitution is a brutal and violent one, in which they face beatings, gang rape and starvation. Some victims also reported having chilli powder placed on their genitalia and being subjected to electric shocks.

Among the girls they have rescued is Sarita, who was just 12-years-old when she was sold to a sex trafficker by her older brother and was transported 700 km away to work in a brothel.

My mum was working in Mumbai and I lived with my sister. My brother was a drug addict. He told me he was taking me to see my mum but instead he sold me to a trafficker. I was locked in a room and beaten and raped by several men. I managed to find a phone and called my mum, she said.

Saritas mother, along with the police and Guria India activists, were able to rescue her and relocate the family. However, the majority of victims are not so lucky. India remains a socially conservative society and victims of trafficking will often be ostracised by their families and community.

Rescuing victims of trafficking is only half the battle, while keeping them out of the hands of traffickers presents another challenge.

Rehabilitating victims back into a society which was already hostile to them in the first place is difficult and often the girls will end up falling back into the hands of traffickers.

In one case, 57 girls who were rescued by Guria were sent to a shelter home in Agra for rehabilitation, but were re-trafficked by the superintendent of the centre. Just this week, the superintendent was acquitted by the Supreme Court and Guria India is currently fighting the decision.

Despite the setbacks, Singh remains hopeful. Although I dont think we can eradicate child prostitution in my lifetime, Im hopeful we can set the foundations to make the change, he said.

And sometimes all it takes is a rucksack and a Max Factor lipstick.

Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security

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Seattles University District plans to give commuters more bathroom options.

Public restrooms are now in the works near the light rail station.

According to The Seattle Times, the Low Income Housing Institute plans to build street-facing public restrooms in a new apartment complex.

Its located on Northeast 45th Street and Roosevelt Way Northeast.

The project also includes an urban rest-stop hygiene center.

The Times reports that details still need to be figured out, including how the stalls will be staffed and funded, meaning the restrooms could take years to complete.
Dubai had a year-and-a-half's worth of rainfall in one day - Christopher Pike/Bloomberg

The University of Reading has denied that its cloud-seeding technique was to blame for extreme flooding in Dubai after the worst rainfall since records began in 1949.

Meteorology experts at the university have been working with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the past few years on a project to electrically charge clouds, and produce raindrops.

On Sunday, two days before the region had a year-and-a-halfs worth of rainfall in one day (5.6 inches), the UAE carried out cloud-seeding efforts, according to flight-tracking data, analysed by AP.

Several cloud-seeding planes were flown in the days leading up to the unprecedented weather, Ahmed Habib, a meteorologist at the UAEs National Center for Meteorology told Bloomberg.

For any cloud thats suitable over the UAE you make the operation, Mr Habib said.

The heavy rains that caused flooding across the desert nation stemmed partly from cloud seeding, a Bloomberg columnist claimed.

UAE officials confirmed that a cloud-seeding operation was performed before the extreme floods - National Centre of Meteorology

The National, a state-linked newspaper in Abu Dhabi, quoted an anonymous official from UAEs National Center for Meteorology (NCM) on Wednesday, as saying that no cloud seeing took place on Tuesday, the day of the rainfall.

They did confirm that the operation was performed on Sunday and Monday.

More than 5.6 inches of rain soaked Dubai over 24 hours on Tuesday. The average annual amount at the airport is 3.7 inches.

Thousands of British travellers were left stranded at Dubai International Airport as runways and access roads were blocked by surging water.

Many passengers spent the night sleeping in airport lounges after roads to nearby hotels were blocked.

Drivers were seen swimming from their cars and an elderly Emirati man in his 70s died on Tuesday morning when his vehicle was caught in flash floods.

In neighbouring Oman, 19 people died after three consecutive days of heavy rain.

Ahmed Habib, a meteorologist at the NCM told Bloomberg that several cloud-seeding planes were flown in the days before the extreme weather.

But the University of Reading said that even if cloud seeding had been carried out in the days running up to the storm it could not have caused such a deluge.

The team also said that UAE had been using chemical seeding rather than the electrical charge technique developed in Britain.

Drivers were seen swimming from their cars after the floods in Dubai - Christopher Pike/Bloomberg

A Reading University meteorologist said cloud seeding did not influence the rainfall in the UAE - ALI HAIDER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Professor Maarten Ambaum, a meteorologist at Reading, who works closely with NCM, said: The UAE does have an operational cloud seeding programme to enhance the rainfall in this arid part of the world; however, there is no technology in existence that can create or even severely modify this kind of rainfall event.

Any seeding operation has a fairly short-lived  a few hours at the very most, and small-scale effect.

So even if they had had some operational seeding activities in the days before, then they would not have been able to influence this particular weather system.

He added: This was a large-scale weather system, well predicted, and cloud seeding would not have been able to influence this in any substantial way. There has never been any scientific evidence that seeding can change climate or cause long-term consequences.

The weather board urged residents to stay away from areas of flooding and water accumulation - BACKGRID

Heavy rain is an unusual event in the desert country - Jules Annan/Backgrid

The UAE carries out more than 1,000 hours of cloud seeding each year, to improve its annual rainfall, lower heat-related deaths and boost drinking water supplies.

Cloud seeding works by firing salt flares into the cloud to try and speed up condensation, which in turn creates rainfall. Experts at Reading are also working with the UAE on the electric charge method that makes the droplets stick to each other, helping the growth rate.

The Reading team said the downpours were the result of medium-sized thunderstorms sparked by massive thunderclouds, which had formed when heat drew up moisture into the atmosphere.

Experts said there would have been no benefit in seeding early clouds as they were already forecast to produce substantial amounts of rain. The NMC also said it was too dangerous to send the small seeding planes into thunder clouds.

Stark warning

However, other meteorologists warned that the consequences of cloud seeding was still unknown and that it could have a longer-term effect.

Johan Jaques, senior meteorologist at German forecaster Kisters, said: The Dubai floods act as a stark warning of the unintended consequences we can unleash when we use such technology to alter the weather.

Additionally, we have little control over the aftermath of cloud seeding  where exactly is it going to be raining effectively?

Anytime we interfere with natural precipitation patterns, we set off a chain of events that we have little control over. While there is a lot we know, there is still a lot we dont and there are still plenty of gaps in our understanding of these complex weather systems.

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Brian J. Mickey, MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry at Huntsman Mental Health Institute, is pictured at the institute in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. A rendering of an ultrasound brain stimulation device and MRIs of brain activity during stimulation appear on the screen behind Dr. Mickey. Researchers at Huntsman Mental Health Institute at the University of Utah have been selected by Wellcome Leap to research a new treatment for substance use disorder as part of a $50 million commitment to develop innovative treatments.

A team of University of Utah researchers, led by a professor of psychiatry at Huntsman Mental Health Institute, has been selected to develop a new treatment for substance use disorder as part of a $50 million commitment by Wellcome Leap.

Wellcome Leap is a United States-based nonprofit organization founded by the Wellcome Trust to accelerate and increase the number of breakthroughs in global health.

Research by the interdisciplinary University of Utah team will be funded by the Untangling Addiction program. The university is among 14 teams globally working to develop scalable measures to assess addiction susceptibility, quantify the risks stemming from addiction and develop innovative treatments.

Huntsman Mental Health Institutes Dr. Brian Mickey said in a statement that substance use disorder is a significant global health problem, yet the treatment options are limited.

Were developing a noninvasive intervention for preventing and treating addiction, chronic pain and depression. This funding will help us validate and generate the data to support the next critical step: an efficacy trial to determine the effectiveness of the intervention, Mickey said.

The Utah team includes investigators with expertise in psychiatry, biomedical engineering, neuroscience, radiology and social work.

Mickeys team will use a novel ultrasound-based device to modulate deep brain regions and behaviors associated with opioid addiction. The goal is to develop this approach into individually targeted therapeutic interventions for a range of addictions.

According to Wellcome Leap, 108 million people globally are estimated to be addicted to alcohol. Nearly 40 million people worldwide are addicted to illicit drugs. Worldwide, someone dies from drug or alcohol addiction every four minutes.

Despite increases in spending on drug abuse prevention and treatment, there have been rising rates of alcohol and drug abuse, according to Wellcome Leap.

Worldwide efforts intended to reduce and treat addiction have been ineffective primarily because only a fraction of people with addictions get treatment and treatment approaches are one-size-fits-all with minimal, if any, matching of treatment to the underlying physiology of the person with addiction.

Also, there are no standard relapse prevention programs, thus more than half of those treated to achieve abstinence revert to their addiction within 90 days.

To make matters worse, potentially addictive substances are increasing in number and potency, Wellcome Leaps Untangling Addiction website states.

Addictions are brain illnesses that have enormous negative impacts on individuals, families and society, Mickey said.

A major reason that addictions have been difficult to prevent  and treat  is that they are driven by dysfunction of deep brain regions that are challenging to access. Many psychiatric problems such as depression, anxiety and addiction are caused by malfunction of brain circuits.

This project is an example of our mission to understand how these neural circuits are dysregulated and to develop novel, circuit-targeted interventions that return the brain to a healthy state, he said.

Dr. Mark Rapaport, CEO of Huntsman Mental Health Institute, said the research is especially impactful because it brings together a variety of disciplines to help solve complex problems in mental health.

The announcement by Wellcome Leap is particularly timely news given the groundbreaking of a new translational research building on campus focused on mental health and the brain. Our nation is in a mental health crisis, but there is hope if we can think differently and work together to change this trajectory, Rapaport said.
In April 2024, U.S. President Joe Biden repeated a years-old claim that former president Donald Trump once called U.S. soldiers "suckers" and "losers," sharing an anecdote that he alleges reveals Trump's true opinion of U.S. military service members.

At a Pennsylvania campaign stop on April 17, Biden remembered his deceased son Beau, who was an Iraq veteran, and referenced a story about Trump supposedly being asked to visit the gravesites of fallen U.S. soldiers in 2020, and, according to Biden, "He said, 'No.'"

Biden continued: "He wouldn't do it. Because they were all 'suckers' and 'losers.' I'm not making that up. The staff who were with him acknowledge it today. Suckers and losers."

President Biden: My son volunteered to go to Iraq. Many of you have risked your lives for our country. I was reminded of what Trump said in Paris. They asked him to visit American gravesites and he said no, he wouldn't do it because they are "suckers and losers" pic.twitter.com/2G0Sz7Bqwx  Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) April 17, 2024

Over the years, since the claim surfaced in 2020, a few alleged witnesses  i.e. people who were supposedly with Trump when he made the comments  have told journalists he did say those words.

However, there appeared to be no evidence of an audio or video recording of the remarks in question, nor was there any documentation, such as transcripts or presidential notes, to independently confirm or deny the alleged quotes' authenticity. Moreover, since Snopes did not witness the in-question comments firsthand, we can't say for certain whether Trump called fallen soldiers "suckers" and "losers."

Trump and his allies have denied the accusation since it first emerged in 2020, shortly before the election between Trump and Biden. Whether performative or authentic, Trump's apparent support for soldiers in the U.S. military, both active and veteran members, has been part of his presidential campaigns.

Following a story by The Atlantic, a number of reputable news outlets reported on the alleged comments in 2020, relying entirely on anonymous sources from his administration.

In late 2023, when the alleged comments resurfaced in headlines, we reached out to Trump's representatives to see if they had any supplemental evidence to help substantiate their denial, as well as for a response to renewed attention on the story. They did not respond.

How the Accusations Emerged

Citing anonymous officials from the administration, the 2020 article by The Atlantic, titled, "Trump: Americans Who Died in War Are 'Losers' and 'Suckers'," unpacked Trump's trip to Paris in 2018 when he allegedly did not want to visit a cemetery of American war dead. The visit was cancelled.

Trump did not want to visit the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery  which is home to the graves of Americans who fought and died in World War I  for two reasons, according to The Atlantic: He feared the rain would dishevel his hair, and "because he did not believe it important to honor American war dead, according to four people with firsthand knowledge of the discussion that day." The Atlantic continued (emphasis ours):

Trump rejected the idea of the visit because he feared his hair would become disheveled in the rain, and because he did not believe it important to honor American war dead, according to four people with firsthand knowledge of the discussion that day. In a conversation with senior staff members on the morning of the scheduled visit, Trump said, "Why should I go to that cemetery? It's filled with losers." In a separate conversation on the same trip, Trump referred to the more than 1,800 marines who lost their lives at Belleau Wood as "suckers" for getting killed.

Shortly after the publication of The Atlantic report, one unnamed senior official with the U.S. Department of Defense and one senior U.S. Marine Corps officer confirmed the 2018 cemetery remarks from the above report in interviews with The Associated Press (AP). According to the AP, the official had firsthand knowledge of Trump's remarks, and the officer had been told about them.

Trump Allies Deny the Claims

The White House blamed the canceled cemetery visit on poor weather. Responding to The Atlantic's reporting, Trump said the accusation was "a disgraceful situation" by a "terrible magazine."

Trump strongly denied calling fallen soldiers "losers" and "suckers." Speaking to reporters on Sept. 3, 2020, upon returning from a campaign rally to Washington, D.C., just after the report came out, Trump said: "I would be willing to swear on anything that I never said that about our fallen heroes. There is nobody that respects them more. No animal  nobody  what animal would say such a thing?"

Just days later, Zach Fuentes, a former White House aide who left the administration in early 2019 and was with the president on the Paris trip and presumably near him during the in-question conversations about the cemetery visit, stood up for Trump in an interview with Breitbart.

Referring to Gen. John Kelly, who was with Trump during the trip as his chief of staff, he said, "I did not hear POTUS call anyone losers when I told him about the weather. Honestly, do you think General Kelly would have stood by and let ANYONE call fallen Marines losers?"

Reporting on Fuentes' interview with Breitbart, The Washington Post noted that the phrase "I did not hear..." is not the same as "it didn't happen." Furthermore, there was no evidence of Kelly being around Trump to hear the alleged comments.

Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton, who said he was on the trip, also issued a denial to Fox News, days after the article came out, saying it was "simply false."

Then-U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also denied the claims in an interview with Fox News in September 2020. He said, "I was with him for a good part of that trip, if I'm thinking about this visit and the timing right, and I never heard him use the words that are described in that article. Just, I never saw it."

When the Claims Resurfaced in 2023

On Oct. 2, 2023, Biden's official account on X resurfaced the accusation, saying Trump once allegedly "referred to American service members as 'suckers' and 'losers.'" The post (displayed below) included video footage of Biden speaking at a September 2023 event to honor the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, who was a military veteran and prisoner of war. (In that speech, Biden referenced the 2020 story by The Atlantic.)

The former president referred to American service members as "suckers" and "losers." MAGA extremists have made it clear where they stand. pic.twitter.com/2Kj5jr4N7Z  Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 2, 2023

The day after Biden's post on X, Kelly repeated the claim, as well. Speaking to CNN story, he said (emphasis, ours):

What can I add that has not already been said? A person that thinks those who defend their country in uniform, or are shot down or seriously wounded in combat, or spend years being tortured as POWs are all 'suckers' because 'there is nothing in it for them.' A person that did not want to be seen in the presence of military amputees because 'it doesn't look good for me.' A person who demonstrated open contempt for a Gold Star family  for all Gold Star families  on TV during the 2016 campaign, and rants that our most precious heroes who gave their lives in America's defense are 'losers' and wouldn't visit their graves in France.

In other words, Kelly, who was with Trump in Paris, confirmed that Trump did call American troops "losers" and "suckers," though it was unclear whether he witnessed the comments firsthand or heard about them from someone else, or from news reports. (The 2020 Atlantic story detailed a separate incident of Trump visiting the grave of Kelly's son who was killed in action in Afghanistan, for which Kelly was supposedly present. In that case, Trump allegedly asked of military personnel who volunteered to join the service, "What was in it for them?")

Responding to the CNN interview, a Trump official issued a statement to CNN, saying, "John Kelly has totally clowned himself with these debunked stories he's made up because he didn't serve his president well while working as chief of staff."

In addition to the alleged statements about service members generally, Trump has publicly insulted McCain, in particular, by calling him "not a war hero," and "I like people who weren't captured," according to footage on C-SPAN. Also, for The Atlantic story, anonymous sources said he called former President George H.W. Bush a "loser" for getting shot down by the Japanese while a Navy pilot during World War II.

In sum, the claim stemmed from a story by The Atlantic, which relied on anonymous, second-hand reports of Trump's alleged words; there was no independent footage or documented proof to substantiate the in-question comments; and Trump vehemently denies that he once called service members "losers" and "suckers." While it was certainly possible that he said those things, Snopes was unable to independently verify the claim.

Sources:

Baker, Peter, and Maggie Haberman. "Trump Faces Uproar Over Reported Remarks Disparaging Fallen Soldiers." The New York Times, 4 Sept. 2020. NYTimes.com, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/04/us/politics/trump-veterans-losers.html. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.

"Biden Chokes up While Talking about Deceased Son and Trump's Disparaging Remarks about Service Members." NBC News, 17 Apr. 2024, https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/biden-chokes-talking-beau-trumps-remarks-service-members-rcna148274. Accessed 18 April 2024.

Blake, Aaron. "Analysis | What Trump Officials Really Say  and Don't Say  in Denying That He Disparaged Fallen Troops." Washington Post, 8 Sept. 2020. www.washingtonpost.com, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/09/08/trump-officials-military-disparagement-denials/. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.

Goldberg, Jeffrey. "Trump: Americans Who Died in War Are 'Losers' and 'Suckers.'" The Atlantic, 3 Sept. 2020, https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/09/trump-americans-who-died-at-war-are-losers-and-suckers/615997/. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.

Mason, Jeff, et al. "Biden Warns Trump, 'MAGA' Movement Threaten American Democracy." Reuters, 29 Sept. 2023. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-warn-threat-democracy-trump-honor-mccain-2023-09-28/. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.

"President Biden Calls Donald Trump a "Loser"." C-SPAN.Org. https://www.c-span.org/video/?c5104263/president-biden-calls-donald-trump-loser. Accessed 30 Jan. 2024.

"Report: Trump Disparaged US War Dead as 'Losers,' 'Suckers.'" AP News, 4 Sept. 2020, https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-ap-top-news-politics-b823f2c285641a4a09a96a0b195636ed. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.

"Secretary Michael R. Pompeo With Steve Doocy, Jedediah Bila, and Pete Hegseth of Fox & Friends." United States Department of State, https://2017-2021.state.gov/secretary-michael-r-pompeo-with-steve-doocy-jedediah-bila-and-pete-hegseth-of-fox-friends/. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.

Timotija, Filip. "Veterans Group Launches Ad against Trump in Pennsylvania." The Hill, 26 Jan. 2024, https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4431590-veterans-pac-launches-ad-trump-pennsylvania/. Accessed 30 Jan. 2024.

Tapper, Jake. "Exclusive: John Kelly Goes on the Record to Confirm Several Disturbing Stories about Trump | CNN Politics." CNN, 2 Oct. 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/02/politics/john-kelly-donald-trump-us-service-members-veterans/index.html. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.

"Trump: "He's a War Hero Because He Was Captured. I like People That Weren't Captured."" C-SPAN. www.youtube.com, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=541Cg2Jnb8s. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.
BEIJING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- A cultural carnival dedicated to intellectual property kicked off on Thursday in Beijing.

The event was held in part to observe World Intellectual Property Day, which is celebrated annually on April 26.

Under the auspices of the Copyright Society of China and the China Law Society, the carnival features promotions of scientific and technological advancements, opportunities for readers to engage with writers, job fairs for intellectual property professionals, and displays of home-grown brands.

At the inauguration ceremony held at Renmin University of China, organizers stressed the importance of innovation as the primary driver of development.

The event aims to raise public awareness of the relevance of intellectual property and help foster a culture that values knowledge, champions innovation, upholds integrity, observes the law, and advocates for fair competition.

China will run a nationwide communication week on intellectual property from April 20 to 26. 
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Former Little Rock Police Chief, Keith Humphrey is the new top cop at the University of Memphis.

He has been leading campus safety since February of this year, and says he plans to better protect Memphis flagship school using his 34 years of law enforcement experience.

So really its been a whirlwind. You know, my focus has been to become familiar with the population of the university community, said Chief Humphrey.

Only a few months into his job as the Police Chief at the University of Memphis, he is already hitting goals.

Weve gone in and were auditing equipment, auditing the needs of the officers, auditing our training, our policies, he said.

University of Memphis names new police chief

The former Little Rock Police Chief is now the top officer at UofM, leading staff of 31 officers, and protecting a campus with 21,000 students.

Humphrey says he wants to focus on improving officer training, technology and creating a full service police department, including getting body worn cameras, computer aided dispatch and a records management system.

Computer statistics to look and see where things are happening on campus. You cannot afford to deploy resources and not know where to deploy them at appropriately. Thats a waste of staffing, said Humphrey.

Its no small feat protecting this campus that sits in the middle a city dealing with its own crime issues

Ive been to a couple of meetings where students have been very candid. You know, how do we keep our campus safe when were in the city of Memphis? And my focus is that we are a community and this is a priority for this police department, Humphrey said.

He says that means working with the Memphis Police Department, attending some of their meetings, looking at crime trends, and mapping boundaries moving forward.

Those are things that help us address issues or minimize the the violence, the violent crimes or other crimes that may be affecting the city to prevent them from coming on to the campus, he said.

Fight breaks out between student, teacher at Trezevant High School

Chief Humphrey may be looking forward, but what he leaves behind in Little Rock can not be ignored. The new Chief here was an embattled one in the Natural State.

When he retired in 2022 as Little Rock Police Chief, he had only been on that job 3 years,

but he had generated a lot of attention  not all good.

I would describe it as a learning moment and a challenging, but positive tenure there, he said.

The Chief was challenged with an internal HR investigation where his own officers accused him of discrimination, racial retaliation and creating hostile work conditions.

Let me just say, whenever you come in and you are a change agent, you are talking reform. When theres a culture and youre trying to change that culture, youre going to have people pushing back, said Humphrey.

There was so much pushback that Humphrey himself later sued 20 officers and the Fraternal Order of Police for organizing an effort to get him off the job.

A high court threw out Humphreys lawsuit.

Humphrey himself was the subject of five lawsuits in his short tenure at Little Rock, accused of abuse of power and retaliation.

He was also the center of a criminal and internal affairs investigation for firing his weapon during an altercation between two people at a store on New Years Eve in 2022, on a night when command staff was helping patrol.

Before I could get on the radio, another female stepped out of a parked vehicle and started shooting into a crowd. I didnt have time to get on the radio. So I got out, identified myself, and she was continually shooting and I fired my weapon. At that time, she ceased firing, and I was able to get her handcuffed, said Humphrey.

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The woman was not hit.

The situation led to an internal investigation, as well as a criminal investigation. Humphrey was eventually cleared.

Anytime you pull your weapon and you have to discharge it, thats not ever easy. But, you know, its something that happened. A young ladys life was saved, said Humphrey. More people could have been injured. And I followed the force continuum and was cleared criminally. And from what I gather, the internal investigation, same thing was cleared. I followed policy.

And now for Humphrey, the big picture is about his new job at UofM, and doing all he can to keep campus safe.

Things happen for a reason. And I think Ive gone through everything in my life, in my career to prepare me for this job. This is a special job, he said.

Chief Humphrey says a $5 million safety grant was awarded to UofM, allowing them to increase cameras on campus and make other security upgrades.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
US blocks Palestine from becoming full member of the United Nations

The US vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Thursday that would have allowed Palestine to be admitted as a full member of the international body and effectively recognised its statehood.

The Biden administration said that while it supports Palestinian statehood, it could only be granted as part of wide-ranging peace negotiations with Israel.

It remains the US view that the most expeditious path toward statehood for the Palestinian people is through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority with the support of the United States and other partners, Vedant Patel, the State Department spokesman, told reporters earlier in the day.

The 15-member council voted on a draft resolution that would have recommended to the 193-member UN General Assembly that the State of Palestine be admitted to membership of the United Nations.

Twelve members voted in favour, two abstained and the US vetoed. It needed at least nine votes to pass and no vetoes from the five permanent members  the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China.

Currently, Palestine only holds non-member observer status, which it gained in 2012. That status is a de-facto recognition of statehood, but does not allow it to vote on UN resolutions.

The UN Security Council has in the past voted in favour of resolutions calling on Israel to withdraw from territory it has occupied since the 1967 war, which would form a future Palestinian state. But Israel has continued to build settlements on that land, making a two-state solution increasingly unviable.

The US has repeatedly used its veto to block resolutions critical of its close ally Israel, including numerous times against calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Ziad Abu Amr, special representative of the Palestinian president, said adopting the resolution will give the Palestinian people hope "for a decent life within an independent state."

We are still longing to practice our right to self-determination, to live in freedom, security and peace in an independent state similar to other countries around the world, he said.

The plight of the Palestinian people started over a century ago and is still ongoing, he added during debate on the measure on Thursday. We have made every possible genuine effort, we have made unimaginable historic concessions in order to achieve a peace that is based on the two-state solution.

Israels ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, said that a vote on the resolution was a prize to terrorists involved in the Hamas attack against Israel on October 7 attack.

If this resolution passes  God forbid  this should no longer be known as the Security Council but as the terror council, he said. The only thing that a forced unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state will do is to make any future negotiation almost impossible.

US rivals like China and Russia condemned the American veto.

The veto once again demonstrated what they really think of the Palestinians, according to Russian UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, who noted that the vote marks the fifth time the US has struck down a resolution since the 7 October war began.

For Washington, they do not deserve to have their own State, he said of the US position towards Palestine. They are only a barrier on the path towards realising the interests of Israel.

Some Israeli leaders have previously endorsed the idea of a two-state solution. But the current Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said following the Hamas attack that everyone knows that I am the one who for decades blocked the establishment of a Palestinian state that would endanger our existence.

More than 33,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels war on Gaza, which was launched in retaliation to a Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel. Large parts of Gaza are now in a state of near-famine due to the ongoing siege of the territory.
The Democratic Party in the U.S. House of Representatives said they would support Speaker Mike Johnson's series of bills that includes aid for Ukraine, Israel, and other priorities in the upcoming vote, Bloomberg reported on April 18.

U.S. assistance for Ukraine has been effectively blocked for months, leading to a rapidly deteriorating situation on the battlefield.

After months of delays and several versions of the aid bill derailed by political infighting, Johnson unveiled his plan earlier this week to vote on the package as four separate bills on April 20.

The House presented a proposal that allocates around $61 billion in aid for Ukraine, mostly in the form of defense support and replenishment of U.S. military stocks, but which also includes around $8 billion in economic assistance as loans.

As the right flank of the Republican Party said they would oppose the proposal, the Democrats' backing is crucial for passing the bills.

"We're going to do what's necessary to make sure the national security bill gets over the finish line," House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said.

"It's not Johnson's foreign aid package. It's America's foreign aid package in terms of meeting our national security needs."

According to Bloomberg, House Democrats could also shield Johnson from an attempt by the conservatives to oust him. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who extensively criticized support for Kyiv, has repeatedly threatened to trigger the motion against Johnson.

Should the bills pass the House, they will be sent for an additional vote to the Senate as early as next week. President Joe Biden has already said that he will sign the package right after it passes Congress.

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.
The U.S. and Israel are holding another tense meeting on a future Rafah operation Thursday, a sign that Irans attack isnt halting negotiations over Israels conduct in the war against Hamas.

Both sides are attending a virtual session, a senior Biden administration official and Israeli official told POLITICO, where senior leaders discuss how to target Hamas roughly 3,000 fighters in Rafah while protecting the citys 1.4 million Palestinians. National security adviser Jake Sullivan is expected to lead the conversation for the Biden administration. Sullivans Israeli counterpart, Tzachi Hanegbi, is heading his nations delegation.

Those attending from the Israeli side also include Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer as well as representatives from the Israel Defense Forces and Israeli security agencies, said the Israeli official, who like the senior U.S. official was granted anonymity to detail an unannounced meeting before a readout is released.

The initial plan had been to hold the discussion in person in Washington, but Irans weekend attack  which featured more than 300 missiles and drones that Israel, the U.S. and other nations shot down  postponed a trip.



During the groups first virtual meeting on April 1, the U.S. and Israel found themselves far apart on the issue of civilian protection for Rafah. Israel said they could move Palestinians out of the city in four weeks, while the American side such a migration would require four months. Since then, working groups have gotten together to find a compromise between the two positions.

Thursdays meeting will test if the U.S. and Israel are finding common ground. The meeting will be a follow up  where they will discuss progress made, among other things, said the senior administration official. Axios first reported on the meeting.
US Marshals arrest man accused of murder and bias crime following January shooting

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Law enforcement arrested a man in connection to a deadly shooting that happened back in January in Southeast Portland.

After being accused of murder and a bias crime by a grand jury, 53-year-old Kirk Belgarde was arrested Wednesday by U.S. Marshals, the Portland Police Bureau announced in a release.

Clackamas County forces event center in Boring to shut down after alleged code violations

This all comes after a shooting on the night of Jan. 19 in the 7700 block of Southeast 82nd Avenue, in the parking lot of a motel, which resulted in the death of 25-year-old Rametheus Clense Hill, of Fairview.

Once the case was presented to the grand jury, including the evidence and witness interviews conducted by homicide detectives, they determined Belgarde intentionally caused physical injury to the victim because of his perception of the victims race, the release said.

Belgarde was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center and charged with second-degree murder, first-degree bias crime and felon in possession of a firearm.

Hills family has been notified of Belgardes arrest, officials said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
The U.S. State Department must step up diplomatic efforts to push the United Kingdom and European Union to take a tougher stance on human rights violations linked to Chinas Xinjiang region, or risk having the products of forced labor inundate overseas markets with border-control efforts that lack the robustness of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, or UFLPA, two members of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party urged Wednesday.

While we welcome some U.S. allies and partners announcing their own import bans on forced labor products from the PRC, we remain concerned that these measures fall short of the UFLPAs standards and are leading companies to build two separate supply chainsone clean supply chain for the United States and another supply chain tainted by forced labor for the rest of the world, wrote Wisconsin Republican Mike Gallagher and Illinois Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi, the Select Committees chairman and ranking member, respectively, in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken dated April 16.

More from Sourcing Journal

The United States has been a rare front-runner in legislating against products with a nexus to Xinjiang, mostly because China is one of the few issues that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle can agree on. Britains Modern Slavery Act only requires U.K. companies earning 36 million pounds ($44.8 million) or more to disclose if theyre doing anything to root out forced labor from their supply chains, not if those actions are having any effect. In 2023, the World Uyghur Congress and Global Legal Action Network made an unsuccessful legal bid to press U.K. authorities into blocking Xinjiang cotton.

The EU has made more progress, arriving at a provisional agreement last month to outlaw the products of forced labor, albeit without targeting China, since that would breach the World Trade Organizations rules on non-discrimination. Unlike the UFLPA, which imposes a rebuttable presumption that all goods tied to Xinjiang are the product of forced labor and therefore barred from entering the United States according to Section 307 of the 1930 Tariff Act, the EUs forced labor regulation places the burden of proof on authorities, meaning that the principle of innocent until proven guilty still applies.

But Gallagher and Krishnamoorthi expressed unease that even this weaker mandate could still fall apart amid reports that certain EU states are considering voting against the ban during the European Parliaments upcoming plenary. If Europe fails to pass this legislation, they said, products made by Uyghur forced labor would not only continue to have unfettered access to the worlds largest single market but the risk of transshipment to the United States via EU member states would also increase.

We therefore urge the State Department to intensify and elevate its global diplomatic efforts to address PRC state-sponsored forced labor programs and to ensure that countries around the world understand the transnational implications of the UFLPA, they said. Given the EUs upcoming vote on the forced labor import ban and reports that EU governments continue to resist the European Parliaments proposal, we believe that initial efforts should prioritize engagement with our European partners and allies, particularly Germany and Italy. 

Germany and Italy were among the countries that sought to derail the corporate sustainability due diligence directive at the last minute, resulting in new carve-outs that many say water down the laws impact. Any vote can be torpedoed by a blocking minority of at least four member states representing more than 35 percent of EU citizens. Germany and Italy house the 27-nation blocs largest and third-largest populations, respectively.

The letter comes as U.S. legislators continue to push to eliminate leakage points for forced labor from China, including the de minimis exception that allows millions of small packages to enter the country untaxed and uninspected. On Tuesday, Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, dispatched a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas pushing him to investigate Shein and Temu for potential violations of the UFLPA, which the e-tail giants have denied.

It is past time for the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force to begin adding entities to the UFLPA exporter list, he said, referring to the inter-agency group chaired by Department of Homeland Security undersecretary Robert Silvers. Given the blatant exploitation of trade loopholes that Shein and Temu regularly demonstrate, and the high probability these companies have facilitated the importation of goods made with forced labor, I urge you to investigate these companies and add them to the exporter listshould they be in violation of federal law.

Meanwhile, Gallagher and Krishnamoorthi asked the State Department to brief Select Committee staff on its strategy for engaging with U.S. allies to strengthen global prohibitions against goods produced by the PRCs state-sponsored forced labor programs, as well as how much progress the EU, U.K., Australia, Japan and others have made in implementing meaningful prohibitions against said products.

They also want to know if it would be feasible for the State Department to establish a joint U.S.-EU-U.K. Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force that could coordinate policy and enforcement actions with the U.S. Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force. Last year, the United States and Japan created a joint task force to address the broader topic of worker exploitation in international supply chains. The Biden Administration, Canada, the EU and the United Kingdom have also previously imposed joint sanctions on several Chinese officials for human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities.

We are particularly concerned that goods made by Uyghur forced labor continue to flood into Europe and the United Kingdom, which some have described as dumping grounds for these products that are otherwise banned from importation into the United States, they said. The State Department plays a critical role in working with our allies and partners to ensure that companies profiting off the CCPs ongoing genocide in Xinjiang find no safe markets for their wares.
The U.S. on Thursday announced new sanctions on Iran targeting the countrys drone manufacturing as Washington aims to isolate and hurt Tehran following its massive  though largely unsuccessful  attack on Israel last weekend.

The Treasury Department sanctioned 16 individuals and two entities involved with the production of Iranian drones, including the engines built for the infamous explosive Shahed variant.

The new sanctions also target five companies involved in Irans steel production and Iranian automaker Bahman Group along, with three of its subsidiaries. The U.S. accuses them of supporting Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps military force.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement the U.S. is taking swift and decisive action to respond to Irans unprecedented attack on Israel.

Were using Treasurys economic tools to degrade and disrupt key aspects of Irans malign activity, including its [drone] program and the revenue the regime generates to support its terrorism, she said. Our actions make it harder and costlier at every turn for Iran to continue its destabilizing behavior.

The U.S. has sanctioned more than 600 Iranian individuals and entities in the past three years alone.

Earlier this week, the White House signaled that new sanctions were on the way following Irans launching of more than 300 missiles and drones on Israel last weekend, an attack that was largely defeated by Israeli and allied defense systems.

President Biden said in a Thursday statement the new sanctions hit the Iranian governments missile and drone program that enabled this brazen assault.

We are committed to acting collectively to increase economic pressure on Iran, Biden said. And our allies and partners have or will issue additional sanctions and measures to restrict Irans destabilizing military programs.

The sanctions come after the U.S. called a meeting of the Group of Seven most advanced world economies shortly after the Iranian attack. The G7 released a statement condemning the attack, and the group vowed it stood ready to respond.

The measures are also likely to send a signal to Israel that Iran can be targeted in other ways besides military force. Israel has reportedly decided to retaliate against Iran for the missile and drone attack, which could escalate tensions further.

The U.K. also joined the U.S. in targeting Iran with sanctions Thursday, hitting seven individuals and six entities, including military leaders and those involved with Iranian drone production.

These sanctions  announced with the US  show we unequivocally condemn this behavior, and they will further limit Irans ability to destabilize the region, said British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The Iranian regimes attack against Israel was a reckless act and a dangerous escalation.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
LONDON, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The United Kingdom (UK) on Thursday announced sanctions on a further seven individuals and six entities who it said "enabled Iran to conduct destabilizing regional activity, including its direct attack on Israel."

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the UK has sanctioned the ringleaders of the Iranian military and forces responsible for the April 14 attack. Iran said the attack was in retaliation for Israel's strike on Iran's consulate building in Damascus, Syria, on April 1.

The sanctioned individuals and entities are subjected to asset freeze, with a concurrent imposition of a travel ban targeting the individuals under sanction.

This adds to the 400-plus sanctions already imposed on Iran, the UK government said in a statement. Previous sanctions include the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in its entirety and many of those allegedly responsible for the attack on Israel. 
(Bloomberg) -- US lawmakers challenged Boeing Co. to expend the necessary time and effort to reset what they called a broken safety culture and criticized the planemakers relationship with regulators as overly cozy.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Boeing needs to be judged by what it does, not by what it says its doing, Senator Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat, said in her opening remarks at a Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday. At a second hearing, Senator Richard Blumenthal said Boeing had made a bad investment with what the Connecticut Democrat called a focus on stock price, on quarterly profit, on money over safety.

The Federal Aviation Administration, for its part, was criticized in both sessions, accused of being too soft on the company. Expert witnesses at the hearings said responsibility had increasingly been delegated from the regulator to Boeing, partly to improve efficiency, and partly because the FAA doesnt have adequate resources.

The bipartisan pummeling underscores the work ahead for Boeing as it tries to rebuild its reputation battered by two fatal accidents in 2018 and 2019 and a near-catastrophic blowout of a fuselage panel on a 737 Max 9 during flight in early January. Lawmakers said they also want to grill Boeing executives, including departing Chief Executive Officer Dave Calhoun, and FAA officials in future hearings.

Boeing is at a moment of reckoning, and it absolutely has an obligation to reform its safety culture and practices, said Blumenthal, who chairs the subcommittee that held the second hearing, told reporters following the session. This moment of reckoning is years in the making, and it will take persistent action  not just words and rhetoric  to protect the traveling public.

The first session reviewed a February report by experts convened by the FAA, which faulted Boeing for an inconsistent safety message filtering down from management to the shop floor.

We take the FAA review panels detailed assessment to heart and will act on their findings and feedback, Boeing said in a statement after the hearing.

The second panel focused on claims by a Boeing engineer turned whistleblower, who alleges the company cut corners in the production of its 787 airliner, placing profitability over safety.

As a result, the aircraft might show premature signs of fatigue because the company failed to properly close gaps in the fuselage sections when they are pieced together, he said, reiterating allegations first made public last week.

Threatened, Sidelined

In 10 pages of written testimony, Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour said hes observed a culture that prioritizes speed of production over safety and quality and incentivizes management to overlook significant defects in Boeings airplanes.

Despite what Boeing officials state publicly, there is no safety culture at Boeing and employees like me who speak up about defects with its production activities and lack of quality control are ignored, marginalized, threatened, sidelined, and worse, he said in the written testimony.

Salehpour said that in June 2021, he invited about 30 Boeing employees to a meeting to discuss his concerns about excessive force compromising safety by deforming the fuselage barrels as they were fitted together. He said his direct manager forced him to have a shorter meeting with only a few of my requested attendees.

After he escalated his concerns, the responses from above became increasingly hostile, Salehpour said. Ultimately, he said he was transferred to the 777 program in retaliation for his whistleblower activity.

Boeing defended the safety and manufacturing of its marquee 787 Dreamliner, saying it had found no evidence of airframe fatigue after extensive testing of its carbon-fiber fuselage and heavy maintenance checks of nearly 700 of the jets already flying commercially.

Under FAA oversight, we have painstakingly inspected and reworked airplanes and improved production quality to meet exacting standards that are measured in the one-hundreds of an inch, the company said in a statement issued before the start of the hearings. We are fully confident in the safety and durability of the 787 Dreamliner.

No-Show

Since a Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft suffered the loss of the fuselage section in January, the FAA has tightened oversight of Boeing, forcing the company to slow down production and sending staff into their factories to review processes. The manufacturer has been given 90 days to come up with a comprehensive response and fix its production.

Senator Maria Cantwell, the Washington Democrat whose state is home to Boeings 737 Max factory and who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee that held the first Boeing hearing, said she expects the company to comply with that timeline.

Boeing executives werent present at either hearing, though the company has said its cooperating with lawmaker inquiries The companys absence was frustrating, said Senator Eric Schmitt, a Republican from Missouri.

Cantwell said she also wants to hear from the FAA and from Boeing later. Blumenthal said he equally expects Calhoun to appear as part of our ongoing inquiry, and that Wednesdays hearing was the first of several.

These whistleblowers had the guts to come forward and Dave Calhoun should as well, Blumenthal said.

--With assistance from Siddharth Philip.

(Updates with Boeing statement in seventh paragraph)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
By Leah Douglas

(Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Agency for International Development will distribute $1 billion in U.S. commodities to countries with high hunger rates, the agencies said on Thursday.

The countries that will receive the aid - including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, South Sudan, Sudan, and Haiti - are among the most stricken by hunger, according to the United Nations' World Food Programme.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

Global hunger is getting worse, with 745 million more people moderately to severely hungry worldwide in 2023 than in 2015, leaving the world off-track to meet a sustainable development goal of ending hunger by 2030, according to the United Nations.

The causes of expanded hunger are global conflict, climate change, and the long tail of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic for the world's poor, the U.N. says.

Hunger is rising the most in Sub-Saharan Africa.

CONTEXT

The U.S.-grown commodities to be purchased and sent abroad include grains and beans, the USDA said.

The USDA will buy the commodities and USAID will distribute them, the agencies said.

The U.S. is also facing high hunger rates in the wake of the pandemic, and USDA in 2022 spent $2.3 billion on food purchases for schools and food banks.

KEY QUOTE

"With many millions of people in dire need worldwide, the U.S. agricultural sector is well positioned to provide lifesaving food assistance," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.

(Reporting by Leah Douglas; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
US, UK issue sanctions on Iran over drone and missile attack on Israel

(AP) The U.S. and U.K. on Thursday imposed a new round of sanctions on Iran as concern grows that Tehrans unprecedented attack on Israel could fuel a wider war in the Middle East.

Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control targeted 16 people and two entities in Iran that produce engines that power the drones used in the April 13 attack on Israel. OFAC also sanctioned five firms involved in steel production and three subsidiaries of Iranian automaker Bahman Group  which is accused of materially supporting Irans military and other sanctioned groups. A representative from Bahman was not immediately available for comment.

Additionally, the U.K. is targeting several Iranian military branches and individuals involved in Irans drone and ballistic missile industries.

President Joe Biden said in a statement that he had directed U.S. Treasury to continue to impose sanctions that further degrade Irans military industries. Let it be clear to all those who enable or support Irans attacks, he said, we will not hesitate to take all necessary action to hold you accountable.

U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement that the sanctions will further limit Irans ability to destabilize the region.

In addition to Treasurys sanctions, the U.S. Commerce Department is imposing new controls to restrict Irans access to basic commercial grade microelectronics, which apply to items manufactured outside the U.S. that are produced using U.S. technology.

The actions come after U.S. officials earlier this week warned that they were readying new sanctions in response to Irans activity in the region and to prevent future attacks. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill also have been quickly pushing forward legislation that would financially punish the Islamic Republic and its leaders.

Irans attack on Israel early Sunday came in response to what it says was an Israeli strike on Irans consulate in Syria earlier this month. Israels military chief said Monday that his country will respond to the Iranian attack, while world leaders caution against retaliation, trying to avoid a spiral of violence.

European Union leaders also vowed on Wednesday to ramp up sanctions on Iran, targeting its drone and missile deliveries to proxies in Gaza, Yemen and Lebanon.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the existing EU sanctions regime would be strengthened and expanded to punish Tehran and help prevent future attacks on Israel. At the same time, he said, Israel needed to exercise restraint.

I dont want to exaggerate, but we are on the edge of a war, a regional war in the Middle East, which will be sending shockwaves to the rest of the world, and in particular to Europe, he warned. So stop it.

The U.S. has already sanctioned hundreds of entities and people in Iran  from the central bank and government officials to drone producers and money exchangers  accused of materially supporting Irans Revolutionary Guard and foreign militant groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.

And U.S. efforts to limit Irans income from oil and petroleum products span back decades.

The question remains how effective sanctions will be, and have been, in preventing Iran from ramping up its production of military equipment. American defense officials accuse Iran of supplying drones to Russia as it pursues its invasion of Ukraine, which has reached a third year.

Earlier this week, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said during a press conference that the U.S. has been working to diminish Irans ability to export oil.

There may be more that we could do, she said.
The U.S. vetoed a Palestinian bid to be recognized as a member state of the United Nations during a Security Council vote Thursday evening.

The final vote on Monday had 12 members of the Security Council vote in favor of the resolution, two abstentions  the U.K. and Switzerland  and the U.S. with the lone veto, effectively killing the measure.

Before the vote, Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson for the State Department, described as premature an effort by the Palestinian Authority (PA) to gain member status at the U.N.

He said there was not unanimity among the Security Councils 15 members that the Palestinian Authority had met the criteria for membership, with unresolved questions over the governance of the Gaza Strip, where Israel is in a war to defeat and eliminate the controlling power, Hamas.

And for that reason, the United States is voting no on this proposed Security Council resolution, Patel said.

For the Palestinian bid to be successful it would have had to secure nine votes among the Security Councils 15-member body, and not have any of the five permanent members exercise their veto.

But the vote tally signaled that the majority of members were putting their support behind the Palestinian measure, despite the U.S. push to promote negotiations as the only pathway for recognition of a Palestinian state.

If the U.S. had not exercised its veto, a second vote would be taken by the General Assembly to admit the Palestinian Authority as a voting-member under the title of State of Palestine.

The PA launched a bid for statehood recognition at the U.N. earlier this month as part of efforts to legitimize its leadership amid Israels war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip and escalating unrest in the West Bank, with surging violence between Israelis and Palestinians.

The U.S. is working on a plan to revitalize and reform the Palestinian Authority and prepare it for governance of the Gaza Strip. It is part of a larger plan to have Gulf and Arab partners participate in stabilizing Gaza in the aftermath of Israels war and establish open ties with Israel.

We do not think that actions in New York, even if they are the most well-intentioned, are the best appropriate path, Patel said.

It remains our view that the most expeditious path toward statehood for the Palestinian people is through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority with the support of the United States and other partners who share this goal.

It remains our view that the most expeditious path toward statehood for the Palestinian people is through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority with the support of the United States and other partners who share this goal.

In 2012, the Palestinian Authority secured the status of non-member observer state at the U.N., in the face of U.S., Israeli and other countries objecting, arguing that the establishment of a Palestinian state could only occur between direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.

Ziad Abu Amr, special representative of the Palestinian president, said in remarks that recognizing the State of Palestine would not be a substitute for serious negotiations that are time-bound to implement the two-state solution, the Associated Press reported.

Update: 6:36 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The United States on Thursday blocked a United Nations Security Council resolution that would have recognised a Palestinian state.

Twelve members of the Security Council had voted in favor of the resolution, while two countries  the UK and Switzerland  abstained. The US vetoed it.

The Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, sharply criticized the US veto, saying in a statement that it was unfair, immoral, and unjustified, and defies the will of the international community, which strongly supports the State of Palestine obtaining full membership in the United Nations.

Israels Foreign Minister Israel Katz praised the US for vetoing what he called a shameful proposal.

The proposal to recognize a Palestinian state, more than 6 months after the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust and after the sexual crimes and other atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists was a reward for terrorism, Katz wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, after the US veto.

The Palestinian efforts to gain recognition as a member state of the UN came six months after Hamas  the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip  launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, killing more than 1,200 Israelis and taking more than 240 hostages. Israel responded to the atrocities of October 7 last year with an assault that has has killed nearly 34,000 people in Gaza, according to authorities there.

US State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel had announced earlier Thursday that the US would vote against the Security Council resolution, saying that the US has been very clear, consistently, that premature actions in New York, even with the best intentions, will not achieve statehood for the Palestinian people, referring to the headquarters of the United Nations.

He also noted there was no unanimity as to whether the Palestinians met the criteria for membership as a state in the UN, saying the US believes future statehood should be dependent on negotiations between Israel and representatives of the Palestinians. The most expeditious path towards statehood for the Palestinian people is through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority with the support of the United States and other partners who share this goal, Patel said.

Palestinian attempts for recognition as a full member state began in 2011. They are currently a non-member observer state, a status that was granted in November 2012.

At the time, UN Ambassador of the Palestinian Territories Riyad Mansour called the step a historic moment, adding that he hoped the Security Council will elevate itself to implanting the global consensus on the two-state solution by admitting the state of Palestine for full membership.

Israels UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan condemned Fridays move as consideration of a Palestinian terror state.

This wont be a regular state. It will be a Palestine-Nazi state, an entity that achieved statehood despite being committed to terror and Israels annihilation, Erdan added.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX)  The United States Postal Service announced Tuesday night its moving forward with plans to transfer outgoing mail processing operations from Grand Junction to Denver, turning the processing and distribution center into a local processing center.

Theyre going to move processing operations from Grand Junction to the Denver processing center to be processed. This is going to cause nothing but delays. Shane McDonnell

USPS said the plan will improve mail operations at the Grand Junction processing facility by modernizing the current processing and distribution center facility and turning it into a local processing center.

Western Colorado Area Local, the Grand Junction post workers union disagrees. Mailers and local businesses who use the postal service, theyre going to go to outside sources that are basically able to streamline their services more effectively than us. Our bathrooms and lighting arent going to have an effect on those changes, the Vice President of Western Colorado Area Local Shane McDonnell told WesternSlopeNow.

Today if you went out to send a letter to Rifle from Grand Junction mail carriers would pick it up, and bring it back for processing in Grand Junction. Then carriers would deliver it the next day.

McDonnell says that wouldnt be the case under the new plan. With these changes, the mail will be collected, be sent to Junction it will be offloaded onto a truck be sent to Denver, get into their processing cue, be processed then sent back over the mountains back to the junction facility, all before the letter reaches its final destination McDonnell said.

WesternSlopeNow reached out to a spokesperson for USPS about the decision to move ahead with plans to makeover the Grand Junction Post Office.

We asked these questions:

What solidified this decision?

What impact did public comment have on the decision?

What is the timeline for the project?

The spokesperson responded, I do not have the answers for what solidified the decision, what impact did public comment have, or what the timeline is for this project.

They added.

It is important to note that all incoming mail volume i.e. checks, medications, packages etc. will not change with this process. Local mail, meaning mail originating in the Grand Junction area that is also destined to that region (mail addressed to the same local area), will not be delayed under this plan. While this mail would travel first to Denver to be processed before returning to the Grand Junction LPC, it is important to know that local mail has a two-day service standard, and this mail would continue to be processed and delivered in two days. USPS spokesperson

The union said in theory it is possible to turn around mail from the Western Slope to Denver and back to the Western Slope within the two-day standard. It is possible under ideal conditions. I dont think these are ideal conditions and with i-70 problems and with processing operations in Denver, I do not think that is going to happen, McDonnell said, At least a majority of the time.

USPS records show that 1,485 people submitted comments about the new USPS facility plan.

Weve had petitions signed by over 4,000 people. The general public does not want this to happen. Shane McDonnell

WesternslopeNow will keep following this story and report on any further developments.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com.
The dock landing ship Gunston Hall returned home to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, Virginia, on April 11 after a four-month deployment that saw the ship taking part in the largest NATO exercise in decades, according to the Navy.

During NATOs Steadfast Defender 2024, Gunston Hall was one of 50 ships taking part in the exercise, which also involved 90,000 troops.

The exercise focused on carrying out complex operations across thousands of miles, spanning from the Arctic to central and eastern Europe.

Gunston Hall left Virginia in January and first headed to Portsmouth, United Kingdom, where it embarked a landing force that included French marines.

After amphibious training exercises in the English Channel, Gunston Hall headed up to the Arctic Circle to work with Italian air assault troops and allied vessels, the Navy said.

It later embarked Swedish and Finnish marines and their CB-90 fast assault boats, and went to the high north to carry about further amphibious exercises and well deck operations.

Steadfast Defender 2024 comes as NATOs European members work to reconstitute their military capabilities in the face of an increasingly assertive Russia and years of declining military spending in Europe.

Our participation in Steadfast Defender demonstrated our Navys ability to work alongside and defend our allies, Cmdr. Christopher Van Loenen, Gunston Halls commanding officer, said in a statement. The Gunston Hall crew pushed the ship to her full capabilities in order to achieve the exercise objectives, and we did just that. I couldnt be more proud of what we accomplished together.
Some 200 students at the University of Texas at Austin disrupted a virtual faculty council meeting conducted by university president Jay Hartzell on Monday to oppose the schools decision earlier this month to lay off nearly 60 employees who worked in diversity, equity and inclusion-related positions on campus.

When Hartzell and other university officials logged on to the meeting, they were met with scores of students, all sharing a black background that read No DEI = Not Our Texas in red letters.

We wanted to show them that we want transparency, we want communication from him, we want his support. We want him to address us and to clarify his questions about [State Bill] 17 compliance and the changes hes been sweeping through our campus, Christian Mira, of UT Austins Queer Trans Black Indigenous People of Color Agency, said of Hartzell. If hes going to claim that everything he does is for the students, its on our shoulders, its our burden to disprove that. Were not happy with the direction the universitys going in.

In a message to the school community on April 2, Hartzell announced that UT Austin would close its Division of Campus and Community Engagement and no longer fund programs or activities that support DEI, in accordance with SB 17, a Texas law passed last June that essentially bans DEI efforts at higher education institutions. On Monday, he confirmed reports that 57 employees who worked in DEI positions had been laid off, with eight moved from the positions back to regular teaching jobs. A spokesperson for the university, Brian Davis, confirmed the numbers and, when asked about specific allegations from students and faculty, referred NBC News to Hartzells initial message to the university community.

Hartzell wrote in his initial message that the university had begun a multiphase process to make changes required by the new law. As a result, UT Austin leaders have broadened some programs, redistributed others and closed DEI programs altogether.

Critics of the layoffs said they were blindsided by the news and that Hartzell has not answered their many questions.

People are really frustrated. It feels really unfair, Karma Chavez, the chair of the universitys Mexican American and Latina/o Studies program, told NBC News. The folks that Ive spoken to, I think, are mostly pretty angry. I think theres also a sense of feeling pretty disillusioned with the workplace.

Chavez said that those impacted by the layoffs are mostly people of color. Largely those are Black and brown, queer and trans folks. Its been pretty intense. It really doesnt feel like the university has the back of anyone who used to do this kind of work, Chavez said.

The department that was shuttered provided resources for those who may face the most significant challenges in accessing education. In addition to layoffs, the university shut down several student support programs like Monarch, which helped undocumented students with college applications, financial aid and internships. The division also housed the Womens Community Center, previously called the Gender and Sexuality Center, and it is not on the schools list of programs to relocate, according to the Austin American-Statesman. The universitys beloved Multicultural Engagement Center, which students have called a home away from home, also shut down in January after SB 17 went into effect.

Students protest the layoffs of employees in DEI-related positions at the University of Texas at Austin on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Madison Morris)

Backlash to the layoffs and changes have been swift. A group of professors with the schools chapter of the American Association of University Professors sent a letter to Hartzell last week demanding that the job cuts be reversed. The professors argued that the DEI layoffs were discriminatory and violated the employees right to freedom of expression. The Texas Legislative Black Caucus condemned the decision and the Texas NAACP released a statement asking for transparency from university officials and more information about the terminations.

Faculty members, students and staffers are calling for accountability and a reversal of the firings. Students have consistently spoken out against the shuttering of the programs they said supported them through college life.

Its beyond Black and brown students. Its also students who have disabilities who are sad. There are students who represent different genders and sexualities who are sad, graduate student Zion James told NBC News. Overall, the campus morale is sad. We dont know what to do. We dont know where to go, or how to move forward.

James lamented losing staff and faculty who hed come to call mentors and friends. I feel like Im being robbed of my family, he said.

On April 8, a week after Hartzells initial message, at least 100 students gathered for a demonstration on campus with signs like Not Our Texas, condemning the DEI changes. At least 500 students, staff, alumni and campus organizations signed a letter demanding transparency from university and state officials on the matter.

That there is a very present and active student body of marginalized students who are not just going to sit here and accept these changes that are happening without our buy-in, without our consent, without at least attempted collaboration, said Amanda Garcia, a member of Texas Students for DEI,

Texas follows Florida to become the second state in the country to ban DEI initiatives in higher education. The Texas bill, which went into effect on Jan. 1, states that DEI promotes differential treatment on the basis of race, color, or ethnicity, a common talking point of conservative activists working to end the programs in several industries.

In the weeks since the UT Austin changes, about 20 staff members at the University of Texas at Dallas were also laid off to comply with the law, according to the Dallas Morning News.

Chavez and Monica Jimenez, assistant professor of African and African Diaspora Studies at the university, were among a group of UT Austin professors who spent months pushing back against SB 17 during the last legislative session. Jimenez said university officials met with groups of faculty and others who opposed DEI changes. She said officials told them that the university would move employees into other positions, restructure departments and rename programs and divisions but implied that people would not lose their jobs.

To hear now, four months after implementation, after people have already done the hard work of learning new jobs and put into new positions, that they were going to be let go anyway, its been really frustrating for all of us on campus, Jimenez said.

Chavez shared similar sentiments.

They did say, Were going to do everything possible to make sure  thats not our goal here to make anyone lose their jobs, Chavez recalled. I never felt really confident about that, but I wanted to be able to take them at their word. Now its clear they were lying.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
GAZA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army mobilized military reinforcements, including artillery and armored personnel carriers, around Gaza in preparation for a possible ground attack on the southernmost Gazan city of Rafah, local media reported Thursday.

Dotan, commander of Battalion 932 in the Israeli army, told soldiers at the end of the military operation in the Nuseirat refugee camp that they would be advancing towards Rafah, the Hebrew public radio reported.

On Wednesday, the Israeli army withdrew from the Nuseirat camp after conducting a surprise military operation there since April 11, resulting in the death of dozens of people and significant destruction of buildings and infrastructure.

Dotan added that "the people of Israel trust you to do your best, as you did in Nuseirat, Zaytoun, Tuffah, and Shifa, and you'll do it in Rafah as well."

During the past 24 hours, Israeli warplanes targeted homes, mosques, and agricultural lands in Rafah, a city currently providing refuge to over 1.4 million Palestinians. Palestinian security sources reported that these airstrikes killed 20 people and injured several others.

Israel's repeated threats of a military operation in Rafah have faced opposition from its long-time supporters, including the United States.

However, Israel insists on invading the city, considering it as the "last stronghold" of Hamas, which still has four military brigades stationed there that Israel seeks to dismantle.

Qatari and Egyptian mediators, along with the United States, are seeking to reach a hostage-for-prisoner swap deal and achieve a second ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, following the first one that lasted a week until early December last year.

Israel estimated that about 134 Israelis remained hostage in Gaza, whereas Hamas announced that about 70 of them had been killed in Israeli airstrikes.

More than 9,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners are held in Israel, according to HaMoked, an Israeli human rights group. 
Testing on dogs, cats and nonhuman primates by the Department of Veterans Affairs is set to be largely eliminated by 2026, an issue praised this week both in Congress and by advocates, but which others have previously asserted could impair the discovery of future medical advancements.

The move, included in the VAs fiscal year 2024 spending bill that was signed into law in March, restricts the department from conducting certain research on the animals in the future.

VA is on the cutting edge of research, and I am proud to say that it will be eliminating the use of research on animals within the next two years, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Florida, said during a House subcommittee hearing Tuesday. Were pushing VA to find other scientific methods to conduct this vital research, she said.

The legislative language follows a long debate over whether animal testing at VA should be limited, or whether such studies are critical for medical research.

A growing majority of taxpayers  Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike  oppose wasteful and cruel government testing on pets and primates and dont want to be forced to foot the bill, Justin Goodman, a senior vice president with the watchdog group White Coat Waste Project, told Military Times in a statement.

In 2016, the VA reported it experimented on roughly 16 cats, 220 dogs and 18 primates, he said, noting that it has not experimented on any dogs or cats at all since early 2022.

Not everyone though has supported a total halt to such research, contending it has allowed for advancements to support veterans with disabilities. Some medical research, the department has previously noted, can be done only with canines because they are more similar to humans than other species like rats or mice are, in terms of size and physiology.

VA Secretary David Shulkin wrote for USA Today in 2017 that canine research needed to continue as it has delivered important discoveries like the implantable cardiac pacemaker and the artificial pancreas. He did later say on social media he remains opposed toward any new dog research.

A VA-sponsored study reported in 2020 that medical testing on dogs by the department may be scientifically necessary in some cases. It did not offer a clear defense or indictment of the work, but encouraged alternatives to live-animal tests should be pursued, Military Times previously reported.

VA has historically undertaken research using sensitive species only when absolutely necessary to fulfill our vital mission to care for those who have served in our military, a VA spokesperson told Military Times in a statement.

The department was already taking steps to eliminate or reduce such testing, they said, adding that it oversaw a more than a 90% decrease in those studies over the last nearly 20 years.

Ending tests on dogs, cats and primates is a welcome starting point, but its far from the finish line, Shalin Gala, a vice president with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, told Military Times in a statement.
A review by the Department of Veterans Affairs could lead to automatic disability benefits for troops who served in the nuclear missile community, including at Air Force bases where the service is studying if airmen stationed there have been disproportionately diagnosed with cancer.

The VA said in an April 12 letter to the Torchlight Initiative, a volunteer organization formed to advocate on behalf of airmen as the missile communitys cancer concerns began emerging early last year, that it is considering whether to presume that those troops were exposed to carcinogens as part of their military service.

By receiving presumptive eligibility for VA disability benefits, a veteran does not have to prove a service connection to a disease or injury to receive federal compensation for its effects. Those disability benefits can total several thousand dollars each month.

Nearly 200 cancer cases surface among missileers in Air Force study

We will continue to gather as much science and evidence as possible to move swiftly for veterans facing serious illnesses due to military exposures, VA wrote.

Air Force Times obtained the letter Monday; VA spokesperson Terrence Hayes confirmed its authenticity on Wednesday.

Such a review can take months or years to complete. If the decision moves forward, the airmen could join millions of veterans who were granted easier access to VA benefits under the 2022 Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act  better known as the PACT Act  created to help those who worked around trash-burning pits and other sources of toxins. That access was subsequently expanded to include veterans exposed to Agent Orange, radiation contamination and more.

Senators push VA to fix problems with vets toxic exposure claims

Torchlight asked VA to research toxic exposures across the Defense Departments missile sites and grant easier access to disability benefits in a letter in January, citing the Air Forces ongoing study and its own efforts to add veterans and current airmen who have been diagnosed with cancer into a holistic database.

The initiative has found 454 self-reported cancer diagnoses among troops and their family members, 302 of which were among missileers.

We are optimistic that the VA studying this issue, in addition to the DOD, will bring more data and more analysis that will help solve this problem, Maj. Aaron Brynildson, a Torchlight volunteer stationed at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado, told Air Force Times. We have had a number of terminally ill members, and the dependents of missile veterans who are no longer with us, be denied VA benefits for failing to show a service connection. This potential rule will hopefully right that wrong.

Results from the Air Forces first phase of its cancer study, released in March, revealed nearly 200 cancer diagnoses among missileers  hundreds fewer cases than it expected. The service opted against drawing conclusions from the findings until it could review more data.

The first review analyzed medical records of more than 2.2 million airmen treated at military medical facilities from 2001 to 2021. Additional studies, which are expected to run throughout the year, will consider decades-old data from VA and DOD, including cancer registries, death indexes and a registry that includes cancer data from 45 states and U.S. territories.

Cannon pediatric cancer study finds higher rate of rare brain tumors

As that analysis moves forward, the service is also continuing to collect environmental samples from its operational missile wings at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana; F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming; and Minot AFB, North Dakota; as well as at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, where unarmed missiles are tested.

The sampling effort looks for polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, a chemical class that was used in oils, electrical components, and more until it was banned more than four decades ago; plus radon, pesticides and other chemicals in the air, water and soil and on surfaces inside missile facilities.

Two missile-alert facilities at Malmstrom and one at Minot were found to have potentially unsafe levels of PCB contamination last year. A second round of tests for those toxins revealed no significant findings, the Air Force said.

Communities across the military, from fighter pilots to ground crews, have aired concerns that their work and where they are stationed may be to blame for more frequent cancer diagnoses.

Another recent Air Force probe found earlier this month that children at New Mexicos Cannon Air Force Base were diagnosed with diffuse midline glioma, a rare brain cancer, more often than kids at other bases or in the U.S. at large  a discovery researchers believe is likely coincidental. Still, the service said that children at Cannon were no more likely to be diagnosed with brain cancer than others elsewhere.
(KRON)  The Dublin Police Department is investigating several incidents of vandalism that occurred at the end of March in the Sorrento at Dublin Ranch community. A total of 80 light fixtures were damaged throughout the neighborhood, according to authorities.

Police are seeking the publics help in identifying the suspects responsible for severely damaging the dozens of light fixtures and vandalizing the bridge on Grafton Street with yellow and blue spray paint.

Petaluma police investigate graffiti threat at school

The investigation into the vandalism is ongoing, Dublin PD said. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sergeant C. Haendel at (925)-361-4145 or the Dublin Police Services Crime Tip Hotline at (925)-833-6638.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
The vast majority of Pa. legislative races will effectively be decided during the primary

Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters.

HARRISBURG  Millions of voters across the political spectrum will have little choice this year in who represents them in the state House and Senate, thanks to a lack of competitive state legislative districts coupled with Pennsylvanias closed primary system.

That combination leaves ultimate control of the legislature and its policy agenda in the hands of a small minority of the population.

The races for just 14% of the 228 seats on the ballot this year are expected to be competitive: 29 in the state House and three in the state Senate. Only 1.9 million of Pennsylvanias 8.7 million voters live in these districts.

The candidates who will hold the vast majority of seats will effectively be decided during partisan, low-turnout primary elections on April 23. Thats because most legislative districts have a strong partisan lean toward Democrats or Republicans.

Daves Redistricting, a nonpartisan website that analyzes political maps, considers a district to be competitive if the partisan lean is between 44% and 54%; it produces these percentages based on a composite of past election results.

Pennsylvania also has a closed primary system, meaning only Democrats and Republicans can participate in their partys spring elections. That keeps many of the states 1.3 million unaffiliated and third-party voters from having a meaningful say in who represents them in Harrisburg.

(Technically, independents and third-party voters can switch their registration to the party whose primary they want to participate in up until 15 days before the election, and switch back to their original registration after theyve voted.)

At stake is control of the 203-member state House and 50-member state Senate (only half of the latter chambers seats are on the ballot this year). The party that controls each chamber will decide what legislation will be prioritized or blocked during the next two-year session.

Democrats won a one-seat state House majority in 2022 after more than a decade out of power. That victory hinged on a handful of races that were decided by only a few hundred votes. Republicans, meanwhile, have controlled the state Senate for decades, but Democrats see an opportunity to at least tie the chamber.

Despite the high stakes, fewer voters are expected to get a significant say in determining the balance than just a few years ago.

The number of competitive legislative districts in Pennsylvania fell after the 2020 redistricting process, from 58 to 38.

The commission that drew the maps had to follow certain constitutional requirements  including one that calls for equal population in each district  while contending with population trends.

Pennsylvanias rural areas lost people while urban and suburban areas gained them. People also choose to live around people who they believe have similar political views, said Chris Fowler, a professor of geography at Penn State who served on former Democratic Gov. Tom Wolfs Redistricting Advisory Council.

This demographic pattern concentrates Democrats and Republicans in different pockets of the state and makes it harder to draw competitive districts.

Sorting does shape the political landscape, Fowler said.

Where a vote means more

Democrats and Republicans who live in a district that strongly leans toward their party get a more significant say in who represents them in the legislature. Such voters have the opportunity to pick their lawmakers during primaries, which historically have lower turnout than the general election.

Take state House District 100, represented by Minority Leader Bryan Cutler of Lancaster County. It leans strongly toward Republicans.

In 2022, Cutler won the GOP primary election with just over 6,100 votes in a district with 33,000 registered voters. He ran unopposed in November, but this primary is again facing a challenge from the right.

A few dozen miles to the east is state House District 200, represented by Chris Rabb of Philadelphia. Its partisan lean toward Democrats is one of the most dramatic in the state, at 96%.

In 2022, there were 51,000 registered voters in the district. A little more than 18,000 Democrats voted in the primary election that saw Rabb face then-Rep. Isabella Fitzgerald; the two incumbents were drawn into the same district during redistricting.

Rabb won the primary race with 62% of the vote before handily winning the general election against a Republican opponent. This year, his victory is assured: he is unopposed in the primary.

The states competitive districts are primarily clustered in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh suburbs. General election contests in some of these districts have been decided by just a few dozen or a few hundred votes, giving voters from across the political spectrum a strong stake in these elections. Turnout is key in such races, as every vote cast could sway the results.

That was the case for state House District 144 in 2022, where Democratic Rep. Brian Munroe defeated incumbent Republican Todd Polinchock by 515 votes. Nearly 70% of registered voters participated.

Of the 25 state Senate districts on the ballot this year  which havent been tested since the boundaries were redrawn in 2022  only three are considered to be competitive.

That includes District 37, currently represented by Republican Sen. Devlin Robinson of Allegheny County. It has a Democratic lean of 53% and is a major target as Democrats seek to flip the chamber.

In 2022, Robinson defeated Democratic incumbent Pam Iovino by more than 7,000 votes. In this years general election, he will face Democrat Nicole Ruscitto, a librarian and former Jefferson Hills borough council member.

Of the districts more than 181,000 voters, 15% are independent or belong to a third party. Thats around 28,000 people whose votes could decide the election.

Visualization by Spotlight PAs Jeff Rummell.

BEFORE YOU GO If you learned something from this article, pay it forward and contribute to Spotlight PA at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results.
'Very scary prospect': Spike in illegal immigrants from this US adversary blows lid off previous year's record

'Very scary prospect': Spike in illegal immigrants from this US adversary blows lid off previous year's record

The number of Chinese nationals entering the United States illegally and stopped by Border Patrol so far this fiscal year has exceeded the enormous number seen in all of fiscal year 2023  with six months still to go.

According to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data, in the first six months of fiscal 2024, which began in October, Border Patrol had caught 24,296 Chinese nationals crossing illegally between ports of entry. That exceeds the 24,125 caught in all of fiscal 2023.

For comparison, in fiscal 2022, there were just 1,987 apprehensions, and in fiscal 2021 there were just 342.

Those numbers only account for those entering illegally between ports of entry. Including ports of entry, there have been 41,970 encounters, compared to 52,700 in fiscal 2023.

CHINA PUSHING US FENTANYL CRISIS, HOUSE PANEL REPORT REVEALS

Migrants in line in Jacumba, California. Border authorities are contending with an influx of Chinese migrants in a key border sector.

Fox reported earlier this month that the number of Chinese nationals entering illegally has surged by over 6,300% since fiscal 2021. That report came as 182 Chinese nationals were encountered in a single sector in a single day.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Lawmakers and officials have raised concerns about the migrants' potential ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the movement of fentanyl into the U.S.

"There have been numerous documented instances of Chinese nationals, at the direction of the CCP, engaging in espionage, stealing military and economic secrets," lawmakers, led by Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., said last year.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council, which represents all rank-and-file Border Patrol agents nationwide, told Fox News in February the majority of the Chinese border crossers are single adult males of military age.

"That is a very scary prospect. We know that China does not like us. We know that we are in the crosshairs of China," he said. "And they are exporting so many people to our country, and you have to really fear about that."

This week, a bipartisan House report found the Chinese government has given tax rebates and grants to companies that make certain fentanyl and synthetic drug precursors used by drug traffickers as long as they are sold outside of China.

"Through its actions, as our report has revealed, the Chinese Communist Party is telling us that it wants more fentanyl entering our country," said Rep. Mike Gallagher, the Republican chairman of the special House committee. "It wants the chaos and devastation that has resulted from the epidemic."

Illicit fentanyl is typically created in Mexico using Chinese precursors and then moved across the southern land border.

CHINESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ARRESTED AFTER DRIVING ONTO MILITARY BASE IN CALIFORNIA

Last month, a Chinese illegal immigrant was detained in California after entering a Marine Corps base without authorization and ignoring orders to leave.

The Biden administration has also acknowledged the national security threat from China more broadly in its national threat assessment, although not specifically from migrants, who it says are fully vetted using biographic and biometric information.

Border officials have stressed there will be consequences for those who enter the U.S. illegally, including those from China.

"DHS continues to enforce United States immigration laws , expanding lawful pathways while strengthening enforcement consequences for those who cross our border unlawfully," the agency said in a statement when the Chinese national was arrested at the military base.

"Individuals and families without a legal basis to remain in the U.S. are subject to removal pursuant to Title 8 authorities and are subject to a minimum five-year bar on reapplying for admission and potential criminal prosecution if they subsequently re-enter without authorization."

Fox News has also spoken to Chinese migrants who have said they are just trying to benefit themselves and their families.

"My English is not very good, and I don't know anyone in the United States," one migrant told Fox last month. "Once I get to the United States, I know I have to start all over again. But I want to live a good life in the future, and I want my children to be educated well. I strive to take root in the United States as soon as possible."

Fox News' Bill Melugin contributed to this report.





Original article source: 'Very scary prospect': Spike in illegal immigrants from this US adversary blows lid off previous year's record
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Authorities have released the identities of the victim and suspect involved in Tuesday mornings deadly shooting in Spring Valley.

Shortly after 10:20 a.m. Tuesday, deputies with the San Diego County Sheriffs Department responded to a report of someone trying to break into a residence in the 800 block of La Presa Avenue.

Woman killed in East County shooting; suspect found dead

When deputies arrived, they said no one answered the front door and made their way around to the backyard. They saw someone lying on the couch unresponsive, according to law enforcement.

Deputies eventually forced their way into the home where they found a woman with head trauma. Despite life-saving efforts by deputies and paramedics, the victim died at the scene.

A release from the sheriffs department Wednesday identified the victim as 35-year-old Ashley Bird and the preliminary cause of death as a gunshot wound to the head.

Three local shootings in last two months allegedly linked to drug cartel: report

Authorities later found the suspect, 39-year-old Christopher Bird, dead in his vehicle at Calafia Beach Park in San Clemente. The manner and cause of his death will be determined by the Orange County Coroners Office.

The sheriffs department said it is not searching for anyone else involved in this case and there is no apparent danger to the community. The departments homicide unit is still investigating the motivation and circumstances of the crime.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  The Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office (HCSO) announced it arrested a man following the armed robbery and battery of a jogger earlier this week.

The sheriffs office said the incident happened around 1:48 a.m. on April 16 when Matthew Green Jr., 31, robbed the 7-Eleven on Fishhawk Blvd. in Lithia.

HCSO said Green told the employee behind the counter that he had a gun and demanded money from the register. When the employee refused, Green fled the scene, investigators said.

A short time later, deputies responded to a call of a jogger who was strangled until they were unconscious and whos phone was stolen in the process.

Investigators said they were able to track Green to a home on Juliano Drive in Riverview. On arrival, detectives found the residence had an open window and screen that had been tampered with.

After contacting the resident of the home, a search was conducted which revealed Green hiding behind a washer and dryer inside, according to HCSO.

Our community should rest easier tonight knowing that a dangerous individual, intent on terrorizing innocent lives with acts of violence, is no longer free to roam our streets, said Sheriff Chad Chronister. Thanks to the swift and diligent work of our dedicated detectives, this suspects reckless actions were brought to a halt before he could inflict further harm to anyone else.

Green is facing the following charges:

Robbery with a Firearm (Less than $750)

Robbery $750 or More but Less Than $20,000

Battery by Strangulation

Grand Theft Third Degree ($750  $5,000)

Violation of Parole, Probable Cause, Violation of Parole Robbery Gun or Deadly Weapon x2

Violation of Parole, Probable Cause, Violation of Parole Felon/Delinquent with Gun/Concealed Weapon/Ammo x2

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
The hunting community is experiencing whiplash after several articles appeared on mainstream news sites this week announcing that two hunters have died after eating venison from deer with chronic wasting disease. Wildlife experts say there is no evidence to support these claims. Viral news website The Daily Mail published a story on Thursday titled Two hunters become first Americans to die from ZOMBIE DEER disease after eating infected venison. The coverage is based on a research abstract published in Neurology on April 9 titled Two Hunters from the Same Lodge Afflicted with Sporadic CJD: Is Chronic Wasting Disease to Blame? The Mail story also appears to draw on the article Study: Hunters Die After Consuming CWD-Infected Venison published by Field & Stream Wednesday. (The F&S article has since been removed and replaced with more skeptical coverage of the Neurology abstract; a syndicated version of the original story remained on Yahoo! News at press time.) Now false reports of CWD infecting humans are spreading concerns and misinformation on hunting forums and social media. This is not a study and this is not a scientific paper, veteran deer biologist and wildlife science coordinator for the Arizona Game and Fish Department Jim Heffelfinger wrote in an Instagram post Thursday. The whole thing is only 344 words and is simply a mention about two hunters that died of [Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease] and both of them ate deer from the same deer population. There is no evidence of CWD infecting hunters. The authors  three of whom are doctors of neurology and one an MD candidate at the University of Texas San Antonio Long School of Medicine  attempt to connect two men who died from sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in 2022 to a population of CWD-infected deer the men supposedly hunted and ate. CJD is a prion disease that affects humans and behaves similarly to CWD and other transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, like mad cow disease in cows and scrapie in sheep. The research abstract says the men both died from sporadic CJD, which is the most common version of the disease; its thought to occur randomly and mostly impacts people older than 60. (There are three kinds of CJD: sporadic, variant, and genetic. Variant CJD can come from contamination in surgical settings or eating beef from cows with mad cow disease, according to the Mayo Clinic. Genetic CJD is caused by an inherited predisposition.) Its unfortunate that this sketchy report has caused the alarm and confusion that it has, National Deer Associations director of communications Lindsay Thomas, Jr. tells Outdoor Life. The NDA published a response to the abstract on Thursday. There are no details, no evidence, or facts presented, so theres not much to go on. But the bottom line is, nothing has changed. We still dont have evidence of transmission of CWD from deer to people. We didnt before, and this doesnt change that. Nothing changes about the advice for people regarding CWD and their health, either. If you hunt in a CWD zone, get your deer tested and wait for the results before you eat the venison. In an email to Outdoor Life, a representative of Neurology described its article as a scientific abstract presented at the 2024 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting and reprinted in Neurology. The research abstract does not mention where the men hunted or whether the deer they consumed venison from was ever tested for CWD. After speaking with [one of the authors] Dr. Sarah Horn, she informed us that the information is not from a research study, it was a poster presentation of a case report presented at the AAN annual meeting, UT Health San Antonio public and media relations specialist Eileen Teves tells Outdoor Life in an email statement. The conclusion from that presentation was there remain no proven cases of transmission to date. Factual Problems with the Latest Zombie Deer Disease News Just because a deer lives in a CWD zone doesnt mean its infected. Photo by Kenny Seals / USFWS The Neurology abstract centers on a 72-year-old man with a history of consuming meat from a CWD-infected deer population and his friend, who also ate venison from the same population and had recently died from CJD. The first man passed away a month after developing symptoms of CJD. A post-mortem confirmed CJD was the cause of death. The Neurology abstract does acknowledge the limitations of its attempt to link CWD and CJD: Although causation remains unproven, this cluster emphasizes the need for further investigation into the potential risks of consuming CWD-infected deer and its implications for public health. There are clusters of CJD throughout the country  some in CWD areas and some outside CWD areas, writes Heffelfinger. With the spread of CWD nationwide it is not very noteworthy that [two] CJD victims in the same rural area may have both eaten venison. We have to be vigilant about the possible jump of a Prion disease from deer to hunter, but this note appears to me to be a very careless and childish attempt at making a splash in the media. The abstract does not include proof that the venison the men ate actually came from an infected deer. In fact, CWD prevalence is quite low, so eating venison from a deer herd known to contain CWD doesnt even mean you might be eating venison from a CWD-infected deer. Hunters harvest uninfected deer from CWD host herds every season. The only way to know for sure is to test your deer for CWD. Most of the deer populations across the country where we have found CWD, prevalence rates are very low, in the single digits in most cases, Thomas says. Missouri has been fighting CWD for 12 years. They have CWD in 33 different zones. All of those zones are under three percent prevalence. Seventy-five percent of them are under one percent prevalence. You can hunt, harvest, and eat a lot of deer before you encounter one that has CWD. While the Daily Mail article opens with a bullet point reading A study suggests that two men in Wyoming died from chronic wasting disease, nowhere else in the article does the author make any mention of the state of Wyoming. Nothing in the research abstract mentions Wyoming hunters, either. One photo in the Mail is captioned Because CWD is so contagious, when one deer is confirmed to have died from it, an entire herd is infected. This is categorically false, as Thomas points out. Read Next: Heres What Top Chronic Wasting Disease Researchers Cant Say on the Record Misinformation about CWD is all too familiar to the deer biologists, wildlife disease pathologists, and hunters who are informed about the issue. (Mainstream medias continued use of the misnomer zombie deer disease is a major culprit.) But the implications of CWD transmission to humans are far too great to be treated so casually by both the research and media communities, Thomas says. That just makes this report seem all the more shaky, and thin, and casually irresponsible. This question of CWD in human health is so important. It would have such an impact on deer hunting and conservation and wildlife in North America, that it must be treated extremely carefully and cautiously and with an abundance of evidence and investigation. And it does not appear to me from this paper that thats what occurred here. Were these neurologists strictly looking at this from a human dimension? They seem unaware of the implications of what theyre saying for deer hunting and wildlife conservation. This is just me speculating, but they dont seem to be aware of the earthquake they have just caused in the hunting community.

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I visited a new Modesto bookstore and coffee shop with a $20 budget. Heres what I got

Inside Look is a Modesto Bee series where we take readers behind the scenes at restaurants, new businesses, local landmarks and news stories.

Call me basic all you want, but I cant start my day without a cup of coffee in hand. Its my lifeline until sundown. As the day winds down, youll find me with a book in hand.

Coffee and books? Put them together, and Im all in.

When I first read about Modesto welcoming Bookish, a locally owned bookstore with a coffee shop inside, I couldnt resist stepping into the store that felt tailor-made for me.

The bookstore  which sells canned drinks and plans to serve fresh coffee soon  officially opened in Roseburg Square at 811 W. Roseburg Ave. on Thursday, April 4.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

With a $20 budget in mind, I decided to see what was behind the Friends-themed door on Tuesday afternoon. Heres what I got:

Bookish bookstore in Roseburg Square in Modesto, Calif., Tuesday, April 4, 2024.

How much are books at Bookish in Modesto?

As I usually do when exploring somewhere new, I scrolled through Bookishs Instagram and website to envision the adventure that lied ahead.

The word indie immediately caught my attention. I suddenly felt the need to look a certain type of cool for my visit.

To my surprise, people of all styles were behind the door.

A father and his daughter colored in the childrens section, teenagers sporting the latest trends browsed through books and older adults admired the trinkets on the shelves.

The air felt warm and welcoming.

Bookish is a locally owned bookstore in Modesto, CA with a coffee cart inside.

There was an endless array of shelves stocked with a variety of books. Each one was divided into sections featuring different genres, including memoirs, fantasy, romance and mystery.

Authors ranged from Jenny Han, a romance writer known for the The Summer I Turned Pretty series, to Harper Lee, who wrote American classic To Kill a Mockingbird.

I hate to play into a Gen Z cliche, but I felt like the main character sifting through books as Taylor Swift played in the background.

Prices for new books ranged from $12 to $40, depending on the edition and author.

Though I wanted to buy a book by my latest favorite author, fantasy writer Sarah J. Maas, each book was about $18 to $20.

I couldnt help but check Amazon and Barnes and Noble to see if I could find them cheaper somewhere else. Surprisingly, prices were about the same at the other two retailers, not including shipping and handling.

At Bookish, there are shelves stocked with a variety of books. Each bookshelf is divided into sections featuring genres, including memoirs, nature, fantasy, romance, and mystery.

Rather than spending my entire budget on a book, I continued to look for used titles, which were mixed into the shelves with new releases.

Pro tip: The store accepts used books for store credit or by donation.

Prices for used books start at $2, not including sales tax.

The price tags on used books show the original price and Bookishs price, which is about 50% off.

After making several rounds around the store, I eventually found myself in the local authors section.

I made the decision to get mystery novel The Drowning Girls by Paula Treick DeBoard, who studied at the University of California, Merced, and has written three other fiction novels. It was on sale for $12.

Pro tip: Need help picking out a book? Staff picks are all around the store.

Need help picking out a book? The staff at Bookish has cards with their picks posted all around the store.

Other items for sale at Bookish

While looking through books, I had budgeted for a coffee and a little keepsake.

Unfortunately, an employee informed me that the coffee cart is temporarily closed while the business waits on a permit.

Since I had spent about an hour shopping, I had become parched. Luckily, there were snacks and drinks available to purchase.

Snacks included chips, cookies, nuts and popcorn. Drinks included canned teas, coffee and sparkling water. Prices varied from $1.50 to $3.50, not including taxes.

Though I was tempted to grab a canned mocha latte, my eyes gravitated toward the visually aesthetic blueberry jasmine tea for $2.50.

Bookish sells snacks and drinks, ranging from $1.50 to $4, not including taxes.

This put my total at $14.50.

The store sells various trinkets, starting at $2, including:

Bookmarks

Stickers

Pens

Journals

Coloring books

Socks

Hats

Totes

Pins

T-shirts

Mugs

Handmade goods

Board games

The most expensive thing I found was a handmade stuffed animal priced at $40.

Pro tip: There are free stickers hidden on a shelf.

The Bees service journalism reporter Angela Rodriguez went to Modestos newest bookstore, Bookish, to see what she could buy on a budget of $20.

I settled on a medium-sized sticker of a typewriter for $4, because Im a writer (duh).

When I went to checkout my three items, the employee told me I had made some good choices.

This book is actually written by our store owner, she said.

The store owner, standing beside her, nodded in approval. I stood in disbelief, because what were the odds? The book I had chosen happened to be written by the store owner herself, Paula Treick DeBoard.

With a total of $18.50 plus $1.64 in tax, I had gone over the $20 by 14 cents. However, considering the vibes and the experience of meeting the author of the book, Id say it was worth every extra penny.

With each Bookish purchase, customers receive a handy flier that serves as a bookmark and provides a special code.

Pro tip: With each purchase, customers receive a handy flier that serves as a bookmark and provides a special code. This code grants them access to one complimentary audiobook when they join the Bookish membership program.

The Bees service journalism reporter Angela Rodriguez visits Bookish in Modesto, CA on Tuesday with a $20 budget.

Where should I go next?

Have any ideas on where I should visit next in Modesto on a budget?

Send me recommendations at arodriguez@modbee.com or by filling out the form below.

What do you want to know about life in Modesto? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@modbee.com.
A recommendation will be sent to Gov. Jay Inslee to approve construction of the Horse Heaven wind farm project just south of the Tri-Cities, but with possibly only half as many turbines as the developer envisioned.

The Washington state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council, or EFSEC, voted Wednesday to recommend the project stretching along 24 miles of the Horse Heaven Hills, but with restrictions to protect the view from the Tri-Cities, Native American cultural resources and the ferruginous hawk.

Scout Clean Energy proposed the Horse Heaven Clean Energy Center be built with up to 222 turbines about 500 feet tall or 141 turbines about 670 feet tall, plus solar arrays and battery storage.

The council settled on a plan at the end of January to limit where the turbines can be built, effectively reducing their numbers by about half.

As originally proposed the turbines would have stretched from Finley to south of Benton City, dominating the southern views from the Tri-Cities.

This view from above South Clodfelter Road looks northeast from a proposed Horse Heaven wind turbine site to houses in the Tripple Vista, Summit View, Badger Mountain South and Rancho Reata developments.

EFSEC took public comment on a draft report prepared after that meeting to outline new restrictions and received 973 comments.

Comments were split mostly among people who said the proposed restrictions were still insufficient and people who said the proposed restrictions went too far.

The state council vote was split 5-2, with representatives of Benton County and the Department of Natural Resources opposed. The Department of Natural Resources plans to submit a statement explaining its opposition.

Areas where turbines would no longer be allowed would be some of the places most visible from the Tri-Cities, including upper slopes of the Horse Heaven Hills.

The project is expected to need a substantial redesign by Scout Clean Energy to comply with restrictions on where turbines can be built, said EFSEC staff.

Inslee should receive the EFSEC recommendation before the end of the month.

He will have 60 days to review and approve the council recommendation for the construction of the wind farm with restrictions, reject the application or direct EFSEC to reconsider aspects of the project.

However, petitions for reconsideration may be filed with EFSEC within 20 days of when the governor receives the recommendation.

Opposition to wind turbine cuts

By partially approving the Horse Heaven wind and solar project, EFSEC is balancing the need for renewable, clean energy with potential impacts on tribal cultural resources, wildlife, and surrounding communities, said EFSEC Chairperson Kathleen Drew in a statement after the council vote.

A map shows red dots where 116 of 222 proposed turbines up to 500 feet tall would be prohibited, as proposed by a state council. It is one of two configurations proposed by Scout Clean Energy.

A coalition of Tri-Cities area Democrat groups and trade unions warned before the Wednesday meeting that the restrictions being proposed by EFSEC to protect ferruginous hawks could set precedent that would prevent new clean energy projects and transmission infrastructure projects in Central and Eastern Washington.

... if EFSEC persists with its current trajectory, it will send a clear signal to other investors and project developers that Washington state is by far not the location in which to reliably and affordably site the clean energy generation required under state law, they said in comments to EFSEC.

The result will be more out-of-state projects, costlier transmission and higher utility rates for every person in Washington, in addition to the foregone benefits of new jobs, local economic impact and taxes generated, they said.

Ed Brost, representing Benton County, asked for information about who the power from the Horse Heaven project would be sold to, but was told that was not something that EFSEC considers.

Ferruginous hawks in Washington

Scout Clean Energy submitted 60 pages of comments opposing restrictions, saying that two-mile buffers required around places where ferruginous hawks have nested historically eliminates a majority of the clean energy benefit even though nesting has rarely been documented there in the last decade.

EFSEC earlier determined in an adjudicative order that loss of shrub-steppe habitat is already affecting ferruginous hawks in Washington state and that the clean energy project as proposed by Scout would pose a new and significant threat to the state endangered species.

Proposed restrictions on the project could increase the ability of the hawks to return to certain areas of historic usage, according to the EFSEC draft report for the governor.

More than 60% of the nesting territories of the ferruginous hawk in Washington state is concentrated in Franklin and Benton counties, which is considered the core breeding range in the state, according to the Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlifes 2021 status review of the ferruginous hawk.

It said that an average of 55 breeding pairs per year nested in the state between 1992 and 1995.

A ferruginous hawk flies low over sagebrush.

Gerald Lewis, chairman of the Yakama Nation Tribal Council, reminded EFSEC in a March letter that the recommendation for a two-mile buffer for ferruginous hawk nests was developed by Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife experts. The recommendation follows the best available science, he said.

It was a compromise on the part of biologists because ferruginous hawks average core use areas are more than six miles, Lewis said in his letter to EFSEC.

Washington Audubon said in its comments to EFSEC that it supported approval of the project with restrictions to project ferruginous hawks, corridors used by wildlife and rabbitbrush shrubland. But it questioned whether enough had been done to reduce impacts to tribal cultural properties.

The same care and consideration that was shown in the councils discussion on ferruginous hawks also should be given to the protection of cultural resources, Lewis said.

The Yakama Nation had asked that all turbines, solar arrays and infrastructure east of Straub Canyon, which is south of Richland, be prohibited to protect tribal cultural resources. The council considered that restriction in January, but failed to get a majority of council members in support.

Tri-Cities CARES: Too many turbines

Tri-Cities CARES, a grassroots group opposing the Horse Heaven wind farm, has argued that the wind farm, even with restrictions proposed in January, would have too many turbines.

Between the Horse Heaven wind farm and the nearby and smaller Nine Canyon wind farm, just over 100,000 residents of Benton County would live within six miles of a turbine as the project was originally proposed, according to Tri-Cities CARES.

Thats five times more than the estimated 20,000 people who live within six miles of a wind farm across the rest of Washington state, the group said.

Scout Clean Energy plans a wind farm on Benton County farm land south of the Tri-Cities along the Horse Heaven Hills ridgeline south of Badger Road.

Other Washington state counties with wind farms average about 2,000 people living within six miles, according to Tri-Cities CARES.

The conclusion of EFSECs recommendation said restrictions on the projects wind turbines would not fully mitigate impacts to landscape and other natural features in and around the project site that the Yakama Nation has identified as having special cultural significance.

But reasonable measures have been proposed to minimize impacts and balance them with the benefits of encouraging development of clean energy, it said.
Fu Cong (C, front), China's permanent representative to the United Nations, speaks at the UN Security Council's high-level open debate on the Palestinian-Israeli issue at the UN headquarters in New York, on April 18, 2024. Fu Cong said on Thursday that the international community must no longer overlook the long-standing aspiration of the Palestinian people for independence and statehood, nor should it perpetuate the historical injustices they have suffered. (Xinhua/Xie E)

UNITED NATIONS, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, said on Thursday that the international community must no longer overlook the long-standing aspiration of the Palestinian people for independence and statehood, nor should it perpetuate the historical injustices they have suffered.

During the UN Security Council's high-level open debate on the Palestinian-Israeli issue, Fu highlighted the critical need for a resolute commitment to revitalizing the two-state solution.

"The two-state solution must be revitalized with strong determination. The fundamental way out for the Middle East question lies in the implementation of the two-state solution, so that both Palestinians and Israelis can realize common security and both the Arab and Jewish peoples can achieve common development," said Fu.

"The current round of conflict is an extremely tragic warning to the international community that it can no longer evade the aspiration of the Palestinian people for independence and statehood or perpetuate the historical injustice inflicted upon the Palestinian people," he added.

"In this connection, we call for an international peace conference that is more broad-based and effective to develop a timeline and roadmap for the realization of the two-state solution," he added.

The Security Council is set to vote later Thursday on the Palestinian bid for full UN membership. Fu underscored the importance of immediate international support for Palestine's renewed application for full membership in the United Nations, urging all members of the council to vote in favor. 
WAs Incoming Juniors Will Be Allowed to Enroll in College Courses This Summer

This article was originally published in Washington State Standard.

This summer, Washingtons high schoolers will be able to get an even earlier start on college courses.

Thats because of a bill led by Sen. Brad Hawkins, R-Wenatchee, which expands the states popular Running Start program. Running Start has allowed Washingtons high school juniors and seniors to earn college credit tuition-free since the early 1990s.

Under Hawkins measure, incoming 11th graders will be allowed to take college courses and earn up to 10 credits over the summer. The legislation sailed through both legislative chambers and Gov. Jay Inslee signed it into law in late March.

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Ive been calling my bill a Walking Start to Running Start because it will ease students into their college experience, minimize their debt, and get them a bit closer to earning their degrees, Hawkins said in March.

The bill goes into effect in June, in time for this years cohort of 10th grade graduates to enroll, Hawkins said in an email to the Standard. Hawkins local community college, Wenatchee Valley College, is currently working on enrollment forms and other information related to implementing the new law.

Faimous Harrison, Wenatchee Valley Colleges president, said the program helps students transition into college in a less intimidating environment and gives them a jump on figuring out a career path.

When we talk about the value of a degree, one of the concerns is there are so many people who get all the financial debt from going to school and then they cant find jobs or theyre not interested in that field, Harrison said.

Running Start also creates opportunities for early exploration. It also offers opportunities to meet with different people, learn about different fields, Harrison said.

School districts must also provide information about Running Start summer enrollment opportunities to students and their families under the new law. Students can take part-time or full-time classes and some earn associates degrees by the time they graduate high school.

Related

New Poll Finds Overwhelming Support for More Trade Classes in L.A. High Schools

Tuition is covered by the students home school district and largely paid for through state funding, although Running Start students may be on the hook for textbooks, transportation and other fees that come with college classes.

The new law is also an expansion of summer Running Start courses, which became available to 11th and 12th graders in 2021 through a state-run pilot program. That program showed promising results: Participating colleges reported an average completion rate of 90% and an 87% summer-to-fall Running Start retention rate.

Washington State Standard is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Washington State Standard maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Bill Lucia for questions: info@washingtonstatestandard.com. Follow Washington State Standard on Facebook and Twitter.
Washington states ban on the sale of high-capacity magazines will remain for now while state Supreme Court Commissioner Michael E. Johnston decides whether to keep the ban in place as a ruling on its constitutionality makes its way through the court system.

Johnston must decide whether to deny or grant an emergency motion for stay of a Cowlitz County Superior Court ruling invalidating enforcement of the states ban.

The stay was filed April 8 by the Attorney Generals Office after Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge Gary Bashor ruled the states ban on high-capacity magazines unconstitutional in a lawsuit between Washington State and Gators Customs Guns, a firearms dealer in Kelso.

Johnston approved the Attorney Generals request to stay the lower courts ruling later that afternoon.

On Wednesday, both parties to the lawsuit presented their arguments to Johnston, who said that his ruling to extend or not extend the stay as the lawsuit works its way through appellate courts will come at a later date, perhaps by next week.

The Attorney Generals Office initially filed the lawsuit in September against Gators Custom Guns after the retailer continued to sell magazines that were banned by the state Legislature in 2022.

The law prohibits the manufacture, importation, distribution, selling, and offering for sale of ammunition feeding devices with the capacity to hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition.

Immediately after Judge Bashors ruling in early April, firearms retailers around the state resumed the sale of high-capacity magazines. Sales were then cut off again after Johnston approved the stay.

Johnston had some opening remarks before the hearing began Wednesday, citing the need for the public to understand the intricacies of the high-profile case.

The commissioner said it was made clear to him that there was some confusion about the procedures involved. He also said he received several emails and phone calls from people upset by his approval of the states motion for a stay.

Were not ruling on the ultimate merits of the case, were ruling on whether it is procedurally teed up  whether it belongs in this court, and various procedural things, Johnston said. Its important to note that any decision I make by way of ruling can be reversed by the justices of this court.

After his remarks, both parties were given time to argue their case and provide a rebuttal.

Attorney William McGinty represented the state during proceedings, arguing to keep the stay in place.

McGinty said that other states have upheld the constitutionality of similar bans on high-capacity magazines even after the 2022 Bruen decision.

Moreover, the balance of harms weighs sharply in favor of maintaining this stay because (the ban) is a critical public safety law that will save lives, McGinty contended.

McGinty pointed to how firearms dealers immediately allowed sales again after Bashor granted the injunction, even encouraging gun owners to go purchase them while they could. He said the stay is also necessary to preserve the fruits of the appeal.

The defendants attorney, Austin Hatcher, argued against the stay, saying that the state hasnt carried their burden to show whether debatable issues are present.

Hatcher said he believes the Superior Court was thorough in its analysis. He noted that a court in Oregon found a ban on high-capacity magazines unconstitutional and that a court of appeals declined to stay the circuit courts determination there.

Johnston responded that the Oregon courts apply a much different standard when it comes to stays, and that Oregons statute is different from Washingtons.

Hatcher then continued his argument and said that the authority the state provides is also non-binding. Oregon was cited because Washingtons Constitution is based on Oregons, he said.

The state truly fails to meet the conjunctive test in the preservation of the fruits of the appeal, he said. That point is undercut by the fact that the state Legislature allowed three months after passage of the ban on magazines for the law to go into effect.

Johnston said he found that argument odd since the owner of Gators Custom Guns stocked up on high-capacity magazines prior to the ban taking effect.

Hatcher said that the state has only speculative harms and that high-capacity magazines facilitate effective self-defense. He argued that if some of the crazies who have been calling the Commissioner then broke into the Commissioners house, that Johnson would probably prefer to have a 30-round magazine over a 7-round magazine.

Johnston told Hatcher that his argument was not persuasive, arguing that he would prefer to have something more like a 12-gauge shotgun in that scenario. The two also argued about the role of high-capacity magazines in mass shootings.

Johnston concluded by saying if the stay is granted, it will be a continuation of the stay currently in place.
The airborne car jumped a pickup and smashed into the garage. - Screenshot: NBCLA via YouTube

Drivers have jumped all kinds of mad stuff in recent months, including one who got airborne jumping over a low-loader on a highway. Now, a driver in California got some serious air and managed to hop over a parked pickup truck before smashing into a garage.



The driver in Jurupa Valley, which is about 51 miles east of Los Angeles, mounted a manicured lawn before leaping through the air, reports USA Today. The car then hopped over one parked truck, before crashing through a garage door and hitting another truck parked on the driveway. As it smashed through the garage, the car came perilously close to a Ford Mustang parked inside.

The driver of the smashed car was able to get out in one piece, but they were taken to hospital for checks by local law enforcement. As USA Today explains:

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The driver of the vehicle was able to self-extricate prior to fire department arrival, the department said in a statement. The driver suffered minor to moderate injuries and was transported to a local hospital via ground ambulance for further treatment.

Fire services attended the scene at around 6:30 am on April 4, reports USA Today. Officers found major damage had been caused to the home, but reported that the driver of the flying car, who has not been identified, was the only person to suffer injuries.

The driver of the car was reportedly attempting to make a turn before they mounted the grass. The move was all caught on a Ring doorbell camera in a property opposite the crash site. In the clip, you can also see the devastation left once its smashed through the garage door.



However, charges have not been filed following the incident, reports the Daily Mail. According to the Riverside County Sheriffs office, the driver experienced a medical emergency, which caused the incident and means that no criminal charges have been filed against them

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What I did was cowardly: Patrick McDowell apologizes to family of Joshua Moyers, deputy he killed

The man who pleaded guilty to murdering a Nassau County deputy took the witness stand Thursday morning in his own defense, attempting to convince jurors to spare his life.

McDowell pleaded guilty to killing Deputy Joshua Moyers during a September 2021 traffic stop that turned into a multi-day manhunt.

Now, a jury will recommend whether he spends life in prison or gets the death penalty.

Action News Jaxs Meghan Moriarty has been in the courtroom in Yulee all morning listening to the bombshell testimony. McDowell detailed the night of the murder and apologized to the Moyers family.

What I did was cowardly, McDowell said as he apologized.

McDowell said if his death could bring back Moyers, they wouldnt be in court today.

At one point, while being questioned by the prosecution, he said he apologized to his defense team for what he was about to say because he knew they wouldnt like it.

He said during the traffic stop, he quickly became open to the possibility of shooting Deputy Moyers so he didnt have to go to jail.

McDowell took the stand around 9:45 a.m. and court began at 8:15 a.m. Prior to McDowells testimony, his defense team explained to the jury McDowells medical history, discussing his accomplishments in the Marine Corps and how he was later diagnosed with PTSD but was not consistently taking medication.

He had several run-ins with the law, mostly tied to his drug use.

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McDowell testified to using meth and fentanyl. He said Moyers family deserved to hear about the night of the murder from him. McDowell went on to say he was high, he knew he had warrants, and he was afraid. He said he didnt even think about Moyers life -- he said he was being selfish.

McDowell: I took the gun out and shot him, and as he fell I fired two more rounds to make sure he wouldnt come after me. And I just left him in the street

Prosecutor: 10:39 You decided your freedom was more important than his life?

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McDowell: No sir, I didnt even consider his life at all.

After McDowell finished testifying, his father took the stand, the defense asking some basic questions about McDowells upbringing.

Court will resume on Monday at 8:15 a.m.

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.
WATCH: Motorcycle rider high-speed chase in Kings County

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  A motorcycle rider led deputies on a high-speed chase through Lemoore, Armona, and Hanford reaching speeds over 140 miles per hour.

The Kings County Sheriffs Office says on April 11 around 7:40 p.m. a deputy attempted to make a traffic stop on a motorcycle near Hanford-Armona Road and 12th Avenue in Hanford.

Deputies say the motorcycle rider, identified as Jordan Battle, refused to stop and accelerated away at a high rate of speed. A Kings County Sheriffs Office airplane (Air-1) was overhead and followed the motorcycle along various roads in Hanford before it traveled on Highway 198 at speeds more than 140 mph, deputies say.

According to the Kings County Sheriffs Office, Battle stopped at a home in the 1500 block of Hartley Drive where he hid the motorcycle in the garage and fled inside the house. Deputies surrounded the residence and began using the PA system to order Battle to exit the residence.

Jordan Battle eventually surrendered was taken into custody and his motorcycle was towed. He was transported to the Kings County Jail.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
GUNNISON, Colo. (KREX)  Western Colorado University, in the small town of Gunnison, Colorado, has been serving students for more than a century.

Now, a new program sits on the horizon  a full Nursing Bachelors Degree.

Western Colorado University president Brad Baca tells Western Slope Now hes excited to finally have the means to launch this program which has been in the works for years  the college recently received a seed grant from the State of Colorado to essentially stand up the program and begin to offer courses.

Health professions advisor Emily Mcmahill says this 1.5-million-dollar grant will be used to hopefully open the program in the fall of next year, though that may be an ambitious goal.

Western Colorado University has always had a pre-nursing program in biology, but students will soon be able to complete all four years of their bachelors in nursing here.

Baca tells Western Slope Now, in the long run, tuition income from nursing students will fund the program.

Western Colorado University will work closely with Gunnison Valley Health, which is right next to the campus, as well as hospitals in Montrose and Salida.

Both Baca and Mcmahill tell Western Slope Now with this new program, anything is pulse-ible.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com.
Pictured is an attorney's office at the United States District Court's Western District Court in Asheville.

ASHEVILLE - A Weaverville man has pleaded guilty in the September 2023 carjacking in which he shot Mars Hill postal worker Teresa Ramsay in the face.

In October 2023, Jaden Isaiah Garay, 24, was indicted by the Department of Justice in connection with the attempted murder and carjacking of Ramsay, who had been working with the U.S. Postal Service since 2017.

In October, Garay was charged with attempted murder, carjacking and assault on a mail carrier. Each offense carries a statutory maximum prison term of 25 years.

According to a copy of the plea agreement received from the United States District Court's Western District of North Carolina division located in Asheville, Garay was represented by Rhett Johnson, an assistant federal defender in the Western District.

Garay was also represented by Mary Ellen Coleman, Jonathan D. Letzring and David Thornloe.

Neither Letzring nor Thornloe could be reached as of April 18.

The United States District Court's Western District Court is located at 100 Otis St. in Asheville.

New details

According to court documents, on Sept. 5, 2023, Garay engaged in an argument with his mother and step-father at their Weaverville residence, where they lived together.

During the course of the argument, Garay stole a loaded Glock 48 .9-mm. semiautomatic handgun that belonged to his parents and departed the residence at around 10:30 a.m. driving his 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor.

Just before 11 a.m., Ramsay began her mail route in Mars Hill, driving her personal right-side-drive Jeep Wrangler.

At around 11:50 a.m., court documents said, Garay, who was driving eastbound along Interstate 26 near Exit 11 for Mars Hill, fired the Glock pistol into another vehicle which had a 17-year-old passenger and was also headed eastbound along I-26, shattering the front passenger window and lodging a bullet in the vehicle.

A short time after, Garay exited I-26 and drove into the town of Mars Hill before abandoning his car at Mars Hill Dentistry's parking lot on South Main Street.

Garay then broke into a residence on Spring Drive, where he encountered the homeowner and displayed the Glock 48 and took the Spring Drive resident's cellphone, according to the documents.

"Garay stomped on the cell phone and tried to break it, but was unable to do so, and instead kept the phone," the court documents said.

Garay then threatened to shoot the resident's dog and told her to get on her knees, but she refused.

The Spring Drive homeowner is listed as "M.E." in the court documents.

"M.E. refused to do so and told GARAY that if he wanted to shoot her, he would have to shoot her standing up," the court documents said, adding that Garay then went into the resident's garage to start one of her vehicles, but was unable to do so, and continued walking through the neighborhood.

After leaving the Spring Drive residence, Garay encountered Ramsay, who was delivering mail to a mailbox from her Jeep Wrangler.

According to the documents, Garay approached Ramsay and told her, "I am being chased by evil spirits" and "evil spirits are following me," to which Ramsay replied, "I love Jesus, I'll pray with, brother, when I finish scanning these," as she was then in the process of scanning a mail item.

More:Carjacking suspect charged w/murder Update: Mars Hill carjacking suspect charged with attempted murder, Sheriff's Office says

More: $18K raised for Teresa Ramsay $18K raised for Mars Hill postal worker shot in carjacking; suspect gets new court date

In response, Garay said, "I need your car" and he then pointed the Glock 48 handgun at Ramsay, listed as "T.R." in the documents.

"T.R. attempted to comply with Garay's demand, but had to pull forward slightly to exit the vehicle because her door was blocked by a mailbox," the court documents said. "T.R. also attempted to retrieve her cellphone.

"Garay then shot T.R. in the face with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury and for the purpose of taking her motor vehicle. T.R. fell out of her vehicle and to the ground."

As Ramsay's Jeep Wrangler contained all the mail she had not yet delivered that day, Garay drove out of Mars Hill and sometime later that afternoon on Sept. 5 dumped most of the stolen mail in the driveway of a Weaverville residence, documents said.

Shortly before 7:30 p.m. Sept. 5, Garay engaged law enforcement officers in a high-speed chase, as Burke County Communications advised the Burke County Sheriff's Office of a high-speed chase that was occurring in McDowell County and was about to enter Burke County on Interstate 40.

Garay was seen at 4:24 a.m. Sept. 6 after detectives noticed him appearing to look into cars in the parking area of one of the cottages on the J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center property, a state-operated developmental center for the western region of the state.

At 4:57 a.m., Garay was spotted in the field across from the Burke County Jail on Government Drive, and was taken into custody at 5 a.m., according to the Burke County Sheriff's Office.

A GoFundMe for Teresa Ramsay, a Mars Hill postwoman shot in the face in a carjacking Sept. 5, 2023, had raised nearly $29,000 as of April 18.

Ramsay

Ramsay's daughter, Scarlet Ramsay, started a GoFundMe page to help with the medical costs associated with Ramsay's injury.

As of April 18, the GoFundMe had raised nearly $29,000.

To donate to the GoFundMe, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/teresa-ramsay-medical-fund.

Johnny Casey has served more than three years as the Madison County communities reporter for The Citizen Times and The News-Record & Sentinel. He was recognized with a first-place award in beat news reporting in 2023 by the North Carolina Press Association.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Jaden Garay guilty in attempted murder, carjacking of postal worker
WELLS, Maine  A proposed moratorium on large-scale housing projects in the community is now in the voters hands.

The Wells Select Board unanimously agreed to forward the proposal to a special town meeting after a public hearing and discussion that lasted more than two hours on April 16.

Given that large developments are a hot topic in Wells, the Select Board held its meeting at a larger venue than its usual meeting place at the town hall. Sure enough, the auditorium in the Pratt & Whitney Building at York County Community College was close to being filled.

Town Attorney Leah Rachin attends the Wells Select Board meeting on April 16, 2024. Rachin helped draft a proposed ordinance for a moratorium that seeks to halt large-scale home developments in Wells, Maine, for 180 days.

Specifically, the moratorium is proposed to last 180 days and to apply to construction projects involving 45 housing units or more. If approved at a special town meeting  likely to be held in July, according to Select Board member Robert Foley  the moratorium would take effect retroactively from April 16.

More: Wells eyes $2M community center with ice rink and pickleball courts

Majority of residents back large-scale building moratorium

Two dozen residents spoke during the public hearing. Most were in favor of the moratorium, citing concerns about the effects of large-scale developments on the communitys environment, infrastructure, services, quality of life, health and traffic, particularly along Route 1.

Resident Linda Stritch, for example, said she wanted the town to conduct an impact study on local roads. She noted Maines population is increasing as at least one study showed Maine ranking high among states in the country to which people are relocating.

Residents fill the auditorium in the Pratt & Whitney Building at York County Community College during a Wells Select Board meeting on April 16, 2024. Many of them spoke during a public hearing for a proposed moratorium on large-scale housing projects in the community.

All the more reason for a moratorium, Stritch said.

The first resident to speak, however, was Richard Jorgensen, who hopes to sell his property at 502 Post Road to a Massachusetts developer proposing to build 165 single-family townhouses on 121 acres currently wooded. The proposal, making its way through the towns planning process, has been a much-discussed topic in the community.

Richard Jorgensen reads a prepared statement during the Wells Select Board's public hearing for a proposed moratorium on large-scale housing projects on April 16, 2024. Jorgensen owns property on Post Road in Wells, Maine, that he is hoping to sell to a developer.

Jorgensen spoke highly of the projects developer, Arnie J. Martel, of AJM Construction, saying Martel will provide a wonderful place for people to live and become members of Wells. Jorgensen said the project, once complete, would add to the towns tax base, would likely attract older people who would not have children in the school system, and would be self-contained and would not require plowing or other services from the community.

Jorgensen told the board and the audience the property sale was key to his retirement. He referred to the press coverage and social media discussions and took issue with the way the towns proposed ordinance for the moratorium was worded.

This whole thing is aimed right straight at me because theres no other large piece of developable land on Route 1, he said. What do you want me to do? Weve been planning and purchasing for this for 40 years, and now you want to stop this, even though it conforms with all the laws.

Some who spoke during the hearing empathized with Jorgensen, even as they voiced support for the moratorium. During the discussion that followed, Select Board member Scott DeFelice said he felt for the Jorgensens and their desire to retire.

I strongly feel for individual rights, he said. However, the town also has to make sure that things are being done properly. These issues are real.

Later in the meeting, Foley told Jorgensen the proposed halt on large-scale development was not personal. He said the moratorium is intended to give the town time to examine its ordinances to make growth more manageable across the community.

This isnt about your project, Foley said. This moratorium is not going to make your land unsellable.

Some suggested that the Jorgensen property could be sold to a land trust or some other entity that would keep the land in conservation.

Resident Linda Trombley, for example, referred to successful conservation efforts in North Berwick, the town abutting Wells.

It can be done, Trombley said. It has been done.

'This is a golden spot': Meet the Kennebunk man behind incredible photos at Wells Harbor

Wells' proposed building pause would last 180 days

As drafted by town attorney Leah Rachin, the proposed ordinance opens with an acknowledgment of the interest in large-scale developments in Wells, which is on a scale that is substantially larger than previously contemplated for the town.

The document notes that the town approved 76 residential subdivisions for the community between 2009 and 2023. The average size of subdivisions approved during this period comprised 14 dwelling units, the document added.

While the proposal speaks to large-scale developments in general, it does refer to the Jorgensen project, though not by name, describing it only as consisting of 159 dwelling units slated for land in the towns general business and rural districts.

This proposed development is substantially larger than any subdivision that has been approved in the town of Wells in the last 15 years, the document states.

Wells Select Board member Scott DeFelice, left, Chair John MacLeod III, and Vice Chair Kathleen Chase listen as residents speak during a public hearing on a proposed moratorium on large-scale housing projects at York County Community College on April 16, 2024.

The proposed moratorium quotes the town code, which states that the purpose of the rural district is to maintain the open, rural character of the land within the district. The town code also asserts that forestry and agricultural uses should be encouraged on such land, while large-scale residential uses should be discouraged.

Echoing the statements of residents, the proposed moratorium also speaks to concerns about the potential impact of large-scale developments on traffic, infrastructure, the environment, local character and more.

The town needs a reasonable amount of time to study the infrastructural and land-use implications of large-scale residential development within the town, the document states.

The document also adds that the town would use the moratoriums timeframe to work with the local Planning Board, Code Enforcement Office and other departments to examine ordinances and consider which standards might be appropriate in the areas of locations, project approvals, and performance standards.

If approved, the moratorium would apply to the construction of large-scale developments, the acceptance and processing of related applications, and the issuance of any related permits or any other form of regulatory approval.

While the moratorium would last 180 days, the Select Board would have the authority to extend it after first giving proper notice and holding a public hearing. The board could take such action if it feels that problems regarding large-scale development still exist, or if progress is indeed being made and needs more time to continue.

More: Ogunquit, Maine named one of the top 2024 vacation spots in the world

Select Board debated the definition of 'large-scale' developments

Before their unanimous vote, Select Board members discussed the proposal and debated how many dwelling units should be defined as large-scale in the moratorium.

Select Board Chair John MacLeod III, for one, gave his reason why he would support setting the number at 30, instead of 45, as 30 would be double the average of units approved during the 15 years cited in the proposal.

If my boss comes out to me and says, Im going to give you a 10% raise, thats pretty good, MacLeod said. If he says, Im going to double your salary, thats large-scale. Thats big.

Rachin cautioned, however, that the moratorium needed to be credible in its definition of large-scale development if ever it faced a legal challenge.

The smaller the number, the greater the risk, she said. Thats where were at.

After a motion was made to forward the moratorium to voters with the large-scale amount at 45, Select Board member James Smith sought to amend the motion to lower that number to 30. His motion failed, however, due to a lack of a second.

After the vote, Foley noted the high public attendance at the meeting and urged residents to stay involved with the issue, now through the day of the special town meeting.

Really pay attention to when we put this on the ballot, Foley said. Were going to need people to come out and vote.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Wells voters to decide moratorium on large-scale developments
ASHLAND, Mo. (KNWA/KFTA)  A West Fork man is dead after a single-engine plane crashed in Boone County, Missouri, on Tuesday.

An incident notice from the Federal Aviation Administration released on Wednesday said a single-engine Piper PA-46 crashed into the tree under unknown circumstances

KOMU-TV reported the Boone County Sheriffs Office identified the pilot as Wade Bates, 58, from West Fork.

Plane crash reported in Johnson County

Flight Radar 24, a flight tracking website, showed a plane that had the same registration number take off from Madison, Wisconsin around 9:50 a.m. on Tuesday, with Siloam Springs being the intended destination.

The log from Flight Radar showed the plane dropped more than 10,000 feet in one minute and 20 seconds.

The National Transportation Safety Board told KOMU a preliminary report is expected within a month of the accident and the entire investigation could take more than a year.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24.
Feature: Growing translation efforts fuel popularity of Chinese literature in Turkiye

Xinhua) 08:56, April 18, 2024

ISTANBUL, April 17 (Xinhua) -- In a cozy hall at a publishing house in Istanbul, Turkiye's cultural hub, poets and writers from both China and Turkiye were gathering for a discussion themed around "Translation in Literature and Mutual Learning."

The seminar, organized by Kirmizi Kedi Publishing House on Monday, was a testament to the growing enthusiasm of Turks for Chinese literature, a trend that has seen a significant rise in recent years with the translation of more Chinese books into Turkish.

"China boasts a rich and vast culture, yet our understanding of it remains very narrow," said Enis Batur, a Turkish poet and writer, as he addressed the participants. "But thanks to the increased translation efforts from Chinese to Turkish, we are now able to broaden our knowledge of Chinese culture on a significant scale," he added.

In 2017, Batur noted a boost to the efforts in introducing Chinese culture to the Turkish population when Kirmizi Kedi initiated the publication of Modern Silk Road magazine, aiming to showcase the abundance and diversity of Chinese culture. The magazine features a variety of articles in Turkish, spanning topics such as Chinese cuisine, traditional medicine, and literature.

Subsequently, several award-winning novels by Chinese writers were translated into Turkish, offering Turkish readers a glimpse into the richness of Chinese literature.

"Such efforts represent a powerful stride in building an important literary connection" between the two sides, Batur said, adding that Turkish and Chinese publishing houses aspire to organize a cultural festival that encompasses not only literature but a range of other cultural activities.

Haluk Hepkon, head of Kirmizi Kedi, told Xinhua that the active participation of Turkish publishers in China's book fairs and various cultural events has further bolstered the ties between the two countries.

As a result of these endeavors, in January, Kirmizi Kedi opened an office within the World Sinology Center in Qingdao, Shandong Province, becoming the first Turkish publisher with an office in China, he said.

"In the upcoming period, we will continue to undertake numerous translation activities from Chinese, both novels and beyond, such as books on the Belt and Road Initiative," he added.

Founded in 2010, Kirmizi Kedi, or Red Cat in English, owns 16 stores across Turkiye.

"At the upcoming Beijing International Book Fair in June, we aim to reestablish agreements with our Chinese peers and inaugurate dedicated sections for Chinese literature across all our stores," Hepkon noted.

Deniz Iscan, a student from the history department at Istanbul's Yeditepe University, believes that reading Chinese literature in Turkish would undoubtedly bring about fresh perspectives, challenge prevailing Western narratives, and improve Turkish students' analytical skills.

"Additionally, I am also an avid fan of science fiction and fantasy novels, and my greatest desire is to see novels of these genres by young Chinese writers translated," Iscan told Xinhua.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
The European Energy Group of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Azerbaijan evaluated the first renewable energy auction and other projects to be held on the eve of COP29, Azernews reports, citing the post shared by Azerbaijan's Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov on his official "X" account.

The energy minister, on a visit to Abu Dhabi, met with Grzegorz Zielinski, director of the EBRD's European Energy Group.

"In a meeting with Grzegorz Zieli?ski, Director, Head of Energy Europe, for the EBRD in Abu Dhabi, we discussed the activities of the Energy Efficiency Fund, the implementation of pilot projects in the field of energy efficiency, the Azerbaijan (Nakhchivan)-Turkiye-Europe energy line, the Caspian-Black Sea-Europe green energy corridor, the connection of 1 GW solar-wind energy projects to the grid, and cooperation on energy system modernization. We evaluated the first renewable energy auction and other projects to be implemented on the eve of COP29," said P. Shahbazov.

Recall that Azerbaijan successfully participated in the COP28 held in Abu Dhabi last year. Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, will host the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29) for the first time in the region from November 1122, 2024. The decision was made at the plenary session of COP28 on December 11.

Azerbaijan will take the opportunity to bring heads of state and governments, civil society organisations, businesses, and international institutions together in the South Caucasus to discuss climate change, measures to accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement, and focus on long-term climate strategies and goals.

It is worth noting that Azerbaijan confirmed its commitment to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases by 35 percent by 2030 and increase this target by 40 percent by 2050. Fulfilling the commitments under the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015 and actively working in this regard are priority issues for the government of Azerbaijan.

The Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has been held annually since 1995. The event aims to assess the progress made in combating climate change around the world.
UNITED NATIONS, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Recent escalations in the Middle East make it even more important to support efforts towards lasting peace between Israel and a fully independent, viable and sovereign Palestinian state, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday.

"Failure to make progress towards a two-state solution will only increase volatility and risk for hundreds of millions of people across the region, who will continue to live under the constant threat of violence," the top UN official told the UN Security Council's quarterly open debate on "the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question."

With the Middle East "on a precipice," Guterres appealed for maximum restraint, warning against the far-reaching consequences.

Stressing that the international community must work together to prevent any actions that could push the entire Middle East over the edge, he highlighted the need for diplomacy that would lead to de-escalation, starting with Gaza.

"Ending the hostilities in Gaza would significantly defuse tensions across the region," Guterres said, repeating his calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the immediate release of all hostages held in the enclave. 
The coal piles south of the Mason Street bridge could be moved to the mouth of the Fox River following an agreement for Wisconsin Public Service Corp. to sell a portion of the Pulliam Power Plant property to Brown County.

GREEN BAY - The Port of Green Bay applied for a $25 million federal grant to cover higher-than-expected costs to build a new port facility, a project key to ongoing community efforts to relocate the coal piles out of the central city.

The port in February applied for a U.S. Department of Transportation RAISE Discretionary Grant to close a budget gap in a plan to develop a new multipurpose port facility on the former Pulliam Power Plant site at the mouth of the Fox River. Cost estimates last fall showed improvements and infrastructure work on the site would cost about $48.7 million, about $19 million more than originally expected.

The RAISE grant program has about $1.5 billion to award in 2024.

Port Director Dean Haen said the community's application included letters of support from 40 businesses, legislators and Gov. Tony Evers that "make our case why it's very important to Green Bay." He said the grant is necessary to ensure construction starts in 2025 on the new port facility along the west shore at the mouth of the Fox River.

Senior aide to President Joe Biden tours Green Bay coal piles site

The port won't find out until summer whether it receives the grant, but a senior White House official toured the coal piles site during a visit to Green Bay on Thursday, giving local officials the opportunity to drive the point home that the city, county, and C. Reiss Coal Co. are "all aligned," said Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich.

The tour, as much as the guest of honor, carried some import in itself  It was the first time C. Reiss Coal Co. representatives joined city of Green Bay and Brown County officials to tour the site and publicly discuss the relocation since the community first identified an opportunity to relocate the coal yard in 2021.

Keith Haselhoff, CEO of C. Reiss Coal Co., met with senior adviser to President Joe Biden and Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Tom Perez, Genrich, Haen and other city and county officials. Perez also toured City East Center, a city- and state-funded affordable housing development and new home of the Brown County United Way.

Perez said the collaborative work of the city, county, business community, and C. Reiss Coal is often a key to securing grants, though he personally does not judge any applications.

"I see potential, remarkable potential," Perez said after touring the C. Reiss site. "There's obviously leadership here."

'We're optimistic this can be a success'

Haselhoff said C. Reiss continues to take its cues from the city and county as they pursue the money necessary to pull off the port expansion, relocation of C. Reiss and redevelopment of the coal yard site. But he said the company is optimistic at this point and continues to discuss its operational needs with the community partners.

"We're optimistic this can be a success," Haselhoff said. "New beginnings are always exciting."

The company has not said much publicly, but that does not mean it hasn't been closely involved, Genrich said. He called the company a "constructive partner" since the county and city got serious.

"They've never said, 'No, we're not interested,'" Genrich said. "They've been at the table figuring out how to make it work for themselves and the community."

Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach said the community and company efforts to date have positioned the region to, after 25 years of talks, "reimagine what the next 100 years will look like" for the riverfront site.

After 4 years of work, Green Bay, Brown County, C. Reiss have community close to plan to relocate coal piles

Brown County in 2021 paid $2.7 million to Wisconsin Public Service Corp. for the former J.P. Pulliam power plant site. WPS generated electricity on the 43.7-acre site from 1927 until 2018 when WPS shut down the two coal-fired power plants and began demolishing them.

The county saw the property as an opportunity to expand port operations in an industrial area of Green Bay on a site with room to relocate the coal piles, a goal community leaders have pursued for decades now. The riverfront site has been a coal yard since 1900, C. Reiss officials said.

Genrich has called the relocation a "once-in-a-city's-lifetime" transformation of the community's waterfront.

But first, the port expansion site needs a lot of costly work and port officials have so far secured about $30.8 million in funding:

The funding and engineering work to design the port expansion enabled the community to accelerate discussions with C. Reiss Coal Co. about relocating the coal piles.

In Depth: A port, a power plant and partnerships: How Green Bay and Brown County could finally relocate the coal piles

What's the Port of Green Bay expansion project?

The site needs improvements and upgrades on land and in the Fox River in order to potentially facilitate a variety of maritime deliveries and pickups. This site would be publicly owned in contrast to the 14 current port terminals that are privately owned and operated. The new port facility on its own could bolster the port's economic impact by as much as $87 million.

A major component of the project would involve dredging along the site and installation of a steel dock wall to enable ships to dock at the site. Construction plans include:

Dredge the Fox River along the site and install a steel dock wall to enable ships to access the site.

Construct a rail spur.

Fill in the docking slip on the Pulliam site.

Build a stormwater detention basin.

Add mooring facilities and crane pads for port operations.

Repair the sea wall.

While some road and infrastructure construction could start still this year, Haen said the community needs to win a RAISE Grant if it wants to start construction on the port-specific improvements in 2025.

Coal piles site could become housing, port site and ... Green Bay's Amtrak station?

City and county officials envision a port/industrial operation, housing and, possibly, an Amtrak station on the coal piles current site. The overall goal would be to activate the riverfront and develop a mix of uses that complements the Shipyard Redevelopment Area housing and recreational amenities coming together just north of the Mason Street bridge.

The northern 10 acres of the site, closest to Mason Street, would be marketed to housing developers.

The southern 20-plus acres would be used to create a new port site to facilitate some industrial uses in order to further bolster the port's current $217 million economic impact.

And with northeastern Wisconsin being awarded $500,000 to study passenger rail expansion from Milwaukee north to Green Bay, Genrich also pitched the coal piles site as a potential location for a new Amtrak terminal. He touted the site as well-located between downtown Green Bay and the rapidly developing Lambeau Field stadium and entertainment district.

"(A train station) can a lot of times be a pretty catalytic presence. We'd love to have a station located here as well," Genrich said.

Contact Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 or jbollier@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JeffBollier.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: White House official tours coal piles; Port of Green Bay seeks $25M grant
Health officials in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, are investigating a spike in cases of whooping cough, according to health officials.

The increase is primarily among high school students, the countys Office of Public Health said.

Whooping cough, or pertussis as its called in the medical community, is a highly contagious bacterial infection that is spread through the air. Symptoms often appear similar to those of the common cold at first but develop into a prolonged, hacking cough, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Fits of coughing and even vomiting after coughing are also common, the CDC said. The term whooping cough refers to the whoop noise people with the infection make when gasping for air.

Vaccination is a safe and effective way to protect against severe disease, hospitalization, and death, the OPH said.

According to the CDC, vaccines dont stop people from getting sick, but they usually keep infections more mild.

The CDC recommends everyone receive five doses of the pertussis vaccine between 2 months and 6 years of age, with a final dose at age 11 or 12.

However, it is because of this vaccine schedule that outbreaks among high-school-aged youth are common.

Immunity from the vaccine does wane among adolescents and adults vaccinated during childhood, so it makes sense that the majority of cases we are seeing are among high school students, the OPH said.

And while the current spike is concerning, the OPH said specific members of the community are at higher risk.

Babies younger than 12 months, pregnant people and people with certain underlying health conditions are at risk for more severe illness, it said.

Newborns are not able to receive their first vaccine dose until two months after birth. And even once they have this first dose, they are still vulnerable as they need two more doses to be fully protected.

According to the CDC, babies who contract whooping cough can struggle far more than adults, or even older children.

Many babies with whooping cough dont cough at all, says the CDC. Instead it may cause them to turn blue or struggle to breathe.

For this reason, health officials suggest pregnant women get a pertussis vaccine in their third trimester.

By doing so, she helps protect her baby from whooping cough in the first few months of life, CDC officials said.

Pennsylvania health officials urge people in Montgomery County and surrounding areas to take action against severe infection and spread of the illness.

People who have been exposed to pertussis and are coughing, or people who may be at higher risk for severe illness, should seek evaluation by a healthcare provider, says the OPH. People who live in communities where pertussis is circulating should also confirm that their familys vaccinations are up to date.

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Why Qatar is unlikely to withdraw from the Gaza hostage-ceasefire talks

The Arab nation of Qatars declaration this week that it is reconsidering its role as the key mediator between Israel and Hamas amounted to a public declaration of frustration at criticism of its ties to the Palestinian militant group.

Qatars mediation efforts are being misused for narrow political interests by some involved in the conflict, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Wednesday, which required the State of Qatar to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of its mediation role.

There are limits to this role, and limits to our ability to constructively participate in these negotiations, Al Thani told a news conference in Doha, adding that his country is forced to do this despite hostage-ceasefire talks being at a sensitive and delicate stage.

But analysts say the Gulf state is unlikely to completely pull back from the talks.

A close ally of the United States, Qatar has been coordinating with Washington and Egypt to secure the release of the more than Israeli 100 hostages in Gaza, as well as end Israels war in the territory.

Qatar has come under criticism from Israel and its allies in the United States Congress, who have accused the Gulf state of being too close to the militant organization, and even of blocking negotiation progress. Doha has repeatedly pushed back against the accusations since the onset of the conflict.

Some analysts say that Qatar is the only interlocutor capable of delivering a deal due to its ties with Hamas and alliance with the US. Qatar hosts Hamas political office, but it is also home to a 10,000-troop US military base.

Experts say it is unlikely Qatar will end its mediation role.

I think that they will try and help, and try and mediate, as long as they can, said Anna Jacobs, senior Gulf analyst at the Brussels-based International Crisis Group think tank, adding that Qatar is however concerned about the criticism from US politicians. Theyve had to confront it for a while, Jacobs told CNN.

Daniel Shek, a former Israeli diplomat, said he is doubtful that Qatar will retreat from the role. I think they are actually enjoying the spotlight, Shek told the Israel news outlet i24News, adding that while there are other players that can mediate, Qatar has the best position to play in this negotiation.

Qatar has maintained a relationship with Hamas since 2012, after falling out with some of its Arab neighbors for supporting protesters seeking to overthrow the regimes in several Arab nations during the Arab Spring.

Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani gives a press conference with his Turkish counterpart in Doha on Wednesday. - Karim Jaafar/AFP/Getty Images

While American and Israeli politicians have been raising criticisms of Qatar since the start of the October 7 war, the Gulf state this week appeared to have had enough, accusing some politicians of capitalizing on the conflict to prop up electoral campaigning at home.

We are seeing political bidding by some politicians, with narrow political gains, who are waging their electoral campaigns by offending Qatars role, Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told a news conference Wednesday.

This is completely unacceptable, for us to be told things in closed meetings and then for statements to be made that are damaging and unhelpful, the prime minister said.

Questioning Qatars role

Israel has been questioning Qatars role in the talks for months. In a leaked audio from January, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was heard saying that Dohas role was problematic. Majid Al Ansari, the Qatari foreign ministry spokesman, said his government was appalled by the comment and accused Netanyahu of obstructing and undermining the mediation process for reasons that appear to serve his political career.

On April 8, James Comer, the Republican chair of the US House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Accountability sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, alleging that Qatar paid Hamas $30 million per month since 2018.

Qatar does not pay Hamas, the Qatari embassy in Washington DC responded on X the next day, adding that misinformation is unhelpful to the negotiations.

And on Monday, Democratic US Congressman Steny Hoyer accused Qatar of blocking progress in the talks.

Jacobs says that it is important to note which American politicians are voicing the criticism, adding that many in Washington see the value of the Hamas relationship (with Qatar) and feel that if Qatar ended its role, then that would be harmful and not helpful.

US President Joe Biden in November thanked Qatar for helping reach a humanitarian pause that allowed the release of some hostages.

Qatar is one of the closest US allies in the Gulf region. It is home to the Al Udeid Air Base, the biggest US military installation in the region and which houses more than 10,000 American troops. Earlier this year, the US quietly reached an agreement that extends its military presence at a sprawling base in Qatar for another 10 years. The Gulf state was also a Major Non-NATO Ally, as well as key energy supplier to Western states.

And despite coming under fire for sending hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to Hamas-governed Gaza over the years, it had done so with Israels blessing, and with the knowledge of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, CNN previously reported.

The Qatari prime ministers decision to evaluate the countrys role in the talks is seen as more of a way to highlight that they are frustrated with that criticism, Jacobs said.

CNNs Hamdi Alkhshali, Raja Razek, Larry Register and Mostafa Salem contributed reporting.

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Why is Richmond investigating an unidentified city employee? Officials wont say

Richmond city officials have launched an internal investigation into an unidentified city employee for undisclosed reasons.

At a March 7 meeting, the five-person city commission unanimously voted for Richmond Mayor Robert Blythe to sign a contract to investigate (an) internal personnel matter, according to meeting minutes obtained by the Herald-Leader through a Kentucky Open Records Act request.

The matter surfaced after a city employee sent a confidential document expressing concerns about another city employee to commission members.

The commission includes Blythe and commissioners Mendi Goble, Jim Newby, Tammy Cole and Mike Brewer. City officials have not disclosed publicly what triggered the probe.

In a separate April 1 open records request for the documentation, city attorney Tyler Frazier acknowledged the document does exist, but it is not in possession of the official records custodian, Lisa Cassity. He denied the Herald-Leaders request.

Were the Official Records Custodian in possession of said document, it would be exempt from open records disclosure as it constitutes correspondence with private individuals which was 1) made with the expectation of confidentiality and 2) which expresses concerns rather than advocating for particular action,

Numerous phone calls to Blythe and City Manager Rob Minerich were not returned.

Frazier told the Herald-Leader the city has no comment.

Richmond City Hall located on Main Street in Richmond, KY.

Pewee Valley law firm Vaughn Petitt Legal Group, PLLC was hired and Carol Petitt is the head counsel leading the investigation. Calls to the law firm went unreturned.

City documents show the law firm is charging $275 an hour for its work.

Petitt said in the agreement her firm will offer reduced rates to the city as is (her) practice for all governmental entities.

J.D. Chaney, the executive director of the Kentucky League of Cities confirmed the entity is not involved in the investigation but does provide insurance coverage for the city of Richmond.

KLC provides insurance coverage and other benefits to the City of Richmond and numerous other cities throughout Kentucky, including access to outside legal counsel to provide advice and guidance to the city, Chaney said in an emailed statement to the Herald-Leader.

He did not elaborate how much insurance would cover related to this investigation.

According to her website, Petitt has represented local governments, individuals, businesses, employees and employers in administrative and traditional judicial forums involving allegations of sexual harassment, age, gender and/or race discrimination.

She has practiced for 20 years.

What could it cost the city?

Louisville-based attorney C. Dean Furman, Jr., who works commonly on whistle-blower and fraud cases, said the hourly rate was considered low compared to other attorneys costs and fees.

Some attorneys for these cases can charge an hourly rate ranging from$500 and $1,500, according to Furman.

He told the Herald-Leader the overall price tag can depend on several factors including whether a deposition is taken under oath, informally, and by higher or lower-ranking attorneys investigating the claims.

Partners with the firm have a higher hourly payment rate compared to a paralegal. To continue his example, if a paralegal conducts an informal interview, this would be significantly cheaper than if a partner was to administer a deposition.

Bigger picture, Furman explained the internal investigation was a proactive step for the city. If the conclusion is that nothing is done to address the claims, employees could file a lawsuit against the city and cite officials were aware of the problem and did nothing  which would be an even greater price to pay.
Why is the Trump trial jury anonymous? The brief and imperfect history of anonymous juries in the US

A version of this story appeared in CNNs What Matters newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here.

While former President Donald Trump is spinning conspiracy theories about people infiltrating the jury in his hush money criminal trial, the judge in the case is finding it difficult to protect jurors anonymity.

Anonymity for juries like the one being formed to hear charges in New York against Trump is supposed to add a layer of protection for jurors doing their civic duty. Once reserved only for cases involving violent criminal enterprises, the practice is becoming more common. Its usually employed for high-profile cases but also at will by judges in some states. Rules vary.

RELATED: Full 12-person jury set for Trump trial after Thursday proceedings. Alternates still needed.

The concept of anonymous juries is still relatively new; the first in US history was empaneled in New York in 1977 for the trial of Leroy Nicky Barnes, a drug kingpin known as Mr. Untouchable, according to The New York Times. Barnes, famous for avoiding conviction, caught the attention of then-President Jimmy Carter, who told the Justice Department to take special care with the case, which yielded a guilty verdict.

Even the lawyers in that case werent permitted to know the identities of the jurors, a step further than the precautions in place for the Trump trial in New York. Both prosecutors and Trumps defense have been poring over the social media profiles and pasts of potential jurors in Judge Juan Merchans courtroom.

Merchan issued an order in March agreeing with prosecutors that most information about the jurors would be sealed. Trumps lawyers did not disagree, according to the order.

A separate Trump-related jury, the one that found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation of E. Jean Carroll, was fully anonymous  like the one that convicted Barnes  and the identities of jurors were not known to lawyers on either side.

CNNs Jeremy Herb recently wrote about how Trump has acted around juries before this current case.

In this hyperconnected social media age, anonymity is hard to achieve. One juror who had been sworn onto the panel on Tuesday was excused by Merchan on Thursday after she said her anonymity was blown.

Yesterday alone, I had friends, colleagues and family push things to my phone questioning my identity as a juror, the former Juror No. 2 told Merchan.

Merchan admonished the press for publishing information that could identify jurors.

We just lost what probably wouldve been a very good juror, Merchan said in court. The first thing she said was she was afraid and intimidated by the press.

Read more about Merchan scolding the press from CNNs Hadas Gold.

Trump, ever trying to chip away at the justice system that is prosecuting him, seeded a new conspiracy theory by posting a quote on social media, attributed to Fox News host Jesse Watters, that undercover Liberal Activists were trying to get on the jury.

Set aside the fact that there is no evidence to support this claim  and consider that the prosecution needs every juror to agree with them to get a guilty verdict, while Trump just needs one to vote for acquittal to result in a hung jury. Meanwhile, a special hearing on whether Trump has violated a gag order for his continued social media attacks is set for next week.

When anonymous juries go wrong

Maybe Trump remembers one of the most infamous, anonymous jury incidents, featuring another famous New Yorker, the mob boss John Gotti.

The anonymity of jurors in that case from 1987 allowed the jury foreman, who just so happened to have organized crime connections, to contact Gotti and, in exchange for bribes, guarantee a hung jury.

The informer who turned on Gotti, Salvatore Sammy the Bull Gravano, also told authorities the juror, George Pape, had been bought off. Pape voted to acquit Gotti, but so did the 11 other jurors. The contaminated acquittal stood since the Constitution protects against double jeopardy, according to a New York Times report at the time. Gotti later went to prison after a subsequent conviction on different charges.

Clearly theres a massive difference between a major push by the federal government to go after organized crime in the 1980s with racketeering charges and Trumps prosecution for the Class E felony of falsifying a business record in furtherance of campaign violations.

But the unyielding support Trump commands from his supporters and the violent things they will do on his behalf, like storming the US Capitol, suggest this is the type of case where anonymity is clearly warranted  although the practice of anonymous juries is in tension with the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution, which guarantees a public, fair and speedy trial by an impartial jury.

What we know

Merchan told news outlets to better refrain from reporting details that could unmask the jurors, like physical descriptions, and prohibited them from including elements that are on a jury questionnaire, like their places of business.

There is known, public information about the jurors  their genders, professions, family situations and more  that its reasonable to think they could be unmasked by determined internet sleuths or loose-lipped acquaintances.

Investigations into the jurors are also being conducted in real time during this process. Trumps defense was scrolling through old social media posts and asking jurors about them.

Prosecutors are looking for flaws with jurors. Another juror, a Puerto Rican grandfather who had said he finds Trump fascinating and mysterious, was also dismissed Thursday. The exact circumstances of his dismissal are not clear, but prosecutors informed the judge their review of criminal records showed a person sharing the mans name was arrested in the 1990s for tearing down political advertisements.

A jolting experience

Thursdays court session ended with a full, 12-person jury being seated. These jurors will be asked to take on the weight of sitting in judgment of a former and maybe future president.

Jurors show up, and a lot of times, they dont think theyre going to end up being selected for whatever reason. And so when they go through the process, as soon as theyre sworn in a panel, that can be pretty jolting, the jury consultant Alan Tuerkheimer told CNNs Omar Jimenez in an interview on Max. That can be for a regular case. So think about this case, he added.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
A spokesperson for the Spanish Ministry of the Interior has told The Telegraph that the 97 rule has been mis-reported in Britain - Getty/E+

The Spanish government has accused the English media of spreading a hoax about British tourists being asked to prove they have a certain amount of money to enter the country.

In recent weeks, there have been widespread news reports claiming holidaymakers may have to show proof of funds amounting to 97 per day for the duration of their visit, or else risk being denied entry by Spanish border officers.

The rule has been described by some news outlets as controversial and British tourists have supposedly slammed the rule and threatened to boycott Spain as a result.

However, a spokesperson for the Spanish Ministry of the Interior has told The Telegraph that the 97 rule has been mis-reported in Britain.

These are not systematic controls for tourists and no entry denial has occurred for this reason, they said. This is a hoax spread from time to time by the English media, lacking rigour and without any basis.

While the rule does exist in the fine print of the Schengen Borders Code, it is important to be aware of the wider context. Namely: it is not a new rule, it does not only affect UK visitors, and there is currently no precedent of it causing any problems for British tourists.

Does the 97 per day rule actually exist?

Yes. Technically, third-nation (non-EU) citizens entering Spain could be asked to provide evidence that they have the funds to sustain their stay in the country. If asked, visitors may have to show that they have a minimum of 113.40 (96.80) per day for the duration of their trip. This proof could be in the form of cash, travellers cheques, or a credit card plus a printed statement. You may also be asked for proof of accommodation and a return or onward ticket. Full details of the rule can be found on the Spanish Ministry of the Interior website.

Has anyone ever been denied entry?

The Spanish Ministry of the Interior confirmed that no British tourist has been denied entry to Spain after failing to provide evidence of funds.

It appears tourists are rarely quizzed at all. In a poll carried out by Chelsea Dickenson of cheapholidayexpert.com, 98.6 per cent of 1,373 respondents said they hadnt been asked for evidence at passport control in Spain. Just three gave examples of being asked for proof of funds (two in Alicante, one in Madrid)  each said they were waved through when they presented a credit card.

Telegraph Travel expert Annie Bennett, who frequently flies between the UK and Spain, says she has never encountered the 97 rule being enforced and called the reports tabloid hysteria.

Sally Davies, The Telegraphs Barcelona expert, says: Its just nonsense, all of it. Spain adores tourists and falls over itself to accommodate them.

The proof of funds technicality applies to any non-Schengen area citizen - Stone/Getty

Is the rule new to 2024?

No. It officially came into effect for British holidaymakers when the UK left the European Union on January 1 2021. Then, the daily amount listed in the Spanish border control fine print was 100 (83.52 at the time).

Are British tourists the only people affected?

No. The proof of funds technicality applies to any non-Schengen area citizen. But Spanish passport officers do not seem to be enforcing it on holidaymakers from further afield, either. Ken Baldwin, a director and specialist travel adviser at the travel agency Totally Spain, told The Telegraph: It has not affected any of our clients, who come primarily from the United States and Canada. [It has] never been brought up with us.

Is Spain the only European country enforcing this rule?

No. The requirement for tourists to provide evidence of funds applies to all Schengen area countries, not just Spain. And the cash amount varies between countries. For example, France has a similar rule requiring (possible) proof of 120 per day, Belgiums is 95, Polands is 66, Germanys is 45: the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has a note across all of its EU pages warning that you may be asked for proof of funds at border control.

Do I need to do anything about this before my holiday?

If you want to avoid any possible friction at passport control, bring printed evidence of your accommodation booking, your return flight details, plus a recent credit card statement along with the card itself  or cash, although travelling with large quantities of cash comes with obvious risks. If you do not do the above, rest assured there is currently no precedent that you would be turned around at Spanish (or any EU nations) passport control for not having sufficient funds, and proof of accommodation and return flight details should be easily accessed in your emails, if required.

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 newly filed lawsuit accuses Texas deputies of using excessive force when they fatally shot a man while he was having a mental health emergency in October 2022.

The lawsuit, filed April 11 in an Austin federal court by Kaplan Law Firm on behalf of the mans wife, names the Llano County Sheriffs Office, the sheriff and two deputies as defendants.

McClatchy News reached out to the Llano County Sheriffs Office for comment on April 18 but did not receive an immediate response.

On Oct. 23, 2022, deputies shot and killed 40-year-old Justin Harrod of Kingsland, the Llano County Sheriffs Office said in a news release shared the day of the incident.

According to the suit, Harrod posed no imminent threat of death or bodily harm to the deputies, and their use of deadly force violated his constitution right to due process and the protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Mental health emergency

Harrods wife said throughout the day leading up to his death, he struggled with his mental health as it was the first anniversary of his fathers death, according to the lawsuit.

After a night out dancing with friends, Harrod was experiencing a mental health crisis, the suit says.

Harrods wife called 911 around 5:50 a.m. after hearing what she said was a single gunshot, explaining to the dispatcher that she was not being threatened but was concerned for her husbands safety, according to the lawsuit.

Arrival of law enforcement

When deputies arrived, Harrod was passed out on his lawn lying prone on his stomach, with his gun under his body, the suit said.

According to the lawsuit, five deputies surrounded Harrod for 18 minutes yelling and using taunting tones, issuing contradictory instructions like to get away from the gun but to also not move.

After Harrod yelled back at law enforcement, one deputy fired a Taser and two others fired their guns a moment later, striking him in the face and arm, officials said.

Mr. Harrod was shot and killed less than one second after the taser was deployed, the lawsuit said. It was physically impossible for him to reach for the gun, much less put the deputies in fear for their lives in that period of time.

Body camera footage from the incident shows one deputy saying I never could see the gun, I never saw it, with another responding I know, according to the lawsuit.

In the news release, the Llano County Sheriffs Office said deputies observed Harrod with a gun, and fearing for their safety, they fired after he refused to drop it.

Medical aid was started after Harrod repeatedly said, Im dying, according to the suit.

The sheriffs office said Harrod died in the ambulance while being taken to a medical helicopter.

Lawsuit accuses deputies of constitutional violations

The lawsuit states that the use of excessive and deadly force by law enforcement violated Harrods Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures and the right to due process.

It also accuses the Llano County Sheriffs Office of failing to adequately train, supervise or discipline deputies and implement policy changes to prevent this type of escalation.

Harrods wife seeks a trial by jury; actual, compensatory and exemplary damages; and a declaratory judgment that defendants violated plaintiffs constitutionally protected right, according to the lawsuit.

Harrod is described in the suit as a man who loved music, including playing the banjo, singing and dancing. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and two stepdaughters.

If you or someone you know need help, you can contact the NAMI HelpLine. The National Alliance on Mental Illness offers a free, nationwide peer-support service providing information, resource referrals and support to people living with a mental health condition, their family members and caregivers, mental health providers and the public. You can call 1-800-950-6264 or text "HelpLine" to 62640 each Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET.

If you need immediate help in a crisis, call 1-800-273-8255 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Teen turns tables on accused robbers when mom slips him a gun in Texas home, cops say

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During a House vote Thursday, Speaker Mike Johnson found himself surrounded by members of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, demanding answers about rumored rules changes that would go a long way toward defanging the Freedom Caucus veto power over the body. As Johnson was being berated, Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden interjected to defend the speaker. He began hurling insults at the Freedom Caucus members, including calling Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz tubby. Of all the things to say about Gaetz  tubby?

Why is everyone so mad? Well, getting mad is just what Van Orden does, whether the target of his opprobrium is Gaetz, Joe Biden, or a group of teens enjoying themselves.

The most right-wing members of the House GOP, however, were furious at Johnson for threatening to finally do whats necessary to retake control of his chamber after 15 months of gobsmacking dysfunction.

After months of delays, Johnson has finally found the gumption to allow a package of bills providing security assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan to move through the House. Hes organized it in a clever way. There will be separate votes on each of those three measures, allowing some Republicans to vote for the Israel portion alone and some Democrats to vote for the Ukraine portion alone, with plenty of crossover voting for both. There will also be a separate, fourth vote on a piece of sidecar legislation, intended as a legislative sweetener to move certain House priorities through the Senate. It would include measures seizing Russian foreign assets and forcing the Chinese company ByteDance to sell TikTok, among other things. Whatever passes will be rolled into one bill for the Senate to take up.

No sweetener, however, can satisfy the hard-right Republicans whove made abandonment of Ukraine a top priority. And Johnsons decision to push through Ukraine aida policy choice hes now passionately advocating for in a way we hadnt previously seenall but guarantees that Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, or some other fellow traveler, will force a vote on removing Johnson from his job, as she threatened to do several weeks ago.

And so Johnsons maneuver to pass the aid package, and to keep his job, would rely on votes from the opposition party to a very, very unusual extent. Under the process Johnson has laid out, Democratic votes could be needed in every step of the process. That would mean Democrats would vote to advance a rule governing floor debate in the Rules Committee, on that rule in a full House vote, during votes on the legislative package itself, and, perhaps, in a vote to sustain Johnsons speakership afterward. There is little if any precedent in modern times of a minority party bailing out the majority leadership on procedural votes like this. But Democrats may be willing to swallow it if thats what it takes to re-arm Ukraine.

What really teed off the right, though, beyond Johnson relying on Democrats to assist Ukraine, was a story about something else Johnson was considering. Punchbowl News reported Thursday morning that House Republican leaders were discussing using the debate over the $95 billion foreign aid package to make it harder to oust Speaker Mike Johnson.

Under current House rules, any individual member can force a vote to oust the Speaker. This was the process by which ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy was removed, and it is the move that Greene has been threatening to deploy against Johnson. It is the central source of the far rights control over the speaker: Rely on Democratic votes to pass something we disapprove of, and you will lose your job.

Its poison, and rank-and-file House Republicans are at their wits end with the crippling effect its had on the ongoing, internationally embarrassing session of Congress. The change under discussion, then, would have raised the threshold for what it takes to force a vote on ousting the speaker. Johnson, then, wouldnt have needed Democrats to bail him out repeatedly when his speakership would come up for a vote, putting everyone in an unsustainable position.

This is what the Freedom Caucus memberseven the ones who previously hadnt supported an ouster of Johnsonconfronted Johnson about on the House floor on Thursday.

Matt Gaetz, who was among those confronting Johnson, told reporters that they sought clarification from Johnson that he wouldnt attempt to change this, and we did not get the answer that we wanted. Johnson, Gaetz said, was equivocating. (As for the interaction with Van Orden, Gaetz said the only thing I gleaned from it is that Mr. Van Orden is not a particularly intelligent individual.)

Gaetz, who led McCarthys ouster, had been outspoken against ousting Johnson, even as he was staunchly against sending additional aid to Ukraine. But the rumors of a rule change to release the speaker, once and for all, from the Freedom Caucus grip got him to reconsider that.

My hope was that the motion to vacate would be an elixir that only required one dose for effectiveness, Gaetz told reporters Thursday. But sometimes, there are some therapies that require more than one dose. And I hope thats not the case with the motion to vacate, but well administer that elixir as many times as necessary to save the country.

By late Thursday afternoon, Johnson had decided against pursuing the rule change. Any rule change requires a majority of the full House, which we do not have, he said. We will continue to govern under the existing rules. His gumption, in other words, still only goes so far. But he is nevertheless risking his job and his standing among conservatives to support Ukraine, which is gumption enough for the moment.

In spite of this, paranoia is still rippling through the Freedom Caucus. Their members were also worried on Thursday that Republican leaders could attempt a sudden removal of three hardliners from the Rules Committee, another source of the rights power. Just in case, the Freedom Caucus decided to take shifts with members monitoring the House floor should leaders attempt to pass any of these changes by unanimous consent. That group of members is known as the Freedom Caucus Floor Action Response Teamaka FART.

The debate happening in Congress now is a weighty one. Members are fighting about Americas role in the world: whether it has an obligation to prop up an independent country facing aggression from its neighbors, and whether it should help other allies defend themselves against a concerted effort from Russia, China, and Iran and its proxies to destabilize the Western-led order. Its a serious moment.

But also: FART.
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  Tanganyika Wildlife Park Director Matt Fouts brought in Jolene, a southern three-banded armadillo, to KSNs Wild Side Wednesday afternoon.

He says they are from all over South and Central America.

Whats cool about them, I mean, they have the three bands back here; you can kind of see those, said Fouts. But whats really cool is that they can roll completely up into a ball.

Southern three-banded armadillos are smaller than nine-banded armadillos, which are seen in North America.

Like the North American ones that we see, theyll kind of fold, but they cant get completely into a ball like Jolene here, said Fouts.

Jolene and the other southern three-banded armadillos can be seen with the sloths at Tanganyika.

If youre peaking in the windows, theyll be down on the ground a lot of times, said Fouts.

Wild Side: Sedgwick County Zoo brings otter pelts, whale bone to share importance of protecting local waterways

But they may be hard to see.

They do like to burrow. You can kind of see these little claws in the front. Those are so they can burrow. So they do like to burrow down into the wood shavings and wood chips that are in those pens, so sometimes theyre hard to see, but thats where they live at the park, said Fouts.

Tanganyika Wildlife Park is hosting its annual fundraiser, Twilight Tour 2024  Party With A Purpose, from 5 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, June 15, for those 21 and up. The event is being held to support the preservation of the critically endangered African Black-footed penguin and raise funds for the nonprofit Tanganyika Wildlife Foundation. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (C, front) speaks at the Security Council's quarterly open debate on "the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question," at the UN headquarters in New York, on April 18, 2024. Guterres on Thursday called for immediate action to avert a crisis in the Middle East. (Xinhua/Xie E)

UNITED NATIONS, April 18 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday called for immediate action to avert a crisis in the Middle East.

"The Middle East is on a precipice," the top UN official told the Security Council's quarterly open debate on "the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question," emphasizing the severe recent escalations in both rhetoric and actions.

He warned that "one miscalculation, one miscommunication, one mistake, could lead to the unthinkable -- a full-scale regional conflict that would be devastating for all involved -- and for the rest of the world."

Guterres strongly condemned the large-scale attack launched by Iran on Israel on April 13, underscoring that such acts of aggression violate the UN Charter. He reiterated the importance of respecting the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises and personnel, as exemplified by his condemnation of the earlier attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.

"It is high time to end the bloody cycle of retaliation. It is high time to stop," the UN chief declared. He called for international cooperation to prevent actions that could further destabilize the Middle East, stressing that "the risks are spiraling on many fronts."

Focusing on Gaza, he called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the release of all hostages, describing the situation there as a humanitarian hellscape exacerbated by continuous Israeli military operations. "Ending the hostilities in Gaza would significantly defuse tensions across the region," he said.

The UN chief detailed the dire conditions in Gaza, where severe restrictions on humanitarian aid have left many facing starvation. He noted some progress in aid delivery but stated that the efforts are often hampered by operational and security constraints.

He also addressed the broader regional implications, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach to de-escalation and peace. "The international community has a shared responsibility to do everything possible to make this happen," he urged.

In conclusion, Guterres reiterated the UN's commitment to supporting peace efforts and called for all parties to work towards a sustainable, two-state solution that respects international law and UN resolutions. 

United Nations Security Council holds its quarterly open debate on "the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question," at the UN headquarters in New York, on April 18, 2024. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday called for immediate action to avert a crisis in the Middle East. (Xinhua/Xie E)
Wild, wild west. Families say organs of deceased Alabama inmates have been removed without their consent

After inmate Jim Kennedy Jr. died last year at the Limestone Correctional Facility in Harvest, Alabama, his sister-in-law got an unusual call from the funeral home preparing the body for burial.

Did yall realize he came back without his organs? Sara Kennedy recalled being told. Liver, heart. All of your major organs. They were gone.

He had nothing, said Kennedys brother, Marvin.

Another inmate suffered a similar fate. Arthur Stapler was 85 when he died five months after Kennedy Jr. at the Brookwood Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham. He had been housed at Hamilton Aged and Infirmed Center, which is also run by the Alabama Department of Corrections.

Its like a horror movie that I cant wake up from, said Staplers son, Billy, who learned about the missing organs after hiring a private pathologist to perform an autopsy on the body.

It was only after contacting the University of Alabama at Birmingham  which is among the providers that conducts autopsies for the prison system  that Staplers family received what they were told were his brain and heart in plastic viscera bags. The lungs and some other internal organs came back in pieces, but not all were returned.

With more than 26,000 inmates, Alabamas severely overcrowded and understaffed prisons are the target of a US Justice Department lawsuit that alleges the state not only fails to prevent violence and sexual abuse behind bars but does not protect inmates from excessive force by prison staff or provide safe conditions.

Alabamas mens prisons are also the countrys deadliest, with a homicide rate in 2019 more than seven times higher than the national average, according to a report by the non-profit Equal Justice Initiative.

Arthur Stapler - Courtesy Billy Stapler

And the states mass incarceration nightmare does not appear to end with death.

The state Department of Corrections and the University of Alabama at Birmingham now face disturbing allegations from the families of five inmates whose organs were removed and reportedly kept without consent, according to lawsuits filed last week in Montgomery County Circuit Court. A lawyer for the families alleged the organs were retained for teaching purposes.

Its the wild, wild west. Theres no governance, Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein, an associate professor at the Duke University School of Medicine and an expert on prison standards, said of the allegations involving the handling of inmate organs in the prison system.

Its like, the provision of health care. No standards. What that health care should look like, who has bodily autonomy and who doesnt, and who, when someone dies, acts as next of kin to people who are incarcerated  all those things are just undefined. Theres no standard and theres no oversight.

Prison warden empowered to give consent, lawsuits say

The Alabama Department of Corrections is the largest law enforcement agency in the state, with 28 facilities and nearly 2,000 officers.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine bills itself as one of the nations top academic medical centers for research, education and clinical care. It houses one of Americas largest academic hospitals.

Under an agreement between two state institutions with divergent missions, UAB said it conducts autopsies for the corrections department, which is responsible for obtaining proper authorizations from the appropriate legal representative of the deceased.

The authorization forms not only provide permission for the autopsy, but also specifically include consent for the removal of organs or tissues for diagnostic or other testing including final disposition, said UAB in a statement, adding that privacy laws prevented comment on specific autopsies.

A case of finger-pointing has broken out between the university and the corrections department on the issue of who ultimately authorizes autopsies.

UAB also said it doesnt comment on pending or threatened litigation, but it complies with laws governing autopsies and is responding to incorrect and misleading assertions about the procedures it performs for the corrections department.

Limestone Correctional Facility in Harvest, Alabama. - CNN

UAB only conducts autopsies after obtaining consent or authorization from the appropriate state official, the statement said.

The Alabama Department of Corrections also declined comment on pending litigation but said it does not authorize or perform autopsies. UAB has maintained that corrections authorizes inmate autopsies.

Once an inmate dies, the body is transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences or (the University of Alabama at Birmingham) for autopsy, depending on several factors, including but not limited to region and whether the death is unlawful, suspicious, or unnatural, the corrections department said in a statement.

Birmingham attorney Lauren Faraino said the families she represents in the five suits insisted to her that none of the inmates were organ donors, nor were their families asked for authorization to retain the organs. At least two other lawsuits were being prepared, she said.

Instead, the attorney said, UABs own autopsy authorization form  which CNN has obtained  empowers a prison warden to give consent without limitations for the autopsy as well as the final disposition of an inmates organs. She said that means UAB gets to keep and dispose of the organs as it sees fit unless told otherwise.

Under an autopsy agreement between corrections and the UAB Board of Trustees dating to around 2005, the warden signs off as the legally designated representative and therefore am legally entitled to grant permission for the completion of an autopsy and the removal of organs or tissues for further study on said inmate.

l do, therefore, give my permission for the performance of an autopsy including the removal of organs or tissues from said inmate for diagnostic or other testing, including final disposition thereof, reads the autopsy authorization form.

The lawsuits cite a 2017 UAB Division of Autopsy publication that said 23% of the divisions yearly income from 2006 to 2015 derived from corrections department autopsies. The corrections department pays UAB $2,200 per autopsy and $100 per toxicology test, according to the suits.

In 2023, Alabama prisons reported a record high 325 deaths, according to the Alabama Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, a non-profit criminal justice reform advocacy group.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine - CNN

The law center reported 1,045 deaths in state prisons from April 2019  when the DOJ released a report on prison conditions  through the end of last year, citing Alabama Department of Corrections figures and Appleseed data.

Defendants appalling misconduct is nothing short of grave robbery and mutilation, the lawsuits said. The state institutions are accused of fraud, conspiracy, negligence, unauthorized donations of body parts, unjust enrichment, failing to notify next of kin when retaining organs and other counts.

An Alabama law passed in 2021 requires medical examiners to notify next-of-kin if they will retain a deceased persons organs to determine identification or the cause or manner of death. They also need the approval of next-of-kin to keep organs for research or other purposes.

A bill now making its way through the state legislature would make a violation of that law a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

If organs are being removed for donation for medical education, research or any other purpose without appropriate authorization that is both a legal failing and a moral failing, said Brendan Parent, a lawyer and director of the transplant ethics and policy research program at NYU Langone.

Theres no reason to believe that a warden of a prison has ownership or property rights to a body just because the person was incarcerated. And so the laws that exist protecting the familys right to represent the donation wishes, and to represent the burial wishes or laying to rest wishes, those remain.

In its statement, UAB insisted it does not harvest organs from bodies of inmates for research. Its pathology program is accredited by the College of American Pathologists and staffed by physicians certified by the American Board of Pathology, UAB said.

The dead are voiceless. And so that creates both a major sort of gap in bringing these stories to light, Parent said.

Its incredibly sad but makes sense that there isnt nearly enough oversight or attention to this because of the vulnerability and lack of representation of the rights of these individuals.

A 2019 report by the Justice Department and the Alabama US Attorneys offices did not mention issues with missing organs but said the state corrections department did not have a reliable system of tracking in-custody deaths.

Federal investigators identified at least 30 deaths that were not disclosed to the Justice Department. The report also found Alabama Department of Corrections did not maintain a centralized repository for all autopsies and did not have a way to identify patterns in causes of death.

We felt ashamed

A group of UAB medical students questioned the ethics of the schools retention of some inmate organs without consent as far back as 2018, a year before the scathing federal report on overall prison conditions.

In a letter to the UAB hospital ethics committee and medical school administrators in July 2018, a group of medical students wrote to express our concern regarding the consent process for use of organs from incarcerated individuals in our preclinical education.

Our concern is not with the practice of autopsy, but with the process of consent for the retention and use of tissue samples, the medical students wrote in the letter.

Wardens can limit the autopsy to a strict determination of cause of death, with no tissues retained for research or education. However, by the Division of Autopsy directors assessment, wardens always sign no limitations on the form that initiates the request for autopsy. If our understanding is correct, neither the patient, nor their family, has consented to or been directly informed of the retention of tissues for teaching, education, or research.

Faraino called the letter and other records of meetings with school officials concrete evidence that the students are using some of these organs for training in medical school.

We can all agree that we want doctors who are trained and who have access to these organs to perfect their craft, Faraino said. What we dont want is for doctors and pathologists to be mining bodies without family permission.

Two of those UAB medical students spoke with CNN, saying pathology lab instructors acknowledged that many teaching samples came from inmates, particularly because of the more dramatic pathology of the prisoners. The students asked not to be named for fear of repercussions to their careers.

Its plainly and obviously wrong, one student said. There is no understanding of medical ethics in which this is permissible.

A disproportionate number of organ samples were from deceased prisoners, the students said. Those samples included brief bios indicating the person died in a correctional facility and some health history.

We are benefiting from medical inequity, one student said. These people are dying sicker, dying with less care and they look sicker, their bodies look sicker and we get to learn from that. Thats supposed to be a win for us?

The students said the university ethics committee ultimately dismissed their concerns.

A September 2018 response from the ethics committee said organs are used for the secondary purposes of teaching future physicians and thereby benefits future patients. If such uses are disallowed, these specimens would only be disposed of, serving no useful purpose. The committee concluded there is no evidence that deceased prisoners are treated unfairly as compared with non-prisoners in the autopsy procedure.

It is hard to see any lack of ethicality in the retention and teaching uses of once-removed organs, the response said.

UAB in their statement said the medical students concerns were informed by inaccurate data and information. A panel of medical ethicists reviewed and endorsed UABs protocols for autopsies on incarcerated persons, the university said.

UAB said its pathologists in some cases keep organs for further testing to determine an accurate cause of death. UAB said it does not use inmate organs to teach medical students.

We felt ashamed, one medical student said. All of us carried it for years.

Another added, It has continued to follow me all these years, wondering if I should or could have done more.

The families question why the organs were missing for most of the inmates, and what UAB did with those organs after the work was completed.

Well, we do it all the time

On April 13, 2023, inmate Jim Kennedy Jr. died at the age of 67 in an Alabama prison, where he was serving a sentence of 300 years for rape, sodomy and kidnapping. A prison chaplain notified his family of the death about four days later, according to the lawsuit.

A funeral director told family members his internal organs were missing. Only the eyes remained.

Marvin Kennedy, who held power of attorney over his brothers affairs, said the family had not authorized the retention of the organs.

They made the decisions for you or represented you without your permission in different areas, Marvin Kennedy said of UAB and prison officials. And thats really what really hurts.

A funeral director told Jim Kennedy Jr.'s family members his internal organs were missing. - Courtesy Marvin Kennedy

Sara Kennedy demanded answers from UAB and prison officials. I had a lot of questions, she said.

When she reached a UAB autopsy department on the phone to ask that her brother-in-laws organs be returned, she secretly recorded the six-minute conversation.

Weve never had this request done before, the supervisor told her in the recorded call.

To have the organs back? she asked.

Yeah, weve never.

Who buries somebody without their organs?

Well, we do it all the time.

We dont want to do it  We dont want to do that.

Now, I will tell you this  UAB is a teaching institution and any teaching institution that does autopsies, keeps their organs.

Well, we did not. We did not and Junior did not want that  We have not agreed with the prison for his body to be turned over for no study. And we want those organs back, Sara Kennedy told the supervisor.

Stapler died on September 23, 2023. He had been housed at Hamilton Aged and Infirmed Center, where he was doing 10 years for child sex abuse. The cause of death was listed on his autopsy report as congestive heart failure.

The private pathologist hired by his son discovered he had an empty cavity in place of his organs.

There was nothing there, Billy Stapler said.

Stapler also reached the UAB autopsy department supervisor by phone and arranged for some of his fathers organs to be returned.

Im asking wheres the rest of his organs? And he tells me that they possibly got thrown away, Billy Stapler recalled. And Im like, how do you throw away organs?  Why did you even take them out of him?

Anthony Perez Brackins, 36, who was serving a 21-year sentence for armed robbery, died at Limestone on June 28, 2023, according to his mother, Susie Duncan, and sister, Letesha Brackins. The cause of death was listed as an accidental drug overdose.

After an autopsy at UAB, Duncan and Brackins said, a funeral home informed the family that the body had been emptied of all organs. Duncan said her son was cremated without his organs. He was not an organ donor and UAB did not ask for her consent to keep the organs, according to Duncan.

When Brackins family contacted UAB to demand the return of his organs, a UAB employee told a relative it was too late now, according to the lawsuit.

Kelvin Moore - Courtesy Simone Moore

Kelvin Moore was 42 when he died on July 21, 2023, at Limestone. His family said he was serving a sentence of life without parole for convictions for attempted murder and attempted burglary. A chaplain informed his mother of the death three days later, telling her the cause was a fentanyl overdose, the lawsuit said.

When his family received his body, the mortician discovered most of his internal organs were gone. Relatives later picked up a red viscera bag with what UAB said were his organs. Moore was laid to rest with the bag.

Simone De Moore holds a bag of Kelvin Moore's organs after retrieving them from UAB, - Courtesy Simone Moore

I call it thievery. I call it barbarism, said one of Moores brothers, Simone.

Simone Moore remembered the words of his 82-year-old mother, Agolia: She said, You cant even die no more. Even in death, people robbing you and disrespecting you. Robbing you of your organs. Even in death. 

This story was reported by CNNs Isabel Rosales and Chris Youd in Alabama and Ray Sanchez in New York. It was written by Sanchez.

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The King and Queen had previously used the jet for a state visit to France last September - WireImage

Windows fell out of a plane used by the King in mid-air after filming lights melted the frames, a report has revealed.

Three window panes fell off the Titan Airways Airbus at 14,000ft last October after it took off from Stansted Airport on a flight to Florida.

After take-off, passengers noticed increased cabin noise and a crew member discovered one window was visibly loose in its frame.

The A321neo returned to Stansted after 36 minutes airborne.

None of the 24 people aboard the Airbus was injured in the incident.

After landing it was discovered that a total of three windows were missing  and fresh impact damage was visible on the aeroplanes tail.

King Charles and Queen Camilla had previously used the jet for a state visit to France last September.

It has also been used by Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, and James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, on official trips abroad.

Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) analysts found that the Airbus acrylic windows had shrunk after being exposed to high intensity lights used for filming an advert the previous day.

Report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch showed the three window panes which had been affected

Advertisers were on board the aeroplane at Stansted the day before the incident to film some promotional footage.

Film technicians positioned high intensity halogen lights outside the airliners fuselage, shining in through the windows to create a sunrise effect.

The six lights used had a combined lighting capacity of 72,000 watts  more than seven hundred times greater than a household light bulb.

The AAIB said: The lights were first shone on the right side of the aircraft for approximately five and a half hours, with the light focused on the cabin windows just aft of the overwing exits.

The lights were then moved to the left side of the aircraft where they illuminated a similar area on the left side for approximately four hours.

Technicians placed the lights between six and nine metres away from the Airbus windows.

Data from the light manufacturer suggested that surfaces six metres (19ft 6in) away could see temperatures rise by as much as 147F (64C).

A serviceable inner windowpane (left) and the damaged inner windowpane (right) from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch report

No information was given by the AAIB about who the advertiser was.

Airliner windows have two panes: a tough outer pane designed to withstand extreme temperatures and pressures, and an inner scratch pane on the passenger side.

All the scratch panes remained in place so there was no direct, unrestricted aperture between the passenger cabin and the outside air, said the AAIB.

Titan Airways Airbus A321neo had also been used by the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary on official trips - WireImage

A Titan Airways spokesman said: We would like to thank the members of the AAIB team for their extremely thorough and professional investigation. The aviation industry as a whole will benefit from the lessons learnt from this event.

We are also pleased to hear that our colleagues at Airbus will be circulating further information to its worldwide customer base, highlighting the potential damage that can be caused by high-intensity lighting.

We are also grateful to all of our crew members onboard, whose swift and professional handling of the incident was exemplary.

The airliner was registered G-GBNI while it was being used for royal and Government flights. At the time it was painted white with a Union flag logo on the tail.

After the Government charter ended, the Airbus was re-registered G-OATW and repainted in a black colour scheme.

The Government regularly charters commercial airliners for official trips by ministers and members of the Royal family.

There was no suggestion in the AAIB report that any Airbus manufacturing defect was to blame for the airliners windows melting.

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 photo of the apartment building in question

Tenants want to purchase these eight apartments units from the City of Winston-Salem. (Photo: Submitted by tenant)

Citing concerns about the potential new owner, a tenants rights group in Winston-Salem is urging the city to sell eight affordable apartments to the tenants instead of private developers.

Housing Justice Now contends the developers have not honored conditions of the sale, which included a 30-day due diligence period, individual meetings with residents, and help with completing applications for Section 8 housing vouchers.

The city council agreed Jan. 8 to sell the apartments to Jared Rogers and Ruskin Anderson for $600,000 on the condition that the apartments remain affordable and that current rents remain frozen for two years.

Typically, North Carolina due diligence periods span 3-4 weeks, Housing Justice Now said in a press release. However, nearly 100 days have gone by since the Council vote, and the City has failed to complete the sell [sic].

Some tenants missed the chance to apply for Section 8 vouchers after the Housing Authority of Winston-Salem opened its waiting list April 2-4 because the developers never notified tenants, the tenants right group said.

Several residents said they were unaware this took place and received no help applying, thus locking them out of the Section 8 program indefinitely, Housing Justice Now said in its statement.

In an interview with NC Newsline, Rogers denied Housing Justice Nows claims. He said he has met with tenants who made themselves available and did notify eligible tenants when the housing authority opened its Section 8 waitlist. Two of the eight tenants already receive Section 8 vouchers, and one does not qualify.

Jared Rogers

Jared Rogers (Courtesy photo)

Rogers said the delay in completing the sale is due to continued negotiations around deed restrictions that are designed to keep the units affordable.

Weve had to go back and forth several times with the city to say this doesnt work, this wouldnt work for anybody, Rogers said. This is only applicable in a situation where there is a property-level subsidy [such as Section 8 vouchers]. There is no property-level subsidy, therefore this cant be there.

Buyers of city-owned residential properties must agree to honor the citys affordable housing ordinance and its Housing Justice Act, which were created to keep such properties affordable, reduce homelessness and prevent housing discrimination based on criminal convictions and source of incomes.

At the heart of the purchase delay, Rogers said, is a contract provision requiring developers to charge each tenant monthly rents based on ability to pay.

It would basically say to me as a landlord, I need to go to each tenant every single month and underwrite them every single month, Rogers said. If something happened in their life, job or career, that [rent] might go down to zero, like say they lost their job or decided to become a student.

Without rent subsidies in place, Rogers said he could miss loan payments.

Theres not a bank in this world that would give me a loan if every 30 days I potentially have zero cash flow, Rogers said.

Gerick Walker

Gerick Walker (Courtesy photo)

Gerick Walker and the propertys other seven tenants have launched a nonprofit  The Housing Spring Company  with the hope to buy the two buildings. They are working to secure a loan for the purchase, Walker said.

He said the nonprofit has invited Rogers to its board of directors meeting on Saturday to ask him to support the groups bid to purchase the apartments.

We are demanding as residents an opportunity to take care of ourselves, Walker said. We dont want to be left in the hands of someone else who is not a part of our community and were hoping that he [Rogers] understands that and supports that on Saturday when we talk.

Rogers told NC Newsline that hes not opposed to the city giving another nonprofit a chance to purchase the property.

He said hes told city council members that if another nonprofit comes forward to purchase the property, then, by all means, let them have it.

Rogers said recent news accounts about the property have portrayed him as a villain, which nearly caused him to walk away from the deal.

He said he only stepped up to buy the property to ensure that it remains affordable.

Honestly, I can at least say Im the reason why there are eight affordable housing units, and the juice aint worth he squeeze and all of the hassle, Rogers said.

In Housing Justice Nows news release, member Dan Rose urged the city to sell the property to tenants.

These residents need a landlord like a fish needs a bicycle, Rose said. If they got a $600,000 mortgage over 30 years and split it among the eight units, their monthly repayments would be less than theyre paying in rent right now.

Rose said tenants would have money left over for taxes, insurance, and maintenance and would control their own housing, continue to live close to downtown and create some generational wealth if the city allowed them to purchase the property.

Winston-Salems homeownership rate dipped from 71.1% in 2000 to 66.2% in a 2021 HUD report, Rose noted.

Instead of shuffling around landlords, we need the city to start thinking creatively about how they could be creating asset-building opportunities for lower-income residents, he said.

The post Winston-Salem tenants want to buy apartments promised to private developer appeared first on NC Newsline.
Winter Haven officials are moving forward with a long-term plan to turn restored wetlands into a natural recreational park for local residents.

The City Commission approved a contract of more than $3.7 million with local, family owned Whitehead Construction to build a new Lake Conine Nature Park. The project has been more than a decade in the works, according to Julie Adams, the city's parks, recreation and culture director.

Winter Haven is turning restored wetlands on the south side of Lake Conine into a nature park,

"It's something we've been very intentional about, being able to connect it to the community," she said. "It has not been forgotten or pushed off the radar."

Andy Palmer, Winter Haven's parks planning and strategic initiatives manager, said the city purchased the roughly 32-acre property approximately 10 to 15 years ago to restore it to wetlands to benefit Lake Conine and the surrounding communities. The land was once part of the city's Boggy Bottom community, according to Palmer, even though it was historically platted to be left wetlands.

The city's first phase in restoring the wetlands was creating a series of wetland cells to help filter the water, Palmer said. This was done in partnership between the city and Polk County, the state and the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

Winter Haven officials approved a more than $3.7 million construction contract with locally owned Whitehead Construction to build Lake Conine Nature Park, featuring a mile-long perimeter trail and playground.

"It's designed to catch stormwater from this neighborhood off Lucerne Park Road and go filter through the wetlands before hitting Lake Conine," he said. "It will improve the water quality of Lake Conine."

Whitehead Construction will begin the second phase of adding recreational elements within the next two months. The main access and parking lot will be located to the southeast off Lucerne Park Road.

The city's plans call for an informational kiosk to greet visitors coming in from the 26-space parking lot and bike racks with up to $150,000 budgeted for playground equipment and a picnic pavilion. The site will also feature a roughly mile-long loop trail loop around the perimeter of the park with several smaller interior loops.

Parkway construction project: New parking area opens at Marshall Hampton Reserve in Winter Haven

"The trail system will be a recreational space to allow residents to get out there and see wildlife, go birding, the wetland plantings along the lakeshore and see the wetland cells as well," Palmer said.

A detailed list of recreational elements proposed by Whitehead Construction include three shade structures, three metal picnic tables with six benches, a chilled water station, four dog stations, an osprey tower and a bat house. The plans call for a new 8-foot by 100-foot fishing pier extending onto Lake Conine.

The city purchased the roughly 32-acre property approximately 10 to 15 years ago to restore it to wetlands to benefit Lake Conine.

The $3,787,630 price tag for this project will be shared between the city and several partners: Duke Energy, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Polk County and federal Community Development Block Grant funding, Palmer said. Construction is expected to take about 10 months.

"We are looking forward to getting boots on the ground soon and delivering it to the community," Adams said.

Palmer said the city will schedule a construction open house for neighborhoods adjacent to the new park, where residents can see the final plan, voice any construction concerns and get additional information on the time frame and park elements.

Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on X @SaraWalshFl.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Winter Haven has big plans for 32-acre wetlands south of Lake Conine
(WFRV)  Officials with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) announced six teachers as finalists for a national award on Thursday.

According to a release from the DPI, the six teachers named are finalists for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, an award that is said to be considered the highest honor given by the United States government for math and science teachers.

University of Wisconsin-Green Bay sees record-setting spring enrollment

DPI officials say the following six teachers were announced as finalists for this award based on their deep knowledge of the subject they teach as well as for the way they facilitate and encourage student success:

Jacquelynn Bazylewicz, fifth-grade teacher (mathematics finalist), Edgewood Elementary, School District of Greenfield

Debra Heitman , fifth-grade teacher (mathematics finalist), Coleman Elementary School, Coleman School District

Mary Ellen Kanthack , sixth-grade teacher (science finalist), Brookwood Middle School, Genoa City Joint 2 School District

Sheila Kohl , fifth-sixth grade STEM teacher (science finalist), West De Pere Intermediate School, School District of West De Pere

Melissa Sperle , fifth-grade teacher (mathematics finalist), Winskill Elementary School, Lancaster Community Schools

Rhonda Veroeven, sixth-grade teacher (science finalist), Glacier Creek Middle School, Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District

These amazing teachers, all finalists for Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, exemplify what it means to be an effective educator. They have expertise in math and science, and they have an unwavering passion and commitment. I know they inspire their students  they inspire all of us  and I congratulate them and thank them for going above and beyond in supporting their students. State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching has been presented annually since 183 and each finalist is selected based on criteria required by the PAEMST program before then being reviewed by committees at both the state and national level.

Oshkosh native Tyrese Haliburton named to 2024 Team USA Olympic Team

Of all the finalists throughout the country, one mathematics awardee and one science awardee will receive $10,000 from the National Science Foundation, professional development opportunities, and be honored at an award ceremony in Washington, D.C.

For more information about this program, click here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Wisconsin deputies investigating complaints of man allegedly watching kids, asking if they need a ride

UNION GROVE, Wis. (WFRV)  Authorities are investigating two separate incidents where a man was allegedly seen watching kids in a southeastern Wisconsin village and asking them if they needed a ride.

Deputies with the Racine County Sheriffs Office say they recently received two complaints of suspicious incidents in the Village of Union Grove on April 12 and April 16 at 8 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively.

Racine County Sheriffs Office

Witnesses reported that a middle-aged man in a white or light silver car was allegedly seen watching children and/or asking them if they needed a ride.

Fully loaded semi-tractor trailer rolls over on I-41, Wisconsin man arrested for OWI after .297 breath test

It was noted in the release that investigators do not know if the incidents are related.

Anyone with information or surveillance video is asked to contact Investigator Isferding at (262) 636-3312.

No additional information was provided.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Authorities relied on text messages, witnesses, security video and phone-tracking data to build a case against a man accused of killing and dismembering a Milwaukee woman with whom he was on a date, court records show.

Maxwell Anderson, 33, also of Milwaukee, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse and arson in the slaying of Sade Robinson, 19. The two went on a date April 1, the Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office said in a criminal complaint filed last week.

Sade Robinson. (Milwaukee Police Dept.)

A severed leg found the next day has been preliminary identified as belonging to Robinson, the complaint says. The right leg with painted toes was found near a 100-foot bluff by the water's edge in Warnimont Park.

A woman who identified herself as Robinsons grandmother said Wednesday afternoon that she was too distraught to talk about the teenager. No one else with Robinsons family could be reached for comment.

Anderson remains at the Milwaukee County Jail in lieu of $5 million bail, according to jail and court records. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Monday.

Andersons lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon. His relatives also could not be reached.

'The toes on the feet had pink nail polish'

According to the complaint, someone reported finding the leg around 5:30 p.m. April 2.

"The leg was severed just below the hip socket and appeared to have been sawn off. The toes on the feet had pink nail polish. The leg did not appear to be decomposing," the complaint says.

One of Robinsons friends went to Milwaukee police that evening to report that Robinson was not her on phone and did not show up at work. The friend said Robinsons last known activity was a post on Snapchat the previous night about how she was at a bar, according to the complaint.

The citys fire department found Robinsons 2020 Honda Civic the morning of April 2, with heavy interior damage from a fire, the complaint alleges.

Four days later, on April 6, Milwaukee police found a human foot adjacent to train tracks and human flesh in the same area where the car had been discovered. The foot and the right leg found days earlier appeared to belong to the same person because of skin tone, size and "having matching pink nail polish," the complaint said.

'Yes I love seafood'

Investigators also focused on forensic data before Anderson was charged. Evidence included text messages Robinson and Anderson exchanged on April 1.

Using those texts, along with tracking data from Robinsons phone, investigators pieced together a timeline of what they believe were her final hours.

In text messages, Robinson and Anderson discussed meeting at a seafood restaurant where Anderson used to work. Robinson responded, "Yes I love seafood," the complaint said.

Video from the restaurant showed the pair eating and talking for about an hour before they moved to a bar, officials said. According to the complaint, video from the bar shows Robinson exiting her car while Anderson leaves from the passenger side.

They remained at the bar until about 9:20 p.m., when data from Robinson's phone placed her near Anderson's residence, the complaint says. Her phone remained in that area until about 12:45 a.m., officials said.

Investigators used a location-sharing app on the victim's phone to track its whereabouts for the next four hours, until the battery died.

Robinson's phone appeared to be in the park where the severed leg was found from around 3 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. April 2, the complaint says.

Videos, a car ablaze and bloody bedding

In addition to witnesses, text messages and the phone-tracking data, investigators also collected other video.

Video from the area near where the severed leg was found shows a "human figure" descending the bluff toward the beach just after 3 a.m., the complaint says.

Hours later, around 7:30 a.m., video from a bus and a convenience store captured a man walking away from a burning vehicle, officials said. A witness walking by the area told investigators she saw a man get out of Robinson's car from the driver's side and toss a lit lighter inside, according to the complaint.

Anderson was allegedly seen soon after he boarded another bus heading in the direction of his home, the complaint says. The man on the second bus was wearing the exact clothing and backpack as the man seen walking away from the car fire, officials said.

Anderson was arrested during a traffic stop on April 4. A search of his car turned up a hooded coat that appeared to be the same one he wore on the bus, the complaint alleges.

Officials say they collected evidence during a search of Andersons home.

[B]lood was located on bedding in one of the bedrooms and on the walls leading towards the basement. Several gasoline containers were located in the garage/storage area, the complaint reads.

Milwaukee County Sheriff Denita Ball thanked her detectives and Milwaukee police in a statement for their work on the case.

With little rest and a great deal of pressure, they have remained focused and relentless, 24-hours a day. Their efforts to carefully build this case with a host of other partners to locate and tie together evidence, will go a long way towards bringing justice and, hopefully, peace to the family and loved ones of Sade Robinson.

If he is convicted on the homicide charge, Anderson could be sentenced to life in prison, according to the criminal complaint.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Wisconsin man arrested after trying to enter vehicles outside Manitowoc County business

TWO RIVERS, Wis. (WFRV)  A 24-year-old Wisconsin man was arrested Wednesday morning after officers found him attempting to enter vehicles outside a Manitowoc County business.

According to the Two Rivers Police Department, officers were sent to the 1800 block of School Street at 8:15 a.m. on April 17 for a report of a man attempting to enter vehicles.

One person hurt in Wisconsin after van drives into river

Based on the information given by a witness, Two Rivers Police officers responded to the 2100 block of Washington Street, where they found Tyler Yoder, 24, inside a local business.

Yoder reportedly became combative with officers before he was apprehended and arrested for operating while under the influence. Additional charges, such as resisting an officer, bail jumping, and operating a motor vehicle without the owners consent, will be forwarded to the Manitowoc County District Attorneys Office.

Through further investigation into Yoder, Two Rivers Police determined Yoder was the primary suspect of a stolen vehicle and burglary to a business in Brown County. Yoder was then transported to the Brown County Jail, facing separate charges.

Torso, arm believed to belong to murdered Wisconsin woman found by citizen on Lake Michigan shore

We would like to thank the observant witness, our Joint Dispatch Center, and the Brown County Sheriffs Office for their assistance in the matter, stated Detective Lieutenant Jacob Glaser of the Two Rivers Police Department.

This incident remains under investigation, and no additional details have been provided.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Woman and her sisters deprived foster child of food and sleep in Minnesota, feds say

A Minnesota woman has been convicted after officials say she and her three sisters abused a foster child in their care.

Bobbi Jo Johnson, 46, was convicted of one count of child neglectdeprivation of food and health care, and one count of child endangerment, according to an April 15 news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Minnesota.

According to an indictment, the boy was between 12 to 13 years old and was in the custody of Trina Mae Johnson on the Red Lake Indian Reservation through the foster care system.

Trina Mae Johnson, along with her three sisters, Bobbi Jo Johnson, Ellie Mae Johnson and Patricia Ann Johnson, are accused of abusing and neglecting the boy between January 2021 and April 2022. A fifth person, Bertram Calvin Lussier Jr., resided with Trina Mae Johnson and was also accused of taking part in the abuse.

The abuse included withholding food from the victim to the point of starvation, forcing the victim to stand in uncomfortable positions for long periods of time, and assaulting the victim, officials said.

The boy was also deprived of sleep, isolated and threatened, according to the indictment.

As a result, he suffered serious and substantial harm to his physical, mental and emotional health, the indictment said.

Bobbi Jo Johnsons attorney, Peter Wold, told McClatchy News that Johnson did not live at the same residence as the boy and the other defendants in the case. He said she provided a safe space for the boy at her home.

Bobbi Jo Johnson fed the boy and was not aware of the torture and abuse that was taking place, according to Wold. He denies that she ever abused him, but noticed he appeared skinny and injured at times. He says she is guilty by association and taking responsibility for not standing up to her older bully sister.

McClatchy News reached out to attorneys for Trina Mae Johnson, Ellie Mae Johnson, Patricia Ann Johnson and Bertram Calvin Lussier Jr.

Ella Mae Johnsons attorney did not wish to give a comment. Attorneys for Trina Mae Johnson, Patricia Ann Johnson and Bertram Calvin Lussier Jr. did not respond.

Trina Mae Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of child torture, one count of child neglectdeprivation of food and health care, one count of child endangerment, and one count of assault on a minor with a dangerous weapon, officials said.

Ellie Mae Johnson, Patricia Ann Johnson and Bertram Calvin Lussier Jr. each pleaded guilty to one count of child endangerment.

All five will be sentenced at a later time.

McClatchy News reached out to officials with the Department of Justice for more information but did not hear back.

Babysitter kills 3-year-old full of life for vomiting on herself, Michigan police say

Day care owner caught on video cruelly abusing kids in her care, Ohio officials say

Dad charged with murder months after he said 5-month-old fell off bed, police say
NAIROBI, April 18 (Xinhua) -- A military helicopter crashed in northwestern Kenya on Thursday, resulting in the deaths of at least eight senior officers, a security source has confirmed.

The Huey helicopter of the Kenya Defence Forces took off from a local primary school in Elgeyo Marakwet County before going down and bursting into flames.

The military officials onboard the helicopter had been at the school for its opening, which had been refurbished by the military. President William Ruto has called for an urgent meeting of the National Security Council at the State House, Nairobi, in response to the accident.

The cause of the crash has not yet been determined. Witnesses reported that the KDF chopper, which was allegedly carrying Chief of Defence Forces Francis Ogolla, crashed and caught fire about two kilometers away from where it took off, along the Elgeyo Marakwet-West Pokot border.

"We saw the chopper come down and when we rushed to the scene we found the chopper up in flames," said Evans Kipkosgei, a resident. He noted that the area was immediately secured by KDF officers from Kerio Valley.

"A number of burnt bodies were removed from the wreckage," Kipkosgei added.

KDF has not yet issued an official report regarding the tragic crash. 
Woman uses her mothers vehicle to rob a Henry County Wells Fargo, police say

A woman who police say robbed a Henry County bank has now found herself behind bars.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

On April 10, Henry County officers were called to the Wells Fargo bank on Highway 155 in Locust Grove regarding an armed robbery.

Detectives learned that the suspect, Breana Copeland left the bank in a dark color Hyundai Tucson after it was caught on camera by nearby businesses.

Police released a photo searching for Copeland.

TRENDING STORIES:

Henry authorities said the investigation revealed that Copeland was driving her mothers vehicle instead of her own.

A traffic stop was conducted on a Tahoe being driven by Copeland.

On Wednesday, the department said Copeland confessed to robbing the bank. Details were not released on how much money she took.

She was arrested and booked into the Henry County Jail.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

IN OTHER NEWS:
Police are searching for a man responsible for a violent assault and robbery of a woman earlier this week in San Fernando, authorities confirmed to KTLA.

The broad daylight attack occurred on April 15 just before 3 p.m. in the 200 block of Park Avenue.

The victim, Juliana Murillo, had just bought her mother a bouquet of flowers for her birthday when her attacker came up from behind as she was just outside her apartment building and violently knocked her down, sending everything she was holding, including the flowers, to the ground.

He pushed me really hard and I hit my head on the door, Murillo told KTLAs Carlos Saucedo. My body just went into shock. I couldnt process what was going on. I kept saying, What are you doing, what are you doing? He used force to turn me over and he pulled out my purse and took off.

Despite the hit to her head, Murillo was able to put up a fight, struggling with the man, who eventually made off with her purse, which carried her car keys, credit cards and identification.

The suspect then took off in a dark-colored vehicle.

Murillo suffered several injuries, including a giant bruise on her right knee and said her sense of security was shattered.

I was born and raised in San Fernando, she said. Im a daughter, sister, Im a friend, a loved one and no loved one should go through this. It was unexpected. It was just traumatic.

Surveillance cameras captured a terrifying and violent assault and robbery of a woman in San Fernando on April 15, 2024. (viewer photo)

Surveillance cameras captured a terrifying and violent assault and robbery of a woman in San Fernando on April 15, 2024. (viewer photo)

Surveillance cameras captured a terrifying and violent assault and robbery of a woman in San Fernando on April 15, 2024. (viewer photo)

Surveillance cameras captured a terrifying and violent assault and robbery of a woman in San Fernando on April 15, 2024. (viewer photo)

Neighbor Martin Aviles told KTLA in Spanish that he saw the vehicle the man fled in, but was unable to make out the license plate. Residents said the suspect is not from the neighborhood.

Murillo said the man later tried to use one of her credit cards to get into a Paypal account.

This incident comes on the heels of another violent assault on a woman in Pasadena. In that incident, a man armed with a knife got into a car the woman was sitting in and forced her to drive to another location where he sexually assaulted her.

The victim in that case was able to fight back and eventually fend her attacker off. The suspect then fled the area before police arrived and has yet to be captured.

After todays assault, the community has rallied behind Murillo, who said shes speaking out to prevent this from happening to anyone else.

Unhoused residents built home on side of Southern California freeway

Always be vigilant, she said. I speak for many women who have been attacked that feel scared. Dont be scared. Were a community can uplift each other and take care of one another.

What was left of Murillos purse was later found and returned to her.

Anyone who recognizes the man in the video or may have knowledge of this incident is encouraged to contact the San Fernando Police Department at 818-898-1267. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-222-8477 or leave tips online at L.A. Crime Stoppers.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
The state fund that pays out temporary disability and family leave insurance benefits faces a $442 million shortfall. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor)

New Jersey workers can expect to pay more in family leave and temporary disability taxes in 2025 as the state fund that finances those benefits recovers from a major revenue loss.

Department of Labor officials told the Senate Budget Committee Thursday they expect the states disability benefits fund, which pays out temporary disability and family leave insurance benefits, will face a $442 million shortfall at the end of the fiscal year that begins July 1.

Though the state has proposed an interagency loan to fill the gap, workers are expected to pay hundreds of dollars more on average to fund those benefits as the state works past trends that saw those tax rates fall to zero or near zero in 2023 and 2024.

All this is set by statute. We dont have flexibility in setting the rates. Whatever statute says we are going to do, we are going to do, Labor Commissioner Rob Asaro-Angelo told the committee.

Department of Labor budget documents estimate the hikes would bring the average employee costs for temporary disability insurance for the year from zero to about $141, while those making at least $167,900 are expected to pay $341.13.

In raw terms, family leave insurance rates would rise further. In 2024, the average worker is expected to pay $74 in family leave assessments, a rate of 0.09%. Officials forecast that average contribution would rise to roughly $242  a tax rate of 0.30%  with an expected maximum contribution of $528 in 2025.

The increase looks to be a billion dollars, and obviously this is a tax that is very regressive, not on the employer, said Sen. Michael Testa (R-Cumberland). It goes to the pockets of the hard-working New Jerseyans, the employees.

Employees and employers pay temporary disability assessments, while the states family leave insurance program is funded solely by employee taxes.

Asaro-Angelo said the increases were caused by an imperfect storm, pointing to a 2019 family leave expansion that required the department to set rates for 2020 and 2021 using a new formula before reverting to the existing one in 2022.

Those estimates, already uncertain because officials could not calculate how the expansion would affect demand, were upended when the pandemic arrived.

Shutdown orders ballooned unemployment claims and depressed demand for temporary disability and family leave benefits. Statute barred labor officials from tweaking rates to account for the changes even as the program built a surplus that, by the end of fiscal year 2022, ranked at more than $1.2 billion, Asaro-Angelo said.

That surplus forced rates to or near zero in 2023 and 2024, and the funds reserves have dwindled. Next year, it faces a $422 million deficit that department officials have proposed filling with a loan worth up to $490 million from the general fund next spring.

We look forward to working with this body coming up with fixes, like I said earlier, to standardize and stabilize and make this a more predictable rate for employers and employees alike. Until that point, we can only do what the statute says, Asaro-Angelo said.

He added New Jerseys rates would reflect those in other states with family leave and temporary disability programs even after the increase.

Unemployment tax rate expected to decline, but not yet

The commissioner had good news for businesses that have chaffed at high unemployment taxes the state has seen as a result of the pandemic.

In New Jersey, unemployment insurance rates are set based on the health of the states unemployment insurance trust fund and the ratio of a given employers payroll, unemployment contributions, and the unemployment benefits used by their current or former workers.

The record joblessness seen after the pandemic hit drained the trust funds surplus and forced New Jersey to take federal loans  which have since been repaid  to continue meting out unemployment benefits.

But the fund is now recovering as utilization falls and employment remains largely steady, and Asaro-Angelo said the state unemployment tax paid by businesses could fall in the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2025.

Right now, were still in column D for employers. Were hoping to get to column C next fiscal year, I hope maybe, the commissioner said, referring to fiscal year 2026. But with employment growth, we feel very confident with the health of the fund at this point in time.

Column D unemployment tax levies range between 0.6% and 4%, depending on a businesss use of unemployment benefits, while column Cs levies have a 0.5% floor and a 3.6% ceiling.

The post Workers will soon pay more for temporary disability, family leave benefits appeared first on New Jersey Monitor.
Update Thursday, April 25, 2024: The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, announced that it would turn over the site of the collapsed jet hangar to Big D Builders and Jackson Jet Center by the end of day Friday.

Mike Peterson, a spokesperson for OSHA, told the Idaho Statesman that the investigation into the collapse is still underway but that OSHA had finished its analysis of the site.

Theres still more work to be done, Peterson said by phone. Theres a lot of details with this one.

Peterson said the investigation will be completed within six months of the Jan. 31 collapse, meaning near the end of July, and that OSHA would release more information when it wraps up.

This is the original story posted April 18, under the headline Wreckage of the Boise Airport hangar collapse is still standing. Why, and whats coming:

The hangar that collapsed near the Boise Airport in January could be demolished and rebuilt in the same spot. But for now, the wreckage remains in place.

Big D Builders, the contractors for the hangar, submitted an application April 3 to the city of Boise to demolish and deconstruct the collapsed steel-and-concrete structure.

(The) building (is) to be rebuilt using (the) existing building permit, with modifications to be made to structural drawings, according to the permit.

Big D Builders said it would disturb about three acres of the property at 4049 W. Wright St. to demolish the rest of the building. The steel would be recycled while the concrete would be crushed and used as fill elsewhere.

The demolition is valued at $4 million, according to the permit, which has yet to be issued.

They have applied for a demolition permit; however, the permitting process is on hold until OSHA clears the site, said Lindsay Moser, communications manager in the citys Planning and Development Services Department, in an email. That has not happened yet.

OSHA is the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, whose investigation of the collapse could take up to six months, according to prior Idaho Statesman reporting.

Crews were building a 43-foot tall, 39,000-square foot engineered steel hangar for the Jackson Jet Center when it collapsed on Jan. 31, killing three people and injuring nine.

This aerial photo looking north shows the hangar wreckage in center with cars traveling on Interstate 84 at top. A Firehawk Helicopters building can be seen at left and Jackson Jet Center at right. City of Boise

Big D Builders co-founder Craig Durrant and two construction workers, Mario Sontay Tzi and Mariano Alex Coc Och, died in the collapse.

Big D Builders declined to comment on a list of questions for this story, citing the investigation and pending litigation.





What was the building?

Jackson Jet Center sought to expand its business  which includes jet maintenance, supplying aircraft parts and charter flights  with the $6.2 million new hangar after the Boise Airport required the company to vacate its existing hangar for a planned airport parking expansion.

Pre-engineered buildings like the hangar are common for warehouses or other industrial uses and are relatively cheap and easy to put together.

Brian Rigby, the president of Local 732 of the Ironworkers Union, which covers Montana and Idaho, previously told the Statesman that pre-engineered buildings like the hangar are built from steel parts that are shipped to the site and put together like Ikea furniture.

Pre-engineered metal buildings are a prefabricated box of Legos, Rigby said in February.

Twisted girders with a crane in the center remain at the construction site near the Boise Airport the morning after the Jan. 31 structure collapse. Darin Oswald/doswald@idahostatesman.com

What caused the collapse?

While the collapse is still being investigated, multiple workers noticed problems with the structure before it collapsed, including bending beams, snapped cables and structural issues, according to Boise Police Department records.

An employee for Boises Inland Crane told police that the company supplied cranes for the project to straighten out the hangar because portions of it were bending, according to prior Statesman reporting. Others reported that there werent enough cross-sections to support overhead beams that werent straight.

Four cranes were working on the hangar throughout that Wednesday and had finished most of the work by that afternoon, according to a Feb. 1 statement from Jeremy Haener, vice president of Inland Crane. The company moved three of the cranes off the site and left the last one to place a part of the roof when the structure collapsed around 5 p.m.

This aerial photo looking southwest shows the wreckage in center with cars traveling on Interstate 84 at top left. The corner of the Firehawk Helicopters building is at bottom left, and the Jackson Jet Center is at right. City of Boise

Haener said neither the cranes nor the operators were responsible for the collapse.

Craig Durrant, a co-founder of Big D Builders who died in the collapse, spoke with an engineer before the collapse about structural issues workers had brought to him. Durrant told an employee after talking with the engineer that the frame was fine, as workers had added straps to the beams and were placing more roof supports.

A superintendent for Big D Builders told police that he didnt see anything out of the ordinary, according to prior Statesman reporting.

Did not look right: Workers flagged concerns before deadly Boise hangar collapse

What was that Boise building that collapsed? Heres what we know about its construction

Safety record of contractor for Boise collapsed hangar surfaces as OSHA investigates

Was it wind? How a bridges failure may shed light on fatal Boise Airport hangar collapse
WYOMING COUNTY, WV (WVNS)  A Wyoming County man pleaded guilty and was convicted for receiving or transferring stolen goods and conspiracy.

Man charged with attempted murder after shooting in Raleigh County

On Wednesday, April 17, 2024, 61-year-old Jeffrey Scott Maynard, of Oceana, pleaded guilty and was convicted of one felony count of Receiving or Transferring Stolen Goods and one felony count of Conspiracy to Commit a Felony

Corporal Tyler Sizemore of the Wyoming County Sherriffs Office went to the Marianna area of Wyoming County for reports of copper wiring theft. After an investigation, it was discovered that Maynard and a co-defendant stole around 240.5 feet of electric cable from Alpha National Resources, which was estimated to cost around $2,525.25.

Cable theft costs the mining industry not only in terms of lost cable but also in terms of repairing and/or replacing the stolen sections and lost production. We will continue to aggressively prosecute these crimes, the costs of which are passed on to the end user and ultimately to the consumer. Gregory Bishop | Wyoming County Prosecutor

Raleigh County man pleads guilty to fentanyl crime

Bishop thanked the prosecutor staff and Corporal Tyler Sizemore of the Wyoming County Sherriffs Office for their work.

Good investigations result in good convictions. Gregory Bishop | Wyoming County Prosecutor

Maynards sentencing is scheduled for May 13, 2024.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
New York police arrested dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University on Thursday, a day after its president testified about antisemitism on campus at a congressional hearing.

Officers in riot gear cleared out a tent encampment and detained dozens of protesters after they occupied a campus lawn.

Among the arrests was the daughter of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. Isra Hirsi earlier revealed that she had been suspended from Barnard College at Columbia for taking part in the protest against the war and the universitys investments in Israel.

Im an organizer with CU Apartheid Divest @ColumbiaSJP, in my 3 years at @BarnardCollege I have never been reprimanded or received any disciplinary warnings, Ms Hirsi wrote on X. I just received notice that I am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide.

The arrests come as more than 33,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of Israels counteroffensive to the Hamas 7 October 2023 attacks in which 1,200 people were killed in Israel and around 250 taken hostage.

New York Police officers arrest a protestor who participated in an encampment on the Columbia University campus (AP)

On Wednesday, university leaders told Congress they would push back against unauthorised student protests connected to the war in Gaza.

Police started to detain protesters shortly before 1.30pm, with others shouting shame as they were put on buses, The New York Times reported.

Columbia University President Nemat Shafik was asked during the hearing before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce on Wednesday if calling for the genocide of Jews violates Columbias code of conduct. She said it did. It was a repeat of a question that previously led to the dismissal of the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania after they appeared before Congress in December.

One of the things Ive said over and over is that antisemitism isnt a problem for Jewish people to solve. Its actually a problem for all of us, Dr Shafik said.

During the hearing, Ms Omar asked Dr Shafik about a pro-Israel professor, Shai Davidai, who has criticised the university for not doing enough to shield Jewish students and has directed his criticism against the university president.

WATCH: Rep. Omar questions the president of Columbia University about protests on campus and the broader hostile environment faced by students. pic.twitter.com/2v50Vt8vyR  Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) April 17, 2024

As president, Im used to being attacked, Dr Shafik responded. But attacking our students is unacceptable, and in that case, weve had more than 50 complaints about that professor.

The President of Columbia knows for a FACT that Ive never attacked any of our students, the professor wrote in response on X. She knows I have been only speaking out against pro-Islamic Jihad organizations, their radical leaders, and terrorist-loving professors. She lied under oath.

Dr Shafik outraged some students with her comments on Wednesday when she said that some of the chants often heard at pro-Palestinian protests were antisemitic.

Police officers stand guard as demonstrators protest in solidarity with Pro-Palestinian organizers on the Columbia University campus (REUTERS)

As arrests started on Thursday, Dr Shafik sent a letter to the Columbia community saying she had to make a decision that I hoped would never be necessary.

Out of an abundance of concern for the safety of Columbias campus, I authorized the New York Police Department to begin clearing the encampment from the South Lawn of Morningside campus that had been set up by students in the early hours of Wednesday morning, she added.

I took this extraordinary step because these are extraordinary circumstances. The individuals who established the encampment violated a long list of rules and policies, she wrote.

Police removed about 50 tents from the lawn on the Columbia campus while protesters called for amnesty for those who had been detained.

Demonstrators protest in solidarity with Pro-Palestinian organizers on the Columbia University campus (REUTERS)

Crowds showed up to support the encamped demonstrators overnight and into the morning, with many joining after the arrests were made.

By about 3.30pm in the afternoon, things had begun to calm down even as many protesters remained at the scene.

They can threaten us all they want with the police, but at the end of the day, its only going to lead to more mobilization, a student, Maryam Alwan, told The New York Times.

Columbia has always had an incredible history of students fighting for a more just world and its good to see that tradition continue. As NYPD surrounds young activists, I hope their concerns are heard by school administrators and they not be criminalized, Ms Omar wrote on X on Wednesday.

Students who are participating in the unauthorized encampment are suspended. We are continuing to identify them and will be sending out formal notifications, a Columbia University spokesperson told The Independent.
GOMA, DR Congo, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations (UN) human rights chief on Wednesday called for international attention to the ongoing war in North Kivu province in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk visited an internally displaced camp on the outskirts of Goma, capital of North Kivu, where he met with victims displaced by attacks carried out by rebels of the March 23 Movement (M23).

"We must work extremely hard for peace to be achieved," he said, stressing the need to work on the underlying causes of conflicts.

Turk is on an official visit to the DRC at the invitation of the Congolese government. He is due to meet with President Felix Tshisekedi and senior officials in the capital of Kinshasa.

Since January, the M23 group has intensified attacks against positions belonging to the DRC military and their allies, resulting in the expansion of the group's zone of influence through the capture of major towns and villages in the North Kivu province.

The escalation has led to a proliferation of armed individuals, bringing DRC military positions closer to displacement sites near Goma, exacerbating criminal activities and massive displacement of vulnerable populations.

The Rutshuru and Masisi territories are currently suffering the most serious consequences of the conflict. 
Mandatory meal breaks for child workers could soon be a thing of the past under a bill that gained initial approval Thursday. (Edwin Tan/Getty Images)

Mandatory meal breaks for minor workers in Louisiana could become a thing of the past under a bill that gained initial approval Thursday.

House Bill 156, by Rep. Roger Wilder, R-Denham Springs, would repeal a law that requires employers to provide a 30-minute meal break for minors who work at least five hours. The House Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations signed off on the proposal with a 10-3 vote. Rep. Tehmi Chassion, D-Lafayette, joined Republicans in supporting the bill.

Wilder, a Smoothie King franchisee with multiple stores in Louisiana and Mississippi, said the current meal break requirement was a disincentive to hire minors as it creates an administrative burden.

The bill is part of a nationwide trend of Republicans rolling back labor protections for minors. Lawmakers in at least 11 states have moved to repeal or loosen laws to bring more teens into the workforce.

A slew of unions and other pro-labor groups opposed Wilders bill but none testified against it.

Wilder decried the backlash against his bill, arguing that older teens have the maturity to decide for themselves whether they want to take a break at work.

The wording is Were here to harm children. Give me a break. These are young adults. Wilder said during the hearing.

Wilder said his businesses will continue to offer meal breaks to minors, as he believes they would quit otherwise. He argued that the free market will ensure workers are treated fairly. His bill is necessary, he said, to eliminate paperwork the current law requires.

The bill will next be discussed by the House of Representatives.

The post Young workers could lose their lunch breaks under proposed law appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
What New Zealands U-turn on smoking ban could mean for Rishi Sunak

A protestor in an anti-tobacco protest outside the New Zealand Parliament in Wellington, 2023 - Getty

We appear to have reached the stage of Rishi Sunaks premiership where he is suddenly preoccupied with what his legacy might be.

And there is a curious irony that he appears to be taking inspiration from a defeated Left-wing government half a world away.

It was Jacinda Ardern, the former New Zealand prime minister, who first came up with a generational smoking ban, passed into law in 2022 and promptly scrapped by her Right-leaning successors in late 2023.

Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern's smoking ban policy came into effect in 2022 - Getty

The measure always seemed disproportionate and unnecessary according to Callum Purves, whose own organisation  the New Zealand Taxpayers Union  campaigned vigorously against Arderns policy.

Purves, a young Conservative Party campaigns manager who was elected to the Perth and Kinross Council as a still tender 20-year-old at St Andrews University, had been headhunted by the New Zealand pressure group, which models itself on The TaxPayers Alliance in Britain.

When Purves first left Scotland a couple of years ago for the New Zealand capital, political bickering over tobacco didnt rate as particularly important among his priorities.

But Arderns generational smoking ban would see the number of retailers selling tobacco in New Zealand plummet by 90 per cent, from 6,000 outlets to a muster of just 600, in a country of 5.1 million inhabitants.

The prohibition would have imposed stricter regulations for all smoked tobacco products, reducing their nicotine hit over time so that users would eventually have been puffing on little more than a bland leaf.

The measures would have come in this year under the Labour Party, who confidently expected that they would return to government.

Neither expectation transpired. Labour, which Ardern led until last year, suffered a bloodbath electoral defeat.

The new prime minister Christopher Luxon, who is personally health-conscious and cuts the vigorous presence of an overworked gym instructor, says he is no fan of tobacco  though his critics charge he is in the industrys thrall.

New prime minister Christopher Luxon warned the ban would fuel a black market - AFP

He insists the government will continue to make sure weve got good education programmes, encourage people to take up vapes as a cessation tool, and make sure that we protect vapes for under-18s.

At the same time, the government has also argued, in the words of ACT Party MP Karen Chhour, that the gradual ban was always prohibition plain and simple, with all the historically messy baggage that concept entails.

Worst of all were the arbitrary age brackets that would have made the plan democratically unworkable and  as Luxon has underscored  fuelled a black market.

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'I choose not to smoke every single day  the ban is nanny-ish'

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Speaking in 2023, Luxon warned: To say that, actually, you can concentrate all that distribution in a few shops and you have one smoke shop in one small town in New Zealand, you cant not tell me that will be a massive target for ram-raids and crime.

And he added: The issue is the component parts of the programme, how does it ultimately get enforced? A 36-year-old can smoke, but a 35-year-old cant smoke down the road? That doesnt sort of make a lot of sense.

Chris Hipkins, the Labour leader who replaced Ardern, says such objections from Luxon and others are nothing more than regurgitated talking points from the tobacco lobby.

Critics of Luxon have campaigned against his policies on tobacco - Getty

Smoking rates, however, have certainly taken a generational dive already without the need for such dramatic legislative intervention.

Officially at least, only 7 per cent of adults in New Zealand say they currently smoke; far fewer than Britains estimated 12.9 per cent and less than a third of the number of Kiwis who regularly lit up in the 1980s. These low rates alone appear to fly in the face of the previous governments own modelling, showing that without the generational ban smoking rates would remain stubbornly high, particularly among the indigenous Maori population, whose tobacco use is also now plummeting.

For the relative few who remain smokers, a hefty financial price exists for their pricey habit  a windfall mainly picked up by the government.

New Zealand, along with nearby Australia, is the most expensive place in the world to buy cigarettes. A packet of 20 Marlboros purchased in Auckland costs 20. Of this, the government rakes in 87 per cent from the sale in excise and VAT-style taxes on each sale.

No wonder that the black market is already highly organised and growing apace.

Already hundreds of millions of illicit cigarettes are seized each year at the Australian border. In 2021, it was estimated that one in five cigarettes consumed in Australia had been smuggled, up from one in 12 in 2007.

New Zealands deputy prime minister, Winston Peters, has long made much of the threat this poses to the exchequer as well as the physical safety of those who legally sell tobacco.

Hiking excise taxes past a certain point ultimately profits criminals and ineluctably leads to at least some merchants being murdered and assaulted in their stores, he has warned.

Indeed, during last years general election campaign, retail crime emerged as one of the biggest areas of voter concern. Vehicular ram-raiders tended to almost invariably target smaller liquor stores and retail outlets for their tobacco products.

In some cases, store-owners have been seriously assaulted and even murdered by those giving a brutal new definition to the cliche of driving down to the corner store to grab a pack of cigs.

Similar warnings over a burgeoning black market caused by the Tobacco and Vapes Bill  which would ban anyone born after 2009 from buying cigarettes  have been made here in Britain. Sir Simon Clarke, Conservative MP and critic of the Prime Minister, told the Today programme: I think it actually risks making smoking cooler, it certainly risks creating a black market, and it also risks creating an unmanageable challenge for the authorities.

Sir Simon Clarke has voiced his concerns that the smoking ban will fuel a black market - PA

And it seems even Liberty Truss, the 15-year-old daughter of former prime minister Liz Truss, sees the growth potential for enterprising neer-do-wells, saying at her mothers recent book launch: As someone born in November 2008, I can flog overpriced cigarettes to my friends.

Purves observes the irony that a supposedly centre-Right government in his homeland should be heading down the same tobacco road that an actual centre-Right government in his adopted country has moved away from.

The best proposal, he believes, is for both nations to give consumers the choice of cheaper, safer products such as vapes, allowing them to clear their own throats and voluntarily change their own behaviour.

While there remains an important role for public health services in energetically discouraging people from smoking, in a liberal society, if adults understand the risks and still choose to light up, they should be free to do so without excessive government interference.

Even though almost half of Rishi Sunaks own party are either firmly against or unconvinced by his smoking ban, it seems likely to pass into law with the help of the Labour opposition.

Sunak may get his legacy, but despite his best intentions, his party and country may not thank him for it.

Many of those against the proposals are apprehensive that they are merely the thin end of the wedge.

My real fear is that this is not the final stage that the health police want to push, warned Liz Truss during the debate in the House of Commons on the measures on Monday.

People want to be able to make their own decisions about what they eat, what they drink and how they enjoy themselves.

She added: The only other country in the world where such a bill was brought forward was New Zealand, under a very Left-wing prime minister. That bill has now been reversed under the new conservative government in New Zealand If people want to vote for finger-wagging, nannying control freaks, there are plenty of them to choose from in the Opposition, and that is the way they will vote.

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.
Zelensky addresses European Council summit participants, emphasizes Ukraine's need for more air defense systems

President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed European Council summit participants on April 17, calling for urgent assistance with air defense systems in order to counter daily Russian attacks.

During a teleconference address to the leaders of EU countries, Zelensky began by mentioning the recent attack on Chernihiv, which resulted in significant casualties and extensive damage to civilian infrastructure.

"It reflects our current main need: the need for air defense," Zelensky said. He emphasized that these attacks happen every day.

Zelensky noted the disparity between responses to Ukraine versus Israel, highlighting that while Ukraine defends its airspace alone, allied countries jointly shot down almost all drones and missiles Iran fired at Israel a few days ago.

Our Ukrainian skies and the skies of our neighbors deserve the same level of security, he said.

Zelensky thanked German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for Germany's recent decision to provide additional Patriot air defense systems and missiles.

Read also: Germany to send additional Patriot air defense system, missiles to Ukraine

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky held a meeting with Germany's Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck during the latter's visit to Kyiv on April 18.

The president and Habeck, who is also Germany's economy and environment minister, discussed Ukraine's need for more air defenses.

As Kyiv continues to appeal to its partners for additional air defense systems to protect itself against Russian attacks, Berlin recently announced the delivery of an additional Patriot system.

Habeck arrived in Ukraine's capital together with Helmut Rauch, the head of Germany's Diehl Defense company that manufactures IRIS-T air defense systems.

In a comment for the German magazine Bild, Rauch said: "Three of our systems are already in Ukraine, and more will be delivered this year. The next one is just a few weeks away."

"I thank Germany and the German society for their very important assistance to Ukraine throughout the full-scale war," Zelensky said on his Telegram channel.

"We cannot overestimate the value of your decision to send a new Patriot system. Protecting the sky is our priority today."

Read also: Inside the Swedish ammunition plant at the forefront of Europes push to ramp up shell production

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Ukraine's defense industry is on track to produce 10 Bohdana howitzers this month, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 18.

The Bohdana is a domestically designed and produced self-propelled artillery system mounted on a six-wheeled truck chassis.

The highly mobile unit can fire NATO-standard 155 mm shells at a rate of up to five per minute.

The increasing number of Bohdanas being produced by Ukraine is part of a wider effort to ramp up domestic weapons production amid rising uncertainty surrounding military aid from the U.S.

"The share of our own production is constantly increasing," Zelensky said in a post on Telegram.

"The state signs serious, long-term contracts with our enterprises, which provide predictability, the ability to employ people, and attract investment.

"This month, our industry will produce 10 Bohdana self-propelled howitzers for the first time, and more will follow in May and later."

In late December last year, Zelensky said Ukraine had tripled its domestic production of equipment and weapons in 2023 compared to the year before.

Read also: Minister: Ukraine allocates $6 billion for arms procurement in 2024

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a conference call on 18 April to discuss frontline results, weapon supplies, and the aftermath of Russian strikes.

Source: Zelenskyys evening address on 18 April

Quote: "First, a conference call with key reports. The Commander-in-Chief [Oleksandr Syrskyi] reported on the front line, our operations and results. The Minister of Defence reported on the supply of weapons, equipment and communication with [our] partners. There have been important results in terms of our domestic defence production: in particular, weve managed to increase the number of Bohdana howitzers we produce to 10 per month.

This is a good result. In general, there are positive aspects in arms production. We particularly appreciate everything related to the production of drones and shells. I am always grateful to every company and every manufacturer that provides our Defence and Security Forces with everything they need."

Details: There were also discussions on dealing with the consequences of Russian strikes in the regions and the overall security situation. In addition, there were reports on people's access to Ukrainian television signals and blocking Russian propaganda. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian technical developments should help with this.

Quote: "It is worth remembering that Russian propaganda is invariably followed by, at the very least, destabilisation and, at worst, an attempted occupation. At all levels, we and our partners must work together to counteract it. And I thank everyone in the world  all leaders, all public figures, all politicians  who take seriously the need to protect people from disinformation and all other Russian destabilising influences."

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(NEXSTAR)  New injectable drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound have grown extremely popular with people seeking to lose weight. Theyre so in demand that most varieties are listed in short supply by the Food and Drug Administration  and that may be the case for the foreseeable future.

Eli Lilly, the pharmaceutical company behind Zepbound and Mounjaro, told NBC News supply issues could last into 2025.

It is the demand thats causing this. We are working so hard every day to make sure that we increase that capacity as fast as we can to get these medications in patients hand, Rhonda Pacheco, Eli Lillys group vice president for diabetes and obesity, said in an interview with NBC.

Ozempic face: Doctors explain side effect of weight loss drugs

Zepbound and Mounjaro are the same drug, tirzepatide, but they are marketed under two different names. Zepbound is FDA-approved to treat obesity, while Mounjaro is approved to treat diabetes.

Almost all dosages of both brand names are listed as currently in shortage by the FDA. Only one dosage size is listed as available.

Wegovy and Ozempic are in a similar situation. Both medications are the same drug, called semaglutide, and manufactured by Novo Nordisk. Wegovy is approved for weight loss, and Ozempic is for diabetes.

While Ozempic is listed as available by the FDA, all but one dosage size of the weight loss version Wegovy is in a shortage.

Some Ozempic users getting pregnant on birth control leading to Ozempic babies

Pacheco told NBC News the limited availability of the Eli Lilly drugs is hard to project far down the line, but the shortages were expected to last for the near term. The company plans to open a new facility to ramp up production by the end of the year.

Novo Nordisk said in January it was also working to rapidly ramp up the supply of its lower doses of Wegovy, allowing more new patients to start taking the drug. However, its important to be aware that overall demand will continue to exceed supply which means that some patients may still have difficulty filling Wegovy prescriptions, the company said.

As shortages continue, both companies advise patients check with local pharmacies every few days and get their refills about one week ahead of time. Novo Nordisk says patients should be specific about exactly what dosage strength they need when asking about availability. If patients arent able to obtain the drug, they should talk to their doctor for help with continuing treatment.

Even if you can get your hands on a prescription for one of these in-demand weight-loss drugs, you may have trouble affording it. A months supply costs around $1,000 without insurance.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Bill that could effectively ban TikTok picks up steam in Congress: Here's how it's expected to pass

WASHINGTON  TikTok's day of reckoning in Congress is fast approaching.

The House has included a version of its plan to force TikTok's Chinese parent company to sell the social media platform or face an effective ban in the U.S. in a foreign aid bill sailing toward passage in both the House and Senate. President Joe Biden has already said he would sign it into law immediately.

The move effectively forces the Senate  which has been sitting on the House's original bill for a month  to consider legislation that would have implications for 170 million Americans.

If you're an active user of the mega-popular video app, here's what you need to know about where the TikTok bill stands now.

Is the TikTok bill gaining momentum in Congress?

The odds that the effective TikTok ban is passed are high: Most senators say they're convinced TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, poses a national security threat. TikTok critics argue the app is being used for propaganda and that American data could be accessed by the Chinese government.

The legislation has already passed the House 352-65, a wide bipartisan margin, and does not have significant opposition in that chamber. Now that the push is being wrapped into a pivotal foreign aid package, its chances in the Senate have skyrocketed.

However, the social media platform has pushed back against lawmakers. TikTok has argued that the Chinese government cannot access U.S. user data and has derided the legislation as an outright ban.

"It is unfortunate that the House of Representatives is using the cover of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again jam through a ban bill that would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, devastate 7 million businesses, and shutter a platform that contributes $24 billion to the U.S. economy, annually," the company posted on X Wednesday evening.

The company launched an intense lobbying campaign over the last month as the Senate considered the legislation. It organized influencers to come to Capitol Hill to protest the bill, and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew visited the Capitol to meet with senators. The app also prompted users to call Congress, leading to an influx of calls that frustrated many officials.

Shou Zi Chew, CEO of TikTok, departs from the office of Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) at the Russell Senate Office Building on March 14, 2024 in Washington, DC.

Who supports the TikTok bill?

Lawmakers in the House and Senate are in wide agreement that the legislation should become law.

Commerce Committee Chair Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., emerged as the upper chamber's bottleneck, as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he would leave it up to her and Intelligence Committee Chair Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., to determine next steps after the House passed its original bill targeting the app.

Cantwell and others raised concerns that the legislation could face legal challenges because it targets a specific company, and said they wanted to hold hearings to consider other options. Some, like Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said the chamber should consider regulations on all leading social media platforms, regardless of ownership.

But the new version that will be included in the House foreign aid package would give ByteDance more time to sell the app, increasing the timeline from six months to nine months, and allowing the president to extend that deadline by another 90 days.

Cantwell released a statement Wednesday night saying she made that recommendation to the House and that she is "very happy" it was included.

"As Ive said, extending the divestment period is necessary to ensure there is enough time for a new buyer to get a deal done. I support this updated legislation."

Protesters outside of the United States Capitol as the House voted and approved a bill Wednesday that would force TikToks parent company to sell the popular social media app or face a practical ban in the U.S.

Only Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., remains vocally opposed to the TikTok legislation, which he argues would unconstitutionally restrict Americans' free speech and could impact small business owners on the platform.

So will the TikTok bill pass?

The legislation is set to be bundled with others that have proven even more controversial: $95 billion of dollars in aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The Senate passed funding for all three earlier this year, but the House Republican caucus is divided over sending additional aid to Ukraine. Some right-wing lawmakers argue the U.S. has done enough to help the country as it fights Russia's invasion.

Democrats, too, face internal divisions over sending more aid to Israel, with progressive lawmakers calling for more humanitarian assistance to Gaza and the end of offensive weapons transfers to Israel.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., announced earlier this week that the lower chamber would take a vote on each of the three foreign aid bills separately, along with a fourth bill that includes the TikTok legislation and a bill to seize Russian assets and send them to Ukraine.

Whatever gets a majority vote on the House floor will be sent to the Senate in a single bill. Leadership in the Senate and Biden have supported the strategy because it "mirrors" foreign aid legislation the Senate already passed.

Congress' attitude toward TikTok  in some cases informed by closed-door briefings with intelligence officials  contrasts with those of the public, who are split on the need for TikTok regulation. A Pew Research poll from December indicated 38% supported a TikTok ban and 27% opposed one, down from 50% support in March last year.

It also may have political implications. Adults under age 30 are the only age group where opposition to a ban outweighs support, according to the Pew survey, and younger voters more heavily skew Democratic. That's led some Democrats to warn the ban could be a mistake in an election year where the next president is likely to be decided by just a sliver of voters.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Congress ban TikTok? Legislation on the app picks up momentum
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is investigating outages that impacted 911 call service in at least four states. Credit - Getty Images

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is investigating a day after outages impacted 911 call service in at least four states.

Outages affected citizens ability to call 911 statewide in South Dakota as well as in parts of Nevada, Texas and Nebraska for hours on Wednesday evening, in some cases leaving people without the ability to immediately connect to 911.

We are aware of reports of 911-related outages and we are currently investigating, the FCC posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday.

In Texas, Del Rio Police Department blamed its outage on an unnamed cell service provider, writing in a post on Facebook: We are aware of an outage with a major cellular carrier affecting the ability to reach 911. This issue is with the carrier and not the City of Del Rio systems. Our emergency services remain operational.

Communication supervisor Juan Hernandez tells TIME Thursday the issue was not with the departments 911 operator or service but with certain people in the community whose cell phones werent able to call out to 911. When asked what cell service provider had issues, he said: I believe it was T-Mobile.

However, Chase County in Nebraska reported on Wednesday that 911 is down across the State of Nebraska again for all cellular carriers except T-Mobile. Landlines can still get through to 911. The county reported services were back up and running 12 hours later.

TIME reached out to T-Mobile and the FCC for comment.

Elsewhere in Nebraska, Dundy County flagged problems around the same time, saying that the service provider for 911 services in the state of Nebraska was working diligently to restore service. Sarpy County 911 reported that some wireless carriers are not able to reach 911 and said the issue was resolved roughly three and a half hours later.

In South Dakota, 911 service was interrupted statewide, although texting 911 was still operating in most locations, the states Department of Public Safety said. Rapid City police reported 911 services were down and advised residents in their city or county to call other numbers instead. Dispatchers could still see the phone number of people trying to call 911, and each attempt got a call-back from a dispatcher. Service was restored around two hours later.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department reported a 911 outage at around 7 p.m. Text was still an option, but 911 calls from landlines and calls to its non-emergency line were impacted. Police instructed people to dial 911 on a cell phone and dispatchers would still be able to see the number and call back right away. Service was restored by 9 p.m.

Also in Texas, the Kilgore Police Department reported its system was intermittently down due to area wide 911 issues and urged residents to call another number in an emergency.

The Department of Homeland Security has warned of the possibility of cyberattacks on 911 infrastructure, but law enforcement officials told NBC News that theres no indication the recent outages were caused by a cyberattack.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
First city in Germany to ban e-scooters: 'We are pioneers'

E-scooters on the roadside in Duesseldorf. A city in Germany's Ruhr region is officially banning the use of electric scooters starting this weekend, the first in the country to do so. Federico Gambarini/dpa

A city in Germany's Ruhr region is officially banning the use of electric scooters starting this weekend, the first in the country to do so.

In a dispute between the western city of Gelsenkirchen and the two rental companies Bolt and Tier, the local administrative court ruled that the two companies must comply with the municipal order to "remove the e-scooters from public traffic areas by April 20, 2024."

"We are pioneers," city spokesman Martin Schulmann told dpa.

A Bolt spokesman told dpa that the decision is not final. Only the two companies' urgent applications had been denied, he said.

An appeal could be lodged against the court decision.

The Shared Mobility (PSM) platform accused the city council of taking a "disproportionate and discriminatory approach" against e-scooters in a statement drawn up jointly with the provider Tier.

The city had previously demanded that the rental companies establish the identity of their users.

"Unfortunately, the e-scooters are mainly misused, including in pedestrian zones and on sidewalks, and there have been many serious accidents," Schulmann said.

Up to now, it has been sufficient to state a name to rent an e-scooter from the two rental companies, explained Schulmann.

However, this means that users can apply with fake names in the rental app and the actual customers cannot be identified, which is why the city has demanded that users register once with the rental companies with an ID card or driver's license.

E-scooters are considered a major nuisance and safety risk in many cities in Germany because they can become an obstacle when carelessly parked or thrown on the ground and cause accidents through sometimes reckless use.
This photo taken on April 9, 2024 shows murals at Luxor Temple in Luxor, Egypt. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

This photo taken on Jan. 24, 2023 shows mural paintings inside the tomb of Nefertari at the Valley of the Queens in Luxor, Egypt. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

This photo taken on Feb. 26, 2024 shows visitors looking at chariot pit displayed at the new building of Yinxu Museum in Anyang, central China's Henan Province. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Li An)

An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 26, 2024 shows the new building of Yinxu Museum in Anyang, central China's Henan Province. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Li An)

This photo taken on April 8, 2024 shows a visitor posing for pictures at Luxor Temple in Luxor, Egypt. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

This photo taken on April 8, 2024 shows mural paintings at the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Egypt. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

This photo taken on April 8, 2024 shows visitors taking pictures at Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

This photo taken on April 9, 2024 shows a view of Luxor Temple in Luxor, Egypt. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

This photo taken on April 9, 2024 shows people visiting Luxor Temple in Luxor, Egypt. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 26, 2024 shows the new building of Yinxu Museum in Anyang, central China's Henan Province. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Li An)

This photo taken on April 8, 2024 shows Karnak Temple Complex in Luxor, Egypt. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

This photo taken on April 9, 2024 shows people visiting Luxor Temple in Luxor, Egypt. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

This photo taken on Feb. 26, 2024 shows a visitor looking at an exhibit displayed at the new building of Yinxu Museum in Anyang, central China's Henan Province. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Li An)

This combo photo taken on Feb. 23, 2024 shows various bronze vessels unearthed from the Yin Ruins displayed at the new building of Yinxu Museum in Anyang, central China's Henan Province. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Li An)

This photo taken on Feb. 26, 2024 shows a man visiting the new building of Yinxu Museum in Anyang, central China's Henan Province. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Li An)

This photo taken on April 9, 2024 shows people visiting Luxor Temple and the Avenue of the Sphinxes in Luxor, Egypt. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

This photo taken on Feb. 26, 2024 shows a visitor taking pictures of exhibits displayed at the new building of Yinxu Museum in Anyang, central China's Henan Province. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Li An)

This photo taken on Feb. 26, 2024 shows visitors looking at a buffalo-shaped bronze vessel unearthed from the Yin Ruins at the new building of Yinxu Museum in Anyang, central China's Henan Province. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Li An)

This photo taken on April 9, 2024 shows people visiting Luxor Temple in Luxor, Egypt. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

This photo taken on Jan. 24, 2023 shows mural paintings inside the tomb of Nefertari at the Valley of the Queens in Luxor, Egypt. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 23, 2024 shows the palace and royal ancestral shrines area site of the Yin Ruins (R) and the new building of Yinxu Museum in Anyang, central China's Henan Province. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Li An)

This photo taken on Feb. 26, 2024 shows oracle bones with inscriptions displayed at the new building of Yinxu Museum in Anyang, central China's Henan Province. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Li An)

An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 23, 2024 shows the palace and royal ancestral shrines area site of the Yin Ruins in Anyang, central China's Henan Province. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Li An)

This photo taken on Feb. 23, 2024 shows a tiger-shaped item with turquoise inlaid displayed at the new building of Yinxu Museum in Anyang, central China's Henan Province. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Li An)

This photo taken on Feb. 26, 2024 shows a visitor looking at oracle bones with inscriptions displayed at the new building of Yinxu Museum in Anyang, central China's Henan Province. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Li An)

This photo taken on April 9, 2024 shows people visiting Luxor Temple in Luxor, Egypt. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

This photo taken on April 8, 2024 shows mural paintings at the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Egypt. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

This photo taken on April 9, 2024 shows a view at the Luxor Temple in Luxor, Egypt. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes in southern Egypt, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple.

The Yin Ruins, which is located in Anyang of central China's Henan Province, is the first documented late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Luxor and the Yin Ruins have, respectively, witnessed the historic highlights of the development of Egypt and China, the two ancient civilizations.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is a sound occasion to explore the trace of past glory and have a touch with the glamour of ancient civilizations through the pictures of the two historic sites. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)
Nine Google employees were arrested after protesting the company's contract with Israel.

The company fired 28 employees in California and New York.

Another employee was fired last month for protesting the same contract in New York.

More than two dozen Alphabet employees who participated in office protests over the company's work with Israel were fired on Wednesday, the company said.

The 28 employees had occupied Google offices in Sunnyvale, California, and New York City on Tuesday to protest Project Nimbus, Google's $1.2 billion joint contract with Amazon that provides services to Israel's government.

"Physically impeding other employees' work and preventing them from accessing our facilities is a clear violation of our policies, and we will investigate and take action," a Google spokesperson said. "These employees were put on administrative leave, and their access to our systems was cut."

Nine workers were arrested after they refused to leave the offices. Five of the arrests were in Sunnyvale, and four were in New York. Police in both locations confirmed the figures to Business Insider.

A representative for the New York Police Department said the four people in New York were charged with criminal trespassing. A representative for the Sunnyvale police department said the arrested individuals received citations for trespassing. The district attorney's office in Santa Clara County said on Wednesday that charges had not yet been filed.

Chris Rackow, Google's head of security, wrote in an internal memo on Wednesday that the protests were "extremely disruptive" and that they "made coworkers feel threatened."

The company had 182,502 employees as of December 31.

Protests against Project Nimbus

Small groups of Google employees have voiced dissent against Project Nimbus, a joint contract with Amazon that provides artificial intelligence and cloud computing services to Israel's government and military.

Last month, a Google employee protesting the contract was fired for disrupting a talk in New York by the company's head of Israel.

More than 100 people, including Google workers, protested the project outside the company's New York office in 2022. The protest came after the resignation of a Google employee who'd spoken out against Project Nimbus.

The tech group No Tech for Apartheid said it organized Tuesday's protest as part of its campaign asking Amazon and Google to scrap Project Nimbus. It says the tech companies' contract enables the Israeli government to surveil and displace Palestinians. The contract  the details of which became public in 2021  drew additional scrutiny after Hamas launched a series of terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200. Israel responded to the attacks with a monthslong offensive that has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians.

A Google representative told BI the company supported governments in countries it operated in with cloud computing services.

"We have been very clear that the Nimbus contract is for workloads running on our commercial cloud by Israeli government ministries, who agree to comply with our Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy," a Google spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said the work wasn't directed at highly sensitive or classified military projects relevant to weapons or intelligence services.

Protesters complied with arrests

Sunnyvale Police Department's captain, Dzanh Le, told BI there were 80 to 90 protesters outside the building in Sunnyvale on Tuesday, with a few occupying a room in Google's complex. Sources told Bloomberg that some protesters congregated near the office of Google Cloud's CEO.

Protesters outside Google's office in Sunnyvale, California. Justice Speaks

Le said the police department received a call from Google around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday saying the protesters refused to leave. The protesters refused again when the police came and were then arrested on suspicion of criminal trespassing. Le said the protesters complied with the arrest.

One of the employees arrested in Google's New York City headquarters, 23-year-old Hasan Ibraheem, told BI the protest started around noon Tuesday when a group of employees sat in the office with a banner and started giving speeches and reciting chants.

Ibraheem said the group was asked to leave multiple times throughout the day but continued the chants and speeches every 15 to 20 minutes until about 6 p.m. By 6:45 p.m., he said, the remaining group was informed that they no longer had access to the building and couldn't work.

The police arrived around 9:30 p.m. and arrested the remaining four Googlers, Ibraheem said. The workers were released from the station at 2 a.m., he said.

Google didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.

Are you a Googler? We want to hear from you. Email the reporter using a non-work device at aaltchek@insider.com

Read the original article on Business Insider
Micron set to get $6.1 billion in chip grants from US

(Reuters) -Memory chip maker Micron Technology is set to receive $6.1 billion in grants from the U.S. Commerce Department to help pay for domestic chip factory projects, Democratic U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Thursday.

The award, which is not yet finalized, will fund chipmaking facilities in New York and Idaho from the CHIPS & Science law, the New York senator said in a statement.

This monumental and historic federal investment will power and propel Micron to bring its transformative $100+ billion four-fab project in central New York to life, creating an estimated 50,000 jobs, he said.

Micron plans to build a complex of chip plants in New York over the next 20 years, the senator added.

The news caps off a string of Chips Act grants announced by the Biden administration in recent weeks as the United States seeks to reduce reliance on China and Taiwan and supercharge its own lagging chip production.

The U.S. share of global semiconductor manufacturing capacity has fallen from 37% in 1990 to 12% in 2020, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA). Lawmakers have warned that U.S. dependence on chips manufactured in Taiwan by the world's top contract chip manufacturer, TSMC, is risky because China claims the self-governed island as its territory and has reserved the right to use force to retake it.

Intel won $8.5 billion in grants last month while Taiwan's TSMC clinched $6.6 billion in April to build out its American production. Samsung followed this week with a $6.4 billion award to boost production in Texas.

The historic Chips Act allocates $52.6 billion to support the sector. The Commerce Department is dedicating $28 billion for government subsidies for advanced chips manufacturing - although it has more than $70 billion in requests - and also has $75 billion in lending authority.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement that the largest private investment in American history is on its way to Central New York.

(Reporting by Kanjyik Ghosh, additional reporting by Angela Christy; Editing by Shailesh Kuber and Subhranshu Sahu and Chizu Nomiyama)
After the 1986 disaster at the Chernobyl atomic power station in the U.S.S.R., I took advantage of an opportunity to interest the major world powers in replacing conventional sources of electricity with solar energy.

My original proposal in 1972 had gone nowhere and had never gotten published. But 1986 seemed like an excellent time for a second try. Persistence can sometime pay!

By 1986 I was not only teaching political science at Adrian College, but I was also doing a class in the computer science department and teaching introductory Russian. I had used my computer skills to write software allowing me to type and print documents in both Russian and English. I used the Russian fonts to print up quizzes and tests for my students.

Paul F. deLespinasse

This was before foreign fonts were widely available in commercial editing software, as they are now.

My dual font software allowed me to write a letter in both Russian and English. In it, I advocated joint U.S.-Soviet consideration of an electrical cable connecting eastern and western hemispheres at the Bering Strait. This, I argued, could be the key link in a worldwide grid allowing nearly total reliance on solar energy without the need to store electricity for nighttime.

I mailed this letter to all 100 U.S. senators, President Ronald Reagan, leading U.S. newspapers, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, and the two leading Soviet newspapers, Pravda and Izvestia. (Pravda meant "truth" and Izvestia meant "news" and critics of the Soviet regime joked that in Pravda there was no news and in Izvestia there was no truth  only a slight exaggeration!)

I got replies from eight senators, six of whom said they were forwarding my letter to my Michigan senators. They were assuming I was seeking a favor rather than making a policy proposal. One exception was Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Indiana), who thanked me for an interesting idea and wished me luck in promoting it!

The other exception was from Donald Riegle Jr. (D-Michigan), who opined that it would be impossible to get the cooperation with the Soviets needed to get anywhere with my proposal.

This was right before Gorbachev's perestroika reforms broke fully out, paving the way for the end of the Cold War.

The only substantive reply was from the State Committee For Science and Technology in Moscow. Apparently, someone had forwarded my letter to them.

Their letter indicated they had understood exactly what I was advocating and had given it serious thought. Although they did not rule out future cooperation, for the moment here was their key criticism, which was totally valid:

"The achieved level of electrical energy from renewable solar energy so far has been extremely small, and the cost of producing electricity sufficiently high, that it makes it uneconomic to transmit the resulting energy long distances." (My translation.)

I had noted in my 1972 unpublished article that we could expect research into solar energy would produce large improvements and cost reductions, and this prediction has turned out to be right on target.

Solar energy, correctly stated to be uneconomic in 1986, has now, less than 40 years later, become the cheapest source of energy. And it is still getting cheaper, thanks to continuing research.

This is excellent luck because protecting the world's climate from carbon fuels is now urgent.

The only major obstacle to making full use of solar energy now is the local intermittency of sunlight. But at the same time as the cost of producing solar energy has plummeted, our ability to transmit it long distances has also greatly improved. A worldwide grid to avoid the need to store large amounts of electricity is now technically and economically possible.

The remaining obstacles to rapid construction of this grid are political. But hopefully, the economic benefits of the grid will prevail against NIMBY ("not in my backyard") fears, international conflicts, and anti-green spin-doctors financed by gas and oil interests.

 Paul F. deLespinasse is professor emeritus of political science and computer science at Adrian College. He can be reached at pdeles@proaxis.com.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Paul deLespinasse: As recently as 1986, solar energy was far too expensive
WATCH: Canada Teen Has a Way to Treat Postpartum Depression With AI and an App

When now 16-year-old Shanzeh Haji went on a volunteer trip to a girls orphanage in Sri Lanka, she learned of a girl at the facility who was orphaned because her mother suffered from postpartum psychosis. That sparked an interest that led to a passion. Haji began talking to new mothers and family members, including her own mother, who had experienced postpartum depression.

I realized how big the problem was and how closely connected I was to it, said the Bayview Secondary School student in Ontario, Canada.

In response, Shanzeh is developing BeBella, a postpartum app designed to help new moms to navigate their postpartum journeys.

Related

Wizard Chess, Robot Bikes and More: Six Students Creating Cool Stuff with AI

New mothers can track their postpartum health, such as water intake and sleep patterns, and can use artificial intelligence to create a personalized care plan.

Moms can also journal how theyre feeling.

Shanzeh said the data, with its AI component, can streamline and coordinate their health care journeys with their doctors. She added that postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis affects hundreds of millions of mothers worldwide.

And because of that she said, I know that the app does have a lot of potential to impact and transform these peoples lives.
Why do many in U.S. including police use Chinese drones? Feds say national security at risk

Drones made in China are popular in America  with hobbyists, agencies, photographers and journalists.

The price is low and the quality is good. But in the hands of law enforcement, the provenance of the equipment has been raising questions  given the way police are allowed to fly drones.

The Monroe County Sheriffs Office and Greece Police Department currently use Chinese-made drones flagged by federal officials as a threat to national security. The surveillance equipment gives local law enforcement eyes in the sky.

One example: A police drone hovered over a Penfield swamp last fall, tracking a shoplifting suspect who had run from the law. He was slowly dragging his way deeper into thick weeds and knee-high water.

After deputies from the Monroe County Sheriffs Office arrested the man, they released the drone footage and called the technology an invaluable tool in modern policework. Police use surveillance drones to locate missing people in the dark of night, help fire officials pinpoint hotspots in burning buildings and to keep watch over large crowds like at last years PGA Championship.

As those drones whiz about high up in the sky, they are also collecting unparalleled information about local infrastructure and local communities. Privacy watchdog groups have long criticized police drones as another example of how we live our lives under constant surveillance, sometimes without even realizing we are being watched.

In recent years, federal officials raised another concern: Is China watching the footage authorities (or even commercial users) collect?

Feds: Chinese drones get sensitive data on U.S. infrastructure

Chinese manufacturer Da Jiang Innovations  or DJI  produces most of the worlds drone equipment, including what often ends up in our police departments.

It's just a popular drone in America, period.

The Democrat and Chronicle and people across western New York use DJI equipment. There are more restrictions on the way our newsroom can use this drone than even the rules hobbyists face. A police drone can surveil certain people and many crowds of people. A newspaper is not allowed to do that.

Scott Norris, D&C news director, explained how our journalists can and do use the equipment.

"The Democrat and Chronicle has operated a DJI Inspire 2 drone since 2017," he said. "We operate the drone under restrictions and guidance provided by Gannett and by the rules detailed in the FAA's Part 107 documentation on unmanned aircraft systems."Norris emphasized that the newsroom cannot fly over people or crowds. Gannett has a two-day training program for its drone pilots and FAA certification to fly.

"We have primarily used the drone to shoot areas under construction, fall foliage, lakeshores and flooded areas and broad areas where the context of the neighborhood or land around is important to understanding the story," he said.

Why is there a DJI drone issue?

In 2017, the Department of Homeland Security issued a bulletin claiming DJI was sharing sensitive data it collected from its U.S. clients with the Chinese government.

Through their day-to-day use, drones accumulate detailed imagery and mapping information on the nations public safety activities and water, food and transportation systems, the bulletin said. Federal officials argued that if that information is shared with China, it could enable them to easily coordinate physical or cyber attacks against the U.S.

Irondequoit Police, Monroe County Sheriff's Office and New York State Police investigate Durand Lake, where human remains were found in 2021. A drone was flown over an area close to the road.

So far, federal officials have not released proof that this is happening  and DJI has denied those claims  but Chinas National Intelligence Law mandates Chinese companies to turn over any data requested by their government.

And for almost a decade, U.S. officials have been working to limit DJIs reach, including:

A U.S. Army ban on DJI drones;

Naming DJI on the Defense Departments list of companies tied to the Chinese military;

Placing DJI on an export blacklist;

And passage of the American Security Drone Act, which will bar all federal agencies from purchasing or operating Chinese drones starting next year.

A DJI drone takes flight at the fire training center during a training in Fort Collins, Colo., on Friday, Dec. 23, 2023.

Why are Rochester-area police using DJI drones?

The Monroe County Sheriff's Office's drone fleet is made up of nearly entirely DJI drones.

Sheriff's spokesman Deputy Brendan Hurley said MCSO has 22 drones, 21 of which were made by DJI.

In an email, Hurley said MCSO wants to support American products and generally agrees with the intention of federal legislation to "close potential security gaps." Hurley said the needs of the U.S. Army differ from that of law enforcement.

"It is our belief the federal government realizes this, which is why they haven't banned local law enforcement from purchasing or using these drones," he said.

Eyes on Us: Monroe County Sheriff's Office wants to tap into video feed at your school, corner store

And the police agency faces other challenges in moving away from Chinese-made drones: Hurley said MCSO is required to select the lowest bidder when purchasing new tools and technology. When it comes to drones, most times DJI offers the most competitive price.

Hurley said MCSO is working with an American drone manufacturer to consider what options might meet their purchasing requirements.

A DJI drone sits on the pavement at the fire training center during a training in Fort Collins, Colo., on Friday, Dec. 23, 2023.

Greece PD won't talk about drones

Greece Police Chief Michael Wood declined to answer emailed questions about his agencys drone usage  including why the agency is using DJI drones and whether they have discussed replacing the technology considering the federal warnings.

A 2022 report by the New York Civil Liberties Union found GPD had three DJI drones in its fleet, though that number could have changed since then.

Kyle Williams, vice president of the Law Enforcement Drone Association, offered some national insight: DJI was the first company to master drone technology and make it available at an affordable price point, he said.

DJI drones can navigate deep inside buildings, taking precise turns and still maintain a strong enough signal to broadcast a clear video feed to the police officer controlling the unit outside, Williams said. Tactical officers from his department in Eugene, Oregon, used the technology last year to keep eyes on a man who had shot up an armored police vehicle and then barricaded himself inside a home.

That sort of information and having that capability is lifesaving, Williams said.

LEDA offers drone training for police agencies and partners with drone manufacturers to demo their product. American drone companies have struggled to compete with Chinese makers like DJI, falling behind in terms of output, cost and quality, Williams said.

To replace a DJI fleet with American drones, he said police departments would likely be spending double  if not more  for drones with inferior capabilities.

And Williams is not convinced police drones pose a threat to national security.

Should we have Chinese drones flying around U.S. military bases or like major dam networks or some places where there is potentially critical stuff? Probably not, Williams said. Thats a reasonable security measure to take. Is there that same security risk with me flying over a city park or a random neighborhood looking for a wanted subject or an endangered walk away dementia patient?

Williams said the information police collect with drones is typically available through public records requests, anyways, and said police agencies take measures to secure all their technology, including drones. His department follows cybersecurity guidance on Chinese drones from the FBI.

Several states have issued their own bans on DJI or other Chinese-made drones.

Is money getting in the way of a drone security debate?

Williams said he believes the issue has been fueled by U.S. drone manufacturers lobbying for restrictions so they can secure their own place in the market.

Its economic warfare, but its veiled under the threat of security, he said. And the losers are really the public and the police because were enhancing public safety so significantly with this.

Skydio, one of the leading American drone firms, spent $560,000 on lobbying activity last year, according to OpenSecrets, a nonprofit that tracks how money influences politics.

DJI is putting money to the issue too, though: Last year the Chinese manufacturer spent nearly triple that at $1,600,000.

Klon Kitchen, a cybersecurity expert with the public policy think tank American Enterprise Institute, wrote in a 2022 op-ed that he believes DJI is using law enforcement agencies as a pawn in their campaign against lawmakers.

Kitchen has written extensively about the federal warnings concerning DJI and other Chinese drones and has called restrictions necessary to stop a preventable national security risk.

When asked by a reporter whether police use of DJI drones contributed to that security gap, Kitchen sent a previous article he wrote which, in part, claimed DJI flies out police officers and other first responders to meetings with lawmakers to explain how drones have transformed public safety. A DJI representative will then mention that the bulk of police drones come from them, Kitchen said  making the case that any restrictions could be catastrophic.

Kitchen noted that LEDA lists DJI as one of its own sponsors. (The group is also backed by at least one American drone manufacturer, according to its website.)

Kitchen said trusted and quality alternative drones are starting to come into the market and need to be considered as a matter of risk mitigation. I dont care how much money these organizations are saving if it requires the sacrifice of our data and security, he wrote.

 Journalist Beryl Lipton contributed reporting.

 Rochester's Democrat and Chronicle is examining police surveillance efforts in western New York as part of a new investigation called "Eyes on Us." Do you have questions about drones or other police surveillance? Email us at wramseyiii@gannett.com and we will try to answer them in an upcoming series of stories.

 Kayla Canne reports on community justice and safety efforts for the Democrat and Chronicle in New York.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester-area police use Chinese drones banned by Army. So do we. Why?
Editor's Note

To make informed decisions, voters need accurate, timely and impartial information, and they need it in the language they speak. So, with generous support from the Yakima Free Press Fund, the Yakima Voter Project is providing free access to general election coverage by the Yakima Herald-Republic and El Sol de Yakima. To contribute to the Free Press Fund, visit www.yakimafreepress.org.
SEOUL, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The number of farming households in South Korea fell below 1 million for the first time last year, statistical office data showed Thursday.

The number of farming families slipped 2.3 percent from a year earlier to 999,000 in December 2023, according to Statistics Korea.

The figure declined below 1 million for the first time since relevant data began to be compiled in 1949. It had about 10,000 households in margin of error.

The farming households had been on the decline in recent years as the rapidly aging population encouraged more farmers to quit farming.

The proportion of farming households to the country's total households stood at 4.6 percent in December last year, down 0.2 percentage points from a year earlier.

The population of farming families retreated 3.5 percent to 2,089,000 in the cited period, accounting for 4.0 percent of the total population.

Of the total farming family members, the highest share of 36.7 percent was those in their 70s or older, followed by those in their 60s with 30.7 percent and those in their 50s with 14.9 percent each.

The proportion of farmers aged 65 or older to the total advanced 2.8 percentage points to hit a record high of 52.6 percent last year. It was far higher than the country's total elderly population rate of 18.2 percent in 2023.

The number of fishing households reduced 1.8 percent over the year to 41,800 in December 2023, while the number in the forestry sector decreased 1.4 percent to 99,200. 
ISLAMABAD, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Four officials of Pakistan Customs were killed and two other people injured in a terrorist attack in the country's northwest Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Thursday, police officials said.

Unknown assailants riding motorcycles opened fire on the vehicle of an anti-smuggling squad of the Pakistan Customs during a routine patrol in the Saggu area of the district, killing four officials while injuring two passersby, Muhammad Adnan, a senior police official from Dera Ismail Khan Police, told Xinhua.

He said that the customs officials' vehicle collided with several other vehicles before veering off the road following the shooting, adding that the passersby got injured due to the collision of vehicles, with one of them sustaining critical injuries.

Following the incident, police, security forces and rescue workers rushed to the site and shifted the injured to a nearby hospital in the district.

The attackers fled the scene after the attack. Police have launched an operation in the surrounding areas to arrest the fleeing perpetrators. 
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YORK  Members of the York County Sheriffs Department are seeking the creation of a fitness area, to be used by county employees, in the basement of the courthouse.

YSO Captain Josh Gillespie and Sgt. Alex Hildebrand met with the York County Commissioners Tuesday morning, to ask for their go-ahead to start a process that will likely take a good part of this year to accomplish.

Captain Gillespie explained how many other public entities  including the York Police Department and the York Fire Department  have their own fitness areas so staff members can work out there.

We would like to put this in the basement of the courthouse, Gillespie said. And we want to make this a fitness area to which all the county employees would have access. We are excited about the opportunity, as it would help with our healthcare costs, hiring and retention, and make employees more physically able to do their jobs.

He said the possible location would be in a couple of rooms which are now being used for storage. The items in those storage areas could be moved to different locations in the basement.

What we are asking the board for, today, is to consider the creation of an extra area for storage, Gillespie said. It would cost about $3,000 to do that, meaning storage cages and secured areas would be relocated/created.

The possible end cost for the entire project, everything, would be likely less than $15,000, Gillespie said, which I think would be on the high side. We are trying to do something good for the countys employees. And I need to say Sgt. Taylor Samek did a lot of work on this.

Gillespie noted Sgt. Samek was unable to attend the county board meeting because he currently works nights.

The offices which currently used the storage areas, where this fitness area would be located, are the veterans service office and the county treasurer, Captain Gillespie said. They have both said they are on board with this project, as long as they have a place to put their things. As far as the building upgrades, it would need flooring, a base around the room, some paint and some lighting, nothing major. The main work would be re-doing the floor, as it is now painted concrete which is chipping.

Commissioner Daniel Grotz asked if the workout area would be secured from the public, Gillespie said it would be. And employees would need to sign a waiver to comply with requirements of NIRMA (the countys insurance carrier).

Is the ventilation in that area sufficient for this? Grotz asked.

There are HVAC vents, Gillespie responded. We would have to look into that, but I still dont think even if we needed to make some of those types of improvements, we would reach the top end of our estimate.

When my church closed, we had to get rid of our assets, so we gave the York Police Department $50,000 for their fitness area and we donated $50,000 to the York Fire Department, said Commissioner Jack Sikes. We also gave $50,000 to Greenwood Cemetery and made other donations to local facilities, efforts.

I know the York Police Department is putting their fitness area to good use, Gillespie said. We got to tour their new fitness area and they track its usage. Its really being used, officers are using it every single day. Its a very nice facility. We have two bids from companies for equipment and the lowest bid came from the same company who did theirs.

Healthy employees spend less time at the hospital, there are benefits to it, Sikes said.

We want law enforcement to be in good condition, so they can do the job they need to do, Gillespie said. We want the same for all the county employees and in the long-term, it will save the county money.

When we talked about this a couple of months ago, my question was about money, said Commissioner Chairman Randy Obermier. We are talking about federal forfeiture money for this. At that time, one question was about how to pay for this without using any taxpayer dollars. At that time, Sgt. Samek said we could get half of the money needed from donations. How do we keep the expense away from taxpayers? And are there any new ideas about the fundraising?

Gillespie said that was a goal, but also recognized utilizing forfeiture funds come with federal requirements, including that because all the other county employees would also be using the fitness area, some county money would have to be spent as well.

I think its a good project, Obermier said. And its handy that we have the federal forfeiture money to use.

He also noted how the York Police Departments officers helped paint and do some of the work in their fitness area, to save money  and wondered if the same could be done here.

And you could apply for a York County Foundation grant, Sikes offered.

Sure, but we would still have to have equitable sharing, Obermier acknowledged.

Gillespie recognized how no equipment could be purchased until after July 1, if the project moved forward, because they would have to wait for a new fiscal year as this project has to be budgeted.

As far as the project itself, I think there is buy-in for that, Commissioner Grotz said. If we can keep to using no taxpayer dollars, I think we would all be happy. We can see if we can find donated funds for the floor, painting, etc.  if we could, Id have no problem with it.

Gillespie said in talking with flooring contractors, they can provide them with ballpark estimates, but they would like to have the partition wall taken out first, to get more accurate estimates. So the first step would be to get the (storage) cage set in a different area. We have an idea with our total square feet, but they would really need those things to happen in order to give more accurate quotes.

I have no doubt we can raise the funds as we have great support from the community, Gillespie continued. This community greatly supports law enforcement agencies. I have no doubt people will want to step up and support this project.

I think the project is fine and the displacement of the storage items isnt bad, its handleable, Obermier said. Maybe the first step, at this point, is to go ahead and do the cage as our expense. And then we can get some harder numbers. We cant do anything until after July 1 anyway. Id say we do the cage work now.

Commissioner Sikes acknowledged how the county has been in the process of replacing old carpet throughout the entire courthouse anyway, and this floor working would be no different.

It has to do with retention and helping keep people healthy, said Commissioner LeRoy Ott, and in the end, it could save the county dollars.

Any movement we can have on finding donated funds, between now and then, will help us write the check, Grotz added.

All the commissioners voted in favor of doing the cage work, relocating the storage areas and the materials, as the first step.
ISLAMABAD, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said on Thursday that Pakistan always remains steadfast in collaborating with China to advance shared goals of fostering peace, connectivity, prosperity and maintaining stability.

"The enduring strategic and all-weather friendship between Pakistan and China is a cornerstone of stability in the region," the president said when addressing the joint session of the country's parliament in the capital Islamabad.

The president expressed gratitude to the Chinese people and leadership for their unwavering support of Pakistan in various fields during difficult times.

Zardari reiterated the country's resolve to complete the ongoing China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, and said, "We will not allow hostile elements to jeopardize this vital project (CPEC) or undermine the strong bond between our two nations and will take all necessary measures to ensure the security of our Chinese brothers and sisters." 
New Delhi: Telecom operator Bharti Airtel will merge its Sri Lanka operations with Dialog Axiata in an equity swap deal, a joint statement said on Thursday. Airtel Lanka's turnover in financial year 2023 was Rs 294 crore and it contributed 0.21 per cent to Bharti Airtel's overall business.

"Dialog Axiata PLC , Axiata Group Berhad (Axiata) and Bharti Airtel Limited signed a definitive agreement to combine their operations in Sri Lanka," the statement said.

Under the agreement, Sri Lanka-based telecom operator Dialog will acquire 100 per cent of the issued shares in Airtel Lanka, in consideration of which Dialog will issue to Bharti Airtel, ordinary voting shares which will amount to 10.355 per cent of the total issued shares of Dialog by way of a share swap, it said.

Dialog, Axiata Group and Bharti Airtel sign Definitive Agreement to Merge Operations in Sri Lanka



Read more: https://t.co/53qHy46VeD pic.twitter.com/EkryOSCsfQ  Dialog Axiata (@dialoglk) April 18, 2024

Airtel Sri Lanka commenced commercial operations in Sri Lanka in 2009. "The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) has granted its approval for the proposed merger, underscoring its vision to advance the adoption of telecommunications services across Sri Lanka," the statement said.

Dialog is a public limited liability company incorporated and domiciled in Sri Lanka and is listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange. Dialog was incorporated in Sri Lanka on August 17, 1993.

"The merger between Dialog and Airtel Lanka is aligned to Axiata's strategy of market consolidation and resilience. The merger will create value for shareholders of Dialog Axiata PLC and of Axiata Group through achievable synergies.

We have the utmost respect for Airtel Lanka and its employees and look forward to working together as we integrate the two companies," Axiata Group Berhad, Group CEO and Managing Director, Vivek Sood said.

Dailog Axiata has a subscriber base of over 17 million. Airtel Lanka has over 5 million customers.
New Delhi: Tech giant Google has laid off 28 employees who were involved in sit-in protests at its offices over a Google contract with the Israeli government.

The layoffs happened after nine employees were suspended and then arrested in the US earlier this week, reports The Verge. The 28 employees who have been asked to go protested a $1.2 billion Google Cloud contract for the Israeli government.

In an internal memo to employees, the company said that behaviour like this has no place in our workplace, and we will not tolerate it. The overwhelming majority of our employees do the right thing. (Also Read: Nestle Adds Sugar In Baby Foods Sold In Low And Middle Income Countries Including India, But Not In Developed Nations: Report)

If you're one of the few who are tempted to think we're going to overlook conduct that violates our policies, think again, Google told the staff. The company takes this extremely seriously, and we will continue to apply our longstanding policies to take action against disruptive behaviour -- up to and including termination.

The group behind the protests called Google's move a flagrant act of retaliation.

Google workers have the right to peacefully protest about the terms and conditions of our labour. These firings were clearly retaliatory, said the group called No Tech for Apartheid. (Also Read: Adani Family Further Infuses Rs 8,339 Crore In Ambuja Cements, Increases Stake To 70.3%)

The company said that following an investigation, we terminated the employment of twenty-eight employees found to be involved. We will continue to investigate and take action as needed.
New Delhi: Multilateral institutions such as the IMF and UNCTAD view India as a potential driver of global economic growth going ahead, as the country has become the fastest-growing emerging economy while Chinas GDP growth has been pegged at 4.6 per cent in 2024 and expected to slow down further to 4.1 per cent in 2025.

The IMFs World Economic Outlook report, released on Tuesday, has not only raised India's growth forecast by 0.3 percentage points to 6.8 per cent for 2024-25 but also sees the country as a bright spot "supporting global growth over the medium term and spill over to other countries".

With China having fallen behind after the crash in its real estate sector and US sanctions triggering an economic slowdown, the IMF report views India and other G20 large emerging market countries such as Brazil playing a bigger role in the global trading system and pushing global growth going ahead.

The IMF report also vindicates Indias economic policy as it attributes the robust growth rate to a "strong domestic demand", which has been created by a huge increase in government expenditure on large infrastructure projects such as highways, railways, ports and power plants along with a revival in rural demand.

Stepped-up allocations for agriculture, rural employment schemes such as MNREGA and special programmes for women self-help groups have helped to bolster rural demand and create a larger market for industrial products.

During the 10-year tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modis government, over 90,000 kilometres of national highways have been built which is almost twice that constructed in the preceding 10 years, according to official figures.

Government investment in highway infrastructure shot up more than four-fold to a staggering Rs 2.4 lakh crore in 2022-23 from Rs 51,000 crore in 2013-14.

The latest UNCTAD (UN Conference on Trade and Development) report, released on Tuesday, forecasts global economic growth at 2.6 per cent in 2024, barely above the 2.5 per cent threshold commonly associated with a recessionary phase.

However, amid the gloomy global scenario, it states that Indias economy is buoyed by strong public investment and service sector growth, with a forecasted expansion of 6.5 per cent in 2024.

India is expected to maintain its rapid pace of road construction with the addition of up to 13,000 kilometres in 2024-25, an increase of 5 to 8 per cent over the previous year, according to a report released by rating agency ICRA on Tuesday.

"The pace of execution in this fiscal will be supported by a healthy pipeline of projects at above 45,000 km as of March 2024, increased capital outlay by the government and focus on completion of projects by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, " the report states.

Government investments in big infrastructure projects create more jobs and incomes that have a multiplier effect on the economy as demand for products such as steel and cement also goes up, which leads to more private investments and employment. With the creation of more jobs demand for consumer goods also increases leading to a further acceleration in the countrys economic growth rate.

To ramp up the virtuous cycle of investment and job creation, the budget for 2023-24 sharply increased the capital expenditure outlay on infrastructure projects by 37.4 per cent to a whopping Rs 10 lakh crore from Rs 7.28 lakh crore in 2022-23.

The interim budget, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in February has gone in for another 11.1 per cent increase in the outlay for infrastructure projects to Rs 11.11 lakh crore to spur growth. The increase that comes on top of a large base of the previous year will result in massive investments to spur growth. The Finance Minister pointed out that this will also attract big investments from the private sector which will add to the growth momentum.

Since the government has cut the fiscal deficit, it will need to borrow less which will leave banks more funds to finance the investments of private sector companies to accelerate growth and create more jobs.
New Delhi: It is a battle of prestige for Congress in Kerala's Alappuzha constituency. K C Venugopal returns and marks a crucial attempt for the Congress to reclaim the seat. The Congress had lost the seat to the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front in the 2019 elections. However, the Congress had overwhelmingly registered a victory elsewhere in Kerala.

K C Venugopal (Congress)

61-year-old Congress veteran Venugopal has had an impressive electoral record. He has secured victories in both assembly and Lok Sabha elections. However, his absence in the 2019 parliamentary race allowed the CPI(M) to secure a narrow win in Alappuzha through A M Ariff. The CPI(M) criticizes Venugopal's candidacy by citing his previous tenure as a Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan. Venugopal criticizes both the BJP-led central government and the CPI(M)-led state government. He alleges the neglect of workers' concerns and growing political intolerance.

Sobha Surendran (BJP)

The contest intensifies as the BJP fields Sobha Surendran against Venugopal. A popular figure, Sobha Surendran aims to leverage her popularity. She promises development, targeting women and the local fishing community in particular

A M Ariff (CPI (M))

The CPI(M) incumbent, A M Ariff, is majorly contesting on his achievements. Ariff continues to bring forward dissatisfaction among the masses with the central government's policies.
South Kashmir's Anantnag town was buzzing with political activity today with many leaders filing their nominations for the Lok Sabha elections. National Conference leader Mian Altaf Ahmad and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, along with seven others, filed nomination papers for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat.

Accompanied by National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah and Congress General Secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Mian filed the nomination papers before Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, who is the returning officer of the constituency. Talking to reporters after filing nomination papers, Abdullah expressed hope that Mian Altaf, the influential Gujjar leader from Kangan in central Kashmir, would emerge victorious.

"On behalf of the INDIA bloc, National Conference candidate Mian Altaf Ahmad has submitted his nomination papers to the DC (returning officer). We are hopeful that Mian Sahib will emerge victorious. On behalf of NC president Farooq Abdullah, we are very thankful to G A Mir who came here from Delhi, especially for this," the NC vice president said.

We know very well where the gun culture came from. No party has been a bigger victim of this gun culture than the National Conference. We have lost more than 4,000 senior workers, party office bearers, and former legislators," Abdullah replied to the recent statement of Amit Shah.

Taking a jibe at Ghulam Nabi Azad, Abdullah said, We never saw him in the frame, we knew that he would not contest. He did not contest from his own seat of Doda, why would he contest from Anantnag? Now his party has fielded a new candidate. How much support they have among the people, you will come to know in the near future," he said.

Both Omar Abdullah and Congress leader Mir said they are confident of a sweep for INDIA bloc candidates in Jammu and Kashmir. Senior Congress leader Mir added that it's the end of the saffron colour as after the 2024 poll results; there won't be a BJP or Modi government.

After Mian Altaf, former Chief Minister Mehbooba filed a nomination and appealed to people not to boycott elections, as these polls are to fight for the dignity of the people.

Talking to reporters, she said, It is our land and we have the right to our employment opportunities. We wont allow assault on our identity, dignity, and future." She urged people to vote for the restoration of dignity. "Today's election is not being contested for roads, electricity, or water, but is being fought for the restoration of identity, dignity, return of resources and power projects, and rights on land & employment, she said.

Anantnag parliamentary constituency is going to poll on 7th May, and tomorrow is the last day for filing nomination papers. In Kashmir, the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency has become a high-profile seat as, after delimitation, it was totally changed geographically; one part of it has gone to Jammu, and one remained in Kashmir. BJP was also eyeing this seat, but the choice of candidates by the NC and the PDP pushed them on the back foot.
PATNA: The stage is set for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Bihar where more than 75 lakh voters will decide the fate of 38 candidates standing in four constituencies. Tight security arrangements are in place at Nawada and Aurangabad, besides reserved seats of Gaya and Jamui, where a majority of nearly 5,000 polling booths have been marked as "sensitive", given these districts' long history of naxal violence.

Of the four seats, Nawada has the highest number of 20.06 lakh voters, where altogether eight candidates are in the fray though the contest is primarily between Vivek Thakur, a BJP Rajya Sabha MP seeking entry into the Lok Sabha, and RJD's Shravan Kushwaha. The pitch has, however, been queered by Independent candidate Binod Yadav, who resigned from the RJD after Kushwaha was fielded from the seat.

Yadav is the younger brother of Raj Vallabh Yadav, a former MLA whose wife Vibha Devi is a sitting MLA and who wields considerable influence and muscle power in the area. Gaya has the lowest number of 18.18 voters, but the highest number of 14 candidates. Here, former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, an NDA ally, who is just a few months shy of turning 80, is making yet another bid to enter Parliament.

The principal challenger of Manjhi, who heads Hindustani Awam Morcha, is RJD's Kumar Sarvajeet, a former minister and sitting MLA from Bodh Gaya seat, whose late father was the Gaya MP in the 1990s. The lowest number of seven candidates are in the fray in Jamui, where their fates will be decided by 19.07 lakh voters.

The main contest, though, is between two debutantes. One of them is Arun Bharti, who has been fielded by the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas). The party's president Chirag Paswan, whose sister is married to Bharti, has shifted base to Hajipur after having represented the seat for two consecutive terms.

Bharti's main challenger is Archana Ravidas of RJD, a grassroot-level political worker, who hopes to cash in on her image as a "local", as opposed to Bharti who hails from an influential political family but has no roots in Jamui. In Aurangabad, over 18 lakh voters will decide the fates of nine candidates, including sitting BJP MP Sushil Kumar Singh, who is aiming at a fourth consecutive term.

His principal rival is RJD's Abhay Kushwaha, who quit Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U), an NDA ally, last month, and immediately got the RJD ticket from party president Lalu Prasad. Aurangabad has the highest number of 1,701 sensitive booths, followed by Jamui (1,659), Gaya (995) and Nawada (666). Voting will take place till 4 P.M. At these booths while at other polling stations, it will be over two hours later.

According to the Election Commission, more than 150 companies of paramilitary forces will be assisting the local police in the poll-bound districts where 76.01 lakh voters, including 36.38 lakh females and 255 belonging to the third gender, are expected to cast their votes. Special arrangements have been made for 65,811 voters who are more than 85 years of age. More than one-fifth of the total voters (16.06 lakh) are in the age group of 20 to 29 years while 92,602 are aged between 18 and 19 years.
In the Ghatal Lok Sabha constituency of West Bengal, the recurring floods have become a central issue in the upcoming elections. The region, located approximately 120 kilometers from Kolkata, is part of the Purba Medinipur district and suffers annual flooding due to its position in the lower catchment area of the Shilabati river. The residents of Ghatal, having endured decades of unkept promises by various political leaders, have grown weary. The flood problem remains unsolved, leading to a unique local adaptation: nearly every household owns a boat to navigate the submerged streets post-monsoon.

Niranjan Hazra, a local from Argora, expressed his anger while speaking to news agency PTI, "I grew up seeing Ghatal under water. Nothing changed in the last 28 years. I do not think it will ever change. Elections come and go, netas make promises which fall flat after the polling is over and the issue goes into oblivion."

This year's election has an added layer of glamour and intrigue as two beloved figures from the Bengali film industry, Dev aka Deepak Adhikary and Hiran aka Hiranmoy Chattopadhyay, contest the Ghatal Lok Sabha seat. Dev, the incumbent TMC MP, is campaigning for re-election, while the BJP has fielded Hiranmoy Chattopadhyay, the MLA of Kharagpur, as his opponent.

Dev, optimistic about his re-election, stated, "I hope to continue the good work for the people of Ghatal. I wish to make the Ghatal model successful." He also acknowledged the significance of the Ghatal Master Plan, "This is definitely a raging issue... And to implement it, if I have to take a rebirth, I will do that."

Chattopadhyay, on the other hand, criticized Dev's tenure, "He himself is saying that he needs a rebirth to do the work which he could not do in 10 years... the money given by the Centre has been embezzled by creating fake job cards."

The BJP candidate has made bold promises, including improved railway services, transforming Ghatal into a 'Gold hub', and, crucially, implementing the 'Ghatal Master Plan' to finally address the flood problem.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also pledged her support for the Ghatal Master Plan, announcing in February that her government would undertake the project without central assistance. The plan, with a budget of Rs 1,250 crore, aims to benefit 17 lakh people.

The Ghatal sub-division, comprising five municipalities and five community development blocks, is frequently inundated, with floodwaters persisting for months. The devastating floods of August 2021, which breached numerous embankments, underscored the urgency of the situation.

The 'Ghatal Master Plan', originally approved in 1979 by the Left Front government, is yet to be implemented, leaving the residents of Ghatal in a state of perpetual anticipation.
The Enforcement Directorate today questioned Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Waqf Board. According to reports, Khan was questioned for over 13 hours by the ED. Khan appeared before the ED after the Supreme Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea and asked him to appear before the ED today. He arrived at the ED office in central Delhi at approximately 11 am and departed after midnight, enduring over 13 hours of interrogation.

What Is The Case?

The money laundering case against Khan has its root in a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR and three Delhi Police complaints. The ED also alleged that 'illegal recruitment' of staff took place in the Waqf Board and 'illegal personal gains' were made by unfairly leasing the Waqf Board properties during Khan's chairmanship (2018-2022). The probe agency further said that Khan acquired huge proceeds of crime out of the said criminal activities in cash and this cash amount was invested in purchase of various immovable properties in Delhi in the name of his associates. The ED also said that several 'incriminating' material in the form of physical and digital evidence were seized during the raids indicating Khan's role in money laundering.

Khan Says Followed Rules

Speaking to reporters before entering the ED office, Khan claimed that during his tenure as the chairman of the Waqf Board, he adhered to the rules. He asserted that he sought legal opinions and conducted all actions in accordance with the new Act governing the board, which was introduced in 2013.

The ED had earlier conducted raids on the premises of the AAP MLA. The central probe agency has claimed Khan acquired 'huge proceeds of crime' in cash through illegal recruitment of staff in the Delhi Waqf Board and invested those to purchase immovable assets in the name of his associates.

AAP Alleges False Case

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had alleged this investigation was among those 'false cases' which were being filed against its party leaders. "We have heard that AAP leader Amanatullah Khan has been arrested. This is an absolutely false case. ED has no proof or proceeds of crime. This is just another conspiracy against the AAP... I want to tell BJP and their leader PM Narendra Modi that even if they arrest each and every member of the AAP, the people of Delhi will still stand with Arvind Kejriwal and vote for him," said Delhi minister Atishi.

AAP leader and Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that the exact same case has been going on since 2016 with the CBI that there have been some recruitments in the Waqf Board, which have been done with a process. "When there has been no give and take of money in the recruitment process, involvement of the ED in this matter does not make any sense and raises serious questions...ED has been involved so that they can arrest the person for months at a stretch without paying attention to any proof or witnesses...Amanatullah Khan can be arrested on similar lines..." said Bhardwaj.

The Supreme Court, in its April 15 order where it refused any relief to Khan, had voiced its displeasure over the MLA skipping ED summonses. The agency filed a chargesheet in this case in January and named four people including three alleged associates of Khan -- Zeeshan Haider, Daud Nasir and Jawed Imam Siddiqui. (With agency inputs)
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday seized assets worth a whopping Rs 98 crore, which includes a luxurious bungalow in Pune and equity shares, all belonging to the renowned actor Shilpa Shetty and her entrepreneur husband Raj Kundra. The case revolves around the misuse of investor funds through the digital currency, Bitcoin. The seized properties comprise a plush residential flat in the upscale Juhu area of Mumbai, currently registered under Shettys name, and a residential bungalow in Pune along with equity shares, all in Kundras name.

The ED has issued a provisional attachment order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), effectively freezing these properties valued at Rs 97.79 crore.

The roots of this money laundering case trace back to FIRs lodged by the Maharashtra Police and Delhi Police against a company named Variable Tech Pte Ltd and several individuals including Late Amit Bhardwaj, Ajay Bhardwaj, Vivek Bhardwaj, Simpy Bhardwaj, Mahender Bhardwaj, and numerous agents. It was alleged that they had amassed a staggering amount of funds in the form of Bitcoins (valued at Rs 6,600 crore in 2017) from unsuspecting public, luring them with false promises of a 10% monthly return in the form of Bitcoins.

The promoters are accused of duping the investors and concealing the ill-gotten Bitcoins in obscure online wallets. The ED has alleged that Kundra received 285 Bitcoins from Amit Bhardwaj, the mastermind and promoter of the Gain Bitcoin Ponzi scam, for setting up a Bitcoin mining farm in Ukraine.

Interestingly, Kundra is still in possession of these 285 Bitcoins, which are currently valued at over Rs 150 crore, as per the EDs statement.
New Delhi: European Union leaders convened in Brussels on Wednesday, agreeing to intensify sanctions against Iran. This decision comes in the wake of Irans missile and drone assault on Israel, an action that has left the international community on edge, seeking to avert an escalation of conflict in the volatile Middle East region. The Brussels summit marks the first gathering of the EUs 27 national leaders since the harrowing attack last Saturday, occurring amidst an ongoing six-month war between Israel and the Iran-supported Palestinian terrorist group, Hamas.

While Israel has hinted at retaliation, the specifics remain undisclosed. The EU leadership collectively denounced Irans aggressive actions, reaffirmed their unwavering support for Israels security, and urged all involved parties to de-escalate tensions, particularly in Lebanon.

Summit chair Charles Michel emphasized the importance of isolating Iran, announcing that the new sanctions would specifically target entities engaged in the manufacturing of drones and missiles. We feel its very important to do everything to isolate Iran, Michel stated.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz echoed this sentiment, stressing the significance of Israel refraining from launching a substantial counterattack. Meanwhile, Italy, in anticipation of the G7 discussions, advocated for punitive measures against the armament providers implicated in the assault on Israel, as well as those responsible for ship attacks in the Red Sea.

The catalyst for Irans offensive was an April 1st attack on its embassy in Damascus, which it attributed to Israel. In retaliation, Tel Aviv initiated a broader military campaign in Gaza following a lethal strike by Hamas on Israeli soil on October 7th.

EU, US Seek To Curb Iranian Aggression

As the EU foreign ministers prepare to resume sanction discussions on Monday, there is a collective hope among the United States and its Western allies that these new measures against Iran will curtail any potential Israeli reprisal.

The European Union already enforces a variety of programs targeting Iran for its human rights violations, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and support for Russias military engagement in Ukraine.

Germany, France, and several other EU nations are considering the expansion of an initiative designed to limit the flow of Iranian drones to Russia. The proposed expansion would encompass missile provisions and extend to deliveries made to Iranian proxies in the Middle East.

Belgium has shown support for imposing sanctions on Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps, although Scholz indicated that this would necessitate additional legal scrutiny. The EUs chief diplomat has stated that such measures could only be enacted if an EU national authority determined the groups involvement in terrorist activities.

Analysts speculate that Iran may be spared from harsher economic sanctions due to concerns over inflating oil prices and the potential to upset China, a major purchaser.

Ukraines Plea Amidst Middle Eastern Crisis

With the Middle East dominating the EUs focus, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy implored for increased support in fortifying his nation against Russia, which initiated an invasion over two years ago.

Zelenskiy addressed the summit, highlighting Ukraines dire need for robust air defense capabilities, a stark contrast to the defenses witnessed in the Middle East recently. Here in Ukraine, in our part of Europe, unfortunately, we do not have the level of defence that we all saw in the Middle East a few days ago, he lamented.

The Ukrainian leader reiterated his call for expedited delivery of weapons and ammunition, a commitment previously made to his country, underscoring the urgency of bolstering Ukraines defensive posture against the ongoing Russian aggression.
KABUL, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The number of flood-related casualties in Afghanistan in the past few days has increased as 70 people have been confirmed dead and more than 50 others sustained injuries, spokesman for the national disaster authority Mullah Janan Saeq has said.

"The death toll from the floods over the past six days has risen to 70 people while another 56 injured," Saeq told media Wednesday night.

Earlier, the official confirmed 33 dead and 27 injured a couple of days ago.

More than 2,500 homes have been destroyed or damaged and more than 2,000 livestock have died over the past week due to rainstorms and flooding.

Major parts of Afghanistan's 34 provinces have been receiving rains and isolated snowfall since Friday while the meteorological directorate of the country predicts more rains over the next four days. 
An incident of stone-pelting has been reported during the Ram Navami procession in Murshidabad, West Bengal on Wednesday. Specifically, in the Shaktipur area of Rejinagar within Murshidabad district, claims of clashes and violence have emerged on Wednesday evening during the Ram Navami parade, resulting in injuries to some individuals. It is alleged that stone-pelting commenced when the Ram Navami procession was underway, with people seen throwing stones from their rooftops. The situation escalated to the point where the police had to resort to a baton charge. The BJP has accused that Hindu devotees were targeted in Rejinagar.

According to the news agency PTI, an explosion also occurred during the Ram Navami procession on Wednesday evening in Shaktipur, Murshidabad, injuring a woman. The police reported that the injured woman was taken to the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital. A police officer stated that the explosion took place on Wednesday evening, injuring a woman. The investigation into the incident is ongoing. However, the officer did not clarify whether the explosion was caused by a bomb or another reason.

STORY | Blast in Ram Navami rally in Bengal's Murshidabad; one injured



READ: https://t.co/MW2KVbAtjZ



VIDEO: pic.twitter.com/fKQjyqxAng  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 18, 2024

The incident reportedly took place on Wednesday evening in the Shaktipur area when a group was leading the procession on the occasion of Ram Navami. Several videos have gone viral on social media, showing people pelting stones at the procession from their rooftops. The police had to conduct a baton charge and fire tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. The police further stated that the situation has been brought under control, and additional forces have been deployed in the area.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Amit Malviya tweeted, accusing that Hindu devotees were targeted during the Ram Navami festival in Rejinagar, Murshidabad. Amit Malviya said, Mamata Banerjee is a blot on West Bengal. She, once again, failed to protect Ramanavami Shobha Yatras. Hindu devotees targeted in Rejinagar, Murshidabad. Hindus are a minority in this area. Just pointing it out, so that she doesnt blame the Hindus for the attack on themselves"

Mamata Banerjee is a blot on West Bengal. She, once again, failed to protect Ramanavami Shobha Yatras. Hindu devotees targeted in Rejinagar, Murshidabad. Hindus are a minority in this area. Just pointing it out, so that she doesnt blame the Hindus for the attack on themselves pic.twitter.com/pzvJt0aZ4x  Amit Malviya (  ) (@amitmalviya) April 17, 2024

In another post, Amit Malviya stated, "Mamata Banerjees provocative communal speeches are responsible for the attack on the Ramnavami Shobha Yatra in Rejinagar, Murshidabad. High time election commission took note of Bengal Chief Ministers irresponsible utterances, which are leading to targeted violence against the Hindus"

He shared another video saying, "Bengal is falling apart and Mamata Banerjee is responsible for it. Her vituperative and communal speeches are the reason Ram Bhakts have been attacked across Bengal. After widespread rioting in Murshidabad, now devotees of Shri Ram targeted in Egra, Medinipur. BJP Karyakartas will gherao Egra Police station NOW to protest the brutal attack on Ramanavami Shobha Yatra. Bengal CM must be held to account for failing to protect Bengali Hindus."
MUMBAI: The Mumbai Crime Branch has disclosed that the gunmen involved in the recent shooting incident outside Bollywood star Salman Khan's residence in Bandra had intentions to intimidate rather than kill the actor. According to a Mumbai Crime Branch official, the perpetrators conducted surveillance of Khan's farmhouse in Panvel beforehand and sought to instil fear rather than perpetrate a fatal attack. The Crime Branch is currently questioning approximately seven individuals from Haryana and other states in connection with the case.

Furthermore, sources indicate that the Mumbai Crime Branch plans to record Salman Khan's statement as a witness in the ongoing investigation into the shooting outside his Bandra residence. Following the incident, Khan expressed frustration and apprehension about the security of his family, questioning the efficacy of the security measures despite the substantial deployment of personnel at his residence.

Prior revelations from the Mumbai Crime Branch unveiled that the assailants scoped out Khan's residence before executing the attack. Moments preceding the shooting, the shooters parked a motorcycle roughly 100 meters from the actor's residence at Galaxy Apartments in Bandra. After confirming the absence of any security personnel or bystanders, they approached Khan's residence on the motorcycle and opened fire before swiftly fleeing the scene.

Case Registered Against Anmol Bishnoi

In parallel developments, a case has been registered against Anmol Bishnoi, who allegedly used threatening language on Facebook regarding the shooting incident. Anmol Bishnoi, the younger sibling of incarcerated gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, has been implicated in connection with the incident.

Another Suspect Detained From Haryana

The Mumbai Police have also detained another suspect from Haryana in connection with the firing outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan's residence. The detained individual, linked to one of the previously arrested suspects, maintained consistent contact with the perpetrators both before and after the shooting. Investigations suggest that the detained suspect received instructions from Anmol Bishnoi, who is suspected of orchestrating the attack. Technical surveillance indicates that the arrested duo, Sagar Pal and Vicky Gupta, provided the detained suspect with detailed information about their movements via Internet calls.

Following the shooting, Pal and Gupta fled Mumbai and travelled to Bhuj, altering their SIM card near Surat to evade detection. Despite their attempts to evade authorities, law enforcement managed to trace and apprehend the detained suspect in Haryana. While being questioned, the detained individual has not yet been formally arrested in connection with the case. Previous assertions by police indicated that Pal and Gupta were remunerated approximately Rs 1 lakh for their involvement in the shooting and promised additional compensation upon completion of the task.
New Delhi: The nation is all set to cast votes in the first phase of elections on April 19. Bihar is all set to conduct polls in four constituencies, including Gaya. These elections will decide the fate of 38 candidates who are fighting for parliamentary seats in the region. It's interesting that Gaya boasts of the highest number of candidates, with 14 individuals contending in the elections.

Lok Sabha Elections 2019

During the 2019 Lok Sabha election, all four seats were secured by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The BJP emerged victorious in Aurangabad, the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) won in Gaya, and the then-united Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) in both Jamui and Nawada. Bihar holds significant importance in Indian politics with its 40 Lok Sabha seats. The state ranks as the fourth-highest state overall in terms of Lok Sabha representation.

Jitan Ram Manjhi (HAM)

The BJP has opted to leave the Gaya (reserved) seat for its ally, the Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S). Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) patron and former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi competes with former minister and RJD candidate Kumar Sarvjeet from Gaya Lok Sabha constituency.

Kumar Sarvjeet (RJD)

Giving fierce competition to Manjhi is Kumar Sarvajeet of the RJD. Kumar is a former minister and current MLA representing the Bodh Gaya constituency. His father served as the Gaya MP in the 1990s.

Gaya Lok Sabha Seat

For the past 25 years, Gaya has been reserved for scheduled caste candidates. Political parties primarily target votes from EBCs, OBCs, and Upper castes in Gaya. The region is known for its religious significance due to its location on the banks of the river Falgu. Gaya also houses the internationally acclaimed Mahabodhi Mahavihara (temple), where Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment. The Manjhi (Musahar) community wield significant influence among the Scheduled Caste voters.

Historically, the Gaya seat has seen diverse political twists and turns. The Congress last won it in 1984 and the RJD in 2004. Victories in 2009 and 2014 went to the BJP, and in 2019 to the Janata Dal (United). Although, since 1999, a member of the Manjhi community has consistently represented the seat.
In Maharashtra, the contest for the 48 Lok Sabha seats is heating up, but its the Baramati constituency thats garnering exceptional attention. The political scene is set for a Pawar vs Pawar duel, drawing keen interest from the public. Sunetra Pawar, wife of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, is the NCP candidate, while her sister-in-law and current MP Supriya Sule, daughter of NCP founder Sharad Pawar, is also in the fray. Sunetra Pawar asserts that this is not a family squabble but a battle of ideologies. Both candidates are slated to file their nominations today.

Before the nomination, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and his wife Sunetra performed prayers at the Ganpati temple this morning. Sunetra later expressed that today is a significant day for her as she prepares to file her candidacy, seeking blessings for the journey ahead.

During the nomination process in Baramati, a show of strength from both candidates is anticipated. Prominent leaders from the BJP, Shinde camp, and NCP camp are expected to support Sunetra Pawar, while Supriya Sule is likely to be backed by Sharad Pawar and allies. The election in Baramati is scheduled for May 7th.

Pawar Family Has Dominated Baramati For 35 Years

However, this time, a rift within the family has emerged. Sharad Pawar has been elected MP six times from here, and Supriya Sule has had the opportunity to serve as MP three times, while Ajit Pawar has been MP once. This illustrates the familys influence in the region. Some voters remain confused as the NCP has split into two factions.

In the last Lok Sabha election, Supriya Sule received 52% of the votes, while the BJPs Kanchan had to settle for 40%. The demographic composition includes approximately 8% Muslim population, 12% Scheduled Caste voters, 4% ST, and 70,000 Pawar voters. Marathi voters dominate, with Brahmins numbering over 80,000.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (Thackeray faction) has objected to a statement by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. He indicated his willingness to generously allocate funds for development, provided that people show generosity while voting for the ruling Mahayuti alliance.

Speaking lightheartedly, the NCP leader later clarified that he was merely appealing to people to vote for the alliance. As the finance minister in the coalition government, Pawar addressed a gathering of lawyers and traders, suggesting that pressing the EVM button more would make him feel better about releasing funds, otherwise, he would have to limit himself.
New Delhi: Iranian envoy to India, Iraj Elahi, has said that the Indian nationals, crew members of MSC Aries, are not detained and that they are free to go. The development comes after a woman cadet named Ann Tessa Joseph landed at the Cochin International airport, who was among the 17 Indians onboard container vessel MSC Aries. "All of them are free to go. They are not detained. They can return India. They are under command of the captain," said envoy Elahi in response to ANI.

In a major diplomatic win for New Delhi, Ann Tessa Joseph from Thrissur, Kerala, one of the 17 Indian crew members of the Israel-linked cargo ship 'MSC Aries' that was seized by Iran on April 13, returned safely to her homeland, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed through an official statement on Thursday.

The Indian deck cadet landed at Cochin International Airport on Thursday afternoon and was received by the Regional Passport Officer of Cochin.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday also added that the Indian mission in Tehran is in touch with the remaining 16 Indian crew members of the container vessel.

"The crew members are in good health and in contact with their family members in India. Indian Mission is also in touch with the Iranian authorities in ensuring the well being of the remaining crew members of MSC Aries," it added. Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had spoken to his Iranian counterpart Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian on the matter.

Lauding the efforts of the Indian embassy in Iran, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, "#ModiKiGuarantee always delivers".

"Great work, @India_in_Iran. Glad that Ms. Ann Tessa Joseph has reached home. #ModiKiGuarantee always delivers, at home or abroad," Jaishankar posted on X.

Notably, this comes after EAM Jaishankar earlier spoke with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in the wake of Iran's direct attack on Israel on Saturday with missiles and drones that has stirred up tensions in West Asia.

The two leaders discussed the prevailing situation in West Asia, stressing that it is important to exercise restraint and return to diplomacy.

"Spoke to Iranian FM @Amirabdolahian this evening. Took up the release of 17 Indian crew members of MSC Aries. Discussed the current situation in the region. Stressed the importance of avoiding escalation, exercising restraint and returning to diplomacy. Agreed to remain in touch," Jaishankar posted from his official X handle. The Indian Mission in Tehran was in touch with the remaining 16 Indian crew members of the container vessel, which is currently under Iranian control, the MEA informed.

The crew members are in good health and in touch with their family members back home, the MEA release added. The cargo ship was seized by Iran on April 13, with 17 Indian nationals onboard.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy seized the container ship near the Strait of Hormuz, The Times of Israel reported, citing an Iranian news agency.The MSC Aries was last seen on April 12, sailing towards the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Dubai, according to The Times of Israel.
New Delhi: Friends, relatives, and leaders from various political backgrounds all converged upon the residence of Nandala Saikiran, celebrating his extraordinary achievement of securing the 27th rank nationwide in the UPSC Civil Services Examination of 2023.

Originating from the humble weaver community of Velichala village in the Ramadugu mandal, within the Karimnagar district, Saikiran's journey to success was marked by sheer determination and perseverance, traits that propelled him through the fiercely competitive exams.

His path to triumph was not without its trials. Having lost his father a few years prior, Saikiran's mother, a beedi roller, assumed the responsibility of raising him and his sister single-handedly, defying all odds.

Saikiran's academic journey saw him graduating with a degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from the esteemed National Institute of Technology (NIT), Warangal. While employed as an engineer in a private firm based in Hyderabad, he tirelessly prepared for the Civil Services examination, steadfast in his resolve to excel. His diligence paid off when he clinched the 27th position in the UPSC rankings for the year 2023.

Among the well-wishers who paid a visit to Saikiran's home was former MLA of Choppadandi, Sunke Ravishankar, extending his heartfelt congratulations for Saikiran's remarkable accomplishment.
New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced on April 18, 2024, that it has imposed monetary penalties on four cooperative banks for violating regulations. Read on further to find out the story in detail.

Penalized Banks

The banks facing penalties are Rajdhani Nagar Sahkari Bank, Zila Sahakari Bank, Rajkot Nagarik Sahakari Bank, and District Co-operative Bank. (Also Read: Varyaa Creations IPO To Open On April 22: Check Lot Size, Price Band, And More)

Amount Of Penalties

According to the RBI, Rajkot Nagarik Sahakari Bank has been fined Rs 43.30 lakh, while Rajdhani Nagar Sahkari Bank and Zila Sahkari Bank have been fined Rs 5 lakh each. District Co-operative Bank faces a penalty of Rs 2 lakh. (Also Read: Golden Opportunity To Own Plot In Greater Noida: YEIDA Relaunches Group Housing Scheme -- Check Details)

Reasons For Penalties

The penalty on Rajkot Nagarik Sahakari Bank was imposed for granting loans to companies in which the bank's directors held interests.

Additionally, the bank opened savings deposit accounts for ineligible entities and charged penalties for non-maintenance of minimum balances in inactive accounts, as per the RBI.

Violation Details

Rajdhani Nagar Sahkari Bank was penalized for not classifying certain loan accounts as non-performing by regulatory norms.

RBI's Statement

In its release, the RBI emphasized the importance of adhering to banking regulations and maintaining transparency in banking operations. The penalties serve as a reminder to banks to uphold regulatory standards and ensure compliance with guidelines.
Indian Railways is ready with a 100-day plan post-elections 2024. It includes a focus on various passenger-friendly measures, like a 24-hour ticket refund scheme, a comprehensive super App for various railways facilities, three economic corridors and sleeper Vande Bharat trains., government officials told ANI.

The new ticket refund scheme will ensure refunds within 24 hours and will replace the current three days to one-week refund process.



Railways will launch a comprehensive 'super App', it will have all railways-related facilities from booking and cancelling tickets to live tracking of trains and for bookings for foods in trains.The 100-day agenda of the new government for Railways also includes, an insurance scheme for all rail passengers called "PM Rail Yatri Bima Yojana".The modernization plan of railways includes an investment of Rs 10 to 12 lakh crore over the next five years for transforming Railways with modern world-class facilities.Vande Bharat trains will be introduced across India in three categories, Vande metro on routes of less than 100 kms, Vande chair car on 100 to 550 kms routes and Vande Sleeper for routes of over 550 kms.Currently, Vande Bharat trains are running on nearly 50 routes across India.The Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train will be operationalized by April 2029 and the feasibility study will be done for three more bullet train projects in North, South and East India.The Railways have planned for three economic corridors spanning over 40,000 kms, with an investment of over Rs 10 lakh crore.Over 1,300 railways stations will be modernized with private participation. The transformed stations will have world-class amenities like shopping malls and airport-like waiting lounges.Metro networks will be expanded in more urban cities. Currently, metro is working or work initiated in 20 urban cities.More high-frequency trains like the RAPID rail are planned, and the one between Delhi and Meerut is partially launched.In a meeting chaired by the cabinet secretary held on Friday, where different ministries and departments of the government presented their 100-day agenda after the formation of the new government.
Kyiv: A devastating missile attack rocked the bustling downtown area of Chernihiv in Ukraine on Wednesday, claiming the lives of at least 17 individuals and leaving numerous others wounded. Ukrainian officials, as reported by The New York Times, confirmed the grim toll, cautioning that the number of casualties might rise in the aftermath of the assault. President Volodymyr Zelensky, addressing the nation amidst the tragedy, lamented the absence of robust air defence systems in Ukraine, attributing the loss of lives to this critical deficiency. He underscored the urgent need for enhanced international support to counter the escalating threat posed by Russian aggression.

In a statement, Zelenskyy said, "This would not have happened if Ukraine had received enough air defence equipment and if the world's determination to counter Russian terror was also sufficient," according to The New York Times report. He said, "Terrorists can destroy lives only when they first manage to intimidate those who are able to stop terror and protect life." The district where the missiles hit is a crowded part of the city near a university and hospital.

Three Russian missiles crashed into Ukraine's historic city of Chernigiv on Wednesday, killing 17 people. Zelensky, urging allies to help bolster Ukraine's air defences, said his country lacked the weapons it needed to intercept the missiles, reports AFP  ANI (@ANI) April 17, 2024

The targeted district, situated close to a university and hospital, bore the brunt of the missile strikes, plunging the community into chaos and despair. Describing the harrowing scenes, Chernihiv city government official Oleksandr Lomako recounted witnessing lifeless bodies strewn across the streets and vehicles stained with blood, reflecting the indiscriminate nature of the attack.

Rescue efforts were swiftly mobilized to scour the debris for any remaining survivors, underscoring the urgent requirement for bolstered air defence capabilities and munitions to safeguard civilian lives against future onslaughts.

Chernihiv, situated on the border with Russia, has frequently been subjected to aerial bombardments, highlighting the persistent threat posed by neighbouring aggressors. Despite previous successes in repelling Russian forces and fortifying air defences, recent events underscore the precariousness of the security situation in the region.

Amidst the chaos, the broader conflict between Russia and Ukraine rages on, with skirmishes erupting across the frontlines. Russian forces, intent on gaining strategic footholds, continue their advance, posing a grave threat to key urban centres still under Ukrainian control.

The suspension of US military assistance has exacerbated Ukraine's vulnerability, leaving critical air defence systems depleted of ammunition. Faced with dwindling resources, Ukrainian forces are compelled to confront the relentless onslaught with dwindling supplies and mounting casualties.

President Zelensky, in a candid interview with PBS, lamented the consequences of delayed international support, warning of the dire implications for Ukraine's ability to withstand Russian aggression. The urgency of the situation cannot be overstated, as the nation grapples with the existential threat posed by a resurgent adversary bent on territorial expansion.
Tel Aviv: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has affirmed his nation's commitment to defending itself autonomously, regardless of advice from allies, amidst escalating tensions with Iran. Netanyahu's assertion came during a cabinet meeting following discussions with UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who had arrived in Israel in the wake of Tehran's recent attack. Germany and the UK, while urging restraint from Israel, warned of the potential for broader conflict in the Middle East. However, Israel remains steadfast in its determination to retaliate against Iran, emphasizing the need for consequences following the attack.

Netanyahu emphasized Israel's prerogative to make independent decisions for its defence, regardless of external counsel. While appreciating the suggestions from allies, he reiterated Israel's commitment to taking necessary measures to ensure its security. In his remarks at the cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said that the two leaders had "all kinds of suggestions and advice." He noted that while it was appreciated, Israel would nevertheless "make our own decisions, and Israel will do everything necessary to defend itself."

Cameron acknowledged the likelihood of retaliation against Israel but expressed hope for a measured response to prevent further escalation. Baerbock voiced opposition to Israel's retaliatory plans, advocating for prudence and emphasizing the need to prevent further fueling of the conflict.

Amidst ongoing diplomatic efforts, Netanyahu's office underscored Israel's right to self-defence during discussions with foreign counterparts. Talks between Cameron, Baerbock, and Israeli leaders centred on the potential for Israeli retaliation.

Baerbock and Cameron are slated to participate in a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Italy, where discussions will include considerations for imposing sanctions on Iran. Baerbock reiterated calls for Israel to exercise restraint, stressing the importance of responsible action.

Cameron urged a refocus on addressing the situation in Gaza, where Israel's counter-offensive against Hamas continues. The escalation between Israel and Iran follows Tehran's retaliatory strikes for an alleged Israeli airstrike in Syria.

Israel's Defense Forces reported a high interception rate of projectiles launched by Iran, underscoring Israel's military capabilities. The attack, comprising drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, was largely intercepted, with support from allies including the US, Jordan, and the UK.
LONDON, April 18 (Xinhua) -- A fraud platform that tricked hundreds of thousands of victims has been "infiltrated and disrupted as the result of a worldwide operation" led by the Metropolitan Police (Met), the Met said.

A total of 37 suspects have been arrested worldwide, including in locations across the United Kingdom (UK) such as Luton and Manchester airports, Essex, and London.

LabHost, a website established in 2021 by a criminal cyber network, enabled the creation of "phishing" websites aimed at deceiving victims into revealing personal information such as email addresses, passwords, and bank details.

After the platform was disrupted, the existing information on the website has now been replaced with a notice stating that law enforcement has seized the services.

"You are more likely to be a victim of fraud than any other crime," said Dame Lynne Owens, deputy commissioner of the Met. "In addition to the financial impact, it undermines the public's confidence in the tools and technology they need to use in daily life."

Since its creation, LabHost has been used by more than 2,000 criminals to defraud victims internationally and has received just under 1 million British pounds (about 1.17 million U.S. dollars) in payments from criminal users.

According to the Met, nearly 70,000 individual UK victims have entered their details into one of LabHost's fraudulent sites. Globally, the platform has obtained 480,000 card numbers, 64,000 PIN numbers, as well as more than 1 million passwords used for online services.

Police noted that the total number of victims was likely to be "even higher than already established."

The two-year law enforcement operation was jointly carried out by the Met's Cyber Crime Unit, the National Crime Agency (NCA), City of London Police, and other international police forces.

Adrian Searle, director of the National Economic Crime Centre in the NCA, said that fraud, together with cyber crime, makes up around 50 percent of all crime in England and Wales.

"Alongside law enforcement action, we also encourage everyone to protect themselves and their online accounts," he added.

As of Thursday, up to 25,000 victims in the UK have been contacted by the police, informing them that their data has been compromised. 
Why is the help of the Baltic hawks so important for Ukraine?

 EPA-EFE/VALDA KALNINA Author Volodymyr Kravchenko Columnist of the International Politics Department at ZN.UA

During the Vilnius summit of the Three Seas Initiative (3SI), Ukraine and Latvia signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of security. One provision of the document makes it special: Riga will provide Kyiv with military assistance worth 0.25% (!) of Gross domestic product (GDP) over the next three years.

It is extremely important for our country to fix this obligation in bilateral documents. Western countries allocating part of their Gross domestic product (GDP) to Ukraine is a solution to the issue of sustainable financing for our country in the face of problems with the allocation of funds by the United States of America and the prospect of Donald Trump coming to power. Therefore, in the case of Latvia, what is important for us is not so much the amount (given the size of its Gross domestic product (GDP) - according to data for 2023, it is $40.3 billion, 0.25% looks like small money), but the fact of the initiative and the symbolism of the figure.

Earlier, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas proposed that EU countries allocate 0.25% of their Gross domestic product (GDP) to help Ukraine, which will allow our country to defeat Russia. As the former Prime Minister of Lithuania and now Member of the Parliament of the European Union (EU) Andrius Kubilius noted in an interview with Radio Liberty, last year the Russian Federation spent about 7% of Gross domestic product (GDP) on the war, and the West spent 0.1% of Gross domestic product (GDP) on helping Ukraine.

I looked at how much money Russia spent on the war last year: it was approximately 100 billion euros. The Americans say even more  110 billion: this is about 7% of Gross domestic product (GDP). Everything has been calculated, even how much money Ukraine itself invested in its defense last year  40 billion euros (this is 25% of Gross domestic product (GDP). And what did Western countries give? In total, we were given another 40 billion. That is, the Ukrainian side had 80 billion. This means that this entire amount of assistance so far allows Ukraine not to lose. But this sum does not allow Ukraine to win, said Andrius Kubilius.

According to ZN.UA, the security cooperation agreements that Ukraine is going to sign with Lithuania and Estonia also contain a formula for annual military assistance of 0.25% of Gross domestic product (GDP). As Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna noted, if other Western countries accept the same commitment, it will allow Ukraine to count on 120 billion euros of military support per year. But Gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States of America and the European Union (EU) is 25 times greater than that of Russia.

Estonia has already provided our country with military assistance amounting to almost 524 million euros, which is 1.4% of this country's Gross domestic product (GDP). In general, although the Baltic countries are among the smallest in terms of economic size among the European Union (EU) and members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), they provided the greatest assistance to Ukraine in relation to Gross domestic product (GDP): Latvia - about 0.9% of its GDP, Lithuania  approximately 1%. But the United States of America, although it provided assistance to Ukraine in the amount of $44 billion, spent only 0.2% of its Gross domestic product (GDP) on this.

Well, the doubts and fears so widespread among members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) do not apply to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia: the Baltic states are doing everything to ensure that Ukraine wins the war against Russia. It is not surprising that in Europe and Russia Riga, Vilnius and Tallinn have a strong image of hawks.

The Baltic states were among the first to recognize the Russian Federation as a country supporting terrorism, and its actions against Ukraine as genocide. They defend the Ukrainian Peace Formula, lobby for the transfer of frozen Russian assets to Kyiv, give shelter to Ukrainian refugees, rehabilitate wounded soldiers and do not block Ukrainian exports. Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn provide us with weapons and ammunition and conduct training for Ukrainian fighters. So, they strive to create conditions for the defeat of the Russian Federation, which will allow Kyiv to negotiate with Moscow on favorable terms.

Believing that the free world must unwaveringly support Ukraine, the Baltic states are committed to long-term military and financial assistance. At the same time, Riga, Vilnius and Tallinn are Kyivs most consistent partners not only in countering Russian aggression, but also in the issue of Ukraines membership in the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): the Baltic states actively insist that, if our country is not accepted at the Alliances Washington summit will be invited, then they should at least announce the beginning of the process of accession negotiations.

By helping Ukraine, the Baltic countries took almost everything from their arsenals.

In March, the Estonian government approved the 18th package of military assistance to Ukraine in the amount of 21.8 million euros. It included 155 mm caliber shells, anti-tank mines, small arms, etc. Having provided Kyiv with 18 military aid packages, Tallinn is planning to approve a new one in the near future. And as Estonian President Alar Karis previously announced, his country will provide assistance to Ukraine in the amount of 1.2 billion euros by 2027. Estonia has already transferred all of its 122 mm and 155 mm howitzers to us.

Latvia gave Ukraine all its helicopters. Riga is giving us howitzers, artillery ammunition, anti-tank weapons, and anti-aircraft systems. Latvia provides us with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). And not just those purchased with public donations. On April 16, the Latvian government approved the decision to send to Ukraine the first batch of drones purchased at state expense as part of the drone coalition. In addition, Latvia is donating confiscated cars, which are so necessary for our soldiers at the front.

In turn, Lithuania supplies Ukraine with artillery ammunition, anti-drone guns, helicopters, armored personnel carriers, guns, and other military equipment and weapons. Interior Minister of the Republic of Lithuania Agne Bilotaite said that Lithuania plans to allocate 1.2 billion euros this year to the European Union (EU) support fund for Ukraine for the purchase of ammunition and military equipment. This amount of money is considerable for Lithuania, given that the countrys budget for 2024 assumes that its revenue portion will be 16.98 billion euros.

The assistance of the Baltic states is not limited to weapons and ammunition.

Lithuanian Energy Minister Dainius Kreivys said that his country will assist Ukraine in restoring its energy infrastructure by transferring equipment from the now non-operating Vilnius Thermal Power Plant, as well as some equipment from the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant and warehouses of energy companies. In February, Estonia signed an agreement with the United States of America, which provides for the transfer of almost 500 thousand euros for the restoration of Ukraine's energy infrastructure using confiscated proceeds of crime.

To achieve Russia's defeat, the Baltic states are investing in their security: since 2014, these countries are well aware of the threats posed by the Kremlin, and are well aware that after Ukraine they could become the next victim of a Russian attack. After all, Putin has set the goal of restoring the Russian Empire and reshaping the international order.

Putins self-confidence is growing against the backdrop of European doubts about the Americans application of Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, political disagreements in the United States of America and the European Union (EU) over support for Ukraine, calls for negotiations with the Russian Federation and also thoughts about freezing the conflict. The prospect of Trump's re-election to the White House, the threat of the United States of America leaving the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the military and political unpreparedness of the West for a long armed confrontation in a modern war only further strengthen the confidence of political leaders in the Kremlin in their actions.

In Kyiv, it is believed that the military campaign against the Baltic countries could begin as early as 2025, and for an invasion it is not necessary to freeze the war with Ukraine: Putin can start a war on several fronts simultaneously. In any case, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called on Europe to prepare for war, comparing the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine with Hitler's annexation of Czechoslovakia in 1938. At the same time, there is a possibility that the Kremlin may view an attack on the Baltic countries as an element of pressure on the West in order to keep Ukraine within the Russian sphere of influence.

The example of the Baltic countries shows that to be on the right side of history it is not necessary to have a huge territory, a large economy and a large army. It is enough for politicians and citizens to know their history well, to distinguish good from evil, and also to have the determination to make and approve, if not popular, but necessary decisions.

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Fatime Letifova

Azerbaijan has unique experience in the issue of post-conflict reconstruction, Azernews reports, citing CICA Secretary General Ambassador Kairat Sarybay as he told a briefing.

Sarybay also noted that post-conflict rehabilitation is taking place in solidarity with the international community.

According to Sarybay, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov confirmed that the CICA transformation process will continue.

We are talking about improving the institutional basis of the CICA, including the adoption of the charter. Until today, the function of the charter was performed by the Almaty Act, but there is an urgent need to change the charter, he noted.

The CICA unites even those countries that do not have diplomatic relations with each other. I really hope that the upcoming period of Azerbaijans chairmanship will contribute to the development of the process of contacts among the CICA participating countries, Sarybay said.

He also noted that Azerbaijans chairmanship will begin after the meeting of the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

The transfer of chairmanship from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan will take place during the meeting of our two ministers in Baku, he emphasised.

He also touched on Climate Change issue in the world.

"The international community must collectively solve the problems of climate change, and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) countries, which have great experience in combating it, can become active participants in the process," Sarybay added.

The Secretary General noted that an integrated approach and the joint efforts of world leaders are needed to combat the consequences of climate change.

Speaking about this problem at the regional level in the countries of the Caspian Sea basin, the Secretary General emphasised that the countries are committed to cooperation in this matter.

"All five Caspian littoral states are members of the CICA and actively participate in joint events and exchange experience with each other," he said.

K. Sarybay said that logistics hubs have experience in planning in a way that will not harm the environment.

Recall that yesterday, on April 17, Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, received Kairat Sarybay, Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia. During the conversation, they noted the great potential of this organisation in contributing to strengthening peace and security and the confidence-building process in Asia.

The meeting saw discussions on holding various events for this organisation within the framework of COP29, consideration of the green transportation concept, and other sectoral cooperation issues.

It is worth noting that Azerbaijan confirmed its commitment to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases by 35 percent by 2030 and increase this target by 40 percent by 2050. Fulfilling the commitments under the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015 and actively working in this regard are priority issues for the government of Azerbaijan.

Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, will host the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29) for the first time in the region from November 1122, 2024. The decision was made at the plenary session of COP28 on December 11.
VILNIUS, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The Medininkai border checkpoint has reopened to traffic from Lithuania to Belarus, but remains closed to traffic in the opposite direction after an overnight fire in the post's hangar, the Baltic News Services reported Thursday.

"The passage of vehicles and individuals departing from Lithuania towards Belarus through the Medininkai checkpoint has just been resumed," State Border Guard Service (SBGS) of Lithuania was quoted as saying at 9:35 a.m. local time (0635 GMT) Thursday.

The service said traffic in the opposite direction remained suspended, with no vehicles or individuals allowed to cross from Belarus into Lithuania.

Firefighters were dispatched to the border crossing, and the ambulance service was alerted after the fire in the brick building was reported to the Emergency Response Centre at around 2:40 a.m. local time (2340 GMT).

The Fire and Rescue Department told local news agency BNS earlier that the blaze was put out at around 7 a.m. local time (0400 GMT), with the cause being investigated and no injuries reported.

According to the Police Department, a Porsche Cayenne car caught fire during an inspection. The blaze then spread to the hangar and the administrative part of the building.

The extent of the damage is being assessed.

Only two of Lithuania's six border checkpoints with Belarus remain open -- at Medininkai and Salcininkai -- following the closure of the Lavoriskes and Raigardas checkpoints on March 1 and of the Sumskas and Tverecius crossings last summer. 
Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic gestures to supporters in the election headquarters in Zagreb, Croatia, April 17, 2024. The ruling center-right Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), led by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, won most seats in the parliamentary elections on Wednesday, but failed to obtain enough seats to form a government independently. (Igor Soban/PIXSELL via Xinhua)

ZAGREB, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The ruling center-right Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), led by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, won most seats in the parliamentary elections on Wednesday, but failed to obtain enough seats to form a government independently.

After over 90 percent of the votes have been counted, the HDZ secured 60 seats, but fell short of the 76 seats required to form a government, showed preliminary results published by the State Election Commission (SEC) early Thursday morning.

Following behind is the alliance of parties led by the center-left Croatian Social Democratic Party (SDP) with 42 seats, trailed by the Homeland Movement with 14 seats, according to the SEC.

Meanwhile, the Bridge Party and We Can Party ranked fourth and fifth with 11 and 10 seats respectively, the SEC said.

In a statement, Plenkovic said that for the third time in a row, the HDZ has won the Croatian parliamentary elections. From Thursday, the HDZ will start negotiating with other partners to form a new government, said the statement.

However, the We Can Party has proposed that all the opposition parties get united to form a minority government and therefore oust the HDZ from power. It remains to be seen whether it can be realized.

The Croatian parliament has a unicameral system with 151 seats and a four-year term. The preceding parliament, formed in July 2020, was dissolved on March 14. 
JAKARTA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The United States is no exception and has no privilege when it comes to compliance with the international law, including the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Thursday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at a joint press conference after he met with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. 
WASHINGTON, April 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden announced new sanctions against Iran on Thursday targeting Tehran's drone program, steel industry and an automobile company, a move he said was aimed at "holding Iran responsible" for its recent attack against Israel.

"The sanctions target leaders and entities connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran's Defense Ministry, and the Iranian government's missile and drone program that enabled this brazen assault," Biden said in a statement, referring to the April 13 attack, which Iran said was in retaliation for Israel's strike on Iran's consulate building in Damascus, Syria on April 1.

According to a statement from the Department of the Treasury, 16 individuals and two entities were targeted by the Office of Foreign Assets Control -- the department's foreign sanctions arm -- for enabling Iran's unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) production, including engine types that power Iran's Shahed variant UAVs, which were used in the April 13 attack.

The Treasury said it was also designating five companies in multiple jurisdictions providing component materials for steel production to Iran's Khuzestan Steel Company (KSC), one of Iran's largest steel producers, or purchasing KSC's finished steel products.

Also hit by the sanctions were three subsidiaries of Iranian automaker Bahman Group, which the Treasury claimed "have continued to materially support the IRGC and other entities designated pursuant to counterterrorism authorities, including Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics."

The statement said the Department of Commerce was also imposing "new controls to restrict Iran's access to technologies, such as basic commercial grade microelectronics."

Concurrent with the U.S. sanctions, Britain was imposing sanctions "targeting several Iranian military organizations, individuals and entities involved in Iran's UAV and ballistic missile industries," the statement said. 
Bayside Historical Society welcomes Kevin Walsh  author of the renowned Forgotten New York: Views of a Lost Metropolis and Forgotten Queens and creator of the website forgotten-ny.com  for a fascinating presentation on the history of Bayside, Queens, and beyond. Afterwards, Kevin will conduct an audience Q&A and will be signing copies of his books. Join us for a fun and engaging evening as we commemorate the 25th Anniversary of forgotten-ny.com and take a trip back in time to share memories of New York's past.
Description

Selection of Havanas Most Extraordinary Musicians Take On Cuban Mambo!

When Orquesta Akokan burst onto the global music scene in 2018, their no-holds-barred 21st century take on the venerable Cuban mambo lit up stages around the world with a fierce and unremitting joy. Chulo Records producer and multi instrumentalist Jacob Plasse, and arranger Michael Eckroth joined forces with a carefully curated selection of Havanas most extraordinary musicians as Orquesta Akokan, polishing Cuban mambos golden sound to a luminous, contemporary sheen. Along the way Orquesta Akokan imbued these legendary Cuban grooves with a renewed vitality and powerful sense of akokan the Yoruba word used by Cubans to mean from the heart or soul.

Complete with an open dance floor!

Doors 7pm / Showtime 8pm

Tickets $59

The Suffolk

118 E Main Street

Riverhead, NY 11901

info@suffolktheater.com

631-727-4343
Spencer Platt / Getty Images

Did you know that if you made $1 every minute for 24 hours every day, it would still take you more than 1,902 years to become a billionaire? Despite this fact, there are many billionaires out there who made their fortunes in only a few years.

Find Out: Im a Luxury Travel Agent: 10 Destinations My Wealthy Clients Are Booking for 2024

Read Next: 5 Genius Things All Wealthy People Do With Their Money

Here are 15 billionaires who made their fortunes the fastest  and how they did it.

Sponsored: Protect Your Wealth With A Gold IRA. Take advantage of the timeless appeal of gold in a Gold IRA recommended by Sean Hannity.

Jan Koum (4 Years): WhatsApp Co-Founder

Jan Koum emigrated from Ukraine to the U.S. as a teenager, settling in California. He attended San Jose State University and worked at Yahoo before co-founding WhatsApp.

His experiences as an immigrant influenced his vision for a communication tool that could connect people across the globe. Facebook bought WhatsApp for $19 billion in 2014, catapulting Koum into billionaire status.

Mark Zuckerberg (4 Years): Created Facebook

Mark Zuckerberg grew up in Dobbs Ferry, New York, and was interested in computers and programming from an early age. He was studying computer science at Harvard University when he began to work on what would become Facebook.

As a Harvard sophomore, Zuckerberg launched Facebook from his dorm room in 2004. The platform quickly expanded beyond college campuses, becoming the worlds leading social network. Zuckerbergs wealth soared as Facebook grew, and his net worth passed a billion dollars in 2008.

For You: 29 Celebrities Who Are Even Richer Than You Think

Jeff Bezos (4 Years): Founded Amazon

Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and raised in Houston, Texas, Jeff Bezos showed an early interest in technology. He studied electrical engineering and computer science at Princeton University, and his fascination with the burgeoning internet led him to quit a lucrative finance career to start Amazon.

Bezos founded Amazon.com in 1994 as an online bookstore. With an aggressive expansion strategy into various products and services, Bezos built Amazon into a retail giant and became a billionaire by 1998.

Mark Cuban (4 Years): Sold Broadcast.com

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Mark Cuban graduated from Indiana University with a degree in business. Before his big break with Broadcast.com, Cuban had a variety of jobs, including as a bartender and salesperson, which honed his business acumen.

Cuban struck it rich by selling his video portal, Broadcast.com, to Yahoo for $5.7 billion in 1999. His investment in this early internet streaming service proved timely, netting him a huge return within four years.

Story continues

Li Weiwei (4 Years): Technology Investments

Li WeiWei, also known as Li Yifei, studied at the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business in Beijing, where he earned an executive master of business administration degree. He worked for several IT companies before founding his own business.

Li Weiweis fortune came through Chinese technology and internet investments. He repurposed an auto parts company into a network gaming company, for example, focusing on microtransactions and web games. Four years later, he was a billionaire.

Jerry Yang (4 Years): Yahoo Co-Founder

Jerry Yang moved to the U.S. from Taiwan at the age of 10, unable to speak English. He later attended Stanford University, where he earned both a bachelors and a masters degree.

Yang co-founded Yahoo in 1994, turning it into one of the internets earliest pioneers. As Yahoo expanded its services, its initial public offering and subsequent rise in stock value quickly made Yang a billionaire.

David Filo (4 Years): Yahoo Co-Founder

David Filo, originally from Wisconsin, attended Stanford University, where he met Jerry Yang. As a co-founder of Yahoo, David mirrored Yangs path to wealth.

His technical expertise and vision for the web platform transformed Yahoo from a directory to a major internet portal, earning him billionaire status when the stock rose in value after its IPO.

Evan Spiegel (3 Years): Snapchat Co-Founder

Evan Spiegel grew up in Pacific Palisades, California, and attended Stanford University, where he studied product design. It was at Stanford where he and his co-founders came up with the idea for Snapchat.

Spiegel saw his creation become a cultural phenomenon among teenagers and young adults. The apps unique disappearing messages feature attracted millions, and its public offering in 2017 swiftly solidified Spiegels billionaire status.

Bobby Murphy (3 Years): Snapchat Co-Founder

Bobby Murphy, born in California, received a B.S. at Stanford University. There, he met Spiegel, his future co-founder.

Working alongside Spiegel, Murphy engineered the technical side of Snapchat. Murphys programming expertise was crucial in creating the apps unique features, and he also became a billionaire after Snapchats IPO.

Cheng Wei (3 Years): Founded Didi Chuxing

Cheng Wei, a native of China, graduated from the Beijing University of Chemical Technology. He spent his early career at Alibaba Group before founding Didi Chuxing, Chinas leading rideshare service.

Pierre Omidyar (3 Years): Created eBay

Pierre Omidyar was born in Paris, France, and moved to the U.S. when his father got a residency position at Johns Hopkins University. Omidyar graduated from Tufts University with a degree in computer science.

In 1995, he launched eBay, a global online auction and shopping website that connected buyers and sellers worldwide. He became a billionaire following the platforms IPO in 1998.

Eric Lefkofsky (3 Years): Groupon Co-Founder

Eric Lefkofsky grew up in Detroit, Michigan, and attended the University of Michigan, where he received his undergraduate degree before later graduating from the universitys law school.

Lefkofsky co-founded Groupon, which offered daily deals to consumers by leveraging group buying power. The concept caught on quickly, which led to a highly successful IPO in 2011, making Lefkofsky a billionaire.

Andrew Mason (3 Years): Groupon Co-Founder

Andrew Mason is from Pennsylvania and attended Northwestern University, where he studied music. As the CEO of Groupon, Mason capitalized on the emerging trend of social commerce.

His approach to online deals and discounts fueled the companys explosive early growth, culminating in its public offering, which made him a billionaire.

Gary Winnick (1.5 Years): Founded Global Crossing

Gary Winnick was born in New York City and attended C.W. Post College in Long Island. Winnick founded Global Crossing in 1997, which laid fiber-optic cables across oceans.

His venture took advantage of the dot-com eras demand for bandwidth. He became a billionaire after Global Crossings IPO.

Jay Walker (1 Year): Founded Priceline.com

Jay Walker was born in New York and is an alumnus of Cornell University. Walker founded Priceline.com, a company that revolutionized travel booking by allowing customers to name their own prices for hotels and flights. His idea caught on, leading to a highly successful IPO in 1999, which made him a billionaire in just a year.

Most of the billionaires on this list have something in common  they created a product or service that resonated with users. Establishing a business that finds mass appeal like Facebook, Amazon or Snapchat can be a great way to quickly increase your net worth.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 15 Billionaires Who Became Rich the Quickest  and How They Did It
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Alaska Air Group is not concerned about the production rate of Boeing's 737 MAX planes as it is more focused on the quality and safety of the planemaker's jets, a top company executive said on Thursday.

The Seattle-based carrier had to ground its MAX 9 fleet for weeks following a mid-air cabin panel blowout on one of its flights in January. The grounding cost the company $162 million in the first quarter, resulting in a quarterly loss.

In an interview, Chief Financial Officer Shane Tackett said Alaska has deployed more of its inspectors at Boeing's factories since the incident to ensure the jetmaker produces the highest quality aircraft that it can confidently fly safely.

"We are prioritizing quality and safety first," Tackett told Reuters. "And (production) rate, it just isn't one of our priorities right now."

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has capped the MAX production at 38 jets a month following the Jan. 5 incident. However, Boeing's monthly output is well below that level and in late March fell as low as single digits, Reuters reported this month.

The Boeing situation is rippling through the industry, compelling airlines to adjust their fleet plans at a time travel demand is projected to hit record levels.

Alaska, which operates an all-Boeing fleet, has also trimmed its growth plans and now expects its 2024 capacity to grow at less than 3% from a year ago. Tackett attributed the revision to the company's expectations of fewer-than-expected aircraft deliveries from Boeing.

It had planned for 23 deliveries this year, but CEO Benito Minicucci last month said the company was expecting about 10 planes this year.

The Jan. 5 incident has placed a question mark over certification of the larger variant MAX 10, which Alaska expected in the second half of 2025.

Tackett said while there is no update on the certification timeline, Alaska expects further delays in the MAX 10 program.

But for the grounding of MAX 9, Alaska would have made a profit in the March quarter, which is traditionally its weakest quarter. Boeing has fully compensated to the company for the grounding in cash, but Alaska is seeking additional compensation.

The balance of the compensation is expected to be more heavily weighted towards credit for future aircraft purchases than cash, Tackett said.

Boeing's safety crisis sparked a revolt by U.S. airline bosses that ended up in a leadership overhaul last month. CEO Dave Calhoun will step down by year-end and Stephanie Pope has been appointed to lead Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Story continues

Tackett said Alaska is "encouraged" by Pope's initial work in her new role as well as Boeing's plans to improve the quality of production at its supplier Spirit Aero's plant in Wichita, Kansas and at its own assembly facility in Renton, Washington.

"We're encouraged by the plans that they've developed and that they are now starting to execute on," he said.

(Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh; Editing by Stephen Coates)
A Bergen real estate influencer accused of fraud and charged in a Ponzi scheme is facing another lawsuit.

Cesar Pina, his wife, Jennifer, and their companies, and Raashaun Casey, a popular DJ known as DJ Envy, have been embroiled in about two dozen lawsuits since last spring. They are accused of defrauding people out of possibly millions of dollars. Cesar Pina was arrested in October and charged with running a multimillion-dollar Ponzi-like scheme.

A Realtor, Lester Carcasses, filed a lawsuit against the Pinas, Casey and the Pinas' companies in state Superior Court last week.

Cesar Pina's civil attorney, Steven Griegel, did not respond to a request for comment.

Anthony Barone meets with Cesar Pina and DJ Envy.

Carcasses said that in November 2022 he reached out to Cesar Pina to request a one-on-one consultation after he attended a Flipping NJ seminar in May 2019 and kept up with Pina and Casey on social media.

According to the suit, Carcasses paid $5,000 for the meeting with Pina and at the meeting was encouraged by him to invest in one of his real estate projects. The suit said Pina sent Carcasses promotional videos and social media posts that "touted his successes as a real estate agent" and featured celebrities and professional athletes to convince him to invest.

In December 2022, Carcasses said, he received a joint venture agreement for 145-147 Manchester Ave. in Paterson and it required him to make a "capital contribution of $100,000 with a guaranteed return of principal and an interest payment of $30,000 within five months."

Courts 'I survived you': Ramapo College kidnapping victim confronts defendant at sentencing

The lawsuit said the funds would be used to renovate and remodel the property for resale, and Carcasses wired the $100,000 to Pina. Carcasses said he contacted Pina after five months to see when he would get his payment and that Pina "refused" to make the payment but instead encouraged him to roll over the investment into a second property.

Carcasses agreed to do so in June 2023 and was promised a $180,000 return, the lawsuit said. According to the suit, six months later, the second property hadn't sold, and Carcasses said he realized he had been scammed by the Pinas.

Carcasses said he hasn't received any repayment and learned that the Manchester Avenue property was pledged to "hundreds of other joint venture partners" and that he didn't know the property had commercial mortgages and liens. The property was also misidentified and wasn't owned by the Pinas, who owned a neighboring property, according to the lawsuit.

The suit accuses the defendants of violating the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act, committing fraud and negligent misrepresentation, breaching the contract and violating the Civil Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. Casey is accused of conspiracy to commit fraud, breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation and violating the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Cesar Pina, NJ real estate influencer, faces new lawsuit
(Reuters) Tesla and Elon Musk are seizing upon an obscure provision in corporate law to attempt to restore Musk's $56 billion pay package, in an untested move that could again mire the company in litigation, legal experts said.

The electric vehicle maker on Wednesday proposed putting Musk's 2018 pay deal to a shareholder vote, even though a Delaware judge voided it in January.

Tesla is using a little-known section of Delaware's corporate law that lets companies fix procedural defects that would otherwise nullify their boardroom decisions.

Tesla called the approach "novel" in its securities filing and said the special board committee that approved it could not predict how it would be treated under Delaware law.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk. (Reuters)

Eric Talley, a professor at Columbia Law School, said the provision is meant to be a "Band-Aid" for technical boardroom mistakes, not to undo major court rulings.

Tesla said in the proposal that thousands of shareholders were incensed over the ruling by Delaware Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick, who found that Tesla directors were not independent when they recommended the "unfathomable" package and failed to negotiate with Musk.

McCormick ruled after years of litigation and a week-long trial that those and other key details were withheld from investors before they voted to approved the pay package.

Tesla proposed to fix that in two ways. In an attempt to remove board conflicts, it had an independent director, Kathleen Wilson-Thompson, review the 2018 pay deal to decide if it was in the best interest of shareholders.

In addition, it will give shareholders the chance to vote again after reviewing McCormick's findings. Shareholders will have 120 days to challenge the proposal if it is approved.

Tesla did not attempt to correct the flaws in the negotiations that McCormick identified. The company did not propose a new pay package to Musk or hire new compensation consultants to review the record-smashing pay deal, according to the company's proposal.

If shareholders approve, Talley and others said it could make it easier for Musk to win on appeal in the Delaware Supreme Court, because it could shift the burden to the plaintiffs to prove Musk's pay was unfair. In the trial, Musk had to prove the pay and the process were fair.

But other experts said the proposal was all but guaranteed to invite more shareholder lawsuits.

In part, that is because the pay package took effect in 2018 and rewarded Musk if Tesla hit certain milestones, which it soon did. Musk received options to purchase around 304 million Tesla shares at a deep discount, although he never exercised those options.

Story continues

Ann Lipton, a corporate law professor at Tulane University, said it is unclear Tesla if can now pay Musk not for achieving future milestones, but for past performance. She said it could be considered a waste of corporate assets.

"They are saying we are essentially giving him money because we like him so much and for no other reason. That is not something you can just ratify with a majority shareholder vote," she said.

The proposal announced by the company on Wednesday raises questions of whether boardroom decisions that allegedly breach fiduciary duties to investors can be wiped clean by leaving it to shareholders, rather than a judge, to decide what is acceptable.

Delaware law experts said they were unaware of precedents for overcoming a court ruling by using a shareholder vote in this way.

"That's the $56 billion question," said Larry Hamermesh, a professor with Widener University Delaware Law School. "Their position clearly is that all we need to do is have the stockholders say, 'Oh, no, we, we hear you chancellor, but this is okay with us.'"

(Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware; Editing by Amy Stevens and Jamie Freed)
Ulviyya Shahin

Members of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action have been called for collaboration in holding the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change successfully, which delivers an ambitious and equitable climate finance goal, the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, President of COP29, Mukhtar Babayev, said, Azernews reports, citing the Ministry of Finance.

He made the remark at the 11th meeting of the Coalition of Finance Ministers on Climate Action within the spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group in Washington.

Azerbaijan, which joined the Coalition as an observer in April of this year, was represented at the meeting by the Minister of Finance, Samir Sharifov, and President-Designate of COP29, Mukhtar Babayev.

Speaking at the meeting, Babayev thanked the Coalition for its active participation in the implementation of climate goals.

The meeting focused on the effective organization of financing needs for the implementation of the Nationally Determined Contributions (commitments taken by the countries of the world to reduce greenhouse gases). In addition to the finance ministers of the coalition member countries, Kristalina Georgieva, the managing director of the IMF, and Ajay Banga, the president of the World Bank, also participated at the meeting.

The Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action, which currently has 92 countries as members, was established during the 2018 Annual Meeting of the IMF and World Bank held in Indonesia in order to mobilise financial resources to accelerate actions related to climate change. The Secretariat of the Coalition is located at the World Bank's headquarters in Washington, DC, and is jointly managed by the World Bank and the IMF. The coalition's activities are supported by 26 institutional partners, including the IMF, the World Bank Group, the Asian Development Bank, the European Investment Bank, the African Development Bank Group, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the United Nations Development Program.

The finance ministries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Indonesia, which are the co-chairs of the coalition, sent an invitation letter regarding Azerbaijan's joining the coalition. As the host of COP29, Azerbaijan intends to actively cooperate with the Coalition.
By Yantoultra Ngui

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Apple Inc plans to invest more than $250 million to expand its regional campus or operations in Ang Mo Kio, Singapore, according to a company statement dated April 17.

Two buildings acquired in 2022, located across from Apple's existing offices, will undergo a major upgrade, the U.S. technology giant said.

"Singapore is truly a one-of-a-kind place, and we are proud of the connection we've built with this dynamic community of creators, learners, and dreamers," Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, said in a statement.

Apple opened its first facility in Singapore in 1981 with 72 employees focused on Apple II, its early personal computer.

It has since grown to house more than 3,600 employees in the city-state, which serves as an operations centre for Apple in the region.

Cook will meet Singapore's prime minister-designate Lawrence Wong as well as the city-state's incumbent leader Lee Hsien Loong this week as part of his Southeast Asia tour, Bloomberg News reported earlier on Wednesday, citing a person familiar with the matter.

(Reporting by Yantoultra Ngui; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Stephen Coates)
ARK Launches European Innovation, Genomics ETFs

Cathie Woods Ark Investment Management has made its long-awaited entry into the European ETF market with the launch of three actively managed ETFs covering innovation, genomics and artificial intelligence.

The three ETFs are listed on Deutsche Borse and set to list on the London Stock Exchange and CBOE Amsterdam April 19 while Euronext Milan and Six Swiss Exchange listings are due in the coming weeks."

It brings the UCITS versions of the Ark's flagship $6.6 billion ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) and its $1.36bn ARK Genomic Revolution ETF (ARKG) to the continent for the first time, while the AI and robotics ETF is a freshly launched strategy for European investors. Each ETF has a total expense ratio of 0.75%.

The three ETFs are:

ARK Innovation UCITS ETF (ARKK)

ARK Genomic Revolution UCITS ETF (ARKG)

ARK Artificial Intelligence & Robotics UCITS ETF (ARKI)

ARKK targets companies involved in disruptive innovation, defined as businesses making technology-enabled new products or services that will surpass the historical milestones of the first and second industrial revolutions.

According to the group, it focuses on five innovation platforms comprising AI, robotics, multiomic sequencing, public blockchains and energy storage.

Wood, founder, CEO and CIO of ARK Invest, commented: ARKK represents our best ideas, drawing from a decade-long track record to target companies at the forefront of disruptive innovation. With an existing $14 billion global asset base, we are excited to bring this strategy, designed with a five-year investment time horizon, to European investors.

ARKG targets companies involved in the genomic revolution, focused on extending and enhancing the quality of human life via genomic sequencing, analysis, synthesis or composition.

It aims to invest across multiple sectors including healthcare, information technology, materials, energy and consumer discretionary.

Finally, ARKI will invest in businesses involved in AI, autonomous technology and robotics and is the only actively managed AI ETF in Europe.

The group hopes to capture demand for multi-thematic ETFs in Europe, backed by its strong research capabilities and reputation.

Wood added AI reduced the cost of the written word from $300-400 to mere cents, while AI training costs are falling 75% annually.

This gives us confidence that AI will be the catalyst for dramatic change across the economy, heralding a future where global equity market value tied to innovation rises from 16% today to over 60% by 2030, she said.

Wood added the launches are not just a result of increased interest from European investors, but a declaration of our long-term commitment to Europe.

Story continues

ARK acquired thematic specialist Rize ETF from Martin Gilberts AssetCo last September in a cut-price deal of 5.25m.

The Rize ETF brand will live on as the groups sustainable sub-brand."

This story originally appeared in etf.com's sister publication etfstream at ARK Invest Europe launches innovation, genomics and AI ETFs (etfstream.com)





Permalink |  Copyright 2024 etf.com. All rights reserved
Passive investing in index funds can generate returns that roughly match the overall market. But one can do better than that by picking better than average stocks (as part of a diversified portfolio). To wit, the Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (NYSE:AWI) share price is 59% higher than it was a year ago, much better than the market return of around 21% (not including dividends) in the same period. So that should have shareholders smiling. However, the longer term returns haven't been so impressive, with the stock up just 16% in the last three years.

Although Armstrong World Industries has shed US$177m from its market cap this week, let's take a look at its longer term fundamental trends and see if they've driven returns.

Check out our latest analysis for Armstrong World Industries

In his essay The Superinvestors of Graham-and-Doddsville Warren Buffett described how share prices do not always rationally reflect the value of a business. 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 last year Armstrong World Industries grew its earnings per share (EPS) by 16%. The share price gain of 59% certainly outpaced the EPS growth. This indicates that the market is now more optimistic about the stock.

You can see below how EPS has changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).

We know that Armstrong World Industries has improved its bottom line lately, but is it going to grow revenue? Check if analysts think Armstrong World Industries will grow revenue in the future.

What About Dividends?

As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). The TSR incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. As it happens, Armstrong World Industries' TSR for the last 1 year was 61%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!

A Different Perspective

It's good to see that Armstrong World Industries has rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 61% in the last twelve months. Of course, that includes the dividend. That's better than the annualised return of 6% over half a decade, implying that the company is doing better recently. In the best case scenario, this may hint at some real business momentum, implying that now could be a great time to delve deeper. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with Armstrong World Industries , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

Story continues

If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on American exchanges.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Barings Goes Bust: How A Single Prop Trader Took Down One Of Britain's Oldest Banks

Wisdom passed down through generations often serves investors well in markets. "Don't put all your eggs in one basket" is a good lesson about portfolio diversification and risk management.

But there's another old saying that applies to markets, at least in some situations: "One bad apple can spoil the whole bunch." Barings Bank, one of England's oldest and most influential institutions, learned this the hard way when its lack of internal controls allowed a renegade prop trader to get himself  and the firm in hot water.

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This prop trading firm allows traders to receive 100% of the first $25,000 per account and 90% beyond that. Heres how you can get in on the profit.

Risk (Mis)management

Barings Bank was one of Britain's most renowned financial firms, with a history dating to the early 1760s. In Jules Verne's 1872 classic "Around The World In 80 Days," Barings Bank holds the 20,000 ($24,894) wager check while Phileas Fogg attempts to beat the clock in his global circumnavigation.

In the early 1990s, Barings Bank sought to expand its operations and hired a young hotshot trader named Nick Leeson at its Singapore office. Leeson was inexperienced but bold, and his early trading strategies raked in profits for Barings. Leeson earned Barings 2 million in 1992, specializing in futures and derivatives, and his success allowed his trading activity to go largely unsupervised.

Encouraged by his lack of supervision and increasingly lucrative bonuses, Leeson began to take on more risk. But he did more than execute risky trades  he began to cover up losses using so-called "error accounts," which were meant to be dummy accounts used to fix trading errors. Barings executives failed to notice the deception, and Leeson kept hiding bad trades in the error account while reporting his wins to his bosses.

Digging Deeper By Doubling Down

Barings Bank might have avoided a death sentence if Leeson had just come clean once it was apparent trouble was brewing. But like a tilting gambler, Leeson adopted a martingale system in which he doubled his wager after every losing investment. If one trade lost 200,000, he'd throw 400,000 into the next trade.

Additionally, Leeson began hiding increasingly larger losses in his secretive account. A 2 million negative balance in 1992 expanded to 23 million by 1993. By 1994, the account was over 208 million in the red, and Leeson was getting desperate. In a rash move, he placed a futures trade that would profit if volatility remained low in Japan's Nikkei 225 index. Leeson's timing could not have been worse  an earthquake struck the following day, rattling Asian markets and destroying Leeson's positions.

Story continues

The scandal's aftermath was swift and brutal. Leeson left the bank with losses beyond its available capital, and his deceit earned him a criminal conviction and four years in a Singapore prison cell. Barings Bank barreled into bankruptcy and was eventually sold for a single pound to Dutch competitor ING Group. In three years, Leeson's reckless trading and subsequent fraud had turned Barings Bank from a respected institution to a defunct failure.

Prop traders often have to deal with conflicting emotions. On one hand, the most profitable traders are the ones who receive funding, but on the other, too much risk can sink a portfolio and a reputation. Prop trading isn't for the faint-hearted. But if you have an eye for trading (and the stomach to handle volatility), consider a prop trading challenge like the Bootcamp program offered by The 5ers, where you can get started with $100,000 in demo capital for less than $100.

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This article Barings Goes Bust: How A Single Prop Trader Took Down One Of Britain's Oldest Banks originally appeared on Benzinga.com

 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
MicroStockHub / iStock.com

Just hours away from the much-anticipated bitcoin halving set for April 19, its fair to say that the asset has been on a roll lately despite some pre-halving volatility. A confluence of factors has helped push bitcoin higher following a disastrous couple of years for the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

Trending Now: If You Bought $1K of Elon Musks Favorite Crypto 5 Years Ago, Heres How Much You Would Have Now

Check Out: 7 Unusual Ways To Make Extra Money (That Actually Work)

The Securities and Exchange Commissions Jan. 10 approval of spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds has not only attracted enormous interest and asset flows but has added some legitimacy to the asset. Meanwhile, bitcoin breached its previous all-time-high record on March 14, reaching $73,750.07.

As of early morning on April 18, bitcoin was at around $63,000, up 110% in the past year, 38% year to date and down 0.3% in the past month, according to CoinGecko.

Data from previous cycles shows that bitcoins price has experienced increased volatility in the lead-up to the halving, and we are seeing a similar trend currently playing out in markets, said Lucas Kiely, chief investment officer, Yield App. Over the past week, bitcoin experienced a drop of around 16% to a low of around $60,000.

He added that historically, it has fallen 10% to 20% in the days following a halving, so further downside in the short term is possible.

So, is bitcoin a buy in April? Take a look at the data and at what experts have said.

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The Three Past Halvings: Price Increases of 8,762%, 2,575% and 594%

Experts said that historically, halvings  which happen every four years  have led to price appreciation, adding that this year should not be an exception. Halving means that the number of bitcoins made is cut in half, reducing the rewards for miners. This process is inherent to bitcoins protocol, just like the fact that its supply is capped at 21 million coins, and further boosts the assets scarcity.

Heres how past halvings have impacted bitcoins price, according to Bitpay.

First Halving, November 2012: 8,762% Increase in Price

Price at time of halving: $13

Following years peak: $1,152

Second Halving, July 2016: 2,575% Increase in Price

Price at time of halving: $664

Following years peak: $17,760

Third Halving, May 2020: 594% Increase in Price

Price at time of halving: $9,734

Following years peak: $67,549

According to Peter Eberle, president, Castle Funds, it seems like this year, bitcoin may be repeating pieces of both 2016 and 2020 pre-halving price tendencies in order to offer investors one final bargain-buying opportunity in the pre-halving period.

Story continues

In momentum-driven markets such as bitcoin, we look to historical patterns in price movements, he said. One of these patterns is a retracement, or retrace, where prices rise rapidly and then fall before making another move upwards. In the last two bitcoin halvings, we saw similar retracement patterns.

He added that in 2016, this pullback was -38% deep and lasted three to four days, while in 2020, it was -20% deep and lasted 56 days.

Bitcoin Spot ETFs: $58 Billion in Assets Under Management

Spot Bitcoin ETFs have attracted $58 billion since their launch just three months ago, according to an April 11 CFRA Research note. To put this in context, that represents more than half of the total assets in gold ETFs.

In turn, this is one of the reasons Graeme Moore, head of tokenization, Polymesh Asssociation, said, Yes. Bitcoin is still a buy in April, both before and after the halving.

While there have been three previous halving cycles, this fourth cycle is unprecedented as it closely follows the launch of the first U.S. spot ETFs, he said. Bitcoin ETFs are proving that the broader market is beginning to see the value in a global, decentralized, provably scarce asset.

Other experts echoed the sentiment, saying that while the halving itself is important, the ETF factor, coupled with potential stablecoin legislation, makes this halving different from previous ones.

Whats really driving the price are these ETFs and a renewed push for sound regulation at home. It wouldnt surprise me to see the price of bitcoin double, perhaps by the end of this year, said Daniel C. McCabe, CEO of Flexa.

This Is a Different Halving  So Whats Next?

David Shafrir, CEO, Secure Digital Markets, said that drawing from historical insights, he anticipates bitcoins price to maintain its upward trajectory in April, potentially reaching new heights in the coming months.

While geopolitical tensions may introduce short-term volatility, bitcoins fundamentals remain robust, offering investors a diversified asset class to navigate uncertain times, he said.

According to Shafrir, these macroeconomic and geopolitical factors might also affect the assets price.

I think [bitcoin will be at] mid-$50s post-halving. The market has historically sold the halving news, he said, adding that after 30 to 45 days, the market will retest new highs at around 78,000.

However, this price discovery does not take geopolitical tensions into account. If the Israel/Iran situation escalates, I can see the market retracing to the $50,000 range until we see some sort of resolution in the region, he added.

Another factor that makes this halving different, and which could impact the price, is that this cycle marks the first time that this re-accumulation range is developing around the new all-time high area, said Eberle.

The re-accumulation phase can last multiple weeks, and even up to 150 days, he said. Many investors get shaken out in this stage due to boredom, impatience and disappointment with the lack of major results in their BTC investments in the immediate aftermath of the halving.

Phillip Shoemaker, executive director of Identity.com, agreed with this premise, saying that while hed love to see a bitcoin boom right after the halving, I dont think that will happen.

People tend to struggle with how to understand the halving  It happens every cycle. Usually, BTC chops for a while right after the halving kicks in, but then, after a few months, we see the real rally kick in, he said.

According to Shoemaker, people overestimate the halvings impact in the short run but then underestimate it in the medium and long runs.

And I expect the same to play out this time around. As for price targets this year, I really think that Bitcoin will hit $100,000, he noted.

When Will the New High Potentially Be?

Historically, it has taken bitcoin 480 days, on average, from the halving to reach a new all-time high, explained Yield Apps Kiely, noting that BTC likely still has a long way to go before the top.

This means bitcoin remains a worthwhile investment now, despite its 113% return over the past year, he said. However, he noted that its unlikely that investors will see the 600% return bitcoin experienced after the last halving, so its important to temper your expectations.

When choosing an entry point, investors must eliminate emotional decisions and stick to a strict strategy. In practice, most investors struggle to time the market correctly, so a dollar cost averaging (DCA) strategy over the coming weeks may be the most prudent choice for all but the most experienced traders, he added.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Will Bitcoin Be a Buy in April? Heres the Data
Mexico was the top U.S. trade partner in February at $67 billion, followed by Canada ($62 billion) and China ($44 billion). (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Mexico was the United States top trading partner in February, with two-way trade increasing 11% year over year (y/y) to $67 billion, according to the latest data from the Census Bureau.

It was the second consecutive month and 12th of the past 14 months Mexico has been No. 1. Canada was the second-ranked U.S. trade partner in February at $62 billion, followed by China at No. 3 with $44 billion in two-way commerce.

Mexicos exports to the U.S. increased 13% y/y to $40.2 billion in February. The top three Mexican exports were passenger vehicles ($3.8 billion), auto parts ($3 billion) and commercial vehicles ($2.9 billion), according to data analyzed by World City.

U.S. exports to Mexico increased 7.3% y/y to $27 billion in February. The top exports to Mexico were gasoline ($2.5 billion), auto parts ($1.8 billion) and computer parts ($794 million).





The port of entry in Laredo, Texas, recorded a 10.3% y/y increase to $27 billion in trade during February.

The Laredo border crossing remained No. 1 among the nations 450 airports, seaports and border crossings during the month. It was the 11th consecutive month the Laredo port of entry was the countrys top-ranked international commercial trade port.

The Port of Los Angeles ranked No. 2 at $25 billion, followed by John F. Kennedy International Airport at $20 billion.

Other top U.S.-Mexico ports of entry in February included the Ysleta-Zaragoza International Bridge in El Paso, Texas, at $6.3 billion, the Port of Otay Mesa, California, at $4.5 billion, the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge in Pharr, Texas, at $3.88 billion and Texas Port of Eagle Pass at $3.86 billion.





More articles by Noi Mahoney

Samsara opens new office to focus on expanding cross-border trade

Over 1,300 layoffs hit logistics companies across US

Investment surges in Mexico as companies shift supply chains, plan new factories

The post Borderlands Mexico: US-Mexico trade rises to $67B in February appeared first on FreightWaves.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  Buffalo school leaders are trying to accomplish something other districts have not: balance a growing budget but avoid handing out pink slips to teachers and staff.

Superintendent Tonja Williams reiterated that they are facing an $80 million budget shortfall for next year. While she provided updates on cuts, saying things can change none of the proposed changes at this time are considered live body positions.

Its a tough time and I dont want to misconstrue that there will be no life body layoffs. What I want to say is that were working really hard to mitigate if we have to have live body layoffs, said Dr. Williams.

The district has said in prior discussions that the biggest challenge they face is the loss of $90 million in COVID relief funds. While Buffalo schools cant promise there will be no layoffs, they are taking steps to avoid them, beginning with a hiring freeze.

West Seneca approves school budget, balanced by job cuts

From there, we began to look at the vacancies that we have. If a school or a district office has not had that position for a year or nine months, were looking at extinguishing those positions where we can, continued Williams.

The district in total removed 40 vacant positions at the central office and 91 in schools.

They also expect 300 retirements over the next two years, and the plan is to not fill 100 of them. Which adds up to nearly 230 positions removed without layoffs.



This drops the budget shortfall to $80 million which the district hopes to pay off with its $375 million in reserves.



School security and student safety has been a major topic of discussion in the district this year. Superintendent Williams made a point that school counselors, and social worker positions arent in jeopardy.

They provide a service, quite frankly, that we dont have. So, we really value them. At this time, there is no discussion about cutting programs like that, added Superintendent Williams.

Buffalo Beachers Federation president Rich Nigro voiced concerns about the reduction of teacher positions, and how it would lead to less teachers with more students and could hurt teacher retention. Superintendent Williams says the change in staffing wont drastically change the number of kids per class.

We averaged our classrooms from K through three. The average classroom size will be between 21 children and 25 children, Williams concluded.

The next board of education budget update is May 1, the school board will look to adopt that budget on May 15.

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.
BOSTON  Changes within the Cannabis Control Commission since its creation in 2016 with the legalization of pot for adult recreational use have been both beneficial and detrimental to the $5 billion Massachusetts marijuana industry. These changes cover legislative action along with personnel issues including accusations of bias and racism.

Cannabis is the most successful cash crop in Massachusetts, valued at $361 million a year

First. the good news for pot businesses. The Legislature acted in 2022 to clarify regulations pertaining to Host Community Agreements and Community Impact Fees. These rules define the relationship between operators of cannabis businesses, from testing laboratories to delivery services. The municipalities where they operate were clarified and posted on the CCC website. The information includes a model template for host community agreements, with the final versions published last month.

The commissions model HCA is a critical resource that stakeholders can use to follow state law and regulations relative to these fundamental agreements that permit operators to set up shop in a community, said Acting Chair Ava Callender Concepcion in a statement. After offering constituents the chance to review and comment on the initial draft, we hope the final document will truly level the playing field for all industry participants and municipalities seeking to engage in Massachusetts regulated cannabis industry going forward.

Municipalities now must substantiate the need for community impact fees and show they are reasonably related to any additional costs incurred by the community caused by the operation of the marijuana businesses. Spending has to be invoiced and shared on a yearly basis. A failure to substantiate and document the expenses will cause the community to forfeit the fees, even those it is legally entitled to collect.

What are changes to host community agreements?

In the past, municipal officials tended to demand 3% of the yearly gross sale as community impact fees. An analysis of the more than $50 million in fees collected by Massachusetts municipalities commissioned by the Cannabis Business Association and released in 2022 found that fees are plagued by a lack of transparent accounting and little oversight.

The report, compiled by Dr. Jeffrey Moyer of the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Northeastern University in May 2022, found the money was often just added to general revenue and if spent was used for expenses unrelated to the cannabis business.

New rules also have the commission reviewing and approving the host community agreements. The CCC has not indicated whether the review of host community agreements will be retroactive and whether municipalities will be required to return the unsubstantiated fees.

In a 2018 vote, the commission opted out of that responsibility. Guidance offered to the commission by KP Law in a memo dated Aug. 2018 suggested that the marijuana industry is not in need of protection from municipal overreach and that there was no cause for concern, as municipalities are owed a legal presumption that they act honestly and in good faith.

A lawsuit filed by an Uxbridge marijuana retailer, Carolines Cannabis in 2022, that was settled through negotiations late last year, saw the mandated return of more than $1.1 million  80% of the impact fees paid by the retailer to the municipality as part of its host community agreement. The ruling determined the fees were not substantiated and no invoices were presented to the business owner. Other lawsuits have also been filed; Haverhill Stem v. Haverhill is expected to be heard this year.

When it comes to HCAs, the days of the Wild West within Massachusetts regulated industry are over. With passage of the states cannabis equity reform law and publication of new commission regulations, guidance and the model HCA, municipalities and licensed entities now have a clear understanding of what is expected of all parties involved, said Commissioner Kimberly Roy in a prepared statement.

CCC Commissioner Kimberly Roy in a file photo.

These changes were mandated, said Sen. Michael O. Moore, D-Millbury. Other than what was mandated by the Legislature, we havent seen an aggressive timeline of change.

Moore was one of the signers of a letter requesting legislative oversight of the commission that also suggested it be placed under the auspices of an inspector general. There has been no movement on the requests, Moore said.

Changes also empowered the social equity program that helps people disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs and specifically to marijuana laws  including arrests for possession, prosecutions, convictions and incarcerations  enter the lucrative pot market.

Markets opened for social equity entrepreneurs

The program sets aside delivery services and social consumption sites specifically for social equity entrepreneurs, establishing a precertification process that will be extended to all marijuana business launches. Under the new laws, social equity businesses can benefit from fee reductions including community impact fees, zoning and occupancy fees.

Under the new regulations, municipalities must set aside licenses for social equity businesses. Fines imposed on communities out of compliance with social equity regulations are to be deposited in the Cannabis Social Equity Trust.

The commission is also offering training, technical assistance and mentorships.

However, critics suggest that the social equity effort comes at a time when the lions share of the market has already been cornered by mostly white, mostly male owners. According to the National Library of Medicine, as of April 2020 the racial, ethnic and gender diversity in the Massachusetts adult-use cannabis market was 75% white, 7% Latino, 6% Black/African American and 65% male.

Diversity was more limited in senior positions. Agents in senior positions were 84% white, 2% Latino, 5% Black/African American and 82% male. Senior-level participation was markedly low for women of color.

Early licenses went to those with people with deep pockets, with a ton of money, said Alexia Fallon, a tax attorney in Marlborough and a former applicant for a retail adult-use license in Medford. They had a competitive advantage.

State Sen. Michael O. Moore, D-Millbury

Early applicants have had time, Fallon said, to turn a profit and recoup their initial investments in the business.

Applicants for licenses in many communities, like Medford, were required to submit a business plan, secure a physical location, hold public hearings, interview with selection committees and wait for a decision on which applicant was granted a host community agreement and the possibility of a state license.

The process, from the submission of a business plan to the issuance of the first host community agreement in Medford, lasted more than a year. Nine applicants were vying for three licenses. The costs were prohibitive, estimated between $300,000 and $1 million. Failed applicants had paid large sums to create a business plan, secure funding and carry the cost of secure and holding facilities throughout the process.

Im glad to see the social equity program being implemented, but it should have been done long ago, Moore said.

Low prices, high availability boon to consumers

Also affecting the Massachusetts marijuana market are product glut, dispensary saturation and price drops in products, along with legalization of marijuana in neighboring states that could cut into the marijuana tourism trade. Only one of Massachusetts neighbors, New Hampshire, has failed to decriminalize marijuana use and industry analysts predict it could be fully legalized for adult recreational use this year.

With some 400 dispensaries in the state and 21 delivery services, Moore wonders if enough market share is left to support social equity entrepreneurs.

Were looking at market saturation, diluted prices. These could affect the revenue and viability of the social equity retailers, Moore said, speculating that new licensees could struggle to be successful in Massachusetts current market.

While the fledgling industry was wildly successful at the start, Moore questions whether Massachusetts has laid the correct foundation for the long-term success of the industry. He believes a lack of proper oversight and controls have had a negative impact.

It was easy to say, 'Its a new industry. Look at all the money,' but Massachusetts needs to plan for the long-term stability and growth, Moore said, asking, Do we have that?

According to Cannabis Business Times; the price of marijuana flower in Massachusetts has dipped since legalization. Massachusetts average adult-use flower price fell 56%, from $394 to $173 per ounce.

Its good news for consumers. Prices dropped from $24.22 an ounce to $20.53 an ounce over the past year, according to Headset, a cannabis market and data analysis firm. It appears the drop in price has prompted more sales. The firm reports an almost 5% growth in sales between March 2023 and last month.

The CCC cited the 2022 Leafy Cannabis Harvest Report that pegged cannabis as the most successful cash crop in the state, surpassing cranberries by almost $300 million. Adult-use cannabis products in Massachusetts had a dollar value of $361 million; cranberries came in at $66 million.

Personnel issues plague commission

Currently, the commission lacks both an executive director to oversee the day-to-day running of the agency and a chairperson.

The former executive director, Shawn Collins, at the agencys helm since its inception, took parental leave in September and resigned from the job once his leave expired in December. Published reports indicate the body is seeking to fill the vacancy by the summer.

Shannon OBrien, the deposed chairperson of the governmental body, was suspended with pay in September, just a year after accepting the post appointed by Treasurer Deborah Goldberg. OBrien, a former state treasurer and Democratic gubernatorial candidate, quickly filed suit against the treasurer, claiming the constitutional official lacked the authority to remove her from the post and demanded immediate reinstatement.

In a written statement released at the time, Goldberg said she refrained from commenting on the suspension. However, given reasonable and increasing demands for information and transparency, it is clear to me that it is necessary to share more information publicly. Several serious allegations were made by a commissioner and CCC staff about the chairs behavior and the CCC initiated an investigation, hiring an outside law firm, Goldberg said. The law firm undertook an investigation and has returned with a report. According to the CCCs employee handbook, suspension with pay is the only allowable remedy at this point, as the findings are being reviewed and action is considered."

The back-and-forth between the treasurer and OBrien has played out in the media. A meeting between the two was rescheduled repeatedly, most recently at OBriens request. Scheduled to meet in an arbitrated encounter earlier in April, that meeting was postponed and has since been rescheduled to May 2 and 3.

Andrew Napolitano, a spokesman for the treasurer, said, Chair OBriens attorneys informed us that due to unforeseen circumstances, they were unable to attend the meetings scheduled for April 10 and 11. They again requested a postponement and we agreed. We have been attempting to meet with the chair since September and we hope to avoid further delays.

In discussing the letter and public comments made by commissioners and staff leadership of the CCC, Moore pointed out that there are deficiencies in the leadership and staffing of the CCC. Job postings for the government body Sunday include the position of executive director, press secretary and positions for licensing specialist, investigator and enforcement officer.

When we sent the letter, the agency was fully staffed, had a permanent chair, operating with five commissioners and had an executive director, Moore said, pointing out that many leadership positions are vacant and have yet to be filled. This is not normal operating procedures, as claimed by a former press secretary. If marijuana is the highest value cash crop in Massachusetts, and its a $5 billion industry, shouldnt it receive more attention and its management more scrutiny?

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Cannabis Control Commission makes changes to community host agreements
While some investors are already well versed in financial metrics (hat tip), this article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE) and why it is important. To keep the lesson grounded in practicality, we'll use ROE to better understand Eversendai Corporation Berhad (KLSE:SENDAI).

Return on equity or ROE is an important factor to be considered by a shareholder because it tells them how effectively their capital is being reinvested. In other words, it is a profitability ratio which measures the rate of return on the capital provided by the company's shareholders.

Check out our latest analysis for Eversendai Corporation Berhad

How Do You Calculate Return On Equity?

ROE can be calculated by using the formula:

Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations)  Shareholders' Equity

So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Eversendai Corporation Berhad is:

4.6% = RM16m  RM344m (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).

The 'return' refers to a company's earnings over the last year. So, this means that for every MYR1 of its shareholder's investments, the company generates a profit of MYR0.05.

Does Eversendai Corporation Berhad Have A Good Return On Equity?

By comparing a company's ROE with its industry average, we can get a quick measure of how good it is. Importantly, this is far from a perfect measure, because companies differ significantly within the same industry classification. As shown in the graphic below, Eversendai Corporation Berhad has a lower ROE than the average (6.7%) in the Construction industry classification.

roe

That's not what we like to see. Although, we think that a lower ROE could still mean that a company has the opportunity to better its returns with the use of leverage, provided its existing debt levels are low. When a company has low ROE but high debt levels, we would be cautious as the risk involved is too high. To know the 3 risks we have identified for Eversendai Corporation Berhad visit our risks dashboard for free.

Why You Should Consider Debt When Looking At ROE

Virtually all companies need money to invest in the business, to grow profits. That cash can come from retained earnings, issuing new shares (equity), or debt. In the first and second cases, the ROE will reflect this use of cash for investment in the business. In the latter case, the debt used for growth will improve returns, but won't affect the total equity. That will make the ROE look better than if no debt was used.

Combining Eversendai Corporation Berhad's Debt And Its 4.6% Return On Equity

It seems that Eversendai Corporation Berhad uses a huge volume of debt to fund the business, since it has an extremely high debt to equity ratio of 3.17. Most investors would need a low share price to be interested in a company with low ROE and high debt to equity.

Story continues

Conclusion

Return on equity is useful for comparing the quality of different businesses. Companies that can achieve high returns on equity without too much debt are generally of good quality. If two companies have around the same level of debt to equity, and one has a higher ROE, I'd generally prefer the one with higher ROE.

Having said that, while ROE is a useful indicator of business quality, you'll have to look at a whole range of factors to determine the right price to buy a stock. It is important to consider other factors, such as future profit growth -- and how much investment is required going forward. So I think it may be worth checking this free this detailed graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

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.
By Alimat Aliyeva

The Thai government has approved visa-free entry for citizens of Kazakhstan, which will be valid on a permanent basis, Azernews reports, citing foreign media outlets with reference to the Cabinet of Ministers of Thailand.

It should be noted that in September last year, the Thai authorities exempted persons with Kazakh passports from the visa procedure as part of a pilot project. After that, the visa-free regime for citizens of Kazakhstan will be valid without time limits.

According to the Thai Tourism Council, 172,000 Kazakhstanis visited the country last year, and by the end of this year their number is expected to exceed 220,000.
A Dallas-Fort Worth area resident claimed a Powerball prize of $1 million from the March 27 drawing, according to a news release from the Texas Lottery.

The winner, who lives in Lewisville, bought the ticket at a Kroger store at 2709 Cross Timbers Road in Flower Mound.

The claimant chose to remain anonymous.

The winning Quick Pick ticket matched all five of white ball numbers (37-46-57-60-66), but not the red Powerball number (8).

Today's top stories:

 Dad of toddler who died of fentanyl poisoning waited hours to call 911: warrant

 OU student from North Texas killed in car crash, remembered as cherished friend

 DNA analysis IDs remains found almost 40 years ago as missing North Texas woman

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(Bloomberg) -- Deliveroo Plc said orders returned to growth with a 2% increase in the first quarter, driven by strong progress in the food delivery companys international segment. Shares rose as much as 7.7% in early London trading.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Users placed 73.5 million orders in the first quarter, up from 72.1 million in the same period last year, according to a statement on Thursday. Gross transaction value increased 6% on a constant currency basis to 1.8 billion ($2.3 billion).

We made particularly strong progress international markets during the quarter, with notable improvements in France, United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong, and continued strength in Italy, Chief Executive Officer Will Shu said in the statement.

While orders were up 4% in the international division, Deliveroo reported flat order growth in the UK and Ireland due to a more stable but still uncertain consumer environment in the region.

The London-based company kept its guidance for the year ahead unchanged. It expects earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization between 110 million and 130 million in 2024 and anticipates gross transaction value to increase by 5% to 9% on a constant currency basis, compared with a 3% increase in 2023.

Rival Just Eat Takeaway.com NV said yesterday orders slipped in the first quarter, signaling continued weak demand for takeouts after the boom experienced during the pandemic. Since lockdowns ended, Deliveroo and its peers have focused on cutting costs and exiting non-core markets to boost profitability.

(Updates with share price in first and analyst quote in final paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
The board of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (ETR:DBK) has announced that it will be paying its dividend of 0.45 on the 21st of May, an increased payment from last year's comparable dividend. The payment will take the dividend yield to 3.1%, which is in line with the average for the industry.

Check out our latest analysis for Deutsche Bank

Deutsche Bank's Earnings Will Easily Cover The Distributions

We like to see a healthy dividend yield, but that is only helpful to us if the payment can continue.

Deutsche Bank has established itself as a dividend paying company with over 10 years history of distributing earnings to shareholders. While past records don't necessarily translate into future results, the company's payout ratio of 22% also shows that Deutsche Bank is able to comfortably pay dividends.

Looking forward, EPS is forecast to rise by 32.0% over the next 3 years. Analysts forecast the future payout ratio could be 38% over the same time horizon, which is a number we think the company can maintain.

Dividend Volatility

While the company has been paying a dividend for a long time, it has cut the dividend at least once in the last 10 years. Since 2014, the annual payment back then was 0.75, compared to the most recent full-year payment of 0.45. The dividend has shrunk at around 5.0% a year during that period. Declining dividends isn't generally what we look for as they can indicate that the company is running into some challenges.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Given that the dividend has been cut in the past, we need to check if earnings are growing and if that might lead to stronger dividends in the future. Deutsche Bank has impressed us by growing EPS at 64% per year over the past five years. Earnings have been growing rapidly, and with a low payout ratio we think that the company could turn out to be a great dividend stock.

Deutsche Bank Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock

In summary, it is always positive to see the dividend being increased, and we are particularly pleased with its overall sustainability. The company is easily earning enough to cover its dividend payments and it is great to see that these earnings are being translated into cash flow. All in all, this checks a lot of the boxes we look for when choosing an income stock.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. 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 Deutsche Bank that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. Is Deutsche Bank 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.
How To Earn $500 A Month From Ford Stock Ahead Of Q1 Earnings Report

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is set to release earnings results for its first quarter on April 24.

Analysts expect the Dearborn, Michigan-based company to report quarterly earnings at 42 cents per share, down from 63 cents per share in the year-ago period. Ford is projected to report quarterly revenue of more than $40.2 billion, compared to $36 billion in the year-earlier period, according to data from Benzinga Pro.



Some investors may be eyeing potential gains from the companys dividends. As of now, Ford has a dividend yield of 4.98%, which is a quarterly dividend amount of 15 cents a share (60 cents a year).

To figure out how to earn $500 monthly from Ford, we start with the yearly target of $6,000 ($500 x 12 months).

Next, we take this amount and divide it by Fords dividend: $6,000 / $0.60 = 10,000 shares

So, an investor would need to own approximately $120,400 worth of Ford, or 10,000 shares to generate a monthly dividend income of $500.

Assuming a more conservative goal of $100 monthly ($1,200 annually), we do the same calculation: $1,200 / $0.60 = 2,000 shares, or $24,080 to generate a monthly dividend income of $100.

Also Read: CrowdStrike, Wayfair And 2 Other Stocks Insiders Are Selling

View more earnings on F

Note that dividend yield can change on a rolling basis, as the dividend payment and the stock price both fluctuate over time.

The dividend yield is calculated by dividing the annual dividend payment by the current stock price. As the stock price changes, the dividend yield will also change.

For example, if a stock pays an annual dividend of $2 and its current price is $50, its dividend yield would be 4%. However, if the stock price increases to $60, the dividend yield would decrease to 3.33% ($2/$60).

Conversely, if the stock price decreases to $40, the dividend yield would increase to 5% ($2/$40).

Further, the dividend payment itself can also change over time, which can also impact the dividend yield. If a company increases its dividend payment, the dividend yield will increase even if the stock price remains the same. Similarly, if a company decreases its dividend payment, the dividend yield will decrease.

F Price Action: Ford shares fell 0.4% to close at $12.04 on Wednesday after it recalled around 456,565 units of certain compact SUVs and pickup trucks in the U.S.

Read More: Top 5 Tech And Telecom Stocks That May Rocket Higher This Month

Image: Courtesy of Ford

"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!

Story continues

Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga?

This article How To Earn $500 A Month From Ford Stock Ahead Of Q1 Earnings Report originally appeared on Benzinga.com

 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
By Diego Ore

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's federal government, under pressure from the U.S., is keeping Chinese automakers at arm's length by refusing to offer such incentives as low-cost public land or tax cuts for investment in EV production, three Mexican officials familiar with the matter said.

The last meeting between top Mexican officials and a Chinese automaker was in January, the sources said, with executives of BYD Co - one of the world's largest electric vehicle makers by sales.

At the meeting, Mexican officials made clear they would not give incentives like those awarded to automakers in the past and that officials would be putting on pause any future meetings with Chinese automakers, said the sources, who asked not to be identified.

The office of Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Mexican Economy Ministry declined to comment.

BYD officials and the Chinese embassy in the Latin American country did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A White House spokesperson said U.S. President Joe Biden will not let Chinese automakers flood the market with vehicles that pose a threat to national security.

Reuters was not able to ascertain which Chinese automakers have requested meetings since. Mexican government officials typically do not disclose subsidies given to the companies for plants.

About 20 Chinese automakers now sell cars in Mexico but none yet have a plant in the country. Chinese vehicles constitute about a third of the total brand offerings in Mexico.

The sources attributed the move to U.S. government pressure, specifically from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), to keep Chinese automakers out of the free trade zone established under the North American Free Trade Agreement.

A USTR official's response to Reuters did not address the reported pressure, but the official said the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) was not meant to "provide a back door to China and others who may be seeking to access our market without paying ... tariffs."

The official said the USTR is focused on that issue as it relates to autos, steel and aluminum.

The U.S. intervention reflects increasingly acute fears from its automotive industry, unions and U.S. political circles that Chinese automakers such as BYD, SAIC, Geely, Chery and JAC aim to use Mexico as a back door to sell cheap electric cars in the United States without paying steep U.S. tariffs, now at 27.5%.

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said on Wednesday the U.S. must take decisive action to protect EVs from subsidized Chinese competition.

Story continues

CAUGHT IN CROSSFIRE

Mexico, Latin America's second-largest economy, is caught in the crossfire between the world's two biggest economies and car markets.

Last month, Republican U.S. Senator Marco Rubio proposed legislation seeking much higher tariffs on Chinese vehicle imports. Two days later, three Senate Democrats from auto manufacturing states urged the Biden administration to hike import tariffs on Chinese EVs.

Chinese automakers can get around U.S. tariffs by setting up shop in Mexico, as long as they meet rules for how much of a vehicle must be produced locally.

"A sizeable proportion of the goods arriving in Mexico by ocean will likely be trucked into the U.S., which gives rise to the suspicion that the increase in trade we are witnessing is due to importers trying to circumvent U.S. tariffs," said Peter Sand, chief analyst with research firm Xeneta.

In order to avoid U.S. tariffs, goods must have a certain percentage of regional assembly and components, varying depending on the product and the sector. At least 75% of core vehicle parts - like engine or transmission - must be originated in the North American region.

Despite the headwinds, Chinese automakers like BYD are still looking to put down roots in Mexico.

In late February, BYD insisted that any factory in Mexico would serve the local market and not ship to the U.S. But many industry officials are skeptical.

One of the sources told Reuters that BYD was now chasing incentives from state governments instead even though they are substantially less beneficial than the federal ones.

Industrial states like Durango, Jalisco, Mexico State and Nuevo Leon are looking for Chinese automakers to open assembly plants, offering a wide range of incentives. Nuevo Leon last December approved $153 million in incentives for a Tesla plant.

Federal incentives have in the past been generous, including free land, water and energy facilities and help in hiring workers, said Francisco Bautista, a partner at EY in Mexico.

Bautista added that these kinds of incentives have been reduced under the current government, but some have still been given to major investors like Volkswagen's Audi.

In September, Mexican officials from the Economy and the Foreign Relations ministries traveled to Washington to meet with U.S. Commerce Department, Department of State and USTR officials as part of U.S.-Mexico high-level talks.

In the meeting, the subject of Chinese automakers establishing EV production in Mexico was raised for the first time although it was not on the agenda, the sources said.

The officials met again in January 2024 in Toronto, where another request was made by U.S. officials to hinder Chinese automakers.

The Mexican Foreign Relations ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mexican officials said that although Chinese investment could help the local economy, the government is concerned about angering Washington with USMCA up for revision in 2026.

Under the "sunset clause," in July 2026 the three countries will decide whether to extend the USMCA for another 16 years. Mexican officials fear U.S. officials could seek to overhaul the trade pact to Mexico's detriment, one of the sources said.

(Reporting by Diego Ore in Mexico City; Additional reporting by David Lawder and Jeff Mason in Washington and Zhang Yan in Shanghai; Editing by Ben Klayman and Matthew Lewis)
By Alimat Aliyeva

Lufthansa tops the list of airlines that have canceled the most flights in Europe, Azernews reports, citing foreign media outlets.

The largest German airline canceled 5.99 percent of its flights in the first three months of the year (6,803 cancellations). In the same period of 2023, this figure was just under three percent. One of the reasons for the cancellation is the repeated strikes in the first quarter.

Flightright stated that the number of strikes has increased significantly, and also openly criticized the airline.

The second place in the ranking is occupied by the Dutch airline KLM with a share of 2.27 percent (1,294 cancellations) of flight cancellations.

Austrian Airlines took the third place with 2.25 percent. Another German airline, Eurowings (1.51 percent), is in fourth place.




The Australian market has been experiencing some interesting dynamics recently, with the ASX200 closing up just under half a per cent and materials leading the rally. However, not all sectors followed suit as communication and healthcare lagged behind. Amid these market conditions, dividend stocks such as Ampol become particularly noteworthy for investors seeking regular income streams. A good dividend stock is typically characterized by its consistent ability to generate profits and distribute a portion of these earnings back to shareholders, which can be especially appealing in an unpredictable market environment.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks In Australia

Name Dividend Yield Dividend Rating Nick Scali (ASX:NCK) 4.95%  Fiducian Group (ASX:FID) 3.99%  Joyce (ASX:JYC) 6.82%  Korvest (ASX:KOV) 6.61%  Centuria Capital Group (ASX:CNI) 6.57%  Premier Investments (ASX:PMV) 4.59%  Charter Hall Group (ASX:CHC) 3.67%  Fortescue (ASX:FMG) 8.24%  PRL Global (ASX:PRG) 6.25%  Diversified United Investment (ASX:DUI) 3.23% 

Click here to see the full list of 44 stocks from our Top Dividend Stocks screener.

Here's a peek at a few of the choices from the screener.

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: Ampol Limited, with a market cap of A$9.22 billion, operates as a petroleum product company in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States where it purchases, refines and markets these products.

Operations: Ampol Limited, a global petroleum products company, generates its revenue through three main segments: Z Energy which brings in A$5.51 billion, Convenience Retail with earnings of A$5.99 billion and Fuels and Infrastructure contributing the most at A$33.63 billion.

Dividend Yield: 7.0%

Ampol's dividend yield of 7.01% places it in the top 25% of Australian market dividend payers. While its payments have been volatile over the past decade, they have seen an overall increase. Despite a high payout ratio of 93.3%, cash flows cover these dividends with a reasonable cash payout ratio of 68.6%. However, Ampol carries a high level of debt and recent earnings results show net income dropping to A$549.1 million from A$795.9 million the previous year.

ASX:ALD Dividend History as at Apr 2024

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: Fenix Resources Limited, with a market cap of A$194.49 million, is involved in the exploration, development, and mining of mineral tenements in Western Australia.

Story continues

Operations: Fenix Resources Limited, valued at A$194.49 million, generates its revenue primarily through the exploration, development and mining of mineral tenements in Western Australia.

Dividend Yield: 7.0%

Fenix Resources' dividend yield of 7.02% ranks in the top quartile of Australian market payers. The company's dividends are well-covered by both earnings (Payout Ratio: 31.5%) and cash flows (Cash Payout Ratio: 34.2%), indicating sustainability despite a volatile track record over the past three years. Fenix is trading at significant value, being 60.5% below estimated fair value, and forecasts suggest an annual earnings growth of 5.85%. Recent half-year results reveal A$126.93 million sales and A$22.05 million net income.

ASX:FEX Dividend History as at Apr 2024

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: Fiducian Group Ltd is an Australian company that, via its subsidiaries, offers financial services and has a market capitalisation of A$236.08 million.

Operations: Fiducian Group Ltd generates its revenue in Australia through several segments, including Funds Management which brings in A$20.49 million, Corporate Services earning A$12.06 million, Financial Planning with A$28.95 million, and Platform Administration contributing A$15.38 million.

Dividend Yield: 4%

Fiducian Group's earnings have grown by 12% over the past year, with recent half-year results showing A$39 million sales and A$6.84 million net income. The company pays a reliable dividend of 3.99%, covered by both earnings (Payout Ratio: 83.7%) and cash flows (Cash Payout Ratio: 60.5%). Despite being lower than the top quartile of Australian market payers, FID's dividends are stable and have increased over the past decade, offering potential for consistent income in a portfolio.

ASX:FID Dividend History as at Apr 2024

Next Steps

Reveal the 44 hidden gems among our Top Dividend Stocks screener with a single click here.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Companies discussed in this article include ASX:ALD ASX:FEXASX:FID and

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
The United Kingdom market has been displaying a strong opening recently, with the FTSE 100 index making a recovery. Despite global markets experiencing some turbulence, London's financial scene seems to be holding its own. In such times, high yield dividend stocks like M Winkworth and two others we will explore can offer investors a steady income stream and potential capital appreciation. Given the current market conditions, a good stock would ideally have consistent dividend payments and robust financial health to weather any economic uncertainties.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks In The United Kingdom

Name Dividend Yield Dividend Rating Record (LSE:REC) 8.49%  Keller Group (LSE:KLR) 4.35%  DCC (LSE:DCC) 3.51%  Plus500 (LSE:PLUS) 6.65%  Grafton Group (LSE:GFTU) 3.82%  Rio Tinto Group (LSE:RIO) 6.33%  James Latham (AIM:LTHM) 3.19%  Big Yellow Group (LSE:BYG) 4.43%  NWF Group (AIM:NWF) 3.90%  Hargreaves Services (AIM:HSP) 6.41% 

Click here to see the full list of 58 stocks from our Top Dividend Stocks screener.

Let's take a closer look at a couple of our picks from the screened companies.

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: M Winkworth PLC, with a market cap of 22.59 million, functions as a franchisor to the Winkworth estate agencies across the United Kingdom.

Operations: M Winkworth PLC, valued at 22.59 million, is a franchisor to the Winkworth estate agencies throughout the UK, however, specific revenue segments for the company are not provided.

Dividend Yield: 6.9%

M Winkworth's dividend payments have been inconsistent in the past decade, with a high cash payout ratio of 166.7%. However, they have shown growth and offer a yield of 6.86%, placing it in the top tier of UK dividend payers. The company's earnings are forecast to grow by 12.62% per year, but its recent net income was GBP 1.67 million, lower than the previous year's GBP 1.95 million. A Q1 dividend of 0.03 per share has been announced for payment in May.

AIM:WINK Dividend History as at Apr 2024

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: TClarke plc is a UK-based company, with its subsidiaries, involved in the design, installation, integration and maintenance of mechanical and electrical systems and technologies with a market cap of 82.78 million.

Operations: TClarke plc, a UK-based firm with a market cap of 82.78 million, generates its revenue through the design, installation, integration and maintenance of mechanical and electrical systems and technologies across the United Kingdom.

Story continues

Dividend Yield: 3.7%

TClarke's dividend yield of 3.69% is not top-tier, but the company has shown a decade-long consistency in increasing its dividends. Despite lower profit margins of 1.3%, compared to last year's 2%, TClarke's dividend payments are well covered by earnings with a payout ratio of 42.8%. The company also exhibits stable share price despite recent volatility and is valued reasonably with a Price-To-Earnings ratio of 12.7x, below the UK market average. However, shareholders should note the recent 84.6 million acquisition offer from Regent Acquisitions Limited.

LSE:CTO Dividend History as at Apr 2024

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: Joint Stock Company Kaspi.kz operates in the Republic of Kazakhstan, offering payments, marketplace, and fintech solutions through its subsidiaries with a market cap of $22.83 billion.

Operations: Joint Stock Company Kaspi.kz generates its revenue primarily from three segments in the Republic of Kazakhstan: Fintech, which brings in KZT 1.03 billion; Payments, contributing KZT 478.68 million; and Marketplace, accounting for KZT 448.22 million.

Dividend Yield: 6.3%

Kaspi.kz's dividend yield sits in the top 25% of UK payers at 6.27%. Earnings have grown by 43.8% over the past year, and dividends are well covered by earnings and cash flows, with payout ratios of 72.2% and 61% respectively. However, its dividend track record is unstable with payments being volatile over the last four years. Despite trading at a significant discount to fair value, investors should consider that Kaspi.kz recently delisted from the London Stock Exchange on March 25th, potentially affecting future accessibility.

LSE:KSPI Dividend History as at Apr 2024

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Companies discussed in this article include AIM:WINKLSE:CTOLSE:KSPI.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
Several former leaders of the House and Senate Budget committees criticized the current state of the congressional budget process on Wednesday in the wake of Congresss repeated failure to adopt concurrent budget resolutions in recent years.

The budget process is absolutely broke, and it needs to be repaired, said former Sen. Don Nickles (R-Okla.), who chaired the Senate Budget Committee from 2003 to 2005.

Its unconscionable to think the United States government wouldnt have a budget, he added at an event hosted by The Hill and the Bipartisan Policy Center, marking the 50th anniversary of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act.

The Congressional Budget Act, passed in 1974, stipulates that Congress pass a concurrent resolution, laying out its blueprint for the budget in April each year before moving forward with the appropriations process.

However, Congress has increasingly failed to adopt concurrent budget resolutions since the turn of the century, in the face of rising polarization.

Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who served as chairman of the House Budget Committee from 1989 to 1993, suggested that the current situation requires either strong leadership or a crisis.

I think ultimately it may very well require crisis, Panetta said Wednesday. And that crisis is coming.

Weve got a $34 trillion, $35 trillion debt, he continued. Were paying more interest now than defense, for gods sake. And its going to keep going up. Itll eat away our resources in this country, and ultimately it will undermine the economy.

However, former Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ky.), who chaired the House Budget Committee between 2017 and 2023, questioned whether the process laid out by the Congressional Budget Act still makes sense.

Yarmuth suggested the top-line spending numbers might not be that different whether or not Congress ultimately adopts a concurrent resolution.

Recognizing the 50th anniversary [of the Congressional Budget Act] may be a real opportunity to step back and say, What is the best process? Is what the Budget Act of 74 prescribed the best process? And Im not sure it is, he said.

Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), who currently serves as ranking member of the House Budget Committee, also said Wednesday he thinks Congress should look at reasonable bipartisan reforms to the process.

We have seen increasingly in recent years a failure to pass appropriations on time, to even get the proposals out by the stated statuary dates, Boyle said.

We have also seen the hyperpolarization within both major parties contribute to that dysfunction as it relates to the Budget Control Act and the budget process, he added. So, I do think it is time to look at reasonable bipartisan reforms to our budget process.

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Congress last month passed sweeping legislation to fund the government, months after the initial deadline in October.

The passage of the fiscal 2024 government funding bills capped off a bruising months-long process for Congress, particularly House Republicans, as divides between various factions of the conference on spending and thorny policy areas like abortion dominated attention during the summer leading up to a historic ouster of the partys leader, and thereafter.

House Republicans have since been eager to turn the page on government funding, as both chambers ramp up the annual appropriations process for fiscal 2025.

But negotiators have already acknowledged a funding stopgap of some kind will likely be necessary in September, when Congress faces its next shutdown deadline, as negotiators try to make ground with a late start hashing out funding for fiscal 2025  all the while navigating election-year politics.

Aris Folley contributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The George SantosexpelledfromCongress narrative arc went from This is kind of entertaining to Oh, wow, hes really on Cameo to Please, no more in record time.

Which is probably why, so far, there doesnt seem to be much of an appetite for a Santos redux, in either eastern Long Islandwhere hes attempting to run for Congress again, this time as an independent in the district that includes the Hamptonsor literally anywhere else.

On Monday, Santos newfound campaign committee submitted its first quarterly filing with the Federal Election Commission. And the committee reported, somewhat comically, that it had zero donors, had raised zero dollars, and that there had been zero dollars spent.

Santos has since provided some curious explanations for the lack of fundraising. He told the Daily Beast he wont raise any money until hes confirmed on the general election ballot as an independent candidate, a task that will reportedly require him to obtain the signatures of 3,500 voters in New Yorks 1st District by the end of May. And he told the New York Daily News that hes trying to cut against unfair media narratives. If I raise money, youre going to say Im doing it to grift or to fund my lavish lifestyle or whatever you want to write, he said, referencing the credible allegations of his having previously used contributions to fund his lavish lifestyle. (In addition to a House Ethics investigation that found substantial evidence of criminal misconduct by Santos, he also faces 23 felony charges, including stealing donors identities and spending their money without their consent. Santos has denied wrongdoing, and a trial date is tentatively set for September.)

The $0 fundraising quarter for Santos 2024 campaign got some well-earned media attention this week, but a separate report about the zombified remnants of Santos 2022 campaign was also submitted to the FEC on Monday. That report revealed a bunch of still-outstanding debts to an eclectic collection of characters from the Santos Extended Universenone of whom are presumably thrilled to hear that, as a strategic matter, he has no intention of replenishing his fundraising coffers anytime soon.

There are, for instance, roughly $6,000 in newly recorded debts to the consulting firm of the Santos campaigns treasurer, Jason D. Boles. Thats his current campaign treasurer, to be clear.

Being in debt to your own treasurer, the person tasked with tallying your finances, is a dynamic that could charitably be described as  not great. And yet, in a brief phone interview on Tuesday, Santos told me that Boles is sticking by him. (Boles, for his part, said no comment, hung up on me midquestion about Santos, and didnt answer my email query.)

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Hes still my treasurer, and I dont think I need to express or explain to you what my strategy is moving forward to make sure I pay all my consultants, Santos told me. The one thing I can tell you is that everyone thats ever worked for me has always gotten paid. Obviously, the circumstances here are a little extenuating, but yes, everybody will be paid eventually.

On the one hand, its not unusual for political campaigns to continue filing FEC reports well after the actual campaigning has ceased; there are often debts and obligations left to paylegal fees, consulting, media production, that sort of thing, said Robert Maguire, research director at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Campaign committees can use cash on hand, or solicit more contributions, to pay off prior debts.

On the other hand, the 2022 Santos campaigns reported debts and obligations have grown larger since he won his race, a decidedly less normal situation. Of the $781,932.07 in debts and obligations currently owed, $630,000 are purported personal loans from Santos to his own campaign. When I first reached Santos and brought up debts and obligations, he assumed that that was what I was calling about. Those are just loans of mine that are outstanding, he responded.

I told him I was actually calling about the money his campaign owes to other people, much of which was undisclosed until the latter half of 2023including to his former campaign manager ($4,000); a pair of field operators ($42,500); his treasurer ($6,015, a debt that was just incurred); his legal firm ($68,727.79); and his favorite restaurant, the Queens-based Italian joint Il Bacco ($10,000 for catering services dating back to Santos 2022 election night victory).

Most of the above, sans the lingering catering service costs, would be somewhat routine if they were any other candidate, Maguire said. But when you have a campaign that has been mired in so much financial chaos, much of it remaining unresolved, it does raise some questions.

One such question: Why would Boles, the treasurer (who works for a campaign consulting service called RTA Strategy Inc.), willingly partner up with George Santos, given his reputation? You would think a seasoned campaign finance compliance person wouldve known what they were getting into, Maguire said.

Its not as if Boles predecessors left rave reviews of the job. Santos former campaign treasurer Nancy Marks pleaded guilty in October to a felony count of conspiracy to defraud the United States; she admitted to making up campaign donations for Santos, and said a $500,000 personal loan Santos supposedly gave to his campaign was fake, an attempt to make his candidacy look stronger. After Marks left, the Santos campaign briefly listed on its FEC filings another treasurer, Tom Datwyler, who quickly swore up and down that he never agreed to work with the volatile congressman. As with many Santos-related matters, there was much more to the story. According to the Daily Beast, Datwyler reportedly used a high school buddy named Andrew Olson to sign off as treasurer in his steada naked attempt to take the heat off Datwyler himself. Boles picked up the baton and conducted a campaign audit beginning in May 2023.

According to previous FEC filings, Boles firm was getting paid on time by the Santos campaign  until now. It cant be reassuring for Boles that, on top of everything else, the 2022 Santos campaign is still refunding individual contributorsaround $21,000 this most recent periodleaving almost zero margins to pay down debts. The 2022 campaign is now reporting just $6,290.60 cash on hand, which includes some leftover pocket change from another zombified campaign committee of Santos that dates back to his unsuccessful 2020 run.

Perhaps Boles, whos also Marjorie Taylor Greenes treasurer, is motivated by a patriotic sense of duty to help MAGAs most obnoxious espousers, as some kind of exercise in owning the libs. Who knows how many more unpaid FEC filing cycles that sense of duty will last.

As for other debtees: Santos former campaign manager Gabrielle Lipsky did not respond to my email asking about the $4,000 shes owed. The last time the Santos campaign paid down its debts to Lipsky was in September, when it cut a $3,500 check, leaving a $4,000 balance.

Then theres Il Bacco. In late 2022, the Santos campaign said it paid the restaurant $8,000 in outstanding debt. But Boles first noted that there was $10,000 in remaining debt owed to Il Baccoan amount labeled as election night cateringin an October 2023 filing with a parenthetical that reads: TREASURER BECAME AWARE OF PRIOR DEBT IN CURRENT PERIOD. (That parenthetical was employed seven times in total on the Santos campaigns October filing, back when the Santos campaign was still paying its treasurer on time.)

I hoped Il Bacco ownership might talk to me about the Santos campaigns owing the business at least $10,000 for at least a year and a half. Santos was a frequent patron of the restaurant and, mysteriously, repeatedly paid exactly $199.99 for meals during the 202122 campaignjust under the threshold where a receipt would be required by the FEC. Alas, Il Baccos owner, Joe Oppedisano, pleaded the Fifth when I called him, deferring all questions to Tina Maria Oppedisano, his daughter and the restaurants operations manager. I eventually reached Tina Maria, who politely informed me she simply cannot answer questions about Santos.

I tried to bring up Il Bacco to Santos, but he swiftly grew tired of my inquiries. Im going to ask you: Do you have anything else aside from trying to distort and sensationalize a campaign FEC report? he rebutted. When I asked why he had just given a $400 donation to Rep. Lauren Boebert while not squaring up with his former campaign manager or treasurer or favorite restaurant, he replied: My personal funds have nothing to do with campaign funds. Period.

Technicallyan extremely important qualifier when were talking about George Santos and his financeshes right. Campaign obligations and personal obligations are not one and the same. The problem for Santos is that although he might be able to forgive the personal loans he alleges to have contributed to his campaign, that doesnt solve for the individuals and businesses who are still owed money. To pay down debts, money must materialize.

I dont understand how his response makes any sense, Maguire told me. If hes not raising any money and his campaign is deep in debt, how is he going to retire that debt through his campaign? Its not going to have donors anymore. It already has net-negative donors. If he thinks his new campaign is going to help, well, that one isnt raising any money either.

Maguire was careful to include a caveat in his analysis, which is that Donald Trump is facing even more felony charges than Santos, has his own well-trodden cash-flow issues, and just had a record-smashing fundraising haul.

Point being: Money can materialize in American politics. But if Santos has any hope of relieving his prior campaign debts, hell have to fundraiseand fundraise effectively. Im skeptical of an actual Santos revival, given his bleak reputation among even fellow MAGA-world stars.

Still, we have no idea what insanity awaits us, Maguire said, speaking generally but also of Santos potential return to politics. I have been doing this long enough to see people who, in a normal world should not be able to raise lots of money, then raise a lot of money.
(Bloomberg) -- Alphabet Inc.s Google fired 28 employees after they were involved in protests against Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion joint contract with Amazon.com Inc. to provide the Israeli government and military with AI and cloud services.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The protests, which were led by the No Tech for Apartheid organization, took place Tuesday across Google offices in New York City, Seattle, and Sunnyvale, California. Protesters in New York and California staged a nearly 10-hour sit-in, with others documenting the action, including through a Twitch livestream. Nine of them were arrested Tuesday evening on trespassing charges.

Several workers involved in the protests, including those who were not directly engaged in the sit-in, received a message from the companys Employee Relations group informing them that they had been put on leave. Google told the affected employees that its keeping this matter as confidential as possible, only disclosing information on a need to know basis in an email seen by Bloomberg. On Wednesday evening, the workers were informed they were being dismissed by the company, according to a statement from Google staff with the No Tech for Apartheid campaign.

Physically impeding other employees work and preventing them from accessing our facilities is a clear violation of our policies, and completely unacceptable behavior, Google said in a statement about the protesters. After refusing multiple requests to leave the premises, law enforcement was engaged to remove them to ensure office safety. We have so far concluded individual investigations that resulted in the termination of employment for 28 employees, and will continue to investigate and take action as needed.The protest came a day before the Israeli government approved its five-year strategic plan to transition to the cloud under Project Nimbus and expand digital services. Israels Defense Ministry and military were listed in a government statement as partners in Project Nimbus, along with other government offices. A representative for Google said that the Nimbus contract is not directed at highly sensitive, classified, or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services.

Google has long favored a culture of open debate, but employee activism in recent years has tested that commitment. Workers who organized a 2018 walkout over the companys handling of sexual assault allegations said Google punished them for their activism. Four other workers alleged they were fired for organizing opposition to Googles work with federal Customs and Border Protection and for other workplace advocacy.

US labor law gives employees the right to engage in collective action related to working conditions. Tech workers will likely argue that this should grant them the ability to band together to object to how the tools they create are used, said John Logan, a professor of labor at San Francisco State University.

Tech workers are not like other kinds of workers, he said. You can make an argument in this case that having some sort of say or control or ability to protest about how their work product is being used is actually a sort of key issue.

Tech companies like Google have a reputation for having more egalitarian and very cosmopolitan work cultures, but when they encountered labor activism among their own workers, they actually responded in a sort of quite draconian way, Logan added.

Two Googlers who were involved in the protest in California told Bloomberg that a group of workers gathered on the sixth floor of Googles Sunnyvale bureau, where Cloud Chief Executive Officer Thomas Kurians office is located, to show support for those who were staging the sit-in. Its unclear how Google identified participants in the protest, as only some had their badges scanned by security personnel, and some of those who were fired were outside Googles offices, according to the employees.

One worker said Google may have framed the move to initially place employees on leave as confidential to save face publicly, and argued that the protesters did not violate any company policies. The protesters left the building as soon as they were asked to and did not obstruct or disrupt others at the company, the person said.

Every single one of the twenty-eight people whose employment was terminated was personally and definitively involved in disruptive activity inside our buildings, a Google spokesperson said in a statement. We carefully confirmed every single one (and then actually reconfirmed each one) during our investigation. The groups were live-streaming themselves from the physical spaces they had taken over for many hours, which did help us with our confirmation. And many employees whose work was physically disrupted submitted complaints, with details and evidence. So the claims to the contrary being made are just nonsense."

Beyond the protest, Google has struggled with how to manage internal debate about the Middle East conflict. After the demonstration, posts on internal Google forums featured a mix of pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli sentiment, with a number of other workers saying they felt the topic was inappropriate for the workplace, a Google employee said. Moderators locked down some threads on the subject, saying prior discussions had gotten too heated, the employee added.

Despite Googles response, employees demonstrating against Project Nimbus have seen an uptick in support since the sit-in, said one of the fired workers.

--With assistance from Marissa Newman and Mark Bergen.

(Updates with further Google statement)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Great Southern Bancorp (GSBC) reported $51.62 million in revenue for the quarter ended March 2024, representing a year-over-year decline of 15.5%. EPS of $1.13 for the same period compares to $1.67 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -1.21% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $52.26 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $1.04, the EPS surprise was +8.65%.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Great Southern Bancorp performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

Net Interest Margin : 3.3% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 3.3%.

Total Non Interest Income : $6.81 million versus $6.93 million estimated by two analysts on average.

Net Interest Income: $44.82 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $45.32 million.

View all Key Company Metrics for Great Southern Bancorp here>>>



Shares of Great Southern Bancorp have returned -1.8% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.1% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

Great Southern Bancorp, Inc. (GSBC) : Free Stock Analysis Report

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

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Its a little box.

A little box with $418 million implications for the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and reverberating impacts on the Hilton Head area real estate market.

In that little box on the database called the Multiple Listing Service or MLS, the NAR had selling real estate agents write in the commission a real estate agent representing the buying party would make on a sale. While buyer agents can see that number, homeowners cant. That policy is a major aspect of a collection of rules that lawyers argued created higher prices and lower quality service for American home buyers and sellers in a national lawsuit against the NAR.

The deal, which still needs a federal courts approval, attempts to rectify those claims from multiple home sellers across the United States. On behalf of its more than 1.5 million members, the NAR agreed to pay out $418 million to homeowners over four years. It also agreed to do away with the little box on the database, effectively eliminating the 3% longtime-industry-standard sales commission for buying agents that are baked into the price of a home. NAR expects to implement the changes outlined in the proposed settlement by mid-July 2024.

It could have major implications for the local market, changing agents role in the home buying process, with potential consequences for their commissions and businesses. Or not, according to local Realtors.

We still dont know, said REsides CEO Colette Stevenson of what the impact could be. REsides is Hilton Heads shareholder-owned MLS, complicating the situation further because the organization isnt inherently covered by the settlement. The settlement would resolve claims against NAR and nearly every member; all state, territorial and local Realtors associations, and all association-owned MLSs

REsides could choose to opt into the settlement, but Stevenson said they havent made a decision yet.

Stevenson said that the majority of REsides members are also part of the National Association of Realtors, and they would be covered by the settlement that way, regardless of REsides decision.

They should be covered under their broker and agent agreements that they have with the association, she said.

Will homeowners still use buyer agents?

This isnt New Jersey, Realtor Peter Geary said, estimating that about three-quarters of Hilton Head area real estate transactions are in private communities, and explaining that for sale signs arent allowed on the island and many buyers are unfamiliar with the area.

Its reasoning for why Hilton Head is positioned to need buyers agents, according to Realtors, against a wave of questioning from homebuyers over whether paying for a buyer agent is necessary under the potential NAR lawsuit policy changes. While Realtors say the need for buyer agents wont go away, brokerages business and payment models for those agents may change.

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Currently, homeowners pay about 5-6% commission on top of the sale price of their home. Thats upwards of $31,000 on the Hilton Head areas average 2023 home price: $516,500.

That 5-6% is typically split between the buying agent and the selling agent, and the selling agent advertises how much of that share they will pay the buying agent on the MLS  in the little box connected to the listing. Only Realtors can see the advertised percentage, not homebuyers. Whats more, is that buyer agents could filter listings based on commission and potentially favor showing homes with high commissions to homebuyers to maximize their profit.

If the deal is approved, agents wont be able to do this on the MLS, meaning that 3% isnt essentially guaranteed and homeowners will have more control over what they want to pay agents.

The change has a lot of homeowners believing that they dont need to pay a buying agent, according to Geary.

Thats like cutting off your nose to spite your face, he said, explaining that buyers agents function is to bring in qualified, educated, vetted home buyers who arent going to waste your time. In Hilton Heads market, this role is further needed because potential buyers cant enter a gated community without a pass to see a neighborhood, and many buyers are out of state, and unfamiliar with the area.

Geary said that the need for buyer agents wont go away, but predicts the market will start to see a widening gap between how brokerages conduct and generate businesses between those who prioritize transactions versus those who prioritize relationships.

If not 3%, then what?

The lack of an almost certain commission for homebuyers opens up the possibility for itemized services, meaning that Realtors might charge each time they drive a potential buyer around Sea Pines, for example. This could be a flat fee or by the hour.

Its not Gearys style.

How do you teach somebody about a market if every single time you get in the car, youre nickel-and-diming them? he asked. Im not going to charge people to do that.

But real estate agents are independent contractors and each one is going to run their business the way they see best. A piecemeal approach isnt what Realtor Chip Collins is doing with his brokerage either. Collins said that there have always been different service models, but for him, its business as usual as a full-service brokerage, and he isnt aware of any local brokerages switching to an itemized model so far.

For brokerages who choose to do an itemized approach, it will eliminate the tire-kickers, Geary said of the people who arent serious about buying, but want to shop for a property as more of a hobby or curiosity without means or interest in purchasing.

The seller agent could also still cover the buyer agent fee, and pay them 3%; however, theyre not allowed to advertise it in the MLS. Geary, for example, advertises a 3% buyer commission on his private website.

If you think about the MLS as a magazine of all the houses for sale, you cant advertise cooperating brokerage commissions in that magazine, but you can put it anywhere else you want it, he said.

As part of the proposed national settlement, there is a requirement for written buyer agency agreements, saying how much they will be paid in writing. This wont impact Hilton Head because that practice has been in place in South Carolina for decades, according to Hilton Head Area Realtors CEO Jean Beck. The state is one of 18 that already required these written agreements.

Will home prices fall?

The lawsuit alleges that the National Association of Realtors rules reduced price competition among brokers and led to higher prices, inferring that without these rules the market would be more competitive and the price to buy a home would go down.

Stevenson, the REsides CEO, predicts that while the sticker price for a home may look less expensive, the actual price will stay around the same. For example, if a home sold for $1 million, on the MLS that would encompass the buyer and seller agent fees, she said. Now, it wont.

What youre paying for the home will still be the market value, she said. But some of the extra costs that maybe were wrapped into the price before will be removed.

Geary said that if homeowners dont pay a buyers agent in commission, theyll end up paying in time or money elsewhere.

Do you want to (...) make sure you get your full sale (price) and get it sold the first two weeks? he said of working with a buyers agent. Or you want to keep letting (the home stay on the market) week after week after week, not selling, and you get less and less money for it?
Jeremy Hunt faces calls to simplify the tax system - MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

Jeremy Hunt has been urged to demand inheritance tax on pension pots by one of Britains most influential economic think tanks.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has said the Chancellor could raise 1bn to 2bn in the coming decades by ending the tax-free passing on of unspent pension funds.

Experts at the IFS also urged Mr Hunt to scrap exemptions for the passing on of agricultural land.

David Sturrock, senior research economist, said: Inheritance tax is littered with special reliefs and exemptions which make the tax unfair. Rather than gradually carving out more and more assets from the tax, the Government should take steps to reduce or eliminate some of the major exemptions in the system.

Eliminating the special treatment given to some shares, capping reliefs for business and agricultural assets, and bringing pension pots into the scope of the tax would make the system fairer and raise revenues.

Under existing rules, people with defined contribution pensions can bequeath any money left when they die without incurring an inheritance charge.

The think tank said this loophole encourages wealthy people to fund their retirement in other ways, and hoard their pension savings to avoid paying tax.

The argument comes in an analysis of inheritance tax reliefs for certain types of assets after the Chancellor in the Budget announced such exemptions would be expanded to agricultural land.

It follows repeated reports over the last year that the Treasury was thinking of abolishing or significantly reducing the tax.

Yet after several fiscal statements no such policy has yet emerged.

The IFS said that Mr Hunt could significantly lower the rate of inheritance tax or raise money for other spending by scrapping the exemptions and simplifying the system.

Shares in small and mid-sized growth companies listed on the London Stock Exchanges AIM market also receive special treatment if held for two years before death.

Removing this exception would raise 1.6bn by the end of the decade, according to the IFS.

It also highlighted that capping the relief on the bequeathing of a family firm or agricultural land to 500,000 per person would raise 1.8bn by 2029-2030.

The complexity of the system means that despite the headline rate being 40pc, estates are often taxed far less.

On average, 10m estates face an effective tax rate of 17pc while those worth 2m are taxed more at 24pc, according to the IFS.

This partly reflects the fact that the wealthiest families can access the best tax advice, according to experts.

The Office of Tax Simplification a decade ago found that 88 types of reliefs to inheritance tax existed, making the system incredibly complex for families to navigate.

Story continues

Arun Advani, associate professor at the University of Warwick, said: Last years rumours of inheritance tax abolition were proved wrong. There was no big-bang change to the tax, but instead it looks to be facing death by a thousand cuts, as yet another relief was introduced. The top four reliefs alone reduce the tax take from inheritance tax by 38pc relative to if they were scrapped.

Inheritance tax is one of Britains most disliked forms of taxation, with polling from YouGov showing a majority of the population find it unfair. This is despite the fact that only 5pc of estates were hit by it last year.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Mumtada Medical Company, a specialised rehabilitation and long-term post-acute care (LTPAC) company founded by prominent business leader Fawaz Alhokair, and Mass General Brigham on Thursday announced a collaboration aimed at advancing rehabilitation and LTPAC in Saudi Arabia.

As a first step of what is envisioned to be a long-term strategic relationship in Saudi Arabia, Mass General Brigham will support Mumtada Medical Company with the establishment of its inaugural rehabilitation hospital in Riyadh, to be named Mumtada Rehabilitation Hospital, a statement said.

This collaboration represents a significant milestone in addressing the growing demand and need for comprehensive rehabilitation and LTPAC services in the region. By sharing expertise and best practices, both organizations aspire to enhance access to patient-centered rehabilitative and LTPAC, improve patient outcomes and elevate the overall quality of life in the region.

Throughout the collaboration, world-renowned physicians, therapists, nurses and subject-matter experts from Spaulding Rehabilitation - a member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system and the official teaching hospital of the Harvard Medical School Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation - alongside other experts from across Mass General Brigham, will actively engage in clinical programming, workforce plan development, quality plan development, information technology and on-site commissioning support for Mumtada Rehabilitation Hospital.

We are pleased to announce the collaboration with Mumtada Medical Company in shaping the future of rehabilitative care and long-term post-acute care services for patients in need of these critical services in Saudi Arabia. This collaboration underscores both Mass General Brighams and Mumtada Medical Companys commitment to advancing healthcare and science globally, reflecting our shared vision for enhancing the quality of life for all, worldwide, said Dr Ross Zafonte, DO, President, Spaulding Rehabilitation.

"We stand at the brink of a transformative era in healthcare within Saudi Arabia and are excited to commence this collaboration with Mass General Brigham and Spaulding Rehabilitation. In this partnership, we will apply our understanding of the Saudi population, our ability to rapidly design, develop, build operate and scale large facilities and businesses. Moreover, with the international experience of our Group CEO Dr. Aiman Shalabi and his outstanding leadership team, we are poised to transform this sector in Saudi Arabia in collaboration with the global expertise and leadership from Mass General Brigham and Spaulding Rehabilitation, said Fawaz Alhokair, Chairman Mumtada Medical Company.

Located in Massachusetts, US, Mass General Brigham is an integrated academic healthcare system comprising leading medical experts, academic medical centres, community and specialty hospitals, and other healthcare entities. Spaulding Rehabilitation is a globally recognised leader in rehabilitation medicine and is consistently ranked among the top rehabilitation hospitals in the US.

The Mumtada Rehabilitation Hospital marks the beginning of a vision to create an integrated network of facilities throughout Saudi Arabia. Each facility provides holistic care with physical healing, empowering individuals and their families to navigate their recovery journey with resilience and wellness, said the statement. - TradeArabia News Service
Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), speaks at a press conference following a meeting with the heads of the five major international economic and financial organizations. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Ukrainian government will need $42 billion in budget support this year amid the ongoing Russian invasion. Britta Pedersen/dpa

The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, has called on Europe to be more innovative.

Especially in comparison to the United States, Europe is lagging behind, Georgieva said on Thursday at the IMF and World Bank spring meetings in Washington.

There is a power of innovation in the US, she said. It is easy there to turn this into a business and ultimately realize it on a larger scale. Europe, on the other hand, still has a lot to do to unleash the power of innovation, she said. Georgieva cited the different prices for patents as an example.

According to Georgieva, the US also benefits from an oversupply of labour. It is true that immigrants create a domestic problem and not everyone who crosses the border contributes positively to the economy, said Georgieva, but this labour supply also gives the United States another advantage.

As there is no shortage of labour, wages in the US are not rising excessively. In Europe, there needs to be more investment in human capital to make the labour force more agile and dynamic.

According to an IMF forecast, the US economy is growing much more strongly than expected. The growth forecast for this year has been revised upwards by 0.6 points to 2.7%. The forecast for the eurozone is 0.8%.

Georgieva added that Europe had been hit much harder than the US by the energy crisis in the wake of the Russian war against Ukraine.
Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), speaks at a press conference following a meeting with the heads of the five major international economic and financial organizations. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Ukrainian government will need $42 billion in budget support this year amid the ongoing Russian invasion. Britta Pedersen/dpa

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Ukrainian government will need $42 billion in budget support this year amid the ongoing Russian invasion.

"We have confidence that this need would be met," IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said on Thursday in Washington at the IMF and World Bank spring meetings.

She praised the remarkable determination of Ukrainians and said support for the country remains stable as it continues to fight against Russian forces.

But she said the best outcome for the world would be an end to the war in Ukraine, and an end to the war in the Gaza Strip as well.

The IMF is supporting Ukraine with a loan programme that was approved around a year ago. It has a term of four years and is intended to give Ukraine access to $15.6 billion.

A few weeks ago, the IMF approved a further financial injection for Kiev from the programme, enabling the country to withdraw $880 million.
Key Insights

The considerable ownership by individual investors in Spark New Zealand indicates that they collectively have a greater say in management and business strategy

The top 25 shareholders own 38% of the company

Institutions own 43% of Spark New Zealand

A look at the shareholders of Spark New Zealand Limited (NZSE:SPK) can tell us which group is most powerful. With 57% stake, individual investors possess the maximum shares in the company. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn).

Institutions, on the other hand, account for 43% of the company's stockholders. Institutions will often hold stock in bigger companies, and we expect to see insiders owning a noticeable percentage of the smaller ones.

Let's delve deeper into each type of owner of Spark New Zealand, beginning with the chart below.

Check out our latest analysis for Spark New Zealand

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Spark New Zealand?

Institutions typically measure themselves against a benchmark when reporting to their own investors, so they often become more enthusiastic about a stock once it's included in a major index. We would expect most companies to have some institutions on the register, especially if they are growing.

We can see that Spark New Zealand does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company's stock. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. If multiple institutions change their view on a stock at the same time, you could see the share price drop fast. It's therefore worth looking at Spark New Zealand's earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters.

We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in Spark New Zealand. Our data shows that BlackRock, Inc. is the largest shareholder with 10% of shares outstanding. For context, the second largest shareholder holds about 8.8% of the shares outstanding, followed by an ownership of 4.0% by the third-largest shareholder.

On studying our ownership data, we found that 25 of the top shareholders collectively own less than 50% of the share register, implying that no single individual has a majority interest.

While it makes sense to study institutional ownership data for a company, it also makes sense to study analyst sentiments to know which way the wind is blowing. Quite a few analysts cover the stock, so you could look into forecast growth quite easily.

Story continues

Insider Ownership Of Spark New Zealand

The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it.

Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances.

Our most recent data indicates that insiders own less than 1% of Spark New Zealand Limited. It's a big company, so even a small proportional interest can create alignment between the board and shareholders. In this case insiders own NZ$6.9m worth of shares. Arguably, recent buying and selling is just as important to consider. You can click here to see if insiders have been buying or selling.

General Public Ownership

The general public, who are usually individual investors, hold a substantial 57% stake in Spark New Zealand, suggesting it is a fairly popular stock. This size of ownership gives investors from the general public some collective power. They can and probably do influence decisions on executive compensation, dividend policies and proposed business acquisitions.

Next Steps:

It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Spark New Zealand better, we need to consider many other factors. To that end, you should learn about the 3 warning signs we've spotted with Spark New Zealand (including 1 which is a bit unpleasant) .

But ultimately it is the future, not the past, that will determine how well the owners of this business will do. Therefore we think it advisable to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a brighter future.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Key Insights

Using the 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity, InNature Berhad fair value estimate is RM0.60

InNature Berhad's RM0.32 share price signals that it might be 48% undervalued

Analyst price target for INNATURE is RM0.32 which is 47% below our fair value estimate

Today we will run through one way of estimating the intrinsic value of InNature Berhad (KLSE:INNATURE) by taking the forecast future cash flows of the company and discounting them back to today's value. We will use the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model on this occasion. Models like these may appear beyond the comprehension of a lay person, but they're fairly easy to follow.

Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you.

View our latest analysis for InNature Berhad

The Model

We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast

2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF (MYR, Millions) RM30.7m RM23.6m RM28.6m RM30.8m RM32.7m RM34.6m RM36.3m RM37.9m RM39.5m RM41.1m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Est @ 7.60% Est @ 6.39% Est @ 5.53% Est @ 4.93% Est @ 4.52% Est @ 4.22% Est @ 4.02% Present Value (MYR, Millions) Discounted @ 10% RM27.8 RM19.4 RM21.3 RM20.7 RM20.0 RM19.1 RM18.1 RM17.2 RM16.2 RM15.3

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = RM195m

We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (3.5%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 10%.

Story continues

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033  (1 + g)  (r  g) = RM41m (1 + 3.5%)  (10% 3.5%) = RM620m

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= RM620m ( 1 + 10%)10= RM231m

The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is RM426m. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of RM0.3, the company appears quite good value at a 48% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out.

dcf

The Assumptions

The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at InNature Berhad as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 10%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.080. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business.

SWOT Analysis for InNature Berhad

Strength

Currently debt free.

Dividends are covered by earnings and cash flows.

Weakness

Earnings declined over the past year.

Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Specialty Retail market.

Opportunity

Annual earnings are forecast to grow faster than the Malaysian market.

Trading below our estimate of fair value by more than 20%.

Threat

Revenue is forecast to grow slower than 20% per year.

Next Steps:

Whilst important, the DCF calculation shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. What is the reason for the share price sitting below the intrinsic value? For InNature Berhad, we've compiled three fundamental elements you should assess:

Risks: Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with InNature Berhad , and understanding these should be part of your investment process. Future Earnings: How does INNATURE's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered!

PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every Malaysian stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  $1.8 Billion is sitting in an account that was discovered in October, but South Carolina officials dont know which agency it belongs to.

A newly released report shows that state treasurer Curtis Loftis is responsible.

Treasurer Loftis claimed during sworn testimony on April 2nd, 2024, that the $1.8 billion fund has earned $225 million, an interest that has been spent by the General Assembly. If this claim is accurate then, his failure to disclose the fund may have impaired the general assemblys fiduciary responsibility to ensure proper application of its earnings, Senator Larry Grooms said.

Grooms, Chairman of the Finance Subcommittee, says if the money and interest belonged to a federally authorized fund and was spent, then lawmakers have breached fiduciary duties.

The subcommittee discovered the states general fund showed a negative balance of $474 million last June, violating a South Carolina code.

RELATED: A rebate check could be on the way for South Carolina residents. Where is the $1.8B coming from?

The subcommittee has evidence indicated that the office of state treasurer took deliberate steps to conceal the negative cash position. The subcommittee understands that the states investment portfolio on June 3rd, 2023, reflected unrealized losses of 990 million, despite positive bank balances and record receipts of revenue into the states general fund, Grooms said on the Senate floor Tuesday.

The investigation found several considerable discrepancies in actual bank balances compared to the reported amounts from the converted 2015 bank account.

Grooms claims Loftis broke policy by failing to report an accurate statement of the cash transactions of the treasury to the comptroller.

The subcommittee found that on multiple occasions the comptroller general requested satisfactory information from the treasurer, but the treasurer would not or could not provide the information, Grooms said.

He says an independent audit confirmed that finding. The subcommittee found that the $.8 billion is held in a special fund designated to and authorized by Loftis office.

Grooms says during the investigation in December  Loftis previously blamed the old Comptroller, Richard Eckstrom.

RELATED: Who owns the mysterious $1.8B? SC finance committee searches for more answers

Treasurer Loftis said no noticeable difficulty in answering many questions, repeatedly giving responses that were irrelevant to questions asked by the subcommittee. He often said he did not know the answer to questions frequently turned to his members of staff for answers and on multiple occasions attempted to ignore members questions entirely.

Story continues

Loftis also threatened to post sensitive bank information online during his April 2nd hearing. Grooms is calling for his resignation.

We dont know that any money is missing, but were talking about 1.8 Billion. We could be talking about 2.5 Billion. We dont know. Its inconceivable to us that someone could transfer over $1,000,000,000 out of the state treasury and nobody would really know. Thats a problem, Grooms said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
For many investors, the main point of stock picking is to generate higher returns than the overall market. But the risk of stock picking is that you will likely buy under-performing companies. We regret to report that long term Venture Corporation Limited (SGX:V03) shareholders have had that experience, with the share price dropping 30% in three years, versus a market decline of about 0.02%.

Since Venture has shed S$128m from its value in the past 7 days, let's see if the longer term decline has been driven by the business' economics.

View our latest analysis for Venture

There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. One way to examine how market sentiment has changed over time is to look at the interaction between a company's share price and its earnings per share (EPS).

During the three years that the share price fell, Venture's earnings per share (EPS) dropped by 3.3% each year. The share price decline of 11% is actually steeper than the EPS slippage. So it seems the market was too confident about the business, in the past.

The graphic below depicts how EPS has changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

It's probably worth noting that the CEO is paid less than the median at similar sized companies. But while CEO remuneration is always worth checking, the really important question is whether the company can grow earnings going forward. Before buying or selling a stock, we always recommend a close examination of historic growth trends, available here..

What About Dividends?

It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. It's fair to say that the TSR gives a more complete picture for stocks that pay a dividend. We note that for Venture the TSR over the last 3 years was -20%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!

A Different Perspective

We regret to report that Venture shareholders are down 15% for the year (even including dividends). Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 3.5%. Having said that, it's inevitable that some stocks will be oversold in a falling market. The key is to keep your eyes on the fundamental developments. Unfortunately, last year's performance may indicate unresolved challenges, given that it was worse than the annualised loss of 1.7% over the last half decade. We realise that Baron Rothschild has said investors should "buy when there is blood on the streets", but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality business. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Venture better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with Venture , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

Story continues

If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on 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.
Marquee customer case studies and open networking strategies will be examined on a panel hosted by IP Infusion Chief Marketing and Product Officer Kelly LeBlanc

SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 18, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IP Infusion, the market leader in carrier-grade networking software systems, will be hosting an executive panel at the upcoming 2024 Open Compute Project (OCP) Regional Summit in Portugal.

"A Practical Guide to Disaggregated Networking: IP Infusion, Madeo Consultant, and Prosoluce Present the Keys to Success" will examine several marquee IP Infusion deployments in use today. IP Infusion Chief Marketing and Product Officer Kelly LeBlanc will host the Wednesday, April 24 panel, with representatives from Madeo Consultant and Prosoluce discussing their use cases in detail.

Madeo Consultant is a systems integrator based in France currently using IP Infusions OcNOS networking software products in a data center environment, replacing legacy Cisco products with modern open networking hardware and disaggregated software. Madeo Consultant Solutions Engineer Francois Defrocourt will discuss real-world lessons learned from the deployment and the evaluation process that determined IP Infusion as the most effective alternative to SONiC and Cisco.

Managed service provider Prosoluce, also based in France, will discuss their disaggregated networking strategy in upgrading a 10G backbone to 100G with modern features. This open networking strategy allowed efficient and timely upgrades and also provided seamless operations with Prosoluces existing multi-vendor network. Gael Hermet, Directeur General for Prosoluce, will discuss the disaggregated networking project and provide insights for any organization that has similar networking needs.

"We are always pleased to showcase real-world applications for open compute affiliations," said George Tchaparian, CEO of Open Compute Project Foundation. "Open computing, and with it Open Networking, is much more significant than being a product or group of products. It is a modernized way of thinking and deploying computing needs with disaggregation to an ends-oriented and economical perspective."

"For more than twenty years, IP Infusion has been a primary market presence for open computing and open networking in particular," said Atsushi Ogata, President and CEO of IP Infusion. "Advanced networking depends on open standards and interoperability, and IP Infusion is the networking software for disaggregated open networking."

The OCP Regional Summit in Europe serves as a platform where technical and business leaders tackle crucial issues related to data center sustainability, energy efficiency, and heat reuse. The focus is on exploring how innovations from hyperscale data center operators can contribute to solving these challenges.

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Event Details:

2024 OCP Regional Summit, Lisbon, Portugal

Wednesday, April 24 from 2:45-3:10 pm

About IP Infusion

IP Infusion manufactures open network software and solutions for carriers, service providers, and data centers. With hundreds of customers and thousands of deployments, IP Infusion is a market leader in Network Operating Systems. Our flagship software platform OcNOS allows network operators to disaggregate their networks, streamline operations, and reduce Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Network OEMs may also disaggregate network devices to expedite time to market, offer comprehensive services, and achieve carrier-grade robustness.

IP Infusion is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., and is a wholly owned and independently operated subsidiary of ACCESS CO., LTD. Additional information can be found at http://www.IPInfusion.com.

IP Infusion and OcNOS are trademarks or registered trademarks of IP Infusion. ACCESS is a registered trademark or trademark of ACCESS CO., LTD. in the United States, Japan and/or other countries. Northforge Innovations is a registered trademark of Northforge Innovations, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, or registered service marks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240418842858/en/

Contacts

Katherine Verducci

1903 PR

kverducci@1903pr.com

408.429.5779
Image source: The Motley Fool.

Kinder Morgan (NYSE: KMI)

Q1 2024 Earnings Call

Apr 17, 2024, 4:30 p.m. ET

Contents:

Prepared Remarks

Questions and Answers

Call Participants

Prepared Remarks:





Operator

Welcome to the quarterly earnings conference call. [Operator instructions] Today's call is being recorded. If you have any objections, please disconnect at this time. I'll now turn the call over to Mr.

Rich Kinder, executive chairman of Kinder Morgan. Thank you. You may begin.

Rich Kinder -- Executive Chairman

Thank you, Ted. As always, before we begin, I'd like to remind you that KMI's earnings release today and this call includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and of course the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as well as certain non-GAAP financial measures. Before making any investment decisions, we strongly encourage you to read our full disclosure on forward-looking statements and use of non-GAAP financial measures set forth at the end of our earnings release, as well as review our latest filings with the SEC for important material assumptions, expectations, and risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated and described in such forward-looking statements. Before turning the call over to Kim and the team who will report a good quarter at KMI, let me comment on another broader issue.

In past quarters, I've talked a lot about the demand for natural gas resulting from this country's LNG export facilities. Today, I want to speak briefly about what I and others in the industry now see as another source of increased demand for our commodity: the tremendous expected growth in the need for electric power. This growth is being driven by a number of factors, most prominently by the increasing demand of new and expanding data centers, especially those required to support AI. One recent survey showed a projected increase in electric demand to power data centers of 13% to 15% compounded annually through 2030.

Should you invest $1,000 in Kinder Morgan right now?

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The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Kinder Morgan wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

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Story continues

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Put another way, data centers used about 2.5% of U.S. electricity in 2022 and are projected to use about 20% by 2030. AI demand alone is projected at about 15% of demand in 2030. If just 40% of that AI demand is served by natural gas, that would result in incremental demand of 7 to 10 BCF a day.

Utilities throughout America are sounding the alarm, and one southeast utility announced its expectation that its winter demand would increase by 37% by 2031. PJM Interconnection, which operates the wholesale power market across part of the Midwest and the Northeast, has doubled its 15-year annual forecast for demand growth and estimates that demand in the region by 2029 will increase by about 10 gigawatts. Now to put that in perspective, 10 gigawatts is about twice the power demand of New York City on a typical day. The overriding question is how to handle this increased demand.

To answer that question, it's important to understand the nature of the increased demand. It's become increasingly obvious that reliability and affordability are the key factors. The power needed for AI and the massive data centers being built today and planned for the near future require affordable electricity that is available without interruption, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This type of need demonstrates that the emphasis on renewables as the only source of power is fatally flawed in terms of meeting the real demands of the market.

This is not a knock on renewables. We all know they will play a significant role in the future of electric generation, but it's a reminder to all of us that natural gas and nuclear still have an extremely important role to play in order to provide the uninterrupted power that AI and the data centers will need. The primary user of these data centers is big tech, and I believe they're beginning to recognize the role that natural gas and nuclear must play. They, like the rest of us, realize that the wind doesn't blow all the time.

The sun doesn't shine all the time, that the use of batteries to overcome the shortfall is not practically or economically feasible. And finally, that -- unfortunately, adding significant amounts of new nuclear power to the mix is not going to happen in the foreseeable future. In addition to all these factors, the market is now understanding that building transmission lines to connect distant renewables to the grid typically takes years to complete, and that's a time frame inconsistent with the need to place these data centers into service as quickly as possible. All this means that natural gas must play an important role in power generation for years to come.

I think acceptance of this hypothesis will become even clearer as power demand increases over the coming months and years, and it will be one more significant driver of growth in the demand for natural gas that will benefit all of us in the midstream sector. And with that, I'll turn it over to Kim.

Kim Dang -- President

OK. Thanks, Rich. I'm going to make a few overall points, and then I'll turn it over to Tom and David to give you all the details. We had a great quarter.

Adjusted EPS increased by 13%. EBITDA was up 7%, and that was driven by strong performance in natural gas and our refined products businesses. This type of growth is tremendous for a stable fee-based set of midstream assets as large as ours. So the balance sheet remains strong.

We ended the quarter at 4.1 times debt to EBITDA, and we continue to return significant value to shareholders. Today, our board approved an increase in the dividend of $0.02 per share. This is the seventh year in a row that we've increased the dividend. Our financial outlook of 14% growth in adjusted EPS for the year, as well as the other budget guidance we provided in January, is unchanged.

We've seen much lower gas prices than we anticipated this year, but the long-term fundamentals in natural gas remain very strong. Gas demand is expected to grow significantly between now and 2030 with a more than doubling of LNG exports, as well as a 50% increase in exports to Mexico. And that doesn't include the anticipated substantial increase in gas demand from power associated with AI and data centers that Rich just mentioned. Estimates we've seen range anywhere from 3 BCF to over 10 BCF, and we've seen some estimates as high as 16 BCF.

With respect to the LNG pause, we do not think it impacts our planned projects or the growth in the LNG market between now and 2030, although it could impact the mix of projects. But we think that is an unwanted -- we think the LNG pause is an unwise decision and bad policy. Our petroleum products business continues to produce very stable cash flow. Volumes are steady, and much of the business has tariff or contract escalators.

It will produce nice cash flow for years to come. It's also a capital-efficient business and has some nice growth opportunities around the edges, in product blending, renewable diesel, and other sustainable fuels. Our backlog of projects increased by about $300 million during the quarter due to new natural gas projects added. The backlog on -- the multiple on the backlog remains less than five times.

And I also think that we've got significant opportunity to add to the backlog within the next year. In our ETV business, we secured port space in the Houston Ship Channel for CO2 sequestration with capacity to store more than 300 million tons. Significant distance between the emitting source and the sequestration site often challenges CCS economics, and we've secured a very strategically located site. So we had a nice quarter in terms of growth.

We continue to expect nice growth for the year. We've got a sound balance sheet. We returned significant value to our shareholders, and we have nice opportunities to invest in the longer term. With that, I'll turn it over to Tom to give you details on the business performance for the quarter.

Tom Martin -- President, CO2 and Energy Transition Ventures

Thanks, Kim. Starting with the natural gas business unit, transport volumes increased by 2% for the quarter versus the first quarter of 2023, driven primarily by increased flows eastbound on the Rockies interstate pipelines into the Midcontinent Region, the Permian Highway expansion project being placed into service, and increased flows into our -- to our LNG customers in Texas, partially offset by decreased volumes delivered to local distribution companies on the East Coast as we had a warmer winter this quarter compared to the first quarter of 2023. Our natural gas gathering volumes were up 17% for the quarter compared to the first quarter of 2023, driven by the Haynesville and Eagle Ford volumes, which were up 35% and 12%, respectively. Given the low price environment, we are now expecting gathering volumes to average 5% below our 2024 plan but still 7% over 2023, adjusting for asset sales in both cases.

We've delayed about 10% of our 2024 budgeted G&P capex spend until supply growth returns, and we view this slight pullback in gathering volumes as temporary given higher production volumes will be necessary to meet the demand growth from LNG expected in early 2025. A quick update on our newly acquired South Texas midstream assets and our Texas intrastate market. The integration of the assets and personnel is going well. We are progressing some of the upside opportunities that we assumed in the acquisition sooner than expected.

We feel very good about the long-term earnings expectation and valuation multiple for the acquisition. Our experience in other acquisitions has been that we tend to achieve more value over time than we originally expected from acquiring assets that are highly integrated with our existing network. We are already seeing evidence of that with these assets. In our products pipeline segment, refined product and crude and condensate volumes were down 1% for the quarter versus 2023.

Gasoline volumes were down 3%, partially offset by an increase in diesel and jet fuel, 2% and 1% increases, respectively. RD volumes flowing through our assets in California continue to grow. We averaged 37,000 barrels a day for the quarter, and we're exploring opportunities to expand our RD capabilities in the Pacific Northwest. Our terminal segment -- our liquids lease capacity remains high at 95% -- 94%.

Utilization at our key hubs at the Houston Ship Channel in the New York Harbor remained very strong, primarily due to favorable blend margins. Our Jones Act tankers are 100% leased through 2024 and 92% leased through 2025, assuming likely options are exercised. The CO2 business segment experienced 4% lower oil production volumes, 9% higher NGL volumes, and 7% lower CO2 volumes in the quarter versus the first quarter of 2023. With that, I'll turn it over to David Michels.

David Michels -- Chief Financial Officer

OK. Thank you, Tom. So for the first quarter of 2024, we're declaring a dividend of $28.75 per share, which is $1.15 per share annualized, up 2% from 2023. For the quarter, we generated revenues of $3.85 billion, which was down $38 million from Q1 of 2023.

Our cost of sales was down $108 million, so our gross margin increased 3%, which explains most of the 2% growth in our operating income. Equity from earnings -- excuse me, earnings from equity investments is up $78 million, but $65 million of that was due to a noncash impairment we took in the first quarter of last year. We saw year-over-year growth from our natural gas, products, and terminals businesses. The main drivers of that growth came from project contributions, growth project contributions placed in service across each of those business units, as well as from additional contributions from our acquired South Texas midstream assets.

We also had higher margins on our natural gas storage assets and higher volumes on our natural gas gathering systems. Interest expense was up due to a higher short-term debt balance due, in part, to the South Texas acquisition, and we generated net income attributable to KMI of $746 million and EPS of $0.33, both up 10% from Q1 of last year. On an adjusted net income basis, which excludes certain items, we generated $758 million, up 12% from Q1 of last year, and we generated adjusted EPS of $0.34, up 13% from last year, so nice growth, as Kim mentioned. Our average share count reduced by 27 million shares or 1% due to our share repurchase efforts, and our DCF per share was $0.64, up 5% from last year.

Our first quarter DCF was impacted by higher cash taxes and sustaining capex, but that is due to timing of our cash tax payments and maintenance projects. We expect cash taxes to be favorable for the full year and sustaining capital to be in line with our budget for the full year. On our balance sheet, we ended the first quarter with $31.9 billion of net debt, which increased $94 million from the beginning of the year. And here is a high-level reconciliation of that increase.

We generated $1.189 billion of cash flow from operations. We paid $630 million in dividends, and we spent about $620 million in total capital, including growth sustaining and contributions to our joint ventures. Finally, as you can see in our press release, we are adjusting our long-term leverage target from around 4.5 times to a range of 3.5 to 4.5 times. We've been operating near the midpoint of that range for several years, and we believe this range is the appropriate long-term guidance for a company like ours that has significant scale and a high-quality business mix, which produces stable cash flows backed by multiyear contracts.

And now with that, back to you, Kim.

Kim Dang -- President

OK. Ted, if you would open it up for Q&A, and we'll take the first question.

Questions & Answers:





Operator

[Operator instructions] The first question is from John Mackay with Goldman Sachs. Your line is open.

John Mackay -- Goldman Sachs -- Analyst

Hey, good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for the time. Maybe we'll start on the leverage target because I know that's been a focus for a while. Would love just to hear a little bit more on the decision process to bring it down.

And then if we're looking forward relative to how you guys have been operating last few years, what are the kind of practical outputs you could say or decisions you'll make internally with this new target? Thanks.

David Michels -- Chief Financial Officer

Sure. So we started assessing this when our actual operating leverage started gravitating further away from the target leverage of 4.5 times. The budget for 2024 has us at 3.9 times. So that's when we started assessing it.

The timing of the change doesn't really have any -- there's no magic to why we're changing it now, except for that slight difference and gravitating away from the 4.5. The practical implications of this change are really -- we're not changing the way that we operate our company. We've always kind of had the leverage target of 4.5 but viewed having some cushion below that 4.5 as valuable. We think that this 3.5 to 4.5 is more reflective of where we've been operating and how we'll continue to operate the company going forward.

Kim Dang -- President

Well, I would just reiterate what David said. It's just bringing our policy in line with the way that we run the business, and so there is no change to our overall capital allocation philosophy.

John Mackay -- Goldman Sachs -- Analyst

All right. Appreciate that. And maybe shifting gears, you obviously started on the big demand ramp we're hoping to see on the power gen side. Talk through the -- you guys talk through the macro really Well.

Maybe what I wanted to ask on is just tying that to the micro side if we're looking at Kinder over the next couple of years, where do you see the biggest opportunities for you guys specifically?

Kim Dang -- President

Well, I think it's pretty early in all of this, and so I think Rich laid out really well sort of what we expect to happen in that market. But if you look right now, I think we serve roughly 20% of the power market in the U.S. And so I think we would -- and that's of the overall power market. This will have -- this will primarily be focused, we think, on gas because of what Rich said with respect to -- you need consistent power or it could have some renewable aspect with gas backup.

I think nuclear just will take too long to develop given when we expect this demand to happen. So we move 40% of the gas in the U.S., and so we would expect to realize a significant portion of this opportunity. But putting an exact number on that right now is very difficult because we still don't even know exactly how much the demand is going to be, as you can see from the range of numbers that we discussed here earlier.

Rich Kinder -- Executive Chairman

If you just look at overall demand, we've been talking about for months and years, calibrating the demand for LNG export and how much that adds, this is another leg to the stool, really. And whether it's 5 BCF a day or 10 BCF a day, we don't know. But it's clearly going to be another leg to the stool in terms of natural gas demand. And I think it will tend to be located near reliable electric generation because if you're a Microsoft or a Google, you want that power as close to your facility as possible.

Tom Martin -- President, CO2 and Energy Transition Ventures

Yeah. I guess one other additional point there, just if you look at the scale of our network across the country, natural gas, I think that gives us a great opportunity to serve this market wherever it develops. And I think our reach is unparalleled in the sector.

John Mackay -- Goldman Sachs -- Analyst

All right. I appreciate all that. Thank you very much.

Operator

Next question in the queue is from Michael Blum with Wells Fargo. Your line is open.

Michael Blum -- Wells Fargo Securities -- Analyst

Thanks. Good afternoon, everybody. I wanted to ask about the Permian West Texas. Obviously, prices have been negative of late.

And I'm wondering if you can just remind us uh, if there's a benefit there to you. Is there any negative impact just overall how those uh low prices are impacting you?

Rich Kinder -- Executive Chairman

Yeah. So just first, the price macro here at this point in time -- or micro is purely a result of that. This warm winter that we had, I wouldn't normally be this way. I'm not trying to predict pricing.

That being said, on the intrastate markets, we do share in some of that upside with some of our proprietary storage that we hold. And so that's where we see some of the benefit. It's obviously -- longer term, we've been saying this for some time, there's -- we see a need for another pipe, and I'll just nip it in the bud. While I'm talking to you, we don't have anything to announce today, but we continue to try and work on trying to commercialize another pipe, still having discussions with customers along those fronts, but nothing to report this morning -- this afternoon.

Kim Dang -- President

We've got a little bit of capacity on PHP and GCX. We've hedged a lot of that for this year, but there's a little bit open. But as you go out in time, more of that capacity is open. So we participate, I'd say, around the margin when those spreads blow out.

So that delivers a little bit of benefit to our shareholders.

Michael Blum -- Wells Fargo Securities -- Analyst

Great. And then maybe if I can just push on that. So you said you're still working on a project, nothing to announce. Is that more likely to be something like Permian Pass? Or do you think something more like GCX expansion could happen or both?

Rich Kinder -- Executive Chairman

Well, look, we continue to try and commercialize both. As I said the last time, highly competitive. We think there's a need. It's just -- it's a matter of making sure we have the contract to support the investment.

Michael Blum -- Wells Fargo Securities -- Analyst

Great. Thank you.

Operator

And the next question in the queue is from Jeremy Tonet with J.P. Morgan. Your line is open.

Jeremy Tonet -- J.P. Morgan -- Analyst

Hi. Good afternoon.

Rich Kinder -- Executive Chairman

Hi, Jeremy.

Jeremy Tonet -- J.P. Morgan -- Analyst

Just want to come back to the gathering volumes as you laid out it seems coming in a bit below budget there. I was wondering if you could dive in a little bit more by basin where you see those volumes coming in softer than budget?

Tom Martin -- President, CO2 and Energy Transition Ventures

From a budget perspective, yeah, it's slightly below budget in the Eagle Ford and the Bakken those are well -- and even a little bit in the Haynesville overall but still good growth year over year. And like I said earlier, I think this is a temporary blip and development of the production because as demand picks up next year, we're certainly going to need all these volumes and more to meet that demand.

Jeremy Tonet -- J.P. Morgan -- Analyst

Got it. That's helpful there. And I was just curious, I guess, from a higher-level thought process. We've seen some large-cap peers out there look to kind of separate the business along commodity lines, such as natural gas versus crude oil.

And just wondering how Kinder thinks about the business today, be it the natural gas pipes versus the terminals versus the CO2, if you still see the same synergies of having it all under the same roof or how you think about that in the current environment?

Kim Dang -- President

Sure. I mean, all the businesses that we own and operate, we like. We think they provide stable cash flow and good opportunities. I think that really -- we could simplify it a little bit for you.

I mean, if you put products and terminals together since they're both primarily refined products, we'd have essentially three different commodity lines. We have natural gas. We'd have petroleum products, and we have the CO2. I think on CO2, that oil production is going to be needed for a long time.

There's going to be incremental opportunities for CO2 flooding in the Permian as you get through all the primary production, and I think that business gives us the expertise that we need to exploit the CCS business. And so the reservoir engineers that we use in that business help us as we go out and talk to customers and talk to them about sequestering their gas and being able to keep it in certain reservoirs. And so the businesses we own and operate, we think, are similar in that they are stable fee-based assets they are  or to the energy infrastructure. And we will continue to operate the asset, somebody coming in and offering to buy them at a great price, in which case, we are highly economic, and we would entertain that.

But I think, absent getting a wonderful price for our shareholders, we are happy with the businesses that we own.

Jeremy Tonet -- J.P. Morgan -- Analyst

Got it. Understood. Thank you.

Operator

Next question is from Neal Dingmann with Truist Securities. Your line is open.

Kim Dang -- President

Hi, Neal.

Rich Kinder -- Executive Chairman

Good afternoon, Neal.

Operator

Neal, if you're there, please check your mute button.

Neal Dingmann -- Truist Securities -- Analyst

Sorry about that. Good afternoon, Kim. My question is on shareholder return given the new plan for, I guess, the modified plan, I'd say, for the leverage. Will that change anything with these thoughts toward dividends and buybacks on a go forward?

Kim Dang -- President

No. It has  and let me say this again so that it is clear to everybody. This change is just bringing our policy in line with the way that we have operated over the last couple of years. There is no -- zero change in our capital allocation philosophy.

Neal Dingmann -- Truist Securities -- Analyst

Very clear. And then just a quick follow-up on the -- I think I got that one on the -- exit midstream assets, I'm just wondering, is that kind of going as you had thought? Maybe just talk about integration and potentially even maybe more upside than expected. It seems like it's going quite well.

Kim Dang -- President

South Texas?

Tom Martin -- President, CO2 and Energy Transition Ventures

Yeah. So I mean, early days, obviously. But yeah, we are seeing some of the commercial and development opportunities that we were contemplating when we made the acquisition. We're seeing those opportunities come together sooner than we originally expected.

Some of those were out even several years from now. I think we may see something even sooner than that late this year or next year on some of those opportunities. But yeah, on the other side, we are seeing slightly lower volumes this year to start with, again, given the lower-price environment. But overall, we feel we're going to be on our acquisition model for 2024 and beyond.

Neal Dingmann -- Truist Securities -- Analyst

Thanks for the detail.

Operator

And the next question is from Keith Stanley with Wolfe Research. Your line is open.

Keith Stanley -- Wollfe Research -- Analyst

Hi, good afternoon. Just one question on the backlog. So you increased the $300 million. I think you said you brought on -- added some gas projects, just -- I'm not sure if other projects came into service and maybe it's even more than $300 million.

Just give more color on what projects you added. Was there anything notable on that? And then a follow-up, Kim.

Kim Dang -- President

We added, Keith, about $400 million, and we put $100 million of projects in service to get to the $300 million net additions. And on the projects that we added and gas, we added one interstate projects on TGP. We added an intrastate lateral project on the Texas Intrastate and we added a pipeline Egress project in Altamont, which is on the gathering and processing side.

Keith Stanley -- Wollfe Research -- Analyst

Got it. That was all from me. Thank you.

Operator

And the next question in the queue is from Theresa Chen with Barclays. Your line is open.

Theresa Chen -- Barclays -- Analyst

Good afternoon. Thank you for taking my questions. I'd like to touch on the theme of increased demand for power related to AI and data centers. Just curious if you had any early discussions with customers as far as the steps it would take to commercialize these activities, these potential projects on your system and what that could look like.

Sital Mody -- President, Natural Gas Pipelines

Yeah. So this is Sital Mody. Just to-I'll give you a micro example of something we're working on in the southeast. We've got data center looking to connect to our system.

As Rich alluded to, reliability is very important. Not only are they looking for reliable power supply, the power provider itself is looking for incremental capacity. And on top of that, the data center is looking for incremental storage to backstop the intermittency of their backup power generator to the effect that it's not available. So that's an example of something we're looking at in terms of the broader themes.

I think they're looking for access to reliable power. They're looking for access to obviously large populations and land, and then water is important for cooling purposes. So those are kind of some of the themes in our discussions. But specifically, that's a good example of something we're working on in the Southeast.

Theresa Chen -- Barclays -- Analyst

Thank you, Sital. And, Kim, to your earlier comment about significant opportunities to add to the backlog within the next year or so, is that referring to an Egress solution out of the Permian? Is there more to that comment? If you could help us unpack, that would be great.

Kim Dang -- President

Sure. So I think it just -- it refers to a broad set of opportunities that we're looking at. And so that is on the supply side. There could be things around Haynesville.

We talked about already on this call, coming out of the Permian, there is opportunities coming out of the Eagle Ford as all these basins are going to have to ramp up. Just to get to the 20 BCF of growth that we've been talking about before, you add on top of that, what all the data center and AI demand growth numbers that we talked about. So it is supply to the southeast. It's LNG on the demand side.

It's the industrial growth on the demand side. It is LNG potentially on the West Coast. It's market power growth out in the west. It's power growth in Mexico on the West Coast.

So I mean, there's a whole bunch of fundamental factors that are driving this, and I think what we're seeing is that the opportunity set has grown. And so -- but we are to the point of commercialization of the opportunity set. We won't get all the things that we're looking at. But I think that once you start looking at larger opportunity sets, over time, we're going to add those to the backlog.

And so I think some of these opportunities are going to come to fruition within the next year, and that's really what's behind my comments.

Theresa Chen -- Barclays -- Analyst

Thank you.

Operator

And the next question is from Dan Lungo with Bank of America. Your line is open.

Dan Lungo -- Bank of America Merrill Lynch -- Analyst

Hi, guys. Thank you for taking my question. I just want to turn back to the leverage target real quick. I know nothing changed with capital allocation priorities.

I was just wondering if you could comment what type of factors would drive it to the higher end of the range and the lower end of the range outside of, obviously, the right acquisition?

Kim Dang -- President

Yeah. So I mean, here's what I'd say is if we see an acquisition or there's some huge expansion opportunity that could result in leverage going up for a period of time. If there are periods of time when there's less opportunity. Obviously, we produce tremendous amounts of cash flow, and then you could create capacity on the balance sheet for a period of time until more opportunity came along.

And so that's why the range it gives us the flexibility to move up and down inside that range, depending on what the environment looks like.

Dan Lungo -- Bank of America Merrill Lynch -- Analyst

Thanks. Very clear. And then does this change anything in regards to how the rating agencies view you? Obviously, you've been operating like this for a while. So I don't think it will, but just any comments around what the agencies have said to you guys?

David Michels -- Chief Financial Officer

I don't want to speak for the agencies, but I do think it matters that 4.5 being our previous target was viewed somewhat by the agencies and certainly by some of our fixed-income investors as where we would like to operate with our leverage over the longer period of time to get up to that 4.5 times. In reality, the way we operated was we operated with some cushion below that, so we think that this leverage target is more in line with the way we've been operating, which is what we've told everyone for a long time. But I think by making this change, I think it will have some impact on the way that the rating agencies view our financial policy, as well as our fixed-income investors.

Dan Lungo -- Bank of America Merrill Lynch -- Analyst

Thanks. Very clear.

Operator

And I'm showing no further phone questions at this time.

Rich Kinder -- Executive Chairman

OK. Well, thank you, all, very much. Have a good evening.

Operator

[Operator signoff]

Duration: 0 minutes

Call participants:

Rich Kinder -- Executive Chairman

Kim Dang -- President

Tom Martin -- President, CO2 and Energy Transition Ventures

David Michels -- Chief Financial Officer

John Mackay -- Goldman Sachs -- Analyst

Michael Blum -- Wells Fargo Securities -- Analyst

Jeremy Tonet -- J.P. Morgan -- Analyst

Neal Dingmann -- Truist Securities -- Analyst

Keith Stanley -- Wollfe Research -- Analyst

Theresa Chen -- Barclays -- Analyst

Sital Mody -- President, Natural Gas Pipelines

Dan Lungo -- Bank of America Merrill Lynch -- Analyst

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Kinder Morgan (KMI) Q1 2024 Earnings Call Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool
Emerge, a joint venture between Masdar and EDF Group, has signed an agreement to install a 980kWp rooftop solar plant for Dubai Maritime City that will offset 780 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year.

The project is part of a wider energy transition led by DP World, the parent company of Dubai Maritime City, to facilitate the widespread adoption of renewable energy and battery energy storage systems (BESS) within DP Worlds global supply chain.

Situated on the roof of the staff accommodation building and consisting of more than 1,700 solar modules, the plant will be delivered by Emerge as a turnkey solution, including finance, design, procurement, construction, operations, and maintenance of the solar modules for 25 years.

Full turnkey solutions

Michel Abi Saab, Emerge General Manager, said: Our agreement with Dubai Maritime City to install a rooftop solar plant builds on the success we have enjoyed in developing several projects in the UAE since Emerge was formed as an energy services company offering full turnkey solutions at no upfront cost to the client. We are proud to support this project and to significantly contribute to the Dubai Maritime Citys decarbonisation goals.

Ahmed Al Hammadi, Chief Operating Officer of Dubai Maritime City, DP World, said: The deployment of clean energy is a central part of our sustainability strategy to become carbon neutral by 2040 and net zero carbon by 2050. We are excited to partner with innovative companies like Emerge and Masdar to accelerate our transition to renewables and look forward to starting work on this solar plant at Dubai Maritime City.

Emerge, a joint venture between Masdar and EDF Group, was formed in 2021 to develop distributed solar, energy storage, and hybrid solutions for commercial and industrial applications. As an energy services company, Emerge offers clients full turnkey solutions through solar power agreements at no up-front cost to the client.

UAE Energy Strategy 2050 initiative

The project contributes to the UAE Energy Strategy 2050 initiative, which aims to see renewable energy make up 44% of the countrys clean energy mix by 2050. Rooftop solar PV could provide approximately 6% of the UAEs total power generation by 2030, according to a projection by the International Renewable Energy Agency in its REmap 2030 report on renewable energy prospects for the UAE.--TradeArabia News Service
If you are not familiar with the concept of remittances, let this serve as your introduction to a form of literal life support for many around the world. Remittance has been defined by the World Bank as a part of the earnings which a migrant worker sends back to family members in the country of origin. Simply put, it is money sent abroad by an immigrant or migrant in another country. For example, a person from Mexico living in the U.S. sending money to his/her family in Mexico.

Migrants and immigrants make up large populations of the developed nations around the world. Because many of these individuals sojourn from the developing countries to the developed ones for better economic opportunities, they send money home to support their families.

Kojo Quartey, president Monroe County Community College

For many developing countries, remittances are a significant portion of GDP, ranging from 10 percent to over 30 percent. Remittances are an economic engine of growth for many of these poorer countries, and if it were not for remittances, their economies would be much worse off. Remittances are used for a variety of purposes, including paying family debts, building facilities, and generally for family support and upkeep.

In many developing nations such as Ghana, where there are high unemployment rates, remittances serve to support unemployed family members who would ordinarily be in dire straits. Remittances also serve to start small businesses and micro-enterprises, which then may set some on the path of economic self-sufficiency, thereby making the impact generational, and improving the local economy.

Remittances may be wired directly through financial institutions, or sent through money transmitting agencies such as Western Union, MoneyGram, and numerous others in the form of electronic transfers. Funds may also be transported directly by individuals traveling to these countries (in the U.S., any amount of cash over $10,000 has to be declared if being transported by an individual). A failure to declare could lead to the funds possibly being confiscated by Customs.

As will be seen below, remittances do not only flow from rich to poor countries, but can go in all directions. The World Bank estimates that they will grow by more than 3% in 2024 to reach $887 billion. This is more than the annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of countries such as Switzerland, Poland, Argentina, Thailand or Egypt. Globally, the United States continues to be the largest source of remittances. The top five remittance recipient countries in 2023 are India ($125 billion), Mexico ($67 billion), China ($50 billion), the Philippines ($40 billion), and Egypt ($24 billion). Half of all global remittances go to 10 countries.

Story continues

While India tops the list of countries benefitting from remittances, its $100 plus billion received amounts to only 2.9% of its 2022 GDP. Meanwhile, low and middle-income countries around the world heavily rely on this source of income to substantially boost their economies. In 2022, for example, remittances accounted for over 15 percent of GDP for 25 countries.

The top 10 countries and the percentage of GDP accounted for by remittances are: Tonga (49.9%), Lebanon (37.8%), Samoa (33.7%), Tajikistan (32.0%), Kyrgyz Republic (31.2%), The Gambia (28.3%), Honduras (27.1%), South Sudan (24.8%), El Salvador (23.8%), and Haiti (22.4%).

These are all very small countries with a large populace living and working outside their nation in another developing nation. For example, the Gambia is literally surrounded by Senegal, and a large population of Gambians work in Senegal and send money home. Haiti is another case where the country shares a border with the relatively richer Dominican Republic; many Haitians work across the border and send money home regularly. In the case of both nations, it is fairly easy to remit funds due to proximity. In the case of South Sudan, I suspect that many work in Sudan and can easily remit funds to their families just across the border.

For some countries, remittances are an important variable in the economic development and growth equation. As an immigrant myself, I know and understand through personal experience how vital that is for families and loved ones who depend on remitted funds for upkeep and survival. For many in these countries, it is essential for everyday life support.

 Kojo Quartey is president of Monroe County Community College and an economist. He may be reached at kquartey@monroeccc.edu.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Kojo Quartey: Remittances as a form of life support
Good morning!

Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling making it easier for workers to sue employers for discrimination if theyre forced to transfer jobs within an organization.

The case was brought by a police sergeant in St. Louis who alleged that she was moved to a less prestigious role because she was a woman, even though she kept the same rank and pay. A lower court previously ruled an employee must show that getting moved caused problems in terms of salary, rank, or career prospects, but the highest courts decision this week lowers the bar for how much harm employees must prove to bring a discrimination case.

Although an employee must show some harm from a forced transfer to prevail in a Title VII suit, she need not show that the injury satisfies a significance test, Justice Elena Kagan wrote in her opinion.

The decision impacts HR departments around the country, and experts tell Fortune that CHROs will have to apply a new level of scrutiny and forethought to employee-related decisions that might not have required deep consideration before, carefully documenting their decision making, and broadening the scope of their responsibilities with a company.

For HR, there needs to be some greater involvement when the business is looking at personnel actions that may not seem out of the norm at first blush, says Tiffany Cox Stacy, an employment attorney and office managing shareholder at Ogletree Deakins. Companies often reorganize, move people around, and that happens all the time for very good reasons. So sometimes, we don't look at it as closely as we should.

Human resources is often already deeply involved in reviewing promotion or termination decisions to avoid any discrimination allegations, taking care to document the reasoning behind these decisions. Cox Stacy recommends HR departments now apply those same best practices to all job transfers, and look out for any potential employee grievances that could arise from reassignment. When a worker doesnt want the transfer, its imperative for HR teams to work with supervisors to clearly document the reason for the job change, and show that discrimination plays no part.

By doing that, HR is really the first line of defense for being able to provide evidence as to why the business had to do what it had to, says Cox Stacy.

The Supreme Court decision also means that HR leaders are going to have to work directly with more employees than ever before, according to Lauren Hartz, a partner at law firm Jenner & Block, who says bosses at all levels will be looking to HR for guidance.

Story continues

We might be talking about lower-level managers who previously weren't involved in the kind of decisions that could trigger Title VII. But with this new standard are more a part of decisions that lead to potential liability, she says.

The courts decision may also extend beyond unwanted job transfers, and apply to other personnel decisions like leadership opportunities, mentorship programs, and employee perks, Hartz says. That means that choices companies considered legally benign will demand even more strategy and clarity from HR departments moving forward.

We're really going to have to wait and see what guidance we get from the lower courts about those precise contours, says Hartz. Until then, she says companies should be very careful to make sure decisions are made for the right reasons, are not made for the wrong reasons, and are documented and supported appropriately.

Paige McGlauflin

paige.mcglauflin@fortune.com

@paidion

Today's edition was curated by Emma Burleigh.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
BASEL, Switzerland - (NewMediaWire) - April 18, 2024 - Lonza Finance International NV, a wholly owned company of Lonza Group Ltd, Basel ("Lonza"), announced today the pricing of a EUR 1 billion straight bond. The Eurobond marks Lonza's second drawdown under its EMTN program. The bond has a maturity of 12 years and an annual coupon of 3.875%. The issuer is Lonza Finance International NV and the bonds will be guaranteed by Lonza. Lonza will apply for the listing of the bonds on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange (Regulated Market). The proceeds of the bonds will be used for refinancing and general corporate purposes. Lonza's issuer rating is currently BBB+ (S&P Global Ratings) with a stable outlook. A consortium comprising of BNP Paribas, BofA, Goldman Sachs, ING, JP Morgan and Mizuo were mandated to place the bond as Joint Active Bookrunners. Key Data Issue Size 12-Year Bond: EUR 1 billion Expected Payment Date: 24 April 2024 Maturity: 24 April 2036 Issue Price: 98.715 percent Redemption Price: 100 percent Coupon: 3.875 percent p.a. About Lonza Lonza is one of the world's largest healthcare manufacturing organizations. Working across five continents, our global community of around 18,000 colleagues helps pharmaceutical, biotech and nutrition companies to bring their treatments to market. United by our vision to bring any therapy to life, we support our customers with a combination of technological insight, world-class manufacturing, scientific expertise, process excellence and innovation. Our work enables our customers to develop and commercialize their therapeutic discoveries, allowing their patients to benefit from life-saving and life-enhancing treatments. Our business is structured to meet our customers' complex needs across four divisions: Biologics, Small Molecules, Cell & Gene, and Capsules & Health Ingredients. Our company generated sales of CHF 6.7 billion with a CORE EBITDA of CHF 2.0 billion in full-year 2023. Find out more at www.lonza.com Follow @Lonza on LinkedIn

Follow @LonzaGroup on X Lonza Contact Details Victoria Morgan

Head of External Communications

Lonza Group Ltd

Tel +41 61 316 2283

victoria.morgan@lonza.com Daniel Buchta

Investor Relations

Lonza Group Ltd

Tel +41 61 316 2985

daniel.buchta@lonza.com Additional Information and Disclaimer

Lonza Group Ltd has its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, and is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. It has a secondary listing on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited ("SGX-ST"). Lonza Group Ltd is not subject to the SGX-ST's continuing listing requirements but remains subject to Rules 217 and 751 of the SGX-ST Listing Manual. Certain matters discussed in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations and estimates of Lonza Group Ltd, although Lonza Group Ltd can give no assurance that these expectations and estimates will be achieved. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainty and are qualified in their entirety. The actual results may differ materially in the future from the forward-looking statements included in this news release due to various factors. Furthermore, except as otherwise required by law, Lonza Group Ltd disclaims any intention or obligation to update the statements contained in this news release. All trademarks belong to Lonza and are registered in CH, US and/or EU, or belong to their respective third-party owners and are used only for informational purposes. Privacy Policy link


By Dominique Patton and Mimosa Spencer

PARIS (Reuters) -L'Oreal reported a 9.4% rise in first quarter sales on a like-for-like basis on Thursday, beating expectations and easing concerns about a slowdown in the two biggest beauty markets the United States and China.

The French cosmetics giant, which owns the Maybelline and Lancome brands, reported sales of 11.24 billion euros ($11.98 billion) for the first three months to the end of March.

The sales growth exceeded a consensus of a 6.1% rise cited by analysts at Jefferies. Sales were up 8.3% on a reported basis.

L'Oreal, the world's biggest beauty company, said sales in both North America and Europe grew by more than 12%, as its mass market range and dermatological products compensated for weakness in the luxury segment.

The West "continues to power on," Jefferies analysts said following the results, adding North America had defied weakening scanner data and downbeat retailer commentary.

U.S. retailer Ulta Beauty earlier this month rattled the market with comment about a faster-than-expected slowdown in the United States that hit shares across the sector.

Following Thursday's results, L'Oreal's American depositary receipts (ADRs) gained as much as 6.5% in New York trading, while shares in U.S. rivals Estee Lauder and Coty also rose.

CONSUMER PRODUCTS

L'Oreal said its consumer products division, which includes its L'Oreal Paris range of mascaras and Elseve hair gloss and accounts for more than a third of its revenues, grew 11.1% on a like-for-like basis.

The company benefited from higher volumes as well as value in the unit, with strong demand in Europe and emerging markets.

The smaller but fast-growing dermatological beauty unit, which sells La Roche-Posay and CeraVe skincare, grew 21.9%, as it continued to benefit from medical recommendations.

Sales in the luxury division that markets fragrances such as YSL's Libre and Aesop products acquired last year, grew by 1.8%, beating expectations for a decline, as strong growth in Europe and North America helped offset softness in North Asia.

North Asia suffered from an unfavourable comparison base in Travel Retail and sluggish market growth in mainland China, the company said.

Jefferies analysts said travel retail sales were also dented by a Chinese government crackdown on resellers of foreign consumer products, known as "daigou".

L'Oreal has the biggest share of China's luxury beauty market, or about 34%, Chief Executive Nicolas Hieronimus told analysts on a call.

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"We are unhappy about the fact that this market is not rebounding the way we expected it to rebound," he said, but added that the company is still outperforming the market.

The company grew 6.2% in China, compared to less than 1% in the broader market, he said.

Shares in L'Oreal, Europe's 6th most valuable listed company, with a market capitalisation of about 220 billion euro ($234.26 billion), have lost 6% so far this year, compared to a 5% fall at U.S. peer Estee Lauder.

($1 = 0.9383 euros)

(Reporting by Dominique Patton and Mimosa Spencer; Editing by Susan Fenton and Barbara Lewis)
Workers at Mercedes-Benzs plant in Vance will vote on a union between May 13 and May 17.

The vote will come after months of organizing in the plant by workers who say compensation has stalled at the factory, widely credited with starting Alabamas automotive industry in the 1990s.

More: Governors across the South decry unionization attempt at Volkswagen in Chattanooga

We are ready to vote yes because we are ready to win our fair share, Jeremy Kimbrell, a longtime worker at the plant who has participated in previous union drives, said in a statement released by the United Auto Workers, which announced the election and is coordinating the efforts. We are going to end the Alabama discount and replace it with what our state actually needs. Workers sticking together and sticking by our community.

A spokeswoman with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) confirmed the election dates in a statement on Thursday. The NLRB expects to count votes and announce results on May 17.

Employee signatures cover the JOB-1 car that sits in the Mercedes-Benz Visitors Center displayed for a team meeting during the 20-year celebration at Mercedes-Benz U.S. International in Tuscaloosa County on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017. The JOB-1 car was the first ever Mercedes-Benz M-Class to roll off of the assembly line at the Vance plant on Feb. 14, 1997.

A spokeswoman for Mercedes-Benz U.S. International (MBUSI), which operates the Vance plant, said in a statement Thursday that the companys primary focus is always to provide a safe and supportive work environment for our team members.

MBUSI fully respects our team members choice whether to unionize and we look forward to participating in the election process to ensure every team member has a chance to cast their own secret-ballot vote, as well as having access to the information necessary to make an informed choice, the statement said.

The election will involve 5,200 employees at the plant, according to filings with the NLRB.

The UAW said in February that a majority of workers at Mercedes-Benz had signaled support for a union. In applying for an election earlier this month, the UAW said a supermajority of workers at the plant had signed a petition for the union, though it did not provide figures. The UAW said in January that it would call for an election when 70% of workers signaled their support for the union.

The Vance plant manufactures the GLE and GLS, two of Mercedes-Benzs luxury SUV models. It also produces the EQS and EQE, two luxury electric cars.

Mercedes-Benz announced that it would build the Vance plant in 1993 and opened it in 1997. The company, drawn by a major economic incentive package and cheaper labor costs in the South, was the first of several car manufacturers and suppliers to locate in Alabama. Hyundai has a plant in Montgomery and Honda has a plant in Lincoln.

UAW launched several previous union drives at the Mercedes plant, including one in 2014, but the campaigns did not lead to union elections. However, workers at the Mercedes plant say that pay and benefits have stagnated, and objected irregular shifts and the use of temporary workers.

Story continues

Auto workers in Alabama are generally paid well by state standards. An Alabama Arise report published in November said workers in the states automobile industry make an average of $64,682 a year, higher than the median household income of $59,674.

But the report also found that Alabama workers make less than their national counterparts and that real wages in the state industry have fallen 11% between 2002 and 2019.

The union drive has drawn opposition from Gov. Kay Ivey and the Business Council of Alabama. Ivey said in February that a union would take hope and prosperity from our folks. She also signed a statement with six governors of southern states released earlier this week claiming that the union drive would lead to job cuts.

The experience in our states is when employees have a direct relationship with their employers, that makes for a more positive working environment, the statement said. They can advocate for themselves and what is important to them without outside influence.

The governors statement did not address the workers concerns.

Were tired of Mercedes executives rolling things back, said Billy Guyton, a Mercedes worker, in a statement released by the UAW. Were going to roll our union forward.

Workers at Volkswagen in Chattanooga, Tennessee began voting on a union on Wednesday. The UAW has also launched an organization drive at Hyundais plant outside Montgomery.

Alabamas unionization rate is lower than the nations but the highest in the South. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 7.5% of Alabamas workforce (156,000 people) belonged to a union in 2023, while 8.6% (180,000 people) were represented by unions.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Union vote scheduled at Tuscaloosa County Mercedes-Benz plant
(Bloomberg)  Micron Technology Inc., the largest US maker of computer-memory chips, is poised to get more than $6 billion in grants from the Commerce Department to help pay for domestic factory projects, part of an effort to bring semiconductor production back to American soil.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The award, which isnt yet finalized, could be announced as soon as next week, according to people familiar with the matter. Its not clear whether the company also plans to accept loans available through the 2022 Chips and Science Act in addition to the direct grant funding.

Micron, based in Boise, Idaho, is building factories in New York and its home state. After the preliminary agreement is announced, the firm would enter months of due diligence and then receive the money in tranches tied to project-specific benchmarks.

Representatives for Micron, the Commerce Department and the White House declined to comment.

The Chips Act set aside $39 billion for direct grants, as well as loans and loan guarantees worth $75 billion, to revitalize American chipmaking after decades of production shifting to Asia. Officials have unveiled six preliminary awards so far: three to firms that produce older-generation semiconductors, plus multibillion-dollar packages for Intel Corp., Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and South Koreas Samsung Electronics Co.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has said the agency plans to spend about $28 billion of the grant funding on leading-edge projects.

Read More: Advanced Chip Firms Want $70 Billion From US, Raimondo Says

Micron has pledged to build as many as four factories in New York state, plus one in Idaho. But those plans require Micron to receive the combination of sufficient Chips grants, investment tax credits and local incentives to address the cost difference compared to overseas expansion, Chief Executive Officer Sanjay Mehrotra said last month. The company is proceeding with projects in China, India and Japan as well.

Raimondo has said that her agency will prioritize funding projects that begin production by the end of the decade. Two of Microns four New York sites are on track to meet that benchmark, while the other two wont be operational until 2041, the company said in a recent federal filing. That means that Microns award is likely to support only the first two New York facilities, people familiar with the matter said earlier.

Story continues

Computer memory and storage chips are a vital part of everything from smartphones to the biggest data centers, where they store information and help advanced logic process information. Production is primarily done in Asia. Microns biggest two competitors, Samsung and SK Hynix Inc., account for the majority of that manufacturing.

Those firms also plan to build factories in the US  for logic chips and advanced packaging, respectively  as part of a groundswell of more than $200 billion in private semiconductor investment spurred by the Chips Act.

With assistance from Ian King and Jennifer Jacobs.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
A concept rendering shows a mansion, center, designed for a 2-acre ocean-to-lake vacant property, listed at $150 million, at 1980 S. Ocean Blvd. on Sloan's Curve in Palm Beach. The rendering is being used for marketing purposes, as the design has not been submitted for approval to Town Hall.

Covered in trees, a two-parcel, ocean-to-lake property bordering Sloan's Curve at 1980 S. Ocean Blvd. in Palm Beach is listed for sale at $150 million. Casino-and-resort billionaire Steve Wynn's house can be seen at the far right, with the red roof.

The two-story residence at 101 Jungle Road in Palm Beach has neo-classical architecture with Georgian and Bermuda influences. The oceanfront estate is priced at $54.9 million in the "land" and "single-family home" categories of the multiple listing service.

A digitally altered photo shows how an oceanfront property at 101 Jungle Road in Palm Beach might look if the house there were demolished and the land planted with grass.

Heres a question for you, should you have millions of dollars to spend on real estate: What might you build on an ocean-to-lake vacant lot priced at a staggering $150 million on Palm Beachs so-called Billionaires Row?

The question might be harder to answer than it looks. The property  measuring about 2 acres at 1980 S. Ocean Blvd.  is largely obscured from the view of drivers by tall trees as they negotiate Sloans Curve, which borders the lot on its south side. The property also hasnt changed hands in more than 50 years.

So no one would blame you if you need a little help imagining what sort of house would fit on the property, which comprises two separate lots. The eastern parcel faces 155 feet of beachfront across South Ocean Boulevard, while the irregularly shaped lakeside lot has about 270 feet of waterfront.

All of which helps explain why Corcoran Group agent Shelly Newman recently began marketing the property with a concept rendering for an Italian-style house with about 20,000 square feet of living space, inside and out. The property has been listed  at the same price  for two years.

Plans for the project have not been submitted to the town for approval but the design is said to meet all zoning- and building-code requirements. If a buyer chose to pursue the design  or tweak it to their own preferences  it could save substantial time during Town Halls often-lengthy approval process for sizable estates, Newman told the Palm Beach Daily News.

As designed, the oceanfront, seven-bedroom main house would have an expansive lakeside family wing with a square tower feature. There would also be room for three staff bedrooms, plus a separate two-bedroom guesthouse near the proposed dock.

Award-winning architect Richard Sammons of Fairfax, Sammons and Partners was the designer. He knows a thing or two about town codes as vice chairman and former chairman of the towns powerful Architectural Commission. The board is generally tasked with approving new architecture in town unless it falls under the auspices of the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

The conceptual plans show a two-story house with a lower level, thanks to the relatively high elevation of the lot. On the lake side  where theres a swimming pool  a series of terraces cascade toward the lake. Thats a similar scenario to the North End house on Hi Mount Road that just won Sammons firm the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beachs 2024 Schuler Award for excellence in new architecture.

The floorplan for the South Ocean Boulevard mansion would feature a central entrance hall leading to a grand staircase and a 22-by-60-foot oceanfront great room with 14-foot ceilings, Sammons told the Palm Beach Daily News.

Story continues

Its an Italian-style house, specifically from the Veneto region, Sammons said, adding that the architecture is a 17th-century expression of classical Palladian design.

In addition to the eight-car garage on the lowest level, the house would have an expansive motor court on its south side. The motor court would be accessed by the main driveway in the middle of Sloans Curve. Plans might also include a service entrance positioned nearer the lake, Sammons said.

Although the two lots are not being marketed for sale separately, a buyer could also conceivably build two houses on them, perhaps for members of the same family, Newman said.

Both parcels are owned by attorney and real estate investor Nathan Royce Silverstein, who has ties to Newark, New Jersey, property records show. The land hasnt changed hands in more than 50 years.

The property was once part of the estate of the late Alfred P. Sloan Jr., a former chairman of General Motors Corp. and the namesake of Sloans Curve.

Mansion priced at $54.9 million now in MLSs land listings

A change in strategy means an oceanfront mansion is now being marketed as a tear-down with a price of $54.9 million in Palm Beachs historic Estate Section.

On a lot of nearly an acre, the estate at 101 Jungle Road entered the land category of the Palm Beach Board of Realtors Multiple Listing Service last week.

Substantially rebuilt in the 1980s, the two-story, 1950s-era mansion on the property remains in the MLSs single-family home category at the same price  $5 million less than what the estate carried when it entered the market in September 2022.

The land measures about nine-tenths of an acre with 200 feet of ocean frontage, thanks to its beach parcel across South Ocean Boulevard.

We wanted to provide optionality on how the property could be considered by would-be buyers, broker Christian Angle of Christian Angle Real Estate told the Palm Beach Daily News about why the estate had entered the land listings.

He added that any buyer who wants to build a new oceanfront home on a sizable lot has limited options in Palm Beach, especially in the Estate Section.

Its such a spectacular and rare piece of property, Angle said. Its hard to find 200 feet of oceanfront for sale.

Angle is marketing the property with a digitally altered photo to show what the lot would look like if it were vacant.

The mansion initially had a price tag in 2022 of $62.9 million, which dropped to about $60 million in March 2023. In January, Angle reduced that asking sum to the same price thats now in the land listings.

The five-bedroom mansion was built in 1955 but substantially rebuilt after a 1983 fire.

The two-story residence with Bermuda- and Georgian-influenced architecture has 13,230 total square feet, of which 10,044 square feet is air-conditioned.

The house was built by the late Barbara Vanderbilt Whitney Henry, who at the time was married to the late Samuel Peck and later wed George W. Headley. Her estate sold it in 1983 to the late Peter A.B. Widener III and his wife, Daphne, property records show. After the Wideners divorced, they deeded the house in 1988 to Ridgeley Webster Harrison and wife Josephine, who in turn sold it to Elaine Schuster.

As of Thursday, there were three other Palm Beach houses priced at $39 million or more in the MLSs land category:

690 Island Drive, priced at $47.9 million by Brown Harris Stevens agents Liza Pulitzer and Whitney McGurk, who hold the co-listing with agent Chris Vila of Palm Beach Realty Advisors;

240 N. Ocean Blvd., priced at $39 million by Compass Florida agent Elizabeth DeWoody; and

748 Island Drive, priced at $38 million by agents Lisa and John Cregan of Sothebys International Realty.

Last week, a vacant direct-beachfront lot of about an acre with 225 feet of shoreline sold for a recorded $85 million at 108 El Mirasol, a prime cul-de-sac on the near North End of Palm Beach. Broker Lawrence A. Moens represented the seller, ANK Palm Beach LLC, in that deal, with Corcoroan Group agents Paulette Koch acting on behalf of the buyer, a limited liability company named after the propertys address.

*

Darrell Hofheinz is a USA TODAY Network of Florida journalist who writes about Palm Beach real estate in his weekly Beyond the Hedges column. He welcomes tips about real estate news on the island. Email dhofheinz@pbdailynews.com, call 561-820-3831 or tweet @PBDN_Hofheinz. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: See a "concept" mansion designed for lot priced at $150M in Palm Beach
MILAN  Angelo Molteni was already a visionary at age 18 and was traveling to far-off places like Burma to seek out the best wood in the world for his handcrafted furniture. In 1934, he established his artisan furniture business with his wife Giuseppina, who attended professional school and had a steady job in a textile factory. Today, their descendants are leading their company into the future, with a presence in more than 100 countries, 700 points of sale and 100 flagships.

On Tuesday, the Moltenis celebrated 90 years of their familys successful company with a special dinner and book, Molteni Mondo: An Italian Design Story, an editorial project published by Rizzoli and curated by writer Spencer Bailey, who is also the director of the media company The Slowdown. The books art direction was spearheaded by Beda Achermann, while its photos were shot by Californian photographer Jeff Burton.

More from WWD

The book illustrates the projects of architects and designers such as Flemish designer Vincent Van Duysen, Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola and Italys Michele De Lucchi, depicting collaborators, at times; working with raw materials, and employing sustainable practices.

Molteni Mondo: An Italian Design Story cover shot by Jeff Burton.

The family-controlled company remains one of the biggest Italian design firms by revenue. Molteni Group, which owns Molteni&C, UniFor and Citterio, had a consolidated turnover of 475 million euros in 2023, 70 percent of which was international.

In this important year, we want to share our goal for the future: spreading the culture of quality living throughout the world, said Angelo and Giuseppinas son Carlo Molteni, president of the Molteni Group. His father Angelo was also a key figure in the inception of Salone del Mobile in 1961.

Molteni&Cs Giulia Molteni, Andrea Molteni and Giovanni Molteni and architect and Tobia Scarpa.

Tuesday nights event unfolded at the Pirelli Hangar Biccoca, a site for contemporary art exhibitions, where video cubes projecting photos of top designers featured in the book were scattered throughout the venues famous abstract towers by German painter and sculptor Anselm Kiefer.

In an interview with WWD, Canadian designers George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg of Yabu Pushelberg  who have long collaborated with the brand and contributed the Sway modular sofa system to Molteni&Cs most recent outdoor collection  reflected on the Molteni familys legacy.

Molteni built Italy back up from Second World War, in their own industrial corridor, said Yabu. Pushelberg on Carlo Moltenis work ethic, especially during the pandemic, working every day. Hes got a rational approach to business and this incredible energy. Hes worked with the greatest designers on Earth, Pushelberg said.

Story continues

Canadian designers George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg of Yabu Pushelberg.

Carlos daughter Giulia, Molteni Groups chief marketing officer, also recalled the dedicated work ethic of her grandparents, who worked side by side, and said that the dialogue between generations is so important while giving the younger generations the freedom to make their own choices. Holding her familys history dear, she, along with her brother and cousins who also work within the company, are custodians of their familys legacy for the long term, she told WWD.

Compared to other kinds of business, when youre a family owner, you have a real vision that is never tomorrow. Its always long term because we already think one day of all our kids in the company. So we have already this mentality to pass the knowledge and keep it very strong, she said.
North Carolina woman accrued $65K of debt to repair historic home  heres what you can learn this situation

Building your wealth with real estate could be considered a sound financial move  that is, unless the property becomes a money sinkhole.

Thats exactly what happened to Samantha Barker (@samantha.barker8), the creator of the Make Money Online TikTok account, who bought a 1940s ranch-style home in central North Carolina last year  only to discover that its unlivable.

For the sake of transparency and accountability, Barker laid out all the mishaps shed encountered during her home buying journey in a since-deleted viral video (her debt calculations and quotes have also appeared on other news outlets). Buying a house has ruined me financially.

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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

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So, what exactly happened? It all started when the biotech scientist Barker had hired discovered how much work was required to make the historic house safe and livable. As a result, she has since borrowed roughly $65,000 to fix up her newly purchased home.

Prior to her first foray into real estate, Barker said she had been diligently saving for retirement, all while paying off her student loans and car payments.

Despite online backlash about some of her decisions, Barker wanted to share her experiences so that others in similar situations wouldnt think they did something wrong.

What happened

In one of her follow-up videos, Barker admitted that she knew the home more than 80 years old and needed work when she bought it.

According to her, the seller didnt disclose that there were any major problems  nor did the home inspector shed hired.

Once Barker got the keys, however, many problems quickly came to the surface. Within the first week of homeownership, for example, she had to get new electrical work done because the wiring was so faulty that it was deemed a safety hazard.

As a result, she wound up spending $25,000 on the electrical work, as well as a new HVAC system and substantial duct work.

But it didnt stop there: Barker discovered that every joist under one bedroom was either damaged or destroyed by termites, in addition to the dry rot and water damage found throughout the house. She had to spend another $15,000 just to repair the foundation.

Story continues

Barker was also told that she couldnt get home insurance until the deck and porch were brought up to code. So, she took out a $10,000 personal loan to fix them.

Then there was the tree growing through the house, the hole in the attic and the roof with a dead valley. Barker put the $15,000 contractor fees for those fixes on her credit card  and has yet to pay it off.

She said she has now maxed out three of her credit cards and used her retirement savings to pay for the work on the house.

I went from being the most financially-sound [and] responsible person to being eaten away alive by debt, Barker revealed.

Buying a fixer-upper has increased in popularity in recent years. In fact, TD Bank discovered that 59% of first-time homebuyers hoped to buy an older home or starter home, mainly because of the lower costs to purchase.

However, Manny Angelo Varas, the CEO of a Miami homebuilding firm, told CNBC that there are some situations that arent worth the low cost of buying a fixer-upper. Everything he said was exactly what Barker encountered  from the roof problems to the dilapidated foundation.

Those kinds of repairs can really lead into a more costly and time-consuming situation where you dont see the yield on that return on the sale, Varas said.

Read more: 'Baby boomers bust': Robert Kiyosaki warns that older Americans will get crushed in the 'biggest bubble in history'  3 shockproof assets for instant insurance now

How you can avoid this situation

If the hassles associated with homeownership are too much at this stage in your life, there are other options available to you.

The situation for Barker was unfortunate because she did the right thing and got a home inspection  she just happened to hire someone who turned out to be dishonest.

Getting another contractor to come in to offer a second opinion and pinpoint the exact issues all at once likely would have saved her some money down the line. According to the home services website, Angi, the average cost of a home inspection in 2024 ranges between $281 to $403, depending on location and the size of your house. Its something to consider should you find yourself in a similar situation.

If you can afford a fixer-upper, but cant financially handle any additional renovations or repairs, dont panic. You can still put your money into real estate investment trusts (REITs), which are an alternative to buying real estate directly. REITs are essentially a pool of real estate assets that are traded freely on the stock market exchange.

Since REITs are publicly traded, you can buy or sell shares at any time and your investment can be as little or as large as you want. Its a nice way to skirt around down payments and mortgages, while still building your wealth.

Another upside of REITs is that you dont have to worry about home repairs, you just put money into them and hopefully get a return on your investment.

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Jeff Bezos and Oprah Winfrey invest in this asset to keep their wealth safe  you may want to do the same in 2024

Shock-proof your retirement portfolio by investing in private real estate funds

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -Norway's $1.6 trillion sovereign wealth fund, one of the world's largest investors, said on Thursday it would vote in favour of a proposal letting NatWest buy back more of its stock from the British government, amid efforts to speed up privatisation.

Ahead of its annual meeting on April 23, lender NatWest has asked its investors to back a resolution that would enable it to acquire up to 15% of its total stock from the government in a 12-month period, up from a previous ceiling of 5% a year.

The British government, which bailed out the lender at the height of the 2007-9 financial crisis, recently reduced its stake in NatWest to below 30%, making it no longer a controlling shareholder.

The government is steadily divesting its holding in NatWest, including through a planned sale of stock to the public as early as June, and has said it wants to exit completely by 2026. The state's holding in the bank was once as high as 84%.

Shares in NatWest traded up 1.7% at 0721 GMT.

Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), which operates the Norwegian fund, is one of NatWest's biggest investors, with a 3.23% stake in the British bank at the end of 2023, valued at the time at $794.3 million.

NBIM did not give a specific reason for approving the motion. The fund has said it aims to back the board and management of companies in which it owns stakes as long as proposals do not breach responsible investment guidelines.

(Reporting by Greta Rosen Fondahn, editing by Terje Solsvik)
Labelexpo Global Series has announced the launch of Gulf Print & Pack in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that will take place in Riyadh early next year.

The new show that aims to build on the success of the established Dubai-based exhibition Gulf Print & Pack, will showcase the latest in commercial and package printing technology alongside packaging equipment and materials in the country.

The exhibition will take place from January 21-23, 2025 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition Conference Center (RFECC).

With this, Gulf Print & Pack will cement its position annually in the Middle East region comprising two events, Gulf Print & Pack 2025 in Riyadh to serve the burgeoning Kingdom of Saudi Arabia market and Gulf Print & Pack 2026 in Dubai for the GCC market.

The announcement of the event in Riyadh coincides with an investment boom across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in line with the countrys Vision 2030 initiative, which emphasizes sustainable growth across a wide range of industry sectors, a statement said.

This is expected to create major business opportunities for commercial printers and packaging converters as well as drive demand for automated packaging systems and sustainable packaging materials, organisers said.

The Saudi plastics packaging market, for example, is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.6% and reach $20.52 billion by 2030, while the value of the paper and paperboard packaging market is expected to reach $5.87 billion by 2028.

Jade Grace, Managing Director, Labelexpo Global Series, said: We are launching Gulf Print & Pack in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia just as the kingdom scales up its plans to boost industrialisation by adopting advanced and sustainable technologies all of which will be showcased at the show.

This will require major investment by PSPs, commercial and packaging printers and specifiers of automated packaging machinery and eco-friendly materials.

Barry Killengrey, Event Director, Gulf Print & Pack, said: We are excited to extend the Gulf Print & Pack series to Riyadh, where a vibrant consumer market is driving adoption of new digital technologies and packaging formats across the FMCG market.

We see a huge potential for growth for all sectors of the print and packaging business supporting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabias development goals.

Osamu Miyauchi, Managing Director of Konica Minolta Business Solutions Middle East, said: "We are eager to participate in Gulf Print & Pack 2025 in Riyadh because it is a premier event for the industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, offering insights into cutting-edge technologies, and a chance to showcase our innovations.

Engaging with industry leaders in the Kingdom and potential clients will significantly boost our businesss growth and visibility."

Ayman Ali, Marketing Director of Canon Saudi Arabia, said: "The printing industry in Saudi Arabia is experiencing rapid growth, highlighting the critical need for a professional exhibition like Gulf Print & Pack.

This platform provides Canon Saudi Arabia with the ideal opportunity to engage with our customers and showcase the latest innovations in Canon's professional printing solutions."

Mohammed Azam Arabi, General Manager (West Asia) Afra Printechnik, said: "We are excited about Gulf Print & Pack 2025 that will be taking place in Riyadh.

We see a huge potential for growth with the print and packaging business and look forward to showcasing our products in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Our continued participation in the Gulf Print & Pack series remains paramount!"

Ahmed Fayez, General Manager, Al-Kharafi Co for Paper & Printing Equipment, said: "The decision to hold Gulf Print & Pack 2025 in Riyadh is not surprising.

The packaging market currently is very promising, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is on track to become an important regional hub in the coming years.

We extend a hearty welcome to Gulf Print & Pack 2025, that will bring a new era of innovation and cooperation for the packaging market in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia."

Ahmed Siddiqui, CEO, Zeej Print, commented: Having witnessed the remarkable assembly of innovation and industry expertise at Gulf Print & Pack in Dubai, I am thrilled to welcome its inaugural edition to Riyadh. Gulf Print & Pack is not just a showcase of the latest in printing and packaging; it represents a pivotal moment for our region.

It symbolises a bridge connecting the past and future of our industry and embodies the vibrant potential of the MENA region to lead global advancements in this space. We warmly welcome Gulf Print & Pack to our home, marking a new chapter of innovation and collaboration in the heart of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  TradeArabia News Service
Nvidia, run by CEO Jensen Huang, has soared this year. Here's how to get a job at the red-hot chip company. I-HWA CHENG/AFP via Getty Images

Nvidia stock could soar 81% if investors realize that it's more than just a chip company, according to Evercore ISI.

The firm said Nvidia has morphed into an AI ecosystem play that could generate $69 per share in earnings power by 2030.

"We think investors underestimate the importance of the chip+hardware+software ecosystem that Nvidia has created," Evercore said.

Nvidia stock still has big upside potential even after it's surged more than 200% over the past year, according to a note this week from Evercore ISI.

The firm initiated Nvidia at "Outperform" with a $1,160 price target, representing potential upside of 36% from current levels. And in its bull-case scenario, Evercore said Nvidia stock could surge to $1,540 in the next year, a jump of 81% from current levels.

Driving that lofty price target is the idea that Nvidia is much more than a chip company, but the bulk of investors still only see it as that.

"We think investors underestimate 1) the importance of the chip+hardware+software ecosystem that Nvidia has created, 2) that computing eras last 15-20 years and are typically dominated by a single vertically integrated ecosystem company, whose returns are measured in 100-to-1000 bagger range," Evercore's Mark Lipacis said.

The key thesis behind Lipacis' bullish call is that Nvidia is an AI ecosystem play, and it's the clear leader in a new computing platform that will drive efficiency gains for years to come.

"That 'Ecosystem Play' typically captures 80% of the value created during its respective computing era, while other[s] compete for the other 20%," Lipacis said.

Lipacis expects Nvidia to capture 80% of the parallel processing market by 2030, which could be worth more than $350 billion. In such a scenario, Nvidia would have an earnings power of $69 per share by the end of the decade, compared to the company generating earnings per share of $11.93 last year.

"We believe that the Tectonic Shift to the current Parallel Processing / IoT Computing Era started 5-to-8 years ago, and that NVDA is the dominant ecosystem play in parallel processing, which is only in the beginning phases of generating outsized returns for its investors," Lipacis said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
BUCHAREST, Romania, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- One United Properties, the leading green investor and developer of residential, mixed-use and office real estate in Romania, has launched ONE 2030, a transformative strategy to reshape Bucharest's real estate market and showcase the city as a market of choice for international investors.

One Floreasca City, One United Properties landmark development in Bucharest, Romania

ONE 2030 targets a tripling of One United Properties' residential operations, continued expansion of the group's commercial operations and will see it establish its hospitality division with global lifestyle brand hotels in Bucharest.

ONE 2030 strategy at a glance

11,000 residential units completed

Secure landbank for a further 20,000 residential units, the majority of which will be under development or in planning under premium and affordable premium sub segments

275,000sqm gross leasing area of office and retail space

Future expansion of the office and retail division will respond to specific demand

Development of six hotels in partnership with global lifestyle hospitality brands  Mondrian Bucharest already signed and The Hoxton under exclusive negotiations, with three hotels targeted to be operational by 2030 and three under development

Residential division

The ONE 2030 strategy addresses the increasing demand in Bucharest for quality residential housing, which is being driven by changing urban dynamics within the city such as the rise in dual income households and residents' value of convenience and access to urban amenities.

One United Properties plans to expand beyond its current residential segment focus of luxury, premium, and high-end developments and will accelerate the development of affordable premium residential which targets Bucharest's middle class. It has land under negotiation for a further 10,000 residential units exclusively for this sub-segment, with the first memorandum of understanding for a 21 hectares plot of land that will host 5,000 units being already signed.

Commercial division

Under the ONE 2030 strategy, One United Properties will focus its commercial division on developing fully customisable office spaces that cater to its partners' needs and are agreed on a long-term basis. The company will also drive demand from environmentally conscious tenants through using geothermal and solar energy to create new sustainability standards in office development.

Hospitality division

One United Properties announced its intention to enter the Bucharest hospitality market in March 2024 through a partnership with global lifestyle hotel group Ennismore to open the first Mondrian hotel in the CEE region. One United Properties is also in exclusive negotiations to bring The Hoxton to Bucharest.

Story continues

This move follows Romania's inclusion in the Schengen Area and leverages Bucharest's growing popularity amongst both tourists and multinational corporations to expand their presence in CEE. One United Properties will revitalise Bucharest's neglected historic buildings to bring globally recognised luxury and lifestyle hotel and food & beverage brands to the city.

By 2030, One United Properties aims to have six hotels across Bucharest, with half of these being in operation by the end of the decade.

Increased liquidity and reinvestment to support ONE 2030

In April 2024, significant shareholders of One United Properties, including co-founders Andrei Diaconescu and Victor Capitanu, sold a proportion of their respective shareholdings in the company to institutional investors. Following the transaction, Diaconescu and Capitanu jointly own 50.03% of the business.

This strategic sale increases the company's liquidity, strengthens One United Properties' shareholder base and bolsters governance by increasing institutional investor ownership of the business. The majority of the proceeds from the sale will be reinvested into the company through the next share capital increase, supporting the continued development and expansion in line with One United Properties' ONE 2030 strategy.

Victor Capitanu, Co-founder of One United Properties, commented: "ONE 2030 is not just a vision; it's our commitment to redefine Bucharest's real estate landscape and position the city, and Romania, as an enticing investment opportunity.

Through our strategic blueprint, we are not only expanding our residential and commercial segments but also pioneering sustainability and innovation in every aspect of development. With a relentless focus on quality, technology, and sustainability, we're shaping a future where Bucharest stands tall as a premier destination for international investors and a thriving hub for luxury living."

ONE UNITED PROPERTIES (BVB: ONE ) is the leading green investor and developer of residential, mixed-use, and commercial real estate in Bucharest, Romania. One United Properties is an innovative company dedicated to accelerating the adoption of construction practices for safe, energy-efficient, sustainable, and healthy buildings, and has received numerous awards and recognitions for its superior sustainability, energy efficiency, and wellness. The company is publicly traded on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, and its shares are included in multiple indices such as BET, STOXX, MSCI, FTSE, ROTX and CEEplus.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2390197/One_United_Properties.jpg

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2335791/One_United_Properties_Logo.jpg

One United Properties Logo (PRNewsfoto/One United Properties)

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/one-united-properties-unveils-one-2030---strategic-vision-to-transform-the-bucharest-real-estate-market-302119914.html
Starling Automotive Group this week acquired Ron Norris Ford, Ron Norris Honda and Ron Norris Buick GMC in Titusville, longtime family-run businesses in the city.

In announcing the deal, Starling Automotive President Alan Starling described it as "a perfect fit for our company," in part by adding a greater presence of Ford and Honda vehicles into his company's product mix. Previously, Starling primarily had GM dealerships.

The acquisitions were completed on Tuesday. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Temporary signs indicating the new ownership have gone up at the former Ron Norris Honda at 1400 S. Washington Ave. (U.S. 1) in Titusville. It is one of three Norris dealerships in Titusville purchased this week by the Orlando-based Starling Automotive Group.

Candidate field grows in Titusville: Titusville Mayor Dan Diesel joins crowded race for Brevard County Commission District 1 seat

Orlando-based Starling Automotive has been in Central Florida since 1958, starting from a single location in Kissimmee. With the acquisitions in Titusville, Starling now has nine dealerships in Florida, mostly in the Orlando and Titusville areas, plus one in South Carolina.

Its dealerships encompass Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Buick and GMC cars, trucks and sport utility vehicles.

The Norris dealerships also have a long history in the area, dating back to 1965, and have been run by three generations of the Norris family.

"They have a rich legacy, and the Starling family will strive to continue their reputation for exceptional service and customer satisfaction," said Alan Starling, who leads the business with his sons. "Our goal is to offer our guests exceptional sales and service experiences, with our emphasis on quality, professionalism and integrity.

Starling said he was attracted to the Norris dealerships in large part by the "bright future" he anticipates for the North Brevard County area and its economy, due in part to the expanding commercial space industry.

Starling's dealerships have averaged a total of about 1,000 vehicle sales a month, and Starling projects that the Titusville dealerships will add 250 to 300 vehicles a month to that count.

Starling Automotive Group employs about 600 sales, service and support personnel, including about 100 at the Titusville dealerships it acquired. Alan Starling said his plan it to keep the former Norris employees on staff, plus increase the staff in Titusville by about 20 in the coming year, partly to address growing demand for vehicle servicing and for used-vehicle sales.

The dealerships are transitioning from the Norris to the Starling name.

Starling's three sons are the third generation of the family to have leadership roles in the Starling Automotive Group business, and two of them will be directly involved in the Titusville operations.

Walker Starling is president of the Starling Ford and Starling Honda dealerships in Titusville. Andrew Starling is president of Starling Buick GMC of Titusville. Another son, Jack Starling, oversees three dealerships in other counties.

Story continues

Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com, on X at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54

Ron Norris Buick GMC at 1350 S. Washington Ave. (U.S. 1) in Titusville is one of three Norris dealerships purchased this week by the Orlando-based Starling Automotive Group.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Starling Automotive makes deal for Ron Norris dealerships in Titusville
Pennsylvania man confident housing crisis will go on  wants to tap into equity to invest $100K in real estate

Jesse, a young health-care worker from Allentown, Pennsylvania, is confident about his economic outlook.

I know where the market's going to go in the next couple of years, he bragged to co-hosts John Delony and Ken Coleman of The Ramsey Show in a recent episode. Jesse was seeking advice about tapping into the home equity of his home to buy another property based on the assumption that the ongoing housing crisis will persist.

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The only way the market's going to fix right now is the baby boomer generation has to get out of their homes, he said.

Despite the existence of data backing him up, co-hosts Delony and Coleman didnt share his enthusiasm for hopping into the property investment game.

Data-backed forecast

Jesse says he purchased a home in 2021 by co-signing with his parents and locking in an attractive mortgage rate of around 3% at the time. Home prices and rates have escalated since then. Now, he wants to tap into $100,000 of equity built up in his primary residence to buy another property and rent the first one out for cash flow.

This reluctance to sell isnt unusual. Many homeowners who locked in ultra-low rates during the pandemic are now unwilling to let go of their units.

This cohort isnt the only one reluctant to sell. Older Americans, many of whom dont even have a mortgage, have expressed similar disinterest in letting go of their homes. Recent analysis by Redfin found that roughly half of Baby Boomers owned their homes outright. Around 45% of empty nesters owned homes with three-bedrooms or more, double the rate of millennials with kids.

Read more: 'Baby boomers bust': Robert Kiyosaki warns that older Americans will get crushed in the 'biggest bubble in history'  3 shockproof assets for instant insurance now

Put simply, many older Americans have no financial incentive to move even though they live in oversized houses built for families. Jesse says his experience as a health-care worker has convinced him that many would rather age in place than move to a long-term care facility.

Story continues

Biggest issue in America is that these people dont have anywhere to go beyond their homes, he said.

Jesse believes it to be a major log-jam contributing to the housing crisis. Despite his data-backed analysis, Delony isnt convinced Jesses idea of expanding his real estate portfolio is the best course of action.

Risky bet

Dont do what youre about to do, Delony instructed Jesse. Youre not going to listen to us  but do not do what youre about to do.

Delony and Coleman argued, despite Jesses confidence, theres no way to predict the housing market with certainty.

Nobody knows! Coleman insists.

Youre playing a slot machine and Vegas always wins, Delony chimed in.

Making the wrong bet on a costly venture could be catastrophic. Nevertheless, Delony sympathizes with Jesses ambition and temptation.

I was you 15 years ago, he said. I was wrong, I thought I was smarter than I actually was  I dug a hole that took me and my family a long time to get out of.

Instead of borrowing expensive capital, the co-hosts encourage Jesse to have a little patience.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Construction continues at the soon-to-be-renovated Gateway Plaza.

New businesses are opening as new buildings are rising at the former Kmart plaza at the corner of U.S. 1 and Virginia Avenue in Fort Pierce. The plazas developer, Time Equities Inc., declined to comment via Quinn PR.

Planet Fitness, which opened March 12, will have a grand opening party from 4-6 p.m. April 18 that will include a raffle, free membership offers, day passes and coupons, giveaways and prizes, a donation presentation, and vendors that include Celsius, Little Caesars and Heathcote Botanical Gardens.

Construction continues at Gateway Plaza, the old Kmart plaza, being renovated at U.S. 1 and Virginia Avenue in Fort Pierce on April 16, 2024.

A new 4,500-square-foot building is being constructed south of the former Burger King building that will be divided into two units for Starbucks and T-Mobile, according to previous reports.

An empty former boatyard on the northern end of the 14.2-acre property is being cleared for construction of a new 4,000-square-foot retail bank with a drive-thru for TD Bank. The former boatyard has room for up to three buildings.

Other businesses previously reported to have committed so far and expected to open by the end of the year include: Burlington, Ross Dress for Less, Bravo Supermarkets, Five Below, dds Discounts and Americas Best Contacts & Eyeglasses.

The revamping includes renovating each unit, replacing the roof and resurfacing the parking lot. Construction has two phases: demolition and buildout.

The property doesnt include the closed adult arcade in the former Payless building, the closed Burger King, the Seacoast Bank or the PNC Bank. However, the Wawa gas station that opened in 2021 is part of the property.

The plaza was built in 1969 and expanded in 1982 and again in 1983. It was anchored by an 88,732-square-foot Kmart that opened in 1976 and closed in 2017. It also was home to a Winn-Dixie grocery store that closed in 2013.

Since then, most businesses have left. Only a few remain, including a Family Dollar and Little Caesars. It will be up to existing business to renew their leases when necessary because the cost will increase after the renovations.

Laurie K. Blandford is TCPalm's entertainment reporter dedicated to finding the best things to do on the Treasure Coast. Email her at laurie.blandford@tcpalm.com. Sign up for her What To Do in 772 weekly newsletter at profile.tcpalm.com/newsletters/manage.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Fort Pierce Planet Fitness opens; Starbucks, T-Mobile under construction
The cookie rumble  Crave versus Crumbl  is coming to the Capital City.

A Crave Cookies location is in the works at 3808 Octavus Via, according to a building permit filed with the city last week. The tenant build out is underway for the Utah-based, gourmet cookie chain to reside in a 1,500-square-foot site in the strip mall situated between Walmart and Pizza Ranch on Springfields south side.

Franchise owners Josh and Jennifer Ellison said the brands only standing bakery selection  a chocolate chip cookie made with Guittard Chocolate Companys milk chocolate chips  was a deciding factor in opening a store.

Cookies from Crave Cookies are seen in this file photo.

We are both in medicine and were looking to expand our knowledge in the dining scene, the husband-wife team responded in an email. Some days can be hard and other days very rewarding in healthcare. Cookies make us happy.

So, we thought we would offer the community delicious options for cookies.

Crave Cookies pending arrival comes on the heels of fellow Utah-based, gourmet cookie chain Crumbl Cookies opening in Parkway Pointe on Springfields west side in February.

The two bakery brands along with a third  Dirty Dough  were recently embroiled in a legal wrangle dubbed the Utah Cookie Wars.

Crumbl Cookies filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against the other two brands in the U.S. District Court in Utah May 2022, claiming the businesses had copied packaging, recipes and the overall reputation of the TikTok touted cookie company.

Both Crumbl and Crave are known for their decadent takes on the humble bakery item and social media savvy with weekly, mouth-watering reveals of rotating featured cookies.

Crumbls weekly half dozen comes in an oblong, pink box. Craves are in a similarly shaped black box.

More: Have you tried Crumbl Cookies in Springfield yet? We have you covered

The two bakeries ended their beef with a confidential settlement last summer. Similarly, Crumbl Cookies and Dirty Dough reached a settlement in October.

Springfield shoppers will have to wait until fall to conduct their own side-by-side taste test. The Ellisons said the goal is to open in the third quarter 2024.

The Springfield bakery is on track to be the second site for the cookie chain. Crave Cookies opened its first Illinois store in the Chicago suburb of Orland Park  which served up its inaugural batch Feb. 28.

The brand currently has 26 locations in 11 states stretching from New Jersey to Nevada, according to the companys website.

Crave Cookies  with the catchphrase Unleash Your Inner Cookie Monster  releases five featured cookie flavors of the week on social media every Friday.

Story continues

Recent selections ranged from the Scotcherookie  a cross of the Rice Krispie treat encased in a peanut butter cookie and drizzled in a butterscotch-chocolate drizzle  to the Chocolate Cream Pie -- a sugar cookie iced with a chocolate cream spread, dusted with Oreo crumbs and topped with fresh whipped cream.

The menu also offers loaded sodas with flavored syrups, creams and fresh purees.

Our culinary adventure wasnt just about throwing flour, sugar and butter into a mixing bowl, the company website reads. It involved hundreds of trials, a sprinkle of neurosis and a dollop of love.

The result? Cookies that are gourmet ... yes, but also emotionally rewarding masterpieces.

Cafe reopens two years after closing

Wm. Vans Cafe has a new home in Vinegar Hill Mall following a two-year hiatus.

The rechristened business, formerly Wm. Vans Coffee House, returns with its lineup of coffee and teas, as well as a full menu of breakfast and lunch items.

The exterior of Wm. Van's, 107 W. Cook St., plans to reopen April 19, 2024, after closing two years ago.

Wm. Vans Cafe is located in the former footprint of Holy Land Diner in the sprawling building at 107 W. Cook St.

The long awaited opening marks Conn Hospitality Groups second brand to open in the newly renovated Vinegar Hill Mall. Trish & Marys Pub Public House was the first to repopulate the building since Court and Karen Conn acquired the historic structure.

Breakfast selections range from build-a-biscuit breakfast sandwiches to French toast stuffed with strawberries and cream cheese to chorizo and avocado grilled cheese sandwich. Lunch sandwich selections offer an international flavor with options like falafel naan, Cubano and smoked turkey caprese. There also are a variety of salad options and a soup of the day.

More: Springfield coffee shop owner taking to the sky full-time; selling business

Wm. Vans beverage favorites return with a variety of coffee and tea selections, as well as espresso, smoothies, iced drinks and craft sodas.

The cafe is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Dine in, take out available. The building is handicap accessible.

Wm. Vans Coffee House closed at 503 S. Seventh St. in April 2022.

New diner

The woman behind Mamas Munchies has opened a new diner in New Holland.

Ollies Diner & Candy Shoppe, named after the Logan County communitys founding father, Oliver Holland, served its first customers at 103 W. Lincoln St. April 12.

Cassie Mama Cass Young said the business blends the scratch-made candy selections people have come to love from her Mason City-based Mamas Munchies with a full service diner.

The diner menu features breakfast selections served all day with choices like biscuits and gravy, pancakes and French toast and build-your-own breakfast sandwiches and breakfast horseshoe.

A pork tenderloin sandwich from Ollies Diner & Candy Shoppe is seen in this undated photo.

Lunch features include burgers, sandwiches and salads, as well as a build-your-own horseshoe.

On Sundays a brunch buffet is the sole offering. The buffet price is $18.95 for all-you-can-eat or $9.25 for a single trip.

Hand-dipped candies available in milk, white and dark chocolate are sold in the candy shop.

More than just clothing: New Springfield business offering 'really cool experience'

Operating hours are 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday.

Dine in and carry out available, as well as delivery within 20 miles. Phone: 217-870-7880.

Mothers Day specials will be listed in the May 5 edition. Area restaurants interested in joining the list should submit information by April 29.

The A La Carte column highlights restaurant openings, closings, renovations and relocations, as well as personnel changes and business news. Natalie Morris can be reached at 217-737-7254 or by email at natalie.sjr@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Popular Crave Cookie plans second Illinois location in Springfield
Key Insights

The considerable ownership by private companies in Media Prima Berhad indicates that they collectively have a greater say in management and business strategy

A total of 2 investors have a majority stake in the company with 57% ownership

32% of Media Prima Berhad is held by insiders

Every investor in Media Prima Berhad (KLSE:MEDIA) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. And the group that holds the biggest piece of the pie are private companies with 35% ownership. Put another way, the group faces the maximum upside potential (or downside risk).

And individual insiders on the other hand have a 32% ownership in the company. Institutions often own shares in more established companies, while it's not unusual to see insiders own a fair bit of smaller companies.

Let's delve deeper into each type of owner of Media Prima Berhad, beginning with the chart below.

See our latest analysis for Media Prima Berhad

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Media Prima Berhad?

Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index.

We can see that Media Prima Berhad does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company's stock. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. It is not uncommon to see a big share price drop if two large institutional investors try to sell out of a stock at the same time. So it is worth checking the past earnings trajectory of Media Prima Berhad, (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too.

Media Prima Berhad is not owned by hedge funds. Looking at our data, we can see that the largest shareholder is Aurora Mulia SDN BHD with 32% of shares outstanding. In comparison, the second and third largest shareholders hold about 25% and 10% of the stock.

A more detailed study of the shareholder registry showed us that 2 of the top shareholders have a considerable amount of ownership in the company, via their 57% stake.

Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock's expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. Quite a few analysts cover the stock, so you could look into forecast growth quite easily.

Insider Ownership Of Media Prima Berhad

The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. The company management answer to the board and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board themselves.

Story continues

Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group.

It seems insiders own a significant proportion of Media Prima Berhad. Insiders have a RM161m stake in this RM499m business. We would say this shows alignment with shareholders, but it is worth noting that the company is still quite small; some insiders may have founded the business. You can click here to see if those insiders have been buying or selling.

General Public Ownership

The general public, who are usually individual investors, hold a 15% stake in Media Prima Berhad. This size of ownership, while considerable, may not be enough to change company policy if the decision is not in sync with other large shareholders.

Private Company Ownership

It seems that Private Companies own 35%, of the Media Prima Berhad stock. Private companies may be related parties. Sometimes insiders have an interest in a public company through a holding in a private company, rather than in their own capacity as an individual. While it's hard to draw any broad stroke conclusions, it is worth noting as an area for further research.

Next Steps:

While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. For instance, we've identified 2 warning signs for Media Prima Berhad (1 is concerning) that you should be aware of.

Ultimately the future is most important. You can access this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
The board of Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad (KLSE:RHONEMA) has announced that it will pay a dividend of MYR0.01 per share on the 15th of July. Based on this payment, the dividend yield will be 3.0%, which is fairly typical for the industry.

Check out our latest analysis for Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad

Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

While it is always good to see a solid dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is feasible. However, based ont he last payment, Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad was earning enough to cover the dividend pretty comfortably. However, with more than 75% of free cash flow being paid out to shareholders, future growth could potentially be constrained.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 3.7%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 30% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.

Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad's Dividend Has Lacked Consistency

It's comforting to see that Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad has been paying a dividend for a number of years now, however it has been cut at least once in that time. If the company cuts once, it definitely isn't argument against the possibility of it cutting in the future. The annual payment during the last 7 years was MYR0.0364 in 2017, and the most recent fiscal year payment was MYR0.02. Doing the maths, this is a decline of about 8.2% per year. A company that decreases its dividend over time generally isn't what we are looking for.

Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad May Find It Hard To Grow The Dividend

With a relatively unstable dividend, and a poor history of shrinking dividends, it's even more important to see if EPS is growing. However, Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad's EPS was effectively flat over the past five years, which could stop the company from paying more every year.

Our Thoughts On Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad's Dividend

In summary, while it's good to see that the dividend hasn't been cut, we are a bit cautious about Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad's payments, as there could be some issues with sustaining them into the future. While Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad is earning enough to cover the dividend, we are generally unimpressed with its future prospects. Overall, we don't think this company has the makings of a good income stock.

Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. For example, we've picked out 2 warning signs for Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
We can readily understand why investors are attracted to unprofitable companies. Indeed, Spartan Resources (ASX:SPR) stock is up 385% in the last year, providing strong gains for shareholders. But while history lauds those rare successes, those that fail are often forgotten; who remembers Pets.com?

Given its strong share price performance, we think it's worthwhile for Spartan Resources shareholders to consider whether its cash burn is concerning. For the purposes of this article, cash burn is the annual rate at which an unprofitable company spends cash to fund its growth; its negative free cash flow. We'll start by comparing its cash burn with its cash reserves in order to calculate its cash runway.

Check out our latest analysis for Spartan Resources

How Long Is Spartan Resources' Cash Runway?

A company's cash runway is the amount of time it would take to burn through its cash reserves at its current cash burn rate. When Spartan Resources last reported its December 2023 balance sheet in March 2024, it had zero debt and cash worth AU$39m. Importantly, its cash burn was AU$39m over the trailing twelve months. So it had a cash runway of approximately 12 months from December 2023. Importantly, the one analyst we see covering the stock thinks that Spartan Resources will reach cashflow breakeven in around 22 months. Essentially, that means the company will either reduce its cash burn, or else require more cash. Depicted below, you can see how its cash holdings have changed over time.

How Is Spartan Resources' Cash Burn Changing Over Time?

In our view, Spartan Resources doesn't yet produce significant amounts of operating revenue, since it reported just AU$218k in the last twelve months. Therefore, for the purposes of this analysis we'll focus on how the cash burn is tracking. Its cash burn positively exploded in the last year, up 401%. With that kind of spending growth its cash runway will shorten quickly, as it simultaneously uses its cash while increasing the burn rate. Clearly, however, the crucial factor is whether the company will grow its business going forward. For that reason, it makes a lot of sense to take a look at our analyst forecasts for the company.

Can Spartan Resources Raise More Cash Easily?

Given its cash burn trajectory, Spartan Resources shareholders may wish to consider how easily it could raise more cash, despite its solid cash runway. Issuing new shares, or taking on debt, are the most common ways for a listed company to raise more money for its business. One of the main advantages held by publicly listed companies is that they can sell shares to investors to raise cash and fund growth. By looking at a company's cash burn relative to its market capitalisation, we gain insight on how much shareholders would be diluted if the company needed to raise enough cash to cover another year's cash burn.

Spartan Resources has a market capitalisation of AU$604m and burnt through AU$39m last year, which is 6.5% of the company's market value. That's a low proportion, so we figure the company would be able to raise more cash to fund growth, with a little dilution, or even to simply borrow some money.

So, Should We Worry About Spartan Resources' Cash Burn?

On this analysis of Spartan Resources' cash burn, we think its cash burn relative to its market cap was reassuring, while its increasing cash burn has us a bit worried. Shareholders can take heart from the fact that at least one analyst is forecasting it will reach breakeven. Cash burning companies are always on the riskier side of things, but after considering all of the factors discussed in this short piece, we're not too worried about its rate of cash burn. On another note, Spartan Resources has 2 warning signs (and 1 which is significant) we think you should know about.

If you would prefer to check out another company with better fundamentals, then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt or this list of stocks which are all forecast to grow.

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.
Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) said it is ramping up its investments in green hydrogen by establishing a dedicated unit to develop specialised projects in this sector locally, regionally, and globally, a report cited one of its top officials as saying.

This move will reinforce Masdar's leading position in developing renewable and clean energy projects worldwide and consolidate Abu Dhabi's pioneering role as a key player in the green hydrogen sector, Emirates News Agency, WAM, said.

Mohammad Abdelqader El Ramahi, Chief Green Hydrogen Officer, told Emirates News Agency (WAM) on the sidelines of the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, that this period is the best time to implement these projects in the UAE, aiming to allocate half of the targeted production capacity according to Masdar's announced strategy by 2030-2033, which is one million tonnes per year of green hydrogen and its derivatives.

El Ramahi explained that half of this quantity has been allocated for development in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, equivalent to 500,000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually, which will enhance Abu Dhabi's leading role as one of the world's main hubs for green hydrogen production.

He pointed out that the development of these projects has already begun in early January 2023.

El Ramahi noted that Masdar has a pilot project with a production capacity of over 2 megawatts of electrolyzers that will be dedicated to producing green iron in cooperation with Emirates Steel Arkan. He added that the purpose of this project is to experiment with hydrogen and ensure its effectiveness and economic feasibility.

"We are working to expand this project in the second phase, where we aim to raise efficiency to reach approximately 100 megawatts, but this figure is still under study and development."

He pointed out that Masdar's other green hydrogen projects in the Arab Republic of Egypt reach 4,000 megawatts of electrolysers, and the same in Morocco, in addition to our ambition to expand in Europe, America, and Balkan countries such as Azerbaijan and neighbouring countries, and to utilise the company's effective presence in more than 40 countries around the world with an investment portfolio of over US$30 billion and a production capacity of 20 gigawatts.

He indicated that Masdar is also trying to look for investment opportunities in regional countries, including the Sultanate of Oman, in light of its efforts through the development of these projects to prove the economic feasibility of green hydrogen projects as the fuel of the future.

Masdar's Chief Green Hydrogen Officer said that the green hydrogen sector is one of the new emerging sectors globally that promises a promising future with investments reaching $11 trillion by 2050, according to World Bank estimates.

He pointed out that this sector will help the international community in addressing the repercussions of climate change and neutralising the carbon footprint globally.

El Ramahi indicated that Masdar is focusing on developing its green hydrogen projects in Europe, especially as it has reached a level of maturity in governance frameworks, through which it seeks to apply stricter standards regarding the carbon footprint.  TradeArabia News Service
The "Magnificent Seven" stocks of Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta Platforms, Tesla, Apple, and Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) capture much of the attention in the red-hot artificial intelligence (AI) space.

Among this exclusive club, Nvidia might just be the most important. The company specializes in high-performance graphics processing units (GPUs) that are used for a variety of applications across the generative AI spectrum.

Unprecedented demand for Nvidia's chips and data center services has fueled a new wave of growth for the company. With shares up over 220% in the last year, many investors probably think they've missed the boat.

But what if I told you that I think Nvidia's story is just getting started? Let's dive into why now is still a great time to consider Nvidia for your portfolio.

Chips and data centers are the name of the game, but...

Earlier this year, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang proclaimed that "accelerated computing and generative AI have hit the tipping point."

Indeed, not only are business leaders scrambling to keep up with the latest breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, but they are figuring out in real time how exactly AI best serves their needs. For now, Nvidia seems to be the engine powering all sorts of applications in the AI realm thanks to its GPUs and data center services.

NVDA Revenue (Quarterly) Chart

2023 was a milestone year for Nvidia. The company grew revenue 126% year over year to $60.9 billion. Meanwhile, both net income and free cash flow rose nearly sixfold year over year.

These results are undoubtedly impressive. But savvy investors understand that this level of growth isn't sustainable in the long run. Existing competitors in the chip space include Intel and Advanced Micro Devices -- both of which stand to benefit from the secular themes fueling the overall accelerated computing market.

Moreover, Meta Platforms, Amazon, and even Microsoft have been rumored to be working on their own line of training and inferencing chips, which could pose a threat to Nvidia over time.

This dynamic has Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood suggesting that Nvidia could end up like Cisco Systems after the dot-com crash in the early 2000s. While that is an interesting viewpoint, I see it as unlikely. Nvidia has already quietly invested in several aspects of artificial intelligence beyond its core chip operation.

In essence, I see these as early indications that Nvidia is laying the foundation to build a full-spectrum AI solution.

Image source: Getty Images.

...Nvidia has more up its sleeve

Given Nvidia's rising profits, the company has achieved an enviable level of financial flexibility over the competition. It has been aggressively investing in other areas within the AI landscape including robotics and enterprise software.

Story continues

Earlier this year, Nvidia joined Intel, OpenAI, and Amazon co-founder Jeff Bezos in a $675 million funding round for a humanoid robotics start-up called Figure AI. This is an interesting move, and one that I think is currently underestimated.

Believe it or not, there are several companies developing humanoid robots. Tesla's Optimus bot and Boston Dynamics are probably the best-known examples of this technology.

The general idea is that these bots will be deployed in various settings across manufacturing, warehousing logistics, and even retail. As such, robotics has the potential to completely reshape the labor force. It's no wonder Goldman Sachs is forecasting that humanoid robotics will be a $38 billion market by next decade. Nvidia has a unique opportunity to play a critical role in the further development of humanoid robotics from both a software and hardware aspect.

Another area where Nvidia quietly makes inroads is enterprise software. While data centers and compute networking account for the bulk of Nvidia's revenue today, the company also has a budding software services business.

Over the last few months, investors learned that Nvidia is an investor in voice-recognition software company SoundHound AI. While AI-powered voice technology may seem like a niche market, Statista estimates that it could be worth as much as $50 billion by 2029.

In addition to SoundHound AI, Nvidia is also an investor in Databricks -- a $43 billion privately held start-up that competes with big data analytics company Palantir Technologies as well as cloud data warehousing enterprise Snowflake.

Lastly, an under-the-radar opportunity for Nvidia could be in the healthcare space. Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk -- which makes Ozempic -- recently announced that it is building a supercomputer to help pioneer a new frontier in the medical landscape. And guess what? The supercomputer will be relying heavily on Nvidia chips.

Is now a good time to invest in Nvidia stock?

The chart below benchmarks Nvidia against a peer set of other leading chipmakers on a price-to-sales (P/S) basis. Nvidia's P/S of 35.6 is by far the highest in this cohort. This makes sense given how much the stock has run over the last year.

NVDA PS Ratio Chart

But at the end of the day, investors should be wondering why Nvidia's valuation has soared relative to its peers. The themes explored above showcase that, for now, Nvidia is the undisputed leader in the AI chip space. And while competition will likely come at some point, Nvidia is already hedging its bets -- looking to expand beyond GPUs and data center services.

While Nvidia stock is a bit pricey, I see the premium as well worth it. As the AI narrative continues to play out, I wouldn't be surprised to see Nvidia making noticeable progress in other areas as well. I think the company's growth story is just beginning, and see now as a terrific opportunity to scoop up some shares and hold for the long run.

Should you invest $1,000 in Nvidia right now?

Before you buy stock in Nvidia, 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 Nvidia wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $535,597!*

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 quadrupled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*.

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Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Adam Spatacco has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Novo Nordisk, Nvidia, Palantir Technologies, and Tesla. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Cisco Systems, Goldman Sachs Group, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, Palantir Technologies, Snowflake, and Tesla. The Motley Fool recommends Intel and Novo Nordisk and recommends the following options: long January 2025 $45 calls on Intel, long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft, short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft, and short May 2024 $47 calls on Intel. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Is It Too Late to Buy Nvidia Stock? was originally published by The Motley Fool
In this article, we will take a look at the top 15 cities where Gen Z is moving in the US. If you want to read our discussion on the relocation trends, you can go directly to the Top 5 Cities Where Gen Z is Moving in the US.

Gen Z, especially those reaching adulthood, are making an impact on local economies through their migration patterns. Driven by factors like college, career opportunities, or a desire for new experiences, Gen Zers are relocating in large numbers. In fact, the movement rate of Gen Z during the last year stood at 17%, which was far above the national average, according to the Annual Social and Economic Supplement of the Current Population Survey.

The US cities Gen that Z is moving to show the stark differences in their preferences as compared to other generations. They are moving to large cities while other generations are leaving the same cities. Moreover, job opportunities and sunshine seem to be among the important considerations for Gen Zers. The top 10 states Gen Zers are moving to as of 2022 include Texas, California, and Florida.

While job opportunities play a major role, other factors, such as education, also influence Gen Z migration patterns. College towns particularly remain popular destinations. College towns like Ann Arbor, Michigan (home to the University of Michigan) and College Station, Texas (home to Texas A&M University) saw significant inflows of Gen Z residents. These cities offer a lively atmosphere along with access to educational resources.

Key Players in the US Moving Services Market

Due to the quantum of migration within the US and to other countries, it is no wonder that the US moving services market is expected to see a significant growth of approximately $3.92 billion at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.68% between the years 2022 and 2027. Within this market, the residential segment is the largest. The pandemic and subsequent rise of remote work were the major contributors to the growth of this segment as they fueled people's movement towards more affordable locations.

Other major drivers of this industry include the growth of the real estate industry, an increase in immigration, and a rise in corporate relocations. The high cost of moving and the challenges in finding suita0ble housing are two factors that can have a negative impact on the growth of this sector. Key players within the market include ArcBest Corporation (NASDAQ:ARCB), XPO, Inc. (NYSE:XPO), and FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX).

ArcBest Corporation (NASDAQ:ARCB) is a big name in the US moving services market and is one of the biggest trucking companies in the US. It is a multibillion-dollar logistics company that provides a comprehensive set of supply chain solutions, including less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping, truckload shipping, warehousing and distribution, intermodal services, and more. ArcBest Corporation (NASDAQ:ARCB) has beat earnings estimates by an average of 30.91% for the last two quarters and is expected to beat projected earnings again in the next quarter.

Story continues

XPO, Inc. (NYSE:XPO) is another major player in the moving and transport services industry. The company specializes in less-than-truckload (LTL) freight, a key service for customers who need to ship goods that don't fill an entire truck. XPO, Inc. (NYSE:XPO) recently opened three new service centers to provide better services to customers. Currently, the companys network in America consists of 297 such service centers.

FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX) is a global logistics giant offering a suite of services, including shipping, freight, trucking, and e-commerce solutions. It has different companies operating under the umbrella brand of FedEx. Heres what Artisan Partners said about FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX) in its Q4 2023 investor letter:

Other Q4 laggards were global reinsurer Arch Capital and shipping company FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX)holdings that pulled back following large gains. Back in September 2022, FedEx was selling for less than 8X our estimate of normalized earnings due to substantial pessimism. Although the demand environment remains challenging globally, particularly in the Express segment, the company is delivering solid earnings growth driven by cost savings initiatives. FedExs DRIVE program, which seeks to deliver $4 billion in permanent cost reductions by creating an integrated air-ground network similar to that of rival UPS, is showing progress, and workforce reductions have also been enacted. While operating results can be choppy, FedExs longer term business economics are highly favorable given the global shipping industrys consolidated structure and massive barriers to entry that afford operators with pricing power to counter cost inflation and earn respectable returns on capital over the business cycle.

Top 15 Cities Where Gen Z is Moving in the US

ESB Professional/Shutterstock.com

Our Methodology

To shortlist the top 15 cities where Gen Z is moving in the US, we referred to the 1-Year American Community Survey from the US Census Bureau. Data for over 250 cities was analyzed. Gen Z included all people between the ages of 18 and 24 at the time of the survey. The cities have been ranked in ascending order based on the rate at which Gen Zers moved in as a percentage of the citys total population as of 2022. With each listing, we have also shared the number of Gen Zers who moved into the city to give an idea of the magnitude of Gen Z migration.

You can also check out the Top 15 Cities Where Millennials Are Moving in the US here.

By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or a professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders.

Top 15 Cities Where Gen Z is Moving in the US

15. Columbia, Missouri

Gen Zers Moving as a Percentage of the Total Population: 11.42%

Number of Gen Zers Who Moved in: 14,595

Columbia is a city in the state of Missouri, United States. It is renowned for housing the University of Missouri. Many of the cities witnessing an increase in Gen Z residents are college towns, and Columbia is one of them. Since Gen Z includes current 18- and 19-year-olds, college students are counted in the various population censuses as city residents while they live on campus. The moved-in Gen Zers make up 11.42% of the population of Columbia, translating to 14,595 individuals.

14. Eugene, Oregon

Gen Zers Moving as a Percentage of the Total Population: 11.49%

Number of Gen Zers Who Moved in: 20,297

Eugene attracts many young adults, particularly those in Gen Z. This trend is likely due to a combination of factors. Firstly, the city is home to the University of Oregon, a major draw for students seeking a bright college-town atmosphere. It also offers a welcome change from large, crowded cities.

13. Denton, Texas

Gen Zers Moving as a Percentage of the Total Population: 11.78%

Number of Gen Zers Who Moved in: 17,558

Denton is home to the University of North Texas campus. More Gen Z adults are moving to this Texas city due to its economy, university access, and local job and housing markets. Denton has secured the thirteenth position on our list of the top cities where Gen Z is moving in the US.

12. Norman, Oklahoma

Gen Zers Moving as a Percentage of the Total Population: 13.38%

Number of Gen Zers Who Moved in: 17,558

Norman, Oklahoma, consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in the state. This city offers a mix of factors that appeal to young adults, particularly Gen Z. First and foremost, Norman has a lower cost of living than the national average. This makes it an attractive option for recent college graduates. Moreover, Norman offers a suburban environment with a high rate of homeownership, appealing to young professionals seeking a balance between city life and a quieter residential atmosphere.

11. Madison, Wisconsin

Gen Zers Moving as a Percentage of the Total Population: 13.43%

Number of Gen Zers Who Moved in: 36,368

Madison, the capital of Wisconsin, is situated in the west of Milwaukee. The city attracts Gen Z due to its great job offerings, college-town status, and affordability. The city is considered a budding technology hub and offers many technological jobs. Over 36,000 Gen Z individuals (13.43% of the population) moved to Madison in 2022, making it one of the top 15 cities where Gen Z is moving in the US.

10. Syracuse, New York

Gen Zers Moving as a Percentage of the Total Population: 13.81%

Number of Gen Zers Who Moved in: 19,664

Syracuse became home to 19,664 Gen Z migrants, which is equivalent to 13.8% of the population in 2022. The city has begun attracting young professionals who want to benefit from the citys educational and professional offerings, strong economy, and quality of life. Syracuse also houses Syracuse University, a top-ranked research institution with 40 interdisciplinary centers, where graduates can pursue more than 240 advanced degrees. The cost of living in Syracuse is low compared to most other US cities. Syracuse citizens spend 12% less than the average American on basic necessities and 28% less than the average New Yorker.

9. Columbia, South Carolina

Gen Zers Moving as a Percentage of the Total Population: 15.11%

Number of Gen Zers Who Moved in: 20,778

Owing to the lower cost of living, comfortable climate, easy commute, as well as job opportunities in the growing fields of healthcare and technology, Columbia, South Carolina, attracts and appeals a great deal to Gen Z. Around 20,778 individuals belonging to Gen Z moved to South Carolinas capital city in 2022, making up 15.11% of the city population.

8. Gainesville, Florida

Gen Zers Moving as a Percentage of the Total Population: 15.40%

Number of Gen Zers Who Moved in: 22,262

Gainesville is a city in northern Florida. Gainesville witnessed an increase in its population by 22,262 Gen Z individuals in 2022, which amounts to 15.4% of its population. This migration has led to Gen Zers making up almost 35% of Gainesville's resident citizens. Gainesville provides many attractive job opportunities for Gen Zers to excel in their careers.

7. Berkeley, California

Gen Zers Moving as a Percentage of the Total Population: 15.84%

Number of Gen Zers Who Moved in: 18,699

Berkeley, a city on the east side of San Francisco Bay, is attracting a wave of young adults, particularly Gen Z. This trend is likely due in part to the city's world-famous University of California, Berkeley, which draws a large international student population. Berkeley ranked highest for Gen Z movers from abroad, with over 13% (2,466 people) coming from other countries. In total, 18,699 Gen Z residents moved to the city in 2022.

6. Tallahassee, Florida

Gen Zers Moving as a Percentage of the Total Population: 17.37%

Number of Gen Zers Who Moved in: 34,570

Tallahassee is the state capital of Florida. Over 34,000 people moved to Tallahassee in 2022, making it secure the sixth position on our list of the most popular cities among Gen Zers.

Click to continue reading and see the Top 5 Cities Where Gen Z is Moving in the US. Suggested articles:

Disclosure: None. Top 15 Cities Where Gen Z is Moving in the US is originally published on Insider Monkey.
LinkedIn published a ranking of the best large companies for career growth in the US.

Amazon ranked No. 2; Northrop Grumman rounded out the top 15.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. ranked No. 1 and was one of the financial-services firms among the top 15.

LinkedIn released its annual US list of the best big employers for career growth this week, and JPMorgan Chase & Co. ranked No. 1.

A few kinds of employers emerge among LinkedIn's top 15 large companies for US career growth including financial-services giants like JPMorgan and Wells Fargo, telecom companies AT&T and Verizon, and the Big Four accounting firms Deloitte and PwC.

"This year's honorees are proving that investment in the employee experience is vital in today's workplaces," the report said. "Whether it's launching upskilling initiatives or offering flexible working arrangements, these are the companies leading the way in not only attracting workers, but retaining them in our ever-changing world of work."

The career-growth ranking was released amid a robust but slower job market with fewer job openings and quits than during the wild recovery from the pandemic. The labor market has been looking more Goldilocks-like, where it's not too hot or not too cold.

"Job seekers still have some bargaining power but are less willing to demonstrate that power by leaving their jobs," Nick Bunker, economic research director for North America at the Indeed Hiring Lab, recently told Business Insider. "With fewer new job opportunities and less of a pay bump for switching roles, more employees are staying put. However, layoff rates are still low, so workers have robust job security compared to pre-pandemic levels."

Not all companies qualified for the ranking. One of the requirements was size: "To be eligible, companies must have had 5,000 or more global employees with at least 500 in the country as of Dec. 31, 2023," the report said. Workforce layoffs was another factor, per the methodology. A few kinds of workplaces were also excluded, such as government agencies.

Skills growth, gender diversity, and the ability to advance were three of the eight "pillars" used for this list. Ability to advance covered "employee promotions within a company and when they move to a new company, based on standardized job titles," per the methodology.

"Our methodology uses LinkedIn data to rank companies based on eight pillars that have been shown to lead to career progression," the report said.

Story continues

Below are the top 15 places.

15. Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman at Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition. Chris Jung/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The new LinkedIn report listed aerospace engineering, fluid mechanics, and aircraft management as the most notable skills at this employer. Three kinds of engineering jobs were listed as the most common job titles. These were system engineer, software engineer, and manufacturing engineer.

14. Capital One

Capital One. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

A lot of workers use artificial intelligence in different industries. AI was also noted as one of the most notable skills for Capital One in the new report. As was the case for Northrop Grumman, software engineer was listed as one of the most common job titles. The other two titles listed for this financial-services employer were product manager and business analyst.

13. Mastercard

The Mastercard logo on a New York Stock Exchange screen. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Product management was listed as one of the largest job functions at Mastercard, and it was listed as one of the most notable skills. That makes sense given that product manager was listed as one of the most common job titles at this company in the new report. Software Development Life Cycle and the programming-language SQL were the two other noteworthy skills stated in the LinkedIn report for this workplace.

12. Bank of America

A Bank of America location. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The LinkedIn report listed commercial banking, capital markets, and investment banking as the most notable skills for Bank of America. While finance was listed as part of the biggest job functions, business development and sales were considered main functions too.

Christie Gragnani-Woods, senior vice president for Bank of America's external community partnerships and regional banking talent acquisition executive, previously told Business Insider this employer likes to see talent who are team-oriented and "those that thrive on engaging with customers."

11. General Motors

General Motors. Rebecca Cook/Reuters

Based on the most common job titles listed in the new report, it's common to find people at General Motors working as engineers. The most common titles listed were software engineer, manufacturing engineer, and automotive engineer. Given that, it makes sense that engineering was also listed as part of the biggest job functions. IT was another big one.

10. Alphabet Inc.

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The most notable skills for Alphabet per the LinkedIn report were mobile application development, AI, and signal processing. Program and product management were listed as part of the largest job functions, and program and product managers were included as part of the most common roles.

9. Moderna

Moderna logo. Dado Ruvic/Reuters

Research, operations, and engineering were stated in the LinkedIn report as the largest job functions for Moderna. Quality assurance specialists can be commonly found at this employer based on titles listed in the new LinkedIn report.

8. Verizon

A Verizon location. Kena Betancur/VIEWpress/Getty Images

Two different kinds of sales skills were listed as part of the most notable skills for Verizon in the report: inside sales and sales leads. Given this is a telecom company, it makes sense that telecommunications was another noteworthy skill. Customer service representatives can be commonly found at Verizon, per the report.

7. AT&T

AT&T store. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Like Verizon, telecommunications was among the most notable skills at AT&T. The two other skills listed in the LinkedIn report for AT&T were industrial design and web hosting. Sales is one of the biggest job functions at this employer per the report.

6. UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group logo. Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

The common roles at UnitedHealth Group per the report include project manager, software engineer, and customer service representative. Given this is a healthcare company, it makes sense that healthcare management and public health were among the most notable skills. And while healthcare services is big at this employer, another main job function per the report is IT.

5. PwC

PwC. Michael Kappeler/picture alliance via Getty Images

People working at PwC may be especially knowledgeable in taxes. Tax accounting and tax law were listed in the LinkedIn report as part of the most notable skills for this employer. Tax accountant was part of the most common job roles. Relatedly, accounting was listed as one of the biggest job functions at this employer.

"While the majority of our positions require educational degrees, we still look for candidates who have relevant skills and who are committed to continuing to learn at every stage of their career," Rod Adams, PwC talent acquisition and onboarding leader, previously told Business Insider in a statement. "We know that our people's skills, experiences and perspectives are essential to our firm, and we'll continue to focus on attracting and retaining people who can help PwC grow and succeed."

4. Deloitte

Deloitte. J. David Ake/Getty Images

Like for PwC, two of Deloitte's most notable skills were tax accounting and tax law. Auditing was the third noteworthy skill listed per the report for this employer. Tax accountant was noted as one of the most common job titles. The report listed consulting as one of the biggest job functions at this employer.

"We provide a wide variety of services to our clients, which means we source talent across specialties, including business-tax professionals, certified public accountants, clinicians, and software engineers," David Rizzo, national managing principal of talent strategy and operations for Deloitte, said in an as-told-to essay for Business Insider. "Other roles that people may not know about at Deloitte are climate scientists, brand marketers, writers, graphic designers, forensics lawyers, user-experience and user-interface designers, and product developers."

3. Wells Fargo

A Wells Fargo location. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Like many other companies that made the top 15, software engineer was one of the most common job titles for Wells Fargo per the report. The other two noted were banker and business consultant. Commercial banking, capital markets, and debt collection were the skills noted as most notable for this employer in the report. Sales was also listed as one of the largest job functions for this place.

2. Amazon

Amazon fulfillment center. Gabe Ginsberg/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Workers at Amazon may be familiar with AI and also human computer interaction as these were listed as among the most notable skills for this employer in the LinkedIn report. Supply chain associate is one common role at Amazon, per LinkedIn, along with software engineers and package handlers.

1. JPMorgan Chase & Co.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Leonardo Munoz/VIEWpress/Corbis via Getty Images

JPMorgan Chase & Co. had the same three skills listed as the most notable ones as Bank of America: commercial banking, capital markets, and investment banking. Project manager was one of the most common job titles listed for JPMorgan Chase & Co. in the report. While finance is a main job-function area, so is engineering and business development per LinkedIn's findings.

Read the original article on Business Insider
In this article, we list and discuss the Top 25 States with Cheapest Gasoline Prices as of April 2024. If you would like to skip our detailed analysis of the US oil market, you can instead go to the Top 10 States with Cheapest Gasoline Prices.

Gasoline, a petrochemical product made through refining crude oil, is one of the most consumed fuels in the United States. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that Americans consumed around 376 million gallons of gasoline daily as a transportation fuel in 2023. Due to such high demand for gasoline, it is also one of the major products refined in the US. oil refineries.

From the input of one 42-gallon barrel of crude oil, U.S. refineries produced 19.45 gallons or about 46% of finished motor gasoline in 2022. Overall, in the same year, the US refineries refined around 3.47 billion barrels of gasoline, making it the largest gasoline producer in the world. Since gasoline is made from crude oil, this also means that the United States has the highest crude oil production capacity; 17.77 million barrels of oil per day. (See also: 20 Biggest Oil Producers in the World). The country also accounts for 43.7% of the world's total oil consumption.

Unfortunately, despite such large levels of production, the US still does not satisfy the high demand for oil consumption in the country. Resultantly, the United States imports from 86 other countries; most prominently from the Middle East. In 2022, the US spent $204.72 billion on total oil imports, making it the country with the second-highest oil imports in the world. Moreover, in 2023, the US imported around 8.51 million barrels and exported around 10.15 million barrels of oil per day, a net of 1.64 million b/d.

So, the US is one of the leading oil importers as well as leading oil exporters in the world, while also domestically producing huge quantities of the same product  around 12.9 million barrels of crude oil per day. This is because, large oil-producing companies in the US, like Chevron Corp (NYSE:CVX), Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE:XOM), and Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) export their petroleum products that mostly come from the Gulf coasts to all parts of the world, mostly to Canada and Mexico.

On the other hand, the United States imports heavy or high-viscosity crude oil from the Middle East as its cheaper compared to high-quality crudes that are low in viscosity. High-viscosity crude oil is denser, dirtier, and requires more advanced refineries to process and pump the oil through pipelines because of the high amount of sulfur, so it's cheaper. However, as reported via Reuters, the prices for heavy crude oil in the US and the Gulf Coast saw an increase in the past few weeks due to tightened supply. The increase in the prices of crude oil directly affects the prices of gasoline.

At the beginning of 2024, the gasoline price stood at $3.089 per gallon in the US, and 24 states had gas prices below $3. (Read: 24 States With Gas Prices Below $3). However, according to the most recent EIA report published on April 15, 2024, the national regular gasoline costs have now climbed up to $3.628 per gallon. The prices may further increase in the upcoming months as summer is a high-demand season.

The increase in gasoline prices will affect millions of Americans who use heavy cars for transport. In fact, there is an uptick in the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the US, driven by the collective awareness of using cheaper, cleaner, and more sustainable energy than gasoline. The EV market in the US is projected to reach $391.03 billion by 2030, and companies like Chevron Corp (NYSE:CVX), Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE:XOM), and Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) are going headfirst in the EV industry and capitalizing on the potential.

Chevron Corp (NYSE:CVX) invested $240 million in ChargePoint, one of the leading EV charging networks, in its Series H funding. Additionally, in July 2023, the company was also considering plans to start producing lithium batteries that are used in electric cars. Meanwhile, Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE:XOM) makes products like lubricants, specialty greases, and e-motor fluids for electric vehicles to boost longevity between charges.

On the other hand, Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) is collaborating with FreeWire Technologies to expand the base of electric fueling stations in the United States. Moreover, Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) has launched the Branded EV Charging program in which the companys branded customers will receive a discounted price on FreeWire chargers.

Top 25 States with Cheapest Gasoline Prices

Top 25 States with Cheapest Gasoline Prices

Our Methodology

For our list of 25 States with the cheapest gasoline prices, we first listed the average gas prices across the 50 states and then shortlisted the ones with the cheapest prices as of writing this article. The list is in descending order, going from the highest price to the lowest price. For the data used within this article, we have referred to AAA and the Energy Information Administration.

By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that uses a consensus approach to identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The website tracks the movement of corporate insiders and hedge funds. Our top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 stock index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). So, if you are looking for the best stock picks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders.

Top 25 States with Cheapest Gasoline Prices

25. Wisconsin

Price of Gas per Gallon (April 16 2024): $3.41

Wisconsin, the 25th largest state in the US by area, houses over 5.89 million people and ranks 25th among the top 25 states with the cheapest gasoline prices in the US. As of writing this article, gasoline price in Wisconsin stands at $3.41 today, which is $0.218 below the national average value of $3.628 per gallon as reported by the EIA. Compared to the previous year, Wisconsin has seen a decrease of $0.13 in its gasoline prices.

24. Nebraska

Price of Gas per Gallon (April 16 2024): $3.41

On 5th February 2024, Nebraskas gas prices stood at $2.820/gal  below $3. Two months later, in April, the prices have increased 18%, but the gas in the state still costs $0.218 less than the national average, making it the 24th cheapest state in the US for gasoline. In 2023, the price of gasoline in Nebraska averaged $3.533. In comparison, the gas price per gallon in Nebraska is $0.213 less than this year.

23. North Dakota

Price of Gas per Gallon (April 16 2024): $3.40

A landlocked midwestern US state, North Dakotas gasoline prices have increased slightly from last month. In March, the price of gas per gallon in the state averaged $3.288. On the contrary, in 2023, gas prices in the state averaged $3.503 per gallon. So, while the states gas prices are $0.112 higher in April than in March, but still $0.103 less than in 2023, and $0.228 less than the national average.

22. Rhode Island

Price of Gas per Gallon (April 16 2024): $3.40

As of April 16th, Rhode Island has seen an increase of about 6 cents in the price of gas per gallon since last week. However, this cost is still $0.228 cheaper than the national average.

21. New Jersey

Price of Gas per Gallon (April 16 2024): $3.39

Home to over 9.28 million people, New Jersey is bordered by New York, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. According to the Energy Information Administration, New Jersey has two operating oil refineries, with a combined capacity of about 418,500 barrels per day. Naturally, this means that the state enjoys cheap gasoline prices. It is also the 13th-largest petroleum-consuming state in the US. In 2023, the average price of gasoline in New Jersey was $3.452, which has now dropped to $3.39, as of April 2024.

20. Massachusetts

Price of Gas per Gallon (April 16 2024): $3.39

Ranked 20th, the per gallon gasoline price in Massachusetts is $0.238 less than the national average as reported by the EIA. Compared to the previous year's price average of $3.396, Massachusetts gas price has managed to remain consistent and affordable this year as well.

19. South Dakota

Price of Gas per Gallon (April 16 2024): $3.39

The gasoline prices in South Dakota have slightly increased from the prices in March, which averaged $3.231. The current average in April 2024 is around $3.39, which is still $0.238 less than the national average, and $0.205 cheaper than the per gallon gasoline prices in its neighboring state, Montana.

18. Wyoming

Price of Gas per Gallon (April 16 2024): $3.38

18th on the list, Wyoming is among the top 20 states in the US with one of the cheapest gasoline prices. On 5th February 2024, Wyomings gas prices stood at $2.677/gal; the second-cheapest in the country. Two months later, in April, the prices have increased, but the gas in the state still costs $0.248 less than the national average. According to the EIA, Wyoming has about 2% of the total US crude oil reserves. It is also the eighth-largest crude oil producer in the US, which explains the cheap gasoline prices. As of April 2024, the prices of regular, mid-grade, and premium gasoline are $3.376, $3.629, and $3.912.

17. North Carolina

Price of Gas per Gallon (April 16 2024): $3.37

A year ago, in 2023, North Carolinas gas prices were above $3.5. Today, in April 2024, there has been a significant drop in these prices, and per gallon gasoline prices in North Carolina have dropped from $3.545 in 2023 to $3.37.

16. New Hampshire

Price of Gas per Gallon (April 16 2024): $3.35

16th on the list of the top 25 states with the cheapest gasoline, New Hampshire is one of the smallest states in the country. The regular gasoline prices in the state stand at $3.35 as of writing this article, which is $0.278 cheaper than the national average of the US.

15. Missouri

Price of Gas per Gallon (April 16 2024): $3.35

Located in one of the most mineral-rich areas of the US, Missouri is a landlocked state in the midwestern US. The prices of regular, mid-grade, and premium gasoline in the state of Missouri are $3.348, $3.692, and $3.992 at the time of writing this article. The US Energy Information Administration reports that the annual oil output of Missouri increased in 2022 for the first time in nearly 10 years, rising to 67,000 barrels.

14. Iowa

Price of Gas per Gallon (April 16 2024): $3.32

Although the gasoline prices in Iowa have increased from March 2024, which was $3.192, at $3.32, Iowas average price of gasoline is $0.308 less than the national average of the US.

13. Kentucky

Price of Gas per Gallon (April 16 2024): $3.32

The prices of regular gas, mid-grade gas, premium gas, and Diesel in Kentucky, as of writing this article are $3.320, $3.780, $4.185, and $3.844 respectively. According to the EIA, the state is responsible for 0.1% of US crude oil reserves and production.

12. Minnesota

Price of Gas per Gallon (April 16 2024): $3.31

Ranked 12th, Minnesota's average per gallon gas price stands at $3.31, which is $0.318 cheaper than the national average of the US. Its also $0.288 cheaper than 2023's average price.

11. Tennessee

Price of Gas per Gallon (April 16 2024): $3.28

In Tennessee, gas prices have increased slightly as compared to March 2024, going from $3.091 to $3.28. Still, its $0.348 cheaper than the state average, which positions it as the 11th cheapest state for gasoline in the US.

Click to continue reading and see the Top 10 States with Cheapest Gasoline Prices.

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Disclosure: None. Top 25 States with Cheapest Gasoline Prices is originally published on Insider Monkey.
ANTWERP, Belgium, April 03, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:

On the occasion of Belgian Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten's visit to TotalEnergies' (Paris:TTE) (LSE:TTE) (NYSE:TTE) Antwerp refinery battery storage project, the Company announced the development in Belgium of a second similar project.

The new project will be developed on the site of TotalEnergies depot in Feluy. It will have a power rating of 25 MW and capacity of 75 MWh, thanks to the forty Intensium Max High Energy lithium-ion containers supplied by Saft. Start-up is expected at the end of 2025.

These two projects, which represent a global investment of nearly 70 million, will bring TotalEnergies' storage capacity in Belgium to 50 MW / 150 MWh.

These battery storage sites play a key role in the resilience of the electricity system, providing flexibility and helping solve grid congestion problems. They also encourage the growth of renewable energies in the country, which require solutions like these to compensate for their intermittency.

"We are pleased to announce this new storage project in Feluy, just a year after we began our Antwerp project, which should be operational by the end of the year. These projects are fully in line with our integrated development strategy for electricity, not just in Belgium, but globally," said Olivier Jouny, Senior Vice President, Integrated Power at TotalEnergies. "These technical systems also confirm the European leadership of our affiliate specialized in battery production, Saft, and its industrial-scale stationary storage know-how."

TotalEnergies and electricity in Belgium

In Belgium, TotalEnergies is a major player along the entire electricity value chain. As an electricity supplier, the Company has a portfolio of 900,000 customers.

As an electricity producer, TotalEnergies relies in particular on the Marchienne-au-Pont CCGT power plant (430 MW), the Plate-Taille hydroelectric storage (140 MW), and an offshore wind farm located in the Belgian North Sea (300 MW). TotalEnergies is also developing solar and onshore wind projects, with a portfolio of 300 MW.

In electric mobility, TotalEnergies already has more than 10,000 charging points in operation (35% on roads, 20% at private homes and 45% in offices) throughout the country. TotalEnergies operates recharging points in major cities such as Antwerp, Brussels and Ghent.

***

About Saft

Saft specializes in advanced technology battery solutions for industry, from the design and development to the production, customization and service provision. For more than 100 years, Safts longer-lasting batteries and systems have provided critical safety applications, back-up power and propulsion for our customers. Our innovative, safe and reliable technology delivers high performance on land, at sea, in the air and in space. Saft is powering industry and smarter cities, while providing critical back-up functionality in remote and harsh environments from the Arctic Circle to the Sahara Desert. Saft is a wholly owned subsidiary of TotalEnergies, a broad energy company that produces and markets energies on a global scale: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables and electricity.

Story continues

About TotalEnergies

TotalEnergies is a global integrated energy company that produces and markets energies: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables and electricity. Our more than 100,000 employees are committed to provide as many people as possible with energy that is more reliable, more affordable and more sustainable. Active in about 120 countries, TotalEnergies places sustainability at the heart of its strategy, its projects and its operations.

@TotalEnergies l TotalEnergies l TotalEnergies l TotalEnergies

Cautionary Note

The terms "TotalEnergies", "TotalEnergies company" or "Company" in this document are used to designate TotalEnergies SE and the consolidated entities that are directly or indirectly controlled by TotalEnergies SE. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" may also be used to refer to these entities or to their employees. The entities in which TotalEnergies SE directly or indirectly owns a shareholding are separate legal entities. This document may contain forward-looking information and statements that are based on a number of economic data and assumptions made in a given economic, competitive and regulatory environment. They may prove to be inaccurate in the future and are subject to a number of risk factors. Neither TotalEnergies SE nor any of its subsidiaries assumes any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information or statement, objectives or trends contained in this document whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Information concerning risk factors, that may affect TotalEnergies financial results or activities is provided in the most recent Universal Registration Document, the French-language version of which is filed by TotalEnergies SE with the French securities regulator Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF), and in the Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240403290511/en/

Contacts

TotalEnergies Contacts

Media Relations:+33 (0)1 47 44 46 99l presse@totalenergies.com l @TotalEnergiesPR

Investor Relations:+33 (0)1 47 44 46 46 l ir@totalenergies.com
By Sarah Young

LONDON (Reuters) -British airline easyJet said it was confident travel demand would remain strong this summer, putting it on track for further growth and boosting its shares after it forecast a smaller-than-expected winter loss.

Consumers in Europe are continuing to spend on trips despite rising fares and their incomes being squeezed by higher interest rates, and easyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren said there was "positive momentum" going into the key travel season.

"We move into the summer period with confidence that we can deliver another record summer performance," he told reporters on Thursday.

Shares in easyJet traded up 4% at 0800 GMT, but at 538 pence the stock is a long way off pre-pandemic levels of 1,300 pence, as worries linger over how long travel spend can keep rising.

Another cloud on the horizon is Middle East tensions. EasyJet on Tuesday cancelled flights to Israel until October, after a very limited service restarted in March.

"We reallocated into destinations where we believe that there would be strong demand going forward," Lundgren said of that decision.

That capacity would be added to destinations like Malaga and Mallorca, he said, adding that overall demand continued to be centred in those usual holiday hotspots including Portugal, as well as Amsterdam for city breaks.

In the Middle East region, easyJet also flies to Egypt and Turkey, and Lundgren said there had been no impact on bookings to those countries.

For the six months to the end of March, the airline said it expected its pretax loss to come in between 340 million pounds and 360 million pounds, beating a consensus forecast for a 390 million pound loss.

"The first-half revenue performance was better than expected while the cost performance was in line with guidance, this is likely to be welcomed by the equity market," Goodbody analysts said.

Looking to the July to September period, when easyJet makes most of its profit, the airline said it was adding capacity of 7% and revenue per seat would be "well ahead" of last year, with the group's holiday business also showing strong growth.

($1 = 0.8021 pounds)

(Reporting by Sarah Young; editing by Kate Holton and Elaine Hardcastle)
The new owners of the former Bank of America building in downtown Gardner have big plans for the property which has been vacant for nearly five years.

Gardner-based Empire Management announced on April 9 that it purchased the building at 29 Parker St. for $825,000 from developer Tony Molina, who bought the property two years ago. The former bank is directly across the street from Empire Management office, which opened in 1994.

We look at that building every single day, and since we are committed to the revitalization of downtown Gardner, were really excited to have the opportunity to purchase it, said Gabrielle Surette, the Empire Management office manager.

The vacant building at 29 Parker St. in Gardner was recently purchased by Empire Management. The former Bank of America building will soon be the home to a family-style restaurant and a medical arts center, according to the new owners.

Plans for the property include utilizing the first floor for a higher-end family restaurant, according to Empire Management president Jenna Hartman.

When we first started the conversation, we (would have had the restaurant) ideally by the end of this year, but with contractors and everything like that its kind of hard to say exactly, but we would love for it to (open) by the end of this year, Hartman said.

Discussions are continuing with a potential tenant interested in opening the restaurant, she said.

What were the plans in 2022: Developer purchases former Gardner News, Bank of America buildings with plans to renovate

One of the propertys most attractive features for tenants will be parking, Surette said.

Not only is that building beautiful, but it has two parking lots, which is awesome, she said. Both floors are pretty accessible as well.

What about the bank vault and the second floor

Another unique feature is the former banks large vault on the first floor.

(The vault) is going to be a big focal point for the restaurant; theyre really excited about having that, and they definitely have some ideas for it  that vault is not going anywhere, Hartman said.

Why the coffee is so good Brilla Coffee owners to open new location in downtown Gardner

The second floor will likely be the new location for a medical arts center, according to Surette.

At the moment, we are in negotiations with a pediatrics firm out of Texas which has expanded to other areas of Massachusetts, and are looking to open an office in Gardner, she said. We have also had a mental health office that is looking to relocate and expand their practice to Gardner.

The new second-floor tenant could be fully moved in by late fall, Surette added.

Downtown renaissance in full swing

The move to revitalize the downtown area is in full swing, according to Surette.

We are not only happy to be a part of it, weve been in Gardner and in business for 30 years, so weve been here for a long time, were going to stay here for a long time, and it seems like things are going nowhere but up, she said. Were thrilled to be a part of it and to be contributing to it.

Story continues

The public response to Empire Managements purchase of the building had been overwhelmingly positive, according to Surette.

I think the most heartwarming messages weve received are from people who are excited and happy that (the new owners) are people who have lived here for so long, she said. The outside investors are great  theres no downside to that  but people are glad its a local business revitalizing buildings that have stood there for years and bringing them back to life.

Amber LaBonte, the city's economic development coordinator, welcomed the opportunity for a new restaurant and medical center in downtown Gardner.

"Local businesses often want to be a part of the community they serve, too, so I think we're likely to see events that will directly benefit Gardner's local population," she said.

This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Empire Management buys Parker Street building: Plans for restaurant
For a moment last summer, VinFast was among the worlds most valuable car companies.

A new Vietnamese electric vehicle maker with major ambitions in North Carolina, VinFast went public on Aug. 15 and immediately turned heads when it finished its market debut worth more than Ford or General Motors. Then its stock price kept rising: On Aug. 28, a share of VinFast peaked at $93, making it the third-highest valued automaker after Tesla and Toyota.

On Wednesday, a VinFast share could be bought for an all-time low of $2.62.

This price plunge hasnt shocked those who doubted the stock of an unproven, loss-making manufacturer. VinFast reached the market via a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, a shell entity that serves as a channel for a private company to gain a public listing. SPAC listings frequently underperform their standard initial listings of $10 a share says Michael Ohlrogge, a New York University law professor who studies corporate governance and financial regulation.

When prices come back to reality, investors who bought in at the inflated valuations given in SPAC merger agreements tend to do quite poorly, he said. Unless they are astute enough to dump their shares quickly after the merger.

VinFast initially made only a tiny percentage of its shares trade-able, meaning the eye-popping valuation of this low-float stock came with a caveat.

Yet some investors now claim they lost money on VinFast stock due to securities fraud.

On April 12, two law firms filed a federal securities class action lawsuit against the carmaker on behalf of shareholders who allege misleading statements by VinFast caused them financial harm. These statements, the lawsuit contends, included overestimating the number of vehicles the company would deliver last year and the amount of funding it had to expand its operations.

In an email Wednesday to The News & Observer, a VinFast spokesperson called the allegation baseless.

VinFast has adhered to the highest ethical standards and has consistently complied with all laws and regulations in the markets where it operates, they said. We will not comment further on this matter.

In March 2022, the Vietnam-based VinFast announced it would build its first foreign automobile plant in North Carolinas Chatham County, on a megasite southwest of downtown Raleigh. The company says the planned multibillion-dollar facility could eventually employ 7,500 people. However, building construction at the site has been paused for months as county officials wait for VinFast to send revised design plans.

Story continues

Its winner take all

Class action securities lawsuits are not uncommon. According to the Stanford Law School Securities Class Action Clearinghouse, around 200 cases are brought annually. So far in 2024, there have been 60. Cases this year have been filed against Lyft, Dicks Sporting Goods, Nextdoor and Boeing.

And companies are more likely to become defendants after experiencing stark share price declines, said Adam Pritchard, a corporate and securities law professor at the University of Michigan.

A stock price drop is what puts the whole litigation machine into motion, he said.

Lawyers file class action lawsuits through a process outlined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Each firm jockeys to represent the individual who has the largest alleged losses in the case. This person becomes the lead plaintiff and represents the class. Importantly for law firms, the lead plaintiff gets to pick their attorneys who hope to collect fees at the conclusion of the case.

Only the attorneys for the lead plaintiff get to make money on the case. Its winner take all, Pritchard said.

This months VinFast lawsuit was jointly brought by the New York City firms Pomerantz LLP and Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC. Under federal law, VinFast shareholders have 90 days to make their claim as a lead plaintiff  and firms seek to represent them. Several have already posted notices encouraging VinFast shareholders who owned stock during the period of the alleged violations to come forward.

To win a federal securities lawsuit, shareholders must trace their financial losses to material misstatements by companies. In the case against VinFast, the plaintiffs asked for a jury trial.

But Pritchard said these cases rarely go to trial. Half the cases get dismissed, he said. And the other half settle.

When settlements are approved, lawyers for the lead plaintiff take a percentage and the rest is proportioned among shareholders who can prove they lost money during the class period.
Standing in the space that used to be Chapel Hill Malls JCPenney, Adam Berkley recalled that he and his now-wifes first date 30 years ago was to see Grumpy Old Men at the malls General Cinema.

That's hilarious that you remember that, his colleague, Greg Brumbaugh, said of the movie name drop.

Both of them once worked in the former malls Sears.

Now, Berkley is general manager and Brumbaugh is senior director of production at OnQ Solutions, a retail display manufacturer with a roughly decade-long presence in Akron. In December, OnQ signed a lease for more than 130,000 square feet between two floors of the former mall.

Adam Berkley, general manager of OnQ Solutions, takes in what will soon be the production area of the firm's new location in what was once the JCPenney story in the former Chapel Hill Mall in Akron.

The former mall has been revitalized into a site for new job creation and business activity. About 715,000 square feet  the bulk of the space  is being leased by Industrial Commercial Properties (ICP) to OnQ and three other tenants under the name Chapel Hill Business Park.

It's been so successful that ICP is looking to build even more space to rent out.

Meanwhile, next door is the former Macys, now owned and operated by Storage of America.

ICP purchased the majority of the mall in 2021 when there were still a handful of stores left and the business owners were looking to get out of their leases, said Michelle Nicholson, ICP's director of sales and leasing.

Jessica Stropko, left, and Michelle Nicholson of Industrial Commercial Properties LLC outside the Chapel Hill Business Park on April 10.

Not long ago, the site was starting to look like a motorcycle test track where people were doing fishtails in the parking lot, said Chris Salata, chief operating officer of ICP.

ICPs renovation of the 2000 Brittain Road building included tearing out old walls, installing new LED lights and painting the interior and exterior, Salata said. Exterior updates include landscaping near the building.

During an April visit from a Beacon Journal reporter, employees and temp workers contracted with OnQ, the business park's most recent tenant, were in the process of unpacking and repacking boxes and inventorying display parts. Between their duties overseeing workflow and the businesss months-long move into the space, Berkley and Brumbaugh relayed other fond memories.

OnQ Senior Director of Production Greg Brumbaugh discusses the new space in the former Chapel Hill Mall building.

There was a lot to do here back in the day  plenty of stores to hit, along with the food court, Berkley said. So, as a kid, you just hung out and kind of did what you wanted to do with your friends back then.

OnQ creates displays for products, including Apple and Tesla, in brick-and-mortar retail stores such as Walmart, Costco and Best Buy, said founder and CEO Paul Chapuis.

The business is consolidating production, warehouse storage, shipping and offices from sites off Romig Road and Flora Avenue in Akron to Chapel Hill, Brumbaugh said.

Story continues

Recalling visiting Santa Claus and Archie the Snowman as a child, Brumbaugh said: It's exciting to come back and turn it into something else."

More: Goodbye, Chapel Hill Mall. Hello, Chapel Hill Business Park. A look inside the former mall

Industrial Commercial Propertys work and plans at mall site

Michelle Nicholson, director of sales and leasing for Industrial Commercial Properties LLC, talks about the Chapel Hill Business Park now housed in the former Chapel Hill Mall.

Through multiple 2021 property purchases from Kohan Real Estate Investment Group and Sears, ICP purchased more than 700,000 square feet of the onetime Chapel Hill Mall, Salata said.

The tenants in the now-Chapel Hill Business Park have already created about 200 new jobs, Nicholson said.

Salata said he believes the jobs and investment into building business are only going to strengthen the surrounding, other development projects.

Salata declined to share purchase totals for the transactions.

Records from the Summit County Fiscal Office show a $2.1 million October 2020 sale of one parcel at 2000 Brittain Road from Seritage SRC Finance LLC to Akron 2000 Brittain Road LLC. The Ohio Secretary of State's Office also has a business on file with the name ICP Akron 2000 Brittain Road LLC that has the same statutory agent as Akron 2000 Brittain Road LLC.

Summit County Fiscal Office records also show a $7 million March 2021 sale of two parcels at that address from Chapel Hill Mall Realty Holding LLC to Akron Chapel Hill LLC. Akron Chapel Hill LLC has the same statutory agent listed with the Secretary of State's Office as Akron 2000 Brittain Road LLC and ICP Akron 2000 Brittain Road LLC.

The areas that were once the food court, shared walkways, small retail stores, JCPenney and Sears all fall under ICPs ownership, as does the building that was formerly the Sears Auto Center.

OnQ Solutions investing in former Chapel Hill Mall

OnQ Solutions production workers fulfill orders for companies in the business' new space in the former Chapel Hill Mall in Akron.

As OnQ puts more than $2 million in renovations into its leased space, Chapuis said: The fact that we're going to now be doing production in the main atrium is pretty cool  like, were part of revitalizing retail.

OnQ plans to stay at Chapel Hill Business Park long term, Chapuis said.

More than half of OnQs workforce  roughly 55 out of 100 employees  will operate at the new site, Chapuis said. Many of them will come from the Romig Road space, while a handful will pick up and move from OnQs Hayward, California (Bay Area) location. And the company will make some new hires, most of whom will be working out of the business park, he said.

Touching on the spirit and character of the former mall, Chapuis said OnQ is retaining Cleveland artist Brian J. Plesmid's 218-by-13-foot mural, "The Four Seasons."

The mural, previously part of a common area in the mall but now strictly in OnQ's space, will tower over some of the manufacturer's offices and its production, Brumbaugh said.

An OnQ Solutions worker prepares kits for orders under a section of a 218-foot-long mural by Cleveland artist Brian J. Plesmid titled "The Four Seasons" that shoppers once passed by on their way to JCPenney when the space was part of the Chapel Hill Mall.

ICP touched up the mural with white paint. Salata said the mural was just one aspect of the structure that was starting to look dated.

When you think about industrial [manufacturers] in 2024, most of them are very clean  they're antiseptic, Salata said, adding that tenants tend to prefer polished concrete floors, bright white paint, LED lights.

Who are the other tenants at Chapel Hill Business Park?

Aside from OnQ, the other Chapel Hill Business Park tenants are Craft33, Quantix and Driverge Vehicle Innovations.

Craft33 is the cabinet-making division of Akron-based Famous Supply, a wholesale distribution company that specializes in building and industrial products, plumbing and HVAC. Craft33 signed its lease in September 2021 and now occupies about 217,000 square feet of the south side of the business park, Salata said.

Supply chain management company Quantix, which serves the chemical industry, signed a lease at the business park in March 2023 and operates in about 160,000 square feet of space on its north side, Salata said.

Driverge Vehicle Innovations manufactures vehicles with features such as wheelchair lifts and tool racks to accommodate specific uses. Driverge signed its Chapel Hill Business Park lease in November 2021 and has about 164,500 square feet located between Craft33 to the south and Quantix and OnQ to the northeast and northwest, respectively, Salata said.

Driverge Vehicle Innovations LLC is one of the businesses located inside the Chapel Hill Business Park.

Brad Beckert, business retention and expansion manager for the city of Akron, said Driverge relocated workers from an operation in Richfield and hired more at its Akron site.

Nicholson added that Driverge hires regularly.

In the business park, Driverge operates what Salata called essentially an assembly line with its vans coming through, likening the look of the operation to a very upscale car dealership.

Craft33, Quantix and Driverge did not respond to the Beacon Journals requests for comment by its deadline.

More: Chapel Hill Business Park gets major tenant, Richfield van conversion business Driverge

Storage of America renting out units at former Macys

Salt Lake City-based Storage of America rents storage units out of the former Macys at 1977 Bucholzer Blvd., north of the business park.

SOA Akron Main LLC, which is registered in Utah, purchased one parcel of the former Macys for $1.6 million in 2019, according to the Summit County Fiscal Offices website.

The storage unit company was planning to fix a broken elevator and install 949 storage containers that ranged in size from 25 to 300 square feet, among other work, the Beacon Journal reported in November 2018.

Storage of America Marketing Manager Tanya Churchill said in April that customers can now drive directly into the building to store items.

A search on the businesss site showed drive-up access as a feature of three units available for rental. The search showed units ranging from 30 to 300 square feet.

We didnt want the building to go to waste, so we figured we would convert it, Churchill said.

She added that she visited the site in 2023.

Unless you told me it was a Macy's, I never would have guessed it, she said.

Churchill said she was unable to answer more questions about details of the space, and additional questions that she said she forwarded to Storage of America leadership went unanswered as of press time.

Is Chapel Hill Business Park still leasing space?

The former Chapel Hill Mall has been transformed to the Chapel Hill Business Park in Akron.

ICP is still looking for a tenant or tenants of the business park in the building that was formerly the Sears Auto Center to the southwest of the main mall complex, Nicholson said.

The building formerly operating as the auto center has two floors with 21,626 square feet of available lease space on the first floor, and its second floor has 19,200 square feet of available lease space, according to a document that Salata shared with the Beacon Journal.

It can be multi-purpose use, Nicholson said. It can be light manufacturing, a distribution auto center, obviously  [it was] purposely built for that.

ICP may construct more buildings and lease more space at the former mall site, Salata said, adding that he sees that happening given the velocity of the leasing down there and the success we've had in such a short period of time.

All of that is obviously driven by the market, and with rates where they currently are, it's pretty darn expensive these days to build a new building from the ground up, Salata said. But we definitely have the space.

Nicholson said one plan that ICP has drafted is a 112,000-square-foot structure on the 60 acres that the business owns.

Thats one option, and were just throwing options on paper, Nicholson said. If somebody needed a smaller building than that or two buildings or something else  we as a landlord are open to anything, obviously if it makes financial sense to us and to the user.

Nicholson declined to share what ICP charges tenants, citing that factors such as length of leases and tenants' credit are factors that make prices variable.

With local workers in tow, historic structure lives to fight another day

OnQ Solutions' Senior Director of Production Greg Brumbaugh is framed by a doorway that separates the front entrance from the production area in the business' new space inside the former Chapel Hill Mall.

Chapuis, who started OnQ in a garage in California 20 years ago and is still based there, applauded the dedication and hardworking ethos of Akronites.

Its just been a remarkable group of people, Chapuis said. Its a remarkable town.

Berkley and Brumbaugh said theyre glad to be part of the business activity returning to the mall.

Its just cool to be in the space again, walk around and know that you spent so much time here back in the day, Berkley said. Its kind of come full circle.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: What's happening with the former Chapel Hill Business Mall in Ohio?
GE Vernova has announced multiple strategic initiatives with the Republic of Iraq aiming to boost generation and enhance the availability of power supply across the country. The announcements were made on the sidelines of the Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa Al-Sudanis visit to Washington, D.C. and meeting with President Joe Biden.

GE Vernova signed a letter of intent with Iraqs Ministry of Electricity MoE to explore injecting 3 additional gigawatts (GW) of energy into the grid generated by highly efficient combined cycle power plants. Additionally, the MoE and GE Vernova reiterated their commitment to move forward with the conversion of two sites, Samawa and Nasiriya, from simple to combined cycle, as well as to expand capacity at the Al Mansouria gas power plant.

GE Vernova also signed five-year services and upgrade agreements with the MoE to enhance the availability and efficiency of over 70 turbines and generators at 18 power plants, with a total capacity of up to 7.5 GW.

MoU on using flared gas

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed with Iraqs Ministry of Oil to explore the accelerated use of flared gas to boost power generation in select oil fields. Iraq is ranked among the top gas flaring countries globally, and this MoU paves the way to future joint projects aiming to significantly reduce pollution and health hazards associated with flaring, while generating additional power.

The initiatives were signed, in the presence of Al-Sudani on April 17 in Washington DC, by Hayan Abdul Ghani Al-Swad, the Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs and Minister of Oil; Dr Muhammad Ali Tamim, the Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning; and Roger Martella, Chief Sustainability Officer and Head of Government Affairs at GE Vernova.

The signings were attended by Ambassador Alina L. Romanowski, the US Ambassador to the Republic of Iraq and Steve Lutes, the President of the US-Iraqi Business Council, and Vice President, Middle East Affairs at US Chamber of Commerce.

The collaborations reflect the joint vision of the Government of the Republic of Iraq and GE Vernova to work together in order to strengthen and modernise power infrastructure, enable the transition to a lower carbon energy future, and promote economic development. The initiatives announced align with the Principles of Cooperation signed between Iraqs Ministry of Electricity (MoE) and GE Vernova in 2023 to explore opportunities to increase power capacity and establish new power plants. They include:

Key milestone

These initiatives mark a milestone in our continued efforts to strengthen national power infrastructure, said Zeyad Ali Fadhil, the Iraqi Minister of Electricity. As electricity demand in Iraq grows, we continue to work with leading companies like GE Vernova, to ensure that the power needs of residents and industrial users are met in a timely manner through advanced gas power generation technologies, on-time servicing and maintenance of energy infrastructure, and an accelerated use of flared gas, in collaboration with the Ministry of Oil. As an example, in preparation for the peak summer demand season in 2024, the MoE and GE Vernovas teams completed the MXL2 upgrade on two of GE Vernovas 13E2 gas turbines at Al Mansouria power plant, with a total capacity of up to 266 megawatts. Additionally, our teams continue to work on maintenance and upgrade projects covering up to 3.8 GW of capacity.

As part of the new initiatives, GE Vernova also plans to set up a Monitoring and Diagnostics (M&D) Centre that will use the companys electrification software capabilities for continuous monitoring of core power assets across 18 sites powered by GE Vernovas 9E gas turbines. The Centre is expected to be operated by the MoEs team, and is projected to help mitigate operational risks, reduce unplanned outage costs, and enable Iraqi talent development through knowledge transfer and the specialised training of local engineers.

In 2021, GE Vernova proposed a 10-point strategy to help accelerate Iraqs energy transition, including a series of measures that were part of todays announcements, said Joseph Anis, President and CEO of GE Vernovas Gas Power business in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. These announcements reflect our committed to keep driving progress for the Iraqi people. We aim to continue to work closely with the Iraqi government and other stakeholders to help deliver more affordable, reliable, and lower carbon power that supports the growing needs of citizens and faster, more sustainable economic development, to the benefit of present and future generations.

GE Vernova has a strong legacy of contributing to the development of Iraqs energy sector. The company has added up to 19 GW of capacity in the country in just over a decade, completed up to 30 substations over the past 10 years, as well as delivered phase one of the interconnection with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordans grid, which was inaugurated by the Iraqi government in March 2024. Furthermore, GE Vernova has supported the government of Iraq to secure over $3 billion in funding for energy sector projects since 2015. The company employs over 200 people in the country, more than 95% of them Iraqis.--TradeArabia News Service
The West Palm Beach City Commission voted unanimously to spend up to $300,000 on a study that will show if there is an ongoing need for the city's women- and minority-owned business assistance program.

The current program was established in 2019 after a four-year study of city contracts showed that firms owned by women and minorities were not getting a fair share of that contract work.

In 2020, the first full year of the program, less than half a percent of the contract money firms competed to get went to firms owned by women or minorities, according to information compiled by the Office of Small and Minority/Women Business Programs.

Frank Hayden, director of the city of West Palm Beach's Office of Small and Minority/Women Business Programs.

By 2023, the last full year for which there is data, women- and minority-owned firms were getting just about 2.2% of city contract money.

The amount of contract money women- and minority-owned firms competed to get went from $283,519 in 2020 to more than $1.5 million in 2023.

"We still have work to do, but we are making progress," said Mayor Keith James, whose administration has established various programs aimed at helping firms owned by women and minorities, known as minorities/women business enterprises or M/WBEs in the industry.

Supreme Court's 1989 ruling to help minority/women businesses has often been contentious

The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in 1989 allowed governments to establish programs to help M/WBEs. The establishment of those programs is often contentious, as some white business owners and trade groups view them as a form of reverse racial discrimination.

That was the case seven years ago when Palm Beach County and its Solid Waste Authority hired a consultant to study their contracting.

The Florida chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America disputed the Solid Waste Authority study, questioning its methodology. AGC hired its own consultant, who said the study was too flawed to be relied upon as a basis for the re-establishment of gender- and race-based assistance programs.

The county and the Solid Waste Authority ultimately established programs.

WEST PALM NEWS: As renovated Sunset Lounge sits idle, leaders assure they have a plan, reopening timetable

Many women and minority business owners say assistance programs are critical in helping them get a fair share of government contract work. M/WBEs often lack the track record, financial backing and networking of competitors and either lose out to them or don't even attempt to get government contracts.

The Supreme Court ruling said assistance programs had to be narrowly tailored and could be established only after a statistical analysis showed the need for them.

Story continues

Even then, some programs have come under attack by business owners who argue that the market conditions that justified their establishment have changed.

How often does West Palm review its business assistance programs?

West Palm Beach code authorizes a review of the city's business assistance programs every five to seven years.

Frank Hayden, director of the Office of Small and Minority/Women Business Programs, told commissioners the city has taken a variety of steps to give M/WBEs a better shot a city contracts.

The city has provided free marketing consultation, bond readiness and technical assistance, funded a COVID-19 recovery loan program and start-up or marketing grants. The city has also published a "Doing Business with the City" guidebook and provided tips on how to respond to government requests for proposals.

Firms have to be certified by the city to get contract work, a process set up to ensure that taxpayer money is not provided to a firm that does not have the experience or expertise to get the job done. Time- and often cash-strapped M/WBEs have reported that becoming certified is a tall order.

WEST PALM NEWS: City will contribute $166,000 to rebuild of iconic LGBTQ bar Roosters

Hayden said West Palm Beach has gone beyond simply helping firms get certified.

"The thing that we discovered in this journey was getting firms certified, making sure they got opportunities to perform work, was just the tip of the iceberg," he said. "What we discovered is that a lot of these firms required a little extra assistance.

"I've said it a lot of times when I'm out speaking: You can find people who will be able to put windows in and doors in. But at the same time, they don't know how to market their business. They don't know how to sell their business."

As commissioners contemplated Hayden's request for disparity study money, women and minority business owners looked on from the audience.

Many of them told commissioners about why they got into business and how they were seeking to help their communities.

"My family and I had a vision years ago," said Craig Glover of A Better Way Home Care, which helps veterans through a contract with the city's Community Redevelopment Agency.

WEST PALM NEWS: Former mayor says Harriet Himmel Theater renovations threaten building's history

"We wated to be in a community that was underserved. We come from those communities. We wanted to bring a business to those communities that demonstrates that we can be successful. And then we also wanted to make an impact on those communities."

Commissioners praised the business owners and said they were eager to continue providing assistance.

"I would like to acknowledge the tremendous difference that I've seen over the last five years," Commissioner Shalonda Warren said.

Sign up for our Post on West Palm Beach weekly newsletter, delivered every Thursday!

Wayne Washington is a journalist covering West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach and race relations at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at wwashington@pbpost.com. Help support our work; subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: West Palm to pay for disparity study of minority and women businesses
One of Latin America's best-run airlines faces significant headwinds and is reportedly pondering moves to try to offset any weakness.

The uncertainty appears to have investors on edge, sending shares of Azul (NYSE: AZUL) down 12% for the week as of Thursday midday, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Destination consolidation?

The entire global airline industry was hit hard by the pandemic, but few regions felt the impact more than Latin America. Azul was a rare standout in a sector that had experienced several high-profile bankruptcies, and the airline has been trying to go on the offensive in the years since.

Azul initially tried to buy rival LATAM Airlines Group out of bankruptcy. It now reportedly has turned its attention to domestic archrival Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA. According to a Bloomberg report, Azul has held talks with large Gol shareholder Abra Group about a deal that would see Abra take a stake in the combined airline, lessening the cash outlay Azul would need to complete a deal.

The airlines are looking at options in part due to uncertainty about the Brazilian market. Earlier in the week, Bank of America downgraded Azul shares to underperform from neutral and cut its price target to $9.50 from $18. The bank believes that further yield increases are unlikely due to growing macro uncertainty and competition, and itsaid Azul could operate at slightly below cash breakeven in the coming years.

Is Azul stock a buy on its recent weakness?

As we have seen in the United States, consolidation can help stabilize airlines because with less competition there is more pricing power. A deal between Azul and Gol that creates a single Brazilian powerhouse airline might be in the best interest of all parties, but it will not happen overnight and will require the approval of multiple regulators and labor groups.

In the meantime, the macroeconomic concerns are not going to go away. Investors interested in buying in now should get a company strong enough to fly above any challenges, but there could be a significant delay before Azul shares are flying high again.

Should you invest $1,000 in Azul right now?

Before you buy stock in Azul, 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 Azul wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $514,887!*

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 quadrupled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*.

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Bank of America is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Lou Whiteman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bank of America. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Why Azul Stock Lost Altitude This Week was originally published by The Motley Fool
Perhaps stung by criticism that it has done little to no legislative work, the U.S. House of Representatives is currently laboring to transfer the ownership of -- or ban -- the hotly popular TikTok social media site in the United States.

Clearly encouraged by that effort, on Wednesday market players traded up the stock of its rival Snap (NYSE: SNAP), owner and operator of Snapchat. Snap's shares closed the day 4.7% higher, marking quite a contrast from the 0.6% slump of the S&P 500 index.

A rival could be sold or banned

House Speaker Mike Johnson signaled his intention to advance a measure for ByteDance, the China-based owner of TikTok, to sell TikTok to a third party. Should it fail to do so within one year, TikTok would be banned in the United States. The measure would be included in one or more foreign aid bills soon to be voted upon.

The House is slated to hold a vote on three foreign aid bills, specifically ones for Ukraine, Israel, and several allies in the Indo-Pacific region, this coming Saturday.

At the moment, it's not certain in which bill the TikTok measure might be incorporated.

Bad news is good news, some think

Many lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are eager to push through the foreign-aid bills. President Biden has also indicated his support for them, so it feels that the momentum is gathering in their favor. Given that eagerness, it's likely some form of the TikTok measure will go through.

Will it really help Snap's business, though? I wouldn't be so sure. First, if TikTok is divested, it could end up in the hands of a powerful American company and become even stronger of a rival to the U.S. social media company. Second, the measure is sure to be challenged on legal and even Constitutional grounds, so it might not get very far even if enacted. The bullish reaction to the TikTok developments, then, seems overblown.

Should you invest $1,000 in Snap right now?

Before you buy stock in Snap, 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 Snap wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $535,597!*

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 quadrupled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*.

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See the 10 stocks 

*Stock Advisor returns as of April 15, 2024

Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Why Snap Stock Soared Nearly 5% Higher on Wednesday was originally published by The Motley Fool
Many investors are still learning about the various metrics that can be useful when analysing a stock. This article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE). By way of learning-by-doing, we'll look at ROE to gain a better understanding of Swiss Life Holding AG (VTX:SLHN).

ROE or return on equity is a useful tool to assess how effectively a company can generate returns on the investment it received from its shareholders. In short, ROE shows the profit each dollar generates with respect to its shareholder investments.

See our latest analysis for Swiss Life Holding

How To Calculate Return On Equity?

The formula for return on equity is:

Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations)  Shareholders' Equity

So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Swiss Life Holding is:

13% = CHF1.1b  CHF8.3b (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).

The 'return' refers to a company's earnings over the last year. Another way to think of that is that for every CHF1 worth of equity, the company was able to earn CHF0.13 in profit.

Does Swiss Life Holding Have A Good ROE?

By comparing a company's ROE with its industry average, we can get a quick measure of how good it is. Importantly, this is far from a perfect measure, because companies differ significantly within the same industry classification. As you can see in the graphic below, Swiss Life Holding has a higher ROE than the average (10%) in the Insurance industry.

roe

That's what we like to see. With that said, a high ROE doesn't always indicate high profitability. Aside from changes in net income, a high ROE can also be the outcome of high debt relative to equity, which indicates risk.

The Importance Of Debt To Return On Equity

Companies usually need to invest money to grow their profits. That cash can come from issuing shares, retained earnings, or debt. In the first two cases, the ROE will capture this use of capital to grow. In the latter case, the debt used for growth will improve returns, but won't affect the total equity. That will make the ROE look better than if no debt was used.

Swiss Life Holding's Debt And Its 13% ROE

It's worth noting the high use of debt by Swiss Life Holding, leading to its debt to equity ratio of 1.57. While its ROE is respectable, it is worth keeping in mind that there is usually a limit as to how much debt a company can use. Debt does bring extra risk, so it's only really worthwhile when a company generates some decent returns from it.

Conclusion

Return on equity is one way we can compare its business quality of different companies. In our books, the highest quality companies have high return on equity, despite low debt. If two companies have the same ROE, then I would generally prefer the one with less debt.

Story continues

But when a business is high quality, the market often bids it up to a price that reflects this. The rate at which profits are likely to grow, relative to the expectations of profit growth reflected in the current price, must be considered, too. So I think it may be worth checking this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

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.
Shares of Medical Properties Trust (NYSE: MPW) were skyrocketing 25.1% this week as of the market close on Thursday, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence. The big jump was due to two positive announcements from the company last week.

On Friday, April 12, Medical Properties Trust reported the sale of its interests in five Utah hospitals to a joint venture (JV) with an investment fund for around $1.1 billion. Medical Properties Trust owns roughly 25% of the JV. The same day, the healthcare real estate investment trust (REIT) declared its quarterly dividend of $0.15 per share -- unchanged from the previous quarter.

Why investors liked Medical Properties Trust's news so much

Much of Medical Properties Trust's value proposition to investors stems from its ultra-high-yield dividend. Some investors were likely worried that the REIT would cut its dividend payout for the second time in nine months. That didn't happen, allowing shareholders to breathe a big sigh of relief.

Even better, the sale of the Utah hospitals further fortifies Medical Properties Trust's balance sheet. This deal came on top of another sale announced on April 9 of five facilities in California and New Jersey to Prime Healthcare for a total of $350 million. These transactions improve the likelihood that Medical Properties Trust can continue to pay its dividend at current levels.

Is Medical Properties Trust stock a buy now?

Medical Properties Trust's latest updates arguably give investors a reason to be cautiously optimistic about the company. The stock could continue to be highly volatile, though. Medical Properties Trust isn't out of the woods just yet. Most investors will be better off avoiding the stock for now. However, the healthcare REIT's dividend yield of nearly 12.2% combined with the potential for a sustained rebound could be tempting to aggressive investors.

Should you invest $1,000 in Medical Properties Trust right now?

Before you buy stock in Medical Properties Trust, 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 Medical Properties Trust wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $514,887!*

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 quadrupled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*.

Story continues

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*Stock Advisor returns as of April 15, 2024

Keith Speights has positions in Medical Properties Trust. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Why Ultra-High-Yield Dividend Stock Medical Properties Trust Is Skyrocketing This Week was originally published by The Motley Fool
If you had bought $1,000 worth of Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) shares five years ago, how much would that be worth today? The answer will strike you as terrific or terrible: $840.

That answer will be terrible if you did buy into Pfizer then as it reflects a loss, not a gain -- of about 16% -- yikes! Annualized, that's an average loss of 3.4% per year. The loss is even worse if you did what we often recommend doing: reinvesting your dividends into additional shares of stock. If you plowed Pfizer's not-insignificant dividends into more shares of Pfizer, your overall loss would have been 21%, leaving you with about $790. Ouch. (Note that, of course, you can always reinvest dividend income into shares of any stock, such as one you're most bullish on.)

Meanwhile, that answer -- a loss of 16% or 21% -- could be terrific if you didn't buy into Pfizer in 2019 but want to do so now. That's because the stock, after such a drop, now looks quite attractively valued. Its recent price-to-sales ratio, for example, was 2.5, well below the five-year average of 3.4. On top of that, Pfizer is a dividend-paying stock, with a whopping recent dividend yield of 6.5%.

The stock has sunk in part because demand has fallen for Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccines and its Paxlovid drug, and also because some of its big sellers, such as Eliquis, Ibrance, Inlyta, Xeljanz, Xtandi, and Vyndaqel, are coming off patent protection in the next few years.

But Pfizer, like any good pharmaceutical company, is always working on the next big sellers. It has strengthened its cancer-fighting game by acquiring Seagen, whose cancer treatments could help drive growth. And Pfizer's overall pipeline recently featured more than 110 medicines and vaccines in development, some of which may turn out to be tomorrow's blockbusters.

More important than how Pfizer has done in the past is how it will perform in the future. Whether you own it already or are thinking of buying, you want to be confident it'll be bigger and stronger in the future.

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.

Consider when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $535,597!*

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 quadrupled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*.

Story continues

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Theres a timeless quip among Jews: If two of us are discussing a topic, expect to hear three opinions.

This doesnt mean we arent of one mind on the survival of Israel. It means there are multiple views on how to ensure that.

That debate  along with related issues of Jewish identity, Jewish life, Jewish intellect, Jewish faith  is at full boil at a venue where diversity of opinion is supposed to be the rule, though some, particularly on the right, believe that its been crushed by left-leaning intellectual intolerance: the University of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson, an exemplar of free speech as foundational to democracy.

The election in Virginia nearly 2 years ago of a nationally ambitious, religiously conservative Republican governor  paired with the war in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, now six months on  mean that criticism of Israel over its conduct in this brutal conflict in which 1,100 Jews and 33,000 Palestinians have been killed is increasingly interpreted as antisemitism or an invitation, thereto.

At the University of Virginia, Jews are arguing over the many sides of this issue. Two Jews, three opinions? In this instance, it might be more. Its part of the larger feud at Mr. Jeffersons academical village over supposed woke-ism that erupted after the deadly siege of Charlottesville in 2017 by white nationalists, latter-day Confederates and torch-carrying antisemites.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin, burnishing his credentials as the culture warrior Republicans expect their presidential prospects to be, depicts the university as a hotbed of liberal orthodoxy. Through his public utterances, policy dictates and appointments to its oversight board of like-minded individuals  some of them headline machines with long histories of controversy  Youngkin aims to yank UVa to the right.

And soon.

Whether its UVa or Virginia Military Institute, another tax-supported four-year school beset by bitter differences over race and culture, post-George Floyd, or any of the other dozen Virginia public colleges and universities, Youngkin  come July 1, the start of the new spending cycle  will have installed on all of their governing boards majorities of trustees who presumably share his conservative agenda.

If only temporarily  and hastened by the Gaza war and, more recently, the duel between Israel and Iran following the formers attack on the latters embassy in Syria  the shoving match at UVa over diversity, equity and inclusion is taking a back seat to claims by conservatives that the university is turning a blind eye to alleged antisemitism.

Whether thats true depends on who you ask. And this calls attention to generational, religious, cultural and intellectual differences among Jews  differences that should make clear what is often overlooked or subordinated to a convenient but not necessarily informed generalization: Jews are averse to monolithism.

Consider the reaction to the fraught give-and-take early last month over antisemitism between Robert Hardie, head of the UVa board of visitors and appointed to that governing panel by two Democratic governors, and Bert Ellis, a Youngkin pick briefly blocked from the board by the General Assemblys Democratic majority and who has been outspoken on hot-button topics at the school since his days as an undergraduate in the 1970s.

To a Jewish students group at UVa, an important fact  that, in the organizations view, antisemitism is not rampant at the school  is overwhelmed by fury. To the parent of a Jewish student, more people should be furious because an important fact  that, in her view, antisemitism is rampant at the school  is being ignored.

In an April 3 letter to the board  first reported Tuesday by the student news site, The Cavalier Daily  the five students who oversee Hillel, the largest Jewish organization on campus, said that concerns about antisemitism at the university had been needlessly politicized. It is estimated that Jewish undergraduate and graduate students account for 1,400 of the schools total enrollment of just under 22,000.

We believe the overwhelming majority of students, faculty and staff at the university do not act with malicious intent nor hatred towards Jewish people, the students said.

We acknowledge that antisemitism is a top concern at UVA, especially among parents, although it is not as widespread as some outside of the university community believe. It saddens us to see concerted efforts to exploit Jewish students as pawns for political agendas. Such efforts threaten the safety and well-being of Jewish students.

There have been instances where we do believe that students and faculty have acted with ignorance and hate. We are of the opinion that this is a small but vocal contingent of the university community.

Small, maybe.

But to UVa parent Julie Pearl, a big problem, nonetheless.

The Northern Virginian wrote the board of visitors that hostility toward Jewish students is common and that the university has been slow to respond. Pearl, whose letter was reported on the website of the Jefferson Council  an organization launched as a conservative counterweight to what it regards as liberal overreach at UVa  offered an inventory of perceived offenses, including physical and verbal abuse of Jewish students and fear of bullying.

Ellis wanted the board to discuss in public antisemitism at the university. He pegged the concern to a call by students, in an advisory referendum in February, that UVas investment arm shed from the schools nearly $14 billion endowment holdings, as the ballot question put it, companies engaging in or profiting from the State of Israels apartheid regime and acute violence against Palestinians.

To Ellis, the vote  condemned by Attorney General Jason Miyares, a possible Republican gubernatorial candidate in 2025, as giving comfort to Hamas terrorists  was a put-up job by groups identified by federal agencies as antisemitic. He did not elaborate.

Hardie, according to a video posted on YouTube by the Jefferson Council, told Ellis that concerns over antisemitism would be discussed in secret because they touched on student safety and potential litigation. After the brief, crisp exchange, the board voted to go into closed session.

Ellis is a hugely successful broadcast investor from Atlanta. He appears to have inherited a dogged certainty on politics and policy from his late father, Urchie, a storied railroad lobbyist. Urchie Ellis later was a tireless critic of Richmond government who pressed for municipal accountability in frequent appearances before City Council and published letters in The Times-Dispatch.

Hardie, also a UVa alum, runs with his wife, Molly, luxury hotels in Virginia and Tennessee. Both are five-figure donors to U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanbergers bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. By business, family and marriage, the Hardies have a keen appreciation for the intersection of politics and public higher education. Molly Hardie is the daughter of Bill Goodwin of Richmond, the billionaire investor, high-dollar Republican donor and former UVa rector.

Since the Ellis-Hardie dust-up, tensions have only escalated. Spotted around the university: a box truck emblazoned with a neon sign branding Hardie unfit to head the board and demanding that he resign for refusing to address antisemitism there. Its not been determined whos responsible for that rolling billboard.

To Pearl, the board of visitors seems more interested in its status than that of Jewish students. In her letter she said, How does the billboard incident directed at you merit outrage, an immediate statement of condemnation, and investigative action  while the ongoing harassment and intimidation faced by Jewish students receive no such response?

Pearl may get one  more to the point, the one she wants  when Youngkin completes his takeover of the UVa board.
Chinese ballet to illuminate Dutch stadium

Xinhua) 09:02, April 18, 2024

HEERENVEEN, the Netherlands, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The National Ballet of China (NBC) is set to captivate audiences in the northern Dutch province of Friesland this June, as it prepares to stage a three-day show at a packed-out venue.

According to the cultural section of the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands, preparations are underway to ensure this ballet spectacle becomes a highlight of Sino-Dutch cultural exchange. The event, slated for June 6-8, promises to be a fusion of dance, lighting, sound, as well as a culinary journey blending Chinese and Dutch flavors.

The event will be hosted in the iconic Abe Lenstra Stadium in Heerenveen.

The NBC is set to dispatch a team of over 60 dancers, including several principal performers, to perform in the northern Dutch city. To ensure the event goes smoothly, a team of three technical experts has been dispatched to the Netherlands for technical coordination with local authorities.

"It'll be a once-in-a-lifetime event," Jan van Erve, one of the Dutch organizers of the ballet event, told Xinhua.

The selected production for this event is "Inspiration and Glory," a Chinese ballet which draws inspiration from classic Chinese myths, said Van Erve, expressing belief that these classic tales hold profound life lessons and will offer Dutch audiences a fresh cultural experience through ballet.

To further enhance the performance's impact, organizers have devised several creative activities to make the art form more relatable to the Dutch audiences.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
The Umrah and Ziyarah Forum (April 22-24) that will be held at King Salman International Conference Center, Madinah, will bring together decision-makers and industry experts to foster collaboration and shape the future of the pilgrimage.

Aiming to transform the pilgrimage experience for Muslims worldwide, the event will be held under the patronage of Governor Prince Salman bin Sultan Al Saud.

Aligning with Saudi Vision 2030's Pilgrim Experience Program, the forum will bring together key stakeholders  government officials, travel agencies, and businesses from healthcare, transportation, and technology.

Attendees can expect discussions and an exhibition showcasing cutting-edge products and services designed to enhance the Hajj journey. The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah plans to unveil new initiatives and partnerships aimed at streamlining travel and enriching the spiritual experience.  TradeArabia News Service
LINCOLN  Gov. Jim Pillen came up empty-handed Thursday on his quest to reduce property taxes by 40%  or even by about half as much  but immediately told lawmakers he would be calling them back to continue working on the issue.

I will call as many sessions as it takes to finish the long-overdue work of solving the property tax crisis, he said. We will finish this work, and we will finish it this year.

Pillen delivered his message just hours after a scaled-back version of his property tax reduction plan failed without an actual vote. After nearly two hours of debate, the introducer of Legislative Bill 388 opted to skip a vote on the measure after it became apparent it didnt have support from the 33 senators needed to end an opposing filibuster.

Because Thursday was the last day of the session, skipping a vote means the bill effectively died. The bills introducer, State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of the Omaha area, the Revenue Committee chairwoman, said she asked for the vote to be skipped because there were too many variables.

LB 388 would have added taxes on a variety of goods and services and used the revenue to help pay for new school property tax credits, replacing another credit program.

Normally, Linehan said, she would have pushed for votes on bills she introduced, even if the outcome was uncertain. In this case, the bills supporters included some senators who are up for re-election this year, and she said didnt want to put their prospects at risk without being sure the measure would pass.

Do you make them take a leap when it might not matter? Linehan asked.

But Pillen, in his end-of-session speech, chastised lawmakers for failing to pass his property tax plan, calling it unacceptable. He did not say when he might call them back into special session.

Because of this Legislatures inaction this morning, Nebraskans will not see a penny of property tax relief out of this session, he said, adding that every Nebraskan agrees we must broaden our sales tax base and close the loopholes.

Tax bills impact would have been limited

Despite the governors assertion, Nebraskans will continue to get most of the property tax relief that LB 388 would have provided, although it will be in a different form.

Earlier, his staff had estimated the bill he supported would have reduced property tax payments about 22%. But that figure counted the effects of other property tax measures passed last year. For most property owners, LB 388 would have meant writing a smaller check when property taxes were due but no additional relief over the course of the year.

The net impact would have been limited because the new credits would have meant the end of a property tax relief program that offers income tax credits to offset school property taxes paid. Property owners who have taken advantage of that program would have seen no net savings, although they would have gotten the savings upfront and avoided the hassle of claiming income tax credits months later.

Property owners who havent taken advantage of the income tax credits would have come out ahead, since their property tax bills would have gone down.

Pillen spokeswoman Laura Strimple had described the changes in LB 388 as part of the foundation for property tax reform and a great first step.

Several groups mounted a last-minute advertising barrage against the plan. The ads urged lawmakers to kill LB 388 because of its proposed tax increases. Supporters of the bill alleged the ads were manipulative and lied to the public.

This week, lie after lie after lie has been told about 388, said Sen. Brad von Gillern of the Omaha area.

But senators opposed to LB 388 said Thursday that the legislation would have been one of the biggest tax increases in Nebraska history. Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln also said lawmakers didnt have a clear idea of what they were voting on since the bill went through several major changes before the current version was proposed late in the session.

Conrad equated supporting the bill to jumping off a cliff.

She said later that she thought it was an odd political choice for Pillen to spend most of his remarks talking about what he felt were the Legislatures failures. Rather than reprimanding senators, she said, he and others should focus on figuring out a solution and building a consensus.

State senators dont appreciate being lectured by other branches of government, Conrad said.

Sales taxes wont go up  for now

LB 388 would have imposed sales taxes on pop and candy, veterinary care and other services for pets, lottery tickets, storage services and dry cleaning. It would have put a 20% tax on vaping products, a 25% tax on CBD and hemp products, a 7.5% tax on digital advertising services offered by businesses with gross revenues of more than $1 billion and an additional 36 cents on a pack of cigarettes.

Pillen started out the year by calling for a 40% reduction in property tax payments. To pay for the cuts, he floated the idea of a 2-cent increase in the sales tax rate, plus adding taxes to several goods and services.

The Revenue Committee advanced LB 388 with a 1-cent sales tax hike and a shorter list of goods and services to be taxed. That proposal would have achieved about a 30% property tax reduction.

But the proposed sales tax increase had become the target of heavy lobbying from business groups, anti-tax advocacy groups and think tanks of varying political stripes. The strong opposition threatened to sink the bill, leading to the scaled-back version that was before lawmakers on Thursday. The current version did not include a sales tax rate hike.

While multiple supporters acknowledged they felt LB 388 wasnt perfect, they urged lawmakers to pass the measure as a step in the right direction for property tax relief.

Lets at least do something to address the property tax problem, said Sen. Mike Moser of Columbus.

Conrad argued that senators shouldnt fear the special session that Pillen says he will call, but embrace the opportunity to figure out a potentially better tax plan.

Theres no problem with starting from scratch, Conrad said.

Linehan said the success of a special session on property taxes will depend on the monthly revenue reports that come out between now and then. For now, she said she is hopeful.

The Revenue Committee will be working all summer now, Linehan said.

Other tax bills passed on final day

Lawmakers passed some other tax packages Thursday. Among the highlights of those measures:

Homestead exemptions. Homeowners who qualify for homestead exemptions could keep those exemptions if their income did not change but their home valuation increased, under LB 126. The bill, introduced by Sen. Jen Day of Omaha, passed with unanimous consent. It also would allow homeowners to keep their exemption while living in nursing homes or other facilities if they are expected to return home.

Federal retirement. Nebraska would not tax benefits paid to federal retirees covered by the Civil Service Retirement System but would reinstate state income taxes for other federal retirees under LB 1317, passed 49-0. The bill would reverse a law passed last year that exempted both groups. Linehan said the intent of the previous law was to provide fairness for federal employees who had started before 1984 and were not able to participate in Social Security, which is newly tax-exempt in the state.

New residents. People moving to Nebraska for jobs paying at least $70,000 a year but not more than $250,000 could get a one-time income tax exemption under LB 1023, passed 49-0. The bill, introduced by von Gillern, would also give income tax credits for employers who pay moving costs for such employees.

Crisis pregnancy centers. Tax credits would be offered for donations to crisis pregnancy centers under LB 937, passed 45-0. The bill would allow up to $500,000 in credits for donations the first year and up to $1 million in following years.

Caregiver credits. LB 937, introduced by Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln, also would give tax credits to people caring for elderly or disabled family members and to people hiring or providing services to people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Other credits would be offered for making movies or videos in Nebraska and installing reverse osmosis systems in homes.

Not passed. One tax measure did not pass, however, after opponents mounted a last-minute filibuster and it became apparent that LB 1363 lacked support. Introduced by Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha, the bill would have raised the documentary stamp tax on real estate sales by 44%. It would have used part of the revenue to make possible a reduction in inheritance taxes.

Photos: Last day of 2024 Nebraska Legislature session
A yearling and a heifer were killed in Grand County over the weekend, with evidence both died from wolf attacks, despite claims by a Colorado Parks and Wildlife official that the agency's non-lethal efforts to stop the killing have "ceased depredation."
The former deputy district attorney and Colorado Springs Mormon church leader accused of sexual assault on a child had his trial date postponed on Wednesday.

David McConkie, 45, a former president of the East Stake within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, appeared in court virtually on Tuesday to request a continuance of his trial, originally scheduled to begin on May 28.

The prosecution did not object to a continuance, and McConkie's trial is now expected to begin on Aug. 26.

McConkie faces one charge of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust after one victim, now 19, told police about abuse spanning several years and concerns she had that he was abusing another young child based on the child's behavior, an arrest affidavit for McConkie said.

The Gazette previously reported that, according to the affidavit, McConkie admitted to an inappropriate sexual act with a child to a church leader in 2008. The person who spoke with police about the admission said he was shocked, but he did not ask many clarifying details about it.

The police document doesnt detail whether the person McConkie confessed to reported the incident. The name of the person he reportedly confessed to was redacted from the documents.

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McConkie was a deputy district attorney for the 4th Judicial District 2008-2011 and went into private practice after that as a partner in a local law firm.

At McConkie's previous hearing where he pleaded not guilty to the sexual assault charge, prosecutors said McConkie and his attorney declined a plea deal.

The prosecution said the offer to McConkie would have had him plead guilty to one count of attempted sexual assault against a child, a Class 5 felony, and that the offer would remain open until early March. The deal would have seen McConkie sentenced to a term of sex-offender intensive supervised probation (SOISP), with no jail time.

There was no discussion of the offer at Tuesday's hearing.

McConkie will appear to court in person for the first time since his 2023 arrest on July 1 for a motions hearing. McConkie has been out of custody and living in Utah since posting a $100,000 bond shortly after his arrest.
A fire that started Monday in a remote training area on Fort Carson is now 80% contained with no growth over the last day, officials said in a news release late Thursday afternoon.

"Fort Carson firefighters faced winds that challenged a few spots but have been able to hold the fire," officials said in the release.

Fire units from other installations and agencies were released Wednesday night.

The fire has burned 1,450 acres on the Mountain Post.

Crews from the Air Force Academy, Schriever Space Force Base, Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Complex and the Stratmoor Hills Fire Department assisted Fort Carson firefighters as they established a perimeter and performed mop-up operations into Wednesday, officials said.

Smoke will continue to be seen in the area for the next few days, according to the news release.
Everything about the life of legendary Colorado Springs businesswoman, Fannie Mae Duncan, roared togetherness.

It wasnt just that she owned the first jazz club in the city to welcome black and white patrons in a time of segregation, or that she took on the male-dominated business world in 4-inch heels; she did it by combining entrepreneurship and art. Saturday, hundreds of people gathered to dedicate a bronze statue of Duncan in her mid-30s, outside the Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts.

The statue was erected at 190 S. Cascade Ave., just a stones throw from where her jazz venue, the Cotton Club, once stood on West Colorado Avenue between Cascade and Tejon Street. Speakers included Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers, sculpture artist Lori Kiplinger Pandy, Pikes Peak Community College professor Regina Lewis and Kate Perdoni, a documentary-maker for Rocky Mountain PBS.

One of the first places in Colorado Springs to say Everybody welcome, the Cotton Club challenged the segregated norm of the 50s, and attracted talent such as Louis Armstrong, Count Basie and Duke Ellington. For nearly 30 years, Duncan ran the joint and built the block up to include several other businesses  a hair salon, barbershop, barbecue restaurant and record shop. That ended in 1975 when the city took over the property through eminent domain and tore it down as part of an urban renewal program.

This exciting and wonderful experience began with the incredible story of how a little girl, daughter of sharecroppers, with an indomitable spirit, a keen mind and a beautiful smile, grew up to become a philanthropic businesswoman in an era where such achievements were seemingly unlikely, Kiplinger Pandy said. Instead of talking of change, she simply was the change.

Nearly 40 extended family members from as far as South Africa joined the ceremony to honor their late relative.

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We need to love everybody, said Claudean Bragg-Brooks, Duncans niece. We grew up in this town together, and its all about love.

Duncan graduated from the integrated Colorado Springs High School (now Palmer High) in 1938, the first in her family to get a diploma. She went on to serve at the segregated soda fountain at what was then Camp Carson and, after a few years, decided to go into business for herself at age 26. Duncan bought the building that would become Duncans Cafe and later the Cotton Club at 25 W. Colorado Ave., across from the Antlers hotel, when she was just 28. But it was the way she used music as a vehicle for change, said project manager Kay Esmiol, that made her special.

Our collective desire to promote what is good and true about our community and to speak toward a narrative we can relate and aspire to is what stirred this cascade of wonderful events ... Perdoni said to the crowd. Nothing meaningful is ever about looking good. The real experiences you have and the people you have them with, and the space thats created for people to come together and grow and thrive without prejudice has nothing to do with money or keeping up appearances.

Duncan died in 2005 at the age of 87, but those honoring her legacy said they hope her influence will continue to spread, and that Colorado Springs will be known as a place where everybodys welcome.

Business and art can often have a difficult time coexisting ..., Perdoni said. But it can work. And Fannie Mae knew that. And she created something that was somehow separate from commerce. It was a community that raised all kinds of people.
ATM 2024 to take place in Dubai in May

International policymakers and industry leaders are preparing to gather in the UAE for Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024, where they will examine how entrepreneurship and innovation are reshaping the global tourism industry.

The 31st edition of the exhibition will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from May 6-9.

Over 200 speakers will participate in more than 50 sessions during the course of the four-day event.

Experts from around the world will take to ATMs Global Stage and Future Stage (formerly the Travel Tech Stage) to address some of the sectors most pressing issues, including the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI), the future of aviation, how to stand out in the luxury segment, retail tourism, and sustainable travel.

As the Middle Easts leading exhibition for inbound and outbound travel and tourism professionals, ATM 2024 will build on last years record-breaking 30th edition with its theme: Empowering Innovation: Transforming Travel Through Entrepreneurship.

Exhibitors and attendees will have the chance to explore new market opportunities, the benefits of collaboration and connectivity, how to attract investment and more.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: The future of the global travel industry will be shaped by innovators and entrepreneurs, which is why we are so excited to shine a spotlight on the latest insights and technologies at ATM 2024.

From startups to established brands, this years exhibition will showcase fresh thinking on how the sector can enhance customer experiences, drive efficiency and deliver positive economic impacts across the Middle East and beyond.

Exhibitor participation is expected to be 23% higher than last year, making ATM 2024 the largest edition in the events history. Growth is expected across all show verticals, including regional year-on-year upticks for the Middle East (19% larger), Europe (32% larger), Asia (20% larger) and Africa (28% larger).

The exhibitions sold-out Travel Tech space will be 56% greater on the show floor, with products from the sector demonstrating 33% growth year on year. Hotel participation, meanwhile, is projected to be 21% higher than last year.

This years edition will once again enable attendees to move beyond traditional leisure travel by exploring opportunities related to luxury, business, and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE).

ATM 2024 will feature an array of discussions on these subjects, including sessions dedicated to premium offerings, healthcare meetings, global business travel, sustainable procurement, sporting events and more.

The event will host a selection of regional and international policymakers, including Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), Salem bin Mohammed Al Mahrouqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism in Oman; Teodora Marinska, Head of Public Affairs, European Travel Commission; Basmah Al-Mayman, Regional Director, Middle East at the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO); and Lindsay Bowman Fraser, Leading Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions (MICE), Sport and eSport, Qatar Tourism.

Speakers at ATM 2024 will explore a series of emerging and established market segments, such as experiential, accessible and multi-generational travel, highlighting opportunities for growth, transformation and disruption.

Delegates will also consider the implications of advancements in fields such as AI and how these technologies are impacting the Middle Easts travel industry.

With less than a month to go before the international travel community converges on Dubai, we are looking forward to welcoming our biggest-ever cohort of exhibitors and guest speakers, Curtis said.

For more than 30 years, ATM has provided a forum in which participants can share insights, overcome challenges and seize opportunities, and the 2024 edition will be no exception.

Building on ATM 2023s Working Towards Net Zero theme, environmentally responsible travel will represent another key focus this year. ATM 2024 will explore how innovation can be leveraged to help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), creating a greener travel and tourism sector for future generations.

Held in conjunction with Dubai World Trade Centre, ATM 2024s strategic partners include Dubais Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) as Destination Partner, Emirates as Official Airline Partner, IHG Hotels & Resorts as Official Hotel Partner, and Al Rais Travel as Official DMC Partner.  TradeArabia News Service
Alstom, a global leader in sustainable and green mobility solutions, has announced that it has secured a major contract to boost the capacity of the Innovia automated people mover (APM) system at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Under this, Alstoms responsibility includes the design, engineering, supply, integration, testing and commissioning of a full system upgrade of Jeddahs International Airport Terminal 1 People Mover, including four additional state-of-the-art Innovia APM cars, to be added into the current fleet of 10.

The project will also feature an upgrade to the signalling and communication systems, the implementation of platform screen doors, cybersecurity enhancements, and the establishment of a new Operation Control Room, it stated.

The move is seen as a significant step in the kingdom's preparations to accommodate the airport's projected passenger growth, which is expected to surpass 100 million by 2030.

"The enhancement of the Innovia APM system is a crucial element in enriching the transit experience at King Abdulaziz International Airport, a bustling gateway influenced by the ambitious Saudi Vision 2030," remarked Mohamed Khalil, the Managing Director of Alstom in Saudi Arabia.

This significant upgrade will be instrumental in accommodating the increased passenger volumes resulting from the nation's active promotion of tourism and the modernisation of visa protocols," noted Khalil.

"Alstom's mission to bolster the Jeddah Airport Company's (Jedco) operational efficiency shines through this project, reinforcing our pledge to be a resilient, long-term partner in the region's remarkable evolution," he added.

According to Khalil, the project will draw on Alstoms global in-house expertise in integrated railway systems.

The APM cars are equipped with Cityflo 650 CBTC solution, which has been designed to meet the most stringent safety, reliability, maintainability and availability requirements. The existing fleet will be retrofitted with the latest Motion Recording Video systems, he stated.

Since 2020, King Abdulaziz International Airport has utilised the Innovia APM system, under a full operation and maintenance contract with Alstom.

This marked the introduction of Alstoms over 50 years of expertise in automated people mover design, construction, operations, and maintenance to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In 2022, Alstom and Jeddah Airports Company (Jedco) entered into a new five-year contract for the operation and maintenance of Jeddah Airports APM system.-TradeArabia News Service
How to get involved

An annual community improvement event, The Great American Cleanup, starts at 9 a.m. on April 27 at different locations. Volunteers can email creekweeksoco@gmail.com, or go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/great-american-cleanup-tickets-875676531077.

Richards Rubbish Roundup needs volunteers. Call 719-238-1161, or go to richardsrubbishroundup.org, or find the organization on Instagram or Facebook.

Keep Colorado Springs Beautiful needs volunteers, call 719-577-9111, or go to http://www.keepcoloradospringsbeautiful.org/.

Fountain Creek Watersheds annual Creek Week is Sept. 28-Oct. 6. Go to https://www.fountain-crk.org/about-creek-week.
Barry Fagin is a Senior Fellow at the Independence Institute in Denver and the author of The Radical Center. His views are his alone. Readers can contact Dr Fagin at barry@faginfamily.net.
Retirement for Patti Miller is bittersweet. She knows the time is right, but she is going to miss her old life. It helps that she is bilingual. Vacations just wouldnt be the same without knowing the language.

Miller is the Osage Community High School Spanish teacher, though she only has a few months to go. It is not easy saying goodbye.

Miller has been teaching for 25 years in all, at Osage for 14 years.

Retirement means travelling.

I taught about Cancun and the Yucatan Peninsula, Miller said. So Id really like to go there and see what Ive taught.

Dolls

Miller grew up in Cedar Rapids. She graduated from Cedar Rapids Washington in 1987.

Her father was a line worker building parts for airplanes for Rockwell Collins, and her mother ran a daycare. It was a humble and happy existence.

I learned from my parents to appreciate and find value in every day, Miller said. I learned the acceptance of other people, no matter who they are. Dont judge other people.

When she was very young, she wanted to be a teacher.

I liked the idea of working with kids, Miller said. Even when I was little, my dolls were my kids.

Miller sat before her pupils, which were her dolls, and taught them subjects such as math and reading.

Miller has always had a good work ethic, even if it was just teaching her dolls arithmetic. Since she could, at 16 years old, she became a waitress, something that continued through college. Waitressing is for the friendly and the organized.

Spanish has been a constant for Miller. She began taking classes in junior high all the way through college to the point where she became fluent.

I loved it, she said. Ive always loved language and literature. What I tell my students its that I love the puzzle of Spanish, how the words connect, how you can piece it all together to get better and better at the language.

In college, Spanish took off for Miller.

I still wouldnt say Im fluent, because I havent travelled and immersed myself in the language, she said. However, Miller has taken her students on trips to Costa Rica, Spain, France and Peru, so part of it is just modesty  fluency is relative.

Frida

Out of high school, Miller was prelaw at Iowa State University. She wanted to become a lawyer and work with migrant families. First, she studied business, then she was political science, but none of it was her thing. However, working with English learners was always appealing.

I loved Spanish so much I felt like I could be a voice for people who didnt speak English, Miller said. It was non-English speaking children who needed a little help. Just so they could be heard and understood.

But a love of the law did not materialize.

One day, I just was not enjoying the courses, and my mom said, Well, you really like kids. Maybe you could be a teacher? Thats when I said I think Id like that.

Therefore Miller earned her degree in elementary education. She always wanted to teach Spanish, so that was her minor.

After graduation, Miller worked with migrant workers children at a preschool in Hampton.

I did enjoy that a lot, she said.

Miller also met her husband at Iowa State. He was a farmer from New Haven who graduated from Osage, and the couple moved back to Mitchell County after graduation.

Miller taught fifth and six grade at Sacred Heart School in Osage for five years. While she taught general education, she sprinkled Spanish into the curriculum, and her students loved it. It was purely for fun, but it turned into a teaching moment.

After that, Miller took time off to raise her daughters. She had four daughters, and she wanted to help them while they were still young. In the interim was 13 years.

When her daughters became school age, she began substitute teaching. In 2010, when her youngest daughter was seven years old, she got a part-time job teaching Spanish at Osage Community High School. Then a teacher passed away.

It got bigger and bigger until I became full-time, Miller explained.

One advantage of being full-time in the school was being able to teach her own daughters and have their friends in her class.

My co-teachers have been amazing, Miller said. Theyve kept me here.

I see so much value in offering foreign language. Its a very fun subject to teach. You can do anything with it.

Every year, there is a student or two who stand out, and that makes it more pleasurable as well.

Miller has taken three international trips with her students. During each, speaking Spanish was a virtue.

In Costa Rica they ziplined and visited a volcano. They hiked through the forest among the noisy jungle animals. They spent time on the beach.

In Spain, they visited Barcelona, and in France they traveled to the Eiffel Tower. They visited art museums everywhere. Miller is a big fan of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. One of her favorite quotes is from Kahlo, There is nothing more precious than laughter. Miller tries to live that ideal.

In Peru, they climbed to the heights of Machu Picchu high in the Andes Mountains.

It was unbelievable, Miller said. Very powerful. Beautiful.

The only challenges were food, altitude and jet lag.

Its cool to be able to speak two languages, Miller said. Then you can talk to more people.

Epiphanies

Students at Osage are not required to take a foreign language. For Miller, that is both a good and a bad thing. Fewer students are exposed to Spanish, but the ones who do are invested in an elective.

Rarely do I get students who say, I really want to learn Spanish, Miller said. But as they learn it, they feel really proud. And sometimes I get heritage speakers who already speak Spanish, and they teach me a lot. I like that. Its nice for my students to hear someone who has been speaking it their whole life.

I tell my students it is never a disadvantage to study a language, because it opens so many doors.

Miller wishes Spanish was taught at a younger age in school, as well.

The younger you start, the better you can retain it, she said. Its a fun subject to teach.

There are many highlights. There is a lot of work. During Wooly Week, Miller collaborates with teachers around the world. It helps, since high school foreign language is a niche.

As a department of one, to have other people sharing their ideas with me, I really enjoy that, she said.

Millers talented students help make it worth it. She will miss her students most of all. She will miss her coworkers. She will miss Spanish.

When she speaks, she channels her inner Frida, full of laughter.

The kids are really amazing, Miller said. Its all about the students. I was really lucky to get to teach. I dont know how you can teach without a core group of teachers that has your back and gives you a laugh when you need it the most.

I hope the kids have good memories. My wish for them is that they see the world  its such a bigger place than Osage. I hope Ive reminded them that they are all valuable.

Every day, there are little epiphanies.

Ill be talking to students in Spanish, and they just know what Im saying, Miller explained. Thats the neatest thing, when they get it. Or when they send me a message, I helped someone at the grocery store who spoke Spanish.

Miller knows there is sometimes, in some corners, a demonization of those who dont speak English. She tries not to get into the politics of the issue, because oftentimes the views of her students are simply the views of their parents. Miller knows enough not to walk through that minefield.

Occasionally, she gets requests from an elementary school teacher to help a young student who does not speak English as well. It is the right thing to do.

I think its so important to remember that people are people, Miller said. No matter who they are, no matter what language they speak, if we can help in some way, thats a good thing. Its okay to be a good person and to help if we can.
Lewis and Clark County commissioners on Thursday unanimously approved opening a 30-day comment period on a request by Prickly Pear Land Trust to use $1 million from the countys open space bond to buy 1,457 acres from RV Ranch Co. in the Birdseye area.

The land will be available for public use.

The property in the Birdseye Ranch Open Lands application submitted by Prickly Pear Land Trust (PPLT) is adjacent to Fort Harrison to the south and about 2,000 acres of Bureau of Land Management land to the west, according to an April 11 report from the Lewis and Clark County Community Development and Planning Department to the commissioners.

PPLT has entered into a fee-title purchase agreement with property owner RV Ranch Co. to buy the land for the appraised value of $2.9 million, county officials said. They said PPLT will use three funding sources to buy the property, the Montana Fish & Wildlife Conservation Trust, Department of Defense Army Compatible Use Buffer Program and the Lewis and Clark County Open Space Bond. The $1 million from the county bond represents 33.8% of the total cost.

The report states it is one of the last remaining large tracts in the Helena Valley, with private land nearby having been developed for homes.

County officials said the property is used for seasonal grazing of cattle, which PPLT plans to continue. There is one large calving barn on the property, several small cow sheds and one historical stone-faced keep built into a hill. The keep was a holding area for locals who were buried on the site; bodies could be held there until ground thawed.

Fish and wildlife habitat on the property will be protected by PPLT.

The property does bolster prime habitat for a wildlife-rich area and can provide a critical future link for wildlife between the Continental Divide and the Helena Valley, the application reads.

PPLT will lease land for rotational grazing, open a public-access trail for seasonal hiking and allow seasonal hunting access through the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Block Management Program, officials said.

There are two track roads through the property that originate from Birdseye and Barrett roads.

Phil Gonzalez, a county planner, said PPLT will pay all property taxes when due.

On April 9, the countys Citizens Advisory Committee on Open Lands, which earlier toured the property, found the proposal met criteria in the Open Lands Program Guide and voted 7-0 to recommend the commission OK the project.

Mary Hollow, PPLT's executive director, said Lewis and Clark was one of four Montana counties to have an open space bond.

She said without the bond, they would not be able to get it completed.

The proposal received support on several fronts.

Sarah Christopherson, the committee's chair, told the commissioners the project was exciting because it is a mixed-use proposal.

It not only looks good on paper, but its a beautiful area, she said, adding she was excited about the prospect of recreating there herself someday.

Travis Vincent, PPLT's lands director, said the proposal really hits all the boxes in terms of qualifying for funds.

We only bring forward projects we specifically know the county has asked us to go out and protect, he said, adding that if the board eventually approves the project we will close in June.

Col. Kelly Traynham, construction and facilities management officer for the Montana National Guard, also supports the proposal.

Angie Enger, a real estate broker who said her father manages the RV Ranch, said she has a unique relationship with project as she represents RV Ranch.

I guess I am here to represent the land, she said.

We could not be more pleased about this proposal on so many fronts, Enger said. I am thrilled for the community of Helena and I thank you for your support.

No one spoke against the proposal Thursday.

People can comment on the proposal by emailing: planning@lccountymt.gov.
ARCOLA  Eight-two years after his death at Pearl Harbor, U.S. Navy sailor Charles Darling Brown is set to be laid to rest on Saturday in his hometown.

The remains of the 22-year-old electrician's mate third class had long been buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii among other unknown military casualties of the Imperial Japanese Navy's attack on Dec. 7, 1941, which drew the United States into World War II.

In 2017, the Defense PWO/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) exhumed 35 unknowns and began using modern forensic science, including DNA analysis, to try to identify them.

Brown was subsequently identified. They also identified his USS West Virginia shipmate, Navy Machinist's Mate 1st Class Keith Tipsword, 27, of Effingham County, who was buried on Nov. 15 in rural Beecher City.

"Being able to recover and identify the remains of sailors aid is closure for the families and it is especially important to the Navy to honor these sailors who paid the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives for our country," said Navy Casualty Director Capt. Jeff Draude in a news release. His office is responsible for returning POW/MIA sailors to their families.

Now, Brown is scheduled to be buried at 10 a.m. Saturday with Navy funeral honors among the graves of his family at Arcola Township Cemetery, located at 950 E. County Road 200N. This burial site is located on the southeast side of Arcola, along Interstate 57.

Local historian Carolyn Cloyd reported in a recent article about Brown and his family history that the then 19-year-old, who was the youngest son in a family of 13 children, enlisted in the Navy on May 13, 1938. His brother, Harry, also joined the Navy during this timeframe.

Cloyd reported two of Brown's nieces, Eloise Elder Quinley and Alyson Wright Davis, in past interviews recalled the family story that the boys' father had encouraged Harry to "go with Charles to keep an eye on him." The two brothers were subsequently both assigned to the West Virginia.

The two Arcola men were still serving with each other when their battleship was caught up in the sneak attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. The West Virginia was hit by at least seven torpedoes and two bombs, ultimately sinking despite the crew's efforts to keep the burning ship afloat.

"It is not known exactly what happened to Charles Brown that morning. Harry was topside while Charles was still below decks getting dressed when the attack began," Cloyd wrote. "Harry was injured, but survived and Charles was missing."

Cloyd reported that Brown's parents, James and Lillie Brown, back in Arcola received a first Navy telegram about a week later saying he had been lost in action, followed by a second telegram within a few more days saying he had survived.

After two months passed with no updates, Brown's parents began inquiring with the Navy. They subsequently received a Navy letter dated Feb. 27, 1942 saying Brown had died in the attack and been misidentified as a survivor due the chaos surrounding so many dead and wounded sailors.

"Eloise Quinley and Alyson Davis said their mothers didnt talk much about what happened to their brother Charles. Their generation tended to be stoic, but it was clear it hit them hard," Cloyd wrote. "The loss of Charles had devastated the Brown family."

During the Mattoon City Council meeting Tuesday night, the subject of this sailor lost at Pearl Harbor finally being found and returned home was brought up by council member Dave Cox.

Cox noted that Brown still has family in the area, including in Charleston and Mattoon, and that his upcoming burial service has gotten a lot of interest from community members wanting to honor his sacrifice.

"When we say we never forget, it's not just words, it's true," Cox said. "I wanted to point that out and send good wishes to the family."
" " Rosa Parks (center, in dark coat and hat) rides a bus at the end of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Montgomery, Alabama, Dec. 26, 1956. Don Cravens/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images/Getty Images

Most of us know Rosa Parks as the African American woman who quietly, but firmly, refused to give up her bus seat to a white person Dec. 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama. That small act of resistance sparked the yearlong Montgomery Bus Boycott which, in turn, kickstarted national efforts to end racial segregation in the U.S.

But Rosa Parks is much more than that. "Most Americans are only familiar with the event that occurred on Dec. 1, 1955," says David Canton, associate professor of history and director of the Africana Studies Program at Connecticut College. "However, Rosa Parks was an activist years before the Montgomery Bus Boycott and years after."

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Here are four facts and four myths about Parks that will help you better understand this important historical figure.
We now have another way of communicating yogurts health benefits to consumers.

On March 1, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the first-ever qualified health claim for yogurt that identifies a potential link between its consumption and a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.

Danone North America submitted the claim in 2018. The farmer-funded National Dairy Council (NDC) and others provided public comments during the open docket period. This included science-based evidence on yogurts positive link to the reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, a disease we have long examined through our research.

Diabetes affects more than 38 million Americans, raises the risk for early death and health-related complications, and can lower quality of life. Most Americans living with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, and theres a growing trend of prevalence among younger Americans.



Research-backed

Only foods produced with real dairy are permitted to use this health claim as determined by the FDAs standard of identity for yogurt. The claim identifies yogurts benefit as a whole food rather than singling out an individual nutrient or compound. It also applies to all styles of yogurt, regardless of fat or sugar content.

Qualified health claims were initiated by the FDA in 2003 as a part of the Consumer Health Information for Better Nutrition Initiative. They are supported by scientific evidence but do not meet the more rigorous scientific evidence needed to support an authorized health claim.



The FDA enforces specific language to reflect the limitations of the claims scientific evidence. Yogurt companies are allowed to use one of these two statements:

Eating yogurt regularly, at least 2 cups (3 servings) per week, may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. FDA has concluded that there is limited information supporting this claim.

Eating yogurt regularly, at least 2 cups (3 servings) per week, may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes according to limited scientific evidence.

Working through this process perfectly exemplifies the importance of farmers commitment to investing in research, which is foundational to everything NDC does. We constantly have research in the pipeline and are examining even more science-backed benefits of yogurt and other dairy foods.





To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com.

(c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2024

April 8, 2024
New GriefShare program

A GriefShare program will be hosted by Cold Springs Global Methodist on Sundays through April 21, from 3:30-5 p.m. for those dealing with life stresses following the loss of a loved one.

For more information and to register, go to griefshare.org/findagroup or call the church office at 704-782-1811.

Oak Grove starting GriefShare program

GriefShare support group spring sessions will be Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Oak Grove Baptist Church, room 23, through May 11. Register at GriefShare.org, use ZIP code 28075. The church is at 200 Sims Parkway, Harrisburg. For more information, call 704-455-2763.

Midway UMC hot dog and yard sale

Midway United Methodist Church will be holding a hot dog and yard sale on Saturday, April 20.

The yard sale is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the hot dog sale is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The church is at 108 Bethpage Road, Kannapolis.

Craft Fair at Bogers Chapel

Bogers Chapel United Methodist Church will have a craft fair and bake sale Saturday, April 20, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Bogers Chapel is at 1775 Flowes Store Road E., Concord.

Vendor and craft show

New Gilead Reformed Church will have a vendor and craft show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 20, in the church parking lot.

A hot dog sale will also be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The church is at 2400 Old Salisbury-Concord Road, Concord.

Mt. Mitchell hot dog sale

Mt. Mitchell Global Methodist Church will hold a hot dog sale on Saturday, April 20, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The church is at 6001 Old Salisbury-Concord Road, Kannapolis. For more information, call 704-933-0155.

Parables of Christ gospel concert

Eastside Missionary Baptist Church will host the Parables of Christ gospel singing group on Sunday, April 28, at 6 p.m. Finger foods served after the concert. The church is at 199 Elgin Drive, Concord.

Calvary Connections membership class

On Sunday, April 21, Calvary Connections membership class will be held from 2:30-4:30 p.m. at Calvary Lutheran Church.

Pastor Debbie will hold an information session about our life and faith together at Calvary. Well get to know each other better and answer any questions you have.

New members will be received on April 28. Reach out to Pastor Debbie at dfrye@clconcord.org or 704-782-6923 if youd like to attend or if you need child care.

Caregivers support group

Calvary Lutheran Church Caregivers Support Group will meet Monday, April 29, at 7:30 p.m. by Zoom.

It is a monthly online support group meeting sponsored by Calvary Lutheran Church. All those caring for a loved one are welcome to join Pastor Debbie to find support, insight and joy.

Check Calvarys Facebook page or www.clconcord.org for the Zoom link.

Apocalyptic Bible study

James Fore hosts an Uncovering Apocalyptic weekly Bible study every Monday at 1:30 p.m. in the parlor at Calvary Lutheran Church, Concord. All are welcome.

National Day of Prayer at Mt. Mitchell

Mt. Mitchell Global Methodist Church will participate in the National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 2.

The church will have a 24-hour prayer event. A tent will be set up on 6001 Old Concord-Salisbury Road, at the driveway of the church.

How Great Thou Art drawing class

James Fore leads a weekly drawing class, How Great Thou Art, every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall at Calvary Lutheran Church, Concord. All are welcome. Bring paper and pencil. Call the church office at 704-782-6923 for more details.

Fresh produce and more

The Bulb Market at Grace Lutheran Church is open every Friday from 3-4 p.m. with fresh produce for the community.

Cabarrus Rowan Community Health Center will be offering primary care and basic health screenings on-site at the church on the second Friday of each month. Grace Lutheran is at 58 Chestnut Drive, Concord.

Sportscenter weekly Bible study

Join Calvary Lutheran Church for its Sportscenter weekly Bible study. Pastor Debbie Frye hosts the study every Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. at the Sportscenter, 233 Country Club Drive NE, Concord.
It is difficult to look at the state of American civic life right now and conclude higher education is doing all we can to prepare our graduates for our democratic republic, UNC President Peter Hans said at a January meeting of the UNC Board of Governors. His remarks were likely prompted, in part, by proposed legislation from last years General Assembly.

The House passed the REACH Act (Reclaiming College Education on Americas Constitutional Heritage). The Republican caucus belief was that college instructors were teaching history/civics by putting their personal political/philosophical (WOKE) slant on subject matter. The irony was their bill did exactly the same thing  ensuring that THEIR slant was taught. It immediately drew criticism by many faculty members who saw it as a genuine threat to academic freedom and was never considered by the Senate.

A committee, consisting of UNC system leaders and faculty, was formed to put forth a more acceptable version. Wade Maki, a professor at UNC-G led the effort. Whats really important for the public to know is that, you know, faculty did not object to learning civics. We love the idea of students having a college-level civics experience, right? Theres no disagreement on that. There is, sort of, a lot of concern about the process we use.

Their new proposal, considered by the Board of Governors, is to create a requirement for graduation from UNC colleges that includes coursework on the following documents: The U.S. Constitution; The Declaration of Independence; a representative selection of writings by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madisons Federalist Papers; President Abraham Lincolns Gettysburg Address; Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation; and Martin Luther King, Jr.s Letter from a Birmingham Jail.

But the issue prompts a larger discussion over public education. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) or nations report card, reported that just 13 percent of our eighth graders were proficient in U.S. History and only 22 percent were considered proficient in civics, declining 5-points since 2018. Knowledge about the American political system, principles of democracy and our participation in government declined by 2 points, the first decline ever recorded.

These are two critically important subject areas, not just for the success of students individually in the future, but for our success collectively as a society, stated Patrick Kelly, a 12th grade government teacher who led the NAEP governing board.

The Fordham Institute gave North Carolina a D- for its civics standards and an F for its U.S. History standards. The conservative think tank said current standards were inadequate and should be rewritten, which opened discussions over Critical Race Theory and how racism should be taught.

I remember the debate how North Carolina could do better. One big stumbling block was that there were already so many subjects or credits required for high school graduation that it was difficult to add more to the traditional four years of high school. Choices needed to be made. Sadly, social studies were sacrificed.

Our State Board of Education developed new standards for how high school students would be instructed on social studies. It eliminated the requirement for a separate course in civics and some traditional history courses, inserting new criteria for graduation.

To graduate from high school a student is required to have four credits in social studies. Students can choose from among a cafeteria-like list of options, including:

1. A founding principles course which shall be either:

a. American History: Founding Principles, Civics and Economics

b. Founding Principles of the United States of America and North Carolina: Civic Literacy

2. An American history course which shall be either:

a. American History I

b. American History II

c. American History

3. World History

4. Economics and Personal Finance

(Option 4 was added because of evidence that high school graduates didnt know how to responsibly manage money or credit.)

The bottom line is that North Carolina high schools are graduating young people who arguably can read and do math, but dont have basic understandings of our state and countrys systems for government or their role as citizens in them.

Consistent evidence shows our state ranks lower in test scores than many other states and well below other countries in providing the education our young people need to lead productive lives in the 21st century.

But instead of sacrificing instruction, perhaps it is time we begin asking more basic questions.

Maybe we cant cram any more into a students day/year as currently structured. Why not expand the number of hours in the school day? Or perhaps we should examine the possibility of lengthening the school year beyond the traditional 180 days. Theres nothing magic about 180. Originally, the school year was something like four months; young people were needed to harvest the crops. Thats no longer true.

Can we at least have an honest conversation these ideas?

Then, we can discuss whether or not history and civics can be taught without partisan politics.
All Peoples Church of Jesus Christ

Worship at 11 a.m. Sunday at American Legion Post 172. Pastor: Prophet Roland Jordan delivers the message.

Ann Street United Methodist Church

335 Ann St., Concord. Pastor: Rev. Randy L. Wall. In person and Facebook Live worship at 11 a.m. Sermon: What God Demands, He Supplies. Scripture: Philippians 4:10-19.

Bethpage United Methodist Church

109 Fellowship Ave. at West C St., Kannapolis. 704-932-5296. Pastor: Rev. McKenzie Sefa. Christian Education at 9 a.m. Worship at 10 a.m.

Bogers Chapel United Methodist Church

1775 Flowes Store Road E., Concord. Pastor: Pastor Eric Shaver. Sunday school 9 a.m. Worship Service 10 a.m. (In person or Facebook). Fun Hat Sunday! Wear your favorite or funny hat to church. Opening Scripture: Psalm 23. Sermon: Grow in Gods Love. Scripture: 1 John 3:16-24.

Calvary Lutheran Church

950 Bradley St., Concord. 704-782-6923. Pastor: Rev. Debbie Frye. In-person worship at 8:30 a.m. (Casual Worship) and 11 a.m. (Traditional Worship with Childrens Church). Coffee/Cookie Social 9:30-11 a.m. 9:45 a.m. Sunday school for all ages. Childrens area and nursery available at all times. All services livestreamed and available anytime on the Calvary Lutheran Concord Youtube channel  easy access through our website at www.clconcord.org or church app Calvary Lutheran Church-NC. Sermon Theme: Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

Center United Methodist Church

1119 Union St. S., Concord. Pastor: Rev. Brian Crady. Sunday school for In Betweens and young adults at 9 a.m. Worship at 10 a.m. Nursery is provided during the worship service. Website is www.centerumcconcord.org. Look forward to you joining us for our service! Sermon: The Lord of the Living Among the Dead. Scripture: John 20:11-18.

Cold Springs Global Methodist Church

2550 Cold Springs Road, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Cliff Wall. Worship at 10 a.m. on Sundays. Visit online at https://youtube.com/@coldspringschurchconcord.

Crossroads Church

220 George W. Liles Parkway, Concord. Pastor: Lowell McNaney. Live worship streamed on Facebook, Crossroads Concord Church app or mycrossroads.co website at 9:30 a.m. and 11:11 a.m.

Crown Pointe Baptist Church

703 Tennessee St., Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Doug Crawley. Sunday school at 9 a.m. Worship at 10 a.m. in the sanctuary or view online at our Facebook page.

Eastside Missionary Baptist Church

199 Elgin Drive, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Stephen Burrow. In person services: Sunday school 9:30 a.m. Worship services 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Recorded worship services and other information at EastsideMissionaryBaptist.org. You will be welcomed. Practice social distancing.

Epworth United Methodist Church

1030 Burrage Road NE, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Dennis Marshall. Sunday school at 9 a.m., followed by worship at 10 a.m. We welcome all to join us in person, or you may livestream or watch the recorded service at our website at www.epworthnc.com.

First Presbyterian Church

201 Vance St., Kannapolis. 704-938-4623. Pastor: Eddie Spencer. Coffee fellowship 9:30 a.m. Sunday school 10 a.m. Worship service 11 a.m. in person and also livestreamed on YouTube. www.firstpresb.org.

Forest Hill United Methodist Church

265 Union St. N., Concord. Senior Pastor: Rev. Mandy Jones. Associate Pastor: Rev. Wes Judy. We are open for in-person worship. Contemporary worship, 9 a.m. Sunday School/small groups at 10 a.m. Traditional worship at 11 a.m. Both the contemporary and the traditional worship services will also be livestreamed at foresthillumc.org or facebook.com/foresthillumc.

Grace Church of Concord  A Global Methodist Community

28-B Branchview Drive NE, Concord. Lead Pastor: Michael Dominick. Worshipping every Sunday at 10 a.m. Sermon: How Can I Know God is Real? Scripture: Ephesians 4:30, Romans 8:9-11, 8:14-17. The next seven weeks will be Pastor Mikes sermon series on the Dynamics of a Spiritual Life. To learn more about the church, visit www.graceconcord.org where you will find links to our Sunday morning livestream and more.

Harmony Church Concord

101 White St. NW, Concord. Pastor: Thad Brown. Our Sunday school begins at 10 a.m. followed by our worship service at 11 a.m. Sermon: A Spiritual Healing Miracle. Scripture: Luke 8:26-28, Romans 1:18-23, Luke 8:28-31, Matthew 8:29, Luke 8:32-33, Luke 8:34-37, Luke 8:38-39. We welcome Everyone to come worship with us! The service is broadcast live on Facebook.com/HarmonyChurchConcord. For more information, call 704-791-2883 or 704-467-0179.

Jackson Park United Methodist Church

715 Mable Ave., Kannapolis. Pastor Laurie Knoespel. Adult Sunday school 9:30 a.m. Worship at 10:30 a.m. Nursery will be provided during worship service.

Kirkwood Presbyterian Church

900 Klondale Ave., Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Dennis B. Craft. Worship at 11 a.m. in church sanctuary on Sundays. No mask restrictions.

McGill Baptist Church

5300 Poplar Tent Road, Concord, in-person services. Pastor: Rev. Steve Ayers. McGill will stream a worship service Sunday at 10 a.m. on www.facebook.com/mcgillbaptistchurch/ and on YouTube. The services will be live and also available on recording afterward. Fourth Sunday of Easter. Sermon: But in Truth and Action. Scripture: Psalm 23, 1 John 3:16-24, John 10:11-18.

Midway United Methodist Church

108 Bethpage Road, Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Craig Allen. Come join us on Sunday morning at 9 a.m. for Sunday school and 10:30 a.m. for worship. Our service is also livestreamed on the web at midwayunitedmethodistchurch.org or facebook.com/midwayUMCWorship. Fourth Sunday of Easter. Worship theme: Learning what to say when we pray. Message: Keep It Simple. First Reading: Psalm 139:1-6. Second Reading: Matthew 6:5-8. Suggest Hymns: TFWS 2024, From the Rising of the Sun, TFWS 2056, God is So Good.

Mt. Mitchell Global Methodist Church

6001 Old Salisbury-Concord Road, Kannapolis. Pastor: Joel Locklear. Office phone: 704-933-0155. Office hours: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday School at 9:45 a.m. (Adult and children classes.) Worship at 11 a.m. in person or Facebook. Nursery for children up to 5 years old.

Multiply Church Concord

150 Warren C. Coleman Blvd. N, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Douglas Witherup. 8:30 a.m. service held at 280 Concord Parkway S., Suite 15, Concord. Services at 150 Warren C Coleman Blvd. N., are worship and sermon at 9:30 a.m. and worship and sermon at 11:15 a.m.

New Gilead Reformed Church

2400 Old Salisbury-Concord Road. 10 a.m. Sunday School followed by 11 a.m. worship in the sanctuary or worship live on YouTube. We hope that you can connect with us online if you cant be with us in person.

Oak Grove Baptist Church

200 Sims Parkway, Harrisburg. Pastor: Rev. Franklin D. Watkins. 10 a.m. In-person worship service. Also available on Facebook Live and YouTube Live. Sermon: What A Person Like You, Doing In A Place Like This? Scripture: Judges 16:22-30.

Rodgers Park Baptist Church

309 E. 24th St., Kannapolis. Weekly message from KJV Bible, by Pastor Joel Ervin. Sunday school at 9:45 a.m. Worship at 10:45 a.m. Facebook Live at 11 a.m.

Second Presbyterian Church

1578 Dale Earnhardt Blvd., Kannapolis. Pastor Sue Black, minister. Assistant Minister: Rev. Aaron Price. Sunday school at 10 a.m. Worship at 11 a.m. Sermon: Hope Unlimited. Scripture: Romans 15:13. Guest Speaker: Dulce Castillo.

St. Johns Reformed Church

901 N. Main St., Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Chris King. Sunday school for all ages, 9 a.m. Worship service, 10:30 a.m. Website, www.ourstjohns.org. Email/Phone, ourstjohns@gmail.com and 704-932-3656. Sermon: Jesus the Righteous Judge. Scripture: John 8:1-11.

Trinity United Church of Christ

38 Church St., Concord. Pastor: Rev. Nathan King. Worship at 11 a.m., in person or Facebook (live or watch later). Website: commachurch.com. Youre invited!
Five people have been taken into custody in Australia and 32 others overseas on suspicion of being as part of a cyber-crime platform used for credential theft.

A statement from the Australian Federal Police said 94,000 people in Australia were among those who had had their personal information stolen.

The operation, conducted across Australia and overseas and co-ordinated by Europol, executed 22 search warrants across five states: Victoria, Queensland, NSW, South Australia and Western Australia. The Australian part of the sting was called Operation Nebulae.

The platform, known as LabHost, was used to trick people into leaking personal information which was stolen through persistent phishing attacks.

The raids were carried out by the AFP's Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination Centre and arrested a man from Melbourne and one from Adelaide on suspicion of being users of the LabHost platform.

Police officers serving a warrant on one of the alleged offenders. Courtesy: AFP

Additionally, three Melbourne men were arrested by Victoria Police on alleged drug-related charges.

The AFP statement said LabHost had originated in Canada in 2021, targeting North America, and had expanded to the UK and Ireland, before going global. Australia was believed to be among its top three user countries.

LabHost was claimed to have more than 40,000 phishing domains and more than 10,000 global active cyber-criminals using its technology to exploit victims.

LabHost cost about $270 per month and, in exchange, provided complete "phishing kits", including infrastructure to host phishing websites, email and text content generation and campaign overview services.

AFP acting assistant commissioner Cyber Command Chris Goldsmid said: LabHost alone had the potential to cause $28 million in harm to Australians through the sale of stolen credentials.

In addition to financial losses, victims of phishing attacks are subject to ongoing security risks and criminal offending, including identity take-overs, extortion and blackmail.

LabHost is yet another example of the borderless nature of cyber crime and the takedown reinforces the powerful outcomes that can be achieved through a united, global law enforcement front.

Australians who have used LabHost to steal data should not expect to remain anonymous. Authorities have obtained a vast amount of evidence during this investigation and we are working to identify anyone who has used this platform to target innocent victims.
COMPANY NEWS: Formlabs , the leader in 3D printing, has unveiled the fastest, most reliable 3D printer for professionals with the launch of Form 4 and Form 4B.

The new flagship resin 3D printers set a new standard for additive manufacturing with Formlabs proprietary new Low Force Display (LFD) print engine, updates to the companys library of industry-leading resins, new automated post-processing, and an improved user experience. Form 4s up to five times faster print speeds will unlock new levels of productivity for product designers, engineers, manufacturers, healthcare professionals, and innovators to take design risks and accelerate time to market.

Max Lobovsky, CEO and co-founder, Formlabs, said, Form 4 is a huge leap not only for Formlabs and our customers, but also for the entire 3D printing world. More than a decade ago, Formlabs created the desktop stereolithography (SLA) 3D printer category and set a new standard for accuracy, reliability, ease of use, and affordability in 3D printing. Weve built on the strength and insights gathered from more than 130,000 printers on the market and over 300 million parts printed to deliver the Form 4, our best SLA printer ever. Its reliability and new level of speed will transform how our customers develop new products.

As the companys fourth generation of desktop resin 3D printers, Form 4 takes performance to new levels by delivering blazing fast print speeds, extreme reliability, industry-leading material properties, excellent print quality, and intuitive operation.

Form 4 highlights

Blazing fast print speeds: Prints two to five times faster than Form 3+ depending on material, enabling same-hour iteration or batch production with masked stereolithography (mSLA) technology.

Complete most prints in under two hours and small parts in minutes of cycle time.

Achieve maximum vertical print speeds of 100 mm per hour.

LFD print engine: A departure from laser and galvanometer technology, Form 4 features an ultra high-power backlight (16 mw/cm 2 ), proprietary release texture, Light Processing Unit 4 (LPU 4), and dual-layer, flexible film resin tank.

), proprietary release texture, Light Processing Unit 4 (LPU 4), and dual-layer, flexible film resin tank. Unmatched reliability: Industry-leading print success thanks to validated print settings, precision heating, force sensing, and debris detection.

Stunning parts that always fit: With 50-micron pixels, highly collimated light, advanced pixel smoothing, and light touch supports, Form 4s print quality is unmatched.

Intuitive to use: Anyone can learn to print in 15 minutes  featuring automatic resin handling, instant material changes, automated post-processing, and quick release build platform technology.

40% lower cost per part: Delivering affordability with long-lasting resin tanks (75,000+ layers) and Light Processing Unit (1M+ layers), lower resin pricing, 30% larger print volume, and 3.5 times higher throughput.



Mark Honschke, Additive Prototyping Lead, Microsoft, said, "We support all hardware categories at Microsoft. Form 4 is our go-to choice for projects needing tight tolerances and engineering-grade materials. It produces high-performance parts with amazingly fast print times and makes it possible for our model makers to produce multiple iterations in a 24-hour period.

Bruno Alves, Development Engineer AM/IM, Ford Motor Company, said, "Form 4's speed and materials versatility enable us to create multiple prototypes and manufacturing aids every day. The printer has already changed the way we design and produce parts, helping us drive efficiency in our product development."

Industry-leading materials, now starting at $129.60 AUD ex GST per L

In addition to the new printers, Formlabs is introducing six new resins to its industry-leading resin library, including:

four newly reformulated General Purpose Resins that take advantage of the Form 4 ecosystem to print two to five times faster than Form 3 with improved toughness and colour

Fast Model Resin, for high-speed prototypes and production of orthodontic models

Precision Model Resin, for highly accurate dental models that always fit.

Additionally, Form 4 is validated to use 17+ other performance materials from Formlabs materials library, with new materials to be added regularly. Form 4B, designed for innovative healthcare professionals in the dental and medical industries, is compatible with 15 additional biocompatible materials.

Form 4 (starting at $7,538.40 AUD ex GST) and Form 4B (starting at $8,888.40 AUD ex GST) are available today.

Visit www.formlabs.com more information.

About Formlabs

Formlabs builds the tools that make it possible for anyone to bring their ideas to life. Headquartered in Somerville, Mass. with offices across the globe, Formlabs is the professional 3D printer of choice for engineers, designers, healthcare providers, manufacturers, and decision-makers. Formlabs products include SLA and SLS 3D printers, post-processing solutions, and Form Auto manufacturing solution for automatic part removal. The company also develops its own portfolio of industry-leading, high-performance materials and best-in-class 3D printing software. In 2024, Formlabs was named one of the worlds Most Innovative Companies in Manufacturing by Fast Company. To learn more, visit www.formlabs.com.
The research revealed that most industries continue to run almost two months behind in patching software vulnerabilities, endpoints remain vulnerable to threats, and most enterprise PCs will need to be replaced to support AI-based technologies. All factors creating numerous compliance and security challenges.

Key report findings include:

The majority of organisations are not ready for AI: Despite the rush to leverage AI on endpoints, 92^ of PCs have insufficient RAM capacity needed to support enterprise and commercial use cases. Organisations that want to take advantage of AI will need to replace entire device fleets, requiring them to ensure mass deployments can remain secure against threats and compliant with internal and external security policies.

Essential security tools are failing: When not supported by remediation capabilities, Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP) and network access security applications on managed PCs fail to operate effectively 24% of the time. In addition, on almost 14% of these devices, unsupported EPPs are not even present, opening high-risk security gaps.

Organisations are falling weeks, even months, behind in critical patching: Although the overall number of days to patch software vulnerabilities continues to drop, most industries continue to run weeks or months behind in complying with their own patching policies. Education and government are the top sectors with the worst patching records, taking 119 and 82 days respectively to patch.

As an industry, we are intently focused on the inevitable attack coming, breach waiting to happen, and disruption around the next corner. Not enough attention is paid to the simple strategies that can dramatically increase your resilience to ensure you remain resistant to vulnerabilities and can recover quickly. The stakes continue to get higher as we face the urgent need to adopt AI and other innovations to remain competitive, said Absolute Security CEO Christy Wyatt.

Cyber Resilience is a paradigm that extends beyond traditional cybersecurity. It's about ensuring that your digital operations, which are the heart of your organisation, can withstand and quickly recover from cyberattacks, technical malfunctions, deliberate tampering, and new deployments.

In addition to sharing these and other key findings, the report provides CISOs and other security and risk professionals with a deeper understanding of what cyber resilience is and the practical information they need to identify and mitigate top security risk factors to improve their cyber resilience posture.

To learn more, download the Absolute Security Cyber Resilience Risk Index 2024.

Report Methodology

Absolute Security analysed telemetry from more than five million globally distributed PCs in use by more than 21,000 customers and dispersed to 14 million mobile and hybrid users.

About Absolute Security

Absolute Security is partnered with more than 28 of the worlds leading endpoint device manufacturers, embedded in the firmware of 600 million devices, trusted by 21,000 global enterprises, and licensed across 14 million PC users. With the Absolute Security Cyber Resilience Platform integrated into their digital enterprise, customers ensure their mobile and hybrid workforces connect securely and seamlessly from anywhere in

the world and that business operations recover quickly following cyber disruptions and attacks. Our award-winning capabilities have earned recognition and leadership status across multiple technology categories, including Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), Endpoint Security, Security Services Edge (SSE), Firmware-Embedded Persistence, Automated Security Control Assessment (ASCA), and Zero Trust Platforms.
Australia and Singapore, which is the worlds busiest transshipment hub, have partnered on a $20 million initiative to help reduce emissions in the maritime sector.

The Australia-Singapore Initiative on Low Emissions Technologies (ASLET) for maritime and port operations will be jointly delivered by CSIRO, Australias national science agency, and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) which was established on 2 February 1996 with the mission to develop Singapore as a premier global hub port and international maritime centre, and to advance and safeguard Singapores strategic maritime interests.

The CSIRO says ASLET intends to support the outcomes of the Singapore and Australia Green and Digital Shipping Corridor (GDSC), which will help decarbonise and digitise shipping routes between Singapore and Australia.

The Governments of Australia and Singapore signed a memorandum of understanding to formally collaborate on establishing the GDSC, which was welcomed at the 9th Annual Leaders Meeting in March 2024.

ASLET is expected to unlock new fuel solutions and accelerate the deployment and uptake of zero or near-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emission technologies at scale, and will explore cooperation opportunities between Australia and Singapore in green shipping and port infrastructure initiatives.



The CSIRO says the initiative presents a significant opportunity for both countries, given Singapores position as the worlds largest bunkering and busiest transshipment hub port and Australias potential to be a leading producer and exporter of low-emissions fuels.

MPA Chief Executive, Teo Eng Dih said, ASLET has the potential to translate research outcomes from the scientific community from both countries, and to use these technologies to help scale up the production and deployment of low-emissions fuels and technologies at scale.

Given Australias natural advantage for renewable energy production and Singapores hub status, MPA looks forward to making this partnership deliver value to the Singapore-Australia GDSC and to the wider international shipping and port communities, said Teo Eng Dih.



CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Doug Hilton said the collaboration addresses the key industry challenges faced when adopting low emission fuels.

In order to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping close to 2050, we need to find reliable, trusted scientific solutions for the industry, Dr Hilton said.

We need to focus on transitioning to low-emissions fuels such as ammonia and hydrogen by developing accessible technology and infrastructure at ports that supports a range of vessels.

Collaborating with MPA and also industry partners from both countries, we aim to accelerate the decarbonisation of the supply chain and help revolutionise the industry.

The first ASLET Steering Committee meeting, led by representatives from MPA, CSIRO and Singapores Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), will be convened on 19 April at the Singapore Maritime Week 2024. The Steering Committee, established as part of a joint collaboration agreement, aims to provide strategic direction and evaluate and approve projects on low emission technology projects for maritime and port operations.



The CSIRO notes that the Steering Committee intends to issue a grant call to develop a pipeline of projects consistent with its focus areas and accelerate joint efforts between both countries in maritime decarbonisation. As part of ASLET, both Singapore and Australia will commit up to $10 million each in their respective currencies to deliver projects under the initiative - and it is expected that the program will also attract industry co-funding.

The initiative will facilitate the research, demonstration, and commercialisation of zero and near-zero greenhouse gas emission technologies, fuels and energy sources for use in maritime shipping and port operations.
MATTOON  Professional American flat track racer Dallas Daniels, 20, is on his own when he is competing on his motorcycle at speeds of 100-140 mph.

However, the 2021 Mattoon High School graduate surrounds himself off the track with a support network of family and friends as he continues a prize-winning career with Extension Racing that he started at age 15.

"I think what allows me to do that is having good people around me," Daniels said during a speech at the 2024 Community Leaders Breakfast on Thursday. "Your inner circle is everything. The people who are around you, those people can help you when you are down or by giving a piece of advice."

One of the missions of the breakfast, which marked its 20th anniversary this year, is to use its accompanying 20 under 40 program to spotlight the community's support network of young leaders who have excelled in their careers and in volunteer service.

The Community Leaders Breakfast and 20 Under 40 were revived in 2023 by the students in the Coles County ClassE entrepreneurship course. These students look to each year's group of honorees as mentors in the community.

"They make a difference in the community. They get involved and say 'yes' when asked to help with a cause," said ClassE student Isabella Smith, a senior at Mattoon High School. "They are leading by example."

The 2024 honorees are Mahmoud Al-Odeh, Jessi Bergfeld, Heather Heicher, Kasey Considine, Karen Cook-Foster, Mike Cook, Gunner Davis, Coleman Engelkes, Cody Gass, Alex Gowin, Miles Clapp, Tyler Heleine, Anna Hemrich, Kendra Jerdan, Jacob Johnson, Amber May, Megan McElwee, Blake Pierce, Chantel Thompson, Michelle Wilson, and Aaron Zumbahlen.

During the breakfast on Thursday in the Apostolic Center, ClassE also presented surprise awards to three community members for their support of this entrepreneurship course.

Awards went to Gilbert, Metzger & Madigan partner CPA Joyce Madigan for being on the ClassE board since its inception and to Lake Land College Math & Science/Geography/Earth Science Division Chair Mike Rudibaugh for helping the students with geographic information systems.

The Illinois Small Business Development Center at Eastern Illinois University's director, Amy Patrick was honored for her work with ClassE. This class and the SBDC are based in Elevate at the Cross County Mall. The 2024 ClassE Trade Show featuring student businesses is set for 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, May 1, at the mall.

Flat track racer Daniels praised the students' entrepreneurial spirt. He said sponsorships of many businesses, including some as big as Monster Energy, make it possible for him to race. Sponsor logos covered much of the helmet and protective jump suit that he displayed at the breakfast.

"It is kind of like you are a moving, racing billboard for a lot of these companies," Daniels said.

Asked about his advice for the ClassE students, Daniels said "first impressions are everything." The Mattoon native said he has gotten sponsorships by trying to always be respectful to those he meets during his travels to races throughout the country.

"You never know when the next person you meet might want to help you or your future business," Daniels said. "Always give people the time of day and always make sure to stop and shake their hands and introduce yourself, because for me it might be my next sponsors, but for you it might be the next investors in your company."
A three-judge panel of the N.C. Court of Appeals has sent a lawsuit targeting North Carolinas COVID-19 restrictions on bars back to the trial court, saying elements of a Gov. Roy Cooper executive order were in violation of the state Constitution.

Coopers executive order No. 141 prohibited bars from serving alcoholic beverages for onsite consumption. The governor said allowing such consumption posed greater risks of the spread of COVID-19.

The N.C. Bar and Tavern Association filed a lawsuit in June 2020 that alleged Coopers order and his subsequent phasing out of those restrictions held some bars to tighter restrictions than others.

The enhanced restrictions appeared to have been centered on establishments where alcoholic beverages are served and patrons typically would linger for an hour or more.

The all-Republican appeals panel ruled April 16 that some bars were treated differently than others during the first year of COVID-19, thus violating the fruits of labor clause of the bar owners whose establishment were ordered closed.

Fruits of labor typically is defined as being able to receive appropriate compensation for work. For the affected bars, it means the ability to generate revenue, particularly from alcohol sales, from their operations.

However, the panel determined a trial court properly dismissed several plaintiff claims seeking compensation from state government.

There were at least 29,059 confirmed COVID-19 related deaths in North Carolina, including at least 997 in Forsyth County, when the COVID-19 dashboard updates were halted in May 2023.

The balanced and necessary actions the state took in consultation with health officials early in the pandemic followed the law, saved lives and saved jobs, said Mary Scott, senior deputy communications director for Cooper.

The panel  comprised of April Wood, who wrote the opinion, Jefferson Griffin and Donna Stroud  said the Cooper administration and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services science and data tends to show that bars in general did present a heightened risk of COVID-19 transmission, as people normally gather, drink and talk in bars of all sorts.

None of the information addresses any differences in risk of COVID-19 transmission being plaintiffs bars and other types of bars allowed to reopen, according to Woods opinion.

Mark Hall, a professor of law and public health at Wake Forest University, said the panels opinion shows a surprising reluctance to defer to public health officials in the midst of a national emergency.

It appears to require public health officials to back up their expert professional judgments in those circumstances with scientific studies that have been published in peer-reviewed journals  something that simply is not possible in a realistic time frame during an unexpected emergency.

Hall said that I am concerned that holding public health officials to such an unrealistic exacting standard will make it more difficult for them to protect the publics health in the event of future emergency situations.

In terms of the fruits of labor claims, the panel said the unequal treatment of plaintiffs had the effect of denying their fundamental right to earn a living by the continued operation of their businesses.

Both the Cooper administration and the association can appeal the appellate courts decision to the N.C. Supreme Court, which has a 5-2 Republican margin.

The association could not be reached for comment on the ruling.

When this action was taken almost four years ago, hospitals were overflowing, thousands of people were dying, protective equipment was in short supply and vaccines and treatments were nonexistent, Scott said.

The governors office will continue to work to maintain the ability of health officials to respond effectively should deadly outbreaks and emergencies occur in the future.

Randy Brechbiel, communications advisor for N.C. Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, said that for all the talk we hear from the governor about his support of small businesses, he wasnt a friend when he shut down North Carolinas economy.

Berger was among the most vocal critics, along with the six Republicans on the 10-member Council of State, Coopers executive orders during the pandemic.

Bar owners, for no good reason, got hung out to dry, and its a shame the governors team fought this decision every step of the way, Brechbiel said.

Complaint background

When Cooper issued executive order No. 141 beginning on May 22, 2020  he chose to keep closed several businesses that had been projected to reopen under similar 50% capacity restrictions to restaurants and personal-care services.

Those include bars, night clubs, public playgrounds, gyms and fitness centers, movie theaters, bowling alleys, bingo parlors and museums.

However, the order allowed retail beverage venues to sell beer, wine and alcohol for off-site consumption only, which some bars participated in during the reopening phases. The order exempted production operations at breweries, wineries and distilleries from closure.

The association said they were not challenging the initial closure of all bars, but claimed their members were harmed by the exemptions that did not allow for their full services.

They sought damages from the state because the Cooper administration had commandeered, seized, taken, condemned or otherwise used (their property) in coping with an emergency via the state Emergency Management Act.

The panel agreed with the trial court that there was no evidence that the Cooper administration had violated their state constitutional rights by those actions.

The panel summed up its opinion by saying it is illogical and arbitrary to attempt to achieve the defendants stated health outcomes by applying different reopening standards to similarly situated businesses that could have complied with those standards.

In other words, if restaurants serving alcohol could operate at 50% percent capacity and keep groups six feet apart with both food and alcohol at the customers tables, defendant has failed to present any forecast of evidence of any reason bars would not be able to the same with alcohol service.

Future ramifications

Even though bars have been fully reopened from COVID-19 restrictions for nearly two years, the complaint from the N.C. Bar and Tavern Association has potential ramifications for a governors response to a future public-health crisis or pandemic.

During most of the first 18-24 months of the pandemic, a tug-of-war existed between Republican legislative leaders pushing to reopen public venues through legislation and the Cooper administrations Department of Health and Human Services citing heightened public-health risks in opposing premature easing of restrictions.

Cooper vetoed successfully several Republican reopening bills in 2021 and 2022 while the GOP lacked super-majorities in both chambers.

This is the latest North Carolina court decision that relies in part on a distinctive clause in the North Carolina Constitution guaranteeing to all persons the enjoyment of the fruits of their own labor, a clause that does not have any parallel in the U.S. Constitution, said John Dinan, a political science professor at Wake Forest University.

Dinan stressed that the panels ruling is a limited decision that does not cast doubt on the validity of most bar-closing orders, but focuses on whether certain bars were treated differently from others when it came time to reopen them and allows for further scrutiny of those decisions by a lower-court judge.
Days after celebrating Easter with family, Scribner residents Brandy and Abdoul Dabo noticed that something was off with their 5-year-old son, Zain. Seemingly overnight, he began to have trouble walking, he couldnt swallow any food and his speech became slurred.

Brandy took him to the doctor and the doctor said, this is more than we can handle. You need to go straight to Childrens (Nebraska), Brandys aunt, Judy Faketty, said.

At Childrens Nebraska in Omaha, Zain underwent an MRI, the results of which were troubling.

They said that he had a huge tumor and it was inoperable, Faketty said. But because Zain was restless, they didn't get the best image and had to repeat the test.

The Sunday after Easter, April 7, Zain underwent a second MRI, this time under sedation so that he wouldnt squirm around. This time, with a clear scan, the results were unthinkable.

They said not only is it inoperable, its incurable, Faketty said. And by Sunday night, (Zain) had no use of his legs or his right arm, and they had to puree his food. He was having a hard time swallowing and his speech was, you couldnt understand him at all.

Zain was diagnosed with an aggressive and rare form of childhood cancer called diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG, which is a tumor found near the brainstem. It almost exclusively affects children between ages 4 and 8.

The tumor presses on the nerves that affect eye movement, speech, swallowing, balance and facial muscles, causing weakness in extremities and increased pressure in the skull, possibly leading to nausea and vomiting, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Most children, once diagnosed with DIPG, have a life expectancy of less than one year.

In the matter of a weekend, (Zain) went from a preschooler to a patient, Faketty said.

At age 5, Zain doesnt fully comprehend whats going on, though Faketty said hes starting to suspect something is wrong. His sister, Ayisha, born 10 months after him, doesnt have a clue whats going on.

Zain kind of wonders why hes not in preschool and he kind of catches on, like when he hears something about a doctors appointment, Faketty said. He doesnt want to talk about it. He gets kind of mad.

Faketty said that her niece is trying to remain upbeat around Zain, but its hard.

Brandy is trying to just keep it together in front of Zain, because he doesnt deserve sad days, Faketty said. Behind closed doors, its hard, you know? Its horrible. Hes 5 years old.

Faketty organized a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for Zains treatment and, eventually, his funeral. Brandy, who provides support to individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, hasnt been working, while Abdoul is a respiratory therapist.

The family is hopeful that Zain will be able to take part in some clinical trials over the next couple of months  one with radiation, the other with chemotherapy  that will, if nothing else, make him more comfortable.

His prognosis is still six to 12 months with or without the trials, Faketty said. But hopefully they better his quality of life during the six to 12 months.

In addition to the GoFundMe campaign, the DQ Grill & Chill in West Point, Nebraska is holding a fundraiser Thursday night from 4 to 9 p.m. Fifteen percent of sales will be donated to Zains family.

Donations can also be sent to the Zain Dabo Fund at Scribner Bank, PO Box K.

For more information about Zains diagnosis, visit dipg.org.

For updates about Zains condition, search for Zains Stage 4 DIPG Journey on Facebook.

Pediatric cancer is on the rise, with some types becoming more common Pediatric cancer is on the rise, with some types becoming more common Groups most impacted by pediatric cancer Some cancers are becoming more common
The first challenge in Wednesday's 'Top Chef' episode featured sauces from the cookbook by Madison chef Carson Gulley.

Gulley was the head chef for UW-Madison for 27 years. Gulley was viewed by many as Madisons first celebrity chef and had a cooking show, radio show and culinary business. Despite his success, Gulley faced significant racial discrimination in Madison, especially when it came to housing, according to Wisconsin State Journal archives.

Gulley died in 1962.

He was born in Arkansas in 1897, one of 10 children.

According to State Journal stories, Gulley was working in Lincoln County as chef at the Essex Lodge on Clear Lake in Tomahawk when he was "discovered" by vacationing UW Housing Director Donald Halverson and brought to Madison to cook for the students in 1926.

Gulley published a book of recipes in 1949.

In 1953, Gulley and his wife, Beatrice, became Madison's first Black TV personalities when WMTV invited them to host "What's Cooking." It was the only known program in the United States to feature a Black husband-and-wife team on TV in the 1950s.

But the couple also faced discrimination. According to a column by Doug Moe in 2013, the couple lived in the basement of Tripp Hall in part because it was difficult for Black families to find a home.

"When the couple bought a lot in the new Crestwood subdivision in 1954, some residents petitioned to keep them out. A larger number spoke in their favor. Marshall Erdman offered to buy the home of anyone who wanted to move. The Gulleys moved in around Jan. 1, 1955."
This story contains spoilers, so if you havent watched the latest episode of Top Chef, but still plan to, you might want to come back later.

The fifth episode of Top Chef: Wisconsin, dubbed Supper Club, aired Wednesday night on Bravo with the show taking place in Madison. Its streaming on Peacock.

Ten chefs remain and the episode opened with a beautiful view of the isthmus.

Farmers Market view

While in their rooms at the Park Hotel on Capitol Square, the cheftestants got a video message from Top Chef host Kristen Kish early Saturday asking them to look out their windows at the Dane County Farmers Market, the largest producer-only farmers market in the nation.

Kish told them theyd be shopping there before learning of their challenge.

The contestants were given $100 each to spend and instructions to meet Kish on the rooftop of neighboring LEtoile, Madisons top fine-dining restaurant.

Most of the cheftestants were shown frantically running through the market, dodging other shoppers. Some apologized as they pushed through the crowds.

Contestant Dan Jacobs, the chef/co-owner of Milwaukees DanDan and EsterEv restaurants, has Kennedys disease, a rare neuromuscular disease, that slows him down. He was shown walking calmly with a cane.

It was a clear August day, and the chefs had their choice of bountiful summer produce. When Kish asked what they thought of the market, responses included amazing and super fun.

Joining Kish to judge the quickfire challenge was local chef Tory Miller, co-owner of LEtoile and Graze, and W. Kamau Bell, a comedian, director and activist who since 2016 has hosted the CNN series United Shades of America.

Licking the TV to taste the food

When Kish introduced them, Bell said hed been watching Top Chef from the beginning. Im getting tired of being at home, licking the TV to see how the food tastes, he said.

Kish asked what was in their bags. Chef Rasika Venkatesa of New York, whos been winning a lot of the challenges this season, said she had granola, popcorn and bratwurst.

Carson Gulley is not forgotten

The University of Wisconsin is synonymous with Madison, Kish said. Less well-known is a man who served as a chef for the residence halls from the 1920s to the 1950s, chef Carson Gulley. Has anyone ever heard of him before?

There was no recognition, so Kish said that Gulley and his wife were the first Black couple to host a cooking show. To which Bell yelled out, In the 50s!

Gulley is also known for his beloved fudge-bottom pie still sold on campus. The dining hall where he served as head chef is now known as Carson Gulley Commons.

Kish said that in 1949 Gulley published a cookbook of his recipes. For the quickfire challenge, contestants chose from among 10 of his sauce recipes.

We want to see your take on one of Chef Gulleys sauces, Kish said, instructing them to make the sauce and pair it with the ingredients they bought at the market. They were also allowed access to a limited pantry.

The chefs cooked at stations on the rooftop with the Capitol as a backdrop. At one point, onlookers cheered from the street below.

Tartar is state condiment

Jacobs made a diced, grilled vegetable salad with fried bread and fried egg aioli with capers, fish sauce and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. His sauce was tartar sauce.

It is the state condiment, said Miller, whom Kish introduced to the group as a James Beard Award-winning chef.

The winning chef was Charly Pierre, chef/owner of Fritai, a Haitian street food restaurant in New Orleans. His dish had fingerling potatoes with honey and tomato chevre and roasted pepper creole sauce.

He won $7,500 and said now he can pay for his wedding, adding that he proposed to his fiancee the day before he left for the show.

What makes a supper club?

Before revealing the elimination challenge, Kish said that in Wisconsin there are Friday fish fries, Saturday prime rib and, on Sundays, broasted chicken.

When you add that all up, does anyone know what that becomes? Kish asked. A lot of them said supper club at once.

Thats right, the supper club, one of Wisconsins most beloved traditions, she said.

Kish said that legend has it that the first supper club was started in the 1920s by Wisconsin native Lawrence Frank.

Chefs get to cook at Harvey House

She said the chefs would be creating a traditional supper club menu, cooking and serving at the Harvey House, on West Washington Avenue, a modern-day supper club owned by guest judges Joe and Shaina Papach.

Kish asked if any of the chefs had been to a supper club. Only Jacobs, a Chicago native, who moved to Milwaukee in 2011, raised his hand.

Jacobs said his parents used to take him to supper clubs during road-trip vacations and he thought his dad was so cool for eating the raw scallions.

Supper clubs turn normal dining into a social occasion, Joe Papach said.

Contestants drew knives to break into two teams of five responsible for making a relish tray, a fish dish, chicken dish, beef dish and a dessert.

The contestants first got to eat a meal at Harvey House to inspire them.

The next day, each team was given $1,000, or $200 per person, and 30 minutes to shop at the old Madison Whole Foods Market. They then got two hours to prep and cook at The Harvey House, where they would be serving not just the judges, but 40 other local supper club enthusiasts, who included friends and family of the Top Chef staff and journalists.

Besides video images outside the Tornado Room and The Harvey House, there was also a flash of the sign for Kavanaughs Esquire Club on Sherman Avenue on Madisons North Side.

Dan Jacobs makes fancy relish tray

Jacobs was responsible for his teams relish tray, which had chicken liver mousse, steak tartare and crudites.

At the judges table dinner, Miller said, Supper clubs are very big in our family, then looked across the table at his wife, Kristine Miller, who agreed.

Miller said they celebrate their anniversary every year at the Tornado Room.

At the final judges table, Shaina and Joe Papach joined Kish and the shows other two permanent judges, Gail Simmons and Tom Colicchio.

Relish tray is complex, delicious

Not only did Jacobs team win, but he also won individually for his relish tray. I truly loved it. I thought every component was complex and complicated, Simmons said. It felt really clean and classic, delicious.

Shaina called Jacobs liver mousse absolutely delicious, luscious and smooth. Colicchio said Jacobs executed flawlessly from start to finish.

Jacobs said that even though he has physical limitations, his brain is sharp as a pencil. I know how to put flavors together. It just reaffirms the fact that I belong here.

Pierre, who won the quickfire challenge earlier in the program, had to pack his knives and go for overcooked trout.

Raising a glass to Madison
1. Yes. This is expected to be a high-turnout election. Its better to vote early and avoid the crowds.

2. Yes. The period is nearly two weeks long, so it should be easy to find a convenient time to vote.

3. No. Its better to wait until Election Day, just in case any last-minute information comes out.

4. No. Its more exciting to vote on Election Day, and its also more traditional.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say at this point. Ill make a decision as the election gets closer.

Vote

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CICPE opens doors to China for global brands

09:15, April 18, 2024 By Chang Sha ( People's Daily Online

Photo taken on April 15, 2024, shows a stall inside the Irish Pavilion at the fourth China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (People's Daily Online/Chang Sha)

Against the backdrop of gentle sea breezes and lush coconut trees, the fourth China International Consumer Products Expo is taking place in Haikou, the capital city of south China's Hainan Province, from April 13 to 18.

Philips, a global health technology company from the Netherlands, made its debut at the event, showcasing a wide range of new products.

Oliver Cheng, senior vice president and general manager of Personal Health at Philips Greater China, told People's Daily Online that the expo serves as a platform for the brand to gain exposure to more Chinese consumers and creates opportunities for the company to interact and learn from its business partners.

The Dutch company displayed a special edition shaver designed for the Year of the Dragon, seamlessly blending traditional Chinese elements with advanced technologies to cater to the demands of the Chinese market.

"We are always committed to being a 'localized' global company in China, and dedicated to leveraging our new technologies to bring the best products for Chinese consumers," noted Cheng, adding that the company will continue to explore the Chinese market, which it considers the most dynamic and promising worldwide.

Philips was among the first foreign-invested enterprises to enter China, and now the country is its second-largest market globally.

Tissot, a Swiss watch brand, has participated in the CICPE for four consecutive years, witnessing the event's transformation into the largest consumer products exhibition in the Asia-Pacific region.

Vincent Zhu, Tissot China's brand manager, emphasized the significance and scale of the Chinese market for the company. He noted that Chinese consumers' discerning taste in watches had motivated the brand to enhance its quality and pursue innovation.

Photo taken on April 15, 2024, shows Swiss watch brand Tissot's booth at the fourth China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (People's Daily Online/Chang Sha)

Zhu believes that the numerous policies implemented in China, particularly the duty-free policies in Hainan, have created a fertile environment and instilled confidence in the company's growth within the country.

"Through its own progress and innovation, China brings enormous cooperation potential for the rest of the world, which makes us quite confident about our prospects in China," Zhu said.

Pernod Ricard, a world-renowned spirits and wine maker from France, is also a four-time attendee at the CICPE. This year, the company is showcasing a portfolio of over 60 products, including The Chuan Pure Malt Whisky produced in China.

This whisky features a unique Chinese terroir, maturing in three types of oak barrels, one of which is crafted from timber sourced from the Changbai Mountains in northeast China's Jilin Province. The whisky is produced in a distillery at the foot of Mount Emei in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Jerome Cottin-Bizonne, CEO of Pernod Ricard China, described The Chuan whisky as "a Chinese malt whisky made in China, for China and for the world."

Photo taken on April 14, 2024, shows colored porcelain from Turkiye at the fourth China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (People's Daily Online/Chang Sha)

The company announced a total investment of 1 billion yuan ($138 million) in a decade in the whisky distillery it has established in China, according to Cottin-Bizonne.

Pernod Ricard is also an active participant in China's sustainability efforts. To date, the company has reforested and restored 60,000 mangrove trees in Hainan and Guangdong provinces, with plans to add another 1.88 hectares of mangrove wetlands in Sanya, Hainan this year, contributing to local biodiversity conservation.

With the theme of "Share Open Opportunities, Co-create a Better Life," this year's CICPE has attracted over 4,000 brands from 71 countries and regions. The expo serves as a platform for international enterprises to better understand the Chinese market, showcase their products to a wider consumer base, and seize opportunities arising from China's development.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Wu Chengliang)
On 17 April the US government announced that it will not renew a six-month licence offering relief from oil and gas sanctions against Venezuela, because the government of President Nicolas Maduro has fallen short on its commitments to allow free and fair presidential elections.

Analysis:

US officials say they are not renewing General Licence 44 which allowed oil and gas companies to do business with the country and to export Venezuelan crude to the international market. Companies are being given 45 days to shut down their operations. Under the general licence the countrys oil production had revived from a low of 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2020 to over 800,000bpd in the first quarter of this year. US oil company Chevron, which accounts for around one-fifth of Venezuelan exports, will be unaffected, since it operates under an individual licence, as do a handful of others.

The economic impact of the US move is open to debate. Venezuelan oil analyst Francisco Monaldi told the UKs Financial Times that renewed sanctions would slightly impact non-Chevron output. The latest estimate from Venezuelan consultancy Ecoanalitica is that the country will lose US$3bn in foreign revenue and up to 3.6% of GDP. The exact impact will depend on whether the US issues more individual licences, which it has said will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

told the UKs Financial Times that renewed sanctions would slightly impact non-Chevron output. The latest estimate from Venezuelan consultancy Ecoanalitica is that the country will lose US$3bn in foreign revenue and up to 3.6% of GDP. The exact impact will depend on whether the US issues more individual licences, which it has said will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Speaking to reporters off the record, a senior US official said Venezuela had met some commitments it made under last years Barbados agreement. It had set an election date (28 July), updated the electoral register, conducted a prisoner exchange, and started a process to allow international election observation.

But the Venezuelan government had also barred Maria Corina Machado , who won the primary elections for the opposition coalition Plataforma Unitaria Democratica (PUD), and blocked her designated stand-in, Corina Yoris , from taking part in the presidential race. This was part of a continued pattern of harassment and repression against opposition figures and civil society, the US official told reporters.

, who won the primary elections for the opposition coalition Plataforma Unitaria Democratica (PUD), and blocked her designated stand-in, , from taking part in the presidential race. This was part of a continued pattern of harassment and repression against opposition figures and civil society, the US official told reporters. The Caracas government responded with defiance, but left the door open to potential further negotiation. Jorge Rodriguez , the president of the national assembly and chief negotiator with the US, said Washington had broken its word and that Venezuela had never agreed to allow people who have violated the constitution and incited violence to take part in the elections (a reference to Machado).

, the president of the national assembly and chief negotiator with the US, said Washington had broken its word and that Venezuela had never agreed to allow people who have violated the constitution and incited violence to take part in the elections (a reference to Machado). On the other hand, in a comment earlier this week, Maduro said he would never close the door on dialogue with the US.

The oil minister, Pedro Tellechea, said I dont think these measures will have any effect, pointing out that the US is still offering a Licence 44A for oil and gas companies to negotiate individual terms for sanctions waivers.

Looking Ahead: In the short term, Machado and the opposition PUD are seeking an agreement to back one of the dozen candidates who are already registered with the national electoral council (CNE). If the government intervenes again to block or manipulate that process, there remains a possibility that US sanctions will be tightened further.
An American cement maker has developed a technology that it says cuts levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) during production.

The International Energy Agency estimates the cement industry produces about eight percent of the worlds total CO2 emissions.

Cement is one of the main materials used to make concrete, the most widely used building material in the world. Cement makes up about 10 to 15 percent of concrete mixtures. Other materials include sand, small rocks, crushed stone and water.

Cement accounts for about 88 percent of concretes CO2 emissions. Under current methods, manufacturing one ton of cement produces nearly one ton of CO2.

Cement production involves heating the materials to very high temperatures in a device called a kiln. This part of the process releases CO2. The industry has yet to find an effective replacement for cement in concrete production.

The California-based cement maker Fortera says it has invented a new method that captures CO2 exhaust coming from the kilns as cement is made. The captured CO2 is turned into a solid substance and is later put back into the process to make more concrete.

Forteras chief executive, Ryan Gilliam, spoke to the Associated Press (AP) about his companys efforts. He said the goal was to develop a less polluting cement production method that can work really at any plant.

In the beginning, Fortera said its method will reduce CO2 emissions by about 10 percent. The first reduced CO2 product will be produced at a Redding, California plant belonging to cement maker CalPortland. AP reports the product is expected to be available in the first week of May.

Fortera says its method is different compared to other low-CO2 cement products. That is because the companys method could be widely built into existing plants.

Forteras effort is one of several in the industry that seeks to reduce the possible climate harm of concrete. In the United States, the American Institute of Architects is an industry group for builders. It educates many of the worlds top building companies about the dangers of CO2 in concrete.

Some governments, including Vancouver, British Columbia, have established building guidelines urging companies to produce lower-CO2 concrete.

California passed a law in 2021 that requires the states Air Resources Board to develop plans for the states cement industry to reduce its CO2 emissions. The targets seek cuts of 40 percent by 2035 and to reach net zero emissions by 2045. Net zero happens when a city or state removes at least as many emissions as they produce.

The First Movers Coalition is an international organization of more than 90 companies. The group seeks to help establish climate technologies to reduce CO2 emissions. The group announced new policies in 2021 aimed at creating greater demand for low-carbon cement through their market position.

The same year, 40 of the largest cement and concrete manufacturers agreed to use methods to make lower-CO2 concrete by 2050. Part of the agreement called for the development of new CO2-capturing methods.

Mike Ireland is the president and chief executive of the Portland Cement Association, the national trade group that represents U.S. cement manufacturers. He told the AP he thinks the U.S. has to do what it can to be a leader to help other countries with their cement-producing methods. But we have to get the rest of the world, particularly the Global South, as they industrialize to leapfrog some of the technologies we have.

Carbon emissions from cement manufacturing are an existential threat to the world and for our industry, he said.

Im Bryan Lynn.

The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English.

_________________________________________

Words in This Story

cement  n. a powder substance used in building that is mixed with water and sand to make a hard substance

emission  n. the act of sending something out such as a gas, heat, or light

concrete  n. a hard substance using in building operations

exhaust  n. gas waste produced by engines and industrial processes

architect  n. a person who designs buildings

leapfrog  v. to improve ones position by going past other people quickly
Half of the worlds 75 poorest countries are getting poorer compared to the richest economies.

That finding comes from the World Bank. The development agency based in Washington, D.C., recently released a report on the least developed nations. It said that the difference in income growth per person in the poorest countries and the richest has widened over the past five years. It is the first time the difference has increased since the beginning of the 2000s.

Ayhan Kose is Deputy Chief Economist of the World Bank and one of the writers of the report. He told Reuters, For the first time, we see there is no convergence. They're getting poorer.

He said the report writers saw a very serious structural regression. Kose said that is why the report is bringing attention to it.

The writers studied the 75 countries that can receive financial aid and zero-interest loans from the World Banks International Development Association (IDA). The report said the nations risk losing 10 years of development without changes in policy and a lot of international aid.

Kose said growth in many IDA countries had already begun to slow before the COVID-19 pandemic. But it was just 3.4 percent in 2020-2024. That is the weakest five years of growth since the early 1990s.

The report blamed Russias invasion of Ukraine, climate change, and increases in violence and conflict as the main influences on the countries development.

More than half of all IDA countries are in Sub-Saharan Africa, or Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Fourteen are in the Asia Pacific area and eight are in Latin America and the Caribbean area. Thirty-one have per person incomes of less than $1,315 a year. Those countries include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, and Haiti.

One in three IDA countries is poorer now than they were at the beginning of the pandemic. IDA countries make up 92 percent of the worlds people who lack enough affordable, nutritious food.

Additionally, half of the countries are in debt distress. That means they are either unable to pay their debt or are at high risk of failing to make payments.

These countries have some resources. Many are rich in natural resources and have the possibility of solar energy. They also have young populations at a time when populations are aging in developed countries. However, private and government creditors have been less willing to loan these countries money.

U.S. Treasury Undersecretary Jay Shambaugh discussed the situation recently. He warned that China and other emerging official creditors are gaining by reducing loans to low-income countries as the International Monetary Fund and development banks are making money available.

He said that almost 40 countries saw more money leaving the country to pay debt than coming in as new loans in 2022. And he said that situation likely increased in 2023.

Kose called for ambitious policies to increase investment. He urged countries to make policy improvements to strengthen their financial systems. He also added that countries should make structural changes to improve education and increase income.

Kose also called for financial support from the world community to lower the risk of limited economic growth. He noted that the World Bank hoped rich countries will increase financial support for the IDA by December.

The report added that stronger international efforts on climate change, debt restructuring, and measures supporting international trade remained important.

Indermit Gill is Chief Economist of the World Bank. He noted that China, India, and South Korea had once been among the worlds poorest countries. He said they were able to deal with poverty and raise living standards. Those countries are now among the worlds strongest economies.

He said, The world cannot afford to turn its back on IDA countries.

Im Gena Bennett.

And I'm Gregory Stachel.

Andrea Shalal reported this story for Reuters. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English.

_____________________________________________________

Words in This Story

convergence  v. to move toward one point and join together

regression  v. to return to an earlier and usually worse or less developed condition or state

afford  v. to be able to pay for (something): to be able to do (something) without having problems or being seriously harmed

emerging  adj. becoming widely known or established

ambitious  adj. wanting to be impressive and considered generous or great

living standard  n. the amount of wealth, comfort, and possessions that a person or group has
Albert Einstein has died in hospital in Princeton, New Jersey, aged 76.

The eminent scientist and originator of the theory of relativity was admitted to hospital three days ago with an internal complaint.

In recent years Dr Einstein had lived a secluded life although he was still a member of staff at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University.

In a statement issued following the scientists death, US President Dwight Eisenhower said: No other man contributed so much to the vast expansion of the 20th century knowledge.

Yet no other man was more modest in the possession of the power that is knowledge, more sure that power without wisdom is deadly.

To all who live in the nuclear age, Albert Einstein exemplified the mighty creative ability of the individual in a free society.

Albert Einstein was born on 14 March 1879 to Jewish parents at Ulm, Wurttenburg in Germany.

Soon afterwards the family moved to Munich where the young Einstein began his education at the Luitpold Gymnasium.

His early academic career was notable only for the fact he was asked to leave his school for disruptive behaviour.

But he had always excelled at mathematics  a subject which would later make him the most renowned scientist in the world.

In 1896 Einstein entered the Swiss Federal Polytechnic School in Zurich to train as a physics and maths teacher.

But he struggled to get a job, largely due to the fact he was German, so, in 1902, he accepted a job as a technical assistant in the Swiss Patent Office.

It was during his seven years at the Patent Office that, in his spare time, he worked on his mathematical theories which would eventually take the world by storm.

The Special Theory of Relativity, which describes the motion of particles moving close to the speed of light, was published in 1905.

In the years that followed, Einstein took up senior academic posts in Berne and Zurich. In 1911 he became Professor of Theoretical Physics in Prague but returned to Zurich a year later.

However, well-known German physicists, Walter Nernst and Professor Planck, were eager for Einstein to return to Berlin.

In 1913 they persuaded him to take up the position of director of the projected research institute for physics in the University of Berlin and become a member of the Royal Prussian Academy of Science.

Einsteins General Theory of Relativity was published in 1916. In 1921 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for physics.

He kept the positions in Berlin until 1933, when he accepted a part-time post at Princeton University in America.

His plan was to divide his time between Germany and America but in the same year the Nazis came to power and Einstein, being a Jew, never returned to his birthland.

Courtesy BBC News

In context

Albert Einsteins work laid the groundwork for many modern technologies including nuclear weapons and cosmic science.

After his death, Einsteins brain was removed and preserved for scientific research by Canadian scientists.

It was found that the part of Einsteins brain responsible for mathematical thought and the ability to think in terms of space and movement was 15% wider than average.

It also lacked a groove which normally runs through this region suggesting that the neurons were able to communicate.

In 1999 Albert Einstein was named person of the century by Time magazine.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company will look at manufacturing in Indonesia as he met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo yesterday.

We talked about the presidents desire to see manufacturing in the country, and its something that we will look at, Cook told reporters after the meeting.

Widodos administration has worked for years to bring manufacturing to the country to power economic development, while Apple is seeking to diversify its supply chains away from China, where most of its smartphones and tablets are assembled.

The company began moving some production to countries like Vietnam, and more recently India, after shutdowns to fight COVID-19 in China repeatedly disrupted the companys shipments.

I think the investment ability in Indonesia is endless. I think that, there is a lot of great places to invest, and were investing. We believe in the country, Cook said.

The previous day, Cook met Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Hanoi, where he said Apple plans to invest more in Vietnam and increase spending on suppliers in the Southeast Asian manufacturing hub.

Given the slowing Chinese economy as well as the Chinese governments ongoing efforts to squeeze out foreign companies and replace them with domestic brands, Apple wants alternatives for manufacturing, said Chris Miller, an associate professor at Tufts University whose work focuses on technology and geopolitics.

It has already invested more in India and Vietnam, but it is likely looking at other partners in South East Asia to additional manufacturing and assembly operations, Miller said.

Cooks visit to Indonesia came after Apple announced its fourth Apple Developer Academy in the country, to be located in Bali. The company first launched the program to train app developers in Indonesia in 2018, in the capital Jakarta.

Apple has no manufacturing facilities in Indonesia, but the company says it has invested 1.6 trillion rupiah ($99 million) in its app developer ecosystem in the country.

Widodos government has sought to leverage the countrys reserves of nickel and other raw materials to bring in manufacturing, banning export of raw commodities such as nickel and bauxite to oblige companies to build refineries domestically.

After the meeting with Widodo, Cook also met Indonesias president-elect Prabowo Subianto, who is currently defense minister, in Jakarta. Hes set to take power in October.

Indonesias minister of communication and information, Budi Arie Setiadi, said Wednesday that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella would visit Indonesia at the end of April. MDt/AP
Bus operator Transmac recorded an average of 300,000 passengers per day in the first quarter of this year, representing a 4% increase compared to the same period in 2019.

Speaking in yesterdays TDM Radio Forum, the bus firm also noted that the number of passengers transported during the first quarter was similar to the corresponding period in 2019, while the number of passengers paying in cash increased by 4.5% compared to the pre-pandemic period.

As a result, Transmacs overall capacity has increased by over 10% compared to the pre-pandemic period.

Deputy general manager Lei Kai Kin mentioned that, during peak hours on weekdays, the level of crowding in bus compartments is only 80% of what it was in 2019, indicating that current capacity is sufficient to meet demand.

Lei emphasized that the public bus operator has implemented several measures in response to the increased number of passengers crossing various border checkpoints. These include route adjustments and the introduction of different bus models.

Also, during the forum, Mayling Leong, the general manager of TCM, said that more than 40 bus routes are undergoing trial adjustments, accounting for half of the bus routes in Macau. Among them, 37 will be adjusted starting from this month.

The bus firms officials said that with the adjustments, they hope to reduce the difficulties of citizens during peak hours.

Previously, the Transport Bureau (DSAT) has claimed that buses with a stated capacity of 65 passengers may not be overloaded even if the buses are circulating carrying over 100 passengers.

According to DSAT, As loading and unloading of passengers may occur in the course of transporting passengers on public buses, even for a public bus with a capacity of 65 passengers, the total number of passengers carried on a bus trip may exceed 100, but this is not overloading.

The reply comes following a Times inquiry as it was noted by several readers that several bus routes have been circulating with vehicles full, carrying many more passengers than their stated capacity.

Readers reported, in some cases, as many as 100 passengers on board buses at the same time, namely those en route to the Border Gate. Staff Reporter
The British governments plan for a landmark smoking ban that aims to stop young people from ever smoking cleared its first hurdle in Parliament yesterday [Macau time] despite vocal opposition from within Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks Conservative Party.

The bill, a key policy announced by Sunak last year, would make it illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born after January 1, 2009. If passed, the bill will give Britain some of the toughest anti-smoking measures in the world. Authorities say it will create modern Britains first smoke-free generation.

Under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, children turning 15 this year or younger will never be legally sold tobacco. Once implemented  officials are aiming for 2027  the legal age of sale that people in England can buy cigarettes will be raised by one year, every year until it is eventually illegal for the whole population.

The bill also includes measures to crack down on youth vaping, such as banning the sale of cheap disposable vapes and restricting their flavors to prevent children from becoming addicted to nicotine.

It is currently illegal for anyone to sell cigarettes or tobacco products and vapes to people under 18 years old throughout the U.K.

During the bills second reading, 383 lawmakers voted in favor while 67 opposed it after an afternoon of debate. Although the bill was widely praised by health experts and had the support of the opposition Labour Party, Sunak faced rebellion from more libertarian-minded members of his party, who criticized the proposals as unconservative.

Opponents, such as the smokers rights lobbying group FOREST, said the move risks creating a black market and will treat future generations of adults like kids. Prominent voices within the Conservative Party, including two of Sunaks predecessors Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, said the plans went against conservative values by limiting peoples personal freedoms.

The bill was a virtue-signaling piece of legislation about protecting adults from themselves in the future, Truss told Parliament during the debate.

Other high-profile Tories, including business secretary Kemi Badenoch, a Cabinet minister, also opposed the bill or abstained.

Conservative lawmakers were granted a free vote, meaning they could vote with their personal conscience rather than follow the official party line.

The plans were believed to have been inspired by similar policies proposed by New Zealand under former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, but the countrys new coalition government repealed the bill earlier this year.

The government said that smoking wont be criminalized, and the phased changes mean that anyone who can legally buy cigarettes now wont be prevented from doing so in the future.

The number of people who smoke in the U.K. has declined by two-thirds since the 1970s, but some 6.4 million people in the country  or about 13% of the population  still smoke, according to official figures.

Authorities say smoking causes some 80,000 deaths a year in the U.K, and remains the number one preventable cause of death, disability and poor health. SYLVIA HUI, LONDON, MDT/AP
The University of Macau has organized a two-day workshop entitled Understanding Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine for over 20 science teachers from Yuet Wah College. The workshop aimed to enhance the teachers professional knowledge and broaden their horizons as part of the Faculty of Health Sciences training programs for in-service teachers. During the workshop, Associate Professor Poon Chuen Wai discussed the concept of precision medicine and the significance of big data. He highlighted various applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in the future of public healthcare, including genetic data analysis, new drug development, disease prediction and diagnosis, deep phenotyping, treatment response prediction and the development of wearable smart devices.

Related
The U.S. 7th Fleet said a Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait yesterday, a day after U.S. and Chinese defense chiefs held their first talks since Nov. 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions.

The patrol and reconaissance plane transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace, the 7th Fleet said in a news release.

By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations, the release said.

Although the critical 160 kilometer-wide strait that divides China from the self-governing island democracy is international waters, China considers the passage of foreign military aircraft and ships through it a challenge to its sovereignty.

China had no immediate response to the report, but has in past issued stern protests and activated defenses in response to the passage of ships and military planes through the straight, particularly those from the U.S. China also regularly sends navy ships and warplanes into the strait and other areas around the island to wear down Taiwans defenses.

By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations. The aircrafts transit of the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military flies, sails and operates anywhere international law allows, the 7th Fleet statement said.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Chinese counterpart Adm. Dong Jun earlier this week in the latest U.S. effort to improve communications with the Chinese military and reduce the chances of a clash in the region.

It was the first time Austin has talked to Dong and the first time he has spoken at length with any Chinese counterpart since November 2022. The call, which lasted a bit more than an hour, came as Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to travel to China this month for talks. MDT/AP
Motorists should avoid the Alliant Energy Center area if possible on Friday morning, the Dane County Sheriff's office suggests, as tens of thousands of people visit Madison this weekend for the annual Midwest Horse Fair, billed as the country's top three-day horse fair.

Law enforcement expects traffic congestion on the Beltline in both directions Friday and Saturday. Traffic will be up significantly on John Nolen Drive and Rimrock Road as well, particularly between 6 a.m. and noon both days.

Law enforcement will be directing traffic at the main gate and where Rimrock Road intersects Rusk Avenue and John Nolen Drive. Signs along the Beltline will help direct motorists, and the sheriff's Freeway Service truck will be on the Beltline to respond to any traffic-related issues causing delays.
Vice President Kamala Harris will return to Wisconsin next week to continue fighting for workers, supporting families, and improving health care for people across America, the White House announced Thursday.

Harris Monday stop in La Crosse will be her third of the year as President Joe Biden and his surrogates crisscross the battleground state leading up to the Democratic incumbents November matchup with former Republican President Donald Trump.

Harris will discuss the administrations efforts to support labor and families and improve access to health care  issues the vice president has focused on as chair of the White House task force on worker organizing and empowerment, the White House said in a statement.

Harris visited Madison last month to discuss expanded apprenticeship opportunities. In January, she held a campaign event in Waukesha County to push for abortion rights on the 51st anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling in the landmark Roe v. Wade case in 1973. Abortion has become a major Democratic talking point since the nations high court struck down Roe in the summer of 2022, leaving decisions on abortion rights with individual states.

Biden, meanwhile, has made three trips to Wisconsin so far this year, including a stop in Madison earlier this month where he unveiled his latest effort to expand student loan relief.

Trump made his first trip to Wisconsin of the election cycle with a rally in Green Bay on the same day as the states presidential primary, a purely symbolic vote as both Trump and Biden had already secured enough delegates to become their parties nominees by then.

Marquette Law Schools latest poll, released Wednesday, found that 33% of registered voters said the economy is the most important issue facing the county, while immigration and border security came in second with 21%. Abortion policy was the top issue for 13% of respondents.

Broken down by party, only 1% of Democratic voters say immigration and border security is the most important issue, compared with 37% of Republicans.

Abortion is the top issue among Democratic voters at 24%, followed by the economy at 22% and Medicare and Social Security at 19%.

The economy is the top issue for Republican voters at 43%, followed by immigration. Abortion policy was a distant third, with only 5% saying it was the most important issue.

Among independent voters, 31% said the economy is the top issue, followed by immigration with 23%. Abortion was the top issue among just 5% of those voters.

Photos: Steam locomotive No. 1916 is brought home to Riverside and Great Northern Railway
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A journeymans bag from around 120 years ago was found during the restoration and remodeling of the Lincoln County Courthouse in Shoshone.

Originally discarded as debris by the crews as they removed the old jail cells and dirt floors, the bag was later opened and found to contain a treasure trove of tools and objects from what is believed to be a time capsule from the original construction of the courthouse 120 years ago.

Hidden away for over a century, this piece of history will be unveiled to the public at 11 a.m. Saturday on the lawn of the courthouse at 111 West B Street, Shoshone.

Realizing the importance of this extraordinary find, we were delighted to return it to the Lincoln County commissioners, said John Bergman, president of the Bergman Companies in a press release.

Bergman has been repairing historic buildings for close to four decades, and was contracted by Big-D Construction to restore the courthouse masonry and stabilize the foundational stone work.
Are you an ostrich? We have all heard the old myth that an ostrich buries its head in the sand when scared. However, Ostriches do not hide their heads in the sand when they are in danger, yet we still use this imagery when we dont want to face challenges. No one can escape challenges; we all have them.

Problem-solving and critical thinking, the cornerstones of effective leadership, are not just skills but sources of empowerment. Problem-solving addresses immediate issues, while critical thinking tackles long-term strategic challenges. A common pitfall is assuming everyone sees the problem as we do. To truly develop these skills, we must embrace the power of perspective. A Harvard Business School article describes this as an opportunity to foster the exploration of open-ended ideas and the shifting of perspectives, empowering us to navigate complex issues with confidence.

Successful problem-solving starts with

Clarifying the problem.

Generating ideas.

The Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) Traction method of Leadership teaches people to step back and view the challenge from 10,000 feet above. Changing our vantage point provides us with a different perspective.

Ask open-ended questions.

Reframe the problem in open-ended questions. For example, how might we ? Next, defer judgment of ideas. Utilize your active listening skills. Everyone wants to feel that they are contributing. When you get the team involved with the solution, there is tremendous success with buy-in and implementation.

Develop and explore.

We have all heard the story of Thomas Edison, who invented the incandescent light bulb. Every time his attempt failed, he could quit. Instead, he had a positive attitude and viewed each failure as another step leading to success. Success is built on experimenting through trial and error.

Implementation requires action.

Integrity is one of the most significant skills of Leadership. Integrity means that you will do what you say. Do not just do the bare minimum, but go above and beyond. Will you fail? Absolutely. However, problem solvers use each failure as a step up.

When faced with problems, do not become an ostrich. Take time to view the issue from a different perspective. Albert Einstein taught that the best way to solve a problem is to spend 95% of the time defining it, and then the solution will become clear.

Collection of Leading Off columns A collection of Leading Off columns by Cheryl Viola.
At least three Filipinos have died amid the flooding in the United Arab Emirates, the Department of Migrant Workers said on Thursday.

With extreme sadness, we report the death of 3 OFWs during the flooding in UAE, DMW officer-in-charge Hans Cacdac said on X.

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Two OFWs died due to suffocation inside their vehicle during the flood. One other OFW died due to a vehicular accident. We shall provide utmost support and assistance to their families, he added.

Two of the victims are females while one is male, Cacdac said.

The department assures the families of the three OFWs of its fullest support and assistance, DMW said.

The DMW said Philippine offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai were preparing to distribute relief goods and other essential items to affected OFW communities.

Cacdac said 648,929 Filipinos are in Dubai.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Thursday reported no injuries or deaths among overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the wake of severe flooding brought about by recent heavy rains in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman.

No dead or injured Filipinos. Hoping this remains so, the DMW said in an advisory.

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DMW officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac said office work was suspended at the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) and the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) in Dubai.

The MWO and Overseas Workers Welfare Offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are preparing to distribute relief goods, basic necessities, and other essential items to OFW communities in Al Ain and Dubai, he said.

The MWO-Dubais public assistance and training areas were flooded and have since been cleaned.

Cacdac said the MWO-Dubai and Abu Dhabi are working closely with the Philippine Embassy and Consulate General, as well as coordinating with Filipino communities to assist OFWs.

Meanwhile, the seriously affected areas in Oman are villages with no OFWs.
Statuesque Fil-German Chantal Elise Schmidt, glowing in a black polka dot dress, took center stage during a simple send-off, organized by the Miss Philippines Organization, held at Estancia Mall, Ortigas Center on Monday.

Schmidt, 23, fought back tears as she thanked her fellow queens, friends, and well-wishers for giving her support on her coming competition in the Miss Eco International 2024 pageant, to be held in Cairo, Egypt.

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Born to a Filipino mother and German father, the 5-foot-10 Schmidt, started modeling at the age of 16. Now, a talent at Mercator modeling agency, Schmidt received her Bilingual International Baccalaureate Diploma in German and English at Cebu International School and is also pursuing law studies at a German University.

Beauty Queen Chantal Elise Schmidt began her career in modeling at the age of 16

Schmidt was appointed Miss Eco International Philippines 2024 as one of the winners during the inaugural The Miss Philippines 2023 pageant held last year. She first joined the Miss Universe Philippines 2022 pageant where she finished in the Top 10.

The best way to help during this hot season is to understand the reality of the situation, through education, for all of us to be aware, like how to conserve water and energy, Schmidt said about coping with the scorching heat.

Im taking with me their advice to enjoy myself with the girls, and just to be myself and my performance will naturally shine. Watch out for my national costume which will showcase the wonders of my province of Bacolod, Schmidt enthused.

Present during the sendoff were Miss Supranational Philippines 2024 Alethea Ambrosio, Miss Aura Philippines 2024 Isabelle delos Santos, Mister Pilipinas Man of the Year 2024 Anthony Cunningham, and Miss Universe Philippines executive vice-president Voltaire Tayag.

The Philippines has won the Miss Eco International crown twice with Cynthia Thomalla in 2018 and Kathleen Joy Paton in 2022. Ashley Montenegro finished in the Top 21 in last years edition of the Egypt-based pageant.

The finals of Miss Eco International 2024 is set for April 28. Lets show our support for Chantal by Voting for the Best Eco-Tourism Video 2024 via the Miss Eco International YouTube page.

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Planning a trip? VFC Travel in Quezon City has you covered. The travel company offers flights, hotels, tours, and personalized planning  all to make your dream vacation a reality.

With its 24/7 helpdesk, you can have a hassle-free travel experience.
Removing part of the brains temporal lobe is the only treatment available to the millions of people with a form of epilepsy that medications often dont alleviate. But even that approach fails a third of the time.

A new study from Stanford Medicine researchers and their colleagues offers an explanation and suggests a more effective approach to treatment. They found that a previously overlooked region of the hippocampus, the fasciola cinereum, appears to be involved in instigating and propagating seizures. Removing or inhibiting the fasciola cinereum may help those patients who dont find relief after surgery.

The hippocampus is the best studied part of the brain by far, but there is shockingly little known about the fasciola cinereum, said Ivan Soltesz, PhD, the James R. Doty Professor in Neurosurgery and Neurosciences and a senior author on the study. This relatively small region was consistently involved in seizure activity in mice and in people undergoing pre-surgical electrical recordings. Our findings suggest that all patients with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy should have depth electrodes placed in the fasciola cinereum as part of the surgery planning process.

The work was published April 17 in Nature Medicine. Soltesz and Vivek Buch, MD, the Christina and Hamid Moghadam Faculty Scholar as well as the surgical director of the Stanford Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, are co-senior authors.

A tale of a tail

Worldwide, 65 million people live with epilepsy. Tens of millions have mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, with seizures originating, in part, from the amygdala, an almond-shaped structure involved in processing emotions, and the hippocampus, a region necessary for forming memories. When people with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy of just one hemisphere do not respond to anti-seizure drug therapies, the standard of care is surgery. In these procedures, the amygdala and most of the hippocampus in one hemisphere are either surgically removed or ablated, a technique that involves using a laser to heat up and destroy tissue. Because of the symmetry of the temporal lobe  both hemispheres of the brain have an amygdala and hippocampus  people who have these surgeries usually have minimal side effects, according to the researchers.
A top United Nations official has appealed for the global community to pay more attention to the escalating violence in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which is being overshadowed by conflicts in places like Ukraine and Gaza.

Following his visit of a camp for displaced people in Bulengo near Goma, on Wednesday (17 April), the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, said the world is forgetting the conflict in eastern DRC as conflicts continue elsewhere around the world. The humanitarian crisis must be taken very seriously to avoid further escalation, Turk said after meeting with displaced people in the camp near Goma that is, however, increasingly threatened by fighting in surrounding villages. There are a lot of conflicts in the world, and sometimes I have the impression that the situation here is being forgotten, the UN official said.

His visit comes as the security situation in eastern DRC continues to deteriorate due to intensified fighting between the Congolese security forces and M23 rebel group, the most dominant in the region with alleged links to neighboring Rwanda.

Thousands have been forced to flee their homes amid ongoing attacks by the rebels, leading to what the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says is one of the worst displacement crises in the world. An OCHA report released Tuesday (16 April) stated that since early 2024, more than 738,000 people have been newly displaced in the central African nation, bringing the total to around 7.2 million displaced people.
Dame Toure hastily packed her belongings as bulldozers descended upon her Abidjan neighborhood in Cote dIvoire. Alongside her three children, they salvaged what they could before armed security forces razed their home. This demolition, part of a recent wave targeting underdeveloped areas, has left hundreds displaced.

Citing public health concerns due to deadly floods during the rainy season, the government justifies the demolitions. However, for Toure and her children, the reality is sleeping under the open sky, unsure of where to turn. While demolitions in low-income neighborhoods are not uncommon in Abidjan due to rapid urbanization and housing shortages, this recent wave is particularly extensive. It underscores the struggle many African cities face in managing population growth and infrastructure needs.

Chimezie Anajama, a policy researcher, stresses the urgency for African governments to address these challenges with innovative solutions. Despite promises of relocation and support, many families remain homeless, revealing the depth of the humanitarian crisis.

Criticism mounts against the demolitions for their abruptness and disregard for vulnerable communities. Even institutions like Cha Helene College were demolished without warning, displacing thousands of students.

While the government pledges compensation and assistance for relocation, many find it insufficient in light of rising living costs and widespread poverty. Amid protests and appeals for help, President Alassane Ouattara urges local authorities to prioritize social cohesion.

For Toure and others like her, the future is uncertain in a city where they no longer have a home or a sense of security.
A Nigerian judge announced on Wednesday that a decision regarding the reinstatement of bail for separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu will be made next month. This comes after the court rejected a recent application and ordered Kanu to face trial swiftly on terrorism charges. Kanu, a British citizen leading the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) movement, was initially arrested in 2015 but disappeared from Nigeria while on bail in 2017. He was subsequently apprehended in Kenya in 2021 and charged in Nigeria with seven counts of terrorism, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

Kanu refuted claims of violating his 2017 bail conditions, asserting that he fled for his safety after his ancestral home in the southern Nigerian state of Abia was raided by soldiers. The prosecuting attorney urged the court to dismiss Kanus request. Justice Binta Murtala Nyako, who denied Kanu bail last month, had intended to commence his trial on Wednesday.

Nyako scheduled May 20 for a ruling on Kanus plea to reinstate his bail or to be transferred from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), a security agency, to either prison or house arrest.

IPOB, led by Kanu, advocates for the secession of southeastern Nigeria, primarily inhabited by the Igbo ethnic group. Nigerian authorities have designated IPOB as a terrorist organization. The southern regions attempt to secede as the Republic of Biafra in 1967, the same year Kanu was born, led to a three-year civil war resulting in over 1 million casualties.
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Captain Robert Graves sees strangers every day as a pilot for Southwest Airlines.

There's not always a deep relationship with the people he works with or the people he meets. It's a few constant people he may see, but even then, it may be months until he recognizes the co-pilot or flight attendants on his flight. It's a job that can feel alienating just by the nature of the work, he said. It sometimes feels isolating.

"Pilots are supposed to be solid citizens," said Graves, 64, who lives in Nashville and is based in Baltimore. He'll retire next year. "We're supposed to be grounded. We're supposed to be emotionally stable."

Pilots need to maintain mental and physical well-being to fly and obtain a medical certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration, undergoing a medical exam with an aviation medical examiner every six months to five years, depending on the type of flying they do and their age.

For that reason, many pilots may not speak up about how they're feeling, Graves said. He isn't experiencing mental illness but is well aware of what the job can do to a person.

"It is very difficult to get pilots (as patients), particularly in public to admit to these concerns because if you do, I mean, this is the double bind," said Penny Levin, a clinical psychologist and certified flight instructor. "If you go to me for treatment, you will not be flying anymore."

Mental health issues still are a challenge and ongoing conversation at U.S. airlines, including local carriers Southwest Airlines and American Airlines and their competitors. Last year an off-duty pilot was accused of attempting to bring down an Alaska Airlines flight and later told federal investigators he took psychedelic mushrooms and had been depressed, experiencing a mental breakdown.

Airline workers operate in stressful environments amid a pilot shortage and historic levels of travel demand. Even at Southwest and American, both airlines have recognized that there is a problem and the companies and their unions can help pilots from within.

What the Federal Aviation Administration is doing

The mayor of a Northwestern city in Germany called it the "darkest day" on March 24, 2015. That was the day a German jetliner plunged into the French Alps and killed 150 people. The root cause of the crash of the Airbus A320 was later determined to be the pilot onboard who had suffered from severe mental illness and didn't tell his employer.

The jarring event is commonly referred to when the topic of pilot mental health arises. It inspired the Federal Aviation Administration to create the Pilot Fitness Aviation Rulemaking Committee in 2016 to make recommendations on the mental fitness of pilots.

A 2022 study showed that 56.1 % of pilots reported that they had avoided seeking medical or mental health treatment or reporting issues because it could threaten their certification to fly, according to a report from University of North Dakota neurologist and affiliated professor of aviation William Hoffman. The survey of 3,765 pilots found that 45.7% of pilots sought informal medical care instead and 26.8% said they had once misrepresented or withheld information when asked on a health questionnaire.

In recent years, the Federal Aviation Administration has taken a stronger look at the mental health of pilots.

If pilots seek help for mental health issues, most conditions, if treated, won't disqualify them from flying. The agency said only about 0.1% of medical certificate applicants who disclose their health issues are denied.

"The consequences and the ability to get back are so tangled in the bureaucracy, that it can lead folks to make some poor choices and not getting help," said Dennis Tajer, spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association.

In December, FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker announced another group, the "Mental Health and Aviation Medical Clearances Rulemaking Committee," to remove barriers that discourage pilots from disclosing and seeking help. It is working on the same issue for air traffic controllers.

"Things are trying to move, but it's a very slow pace," said David West, a pilot involved in the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association's critical incident response team.

The FAA continues to stress mental health resources for pilots, including training for medical examiners, research and clinical studies, hiring additional mental health professionals to expand in-house resources and more. They have also been completing clinical research and amending policies to decrease the frequency of cognitive testing in pilots using antidepressant medications.

"Like anything, it's getting better, but it's just taking a long time to get there," West said.

Recently, the FAA published the task forces' results to encourage pilots to get help with mental health issues. The committee recommended a pathway for disclosing mental health conditions, revising requirements for reporting mental health disorders, a closer look at screening protocols and more resources for pilots.

Reporting mental illness

While obtaining a medical certificate is a part of the pilot's normal routine to be able to fly, before the exam, pilots must report any health professional visit during the previous three years, all medications and a complete medical history. There are also questions about mental health.

If the pilot discloses anything on the form or during an examination, the examiner may further question mental health conditions or symptoms.

Levin said sometimes pilots may feel the need to lie about getting care or even just not seek it.

The FAA can request additional psychological testing or the application may be sent to the FAA's Office of Aerospace Medicine. Commercial airlines can also have mental health screenings or requirements.

If an outside source discloses to the FAA that a pilot has a mental health condition, the Office of Aerospace Medicine can require the pilot to provide documentation or a professional mental health evaluation.

Certain medical conditions such as psychosis, bipolar disorder and some types of personality disorders automatically disqualify a pilot.

What options do pilots at American, Southwest have?

Fort Worth-based American, which has about 15,000 pilots, has a program called Project Wingman which was created in 2011 along with the pilot union to provide peer support and crisis intervention to pilots and family members with no pressure to reveal sensitive information.

Pilots can connect with other pilots to share challenges. The program has pilots who are members of the Allied Pilot Association to serve as "Wingman committee volunteers" to assist with mental health problems. Volunteers help pilots reduce stress and share resources.

"We're proud of pioneering the industry-leading Project Wingman peer support program and of the pilot volunteers who have made, and continue to make, meaningful differences in the lives of American's pilots for 13 years," said Lindsey Martin, spokeswoman at American. "Key to Project Wingman's success is the collaboration between the Allied Pilots Association, pilot volunteers, company program sponsors and American's best-in-class aviators raising their hand for support in whatever they may be facing."

Tajer called American and the Allied Pilots Association "pioneers in providing a safe place for pilots."

Volunteers have worked with pilots on depression and grief, stress and anxiety, marital or relationship issues, family issues, aging or elder care issues, chemical dependency, suicidal thoughts, domestic violence and other challenges.

"It's an extraordinarily supportive program that other airlines and unions come to us and get briefed on emulating what we have," Tajer said.

There are similar programs and support at Southwest Airlines.

West said the union offers peer support while helping pilots who are dealing with mental health.

Project Lift is another support program administered through the union. The company supports the program financially and connects pilots to insurance resources.

At Southwest, the airline has a crew assistance program team as a part of its flight operations department. The team will connect pilots to leave programs, coordinate benefits, co-fund the union peer-support programs and provide advice to pilots seeking help or information. The program works with the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association and both coordinate to determine if the airline or union is the correct party to assist the pilot.

The perception of mental health has changed over the years, and grown to have a larger acceptance. And in a profession like being a commercial pilot, it's an important part of the job. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five adults in the U.S. experience mental illness.

"Safety is a symphony," Tajer said. "If there are a couple of instruments out of tune, you don't have to be an expert to hear it."

2024 The Dallas Morning News.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Nearly a half-million health workers who stand to benefit from California's nation-leading $25 minimum wage law could be in for a rude awakening if hospitals and other health care providers follow through on potential cuts to hours and benefits.

A medical industry challenge to a new minimum wage ordinance in one Southern California city suggests layoffs and reductions in hours and benefits, including cuts to premium pay and vacation time, could be one result of a state law set to begin phasing in in June. However, some experts are skeptical of that possibility.

The California Hospital Association brought a partly successful legal challenge to Inglewood's $25 minimum wage ordinance, which barred employers from taking those sorts of steps to offset their higher costs.

"Layoffs, reductions in premium pay rates, reductions in non-wage benefits, reductions in hours, and increased charges are consequences of an employer having less money to spendwhich will necessarily be the case given the significant increase in spending on wages due to the minimum wage," the association said in its lawsuit. Additional examples include reducing health coverage and charging for parking or work-related equipment.

Inglewood voters approved the ordinance in November 2022, nearly a year before California legislators enacted a $25 minimum wage for health workers. Those statewide higher wages are to be phased in starting in June under California's first-in-the-nation law, but Gov. Gavin Newsom has since said they are too expensive as the state faces a deficit estimated between $38 billion and $73 billion. It's unclear if lawmakers will agree to a delay or take other steps to reduce the cost.

U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer agreed with the hospital industry in a March 11 tentative ruling when he shot down the portion of Inglewood's ordinance banning layoffs and clawbacks by employers, while allowing the rest of the ordinance to remain in effect. He gave the sides time to object to his preliminary decision, though none did.

The California Hospital Association represents more than 400 hospitals and was a key backer of the state's carefully crafted compromise law, which notably contains none of the employee safeguards included in the Inglewood ordinance.

Spokesperson Jan Emerson-Shea said the association doesn't know how providers will react once the state law takes effect. "We don't have any insights," she said.

"The challenge for any health care organization is figuring out how to pay for the higher wages," said Joanne Spetz, director of the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies at the University of California-San Francisco. "Since labor costs are the largest part of any health care organization's costs, it's hard to figure out how to reduce spending without looking at labor costs."

Providers can try to increase revenues by bargaining for higher reimbursements from commercial insurers, she said. Public hospitals, nursing homes, and community clinics get most of their money through Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program.

Providers could reduce the services they offer, pare back charity care, and cut or delay capital investments, Spetz said. In the long term, she expects some combination of spending cuts and revenue increases.

Both the state law and local ordinance cover far more than doctors and nurses, with a definition of health worker that includes janitors, housekeepers, groundskeepers, security guards, food service workers, laundry workers, and clerical staff.

The most recent estimate by the Health Care Program at the University of California-Berkeley Labor Center is that as many as 426,000 health workers would make an average of $6,400 extra in the law's first year, a 19% average pay bump mainly benefiting lower-income workers of color and women. State finance officials project that well over 500,000 workers will benefit.

Researchers didn't include layoffs and other potential staffing and benefit reductions when they projected the state law's costs and benefits, said Laurel Lucia, the program's director. But she pointed to initial projections by hospitals, doctors, and business and taxpayer groups that the wage hike would cost $8 billion annually, thereby imperiling services and resulting in higher premiums and higher costs for state and local governments.

"It seems like a contradiction to say this law's going to cost billions of dollars while at the same time saying it's going to reduce workers' total compensation," said Lucia, who projects a far lower price tag.

She added that state finance officials had anticipated that Medi-Cal reimbursements would reflect the increased labor costs, while Medicare would eventually at least partially compensate for the higher labor costs.

Michael Reich, chair of the Center on Wage and Employment Dynamics at UC Berkeley's Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, and affiliated economist Justin Wiltshire recently argued that California's new $20 minimum wage law for fast-food workers won't result in mass layoffs and price increases, as some have predicted.

Health care is much different than fast food, Reich acknowledged, but he argued for much the same positive result.

"A higher minimum wage will make it easier and cheaper for hospitals to recruit and retain these workers. The cost savings, and the productivity benefits of more experienced workers, could offset much of the labor cost increase," Reich said.

The hospital association filed its lawsuit against Inglewood's ordinance in July, while it was still opposing early versions of the statewide minimum wage legislation. Among many other provisions, the statewide law put on hold an initiative to cap hospital executives' salaries in Los Angeles.

The hospital association's legal challenge referenced in part layoffs and reduced working hours imposed by Centinela Hospital Medical Center after Inglewood's ordinance took effect.

But Centinela said the reduction was entirely unrelated to the ordinance and that all staff were offered alternate positions, which many accepted.

"Centinela Hospital also has since added many more jobs in new clinical positions above minimum wage scale," the hospital said in a statement.

Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, the prime backer of both the local ordinance and the statewide law, sued the hospital in April 2023 alleging that it cut workers' hours to offset the higher minimum wage. The case is still pending.

The union did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

In a court filing, however, the union and city of Inglewood said similar employer restrictions in previous minimum wage laws have survived.

The ordinance "merely sets the backdrop for collective bargaining negotiations," and does not bar employers from locking out employees or hiring replacement workers during a strike. Employers can still lay off workers or reduce their hours, they said, so long as they don't do so to fund the higher minimum wage.

But Fischer agreed with the hospital association that layoffs and reductions in employees' total compensation packages are "obvious responses by an employer to rising compensation costs."

Restricting employers' options would violate federal labor relations rules, he said.

"The minimum wage an employer has to pay its employees will invariably affect the total amount of compensation it is able or willing to pay," he wrote "This will then invariably affect the number of employees it can retain and the number of hours those employees will be scheduled to work."

2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Credit: Tessy Agbonome from Pexels

The complex interplay of rising temperatures and exposure to polluting compounds and chemicals can damage children's hearts, experts have warned.

Experts at the University of Exeter have contributed to a new statement from the American Heart Association (AHA). The statement explores the impacts of global warming, maternal heat exposure, airborne pollutants, lead, endocrine-disrupting compounds, and exposure to more than 300,000 registered synthetic chemicals on the heart health of newborns, infants, children, and adolescents.

It addresses questions including: Has industrialization and rapid technological advancement severely exposed the next generation to grave cardiovascular compromise? Do we still doubt the reality of climate change, global warming, and the consequences of thousands of tons of chemicals released into the environment every day? How vulnerable are infants' and children's hearts to these environmental exposures?

The statement, published in Circulation, is based on contributions from experts at the University of Exeter, as well as the Baylor College of Medicine, Northwestern University, University of South California, University of Colorado, Cambridge Health Alliance, New York University, and the University of Eastern Finland.

Andrew Agbaje, an award-winning physician and professor of clinical epidemiology and child health at the University of Eastern Finland and Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Exeter, said, "Evidence suggests that climate change increases the incidence of congenital heart defects, particularly conotruncal and septal defects, largely explained by maternal heat exposure during pregnancy. Moreover, airborne particulate matter pollution may contribute to an increased incidence of Kawasaki Disease and worsen the risk of congenital heart defects.

"Infants and children exposed to lead metal are at risk of high blood pressure and premature kidney disease. Similarly, exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, such as bisphenols and phthalates, increases the risk of high blood pressure and dyslipidemia which are risk factors for premature cardiac and vascular damage."

Both Professors Justin Zachariah, who chaired the AHA scientific writing committee, and Andrew Agbaje summarised the Scientific Statement on Environmental Exposure and Pediatric Cardiology in a ten-minute video discussion recorded by the AHA.

Dr. Barbara Entl, the Science and Medicine Advisor of the AHA summarized the Top Things to Know about Environmental Exposure and Pediatric Cardiology. The ninth of the 10 listed points noted that "per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, utilized for waterproofing and flame-retardant purposes and as indirect food additives, also exhibit associations with elevated lipid levels."

A commentary titled "Environmental Risk Factors Go Mainstream in Pediatric Cardiology," written by Professor Philip J. Landrigan, highlighted areas of future focus:

There needs to be an acceleration of research in environmental cardiology Cardiologists and all health care professionals need to be aware of the pervasive impact of environmental factors on cardiovascular health The most effective strategy for slowing climate change and reducing air pollution is rapid, wide-scale transition away from coal, gas, and oil to clean, renewable energy International actions are of particular importance for protecting the health of children in low- and middle-income countries where 60% of global chemical and plastic production is now concentrated. A key strategy could be a legally binding Global Chemicals Treaty developed and implemented under United Nations auspices.

In summary, Professor Agbaje agrees with Professor Landrigan that pediatric cardiologists, health workers, medical societies, and public health organizations should continue advocating for national and continental governments, such as the European Union, to end pollution.

Elected officials are to be well-advised on the disastrous links between air pollution, climate change, and pediatric heart health. The release of chemicals into children's environments should be tightly regulated, with special attention paid to new and untested chemicals.

Professor Agbaje said, "We can join hands individually and at societal levels to protect children's heart health."

More information: Justin P. Zachariah et al, Environmental Exposures and Pediatric Cardiology: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association, Circulation (2024). DOI: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001234 Journal information: Circulation
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Payments () per 1000 population across member countries without superseding laws from 2017 to 2019. Note: Countries where companies are not required to disclose their payments on transparentmedtech.eu are considered ineligible. Credit: Health Policy and Technology (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.hlpt.2024.100865

Joint replacements, pacemakers, surgical instruments, and sutures; medical devices are a staple of health care. New research published in the journal Health Policy and Technology reveals that UK hospitals, universities, and other health care organizations received over 37 million in 'education' payments from the medical device firms that supply them, sparking concerns by the report authors that a "worrying conflict of interest" is at play.

The most high-profile conflict of interest case in recent years in the UK surrounding medical devices has been vaginal mesh implants.

The report also highlights major transparency shortcomings. The recorded payments detailed in the report are expected to be just the tip of the iceberg of cash flowing between health care providers and medical device companies such as Johnson & Johnson Medical, Abbott Laboratories, and Boston Scientific. This is because it is not a statutory requirement for medical companies to disclose payments.

The authors are urging the UK government and EU governments to implement a recommendation from Baroness Cumberlege's major independent review, which will require manufacturers to disclose any financial payments and benefits in kind they offer to health care professionals and providers.

Key findings from the report:

The study estimates payments of 425 million in 'education' payments from medical device companies reported in 53 countries between 2017 and 2019.

The UK was ranked as the third-highest recipient of payments behind Switzerland (nearly 178 million) and Spain (nearly 86 million).

The largest payments to UK recipients went to Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

The top 3 companies making payments are Johnson & Johnson Medical (over 184 million); Abbott Laboratories (over 44 million); and Boston Scientific (over 33 million).

The payments are "education-related," meaning they should support the education of doctors and other health care professionals, for example through fellowships, grants, scholarships, and "educational events".

Payments are voluntarily reported to a database run by MedTechEurope, a medical device trade body.

Dr. James Larkin, lead author from RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, said, "This is not a trivial issue. The payments reported represent a worrying conflict of interest. We know that free lunch can influence clinical practice, so this begs the question: could these payments undermine patient care?"

Dr. Piotr Ozieranski, co-author from the Centre for the Analysis of Social Policy, University of Bath, said, "If you are being fitted with a pacemaker, you trust the device has been chosen in the best interests of patient care, not because of a financial incentive. The stakes are high if this is undermined, as evidenced by the mesh implants scandal."

The authors also raise concerns about major transparency shortcomings of the MedTechEurope database.

Dr. Piotr Ozieranski said, "It is impossible for patients, journalists, policymakers, and regulators to verify if a doctor or a health care provider has a potential conflict of interest with a medical device company because the medical device companies only disclose some of their payments. Considering the vast sums of money involved, this is a major accountability and transparency issue."

"An EU mandated system of disclosure for the medical device and pharmaceutical industries could address these shortcomings and enhance transparency in the health care sector's interactions with industry."

Dr. James Larkin said, "The study is likely the tip of the iceberg on the money that's changing hands in the UK because medical device firms only seem to be disclosing a small proportion of their payments. Compare the 37 million reported by medical companies with the 2.96 billion reported by the pharmaceutical industry, which has greater transparency "

In 2009, an Institute of Medicine report said conflicts of interest "threaten the integrity of scientific investigations, the objectivity of medical education, the quality of patient care," and may also "jeopardize public trust in medicine."

More information: James Larkin et al, Payments to healthcare organisations reported by the medical device industry in Europe from 2017 to 2019: An observational study, Health Policy and Technology (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.hlpt.2024.100865
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Primary series and booster dose model fit results. (A) Example individual model fits for the primary series (blue) and booster dose (orange) Anti-S trajectory data. Dashed lines for D1, D2, and D3 indicate timing of dose 1, dose 2, and dose 3, respectively. (B) Distribution of all individual half lives for primary series (blue) and booster dose (orange). (C) Individual Anti-S half life as a function of chronological age for primary series and booster dose, where a decreasing trend as a function of increased age is found. (D) Violin plots of Anti-S half lives and number of chronic morbidities. Points are plotted with a jitter function to display the density of individuals with each chronic morbidity count. (E) Parametric plot of chronic morbidity count and chronological age, where the size of each point corresponds to the number of data points at a given age with the same chronic morbidity count. The number of individuals within each chronic morbidity category are shown to the right of the plot. Credit: Scientific Reports (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58811-3

Thinking about getting a spring-time booster shot? A new study coming out of York University's Centre for Disease Modelling in the Faculty of Science shows that immunity after a COVID-19 booster lasts much longer than the primary series alone. These findings are among othersometimes "unintuitive"revelations of how factors like age, sex and comorbidities do and don't affect immune response.

The work is published in the journal Scientific Reports.

The study's authorsYork Post Doctoral researchers Chapin Korosec and David Dick, Applied Mathematics Professor Iain Moyles and Professor James Watmough with the University of New Brunswickused health data submitted to the COVID Immunity Task-Force project for more than 150 individuals who received either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to look at how immunity holds up over time.

"Our approach as mathematicians is to create mathematical models of the immune system, and then calibrate those models to health care data in order to advance our understanding of the human immune system. It was really interesting to see the SARS-CoV-2 booster dose have such a huge increase in protective longevity capacity as compared to the primary series of two doses," says Korosec, the study's lead author.

The study used Canadian vaccine data collected from individuals living in long-term care, as well as frontline health-care workers working in long-term care and hospitals.

Looking at the group as a whole, the median length for the antibody half-life immune response was 63 days for the primary series, and increased to 115 days for those who went on to receive their boosters, a statistically significant finding, says Korosec.

It is well-established that age can affect how adept the body is at priming an immune response after vaccines, so much so that advanced age is considered a comorbidity itself, says Korosec.

"Chronological age is your time since birth. But you also have an immunological age, which is correlated to your chronological age, and is related to how your body loses its ability to prime against invading pathogens and produce antibodies as time marches on," explains Korosec. "What's convoluted is that as we age chronologically, the probability that we accrue diseases that can affect the immune system in unintuitive ways also increases."

Looking into this aspect, the researchers found that older adults did have a less long-lasting immune response, but once they controlled for other comorbidities such as hypertension, lung disease and cancer, age no longer had as significant of an influence on the immune response.

Other interesting findings include a small, but statistically significant immune response for males versus females, and people with asthma having a longer lasting immune responsemore durable, in fact, than those with hybrid immunity from vaccines and contracting COVID-19.

"We found that some outcomes were surprising and worth further study, but of course we're not advocating any particular comorbidity is beneficial," says Dick. "We don't have any information from this study on how asthma would affect the severity of the COVID-19 illness, for example."

Outside of the strict findings, the researchers also say the study points to the importance of interdisciplinary research and are excited about the possibilities for collaboration, with plans to open York's medical school in 2028.

"While we're all from math and stats departments, the data comes from clinicians who went through medical school and are now professors studying immunology, and I think this study shows how people with different skill sets can come together and do really interesting science," says Korosec.

Moyles adds, "We have a really top applied math program at York, and now the university has announced a medical school. Imagine these clinicians were at York and we had access to the data on the ground floor. This would cut the research timeline by years and has huge potential for future interdisciplinary research at the university."

More information: Chapin S. Korosec et al, SARS-CoV-2 booster vaccine dose significantly extends humoral immune response half-life beyond the primary series, Scientific Reports (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58811-3 Journal information: Scientific Reports
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Credit: Sora Shimazaki from Pexels

A new study published in Pain from the University of South Australia is putting people's experiences of pelvic pain at the front of pain education to develop better pain management strategies and improved outcomes.

Persistent pelvic pain is an umbrella term for pain in the pelvic area (below the belly button) which may be accompanied by symptoms suggestive of gynecological, lower urinary tract, bowel, sexual, and pelvic floor dysfunction.

In Australia, 1 in 2 women and people assigned female at birth experience persistent pelvic pain, with one in four reporting that pelvic pain affects their ability to undertake daily activities such as work, study, or exercise.

This study is hoping to improve this reality through pain education concepts that have been designed for and by females with persistent pelvic pain.

Using semi-structured interviews, the consumer-centric, qualitative study captures rich and nuanced experiences of 20 females with pelvic pain who had engaged in pain science education and seen improvements.

The study identified four important pain concepts that females say can help with pain management:

A sensitized nervous system can lead to overprotective painthis concept is important as it provides a biological explanation for pelvic pain and validates that pain is real, and not "in your head." Pain doesn't always mean my pelvis is damaged (although sometimes it does)it is important because it provides reassurance that not every flare up means your pelvis is damaged or getting worse and that tissue pathology (like endometriosis lesions) is just one piece of the pelvic pain puzzle. How I think, feel, and 'see' my pain can make it worsethis concept speaks of how there are many factors that can influence pelvic pain. As such, there are many ways to manage pain beyond just medication or surgery. I can change my pain... slowlythis concept was important because it provided hope and empowerment to pursue pain improvement as a viable goal.

The findings follow the announcement for a landmark South Australian inquiry into endometriosis, and the Australian Government's 202223 Budget commitment of $58.3 million commitment to improving women's health, in particular endometriosis and pelvic pain.

UniSA researcher and Ph.D. candidate Amelia Mardon says educating people about pain can help improve pain conditions.

"Learning how pain works is pivotal to managing persistent pain. But while preliminary evidence suggests that pain science education can help women with persistent pelvic pain, there has been little information about what these consumers value learning," Mardon says.

"This study addresses this gap by capturing people's experiences of persistent pelvic pain and identifying what knowledge could help others.

"By putting consumers' voices, experiences, and opinions at the forefront of any intervention, we're ensuring that pain education is relevant and aligned with their needs or priorities. Without that, it will just miss the mark."

Senior researcher, UniSA's Professor Lorimer Moseley says that learning "how pain works," legitimizes and makes sense of pain experiences.

"Validating pain may be particularly poignant for women with pelvic pain because of the extensive history of prejudice and dismissal of their pain, especially by health care professionals," Prof Moseley says.

"When you're told that your pain is 'all in your head," it's incredibly disempowering, which can have significant effects on physical and mental health.

"Pain is complex. Understanding that there is a biological explanation for persistent paineven when we can't 'see' itcan reframe perspectives of pain and potentially change outcomes."

While further research is needed with more diverse samples, including expert clinicians, this study hopes to provide clinicians with better supports to help women with persistent pelvic pain.

More information: Amelia K. Mardon et al, "I wish I knew then what I know now"pain science education concepts important for female persistent pelvic pain: a reflexive thematic analysis, Pain (2024). DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003205 Journal information: Pain
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Effect of the new risk factors on prediction of 10-year CVD absolute risk. Ten-year CVD risk predictions for men and women over different ages. Credit: Nature Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41591-024-02905-y

Collaborative research, led from the University of Oxford and published today in Nature Medicine, has developed a new tool called QR4 that more accurately predicts an individual's 10-year risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease and stroke, particularly identifying high-risk patients that current prediction tools miss.

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death globally. The new tool, QR4 can be thought of as a type of calculator that lets doctors use an individual's health data, such as blood pressure, age and medical history, to estimate their likelihood of developing a cardiovascular disease over the next 10 years, allowing them to intervene early to prevent illness.

QR4 includes seven new risk factors applicable to all adults: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), learning disabilities, Down syndrome and four cancer types (blood, lung, oral and brain), highlighting how other significant diseases impact on heart health.

QR4 also identified factors specific to women's health that were predictive of future heart disease risk, such as complications from high blood pressure during pregnancy, and postnatal depression.

"While traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking and high cholesterol are well-recognized, our latest research identifies less obvious, yet crucial risk indicators," said Dr. Julia Hippisley-Cox, lead author, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology and General Practice, at the University of Oxford's Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences.

"For instance, conditions like postnatal depression and Down syndrome significantly contribute to cardiovascular risk, underscoring the complex interplay between mental health, genetic factors, and heart health. QR4 also helps to address inequalities in health, particularly around learning disabilities, which often coincide with barriers to effective health management and access, leading to an increased risk.

"We believe that these findings are important to both patients and policymakers," said Professor Hippisley-Cox. "They indicate that more groups of people are at increased risk for heart and circulatory diseases than previously recognized. These people could and should now benefit from treatments and other preventive measures to reduce their risk."

"Our findings also reveal that women with COPD are at a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases than previously understood," said Professor Mona Bafadhel, co-author, Chair of Respiratory Medicine, King's College, London and Asthma + Lung UK Professor. "This underscores the critical need for targeted cardiovascular monitoring and interventions in these patients, which begins with an early diagnosis."

As part of a comprehensive evaluation, the QR4 algorithm was rigorously tested against some of the most well-established cardiovascular risk assessment tools currently used in both the United States and Europe. It outperformed the most widely used heart disease risk calculators, including QRISK3 recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the U.K., accurately identifying more high-risk patients.

"This important update to the QRISK tool will allow clinicians to build the clearest picture yet of individuals' risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases," said Professor Bryan Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the British Heart Foundation. "Informed by large amounts of data from diverse populations, the new and improved algorithm takes vital steps towards improving risk assessment in populations where cardiovascular risk may often go under-detected. The QR4 tool will offer a much-needed, renewed focus on better identifying people at risk and improving the prevention of cardiovascular diseases."

"Cardiovascular risk has been under-recognized in some populations, which through QR4 we can now better address," said Professor Keith Channon, BHF Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Oxford. "The new findings will help identify more diverse groups of people who have high cardiovascular risk, enabling them to access interventions and treatments to reduce their risk."

"The QR4 model potentially sets a new standard in cardiovascular risk assessment," said Dr. Carol Coupland, senior researcher at the University of Oxford and Professor of Medical Statistics in Primary Care at the University of Nottingham and co-author of the study. "Our head-to-head comparisons with established models show that QR4 provides a more detailed risk profile for each individual, allowing for earlier and more precise intervention strategies. This is crucial in a field where early detection can save lives and could significantly impact how we approach prevention on a global scale."

This new algorithm builds on almost two decades of work and global leadership in the field of risk algorithms, and cardiovascular risk algorithms in particular. QR4's predecessor, QRISK is widely used in the NHS to assess over 5 million patients a year, often as part of NHS Health Checks.

The researchers hope that clinicians, advisory bodies, regulators, and health and care policymakers consider the implications of QR4's advanced predictive capabilities on national health guidelines and support its adoption in clinical settings to improve cardiovascular health outcomes.

More information: Julia Hippisley-Cox et al, Development and validation of a new algorithm for improved cardiovascular risk prediction, Nature Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41591-024-02905-y Journal information: Nature Medicine
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Researchers from St George's, University of London have identified key barriers to vaccine uptake for whooping cough, flu and COVID-19 in pregnant women, and outline recommendations for addressing vaccine hesitancy. The results are from the first review of its kind and are published in the journal PLOS ONE.

Pregnant women are at increased risk of viral infections due to changes in their immune system during pregnancy. Vaccinationsparticularly for influenza (flu), pertussis (whooping cough) and COVID-19are therefore highly recommended. If pregnant women choose not to have these vaccines, they not only put themselves at increased risk of disease, hospitalization and death, but also prevent their baby from having increased protection from birth.

Despite the NHS and the WHO strongly recommending these vaccines in pregnancy, uptake remains low in the UK with only 51% of pregnant women having two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, 60% having the whooping cough vaccine and just 30% taking the flu jab.

To better identify the main barriers and facilitators for vaccine uptake in pregnant women, researchers carried out the first systematic review of qualitative interview-based studies published between 2012 and 2022 in high-income countries with established vaccination programs throughout pregnancy. Countries included the UK, Australia, New Zealand and the U.S.

Their search identified 2,681 relevant articles, of which 28 peer-reviewed articles covering 1,573 women were included in the review. The majority of studies (78%) focused on flu and whooping cough.

The review revealed that the main barriers to vaccine uptake in pregnant women included concerns about vaccine safety and efficacy, a lack of knowledge about the benefits and necessity of vaccines, fear of adverse effects to themselves and their baby, poor understanding in how severe these diseases can be without vaccination, lack of endorsement by health care professionals and barriers to physically accessing vaccines while juggling other health appointments and priorities.

Now, Dr. Mohammad Razai and his team have laid out key recommendations they hope will be embedded into public health strategies. They center on "five Cs"confidence, complacency, convenience, communication and context. More specifically, their calls include:

make vaccinations more accessible, such as embedding them into antenatal routine visits, through workplace vaccination programs, having just one appointment for all vaccinations, and providing appointment times outside of working hours

stronger and more proactive recommendations from trusted health care professionals

improved health care information resources and public health campaigns to better communicate the risks for mother and baby. Communications should be in multiple languages to support better health equality

ensure obstetricians, GPs and midwives receive communication training to help them dispel myths and provide timely, accurate and evidence-based information on vaccination in pregnancy.

support equity by targeting socio-economically vulnerable groups

Dr. Mohammad Razai, lead researcher and Clinical Academic GP from the Population Health Research Institute at St George's, University of London, said,

"Vaccine hesitancy remains very high among pregnant women, but vaccination against whooping cough, flu and COVID-19 in pregnancy is crucial. In this day and age, people should not be hospitalized or even die from diseases that are preventable by safe and effective vaccines.

"Our work has collated the views of over 1,000 pregnant women, and we hope that the key recommendations we've set-out will be applied to public health strategies in the UK and further afield. We believe these are vital to tackle vaccine hesitancy and increase protection of mothers-to-be and their children."

The team are now developing community interventions to boost vaccination rates among women with low uptake. This involves training midwives to counsel pregnant women on vaccinations and sharing real-life stories to empower informed decision-making.
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Fine-scale genetic structure of the modern Japanese and its three ancestry origins. (A) Geographic regions in Japan from which the samples were recruited are described. (B) PCA analysis based on common variants with a minor AF (C) Rare variantbased PCA-UMAP analysis (D) ADMIXTURE analysis with K set to 3. (E) UMAP1 is negatively correlated with the fraction of K2 ancestry. Credit: Science Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi8419

A multi-institutional team of geneticists and genomic and genotyping specialists in Japan has sequenced the genomes of thousands of Japanese people from across the country, looking to settle the debate surrounding the ancestry of the Japanese people.

In their study, published in the journal Science Advances, the group sequenced the genes of so many people that they were able to decode the tri-ancestral origins of the Japanese populationand also to identify gene variants that may make some Japanese people more likely to develop certain illnesses.

The research team began by noting that most large-scale genetic sequencing research efforts have been conducted on people of European descent, which, they point out, leaves gaps in knowledge surrounding Asian ancestral roots.

So they embarked on one of the largest non-European sequencing research efforts to date. They sequenced the genomes of more than 3,200 people living in seven regions in Japan and Okinawa to create the new Japanese Encyclopedia of Whole-Genome/Exome Sequencing Library (JEWEL).

The researchers found that modern Japanese people are descended from only three main ancestral groups: Jomon hunter-gatherers of the Neolithic, predecessors of the Han Chinese, and a yet-to-be identified group of people from Northeast Asia. Their findings contradict theories that the Japanese people are descendants of the Jomon and later migrants from continental Asia.

The research team also found modern Japanese people have genes from both the Denisovans and Neanderthals, some of which have been associated with the development of certain diseases, such as diabetes type II, prostate cancer, coronary heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis. They note that the identification of such variants could lead to better health care for Japanese people.

The team's efforts lay the groundwork for future genomic studies of people of Asian ancestry by providing a centralized database (JEWEL) that can grow and be used by researchers all across the region.

More information: Xiaoxi Liu et al, Decoding triancestral origins, archaic introgression, and natural selection in the Japanese population by whole-genome sequencing, Science Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi8419 Journal information: Science Advances

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Opioid dependence in Scotland remains high but largely stable, according to a new University of Bristol-led analysis published in Addiction. The study is the first to estimate the number of people dependent on opioid drugs (such as heroin), and who are in or could benefit from drug treatment, among Scotland's population since 2015/2016 estimates were published.

Scotland has one of the highest rates of drug-related deaths in Europe, with the number of these more than doubling between 2011 and 2020. At 250300 per million population in 202122, Scotland's rate of drug-related deaths was sixteen times higher than the average in the European Union and on par with rates in North America.

As part of the response to the public health emergency in drug-related deaths, the Scottish Government-commissioned study sought to understand whether the number of people with opioid dependence among its general publication is also increasing.

To predict how many people aged 15 to 64 years old are opioid dependent, researchers from Bristol's National Institute for Health and Care Research Health Protection Research Unit (NIHR HPRU) in Behavioural Science and Evaluation applied a statistical modeling technique using data from Public Health Scotland's Scottish Public Health Drug Linkage Programme, including information on people in drug treatment called opioid agonist treatment (OATprimarily methadone and buprenorphine) and data on opioid-related mortality and hospital admissions.

In these new estimates, researchers found the prevalence of opioid dependence in Scotland to have been relatively stable between 2014/15 to 2019/20, with 47,100 people estimated to be opioid-dependent in 2019/20which is 1.3% of the adult population aged 15 to 64.

While there was weak evidence of a small reduction in the total number of people with opioid dependence since 2014/15, the extent of any change was estimated to be small (-0.07% or -2,000 people). There was evidence that the population of people with opioid dependence was aging, with estimates of the number of people aged 15 to 34 years old reducing by 5,100 and the number aged 50 to 64 years old increasing by 2,800 between 2014/15 and 2019/20.

The research team also estimated that over 60% of the population of people who were opioid-dependent received OAT at least once during 2019/20 and nearly 75% had been in drug treatment in the last five years.

Dr. Hayley Jones, Associate Professor in Medical Statistics in the Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences (PHS), lead author and developer of the method (Multi-Parameter Estimation of Prevalence) used in Scotland, said, "This is the first time that trends in the prevalence of people with opioid dependence have been produced in Scotland, showing the value of and making the most of the high-quality linked data sets that are available there.

"The method can be used to update the estimates in future, and can be applied in other countries that create comprehensive records of people in drug treatment and link these to data on drug-related harms."

Professor Matt Hickman, co-first author and director of the NIHR HPRU at the University of Bristol, added, "Importantly, our estimates suggest the substantial increase in drug-related deaths in Scotland is not due to increases in the underlying population of people with opioid dependence but because of increases in the risk of death experienced by people with opioid dependence in Scotland."

Professors Sharon Hutchinson and Andrew McAuley, co-authors and lead researchers at Glasgow Caledonian University, explained, "We showed that exposure to drug treatment in Scotland is high compared to many countries worldwide. The challenge in Scotland and rest of UK, however, is to retain people in drug treatment for longer and to determine what other interventions are required to effect change at the population leveland bring down the number of drug-related deaths."

More information: Prevalence of opioid dependence in Scotland 2015-2020: a multi-parameter estimation of prevalence (MPEP) study', Addiction (2024). DOI: 10.1111/add.16500 Journal information: Addiction
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An innovative health care program developed by researchers at the University of Ottawa has successfully paired residents with family physicians at a time when Canada is lagging behind comparable, high-income countries in providing access to primary care providers.

This recent publication in the Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine demonstrates the success of Integrated Virtual Care (IVC), an innovative program aimed at increasing attachment to a family physician and comprehensive, team-based primary care in Renfrew County, which lies outside of Ottawa, Ontario.

The study shows how previously unattached patients were successfully connected to a family physician to receive comprehensive, team-based primary care.

"These findings show clearly that residents without a family doctor are ready and willing to embrace innovative ways of increasing access to primary care. They also show that patients were happy with the process of joining IVC," says study co-author Dr. Jonathan Fitzsimon, an Assistant Professor at the Department of Family Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine. Cayden Peixoto from the Institut du Savoir Montfort was the lead author of the study.

Addressing a rural shortage

Like many rural communities, Renfrew County does not have enough family physicians to meet the needs of its population of 106,365. Approximately 20 percent of its residents do not have a family physician or an alternative primary care provider.

IVC addressed these problems by matching 790 adult patients without a primary care provider to a family physician who works mostly off-site. Physicians were embedded within the Petawawa Centennial Family Health Centre (PCFHC) as part of an existing local Family Health Team.

Over the course of the seven-month study period, over 2800 unique IVC patient appointments were done, with 70 percent conducted virtually. The matchmaking benefits included a review of cancer screening tests performed for colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, and breast cancer, and the evaluation of new referrals and subsequent enrolments to smoking cessation programs among current smokers.

Helping the vulnerable

"When care is provided by allied health professionals, nurse practitioners, and other physicians in the local family health team, these interactions are communicated efficiently with the patient's doctor," says Fitzsimon, who is a clinical researcher at Institut Savoir Montfort. "Partnership with the existing community paramedicine program allows a range of at-home care options for vulnerable, housebound patients."

Fitzsimon and the study's co-authors, which also include Judy Hill and Lisa Hawkins from the Petawawa Centennial Family Health Centre, envision these results guiding the expansion, development, and quality improvement of similar integrated primary care delivery concepts in rural and underserved communities, which are often large with dispersed facilities, increasing the travel burden to accessing primary care for most rural residents.

More information: Cayden Peixoto et al, Assessing new patient attachment to an integrated, virtual care programme in rural primary care, Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.4103/cjrm.cjrm_14_23
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

In post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), intrusive thoughts, changes in mood, and other symptoms after exposure to trauma can greatly impact a person's quality of life. About 6% of people who experience trauma develop the disorder, but scientists don't yet understand the neurobiology underlying PTSD.

Now, a new genetic study of more than 1.2 million people has pinpointed 95 loci, or locations in the genome, that are associated with risk of developing PTSD, including 80 that had not been previously identified. The study, from the PTSD working group within the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGCPTSD) together with Cohen Veterans Bioscience, is the largest and most diverse of its kind, and also identified 43 genes that appear to have a role in causing PTSD. The work appears in Nature Genetics.

"This discovery firmly validates that heritability is a central feature of PTSD based on the largest PTSD genetics study conducted to date and reinforces there is a genetic component that contributes to the complexity of PTSD," said Caroline Nievergelt, co-first and corresponding author on the study and a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego. Adam Maihofer, a genetic epidemiologist in Nievergelt's lab, was a co-first author as well.

The findings both confirm previously discovered genetic underpinnings of PTSD and provide many novel targets for future investigation that could lead to new prevention and treatment strategies.

"It's exciting that we see the exponential increase in loci with increases in sample size we see for other disorders," said Karestan Koenen, senior author on the study, an institute member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and an investigator with the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at Broad. Koenen leads the Stanley Center's Biology of Trauma Initiative and the Global Neuropsychiatric Genomics Initiative, and is a professor of psychiatric epidemiology at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. "This is a milestone for PTSD genetics."

Genetic roots

Previous twin and genetic studies, including an investigation by the same team in 2017 and an expanded study in 2019, showed that PTSD has a genetic component, and that many genes contribute to the condition.

But these analyses pointed to different genetic loci across datasets, and many studies struggled to distinguish loci that were specific to PTSD risk from those that were also linked to conditions such as depression and cardiovascular disease. Genetic datasets have also historically focused on people of European ancestry, even though there is a disproportionately high burden of trauma and PTSD among people of African, Native American, and Latin American ancestry in the United States and globally.

In the new study, Nievergelt, Koenen, and other researchers from the PGC compiled data from 88 different genome-wide association studies, which use genetic data from large groups of people to look for associations between regions of the genome and the chance of developing a condition or trait.

In all, the dataset contained information about the risk of developing PTSD from more than 1.2 million individuals of European ancestry (including about 140,000 with PTSD), about 50,000 with African ancestry (including about 12,000 with PTSD), and about 7,000 with Native American ancestry (about 2,000 with PTSD).

Meta-analysis of the data revealed 95 loci strongly associated with PTSD, including 80 that had not been identified previously. Forty three genes appeared to play a role in causing PTSD, including some that affect brain cells called neurons, brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, ion channels (which allow ions to pass in and out of cells), connections between neurons called synapses, and the endocrine and immune systems. The researchers found that PTSD shared many genetic features with depression, as well as several PTSD-specific loci.

Although previous studies found a higher prevalence of PTSD in females than males, the researchers did not find evidence for this in their data. They examined the X chromosome, which earlier studies did not do, and found five loci linked with PTSD. But they add that these changes on the X chromosome would have similar effects in males and females.

To more deeply probe how PTSD genetics affect the brain, the team studied gene expression data and found that the cerebellum, the brain region that controls movement and balance, may be involved in the disorder in addition to regions scientists have previously connected with PTSD, such as the cortex and amygdala.

In particular, the research team found that interneurons, which connect motor and sensory neurons, were involved in PTSD risk. Future studies could help determine how key genes in these tissues and cells affect PTSD symptoms and behaviors.

"For the first time, we are approaching a genetic architecture for PTSD, which both validates prior understanding of some of the critical biology underlying trauma-related disorders, while also pointing towards exciting and novel new targets and mechanisms," said Kerry Ressler, a co-leader of the PGCPTSD working group, chief scientific officer at McLean Hospital, and Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. "These data are an important first step in next generation approaches to novel interventions for PTSD."

In line with previous findings, Nievergelt, Koenen, and their colleagues also found that polygenic scoresa calculation of a person's genetic chance of developing a certain condition based on millions of single-letter changes in their DNAfor PTSD risk are not readily translatable across populations. The researchers say this disparity highlights the importance of continuing to expand the depth and diversity of populations included in future studies of PTSD.

"We know that trauma and PTSD disproportionately affects under-resourced populations globally, particularly African ancestry populations," said Koenen. "Our next steps will focus on addressing that inequity through partnerships with African scientists to make sure research in PTSD genetics benefits everyone equally."

More information: Genome-wide association analyses identify 95 risk loci and provide insights into the neurobiology of post-traumatic stress disorder, Nature Genetics (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41588-024-01707-9 Journal information: Nature Genetics
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Two siblings who have the only known mutations in a key gene anywhere in the world have helped scientists gain new insights that could help progress the search for new treatments in type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes (also known as autoimmune diabetes) is a devastating and life-long disease, in which the patient's immune cells wrongly destroy the insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas. People living with autoimmune diabetes need to test their blood sugar and inject insulin throughout their lives to control their blood sugars and prevent complications.

Autoimmune diabetes with clinical onset in very early childhood is rare and can result from a variety of genetic variants. However, there are many cases of early onset diabetes without known genetic explanation. In addition, some cancer patients treated with a category of immunotherapy known as immune checkpoint inhibitorswhich target the same pathway that the mutation was found inare prone to developing autoimmune diabetes.

The reason why only this category of cancer immunotherapy can trigger autoimmune diabetes is not well understood. Like type 1 diabetes, genetic or immunotherapy-associated autoimmune diabetes requires life-long insulin replacement therapythere is currently no cure.

The new research, published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, began when researchers studied two siblings who were diagnosed with a rare genetic form of autoimmune diabetes in the first weeks of life. The paper is titled "Human inherited PD-L1 deficiency is clinically and immunologically less severe than PD-1 deficiency."

The University of Exeter offers free genetic testing worldwide for babies diagnosed with diabetes before they are nine months old. For most of these babies, this service provides a genetic diagnosis and in around half of these babies, it allows for a change in treatment.

When researchers tested the two siblings in the study, no mutation in any of the known causes was identified. The Exeter team then performed whole genome sequencing to look for previously unknown causes of autoimmune diabetes. Through this sequencing, they found a mutation in the gene encoding PD-L1 in the siblings and realized it could be responsible for their very-early-onset autoimmune diabetes.

Study author Dr. Matthew Johnson, from the University of Exeter, UK, said, "PD-L1 has been particularly well studied in animal models because of its crucial function in sending a stop signal to the immune system and its relevance to cancer immunotherapy. But, to our knowledge, nobody has ever found humans with a disease-causing mutation in the gene encoding PD-L1.

"We searched the globe, looking at all the large-scale datasets that we know of, and we haven't been able to find another family. These siblings therefore provide us with a unique and incredibly important opportunity to investigate what happens when this gene is disabled in humans."

The PD-L1 protein is expressed on many different cell types. Its receptor, PD-1, is expressed exclusively on immune cells. When the two proteins bind together it provides a stop signal to the immune system, preventing collateral damage to the bodies tissues and organs.

Researchers from the Rockefeller Institute in New York and King's College London joined forces with Exeter to study the siblings. After contacting the family's clinician in Morocco, the Exeter team visited the siblings where they were living to collect samples and return them to King's College London, within the crucial 10-hour window for analysis while the immune cells were still alive. The London and New York teams then performed extensive analysis on the siblings' cells.

Study co-author Dr. Masato Ogishi, from the Rockefeller University in New York, said, "We first showed that the mutation completely disabled the function of PD-L1 protein. We then studied the immune system of the siblings to look for immunological abnormalities that could account for their extremely early-onset diabetes.

"As we previously described another two siblings with PD-1 deficiency, both of whom had multi-organ autoimmunity including autoimmune diabetes and extensive dysregulation in their immune cells, we expected to find severe dysregulation of the immune system in the PD-L1-deficient siblings.

"To our great surprise, their immune systems looked pretty much normal in almost all aspects throughout the study. Therefore, PD-L1 is certainly 'indispensable' for preventing autoimmune diabetes but is 'dispensable' for many other aspects of human immune system.

"We think that PD-L2, another ligand of PD-1, albeit less well-studied than PD-L1, may be serving as a back-up system when PD-L1 is not available. This concept needs to be further investigated in the context of artificial blockade for PD-L1 as cancer immunotherapy."

Study co-author Professor Timothy Tree, from King's College London, said, "Through studying this one set of siblingsunique in the world to our knowledgewe have found that the PD-L1 gene is essential for avoiding autoimmune diabetes, but is not essential for 'everyday' immune function.

"This leads us to the grand question; 'what is the role of PD-L1 in our pancreas making it critical for preventing our immune cells destroying our beta cells?' We know that under certain conditions beta cells express PD-L1. However, certain types of immune cells in the pancreas also express PD-L1. We now need to work out the 'communication' between different cell types that is critical for preventing autoimmune diabetes.

"This finding increases our knowledge of how autoimmune forms of diabetes such as type 1 diabetes develop. It opens up a new potential target for treatments that could prevent diabetes in the future. Simultaneously, it gives new knowledge to the cancer immunotherapy field by uniquely providing the results of completely disabling PD-L1 in a person, something you could never manipulate in studies. Reducing PD-L1 is already effective for cancer treatment, and boosting it is now being investigated as a type 1 diabetes treatmentour findings will help accelerate the search for new and better drugs."

Dr. Lucy Chambers, Head of Research Communications at Diabetes UK, said, "Pioneering treatments that alter the behavior of the immune system to hold off its attack on the pancreas are already advancing type 1 diabetes treatment in the U.S., and are awaiting approval here in the UK.

"By zeroing in on the precise role of an important player in the type 1 diabetes immune attack, this exciting discovery could pave the way for treatments that are more effective, more targeted and more transformational for people with or at risk of type 1 diabetes."

Helmsley Program Officer Ben Williams said, "New drugs often fail in development because scientific discoveries made in animal models don't translate into humans. As such, drug developers strongly prefer to pursue new drugs where human genetic evidence supports the drug's target. This study provides such compelling evidence that PD-L1 is a high-priority target to treat T1D, and should be pursued with the ambition of eventually reducing the burden of this difficult to manage disease."

More information: Human inherited PD-L1 deficiency is clinically and immunologically less severe than PD-1 deficiency, Journal of Experimental Medicine (2024). Journal information: Journal of Experimental Medicine
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

For decades, Amina Tollin struggled with mysterious, debilitating pain that radiated throughout her body. A few years ago, when a doctor finally diagnosed her with polyneuropathy, a chronic nerve condition, she had begun to use a wheelchair.

The doctor prescribed a blood infusion therapy that allowed Tollin, 40, to live her life normally. That is, until about three months ago, when it came time for reapproval and Medicaid stopped paying for the therapy. It was the result of an increasingly common process among private and public insurers known as prior authorization.

The monthly infusions for Tollin's condition cost about $18,000 for each session. When Medicaid stopped covering the infusions, she simply stopped getting them.

"The doctor has shown why I need it and they just decided I don't," Tollin, who lives in Tucson, Arizona, told Stateline. "It's been awful. I'm in pain."

To curb health care costs and block unnecessary services, insurers have long required doctors to obtain their approval before they'll pay for certain drugs, treatments and procedures. But in recent years insurers have ratcheted up their use of prior authorization, causing delays and denials of care that are harming or even killing people, many doctors and patients say.

In the past couple of years, more than two dozen states have considered legislation designed to minimize prior authorization delays and denials, and nine states have enacted new laws, according to the American Medical Association, which has advocated for them.

A New Jersey law, for example, sets a 72-hour deadline for most claims. Texas created a "gold card" system that exempts physicians with a 90% approval rate from prior authorization requirements. Washington state sets deadlines and requires insurers to automate the process to speed approvals, while Michigan mandates that prior authorization requirements be based on peer-reviewed criteria.

"It really is just a matter of building momentum and continuing to see this in more and more states," said Dr. Jack Resneck, who stepped down as president of the American Medical Association last June. Many of the bills are based on the organization's model legislation.

"We hope insurance plans will recognize that they have taken this entirely too far and will recognize that they are harming patients and preventing people from getting evidence-based appropriate care," Resneck told Stateline.

Insurers argue that prior authorization ensures that doctors only prescribe therapies and treatments that are medically necessary, protecting patients and lowering health care costs for everybody. Prior authorization "is designed to ensure that clinical care aligns with evidence-based recommendationsnot to deny or discourage patients from getting the care they need," Robert Traynham, a spokesperson for AHIP, a trade group formerly known as America's Health Insurance Plans, wrote in an email.

Meanwhile, some who support curbs on prior authorization caution that the new state laws might not make much of a difference, largely because they lack strong enforcement mechanisms.

Ron Howrigon, a former executive at insurance giant Cigna and current president of Fulcrum Strategies, a firm specializing in insurance contracts, said the laws are "better than nothing" and that "there are definitely some people [they're] going to help."

But, Howrigon said, insurance companies are adept at finding ways to get around laws designed to hold them accountable, especially if the only type of enforcement against them involves third-party reviews or relatively small fines.

"Nobody should kid themselves and think that patients aren't going to have to deal with incorrect denials," Howrigon told Stateline. "Because that's not right."

Furthermore, state laws generally apply to state-regulated private health insurance plans, which excludes the 65% of people who work for large firms and are covered by self-funded employer plans. And many of the state laws don't apply to people on Medicaid, the joint state-federal health care program for people with low incomes, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

Earlier this year, the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services finalized a rule designed to speed up prior authorization in government insurance programs, including Medicaid and Medicare, the federal health care insurance program for people aged 65 and over and the disabled. The new rule, most of which will go into effect in 2026, requires a decision on "urgent" requests within 72 hours. But it applies only to "medical items and services," not drugs.

'Fed up'

Dr. Amy Faith Ho, an emergency medicine physician in Dallas, said many patients whose treatments are delayed or denied through prior authorization often end up in her waiting room.

"At some point they just get fed up. But what's sad to me is they did everything right," Ho said. She added that some patients with chronic illnesses don't end up in the emergency room, but they do experience a loss in quality of life. "We see those patients sometimes present as suicide attempts," she said.

For patients with certain diseases and conditions, such as cancer, prior authorization delays and denials are a common occurrence: A 2023 study found that 1 out of every 5 cancer patients did not receive the care recommended by their treatment team because of the prior authorization process. In a 2022 survey conducted by the American Medical Association, 94% of doctors said prior authorization had led to a delay in care, and a third reported that prior authorization had led to a "serious adverse event" for a patient in their care.

States have generally tried to attack the problem in four ways, said Kaye Pestaina, the director of the program on patient and consumer protection at KFF, a nonprofit research organization.

The first strategy is to shorten the amount of time an insurer is allowed to decide on a medication or service request.

The second is to reduce the administrative burden physicians experience, often by giving a pass to doctors who have a high rate of approvalsTexas' gold card system is one example.

The third approach is to bolster transparency and data requirements.

And the fourth focuses on the review process itself by mandating that decisions be based on peer-reviewed, clinical data.

Pestaina said it might take years to determine which strategy, or combination of strategies, would yield the best outcomes.

In Texas, for example, the 2022 gold card law so far has had mixed results. Doctors who have received the pass say there's a more streamlined process, but there aren't very many of them: Only 3% of physicians had achieved gold card status by the end of last year, according to the Texas Medical Association.

"That should really be upside down and in the other direction," said Resneck, the former American Medical Association president. "We should see 97% of doctors getting gold cards instead of 97% not getting them."

Enforcement challenges

State insurance commissioners largely will be responsible for enforcing the state laws. Many of the new laws empower commissioners to investigate insurers, issue fines for noncompliance and even take insurers to court to remove their license to operate in the state.

But to uncover violations, commissioners will rely heavily on complaints from patients and doctors, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. And Howrigon notes that doctors and patients won't know to complain unless they are aware of their rights under the new laws.

Howrigon also emphasized that state-issued fines and penalties might not be enough to cow insurance giants that make tens of billions of dollars in profits. And, he noted, in 11 states insurance commissioners are elected and often get campaign donations from the companies they regulate.

A better enforcement approach, he suggested, would be to hold the medical directors within insurance companies accountable for decisions that harm patients.

"If those doctors had the same accountability and responsibility as the doctors who are writing the prescriptions, meaning they could be sued for malpractice ... all of this would go away," Howrigon said.

Under a prior authorization bill advancing in Oklahoma, insurance company medical directors could be held liable for medical malpractice, opening them up to lawsuits.

"I have had doctors tell me this is what is some of the best legislation they've seen in the country. It's fair to the insurance company and it's fair to the to the patient," said Republican state Rep. Ross Ford, one of the cosponsors. "It gives the right balance of oversight, but it also goes far enough to hold the insurance company responsible if they choose to deny a procedure."

Three months of limbo

In Arizona, a bill has been introduced that would require insurers to honor prior authorizations for at least 90 days, even if the patient switches insurers. But according to the Arizona Department of Insurance, it would not apply to Medicaid.

That means it wouldn't apply to Amina Tollin.

Medicaid finally approved Tollin for her infusions in late March. But through the three months of limbo, she says her symptomsincluding pain, exhaustion, numbness and tinglingwere agonizing.

She fears that at some point in the future, Arizona Medicaid might once again refuse to cover the infusions, which are covered for the next twelve months.

"I feel like I won, but I didn't really win because it's going to be a whole new fight in a year," she said.

2024 States Newsroom. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Editors note: This is one of 12 profiles featuring a candidate in Montanas Second Congressional House District primary race. The profiles are being published daily over 12 days and in alphabetical order. Each of the candidates were asked the same questions.

Ken Bogners journey into politics started on a U.S. military base in Iraq. He was a 9-11 generation teen who enlisted in the Marine Corps after graduating from high school in Miles City.

Out in the desert, on one of his two combat tours, Bogner started thinking about geopolitics and how it was that a small-town Montana kid found himself in a foreign land where people were trying to kill him.

Bogner was a combat engineer. He served the Iraqi border with Syria which Iraqis were trying to flee into. He built traffic control points to slow refugees and give security patrols a chance to search for smuggled weapons and contraband.

I knew I wanted to do something. I didnt know what, Bogner, a two-term state legislator said. Then my younger brother was wounded in Afghanistan. Chris Bogner, also a Marine, had been critically injured by an improvised explosive device.

And my community, Miles City, stepped up, Ken Bogner said. They were sending care packages, started prayer chains, donated money, mowed my parents yard. I just felt so proud to be from Montana and Miles City. I wanted to give something back.

And I did a legislative session as an aide. And I was asked to run for office myself, and thats how I decided to give back. So, I ran in 2018.

Bogner skips several steps in the telling of his journey. He attended Columbia University, one of the best schools in the country, and studied international relations. He then earned a masters degree in public policy from Middlesex University, in London.

During his six years in the Montana Senate he was also a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor in the 2020 primary. His running mate was fellow state Sen. Al Olszewski. Their ticket lost to Gov. Greg Gianforte and Lt. Gov Kristin Juras.

Bogners legislative record has an international and privacy tilt. He successfully carried a law to ban purchases of Montana farmland by China and other foreign adversaries. Lawmakers also passed a Bogner bill banning the government from using facial recognition software for surveillance. His right to try law aims to empower patients to try alternative treatments.

Im the only candidate with both the military service and also the legislative experience, and there seems to be a lot of people who value that, especially with some of the bills I've passed, Bogner said. With the bill to prohibit foreign adversaries like China for buying our land. That's been very popular for the district as well as some medical bills that push back a little bit against the pandemic policies, which people seem to be very supportive of, as well as an election integrity bill and privacy rights bills that have passed. So, that experience of passing that comprehensive legislation has been very popular along with my military service district with a lot of veterans.

Bogner travels his district campaigning in a 1966 Ford truck, which people in Eastern Montana seem to appreciate.

Political party: Republican

Age and place of birth: 37, Miles City

Home: Miles City

Occupation: Montana State Senator/military veteran outreach coordinator

Education: Columbia University

Military: U.S. Marine Corps, 2005-2009 (Two combat deployments to Iraq)

Political experience: Montana State Senator, Senate President Pro-tempore (2018-current)

Ways voters can contact you:

b.) Address: P.O. Box 1012

c.) Phone number:

Q. Identify two national priorities that are part of your platform, explain your position on each and tell voters how you intend to address both. If theres an existing bill you support to advance your position, please identify it.

On my second deployment to Iraq while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, it was our mission to assist in securing the Iraq/Syria border. Iran was sending weapons into Syria to get smuggled across the border to be used on American troops. At the same time, refugees were flooding the border to escape the war. I have the experience of what it takes to secure a border. I will take these lessons to Congress to secure the southern border, stop the invasion of illegal immigrants, and eliminate the cartels massive drug trafficking operations.

I passed the bill to prevent the government from spying on its citizens with facial recognition technology as well as the constitutional amendment to protect against illegal search and seizure of Montanans electronic data. The U.S. government should not be spying on Americans, we need policies protecting against the monitoring of our personal communications, bank transactions, firearm purchases, and tracking of our location. I will bring legislation and vote to repeal the current laws that do this.

Q. Name two issues unique to the Eastern District that you will have to advance because no one else in the House will be familiar enough to do so. Explain how youll get the job done.

I passed the bill in Montana to prohibit our foreign adversaries, such as China, from buying our land here in Montana. Congress has failed to do this. You have probably seen a lot of campaign ads talking tough on China but I am the only candidate that has actually done something about foreign land ownership in our communities. I have gotten it done here in Montana and will get it passed in Congress.

I also passed the election integrity bill that prevents fraud by making every precinct in Montana subject to post-election audit. Election integrity is fundamental to our Republic. Our citizens must trust our elections; they need to know they are fair and the results are accurate. In Congress, I will bring legislation that gives states the tools to protect against fraud and provide confidence to the American voters.

Q. A rare earth minerals miner in Montana recently suggested that to sustain a domestic supply of metals essential to all things techsemiconductors, batteries, advanced military equipmentCongress would have to act. Otherwise, China, which supplies about 80% of the rare earth minerals imported by the U.S., will continue the dominate supply. Consider the traditional basket of trade optionstariffs, subsidies, government purchases, federal leasing, and environmental lawsand suggest a policy approach to this challenge.

The federal government must implement policies to protect against lengthy and frivolous litigation that makes mining unsustainable because of the costs of being tied up in court. Unfortunately, this is the tactic used by those who want all mining and mineral extraction stopped; this is weakening Montana, America, and hurting our miners. Its time for that to end.

Q. Explain how an import tariff consequential to sales of U.S. Corn and Soybeans to China affects the price of Montanas top export ag commodity.

Taxes raise prices for consumers, the higher the price for consumers the lower the demand. Lower demand results in lower profit and production.

Q. President Joe Biden has suggested codifying Roe, in other words creating a national right to abortion. Explain your position on this issue.

I am pro-life. I do not support codifying Roe or a national right to abortion and I will continue to support positions that protect life. I believe in Federalism and that the states should determine their own laws as much as possible and not the federal government.

Q. What role would you assign yourself as a member of a slim House majority? Would you get behind policies or leaders that 90% of your party supports to advance the preferences of your caucus? Or would you use your dissent as leverage to advance positions most of your caucus didnt support?

I would assign myself the role as the representative of the people of Eastern Montana. I will be accountable to the people of Eastern Montana and the people of Montana want a government that puts America first and I will support policies that do that.

Q. Would you have certified the electors from all 50 states as a member of Congress in 2021? Explain your decision while identifying any state whose electors you would have rejected.

States that had pending litigation with vote margins less than what is required for an automatic recount would not have received my vote for certification.
Burke County now has another tool in its zoning toolbox.

The Burke County Board of Commissioners approved 4-1 on Tuesday night to now use conditional zoning in addition to conventional zoning and district overlays. Commissioner Phil Smith opposed the measure.

Alan Glines, community development director, told commissioners that state law allows counties to use conditional zoning to make land-use decisions. He said counties have five zoning options, but Burke County only uses two  conventional zoning and district overlays.

He said conditional zoning would mean they can customize conditions of the land development.

Glines said each conditional zoning application would be made on a case-by-case basis to manage impacts. He said conventional zoning would be used in most cases and conditional zoning would be likely used on unusual rezoning requests where special conditions are appropriate.

Commissioners must approve the conditions, and the property owner must agree, he said.

Glines said multiple counties to the east of Burke County use conditional zoning, including Catawba, Lincoln, Cleveland, Iredell and Gaston counties.

He said conditional zoning provides flexibility for a site plan and helps manage use of parcels that may not be possible with conventional zoning and can preserve natural resources or provide a mix of uses that may work better. He said the county can be specific about what kinds of things are allowed with conditional zoning.

All conditional rezoning requests would be reviewed by staff then go to the planning board before finally going before the board of commissioners, Glines said. Commissioners, as they currently do, would hold a public hearing on each conditional zoning request, he said.

Commissioner Chairman Jeff Brittain asked if someone applied for conventional zoning would they have to stick to that or could conditional zoning be used.

Glines said staff would try to consider each zoning request and make recommendations before going forward.

During the public hearing, several speakers said the conditional zoning appeared to be tied to a proposed megasite off Dysartsville Road.

One resident at the lake said it appears to give more control to the county when it comes to zoning. He said hes concerned about the part of the zoning ordinance that says less or more conditions. He asked if there are potential downsides to conditional zoning.

Resident Maureen Jones said shes not opposed to conditional zoning and thinks it would be good for highly visible zoning requests. However, she said in reviewing the proposed amendment, it allows fewer conditions to the current ordinance. She said the planning board voted against recommending commissioners approve conditional zoning because of it.

Jones asked that the conditional zoning ordinance be rewritten to consider the portions that are of concern and includes specific conditions.

Teresa Stewart echoed Jones, saying the less restrictive portion of the ordinance should be removed from the language. She said the planning board did not allow public comment during its meeting, and no draft of the proposed ordinance was made available. Shes concerned the process was bypassed before it was voted on.

Glines said all rezoning requests follow a similar notification process, including a public meeting by the planning board. The planning board, however, does not take public comment during its meetings because its not a public hearing.

He said when the item goes from the zoning board to commissioners, the board of commissioners hold the public hearing that allows public comment. The clerk to the board of commissioners puts the entire agenda online with the public hearings.

Commissioner Phil Smith said it appears the public mostly has a problem with the less restrictive portion of the conditional zoning ordinance, saying he has a problem with that, too.

Glines said there could be a situation where there could be an acre-minimum lot size, but the board could approve a smaller minimum lot size.

Glines reiterated that each zoning request, whether conditional or conventional or district overlay, would come before the board of commissioners. He said staff would point out and tell the board if they were less restrictive. Brittain said there might be situations where less restrictive might be best for everybody, and if they take it out then they dont have anything to work with. Brittain said if the board decides they dont like a request, then they wouldnt approve it.

In other business, the board:

Approved authorizing the chairman of the board to execute the Form of AgreementFY 202324 with the Department of Public Instruction detailing the use of the $42 million grant funds for Burke County Public Schools. The school system received the $42 million grant in February to build a new elementary school in eastern Burke County. The $42 million comes from the states education lottery revenues.

Approved a request to rezone nine tracts totaling 14.67 acres off NC 18 and US 64 at Snipes Street from Industrial to Residential.

Unanimously approved the Jonas Ridge Cranberry Bog master plan and a PARTF grant application for the cranberry bog park. Glines said that in 2019, Burke County, along with Foothills Conservancy of NC, purchased a 20-acre parcel for the bog park. He said the park master plan calls for a series of walking paths with a boardwalk in some areas, picnic pavilion, a meadow and another area for a dog park, as well as benches and picnic tables, a bird blind and signage.

Approved a rezoning request from Tim Newton, owner of Lake James Marina, to rezone a 0.41-acre parcel adjacent to the marina from Residential to General Business. Glines said Newton wants to expand the business and renovate a rock building on the property.

Before voting on the item, the board voted 3-1 to recuse Commissioner Phil Smith from voting on the item, with Commissioner Johnnie Carswell opposing the measure. Smith revealed he is a real estate agent at Newtons real estate firm.

Approved revisions to the Burke County personnel policy.

Approved a committee that will plan celebrations in Burke County for the 250th birthday of the U.S. in 2026.

After a long closed session, the board gave direction to the county attorney to move forward with a legal matter. The legal matter was not disclosed.
UPDATE: Scott was found safe Wednesday evening, according to the Burke County Sheriff's Office. He was treated by first responders and Burke County EMS before returning home.

Emergency management personnel are searching for a missing man in the Dysartsville area of Burke County.

Justin Alan Scott, 42, is described as a 5-foot, 10-inch white male with dark brown hair and brown eyes, according to a press release from the Burke County Sheriff's Office. He weighs about 150 pounds and was last seen wearing a black and tan North Face jacket with black and tan hiking boots with orange shoelaces, the release said.

Scott had a small gray-and-black dog named "Freya" with him the last time he was seen, the release said. The dog had on a gray-and-black harness with a teal leash.

Scott was last seen leaving his home near Gold Mine Road in the Dysartsville area of western Burke County and has not returned. He was last seen on foot around 10 a.m. Tuesday and may have been walking in the wooded area or on roads near Gold Mine Road between Dysartsville Road and US 64, the release said.

BCSO has requested assistance from the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections K9 team and Burke County Emergency Management/SAR teams, and they are working to coordinate search efforts in the area.

If anyone sees Scott or has any information about his whereabouts, call the Burke County Emergency Communications Center at 828-438-5500.
The Kenya Defense Forces Chief of General Forces Francis Ogolla is dead at 61.

Gen. Ogolla died Thursday afternoon after a KDF chopper crashed at the Kaben-Cheptulel border between Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot counties.

The chopper was carrying 11 other military officers, including the pilot, nine of whom succumbed alongside CDF Ogolla in the crash, leaving only two survivors. Initially, police stated that 5 occupants had died.

The CDF and his delegation were coming from a peace mission in West Pokot and Elgeyo Marawkwe counties.

Gen Francis Omondi Ogolla joined the Kenya Defence Forces on 24 April 1984 and was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant on 6 May 1985 and posted to Kenya Air Force.

In 2023, President Ruto appointed Gen. Ogolla as the new Chief of Defense Forces, taking over from Gen. Robert Kibochi whose term came to an end.

About a month ago, the president appointed Gen. Ogolla as the chair of a task force of the Development of Kenya Home of Human Origins Museum and Science Park in the Lake Turkana Basin steering committee.

State House alerted journalists to prepare for a coming statement shortly after 5.

However, following speculation on social media that the CDF was no more, Government Spokesman released a statement on Twitter urging calm.

Dear fellow Kenyans. An official communication concerning the Military Aircraft Crash shall be issued soon.

Lets stay calm and avoid any speculation whatsoever at this critical juncture.

Regards Isaac Mwaura Government Spokesman

According to reports, the Defence Council was holed up in an emergency meeting to assess the situation. The council was chaired by Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, and was attended by the three chiefs of the Defence forces, plus the Principal Secretary in the Defence ministry.

Shortly before 6pm, StateHouse Spokesperson Hussein Muhamed Tweeted that President Ruto had convened a meeting of the National Security Council at State House.

President William Ruto has convened an urgent meeting of the National Security Council at State House Nairobi this evening following a Kenya Defence Forces helicopter crash this afternoon in Elgeyo-Marakwet County.

This is a developing story..
In light of the ongoing long rains, the Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on Wednesday released an urgent flood warning and evacuation notice .

Kenyans are alerted to the possibility of flooding which may necessitate evacuation for public safety.

The Seven-Forks Hydro-electric Power Dams are at full capacity, with Masinga Damthe largest in the sequencealready spilling over. Although currently controlled, further rainfall is expected to exacerbate the situation, increasing the risk of significant spillover to subsequent dams and flooding in adjacent settlements.

Areas along the Tana River, including the River Thiba catchment, are at a heightened risk of flooding. Should further precipitation occur, the Tana River is expected to overflow, potentially affecting Garissa, the Tana Delta, and Lamu Counties.

Communities in Western Kenya, particularly those around lakes and rivers in Homa Bay, Siaya, Busia, and other counties, have been warned of possible flooding if rain continues. Similarly, regions prone to landslides, such as in Narok, Kajiado, and Mombasa, are also cautioned.

The Government has urged caution in urban areas with poor drainage systems, as these could lead to flooding from overwhelmed reservoirs.

In response to these threats, the National Disaster Operations Centre has reactivated the Multi-Agency Disaster Management Team, initially formed during the 2023 El-Nino rains. This team is coordinating a whole-of-government response to the crisis.

Additionally, the Kenya Red Cross and international agencies are collaborating to deliver a coordinated response.

Local security and intelligence teams have been instructed to collaborate closely with county governments to monitor and provide timely updates on the situation. The public is advised to remain vigilant, follow updates, and plan movements carefully to avoid the dangers posed by the inclement weather and rising water levels.

Heres the full statement.
During a tour of Kilifi County at the National Cereal and Produce Board (NCPD) depot, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi assured farmers that the government is distributing genuine fertilizer, urging them to utilize it to enhance farm yields.

He also confirmed that the government has initiated measures to mitigate the cost of living for Kenyans.

I am happy to report that over 4,000 farmers in Kilifi North have collected their e-subsidy fertiliser this planting season. I confidently say we have adequate supply of high-quality fertiliser in stock. I urge farmers to come and collect, Linturi said.

Mithika also inaugurated the Coconut Festival at Tezo area, where he distributed coconut seeds, sunflower seeds, and cashew nuts.

He emphasized that with adequate support from agricultural programs, Kenyans can achieve self-reliance and reduce dependency on relief aid. The CS highlighted the governments full commitment to promoting the production of edible oil crops, particularly in coastal regions.

Weve already initiated a comprehensive program to distribute top-quality cashewnut and coconut seedlings, bolstering this crucial value chain, the CS added.

CS Linturi also pledged to provide a dryer to the Kilifi NCPB depot to aid in drying, ensuring optimal moisture levels and reducing post-harvest losses.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has assured the United Nations agencies in Kenya of the Governments enhanced partnership in the implementation of their development goals and targets.

The Deputy President on Wednesday told representatives of 24 UN agencies in Kenya that the Ruto Administration will continue collaborating and working with them in joint development programmes.

Speaking during the UN-Kenya partnership meeting held at the Official Residence of the Deputy President in Karen, Gachagua said there is nexus on priorities and mandate of the UN agencies in Kenya and the governments Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) Plan.

Hence, the need for collaboration and partnership.

Continuous engagement with partners is the modus operadi of the Ruto administration. A good idea should give room to a better idea and a better idea give room to the best idea. None of us has monopoly on knowledge. Continuous engagement enriches our knowledge, said the Deputy President.

He added that the Government will work with the agencies in the implementation of 2022-2026 Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.

Resulting from the cooperation of the UN and the government, he noted that the UN Co-operation Framework for Kenya supports and aligns with the governments main development priorities, for the economy and society.

I commend the UN Kenya for the strategic set of joint programmes being developed by line ministries and UN entities, together with a wide range of stakeholders. These UN-supported joint programmes cover priorities that go hand in glove with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and the recently launched Medium Term Plan (MTP IV), said the Deputy President.

Highlighting humanitarian response and strategic plans of the UN in Kenya, the Deputy President said the activities of the global organization respond to Kenyas core development priorities, as captured in the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda and the Climate Positive development agenda.

He also lauded the UN and development partners for collaborating with the government in response to the devastating drought occasioned by five consecutive failed rainy seasons and the devastating El Nino flooding in 2023 into 2024.

The Deputy President said the agencies reinforced the longstanding urgency of bolstering food security, humanitarian response and resilience.

The UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya Dr Stephen Jackson said the UN agencies in Kenya have aligned their development programs with the core pillars of the governments Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

Dr Jackson said the UN agencies will continue engaging and partnering with the government in the implementation of Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework Kenya (2022-2026).

BETA for us means leaving no one behind. We are speaking to and committed to the same thing and this is pragmatic alignment. The cooperation framework runs for four years and our vision is to mobilize $2.2 (Ksh290.4 billion) for its implementation. We have mobilized quite a bit, said Dr Jackson.

Pillars of the governments bottom-up economic model are Agricultural Transformation; Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Economy; Healthcare; Housing and Settlement; and Digital Superhighway and Creative Industry.

The Wednesday meeting was also convened to highlight achievements of the UN Kenya in 2023 and outlook for 2024.

In his remarks, the Deputy President said Kenya welcomes the commitment by the UN Resident Coordinator that the UN Cooperation Framework will respond to the emerging development needs in Kenya and to the priorities of the government.

He also assured the development partners that the President William Rutos administration will continue engaging them for socio-economic growth of the country.

-DPCS
During the third National Wage Bill Conference at the Bomas of Kenya on Wednesday, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua claimed that he knows the culprits responsible for issuing fake academic certificates at River Road in Nairobi and some senior government officials who have benefited from this illegal trade.

Gachagua disclosed that some cartels engaged in the production of fake academic documents had approached him as a potential client.

According to him, the unidentified individuals claimed to have provided their services to numerous government officials seeking fake papers to secure public service employment.

The DP pointed out that these officials, well-known to President William Ruto, are within his reach, and he is prepared to disclose their identities to him.

Many people in the government, Governors, heads of department, even some who are sitting here with you, most of them their papers ziko na dosari, he said.

These people of River Road have been looking for me saying why are you, the deputy president, complaining? Tumesaidia wengi, tumesaidia fulani, fulani na fulaniI will give you the list which I was given of the people who have been helped.

DP Gachagua stated that he has consistently rejected such offers despite feeling isolated as many of his senior government peers, including President Ruto, possess multiple degrees and advanced qualifications.

Nevertheless, he reiterated his satisfaction with his current level of education, affirming his stance against taking shortcuts.

When I have been complaining that I am feeling lonely at the top because my boss has three degrees, Controller of State House also three, and I have one, Gachagua noted.

As for me, I dont care much about papers, because I dont want to go to River Road; I am satisfied with the little I have.
Tough action will be taken against those who violate traffic laws and cause deaths and injuries, President William Ruto has said.

The President said road negligence must stop and road safety measures enhanced, including the adoption of modern technologies to enhance monitoring of traffic violations and the introduction of instant fines.

Saying that no one will be exempted from road safety compliance, President Ruto pointed out that the government is dealing with corruption among traffic police officers because the vice makes them turn a blind eye to speeding and reckless driving which then causes accidents.

Our justice, law and order agencies must coordinate and sustain robust law enforcement by ensuring that offenders are detected, apprehended, prosecuted and punished swiftly and transparently, he said.

President Ruto made the remarks during the launch of the National Road Safety Action Plan 2024 -2028 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi.

Cabinet Secretaries Kipchumba Murkomen and Ezekiel Machogu, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, and European Union Ambassador to Kenya Henriette Geiger among others were present.

He said the launch of the plan will facilitate a multi-sectoral approach to road safety.

The government is committed to supporting the implementation of the National Road Safety Action Plan by providing resources, addressing legal and regulatory gaps and enhancing the capacity of the National Police Service, he said.

President Ruto called for stronger collaboration between the National Transport and Safety Authority and the Traffic Department of the police in the implementation of the safety action plan.

He said the plan must lead to the reduction of accidents, deaths and related injuries by 50 per cent in the next one year.

The number of road accidents must come down. It is my expectation that we will be the administration that will deal with this challenge, he said.

The President pointed out that road accidents were overwhelming hospitals with high numbers of critical injuries.

He said the government is working with development partners not only to improve road infrastructure, but also revamp road safety in the country.

President Ruto pledged that the government will enhance safety awareness campaigns to nurture a national culture of safety and responsible road usage.

The President urged the public to contribute to ensuring road safety across the country by playing their part.

Evading inspection, neglecting vehicle safety maintenance, reckless behaviour on the road and paying bribes to avoid accountability are serious forms of contributory misconduct, which must be punished, he added.
Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale informed the Senate on Wednesday that the newly-renovated Uhuru and Central parks would no longer serve as venues for political rallies.

The recreational parks, closed to the public in March 2022 to facilitate restoration by the Kenya Defence Forces and the now-defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services, were the subject of Duales update to senators on their renovation status.

Duale stated that once reopened, at a date yet to be confirmed, the park would be off-limits for political events.

That park will never again be used by politicians to address rallies; it is out of bounds. The political class will look for another venue. Uhuru and Central parks belong to Kenyans, Duale said.

The CS highlighted that the military officers engaged in the parks facelift undertook various tasks, including rehabilitating green spaces, restoring monuments, improving infrastructure, and enhancing security by erecting fences and installing a visitor management system.

However, he noted that the renovation is unfinished, citing pending water and drainage connections.

The minister stated that his ministry is collaborating with the Nairobi County Government to finalize the installation of water connections.

The construction work at Uhuru Park is practically complete as per the contract, however, we have 8 per cent pending works. We are signing an MoU with the County Government of Nairobi and in less than three weeks, they will fix them, Duale said.

We were waiting for the construction of the main drainage along Uhuru Highway by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA). KENHA has assured that construction will be completed soon.
By the Presidential Communication Service

President William Ruto has directed all State agencies with non-compliant reports from the Auditor-General and the Public Service Commission to submit corrective action within the next 21 days.

Raising concern over the level of non-compliance with constitutional mandates uncovered by the two institutions in their annual audits, President Ruto disclosed that only 24 per cent of government institutions have received a clean bill of health from the PSC and the Auditor-General.

He said the trend is unacceptable and amounts to impunity that can no longer be tolerated.

We cannot deliver for Kenyans when we are burdened with impunity and wounded by non-compliance, he said.

Speaking during the Third National Wage Bill Conference 2024 at the Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi, President Ruto said he expects radical improvement in future audits by all government ministries, departments and agencies.

The President said the government is implementing several measures to achieve a 35 per cent wage bill ratio to revenue. He noted significant progress in managing the public wage bill, highlighting its reduction from 51% to 46% currently.

He said the two levels of government, National and counties, will work in partnership under the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee in conjunction with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission and the Council of Governors to achieve the wage bill target.

As National Government, we have taken the lead with a commitment to reduce the wage bill to 35% of revenue by 2027, he said.

To achieve this, President Ruto urged leaders not to pursue populist positions and instead to be prepared to make tough decisions.

We must stop chasing what is popular; we must go after what is right, he said.

The President said the government is keen on enhancing revenue collection through digitisation and fighting corruption in the public service.

He said increasing the countrys revenue will improve the wage bill-to-revenue ratio.

I believe that we can raise an extra KSh500 billion, if not KSh1 trillion, just by digitising the Kenya Revenue Authority, he said.

He pointed out that the government is also creating alternative pathways to employment to ease the pressure on the PSC which, he said, cannot hire all job seekers.

The President directed the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to deal firmly with those who used fake certificates to obtain jobs in the public service.

Those who have earned money using fake certificates should resign and return public money, he said.

The government, he said, is working towards building a public sector that is characterised by high efficiency, integrity, accountability and productivity needed for Kenya to achieve its development aspirations.

These virtues are also essential to actualise our intentions to make Kenya Africas productivity champion and the host of the African Productivity Centre, he added.

President Ruto urged heads of government institutions to support reforms by the SRC.

His sentiments were echoed by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua who said, in his role as the coordinator of constitutional commissions and independent offices, reforms proposed by the SRC in government are often met with hostility and rejection.

I receive many complaints and petitions against this or that commission; 98 per cent of all complaints and petitions that I receive are against the chairperson of SRC, he said.

At the same time, President Ruto commended the institutions which won the wage bill accountability awards for setting a worthy example for the rest of the public sector.

This is the way to go, and you have demonstrated that it is feasible. Congratulations, and keep it up, he said
Yesterday, TIME unveiled its 2024 TIME100, the annual list featuring the 100 most influential people worldwide, with Kenyas President William Ruto earning a spot among the most influential leaders.

TIME highlighted Rutos role as a significant advocate for Africas climate ambitions, citing his hosting of a summit in Nairobi last September, which attracted leaders from across the globe.

The summit concluded with African countries unanimously agreeing to rapidly expand renewable energy over the next decade, supported by $23 billion in pledges to advance the continents climate objectives.

Rutos advocacy for lenders to alleviate the debt burden faced by certain African nations, thereby enabling investment in climate solutions, has also garnered global attention.

But Rutos new prominence on the international stage comes amid significant challenges in Kenya, including last summers protests against the rising cost of living and a gas-tax increase Ruto spearheaded, as well as this Januarys demonstrations against allegations of judicial interference. To continue to make progress abroad, Ruto will need to manage challenges at home too, wrote TIME senior correspondent Justin Worland.

Kennedy Odede Makes 2024 TIME100 Most Influential List

Ruto was named alongside another Kenyan, Kennedy Odede, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO).

Odede, a community leader who grew up in the slum of Kibera in Nairobi, made the TIME100s list of pioneers for his contributions through SHOFCO. The grassroots organization supports and empowers millions of residents in slum settlements across the country.

TIME notes;

Kennedy is living proof that individuals can lead themselves, and their communities, out of poverty. His backgrounda refugee growing up with no formal schooling in Kibera, one of the largest slums in Kenyagives him a deep understanding of his community and others like it. And his work has earned him the trust and admiration of all those around him. Kennedy finds ingenious solutions: schools for the most vulnerable girls, training programs for men to combat domestic violence, safe houses for survivors, community libraries, employment programs, innovative clean-water kiosks, a community cooperative bank. There is no challenge he will not take on. He is an unstoppable force for justice. This dream of hope that started more than 20 years ago in his home in Kibera has now reached more than 3 million Kenyans and is rapidly becoming a blueprint that will one day, hopefully, reach the worlda movement for change led by the people themselves.

Check Out the FULL 2024 TIME100 List Here.
Second-grade teacher Jacob Willis has worked in the San Diego Unified School District in different roles since he graduated from high school in 2016. Now, he is one of hundreds of California teachers waiting to see if they will still have a job when campuses reopen next school year.

Declining enrollment, expiring federal funds for COVID-19 relief, plus a proposed state budget with no new money for education made school leaders in 100 of Californias 1,000 school districts nervous enough about balancing their districts budgets to issue layoff notices to 1,900 teachers  16 times more than the 124 that were issued last spring, according to the California Teachers Association.

State law requires that districts send pink slips by March 15 to any teacher who could potentially be laid off by the end of the school year. Although many of the layoff notices are withdrawn by May 15  the last day final layoff notices can be given to tenured teachers  the practice is criticized by many for being demoralizing to teachers and disruptive to school systems.

It creates serious insecurity and stress for teachers, including those who are ultimately asked to stay, said Ken Jacobs, co-chair of the UC Berkeley Labor Center. This will make it harder for districts to hire teachers and leads teachers to leave the profession.

Holding out hope

Willis, 26, knows that with the states enduring teacher shortage he could find a teaching job at another school district, but hed rather not. His heart is at San Diego Unified, where he started as a noon duty assistant at age 18. He watched over students during recess and lunch for four years while completing his teaching credential.

I have no intention to stop teaching, said Willis, who is in his second year as a teacher. This is what I went to school for. This is what I intended to do for my whole career arc and life.

The month since the pink slips were issued has been a tough one for Willis and his class at Porter Elementary, who learned of his potential layoff when he appeared on the local news. They are upset that he might not be on campus when they return for third grade, he said.

Theres so much uncertainty, Willis said. Theres a chance that my pink slip might be rescinded. Theres a chance that it might not be rescinded, or I have to go to a different site.  Its really stressful because I dont know at all whats going to happen.

Almost a quarter of the pink slips issued in California were from Anaheim Union High School District, which issued 226, and San Diego Unified School District, which initially sent out 208 layoff notices. As of Friday, Anaheim had rescinded at least 55 notices and San Diego Unified 30, according to district officials.

San Diego Unified, the states second-largest district, employs 4,290 teachers, while Anaheim Union High School District has about 1,346 teachers, according to 2022-23 data from the National Center for Education Statistics.

We havent seen layoffs on this scale in San Diego since 2017, said Kyle Weinberg, president of the San Diego Education Association, referring to the notices of possible layoffs.

Pink slips dont necessarily mean job loss

Districts generally send out more notices than the number of positions they might need to eliminate to ensure they meet the state requirement. Some pink slips are rescinded after district officials review credentials, expected retirements and projected enrollment numbers at school sites, and hearings with an administrative law judge are held to determine who stays and who goes.

In San Diego, all the teachers still holding pink slips by the end of last week were probationary employees, said Mike Murad, spokesperson for the district. When the dust settles, Anaheim Union High School District expects to lay off 119 teachers by the end of the school year, while San Diego has said the number will likely be 127.

Teachers are generally considered probationary if they have been with the district two years or less, are working in the district on an emergency-style credential or are hired into a position with restricted funding.

The president of the states largest teachers union blamed the pink slips on reduced funding and officials who issue more layoff notices than necessary. Unfortunately, a lot of districts go to it as if its like a playbook, said David Goldberg, president of the California Teachers Association.

School districts should look to their reserves to fund these positions next school year, he said.

Teacher layoffs are complicated

Generally, teacher layoffs are based on seniority, although districts can skip more junior teachers if they have special training and experience to teach a specific course that a more senior teacher does not. Pink-slipped teachers, who can prove they have more seniority than another teacher with equal expertise, can also bump that teacher and take that position, resulting in a reshuffling of teachers in multiple schools.

In Anaheim, the district protected 16 categories of teachers from layoffs, leading to layoff notices for more senior staff that included a teacher with 25 years of experience, said Geoff Morganstern, president of the Anaheim Secondary Teachers Association. The teacher has since had the pink slip rescinded, but others with 10 to 16 years of service have still not had layoff notices revoked, he said.

San Diego Unified also is not issuing layoff notices to teachers in some difficult-to-fill positions, and expects to have job openings in some credential areas, including special education, math and science, according to district officials.

Revenue dips prompt layoffs

Potential staff reductions at San Diego Unified are the result of the loss of nearly $540 million in Covid-relief funds, declining enrollment and projections of decreased state revenue, said board President Shana Hazan.

As a district, we are committed to balancing our budget without significant impacts to students and school sites, Hazen said. Over the last year, our team has worked to thoughtfully and strategically build a budget that considers the needs of our children first and foremost.

The district is trying to maximize attrition to minimize layoffs, she said. We are hopeful we can continue to reduce the actual number of employees affected before May 15, when reductions are to be finalized.

The San Diego Education Association has asked district officials to tap reserves to pay teacher salaries and to eliminate positions as teachers retire or leave the district, Weinberg said.

Anaheim Union High School Superintendent Michael Matsuda blamed the layoffs in the district on budget deficits brought on, in part, by the loss of 3,500 students. The district had used one-time state funds to extend a three-year agreement, made during the 2017-18 school year, to temporarily increase teaching staff to address critical needs in core content areas, he said in a video statement to the school community. The funds are running out, according to the district.

Union officials would have liked to have seen the district offer a retirement incentive this year and to manage declining enrollment through attrition and smaller cuts, but district officials didnt want to spend the money, Morganstern said. The district has many teachers ready to retire, he added.

Layoffs can hurt teacher recruitment

Teacher layoffs during the Great Recession, between 2007 and 2009, are widely considered to be one of the causes of the current teacher shortage because they discouraged people from entering teacher preparation programs.

Its a huge risk that the district is taking (by) not rescinding the layoff notices, Weinberg said. We are the only large district and the county thats doing layoff notices, and there are plenty of vacancies in other districts that our educators will apply for, and they will accept jobs. And thats going to be devastating for our students who have relationships with those educators.

A Commission on Teacher Credentialing report released last week shows that enrollment at teacher preparation programs declined another 10% in 2022-23, the most recent year data is available, following a 16% decline the previous year.

Issuing layoff notices during a teacher shortage can be particularly tricky for districts that are still trying to find teachers for hard-to-fill positions, like those with special education, math and science credentials.

Local teachers unions have been holding rallies to gain community support and to put pressure on district officials to rescind the pink slips.

If we are able to win and have all of the layoff notices rescinded, we will have the smaller class sizes that our students need and that weve seen with the additional funds during the pandemic, Weinberg said.

Morganstern expects all classes in Anaheim Union High School District to reach their maximum allowed capacity of students if the pink slips arent all recalled, with some classes going over the limit. The union will file grievances in those cases because its a contract violation, he said.

Then theyre going to have to scramble to hire teachers, and then theyre going to have to issue massive schedule changes because every kids schedule has to be rearranged because of these couple teachers at each school, Morganstern said. Its going to be a disaster.

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